Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners.

AN1: As I write I'm deciding how much time is going to past between chapters, or even within chapters, so depending on the plot it might be a lot of time or barely any.

AN2: I want to say thank you for the amazing support you've shown me so far, THANK YOU. It means so much to me. Please leave a review/comment.


A while after Melinda left Tony she is arriving at S.H.I.E.L.D academy. Following the signs which tell her where to go she arrives at a carpark where she parks her bike then, once she has her bag, follows signs to where new recruits are supposed to go.

As she looks around at the other recruits Melinda isn't at all surprised by the fact that there are very few women, nor is she surprised by the fact that there are only a few Asians as she was expecting both those things.

For a few minutes after Melinda arrived she just wait in silence, unconsciously sizing everyone else up, something she has been doing without meaning to since she was young, until finally an agent stands in front of the group of people.

"Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D academy. If you're an operations or communications recruit you're in the right place, if your Sci-ops you're not." The agent reveals, "I'm Agent Fowler, and because of numbers, and a recent incident involving some of the Academies facilities, operations and communications recruits will be bunking together." He reveals, and it is clear that there are people who aren't happy about that fact, though Melinda is not one of them as she doesn't really care, mainly because she figures it won't matter, "Bunks are organized into groups of four, when I call your name please come up and collect your key." He instructs, "Bunk one, Coulson, Garrett, Hartley, May." Agent Fowler says and once he does Melinda, a girl who seems to be a couple of years older than her, a man who seems to be about her age and is clearly not an operations student, and a man who clearly is and is also a few years older, all walk up to collect their keys, "Wait to I finish assigning rooms for more instructions." Agent Fowler says once all four of them have received their keys, causing them all to nod and head back to where they were each standing.


After a talk, and conversation, that Melinda mainly turns out, she is about to go to her bunk where she is shortly joined by the other three people who will be in the dorm with her.

"So, I'm Phil Coulson, Communications." Phil explains, wanting to break the silence.

"John Garrett, operations." Garrett explains.

"Melinda May, operations." Melinda answers.

"Seriously? You're in Operations?" Garrett asks, looking at Melinda in disbelief, something which doesn't surprise her.

"I could kick your ass if you want, to demonstrate." Melinda comments, looking at him,

"As if you could." Garett responds, and Melinda goes to take a step forward.

"I'm Izzy Hartley also in operations." Izzy says, before Melinda and Garett can actually get into a fight.

"Well, we've got half an hour before we have to meet everyone. Any preference on rooms?" Phil asks curious, purposely changing the subject.

"Nope." Melinda answers, as she grabs her bag and heads to one of the four bedrooms, honestly not caring about the specifics of the room.


Hours later Melinda, and her three new roommates have been to their orientation programs and Melinda, Izzy and Garrett have had their first combat class were Melinda did kick Garrett's ass.

"Hey." Phil says, as he walks into the common area of the dorm that the four students will be sharing, where Melinda is sitting on the couch, "Where's Garrett, and Izzy?" Phil asks curious,

"Garrett's sulking in his room." Melinda says, smirking slightly, "And Izzy's having a shower." She explains.

"So, the rumours are true. You kicked Garrett's ass." Phil says as he walks over and sits down on the couch as well.

"Yep." Melinda confirms, sounding proud, being proud about both what she did and the fact that it is already around the academy, "It was actually pretty easy." She admits, causing Phil to laugh.

"I might need you to show me some of those fight moves…. If you're willing of course." Phil quickly adds, not wanting to overstep.

"Of course." Melinda says, honestly being a little amused by that, "You're a coms recruit, you're going to need all the help you can get." She says.

"Wow, do you have such little opinions of coms recruits?" Phil asks curious.

"Yeah, until someone gives me a reason why I shouldn't." Melinda admits.

"Okay Melinda May, I'll give you a reason, by Christmas I will prove to you that comms recruits are just as good as operations recruits." Phil responds.

"Whatever you say, Coulson, whatever you say." Melinda responds, smirking at him, having no idea that this is going to be the start of an incredible friendship.

December 20th 1987

It has been over four months since Melinda started at S.H.I.E.L.D academy, and in that time she has turned eighteen, and has become close friends with Phil Coulson. Phil isn't the only person Melinda has become friends with as she has also become friends with Izzy and has come to a truce, at least most of the time, with Garrett, as well as forming a good working relationship with a senior agent by the name of Nick Fury.

