No More Miracles
So this is the product of reading too many May/Coulson/Fury fics and wanting more.
Melinda May, Phil Coulson and Nick Fury, three legends in shield, the best of the best, a team since Coulson and May's rookie days, Strike Team Beta and unknown to everyone, more than just friends, but thanks to a tragedy that is about to change, and with every other secret having been revealed it's about time theirs was too. NOT A HAPPY STORY. MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH.
It has been six weeks since the team has arrived at the Playground, Fitz is out of his coma and doing better everyday something which is everyone is thankful for.
May has taken over as Skye's SO something which is helping them both and as well as training Skye Coulson has officially named her deputy director.
It is a normal day at Stark industries, or as normal as it gets and Maria Hill is in her office where Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton have popped in for a surprise visit, not that there is any other type with them and after discovering that the former agents are there as well Tony Stark and Pepper Potts are also present.
"Seriously do you have to perch everywhere?" Tony asks Clint causing Maria to silently wonder why they are in her office, but before she has a chance to ask them her cell phone rings and as soon as she sees the caller ID Maria worries because it is Coulson's number and Coulson would only call if it is an emergency.
"Hello." Maria answers making a note to be careful about what she says considering who is in the room with her.
"I need you to give me the way to contact Fury." Coulson's clearly in pain voice says.
"There isn't a way to contact him." Maria responds, completely lying but following orders.
"Maria I'm not messing around, I need to contact Fury and I need to do it now." Coulson responds, his voice losing patients, something that Maria has rarely heard in Coulson's voice before.
"I'm sorry but there isn't one." Maria responds knowing that she is going to have to contact Fury and tell him that Coulson was desperately trying to contact him.
"You know what fine." Coulson says frustration in his voice, "Contact him for me and tell him that he needs to get to the playground as soon as possible, something's happened to Melinda." Coulson explains.
"What happened to Melinda?" Maria asks causing Natasha and Clint to exchange a look wondering if Maria is talking about who they think she is talking about.
"Just get him here Maria, please." Coulson requests, the frustration gone but an undertone of begging taking its place.
"What happened to her?" Maria asks again, "Phil? What happened to Melinda?" she asks but also she gets in response is the sound of the phone being hung up, "Damn it." Maria says annoyed.
"Coulson's alive, isn't he?" Natasha says shocked.
"What?" Maria asks looking at Natasha and Clint who are wearing identical looks of surprise and realisation.
"Coulson, he's alive." Clint says.
"Coulson died over two years ago." Tony says, "Didn't he?" he asks Maria.
"I don't think he did." Natasha says standing up, "There is only one person called Phil who would call you to try and get in contact with Fury because something happened to Melinda. He's alive isn't he?" Natasha asks, "You lied about his death."
Realising that now she has let most of the secret out she might as well fill them in on the rest Maria sighs, "Technically we didn't lie." Maria informs them, "Coulson did die, he was dead, he just didn't stay that way." She explains.
"How?" Clint asks while Natasha looks a cross between angry and shocked and Pepper and Tony just look shocked.
"That's a long story." Maria answers, "One that I don't have time to explain right now because I need to contract a dead man and go to a secret base to see another one." Maria says standing up.
"You're worried." Natasha comments putting everything else aside for the minute.
"You didn't hear Phil." Maria tells her, "Something really bad must have happened to Melinda and I'm going to go see what, see if I can help." She explains packing up a few things.
"Who's Melinda?" Tony asks interested.
"A former SHIELD agent." Natasha explains
"SHIELD Legend actually." Clint corrects.
"And someone very important to Fury and Coulson." Maria adds.
"What do you mean very important?" Pepper asks curious, both angry and happy about Coulson being alive.
"No one knows for sure." Natasha answers, "I'm coming with you." She tells Maria.
"Figured you might." Maria responds, "Anyone else who's coming let's go." She says walking across the office. Natasha and Clint follow without hesitation and after exchanging a look and deciding that they want to see Coulson and meet the person who is described as 'very important' to Fury and Coulson Pepper and Tony follow.
