Disclaimer: AoS doesn't belong to me, neither does the Avengers or any other locations or works mentioned in the fanfic below.
I hope you guys have fun reading this fic as much as I had writing it. ;)
Thanks you my darling girls littleangrykitten and ldjkitten74 for beta-reading this fic for me.
"Hey brother, do you still believe in one another?
Hey sister, do you still believe in love I wonder?
Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you
there's nothing in this world I wouldn't do" Aviici
It's been at least three days since she is back on the Bus, and if she is bothered by being watched as though she were a baby, Skye certainly doesn't show it. She had missed them, miss the comfortable humming of the plane, the bickering of FitzSimmons, Ward ever protective and also hard demeanor, May stoic and quiet presence, and Coulson watching over them as a hawk.
She thinks about Ward; when she woke up in one of S.H.I.E.L.D's hospital facilities, he was the one sitting there completely still - if that were even possible - while reading a book, she narrowed her eyes a bit finally being able to see the title in his hands "The Host". Suddenly, he was speaking, perhaps more to himself than to her.
"This is complete nonsense. I don't get it. All this heartache. Why would you even read this Skye?" He sighed. "A soul inside a human that already has a soul and a conscience?" He put the book aside, standing up not sparing a look at the her bed. "Why would you read something like this? I guess it makes sense. You're young. Full of life, drives me completely insane and gosh-" He touched his face as if trying to fight his emotions. "Just wake up Rookie, just do a ridiculous remark over something, come on…"
Skye had smiled weakly before proclaiming, "You know, perhaps you're one of those robots from AI, that have human emotions and don't know what to do with them." He turned at her abruptly, not trusting his eyes for a moment as he approached her bed. "Hey Ward." She had always wondered if he actually had a heart underneath all his built up walls but as she watched the display of emotions on his face she suddenly knew he did. A big one indeed, just too damaged by time, but fear kept him from opening himself up to others, and breaking through his psychological mechanisms and various training methods from S.H.I.E.L.D were not a piece of cake to the younger Rookie.
Ward was close enough to touch her, which he did, first her hand, and a minute later, her face as he placed a stray of her hair behind her ear.
"Hey Skye." His voice was husky with emotion, as he gave a single kiss on her forehead. "Welcome back, Rookie."
Skye had kept her eyes closed for a moment before staring deeply at his. "I'm sorry, it was reckless..." She murmured and for a moment it was like he could finally breathe.
"I should go call the others." He managed to say, but as he was about to move he heard her voice.
"Oh, actually can you stay a little longer?" She pleaded and he sat back down on the bed this time, grabbing her hand in his larger one, as if to assure himself she wasn't going to disappear.
"You shouldn't have gone in alone. When we found you, I thought we had lost you for real this time. I couldn't do a damn thing Skye." He draws, absently, invisible circles on her hand using his thumb, trying to stay calm, but his breathing is elaborated as if he were counting his breaths.
"I don't blame any of you, Grant."
His name sounded so sweet in her voice that for a moment he wished he could kiss her. But there are tears glimmering behind his eyelashes as he looks at her again. Her cheeks were colorful now, not white as snow as it had been in the hyperbaric chamber, her lips were red and a small smile is tugging the corners of them up, unlike when she was dying and her lips were smeared with blood. Her hair was clean, but it didn't smell the same as usual, there was no fruity or vanilla scent coming off her, like any hospital would do the patient, she was ridiculously clean but the smell was antiseptic.
He blinked before saying "Simmons is losing her mind and Fitz keeps muttering under his breath how he should have gone with you inside." Her eyes were knowingly, she nodded and said soothingly, "Can I call them?"
"Really?" He was surprised, because there was a hint of his Skye there, the bubbly, exciting girl, full of burning up energy he knew and secretly loved (like he would ever admit it to himself, he had used May to forget her for crying out loud). Ward grabbed his cellphone and gave it to her, Skye adjusted herself in bed in a more sitting position, dragging the older agent with her since he was still holding her hands. He observes her as the other person answered the phone, "Jemma?"
"Yes, I'm feeling okay. Hmm, what? I guess so, I'm getting enough electrolytes... honestly I didn't look at it, sure you can check it when you get here…" Skye made a face at Ward as she rolled her eyes to the uneasiness of the bio-chemist. "Jemma, I'm fine, I swear! Put Leo on the line, will ya?" Ward was surprised she had used Fitz's first name but shrugged it off, it wasn't the first time he heard her talking with them in first name basis.
He focused back on the girl in question as she was saying "No... I promise I'll keep myself safer. Yes, I know. It's not like anyone else is going to be your least supportive pretend girlfriend better ever, right?" She laughed, and he was aware it hurt because she breathed a bit harder than before. "No Fitz, it's okay. It's just I forgot for a minute I have two holes in my stomach. But I'm sure they are healing up pretty nicely…" She finished seeing Ward's frustrated look, but a smile crept out on her face before she answered in a sweet tone "I love you too, see you soon."
