Originally, Daisy hoped that helping Natasha with releasing all of the Pleasant Hill dossiers and being on the frontlines might help her feel better about staying with S.H.I.E.L.D. in a post-Andromeda world. She wanted to believe that the people left that weren’t involved with Maria’s pet project might be understanding of why she did what she did. Instead, she was under investigation. Daisy was the one pending an investigation to determine whether or not she could continue the job that had been her entire life for the better part of the past decade, while Maria Hill got a slap on the wrist and a medical leave.
She had faith that Mack would get involved and get the entire thing cleared up, but it was still beyond frustrating nonetheless. The way they were handling all of the aftermath was making Daisy question whether or not she even still wanted to be an agent at all. It was a terrifying thought, that she was even considering quitting when she wanted this so badly back when her original team finally parted ways. She wanted to stay and make a difference however she could. Wanted to continue to work on her Inhuman outreach and use her powers for some good.
Rosalind was an entirely separate issue. It was still pressing and needed to be addressed sooner rather than later, but right now Daisy didn’t know if she had the capacity to define it. She liked Roz, a lot. And seeing her trapped in that town and forced to play kindergarten teacher unlocked a protective rage in her that she hadn’t even realized was there all along.
Once she made her way back into the room, she slowly removed the sling her arm was resting in, something the medic had told her to keep on whenever she could until her shoulder healed some more, but she was sick of wearing it. And all she was doing was sitting around the house anyways. From there, she lowered herself to sit down on the edge of the bed next to Rosalind, and slowly frowned at the other agent’s words.
“Tomorrow’s Wednesday.” She stated slowly, unsure how to even proceed. The whole thing just made her equal parts pissed and terrified as she reached out and grabbed Roz’s hand. The two hadn’t done anything other than share a bed since they left the town and started holing up in Daisy’s apartment. And that was because Roz was too stubborn to let Daisy take the couch in the end. “Hey, I was gonna order something for dinner. Does that.. How does that sound good to you?”
“Wednesday? Fuck.” The last word is muttered under Rosalind’s breath, barely perceptible. She could have sworn tomorrow was Monday, could have sworn that she had to get ready for class. But there’s no class. There’s no students. Roz has been told the kids never existed in the first place. They were all products of the Reality Stone. She remembers each smiling face and missing tooth. Gone. Like they never existed. Because they didn’t. That’s just another thing to piss Rosalind off. For a little while, those kids were real. They had lived and breathed and now they were gone.
She moves to sit up, bare legs tucking underneath herself. When Daisy takes her hand, Roz submits and slides her palm against Daisy’s before their fingers interlock. Whatever they have, it’s good. It’s needed. Even if it’s undefined, it’s helping her. Maybe not enough, but it’s something. It’s not like the S.H.I.E.L.D. offered doctors have been able to do anything. Rosalind is refusing to meet with them out of principle. Daisy’s promised her that she has a good friend in S.W.O.R.D. that can set Roz up with some of their specialists, but she remains reluctant.
The last thing Rosalind wants is food. Her stomach has been in knots for days, but she’s methodically shoveled food into her mouth to stop Daisy from worrying any more. Everything tastes like cardboard and she has to actively work to stop it from coming back up, but Daisy looks happy when she eats and so she does it in small amounts. There’s a lie on her lips as she nods. “Yes, thank you. Food is a good idea.”
Full of restless energy, the former agent stands to stretch her legs. She only makes it one lap around the room before the thoughts slam back into her head. Ana Gordon. The kids. She’s sitting in a room with her kind of lover instead of working. What the hell is she doing? Lips pressing into a firm line, Rosalind has to close her eyes and take a deep breath to center herself. Focus on your breathing. That’s what they had taught the cadets. If you’re under duress, center yourself. Go from there. When her eyes open, Rosalind does her best to smile at Daisy.
“I need to thank you, Daisy. For letting me stay here. For everything, really. I know before... before everything happened,” she can’t bring herself to say Pleasant Hill “we didn’t always get along, but I don’t know what I would have done without you this last week. You’re really — You’re great. Really. I’m trying to say I appreciate you. I want to say that right now while I’m myself and not whatever the hell her name is.” Ana Gordon.