Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In the underwater facility.:

Coulson was not happy.

"Can we get a break. Can we please get one break?" He shouted.

"Guess they weren't assessing powers in Hydra as much as collecting them." May dead panned

"Who even knows what Hydra was doing in the framework?" Coulson said. "Oh wait, you do I guess right." He caught himself and shook his head. "Sorry, I'm having trouble sorting through the--"

"Two lives we lived--" May finished for him.

He nodded. "You feel that too huh. Nice to see you again."

She gave him a look.

"Actual you. We're really lucky we got out of there."

"It wasn't luck." Ivanov cut off. "You are only alive because I had restrictions put on me. Fortunately, those restrictions have just been lifted." He smirked.

"Who the heck is this guy?" May said, her gun leveled with his face.

"Well you missed a fair amount, May, but the quick version is, you can go ahead and shoot him."

May fires the gun and Ivanov steps forward despite the bullets tearing through his body and disarmed May. With a swift elbow to the face May fell to the ground. Coulson punched Ivanov who threw him into a wall and choked him he sneered at Coulson as he spoke.

"You are nothing now without a shield to hide behind."

Coulson activated his arm shield and cut Ivanov's face off, revealing him to be an LMD.

"That's not all they're good for." Coulson quipped as Ivanov s lifeless body fell to the floor. He pulled a breathless May to her feet and she looked exhausted.

"Robots." She said, "Is that a common occurrence now?"

"Like I said," Coulson responded, "you missed a fair amount."

The door to the room opened and several Ivanov LMD's were waiting. Coulson quickly shut the door and May spoke.

"It's good to be back."

-Timeskip to after the lengthy explanation on who Ivanov is and where they are, if you don't know it watch the darn show-

"Not a lot of help here." May said as she looted the room they were in. "We have saline, all the B12 we could ever need."

"So we're safe from a hangover." Coulson summarized.

May hummed. "And Epinephrine. Emergency dose." She looked at Coulson.

"That's too dangerous." He said as she looked through the kit.

"Might give me enough adrenaline to take on some terminators."

"I'll find a way to take them myself." Coulson said solemnly. "I don't want any more bad to happen to you."

"Me?" She said incredulously. "I got out unscathed. Jeffrey didn't. He should be in here with us, still in the fight." She lifted the vial. "I need to take one for the team."

"You'll be useless afterwards, unconscious or unresponsive." Coulson argued.

"Well, so you give me mouth to mouth." Coulson paced to the other end of the room and May watched him concerned. "What's up?" She asked. "You mad that I was Hydra in there?"

"I don't blame you for that." He said walking towards her.

"Then what?" She asked in confusion. Coulson shrugged and she asked, "Did something weird happen with my robot self? Coulson wouldn't look her in the eye and she stood in front of him. "Did I make a move on you? Phil, did I try to... kill you?"

"Kill me, yep. That's what happened. You tried. It was messed up." They both nodded.

"Well, let's add it to the list." May said. "Just make sure I'm still breathing when the team arrives, huh?"

-Another Timeskip because reasons-

The Russian walked through the now open door into the room May and Coulson were in. His boot crunched on a shattered empty vial labeled Epinephrine. He looked at his other LMD's and at that moment May came charging out of her hiding spot to attack. She swung at LMD 1 and Spartan kicked LMD 2. She dodged 1 's swing and attacked him while Coulson took on 2. 2 caught Coulson's fist. And shoved him as May punched 1's face and stole his weapon and proceeded to beat him with it.

Coulson had 2 by the neck and was repeatedly punching his face. 2 got away and Coulson swapped his fist for a wooden pole that did nothing. 2 did a dramatic turn and approached Coulson as May and 1 were still going head to head. Coulson kept repeatedly beating 2 with a pole but did no damage. 2 disarmed him and walked closer. Coulson ripped an electrical wire from the wall and dropped it in the puddle 2 was in and electrocuted him.

