Skye didn't like Providence very much. There was a chill to it that wasn't just the cold seeping through the doors. The fake windows made her feel uncomfortable. Like she was in prison. Not to mention the super fun polygraph test that insisted she give answers. All of them, actually. Thankfully Eric hadn't asked any questions along the lines of 'do you share a psychic connection with anyone?' or they would have been in real trouble.

Skye felt that familiar pang of hurt when she accidentally visited May during her interrogation, just long enough to tell Eric that the only reason she was here was Coulson.

She just felt so cold, all the way down to her bones. Everyone was weirdly quiet, any noise in Providence echoed way too far and too easily, every wall chilled her to touch. Even the food, though heated, felt cold.

Maybe that was why Skye didn't fully wake up when she was first hit by a cold wind as she slept. She shivered, looking around blearily. "What's going on?"

May cursed. She had blocked off her own cluster, Tori and Izzy and Phil, but Skye had always managed to worm her way through her defences. "Nothing." She assured, visiting to the bunk in which Skye was curled up. "Go back to sleep."

Skye's eyes fixed on her, and some part of her brain noted May's attire. "You going somewhere?"

Even knowing that she had to, knowing that there was no other way, knowing how every time Phil looked at her it broke her heart, Melinda felt guilty. "Yeah." She said softly, smoothing Skye's hair back. "But I'll come back. There's just something I have to do."

Skye looked up at her, willing herself not to cry. Not to beg May to stay. "I don't want you to go." She whispered.

Somehow, May managed to smile. "You know I can never go far."

Skye swallowed. "Be careful."

May nodded. "I promise." She murmured. "I'll see you soon. Go to sleep."

"I'll miss you."

Melinda sighed softly. "I'll miss you too." She said softly, then, seeing her eyes start to droop, went back to her mission. She had a long walk ahead of her.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

There was a moment when Skye woke that she forgot everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. A moment when she thought that the cold was from the air conditioning which Coulson always left on, that the darkness was because they were parked in some garage or flying in the middle of the night.

Then she remembered.

Skye looked around and groaned. It was real. They were at some base in the middle of the snow in Canada. At least she could still feel her cluster, safe and alive and asleep. She should get up. Training would make her feel better.

Training. With May. Her dream from the night before came back and Skye's stomach dropped. No. "May?" She sat up, trying to reach out to her. "May?"

But there was no reply.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Maria Hill ducked into a back alley, drawing her weapon. Part of her was almost glad of a possible attack. She needed to hurt something. Still, she couldn't help but feel relieved at the familiar voice.

"We need to talk Agent Hill."

Maria's breath caught in he throat. "May." She said, letting some irritation seep into her voice. "A phone call would have done." She holstered her weapon, "But I appreciate the discretion."

May's eyes were narrowed. "I thought you could use the night off. They must hate that you're working for Stark."

Maria shrugged. "It's protection, for now at least. Nice to have his army of lawyers behind us. Wanna join?"

"I've got my own team, thanks." May said coldly, but there was a hint of satisfaction in her voice that made Maria pause. "But it looks like you've been part of that this whole time."

Maria frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about."

A smirk tugged at May's lips. "I think you do." She said. "Does Fury know?"

"Fury's dead." Maria said flatly, "And I don't know what the hell you're on about."

May only smirked wider, then promptly vanished.

Maria jumped, "Goddamnit!"

Melinda stepped out from behind a wall. "You wouldn't have been able to see me if you weren't sensate." She said. "You're in Bobbi's cluster?"

Maria rolled her eyes and nodded begrudgingly. "Surprised it took you so long."

May shrugged. "We always had theories. Never had much need to test them before."

Maria crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

"It's not me." May said. "It's Coulson. He needs help. And he won't listen to me." Maria raised an eyebrow and she continued. "He needs answers. You need to give him answers."

Maria shook her head. "You wanna know who was in charge of the TAHITI project." She grimaced. "I'm sorry May, I don't know. It was high up, Fury kept it to himself." She sighed. "When I asked, he said he buried that information when he decided not to bury Coulson."

