Title: His Girl
Author: Alysia
Category: Crossover between AOS and Avengers
Summary: The Avengers are very much aware of Coulson and SHIELD. Daisy has a slight crush on one Captain America, but he only sees her as Coulson's little girl…until he doesn't.
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters familiar to Marvel

Chapter 1

The first time Steve Rogers met Daisy Johnson, she was going by the name Skye, no last name. She'd just woken up from a life-threatening situation and though she'd been in good spirits given the circumstance, he remembered how small she looked in that hospital bed. It was before things had grown complicated, or rather, more complicated. SHIELD had been SHIELD and Hydra was nothing more than a word of days long since passed.

After the battle of New York, the Avengers had been shocked to learn that one Philip Coulson survived Loki's attack. As the agent was running his own team, they'd never run into him at the HUB, but there had been several emotional telephone conversations between said agent and Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff.

When Coulson called them from Zurich, begging for their help, his team was introduced to the Avengers for the first time. The consultant on his team had taken two gunshots to the gut and her life was hanging in the balance. When the team landed at Avengers' Tower, she'd been whisked off to the medical bay while Coulson spoke privately with the team of superheroes.

When Tony revealed that even with all his fancy tech there wasn't much he could do for Coulson's gal, it was then that Coulson went further into detail about GH-325 and how it had been used to bring him back after New York. "No one other than Fury, Hill, myself and now you, know about it," the agent confessed. "And it needs to stay with that way."

With that thought in mind, a mission was formed to find the facility. He joined Coulson along with Natasha, Tony, Coulson's friend John Garrett and members from both SHIELD teams to locate the building. Under strict instructions, no one was to speak about the alien being or the DNA that was pulled from it in front of Coulson's team or John Garrett and his team.

An hour after being given the GH-325, Skye was conscious. Her team surrounded her, and as an outsider looking in, it was easy to see the comradery between them. The group obviously shared a bond with one another, however, he was very cognizant of the fact that what existed between Coulson and his hacker went far deeper than the ties they may have had with the rest of the team. The man obviously held her in high regard, Steve would liken it almost as a parent doting on their child, and it was reciprocated. Whatever relationships she had with the rest of the team, they were overshadowed by her affection for Coulson. It was then that Steve had begun to think of her as Coulson's girl.

Looking away from Coulson and Jemma, Skye immediately sought Ward. For the past several weeks, she had noticed that something changed in her relationship with her SO. She'd begun to notice lingering looks from Ward, and every time it was enough to make her pulse quicken. She wasn't exactly sure what his relationship with Melinda was, but her feelings for the dark-haired agent had changed. When the intense gaze Ward sent her way made her realize she could easily embarrass herself in front of the rest of the team, Skye forced herself to pull her attention from him. Casting one more look around at her teammates, she looked towards the door upon feeling as if she was being watched. The sight that greeted her was more than a little surprising.

Her eyes widened in shock. The Avengers? Coulson called the Avengers? She'd never met any of them in person, though she did have a bit of a fangirl phase at one point. It was something that she'd never confess to any of her teammates, nor would she. Coulson began to introduce them to her, as if she needed one… Brushing her hands through her hair, she cleared her throat and greeted each of them. However, once her gaze settled on Steve Rogers, they continued to travel back towards him during introductions.

Steve offered the young woman a polite smile. He'd thought it was amusing, that even though she'd been so close to death, she'd been worried about her appearance in front of them. "We should be heading back now," he said, looking towards Coulson. Stretching out his hand, he waited for the agent to shake it.

"Thank you for your help, Captain," Coulson replied.

Steve nodded at him before turning back towards the patient. "I'm glad you're doing better Ms. Skye." He watched her shift uncomfortably as she offered him a smile. Turning around, he made his way towards Nat and Tony.

"Did you notice the way she was looking at you?" Natasha asked quietly as they made their way towards the jet. "I think she was a little infatuated with you," she tacked on, nudging his shoulder with her own.

