Lighthouse hangar…late evening Day 94

Jemma waited with a small team of med techs. Mac had radioed one of the team was down but gave little more information. A security detail waited a few feet away, ready to take two hostiles into custody. They would be secured in the cells on the lower levels until Coulson decided what steps to take. Despite the fact that every member was trained and ready to do their jobs, a sense of anxiety hung over the large area.

The large water gate opened far above them allowing a quick view of the night sky. Jemma almost smiled at the clarity of the stars in this part of the world. But the site was immediately hidden by the large plane slowly descending into the hangar. The young doctor prepared for the worst, ordering her staff to be ready to move as soon as the ramp fell. They had little time to wait. Coulson bolted out of the Zephyr before the ramp touched the floor. He carried a limp and unconscious Daisy in his arms.

"She's not…" He began as Jemma stepped aside and he gently placed the child on the waiting gurney.

Jemma made a quick evaluation asking what had happened. Coulson and May followed, explaining as the techs swiftly moved the stretcher toward the elevator that would take them to the medical level. They spoke as rapidly as they walked. Jemma continued her examination as she too hurried along side the gurney.

"She was okay at first," Coulson continued. "We thought she was just exhausted…"

"Just had to use those damn powers," May growled under her breath.

"I told her how dangerous that could be…why…" Jemma frowned.

May merely shot her a 'really, you need to ask' look. Jemma let out a frustrated breath and turned back to her patient as they entered the treatment area.

"This is as far as you go." She reminded the worried parents. May started to protest. Coulson attempted to move around the adamant doctor. "I can't do my job if you are not doing yours." Jemma stated simply.

Both agents stopped and stared at the girl that once would have cowered under their gaze. Jemma held her ground, standing in the doorway of the room. Behind her techs prepared Daisy for Jemma's thorough exam. Through the glass May could see the deep mottled bruising the covered the exposed portion of the little girl's arms. She half-stepped back, grabbing Coulson's wrist as she did. Jemma nodded a thank you and disappeared into the flurry of activity around the small patient.

Coulson watched as the doctor exited then pulled the curtain across the observation window. He let out a long breath and rubbed a hand over his face. May had released her grip on him and turned away walking to the opposite wall and then back, certainly not pacing but exhausting the rage that brewed within her. He couldn't help smile at the familiar method his partner used to calm her feelings and wished he had developed one. The man drew a deep breath and let himself drop into the nearest chair, feeling for the first time the ache of muscles not used in combat for far too long. He stared at the brown gunk that had since hardened on his shoes.

"We might be more welcome here if we showered." He said more to himself than to his partner who he knew would not budge until Jemma gave them a report. Yet, he did not miss her huff at the comment.

The other team members had been ordered to clean up and report to medical. Mack had a serious gash over his left eye and he was sure Elena was limping even though she did all she could to hide it. Piper and Davis had not been involved in the fray but Coulson had ordered both to take the night for R&R. He was sure Sitwell and Hale had their share of injuries but that could wait. He was just as sure none were life threatening. He more than sure that even a short visit with either might earn them even more. May had beaten Ian Quinn senseless when he shot their Skye. Coulson was sure she would do worse by Hale. He rubbed a hand over the stubble on his chin, sat back and pushed his palms into his knees. Again he exhaled loudly. Waiting was never his forte despite his ability to 'fake it'.

Elena stepped into the small room, hair still slick from her quick shower. It wasn't surprising that she would be the first to rush to check on all of them. May glanced at her, giving almost imperceptible nod that let the agent know there was no word yet. She dropped down in a seat next to Coulson giving him a worried smile. Daisy was certainly a pain in the ass, and little Daisy was about twenty times worse, but she was family and she was hurt. Elena felt the anxiety in the room and knew she'd never convince May to clean up while they waited.

Jemma stepped back into the room, pulling the door behind her closed with a soft click. She let out a breath and forced a smile. Coulson was on his feet immediately, May at his side. Elena stood behind waiting for the news she would deliver to the rest of the team.

"It's not bad." Jemma began.

Coulson let out a relieved sigh.

"But it isn't good," she shook her head. "She has hundreds of hairline fractures from her hands to her clavicle and scapula causing considerable pain. I've immobilized and sedated her. She'll be out for the rest of the night. Everything else seems to be stable." She looked at the couple before her, sensing their question. "She lost consciousness because of the pain."

"To her shoulder blades?" Coulson grimaced at the thought. "Why so many more?"

