Title: Inside
Author: csiAngel
Rating: T
Spoilers: up to 4x15.
Disclaimer: I do not own Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..
Summary: A glimpse at life inside The Framework…

… … …

- Are you saying we'll eventually be able to be together?
- I'm saying that, in the Framework, we already are.

May LMD and Coulson LMD, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 4x15

… … …

Parent-teacher meetings had always been one of Phil Coulson's favourite parts of his job. He loved being able to tell parents how well their children were doing, seeing his pride reflected in their faces – watching their children pretend to be mortified and embarrassed, while secretly delighted. But, since Phil had started teaching Katya May last year, these meetings had become the one thing he looked forward to the most; he even counted down the days.

It was crazy, really. But, from the first moment he had met Katya's mother at the orientation meeting, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. Melinda May. Agent Melinda May – of Hydra. Phil didn't know what job she did there; he didn't know much about her at all. Just that she had adopted Katya nine years ago from Bahrain… and that something about her just had him completely captivated. He also knew that she was single. Or, at least, he knew that there was no father, or step-father, listed as an emergency contact on Katya's file. He really hoped that she was single. Not that he was likely to ever work up the courage to ask her out. Even now, just sitting, waiting to see her for this meeting, his heart was pounding and his palms were sweaty.

She had been due at six-thirty. It was now six-thirty-seven and he had already noticed that his six-forty appointment was waiting in the hallway. But he would give her the three minutes, just in case.

…

Phil just about managed to push his disappointment aside and focus on his remaining meetings. He knew it was ridiculous for him to feel such a loss at not having seen Ms May, but he couldn't help it.

He was just packing up this belongings from his desk when there was a soft knock at the open door. Glancing up, he nearly dropped his water bottle when he saw Melinda May framed by the doorway, a sheepish smile on her face.

Catching the bottle, he placed it down on his desk. Regaining his composure took a little longer.

"I'm sorry," she said, and she sounded like she really meant it. "I know I'm an hour and a half late and I know everyone is leaving. I just wanted to apologise. I got stuck at work and – "

"It's no problem."

She stepped inside the room. "I am interested in how Katya's getting on."

"I know."

"I don't want you to think that work is my life and Katya comes in second."

"I would never think that."

"Based on the fact that I made it on time to our previous two meetings?"

Phil laughed, lightly. "Partly… But also based on the fact that Katya is clearly a happy young lady, and she's obviously very settled."

Ms May smiled, shyly, and Phil felt himself fall for her a little more.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Phil could only shrug in response, and a silence enveloped them as they smiled at each other awkwardly.

Eventually Ms May broke it. "Anyway, I just wanted to apologise. So, I should let you go."

She started to turn away but he found he didn't want her to leave. "Hang on…"

She stopped.

"You came all the way here, despite the fact that you were over an hour late, and you're going to leave without finding out how Katya is doing?"

"I don't want to keep you. There's only a few people left and you must want to go and get some dinner."

"I can't eat this late on a school night. I had a sandwich earlier."

"Okay. But you must want to get home. Maybe we could schedule a meeting another time? On my day off, perhaps, so I'll turn up on time," she joked, self-deprecatingly.

"We can do that." He liked the idea a lot more than he hoped was conveyed in his expression.

"Thank you. I'll check my schedule and get in touch."

He nodded and she turned away again. And again he felt an overwhelming urge to stop her.

"Or –" That word was out there before he had realised he was going to speak.

She faced him with a delicate frown.

"I could use a coffee… If you'd like we could talk about Katya over coffee. Now."

He couldn't believe he had managed to ask that. He held his breath as he watched her consider the offer. He couldn't read her expression at all; had no idea if he had freaked her out. He was just starting to panic and trying to work out how he could back track and save face when she smiled at him.

"Tea would be nice."

He smiled, with relief, but he hoped it just looked like an acceptable level of pleasure.

"I know somewhere that serves both," he quipped, and he was disproportionately thrilled when that made her laugh. "I'll just grab my things."

…

"You obviously love teaching," Melinda observed when Phil had finished telling her how Katya was doing in his class.

"I do," he told her, honestly. "It has its frustrating moments and I could do without a lot of the paperwork, but it's worth it."

"What made you choose to teach?" she asked him before raising her cup of green tea to her lips.

He tore his eyes away from watching those lips, reprimanding himself for his wandering thoughts, and he tried to answer her question. For a second he wasn't sure he knew the answer. He couldn't remember ever making a choice to teach. But then it came to him.

"I wanted some way to contribute to the greater good… Law enforcement wasn't really my thing," he shrugged, nodding to her in acknowledgement of what she did, "But I thought widening young minds, shaping the leaders of the future, would do my bit."

"From what I hear, you're good at it."

"Really?" It made him ridiculously happy to think that she and Katya had spoken about him at home. He really had it bad.

Melinda shrugged one shoulder. "Well, she doesn't complain about you," she smirked.

Phil laughed at that and leaned forward, asking conspiratorially, "Who does she complain about?"

This time Melinda's laughter lit up her face and Phil was momentarily frozen, in awe of how beautiful she was and how much he had missed seeing her like this. That last part caused him to frown: He had never seen her like this, how could he miss it?

His confusion caused Melinda's laughter to fade. "Are you okay?"

"Oh? Yeah… I just realised that Katya probably wouldn't want me to know who she complains about."

