Chapter 52
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.
June 16th 2014. Melinda 46. Tony 44.
It has been two and a half weeks since Melinda visited Tony for his birthday and Melinda, Phil, Skye, Fitz, Simmons, Bobbi, Hunter and Mack watched movies together at the playground. Because it was the weekend before Melinda's birthday and because Hydra have been quiet lately Phil let Melinda take time off and go to DC for the weekend to spend time Tony.
It is very very early Monday morning and Melinda is getting ready to head back to The Playground.
"You don't have to stay in DC until after my birthday." Melinda tells Tony who is laying in the bed in his room while Melinda gets dressed.
"I want to."
"But I may not even get a chance to come see you." Melinda informs him.
"I know, but I want to be here if you do." Tony explains and Melinda walks over to Tony leans down and kisses him once they break apart Tony grabs Melinda's hand, "Do you really have to go?"
"Yeah, I do." Melinda responds and Tony let's go, "Until next time." Melinda says.
"Until next time." Tony responds and Melinda leaves the room.
About an hour and half later Melinda walks into the kitchen at the Playground where she finds Fitz, Simmons, Skye, Hunter, Bobbi and Mack having breakfast.
"Hey May." Bobbi greats and Melinda nods.
"You're back, good I have a question." Skye says when she sees Melinda, "You and Stark have been dating about a month now so why haven't we met him? You said I would when I asked."
"You haven't met him because he hasn't come to base." Melinda says trying not to smirk as this was just the opportunity she needs foe her plan to work.
"You should bring him to base." Simmons say and Mack, Fitz and Skye nod enthusiastically.
"If it was my decision I would."
"Then why don't you?" Fitz asks.
"Because it's not my call, it's the Directors." Melinda says.
"So you're saying that the only thing that is preventing us from meeting Tony Stark is the Director?" Mack asks.
"That's exactly what I am saying."
"We've got to talk to him, get him to change his mind." Skye says and Mack, Fitz and Simmons nod.
"Let's talk to him now." Fitz says and Skye, Simmons and Mack nod.
"You're coming with us Hunter." Mack says as he pulls Hunter along as he, Skye, Simmons and Fitz leave the room, all planning on going to talk to Phil to get him to agree that Tony can visit.
"You knew that would eventually happen." Bobbi says walking over to Melinda, "You knew that The Director would say no to Stark visiting, and that they would want him to, and you knew that if you said the right things then they would go to the Director and he wouldn't be able to say no to all of them." Bobbi says with a smirk.
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Melinda responds.
"Nice work." Bobbi says with an approving smile.
A few minutes later Phil walks into the room followed by Fitz, Simmons, Skye, Hunter and Mack.
"You did this." Phil tells Melinda.
"All I said was that I was happy for Anthony to visit but you said no." Melinda informs Phil.
"Which makes no senses, why would you say that the Tony Stark, that Iron Man, couldn't visit?" Skye asks Phil.
"Only someone whose' never met him can ask that." Phil comments and Melinda rolls her eyes.
"But Sir it would be such an amazing opportunity, we could learn so much." Mack comments.
"Please Sir. Please say he can come." Fitz request.
"Yeah, please Coulson." Skye requests and as Phil looks between the hopeful looks on Skye, Fitz, Simmons' and Mack's faces and Melinda who is trying not to smirk he realises he has no option.
"Fine, Stark can come here, but he's your responsibility." Phil tells Melinda.
"Yes Sir." Melinda responds and Phil exits the room.
"Can I come with you to pick him up?" Skye asks excited.
"No. The fewer people who leave the base the better, but I'll be back as soon as I can." Melinda says walking out of the room, pulling out her Mark eight two way radio as she does, "Anthony?"
"Yeah, Melly. I thought you wouldn't be calling to tonight." Tony responds slightly surprised.
"Things change."
"Is everything okay?" Tony asks a hint of worry clear.
"That depends are you still interested in coming to see the base and meet everyone?" Melinda asks.
"Of course."
"I'll be there in an hour to pick you up." Melinda says before cutting to the connection between the two devices.
A bit over an hour later Melinda pulls up out front of the Estate where she finds Tony waiting with what Melinda knows to be the case that holds an Iron Man suit next to him.
