Chapter 34
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AN: Thank you to all who have added to alerts, read, reviewed or any combination of the three. It means a lot to me.
AN: Thank you for the response to this story. Just a warning that the next four chapters at least are going to be rather sad.
"Dad? Are you there?" Skye's voice asks about a minute later, after receiving no answer.
"Yeah, I'm here." Coulson answers, doing his best to keep the emotion out of his voice, which causes Tony, Maria and Natasha to exchange worried looks as they can tell that whatever Coulson was just told wasn't good.
"The reason Grams was lucid today was because she was dying and she knew it." Skye reveals, "She said goodbye to all of us and Mom and Aunt Angela were telling stories about pranks they pulled, she died without any of us realising." Skye reveals, clearly about to start crying again.
"Oh, um." Coulson says not sure what else to say, "How's everyone doing?" he ask concerned.
"Mom, Aunt Angela and Sharon are trying to deal with all the paperwork that the home needs them to deal with, Uncle Steve is trying do what he can to help but they aren't exactly letting him." Skye explains, "And Tonio hasn't said anything since we called the nurse." Skye explains, "I'm with Tonio now, I should get back to him, tell the others." Skye requests.
"Of course." Coulson requests, "I love you Baby Girl." Coulson tells his daughter.
"I love you to Daddy." Skye responds before hanging up.
"What happened?" Tony asks as soon as Coulson hangs up the phone, dreading the answer
"Agent Carter, Peggy." Coulson says forcing himself to make the correction that Peggy was always telling him to make, "Passed away." He reveals.
After hanging up with her father Skye walks back over to where Tripp is sitting and she sits down next to her cousin, who is sitting outside the homes 'family meeting room' where Sharon, Melinda, Angela and Steve are completely paperwork, and grabs his hands and thinks about what has happened in the last half an hour.
Inside the family meeting room Melinda, Angela and Sharon are working through the large pile of paperwork that they have to get done immediately, none of them letting themselves full apart yet, Steve is trying to help but he's not having much luck.
"Why are they making you do all this now?" Steve asks as he feels like forcing family members who just lost their loved one to fill in paperwork right away isn't right.
"Because they have to." Angela answers, "It's the law." She explains.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Steve asks, "Please, I want to do something." He offers.
"Maybe Skye and Tonio to the hotel." Sharon suggests, "They shouldn't have to wait here." Sharon says.
"That's a good idea." Melinda says, "We're still going to be a while." She says, "Here take the car, we'll take a cab." Melinda says handing the keys over to Steve.
"Of course, I can do that." Steve says, "Is there anything else I can do?" Steve asks, "Anything at all?"
"We'll definitely need you help with other things, but at the moment there is nothing you can do." Angela tells Steve, "Just look after Tonio and Skye." Angela requests.
"Of course." Steve responds and he gets up and leaves the room.
After told Maria, Natasha and Tony what happened Coulson left them to go in search of Bucky, feeling that because he knows, knew, Peggy well he should be told first. Maria, Natasha and Tony said that they would find everyone else while Coulson went in search of Bucky.
Unsurprisingly Coulson finds Bucky in the first place he looked, in the Gym with Clint, John and Sam.
"Clint, John, Sam, upstairs, I need to talk to Bucky." Coulson says as he walks in the room.
"Phil? What happened?" Clint asks dreading the worse when he sees the look on his brothers' face.
"Upstairs, War Room. Maria, Tony and Tasha will explain everything, I need to talk to Bucky." Coulson explains.
Exchanging a look, Clint, John and Sam nod and leave the room.
"Sir, is everyone okay?" Bucky asks worried, fearing that something bad happened in DC, happened to Skye or Steve.
"No." Coulson answers, "I received a call from Skye a few minutes ago, Peggy died. I'm sorry." Coulson tells Bucky.
"Um, wow um, we, um, need to get to DC." Bucky says trying to get a coherent thought and the only one he can make at the moment is that Steve just lost one of the most important people in his life, Skye lost someone he cares about and he just lost a friend.
"Tony's already arranging it." Coulson tells Bucky.
