A/N: The original prompt came from my good friend Stacy who basically said "May is pregnant but Jemma thinks it's Skye." She also said "It doesn't have to be long", then secretly knew I would write a really long fic. Cheers, Stace. She also had a fair bit to do with some of the dialogue so thanks for that, mate. Check out her fics, they're great!
Anyway, enjoy this oneshot, and if you're waiting on Giving Up Is Easy don't worry, it's coming!
"Come with me." Andrew was saying to her. "We'll try again, make it work this time."
"Andrew, I-,"
"Come on, Melinda." He said. "We were good together, great, and quite frankly, I miss you."
Melinda sat down on her bed in her bunk. She hadn't slept there for months, and it felt almost like unfamiliar territory. It didn't help that her ex-husband was standing in her doorway, begging her to leave with him. Of course seeing him had been nice, and the help he had given Skye had been invaluable, but she just didn't feel that way about him anymore.
"I can't go with you, Andrew." She said in the gentlest tone she could muster. It wouldn't fair to the man to have her utter frustration taken out on him. The real reason for Melinda's irritation was coming from the news delivered to her just that morning by a plastic stick covered in her own pee, and the fact that she had yet to tell anyone else about it.
"Please, Melinda. Give us one more shot."
"No, Andrew." She snapped, then sighed, running a hand over her face. She felt sick. "Sorry."
"It's okay." He said far more kindly than she deserved. "I know it's been pretty stressful around here."
"You can say that again." She muttered behind her hand.
"But I think it would do you good, do us good to get away. Spend some quality time together."
Andrew looked so hopeful, smiling at her, casually leaning against the doorframe. He was feeling anything but casual and calm, Melinda knew. She had enough training to be able to tell he was purposely altering his posture to give the impression of being relaxed. For some reason that irritated her enough that she had to look away from him.
"Listen, Andrew." Melinda began. Even in her head the words weren't arranging themselves properly, so she just decided to wing it. Not something she often did, but when the occasion called and all that. "It's been really nice seeing you, it has."
He smiled at her and her stomach twisted unpleasantly.
"And it's great to see you doing so well, but," Melinda reached for her water bottle and unscrewed the cap, only to screw it back on again, "I can't go with you."
Andrew frowned and brought his arms up to cross over his chest. "Oh."
"I'm sorry, its just, well, you and I were happy together. We were." She said, and Melinda wasn't lying, once over she and Andrew had been very happy together. "But that was a long time ago." She sighed. "I've moved on."
"Melinda," He rushed forward and knelt by her, putting a hand on her cheek . It took everything she had not to flinch away from him. "You don't need to push me away, you don't have to be alone anymore."
She almost laughed in his face. Yeah, he had no idea just how alone she wasn't. Not with this little sprog inside of her.
"Andrew, that's not why I can't go with you."
"Then why?" He started stroking her cheek and this time Melinda scooted further away form him on the bed. "Stop with the excuses. Just live your life." Andrew grinned. "Give me one good reason you can't come with me. Just one."
"I'm pregnant."
His face fell.
"That a good enough reason?"
Andrew stood up and backed away from her to lean on the doorframe again. This time it seemed not to be a projection tactic but an actual necessity to stop him from falling over.
"But, but, we never…" He trailed off.
Melinda had to physically restrain herself from rolling her eyes. "No, we never did. At least not for a few years." She shrugged. "I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that we could have another chance together, but I never intended for that." She cast her eyes to the stupid Captain America coffee mug on her desk full of pencils because she refused to use it in front of the others. "I'm with someone else now, Andrew."
"I see." He said quietly. Andrew looked down at the carpet. "Phil?"
"Yeah." There was no point in lying to him. The least he deserved was to know who it was who had impregnated her, especially if she had unintentionally strung the man along for the entire time he had been on base.
"How long?" He kept his eyes cast down. "How long have you and Phil…?"
"A while." She said. Melinda smiled without even meaning to. "Almost two years."
Andrew looked up at her then. He was struggling to meet her eye, and she felt utterly guilty for making him feel this way. "And you're happy?"
"Extremely."
"Good." He coughed. "I'm, er, I'm glad, Melinda." Andrew nodded. "You deserve to be happy."
"Thank you."
"Yeah." Andrew kicked his foot against the bag that sat by the door. "I should be going, then." He picked up the duffle bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Goodbye, Melinda. And," He smiled, "congratulations."
"Bye, Andrew."
He left after that.
Melinda thought that she should perhaps apologise to him again, explain that whatever fears he'd harboured when they were married about the time she spent with Phil, back then they were unwarranted. That what she had now with Phil, while special, didn't take anything away from the time she had spent married to him. She thought that maybe she should stop him and tell him just how grateful she was for how much he had helped Skye, even Phil for that matter. Melinda knew that it would take a long time for Phil to really accept the loss of his hand, but Andrew had certainly helped him start the process of acceptance.
She would always be grateful to Andrew for helping Skye and Phil. Aside from the little life growing inside of her, they were the two most important people in the whole world to her, and to have seen them suffering was heart-breaking. But they were better now. Skye could control her abilities, utilise them incredibly, and Phil, well, he was already drawing up some ideas for the prosthetic he intended to have Tony Stark design…should Stark ever discover Phil was still alive. Some ideas for the prosthetic she'd had to veto- no matter how 'practical' Phil claimed having an attachment for 'on-the-go barbequing' was, she did not find it wholly safe or necessary. Melinda smiled. The father of her unborn child was such an idiot.
Melinda didn't stop Andrew. She let him go. He deserved his own happy life, just like she deserved her own. She put her hand on her stomach. She would get her own happily ever after.
…
"Hey." Andrew popped his head around Phil's office door.
"Oh, hey, Andrew." Phil smiled. He stopped drawing a very cool sketch of a prosthetic hand that could shoot lasers out of the fingers and put his pen down, and for one of the first times in weeks didn't start when he saw the lack of hand at the end of his left arm. He was getting there.
"I just wanted to say goodbye, before I left." Andrew said.
"You're leaving today?" Phil stood and walked around his desk to lean on the front of it. "Sick of us already, huh?" He laughed.
Andrew smiled and shrugged. "Something like that."
"You okay?" Phil asked. "You seem a little-,"
"Just tired." Andrew said. "Listen, Phil." He stepped fully into the room, bag still on his shoulder. "You're a good man, and I just want you to know that there's no hard feelings."
Phil was baffled. "Okay." He said slowly.
"I don't blame you at all, and if you ever need to talk, you just need to call. Same with Skye. No questions asked."
"That's great, Andrew." Phil still had no idea what these 'hard feelings' were.
"I just wanted to say that before I left, Phil." Andrew nodded. "I'm glad you and Melinda are happy together."
Oh. "So Mel told you?" Phil said awkwardly. He was fully aware that Andrew still carried a torch for Mel, and he had hoped that the man would not find out about their relationship until after he was off the base. Of course, this was mostly down to the fact that in Phil's mind, when Andrew discovered he'd been sleeping with his ex-wife for two years, he would have beaten him to pulp. But right now, Andrew just seemed a little sad.
"Yes." Andrew smiled, but Phil could tell it was forced. "She told me. Congratulations."
"Well," Phil said, "I don't know if a congratulations is in order. I mean it's not like it was a competition for who could win Mel-,"
"No, no, no." Andrew held up his hands. "I meant congratulations about the baby."
Phil stared at him. "The what now?"
"The baby." Andrew said. "Listen, I have to go, Phil. But it's been good seeing you. Say 'bye' to Skye for me."
Andrew left and closed the office door behind him. Phil continued to stare at the spot Andrew had just harboured.
"The what now?"
…
Melinda walked through the base, looking for Phil now that she was free from Andrew and his requests to run away with him. Talk about an awkward conversation. She shuddered at the memory, just glad he was gone now and that they could all move on.
Not in any particular rush to get to Phil, knowing he was probably drawing more prosthetics in his office, Melinda decided to check in on her charges. Fitz was in the lab doing something with the newly fixed holotable that Melinda pretended to understand while he explained it to her. Really, she was just happy to see him so relaxed and excited about his work again. Every so often, he would mention Simmons and point out something on the specs that she had come up with. Every time he did, Fitz got a look of pride of his face that warmed Melinda's heart. She blamed it on hormones but who was she kidding? She was just happy for Fitz.
Eventually she managed to escape from Fitz' enthusiastic ramblings when another scientist requested his help on something else Melinda really didn't understand.
After that, she went in search of Simmons, finding her, as well as Hunter and Bobbi, in the first placed she looked. The three of them smiled at her when she entered the newly refurbished med-lab. Hunter and Bobbi sat on the bed in the room, with Bobbi's leg propped up on a chair and Hunter's hand on her waist as Simmons prepared to extract some blood from her arm.
"I'm going to put the needle in now, Bobbi." Jemma said. She had taken to warning Bobbi before either taking blood or injecting her with medications. Bobbi was very good at playing off just how uneasy she was around needles, especially since Ward (fucking Grant Ward, Melinda couldn't wait for the day she got to shoot that man in the face) but Jemma was very in tune with her patients and knew exactly how to put them at ease.
