I own nothing.


"Bob, we have to get out of here." said Hunter as they all heard sirens were approaching their location.

She looked over at the others and saw that Coulson was silently crying as he watched the barn burn. Fitz was comforting Simmons while Skye was sobbing next to them.

"I know. Mack grab Coulson and we'll get FitzSimmons and Skye." she said taking charge of the situation.

It took awhile but they eventually convinced them to move back to the car. They watched from a distance as fire trucks, ambulances, and the local authorities arrived and took control of the fire. The firemen ran into the building and searched for survivors. It took five minutes for them to exit the building and they didn't have anyone with them.

"Maybe they got out, they could be alive." said Simmons hopefully.

"Or this was just a trick as well and Ward took them elsewhere when May arrived." said Coulson.

They waited until the authorities left so they could check out the building for themselves. They didn't find anything and she knew that it was going to be a silent, sad ride back to the base.


They walked slowly through the halls of the base when they arrived. On their way to the common area they passed Billy who he didn't seem to notice their sad demeanor.

"Your gifts are here." he said stopping the group in their tracks with a smile.

"Gifts?" asked Mack

"Yeah from May. She got me a case of new ties. One even glows in the dark and another has my name on it."

"You think presents will cheer us up!" said Skye angrily.

"Why wouldn't they? You've been talking about them all week. May told me it was okay to tell you guys that they were here."

"Wait she told you today? Before she left, right?" asked Fitz.

"No about twenty minutes ago. She said if you guys get back before she's out of the shower, that you can open them. Guys, what's going on?"

"Billy, May's dead. Along with her Mom."

"No, she's not. I just saw her and Mrs. May is making tea in the kitchen. They're alive, unless they're ghosts."

"Great we're going to be haunted by the two of them for the rest of our lives." said Hunter as the others run into the kitchen.


3 hours ago

If she had to die at least the last thing she was going to see was her daughter. Qiaolian was doing a good job of keeping him talking, in order for the fail safe to proceed without a hitch. They just needed about five more minutes until it started.

"Jerry, come stand behind Mrs. May." said Ward holding out a gun for Jerry to take.

"Why?"

"Well, I know you've taken a liking to Mrs. May even though I told you not to get attached. Did you get attached Jerry?"

"No."

"Good. Then it won't be a problem for you to kill her. Take the gun."

Jerry took the gun and they locked eyes before he stood behind her holding the gun up to her head. He didn't want to kill her, she saw it in his eyes. She knows what its like to kill in cold blood and Jerry doesn't seem like the type.

"On three, Jerry. One. Two…"

That's when smoke started to seep into the room. The fail safe.

"Uh boss, I think something's on fire." said one of the men.

"Well then go check it out. Let's try this again. One. Two…."

All of a sudden the men were yelling fire and running out of the building. Qiaolian used the distraction to get out of her restraints and smacked Ward in the face with the back of her head. Her daughter made her so proud, even if her form was a little off.

"You weren't supposed to bring anyone May."

"I didn't."

They started fighting as Jerry helped her up from the ground. They were headed towards the door when shots were fired above their heads.

"Shoot her, Jerry. Shoot her!" yelled Ward from where he was fighting Qiaolian who kicked him in the gut.

"No!" yelled Jerry back at Ward and they were almost out the door when she saw that Ward knocked down her daughter and shot over at the two of them. She hit the ground but she didn't feel any pain. Jerry!

"Why'd you do that?" she asked looking up at him as he pressed his hands to his wounds. She could see blood on his clothes.

"You were right Lian, I'm a good man. Now get your daughter and get her out of here before you both die. I'll be fine." he said limping out towards the front of the barn.

She looked through the smoke in order to find her daughter. She had Ward at gunpoint. He was trying and failing to make a case that he should be left alive.

"Qiaolian, we have to go if we want to make it out alive." she said walking over to the pair of them.

"I'm not leaving until he's dead."

"Do you trust me?" she said holding her hand out for the gun.

"You know I do."


Billy was telling the truth. Mrs. May was in the kitchen preparing some tea when Skye ran over and hugged her.

"Its about time you guys got here. We were starting to get worried." said Mrs. May with a smile.

"How did you guys get here faster than us?" asked Bobbi

"While you guys were watching the barn burn, we left."

"I'm sorry I'm still on the topic of why aren't you dead. I mean I'm glad and all but didn't you think to tell us that you were alive. A phone call would have been nice." he said.

"Qiaolian used her phone to start the fire. We figured it would be okay, once you got back."

"Okay? I…we thought you were dead. Burnt to a crisp in the barn!"

"Don't take that tone with me Phillip."

"Sorry, you're way too calm about this. What happened to Ward?"

"He won't be bothering us any longer." said May walking up to the group.

This time, Simmons along with Skye ran over to her and started hugging her. Fitz joined in a few seconds later. All four of them stayed like that for a couple of minutes before May started complaining.

"You've had a lot of close calls recently." he said to her with a soft smile.

"It comes with the territory. Now I believe I owe you guys some gifts."


Her mother was off to bed early tonight since she was feeling down that her friend died protecting her so she told them to go ahead and open the gifts without her.

