Chapter 1
Disclaimer: I don' own anything.
AN1: Post AOS season 2 and Avengers Age of Ultron. Once upon a time Phil Coulson, Melinda May, Natasha Romanoff, Maria Hill and Clint Barton were the perfect team, under Fury's command, and now after everything that has happened Coulson wants his team back, but after everything that has happened will that be possible? SLIGHT AU.
No May leaving. No Simmons getting eaten by space rock. No Barton Family and No Natasha/Bruce romance.
"We're not bringing the band back together again, it's over" Words that Maria Hill said to him over a year ago still ring in Phil' Coulson's ears as he lays in his bed, just like they have every night since he heard them while he tries to sleep, something which has been even more elusive to him since the battle on the carrier ten weeks ago. Looking down at his prosthetic hand that Fitz and Simmons recently fit him with Phil realises that he can't just lay in bed anymore so he gets up and heads to the kitchen.
When Phil arrives down at the kitchen he finds that he isn't the only one who can't sleep. Seeing the figure he almost turns back around and heads back to bed as he doesn't want company, but when he realises that it's Melinda he heads back to the kitchen as Melinda is the one person he would be okay with being around right now.
"Hey." Phil says walking in.
"Hi." Melinda responds, "There's some hot chocolate on the stove. I made too much, you're welcome to it." She says.
"Like always." Phil says with a grin, "Thanks." Phil says walking over and getting himself a cup before attempting to pour the chocolate in the glass but dropping it, "DAMN IT." He says angrily.
"It's okay. It's not the first accident in this kitchen." Melinda tells her best friend as she helps clean up the mess. "Hell, didn't you and Clint use to keep a tally of all the accidents I caused in our first place together?" Melinda asks, trying to make Phil feel better.
"That's because it got ridicules." Phil says as he sits down on one of the chairs as he does he realises something, "I haven't thought about that place in soo long"
"That's because it was dump, and we only lived there because we didn't want to live on base anymore." Melinda says as she grabs more chocolate.
"Didn't want? I don't think we had much of a choice in the matter." Phil says, remember that after one too many pranks Clint and Melinda got all three of them kicked out of base bunks even though he had nothing to do with the pranks.
"That's because no one had a sense of humour." Melinda says as continues to make more hot chocolate.
"Sense of humour? You two made a river of sardines travel through the halls, it was disgusting, Melinda, not funny." Phil says, finding him slipping into calling May by her first name without even realising it.
"We may have gone a bit over the top." Melinda comments.
"More than a bit." Phil corrects, "And of course even though I had nothing to do with it I got kicked out too."
"I'm pretty sure that was because Fury expected you to try and control us a bit and seeing as how you didn't he punished you too." Melinda says, looking amused with a slight smile something which is seen far too rarely on Melinda's face which Phil is happy to see.
"He should have known that you two didn't listen to anyone, and once Natasha joined you got so much worse." Phil says.
"We listened." Melinda objects, "Usually it took you and Maria, but we did listen." She says, stressing the and.
"Only when you wanted to." Phil corrects, "Do you ever think about the old days? About the team the five of us used to be?" He asks, as he, Melinda, Natasha, Clint and Maria were a team who took the most dangerous the most important missions. They answered to Fury himself and they liked it like that. The five of them had a very different relationship with the former director than other agents which lead many people to nickname them 'Fury's Favourites'.
"Yeah, a lot." Melinda admits, "The team that Bobbi, Hunter, Skye, Fitz, Simmons and Mack are becoming remind me of us."
"Me too." Phil admits.
"I recommended Maria for Gonzales's vacant position as head the council." Melinda reveals, as they spent weeks picking the person for the open general spot and have only just recently started to talk about who will take over Gonzales's position.
"Really?" Phil asks surprised.
"Yeah." Melinda confirms, "Maria is the person with the most experience who can take over Gonzales. I know she probably won't accept, and the others are talking about it and making the final decision, but I had to suggest her anyway." She says.
"I'm glad you did." Phil says and the two drift into silence.
After a few minutes Melinda places a cup of hot chocolate in front of Coulson and sits back down again.
"It always amazed me, you can't cook, you normally burn hot water, and yet you make the most amazing hot chocolate I've ever tasted." Phil says.
"That's because I have plenty of experience."