His cheeks flamed in embarrassment. He had to admit she was pretty thing. He'd caught the look from the young woman but had done his best not to focus or encourage it. Women tended to fawn over him and he'd gotten very good at pretending not to notice when it happened. Not only would he not encourage it because he wasn't interested in a relationship, she was Coulson's girl and he could never entertain the thought of anything romantic growing between them.

The second time he met Daisy had been after SHIELD fell to Hydra. He'd hoped that since Coulson's team had been out on their own that they would have been spared by the treachery and methodic take-over. When he received a call from Maria Hill asking for his help dealing with a situation with Coulson's team, he'd been ready. After discovering the Winter Soldier was none other than his old friend, he'd been doing whatever he could to keep himself busy so as not to stress over it while he and Nat had tried to locate him.

Having met Grant Ward and witnessing the friendship the team shared, he'd felt sympathy for the fact that the agent ended up being a traitor in the end. He remembered taking note of the way that the man looked at Skye and how determined he'd been to help her after she'd been shot. Steve knew the closeness that could develop between a SO and their rookie. However, upon meeting Coulson's team for the first time, he could easily see that whatever was between Skye and her SO was so much more than that of the closeness between a rookie and her SO. When it was revealed that Ward had kidnapped Skye, he'd been floored. While Maria and Gabe Jones' grandson distracted the Hydra operative, he and Coulson were able to rescue Skye from Ward's jet. As soon as he and Coulson made it into the room she'd been locked in, he was once again reminded of the fact that she was Coulson's girl by the way the man instantly enveloped her into a big hug before they made their way off the jet and to safety.

Compared to other situations he'd faced, it was relatively easy to slip in and out undetected, but he'd been thankful for the distraction. Once they were away from the Hydra agent, he'd taken notice that Skye appeared a little more jaded than she had been before and he was honestly sorrowful for her loss of innocence.

"Coulson mentioned that you were trying to track down the Winter Soldier," Skye said quietly as the group around them slowly dwindled until they were the remaining two left at the table.

He nodded slowly, unsure of where she was going with the question.

"If you'd like, I could help. I'm really good with computers."

As appreciative as he was for the offer, he didn't right accepting her offer. "Nat's already helping me out with it but thank you." He watched her face fall slightly. "Besides, don't you have better things to do with your time?"

"I just…" she hesitated for the moment. "This is the second time you've helped me, saved me. And…I just wanted to return the favor."

"I do appreciate it, but it really isn't necessary," he denied before excusing himself from the young woman and tracking down Coulson. Since she'd first seen him during the rescue mission, he was beginning to notice a look in Skye's eyes whenever she looked at him. Not only could he see a certain interest in them, but there was also a bit of hero worship, both of which left him feeling uncomfortable.

After he left the group and returned to his life, he learned that the situation with Ward grew more dangerous. In the end, the group saved the metaphoric day, but not without permanent scars. Leopold Fitz had suffered brain damage and Steve had known that they had a long road ahead of them. His choice not to encourage any sort of anything with Skye was the right decision as her skills would be needed elsewhere.

The third time he met her had also been under duress. Coulson called him in alarm, sharing the fact that the team discovered an alien city, losing one team member in the process as well as Skye developing disturbing abilities that she was unable to control. The rest of the team was uneasy around her and considering the fact that the director was dealing with a 'rogue' faction of SHIELD, he didn't trust that she wouldn't be caught in the crossfire. She'd been taken to a safehouse, the same one he'd stayed in once upon a time. He and Hawkeye met her there, keeping her company until they were called away to deal with their own situation.

It had been the first time that he'd really had a chance to get to know her. When they first arrived to the property, she'd been an emotional wreck. All he and Hawkeye knew was that her emotions were tied to her abilities, and she wouldn't be able to begin learning to control them until her emotions were under control. Neither Avenger appreciated the fact that Coulson's team had taken to knocking Daisy out rather than helping her work through it. Clint had been the one to suggest they head to an open area outdoors so that she could begin processing her emotions without the roof of the cabin caving in on them.

