Chapter 8
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.
AN: Thank you to all who have added to alerts, read, reviewed or any combination of the three. It means a lot to me.
AN2: Okay so I know that I said I was going to upload two chapters today but I had even less time to write than I was anticipating and I wasn't anticipating to not have much so If I were to upload two chapters I would be risking not being able to upload daily. I will upload two chapters once I have built up my chapter reserve again. Also I am still freaking out over The Winter Solider and I saw it Thursday. Hope you enjoy this chapter, sorry for the wait.
"How is he?" Melinda asks the Doctor.
"He is currently stable." The Doctor answers, "We believe that we stopped the bleeding before any brain damage could occur, but we won't know for sure until he wakes.
"When will that be?" Natasha asks.
"A couple of days, maybe more, we can't be sure." The Doctor responds.
"Can we see him?" Melinda asks.
"Of course I'll have a nurse show you to his room, but only two at a time for now." The Doctor answers.
"Mels you and Nat go." Clint says before anyone can say anything, "We'll wait here." He tells them.
"Thank you Clint." Melinda tells him as even though she is too proud to admit it she needs her best friend with her at the moment.
"I'll also call Tony." Clint adds, "Fill him in."
"Thank you." Melinda tells him.
"If you would follow me." The nurse tells Melinda and her and Natasha follow the nurse.
"So why did Commander Hill Taze you?" Ward asks his SO curious.
"That's an interesting story." Garrett responds and he begins to tell it, Clint adding in his own bits as he does.
"We did agree to that." Tony tells Bruce and Steve.
"You can't be serious." Bruce tells him.
"Never, but on this I am." Tony responds.
"Sir, Agent Barton is calling." Jarvis informs Tony before Bruce or Steve can object further.
"Uncle Clint." Skye says happily.
"What's going on?" Tony asks Clint picking up his phone.
"Phil's out of surgery, they think that they were quick enough to prevent any brain damage from occurring." Clint reveals, "But we can't be sure until he wakes." He adds.
"When will that be?" Tony asks interested.
"A couple of days, Mels and Nat just went in to see him." Clint explains.
"I want to talk to Uncle Clint." Skye says.
"You hear that?" Tony asks.
"Yeah, put her on." Clint tells him.
"Hi Uncle Clint." Skye says.
"Hi Kid."
"When can I come home?" Skye asks.
"I'm not sure, a few days maybe." Clint answers, "But you're having fun with Uncle Tony, Aunt Pepper, Uncle Bruce and Uncle Steve right?" he asks curious.
"Yeah." Skye answers.
"What have you been doing?" Clint asks.
"We went for Ice Cream, it was really yummy." Skye tells her Uncle, "And I read, and I want to play the card game I play with Ward, do you know what it is?" Skye asks curious.
"Hang on a second." Clint requests, "Ward, card game you play with Skye, what is it?" he asks interested.
"Uno." Ward answers.
"It's called Uno kid." Clint tells her.
"Ohh, thank you. Do you think Aunt Pepper will let me play that before giving Uncle Tony, Uncle Steve and Uncle Bruce a makeover?" Skye asks her Uncle curious.
"I'm sure she will." Clint answers, "Do me a favour Kid, get Aunt Pepper to send me pictures of Uncle Tony, Uncle Steve and Uncle Bruce once you've given them makeovers." Clint requests as he has to get photos of that.
"I will." Skye assures.
"Good. I should go I'll talk to you later." Clint tells his niece.
"Bye Uncle Clint." Skye resounds.
"Uncle Tony do you have Uno cards?" Skye asks curious.
"Yeah, I do." Tony answers.
"You do?" Steve asks surprised.
"When are you going to learn that I have everything?" Tony asks him.
"Aunt Pepper can we play cards then give makeovers?" Skye asks curious.
"I think we can manage that." Pepper responds and Tony goes in search of the cards and Steve and Bruce are glad for the temporary distraction.
At the base in Australia Melinda and Natasha have just entered Phil's room where they find him connected to several machines and bandage on his head.