"So you're bringing the suit with you?" Melinda asks as she gets out the car.
"It's either that or leave it here alone where anyone who can figure a way to get past security can get it." Tony comments.
"Yeah, good choice." Melinda says as she opens the trunk.
"I thought so." Tony responds as he puts the Iron Man suit in the car, "So what's with the change of plans? Coz I'm glad, but I thought Coulson said I wasn't allowed to come to base, what changed?"
"I mentioned to Skye, Fitz, Simmons and Mack that the reason you hadn't come to base is because Phil said no." Melinda explains simply.
"And with they argued with Coulson for you. Nice." Tony says approvingly as they get in the car.
A bit over an hour later Melinda and Tony arrive back at the playground. When they do they find Skye, Fitz, Simmons, Mack, Bobbi and Hunter waiting.
"You ready for this?" Melinda asks Tony curious.
"You act like they're going to eat me alive, it's not going to be that bad." He says as Melinda gets out the car saying nothing.
"Anthony I would like you to meet Skye, our hacker and field agent. Jemma Simmons our bio-chemist with two PhD's. Leo Fitz our engineer. Alphonso "Mack" Mackenzie our mechanic who has been assisting Fitz. Bobbi Morse, veteran S.H.I.E.L.D agent and Lance Hunter former Merc turned S.H. .D agent." Melinda introduces, "Everyone this is Anthony."
"Nice too meet you all."
"May, The Director wanted to see you as soon as you got back, he said it was important." Bobbi tells Melinda.
"Thanks Bobbi." Melinda responds, "Here, you'll need this to travel around the facility." Melinda says handing Tony a lanyard.
"How did you get a lanyard without having to make him go through orientation?" Skye asks curious.
"Doesn't matter." Melinda responds, "I should go see what Phil wants." She tells Tony.
"Go. I'll be fine. I'm very much looking forward to getting to know your people here." Tony tells Melinda with a look on his face that Melinda learnt to read a long time ago.
"You do that, but keep in mind that if you give me reason to I am more than prepared to make sure that the picture from Halloween when you were five gets to Steve and for good measure Nat too." Melinda informs Tony.
"Blackmail really?" Tony asks, "You do realise that I have as much on you as you have on me, right?"
"I do, which is why you will be careful about what you say." Melinda says, the 'or else' clearly implied.
"Oh come on May, we want to know more about you." Skye objects.
"Don't worry I have plenty of stories that I'm pretty sure Melly won't kill me for." Tony comments, "I'll keep the good ones to myself though." He tells Melinda who nods.
"So what do you want to know?" Tony asks as Melinda leaves the room.
"Let's go to the common area, it's probably a better place for this conversation." Bobbi suggests and the others nod.
"You wanted to see me?" Melinda asks Phil as she walks into Phil's office.
"Yeah, I did." Phil responds, "Stark here?"
"Yeah, he's downstairs with the others. What's going on?" Melinda asks as she walks over to the table and sees plans covering it.
"Billy just sent this through, it's a Hydra site we didn't know of before and confirmed activity." Phil explains.
"You want to go in." Melinda realises.
"I do. This is the first solid lead we've got since I shot Whitehall." Phil comments, "We could find some answers. Do you not agree?"
"I think I need to read everything we've got before I agree to anything." Melinda says pulling the papers towards her.
For about twenty minutes Phil watches as Melinda reads everything that Billy sent through and makes notes on another piece of paper.
"So, what do you think?" Phil asks when Melinda puts the pen down.
"I think we should go in." Melinda says and Phil nods.
"I was thinking two teams." Phil comments, "Hunter and Bobbi enter here." Phil says putting a big cross on the map, "You and I enter here." He says putting another cross on the map.
"Two teams is the smart thing to do, but you're the director now. You've got to run the teams and everyone else, you can't be on mission, not on this one." Melinda says.
"Well Skye can't be on team with you, we'll need her to hack any Hydra comes channels. Keep us informed of what they know." Phil comments.
"Then I'll go in by myself." Melinda tells Phil.
"No. That's too dangerous." Phil comments.
"Do you have another idea? We're not exactly crawling with Agents at the moment." Melinda points out.
"I don't like this."
"There would be something wrong with you if you did." Melinda responds.
