Above it all (I'll always love you)

11

"Is Maria your mommy?" Skye asks distractedly as she combs through her barbies hair with a plastic brush, her tongue sticking out in concentration.

Yelena looks up, "Yes." She murmurs quietly. She was currently colouring in Elsa and Anna in one of the many colouring books Skye owns. They'd played legos, cars, and even dress up, but whilst she was having fun with Skye, she did miss mama and tasha and wonders what they were doing.

"My mommy says she's fostering you," Skye starts, and Yelena nods, because that was true. "That means she isn't your mommy, because you didn't come from her tummy. I came from mommy's tummy, so she's my real mommy." She rambles, unaware of the pure heartbreak her words would have.

Yelena stares blankly at Skye, her eyes shiny with unshed tears. There was a sudden white noise in her ears, and she could feel her heart beginning to pound in her chest. Maria was her mama. She said so. She loved her, and she loved Maria. She gave her hugs and kisses, holds her whenever she was sad. Gives her baths and brushes her hair and that means she was her mommy. Right?

But what if Skye was right? What if Maria wasn't really her mama because she didn't come from her tummy? What if that made mama not want her anymore?

Her bottom lip suddenly begins to quiver, and before she knew it, she lets out a heartbreaking cry into her blanket.

Skye's head whips up in surprise, eyes widening when she takes in the sight of her new friend. Before she could even begin to question what was wrong, she hears someone coming up the stairs, her bedroom door opening and Maria appearing in the doorway with a look of concern on her face.

"What happened?" The woman asks as she scoops Yelena up into her arms, the sobbing child clinging to her with surprising force.

"I..." Skye trails off, feeling unsure. Soon, her bottom lip was trembling too, and she really wanted her mommy. She didn't mean to make her new friend cry. She really didn't.

Maria takes her hand and pulls her to her feet, "Lets go see your mom." She murmurs, and Skye nods as she allows herself to be guided downstairs. She looks up at aunt Maria, worried she was mad for upsetting Yelena, but the woman simply looks down at her and gives her hand a soft squeeze.

It made her feel a little better, but she was still sad she'd hurt Yelena's feelings.

Maria hands Skye over to May once they make it to the kitchen, and she sits back at the table with a sobbing Yelena straddling her lap, "What's wrong baby? Mhh? Can you tell mama?" She coos quietly, brushing her messy hair out of her face.

Natasha scoots herself closer, and Maria gives her knee a silent squeeze of reassurance. She knew Natasha was still nervous, but she had to deal with Yelena before she made herself sick.

Yelena clings to her tightly, her sobs growing louder and Maria's stomach sinks to her feet as she stands up and leaves the room to give them both some privacy.

"What happened?" Natasha tentatively asks as she brings her attention over to the woman and her child. May was holding a sniffling Skye on her lap.

"Skye said something she shouldn't have. And she's going to apologise, aren't you?" May lightly scolds Skye, and the eight year old nods as she hides her face in her mothers chest.

Natasha wanted to know what Skye had said to make her sister so upset, but she wasn't one to poke her nose into business that wasn't hers. Instead, she nods in understanding as she brings her attention back to her book. She was a little mad if she was being honest. At Skye. She'd made her sister cry, and she hasn't seen Yelena cry like that for a long time. But she knew she had to be the bigger person, because Skye was only eight, and maybe she didn't know any better.