Chapter 2
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AN2: Thank you for all the support that everyone reading has given me. It would mean a lot of you left a review or comment, please.
It has been many hours since Steve, Melinda, Natasha, Clint and Maria started drinking together and in that time Clint and Maria have gotten very drunk while Natasha and Melinda are only slightly tipsy and Steve is fine.
"Whose turn is it to get those two to bed?" Natasha asks Melinda curious as Clint and Maria are basically falling over drunk.
"I think you just volunteered." Melinda says.
"Yeah, I guess I did." Natasha realises, "Mel you're welcome to stay in my rooms. Steve can you show Mel where they are when she's ready?"
"Sure."
"Great." Natasha says as she stands up.
"Good luck." Melinda tells Natasha as they both know, all too well, how hard it is to get Maria and Clint to bed after they have been drinking.
"Thanks." Natasha says sarcastically and Melinda just gives a smirk as Natasha drags Clint and Maria out.
For a few minutes after Natasha, Clint and Maria leave Melinda and Steve are quiet, neither really sure what to say, but because they spend a lot of time in in silence when they used to spar neither Melinda nor Steve are bothered by it.
"So, you've been helping rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D?" Steve asks, finally deciding to break the silence after about ten minutes.
"Yeah." Melinda says with a nod, "It's been complicated." Melinda admits, feeling like that would be the best way to describe what's been going on.
"Complicated how?"
"Secrets." Melinda says simply, "I've basically been S.H.I.E.L.D'S second in command, but the New Director has been keeping things from me, on purpose." Melinda admits, still hurt by that.
"Fury said that S.H.I.E.L.D is different now." Steve says with a frown.
"In a lot of ways it is. The right things have been changed, the things that needed to change have been for the right reasons, but there are something things that are the same." Melinda admits, taking another drink.
"Who's the director?" Steve asks curious.
"Didn't Fury tell you what he did?" Melinda asks, not as surprise as most would be as she knows Nick Fury, she knows what he is like.
"No. What did he do?" Steve asks, anger in his voice.
"After New York, Nick used very, very questionable, and dangerous procedures, involving Alien Biology that had him begging for death, to bring Phil Coulson back to life, he's director of S.H.I.E.L.D now." Melinda explains.
"Coulson's alive?" Steve ass shocked, although after all the people he believed to have died not being dead that has been going on lately he shouldn't be as surprised as he is.
"Yes." Melinda says with a nod, "I went back into the field to watch his back, to watch him for signs of complications from the procedures." Melinda explains.
"Is he okay?" Steve asks, not sure what else to say.
"He wasn't, for a long time, and after a battle last week he lost his hand, but yes, he's okay." Melinda confirms.
"That's great." Steve says, then realises what he said, "Not about losing the hand, but about the fact that Coulson's okay. That's great."
"Yeah." Melinda says and even Steve can tell that there is something bothering Melinda.
"Did something happen?" Steve asks concerned.
"Let's just say it's been a long few months and leave it at that." Melinda admits.
"Okay." Steve says, not wanting to push her.
"So Captain, would you like to spar? For old times' sake." Melinda asks curious, wanting to do something other than talk.
"Do you think you're sober enough for that?" Steve asks curious.
"Oh yeah, definitely." Melinda says standing up, "You're not scared are you, Captain?" Melinda asks with a smirk.
"No, Agent May, I'm not." Steve says with a grin and Melinda and Steve head towards the gym.
For the next hour Steve and Melinda spar together. Even though Steve is stronger and faster, Melinda has more fighting experience and skill which makes them pretty well matched, plus Melinda has had a lot of experiencing in fighting enhanced people in recent months which doesn't hurt.
"You were holding back last time." Melinda tells Steve as he helps her up after knocking her to the ground.
"Yeah, sorry about that. I was still trying to figure out how to fight friendly." Steve admits, sparing with Natasha has taught him not to hold back.
"It's okay, just don't do it again." Melinda requests.
"I won't." Steve promises as they once more begin to fight, "So, are you going to be staying a while?" Steve asks curious, honestly he is hoping that the answer is yes.
"I honestly don't know." Melinda admits as she dodges Steve's attack, "Things at base areā¦. Complicated for lack of a better word." Melinda says as she lands a blow, "But at some point I should get back."
"Well, you're welcome to stay here until that point." Steve offers.
"Thanks Captain." Melinda says as they continue to spar.
For another thirty minutes Melinda and Steve continue to spar and even though she would never admit it Melinda is becoming to become tired and even Steve is feeling, to a degree what they are doing.
