Chapter 80: A New Path

With the plane finally on the ground and the mission complete, the sun was already beginning to set on the horizon. The S.H.I.E.L.D. team dispersed temporarily to catch their breath and take stock of what had happened. May, still in control of the cockpit, shut down the plane's systems while Ward stepped outside, observing the base in the distance.

The sound of the wind in the open field around the runway was soothing. Ward relaxed a little, but his mind was always alert. He knew there was still much to do—both with the artifact and with the team.

May approached Ward, walking with silent steps, as usual. She stopped beside him, both looking at the plane with the same serious expression, but with an air of relief. May crossed her arms and let out a soft sigh.

"Today was intense," Ward commented, breaking the silence. "But overall, I think the team did well."

May nodded slowly, her eyes still fixed on the horizon.

— "Yes," she replied, dry as ever. "Skye did better than I expected. She adapted to the situation, improvised when necessary, and most importantly, followed orders. That's not something I would have predicted."

Ward glanced sideways at May, surprised by her sincerity. It wasn't often that the Cavalry handed out praise, especially when it came to rookies.

"I didn't think so either," Ward admitted. "But she has potential. It's hard to ignore that."

May turned to him, her gaze serious.

"If Skye really wants to be a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent," she began, her voice firm. "She's going to need a disciplined superior officer. Someone who's firm but fair. Someone who knows how to turn recruits into trustworthy agents."

Ward was silent for a moment, processing what May was suggesting.

"Do you think she has what it takes?" he asked, a little skeptical. — "I mean, she still has a long way to go."

— "Yes, but we all did, in the beginning," May replied. — "She can learn. The question is, are you willing to teach her?"

Ward thought for a moment. He remembered his time on Green Team, when he had taught SEALs. He remembered the survival classes he had taught in the SERE course for CIA agents, when he had taught resistance and evasion techniques. Those training sessions had been challenging, but also rewarding. He had known what it was like to mold someone from scratch and had seen how it impacted an agent's growth.

— "You're suggesting that I be her superior officer," he said, more as a statement than a question.

May simply shrugged.

— "You've done this before. You're good at it. And let's face it, she needs someone who can guide her in that world. Someone who can handle the dangers that come with it."

Ward thought for a few more seconds. He glanced back at the plane, where Skye and the others were still wrapping up their mission and processing everything they had experienced. He thought about how Skye had handled herself under pressure—despite her inexperience, she had shown courage and initiative.

"It would be nice to get back to teaching," Ward said finally. "It's been a while since I've had someone under my wing. But teaching is a huge responsibility. Are you sure she's up for it?"

May looked directly at Ward, her eyes full of determination.

"She'll have to be," she said. "Because if she wants to be a part of this team, she can't just be a rogue hacker. She needs to be more."

Ward knew May was right. S.H.I.E.L.D. was no place for amateurs or dabblers. It was an environment where lives were constantly on the line, where split-second decisions were made, and where mistakes had fatal consequences. If Skye wanted to become an agent, she would have to learn these lessons the hard way just as he had.

—"Okay," Ward said, a slight determination in his voice. "I accept. I'll be her superior officer. But she's going to have to commit. No half measures. If she wants to follow this path, it's going to have to be all or nothing."

May nodded, satisfied with the answer.

—"She'll commit," May said with certainty. "It's just up to you to make sure she doesn't stray from the path."

Ward smiled slightly, more to himself than to May.

—"I think I can do that," he said.

Meanwhile, inside the plane, Skye sat in a chair in the makeshift lab, still processing everything that had happened during the mission. Her eyes moved from side to side, reliving the tense moments, the combats, and the mysterious artifact they had found. She knew she had done her best, but she was also aware that she still had a lot to learn.

Fitz and Simmons were at his side, analyzing the artifact's data with their equipment while talking excitedly about the Tesseract energy it emanated.

"So... that was intense, huh?" Skye said, trying to make conversation.

Fitz looked up from his monitors for a moment and gave her a quick smile.

"Yeah, it was a little out of the ordinary, even by our standards," he said, returning his attention to the data.

Simmons glanced at Skye, his gaze more sympathetic.

"You did really well today, Skye," she said. "It's not easy to deal with that kind of pressure on your first real mission."

"Yeah, well... I tried not to completely freak out," Skye replied with a shy smile.

Simmons laughed lightly.

"That's what we all try to do, honey."

Just then, the lab door opened and Ward walked in. He looked directly at Skye, who quickly noticed the seriousness on his face.

"Skye, can I talk to you for a minute?" Ward asked, his tone professional but not stern.

Skye nodded, a little nervous. She followed Ward into the hallway, where he stopped and turned to face her.

"Listen," he began, crossing his arms. "You did well today. But if you really want to be a part of S.H.I.E.L.D., there's a lot more to it than just hacking systems and getting away with dangerous missions."

Skye looked at him, a little surprised by his serious tone, but also curious.

"I… I know I still have a lot to learn," she said. "But I'm willing to commit. I want this, Ward. I want to be a part of this team."

Ward studied her for a moment, considering her words.

"May suggested I be your superior officer," he said. "That means if you really want to move forward, I'll be in charge of your training and development. And I'll be honest, Skye, I'm not going to make this easy for you."

Skye took a deep breath, understanding the magnitude of what he was saying.

— "I know it won't be easy," she said with conviction. — "But I accept it. I want this. I want to be more than just a hacker."

Ward was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly.

— "Okay. So, from now on, you're officially under my tutelage. We'll start with the basics, but don't expect it to be easy. If you want to be an agent, you're going to have to work hard."

Skye smiled, feeling the excitement and nervousness grow at the same time.

— "I'm in," she said, determined.

Ward gave a small smile, but soon returned to his serious demeanor.

— "Good. Because starting tomorrow, your life at S.H.I.E.L.D. is going to change completely."

Skye swallowed hard, but maintained her confident posture. And with that, Ward turned and walked down the hall, leaving Skye alone with her thoughts about the future that awaited her.