"So should we tell the others?" Phil asks and Melinda nods so they both leave the office Phil picking up the plans as they do.
"So what happened next?" Skye asks interested as Tony is telling everyone a story.
"Well Mini Melly, what happened next was….." Tony starts to say, but he gets cut off.
"Mini Melly, really?" Melinda asks as she walks down the stairs.
"It's fitting. You're right about Skye being a lot like you." Tony says as he gets up and walks over to Phil and Melinda, "Agent." Tony says to Phil, disbelief in his voice as even though he knew Phil was alive it is another thing all together to see him in person, especially when you gave the eulogy at his funeral and watched your friends mourn.
"It's Director now." Phil corrects and Tony does something that surprises Phil which is walk the several steps that separate them and hugs him.
"You were an idiot." Tony whispers to Phil, "That was stupid and reckless. Don't ever think about doing anything like that again." Tony says and he breaks the hug, "We couldn't cope loosing you again." He informs Phil.
"I'll do my best St….Tony." Phil responds.
"I'm glad to hear that Phil." Tony responds to Phil's surprised.
"If you two are quiet done we have a mission to plan." Melinda comments, though honestly she is glad that they have this opportunity as it may help with Tony's guilt and be good for Phil to speak to other people he knew before, "Everyone over here." Melinda says as she takes the papers from Phil and puts them on the table.
"What's going on?" Bobbi asks curious as everyone, including Tony, crowed around the table.
"We've got intel on a Hydra site." Phil reveals, "We're going in. The aim is keep the site and the people as in tacked. This is a breach and salvage mission, understood?" He asks.
"Yes Sir." Everyone else answers
"Bobbi, Hunter, you'll enter from here." Melinda says pointing to a spot on the map, "And I'll enter from here." Melinda says pointing to another spot.
"You're going in alone?" Tony ask, surprised and concerned.
"Yes, because Skye needs to run the coms and Phil needs to run the mission there's no other choice." Melinda explains, "We don't have many field agents at the moment."
"I'll go with you." Tony says.
"Anthony…" Melinda objects but Tony cuts her off.
"It's the best choice. I have the suit here so I'll be fine and you'll have some back up. Everyone wins." Tony argues.
"I don't know if it is a good idea." Melinda admits.
"Director, what do you think?" Tony asks turning to Phil, who really wishes he didn't.
"I think tactically you going on the mission makes sense and would be for the best." Phil comments choosing his words carefully and being pretty sure that he's pissed of Melinda.
"Fine. Anthony is with me." Melinda says clearly not happy as it means Tony will be in danger, "Gear up, we leave in an hour." Melinda says before walking away.
"We've just made her angry, haven't we?" Tony asks Phil.
"Oh yeah." Phil confirms, "You and I know better than anyone else the lengths Melinda goes to to protect people, especially those she cares about and now we've just ganged up on her about something that will put you in danger." Phil explains, "She's more than pissed."
"Where does Melly do Tai-Chi?" Tony asks curious.
"In the training room." Skye answers, "I can show you were that is if you would like." She offers.
"Thanks." Tony responds and he follows Skye out of the room.
"Why do you assume that May's gone to do Tai-Chi?" Skye asks curious.
"Because when Melly needs to calm down or relax, she does Tai-Chi. When she can't relax or needs to exhaust herself she beats a punching bag until she can't anymore." Tony explains.
"Huh, that's interesting." Skye response, "So why did you volunteer for this mission when you knew it would make May angry?"
"Because as much as Melly wants to protect me, and everyone else, that's how much I want to protect her." Tony explains, "Plus I'm here so I might as well make myself useful." He adds.
"Here's the training room." Skye tells Tony when they reach a door, "Good luck."
"Thanks Mini Melly." Tony says before he enters the room. When he does he finds Melinda doing Tai-Chi which he takes as a good sign, "I'm not going to apologise for volunteering for this mission." Tony tells Melinda.
"Why did you?" Melinda asks looking up at him.
"Because this is Hydra Melly, Hydra. You know the organization that terrified our parents, our godparents, people who don't scare easily. I couldn't stand by and watch as you breach a Hydra sight, alone, without backup, not when I could help." Tony explains as he walks towards Melinda, "Can you honestly say that if you knew that I was going to breach a Hydra base alone that you wouldn't come with me?" Tony asks.
