Chapter 26
AN: Thank you so much for the support. I really hope you like this chapter.
August 13 2008
Three months have passed since Melinda went through the mist and like he has done a few times since then Gordon is arriving back at Afterlife and heading to Jiaying's office so that he can give her an update. As he is walking to Jiaying's office Gordon can tell that things seem to be good, which is good as he has been a little concerned.
"Morning Jiaying," Gordon greats as he walks into Jiaying's office. "How's things going here?" Gordon asks curious.
"Good," Jiaying answers. "The elders and I have decided that Lincoln will be next to go through the mist in a few months," Jiaying explains as she and the other elders have been meeting a lot lately, and they are happy with the updates about Melinda they are getting from Gordon.
"That's a good choice, I think that will be good for him, and us," Gordon admits.
"So, do I," Jiaying confirms. "How is Melinda doing?" Jiaying asks curious and a little concerned.
"She's making progress, but it's slow," Gordon admits. "Kora and I are doing what we can," Gordon admits, knowing that so is Daisy, but he doesn't have permission to do that. "She's adapting in some ways, but also struggling, which is understandable," Gordon explains.
"Is Melinda still feeling no emotions of her own?" Jiaying asks curious.
"Yeah," Gordon confirms, he suspects Melinda will never be able to 'feel' her own emotions in a typical way again. "She knows how she should be feeling, and she knows that she loves Kora and I, but she isn't feeling it for herself," Gordon admits, it feeling extremely strange to him to not mention Daisy.
"That cannot be easy for her," Jiaying says, wanting to see her daughter, and help her through this. "Is she still refusing to come here?" Jiaying asks, knowing that is her own fault.
"Yeah," Gordon confirms, as he knows that even though Melinda can't feel the guilt she was feeling about Bahrain anymore she is still constantly thinking about it and is positive that she doesn't belong at Afterlife, no matter what he and Kora say. "She's doing well Jiaying. Yes, she is still struggling, but she's working every day to gain control, and adjust," Gordon admits. "It might take time, and I was worried considering everything that's happened lately, but I think she's going to be okay. Mel's handling this in a healthy way, I'm feeling proud of my friend," Gordon explains.
"I couldn't help Kora, I thought I would be able to help Melinda," Jiaying admits as she looks at the picture she keeps on her desk, feeling a lot of guilt about how things are between her and her daughter.
In DC Coulson, Bobbi, Mack, Clint and Maria are all having pizza at Coulson's apartment which they are all sitting around when Natasha basically throws open the door and walks in, slamming it behind her.
"What's crawled up your ass?" Clint asks his best friend, as he knows it's rare for Natasha to act like this.
"I can't find a trace of where they've gone," Natasha says annoyed as she throws herself onto one of the couches, next to Bobbi.
"May and Daisy?" Phil asks, leaning forward, looking extremely interested, as the others look interested to.
"Yep," Natasha says. "I've been doing everything I can think off, trying every connection, considered everything I know about Melinda, and I can't find a trace," Natasha says, sounding annoyed as she has never failed to find someone. "It's like they disappeared of the face of the earth," Natasha admits her annoyance more than clear.
"Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if they did," Phil admits, causing everyone to look at him.
"Are you serious?" Mack asks surprised.
"The only records of May that exists from before she joined SHIELD are from the two years before that, nothing earlier. She has no birth certificate or record of who her parents are; and all she told me about her mother is that she doesn't approve of Melinda joining SHIELD, which she knew about before Melinda joined up," Phil admits, not feeling bad about admitting that because everyone knows parts of this, if not all. "When we were at the academy May never went back to where she grew up because it was so remote," Phil admits. "She doesn't talk about where she comes from, or her past, and I learnt a long time ago not to ask," Phil explains, as he would be lying if he said he hadn't given a deep amount of thoughts about where Melinda and Daisy could be.
"Well wherever Melinda is, whoever her people who she's occasionally mentioned are, she and Daisy are family, and I really want to see them again soon," Bobbi comments, as she has been wondering the same kind of things as Phil.
"Yep," Coulson, Mack, Clint, Natasha, and Maria say.
"Still wish I could find out where the hell they went," Natasha says, with a pout as she crosses her arm, causing the others to laugh as it is rare to see Natasha like this.
September 10th 2008
Four months have officially passed since Melinda and Daisy left DC, and their family are missing, and worrying about them even more.
For the last six weeks or so Phil has been working a lot of missions with Bobbi and Mack. While it is extremely strange not to be having Melinda as his partner it is pretty good to be working with places he knows well.
Phil, Bobbi and Mack are on a mission together in South America. While Bobbi and Coulson are sitting together at a table in a café waiting for their contact Mack is in a van, running back end, and listening to what is going on.
"He's late," Bobbi comments.
"Yep," Phil confirms, as he looks around for signs of their contact, but doesn't see them.
"Phil what if they don't come back?" Bobbi asks, as that is something she has been thinking about a lot lately.
"I can't think like that," Phil admits, as he has purposely been forcing himself not to.
