A Miracle Starts With a Beat of a Heart

Chapter 31

Fear.

That was the only feeling May was able to pick up from Daisy's unconscious form. The whole mission had been something none of them could have ever expected. Even if she didn't want to admit it, May was starting to get her own feelings back. At least she thought she was. Maybe Coulson was right. Maybe she was just imitating those around her and feeding off their emotions, but there were times where it felt like truly hers.

When Daisy didn't respond over comms was one of those moments. May could feel her heart sink into her stomach, almost everything that could possibly go wrong with Daisy immediately entered her brain. She just hoped that Daisy could take care of herself; she's always been able to, but that didn't mean she had to. It gave May faith knowing that Sousa was there with her.

She already had to watch Mack kill the robot versions of his parents right after finding out the chronicoms had killed them. That hurt enough to watch, especially after LMD Coulson's death, but May knew better than to morn this time. She knew he'd be back. May tried her best to give Mack some comfort, but she knew Yoyo would probably help him better than she could.

That's when she came down to the cockpit of Zephyr One to Jemma and Deke, who were freaking out. Daisy and Sousa had yet to return. They were about to send out a search party until they saw a van pull up at the cargo hold door. The three of them, along with Enoch, approached slowly, but their pace picked up once Sousa exited the van with a limp, unconscious Daisy in his arms.

May practically stopped in her tracks as Jemma guided Sousa inside towards the medbay. She took in Daisy's injuries: the bruises, the needle punctures, the blood. Oh God, the blood. Just from the blood on her white tank top, the bandages, and how pale her face was, May was able to tell that Daisy had lost a significant amount of blood.

Once Sousa had lied her on the gurney, Jemma started treating Daisy right away as Sousa explained to her and May just what happened. Sousa and Deke were asked to leave the room while Jemma and May got her into more comfortable clothes. Sousa was reluctant to leave Daisy, and there was an emotion spewing from Sousa when she brushed past him that surprised May, but she would have to see what Daisy said or felt later to see if what she felt was right.

Daisy was lied into the healing pod, the bright lights scanning over her body. May was starting to realize she could feel Daisy's emotions from outside the pod. She took a deep breath, composing herself upon feeling Daisy's overwhelming pain and fear. May wanted nothing more than to kill Nathaniel Malick herself, but from what Sousa told her, he seemed to be dead as the barn collapsed on him. She just wanted to get back at those who had caused Daisy, her daughter, so much pain.

May stepped away once Sousa returned. May smiled to herself, feeling that same feeling from him as earlier. He seemed to be attached to her at the hip. May went out to the cargo hold to sit and just think for a bit. She heard Deke inform Sousa and Jemma, who were in the medbay with Daisy, that they were about to jump timelines soon, and Jemma told Sousa he could stay behind if he really wanted to, but he said he was where he needed to be.

May smiled to herself again. She was glad Sousa was staying. She may or may not have gotten a soft spot for him the same way a soft spot grew for every single member of the team. Yes, including Deke as much as May would hate to admit. Sousa was a great asset, but May was also glad he was staying for Daisy's sake.

Once they landed in whatever timeline they were in now, Mack came down from the quinjet and hopped on a motorcycle. He said he just needed some fresh air and some space before he left the Zephyr, which May completely understood. She couldn't imagine what kind of pain he was in after finding out his parents were dead. Well, she could feel his emotions, but feeding off of them was completely different than those emotions being your true feelings.