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The ocean is calm today. The smooth turquoise coloured surface sparkles in the sun. Melinda is sitting at the beach, running her fingers through the warm grainy sand and absently watching the cool water splashing over her feet rhythmically, as the waves rush to shore unhurriedly.
Phil is laying beside her. He’s fast asleep. Melinda can hear his soft snores even through the sunhat covering his face. His hands are folded on his chest. His chest, where his heart is beating steady and strong. Still.
Melinda looks at him, watching his softly rising and falling chest. Relief and love rush through her, as gentle as the ocean’s waves.
She looks back at the water stretched out in front of her. There’s an island not far from here. Covered in almost white sand and speckled with coconut trees. Phil once joked about swimming to it. But Melinda won’t let him. Not now and probably never.
But the island laying in the middle of the ocean is definitely a beautiful sight. Everything here in Tahiti is beautiful. It’s like in one of the dreams she had in the past.
At day, it’s always pleasantly warm here. Even the wind is mild and does no harm to naked wet skin. The sun shines free, with no clouds blocking her strength. The water never gets really cold and they often spend hours in it, until Melinda reminds Phil to apply more sunblocker to his skin. He once got a really nasty sunburn and couldn't move without being in pain.
At night, all the stars are open and visible, like Melinda has never seen it before. Or, maybe she has never really tried to see it in the past. Has never taken a moment to search for them or to try to catch sight of a shooting star. Now, she does. She’s sitting at the beach with Phil at night, holding his warm hand and feeling his thumb rubbing over her skin while they look up at the starry night sky, talking for hours.
Melinda likes their life here. She likes the little hut they found for themselves, with its wodden walls and creaky floors. It's standing in the shadow of a huge coconut tree. There they spend most of the day, cuddling and snuggling, feeding each other with fruits or just laying beside each other, reading and enjoying the warm presence of the other one. There were times she wouldn’t have thought it possible that she would enjoy such a life. But she does. With Phil being in it, she does.
Of course, it’s not ideal. It’s not perfect. Nothing ever is. And they carry too many wounds for things to be like in a children’s book.
There still are nights, in which she startles awake because of a strange noise, reaching for a gun or knife under her pillow, only to find the place where it used to be empty. Because, she reminds herself then, it’s over. You’re done fighting. It seems a bit absurd, because for a long time, she thought, all she could do and was good at was fighting. Now she's supposed to just stop. To leave it in the past. That's not easy. Not always. In these nights she lays back into the pillows slowly, trying to calm her breath down, and reaches for Phil’s hand under the blanket instead. His hand is always there and when she touches it, he opens it, their fingers intertwining instinctively.
There still are nights filled with nightmares. All the ghosts and demons she met over the past years come out from where they were hiding in the shadows. People she loves … Hurt. Or death. She awakes with a startled gasp or tears in her eyes, her hands searching around in the void, searching for something to hold on, for the hands of the people she loves, for anything. And always, Phil wraps his arms around her, surrounding her with warmth and safety. “Just a dream, Mel,” he whispers. “Just a dream. I’m here. It’s alright. You’re fine.” And she falls back asleep, feeling sore but safe at least.
There were mornings she was scared when she woke up. Scared he might have left her in sleep. But he didn’t. He was always there, smiling at her sleepily.
They came here because Phil Coulson was dying. But right now, it feels like they came here to live a life together.
Phil feels good. Strong. Alive. He always assures her of that, since he took the medicine.
Melinda didn’t dare to hope at first, when Jemma came to her, beaming and crying happy tears, telling her they might just have developed something that helps. But Melinda couldn't join into her relief and happiness. She didn’t dare to hope there would be something like a happy ending for her and Phil. The time she believed in such things as happy endings was over. It dissolved in the pain of losing people and herself.
She went to Tahiti to spend as much time as possible with Phil and to mourn him properly when he was gone.
But Phil is still there now. He’s not in pain. He’s doing sports without getting weak. So, Melinda allows herself to hope. Only slowly, tentatively, but she allows it. And that's more than she managed in the past.
Melinda is ripped out of her thoughts, when there’s a loud whirring sound, fading out the gentle whispers of the ocean and the wind. She smiles and reaches out, to pull the sunhat off Phil’s face. Phil makes a mildly protesting noise in the back of his throat, but his eyes flutter open and he turns his head to look at her questioningly, blinking into the sun.
“They are here,” Melinda tells him.
Phil’s eyes light up. “Finally,” he murmurs.
The Zephyr lands close to them, her smooth black skin sparkling in the sun. Their wedding guest have just arrived.
They look good, Melinda thinks, feeling pleased and warm as looks at every single one of them while they exit the Zephyr, waving and smiling.
Daisy is the first one, and she’s fast. Melinda sees her appearing on the ramp and the next moment, she has an armful of Daisy, pressing her face against her chest. “Missed you,” she murmurs, and Melinda’s lips twitch up into a smile. She hugs Daisy quickly and then they separate. Daisy looks at her a bit sheepishly. "Uhm," she says, rubbing the back of her head. “I’m glad to see you too,” Melinda tells her and Daisy beams.
Fitz and Simmons come next. They are holding hands. Fitz gained a bit weight, Melinda notices. Looks good on him. Jemma cut her hair shorter and has a hand on her stomach protectively. She’s not showing yet. But she will soon, Melinda expects. She knows Deke can barely wait to become an “Uncle”. He exits the Zephyr right after his grandparents, carrying a pack of Zima in every hand. Melinda sighs. He will have to drink that all alone, she knows. But that never seems to make him sad.
After the FitzSimmons family, Mack and Elena walk towards them, holding hands as well. Elena got new arms again, Melinda notices, and guesses Fitz worked out a new design. Mack wears the same warm and open expression as always. There are a few more lines around his eyes though, no doubt coming from the perks of being a director, Melinda suspects.
She watches as Phil goes around greeting everyone, feeling warm. Phil's eyes sparkle as he gets to hug them. And they are all so happy to see him. Melinda feels relieved all over again.
“So,” Deke says eventually. “What are we going to do for the bachelor party?”
“Oh, I'm a little too old for that,” Phil chuckles. “Don’t you think?”
Everyone laughs.
Melinda silently agrees.
Sharing some bottles of beer - and Zima - and some talking will surely do it.
The wedding is calm and the air around them is filled with love.
Countless candles on the beach light up the scenery, as Melinda and Phil stand under an arch decorated with white roses. The others are watching in awe. There are some happy tears and at some time, Deke noisily blows his nose. Melinda is happy they are there. They belong to her life just as much as Phil does. They are more than a team after all. They always knew it.
There aren’t many words. They look each other in the eye and know. After all this time, they talk a lot through touches and looks, without having difficulties to understand each other.
“Here’s to many more years,” Phil tells her, taking both her hands.
Melinda nods. “Many more,” she echoes.
Phil smiles. He cups her face in both hands and kisses her. Melinda closes her eyes.
There are cheers and clapping. But Melinda only hears Phil’s soft sigh and feels his warmth all around her. Melinda holds on to him, feeling his solid presence, and allows herself to let go.
They have found their place at last.