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Daniel walked down the Zephyr's ramp to where Daisy stood at the bottom, her back to him, looking out over the deck of the helicarrier. "Everything's ready to go," he said, coming to a halt next to her. "Are you?"
She sighed, glancing over at him. "I don't know," she replied. "I just can't believe...this is it."
"I know," he said softly, putting his arm around her waist.
"When Enoch told me and Coulson before he died that that was our last mission together, I didn't want to believe it. I didn't think it was possible, after everything we've been through. Or that Fitz was right about that time in the speakeasy being the last time we'd all be together in the same room. And yet...here we are. Mack's busy being director; May's teaching now, which is wild; Yo-Yo's in the field, like, all the time; Fitzsimmons are raising their kid; and Coulson's travelling the world."
"And we're headed out on an expedition to space that might take years."
"Exactly."
Daniel squeezed her gently. "I know this is hard for you, Daisy."
Tears filled her eyes, and she laughed wetly, wiping her cheeks. "I promised myself I wouldn't cry." Her chin wobbled, and she took a shaky breath in. "It's just that…" She swallowed at the lump in her throat. "They're my family, Daniel." Another shaky breath, and she shut her eyes, tears streaking down her cheeks.
"I know," he said helplessly, his heart breaking with her pain. He rubbed her back with his hand as her shoulders shook.
"It feels like they're all just...moving on," she said through her tears. "And...I don't know if I can do that. I don't know if I'm ready to do that." He nodded, and she turned into him, burying her face in his chest. He put his arms around her and stroked her hair while she cried.
"We don't have to go if it's not what you want," he murmured as her sobs started to ease. "It's up to you."
"That's the problem," she replied, her exasperated voice muffled in his chest. She looked up at him. "I do want to go. I really want to go." Tears pooled in her eyes again, and she shook her head, stepping back from him and wiping her face. "I just don't want to lose what we had." Her voice was quiet, and she didn't look at him.
Daniel sighed, considering his response. He took her hand in both of his, rubbing the back of it with his thumbs. "I wish I could promise that you won't, Daisy." Her gaze flicked up to meet his, her eyes wide and vulnerable. "But I can't. What I can promise is that you won't lose me."
She nodded, her eyes flicking back and forth as she processed his words. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, and wiped her cheeks. "Okay. I'm okay."
"You sure?" he asked gently, the corner of his mouth lifting in a wry smile.
She chuckled wetly, blinking her eyelashes against her finger to get rid of the last of the tears. "No." She sighed. "But I will be."
His expression bittersweet, he pulled her in again, planting a kiss on her head. "I love you."
He could feel her smile against his chest. "I love you, too," she replied, squeezing him back.
"Now," he said, pulling away. "Before we go, there's something I want to give you."
Daisy raised an eyebrow at him, her lips pressed together in the hint of a smile. "Oh?"
He pulled a small black box out of his back pocket, his face just a little too serious as he held it out to her. Smirking, Daisy took it from him, her eyes lingering on his curiously before she looked down to open it. Daniel watched her closely, his eyes sparkling with mischief. She lifted the lid off, letting the bottom drop into her palm. Her brows snapped up when she saw what was inside, and she scoffed, grinning as she rolled her eyes. "Really?" she said, lifting the flat silver buckle out of the box and holding it up. A large Q with a curly tail embossed on the surface caught the light as she did so.
Raising his eyebrows in mock seriousness, Daniel replied. "Really." Daisy raised an eyebrow. "I just want to make sure those aliens know who you are, Quake."
"You are ridiculous, you know that?"
A grin broke out across his face. "I know. Now put it on, Mack made it so it would fit over your buckle."
"Oh, you roped Mack into this?"
"Absolutely."
Shaking her head with a smirk, she unbuckled her belt and slipped her new buckle on. Looking down at it with her eyebrows raised, she said, "I feel ridiculous."
"You look great, Quake," Daniel replied. "Very intimidating."
"I could kick your ass," she said, stabbing his chest with a finger. "You better be careful, Mr. Sousa."
"That's Agent Sousa, thank you," he replied. "And I just want to make sure you look good doing it."
"Come here, you idiot." She pulled him in and kissed him hard, grinning against his lips. He wrapped his hands around her back as he kissed her back.
"Are you two lovebirds ready to go yet?" Kora shouted from the top of the ramp. "I'd like to take off sometime this week if that's alright with you."
Daisy and Daniel pulled apart and turned to face her, Daniel scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "I gotta say, I'm not sure I'm ready for the lack of privacy," he muttered to Daisy.
She smirked. "You'll get used to it."
"Is that a giant Q on your belt?" Kora asked incredulously.
Daisy huffed, shooting Daniel a look. "This is your fault," she said, and he just grinned. "We're coming!"
Kora punched the button to raise the ramp, and Daisy took one last glance back at the helicarrier as she and Daniel made their way up. Daniel took her hand and squeezed it as the ramp closed, and Kora rubbed her hand over Daisy's back. Daisy glanced at each of them, taking a deep breath as she steeled herself for the long journey ahead. "Let's go meet some aliens."