May rolled her eyes. "More riddles. You want to ask him for me?"

"He's dead May. And if he was sensate, he wasn't in my cluster.""

She smirked. "I'll believe it when I see it."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Tori wasn't talking to him. He couldn't get through to May at all. What could possibly make Phil feel worse?

A moment after the thought occurred to him, an angry Skye stormed up to him and Tori at the bar. "How could you do that?!" She demanded furiously. "You- you... you made her leave!"

Coulson set his jaw. "May chose to leave, Skye. I didn't make her do anything." She had left them. Even her talk about caring about them was a lie.

Skye shoved him and Coulson stared, shocked. Skye didn't seem to care. "God, will you just get off your high fucking horse?! Your friend lied to protect you, boo freaking hoo. I know it's really tough having people who actually care about you, I hope you pull through."

Jemma appeared behind her, putting a gentle hand on her back. "Easy." She soothed, and Skye took a breath.

Tori crossed her arms. "You really think she left because she doesn't care?" She asked.

Phil grit his teeth. He knew that he had hurt her. Part of him wanted to. A lot of him had wanted to. "I-" He sighed, deflating. "I just wanted to hurt her like she hurt me."

Skye barely held herself back from shouting again, but it was Tori who spoke. "Well, congratulations." She said. "You did. Do you feel better?"

His emotions were spelled out more clearly on his face than Tori could feel. Now he was scared. Guilty. Sorry. "Tori-" What do I do?

She decided to throw him a bone. "Let her go for now. Give her time." She knew that Phil would immediately try to talk to Melinda, try to make her come back. She needed time alone right now. "We have other things to worry about. Like the Fridge, and Garrett."

Skye quietly left, trying to nudge at her connection with May. She just wanted to talk to her, let her know that she could come back when she wanted to. If she wanted to.

For the first time, however, she couldn't get a peep from May. She had blocked them all out entirely.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Phil sat alone in his temporary office. He sighed, head in his hands. He knew he'd messed up. He just hadn't cared. For whatever reason, he'd stopped caring about his best friend. He'd taken for granted that she would do anything for him, including being the punching bag. And now she was gone.

"I'm sorry." He murmured. "I know I crossed a line, I... I know you can't hear me Melinda, but... I'm sorry."

Phil blinked and the world tilted. "May?" Was that his name? Written on something?

In an instant he was gone, and any hope vanished. He bit his lip. "Okay." He murmured. "I'll be here though, if you change your mind." It might have been his imagination, but Phil thought he felt a twinge of longing though their connection. Then that was gone too.

Phil sighed. He hadn't really expected any different, and he knew that wanting Melinda to come back now was selfish. He just missed her. He had been missing her for years. "Stay safe." He murmured.

"Phil?" The familiarly not Melinda voice dragged Coulson out into the woods.

"Izzy?"

There was clear relief on her face when she saw him standing next to her in the snow. "Oh thank God."

Phil looked around. She was surrounded by non SHIELD soldiers and... "General Talbot?!"

Izzy looked nervous. "They know where the base is Phil, you have to get out of there. They'll be there in twenty minutes."

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. You just need to get your team out."

"Izzy, you are my team."

She groaned. "Phil I swear to God, I don't need you being a hero right now!"

Phil set his jaw. "We need to stick together right now Izzy. Everyone's hunting us, we need each other."

Izzy bit her tongue to keep from snapping about Melinda. "Get to the plane." She said, defeated. "Be ready to take off. If I'm not there two minutes after the hanger door opens you leave without me."

"Okay." He wasn't sure he would do it, but there was no more time to argue. "Good luck."

"You too."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

It wasn't difficult for Izzy to drop a smoke bomb and kill the lights. Running through the smoke to get to the plane was a bit more difficult, but she still made it just as Trip was taking off.

"Izzy!" Skye cried, helping her to her feet. "Hey!"

Izzy laughed breathlessly. "Hey kid." She grinned, hugging her tightly. "Long time no see."

"Yeah." Skye agreed, hugging her back. "Not gonna lie, I kind of wanted you around the last few days."

