#hope you enjoy this

I can’t apologize enough for the amount of time it’s taken me to write more for this story. Please know that I do intend to continue writing for it though! 

The support for this story has truly been overwhelming. Thank you, thank you!! I’m so grateful for all your comments and kudos! =) And huge THANK YOU to @katrinacornwells, who continually encourages me. I love you so much!

Also, here’s to hoping for some good Philinda moments in this next episode!!

Also on AO3.

Phil flipped on the lights in his apartment before shutting and locking the door behind him. He made his way through his tiny kitchen, grabbing an orange as he went. He’d been awake since 4am to get some hours in at the bakery before hurrying back to his apartment, showering, and leaving to meet Dr. May. Melinda.His thoughts drifted to their  afternoon together. She was a captivating woman, that Dr. May.

He was about to settle down and watch some Food Network when the music to “The Star Spangled Man With A Plan”  broke through his cloud of exhaustion. He picked up his phone and answered it to stop the ringing.

“Hello?”

“Phil! How did the meeting go?” Tony’s voice filled his ear. “Ol’ grim-faced May didn’t scare you away, did she?”

Phil thought about the soft look on May’s face when she described her daughter, and the one time he’d made her laugh. “She was nice. Maybe she’s only ‘grim’ around you.”

“Nah, that can’t be it. Mel thinks I’m great. But that is interesting, because she usually hates meeting new people and–Pepper, no, I’m talking to Phil…" Phil heard rustling noises, like Tony was moving quickly. “Wellsomeone’s gotta warn him about May. Aw, come on, Pep! I’m just telling him-”

Phil shook his head in amusement and tuned out their argument. Naturally, Pepper eventually got the upper hand (with some threat no doubt, Phil mused) and, in her usual chipper voice, demanded he tell her everything.

“I thought the talk went well. I may have rambled a bit. They had this amazing quiche that I managed to get the recipe to! Definitely going to try that soon. I couldn’t figure out why I liked it so much, but then then Sif’s cook told me they used-”

“Phil. Focus.” Pepper interrupted him. “What did you think about May? ”

“Uh, shouldn’t you care what I think about Daisy more?” Phil replied, eyebrows drawing together.

“Of course, but you met May first. Let’s go in order.”

Phil sighed, but gave in to Pepper’s insistence. “She’s…” He paused and thought about the woman that had captured his attention so effortlessly. He’d known what she looked like before meeting her, thanks to the pictures Pepper had shown him, but they didn’t do her justice. She was stunning. And, despite her seemingly solemn air, every once in a while he would catch a glimpse of something intriguing in her dark eyes. Maybe it was interest? Or something more like mischief? Humor? He wasn’t able to decipher it before it disappeared behind a polite mask. The spark made him want to learn more about her, and he remembered his disappointment when she didn’t share anything about herself.

Phil cleared his throat, realizing he’d kept Pepper waiting. “She’s a good interrogator.” He grimaced as he recalled the intense gaze that had caused him to babble even more than usual.

Pepper huffed through the phone. “That’s all? ”

“Well, she was pleasant enough to talk to, even though she’s not very open about herself. And Daisy is just as cute as can be. I’ll have to work to keep up with her though.” Phil hoped she would accept the switch in topics and move on. He didn’t want to admit to himself how fascinated he was by Dr. May. Not if she was going to become his employer. In his (albeit limited) experience, acknowledging any attraction in that kind of a relationship would just be asking for trouble. It would be better to be professional, ignore it, and focus on Daisy, Phil was convinced.

“May said to come to the house early on Monday and she’ll show me around. Then I’ll pick up Daisy from school later and watch her until May gets back from the hospital.” He finished.

“Great! I really think you’ll fit right in with them, Phil.” Pepper sounded happy. “And I’ll want to hear all about the first day, so don’t you forget to call me.“

Phil chuckled tiredly. “I’ll try. Thanks, Pepper.”

“You’re welcome. Have a good night.”

“You too.” Phil hung up and leaned his head back against his couch, closing his eyes with a sigh.

