Skye was sitting in the living room on a blanket with the baby, she was playing with him holding a rattle in front of his face and gently shaking it and watching his eyes light up and smile.
Pepper came into the room and looked conflicted.
Skye looked at her and noticed, "Something wrong?"
Pepper went and sat with Skye. "I have a favor to ask you. You can say no and I will not be angry or upset with you. Promise."
"Okay," Skye said slowly.
"Something has come up with Stark Industries and they need someone in charge over there. Tony is obviously not an option. They have asked me to go. Would you feel comfortable taking care of James on your own? And I will have another parent drop off Morgan here after school if I'm not out of there in time. Are you comfortable taking care of both of them at once?" Pepper asked, she knew Skye's history and she knew getting Skye to even play with James on her own had been a big thing. She hated having to ask the girl but she was in a tight spot and she saw how Skye had been getting more comfortable around James and had been really good with helping while Pepper was around.
Skye took a breath. She knew Pepper would not ask her if she wasn't in a pinch. "I-"
"Tony and I trust you. Explicitly. I would not be asking you if we didn't," Pepper told her.
"I realize that," Skye said. It was more about whether she trusted herself at this point.
"Remember I said you can say no. And I'm not going to be upset," Pepper told her.
"But if I don't is something bad going to happen with Stark Industries?" Skye asked.
"I'm sure they can figure it out," Pepper said although based on what she had been told she wasn't actually sure about that. But she knew Tony would understand why she couldn't go if she explained it.
Skye knew Pepper was lying. She took a breath, "No. It's okay. I can watch James and obviously Morgan isn't an issue."
"Are you sure Skye?" Pepper asked.
"Yeah," Skye said.
"Okay. There are bottles in the fridge, you remember how to heat them?" Pepper asked
"Yeah, on the stove, not in the microwave," Skye said.
"Right," Pepper said with a smile. "And you know where everything else is you might need right?"
"Yes," Skye said.
"Good. My phone will be on, you call me if you need anything. I will be home in twenty minutes if you need help," Pepper said.
"Okay," Skye said.
"Thank you, Skye," Pepper said.
Skye smiled and nodded.
Pepper got up and went to grab what she needed before heading out.
A couple of hours later Skye's phone rang. She had just finished feeding James, changing his diaper, and getting him down to sleep. She looked at her phone and answered when she saw it was Pepper.
"Hey Pepper," Skye said.
"Hi Skye, how are things going?" Pepper asked.
"Good, just got him down for a nap," Skye said.
"Good," Pepper said, "So I'm stuck here for at least another hour. Morgan will be dropped off by one of her classmate's parents shortly."
"Okay," Skye said.
"Remember my phone is on if you need anything," Pepper said before they hung up the call.
Morgan came in about half an hour later.
"Hey Tiny," Skye said with a smile.
"Hi!" Morgan said.
"Go put your bag in your room do you want a snack?" Skye asked
"Yes please, an apple and peanut butter please," Morgan said before she went to her room
"That I can do," Skye said with a smile.
Skye grabbed an apple from the fruit basket on the counter and cut it up putting the pieces in a bowl with some peanut butter and also got her some water in a plastic cup and set them both on the island in the kitchen. When Morgan came back into the room she climbed up into one of the chairs at the island and started to eat her snack.
Skye heard James starting to cry on the baby monitor so she went and picked him up from his bassinet. "Hi, buddy." She said as she gently rocked him in her arms.
James slowly calmed down he was almost asleep when she heard a yelp followed by crying from the kitchen. She set the baby down in his bassinet before she went into the kitchen to find Morgan holding the knife Skye had used to cut the apple trying to cut up another apple and she was sobbing as she held up the other hand to show the cut on the palm of it.
"Shit," Skye said as she went over and grabbed a paper towel and went over and applied pressure to Morgan's hand. "Put the knife down. Carefully."
Morgan did as she was told as she continued to sob.
"Morgan use your other hand and hold the paper towel on your hand and go sit. I'm going to get you a band-aid," Skye said.
Morgan shook her head and continued to sob. Then Skye heard crying from the baby monitor. She started to panic a little
"Morgan, do as I asked," Skye said sternly.
Morgan took over putting pressure with her free hand but just sank to the ground sobbing.
Skye went and grabbed James from his bassinet and carried him to the bathroom where she grabbed a band-aid and went back into the kitchen.
