This fic essentially follows my earlier fic 'Another Chance of Life', for those who wanted a sequel and loosely follows my Halloween fic 'May Hates Dressing Up For Halloween', but can be read independently as a stand alone fic too.
Phil Coulson and Melinda May stood in the corner of the living area of The Playground, talking to each other as music blared around them. Last week Skye had convinced Coulson into agreeing to hold a New Years Eve party, on the proviso that 'if there were no Hydra attacks between then and New Years Eve, he'll let her throw a party', so here they are. He never thought Hydra would actually hold off an attack for a week, otherwise he wouldn't have agreed to it in the first instance. However, now that everyone was enjoying themselves, he wasn't hosting the party, and Skye, along with the others, would clean up after, he felt like he could relax and enjoy the atmosphere.
May on the other hand appeared bit out of sorts, Phil could tell she couldn't relax. He knew she finds it difficult to take a break and just relax with the rest of the team. She'd never stop looking after them, even at times like this.
Phil's thoughts were placed on hold as Skye passed by the pair, which he was sure, was the second time in half an hour with glasses of champagne. They didn't have any champagne flutes to drink from, so they used the only glasses they had in the base, Tumblers, Coca Cola glasses, tall glasses, shot glasses, someone had even managed to acquire a child's plastic cup from somewhere.
"Drink?" Skye asked offering the tray with the odd glasses of champagne.
"Thanks, Skye." Coulson said graciously.
Melinda on the other hand appeared slightly torn as to whether to pick up another glass from the young S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, after a moments hesitation she decided to pick up the small shot glass. "Thank you, Skye." May said with a small smile.
Skye smiled widely at the two older Agents, the two people she'd come to love as parents, then she turned on her heel and left with the rest of the drinks, "Anytime!"
Coulson and May looked at each other and smiled, they really loved that girl as if she were their own; a cheeky, intelligent, curious, beautiful daughter, in whom they both had a part in raising and educating, changing her from a 'know-it-all' Hackavist to a strong disciplined S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent. She was also the only other person May and Coulson could trust as highly as each other and above the rest of the team. Skye was surely their pseudo-daughter.
"This is getting increasingly awkward, Phil." Melinda said as she handed her shot glass to Phil, he necked the contents quickly and handed it back to her, to then sip slowly on his own.
"Yeah, I know." Phil glanced around the crowd of slightly drunk S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents self-consciously, "I just don't want to say anything too soon, shouldn't we leave it for another few weeks?"
"They're not idiots, Phil." May replied as quietly as the background music would allow. "They'll know something's going on, especially Skye."
Phil looked back to May and blanched slightly, "You're right."
On the other side of the room, where Skye had now left the tray of drinks on a nearby table, she pulled Jemma Simmons from her slightly awkward conversation with Fitz and Mack.
"Hey Simmons, what's going on with May over there?"
"I'm sorry?" Simmons replied, trying to stall for an answer, or at least try to compose herself and keep a straight face. Even after her baptism of fire at Hydra, she still hadn't got to grips with lying, especially to Skye.
"What's the deal with May?" Skye repeated.
Jemma just stared at Skye blankly, the pause almost long enough to think, "You'll need elaborate for me, Skye."
"There's something going on over there," Skye motioned toward Phil and Melinda talking in the corner. "It's May, she's not herself."
"She looks fine, what makes you think that?"
"Well a few things." Skye glanced over to the couple to see Phil looking over and quickly returning his gaze back to May. "Since she got out the hospital, she's been late for our morning Tai Chi and she hates lateness, I mean really hates it. She still hasn't come out on a mission with us. I think she's gone quieter and I didn't think THAT was possible, but that might be because she's sick, tired and snappy lately…" Skye paused for a moment looking over to May, feeling a bit sorry for her now. "Oh, and now she's not drinking."
"I've seen her take drinks tonight." Simmons says adamantly, knowing her statement wasn't a lie.
"She's taking them, but not drinking them. She either puts them down or gives them A.C when she thinks we're not looking."
"That doesn't mean anythings wrong, Skye. What if she really doesn't want anything to drink or doesn't like champagne and doesn't want to offend you?"
Skye gave her the 'Really?' look, "Do you think she has a hang-up about offending people? She's like the mom I never had, but always wanted. I love her and I'm worried!"
Jemma was stumped, so decided to use a bit of truth to diffuse the situation slightly. She knew Skye came to her because between her, Phil and Melinda, she'd have the medical knowledge and was most likely to spill, "Look, May is OK, Coulson and I asked her to stay away from missions and strenuous activities for a while if she wanted to be discharged earlier than I originally instructed." Simmons put both hands on Skye's shoulders as she continued, "It's possible the pain medication she was on could still be making her feel queasy or tired." Simmons then looked deeply into Skye's eyes, unblinking, "But May is absolutely fine, your mom's not going anywhere, OK?"
Skye smiled and had a small tear in her eye, she was giddy that Jemma had referred to May as her mom. She could see that she wasn't going to get any more from Simmons so she thanked her with a hug as she left.
"Phil, see there," May shifted her head to the direction of Skye and Simmons talking, "I bet Simmons told her."