His mind wandered back to the afternoon at The Tower—the gym Tony owned. May had asked him to meet her there after she picked up Daisy from school, which he happily agreed to. The four-year-old had been very energetic when they arrived, especially after being cooped up at school all morning. But she had shown a little interest in him when May first introduced them in the lobby of the huge building.

“You’re a babysitter?” She asked, a mixture of doubt and suspicion on her face as she looked up at him.

Phil bit back a smile at the adorable look of distrust she was giving him. He wanted her to know he would take her seriously, even if she was cute as a button. He squatted down to her level. “Well, sort of.” Phil decided to be frank with the girl. Children could see through lies more easily than some adults could, he’d learned over the years. “I’ve babysat a lot of kids, but I mainly work as a baker.”

At that, her brown eyes lit up, causing Phil to grin back without thinking. “You mean you know how to make cakes and cookies?”

Phil laughed. “Yeah, lots of other things too.”

“Cool!”

After their exchange, Jemma and Peggy came out from the back office to meet them and Daisy ran off to play with her friend. Peggy and Phil chatted for a bit before she excused herself to see to another matter. Although Tony owned the gym, Peggy, along with Maria Hill, were the ones who ran it. Without the children or Peggy, Phil and May were left alone again. Phil stood there a bit awkwardly before May brought up the possibility of him watching Daisy for her.

“It would still be a trial, just to make sure this is a good fit, but…how about starting as soon as Monday?”

Phil smiled reassuringly at her, sensing her hesitation and caution. “Absolutely. I’ve already mentioned the possibility to my boss at the shop. He’s not very happy about it, but he still needs me, no matter how few hours I’m able to work.”

May nodded, and Phil could see some relief on her face. “Till Monday then.” She reached out her hand and he took it, shaking it to seal the deal.

If he also took note of how nice her hand felt in his (strong, yet soft), that was neither here nor there.

A loud knock startled Phil from his daydreaming.

“Phil, it’s me.” Garrett’s voice came from the other side of the door as he knocked again.

Phil winced and, not for the first time, wondered why he ever decided that getting an apartment in the same complex as his friend and boss was a good idea. He’d known John Garrett since they were young, but something had changed over the years—and not for the better. Since Phil started working at the bakery Garrett owned, he’d begun questioning if he was really a man he wanted to continue claiming as a friend or not.

In spite of his negative feelings, Garrett was still one of his employers and it wouldn’t be a good idea to get on his bad side.

“Took you long enough.” Garrett snarked playfully when the door opened. “Getting harder to get those old muscles moving, huh?”

“You would know, with you being 2 years older and all.” Phil replied dryly.

Garrett scoffed with a grin. “I just came to check and make sure I’d have you working all day at the shop tomorrow. No snotty-nosed germ-carriers you’ve gotta abandon me for then?”

Phil chose to ignore his passive aggressive question. “I’ll be at the shop.” He confirmed.

“Good. We’ve got a big order for 9am pickup, so I’ll need you at 4:00 sharp.” Garrett clapped him on the shoulder before turning to leave. “Better get your beauty sleep while you can. Can’t have you scaring away the customers.” He called behind him.

Phil shut the door and made his way to his bedroom, already feeling the weariness settle on top of his shoulders.

May’s house was beautiful, Phil noticed as soon as he pulled into the driveway early Monday morning.

The house sat on a tall incline, and the front yard was green and freshly mowed. Its walls were painted white while all the accents were a dark, wooden brown. The cozy covered porch he stepped into as he walked up the front steps contained two wooden chairs and a porch swing, and was probably perfect for watching the sunset. The main characteristic that struck Phil was the simplicity of it. It was definitely larger than the average house, and looked very well-kept, but it wasn’t…excessive or elaborate. May was a specialist, and a very good one, according to Natasha and Pepper. She could probably afford an entire mansion if she wanted it. But perhaps he was just used to the overly-lavish, expensive look of Tony’s home.

As Phil knocked on the door, he had to admit he thought the elegance and style of the home was very pleasing, and he was even more intrigued by the owner than before.

The door opened after a moment, “You’re early.” were May’s first words.

“Oh, yes, sorry. It’s a tendency I have…” Phil rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, trying not to stare at May in her dark purple scrubs. “But,” He stuck out his other hand toward her to show off the brown paper bag he’d brought with him from the bakery. “I did bring muffins! I, uh, hope you two like blueberry though.”

