Chapter 35
AN: Hey all, so I'm going to have to go back to updating only every second day for a little while as while I have finished classes I have a lot of assignments to get done over the next couple of weeks; I'll update more when they're done.
"What?" Daisy asks shocked, wondering if this is going to be her chance to finally meet her grandmother, as Kora takes a step towards her sister.
"Look, I might not be able to sense emotions like you can, but I know Mom, and I believe that she just wants to know you're okay, or as okay as you can be," Kora admits. "Mellie, I think Mom regrets the way things are between you two and I think this could be her way of trying to make them right," Kora admits, hoping she is not wrong.
"Jiaying's not perfect Mel, but I do know she loves you; and I've talked to her enough to know that she does blame herself for the way things are," Gordon admits, not outright defending Jiaying as he doesn't agree with what she has done regarding Melinda.
"What do you think?" Melinda asks her daughter as she knows this effects Daisy as much as her.
"I've been wanting to meet my Grandma for years, and if talking to her can help Cols then that's an incredible bonus, but I don't have the issues you have; I wasn't the one whose mom banished you from the only home you've ever known," Daisy admits. "This has to be your decision Mom, but whatever you decide I'll support you," Daisy says, before putting her hand on her mother's shoulder so that Melinda can feel what she feels about this whole situation.
"Daisy and I have been sparing for almost an hour, we need to clean up," Melinda says, looking at her brother. "Come back in an hour and we'll met her at the Cabin," Melinda explains.
"Okay," Gordon says, with a nod. "We'll see you in an hour," Gordon says.
"I think you made the right choice," Kora says, and once she does she and Gordon disappear leaving Melinda and Daisy.
"Is this really happening? Am I going to meet Grandma?" Daisy asks, sounding surprised.
"Yes," Melinda tells her daughter. "Go have a shower and get changed," Melinda tells her daughter, before heading into her own room as she has a lot to think about.
As Melinda walks into her room she knows she should be feeling nervous about seeing her mother again, after all it has been twenty six years, since she has seen her mother, but Melinda also knows that she should be feeling excited for the exact same reason.
Forcing herself not to dwell on what she is thinking, or what Melinda knows she should be feeling, Melinda heads into her bathroom and starts to get ready.
An hour later Melinda and Daisy have both cleaned up and are standing in the living room of their apartment.
"Are you okay, Mom?" Daisy asks curious as they wait.
"Yeah, I'm okay, Daisy," Melinda assures her daughter.
"Do you think Grandma's going to like me?" Daisy asks, sounding nervous, as she has heard so many stories about her grandmother, been told so much about her, that she can't help but worry that Jiaying isn't going to like her.
"I think she's going to love you," Melinda assures her daughter, causing Daisy to smile slightly, and as she does there is a blue light and Gordon appears.
"Jiaying and Kora are at the cabin, you guys ready?" Gordon asks, knowing that this is likely going to be difficult for Melinda.
"Yeah," Melinda confirms, and Daisy nods.
"Okay," Gordon says, and once he does Melinda and Daisy walk over to him and once they are close enough the three of them disappear together.
Seconds after they left Melinda's apartment Melinda, Daisy, and Gordon appear on the grass area of the Cabin where Kora and Jiaying are. As they appear Daisy purposely hides a little behind Gordon to give her mother a chance to reconnect with her mother before Jiaying asks questions about her.
"Melinda," Jiaying says amazed, and even though she knew to expect it Melinda also knows that if she could she would be a little surprised that Jiaying looks basically the same as the last time she saw her mother.
"Hi Mom," Melinda says, and even though Jiaying knew to expect it it is a little strange to hear absolutely no emotion in Melinda's voice, and so she just walks towards her daughter and hugs her. While Jiaying and Melinda hug Kora walks over to Daisy and Gordon. Once she is close enough Kora puts an arm around her niece as they all watch on as mother and daughter are reunited after so long apart.
As soon as her mother touches her Melinda feels the love her mother feels for her, the joy Jiaying feels about seeing her again, the guilt she feels about everything that has happened between them, as well as the desire, and need, Jiaying has to protect their people along with the weight that goes along with that.
"It's good to see you," Melinda says to her mother as feeling her mother's emotions allow Melinda to understand her a little bit.
"Melinda, I'm so sorry for the way things are between us," Jiaying assures her daughter.
"I know," Melinda says. "Mom, there is someone I want you to meet," Melinda says as she and Jiaying break apart, and as they are still close Melinda can feel Jiaying's curiosity. "Mom, I would like you to meet your Granddaughter Daisy Lin May," Melinda introduces, taking a side step to reveal where Daisy is standing with Gordon and Kora.
"Hey Grandma," Daisy greats. "It's really nice to finally meet you," Daisy tells her grandmother, smiling slightly.
"A daughter? You have a daughter?" Jiaying asks shocked, and Melinda nods.
"Mom, Aunt Kora, and Uncle Gordon have told me so many stories, I'm glad to finally get a chance to meet you myself," Daisy says as she walks towards her grandmother.
"I amazed to meet you too," Jiaying responds, and once she is close enough to Daisy, she hugs her granddaughter. "I want to know all about you," Jiaying tells her granddaughter.
