Author's Note:

For those that all wanted to see Phil and Melinda open that bottle of Haig and stop waiting around :)

It's late when she hears the knock on her door. Placing her book down on the bedside table, she slips out of the bed padding quietly over to the door. With a twist of her wrists it opens easily, revealing a slightly nervous Phil outside her door. He's dressed down in his pajamas, a simple old Shield Academy t-shirt and flannel bottoms, even his feet are bare.

"Hey," she says to him with a quizzical raise of her eyebrow.

"I brought scotch," he holds up a bottle and two glasses in his hands with a small hopeful grin.

She finds the corners of her own lips twitching up in a smile as she steps back allowing him into the room before shutting the door quietly behind him. It's not often that he comes to her room late at night, and it's even rarer that he comes bearing alcohol. Usually when they drink together it's in one of the communal areas like the common room or the kitchen. They never really drink in their own rooms, the closest thing being having a drink in his office when he was still Director. She moves over to the bed, sitting down on it cross legged and gesturing for Phil to make himself comfortable. He settles down next to her on the other side of the bed leaning against the headboard with his legs out in front. He's not quite as flexible as she is. Silently, he hands her glass before breaking the seal on the new bottle. They've been waiting years to open this bottle, hearing the seal crack is oddly satisfying. Unscrewing the cap he pours two fingers of the amber liquid into her glass and then his own. Clinking glasses together, they both take a sip enjoying the taste of the fine alcohol.

"Do you remember when you got that?" He asks her nodding his head at the old Shield Academy t-shirt that she wears, a match to his own.

She tips her head in acknowledgement.

"Orientation day, we all had to go and get our uniform packs. It was compulsory."

He hums in agreement absentmindedly rubbing his thumb over the rim of his glass.

"It was the first day that we met too."

A small smile forms on her lips as she remembers their first meeting. He'd been a nerdy guy not quite sure where he was going or what he was doing and just so happened to end up in her orientation group.

"You were a know it all, despite having no idea about anything," she smirks at him rolling her eyes. "Spouting historical facts about every damn thing."

"I was excited, what can I say?" He shrugs with a grin. "And I liked making you smile."

"Your nerdy facts did not make me smile," she looks at him with playful glint in her eyes over a debate that they've had going their entire friendship.

"I think they did," he states smugly.

She gives him a look but he knows her well enough to know she's teasing.

"Lil bit?" He tries.

Letting out a huff with a roll of her eyes she concedes slightly.

"Lil bit."

A smile spreads across his face at her words and she can't help the warm feeling that fills her inside. It's just the alcohol she tells herself but she knows that it's more than that. Taking a sip of her drink she clears her voice before pushing him by the shoulder.

"You were a dork," she tells him.

"You like that," he responds and damn him for knowing her so well.

She actually finds him really adorable when he's geeking out over history stuff like the SSR and Captain America. The way his eyes light up and shine, it's hard not to find him attractive.

"Do not," she states dryly trying to cover up how she really feels.

They're both doing the same thing. Talking about the past so that they don't quite have to deal with the present right now let alone the future. Her eyes flick over towards him to find him watching her with a warm look in his eyes. Even if they're both unsure of their present and their future, she has to admit to the small kernel of hope that seems to have embedded itself in her heart. She's hopeful that they have a future, hopeful that they have a future together.

"We used to have fun in our youth," he smiles at her with nostalgia in his eyes.

Their lives are so different today, so far from the wide eyed and innocent young agents that they had once been. She doesn't really know what to say. Reaching over she lightly rests her hand on his leg, an unspoken reminder that she is and will always be by his side.

"What happened to us Melinda?" He turns towards her with a slightly lost expression.

A wane smile forms on her lips as she turns towards him lifting her hand up to his face cupping his cheek. They draw closer together, so close that she can feel his breath like a whisper across her skin. Closing her eyes briefly she inhales slowly, his scent surrounding her.

"We grew up," she says so quietly to him as she opens her dark eyes to look into his own blue ones.

