Skye was scrolling social media in her bedroom. Most everyone who lived at the compound was out doing various things. Steve and Bucky were out on a double date with Nat and Bruce who had finally admitted to everyone that they were involved. Thor and Loki were still in Asgard. Wanda and Yelena had gone into the city to do some shopping. They had invited Skye to go along with them but Skye declined. She was tired from training that morning and just wanted to rest. Skye wasn't sure where Sam or Rhodey were. Skye knew Tony was in the lab working on something and Pepper was reading with Morgan.
Skye left her room about an hour later to get something to drink.
"Skye?" she heard Pepper say from the living room sounding a little panicked.
Skye went quickly to see Pepper sitting on the couch clearly in distress. "Are you in labor?"
"Yes," Pepper said. "I sent Morgan to get Tony ten minutes ago but she has not come back yet."
Skye took out her phone and called Tony.
"Hey Skye, What's up?" Tony asked.
"Pepper is in labor, Morgan was sent to get you ten minutes ago so you will probably find her on your way up here," Skye said.
"Okay, I'm on my way," Tony said before he hung up. He made his way upstairs scooping up Morgan when he found her coming that way. When he got upstairs he set her down and looked at Skye. "You are okay to watch Morgan?"
"Of course," Skye said with a smile.
"Okay, when the others get back let them know. We have already asked Nat to take care of her if we are at the hospital overnight," Tony said.
"Will do," Skye said.
Tony helped Pepper up from the couch and the two headed out.
Skye looked at Morgan and smiled, "You excited to be a big sister?"
"Yes!" Morgan said excitedly. "Can you paint my nails?"
Skye chuckled, "Sure."
The two went to Skye's bathroom and Skye opened a drawer to reveal the excessive amount of nail polish she had.
"Pick a color," Skye said
Morgan pulled out a blue sparkly nail polish while Skye took out a few other things they would need. Once they had everything they needed they went and sat at the table in the kitchen and Skye started to work on Morgan's nails.
"My mommy and daddy wouldn't tell me if I will have a brother or sister," Morgan said.
Skye smiled, "they didn't tell anyone."
"So you don't know either?" Morgan asked.
Skye took a breath, she didn't want to lie to the girl. "I do know. But it wasn't your parents who told me. I found out accidentally," Skye told her.
"Ooh! Tell me!" Morgan said.
"I can't. Your mom and dad would be upset with me if I did," Skye said.
"Not fair," Morgan said with a huff.
"I know it doesn't seem fair, but I'm not supposed to know. So if I told you or anyone it wouldn't be fair to your parents," Skye said.
Morgan nodded a little.
"How are you liking in-person school?" Skye asked changing the subject
"I love it!" Morgan said talking about all the friends she had made.
Skye smiled and listened to her talk.
After she had talked her ear off Morgan asked Skye, "Why don't you go to in-person school anymore?"
"The person in charge of the school. The Dean. He saw a video of me using my abilities. He said he didn't realize how powerful I was and he was worried about me hurting someone else at school so I got kicked out," Skye said.
"But you wouldn't hurt anyone," Morgan said.
"Not someone who I didn't have to no. I would have never hurt anyone at school. I don't think that is the real reason he kicked me out. That was the excuse he used because he didn't want to have to deal with thedrama that someone else I went to school with would have caused anymore," Skye said.
"What do you mean?" Morgan asked.
"You remember how someone punched me at school and I got hurt? She doesn't like me and was constantly trying to cause issues. And she got into a lot of trouble for something else outside of school and wasn't in school for a while. I didn't know at first but she was coming back to the school and the Dean didn't want to deal with the issues that she was causing so he kicked me out telling my dad it was because of my abilities but when I went to drop off my books at school I saw that girl and she looked at me funny and I when I asked the Dean about it he didn't say I was wrong in thinking she was the reason I was kicked out," Skye said.
Morgan looked confused, "if she was the problem why wasn't she the one kicked out?"
"This girl's parents have lots of money. And they probably donated a lot of money to the school to get her back in, the Dean probably wanted that money for the school and didn't want them to take the donation back so he let her be in the school instead of me. Now it's not right for the Dean to do that. And it wasn't fair or allowed for her parents to donate money just to get her back in the school but that is what I think happened," Skye said
"Not right as in against the law?" Morgan asked
"I don't know if it's really against the law. But it's not right. And even if it is against the law all her parents would have to say is they donated to the school. There is nothing wrong with people donating to the school. What is wrong would be donating as a way to convince the Dean to let her back into the school," Skye said.
Morgan nodded a little.
"I know it's a little confusing," Skye said wondering if she shouldn't have told her all the details. But it was told now and there was nothing she could do to take it back.
Skye finished painting the younger girls' nails and recapped the bottle of polish.
"Why doesn't the girl like you?" Morgan asked.
