Thank you to Harliquinn for beta editing!
/\/\/\/\
Skye's birthday was just a few days away, and preparations were in full swing. Skye had already texted invites to the few people she was inviting - her three new friends from school, Lila, and the only person she was in foster care with whom she still maintained contact. It wasn't going to be anything crazy. Skye didn't want a huge party. She didn't do well with being the center of attention and had wanted to pretend her birthday wasn't happening. She hadn't been the one to bring it up, but Steve knew when her birthday was and had brought up having a party. After a lot of encouragement, Skye agreed to a small thing at a bowling alley with her friends on the day of her birthday, and there would be dinner and cake at the compound with everyone.
Steve had already called the bowling alley and reserved a lane for them to bowl. He had spoken to the parents of her friends from school and assured them that he and another adult would be there to keep an eye on things. He knew with the nature of the work that her friends' parents did that there would be a concern for their safety, even just doing regular things that teens did.
The night before her birthday Steve knocked on her bedroom door.
"Come in," Skye said.
Steve went into her room. "You ready for tomorrow?"
Skye let out a breath and nodded.
"I know birthdays probably have never been a big deal for you, but you are somewhat excited, right?" Steve asked.
"It's not just that they have never been a big deal. It's more to do with the fact that the few times it was actually celebrated to any degree, something bad would happen to ruin the day," Skye said.
Steve nodded a little. "Well, I promise that you don't need to worry about that this year, just enjoy the day tomorrow."
"Okay," she said, not believing him. She knew he didn't intend for anything to go wrong, but that didn't mean something wouldn't happen that he wasn't expecting.
"Good, now get some sleep," he said.
Skye smiled. "Okay, good night."
"Good night," Steve said before he left her room, closing the door behind him.
He went into the living room, where a few people were waiting for Skye to be in bed before starting to decorate. "She is in her room for the night," Steve said, causing everyone to get up and pull the decorations from a closet and started to decorate.
Skye woke up the next morning. She checked the time on her phone, it was ten. She set her phone down and sighed. She was excited to be spending the day with her friends, but she wasn't excited that it was for her birthday. She really couldn't get herself out of the mindset that something was going to go wrong and ruin the day for her.
She lay awake, just letting her mind wander for a while before her stomach started to inform her she needed to get something to eat soon. She got up and went and opened the door to the bedroom. The first thing she saw was a banner hanging in the archway that led to the kitchen that read Happy Birthday. She smiled a little as she continued into the kitchen, where there was a chair with a bunch of helium-filled balloons tied to the back of it. A few people were already in the kitchen, and Morgan was the first one to notice Skye.
"Happy Birthday!" Morgan yelled, running over to her and hugging her.
Skye smiled and hugged her. "Thank you."
Steve got up from his seat and went and hugged Skye as well. "Happy birthday," he said, kissing her head.
Skye smiled and hugged her dad. "Thank you."
Everyone else said happy birthday as well as she was pointed to the chair with balloons for her to sit. Skye went and sat down.
Pepper and Yelena were busy making breakfast for everyone, including all of Skye's favorite breakfast foods. Once everything was ready everyone came and sat down to eat.
"How does it feel to be a year older?" Tony asked.
"Feels exactly the same," Skye said.
"I never did understand how you're supposed to feel different one day to the next either," Nat said with a smile.
Skye smiled and nodded.
When breakfast was done, and dishes had been started, Skye was told she should go get ready. Skye went to her room and found a wrapped gift on her bed. She looked at the card that was with it. It was from Nat. Nat understood how hard it probably was for her to open gifts in front of people, so she had put the gift on the girl's bed once she had left her room that morning.
Skye opened it to find a sweater that she had been checking out when Nat and she had gone to the mall a couple of weeks before. Skye had wanted the sweater, but she hadn't had the money at the time. Nat had noticed her looking at it that day and had gone back later and got it for her.
Skye took a shower before putting on her new sweater with a pair of jeans. She did her hair and makeup before going out and finding Nat.
"Thank you!" she said, hugging her.
Nat hugged the girl., "You're welcome. It fits well?"
"It's perfect, I love it," Skye said with a smile.
"Good," Nat said, smiling at the younger girl.
Shortly after the Barton family came into the compound. They all said happy birthday to the teenager.
"I love the sweater!" Lila said, checking it out.
"Thanks, it was a gift from Nat," Skye said.
"She does have good taste in clothes," Lila said.
"Well, thank you, but I knew Skye wanted this sweater," Nat said, smiling at her niece.
Lila smiled and hugged Nat as well.
It wasn't much longer before Skye, Lila, Steve, and Clint headed out to the bowling alley where Skye's other friends met them.
The girls all bowled while Steve and Clint sat and watched them and talked.
"How is Skye doing?" Clint asked.
"Some days I think she is doing better than others. I don't know," Steve said. "I had to convince her to do anything for her birthday. She never even brought it up. Had I not known when it was, it would have been completely overlooked." They were sitting far enough away and were talking quietly so the girls wouldn't hear.
