Chapter 11
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
AN1:Thank you for the support. PLEASE REVIEW.
It has been two months since Melinda's birthday and ever since she has been making good use of her birthday present from Nick and the truth is that she loves it.
It's about three am and as Nick makes his way into his and Melinda's apartment Nick is pretty sure that he has never had a bigger week as not only did he have to deal with Tony Stark being reckless because he was dying, but Doctor Bruce Banner who turns into a giant green being called a Hulk and then he had to deal with actual aliens who are practically gods who levelled a small town. All in all, Nick is very glad to be home.
Leaving his jacket and shoes in the living room Nick makes his way into his and Melinda's bedroom where he takes off his shirt and pants before crawling into bed next to Melinda.
"Hi." Melinda's voice says and Nick turns to see that she is awake.
"Hi, I didn't mean to wake you." Nick tells her, wondering if he will ever manage to crawl into bed without waking Melinda, though he doesn't have much hope for that.
"It's okay." Melinda assures him, "Are you?"
"I don't know; it was a really long week." Nick admits.
"Anything you want to talk about?" Melinda asks, knowing that chances are there is nothing he can tell her.
"You know Norse Mythology?" Nick asks and Melinda nods, "Not so much a myth."
"What are you saying?" Melinda asks, thinking that he cannot be saying what she thinks he is.
"Coulson meet Thor." Nick reveals, "He's an alien, he and his brother levelled a small town." Nick reveals.
"Huh, you really have had a long week." Melinda comments, sounding pretty shocked.
"Oh I really have."
"So does that mean we're going to get more visitors?" Melinda asks, being pretty sure that if she hadn't been a part of S.H.I.E.L.D for as long as she has then that would be even more shocking.
"Not sure yet." Nick admits, "I'm trying to figure out ways for us to be ready."
"That sounds like a good plan. That's what S.H.I.E.L.D is supposed to do, Protect" Melinda comments.
"Yeah, it is, but that may be getting even harder." Nick reveals.
"I heard you got Stark to agree to be a consultant. That's got to be something."
"I'm not sure yet. It could be a mistake. Only time will tell." Nick reveals and Melinda nods.
"What about Banner? I saw the news reports." Melinda admits, "Plus a lot of people were talking about him."
"I'm not surprised." Nick says, "I'm keeping an eye out on him, not letting others near. I thought that would be the best thing now."
"Yeah, it would be." Melinda confirms and for a second something flickers in Melinda's eyes which tells Melinda that she is thinking about Bahrain.
"The only good thing that has come from all this is that the World Council has increased our budget. Maybe we can stop whatever is to come before it can happen." Nick says.
"Maybe." Melinda says, moving closer to Nick, "When we started out powers and enhancements were rarer, but now not only are they increasing but they're becoming more public." Melinda comments, there being concern in her voice.
"I know." Nick confirms, "We've just got to figure out how to handle it, how to protect everyone, including those with abilities."
"We do that by doing whatever it takes, and by not underestimating powers." Melinda tells Nick, "It's the only way to protect everyone."
"Mel…" Nick starts to say, knowing exactly what she is thinking.
"There's nothing to talk about." Melinda tells Nick.
"I'm going to use the new budget to set up several new things." Nick says, being vague on purpose as there are things that he can't tell Melinda, which they both know, "I want you involved."
"I know you do, Nick, and maybe I should be, but I can't." Melinda tells him, "When I was being heled by James and his men, I didn't care what damage I did to myself to get out, and when we were at the dinner I didn't carer what happened to me if it meant protecting you." Melinda reveals, saying what Nick has been suspecting but didn't want to admit, "If I go back into the field, it will be like it was before I transferred and everything that comes with it, what I'll be facing, what I'll have to do, that's something, that's something….." Melinda starts to say but the trails off.
"You can't handle." Nick realises, there being pain in his voice as event though he knows that Melinda is one of his best assets he doesn't want to make her do anything that will cause her more pain.
"Not now." Melinda admits and Nick reaches over to pull Melinda into his arms.
"Okay." Nick says with a nod as Melinda nestles under Nick's chin, "If you change your mind….'
"I will." Melinda assures him, knowing what Nick is going to say and once she speaks Nick kisses the top of her head and before too long they are both fast asleep.
