Chapter 2
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AN1: Thank you for the response to this story. PLEASE Let me know what you think.
It has been three months since Melinda transferred to admin and ever since Melinda has had good days and bad ones, and has been attempting to push those closest to her away; or more specifically everyone but Fury, where it is the opposite. As Melinda and Fury have been spending more time together than they have in a long time.
It is about two am and Melinda is in the gym at the Triskelion beating a punching bag. It being basically the only time that she figures she can have some time alone in the gym as the only other person who is likely to come to the gym this late or technically early, is Natasha and she is on a mission.
As she hits the bag her instincts tell her that someone is watching her and she has a pretty good idea of who it is,
"Do you need something, Sir?" Melinda asks stopping punching the bag so that she can hold it steady and look at the director.
"No." Fury answers, "I realised that you were down here. Thought I'd come down."
"Didn't you think about going home?" Melinda asks curious.
"Wasn't top of my list." Fury answers as he may have checked to see what time Melinda left and the second he saw that she was still in the building he knew he wasn't going to leave.
"Of course it's not." Melinda responds, once more hitting the bag, not at all surprised by that.
"How do you feel about something a bit more challenging than a bag?" Fury asks curious.
"What are you suggesting, Director?" Melinda asks, though she has a pretty good idea.
"We go a few rounds; I could use the challenge." Fury responds.
"Sure, if you think you're up for it." Melinda says and for a second it's almost like the old Melinda is back, though Fury knows that if she was then there would have been a teasing 'old man' added to the end of that sentence.
"Of course I am." Fury responds and they both head over to the mats.
A few minutes later Melinda and Fury are standing opposite each other on the mats, Fury having removed some of his outer layers of clothes so that he is just wearing a t-shirt and pants.
"I'll know if you're going easy on me." Fury tells Melinda.
"Like I ever would." Melinda says, throwing a punch that Fury blocks, causing them to start to fight.
As they spar with one another both Melinda and Fury are well aware that if anyone were to walk in right now they would be completely shocked as not only are they both incredible skilled but they know each other, and their fighting styles, so they are both pretty good at anticipating what the other is going to do.
For about an hour Melinda and Fury spar together, neither keeping score as that doesn't matter. In fact as Melinda and Fury spar they are both transported back to another time, a time where the two of them, and Phil, were young. A time where they all thought they were invincible and that there was nothing they couldn't do.
As they dodge each other's attacks and attempt to land blows, they both realise how familiar the feeling is, even though it feels like a lifetime since they have spared, which in a lot of ways it is, it still feels as easy as it once did.
As Fury is focused on what Melinda's hands are doing he doesn't notice as Melinda kicks his legs out from under him, causing him to fall to the ground in a heap.
"You've really got to stop falling for that." Melinda informs Fury, "I always get you that way." She says, as she sticks her hand out for Nick to grab.
"Not always." Fury says as he gets back to his feet.
"It's been enough times that you should know better." Melinda tells him.
"Yeah, guess so." Fury responds, being a little amused as right now he and Melinda don't feel like director or agent, it feels like they are just friends, and as he realises that he also realises that more often than not that's how things between them have felt in the last few months.
"Again?"
"Nah, I think I've gotten knocked on my ass enough for once night." Fury says as even though he has knocked Melinda down he is pretty sure, even without keeping count, that she has knocked him down more.
"Okay."
"You know what I feel like right now?" Fury asks and Melinda just raises an eyebrow at him, "A Hal's cheeseburger." He explains.
"Wow, I haven't had Hal's in years." Melinda admits.
"Really?" Fury asks as there was a time that the two of them, and Phil, would go to Hal's whenever they were in DC.
"Yeah, we tend to eat at places closer." Melinda explains.
"It is a long drive." Fury admits, "But it is worth it."
"That it is." Melinda confirms.
"What do you say, Agent May? Feel like going for a drive with me?" He asks curious, both of them knowing that Hal's is open twenty-four hours.
"Sure." Melinda answers, "Give me ten minutes to towel down and get changed."
"I'll meet you in the garage." Fury responds and the two of them head in different directions.
Fifteen minutes later Melinda walks into the garage where she finds Fury waiting, and when he sees her he walks, not to his custom SVU like she was expecting, but to one of the cars that S.H.I.E.L.D uses for undercover assignments, a silver sedan. Seeing that Melinda just gives him a look, one that Fury learnt the meaning of a long time ago.
