A/N: I'm sorry for the late update!
Melinda and Natasha are sparring on the downstairs makeshift gym of the plane. For the fourth out of seven long, difficult rounds, Melinda pins Natasha down on the mats. Both women pant as Melinda prepares for her final blow at Natasha, who rolls away and just lies down on the mat. Melinda breathes heavily and sits down on the mat, watching Natasha just lying down, catching her breath with her eyes closed.
"How the hell do you do that?" Natasha asks, looking at Melinda, her eyebrows furrowed. Melinda chuckles.
"I've had practice." Melinda answers, standing up. Natasha sits up and Melinda throws her a bottle of water, which she catches and drinks immediately.
"So you're saying that I'm the one who lacks practice?" Natasha asks, after emptying the bottle. "For someone who had a baby, you're the one difficult to take down."
"Hey, I had a difficult time taking you down too." Melinda says with a shrug, drinking the water. "And I think having a baby kind of helps, you know, mostly with the emotions and the drive to fight."
Natasha laughs bitterly and stands up. She's glad to see Melinda up and about her own self again, and taking the baby situation quite lightly than before. Before, Natasha remembers, she would squirm and stay quiet at the mention of her baby, whether the mention would be an accident or for mission's sake. Besides, Natasha sees that it does help Melinda form her own drive in fighting.
"Can you pilot a plane now?" Natasha asks, walking over to Melinda who looks at her.
"I can." she replies. "Hill told me there's still a few more things I need to learn but nonetheless, I can. Why?" Natasha nods.
"In the next mission, do you want to pilot the plane?" Natasha asks. Melinda's eyes twinkle and she smiles.
"Yeah, sure." she says. Natasha gives her a smile and leaves the gym, leaving Melinda alone. She turns and sees Phil entering the gym. Melinda smiles at him.
"Someone's up early." she says. Phil stops in front of her and smiles.
"It's just one of those days." Phil replies with a shrug, and he looks around the gym. "Besides, I kinda miss training with Barton. The last time we trained was two weeks ago."
"I can spar with you, if that's what you're asking." Melinda says, her arms snaking around his body. Phil smirks and wraps his arms around Melinda's waist.
"And take me down just like at the Academy? You managed to take down Romanoff more times than she took you down." Phil points out. Melinda laughs.
"Just for old times' sake, maybe." she says softly. She leans and rests her head on Phil's chest, closing her eyes when she feels Phil's head relaxing over hers. Phil's hand move up to stroke Melinda's long ponytail.
"You're sweaty." Phil mumbles. Melinda chuckles.
"You should've considered that before you pulled me in earlier." she replies. Phil laughs softly.
"Couldn't resist it," he says. "I missed you."
"Phil, I lost count the number of times you've said that."
"Ha ha, very funny, Mel."
"I know I'm funny." Phil grins and presses a kiss on top of Melinda's rather very sweaty head. Phil wipes his mouth off the sweat and pulls back. Melinda laughs when she realised what he just did.
"You better go to bath so I can give you a proper kiss." Phil says. Melinda laughs and pecks a kiss on Phil's cheek before leaving the gym, and to her bunk.
Half an hour later, Phil walks to Melinda's bunk and opens it, when he sees Melinda in her underwear and bra. Phil takes a step back when Melinda tilts her head to the side.
"It's nothing you've never seen before, Phil, come on." she says softly. Phil smiles and closes her bunk as he sits down on her bed. Melinda grabs a pair of black leggings and blue shirt and put them over her body. When she's done, she sits down beside Phil as he wraps an arm around her shoulder. She rests her head on his shoulder.
"Did you know it's been a year?" Phil asks quietly. Melinda blinks. "She should be a year old now."
Melinda is silent as she buries herself further in Phil's embrace. Phil sighs and leans back on Melinda's bed, so that she is now resting her head on his chest. She is still, quiet, when she shifts her head, so that she is looking at Phil, who is looking straight ahead.
"Do you think things could have been different?" Phil continues. "Like, where would we be right now, what would she look like…" He looks down, and so does Melinda. Phil lifts his hand and strokes Melinda's hair with a light touch.
"We never had the chance to give her anything, you know," Phil continues again, his voice softer and gentler this time. "Apart from life itself. We never gave her a name. I remembered we once talked about it. We were planning on naming her—"
"Daisy." Melinda continues, with a soft smile as she looks back up at Phil. He nods and smiles sadly at her.
"Would have been a perfect name for a beautiful baby." Phil whispers. Melinda sighs.
"She's not completely gone," she tells him. "She's out there, I know it. I just…I just know she's out there. I just…" she trails off and closes her eyes with a heavy sigh. "Mother's senses, maybe."
"Do your senses tell you if she's okay?" Phil asks softly. Melinda opens her eyes and looks at Phil.
"I don't know." she replies, her voice barely above a whisper.
Phil looks straight ahead again and Melinda rests her cheek against Phil's chest, closing her eyes at the comfort of someone she loves. Phil rests his hand on her back.
"Happy birthday, Daisy." Phil whispers absentmindedly. Melinda smiles sadly, tears starting to well up in her eyes once more.
"Happy birthday, baby girl."
Oooh, who's Daisy? Review away!