"That is a long story," Skye said. "But the short version is she assumed I hurt someone close to her, which I didn't. I told her that but she didn't believe me. The person she thought I hurt told her I didn't but she wouldn't let it go. She wouldn't get to know me to know I wouldn't have hurt that person. So she didn't like me."
"Oh," Morgan said. 'Because you are really nice."
Skye smiled, "Thank you and so are you."
After her nails dried Morgan looked at Skye, "Please tell me if I'm going to have a brother or sister?"
"I can't do that Morgan. But you will find out soon," Skye said.
Morgan huffed and got up. She went to her room closing her door hard.
Skye sighed and went and sat in the living room and turned on the next episode of a show she was watching. When she was done withthe episode she went and knocked on Morgan's bedroom.
"Come in," Morgan said.
Skye opened the door. "I know you don't like that I wont tell you. But I can't Morgan."
Morgan nodded a little.
"Your mom is having the baby very soon and then you will find out," Skye said.
"Okay," Morgan said sadly.
"If you want we can make a welcome home sign for your mom and the baby," Skye said.
Morgan's eyes lit up, "Yes!" she said excitedly.
Skye went and found the stuff for it and the two of them sat at the table again and started to work on the sign.
While they were working Wanda and Yelena came back home carrying lots of bags.
"What are you two doing?" Wanda asked.
"Making a welcome home sign for my mommy and baby sibling," Morgan said.
"Pepper went into labor while you were out," Skye said with a smile. "She and Tony went to the hospital."
"That's great," Wanda said with a smile.
"Do you like our sign?" Morgan asked.
"I think it's wonderful," Wanda said.
"It is very nice," Yelena agreed.
Shortly after everyone else started to get home and Skye informed them all about what was going on.
"Oh, you're about to be a big sister," Nat said to the little girl.
"I want to know if it's a brother or a sister!" Morgan said.
"You're parents have been keeping that secret from all of us," Nat said.
"Skye knows," Morgan said pointing to Skye.
Skye chuckled, "And as I've already told you I found out accidentally."
"Oh? How did you find out?" Nat asked
"I went to an appointment with Pepper when Tony couldn't so she wouldn't have to go alone, the doctor let it slip," Skye said.
"It was how she convinced Tony that she is our Skye in the other universe," Steve said. "She whispered it to him."
"Ah, you should have made her say it so we could all know," Nat said with a smirk.
"Yeah, Pepper told me not to tell anyone, and I'd rather her not be upset with me," Skye said.
Nat chuckled, "Fair enough."
"I think if you had revealed in that situation when there was no other choice I don't think she would have been upset," Wanda said.
"Well, maybe not. But there was another option," Skye said.
"Very true," Wanda said.
Skye's phone started to ring. She pulled it out of her pocket, rolled her eyes before pressing the end button, and put it back in her pocket before she went back to working on the poster.
"Who was that?" Steve asked his daughter.
"Tell you later," she said.
Steve nodded.
When the poster was finished Skye looked at Morgan. "You think it's good?"
"Yes!" Morgan said with a grin.
"So do I," Skye said with a smile.
Both got up and Skye carefully picked up the poster and shook it gently so any loose glitter would fall onto the table for easier cleanup.
"We will be finding glitter everywhere for months," Nat whispered to Bruce. They were in the kitchen working on making dinner.
Bruce smirked and nodded in agreement.
"Morgan, can you start collecting all the art supplies I'm going to go put this in my room for now and I'll be back to clean up the glitter," Skye said.
"Okay," Morgan said as she stood up lots of glitter falling onto the floor and her chair.
Skye went and put the poster on her desk in her room before she went back and grabbed a dry cloth from a drawer in the kitchen and dampened it before going and starting to wipe the table.
Morgan put all the art supplies into the small basket that held all of it.
Once Skye had picked up all the glitter she could from the table and chairs she went and threw the cloth into the laundry room and went back to the kitchen, picked up the basket, and went to put it away.
Morgan ran off to go play.
Skye went back into the kitchen after she had washed her hands in her bathroom, "I heard that comment by the way." she said with a smirk.
Nat chuckled. "Just speaking the truth."
"Can I help with anything?" Skye asked.
"You can set the table in the dining room," Nat said.
Skye did so, andwhile she was doing so her dad came into the dining room. "Who was calling you?"
"Tucker, he's angry with me for how I handled things with his variant and stuff," Skye said. "I just didn't want to deal with it while I was hanging with Morgan."
"Ah," he said.
"I made him a promise a while back I wouldn't put myself in unnecessary danger. He seems to think I did that by doing things behind your back," Skye said. "I tried to explain it to him but he won't listen."
"Well. I think he is probably just worried about losing you. He doesn't have many people in his life. You have been a constant in his life," Steve said.
