Chapter 1
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.
AN: Thank you to all who have added to alerts, read, reviewed or any combination of the three. It means a lot to me.
AN2: This is a sequel to both Her Story Started Here and Family. If you haven't read them then do otherwise you'll be confused by this. Thank you so so much to everyone who has supported me throughout these stories. Unless something changes this will be the final story in this series.
(Line break)
Half an hour after Skye was changed Fury and Hill has left with the containment case and the tec planning to take the energy to the slingshot in the plane that Steve, Melinda and Natasha flew. Everyone else are in the lab trying to decide what to do when Clint realises something.
"What about your plane?" Clint ask Tony.
"I'll fly it back to New York." Steve offers, "Go to the tower, and tell Bruce what is going on." He explains as no one wanted to call Bruce and explain over the phone, they all felt that he deserved to be told what has happened in person.
"I'll go with you." Ward says feeling the need to be away from the plane for a little while.
"All of Skye's stuff that she took to the academy is in the car at the airport, we should get it for her." Clint comments.
"And we should get things from the house." Melinda adds.
"I agree." Coulson comments.
"So I guess we're heading to New York." Natasha realises.
"We need supplies for Skye before we can make a trip like that." Simmons comments, "Formula and diapers and clothes." She tells everyone.
"Where's the nearest town to here?" Pepper asks, "We should be able to pick up the few things we need desperately before going to New York and getting what we really need." She tells everyone.
"The nearest town is an hour away." Tony comments as he remembers from when he and Skye were looking at the Coordinates.
"Are you and Pepper going to come on this plane or your own?" Coulson asks curious.
"We'll stay if you don't mind." Tony comments as he would rather stay to make sure everything has gone okay with Skye's transformation though he doesn't particularly want to voice that reason and worry everyone.
"That's fine." Coulson responds pretty sure he knows the reason but like Tony he doesn't want to voice it.
"If you two want to fly the plane back then you can leave at any time." Tony tells Ward and Steve understanding why Ward would want some time away from the bus.
"Just let me get a few things from upstairs, then we can go." Ward tell Steve who nods and Ward exits the lab, Simmons chasing after him.
"Ward wait." Simmons says running up the stairs.
"What?" He asks turning around to face her.
"Skye asked me to give you this once she was changed." Skye says pulling out the letter that Skye gave her and handing it to him.
"What is it?" Ward asks confused as he accepts the letter.
"I don't know, I didn't open it." Simmons tells him, "She just asked me to give it to you." Simmons tells her friend, "Are you okay?" she asks worried.
"Are any of us?" Ward asks before heading to his bunk.
(Line break)
"So Nat, Pepper and I will go to the shops while the rest of you stay here." Clint comments, "What exactly do we need?" He asks.
"I'm writing a list." Melinda tells him, writing the size diapers and clothes that Skye used hoping that they will still be okay.
"Keys to Lola please." Natasha requests knowing that the chances are less than zero but wanting to try anyway.
"Not a chance Tasha." Coulson tells her, "It's only two seater and the only person apart from me who can drive Lola is Skye." Coulson tells his friend.
"The old rule stands now." Melinda tells Coulson as Simmons re-enters the lab.
"What old rule?" Tony asks confused.
"Skye's not allowed to be in Lola when she is flying until she is ten." Coulson explains.
"Here, this is everything we'll need until we get to New York." Melinda says handing Clint a piece of paper.
"See you in a couple of hours then." Clint comments as he, Natasha and Pepper head to the S.H.I.E.L.D SVU, Pepper kissing Tony goodbye before she goes.
"I'm ready to go Captain." Ward says returning with a small bag.
"Just take the plane to the airport, you both know which one." Tony tells Steve and Ward as Natasha, Clint and Pepper drive out of the Cargo Bay, Natasha driving.
"See you in a few hours Sir." Ward says to Coulson before he and Steve leave.
"Sir, if you still have all of Skye's measurements and developmental information from her first few months it could help me figure out just what is going on with her ageing, maybe even predict it." Simmons tells Coulson.
"I have her blue book upstairs." Melinda says walking over to her daughter and husband, "I'll get it for you."
"You do?" Coulson asks surprised.
"I've had it with me every day for the past twenty five years." Melinda tells Coulson.
"That will help a lot, thank you." Simmons tells her.
