Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Melinda left her meeting with Mack in a huff. She was sick and tired of dealing with the bull shit and bureaucracy. After Shield fell, she had stayed for Phil, to help him set things right and take down Hydra. Now that Phil was gone, she often considered retirement. The only thing keeping her in Shield was Daisy, but she was capable of taking care of herself now. Plus, Daisy was off in space more and more often these days anyway.

She was passing by Daisy’s bunk when she heard muffled cries coming from within. Melinda quickly entered the code on the door’s keypad, and let herself in to check on the girl.

Daisy was still weeping into her pillow and didn’t notice Melinda had entered.

“Dais?” she asked softly. “You ok?”

The younger agents sniffled noisily, but didn’t bother to roll over. “Fine,” she said unconvincingly, her voice thick with emotion.

“Like hell you are,” Melinda said, sitting on the edge of the bed and putting a gentle hand on Daisy’s shoulder. 

Daisy sobbed again. “I just- I miss him, May.”

Melinda nodded, knowing exactly who she meant - Phil. “Me too.”

Daisy finally turned to face her, propping against the headboard as she did so. “And we’re going back to space tomorrow, and I’ll be away from you-” she inhaled shakily. “Simmons is so different now, and I just- I feel so-” she shook her head. “I’ve never felt so alone, May. I got used to having family around, and since Coulson. And Fitz… I just feel completely alone. ” Daisy crumbled again as she looked to Melinda for an answer. “I just don’t know how long I can keep doing this, May.”

May’s heart broke for Daisy. She knew first hand what the girl was feeling - the loss, the despair, the loneliness- because she felt it, too. Had felt it every day since Phil died, and even before he died- when it had been difficult at the end.

 “Come here, Dais,” Melinda said quietly as she opened her arms.

The gesture was all Daisy needed, and she slid over next to May, laying her head on May’s shoulder as she continued to cry.

Melinda didn’t know what to say to make Daisy feel better- doubted there was anything that would- so she just murmured soft reassurances to Daisy as she held her close.

“I’m sorry,” Daisy said after a few minutes as she pulled away slightly. “I know emotions aren’t really your forte.”

“It’s alright, Daisy,” May said, wiping a tear from Daisy’s cheek. “And if space gets to be too much, you know I’m only a phone call away.”

Daisy nodded. “I know.”

May studied her for a moment longer, knowing Daisy was still upset. “And I’ll be right here waiting for you when you get back.” She pulled Daisy in for another hug, kissing the top of her head softly.

“Thank you,” Daisy sighed, holding tightly to May again.

Melinda made an impulsive decision, something she didn’t do often. “Daisy, why don’t you take a shower and put on your pajamas while I make you some tea?” she suggested. She was taking a page from Coulson’s book and offering Daisy whatever comfort she could when everything seemed dark. 

“Can you put milk and sugar in the tea for me?” Daisy said in a small voice.

“You got it,” Melinda said with a chuckle, as she gently untangled herself from Daisy’s arms. “Go shower, and then come to my bunk, ok?” she said with a soft smile. 

Daisy walked into May’s room and sat at the small table in the corner, figuring May was still making tea for them. She’d been here before, but not since right after Coulson had died and looking around, she noticed May had changed a few things since then. 

There were a few photos from Tahiti in frames on the bookcase - one of May in a red bikini and Coulson in a pair of aqua-colored swim trunks with bright pink flamingos (interesting choice) and one of May in a sundress ( really?! ) and Coulson in a pale-blue button up. Her heart ached seeing Coulson again. God, she missed him.

On the nightstand, she saw another photo she hadn’t seen before, and she went over to investigate. Tears pricked at the back of her eyes, and she nearly started crying again.  It was her - back when she was Skye - laughing at something with Coulson, May in the background looking irritated with them.

“Here’s your tea,” May said from the doorway leading in from her kitchenette.

Daisy placed the photo back on the nightstand and sat on the edge of May’s bed. “Sorry, I wasn’t trying to be nosy.”

Melinda chuckled. “You? Nosy? Never would’ve thought,” May teased. “Any idea what was so funny?” she asked, gesturing to the photo as she sat next to Daisy.

“Not a clue,” she replied with a sad smile. “Where’s the photo from?”

May shrugged. “Found it on a shelf in Phil’s office.”

They sipped their tea in silence for a moment, both of them remembering good times with Coulson, the memories now bittersweet.

“Thanks for the tea, May,” she said softly. “And the company.”

“I’ll miss you while you’re in space, Daisy,” May said suddenly.

Daisy nodded. After a moment, she found herself blurting out a decision she had made while she was in the shower a few minutes earlier. “After we find Fitz, I want some time off. And I think I want to go to China. To learn about my heritage.”