"True. I'm pretty sure that we lived on it for a time at the Academy." Phil says, looking at the hot chocolate and wishing that they had marshmallows.
"True."
"And then there was the time you got pneumonia after the Serbia opp. I didn't think it was possible for a person to drink that much hot chocolate." Phil says.
"That was Clint's fault. It was the last time I let him be in charge of supplies." Melinda says and Phil laughs as even though it wasn't amusing at the time it is amusing now to think back on it.
"He did have a bad track record. Though more than once it lead to you and Natasha getting pretty creative when it came to weapons." Phil says fondly.
"That it did." Melinda says, also fondly as they both take a drink of their drinks.
"I want to tell them, Natasha and Clint, and I guess the others too. I want to tell them that I'm alive. It's been too long, I need to tell them." Phil tells Melinda.
"I'll go with you if you would like." Melinda offers as she knows that Phil will most likely need moral support for that.
"I would like that." Phil responds, "when will the others give you answers about whether Maria gets the position?' Phil asks curious.
"First thing tomorrow." Melinda says.
"Well if the answer is yes how about we leave for New York right after and tell her in person, and if the answer is no we leave for New York anyway and arrange telling them." Phil suggests.
"Sounds good to me." Melinda says and they once more drift into silence.
"Have you talked to them?" Phil asks, not being able to help his curiosity any longer as it is something he has purposely avoided asking, "Since New York, since S.H.I.E.L.D feel, since… everything?" Phil asks after a few minutes
"Yeah, a couple of times." Melinda answers, "I lied about why I was going back to the field and they know I'm at a safe place, but I haven't told them anymore." She explains, "Though considering its Natasha and Clint I wouldn't be surprised if they knew more." She admits.
"Me either." Phil admits, "Considering they haven't raided the base I don't think they know I'm alive though."
"Nothing about your resurrection was realised during the file dump; so unless Maria said something, which we both know isn't likely, then they may not know." Melinda says.
"We're going to get shot with arrows, aren't we?" Phil says as not only did he keep the secret but Melinda and Maria did too which means if they don't know then Clint and Natasha are going to react very badly.
"I think that would be the best response for them to have." Melinda admits and after exchanging smiles they both continue to drink.
"After S.H.I.E.L.D fell Maria said 'We're not brining the bad back together, it's over.' Do you think that's true? Do you think that the five of us will ever be able to go back to what we were?" Phil asks curious.
"Like I said we can never go back." Melinda says, "But we might be able to be something new." She admits.
"I hope so." Phil says and they drift into silence.
After spending a while just sitting in silence occasionally talking Melinda and Phil both washed up their cups and headed back to their respective bunks.
It is about seven thirty and after training with Skye and Bobbi, who has started to join in their training after she got the all clear from Simmons about a week earlier, Melinda met with Bobbi, Weever and the new board member Agent Dickerson where she was informed that her request to offer Maria the position as head of the board has been granted. After getting that confirmation Melinda request that she be the one to approach Maria, a request that was approved.
"The Council said yes." Melinda says as she walks into Phil's office without knocking a few minutes after talking with the board.
"About Maria taking over as head?" Phil ask and Melinda nods, "Now we've just got to convince Maria to take the position."
"Do you think she will?" Melinda asks curious.
"I honestly don't know." Phil admits, "She walked away from S.H.I.E.L.D after the fall because she had too, because she and too many eyes on her; and I know that even with Stark being Stark she is enjoying what she is doing now, she may prefer to stay put."
"Nothing says she can't do both." Melinda points out, "If anyone could manage to coordinate The Avengers and be head of the Board overseeing S.H.I.E.L.D, it would be her."
"True." Phil says, "I've just got to finish a couple of things before we go so give me half an hour. Then we'll call Skye, Fitz, Simmons, Bobbi, Hunter and Mack to the common area and tell them that we're going to be gone for a couple of days."
"Sounds good to me." Melinda says as she stands up, "Are we leaving Bobbi or Skye in charge?" Melina asks.
"I've been thinking about that." Phil admits, "Bobbi is higher ranked, but Skye knows the base better. I mean after you and me she knows it best. It's a difficult choice."
"Then why don't we just leave them both in charge, it might work best that way." Melinda admits.
"Yeah, I think it would." Phil realises, "I'll do that." he says and Melinda nods before leaving.
Forty minutes later Melinda and Phil are waiting in the common area when Skye, Hunter, Bobbi, Mack, Fitz and Simmons walk in.
