Mothers Be Good to Your Daughters
The next morning after a hot shower and two cups of coffee, Daisy finds herself downstairs in the hotel lobby next to Ward in a corner table. ''So any theories on how a person can just come back from the dead?'' Mack asks them, shoveling eggs into his mouth. ''No idea. It just doesn't make sense, I saw her die, I saw Cal kill her. She had no pulse, nothing. I don't understand''. ''Instead of figuring out how she's back, let's figure out why. Skye you said last time she tried to take down Shield. You think she wants to do it again?'' ''I don't see the point, they're not hurting her''.
Ever since Daisy woke she's been on her phone searching for Jiaying, any sign life or movement. There's a slim chance she's in one of the houses nearby where Albert saw her, but it's a shot. ''Maybe she's trying to find you''. The thought had occured to her, but she dismissed it. ''My mom isn't trying to find me, she had a reason, a purpose for me the first time we met. Now I'm no use to her''. ''You're her daughter''. ''That doesn't apply here, she tried to kill me''. Ward puts his hand on her knee. ''Coulson really didn't have any information on her?'' ''Nope sorry D, just the picture''. She sighs and drains her third cup of coffee.
''You need anything?'' Ward asks her when he gets up, she shakes her head and he kisses her brow. Mack waits until he's out of ear shot before he says, ''I'm worried about you D''. ''Why? I'm fine, once we find my mom I'll be fine''. ''It's not that. I thought you were done drinking''. She finishes her waffle before responding. ''I am''. He raises an eyebrow. ''If this is about last night I''- ''Look I understood why you did it when you thought Ward was dead. I didn't approve but I understood. I think you might have a problem''. ''I appreciate the concern Mack I do, but honestly I've rarely touched alcohol in the past year. Can you blame me for last night though? Cal remembered who I was and I didn't even know, my mom is alive and didn't tell me. How would you react?''
''You promise you're okay?'' She gives him a smile, ''I promise. Besides Kebo told Ward everything that happened while he was gone, so every time I even touch whiskey Grant freaks out''. ''He seemed fine last night''. ''He wasn't this morning''. When she woke with a massive headache and the taste of vomit in her mouth, Ward was standing by the bathroom, shirtless and glaring at her. It wasn't a great way to start the day. Well, at least he was half naked when he scolded her. Grant comes back with a glass of orange juice and a muffin, he disposes of them on the table and sits down. Her and Mack are talking about Joey when Ward leans over, mouth by her ear.
Daisy automatically leans into his touch, he puts one hand on the back of her neck to move her closer. ''We have company, about to come through the door. Pull my car around and pick us up in exactly three minutes''. He stands them up and kisses her hard, it's a play, can't let the other team know they're onto them. Daisy goes along with the public display of affection, slips both hands in the back pockets of his jeans. She announces subtly but loudly that she'll see him back in the room when he's done with his coffee. Without looking back she passes the lobby doors, makes it to the elevator, when the strike team comes crashing into the hotel.
She runs down the hall to the room, packs everything in a rush, cleans the room of their stay and is out the window with thirty seconds to spare. Ten seconds until Ward comes out she has his car, which is a new Mustang that she is completely in love with, pulled around to the side of the building. The sound of gunfire dies down and Mack is sprinting to the car, Grant behind him. They are speeding off the road when the men come filing out the hotel doors, their bullets hitting nothing but pavement. Mack is in the back seat, she sees him put a knife in his pocket.
''I slashed their tires, they won't catch us''. If she could high five him right now, she would. ''Any idea who those guys were?'' She asks Ward. ''They weren't Shield or Hydra''. ''How do you know they weren't Hydra?'' ''Mack they aren't stupid enough to try and kill me''. True. ''So if it wasn't Hydra or Shield why were they trying to kill us?'' Ward tells her to pull onto the highway before answering. ''My guess? Maybe Jiaying got word you were looking for her, maybe she doesn't want to be found''. ''How did you come up with that?'' ''Think about it, we haven't been in the field for a year. We come back and are looking for someone who probably wants everyone to think she's still dead. And all of a sudden a strike team open fires at the hotel we're staying at?''
''That's a little extreme, but it makes sense. You think she knew Daisy was with us?'' ''Yeah I do''. Ward places his hand over hers that's in her lap, easing her anxiety. ''So what's the plan now?'' ''Keep moving''. ''We can't leave this area, she's obviously close by to know which hotel we were at, if that's the theory we're going with''. ''That team isn't leaving any time soon Skye, unless you have a safe house here then we don't have a choice''. She grins at him before exiting the highway. ''What are you doing?'' ''I don't have a house here, but Lincoln does''.
That's how the trio finds themselves at the house Lincoln probably hasn't used in a year. Ward picks the lock and they dash inside. Being the over paranoid man that he is, he has to check every crack and hole in the entire house. Daisy makes a bee line for the couch, throwing clothes and other items onto the floor. His home hasn't changed at all, it's like he just left. ''Didn't know Lincoln had a house''. ''He used it right after the attack on the Afterlife''. ''You ever found out who did that?'' ''Still working on it''. Ward sits next to her on the couch and pulls out his phone.
''Ward how did you know there was a team coming?'' Mack asks as he takes a seat on the floor. ''They had someone on the inside watching us''. ''Who?'' ''Woman in the corner by the door, red glasses. She kept staring at Skye, I got suspicious and looked around. Didn't take long to find out''. Daisy tries not the think about the very high possibility that her mom sent out people to kill her, like actual trained professionals with automatic weapons. It's a step up from maniuplating Inhumans to do her dirty work.