"Good." Bucky comments not sure what else to say, "How did Skye sound?" he asks about a minute later.
"She was crying, she didn't say much." Coulson says and Bucky nods, "Are you alright?" Coulson asks as he notices the far away, pained look that Bucky just got on his face but the second after he asked the question he realised how stupid it was to ask.
"Not really, are you?" Bucky asks.
"Not even close." Coulson responds honestly, "We should go upstairs." He comments, Bucky nods and the pair head upstairs.
The entire ride from the nursing home to the hotel is done in silence. Tripp still hasn't said a word since they realised Peggy died and Skye's just been following her cousin's example.
Steve checks them into the hotel surprised when he finds out that several other rooms have now been added to the same booking.
"I called Dad not that long ago, I guess they're coming." Skye explains and Steve nods in understanding.
"I think Tony rented out the whole floor of suits." He comments.
"Probably." Skye answers as they get in the elevators and Steve walks into one of the suits they booked. As they entre it Tripp walks into one of the rooms without a word to either Skye or Steve.
"Tonio told me earlier that his Mother wasn't around much when he was growing up." Skye explains to Steve, "Grams and Uncle Mark practically raise him, I'll go to talk to him." Skye tells Steve.
"Skye he might not want to talk." Steve tells her.
"Then I'll sit with him, I'm not going to leave him along." Skye explains to her Uncle before leaving the room.
Once Skye leaves Steve walks over to the Mini bar and wishing, for the first time in a while, that he can get drunk, he pulls out all the bottles of Alcohol and starts to drink, allowing the tears to fall down as he does, remembering every memory of Peggy that he has, not ready to accept that memories are all he has now.
After she leaves her Uncle Skye walks into the room that Tripp claimed for himself and sees him sitting on the bed, a fair away look in his eyes, tears rolling down his face.
"I'm here, whatever you need Tonio, I'm here." Skye tells his cousin sitting down next to him.
"Just sit with me, please Skye." Tripp requests speaking the first words he has spoken in hours as he reaches over and grabs his cousin's hand.
"There isn't anywhere I'd rather be." Skye tells her cousin and the pair sit together in silence.
About forty minutes after Steve, Skye and Tripp arrived at the hotel the door to the suit opens and Melinda, Angela and Sharon walk in.
"How did you know we would be in here?" Steve asks.
"Process of eliminate." Melinda answers, "Skye and Tonio?"
"In there." Steve says pointing to the room they went into.
"Excuse me." Sharon says walking into that room.
"Can we?" Melinda asks referring to the alcohol that is left.
"Of course." Steve tells her, "But there's not that much left." He says as Melinda and Angela sit down at the table too.
"That's what room service is for." Angela tells him.
"Did you get all the paperwork done?" Steve ask.
"Yeah." Melinda answers, "For now at least, there will be more in the next few days." She tells Steve.
"Like I said, however I can help, let me know." Steve requests.
"We will." Angela tells him, "We're going to need your help Steve." Angela tells him.
"You've got it." Steve promises her.
"To Mom." Angela says holding up the drink she's drinking.
"To Mom." Melinda says holding her drink.
"To Peggy." Steve says and the three of them toast.
"I'm going to go check on the kids." Melinda says drinking her drink in a single mouthful before standing up and walking out of the room.
When Melinda enters the other room she finds Tripp, Skye and Sharon sitting on the bed Skye and Sharon either side of him. Melinda walks over and sits in front of them, putting one hand over the hands that Skye and Tripp have linked together the other over the one that Sharon and Tripp have.
"Ma?" Tripp asks.
"Drinking with Steve." Melinda tells her nephew.
"I need to get out of here." Tripp comments.
"Sounds like a good idea, let's go." Melinda tells her nephew.
"What? And subject Steve to extended time alone with Aunt Angela?" Sharon asks.
"Sharon." Melinda says in a warning tone of voice and Skye wonders once more what she is missing.
"I've got a point and you both know it." Sharon tells her cousin and Aunt.