After hanging up the phone with his former boss, his friend, Coulson looks over to the bed where one of the two people in the world that he loves the most, Melinda May, is lying in a medically induced coma.
"He's coming Mel. I'll make sure of it." Coulson says to May sleeping form as he reaches over and grabs her hand which unlike most of the middle and lower part of her body doesn't have any burns. As he stares at the woman he loves Coulson thinks about what happened to lead them here.
It was mission, tracking down Hydra agent, just like they have been doing for weeks. They expected it to be the same as every other similar mission they have down in the past six weeks but what they didn't count on was the firefight and booby trap.
Skye, Tripp, May and himself went in and after exchanging a few round with Hydra agents where the worse injury was a few grazes they thought the worse was over, until Tripp spotted the bomb with only seconds to go before it went off.
Skye, Tripp and himself managed to get out of the building before the bomb went off but only because Melinda made sure they got out, using precious seconds that she could have used to get herself out to save them. As soon as they realised that Melinda wasn't with them he Tripp and Skye made their way into the flame filled building to find Melinda, and they did. They found her being crushed by a fiery pillar with deep burns over her body. Every agent instinct of Coulson's told him that Melinda's chance of survival wasn't high but he ignored them, this was Melinda the strongest person he knows and he wasn't going to accept that.
After they got her free they got Melinda back to the Playground, thankfully they weren't that far away, the entire way Melinda was screaming in agony, the kind of screams of pain Coulson has never heard come out of her, and never wants to again, though he knows he will likely never forget.
As soon as Simmons and the other medical personal who are staying at the playground saw her they did their best to help Melinda which resulted in more cries and the decision that Melinda would be placed in a medically induced coma to ride out worst of the pain. As he watches Melinda, not moving his eyes of her for a second he remembers the conversation they shared before that occurred.
Flashback
Melinda doing her best to keep her cries of pain in after just being sprayed with water to get of the burnt skin and burn reminds of her clothes of off her when Coulson walks in.
"Hey." Coulson says walking over and sitting next to her.
"Hey." Melinda responds.
"Simmons said you wanted to talk to me before they sedated you." Coulson says, not sure what else to say at the moment.
"It's for the best." Melinda tells him, "Can you get Nick here?" Melinda asks, "I want to see him."
"Of course." Coulson tells Melinda, "I'll get him." He promises, not a hundred percent sure how but knowing that he will find a way no matter what to get him there.
"Reverse the sedation when he gets here." Melinda requests, "I want to see both of you, talk to both of you." Melinda tells him leaving out the 'say goodbye to both of you' that she is thinking.
"If Simmons says it's okay." Coulson tells her.
"No, promise me Phil." Melinda tells him, "Please, promise me." Melinda requests letting out a cry of pain as she knows that there is little chance that she is going to survive her injuries and she wants the last thing she sees to be her boys.
"I promise." Phil tells her standing up, "Okay, I promise you Mel, I'll reverse the sedation myself if I have to." He tells her.
"Thank you." Melinda responds, "I love you Phil."
"I love you Mel." Coulson says before bending down and placing a gentle kiss on her head, "I'll get Simmons." He says before turning and walking out of the room to get Simmons.
END FLASHBACK
As he thinks about the promise he made Coulson doesn't know if he is going to regret it, all he knew is that he had to make it and that it makes sense. Melinda, Nick and Coulson have been a trio for decades; they have been friends since his and Melinda's first days in SHIELD, a team since they graduated the academy and became more not long after, of course nobody knows that last part.
There were rumours around SHIELD like everything else and they were always positive that those closes to them, Hill, Barton, Romanoff, Blake, even Garrett and Sitwell, knew but didn't ask about it. They respected their privacy, their secret but as he watches Melinda Coulson realises that the secret doesn't matter anymore, maybe it never did. All that mattered is what they had, have, a love and relationship that seems to be slipping away with every moment that passes.
Coulson isn't sure how long he has been sitting watching Melinda after hugging up with Maria when he hears the door open and someone walk in.