Izzy drew away. "Well I'm here now." She said. "Where are we heading?"

Skye shrugged. "Hell if I know. Trip's flying and Coulson's... trying, but I'm pretty sure May's stonewalling him." She looked down. "She's blocking me out."

Izzy followed her up the stairs. "It's not personal." She said. "She just needs time to herself."

"I know." Skye murmured. "I just- I miss her." She laughed. "It's so dumb, it's been like a day, but... I really miss her."

Izzy offered a smile. "I know." She said softly. "Don't worry, she'll be back before you know it."

Skye sighed. She wished she could believe that. Before the two could reach the cockpit where Skye knew Coulson and Tori were, she noticed Fitz and Jemma in the common room. Rather than following Izzy, she diverted from their course to sit with them on the couch. The moment Skye sat down Fitz wrapped an arm around her shoulders and Jemma snuggled close to her other side.

Skye smiled. "How did I ever get by without you guys?" She asked.

Fitz chuckled. "Same way we got by without you."

"Poorly." Jemma completed.

Trip suddenly visited, jammed between Jemma and Skye. "So... are hug piles a normal thing with you guys, or..."

"No." Skye muttered, embarrassed, at the same moment that Jemma and Fitz said, "Yes."

Trip laughed. "Nah, it's cool." He said. "I'm down."

Fitz sniggered. "You realise that Skye's basically a sloth, right?"

Skye blushed. "Shut up."

"It is a reasonable comparison Skye." Jemma said, smiling politely. "You spend most of your time hanging from people."

Skye groaned. "Oh my God I hate you guys."

Trip laughed. "I'd believe you if you weren't still in the cuddle pile."

Skye huffed. "Don't call it that."

"You can't stop me."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Phil was half asleep in the cockpit when a voice startled him. A voice he'd been wanting to hear for two days. "Phil."

He sat up, immediately alert. "Melinda? Where are you, are you okay?"

Phil immediately appeared in the seat beside her, and the desperation to him made Melinda feel like she might cry. Not now though. They weren't doing this now. "I've got it." She gestured to the laptop. "I found the intel on Tahiti."

Phil didn't even look at the computer. "I don't care about that." He said. "Are you safe?" He glanced around the car, "Have you been eating?"

"Phil, please." She sounded so tired. "Just... watch the damn video."

Melinda didn't want to do this now. She didn't want to talk about who was forgiving who or what they were going to do next. She was just too tired.

The video only made her more tired.

"Huh." Phil said from beside her.

Melinda watched him out of the corner of her eye. Waiting for him to move. "What now?" She didn't want to talk about this. But Phil could be going insane.

Oh God. Skye could be going insane.

Before her mind could run wild with the possibilities, two arms wrapped tightly around her. "Thank you." Phil murmured. "For doing this."

May shrugged, not moving to return the embrace. "It's okay."

"I'm sorry I hurt you."

"It's okay."

"No," Now Phil did pull away. "It's not. I was cruel. I was horrible to you. I-" He sighed. "Will you come back?"

"You know I will."

"Do you want to?" Now she was silent, and Phil felt terrible. "I-I promise I'll make it up to you. I don't know how, but..."

May shook her head. "It's okay Phil. I understand why you were mad."

"I trust you." He said. "I do. I'm sorry I forgot that."

"Apology accepted." May said, just trying to end his damned feelings talk.

Phil must have picked up on that surface thought, because he smiled. "Don't pretend you don't love the touchy feely stuff."

"I hate it. You know that."

"You know I can see into your mind, right?" When he caught the momentary thrill of alarm, he conceded. "A little bit. But enough to know that you love it."

Melinda hesitated. It was just them, Tori and Izzy were asleep at the motel. And the last two days had been some of the loneliest in her life, with no cluster, none of the kids, no partner, no SHIELD. In a moment she let herself visit his motel room and cuddle up to him. "Don't tell anyone." She warned.

Phil smiled, wrapping his arms around her again and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Our secret." He murmured. "I'll see you soon."