It's a Sunday night and because the recruits have a short break for Christmas everyone is getting ready to leave in the morning. As both Melinda and Phil have to leave really early neither felt like joining in on the Academy wide party that is going on, rather they are sitting in the common area of their dorm drinking a bottle of scotch that Melinda obtained.

"You looking forward to going home?" Phil asks curious, being well aware of the fact that even after four months he doesn't know a lot about Melinda May, though he is pretty sure he knows more than anyone else at the Academy.

"I guess." Melinda answers as while there are people she is looking forward to seeing she isn't sure how her mother is going to react, nor is she sure how things are between her parents.

"You guess?" Phil asks surprised, "I can't wait to go home, can't wait to see my mom." Phil reveals, looking excited.

"Your Mom, what about your Dad?" Melinda asks curious, not knowing what she is bringing up.

"He died when I was nine." Phil reveals, as he takes a drink.

"Oh, Phil, I'm really sorry. I didn't know." Melinda admits, feeling bad about bringing it up.

"It's okay, you didn't know." Phil assures her, "I still miss him, and I don't remember much, but I'm okay." Phil responds, though it is clear that he doesn't want to talk more about it, "So, why aren't you happy about going home?" he asks, and considering what he just revealed Melinda figures she owes him an answer.

"My Mom's CIA. She wasn't too happy when I decided to join S.H.I.E.L.D instead." Melinda explains, "Plus I'm pretty sure that my parents are close to, or already have, gotten a divorce." Melinda admits.

"Oh…. I'm sorry." Phil says, not sure what else to say, and Melinda just shrugs, and takes a drink, "Is there anything you're looking forward to when you go home?" he asks, trying to change the subject to something positive.

"Yeah." Melinda confirms, "Seeing two really good friends of mine." Melinda admits, thinking about Tony and Richard, as she smiles slightly.

"Friends are good." Phil comments, it being clear that he is getting a little tipsy.

"Yeah, they are." Melinda confirms, smiling slightly and the two of them drift into silence as they continue to drink, and eventually talk a little more, before they head to their respective beds.


Almost twenty-four hours after Melinda was sitting with Phil, drinking and talking, she has found out that she was correct, her parents are divorcing, and is currently driving her bike into the 'main' Stark Estate that she knows for a fact Tony is currently staying at with both his parents. Even though Melinda knows, perfectly well, that she could just knock on the door she instead heads to the window that she knows leads to Tony's bedroom, and throws pebbles at it, using the right amount of force so that she doesn't break the window.

"Really Mel?" Tony asks, opening the window after about a minute of Melinda throwing pebbles at it.

"Seemed like a better choice than the door." Melinda says, with a shrug, "You going to get down here?" she asks curious.

"Give me a minute." Tony requests, and he disappears back into his room, causing Melinda to just stand and wait, leaning against her bike.

About a minute later the front door opens and Tony walks out.

"Got to say, I'm a little disappointed you didn't climb down." Melinda admits

"That's your thing, not mine." Tony says, walking towards Melinda, who is walking towards Tony, and once the two of them are close enough they hug, "It's damn good to see you." Tony admits as he hugs his friend.

"It's good to see you too." Melinda responds, hugging Tony just as tight as he is hugging her, something which continues to happen for a little while until they are both forced to break apart.

"So, we're meeting Parker?" Tony asks.

"Soon, but I thought we could drive around a little first." Melinda suggests.

"Sure." Tony responds, and with no more words the two old friends climb onto Melinda's bike, and speed out of the Stark Estate.


A little while later Melinda has pulled over at a little rest stop and both she and Tony are climbing off Melinda's motorbike.

"That wasn't too much for you, was it?" Melinda asks, with a smirk, as she knows her driving, especially on a motorbike, takes a while to get used to.

"Nothing is." Tony responds, with a smirk off his own, "So I assume you'll tell us all about what you've been up to when where with Parker, but how are you Mel?" he asks, assuming there is a reason why Melinda arranged for the two of them to spend time together before meeting Richard, he just has to find it as Melinda won't give it up easily, "Mel?" Tony asks, gently prodding when it looks like Melinda isn't going to answer him, "Come on, you know I'm not going to let it go." He adds.

