Chapter 11: Everything And Anything Part 2

Grant's POV- Status: Food shopping. Whereabouts: "Torquay - Supermarket"

"Which jam do you want Skye?" Grant asked, surveying all the different jams.

"Red one." Skye said, sounding tired.

"Strawberry or raspberry?" He questioned, trying to keep it simple.

"Um…I dunno" Skye said, sounding tired.

Skye rubbed her eyes frustrated. Shopping had clearly tired her out; she'd lost her excitement, and still needed to catch up on sleep.

"It's ok baby, why don't I surprise you and pick a red one?" He didn't need her getting upset in the condiments isle.

They nearly had everything now. They'd just been down the hygiene isle to get sunscreen, bubble bath, shampoo and more conditioner. He headed through the register, paying quickly. With everything in the car, he locked the vehicle and headed to put the trolley away. Grant held her close as he walked to the butcher's just down the road.

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Entering the butcher's, he was greeted by Marko.

"Grant! Nice to see you again! It's been a while, mate. Who is this pretty little girl you have here? Your daughter?" Marko asked curiously. It couldn't have been that long. Marko thought, trying to quickly calculate in his head.

"This is Skye. And no, she's defiantly not my daughter." Grant replied, before Marko got the wrong idea. "I just need my usual, but perhaps a few sausages for Skye would be better. I don't think she's old enough to appreciate your gourmet stakes." He explained.

Marko headed into the back, returning with two inch-thick porter house steaks and a half a dozen sausages. "The porter house steaks and sausages are from my private stash, just got those in this morning. You better cook them to perfection Grant or I'll come after you." He warned, chuckling.

"I'd like to see that Marko. I'll do them justice like you taught me. I know how you Aussies are with food." Grant said knowingly. There wasn't much these Australians hadn't tried cooking on the barbeque.

"Are you going to tell me about this little angel you've got here, Grant?" Marko inquired curiously, giving him an insistent look.

"That's quite a long story, Marko. Are you sure you've got the time?" He asked, half joking, half unsure.

"Store's quiet, fill me in on the spy business." Marko insisted.

Marko had always been a curious man. Grant met Marko undercover, infiltrating a HYDRA ring trading weapons through the meat market. HYDRA had wanted to use Marko's store as a part of that ring, and Marko had been interested in the spy industry ever since.

Grant explained everything. How he'd met (kidnapped) Skye, and she'd become a part of the team, what had happened to her, and finally why they were here.

Marko shook his head. "Mate, you weren't kidding about how complicated the spy world was. So, Skye touched this 0-8-4 and it zapped her into a three year old. Now your scientists aren't sure how to get her back to her correct age?" He summarized, making it sound crazy even to Grant.

"Yeah that's about it. Did I mention I lost her at The Hub and had to get the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D to lock down the base?"

"No, you didn't." Marko stated exasperatedly. "You got yourself quite the pistol here. How long have you been in love with her?"

Grant was taken aback. Damn, these Aussies are blunt. He thought. "Ahh, I'm not…" He stammered, braking off under the look Marko gave him. He started again, honestly. "Quite a while." He stated, looking down. Skye snuggled up to his chest. He moved some of her hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear.

"Don't worry, Grant, you'll get to tell her." Marko assured him.

"How can you be so sure?" Grant questioned disbelievingly.

"I've seen the way you look at her Grant. I know you'll do anything it takes to get her back and when you do, you can tell her how you feel." Marko said with confidence.

He looked down at Skye again holding her a little tighter. "I would do anything for her. I think I've known for a while. I just haven't wanted to believe it. It's just not how spies work, we don't fall in love and have attachments, otherwise…we get distracted, or our enemies use them as hostages. I'm not sure I can put her through that again." He said truthfully.

"You can't control everything, especially who you get attached to. Skye's not going to be easy to detach from, trying will make you miserable. It'll make you both miserable. Love's what separates us from our enemies; it gives us something to fight for, whereas our enemies are fighting for themselves." Marko told him seriously.

He knew he had to tell Skye, he just didn't want her to be a bargaining chip for HYDRA again. He couldn't lose her, and he'd trade the world to keep her safe. "I'll tell her, Marko. You don't have to worry." He assured the grey-haired old man.

"You better, Grant, or I'm not sharing anymore of my porter house steaks with you." Marko threatened seriously.