It was a testament to just how anxious Bobbi was, that she pressed her face into Hunter's shoulder and gripped onto his t-shirt, despite the fact that Melinda and Simmons were both in the room. A side effect of almost dying, Melinda supposed, was that you took every opportunity to be with and enjoy the company of the people you loved. Well, Melinda could relate to that.
"All done." Jemma smiled, wiping the tiny droplet of blood left on Bobbi's inner elbow.
Bobbi lifted her head and smiled at Simmons, but kept her hand fisted in Hunter's shirt. "Thanks. Didn't even feel it that time."
Jemma beamed at her and held out a selection of band-aids. Apparently someone had thought it funny to buy Avengers ones for the med-boxes. "Iron Man, Hulk or Thor?"
"Thor." Bobbi and Lance said simultaneously.
Melinda quirked an eyebrow at Lance.
He blushed. "What? He's a God. And I appreciate his physique."
Jemma stuck the band-aid onto Bobbi's arm and began clearing her medical equipment away. From the looks of things, Melinda had entered towards the end of one of Bobbi's regular check ups. She was looking good, considering just a few weeks before, Melinda had been convinced the woman was going to bleed out before they could even call for help. She was still holding herself stiffly, but that to be expected, she had had a bullet rip through her chest, and she was still wearing a nasal cannula twenty-three hours a day, just to keep her blood gases stable, but she was doing well.
Melinda told her as much.
"Thanks." Bobbi smiled. "I've been feeling a lot better. Especially since I've been allowed back to our bunk."
Melinda chose not to comment on the fact that Bobbi had referred to it as 'our' bunk, and the fact that Hunter had nodded in agreement. She was happy for them, and she really hoped this was it for those two. Bickering or not, Bobbi and Hunter loved each other more than life. It was lovely to see.
"So, Doctor Simmons," Melinda said when Jemma seemed to have tidied all of her things away, "how's she doing?"
"I told you I'm feeling better." Bobbi said.
"I want to hear it from a professional." Melinda smiled.
Jemma sat down by her computer. "Well, in my professional opinion, Bobbi is doing very well. I'm pleased with her progress."
Melinda nodded her approval. She was thrilled that Bobbi was getting back on her feet…well, at least metaphorically. She still was non-weight bearing on her injured knee after all.
"You'll be back to training in no time." Jemma assured her.
Bobbi shifted on the bed, moving her crutches from the bed to the floor. Hunter helped her balance them by the bedframe. Someone, Melinda suspected Skye had had a part in it, had wrapped Bobbi's metal crutches in various brightly coloured duct tapes.
Hunter kissed her cheek. "Getting there, aren't you, love?"
She kissed him on the lips. "Yes."
"Well, I just came to check in with you guys." Melinda said. "I better go." She turned to leave before poking her head back through the door. "Any of you know where Skye is?"
Hunter shrugged. Bobbi shook her head.
"She was in the lab this morning." Jemma supplied.
"I was just there. Fitz is there, but not Skye."
"No idea then." Simmons said. "Sorry."
Melinda waved her away. "It's fine. I'll find her. See you guys later."
…
It took Melinda significantly longer than she had anticipated to find Skye, because apparently the girl had decided it was necessary to locate literally the furthest vehicle away from civilisation on the base parking bays, and lock herself away in the back of it. Melinda had only really found her because she knew that the girl was in all likelihood in one of the vehicles if she couldn't be found on base, and had then gone about checking every single one.
She cupped her hands around her eyes and peered into the SUV. The outline of Skye and just about the whites of her eyes could be seen looking back at her through the tinted glass. Melinda pulled away, knocking on the window.
"Can I come in?"
Immediately, there was the distinctive 'click' of the doors being unlocked from the inside, and Melinda opened the back door of the SUV.
"Hey, I've been looking for you all over." Melinda said, climbing in beside Skye and pulling the door closed.
The hacker was sat in the middle seat with her laptop resting on her knees and her feet propped up on the centre console of the car. She smiled apologetically at Melinda.
"Sorry. I just needed some time alone." She looked back at her screen.
"You okay?"
"Fine." Skye said, still looking at her laptop. "It's just, sometimes I want a little quiet. I tried my bunk, but two different agents knocked on my door and said they needed assistance with some security protocol."
"Junior agents?"
"Yeah." Skye nodded.
"I'll get Phil to talk to them. They shouldn't be coming to your personal quarters looking for you. That's your space."
"Thanks." Skye was staring intently at her screen, tapping away at her keys in between pregnant pauses.
"What are you doing?" Melinda asked and Skye turned the laptop so she could see. She snorted. "Solitaire?"
"Helps me relax." Skye smiled. She looked over at Melinda. "I was playing Minesweeper but then I made the car shake. Solitaire is safer. Less frustrating."
She was joking, a mischievous glint in her eyes, and Melinda couldn't help but give in to the urge to pull the younger agent into a one-armed hug. It was something she'd been doing more and more, particularly with Skye, and really, Melinda could blame the pregnancy hormones, but she knew it was all Skye. The kid had somehow worked her way into Melinda's heart, and made herself a home there.
Skye put the laptop aside on the empty seat next to her and wrapped both arms around Melinda, resting her head on her shoulder. Melinda shifted in her seat, altering her hold on Skye to both arms.
"I like this you." Skye muttered. "Cuddly-May is my favourite May."
"Call me that in front of the others and I'll kick your ass six ways from Sunday."
The empty threat had Skye chuckling into her shoulder.
"I can take you." Skye smiled. "Already proved that." The joke was hesitant, but Melinda was glad Skye was finally getting over her crippling guilt about the situation at Afterlife.
"I let you win." She said, ticking Skye's side.
Skye squirmed away from her but kept her arms wrapped around Melinda. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
Skye was quiet for a few moments, apparently content to sit in the back of the SUV with Melinda. She moved her arms around Melinda and inadvertently rest a hand over Mel's stomach. Melinda covered Skye's hand with her own and wondered if Skye could feel the life growing under her fingertips.
"I know you told me to stop apologising-,"
"Skye-,"
"But I need to say it at least one more time." Skye lifted her head to look up at her. Her eyes were red.
"Skye," Melinda brushed the dark hair away from her face, "I forgive you. We've talked about this."
"I'm sorry." Skye said before she could stop her. "I thought Jiaying was my mom."
"She was, Skye." Melinda said. She would never be able to hear that woman's name without the inevitable feeling of rage pooling in her stomach. She pushed past it for Skye. "She may not have ended up being the person you deserve, but she was still your mother."
"She wasn't perfect." Skye mumbled.
"No one's perfect, Skye."
Skye touched her chin. "You are."
Melinda shook her head. "I'm not."
"You are." Skye sat up properly. Her hand was still on Melinda's stomach. "If I could have chosen anyone to be my mom," Skye blushed and looked towards the front of the car, "I would always pick you."
Melinda hugged Skye even tighter to her, pulling her head down to rest on her chest. She kissed Skye's hair and threaded her fingers through the hand resting on her stomach.
"You deserve so much more than me, Skye."
"Don't say that." Skye whispered. "I don't like it when you put yourself down. You tell me not to do it."
"I'm sorry." Melinda kissed her again. "I love you, Skye."
Skye's breath hitched. "I love you, too. And I meant what I said. If I could pick anyone, it'd be you."
"I love you so much." Melinda said. "I would be proud to call you my daughter."
Skye gave her a watery smile. "This is a magical SUV. Gets people to open up about their feelings. We should put a plaque up in here." She laughed.
"Hey," Melinda gently pinched her side and Skye looked up at her, "Since we're in the magic SUV, I need to tell you something."
"Okay?"
Melinda took a deep breath. She'd entered this vehicle with every intention of just chatting with Skye for a little while and checking up on her, but at some point during their heart to heart, she found herself needing to tell Skye, even before she told Phil. Something in her said that Skye needed to know. She was sure Phil would agree.
"What's the matter?" Skye asked nervously.
"Nothing's the matter." Melinda stroked her hair. "But I need to tell you something, and I'm kind of super nervous about telling you because I don't know how you'll react."
"Right."
"I've only told one other person, and that was Andrew and it was out of necessity. To get him to realise that I did not want to leave with him."
"He wanted you to leave with him?" Skye asked.
"I never would." Melinda assured her. "Never."
Skye smirked. "Because you love Coulson?"
Melinda shook her head and grinned. "Smarter than you look."
"That's what you wanted to tell me? Because I know you and Phil are perfect for each other. And I'm thrilled you're together." Skye giggled. "How long have you two been at it?"
"Almost two years."
Skye grinned. "That's awesome."
"It is. But it's not what I was going to tell you."
Skye continued to smile but remained patiently quiet. Melinda squeezed her hand on her stomach.
"I'm pregnant."
Of all the reactions Melinda had expected from her young protégé, the following, was not one of them.
Skye grinned. Then smirked. Then grimaced. "You had sex with Coulson."
"That's generally how babies are made, Skye." Melinda deadpanned, but she couldn't help but smile when Skye grinned again.
"You-had-sex-with-Coul-son." Skye sang. "You-had-sex-with-Coul-son."
"Skye, stop."
