When You're In the Half Light I Don't Like the Half I See
Daisy doesn't expect Lash's location to be an old Shield facility, in fact it strikes her odd. Half of her thinks it might be chance, but something bad is settling in her stomach. ''I don't like this either''. Ward tells her, coming to stand at her elbow as she's staring at the video monitor. ''This could be a trap for you''. He shakes his head, ''Coulson is too filled with guilt to try anything. He hates himself''. ''Good''. ''Tremors you locked and loaded?'' ''You got it, how long until we land?'' Mack glances at his watch. ''Half hour, feel like training?'' She smiles, ''training where I knock you on you butt? Hell yeah''. Ward Lincoln and Kebo follow the pair down to the cargo bay.
Both Ward and Daisy remember similiar times in a very different cargo bay, under very different circumstances. It makes her chest hurt and his eyes burn. All that time ago back when things were simpler. When he was just her SO, not a Hydra traitor and she was his rookie, not an Inhuman trying to save the world. He watches her form, still favoring her left. ''Did you ever listen to me when I was training you?'' He asks her and doesn't understand the haunted expression that passes over her face. ''You're still favoring your left Skye''. She blanches and Kebo steps up, knowing everything that Ward doesn't.
Kebo puts a hand on the back of her neck, leads her away from Mack who is groaning on the floor. ''It's alright Quake, it's over now, that part of your life is done with''. Why did Ward have to say that? It took her back to when she thought he was rotting away and the ghost of him was haunting her until she went mad. He's alive Daisy he's okay he's okay he's okay he's okay. She can feel panic creeping inside and her lungs hurt and oh god what if this was a dream her chest is on fire breathe Daisy breathe breathe breathe he's right in front of you. Stop. Gasp. Puts her head in her hands locks it down down down way down like May taught her.
''It's alright you're safe, he's okay. You're okay Quake, it's all over all of it is over''. Kebo hugs her tightly to him, runs his hands through her hair. ''Skye?'' He can see when she tenses up, her spine rigid. ''Give her a minute Sir''. Lincoln is at her side, protectively watching over her, Mack doing the same over Kebo's shoulder. Ward watches them with sad eyes. This is what his absence has created. He thought she was okay, that the anxiety attacks Kebo told him about were all but gone now that he's alive. Another reason for Ward to feel horrible about this entire situation.
It only takes a few moments for her to gather herself, then she's telling Mack to go again. He hesitates but complies after a few jabs of being called a chicken. Daisy is on her game like nothing happened, but Ward notices the concerned looks all over the other men in the room. After May tells them they are about to land and everyone is gearing up, Ward approaches her, reaching out to hand her her gun as her fingers search for it. ''Thanks''. She doesn't look up at him. ''Are you okay?'' ''Fine''. She waves him off. ''Does that happen a lot?'' ''No''. ''Are we back to one word answers again? Thought that was my thing''. The smile she gives him is not sweet at all. ''Look I'm fine, I can handle this mission. Just forget about it''.
''I can't''. ''Well then that's not my fault''. 'Skye''. She gives him a frustrated sound. ''Why is it that you want to have a serious conversation before a mission? Can't this wait?'' ''Sure. After the mission is through we'll talk. Maybe get that drink''. Her face falls and he almost regrets his words until her look grows soft. ''Maybe''. Coulson comes down the steps and Shield flocks to him. ''You know the drill, find Lash take him out. We'll have Hydra on our side for once so let's hope they don't screw it up''. ''They won't Phil''. ''Doubt it Ward, but okay. Let's make this clean and quick people, I have a meeting that desperately needs my attention''.
They land quietly, taking positions around the building with careful calculated slowness. Ward tells his men where to go, Daisy moves first, Ward and Mack flanking her. The old building is easy to navigate through, Daisy goes up the first floor and takes into count that all the lights are on. Comms are hot so Daisy doesn't miss when May says, ''Andrew.'' Her and Ward freeze as one. ''Melinda what's going on? I'm in the middle of a session''. ''Not anymore''. Daisy and Mack share a look before heading in the direction May went. When they enter the room they run into Joey. ''Boss what are you doing here? Torch, good to see you! Glad you aren't dead''.
To say she's confused would be an understatement. ''Wait Joey what's going on? Why are you and Dr. Garner here?'' ''We were in a session Boss''. Coulson and everyone else are exchanging long confused glances. ''Joey we got word that Lash was here, in this building''. Joey shrugs, ''haven't seen him yet Sir''. Daisy puts away her gun, relaxes. ''Was this some kind of set up? God Coulson what are you doing?'' ''I didn't do anything Daisy, Mack call Fitz, ask if he gave us the right location''. ''Yes Sir''. Ward doesn't realx his stance, he has a bad feeling that something is about to happen, he never trusted Dr. Garner in the first place, he moves closer to Daisy.