"So far the academy is great. I'm top of the class. I've made some friends, good friends, and someone who's both a friend and enemy depending on the time of day, and I'm so glad to see you and Richard again, but I found out today that Mom and Dad are getting divorced; it feels wrong to be happy." Melinda admits.

"Okay, first, I'm going to tell you something you've told me before; be proud of your achievements, you've earned them, no matter what anyone else might say or do." Tony reveals, and Melinda has to smile, just a fraction, about the fact that Tony is quoting her, back at her, "And I figure it won't help things but your parents ending things have been in the cards for a while." He comments, as Lian's job has been taking a toll for a while and it was just a matter of time before things crumbed, though considering everything he was expecting them to just push through.

"Yeah, at least a year." Melinda confirm, "Still a bit of a surprise though." Melinda admits, as even though she told Phil she was expecting it she wasn't serious, "I never thought they'd actually get a divorce." Melinda admits, as she assumed her parents would continue on pretending everything was okay when it wasn't.

"I guess they couldn't pretend anymore." Tony comments, though he doesn't know why they would finally reach that decision, understanding.

"Yeah, I guess so." Melinda says, sounding uncertain and sad, something Tony hates to hear as it is so unlike Melinda, and so he walks over to his friend, and hugs her, "It's okay not to be okay. It's okay to be happy even when you're sad at the same time." He says, before kissing Melinda's head and the two friends just stand together on the deserted road hugging, Melinda allowing a few tears to roll down her face.


A while later, Melinda showing no sign that she had been recently been crying, Richard, Tony, and Melinda are siting together at a playground with a couple of pizza boxes on the table between them,

"So, are you two going to keep me in suspense any longer. What's training to be an agent like?" Tony asks, looking between his two friends.

"It's good, it also classified." Richard says, with a smirk, which causes Tony to throw a pizza crust at him, "Hey! That's uncalled for."

"Actually, I think it's exactly what is called for." Tony comments.

"Second." Melinda says.

"Wow." Richard says, with a shocked look on his face, "I should have known you two would eventually gang up on me." He comments.

"Only when you're being an idiot." Melinda informs him, "It's classified, really?" she asks, giving him a look.

"With normal people it would be a valid excuse." Richard points.

"We're not normal, and let's be thankful for that." Tony comments, "Most of the time anyway." He admits, causing Melinda and Richard to exchange looks, "if you can't tell me about what you're doing at least tell me about the people, you met anyone decent?" Tony asks curious, and the second he does Richard gets a look on his face which Melinda realises the meaning off.

"You've met someone you really like." Melinda realises, smirking slightly

"Oh, tell us, tell us, tell us." Tony says, sounding very much like a hyperactive five-year-old, and as he looks between the smile on Tony's face, and the knowing look on Melinda's, Richard realises that he isn't going to get away with saying nothing, so he might as well make it easy on himself.

"Her name is Mary Fitzpatrick, and we've been doing a lot of our training together." Richard explains.

"Have you asked her out yet?" Tony asks curious.

"We're just friends." Richard says, rather quickly.

"But you want to be more." Melinda realises, and Richard doesn't deny that, "You should ask her out." She informs her friend.

"Maybe." Richard says, sounding uncertain, as the truth is he doesn't want to risk their friendship, "What about you, May you making friends?"

"Yeah, an occasional enemy too." Melinda responds, honestly not sure what to describe Garrett as.

"Anyone particularly special?" Tony says, trying to keep his voice natural even though he desperately wants to know.

"Kind of, his names Phil Coulson, he's becoming a really good friend." Melinda explains, and once she does Richard goes to say something, "Just a friend." Melinda confirms, "I don't see him that way, not sure I ever could." Melinda says, as she can see Phil Coulson being in her life for the rest of it, she just doesn't think it would be in a romantic way.

"I have a great idea." Tony, who is very happy with Melinda's explanation of her relationship with Phil, says.

"Your great ideas always end horribly." Richard says.

"Hey!" Tony objects throwing another pizza crust at Richard.

"In fairness, all our ideas usually end horribly." Melinda comments.