"You-had-sex-with-Coul-son."
Melinda poked her in the side. "I know. I was there."
"Ew." Skye chuckled, her cheeks pink. "You totally did it in Lola, right?"
"Actually, we did it in your bunk." Melinda lied.
Skye's face fell.
"You never ask questions you don't want the answer to."
"But I never even asked for that." Skye argued.
"That's today's lesson."
"I never asked for today's lesson." She began pulling away from Melinda, smiling, but with a weird expression of disgust somewhere in there.
Melinda took pity on her. "I was kidding, Skye. We never had sex in your bunk."
"Good." Skye shuffled over in the back seat of the SUV, until she could half drape herself over Melinda's body, dropping her head to her torso.
"Skye, what are you-,"
But Skye cut her off by speaking into her stomach. "Hello." Skye said quietly, and it was at that point that Melinda's eyes started burning as she realised Skye was speaking directly to the unborn child inside her.
"Skye…"
"My name's Skye." She said, resting her cheek awkwardly on Melinda's thigh. "Well, it's actually Daisy, and Mary-Sue, and Skye, but I prefer Skye."
Melinda found herself giggling, which in itself was odd, but Skye did seem to bring out the weird and wonderful in her.
"And I'm your Mommy's..."Skye trailed off looking up at Melinda with a questioning expression.
"Little girl." Melinda supplied without hesitation. Because that's what Skye was, she was her protégé, her friend, her extremely annoying workmate, but most of all, she was her little girl.
Skye frowned. "I'm twenty-six."
Melinda petted her hair. "I don't care. You're still my little girl."
"Okay. I like that." Skye began talking to the baby again. "So baby, I guess I'm kinda like your big sister." She giggled. "I promise you, I'm gonna be the best big sister in the entire universe. And I'm gonna take care of you, and bathe you, and change your diapers even when they're gross-,"
"I'll hold you to that-,"
"And, baby, I love you already." Skye kissed Melinda's stomach.
Melinda pinched Skye's cheek, making her pull a face and sit up. "You're too cute."
Skye smirked and bent to Melinda's stomach one more time. "And baby, I promise to take care of your Mommy and Daddy because they're getting old."
"Hey!" Melinda swatted her.
Skye laughed, sitting up properly.
"You just lost your cuteness card." Melinda said.
"Yeah, but what are you and Coulson, like fifty-five?" Skye's eyes glinted. "Sixty?"
Melinda glared at her. "I will end you."
"Sixty-five?" Skye stared at her in mock-shock. "My God, you guys must be oldest people to ever conceive. We should call the Guinness Book of World Records!"
"Remember five minutes ago, when I said I loved you? Yeah. I take it back."
Skye hugged her tightly and tucked her head under Melinda's chin. "Whatever. I know you still love me."
Melinda sighed and hugged her back. "I do." She kissed her cheek. "I was worried you were going to feel weird about me being pregnant."
"No way! I'm excited. Babies are great." Skye smiled. "Your baby will be awesome. How pregnant are you?"
Melinda sighed. "Isn't that the golden question?"
"You don't know?"
"I took like," Melinda tried to remember, "seven…eight, tests. All positive."
"And when was that?"
"About a month ago?" Melinda said. Skye's eyes widened. "So I'm at least a month gone, but I couldn't give you a definitive answer."
"You should go and see Jemma." Skye said.
"I should. But first, I have to tell Phil."
"We fought. I could have hurt you. I'm so sorry." Skye was getting herself upset. "I didn't know."
Melinda hugged her. "Me either. I found out just after we got back to base. It's okay, Skye, I'm fine." She glanced down. "We're fine."
Skye looked up at her. "I'm so happy for you. And Coulson." She grinned. "Wait, did you say you only told Andrew."
Melinda nodded.
"So, you told me before Coulson?"
"Yes. I just, well, I wanted to tell you." She stroked Skye's hair again. "It just felt right."
"Can I be there when you tell him? He's gonna freak!"
"That's what I'm concerned about."
"In a good way." Skye clarified. "He's gonna be so happy."
"I hope so." Melinda put a hand on her stomach. "And, I love you, Skye, but I think telling Phil about this is something I need to do alone."
Skye nodded. "I understand. But can I eavesdrop."
She rolled her eyes. "You may."
Skye quirked an eyebrow. "No. You May. I Skye."
"Why do I love you, again?"
Skye opened her mouth to give Melinda a presumably snarky answer, when the SUV door on Melinda's side opened and a very pale, very dishevelled (well, his tie was slightly slackened and he wasn't wearing a suit jacket) Phil Coulson, stood watching them.
"I had to look on the security footage to find you." Phil said.
"Okay." Melinda said in reply. "And?"
"Andrew left." Phil said.
"I know. I said 'goodbye' to him."
"I know." Phil only then seemed to see Skye. "Hi, Skye." He said, still seemingly in a dazed state.
"Sup, D.C.?"
"I'm having a very odd day but thanks for asking."
"No problem." Skye smirked.
Phil turned to Melinda. "So, Andrew told me a thing."
She glanced at Skye who was giggling next to her. "Oh, yeah?" Melinda said.
"Yes." Phil sat down on the floor of the parking garage. "Yes, he did."
"Are you okay, D.C.?" Skye asked.
"No, Skye. I think I'm in shock." He frowned. "More shock than when Mack chopped off my hand."
Melinda groaned. "Andrew told you, didn't he?"
Phil nodded, then shook his head, then nodded again. "I think he thought I already knew about the... but I didn't…I think." He looked up at Melinda. "Right? You didn't tell me and then I just…forgot…or something?"
"No, Phil. I didn't."
"Oh, good."
"I'm so sorry." Melinda said. "I didn't want you to find out this way. I was just telling Skye that I wanted to tell you alone."
"And I was gonna eavesdrop!"
"Not helping, Skye." Melinda muttered.
Phil lay down on the ground. "I'm having a baby."
Melinda grinned and nudged his leg with her foot. "Actually, I'm having the baby. You are like fifty per cent to blame, though."
He sat up quickly. "You're okay? Mel, you're okay with this, right?"
"Phil, I-,"
"Because I want this, Melinda. I do, I want to have a baby with you."
"Phil-,"
"I love you so much. I want to have this baby. But if you don't want to, I'll fully support every decision you make." He attempted to stand up, and reached out with his left arm to grab onto the car door, only to fall back onto his butt with an 'ooft' when he remembered his lack of left hand.
It would have been sad and disheartening, Melinda thought, except Phil was grinning like an idiot at her, and beside her in the SUV Skye was desperately trying and failing to hold in her laughter behind her hand. Melinda began laughing, too, almost hysterically, mostly just at the ridiculousness of the situation.
Here she was, Melinda May: super spy and ninja extraordinaire (according to Skye), in the back of an SUV with her twenty-six year old protégé/colleague/daughter (? close enough), and with the father of her unborn child on the floor of a parking garage, all laughing hysterically because she was pregnant and he only had one hand. She shook her head. What even was her life?
…
Melinda and Phil had gone back to his office with the intention of having a very serious discussion regarding their unborn baby, however, three minutes and twelve seconds into the 'serious' discussion, Phil started to cry, Melinda had rolled her eyes a total of nine times, and Skye broke into the room with a handmade 'Congrats on getting knocked up' card made out of yellow legal pad paper and coloured with highlighters.
"Is that a monkey on the front?" Phil asked, taking the card from Skye.
"No!" She huffed. "It's a baby, obviously."
Melinda looked over at the card. She plucked it out of Phil's hand and instead his arm wrapped around her shoulders. She inspected Skye's drawing, snuggling into Phil's side. "It's a baby?"
"Yes." Skye whined. "There's the head, and the arms, and the-,"
"Wait," Phil said, "why does it have a snout?"
"That's a pacifier." Skye grumbled, snatching the card back. "If you don't appreciate it-,"
"We do, honey." Phil smiled. "We're only teasing."
"I know." Skye said shyly. Not a common state for their resident hacker, but Melinda thought that in that moment she could see the little girl who had been passed from pillar to post as a child, never knowing how long a family would last.
Melinda opened her arms and Skye automatically walked into her embrace.
"Thank you for the card. It was very thoughtful."
"I know. I'm pretty awesome like that." Skye said.
Melinda rolled her eyes. There was the Skye they all knew and loved. She pulled away from Melinda, only to hug Phil tightly.
"I'm gonna go hang out with Jemma." Skye smiled, pulling away. "I assume this is all still under wraps?" She gestured to Phil and Melinda with a lazy wave of her arm.
"Just for the moment." Phil said, turning and pressing a kiss to Melinda's cheek. "Let's keep it our secret for now?"
"I can do that." Skye said with enthusiasm. She handed Phil back the card. "I'm awesome at secrets. One time, when I was fourteen, this girl Amy in my class at school, told me she stole booze from her parent's liquor cabinet and I never told a soul." She looked proud of herself for half a second then her face fell. "Well…until now."
Phil chuckled. "Skye, we trust you."
"Awesome." Skye grinned. "I'll see you three later, then." Skye left the room with a wink and a salute.
Melinda nudged Phil with her elbow. "She's our daughter now, by the way. I've decided."