"No, I can't." Melinda says with a sigh, "Do everything I tell you to do." Melinda tells Tony.
"I'll try to."
"Anthony…" Melinda says in a warning tone.
"That's the best I can do and you know it." Tony responds.
"I do." Melinda admits, "We need to get ready." Melinda says.
"Just tell me what to do." Tony says and Melinda nods and they both leave the room.
Almost three hours later Melinda is sitting in the cockpit of the plane flying the group to the location.
"Can I come in? Or there some rule saying I can't?" Tony asks, opening the door to the cockpit but not entering.
"Would you care if there was?" Melinda asks curious.
"Well no, but I'm pretty sure you would." Tony admits.
"You can come in." Melinda responds and Tony walks over and sits in the co-pilots seat.
"So I couldn't help but notice that this plane has quite a lot of damage." Tony comments.
"She's been through a lot. But she's survived, just like the rest of us." Melinda explains.
"Why don't you do proper repairs?" Tony asks curious.
"Because that costs money, and it's not something we can afford right now." Melinda explains, "She still flies and we can cloak, right now that's all we can hope for." She explains and Tony nods.
"How long until we get to the destination?" Tony asks curious.
"About an hour." Melinda responds and once more Tony nods.
An hour later everyone is in the Cargo bay.
"So everyone clear on what the plan is?" Phil asks.
"Yep. Hunter and I will drive the car to the closer point. Stark will fly himself and Melinda to the further point." Bobbi answers as she hands Melinda a ICER.
"Is that safe?" Skye asks curious, "Coz I mean you're going to have to fly pretty high to not be caught before you breach, is that safe for May?"
"It's perfectly safe." Tony, who is in the iron man suit, answers.
"It's also not the first time we've done it." Melinda adds.
"Good luck people." Phil says, "Remember preserve as much as possible." He says.
"Yes Sir." Melinda, Bobbi and Hunter answer and Tony nods while putting on his face mask.
As Hunter and Bobbi get in the car Tony walks over, holds onto Melinda before flying them out of the plane.
"So cool." Skye comments.
"Command centre." Phil says simply and everyone else follows them.
Twenty minutes later Melinda and Tony have landed about a mile away from their entrance and are waking to it.
"Tell me again why we are walking up." Tony requests.
"So they don't see us coming." Melinda answers, "Hunter, Bobbi we are about two minutes away. You?" Melinda asks.
"About the same." Bobbi responds.
For the next few couple of Melinda and Tony walk until they get in position and hide behind some cover.
"In position." Melinda says.
"In position." Bobbi responds.
"Think you can do something about those guns?" Melinda asks Tony curious as they are large guns on top of the structure.
"Easily." Tony says and he moves out from behind the cover, to the only place where he would be able to get a shot of but before he can even try to get a shot of a another gun pops up and starts shooting so he has to fly into the air, avoid gun fire from the large guns before flying back down and landing next to Melinda.
"Did you get hit?" Melinda asks Tony concerned as he does.
"Nah."
"Bobbi and Hunter are pinned too." Melinda reveals.
"What's the situation?" Phil's voice asks through the coms.
"We're pinned down by guns. I could destroy them, but I can't get in position to do so without getting hit by another gun." Tony explains, "You guns won't do anything to them with they?" Tony asks Melinda.
"Nope. We need a plan." Melinda responds.
"What I need is a way to shoot both the guns at the same time from two different places." Tony informs Melinda.
"You know I never thought I would say this, but right about now I'm regretting that I said no to you building me that suit" Melinda informs Tony, surprising herself by actually saying that.
"J, deploy Mark Melly." Tony says with a grin.
"You…. Yeah I'm not even surprised." Melinda admits, "How long until it will be here?"
"Three minutes." Tony responds.
"Hunter, Bobbi prepare to move in four minutes." Melinda says through the coms.
"We're pinned down." Bobbi responds.
"You won't be for long."
"Tony there is something coming towards you that has the same signature as one of your suits, please say it belongs to you." Phil says through the coms.
"Technically that belongs to Melly." Tony responds.
"Of course it does." Phil says, honestly not surprised, "Just so I know do you have any other suits that technically don't belong to you?" Phil asks Tony.
