A/N: hey guys!

I saw that another author on fanfiction wrote this AU (and if I find it, I'll post the title later), but I wanted to try my hand at it and write it a bit different. Of course, this'll just be a one shot, but most likely I will end up making a seperate series based on it…

This is an AU in which May was kicked out of SHIELD after Coulson found out she was a mole. This one shot is him trying to re-recruit her during the second season….

I hope that makes sense...enjoy!

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Coulson liked the beach.

In fact, when he went to New York to keep an eye on Stark, one of the first things he did was go to Coney Island to watch the waves crash into the sand. It was meditative...relaxing. It soothed his soul, in some way.

This time, however, the waves did little to smooth his nerves. Maybe it was in part to the urge to carve that was trying to rise back up again. Or maybe it was just nerves. He couldn't tell nowadays.

But why was he nervous? He thought to himself. I mean, she was the one who walked away. I just made it official.

The thought seemed wrong in his head. She had walked away at Providence base because he told her to. Aside from sending him the TAHITI file, she didn't make contact.

No, that was a lie, too.

She did make contact...at first. But when he started ignoring her calls, she started calling less and less.

It was his fault, and that was a revelation that seemed to swallow him whole every time he thought about her.

He was surprised when she said she'd be willing to meet with him. Hill had been the one to get in touch with her, so that was probably why. Hill had also been the one to set up the meeting place-the Virginia Beach pier. It was empty save for a few fisherman down near the end- it was fall, so no shock there.

He leaned against the pier casually, hands folded watching a few stragglers roam the beach looking for shells. He was too focused to notice she had come up behind him.

"Sorry I'm late."

Startled, he stood, one hand falling uselessly to his side and the other gripping the wood.

"May." Her name came out as a breath of relief.

She looked good. Casual suited her.

There was a lightness to her that he hadn't seen in awhile, a mischievous look hidden behind the curiosity in her eyes.

"It's good to see you." He finally said after a moment. A smile crept up on his face.

"I'm glad you called." She came over and leaned against the pier railing about a foot from him. He noticed that the smirk she gave didn't reach her eyes. It was a tell tale sign that she hadn't quite forgiven what had transpired. "Director Coulson."

He smirked at the use of his new title. "Hill called you?"

"No, Fury." Her eyes didn't leave the water. Her shirt was almost the same color blue. "It suits you." She commented softly.

"How are y-"

"Phil, why are you here?" She sighed, annoyed. Melinda was never one for small talk. She sent him a glare and he turned his gaze away from her and back to the waves, resting both hands on the railing.

"I need your help." He relinquished, and then braced himself for the fallout.

"Seriously?" Her voice was dangerously low. Her chocolate eyes darkened. "You tell me to walk away and think coming back is just that easy?"

"May-"

"I went eight months, and for-"

"It's Ward." That brought her to a halt. She placed her hands on her hips and watched him expectantly. "We need to get information out of him, but he took off after Garret was killed and no one has seen him since."

"You expect me to find him for you? Is that it?" She asked incredulously. "And then what? Do I go home and pretend nothing happened?"

"Melinda, please!" He cried, and she fell quiet. "I'm trying to mend bridges, here!"

"Phil, you burned this bridge!" She replied forcefully, taking a step back. There was hurt plastered on her face. "You destroyed whatever we had when you stopped trusting me."

Her words hurt more than Loki's scepter ever did, and she was right. Fury had vouched for her when he came to meet Coulson, when he handed over SHIELD. Phil had been too stubborn to admit that he understood why she did it.

And he was paying the price.

"I know." His hand was trembling at his side, the other gripping the pier tightly to keep from going completely nuts.

She must have seen the change in him. Curse her ability to see right through him.

"Phil, what's going on?" Her expression softened to one of concern.

He had managed to keep it from everyone else, but he doubted he could keep it from her.

"The drug, GH325, well…" he showed her his trembling hand. "There were effects after all."

She sighed angrily and looked back out to the water, gears in her head going.

"Are you okay?" When she looked back to him, her gaze had softened. The irritation had faded, but it still lingered.

He gripped the pier with both hands. "No." He replied with the shake of his head. "Ward is gone, Fitz is falling apart, and you left." He paused. "I will spend the rest of my life apologizing if I have to, but please come back."

Pleading wasn't in his nature, but he needed her by his side if they were going to find Ward. Plus, he'd be lying if he said he didn't miss her a little bit.

"Okay." She relented with a sigh. "But i'm still mad at you, Phil."

"I know." He replied with a smile. "Welcome back, Agent May."

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A/N: hope y'all enjoyed!