Soli Deo gloria
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. This is a one-shot for Emily, who's one of my favorite people in the world, and requested a Daisy and Lincoln one-shot. Merry Christmas, Emily! :)
(I will refer to her as Daisy in this fanfic, but she's still just Skye to me. :P)
She shouldn't have thought of this. The thought that appeared suddenly in her stressed-out mind shouldn't've been thought of. She shouldn't've encouraged it, never should've added more to it. She should never have left the silence hanging between her, Coulson, May, and Mack in the director's office. What was she thinking, walking determinedly through the halls of the Playground, to find someone in particular to infect with her plan? She had some audacity, to find Lincoln and talk to him with her eyes.
"What is it? What'd you want to talk about?" Lincoln asked Daisy, once they were alone in a hallway dead-end.
"I need your help with something. Something really stupid and dangerous and I can't get it out of my head," Daisy said urgently.
Lincoln took on a serious face (he wouldn't deny it if someone accused him of thinking Daisy wanted to kiss him) and said, "Did something happen with the Obelisk? Your powers? HYDRA?"
"What? No, no, none of that." Daisy bristled as she searched for words. "People around here have been so . . . uptight, since Coulson and Fitz got back."
"Understandably. They've just been saved from being left on a desolate alien planet," Lincoln said.
Daisy sighed. He was right, but unhelpful. "I know, but it's not just Coulson, or Fitz. Simmons is sad, since she found out poor Will died. May's been traumatized by Andrew and his murder spree, and I feel so bad for her. Coulson's still reeling from Roz's death, and the only person who isn't depressed right now is Joey. Understandably, actually; he did well on his first mission." Daisy gave him that.
"But you're not okay," Lincoln said.
Daisy sighed. Lincoln was mostly kept in the dark about her previous relationship with Ward, and as bad as it would be to keep that a secret for long, she'd rather keep it under wraps for as long as possible. She hated Grant Ward, who betrayed them and murdered innocent people and tried to kill Fitz-Simmons and kidnapped them and tortured them—really, the list of his sins went on for a mile, two miles top. But she still remembered moments from way back when, when he was her S.O. He'd shown glimpses of warmth.
She knew that was deceptive warmth, but it was warmth nevertheless.
No way in the world did she still like him like him; that would be disgusting. But she still couldn't believe he was finally dead.
"That HYDRA guy? Grant Ward, the guy who used to work with us, who then showed his true colors were red and black? He used to be my S.O. I'm in a little shock over his actually being dead," Daisy finally said. She shuddered. "He's done so much wrong, for him to actually be gone. . . I still can't believe it."
Lincoln pulled her into a comforting hug. Daisy breathed and calmed down. Yeah, she might have control over her tremoring powers, but she still had trouble calming down her own emotionally-controlled trembling.
"He's gone now. Hopefully, forever," Lincoln said, once he faced her.
"Yeah, well, let's hope so," Daisy said. She allowed one more full-body tremor, like she was ridding herself of a horrible thought. "Everyone's uptight. Yeah. I think we need to make things better around here, so people can breathe and not walk around like they're bracing themselves for a monster to be around a corner."
"That's not out of the realm of possibilities here," Lincoln said seriously, casting a thoughtful eye around the hall they occupied.
"Hey, do you want to hear and help me with my plan or not? It's a stupid plan—the worst, actually, I've ever thought of since I've joined S.H.I.E.L.D." Daisy gave Lincoln full honesty here. She swiped her hands in front of her and looked him in the eye. "The worst."
"Okay. The worst." Lincoln stepped closer, so they shared air. "Let's hear it."
Daisy swallowed and then told it to him in whispered tones. Once done, she braced herself for an adverse reaction.
Lincoln backed away and breathed out hard. He looked around the hall and sighed, searching with restless eyes. "That is your worst idea."
"Yeah, it is. I think we've established that. So, what do you think?" Daisy folded her arms and waited for a more detailed reaction.
"It's insane," Lincoln finally admitted. He was otherwise too stunned to say anything else.
"And?" Daisy cocked her head and waited.
Lincoln sighed. "I'm against it. But you're going with or without me, aren't you?"
"Yes. But if you came with me. . . Two is better than one. And you kinda promised me pizza." Daisy shrugged.
She knew she held the upper hand.
So it was expected when Lincoln caved in and said, "Okay, let's do this."
"Excellent." Daisy put her hand in front of her. "Operation: To Go, is a go."