"Thanks Ward." He accepted the cellphone from her hand, surprised by how easy it was to her to admit something like that to both geniuses. "They're on their way?"
"Yeah." She yawned releasing her hand from his grasp to hide her tiredness.
"I need to tell you something." He was uncomfortable, but maybe it was better to let her know, get this off his chest.
"No need, I know. Actually you just told me, awhile ago whilst running your thumb over my knuckles. Now, were you kindly caressing my hand, Ward?"
She was teasing him, he was sure, but it didn't stop him from saying "I don't understand."
"Of course you don't, Robot. I just discovered it myself. Seems like I can read or see inside people's minds while they are touching me." She said nonchalantly.
"What?" He was surprised and practically jumped out of the bed.
"I guess then, AC didn't tell the team that I'm an 0-8-4."
"Skye…"
"It's okay, I understand, who wants someone to poke in their minds and take out their darkest secrets? Or discover their fears? Weaknesses? What keeps them going? Whom they love?" He turned to look at her again, she was staring out of the room, as if lost in thought.
"The nurse who came here, touched my hand, I guess just for contact and talked to me a bit, she said I was going to be fine and that I had people who cared deeply for me." She smiled "Do you wanna know what she was really thinking?"
"Skye, you don't need to prove anything to me." His tone was weary and she was pretty sure he was again feeling betrayed by her.
"She thought how sad it was to have such a young girl in a facility like this, how unusual it was for the same girl not to have next of kin." He sighed coming closer to her bed. "She thinks I'm lucky because you're hot and potentially my boyfriend, but the first part is just plain obvious, right?"
"Potentially your boyfriend?" He arches an eyebrow at her. "I would guess that on Fitz, with the 'I love you too' going on."
"Don't be jealous. Leo is like a brother to me, plus it is not me who is sleeping with Agent May."
"In my defense it is purely sexual."
"I'm glad you can say the word now! Oh, I'm so sorry!" She puts her hands up in mock surrender, "I'm still thinking of you and Coulson in front of the Holotable. I need to find that footage and show the twins asap."
"You wouldn't!" He was flustered by the simple idea.
"Geez, T-1000, I wouldn't show them the moment AC has literally beaten your ass with words, since they are both clueless about you and May, chill out." She rolled her eyes up. "I don't mind, really. If that's what's been bugging you after all."
"No, is not that."
"Okay then. No need to tell me either." She pouted a bit, but smile right after.
"I think that I'm -"
"Skye!" Exclaimed FitzSimmons entering the hospital room. To both the rookie and S.O's surprise they each held a small gift. Fitz was holding a small but colorful bouquet of flowers, while Simmons had a brown teddy bear in her hands.
"We were so very worried." Said the Scottish engineer as he delivered the bouquet to her.
"Aw, thanks Fitz. This is very sweet. Never really got any flowers before." At that Fitz blinked and Simmons released her breath a bit longer than expected.
"I hope you like stuffed animals, I saw him and thought immediately of you." Simmons spoke giving her the teddy bear.
"You guys really didn't have to bring anything. But this is incredibly sweet. Thank you." She said smiling, as she put both gifts aside she proclaimed, "Now, stop with the faces! Come here and give me a hug."
They did, and crushed her a bit between themselves, but she didn't seem to mind it at all.
"How about AC and May?" Skye asked, a bit preoccupied.
"Oh, May is still going through the motions and Coulson said he is coming with her. I also think he feels slightly guilty."
"You think?" Said Ward clenching his teeth.
"Well, maybe we should give you a break, let you breathe and all. Check when you can get out?" Jemma questioned.
"Please." Skye said smacking her lips together, "This whole grey pattern is driving me nuts already." She mentioned gesturing with her hands. They smiled at her, before bidding their goodbyes. Ward sat in the same place he had been before; he watched her close her eyes and yawn a little, as if she were completely exhausted. Minutes passed before either of them said anything until they went at the same time "You wanted to tell me something" She said and Ward "I really need to tell you something".
"You go." she said playfully.
"I think-"
"Skye!" Exclaimed Coulson, "You scared us, kid." He said entering the room, May right behind him.
"Hey AC, Agent May."
"Skye." May's voice was sweet and soothing, there's was a hint of tiredness and relief in it as well. Coulson approaches and kisses her forehead, a million of images coming to Skye's mind.
"Sir, it's better if you don't touch her at all." Ward said, biting his lower lip for forgetting it at all, as the look on the hacker's face was one of pain.
"FitzSimmons did a number on me with the hugging earlier."
"Your powers, did they-"
"They suck sir, I would have enjoyed much more to have a healing power than a mental one. I can read minds, apparently with any kind of touch. I should be able to control it better eventually when I'm not hooked up on pain killers or whatever else Simmons thought they were giving me. I swear they are freaking geniuses, and the amount of things they think at the same time is mind blowing, also it doesn't help that I can feel their emotions as well."
"You didn't mention that before." Ward scoffed at her dramatically.
"Yeah, and make you feel even more guilty? No, thank you." She said challenging him.
