Chapter 61: Reconnecting with the Past

Grant couldn't shake the thought. After hearing about Matt's book on the news, his old SEAL Team Six teammate, had brought back memories of his former military life. Even though he was now immersed in his career at S.H.I.E.L.D. and his relationship with Maria Hill, the past never really felt far away. He knew that sooner or later he would have to deal with what Matt had done. And now that he knew his friend had been declared "Persona Non Grata" (PNG) at DEVGRU in Virginia, Grant felt he owed him a talk, an attempt to reconnect.

As Ward sat at his desk, his mind wandered to memories of past missions with Matt. He remembered when Bravo Team was in full swing, handling high-risk operations, and the camaraderie they all shared. It wasn't just a military unit; It was a brotherhood, a bond that went beyond ordinary brotherhood. And now, after everything Matt had done with his story, Grant knew their friendship was due for a reckoning.

With a sigh, he picked up the phone and looked up Matt's number. It had been a while since they had spoken, but Matt was a man who rarely changed his habits, so Grant was confident the number would still be the same. After a few rings, the line was picked up.

"Hello?" came the familiar voice on the other end, slightly wary.

"Matt, it's me, Grant Ward," he said bluntly.

The silence on the other end of the line was palpable for a few seconds, but soon Matt's voice softened.

"Grant… it's been a while. I didn't expect to hear from you, especially after everything."

"Yes, I heard about the book," Grant replied, his tone calm but direct. "And I heard about what DEVGRU command did to you. I thought it was time we talked."

Matt sighed on the other end, and Grant could hear the emotional exhaustion in his voice.

"Yeah, things didn't go as I expected," Matt said. "They declared me a PNG. I was left out of everything, as if my years of service, all the missions and sacrifices, had meant nothing. All because I wrote a book. A book that, in my view, did nothing more than tell the story of how we caught Osama. I never revealed any secrets. I never broke the trust of the team."

Grant nodded, though Matt couldn't see it. He knew exactly what his friend was feeling. The military had a particular way of dealing with those who somehow deviated from protocol, even if their intentions were good.

"I know you didn't break any rules, Matt," Grant said firmly. "You wrote the truth. And as much as I understand that they needed to keep up appearances, declaring you a PNG was a bit of an overreaction."

"It seems like everyone has forgotten what we did together," Matt continued, his voice filling with bitterness. — As if I were suddenly a traitor, just because I decided to tell our story.

Grant paused before speaking again. He wanted to find the right words, something that would convey what he really thought about all of this.

"Matt, I haven't forgotten," he said, meaning it. "What we went through, what we did… it doesn't go away, no matter what command or anyone else says. You're still my brother. And I wanted you to know that, despite everything, I don't agree with what they did to you. You still have friends, you still have people who support you."

Matt was silent for a moment, processing Grant's words. Finally, he responded, his voice soft and slightly emotional.

"I… appreciate that, Grant. I really do. I was beginning to think no one else understood."

"I do," Grant said firmly. "We all knew what we were doing when we were there. We knew the weight of the decisions we made. It was brave of you to tell the story this way." And I know you were careful not to reveal any details that could put the team at risk. You did what you thought was right, and that counts.

There was another silence on the other end of the line as Matt absorbed what Grant had said. When he spoke again, his voice seemed lighter.

"I think after all this, hearing you say that makes a huge difference," Matt admitted. "Even though most of the team is against me right now, knowing that at least one of you understands what I did… that's something."

Grant smiled slightly, though his heart still felt heavy over the situation.

"I'll always understand, Matt. And I want you to know that we're still friends, no matter what."

"Thanks, Grant. That means a lot to me," Matt said, his voice sincere.

They were both silent for a moment, letting the weight of the conversation settle. There was a mutual sense of reconnection, something Grant felt was necessary, even though the situation was complicated.

"So, what have you been up to since you left?" Matt asked

Grant gave a brief smile. "I joined S.H.I.E.L.D." he said. "I work security on a slightly different level now, but I'm still on the front lines."

"S.H.I.E.L.D., huh?" Matt said in a surprised tone. "I always knew you'd end up doing something big."

"Yeah, it's an interesting job," Grant admitted. "But it's not always easy. Especially with the kind of stuff we're dealing with right now."

"I can imagine," Matt said. "The world seems to be changing so fast. It's getting more and more complicated."

"Exactly." Grant agreed, feeling the weight of the last few missions he'd faced, including the recent Chitauri invasion of New York and the epic battle he'd helped fight alongside the Avengers.

The conversation turned to lighter topics for a while, as Grant and Matt reminisced about their days together on missions, laughing at some of the more absurd situations they'd faced and mourning the losses they'd suffered along the way. It was a relief for both of them, especially Matt, who had felt the brunt of the ostracism in the past few months.

After a while, Matt finally asked, "What about you personally? How's your life outside of work?"

Grant hesitated for a moment, thinking about Maria. "I'm in a relationship right now," he said, a smile forming on his lips. "With an amazing woman. She works with me at S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Really?" Matt said, surprised. "I never thought you'd get involved with someone who worked with you. But I'm happy for you, man. You deserve this."

"Thanks," Grant said, his smile growing. "She understands me in a way few people do. I'm a lucky man."

The two talked for a while longer, but eventually, the reality of the distance between them and the different lives they now led brought them back to the present.

"It was nice talking to you, Grant," Matt said. "I really needed that."

"The feeling is mutual," Grant replied. "Let's keep in touch this time, okay? Don't let everything that's happened keep you away from the people who really matter."

"I'll try," Matt said, his voice thick with gratitude. "And if you need anything, you know where to find me."

"The same goes for you, Matt," Grant said firmly.

They said goodbye and hung up, and Grant stared at his phone for a moment, reflecting on the conversation. He felt lighter, as if a part of his past had finally reconciled with the present.

Maria walked into the room at that moment, noticing the thoughtful expression on Grant's face.

"Everything okay?" she asked, sitting down next to him on the couch.

Grant smiled and put an arm around her, pulling her closer.

"Yeah, okay," he said. "I talked to an old friend today. And I think some things from the past are finally starting to make more sense."

Maria smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm happy for you, Grant. Sometimes all we need is a conversation to put things in perspective."

Grant nodded, squeezing her lightly. "Yeah. Sometimes that's exactly what we need."

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