"Here, I thought you would need this." Skye says handing him a coffee.
"Thanks." Coulson responds.
"She has a tattoo." Skye says making conversation, "I noticed, when we were helping." Skye says, "I never noticed it before, it' looks…." Skye begins to say but Coulson cuts her off.
"Like this." Coulson says lifting up his shirt to reveal an identical tattoo as the one Skye saw on May, in the exact same position.
"Yeah, exactly like that." Skye says shocked, "So I'm guessing the M means May, the P means you but what about the N? What does that mean?" Skye asks curious as the tattoo that Coulson and May both have is of a P, M and N, intertwined in cursive writing.
"Nick, the N means Nick." Coulson tells Skye.
"As in Fury?" Skye asks surprised as that is the only Nick she can think off.
"It's our version of a wedding ring." Coulson comments remembering what Melinda called the tattoos when they first got them eighteen years ago.
"Wow." Skye says completely shocked, "I had no idea."
"No one knew. Not for sure." Coulson answers and as he does Skye realises that through the whole conversation he hasn't looked away from May, not even for a second.
"Do you mind if I sit for a while?" Skye asks curious.
"No." Coulson answers and Skye sits down.
After two hours of sitting with Coulson Skye leaves him alone and when the proximity alert goes off only seconds later Skye realise that it was the right choice.
"Skye you come with me." Tripp says, "Everyone else stay in the med area." He orders.
"Yes Sir." The other agents respond.
"Are we expecting any friendlies?" Skye asks curious as she and Tripp go to collect weapons to meet whoever is arriving at the hanger doors.
"Not that I know, but that doesn't mean that they aren't." Tripp answers.
"Let's hope they are." Skye comments, "I don't think any of us could handle anything else right now." Skye comments as they grab the guns and make their way to the hanger doors.
"You would be right there." Tripp comments as they arrive at the doors.
For what feels like a very tense couple of minutes to Skye and Tripp they wait until finally the doors open and they are shocked by the sight that greets them.
"Commander Hill." Skye and Tripp say surprised.
"Skye, Agent Triplett." Hill greats, "Meet former Agents Romanoff and Barton, Pepper Potts and Tony Stark." Hill introduces.
"If you're here to yell at Coulson about him not telling you that he is alive then that can wait. Agent May was seriously hurt and he's barely holding it together, he doesn't need you all giving him a hard time." Skye says to The Avengers, he joy at meeting them being overshadowed by her protectiveness of Coulson.
"Melinda a friend." Natasha tells Skye, approving off how protective the girl seems to of Coulson and May, "Phil called Maria wanting to get in touch with Fury and we were with her." Natasha explains, "He told her that something happened to Melinda, that's why we're here." She explains.
"Agent May has burns over about forty five percent of her body." Tripp explains, "She's currently in a medically induced coma so that she can cope with the pain." He explain, "If you follow us we'll take you." He explains and everyone nods, Maria, Natasha and Clint clearly worried about their friends.
Even though Tripp warned them Natasha, Maria, Clint, Pepper and Tony are surprised by the sight that greets them.
"Phil." Maria says.
"Did you call him?" Phil asks.
"He's on his way." Maria tells him, "He'll be here lately today or tomorrow." She tells him.
"What happened?" Clint asks.
Coulson Is surprised to hear his old friend's voice but not even his surprise is enough to cause him to look away from May, "Hydra booby trap." He answers, "If you want to yell at me for not telling you I was alive can it wait?" He asks curious.
"Of course it can." Pepper answers before anyone else has a chance, "We're glad you're alive Phil." Pepper tells him.
"Thank you Pepper." Coulson responds and the others all exchange a look of worry, where they all decide without words to leave Coulson alone for a while.
For the next ten hours Coulson sits by Melinda watching, waiting for the third member of their trio to arrive. He doesn't move but he is brought things and kept company with the others.
"Phil." Fury's voice says from the doorway, causing Phil to look away from Melinda for the first time.
"Finally." Coulson says getting up and walking over and giving Nick a hug and a kiss.
