Finally I updated! And believe it or not I'm in the process of a brand new fic too! Stay tuned folks (if I don't watch Unreal first…)

Melinda lets out a breath smoothing out the wrinkles on her dress for seemingly the hundredth time. Her heart is thundering against her chest. She wants a drink, terribly so. She finds herself craving drinks more so than usual. It's only been two days since the incident. Now she's here after Peggy accepted a talk show interview on her behalf. She was getting terrible deja vu about the entire event.

"Our guest Melinda May!" Her heart drops as she steps out in front of the crowd. She is met with uncharacteristic silence from the usual crowd. She fakes a smile taking a seat in front of Ian Quinn. He reaches out taking her hand between his fingers pressing a gentle kiss to the back of it. Her stomach curls at the motion. This is the same man who she lashed out at all those years ago.

"You have to prove them wrong Melinda." Peggy's words echo in her ears forcing her to laugh lightly to excuse the action.

"Melinda I wish we could meet on kinder circumstances." His eyes tell another story. A fake laugh escapes her lips too easily.

"Well Ian it seems you have a knack for a good show." She playfully retorts.

"I can't help myself. I got to keep ratings up in some way." He laughs. "Isn't that right folks?" Cheers reflect his statement threatening to burst her eardrums. So many people watching… "So Melinda, shall we address the elephant in the room?"

"Yes please." She cringes slightly at the impatience in her own tone. Yet she can't blame herself. Tension hangs thick in the room.

"Sunday this video was released on Twitter." Oh god. They didn't say they'd show the video. Her back straightens as she forces herself to watch the video. It was almost as if it was staged. The filming was so perfect… She watches as Tony crumples. Cotton fills her throat yet again. God she can't cry. Not here. "So what happened?"

She gapes trying to find words. She had made up thousands of stories backstage in preparation for this moment. "I-"

"Take your time."

"I let things get to me." It's not a total lie. Not completely.

"Like what?" Of course he has to make her say it.

"Andrew's accident for the most part." She sighs. "Thanks to a fellow actor," Ward, her mind bitterly adds. "It's no secret that Andrew and I had an argument before he got in it. I felt like it was my fault." Unfortunately, the truth. "I was on an emotional high and I lost it."

"But why Stark? Andrew regaled seeing the incident in a recent interview. The one where he talked about Bahrain." Her teeth clench as her throat tightens.

"He had made a dumb joke about Bahrain." She lies. "I didn't take it as that when I first heard it and I took it out on him. I feel truly sorry." Another lie. She doesn't have an ounce of regret for hitting him.

"Well he seems to be forgiving you. Didn't even file a suit against you. I pull that stunt and I'll end up with a parole sentence." He let out a laugh again. Like a cult the crowd joins in. "Yet you still quit. Why is that?"

"Guilt." She states. "Apologizing is one thing but you have to own a sense of responsibility. Tony didn't file a lawsuit. He didn't even fire me."

"I suppose you make a point. On to the next question. Andrew recently released an interview with Victoria Hand titled The Truth About Bahrain. What are your thoughts?"

"Andrew is doing what he's always done. He saves my ass when I make a mistake." She laughs, getting a surprising chuckle from the audience. "But it's true."

"You watched Katya die?"

"I couldn't get to her." She says slowly. "I was in the doorway and Katya was by her mother. I watched as the floor caved out from under her." She lets out a slow breath. "I couldn't save her."

"Did you kill her?" She freezes at his words. She knew it. She was waiting for it to happen. The words that he would try to make her snap with. He always finds those words… She was not letting him have them.

She smiles sadly brushing a loose hair out of her face. "I ask myself that every time I wake up." Again the truth is slipping from her lips. God why couldn't she stick to her lies. A single tear slips down her cheek. She brushes it away quickly. "Could I have done something to help her? Could I have reached her in time? Did I kill her?" She narrows her eyes at Ian. "Though I tend to save those questions for a therapist and no offense Ian but you're not him." The crowd falls silent for a second before bursting into laughter.

His face is priceless. His jaw has fallen and his eyes are bugged out beyond normal standards. Out of hundreds of interviews nobody had called him out. Especially on live tv. "Well, it's time for a commercial break! When we come back we will have Jason Wilkes with the hottest new love triangle! Stay tuned!"

Melinda makes a break for the dressing rooms as soon as cut is called. She lets out a slow breath allowing herself to calm down. She removes the mic pack and is about to remove the dress when a knock wraps against the door. "Come in!" She calls.

