*I do NOT own Agents of Shield or its characters. All rights belong to Marvel and its creators.*
"Daisy. Hey, Daisy."
Daisy looked up, jolting slightly at the voice that pierced through her thoughts. Lincoln stood at Daisy's side, a hand on her shoulder.
"Sorry," Daisy sighed, running her hands though her short dark hair. "I wasn't listening."
"I can see that," Lincoln said slowly. "You were rubbing your gauntlets pretty aggressively. Want to tell me what that's about?"
Daisy sighed again and shoved her chair back with a screech, leaving Lincoln standing by the table where she was sitting a moment ago.
"Daisy wha-"
"Not right now, Lincoln," she snapped. "I need a moment." Her sudden anger didn't stop her from touching her gauntlets, the past plastered in the back of her mind. She shivered, the chill running down her spine and she yanked her fingers away from the cold metal. Daisy rounded the corner of the hallway and saw another agent walking towards her. He was a friend, a new recruit who had just started training.
"Hey, Davidson," she nodded and gave him a small smile.
Her head screamed in alarm when he didn't smile back, but she couldn't react fast enough. Davidson pulled a knife, shoving it towards her, his face emotionless, and his eyes vacant. Daisy gasped, only reacting quickly enough to pull her hands up, her power rushing through her gauntlets. She quaked Davidson, sending him flying into the brick wall behind them. She watched Davidson's head come flying off, blood spewing everywhere. Her heart pounding, Daisy stood there, her arms still outstretched. The world had vacuumed into a silent bubble, the silence foggy. What had she done? She just murdered an agent. Frantically, her brown eyes searched the mess. She breathed air of relief when she saw sparks light up in the midst of the carnage thrown against the wall.
"Daisy!" Lincoln yelled, rushing to her side. She could feel his footsteps before she felt his hands grabbing her biceps in anxiousness as he pulled her face to his. "Are you alright?"
She could tell her face was pale, and she didn't trust her voice, so she just nodded. Slowly, the world began to pick up speed again as more agents noticed the chaos and Daisy watched everything unfold before her.
"Tremors," Mack huffed, now standing at her side. "You good?"
"Yeah," she looked up at his face, her hands now shaking. "Davidson. He's an LMD. How did that happen?"
"Aida must still have some stashed in the base. We're all on it. Davidson is fine. He's in training. Daisy." Mack took Daisy by the shoulders and turned her towards him. "Look at me. Davidson is alive. That wasn't him. You did good."
Daisy nodded again, the shock wearing off. She winced at Mack's hug, but he didn't seem to notice.
"I-I need to go," Daisy gasped and turned away from Mack, shoving her way down the hallway.
Daisy reached her room and shut the door behind her. She sucked in ragged breaths, tears threatening to spill over, but she kept her cool. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, calming some of the nerves. As she calmed down, and her heart rate slowed, the pain began to take over. She could feel it like fire spreading through her veins. Her trembling hands grabbed the hem of her shirt and gently pulled it to expose her bare abdomen. Grimacing, Daisy sucked in a breath, the cool air stinging the revealed flesh. From her lower left side near the belt loop of her jeans, almost to her rib cage, was a long, deep knife wound. She hadn't noticed anything had happened until Mack hugged her, and then the pain had hit her. Her black jacket had hidden the dark red blood that had begun to pool beneath it.
Okay, Daisy said to herself. Clean it first, and then assess the damage.
She went to the small sink on the wall and cranked open the tap, the clear water rushing out. Her eyes went out of focus as she thought of the waterfall. She had tried to save him. She wanted to do anything to save him, but she hadn't been able to, so he had drowned after breaking his body on the waterfall's rocks. A tear fell into the sink only to be swallowed up by the raging current already traveling down the drain. Blinking, Daisy quickly swiped the tear away with a slim finger. Instead of thinking anymore, she grabbed a towel and drenched it in the cold water. Then she took a breath, steadying herself against the smooth surface, and squeezed water over the wound.
