Alone No More

Spoilers: Season 2, Episode 6 "A Fractured House"; Season 1 and 2

Disclaimer: I only own Melody, Ella, Devon, Nathan and Robbie

Skye allowed herself to relax after a very long day restructuring several security grids due to a hacking attempt by college students as a senior prank. Ward had the kids out for the day as they shopped for Ella's birthday party, she'd never had one before she they decided to let her pick what she wanted decoration-wise. So with the kids out of the house and it silent, Skye sat down on the couch to devour one of the stacks of letters that she had found in Ward's old safe house.

Skye,

Today was a hard day, sitting in a clinic with Robbie for almost three hours while they waited for us. It was the kind that didn't ask questions if you don't have identification and can pay with cash but at the same time they decide who will be treated when. His fever kept rising and he was sick, I kept having to take him to the small bathroom to empty his stomach. There was nothing I could do, I hadn't felt that helpless since you'd been shot and I was told there was nothing that could be done.

In the end it was scarlet fever, developing after strep throat. I realize now that I'm not used to identifying these things in adults much less children. The afternoon was spent on the couch with Robbie while he slept in between medication rounds, I started researching all I could on every common illness children have so I can recognize when the kids are sick. I'm also determined to add more health conscious habits to their routine.

I can't imagine going through that again, especially with Ella or Melody. The boys I can handle but not my girls, Melody in pain would do more damage than I'm ready for because she reminds me so much of you. Honestly when I look at her brown eyes so full of life and happiness now, I can only be reminded of how much I miss you. She may not be ours but in those few moments of happiness at Providence, when the thought of a future was indeed possible, I imagined us having a child like her.

Stay safe,

Grant

The sound of the door made Skye fold the letter and put it in its envelope, stacking it with the others. Turning she smiled as she saw all five kids carrying at least one bag while Ward held two bags that were clearly full of wrapped presents, probably removed from his apartment on their way up.

"Mommy guess what Daddy got us for lunch?" Melody was jumping up and down as Ward collected the bags from all the kids. "Junk food!"

"Junk food?" Skye was surprised as Ward was much stricter on what they could eat than she was although there were times he'd have one-on-one days with them and he'd take them somewhere not so healthy. However, clear junk food was a shock even for his one-on-one days. "What exactly did you guys have?"

Ella smiled at her as she sat on the floor beside her brother, "fried chicken, but we had to have appropriate vegetables. Fries and mac and cheese were not acceptable, we all had green beans with our chicken."

"I think that's borderline acceptable, not junk food." Skye smiled at them before turning to Ella, the girl was busy setting up a game of Monopoly Junior to play with her younger siblings. "What did you decide on for decorations?"

"Polka dots." Ella smiled at her, "purple and white for colors. Grant said that I could get what I wanted but I didn't like anything else."

Ward chuckled as he moved over from the kitchen, holding out a bouquet of daisies to her. Smiling the hacker took them and looked up at him, "any particular reason why you're getting me flowers?"

"Because I saw them and thought of you." He smiled as she stood and headed to the kitchen to put them in something. His eyes drifted to the couch where she'd made a small nest before resting on the coffee table, the letters laying in stacks.

Picking them up, Ward looked at the envelopes before turning to look over at Skye as she stood putting the flowers in water. A tug on his arm made him look down to see Melody, she motioned for him to bend down and he did. "Don't be mad at Mommy."

"Why do you think I'm mad at her?"

"I don't think, I know and it's because she took your letters." Melody smiled at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Can I tell you a secret about them?"

Chuckling at the innocence of his daughter, Ward nodded. "What secret?"

Leaning in close, the little voice drifted into his ear. "When she reads them, Mommy falls more in love with you." She pulled back and put a finger to her mouth, "shh, don't tell."

"What are you two whispering about?" Skye moved over to the living room and smiled at them, hands on her hips. "Are you keeping secrets?"

"Only Daddy can know this one, the only one I promise!" Melody smiled at her, "I can have one secret with him right?"

Skye sat down and pulled the girl to her, giggles escaping the now six year old. "You two can have your secrets as long as I have secrets with you too." Looking over at Ward she smiled a smile he hadn't seen in years. "Thank you, I love the flowers."

"You're welcome." In that moment Ward couldn't find it in himself to be mad at her. He'd discuss the topic later when it was the two of them but the smile she'd given him and the look in her eyes was enough to calm whatever anger he was feeling at that moment.

The decision was to have Ella's birthday party at a nearby park so that her non-SHIELD friends could come as well. Fifteen girls and two boys from her classes and lunch hour were enjoying the Nerf Gun party that Skye had organized. Tons of kids with water guns and makeshift targets as well as each other, it was left to the parents and family to mingle with each other while Bobbi and Hunter watched, or participate in Hunter's case.

"I swear he's less mature than all these kids here." Bobbi made her way over to Skye as she laid out a birthday cake. "That includes Levi."

Skye smirked as she looked up at the agent, "you married him, again, I may add."

"Don't remind me, I love him but there are times I want to drop him off in Siberia naked."