"Stop, both of you." May stated. "Did you tell anyone, except us?" She asked touching Skye's hand mindlessly.
"I wouldn't dream of it, May." Her voice was low and husky, "I don't wanna be locked up in the SandBox, The Hub or some other secret place S.H.I.E.L.D has stored for people like me."
"Skye."
"I'm scared okay! I just woke up here with Ward and his mixed feelings in my head, then FitzSimmons, which by the way blame themselves for the bullets Ian Quinn put in me. I can't understand way lying to me about not knowing who my parents were made any difference because clearly-" Tears were streaming down her face and her voice broke down for a second before she continued "Did you really hate the idea of having me so much?" She accused staring at May. Ward was dumbstruck by the reveal, while May looked just as pained stepping away from her child.
"We just discovered when you were in surgery, Director Fury had to sign enough papers to give us the location of the serum, so we could save you. I had no idea they would send me there again." May murmured observing her, Skye was staring at her new found mother skeptically.
"I lost your father in that house, in that place, I lost everything, because I wanted it all." Coulson suddenly sat in the second chair displayed in the room, intrigued and curious about it, while Ward choose to sit at Skye's side, feeling slightly at a loss for words.
"He wasn't an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, but he had powers and of course he was from Asgard."
"WHAT?" She cried out. Suddenly Ward put his hand up and cut it with the other, a clear sign of 'time up' jumping on his feet. "Come with that again?!"
"I'm with Ward, Mel. What in the heck haven't you told me?"
"It was a fling, and I was young, he left for his-"
"Space?" Provided Coulson.
"For lack of a better word, you could say that." She provided her voice just as stoic as always.
"I need a painkiller. An Asgardian one!" Skye grumbles massaging her temples. "Because this is ridiculous." She exasperated. "Why didn't I heal faster then, like, like the professor?"
"They poisoned you." The three members said.
"Oh." Was her smart remark.
"That's all you have to say?" Questioned Ward surprise that the usual smart mouth goofy of the group was also at a loss of words.
"Well, it got uncomfortable and weird really fast." Ward smiled, Coulson grinned and May shivered.
"So are we good?" He questioned, fearing her answer.
"Sure S.O, we're good." She reached for his hand and squeezed it. This time it was different, it wasn't a blurred mess with guilt between his past mistakes, wrongs towards her and his not so subtle affair with her 'mother'. It was her. Purely her. The first time they met, her smirks, her quirks, the way she used her hair, how she looked like a child and a woman at the same time. Her smart mouth, that he wished to shut so many times. Skye smiled freeing his hand.
"Well, I need to figure out how to block the thoughts, but this was interesting." She murmured to herself.
"What?" Coulson questioned.
"Nothing really. Hmm, can I try with you May?"
"I suppose I owe you this in the least." Skye noticed that there were tears in the older woman's eyes, and for a moment she didn't want anything but to embrace her.
"I can understand if you hate me, Skye. I really can." She said as Ward left the hacktivist bed, watching both women.
"Maybe we should leave them alone?" Coulson thought and before he could say it out loud Skye answered "No, stay."
"I didn't say anything." Their team leader pronounced.
"You thought though. Oh, you thought. Maybe this is more tricky than I imagined!" Skye spoke a childish wonder in her eyes. "Sorry." She shook her head and as if she had been doing this since ever she said "Mom?"
Agent May moved, but, for the first time in years, Coulson saw the woman he had met a long time ago, Melinda. She sat on the hospital bed and as if it was a tradition she put a stray lock of her daughter's hair behind her ear gently. That was enough to trigger the memories.
"Fandral! You can't just leave us now! We need you." She cried holding her stomach, panic in her eyes.
"This is wrong Melinda! She will be different, Odin only knows what kind of power she could receive. It could kill you. Giving birth, it could kill you." He said, terrified for the woman he loved. "I cannot stay any longer, and I cannot take you with me, my love. I'm sorry."
"Just go. They need you in Asgard. Say 'hi' to your friends. I'll keep her safe."
"How can you be so sure it will be a girl?"
"Mother's intuition?" She guessed, sniffing.
He smiled cupping her face in his hands. "We'll meet again Mel. If by then you aren't already married with that friend of yours, Agent Coulson, if I'm not mistaken." He smiled kissing her lips and forehead, Melinda watch him disappear into the Bifrost portal.
She knew she should tell someone about her baby, it had been four months since she had asked for some time off from all the violence and danger, the child was perfectly fine and gladly she would be for as long as May could keep the pregnancy at a bay. But that was going to be difficult if she didn't mention anything, at least three times Director Fury had called her to a mission, and Agent Barton and Agent Romanoff were suspicious about her currently 'desk job'. Clearly she would explode if she didn't confide in anyone. So she asked the only three people she would give her life for, to meet her in the small but comfy apartment she owned thanks to S.H.I.E.L.D, and as Natasha, Clint and Phillip entered her house Melinda May was concerned by what would be each agents reaction to what she was going to tell them.