"Yeah, two others, Rhodey's and Pepper's." Tony explains.
"That is sooo cool." Skye says exchanging a look with Fitz, Simmons and Mack.
"She needs a name." Simmons comments.
"She soo does." Skye confirms.
"Guys, mission." Phil tells them.
"Right, sorry." Skye says and She, Fitz, Simmons and Mack go back to the mission though it is clear that they are all more interested in the fact that Melinda has an iron man suit rather than anything else.
"So what do you think?" Tony asks Melinda when the Mark Melly suit come into view. Design wise Melinda's suit looks identical to Tony's, in fact the only way you can tell the two suits apart is by the colour. Where Tony's is red Melinda's is Gunmetal grey, and everywhere his is gold, with the exception of the face piece, Melinda's is black. The face piece of Melinda's and everywhere that corresponds with the silver on Tony's suit is midnight blue on Melinda's.
"Blue?" Melinda asks as she walks over to the suit once it lands.
"It needed some colour, plus you really like that particular shade of blue, even if you won't admit it." Tony responds, "Do you remember how to use it?"
"Of course." Melinda says as the suit opens so that she can get in.
"Ready?" Tony asks once Melinda is in her suit.
"Ready." Melinda confirms as the face piece closers.
Without having to explain what their plan is Tony gets into position to shoot the gun he was going to shoot in the first place while Melinda gets in into position to shoot the one that they know will pop up.
Across the other side of the facility Hunter and Bobbi are pinned down behind a large bolder, neither completely sure about what is going to happen.
"How exactly are we not going to be pinned down?" Hunter asks curious.
"I would say thanks to that." Bobbi says as Tony and Melinda, both in iron man suits, take out the guns that are preventing them from moving.
"Bloody hell, is that May in the other suit?" Hunter asks shocked, a look of amazement on his face.
"I would say so." Bobbi responds and as she does she notices the look on Hunter's face, "Close your mouth Hunter, the mere fact that May has a suit should tell you that she is well and truly taken." Bobbi informs Hunter.
"Bobbi, Hunter, move in." Melinda's voice says through the coms.
"Yes Ma'am." Bobbi responds and she and Hunter exchange a look and move into the building.
Over an hour later Melinda, Tony, Bobbi and Hunter have secured the facility and everyone is loading in the items into the bus.
"Are we done?" Phil asks.
"Almost." Mack responds.
"Good. Talbot will be here in half an hour to collect the people." Phil comments.
"I'm pretty sure that's my cue to disappear." Tony comments, "Race you back to base?" he asks Melinda curious.
"No." Phil says before Melinda can answer, "The base is meant to be hidden, two Iron Man suits flying into the base won't keep it hidden for long." Phil tells Tony.
"Did I forget to mention that these suits have stealth mode?" Tony asks.
"Yeah, you did." Melinda tells him, "We can't let Talbot know that one of us can use a suit." Melinda tells Phil.
"You're right, we can't." Phil confirms, "Stay on stealth mode." He says and Melinda nods.
"Bobbi are you comfortable with flying the bus?" Melinda asks.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Bobbi confirms.
"Then we'll see you back at base." Melinda says and she and Tony both get back in their suits.
"J, activate stealth mode on both suits." Tony requests and a minute later both he and Melinda fly out of the base.
"Still soo cool." Skye comments with a grin.
About Four hours later Skye, Phil, Bobbi, Hunter, Mack, Fitz and Simmons are back at the base.
"There's no sign of May and Tony." Skye says when everyone is back in the common area.
"They're probably flying around somewhere." Mack guesses.
"Let me know when May is back." Phil says before heading to his office.
"Guess we should get started on innovatory." Mack comments.
"I don't see why we all have to do it." Bobbi comments.
"Because we decided that it was the only fair way to do it." Skye says as they all head to the Bus.
About an hour into doing innovatory Skye, Fitz, Simmons, Hunter, Bobbi and Mack hear the sound of the roof opening so they walk out of the bus just in time to see Tony and Melinda land side by side.
"Hey it's Iron Man and Iron Maiden." Skye says not really thinking about what she said but the second she does her eyes widen in shock and she gets a look of a dear caught in the headlights.
"No." Melinda says simply as she takes of the face piece of her suit.
