Hello From the Outside
Daisy wakes to pressure on her hand. She opens her eyes, winces at the bright welcoming they receive. And looks into the face of Jemma Simmons, who's relief is so prominent Daisy feels slightly hopeful. ''Daisy welcome back. How are you feeling?'' Daisy clears her throat, struggles to sit up and Mack helps her. ''Careful Tremors, you've got two broken ribs''. She remembers suddenly, looks at Mack with tears in her eyes. ''He's dead, isn't he?'' Daisy can't recall actually killing him, but she must have otherwise she wouldn't be here. Alive. Lincoln is at her side, takes her hand. He smiles at her, kisses her forehead.
''Daisy Ward is alive, he's okay''. What? ''What do you mean he's okay?'' May steps in and explains the situation in a calm and collected tone. Daisy's head is reeling, she stops herself from hoping. Refuses to let her mind even think of the possibility that Grant is alive, that he's truly come back to her until she sees it for herself. In one fluid motion she throws the quilt covering her back, swings her legs over the bed, ignores the rush of pain. ''Daisy''. ''Daisy you have to get back in bed''. ''Tremors you're going to hurt yourself''.
''I have to see him''. She explains, pushes away the hands that try to hold her back. May is in front of her, blocking her way, Bobbi behind her. ''May please. I just need to see for myself. Please''. Much to her surprise The Calvary steps aside. ''The doctors told Coulson he's been calling for you''. Her chest heaves in pain. ''Where is he?'' ''We put him in Vault D''. Daisy doesn't have time to be angry at Shield, she limps out of the room, ignores the agents that try to help her. Every single inch of her hurts as she walks, her ribs feel as if they are cutting into her over and over.
''Daisy stop''. Lincoln puts his hand on her shoulder and it takes everything in her to not react. ''Lincoln let go''. She lets him turn her around, Bobbi and Hunter are lingering behind him. ''Daisy he just tried to kill you, and you want to go down there and see him?'' Daisy licks her cracked lips and tastes blood. ''Lincoln that wasn't him, that wasn't the Ward that I know. I just need to see for myself if he's okay''. He releases her, brushes his hand against her cheek. ''I'll be outside if you need me''. ''Okay''.
She has to see him she has to she has to make sure this isn't a dream. She couldn't make it if this is a dream and she's really back in that building, Grant's hands around her throat. Eventually Mack carefully swings her up in his arms and takes her down to Vault D. ''You ready for this Tremors?'' ''Yeah''. They pass the guards who nod, Mack opens the door, they walk down the steps. Fitz, Coulson, Maria Hill and at least ten doctors are are standing around, all looking across the barrier that Ward is being held in.
He's laying on a bed, connected to tubes and machines, the heart monitor strong and steady in her ear. Her hands can sense his pulse, no longer faint and painful. Strong, full of promise full of life and she knows, she believes May. Ward is okay, his demon gone. He's alive. But how? How is that possible? Only one way to find out. She can't tell from this angle if he's awake or not, she tells Mack to set her down next to Fitz and Coulson.
''Give it to me straight DC. How is he?'' It's Fitz who answers. ''We've ran many tests Daisy, Simmons and I have been researching everything there is to know about that creature that was inside of him. When we were on the other planet I killed it by sending a flare gun through Will's chest. According to Agent May and Coulson's report the creature cralwed out of Ward and he set it on fire. I believe he destroyed it then and all the books back that up. But we won't know for sure until he wakes''. Daisy has to take deep slow breaths at this information.
''And his injuries?'' ''Serious but not life threatening. Not near as much damage as he did to you''. Coulson says with his arms crossed. His tone puts Daisy on the defensive. ''DC please tell me you're not blaming him for what happened''. Coulson doesn't respond, she takes the tablet out of his hands and opens the barrier separating Shield from Ward. ''Wait what are you doing?'' ''Agent Johnson stand down right now''. ''Daisy''. She rolls her eyes, steps into the cell, and closes the barrier up.
When Daisy looks at Ward, she starts, not really expecting him to be awake. His eyes are brown. Beautiful whiskey brown that used to stare into her like she held all the answers he was looking for. There's no trace of darkness or demons in his face, she studies his forehead for a moment, and can't help the relieved noise that comes out of her when no movement crosses it. ''Grant?'' She takes a hesitant step to his bedside, she can't imagine what he must be going through right now. So Daisy makes no sudden movements, keeps her breathing regulated and slow.
His eyes move into her and she has to bite her tongue to keep from crying out. He's alive. He's truly alive and here again he beat death not once but twice and if there's a God she's about to fall down on her knees and worship him. Ward is bruised and battered, but she's seen him handle worse. ''Skye''. He says her name with no hint of malice or cruelty, but there's no love in it either. His tone is empty, void. Like he's lost all hope in the universe.
Daisy puts on her brave face because that's what he needs right now, and smiles at him. ''It's me. Can I get you anything?'' Ludicrous. That's the expression on his face right now, like she's told the biggest joke in the world but he doesn't find it funny. He winces, his fingers clench at his side. She can see whatever struggle is going on in his head right now and she takes a step closer. Longing to comfort him in whatever way she can. ''I just meant''- ''Get out''. There's a crack in her chest.
''I just want to help you''- ''Get out''. He says again, a little more forcefully this time. A few doctors come in and tell her she's upsetting him and that she needs to leave please. ''I'm not going anywhere, Grant''- Coulson's hand in on her elbow, his eyes are so full of sympathy and loathing that she lets her pull him out of the cell. Daisy casts a glance at Ward, who has turned his face away from her. Her brain is telling her to use logic, that Ward is in pain from whatever that demon did in his body. That the last thing he wants right now is comfort, or her.