Clint shook his head.
"She told me last night that when it has been celebrated a few times in the past something has always gone wrong to ruin the day," Steve said.
"That would make anyone not want to celebrate," Clint said.
"I hope that after today she will see that doesn't have to always be the case. But I have a feeling it's going to take years for her to get over that," Steve said.
"Unfortunately, I think you are probably right," Clint said.
Skye and her friends were taking their turns bowling and the subject of crushes came up.
"So, who at school do you like?" Ivy asked Skye.
Skye shrugged. "No one really."
"Come on, not even Zach?" Anna asked.
Skye shrugged and shook her head. "Nope."
"He is so fine," Ivy said.
Skye chuckled. "Well, you three can stare at him enough for the four of us."
Lila chuckled.
"Come to think about it, I don't think you have ever talked about a crush on anyone," Kate said. They had been in multiple homes together through the years, so they had grown up together.
Skye shrugged. "I guess I'm just picky."
"That's okay, that's good in fact. You won't waste your time on anyone who doesn't deserve you," Lila said with a smile.
"Have you gotten any closer to that guy you told me about?" Skye asked Lila.
Lila shook her head. "He is dating someone else now."
"Urg, that sucks," Skye said.
Lila shrugged. "Meh. There will be other guys in the future."
"Very true," Skye said.
The girls kept talking and bowling. When they were half done Steve went over to the concessions and got them some pizza and soda, bringing it to a table near where their lane was located. The girls all took a break to eat and have something to drink.
Steve looked up at the computer that was keeping track of the scores and noticed Skye seemed to be playing a really good game.
"You've bowled a lot before?" Steve asked her.
"Just a couple of times," Skye said.
"Seriously? I thought you must have a lot of experience with the scores you're getting," Lily said.
Skye shrugged.
"Are you using some ability? "Cause that is so not fair," Anna said.
Skye chuckled. "No, I wouldn't do that."
"You are playing really well," Lila said.
"I don't know what to say. I have always bowled well, I guess," Skye said.
"You should join a bowling league or something," Kate said.
"Maybe," Skye said.
When they were done eating, they went back to bowling. They finished up their game before starting a second one. When they were done playing, they all went out to the waiting limo.
"Damn, a limo," Kate said.
"Don't you remember I always got picked up in a limo for mentoring?" Skye asked.
"Vaguely," Kate said.
Skye shrugged. "It's how I get around ninety percent of the time. I'm appreciative, but I guess I'm used to it now."
Kate nodded a little. Her friend certainly had changed. "Well, thank you for inviting me. But I have to head to work," Kate said.
"Oh, you're not coming back to the compound?" Skye asked.
"I can't, I'm sorry," Kate said.
Skye nodded. "Okay, well thanks for coming." She hugged Kate.
Kate hugged her before she headed off to her own car to head home.
The rest of the girls as well as Steve and Clint got into the limo, and Happy started to head for home.
The girls all hung out. The adults left them alone for the most part. Morgan kept trying to come in to hang out, but Tony and Pepper would quickly get her out of there each time.
When they were called for dinner, everyone sat around the table and ate and talked. After dinner, the cake was brought around, and Happy Birthday was sung to Skye.
Skye smiled a little as they sang.
"Make a wish and blow out your candles," Steve told her.
Skye took a breath and thought of a wish before blowing out her candles. The cake was served, and presents were opened. Soon after, Lily, Ivy, and Anna were picked up to go home.
Skye hugged her friends and said goodbye.
"Thank you for coming," Skye said.
"We wouldn't have missed it," Lily said.
"Thanks for inviting us," Anna said.
"Of course, you're my friends," Skye said with a smile. "And thank you for the gifts, I love them."
They told her she was welcome before they left.
Skye went and sat back down next to Lila. The Bartons were staying for the night.
"Did you have a good birthday?" Lila asked.
"Yes," Skye said with a smile.
"Good," Lila said.
Slowly everyone started to wind down for the night. Skye and Lila ended up in the bedroom. The air mattress had been set up on the floor for Lila.
Steve knocked on the door.
"Come in," Skye called out.
Steve went in. He could hear the shower running and figured Lila must have been in there.
"Just wanted to check in and see if you had a good day," Steve said.
"I did," Skye said with a smile.
"Nothing unexpected happened?" Steve asked.
"Well, nothing bad unexpected," Skye said.
Steve nodded.
"I did get a weird feeling off of Kate, though," Skye said.
Steve nodded. "She probably was just disappointed that she had to go to work instead of coming back here."
"Maybe," Skye said.
"Don't worry about it I'm sure it's nothing," Steve said.
Skye nodded.
"I'm glad you had a good day," Steve said.
"Me too," Skye said.
Lila came out of the bedroom.
"Well, I'm going to say good night. You two don't stay up talking too late," Steve said.
"Good night," both girls said before Steve left the room, closing the door behind him.
Soon after Clint and Laura came and said good night as well. They also told them not to stay up too late talking.
The girls did talk for a while before turning the lights off and going to sleep.