"You haven't been out of the field that long May; you know this will draw less attention." Fury reminds him.
"Good point." Melinda responds as she does Fury holds up the keys, Melinda nods and Fury throws them at her.
"Try not to crash it, I really don't want the paperwork." Fury says as he heads to the passenger seat and Melinda heads to the drivers.
"Please, we both know you'd make me do it." Melinda comments, "And I only crash vehicles when I absolutely have to." Melinda says as she opens the door to the car.
"Yeah, but we both also know that you don't have a normal person's definition of have to." Fury comments.
"Yeah well, who did I learn that from?" Melinda asks as she gets in the drives side of the car as Fury laughs, a real laugh, one that not many people have ever had the pleasure of hearing.
As Melinda drove them Fury realises that he forgot just how quickly Melinda can get to a location when she is the one in control and so, sooner than they were expecting, Melinda and Fury arrive at Hal's diner.
Walking inside they both scan the area and then exchange nods before they head to the booth that will make it so that no one can sneak up on them, but they'll have a good view and be able to escape if necessary, it being so second nature that neither realises that that is what they have done.
"What can I get for you fokes?" The waitress asks, walking up to them a few minutes after they sat down.
"A double bacon cheese burger, no lettuce, no tomato, no pickles, fries." Fury orders, "And a large strawberry milkshake."
"Of course, and you?" the person asks Melinda.
"Same, but with a chocolate milkshake instead." Melinda orders.
"Sure thing. It shouldn't be long." The waitress says before walking off.
"I thought you were trying to eat healthier." Melinda comments once she does, remembering Maria telling her something to that affect before Bahrain.
"I am, but you can't but salad on a Hal's burger, it ruins it, it just does." Fury says and before she even realises what she is doing Melinda's lips twitch and she manages not quite a half smile, but closer than Fury's seen in months.
"That it does." Melinda responds and the two of them drift into a comfortable silence, neither speaking because they don't need to, they can enjoy each other's company without words.
Having sat in silence while they waited for their food Melinda and Fury also sat in silence while they eat, anyone else probably would have considered that to be incredible awkward, but not for them, for them it feels familiar, like something they have done a hundreds time before, which it is.
"Are you done?" Fury ask once he finishes eating.
"Almost." Melinda says as she drinks the last of her milkshake, "Okay, we can go." Melinda says as she puts the glass down and as she does Fury puts money down on the table and they both slide out of the booth, both of them looking for any danger or anything odd as they walk out.
"Why don't you drive back." Melinda says, throwing the keys, which he catches with ease, at Fury.
"Sure." Fury responds and they both get in the car.
Once they are both in the car the comfortable silence is back, not that either of them mind as Fury is focusing on the road, looking for any tails or odd activity, and Melinda is staring out of her window.
"I miss flying." Melinda comments, about ten minutes after they left Hal's, "I think this is the longest I've gone without flying since I learnt how." She reveals.
"S.H.I.E.L.D's getting a new jet in a few days you could…." Fury starts to say.
"I'm not going back in the field." Melinda says, cutting of Fury before he can suggest what she thinks he will.
"I wasn't suggesting that." Fury informs Melinda and she just gives him a look, "I was wondering whether you would like to try it out when it arrives, see what it can do."
"Don't you have flight crews to do that?" Melinda asks, not wanting to admit that she is seriously tempted.
"Technically." Fury admits, "But they won't put the thing through it's paces on a first flight, wouldn't really see just what I can do so that I can know what kind of missions it will be suitable for, you will." Fury says, being pretty sure that there may not be another pilot in S.H.I.E.L.D, except maybe Clint, who would try some of the things Melinda's done in a cockpit, "So, you interested?" he asks.
"Yeah, I am." Melinda admits.
"Good. I'll let you know when it arrives." Fury tells Melinda and they once more drift into silence, and Melinda once more turns to look out her window.
"I'll drop you home and get your car to you later." Fury tells Melinda as he notices the time.
"I drove my bike." Melinda reveals, "And there is no point. I have to be back at my desk soon anyway." Melinda reminds Fury.
"Take the morning off." Fury suggests, being pretty sure he knows what Melinda is about to say, "You could use the sleep."
"No, I don't." Melinda answers, causing Fury to frown a little.
"Are you sleeping, Melinda?" Fury asks, once more being pretty sure that he can guess the answer.