"Finish this round then stop?" Steve suggests.
"Yep." Melinda says, actually being glad that he suggested it.
For the next few minutes Melinda and Steve spar until Melinda manages to knock Steve to the mats.
"Okay. You win." Steve says when he is lying on the mat on his back.
"Just this round, you won over all." Melinda says as she sticks her hand out for Steve to grab.
"Not by much." Steve admits as he stands, "You provide quiet the challenge, Agent May."
"Wow, that's a high compliment." Melinda says as they walk over to where there are towels and water.
"One that you deserve." Steve says with a smile as he hands Melinda a bottle of water.
"Thanks." Melinda says, not sure whether she is thanking him for the compliment or the water.
"So, um, like Natasha offered you can share with her or I can show you where the guest bunks are." Steve offers, "They're bare, but pretty comfortable."
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine bunking with Nat, it's not the first time." Melinda says, being pretty sure that it might be about the thousandth as even though they would both rather die than admit it both she and Natasha suffer from nightmares and they both learnt long ago that the two of them sharing a bed helps to keep the nightmares away, though neither of them have figured out exactly why yet.
"If you're sure. I can show you were Nat's rooms are."
"Thanks." Melinda says and they start walking.
"So, you're close to Natasha? And Clint?" Steve asks curious after not even a minute of walking.
"Yeah, they're basically family to me." Melinda admits, "Clint was twenty one when Phil and recruited him, he was still a kid, an angry kid, but still a kid." Melinda explains, "And I met Nat basically as soon as Clint brought her in. The three of us, Phil, and Maria were a team for a long time, but we were more than that." Melinda admits, not exactly sure why she's telling Steve so much.
"Wow." Steve says, not sure what else to say, and the two of them drift into silence while they walk, "Natasha's rooms are there." Steve says pointing the door.
"Thanks. I'll see you in the morning, Captain."
"I'll see you tomorrow, Agent May." Steve responds and Melinda walks into the rooms.
When Melinda walks into Natasha's room she finds Natasha sitting on the couch.
"And what time do you call this?" Natasha asks, looking at her friend.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realise I had a curfew." Melinda says as she walks over and sits next to Natasha, rolling her eyes as she does.
"You're bags in the bedroom." Natasha says, there being amusement in her voice, "So, just what did you and Rogers get up to?" Natasha asks, from the tone of her voice it is clear what she is thinking.
"Really, Nat? We were sparing in the gym." Melinda says, stressing the word gym.
"If you say so." Natasha says with a smirk and Melinda playfully shoves her friend, "I missed you, Mel."
"Missed you too." Melinda responds and they both drift into silence.
Natasha and Melinda stayed up together for about an hour before they both decided to head to bed where they both, for once, easily fell asleep.
Just like she would if she was at the playground Melinda gets up at five am to do tai-chi, and after a few minutes of doing Tai-Chi in the living are of Natasha's rooms alone Natasha joins Melinda and the two old friends do tai-chi together, it feeling like the old days to both of them.
"So, what do you do for breakfast around here?" Melinda asks Natasha once they finish.
"There's a cafeteria, food's pretty good." Natasha admits.
"Really?"
"Yeah, not as good as Phil's cooking but having Tony Stark as your financial backer has some advantages."
"That does not surprise me." Melinda admits.
"But we should go now, before one of the people who can eat ten times as much as a normal person gets started." Natasha informs Melinda.
"Isn't that just Captain Rogers?" Melinda asks.
"Rhodey, Sam and Clint can all eat a lot to." Natasha explains, "I'll race you to the cafeteria, winner gets to use the shower first when we get back."
"You're on." Melinda says and both she and Natasha start to sprint.
As Melinda and Natasha sprint through the Avengers Facility they both get odd and concerned looks from everyone that they passed but honestly neither of them care, all either cares about is beating the other.
"MAKE A HOLE." Natasha calls as Rhodey and Sam are standing in the doorway to the cafeteria and she knows that neither her nor Melinda will be able to stop in time to avoid hitting them.
Hearing Natasha's voice both Rhodey and Sam quickly move out of the way, just in time.
"Who was first?" Natasha and Melinda asks when they have stopped running, and have come back over to Sam and Rhodey.
"Um, what?" Sam asks confused.
"Which one of us crossed the threshold of the door first?" Natasha asks.
"You crossed at the same time." Rhodey says, "What's going on?" he asks concerned.
"Race on the way back to decide?" Melinda asks and Natasha nods.
