A/N: Here's the next chapter and after this chapter, there's one or two of them left! Thought i'd give y'all a heads up, but there will be a sequel and there will be some deleted scenes to this story that i'll post! Enjoy!
Skye and Emily walked into the lab to find FitzSimmons running a test of the bullets that they had removed from Maria more than three months earlier.
"Why are you just doing these tests now?" Skye asked, leaning up against the counter.
"We've been busy with other tests and experiments. But I don't get it." Fitz said, holding up the bullet to get a better look.
"Well, what kind of bullet is it?" Emily asked, raising an eye brow.
"Not entirely sure. We believe it's some type of Russian round. Like one that the soviets use, maybe? It's untraceable." Simmons said, taking the bullet from Fitz and examining it herself.
"What I want to know is why Barnes spared Maria's life. She told me that he had shot her a couple times and the bullets in her leg...one hit just two millimeters below the femoral artery and the other hit just two millimeters above the artery. And the one in her neck...it could have easily been the kill shot. He could've killed her when he had the gun trained at her head or with the first shot, but he didn't." Emily said, crossing her arms and sighing.
"Well, he is technically brainwashed and from what Maria told me, looked pretty confused." Skye said, shrugging.
"That could be the reason, but I should get going. Sam's picking me up soon...he's making me attend one of Stark's parties with him. I'll text you later, Skye...maybe when i'm bored at the party." Emily said, hugging Skye and FitzSimmons.
"Stay strong!" They called simultaneously, earning a thumbs up from Emily as she walked up stairs and found Grant on the couch with Roxy lying across his lap.
"See? Told you she'd warm up to you!" She said, grabbing her bag that was on the coffee table as she added, "Tell Coulson I felt, okay? Roxy, come!" Emily said, not waiting for Grant to reply as she whistled for Roxy to follow her, which she did, and she left.
**One month later**
Skye, Grant, and May walked into the base on that September morning, greeted by Lilith.
"Skye!" The little girl shouted, running up and hugging Skye around her legs.
"Hey, sweetie! You've gotten big...taller since I last saw you! Where's Emily?"
Lili smiled at her, "I'm a big girl! When you having your baby? My mommy had my baby sister."
"I know, and i'm still not due for another month, hun."
Lilith nodded, "Emily is with Auntie 'Ria in her office! I show you!" She said, grabbing Skye's hand and pulling her along while May went to one of the training rooms and Grant went in search of Director Fury, who the two of them passed on the way.
"You realize that you're being lead around by a five-year-old right?" Fury said, earning an eye roll from Skye.
"Skye doesn't mind, baldy!"
Fury sighed and left them to go back to his office.
"Baldy...that's a new one...Oh and Grant's looking for you!" Skye called behind her, earning a grumble from Fury in response as they came to Maria's office to see not only Maria and Emily there, but Natasha as well cradling her baby while pestering her friend.
"Come on, Maria. What's going on? You're not acting the way that you usually do!" Tasha exclaimed, putting her little daughter in her carrier as Lilith came and hugged her around the waist, wanting her mother to pick her up.
"Hey, Nat, I thought you were still on maternity leave?" Skye asked, drawing Natasha's attention away from Maria and on her.
"She is. She just stopped by for a reason that she refuses to tell me."
"Is it wrong for me to want to visit one of my friends? Plus, I can't stand being at the tower all by myself. I was going to go crazy if I spent another day there. Hey...what do you mean that i'm the one keeping things? You've kept secrets too, and still do, you know." Natasha said, raising an eye brow and crossing her arms only for Maria to sit back in her chair and roll her eyes.
"I'm fine, Nat. I'm not keeping anything and i'm sure if I was, you'd find out about it by now." Maria said, looking behind the assassin at Skye and Emily, who by now were sitting down and holding Zaria, surprised that Natasha didn't go into over protective mother mode like she would have with any other person, "Now, will you excuse me, Nat? I'm sure Skye came here for a reason and would like to discuss important matters with me."
Natasha sighed and nodded, taking the hint and putting down Lilith, allowing for Skye to put Zaria back in the carrier and Emily hand it to the older woman. Natasha nodded at each of them, giving Maria the 'i'm watching you' gesture before leaving.
"What was that all about?" Skye asked, raising an eye brow as she looked Maria up and down as she got up, noticing that the woman wasn't in her uniform, but a black, loose cotton dress, concealing Maria's barely noticeable baby bump, "And what are you wearing?"
"Natasha's getting suspicious. She's starting to put everything together with the fact that Maria hasn't been wearing her uniform lately, because, you know, doesn't really fit that well anymore, and she's gained weight and avoiding Natasha like the plague." Emily answered, shrugging.
"What my sister said..is it noticeable?" Maria asked, sighing as she placed a hand on her stomach.