"Hey May." Exclaimed Clint as he kissed both her cheeks in greeting.
"Hey girl." Said Natasha hugging her, after a second she separated from the "older" woman and searched for her eyes.
"Hey Mel." Phil smiled at her knowingly, which didn't pass on in Romanoff's eyes.
"How come you noticed before any of us?" Natasha complained a pout forming in her lips.
"I do see her everyday you know?" He defended himself.
"Should I hunt down the bastard or try to kill him?" Queried Clint excited enough to hunt down the man and scare him till the moon.
"That's pretty much impossible Clint, Fandral has already left Midgard." Melinda said.
"I'm sorry what?" The look of confusion on the three members was enough to get Melinda to start her story, she was sure Natasha would believe her, after all Agent Romanoff was what you would call of a 'science serum experiment' gone totally right, what luckily keep her from getting older, which meant that while she looked as if she was in mid twenties as Clint, she was actually around well, gosh knows how old. May had never gotten the courage enough to ask.
"Fandral, he was, a.. uh… alien? An Asgardian man? You know from Asgard, Norse mythology?" May said receiving even more confused looks from the three of them.
"Just tell me you are joking, that you, Melinda May, didn't date an alien?" Clint said sarcastically.
"Technically he looked very human." She spoke.
Coulson and Barton face palmed themselves. While Natasha paced in the room.
"This is bad, this is a real trouble. How come an alien gets in here, sweeps you off your feet, leaves you pregnant and just now after all this time, YOU TELL US?" Scream's Natasha to the mother to be.
"In my defense I wasn't thinking to much." Coulson rolled his eyes, clearly disappointed that his twenty five years old best friend had again ignore any signs.
"Okay, so what do we do now?" Clint questions getting up from his sit.
"Don't panic?" Said Natasha, the biggest look of disbelief on her face.
"Oh dear lord May, do you realize…?" Coulson asked.
"That I'm carring an 0-8-4? Yes. I needed to speak to someone, and I'm afraid they will lock up my baby in some sort of chamber and do all these experiments on her. That's why I asked you to come."
"Her?" Natasha asked.
"I feel like it is a her. I'm just sixteen weeks pregnant, but it's hard to see the sex in such a small amount of time." May elaborated as she touched her womb lovingly.
"Well, no matter what happens, we will protect her May. You can count on us." Phil announced, Natasha nodded in agreement, as Clint beamed at the mother to be
Clearly she should know the news would fall into the Director's ears sooner or later, but contrary to what she expected, Nick Fury had congratulated her and expected to have the child as a future asset, if possible. He also promised no experiments on the child's growth. When she was twenty six weeks, May had moved into a bigger apartment and helped by Natasha - who had proclaimed herself as the unborn's godmother - started to build her daughter's nursery.
She had told her parents as she entered her twenty eight weeks, and they couldn't be more proud begging her to visit them and have her baby in one of the small villages located in Hunan, in the south of China. If she thought she were being pampered by her friends, she certainly wasn't expecting the amount of things her mother, grandmother and sisters could do.
It had been a week since she was born, Selene May, as Melinda called her the moment she casted her eyes on the small bundle covered in pink from head to toe. She was perfect. Selene was almost five months old when Melinda had been called for duty, and with her heart in flames she left her daughter with her family, knowing that at the end of the week she would be seeing her again.
"Mommy loves you, my little sky." Melinda had told her before leaving.
A day later came the unbearable news. The village had been attacked and every single person had been killed trying to protect her child, including S.H.I.E.L.D agents. They new nothing about the 0-8-4 they had supposedly got, all Melinda new was that her child had vanished into thin air.
The scene modified and Skye then saw a much younger version of Agent May crying in one of S.H.I.E.L.D hospital facilities, a woman who seemed to have lost a bigger part of herself in that particular day. She was waiting for the agent that had gone to find Selene, but Linda Avery was a lost cause as she laid dead in the hospital bed. Agent Coulson found her sitting in one of the uncomfortable chairs, tears staining her bloody face.
"I'm so sorry Mel." He managed to say as he touched her knees, the broken look in the woman's eyes daunting him, which didn't stop him reaching for her hands and enveloping them in his. She moved to his arms, seeking comfort in her wrecked state. "She is gone Phil. My darling girl. My sky. Do you think-" She hiccups searching reassurance in his eyes.
"How could I know, Mel?" He brought her to his embrace again letting her cry all her tears until she was exhausted enough and fell asleep, murmuring her child's nickname "Skye."
Agents Romanoff and Barton found him holding the small woman to his body, trying to shield her from everything around them.
There were more than ten guys surrounding her, she knew this mission was a risk, but she needed to forget, put a rock in her heart and admit she would never see her child again. She had been crazy as that small little girl passed by her and Agent Coulson running, it was a brunette little thing, big smile and so very talkative as she seemed to call for someone. The child, Lizzie, as the nun called after her had accidentally ran into their middle almost falling in front of them, if Coulson hadn't been fast enough to hold her. "I'm sorry Mister." She had said a pitchy child's voice and a smile. "Careful now." Coulson said, as the nun finally caught them. "I'm so sorry, see our Lizzie here, is a little troublemaker." The old woman had said affectionately as 'Lizzie' smiled in May's direction telling her she had such beautiful hair. It had been five years now, this was a mission and thinking about the "what if's" was only going to slow her down. She focused on her surroundings, listening, breathing, she needed to get out of this one alive. She owed Selene that much.