"I think she remembers us." Melinda comments as she grab Skye's tiny hand and her daughter looks towards her
"It's likely that she does." Simmons responds, "But she weather she is recognizing you from before she was changed or from when she was a baby the first time, or whether she can tell that you are her parents or someone she can trust is hard to know." Simmons explains.
"Well let's see if she recognizes one of you." Coulson comments.
"Let's try." Tony says taking several steps towards Coulson, "May I?" he asks and Coulson nods.
"Be careful of her head." Coulson says as Skye moves from Coulson's arms to Tony's.
"I know how to hold a baby Phil." Tony tells his friend, "Hey Kiddo, I'm your Uncle Tony, do you remember me?" He asks and as a responds Skye smiles up at Tony, "Yeah, I knew you would." He tells her then Skye vomits over him.
"I'd say she remembers you." Coulson comments trying not to laugh at the look that Tony has on his face.
"She hasn't eaten anything why is she vomiting?" Melinda asks worried as she gets Skye out of Tony's arms.
"It is probably due to the change, it put a lot of stress on her body, but she is fine." Simmons assures the worried mother, "I have some wipes that will be okay for her until we've got the baby ones so we can clean her up." Simmons tells Melinda.
"Thanks." Melinda tells her and the two women head to the storage cupboards in the back of the lab.
"Welcome to having a baby in your life." Coulson tells Tony, "Come on you can borrow one of my shirts." He tells his friend.
"Thanks." Tony responds, "How does so much vomit come out of such a small person?" He asks his friend.
"Trust me you haven't seen anything yet." Coulson tells Tony and the pair exit the lab while Melinda and Simmons start to clean Skye up and Fitz walks over to them having just returned to the lab after disappearing just before the conversation about whether Skye remembers them.
"I got one of the sterile absorbent cloths. I checked everything that it has in and it is completely safe so we can use it as a diaper for her until we get actual ones." Fitz tells them.
"Thanks Fitz, that's perfect." Melinda him.
"You're welcome." Fitz responds.
"We need something to hold it up." Simmons realise as Melinda starts to make the cloth into a diaper.
"Safety pins." Fitz says pulling them out of his pocket.
"That will work." Melinda says and she pins the cloth.
"You know, she is pretty cute like this." Fitz comments.
"Do you want to hold her?" Melinda asks as she picks Skye up.
"Can I?" He asks.
"If you don't mind the possibility of vomit." Melinda tells him.
"I'm okay with that." Fitz responds.
"I don't know if it will be the same but, the first time she was this age, she didn't like it if you didn't hold her pretty close to you." Melinda tells the scientist.
"Got it." Fitz says holding Skye so that her head is on his shoulder, "Hey Skye, I'm your big brother Fitz, me and you sister Jemma are going to teach you all kinds of stuff when you're bigger and I'm going to build you some really cool toys." He tells the baby as Melinda and Simmons watch on with smiles on both of their faces.
"I definitely think apart of her knows that you are familiar, that she can trust you." Melinda tells Fitz, "Before she was taken she would scream if someone new held her." Melinda explains, "Will you two be alright for a minute?" Melinda asks the pair, "I'll go get you that book." She tells Simmons as what she needs is a minute to process and collect herself as knowing what is going to happen is very different to actually seeing it.
"We'll be fine." Simmons assures.
"I'll be right back." Melinda says and she exits the lab.
"Okay, my turn." Simmons tells her boyfriend.
"No way, I just got her." Fitz argues.
"And now it's my turn." Simmons tells her boyfriend.
"In a minute." Fitz responds as he starts bobbing as he holds Skye.
"Come on it's been more than a minute." Simmons tells him a minute later, "I want to hold her."
"You know Skye would be very amused if she knew we we're fighting over her." Fitz realises with a sad smile.
"She really would." Jemma realises, "So let me hold her." Simmons request.
"Okay, time for your mean big sister Jemma to hold you." Fitz says to Skye as he hands her over.
"Don't tell her that." Simmons says as she collects Skye off Fitz, "Hi Skye." She says to the baby.
(Line break)
Upstairs Tony and Coulson are standing by Coulson closet as Tony changes his shirt.
"How you doing?" Tony asks his friend curious.
"I don't know." Coulson answers truthfully, "I already miss Skye, but I also know that she's downstairs. Does that make any sense?" He asks.
"Yeah, you miss the version of your daughter you have gotten to know." Tony tells him, "It might take a bit to get used to her being a baby again." He tells his friend.