"Phil it's been four months," Bobbi points out. "Nat couldn't find them, we haven't heard a single word, not from them, or Kora, or Gordon. Don't you ever worry that we're not going to see the again?" Bobbi asks, as she knows that she is terrified.
"I didn't say I don't think about it I said I can't," Phil admits. "Bobbi if I think about the possibility of never seeing Melinda and Daisy again I don't think I'm going to be able to function," Phil admits, his voice breaking.
"Phil…" Bobbi starts to say, not overly sure what she can say next.
"There's our contact," Phil says, standing up and putting an end to their conversation.
Having heard the entire conversation Mack is the van, has tears in his eyes, and has to admit to himself that like Bobbi he has been wondering if he is ever going to see Melinda and Daisy again, but like Phil he is doing his best not to think about.
On the island Melinda and Kora are in the middle of their training in the pool why Daisy is swimming nearby.
"Nice Mellie," Kora tells her sister, and Melinda smiles slightly as Kora is standing about a step in front of her, and even though Kora isn't touching her Melinda can feel her pride. As Melinda is focusing on her Kora gives her niece a subtle signal.
Knowing what her aunt is suggesting Daisy starts to, as quickly but quietly as possible, move towards her mother.
"Nice try Daisy, but I can feel your excitement," Melinda says, feeling her daughters amusement so her tone of voice is amused, as she turns to look at her daughter, who was about to jump on her.
"Damn!" Daisy says annoyed. "I thought I had a chance," Daisy admits, feeling a little disappointed before dunking herself into the water.
"Mellie, you feeling what both me and Daisy are feeling?" Kora asks her sister.
"Yeah," Melinda says, recognizing the signs of being overwhelmed by the emotions, but she starts to put into place the strategies she has learnt over the past four months.
"Okay close your eyes," Kora says, and Melinda does. "Count to thirty. In thirty seconds I want you to find me, without opening your eyes, by just using the emotion you feel from me," Kora instructs, and once she sees Melinda nod she walks around her sister so that she is standing right behind Daisy. Once she is standing behind Daisy Kora waits several seconds and then indicates to her niece to go one way while she goes another.
Once the thirty seconds is up Melinda focuses on the emotions she was feeling from her sister, and she takes a hesitant step towards her sister.
"Too much, too much," Melinda says, opening her eyes.
"It's okay," Kora assures her sister, with a supportive smile. "Were you always able to tell where I was? Was there ever a point where you couldn't?" Kora asks curious.
"I always could," Melinda admits. "I had to focus a bit, and it got a bit too much, but I always knew were you were, even when you tried to hide behind Daisy," Melinda explains.
"That's really good," Kora says proudly. "We can rest a little and then try again if you'd like," Kora says to her sister, and Melinda nods.
"I'm really proud of you Mom," Daisy says, with a smile. "You're doing really well," Daisy says.
"Thank you Daisy," Melinda says, and even though she cannot feel what her daughters words make her feel she knows what she would be feeling if she could.
October 8th 2008
Five months have passed since Melinda went through the mist and Melinda is still working to adapt to her ability
Having spent a while training Melinda, Kora, Daisy and Gordon are all sitting around the outside area of the cabin as Melinda, Kora and Gordon are educating Daisy about the history of their people.
"Grandma was taken prisoner by Nazi's?" Daisy asks surprised, and clearly horrified as Melinda, Gordon and Kora have decided to tell Daisy the more horrible parts of their history.
"By Hydra technically, who were the Nazi deep science division," Kora explains.
"She was kept in a cage, her blood was taken, along with other fluids, before being rescued by Peggy Carter and the Howling Commandoes of all people," Melinda explains knowing the full story thanks to a hybrid of what her mother told her and SHIELD history as while SHIELD never explicitly mentioned her mother she was able to put the pieces together. Even though what her mother went through was horrible Melinda also, unfortunately, knows it would have been a lot worse if it wasn't for Peggy.
"If the founder of SHIELD found her then why is grandma so against SHIELD?" Daisy asks, as that doesn't make sense to her, and all three of the adults' exchange looks, trying to decide who is going to answer that particular question.
"SHIELD was formed to protect the world against extranormal events, and beings," Gordon says. "Your grandmother feels that that means SHIELD was formed to protect against us, against our people, and that therefore we are SHIELD's enemy," Gordon explains.
"Is that why no one at SHIELD knows about you?" Daisy asks, looking at her mother.
"Your Grandmother and I disagree on a lot of things, but one thing I do agree is that it's better for our people if we aren't in the open," Melinda admits. "SHIELD may want to contain us, and make sure we don't hurt anyone, but there are people, organisations, governments, in the world who would want to experiment on us, use us, even dissect us to figure out how we can do what we do," Melinda explains. "That's why, even though I completely trust Phil, and our family, it's better they don't know the complete truth; it protects both us and them," Melinda explains to her daughter, as she decided long ago that she doesn't want to put her SHIELD family in a difficult position, a position that would put them in danger, because they know about Inhumans.
"That's so horrible, our people have suffered so much; Grandma's suffered so much," Daisy says, becoming upset.