Skye is crying as she jerks away from her mother.
"Skye." Called Coulson and Ward at the same time.
"I need to catch my breath for a moment." Skye murmured.
"Can I do anything?" May's voice is concerned as she examines her daughter with her eyes.
"No. It is just, a bit overwhelming." She confessed.
"Shall we le-" May starts but is cut off by Skye's voice "No. I don't wanna be alone in here. Plus I'm hungry, why is FitzSimmons taking so long?"
"Why didn't you say so?" Ward questions.
"We can ask for something maybe a sou-" Coulson provides.
"No soup, or food that looks like it was taken from some military field. No way." She pouts.
"There she is, our favorite patient!" Said Simmons smiling as she enters the room.
"We have come to take you from your torment, my lady." Said Fitz in a theatrical manner.
May smiled at their antics, Coulson shook his head and Ward rolled his eyes.
"Finally my lord, what took you and your milady so long?" Skye responded a giggle escaping her lips.
"Lord Fury, my dear. And half of the Avengers too." Murmured Jemma.
"What? Did you say half of the Avengers too?" Questioned May and Coulson together.
"How dare you Melinda!" Exclaimed a very angry red head entering the room, ready to kill someone, a blonde blue eyed man behind her.
"O-KAY!" Called Skye. "Chill out there auntie. Let's not kill mom, when I finally just found her!" Skye exclaimed as loud as she could with her hoarse voice. Which of course stopped Clint and Natasha from fighting with May but got them both staring at her.
"Selene?" Agents Romanoff and Barton called dumbstruck.
"Time-out!" Coulson managed to say.
"Are you precisely sure, my friend?"
"The Son of Coul is alive, at least it was what Stark said. And something about an 0-8-4 girl." Thor informed.
"Hmm, you don't think?" Asked his friend keeping his pace at the God's side.
"Well, how could I possible know, Fandral?" Thor queried him.
"Wait for me! I wanna see agent Coulson with my own eyes as well! How could Director Fury have kept something so very important from us!" Exclaimed in a lost of breath Tony Stark.
"Hey Tony." They greeted him.
"Hello, Thor, Fandral." He answers a charming smile on his lips.
"Oh! FELLOWS! Wait!" And Captain America is running to meet them.
"Also do we know the way?" Questioned Steve as he finally approaches the trio.
"I think we should follow the screaming." Tony answers.
"Pointless AC, we're gonna have the whole lot of Avengers assemble in my room! OH you think I could get an autograph and a picture?" Skye said smiling.
"How do you know?" Clint asked.
"Voices from the corridor, gosh Tony is loud."
"An 0-8-4, right?"
"It's just Skye, makes me feel less scary. Plus since I can't control it very well, it's nice no one is really touching me."
"But you heard them." Said Dr. Banner as he entered the room, a grin on his face.
"Natasha, Clint, how are ya?" He was certainly a small guy for, well Hulk.
"And my favorite patient?" He comes closer to her bed looking at the records in his hand.
"I could totally die happy now." She blurted out without thinking which earned her different looks at the same time.
"No pun intended, I mean, argh. I'm sorry. Is just seriously it is Dr. Banner and this is awesome!"
"She is fangirling sir, please do forgive her." Simmons said in a serious tone.
"I'm not, really…" She bit her lips and whispered "Perhaps just a little." Her cheeks going red in embarrassment.
"Sorry darling. We didn't mean to bother you, it's just, we really…" Clint started but was stopped by Thor.
"Son of Coul, my friend, I thought you were dead! Seems Fandral, that they can cheat death in Midgard as well."
"I don't think they can do that as well as we do, but he looks fine. Too fine for someone who was buried, am I right?" He whispered arching an eyebrow to Thor.
"Well this is getting really interesting, really fast." Skye mentioned.
"Oh, hello there!" Thor said giving her a brilliant smile.
And May laughed as she exchanged a look with her daughter. "Dreamy, right?" She thought and Skye arched an eyebrow in response.
"May." Fandral called her attention.
"Crowded here isn't?" Skye voiced out.
"Absolutely, now all of you out. You don't want to see me angry, now do you?" Dr. Banner questioned.
"I wouldn't dream of it sir." Fitz said his voice trembled.
They all started to leave when Skye said "May? Can't you stay?" Melinda turned to see her daughter again, suddenly she looked extremely small in the hospital bed with the teddy bear and the flowers still on her left side. "Of course I can, my sky." She murmured the nickname, but Skye heard it nonetheless.
"I'm going to let you two alone and check how the circus in going outside." He said before walking to the girl and kissing her forehead. She was surprised that she didn't see anything except a green blur in his mind, which made her smile in delight.
