Here is chapter two, hope you like it! I don't own anything

"I'm going to tell you... how I met your mother"

Skye grinned, thankful, and leaned back on the door to face him as he talked. She knew that under the circumstances it was probably very hard for him to think of May and remember all their history together, but had not the courage to stop him, because besides saw in his eyes that he also wanted to tell her that story.

"So, how did you meet her?" she asked, bitten by curiosity.

He smiled. He sat back for comfort, crossing his arms as he scratched his chin and was pierced by an infinite number of those tiny daggers which we call memories. Hundreds of images and moments crossed his mind at that moment. He remembered the day they had met, all those unforgettable moments at the Academy, from how they had escaped several times to their legendary pranks. And all those years in ops ...

Coulson shook his head. That powerful nostalgia was sweet, yeah, but also bitter. It was like a bottle of vodka, if you take a drink you may feel reassured and maybe find some resolution to keep going. But, if it is too much, you always end up regretting it.

He sighed, took a deep breath and started to talk:

So, when I was something like, twenty six, I don't remember it now, I used to assist to some agency meetings with my friends and our supervision officer. And by meetings I mean hanging out at a private bar of the agency, it wasn't as boring as how you might imagine. And other times, just a few, dinners meant to make the young agents get to know each other. Maybe you think that's odd, but it's very important for two agents who work at the same team to trust and get along well with each other. Those dinners were actually boring, though.

That night we were at the bar. I was somewhat disillusioned and bored because three of my best friends were unable to go, busy with their relationships and other things. So I was with John, who was another one of my best friends and also had to attend such meetings or, as he liked to call them, a opportunity to get an easy one night stand.

John had spent years telling me to get a girlfriend. I hadn't had one since I was at the Academy, and said that while it was good not to get involved with people from work, was healthy to have someone, nothing too serious, and it was even better if I didn't have to work with it then. You know, to have sex and then dump her when I got bored of it. Well, that day was no exception.

"Come on, Phil, you need to get someone" he had insisted for the tenth time in the last thirty minutes. "You've been alone for a while now, and you and I both know you're someone who needs somebody"...Don't look at me like that, Skye, I'm just telling the story.

For him, having a girlfriend could only mean two things. If you were in a plane or mission, meant having sex as much as one would like, quite enviable when you spend months without seeing other people. But if they were not on the same team, just meant pathetic hours of calls and the loss of any freedom. The thing is, I will never understand the whole concept that John had of the term girlfriend, but was way too distant from looking like mine.

"I don't need a girlfriend" I had answered, rolling my eyes.

"Don't you wanna get married?"

I honestly didn't know what he was planning with that question, as he was a declared marriage-hatter or actually anything that involved any kind of sentimental commitment.

"John, we are in a freaking agency, that life-style is not an option" I said.

"But I know you, Phil, and that's what you want" he replied, taking a sip of scotch as he walked his sight around the estay. "I know it's hard, but it's not impossible, you know"

"I know" I sighed, shrugging. "But I find it hard to believe that I'll find someone right for me"

"That's because you have too many expectations... Look, that blonde at three o'clock. She's not half bad"

He was pointing to a girl who was sitting with a bunch of friends a few tables beyond. Was quite pretty, tall and curvy, funny attitude and easy appearance, but, all I could see was a hollow girl who I didn't know how had entered the agency.

"Too stupid" I muttered. "Maybe I will never have my ideal girlfriend, but I don't want just sex like you, John. I mean that, when the moment comes, I'll know she's the one"

"Oh, don't you dare to start all Nate and Vic" he had complained, pretending to puke. "Yeah, they met at school and are the typical cute couple, but you are not like them"

Nate and Victoria had been together since our third year at the Academy, they were the perfect couple and even called each other cute silly names. They were like a freaking Fitz-Simmons 80's version. If I must be honest, I envied them a little. At that point in my life I was just a young and talented agent, but very inexperienced. Spent so much time concentrating on my work that normal things like a relationship had become strange. Instead, they could feel worried about many things, but also knew they could always count on each other.

"That's my problem, you know? They just looked at each other and knew it" I commented, thinking in our friends. "I mean, why can't I find someone like that?"

"Okay, dude, I honestly don't get you" he said, snorting. "You think it's impossible to find someone who might be right for you, but you want to fall in love at first sight?"

I rolled my eyes as I finished my glass of scotch, frustrated that he did not understand how I felt. It was nearly one o'clock and there we were, sitting at our usual table, looking around not really knowing what the hell we were doing in the bar or rather in the world. He was dressed quite formally, saying women loved that and it honestly seemed to work, as he always got the girls to stay with him. For my part, I wore a simple jacket with jeans. As I pondered his words I scratched my head, thinking in the girlfriend's I had had. A few, like Stella, had lasted more than others, and at some point in my life I had been sure about them being 'the one' and everything, only to end in another disappointment.