"So where are you going to keep the suit?" Mack asks interested.
"I haven't figured out that yet." Melinda responds, "Where's Coulson?"
"In his office. He told us to let him know when you got back." Bobbi explains and Melinda nods and leaves the bus, going to go and talk to Phil. Tony on the other hand stays and once he is sure that Melinda won't overhear what he is going to say he turns to Skye, Fitz, Simmons, Bobbi, Mack and Hunter.
"Would you guys be interested in helping me with something?" Tony asks curious.
"What?" Skye asks interested.
"Well I don't know if you are aware of this but tomorrow is Melly's birthday and I think that those of us here should do something to celebrate that." Tony explains.
"We have to." Simmons says and Skye and Fitz nod enthusiastically.
"What were you thinking?" Skye asks.
"I have a few ideas but what do you think of a surprise birthday breakfast?" Tony asks.
"That sounds….good. May is always looking after us…..It's time we did something for her." Fitz says.
"I like the way you think." Tony says with a grin.
"I'm all for this but how we going to organize everything without May realising what we are doing?" Skye asks.
"Melly trains you in the morning doesn't she?" Tony asks and Skye nods, "That's how we are going to get everything set up, you've just got to make sure you get her to the common area after you finish training." Tony says and Skye nods, "As for how we are going to organize everything I have something to discuss with Melly and Phil which will take at least an hour. Do you think that's enough time to come up with a plan?" Tony asks curious.
"If we all work together it should be." Simmons says, "That includes you Hunter."
"We need supplies and a cake." Skye informs everyone.
"Mack and I can sneak out and get supplies." Bobbi offers, "If you can warn Coulson about what is going on without May finding out." She says to Tony.
"Consider it done." Tony responds, "Oh and for the cake go with a lot of chocolate, Melly loves chocolate." He explains.
"Really?" Skye asks as she didn't know that.
"Really." Tony confirms, "I'll do what I can to keep Melly away from the common area for the rest of the day, ad tonight, but you should have someone on lookout duty."
"We will." Simmons says.
"Good. Like I said I've got to go talk to Melly and Phil." Tony says before leaving them alone.
"Come on, we've got to get this right, this is for May." Skye says and the others nod.
"Can I come in?" Tony asks knocking on the door to Phil's office a few minutes later, still wearing the iron man suit.
"Sure." Phil responds.
"Couldn't find a place to keep yours?" Tony asks when he sees Melinda's suit standing in the corner of Phil's office.
"Not yet. I need to make sure wherever it is its secure." Melinda explains as Tony walks over to where Melinda's suit is then gets out of his leaving the two suits standing next to each other.
"So there's something I want to talk to you both about." Tony says as he walks over to where Melinda and Phil are, this time without his suit.
"Sure, what is it?" Phil asks.
"So I've noticed that you are really struggling around here. That your supplies consist of what you've taken from Hydra and that you're only repairing things if you absolutely have to, and I want to help." Tony explains.
"Anthony…" Melinda starts to say but Tony cuts her off.
"Let me finish before you say no" He says and Melinda nods, "I know what S.H.I.E.L.D means to the two of you, I don't completely understand it, but that makes sense because I haven't been a S.H.I.E.L.D agent for thirty years like you two have." Tony says, "For the last few months I've been going to the files that were realised and I'm starting to realise what S.H.I.E.L.D meant to Dad and Aunt Peggy and I've realised you were right in your letter." Tony says looking at Melinda, "I would be thrilled to take on both of you and all your agents on at Stark, though I know you'll never accept the offers there, but that doesn't mean I don't want to help in another way." Tony says, "I want to set up a fund, which I'll work with Skye to make sure can never be traced back to me, for S.H.I.E.L.D, for the S.H.I.E.L.D that Dad and Aunt Peggy thought it was, which I know it will be in your hands." He says looking at Phil and Melinda, "I just want to give you're the funds to keep you afloat, to help you to do the good you want to do, nothing else." Tony explains.
"You do realise that you can be charged with treason for even offering this, right?" Melinda asks Tony.
"I know, I just don't particularly care." Tony tells Melinda.
"Tony, while your offer is extremely generous I don't think we can accept." Phil tells Tony.
