Chapter 40
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.
For the week and a half that follow Peggy's funeral, the wake that turned into a bar fight and the night where everyone revealed a secret. Phil, Melinda, Tripp, Skye, Sharon, Steve and Bucky are in DC. The others stayed for a few days but then they had to get back to New York to do their work.
During the time that they have spent in DC, they have packed up Peggy's room at the home and they have gone through all her storage lockers and Skye attended the first update congress meeting. They have decide not to throw out a single thing of Peggy's, so they spent several days just organizing the possessions and boxing up items and documents that could help them with SHIELD to take back with them to New York.
After flying out of DC in the private jet first thing in the morning Skye, Melinda, Phil, Tripp, Sharon, Steve and Bucky arrive back at the tower just in time for lunch.
While Steve, Bucky and Coulson take the boxes they brought with them from DC to the War Room everyone else heads straight to the dining room.
"Finally, you're back." Tony says when he spots the group, "Good things were getting boring without you lot." He comments.
"I'm going to try not to be insulted by that." Sam comments with a frown.
"Where's Steve?" Tony asks ignoring Sam.
"With Bucky and Phil taking boxes of things that could be useful to the War Room." Melinda explains as she sits down, "What have we missed?" she asks looking at Maria.
"Nothing major." Maria answers, "We'll do the whole catch up meeting later." Maria explains and Melinda nods.
"Have you heard from your mother?" Maria asks Tripp, hesitantly, not sure if she should ask or not.
"Not since I emailed her about the will." Tripp answers, "I'm not surprised though, I'll hear from her when she wants something." He says shrugging the whole thing off though it is clear that he is bothered.
"I'm sorry." Maria says to him quietly.
"It's fine." Tripp assures, though that is very far from the truth.
"Skye, how was congress?" Maria asks curious.
"The same, children." Skye answers, "Wanting to make threats but too afraid of what I will do if they go through with them." Skye tells her Aunt.
"Fun." Tony says sarcastically.
"Totally." Skye tells him also sarcastically as Steve, Bucky and Phil walk in.
"We've got several boxes to go through." Coulson reveals.
"Plus we've got to find the things from your Dad that Grams said would help." Tripp comments looking at Tony.
"What?" Tony asks surprised.
"Didn't we mention that?" Melinda asks.
"No you didn't." Tony tells her, "Do you want to explain." He requests.
"Peggy told us that in one of your fathers' storage lockers there is are hard copy documents, which were never made digital that they used to found SHIELD." Melinda explains.
"We'll look." Tony says, surprised by the revolution, "But it might take a while, he has a lot of stuff." He comments and the others no and they all begin lunch.
A couple of hours later everyone is once more spread out throughout the tower or not in the tower at all. Pepper has gone to Stark Industries, Natasha, Coulson, John and Tripp have gone to do the grocery shopping. Melinda, Sam, Steve, Sharon, Maria, and Skye are going through the documents they got from Peggy, Tony, Bruce, Fitz and Simmons are in their respective labs and Bucky is down in the gym training which is what he is doing when Clint walks in to join him.
"Hey, can we talk?" Clint asks Bucky.
"Sure." Bucky responds, "What's up?"
"I wanted to make sure that you haven't planed anything for Skye's birthday." Clint says.
"Skye's birthday?" Bucky asks confused.
"Yeah, it's in two weeks, the first of December." Clint reveals, "She hasn't mentioned it has she." Clint realises.
"No." Bucky says then realises something, "Did you say the first?" he asks.
"Yeah, why?" Clint asks curious.
"That's our one month anniversary." Bucky reveals, "I'm guessing that something is being planned for Skye's birthday."
"Yeah." Clint answers, "Until she found out Phil and Mels were her parents Skye didn't know when her birthday was." Clint explains, "She never really celebrated one, last year was the first time she had actually celebrated her birthday and she was so surprised when we surprised her because she didn't realise it was her birthday." Clint explains.
"What are you planning? And what can I do to help?" Bucky asks.
"Well we're still working on what we are planning, do you want to help us figure it out?" Clint asks.
"Definitely." Bucky responds and Clint nods, "Who's else is helping?" Bucky asks curious.
"Fitz and Simmons, Nat, Phil and Mels, and Tony because he said that you don't plan a party without him." Clint explains.
"I don't think a big party would be what Skye would want." Bucky comments.
"I agree with you about that." Clint admits, "I think something small is what she would want." He comments.
"Sounds good." Bucky comments, "But it should be something that we don't often do, but something that Skye would like." He suggests.
"I think I may just have an idea about that." Clint says with a grin.
"You do?" Bucky asks.
"Maybe yeah." He admits.
"Are you going to share?" Bucky asks curious.
"Of course." Clint responds and he begins to explain what he is thinking.
"Why does everything have to be written in cursive?" Skye asks curious, after several hours of going through Peggy's boxes.
"Because it's how we wrote back then." Steve tells her.