He smirked. "I thought she was already?"
"Yeah." Melinda said. "I think she maybe was without either of us noticing."
He pressed his nose into her hair and put a hand on her belly. "Oh, I noticed. I just didn't say anything because I thought you'd freak out. As it happens…" He eyed her belly, "you were probably freaking out over something else."
Melinda covered his hand with hers. "Something like that."
"How long have you known, Mel?" He whispered, kissing her cheek, her jaw, her neck.
She bit her lip. "You're going to do that while we talk about this?"
"Yes." Phil nipped under her ear.
"Four weeks." She said and he pulled away.
"Christ, Mel. You didn't have to do this alone, you could have told me."
She shrugged. "We were kind of busy, if you remember. Every time I was going to tell you, something else happened." She gave his left arm a poignant look. "But it doesn't matter now that you know."
"But four weeks, Mel." He touched her face gently. "Were you feeling okay, were you sick? God, I didn't even notice. I'm so sorry."
"Phil, it's fine." She smiled. "I've had bad days here and there but for the most part, things have been okay."
"Have you been getting checked out?"
"Jemma's our on-base doctor." Melinda shrugged guiltily. "I didn't want to tell her."
"Melinda, you have to get checked out. Make sure everything's okay." At her panicked expression he held up his hand. "I'm sure it's fine but, we need to check."
"Okay." She said. "Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow." Phil agreed, kissing her. He groaned when she ran her heal up the back of his leg.
"You know, I'm already pregnant. Might as well make the most of not having to use a condom."
"I love you."
She kissed him again. "I love you, too."
…
Skye wandered all the way down to the med-lab with a giant grin plastered over her face. May was pregnant. She was actually having a baby. A tiny human that Skye could kiss and cuddle and squish because it would be so freaking cute…Skye was so excited.
May had a baby inside of her. Had had a baby inside of her at least a month or so…and Skye had been fighting with her. Sparring with her, fighting alongside her, actually fighting with her. She could have hurt the baby.
Skye picked up her pace and jogged the last few lengths to the med-lab, entering the room at speed without knocking and shouting, "Jemma!" before she was even fully in the room.
Simmons whipped around from her position at her computer. "What? What's happened?" She stood and immediately began rooting around for her medical bag.
"Nothing." Skye said.
"What?" Jemma paused in her search and frowned at Skye.
"I mean, everyone's fine. Don't panic." She smiled sheepishly. "Maybe should have started with that, sorry."
"Maybe." Jemma said, plonking back down in her chair. "Anyway, what did you come down here for, Skye?"
Skye made herself comfortable on the examination bed, lying back and crossing her legs. She turned her head to talk to Jemma. "Just wanted to hang out."
"Oh." Jemma smiled. "That's nice. Though you seemed in quite a rush to get here."
"Yeah." Skye laughed her off. "I guess I just missed you."
"We had lunch together about three hours ago."
"It's been a long three hours." Skye said. Well, she wasn't lying. "Hey, Jemma, you're a doctor."
Simmons smirked. "You're only just now realising this? I did save your life, remember?"
"Of course." Skye smiled. "And I'm eternally grateful, but I just mentioned it because I wanted to ask you something."
"I see." Jemma folded her hands in her lap and straightened her back, and Skye could tell she shifting from 'Jemma; Skye's best friend' to 'Doctor Simmons; the woman who pokes Skye with needles'. "Ask away, Skye."
Skye fiddled with the paper sheeting on the bed. She had no idea just how to breach the subject. May and Coulson were trusting her to keep her mouth shut and she didn't want to let them down.
"Well," Skye started, "the thing is…it's just…"
"Skye?"
"Hypothetically," Skye said, "if an agent was, oh I don't know, pregnant, at what point would you recommend they stop being so…active?"
Jemma frowned at her and leaned forward in her seat. "Are you thinking of someone in particular?"
"No!" Skye said far too quickly. "It's hypothetical."
"Okay." Jemma sounded anything but convinced. Her eyes kept flicking to where Skye's fingers tore tiny rips in the paper sheeting. "Well, hypothetically, I would recommend that a pregnant agent is removed form active duty immediately and indefinitely until I deem them fit, post the child's birth."
Skye sucked in a breath. "What about training?"
"The agent could continue to train, albeit in an altered and less-risky fashion for a fair few months." Jemma said. She put a hand on Skye's. "In fact, as long as the agent was sensible about her training, there's no real reason why she couldn't continue to exercise right up until the birth."
"But…what if she didn't know she was pregnant. Hypothetically. What if she had been in combat, like, a lot when she was pregnant, because she didn't know?"
Jemma squeezed her hand. "Then I would want to do a few tests, just to make sure everything was okay."
"I see."
"Skye," Jemma said gently, "this, 'hypothetical' situation," she let go of Skye's hand to use air quotes, "is it really hypothetical?"
"Yes." Skye said, feeling the heat rush up her neck in panic. "It's definitely not real. At all."
"Skye…" Jemma smiled at her. "You can tell me."
Skye wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole, which, when she really thought about it was probably possible for her to achieve with her cool new quake powers. Might be a bit of an overreaction though.
"Jemma." She said. "I was just asking. I was just curious."
Jemma wrapped both arms around Skye's neck, and hugged her tightly. "Oh, Skye. You can tell me anything. I'll be here for you."
"Thanks." Skye said, awkwardly patting Jemma's back. "But it's fine, Jemma, really."
Jemma pulled back. "I love you, Skye. I'm going to do everything I can to take care of you." She put a hand on Skye's stomach. "Of you both."
Skye gaped at her. Jemma thought she was pregnant.
"Oh." Skye said. "Oh, no."
Simmons had actual tears in her eyes. "Skye," she smiled, "I'm so happy for you."
Skye grimaced. "Yay." She deadpanned. "I'm so happy. Yay."
Jemma seemed to sober up, once again taking on her 'Doctor Simmons' persona. "I would like to do a few checks, Skye. Just to make sure the baby's okay."
"That's not a good idea."
"Just an ultrasound." Simmons said. "I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. I probably wont find anything."
Skye scratched her head. "I can guarantee, you absolutely won't find anything."
And then, because the woman actually was some kind of a ninja extraordinaire, Melinda May walked through the glass doors of the med-lab, Phil Coulson on her heels. She paused at the image of Skye's panicked expression and Jemma's hand on her stomach.
"What's going on, here?" May asked.
Jemma glanced at Skye, who didn't look away from May. "Do they know?" Jemma asked quietly.
Skye stared at May, willing her to pick up on what was going on. "It's okay, Jem. They know, right?"
"Yes?" Phil said, and Skye gave him a subtle thumbs-up.
"Yeah," Skye said, "May and Coulson know that I am the one who is pregnant."
"Oh." Phil said. "Yep, it's totally her."
May nodded. "Skye's super pregnant."
Simmons frowned at them. "Well, I'm a little bit concerned about how much strain Skye has been putting on her body."
Phil frowned. "Is it a problem, that she's been in combat while she's been pregnant?" His eyes flicked to May, and Skye knew that he was no longer talking about her.
Jemma sighed. "It may not be, depending on just how early in the pregnancy she is. Really, as much as doctors tell you to be careful, the foetus is fairly robust." Jemma shrugged and glanced at Skye. "But then, Skye was in extreme combat."
Coulson was looking at May. "Yeah, she was."
Simmons began lifting Skye's shirt. "If you'd just let me-,"
"Stop." Skye pulled down and her shirt and edged away from her friend. "Please, Jemma. I'm fine. I promise."
"But, Skye. It's important to get checked out."
"Yeah, Skye." Phil said, still looking at May. "It's important."
May rolled her eyes. "I know." She gave Phil a poignant look. "But Skye might not want to get checked over at this current moment."
Phil sighed. "But Skye needs to understand I'm just looking out for her and the baby."
"Maybe Skye does," May said, "but she-,"
"Guys?" Skye interrupted. "Skye would very much like to not be in this situation any longer." She tipped her head towards Jemma.
May nodded. "Right. Hey, Jemma?"
"Yes?" Simmons said, still distracted by attempting to get her hand on Skye's belly.
"I think Skye is feeling extremely emotional right now and overwhelmed by the situation."
"I am?" Skye said, then at May's glare corrected herself. "I am."
May continued. "She seems to be extremely emotional, and needs to be escorted to her bunk."
Simmons frowned. "She seems fine to me."
"I'm not, Jemma!" Skye shouted, jumping down from the bed. "I need to go. I am pregnant you know!"
Jemma stepped back. "I suppose you're right, Agent May." She nodded. "Just promise me you'll come back tomorrow, Skye. You really need to be checked out."
May put her arm around Skye and ushered her out of the room, smiling at Jemma as she did. Coulson followed with an apologetic wave at Simmons.
"I promise I'll get Skye to come back tomorrow." He said. "Promise."
After the room emptied, and Jemma was left alone in the med-lab, she rubbed her eyes and frowned at the bed Skye had been sitting on a few minutes ago.
"Skye's pregnant." She said quietly to herself. "Skye is pregnant." She said louder. Jemma looked around herself in the empty room. "Oh my God, Skye is pregnant. I need to tell Fitz!"