"We were racing." Natasha says simply, "Sam Wilson, James Rhodes, this is Agent Melinda May, Mel, this is Sam and Rhodey." Natasha introduces.
"It's nice too meet you both." Melinda says.
"Yeah, you too." Sam says and Rhodey nods.
A few minutes later, after collecting their breakfast, Natasha, Melinda, Sam and Rhodey walk over and sit down at a table with Maria and Wanda.
"I hate you both." Maria informs Natasha and Melinda, looking miserable.
"We didn't force you to drink." Natasha says, being amused as Maria always says that after drinking.
"I know, but I can still hate you for not getting hangovers." Maria says.
"Just drink your coffee Maria, it will help." Melinda tells her.
"Wanda Maximoff, this is Melinda May. Mel, this is Wanda." Natasha introduces and the two of them just exchange nods, "Where is Pietro?" Natasha asks curious.
"Racing Steve." Sam explains.
"Why?" Maria asks, "Steve knows he'll lose."
"That's why he does it." Natasha says, "Steve likes to lose for once."
"Gee, thanks Romanoff." A voice says and everyone turns to see Steve standing with Pietro and Tony Stark.
"Tony." Rhodey says surprised to see his best friend.
"I found him wondering around outside." Steve says as Pietro runs to get food before sitting down next to his sister.
"I thought I would pay a visit." Tony says looking at everyone, "You're new." He says to Melinda, though he can't help the feeling that he has seen her before.
"Tony Stark meet Agent Melinda May." Steve introduces.
"Agent, S.H.I.E.L.D?" Tony asks as he and Steve sit down.
"Yeah." Melinda confirms.
"How long?" Tony asks curious.
"Thirty three years." Melinda answers.
"No way! You would have been like ten, just a kid." Tony says, feeling like considering how young May looks that she can't be much older than forty, and it is clear that anyone who doesn't know how young Melinda was when she started S.H.I.E.L.D are shocked, and those who know Melinda's real age are amused.
"Three months shy of my eighteenth birthday actually." Melinda corrects.
"Holy crap you must be good." Tony says and Melinda can't help but smirk at that, "What what's with the smirk?" Tony asks confused.
"Your Father said the exact same thing the first time I met him." Melinda reveals.
"You knew my Dad?" Tony asks surprised.
"Not well, but we met a few times, and he was my boss his last few years at S.H.I.E.L.D, my first few." Melinda explains and Tony look shocked at that and it's clear that he doesn't know what to say, and the entire table drift into an awkward silence.
"So Mel, did you know that Coulson thinks you're patching things up with Andrew?" Maria asks, realising that changing the subject would be best.
"Coulson?" Tony says shocked.
"He assumed that, I didn't tell him that." Melinda explains, not surprised that Phil thinks that.
"Coulson?" Tony says once more shocked, "Coulson's dead."
"Fury told me he told you." Maria says to Tony.
"And you believed him?" Melinda asks her former student, "Phil Coulson died in the battle of New York, but days later Nick Fury used very questionable means, including alien biology to bring him back from the dead. The procedures were risky and Phil begged for death. Fury limited who he told this to as there were very serious potential side effects to the procedures. Phil experienced them last year, he almost went insane, but he is okay now, and is rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D as the director and I'm his second in command." Melinda says, explaining everything as she knows that if anyone else does then it will take a lot longer and she can't sit through the entire story again.
"And there you have it ladies and gentlemen three years of information in thirty seconds." Clint says as he walks over and sits down.
"You're up." Natasha says surprised.
"Yep." Clint says as he steals Natasha's coffee and starts to drink, "Don't ask me why." He requests as honestly he doesn't know why he is awake.
"Phil's alive." Tony says shocked, not sure what to think, "Did you know?" he asks Steve.
"Agent May only told me yesterday." Steve admits.
"And he's okay?" Tony ask, looking at Melinda.
"For the most part." Melinda answers.
"If you're helping rebuild S.H.I.E.L.D then why are you here?" Sam asks curious and surprised.
"That's a long story." Melinda says, not wanting to talk about that, "So is this your whole team?" Melinda asks Natasha, it being clear that she is purposely changing the subject.
"Almost." Natasha says, "Just missing Sharon and The Vision, they're on an Intel mission." She explains, leaving out that it's also a mission to help Vision get used to the world so they might be gone for a while.
"Good for her." Melinda says.
"You know Sharon too?" Steve asks.
"Yeah."
"Sharon's another one of Mel's former students." Natasha explains.
