I Know Places We Can Hide
Daisy watched the clock slowly tick by, each passing minute dragged on and on like this day would never end. Finally it was six o'clock on the dot and she sighed with relief, put her heels back on her feet and got up from the gray desk she'd been sitting in for eight hours. Whoever said office jobs were rewarding, was a terrible liar. ''See you tomorrow Daisy''. ''See you Susie''. Daisy walked through the office and down to the elevator, saying goodbye to her fellow workers that she'd been with for nine months. She still isn't sure how she's survived this long without an ICER or gun in her hands every time she leaves her house.
She leaves the building, heads to her SUV in the parking garage and leaves her job that she hates, just to turn around and do it all over in the morning. It's the american dream. Daisy now works for a small insurance company, managing the filing and making sure her boss's coffee is hot and has three sugars. It's no ideal, but for right now it's what she's got. She doesn't regret leaving Shield, it has done her some good. Almost a year out of the field and she doesn't ache for it like she thought she would. Daisy really thought she'd only be gone a few months, but life is treating her fairly well. She's happy, when was the last time she was honest to god happy?
Her house is an hour drive from the office, it's deeply hidden in the woods, tucked in between trees and mountains. It wasn't her idea to run to Tennessee but she has to admit it is beautiful here. She sighs and misses the early days of her vacation filled with sun and sand, the ocean in her hair. The back roads are a little tricky to get around unless you know exactly what you're looking for, you could get lost for miles, which is the way Daisy likes it. You can't find her house unless she wants you to. She puts the car in park beside the gravel drive way, shivers off the cold and makes a run to the front door. She's a California girl, the cold does not agree with her.
There's a fire going, it rolls into her as soon as she opens the door, and slams it closed. A huge shape nearly tackles her to the ground, she has to brace herself against the door so she doesn't topple over. ''Hey Buddy!'' The chocolate lab licks her face and gets off of her chest at the sound of a whistle. ''Thank god you're home I was getting bored''. ''Popeye I'm sure you can find some way to entertain youself all day, besides drinking all my beer''. Kebo winks at her and plops himself on the cheap leather couch beside the fire place. The house is cozy, nothing too flashy or personal in the wood floors or white walls. There is however a few pictures in the master bedroom and in the kitchen, much to someone's dismay.
Daisy turns left and enters the kitchen, Buddy jumping around already, trying to see what's cooking on the stove. ''How was your day?'' Leaning against the counter in a black Henley and dark jeans, Ward is staring at her like she's the sun whom he hasn't seen in days. It still leaves her a little breathless, if she's being honest. She doesn't deserved to be looked at like that. ''Slow. I missed you''. She takes off her coat and drapes it on the kitchen chair, walking into his open arms. Everything is alright here, it's warm and she's safe, curled into Grant's chest. Their relationship wasn't smooth when they first left Shield, for reasons they can't explain they fought for a good two months straight.
Which caused Daisy to call it quits again and leave, she went to New York and he traveled to Dubai. They didn't speak for weeks until Kebo got involved, because how could he not? He sat them down, yelled a lot until they made up. He stays with them every once a while, more often than not. ''How was your day?'' Without leaving his arms she leans down to pet Buddy, who is sitting at their feet. ''Quiet, nothing to worry about''. Daisy doesn't have to work, they have plenty of money to keep them above water for years, but she needs something to do. To keep her hands and mind busy or else she will go stir crazy. Ward and Kebo maintain security around the house and land, just like at Hydra, they are untouchable.
It's nice living like this, very domestic, a situation she never thought she'd see Grant Ward in. He's bullets and bombs, not dust rags and homemade dinners hot on the table when she gets home. It's still odd. She stretches on her toes to kiss him, he tastes like mint and coffee. ''I love you''. He lights up like always and it makes her smile and kiss him again. ''Love you too''. ''Are you two done in there? I'm starving''. ''Make your own dinner Popeye''. ''Can't, mom never taught me how''. He walks into the kitchen, rubs Buddy's head and takes a beer. Right as he goes to take a drink, the bottle shatters and alcohol runs all over him. ''Not funny!'' The look on Kebo's face has the two former Shield agents laughing and leaning against the counters.
