Precious Delivery

Skye woke up with a piercing pain in her stomach. Last night she had some cramping but she thought it was just menstrual cramps but this pain worried her. After a couple of minutes the pain seem to subside so took her chance to go see Simmons before she was hit by another wave of pain. Making her way to the scientist room Skye knock in the door and waited for an answer. Getting hit by another wave of pain, Skye crumbled down to the floor clutching her stomach. Skye knocked again hoping to wake Simmons. Knocking for a third time she heard movement from within the room.

Opening the door a half asleep Jemma looked around to find out who was knocking at her door, it was only when she was about to go back into her room, she saw Skye curled up on the floor.

"Skye?" Simmons asked not sure she was only seeing the hacker because she was still half asleep.

"Jemma." Skye looked up with tears in her eyes.

"What wrongs?" Simmons crouched down next to Skye.

"I don't know it just really hurts." Skye cried.

"I need you to tell me what hurts so I can help you." Simmons tried to look for sign of any injury.

"My stomach, I keep getting this pain but it goes away for a couple of minutes then comes back."

"Ok let's go down to the lab so I can check you over." Simmons helped Skye to her feet and allowed Skye to lean against her as they made their way to the lab.

Simmons helped Skye onto the hospital bed then went to get the portable ultrasound. From what Skye had told her, Simmons presumed that Skye had appendicitis.

"What do you thinks wrong?" Skye asked when Simmons came back with the ultrasound.

"You might have appendicitis which means we'll need to get you to a hospital." Simmons explained.

"I can't have appendicitis I've already had my appendix removed." Skye told her.

"Oh." Simmons looked puzzled, she could only think of one other reason to why Skye was having these pains but it seemed highly imposable. "Ummm….I can only think of one other reason for the pain but I believe I'm probably wrong."

"Jemma you're never wrong." Skye said through another wave of pain.

"I…Ummmm…..You….." Simmons became really flustered so decided to just go ahead with an examination.

Skye watched Simmons concerned as the scientist ran the wand of the ultrasound over her stomach. As Simmons preformed the examination she felt her eyes almost pop out of their sockets when she had actually proven herself wrong.

"Simmons…..Simmons….Jemma!" Skye shout concerned about the shocked expression on Simmons face.

"You're pregnant." Simmons blurted out.

"I'm what?" Skye wasn't sure if she has heard her correctly.

"Pregnant and by the size of the foetus I'd say the pain you've been experiencing are contractions." Simmons told a shocked and confused Skye.

"No,No,No,NO. I can't. You're wrong. I…" Skye couldn't get her head around what Simmons was telling her.

Simmons turned the ultrasound machine around to show Skye her baby. Staring at the screen Skye felt like she was dream and would give anything to wake up but it all seemed be serial when she heard the baby's heartbeat.

"I'm going to check to see how dilated you are, ok?" Skye only nodded not trusting herself to speak.

Checking Skye over Simmons found Skye to be 5cm dilated. To Simmons everything seemed to be alright but she was slightly scared because she had never delivered a baby before.

"Skye?" Jemma said softly standing next to her friend.

"It makes no sense I don't even look pregnant and I've still been having my period." Skye said.

"Some women don't get a bump or put on much weight and still have their period. You're 5 cm dilated so by sometime today you are going to be a mom." Simmons gave her a small smile. "This may be a bad time to bring this up but if you deliver here I can't give you any drugs."

"I…..Can you get Coulson please?" Skye tilted her head back closing her eyes trying to get her head around everything Simmons had told her. Opening her eye she found herself alone in the lab. Resting her hand on her stomach she could believe that a baby had been growing inside of her and she didn't even notice.

"Skye, what's wrong?" Coulson went straight to Skye side when he entered the lab.

"I…..I….." Skye burst into tears.

Coulson held Skye close as she cried. Coulson tried to calm her so she could tell him what was happening since Simmons refused to tell him only telling him Skye needed him.

"Baby." Skye mumbled.

"What about a baby?" Coulson was confused.

"Me…I'm…baby." Skye wasn't making much sense.

"Skye I don't understand."

"Jemma." Skye didn't know how to tell him.

