Grace Comes Naturally

             𝓘𝓽 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓼 𝓾𝓼, 𝓷𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔀𝓮 𝓽𝓻𝔂.

agentariannagrace​:

“I’m sorry, what?” Her first reaction was disbelief. How on earth could Clay be haunting SHIELD? But… they’d seen enough insanity, why not a ghost. “You’re telling me that the ghost of my baby agent is haunting SHIELD? And haunting his lover?”

“That…” Sterling hesitated a moment and then nodded. “That. Yeah. Morgan is trying to help him. Figure out what he needs or wants.”

It’s been weird but he didn’t want to tell Ari that. 

agentariannagrace​:

Arianna frowned, “What’s going on? Is everything okay?” She hadn’t been expecting the man to be so worried. Worry curled in her gut, making her want to go home and hold her children. What on earth could be happening?

Sterling cleared his throat a moment, unsure of how to say this delicately so… He just said it. 

“Weiss… Clay’s ghost has been haunting SHIELD. Hartell had been keeping it a secret but he finally told us the other day.” 

Arianna

Arianna nodded, “I promise, happy tears. Only happy tears, mo grá.” She gently moved his hand to where the baby had kicked last, waiting only a few more moments until they kicked again. Or punched, she really wasn’t sure.

The movement almost made him pull his hand away out of surprise, expecting it or not it was an odd sensation, but he left his hand where it was. He tucked a stray hair behind her ear, eyes lifting from staring at where his hand lay on her back up to her face. “That’s…that’s crazy. There’s no denying there’s a baby, is there,” he said quietly, offering a small smirk. “They’re definitely your child, feisty.”

agentariannagrace​:

She couldn’t help but beam with pride at the praise. “They really are, thank you. I know I’m biased, because they’re my kids, but I think they are the most beautiful babies ever.” 

Arianna leaned back in her chair, getting more comfortable. “Matías loves it when I sing in Gaelige. Éilis prefers Daddy’s voice. That man could read the phone book and she’d be happy.” Honestly, motherhood was her favourite occupation.

He looked up when he heard Éilis‘ name and smiled knowing that was his newest godchild. Then he remembered for a brief moment who was supposed to be a godfather to one of these children. A grim curtain dropped over his face and he handed the phone back to her. 

“Ari… I… There’s something I need to tell you before you find out another way.” 

agentariannagrace​:

“You’re quitting smoking? That’s great!” She smiled widely, before the smile slipped a little. “Was that insensitive? I never know anymore.” She pulled out her phone, quickly unlocking it and opening up her photo gallery. She passed it over to Sterling. There were hundreds of pictures of the twins, Branna, and both families.

“Branna is doing great. She loves being a big sister, and she loves helping. Honestly, she’s been an absolute angel. The twins are doing great, gaining weight like crazy. At least they’re sleeping through the night now. I was a zombie until they did.”

“No no, it’s fine. It’s about time, really.” Sterling laughed at her reaction. “The girls have been telling me to quit for years and I really only smoked when stressed but… Goddamn, if this isn’t a stressful job.” Not to mention the threat on Chen’s life when Conall was skipping out the door. The fact that they hadn’t found him or any leads to Abstractionss in that time had his stomach in knots on the daily. 

He eagerly took the phone, knowing he was about to be flooded with baby pictures, but it didn’t stop him from getting a little choked up seeing them. This was going to be him in just a few months. Taking so many pictures the baby was going to think his face was a phone camera. His eyes softened and even became a bit misty as he scrolled. 

“They’re beautiful, Ari.” 

She couldn’t help but beam with pride at the praise. “They really are, thank you. I know I’m biased, because they’re my kids, but I think they are the most beautiful babies ever.” 

Arianna

She turned to him, her face bright with a smile and tears on her cheeks. “The baby’s kicking. Do you want to feel?” The baby had been moving quite a bit recently, but this was the first time she’d been able to feel it on the outside.

He took a sharp inhale, rubbing the back of his neck before dragging the hand down the lower part of his face. That was considerably better than what he had been halfway expecting, the little part of him that always expected some sort of supernatural threat calming down reluctantly. But that also meant this was suddenly far more…real. “Do I…” He approached, reaching up to wipe at her face first. “You’re happy crying right?” Farrar gently placed his other hand next to hers on her torso.

agentariannagrace​:

She smiled, “You really didn’t have to, Sterling. But thank you. It has been absolutely insane, with Scott’s family visiting and mine. Twins were not on anyone’s radar.”