Ian enters with a fake smile. He shuts the door quickly allowing his persona to quickly drop. He storms to her catching her arm in a painful grip. Assurance that she won't escape.

"That was one hell of a stunt you pulled out there." He growls.

"You mean the truth?" She asks innocently.

"You know what I mean." He frowns. "I could ruin your life May. I have plenty enough evidence to go to the press with."

"No you don't." She smiles. "Otherwise you would have exploited it on your show to get a rise out of me. I am not letting you ruin me or anybody else any more. If you're trying to tear me down you better believe I will drag you with me. No release my arm before you end up in the market for a prosthetic. I know a guy that could help." He removes his hand quickly moving to storm out. "Oh and Quinn, if you try going to the press about this encounter, you should know for certain matters I film myself. You know, because of what's happened." She smiles replaying the video of him threatening her.

The door shuts quietly as not to cause a scene but she can feel that he was resisting the urge to slam the door.

Her heart is still pounding even after he is clear away.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

" SonofCoul: Damn! You get them Mama May! #CancelHourWithIan"

" PhilindaPheels: My baby is all grown up and calling out bullshit on people! #CancelHourWithIan"

" DaisysArms: Damn I didn't even catch Ian's game! #CancelHourWithIan"

" MELINDVMVY: Bow down bitches! #CancelHourWithIan"

" TonyStank: Man I feel awful… Wish I had known the whole story… I'm so sorry Melinda May #CancelHourWithIan"

Melinda smiles a bit to herself before a knock on the door startles her. Phil stands with a six pack of beer, a bouquet of flowers tucked in his elbow, a stack of movies balanced on his other arm, and a white teddy bear in his hand.

"This seems excessive for a talk show." She says with a raised eyebrow. "What did you do this time?"

"Apologizing." Phil frowns. "Can I come in?"

"Uh, sure." She says slowly stepping aside.

"I brought the entire Star Wars series, a six back from bucks and well… You can see what those are." He says placing them on her table.

"Phil what is this?"

"I should have stuck by you when you quit. I should have understood why. I mean I tried convincing you to going back to him. I should have-"

"Phil you're rambling."

"I'm sorry I just quit. I'm a little crazy right now and I-"

"You did what!" She cries.

"I quit."

"Why the hell did you do that?" She snaps.

"You quit too! I did it for you." He smiles.

"I quit because he paid my ex husband to leave me in Hawaii!"

"And you're my best friend!" Guilt settles in her gut yet again. Oh god she had assumed… She has to put an end to this.

"About that… Us sleeping together has to stop." She says slowly. His face falls making her swallow heavily.

"What?"

"I'm using you and you're just taking it. I can't live with myself. You deserve more than this. You deserve more than me."

His hands grip her upper arms forcing her to look at him. "I don't want anybody else. I'm an adult May. Don't you think that if I didn't want this I would have stopped?"

"Well we were drunk and I was angry and-"

"And if anything I was taking advantage of you. I don't want more than you." He says slowly cupping her cheek. "I love you Lin."

"You what?" She meets his eyes finally.

"I love you Melinda Qiaolian May." He whispers pressing his forehead against his. "What other lunatic would bring a girl a teddy bear and entire box set of Star Wars, including The Force Awakens which in a box set is very rare I might add. But who else would bring someone that stuff at one in the morning. I mean I have-"

She presses her lips against his effectively silencing him. His hands settle on her waist pulling her closer making her heart jump in her chest.

He pulls away first pressing his forehead against hers again. "Does this mean you love me too." She punches his shoulder with a smile that gives away her amusement.

"You're an idiot."

"Can I just hear it once?"

"I love you Phillip James Coulson."

He cringes with a laugh. "Did I sound that cheesy too?"

"Yes. Yes you did." She lets out a small chuckle. "And you know you don't have to buy the box sets right? You can buy the movies separately."

"Bonus features Lin!" He cries out as if he's hurt. She moves to punch him in the shoulder again but he catches her wrist this time with a laugh. "Did anyone tell you you have violent tenden-" He cuts himself off as he catches gaze of the bruise forming on her wrist. "Who did this to you?" He demands.

"Ian Quinn decided I needed a firm talking to." She laughs.

"Mel this isn't funny he hurt you." He sighs.

"If he hurt me he'd be dead and you know that Phil."

"But-"

"I don't care about the bruise. I'm fine Phil." She smiles slightly.

"Did you kick his ass?"

She lets out a laugh. "I just threatened to give him a prosthetic. Said I knew a guy." He let's out a laugh pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"We'll figure this out Lin. I promise."