"Phil I know you want to do good, that you want to protect people, hell from everything I know you two are the perfect example of what Aunt Peggy and Dad wanted all S.H.I.E.L.D agents to be, but your struggling to do that right now. If you don't want to accept my offer for yourselves then accept it for all the people you can help if you had more funds, the ability to obtain more resources." Tony says.
"Okay." Phil says not sure if he is making the right decision, "But I don't want it to be traced back to you, I won't risk you and the others you're protecting."
"That I can do." Tony says with a nod, "I actually have question, are you doing okay Phil? I've been trying to find you guy for months and while I was looking I found what Maria called examples of TAHITI patient side effects, so are you okay?"
"I am now." Phil says, "It was touch and go for a while, but I'm fine now." He reveals.
"Good, I'm glad." Tony responds, "Barton will be glad to know that. He's been worried." Tony reveals, "So have Natasha and Maria, but Clint's been even more so." He explains.
"How's he doing?" Melinda ask interested.
"Better than he was before." Tony answers, "A lot better."
"Good. That's good." Melinda say relieved.
"What are you two talking about? What's going on with Clint?" Phil asks.
"Don't you know?" Tony asks surprised.
"Anthony." Melinda says in a warning tone.
"Wait? Doesn't he know how long it was? What happened after?" Tony asks Melinda.
"No." Melinda answers.
"Melly….Why?" Tony asks shocked.
"Because he didn't need to know." Melinda answers.
"What don't I know?" Phil asks.
"It doesn't matter." Melinda answer quickly.
"Melly…" Tony begins to say but Melinda cuts him off.
"Don't. " She says in a stern voice.
"Okay, what the hell don't I know?" Phil asks, "And don't say it doesn't matter because I can see on both of your faces that it does." He tells them.
"How long after you died do you think Fury told Melly?" Tony asks as he feels like Phil should know just what happened after he died even if he does once more make Melinda angry with him.
"I don't know, a week, maybe." Phil comments.
"It was six months." Tony says, "You died in July and according to Maria, which would make sense because it was when you started to act different." He says looking at Melinda, "Melly didn't find out to late January that you were alive."
"No, he would have told you sooner." Phil says looking at Melinda.
"He didn't, and I'm not talking about this." Melinda says before leaving the room, Tony hoping that the 'kids' have someone on lookout.
"How bad was it?" Phil asks a few minutes after Melinda left.
"Bad." Tony answers, "We went to your funeral. Melly wouldn't get dressed and Natasha had to convince her too." He explains, "And she couldn't even place a rose on your coffin." Tony explains, "Natasha, Maria, Melly and Clint were all affected by losing you, because I don't think Maria found out the truth for at least a month, maybe longer, but Melly and Clint, they…." Tony says trying to find the right word, "Were broken." He says finding out the right one.
"What do you mean?"
"Clint slept on Melly's couch. For the week that followed after your funeral they stopped going to work, they stopped showing, they basically stop caring about anything. They lived on pizza and scotch." Tony explains, "All of us, Me, Pepper, Rhodey, Bruce, Natasha, Maria, Aunt Lian tried to get them to react, to do something, but none of us could." Tony explains, "So one night Natasha called Fury in and according to her he told them that they will be at work Monday morning even if he had to dragged them there himself, he someone managed to get through to them when no one else could." Tony explains.
"I didn't know." Phil says, "At first I thought I was only dead for eight seconds and after I found out the truth I didn't even think about what they went through." Phil admits, "Is that why Clint took a leave from S.H.I.E.L.D?"
"From what I know it was only part of the reason." Tony answers, "The other part was because of Loki and what he forced him to do." Tony explains and Phil nods.
"I should go talk to Melinda."
"I think that would be a very good idea." Tony responds, "Also once you've had your overdue conversation try and keep her busy for a few hours, I'm working with the others for a surprise for her birthday which is going to involve Bobbi and Mack going to get supplies." Tony explains.
"It's her birthday tomorrow." Phil says, "I forgot." He admits, "I'll see what I can do." He says and Tony nods and they both leave the office.
After searching a lot of the playground Phil finds Melinda in one of the empty hidden vaults.
"What are you doing?" Phil asks curious.
"Seeing if I can store my suit here." Melinda responds.
