I don't own SHIELD and never will. No copyright infringement intended.
Welcoming their first daughter after three sons was quite a surprise for Skye and Grant, who expected a fourth boy. So coming up with a girl name after they chose their fourth favorite boy name wasn't exactly easy but they finally settled on Talia Danielle right before they left the hospital. Their boys – Sebastian, Jackson, and Finley – were wary about having a little sister but neither had said anything bad about her yet (most likely because of their grandparents). "So what the hell are we going to do with a daughter? I'm so used to boys," Skye told Grant after they settled onto the couch.
He shrugged. "I know a little from my sister but my parents weren't the best examples." And for once, Grant didn't get lost in the memories of his past because he was too busy thinking about his present. His past didn't define him anymore.
She smiled and snuggled closer to him. "Well, I'm an only child so I guess we'll have to figure this out on our own. You up to the challenge of raising four kids?"
Grant grinned at his wife. "You probably should have asked me this question when you handed me the last positive pregnancy test."
Skye laughed at his response. "True," she conceded just as Talia's eyes opened and she started looking around her new surroundings. "So you finally decided to join the party, Miss Talia? That's nice, and your brothers will be excited that you're not sleeping." She called for them, and their six, three, and two year old sons came running.
"Hey, we told you boys that you're not allowed to run in the house in case you get hurt, and now you can scare your little sister. So be careful," he gently scolded.
"Sorry, Daddy. Wow, her eyes are so blue," an amazed Sebastian suddenly commented.
Jackson reached out with one of his little hands and gently touched the baby's face. Skye and Grant waited for her response and were surprised when Talia didn't start crying (she did that a lot, much more than the boys combined already). "Wow."
A clearly unimpressed Finley just stuck to his father's side and watched his older brothers play with the newborn. "Baby," he finally murmured.
Grant pulled him closer for a quick hug. "That's right – baby. Talia's your little sister and you boys have to protect her because she can't protect herself right now." He kissed the top of his toddler's head and felt complete. They had been missing Talia – something they hadn't realized before her birth – and now they were whole. All the pieces of the puzzle had finally slotted into place.
"Can I go play in my room now?" A clearly bored Sebastian looked at his parents hopefully.
"Go ahead, but Aunt Jemma, Uncle Fitz, and Uncle Trip are coming for dinner soon and they're bringing pizza so don't stay up there too long." Skye watched as his eyes lit up and he nodded before heading back upstairs to his room.
Melinda suddenly walked out of the dining room, where she and Phil had been conversing by themselves for the past half hour. "You need us to take over for the boys while you adjust?"
Grant answered. "If you want to. Boys, you want to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa some more?"
Clearly big fans of that plan, Jackson and Finley nodded and followed their grandmother into the dining room so they could play games with her and Phil. They had been taking care of the boys for the past few days, something Skye and Grant were grateful for.
When the baby woke up crying at three in the morning, Grant stumbled out of bed before Skye and ignored the groans he could hear from Sebastian's room across the hall (this wasn't their oldest son's first rodeo but they still felt bad for him). Noticing that she wasn't hungry or needed a diaper change, Grant settled into the rocking chair with Talia in his arms. "You just wanted some attention, huh? That's okay, Daddy doesn't mind yet. You know, I never once thought that I could be happy and I'm still in shock that this is my life now. You're too young to hear this whole story but there were some bad very people in my life and I didn't escape until I met your mom, aunts and uncle, and grandparents. And even then, I fucked up badly and almost ruined everything. But they never once gave up on me even though I deserved it. None of you will ever know pain like I do. You four deserve to stay innocent. And I will love you will forever, Talia Danielle. You and Mommy and your brothers mean the world to me." He smiled when the baby's eyes closed and he set her back down in the bassinet.
Skye sniffled and wrapped her arms around him when he returned to the bed. "You five mean the world me to me too, Grant. And hey, I almost ruined everything too because of my alien father but you helped save me and didn't judge me when I know the others wanted to or did."
Grant rolled over and kissed her. "This is why we have four kids, Skye." He didn't want to fall apart and he knew they both would if the conversation continued down this path.
She cracked up. "Grant Douglas! I mean, you're right, but stop trying to change the subject. Now we both need to get some sleep or else Miss Talia will keep us up all night."
Raising a daughter after having three sons was definitely a different ballgame for Grant and Skye but they quickly adapted to the change. And while they were a little wary of her at first but Sebastian, Jackson, and Finley proved they were protect Talia when she needed their help. They wouldn't let anything happen to her, and their parents pitied the people she would eventually date because of it. And eventually, things finally settled down in the Ward house and life returned to normal.