Something Worth Saving

Chapter 12

"Ward isn't staying in Vault D?" Skye asked.

Fitz shook his head. "No, I figured you would want to know."

She nodded as she sat down on her bed again. "Thanks. What happened?"

"Apparently Garrett placed a device in his chest 18 years ago that could be activated at any time to stop his heart."

"Oh my gosh," Skye stood up. "Is he okay?"

Fitz nodded, "yeah, he'll be okay. He's in recovery now." He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, "uh, I know you looked at his file when we first found out about Hydra, did you...did you find anything about the woods?"

Skye's eyebrows furrowed together. "The woods?"

"Never mind," he waved his hand, "just something Coulson said."

She nodded slowly, sitting back down on the bed. "So they're not bringing him back to the cell?"

"He can't recover in the cell. Simmons wants to keep an eye on him."

"Wow," she raised an eyebrow, "she actually wants to keep an eye on him? She didn't even want to look at his bullet wound last time."

Fitz shrugged. "I guess something changed."

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"How're you feeling?" Simmons asked from her desk as Ward slowly opened his eyes.

"I'm alright. Thank you, Simmons, I owe you one," he said seriously as he looked in her direction.

"I was just doing my job."

"I know, but still, you saved my life."

"I'm afraid I can't take the credit for that one," she pursed her lips. "That was all Lincoln." Ward's brow furrowed in confusion. Simmons smiled. "The new guy you saved."

Ward nodded. "Tell him thanks."

"You can do that yourself," she informed him as she picked up her clipboard. "You'll be in the quarantine room across from his. You'll cross each other's paths eventually."

He nodded as she made her way toward him and pushed the stretcher towards the quarantine room on the right side of the hallway. She wheeled him towards the glass and opened up the door, pushing him through the threshold. "Think you can climb into the bed yourself?"

He nodded and lifted himself off the bed with little difficulty, maneuvering into the bed. "Thank you, Simmons."

She nodded once. "You're welcome, Ward," she said cooly, before leaving the room.

Ward laid down on the bed and closed his eyes, hoping to get some rest. His wish was denied when Coulson walked into the room.

Coulson sat in the chair in front of the glass and crossed his arms over his chest. Ward opened one of his eyes, glanced over at Coulson, and sighed. "How can I help you, boss?"

"I'm here to give you the rules."

"Shoot."

"Number one," Coulson started firmly, "no leaving this room. If I catch you trying to leave you will be sent to Vault D permanently. Number two, do what Simmons tells you while you heal. Number three, you're wearing this." He held up the silver house arrest bracelet that Skye had worn. He opened the glass door and walked towards the bed. He handed it to Ward and Ward sighed, putting it around his wrist.

"Anything else?"

"That's about it. Follow those rules and I won't have any reason to let May shoot you."

The corner of Ward's lips quirked up in a smile. "Understood, boss."

Coulson nodded and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

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"Simmons wanted me to check up on you and see how you were doing," Lincoln announced as he walking into Ward's room. "Normally I'd be in my own quarantine room but she's busy down at the lab and needed an extra hand. How's the surgery site?"

Ward sat up and removed the bandage for Lincoln to see. "It feels fine."

Lincoln nodded and typed a few notes on the tablet Simmons had given him. "Have you been eating everything she's been giving you?"

Ward scrunched his nose as he thought about the protein shake Simmons had made him eat. Normally he loved protein shakes, but she took them to a whole new level. "Unfortunately, I have been."

Lincoln chuckled as he wrote down a few more notes. He paused before looking up again. "I wanted to thank you for saving my life a few days ago. You didn't even know me and you still jumped in front of a bullet for me. You didn't have to do that, so thank you."

Ward gave the man a small smile. "You're welcome. I wanted to come over and thank you too, but," he held up the wrist with the bracelet on it, "I'm a little confined at the moment. Thank you for starting my heart again."

Lincoln nodded and smiled. "I haven't lost a patient before. I didn't want to start then."

Ward maneuvered himself back into a sitting position on the bed. "Well, thank you."

"You're welcome," he smiled, before turning the tablet on again. "Before I leave, did you have anything you wanted to tell Simmons? Any concerns?"

Ward shook his head. "Not really. Just maybe tell her to add a little flavor to the protein shakes," he smirked.

Lincoln nodded before heading out the door. "Will do."