A ghost of a smile appeared on May’s lips as she took the bag from his outstretched hand. “There are worse habits to have. And who doesn’t like blueberry?” Phil looked relieved as she tilted her head in a gesture for him to follow her through the house.

Despite Phil sensing that May herself was a fairly organized person, there was still a four-year-old living in the house, and the very first room Phil was introduced to made that rather obvious.

“That’s the library in there, which mainly acts as Daisy’s playroom now, as you can see,” May nodded at the French doors on the right as soon as they walked in. Through the glass Phil could see open toy bins, dolls, and books scattered across the carpet, as well as an upright, plastic easel with a half finished drawing still attached to it and a spilled crayon box on the ground.

Phil sent a charming smile to May. “Multi-purpose rooms are the best.”

The side of her mouth lifted slightly at that. After taking another couple steps forward, May pointed out the living room and dining room on the left, the latter containing an open archway that led to the kitchen. Before taking him in there, however, she walked him straight ahead and showed him a long hallway that contained several doors.

“The first one here is my bedroom,” May indicated the closed door on the left side of the hallway. “The second is the guest bathroom, the last one is Daisy’s room. The door at the very end of the hallway leads to the garage, and the one door on the right side leads to the basement floor.” May rattled off quickly, as if giving out orders. Phil nodded and tried to commit them all to memory.

He had to admit, the house was larger than he originally thought only a minute ago.

“Basement floor?” Phil questioned as May lead him back to the kitchen.

“Yes. This house used to be my parents. They built the bottom floor for me for…after I finished my residency.”

Phil noticed the hesitation in her voice, but didn’t pry, and instead chose to smile at the girl impatiently sitting at the breakfast table. She sat up immediately when they entered.

“Hi, Daisy. Remember me?”

“You’re the baker babysitter!”

Phil chuckled and glanced at May, seeing her shake her head affectionately.

“His name is Mr. Coulson, Daisy. Or Mr. Phil?” She looked at Phil with her question.

“Either is fine,” Phil nodded. “I’ve been called worse.” He thought he saw May’s lips quirk up again briefly before she turned away to add one of the blueberry muffins and what looked to be a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into Daisy’s lunch box.

“Does that mean we could make some cookies today?” Daisy asked after taking a bite of her cereal. Lucky Charms, Phil noted. “I made sugar cookies at school before.”

“Sure thing, Daisy. That sounds fun! When I pick you up from school, we can swing by the store and pick up a few groceries for my famous chocolate chip cookies.” Phil grinned at Daisy’s “Yay!“ of excitement.

He looked around the spacious, black and white kitchen to see what May could have eaten for breakfast, but the sink was empty and all he saw was a forgotten coffee mug on the island. That wouldn’t do. The best way to start the day is with a good breakfast, his mom always told him. Phil vowed right then and there to make sure Daisy and May had a hearty, home-cooked breakfast whenever he was here.

“Just keep those receipts and I’ll reimburse you for it.” May spoke to Phil, her voice didn’t leave any room for arguing. “Daisy, go find your backpack and shoes while I finish speaking to Mr. Coulson.”

Daisy hopped up and started to run out of the room.

“Daisy.” May spoke without so much as glancing her daughter’s way.

The little girl settled for skipping the rest of the way out the room, much to Phil’s amusement.

“Here’s the key for the front door.” Phil took the silver house key and put it in his pocket, while May continued without pause. “I made a few more notes about things you may need to know and left it on the fridge, as well as the hospital’s phone number in case you can’t reach me on my phone. You can also call Peggy with any questions. There’s an SUV in the garage that you’ll use when taking Daisy anywhere. It already has her car seat in it. Car keys are next to the door. I trust you’ll drive carefully in it.”

Phil began to assure her of his caution and vigilance, but she cut him off and started ushering him back towards the front door. “You can familiarize yourself with the house more later, I’m running a bit behind today.”