May wad riding on 1's shoulders and repeatedly beating his head with a hammer. He fell into a table and she put the long end of the hammer head under his neck and snapped it, rendering him useless. A strange mist began leaking out of his body and May coughed as it surrounded her. Coulson walked in just in time to see a gray rock beginning to climb up her legs, she looked at Coulson panicked and reached for him before the rock completely covered her body.

Chapter Text

-Pov May-

The cold rock completely encased over her skin and she was in darkness. Faintly she could hear Coulson yelling if she was alive. She felt her skin burning as her body was changing in the cocoon. She began to panic. What if she ended up like the girl in Bahrain? Would someone on her team have to put her down? It would kill her to accidentally injure any of her teammates. The rocks loosened on her hands and she wiggled her exposed fingers. The rocks peeled away from her skin and she took in a big breath as soon as she could breathe. Coulson was in front of her speaking quietly and holding her shoulder to ground her. She felt restored but disoriented and confused.

"Hey, you did a good job."

"I'm an inhuman." May mumbled, her mind still processing the fact.

"You're alive and that's all that matters." Responded Coulson softly.

May hummed. "This whole thing doesn't make sense though."

"Yeah, if they wanted to kill us they could've just flooded the place. Why were they stalling?" Asked Coulson.

"We need to find a way to the surface." Coulson said as they walked away from the room. "Um, I haven't been totally honest with you, about what happened when you were not around."

"I knew something was up. What are you not telling me?" Said May exasperated.

"I drank the bottle of Haig." Coulson admitted sheepishly.

"You drank the, you piece of--"

May was cut off by a loud groan of metal creaking and a jet of cold ocean water that knocked them both to the ground and May cracked her head on the floor. The flood lights seemed twice as bright and May guessed that she had a concussion.

"We got to get you to the surface!" Coulson yelled over the flood alarms.

"We can't leave Mack!" May argued.

"You'll drown down here!" Coulson reminded her. "I'll get you up top then I'll come back for him! Come on!" He pulled her to her feet as she was to confused to do so and they walked to the exit. They entered the elevator that was miraculously still working and emerged on top of the facility.

On the roof May heard Coulson sigh in relief and she saw Daisy and Yoyo running towards them. Daisy rushed forward and supported her.

"Perfect timing. Hi, everybody." He greeted.

"She's very weak." He warned when Daisy supported her weight as they walked to the containment module.

Once they were inside they both sat down and Daisy spoke first.

"What happened down there, you look like you ran headfirst into a brick wall." Daisy said concerned.

"It was a concrete floor, and you don't look so good yourself." May muttered.

"What else happened?" Daisy pressed.

"Nothing." May responded quickly.

"I know that's a lie, you feel different. Your vibrations are off and the last time that happened you were an LMD, so how do I know your not not you?" Daisy asked.

"There were a couple LMD's trying to kill us down there, and we destroyed them, but the last one was trapped with terrigen crystals." May admitted.

"So it exploded and, hit the two of you?" Daisy clarified.

"Just me." May responded looking at Daisy. Daisy gasped and looked at May's eyes with fascination.

"What?" Asked May, worried.

"Your eyes are bright green right now." Daisy explained in wonder. May calmed slightly, color changing eyes was not the worst thing to happen to her.

"They just turned back to normal." Daisy informed her. The ground began to shake and Coulson and Yoyo ran inside before they flew away from the exploding facility. May kept her eyes on the floor until the they had reached Zephyr one.

-Timeskip-

As they began landing in the hanger of what used to be the playground. They witnessed May felt rage and something bigger pulse under her skin.

"Who did this?" She said quietly.

"You did, to stop him from coming after us." Responded Daisy.

"Who?" Asked Coulson.

"You." Responded Simmons and everyone turned to look at Coulson.

As her boots crunched in the rubble of what used to be a hallway, May let out a soft growl of rage that once again, shield was sabotaged. She felt her throat burn and exhaled a shaken breath as she stepped into a containment room with Coulson. She again felt the burning pulse under her skin, but stronger than the last time. She whirled to face Coulson.

