AN: Although somewhat AU, this story contains spoilers for Season 3 episode A WANTED (INHU)MAN and is one way I am processing something Coulson did in this episode that is bothering me at the moment!
"I would like to know what exactly were you thinking, Phil?" May said as she closed the door to his office none too quietly. "Or were you thinking?"
Although Coulson didn't particularly care for May's tone or question just then, he wasn't about to call her down on it as he would have a junior member of SHIELD. No, she had been in SHIELD as long as he had and he had made her his second because she wouldn't back down when he needed someone to tell him when he was going too far. However what she was on about in this instance he really didn't consider his actions going too far and he told her so.
"What I was thinking of was keeping Skye... Daisy out of the hands of the Gestapo the president has charged with dealing this situation. May, she had footage from the hospital!"
"Did she have Daisy's name?"
"Not yet, but it's only matter of time before she does if she keeps digging. Offering myself was the only bargaining chip I had up my sleeve."
"And she knew it too!" May said. "Phil, twice now you've met up with her and twice now she's walked way with the upper hand, especially this time since she knows that she has the director of SHIELD eating right out of the palm of her hands!"
"Don't you think that's overstating things just a little?"
The look May gave him was all the answer he needed. However, she didn't leave things there, "When the director of another agency has the director of SHIELD on speed dial, no I don't think I am. What's more, I think the instinct that's always driven to protect Daisy no matter the cost, had made you not only not only cross a line, Phil, but had made you take a flying leap over it in this case!"
If Coulson had been about to reply and tell May yes she was exaggerating, he never got the chance as Daisy came storming into his office without so much as a knock, "Do you mind telling me what you were thinking?!"