Melinda May had once felt hollow, isolated, alone. She'd found herself once stuck in a shady office, stapling pieces of paper together, hindering the memories that haunted her, plagued her, day in and day out of her life. During that, she'd blocked the good times out too; Andrew, some of her missions, Phil.
He'd taken her out of the box, he'd shown her the world once more, the beauty, the colours of life that transcended on the world before her and those around her. He'd shown her who she was, who she could be, with a little help from himself and the team. Everything that had happened, everything that they'd been through and they still found each other, it'd always been Melinda May and Phil Coulson till the end of the line, always finding each other. She'd left, he'd found someone new, but no matter the circumstance, they'd find each other.
She watched, from his office, as the snow transcended on the earth below her. The air was cold, isolated and icy, much like she'd once been, she could feel it through the windows and sense it within the air. The sky was a dark grey, an oxymoron for the innocence of white sprawled out on the ground below, so soft and delicate. She could see his smile, his face, his arms wrapped around her within the reflection of the glass that her breath clouded. When she turned, he was gone and the room was suddenly silent, her thoughts of happiness and her silent screams of a future with him were gone.
She found her eyes watching the room, as if sensing for any movement; a lioness watching for its prey. There was none, not even a twitch or indication of life within the room except for her own light breathing. She found her eyes trailing over the shelves of the room, the books, the figurines, pictures- things that defined Phil Coulson, things that made him, him. She remembered once, making fun of him for wanting to become a history teacher, finding out he collected Captain America figures and merchandise, an old war hero who was long forgotten, but had found his way back to the world they lived in. She remembered him smiling, telling her that history was what made them, shaped them, moulded them into who they were today, and she remembered scoffing at that, finding little truth within the words. Had she been through what she'd been through now, and Phil had said those words to her today, she'd have agreed. Because Melinda May found herself so much stronger, so much wiser and so much in love. The past she had was amazing, she'd met Phil of course, Andrew too, but they'd been Bahrain and so much loss, she'd been strong and then she had been weakened, hurt and broken an infinite amount of times. Then, then she'd met the family she resided with now. Daisy, a bright, beautiful girl who was a hero, a strong, independent woman who looked into the face of loss and stood resiliently, the woman she saw as her own daughter. Jemma Simmons and Leopold Fitz, the two people who'd faced so much together, yet still held hands, destined to be and unwilling to let the other go, they'd been through so much in such a little time, yet they still always found one and another. Elena, the beautiful, fiery princess who ran so fast but always returned, no matter what, the woman who allowed the man she loved to come to peace with the loss he'd face, the loss of hope within his life. Mack, a man who had a sense of humour with wit, but who was strong and never gave up hope on anyone he loved or held close, after all, life had stripped him from his hope.
They'd been others, there were always others. Trip, Bobbi, Hunter, Mace, Eric, the list was endless. They may have been gone, deceased within a grave, lost within the world or simply together seeing the world, but they were always there, with them no matter what.
She could see him, a ghost of him walking around the room, sat on the desk rather behind it. She could see him, rushing off to recuse the younger Daisy, the girl who was Skye back then, to save her from SHIELD, an organization he'd built and defended. She could see the two of them, sat within the confides of his office, whiskey in hand with a smile on their faces as they reminisced about old times, the old days. Then they'd talk about the new ones, how they got to where they were, did what they did.
She could smell him. It was odd, but his scent was still there within the room, the odour that wasn't masculine at all, but sweet, warm embracing to match his personality. He always had the same scent, she remembered hugging him with relief as he returned from Maveth and inhaling that scent, the smell that despite him being through so much, being on another planet and killing an old enemy, still remained, still infected her nostrils.
She always remembered the late nights. The way he'd wrapped his arms around her waist and they'd sway to the old songs, the songs that the kids didn't recognise or acknowledge anymore. She remembered leaning into him, embracing him as he led the way across the office, the same satire smile on his face as usual. She remembered the warmth of his lips as they met, the passion within the heart that kept them alive, the spark that always kept them connected.
She remembered him.
"Melinda?"
She closed her eyes momentarily, a soft, old smile embracing her lips as the familiar words echoed through her ears. She could feel him, his presence within the room, the small bit of emptiness that had infested her heart retracting itself, head hung in defeat. She inhaled deeply, the scent of him filling the room once more. She opened her eyes, the room she once dreamt up mere seconds ago gone. She was still stood in the Directors office, aged a few decades now, Daisy Johnsons name sat proudly on the desk, achievements and news clippings along the wall that she'd forced Daisy to put up. Bits and pieces of technology as such loitering the room from Fitz and Simmons, and probably the child they'd once brought up onto base. She could see his Captain America cards, the ones he lost during the Battle of New York, on the wall, neatly presented with Captain America's signature shining brightly on them. She could see the framed pictures of them all, the team they'd once been, the happiness they once embraced. She could see him within the room, clearing his belongings out and hugging Daisy so tightly in congratulations, she could see the proudness, the warmness that was infinite within his eyes.
"Melinda, hey. Over here, Mel"
She could see Daisy, sat within the chair in the Directors office, herself and Phil stood behind her as she led the world into a new revolution, a new light. Inhumans and humans working together for a future that they could call theirs. She could see Daisy, shaking hands with the leaders of the world with a promise of a brighter future which she had delivered. She could see herself and Phil, hand in hand, looking at the girl that yes, they hadn't raised from birth, but had raised to be the woman she was.
"Mel…"
She leaned into the touch that suddenly embraced her cheek, her wrinkles touching the surprisingly softness of his hand. She found herself looking up, he was stood there, looking young again, a suit on without the tie, how she liked him. She felt a lump form in her throat, seeing him once more, allowing the emotions wash over her.
"You died. You left me"
"I'm sorry, Melinda" she could see the pain embracing his eyes "I'm sorry I left you. But there is no going back, only forwards"
She smiled softly at the words "You mean a lot to me, to hear you was dead… I love you"
"I know, I know Melinda. It's time to go" he stated, "It's time for us to be together"
"Daisy- "
"Daisy will be fine, you know her Melinda" he took her hand, rubbing his thumb over her palm "Our girl will be fine. We'll be watching, we always will be, and one day she'll watch over SHIELD with us. Come with me"
She snatched her hand from him, looking at him with soft but pained eyes.
"How can you be sure we'll be together?"
"I can't, because it's going to be a leap of faith kind of thing"
She smiled at the words he spoke, the words he once spoke in a false world, that brought them together in the real one.
"It's not that simple for me"
"Yes, it is" he held his hand out for her, the room suddenly becoming lighter "Just follow my lead"
And she took his hand.
And later on, Daisy Johnson would find Melinda May, dead within the Director's office.