Philinda pairing, when May is infected with the ghost in 4x1-4x4 I think we should've have more of a reaction from Coulson when he found out she died.

Rated K+

Disclaimer: I do not own Agents of Shield or make any profit off this

He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed something was amiss, now that Simmons mentioned he could see exactly what'd happened. When May had come to help him the other night she must've been infected by that thing they were calling a ghost. She had been acting off all day, extra jumpy and practically clinging to him. When he entered the locker room and found her rummaging through the lockers frantically he didn't know what he had expected but it wasn't this. It hurt to see her like this, out of her mind and barely clinging to her sanity.

Slowly he walked up behind her, "May?" He asked softly but she didn't turn to look at him she just kept searching. "May…" He put a hand on her shoulder.

Her eyes darted up to him and she grasped his hand, "Phil, Phil, thank goodness you're okay. We have to get out…" She insisted.

"No, May listen…" He started but she interrupted.

"You don't understand! Phil they're coming for us!"

"Okay…how about this, we go to the lab and get some blood samples from everyone so we can see who's infected, will that be okay?"

She looked at him a long moment before nodding, still clutching his hand between two of her own. He led her down the hallway, trying to keep her eyes from darting to other Agents passing by but it was useless, she was getting skittish. When Mack walked past them she nearly screamed as she jumped backwards into Coulson's arms. He steadied her, calming her nerves as he continued to lead her towards the lab but just then Mace rounded the corner. Then she lost it.

She let out a scream of fright and ran at the director, roundhouse kicking him in the head. Coulson winced and gave a hopefully threatening look to Mace before wrapping his arms around May's middle and dragging her kicking and screaming away from the director. "May! May! Hey! Melinda!" She slumped into his arms, panting and unusually weak.

"Phil…" She murmured, eyes dropping and before either of them could utter another word she fell completely limp against him. Holding up the unconscious agent Phil explained the situation to Mace while carrying May to the lab. Thankfully Fitz and Simmons were aware of the problem and already ready with a bed for May. He lay her down with the utmost care and then turned to Simmons.

"She'll be taken to treatment shortly." The young scientist assured him.

Coulson nodded and turned to Mace, "I have to go with her to treatment."

"I'm sorry Coulson but that's a no, we need you for a mission."

"No! I'm not leaving her alone for this."

"Coulson. I admire your protection for both Daisy and May but in the end I call the shots and I'm saying no."

Phil, outraged, nodded but said nothing as he returned to May's bedside and gave her hand a gentle squeeze before turning back and heading out to prepare for the mission. But all the while he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

Hours Later

She felt a needle go into the side of her neck and she knew it was those monsters that had taken control of her teammates but she had no time to fight before everything went dark. It was pulling her down, like she was sinking in the ocean…the light slowly but surely disappearing. She tried to breathe but her heart wouldn't beat, she was dying.

Surprisingly she wasn't scared, it wasn't cold in death it wasn't as bad as everyone had made it seem. It was like the few minutes in the early morning when she was waking up, the pleasantly safe feeling she felt before remembering who she was. She waited for the feeling to fade and the cold memories to sit in but it didn't. Instead, she heard a voice…oddly familiar and yet so distant.

"Melinda…"

"Who's there?" She started to walk towards the voice.

"Melinda…"

"Phil?" She whispered, her pace speeding up.

"Melinda."

She turned to see Phil Coulson smiling at her, in his usual suit and tie but the way he was looking at her made her cheeks flush. He was looking at her the way he had when he had spun her around the dance floor on that undercover mission. Like she was, dare she say it…special. She took another step towards him, "Phil…why are you here?"

"I'm here because you called me." He told her.

"Was this what it was like when you died?" She asked softly.

"No…I don't remember what happened when I died, but I would like to hear what you saw."

"But…I'm dead, Phil I'm dead." She said.

"I know…but I'm not. I know you want to let go Melinda but I need you."

She shook her head, "You don't."

"I do." He took her hand and instantly a jolt went through her, memories forced to the surface. He was smiling at her, eyes twinkling as he held out his hand "May I have this dance? They were sitting across from one another sipping their beverages as they laughed and chatted. He dabbed the alcohol onto her wound with the utmost care and then continued to stich it up, all the while keeping her distracted by talking. He wrapped his arms around her, shielding her as the building exploded around them. He called her name when the gunfire started and took out all fifteen men when she took a bullet to the side. He looked into her eyes and said, "I can't loose you Melinda."

Another shock radiated through her body and she shot up, panting and a hand over her hammering heart. Agent Simmons cried out and wrapped her arms around the other agent and May was too flustered to resist. Simmons started exclaiming things and rushing about but May was still breathing hard and trying to regain memory of what'd happened to her.

One day later

Phil practically burst down the door of the directors office, "How could you?!"

"Coulson?"

"You could've killed her! Hell you did kill her!"

