"Right guys. While they are away I need to discuss something with you." Coulson said to the remaining team members, Tilly, Rob and Sue.
"What's up?" Simmons asked.
"As you are all aware, Skye was found as a baby and placed into foster care. As a result she has no surname and no birthday."
"Get to the point Coulson." May told him. Due to her late night and even earlier morning she was in a slightly grumpy mood.
"Fury sent Skye's identification and documentation. On it he has not only given her a surname, but a birthday as well."
"When is it?" Fitz asked, catching on.
"Friday. Ward said before they left that he'd like to take Skye out to dinner as just the two of them, but I was thinking it might be nice if we have something for her for when they get back."
"Birthday Party?" Sue asked, feeling that the idea was a little childish.
"She's never had a birthday so why not?" Rob pointed out to her. He had understood everything Coulson had said. He had even understood what Coulson hadn't said.
"I'll organise something, but what the hell do you get a girl who lives on a plane?" May said.
"A parachute?" Rob asked, which made May smile.
"So you are booked in for eight weeks on Friday. The ceremony will start at one o'clock in the afternoon and will go from there. I will send you layout ideas, chair styles, sample DJ playlists and wine selection. I will also send you menu ideas which you will then taste and confirm which one you prefer when you get back. When you send me your guest list I will send you sample invites which, once you have chosen I will get printed and sent out. I will get place cards printed and send ideas for wedding favours. I will also collaborate with the bridal boutique where Skye has purchased her dress to make sure it is ready for you to try on when you get back and do the same for Grant and his suit. I will also contact the florist and cake maker to make sure everything is running smoothly." Anabelle garbled without taking a breath, like she had done this a thousand times, which Ward reasoned, she probably had.
"Sounds good to me." Skye said, relieved to have most of the list she and Sue put together ticked off just by choosing this venue.
"I would like to take both of your email addresses to make sure the emails go through."
Skye filled her email address in first as their preferred point of contact. Ward dreaded to think how many emails his account had accumulated since it had been over a year since he had checked them, but he filled his email in anyway: G.W.B.E .
"Wait. You guys are all S.H.I.E.L.D?" Anabelle asked.
"Is that a problem?" Skye asked nervously.
"Not at all. It's just, well, my brother was in New York when the aliens invaded. He was stuck on a bus and a man and woman from S.H.I.E.L.D got him and everyone else off it and led them to safety."
"Nat and Clint." Ward whispered.
"You know them?" Anabelle asked, slightly surprised.
"Yeah. We know them and they are hopefully going to be on the guest list, but please keep our work to yourself. To the world outside we are international investment bankers." Ward asked her.
"Of course I will." Anabelle told them. She made a silent vow that this would be the best wedding she had ever pulled off.
Skye checked her watch, and realising the time started to make their excuses.
Five minutes later they were all back in the car. As Ward and Skye had no idea where they were they let Amber drive.
"I have a question for you Ward." Amber said as she pulled off the driveway.
"What?" Ward asked.
"If everyone in the agency was recalled to the helicarrier when the whole New York thing happened, why weren't you on the ground in New York fighting? I mean you have the skill set to have made a difference."
"I was in Peru."
"But everyone near enough to the event was recalled."
"Before the Tesseract was taken by Loki I had lied to S.H.I.E.L.D and told them I was hiking up the Inca Trail, when in fact me and my SO at the time were traipsing the Peruvian jungle for an 0-8-4. We got two days into the search and I was bitten by a mosquito. Unfortunately it was a carrier of Dengue Fever, so I was hospitalised very quickly when Garret realised what was happening. I think he would have tried to make me carry on if I hadn't collapsed due to the fever."
"So you were seriously ill?"
"Coulson called to tell us to come back in and when he had told Garret some of the situation, well, apparently my vital signs crashed and Garret freaked out a little so Coulson told him to stay put and bring me home when I was fit to return."
"Is that true?" Skye asked disbelievingly. She knew Garret and she also knew that before Ward was assigned to Coulson's team that he and Coulson had hardly ever spoken.
"I couldn't tell you. I only have vague recollections of the whole thing. I don't even remember going to the hospital. I just remember Garret's backpack looked comfy to sleep on in midday jungle heat so I curled up in a ball and slept on it. Then I woke up with wires everywhere and a roof over my head."
"There is something else to this story you're not telling us." Skye pointed out.
"I remember telling Garret that I wanted to put a knife through his eye socket."
"I bet that went down like a lead balloon."
"Well when I was released from the hospital he wouldn't let me have a knife on me. He couldn't tell if I was being serious or if it was the delirium."
"It was the delirium though wasn't it?" Amber asked.
"Not exactly."
"We could get her some new underwear?" Simmons asked May as they shopped for Skye's birthday present that afternoon.
"This is a gift for Skye, not Ward."
"Good point. Pyjamas?"
"Pyjamas could go on the list, but we need something more personal."
"We could get her a new computer?" Simmons suggested.
"I think that's what the boys are doing."
"Damn, why does it have to be so difficult?" Simmons cried, exasperated.
"Because we live on a plane!" May reminded her.
"Oh yeah."