"She threw a battalion of goons through a wall." Elena pointed out, knowing that neither May nor Coulson had fully seen what the girl had done. Both were engaged in their own battles at the time.

Jemma nodded and checked the tablet she head before her. "Her arms are much smaller. It only seems natural that the breaks would travel farther. She is lucky her ribs and spine were not affected. I cannot stress enough the danger that would entail."

May closed her eyes and drew a soft breath.

"Before you consider ampollando su trasero por su estupidez," Elena shook her head. "That stupidity is what saved our lives."

"She is right, Melinda." Lian's voice came from one of the darker corners of the room. The woman had been silent and unseen as the team waited for word on Daisy's condition. She stood and approached her daughter. "Had she not done what was said those men would have cut us all to ribbons. I do not believe she had a choice. Had you the ability you would have done the same. She is truly your child."

May wasn't sure if that was a compliment or her mother's snide way of saying 'she's the child I wished on you'. It wasn't time to argue. She turned to Jemma. "Can we see her?"

Jemma gave a quick nod. "You and Coulson for just a few minutes. She needs to be quiet and still while Fitz and I can rig some sort of splint until she's fully healed."

May gave a quick nod as she and Coulson entered the room.

Lighthouse Medical treatment room…Night 94

Unless you break a bone you never really know everything that happens. Yeah, it hurts like Hell but that's not the worse. The worse part is hearing it break. It's like a snap inside your head and you keep hearing it echo for like days and every time it does you jump like it's happening all over. When you have lots of little breaks it's like a crackle that just keeps getting louder. You even dream about it and that makes it hurt more and you don't want to move cuz you think it will stop if you don't remind it, but it doesn't forget and it keeps waking you up no matter how hard you try to sleep. That's a lot worse than the pain. I think your brain shuts off so you don't hear it any more.

I think that's what happened to me in the Zephyr cuz the next thing I knew I was in the Lighthouse and Jemma was shining that little flashlight in my eye. I forgot for a second and tried to move but got a real fast reminder when the crackling started again.

Jemma was talking but the crackling was so loud I couldn't hear her. Everybody was moving real fast and somebody took almost all my clothes…no they cut them right off me. I bet they burnt them cuz they really smelled gross...even the cool sneakers Yoyo bought for me when we went into town.

Somebody else stuck a needle in my soft elbow part. I hate those needles but it made the crackling stop a little and then they made me sit up for a little so they could take X-rays and after that I don't remember a whole lot. I think they gave me sleeping drugs but they were strong enough to turn off the crackle so it was kinda nice.

I think May and Coulson were there. I think I heard them talking to me and telling me I was gonna be okay. I tried to move one finger but it felt like it was taped to the bed. I think Coulson kissed my head and that was so embarrassing cuz they didn't even put one of those too big hospital gowns on me and I was just there in underwear but maybe there was one of those sheets on me. I wanted to tell them I was sorry for all the trouble and for using my powers after they warned me not to, but my mouth didn't work. My eyes didn't work either cuz there was no way to open them.

I think I heard Jemma tell them they had to leave and I didn't want them to but Jemma said I had to rest. May used some real nasty language and said she wasn't going anywhere but Jemma said she was in charge and they had to go just til morning. Coulson was angry too and tried to tell her she couldn't give them orders but Jemma said in the med tech she was the boss. There was more arguing but then I heard Nai Nai telling them that it wasn't helping me. She told everyone to get out and then it got real quiet and the medicine turned off the crackle completely so I could sleep. Not even the pain could wake me.

Day 96 – Lighthouse Med Tech Lab

"Damn it, Simmons! It's been damn near two days." May bellowed at the young doctor busy scanning a report she'd just been handed.

Jemma drew a quick breath and remained calm. "She is fine, Agent May. As I've told you she needs rest and to remain still while she heals."

May stepped in front of the doctor who had walked across the lab. "You stopped sedating her yesterday. Why the hell is she still out?" She looked over her shoulder into the room where Coulson sat next to their daughter's bed.

"Apparently, her body still needs the rest." Jemma breathed. "All of her vitals are normal. I'm afraid it's a matter of waiting until she is ready to wake. Her inhuman physiology may be using this time to assist in her healing process."

"May be? You're not sure." May growled through her teeth.

