Reunion
The next day at work, Daisy was sitting in the Lighthouse's common area, reviewing some reports on her tablet, when Sousa entered the room.
He spotted her from across the room and couldn't help but smile. He made his way over to her and leaned down to plant a soft kiss on her cheek.
"Just saw Mack. He's looking for you." Sousa informed her.
Daisy returned the kiss on the cheek with a warm smile. "Mack's here?" she asked, surprised.
"Yeah, and wanting to see you in his office." He shared.
Daisy's eyebrows furrowed in curiosity as she set her tablet aside. She stood up and adjusted her jacket.
Sousa held out his hand. "I'll walk you." He offered.
She took his hand, and together, they walked down the familiar corridors of the Lighthouse until they reached Mack's office. Daisy gave a quick knock on the door before entering.
Mack looked up from his desk, a warm smile spreading across his face as he saw Daisy and Sousa enter.
Daisy quickly realized there were two people sitting in front of his desk.
The two heads turned around.
"Bobbi? Hunter?" Daisy exclaimed.
She hadn't seen them in quite some time, and their unexpected appearance caught her off guard.
Bobbi and Hunter shared a fond smile as they stood up from their seats, and Daisy rushed forward to embrace them both in a tight hug.
"How are you guys even allowed to be here?" Daisy asked.
"Mack pulled some strings." Bobbi smiled.
"Always good to have connections," Hunter added with a wink.
Daisy looked over at Sousa, who looked beyond confused.
"Oh, yeah." She realized. "This is Bobbi and Hunter. The one's I've told you stories about." She quietly informed him.
"Bobbi, Hunter, this is Daniel Sousa, my, uh- boyfriend." Daisy said.
"Daniel Sousa?" Bobbi questioned. "The one from the shield history text books?"
Daisy nodded.
"I have so many questions." Bobbi chuckled.
"Well, well, Daisy," Hunter chimed in, "You sure know how to pick 'em. The famous Daniel Sousa in the flesh."
Sousa chuckled nervously, feeling a little overwhelmed by the attention. "Nice to meet you both. I've heard a lot about you."
Bobbi and Hunter shook his hand warmly before taking their seats again.
"So, I've heard you've had an eventful past couple of years." Bobbi said to Daisy.
Daisy grinned, taking a seat across from her old friends. "Yeah, you could say that."
Hunter raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Any juicy stories you can share?"
"Too many." Daisy laughed. "Did Mack tell you that he's dating Yo-Yo?"
"The speedy inhuman?" Hunter questioned.
Daisy nodded.
"Actually, we're expecting." Mack announced.
"Wait, what?" Daisy's jaw dropped.
Mack's announcement left Daisy in a state of shock. She hadn't expected that news at all. Mack and Yo-Yo aren't even married.
She looked at Mack with wide eyes and rushed over to give him a hug.
Bobbi and Hunter shared in the excitement, offering their congratulations as well.
Daisy, Sousa, Bobbi, Hunter, and Mack spent the afternoon catching up, sharing stories, and reminiscing about their past adventures together. It felt like old times.
As the day turned into evening, Sousa and Daisy said their goodbyes before heading home.
The drive home Daisy was silent.
Sousa glanced at Daisy, noticing her quiet demeanor. He reached over and gently squeezed her hand.
"Everything alright?" he asked, concern in his voice.
"Yeah. Just thinking." She shared.
Sousa gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "About what?"
"What Mack told us." She said. "About how he's expecting."
"Are you thinking about... us?" he asked, his voice soft and caring, starting to pull over the car.
Daisy nodded slowly, as if embarrassed she was thinking that. She turned to him, her eyes searching his for reassurance. "Do you ever think about having a family?" she asked quietly.
Sousa considered her question seriously before nodding. "I'm assuming you do, too?"
"Not in the way you do." She told him, looking down at her lap, letting go of his hand.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
She took a breath, before mustering up the courage to look him in the eyes.
"Um, I spoke to Simmons about this a couple weeks ago. I was curious so I sent her some samples and we ran some tests... and, uh, I can't have kids. Not on my own, at least." she confessed. "She warned me this was a possibility after all the radiation."
Sousa's expression softened as he listened to Daisy's revelation.
"I'm sorry, I need some air." she said before leaving the car as fast as she could.
Sousa watched Daisy as she left the car, a mix of emotions swirling within him. He couldn't help but feel a deep sense of empathy for her, knowing how much she had already been through in her life. As he sat in the car, he pondered the weight of Daisy's confession and what it meant for their relationship.
After a few moments, he decided to join Daisy outside. He found her standing near the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean, the salty breeze tousling her hair. She was staring out at the horizon, lost in her thoughts.
Sousa approached her slowly, giving her space. He stood beside her, gazing at the same vast expanse of ocean. Tears streamed her cheeks.
They stood there in silence for a while, the crashing of the waves providing a calming backdrop to their thoughts. Finally, Sousa spoke, his voice gentle and reassuring.
"Daisy," he began, "I want you to know that I love you, and that's not going to change."
Daisy turned her head to look at him, her eyes filled with vulnerability.
"We can always adopt. Having a family isn't just about biology. If anyone, you would know." he said, his thumb gently wiping away her tears.
She nodded, not knowing what to say.
She leaned into his comforting touch and let out a deep sigh, the tension slowly releasing from her body. He pulled her into a warm embrace, holding her close. The two of them stood there on the cliff, their bodies pressed together, finding solace in each other's arms as they faced the uncertainties of the future.
"Come, let's go home." he said, guiding her in the direction of the car.