"I'd like that," Daisy says as she and Jiaying break apart.
"Mom, have you found something to help Phil?" Melinda asks, as she knows that Daisy and Jiaying will get plenty of chances to get to know each other, but there is a clock on being able to help Phil.
"Is that your Father?" Jiaying asks Daisy curious.
"Yes, but not biologically," Daisy admits. "I think you knew my biological Dad, but I never got a chance to. Who I did know is Cols, he's always treated me like a daughter, loved me as if I was; If we can help him, we need to," Daisy explains to her grandmother.
"Daisy Lin, Lindon?" Jiaying asks, looking at Melinda, who nods. "And your Birthday is July second," Jiaying realizes, as that would explain where Kora and Gordon almost always go on that date, and Daisy nods. "Our people, and our records, for the most part don't know much about how Kree DNA interacts with Humans, apart from the initial processes that were used to transform them into our people," Jiaying admits. "However, I did find records from after the rebellion," Jiaying explains, knowing that she would have been the only person in centuries to look at those records as they were kept secret.
"When we bounded together to banish the Kree from earth?" Kora asks, as she replays the Inhuman history she knows in her head.
"A little while after that, when Inhumans had to band with regular humans to solve a problem," Jiaying explains.
"What kind of problem?" Gordon asks curious, as he has never heard stories about this before.
"One that I'll explain another time," Jiaying explains as she doesn't want to get into the story of Alveus right now, honestly, she hopes she will never have to. "Humans were hurt helping our ancestors and one day some of these dying humans received Kree blood, that healed all their injuries. They didn't understand what was happening at the time, but from my understanding it seemed to cause cellular regeneration," Jiaying explains.
"And what happened to the people? Where they okay?" Melinda asks, and everyone knows that if she was able to feel it Melinda would be extremely worried right now.
"There were side effects," Jiaying confirms, trying to be delicate.
"Mom, how bad was it?" Melinda asks, as even without her abilities she can tell that her mother is trying to avoid saying something.
"The records were missing pieces, but from what I read they were bad, some of the regular humans who received Kree blood were killed due to how the side effects were effecting them," Jiaying explains.
"Are you saying that if Phil experiences side effects there is no hope? Because I won't accept that," Melinda says, and even though her voice is void of emotions the militaristic tone shows how serious she is.
"Neither will I," Daisy confirms.
"There was one case," Jiaying admits. "A person was compelled to carve, the record was missing pages, but it said that when it was determined what the carving was and the person understood it, all the carving stopped and the person lived a long, healthy, life," Jiaying explains.
"Anything specific?" Melinda asks.
"Just that thinking beyond was needed," Jiaying admits.
"That's cryptic," Kora says, frowning slightly.
"So, the best-case scenario would be Phil not experiencing any side effects, but if he is carving, we just have to understand the carving," Melinda repeats, making sure she has understood her mother.
"I believe so," Jiaying says, with a nod.
"Okay, thank you, that gives me a place to start," Melinda say to her mother.
"Of course," Jiaying responds, with a nod, and even though no one else has Melinda's powers it is clear to everyone else that neither Melinda or Jiaying know what to say and that Jiaying is feeling a little awkward, so Daisy decides to step in.
"So, what was it like living in the seventeen hundreds?" Daisy asks her grandmother, trying to defuse the awkwardness and that is the first question she can think of.
"Different," Jiaying admits. "I can tell you stories if you'd like," Jiaying says, feeling that that could be a good bonding exercise with her granddaughter.
"I love that," Daisy says with a grin, and everyone walks over to the outdoor couches to sit down, and Jiaying starts to tell her story. While Melinda, Kora and Gordon have heard the story before all three of them listen as if it was the first time, they ever heard it.
Well over two hours later Melinda, Kora, Daisy, Jiaying, and Gordon are all still sitting around the couches, as Jiaying telling stories has turned into everyone telling various stories so that both Daisy and Jiaying can learn more about their family.
"So then Laura and I ran like hell," Daisy says, clearly amused. "And it worked, he treated people decently for the rest of the year, so win win," Daisy explains, and Jiaying can't help but smile. "What?" Daisy asks curious as she sees the grin on her grandmother's face.
"More then once your mother decided to do something very similar to deal with people, she felt weren't treating others decently," Jiaying reveals, and Daisy grins ear from ear.
"I knew it!" Daisy exclaims, looking at her mother.
"Why did you think I didn't punish you," Melinda says, and because she is sitting so close to her daughter she can feel her amusement.
"Oh I can't wait to tell Bobbi, she's gong to love hearing what Mom got up to," Daisy says, looking thrilled.
"Bobbi?" Jiaying asks, as that as her name her granddaughter, and daughter, have mentioned more than once, and from what Daisy just said, and other things that have been said, she can't help but wonder if she has another granddaughter.
"My big sister," Daisy says simply, and Melinda knows she should explain a little.
"I met Bobbi when she was nineteen, when Daisy was nine, she hadn't had the easiest life, no family that had any right to call themselves her family, I looked out for her, trained her," Melinda explains to her mother. "I consider her to be my daughter," Melinda explains, wanting to make that clear to her mother.