"You know I really hope that they didn't have to shave of his hair, you know how pissed he would be?" Natasha asks Melinda.
"Very." Melinda answers and she walks over and sits next to Coulson, "He's still angry about the time when you and I shaved his head while he was sleeping what, nineteen years ago?" she asks her friend.
"About that long. I don't know what he was so angry about, we shaved Clint's head too." Natasha answers and they both becomes silent, "I'm getting very sick of one of us always being in a hospital bed." Natasha tells her friend, a couple of minutes later, walking over and sitting next to her.
"So am I." Melinda tells her.
"We need to find Quinn, but to do that I think we need to find the mole." Natasha comments
"What are you thinking?" Melinda asks interested.
"I'm not sure yet." Natasha admits, "But I'll figure it out. Quinn can't stay hidden forever, we will find him." Natasha tells her friend.
Out in waiting room Clint and Garrett are reminiscing about the old days to the interest of Simmons, Fitz, Ward and Tripp.
"You know Skye would really love to hear this." Simmons says to Fitz.
"I wouldn't be surprised if she knew at least some of these stories." Fitz tells his girlfriend.
"But she doesn't remember them." Simmons points out.
"In regards to these stories, that's not a bad thing." Ward tells the two scientists, "They are not appropriate for a child." He tells them.
"None of their stories are." Maria sys walking into the room having heard what is going on from down the corridor.
"Well if it isn't the lovely Maria Hill, to what do we owe the pleasure of you company?" Garrett asks and Clint and Maria roll their eyes, "And you're part of most of these stories." He adds.
"I came to see how Phil is." Maria answers, "But while I'm here, I am also here to tell you that you have eight months of paperwork to do." Maria informs Garrett.
"Let's go have a drink, then I'll do the paperwork." Garrett tells Maria.
"It's never just one drink with you John." Maria reminds him.
"She's right there." Clint comments, "I remember the last time you two went out for 'just one drink', we didn't hear from you for three days. We almost sent out a search team and you never told us what you did." He reminds them.
"That was a long time ago and you never tell us most of what you four get up to either." Garrett tells him.
"It was five years ago and good point." Clint responds.
"Okay, enough reminiscing, where is Phil?" Maria asks.
"I'll show you." Clint says standing up.
"You will do that paper work." Maria says to Garrett before following Clint to Coulson's room.
For over an hour Pepper, Tony, Skye, Bruce and Steve play Uno. After half an hour Skye and Bruce team up against the others to make it so that they help each other and gang up on the other three.
"Okay, this is unfair." Tony comments.
"No, it's not I'm winning." Skye tells her Uncle.
"Just because your Uncle Bruce is helping you cheat." Tony comments.
"No, He's not." Skye says in the most innocent voice any of them have heard.
"Yes he is, and you know what Uncle Steve is a boy scout he doesn't like cheating." Tony tells her.
"Really, dragging me into this?" Steve asks Tony.
"Well he couldn't use himself as an example, Skye's three but even she would know that that is a lie." Pepper comments.
"I win." Skye says as she puts down a draw four card while the others are focusing on their conversation.
"Yeah, I guess you do Kiddo, what do you want to do?" Tony asks.
"I want to fly, like in all the stories everyone tells me." Skye tells him.
"I think we can arrange that." Tony tells her.
"NO." Pepper, Steve and Bruce say together.
"Phil and Melinda would kill us." Steve tells him, "Not just you, all of us, and Clint and Natasha would help." He tells Tony, "How about we go to Coney Island and you ride some of the rides. We can go on the Ferris wheel, it takes you up really high." He tells Skye.
For about a minute Skye looks like she is seriously considering it.
"I'll buy you cotton candy." Steve tells her.
'What's that?" Skye asks confused.
"Something you'll love, promise." He tells her.
"Okay." Skye responds, "Is everyone coming?" Skye asks.
"I've got some work to do Skye, sorry." Bruce tells her.
