It's Been A Long Time Coming & This House Is Burning
''Daisy this isn't what we need to be doing. We need to find Lincoln and leave''. ''Mom I am not leaving Ward here, or anyone else for that matter. We have to find them''. Daisy and Jiayang are hiding beneath a few trees, there have been no signs of life for ten minutes. ''Besides Lincoln could be apart of this, we can't trust him''. ''Lincoln would never''- ''Mom I need you to understand this because I am only going to say it once. You can't trust anyone anymore, these people turned on you, they are not your friends and they will kill you''.
Jiayang hangs her head. ''I just don't understand why, we were doing so well. There isn't any reason they should hate you and Ward so much''. ''We were Hydra, people don't forget that''. May appears out of nowhere, one minute it's Daisy and her mom, and the next the Calvary is standing next to them. ''May? Thank god''. Daisy hugs her. ''Are you alright?'' ''I'm fine, where's Coulson? Have you seen Ward?'' May puts a hand on her arm. ''Daisy the Inhumans tried to kill us, this was a trap. They've taken Ward and Shield hostage''. Oh god.
''Grant? They took Ward hostage?'' ''Yes. But he has a plan, we've been working together''. This throws Daisy for a loop. ''You and Ward have been working together?'' May sighs, ''we don't have a lot of time but yes we have. When you disappeared we united with a common goal, you. Now since he's down it's up to me to get you out of here and I will. You need to get back on the plane and wait for us''. Daisy squares her shoulders, ''they took Ward. No one kidnaps my boyfriend and gets away with it''. ''Daisy''- ''I know I know no fighting, that's why you're here. You ready to find Shield and Ward?'' May smiles, brings up her gun. ''I'm ready to kick some ass''.
The two women turn to Jiayang who has been watching the exchange silently. ''Where would you take hostages? Is there an abandoned building somewhere, an underground prison?'' ''This is a small island sweetheart, we don't have any of those here''. ''What about caves? Any caves?'' At this Jiayang starts, ''there's one not too far from here, that's the only place I can think of''. ''How long until we find it?'' ''Thirty minutes at the most''. ''Alright, let's go''. Ward expressed his feelings to May on how he doesn't trust Jiayang, so she watches her with caution.
After a while May starts picking up on little things. Like the way Jiayang talks to Daisy, almost too sweet, like she's forcing herself to make pleasant conversation. And the obsessive chatter she starts about the baby. Daisy doesn't pay any mind to it, maybe she's hoping her mother will turn out to be the way she's always wanted. May isn't buying it. She also doesn't miss Jiayang's body language, too relaxed for someone who's people just turned against her, too calm and easy. Something is off here.
Jiayang stops, holds her hand up. ''It's right around this corner''. ''Okay May you and''- Daisy turns to look at her former SO, who is gone. Not too long after the sound of a fight breaks out, and quickly dies down. It happens three more times, an ICER is used, and then the island is quiet again. May appears, sweaty but otherwise unharmed. ''Let's go''. To say Jiayang is impressed when she sees her people who have been guarding the cave knocked out, would be an understatement.
The trio are crouching beside the cave wall, peeking through the entrance to get a better view. ''Daisy I don't know how deep the cave goes, but the others are coming now, they heard the fight. I'll take care of them while you and Jiayang find everyone. When you do Ward is going to get all of you back on that plane. He's plan is going to work''. ''Got it''. What May doesn't tell Daisy is that Ward set bombs all over the island, and he has the detonator. As soon as the other Inhumans come out of the cave, Daisy and Jiayang slip past them, May doesn't even blink.
''You and May seem very close''. Jiayang says quietly as their walking through the humid cave. In any other situation Daisy would admire it's beauty, but not now. ''She is, was, my Supervising Offier when I was at Shield. She taught me everything I know''. Daisy isn't looking at her mother so she doesn't see the jealous expression cross her face. ''She's very protective of you''. ''It's gotten worse since she found out about the baby''. ''You told her?'' ''She guessed''. ''Have you told Ward yet?'' Daisy swallows back the guilt. ''No''. ''The longer you wait''- ''I know''.
They turn a corner and Daisy pulls her mother back, hiding both of them behind a wall. She puts a finger to her lips, nods to the Inhumans standing guard. There are four of them and they have automatic weapons. Where in the hell did they get those? Daisy peeks over the rocks, sees Coulson and Bobbi awake and tied up. Mack is beside them, Ward is still out cold. Or he's just acting like he is, she doesn't know. Could be part of the plan she knew nothing about. The ground starts to shake. ''Is that Shield reinforcements?'' One of them asks.