"Morgan. I need you to calm down a little and stand up," Skye said.
"No!" Morgan said between sobs.
"I can not help you if you do not help me," Skye said.
"It hurts!" Morgan said between sobs.
"I know," Skye said. "And I want to help it feel better but I can not do that if you do not stand up so we can run it under water to clean it and then put the band-aid on. Look they are cool band-aids. They have princesses on them."
Morgan shook her head and continued to sob.
Skye took a breath. She was trying to remain calm but between Morgan sobbing and the baby crying Skye was starting to not be able to think straight. She didn't know what to do and was starting to get really overwhelmed.
"Morgan, please. I can not help you unless you stand up," Skye said.
"NO!" Morgan screamed causing James to start crying louder.
Skye shook her head, when she had looked at the cut on Morgan's hand it hadn't looked too bad so she could probably just leave her to sulk while she calmed James down and got him back to sleep.
"Well Morgan since you will not cooperate and I can not help you while holding James if you don't. I'm going to calm him down and get him back to sleep. You do not move from this spot, you do not touch anything until I get back or I will be very unhappy with you," Skye said before she left the room and went back to James's room and gently rocked him until he calmed down. When he was asleep again she put him in his bassinet before she went back to the kitchen where the crying had stopped but Morgan was no longer there.
"Shit," she said "Morgan," she called out. "Come back here. Now."
There was no sound of movement. She sighed and started to walk around the living quarters but couldn't find her anywhere. She started to panic. She took out her phone and called security.
"Ms. Rogers what can we do for you?" the security officer who picked up asked.
"Can you do me a favor and check the security footage for the elevator in the last twenty minutes and tell me if Morgan used it to leave the floor?" Skye asked.
"Can do," he said as he started to. "She didn't come down to the main entrance so she is somewhere in the building for sure."
"Small miracles but she still could be getting into some pretty dangerous stuff," Skye said. "And I can't leave the floor to go look for her because of James."
"She did get on the elevator and got off at the basement," the security officer said, "Would you like me to send someone to get her and bring her back up?"
"Yes please," Skye said sounding very defeated. "And thank you."
"Of course Ms. Rogers," he said.
They hung up and Skye went and made sure James was still asleep and found the baby monitor in the kitchen and went and sat in the living room watching the door for Morgan and a security officer.
She was sure at this point that she was in big trouble for taking her eyes off of her. She hoped she didn't come back up more hurt than when she left.
Fifteen minutes later the elevator dinged and Skye looked up to see Morgan being carried in over the shoulder of a security officer. She was fighting against him.
"Thank you," Skye said as the girl was set down.
Skye took hold of her hand so she couldn't run.
"Not a problem," the security officer said before he left them alone again.
Morgan was fighting against Skye. "Morgan enough," Skye said
"Let me go!" Morgan said.
"No!" Skye said, "Stop fighting me or I will have to put you over my shoulder."
Morgan went to try and bite Skye but Skye saw it coming and scooped her up before she could, and put her over her shoulder carrying the girl to the kitchen where she stood her in front of the sink. "Open your hand now so we can clean the cut and I can get a look at it."
Morgan squeezed her hand shut, "NO!"
"Why are you fighting me, Morgan?" Skye asked noticing small drops of blood on either side of the small hand
"You left me by myself when I was hurt!" Morgan said.
"Because you wouldn't cooperate Morgan, and James was crying. I can't take care of both of you when you were not doing what I asked," Skye said. "I got James back to sleep and came back where I told you to stay put and you were gone and you left the floor. You know you are not allowed to do that alone," Skye said.
"I don't care you're not the boss of me!" Morgan screamed. Skye heard the elevator ding again.
"Whoever it is I need help in the kitchen please," Skye called out.
Peter came in, he was just getting back from school for the winter break.
"Pete hey, she has a cut on her hand and she will not open it so I can clean it," Skye said.
"Morgan Stark," Peter said.
"She left me alone and I got hurt it's her fault!" Morgan said.
"Fine, it's my fault. Now can you open the hand so I can fix it?" Skye asked.
"NO!" Morgan said.
"Will you do it for me?" Peter asked.
"NO!" Morgan said.
Peter sighed and swatted the little girl's butt, "Now, Morgan."
Morgan whimpered in surprise but opened her hand.
