Based on the song Story of Us by Taylor Swift

I used to think one day we'd tell the story of us, how we met and sparks flew instantly.

Honestly, she didn't even want to come here tonight. The only reason she had ended up coming to this "Annual S.H.I.E.L.D Ball" thing was because Jemma had practically begged her, saying that it was the highlight of the year. She hated it even more now that she saw who else was in attendance.

She turned towards Jemma, who was laughing with Fitz by the bar, "so this is why you wanted me to come?"

Jemma looked over her shoulder and smiled, "good, he came. Yes, it's high time that you two got over your differences."

"Our differences? Jemma, he betrayed us!"

Jemma rolled her eyes, "yes Skye, he betrayed us 7 years ago. He's a level 9 agent now, who works with Fury all the time."

A lot had happened in the course of 7 years. Skye had stopped going by Daisy and started going by Skye again, saying that it suited her better. Director Fury took place as Director again, Coulson saying that he'd rather just be on the bus with his team again. Ward joined S.H.I.E.L.D again and became partners with Hawkeye and Black Widow.

Something that hadn't changed though, Skye still was angry at him.

Well, that's a lie.

She pretended she was still angry at him.

Easier to build up walls than to take them down.

I used to know my place was the spot next to you, but now I'm searching the room for an empty seat.

"Why does S.H.I.E.L.D even have a ball?" Skye asked.

"Because," Jemma said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "it's to celebrate another year of hard work and to remember all the losses and honor them."

Skye nodded, "so what am I supposed to do, then?"

"Mingle!" Jemma said as she pushed her friend away (maybe semi-purposely in the direction of Ward.) Skye rolled her eyes, it was going to be a long night.

So many things that I wish you knew, so many walls up I can't break through.

Skye found an empty table and sat down at it, enjoying her food. Se looked up and saw Ward in the distance laughing with Barton and Romanoff. She let herself give a small smile, he looked genuinely happy. Good for him.

She never really thought that it would end up like this, she thought that with the way things were going, in 7 years the two of them would've been married and had kids by now. But then reality stepped in and took him away from her.

Well, here he was. So why wasn't she going to him?

Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room and were not speaking. And I'm dying to know if it's killing you like it's killing me, yeah. I don't know what to say since the twist of fate when it all broke down, but the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now.

Ward looked over his shoulder and saw Skye sitting at a table all alone. He tried to quickly look away but the damage was done.

"I see you've found your girlfriend," Romanoff teased.

Ward grimaced, he knew she saw that, "she's not my girlfriend."

Romanoff shook her head, "you both need to get your heads out of the clouds. Go talk to her!"

"What? No, I can't talk to her. What would I even say?"

"I'm sure you could think of something."

"Nat," he tried to reason with her, "she doesn't want to talk to me."

"And you know that, how?"

"I just do," said Ward as he walked away from her.

How'd we end up this way? See me nervously pulling at my clothes and trying to look busy, and you're doing your best to avoid me.

Gosh darn it! She tried to avoid this all evening! It's not like she meant to make eye contact with him, she was just... staring at the back of his head when he suddenly turned around. Yeah, that was it. She immediately looked away and pulled out her phone, pretending to look busy so that he wouldn't think she was just sitting in the corner and being totally anti-social. (Which she totally was, but who cared?) She glanced up at him through the corner of her eye and saw that he had immediately turned on his heels and walked over to FitzSimmons.

She smiled, at least he got along with most of the old team again.

Oh, I'm scared to see the ending, why are we pretending this is nothing? I'd tell you I miss you but I don't know how, I've never heard silence quite this loud.

"So, Skye," Romanoff said as she sat down on a chair next to her, "you know your phone is upside down, right?"

Skye looked flustered and immediately shoved the phone back in to her purse, "uh, hey Nat!"

The Russian smirked, "you know that you can just go talk to him, right?"

Skye picked up her drink and started to sip it, "I have absolutely no idea who you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb, we both know that I'm talking about Ward."

"Ward? No. I have nothing to say to him."

Romanoff ran a hand through her hair, "why in the world are you two so stubborn?! It's been 7 years!"

"Exactly! It's been 7 years. How do I start an awkward conversation after 7 years?"

"It's easy," Nat grinned as she sipped her own drink, "you start with a 'hello' and then a 'how are you.'"

Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room and we're not speaking. And I'm dying to know if it's killing you like it's killing me, yeah. I don't know what to say since the twist of fate when it all broke down, but the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now.

"Did she talk to you yet?"

Ward walked over to Simmons and ordered a drink at the bar, "obviously not."

Jemma sighed, "you guys are so bloody stubborn!"

Ward gave her a pointed look, "says Jemma Simmons, who took 10 years to finally start dating Fitz."

"Yeah, but you and Skye have known each other for 8 years already!"

Ward chuckled and sipped his drink, "so give us 2 more years, then."

Jemma shook her head, "absolutely not. We already have you guys seven years to move on but you haven't. So what does that say?"

Ward looked at her and teased, "that I work alone."

"I don't think so, buddy," she said, tapping him on the back. "Come on, I have something I want to show you."

This is looking like a contest of who can act like they care less, but I liked it better when you were on my side. The battle's in your hands now, but I would lay my armor down if you said you'd rather love than fight.

"I'm taking this battle between you two into my own hands," Jemma said as she and Ward walked through a darkened hallway.

"Battle?"

"Figure of speech," Jemma rolled her eyes. She led him to the end of the hallway and placed him in front of a door.

"So what did you want to show me?"

Jemma opened the door and shoved him inside, "the inside!"

Ward groaned and leaned up against the door, "Jemma, let me out."

There was no reply.

"It's not gonna work," said a voice from inside the closet.

Ward slightly jumped and he turned on the light, "Skye..."

She gave a tiny half-smile, "I already tried begging. Romanoff shoved me in here. She took my phone away too! She's evil, I swear."

Ward smiled at Skye's comment and he sat down on the opposite side of the closet.

Silence was the only thing between them for the next three minutes before Skye finally had enough of it, "so," she started awkwardly, "how've you been?"

So many things that you wish I knew, but the story of us might be ending soon! Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room and I'm dying to know if it's killing you like it's killing me, yeah.

An hour later Skye and Ward were chatting and laughing as if the whole Hydra thing had never happened.

Jemma and Nat stood by the door, grinning. "Glad to see you finally started talking to each other again."

"All it took was locking them in a storage closet," Jemma laughed.

"I'm pretty sure storage closets are our thing," Skye laughed and then blushed as she remembered what happened last time she was left in a storage close with Ward.

"Can we come out now?" Ward asked, starting to get a little cramped in the small space.

"Nope!" said Romanoff cheerfully, "Skye knows what she's gotta do first."

Ward looked over at Skye, whose eyes widened. She slowly started to crawl closer to him. She sat herself down next to him and pulled him down until her lips were on his cheek, "happy New Year, Grant."

The end.

(I decided to give this one a happy ending 🤗)