"I do get that, but he has to understand this is what I was born to do, literally," Skye said. "I will be at risk every time I go on any Avenger mission. And I'm not giving up what I was meant to do."
"And you shouldn't have to. Give him a call after dinner totry to talk it out," Steve said.
"Can I maybe go to his place? Talk to him in person?" Skye asked
Steve let out a breath
"Dad, I know you don't want to hear this. But if we want to have sex we don't need to be alone at his place to do it," Skye said.
"I know," Steve said.
"You have to trust me. If I choose to have sex I will be safe," Skye said.
"Okay," Steve said. "Yes. You can go to his place. After dinner. I will drive you."
"Thank you, Daddy," Skye said with a smile
Steve pulled her into a hug.
Skye hugged him and smiled.
After dinner, Steve drove her to Tucker's apartment.
"I will pick up a few things at the store and be back in a couple of hours unless you call me before," Steve said.
"Okay. Thanks," she said before she got out and went and found his name on the buzzer and pushed it.
"Yes?" a male voice said.
"This is Skye, I'm Tucker's girlfriend, is he in?" Skye asked.
"Yeah. He is here, come up, thethird floor," he said before the door buzzed that it was opened.
Skye went into the building and went up the two flights of stairs to the third floor and saw Tucker standing by the door just next to the staircase.
"Hi," he said.
"Hi," she said. "I thought if you could see I'm really not hurt maybe you would be less upset."
"I didn't think you were hurt, you said you weren't I did believe that," Tucker said as he stepped out of the way and let her into his place.
Skye looked around at his place.
"I'd give you the grand tour but this is pretty much it," he said.
Skye smiled a little, "well it's small. But it's yours and it's safe."
"That it is," Tucker said. "I can show you my room though."
Skye nodded and he led her there where they both sat on his bed. They were quiet for a few minutes before Skye took a breath.
"For this to work, you have to understand I was born for this, literally. I was created by two people who have abilities. Now one didn't know about me for a long time. But the one who did sneakily created me to do evil. Now I'm not going to do that. But I have these abilities and I'm not going just to pretend I don't. I'm going to help people. And it's going to put me at risk. And you need to accept that," Slye said
"That's not exactly what I have the issue with," Tucker said. "I have anissue with you doing it in a way that puts you at an unnecessary amount of risk. You do what you have to do. But bring back up. Don't do things behind your dad's back."
"I didn't have a choice. I love my dad. I'd choose him as my dad in every life," Skye said. "But he is unnecessarily overprotective sometimes. He has a hard time realizing that I'm getting older and I know a little more about what I'm doing. And sometimes I think he forgets that I read people better than any of them do. I knew that my variant and your variant were being honest with me. I could feel it. I could feel their fear about their daughter. But because my dad and the other Avengers couldn't read that they didn't believe it. And I can't fault them for that but I knew what I had to do. And I had to do it the way I did or that little girl would probably still be with evil people, who were working to turn her evil alongside them. I was never in direct danger either. Our variants were but they came out of it with their daughter and a few bumps and bruises. Having taken down a big Hydra base in that world."
"I can not lose you, Skye," Tucker said.
"And you won't. I did make that promise. And I don't think I broke it. I think it was a necessary danger," Skye said.
Tucker let out a breath. "And does your dad think that it was necessary?"
"At first no, but after things played out the way I knew they would. And I came back not hurt, the only thing I was in trouble for was doing it behind his back," Skye said.
Tucker nodded and took her hands in his. "I love you."
"I love you too Tucker," Skye said. "Is this something you can handle? Who I am."
"I love all of you Skye, I'm protective of you. That is something I can't change. But yes I can handle it. Might just need some time to wrap my head around when you have to do these things," Tucker said.
"I love that you are so protective of me. And I wouldn't ask you to change that. But you can't get angry with mewhen I do what I have to do," Skye said.
"You're right. That wasn't fair," Tucker said. "I'm sorry."
"It's forgiven," Skye said leaning in and kissing him softly
Tucker laced his fingers through her hair and kissed her back deepening the kiss and moving his hands down her back.
Skye broke the kiss pushed away gently and looked down.
"What?" Tucker asked.
"Just, wondering things," Skye said.
"Like?" Tucker asked.
"Um, you obviously have had sex before," Skye said.
"I have," Tucker said with a smile. "Skye, I'm not in any rush. I have literally lived what can happen when you have sex. I'm not ready to take that risk right now."
"Okay," Skye said nodding.
"Did you want to take that next step?" Tucker asked
"No," Skye said. "Just my dad and coming here alone. We had a chat about it."
"What did he say about it?" Tucker asked.
"I told him, if and when we take that step I will make sure it's done safely," Skye said.
"I agree," Tucker said with a smile.
"Good. But it is something I want to make sure we keep talking about," Skye said. "Because when we are ready for that step. I will be making sure I'm protected. Birth control of some sort."