"You need to lock me up." She said seriously.

"We don't need to lock you up, May. You would never hurt any of us, never." He responded sincerely.

"Phil, I can't be responsible if I accidentally hurt one of you." The use of his first name finally got him to stop and think. He looked at her and nodded, knowing that she wasn't asking him, but telling him that she would isolate herself. May sighed in relief and looked him in the eye.

"Thank you." She responded. He walked to the door and looked at May before he sighed and opened the door.

"I'll send Daisy and Simmons once we salvage what's left of the base." He said and then he left.

May sighed and looked around before sitting on the bed and she waited for someone to come prod her.

-Timeskip because why not-

May was counting the ceiling tiles when Daisy and Simmons came in the room. She sat up and looked at them. Daisy waved while Simmons sat down some dusty equipment and pulled out sterile vials and needles.

"Hello, I just need some blood samples, do you know what your thing is yet?" Jemma asked her while snapping on some gloves.

"No, we just saw the eye thing." Said May.

"Okay, may I take the sample?" Asked Simmons.

May nodded and Simmons attempted to draw blood, but a thick crust hide appeared on her skin where the needle was about to enter. Simmons frowned and tried her other wrist and the same thing happened there. She set the needle down and the crust faded away and she poked May's arm with finger and it remained normal.

"Were you anticipating pain when I brought out the needle." She said as she typed down on her tablet she brought.

"Yes." May answered.

"Can you close your eyes so we can see if you are doing this to unconsciously brace yourself, or if it is a reaction to the metal needle?" Simmons asked her. She compiled and she felt a needle enter her wrist and the coolness of the crust appear around the needle as she felt the sting of the needle. It was out seconds later and she felt the crust dissipate from her skin.

"Don't look yet, I want to test something." Simmons said. May heard her walk over to Daisy and whisper something in her ear. Daisy snorted and walked next to her.

"You can open your eyes now." Simmons said, May could hear her trying not to laugh. May opened her eyes and was face to face with a clown. She quickly punched it and darted back on the bed. She felt the crust climbing up her skin until it almost completely encased her, only leaving her head and black bare. Daisy hummed appreciably and Jemma let a small gasp at the sight of the spiky claws that were now May's hands.

"Fascinating." Mumbled Jemma, as she scanned May's hands and body before going back to her tablet and looking through the results. As May calmed down she felt the crust receding until it disappeared off her skin. May looked at the shattered remains of the tablet and the holes that were cut out of the screen.

"Welp, there goes my tablet." Said Daisy. Jemma snorted and they all knew that she'd have a new one by the end of the day.

"Can we try that again except without destroying the tablet this time?" Asked Simmons. May agreed and they pulled up a series of photos. One was a red balloon in a sewer. She didn't feel any of the crust and they flipped to the next one. A cactus on someone's back. The crust covered her back and most of her limbs. The next one was a picture of cracked desert. She felt the crust start to reach her face and completely cover her limbs, she also felt a pressure in the center of her upper and lower back. The next one was an astronaut floating in space without a tether keeping them connected to the spacecraft. The skin on her back stretched uncomfortably and the crust completely covered her face and her nose lengthened. The last one was a bigfin squid.

That pushed her over the edge. The growing appendages on her back stretched and burst into two wings and a tail. Her hair clumped together and turned into spiky horns, and she groaned as she grew until the massive dragon had to crouch on all fours underneath the ceiling. Spikes pushed their way out of her spine. Her eyes burned and she shut them with a hiss until the transformation was complete. She opened her eyes to see Daisy and Jemma's curious faces looking at her from the doorway of the room and watched as they stepped forward to peer at her face.

"Do you think she can hear us?" Daisy whispered to Simmons. "Can you hear us?" She asked May.

May attempted to speak but all that came out was a rumble of agreement, so she settled with a nod.