''So how long are we hiding out here?'' ''Give it a few hours, we should be safe here. It's far enough away from the hotel, they shouldn't look here''. ''Good''. Daisy doesn't remember falling asleep, but suddenly she's trapped in a nightmare that she hasn't had in such a long time.
*
Jiaying is standing in front of her, a smile on her beautiful face. ''I'm so proud of you Daisy, you're everything I hoped you would be''. Daisy is smiling back at her, pulls her into a hug. ''I love you mom''. Jiaying puts her hands on Daisy's face, ''I love you too''. And then she starts cracking her skin. Daisy can't fight back, her powers are gone, she's that small girl in Ian Quinn's basement again. No chance of survival.
Cal will come any moment now and remove the woman from his daughter, ending the life of the only woman he's ever loved. But he doesn't. Instead it's Ward, in his leather jacket and flaming hands. ''Let her go''. Jiaying doesn't obey him and she pays for it. In a flash her skin is on fire and the screams make Daisy's ears bleed. ''Grant! Grant she's my mom stop!'' The fire is gone in an instant, Jiaying is laying on the ground, in agony. Daisy kneels down next to her, sobbing. ''I'm so sorry''.
''This is your fault''. And for a reason unknown to both dream and real life Daisy, she pulls out her gun and murders her mother. While Ward is standing there, no expression on his bloody face.
*
She wakes with a gasp in Ward's arms. ''Skye?'' The room is hot and she's sweating, her stomach rolls. She makes it to the sink before emptying out the contents of her stomach, Ward is there holding her hair. ''I told you not to drink''. Mack comments when she's back in the living room and on the couch. She tells him to shut up, runs her hands over her face. ''Want to talk about it?'' She tells Ward no, and lays her head on his shoulder. ''How long was I asleep?'' ''An hour''. ''Do you want to sleep?'' ''No I'm fine''. ''In that case I think I'll take a walk''.
Ward is looking at her like she's just told him she saw Bigfoot down town. ''People are trying to kill us and you want to take a walk?'' She knows it's stupid and reckless but after that dream she needs to clear her head, stretch her legs, and she hates herself for it, but it's hard to look at her boyfriend right now. ''I don't need to tell you how stupid that is''. ''Grant I'm doing it''. ''I'm going with you then''. ''I want to go alone''. ''That's not happening, it's too dangerous''.
''Ward I'm not a puppy, I can take care of myself if something happens''. ''You were kidnapped last year, I'm not taking a risk like that again''. ''I'll go with her''. Mack says from his place on the floor. Ward is glaring at her, ''I'll be back in an hour''. She ignores his sigh, Mack follows her out the door. ''You know he's probably going to follow us right?'' ''I know''. ''Daisy he's right, this is pretty stupid''. ''I'm aware of that, but I think we're pretty safe. He's just being dramatic''. She's still surveying the area every few seconds though, Mack doing the same.
''I had a nightmare''. She tells him, ''what about?'' ''I haven't had it in a long time, I dream about the day Jiaying died. And Cal always comes to save my life, but this time, this time it was Ward. And he pulled her away from me, but''. She takes a deep breath. ''But I kill her. I shoot her''. ''It was a dream D''. ''But what if that's what really happens Mack? What if I have to kill her?'' ''Then you do what you have to to stay alive''. ''She's my mom''. ''Cal knew that, but he still saved you''. She winces, ''sorry that was harsh''. ''You're right''.
After a few minutes Daisy has the sense that someone is following her. Can feel the vibrations of another person sticking close, but not close enough to raise alarm. It might be Ward, but she knows his heartbeat better than her own. This one is foreign to her. Crap. Now she's never going to hear the end of how right Ward was. ''We have a tail''. She tells Mack, who pulls out his gun. ''Ward?'' ''Nope''. Though she has no doubt he is more than likely close by.
Daisy and Mack turn down an alley, if the peson following them is inexperienced, they will too. Lucky for everyone in involved, he or she is. When Daisy turns around after giving Mack the signal, she freezes. Gun halfway raised, sarcastic remark stuck in her throat. ''Hello Daisy''.
These past few days have been filled with doubt, doubt that she really is alive. That Shield tricked her or someone tricked them as a cruel joke. This most definitely is not a joke. Jiaying is standing at the mouth of the alley, that same easy calm she's always had. Hands behind her back, a smooth smile on her still scarred face. ''Mom?'' ''It's me''. How does she react to something like this? It's one thing to lose Cal, at least he's still alive. But this? She literally saw the life drain out of her eyes.
Her reaction to Ward being alive was out of love, her insane relief that the man who made her complete was still in the world. But he never tried to kill her. What does she do? Jiaying decides for her, takes a step to her daughter, until a gun is at the back of her head. ''Don't take another step''. She knew Ward was following her.
Daisy can't form a thought. All she sees is the last time her and Jiaying were together, Daisy begging her not to kill her only daughter. She's alive. Her mom that she spent years looking for only to lose her, is here. Here with her. Everything and nothing all in one moment matters. The first thought that does pop in her head is Cal. She wants her Dad to be here. He'd know what to do. And if there are tears on her face, Daisy doesn't feel them.