"Phil…she's fine there's no reason to loose your head."

"Oh no director there is! If the power had gone out a minute earlier she would be gone! One of your best agents dead! That was not your call to make!"

"I understand how much Agent May means to you Coulson but you can't pretend like you wouldn't have done the same thing. She would've died for certain if we hadn't gone to those measures. And, by the way, it was my call to make you seem to keep forgetting that I am the director."

Fuming Coulson turned on his heels and stormed out of the office, he didn't know where he was going until he ended up out in the garage by Lola. He put both hands on the car and hunched forwards, trying to regain his composure. He had seen May when he'd picked her up from Radcliffe's last night and she had looked like death. Dark circles under her bloodshot eyes, pale cheeks, and shaking hands that she tried to hide from his view. She'd been so out of it that when he'd nearly killed her again with a hug she hadn't pulled away, it fact she had hugged him back. In that moment the only thing he could think was if she was gone he would never be able to hold her again, never be able to hear her heart racing in her chest and feel her warm breath on his face.

"Phil?"

He spun to see May standing behind him, a worried expression on her face. She wasn't wearing her usual leather vest and boots, instead she donned a simpler look. A pair of black leggings, a grey sweater, and grey flats, with her hair done up in a rather untidy ponytail. She looked beautiful despite the soft worry lines and tired expression, but then again she always looked beautiful. Shaking these thoughts he cleared his throat, "Are you okay?"

She shrugged, "You? I heard that you yelled at Mace."

"I'm fine, but I could just kill that man." He growled.

"Coulson…" She took a few steps towards him, "Is everything okay?"

"No!" He burst out but she didn't flinch, "No, everything is not okay, he almost killed you. May you almost died…I mean for good."

She shook her head, "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere, but maybe you should. Get some fresh air and clear your head, it usually helps me…if punching someone doesn't."

He managed a small smile at that and nodded, "Maybe you're right but I can't leave right now. Not with everything going on and plus I should stay here with you. I know you're fine but in case anything happens I just want to make sure that…"

"Phil." She interrupted, "They'll be fine without you for a few hours and if you're so worried about me I'll come with you. I won't talk, I'll leave you to your thoughts."

He wanted to explain that she was his thoughts but knew that would only unsure more chaos so he nodded, "Fine. But only a few hours nothing is safe right now and you should be resting I don't want to…"

"Would you shut up and get in the car?" She shoved him gently towards the car and smiled lightly, "Plus, last time we flew in this thing you had a mustache."

"Oh don't start, it was a trend." He laughed, opening the door and getting in.

"Oh sure it was." She rolled her eyes and got in beside him.

"Shouldn't we at least tell them where we're going?" He asked.

"You!" She turned and pointed at a technician that was a few yards off, "Tell the director that Agent Coulson and I will be out for a few hours." When the man nodded she turned back to Coulson, "Problem solved, lets go."

He sighed and shook his head but despite his efforts was smiling, "As you wish." Switching on the car he drove off the ramp of the grounded plane and up onto the main road. The moment they left the base he left a weight lift off his chest. May, as always had been right…he just needed some air.

As they merged onto the highway he glanced over at May and found her looking at him with a strange expression on her face. When their eyes met she glanced out the window and he could've sworn she blushed. But that was crazy, it was probably just the color returning to her pale face, which, would be good for both of them. "So, where do you want to go?" He asked after a while.

Looking over at him again she shrugged, "It's up to you."

"Okay then. I'll surprise you."

"I don't like surprises." She pointed out.

"You'll like this one." He promised.

"Fine." She rolled her eyes and reached over to turn on the radio but he stopped her.

"Oh no I don't think so. Last time I let you choose the station you chose Céline Dion and the whole crew was in tears."

She grinned at him in a way that he hadn't seen in a long time, "Mission accomplished then."

"You!" He mock gasped and shoved her shoulder gently.

She just kept grinning, "They had it coming, the whole week we listened to Justin Beaver and Disney!"

"Bieber." He corrected, "But I see your point. Still, I'm not letting you choose."

"Fine." She grumbled.

Reaching over he switched on the car stereo and switched it over to the 70's and 80's station. They both instantly recognized the song that was playing. Money, Money, Money by ABBA, Coulson joined in enthusiastically on the Money, Money, Money bits as May shook her head, smiling. "You seriously only know that part don't you?"

"Perhaps."

"Wow, I expected more from you…not knowing the words to ABBA." She gave him a fleeting scolding look before biting her lip to prevent another grin, but it broke free anyways.

He laughed, her smile brighter then the summer sun overhead. A few more songs went by before and Coulson continued grooving and May just looked on in amusement. After taking the exit and making a few turns he pulled into a parking space and climbed out, as did May. "So…where are we?"

"You'll see." He responded as they crossed the street.

