The rest of the team, of our family went with Gemma and Daisy to get supplies, to finish fixing each other up. It was clear though, that above anything else, they just couldn't stand to stay at the base any longer, surrounded by the literal ruins of everything they'd come to know and love. Well, almost everything.
Phil moved carefully by my side as we picked our way through the rubble. I don't really know what we're looking for, I don't think either of us do. The brush of familiar fingertips against the back of my hand drew me to an unconscious stop, as we reached what remained of the Director's Office. The desk in the middle of the room was the only thing to have survived the blast. Looking up I found Phil staring down at me and without breaking his gaze he linked his fingers securely through mine. I opened my mouth to speak but the strain of the past 48 hours, hell, of the past few months choked me and instead of being able to verbalise any sort of response, unexpected tears prickled the back of my eyes. He drew me into a soft embracing, shushing me softly and I allowed myself to sink into him, burying my head in the crook of his neck. I released the breath I didn't realise I'd been holding, even when everything else fell apart, there was always this, there was always Phil. I don't know who moved first but Phil's mouth, gentle and warm pressed softly against mine. It only took seconds for any hesitance to disappear, a single kiss confirming what they'd both simultaneously been building and denying for nearly two decades. Lost in the feeling of his mouth on mine, of his hands tracing my body, tangling themselves in my hair, the back of my legs bumped against the desk before I even realised we had moved. In one fluid motion, Phil lifted me onto the edge of the desk and I eagerly took the advantage to press fully against him. Breathing hard he broke his lips away from mine and pressed his forehead gently to mine.
"I'm sorry". His voice was strangled with emotion.
"Phil..", I reached out, raising my hand to caress his cheek, to show him it was okay, that we would be okay, that now wasn't a time for regrets. He seemed to understand but he straightened up to hold my gaze. "No", his voice was firm now and my heart sank a little before he continued, "I'm sorry our whole world had to fall apart before I had the courage to tell you I loved". My heart drummed in my ears and I opened my mouth to speak but there were no words, not enough anyway. To tell him I was at least 50% to blame in that situation, that my world would never truly fall apart as long as he was part of it, that for heaven's sake none of it mattered because I have always and will always love him. "I'm sorry", he whispered, drawing away from our stalled embrace. My thundering heart almost stuttered to a stop and I blurted it out, "You're an idiot". His gaze snapped back up to meet mine, eyes questioning. "I mean… I love you".
We both moved simultaneously, a frenzy of hands and lips and uncensored passion. Nothing else was said, not with words anyway, more had been said in the past few moments than the past twenty years.
When we pulled up late to the small diner down the street where the others were waiting patiently, no one asked what had kept us but I could feel Daisy's eyes burning a trail over my skin as Phil helped me into my seat, his hand lingering momentarily on my back before he broke away. A comfortable mix of tiredness and contentment washed through me as we tucked into our meals. They were like any other group of normal people seated in the diner; no S.H.I.E.L.D., no agenda, just the quiet chattering on the kids alongside me and Phil's hand resting on top of mine. Except there was always an agenda, and there would always be a S.H.I.E.L.D.
Several things happened at once as my last tiny shard of happiness was shattered. The lights went out and the room erupted into chaos. Phil's hand ripped from hers and she turned, expecting to see him already drawing a weapon but all she was left with were the sad blue eyes she could see in the darkness and a gentle whisper, "Look after our family". The earth started to shake and she heard Daisy's agonised scream behind her only a second before a wall of pain assaulted her senses and Phil was gone and everything went blank.