She ran from the room, tripping over a metal instrument stand on her way out, not bothering to pick it up and replace the items. The only thing on her mind was the fact that Skye was pregnant and she just had to tell Fitz.
…
"Thanks for saving me." Skye said, following Coulson into his bedroom. He had led her past her bunk and up into his quarters, she suspected, to have the best chance of avoiding the others.
She sat down at the desk (and tried not to snigger at the fact that Coulson had a desk in his bedroom when he had a whole office), rather than sit on the bed. Skye suspected little baby May-Coulson could have been created on that bed. She blushed and looked at May. "I thought Jemma was going to pin me down and give me an examination."
"Yeah, well," May sat down on Coulson's bed, "it's our fault she almost did."
Phil sat next to May. "How did that come about, anyway? Why does she think you're pregnant?"
Skye fidgeted with a pen on the desk. "I went to see Jemma, and I asked her a few questions, and she got the wrong end of the stick."
"What did you ask her?" May asked.
Skye looked at the pen. "I was worried. I wanted to make sure I hadn't hurt the baby when we fought." She kept her eyes on the desk and smiled when arms wrapped around her from behind.
"I love you." May said, hugging her tightly. "I told you, I'm fine. Baby's fine."
"You don't know that for sure." Skye mumbled, hugging May's arms.
"Skye's right," Phil said, "Melinda, you need to tell Jemma so she can check you out."
Melinda sighed and let go of Skye to stand up. "Fine." She said. "But let me have tonight. Because you just know as soon as Jemma finds out, Fitz will know."
"Yeah." Skye agreed. "And then he'll tell Mack…"
Phil continued. "Who will tell Bobbi…"
May smirked. "Who will tell Hunter…"
Skye laughed. "Who will tell everyone on the planet!"
Phil shook his head, chuckling. "Fine. You get tonight with everyone not knowing. Just tonight."
…
"Skye's pregnant." Jemma said.
Fitz blinked at her. "I'm sorry?"
"Skye, she's pregnant." Jemma rushed over to him in the lab, closing the door and locking it behind her.
The rest of the agents usually present in the lab had retired to their bunk or to the common rooms on base, leaving Fitz alone to work on some of his personal projects for a little longer. Sometimes Mack and Hunter hung around with him until dinner, but tonight the two other men must have been otherwise engaged, leaving Fitz on his own. Given what Jemma wanted to discuss with him, she was rather grateful.
Fitz continued to stare at Jemma, head cocked to one side as if he were observing her like an experiment. She clicked her fingers in front of his face.
"Fitz!"
He jumped. "Sorry." Fitz rubbed the back of his head. "You're being serious?"
"Yes." Jemma said irritably.
"Wow." Fitz breathed. He sat down in one of the chairs by the computer desk and looked up at Simmons. "But how?"
She rolled her eyes. "How do you think it happened?"
He waved her off. "You know what I mean, Jemma. When did it happen? And with who?"
Jemma frowned. "You know, I didn't even think to ask."
"It's not…I mean Skye wouldn't have…" Fitz coughed. "Not with…Ward?"
Jemma gasped. "No. No. She wouldn't. Not with him."
"Who else is there?" Fitz muttered. "It's not me."
"Didn't think it was." Simmons smirked.
"It's not Hunter…he's too obsessed with Bobbi-,"
"Honestly, Fitz. He's not 'obsessed', he's in love."
"And it's not Coulson," Fitz continued, "because that would be…" He grimaced. "…a bit weird."
Jemma took a seat next to Fitz. "We probably shouldn't be speculating about the potential father of our best friend's unborn child."
"Mack?" Fitz turned to Simmons. "It wouldn't be Mack, would it?"
Simmons rolled her eyes. "Fitz, it doesn't really matter right now who the father is, what matters is the health of Skye and the baby."
"What about her friend? Lincoln?" Fitz speculated. "They seemed close."
Jemma ignored him. "Because, if you remember, Skye has been in many high-stress and intensely-combative situations. I'm concerned for her."
"If it is Lincoln's baby, does that mean their offspring will inherit aspects of both of their inhuman powers?" Fitz asked. "Jemma?"
"What, Fitz?" She snapped.
"Do you think the baby will have aspects of both of their powers?"
"I don't know, Fitz. I'm more concerned for Skye than I am about the potential father."
"Me, too." Fitz argued. "I'm worried about Skye, too. And the baby. Oh, God, she's having a baby." He grabbed Jemma's shoulders. "Jem, Skye's pregnant."
"I know, Fitz. I'm aware of the situation, which I myself introduced you to."
Fitz blew out a breath and rubbed a hand over his face. "Skye is having a baby. And I have to tell Mack." He jumped out of his chair and ran to the door, only to struggle over the lock for a few seconds, and nearly fall flat on his face when the door eventually opened.
Simmons chased after him. "Wait, Fitz! I don't think we should tell anyone else."
He jogged backwards. "I'm only telling Mack. No one else."
"Okay." Jemma agreed, speeding up to catch up with Fitz. "But only Mack."
…
Mack looked up as Simmons and Fitz stumbled into the garage.
"Hey, Turbo, Doc." He wiped off his hands with a chamois cloth. "Any particular reason for the visit?"
Simmons looked to Fitz as he looked to her. A silent conversation seemed to pass through the two, which Mack could only observe with quiet wonder. Fitz cocked his head and Jemma nodded. Simultaneously, they turned back to Mack.
"Skye's pregnant." They said.
Mack's eyes widened. "Skye? Our Tremors? Having a baby?"
"Yes." They said together.
"But," Simmons continued, "no one knows yet."
"Only me and Simmons." Fitz nodded. "And now you."
"And May and Coulson." She added.
"But that's it." Fitz said.
Mack shook his head. "This is crazy. I have to tell Bobbi."
The two men left the garage, going in the direction of the bunks.
Jemma followed, calling after them, "You can tell Bobbi, but that's it."
…
Of course telling Bobbi, also meant telling Hunter, because since Ward and Kara's attempt at killing, well, both of them to some extent, the couple had been attached by the hip.
Mack almost didn't knock on Bobbi and Hunter's bunk door before opening it, a mistake he had made once before and had vowed never to make again after seeing far too much of his best friends for his liking. He thumped their bunk door a couple of times, impatiently jiggling the handle.
"Bobbi?" Mack called through the door. "Barbara, open the door."
Jemma and Fitz stood fidgeting behind him, having another of their silent conversations.
"What the fuck do you want, Mack?" Hunter's voice sounded through the door.
"Open the door!"
"I'm a bit busy."
"Open the damn door, Britpop." Mack called again, giving it two more thumps with his fist for good measure.
"All right, all right." Hunter shouted. The door opened to reveal a dishevelled looking Lance Hunter, pulling down his shirt. "What?"
Mack smirked and peered around Lance to see Bobbi sitting up in bed, her strapped-up leg stretched out in front of her, struggling to pull a long t-shirt lower on her thighs.
"Sorry," He said, "I can see you two were…busy."
"Yeah." Hunter huffed. "So, what do you want, then? I was going to have sex with the love of my life."
"Hunter." Bobbi snapped, although she was smiling.
Fitz pushed past Jemma and poked his head into the bunk. "Is that safe?" He asked genuinely. "Just, you were shot last month…I mean…how long do you have to leave it before you do any…erm…strenuous activity?"
"Actually," Simmons said, nudging her way into the room and giving Bobbi a friendly smile, "I approved Bobbi for sexual exploits last week. It's fine."
"Urg." Hunter moved back into the room to fall back onto the bed. "Could you not call it 'sexual exploits'? Makes it sound like we're only shagging each other because we've got an agenda."
Bobbi kicked him with her good leg. "Who says I haven't?"
Hunter elbowed her, albeit gently. "Psycho."
"Asshole."
"Hell Beast."
"Dickwad."
"Guys." Mack stepped into the room with Fitz following, and pulled the door closed behind him. "Listen, we didn't come in here just to listen to you bicker and talk about your sex life."
"Yeah," Fitz smirked, "we, um, we hear about that enough out in the common room."
Hunter opened his mouth, presumably to bark back a snarky remark, but Mack cut him off before he could even speak.
"Skye's pregnant."
Bobbi choked on nothing.
Hunter grinned. "What the actual fuck?"
"Skye's pregnant." Jemma confirmed.
"Holy fuck." Hunter said. "She's up the duff?"
"Yeah." Fitz nodded. "Skye's pregnant."
Bobbi shook her head. "I heard the first three times. God, I didn't see that coming."
"I don't think any of us did." Simmons agreed. "Skye's been very secretive about it."
"So," Hunter dragged out the word, "who's the baby-daddy?"
"We don't know." Jemma said. "I didn't ask."
Hunter put an arm around Bobbi and she leant into his side. "What about that Lincoln bloke she was friends with?"
Bobbi kicked him again. "Hunter, whoever the father it, it's Skye's personal business. Not ours."
"But," Hunter held up a finger, "If it was Lincoln, then does that mean the baby is going to come out with earthquake-lightening powers?"
Fitz clapped. "That's what I said."
"It might not be him." Mack said.
