Title: The Miracle of Christmas
Author: snarkysweetness
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Philinda with Julie Coulson, Lian May, & baby Skye
Summary: The one where Melinda has some BIG news for Phil or the first time that dorky little Jewish boy experiences the miracle of Christmas a.k.a. why the Christmas Eve of 1987 is the BEST ONE EVER.
Warnings: None.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Notes: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY PRECIOUS CINNAMON ROLL LIZ.
"Lin! My mother's leaving, come say goodbye!"
"Co…Coming!" Melinda stammered, trying to steady her shaking hands. She closed her eyes, took deep breaths, and did her best not count the seconds.
This was no big deal, she could do this, sure, her entire life would change and her career would be affected but she could handle this. And maybe it was nothing, maybe it was just the stress of their first real holiday season together as a family and dealing with their mothers; her own mother specifically.
She'd be fine. They'd be fine. It was nothing.
Only she didn't want it to be nothing. She wanted this; bad. She knew he thought he didn't want this life but she knew better. They were going to be a family someday and they were still going to be agents and they'd be fine. Her mother had done it alone so the two of them together?
They'd be unstoppable.
But it was that small chance they wouldn't that made her drop the damn plastic stick into the sink because her entire body now shook in fear.
"Qiaolian, you are being rude locking yourself away in here! There is a cab waiting for the white boy's mother!"
Melinda tuned out her mother because none of the insults she had left to sling at Phil mattered. She stared down at the test in the sink and released a shaky, relived chuckle. It was…she was…Melinda covered her mouth, unable to keep the grin off of her face.
"Melinda, what is that?"
She hadn't realized her mother had picked the lock but she didn't care; this was the happiest day of her life.
"That white boy is going to be your grandchild's father; it's time you learn to like him, mama."
Melinda didn't wait to see the look of horror and indignation on her mother's face; she flew past her and ran for the street, where an impatient Phil stood holding a cab door open for his mother.
"About time, Lin, it's freezing out-"
She threw her arms around him and kissed him hard on the lips, crying happy tears.
"Melinda, what-"
"I'm pregnant," Melinda blurted out, too happy to think straight let alone find a better way to tell him; besides, her mother already knew. She'd be here any moment now to yell at Phil for knocking up her daughter.
Phil stared back at her, expressionless and her stomach churned. What if she was wrong? What if he really didn't want this? She could do this alone but they were supposed to be together forever; that's why there was a diamond on her finger.
"Phil?" She whispered, terrified.
He glanced down for a moment before meeting her eyes. "I'm going to be a dad?" He replied, barely above a whisper.
Melinda nodded, the fear settling in the pit of her stomach melting away as a grin formed on his face.
"We're going to have a baby?"
She nodded again as he hesitantly reached for her barely-there bump. Tears formed in his eyes and she wanted to embrace him but he was too busy palming the area where there baby lay sleeping.
"You're…giving me this…you're…you're growing a little life in there? You're a miracle, Melinda," he said, tears falling from his eyes.
Before she could answer Phil had her off of her feet, spinning her in one of those clichéd Hollywood hugs she hated so much. But she was too happy to protest; instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the mouth, close to tears again.
"I love you, Lin," Phil whispered, holding her close as he gently put her back onto her feet.
"Love you too, Phillip."
"Wonderful; now I'll never be rid of him," Lian called from the stairs.
Melinda rolled her eyes and kissed Phil again. "Good," she muttered with a smile, having had no plans to ever be rid of him. He was a sappy idiot with a hard-on for Captain America but he was her idiot.
"Merry Christmas, Phil," she whispered, smiling up at him.
"You couldn't tell me two days ago when it was still Hanukkah?"
Melinda rolled her eyes. He never cared about celebrating both when they were at The Academy but when his mother was around he played the good Jewish boy card. "Christmas is about the miracle of a child being born, Phil." And their baby was going to celebrate it and Hanukkah.
He rubbed the small of her back with a smile. "I guess you have a point."
"Of course I do; when will you learn I'm always right?"
He shrugged with a goofy smile. "Far too late?"
Melinda leaned in for another kiss when she heard a sob behind her and remembered her mother wasn't their only audience. She turned to find Julie Coulson in tears and before Melinda could blink Phil's mother engulfed her in what could only be described as a bear hug. Sure, Lian wasn't cold, she hugged when it was called for, but she'd never been hugged like this.
Melinda hugged her back with a smile.
Her baby wasn't even out in the world yet and she already had a mother and father who loved her and a grandmother who would spoil her rotten. And Melinda knew that while her mother wasn't Phil's biggest fan she would love her too.
"Stay," Melinda whispered, knowing it killed Phil every time his mother got on a plane. At least her mother was in driving distance from the capital. Maybe this would get her to finally leave Wisconsin.
"Oh, sweetheart, I want to."
"For a few days," Phil begged.
Melinda pulled away and could see the hopeful look in his eyes. She knew how much he loved his mother and how he wanted to take care of her since his father couldn't.
"But the cab's here and the plane-"
"Here," Phil said, giving the cabbie more than enough to cover the fare to the airport and for all of the time he'd spent waiting. "And I can buy another plane ticket, mom; it's Christmas and you might as well get a practice round before the baby gets here."
