XXXXXXX
Daisy had fallen back to sleep in May's arms without totally waking. Her screaming and terror dissolved with the comfort of both parents and when she did wake in the morning, still in her mother's arms, she remembered nothing of the night or day before.
Coulson smiled at the little girl cuddled against her mother and May just as content lightly snoozing but holding tight to the child. They woke within seconds of each other, mother smiling at the drowsy child in her arms. Daisy squirmed a bit before blinking her eyes opened and drawing a deep breath. She seemed disoriented at first then sat up and looked around the room before squeezing her eyes shut tightly and scrunching up her nose before turning to face May. Apparently the sedative Jemma had given her had not completely worn off as she offered a silly smile and let her head drop back to her mother's shoulder. Coulson ran a hand gently over the little girl's hair then kissed her temple.
Jemma entered the room, quietly checking the monitors then turning to May. She allowed a small smile to cross her countenance but knew even though all looked fine with the odd little family that nothing had changed. She spoke softly letting May know that she needed to perform a few short procedures and that the little girl needed to be put back into the large bed. May nodded without answering, kissed the still sleepy child and stood. Coulson took the little girl and laid her gently back in the bed. Jemma suggested they leave but both insisted they would stay.
The doctor listened to the child's heartbeat. She flashed a light in her eyes and tapped lightly on her tummy. She ran the end of a pen over the bottom of Daisy's foot and tried not to frown as the child barely reacted. She helped the little child to sit up and placed her stethoscope on her back listening closely as she breathed in and out. It was hard not to hear the raspy sound that came occasionally, another issue for which Jemma could find no reason. Gently letting Daisy drop back to her pillows, Jemma frowned as she turned and retrieved a thermometer from the tray she'd placed on the table next to the bed.
Daisy blinked twice as the corners of her mouth drooped. She knew what was coming but was just too tired to resist or complain. It wasn't too bad, May held her hand and whispered in her ear that this was all to help her and it would be over very quickly. She tried to squirm but felt Coulson's hand firmly on the small of her back while he softly rubbed circles just below her shoulders. She cried softly into her pillow, squeezing May's hand tightly. It wasn't over fast. It was three minutes of mortifying torture and she hated it. She hated even more that she could not fight them off. But it did end and before she could roll back and cover her embarrassment she felt the sting of whatever injection Jemma felt she needed back there. May pulled her into a hug and shushed her softly, tucking the light blanket back around her and humming until the little girl fell back into a light slumber.
May brushed the hair from Daisy's face and turned to Coulson. Even a simple procedure and minute struggle seemed to take every bit of the girl's energy. They both turned to Jemma hoping for more answers. For a moment the young doctor looked to her shoes then drew a breath and faced them. Her look told more than her words.
"There's very little change." She shook her head. "Her core temp is still dropping and I cannot explain why. Her blood work is identical that all of the samples I've taken. Fitz is working on it but he feels it may be something related to whatever Dr. Liu had to do to get her back to us." Her voice seemed higher and word came faster as she turned and walked to the tray of instruments she had carried into the room, absently arranging them neatly. "All we know for sure is that he used the information he had on that dimension's Skye in order to recreate a…an existence for Daisy here. We…" She hesitated telling them what Fitz had theorized. "We aren't sure what he meant by using the term temporary." She turned back and glanced at Daisy, pale and sleeping on the large bed then looked to May and Coulson. Her soul wrenched at the looks on their faces. "We all assumed it meant she would…at some point…revert to her…to the Daisy we know, but…"
"What are you trying to say?" May asked through her teeth, already understanding what the young doctor could not bring herself to tell them.
Coulson's eyes narrowed for a moment. "Are you saying," he swallowed hard. "Are you saying he meant she would only be with us temporarily? That this," he nodded toward the little girl. "This version of our child is…that she…"
"She's dying…" May whispered, swallowing the sob that threatened to escape.
For a moment there was silence. May had put to words what no one wanted to believe. She had made real the notion everyone wanted to deny. There it was laid bare before them and no one wanted to look.
Jemma stared at the floor.
May moved to Daisy's side and took one of her small hands into her own.
Coulson placed his hands on his waist and looked to the ceiling, clearly stifling the rant building inside.
He exhaled loudly and dropped his gaze as well as his arms to his sides. "That is unacceptable, Dr. Simmons." His voice commanded. "You will find an answer and fix this." He paused for a moment as the young doctor raised her eyes to look at him. "Is that understood, Doctor?" Jemma merely stared. He repeated the question, louder and with more force.