"The results of your blood work came back, you should be able to turn back every time, you won't get stuck like Lash did and no split personality telling you to kill us all. I am puzzled by your brain scan. This area right here is where human instinct is located, and it appears to be incredibly active in your brain. Before this happened, it was almost nonexistent, so you may feel a compulsory urge to do things in the future. If you find out please let me know." Jemma said as she read off her tablet.

"Now since I have no experience with helping you control your inhuman powers whatsoever, Daisy will handle that while I fetch you a change of clothes since you appear to have burst out of yours." Announced Simmons and she walked out the door.

Chapter Text

-Pov May-

Daisy walked behind May and fetched a keyboard and a computer and placed them in front of May so she could communicate. She sat in front of May and spoke.

"So how does it feel for you?" She asked.

'Rage' is the only answer May provided.

Daisy could work with that. "Similar to or that is all you feel." She asked. May glared at her before looking away and and turning her burning stare on the wall. She didn't want to answer these questions, she was filled with raw rage and felt very territorial of her people. She didn't know if they were alright, or if anyone else was in the base. And she wouldn't know, she realized, until she got a handle on whatever was happening. She faced Daisy with a sigh and typed a question mark. She didn't know what she was feeling, other than rage, but there were so many other feelings, feelings that she could normally repress until they were useful. She sighed again and set her head on the floor beside Daisy and relaxed the rest of her body.

"Is it okay if I pet you?" Daisy asked out the blue.

May pondered the question for a moment before shifting her head into Daisy's lap in invitation. Daisy drifted her hands across the dragon's head and neck and lightly scratched behind her ear. The feeling that followed May could describe as nothing short of pure bliss as she fell limp in Daisy's arms, she let out a rumbling purr, not at all thinking about the killer robot on the loose and just floated in the feeling of peace.

-Pov Daisy-

Daisy was surprised when May pushed her head onto her lap in invitation. She lightly scratched along the smooth scales of May's head and was startled by the loud purr that filled the room. Daisy heard the door open and stopped petting May to get a good look at whoever entered the room. She saw Jemma shoot her a disbelieving look as May whined at the loss of contact. She resumed her pets and Jemma walked to drop the clothes next to her and whisper in her ear.

"Sorry I was gone so long, it was hard to find intact clothes that would fit her for when she turns back. I see you've been busy." She teased her friend and poked her side. Daisy blushed and swatted at Jemma's hand.

"It's not like that and you know it." She groaned.

"I know I was just kidding." Said Jemma. "Though I was surprised to see this, I was only gone for ten minutes. How did inhuman training turn into ear scratching?"

"Well I think that to turn back she needs to calm herself down, she said it felt like rage, so once she can control that I reckon she'll turn right back." Said Daisy. "Is there something you can make like a bracelet or something that automatically turns into clothes around her so she doesn't have to put on her clothes every time she shifts into something?" Sometime during her question she had heard May's breathing even out as she fell asleep. She gently pushed the sleeping dragon's head off her lap and stood up and left the room with Simmons.

May would be fine.

Chapter Text

-Pov Daisy-

Simmons discussed something quietly with Daisy while she sat with her computer that had miraculously survived the explosion of the base. Coulson walked into the room and got everyone's attention before starting his speech.

"We probably weren't detected coming to base, but we can't stay long. Probably shouldn't have come here."

"We had to refuel." Argued Jemma, "also we had no choice."

"Because of that room?" Asked Coulson.

"It's the only thing that can contain Aida's teleportation ability." Responded Jemma.

"The technology we used to stop Gordon." He finished, nodding.

"She'll remain inside until we decide what to do with her." Daisy said, as she walked to stand next to YoYo.

"Why don't we chop off her head like last time?" Elena asked.

"Let's take a moment and think about that, Sweeney Todd." Said Coulson. "She's a real person now, and she..."

"She saved Mack." Finished Daisy.

"She made herself real to escape Radcliff's programming, so now maybe she's different." He said, optimistically.

"I highly doubt that." Interjected Jemma. "People don't name themselves 'Madam Hydra' if their trying to remain open minded."

