Like clockwork, Coulson woke up at 6 AM. As usual for the past few weeks, he woke up sore and in pain since he had been sleeping in strange position just so his wife could sleep through the night a little bit better. But that morning was different. He sat bolt upright and forgot about his pain as soon as he realized that he didn't feel May's body against his and as he noticed that his wristwatch was gone. He got out of bed quickly and noted that the kids were all out of bed and, judging by the noise that came from the kitchen, they were already having breakfast. He caught a glimpse of Lian May going into the kitchen, and as he walked down the staircase he saw his wife pacing from side to side, his wristwatch in her hand. He ran down the steps to May and, approaching from behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his hand on her pregnant belly.

"What's wrong? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I'm having contractions," May said calmly. "You were sleeping so peacefully that I didn't want to wake you. I called my mother and she's been helping me. I've called the doctor already as well, so there's nothing to worry about."

"Mel, you should have woke me up," he sighed and resumed speaking, "how are you on the contractions?"

"One every twelve minutes."

What May didn't tell him was that she had already been feeling contractions for the past three hours, which was when she had called her mother. She didn't want to wake him up because he had done so much for her during the pregnancy, looking after her and the kids and doing everything at home after he'd come back from work that May felt it'd be heartless to wake him at three in the morning just because she was having mild contractions. She called the doctor and he told her no one could do anything until her contractions were three to five minutes apart and she still had long hours before that happened.

"Alright, what can I do for you?"

"Help me get the kids ready for school." Feeling his intense gaze on her, May told him, "I'm fine. We still have hours to go before the birth and I need to distract myself."

"Mom?" Skye crooned and resumed once she swallowed her mouthful of cereal, "why is AJ hurting you?"

May offered a small smile, "It's the way it has to be. It takes hours for babies to be born, and it hurts. Our little Avalyn Johanna is worth it, though."

"Well, that sucks," she concluded, "I don't wanna have babies."

"You're still too young to even think about that," Coulson told her, pressing a kiss on the top of her head. "Whoever's done with breakfast, grab your things and let's get going. Mom is our top priority today."

Lian helped Coulson take the kids to school. Trip, Lance and Grant took the school bus – and their grandmother walked them to the bus stop – but the three youngest were still driven to school, and since Lian didn't have a grasp of the city's layout, it was Coulson who had to take them. Obviously he made Lian leave first while he stayed with May and only drove to the elementary school when she returned.

May let out a long puff of breath, walking next to her mother at a really slow pace. She was going insane thinking of how she was going into labor but had hours to wait until she'd actually deliver the baby.

"What did you do when you were in labor?"

Lian thought of that day for a moment, "I cooked -"

"I suck at that."

"I reorganized your clothes -"

"Done that."

"I took a nap."

"I could do that," May pondered, taking a seat on the couch.

"Did he just fall asleep?" Lian asked, feeling her blood start to boil as she saw her son-in-law with his head resting on the back of the couch, his chest rising and dropping smoothly.

May caressed the hair on the top of his head, "Yes. Let him sleep."

"You're in labor, your husband falls asleep and you have this apathetic reaction?"

"He deserves to rest much more than I do. He's been relentless these past weeks, taking care of me, the kids, this house," May looked at her husband and leaned forward to press a kiss on his forehead. She turned then to her mother, "let him sleep. And please stop treating him like you can't stand him -"

"And I can't," May sternly glared at her mother. "Don't give me that look. He's a good man, a good father, and he cares, but he was not my top pick for your husband. Andrew was -"

"Mother!"

"I'm being honest. You and Andrew didn't work together like you and Phil do. It's a risk marrying your partner. You know that that's why I've always preferred that you were with someone else."

"Phil and I are good friends, partners, agents and a couple, and we've always known how to separate things. It has never been a problem, why should it be now? Would you prefer that I was unhappily married or that I married the man I love and would protect at all costs?"

"Honestly, I'd worry less if you were miserable. At least you'd be alive."

"He will always have my back and you know it."

"I know. Your actions are what concern me. You are my daughter and I didn't raise a child only to watch her die before I do."

"And this is why we eloped to get married."

"No," Lian firmly said, "that was young love and hormones that caused you two to elope and get married in your twenties."

"We're still married so I guess your 'young love and hormones' argument doesn't work."

Coulson awoke, startled, and rubbed his eyes, "Did I – oh, shit I fell asleep." After seeing May sitting next to him, he asked, "How are you? Do you need anything?"

"I'm thinking of trying to take a nap. I can't think of anything to do and I'm bored out of my mind."

He nodded his head and moved over on the couch to accommodate her. "C'mere."

May rested her back and head on his chest and closed her eyes. Coulson put his arm around her, his hand resting over her belly, "We should spend a weekend away from home."

"Yeah, we could use a break," he snickered. "Once Ava-Jo is about one years old, we'll go on a short vacation. Just you and me."

"I love the sound of that."

"I bet you do. When last did you really take a vacation?"

"When we got married, I think."

"Las Vegas isn't considered a place for vacations," Coulson remarked, much to Lian's annoyance. It was as if they were mocking her by mentioning it.

It didn't take much long for the two of them to nod off. Lian watched them and sighed. She knew she was harsh on Coulson, but she didn't intend any malice even though she spoke her mind. She could tell that he was crazy for her daughter and that he'd do anything in his power to keep her happy and safe. But they were still partners and that was what bothered her. Lian would prefer it if Melinda had married someone else, because Lian had also married her partner and she knew how complicated it could make things. It wasn't such a happy ending for the two of them, and she really wished she could spare her daughter the heartbreak.