"Yes sir," Jemma answered softly with a nod.
Coulson returned the nod then moved to join May at Daisy's side.
Jemma watched for a few seconds before taking her tray and leaving the room.
Day 115 – Lighthouse Base – Med Bay
Jemma won't let me out of this bed. I keep telling her I'm fine but she just keeps taking my blood like some freakin' vampire and my arm is all black and blue. And that damn temperature nonsense is getting really old. Next time I might just quake her right out the door.
Every body says I was pretty sick but I don't remember much, just May being real mad and then me sleeping on her lap. I had one of those dumb too big hospital things on and I think Coulson got a full moon. Geez that is so embarrassing. I think my cheeks are gonna burn red every time I look him in the eye for the rest of my life. May says he didn't see a thing and turned away but I don't believe a word.
I wish I wasn't so tired. It's like I can't do anything. They let me walk to the bathroom yesterday instead of somebody carrying me there. I walked back too. I don't remember falling asleep but I guess I needed a little nap after. If I don't stop sleeping so much, Jemma's never gonna let me out of here. I'd say it was cuz of some dumb medicine but she didn't give me anything. I'm still not real hungry but I eat just cuz they say I have to. It doesn't make me sick or anything but nothing really tastes good. Yoyo even brought me double chocolate brownies and yesterday Coulson let me have a banana split for lunch! The only fun was the face May made at him when she found out. Everybody keeps bringing me all my favorites but it doesn't matter I'm just not hungry. Last night I mini-quaked the cheeseburger they gave me right on the floor. I really didn't mean to push that hard. I just wanted it to go across the tray so they'd all get the idea that I didn't want anything. I guess I'm not too sick to get half a dozen swats cuz May didn't waste any time letting me know it was totally unacceptable. Okay so really it was more like two, but it felt like six cuz everything kinda hurts more than it usually does. Damn that smarts and I cried like a baby for long time. It's like my skin is super sensitive but I'm not tellin' cuz Jemma will probably come up with some damn new test and scrape off a couple layers. I think May mighta felt a little guilty so it got me a lot of extra hugs. I giggled a little when Jemma scolded May for smacking me but I pretended to cough so I didn't get a second dose. Then I cried extra and Jemma skipped the damn temperature thing although she probably did it when I fell asleep.
When I sleep it's like falling into a big black hole. Sometimes I dream about Dr. Liu telling me it's only temporary and I keep asking him how long but he never answers. He just smiles funny and walks away and I keep following him and askin' him but he just ignores me. Sometimes I dream Cal is stealing me away from Coulson and May and I wake up in May's lap or on Coulson's shoulder and don't even know how I got there. I don't like sleeping so much, but I can't help it and it feels like I'm sleeping more than being awake and I don't even know when I fall asleep. I really don't like this.
I just want to go home.
xxxx
Day 117 – Lighthouse Base – Science Lab – early morning
"Damn it, Jemma. Don't tell me you haven't found anything. She slept almost the whole day yesterday and when she was awake she was barely awake." Coulson demanded.
Jemma flipped through the pages on the clipboard she held. "I am sorry sir but we are doing everything we can."
Fitz rose to her defense, positioning himself between his boss and his partner. "It's like every time we think we have something it turns out to be nothing that would cause whatever the hell is doing this to her."
"Really, sir," Jemma sighed. "I cannot keep taking blood from her little arms. She is so bruised already and now she is crying every time she sees me."
"She's getting weaker." Coulson said softly, as if saying it made it worse.
Fitz and Jemma exchanged a quick glance.
"She's not even fighting when you do that damn temperature check. It's like she's giving up." He tried to control the crack in his voice.
"Oh, no sir. Daisy would never give up. She's just exhausted from fighting this…this…" Jemma tried consoling him.
"You don't even know what to call it." Coulson slammed a fist on the closest countertop, causing the young doctor to jump.
Fitz moved between them again. "This is frustrating all of us, sir. Jemma is working with me night and day to find an answer." Before he could continue a small alarm pinged on the flange Jemma had been using to separate Daisy's latest blood samples.
Fitz took the vial and spread a sample on a slide. He set in the super microscope and took a deep breath before peering at it. He'd done the same time after time with every test and each time drew the same results. Nothing, there was absolutely nothing abnormal or different in any test they had run. Three days ago the young scientist had sent a team on a mission to retrieve a powerful microscope from a little known lab in Berkeley under the pretense of being CDC engineers. This microscope was powerful enough to magnify images to a resolution half the width of a hydrogen atom. As far as Fitz knew there was none better. They'd secured it just this morning and it was there he had set the latest slide with young Daisy's blood sample.
