Chapter 4
Disclaimer: I don't own anything
AN1: So I know a press release indicates that May's father may actually be alive, but I wrote this long before that came out and I liked the scene I wrote.
AN2: Thank you to everyone who supports this story. I know I ask every chapter but please leave a review/comment. It helps me more than I can explain to get reviews or comments.
Natasha has only been asleep for about three hours when she is woken. At first Natasha isn't sure what has woken her until she hears Melinda's voice.
"I'm sorry." Melinda says and Natasha realises right away what's going on.
"Mel, wake up." Natasha says shaking Melinda and after a few seconds Melinda bolts upright, "it's okay, Mel, you're okay." Natasha assures her friend as she comfortingly rubs her her hand on Melinda's back, due to the fact that it isn't the first time she has been woken by Melinda's nightmares, just like Melinda has been woken by hers in the past, Natasha knows what to do.
"Yeah, I need some air." Melinda says as she throws the blanket off.
"Do you want some company?" Natasha ask curious as Melinda stands up and grabs her phone.
"No, I'll be okay. Go back to sleep, Nat." Melinda says as she leaves the room.
As Natasha watches her friend go she frowns concerned, but doesn't follow, knowing for a fact that Melinda is saying no because she really doesn't want company and not because she did but was too proud to admit it.
After she left Natasha's rooms Melinda just walks through the facility, not really having a location in mind, she is just walking.
"Melinda." A voice says when Melinda is walking and she turn to see Fury.
"Nick." Melinda greats, "Still an insomniac I see." Melinda says as in all the years she has known Fury she has known him to never sleep much.
"Somethings never change, even when everything else does." Fury informs Melinda.
"You're right there." Melinda admits, "It's good to know that there is something that hasn't changed when everything else has."
"Phil lied to you about Theta protocol to protect you." Fury informs Melinda.
"I know." Melinda says, "And I get it, it's the same reason why I didn't tell him about TAHITI, and that's the problem." Melinda admits.
"What do you mean?' Nick says, being curious because it is his fault that both Melinda and Phil kept those secrets.
"It's like we're wheels going into circles, both getting more bruised and bloody the more lies we tell and the more we do to protect each other, never being able to break the pattern." Melinda explains, "I don't know how much more hurt I can handle."
"For what it's worth I'm sorry Melinda, for the part I played in this." Fury says, feeling bad as both Melinda and Phil are important to him so he doesn't like to see them hurt.
"Thanks Nick." Melinda admits, "But it's not on you. We're the ones who lied to each other."
"Yeah you were, but it was under my orders. I know you're hurting but is that hurt worth throwing away everything that you've been through or do you think you can get pass it?" Fury asks.
"Honesty, I don't know." Melinda admits, "I need time to figure things out." She says as that was why she called Natasha for a drink before heading back to The Playground.
"Then take all the time you need." Fury says, "But knowing you two like I do I think you'll regret if if you don't forgive Phil eventually." Phil says and Melinda gives a nod as she has a feeling that he is right.
"I'll see you later Nick."
"See you later." Nick responds and Melinda continues her work while Fury heads back to what he was doing.
After talking to Fury Melinda headed up to the roof so that she can sit and think as she always likes the view from high places, it comes with being a pilot. Melinda has been sitting for about five minutes when she hears footsteps and she turns to see Steve.
"Captain." Melinda says surprised.
"Agent May." Steve greats.
"What are you doing up here?" Melinda asks Steve as he walks over.
"I get alerted when there is activity on the roof, I thought I would check to make sure everything was okay." Steve explains as he sits down next to Melinda, "Is it?"
"Yeah." Melinda answers, "I wanted to see the view. It's much better than the one I'm used to at the base I've been at."
"Oh?" Steve asks, "What's the base you've been at like?"
"It's an old SSR base that Nick converted." Melinda explains, "Basically underground tunnels."
"I guess the view here would be better." Steve realises.
"Yeah." Melinda says and she and Steve drift into silence.
"What is your team like?" Steve asks curious after a few minutes of silence, even though he is quiet comfortable with the silence Steve would like to get to know Melinda better and the best way to do that is by asking questions.