“Oh, I completely understand. Thank you, Dr. May. I will–”

“One last thing,” May interrupted again, glancing behind her as if to check that Daisy was out of earshot. She stepped close to him. Phil swallowed at her sudden proximity, as well as the the cold stare she fixed on him. All at once he knew exactlywhat Tony was trying to warn him about. Petite and beautiful as she was, he was 100% convinced that this look from Melinda May could bring the most deadly assassin to their knees.

She spoke slowly and carefully, voice low. “If you do anything that could even potentially hurt my daughter at any moment, I willfind out, and I promise I will make you regret it for the rest of your life. Understood?”

Phil felt like he couldn’t breathe for a solid moment, but shook himself and nodded vigorously. “I-I’ll take the very best care of her, I promise.” He stammered nervously.

May nodded once and slowly stepped back. “I’m looking forward to hearing all about your day. See you later tonight, Mr. Coulson.” She smiled at him politely before swinging  the door shut.

Phil blinked at the front door, unable to remember when he had physically stepped outside of the house. As he took in a deep breath and made his way back to his car, he couldn’t help but wonder if he knew exactly what he was getting into, and if he was prepared for it or not.

Despite his stunned thoughts, a small grin began to grow on his face as he drove. He’d rarely seen a woman so direct and fiercely protective of their child before. And he had definitely never been threatened so convincingly by anyone. He was certain she meant every word she said, unlike the complaints and empty threats he received from time to time as a high school teacher. It was fascinating, admirable, and more than a little bit frightening.

And it really brought a whole new level to the term “Mama Bear.”

Terrifying or not, Dr. May and her daughter had complete hold over his attention, and he was absolutely eager to embrace this new challenge they presented.

Even though it seemed like a very reasonable idea to attempt to prepare himself for being scared out of his wits the majority of the time.

You all are so amazing for being patient with this story. Slowly but surely it’s being written and posted! I so hope you all are enjoying this fluff piece. I know I love writing it, and I am so encouraged by all your comments! Thank you so, SO much!!

Thank you, of course, to @philinda​, for always being there to read my drafts! I love you.

Also on AO3.

“I have an SUV, you really think it’s a good idea to whip right in front of me, lady in the tiny car?” Phil muttered darkly to himself, finger tapping on the steering wheel in frustration as he applied the brakes…again.

Phil had been a full time history teacher for a few years after college, and still worked as a substitute every now and then when he could. He had many fond memories of his students and the content he taught, but pretty much everyone could agree that public school teaching wasn’t for the faint of heart. He’d dealt with many challenges as a teacher that helped him grow and mature over the years.

However, nothing he’d learned during his teaching career prepared him for the utter vexation of a primary school car loop.

Phil decided to just park where he was and grumble a few more complaints about the competency of the other drivers until he spotted Daisy and her teacher walking down the sidewalk beside the line of cars. He smiled and stepped out of the vehicle, annoyance forgotten, reaching out to shake the teacher’s hand.

“Hi, there. Phil Coulson.”

“Anne Weaver.” She returned his greeting. “Ms. May told us you’d be picking up Daisy today, and security told me you were cleared with them earlier.” The teacher looked down at Daisy, smiling. “She mentioned something about chocolate chip cookies?”

“That’s right! We’re going to make some this afternoon.” Phil grinned and squatted down in front of the little girl. “You ready to go?”

Daisy nodded bashfully before letting go of Ms. Weaver’s hand. Phil stood, opened the door, and helped her into her car seat, taking her backpack and ooh-ing over her art project. She waved goodbye to her teacher and, through some maneuvering, Phil was finally able to pull out of the exasperating line of cars.

Daisy seemed to be a bit more shy without May around, Phil noticed quickly. But with some patience, soon enough her answers became less “yes” and “no”’s, and more full length stories about school.

“So Wanda and Pietro are brother and sister?” Phil continued their conversation as they picked a shopping cart.

“Uh huh, they’re twins. But they don’t look the same. Ms. Weaver says it’s because they’re fur-furturner twins.”

Phil couldn’t completely stop his smile from emerging as he hoisted Daisy up onto the seat of the cart. She butchered the word, but she looked so proud of herself for using it that he swallowed his laugh down. “Oh, that’s a big word! So they’re fraternal twins?”

“Yep.” Daisy confirmed.

