Coulson's next stop was his partner.
He slowly pushed into the white room, swallowing and moving towards the bed.
Melinda was sleeping, not restful in the least, blankets tangled in her legs, soft murmurs under her breath.
Phil sat, gently carding his fingers through tangled black hair.
"Easy, Mel, you're okay." He murmured, forefinger gently drawing circles at her temples.
The woman quietened, seeming to calm down at the touch.
After a couple of minutes, her eyelids fluttered open.
Her eyes flitted around the room as she figured out where she was and what had happened.
Her gaze slowly rested on Phil and the man smiled, brushing hair off her forehead.
"Take it easy, you're hurt." He said softly.
"Mm, I'm realising that." She said thickly, eyes glazed from the meds.
"Does it hurt?" He tried very hard to not look at the stark white bandages wrapped around her shoulder and collarbone.
"Not really. Shield has the best pain meds." She hummed, floating just a little.
Phil chuckled, but it was only noise, nothing about this was funny.
Melinda absently scratched at the oxygen tube at her nose, eyelids slipping.
"Sleep, Mel." Phil leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"We'll sort it out." He needed to believe it. Maybe saying it would make it true.
"Grant?" She asked, clinging to consciousness.
"Safe. He's not hurt, you stopped him."
"The others? Skye?"
"Together. Skye's agreed to look into hospital treatment."
Melinda frowned. "'S that a good idea?"
"It's the only option we have left." He said quietly.
Melinda nodded, clumsily rubbing a hand over her face. "Okay."
"But don't worry about that, I'll sort it. Rest." He touched her cheek.
Melinda needed no further prompting, falling asleep in mere seconds.
Phil exhaled shakily, tension clawing at his shoulders and reaching his head in what threatened to be a killer migraine.
He was frustrated and scared, virtually alone in his decisions.
Tears burned his eyes and threatened to fall, but didn't.
He still had one more round to make, and it wouldn't be easy.
But Lance and Bobbi deserved an explanation, and then the two agents could decide how they wanted to proceed.
But for now, Phil needed just a moment more with his partner.
He took her hand, thumb stroking over her knuckles.
It felt like the day would never end and Coulson was more than a little worried of what the future held.
With Melinda asleep, Phil felt just a little alone and his mind flashed to red hair and bow and arrows.
God he missed them.
Maybe it was time, maybe after all these years, it was time to find his old team again.
They would hate him for not telling them sooner but they would also welcome him back, like a piece of jigsaw finally found.
Maybe they could help.
Maybe everything would be okay.
Maybe it was wishful thinking.
He wasn't excited to find out.