Chapter 18
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"Steve, I don't know what to say." Melinda says, amazed and touched that he came up with that idea as he didn't want her to have to choose, "What's your idea?" Melinda asks wanting to know what he is thinking, as she makes no effort to move off Steve's chest.
"Well, S.H.I.E.L.D has resources and we have resources in New York, but we're not shearing, I think we should. I mean look at all the lives saved in Sokovia because we shared, what if we could do that more often." Steve says, "If we're all under one room then we can shear intel, resources and assets." Steve tells Melinda, "S.H.I.E.L.D, Avengers and what Daisy is forming…."
"Coulson tell you about that?" Melinda asks, interrupting Steve.
"Yeah, when he was giving me a tour of the plane." Steve explains.
"Huh."
"Yeah, I was saying that we would still maintain our separate chains of command, but be more collaborative, maybe it could help us all not repeat the mistakes of the past." Steve explains as even though his idea started as a way to help Melinda, the more he thought about it the more he liked the sound of it.
"And you're thinking New York is the roof we should share." Melinda realises.
"It is more suited." Steve says, "There is plenty of room, it's more advance, more resources, and less…."
"Depressing than underground tunnels?" Melinda supplies.
"Not exactly what I was going to say, but yeah." Steve admits, "What do you think?"
"I think it's a really good idea." Melinda admits, "We've all made mistakes, but maybe together we can have a better shot at seeing what our choices will lead so we don't repeat our mistakes; and maybe by working together we can protect more people." Melinda says, "It has my vote, but we're going to have to convince the others."
"We?"
"We agreed to be a team, didn't' we?" Melinda asks.
"That we did." Steve says before leaning down and kissing Melinda, "So, um, Nat wanted you to call her once you woke, maybe we can get started on the convincing the others." Steve says once they break apart.
"It's worth a shot." Melinda says reaching over and grabbing her phone before she reluctantly pushes herself of Steve so that she is sitting next to him, as Melinda presses video call on Nat and Steve pushes himself up too so that he is sitting right next to Melinda.
"Well, well, well, it's about time you woke up." Natasha says as she appears on the screen.
"Hello, to you too, Nat." Melinda tells her friend.
"Are you two in bed together?" Natasha asks curious as she notices the bedframe behind Melinda and Steve.
"Can you get everyone together? there is an idea Steve had that we want to discuss." Melinda says, purposely avoiding Natasha's question.
"Sure. I can do that. But you're going to give me answers." Natasha informs Melinda.
"We know." Both Melinda and Steve say.
"Good, just wanted to make sure." Natasha says before putting Melinda and Steve on hold.
"You know that Tony and Clint are going to make a comment." Steve says as they are placed on hold.
"I know; does that bother you?" Melinda asks curious.
"No. does it bother you?" Steve asks curious.
"No." Melinda answers, "Have I missed anything while I've been unconscious?"
"I wouldn't know, like I said I've been with you." Steve explains.
"Oh, yeah. Right." Melinda says.
"But I can tell you that the staff is in the vault in New York." Steve explains, "Natasha, Clint, Tony and Maria came and got it."
"Good, that's good." Melinda says and the two of them drift into silence.
For a few minutes Melinda and Steve sit in comfortable silence while they wait for Natasha and the others to come back on the screen.
"We're all here." Natasha's says as everyone appears on screen it being clear that she's connected the phone to one of the monitors in the action centre, "Discuss away."
"Unless of course you would rather get back to what you were doing." Tony says with a smirk.
"My bet is that they were just sleeping." Bucky says with a cocky grin, something which hasn't been on his face since the forties.
"Wow, I've only been gone a little over three days, I think whoever you've been hanging out with are a bad influence on you, Buck." Steve says, though honestly he is glad to see his friend like that again.
"Please no one could be as bad of an influence as you are." Bucky informs his friend.
"Why did you call?" Fury says, interrupting the bickering.
"I had an idea that I wanted to discuss an idea that we wanted you to weigh in on." Steve explains, everyone noticing how Steve went from I to we.