"Okay. Well, I don't foresee it happening soon. But my understanding is the pill takes time to work. So start it whenever you want," Tucker said.
"Not sure if I'd do the pill. There are other options," Skye said. "I don't know. I'm going to look into it."
"Okay, well doesn't hurt to be prepared so when the time comes we don't have to worry as much," Tucker said.
"Just so you are aware. We will be using condoms too," Skye said.
"Agreed," Tucker said with a smile.
"Urg, you're too perfect," Skye said with a smile.
Tucker chuckled and leaned in and kissed her
Skye kissed him.
"You are perfect," Tucker said wrapping his arms around her and pulling her down onto the bed cuddling.
Skye chuckled and let herself fall with him and snuggled close.
Tucker just held her close.
"How is work?" Skye asked him.
"Good, really good. That man is so much more understanding and kind than I think we ever gave him credit for," Tucker said.
"Oh?" Skye asked.
"I didn't tell him about the whole situation. He didn't know I was living on my own. He started asking me more about things when I almost had to miss work. And I told him the truth of everything. He gave me a sizable pay raise and cut my hours a little so I have more time to focus on school and well you," Tucker said with a smile.
"Wow," she said.
"He told me off a little for putting you on the back burner," Tucker said.
Skye smiled, "I did not feel like that at all. You have spent every free moment with me. What you have been putting on the back burner is yourself."
"Oh?" Tucker said.
"The bags under your eyes," Skye said.
"Yeah. I've been doing homework late into the night," Tucker said.
"You need sleep," Skye said softly.
"I know," Tucker said closing his eyes. "With the cut down on hours I'm able to. And I will."
"Good," Skye said before she just laid there silently letting him rest.
An hour later Skye's phone went off with a text.
She looked at it and sighed.
Tucker woke up a little "hrm?"
"My dad, he is here," Skye said.
"Oh, how long was I out?" Tucker said.
Skye looked at the time, "About an hour."
They both sat up. Skye texted him that she would be down in a few minutes.
Tucker walked her to the door and wrapped her in a tight hug.
Skye hugged him, "Please sleep."
"I will promise," Tucker said kissing her.
Skye kissed him and left.
Early the next morning Tony and Pepper came into the house. Pepper was carrying their new baby wrapped in a blue blanket and Tony was carrying everything else.
Skye was the only one already awake and was in the living room reading. She smiled and put the bookmark in her book when she saw them.
"Congrats," Skye said.
"Thank you," Pepper said smiling at the girl before noticing the sign and pointing it out to Tony.
Tony smiled and thanked the teenager as well. "You the only one up?"
"Yes," Skye said. "And Morgan and I did that."
"Did you want to hold him?" Pepper asked.
"Um. No. That's okay. I don't want to hurt him," Skye said quickly.
"I can teach you how to hold him so he is safe," Pepper said.
"No. It's okay. I'm not comfortable with it," Skye said softly looking down.
"Okay, you don't have to," Pepper said
"A boy," Nat said as she came into the room smiling. "That's great. Congrats."
"Thank you," both Tony and Pepper said.
Nat sat next to Skye. "I'll hold him if that's okay."
"Of course," Pepper said handing him to her.
Skye looked down at the baby and smiled, "he is so tiny."
"He is," Pepper said. "5 pounds."
"What is average?" Skye asked.
"7, 8 pounds is pretty average," Pepper said. "5 pounds is still within a healthy range though."
Skye nodded a little.
"Morgan was pretty small at birth too," Pepper said. "Which I'm not upset about. He will grow just like she did."
"You will grow up to be big and strong," Nat said softly to the baby.
"What is his name?" Skye asked.
"James," Pepper said.
"After Rhodey?" Skye asked.
"Yes," Tony said.
Soon everyone was awake and in the living room.
"So, we know it's a boy. What's his name?" Wanda asked.
"James Stark," Tony said.
Everyone looked up at Rhodey who smiled. "I'm honored," he said.
"I want to hold him!" Morgan said jumping around.
"Okay, you need to sit first," Pepper said.
Skye got up and let Morgan sit where she had been next to Nat
Morgan sat next to Nat
"See how Nat is holding him? Pepper asked.
Morgan got her arms ready and Pepper took her baby from Nat gently and handed him to his big sister telling her how to hold him.
Morgan held her brother grinning down at him.
Nat moved so someone else could sit and get a better look at the baby.
"You didn't want to hold him?" Steve asked her
Skye shrugged, "I just don't want to risk hurting him."
"Okay," Steve said slowly. "I'm sure you will get used to holding a baby in time.
"Are you going to tell everyone soon?" Skye asked
"Soon, we are letting everyone be excited about Tony and Pepper's baby first," Steve said softly.
"Fair enough," Skye said before she went into the kitchen to help Nat who had started making breakfast.