“Are they good friends with you?” Phil asked as they made their way into the store.

“Mhmm. But not as good as Jemma and Fitz, and Trip.” Daisy looked at him seriously. “They’re my bestfriends.”

Phil nodded solemnly. “It’s great to have a lot of good friends too.”

Daisy nodded with him, but then her eyes quickly darted to the bakery section of the store. “Can I get a cookie?”

Phil chuckled. “Isn’t that why we’re here? We’re going to get ingredients to make our own cookies. Homemade is always better, trust me.”

“Okay.” She was silent for a minute. “How long do homemade cookies take?”

Phil let out another quiet laugh. “Don’t worry, Daisy. We’ll have fun making them, I promise. Do you think you can hold this bag of flour? It’s pretty heavy.”

He managed to keep the four-year-old entertained through the store and on the way home. Once they got back to the house and took out all their ingredients, Daisy was more than ready to begin the cookie making process.

Phil looked at their assembled ingredients. “Perfect. Now we need measuring cups and a mixing bowl.”

“I know where the bowls are!” Daisy chirped happily, opening up one of the lower cabinets.

The two of them set to work. After finding the measuring cups, Phil gave Daisy instructions on amounts and she followed them perfectly—even if she did end up with a little bit of flour on herself and the counter…and the floor.

He was surprised at how much he enjoyed conversing with Daisy. She was bright and enthusiastic, and very willing to help. Truth be told, Phil usually preferred to be by himself in the kitchen, but Daisy was a perfect little assistant, and he told her just as much as they slid the last tray into the oven.

Daisy’s face blossomed into one of her infectious smiles as she beamed at him.

“I like to help bake things. Mommy doesn’t do it a lot.” Her tone became very matter-of-fact. “She’s not a very good cook. Aunt Nat said she made the oven get on fire one time.”

Phil laughed out loud. “Oh, really?”

“Yep. But that was when I was a really little baby.”

Now that was intriguing. May seemed like the kind of person who could do anything and everything. It was interesting to find out she wasn’t completelyperfect.

“That sounds like a fascinating story I’d like to hear sometime.” Phil said as he checked the timer. “Hey, since we’ve got a few minutes till the cookies are ready, why don’t you show me around your house a little more?”

“Okay!”

Naturally, Daisy wanted to show Phil her room first. It was fairly spacious, with toys scattered around. A large dollhouse was in one corner, a child-sized kitchen against the wall near it, and a dress up clothes bin near her closet. Two bean bags sat on the floor by a bookshelf bursting (literally, as there were several books on the floor as well) with all kinds of different children’s books, and several other fun play things that Daisy showed him.

Taking note of the recurring color Phil noticed on her bedspread, walls, and other decor, he came to a quick conclusion. “Your favorite color isn’t blue, is it?” He asked, teasingly.

Daisy nodded and grinned. “Yes! Like the sky!”

Phil laughed. “Speaking of, do you want to show me what your backyard looks like? Then I think the cookies will be ready.”

Daisy agreed and led him back to the kitchen where two glass, French-styled doors opened up to reveal a fenced, wooden back porch with a grill, picnic table shaded by an umbrella, and some comfortable-looking brown wicker seats. The porch had one wide set of stairs leading to the ground that was visible from the kitchen, and once Phil stepped out, he also spotted a smaller, spiral staircase on the far side of the long porch as well.

“Wow,” He murmured to himself as he looked around. “What a set up.” He realized quickly that the hill that led up to the front of May’s house cleverly disguised how spacious the back was. The landscaping was very well kept, there were a few trees that gave nice shade in different spots on the yard, and he spotted a garden on the side with the spiral staircase. Phil was impressed by the sheer amount of thinking and planning this beautiful house must have taken.

“We have a pool too!” Daisy pointed down at a path that led to an above ground pool off to the side of their yard. “Mama says in summer I have to take swimming lessons, so I can go in without my floaties.”

“Are you excited to learn how to swim?” Phil questioned. Her tone made him think she wasn’t too thrilled with the idea.

Daisy shrugged her little shoulders. “I like my floaties.”

Phil smiled and was about to answer when he heard the beepof the timer. Daisy jerked and locked eyes with him.