"They're good people." Melinda says, "Really good." She says, "I put together the team to be a safety net in case Phil experienced the side effects of the procedures that brought him back, but it became something that I couldn't even imagine." Melinda admits, even though she isn't one for talking she finds it quite easy to talk to Steve.
"In a good way?"
"A very good way." Melinda answers.
"So the team is you and Coulson, and who else?" Steve asks curious.
"Well there is Skye, she wasn't a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, not officially anyway, until the day S.H.I.E.L.D fell, but a hacker. Phil invited her to join on as a consultant after our first mission, she has grown to be a great agent. I took over her training after S.H.I.E.L.D fell and she's the one who developed powers." Melinda explains, "Then there is Jemma Simmons and Leo Fitz. They are geniuses. Simmons is a biochemist with two PHD's and Fitz is an engineer." Melinda explains, "That was our original team." Melinda says, purposely not mentioning Ward, "But since we've been rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D we've had other people join us, but we've also lost a member." Melinda says sadly, "Antoine Triplett was a highly skilled agent, the grandson of a Howling Commando and he died in the line of duty." Melinda says, there being pain in her voice.
"Who? Who was his grandfather?" Steve asks, needing to know.
"Gabe Jones." Melinda answers, "Trip happily told stories, he was so proud of his grandfather." Melinda admits, "He was an incredible agent, and I was glad to have known him." Melinda admits and Steve just gives a nod, not sure what else to say.
"Who else is on your team?" Steve asks after a few minutes of silence.
"Bobbi Morse, Alphonso 'Mack' Mackenzie, and Lance Hunter." Melinda explains, "Bobbi is a former S.H.I.E.L.D agent, she's worked with Clint, Natasha, Maria, Phil and I in the past, she's an amazing agent." Melinda explains, "Mack is a mechanic and engineer, knows his way around a machines better than most and Lance Hunter is a former Mercenary recently turned S.H.I.E.L.D agent and Bobbi's ex-husband. "
"Sounds like a good group." Steve says, still thinking about the Gabe he knew having a grandson who died.
"They are." Melinda say and the two of them drift into silence.
"It's getting late." Steve says after he and Melinda have been sitting in silence for about twenty minutes, "Or early, I guess."
"Yeah, I guess so."
"You don't sleep much, do you, Agent May?" Steve ask remembering all the nights he found Melinda in the gym at the Triskelion.
"Neither do you, Captain." Melinda comments.
"True." Steve admits, "So um, seeing as how neither of us are likely to get much sleep can I buy you a cup of coffee, Agent May?" Steve asks curious, it being clear that he is nervous.
"I hate coffee."
"Oh." Steve says, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice.
"But I wouldn't say no to a cup of tea." Melinda says quickly as she didn't mean for it to sound like she was saying no.
"Great." Steve says happily, "There is a diner about fifteen minutes away, open twenty four hours, it's better than anything we can get here this time of the night, would you like to go there?"
"Sure." Melinda answers, "Just give me ten minutes to get dressed." Melinda says as she is wearing her version of pyjama's which are an old S.H.I.E.L.D t-shirt, which may not have originally been hers, and yoga pants.
"Sure. I'll meet you in the garage in ten?" Steve suggests.
"Sounds good, I'll see you there, Captain." Melinda says before getting up and leaving.
After leaving the roof Melinda heads straight back to Natasha's rooms and because she doesn't want to wake up Natasha Melinda starts to search through her bag as quietly as possible without turning on a light, something which she has a lot of experience with.
"Where are you off to this time of the morning?" Natasha asks as she turns on the lamp.
"To get some tea." Melinda answers as she finds a tank top and a pair of jeans.
"And you need to get dressed to do that?" Natasha asks, giving Melinda a look.
"Stop digging Nat, just ask your questions." Melinda requests a she finds her boots and grabs one of her leather jackets.
"I already did. Why do you need to get dressed to get tea?" Natasha asks.
"Because I'm going to a diner." Melinda answers as she heads to the door.