Daisy shoves herself out of her hiding spot, ''no it's me''. And sends a burst of power their way, knocking them back and rendering their weapons useless. Shield doesn't waste any time and soon all of Inhumans are unconscious, Daisy makes quick work of untying their hands and feet. ''You guys okay?'' ''We're fine. Thanks''. Ward still hasn't moved. Daisy gets on her knees in front of him, frees him from the ropes. ''Grant?'' She takes his face in her hands, strokes his cheeks. He opens his eyes slowly. ''Hey. It's okay, it's me''. ''Skye''. ''Yeah''. Her and Mack help him stand up. ''You okay D?'' ''I'm good. Coulson May might need your help, I'd take Bobbi too'', ''Got it''.
Mack, Ward, Daisy and Jiayang are left, Mack tells her Shield has sent out a strike team and their on the way. Jiayang doesn't take too kindly to this. ''A strike team? That isn't necessary''. ''You're people just tried to kill all of us, Shield doesn't tolerate something like that. Especially since the Director's life was put in danger''. Daisy turns to Ward, ''how are you feeling?'' ''I'm fine''. ''You sure?'' ''Yeah, let's get out of here''. He takes her hand and they all leave the cave. ''May said you had a plan''. Daisy whispers. ''I do''. ''Why didn't you tell me you and May were working together?'' He looks down at her, ''didn't think I had to''.
Jiayang and Coulson are standing in the sand, she's apologizing profusely. ''It's alright, you didn't know''. ''Coulson she's lying''. Daisy gapes at her boyfriend, takes her hand out of his. Jiayang scoffs at Grant, ''excuse me?'' Ward is angry when he responds, ''you tap your fingers against your leg when you lie. Coulson she knew about this, I believe it was all staged''. ''I agree with him Phil''. May says, standing next to Ward. Daisy steps away from both of them. ''What the hell is wrong with you two? She had nothing to do with this''. ''Skye''- ''Shut up Ward. Why can't anyone understand that she's my mom? That's she changed, she didn't do this''.
Jiayang suddenly turns emotional, says she needs a moment. Coulson grants it to her, Daisy follows after glaring at all of them. Coulson approaches May and Ward, ''you two really think she's lying?'' ''Yes. There's something odd about this whole thing''. Coulson nods, ''I agree. Ward take your position, May and Mack go back to the plane. Bobbi and I will wait for Daisy''. No one needs to be told twice.
''Mom you okay?'' Daisy follows her mom out into the ocean, the water just barely brushing their thighs. ''You don't think I planned any of this do you?'' Daisy takes her by the shoulders, ''of course not. Look Ward is just being Ward okay? He doesn't trust very easily. I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that''. Jiayang tears her gaze away from the clouds to look at her daughter, and her eyes grow misty. ''Oh sweetheart, I'm so sorry for everything''. Daisy pulls her close, hugging her tightly. So she doesn't see the Inhuman approaching her behind. But Jiayang does, and she does nothing to stop him.
Suddenly Daisy feels an arm wrap around her throat, before any pressure is applied, she hears a shot ring out, and the weight is suddenly gone. Daisy turns to find an Inhuman with a bullet in the back of his head. Doubt starts to cloud inside of her brain, Jiayang had to have seen him. She had to of known he was there, why didn't she warn her daughter? Or tell him to stop? ''Mom?'' It's as if Daisy is back on that platform all that time ago, there's no love in her mother's eyes anymore. ''Lincoln told me what happened at the Providence base, with Ward. How he played you, I found in interesting, thought I would try it out''.
What? What does that even mean? What's going on? Jiayang starts laughing. ''I didn't think it would be so easy, that you would fall for it without a fight. Figured you'd been betrayed too many times to see through it, guess I was wrong''. Shock. Hurt. Anger. Fear. All of these things are playing out in Daisy's veins. She finds herself unable to move. Jiayang was playing her. Jiayang was playing her. Jiayang was playing her. Jiayang was playing her. This whole damn time. But it doesn't make any sesne. Why? Why would she do that? What's the reason?