"I can take care of this. James here too?" Peter asked.
"Yeah, he is sleeping," Skye said stepping back and letting Peter do what needed to be done. " I'll go check on him band-aids on the counter next to you." She said softly before she went off.
Peter could hear in Skye's voice that she felt defeated. And he couldn't blame her. He wasn't sure exactly what happened but he had a feeling Morgan getting cut was not actually Skye's fault but she had claimed fault for it and the girl still did not cooperate.
Once the cut was cleaned and dried Peter grabbed a bandaid from the box next to him and put it on the cut. Thankfully it didn't seem too bad of a cut.
"How did you really get cut?" Peter asked.
"I just wanted an apple cut and she was too busy with James," Morgan mumbled pointing to the knife that she had cut her hand with and the apple next to it.
"You couldn't have waited a few minutes for her to come back? I'm pretty sure you are not allowed to use sharp knives like that," Peter said.
"I was hungry," Morgan whined.
"I'm sure you were," Peter said. "But that doesn't mean you get to use things you are not supposed to. You got hurt doing something you were not allowed to do. It was not Skye's fault. Go sit in your room til one of your parents gets home."
Morgan stomped her foot. "NO!"
"One," Peter said.
Morgan crossed her arms and did not move.
"Two. Morgan if I get to three I will swat your butt again," Peter said.
Morgan hesitated for only a second longer before she ran to her room crying.
Peter sighed and cleaned up the mess in the kitchen before he went and found Skye sitting in her window seat holding the baby monitor.
"Hey, you okay?" Peter asked.
Skye shook her head wiping away a few tears. "I thought if someone got hurt today it would be Jamie, not Morgan."
"It's just a cut, and it's not your fault she used a knife she isn't allowed to," Peter said. "She could have done that when every other adult was here and she was unsupervised for two minutes. You were alone watching two kids and Morgan knew better."
"And after she got hurt I left her alone crying because Jamie wouldn't stop crying either," Skye said.
Peter tilted his head, "what do you mean exactly?"
"I went back into the kitchen after getting James back to sleep after making Morgan her snack. Morgan was sobbing and I grabbed a paper towel, put pressure on the wound, and got Morgan to hold it so I could go get a bandaid. James woke up crying at that moment so I grabbed him and the band-aids and went back to the kitchen where Morgan was sitting on the ground sobbing. I tried to get her to stand up and stand by the sink so I could rinse out the cut and get a bandaid on but she would not cooperate and I couldn't pull her up because of James who was screaming at that point so I told Morgan to stay put and I went and calmed James down and got him back to sleep and came back out to find Morgan missing. She managed to get on the elevator and down to the basement I got security to find her and bring her back up. That is why I carried her into the kitchen and stood her by the sink where she wouldn't cooperate until you came in."
"Well she didn't want to cooperate with me," Peter said.
"Yeah well you have a tool at your disposal that I don't," Skye said.
"I hope I do," Peter said.
Skye looked up at him.
"Haven't exactly been told I could," Peter said.
"Oh," Skye said.
"Yeah. You don't worry about that. If Tony or Pepper yell at me for it I can handle it. And for the record. You did the best you could with all that was happening. Morgan made things so much harder on you than she should of. And she told me she was trying to cut herself an apple because you hadn't made her a snack before going and taking care of James," Peter said.
"I did cut her an apple with peanut butter. Maybe she wanted another apple but she definitely had a snack prepared by me," Skye said. "And I would have cut her another one when I came out if she asked."
"Skye, what happened was not your fault," Peter said. "And I'm sure Pepper and Tony will agree,"
Skye nodded a little
"Do you know when Pepper will be back?" Peter asked.
"Not sure, she had to go be the big boss for something at Stark Industries," Skye said.
"Okay," Peter said.
"I'm not sure when everyone else will be back either," Skye said. "They are doing something with the UN."
"Oh boy. Hope it's not Accords bullshit again." Peter said.
"I thought you were on the side that signed it last time?" Skye asked.
"Well. I was your age. I didn't sign anything. That was around the time Tony recruited me. I did what he told me. I didn't really know what was happening," Peter said.
Skye chuckled, "So you wouldn't sign it?" Skye asked.
"You wouldn't know. But who I am was revealed at one point and it was bad. Thankfully with the help of Dr. Strange and Tony, we were able to reverse time and make it so people didn't know. But yeah. We almost lost a lot of people and I was almost killed," Peter said. "It's better that we keep names off of lists."