It's like she's afraid that the truth might break something, what it might break she doesn't know.

"Did we miss our chance?" He whispers, her sense of quiet reaching him too.

"We've missed too many," she says simply.

It's the truth. They've had so many chances, so many missed opportunities because it was never the right time. Maybe it's never going to be the right time. Maybe it's time they stopped waiting for someone to die or cease to exist before it is their time.

"I don't want to miss another chance," he shares with her, raising his hand and tenderly rubbing his thumb over her cheek as she leans ever so slightly into his touch.

"Then don't," she tells him, saying more with those two words than if she were to read him an essay.

Unable to tear their gaze from one another, like magnets they are drawn closer, voiding the space that once remained between them as their lips finally touch. It's tentative at first, feeling each other out and taking in the new sensation. Gradually it builds, progressing from slow and unsure to heated and passionate. They pause for a moment, separating just enough to regain their breath and their senses a little as Phil gently takes her glass from her hand, placing it and his own on the bedside table. When he turns back she cups his face in her hands as she kisses him languidly, taking the time to savour and enjoy his kiss as she shifts closer to him. His hand drifts down to her waist and tugs her closer to him as her body follows his commands, eventually resulting in her straddling his hips. Sucking on her bottom lip gently he draws a moan from the back of her throat as she runs her hands up and down his chest feeling the firm muscles beneath his thin shirt. Releasing a low moan of his own, it feels like ecstasy as she opens up to him allowing his tongue to meet hers. Unconsciously he tightens his hold on her waist as she shifts in his lap, rocking against him and awakening his desire.

"Melinda," he moans her name against her lips sounding almost desperate.

His voice seems to draw her from the haze of desire as she pulls back for a moment pausing the movement of her hips over his. Blinking she focuses her mind to the present trying to regain a sense of clarity.

"Phil?"

She says his name so tentatively, like she thinks he's going to snap at her and it makes him frown for a moment as he opens his eyes to look at her. Turning her head away from him she looks down, suddenly unsure of herself.

"Hey," he calls to her softly placing a hand gently on the side of her face to turn her back to face him again. "What's wrong?"

Her eyes still refuse to look at him as he rests his head back to look at her.

"Melinda," he says her name with a slightly worried tone that makes her eyes flicker up to his.

Slowly she lets out a breath as her shoulders seem to visibly deflate. Waiting her out patiently, he gazes at her warmly as she opens her mouth to speak before closing it again. Picking at the blanket beneath them she finally manages to voice the thoughts plaguing her mind.

"I don't want us to end up doing something that you might regret."

There, she's said it. Now it's up to him to decided what he wants to do with her confession. A confused frown wrinkles his brow as he takes in her words. Regret? The woman is an enigma wrapped in a conundrum wrapped in mystery. He's honestly not sure if he will ever figure her out.

"What? Why would I regret anything?" He asks her rubbing his hand up and down her side soothingly.

"Is this really what you want? Us? Because I care about you Phil," she looks at him intensely, dark eyes serious.

It shouldn't but his heart skips at the admittance of how she feels about him. Sometimes it surprises him how she can be so blind to things when she's usually the most observant person in any room.

"I care about you too," he tells her tucking her hair behind her ear, "I know what I want and what I'm doing, I'm not going to regret anything."

"But-"

"I want to be with you Melinda," he cuts her off firmly leaving her a little speechless.

She stares at him for a moment and he suddenly becomes the one worried that he's misinterpreted the situation. It feels like an eternity for him as he waits for her to react, and then she does. Leaning forwards she cups his face gently as she presses her lips against his. Pulling back, she smiles a small smile at him, almost timidly.

"I want to be with you too," she states brushing her thumbs over his cheeks, "just so we're clear about everything."

A large smile grows on his lips as he gazes at her. Excitement builds inside him about the future that can finally become a reality for the both of them together. They were inevitable really he thinks as she leans down towards him capturing his lips in a tender kiss that slowly builds. The moment is perfect, the kiss indescribable, and he's not really sure what the hell they were waiting for all this time.

A/N

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