Giving Jemma a hopeful glance he exhaled and leaned forward to examine the sample. He seemed to gaze at it a bit longer than she expected and when he stood back, looked forward and then bent back to the eye piece Jemma felt the first glimmer of hope since this whole thing began. She drew a quick breath and stepped closer to him.
Coulson sensed the change. "What? What do you see?" He too stepped forward as Fitz stepped aside and let Jemma peer into the powerful machine.
"Do you see it?" Fitz smiled.
"My God," Jemma exhaled as she stood back, totally awestruck.
"What?" Coulson demanded again, pushing the young woman aside and looking into the microscope himself.
It didn't look like anything more than the bubbles and blots that he stared at in high school biology, except for the fact they were a whole lot bigger. Science was not his forte. He could be looking at frog's eggs and wouldn't know the difference. He stood back and turned to the scientists who now seemed elated, jabbering on in jargon he could not follow.
"It's probably been there all along." Jemma was almost giddy.
"Just too small for us to see," Fitz agreed just as excited.
"Enough!" Coulson commanded. "What the hell did you see?"
Fitz smiled and pointed to the microscope. "Here sir, look for yourself…"
Coulson pulled his hands into fists and fought the urge to deck the young man. "Why don't you just tell me?" He managed to growl, narrowing his eyes at both scientists. He'd clearly had enough.
Pausing for a moment, Fitz opened his mouth to speak then quickly shut it. He looked to Jemma who raised her brows silently telling him to go on. "This," Fitz wrapped one hand around the long tube that held the microscope's eyepiece. "This is one, just one red blood cell magnified a trillion times." He smiled at the wonder of it but quickly continued when Coulson did not share his exuberance. "Yes…well…um…"
"Your body produces billions of red blood cells all of the time, but they have a limited life span. They die off and more are produced to replace them. They keep your body oxygenated carrying oxygen from the lungs and carbon dioxide out of our bodies." Jemma smiled.
"And?" Coulson exhaled, anxiously. "This is no time for a ninth grade biology lesson." He actually knew the purpose of red blood cells.
"The lack of red blood cells can cause extreme fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite…"
"And you didn't see this?" Now he was flabbergasted. It seemed like a simple answer for the two smartest people in the entire world.
Jemma shook her head. "No sir, we couldn't have. All of the Daisy's blood counts came back normal."
"She has the red blood cells, sir. But there are small crystals in every one, almost like tiny ice cubes that are bursting and becoming smaller ice cubes. Each cell is becoming overwhelmed with the number of crystals forming there. I don't know what they are, but they are preventing the cells from doing their job almost as if she had…"
"Thalassemia!" Fitz and Simmons announced together.
"Thala…what?" Coulson was totally confused.
"It is a blood condition sir and very common among the Chinese population." Jemma smiled.
"It is genetic, Jemma. Both parents would have to carry that gene and well Coulson is obviously not…" Fitz ended with a mumble as he looked to Coulson. Clearly he was stating the obvious.
Jemma looked into the microscope again and thought for a moment. "I don't think that is what this is, at least not without further testing, but it is definitely mimicking many of the symptoms."
"The WHO should have information on it. I know a fellow there who can get us what we need. It may take a bit of doing but I am sure I can contact him in the next few days."
Coulson was still in the dark. He merely listened as if he were observing some odd tennis match. He understood just enough to be even more concerned than when he knew nothing. It didn't matter. There was only one question he needed answered.
"Tell me there's a cure?" He interjected, stopping the scientist's exchange of ideas.
Jemma turned down the corners of her mouth and turned to the side just a bit. "Well, the only thing I believe that has shown any success, as far as I know, is stem cell transplantation."
"Stem cell…" Coulson raised a hand to his head. Well that was impossible. They had no access to anything like that.
"Well, there is bone marrow transplant." Fitz added nonchalantly.
"How…when…." Coulson felt like his head was spinning. Daisy had never been sick before. Sure there were tummy aches and stuffy noses, but adult Daisy? He could not remember her even being under the weather in all the time he'd known her.
"We aren't sure, sir. I have to admit I don't know very much about this condition and this is only the first we've seen any kind of irregularity that might led us to an answer. It is an extreme conclusion and well, sir. We really need to think horses, sir."