Even though she can't feel what she used to feel when her daughter was upset Melinda knows that she hates it when she is so she moves towards Daisy and wraps her arms around her daughter, trying to comfort her as she feels her daughter's pain.
As she hugs her daughter Melinda can feel what Kora and Gordon is feeling, but for the first time she is able to just focus on Daisy's emotions, and not get overwhelmed by them which allows her to hug her daughter for a really long time.
In DC, it is early evening and Coulson, Mack, and Bobbi who have been given a couple of days leave because they have been working so much, are at Mack's apartment barbecuing together.
"Are you really going to drink that scotch all by yourself?" Bobbi asks a little surprised, as Phil brought a pretty big bottle.
"I usually share with Melinda," Phil admits. "I didn't even think about it, I just brought it," Phil admits.
"Well, I probably won't drink as much as May, but I'll share a glass if you're offering," Mack informs Phil.
"Me too," Bobbi adds.
"That'd be nice," Phil says, as the three of them drift into silence, how much they miss Daisy and Melinda remaining unsaid but it is clear that they are all feeling it.
October 29th 2008
Almost six months have passed since Melinda went through the mist, since she and Daisy left DC so that Melinda can adapt to her new reality. It's mid-morning and after spending most of the morning training Melinda spent a while walking along the beach and is finally returning to the cabin where Daisy, Kora and Gordon are sitting outside it being clear that Kora has just finished making brunch.
"There you are, we were about to send out a search party," Kora teases.
"Mom, you okay?" Daisy asks concerned.
"Yeah," Melinda assures her daughter. "I think it's time we go home," Melinda admits.
"Are you sure?" Gordon asks curious.
"Yeah, I think I'm ready," Melinda admits, and as she does Kora puts down what she is holding and walks over to her sister.
"I want you to feel something," Kora says, before putting her hand on her sisters arm so that Melinda can feel what she is feeling. "That's how proud I am of you, how incredible I think you are, and how impressed I am with your progress," Kora tells her sister before removing her hand. "You've come so far, never doubt that, but do you really think you're ready to be around so many people and to go back into the field?" Kora asks, as she needs her sister to be sure, as Daisy looks between her mother and aunt.
"I'm ready to be around so many people, but I'm not going back into the field," Melinda reveals.
"What do you mean? Are you leaving SHIELD?" Daisy asks surprised.
"I'm going to ask for a transfer to the admin department," Melinda explains to her daughter. "After what happened, that fact that I know I can't risk SHIELD or anyone else getting a sample of my blood, or DNA, and the amount, and types, of emotions I will feel in the field I know I can't be in the field, not now, but I also know I don't want to leave SHIELD completely," Melinda admits.
"You're really sure about this," Gordon realizes.
"Beyond sure," Melinda admits. "It's time we go home," Melinda says and as they have gotten to learn what Melinda is like now Gordon, Kora, and Daisy all realizes that Melinda is sure about that.
"Okay," Gordon says with a nod. "If you need anything; or if you need to get away, you just need to call me," Gordon tells Melinda.
"I know," Melinda says, with a nod.
"That goes for both of you," Gordon says, clearly speaking to Daisy.
"I know," Daisy tells Gordon as her uncle has told her that more than once.
"When are you thinking about going back?" Kora asks her sister.
"I was thinking tomorrow, I wanted to do a couple more practice sessions and figure out how what we are going to tell Coulson and the others," Melinda says as she sits down next to Daisy.
"Sounds good to me," Kora says and the four of them drift into conversation as they have an enjoyable lunch together. As they eat Daisy can't help but grin from ear to ear as she is so excited about seeing her family again. As she feels her daughter's emotions, that Daisy can't contain, Melinda smiles too as she knows she made the right decision.
After spending the rest of the day before doing a combination of training and figuring out what Melinda and Daisy are going to say when they get home Melinda, Daisy, Kora, and Gordon are standing together on the outside grass area, both Melinda and Daisy are holding bags.
"Honestly, I think I'm gonna miss having a pool," Daisy comments, though that is nothing compared to how excited she is about going home.
"You can come back sometime," Kora assures her niece, who hurries forward and hugs her.
"I love you soo much," Daisy assures her aunt.
"Love you too, Daze," Kora assures her niece. "Don't be afraid to call Uncle Gordon if you need us," Kora says as they break apart and while Daisy goes to hug her uncle Kora walks over to Melinda.
"I am so proud of you; you've made such incredible progress," Kora tells her sister before hugging her.
"I love you too," Melinda tells her sister as she can feel how much Kora loves her and she knows she feels the same.
"You're gonna be okay," Kora assures her sister, feeling how much she believes that, and the twins break apart. "I'll come visit when I can," Kora explains.
"You better," Daisy tells her, as she walks back over to her mother.
"You ready?" Gordon asks, looking at Melinda.
"Yeah," Melinda confirms, and once he gets the okay from Melinda Gordon walks towards Daisy and Melinda why Kora takes a few steps back, and seconds later Gordon teleports away with Melinda and Daisy.