Julie pondered it for a minute before reaching for Melinda's middle and giving her another hug. "Oh, why not? Besides, you're too skinny, dear. I know you and your mother have your own traditions but how about I make a nice brisket to go along with dinner tomorrow? Phillip, go to the store before it closes," she ordered.
"Sure thing, mom," he called with a smile, carrying her bags behind them.
When they reached the landing below their small apartment Lian stared down at Melinda and shook her head. "She's right, Qiaolian; you're too skinny. Does Phillip not allow you to eat? Or does S.H.I.E.L.D. demand their women look like they may disappear? My granddaughter needs to nourished, Melinda!" She ordered, leading the way. Julie ushered Melinda up the stairs and she glanced back, her eyes pleading at Phil for help.
"This was your idea."
"I have pregnancy brain," she mouthed, regretting her life choices.
She wanted to have celebratory sex with Phil and order in Chinese take-out tomorrow and instead both of their mothers were never going to leave.
"You better be worth it, kid," Melinda muttered.
"What was that, dear?"
Melinda gave her future mother-in-law her best smile. "I need a few minutes alone...'morning' sickness is misleading," she said, grabbing Phil by the collar the moment his hands were free. "Come, Phillip, you did this to me, you can hold back my hair."
"Put a wet towel behind her head dear!" Julie called.
"I will make ginger tea!" Her mother called after.
Melinda drowned them out the moment the bathroom door clicked closed.
"You don't look si-"
Melinda pushed him against the sink and attacked his neck, hands going for his belt.
"Lin!"
"Shh, we have ten minutes before they get suspicious. They're never going to leave and then once this baby is here we will never be alone again."
"I think you're being a bit overdramatic."
"Are you saying 'no' to sex?"
Phil opened his mouth to speak and then realized that he was an idiot.
"Good point; let's take off our pants, then."
"Good boy."
Fifteen minutes later, with her mother banging on the door, Melinda messed with his hair to try to fix it and put on her best 'poor me' look as she swing it open.
"Hi mama, I think I should lie down."
"Of course, baby. Phillip!" She barked, glaring at him over Melinda's head. "You did this to her, go bring the tray I made her. She needs tea and to eat so she has strength. Go be useful."
Phil glared the moment she looked away and Melinda smirked, mouthing 'she will never leave' and he sighed.
"I hope this kid is worth it," he muttered.
"What was that, boy?"
"I hope there's enough tea for two, Agent May; yours is the best," he replied, kissing her ass.
Melinda did her best not to laugh as her mother led her to bed.
By the time they were finally alone with no mother hens mothering Melinda knew she couldn't handle another seven or eight months of this; they had to go. They could visit but she could handle pregnancy and a baby on her own.
"Yunno, I think this may be my new favorite holiday," Phil muttered, rubbing her sore stomach. Their moms had fed her until she felt ready to explode and then they'd shoveled more into her mouth.
She stared at the food bump for a moment before giving him a 'look'.
"Don't let your mother hear that or she'll start to hate me."
"You're giving her a grandchild, she could never hate you."
"So what's my mother's excuse?"
Phil sighed and rested his chin on her shoulder. "She's jealous she never landed a stud like me?"
Melinda rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's it."
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck, still smiling. "I mean it; this is the best Christmas ever. Even better than that one we spent snowed in at that cabin."
She smiled, remembering it fondly. "Well, I still think next year's will be the best; imagine her little face looking at the lights and her chubby cheeks because our mothers want me to push out a twenty pound baby."
"Her?" Phil asked dreamily.
"May women don't make boys," Melinda informed him.
"Good, I always wanted to be surrounded by beautiful women."
"Idiot."
"But your idiot."
She chuckled and pressed her forehead against his. "Hmm, well, let's try to sleep before your best Christmas ever turns into my worst."
Phil ran his fingers through her hair and pressed his lips to her temple. "Why's that?"
"Because morning sickness is real, Phil, and our mothers fed me enough for a football team."
"Oh…babe," he whispered, pulling her closer.
"It's okay, if the kid isn't worth it we're sending her back."
Phil chuckled and buried his face in her hair. "I'm not sure that's how it works but I'm sure she will be."
And a year later while they watched their little angel roll around, trying to rip into her presents, pouting and angry because she was too little to do so without the help of both her grandmother's they both knew she was totally worth it.
"You were right," Phil whispered.
"I always am, but about what this time?"
"This is the best Christmas ever."
Melinda smirked and leaned into her dumb husband. "Stop, Phillip; do you want Skye to see her father cry?"
At the sound of her name she looked up with a gummy smile, her eyes twinkling. She clapped her hands and pointed to the biggest present in the pile and then gave Phil her sad eyes as if to say 'daddy, help' followed by babbling.
"Oh, angel-eyes, don't worry; daddy's got this."
He left Melinda's side to play Skye's hero and she shook her head, trying not to laugh.
"When are you planning to tell him?"
Melinda glanced up as her mother-in-law slid in next to her and realized her hand was placed protectively around her middle. She shrugged with a smile and returned to watching her baby girl giggle at her new play castle.
"Let's wait a week…give him the second best New Year's ever."
Julie wrapped an arm around Melinda and kissed the top of her head as she pulled her in.
"Sounds like a plan."