"Damn it," Daisy gasped as the burning sensation swarmed around the cut flesh. It stung like a flame was lighting her skin on fire, and Daisy lost all the air inside her lungs as she panted from the pain. She continued though, and cleaned until she could properly see the wound. It wasn't as deep as she had thought; she could probably get away without stitches. Why hadn't she just gone to Simmons? She didn't know why, really.
"Doesn't matter now," she whispered to herself, applying a clean bandage and grabbing a new shirt and jacket.
48 hours later
"Daisy," she heard and spun around, clipboard in hand.
"Yeah Bobbi?" She widened her eyes at the tall blonde who stood before her.
"Mission assignment details in the lab in 5," the young woman smirked at Daisy before passing her.
"No problem," she replied. She'd have to get back to Robbie about the Inhuman project she'd been working on for him. Tucking the clipboard under her arm, Daisy headed to the lab to be debriefed.
Daisy walked into the lab and towards the circular table in the center which had mission information plastered in the air. She rested her palms against the smooth surface and took a deep breath, her fingers brushing over her side. The light sensation aggravated her wound though, and her abdomen muscles involuntarily retracted.
"How you doing?" Lincoln said with a small smile.
"Why do you ask?" she tensed.
"You look tired is all," he shrugged, but not before a brief glance of worry passed her way.
Bobbi walked in behind Daisy, followed by Hunter, who was talking, May, Mack, Fitz, Simmons, and finally Coulson.
Daisy inhaled quietly, the pain a dull burn in her skin. She only hung her head for a moment before lifting it to give Coulson her attention.
"Okay everyone," he said. "This Inhuman has been spotted numerous times, and he's injured several people. Let's get him before it's fatalities."
"I have video of where he's been spotted the most," Simmons said. "Mostly I've found evidence of him hanging around the Faxon Warehouse. It's been abandoned for several years and there's usually no security detail."
Daisy was having trouble focusing on Jemma's voice. She could feel the table beneath her palms swaying, so she increased her grip on the edge to keep upright.
"Daisy," Bobbi whispered next to her. "Are you alright?"
Daisy gasped at her voice, but nodded fervently. "Yeah," she huffed.
"You look sick," Bobbi whispered back. "You're sweating, Daisy."
"I'm fine, Bobbi," Daisy said with as much confidence as she could muster. It was harder to breath and she could see the agents across from her wavering in her vision.
"May, Hunter and I will go to the east door," Coulson was saying, "and Bobbi, Lincoln, Mack and Daisy will take the west door. Lincoln and Daisy, you take on the Inhuman if necessary."
"Yes, sir," Lincoln nodded.
Everyone turned their attention to Daisy who was still hunched over, breathing heavily.
"Daisy?" Coulson asked, his eyes narrowing, and his forehead crinkling with worry.
"Hey," Bobbi placed a hand on Daisy's shoulder, but even the gentle movement caused Daisy to jump like she'd been electrocuted.
"What?" Daisy gasped, her face pale as sweat glistened on her forehead.
"Are you okay, Daisy?" Coulson asked.
"Y-yeah. I-I'm-" Daisy stopped suddenly as the world grew black. The pain in her side intensified and her mind grew foggy, her lungs refusing to work. Her legs gave out and she fell into Bobbi, the agent's eyes widening as she fought to catch Daisy's limp body in her arms.
"Daisy!" was all Bobbi could get out as she drew the young girl into her, cradling her. Daisy was on fire, her skin hot and sweaty. Her shirt clung to her and her dark hair was smeared against her forehead. Bobbi grabbed Daisy, but even in her unconscious state, she cried out, jerking away from Bobbi's hand. That's when Bobbi spotted the blood that stained Daisy's shirt and her hand.
Everyone in the room was crowded around Bobbi who was still cradling Daisy on the cement floor. Bobbi looked up at their faces, worry plastered on every single one.
"What-" Lincoln started.
"What the hell just happened, Luv?" Hunter asked.
"Simmons," Bobbi looked at Jemma, her eyes pleading.
"Get her to the med bay," Jemma nodded.
Mack gently took Daisy in his huge arms, the young girl light and terribly pale. He could feel how hot her body was; it was radiating heat.