“Really?” May’s eyebrows were arched high in question.

“The only problem is that I don’t speak the language,” she continued, hoping May would see where she was going with this.

“Mmmm. Could be an issue,” May said without giving away whether she knew what Daisy was getting at.

Daisy took a long sip of her tea before continuing. “If you’re going to make me say it, I’m wondering if you might want a break from Shield, too- if you might want to go with me?” She asked, hoping May would agree. May was the one person she cared about most in the world, and Daisy thought they could both use a distraction.

May sighed and propped herself back on the headboard. “I’ve actually been thinking of leaving Shield, Daisy.”

This was news to Daisy for sure. “Like… permanently?”

“The only reason I stayed as long as I did was for Phil. And for you.” May sighed heavily, patting the bed next to her and Daisy took the invitation. “I trained you well. You can take care of yourself in the field. You don’t need me to stick around, do you?”

Daisy fiddled with the sleeve of her t-shirt, on the verge of tears again, her emotions were all over the place today. She had already lost her father figure when Coulson had died, now she was going to lose her mother figure, too? May was going to leave her?

“I still need you, you know,” Daisy mumbled. “Maybe more now than I have before.”

May pulled her close and Daisy curled into her wrapping her arms around May’s waist. “I’m not leaving you, Dais. I’m just leaving Shield.”

It didn’t make her feel much better. The last time May had left Shield, they had no contact for months.

As if May could read her mind, she said, “I promise you aren’t going to lose me, too. We’ve been through too much.” May paused briefly before continuing. “Look, you find Fitz, and I’ll take you to China after you get back, ok?”

Chapter Text

“May? Simmons said I could talk to you - that you could probably hear me. I’m hoping you can,” Daisy said as she sat in a chair beside May’s healing chamber, waiting for her to wake from her coma. 

“And I’m so sorry I wasn’t there when he stabbed you. I can’t believe we… I … believed Coulson was in there.” she wiped a tear from her cheek, watching the bright lights in the tube that were somehow healing May.

“I made a selfish decision a few minutes ago, May. I brought back an LMD version of him. Of Coulson. And I don’t know how you’re going to react when you find out. I know you worked so hard to move on after Tahiti, and then this whole mess happened with Sarge, and now I’m worried I might’ve only added to your pain.

“I hope you can forgive me, May. That when this is all over you and I can still go to China. I’m clinging to that hope because right now, it’s all that’s getting me through. 

“Because I hate that we disagreed so much after I came home from space. I hope you don’t hold it against me. Or hold this new version of Coulson against me.” Daisy put her hand on the glass, searching May’s face for any sign of movement or reaction within the chamber. “I hate that you had to feel the pain of that sword in your stomach.”

May showed no signs of movement, so she kept speaking. “But then even still, you came back through that portal and saved me. Again. You always save me.

“You were bleeding out , May. You could barely stand, and yet somehow you still found the strength to kill Izel before she could get to me.

“And I know we say it now. After Coulson, we all say it more. But I love you, May. You’re the  mother I never had, and now I feel like I let you down by letting you get stabbed. You’re always there for me, but I let you down when you needed me.”

Daisy sighed, pressing the heel of her hands into her eyes until she saw stars before she sat back in the chair. “I wish you would wake up, May. I know you’re not dead, but my brain is having a hard time accepting that since you just - you stopped breathing in my arms, and my quake suit is still drenched with your blood.”

She laughed humorlessly. “God, that sounds morbid, doesn’t it? Simmons made me change and shower before I came to see you. Actually, I had to strip the purple out of my hair, too. It wouldn’t be ‘era-appropriate.’

“I know you’ve never liked the purple anyway, so I think you’d approve. But just so you know, I am still blonde. You didn’t like the black hair either, so maybe you’re right - maybe after we get out of this mess, I’ll go back to my natural color like you’re always telling me to. Maybe brown is the way to go. 

“This is stupid, May - I’m talking to you about dyeing my hair to convince myself that you’re not really dead," she added with a shake of her head. 

“Although, it’s not exactly the weirdest thing we’ve had to deal with, is it? I mean, hell - we just went back in time. Jemma said we’re in the 1930s or some shit. The sexism and racism are going to pretty intense, I think. Maybe it’s better you’ll miss this part honestly.

“Oh, and I know it’s hard to believe, but Coulson is even more like a walking encyclopedia now. He’s helping Simmons come up with a plan for us and going over pre-war Shield and S.S.R. history.” 

Daisy shook her head, thinking now of Coulson. “I wonder if you might’ve started to forget things about him, too? Because I was starting to forget little details about him, May. Until he spoke, I had forgotten the sound of his voice. I couldn’t remember it if my life depended on it. Someone who had talked to me practically every day for five years and I just - I forgot his voice?