It has been two months since Nick had a very long week and ever since S.H.I.E.L.D has become even more busy trying to be prepared for everything that may happen, resulting in Melinda and Nick not getting to spend much time together as Nick has been very busy.
It's early on a Friday afternoon and Melinda is working at her desk, as she works she hears footsteps and she looks up to see Nick, who without a word puts a laptop down on the other side of her desk and pulls a chair over.
"Director?" Melinda asks, rising an eyebrow at her husband, wondering what he is up to.
"Stark is pissing me off." Nick explains simply as all day Tony has been calling him, just to be annoying, and even though he stopped answering the calls a few hours ago he keeps calling.
"So you've decided to come down here to do your work?" Melinda asks, being a little surprised, though amazed that Nick has chosen her cubical to hide away at.
"Yep." Nick confirms, "Problem?"
"Not at all." Melinda responds and the two of them drift into silence as they work on their respective works.
It has been about an hour since Nick sat down at Melinda's desk and ever since then the two of them have been sitting and working in silence. As they are working in silence both Melinda and Nick realise the second they hear footsteps.
"Seriously!" Maria's annoyed voice says as she walks into the room, "I have spent the last fifteen minutes calling you and you've been hiding down here!"
"You turned off you phone?" Melinda asks Nick surprised.
"Left it upstairs." Nick explains, having done so because he knew that the people who would contact him if there really was an emergency, namely Maria, Coulson, Clint and Natasha, would check with Melinda before doing anything else.
"Yeah, exactly where Tony Stark is because he decided to come here when you wouldn't answer his calls." Maria reveals.
"Please don't say you let him in my office." Fury tells Maria.
"Of course not." Maria says, being annoyed that he would think that, "Your assistant has strict orders not to let him in." Maria assures him.
"And a lovely assistant you've got there, Director." A voice says and Tony Stark walks into the room, "We talked, and once we did she was all too willing to tell me all about the Admin Agent that is a frequent visitor in your office, she thought that if I wanted to look for you the admin department would be a good place to start." Tony says as he approaches Melinda, Nick and Maria, "I'm guessing that would be you." He says to Melinda, "Tony Stark, and you are?" he asks Melinda with a flirty smile, sticking out his hand for Melinda to shake, but Melinda just glares back at him, "O kay then." Tony says, a little phased by Melinda's response, "Lovely basement you've got here." He comments.
"What do you want Stark?" Nick asks, annoyance in his voice.
"You weren't answering my calls, that's not a nice thing to do to someone who you're working with." Tony informs Nick.
"I'm a busy, Stark." Nick says, trying to keep his voice calm.
"Yeah, that why you're hiding down in your basement?" Tony asks amused, "I admit the first few calls were to just annoy you, but now I do have something to discuss with you." Tony explains, "So, do you want to talk here or someone else?"
"Commander Hill escort Mr Stark back up to my office. I'll be right there." Nick informs his second in command.
"Yes Sir." Maria comments, "Come on, Stark." She says.
"Lovely to meet you." Tony says to Melinda, once more attempting to get some kind of reaction but he just gets another glare and dirty look back, "Okay." He says before following Maria out of the admin department.
"I liked it when it was quiet." Melinda tells Nick once Tony and Maria leave, sounding annoyed.
"I'm sorry." Nick says, meaning that, but Melinda just gives him an annoyed look back, causing him to add, cause difficulties with my marriage, to the list of reasons why he is currently annoyed with Tony Stark, "I better go, see what he wants." Nick says before grabbing his stuff and heading out of room.
A few hours later Nick is arriving home where he finds his wife doing Tai-Chi and so he takes off his boots, hangs up his jacket and then walks over and sits on the edge of the couch, staying silence as he knows that Melinda is likely annoyed enough with him without adding trying to talk to her while she is doing Tai-Chi to the list.
"Is there something you want to say?" Melinda asks a few minutes after he sat down, once she has finished her routine.
"Yeah." Nick says, standing up, "I'm sorry that your peaceful place was ruined." He tells her, "I know you like it down there, even if you don't admit it, and I'm sorry about changing that for you." Nick tells his wife.
