Here Comes The Sun

Undying

The meeting went off without a hitch while May coddled Skye for the first time in a few weeks, but then the father-daughter duo had to leave to get the house ready for May when she came back a few days later.

"So you baby proof the house for me, not the baby?" May scoffed as Phil phoned her while he worked. "You realize I can see and walk perfectly fine?"

"Yep," he replied, trying not to grunt while he pushed the sofa back an inch. "Better to be safe than sorry, though."

"I got shot three times, Phil. I'm already sorry. I just want to go home and eat ice cream in bed."

Phil smiled as he heard her request, plaintive as a child. "I'll go and get the ice cream later," he promised. "Vanilla?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

He chuckled. "I guess I don't."

"Damn right," May said.

Phil could hear the smile in her voice, but also a small strain on it, almost undetectable. But he's known her since they were barely out of high school. He knows her. "You okay, Melinda?" he asked softly.

"Yep," she replied, though he thought he could hear her crack.

"You sure? Are you really okay?"

"I'm fine, Phil," she said, sighing. "Just tired. And missing you two."

"Well, we'll see each other soon," he offered. "I'll get Skye to run up to you when you get back, and then we can celebrate your coming back and her birthday."

May chuckled. "If you insist."

"I do." Phil closed his eyes as his heart tried to implode. "Melinda."

"Yeah?"

He let out a quiet breath. "Nothing," he said, chuckling. "Just wanted to say your name." He heard a laugh and grinned. "Got you."

"You're a flirt," May muttered.

"Always have been," Phil said, walking into the nursery. "You want to talk to Skye?"

"Yeah."

Phil dropped the phone down into Skye's crib.

Their daughter picked it up and babbled.

Phil could distinctly make out May's laughter as she 'talked' to Skye. A few minutes later, he gently picked up the phone and said hi to May again.

"So, I'll see you soon?" he asked hopefully.

"Wednesday," May reassured him. "Promise that's what the doc said."

"Okay. See you then, May," Phil said. There was a long pause before he chuckled. "You gonna hang up?"

He heard May mutter an annoyed 'bye' before she hung up, and sighed. Maybe he couldn't say that he loved her again now that he knew she was fully conscious. Maybe it was a one time thing.

Phil shook his head. He'll find out.

-

On Wednesday, he and Skye puttered around the house as Phil put in the final touches on the small renovation he did while May was gone.

"I hope she likes it," he sighed, standing back to admire it. He glanced down at his daughter, who was clinging onto his calf. "What do you think?"

Skye looked up at him with big eyes. She stuck out her tongue to him.

Phil rolled his eyes and picked her up, ignoring her excited squeal as he walked back towards the front of the house. He checked the driveway and saw a SHIELD car drive up, Fury in the driver's seat. Phil smiled a little smile to himself and bounced Skye to her attention. "You ready to see May again?" he asked her.

Skye beamed. "Mama!"

Phil sighed and set her down, smile hopeful. "Yeah, I hope so," he said. "One day, kid." Phil knelt down and tugged down his daughter's new dress that she kept trying to hike up. He fixed her hair, the wispy strands falling just over her ears as he tried to put them in pigtails.

He heard the door unlock and Phil sighed and released his Skye to run to May. He stood up, leaning against the kitchen peninsula with a smile as he watched May get ambushed by their daughter, who ran to her clumsily with loud laughter.

May laughed too, scooping Skye up into a hug, and she swung her around in a circle as the baby giggled. May turned around as she spotted Fury in her peripheral vision and thanked him quietly for bringing her bag.

"Take care of yourself, May," the director said with a smile. He looked behind her. "Phil." He nodded to the agent inside, who nodded back, and then Fury disappeared back into his car and left.

May turned back to look at Phil.

He had his heart in his eyes as he walked towards her. "Hi," he said softly.

"Hi." May smiled brightly, and Phil felt his heart squeeze painfully, like he was about to cry. She noticed and rolled her eyes. "Phil..."

"What?"

"You're not about to confess your undying love for me again, are you?"

Phil shrugged and smiled, guileless. "Would you punch me if I do? Cause then I won't." He tugged at Skye's ear and heard his daughter giggle.

"I won't punch you," May reassured him.

Phil squinted. "Who are you and what have you done to our May?"

Skye babbled in agreement.

May rolled her eyes and carried her daughter to the couch as Phil grabbed her bag. "Nothing happened," she sighed. "I just... don't feel like punching you."

Phil's eyes flicked up and down as he scrutinized her.

"Would you stop that?" May said, trying not to laugh. She grabbed Phil's hand and pulled him down onto the couch.

They sat there in silence for a moment while they both watched Skye get preoccupied with a spoon that Phil left there for ice cream later. Skye put it in her mouth.

"Melinda."

She looked up at him, beaming. "You know, I've never gotten used to you saying that," May noted. "You usually just call me May."

Phil smiled. "Well. Melinda May. I'm confessing my undying love to you."

"Right now?" May put her hand on top of Skye's head and heard her giggles. "Undying?"

"Those are the words I believe you used," Phil replied with a small grin. "Though I could be wrong." There was a very long pause and his grin faded a little. "So, what do you think?"

"Of what?"

"My apparently undying love for you."

May shrugged. "It's neat."

Phil knit his brows, pouting. "Neat? I confess my love to you and you say—"

May grabbed him by the collar and kissed him. Then— "Shut up," she said, smiling against his lips. "Just. Shut up." She pulled away and studied his eyes.

Phil had the biggest, dumbest grin on his face and he leaned in to kiss her again. This time, his big dumb grin turned to a smaller smile. "I love you."

"You're an idiot," May sighed. She plopped Skye onto her father's lap and spoke to her. "Your dad's dumb. Don't listen to him. Listen to me only. Your mom. Got it?"

Skye nodded seriously.

Phil chuckled. "You've got her turning against me already?"

"Of course," May replied, smiling mischievously. "You can never be too prepared."