"Well, when you put it like that Marko…how could I not tell her." Grant joked, chuckling.

"Wobot, sweepin." Skye mumbled against his neck, her words slurred.

"Sorry, baby." He apologised, rubbing her back.

"S'ok" Skye told him, lifting her head off his shoulder looking around.

Skye eyed Marko scrutinisingly for a moment then gave him a smile.

"Hi." She waved.

"Hello, Skye. Are you having fun with my mate Grant?" Marko asked her.

"He's my Robot! You can't have him!" Skye exclaimed, grabbing hold of his shirt and glaring at Marko.

Taken aback by her fieriness, Marko held up his hands in surrender. "She is a feisty one…Robot?" Marko questioned.

"Another long story. Skye likes to give nicknames." Grant explained simply.

"Ah, well, I have no intention of taking Grant away from you, Skye. You can keep him; he'd eat all my prime steaks if he stayed here." The butcher assured her.

Skye seemed satisfied that Marko didn't want to keep him and lessened her grip on his shirt but didn't let go.

"We went shopping, and I got red sunnies like my Robot" Skye told Marko shyly.

"Let me guess…aviators. Wow, S.H.I.E.L.D'S training spies young these days Grant." Marko laughed, shaking his head.

Skye looked horrified that Marko knew why she'd picked that style. "It's fine, baby, you didn't spill our secret. Marko knows about spies." He told her, giving her a reassuring squeeze trying to relax her.

"I know all about spies. Skye, you don't have to worry, your secrets safe with me." Marko assured her.

"They are abiators." Skye confessed to Marko with a shy smile.

"Aviators, baby." Grant corrected.

"Red ones." Skye continued, ignoring Grant.

"Is that right. Well, they are probably cooler than Grant's. What do you think?" Marko stage whispered to Skye, who giggled then nodded, grinning.

"Alright, you two. Don't encourage her Marko." Grant said dryly.

"You've got your hands full with this one. Go and cook your girl some snags Grant, it's getting late." Marko said, handing him the bag of meat.

"How much do I owe you?" Grant asked, pulling out his wallet.

"Don't be silly, Grant. Now get out of here." Marko dismissed, ushering him and Skye towards the door with a shove to the shoulder.

"Marko, come on. You know how I feel about this, good produce is hard to find." He insisted, turning back as the man continued to shove him through the door.

"Get out of here, Grant. See you next time, Skye." Marko chuckled shutting the shop door behind them.

God, Marko's a stubborn man. He thought, exasperated, as he drove home with Skye. He's worse than her. He mused, glancing in the mirror at Skye who was smiling happily, wearing her aviators.

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Marko would be proud. The steak was cooked to perfection. He barbequed one for himself and two sausages for Skye. They were sitting on the patio, Skye trying to fit her whole sausage in her mouth. "Want me to cut it up for you?" Receiving a nod he pulled Skye's plate towards himself, cutting her sausage into bite sized pieces for her.

He noticed Skye had goose bumps as she finished her last piece of sausage. "Let's get you in your pyjamas Skye, so you'll be a bit warmer." He suggested. The days might be hot but the nights were cold, the sea breeze coming off the coast always cooled it right down at night.

Skye hopped off her chair and headed up stairs while he finished the dishes. He sat down on the couch with his book to wait for her.

"I'm still cold." Skye whined tiredly as she walked back into the lounge in her PJ's.

"How about we watch a movie and you wrap this blanket around you?" He suggested, getting a tired nod. Skye snuggled up beside him as he sat back, grabbing the remote and flicking through the channels. He landed on 'Red Dog' and Skye fell asleep fifteen minutes later.

He put his feet up on the coffee table settling in to watch the end of the movie. He cried, he always did with dog movies.

Turning off the TV, he scooped up Skye and headed for the stairs, flicking all the lights off as he went. He double checking the doors, windows and the alarm, and once satisfied, he headed for the spare room placing Skye down in the queen-sized bed.

He kissed her forehead. "Night, Rookie." He whispered, walking out of the room flicking off the light. He glanced back once more to check on her again. She looks even smaller in a big bed. He thought as he headed for his own room.

Settled in bed he lay awake for a while thinking about what Marko said. He came to one realisation as sleep took him. This bed is too big without Skye. He wanted her in his life, whatever happened.

Notes- Thanks to EmmaJMcGhee for beta-ing me your advice is awesome :)