three
Ever since coming out of the Framework she couldn’t stop thinking about the silver chain around her neck. Every time she doubted herself or wanted to leave again or had a generally bad day, Daisy would remember the cold chain Fitz had gave her. The Framework had made Daisy realize that this was her family and no matter the circumstances, they would find their way back to each other.
For Fitz, it made him believe he was some kind of monster the others knew he wasn’t. Ever since they got out Fitz’s eyes were darker, he kept to himself more. The only person he had spoken to before he attempted to turn himself in was Simmons. It was so obvious to Daisy he hated himself for what he did and it broke her heart.
She remembered when she was Skye and he was a more awkward than now genius scientist fresh out of a lab with his best friend. He was young and innocent and Daisy hated the universe for putting Leo Fitz through all this shit. Out of all the people Daisy had ever met, this team didn’t deserve any of the shit they had to deal with. They were all good people, especially Fitz. Yes, he sets angry easily and maybe he went semi-rouge for six months and maybe Fitz isn’t perfect but as far as Daisy knew, he never did anything with malicious intent.
He creates inventions that save many people and goes into missions head first to save. Not to kill, not for revenge, to save. She could say that she hadn’t wanted to kill or seek revenge. Fitz was one of the best people she knew and he ended up waking from a nightmare which he created. And where he was the monster.
The silver chain is somehow always cold against her skin. She remembered instantly noticing that she didn’t have it as soon as she woke up in that bathtub. Now she knew she would have to give it back to Fitz. She knew he needed it more. She stopped at the door of the diner to wait for Fitz.
“Daisy?” May paused as Mack and Yoyo walked past her to follow Coulson.
“Need to talk to Fitz, save me a seat.” She smiled, just, and watched May enter the diner.
She watched as Fitzsimmons came up to the door. They had left a few minutes after the others and only just turned the corner. Before the Framework, they would’ve been closer but now their hand just brushed in a way that could be called an accident.
Daisy knew they both wanted to hold each other. She knew Simmons didn’t want to push him and that Fitz didn’t want to hurt her.
As they approached the door Daisy nodded before asking if Fitz could stay outside for a minute more.
“Yeah?” He had started talking less. All within a day. Daisy would yell at the universe if it would help.
“Hold your hand out.” Once he had she took the chain from around her neck and placed it in his hand. She shook her head as he opened his mouth to protest.
“This had helped me, it really has, but I know you need it more than me now.” Daisy took a deep breath before continuing. Careful Daisy. “The Framework made me realise that we are family, that we will always come back to each other one way or another, even if we don’t remember why. It made me realise that you guys will all have my back. But I think that it made you think something… else.”
“It made me realise I’m a monster, Daisy.” Fitz shook his head. “You don’t need to sugar coat it or anything. I know exactly who I am know. I’m dangerous. I’m a murderer. Daisy.” His voice broke. “I’m a bad man.”
Daisy tried to keep her expression neutral. She shook her head again before talking again. “That’s not true. And that’s why I want to give you the chain back. You’re reminder that you aren’t a bad man. That we have you’re back like you have ours.”
“I don’t deserve it.”
“I believed the same once. You helped me believe I did. Let me help you as much as I can before…” She truly did not want to face what was to come. Being arrested? Locked up? Not something she was looking forward too.
“You guys don’t deserve this.”
“Neither do you.”
He slipped the necklace over his neck. “Maybe one day I can believe that.”
Daisy smiled. “Let’s go inside.”
He nodded and followed her in. Daisy didn’t answer any questions as to what they were talking about and it didn’t seem as if Simmons was going to ask Fitz. She knew he wasn’t instantly going to be better overnight, but she knew it was a start. Sometimes you just need to start, everything else falls into place.