All of Me - Agent's of S.H.I.E.L.D

Chapter Twenty Five

Kitchen - 19:44 pm

Melinda was in the kitchen making herself a cup of mint-choc camomile tea. She was waiting for the jug to boil when she walked towards the top cabinet above the sink and opened it, spotting the cookie jar on the top shelf where the monte carlo biscuits were. Melinda could hear Skye and Jemma’s laughter coming from the open lounge area where her current team were all gathered and currently were watching ‘Frozen’. She had been too, but left a few minutes ago claiming the excuse that she needed to use the bathroom and told them not to pause the movie. Melinda had use that excuse so she could have a couple of minutes without Phil hovering. She loved him, but he was starting to get on her nerves. Her two good friends had disappeared after dinner and headed in the direction of her bunk for some alone time.

Melinda reached her arm up to grab the cookie jaw.  

“Melinda,” Phil’s voice came from behind her, causing her to jump. She spun around as Phil was walking towards her looking angry. “You’re not suppose to be stretching,” he told her, sternly. “Are you in any pain … let me go get your pi-”

“I’m fine!” she snapped as anger starting filling her. “I barely lifted my arm! I am not a damn invalid! Are you spying on me now? I cannot go ten seconds without you looking over my shoulder!”

Phil felt her words hit him like daggers to the heart as he stopped a few feet from her. “I was coming to make you one of your special tea’s,” he told her in a soft tone. “I know it helps you relax,” he voiced with sincerity. “Something is bothering you and I haven’t said anything because I wanted to give you your space and I figured that you would tell me when you’re ready.”

Melinda instantly felt ashamed for thinking the worst of her partner. She knew that she shouldn’t be surprised that he had noticed something different about her. He knew her just like she knew him. They had a connection. Melinda wanted to tell him what had been bothering her, but something was stopping her from becoming fully expose.

“Mel,” Phil whispered as he enclosed the distance between them, leaving less than a foot of space. “Talk to me?” he pleaded, lifting a hand and placing it against her cheek. “I am right here. Please let me in?”

Melinda averted her gaze from his not being able to hold eye contact any longer without wanting to confess everything. Damn those baby blues. “I’m fi-”

“Fine?” he cut her off, annoyance lacing his tone. “I swear to god I am going to ban that damn word from being said!” he voiced a little louder than attended. “I know you and I know that you’re not fine. I love you and if something is wrong, I need to know.”

Melinda swallowed the lump in her throat at the raw emotion in his voice matched with those blue eyes - her kryptonite. He looked so damn vulnerable. She needed some space. She couldn’t be around him a second longer.  Melinda turned away and walked past him. She headed in the direction of the spiral staircase that led up to his bunk.  

Phil was confused. One second Melinda was standing in front of him and the next she was walking away from him. Damn she was quick, even injured. He turned around just as she was nearing the stairs. “Where are you going?” he demanded, coming out a little harsher than expected.

“To have a bath!” she called over her shoulder. “And No - I don’t need help up the stairs!” she answered as she reached the bottom of the spiral staircase and started making her way up it.

Phil stood there stunned. He wanted to go after her, but knew from past experience that  a little space might be necessary.