He opened the door for her and they entered a small teashop. A smell that was oddly familiar filled his nose, yet he couldn't seem to remember where he'd smelled it before. Looking over to May he found her scanning the menu with a small smile playing on her lips. Following her gaze he started to read as well, there was a wide selection of tea from all over the world and some pastries. He decided on simple black tea and a cinnamon bun and she went for authentic Japanese green tea and a lemon cookie.

Taking a booth by the window they sat across from one another, "Are you feeling better now?" She asked.

"Much." He nodded, "You? How are you holding up?"

"To be honest I feel so much better then I did stuck up in quarantine, Simmons cleared me but it was still so suffocating in the base. Everyone is too uptight and that's coming from me."

"Well I'm glad to hear it and I have to agree, but I can't blame them. Everything has been so hectic lately and no one has been given a break from any of it."

"I know." She sighed, "But any more time there and literally would've taken someone out just for asking me a question. I think dying pulled the last nerve."

He nodded, understanding, "About that, how was it…dying? I don't remember anything from my death because of Tahiti but you must."

She was about to make an excuse not to answer that question when the waitress showed up and handed them their tea and pastries. Lucky for her the sight of a cinnamon bun seemed to distract him from the whole dying thing. As he tore off a piece of the sticky bun she nibbled on her cookie, decent for not being homemade she thought. Not to mention a welcome break from plane food and premade dinner at the headquarters. They sat in silence for a while, sipping tea and eating pastries and when May downed her last drop of tea and looked back at Coulson she found him looking at her the way he had when she'd died. That look in his eyes that made her want to look away and blush like a foolish schoolgirl. "What?" She asked.

He had been thinking about her smile in the car, the way her whole face seemed to light up when she did. She was looking out the teashop's window at present, cup of tea in her hands and eyes taking in the moving city outside. It was going to be sunset soon and the sinking sun cast a glow over the buildings and illuminated her peaceful face. For once her features were relaxed and a long strand of dark brown hair had come loose from her ponytail and dangled between her eyes. That's when it hit him…the smell in the teashop, jasmine it smelled like jasmine. And it smelled familiar because her hair smelled like jasmine, he had noticed that before but never really thought about it.

When her voice broke into his thoughts he realized he was staring, "Oh, sorry, just thinking."

She smiled softly, "Ready to go?"

"Sure." He agreed, getting up from the seat and waiting for her. They walked back to the car and climbed in, it was rush hour when they turned onto the main street and so after exchanging knowing glances he turned off onto a back road and pressed the flight control. The car lifted off the ground and he caught May looking over the edge in what appeared to be complete awe.

He didn't comment as she turned back to him with a grin, "Impressive." She gestured to the many buttons on the dashboard.

"Couldn't do this when I had a mustache could it?" He teased.

She rolled her eyes and laughed, "No, no it could not."

"Well, back to the base then." He frowned.

"Sadly enough yeah."

"Thanks by the way. For convincing me to do this."

"I could tell you needed it, plus I got tea." She commented as they started flying back to the base.

"That reminds me, when you died?"

She sighed and considered avoiding again but something made her decide to tell him. Maybe it was the tea warming her insides, the fact they were literally flying into the sunset, or the way he'd been looking at her all day but she just wanted to tell him. "I saw you actually." She said, looking over at the city that they soared above.

"Me?" He sputtered, unsure he'd heard right.

"Yeah…" She confirmed, "You."

He struggled to keep his eyes ahead of him instead of looking over at her, "Well I have to admit that wasn't the answer I expected."

"Don't let it go to your head." She warned.

He laughed quietly and they continued driving…erm…flying in silence. When they landed at the base most everyone was either in the lounge or working late and didn't take much notice to the returning Agents. Coulson walked with May back to her room and when he turned to go she grabbed his hand, stopping him in his tracks. "Can I show you something?" She asked softly.

"Of course." He nodded, following her inside and sitting down on the couch after she did. She had a small box in her hands and when she opened it he was shocked. It was a small necklace, a silver chain with an M pendant. When they were in the academy he had given it to her for her Birthday and she'd worn it everyday. After Bahrain though it had just disappeared, he'd figured she'd either lost it or it'd broken but here it was.

"You kept it?"

"Of course I kept it, I just wanted to tell you that…even if I don't show it you mean a lot to me Phil…"

"You mean a lot to me too Melinda and I couldn't possibly bear to loose you, I hope you know that."

"I know…" She murmured, "Now you know how I felt when you almost died."

He couldn't help it, he grasped her hand in his own and to his surprise she squeezed his hand tightly. Giving him a tired smile they both knew that there would be a lot of talking to be done the next day but in that moment she didn't care. She lay her head onto his shoulder and closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath. Moments later sleep consumed both agents and for the first time in a long while both felt completely safe and at ease.

A/N okay, more midnight…no wait it's 2am writing for you guys. Hope it was okay and not too fluffy.