"You are always angry, Doctor." Said the hacker, by which Dr. Banner answered with a wink exiting the room.
"I guess it stuck in my subconscious." She started, startling the older agent.
"What?" Melinda asked distracted, something she was sure she had never seen in the older agent.
"Skye. You used to call me your sky." Skye affirmed.
"Yes, I did. Because that's what you were, you lightened up my whole life and once you were gone, I lost myself, Phil noticed of course. He was there, making sure I was eating, that my mind was in the game, otherwise I would have been killed." May explained sighing deeply.
"Will you teach me Tai Chi when we get back to The Bus?" She asked in a small voice.
May smiled touching her hand, Skye was afraid she might see something, but maybe, just maybe, the antibiotics were wearing off. "I guess." May supplied. "We can fix this, you'll just have to open up a bit and of course admit once and for all that you're totally head over heels for AC."
"Skye!" May exclaimed flustered.
"You are. Don't go on denying it." She grinned, earning a laughter from her mother.
"I can't believe Banner casted us out of the room. I have questions." Complained Natasha, resting her hands on her hips.
"We were crowding the poor child, Nat." Said Clint.
"The poor child is my daughter and I'd like to meet her." Fandral stated. "Also, why aren't you and May married by now? I do not understand." He said acussing Coulson.
Suddenly they heard laughter coming from the room and then a squeal, before Skye said "OMG, dad totally ships you two together!"
"I'm confused even further now, my friend." Fandral mentioned looking at Thor with an arched eyebrow.
"She probably heard you speaking considering you were practically yelling." He shook his head "The antibiotics are leaving her body, which means that some of her normal abilities will be surfacing. Though, I'm not sure how her new found powers will work out for her."
Another squeal of happiness came from the room, as Skye clasped her hands together with a look of pure mischief in her eyes.
"She is probably fangirling again." Said Ward.
"Hmm, don't know. I shall check. Do you mind?" Fandral questioned looking at everyone.
"You are her father, I suppose it's only fair." Supplied Coulson.
The door was opened again, revealing a smiling Skye and a giggling May.
"Hey dad! Come on in! Let's gossip!" Skye called him.
"I'll be outside, see if I can find anything for you to eat." May says leaving a small grin to Fandral.
"Fries?" Skye calls hopefully.
"Not in a million years." She answers closing the door.
"Okay, here is the deal, we need to hook them up together!" Skye calls to her father to which she earns a humorous laughter.
"Agreed child." He said as he sat down in her bed. "Look at you. So beautiful. Just like your mother. I think you've been stealing every Midgard mans hearts for a while, now, haven't you?
Skye smiles at him as he approaches her and kisses her forehead. "I'm proud of you kiddo. Also impressed. What were you even thinking?"
"That we really needed to get that guy." She answers a hint of smile in her voice.
"Oh, I have something for you. I'll be right back. Should I send someone in?" He asks remembering he indeed has a birth right gift to give her but needs to talk to his best friend first.
"Oh, send food?!" She is hopeful and Fandral laughs at her happiness. "I'll check with your mother again."
"Can you actually believe she asked for fries?" May says shaking her head at the others.
"I wouldn't mind fries either, with cheese and bacon.." Mused Fitz.
"Fitz, back to the world will ya?" Calls Simmons and the Scotch blushes at her.
"Wouldn't be easier to just take her back to the Bus, sir?" Questions Simmons in her most British way.
"I thought I said no." Banner voiced.
"Yes, sir. We know. But she is probably bored out of her mind." Says Fitz.
"That she is. I mean if my daughter is plotting dates for her mother, I say she is much more than just bored out of her mind." Fandral says closing the door behind him.
"What?!" Asks Coulson because Melinda had left minutes ago with Ward in search of something for her daughter to eat.
"I should find this weird, but I don't." Says May walking more lighthearted than ever.
"I know. I mean, you knew I had feelings for her, and now she knows that and so much more. My head is going a mile per minute." Ward answers.
"I didn't think I could be prouder of her, but I am."
"It's a mothers thing, I suppose. Also, as her S.O I'm pretty damn proud of her too." He tried to hide a smile, but the older agent caught it. "Do you mind if I asked how exactly did Fandral come into your life?"
"Funny you ask, because I'm trying to get my head around it, I'm sure Skye will have plenty of questions, if she ever stops to catch her breath." They are in the cafeteria and the talk is left aside, because the thing now is what to get for Skye?
"Hello ma'am, how may I help you?" Asks the attendant at them.
They exchange looks, and blink a couple of times before saying "Hmm, well.."
"Ward? May?" Calls FitzSimmons showing up behind them in a little jog.
"We would like to purchase some pancakes, two latte coffees, one hot chocolate, three black coffees…" Started Simmons in a fast rant.
"Wait up you guys, what is all this?" Asks Ward.
"Oh and cereal! Do you have a box of Lucky Charms or Cocoa Krispis and lots of milk? We really don't mind the price." Exclaimed Fitz.
