Girls Become Lovers Who Turn Into Mothers
"I, I what?" Daisy can't breathe. She, there's no possible way she could be pregnant. She's in shock. Jiayang takes her hands, "sweetheart you're pregnant. Ana says about six weeks". Six? She's been pregnant for six weeks and didn't know? Oh god she drank so much last week. "That, that's not that can't be right. You're, this is is crazy". Daisy isn't ready to have a baby, not here not now. Not when she's on the verge of finishing this, she can't just take herself away from this. "Daisy"- Fight or flight kicks in and she rips herself away from her mother. "How do you know? This isn't true, I can't". "We ran some tests, took your blood. Daisy you are definitely pregnant". "No I can't do this". Lincoln tries to stop her as she rushes out of the room but he doesn't succeed.
It's all a blur as she runs back to her room, slams the doors shut. Oh god. Daisy paces for a while, throws up in the sink, cries on the bathroom floor. Tries to rationalize the situation but can't. Nothing make sense she can't do this she can't be a mother she has a horrible example of one she's not ready for this. When this mission was over and done with that's when she was supposed to have kids, but not right in the middle of it. Her hands are shaking when she thinks of how much she needs Grant right now. She can't do this without him, she never should have left. The absence of him hits her hard, makes her chest tighten.
He's supposed to be there when she finds out she's carrying his child, he's supposed to be waiting outside the bathroom while she takes a test, they're supposed to wait together. Nervous and excited, and when the test is positive she's supposed to cry in his arms and he'll hold her and cry himself. He'd be her rock like he always is, telling her no matter what everything is going to be okay. That she's safe that she doesn't have to worry about anything. She's an idiot. Leaving the Playground was such a stupid decision. She needs to go back, she needs to go back right now. Daisy closes her eyes, relaxes her bones, she needs to calm herself. It doesn't work. She starts to panic, has to sit on the bed and put her head between her knees. Over the next two hours she takes a cold shower, vomits twice, and ends up laying in the soft bed staring at the ceiling. Daisy against her will starts to drift, a knock on the door startles her awake.
Jiayang lets herself in, quietly sits on the bed next to her daughter. Runs her hands softly through her hair. "Do you want to talk?" No. She wants Ward, she only wants to talk to him. "You know when I found out I was pregnant with you, it was the happiest day of my life. Cal was so excited, he"- "I can't talk about this". Jiayang studies her face, puts her hand on Daisy's. "Sweetheart this is a happy event, why don't you look happy?" Because Daisy doesn't want any of this right now, all she wants is her boyfriend and their warm house away from the world. "It's a lot to process, I didn't think I'd be having a baby". "You never do. They're the greatest gift in the world". Coming from the woman who tried to kill her greatest gift, twice. "You want Ward don't you? Of course, he's the father". Daisy nods, wipes her eyes.
"Well lucky for you I scheduled a meeting with Coulson next week he contacted us through the plane you and Lincoln arrived in. He's very worried about you". "A meeting about what?" Jiayang trails her fingers across Daisy's forehead. "My plans, what you're doing here. Does Coulson not understand that you came here of your own free will?" "I guess not". "Daisy it's going to be alright, I'm here for you". Jiayang hugs her and it's everything and nothing Daisy wants. "I can't do this mom". Daisy confides in her after a while, the sun has set, the ocean is dim background noise. "Oh honey yes you can. And you won't be alone, I'm here. I'll always be here". It doesn't escape Daisy that her mother didn't include Ward. As she's falling asleep, she dreams of a little boy with dark hair and amber eyes.
Daisy spends half of the next morning with her head in the toilet, Jiayang hasn't left her side all night. "Do you need anything? Water?" "I'm fine. I'm just going to go for a walk". Before Jiayang can say a word she slips out the door. Daisy needs to clear her head, think all of this over. She finds herself in a corner of the beach, legs in the water, head leaned back.