"I'm sorry, I had no idea that you went through all that. I thought Fury told you soon after." Phil admits and Melinda doesn't say anything, "You mourned me, were you starting to get over what happened when Fury told you?" Phil asks.
"I could never get over it, not when it was you who died and not when it was my fault." Melinda tells Phil.
"How was it your fault?" Phil asks confused.
"Because I was supposed to be there, but I was too scared, so I wasn't." Melinda reveals, "If I was maybe I could have stopped him, protected you."
"I made my choice Melinda, I chose to confront Loki, and if you were they you couldn't have stopped me." Phil explains, "No one could have."
"I could have tried though."
"Is that how Fury connived you to do what he asked, by playing on your guilt?"
"No. I didn't want to come back at first, I even quit." Melinda admits, to Phil's surprise, "But then Fury explained that there was going to be someone on the team for him and considering the mission I preferred that it was me rather than someone else." Melinda explains.
"You quit?" Phil asks surprised and Melinda nods, "I'm sorry for how I acted when I found out."
"You already apologised."
"Not enough." Phil informs her, "Do you want to go to the training room? Pull out the mats like the old days?"
"Really?"
"Yeah, why not." Phil responds.
"I'll see you there." Melinda says and Phil nods.
Half an hour later Melinda and Phil are still sparing in the training room and when he walks in and see what they are doing Tony can't help but smile and he keeps watching.
"Stark you want a turn?" Phil asks as Melinda helps him up after once more knocking him to the ground.
"Nah, I've had enough lessons with Melly to know I don't stand a chance." Tony responds walking over to them, "Did you win once?" he asks Phil.
"No, but I never do against Melinda." He admits.
"Then why do you spar?"
"Because it's fun and a good learning experience." Phil responds, "I should go check on the kids."
"Phil, they are not actual kids." Melinda tells him.
"You call them kids too, I know you do." Phil responds before leaving the room.
"So are you mad?" Tony asks once Phil has left.
"No." Melinda responds, "Do you want another lesson?"
"Sure."
June 18th 2014. Melinda 47. Tony 44.
After spending a couple of hours distracting Melinda so she doesn't realise what Phil, Skye, Fitz, Simmons, Bobbi, Hunter and Mack were doing Melinda and Tony headed to bed.
It is early and Skye and Melinda have just finished their lesson and they are on their way to the common area, Melinda unaware of what she will find when she walks in.
When Melinda and Skye walk in the find the table covered in food, balloons tied to various things and everyone standing around the table.
"What's all this?' Melinda asks.
"It's for you, happy birthday May." Skye says surprising Melinda by giving her a hug. Once Melinda breaks the hug Skye walks over to Fitz and Simmons while Tony walks over to Melinda.
"Happy Birthday Melly."
"Are you behind this?" Melinda asks.
"I mentioned the idea of breakfast for you birthday and helped when I could, but you got your S.H.I.E.L.D family to thank for this." Tony reveals.
"Thank you." Melinda tells them and Skye, Fitz and Simmons walk over.
"So we couldn't really afford to buy you something, but we wanted to get you something so we talked to Tony and Coulson and they gave us an idea for this." Skye says as Simmons hands Melinda a nicely wrapped present.
"Thank you." Melinda says opening the present. Inside the present is a book which Melinda opens and on the first page is a picture that Melinda has no idea how they would have gotten a picture of the three of them, her and Antoine sitting in the common area playing monopoly, underneath the picture is the caption, 'Happy Birthday May, and thank you for everything you do, whether we are aware of it or not, love Your Kids.', "Thank you." Melinda says surprising Skye, Fitz and Simmons by hugging them, "Where did you get the photo?"
"I hacked the security cameras." Skye reveals, "That was over the winter, only days after we found out the truth." She explains and Melinda nods.
"Are you hungry? We've made your favourites." Fitz tells Melinda.
"Yes, I am." Melinda responds and everyone walks over to the table and sits down.
"Hunter, Mack and I have something to show you once you've eaten." Bobbi reveals as the three of them, with Coulson's permission, worked most of the night to create a secure place for Melinda keep her suit.
"I look forward to it." Melinda responds truly meaning her words. As she looks around the table she feels sadness that Antoine isn't there, but she is also incredibly thankful and happy with her team, the people who are her family, and her Anthony.