"Oh she's at that stage where she thinks everyone knows, isn't she? Thought so, but in all honesty Maria, it just looks like you've gained weight. No one will actually know that you're pregnant...nor will it actually be noticeable...until you're between four and six months pregnant. You're fine. No one else will find out before you tell Steve. I can assure you of that." Skye said, sighing and cringing when Maria reached into a filing cabinet and through a file down on her desk.
"And on another note, you may notice she looks a little mad..she's just pissed because Steve promised he'd call her whenever he got the chance...preferably before bed time...or dinner time, but he didn't. In his defense though, he is old and can be forgetful at times." Emily said, seeing Skye's confused look.
"I'm not mad, just annoyed and he's probably going to get an earful when he returns. I'm probably just over reacting, but still."
"Oh, it's just because you're pregnant that you're over reacting. It'll get worse as the pregnancy goes on." Skye said giving Emily a 'what the hell are you smiling about?' look until Emily showed her the text she got, making Skye smile too as Maria turned her back facing the door as it quietly opened and Steve came in with flowers behind his back, having gotten the heads up from Emily while he was on the plane that Maria was mad.
"So, Ria, how mad are you on a scale of one to Chris Brown?" Emily asked, making Skye laugh as Maria sent a death glare in her sister's direction.
"I said i'm not mad! Just annoyed God Dammit! But I do want to slap him."
"So...even if he were to show up right this second with flowers behind his back, you'd still want to slap him?" Skye asked, smiling at the confused look the agent gave her.
"What're you_" She started, only to turn around when Emily and Skye pointed at the man standing behind Maria, who turned and just about had a heart attack when she saw her husband standing behind her.
"Stop surprising me like that! Call next time!" She snapped, extremely irritated, but her facial expression softened when he pulled the flowers out from behind his back and the two behind her started snickering at her reaction.
"I figured you were mad." He said, handing her the flowers and giving her a hug and a peck on the cheek before mouthing a 'thank you' at Emily.
"So...you had time to stop and get flowers but not call? Nevermind that, you know I can't stay mad_" She started, only for Emily to cut her off.
"I thought you were just annoyed?"
Maria rolled her eyes, "Anyway, I need to tell you something." She said, then looked at Skye, who took the hint.
"Hey, Emily, let's go back to the bus!" Skye said, earning a whine from the teen.
"But I wanna see Steve's reaction!"
Skye rolled her eyes and grabbed Emily by her elbow and dragged her out of the office, closing the door tightly behind them.
The two of them walked back on the bus, Emily still complaining to Skye, who ignored it and walked over to where FitzSimmons were watching TV.
"Emily!"
"Hey guys, mind if I stay here for a bit? Maria kicked me out of her office. I'd go and bother the pirate but I annoyed him enough." She explained, laughing as each of them gave her a hug.
"Of course! Our plane is your plane!" Simmons said, releasing the teen from her grip.
"Technically it's my plane!" Coulson called from his office.
"Actually, it's technically the pirates plane..where are Grant and May? They didn't tell me where they were going when I went to Maria's office."
"Grant went to speak with Fury and May went to the training room. Most likely scaring the rookies." Fitz said.
Skye nodded and turned to Emily, "Come with me. I want to give you something." She said, turning and heading to her bunk and beckoning for Emily to follow.
Once there, she dug around in her dresser and pulled out a sterling silver bracelet with what looked like a circular charm on it.
"Those are ireland bracelet things, right? Did you make it?" Emily asked, watching Skye clasp the silver bracelet to her wrist.
Skye shook her head, "No, I bought it awhile back when we went on a mission to Ireland. I just forgot to give it to you." She said, smiling at the teen.
"Thank you, Skye."
"Don't mention it, i'm gonna go to the bathroom and take a quick shower, alright?" She asked, earning a nod from Emily before she turned and walked down to the bathroom, closing the door tightly behind her, but before she even had the chance to reach under the sink and grab a towel, she had a sharp pain in her stomach that felt like someone was stabbing her with a knife and slowly pulling it back out.
Skye let out a loud cry as she hunched over the sink, a knock sounding on the other side.
"Skye? Are you alright?" Emily asked, opening the door when Skye didn't respond, seeing Skye hunched over and panting heavily, her eyes shut tightly in pain.
Emily rushed to Skye's side.
"Go...get my dad..." She gasped, letting out another strangled cry.
Emily didn't have to be told twice as she ran out of the bathroom and returning in seconds with Coulson.
"Skye, sweetheart, what's wrong? Is it the baby?" He asked, earning a nod from his daughter, who nodded as FitzSimmons came in upon hearing all the comotion.
"What's wrong?" Simmons asked, approaching them, her eyes widening when she saw there was also blood on Skye's hands and light blue dress.
"Something's wrong with Skye and the baby. Call May and Ward and tell them to meet us at the hospital!" He ordered, getting nothing but a nod in response as he helped Skye up and they made their way to the SUV as Emily called Grant, who had picked up on the first ring.
"Grant, it's Emily! Skye is on her way to the hospital! I don't know why, but something's wrong! Get May and meet us at the hospital."
A/N: Let me know what y'all think! Please review :)