"Well, I'm not sure. Why do you need a whole box anyway?"
"Ma'am, it's an emergency." Fitz is using his best business look.
"Agent May?" Asks an older woman behind the cafeteria, a wide smile on her face.
"Mrs. Johnson, it's been so long!" Says May taken by surprise.
"Excuse me! What part of emergency you did not understood, ma'am?" Fitz is demanding now his accent is making it sound even more urgent.
"Yes it has, are these kids with you?" Asks Mrs. Johnson unfazed.
"Yes, we came to take something for my daughter, she is not really interested in hospital food."
"Yes, like I said. An emergency! Why is no one here seeming to understand that?!" He crossed his arms and glances at the woman angrily.
"Actually, I have Cocoa Krispis and milk. If you would-"
"Yes, ma'am we will take it." Says Fitz and Simmons finishes his phrase, bad habits die hard she thinks" The rest of what we ordered you can deliver with Agent's May and Ward. Here's a small list in case your attendant didn't get everything."
"Thank you." The duo said together as they picked up the bowl, the cereal box and milk that Mrs. Johnson gave to them and like usual left plotting over something already.
"Did the twins just won us over this breakfast, lunch, whatever thing?" Asked an amused May.
"Looks like." Nods Ward.
"How do they even know what she would...?" May is cut of by someone else questioning "Agents, should I prepare the food and ask it to be delivered to the waiting room?"
"Yes, Mrs. Johnson, that would be lovely." Says May smiling at her.
They walk back finding Coulson and the rest of the team, well it is more like family, if you count all the Avengers as well.
"So?" Coulson asks.
"It looks like they were beaten by the twins, after all those two entered Skye's room minutes ago." Said a smiling Clint.
"Is it terrible I had no idea my own daughter would prefer those cereal things over pancakes?" Asks May her voice low.
Natasha laughs, Tony snorts, Clint gives a small smile, Banner just shakes his head, Steve simply watches, Fandral and Thor are chit-chatting in a corner, she can't see Ward's face since he is still behind her, but it is Coulson who answers her "No, sometimes I don't even know half of the things she is capable of doing on that computer of hers."
May grinned, but her smile grew as she heard Skye exclaiming to the twins "Oh, my saviors, you brought me the food of gods! I love you guys! Really!"
"Food of gods?" Asks Thor confused.
"She's very enthusiastic about cereal." Smiled Coulson.
"Me and Fandral were talking and since by right I would be her godfather I was hoping she would accept one of my gifts to her?" Thor is smiling proudly at Coulson.
"Why are you asking me?"
"Well, it seems that Skye sees you as her surrogate father. So it is only natural for us to ask you if you agree."
"Oh." He cleaned his throat and said "Mel?"
"I suppose so."
"Be prepared for fangirling." Stated Ward.
"Someone is so jealous right now, because he is not part of the Avengers or any super hero…" Stark said smirking.
"I'm not."
"Sure you are not…" Mocked Natasha.
The team and the Avengers exchange looks, and Banner can practically read their wishes.
"Fine. You can take her back to the Bus, if and only if you take her medical necessities to a high level." Banner informs.
"We can do that. Sure we can. FitzSimmons won't let her out of their sight." Coulson assured him.
FitzSimmons and Skye are watching a movie on Fitz tablet when Coulson enters the room.
"Don't tell me the visiting hours are already over. I'm gonna die of boredom in here AC!"
"No. Do you want the good news or the bad news?" He has a shy smile on his face and he can swear that the three 'kids' are looking at him a lot like lost lab puppies.
"We are taking you back to the Bus." Skye moves a bit from the head of the bed and FitzSimmons have equally surprise expressions on their faces.
"For real?" The trio says in unison.
"For real, the bad news is that you have to be on bed rest for at least another two weeks."
"What?!" Skye is clearly unhappy.
"That or you stay here, so what's it gonna be?" Coulson asks.
"Let me go home, please?" She singsonged.
"I'll ask May to pick up some clothes for you, while she is at that, I'll ask Fandral to sign your release papers." Coulson says smiling.
He leaves the trio chit-chatting happily in the room as he meets the rest outside.
After everything is sorted out, and Skye is finally leaving that 'awful for no good place.' May is worried. How is she supposed to act around her now? And seriously, why, oh why did all the Avengers decide to 'spend' some time with their niece now? Inside the Bus? She is gonna lose her mind!
May already thought the Bus was crowded enough with six people, add plus seven and you have a party. Impressively Skye didn't seem to mind at all, she had come up with a schedule, can you believe that?
She had a schedule for it, and May wasn't sure how that could be possible. Oh and after her father's and godfather's gift Skye had told them that the next trip she would go on was to Asgard. No, May wasn't apprehensive about that, not at all.
What she wondered was if Skye would call her 'mom' again out of her painkillers state. That fear was completely lost whenever the girl screamed 'Mom, can you help me out with this?' or 'Night mom.'
Skye is brought back to the present when her father sits on her side. "Hey Lady Skye, what are you doing?"
