I don't own SHIELD and never will. No copyright infringement intended.
Bringing their daughter home from the hospital was an interesting experience for Skye and Jemma. Jemma insisted her wife drive slowly so they wouldn't hit any bumps and hurt Zoe. "You know you don't have to be so overprotective, right?"
Jemma glared at her. "Zoe is a fragile baby! Of course I have to be overprotective. And I'm not that bad."
"Yeah you are!" Ward piped up from the backseat, from where he had been placed on baby duty (he was surprised Jemma and Skye trusted him with the newborn but he wasn't about to question it).
"Thank you!" Skye called back. She and Ward had reluctantly agreed there was too much pain between them to every try for a relationship again so they stayed friends. He had been one of the first people to know about her and Jemma's relationship and was pretty supportive of the two of them. That's why he was Zoe's godfather.
"No one asked you!" Jemma retorted.
"Did you really go grade school for that insult?" Skye laughed. "But seriously guys, don't wake up the baby. She doesn't like naptime."
The four of them sat in silence until they arrived back at Jemma and Skye's apartment ten minutes later. Skye was just grateful that she didn't have to walk up the stairs pregnant anymore – that hadn't been the greatest.
Fitz hugged Jemma as soon as they walked through the door. "Congratulations, Mom. Or are you Mama?"
"I'm Mama," Skye confirmed as she set down the baby carrier on the kitchen counter. She still had a hard time believing she was actually a mom now. The two and a half year journey to conceiving had definitely been worth it however.
Coulson tapped his foot impatiently after Ward scooped the baby up to hold her. They could already tell he was a doting uncle, something they all thought was adorable. Coulson just wanted to hold his granddaughter and that wasn't happening. "Get your own baby and give Zoe up so I can hold her."
Ward scowled at his boss. "You get your own baby! Zoe isn't yours either."
Coulson looked at May but she snorted. "Don't look at me – this baby factor is thankfully closed. Just be content with your granddaughter there, Grandpa."
"I'm a grandpa! Skye or Jemma, will you please tell Ward to stop bogarting the baby?"
"Stop fighting over her and then maybe this can be civilized." Jemma didn't think it would work so she wasn't surprised when it didn't.
Fitz wrapped his arm around his best friend. "You two made an adorable baby."
"Thanks, Fitz." Jemma leaned against him and smiled when Ward reluctantly and finally handed the baby over to Coulson a few minutes later.
"You need any of us to stick around to help or can we go? You three should be alone so you can get used to it," Trip commented.
Skye shook her head. "Thanks, Trip, but we're fine with you guys staying for a little bit. Jemma and I can figure this out on our way. At least I think so."
He laughed. "Good luck with that." But Trip waited patiently for his turn to hold his niece. Coulson didn't want to give Zoe up at first but Skye eventually convinced him to let go once the baby started crying. After a quick diaper change, Trip got ahold of her. "Wow, you're a tiny little thing. You're lucky to have so many people who love you, kiddo. We're all going to be here for you."
Skye (she blamed leftover hormones) and Jemma (she had no excuse) both teared up. Zoe was definitely lucky, and she would always know it too. They melted when Ward decided he wanted to hold her again. "You're never going to know the bad in this world, Zoe Rachel Simmons. I promise you that." He was determined to protect her from the horrors of this world because he didn't want someone else to go through what he had.
The others finally left about half an hour later, and the temporary silence was nice before it was interrupted by Zoe letting out a piercing wail. Jemma dove for a baby book just to double check herself while Skye realized she just wanted to eat. So she started breastfeeding the newborn while her wife tore through the book. "You know you don't have to look at the book for every answer, right?"
"These books are important, and I told you that you needed to read them before she came but you didn't listen to me," Jemma scolded. But she watched in awe as Skye and Zoe bonded. The baby fell back asleep a few minutes later so they placed her in the bassinet.
Unfortunately, Jemma turned to the books quite a few times over the next few weeks and her wife finally couldn't take it anymore. Skye grabbed the book out of her hands (nicely) and threw it. "Fuck the books, Jem."
An offended Jemma glared at her. "They were helping me!"
"No, they were causing you to doubt yourself and none of us need that. Books aren't always truthful and they're stressing us out which Zoe doesn't need."
And then Skye kissed Jemma and all thoughts and worries flew out of her mind. They would learn how to take care of Zoe as time went along. And they had their family to lean on so at least they weren't alone.