"She did what you said in the framework, seems better safe than sorry." Shrugged Elena.

"No more killing." Said a very human May, with only two visible dragon features, scattered scales like freckles on her face and piercing green eyes.

"There has been enough killing." She said.

"Which leads to the next question." Said Coulson.

"What do we do with Fitz?" Finished Daisy.

-Timeskip cause I don't feel like typing out a whole monologue about anger management and relationships.-

"We're not robots, Glenn." Coulson said.

"Yes they are! They're all robots. You assume each and every one of them is a darn C-3PO unless you hear otherwise from me!" Talbot turned to face Daisy and pointed at her face. "And this one, if she so much as blinks, you take her down. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir." Chorused the soldiers surrounding them.

"Is that really necessary?" Asked Coulson.

"Necessary?" Hollered Talbot, "It's essential. Unless you can explain to me in fifty words or less why I found Jeffrey Mace's body washed up on the beach with his bones quaked apart, days after I found this base in flames, flesh melting off of robot bodies, twelve shield agents in critical with burns or broken bones. Three dead! Double hits to the heart and crushed frickin' skulls!" He paused to take a deep breath. "Can you explain that?"

"I can try." Said Coulson.

-Timeskip Pov May-

"You expect me to believe a word of that." Talbot said, as though Coulson was insulting his intelligence. His radio crackled with the incoming message.

"She's everywhere." Someone screamed on the other end. There was more screaming and gunfire.

"What does that mean, Coulson? 'She's everywhere' who's everywhere?" He pointed his radio at Coulson's throat. May let out a low growl that thankfully went unnoticed by Talbot and his men, although Daisy glanced at her for a moment.

"Where's that Speedy Gonzalez girl?" He ranted. "Who's attacking us!"

"Aids got out." May said, dread filling her. They heard gunshots and Piper and Fitz rose up in the containment module.

"May! Take off now!" Yelled Fitz desperately. "We have to move! If she can find us, she'll kill us all!"

"Davis had her down for the count." Said Piper confused.

"They won't listen to me!" He yelled. "She can't be stopped!" He banged on the glass. "May! May! You are the only other person that knows about the inhumans that we tested." May's eyes widened and she looked around understanding the gravity of the situation. She ran to the cockpit. She primed the engines and began the takeoff sequence. She piloted out of the base and into the gloomy night.

-Timeskip-

"I've set autopilot to change bearing, altitude, and speed every couple minutes." May announced to Coulson as she walked into the control room.

"I hate playing defense, but if Aida drops in on us before we figure out how to stop her, it's game over." He admitted.

"Any word from Piper since she HALO'd out?" May asked.

"Not yet, but she knows what to do if this doesn't go our way." He responded.

"It has to go our way. And then, you're gonna explain why you drank that bottle of Haig without me." She smirked flexing the scales on her cheeks, not an uncomfortable sensation but something to get used to.

"Fair enough, but we're gonna need another bottle to discuss what happened with that bottle." Coulson said, as he stared at her piercing green eyes.

-Timeskip-

May and Coulson ran into the conference and shot the LMD's. Coulson walked over to the unconscious body of Talbot.

"Everybody out now." He yelled. "And get some medical help."

"Phil." May said. She pointed at the darkhold. "They'll be back for that."

Talbot's companion pointed to a camera and spoke to them. "Quake, Johnson, I don't care what you call her. She's not going to get away with this. The world is gonna see the truth."

"That wasn't Daisy. That was a duplicate, A Life Model Decoy, the same with those Russians that were in here. They're not human." He said, tired of explaining this to people.

"They did this." The lady pointed at them as she spoke to incoming law enforcement. "Don't let them get away!" They began to draw their firearms and Coulson pulled his out first.

"Don't." He warned. He and May exited the room and ran down the hall towards the sound of gunfire. They turned into a storage room and were met with the sight of Daisy and Robbie breathing heavily, surrounded by destroyed LMD bodies.

"I missed it didn't I? You two together and we missed it. Darn. Come on, we got to go. Come on!"