"Are we in trouble?" Skye asks as Coulson and May wanting to see them feels very getting sent to the principal's office like, or even what she always imagined getting in trouble with Mom and Dad would feel like.
"Should you be?" Melinda asks.
"No." Skye says quickly, a bit too quickly. Melinda and Phil exchange looks but they decided that seeing as how they probably won't want to know they won't ask.
"No one's in trouble." Phil says, "We called you to inform you that Agent May and myself are going away for a couple of days." Phil explains.
"Where are you going?" Skye asks.
"To see some a couple of old friends." Melinda answers.
"You're being vague, is there a reason for that?" Simmons asks curious.
"Yes." Phil says, "We haven't seen these friends in a while and this visit is long overdue." He explains.
"You're going to tell them that you're alive." Fitz realises.
"I am."
"Good Luck, Sir." Bobbi says as she has a theory about who they could be going to see but she doesn't want to say something in case she is wrong. Though if they are going to see who she thinks they are then they are going to need a lot more than luck.
"Thank you Bobbi." Phil says, "While we are gone Bobbi and Skye you will both in charge. You will need to work together to run the base."
"Yes, Sir." Skye and Bobbi both say.
"We'll have our phones if you need us. Don't take or leave on any missions without checking with us first and don't destroy the base." Melinda instructs.
"Do you really think we will?" Mack asks
"You don't want my answer to that." Melinda informs Mack.
"It's like you have no faith in us." Hunter comments.
"We'll be back in a couple of days, like May said we have our phones if you need us." Phil says, purposely avoiding Hunter's comment.
"Don't be shy about calling if you need to, understood?" Melinda says.
"Yes, May." Skye, Bobbi, Hunter, Mack, Fitz and Simmons say.
"Good. See you in a couple of days." Phil says as he and Melinda both leave the common area; neither of them have to grab anything as they have already put their bags in Lola.
"Why do I feel like we're kids who are being left alone for the weekend why Mum and Dad are out of town?" Hunter asks after Phil and Melinda have left the common area.
"Because that's exactly what we are." Skye says.
"Then does that mean we can throw a party?" Hunter asks.
"No." Bobbi, Mack, Simmons and Fitz say while Skye looks like she is considering it.
Having left the common area Melinda and Phil have headed down to where Lola is. Instead of getting in the car Phil is just standing by the driver's side, staring. Seeing what her best friend is doing Melinda doesn't get in either, she just watches him.
"I can drive if you want." Melinda offers after about a minute, making it clear that it is Phil's choice that she's not saying that he can't do it.
"Yeah, I think that might be best." Phil admits, "Seeing as how I haven't driver with this hand yet I wouldn't want to cause an accident." Phil says walking over to Melinda and handing her the keys.
"When we get back we can take one of the SUV out and you can see how you go driving if you want." Melinda offers.
"That sounds good." Phil says as he walks over to the passenger seat and Melinda gets in the drivers.
"You should call Maria, we should actually warn her that we're coming." Melinda says as she starts Lola.
"Yeah, we probably should." Phil says pulling his phone out of his pocket and pressing call on Maria's contact.
"Hill." Maria answers after a few rings.
"Hey, it's Coulson. May and I are on our way to New York. Can we meet?" Phil asks as Melinda drives out the hanger.
"Is everyone okay?" Maria asks, a hint of concern in her voice.
"We're fine. There's just a couple of things we need to talk to you about." Phil explains.
"Then sure. Where and When?" Maria asks.
"Our place, say one?" Phil asks, our place being a place that the three of them along with Natasha and Clint brought eleven years ago to be a sanctuary from S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Sure. I'll see you then." Maria says.
"See you then." Phil says before hanging up, "Maria's in." Phil informs Melinda.
"I figured." Melinda responds, "You ready for this?"
"I'm beyond ready." Phil admits, "But I'm also terrified about how they'll react." Phil admits.
"There would be something wrong with you if you weren't." Melinda says as she knows that considering how long they both have been keeping this secret from Natasha and Clint, and the fact that she lied to them when she spoke to them, neither are going to take the news of Phil being alive well if they don't already know.
"Despite that, I am looking forward to seeing them." Phil admits.
"So am I." Melinda responds and the two friends drift into silence both looking forward to and worrying about seeing their old friends again.