AN: Hey there! I hope you're all doing well. As always, I'm very grateful to MegaDiary123 for beta-ing this and all chapters. Thank you for supporting this story, both old and new readers :) Until next week...

All rights go to Marvel

May's POV

Because of the long distances we covered in a small period of time for the last two missions, that happened back to back, it took us 2 days to touch American soil again. We needed to refuel and run diagnostics, fixing a couple of things before taking off again. We landed in New York, where everyone would go anywhere they wanted for a week before we gathered back here to take off to our next mission.

Those two days were quite different from how the team interacted in the past and it was quite easy to spot. Nothing changed from mine or Coulson's usual behaviours. The only thing nagging my brain about Phil was his confession of feeling different ever since they brought him back, which I had already reported to Director Fury and needed to let Skye know.

Skye… we hadn't really talked in these past two days, but more often than not I would find her in the cockpit. And if she wasn't there, she was possibly in her bunk. After all, she had disabled the camera there, so I couldn't be sure, but I couldn't spot her in any other part of the Bus. There were things we needed to discuss, but I let them be for the time being because of everything that happened with the alien virus. I hadn't seen her, ever, break so much. She was properly unresponsive for the better part of half an hour. And the fact that she mentioned she had experience with this and it had happened in the past… I couldn't help but wonder when those times were, though something told me that a majority of them would have occurred after the Battle of New York had wrapped up and she had time to unwind and her adrenaline to drop. Still, I needed to ask Natasha and Clint about it.

Speaking of which. I hadn't talked to the two of them in a while. True, we exchanged messages, making sure that we were all safe and sound. But that was as much as our interactions had been in the past two years. They tried very hard after Bahrain, but after a few years, they accepted that that was how much I was willing to give back.

That didn't stop us from trusting each other, of course. After all, I was one of the first people to learn that they were part of the Avengers Initiative. Still, a lot of things had happened and there was some catching up that needed to be done.

When we landed, Skye and I took our bags and headed out. A car was already waiting for us and a guy that made sure we arrived safely and then he handed Skye the keys before heading off. As soon as we sat in, she explained. "Some of the perks of having Tony Stark as a friend" she smiled and started the engine.

"Why are you driving, again?" I asked. I really liked doing something with my hands and I was used to be the Bus' pilot.

"Because…" she started as we exited the airport. "I know where we are going, for starters"

I gave her a side glance. "Everyone knows where the Avengers Tower is," I said matter-of-factly.

"Indeed. But not everyone has the clearance to actually enter. And to go into the parking you pass through a facial recognition check. Jar always makes sure only people allowed to are actually able to go in"

"Jar?" I had never heard that name again.

"Oh, right. I completely forgot about it, with everything happening. Remember when you picked me up and Coulson had picked up Miles to take us to the Cage? And I explained to you who T.A.D.A.S.H.I. was?" She waited for me to nod before continuing. "Yeah, well, I had also mentioned J.A.R.V.I.S., whose algorithm was used to create Tee. I just like to call him Jar, because it pisses Tony off" she chuckled. "Jar is actually an A.I. and he's great, I work with him all the time when in the Tower" she started rambling about the differences between Jar and Tee, and I let her. I hadn't heard her talk so much recently and it was nice.

Not too long later we found ourselves in the Stark Tower underground parking lot. We picked our bags and headed to the elevator. She placed a black case that she was carrying on the floor and scanned her hand on the elevator doors before they pulled apart.

As soon as we stepped in and the doors closed behind us a British accented voice spoke from the speakers. "It's good to have you back, Ms. Skye. I register an unregistered person in the elevator with you?"

I saw Skye smile to herself. As soon as the voice rang out she was instantly more comfortable. Her pose relaxing greatly and I realised that I hadn't seen her like that in years. Before she even left to go to the Academy.

"She's a friend Jar. Please, make an update to your records. May, Melinda. Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. She also knows Natasha and Clint. She is to have access to the Tower if she needs to. I will update the security protocols after we settle in" she said with such an ease that I wondered how many times she had done so.

"Already done," said J.A.R.V.I.S.

"Great! Take us to my floor, please"

"On your way" he answered.

"Your floor?" I asked and she had a mischievous smile on.

She didn't answer my question, asking the A.I. instead. "Who else is in, Jar?"

"Everyone from the team other than Thor is gathered in the common area, waiting for your arrival. Shall I let them know you and Ms. May are here?"

At the same time, the elevator arrived on her floor and we walked in her floor. "Damn, I really wanted to see Thor. I never really interacted much with him during or since the Battle. He must be off-world. And yes, Jar, please do inform them I'm here and I'll be down shortly. Also don't mention May. She's a surprise" she smiled at one corner of the room and saw a camera there.

"As you wish," he said and then stopped altogether.

I looked around the room at the open-space design of the kitchen and a whole living room. She moved around the room like she owned the place. "I don't think there's much need for a tour, it's only a floor, after all, I will have to give you one of the whole Tower though, you will love it. Especially the gym". She pointed to a couple of doors to the side. "These are both guest rooms, toilet and bathroom en-suite. Put your stuff in either one of them" she then pointed to another door. "That's my room, I'm gonna drop my things really quickly, change and meet you here to go and see the others? I would suggest changing to something comfortable as well, everyone is very friendly if you exclude Tony's comments. You'll get used to them really quickly"

I nodded and she disappeared into her room. I followed her example and walked through the first door. The room was much more spacious than I expected. It definitely was a major upgrade from the small bunks in the Bus.