Hunter flailed excitedly. "But if it is, the kid's going to be like a baby Thor."
Mack rolled his eyes. "Lincoln might not be the father."
"Wait," Lance grinned, "so, when Skye was shagging lightening-boy, when they reached climax do you think it caused a natural disaster?"
"Hunter!"
"What? Bobbi, you know it's a viable question. They're very powerful people." He settled back into the bed. "Would explain that nasty business in East Asia last month."
Bobbi rolled her eyes. "Could be a little more sensitive, Lance? People died."
"You're right. Sorry, love. It's not something I should be joking about."
The rest of the group in the room nodded.
Hunter tipped his head. "Skye's baby, however, is a free for all. So, I began with 'Thor baby', anyone else got anything to add?"
They ignored him.
Bobbi shifted uncomfortably. Hunter's smirk disappeared and he place a hand on her leg.
"Okay, Bob?"
She frowned. "Skye, she used to be pretty close with Ward, right?"
"Yeah." Fitz said. "But that was before she knew, um, before we found out about HYDRA."
"But they were together?"
"Not really." Jemma said. She glanced at Fitz. "They were briefly, very briefly, involved, but it wasn't serious."
Bobbi leaned her head on Hunter's shoulder. "But what is it was?"
"What're you getting at, love?"
"What if Ward's the father?" Bobbi asked.
Hunter wrapped both arms around Bobbi, pressing his face into her hair. "I'm going to kill that fucking prick, Bobbi. Mark my words."
"Not if I get to him first." She murmured and he kissed her temple.
"Skye, she wouldn't." Fitz said. "Would she." He turned to Jemma. "Would she?"
"No, of course not, Fitz. We've already discussed this."
Mack leaned back against the bunk door. "Maybe, maybe we should just ask her who the father is?" His friends stared at him. "It's the only way to find out."
…
"How long do I need to be fake-pregnant for?" Skye asked, admiring her reflection in Coulson's full-length mirror. She placed her hands over her protruding belly, cradling the cushion under her shirt.
Melinda stretched out on Phil's bed, resting one arm behind her head and one on her belly. "I appreciate you covering for me, Skye, but I'm concerned you're getting broody." She smirked.
"I'm just asking because I think I might be able to keep it up for the whole nine months." Skye said, turning away from the mirror.
Phil settled next to Melinda on the bed. "The whole nine months?"
"Sure." Skye grinned. "I mean, look at my pregnant belly. I'm pulling off the cushion-baby pretty well."
"Until Simmons gives you an ultrasound and only finds what you ate for lunch." May shook her head.
"Hm." Skye pulled the cushion out and threw it at Coulson. He caught it easily and put it behind Melinda's head. Skye sat at the foot of the bed. "I guess that would be an issue."
"I'll tell Simmons tomorrow." May said. "But I want to keep it a secret from every else for a little longer."
"Fair enough." Phil smiled and kissed her cheek. "We'll get you both checked out tomorrow and tell the others in a couple of weeks?"
"Sounds good." Melinda smiled.
Skye folded her legs under her on the bed. "Hey, guys? As much as I love our little pregnancy party we have going on in here, how long do we actually have to stay in here hiding from Jemma? I'm starving."
Melinda nudged Skye with her foot. "You ate three sandwiches and two cupcakes at lunch."
"I'm pregnant, you know." Skye grinned and Melinda threw the cushion at her head. "Hey, is that any way to treat a woman who is with child."
"No." Phil smirked. "But luckily for you, you're not."
"Not as far as Simmons knows." Skye said.
May put her feet in Skye's lap. "Yeah, well only until tomorrow. Poor Simmons is probably having an aneurysm keeping the fact that you're 'pregnant' to herself."
"I know." Skye laughed. "God, I can't wait to see her face when we tell her it's you having the baby."
"We?" Melinda cocked a brow at her.
Skye nodded seriously. "Well, I have to be there when you tell her."
"Why?"
"Because, I don't want Jemma to hate me for lying to her. I need to explain why I've been pretending to be pregnant." Skye pouted.
"It's more likely she'll be made at me." May said. "I wouldn't worry, Skye."
"No." Skye shook her head and crawled up the bed, plonking herself in between Coulson and May. "She can't be mad at you."
"And why's that?"
"Because," Skye shrugged, "baby." She gently poked Melinda's stomach as if to prove her point.
"Does that excuse me from anyone getting mad at me for anything the whole time I'm pregnant?"
"Beyond." Phil said, and Skye nodded her agreement.
"D.C.'s right, you're probably now excused from all negative accusations until this little one is like…twelve."
Phil smiled at Skye as she shuffled further down the bed until her face was level with Melinda's belly. "Skye, why twelve?"
"Because," Skye said, words a little muffled due to her face being pressed into May's stomach, "that's the age kids turn into dicks. It's a proven fact. Then everyone will blame you for your dick child."
"Hey," May tapped Skye's head, "Are you saying my child is going to be a dick?"
"At some point, yes. We all go through the dickhead stage…some people's last longer than others." She kissed May's belly. "But I promise, baby, I'm gonna make sure your dickhead stage is as short as possible."
Phil couldn't hold in his laughter. He met Melinda's eyes over Skye's head. She grinned back at him, combing her fingers through the hacker's hair as she continued her one-sided conversation with their unborn baby.
"Baby, you're gonna piss me off a lot." Skye said and Phil sniggered. "You will piss me off, and I'll probably get mad at you at some point and shout, but I want to know that I won't mean it. I promise. Because no matter what, baby, I love you." She lifted Melinda's shirt and kissed her bare belly before Melinda got the chance to pull it back down.
"Skye." May reprimanded, pulling down her shirt. She smirked at her. "Was that really necessary?"
"Yes."
Phil jumped off the bed and ran around to Melinda's other side. "I want a turn."
"A turn of what?"
He kneeled by the bed and rested his chin on May's hip. "Skye got to talk to the baby, I want to." Unlike Skye, Phil looked up to May, seemingly for permission.
She smiled. "Go ahead. It's your kid."
"Hi, baby." He grinned into Melinda's belly. "I'm your Daddy."
Skye shifted on the bed. "I'm gonna go. I feel like I'm intruding."
"Don't go, Skye." Phil said. "You're not intruding."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." Phil rubbed his hand over Melinda's minutely swollen tummy. "You hear that, baby? Your big sister, Skye was gonna leave." He smiled up at her. "How dare she?"
Skye moved to lie back down by May's said, resting her head on her shoulder.
"I'm your Daddy." He said again. "I'm not sure how to do that. And I'm not sure I've freaked out enough yet, I did only find out you existed a few hours ago."
May wrapped an arm around Skye. "And that's my fault."
"Your Mommy likes to be self-deprecating." Phil grinned. "But we love her no matter what, right?"
"Yep." Skye said.
"Yeah. We love her. And we love you, little one." Phil nuzzled Melinda's belly. "Everyone is going to love you, baby."
Skye nodded her agreement, head still on Melinda's shoulder.
"Daddy loves you." Phil stroked his hand over May's belly.
Melinda put her hand over his, squeezing his fingers. When she spoke there was an unfamiliar hitch in her voice. "Mommy loves you, too, baby."
Skye joined the cuddle-fest even more than she already was, also putting her hand on Melinda's tummy. "Your big sister loves you so much, that she even pretended to be pregnant." Skye grinned, her voice light and musical. "Yes, she did. And your Mommy and Daddy are going to remember this favour she did for them for years to come, aren't they?"
Melinda rolled her eyes. "It's a damn good job that we love your big sister, baby, or she'd be getting a slap."
Skye pouted. "If I didn't love you, I'd hate you guys."
…
"So, where is Skye?" Bobbi asked, accepting the bottle of water from Hunter as the group sat in the common area.
They had all graduated from Hunter and Bobbi's bunk, into the common area, when hunger outweighed their desire to speculate Skye's love life. Mack hovered by the oven, checking the food he was cooking every so often. He slung a tea towel over his shoulder and folded his arms.
"Yeah," Mack said, "Where's Skye now?"
Simmons, sitting at the table, took a sip of her tea and shrugged. "I told you, she just left with Agent May and Coulson. It was all a bit odd, really."
"To be fair," Fitz said from next to her, "you had just discovered she was pregnant. Skye was probably panicking."
"It's not often Skye really panics though, is it?" Jemma said.
Hunter moved Bobbi's leg resting on a chair and sat down, moving her leg into his lap. "Yeah, but I would be panicking if my best mate found out I was preggers when I was trying to keep it a secret."
Bobbi frowned at him. "I hope youwould be panicking if you found out you were pregnant."
He waved her off. "You know what I mean. It's a big thing, having a baby. Scary. Poor Skye probably just wanted to be with her Mum and Dad."
Fitz blinked at him. "Mum and Dad? But her Mum and Dad…they're…well…"
"May and Coulson." Hunter clarified. "Oh, come on. Don't you tell me you haven't noticed the way they are with her? Biology's nothing." He said. "They love her."
"They do." Jemma smiled.
Hunter smirked. "Granddad Phil and Granny May."