They can hear May and Andrew talking on the other side. No one makes a sound. ''What's all this about? What are you doing here?'' ''We need to talk, once we're alone''. It's clear she wants them to leave, but no one moves. Does May know something none of them do? Ward thinks she does, and he doesn't like it. ''Melinda talk to me, what's all this about?'' ''I need to know for myself, before anyone else gets involved''. ''To late for that May!'' Ward yells, Daisy elbows him in the kidney. ''Mind your own damn business Ward! Coulson I need everyone out now!''
The Director of Shield puts a finger to his lips but doesn't budge. ''Know what?'' ''I saw your flight logs I tracked your movements you were within thirty miles of at least five Inhuman deaths''. ''Why are you looking at my flight logs?'' ''I pulled your medical files too. Your blood work was deleted''. ''Maybe Simmons accidently''- ''You thought you covered your tracks but you didn't''. ''Melinda honestly what are you getting at?'' ''I know what you did''. ''What I did?-'' ''What happened to you? You can tell me'' . ''Melinda''- ''Don't lie to me''. ''You don't want to know''. ''All the evidence says your a monster''. ''Melinda don't''- ''How could this even happen?''
''Melinda stop''. ''Andrew please! Please!'' ''Stop!'' Quick as lightning before anyone else can react, Ward crashes into the room, tackles May just as the blast from Andrew's ICER is released. Grant open fires, and what happenes next shocks Daisy to her bones. Dr. Garner, a man she trusts with all of her deepest secrets, rips out of his skin before her eyes. And Lash is standing in front of them all. Hydra agents and Shield all swarm the room. The power goes out and Lincoln strikes, his pint up anger driving him. ''Lincoln don't hurt him, please!''
''This monster killed my friends, he's going to pay''. The fight is brutal, a few Hydra agents lose thier lives. Lash is currently throwing Lincoln against a wall, where he is slowly starting to fade in and out. ''Lincoln!'' Daisy calls on her own powers, manages to get Lash away from him. Lincoln rises, grabs a discarded beam from the floor and strikes the beast with it. ''That tickled''. Andrew says and pulls the beam from the Inhuman's hands. Right before he's about to hit Lincoln with it, he dives to the floor, right behind Daisy. She doesn't have time to even register the fact that he basically just used her as a human Shield, before the beam is slamming into her body.
''Skye!'' Lash bursts into flames. ''Ward don't hurt him! Stop!'' Grant ignores May, heads straight for Daisy. Lash for the time being has run away from them, May and Coulson have folllowed his trail. There's posion in Ward's finger tips, so much rage that he hasn't felt since he touched the Berserker Staff so many moons ago, as he lifts Lincoln from the floor and throws him against the wall. Putting a fairly large hole in the dry wall. He can't see straight or feel anything but rage so red it burns and burns and he's going to turn this place up in flames. ''You cowardly son of a bitch''. Ward punches Lincoln in the face, manages to get a few in until he's knocked away.
''Ward stop it! Lash is our main focus right now!'' Kebo helps Daisy up who winces and drags her breath through her teeth. ''Daisy I am so''- ''You say one more word and I will break your neck''. They follow the path Coulson and May went down, can hear the sounds of a fight breaking out. ''Andrew we're friends. Or maybe just acquaintances''. Coulson has taken it upon himself to stop Lash. Ice runs down Daisy's spine when she sees Mack on the ground. Hydra agents put bullets into Lash, distracting him. They are quickly disposed of, and Lash turns his attention to Lincoln who has just joined the party.
''Mack you okay?'' Daisy puts her hands on his face, could cry with relief when she hears him breathing. She looks up and sees May jump in front of Lincoln who has been thrown to the ground again. ''Andrew stop!'' ''Move''. ''Listen to him May, let him kill Lincoln I won't lose any sleep over it''. Ward calls, he's curled around Daisy, gun at the ready. May ignores him. ''Go on. Might as well. I've thought about my death enough times, the different ways that I could go. I just never thought it'd be you. I never knew why you married me. I was never as kind and empathetic as you, it's why it was so easy for me to walk away''.
Daisy doesn't think she's ever seen this side to May before. Andrew comes back to them in a tangle of sweaty limbs, his eyes sad and fragile. ''Why I gave up on you, I lost something when I left you. I won't do it again, but you have to stop this''. ''Melinda''. To Daisy's surprise May empties her gun into his chest. Even more of a surprise she had a containment module waiting for him to fall into. ''How'd you know that wouldn't kill him?'' Coulson asks, putting a hand on her back. Daisy is full of sympathy for May when she responds, ''I didn't''.
''You knew''. Lincoln growls at May, heaving himself off the floor. ''I knew''. ''And you didn't say anything? You let him walk around for who knows how long killing my friends and you didn't say a word?'' Coulson steps in front of May, grimaces at all the blood running down the other man's face. ''You need to back off Lincoln''. ''Think I can help you with that Phil''. When Lincoln turns to face Grant, he's met with his fist, and the floor knocking him out cold. ''Nice punch''. Ward shrugs, ''practice''.