The doctor let out a frustrated sigh and gently slammed her pen on to the clipboard. She looked to the ceiling for a moment then addressed the older woman. "Despite all this time, Agent May, we still know very little about inhuman physiology, especially that of children or should I remind you of inhuman adults de-aged to childhood. This is an unknown area to all of us and we are working as best we can." Jemma tried to hold her temper. She stared at the angered agent/mother for a beat then stepped around her.

May let out a long frustrated breath and watched Jemma walk away. She bit her tongue to stop the tirade she knew the doctor did not deserve. Daisy was her friend…her family. The young agent was just as worried and confused by the situation. She drew a deep breath and checked her emotions before joining Coulson at Daisy's side.

The man looked up with a weak smile as she settled in the chair on the opposite side of the bed. He quickly glanced at Jemma busy speaking with one of the lab techs. Coulson shook his head slowly. "You shouldn't be so hard on her. She's worried too."

May let out a disgusted huff. "She hides it well." She knew he was right but anger masked fear and right now that fear was growing.

"She's a doctor. I think it's part of the job." He almost chuckled, but looked at the little girl in the bed instead.

Daisy lay still mostly due to the dark split Fitz had devised using the same material that he had created the gloves from when she had first experienced the side effects of her abilities. This was more like a T-shirt that fit from her knuckles to her shoulders then wrapped around her shoulders ending just below her chest. It fit like a body glove. The material allowed her to breathe easily but kept her immobile otherwise.

May did emit an almost chuckle, following his gaze. "She's going to be pissed when she finds out she can't move." She shook her head and blinked away a stray tear.

Coulson gave a hesitant smile.

Day 97 – Lighthouse Recovery Room

I was awake for a while before I opened my eyes. Mostly because I was having a hard time figuring things out. Like where the hell was I and how did I get there and geez was this some kind of weird dream. I could hear some beeping like an alarm clock but it sounded far away. There were people talking but it sounded like mumbling or like it was on the wrong speed. The worse thing was the bed spinning like when you're drunk. I know you're s'posed ta put one foot on the floor but my body felt so heavy I couldn't even move my leg. In fact I was pretty sure I was taped to the bed cuz I couldn't move my arms either.

I took a breath and it squeezed out in a little kitten kinda sound. I heard a chair move and then someone was petting my head and saying my name real soft like they wanted to wake me up but not really. My eyes felt kinda stuck so I squished them closed real tight then opened them just a slit. The light was so bright it hurt so I closed them but not before I saw May, right there…right next to me. She was brushing the little hairs off my face and leaning real close.

"Wǒmen zài zhèlǐ, qīn'ài de gūniáng. Nǐ xiànzài hěn ānquán."

She was speaking Mandarin and telling me everything was okay. It was weird to hear May use the word sweetheart in any language. I tried to smile but my lips were so dry they wouldn't let me. I called her mama, real quiet, more like just moving my mouth but she heard me. I know cuz she kissed my head real soft then just laid her cheek there like she was kinda hugging me.

Then Coulson was there on the other side. He was calling me Angel Eyes and that made the tears start. I could feel them leaking out the sides of my eyes. I don't even know why I was crying but I was glad they were there. I tried to say Coulson but my voice wouldn't come out so I just whispered 'dad' and then he was kissing and hugging my head too.

I pushed my tongue out to lick my lips. They felt picky. I tried to talk again. I really needed a drink and I really wanted to get up. I was so flat on the bed and I wanted to know why I was tied up. Then I got scared and thought it was just a dream…that Hale had me tied down and these were just people that pretended to be May and Coulson. It was a trick and she was trying to get me to tell her all the stuff I wouldn't before. I tried to pull back but I could only move my head a little.

May was shushing me, telling me it was okay. She told me I was safe…that I was home. I didn't believe her and tried real hard to move. My legs started to work so I moved them and tried to kick but then somebody moved me a little and I felt a fast sting on my butt…then everything slowed down and went black again.

A few hours later…

The next time I woke up it wasn't so bad…but the lights were still real bright. I opened my eyes and closed them a couple times before I could really see. I didn't make any noise, not even the breathy kind. I didn't move anything, just looked around and listened.

It looked like the med bay. Smelled like it too…all that mediciney smell. Things were clicking and people were moving around. I could hear May and Coulson's voices and looked to where I thought they were. Yeah, they were in the doorway and Simmons was there too. They were talking real low but it was about me cuz I heard my name a couple times. Then Mac was there kinda looking over them at me. He smiled that real big smile. He had his hands on Jemma's shoulders and he said 'Hey, Tremors…" Then they all turned around and came to me real fast.