Skye nodded a little.
"Do you feel the other way?" Peter asked.
"I'm glad that I wouldn't have to decide. I don't think they could make a minor sign," Skye said.
Peter chuckled, "No. They couldn't and I know what you mean."
"I don't want the accords to be a thing because I have read what happened. I don't think it's a good thing because it puts my family in a position where they will have to pick a side and not everyone will agree," Skye said.
"Yeah. I get what you mean," Peter said.
There was the sound of a bunch of people coming into the compound and Skye whimpered.
"Skye, you didn't do anything wrong," Peter said.
"I guess. Can you take the baby monitor out to Tony?" Skye asked.
"Why can't you?" Peter asked.
Skye let out a breath.
"You are not running and hiding from this," Peter said. "Go talk to him."
Skye got up and went and brought the baby monitor out.
"Hey," Tony said.
"Hi," Skye said softly.
"What happened?" He asked.
Skye tilted her head at him.
"I got stopped by security on the way up," Tony said.
"Oh," Skye said swallowing hard.
"I need to know how she got out," Tony said.
Skye's eyes started to fill with tears.
Peter seeing this stepped in, "I know you want to hear it from her but she told me what happened and it's not her fault but she thinks you and Pepper will think it is. And after you talk to her I will need to talk to you too."
"Okay, thanks Pete, and okay," Tony said before he looked back at Skye, "come on let's go talk in the office."
Skye nodded and went with him and sat down on the couch, hugged her knees up to her chest, and buried her face.
Tony leaned against the desk. "I just need you to tell me what happened. If Peter doesn't think it's your fault then it's probably not."
Skye explained to Tony what had happened up until the point that Peter got there.
"Peter got her to listen to him?" Tony asked.
"He did," Skye said. "I think that might be what he wants to talk to you about."
Tony looked a little confused, "Okay. But no what happened wasn't your fault. She should have listened to you. She has been having a hard time with feeling jealous I think she liked that you weren't giving much attention to James for a while there and I think now that you are she is getting jealous. So. Not your fault. You did everything right. I'm proud of you. I will talk to Morgan she will not pull something like this again."
"Okay," Skye said softly.
"Skye, look at me," Tony said.
Skye looked up at him.
"You handled it pretty much how I would have," Tony said.
"She would have listened to you," Skye said.
"Skye she has been telling me no too, and Pepper," Tony said.
"Oh," Skye said. "Well you have ways to get her to listen that I don't," she mumbled.
Tony resisted the urge to chuckle. The girl was right. "You're right I do. But you handled it the best you could do."
Skye nodded a little.
"Come here kid," Tony said
Skye got up and went over and Tony hugged her, "You do not need to carry the guilt of this. It was not your fault. You understand me?"
Skye hugged him "I understand."
"Good. Go, tell Peter he can come in," Tony said.
Skye left the room and went and told Peter who went in and closed the door behind him and sat where Skye had been sitting.
"So, what did Skye tell you about what happened when I got here?" Peter asked.
"That you stepped in to help. And that she listened to you but seemed to think that was what you wanted to talk to me about," Tony said.
"She did listen to me," Peter said slowly.
Tony tilted his head, "Pete. Spit it out."
"I smacked her butt," Peter said.
"And?" Tony asked.
"Um. Well. Are you not pissed at me?" Peter asked
"I would have done that and probably more if I saw the way she was acting," Tony said.
"Well yeah. But," Peter said.
"Peter. I trust you. I know you're not going to hurt her," Tony said.
Peter nodded.
"And Pepper will feel the same way," Tony said. "Was that all?"
"Yeah," Peter said.
"Then let's get out of here. I have a daughter to speak to," Tony said.
The two left the office and Tony went to Morgan's room and knocked on the door.
"Yes?" The girl said softly.
Tony took a breath before he went into the room and crossed his arms at his daughter.
"What happened the last time you didn't listen to Skye?" he asked her.
"I got in trouble," she said softly.
"So what did you think would happen if you did it again?" Tony asked.