Lincoln shook his head over her hand, and instead of putting his hand over hers in a teammate sort of way, he leaned forward and kissed her softly, briefly, on her lips. "Let's go," he said, once either of them could speak.
They acted with stealth as they would in any other mission: they suited up in tight leather and had secret weapons stuck into various compartments. Daisy had nunchaku in her leather jacket, and more in her jeans. What do you think stuck her hair into a fashionable ponytail? Not regular ol' hairpins. Those weren't real earrings, either.
And Lincoln, in his leather jacket and jeans. He had knives in his huge boots and in enough unmentionable places as to make Agent May proud.
They dressed to blend into their surroundings, just like on any other mission in which they didn't want their real identities to be discovered. If someone found out who they really were—if anyone caught wind of this couple secretly actually being Inhumans—the entire mission would be compromised, and their lives would be in fatal danger.
"Does this wig look bad?" Daisy asked, fluffing up her new blonde hair as she and he hurried toward the garage.
"Looks poofy and big, but otherwise it looks nice," Lincoln said unconvincingly.
Daisy took on a deep voice. "'Uh, it looks ugly and huge, but it looks fine, totally. Don't worry about it.'" Daisy gave him such a look. Her eyes looked closer at his face and she touched his ear. "Is that a fake earring?"
"It's a clip-on," Lincoln said defensively.
"From whose room did you steal that from?" Daisy smirked.
"I got it from the undercover wardrobe room, like everything else." Lincoln indicated his outfit.
"Hmmm. I don't believe that," Daisy said, hurrying around a corner.
Lincoln breathed in and went after her. "Mack's room."
"Mack!" Daisy laughed. "That's a good one."
They punched in the code to the garage and Lincoln asked Daisy, "If they start looking for us, do you think they'll check out the security cameras? That'll tip them off."
"They're gonna find out we were out at some time. It doesn't matter, I guess. As long as they don't stop us, I don't care if they found out." Daisy waved a hand vigorously in the mirror and said, "Hey, Coulson!" She stood down and said, rubbing her hands together, "Now, which nondescript vehicle with a bogus license plate number shall we steal today? You can choose, dar-ling."
"Oh, you're so generous," Lincoln joked.
Daisy bowed and he chose a 90s'-esque sedan.
"Wow. That is a lame car," Daisy said, staring at it for a moment.
"I thought that was the point," Lincoln said as he took the passenger seat.
"I know. Just voicing my real opinion. I'll shut up in a second." Daisy ran a hand down the length of the car and said, "Coulson would be very ashamed of me right now."
"'Cause you're stealing one of his base's cars?" Lincoln asked as he buckled himself in.
"No. Because I'm stealing the ugliest car in the compound." Daisy took the key sticking out of the driver's door and got in.
Lincoln sighed as he leaned back in the passenger seat. "Would you rather change cars?" he said seriously. His tone implied that her differing opinion were making him regret his choice immensely.
"No, no, we're fine." Daisy shook her head and started the car. Hands on ten and two, she sighed. "Lola's got better horsepower."
"Daisy!" Lincoln scolded just as she pushed the button on the driver's side that opened the garage door and drove them from zero to fifty in less than ten seconds.
Daisy gave him a smirk. "You act like I don't know what I'm doing."
"You act like you want me to hold onto my seat the entire time," Lincoln said, sighing as he resettled into a more comfortable position.
"I thought that was implied before I got us out of the garage undetected?" Daisy asked.
She ignored Lincoln's sighs as she took a few curves and brought them to a stop alongside the road. On either side of the road were fields and mountains, not a car or house in sight.
"Why are we stopped on the side of the road?" Lincoln wanted to know.
Daisy took the key out of the ignition. "I have to make a phone call." She walked out and inserted some quarters into a payphone with gloved fingers. She waved at Lincoln but her attention attached to the conversation she engaged in via the phone. Lincoln had no idea who she was talking to until she yelled, "HEY, IS CHEESE OKAY, OR ARE WE GOING WITH JUST DELUXE AND PEPPERONI?"
It took two seconds for Lincoln to process this. "CHEESE IS FINE!"
She gave him a thumb's up and yelled, "IS TWELVE PIZZAS OKAY?"
There were approximately three dozen people on base. Some were in the action and ate a lot. Others stayed on base and didn't require too much. "THAT SOUNDS FINE," Lincoln yelled.
Daisy finished the phone call and slammed the door behind her. "See? I didn't use a traceable phone," she said proudly.
"Technically that was a traceable payphone," Lincoln, spoilsport, pointed out.