"Nick…" Melinda starts to say with a sigh, and Fury just gives her a look, "I'm sleeping enough." She answers.
"You sure about that?" Fury asks, not entirely sure he believes that.
"Yeah." Melinda answers, "I'm…. coping." Melinda answers, figuring that that is the best word, the most accurate word.
"Okay." Fury says, with a nod, "Back to the Triskelion it is." He says and once more they drift into silence.
Having spent the last two weeks on a mission Phil, Clint, Natasha and Maria are just arriving back at the Triskelion at the same time Melinda and Fury are, though neither group realise that.
"I need food, and sleep." Clint comments as he grabs his stuff out of the trunk of the car.
"And a shower." Natasha informs him, as she grabs her own stuff.
"That's not high on my list." Clint comments.
"It should be, you stink." Maria informs him as she grabs her bag.
"I se…" Phil starts to say but then trails off.
"Phil?" Maria, Natasha and Clint say together.
"Turn around." Phil tells them and the three of them do, honestly all expecting to see something bad, but instead all they see is Melinda and Fury getting out of a car, clearly talking about something but they are too far away to hear.
"Well, well, well, think they're falling back into old habits?" Clint asks curious, mainly looking at Phil.
"I don't know." Phil admits, telling the truth, "But I do know that I'm not going to ask them that question."
"That's okay, I will." Clint comments.
"No." Natasha and Maria say together.
"You won't." Natasha informs him.
"Oh come on, I know you're all curious too." Clint says, knowing that because he knows the three people he is with so well.
"That might be true, but it looks like Melinda isn't pushing absolutely everyone away, which is good." Maria explains.
"If you ask her about this she may just start to and that won't be good for her." Natasha reveals, "Leave it alone." She tells her partner.
"Fine." Clint says with a sigh.
Hours after Melinda got back to the Triskelion after her meal with Fury Melinda is sitting at her desk doing her work when she hears very familiar footsteps so when she looks up she isn't at all surprised to see Natasha standing in front of her desk.
"I have my mission report, Agent May." Natasha says, handing Melinda file as most of the time Melinda reads the files before passing them onto Fury.
"Thank you Agent Romanoff, but you could have emailed it." Melinda informs her.
"I thought like bringing it up personally." Natasha says as Melinda takes it.
"Thank you." Melinda responds, "Did you need anything else, Agent Romanoff?"
"No…. expect, I'm glad you're not pushing everyone away." Natasha informs Melinda, "And if you need anything, I'm here." She says, stressing the anything.
"I know." Melinda responds as she's always known that, Natasha is someone she can count on, someone she can trust, no matter what, she's just not sure if she can accept the offer right now.
"I'll see you later." Natasha says and Melinda just nods as Natasha walks away and Melinda goes back to work.
It has been about an hour since Natasha left when Melinda once more hears footsteps that she recognizes and she looks up to see Clint.
"Hey, Mels." Clint says with a grin.
"Agent Barton, did you need something?" Melinda asks.
"You, to come for a walk with me." Clint says, "Please." He adds with an over the top grin, "I'll buy the tea." He says and Melinda looks hesitant, "Come on Mels, I'm not going to leave until you agree, and you know I'm serious about that."
"Fine." Melinda says with a sigh and she gets up and follows Clint out of the admin department.
Fifteen minutes later Melinda and Clint are walking together Melinda drinking a cup of tea and Clint drinking coffee.
"So…." Clint says, giving Melinda a perfect opportunity to say something, but to his disappointment she doesn't, "Phil, Nat, Maria and I saw you and Fury this morning. Where were you two coming back from that early?" he asks curious.
"Hal's." Melinda answers, figuring that the best way to get Clint to leave her alone is to answer his questions.
"Huh." Clint says then sighs, "Mels, you know you matter to me right, you, Nick, and Phil saved me and you're one of my best friends, my sister and….."
"Just say what you want to say Clint." Melinda tells her friend, cutting him off.
"Have you and Nick slipped back into old habits?" Clint asks curious,
"That's none of your business." Melinda says, "Thanks for the tea." She tells him before walking away, but she doesn't get far before Clint has ran and blocked her path.
"Look, It's probably not, but I'm asking because I'm concerned." Clint reveals, "Ever since Bahrain you've been different and I asking if you and Nick have fallen back into old habits because I'm worried about you being hurt even more." Clint explains, looking concerned at her.