Though they already knew the story, she shared the ordeal of her confrontation with Ian Quinn, being shot and almost dying until she was injected with the same serum that brought Coulson back to life. Both Avengers nodded, already aware of the properties of the serum. However, they didn't know how it affected people. She spoke of Coulson's obsessive carving and the discovery that there of an alien city under water as well as the fact that Hydra was looking for it as well. She explained being taken by them and being introduced to the leader, a man that should have died of natural causes long before then. Daisy learned the truth of her parentage through him before being introduced to her father for the first time and learning that she was just as 'special' as her mother. She shared her decision to follow one of Hydra's associates into the Alien city, not realizing Trip was following her and the guilt she felt for his death. She explained how she'd gone through her transformation and her inability to control it. When she mentioned catching the interest of a blue alien and a friend of Thor's from Asgard, Lady Sif, as well as the offer given from Lady Sif to bring her to Asgard, Steve had been completely surprised. He briefly wondered if Thor was aware of it but was quickly pulled back into the story when she explained every minute detail that led to her sitting in front of them.

It seemed as if the earth that surrounded them began to tremor from the moment her story started. When she became increasingly upset, the tremors turned into rumbles before he and Clint would rush to her side in effort to calm her before the shaking became too bad. Clint showed her a few breathing techniques she could use to potentially calm herself quicker without having to be knocked out. His heart went out to Skye and the troubles she'd faced. By the time they returned to the cabin, her eyes were swollen from crying and he realized it was the first time he'd thought of her as Skye, not Coulson's Skye, just Skye.

The following morning, she actually smiled at one of Clint's over-the-top stories. She claimed it had been her first true smile since everything happened. Clint suggested that she ask Coulson to track down one of the psychologists that S.H.I.E.L.D used to use because she needed an impartial ear to talk to. Before noon, he and Clint were called away. As they left the cabin, Clint reminded her of the breathing techniques before rushing to the jet.

Steve trailed slowly after his comrade. He assumed she was feeling better because he caught her looking at him more often than not since she'd joined them at the breakfast table. However, it didn't quite bother him as it had before. Her eyes no longer held the hero worship which had made him uncomfortable.

"Take care of yourself, Steve."

He nodded in acknowledgement. He knew that she still had a long road ahead of her, but there'd been no doubt in his mind that she would overcome it. He'd given her one last look over his shoulder and smiled at the pretty woman before joining the archer.

The next time he'd seen her was the following summer. She no longer went by Skye, instead, she'd taken up the name her parents had given her. Daisy. Unlike the rest of their meetings, it had been a complete surprise to see her wandering his neighborhood. She'd been in New York following up on what the news had labeled an 'alien contagion.' She'd claimed so many things had happened since they'd last seen or spoken to one another. He asked her if she had time to spend the rest of the day with him, or them, as soon as he called the rest of his teammates. After making plans for everyone to meet up for dinner, Steve brought her to his apartment while they caught up with each other's lives.

After she finished telling him everything that had gone on, he realized just how much she'd grown as a person since their first introduction while she had been laid up in a hospital bed. Daisy had finally grown into herself. Though he'd strictly compartmentalized her as 'Coulson's girl' based on what he'd seen during their first interaction, there had been no denying her attractiveness. However, seeing her strong, confident and capable only added to it. Slowly but surely, she'd been shedding the title he'd given her. Every time he saw her, she was becoming less and less of Coulson's Skye and more Daisy Johnson, attractive associate.

When her story finished, he pulled himself from his reflections and spoke up. "It's nice that you're doing that."

She shrugged, hoping that her cheeks weren't as red as she felt they were. It didn't matter how many times she'd seen him in the past, she still found the man before as attractive as he'd been the first time they met. It hadn't taken her long to realize just how transparent she'd been in her feelings for him and his disinterest. Instead, she pushed anything other than platonic emotions away. "Seeing as it's my fault this happened in the first place, it didn't seem right to just sit back and not doing anything about it."

"You couldn't have known that was going to happen…" Based on what she'd said of her mother's intention, Daisy had done her best to protect the world.