"Okay, let's hear it." Maria says.
"At the moment S.H.I.E.L.D and us are to different groups and a member of Coulson's team is in the early stages of forming something too, and we're not shearing as much as we should be." Steve says, "And we think we should and the best way to do that is by being under one roof." Steve explains.
"You want Coulson and his team to move in here." Natasha realises.
"It's an idea." Melinda says, "We would keep our chains of command but collaborate more, share more, and maybe we won't make as many mistakes as we have been." Melinda explains, "Maybe we could protect more people if we work together more."
"So if we do this will you be S.H.I.E.L.D or continue to work with us?" Clint asks curious as he hopes Melinda will.
"I'll work with whoever needs me." Melinda says.
"Meaning you'll work with everyone." Natasha corrects, thinking that it could be good to have someone who floats between S.H.I.E.L.D and the Avengers.
"So S.H.I.E.L.D, Avengers and another team working together, working in unison. It could be good, it could be how it was always meant to be." Maria comments, being a big fan of the idea.
"What does Coulson think of this?" Natasha asks curious.
"We haven't talked to him yet. We thought we would talk to you first." Steve explains.
"You mean you didn't want to get out of bed." Tony says amused.
"What does everyone think of the idea?" Melinda asks, ignoring Tony.
"Who's in favour?" Steve asks and everyone puts their hands up, Pietro and Wanda doing so slightly hesitantly.
"Okay, so now we just have to convince everyone here." Melinda realises.
"Explain everything to them. I think you'll get them to agree." Fury says.
"Stay on standby we're probably going to all talk once we've talked about things." Steve says.
"Will do." Natasha says before ending the call.
"So, that's half the people we need to convince convinced." Steve comments.
"That it is." Melinda confirms.
"What do you think they'll say?" Steve asks curious as he knows that Melinda knows them all better than him.
"I think there is a chance that they'll agree." Melinda informs Steve, "But it might that a bit of convincing."
"Well that's a task I'm up for, what about you?" Steve asks.
"I need a shower and food first, but yeah, I'll up for it." Melinda says with a nod, "I'm with you completely on this Steve. It's what's best for everyone."
"Then, I'll let you have your shower." Steve says, thinking that he probably needs a shower himself.
"Thanks." Melinda says as Steve stands up, "I just need fifteen minutes to have a shower then we can go talk to the others."
"And grab food." Steve says.
"Yeah, that too." Melinda says as she puts her phone on the bedside table.
"I'll see you in fifteen minutes." Steve says before walking to the door.
"Steve." Melinda says before he walks out and Steve turns back around.
"I meant what I said before I feel asleep." Melinda informs him, wanting Steve to know that it wasn't just the exhaustion talking.
"So did I." Steve says.
"Okay, good." Melinda says with a half-smile, "So, um, see you in fifteen." Melinda says.
"Yeah, see you then." Steve says before leaving the room, leaving the room, Melinda noticing that he's left his shield behind.
Fifteen minutes later Melinda and Steve have had separate showers and are on their way to the common area, where Daisy is sitting, just like she has been for three days, so that they can start to discuss everything with everyone.
"May, you're up." Daisy says rushing forward and throwing her arms around Melinda, "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay, Daisy." Melinda says having to stop for a second before she called Daisy Skye.
"I was so worried, I'm so glad you're okay." Daisy whispers as she hugs Melinda tightly. As Steve watches Melinda and Daisy hug he smiles to himself as he realises just how important Daisy is to Melinda and vice versa.
"Where's Coulson?" Melinda asks as she and Daisy break apart.
"Office." Daisy answers.
"Okay, there is something we have to talk to him about, and you should join us." Melinda tells Daisy.
"Okay." Daisy says confused.
"Weren't you going to eat first?" Steve asks Melinda.
"Yeah, but it can wait." Melinda says as she heads over to the stairs.
"At least eat this." Steve says picking up an apple out of the bowel and throwing it at Melinda, which she easily catches.
"Thanks, Steve." Melinda says as she walks up the stairs while taking a bite.