Okay. She's pregnant. She and Ward created a life out of love and she's happy about it. She can admit that now. She's scared, terrified actually, but once she tells Grant she'll be better. She'll be okay. Daisy is strong on her own, but with Ward they are a force to reckoned with. Another problem, her and Ward are both Inhuman, what does that mean for their child? Would he be Inhuman too? How does that work? Maybe Ana or Jiayang will know, she makes a note to ask about it later.
Should she continue with this mission? Daisy is starting to believe in her mother, put her judgements aside. She's been nothing but helpful since Daisy got here. This could be dangerous, Jiayang is out for blood once again, how terrible of a mother would Daisy be if she didn't step down? Ward was right, they should have gone home. Daisy slides her hand down over her belly. There's a tiny person is there. Then she's gasping and crying. Her and Grant made a tiny little baby. Daisy can't really put into words what she's feeling.
All she knows is that she is completely and totally in love. She will love this baby no matter what, and protect him or her when the world is falling down. Nothing or no one is going to get in the way of that. Don't worry baby, mommy's got you. She's a mother. Daisy vows that she will be better in every single way than Jiayang ever was.
Daisy wanders back to her room, ignoring the looks she's getting while doing so. ''Daisy''. Lincoln catches up with her, a forced smile on his face. ''Hey''. ''Hey''. ''How are you holding up?'' ''I'm fine, totally fine''. ''Jiayang tell you about the meeting next week?'' ''Yeah, how are you going to handle that by the way? Coulson doesn't exactly take being screwed over well''. ''He forgave you for everything''. ''Don't use me as an example''. ''You want me to use Ward? Daisy I know you love him but he's done some pretty messed up things''. ''So have I and so have you''. ''True but I''- ''Lincoln you're my friend, but if you want to say horrible things about Grant, do it somewhere else''.
Lincoln stays mute untl they reach her room. ''How are you feeling? Do you need anything?'' They enter the room, Jiayang and Ana are waiting on her bed. ''I'm fine Lincoln thanks''. Jiayang stands, asks Lincoln to please leave. He glances at Daisy before exiting. ''Are you alright?'' ''Yeah, I just needed to clear my head''. ''I asked Ana to come, I hope you don't mind. I'm sure you have a million questions''. ''Just about''. Ana and Jiayang stand over he while she sits, her hands are like ice. ''How can I be pregnant for six weeks and not know?'' Ana then proceeds to tell her that every woman is different. Sometimes you have symptoms and sometimes you just don't.
''I drank a lot last week, are you sure the baby is okay?'' ''The baby is fine''. ''I'm Inhuman and so is Ward, what does that mean for our child?'' Ana and Jiayang look at each other. ''We're not sure, only time will tell. My guess? He or she has a very strong possibility of being Inhuman as well''. Silently Daisy sends down a small apology to him or her, she doesn't want her kid to have to go through what her and Ward did. No one deserves that. ''We can do a sonagram again, if you like. You were unconscious yesterday when we did one''. ''No, no Ward is going to be there when I do it''.
Daisy doesn't miss the expression that crosses over her mother's face, it makes Daisy straighten her spine, put a protective hand on her belly. If she thinks Grant is not going to be apart of this, Jiayang has another thing coming. After an hour of pounding Ana with questions Daisy is exhausted, takes a long nap. Jiayang never leaves the room, sits at the table with a glass of water in her hand.
*
''Can I take this off now?'' ''No''. ''Grant under different circumstances I wouldn't mind the blindfold, but something tells me we're not going back to our hotel room already''. Ward chuckles, Daisy feels the car make short sharp turns. ''Where are we going?'' ''You can ask me a hundred more time and I'm still not telling you''. She sighs, ''you can't see my eyes under this thing, but just know I'm rolling them at you''. ''Noted''. They left Mexico a few days ago, for some reason Grant chose Tennessee for their next spot. She's not complaining, from what she's seen it's beautiful here.