"What?" Phil looked over incredulously, "She couldn't have done…!"
"I told you it would be too suspicious to take me off missions completely this early."
"No, I stand by that decision, May." Phil replied firmly leaving no brook for argument.
May sighed, Coulson is right of course, but she felt so frustrated in having to keep the news to themselves. She'd had her fill of keeping secrets. She yearned to tell someone, especially as keeping the secret doesn't benefit the team.
"We agreed that you could come out of Hospital, after your quite serious injuries started to heal, early if you drastically reduced your training and didn't go on any more missions." Coulson whispered loudly, "That bastard nearly killed you and our child, we were lucky you both made it and we need to give our son or daughter a fighting chance."
May was on the verge of tears, not because he gave her a slight telling off, but because he was right, and she was emotional, and tired, and really not herself! She started wiping her eyes before the tears had a chance to escape. Her reputation of a no-nonsense, unemotional ice-queen among the younger members of the team, was starting to slip, like the tears from her eyes. She turned slightly so her back faced the rest of the room.
It wasn't often that Coulson would have to deal with an emotional May. A snarky May; yes. A moody May; on several occasions. An emotionally shut-down May; regularly! But a May who was victim to her own pregnancy hormones: Brand new! Though he was willing to turn his hand to it, should she so need. He placed his hand on her back and escorted her out the room where they could have a bit more privacy from the rest of the team still having a great party, where Phil was sure he saw Bobbi and Hunter dancing on the coffee table.
Having made it round the corner, Coulson wrapped his arms around May, "Hey, come here." He whispered softly in her ear, "I didn't mean to snap, I just love you and our baby so much, the thought of anything happening to either of you…it terrifies me!"
It was at that moment they both heard a loud gasp, which had sounded suspiciously like Skye.
"Skye!" Coulson and May said at the same time.
"…Busted…!" Skye huffed as she walked around the corner and made her presence known. "Sorry guys, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I just wanted to let you know we're doing the countdown in a few minutes." She glanced worriedly between the two not seeing either of their expressions change. "I'm really, really sorry. But I'm just so happy that you're alright May, I was so worried! I tried to ask Simmons but she wouldn't spill! Oh my God! I'm so happy for you both!" She threw her arms around her surrogate parents, who were now going to be actual parents! If Skye was surprised when May wrapped her arms around her returning the hug, she didn't show it.
"It's OK, Skye. I'm glad you know, it's been hard keeping something like this from you." May said as she eased out of the hug slightly, only for Skye's arms to be replaced by Coulson's arm around her shoulder, Skye couldn't help but noticed how pride seem to radiate from every pore of his body. It was a beautiful sight and she couldn't be happier for the pair.
"This news is massive! When did this even happen?!" Skye had to clasp her hands together in front of her, otherwise they might be a flailing mess or she'd be hugging them again.
"Well, we think it was Halloween," Coulson started and May smirked at the memory.
"Yeah, I'd come back after my OP—" May said.
"Oh my God! The Catsuit? The Sexy-Catgirl outfit I got you for that Halloween OP!" Skye screamed and grasped May's arms in excitement before pulling back and placing her hands over her cheshire cat smile, thinking how she's had a small part in this amazing event. "Can we go in and tell the rest of the team please, before I burst?"
Phil and Melinda shared a look, held each other close in silent support and agreed, Skye took one of Melinda's hands and one of Phil's as she nearly dragged them back to party-central.
Skye knew they only had a minute or so to get everyone's attention before the countdown began, she turned down the music and banged on the table. "Guys! Shut up for a minute, A.C wants to say something!"
May and Coulson looked at Skye with their best 'Really?' expressions. May knew that Skye's directness was beginning to rival her own.
"We're here to celebrate the coming of a new year, friends and colleagues together, like a family." Coulson said as he looked around the group of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents, he then looked at the woman he loved in his arms and he visibly relaxed. "Well, our family is going to get a little bigger."
Bobbi clasped her hand over her mouth, she couldn't believe what she was hearing from the Director, she was so happy for her friends. "Oh May! I can't believe it, congratulations!" Bobbi nearly ran into May to hug her. Everyone else followed suit after, congratulating the pair on their life changing news.
Skye then interrupted, handing drinks to everyone making sure no one had the glass of orange juice she poured especially for May, it had been intended to make Bucks Fizz, she'd never guess this would be the new purpose of the humble orange juice; to celebrate a baby.
"Sir, It's err….It's err—The countdown—!" Fitz fumbled as he pointed at his watch, still having difficulty articulating his words.
"It's time to start the countdown, sir." Jemma interrupted, saving Fitz from completing his sentence.
"10!" Fitz shouted, keeping an eye on his watch.
Everyone else continued the countdown, "9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!" They all cheered, kissed and embraced each other as they sang Auld Lang Syne. This was going to be the year when everything changed and they now had a reason above all others to make sure they succeeded.
Skye stood between Fitz and Simmons as she watched Coulson and May as their kiss ended and he still held her lovingly.
"Can't believe Mom and Dad are gonna have a baby. Roll on 2015!"
Hope you enjoyed this fic, it was great fun to write!
HAPPY NEW YEAR AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. FANS!