"I'm not as young as I used to be you know. I'll see you all in the morning."

After bidding goodnight to her mother, she started to hand out the her gifts.

"I surprised you actually got me something." said Hunter as he started to open up his box and pulled out a shirt.

"What does it say Hunter?" asked Simmons after that Mack and Bobbi were laughing at the writing on the shirt.

"Village Idiot."

"There's something else in the box." said Hunter and he pulled out a key chain shaped like a beer mug.

"If drunk please call this number. You shouldn't have gone through the trouble." he said before opening up another beer.

"I'll go next." said Mack and he opened up his box and pulled out a whole bunch of little boxes.

"It's a model plane, maybe this time you could try to make this one fly. I met a guy who could give you any part of any model that you want. So you could make more or custom make one if you wanted to."

"Thanks May."

"Did you even put in any effort picking out my gift?" asked Hunter.

"What do you think and you're welcome Mack."

"My turn." said Fitz who opened the envelope that he was holding. "Congratulations, you have adopted a monkey. Wait, what?! Where's the monkey? Where is he?"

"Sit down Fitz and let May explain." said Simmons tugging on his shirt.

"I was in Thailand when I found him. He was only a couple weeks old according to the vet, so l looked after him for a couple of weeks. He was getting healthier when I had to leave him with a friend."

"So he's not in the states?" asked Fitz

"Sort of. Let's just say he's being brought into the states as we speak."

"Illegally? Is he being brought in illegally? May we can't have a monkey on the base." said Coulson.

"You're only saying this because I vetoed you when you wanted to have a dog on base."

"A guard dog. For protection."

"What's going to happen with the monkey?" asked Fitz impatiently.

"He will be brought on base for a couple of days before going to the Smithsonian's National Zoo where you can visit him whenever you want."

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

"Seriously did you even try at all for my gift." complained Hunter.

"Quit sulking, you big baby." said Bobbi opening up her box. "Tickets to a women's mixed martial arts match and a chance to spar with one of the fighters. I thought these tickets were sold out. How did you get them?"

"I have my ways."

"Alright, alright. Was this a gag gift? It has to be, right?"

"Hunter shut up. I'll go." said Skye and she also pulled out two smaller boxes.

The first box revealed a blue and silver hunting knife in a black case. The words 'Ninja in training' were engraved on blade. Skye laughed at that while opening the second box before gasping and pulled out a locket.

"I left it to you when I thought I was going to die. I still want you to have it though."

"Are you sure? I mean it looks exactly like your Mother's. It's not Mama May's is it?"

"No, its mine but I don't wear it anymore."

"And you're giving it to me?"

"Yep."

"Thanks, May."

"Okay, its down to me or you sir." said Simmons

"Go ahead, Simmons."

She opened her box with excitement and took out an old watch.

"Peggy said that its yours if you can fix it."

Simmons started hyperventilating after learning whose watch it was. It took a while for her to calm down before she started squealing.

"Simmons please calm down." said Skye

"Sorry. Sir please open yours up so I can start fixing this with Fitz's help."

Coulson opened up his box and pulled out a second box that was wrapped in Thor wrapping paper. After he took off the wrapping paper, he was soon holding a vintage Captain America lunchbox.

"I thought these didn't exist. Where'd you get it?"

"Classified. Look inside."

Coulson carefully opened the lunch box and pulled out a couple of Thor action figures and..."Are these cards signed?"

"Yeah, sorry I couldn't get the blood of them."

"Who cares, I'm totally framing these."

"Can we go now?" asked Simmons

She nods and both Fitz and Simmons run out of the room. Skye goes to follow but turns around and walked over to her and hugs her. Its not a long hug and soon after she walked in the same direction that FitzSimmons went in.

"Oh hey Hunter, I think you dropped something out of your box." said Mack as they're walking out.

"Is it another key chain?"

"Its a plane ticket to Germany and a soccer ticket. Hey, weren't you talking about some soccer game in Germany that you wanted to go to."

"Yeah Manchester United is supposed to be playing but its sold out."

"Guess you got lucky."

She and Coulson watched as the two of them left the room.

"Why'd you do that?"

"We all need a vacation from Hunter sometimes. Are you going to be okay for a while? I have to go take care of something."

"As long as you don't get kidnapped again."

"For the record, I was captured and then I left on my own free will."

"Semantics."

"Try not to do anything stupid while I'm gone."


The Playground, two days later

"Where are you headed now?" said her Mother.

"I'll probably head home and then probably fly over to England."

"Okay, well stay safe."

"Only if you do."

"I'll try my best. Hunter hurry up or you're going to miss your flight."

"Alright, alright. I can't believe this is the only way I get to go and see the match." said Hunter as he walked over to them while he carried his bag.

"Are you saying you don't want to drive me to the airport Lancel?"

"Never Mrs. May. I'll wait for you in the car."

"I never thanked you for helping me with Ward." she said

"You didn't have to. I'll always help you, you're my daughter and I love you."

"I love you too. Call me when you get in?"

"I promise."


Thanks for reading.

I'm going to post an epilogue showing where May went. Any guesses?

Also I'm going to post a one-shot (is that what they call it) about May working somewhere normal.