Coulson ran a hand through his hair. "Damn it, Jemma. This is Daisy. It's never horses. It's goats or giraffes or damn, raptors."
Jemma bit her lip and gave a small nod. Coulson was right. Nothing was ever simple with Daisy, but now they had a light at the end of this very long, twisting, dead end tunnel. Now they had a lead to follow and something they could, just possibly, treat.
"I'd like to start a blood transfusion, sir. With the GH-325 in your blood, you are probably the best match. Hopefully, new blood will make some kind of change."
Coulson rolled up his sleeve. "I'm ready right now."
Day 117 – Lighthouse Base – Med Lab – late afternoon
"Her temperature has not dropped in the last two hours." Jemma smiled as she tucked a blanket around the small girl in the very large bed. She checked the transfusion that hung next to that bed then the port she'd placed in Daisy's arm a few hours ago. Luckily the child had still been in deep slumber and the ordeal was easily accomplished.
Coulson would have gladly given all of his blood to save his daughter, but Jemma took only what was safe despite his objection. May had made a donation as well. It did not take long for the rest of the base to hear the little girl in med bay needed blood and agents lined up to donate. Elena insisted her blood, having the same inhuman markers, would be more than helpful. She also suggested contacting known inhuman allies that would be more than happy to donate as well. Elena was sure she could contact Joey even though he had been 'underground' for years. Jemma thanked her but felt they should hold off for a bit, just to see how things progressed.
May refused to leave Daisy's side, even when the little girl was asleep. Most of the time the sleep was peaceful but there were times she was restless, tossing and turning then crying out. May knew there were nightmares that still plagued her daughter, even though Daisy would never admit to them. When this happened she would pull the little girl into her arms or curl up next to her and softly sing the same lullabies her father comforted her with and on rare occasions, her mother did the same.
Now the anxious mother stood at her child's side, frowning at the deep bruises on both of her thin arms. "Why isn't she waking?" She thought out loud, rather that actually asking.
"It may take a bit." Jemma answered softly. She followed May's glance and watched as the mother gently caressed the little girl's arm. "I've added a port to the IV. I won't have to stick her anymore. I will draw the necessary samples through it."
May nodded.
Jemma waited for a response that did not come. "The temperature constant is a good sign." She gently rubbed May's upper arm. "Fitz is still working on it. I'll keep you informed."
Again May did not respond. Jemma nodded and exited the room as Coulson entered. She smiled at him. He stopped and squeezed her hand for a moment then stepped to join May at Daisy's bedside. He wrapped an arm around her and gently kissed her temple.
She leaned into him, for once grateful for his strength as she released her own. Right now, Melinda May did not want to be strong. She wanted…needed someone else to be the rock to which she clung and Philip Coulson was and always had been that rock. He didn't say a word. He didn't have to because they both knew what the other felt.
Daisy moaned softly and squirmed just bit before letting out a soft sob. She raised her free hand to her eyes and dug that fist into one. Her left arm was attached to a small wooden slat that would help keep her from disrupting the IV there. That did not stop her from trying, but May was quick to gently restrain the child.
"Hey," she whispered softly. "It's okay, bao bei, shhhh. All of this is to help you."
Daisy let out another sob as she slowly opened her eyes and took in the room. She stared up at the bag hung above her head, immediately startled by the deep red liquid. She jumped back again pulling on the arm that May still held.
"They're takin' all my blood?" She squeaked, terrified by what she saw and her past experience with blood draws.
Coulson sat on the edge of the bed and took the little girl's free hand into his own. He smiled broadly. "No, no angel eyes. They're giving you blood."
Daisy looked at Coulson with wide eyes. "They're puttin' it back?" She was even more shocked.
The man scooted closer to the little girl's side and rested his hand on her shoulder. He looked up at the IV bag. "That's new blood. It's going to help you feel better."
Daisy looked to May who smiled and gave a nod. She drew a few breaths then lifted her head just enough to look at the IV in her arm and the board she was strapped on to. May explained it was just to keep her from accidentally pulling anything out, even before the little girl had the chance to ask.
Daisy shook her head. "I don't like it."
May smiled. "You don't have to like it. You do have to leave it alone."
The little girl frowned and looked back to her father who gave a sad smile and a nod as he shook her hand that he still held.