"I'm thinking and I'm bored." She complained leaning her head onto his shoulder.
"I've been thinking too and maybe it's time we put that little plan we cooked up in the hospital to the test?" Her eyes sparkled and she sits up with a devious smile.
"Yes, we shall."
"I'll call Coulson, think you can convince you mom?"
"Sure, she will be easy."
Not more than thirty minutes later, Skye is pushing her mom inside Coulson's office at the same moment Fandral leaves shooting her a smile and before May or Coulson can react the office door is locked.
"What is going on?" May is confused, and Coulson shrugs at her question.
"I'm sorry, but this is getting ridiculous, will you just kiss him for crying out loud?" Asks Skye from the other side of the door.
"What?" May is shocked, how dare Skye to put her fingers on hers and Coulson's relationship?
"Just do it Mel, you two have been dancing around each other far too long." Supplied Fandral.
"Are they seriously hooking us up?" Coulson is trying hard not to laugh, but he eventually does and May arches an eyebrow at him. Could those two be any more childish?
"No wonder she likes you so much." She grumbles.
"You have to agree it is kind of funny, you know?" He says, sitting at the head of the table, resting his arms in front of his body. "Since, I already see Skye as a surrogate daughter it wouldn't change that much, but you-" Melinda decided to end his misery by approaching him as smoothly as a cat, she smirked and touched his face with the palm of her hands, sealing their lips a moment later.
Outside of the door two anxious Argardians waited. "You think she kissed him?" Asked a curious Skye.
"I don't know, I can't seem to hear a thing." Fandral replied, his ear perched on the door.
"Oh I know! I'm gonna go find Fitz! They had this magic window thingy I saw it. They used it on a mission. I'll just ask him for it. Don't go anywhere dad!" She exclaims already running to the lab.
She passes her uncles and Ward as if she hadn't been laying on a bed three days ago.
"Skye, don't run!" They call behind her, Ward scared that she might fall down says "Rookie, careful with the-"
"Stairs, I got it SO! Relax! I'm half alien!" Skye responds her voice muffled by the distance.
She enters the lab to find an interesting scene, FitzSimmons are so close together she could swear any moment they would kiss.
"Fitzy!" She calls. "The magical window thingy, do you have it?" She bounces a bit in her excitement and can barely wait to get back to Coulson's office when they hear May's voice through the comms "Skye Selene May, don't you dare do whatever you planned on doing, 'cause I'll ground you for life."
"Skye Selene May?" Tough she just used your whole name and the parent tone." Fitz mentioned.
"That was a parent tone? I thought that was a threatening to kill you tone." Skye murmured jumping on the table, sighing.
"No, no. It was slightly softer than her usual murder voice." Simmons smiled.
"There you are." Said Ward relieved in seeing her.
"Hey Grant." She smiles.
"Come on, it's my turn now, isn't it?" He questions eagerly.
She jumps from the table, grins at the scientists duo and meets her SO half way. "Can you please just kiss her Fitz? I'm tired of playing cupid and it's not working at all. You two are perfect together."
"Aww, isn't she adorable, Leo?" Asks Simmons standing in front of Fitz. "She sure is Jemma." Fitz answers enveloping Simmons in his arms. "We've been dating for two weeks now." They reveal to her.
She slaps Ward's arm "I can't believe you didn't tell me!" Skye pouts and crosses her arms underneath her breasts.
"In my defense I had no idea." He said resting his left head on her shoulder. "We will be landing soon, back in NY, I was wondering if I could treat you with some pizza and ice cream?"
"OMG, Fitz he just asked her out!" Simmons says is a loud hush tone, Skye arches an eyebrow and tries not to laugh. "So, we kinda of ship you guys together, sue us."
"They.. what?" Ward had the decency of looking confused.
"Come on Robot, let's just go." Skye grabbed his hand and laced their fingers.
"So, is that a yes, you will go out with me?" He questions away from the lab and far from any of the cargo bay cameras.
Skye turns to him, a deviously smile on her lips. "Do you still have to ask?" She places her small hands on his chest for balance before standing on her tip toes, as he watches her he is taken by surprise when she brushes her lips gently against his. She smells like strawberries, vanilla, and purely home, he responds a second later by threading his fingers through her hair gripping the base of her neck, pulling her body closer to his, she hugs him tighter, her hands slide over his shoulders to rest at the base of his neck, tugging slightly on his hair. She opens to him, their tongues battling sensually together, her power maximizing the feelings. They are pressed against a wall, her legs around his hips when breathing became an issue, he sets her on the floor gently and pecks her lips once again, before resting his forehead against hers.
"That was-" He started, their breaths mingling in the air.
"Amazing." She supplied for him.
"I'm in love with you, Rookie." He whispers at her, his eyes still closed. She kisses him, because if she tries to speak now she'll cry over the amount of feelings he is giving her. Her heart swells inside of her. And she knows, that as long as she has her family, her friends, and the guy kissing her into oblivion, her world is complete.