Once May began having contractions every five minutes, Coulson drove to the hospital. Melinda really wanted her mother to go with them as well, so all the kids were left at home with Mimi and would only be taken to the hospital when Avalyn was born. May was observed for a few minutes and everything seemed normal and ready for the delivery; she was dilated enough and Avalyn was in the right position for the birth.

"Are you ready for this?" the doctor asked.

May nodded and took a deep breath before another intense contraction washed over her body.

"It's alright to feel nervous."

"I've got him with me," May looked at Coulson, tightening her grasp on his hand, "things will be alright."

The doctor smiled and adjusted in his chair, "Then let's give birth to this baby."

Coulson dropped a kiss on her forehead and adjusted the grip of her hand. Those minutes she spent pushing felt, for both of them, like hours slowly passing by. Despite the pain, May was calm and focused on her task, and unlike other women, she was quiet and only let out quiet whimpers or throaty moans.

Their world stopped the second Avalyn's cry erupted in the room. The two turned their eyes to the doctor holding their small baby girl, covered in blood, crying. They had made that little angel and they were so amazed that they couldn't even find the air to breath, let alone find a word that could describe that moment. Coulson was given the scissors and, with shaky hands, he cut the umbilical cord. The nurses placed Avalyn in May's arms and the baby calmed down as her mother rocked her. Coulson stroked the baby's closed fist with his index finger and watched in wonder as the tiny hand feebly grasped his finger.

"It was worth all the pain," May voiced, pushing her body up from the bed to transfer Avalyn to Coulson's arms.

Coulson kissed her on the forehead and very nervously held his daughter in his arms. She was tiny and weighed so little that he didn't even know how to hold her properly. He feared that any little movement would hurt that fragile being. Avalyn was still and quiet in her father's arms, as quiet as she had been in her mother's embrace. One of the nurses came to get the baby, commenting on how tranquil she was. As for May, the doctor reminded her that things weren't quite over for her. Coulson was told to wait outside; he'd be allowed in the room again once May and the baby were examined and cleaned up.

He stepped out of the room feeling his heart thumping wildly in his chest. He didn't know what he was feeling exactly: he wanted to cry but at the same time he couldn't help but smile broadly. Lian got up from the chair and he stopped in front of her.

"Melinda and Avalyn are alright."

"Thank you," the woman said, which left Coulson confused. "Thank you for one more grandchild. And for still making my daughter happy after all these years."

He nodded and his voice came out strangled, "My pleasure."

"I'll go and get the kids," Lian said as she began to walk along the hall, "that neighbor of yours turned nanny better give me a hand."

Coulson didn't say anything; first of all, he couldn't find the words – or his voice – to speak, and second, Lian was already too far down the hallway to even hear him. He sat down on a chair and tried to assimilate what just had happened: he was a new dad and he still couldn't believe it. Once he entered the room he saw something he hadn't witnessed in twelve years: May cradling a baby. Last time that happened, she was holding a one-year-old Jemma and they were both terrified. But not now. The two of them were ready for what was to come.

He walked to his wife and kissed her, whispering against her lips, "I love you. I love you so much."

May could only kiss him in return as she felt tears welling up in her eyes. He sat on the edge of the bed, and the two of them gazed at their baby girl.

"I think she'll be an easy baby," May commented, rubbing slow circles on Avalyn's stomach. "She's really quiet."

It was adorably hilarious to watch the Coulson's kids entering the room to visit their baby sister for the first time. They unconsciously lined up by the door in order of age, with Trip the one that opened the door and Skye the one at the end of the queue, looking back at their grandmother and nanny, a cool feeling pooling in her tummy due to nervousness and excitement. Lian and Mimi had to wait to hold the baby because Avalyn had to be put in the arms of each of her brothers and sisters first. The kids demanded that.

"Damn," Trip whispered, looking at the baby in his arms, "look at you, girl. I'm gonna chase all the boys away from you."

When Lance held Avalyn, there was some sort of strange magnetism. The baby yawned and batted her eyelids slowly, almost going to sleep. He didn't know how he did it, but Ava-Jo really liked his embrace. It was bittersweet for Grant to hold the baby. He cradled his sister as close and as gentle as he could because he could only remember Thomas and the night he ran away with his sister.

"Why does she look so pink?" Skye asked as soon as she took a seat on the chair and Coulson put Avalyn on her arms.

"She was born a few hours ago," he explained to his daughter, "it's normal she's still a bit pink."

From Skye's arms Avalyn was transferred to Jemma. The older girl looked at the little one attentively and ended up saying that she was beautiful. When Leo held Avalyn, the poor baby was already tired of bouncing from one's arms to another so she was fussy. However, May helped him shush his sister and give her to his grandmother. Lian took her time looking at the baby, feeling that she had gone back some forty years into the past and was holding her daughter. The resemblances were uncanny and Lian ended up letting Mimi hold Avalyn because she was feeling such powerful emotion building up inside her.

Mimi held Avalyn for a little while and once she picked up the slightest whimpers of upset from the baby, she returned her to Coulson. He rocked her in his arms gently, making shushing sounds with his mouth. Skye walked to May and gave her Marshmallow, the little soft, white-colored fur teddy bear.

"It's for Ava-Jo."

May held the teddy bear and asked, "Are you sure you want to give Marshmallow to Avalyn?"

"Yes. I'm too big for teddy bears. But she's not."

Coulson laid Avalyn down on the bassinet once she was sleeping. May stretched out her arm and put Marshmallow next to Avalyn. All the kids gathered around their sister and watched her for a little while.

"It wasn't that hard for them to accept all of this after all," Coulson commented to his wife, sitting on the chair beside her bed.

Alright, baby Philinda is born. Now prepare yourselves to start saying goodbye to the kids *evil laugh*