Everyone was sad when the Coulsons finally had to leave, but everyone being agents, knew that it was necessary. Their universe's SHIELD needed them, after all. The Coulsons had given them a communication device so that they could share news from time to time. Although it was still a huge grey area of what was allowed to be shared and what wasn't, they agreed it was still nice to have to share casual news. Besides, they had all become fast friends and were reluctant to let the connection die out so soon. The Coulsons promised to drop by whenever they were in the universe.

Hugs and goodbyes were exchanged all around, especially between Skye and Daisy.

"I'm sad I never got to meet your Coulson," Skye sighed. "Maybe next time?"

"You would love him," Daisy promised.

May was the last one to see them off as they boarded their ship. Coulson was up and about, but still wasn't strong enough to stand all the time, so Skye pushed him in a wheelchair for the time being.

"Thanks so much," Skye gushed, wrapping her in a hug. "Hope everything goes well in your universe."

"As well as it can go for SHIELD," May said with a hint of amusement. "It was nice having all of you here."

"Melinda May, always holding down the fort for Phil Coulson," Coulson quipped. He held out his hand.

"You know it," May said, shaking Coulson's offered hand. "Have a safe trip."

He grinned, that well known twinkle appearing in his eyes. "Thanks for everything," he said, and May's heart twinged again, longing for the return of their own Coulson.

The other May gave a slight smile and a nod, and May nodded back. No words were needed between the two women. Each knew what the other would say.

The team watched as the hangar door closed and the newly repaired ship ascended smoothly into the sky and out of sight. The team stood there for a moment in silence, pondering all the events that had taken place the past week.

"Coulson would be sad he missed out," Daisy sighed. "This was the nicest crazy thing that's happened to us."

"It was," May said softly.

The next day, May was once again secluded up in the Director's office, the mission report file still blank on the laptop screen in front of her. She still couldn't find a way to put everything that had happened into words. Not in a way that wouldn't be completely mortifying to herself. She wasn't embarrassed to write that she was married to Coulson in another universe, but just that it might reveal more about her feelings than she was willing, to whoever might read the report now and in future generations. And despite all that had transpired, she was still very private about her feelings. Maybe she could just leave it blank, tell Coulson everything that had happened, and then maybe they could write the report together after all the awkwardness was gotten over with. May smiled; she was liking the idea more and more, and it would be nice to have an excuse to have some one on one time with him when he got back before he got swept up in the busyness of running SHIELD again.

Closing the report file, she resolved to work on something else for the rest of the morning, when she heard a commotion go up from downstairs. Curious, she poked her head out of the office, the noise of excited chatter drifting up growing louder when she did.

"What's going on?" May asked Piper, who was just passing by, presumably on her way downstairs.

Piper grinned. "The Director's back," she said, and continued on her way.

May froze, and felt her heartbeat picking up despite her decades of training. He didn't even call ahead to let her know, that bastard. She tried to be annoyed, but couldn't stay that way for long. Her dorky, kindhearted, hardworking Phil, who never checked in and made everybody stir crazy worried about him, especially her. He's not yours yet, her mind warned her, but she couldn't help it. Maybe she had always thought of him as hers. Hers to protect, to look after.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, she descended the stairs silently to find that most of the people in the base had gathered in the common area around tables heaped high with…food? The smell of Chinese take out wafted into her nostrils, and May had to smile despite herself. It was from her favourite hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Hong Kong. He had remembered. Judging how there was enough food for everyone in the base to have seconds, he probably gave them enough business to last the rest of the year.

And Coulson was in the middle of it all, being clapped on the back or hugged by everyone, Daisy being the first to have launched herself into his arms. May could tell he was clearly tired, but of course, that never stopped him from greeting everyone, asking how they were doing, and making sure his team was okay. Because for him, they always came first, and that was one of the things May loved the most about him. May could tell from the excited chatter that likely some agents had already spilled about the Coulsons' visit from another universe, and she couldn't help the nervousness that suddenly overcame her. But this was Phil, she could talk with him about anything. And he wouldn't push her to share if she wasn't ready.

After Phil had finally made his rounds to everyone, he came over to May with a box of takeout. He knew she would be there waiting for him, like she did every time he came back.

"Saved you some before those youngsters with bottomless stomachs devoured everything," he said with a grin. "I told you I'd get you takeout. And I didn't eat it before I got back. Well, not all of it at least." May smiled despite herself, took the box and looked inside: all her favourites in just the right proportions she liked.

"It's been a week since you called," May said, trying to convey her annoyance, but just couldn't because of his sweet gesture. "You didn't check in."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Phil said, holding up his hands in surrender. "And I will apologize to you later, at length. Things got a little crazy. And at the tail end, I wanted to surprise you."

"Hmm," was all she said, but she knew Phil could tell she wasn't truly mad.

"Melinda," he said, and her heart did the little jump it always did whenever he called her by her first name. "Have you been alright? I've been hearing some pretty crazy things from the others just now."

"I'll tell you all about it," May promised, trying to keep the nervousness from her voice. "But you look tired. You sure you don't want to rest?"

Phil smiled and shrugged. "We always relax together anyways. Let's just go up, eat, catch up, kick back on the couch for a bit. We can talk, or not talk, about whatever. Only if you're up for it though. But I know I should at least get you caught up on what I've been doing too."

"Yeah, you do," May said, trying her best to send a threatening glare, but softened at his adorable apologetic face. "Let's go. But get your own food. I'm not sharing mine."

Phil groaned good-naturedly and dutifully went back to the kitchen to grab his own plate, May smiling as she watched him. She wasn't sure how their conversation would go, or if she would bring up her feelings now or at a later date. But she did know that she was glad to have him back, that the part of her that was in overdrive worrying about him had relaxed. And as Phil returned with a plate heaped full of food and they headed up together, she knew one thing for certain: that being at Phil Coulson's side would always feel like the place where she was meant to be.