“But do you know what was scarier? The things that I didn’t even realize I had forgotten. The little half smirk he does when he crosses his arms, the way his brow furrows when he’s frustrated. All the little expressions I can recall in an instant about you or FitzSimmons or Mack or Yo-yo - any of you that I still see every day. But I didn’t even realize they were missing from my memories of him until I saw him again, May. And that? That scares the hell out of me.

“He uh - he wanted to come sit with you, ya know? But I told him no. You don’t deserve to be ambushed after an alien with his face just ran you through with a sword. I decided to bring him back, and you deserve to hear that from me before he just shows up at your bedside. I wanted to give you some time to figure out what you wanted.”

Daisy paused briefly, trying to gather her thoughts.

“I feel like I’m talking in circles, May. I really do. But my thoughts are all over the place. I just want to hear you say that everything is going to be ok. Like you did after we buried Coulson. We were both falling apart, but at least we had each other. But right now, I’m alone. I mean. You’re here, but you’re also not.

“Remember before I went to space the last time, you invited me to your bunk for tea?” Daisy scoffed. “That was stupid, of course, you do.

“I was a mess. I hadn’t slept more than a few hours all week and my emotions were all over the place. Kind of like they are right now. And you, somehow, just knew? I don’t even know how, but you knew and you appeared out of nowhere in my bunk and you just held me and let me cry and told me it was going to all be ok. Like a mother would.” Daisy smiled wistfully.

“Speaking of space, I guess I haven’t had a chance to tell you much about it, have I?” She chuckled darkly. “Honestly, it kind of sucked. But I was strong out there, May. Trying to make you proud, trying to come home to you and our friends. Our family. 

“I just kept thinking about our trip to China and what all you might have in mind for us to do. And I had a few suggestions, too. I wasn’t going to make you do all the planning by yourself.

“Oh, and don’t worry - I’ll be fine when I’m out in the field today, too. I’ll have something to focus on, ya know? You taught me how to focus on the mission even when things look bleak. And right now, everything looks bleak, May. Really fucking bleak.

“Simmons is like a different person - she’s more distant than I’ve ever seen her. Coulson is a different person. Fitz is M.I.A. - which is a whole fishy story in and of itself. And I- I think I could just use a hug from my mom,” she finished, her voice breaking.

Simmons knocked on the door. “Daisy? Time to go.”

Daisy cleared her throat, trying to pull herself together. “I’m coming, Jemma!” she called and headed toward the door.

“I’ve got to go, May. They need me.” With a last glance over her shoulder at May, Daisy added, “But please wake up soon. I can’t deal with all of this without you.”

Chapter Text

Daisy had nearly died in their quest to save the world. That’s what she would later tell people anyway. That she had only ‘nearly’ been killed.

Melinda wasn’t stupid though. She had seen Daisy’s frozen body on the Zephyr and watched as Kora had revived her.

Which is why as soon as Z1 touched down at the Lighthouse, May pulled Daisy aside and hugged her close, reassuring them both that Daisy was alright.

“Hey, I’m ok, May,” Daisy mumbled, wrapping her own arms around Melinda.

May nodded but still didn’t let go. She could feel Daisy’s relief radiating off of her and an overall feeling of comfort and safety that washed over Daisy as soon as she was in May’s arms. The feelings only amplified May’s instinct to keep Daisy close after all that had happened. 

ONE YEAR LATER

Over her morning tea, Melinda reflected on just how much life had changed over the past year. 

FitzSimmons, of course, had moved to the Scottish countryside with Alya, who was adjusting quite well to life on earth. Alya was always busy with various projects and activities- Fitz and Simmons were both barely keeping up with her to hear them tell it.

Mack, of course, was director and Yo-yo was his right hand, just as May had been Coulson’s. They both seemed to be enjoying their new roles within the organization. 

And Coulson? He was traveling the world but came to visit her and Daisy at least once a month or so. He had actually stayed with them for a week on the first half of their trip to China before giving them some ‘mother-daughter time,’ as he put it.

As for Melinda and Daisy, they had both taken leaves of absences to get back into a healthier headspace after all they endured. Daisy had even moved into the spare bedroom in May’s new house. Plus she and Daisy both had been seeing a Shield therapist and were both doing much better, though both knew they had a way to go. 

The leave of absence also meant Melinda and Daisy had plenty of time to take their vacation to China. So far, they had been in the country for almost six weeks, with another four loosely planned out.

Not long after their planned return date, Melinda was set to begin teaching a variety of subjects all pertaining to field operations at the new Academy. Daisy had surprisingly asked to teach as well, convincing Mack to let her educate students about Inhuman or Enhanced individuals they may encounter in the field and how to handle them appropriately. He had agreed, provided she would also coordinate with Melinda to teach and train students in hand-to-hand combat. 