"Really?" Steve asks as that wasn't in Melinda's file.
"Of course." Clint says, "Every great S.H.I.E.L.D agent in the last thirty years has been trained by Mel in some capacity." He tells everyone, a proud look on his face.
"You can't roll your eyes at something that's true." Natasha tells her friend as she notices Melinda roll her eyes.
"You do all the time." Melinda agues.
"You got me there." Natasha admits.
"Okay can we get back to the Agent May training every great S.H.I.E.L.D agent for three decades, is that true?" Tony asks looking impressed.
"Yep." Clint, Natasha, and Maria say.
"That's impressive." Rhodey says as he knows enough to know that.
"What's ever more impressive is that Mel has the record for the agent with the most reprimands in her file." Clint says proudly.
"And you're a close second." Melinda says without even missing a beat.
"How does something like that happen?" Pietro asks curious as Tony and Sam both look interested and Wanda is just watching everyone, it being clear that she is enjoying the conversation quite a bit.
"Inventive pranks and a disregard for the rules." Nick Fury says as he walks over to the table.
"My SO taught me that rules are meant to be broken. You know that Nick." Melinda says.
"I do, but I also know that Peggy Carter didn't teach you the pranks you used to pull." Fury reminds Melinda.
"Yeah, those I taught myself, until Clint came along." Melinda explains.
"You two certainly used to make Phi's life interesting." Maria says, knowing how it used to fall to Phil to try, and more often than that fail, to control them.
"He used to say that it was our fault that he was losing his hair." Clint says with a proud grin.
"I'd believe that." Natasha says.
"You were just as bad." Melinda reminds Natasha.
"No, you two were just a bad influence on me." Natasha argues and Steve, Tony, Rhodey, Sam, Wanda and Pietro are watching the five former agents like a tennis match all of them realising that this is clearly five of the most reserved and secretive people on the planet who are completely relaxed around each other and that realisation is amazing.
"Please, you three were just equality bad influences on each other." Maria says, as she does everyone else notices that the five former agents are using past tenses and they can't help but be curious about that.
"Nick, what do you think?" Melinda asks, knowing that he is the only one who can end the argument.
"I think if the four of you and Phil weren't half as good as you are then I would have stopped letting you be on the same base a long time ago." Fury says as Clint, Natasha, Melinda, Maria and Phil were the dream team of Agents but they were also a nightmare on occasion.
"You trust that once, remember, it didn't end well." Melinda reminds Fury.
"I know but I only did that because you and Clint gave me no choice." Fury says, "I had level eights threatening to quit because of things you were doing." He say and Clint, and despite herself, Melinda, grins proudly at that.
"What did you do?" Tony asks, looking impressed.
"We were benched because of injuries and we were going a little stir crazy." Clint admits.
"From what Phil said it was more than a little." Natasha corrects as it was before her time but she knows what happened thanks to Phil, and other agents telling her the stories, plus the S.H.I.E.L.D rumour mill filled in some of the gaps.
"What you two did became the stuff of legends." Maria tells Melinda and Clint, but before either of them can say anything there is a noise coming from the tablet that Nick is holding.
"It looks like this trip down memory lane is over." Nick says, "Finally got a location on that group you've been looking for." Nick says as he hands the tablet over to Steve.
"Gear up." Steve tells everyone after reading the information on the screen and everyone nods.
"Mel, we could use another skilled agent, you interested?" Natasha asks curious as she knows that there are expecting a lot of enemies where they are going so having someone on Melinda's skills would be a huge help.
"Sure, if you don't mind." Melinda says, looking at Steve.
"Not at all." Steve says, "Do you need tactical gear?" Steve asks as everyone stands up.
"No, I have my own."
"You have your tactical gear here?" Clint asks surprised.
"Weren't you on vacation?" Natasha asks as they walk across the cafeteria.
"Yes, but like you said I never take vacations, I'm not exactly sure how to take one." Melinda says with an amused smirk.
"Sounds about right." Maria says as like Natasha she has never known Melinda to take a vacation.
Ten minutes later Steve, Natasha, Clint, Melinda, Tony, Rhodey, Sam, Pietro and Wanda are all in the hanger where the Quinjet's packing and loading the last of their equipment.
"Agent May, do you need a weapon?" Steve asks curious.
"Nah, Captain, I'm okay." Melinda replies as she gathers her gear and carries it onto the plane, before stopping and looking at Steve, "If need a gun, I'll take one." Melinda says before continuing to walk into the plane, Steve watching her go with a look of amazement on his face.