"Just yours and Tony's, my ideas end up great." Richard comments, and once more he gets hit by two pizza crusts, one thrown by Tony, and the other by Melinda, "Hey!" he objects again and his two friends just give him a look, "What's your idea?" he asks, looking at Tony.

"When we can, I guess around summer will be when we're all free, we should do something all together; the three of us, Rhodes, Mary, this Coulson, it could be great." Tony suggests.

"What makes you think I want to subject Coulson to you two?" Melinda asks, her voice completely deadpan and in response she gets pizza crusts thrown at her, but as she was expecting them she catches them, "Nice try." She says, as she puts the crusts back into the pizza boxes.

"Look, admittedly I'm worried about what you two could say to Mary, but I also think all six of us spending time together could be really good." Richard comments, "I'm in."

"That leaves you, Mel." Tony says, sticking out his leg to nudge Melinda with it, "Come on, you know you want to." He says, and once he does Melinda grabs his foot and glares at him.

"Fine, I'm in." Melinda answers.

"Yay!" Tony says, looking glad, "Can I have my foot back?" he asks curious.

"If you keep it to yourself." Melinda says, letting go of Tony's foot.

"No promises." Tony says, causing Melinda to roll her eyes, and Richard to shake his head as this is far from the first time that he's seen this kind of behaviour form Melinda and Tony, and he very much doubts it will be the last.

July 16th 1988

In the seven months that have passed since Melinda, Tony, and Richard saw each other at Christmas Melinda and Richard have both been finished their respecting training, and while Melinda has already been on her first mission, with Coulson under the command of Nick Fury, one that didn't go as well as it could, Richard hasn't, in fact he is about to get his first assignment.

As this is the first chance they have had, and likely the only chance they will have for months, Melinda, Tony, and Richard have arranged for the three of them, and their new close friends to meet up at a Stark property, that currently isn't being used, in a location that was easy for everyone to get to.

"So, Mary, Coulson, what do you know about them?" Rhodey asks his friend curious, as the two of them are in the living room of the property waiting for Melinda, Coulson, Richard, and Mary.

"I know Parker likes Mary, a lot, but I'm not sure if he's asked her out yet." Tony admits, "and from what Mel's said Coulson's been a good friend to her."

"Huh." Rhodey comments.

"What?" Tony asks.

"Nothing." Rhodey says, shaking his head.

"Come on Honeybunch, I know there is something you want to say." Tony says, being able to tell that but before Rhodey can answer the two of them both hear the doorbell.

"Oh the door, you should get that." Rhodey suggests.

"We're not done with this conversation." Tony says, before heading to the door, and less than a minute later Tony returns with Richard, and a women that Rhodey assumes is Mary, as she is a tall women with dark hair.

"Parker, it's good to see you." Rhodey greats.

"You too Rhodes." Richard responds, as he met Rhodey a few months after Tony did and they've been friends ever since, same with Melinda, and the two of them shake hands and engage in a quick 'man' hug.

"You must be Mary, it's lovely to meet you." Rhodey says, looking directly at Mary.

"Oh right. Mary, this is Tony Stark, and James Rhodes, guys this is Mary Fitzpatrick." Richard comments.

"It's nice to meet you both, Richard's told me great things." Mary says, looking between Rhodey and Tony.

"Great things? You lying to the women already, Parker?" Tony asks, looking at his friend.

"Nah, I just left out some of the stories were things got too crazy." Richard explains.

"So, like all of them then." Rhodey realises, "But I promise Mary, I'm not as in insane as everyone else." He explains, causing Mary to laugh.

"Give us time." Tony tells his friend.

"Speaking of time, where's May? She here yet?" Richard asks, curious, looking around.

"Nope." Tony answers, "But I'm not entirely sure where she and Coulson where coming from."

"Right." Richard says with a nod, "I'm assuming the bar is stocked." He says.

"You really should know better than asking that." Tony says.

"I really should." Richard says, before turning to Mary, "Do you want a drink?"

"Sure, I'll come see what there is." Mary says, and once she does she and Richard start to walk off to the bar.

"I've got everything." Tony says, as he hears the door open so he quickly walks over to see Melinda and a man he assumes to be Coulson walk in, "What, not ringing the bell?" he asks, walking towards Melinda.