"It's not fair Daddy! I was hungry! I just wanted an apple," Morgan said
"Okay, and Skye had already cut you up one. You could have waited until she came out to cut you up some more," Tony said. "You do not get to use big knives like that and it's because you don't know how to safely. Which is why you got hurt. But that was not what you did that wasn't listening to Skye," he said moving to sit on her bed. "She tried to help you fix the cut on your hand but you made it very hard and when she had to take care of James because she needed to put him down to be able to help you since you wouldn't cooperate you left the floor. And you know you're not allowed to do that. And when you were brought back up and she was trying to help you because you were still bleeding again you fought against her. It took Peter having to swat your butt for you to listen. To either of them."
Morgan crossed her arms with a huff.
Tony took the girl by her arm, pulled her over his lap, and landed half a dozen swats.
Morgan started to cry right away.
"When Skye, Peter, or any adult here tells you to do something you do it," Tony said before he landed another six.
"Yes Daddy," she sobbed out.
Tony sat her up and wrapped her in a hug and the little girl cried into his chest for a couple of minutes. When she was fully calm she pulled away from her dad. Tony looked down at her.
"You are going to apologize to Skye and Peter. And you are going to tell your mom what happened when she gets home," Tony said.
"Noooo," Morgan whined.
"Excuse me?" Tony asked.
Morgan whimpered, "Yes Daddy."
"Good," Tony said they left her room and went and knocked on Skye's bedroom.
"Yes?" Skye called out.
Tony opened the door and gently pushed Morgan in.
"I'm sorry I didn't listen," Morgan mumbled.
"I don't think she heard you," Tony said.
Morgan stomped her foot and huffed.
"Do we need to go back to your room and have another conversation?" Tony asked.
"NO!" Morgan said stomping her foot.
Tony sighed and picked the girl up. He carried her back to her room.
"No Daddy! I will say it properly. I'm sorry!" Morgan said squirming.
"If we have to come back to your room you will get another spanking. Am I understood?" Tony asked.
"Yes Daddy," she said sadly.
Tony set the girl down and went back to Skye's room where the girl properly apologized, Skye said she forgave her before they found Peter and she apologized to him too and Peter hugged her.
When Pepper got home Morgan with a lot of promoting from Tony told her mom what she had done.
"I'm disappointed in you Morgan," Pepper said. "But daddy handled it so it's forgiven. Do not do it again."
"Yes Mommy," Morgan said sadly.
Pepper hugged the girl before Morgan went off and Pepper looked at Tony "Scale of one to ten how much is Skye blaming herself?"
"She definitely was in the beginning. She was scared to tell me thinking I would blame her. Peter had to step in and tell me that it wasn't her fault before she would tell me anything," Tony said. "I think less so now that I have talked to her, told her that it wasn't her fault and she handled it the best she could, and Morgan has apologized."
"Okay, good," Pepper said. "I will talk to her, make sure she knows I think the same as you."
"And Peter might do well with hearing you too have no issue with the fact that he smacked her butt," Tony said.
"Oh. Okay," Pepper said.
"He looked like the scared kid when I showed up after he hacked the suit when he started to talk to me about it," Tony said shaking his head.
"Still doesn't like letting you down," Pepper said.
"I know," Tony said. "But he didn't let me down."
"No, he didn't do anything wrong. But seems like he felt like he might have," Pepper said. "Did he come to you himself or did Morgan tell you?"
"He told me himself before I even spoke to Morgan," Tony said.
"Goes to show he knows even if he had messed up he can trust you not to give up on him," Pepper said.
"True," Tony said with a smile. "I'm glad he knows that."
Peter came into the kitchen.
"Glad who knows what?" Peter asked.
"Glad you know you can be honest with me," Tony said.
"Oh. Well yeah, I do," Peter said. "He told you I take it," Peter said grabbing an orange from the fruit bowl on the counter.
"He did," Pepper said smiling at the young man. "And he's right when he said you didn't do anything wrong."
"Okay," Peter said nodding.
"Know where Skye is?" Pepper asked.
"I'm assuming her room," Tony said.
Pepper went and knocked on her door.
"Yeah?" Skye said.
Pepper went in. "Just want to make sure you know that I agree with Tony. You handled it perfectly."
"Okay," Skye said softly.
"Promise. It wasn't your fault," Pepper said.
"Okay," Skye said again.
"You're okay?" Pepper asked.
"Yeah," Skye said. "Just tired."
"Okay, I will let you rest," Pepper said before she left her room closing the door behind her.