May and Coulson got there first and were petting and kissing and hugging my head again. Jemma kinda pushed through them and shined that little flashlight in my eyes then put her cold stethoscope on me but it was weird that I couldn't feel it. She listened for a little bit and everyone was quiet. Then she stood back and smiled. I guess that meant I was okay. And then everyone was talking and asking me how I felt and if I needed anything…except Mac. He was just standing there smiling at me. Then Jemma told everyone to be quiet since they couldn't hear me whispering.

I was trying to tell them I needed a drink but Jemma said that wasn't a good idea. She said it would probably give me an upset tummy (I love to hear her say that word). Then she said vomiting would not be beneficial right now. Yeah, like when was it ever a good idea? She said ice chips would be better and someone just showed up with them. But she said I couldn't sit up yet so May used a spoon to give me a little and I wanted to just swallow the whole glass full.

Mac kinda squeezed my foot and told me he was glad I was feeling better. I looked at the butterfly bandages on his forehead just by his eyebrow…three of them. I kinda started remembering all the fighting and the water and pod and all the guys with guns and…

Nai Nai! Where was Nai Nai? I stopped taking ice chips and said her name. May shushed me again and said she was fine and would be in to see me as soon as she knew I was awake. I felt my heart stop beating so fast and moved my feet a little but the top of me still felt like it was tied down.

Mac came closer and kissed my head. He said he had to go but he would be back with Yoyo cuz she wanted to see me. He said even Davis had been asking about me and that made me smile. He kissed me again and then he was gone.

I looked at Coulson sitting right next to me, just smiling like he was real happy about something. I swallowed a couple times and rubbed my tongue on my lips that felt a lot better. I asked him why I was tied up. My voice sounded funny…all deep and fuzzy.

He moved closer and laughed a little bit. He pet my head again and said nobody tied me up. He said I got hurt and had to be real still so I could get better. May made a clicky noise and I turned my head to look at her. She didn't look real happy like he did. She looked kinda mad.

She said I used my damn powers to slam a bunch of guys through a wall. Then I remembered all the guys with guns and Coulson knocking Sitwell right on his ass. They were going to shoot him…Coulson and I couldn't let them. It just happened. I saw all the guns just fall apart and the guys go backward then the wall came down on them and my arms felt like…I heard all the crackling and felt the fire and there were black marks all over my hands and then… Then Mac was running with me and we were in the pod and there was May holding me and lots of shouting and the crackling was louder and kept going over and over like some music worm and I closed my eyes and…now here I am.

Simmons was there again and I was crying. She told me I couldn't move because I had a special splint to hold me still for a while. She told me I had hundreds of little cracks in my bones all the way up my arms even my shoulders and that bone across my neck. She said it was three days since they brought me back and I was doing a lot better.

May was standing there all the while, just petting the hair away from my face. Now it made sense that Coulson was holding my foot instead of my hand. They both told me everything would be fine and all I had to do was listen to Simmons. I wondered if just knowing was making the crackling play over or if the pain was doing it cuz I could feel it now. I asked if I was in trouble. Coulson said no but May said we'd talk when I was better. That didn't sound good. Everybody knew May didn't do a lot of talking and well she did warn me about using my powers.

We didn't get to say a lot more cuz Fitz came in and then Yoyo and Piper and even Davis. They all said they were glad I was awake and getting better. Davis brought me some of those candies he's always got and Simmons said I could maybe have some tomorrow. Fitz told me he was fixing my laptop so all I had to do was talk to it…well until my fingers were better. I thought Nai Nai would come but she didn't and then Simmons told everyone that I had enough excitement for a while. She shooed everybody out and I wondered how she knew how much it was hurting. The crackling was playing in my head again. I moved my fingers just a little wriggle and it made everything hurt like stabs all the way up my arms. May kissed my head again. I heard her tell Simmons I was burning up. Simmons swiped my head with one of those little beepy thermometers. She told May it was 104 and it wasn't unusual for someone with broken bones and that wasn't high for an inhuman. That much she knew.

May stayed right there, just resting her cheek on my hot head and telling me Jemma was going to help me feel better. When Jemma came back she said she had something to make me more comfortable. Then Coulson…COULSON!...rolled me on my side so Simmons could butt shot me TWICE! I was mortified but that stuff works fast and I was asleep before I could finish swearing.