Melinda glanced at the clock and realized it was time to wake Daisy before their virtual call with the team. It was going to be the first time they would all be together in almost a year. It was hard to get everyone together all at once with their hectic schedules.

She made her way to Daisy’s room next door. “Daisy?” Melinda said softly. There was no response other than continued snores. “ Daisy,” she said, louder this time.

Daisy jolted awake and blinked sleepily up at May. “Is it time for the call? Did I miss it?”

Melinda grinned. “You have 30 minutes. You told me to wake you early, remember?”

“Yeah,” Daisy said, covering her head with the comforter. “Give me five more minutes and I’ll get up.”

“Oh, no you don’t, Dais,” May replied, yanking the blankets off of the bed. “We’ve got plans after the call. Go get ready.”

With a grumble of “Five minutes, I promise,” Daisy covered her head with her pillow. 

“Come on!” May urged, poking Daisy in the side.

Daisy squealed, “No fair!” 

“Get up, Daisy!” Melinda said with a laugh.

“Ugh, fine. You’re being so mean ,” Daisy said teasingly as she finally got out of bed and headed to brush her teeth, still complaining under her breath the whole way. “Can’t even sleep without somebody trying to tickle you these days.”

May shook her head at Daisy’s antics - it was good to see some things never change. 

She went back to her adjoining bedroom, getting dressed for the day herself, all the while becoming more and more excited for their upcoming meeting with their friends. 

When it was time, she and Daisy both sat on the edge of the bed, carefully placing the transmitters on their temples.

Phil was already in the virtual bar waiting for them. “Mel. Daisy,” he greeted them and hugged them both in turn. “Where are we today?”

Daisy grinned. “We’re going to see the Leshan Budha after this. I’ll send you some pictures when we get there.”

Melinda watched the two of them and couldn’t hide her smile. It was just like the old days. Well. Almost.

“What about you, Melinda? Still enjoying dragging this one-” he gestured to Daisy, “all over the country?” 

Daisy swatted Colson’s arm and grinned. “She loves me. She’s probably having the time of her life.”

Melinda rolled her eyes playfully. “We haven’t killed each other yet, so it’s going well,” she said with a smirk.

Melinda pulled the transmitter from her temple, smiling wistfully. She had missed all of their family being together, and it had been a bittersweet reunion, knowing they were all still scattered across the globe. Maybe she and Daisy would have time to visit FitzSimmons on their way home before the term started.

She went into the next room, finishing getting ready for the day while she knew Daisy was having a moment with Phil, no doubt catching him up on the latest details of their trip across China. Daisy was having a great time and had been eager to share the details with anyone who would listen - last night it had been Simmons on the telephone.

After a few moments, Daisy appeared in the doorway. “Coulson said to take me to that market that you took him to back in the 90s. He couldn’t remember the name, but said he could remember the food vendors.”

May chuckled. “It’s on the agenda for next week actually.”

They finished getting dressed and headed out the door of their small hotel, heading for their adventure.

“Mel?” Daisy asked. “I think this vacation has really been great for my mental health. It’s amazing what not worrying about being tortured or killed will do for you a person, ya know?” Daisy said the words in a light tone, but even without her empath abilities, Melinda would’ve known Daisy was serious. 

“That’s why I decided to go to the Academy - my Phil and I - we discussed it in Tahiti,” Melinda replied. “I’ve been in the field for too long. It takes a toll after a while - physically and mentally.”

Daisy nodded in response. “I know Mack wants me to take a team to space after the first year or so, but I have been thinking for a while I might want to take a little more time on earth first., if I ever leave at all. Space was not my favorite place.”

“I can understand that. You’re welcome at the house as long as you like, Dais. No need to rush if you’re not ready.”

That night they had both piled into Daisy’s bed to watch a movie after dinner, but Melinda didn’t even manage to stay awake past the opening credits.

She woke sometime later, to the tv still on, and Daisy asleep on her shoulder with both arms wrapped around one of May’s.

Melinda flipped the switch on the lamp with her free hand and settled further down into the pillows and adjusted the comforter over her and Daisy.

This trip had turned out to be one of the best trips of Melinda’s life - backpacking through China with the girl she had come to think of as a daughter, teaching her about a culture they both shared, and spending time having fun instead of fighting for their lives.

May kissed the top of Daisy’s head gently, and Daisy shifted, curling further into Melinda’s side, as she mumbled a sleepy, “I love you, Mom.”

Melinda blinked back tears, not from the words, but from the emotion she felt from Daisy as she said them. “Love you, too, Dais.,” she whispered.

Daisy hummed contentedly, already almost back asleep.