We Could Rule

Taking Sides

"Has she said anything?" I heard Garrett ask Ward. They thought that I couldn't hear them, so I kept my gaze down to hear more.

"Nothing. She's in shock, she shot someone." Ward replied, glancing over at me.

"Really?"

"She did it to save me, there were too many attacking me."

I saw Garrett smirk."I think she likes you, Ward."

Garrett walked away, leaving Ward and I. We had been taken to another HQ, luckily not followed after the incident at the hotel. Less agents were here and I couldn't be sure if that was because they had been killed or whether they were still on duty. But I couldn't ask, my mind had gone into shutdown, making it impossible to say a single word. I had killed someone, taken their life away. I had no clue who they were or what they wanted with me. Panic took over me and I pulled that trigger to end it.

"Bethan," Ward kneeled in front of the chair I was sat in,"I know that this is hard for you, but you didn't do anything wrong."

"I killed someone. How is there nothing wrong with that?" I finally whispered out.

"You saved me."

I looked away from him.

"Thank you."

Still silence.

He looked around him before he spoke."I didn't tell Garrett."

"What?"

"You took the files."

"What files?" I was in so much trouble.

"You shouldn't lie to me, Bethan, let alone steal."

I was about to get up from my seat but Ward pushed me back down into it by my shoulders. He know stood up, looking much taller from where I was now.

"I'm going to forget about this one seeing as you could have let me die and ran away. But you can't mention it to anyone, Garrett won't hesitate to harm you."

"Harm me again?" I snapped.

"That was gentle. What he would do to you...you don't want to imagine." He started to walk away but stopped once I spoke.

"Yes, because you'd know all about that." I regretted the words as soon as they came out of my mouth.

"You need to shut up if you know what's good for you."

And with that he walked away, much to my luck. For a moment, I thought that something was going to happen to me, I thought that he was going to hurt me. Hopefully he would forget about it and not hold it against me; that was such a stupid thing to do.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sleep finally came to me. Just like the HQ before, there were individual rooms and I was put in one. Another agent had to take me and I spotted Ward as I was guided down one of the corridors. We made eye contact but I looked away as I was too scared. He had intimidated me once again. Once I was in my room, I felt a lot safer knowing that there was a barrier between us.

When I woke, I felt better until I realised where I was again. Sitting up, I rummaged through the suitcase full of my belongings and picked out another outfit. Although I felt no better, I exited the room, surprised that the door wasn't locked. Two guards stood outside, looking angry when I took my first step outside.

"What are you doing outside? No one told you to come out." One of them said.

"No one told me to stay inside." I blurted out.

"What did you say to me?!" He advanced towards me, his grip on his gun tightening. I immediately backed up against the door.

"HEY!" A loud voice shouted from down the hall. Ward came stomping down, the neckline on his shirt and his forehead covered in sweat (probably from an intense workout)."What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"She's disobeying orders, agent. Go back to following Garrett around like a lost puppy."

Ward punched him across the face without any warning, disarming his gun before he could shoot him. The man was now pinned on the floor, looking to his partner for help; however, he did nothing, not wanting to get involved.

"Don't touch or go near her again! You hear me!?" Ward shouted down at him.

The man nodded, scowling at Ward as he took back his gun and walked off, his partner following him. Ward glared at them until they turned a corner at the end of the hallway.

"Are you alright?" Ward asked me.

I nodded, not sure what to do.

"Look, let's just get you back inside."

We re-entered my room, awkwardly standing away from each other. I faced the wall, hoping he would leave now that he had rescued me....again.

"Thanks for that." I said.

"I'm in charge of looking after you."

"That was what S.H.I.E.L.D wanted you to do. You don't have to do that anymore."

"I'm loyal to Garrett, not Hydra." He sighed.

"What does that even mean!? You've sided with the enemy!"

"Just because you've read through my files, that does not mean you know me."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

There was nothing to do around the base and I had no idea what was happening. Ward left after another little spat, still looking angry like before. I sat in my room, not sure whether I should risk going outside again. If those two guards presumed that I had to stay inside then maybe others would too, and besides, Ward wouldn't always be there to save me. It was a while after Ward left when a knock came on the door. Opening it up, Garrett was stood there, smiling.

"Do you mind if I came in? I brought you food." He said.

My stomach suddenly roared and I forgot that I hadn't eaten yet. I opened the door more, stepping aside whilst he walked in with a tray of food. Without thinking, I dived towards the food, almost taking a huge bite out of the toast; but then I stopped, wondering why he was being so nice.

He laughed."It's not poisoned, you can trust me."

Still suspicious, I cautiously took a bite, savouring the taste. Who knew that toast could bring so much peace?

"I'm sure that you're confused about a lot of things." He started."But you're helping everyone out here."

"How am I helping? You kidnapped me!"

"Would you have preferred it if I asked?"

Chewing for another few seconds, I finally said,"When Ward took me, Coulson tried talking to him, but he kept pushing Coulson to tell me the truth. What did he mean?"

Garrett sat down next to me."Well, I guess you deserve the truth. You're family have a lot to do with S.H.I.E.L.D. You're grandparents were top agents and had a lot to do with Captain America."

"You've got me confused with someone else. My grandparents had nothing to do with any of this."

"Of course you won't know of their work, it was top secret."

"Even if this is true, what does this have to do with me?"

"That's what we want to know."