Affinity || GRANT WARD [1]

SE 2: EP 14 ― Love in the Time of HYDRA v. S.H.I.E.L.D.

2015 ― Diner
[this song + this chapter = 🥺🥺]

Audrey Fury currently sat in a diner with Grant Ward. This was where he told her to meet him. She took a plane to the state he was in and then took a taxi, but when she got to the diner, Grant first put her things inside the vehicle he had and then they shared a hug and a kiss before coming inside.

"Do you like fried chicken? Ours is the best in the country." The waitress Rhonda asked Audrey.

"Um... I'll probably just pick off of his plate if I'm being honest," Audrey said which made Grant laugh. She used to always do that before.

"Of course," Rhonda said and then she turned to Grant. "So, what will the two of you be having, handsome?" She asked.

"I think I'll try the pumpkin pancakes," Grant said as he handed her his menu.

"Oh, good choice! How about I grab you some pecan syrup and we'll see if your girlfriend makes up her mind." Rhonda said. Neither of them chose to correct her on the girlfriend remark. When she walked away, Audrey looked at Grant with a smile on her face.

"Pumpkin pancakes? It's dinner time." Audrey said.

"Did you not hear what she said about the pecan syrup?" Grant asked and Audrey laughed again.

"Huh...  and I thought the whole S.H.I.E.L.D./HYDRA ordeal was the last surprise you could've pulled over me," Audrey said and Grant shook his head.

"Oh, we're in a place where we can joke about it now?" He asked and Audrey laughed.

"Absolutely not." She said and they both laughed again. She couldn't believe how easy it was to be with Grant, and it was the breathing room that she needed. She did call Coulson when she got off her plane on her separate secure line and let him know that she was safe. Then she called Sharon and let her know the same. Sharon told her that Coulson was taking Skye to a safe house and gave her the coordinates and a way to contact Skye if she wanted to join her.

It was the same safe house Steve Rogers stayed in after he was defrosted.

"Hey, look, I tried being the meat-and-potatoes guy. We know how that worked out." Grant said.

"Well...  I knew that guy, but the guy who's sitting across from me now doesn't seem too far removed from who the other one used to be. This almost feels like old times." Audrey said.

"Well, you did save my ass in Puerto Rico, and nursed me back to health before you went back to your team," Grant said and Audrey shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, what else was I going to do? I could never let you die, Grant. I...-I can't even think about that... and I shouldn't..." She said as she looked down at the casts on her wrist and sighed. She couldn't get too emotional, or she might blow a fuse in this restaurant and everyone in here would feel her pain right along with her.