"I liked you being down there." Melinda informs him, "I could have done without Stark and Maria though."
"Yeah, I know." Nick says, reaching out and pulling Melinda in close to him, "Have you eaten?" he asks.
"Yeah, I picked up Chinese on my way home." Melinda admits, "You?"
"Coulson and I had pizza." Nick admits.
"You know lately I think you've had more dinners with Phil than with me." Melinda admits.
"Probably." Nick admits, "But as good of company as Phil is, I still prefer yours." He says before leaning down and kissing Melinda.
"Wow, that was way too sappy for you. You really have been spending a lot of time with Phil." Melinda comments.
"I really don't want to talk about Phil anymore." Nick says before kissing his wife again and as they kiss the two of them make their way to their bedroom, their lips not parting as they go.
It has been almost three months since Nick came down to the admin department to work, until Maria and Tony Stark came looking, and since then he has done so a few more times, usually to avoid everyone else, though in the times since he has been able to just work without ruining Melinda's peaceful place.
It's about three am and Melinda suddenly wakes in terror after some particularly bad nightmares and so she quickly turns on the light, looking for anyone and any sign of danger, but she quickly realises that she is alone as she knows that Nick is away doing something classified and the only danger is herself.
"Flying, focus on flying." Melinda tells herself trying to focus on the feeling that flying gives her, the freedom and relaxing feeling, "Not working." Melinda realises after a couple of minutes, "I need something real." She realises and so she quickly gets up, throws on some clothes and goes running out of the apartment, grabbing a leather jacket as she goes.
Not even knowing how many road rules she broke while speeding on her bike Melinda arrives at the Triskelion not long after she left her apartment. When she arrives at the Triskelion Melinda heads straight to Nick's office, which she has access to even though he's somewhere else, and once she is in his office she uses his access, something which she isn't supposed to know, let alone use, and heads up to the roof.
Once she is on the roof Melinda stands in the middle and just stares at the view, focusing on it and the strategies that Natasha taught her.
Honestly, Melinda isn't sure how long she has been standing when she hears footsteps behind her,
"Melinda." A hesitant voice says and seconds later Phil walks over and stands next to her.
"Phil?" Melinda asks surprised.
"Fury was alerted to someone using his access to the get on the roof, and he knew it was you, so he called me. Asked me to check in on you." Phil explains, "So, are you okay?" he asks concerned.
"I'm…." Melinda starts to say, about to say fine but she realises that she can't even lie at the moment, "No, I'm not okay." She admits, to Phil's surprise as he knows that she only admits that she's not okay when she's really, really not okay.
"What can I do?" Phil asks, wanting to do something to help his best friend.
"Distract me." Melinda requests.
"How?" Phil asks.
"How's things with Audrey?" Melinda asks, doing so because even though she doesn't like talking she needs something to distract her and in her experience Phil talking about his love life is usually a pretty good one.
"Good." Phil tells her, "But, she means so much to me, and I really love spending time with her, but it's hard enough with us being in different cities and then when you add what we do, the secrets we keep to do it and it just makes things so much harder." Phil admits, "Not that I have to tell you that." He realises.
"No, you don't." Melinda confirms, talking several deep breaths, as she feels the nightmares starting to slip away as she focuses on the horizon.
"The sun will be up soonish." Phil realises.
"Not for a couple of hours." Melinda says.
"How about we go get breakfast." Phil offers, "I have Lola." He says, wanting to make it seem like an even better idea.
"I need a little bit more time up here." Melinda says as she needs to focus on the horizon for a little longer before she leaves otherwise everything will overwhelm her again.
"Okay." Phil says with a nod and the two of them drift into silence.
"Okay." Melinda says after about ten minutes of breathing while she stares at the horizon.
"Okay?" Phil asks confused.
"We can go to breakfast." Melinda explains.
"Great." Phil says with a grin, "We're taking Lola though." He tells Melinda and the two of them head back inside.
"I figured." Melinda says and the two of them walk.
A little while later Melinda and Phil have gotten too go food and are sitting in Lola at a place where they used to go with Nick when they were younger agents, a place that has a pretty great view.
"I can't believe you're letting us eat in Lola." Melinda comments.
