Daisy sat on the edge of her bed, her elbows resting on her knees. She inhaled slowly, smiling when she did so effortlessly. There was no hitch in her breath, and no burning to cause her agony. She looked down at her side and lifted the bottom of her shirt. Her stitches were out and there was a large scar in the middle of the scarring process; there was still some healing flesh, but mostly it was scar tissue.
And no fist can reopen scar tissue, Daisy thought. Just a day or two more and I can join my team again in the field.
"Hey, Daisy," a deep voice said.
Daisy jumped, letting go of her shirt, and she whipped her head up to see who had addressed her.
"Robbie," Daisy's voice wavered slightly at the surprise visitor.
"I heard about what happened. Heard you weren't in the field for a little while," Robbie said, his shoulder leaning casually against the doorframe.
"Yeah, well I don't heal like you do," she sighed. "Why are you really here?" She asked.
Robbie sighed, pushing off the doorway, walking a few steps closer to Daisy.
"Coulson told me why you were out," Robbie said in his gravely voice, his mustache twitching. "He told me what you said and he told me why you didn't get help."
"Right," Daisy nodded, clasping her hands together in front of her mouth.
"Daisy-"
"No, Robbie, I have some things I want to say first," Daisy said, rising off of her bed and walking to Robbie. "We haven't talked about what happened," she said.
"I know," Robbie whispered.
"I know you're still hurting, and you have every right to be because Gabe is your only family, but I was hurting too," Daisy exhaled shakily. "Gabe was a friend to me. Even when I first met him months ago, he was kind to me, and we'd grown to be friends."
Robbie looked at Daisy, his eyes shiny.
"What happened that day, I tried to save him. I was going to save him, but then…" Daisy closed her eyes. "Then Cassius stopped me."
"Robbie," Daisy felt her eyes tearing up. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I wasn't able to save Gabe."
Robbie chuckled, his eyes also brimming with tears. "Daisy, I don't blame you for Gabe's death."
"You don't?" Daisy asked. "Then why haven't you-"
"I needed some space," Robbie said. "You of all people should understand that."
"Yeah," Daisy folded her arms across her chest. "I understand comepletely."
"I needed to deal with his death in my own way, and I know you did what you could, but Cassius is the one who killed Gabe." Robbie's jaw clenched thinking of the past. "Whether you had struck before me or not, I see now that Cassius was going to kill Gabe either way."
"I still feel like there was something I could have done," Daisy said, wiping away a tear right as it fell.
"Do you believe in fate, or God, maybe?" Robbie asked.
"Not really," Daisy said. "The nuns used to talk about God a lot, and the only thing I chose to remember is 'God is Love'. That saying is comforting, and I need more comfort in a world like this."
"Well, I believe now that no matter what we did that day, that day was the day Gabe was supposed to die," Robbie said.
"Why do you believe that? Don't you want him to be here?"
"I want my little brother to still be alive with every fiber in my body," Robbie said, his voice breaking as tears ran down his cheeks. "I loved him more than anyone on this planet, but he's not here. He died, and I believe that no matter what we would have done, Cassius still would have killed him."
"Robbie," Daisy reached a hand up to his shoulder, but Robbie stopped her.
"I'm still hurting, yes," he said, "but I've made peace with the fact that he's gone." Robbie stiffened. "Cassius is going to pay for what he's done though."
"I'll help you," Daisy nodded.
"Well," Robbie sighed. "I have to get out of here. I don't want to stick around too long and risk Coulson adding me to his S.H.I.E.L.D. team."
"We wouldn't be against it," Daisy smiled.
"Thanks, but-"
"You work alone and on your own terms," Daisy said. "Yeah, we know."
Robbie shook his head, grinning. "I'll hopefully see you out there in the field real soon."
Daisy nodded. "Oh, and Robbie," Daisy ran up to him before he could walk away. "Thank you."
"No problem," he said before he turned and walked down the hall.