She took the bag, pulling open the ribbon and pulling out the gifts. “Sterling! These are amazing! I hadn’t even thought of a twins blanket! We’ve just been using a single. You are amazing.” She carefully re-packed the blanket and the pajama sets, keeping the memory book out. She’d start filling it out when she had a moment.

“How have you been?”

Sterling beamed at her reaction to the gifts. Twins had been a surprise to everyone, indeed. In fact, it had left Sterling a bit worried about the possibility of them secretly having a second baby hiding behind the first in there. Especially after Amara and Ethan coming from the future. It meant Chen might have had the twin gene in her family somewhere. 

“Um.” He actually hesitated at the question. He had no intentions of telling Ari about the pregnancy. Not that he didn’t trust her with the information but she had her own baby stuff to worry about right now. No, she’d find out later with everyone else. He wasn’t sure when that later would be but… later. 

“Been good. Been focusing on therapy. Quitting smoking. Helping Chen rebuild the home. You know… Work.” He shrugged. “How are the kids? How’s Branna?” 

“You’re quitting smoking? That’s great!” She smiled widely, before the smile slipped a little. “Was that insensitive? I never know anymore.” She pulled out her phone, quickly unlocking it and opening up her photo gallery. She passed it over to Sterling. There were hundreds of pictures of the twins, Branna, and both families.

agentariannagrace​:

The blonde looked up from the files on her desk, a headache already forming. “It’s a great time, Sterling,” she said, waving him in. “I’d forgotten how much piles up when you’re on maternity leave.”

Sterling wondered how much would pile up while he was on paternity leave. At least Honey knew exactly what she was doing. He was going to leave the department in very capable hands. 

He moved into the room revealing a bag with a baby rattle on it and eagerly placed it on her desk.

“I had wanted to give you these but I also kinda wanted to give you some space. I know people crowd when tiny humans are involved and thought maybe you could use some air.”

But twins, you just couldn’t pass up the chance to buy cute twin things. 

Arianna

@southern-belle-outcasts

Ari called for Farrar, her voice full of wonder. “Mo grá! Come! Come quickly!”

“The feck-” Farrar stopped short when he saw there wasn’t anything wrong, she wasn’t upset and there was nothing in the room, not that he took what he could see as one hundred percent proof there was nothing there. “What’s going on, Ari?”

“Ari?” Sterling timidly knocked on her office door, even as it sat partially open. He poked his head in, made sure there was no one else there or she wasn’t in the middle of something crazy, and clung to the doorframe as he awaited permission to enter. “This a bad time?” 

@agentariannagrace

The twins were almost four months old, and Ari was ready to get back to the office. Monday would be her first day back, on a part-time basis. Two days a week to start, and then going up from there.

She pulled out her phone, sending a quick text.

RE: meeting

Dearest Agent Grace,

I still have your baby gifts at home.

I am prepared for this meeting with you. But I cannot stay another minute longer in medical. It has been three almost four days. If I have to eat green jello and be chastised for not staying in my cell even though I am uninjured, I will walk home to Brooklyn. I am fine.

The biochem lab that I am responsible for has been updated and schedules are done until at least next month. Maureen is more than capable of running things for a few days. While I'm not looking forward to our meeting (I've heard the rumors), I am looking forward to seeing you. Yours truly,

Dr. JJ Kelly Senior Scientist BioChem Lab SHIELD NY Base

Agent Kelly,

Thank you for responding. I can understand wanting to be out of Medical. If you’re amenable, we can switch our meeting to a video call. That way you can be home and comfortable.

The only thing I request is that you take care of yourself. If that means signing out AMA and going home, then that’s what’s best for you.

A package is delivered, addressed to the family with several parcels inside. There's handmade and hand-decorated cookies, two sets of knit baby accessory sets (one in yellow and one in green), a 'bouquet' of baby supplies such as diapers, washcloths, onesies, soft pants, burp cloths and more, a box just for the big sister, and a set of books and mugs for the mum and dad.

Enclosed is a card with a note. "We hope everyone is doing alright and can't wait to meet the two little ones! Love, Uncle Dean and Aunt Hazel"

@agentbrompton @manyshadowsmanylives @scottymccalltrue