"Yeah it will." Coulson tells him, "We're you serious about your offer to look after Skye if things get too dangerous here?" Coulson asks.
"Yeah." Tony answers, "I agree that this plane is the best place for her but I also know that it might not always be." Tony tells him, "I'm just a call away if you need anything." He tells him.
"Thanks Tony." Coulson responds and the two friends head back downstairs.
(Line break)
After leaving the lab Melinda goes to what was her bunk as even though she has pretty much moved up to Coulson's quarters she has left a couple of things in her bunk one of which is Skye's book. Once Melinda gets the box out of where she keeps it she walks over to Skye's bunk and looks at all the photos that Skye keeps around her bed.
"I'll see you downstairs." Tony voice says from behind her.
"Hey." Coulson says walking over to Melinda.
"Hey." Melinda responds, "We've lost her and gotten her back at the same time." Melinda says to Coulson really not sure what she should be feeling at the moment.
"I know. Coulson responds.
(Line break)
Forty minutes after they left the plane, Natasha, Clint, and Pepper arrive at the two and Natasha drives them to the first shopping complex that they find.
"Where are we?" Pepper asks curious.
"That's actually a very good question." Clint realises.
"You don't know?" Natasha asks surprised.
"All I know is the coordinates and as you know my geography sucks." He tells her.
"We're in East Russia." Natasha answers.
"Oh." Clint comments, "On a scale of one to ten how dangerous is it for you to be here?" He asks concerned.
"About a seven." Natasha answers as they get out the car.
"Great." Clint says sarcastically.
"It won't be a problem, I doubt my enemies will think to look for me buying baby supplies." Natasha tells her partner as they enter the shop.
Fifteen minutes later the group have manages to get everything on the list that Melinda gave them, except for Formula.
"Which do we get?" Clint asks confused looking at all the different types.
"No idea, Pepper, any ideas?" Natasha asks her friend.
"Nope." Pepper responds.
"Могу ли я вам помочь?" A shop attendant asks the group (Can I help you?)
"Пожалуйста, моя сестра позвонила и спросила меня, чтобы получить формулу для ее дочери, но я не знаю, какой тип, чтобы получить, не могли бы вы нам помочь?" Natasha says to the woman. (Please, my sister called and asked me to get formula for her daughter but I don't know which type to get, could you help us?)
"Конечно. Сколько лет ваша племянница?" The woman asks Natasha (Of course. How old is your niece)
"Она три месяца." Natasha responds. (She is three months old.)
"Ну в таком случае, это было бы лучше всего." The woman says picking up a tin and handing it to Natasha (Well in that case this would be best)
"спасибо" Natasha tells the woman accepting the tin (Thank you)
"Всегда пожалуйста" The woman respond and walks away. (You're very welcome)
"Okay I only understood about half of that, you want to translate?" Clint asks his girlfriend.
"I just asked her what formula would be best." Natasha explains putting the tin that the assistant gave her back and picking up another can of the same brand and type.
"Is that everything?" She ask the other two. "Yes." Pepper says after double checking everything on the list to what they have in the trolley.
"Then let's go." Natasha tells the others.
"Um how are we going to pay for all this?" Clint realises as he doesn't have any money on him.
"I have Tony's credit card." Pepper tells him.
"That'll work." Clint responds and the three head to the counter.
(Line break)
When the trio arrive back at the plane an hour later they find everyone in the lab and Skye crying in Melinda's arms.
"You're timing is perfect." Coulson tells the three. "Where are the bottles and formula?" He asks.
"In the bags." Clint responds.
"Is she hungry?" Pepper asks.
"We think so." Melinda answers.
"Simmons how quickly can you sterilise a bottle?" Coulson asks as he pulls the packet of bottles out of the bag.
"It can be completely sterilised within a minute." Fitz responds taking the packet of bottles off Coulson.
"Bring it upstairs when it is." Melinda requests, "Skye liked being carried and walking around when she cried." Melinda reveals to the others and she exits the lab.
"Do you want me to get us in the air?" Clint asks as Coulson digs through the bags looking for what he needs, "Yeah, thanks." Coulson tells his friend.
"Did she always cry that loud?" Tony asks curious.
"That's not as loud as she can cry." Coulson reveals, "When she was a little over a month old she got an ear infection, I've been around bombs when they exploded and I still don't think I've ever heard anything that loud." He tells the others.