Melinda walked into he common area, plucked the tea towel from Mack's shoulder and smacked Hunter over the head with it. "We'll have none of that, thank you very much."
"Wait," Skye said, barrelling into the room, followed by Phil, "you guys all know?"
"Know what?" Bobbi said, dramatically failing at feigning innocence.
Skye rolled her eyes. "I thought you were meant to be a spy? You're worse at lying than Jemma."
"Hey." Jemma grumbled.
Skye ignored her. "How did you even survive at HYDRA for so long?"
"When I was at HYDRA, I wasn't lying about knowing who was pregnant. It's a different type of lying." Bobbi explained.
Phil pulled a chair out and Melinda sat down. He leaned over her chair. "How did you guys even find out?"
All eyes went to Simmons. She shrank down in her seat.
"Jemma!" Skye whined.
"I'm sorry." Simmons said. "But I had to tell Fitz…"
Fitz smiled sheepishly. "And I had to tell Mack…"
Mack coughed awkwardly. "And I had to tell Bobbi…"
Hunter smiled. "And I was in the room with Bobbi."
Skye glanced at May. "Well, I suppose you guys were going to find out eventually."
"Exactly," Jemma said brightly, "and now when I examine you, we don't have to keep it a secret from the others."
Skye grimaced. "Yay." She put a hand on Melinda's shoulder. "Hear that, May? Now everyone knows I'm pregnant. Isn't that great?"
May covered Skye's hand and squeezed apologetically. "Great."
"Well," Mack said, "Food's almost ready. Why don't we have a little celebration dinner?"
"Brilliant." Fitz grinned.
"Oh, yes! A congratulatory dinner." Jemma squeaked. "If you're feeling up to it, Skye? You aren't having any food aversions? Sickness?"
Skye balked. "Um…no?" Her hand tightened on May. "I think I'm fine?"
May nodded. "I think Skye is feeling up for dinner. She's probably really hungry, right?"
"Right." Skye nodded.
Jemma, and the rest of the group looked between May and Skye, a little confused by the whole exchange. An awkward silence spread throughout the room. Hunter picked at Bobbi's sock on his lap, she turned her eyes down to watch him. Jemma sipped her tea. Fitz watched Jemma sip her tea. Mack turned to look in the oven.
"Dinner should be ready soon." Mack said in an attempt to end the awkwardness.
"Good." Phil said. "Great."
Hunter rubbed his hands together. "Drinks? Yeah?"
"Oh, yes."
"Yep."
"Awesome."
"Sounds good."
Agreements sounded throughout the room. Most of the group left to serve themselves drinks from the makeshift bar in the common area. Even Bobbi made the effort to hobble out of the kitchen area with Hunter carrying her oxygen canister. Skye and May remained where they were, Skye taking Fitz' vacated seat. Even in the other room, she could still hear Jemma warning Bobbi over the amount of alcohol she was allowed to consume on the medication she was on.
May smiled. "Doctor Simmons, always on duty."
"Yeah." Skye said, snapping her fingers to get May's attention on her. "That's the problem. She's gonna want to examine me tonight now everyone knows."
"It'll be fine, Skye." May cupped her cheek. "We can keep it a secret just a little longer."
"Fine." Skye huffed.
The others began filtering back into the kitchen with their drinks. Mack opened the oven and began dishing out the food. Seeing his seat had been taken, Fitz opened his mouth to complain, but was silenced by a glare from Jemma. Instead he went to help Mack with dishing out dinner.
Bobbi settled herself down, her leg in Hunter's lap, and sipping her beer.
"Now, Bobbi, don't drink that too quickly." Jemma said, sitting beside Skye. "You're only allowed that one. No more."
Bobbi rolled her eyes. "I know, I know."
Phil sat down with his own beer, placing a glass of water by Melinda and another by Skye.
"Where's my beer?" Skye asked, picking up her water with disgust.
Phil glared at her. "You're pregnant, remember?"
She slumped in her chair. "Oh, right." Skye grumbled, and took a grumpy gulp of her water.
Jemma gave Skye a funny look as Mack and Fitz began placing full plates by each place setting. "Agent May?" She said. "Not drinking tonight."
May shook her head. "I promised Skye I'd take the fall with her."
"Yeah," Skye laughed humourlessly, "if I can't have a beer, she certainly doesn't get one."
"That's nice of you, May." Fitz said.
Skye took another drink of water. "It's the least she could so."
"What?"
"Nothing." Skye mumbled.
Phil smirked at her. "You know, Skye." He said, beginning to eat as Mack and Fitz sat down. "There's lots of things you can't have while your pregnant."
Skye stabbed a piece of broccoli with more aggression than was strictly necessary. "Yeah, yeah."
May smirked. "No booze."
Skye glared at her.
"No sushi."
Skye continued to glare.
"No coffee."
"Well, it's good news you don't even like coffee then, isn't it?" Skye mumbled, too quiet for the others to hear.
Melinda smiled and tweaked Skye's nose. "Hush, you. It's only until tomorrow."
Skye turned back to her dinner with a sly smile. "Sure."
…
After dinner, which had featured many odd glances in Skye and May's direction, and few awkward silences whenever Skye was asked about her 'pregnancy', the group of SHIELD agents migrated to the lounge of the common area.
"We'll have to get one of those baby prisons in here." Hunter said from his place on the couch with Bobbi's back against his chest. He looked around the room. "Not sure where we'll put it. Might have to have a reshuffle of the furniture."
"Baby prison?" Bobbi frowned. She craned her neck to look at Hunter. "You mean a play pen?"
Hunter shrugged, moving the nasal cannula from twisting around Bobbi's neck. "Same thing."
"It's really not."
Fitz crossed his legs, sitting on the ground by Simmons' feet. "Will we need something like that?"
"Of course, Fitz." Jemma nudged his side with her foot. "This base isn't exactly child-proof. The baby will have to be supervised at all times."
Skye whistled. "Sounds exhausting."
"Well, yes." Jemma said. "But you'll be exhausted anyway, Skye, what with the lack of sleep."
Phil smiled and wrapped an arm around Melinda. "It's a good thing myself and Skye are pretty well trained in working on very low levels of rest."
Hunter and Bobbi looked at each other. Bobbi cocked an eyebrow at him and Hunter shrugged. He looked to Phil and Skye. "What?"
"What?" Phil said.
"You and Skye?" Hunter said slowly.
"Yes." Phil smirked. "Myself and Skye."
Hunter's face fell. "Fuck a duck. Don't tell me you're the baby-daddy."
Coulson frowned. "How did you know?"
Hunter sputtered and in his frantic effort to sit up he almost head-butted Bobbi. "I'm right?"
Jemma looked appalled. "He's right?"
"Well, shit." Mack said. Bobbi nodded her agreement and Fitz simply looked from Phil to Skye in disgust.
"It's Coulson's baby?" Fitz asked.
"Yes." Phil said, at the same time as Skye said "No." and May uttered, "Sort of."
"That's so weird, Skye." Fitz said. "Coulson's like your...Dad."
"Sex with Dad." Hunter murmured. "Mentally scarring. For all of us."
Skye held up her hands. "Wait. No. Stop, you don't understand!"
Simmons looked over at Skye. "It's a very odd situation, Skye."
"But, it's not." Skye said. She looked at May. "Well, it is but it's not as weird as you're all thinking."
Jemma grimaced. "I knew you and Coulson were close, but I never thought you were that close."
"Ew!" Skye glared at her. "Stop, Jemma."
Hunter shook his head. "I honestly thought Coulson had a leg over May."
Bobbi thumped him, but simultaneously nodded in agreement.
"So, you've been lying to us?" Mack said. "This whole time? The reason you were so concerned for Skye's welfare was because she was having your child."
Phil stood. "No. No. That is not the reason."
Fitz frowned. "But…the baby's yours."
"Yes." Phil said.
"Gross."
"But it's not Skye's." Phil looked around the room. A variation of confused expressions stared back at him until he got to Skye, who had her head in her hands, and Melinda, who was simply smirking at him.
Hunter seemed to recover first, gesturing wildly at Phil. "What the fuck is going on?"
Phil sighed. He sat on the arm of the couch next to Melinda. She nodded at him and took his hand. Phil glanced to Skye. Her head was still in her hands.
"Let me explain." He said.
"Please do." Mack mumbled.
"It's a very complicated situation. A very long story." Phil said. "Okay…Melinda's pregnant." There was an audible gasp from the group. "And she didn't want you guys to find out, so when Jemma suspected someone was pregnant, Skye pretended it was her." Phil smiled. "Oh, I guess it really wasn't a long story after all."
Simmons gaped at May, staring at her with her mouth slightly open. Beside her, Fitz showed practically the same expression. Bobbi's reaction was incredibly similar, although her eyes flicked from May to Coulson every few seconds. Hunter was grinning widely. He caught Phil's eye and gave him a wink and a thumbs up.
Mack carefully sat down on the floor.
Phil nodded at him. "You okay?"
"Just in shock." Mack said in a voice several octaves higher than usual.
"Hey," Skye lifted her head from her hands, "that's what you said when you found out, Phil." She grinned at Mack. "He had to sit down on the ground, too."