"Miss Potts, Mr Hogan is here to take you to your meeting." Jarvis says.
"And looks like I've got to go too." Pepper tells the young girl.
"Uncle Tony?" Skye asks.
"Cony Island, Cotton Candy, how can I say no." Tony responds.
"Good luck with them." Bruce tells Steve before heading to his lab.
"Sir, Cornel Rhodes is here." Jarvis informs Tony.
"Were you expecting him?" Pepper asks Tony.
"Not that I remember." Tony comments.
"I'll see you later." Pepper tells him giving him a kiss goodbye, "Have fun with Uncle Tony and Uncle Steve." Pepper tells Steve before heading to the elevator, arrive at it just as the doors open to reveal Rhodey, he and Pepper great each other before leaving.
"What's going on?" Tony asks Rhdoey.
"Nothing much, just thought I would stop by." Rhodey tells his friend, "Who's the kid?" he asks confused.
"May Skye Philippa Coulson." Skye answers to Rhodey's shock.
"Skye, why don't you go get changed into something warmer while I go get us a couple of drinks from the kitchen to take with us." Steve suggests giving Rhodey a look which says 'don't say anything.'
"Okay." Skye says and she heads to her room.
"What the hell is going on?" Rhodey asks once Skye is out of hearing range, "The last time I saw Skye Coulson she was a twenty five year old about to go away to S.H.I.E.L.D training and now she's what four?" he asks shocked.
"About three and a half, technically." Tony answers, "It's a long story, but basically Skye was dying and the only way to save her is to de age her but she will age quicker than normal, which is what has been happening. It would be too dangerous if she were to grow up at the house like Melinda and Coulson wanted so instead she has been living on the plane but they got a lead on Quinn and it was too dangerous for Skye to be with them so she's staying here for, I'm actually not sure how long, because Phil was hurt and at as S.H.I.E.L.D base in Australia and with Quinn still on the lose it will be too dangerous for Skye to go there." Tony explains.
"Wow, does she remember?" Rhodey ask.
"No." Tony answers, "Not at the moment anyway." He adds, "We're going to Coney Island because Steve, Pepper and Bruce are too much of a buzz kill to let me take Skye flying in my suit, want to come?" He asks curious.
"I'm with them on this one that really would have been a stupid idea." Rhodey tells Tony, "And I'm good. I'm guessing it was Caps idea to go to Coney Island." He comments still surprised that Tony Stark is looking after a three year old kid.
"Yeah, how did you know?" Tony asks.
"It makes sense." Rhodey answers, "He does know that it's not like he remembers it right?" Rhodey asks.
"I'm not really sure." Tony answers truthfully.
"Well have fun, I'll talk to you later." Rhodey says going back to the elevator.
"I'm ready." Skye says coming out of her room.
"I see that." Tony tells her, "Steve get your ass out here." Tony yells.
"I'm coming." Tony says walking out from the kitchen.
"Really?" Tony asks raising a suggestive eyebrow and Steve rolls his eyes,
"You know anything that Skye picks up on while she's here, you'll be explaining to Phil and Melinda." Steve informs him.
"What does that mean?" Skye asks confused.
"Nothing." Tony answers, "Let's get going Kiddo." He tells her and the three leave the tower.
When Maria and Clint entre Phil's room they see both Natasha and Melinda sitting next to each other.
"How is he?" Maria ask.
"From what I know as good as he can be." Melinda tells her, "The Doctors think it's going to be a couple of days before he wakes, but that there shouldn't be any brain damage." She explains.
"Good, that's good." Maria answers.
"Is there anything on Quinn?" Melinda asks interested
"Not yet." Maria answers, "Agents Hand, Sitwell and Blake are leading a team who are looking, but they haven't found anything yet." She reveals.
"How does he keep hiding?" Natasha asks.
"I don't know." Maria answers, "But we are doing everything we can to find him." She tells the others.