"I'm appreciate your concern, but I'm fine." Melinda says, deciding not to say that spending time with Fury has actually been helping her, "I got to get back." She says before walking away, but this time Clint doesn't follow.
"If you were okay I wouldn't be asking." Clint mutters as he watches Melinda go with a frown.
A few days after Melinda and Fury went to a two am trip to a diner Melinda is walking out onto the Triskelion tarmac where Fury is standing in front of what is clearly a new plane.
"Director." Melinda greats as she walks up.
"Agent May." Fury responds.
"So, this is the new plane you want me to try?" Melinda asks.
"Yes." Fury responds, "It's supposed to be state of the art, but I want to know for sure before I commit to getting more." He explains.
"So, full workout?" Melinda asks and Fury nods, "I'll need a few hours."
"I know. Come to my office once you've made your assessment." Fury tells her.
"I will." Melinda responds.
"Good, enjoy your flight Agent May." Fury says and once he does Melinda heads to the jet while Fury heads to his office.
From the second she sits down in Fury's new jet Melinda feels a sense of calm take over her and as she sores into the sky she feels everything else slip away and she actually enjoys herself, something she didn't think she was capable of anymore.
"Not bad, not bad at all." Melinda comments after a little while of flying, testing speed, "But not let's see what this thing can really do." She says with a smirk, and she starts to do flying mauvers that most pilots probably wouldn't attempt.
After a few hours' time, having enjoyed every second as it was something familiar that wasn't hard, Melinda has returned to the Triskelion and is walking into Fury's office.
"The jet's good. You should get more." Melinda informs Fury as she walks in.
"Good, you can tell me the details on the way." Fury says, standing up.
"On the way? Where?" Melinda asks as Fury walks over.
"Your place. I'm making you dinner." Fury reveals.
"Nick…" Melinda starts to say.
"No arguments Agent May." Fury informs her, there being no room for questioning in his voice.
"I have no food." Melinda tells him.
"Then I guess we're making a stop along the way." Fury says and the two of them head out of Fury's office.
An hour later Melinda and Fury are both in Melinda's apartment, Melinda is sitting on the breakfast bar while Fury is cooking.
"You really have absolutely nothing." Fury comments, sounding surprised by that.
"I have beer, and scotch." Melinda tells him.
"Doesn't help with cooking." Fury tells him, "I expected a bit more than that."
"Why? I don't cook. You know that." Melinda reminds him.
"True. I'm pretty sure that if me and Phil haven't been feeding you all of these years then you would have starved a long time ago." Fury admits.
"Only because neither of you would let me attempt to get better." Melinda points out.
"Can you blame us? After Frankfurt in '83, Russia in '84, Lisbon….."
"Okay, okay, you made your point." Melinda tells him, rolling her eyes, not even noticing that the two of them have fallen into their old banter with ease.
"Just saying you're cocking causes more than enough trouble." Fury revels.
"It's also helped." Melinda reminds him.
"When?" Fury asks, not remembering.
"Cuba, 1990." Melinda says simply, causing Fury to laugh.
"Okay, you've got a point." Fury says and Melinda manages to smirk at that and the two of them drift into silence.
For a little while Melinda and Fury are both silence as Fury cooks and Melinda watches, Fury occasionally giving Melinda food to try as he does until they suddenly hear a knock on the door.
"You expecting anyone?" Fury asks, looking concerned.
"No." Melinda responds, jumping down from the counter and picking up a knife as she does Fury walks over to the table and grabs his gun, once he has it the two of them exchange looks and Melinda walks over to the door, opening it just enough to look out, "Phil." Melinda says surprised as she opens the door more and lets him in.
"Hi, I thought I would come by, see how you were doing and… Sir." Phil says, trailing off in surprise.
"I'm making Melinda dinner so she could have something other than take out." Fury reveals.
"Oh." Phil says surprised, "I guess I should go then, I don't want to interrupt." Phil comments and as he does Melinda and Fury exchange looks and Phil knows that they are having a whole conversation as he's spent enough times around them, but he doesn't know what they are saying as all three of them have their own non-verbal language like he and Melinda have a language that Fury doesn't understand, he and Fury have one Melinda doesn't understand, Melinda and Fury have one he doesn't understand and all three of them have one that no one else understands, this time they are using the one he doesn't understand.
"Why don't you stay." Melinda offers.
