52 52. Talk with May

"Can I get you anything?" asked Grant waving at the bar. He knew his way around and was somewhat eager to show off a bit. "I make a mean Brooklyn, Vieux Carre, Old Fashioned, or maybe you like the Last world? I would offer a bullet in the head but that's really a Hydra drink," he said with a wink.

May forced herself to not smile and then her expression turned contemplative. "Bourbon, neat."

Grant smoothly swung out of his chair and away from the table. "Coming right up" he grabbed his empty glass, stepping back as Trip and Hunter carried Butch from behind the bar. He ignores the dirty look and his not quite under the breath muttering, "Why are we doing all the hard work while he gets to drink with the boss lady?"

Grant refilled his glass with water and poured bourbon in another one for May, then maneuvered his way back to May and set it down on top of a napkin. "Can I get you anything else? Pretzels perhaps?" he asked just a shade louder in an effort to ensure that Hunter and Trip heard him. Hunter threw him another dirty look as he picked the second Hydra goon's legs while Trip contends with an eye roll as he grasped the guy underneath the armpits and started hauling him out of the door. Grant smiled slightly as he sat down across May.

"Thanks," May said quietly not acknowledging any of the alpha male byplays. She sipped her drink until Bobbi, Hunter, and Trip left and the bar quieted down. Grant just sipped his drink in silence. May never did things at random, she clearly wanted to talk, so he would wait until she is ready to proceed.

May drained help glass, set it down on the table then looked directly at Grant. "I heard you talked with your brother. Just wanted to make sure you were okay and are not gonna kill him."

Grant smiled as he heard May's question and knew that this is her way of worrying about someone. "I didn't expect it to go as well as it did but Coulson was right. I needed to face him."

"And now you are meeting with your parents and Christian," she said. "Are you sure that's wise?"

He took a sip from his drink and shrugged. "Wise or not, it has to be done. SHIELD needs the government to let up and the Ward's can do that. I think I am ready. Moreover, I am not the same kid anymore whom they could beat whenever they wanted to, now the tables have turned and I am with the power so yeah I really am ready."

May looked at him closely. "What if you are not? At least tell me that you are taking backup"

Grant shook his head. "We are stretched too thin as it is. And now that we have Bakshi his interrogation will become one of the important tasks for the team. Skye and Coulson are.... busy with other... things. And this shouldn't be too difficult. I have spent the last few weeks gathering information that I am sure my family would prefer to remain quiet. They won't put up a fuss"

May nodded slowly she was silent for a moment then said "These 'other things' that you mentioned. I take it Skye already told you about Coulson's carvings."

"Not directly she didn't. It was when she couldn't find anything regarding those carvings she came to me about the ones that were on the Bus after you had recaptured it from Garret. I told her that it was Garret who carved this himself after he got the GH formula to save himself. At first, I was worried that Skye may be carving but when she denied it and told me, Coulson has asked her to find information about it, I understood it was him who was carving those letters and have asked Skye to research on them to see if she starts Carving as well, but she didn't. Even though she has the GH formula in her system too but unlike the others, she doesn't show any symptoms. That has to make her think that the alien theory might have legs." Grant explained.

May gazed at him seriously. "Is that what you think?" Grant shrugged and she cocked her head to the side. "That's a pretty scary thought."

Grant shook his head. "Not really. after all, we have seen Thor, lady Sif, Hulk, and many enhanced humans- being an alien especially the kind of alien Skye would be, doesn't seem so bad. I mean this is Skye we are talking about." He paused struggling for words. "From the moment I met her, I knew she was different not because she was an alien but because she cared. And she's better with a computer than most of the people I have met. If all that means she is an alien so be it. And I am sure neither you nor Coulson or Fitz will have any problems with Skye being an alien."

May nodded, "You are right she will be fine." She stopped, looking conflicted like she wanted to say more but didn't know how to bring it up.

He was pretty sure he knew what was bothering her. May's tight bond with could on was well known, especially to Grant. "You Are more worried about Coulson, though aren't you"

"It's been getting worse." she confided in a low voice staring down at the table. "Coulson hasn't been himself and he hasn't been sleeping. The constant carving has been getting to him and it has gotten so bad that half the time I don't know what he is going to do. The other half of the time I don't know if the decision he is making is by himself or there is something else driving him." she paused looking up at Grant "That's what happened to Garret isn't it."

Grant paused for few seconds pushing the feelings for Garret that we're suddenly bubbling inside him down and said "Yes that's what exactly happened. He started calling at every surface we could find at day and night. John was always rough around the edges but after taking the formula, he started making decisions that made no sense or were destined to have bad outcomes."

"Coulson hasn't reached that stage yet"