Avengers Compound
Night
"I don't have long, do I?" Coulson asked weakly as he lay in bed in the med bay, Bobbi trying to make him comfortable.
"You already know the answer to that," Bobbi said softly and Coulson chuckled weakly.
"I do," Coulson agreed before looking over at her. "When you see him again - and you will see him again - tell Hunter I'll be waiting on the other side with a beer."
"So suddenly you're religious?" Bobbi asked dryly and Coulson smiled.
"I don't know about that. But at the end of the world, at the end of my life, I'm surrounded by friends and family I thought I'd never see again. At the end, I get to say goodbye, make peace with people I wronged. Maybe it's a dying man's optimism, but I can't help but feel that there's some grand design to it all," Coulson said wistfully.
"It's been an honor sir," Bobbi said after a moment of silence and Coulson smiled at her.
"No Bobbi, the honor was mine," Coulson told her genuinely.
Bobbi simply smiled tightly, unable to speak. After a moment, she left the med bay, closing the door behind her. She breathed deeply before she turned to face several pairs of eyes looking at her anxiously.
"He has an hour at most. If you want to say goodbye, now's your chance," Bobbi said gently.
This was obviously a big blow to everyone who had known Coulson. Mack looked to be on the verge of tears as Fitz put his head in his hands. Steve and Thor both had solemn looks on their faces as Clint, Natasha, Tony, and Fury all had emotionless masks on theirs, hiding their true emotions.
Bobbi took a shaky breath before she walked passed them and out of the room. Mack looked over his shoulder, concern for his old friend shining in his eyes before he followed after Bobbi.
Coulson was still in bed, closing his eyes as he attempted to have some peace when he heard someone walk in. Opening his eyes, Coulson saw Fury standing in the doorway.
"We've been here before. Haven't we sir?" Coulson asked and Fury simply nodded.
"That we have," Fury agreed as he walked over to Coulson's bedside. "I never thought it would end like this though."
"Neither did I," Coulson said with a weak chuckle before grimacing as pain shot through him. "No laughter, got it."
"You know, when I recruited you, I knew I'd found a rare gem. But I never could have imagined where it would lead," Fury said wistfully.
"Getting sentimental on me? Wow, I must be dying," Coulson joked and Fury nearly grimaced as Coulson looked over at him. "Fury, you need to make things right with them."
"I did what I had to do," Fury said stubbornly.
"Maybe, but you manipulated them, lied to them. I know you had good intentions, but you also tend to ignore how your actions affect other people. They have every right to be angry at you, at us. You wanna win this thing, you need to fix the broken trust that you created," Coulson told him.
Mack found Bobbi staring out a huge window, overlooking the front lawn of The Compound.
"You okay?" Mack asked gently as he walked over to her.
"How can I be? I watched the love of my life disappear right in front of me. I thought nothing could hurt me anymore after that. I was wrong," Bobbi said with a shaky breath.
"I knew the feeling," Mack said and she looked over at him. "You remember Elena Rodriguez?"
"Mack, I'm so sorry," Bobbi said, putting a hand on his arm.
"Me to," Mack said, taking her hand in his. "But we'll get them back. We have to."
"How are you so sure of that?" Bobbi asked incredulously.
"Because if I give up, then what's worth living for? Maybe we're fighting a losing battle…but I've got to try. Without hope, what's the point of living?" Mack said thickly and Bobbi frowned, considering his words.
In the med bay, Coulson and Fury looked up as Tony entered the med bay.
"I'll give you two a moment," Fury said before he walked passed Tony and out of the med bay.
"So he can take a hint. Who knew?" Tony said as he walked over to Coulson's bedside.
"Good to see you Tony. I was sorry to hear about Pepper," Coulson said and Tony winced.
"Yeah. She liked you, she would've been happy to know you were alive," Tony said and Coulson winced.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you Tony. I wanted to but there always seemed to be a reason not to. I guess I was just too much of a coward," Coulson said regretfully.
"Well, can't really hold a grudge against a dying man, can I?" Tony tried to lighten the mood but it only drove home the grim reality of the situation.
"Tony…you're a good man, but you let your ego overrule what you think is right sometimes. If you're gonna stop Thanos, you can't do that," Coulson said softly as he looked up at Tony. "You can't go it alone this time Tony."
In the kitchen, Barry, Caitlin, Bruce, Rhodey, Scott, Frank, Matt, and Rocket sat in the longue. All of them were quiet, none of them able to find a word to break the silence.
"Are you sure you don't want to go see him Dr. Banner?" Barry asked as he looked over at Bruce, who shook his head.
