0-8-4
"I still remember you as a little girl who overwaters plants because she doesn’t know when to stop giving." -Trista Mateer
The rain pouring down in the New Mexican desert was torrential. Coulson found himself soaked despite being under an umbrella. He hated getting soaked, it caused his clothes to stick to his body unnecessarily. Not to mention the mint condition Captain America trading card that was on the verge of getting wet in its protective sleeve in his inside jacket pocket.
Finally, he made it into the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility that had been hastily built around the 0-8-4 that had fallen out of the sky. Fury had demanded he get his ass to New Mexico as fast as possible, and Coulson wasn’t about to piss off the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Coulson ditched his umbrella by the door, shedding his suit jacket and hanging it on a coat rack and telling a younger agent to not let anyone touch it. He rolled his sleeves up as he went further into the facility to find the director.
He found the director in a small room, holding a bundle of blankets. Little fists reached up and grabbed at Fury’s face. Coulson stopped in the doorway, trying to wrap his head around the fact that the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. was holding a baby.
“Coulson,” Fury greeted gruffly, finally looking at him.
“Sir.” Coulson replied, still confused. “Um…what is a baby doing here?”
“She’s the 0-8-4.” Fury stated, shoving the baby into Coulson’s hands. Coulson managed to hold her, hoping he was doing it correctly. He hadn’t actually held a baby before, and the task was a lot more daunting that he was expecting. “Found her in the desert.”
Coulson blanched at the director, then looked at the baby. A delicate gold bracelet rested around her wrist, the jewelry had intricate designs all over it.
“How is a missing child an 0-8-4?” Coulson muttered, sticking out his index finger for the baby to grab. She had a tight grip—a little too tight of a grip for a baby.
"She appeared in a flash of light,” Fury replied calmly. “Had a bunch of designs burned into the ground around her. We think she might be alien.”
Coulson’s eyes rounded as he looked at the baby, then at the director. “This is an alien?”
“We need someone to keep an eye on her while we figure out where she’s from, why she was sent here.” Fury gave Coulson a pointed look.
It took Coulson a full five seconds to figure out that Fury wanted him to take in an alien child.
“Sir, I’m not sure I’m the best fit to take care of a baby.” Coulson finally stated, feeling scared for the first time since joining S.H.I.E.L.D.
“I need someone I can trust.” Fury replied. “I trust you more than anyone else, and May already called not it.”
Coulson scoffed, “But me? Sir, I’m not equipped to take care of a baby. Much less an alien baby.”
“May already went out and bought everything you need.” Fury replied, not taking no for an answer. “She’s yours now, we just need to finish getting some paperwork ready.” Fury left the room, and Coulson looked down at the baby in his arms.
She stared up at him with those big eyes. She seemed to be studying him, and he gave her a tentative smile.
“Um, hi.” He mumbled, smoothing her hair away from her face. “I have no idea what I’m doing.”
She made a gurgling noise, reaching up for his face. Her little fingers glanced across his chin, and he lifted her up closer to his face to allow her to grab onto his nose. She made another gurgling noise that was almost a giggle.
He couldn’t deny the kid was cute. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes seemed so damn inquisitive, as if she were trying to figure out the world around her.
Coulson felt guilty that this kid was now in his care. He had no idea how to take care of a baby, raise a kid, or be a father. But here he was, holding an alien baby that he was supposed to care for.
“You probably don’t have a name,” He muttered as he sat down at the table in the room. The baby looked up at him, gnawing on her little fist. Her gold bracelet glinted in the light, the intricate designs were a little hypnotic. Coulson dragged his eyes away from the bracelet, meeting the baby’s bright eyes. They were clear and still studied him. “How about (Y/N)?” He suggested, and the baby seemed to make a gurgle of approval. “Alright, (Y/N) it is.”
“Aw, you’re bonding.”
Coulson looked up to see May smirking at him. She was holding a clipboard with numerous papers on it. He scowled at her.
“Kind of have to since you invoked Kindergarten rights of not it.” Coulson growled as she came over and smiled down at the baby. “I’m guessing I have a lot of things to sign? Here, hold (Y/N).” He carefully handed the baby over to May, taking the clipboard from her. He smirked at May's startled expression as she held the baby.
“I don’t…am I doing this right?” She muttered, panic in her eyes as she tried to support the baby’s neck.
"Hell if I know.” Coulson shrugged, seeing the adoption certificate on the top of the paper. He signed her name into the first name column, then realized that she needed a middle name and a last name. “Probably shouldn’t put her last name as Coulson.” An idea struck him, and he quickly finished signing her new full name into the appropriate columns.
“So, (Y/N)?” May asked, seeming to have gotten the hang of holding a baby. “It suits her.”
“(Y/N) (Y/M/N) Carter,” Coulson murmured, continuing to fill out paperwork.
“Carter?” May snorted.
“Peggy Carter was a strong woman,” Coulson defended. “That kid has a hell of a grip, it seemed fitting.”