The Two of Us
“Deke, you have to stay back,” Phil said as he got Madelyn dressed. “May is staying back too so we don’t have to leave Madelyn. I’m going with because Simmons needs all the support she can get.”
“And why can’t I go? I’m family. I’m her family. Her actual blood. More family than you are.” Deke said firmly but didn’t raise his voice because Madelyn was in the room.
“Yes, you are her family and her blood but you can’t go and you never say that you are more family to them than I am again. You’re lucky that Madelyn is here.” Phil told him and lifted up his daughter walking out of the room.
“She needs me there,” Deke called after him.
“She does but he doesn’t Deke. He has no clue who you are and he doesn’t need that shock right now. He needs to see the people he knows. You will have to talk to Simmons about when is best to tell Fitz.” Phil turned and looked at the younger man.
“Right away. I mean we can't hide that.” He shrugged.
“Deke, listen to me. You aren't understanding what's going on. Fitz doesn't know anything about what happened. The last thing he remembers is being frozen in a container so he could travel to the future. Everything about the earth ending, his wedding, you, he doesn't remember. The last time we saw him we were all eating at a diner and then we were taken.” Phil told him. “This will all be overwhelming for him and we need to take it slow for him.”
Deke sighed and nodded. “Okay...okay. Let me take her and you guys can go.”
Phil nodded and handed the girl over. “We'll be back soon.” He said and kissed Madelyn's cheek before he went to the hangar.
Deke carried Madelyn to the control room where Melinda was. “Why are you staying back?” He asked.
“Because I don't want to leave Madelyn and I don't want to crowd Fitz.” She told him. “He doesn't need that. This is going to be hard enough.”
Deke sighed and sat on the floor to play with Madelyn. “That's what everyone keeps saying. I haven't even talked to Simmons about it because she's been dead focused on getting him.”
Melinda sighed and watched as the plane left the hangar. “Deke, it's like when you first got here. You were in a whole new place with all of these things you didn't know and you still don't know. Fitz is going to wake up and find out that we messed with timelines and that he got married and met his grandson then he died and now we found him in space before all of that even happened. It doesn't make sense and it's confusing for us all. He needs to see Simmons and Daisy and Mack and Yo-Yo before he finds out half of that.”
“I don't even understand it.” Deke sighed and looked at Madelyn. He helped her stand up gently holding onto her hands.
“I know.” Melinda glanced over at them and smiled slightly. “We just have to do it one step at a time.”
“The steps you take don't need to be big...they just have to take you in the right direction,” Deke said quietly as he looked at the girl in front of him.
“That's right.” She looked at him gently. “You might have to remind Fitzsimmons that when they get back.”
He nodded and smiled when Madelyn squealed and reached out rubbing his beard. “You agree?” He asked the baby.
Madelyn giggled and bounced a bit on her wobbly legs.
“I'll take that as a yes.” He laughed and tickled her side. “I think you'll agree with everything I say though.”
The baby smiled and moved patting his cheeks happily. She giggled and started to babble happily.
Deke sat on the ground and played with Madelyn until Phil's voice came through the speakers.
“We're approaching the ship now,” Phil said through the speaker. “And it is definitely the right one.”
Madelyn looked up when she heard her father and squealed.
Deke lifted her up and sat next to Melinda. “He's on that ship right there.” He said and pointed to the tracker. “And Fitz is on that ship.”
Madelyn looked curiously at the screens where Deke was pointing.
“We're going to use our cameras so you guys can see,” Phil said as he turned his one.
Melinda watched and laughed a bit when she saw Phil's face staring into the camera.
“Do we have a visual?” Phil asked and Daisy walked up next to him with a tablet showing the feed.
“Yeah, turn it around,” Daisy told him.
Madelyn squealed and laughed happily when she saw her dad.
“We can see you,” Melinda assured him. “Are you getting ready to board the ship?” She asked.
Phil turned the camera around attacking it to his jacket. “Yes, we are. Are you sure you don't want to just stare at me, Lin?”
“Just FYI your kid is sitting in here so keep it clean.” Deke murmured and bounced the girl on his knee as she watched the screen.
“We will but no promises from Simmons.” Daisy teased.
Deke held Madelyn as he watched the feed. He watched as they searched the ship and he only looked away when Madelyn turned and cuddled into his chest. He smiled and kissed her head rubbing her back as she dozed off in his lap. “I'm going to go lay her down.” He said finally and stood up.
“Okay,” Melinda said quietly and looked at them. “Thank you, Deke.”
Deke nodded and walked to the nursery. He went to lay her down but she held onto him tightly. He smiled slightly and nodded. “Okay. We'll walk around a bit. It's been a while since we've had a nice talk.” He said and started to walk around the base. “There's a lot I want to say...to someone.” He murmured and looked at her.
Madelyn leaned against his chest and listened like she always did.
“My mom...she always told me stories like I tell you. I think it just runs in my blood.” He said and looked down. “You'll see when you meet Fitz. I think he'll like you. Out of the two of us, I think he'll like you most. He doesn't like me that much….which really sucks because I grew up liking him. My mom would tell me about how in love her parents were...about all the stories he would tell my mom. He doesn't like me though.” He shrugged. “Maybe this Fitz will. I don't know.” He murmured and walked around a bit more. He rambled on deciding to tell her a story that his mother always told him instead of talking more about Fitz.
By the time he finished Madelyn was asleep. He smiled at her and carried her back. “Sleep well, Madelyn May.”