"Well I went to school in the 90s and two thousands, which makes all this really hard to read for me" Skye tells Steve as she rubs her eyes.
"Don't you know how to write cursive?" Steve asks curious.
"Of course I do." Skye answers, "I've just never been a big fan of reading it." She explains, "The nuns used it, I'm having flashbacks." She reveals, "I need a break." She says picking up her jacket which she hung on the back of her chair.
"Where are you going?" Melinda asks her daughter curious.
"I told James that I would help him spend more time out of the tower and in the world." Skye explains, "That sounds like a really good idea at the moment." Skye says before leaving the war room.
"Think she's okay?" Sam asks concerned
"Hard to tell." Melinda responds.
"How about you, are you okay?" Maria asks her friend.
"I'm fine." Melinda responds and Steve and Sharon look away because they know how un true that is.
"Yeah, I so don't believe you." Maria tells her.
"Believe what you want, I need to go check something." Melinda says before getting up and leaving the room.
"She's not okay, is she?" Maria asks Steve and Sharon who were in DC with Melinda.
"Not even close." Steve answers.
"What happened in DC after we left?" Sam asks curious.
"Aunt Melinda was Aunt Melinda which means she looked after everyone else except for herself." Sharon explains, "She's not doing too good." She tells the others.
"We've got to do something." Maria comments.
"I think that until she is ready to talk about what she is feeling, ready to actually deal with it, we should leave her alone." Steve comments, "Let her cope in her own way." He says and the room drifts into silence, all of them worried about Melinda.
After leaving the War Room Skye heads straight down to the Gym where she knows she will find Bucky. When she gets there she sees Bucky and Clint sparing but they are not sparing in the typical way. It is like they are showing each other moves as they do them, which Skye realises is exactly what they are doing.
"Hey." Skye says to both of them.
"Hey Kid." Clint says, "What you up to?" Clint asks curious.
"I can't attempt to read cursive anymore so I came down here to see if you wanted to go for a walk." Skye says looking at Bucky, "Explore the city a bit." She suggests.
"I'd like that." Bucky comments, "Give me ten minutes to get cleaned up." He requests and Skye nods.
"See you later Clint." Bucky says before exiting the ring.
"Yeah, see you later." Clint responds as Bucky leaves the gym.
"Since when do you have a problem with reading a lot?" Clint asks curious.
"Since it's reading cursive a lot." Skye tells her Uncle as she exits the ring.
"Ah, it reminds you of the Nuns, the Orphanage." Clint realises.
"Right in one." Skye tells her Uncle.
"You okay?" he asks concerned.
"I will be one I get some fresh air." Skye tells her Uncle.
"You sure?" He asks.
"Yeah." Skye assures him, "You worry too much, you know that." She tells him
"You're my niece Skye, and my best friend, of course I'm going to worry." He tells her.
"I know." Skye admits, "What are you doing tomorrow?" she asks her uncle.
"Disappearing with Nat for the day." Clint tells his niece, "it's better if I'm not around people." He explains.
"Doesn't тетя Наташа count as people now?" Skye asks confused.
"She does." Clint assures, "But tomorrow I want her around and she gets that I'm not going to be great company, she was with me last year and many other years after all." He explains.
"Good, I'm glad you're not spending it alone." Skye tells her Uncle, "If you need anything, just call me." Skye requests.
"I will." Clint assures his niece.
"I should go see if James is ready, I'll see you later." Skye tells her Uncle.
"See you later." Clint responds and Skye leaves the gym.
Once Skye leaves Clint walks across the gym and picks up his bow, planning shooting arrows until someone comes and stops him.
After Skye leaves the gym she heads to the main lounge room because she knows that that is where she will find Bucky once he is ready.
Skye is only waiting a few minutes when Bucky walks into the room.
"Ready?" Skye asks curious.
"Ready." Bucky responds and they walk over to, and get in, the elevator.
Skye and Bucky have been walking for a while, not really talking a lot just walking, as they do Skye notices a few times that Bucky gets startled by certain things, every time that he does Skye gives the hand of his that he is holding a squeeze.
"Are you cold?" Bucky asks curious once they been walking about an hour, "Skye?" he asks when he receives no answer.
"Huh?" Skye asks confused, Looking away from the group of four homeless people, all who look in their late teens, she is looking at remember when she was them, "What did you say?" she asks confused.
"I asked whether you were cold." Bucky explains, "Are you alright?" he asks concerned.
"I'm fine." Skye assures, "Just remembering what my life used to be." She explains, "And yeah, I'm a bit cold." Skye admits.
"There is a coffee shop over there." Bucky says pointing the other side of the road, "Do you want to get something warm to drink?" He asks curious.
"Yeah, I do." Skye answers, "But there is something I need to do first." Skye tells him and she walks over to the seven eleven near the coffee shop.