Melinda looked uncertain whether to accept that explanation, but she eventually said, "Probably not."

Phil fiddled with the handle of his coffee cup as he asked her, "How do you think she would feel about you being here?"

Melinda frowned. "She knows the parent-teacher meetings are tonight."

Phil's heart sank. That was all she thought this was. Of course that was all she thought this was.

"Of course," he commented, hoping he didn't sound disheartened. "So, erm, what about you? How did you become an agent of Hydra?"

Melinda's face fell and she looked at him with wide eyes. "How do you know that's what I do?"

Phil's heart raced with panic. Was he not supposed to know? How did he know? Hadn't she –

Suddenly, she grinned widely. "I'm just kidding."

He put a hand to his chest. "Oh, thank God. I was just thinking that I was sure you came to our first meeting in uniform." To be honest, it had made him feel a little intimidated.

"Probably. This is why I have an admin job now. I was never any good at covert operations."

He couldn't tell whether that was true or she was teasing him again.

The uncertainty must have shown on his face because she clarified, "Actually I was very good at covert operations, but when I adopted Katya I decided a desk job was probably safer. I'm rarely out in the field now."

"But it's still no nine-to-five."

"No… Particularly on days when I have places to be."

Phil shrugged. "It worked out in the end… You haven't told me how you got into Hydra, though."

"Oh, yes… Figure skating."

Phil frowned. "I've always wondered if I had the wrong idea about what Hydra do."

Phil decided that Melinda's smirk was as breathtaking as her smile.

"Figure skating got me into martial arts. Martial arts got me noticed by Hydra. And the rest is history."

"Do you like it?"

"I do… Though not as much as you like teaching."

"I've always given my all to whatever job I had."

"Well, you've certainly gone above and beyond this evening. Thank you for doing this."

Phil shook off her thanks. "It was no problem."

"Next time, I'm buying."

Phil's heart skipped. "Next time?"

For the briefest moment she looked like a deer caught in headlights but then she hid it expertly. And Phil was in no doubt at all that she had been very good at covert operations. Though he felt like he kind of already knew that.

"I'm bound to be late again in the future," she justified, flawlessly.

"Perils of a desk job."

She smiled. "… I should go."

It may have been – and probably was – his imagination, but she seemed disappointed.

"Katya will be mortified that I'm so late. She'll think I made them keep the school open just so I could see her teachers… I might let her think that."

"She'll want to know what they all said… And you've only spoken to me." In fact… "Did you apologise to the others?"

He watched her very closely now he knew how well she could hide her reactions. Her eyes widened ever so slightly before she got them under control. Panic. Interesting. He felt his heart speed up a little: She had wanted to see him.

"They had already left," she told him.

He let his smile tell her that he knew that wasn't the complete truth. "I see."

She narrowed her eyes at him and then stood up, collecting her purse and jacket. He stood with her, draping his jacket over his arm.

"I'll walk you to your car," he offered, despite knowing that they had parked on the same side street, "Dodgy neighbourhood."

"Then maybe I should walk you to yours," she returned, playing along.

"Good point… I've never figure skated."

Smiling they walked outside and turned in the direction of their cars.

"This was nice," Melinda commented as they walked. "Best parent-teacher meeting I've ever attended."

"Should I suggest we relocate them to a coffee shop every time?"

"Maybe."

They came to her car first and both stopped.

"I'm just a couple of cars down, I'll be safe," Phil quipped.

"Are you sure?"

"You could keep an eye on me from here."

"Okay."

She stood in front of him and Phil wondered what was the appropriate way to end this impromptu meeting. He wanted to ask for another but, while he was pretty sure there had been some flirting from her tonight, he couldn't be one hundred percent certain that he hadn't misread the situation.

"Well, good night then," she said before he had decided what to do. "And, thank you, again."

"Good night."

Cursing himself for dragging his feet, he moved towards his car.

"Phil…"

He stopped and turned back. "Yeah?"

"Katya would probably kill me if I were to ask out her teacher."

Phil had never experienced such a simultaneous mixture of conflicting emotions as those words caused. Elation over hearing that she wished she could go out with him was swirled with devastation because it couldn't be.

He nodded to show that he understood, offered her one last smile and went to walk away.

"Phil…"

He looked back, a little surprised to find that her eyes were sparkling with amusement.

"Katya would probably kill me if I were to ask out her teacher."

And his heart skipped again as his mouth fell open in understanding. And this time, he actually did understand.

Taking two steps closer to her he said, "Right… Okay…"

She watched him, expectantly.

"I really enjoyed tonight."

"Me too."

"Would you like to do this again? Or… dinner, maybe?"

"I would like that."

"Do you think Katya would be okay with it?"

"I think so… I'll check before we confirm anything?"

"Of course."

"Okay." She slipped her hand into her purse and produced her phone. "Do you want to give me your number and I'll let you know what she says?"

Phil removed his own phone from his pocket and they exchanged numbers. Then they exchanged 'good night's – again. And he eventually made it to his car.

As soon as the door was closed he allowed his smile to reflect the depth of excitement that he felt. This morning he had had a little ray of exhilaration at the thought of seeing Melinda for ten minutes. He had never dreamed that the day would end like this.

He had a date with Melinda May.

As long as her daughter approved.

Maybe he'd cancel next week's quiz.

… … …