Chapter 33
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"And finally May." Peggy says after ten minutes of talking to her granddaughter of sharing the advice she has learnt over the years, "Never let anyone hold you back, no matter who they are, you are capable of amazing things, don't let anyone stop you from achieving them." Peggy tells Skye.
"I won't." Skye promises her grandmother.
"Good." Peggy tells her.
"I should go get the others, let them back in." Skye says to Peggy who nods so Skye gets up and gets the others.
Within a few minutes Skye, Melinda, Sharon and Tripp are once more sitting on Peggy's bed and Steve is one more in the seat beside it.
"Ma's plane gets in in half an hour, I should go meet her." Tripp comments realising the time.
"Can I come?" Skye asks curious as she thinks that the first time meeting Tripp's mother would be easier if everyone else wasn't around.
"If you want." Tripp answers, "Keys please." He asks Melinda who hands them over,
"Drive safe." She tells her nephew.
"Yes Aunt Melinda." Tripp says, resisting the urge to roll his eyes, as he and Skye walk towards the door.
"I'm driving." Skye says stealing the keys off Tripp.
"No, you're not." Tripp says taking the keys off her and using his taller height to keep them out of her reach.
"Okay, that's just mean." Sharon, Melinda, Peggy and Steve hear Skye's voice say as Skye and Tripp walk down the corridor away from Peggy's room.
Ten minutes after they left the facility Skye and Tripp are driving in the car on their way to the airport to pick up Tripp's mother.
"So, what's your Mom like?" Skye asks Tripp curious as she releases that she knows basically nothing about Tripp's mom that Sharon, Tripp or her mom haven't really mentioned her, something which Skye is now realising, because she is thinking about it, is odd.
"She's a doctor." Tripp answers, "Was trained as a general surgeon but has spent the last seven years mainly out of the country providing health care for people in third world countries." Tripp explains.
"Like Uncle Bruce does?" Skye asks.
"Yeah, exactly like that." Tripp answers, "It's kind of ironic considering how much she hates to fly, but it's important to her." Tripp explains.
"Are you close?" Skye asks curious.
"Not really." Tripp answers and as soon as she sees the look on his face Skye realises that maybe she shouldn't have asked and that whatever is causing that look may be the reason why Tripp's mother hasn't been mentioned much.
"I'm sorry, you don't have to tell me." Skye tells him.
"It's okay, I want to." Tripp tells her, "You'll figure it out soon enough anyway." Tripp tells his cousin, "Ma's great, I'm not saying that she's not, she's a great mom, she just wasn't around that much." Tripp explains, "When my Dad was alive I remember that she was around a lot more, but after he died she wasn't as much." Tripp explains, "Growing up, after Dad died, I think I spent more time with Uncle Mark or Grams than I did with Mom, hell there was even times when I saw more off your Mom than I did of mine." Tripp explains.
"Really?" Skye asks surprised, not just because Tripp saw his mother so little but because when Tripp was growing up her mother would have still been a specialist which means she would have been away on missions a lot.
"Really." Tripp answers, "I know she loves me and that she tried her best, but we're not close." Tripp explains, a small amount of pain clear in his voice as would like to be closes to his mother, "Especially considering I chose to join SHIELD."
"Did she not approve of that?" Skye asks surprised.
"Not really." Tripp answers, "She knows how much it means to Grams and that it meant a lot to Grandpa, but it was something she actively decided not to be a part of." He explains, "And she wasn't that happy that I chose to be." Tripp explains, "We had a big fight the day I told her I was going to the Academy." Tripp explains.
"So don't mention SHIELD much around your Mom?" Skye asks her cousin.
"Probably a good choice." Tripp answers, "It's what Sharon and your Mom does."
"Got it." Skye tells him, "How do my Mom and you Mom get along?" Skye asks curious.