"You want me to tell him?" Simmons asked and Skye nodded burying her head into Coulson's shirt. "Skye's having a baby, Sir."

"She's what?" Coulson wasn't sure if he had heard Simmons right.

"She's having a baby." Simmons repeated.

"Skye," Coulson held her at a small distance so he could get her to look at him. "Everything's going to be ok, I'll stay right here with you if that's what you."

"Please stay." Coulson pulled Skye close again.

As the hours went by Coulson stay right next to Skye. When the rest of the team woke up, Skye allowed Simmons to tell them what was going on. Fitz's eyes almost popped out, Trip's mouth hit the floor and even through May tried to show no reaction they could all see they shock. To give Skye some privacy, Coulson got Fitz and Trip to go get things for the baby, to help the boys Jemma had a list of them, and Coulson send May to do something private for him.

"It's time to push, Skye." Simmons informed her. Skye moaned, she was so tired and was in a lot of pain. "I know you're tired but you'll have a beautiful baby in your arms very soon."

"You can do this, Skye." Coulson encouraged her.

On the next contraction Skye pushed, crushing Coulson's hand. Coulson didn't mind that Skye's was crushing his hand since he couldn't imagine how much pain Skye was in and for the fact most women months to prepare for the birth instead of half a day.

"You're doing great Skye." Simmons praised her. "I can see the head."

"Get it out!" Skye screamed in so much pain.

"One more push and the head will be out." Simmons said secretly panicking inside.

Skye screamed every time a contraction hit. Knowing that her baby was about to enter the world, she was scared out of her mind. She never thought about having kids, let alone doing it alone even though she knew the team would always be there for her.

"It's a girl." Simmons cried.

A wave a relief passed through Skye when she heard her new born baby girl cry. Her eyes filled with more tears as Simmons placed the wriggling baby on to her chest. Her hand was shacking as she reached out to take a hold of her daughter's tiny hand. As she held the tiny hand, the baby's cries began to soften

"Hey," Skye spoke softly, "You're the greatest surprise I've ever had."

"She's gorgeous, Skye." Coulson said his own eyes watering.

"Well done, Skye." Jemma smiled at her.

"Thank you, both of you. I don't think I would have been able to do this without any of you." Skye told them.

"No thanks need. Jemma, the team and I will always be here for you, both of you." Coulson gave her a small kiss on the top of her head.

***A.O.S***

Later that night, Skye was sitting comfortably in her bed watching her daughter peacefully sleep. She still couldn't believe that the little bundle of joy was hers it felt like a dream to her. As she watched her daughter slept, Skye was trying to think a name for her. She had a couple of names she was throwing around. A surname was another problem. Even though no one asked who the father was, she was sure Coulson and May know and maybe Simmons might know so she didn't know if she should give her daughter her father's name. Skye decided not to as the little girl would never know her father.

A knock at the door pulled her out of her thoughts. "Come in." Skye called not to loud.

Coulson entered the room and his way over to the hacker. "I just wanted to see how you're doing."

"I'm good. I feel like dreaming most of the time."

"I'm not surprised. I defiantly was expecting today to turn out how it did."

"Tell me about it." Skye turned her attention back to her daughter for a moment.

"Have you picked a name?"

"Nevaeh." Skye said without any hesitation.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful little girl." Coulson commented. Coulson watched Skye smiling at the sleeping baby. "Are you going to tell him?"

Skye knew the 'him' he was referring to. "No." It might seem like a horrible thing to do but it was the right thing to do, right?

"Well I'll let you rest. If you need be you know where I'll be." Coulson gave them both a kiss goodnight before leaving the room.

Slipping out of bed, Skye walked over to the crib the boys had gotten and careful laid Nevaeh down. Leaning on the edge of the crib, Skye thought about Nevaeh's father. It hurt that she was going to have to lie at least until Nevaeh would be old enough to understand the truth. It was then it really sunk in, he was never coming back.

***A.O.S***

Two weeks later.

Skye was on her was to Coulson's office to ask if her wouldn't mind watching Nevaeh for a couple of hours so she and Simmons could go get some more supplies. The whole team absolutely loved Nevaeh and were already spoiling her rotten.