Daisy sighed in resignation. "No, but I remember how I felt when I first got my powers," she said softly. "Well, you saw me and what a mess I was. I hate that my actions have caused other people the same difficulties." She shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. "So," she exaggerated the word. "I saw that you guys had new members…"

He explained the Avenger's latest assignment as well as Ultron's motive and the role that the twins played under his instruction, until they witnessed things they didn't agree with and turned to the Avengers for help. He did his best to explain Vision and how he had come about, though he was sure he'd butchered the explanation. He explained Pietro's death and Wanda's current address at the tower.

"You'll meet Sam and Vision tonight for sure," he tacked on when he finished his explanation. "I don't know about Wanda though. She's been through so much and after losing her brother, she tends to hide away a lot. Poor kid."

"Must be rough," Daisy replied.

"She's strong, she'll pull through," he shared.

Steve and Daisy were the first people to arrive that night for dinner. She'd been excited when he'd offered her a ride on his bike. It was her first experience on one and she'd enjoyed it immensely. It also didn't hurt having to wrap her arms around him from behind. She knew that he was fit, she'd seen his muscles through his shirts. However, seeing with her eyes and knowing from touch were two completely different things. However, by the time he parked, she made sure to be as cool as a cucumber.

Daisy was swiftly introduced to Vision, whom also resided at the tower. Thor was, understandably, not on Earth and Banner had disappeared without a word to anyone after Sokovia. Clint sent his regards, via Natasha, that he was unable to make it. Daisy had enjoyed meeting Sam Wilson and the pair struck up an easy friendship. Despite the noticeable absences around the table, dinner was boisterous affair. During their meal, Daisy had been able to get everyone up to speed on Coulson and the gang. She'd also shared the new project Coulson had her working on and how it unknowingly led her to Steve's neighborhood.

After dinner and a few drinks, Daisy bid them farewell claiming she had an early morning ahead of her. Steve, ever the gentleman followed her out. "If you'd like, I could drop you off at your hotel," Steve offered.

"Thanks, but I don't want to put you out."

"I wouldn't have offered if it was going to put me out," he denied.

Growing tired of being passed by various taxies, Daisy whistled as loud as she could and watched with satisfaction as a cab pulled to a stop before her. She turned to look at her companion. "As much as I enjoyed our ride earlier, I don't think that's the best thing for me after having a few drinks."

"I'm a safe driver, I would never let anything happen to you." Okay, so he may have had a habit of driving a little over the speed limit, but he also had the reflexes of a cat.

She tilted her head. "I know you wouldn't, I meant more…my inability to hold on," Daisy admitted sheepishly. "Thanks for today and tonight, I really enjoyed myself."

A breeze began to pick up and he watched a section of her hair sway with it. Oddly, he found the desire to tuck it behind her ear but forced his hands to remain down at his sides. Mentally shaking his head, he wondered where such a thought came from. "We had fun too."

Months, almost a year, had passed by the time Steve saw her again. After the events of the Sokovia Accords and walking away from the mantle of Captain America, he spent some time in Wakanda. After the way things fell between the group, he chose to spend most of his time away from the states. He returned every so often, but with no Avenger title and things stressed between everyone, it was easier to stay away.

Despite the fact that he'd been reunited with Bucky and made some new friends, Tony's actions hurt him more than he cared to admit. Tony had always been somewhat abrasive, but his actions during the accords were biting. It had been the start of the fissure in their friendship, proceeded by his desire for vengeance where Bucky was concerned. While he'd understood the billionaire's actions, he couldn't not protect Bucky.

He'd just barely returned to the states; having arrived late one night or early in the morning depending on how one looked at it, when he received a call from Nat. Something had happened with Coulson's team and a team member had lost his life. Daisy had split away from the group since then, and it was by chance when Natasha happened upon her. She'd opened her home to Daisy and though the Inhuman had taken her up on her offer, she'd remained mum about everything that had happened. The only reason why Nat even knew was because she'd called Coulson to ask him about it and even then, the assassin was sure she'd only received the cliff's note version.

"What has she said?"

Natasha shook her head. "She isn't saying much. As soon as I started speaking with her, I knew something wasn't right. I ended up calling Coulson to ask him and…" She shook her head. "The team member that died, he and Daisy were sort of involved."

