Hello! I hope everyone is having a lovely week. This is a bit of a short chapter, but I really wanted to post something extra to get the ball rolling. So here we are :D

Panic seized Phil Coulson as the gentle knocking persisted. Slowly, he crept out of bed and grabbed the gun on his dresser. What was he expecting? He wasn't quite sure. Just as he crossed the threshold of his bedroom into the living room, the knocking ceased. The older man paused, unsure what to do. Perhaps the visitor had given up and left. But what if they were in trouble? It was pouring rain and barely above freezing. There was no one within thirteen miles, and odds were, this mysterious knocker didn't have a vehicle to simply drive into town. Just open the door, Phil. The longer you wait, the more time they'll have to walk away. Exhaling slowly, his mind made up, Coulson walked to the door and turned the rusty lock. The door creaked as he pushed it open, and Coulson squinted, peering into the thick rain.

"Hello?" he called, his voice lost in a roar of thunder. "Is anyone there?"

Coulson stepped out from the doorway and nearly tripped. Looking down, he saw a small, wet object lying on his doormat. He nudged it tenderly with his foot, and it stirred a bit. Kneeling down, Phil realized with a start that it was a little girl, curled up and fast asleep. Her navy blue raincoat was soaked through, and water spilled out of her small black boots. Coulson's heart sank, and he brushed her dripping hair gently out of her face. "What are you doing out here?" he whispered. Rising, his back groaning in protest, Coulson stepped out onto the porch, craning his neck to look for an adult or someone. Perhaps they'd gone to look for help and left the girl here in case someone opened the door.

"Hey!" he shouted into the storm. "If you can hear me, come inside!"

The silence was almost more deafening than the thunder. Coulson frowned. He looked back at the girl, who was still asleep. "Let's get you inside," he decided. "Hopefully whoever you were with will find their way back."

Coulson scooped up the soaked figure, noting how light she was. Instinctively, she nestled her face into his shirt to shield herself from the cold. Closing the door behind him, Coulson gingerly set her on the couch. The girl twitched a bit then sat up, rubbing her eyes sleepily. She wasn't more than four or five years old, with deep brown eyes and almond-colored hair. Even soaking wet, freezing, and half-asleep, she was absolutely adorable.

The older man kneeled down in front of her. Remembering his days as an officer, he knew it always helped to get on the kid's level, especially during a traumatic or intense moment. "Hi there. You're at my house in the woods. My name is Phil Coulson," He smiled, adding his old tagline. "I'm here to help you."

The girl said nothing, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Were you walking with someone when you found my house?"

The girl paused for a moment, then resoundingly shook her head. Water flew off her hair onto the couch and Phil's face.

"Let me get you some new clothes," he chuckled lightly. "I'll be right back."

Ducking into his bedroom, he grabbed a couple of old t-shirts he hadn't worn in years. She was small enough that they'd work as nightgowns. Returning to the living room, he held up the shirts. "I have Mickey Mouse, Captain America, and Star Wars. Which one would you like?"

After a few seconds of silence, the girl took the blue Captain America shirt.

"That one's my favorite," Phil told her. "Do you need help putting it on?"

The child shook her head, and Phil walked over to the corner and closed his eyes. After a minute or so, she softly called, "I'm done."

The shirt went all the way to the floor, like some sort of regal nightdress. "Perfect," he replied, sitting down on the couch. "Now, what's your name?"

The girl frowned, then shook her head.

"You don't want to tell me?"

She shook her head again, forcibly.

"You can trust me, I promise."

The girl shook her head harder, and it suddenly dawned on him. "You don't remember?"

She nodded, and Coulson thought hard for a moment. He remembered some of his old coworkers talking about writing their kid's names on their clothes, so the man picked up the soggy raincoat and examined the tag. In permanent marker, it said, Daisy J.

"Daisy?" he tried softly. "Does that sound familiar?"

Something changed in the little girl's face, and the hint of a smile tugged at her lips. She nodded emphatically.

"It's nice to meet you, Daisy," Phil smiled, extending his hand for her to shake. Daisy stared at it for a moment before shaking it cautiously. "Would you like to go to sleep now?"

"Yes please," she answered, her voice barely audible.

"Alright Miss Daisy," Coulson replied, standing up. He took her hand and led her to his bedroom. Lifting her gently onto the bed, he draped the comforter over her and smoothed it out. "I'm going to sleep on the couch. If you need me, just call for me, okay?"

Daisy nodded, but her eyelids were already drooping. "Goodnight," Coulson whispered, creeping out of the room as silently as possible.

The man sprawled out on the couch, remembering how he had lain here just last night. Yesterday, the emptiness and darkness in his chest were too much for him to lift himself up to walk to his bedroom. Tonight, he was sleeping on the couch because his bed was occupied by a four-year-old girl who'd fallen asleep on his doorstep. He chuckled a bit at the irony. This was probably the most interesting thing that had occurred in his life in six years. Rosalind would've liked Daisy, he thought to himself. He shook his head forcefully. He couldn't get sentimental. Tomorrow, he would drive into town and take her to the police station. Perhaps he could pay her medical bills or buy her new clothes or something to ease his mind. Then, he'd drive back home and resume his normal routine. Maybe he'd remember Daisy every so often and think fondly of the scrawny girl in the Captain America shirt-dress. But that had to be it. He couldn't go any further than that. The more you hold close, the more you have to lose.

Until next time :)