"There basically sisters, and I remember that they used to act like it, not so much anymore." Tripp admits, "When I was sixteen I ran away from home and ended up staying with Your Mom for a while. I think Mom was angry that Aunt Melinda didn't force me to go back." Tripp admits, "And the fact that Aunt Melinda supported my decision to join SHIELD probably didn't help." Tripp admits, "But they do care about each other and they do get along, they just aren't as close as they once were." Tripp explains, feeling bad that he is basically one of the main reasons why his mothers and Skye's aren't as close as they once more.
"How long did you live with Mom?" Skye ask curious and surprise that she didn't know.
"A few weeks, a month maybe." Tripp answers not remembering exactly how long it was, "This was before your Mom gave up field work so when she was away I stayed with Grams." Tripp explains, "I remember one night your Mom had just gotten back from a mission and I got up for some reason, I'm not sure what, I couldn't sleep or needed a drink or something." Tripp says trying to remember why he got up, "I don't know, it's not important, anyway and I found her out in the lounge room, asleep surrounded by files, I thought that she must have fell asleep working, but I realised they were all about you." Tripp reveals, "She was trying to find you, she must have fallen asleep going through what she knew." Tripp tells his cousin.
"Thank you for telling me." Skye tells her cousin, not sure what else to say because she knew that parents never stopped looking for her but hearing that Tripp knows that because he was their Skye can't help but feel a little bit jealous about that, even though she knows that she has no reason to be.
"Of course." Tripp respond and the pair drift into silence.
Ten minutes later Skye and Tripp arrive at the airport and make their way through security and to the arrivals section of the airport.
"Her plane has landed." Tripp says looking at board at the gate where his mother should be coming through.
"So she should be hear any minute right." Skye comments.
"Yeah, she should." Tripp answers and the pair wait in silence for a few minutes, "There she is." Tripp says pointing out a woman who; has lighter skin than Tripp, clearly at least a few years older than Melinda, dark hair up in a bun, who is wearing a business suit and who looks a lot like her mother though Skye realises going by pictures she has seen of Gabe that you can see a lot of him in her as well, "Just a warning my Mom's a little full on." Tripp tells his cousin as he waves to his mother.
"What does that mean?" Skye asks confused.
"You'll see." Tripp says taking a step forward, "Hey Ma." Tripp says.
"Antoine." Tripp's mother says to her giving him a hug, "How are you?" she asks her son.
"I'm good Ma, how are you?" Tripp asks.
"I'm alright, I was able to sleep most of the flight which was good." Tripp's mother reveals, "Hello." She says to Skye who is standing awkwardly slightly behind Tripp.
"Hi." Skye says back.
"Ma, this is May Coulson, or Skye as she goes by now, Skye, this my Mom Angela." Tripp explain to his cousin before Skye cay say anything Angela is giving her a hug.
"I am so happy to see you again." Angela tells Skye, "It's been far too long." She tells Skye who is looking at Tripp who just has an amused expression on his face and mouths "Told you so." At her once he notices that she is looking at him.
"Yeah, nice to meet you too." Skye says awkwardly returning the hug.
"So Ma, do you have bags you need to pick up?" Tripp asks his mother.
"No, just this." Angela says referring to the rolling suitcase that is behind her.
"Cool, I'll get that and let's get going." Tripp says to his mother who nods.
"So you said on the phone that Mom is lucid?" Angela asks her son.
"Yes." Tripp answers, "She's completely aware, the doctors don't know why or how long it will last." Tripp explains.
"There is no predicting these things." Angela comments, "There is a lot about her condition that we don't understand." She explains, "Who's with her?" She asks curious.
"My Mom, Sharon and Steve Rogers." Skye answers.
"Good." Angela answers, "It would help having Steve there." Angela comments, "What about your Father?" Angela asks Skye curious, "Did he not come as well?"
"No, there were some meetings that he couldn't get out off." Skye answers.
"Right." Angela says as the three leave the airport.
"Thanks for the warning." Skye whispers to Tripp as they do.
"You're welcome." Tripp responds.
Twenty minutes after they left the Airport Tripp, Skye and Angela arrive back at the facility where Peggy lives and they head straight back to Peggy's room, kindly greeting the nurses at the nurses station as they do.