"How did he take it?" Skye heard Coulson say as she was about to knock.

"Not well. He tried to make out it didn't bother him but I could tell by the way he sulked out of the room that it had." May replied.

"It's for the best." Coulson said as if he was trying to convince him that what he was saying was right.

"You can't save them all Phil." May reassured him.

"I know." Coulson sighed.

"When does Stark get here?" May asked.

"About twenty minutes. I should go talk with him." Skye made a mad dash for it not wanting to get caught eavesdropping.

Wondering down the corridors Skye tried to make sense of what she had just heard but had no luck. Knowing she wouldn't get the answers she wanted if she asked them she decided she would get them herself. Since they had said Stark was coming to The Playground, she made her way down to the hanger. Once she reached the hanger, Skye stood in a dark corner hoping May wouldn't notice her.

Skye didn't wait long until Coulson appeared in the hanger. She watched as he walked down to the end of the hanger and opened the large door slightly to let Stark in. Skye was a bit disappointed she wasn't able to hear them. After a couple of minutes May entered the hanger and the person with her shocked the hell out of Skye. Ward walked a step behind May. She couldn't believe her eyes even though she never asked about him as had always presumed he was rotting in a prison cell far away from her.

Skye could hear what they were saying but it wasn't registering. Seeing him had brought back all of the feels she had for him. What had matter worse was now she had Nevaeh and now felt sick to her stomach for not telling him he was a father. Skye wanted nothing more than to walk straight up to him, slap him across the face and tell him about Nevaeh but her feet were rooted to the ground.

"If you want to say something to him do it now." Skye turned to her left and saw May standing next her. Skye was surprised she hadn't managed to keep hidden from the older women.

"I can't." Skye replied. She was sticking her decision.

"It's your decision, Skye but remember he is Nevaeh's father." May said.

"You think I don't know that. That's constantly on my mind and actually if you or Coulson had told us he was here then maybe we would be in this mess." Skye barged passed May as she stormed out of the hanger.

Putting Nevaeh down for the night she made sure the baby monitor was on before going in search of Coulson. All day her anger had been simmering but now it was at boiling point. She couldn't stop think about Ward and now believe that she was wrong and should have told him about Nevaeh. In the search for Coulson, she checked his office first she found it empty then she went to his room and again it was empty. She finally found him in the living area with the rest of the team, yes she would have rather done this in private but at that moment she couldn't really care.

"Don't do this Skye." May had grabbed her by the arm as she entered the room.

"Why not? We should have told us, we're supposed to be a team." Skye yanked her arm out of her grasp gaining the attention of everyone else.

"What going on?" Coulson asked.

"Like you have to ask." Skye spat.

"Skye!" Jemma shouted shocked at how Skye spoke to Coulson.

"No if you knew what I found out early you'd be just as angry as I am." Skye's volume was getting higher and higher.

"I think we should take this to my office." Coulson said.

"No! You should have told us he was here especially after I had Nevaeh."

"Who was here?" Trip jumped into the shouting match.

"Ward!" Skye shouted.

"What!" FitzSimmons shouted shocked.

"Everyone just calm down and I'll explain everything but I will also remind you all that I am the director so I don't have to tell you about every decision I make." Coulson warned them.

"Well you should have told us about Ward!" Skye screamed at him. "I thought he was in prison and that's why I didn't what him to know about Nevaeh. If I had known he was here I could have spoken with him and maybe my daughter might not grow up not knowing her father!"

"You can still talk to him. He's only gone to work with Stark." May informed her.

"Yeah I can see how that conversation could pan out. Hi Ward, I just wanted you to know that you have a 2 week old daughter and the only reason I never told you sooner was because I thought you were routing in a prison cell!" Skye was slowly losing control of her anger.

"If you what to know why he was here, I suggest you calm down, sit down then shut up." Coulson ordered.

Skye took a seat next to Simmons crossing her arms trying to control her anger. Coulson stood in front of them all as he explained his reason for having Ward living in close proximity of them.