"If I tell the right lie to the right people then Quinn will have a harder time hiding than he already is having." Natasha tells the other three, "It's risky, which is why I haven't suggested it before but it could work." She tells them.
"How risky?" Maria asks Natasha.
"It could end with Quinn getting more allies and becoming even harder to find." Natasha explains.
"I'd wait until we are truly desperate to try that." Maria comments
"We're not already?" Clint asks.
"We are, but because of the risks with doing Natasha's plan we should wait until we've truly got no other option." Maria tells them.
"That's your way of nicely giving us an order not to do it until we've got no other option isn't it?" Natasha ask.
"Yep." Maria answers, "Now if you excuse me I've got to go and get John started on the eight months of paperwork he is behind on." Maria says exiting the room.
"Good luck with that." Clint says to her retreating figure, "But I'm betting Garrett has disappeared from the waiting room." He comments.
"Didn't he learn his lesson the last time he tried to run away from Maria?" Melinda asks curious.
"It's Garrett, who knows." Clint answers and he goes and sits on the windowsill behind Melinda and Natasha.
"Skye there is something important that you need to promise Uncle Tony and I." Steve tells Skye as he gets her out of the car.
"What's that?" Skye asks.
"That you always stay with Uncle Tony and I, that you do not wonder off on your own and if anyone asks you to go with them, even if they say they know you or your parents or us, you scream and don't stop until you're with us. Can you do that for me?" Steve asks the young girl.
"Yep." Skye responds.
"Here put this in your pocket." Tony says handing Skye a small tracker.
"What is it?" Skye asks confused.
"It's something really important and a secret, you can't tell anyone you have it. Can you do that for me?" He asks.
"Yep." Skye says as she puts the tracker in her pocket.
"Good girl." Tony tells her, "To the Ferris Wheel." He says to Steve.
"To the Ferris Wheel." He responds, "Skye do you want to ride on my shoulders?" he asks.
"Can I?" Skye asks excitedly.
"Of course." Steve says and he lifts her up and puts her on his shoulders.
"Then let's go, Kiddo you have the best view off us all." Tony tells Skye and his phone rings, "I'll catch-up." He tells him.
"I can't think of anything charming or witty to say." Tony says as he answers.
"Are you at Coney Island yet?" Pepper's voice asks a hint of concern clear.
"Just got here, why?" Tony asks concerned.
"Because pictures from the ice cream parlour this morning have just hit the internet." Pepper reveals, "Speculation about who the kid that is with Iron Man and Captain America have begun, if people at Coney Island take pictures there I likely to be a lot more." Pepper explains.
"Okay. I'll call Bruce, get him to run the program we have at home to crash certain websites and remove posts." He says, "Call Barton get him to see if there is something S.H.I.E.L.D can do." He tells Pepper.
"Will do." Pepper responds and Pepper ends the call and Tony makes another one.
"What is it Tony?" Bruce asks answering.
"There is something I need you to do." Tony tells his friend as he explains what is going on.
"Trouble?" Steve ask Tony when he catches up to him and Skye several minutes after Pepper's phone call.
"Not really, it's being handled." Tony responds and Steve gives him a look which says that he doesn't believe him, "So are we going to go in a moving car or a stationary one?" Tony asks interested.
"I don't know, Skye?" Steve asks.
"Moving" Skye answers because she doesn't know what the other word means.
"Good choice." Tony tells her, "Hey old guy, what's with the look?" Tony asks Steve
"Huh, what?" Steve asks as he wasn't paying attention to Tony but instead looking around the park, surprised by how surprised he is that it has changed so much.
"What's bothering you?" Tony asks
"Nothing." Steve answers, "it's just different that's all."
"I thought you were used to that by now." Tony comments.
"I am, this isn't the same though." Steve answers thinking of the times he came here with Bucky.
Clint, Natasha and Melinda are all sitting in Phil's room. All three of them are quite surprised that one of them haven't been kicked out though they assume that Maria has something to do with why they haven't. About twenty minutes earlier Clint received a call from Pepper and he called Maria to get her to help with the requests. Since then the three friends have been sitting in silence and once more Clint's phone rings.
