Kain handed the gifts to Ward and Tilly, who sat unwrapping them, Tilly squealing in delight.
She opened a frosted glass chess set (Coulson), a diary that reminds people of what they have written in it (Skye), a book on learning Chinese (May), a new soldering iron (Fitz), a selection of loose gemstones (Simmons), a book where Tilly could enter her own recipes (Carl), a new food mixer (Rob and Sue), a remote control helicopter (Hawkeye), some waterproof camouflage makeup (Romanov), a Dora the explorer and SpongeBob Squarepants shaped cake tins (Amber), a pair of genetic specific pick up stick (Kain) and a Bosu balance ball and a bell on a necklace (Ward).
"I figured you could use the ball to improve your balance and we all know why you need that bell!" Ward told her, launching a scrunched up ball of wrapping paper at her.
"I don't know why she needs the bell." Carl said, giving Ward a curious look.
"I don't want to know why, but I have a feeling I'm going to find out."
"GGAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" May screamed.
"I don't think the bell works!" Coulson said, laughing at Tilly who he had seen creep up on May, bell around her neck.
"Come on Grant. I want to see what everyone has got you." Sue told him eagerly.
Ward took a gift of the top of his pile.
"This one is to me and Skye from Simmons." He said, handing Skye one end of the large rectangular object.
They opened it to find a framed collage of them, focussing on their wedding, but including different pictures throughout their relationship.
"Hey! That one was from Tahiti!" Skye exclaimed happily.
"I love it. Thank you Simmons." Ward told her, leaning over and kissing her on the cheek.
"This one is from Skye." Ward said shaking the box slightly before Skye stopped him.
He tore the wrapping off it and revealed a salt and pepper shaker set that was light bulb shaped.
"Very funny!" he grumbled, squeezing her knee.
"Open this one; it might cheer you up slightly." She whispered in his ear, passing him another gift.
He laughed when he saw a t-shirt emblazoned with 'This is what an Awesome Dad looks like!'
"Thank you."
Ward soon found himself surrounded by a small broomstick (May – who said he could use his special abilities to make it fly, ducking as he threw it at her), a gas mask in a can that could be attached to his weapons belt (Fitz), a robot alarm clock and mug (Coulson), Frozen on BluRay (Tilly), Frustration (Carl), What to Expect When You're Expecting and Daddy Day Care on BluRay (Hawkeye), a new Paella pan (Romanov), a ghost themed electric train set (Amber), and a digital photo key chain (Kain).
"I hate you all!" Ward grumbled while smiling.
"We love you too." Romanov replied.
"Hey! Skye still has three left before we all have one last gift each." Hawkeye said, glancing under the tree and reading the labels.
"How can you see that from there?" Rob asked him.
"I see better from a distance" he told him with a wink.
Kain dived under the tree and pulled out Skye's remaining gifts.
"These two are from Ward and this one is from Tilly." Kain said, handing them to Skye.
Skye opened the one from Tilly first. It was a wooden plaque declaring to be 'Gramz' Ward's Cheesecake Recipe'.
"Thank you Tilly!" Skye said, moving the plaque so Ward could see it.
He laughed.
She opened the gifts from him. The first one was a house sign saying 'I can still shoot you' which made everyone on the team laugh as they all knew that was Ward's most popular phrase.
The second was a diamond and pink sapphire bracelet that perfectly matched the necklace he had given her for her birthday. The only difference being that the bracelet had a charm dangling from the clasp.
Tears began to fall from Skye's eyes and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, burying her face into the back of his neck when she saw it.
It was a simple white gold feather.
"I think we should leave the rest for a while." He announced, earning some funny looks off everyone.
"I agree." Coulson said realising his gift to her might be too emotional at this point.
Twenty minutes later Skye was fast asleep on the sofa, Ward had changed into his new T-shirt and he and Sue (who was wearing her new apron) went to prepare some food for a buffet they were going to have later that evening.
Tilly and Carl were sat quietly playing chess, Amber, Kain and Toby had disappeared to the entertainment room and were watching Ward's new movie, Romanov and Hawkeye were playing Butt Head, Coulson was sat, keeping an eye on Skye while reading the book Sue and Rob had got him, May was figuring out how to work the electric floor panel while wearing a pair of her new earrings, and Fitz and Simmons were sat off to one side building his Lego city. Rob had disappeared to use the bathroom and hadn't been seen since.
"Mphm. How long was I out?" Skye asked, sitting up and rubbing her eyes
"A few hours." Ward told her from the floor where he was building his new train set.
"I hope that isn't staying there?" Skye asked him.
"No. Fitz's going to make a room for it and his Lego."
"Hey! Skye's awake! We can finish opening those presents!" Amber called through the house.
One by one they all made their way back to the front room where May (as she had already opened all her gifts) started handing out the one gift that was left for each of them.
"To me from May!" Carl said, tearing at the paper.