It's late when Daisy and Ward go down the hall to their bedroom, Buddy at Ward's heels. ''Nothing from Shield?'' They make it a habit not to talk about Shield, only bring it up once or twice every few weeks. ''Quiet as a tomb''. Daisy gets into the shower first, she's brushing her hair when she returns to the room. Her hair is long now, like it was in the days Coulson was rebuilding Shield, when she met her parents, she likes it. Ward secretly loves it, gives him an excuse to run his hands farther down her back. She spends the next hour hacking into Shield and making sure each and every alarm on their property is sealed on nice and tight. ''All good?'' ''Yeah''. Grant slips in the thick quilt beside her and kisses her cheek. She loves going to sleep and waking up with him.
*
''You sure about this?'' ''Yes''. ''Positive?'' ''Yes''. ''You really want to go?'' Daisy cups his face in her hands. ''I wouldn't be telling you I was if I wasn't. All of this, I just need a break. Dr. Garner was my friend, he helped me when I thought you were dead, and then he just tortures me. Being an agent has been my life for so long, I want to see if I can live it without a gun or a target on my back. You don't have to join me if you don't want to''. Ward rolls his eyes. ''Where you go I go''. This earns him a very long kiss and Daisy's smile.
She leaves a note for everyone on the Team, Lincoln included. She asks Mack if he wanted to tag along, but he declines. That still stings. ''You're my partner D, but Shield needs me, especially if Coulson keeps running it the way he is''. She can't argue with that. The only letter she felt horrible about was Lincoln, he didn't deserve this. It wasn't fair to start something, lead him on and just end it all with a note and Ward beside her. But that's exactly what she does and he probably hates her for it.
*
She talks to Mack twice a week or so, mainly to catch up on any Inhuman news or gossip. Recently nothing to insane has happened, she thinks it's because Ward is here and not screwing with Coulson. She keeps her opinions to herself on that matter. When Daisy wakes Ward is already out of bed, five a.m. on the dot every time. She tried to break him out of it, but it didn't work. It has it's upsides though, hot coffee waiting for her, fresh newspaper on the table. It's eight when she's getting ready to leave for work, Kebo is still fast asleep on the couch, bottle of Sangria clinging to his fingers. Ward is outside shoveling snow off the driveway, her car is free of frost, the engine running. ''Morning''. He looks up and smiles. ''Morning baby''. Buddy comes sprinting out of the trees and greets her, tail wagging.
''Have I mentioned how much I'm loving this whole house husband thing you've got going on? You're spoiling me''. His eyes crinkle at the edges when he grins, she meets him in the snow and kisses him. Slips her cold fingers under his shirt to warm them, he's basically her own pesonal space heater now. ''I love it too''. He does, he's never felt so relaxed in all his years, not having a mission, not following orders or giving them. It was hard at first, but he rode it out and got a routine down. ''Have a good day at work''. He opens her door for her and shuts it. Her SUV is toasty warm. She blows him a kiss and backs out the smooth drive way.
She stops suddenly and leaps out of the car, door hanging open. ''What's wrong?'' Ward immediately reaches for his gun, eyes darting around the woods. ''Forgot something''. She bends down and scoops up snow, balling it into her fist. ''Skye what are you doing?'' She grins and runs back inside. After a few seconds Grant hears Kebo swearing loudly, screaming, while Daisy is on the ground laughing so hard she's crying. Ward rolls his eyes and makes a comment about her being a child. To which he finds himself airborne and then a face full of snow. He feels knees on his back and then Daisy's breath is warm in his ear. ''But you love me anway''. That he does.
Work is slow and boring like always, Daisy mostly spends the day texting Kebo inappropriate things and fetching her boss who smells like beef jerkey and coffee, energy drinks. ''Afternoon Daisy''. ''Hey Susie''. ''How was your night last night?'' ''It was good, and yours?'' Susie has long blonde curly hair and blue eyes, she's nice and very friendly. She's really the only one Daisy talks to here. Her desk is right in front of Daisy's, two computers is all that separates them. ''It was alright, Dave came back again last night''. Susie then dives into a thirty minute story about her ex-husband, it reminds her of Simmons, just a little bit.
When she gets home, Buddy greets her again, Ward is making dinner, Kebo is gone. Either drinking somewhere or he'll be back in a couple of weeks. ''Did you feed Buddy yet?'' ''Yes''. Daisy shrugs off her coat and wraps her arms around Ward from behind. If every single day ends with her coming home to him, she'd die a happy woman. Daisy once said she'd give Shield up for him. Maybe that time has come. Maybe they can finally have what they've been searching for for years. A home.