In his office Phil is sitting at his desk using his tablet to check things when he hears a knock on his door.
"Come in." Phil says and Melinda, Steve and Daisy walk in, "May, I'm glad to see you're awake. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Melinda assures him.
"Good." Phil says with a nod, "Did you need something?"
"Yes, Steve and I have an idea that we wanted to discuss with both of you." Melinda reveals.
"Okay." Phil says, looking between Melinda and Steve, "What's the idea?"
"The Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D and what you're going to be forming are great by themselves." Melinda says looking at Daisy, "But together we could all do better, we could all have a better chance of not repeating the mistakes of the past."
"If S.H.I.E.L.D, The Avengers and Daisy's team are all under the same roof, if we're all based in the same place then maybe we can do better. We would still be separate but share more, work together more, and protect and help more people." Steve explains.
"It's an interesting idea." Phil says, "I'm guessing New York would be the place we would be based at." Phil comments and both Melinda and Steve nod, "Good choice." Phil says as he knows that the Facility is more advance than the Playground and has a lot of things that they don't, "What makes you think everyone there will even agree to that?" he asks curious as he isn't sure that they would.
"They already have." Melinda informs Phil.
"Huh, Daisy what do you think?" Phil asks curious.
"I think that there are five other people here who need to weigh in. This is going to affect all of us and we should all decide." Daisy tells Coulson as she isn't completely sure what she thinks but she knows that everyone should decide.
"You're right." Phil says pressing his intercom, "Billy can you send Bobbi, Mack, Hunter, Fitz and Simmons up here." He requests.
"Sure, Director." Billy's voice says.
"So you think this a good idea?" Phil asks Melinda curious.
"I think this is a very good idea." Melinda tells Phil.
"Okay." Phil says and the group of four drift into silence while they wait for the others to arrive.
After a couple of minutes, the door to Phil's office opens and Bobbi, Hunter, Fitz, Simmons and Mack walk in.
"What's going on?" Bobbi asks as they walk in.
"Agent May and Captain Rogers have an idea that we need to discuss." Phil explains, "A suggestion that we all need to weigh in on."
"Okay, let's hear it." Hunter requests and Melinda and Steve exchange a look, Melinda telling Steve that he can take the explanation this time.
"Individually S.H.I.E.L.D and The Avengers have been doing good, we have been achieving great things but we've also made mistakes, big ones." Steve says, and there is no one in the room who disagrees with him on that, "But we could do more. Right now we're separate, far away, but if we operate from the same base while still maintaining our chains of commands, we can be accountable to each other. Maybe that way we have chance of not repeating the mistakes of the past and maybe we can do more good, protect more people. If we work together we can share more, make sure all of us have everything we need including backup whenever we need it." Steve explains.
"So your idea is that S.H.I.E.L.D and the Avengers share a base and work together more while answering to each other." Mack says, wanting to make sure he understands.
"Exactly." Melinda says.
"What base would we share?" Fitz asks curious.
"The New York Avengers Facility in New York." Phil answers, "It's brand new, state of the art."
"There is plenty of room and more suited for something like this." Melinda explains.
"So we would still be S.H.I.E.L.D, still do things how we've been doing them the past couple of months?" Bobbi asks.
"Yes." Melinda and Phil both answer, "It will just enable us to have more support and do more." Melinda says.
"We'll collaborate when needed, but S.H.I.E.L.D would be S.H.I.E.L.D and Avengers would be the Avengers." Steve explains.
"Everyone in New York voted and I think that that's what we should do to." Melinda says, "Like Daisy said this needs to be all of our decision."
"We should all take some time to think about this." Phil says.
"Honestly Sir, I don't think we need time." Simmons admits as she looks at the others and sees that it is clear that they have all reached their decision.
"Okay, then we vote." Phil says as he has made up his mind already too, "Raise your hand if you're in favour of us moving to New York, of sharing a base and resources with the Avengers." Phil says and Daisy, Mack, Bobbi, Hunter, Fitz and Simmons put their hands up too, everyone liking the idea of working with the Avengers, of having more resources and being accountable to more than just them, "I'm for it and so is May, so that makes everyone. I guess we're going to New York." Phil comments.