"Yeah, but they can't trace it to me." Daisy started the car and drove them to 45 MPH. "Also, that was $129.48 plus tip."
Lincoln threw up in his mouth a little. "How are we paying for this? S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't have credit cards and we don't have a debit card from them. Plus, I don't think this would qualify as a business expense."
"I think when we're buying pizza for the entire office during work hours, it counts as an office expense," Daisy scowled. "But don't worry; I've got the moola."
"You have moola?" Lincoln looked at her with disbelief.
Daisy sighed. "When my dad took me out, he gave me a copy of his debit card."
"But you've given him a new life with a new name. That card can't work if it's attached to a different account. Unless . . ." Lincoln sighed when he saw the guilt on Daisy's face. "You didn't change the name on his bank account. You're still using the debit card attached to Calvin Johnson."
Daisy sighed. "Yes, I am."
"You're using his money without telling him. You're stealing from him," Lincoln informed her.
"The thing is . . . he always wanted me to have the best life. He wanted to treat me and give me things, because I'm his daughter. So when we gave him a new alias and he opened a new bank account, I kept the other one open. I put most of the money into his new one, but kept a bit in the old one, for me to use. Don't you think he would want me to have some money? We make next to nothing here at S.H.I.E.L.D. Huge planes and world-class technology costs a lot. We sacrifice our pay to have all this stuff on base, but sometimes you need your own spending money. I'm just using some to buy pizza for my friends and co-workers. Cal—Dad's happy. He won't miss a couple thousand dollars."
Lincoln sighed into his hand. "I just wish he knew about it. I think the man is a raging lunatic, but I also don't like things being done behind his back."
"Believe me, I get that last part. Seems like my whole life things have been happening beyond my control without me even noticing them. But Cal, the dad who wanted to raise me, would've wanted me to have a taste of my inheritance, what my life could've contained. I feel bad doing it behind his back, but I also think he would've been okay with it, if he'd known, even done it himself." Daisy pulled her wig closer to her forehead at a red light. She looked Lincoln in the eyes. "He would've wanted me to live. Can you kinda understand that?"
"I think I understand that a little," Lincoln said.
Daisy smiled a little and got honked at from the guy in her rearview. She gave him a look in the mirror and sped ahead.
The poor acne-ridden teenage employee didn't know what to say when this blonde-haired lady with the funny walk and the guy with the earring, dark sunglasses, and a cigarette entered Perfect Pie.
"Order for Ms. Staple?" the blonde-haired lady asked in a Southern accent. She leaned an arm on the counter and chewed gum.
The kid looked from this weird lady to the tough-as-guns guy and looked at the twelve boxes of pizza sitting to his left. He took the receipt and said in a shrilly voice, "That'll BE one-hun-DRED-twenty-NINE-doll-errrsss-and-forty-EIGHT-cents."
"Damian?" Ms. Staple said, card in hand. She slid it and Damian sauntered over to the counter. The kid, whose nametag read JAKE, lugged the pizzas over two at a time. Damian took on the mighty weight on one arm.
"And here's for your tip." Ms. Staple stuck a ten next to Jake's hand. She straightened and tapped her gloved fingertips together. "Now, Damian, to the car!"
Damian nodded and the two left, one sauntering and shouldering twelve pizzas on one arm, and the other tittering and chewing gum.
Jake was left, too—he was left confused.
Once they were at the car, Lincoln quickly put the pizzas on the trunk and cradled his right arm. "My arm!" he groaned.
He earned no sympathy from Daisy, who buckled over with laughter.
"Oh, thanks, Daisy," he scolded.
"That—was an award-winning performance!" Daisy latched onto his shoulder and held on, almost falling from laughter. "That was perfect."
"Way for us to not stick out," Lincoln said sarcastically.
"But we were the total opposite of our real selves. It was great," Daisy said.
The two met eyes and she giggled.
Lincoln tried to hide his smile in vain. She laughed and said in a more serious tone, "Okay, let's load these pies in."
"Who is this?" A camera pointed at the sedan, and a voice through an intercom demanded answers. Top security right outside the S.H.I.E.L.D. base, here.
Daisy stuck her head out the driver door's window and was glad she'd taken off her wig. "Hey, Mack, it's me and Lincoln." Lincoln followed her lead and smiled as he squinted and waved at the camera. "We ran away but we're back. And we bring gifts of peace."
"Daisy? Lincoln? Where the hell were you?" Mack demanded.
"We'll tell you in like, two minutes. First, let us in in the garage," Daisy called back.
