Chapter 33
Christmas day had ended with everyone in a food coma. Everyone had ended up lounging around on the sofa’s watching TV. Skye had ordered more dog items, which Fury had forgotten to buy for the new puppy. For all she’d said the puppy wouldn’t be in the bed with them it didn’t turn out to be true. The next morning she woke up to find Grant facing away from her, cuddling the puppy instead of her. She was slightly put out as it kept happening every morning. She’d got used to being cuddle by her warm SO, which was even better as he normally wasn’t wearing a t-shirt. Pouting slightly one night when she woke to find him not cuddling her again she found the puppy on the floor staring up at her. With a sigh of defeat she lifted the puppy in beside her allowing it to snuggle against her stomach. The next morning when she woke she found Grant had cuddled her again, arm around her waist with his hand on the puppy’s head. With a grin she moved closer to him, tangling her legs with his and went back to sleep until the children came to get them.
The puppy still didn’t have a name. The kids had all made suggestions, even starting a fight at one point.
“The puppy needs a name.” Tony told the kids, retreating knowing he was about to cause chaos and before Skye could kill him.
“Cookie?” Phil suggested, waving his cookie monster toy.
“Is it a boy or girl? We need to know if we’re going to name it.” Jemma added.
“Girl.” Grant added watching the kids distractedly as he tried to get the puppy to drop what she was carrying. From the glint of silver she suspected it was the arrow bracelet Clint had got Nat for Christmas.
“Cookie.”
“No Phil that’s stupid. It should be Marie. Like Marie Curie.” Jemma announced a gleam in her eyes not noticing Phil’s eyes had filled with tears. Outraged Mel squirted her with the fake camera Clint had managed to sneak to her, leaving her spluttering.
“Don’t make Phil cry! Cookie isn’t a stupid name. How about Lola?”
Phil stopped crying momentarily to nod in agreement.
“That’s nearly as stupid as Cookie!” Jemma scoffed as Phil began to cry again.
Having eventually swapped the bracelet for a pair of his socks Grant hurried over and tried to comfort Phil.
“Enough Jemma! Don’t upset your brother. Mel! Don’t spray Jemma again.”
“She was being mean.”
“But you don’t retaliate.”
“Fine. Still should be called Marie!”
“No. She should be called Bacon.” Leo added.
“What?”
“What? I like Bacon and I like the Puppy. Why not?”
“Because it’s stupid.” Jemma stamped her foot in exasperation.
“I have to agree.” Tripp spoke over the increasing argument between Jemma and Leo. Phil’s wails didn’t make it any easier to hear him. “She should be called Adele.”
“Adele?”
“She’s a good singer!”
“The puppy can’t be named after a singer!”
“Why not? It’s better than a fuddy scientist or food item”
“Marie wasn’t a fuddy scientist. She is an undervalued scientist because she was a woman.”
“Hey I chose a well known woman.”
“There is nothing with naming the dog bacon.”
“I’m going to kill Tony.” Skye and Grant muttered in unison, grinning at each other slightly when they noticed. As Grant was trying to calm a wailing Phil Skye went to sort out the fighting group. Scoping up Mel and pushing her towards Nat who was watching the fight with interest she stepped in between Jemma and Leo who’d begun to pull each other’s hair.
“Enough! Tripp you should know better. I want you to go and help Pepper set up for the party. Mel you’re to go with Nat and wash the dishes.”
“But mum…”
“No buts. You need to learn not to be mean to your brothers and sisters. If you don’t do it you won’t be going to the party.”
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
“And you two. Go to your rooms! Jarvis make sure they’d don’t play with any of their toys.”
“Yes mam.”
“You two are to think about what you’ve said and done. I want you to write down what you did and what you should’ve done.”
All the kids stomped off, unhappy with their punishment but not wanting to risk not being able to go to the party. That just left a screaming Phil.
“Way to go mum! Laying down the law.” Grant teased as he tried to stop the bawling.
“Yeah you were no help! Give him here.” As she headed for the lift with Phil he watched in confusion before following behind curiously, the puppy dropping the socks and bounding after them. Stopping at the floor holding Tony’s workshop she wandered off, depositing a still crying Phil in Tony’s lap.
“You caused it you can stop it.” She told the surprised man.
Leaving him spluttering behind her she strode into the lift with a laughing Grant.
“Nicely done.” He spluttered.
“You really are no help. Why do I keep you around?”
“Because I’m smart?”
“Eh No.”
“Because I’m good with kids?”
“Well unless they’re fighting.”
“Because I’m handsome?”
“I can go with that.” She grinned cheekily at him, giggling as he pinned her against the wall and began kissing her. Wrapping her arms around his neck she pulled him closer only stopping when the lift came to a halt and the puppy began head butting them.
“Save it for midnight cowboy.” She moved to get changed leaving him smiling like an idiot in the lift.
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They’d gone for simple for the New Year’s party. As Steve had invited Bucky they’d decided against having their own fireworks, beside New York has enough fireworks. Tony had grumbled slightly but Pepper had stopped him after a few minutes. Phil was delighted when Bucky turned up, refusing to go to anyone else. Bucky was equally delighted. Grant suspected no one apart from Steve had been so happy to see him. The rest of the kids were still slightly annoyed at their parents for punishing them but it soon wore off when they realised they could stay up till midnight.
Music blared out of speakers as Clint and Nat danced. Maria had pulled Fury onto the floor and made him dance while Bruce watched on. Jemma and Mel in sparkly dresses pulled him off his chair and persuaded him to dance. Much to Tony’s disgust Tripp had persuaded Pepper to dance. Leo had crawled into Steve’s lap and was allowing him and Thor to throw him around. Seeing Skye watching all of this in a beautiful purple halter neck dress Grant wandered over.
“May I have this dance?”
“I suppose so.”
Placing her arms around his neck for the second time that day she flushed slightly at the look on his face, he clearly was remembering the last time she’d done that. Swaying gently together they ignored the wolf whistles that came from around the room.
“Ok lovebirds. Sorry to break you up but if we want to see the fireworks we need to head outside.” Tony called.
“Whom were you talking about?” Clint quipped. “The two snuggled together or the guy and your girlfriend?”
Laughing Skye and Grant pulled apart, checking to make sure all their charges had been bundled up. Although beautiful, New York was cold. Having ensured everyone was suitably dressed they headed out on to the balcony.
Bruce had Mel on his hip while Fury had taken control of Jemma. Thor had sat Leo on his shoulders with Maria stood between him and Steve. Bucky still held Phil, and stood talking to Tripp. Tony stood with Pepper cuddled into him, waiting for the ball to drop. Joining them Grant slowly wrapped his arms around Skye, so she could stop him if she didn’t want it. Noticing what he was doing she grabbed his wrists and pulled his arms tighter around her. Smiling she watched as the ball began to descend.
5. 4. 3. 2. 1.
“Happy New Year!” Everyone yelled as the fireworks began overhead. Turning slightly Skye lent up and pressed a kiss against Grant’s lips, keeping it quick due to the audience.
“Happy New Year mum. Happy New Year dad.” Detangling herself from Grant they both proceeded to kiss everyone. Clint gave Grant a sudden grin before dipping Skye and kissing her. Rolling his eyes Grant ignored the blatant attempt to wind him up, dropping a kiss on Pepper’s cheek. A robot came trundling out carrying glasses of champagne for the adults and sparkling grape juice for kids.
“A quick toast. To a fantastic New Year!”
Repeating the toast Grant caught Skye’s eye and grinned. It was definitely going to be a fantastic New Year!