"How are we going to coordinate something like this?" Bobbi asks.
"With help." Melinda says, "Everyone in New York is standing by, now that we're in agreement we can start figuring out how we're going to do this." Melinda says.
"What channel?" Phil asks picking up his tablet and Melinda walks over and takes it from him connecting to the right one before she walks back over so that she and everyone else in the room are facing the screen.
"Hey, Mel. I take it you've come to your decision." Natasha says appearing on the screen with everyone.
"We have." Melinda confirms, "Let's start with introductions, even though some of us know each other." Melinda says, "This is Director Phil Coulson, Agent Daisy Johnson, Agent Bobbi Morse, Agent Lance Hunter, Agent Alphonso Mackenzie, Agent Dr Leo Fitz and Agent Dr Jemma Simmons." Melinda explains, pointing to everyone as she introduces everyone, "And even though you all probably know this is, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Bucky Barnes, Tony Stark, Sam Wilson, James Rhodes, Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, Nick Fury and Maria Hill." Melinda introduces pointing to everyone.
"Yeah, that wasn't really necessary." Daisy says, being amazed that the Avengers are on the screen right in front of her.
"Bucky Barnes." Phil says, repeating under his voice it being clear that he is amazed.
"Nice to meet you all, what's the verdict?" Tony ask curious.
"It's a yes from us." Phil answers.
"Which means we need to figure out how to coordinate the move." Melinda explains.
"And we need to figure out what to do with this base." Phil says, "It should have a purpose."
"Back up base. Fully functional, kept hidden, just in case." Maria says.
"That would be good." Phil says, approving of that idea, "But we're still going to have to figure out what we'll need to bring with us and what we can leave behind."
"Then let's do that, let's figure it out together." Maria says and that's exactly what they all do.
For the next couple of hours, the people at The Playground work with the people in New York to figure out just what needs to stay and what needs to be taken to New York. Once that is figured out everyone packs what needs to be taken and loads it onto the new plane.
"Are we really going to leave some of the Quinjet's here?" Daisy asks Phil surprised, the two of them standing outside the plane after loading stuff.
"We'll take one with us, but yeah." Phil confirms, "The Avengers Facility has plenty and this way if things go completely south we won't have to break into a government facility to get one again." Phil explains.
"Yeah, that would be good." Daisy admits, "It's going to be wired, living with the Avengers."
"Yeah, it is." Phil confirms.
"So do you think this was May's or Captain Rogers's idea?" Daisy asks curious.
"Captain Rogers." Phil answers being pretty sure he knows why Steve would have suggested that.
"This is a good thing right?" Daisy ask, "We made the right choice?"
"Yeah we did." Phil confirms as he believes that.
"This is the last of it." Steve says about an hour later as he carries the last crate onto the plane, where the other agents who stay on base already are.
"That's Captain, put it with the rest." Phil requests and Steve nods, before heading into the plane leaving, Phil, Melinda, Daisy, Mack, Bobbi, Hunter, Fitz and Simmons standing outside the plane, looking out at the playground.
"We've had some good times here." Daisy comment as she looks out at the hanger.
"And some really bad ones." Simmons points out.
"Yeah, like being choked out and the base invaded." Hunter reminds everyone.
"And discovering lies, betrayal." Melinda says.
"It wasn't all bad." Bobbi comments.
"No it wasn't, this is where we became a team." Mack says.
"A family." Fitz corrects.
"It was home." Phil says and the group of eight drift into silence. "It's time to go." Phil say after about five minutes and everyone nods and with one last look everyone heads back inside.
Not even an hour later Melinda lands the plane at the Avengers Facility. After waiting for Melinda and Steve to walk out together the group of nine walk out of the plane together to where Natasha, Clint, Tony, Maria, Fury, Pietro, Wanda, Bucky, Sam, and Rhodey are waiting.
"Agents." Tony says taking a step forward, "Welcome home." He says with a grin.