"Give me the password," Mack said.
Daisy deflated a little and groaned. "Mack, it's REALLY me and Lincoln, we swear."
"We swear," Lincoln echoed.
"Password." Mack's voice let them know he took no crap; he wasn't buying them.
Daisy sighed; on one hand, of course it made complete sense to make sure it was really them. On the other hand, come on, Mack. "What is 'LOLA?'" she said.
"Access granted. Get your butts in here."
The garage door opened and slammed after them. Daisy gave it a look once she parked the car. "Eesh. I think they're mad at us," she said.
"Really?" Lincoln said sarcastically just as the door to the garage opened, and in flooded Fitz-Simmons, worry all over their faces; Bobbi and Hunter only half a step apart, both faces reading 'Where the hell were you?'; and Mack and Coulson and May all looked like disappointed parents with kids who stayed out hours past their bedtime.
"Where were you?!"
"You took the sedan?"
"Where did you go?
"You've been gone for so long! We searched the entire base—"
"May suggested checking the cameras—"
"Of all the stupid things to do—!"
Hunter sniffed the air. "Suddenly I'm in the mood for a beer. Is that pizza I smell?" He looked at Bobbi, whose face read nothing but disapproval, but it changed instantly to pleasant curiosity. "Yeah, I think it is," she said.
"Wait, pizza?" Fitz said. If there was pizza here, he would be all over that.
"Fitz, focus on the matter at hand. Lincoln and Daisy stole a car from the garage and risked exposing not only their identities, but the entire base—gosh, that is pizza—" Simmons sniffed the air.
"Pizza? Yeah, that's what we were out getting," Daisy confirmed.
"For the entire base, actually," Lincoln added.
The grumblings and accusations quieted. While May looked on like a personally offended mother, Coulson stepped forward. "Daisy, Lincoln, are you two telling me that you, unarmed, disguised yourselves, stole a sedan from the garage, and bought pizza? I'm assuming you paid for the pizza, but a sedan? Seriously?"
"Yes, we paid for the pizza," Daisy said, exasperated.
"Really, of all their life choices, you're questioning their choice of a sedan?" May hissed at Coulson.
"Technically, we were armed," Daisy muttered under her breath.
"Yes sir," Lincoln said, stepping forward. "That was pretty much exactly what we did. And we should have told you what we were doing."
"You never would've let us go, though," Daisy said, butting in. "You would've thought we wouldn't be able to pull it off. But we did, we so did."
"Why did you do it?" May asked.
Daisy stopped in her tracks. "Why did we do it?"
"Should I repeat myself?" May asked, stepping closer. Coulson flung an arm out, impeding her path. May looked from it to him with a glare in her eyes. He gave her a nod to say 'Let her explain them.'
"We did it because the Playground's been full of a bunch of sad, depressed kids ever since Coulson and Fitz came back from that planet. Every day is full of—of tension, and depression, and sighing. I know it's not exactly fun and games here on a good day, but if we continue like this, every day is gonna be like this. And I don't want that. So, my plan, my idea, I had to drag Lincoln out. Sue me for trying to cheer this place up with pizza." Daisy stepped back, threw her hands up. She saw the hurt look on Coulson's face, and she softened. "I'm sorry. It was wrong. I shouldn't've scared you guys."
"No, you shouldn't've. I want to see you and Lincoln in my office with May and Mack," Coulson told her.
Daisy nodded.
"But first, the pizza's getting cold. Get it to the cave, come on," Coulson said.
Daisy raised her head, surprised but pleased, and Fitz-Simmons and Bobbi and Hunter helpied selfies to the pizza boxes in the back of the sedan. With cheers, they left the garage for the Cave (what they called their living room/hanging out space) and Mack said, "Well, I'll get out the beers!"
Hunter cheered and Coulson turned to Daisy as the rest passed in front of them. "Did you honestly think pizza was going to solve deep emotional issues and erase traumatizing experiences?" Coulson asked.
"I thought it couldn't hurt." Daisy stuck her hands in her pockets and shrugged.
Coulson put an arm around her and was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "You have a good heart, at least, if you're just off-base practically."
"Aw, that's practically a compliment, Coulson," Daisy said, bumping into him purposely.
Coulson took the light teasing. "Mission accomplished, Agent Johnson," he said.
"Thanks, Coulson," Daisy said, smiling, as Lincoln smiled at her from the doorway.
Mission accomplished—no casualties, and pizza in the end: So it was a good day.
Thanks for reading! Review? :)