“Cookies!” She squealed and dashed back inside.

After taking them out and letting them cool for a few minutes, Phil gave Daisy the OK to take a bite.

“MMMMM.” She said, mouth full of chocolate.

“Agreed.” Phil answered, swallowing a bite of his own cookie. “Thanks to my good helper, we made the perfect chocolate chip cookies! Now what we need is a glass of milk to go with it. Here, I’ll show you how to dunk it without letting it fall in…”

Melinda clicked the button to open her garage door and sighed with exhaustion. It had been a long day at the hospital with various different emergencies that required her attention. As one of the more experienced neonatologists at Providence Hospital, her judgement had been needed several times throughout the day. But that was normal, everyday stress. However, Daisy–and Coulson–had also been on her mind all day, and that worry was enough to keep her on edge throughout the majority of her shift. As she parked the car, she wondered for the thousandth time what she would walk in to when she got inside.

Almost every time Melinda had left Daisy with a trial nanny before, all it would take was stepping back into the house on the first day to know whether it would work out or not. The house had either been a mess, Daisy still hadn’t eaten dinner and was watching her third movie that day, Daisy disliked the person and wouldn’t let go of Melinda as soon as she saw her (the most frequent reaction), or one time Melinda found out later that the babysitter allowed Daisy to do and eat whatever she wanted around the house while she had looked at her phone and watched TV the whole day.

Hannah, her previous nanny, had been the only successful babysitter so far. And she had been an easy find because they were introduced at one of Maria’s self defense classes. Both Maria and Hannah’s previous employers spoke highly of her, and she got along well with Daisy and Melinda until she decided to move out of state to be closer to her family and fiancé. Since then, Melinda had been trying desperately to find someone else to fill her shoes, but the candidates were all woefully inadequate.

Melinda had never been very trusting of new people in the first place, but through her various bad experiences, she was now even more wary of new sitters. What if Coulson turned out to be no better than them?

Or, potentially worse, what if he would make a great nanny, but she ruined it with how she spoke to him this morning? Melinda hated second-guessing herself, but her words to Coulson had replayed in her mind all day. She hadn’t lied to him, of course. The safety and well-being of her child was her top priority and she wasn’t afraid to say so. And there wasn’t anything wrongwith Coulson having a bit of healthy fear of her, but she hadn’t meant to sound so cold or harsh. Melinda was well aware of what people thought of her–especially the interns and residents at the hospital. They worked well together professionally, but most thought of her as icy and intimidating, and probably heartless as well. It hurt sometimes, but she’d learned to ignore their hushed whispers and gossip, and how they usually found a way to excuse themselves when she was around.

For some reason though, she didn’t want this man to have that same opinion of her.

After all, she reasoned to herself, it could affect the way he treated Daisy, and that was the last thing she wanted.

Melinda hesitated as she put a hand on the door knob, then rolled her eyes at herself for being so dramatic and pushed the door open.

The first thing that hit her was the smell. Sweet and syrupy.

The second thing she heard was giggles and clapping. Melinda peeked into Daisy’s room as she passed by, doing a double take when she saw the clean carpet. The toys and books were all lined up and put away where they belonged. It had been a while since her daughter’s room had been that orderly without Melinda’s help.

Melinda hung up her car keys and made her way through the hallway and to the kitchen quietly, beginning to make out some of the conversation.

“It’s all in the wrist action. Watch.” A slapping sound came next. “Ta-da!”

“Do it again!”

“Okay, last time. Then we need to eat.” Coulson’s voice became louder as Melinda neared the kitchen. She stopped in the archway and watched as Coulson flipped a pancake into the air, his position and concentration making him oblivious to her presence. He and Daisy had matching grins as he tossed it up a few times, the pancake gaining altitude with every turn in the air. Melinda waited one more moment before clearing her throat.

Startled by the sudden noise, Coulson lost his focus and flicked the pan a bit too hard.

The result was a full-sized pancake landing right on his face.

Daisy burst into laughter, and Melinda couldn’t help but laugh along at Coulson’s red face and Daisy’s mirth. “I see you two have been having fun.”