"When Ward was taken into custody, he willingly gave us what we wanted to know. Only after we made sure the information he was giving us was correct, I decided to give him a second chance. Having Ward moved here, I placed him a good enough distance so you would ever accidently run into him. I had him talk to a sociologist and recently I've had him do a couple of solo missions. I had also thought that it might be time for him to talk to all of you but due to recent events I've asked Stark to give him a job so Ward won't be working with SHIELD anymore."

Once Coulson had stopped speaking Skye left the room without the word. "I'll go talk to her." May said before going after the young hacker.

May followed Skye back to her room. Reaching Skye's room she stood in the door way watching Skye sway back in forth with Nevaeh in her arms. Since arriving at the playground May had been watching over the young women closely.

"Skye." May spoke softly so not to startle Skye or wake the baby.

Skye heard May call her name but refused to turn around since she felt like she was about to break down. If it had been Simmons or maybe even Fitz she wouldn't care but she didn't want to cry in front of May. However when she felt May place a gentle hand on her shoulder, Skye couldn't hold in her emotions in any longer. Being careful of Nevaeh, May held Skye close to her and allowed her to cry.

"I want him to be her father." Skye sobbed out. "But I can't forgive him."

"I think you should talk to him." May told her.

"How, it's not exactly a conversation for over the phone." Skye replied.

"I'm sure Coulson wouldn't mind if you went to see him. He's only in New York." Skye nodded then rested her head on May's shoulder. "How about I take Nevaeh for the night so you can some alone time and give you time to think things through."

"Thank you." Skye had a lot to think about.

***A.O.S***

It took Skye two months to build up the courage go to New York to talk to Ward. Coulson was also going with her as he wanted to talk with Stark. Skye had no idea exactly what she was going to same to him but she knew she had to do it before it was too late. Skye was currently heading up to Ward's floor. She had just felt Nevaeh with Coulson, who was showing her off to the Avengers. Stepping off the elevator she was completely shaking with nerves as it was the first time in almost a year since she saw him last and that wasn't exactly a happy goodbye.

Unbeknown to Ward, Skye was stepping off the elevator making her way towards him. Ward was sitting at his breakfast bar playing with his food. It hadn't been a good day so far for him. Earlier he had to go up to the Main floor (A.K.A Stark's floor) to discuss a couple of things with Stark for an upcoming event. Whilst he was there all he got silence and death stares from the rest of the Avengers. The second he had finished with Stark, he had gone back to being alone on his floor. It was times like that when he wished that Coulson had sent in back to prison when May had informed he would not be returning to the team.

"Grant." Ward froze when he heard her call his name.

Great Ward thought, this is just what I need today. "What are you doing here?" He asked keeping his back to her.

"I need to talk to you." Skye could tell he wasn't happy she was there.

"And you couldn't just call." Ward snapped at her.

"No!" Skye shouted back angry at him. "What I need to tell can't be done over the phone. Can we please just talk without biting each other's head off?" Skye didn't want to get into an argument with him.

Ward sighed and turned to face her but kept his head down. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have shouted at you." He said genuinely.

"It's alright maybe I should have called to let you know I was coming." Skye replied.

"Do you want to sit here or on the sofa?" Ward asked.

"The sofa." Skye thought it would be best to be sitting somewhere comfortable for what she want to talk to him about.

Sitting on the sofa Skye sat with her legs crossed resting her back against the armrest as Ward sat side on to her. Skye could let he was slightly uncomfortable being in such close quarters to her. She had no idea where to start knowing if she just came out with it he would never believe her.

Taking a deep breath Skye prepared herself to tell him about his daughter, "10 weeks ago I got the shock of my life when Simmons told me I was pregnant."

Ward snapped his head to face her, Why the hell is she telling me this?"

"I know what you thinking and reason why I'm telling you this because I was 9 months pregnant without realising it."

"So you've already had a baby?" Ward wasn't sure if he understood her right.

"Yes and I need you understand that what I'm about to tell you has been killing me inside for the past 10 weeks." Skye moved closer to him and took out her phone to show him a picture of their daughter. Taking the phone from Skye, Ward stared at the picture of the beautiful baby. "She's your daughter." Skye said her voice shaking with emotion.

"What?" Ward said after a couple of minutes when he had completely processed exactly what she had told him.