-another Timeskip-

"This must be Aida's payback 'cause I quaked her skinny tin can out that window. She's gonna send Daisy bot after Daisy bot to assassinate people." She kicked a wall.

"She won't have to." Said May. "As soon as the video of your LMD shooting Talbot in the head gets out, shield is dead." She felt a flare of anger from the dragon and mentally pushed it back down. She didn't have the time to deal with her feelings.

"It's worse than that,." Started Coulson. "Daisy's not just shield, she's inhuman.

"My goodness your right. It's the same tactic Aida used in the framework, unite people in their fear of inhumans. Instead of the Cambridge incident..." She trailed off looking at Daisy.

"It's me. I'll be the monster." Daisy looked at Coulson. "She wants the same Fascist state that she had in the framework. This is her plan. She's won."

"No." Said Coulson, "she hasn't. Ok, maybe today, but like Robbie said we're part of a bigger war. This isn't the framework. We're awake, we're unified, and frankly mad enough to risk everything to stop her." He turned to Robbie. "I need the darkhold."

"What?!" Exclaimed May. "No! No one's ever reading that darn book ever again." She was quite frankly startled that Coulson would go that far.

"I don't want to read it." Said Coulson dramatically. " I want to use it as bait."

Chapter Text

-Pov Daisy-

"I don't want to read it." Said Coulson dramatically, "I want to use it as bait. Aida's human now. She feels what we feel, including fear."

Robbie shook his head no. "Non. I'm sorry, man. I'm taking it."

"But she's got to be terrified, we'll use it to stop her." Argued Coulson.

"She's also terrified of Robbie." Interjected Daisy, "As soon as she saw his chain flame on, she teleported out." Coulson turned to face Robbie.

"Is it true?" He asked. "Can you destroy her?"

"Maybe." Robbie shrugged.

Jemma walked in the room. "This might not be the best moment to mention it but, May, can probably destroy her as well." Everyone turned to look at her or May. "While you've been planning, I've been analyzing the results of her blood work. Ironically, it seems that not only can you absorb and output electricity, but the natural electricity of your body generated a low energy field similar to that of the quantum field disruptors."

"So what does that mean." Said Coulson looking at May.

"Well." Started Jemma. "In theory, if we increased the amount of electricity in May that field would cover the plane and we could safely land without Aida being able to get on unless she wants to walk in the door. But it also means that if May held on to her she wouldn't be able to escape." She and May exchanged a look Daisy couldn't decipher, before May nodded and Jemma continued speaking.

"If we were to increase the amount of electricity you're gonna need this." She tossed a small slim bracelet to May. She caught it and inspected it warily.

"What is it." She asked Jemma, turning the bracelet over in her hands.

"It holds your clothes and forms them on you when you transform back. Daisy had the bright idea and although it's not my area of expertise, it should do the job." Replied Jemma. May slipped it on, and they all looked at her expectantly.

"Wait she's an inhuman?" Robbie whispered to Daisy. She nodded in response.

"Do you want to try to increase the amount of electricity in your body and see if the field increases?" Jemma asked May. May nodded and Jemma retrieved jumper cables. She asked May to shift and clamped them on her front claws.

"Everyone, stand back." She looked at May and nodded. "I'm going to start it at a low voltage and slowly increase until the field covers the plane. Rip it off if it hurts."

Everyone watched as Jemma slowly increased the voltage to that of a small battery, then a phone battery, and increasing slowly. May had gone still once she reached halfway to lethal for a human.

Daisy felt small waves of electricity radiating in the form of vibrations coming from May, who had begun to stare at Jemma once they hit the 2000 volt mark.

Everyone watched as May started glowing in her eyes, mouth, and along her spine. The spikes on her back also lit up, and they all had what could only be described as a current pass through that brightened the spots as it passed over. Jemma read the machine and turned off the electricity going into May. She carefully put on rubber gloves before removing the clamps and poked May with a device that measured electricity.