Her mother knots her fingers together, stares to the sun. ''You see when I was brought back from the dead Sasha told me about how you went back to the Afterlife. And also how it was your fault it was destroyed, you're the reason so many of my friends died. Everything I worked for, everything I built was all gone, all because of you. It was Hydra that blew it up, before your precious Ward took over. They hate Phil Coulson and they knew you were there, what better way to make him suffer than kill his favorite agent? You did this Daisy, all of their blood is on your hands. And you don't deserve to live for that''.
Jiayang pauses like she has all the time in the world. ''I knew I'd never get close to you if I was the same person, so I dug deep and became the mother you always wanted. And it paid off, Ward was right, this was all staged. In a few minutes you'll be dead and all will be well''. Jiayang pulls her daughter in her arms for the last time, whispers in her ear, ''Cal isn't here to save you''. Daisy never sees it coming until it's too late. Jiayang takes the knife she's been hiding for days, and plunges it into her daughter, Daisy dodges at the last possible second, so it ends up not in the center of her chest but close to it.
Jiayang doesn't even have time to register her victory, before a bullet finds it's home in her head. She falls into the water beside her daughter, her death being final. Blood is filling up the sand. Coulson and Bobbi are unaware of what's happened until Grant comes sprinting down the cliff he was stationed on, dropping his sniper rifle in the process. ''Ward what's going on?'' No answer. He just runs past them, panic quick in his steps. Coulson and Bobbi jog after him. They are not prepared for the scene waiting for them.
Ward is kneeling next to Daisy, her face in his hands. "Skye?" His world jerks to a halt. Everything that he is and everything that he was stops. Because all that matters now is the blood. The blood that's spilling out onto the sand, the same blood that has kept her alive and with him all this time is flowing like a river into the ocean. Her life is literally slipping in between hands again and he has to push through that day, steady his hands and get the mission done. Get her out of here. He promised he would. Grant plugs the wound with his hand after observing it. The Specialist in him has already analyzed it, it's not good, she's lost too much blood.
She'll die in minutes if she doesn't get medical attention. It's Kara all over again only it's not because this is Skye, his Skye, the woman who loved him when no one else did, who's eyes are the most beautiful thing in the world. And she can't not look at him anymore. "Grant". Her lips are scarlet and her words thick, "Skye I'm getting you out of here". "Tell me how bad it is". He lies because he does not want to frighten her, and he wants to believe it himself. "Not bad, I'm going to get you to Simmons and you'll be fine baby". Gently, like he scooped up Peanut when he first held her, he lifts Skye in his arms and hauls ass to the plane Coulson screamed in his ear was landing. "Grant". Nothing more than a whisper now and his heart freezes. "I can't die, I have, I have to tell you something". She goes limp and he can't breathe.
He hasn't moved for hours. Since Simmons and a medical team took her in the back room of a Shield hospital when they got off the plane, since they told him under no circumstances could he see her. That if he wanted her to live he'd stand the hell down. Her blood soaks his clothes, the fabric sticking to his skin. He smells like her perfume, gun powder and death. He'd know the scent of death anywhere, it's been clinging to him half his life. Someone, Fitz he thinks hands him a tissue. Was he crying? Ward never cries. "She'll be alright". There's a shift in Fitz's voice when he lies, does he know that? He should really work on that in the future. Ward waits and waits and waits. For his life to either continue, or end.
The Director of Shield has just gotten word that the Afterlife has been taken care of, that the bombs planted went off smoothly. It doesn't make him feel better. He is sitting in the hospital on a couch that smells like disinfectant spray, waiting to hear if the woman who's like a daughter to him is going make it. May is sitting next to him and together they are watching Ward. He's standing still as a statue, arms crossed. ''She's going to be fine''. ''I should of been watching her May, this is on me''. ''It's not anyone's fault''. A doctor comes out, blood on his shoes. ''How is she?'' Ward demands. ''I'm sorry, it's not good. Are you her family?'' A forced nod from Grant.
''We'll try to make her as comfortable as possible, but I would prepare yourselves''. This is when Ward loses it. When he breaks. When the ticking time bomb inside of him goes off. The room catches on fire, walls are punched, windows are shattered. ''Ward''. He slams himself against a cracked wall, slumps down and sobs into his knees. He can't. He can't lose her. She's his life, she's everything to him. He can't live in a world she isn't apart of. This mission wasn't supposed to turn out this way, he was supposed to save her. He failed Skye.
''You have to fight that weakness inside you''.
And for once, Ward wishes that he would of listened to Garrett about weakness. Otherwise Skye wouldn't be here. It's his fault, all of it. Heaven can't help them now.