"I'll stay." Melinda tells them about a minute later, "You three take the car, get away for a couple of hours." Melinda tells the three, "The next few days are going to be…. Very difficult, go have some time away while you can." Melinda tells the three, "I'll stay here, keep an eye on your Mom." She says to Tripp, "And Steve." She adds
"Thank you." Tripp says to his aunt.
"No need." Melinda tells him, "Just be careful and call me if you need anything." Melinda requests and Skye, Sharon and Tripp nods.
"I love you Mom, so much." Skye says giving her mother a hug.
"I love you too May." Melinda tells her daughter returning the hug and tightening it somewhat.
"See you later." Sharon tells her aunt, once she and Skye finally finish hugging, and with a nod, Skye, Sharon and Tripp get up and leave the room.
For a couple of minutes Melinda stays in the room alone collecting herself, putting the mask on her face that needs to be there because Skye, Angela, Tripp, Sharon and to a lesser extent Steve need her to hold it together, they need her to be the strong one, so that's what she is going to do.
Skye, Sharon and Tripp just arrive down in the lobby when they see the others who are just arriving.
"Dad." Skye says giving him a hug.
"Hey Baby Girl." Coulson says returning the hug.
"We're are you guys going?" Clint asks as Coulson and Skye end their hug.
"We're getting a way for a few hours." Sharon says as Tripp hugs Maria and Skye hugs Bucky, "We need some time." She explains.
"Ma, Aunt Melinda and Steve are upstairs." Tripp explains, "Have you given them the warnings about Ma?" He asks Coulson knowing that he is the only one who knows to.
"I was just about to." Coulson tells Tripp, "Is it just the normal ones or are their more as well?" he asks curious.
"Just the normal ones." He tells Coulson who nods.
"We need warnings about your mother?" Maria asks surprised a hint of worry to because she is going to be meeting her boyfriend's mother for the first time.
"Yeah." Tripp answers, "We're going driving for a few hours do you want to come?" he asks his girlfriend who nods.
Bucky begins to say something to Skye but she cuts him off,
"You need to see Uncle Steve, I know." Skye tells him, "You don't need to say anything." She says to Bucky who leans over and kisses her on the cheek,
"I'll be here when you get back." He tells her.
"Let's go." Sharon says and she Skye, Maria and Tripp go on way while the others go the rest that is until Tripp realises something, "Phil." He says and Coulson turns back so he walks over to him.
"Aunt Melinda hasn't cried and she was calling Grams Mom today, something I've never heard her do even though she has referred to her as her mother, or adoptive mother. I don't think she's doing too well." Tripp tells Coulson, someone who has known him his whole life.
"Thanks for telling me Tripp." Coulson tells the young man.
"Tonio." Tripp corrects, "We are family after all." He tells Coulson.
"That we are." Coulson tells the young man, "Drive safe and if you need anything I'm here." He tells Tripp.
"Thank you." Tripp tells him and he sticks out his hand for Coulson to shake but is surprised when Coulson uses it to pull him into a hug.
"I'm sorry." Coulson whispers in his ear.
"Thank you." Tripp says as they break apart, "And good luck with my mother." He says because he is pretty sure that it has been a very long time since Coulson and Angela have seen each other.
"Thanks, I may just need it." He tells Tripp and they go their separate ways.
"So warnings about Tripp's mother, you want to explain that?" Clint asks.
"Do not mention SHIELD." Coulson explains to them, "Her mother may have started it but she's not a big fan, never has been." Coulson says as the elevator doors close.
While Tripp catches up to the other three they are already at the car.
"How about I drive." Maria suggests when Tripp goes to open the door of the car.
Tripp doesn't say anything he just hands over the keys to Maria with a nod.
"So we're are we going?" Maria asks curious as Skye and Sharon get in the back and Tripp gets in the passenger seat.
"Away." Tripp says.
"Okay, anything more than that?" Maria asks, "Skye? Sharon?" she asks.
"Away sounds good." Sharon answers.
"Yeah, it really does." Skye adds.
"Away it is then." Maria says as she starts the car.
After driving for about an hour Maria pulls off a park having a feeling that they could all use some fresh air. While Maria and Tripp go for a walk Skye and Sharon sit down at a table.
"Did you know?" Sharon asks and Skye doesn't even have to ask what she is talking about.