"Simmons's said it was bad." Fury says looking at May with a look that Coulson realises must be the same one that he has on his face.
"It is." Coulson tells him, "I promised her I would reverse the sedation when you got here." Coulson reveals.
"Is that a good idea?" Fury asks, medicine being something that he's not an expert in.
"I don't think so, but she made me promise." Coulson says walking over to the drug draw to pull get the medication to reverse the sedation as Fury takes his now empty seat.
"Aren't you going to get Simmons to do that?" Fury asks.
"No." Coulson responds as he injects Melinda with the medication. Once he has he disposes of the syringe and pulls the seat that Skye was sitting on earlier over closes to Fury.
"Now we wait." Coulson says.
"Now we wait." Fury says as he hesitantly reaches out and grabs Melinda's hand with one and Coulson's with the other, knowing that it is what they all need right now.
Just like Coulson has been doing all day both Coulson and Fury watch May, neither looking away from her, neither wanting to. After about half an hour they hear what sounds like a moan of pain.
"Mel?" Fury asks, "Can you hear me?" he asks.
"Nick, Phil." Melinda says.
"Yeah, we're here." Coulson says, "Both of us."
"And we're going to stay here until you are better." Fury adds.
"I'm not going to get better." Melinda reveals as between the burns and the crush injuries she knows her body can't cope with much more.
"No." Fury says, "I haven't given you permission to die." He says, "You'll get through this. I'll find a way for you to." He reveals, both Coulson and May knowing that he will go as far as he went to bring Coulson back to live to do the same for Melinda.
"There's no more miracle's Nick." Melinda tells him, "I don't want one."
"There will be a miracle if I say there will be one." Fury says.
"Nick, please." Melinda says, having difficulty talking due to coughing.
"Here, slowly." Coulson says getting a drink of water and helping Melinda to drink.
"I love you both so much." Melinda tells Coulson and Fury, doing her best to keep the cries of pain she is feeling inside, "I need you to know that." She tells them.
"We do." Coulson tells her, "We do Mel." He says, "And we love you too." He says to her, "Don't we Nick." Coulson says and he receives no answers, "Nick?" he asks worried turning to look at Fury where for the first time ever he sees tears running down the face of his lover, and former boss.
"This is really it isn't it?" Fury asks, "You can feel it?" he asks as he has spent enough time around people who are dying to know they usually feel it before it happened.
"I can." Melinda says, "Try not to be too lost without me." She jokes.
"Not making any promises." Fury responds, "What can we do?" he asks as Melinda lets out one of the cries of pain that she has been trying hold in.
"Hold me." Melinda requests allowing herself to crave the comfort that she often tried to convince herself that she didn't need, though every time she did they managed to break through her walls.
Without a word Coulson and Fury stand up and being very careful not to make any of Melinda's injuries worse they climb onto the bed, which is thankfully slightly bigger than a usual hospital bed and lay either side of her, moving so that the three of them are holding one another.
"I'm glad that you're here, that you're both here." Melinda says, "I wouldn't want it any other way." She admits.
"It would be better if you weren't dying." Coulson says.
"I second that." Fury says.
"Now we've all died." Melinda says trying to distract them.
"The only difference is that you aren't going to come back." Coulson says.
"Don't be so sure of that." Nick mutters to himself though he makes the mistake of it being loud enough for them to hear.
"Nick no." Melinda says, "No more miracles." Melinda says before gasping and closing her eyes for the last time.
"Mel?" Fury and Coulson ask but they receive no answer, just like they were expecting.
"No more Miracles Mel, for you." Fury says though he would like nothing more than finding a way to bring Melinda back he won't, he will honour her last wish, "I love you." He says placing a gentle kiss to the side of her head.
Even though they know that they should get Simmons and the other medical personal Coulson and Fury don't they just continue to hold Melinda, neither of them wanting to leave Melinda and that's exactly how Natasha and Maria find them fifteen minutes later Fury and Coulson holding Melinda with tears rolling down their faces.
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