“Mommy!” Daisy hopped off the bar stool she had been sitting in and ran to hug her. “Mama, Mr. Phil and I made cookies and pancakes! And he let me walk next to him at the store and then hold the chocolate because I was being a good helper. And we played with my soccer ball outside!” As Daisy began rattling off more activities they’d done that day, Melinda picked her up and smiled warmly at Coulson, who was still blushing and wiping butter off his face.

“Sorry about that. I didn’t hear the door open. I, uh, I was on a roll and everything.” He joked after gaining some composure.

“I saw that. All in the wrist, you said?” The teasing words left her mouth before she could stop them.

“Oh, yeah. It takes talent andpractice, you know.” Coulson smiled, but Melinda could see a blush creeping back up his face. He turned back toward the stove. “I’m sorry she hasn’t eaten yet, but we were just about to sit down.”

“Mr. Phil says I have to eat the eggs.” Daisy made a face at Melinda.

“Mr. Phil is right,” Melinda confirmed, stroking Daisy’s hair away from her face. “And I see he put out some strawberries and blueberries for you too. You like those.”

“These are good scrambled eggs, Daisy. You’ll like them.” Coulson promised, showing her a plate with one small pancake, eggs, and fruit. “I forgot bacon while we were at the store, otherwise we’d have that too.”

“This looks great. Here, Daisy. Let’s have you eat at the table.” Melinda took the plate from Coulson and ushered her to a chair, then supervised her as she poured a small amount of syrup on her pancake. A moment later, Coulson set a full plate down in front of Melinda. She nearly protested before she saw how delicious it all looked.

“I wasn’t sure how you liked your eggs, so I figured scrambled was pretty safe. And they’re pretty good, if I do say so myself.” He grinned and turned away before she could answer.

Melinda stared down at the plate and thought about the protein bar and sandwich from lunch that had digested long ago. The sight of real food immediately sent her stomach into a ravenous state. It didn’t take her long to give in, taking one bite of the eggs and letting out a quiet, happy sigh.

“Aren’t you going to sit down and eat too?” Melinda asked Coulson, who was moving between the stove and sink, cleaning up.

He shook his head, “Oh no, I ate a few pancakes already. Thanks. Being the cook has perks.”

“And you ate three chocolate chip cookies!” Daisy piped up.

“Wow, ratted out by a four-year-old.” Coulson put his hand on his heart as if he’d been wounded, causing Daisy to grin.

“Almost five!” Daisy clarified.

“Analmost five-year-old.” Coulson amended, a smile tugging at his lips.

Melinda smiled at her daughter and asked her about school while they ate. After Melinda had eaten about half her plate and her hunger abated, she stood up and insisted that Coulson didn’t have to clean.

“I don’t mind,” he protested.

“Really,” Melinda interrupted. “You cooked, I can clean. We have a dishwasher anyway. You should go home, it’s already later than we agreed to. I apologize for that.”

“No need. It was a pleasure.” Coulson assured her, finally surrendering the kitchen towel from his shoulder. Daisy smiled and waved goodbye from her seat as Melinda led him out of the kitchen.

“She really is a lot of fun, no trouble at all,” Coulson babbled as they walked to the front door. “And I promise I don’t only make sweet things. I’ll make sure she eats healthy too.”

“And here I thought you were only a baker.”

“Well, yes. But I enjoy both cooking and baking. My mom taught me both, plus I, uh,” Coulson rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I’m one of Food Network’s most dedicated viewers. It’ll be fun to try new recipes for someone other than myself.”

Melinda let out a small huff of amusement. “Well, it seems like Daisy enjoyed being with you. So…same time tomorrow?”

“Absolutely.” Coulson looked pleased. “Have a good night.”

“You too. And Coulson?” He turned back toward her. “Thank you for dinner. It was delicious.”

“You’re welcome. Leftover cookies are in the fridge.” He grinned one last time and left.

Melinda had worked with people of all kinds long enough to have pretty good instincts about them, and her gut feelings almost always proved to be correct one way or another. Coulson seemed like a good man, and he hadn’t acted afraid or hostile toward her after her stern words this morning, which was a bonus. She was still cautious, but she had to admit she was impressed by him.