"I can't believe how long it's been since we've been here." Phil responds.
"It has been a while." Melinda realises, "Things were so much simpler back then."
"Yeah, they were." Phil confirms, "We thought we could save the word."
"We were young." Melinda says simply.
"You know I lost count of how many times the three of us would come up here after a bad mission, and after you and Nick started having sex the two of you would pretend to not be making out, or doing more, in the back seat while I was in the front." Phil says with a smirk.
"We were waiting for you to say something." Melinda informs Phil.
"I figured ignoring you was the best choice." Phil admits.
"That was the right choice at the time." Melinda reveals.
"Do you think you'll ever come back in the field?" Phil asks curious, "Do you think we'll ever be a team again?"
"I don't know." Melinda admits and the two of them drift into silence. As they do Phil honestly wants to ask Melinda about what caused her to go to the roof, but at the same time he is worried about pushing her away even more and so he doesn't say anything.
Hours later after Melinda and Phil returned to the Triskelion and Melinda spend the day doing her work Melinda has returned home and even though she is completely exhausted she knows that chances are she'll just have nightmares if she sleeps and so she doesn't even want to even try.
Instead Melinda is sitting on the floor in hers and Nick's living room memorizing the flight manuals for the new Qunjets that Nick has gotten for S.H.I.E.L.D so that she can know how they work, just in case.
Honestly Melinda is so focused on reading, on trying to distract herself from the nightmares that she doesn't even hear when the door opens, she doesn't realise that she's no longer alone until Nick sits down next to her.
"Melinda." Nick says calmly.
"Nick." Melinda says, jumping a little in surprise, "When did you get home?"
"Just a few moments ago." Nick explains to Melinda.
"How'd whatever classified thing you were doing with Nat go?" Melinda asks curious.
"Good." Nick answers, "You're not okay, are you?" Nick asks concerned.
"No." Melinda admits, "I'm sorry about using your access. I know I shouldn't have but I really needed to go on the roof." She reveals.
"It's okay, I assumed you knew it, after all the time we've spent together I'd be disappointed if you didn't, but I also knew that you would only use it if you really had to." Nick explains to Melinda, "I've made it so you can access the roof yourself, whenever you want, just in case." Nick explains.
"Thank you." Melinda says gratefully
"Have you thought about getting some sleep? You look exhausted." Nick comments.
"I am, but I can't." Melinda admits, "I don't want to see it." Melinda says and as she does Nick moves over and hugs her, causing Melinda to lean back onto his chest.
"What if you try and then I promise to wake you up at the first sign of that you're starting to see it, I know the signs by now." Nick admits, "I know that you're managing on three or four hours sleep a night, that you've gotten used to that." Nick says being pretty sure that Melinda hasn't had more than five hours sleep for a very long time, "but I also know that it's been a little while since you've had even that. You need rest." Nick tells his wife, as he places a kiss on her neck, "Let me help you." He says and for a few seconds it looks like Melinda is debating that.
"Okay." Melinda says with a nod and the two of them get up and head into their bedroom.
Once they are in their bedroom Melinda and Nick get changed and then crawl into bed. Once they are in bed Melinda and Nick move into position so that Melinda is in Nick's arms, nestled beneath his chin.
"Go to sleep, Melinda, it's okay. You're safe." Nick assurers his wife, kissing her cheek, and Melinda closes her eyes and before too long Nick can tell that Melinda is asleep, but he doesn't intend to sleep himself as he plans to keep the promise he made Melinda.
For a couple of hours Nick holds Melinda while she sleeps, while not sleeping himself, and then he feels Melinda tense and he knows that Melinda's nightmares are about to begin.
"Mel, Melinda, wake up." Nick says loudly as he hears Melinda starting to mutter something, "Come on Melinda, wake up." Nick says, even louder and a bit more force in his voice.
Seconds later Melinda's eyes open and she pushes herself up into sitting position.
"It's okay, Melinda. You're okay. Just focus on what Natasha taught you, focus on flying." Nick tells his wife who gives several nods and does her best to focus on flying while letting everything else slip away.
As he watches his wife try to calm down Nick desperately wants to reach out and help her, but he knows that considering what her nightmares would be about it would be a bad idea, so he just watches her, waiting for some sign that he can help her.