Daisy rolls her eyes at Ward and approaches May carefully. ''If we hold him in that cell, we might be able to get him to control himself''. May raises an eyebrow. ''You want to help him?'' ''He helped me when I thought I was going to die from losing Ward. What kind of person would I be if I didn't return the favor? Dr. Garner in some twisted way thought he was doing the right thing, I can relate to that and so can someone else''. They turn to look at Ward who is watching them quietly. ''What would you do?'' May asks her, the kind of desperation Daisy is all too familiar with. ''I'd do whatever it takes to save him''.
It's over. Lash, the Inhuman killings is all over. ''Andrew is Lash''. Daisy says out loud as she and everyone else are walking into Coulson's plane. Ward and Kebo turn to look at her, Mack drags Lincoln's unconscious body past them and tosses him into an empty seat. ''Dr. Garner is Lash. Sure as hell didn't see that coming''. Ward walks up to her, hands drifiting down her side. ''Are you okay?'' It's the first time he's touched her in months, in his own skin with his own hands. Fire fills her, so much so that she forgets the problem at hand and just focuses on the color of his eyes. ''I'm fine Ward. Drop it''. Lincoln starts to rustle awake, Daisy rushes to his side.
''Hey, are you alright?'' ''Daisy I am so sorry''. There's a gun in his face before he can blink. ''If I were you I'd shut your mouth''. Ward growls, attempting to pull Daisy away but she shoves his arm back. ''Would you realx? It's fine everything is fine. Chill out Grant''. She puts her hands on Lincoln's face. ''He punched you pretty hard''. ''Where's Lash?'' ''Andrew is being taken care of, we don't have to worry about him anymore''. ''He's not dead''. ''No he's not''. ''Why?'' Daisy sighs. ''Because it's Dr. Garner and he needs help, May loves him, we can't just kill him''. ''Watch me''. Ward slams him back in his chair, entirely too rough. ''Knock it off Ward!''
He's like a ticking time bomb. Bad things happen all at once and he explodes, loses it. Daisy being hurt and everything else in the past comes up like a river and he's had enough. He slams Lincoln back against the chair before turning on Daisy. "What the hell do you want from me Skye?" "I want you to stop acting like an animal!" She yells back, standing up like the wound in her side doesn't protest. "He almost got you killed and you don't expect me to react to that?" "What happened was not his fault Grant!" "You're blinded because you're screwing him!" She falters. "You know Coulson used to say the same thing about you". "Why don't we just calm down okay? Ward lay off". Kebo gets in between them, makes the mistake of putting his hand on Ward's chest.
Ward grabs him by the shirt and pummels him to the ground. "Grant stop it!" Daisy flicks her wrist and he's across the plane in a second, not that it matters because he's in her face again, fuming. "What the hell has gotten into you? I've been hurt before!" She yells at him, bending down to check on Kebo. "What's gotten into me is that you acted like a rookie back there, made stupid mistakes that almost compromised my mission because your boyfriend can't defend himself. It stops now. Either he leaves or you both do, Lash is taken care of there's no use for you two anymore". She shoves him. ''This is not just about the Lash thing and you know it, you're jealous!''
''I'm not jealous! If you want to risk your life over Spark Plug go ahead, it just won't be around me". Daisy crosses her arms and gets off the floor. "So make me. Go ahead Grant, make me leave. Kick my ass off this plane". It's the only card she's got and she's rolling with it. "You've got no authority here, the only reason you're still around is because of me. Coulson, Shield, Lincoln would have killed you by now if I didn't stop them. It was my mission and you answer to me. Not the other way around. So why don't you take a step back before I tell Coulson to finish what he started on that planet?"
Her words are cruel but effective, she knows all the right buttons to press. "You're right the mission is over with, we're not needed here anymore. When the plane lands I'm gone". This makes him freeze, realize his words. His greatest fear has always been losing her and that is why he reacted so badly tonight. He was afraid and pissed that he couldn't protect her, and if he's being honest, that she was injured because of Lincoln. They were doing so well and he had to ruin it. But he's a master at that. He storms off, up the stairs and out of sight. Daisy takes a moment to compose herself. She said she'd never leave him, and what is she doing now?
Emotions were running high. That's it. That's what she's going to blame it on. The high of the mission, the shock about Lash's idenity. ''I'm gonna go handle that disaster''. Kebo tells her, adjusting his shirt and walking up the stairs. What the hell just happened? Daisy fears she has shattered whatever truce her and Grant drew up. She prays to every god she's ever known that that isn't the case. That her and Ward won't give up, won't end like this. She'll break if he leaves her or she leaves him. Daisy hopes he didn't believe her words, because she's regretting them.