AoS one-shots

Love, Coulson

"He's dying." She stared into his eyes as tears threatened to fall from her own, "You've know since ghost rider, haven't you? That's the deal that you made?"

His heart broke at how weak she looked, he nodded, "I didn't know how to tell you." He paused, "I didn't think if I should." The whole room knew that he was talking directly too her.

"Dammit, Phil." Tears gathered in her eyes and she sprinted out of the control centre.

"You should've told us." Daisy sniffled before leaving the control centre.

He couldn't stand the awkward silence in the room. He didn't want the pity. He wanted to see Melinda. Because he knew she wasn't okay. He knew it was his fault.

He should've told her..

So he left the room, heading straight for Melinda's room. He raised his fist to knock but paused as worries ran through his head.

What if she didn't want to talk to him?
What if she wanted to be alone?
What if she... hates him?

He sighed and knocked, he was dead anyways. He waited for her to respond but the worry increased after a few seconds. The door opened and Melinda stood in front of him. Her eyes were bloodshot and his heart cracked a little more.

She went back into the depths of her own room but left the door open behind her. Melinda heard the door close behind her and slid down on to the floor, leaning against the foot of her bed. Phil settled down beside her and she tilted her head so it rested on his shoulder.

She closed her eyes and her body shook as sobs escaped her mouth. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand and Phil wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He let his own tears flow as he held his best friend in his arms. "Do you want to talk?"

She shook her head, "No."

"I was going to tell you."

"When, Phil?" She snapped.

"I don't know."

"You don't know?! Phil, listen to yourself. You died once. You don't know what happened after you died! The people left behind. Me. You know it wasn't easy and you're willingly doing the same thing. We were getting somewhere! For god's sake, Phil!"

"It was the only thing we could've done to kill AIDA."

"No, Phil. That's what you tell yourself because you're too scared to admit that you things changed. You got too fucking scared after the LMDs, losing the Playground, the Framework and you acted on impulse when it got too much, Phil. You've never been the same since. Hell, you've been different since SHIELD fell." They were both facing each other, standing now.

"And what else could we have done?"

Melinda scoffed, "I don't know, maybe wait for FitzSimmons to come up with a solution? Shoot her? Quake her bones? Stall? You know what, leave me alone." She turned around and covered her mouth with her hand as she pushed back tears.

"I kissed her."

Melinda turned to face him with widened eyes, "We were standing in the library and I mentioned that I always wanted to read Ulysses in Irish pubs. She told me that maybe we should do it together. And I kissed her. Or she kissed me."

"Oh." She closed her eyes and a stray tear slid down her cheek.

"Oh? I was hoping for more than that?"

"I don't know what you want me to say, Phil."

She slumped down at the foot of her bed, "I'm sorry." He looked down.

"I'm not mad. I'm just-" She sharply inhaled and leaned back, "I wished you had told me." She silently started sobbing and Phil hurried towards her.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and she buried her head in his chest while her body shook.

"Here, drink." He held out a water bottle for her after she calmed down.

She sipped the water and handed the bottle back to him.

"Is this why.. we took a step back?"

"I didn't want you to waste your time on another lost cause."

Melinda scoffed and turned so she was facing him, "Phil, you really thought you were helping me?!" Phil opened his mouth to talk but she continued, "You weren't there when you died! You don't know what it was like! I didn't sleep for days. I cried myself to sleep. I almost ended it." Her voice broke at the end and he gaped at her.

She looked away and fiddled with her hands and she could feel his heavy gaze on her, "Melinda."

"I'm not sure if I'll make it if you leave, Phil."

His eyes watered and he shut his eyes, "You'll be fine."

"I need some time, Phil."

He nodded, "Melinda, I would never want to leave you."

"If you do, I swear I'll pull you out of hell again."

"I wanted to say - she looked up at him - I can drop any day so I need to say this-"

"Don't."

"I really need to say it."

"I know what you're going to say. Don't make this harder on me, Phil. You're not going to die. We'll find a cure."

He gently smiled at her, "That's very unlikely, May. I wasn't there in the future."

She shut her eyes, "Phil, I need some time. Please leave."

He sighed and kissed her forehead before heading for the door. He paused at the door and looked back at her, "Love you, May."

And with that, he left, leaving Melinda in the silence of her own room.

She knew it. They both did. Neither of them had admitted it until now. She wanted to try but her eyes were dry from all the sobbing. So she just sat there staring at the wall in-front of her as she died a little inside.

A few minutes later, a piece of paper slid under her door and she picked it up.

Melinda,

You're right. It does scare me. I don't want to lose you. Ever. So I buried the feeling deep into my thoughts and wasn't going to dig it up. Until I saw you fight for your life five months ago. Until you died. I'm sorry I've hurt you. I know I have. Change scares me. And I'm sorry that we will have to say goodbye once again.

She bit her lip as tears formed, blurring her vision.

I'm sorry that I love you.

Love, Coulson