Agents of Shield One-Shots

One cannot be brave (who has no fear)

AU of 5x12. If May had gone to close the rift instead of Coulson (aka an excuse to torture my favourite character). I didn't really like how her fear was supposedly Lash, so I'm changing it up. Three cheers for fanfiction! 

I actually haven't watched past this episode yet, so sorry for anything that may lead to non-canonical events! :)

And am I using a Marissa Meyer quote for my title? Maybe. Yes. Her books are good.

Enjoy!

<>

"May! What are you doing?" Coulson's voice is one of shock, of barely concealed fear. May can see Fitz-Simmons, Mack, and Daisy all running towards her, but the elevator doors were closing too fast for them to catch up. 

In response, May holds up the orb-shaped device Fitz had created to close the rift and the .50 caliber gun, and taps her ear with her other hand. "I'm closing the rift. I have comms."

Her jaw was set, her eyes full of determination, as the elevator doors closed with a sense of finality. In her ears, she heard the momentary static that signalled her comms being turned on and connected. 

"We have visual, May," Daisy's voice said. "Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear." 

Then Coulson's voice comes on. "Melinda, why are you doing this? I thought we agreed it would be me." His emotions leak through his voice and into the earpiece, melting a little bit of the determination in May's heart. Out of the two of them, May had always been much better at concealing her emotions. 

Even from a few floors above, Coulson could practically feel Melinda May roll her eyes. "I'm the specialist. This is my job. Also, you fainted earlier. You might faint again, and then I'd have to go down and save you anyway." Her voice was tinged with dry humour. 

"Not funny, May," Coulson replied tersely. 

Fitz interrupted their conversation. "May, do you know how to use the device?"

May scoffed. "I was paying attention when you explained, you know."

"May, come back up. I'm not going to faint," Coulson interjected pleadingly. The elevator doors opened. 

"And I'm not going to die, so stop worrying," she replied, stepping out. 

She expected a reply from Coulson and the team, but got only static. Pressing a hand to the comm, she lifted the gun in her other hand. 

"Coulson?" 

No reply. 

May sighed and put both hands on her gun. She let her eyes drift around her, staying alert and traversing through the debris. Her posture might've looked relaxed, but she remained tense. She knew that her worst nightmares could appear at any time. 

That was actually another reason she went in Coulson's place, actually. She faced her fears in nightmares every day, so she had a pretty good idea of what they were. She was much more prepared to deal with them than Coulson. 

May continued walking carefully, expecting to see a vision of Andrew turning into Lash like earlier or the events of Bahrain. But what she actually saw was much, much worse. 

The apparition of Simmons was first. As May approached the rift, hand reaching towards the orb device attached to her belt, Simmons ran out from the corridor she had just come out from. 

"Wait!" The biochemist called, holding a hand up. "Don't use that! I have a better one for you!"

Without hesitation, May shot her in the stomach, expecting her to dissolve into vapour.