"Maybe you are right" I finally said, shrugging. "What can I say? I don't like being alone"

"And that's exactly why the blonde deserves a chance," he replied. "You're a goddamned romantic, Phil, obsessed with the idea of, seeing a woman and see hearts and stars, buying her chocolates and're maybe inviting to eat at a cute restaurant with blue instruments. But wake up, man" said as he knocked my forehead as if it were a door. "Today is not that day. So I say, go with the blonde and fuck her all night so strong that tomorrow she can't stand up" I shook my head and I hit him in the arm, disgusted by the idea. "Ouch! But, come on, you can continue your searching tomorrow"

"The blonde is not my type" I complained. "But it's so your type, so why don't you go and get her?"

"Becaaaause, I can get any girl I want, duh, and it's my job to help those who are not as awesome as me" he replied, with a funny air or seriousness and sensibility that he evidently didn't possess. "What did I tell you the first time we met, Phil?"

I rolled my eyes, thinking about that day. We were freshmen, the very first day of the Academy, when I was told that he would be my roommate. At first we fought all the time, especially for the amount of girls he brought to our room. I mean, je didn't care if I was there watching a movie or eating a piece of pizza, they would come and bum, I was kicked out from my own dorm, or worse, wouldn't even care if I was there. One day I confronted him, telling him I was sick of it. We argued for a while, but finally he laughed.

"Fine, fine" he had said, putting an arm around my shoulders. "Sorry, man, I promise I won't bring any random chick here... At least not in school days. But, do you know something?"

"What?" I asked, reluctantly.

"I'm going to teach you how you live, Phil" he announced, gesturing with his hands and wide opening his eyes in a dreamer way to emphasize his words. "I, John Garrett, will not rest until you, young Phil Coulson, have learned how to live"

With live, he was referring to have a great time. Go to parties, not study, and have as many one night stands as possible. Sometimes I cannot believe he graduated with almost the same grades I did... Anyway, that was his definition of life. I didn't follow it, of course, because I didn't want to dress up like that, cared about my studies and possessed something called moral. However, believe it or not, from John I learned certain things. From magic tricks, real magic tricks, to the fact that love is not always full of hearts and roses.

"Hey, earth calling Phil" said Garrett in that moment, moving my shoulder. "Too much drinking or what?"

I shook my head, realising I had gotten lost in my daydreams and memories.

"So, what did I tell you that night we argued?" Garrett insisted, noticing that I was reacting.

"That you'd teach me how to live"

Seeing it in retrospect, it was not actually John the one who taught me how to live and have fun, it was someone much different and special to me. Either way, I wouldn't begin to argue with him, I was too used to deal with his stubborn convictions and it was somewhat late to start discussing

"That I would teach you how to live!" he repeated. "So, Phil? Forget about a girlfriend!"

"Didn't you tell me to get someone?"

"Yes, someone to stay the night with. Nobody is made to be alone, less when we have these" John stretched the muscles he had thanks to our trainig. Some girls let out silly giggles, causing me to roll my eyes. "Why don't you give the blonde a shot?"

"Because I don't like her, John" I exclaimed, losing my patience. "Whatever, I'm going home"

I left my glass on the table and turned around to head up to the door. And that was when I saw her. She was beautiful, she really was, with that green sweater, her dark hair reaching a little below her shoulders and some deep and bright eyes. She was smiling as she talked to other girl, and when she smiled I couldn't help but smirking. I knew her name, nearly everyone at the Academy did, but in that moment I wanted to actually know her.

"I need to talk to her" I told John. I really wanted to, besides, it was a good way to get away from him.

My friend rolled his eyes and after giving me a small reassuring pat in the shoulder let me go to play a move on the blonde.

I was still staring at her, and as I did I realised that, as much as I wanted to as if I didn't, she would become a very important part of my life. And she did.

Skye smiled, moved by Coulson's words. Even though she knew what he felt for May and they had argued about it countless times previously, it was still nice and tender to know for how long he had loved her.

"So that's how you met her?" she asked. "At a bar, so many years ago?"

"Oh, no... That's how I met Maria Hill"

"WHAT?!"

I know, I know, for those who know how i met your mother (the show) it might be somewhat unoriginal. But, it's just that it's the same actress, so it was funny to picture her in both worlds... I just couldn't stop myself XD... I promise next chapter will be better! Please post some reviews! Do you like the HIMYM style or you'd prefer something different? Tell me what you think! :)

PS: There is NO WAY this is going to be a Hill/Coulson story, just Philinda! I just wrote about Hill because it would be funny to make the confussion. However, she won't be very important in the story