I quickly changed clothes, deciding against keeping my S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform on. Instead, I wore some, similarly black, shirt and tights.

By the time I left the room, Skye was already waiting for me, doing something on her phone. No sooner had I stepped in the living room, had she lifted her head and her phone was tucked away. But she didn't make any moves to go to the door, so I waited for her to say whatever it was she wanted to tell me before we met the others.

"Just a note before we go," she said and only then did she move towards the elevator, but refrained from actually going in, despite the open doors. "The others don't know. About Coulson or what we're doing with the pirate"

"I know," I said and made my way in, waiting for her to join. "You told me before, you think I'd forget?"

She kept her gaze on the metal in front of us as she took a deep breath and let it out. "I didn't. Thank you" and before I got any time to ask what she was thanking me for, said metal door parted. "Hey, guys!" She called out and every head in the room turned to look at her, all of them wearing different kinds of smiles when they saw her.

So, these are her people, I thought when the room radiated a warmth directed at her. This, or at least most of them, was the family she had made for herself after leaving the Academy. No smile was replaced by a frown when they noticed me. Other than the socked expression that Natasha and Clint wore but who continued smiling like nothing had happened. Had I not known them for so long I would have missed it.

"We didn't know you were bringing company, Skye" a lady stepped in front of the group and from pictures I had seen I knew that it was Pepper Potts, the CEO of Stark Industries. She went to hug Skye, who returned the gesture tenfold.

As they parted Skye looked at her and then her siblings. "I wanted it to be a surprise"

"A surpr—" she started again but followed Skye's eyes and saw Natasha and Clint both moving towards me. "Ah…" she nodded understandingly and stepped away to give the three of us some space.

Both of them were a little bit reserved, probably for a number of reasons. So I made the first step and hugged Clint first and then Natasha, briefly. "Hey guys"

"Melinda," Natasha said, her voice showing how unexpected my presence was. I could see the questions in her eyes. When did I meet Skye again, how was I there, what had happened that she didn't know, to name a few. But our silent discussion was enough to let her, both of them, know I would tell them later. So, Clint turned to the others. "This is Melinda May. She's an agent with S.H.I.E.L.D." was all he said, not mentioning how they knew me.

"S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Stark asked, suddenly radiating less comfort.

"Stop it Stark. You are already surrounded by 4 people working for them" Captain America walked from the back of the group and extended his hand for me to shake. "You must mean a lot to Skye to bring you here. It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am. I'm Steve Rogers"

After pleasantries were exchanged we moved to the sofas. "Would you like anything to drink? It's never too early for a glass of wine with this lot. We have a whole bar if you feel like wanting something else" Potts said.

"I would take some whiskey if you have it, please," I said. I felt like I would need it.

"You sure you can handle it?" Stark asked, taking a seat opposite me. "What with you being so short and all".

I smirked at that looking straight at him. "Oh no," the three other people I knew from before voiced together.

"What?" Stark asked them, startled by their reaction.

Skye passed from in front of him and ruffled his hair, annoying him in the process. "Other than the fact that she can drink you under the table, easily…" she told him and sat on the other end of his sofa.

Natasha and Clint sat at either side of me, with the latter resuming where Skye left of. "She's not someone you wanna piss off"

Stark huffed. Actually huffed. "And why is that?" He asked and that was when Potts handed me a drink, before going to sit between Stark and Skye.

"Because I don't wanna piss her off. Ever" Natasha said, enjoying it way too much when Stark gulped and his face paled. I slowly sipped at my drink and winked at him, making him squeal and everyone around laughing hard.

"So tell us," Potts said and I noticed how Skye had shifted to be closer to her. The older woman easily hugged Skye with one arm, who calmly rested her head on her shoulder. The nonchalant way that this happened made it clear that this was normal, especially with how no-one around showed any signs it was not. Neither did Clint and Natasha. "How did you two meet?", the woman asked with a smile, looking down at Skye with so much love.

And Skye was looking back at her with a similar expression. "Well, you know how Nat and Clint were part of a team that found me all those years back? Before the Academy?" She asked and Potts nodded. "Mel was part of that team as well"

Potts' eyes travelled to mine and the gratefulness there was clear as day. "Thank you"

The talk from there on out was easy and comfortable. No-one was going out of their way to show off, other than Stark but that was expected. They didn't really pressure me to speak too much and so I sat quietly noticing everyone's interactions instead.

It still took me by surprise how Skye was around this group of people. She would joke around with Stark, talk with Dr. Banner in a way that showed me that they've known each other for a long time, and while she and Captain Rogers didn't say too much to each other it was clear that they had formed a proper kind of friendship.

But it was clear that the person she was bonded more in the room, outside of Natasha and Clint, was Potts. They were glued to the hip, wrapped around each other. Skye had such a genuine smile on her face and more often than not she would look either at mine, Natasha's and Clint's direction, or Potts's. She just seemed so happy to be in this setting.

I noticed Natasha looking at me out of the corner of her eye quite a few times, especially when my eyes lingered on Skye and Potts. But, what could I say? I felt the corners of my lips title upwards at the display in front of me.