"We're back." Skye says as they enter the room.
"Hey Angie." Melinda says getting standing up from where she is sitting on the edge of Peggy's bed.
"Hey Melinda." She says giving her a hug.
"Hey Aunt Angela." Sharon says to her walking over to her Aunt to get the hug that she knows is coming.
"HI Sharon." Angela says hugging her niece.
"Angie this is Steve Rogers." Melinda introduces, "Steve this is Angela Triplett, formally Angela Carter-Jones." She says to Steve who stood up as soon as Angela walked in the room.
"It's a privilege to meet you Ma'am." Steve says to her.
"Angie, please Captain." Angela requests, "I've heard stories of you my whole life, I consider it my privilege to meet you." She says to Steve before surprising him by giving him a hug to.
"Angie a hugger." Melinda explains.
"There is nothing wrong with that." Angela tells Melinda.
"I never said there was." Melinda responds, sounding slightly defensive, something that Skye is surprised to hear, as Angela sits down right next to her mother.
"Hey Mom." Angela says.
"Angie, I've missed you so much." Peggy tells her daughter.
"I've missed you to." Angela admits.
"Guys how about we give Angie and Mom some time alone." Melinda suggests, not realising what she said.
"Sounds good." Sharon says having a feeling that it's a good idea.
"Thank Melinda." Angela tells her sister and Melinda just nods in response and the other five leave the room, leaving Mother and daughter alone.
While Angela and Peggy spend some time together the others once more hit the vending machine and wait out in the corridor until Angela and Peggy have had their conversation that the need to have.
For half an hour Skye, Melinda, Sharon, Tripp and Steve wait out in the hall, until the door opens and Angela says that they can come back in.
Once they re-entre Peggy's room, Sharon, Skye and Tripp sit down on the bed while Melinda, Steve and Angela sit on chairs.
"I can't believe that we're all together again." Angela says shocked.
"It takes a while to get used to." Melinda comments.
"Well Skye and Tonio already act like cousins so things are starting to get back to the way they should have been." Sharon comments.
"And you're not?" Skye says to her, "You're as bad as the two of us."
"No I'm not." Sharon argues.
"Yes you are." Skye and Tripp say together.
"Can you three go five minutes without fighting?" Melinda asks her daughter, niece and nephew.
"Shouldn't give them a hard time Melinda." Peggy tells her daughter, "You, Angie and Marcus were just as bad." Peggy tells her daughter.
"No we weren't." Melinda and Angie say together causing Skye and Tripp to exchange amused looks as both their mothers sounded like teenagers.
"Yes Dears, you were." Peggy tells them.
"I admit we may have had our moments." Angie comments,
"More than a few." Peggy tells her daughter.
"But, we were more the prank war when we spent extended amounts of time together type rather than argue." Angela tells her mother.
"Yes you were." Peggy comments remembering.
"You were?" Skye and Tripp ask together surprised, though Skye realises she really shouldn't be.
"Yes we were." Melinda answers, "Though we didn't quite often get away with them, you always found us out." Melinda says to Peggy.
"I spent most of my time around soldiers, I know a prank when I see one." Peggy comments and Steve has to laugh at that.
"Is that how Uncle Tony can never pull a prank on you?" Skye asks her Uncle Curious.
"Yes, I know all the warning signs." Steve tells his niece.
"Not all of them." Melinda comment exchanging a look with Steve.
"True." Steve admits.
"We got some pranks over on you." Angela tells her mother.
"Yes you did." Peggy tells her.
"Usually when we worked together." Melinda admits, "Though it did help me develop my pranking skills for later on." She reveals.
"What kind of pranks did you pull?" Skye asks her mother and Angela curious.
"I'm not sure we should be giving you ideas." Angela comments.
"I think I have to agree with that." Melinda comments.
"Come on please Mom." Skye says.
"Yeah, please Ma." Tripp adds and both Melinda and Angela turn to Peggy for help.
"This isn't up to me Dears." Peggy tells them.
