Melinda slides into the leather chair across from Anna and sets a bottle of water in front of her. "I'd give you something stronger," she explains, "but Simmons told me not to."

Anna nods. She reaches for the drink and gives a small smile of thanks to May for unscrewing the top for her. While Phil and Triplett'd tried to track down the team's plane, Jemma had set Anna's three broken fingers, hand, and right wrist in a cast. "I'd ask you what color you want, but this is a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, so all I have is black," the younger woman had apologized. It's bulky and already itches, and it will have to stay for at least six weeks. Whatever pain killers Jemma had given her are losing their edge, and Anna thinks it's only a matter of time before she'll clearly feel her pulse throbbing in her fingertips.

Anna and Melinda are the plane's only two occupants. They're en route from Ottawa to Portland where Anna will be reunited with her cat and pick up whatever necessities she needs before moving to New York. On the list of things she has to take with her are Felix, her two cellos, and a box that holds her most precious belongings: her engagement ring and wedding band, the dog tags from both her father and David, a small hospital ID bracelet, and the cufflinks she'd been planning on surprising Phil with before the Battle of New York. The items are all encased within a simple, wooden jewelry box; it's the only thing Anna has that belonged to her mother.

While Jemma had wrapped her cast, Anna'd managed to get a call to her boss, who'd told her she'd have to be let go due to her injuries. He'd said she could audition again once she'd recovered from being attacked, but Jemma had said it would take minimum four months for Anna to get back up to snuff. She'd briefly considered finding a teaching position in Portland, but then Maria Hill'd informed her there was an opening in New York.

"There's a part-time teaching position open at NYU. And rumor has it Stark Industries needs a consultant for the musicians they hire for their soirees."

Phil'd smiled at that. "Find a way to thank Pepper for me."

This isn't the first example of the CEO showing kindness to Anna. The two had met at Phil's funeral, the same place Anna had met Maria. Pepper had consistently checked in on Anna every two or three months after she lost Phil. She had no reason to do so, but the woman kept saying that both she and Tony owed Phil their lives and that this was the least they could do.

Now the "least they could do" includes keeping Anna employed and giving her a place to live. It's all incredibly sweet but also so very ridiculous.

Melinda sets her own bottle of water on the table. "I won't be able to fly you to New York. Pepper is sending Happy Hogan to do that." She pulls out a cell phone and shows Anna an image of a middle-aged man with short, curly hair. "This," she continues while swiping to the next picture on her phone, "is the passcode to know that it's really him." Anna memorizes the short phrase and nods. "I can stay with you till he arrives if you want."

"I appreciate that, but it's okay," Anna answers. "I'm due for an ugly sobbing session, and no one needs to be around for that. Besides, I'd rather you go help Phil."

One of Melinda's eyebrows quirks at that. "I'm not sure Coulson would agree with you."

"He got played and he's pouting about it. It's nothing against you. You ever beat him at Monopoly?"

"Can't say I have."

"Well, if you ever play him, just lose on purpose. I mean, don't be obvious about it, but for everyone's sake—just lose." Melinda nods before her gaze turns toward the window. Despite the blank look on her face, Anna can tell a million things are racing through the other woman's head. "It's not your fault," she tries on a whim.

"I should've known better," Melinda says with a shake of her head. "I was distracted."

"Happens," Anna tells her.

"You ever get a bad feeling about him?"

No one has spoken Grant's name, not unless they've had to, not since Phil and Triplett had pulled a body from the ceiling and Jemma identified the killer. That whole part of the afternoon is fuzzy in Anna's brain, and that's okay with her. Her mind had only cleared up a bit when Phil'd hugged her goodbye on the Ottawa tarmac.

"He reminded me of my husband," Anna answers. Melinda's head tips slightly at that, a silent invitation for her to continue. "I'm not saying my husband was an evil traitor or bad or anything at all, it's just… Have you ever been married?"

"Once," Melinda replies, and there is just enough venom in it to tell Anna that she can continue with her point.

"Marriages end. Sometimes it's one person's fault, sometimes it both people's fault, and sometimes you can't blame anyone. That's what happened to David and me. We did everything we were supposed to do and it all just…" Her voice fades out, and she feels her eyes fill with tears. She takes a moment to get her emotions back under control because if she starts crying now, she won't stop. "Even though we'd been dealt a blow that ended our marriage, we never divorced or anything, just existed around each other. We both drowned ourselves in our work, and the few times we were around each other and out in public, we both put on this mask. We promised everything was fine even though it was an obvious lie." Anna pauses to take another sip of water. "When we were all in Phil's apartment after he and I reunited, Grant stepped out of the room to take a call."

Melinda nods. "Hill was calling him with new orders."

"I had to go get something out of the bedroom, I don't remember what it was, but Grant was distracted by the call and didn't notice me. His face was like that—just blank, no feelings showing. And whenever he was around you guys, that near-perfect match of emotions slid back in place." Anna shrugs. "I just assumed it was the job."

The silence hangs in the air for a few minutes before Melinda turns her attention back on Anna. "What's going on with you and Phil?"

Anna's gut reaction is to be offended at yet another invasion of privacy, but she knows May asks out of worry. And she should. Phil'd told her he was sending her away because having her around would compromise him, and he couldn't afford anymore weaknesses at the moment. He'd once again left the choice open to her if they should pursue their relationship anymore.

"But not until I get Ward and Garrett," Phil'd said.

"And if you never get them?"

He'd only had a shrug for an answer. "I guess this is good—"

"No," she interrupted. "We didn't say that word the last time and I got you back. So we're not saying it now."

The kiss they'd then shared had been too short and not enough, but it was all they had. A minute later, Maria led Anna to a sleek, white plane. She hadn't expected to find May as the pilot, but given Phil's current opinion of Melinda, Anna'd understood why the women kept him in the dark about who would serve as pilot on the flight back to Portland.

"I don't know," Anna answers. "So keep him alive so I can figure it out, okay?"