"With who?" Natasha asks as Melinda leaves the room, but in response Melinda just gives a smirk and leaves, "I WANT DETAILS MELINDA QIAOLIAN." Natasha calls after he friend, wondering what is going on though going by what as been going on lately she could guess who Melinda is going with tea with.
After she gets dressed and once she puts her hair up in a ponytail Melinda heads down to the garage and when she walks in she finds Steve already waiting.
"Are you ready to go, Agent May?" Steve asks when he sees her.
"Yeah, Captain, I am." Melinda confirms and they head over to one of the few cars that isn't black or grey and they get in, Steve having heled Melinda's door open for her. Once Melinda has gotten in the car Steve goes around to the driver's side and gets in too.
About fifteen minutes later Melinda and Steve arrive at the diner and together they walk in and out of habit they both head to the back booth, as soon as they sit down both Melinda and Steve scan the room for threats.
"Two waitresses and the cook." Steve says and Melinda nods.
"Hi, what can I get you folks?" one of the waitresses says after walking over to Steve and Melinda.
"Green tea for me." Melinda orders.
"Coffee." Steve orders.
"Is that it? We've got some amazing homemade apple pie fresh out of the oven, would you like a piece?" The waitress asks.
"Sure." Steve says and Melinda nods.
"Great, I'll get that to you right away." The waitress says and she heads back to the counter.
"Having apple pie with Captain America, there is a comment there somewhere." Melinda says, being unable to keep the amusement out of her voice.
"That there is, are you going to make it?" Steve asks as even he finds that amusement.
"No, I don't think so." Melinda admits, as she can practically hear Phil's voice in her head.
"Thank you." Steve says, relived about that, "So, Agent May, what made you join S.H.I.E.L.D?" Steve asks curious.
"You first Captain. I know the story, of course, but I want to hear it from you. Why did you volunteer for Project Rebirth?" Melinda asks curious as while she has heard the story from Peggy and many times from Phil she would like to hear it from Steve.
"I didn't like bullies." Steve says simply, "I didn't want to kill, but I did want to fight for my country, fight for what is right, and I didn't want the bullies to win." He explains, "When I met Dr Erskine I was finally able to do what I always wanted to do. I was able to do the right thing." Steve informs Melinda as the waitress comes back with Melinda tea, Steve's coffee, and both of their pie.
"Thank you." Melinda and Steve both say.
"That's a very good reason for volunteering." Melinda says.
"Yeah." Steve says as he takes a sip, "So, what about you? Why did you join S.H.I.E.L.D?" Steve asks and Melinda looks around to make sure there is no one close by before she starts to speak.
"My Mom was CIA, or is, I'm not entirely convinced that she is actually retired." Melinda admits, "She raised me herself and we moved around a lot." Melinda says, Steve is tempted to ask Melinda about what happened to her father but decides to let her finish his story first, "I always knew what she did, I was even apart of her covers sometimes, so I took martial arts lessons, and when I was a teenager flying, the way other kids took piano and joined teams." Melinda admits, and seeing as how he has seen her fight Steve isn't surprised by that, the fact that Melinda has known to fly since she was a teenager on the other hand does, "In my senior year I came home early because I got sent home for fighting, again, and Peggy Carter was waiting on the couch for my Mom, they're friends." Melinda explains, wondering if it is a good idea to mention Peggy but she knows that she can't tell the story without talking about Peggy and Steve asked, "We talked and Peggy told me all about S.H.I.E.L.D. By then I already knew that I wanted to join the military or an agency once I graduated high school, but I also knew that if I joined the CIA all I would ever be is Lian May's daughter, which I didn't want." Melinda admits, "Peggy told me all about S.H.I.E.L.D and before she already finished I knew that it was what I wanted, I wanted to protect people and S.H.I.E.L.D was the way to do it." Melinda says, trying not to focus on everything that has happened, "I started at S.H.I.E.L.D's operations academy in September, to the dismay of my mother who was very vocal about wanting me to join the CIA, and on my first day I met Phil Coulson, on my second I met Fury.' Melinda reveals, "It feels like a life time ago now." Melinda admits as she takes a drink of her tea.
"So protecting people, S.H.I.E.L.D, is all you've ever known." Steve realises.