Mack nodded. "I cut off your hand."
"Yeah." Phil said. "I remember."
"With an axe. I cut off your hand….with an axe."
"Yes." Phil said, struggling to conceal his smile. "I know. I was there."
Mack rubbed his chin. "You're having a baby, and I cut off your hand with an axe."
May smirked. "You realise there's no correlation between those two facts, right?"
"I'm so sorry." Mack said. He stood up and rushed over to Phil. "I am so sorry."
"Mack," Phil smiled kindly, "It's fine. Honestly, I appreciate it. You saved my life."
"But now you're having a baby and you only have one hand!"
Hunter scoffed. "Come off the pity party, mate." He said to Mack. "Loads of people have kids with one hand, or no hand, or no legs, or no-,"
Bobbi interrupted him. "Point, Hunter?"
"Oh, right. What I'm saying is, it doesn't matter if Coulson's only got one hand. The kid's not going to care. I mean, it might make things a bit difficult if it's twins, but, generally, it wont be a problem." Hunter looked around the room. "Right?"
"Of course not." Jemma said. Fitz still gawked at May. "You did what you had to do to save him, Mack, and we're all very grateful you did."
May nodded. "Especially me." She placed a hand on her belly. "This child wouldn't have a father if you hadn't saved Phil. I couldn't care less if he had one hand. What I care about is having him here." She smiled at Mack and leaned forward to put a hand on his arm "Thank you."
Mack smiled back. "Congratulations."
"And," Hunter said, typically intruding on the tender moment, "if Coulson was going to be a shitty father, he'd be shitty regardless of how many limbs he had."
"Thank you, Hunter." Phil said sarcastically.
"You're very welcome."
"You know," Skye grinned. "I'm happy you got your hand chopped of with an axe."
"Oh yeah?" Phil cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Yeah." She said. "Because it would really suck without you. Seriously, the general ratio of suckage to awesomeness of this base would increase exponentially if you were dead."
Melinda chuckled. "That was very moving, Skye."
Skye walked over to hug Phil. "And I meant every word."
"So," Bobbi grinned, dragging out the word, "May, you're having a baby?" She giggled uncharacteristically, "that's awesome."
"I know!" Skye squealed. She forced herself in between Fitz and Simmons on the floor, grabbing Jemma's shoulders. "We're getting a baby!"
Jemma laughed. "I don't really think we're getting the baby."
"Well," Skye shrugged, "May's growing it, but," Skye leant her head on May's knee, "we get to play with it."
Melinda began running her fingers through Skye's hair. "I thought you wanted to change diapers."
"I will." Skye said. "But I can't wait until she's running around, and I can really play with her."
"She?" Fitz asked.
"Oh, good." Simmons said. "I thought you had been rendered mute."
"She?" Fitz said again, ignoring Jemma.
"It's a girl?" Bobbi asked.
"I don't know." May said. "No idea. I don't even know when it's due."
"What makes you think it's going to be a girl?" Fitz said to Skye.
She shrugged. "Sixth sense?"
He shook his head. "It's going to be a boy."
"And how do you know?"
He smirked. "Sixth sense?"
Skye glared at him. "Twenty dollars says it's a girl."
Fitz narrowed his eyes. "You're on."
Simmons sat up on her knees. "Ooh, ooh." She squeaked. "Please let me check you over, Agent May, please. Tonight, please."
"Please." Skye pouted. She batted her eyelashes. "Pretty please."
May rolled her eyes and pinched one of Skye's cheeks. "How could I say 'no' to that face?"
Jemma jumped up almost kicking Skye in the process. "I'll go get the med-lab prepared." She practically skipped to the door.
Phil and Mack chuckled while Fitz just shook his head.
Simmons stopped at the door. "I've never had the opportunity to be someone's prenatal doctor before." She grinned. "But don't worry, Agent May, I'm very well versed on the subject."
"Why?" Hunter asked.
Jemma shrugged. "I wanted to be well prepared for any eventuality while at SHIELD?"
"Many agents get preggers while at SHIELD?" He asked.
Phil smiled cryptically. "More than you would think."
…
"When I pictured having an ultrasound, I have to admit, I did not picture all of you guys here, too." Melinda smirked at the other agents in the med-lab from her position on the bed.
Simmons pulled over the ultrasound machine to the edge of the bed and sat down in her chair. She arranged the screen to face her, away from May and Coulson. "Most prenatal examinations are done with only the parents present." Jemma said. "Sometimes with siblings, too."
Skye raised her hand. "Siblings? That means I get to stay."
"That's not fair." Hunter complained. "I want to see the foetus!"
Bobbi thumped his shin with her crutch and he collapsed to the ground dramatically. "Simmons. I'm in pain. Simmons."
Melinda rolled her eyes. "Everyone can stay if they really want to. I'm not kicking any of you out."
"Yeah," Phil smiled, and kissed Melinda's forehead, "you're family."
Mack dragged Hunter upright. "He's fine." He clapped Hunter on the back.
"M'not." Lance sulked. "My wife's abusing me."
"Not your wife." Bobbi reminded him, smiling.
Lance slung an arm around her shoulder. "We should fix that sometime, love."
"Oh, yeah?" She grinned.
He nodded. "Yeah."
Phil leaned against the bed. "Did you two just get engaged?"
Hunter looked to Bobbi and she nodded, biting her lip. "I think we did."
"Well, congratulations, guys," Fitz said, "but I want to know whether I'm going to be twenty dollars richer or not?" He looked at Jemma. "Boy or girl, Simmons? I need to know."
"Girl." Skye muttered under her breath and Fitz shot her a look.
Simmons began busying herself with the equipment, professionally lifting May's shirt and squirting gel onto her stomach. "Sorry, cold." She smiled before turning to Fitz. "I hate to tell you, but it's unlikely we'll discover the gender of the child today. I suspect it's a bit early in the pregnancy for that."
Phil leaned over May's shoulder. "But we can see it on the screen? We'll see the baby?"
"Hopefully." Simmons said. "Now let me just…" She trailed off, fiddling with some other equipment.
"I don't want to hurry you, Simmons," May said, "but I might pee myself if you don't get on with it."
"A full bladder is essential to getting a good image." Jemma said. "But I'll hurry it along."
Phil watched with apt interest as Jemma gently began running the probe over Melinda's stomach. He tried to crane his neck to see the screen Jemma had in front of her, but Melinda touched his cheek. He looked down at her.
"Let Jemma work." She said quietly.
He pouted. "But I want to see."
"I'll show you in a minute." Simmons said, eyes still on the screen. She frowned.
"What's wrong?" Phil asked. "Jemma, tell me."
Melinda squeezed his hand painfully.
"No, nothing." Simmons said. She glanced up at Phil.
"You frowned." He said.
Fitz spoke up from beside Skye. "That's her concentration face."
Jemma went back to inspecting the screen and running the probe over May's stomach. "Hey, Skye?" She said.
"What?" Skye unfolded her arms.
"Come over here."
Skye walked over to where Jemma sat by the bed. She crouched by Jemma when her friend pulled her down by her wrist.
"See that?" Jemma asked, pointing to the something on the screen. She was grinning.
Phil attempted to see again, but Mel pulled him back with a stern look. "Let her work."
Skye inspected the screen. "What am I looking at, Jems?"
"That there, Skye," Jemma said, "is your baby brother or sister."
"Oh my god." Skye breathed. She pressed her lips together and traced the blurry image on the screen with her fingers. "Hi, baby." She smiled.
Fitz pushed in between Skye and Jemma. "What do you reckon, Simmons? Boy or girl?"
"I can't tell yet, Fitz." She sighed. "I've already told you."
"Let me see the kid." Hunter said, he and Bobbi gathering around the screen. Jemma turned the screen in their direction and both Hunter and Bobbi cocked their heads at the screen. "What's baby and what's organs?"
Bobbi hit him. "Hunter." She chastised, then tapped Jemma's shoulder. "But seriously, what's baby and what's organs?"
Simmons rolled her eyes. "There." She pointed at the screen. "Baby's there."
"Aww." Bobbi and Hunter cooed.
Phil tried to pull away from Melinda but she held him firm. "But they're 'aww-ing'." He whined.
She tipped her head at him. "We see together. You don't get to see first."
Mack peeked over the rest of the group. "The baby?"
"There." Hunter pointed. "Amazing."
Mack nodded, staring at the screen. "Amazing."
Skye traced the shape of the baby again, fingers lingering on the tiny point of the nose. "She's okay? She's all good?"
"He." Fitz mumbled.
"She."
"Fine." Simmons said. "I'd like to do a few more investigations, but as far as I can see," She smiled, "both Agent May and baby are healthy."
Phil kissed Melinda. "That's amazing."
Melinda squeezed his hand again, pulling it up to kiss his knuckles. "Amazing."
"Amazing." Hunter breathed.
Bobbi nodded. "Amazing."
Fitz sighed. "Yes, it's great, but can we all stop saying 'amazing'?"
Skye stood up to look over the screen at Melinda and Phil. "You guys should really see this."
Simmons turned the screen in their direction.
A/N: Let me know if there needs to be a sequel. Reviews are much appreciated. :)