A/N: Hey, everyone! Another update. Enjoy!
Phil didn't know what went down in Bahrain, and he never did. But he knows that it's enough to change Melinda because the next thing he knows, she had quit the field and had requested transfer down to admin. He went down there once, and he saw her, quiet, closed off, and working a desk job. He knows whatever happened in Bahrain is enough to change her completely. He observed her that same day he went down the admin, and that mischievous smirk in her lips is replaced by a straight pursed expression, her eyes dull and tired and her expression tired and stressed, probably from all the working.
He did call Andrew once to check on Melinda, three months after her transfer. "Andrew, is May there?" he asked, when Andrew had picked up the phone.
"Phil?" Andrew sounded tired, stressed. Phil furrowed his eyebrows. "No, she's not. Haven't you heard?" he asked.
"That May transferred in admin, I've heard." Phil had replied. Andrew sighed on the other end of the line.
"Melinda filed for a divorce, and she left to live with her mother." Andrew replied. Phil didn't know what to say.
"Wh—why?" Phil asked. Andrew sighed.
"Bahrain, Phil," Andrew said. "Listen, I know you had no clue what went down there but it's bad. Bad. Bad enough to break Melinda herself."
Since then, Phil made a promise to himself to never ask Melinda what happened in Bahrain. And he didn't want to know what happened in Bahrain. If it's bad enough to hurt Melinda and scar her deep down, it's bad enough. He didn't know what she saw in there, and he didn't want to know what she did, but he kept on telling her that night that it saved their agents, that everyone was safe. Yet again, it's not enough to convince Melinda.
But Fury had just told Phil about his plans for an Avengers team, consisting of various heroes, including billionaire Tony Stark, Dr. Bruce Banner, Agents Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton, Thor the god, and of course his all-time favourite superhero, Captain America. He will be working with them as they start and Fury plans that they all work together in especially big missions. Phil is too excited to work for Captain America, of course, after finally learning that he is, after all, alive after years in ice.
He goes down to the admin to find Melinda. He sees her sipping tea from her mug and he watches her silently. She looks at his direction and Phil gives her a smile. Melinda gives Phil a small smile and stands up. She slowly walks over to Phil.
"Admin, really?" Phil asks. Melinda smiles and chuckles silently, looking down. Phil chuckles and looks at her. "You look well today." he says. She looks up at him and nods.
"Same with you." Her voice is soft, small, timid, as if she is using her voice for the first time in days. As far as Phil is concerned, Melinda does not go a day without speaking about anything. "I heard you'll be working with the new team Fury made."
Phil nods a little too enthusiastically, making Melinda smile. "I kinda wish you're with me on this." Phil admits softly. Melinda's smile fades slowly and she looks down at her feet.
"I can't go back." Melinda whispers. Phil looks down and back to Melinda.
"I'll miss working with you, especially in the field." Phil tells her. Melinda nods. She looks at Phil's tie and fixes it and she looks back up to his face.
"Please be safe out there." she says softly. Phil smiles and nods. Melinda nods back and she walks back to her working area, but before she can, Phil grabs hold of her arm softly.
"I'm sorry, about Andrew," Phil says, and he feels Melinda tense. He cannot see the expression on her face but he knows that Melinda is still deeply hurt about her failed marriage. "Hey, after my first mission with the Avengers, how about we go out to dinner, as friends, just like before?" Phil smiles, and Melinda takes a side glance at Phil and nods, a small smile on her face. Phil lets go of her arm and allows her to walk back to her working area.