She starts tapping her leg restlessly because it gets on his nerves, but he doesn't budge. Daisy hates not knowing, it's driving her crazy and Ward knows it. With a slow smile she tries a differrent tactic, since flat out asking him just isn't working. She unbuckles her seatbelt, ''what are you doing?'' Ignores her boyfriend, instead hitching her legs to straddle his hips. ''Skye I'm driving''. For being blind, she made this move pretty easily.
She drags her lips over whatever exposed skin she can find, feels his body tense. ''Skye''. Her nails reach his stomach and he jumps. It's adorable, this effect she has on him. He tells her to stop when her fingers pop the button open on his jeans. ''We're about to be there, you can stop trying to seduce the information out of me''. Daisy laughs and finds his lips. ''Blame the blindfold babe, it got me in the mood''. She doesn't have to look at him to know he's rolling his eyes.
He doesn't move her from his lap the rest of the drive, which is about thirty minutes. The car comes to a stop, he ignores her protests and picks her up, not putting her down when they leave the car. Ward takes off her blindfold. it takes her eyes a minute to adjust. They are in the middle of a field, a house in front of them. It's beautiful, not too big, not too small. Stone, brown shutters over the windows, a red front door. ''You never mentioned a safe house in Tennessee''. ''That's because it's not a safe house''. He sets her down, lets her absorb it all.
''Grant Ward, did you buy a house for us?'' She turns away from it, a huge smile on her face. He actually blushes, red cheeks and all and she melts. Throws herself at him, wraps her arms around his waist. ''Yeah I did''. He rubs the back of his neck. ''Do you, do you like it? I can get something else if you''- She kisses him deeply, her hands in his hair. ''I love it so much''. She takes his hand and skips up the front door. It reminds him of the girl he met so long ago on the Bus, she's slowly coming back in pieces.
Without warning he picks her up after unlocking the door, carrying her bridal style into the house. She doesn't question it, just kisses his cheek when he looks down at her. The living room is fully furnished, in fact upon further investigation the whole place is. Kitchen fully stocked. huge bed in the master bedroom, it's everything Daisy has ever wanted. ''We have close to three hundred acres to ourselves by the way''. He tells her as she's walking around.
''Couldn't just settle for one white picket fence could you babe?'' She winks at him and walks out the back door. ''It's really pretty out here in the winter''. Daisy stops in the trees a few minutes later. ''Why did you buy a house Ward? Not that I don't love it, because I do. But what if we decide a year from now to move somewhere else? Or it gets blown up? Because that could happen to us''. His expression is so soft when he takes her face in his hands. ''Because I love you. Skye, this is the house I want to grow old with you in''.
Daisy has never been happier in her entire life. This is the moment that she decides Shield doesn't matter, that everything before is all in the past. This is her and Grant's future, they fought long and hard to get here, and she wouldn't give it up for anyone. ''I love you too''. And she kisses him under the sun, thinking it doesn't get any better than this.
*
Daisy wakes to the sound of hushed voices. ''Jiayang you know how I feel about Ward, I really don't want to diiscuss him''. ''Linclon I've only heard a few stories, Daisy won't tell me anything about him''. ''She's protecting him''. ''Is he truly as dangerous as I've heard?'' ''Yeah''. ''Is Daisy safe with him?'' There's bitterness in Lincoln's voice when he responds, ''Daisy is the only thing in the world that he wants. She's safe''. ''Good''.
''Jiayang I have to ask, what are you going to do with Daisy? I mean she's pregnant, can't be a lot of use out in the field''. ''You know Lincoln when I first saw the way you looked at my daughter, I thought she would return those feelings. But clearly she doesn't, why do you still care so much about her?'' There's a long sigh. ''I don't know''. ''The game has changed, now that I have a grand child on the way my plans for Shield are fading''. ''The others won't like that very much''. ''They'll have no choice''.
And despite everything, despite all of the bad blood between Daisy and her mother, she believes her. Ward was wrong in the end, hope can actually be a very good thing.