"I knew from when Gram-Peggy, started to say goodbye to me." Skye explains, "I could have found out this morning but I didn't want to know, I deliberately didn't want to." Skye tells her cousin.
"Skye she is-was, your grandmother, you should call her Grams, you deserve to." Sharon tells her cousin.
"I never got to know her." Skye says to Sharon, "I should have, but I didn't. You and Tonio had her in your lives for all of yours and I feel that I don't have the right to be as upset as you guys." Skye tells Sharon.
"That's stupid." Sharon tells her, "You're not just morning Aunt Peggy, you're morning everything that was taken away from you too." Sharon tells her, "You should have grown up being with your parents, known mine; you should have gotten spoiled by Uncle Mark, and loved and supported unconditionally by Aunt Peggy, and Tonio and I should have been right by your side the whole time protecting you, and the three of us should have always been best friends" Sharon tells her cousin as she has spent enough time around Skye and at the tower to know that Skye didn't have the easiest childhood, "So don't you dare feel like you shouldn't be upset, you lost her too, but you also lost your chance at getting to know her. Let yourself be upset Skye, and don't let anyone make you feel like you shouldn't be." Sharon tells Skye.
"Thank you." Skye says and the pair drift into silence, "I'm worried about Mom." Skye admits a few minutes later.
"I don't blame you for that." Sharon admits, "But you know your Mom, she'll deal when she's ready to." Sharon tells Skye, "I think for the next few days at least your Mom is going to worry more about you, me and Tonio than anything, and deal with Aunt Angela." Sharon explains.
"Why do you phrase it like that?" Skye asks curious, "What am I missing?"
"What do you know?" Sharon asks.
"That she is a doctor and that she wasn't around much when Tonio was growing up that, Grams, and Mark practically raised him and that he quite often saw more of my Mom than his, oh and that she doesn't like shield." Skye comments, "What am I missing?"
"First Aunt Angela doesn't 'not like SHIELD' she hates it." Sharon explains, "I'm not sure exactly why but I think it's because she feels that when she was growing up that Aunt Peggy cared about SHIELD more than her something which isn't true." Sharon explains, "I wouldn't be surprised if there is a fight when we point out that Aunt Peggy wanted a public funeral because she knew a lot of people would want be there followed by a private burial, which she would have known if she was at the meetings were it was discussed." Sharon says angrily.
"Are you alright?" Skye asks.
"Not really." Sharon admits, "Aunt Angela is a good person, really, but she just thinks that she is always right, even when she is dead wrong." Sharon explains, "And she also sees the world in a very narrow way, unlike you or me, Tonio or your Mom who can't because of what we do." Sharon explains, "Things have to be her way otherwise they go to hell." Sharon explains, "Basically she's the complete opposite of what a person who has seen and done what we've seen and done can be which leads to fights with those of us who are so different." Sharon explains, "She doesn't understand our world and isn't willing to try." Sharon tells Skye, "So we don't mention it, I think that's why she's spent so long away so that she didn't have to understand it."
"Right, I'm starting to understand." Skye tells Sharon.
"Yeah, things should be interesting." Sharon comments and the cousins once more drift into silence.
"So did you say that you know what Peggy waned?" Skye asks curious.
"Yeah, we had a talk when Aunt Peggy first went into the home." Sharon explains, "Me, Your Mom, and Tonio were there, for some reason, I don't remember why Aunt Angela couldn't make it." Sharon explains.
"That should make things a bit easier." Skye comments although she doubts that there is something that could surely do that.
"It should." Sharon comments as Skye hears her phone beep, "What is it?" Sharon asks as Skye checks it.
"Mom, she said that you me, Tonio and Aunt Maria are in the suit that we were in earlier." Skye explains.
"Good to know." Sharon responds and the pair drift back into silence.
For about half an hour Skye and Sharon sit in silence, until Maria and Tripp walk back over.
"So Antione was saying that all you have eaten today is vending machine food, so how about we go and get some real food to eat." Maria suggests.
"Sure." Sharon answers.
"Why not." Skye says and the four get up and head back to the car.
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