The Flu

Bowls of soup, and with the kitchen working again, they had been able to heat bread to go with it. Agent May was loading carts with food to be taken round for the sick agents' lunches, and silently offering up thanks that Captain Rogers was actually decent at spoon feeding the agents who were still sick enough to need it when her phone rang.

"Mom?" She said as she answered it, and it hit her that she had told her mother she would send her pictures of Victoria to show to her family so they would know she was okay. "I'm sorry. We ran into a problem here. I forgot to get those pictures to you. Just a minute and I'll find Coulson. Have you tried to talk to Victoria's family yet? How are they?"

"Agent Coulson. That's what I'm calling about." Her mother said. Maybe it was nothing, she hoped it was nothing, but what the doctor had said was concerning her. "You were very upset when you called and said that he had died, Melinda."

"Yes, I was upset, Mom. I thought he was dead. What's going on? Have you talked to Victoria's family yet?" Why was she suddenly getting a very bad feeling. And why was she hearing noises that reminded her of a hospital in the background? "Mom, where are you?"

Before her mother could reply, Tony came wandering in. "Have you seen Coulson?" he asked. "Pepper just sent me a text. Fury got himself drug away to the funny farm a little bit ago. Which doesn't really surprise me, but I thought Agent might like to know. You don't need Fury to sign your paychecks or anything, right?"

"The… Mom, please tell me you aren't at the mental institution they just drug our boss away to!"

"Director Carter's niece needed a ride." her mother said. "Melinda, I'm a little concerned, First you tell me Phil is dead, and I sent flowers to his funeral. Then you call me out of the blue and say he's alive, but…."

"He is alive!" Fury had got himself drug off to the mental institution for some reason, and why did she suddenly have a feeling her mother was wondering if she needed a little visit there as well? But there was Coulson, coming down the hall. "Here." She hurried to meet him and shoved the phone into his hands. "Please say hello to my mother and let her know that you aren't dead before I end up being Director Fury's new roommate!"

"Hello? Is there some sort of problem?" Coulson said.

"Agent Coulson?" Melinda's mother said. It did sound like him. "Could I ask why I was told you were dead? I sent flowers to your funeral."

"Apparently a lot of people did." Coulson said. "If you're looking for a refund, I suppose accounting would be who you need to talk to. I would normally suggest Victoria, but she's sleeping off the flu."

"Victoria? She is alive?"

"Yes. Didn't your daughter tell you she was okay?"

"Send her the pictures." May told him. "Mom, he's going to send you pictures of Victoria."

"Okay." Coulson said as he pulled out his phone and a minute later hit send after finding the correct photos. "What's going on?"

"Your boss is in the funny farm for trying to disrupt a wake." Tony said before May could think of a way to break Fury's current location to him gently.

"What? Melinda…." Nick had gotten drug off to a mental institution? How was that even possible?

"I'm trying to find out what happened. Call Maria and see what she has to say." May said. "Mom, did you get the pictures?"

"Yes." her mother said as she looked at them. It was Victoria, pale and sick-looking, wrapped in blankets on what looked like a makeshift bed on the floor, an IV dripping into one arm. But she did look alive. "Could I ask why Victoria's on the floor, instead of in a hospital bed if she's that sick?"

"To prevent her from being exposed to more germs while she's so weak from fighting the flu. She has two people hovering over her, and we've got a doctor here to consult with. She's fine. Mom, please, can you find Victoria's family, and show them the pictures so they'll know she's okay?"

"It might be a bit. I can't just go off and leave Director Carter and her niece without a way home. Someone towed your director's car. You know, things like this never happen in my agency, Melinda. What is Director Fury doing with yours?"

"That's what Coulson's trying to find out. Just please, Mom, get to Victoria's family as soon as you can." Melinda told her. "They need to know that Victoria's okay."