Steve frowned upon hearing the news. He'd been so focused on what Natasha was saying, he missed the sound of a door opening and faint footsteps headed in their direction. It wasn't until a new voice spoke up that he realized Daisy had joined them.

"It should have been me, I should have been the one in that jet."

Steve immediately turned his attention to the brunette and watched as Natasha approached her cautiously. "What you're feeling is survivor's guilt."

Daisy immediately shook her head in denial "No. I should have been the one in that jet. There was an Inhuman, he…I saw my death through his powers. I should have been the one up there, not Lincoln." She gave into the tears that had been threatening to fall and felt the redhead pull her into a hug.

Watching her fall apart in Natasha's embrace, Steve felt his heart aching for the pain she was experiencing. He'd felt a similar way upon waking up some sixty something years in the future. His future with Peggy had been ripped out his grasp and it had been a struggle coming to terms with his new reality. Years may have passed since he'd first awakened, but every so often the lost opportunity would taunt him and he'd feel the same flash of pain when he thought of Peggy.

"It was all my fault. I was the one that gave him what he needed follow through with his plan. If it wasn't for me, there would have been no need to get him off the planet. I helped create the mess, I should have been the one to clean it up. I'd come to terms with it. I was ready." She really had been ready to die.

He met Natasha's gaze over Daisy's shoulder, wondering if she understood what Daisy was talking about. Who was the 'he' she spoke of? With a barely perceptible shake of her head, he sighed before fishing his phone out of his pocket and leaving the room to call Coulson.

"That's the first time that she's cried since she got here," Natasha admitted after Daisy excused herself and Steve returned. "What did Coulson have to say?"

"Nothing good." He explained the mind control she'd been under as well as her actions, the plan for world domination and her break from the sway. He felt himself becoming just as worked up repeating the story as he had felt hearing it from Coulson. Perhaps his feelings were more sensitive because of the predicament Bucky had been in, but he'd been none too please to hear about the mind control. There was a constant ache in his heart for her and the pain she'd experienced.

"As of right now, she has no intention of going back, not that I blame her," Nat tacked on after hearing what Steve had to say. "I thought I would invite her to stay as long as she wanted."

He arched an eyebrow at his former teammate. "You really think she'll be apart from SHIELD long?" He was skeptical of that. Despite whatever personal issues Daisy was dealing with, he knew how important her team was to her and he couldn't see her not returning to them.

The redhead shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted. "However, she isn't ready to return and…if something were to come up, I think it'd be smart to keep her around, I mean…if she wanted to stay."

While he understood the reasoning behind it, that would be asking a lot from Daisy. She'd been a part of an organization that pretty much worked in the shadows, but even then, the President acknowledged them. She'd be giving up everything to join them in their criminal status. "But what about the Accords and our current criminal status?"

Nat shrugged. "I thought we could talk to her, let her know how serious the situation was and let her decide for herself." Aside from that, Daisy was already a vigilante of sorts when it came to fighting off the Watchdogs and helping any Inhuman that she could. If she kept up her actions, the people would view her the same way they viewed the Avengers after the accords.

"I'm in."

The declaration pulled at their attention and they found Daisy standing a few feet away looking at them expectantly.

"Great," Natasha smiled at her.

Steve shook his head in negative at the same time that Nat spoke. "Do you know what you'd be giving up? This isn't going to be easy."

Daisy shook her head. "As if the past few years have been?" She nearly scoffed. Nothing had been easy since before Hydra. "While I appreciate the warning, I'm a big girl, Steve." She tilted her head towards him as if considering something else. "Aside from that, I would be the perfect liaison between the Avengers and SHIELD."

He was very aware that she was a big girl, a woman. He had been for many months. "I just want you to be fully aware of the situation before you accept," he tried to explain. "Clint has gone off on his own. Wanda, Vision, Sam, Nat and I are viewed as criminals. We spend a lot of time traveling, never staying in one place for very long. And when we're here in the states, we have to lay low."

She nodded. "I've been laying low for three years now. I don't think joining you is going to be too different from what I've already had to deal with. I'm in."

And that was how Daisy Johnson joined the ranks along with Sam Wilson and Wanda Maximoff.