For a while Nick just watches and waits until he finally notices that Melinda is becoming calmer and so he moves closer, making sure not to touch her.
"What do you need?" Nick asks his wife.
"I…. I don't know." Melinda admits, "I just know that I can't go back to sleep." Melinda admits as Nick reaches out and puts his hand on Melinda's knee, at first she flinches, but then she relaxes.
"How about we go for a drive." Nick suggests, "No destination, let's just drive around, let you clear your head a little."
"That sounds good." Melinda responds and she leans in and kisses Nick, once they break apart Melinda and Nick get out of bed and the two of them get ready before leaving the apartment and heading down to Melinda's car which she and Nick get in, Nick being surprised by Melinda letting him drive.
It has been just over two months since Melinda and Nick ended up going for a long drive to help Melinda deal with her nightmares and ever since Melinda has had even more nights of bad nightmares, but she is learning to deal with them even better.
As he had a late night the night before Nick is very much looking forward to sleeping in, but as he sleeps Nick gets woken up by the smell of something delicious, looking around Nick sees Melinda walking into the room with a tray of breakfast.
"Mel?" Nick asks surprised as he sits up.
"Happy birthday, Nick." Melinda says, walking over and placing the tray on Nick's lap.
"Did you cook?" Nick asks, the mere idea sounding impossible.
"Of course not." Melinda says as she climbs in next to Nick, "I don't want to give you food poisoning on your birthday." She reveals, "I went and picked it up." Melinda explains.
"Ah, that makes more sense." Nick admits.
"Yeah." Melinda responds, looking a little amused, "So, I heard you have the morning off."
"Hill or Romanoff?" Nick asks curious.
"Maria."
"Of course." Nick says, looking amused.
"So, what do you feel like doing on your morning off?" Melinda asks curious.
"Honestly, I just want to be here, with you." Nick admits.
"I like the sound of that." Melinda says before leaning over and kissing her husband and the two of them drift into silence as they eat.
It has been almost four months since Nick's birthday and ever since Nick has spent more time away from DC than he has at home and so he and Melinda haven't gotten to spent much time together, even though they both miss one another they understand that it's just a part of the life they live and so they have been doing their best to make it work.
It's about two am and Melinda and Nick are both in bed together, fast asleep, though neither have been asleep for long, when a phone starts to ring, waking them both instantly.
"Sorry." Nick says as he reaches over and gets his phone, "What?" Nick answers, and for a few moments they are both quiet, telling Melinda that the person on the other end is speaking, "Are you sure?" Nick asks suddenly sitting up causing Melinda to be surprised as she is pretty sure that Nick is shocked, something that doesn't happen often, "Okay, I'll be right there" Nick says before hanging up.
"Nick?" Melinda asks concerned, sitting up, "How bad?" she asks, being pretty sure that that is an answer Nick can give.
"Not bad at all." Nick answers, looking a little amazed, "The Valkyrie has been found."
"The….." Melinda starts to say in confusion, but then her eyes widen in shock as she realises what that means, "Captain Roger's plane? It's been found?"
"Apparently." Nick says, moving his blanket off.
"Is he…..?" Melinda starts to ask.
"Alive." Nick tells her, "But frozen."
"I can't believe it." Melinda says amazed, "It's been so long." She says as she remembers Peggy telling her stories about Captain Rogers, and it was clear how much she missed him.
"Yeah, it has." Nick confirms.
"Wow." Melinda says, not really sure what else to say but the she thinks of something, "Phil's going to be thrilled; his dreams come true."
"That it has." Nick confirms and he starts to get ready. For a few minutes Melinda and Nick are silent while Nick gets ready.
"I think I'm going to have to put Phil on this." Nick comments.
"Your really are." Melinda tells him as Nick walks over to her.
"I'll give you updates later." Nick tells Melinda, "You might as well go back to sleep." Nick says before kissing Melinda, "I love you."
"Love you too." Melinda responds and Nick heads out of their bedroom. Once he does Melinda starts to make herself comfortable once more as she thinks about how much Steve being found is going to mean to a lot of people, and as she does she can't help but wonder how long until Phil asks him to sign his Captain America Trading Cards.