Before.

"You said you loved me."

"I did Daisy. You know I do."

"Then let me go Melinda. I can't be here anymore. I can't stay. Not after what I've done. Not after what he did for me. If you really love me – you'd let me go. Please get out of my way."

"And how am I supposed to just let you walk out that door? Let you drown in waves of grief and guilt. I can't do it."

"Coulson let you go Melinda."

"That was different."

'How? How was it different? You left the field so you couldn't hurt people anymore. You left cause what you had to do changed you. I'm changed too, Melinda. I am not the same person who walked onto the bus so long ago. I'll never be that person again."

"No one expects you to be the same person Daisy. But we still love you. We still want you to stay." She paused and then grabbed Daisy's shoulders. "I want you to stay. You make me a better person Daisy."

Daisy shrugged away from her and shook her head." What I did was unforgivable. I hurt the people I care about the most in this world. If I stay here, I would put you all in danger, and could hurt you all again. I can't live with that. I can't live with taking the chance of hurting you. Why can't you see? Why can't you understand that I couldn't live with that?"

"Please Daisy. Don't make the same mistakes I made. Don't run. Don't hide from the people who love you. Please."

"I can't sign the Accords, Melinda. I just can't. I won't. That would put you guys in more danger. You can't harbor an inhuman criminal. That's what I'll be. I won't let anyone sacrifice for me again."

"Daisy you don't have only that choice. You can walk away from this. Quit Shield and just not use your powers. Retire."

"I'd still be monitored. I'd still have them watching my every move. You know I can't live like that. I won't. I won't cheapen Lincoln's sacrifice for me by caving into everything I am against."

"Daisy, you know that they'll hunt you down. That we will have to try to find you."

"Why can't you understand that I need to leave Melinda? Why are you making this so much harder for me?"

"I never said I didn't understand why you feel you need to leave. I just don't know how I can stand not knowing you are safe. I don't want to lose you. No parent wants to lose their kid, Daisy."

"I don't deserve that. You deserve a better kid than me. Remember that statement that everywhere I go – death follows. Well I don't want you to be a part of that. Like Lincoln was." Daisy moved away from Melinda, slung her backpack over her shoulder and walked to the door."

"I could stop you. I know you won't use you powers on me ever again. I could stop you."

Daisy turned around and gave her a weak smile. "But you won't. The others will be mad at me for leaving. Just tell them I couldn't stay. Thank you, Melinda." And with that she turned and walked out the hanger door. Melinda stood and watched, fighting every fiber in her being from chasing after her kid.

After

Daisy sat in the quinjet by herself. Robbie had gone off to sulk and feel guilty somewhere else leaving her alone. She heard a noise on the ramp and looked to see who was coming.

"If you're looking for Robbie, he's off hating himself somewhere else."

Melinda made it up the ramp and leaned back against the wall just staring at her, saying nothing. That unnerved Daisy more than a chewing out would have.

"Aren't you gonna yell more about what happened?"

Melinda continued to just stare at her.

"My arm's fine." Daisy tried to deflect, which finally had Melinda talking.

"I didn't ask." She paused and moved forward a few steps. "I know what you're doing. Trying to distance yourself from everyone else so they don't drown in your wake. I invented that move. It doesn't work. Not now and not ever. I tried to tell you that when you left but you were not having it. You were too full of guilt and shame to hear me."

Daisy's face betrayed her emotions as she held back tears.

"Phil found me in that cubicle and wouldn't give up on me. He never gave up. He would come by to see me at least once a month after Bahrain. He was the only one who did from my old life. He wouldn't let me push him away. I won't let you push me away. I won't give up on you."

"I never wanted that."

"Nuh uh. Nope. You don't get to choose who cares about you" Melinda paused and looked to the front of the quinjet. Lincoln wouldn't want you killing yourself over what happened."

Daisy's breath caught and she felt the tears building up. "I wasn't...

"Don't you dare bullshit me Daisy. You think I didn't feel that way? After Bahrain? The only thing that stopped me from going back to the field and letting someone take me out, was my own fear that I'd take an innocent with me. The prison had none of those, did it? You're drowning Daisy and you won't even try to swim to the boat. Do you have any idea how hard it is to watch your kid go through that when she won't let you help her?"

"I told you, you deserve better. That you needed to just let me go before I hurt you too."

"Something else you said to me stuck far more than that has Daisy. It's why you need to put on that life preserver and swim to the boat. Do you remember when you said it? I do. I remember the day, the exact moment you gave me a sense of renewed purpose and reminded me that I was worthy of being a mother to you.' She paused and emphasized her next words. "You said you loved me."