A/N: I've been gone for so long and I am so sorry! :( but hey I'm back now! Hope you enjoy this next chapter!

The two had to admit that the first few months following their "breakup" was awkward, most especially in missions. They had no idea what to say to each other, how to act around each other, and even had to keep their mouths shut to prevent witty side comments for each other. They feel weirder whenever they had to call each other by their last names, even out of missions.

Months and months after, things have become normal. It's alright for them to still act like normal and mature colleagues, and they know when or when not to keep their mouths shut to input unnecessary side comments. They've grown accustomed to calling each other "Coulson" and "May", even outside of missions.

Occasionally, they go out, as friends, as colleagues, as (as they'd like to put it) "modern-day parents of a lost child", whenever it's their daughter's birthday, or if it's any of their birthdays. They would talk about S.H.I.E.L.D., their missions, how Melinda's parents are and how Phil's mom is. They are still open to each other, telling the other if they're seeing someone or not, but as far as both are concerned, neither is seeing someone.

Clint and Natasha have been extracted from the team, and so was Victoria, since all three have other orders from Fury. Phil and Melinda are still staying on the field, but with another set of team. Fury had a new commander to head the team, Agent Hart, and Phil is his unofficial deputy. Since the day Agent Hart was introduced to the pair, their team has been the new team doing field missions and tasks.

Phil and Melinda are sitting on the barstools in the main room of their plane. Melinda is holding a glass of whiskey in her hand and Phil is holding a bottle of beer. Melinda puts down the glass and looks at Phil straight in the eyes. "Coulson, I'm going to tell you something." she says. Phil looks back at her, and sees that her eyes are sparkling, and her lips are twitching upwards. He can tell that she is resisting herself from smiling and looking happy. Phil smirks and puts down his bottle to face Melinda completely.

"What is it?" he asks. Melinda takes a deep breath.

"I'm seeing someone." she says in a low voice. Phil's smirk fades and his shoulders slump down his body. He feels like as if a whole ton had just been dropped on top of him. "He's not an agent, but he's not a civilian either. He's a doctor, a neurologist, working with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s index."

"What's his name?" Phil asks, his throat feeling dry. He slowly takes his beer, gulping down in his throat. Melinda smiles.

"Andrew. Andrew Garner." she answers and sighs, her smile not leaving her lips. Phil puts down the bottle and wipes his mouth with his cuffs.

"How—how did you two meet?" he asks. "Have you ever, uh, worked in the index?" Melinda shakes her head.

"He was reporting to Hand when I walked in her office, thinking that she's alone, but he was there; Andrew was there." Melinda tells him. "Hand introduced me to him, and before he left, he slipped a note inside my pocket when I escorted him out. The next night, we had our first date." She is practically grinning, and it has been quite a long time since Phil last saw Melinda grin.

"That fast?" Phil asks, raising an eyebrow with a smirk. Melinda scoffs and rolls her eyes, though the smile is still there.

"We're still dating, anyway," she says, sipping from her glass of whiskey. "It's not like anytime soon we'll be in a relationship immediately." Phil frowns involuntarily and attempts to cover it by looking down at his lap. Melinda furrows her eyebrows when she sees Coulson frown. Though she decides best not to open it, knowing where the conversation might lead. She's not ready for it. She's got her own shot of happiness and she's going to take it.

Phil looks up at her and gives her a small smile. "I'm happy for you, May." he says softly. Melinda gives him a genuine smile.

"Thanks, Coulson." she replies. She finishes her glass of whiskey and grabs another bottle to refill her glass.

Phil is running his fingers against the cool and moist glass of the beer he has been holding in his hand. He wonders who Andrew Garner is. He wonders what Melinda sees in him, and perhaps what he sees in Melinda. Though Phil does not question why Andrew, or any other guy for that matter, will fall head over heels for Melinda. She's gorgeous, strong, determined, selfless, loving, strong-willed, and the list goes on and on. He fell in love with Melinda because of those things, despite her flaws. He wonders if it goes the same for Andrew.

But Phil could not point out why he feels so bad. To hear that Melinda is seeing another man, it is killing him, and a feeling, a strong, annoying feeling is eating him up from the inside. Yes, sure, he loves Melinda as a friend, as a colleague, as something else other than what they were before. Both had it cleared out years ago that they had no more chance with each other, that they just can't have a relationship. They could just be friends, and nothing more than that.

But seeing how happy Melinda looks while talking about Andrew feels like his heart had just been pierced by an arrow, and he is slowly dying on the ground a long, painful death. Hearing her light tone of voice every time she mentions anything about Andrew strangles him, yet he could not stop listening because he himself loves and misses that light tone he used to hear from Melinda whenever she talks to him.

He couldn't deny it, he is still in love with Melinda May, and probably will eternally be in love with her. All Phil wants for her is to be happy, and if Andrew could mean happiness to Melinda, and if Phil being just her best friend could mean happiness to Melinda, then he will abide. No matter how much it hurts him, kills him to see the love of his life be in love with someone else.

He smiles when Melinda returns, with another filled glass of whiskey in her hand. Melinda has a serious look on her face, a contemplative expression and looks at Phil. She leans closer to him.

"Phil," He knows what she's about to say is something serious, personal, too personal. "I feel happy. Right now, I feel happiness." She looks at him straight in his blue coral eyes. He swallows down his throat and stares at her dark brown eyes. "Do you think I deserve this?" she asks softly, her voice slightly breaking at the end.

She should be with me. "Mel, after everything you've been through. You deserve happiness." he replies softly and gently. "You deserve that kind of happiness you're feeling." Let her go, Phil. Phil gulps down his throat. "You deserve Andrew if he's your happiness." She smiles at him. He gives her a small smile.

I can't.