"I spent a lot of time on and off the streets." Skye reveals, "I also lived out of my van for years, it was the first kind of home I had." She says, "You have no idea how much it meant to me when someone would actually stop and by me food or something that help." Skye reveals to Bucky as they enter the seven eleven, "it meant everything to me and I'm still thankful." Skye tells him.
"What happened to your van?" Bucky asks curious.
"I left it at a SHIELD facility when I joined, I guess it its destroyed now." Skye says a hint of sadness clear, "It took me forever to save up for it, it was my house." Skye tells him
"I'm sorry." Bucky tells her seeing how upset she is getting.
"It's okay, you didn't know." Skye tells him, "Can you go and grab four two litre bottles of water." Skye requests.
"Sure." Bucky responds and he goes and does that while Skye looks through the shelves for the items she wants. Before she begins her search Skye grabs four re-usable shopping bags.
Several minutes later the four shopping bags are full with various items. While Skye fills them Bucky just watches, helping when she asks because he can tell that this is important to her.
Once she has put everything she wants in the bags Skye heads over to where the hot food and coffee machine is, "Can you hold the bags." Skye requests.
"Of course.' Bucky responds as Skye puts at least half of the hot food into individual bags and makes four hot chocolates.
Once she is sure that that is everything she wants Skye heads over to the counter and pays for it.
"All this is for those homeless brats out there isn't it." The casher says as they pay, "How did they convince you?"
"They didn't." Skye tells him keeping her anger down, "When you see someone hungry the right thing to do is help." Skye tells him.
"If you ask me, you should just walk past." The casher says, "They won't' be thankful."
"Yes they will, they'll be more thankful than you know." Skye says angrily as she hands over the debit card that was set up for her after her parents realised who she was and which her SHIELD pay got payed to and the salary that Stark Industries gives them as employs goes into.
"Its two hundred dollars, are you sure you want to give that to strangers?" The man asks.
"Positive." Skye responds and she enters her pin into the machine and gets her card back.
"Here we are." The man says handing her the recept, "Have a nice day." He says sarcastically and Skye and Bucky leave the store, Bucky carrying the bags that Skye made, Skye carrying the hot drinks and food.
"This is really good of you." Bucky tells Skye.
"I had nothing for so long that now that I have things I can't help but help those who still don't." Skye explains.
"You're amazing." Bucky tells her as they walk over to the group of kids.
"Hi I'm Skye and this is James." Skye tells the kids, "We brought you some warm food, drink and a few other things you might need." She tells them.
"What do you want in return?" A boy who looks to be the oldest, who Skye realises must watch out of the others, asks suspiciously.
"Nothing." Skye tells him, "Not that long ago I would have been out here with you guys, and I remember what that felt like. How it felt when people just walked past pretended not to notice when you were starving, and cold and scared and just because things have changed for me doesn't mean I'm going to forget what it was like or that I'm going to just walk past." Skye tells the kids, "It's some hot food, warm drink and a few other things that will help." Skye tells them.
"Thank you." The older boy responds.
"You're welcome." Skye tell them and her and Bucky hands the food and bags over to them.
"Thank you so much for this." The only girl with the group says once she looks in the bag.
"You're welcome." Skye tells her, "Look out for each other." Skye tells them and they nod, "Good." She says, "I might see you around some time." She says and the kids nod.
"Bye Skye." The say and Skye and Bucky walk away.
"That was pretty amazing of you." Bucky tells Skye.
"No it wasn't." Skye tells him, "Like I said, it was the right thing to do." She says as they enter the coffee shop.
After Skye and Bucky get their coffee they take a cab back to the tower. When they do they find that everyone, with the exception of Pepper who is working, is back at the tower.
"I'm going to head to the gym and get some practice in, what about you?" Skye asks Bucky curious.
"That sounds good." Bucky responds.
"Guess I'll see you down there." Skye responds and she heads to her room while Bucky heads to his.
When Skye arrives at the gym fifteen minutes later she finds Natasha and Melinda sparing in the ring. Clint practicing and Bucky punching a punching bag. Looking around the room Skye decides to walk over to her Uncle.
"Have you been practicing since I left?" Skye asks curious.
"Yep." Clint responds as he fires another arrow.
"Have you taken a break?" She asks curious.
"Nope." Clint responds firing another one.
"Why don't you." Skye suggests.
"Don't need to, not tired." Clint responds.
"Uncle Clint." Skye begins to say but Clint cuts her off.
"I'm fine, no need to worry." Clint tells Skye.
"Do you want me to quote you back to you or will you let me help?" Skye asks.
"You can't help Kid, no one can." Clint tells Skye, "I'll be alright in a couple of days.
"Once you're over the anniversary." Skye realises and Clint nods.
"What can I do?" Skye asks.
"Practice with me." Clint requests.
"You've got it." Skye responds and for the next few hours that's just what Skye and Clint do.
PLEASE REVIEW
PLEASE REVIEW
PLEASE REVIEW