A/N: I do not own anything except maybe Dr. Hogarth? Anyway, here's Chapter 13!
Melinda had done exactly what she was told to do the moment she found out she was pregnant. She had been overseeing as much missions as she can and had been giving briefings to agents as much as she can take. Phil had been taking care of her, and since Audrey had moved back to Portland, he had spent most of his free time in Melinda's apartment, making sure that she's eating and taking care of herself.
They had spent Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year together. Melinda did not want her parents to come over her apartment, and she did not want to flee New York. Phil was determined to not leave Melinda alone on these occasions, besides Audrey was busy with her own family and tours. Melinda had convinced Phil to travel to Portland for Audrey but Phil wasn't moved by any of it. Phil cooked dinner in Thanksgiving, the two went out for dinner on Christmas eve, and the two watched the fireworks over Times Square on New Year's eve.
But no, they weren't a couple.
They refused to talk about it. They would tell everyone it's too complicated to explain, or that it's a long story. They would just use the baby as the reason why they bond too much. They would explain that Audrey's always busy, and Melinda had to have someone to look out for her (Melinda hated this reason out of all, she is more than capable of taking care of herself.).
But both of them knew it's more than these given reasons.
For Phil, he secretly wishes it wasn't over. He could get his shot of a normal life right now with Melinda. But he has Audrey. He loves her too much to even leave her. But Melinda? He knows in his heart that he could never love anyone as much as he loves Melinda. It's more than his baby, more than the days at the Academy and more than their missions in S.H.I.E.L.D. together. It's just…her.
Four and a half months along in her pregnancy, Melinda can swear she had never been more thankful that the morning sickness stage is over, only to be replaced by back pains. She's used to it, though, but she'd gladly take the option to have her pregnancy in peace without the back pains.
Melinda had never been more thankful to Phil who has literally been by her side in their baby checkups. She remembered him recording the baby's heartbeat in his phone when they first heard it, and she remembered seeing the sonogram of their baby framed and is on top of his bedside table.
"Good morning, Agent May, Agent Coulson." Dr. Hogarth greets, when she enters the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility clinic to see Melinda already changed and lying down on the chair. Phil is sitting beside Melinda. The two smile at their regular doctor.
"We're back." Phil says in a light voice. Melinda rolls her eyes and smiles.
"And how's Mama May?" Dr. Hogarth asks.
"Morning sickness over, but it was replaced by back pains," she complains, frowning. "Can't I just carry my baby in peace and experience the pain in the end?" Dr. Hogarth chuckles and prepares her instruments.
"Oh, the sacrifices your body gives for a baby," she says. "And there will be a whole lot more when the baby grows up, you know."
"Starting to prepare our bank accounts already, thank you, doctor." Phil says. Dr. Hogarth laughs softly and opens the hospital gown to reveal Melinda's slightly big baby bump.
"And the bump's getting bigger, huh," she observes. Melinda smiles. "You'll have to relive yourself from missions already, Agent May, the bump could literally get in the way."
"Eh, I'm getting there." she replies softly. Phil grabs her hand and gives it a light squeeze.
Dr. Hogarth squirts cold gel over Melinda's bump and scans her device over it. Phil and Melinda look at the screen. They could almost see an actual figure of an actual baby.
"The baby's actually there." Melinda whispers, eyes not leaving the screen, in awe of what she's seeing. Phil is also watching the screen intently, taking in the head of his baby, and really taking in the fact that he's seeing a glimpse of his baby.
"You're eighteen weeks along," Dr. Hogarth says. "Do you want to know the baby's sex?"
"Yes, please." Melinda replies, not missing a beat. She looks over at Phil who smiles at her and nods. Dr. Hogarth continues to move the instrument over Melinda's abdomen and smiles as she looks at the two. Phil and Melinda are looking at her expectantly.
"It's a normal healthy baby girl." she announces, grinning.
Melinda lets out a small laugh and covers her mouth with her hand as tears start to trickle her eyes. She's having a baby girl, a baby who can look like her and have her father's quirks and actions. She looks over at Phil, who is still looking at the monitor in awe. Phil diverts his gaze over to Melinda, and grins at her. He, too, cannot believe that he is having a baby girl.
"I'll print out a sonogram for the both of you," Dr. Hogarth says. "And after that, Agent May, you can go get changed so that you two can get back to the base, alright?" The two absentmindedly nod as Dr. Hogarth cleans away the gel from Melinda's abdomen and leaves the room, leaving the monitor on with the sonogram of their baby picture on it. The two can't get their eyes off of it.
"We're having a baby girl." Phil whispers to Melinda. Melinda nods as tears start to flow from her eyes. Phil presses a kiss on her temple and strokes Melinda's hair. "She's going to be as beautiful as her mother."
Melinda smiles and looks at Phil. She strokes his face softly with her right thumb and cups his face. "I've always thought of her looking like me and acting like you." she says softly. Phil laughs softly and is about to close the gap between them—
"Here are the sonograms." The two pull away from each other quickly, just in time before Dr. Hogarth enters the room with the pictures on her hand. Melinda quickly wipes her eyes with the back of her hand as Dr. Hogarth hands them their respective copies of the sonogram.
"Thank you, doc." Melinda says softly. The doctor looks at both of them.
"Congratulations to the both of you, and I mean it." The two look at her gratefully.