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Part I
She wakes to hushed baby talk. She is groggy and feels like she hasn't slept a minute, and yet as she turns her head to the side and slowly opens her eyes, taking the scene in, she just can't help but smile.
Coulson is sitting in a chair next to her bed, suit jacket discarded, but otherwise still in the white shirt and tie he must have been in all day, a day's growth stubble on his cheeks. And in his hands there is the reason of his smitten smile and wonderstruck expression: a small bundle wrapped up in a soft, pink blanket – her bundle; her baby girl.
"Hey," she whispers in a sleep-laden voice. "I see you two have met."
Coulson raises his head to look at her, his eyes slightly widening.
"Sorry," he whispers, but why, she can't fathom. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay." She sits up, wincing a little; God, is she sore. "I'm guessing she's going to be hungry soon anyway."
This seems to reassure him; he gives her a small nod, then, his goofy smile returning, he turns his gaze back to the baby. Skye can relate – she is having a hard time taking her eyes off the newborn, too.
"She's beautiful," Coulson says softly after some time. "Absolutely beautiful."
Skye wants to answer but she simply can't; it might be still the hormones' fault, but she feels so proud and filled with love, that it almost seems surreal; almost as if her heart is about to overflow. So instead of saying anything, she simply reaches out with one hand, and softly touches the baby's face.
"I'm sorry you missed show time," she says after a couple of beats, then grimaces. "Okay, I'm taking it back. There were more than enough people around to watch me squeeze this little lady out."
This actually makes Coulson chuckle.
"I actually kinda wish I was here," he tells her, then frowns. "Okay, maybe not here here. I mean the other side of the door, out in the hallway."
Skye lets out a chuckle, then looks around the room, her mind just registering something.
"Where's Grant?" she asks.
"I told him to go to sleep – in a real bed. Ordered it, actually." he changes hold on the baby, which makes her fuss a little. "When I got back, he was walking around here, baby in hand, grinning like the Cheshire Cat, but half asleep. I was almost afraid he'd walk into the wall sooner or later."
This, again, makes Skye laugh – mostly because she can absolutely imagine that happening –, but her laugh is cut short as the baby finally wakes, letting out a thin, little cry. Coulson freezes in an instant, clearly having no idea what to do with the infant. Skye, barely having more experience than him, but her instincts already working, reaches for her daughter right away, and with Coulson's help, the baby is quickly transferred into her mother's arms.
"It's okay, angel, mommy's got you," she coos, rocking the baby gently, but she still keeps crying. "I told you she is going to get hungry soon," she tells Coulson smiling softly, while reaching for the shoulder of her nightgown, pushing it down.
"Do you want me to…?" he asks a bit flustered, turning momentarily towards the door, trying to communicate more with body language than with words that Skye only has to say that word, and he'll leave. But she only shakes her head.
"It's okay. I don't mind." She really doesn't; she simply refuses to make an issue of it – nursing is going to be a part of her life for here on in for some time, and she really doesn't want to hide away whenever she wants to feed her baby. And is she can deal with people watching it, people can also deal with seeing it.
She is more concerned about whether she can do it. She's only done it once before, with help, and even then the baby didn't eat much. But it soon turns out that she is worrying over nothing – her daughter latches on almost instantly, her tiny fist gripping the material of her nightgown. It's a precious sight.
"I haven't even asked yet," Coulson asks after a while, his earlier discomfort seemingly forgotten, elbows resting on his knees as he slightly leans forward. "What did you name her?"
Skye's smile blossoms.
"Haylie," she says. "Haylie Grace Ward."
Coulson lets out a barely audible chuckle.
"A beautiful name for a beautiful little girl."
They are silent for a few moments after that, quietly watching as Haylie nurses. There's something on Skye's mind she wants to say, and she knows that Coulson'll be delighted, but she is still a little shy to say it out loud. But then she takes a deep breathe, and starts talking.
"Look, A.C., I have been thinking about something – and discussed it with Grant, and he agrees –, so we thought we'd–"
"Is everything okay?" he cuts in, evidently worried. Skye can't help but smile at his concern for her; for them.
"Of course," she assures him quickly, then continues right away, eager to put him out of his misery. "It's just I know that we are not actually related or anything, but neither I or Grant have any real family left, and you have always been, ever since the beginning, like a father to me, so I'd like to ask: would you be Haylie's honorary grandpa?"
Coulson sits up straight at hearing her words, and she could swear there are tears in his eyes (which is just great – if he starts crying, she'll too).
"I'm… I mean… Do you mean it?"
"Of course I do," she says in her most serious voice, but adding a tiny shrug, just to be a little playful.
"And what would the responsibilities of an honorary grandpa entail exactly?"
"Oh, you know," Skye grins, adjusting Haylie a little in her arms. "Being awesome, telling her bedtime stories, taking her to the zoo, stealing her sweets, spoiling her rotten… the usual stuff."
Coulson's grin reflects her own.
"I'd be honored to."
"Great," Skye says, then moves to hand Haylie over to him, as the baby has finished nursing. "You can start with burping her, Grandpa Phil, because I'm still exhausted and going back sleep."
Coulson doesn't say a word of protest, only laughs as he takes Haylie.
Laying back down and closing her eyes, Skye falls asleep to listening to Coulson's hushed, awe-struck promises to her daughter.