Melinda shut and locked the door behind Coulson, deep in thought. She made her way back to Daisy and kissed her on the cheek, speaking in Mandarin. “ You like Mr. Phil, little flower? ”

Daisy nodded and ate a strawberry. “ He’s fun, and he plays dolls with me! ”

Melinda half-smiled and thoughtfully took another bite of her pancake.

Pepper looked up from her tablet as Tony entered their bedroom. She smiled at her husband and set her device down on her lap, “That didn’t take long. How boring wasyour bedtime story?”

“I tell the best stories, thank you very much.” Tony slid into bed next to her and poked her side, eliciting a small laugh from her. “He was just extra tired from school today. They’re exploring friction with race cars this week for science. He and Jemma probably questioned their poor teacher to death about it.”

“He knows they’re gifted, he must be used to it by now.” Pepper shrugged and turned to set her tablet down on the nightstand.

Tony circled his arms around her quickly, trapping her arms at her side and pulling her close to him. He rained kisses onto the top of her head as he spoke. “I love when you don’t have to work the night shift. Have I mentioned that? I can’t remember.”

“Only every chance you get.” Pepper squirmed in his arms until she was facing him, an affectionate smile on her face as she kissed him gently. “I like it too.”

Their kisses grew more heated and Tony was in the middle of pressing his lips to her neck when Pepper’s cell phone rang.

“Oh, that must be Phil!” Pepper immediately pulled away, leaving a confused and pouty Tony leaning on his elbow.

“‘Phil?’ I thought we agreed to call him ‘Mr. Coulson’ as an example to Fitz. And what’s he calling you for anyway? It’s late.”

Pepper shushed him and answered the phone. “Phil, hey! How did it go today?”

“Hey Pepper, I think I might be in love.”

Pepper’s mouth fell open and she hit Tony’s chest so hard he grunted. She gripped his shirt to steady herself, a grin starting to form on her lips. “In love? Already?” She repeated breathlessly. Oh man, wait till I tell Natasha. We both knew it was going to happen, but this soon? We’re better matchmakers than we even thou—

“Yes. May’s house is incredible . I couldn’t have designed it better myself! Her backyard is amazing and the kitchen has everything you could want!” He gushed.

Pepper deflated instantly. What a jerk, playing with her emotions like that. “Oh. Wow. Well, I’m glad you like it so much.” She shook herself, adopting a more cheerful tone. “How was Daisy? And May?”

“Good! Daisy and I had a great time. I think we get along really well. May seemed pleased enough…tonight anyway. Made me kinda nervous this morning.”

“Oh?”

“Yup. She threatened me… very convincingly. I think I know what Tony was trying to warn me about. But don’t tell him I said that.”

Pepper shot Tony an annoyed look. He was still rubbing his chest, but he smiled back innocently.

“But I think it’s a good quality–the protectiveness, I mean. And Daisy is a sweetheart.”

Pepper smiled again in victory before she heard Phil yawn through the phone. “Well, I’m glad to hear it went so well! Get some rest. It sounds like you’ll need it.”

Phil chuckled. “Yeah, for sure. Thanks again, Pepper. Goodnight.”

“Sweet dreams, Phil!” She hung up and set her phone down before turning back towards Tony.

“I can’t believe you hit me.” Her husband complained. “I bruise easily, you know.”

Pepper suppressed a smile and slid her hand under his shirt to stroke the skin at his chest. “Sorry, honey. I got a little excited.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “You’re not seriously trying to set May up with Phil are you? She’s not his type. Plus, he’s a big talker, and May hatesthat. I would know.”

Pepper rolled her eyes. “She might hate it when youtalk, Tony. And I don’t know what you’re talking about. Why would I try to set anyone up? Also, what do you know about Phil’s type?” Tony opened his mouth to speak, but Pepper interrupted him. “Actually, nevermind. I’m up to nothing, so you don’t need to worry about it.” If Tony knew all the schemes she and Natasha had cooked up, he’d ruin all their plans before they could work. It’d be much better if he knew nothing.

Tony still looked suspicious, but Pepper’s lips on his distracted his questioning thoughts, and soon his protests were rendered insignificant.