"If you get the chance to meet her, I think you're going to get along great," Kora tells her mother. "Daisy and Mellie aren't the only ones who consider her to be family," Kora informs her mother, and Gordon nods in agreement.
"You really made a family for yourself," Jiaying says, a level of guilt to her voice.
"But I never forgot where I came from," Melinda informs her mother. "Mom, it's just like I told you all those years ago, I joined SHIELD to protect; that hasn't changed," Melinda explains.
"Grandma Mom, Aunt Kora, and Uncle Gordon said you lead our people, that you're responsible for all of us. That's it's up to you to keep us safe, and protected," Daisy says, having an idea of a way to make her grandmother understand.
"It is," Jiaying confirms.
"Well can't you see that Mom's in the exact same position?" Daisy asks. "SHIELD exists to protect, but it doesn't know everything, or everyone, who needs protection. Every day Mom goes to work to protect the world while also doing everything possible to protect our people, even keeping those she loves from knowing the whole truth so that they aren't in danger just because they know the truth; that seems like a pretty big burden to me, not to mention all that she has sacrificed, but Mom will never complain because she's a protector," Daisy says, clearly wanting to defend her mother and make her grandmother understand as she knows how much Melinda wants to once again have a relationship with her grandmother.
"You're very wise for your age," Jiaying informs her granddaughter, and feeling such strong pride that Melinda can slightly feel it.
"I know," Daisy says grinning and Melinda puts her arm around her daughter.
"Melinda, I was wrong," Jiaying tells her daughter. "I don't agree with SHIELD, and I do believe that SHIELD is a danger to our people, but you're not," Jiaying admits. "You never betrayed us, and I was wrong for telling you that you did; I am sorry," Jiaying tells her daughter.
"Thank you, Mom," Melinda says, as while she cannot feel what those words mean to her she does know what they mean, how long she has been waiting to hear them.
"You're welcome at Afterlife whenever you want, whenever you need," Jiaying assures her daughter.
"I've been wanting to hear that for a very long time, but I can't go Home, not after Bahrain," Melinda tells her mother.
"You made the right call," Jiaying tells her daughter, as even though she wishes she was the one who made it she knows that.
"Doesn't change what I did," Melinda admits. "Daisy knows that she can go to Afterlife any time she wants, I just don't think I can join her," Melinda explains.
"Which is going to be so weird," Daisy admits. "That's okay, right? Me coming to Afterlife at some point?" Daisy asks her grandmother, Melinda being able to feel that her daughter is a little nervous about asking that question.
"Of course, whenever you want," Jiaying assures her granddaughter, but she also helps Melinda will change her mind and come home, though she also knows how stubborn her daughter can be.
"Cool, it might not be for a while," Daisy admits.
"Whenever you're ready, Afterlife will be there," Jiaying assures her granddaughter, who nods.
"Um Speaking of Home, we've been gone for hours, people are probably going to be wondering where we are," Kora reveals. Honestly, she doesn't want this family reunion to end, but she also knows that they all have responsibilities.
"Good point, we should probably get back," Jiaying realizes.
"Yes, Daisy and I aren't expecting any visitors but that doesn't mean there won't be people wondering where we are," Melinda says, and once she does everyone stands up. "Kori has a satellite phone I gave her, that Daisy upgrade, if you want to talk to us, you can use that," Melinda tells her mother. "It can't be traced," Melinda assures Jiaying.
"Good to know," Jiaying says, relieved, and she walks over to her daughter and hugs her. "I love you so much, I am so proud of the person you have become," Jiaying says as she hugs Melinda and as Melinda can feel her mothers emotions, feels how strong she is, and knows that Jiaying means what she is saying.
"I love you too," Melinda responds, and even though she is overwhelmed by her mothers emotions she continues to hug her. "You don't have to say it, I feel it," Melinda assures her mother as they break apart.
"Next time we talk I want to hear more about your gift," Jiaying informs her daughter.
"I'd like that," Melinda says as Daisy, who just hugged her uncle and aunt, hugs her grandmother.
"I'm so glad to know you, Daisy, I love you so much," Jiaying assures her granddaughter.
"I love you too, Grandma," Daisy responds, and she fees her grandmother kiss her head and they break apart, just as Melinda, Kora and Gordon break apart from a group hug.
"I'll take Mel and Daisy home first then come back," Gordon explains.
"Stay safe," Jiaying tells her daughter and granddaughter before they disappear.
Seconds after they were standing on the island Melinda, Daisy and Gordon appear in the May apartment. Once they get there Gordon turns to Melinda.
"You okay?" Gordon asks concerned as he knows how much of a big deal that was.
"Yeah," Melinda confirms. "I felt her guilt, her love, her regret. I don't think things could have been okay if I didn't feel that," Melinda admits, as she is not sure if she could have forgiven her mother if she didn't feel what she just felt.
"That's why we call what we can do a gift," Gordon tells Melinda, smiling slightly. "I'll see you," Gordon says, before disappearing.
After Gordon disappears Daisy walks over to her mother and puts her arm around her shoulder, and doesn't say a word, just lets her mother feel what she is feeling.