FYI: Make sure you check out chapter 35 if you haven't already. I posted it about two hours ago.

The team landed in a secret, old SSR base called the Playground. It was big; giant actually. It had a hangar that could hold hundreds of planes, and thousands of square feet of rooms and hallways. Fury really did have a plan for everything. But it was definitely old. Walls crusty, floors not tiled, electricity cutting in and out- it was a mess.

Coulson didn't mind. He knew that they were capable of fixing all of it. He was more fascinated with the fact that he was about to head the exact same base Peggy Carter once did all those years back when it was an SSR facility.

The base came together rather quickly. The lab was set up, the director's office put in place, bunks became suitable for sleeping, kitchen stocked, gym equipped, a few video games were even put in a common area for the agents.

Everyone found their favorite spot. Coulson's was in his office where he had even more space for his memorabilia, May's was in the gym, Skye's was in her bunk where all her hacking equipment was, Trip's was in the gun range, and Fitz and Simmons spent most of their time designing the lab. Even Ward had his own space on the base. Granted he didn't choose it himself, but it was his.

New agents were recruited from what remained from SHIELD and they found their spots too. Agent Alphonso Mackenzie was a mechanic who Coulson found along with a bunch of other agents who were on the same ship when SHIELD fell. He spent most of his time on the bus with all of the vehicles that needed attention. Agent Isabelle Hartley had known Coulson for a while. The two worked together many times in the past and remained allies. She brought along two mercenaries Agent Idaho and Agent Lance Hunter. The three stayed in the kitchen munching and drinking for it was all they felt the need to do with them not being there for the cause.

Coulson was always busy though, always away recruiting anyone he thought would work well with SHIELD. May and Skye missed him, yes, but they spent most of their days training.

"I have some news.", May said as she spared her daughter.

"Oh yeah?", Skye asked her mother and new SO. "What is it?", she said continuing to throw punches.

May let their fight finish before she spoke. And by finish she meant pin Skye to the floor.

"Dad's coming home today. We're going out tonight. Care to join?"

May got off of Skye and they sat on the mats next to each other.

"Take the night off from training and see my dad I never get to see anymore? Of course I wanna join."

"That's what I thought you'd say."

She got up and extended her hand to Skye to help her up.

"So what should I wear? Is like a casual night out or fancy dr-", she was cut off by the fist that swung toward her face. "Ok I guess we're back on."

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They didn't go anywhere fancy or anywhere with lots of people. They went where they knew they could escape from the SHIELD stuff and be themselves: Coulson's house in Wisconsin.

"Yes!", Skye said as Coulson walked out of the kitchen with a large dish in his hands. "Dad's famous ribs and mac n' cheese."

With a giant smile he placed the dish in the middle of the dining table. He took a seat next to May.

"It's the least I could do- with me being out all the time."

"Don't worry about it. You're the director, it's your job.", Skye said as she took a scoop of mac n' cheese on her plate. "How's that going, anyway?"

"I don't know. I knew it was gonna be work but I didn't know it was gonna be this much work."

"Is it too much?", May asked.

"At times, but I can handle it. It's just that there we so many things I'm dealing with. Recruiting, system tweaking, expense dealing, Simmons, paperwork-"

"Woah what? What about Simmons?"

"She didn't tell you? I thought if she was gonna tell anyone it would be you."

"Tell me what?"

"That she's leaving."

Skye leant back into her chair with her mouth open.

"Leaving? She's quitting SHIELD?"

"What? No. She's leaving the base, going on assignment."

"Going on assignment… where?"

"Unfortunately that's classified. But she'll be safe."

Skye didn't want to ruin their family dinner so she kept her feelings inside for the moment. When Coulson saw her face ease up he turned to May.

"So… how's your trainee doing."

"Surprisingly well."

Skye scoffed at the word 'surprisingly'.

"What? Ward didn't train you properly. All he was trying to do was get in your pants.", Coulson flinched at this mental image his wife just placed i. his head. Skye nodded in agreement with her reasoning. "So yeah, surprise is the right word. But I am impressed that you've only passed out once."

"She passed out?", Coulson asked with a worried look on his face.

"It was only for a few seconds."

"Well I'm sorry if I couldn't do a thirty minute plank with four dumbbells on my back and you squirting me in the face with what I hope was water on my first try."

"Aren't you glad I made you do it again and master it? Now you've built enough strength the punch with four times the force you used to."

"Ok yeah, strength is apart of it. But what's the point of the freaking spray bottle?"

May grew a mischievous smile and took a bit of the barbecue.

"Sounds fun.", Coulson said sarcastically.

"Not as fun as I hear you're having torturing my ex boyfriend. How's that going?"

"Great.", he said before going in for a rib. "And by 'great' I mean he hasn't said anything in the three weeks I've been in there."