"Barton." He answers, "I'll be right there." Clint responds, "That was the motor pool there running diagnostics on the plane and they need someone who regularly flies it to check a few things, do you want to come or do you want me to go alone?" Clint asks his sister
"You go." Melinda answers, "I'm staying with Phil until he wakes." She responds.
"Okay, I shouldn't be too long." Clint responds and he leaves the room.
As soon as Tony, Skye and Steve get back to the tower after Coney Island Tony and Steve realises how much of a mistake it was to give Skye free choice of the food that she wanted.
"That really wasn't a good idea." Steve says to Tony as the elevator to the top floor opens and Skye goes running out in a flash.
"You're the one who kept telling her that she had to try things." Tony points out.
"It what I did when I was a kid." Steve comments.
"I'm betting you were older." Tony responds.
"How much did you let her eat?" Bruce asks walking over to the pair.
"A lot." Both Tony and Steve respond.
"Pepper home yet?" Tony asks curious.
"No, not yet." Bruce answers, "Have fun trying to calm Skye down before Pepper gets home." Bruce tells him.
"You have to help us." Steve says when Bruce starts to walk away.
"How?" Bruce asks, "What can I do? We've just got to let her burn all the energy." Bruce tells him.
"She's a three year old on a sugar rush, it's not physically possible for her to burn that much energy." Tony comments.
"Well who do you have to blame for that?" Bruce says.
"Him." Tony and Steve say together.
"Sir Agent May from S.H.I.E.L.D is calling." Jarvis tells Tony.
"You two try and calm her down before she speaks to Melinda." Tony requests, "Hello Melinda." He answers.
"Hi Tony, I was calling to see how things were going." Melinda tells him.
"Things are good. How's Phil?" Tony asks.
"The same." Melinda answers, " How's Skye?" she asks curious.
"She's good." Tony answers, "We just got back from Coney Island, she had a really good time." Tony tells her.
"She's ate too much sugar didn't she?" Melinda asks.
"Yeah." Tony responds deciding to not even question how she knows that, "Steve and Bruce are trying to calm her down, but don't worry we learnt our lesson." He tells her.
"Put her on the phone." Melinda requests.
"SKYE YOUR MOTHERS ON THE PHONE." Tony yells hoping that she will just come to him.
"Mommmmmmy." Skye says running to Tony.
"Hi Skye." Melinda says to her daughter.
"Hi Mommy." Skye says, "Can Daddy hear too?"
"Daddy's sleeping at the moment." Melinda tell her daughter, "So I heard you went to Coney Island with Uncle Tony."
"And Uncle Steve. We played games and went on rides and ate yummy food." Skye tells her mother.
"That sounds like it was fun." Melinda says.
"It was." Skye tells her mother, "When can I come home?"
"Not for a little while." Melinda tells her daughter, "But until then you're going to be with Uncle Tony, Uncle Steve, Uncle Bruce and Aunt Pepper, and while you are need to be a good girl and do what they tell you to, can you do that?" Melinda asks
"Yep, I'm a good girl." Skye tells her mother.
"Good, I love you May." Melinda tells her daughter.
"I love you Mommy." Skye responds.
"Hand the phone to Uncle Tony." Melinda requests and that's what Skye does and once she does she goes running off again.
"Any tips on how to get her to sleep?" Tony asks Melinda.
"Let her spend some time running around before trying, also make sure you are clear that when it's bedtime she will go to bed. Don't cave if she gives you her begging look, be strict Tony." Melinda tells him.
"Okay, I think I can do that." Tony comments, "Or at least, Steve, Bruce or Pepper can."
"No, you have to do it Tony." Melinda tells him, "If you don't then she will always think that she can get away with anything with you." Melinda tells him.
"Okay, I'll be strict." Tony tells her, "I'll talk to you later.
"Talk to you later." Melinda responds and they both hang up and Tony goes in search of Skye.
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