"I guess we might be able to tell give you a few ideas." Angela comments.
"But if we do, you have to promise not to use them on me." Melina tells Skye, Tripp and Sharon.
"Or me." Steve adds.
"Or Steve, do you three agree?" Melinda asks Skye, Tripp and Sharon.
"Yes." Skye, Tripp and Sharon respond.
"Why am I being forced to agree?" Sharon asks.
"Because I don't doubt that you'll be a part of any pranking that goes on." Melinda tells her.
"That's." Sharon begins to object but then realises that her aunt is right, "Completely true, continue." She says.
"Good, which one do you think was our best prank Mom?" Angela asks curious.
"They were all very inventive." Peggy tells her daughter, "I would start with the ones that didn't cause harm." She suggest.
"There goes about sixty percent of them." Melinda comments and Angela and Peggy smile at that because they know how true it is.
"Where should we start?" Melinda asks Angela.
"I think with the ones you and I pulled on Mark." Angela tells her.
"Good choice." Melinda responds and together Melinda and Angela tell the stories of their favourite pranks. As they do Peggy looks between her daughters and her three grandchildren who are listening to the stories with intense interested and smiles, glad to have her family together with her. As she listens to her daughters Peggy reaches over and grabs Steve's hand, exchanging a smile with him, feeling truly happy.
Over the next fifteen minutes Melinda and Angela continue to tell stories of their old pranks that makes Steve realises things are going to be rather interesting at the tower for a while.
"What was the first prank that you and Angela pulled together Mom?" Skye asks curious.
"Aunt Angela." Angela corrects.
"Aunt Angela." Skye repeats, it feeling odd to do so.
"That would have been what? The first Christmas I spent with you?" Melinda asks Angela uncertain.
"Yeah it wold have been." Angela answers thinking back, "Mark managed to get leave over Christmas by some miracle and he offered to pick me up from school on his way home." Angela remembers.
"But he was a jerk to you the whole way back." Melinda remembers.
"Yeah, because he made a mistake at something and he was taking it out on me rather than himself." Angela confirms, "When we got home you came to see if I was okay because you could tell that I was upset."
"I thought it was because of me." Melinda comments.
"Which I quickly assured you that it wasn't, you were already a little sister to me back then." Angela tells Melinda, "And when I told you what Mark did, you came up with the prank idea."
"Which was?" Sharon asks curious.
"Mark would always go for a long run every morning." Melinda explains, "So while Angie was distracting Mom and Mark I snuck some of the left over pudding mixture from the Christmas puddings that Mom made and put it in his running shoes." Melinda explains and Skye, Tripp and Sharon laugh, even Steve smiles a bit.
"He was so angry." Angela says remembering.
"No, he was pissed." Melinda corrects, "Mom made us clean all the disses from Christmas lunch and dinner for that." She says remembering.
"That really wasn't fun." Angela comments, "Do you remember that Mom?" Angela asks but she receives no answer, "Mom?" Angela asks as everyone turns to Peggy who looks like she is sleeping.
"Peggy?" Steve asks worried picking up Peggy's hand that he let go of at some point during Melinda and Angela's stories.
Back in New York Coulson is just getting back to the tower after is meetings which surprisingly went well.
"How did they go?" Natasha who is walking past the elevator as Coulson gets out on the main floor go.
"Surprisingly good." Coulson answers, "Are Tony and Maria in the War Room?" Coulson asks curious, "I would like to tell you together."
"Yeah they are." Natasha answers as the walk to the war room.
"Phil, how did it go?" Maria asks when he and Natasha walk into the War Room a few minutes later.
"Good, really good." Coulson answers but before he can explain more his phone rings, "And I'll elaborate on that in a second." Coulson says, "Hello." He says answering his phone.
"Dad." Skye's voice says but the second he hears it he knows something is wrong as Skye sounds like she is crying.
"Skye? What's wrong? What happened?" Coulson asks worried.
"Grams, Peggy, died half an hour ago." Skye reveals clearly having trouble getting the words out.
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