"You're her father." She told him again.

"Why are you telling me now and not 10 weeks ago then?" He wasn't sure if he should believe her.

"Coulson never told us you were at a different section of The Playground. I assumed that you were in prison so when Coulson asked if I was going to tell you, I told him I wasn't because you would never get to know her and I didn't want to be that cruel." Skye explained to him.

"And what changes now!" Ward stood up needing some space from Skye.

"What do you mean?"

"Skye I have no idea where this 'playhouse' is and do you think the team would let me be near her, also I'm not the greatest person to be a father." Ward told her.

"One, Coulson is talking to Stark about joining forces and having the new HQ for SHIELD here in New York. Two, You're her father so no one gets to say you can't see her and third, I believe you could be a great father to her daughter." Skye got up from the sofa and walked up to him but Ward kept his distance.

He stood shaking his head. "How can you say that I could be a great father when you think I'm a monster?"

Skye was shocked at what he had said. "If I think you're a monster then why would I tell you about her?"

"I think you should go." Ward walked away from her.

"No!" She shouted going after him.

"Trust me I'm the last person in the world you would want to be your daughter's father. You think I'm a monster, Romanoff thinks I'm a waste of space and no one cares about me. You said it yourself, you wouldn't have told me about her if I was in prison and that's exactly what this place feels like. So nothing has changed. I tired, I did everything Coulson asked me to do and I'm still in Hell so I'm done!" Ward screamed.

"Fine! You keep believing that but you'll be alone for the rest of your life." Skye walked away but turned by to him in the entrance of the livingroom. "I won't lie to her when starts to ask who her father is and I'm sure no one will stand up for you so think about that Ward, do you your daughter growing up listening to what other people think about you or do you want her growing up knowing that you love her and would do anything to keep her safe? You think that. Any man can be a father Ward but it takes a real man to be a dad. You have a week to decide or I promise you'll only ever be her father." With that Skye left.

It only took 5 minutes before Ward had company again in the form of Romanoff. She went straight up to him and pulled him off the sofa and onto the ground. Pinning to the ground she slapped him hard across the face.

"I really thought you were better than that." Romanoff told him, slapping him again.

"Like you care." Ward replied.

"So that's it you've just given up?"

"I gave up a long time ago." Ward admitted.

"Don't give up on your daughter or Skye if you don't you'll regret it for the rest of your life." Romanoff got off him allowing him to sit up.

"Why? No one is going to ever trust me so why be around that little girl with all of you waiting for me to fuck up so you can bring up my past and then I'd be back at square one again. She's better off without me." Ward got up off the floor and walked over to the window staring out over the city. "I also killed FitzSimmons, Skye got shot because of me, I've lost count to the amount of people I've killed, I was part of the fall of SHIELD, I burnt down my 'family' home knowing my older brother was inside and I just to beat up my younger brother so my older brother wouldn't beat me up instead. I'm not meant to be a father."

"Maybe you should go back to seeing the sociologist."

Ward shook his head, "Coulson said I had to do that if I want to join the team but that's not going to happen."

"Doesn't mean the sociologist can't help you or maybe you could talk to Skye. I know she's willing to listen to you and I also know that she doesn't care about your past. She wants to be with you and for you to be your little girl's daddy. I've been where you are and if you work at it and prove to us that you're better than you're past I can promise you're past won't hold you back. You want to know how I know that." Ward shrugged knowing she would tell him anyway. "My past is out there for the whole world to see but my friends are still standing by my side because they know my past is my past and not who I am today. You can't let you're past dictate your future unless you want to spend the rest of your life alone."

Once Romanoff had left, Ward continued to stand staring out at the city thinking about what Romanoff had said. He knew that if he didn't try to be a father to his little girl then he would regret it and he really would have lost Skye forever and he didn't want that.

"Javis." Ward called out into the empty.

"Yes, Mr Ward?" The AI replied.

"Is Skye still here?" Ward asked hoping she hadn't left yet.

"Yes."

"Could you ask her if she could come back down here and if she could bring the baby with her?"

"She is on her way down." The AI told him a couple of minutes later.