Day 117 – Lighthouse Base – Science Lab – early evening
Fitz puffed his cheeks before letting out a breath of frustration. He pushed back his chair and scrubbed both hands down his face before leaning back as far as possible and staring at the ceiling. He'd been at this for hours and despite the discovery earlier in the day there had been very little progress. The young man was totally frustrated with everything, including his inability to make any sense of the whole damn situation. Nothing, absolutely nothing about all of this made the least bit of sense. How the hell did Liu shrink…or de-age…or regress…or whatever the hell it was called…a full grown woman, an inhuman woman, into a ten year old? Oh, no excuse me, he said in his mind…a nine year old. It was preposterous. And yet one floor above him that nine year old, one of his best friends…no skip that, the person he came to think of as a kid sister was actually a kid…a very sick kid and could do nothing to help.
Fitz fell forward on his chair and rested his elbows on his knees. He let out another exasperated sigh before slamming both palms on the desk before him and pushing himself to his feet. He paced across the lab, mentally retracing everything he had done in the last twelve…fifteen…twenty-four hours. The ice crystals in Daisy's blood had been the only thing that had given him…and Jemma…as well as everyone else…some glimmer of hope or at least an anomaly that might lead to an answer.
So far that answer continued to be elusive.
Stopping, Fitz pushed both hands against the sides of his head smoothing his short cropped hair rather than running his hands through it. The theory that ate at his brain…the one he refused to discuss with anyone would not be silent. Liu had told Daisy and she had told them that this condition would be temporary, that he did not know how much time the girl would have. That sounded very ominous to Fitz. It had from the beginning. Temporary could mean many things and some of them were quite difficult to swallow.
Hell, childhood itself was temporary. Being an adult was damn permanent. Once you went over that hill there was no going back, just different stages of adulthood…if that was even a word. So Liu could have just been softening the blow by telling Daisy it was temporary rather than that she'd have to grow up all over again. But then, why would she retain all of her adult memories and those of her childhood...er, first childhood.
Fitz shook his head and blew out a flutter breath. Damn, this was confusing!
Daisy convinced herself (and anyone who listened long enough) that temporary meant a couple weeks, or by now months. She would just wake up one morning or afternoon or whatever and bam she'd be her old self again. That frustrated the living Hell out of her and in turn led her to break every rule that was ever doled out and about a hundred that weren't. Fitz actually chuckled a bit wondering how many times May had skelped that little one's derry end. He was sure it was quite often. If the Senior Agent knew Daisy had been practicing her quaking abilities, under his watchful eye, the kid would have a less than temporary inability to sit down. He wasn't quite sure what she'd put to him.
And then there was the worst connotation of the term. Temporary, the true expanse of a lifetime. Temporary…those years, however many allotted to each individual from birth until their ultimate demise. This was the theory that terrified Fitz as much as it did the distraught parents at their child's bedside. Yet, at the same it was the only theory that made any logical sense. Liu sent Daisy back using the only means he had…the only data he had was that of the little girl called Skye. He sent her back because he knew she did not belong there but…
"Damn!" Fitz slammed a fist on the counter. Flasks and documents bounced once before tipping their contents to the floor.
"Damn," he hissed through his teeth. That damn witch doctor sent that kid here as a tease…a token for May and Coulson to cherish for…temporarily…to have the child they lost only to lose her again…only to have their hearts broken even worse than the first time.
But why?
What did Dr. Liu have to gain? Was Hydra alive and well in an alternate universe? Had they somehow found it before he accidentally stumbled into it? Or rather Daisy did.
Fitz closed his eyes and once again tossed his head back. One tear ran over the man's cheek.
No…that was impossible. All of that was more impossible that all of it. He laughed at the convoluted thought. They'd been through so much heartache and heart break…so much that too many times they looked through a dark lens. They, he expected the worst because they had seen it, lived it so many times…even when the intentions were only for good.
Fitz ran his hand over his eyes and ignored the nausea churning his gut. Aida…he'd created her to protect the team, to be a real shield if it came to that. His intentions were pure and it all went to crap. She created a hell mound and dragged all of them into it…except Daisy.
Daisy did not believe it was impossible. Daisy did not give up. Daisy saved them.
And he would save her.
Fitz drew a deep breath and turned back to his chair. He stopped at a small refrigerator and pulled out a bottled water, unscrewed the cap and threw it across the room. It skittered under one of the many desks. After drinking half the bottle in one swallow he swiped his lips with his arm and returned to his work.
There was no question that could not be answered.
And Leopold James Fitz would not stop until this problem was solved.