"You can turn back if you want. In theory you should continue generating the same frequency that keeps Aida away. This will also help test your bracelet that formed around your wrist even after you changed." Said Jemma, as she typed something quickly into her tablet. May nodded and closed her eyes before slowly shrinking until she was human again. As she shifted, her clothes grew out of the bracelet and covered her scale ridden skin. After all but the green eyes and scattered scales on her face were all that resembled her dragon side, she looked at Jemma and spoke.

"The electricity tastes like a Capri sun."

Daisy noticed that the scales on her face were glowing. They heard footsteps and Fitz stepped out onto the balcony.

"There isn't enough power on the Zephyr to protect Mack and YoYo." He began climbing down the ladder.

"Then we'll have to go back to base." Decided Coulson.

"That's a terrible idea." May deadpanned.

"I agree." Responded Daisy, "The military, Aida, more LMD's are probably waiting for us."

"Maybe," Admitted Coulson. "but I'm tired of hiding. Let's take the fight back home." He walked to stand in front of Fitz and Simmons. "Look I know you two still have a lot to work out, but right now, I need you on the same page, ok?" Fitz nodded and Coulson faced the rest of them.

"All right, May, take us back to HQ." He declared.

-Timeskip Pov May-

"This is a terrible plan." May whispered, creeping through the dark base with only the light of the occasional unbroken bulb and her glowing scales.

"You know, robot May was way more supportive." Coulson responded.

May tilted her head in realization. "Is she what happened to the Haig?

" That again? Really? " Asked Coulson nervously. "You want to have that talk now?"

"I don't want to have a talk, but maybe we should." Said May. "Considering we don't know how this will play out."

"We drank the bottle as a new beginning." Said Coulson. "It felt right, but now I'm not so sure how much was new and how much was programmed. Part of it seemed real."

"Maybe part of it was." Responded May.

"Ok, maybe on my end, too." Admitted Coulson. "So here's what I think we should do. When we get out of this mess, we take a couple of steps back, start again. Then, when it feels right, maybe we open another bottle."

"Deal." May responded.

"Deal." Repeated Coulson. "See you on the other side." He said before they split up.

-Timeskip Pov Coulson-

Coulson set the Darkhold down on a crate and prepared to fire up the tunnel when he heard a whooshing noise behind him.

"Agent Coulson" greeted Aida. "Do you really think you can stop me from taking the Darkhold?"

"I don't know." Replied Coulson as he picked it up. "I figure it's worth a shot."

"There is only one person who might be able to stop me, and he isn't here." She smugly walked towards him.

"Yeah, see, that's where I think you might be missing the point. I know you've only been human for a little while, but there's a basic human concept you really need to learn. It's called teamwork."

Suddenly bullets blew through Aida's stomach as she was shot from behind. She gasped and turned around to see Simmons with a gun pointed at her before she continued to shoot her. Aida fell to a crouch before standing and healing.

"Your trap failed. Your weapon can't stop me." She smirked.

"I know. I just really wanted to do that." Said Jemma.

"Now it's my turn." Aida responded. May walked into the room and stood in front of Jemma. Coulson walked behind Aida to stop her, and Aida whirled around to face him.

"Don't you get it." She hissed. "You can't kill me."

"Maybe not." He responded. "But I'm pretty sure she can."

Behind Aida, a very dragon May opened her mouth and bit Aida around her middle making an audible snapping noise. Aida grunted and electrocuted her but it only made her stronger. She attempted to teleport and failed before continued to electrocute May, rendering her teleporting useless for the surrounding half mile. May shook her body like a dog does a chew toy and tossed her up before chomping her head clean off her body. The headless corpse feel to the ground and May spit the crushed skull next to it, as well as bits of hair, bone, and clumps of skin.

She shifted back and wiped her face, smearing blood across her cheek.

-Pov May-

May wiped her face with a look of disgust. She never liked the feel of blood or the sound of bones snapping. She inspected the corpse and confirmed that she was dead.