Ward made his way to the hall way and waited for the elevator to arrive at his floor. He was scared that he had hurt Skye too much and she had now changed her mind and won't want him to be in their daughter life. Coming face to face with Skye he could tell that she had been crying which made him feel guilty since he was the reason why she had been crying. As his eyes travelled down arriving at the baby carrier which he hopped his daughter would be in.

"I'm sorry." He told her, his hands shaking as he wiped away his tears. "I shouldn't have spoken to you the way I did."

"I accept your apology but it did hurt when you said you believe that I think you're a monster. I wouldn't be here if that what I really thought." Skye explained to him.

"It's hard to hear you say that I'm not….." Ward wiped away his tear again. He was kicking himself inside for not being able to keep his emotions in check.

Stepping forward Skye reached up and wiped away his tears. She watched hi close his eyes and clean into her gentle touch. "Why am I here, Grant?"

"Coulson asked me who I was without Garrett. Before I wanted to be a member of the team but since being here at Stark tower I never gave it much thought. But I want to be father more than anything. If you let me be her father I promise I will spend the rest of my life proving you didn't make the wrong decision."

"I know you'll be a great father." Skye genially told him smiling up at him. "Would you like to meet your daughter?"

"Yes please." Ward was excited to finally meet his daughter.

Smiling at him, Skye bent down in front of the baby carrier to take out the, now awake, baby. "Hey sweetie, did you have a good nap?" She cooed to her daughter. "Let's get you of this so you can meet your daddy." Nevaeh gave her a gummy smile.

Skye cradled Nevaeh against her chest and rubbed her hand up and down the baby's back she stepped back towards Grant. "Grant I would like you to meet Nevaeh Rose Ward, your daughter." Skye passed Nevaeh to her father.

"She's gorgeous, Skye." Ward smiled down at the baby in his arms. He stared in aww at his little girl. He had only known about her for the past couple of hours but the little girls in his arms had already managed to steal his heart.

"She has your eyes and your smile." Skye informed him.

"But the rest is all you." Ward finished and looked at her.

Ward unconsciously walked away from Skye and began to walk around his living area talking quietly to his daughter. Skye watched from a distance with a big smile on her face. Her heart melted as she watched him. Watching him made her fall in love with him even more. Ward now stood at the large windows telling his little girl about all of the different places he was going to take her when she got a little bit older. As he spoke quietly he felt Skye wrap his waist and lent her head against his back.

"I've missed you." Skye whispered.

"I've missed you too." Ward replied. Turning around he carefully held Nevaeh in one of his arms as he wrapped the other around Skye. "I love you, Skye." Looking up at him she smiled sweetly at him.

Sneaking an arm up around his neck, she pulled him down into a passionate kiss. Ward tightened his hold on her as he deepened the kiss. Pulling apart for air Ward rested his forehead gently against hers.

"I love you too, Grant. I tried to fight my feeling but I don't want to fight them anymore. I love you and I want to shout it from the roof top." Skye told him.

"Marry me." Ward blurted out.

"What!" Skye wasn't sure if she heard him right.

"Marry me. I know it might seem crazy but you're the only person I'd want to spend the rest of my life with. You don't need to answer now just think about it."

"Yes! I'll marry you." Ward pulled her back into a passionate kiss only to have them broken apart by a small cry from their daughter.

"I don't think she's happy about the attention not being on her anymore." Ward commented making Skye laugh.

"She's probably hungry." She told him.

"Can I help feed her?" Skye smiled at his question.

"Of course, I'll just go warm her bottle." As Skye went to the kitchen to heat up the Nevaeh's bottle and Ward took a seat on the sofa.

Come back with the bottle Skye checked the temperature of the bottle before handing it over to Ward. Nevaeh immediately latched on looking up at her father as she eats. Skye snuggled into Ward side as she ran her fingers through Nevaeh's short dark curls.

As Ward relaxed with the love of his life and their little girl he decided that he was going to listen to Romanoff and go back to seeing his sociologist. He wanted to be the man Skye deserved and be a great father to Nevaeh. This was his chance of have some sort of a normal life and was going to make sure he didn't screw it up. Ward had finally found the light at the end of a very long dark tunnel and he couldn't be happier.

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