"Maybe you should let me in there.", May said clutching her fists. "Remind him how he got that fracture in the larynx."

"I would, but I've already done the worst SHIELD has to offer when it comes to torture devices. He's stayed quiet through all of it. You'll get your chance, Melinda."

"Really? He hasn't said anything?"

Coulson glanced over to May and down at his plate.

"He's spoken once. But it wasn't intel."

He took out his phone, tapped a couple times and put it in front of Skye.

She saw it was security footage of Ward i. his cell. She hadn't seen him since before May beat him up back at Cybertek. Since then he became more pale, his arms were larger and his beard grew. She had to admit that it looked good on him.

She took in a deep breath and pressed play.

"This won't work, Coulson! You know what I want. I want Skye- I'll talk to Skye. Give her to me and I'll tell you anything you want."

Skye didn't really know how to respond. She wanted nothing to do with him. He betrayed her and everyone she loved. If the only thing he wanted was to see her she definitely didn't want to give it to him. But if it meant it would help her team, then she could put her feelings aside and make the sacrifice.

"Skye?", May asked as she reached out for her hand. "Are you ok?"

"Don't think about it too much. I'm not gonna send you down there. I know how hard it would be for you."

"Yeah but uh… don't throw it completely off the table. One day you're gonna need intel from him fast and I may be the only option. If you need it I'll do it."

He nodded and it was quiet. They came to house to get away from the stress, and there they were in a heavy conversation.

"So, Skye uh… what's Trip's latest theory about the Koenigs?", Coulson asked.

She swallowed her food before she could accidently spit it out from laughter.

"You're gonna like this one, Dad."

Coulson's eyes widened.

"Oh yeah? Shoot."

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They finished up dinner and watched a cheesy Hallmark movie in the living room. Every time something cheesy or romantic happened Coulson and Skye would 'ooh' and 'awe' while May rolled her eyes. Movie night was always one sided for this little family. May preferred a good horror or action movie whereas Coulson and Skye just wanted to enjoy a comedy.

"Uggh! And when he surprised her in her house after being away for so long? That was so cute!", Skye said after the movie finished.

"Genius. I wonder why I never surprised you like that, Melinda."

"Because if you ever tried to surprise me you would get seriously hurt."

"Oh yeah. That's why."

May sighed and took a big swig of her beer.

"I just don't get why you two like these movies so much.", she complained.

"It's just our thing I guess.", Coulson said as he put his head on her shoulder with a cheeky smile on his face.

"Yeah,", Skye said after stuffing her face with M&M's. "Like our thing is training and getting haircuts."

Coulson furrowed his eyebrows and looked back and forth at his wife and daughter.

"You two got haircuts?"

"Yeah, thanks for noticing.", Skye said sarcastically.

"Well-"

"I could understand you not noticing mine, all I did was get a trim and switch sides.", May said. "But Skye cut off 5 inches and got bangs."

"Seriously, dad."

"Well I guess I was just too distracted by the beautiful faces under the hair."

May and Skye gave each other a look and rolled their eyes simultaneously. Coulson knew it was a cheesy dad thing to say but he enjoyed watching Skye cringe at it. He couldn't help but pull her in for a kiss on the top of the head.

"I'm heading to bed. If I stay out here any longer than I'm gonna end up with a hangover in the morning. Seriously, you guys need to chill with the alcohol.", Skye said as she stood up. And made her way to the stairs.

"Um… If we need to chill with the alcohol, then why are you bringing a bottle of Kahlua to bed?", May asked.

Skye gave in like a teenager.

"Fine I'll leave the Kahlua. But it better be there in the morning."

Coulson and May watched as she walked up the stairs and waited until they heard her bedroom door shut.

"So.", May sighed.

"So.", Coulson echoed looking at her with those damn googly eyes. "How are you? Really."

"I'm fine. Bed get's cold, though."

"I know. I miss you too. These recruitment missions are starting to wear me down. I just wanna come back to base, be with you."

"You do what you need to do, Director. I can wait."

He leant down and kissed the woman leaning against him.

"You wanna go to bed? I promise it won't be cold.", he offered.

"Let's go!"

They made their way up to their room and jumped under the giant comforter. She slid into his arms and they laid there with each other.

"Maybe it's time to stop recruiting. Start working on what we already have.", Coulson said when he realized how much he missed this feeling.

"Whatever you want, Phil."

They had one of their mental, eye contact conversations. It was nice to for them to just see each other. They lost track of how long they were doing it but May was the first to break the silence.

"I know you're busy all the time, but you're gonna be on base next week, right? Specifically the 2nd?"

"Of course. What do you have in mind?"

"Yeah. I've been making plans with Trip, Fitz, Mack and Hunter."

"A party?", he asked. She nodded. "She's gonna love it."

Questions, comments, and suggestions are encouraged! Thanks for reading:)