"We should probably cremate her so that she doesn't come back." She said trying to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Yes, good idea. Don't want her coming back like Jiaying." Said Jemma hurriedly. "I'll go fetch a bag." With that she hurried out and Fitz rushed in.

"Hey guys did it work?" He asked before slipping in a pile of blood and landing face to face with Aida's head. He screamed and stood up quickly before looking at May and the blood running down her face.

"I'm going to get a bag for the body." He said hurriedly. "We should cremate her. Don't want her coming back to life like Jiaying." With that he ducked out of the room, the blood on his shoes squeaking in the hall and leaving footprints.

"Huh, they really do read each other's minds." Said Coulson.

"They're both terrified." Said May sadly.

"They aren't terrified of you May." Said Coulson soothingly.

"They are!" She spun around to face him and watched as he flinched at the movement. "You are too! I just bit someone's head off and snapped their bones like toothpicks, I'd honestly be more concerned if you weren't scared of me. And you're right, I am dangerous!" With that she stormed onto the Zephyr and went to her bunk.

Chapter Text

-Pov Daisy-

May walked into the room behind Mack and YoYo, the blood clear from her face.

"We picked up radio chatter on the Zephyr." Started Mack.

"Good news is, Talbot's alive." Said May.

"In a coma, but alive." Added Mack.

"Bad news is they know we're here, and their on their way." Finished YoYo.

"Yeah, you should go while you can." Said Fitz.

"Yeah," said Coulson, "we're all going."

"No, I'm gonna stay." He said. "This is my fault... Aida, the LMDs, all the deaths. Those aren't on shield. Those are on me. And, uh, I can explain that I built the LMD that shot Talbot. That way, "

"Fitz," Daisy interrupted his spiral. "We were all in the framework together. We understand how confusing and screwed up that world is. And trust me, it's gonna take me years to process everything that happened in there. But the one thing that I don't need time to understand is that we are all in this together. I tried to take the blame for everything not too long ago. I dyed my hair. I ran away. I thought that separating myself from the team would help me protect it. But in truth I just kind of lost myself. And you, you were the one who pulled me back in. This is not on you, ok? We all lost ourselves in there. And yeah, it might take you a long time to forgive yourself. But speaking on behalf of the team, you have nothing to apologize for." She finished passionately.

"If there's a price to pay, we pay it together." Said May.

"Amen." Said Jemma.

They all looked at each other and smiled.

"Anybody else hungry?" Asked Coulson. "I'm not saying we're definitely gonna get locked up, but if we are, wouldn't mind grabbing a bite to eat first." They all went out of the base to find a restaurant, (after they burned Aida's body and chucked her ashes), and Daisy noticed that May was isolated, walking separately from the group. Daisy walked slowly until she was next to her. May ducked her head to avoid looking Daisy in the eyes.

"Whats wrong." Daisy asked quietly

"Nothing." responded May quickly.

"You know I know that you're lying." Said Daisy, "What is it?" She asked calmly.

May quietly mumbled something too quiet for Daisy to hear.

"Sorry I couldn't hear you." Daisy apologized. "What did you say."

"THEY'RE AFRAID OF ME!" May growled, her scales flashing bright for a moment.

"Oh." Daisy said quietly in realization. She knew how May was feeling. It was the same she had felt when she heard Bobbie and Mack say they needed protection from her. They were scared, but not just for themselves, they were afraid that May would be different. And May was afraid they would see her differently, clearly they already did.

"You're right." She said bluntly to May. May looked at her confused as if she expected her to deny it. "You brutally murdered someone in front of them and now they see you differently, and you are different. You will never be the same as before terrigenisesis. Everyone knows that, and everybody is afraid. Not only of you, but for you."

May blinked slowly as she processed what Daisy had said, Daisy took that as a sigh to keep talking.

"I don't know whats about to happen, but I do know that everyone will do anything they can to help you. Maybe I can help too, but we all will do whatever you need." Daisy hesitated, before giving May a hug and they both sped up to walk with the group.

Everything would be fine.