A/N: A episode tag to the recent episode "T.A.H.I.T.I.", because I'm a little bothered by Coulson lying to May.
I'm not a native speaker, so apologize in advance if there are any grammar mistakes.
People like us, we need people like him.
Much later that night, Phil comes to the cockpit, after he commanded Jemma to finally get some rest, and stood outside of Skye's room with Ward and Fitz for a while, guarding her and listening to the steady beeping sound that matched her heartbeat.
He sits on the copilot seat, staring at the dark sky that surrounds them. A moment of silence passes and he says,"What I said earlier, about what happened back there...I lied. But I'm sure you knew."
Without turning her head, his company makes a small affirmative sound. Phil watches she switching the plane to autopilot and continues, "I know I shouldn't, but what I saw there was...I don't know what that was. There was...There was a giant blue thing..."
Phil stumbles. Despite the few hours have already passed since his discovery, recalling the scene still strikes him with full force.
Melinda waits him out patiently.
"The thing was a body," he closes his eyes, "half a body, actually. It was not like anything I've seen, but I think it's an alien. They were drawing fluid from him, and that was what they used to bring me back and what Jemma gave to Skye."
He speaks rapidly, almost as if he is panicking, "I don't know what they're doing Mel, S.H.I.E.L.D or whoever they are, I don't know what the alien body fluid has changed in me, and I don't know what it will do to Skye. I..."
He shakes his head, his hands trembling. "There are too many things I don't understand, Melinda."
"Phil." She calls him, closing her hand around his. Through the distant haze, he feels the warmth and a gentle squeeze.
"You may not know now, but you'll find out."
Phil looks up to her, into her calm, deep eyes, and that is what brings him back. Away from the unknown territory, from the alien body in the blue water, back to here, a place where he has a partner, and friends. Home.
Melinda holds his gaze. "We've seen worse, but that never stops you before."
He smiles at that, a bit meekly, but it reaches his eyes. "I guess you're right. Whatever secret they're hiding from us, we'll find out."
Realising he still holds on to her, Phil drops his gaze to their entwined hands and notices an ugly bruise stark on her pale skin. "Still hurts?"
She withdraws her hand quickly. (In her absence, he misses the warmth immediately.) "I'm fine."
"That was a wrong decision," she adds, half to him, half to herself. "He deserved it, but I'll make sure it won't happen again."
He rarely sees Melinda losing control, especially not since Bahrain. He doesn't understand the reason behind it, as well as he doesn't know the complete story of Bahrain, but he knows the importance of being in control to her. Phil makes a mental note that he should talk to her about it someday. Not today though, today they're both too exhausted.
"I agree it was a wrong move," he says gently, "but remember what you used to tell me all the time, it's OK to let it go sometimes."
Melinda looks down, and for a briefest moment, Phil thinks he sees something crack on her face. Yet the stoic look soon comes back; she switches the autopilot back to manual and says, "I need to pilot the plane. You're welcome to stay if you want, but don't distract me."
He smiles to himself and complies, sitting in the solitude and simply enjoying her presence. Stars scatter on the sky outside and a moon hangs so brightly just upon them. Phil knows he is supposed to be quiet, but he can't help but says, "I'm glad you agreed to be on board, Mel. I...We need you."
No, Melinda thinks, it's not the right way around.