Because even though Ward wasn't present for whatever that monster did, it was still his body and he feels responsible for it. And she knows he will punish himself, that he thinks he doesn't even deserve to look at her. She gets it. She can't possibly understand what he's going through, but she knows him. That doesn't mean she likes or accepts that he doesn't want to see her. She's spent months on end without looking at the man she loves, and it has killed her. Mack helps her to a nearby chair, Fitz and Coulson are both leaning over her.
''Is he, is he you know, himself?'' Fitz asks. ''Yeah. Yeah he's okay, he's Ward again''. Everyone in the room tenses, it's not good news to them like it is to her. ''Dr. Garner is on his way''. Coulson tells her, Daisy nods. ''Good, Ward needs to talk to someone about what's going on''. ''And he's here for you. I'm sure you'd like to speak to him too. Now why don't you go back to Simmons? I'll let you know if there's any changes''. Daisy is already shaking her head, craning her neck to get a good look at what the doctors are doing to Grant.
''I'm not leaving him''. ''Daisy you still need medical attention''. ''Then I'll just have to get it down here. I'm not going anywhere''. Coulson sighs, ''fine. Fitz would you please pass along that information to Simmons?'' ''Yes sir''. The room falls quiet, Daisy listens to the heart monitor, it calms her down. Makes her feel better. Like pieces of a puzzle falling back into place. Maria Hill approaches Coulson, asks to speak with him privately. ''If you're planning on attacking him, don't bother. I will break you''. She tells the other woman through clenched teeth.
''Agent Johnson you can realx, no one is going to hurt him. I'm just telling Phil goodybe, my work it seems is done here. Turns out I wasn't needed like expected''. ''Plans change''. Coulson tells her, shaking her hand. ''And I hope this one doesn't turn on you like a rabid dog. Good luck with everything Agent Johnson. Phil when are you going to tell Stark and the others that you're alive?'' Their conversation trails off as Coulson sees her and her team out. Soon it's just Mack Daisy and the doctors left, who only speak to each other.
''How you holding up D?'' ''How do you think? I need alcohol and a twelve hour nap''. Mack puts a hand on her shoulder. ''I'm tired of this weird alien crap''. ''That makes two of us''. ''Do you remember what happened?'' ''I remember everything but I just don't know what happened to Grant. I mean how did that thing get out of him?'' ''Beats me''. Daisy sits and waits, three hours pass and no one has come to murder him while he's defenseless so that's good. Simmons comes in with a scowl on her face but treats Daisy's wounds anyway. ''You'd feel better after a shower and some rest''.
It takes a lot of convincing, Daisy doesn't want to leave Ward just in case something happens. She takes a hot shower as fast as she can manage, May has to help her. Her rips are smarting and Daisy is finding it hard to breathe. ''Here, this will help''. May hands her three pain pills and Daisy swallows them dry. Daisy has discovered upon inspection that someone has taken all of the alcohol out of her bunk. She's about to complain until she sees the look on her SO's face and keeps her mouth shut. Mack helps her back down to Vault D, and part of her is angry at Coulson for locking Ward back in here.
Grant still won't speak to her. Daisy has even gone as far as putting a chair directly in front of his line of sight, but still nothing. And she gets it, she really does sympathize, he went to hell and he deserves all the time he needs to recover. But she thought he was dead. Daisy suffered for months, lost herself every single part of her without him. So how is she just supposed to stare at him now and not say a thing? How is she going to sit here and be silent and content? She catches herself there. Daisy is lucky he's even alive, if all she gets for the rest of her life is passing glances at him, that should be enough.
But she misses the sound of his voice. So she lowers the barrier once more as all the doctors leave the room. The cameras are on so they aren't really alone. Daisy stands, ignores the rush of blood to her head. Shakes off the dizziness and steps to the end of his bed. He keeps his eyes closed but she knows he's awake. He's too paranoid to let himself slip. ''Grant''. Nothing. ''Fine, you want to play the quiet game? Okay. I talk you listen, sound good?'' No response. She sets her hands on the sheets, takes a deep breath. Buries the emotions that are threatening to pour out all over the floor.
''I never thought I'd see you again. You, like this. Yourself. You'd been dead to me this entire time and all of a sudden you come back to me with an alien parasite inside of you, how crazy is that?'' Grant never did find her attempt at humor to mask her pain amusing. ''I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through right now, but I just want you to know that I'm here. My shoulder is free if you want to talk''. No change. She continues on. ''I want you to know that no one blames you for what happened, none of this is your fault Grant''.
''You don't need to blame yourself or hate yourself for all of the things that creature did. It wasn't you, it just used your body''. Ward doesn't say or do anything. And she'd believe he was asleep if she didn't know him so well. ''Look I know you're not asleep but you could at least have the decency to crack an eye open for me or something. Do you have any idea how hard it's been for me? I loved you and you died''. If she's being selfish Daisy doesn't care. She just needs to hear his voice. He doesn't grace her with what she wants.
Daisy squeezes her eyes shut, and with a huff sits back down. The pain pills are starting to take effect. Just as she's drifting off into a dream filled haze, she hears Ward. And her heart aches. ''Leave Skye. I don't want you here''. She's out before she can respond. Her dreams are filled with fire and hands hot around her throat.