"I never had more than a first meeting with him," Bruce said and it was quiet for a moment.
"What did the guy in the helmet mean when he said you'd resolve the conflict between you and the beast?" Rocket inquired as he looked at Bruce, who sighed.
"I'm a scientist. Years ago, I was recruited on a military project. I was told I was trying to create a formula designed to cure radiation poisoning. But it was something much different," Bruce signed. "I used Gamma radiation in the project but something went horribly wrong. Now, every time I get angry, I turn into this big raging monster. I've spent years trying to control it but Hulk is just too strong."
"Maybe he's not meant to be controlled," Caitlin said and Bruce looked over at her incredulously. "I have a little experience in this area. I have another…personality I guess, Killer Frost. When she first showed up, I was scared that I'd lose control, that Killer Frost would erase me and she was afraid I'd erase her. But eventually, we both realized that we were a part of each other, two sides of the same person. Maybe the same can be true for you and Hulk."
Bruce frowned, considering her words.
In the med bay, Coulson was looking at his Captain America trading cards.
"Finally signed them," Coulson said before looking back at Steve. "I guess now my life is finally complete."
"It's the least I can do Agent Coulson," Steve said politely.
"I think you can call me Phil," Coulson said and Steve smiled tightly.
"Phil," Steve corrected himself.
The door opened and Steve looked over his shoulder to see Clint and Natasha standing in the doorway.
"I'll give you guys a minute," Steve said, looking back and forth between them before he walked out, leaving them all alone.
"It's been a while since we've all been together like this," Coulson said after a moment. "I can't even remember the last time."
"New York," Clint remembered. "We were all there when Cap was brought out of the ice."
"That's right," Coulson remembered and it was quiet. "I owe you both an apology."
"I think you owe us more than that," Natasha said lowly and Coulson winced.
"You're right, I do," Coulson agreed. "I should have told you the truth a long time ago. I should have let you know I was alive. That was my mistake, my choice. I'm sorry."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Clint asked curiously and Coulson sighed.
"At first, I was going through this life changing experience. Then, I was busy tracking down threats and enemies to SHIELD. Then the Hydra uprising happened and I became Director. Finally, I just admitted to myself that I was too much of a coward to face you guys after so long," Coulson admitted. "I'm sorry. More than you've know."
"I understand," Natasha said after a few moments. "I don't forgive you, but I understand."
"I suppose I deserve that," Coulson nodded in understanding before looking over at Clint. "Clint? I know I have no right…but my team. Look out for them."
"You have my word Phil," Coulson said, his voice thick with emotion.
Coulson nodded and winced as he felt a pain in his chest. Knowing he didn't have a lot of time left. He looked back up at them.
"Could you send in Mack and Fitz? I have a few things I still need to say," Coulson said.
Silently, the pair nodded before they turned and walked out. They found the two SHIELD agents outside, waiting, as if they knew what Coulson would ask.
"He's asking for you two," Clint said, trying to keep his voice even.
Mack nodded, looking over at Fitz.
"Come on Turbo," Mack said gently, gently placing his hand on his friend's shoulder.
Fitz nodded before he and Mack walked over to the med bay, entering the room. It was difficult for them to see Coulson so weak, at death's door.
"Hey," Coulson said weakly as they approached his bedside. "How are you both holding up?"
"I think we should be asking you that," Mack said lowly and Coulson smiled weakly.
"I'm fine. I lived longer than I should have. I should've died when Loki stabbed my heart with his scepter. But I don't regret these last few years. I got to meet the two of you, Daisy, Jemma, Bobbi, Hunter. Now it's time for new blood. It's time for a new director," Coulson said as he looked at Mack pointedly.
"I'll do my best sir," Mack said, his voice gruff with emotion.
"I know. That's why I know you're the right man for the job," Coulson said kindly. "They're all gonna look to you when this is over. Tell May…"
"I'll tell her sir," Mack said when Coulson paused.
Coulson nodded gratefully before looking over at Fitz.
"Fitz, you are the best of us. I know you're having a hard time with what happened in the Framework and part of you always will. Everyone has good and bad inside of them. You will always carry that darkness inside of you. The trick is not to face it alone. Let Simmons and the others help you through it," Coulson stopped, wincing as pain shot through his chest.
"Sir?" Fitz asked worriedly, walking over and was startled as Coulson grabbed his hand.
"If I were your father…I would say...I couldn't have asked…for a better…"
Coulson's eyes, which had been drifting shut as he spoke, closed. His head tilted to the side as his grip went slack. And they knew he was gone.