"Yeah." Melinda says with a nod, "And it all fell apart."
"Because of me." Steve says, only starting to realises the affect that dismantling S.H.I.E.L.D would have had on the people who dedicated their lives the organization.
"You did what you had to do, and you did the right thing, Captain." Melinda tells Steve, believing that, "The S.H.I.E.L.D I joined at seventeen had one goal, protection. The principle was pure, everyone deserved saving, but that's not what Hydra is or what it tuned S.H.I.E.L.D into." Melinda reveals, "I believe that the world needs S.H.I.E.L.D, but not in the form it became." Melinda admits.
"That we agree on." Steve says, as he believes that the world needs a S.H.I.E.L.D in the form that Peggy founded it to be, and he and Melinda drift into silence while they both eat their pie, "You said your Mother raised you alone, what happened to your father?" Steve asks curious after a few minutes of silent eating.
For about thirty seconds Melinda is quiet while she eats her food and takes a drink, wondering whether she wants to answer before she eventually decides to, "He died when I was four." Melinda reveals, "I barely remember him."
"I'm sorry, Agent May."
"Thank you, Captain." Melinda says and they once more drift into silence.
After spending about ten minutes eating, drinking and talking Melinda and Steve headed back to the Avengers Facility, but instead of parking the car in the garage Steve stops outside.
"The sun's starting to rise." Steve notes.
"So it is." Melinda confirms.
"I normally go for a run about now, would you like to join me?" Steve asks.
"Thanks for the offer, but I want to get started on my Tai-Chi." Melinda explains, "But I'll see you later, Captain."
"Yes you will, Agent May." Steve says and Melinda gets out and heads inside while Steve takes the car back to the garage.
When she arrives at the door to Natasha's room a few minutes later Melinda has to brace herself, because she knows that Natasha is going to hound her with questions, before she pushes the door and enters.
"Well, well, well, staying out all night Mel?" Natasha asks front the couch with a smirk.
"You do know that I have a mother, right Nat?" Melinda asks
"Yeah, but unlike your mother you'll actually talk to me." Natasha comments as Melinda and Lian don't have the most communicative relationship, something that Natasha is very well aware of.
"That's because you don't give me a choice." Melinda says as she walks over to Natasha, also the fact that Melinda actually likes talking to Natasha may have something to do with that.
"Yeah, but you love me." Natasha says with a grin, knowing that her and Melinda are more open around one another than they are around almost anyone else. Sometimes they are even more open around each other than they are with Clint, Phil, Nick and Maria.
"Yeah I do." Melinda confirms, "You're my sister, Nat." Melinda says, completely meaning that.
"And you're mine." Natasha says and they both drift into silence, "And nice try." Natasha realises, "You're not going to avoid my questions. Who did you go out for tea with?" Natasha asks.
"You already know." Melinda says, knowing that without a doubt.
"I do, but I want to hear you say it."
"Fine, I went and got tea with Captain Rogers, happy?"
"Thrilled." Natasha says, with a smile, "So, what did you do? Where did you go?" Natasha asks.
"We went to a diner, we had tea and pie. We talked." Melinda says, knowing that Natasha will get all the details out of her eventually anyway so she might as well give them in one go.
"And?"
"And what?"
"What else happened?" Natasha asks curious.
"Nothing." Melinda says and Natasha gives her a look, "I'm telling the truth and you know it."
"Yeah, I do." Natasha says and honestly that doesn't surprise her.
"It was nice to talk to someone."
"You can talk to me Mel, anytime you want." Natasha tells her friend.
"I know." Melinda says, "I've always known." She says and the two of them drift into silence.
"So, have you decided how long you're going to stay for?" Natasha asks curious.
"No, but if you don't mind putting up with me I'll probably stay for at least a few days, maybe longer." Melinda admits.
"Are you kidding? I would love to have you." Natasha says and the two of them exchange grins.
"So I'm going to get changed and then do Tai-Chi, are you joining me again?" Melinda asks curious.
"Of course." Natasha says and Melinda gets up and heads to the bedroom, feeling better than she has for weeks not just because of her conversation with Natasha, but because of the time and conversations that she has had with Steve.