Skye shot her a glare when a couple of parents walked over. Instantly the glare turned into a smile as she turned to the two adults making their way over.

"Hi, I'm Taylor London and my husband, Mitchell." One of the women held out a hand and Skye took it. "Thank you so much for inviting Danielle, she often likes to talk about her new friend Ella and we haven't had the chance to meet you so we were a little weary of having her over."

"Skye and I completely understand." Skye noticed Ward moving over with Nathan by the arm, the look on the boy's face clearly meant he knew he'd done something wrong. "I hope now that we've met you're more open to the idea of getting the girls together?"

Mitchell London nodded, "possibly, may I ask what you do career wise? Danielle said Ella mentioned you're away often."

The hacker just smiled as Ward reached her, "I work for SHIELD." It didn't escape her notice how both looked at each other as if trying to assess that statement. Turning to Ward she looked between him and Nathan. "What happened?"

"Do you want to tell your mother or should I?" He gave Nathan a look and the boy just looked down, shuffling his feet.

Skye bent down in front of her middle child and stared until he looked up at her. "What happened?" Her voice was calm but there was no mistaking he was in trouble.

"I punched David Conrad till he fell." Nathan looked down at the ground again. "He called me stupid and said I should have stayed where I belonged, alone on the street."

"Well no matter what he said or did you didn't have the right to assault him." Skye pulled on Nathan's arm till her moved towards her. "Nathan look at me." Eyes met hers and she sighed, seeing that despite everything he was ashamed of his actions. "You're going to apologize to him and his parents, do you understand me?"

Nathan nodded his head, "yes ma'am."

"Okay." Standing she moved over to the picnic table and sat him down, "you're going to sit here for the rest of the time everyone is playing."

"Mom?" She paused to look at him, "I'm not stupid, right?"

Skye chuckled and bent down, "no you're not and don't let anyone convince you that you are. As for where you belong, that's with our family and no one has the right to tell you otherwise."

Leaving him to watch the other kids, Skye returned to find Ward talking to Danielle London's parents. She smiled as she returned to them and they seemed to look at her surprised. Taylor immediately put a hand out. "I am impressed, my eight year old would be throwing a temper tantrum the size of the moon if I pulled him away from playing."

"Yelling and throwing temper tantrums isn't something we allow." Ward shoved his hands in his pockets. "They are old enough to know it's not appropriate so if they do so, they get consequences."

Skye chuckled, "they still test us, you forget Ella's temper tantrum after we caught her doing homework she said she'd finished. Melody's tantrums over me leaving haven't subsided yet, not even with her constant grounding." She looked at the parents, "they aren't perfect and neither are we, despite what you think we screw up sometimes."

"So are you thinking of adding any to the bunch?" Mitchell chuckled, "I'd think five is a lot to take on but you did adopt them all, might want one of your own."

"Oh you think…" Skye put up her hands. "We're not married or dating."

Taylor put a hand on her husband's arm, "Mitchell don't automatically assume they're together. For all we know they have partners currently working elsewhere. I apologize about my husband, he assumes if you're parenting kids you're together. Fischer Masterson's moms co-raise him with two fathers that have a daughter so the kids have both types of parents. I see it a perfectly natural."

Skye busted out laughing, "no, we're not gay either." She smirked and hit Ward's arm, "that Belarusian would have liked you then huh?" Ward merely glared at her as she turned to the couple. "No we were together for a short time years ago but work kept us apart. Grant got out of the field for a while and decided to take the kids in. When we got in touch a year ago by pure coincidence I realized with his job as a field agent he couldn't adopt them but because I work in communications, I knew I could. I'm the legal parent but he'll always be Dad to them so we co-parent together. It works for us with our alternating schedules so someone is always there for them."

"Oh well that makes much more sense." Mitchell smiled before leaning in slightly. "Do the kids ever make you think of getting back together?"

Ward looked at Skye and she met his eyes before smiling, the former specialist was the one to speak up. "Sometimes but the reasons why we broke it off to begin with stop us from getting back together."

"OHHH DEVON YOU'RE IN TROUBLE!" Melody's voice rang out and both parents turned to see Bobbi soaking wet as she carried Devon over by the collar.

"Take your son right now before I make sure he never sees the light of day again." She handed him over to Skye. "You and I are going to be having one-on-one sessions after this."

Devon folded his arms, "you so didn't see that coming so I'm not sorry. Some super-agent you are!"

Bobbi glared before turning to leave, Hunter holding out his arms as if trying to stop her. "You say one word Hunter and you'll be dancing naked in Siberia with the polar bears." The man was smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

Ward looked down at Devon, "with me now!"

Skye looked up at the crowd of kids all starring as if waiting for the fallout. "Okay everyone, bring it in for cake." As they rushed over she muttered something under her breath. "Before someone murders someone."

A/N: You'll find out next chapter about why Ward didn't confront Skye about the letters. Plus who couldn't resist all the Skyeward awkward moments thrown into this chapter plus some Huntingbird moments.

Next...Skye and Ward realize that leaving their kids alone with anyone other than May or Bobbi is a bad idea.

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