"Wow." Tony comments surprised.
"One sterile bottle." Fitz says handing it to Coulson.
"Thanks." He responds and he grabs the formula and heads upstairs.
"Does anyone else think that it seems like yesterday that they did this?" Tony asks curious.
"Oh yeah." Clint responds and he heads upstairs to get them in the air.
(Line break)
Upstairs Melinda is sitting in one of the chairs trying to sooth Skye while Coulson prepares the bottle.
"You're using bottled water right?" Melinda asks.
"Right." Coulson confirms as he puts the bottle in the warm water that Melinda got ready when she first came upstairs.
"Just warm it for a couple of minutes, I think she's too hungry to wait much longer than that." Melinda tells her husband, "it's okay, your Dad is getting you your food." Melinda tells the baby.
"Does doing this make you feel that no time has passed?" Coulson asks curious.
"Yeah, it does." Melinda responds, "But so much has." She tells him.
"Why didn't you tell me that you kept her blue book?" Coulson asks as he checks the temperature of the formula.
"The same reason you didn't tell me that you kept that baby book that Grandpa started for her." Melinda tells him.
"How'd you know about that?" He asks surprised walking over, "Here." He says handing her the bottle.
"When I went back to the house years ago I realised that it wasn't where we always kept it, you were the only one who could have taken it." Melinda tells him.
"Buckle up." Clint's voice says over the coms system.
"She's defiantly hungry." Melinda comments as, as soon as Melinda put the bottle to Skye's mouth she happily started to suck.
"Yeah she is." Coulson comments watching his wife feed their daughter with a small smile on his face.
(Line break)
On Tony's plane Steve and Ward are flying in silence.
"If you want to talk I'm here." Steve tells the agent, "I get what you're going through." He tells him.
"You've had a girlfriend turn into a baby too?" Ward ask.
"No, but I know what it's like to have everything change on you. One day I had friends and a date lined up for Saturday night then I go on a mission and next thing I know most of my friends are dead, the girl I was hoping to someday marry is seventy years older and I've woken up in the future." Steve tells Ward, "I know what it's like to have you life changed, to lose the woman you love. I'm just saying that if you want to talk I'm here." Steve explains.
Ward doesn't respond he's not even sure if he will take Steve up on his offer but he appreciates the sentiment.
(Line break)
Hours after they left Russia the plane is on Auto pilot heading back to New York and Skye is asleep in a draw that Coulson has made into a temporary bed for her.
"What do we tell her?" Coulson asks, Melinda not needing him to say anymore to know what he's talking about.
"The truth, we don't lie to her." Melinda responds.
"How do we tell her the truth?" Coulson asks as he can't even think of a way to begin that conversation.
"I don't know." Melinda answers truthfully, "All I know is that we have to tell her it." Melinda tells him.
"Not until she can understand what it really means." Coulson suggests.
"I agree with you there." Melinda tells him as Skye starts to move around in the draw that's between them. "What should we do about her bunk?" Melinda asks curious.
"We should keep everything safe for her. She'll be staying upstairs with us for a while so it won't be a problem for a bit." Coulson tells her.
"They're being very quiet down there." Melinda realises as after he got the plane up in the air Clint switched it to Auto Pilot and he returned downstairs with the others.
"They really have been." Coulson realises, something which is a worrying thought.
"I'll go see what they are doing." Melinda comments getting up and heading downstairs.
"I really hope your Brother, Sister, Aunts and Uncles aren't doing something silly because then your Mommy won't be too happy." Coulson says to the sleeping baby.
(Line break)
When Melinda gets downstairs she sees everyone standing around the holotable with all different things on it
"What are you doing?" Melinda asks the six.
"Making thing for Skye." Tony answers.
"What?" Melinda asks surprised walking over to have a closer look.
"All cupboards or draws with dangerous things in them are all very difficult to open, even more than Skye could manage, but the door down to here we need to keep open most of the time, Tony and Fitz have come up with a gate which you can only open with a figure print, only us will be in the system so that no one else can get past it." Natasha explains.
"Pepper, Nat and I are coming up with cool games for Skye at all different ages which Simmons is putting into the table so that we can pull them up when needed." Clint explains.
"I am also checking all the safety reports on baby and child products so that we know what not to get when we go shopping." Fitz explains.
"Thank you, all of you, so much." Melinda tells her friends.