It was a big red button saying 'do not hit the big red button'
"Thanks May" Carl said to her with a smile.
"I have one from Fitz!" Rob said, opening his.
It was Double Edged silver handled Traditional Shaving Razor Starter Pack.
"Wow."
"This one is from Toby!" Ward announced, wondering what the hell Toby would have got him after all these years.
It was a dancing trout on a wall mount.
"You will die!" Ward threatened while Toby sat laughing at him.
"That was amazing; I couldn't just let you forget!"
"Forget what?" Skye asked, curiously. She knew Ward had gone the academy with him and wondered what had happened.
"When Ward here was leading first year survival in September, Tilly got a reputation through the Academy when it got out that she hit Ward around the face with a fish." Toby told her laughing.
"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" Tilly protested.
"I have one here. Aww, it's from Fitz!" Simmons said, trying to stall any argument.
She opened it and started screaming.
It was a fish tank. And Fitz had written a hand written card saying her would fill it with fish when it was ready.
"Do NOT let Fury find that on the 'bus." Coulson warned them.
"This one is from Fitz too!" Romanov said, holding a VERY small box and shaking it.
She opened it to reveal a ring box.
"See, even Fitz buys me jewellery." She pouted at Hawkeye.
She opened the box to reveal a small silver band with two shapes on it.
Fitz sidled over to her.
"You push this one and the garrotte opens, push this one if you want to pack more of a punch!" he told her, showing her how to use the garrotte ring.
She pressed the 'pack a punch' button.
"OUCH!" Fitz exclaimed dropping the garrotte as a shock of electricity passed though him.
"That's so cool. Thanks Fitz. You ok?"
"I'm fine. It's not the first time that's happened" he told her, returning to his seat.
"Mine's from May!" Coulson said.
"OOOOOOooooooo." Romanov teased.
Coulson opened it.
A complete, mint condition set of Captain America trading cards. Each and every one of them was signed.
May winked at Romanov, knowing she was the one who got them signed.
Coulson was speechless, but pulled her into a bone crushing hug to show her his thanks and appreciation.
"I have one from Simmons." Kain said.
It was a bucket with a lid.
On it said 'I am a bucketful of steam – Don't open me or you will lose me!"
"Erm. Thanks Simmons."
"It was either that or tartan paint."
"Mine is from Clint." Sue said in a gentle voice.
She opened her gift.
It was a Funky Vegetable Kit - 5 extraordinary vegetables to grow.
"Thank you Clint. How did you know I want to grow vegetables this year?"
"Lucky guess."
"This weird shaped one is from Simmons!" Toby said, shaking his gift before tearing the paper off.
It was a talking parrot toy that listens, records and repeats what you say as well as random tweets and whistles.
"Anyone teach that thing to swear and I will hurt you." Skye warned, knowing the kids might learn from it.
"Yes Ma'am!" Fitz said, saluting her request. "Mine is from Sue and Rob. You guys didn't need to get me anything."
"I picked yours." Rob told him.
It was a small envelope, so Fitz slit it and pulled out a card. Inside was a voucher for a day on a range for two people.
"Either I can take you, or you can take master sniper there and we can teach you a thing or two." Rob told him.
"T-t-t-hanks!" Fitz stammered, going pale at the thought.
"I have a gift from a teacher. Isn't that against the rules?" Tilly said to Toby.
"I won't tell if you don't."
Tilly unwrapped the box and found she had a set of six throwing stars in her hand.
"Wow! Thanks Toby. I've never used these before!"
"Really?"
"Yeah. I've seen them at home, but was never allowed my hands on them." She told him, looking at Ward.
"After the destruction you caused after we taught you to throw a knife?" Romanov asked her.
"If you're lucky I'll teach you how to throw them before you go back to the Academy." Ward told her.
"I have a small one here!" Hawkeye shouted, earning twitters of laughter from Ward, Romanov, Toby and Tilly.
"Who's it from?" Sue asked him.
"Amber."
"It's not much, but I thought you might enjoy it." She said to him.
Hawkeye opened it to reveal a slingshot pen. He picked up the screwed up wrapping paper and launched it at Romanov.
"Hey, whaddya know! It works!"
"Amber, you're up!" Coulson called.
"It's from Hawk"
Amber took her last gift. It felt fluid in her hands. She realised it must be clothes of some description.
She opened it to find a t-shirt saying 'What happens under the mistletoe STAYS under the mistletoe'.
"Did you know he was going to do it, or did you give him the idea?" She asked him.
"I knew he was going to do it."
"I hate you both!"
Ward and Hawkeye laughed, while Amber pulled the shirt on.
"Just one more gift left." Ward said, pulling out an envelope he had been hiding from Skye and giving it to her.
"To Skye, lots of hugs and kisses AC." Skye read, tearing the envelope open.
She pulled the papers out and tears started slipping down her face.