"That would be great, but are you sure?" Phil asks, looking between Melinda and Fury, not wanting to intrude especially not if they are falling back onto old habits.
"Of course."
"Yeah, come on Coulson. I could use another set of hands." Fury says and the group of three head back to the kitchen.
"You could have asked me." Melinda tells him.
"Not when I want us to actually be able to eat what I'm cooking." Fury responds and Melinda just rolls her eyes as Phil laughs.
For about ten minutes Melinda just sits on the bench and watches as Phil and Fury work without effort to cook together, as she watches them Melinda remembers all the other times she has watched them cook together and despite the many times she has seen it Melinda is still amazed by the sight.
"We're almost done." Fury tells Melinda, "Do you want to set the table?"
"Sure." Melinda says, once more jumping down from her place before heading over to the cabinet where she keeps her dishes.
A little over five minutes later Melinda, Fury and Phil are all sitting down at the table just starting to eat the food that Fury cooked for them.
"Huh." Phil comments as Melinda grabs drinks and gives them to the others.
"What, Phil?" Fury asks.
"I'm trying to remember the last time the three of us had a meal together." Phil reveals, "It must have been a while ago." He says, looking thoughtful.
"Yeah, it would have been." Melinda says as she sits back down, trying to figure out when it would be.
"Geneva." Fury answers, being the first one to come up with the answer, "When you two joined me for that conference." He answers.
"Something which you haven't asked of us since." Phil comments.
"After what happened can you blame me?" Fury asks, looking between two agents, though his eyes linger on Melinda for a second.
"I stand by what I did." Melinda says, knowing exactly what Fury is talking about.
"We know." Fury and Phil say together, and the three of them drift into an amused silence as they eat.
After a little while Melinda, Fury and Phil have eaten and without even talking about it they all work together to clean up everything.
"So, um, that was really nice." Phil says as he puts the last plate away.
"Yeah, it was." Melinda confirms.
"We should do it again sometime, it felt like the old days." Phil reveals.
"Yeah, it did." Fury confirms.
"I should go. I'll see you both tomorrow." Phil says before leaving.
"What about you? Are you heading out?" Melinda asks Fury as she walks over to the couch.
"Nah, I think I might stay a while." Fury says as he walks over and sits next to Melinda.
"You don't have to keep worrying, Nick, I'm not going to hurt myself again." Melinda tells him as even though there was a long time where she thought she would she has moved past that.
"I'm not…" Fury starts to object but Melinda just gives him a look, "Okay, I am, but that's because I care about you, Melinda." Fury admits, surprising Melinda as she is pretty sure she could count on one hand, with fingers to spare, the amount of times she's heard Fury say those words, "And I like spending time with you. In the last few months I've realised how much I have missed that, missed you, missed us." He reveals.
"So have I." Melinda admits, "The job has kept us so apart for so long, and we accepted that, but that doesn't change the fact that for a decade we spent practically twenty-four hours a day together, and then we suddenly didn't." Melinda comments, "It's been good seeing more of each other."
"That it has." Fury responds and the two of them drift into silence.
"Do you want to watch a movie?" Melinda asks after a couple of minutes.
"Do you have any movies?" Fury asks, assuming that she doesn't.
"Yeah, after I left Clint, and Phil for that matter, brought me a whole lot." Melinda explains as they both said she would have time to watch them now.
"Then sure." Fury says and Melinda stands up.
"Any requests?" Melinda asks curious.
"Nope." Fury responds and Melinda walks over, picks a movie and puts it on before returning back over to the couch and sitting next to Melinda.
Hours later Fury and Melinda have watched one movie completely and have started a second. They are part way into the movie when Fury looks over to Melinda and sees that she is asleep. As he watches her sleep, realising that Melinda looks completely peaceful Fury comes to a decision and so he turns off the TV and then carefully picks up Melinda and carries her into her bedroom.
Once he has carried Melinda into her room Fury gently places her on the bed and once he has removes her shoes before covering her in her blanket.
"Night Melinda." Fury whispers before walking back into the living area.
Once he is in the living room Fury looks around the apartment, checks all the security before walking back over to the couch where he lays, deciding to stay where he is rather than going back to his place, realising that he feels comfortable in Melinda's apartment, more comfortable than most places at least. Even though he had Melinda have shared a bed many, many, many times before he isn't sure how she'd react to that post Bahrain so he figures that seeing as how he is staying the couch is the safer choice.
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