"No need Melinda. We all love Skye and we want to make her time as a kid as good as it can be." Tony tells her.
"Mel can you bring the diapers upstairs." Coulson's voice asks through the planes coms.
"I'll be right up." Melinda responds and she walks over and grabs the bags, "Thank you." Melinda tells her friends and she heads upstairs.
(Line break)
When Melinda gets upstairs Skye is laying on the ground.
"So what are they doing down their?" Coulson asks as Melinda walks over to him.
"Making me realise just how lucky we are to have them as our family." Melinda comments kneeling down next to Coulson and getting what they need out of the bags.
(Line break)
Ever since Steve and Ward's conversation where Steve told Ward that he can talk to him they have been silent and they are just touching down in New York.
"I'm going to the Tower to talk to Bruce, would you like to come?" Steve asks Ward curious.
"No thanks." Ward responds.
"Okay, I'll see you again Agent Ward." Steve tells him thinking that leaving the agent alone for a while would be best.
"See you Captain Rogers." Ward says shaking Steve's hand.
Once Steve leaves Ward walks out to the back of the plane and sits down on one of the comfortable chairs, pulling out the letter that Skye wrote out of his pocket, debating whether to open it
(Line break)
Back on the bus they have just landed in New York. Everyone is down in the lab, Coulson holding Skye in his arm. Fitz and Tony having installed the gate thy created as soon as they finished it.
"So plan?" Clint asks.
"Melinda, Skye and I will go to the house and get what we need in Melinda's SVU." Coulson begins to say but Simmons cuts him off.
"Problem Sir, we don't have a car seat." She points out, "Skye's going to have to stay on the plane."
"I completely forgot about a car seat." Coulson realises.
"Nat and I can go and get what you need from the house." Clint offers.
"Or we can stay with Skye on the plane because honestly trying to navigate through your basement is pretty impossible." Natasha tells them.
"You'll probably get more done quicker if you don't have to watch Skye and try and get everything you need into the car." Pepper tells the pair.
"Okay, Skye will stay with you two." Coulson says looking uncertain but knowing that he trusts Skye with Clint and Natasha and that it would be for the best.
"While you guys do that, Pepper, Fitz, Tony and I will go and get us everything that we could need from now until the time where Skye is approximately five because we don't know how fast she will age and it's better to be on the safe side." Simmons informs them.
"There is no need to go overboard with what you buy, we don't know how long she will spend in each age so there is no point getting a lot of things." Melinda tells them.
"We won't." Pepper assures, "Well just get the basics and a few other things." She assures.
"Can I stay with the two assassins and the baby instead of shopping?" Tony asks curious.
"Fine with us." Clint comments and both Melinda and Coulson are relieved that not only will Skye have three of the people she was closers to looking out for her but three superheroes as well.
"Call us if anything happens." Melinda tells her best friend.
"Of course." Natasha promises as Fitz, Simmons and Pepper leave as the Car Tony messaged for earlier has arrived.
"Be good for your Uncles and Aunt." Coulson says to Skye giving her a kiss on the hug and handing Skye to Melinda who hugs Skye then gives her to Clint.
"We shouldn't be more than a couple of hours." Coulson tells them.
"We'll be okay." Clint assures him.
For several minutes Melinda and Coulson both look at Skye it being clear that neither of them want to go.
"You know you guys can go, we'll be okay." Tony tells the pair as Natasha walks over to Melinda.
"Melinda, мой друг, I promise you that she'll be okay." Natasha tells Melinda quietly.
"The last time she was this age I said goodnight to her and didn't see her again for twenty four years." Melinda tells her friend, "It's hard to say goodbye." She admits.
"I know." Natasha tells her, "We won't let anything happen to her, I promise you that, both of you." Natasha tells her friends, Melinda and Coulson knowing how serious she is because it is rare for Natasha to make a promise like that.
"Let's go before we change our mind." Coulson says and both eh and Melinda leave the plane.
"So Kid, what do you want to do?" Clint asks Skye
"Do you really expect her to answer you?" Natasha asks curious.
"No, but it's worth a try" Clint says walking over to the bag of things that they brought earlier and checking to make sure it is the bag he wants, "Let's go upstairs." He says grabbing the bag.
"What's in the bag?" Tony asks curious as the trio exit the lab.
PLEASE REVIEW
PLEASE REVIEW
PLEASE REVIEW