"You've told me to just walk in enough times I figured I wouldn't bother." Melinda responds.

"Fair enough." Tony responds, "Good to see you, Mel." Tony says, before hugging her.

"Good to see you too, Tony." Melinda says, as she returns the hug, "Did I beat Parker here?" she asks curious.

"Nope, we're right here." Richard says as he and Mary walk back into the room, "May, this is Mary Fitzpatrick. Mary, this is Melinda May and I assume Phil Coulson." Richard introduces.

'You assume right. It's nice to meet you, Mary." Melinda says, "Phil, this is Tony Stark, James Rhodes, Richard Parker, and as he said Mary Fitzpatrick." Melinda says, pointing to everyone as she introduces them.

"It's nice to meet you all." Phil says, as while Melinda doesn't talk much she has talked to him about the people she cares about, so he is glad to finally meet them.

"So, are we going to have actually food or are we just going to drink…. Not that there is anything wrong with that." Melinda asks curious, looking at Tony.

"There's Chinese food in the kitchen. It was recently delivered so it's still warm." Tony reveals.

"Then let's eat it before It gets cold." Richard says, and the group of six head to the kitchen so that they can eat, drink, and for those who don't know each other get to know each other a bit more.


A few hours later Mary, and Phil are both getting along with the others like they have been apart of the group for years, something which Melinda and Richard are very glad about. As they are all a bit tipsy the group are in the living room and while Rhodey and Mary are talking on one of the couches, Tony and Melinda are off in a corner talking, and across the room from them Richard and Phil, who have been talking for about half an hour, are sitting together.

"Tony's Dad has a collection of Captain America stuff." Richard explains, as he and Phil have been talking about Phil's obsession, and as he does Phil looks excited, "Don't bring it up though, it's a sore subject."

"Really?" Phil asks, sounding surprised by that.

"Yeah, but it's not my place to explain why." Richard admits, and once he does Phil just nods, and looks away, recognizing that if he asks more he'll be pushing it.

As he looks away from Richard Phil looks over to Tony and Melinda, and the second he does Phil realises that Melinda seems a lot closer to Tony than he's seen her with anyone else,

"Richard, what's the story with May and Stark? Are they together?" Phil asks curious, for many reasons, one of which so he can understand things a lot better and know how to act.

"I don't know." Richard says, with a frustrated sigh, causing Phil to look at him, as he would have thought if anyone knew then it would be Richard, "I don't think a person on this earth, including Melinda and Tony, know what's going on with Melinda and Tony."

"That sounds complicated." Phil comments.

"Oh, it is." Richard confirms, taking a drink.

"Hey!" Mary calls from across the room, causing everyone to look at her, "Who wants to play poker?" she asks.

"I'm in." Rhodey says.

"Same." Richard answers.

"Me too." Phil, knowing he isn't great at poker, says.

"Why not." Tony answers, and finally Melinda says,

"Sure." And they all head over to the table and start to play poker together.


A while later, Melinda having won most of the rounds of poker, everyone is in bed having decided that it was bedtime a while earlier.

While everyone else has their own bedroom, because there are more than enough, Melinda and Tony are sharing, though they aren't' broadcasting that fact as they both know how Richard and Rhodey will react, and currently the two of them are both completely naked, trying to catch their breaths as they lay right next to each other.

"So, you've going to tell me what you've been doing for S.H.I.E.L.D?" Tony asks curious.

"Tony…" Melinda starts to say.

"Oh, come on, Mel, I won't tell anyone." Tony defends, causing Melinda to turn and look directly at him.

"We both know that's not true." Melinda reminds him.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Tony admits, "But still…" he objects.

"Look, I can't tell you details." Melinda admits, "But how about we agree that I'll always tell you what I can, and you don't ask for more." She suggests.

"I guess I could agree to that." Tony responds.

"Good." Melinda responds, deciding not to mention that he didn't have a choice in a matter, "Now…" Melinda says, as she starts to move closer to Tony, "Do you really want to know what I've been doing or are you up for round two?"

"I could make a joke about doing, but I'm a man of action." Tony says, before leaning forward, and kissing Melinda, as he pushes her on her back, though within seconds Melinda has flipped their positions and they continue to kiss and start their second round for the night.