X marks the spot

The New Deal

Lisa had heard stories of this man. Phil Coulson, the man who didn't give up on anyone he had hope for. He had died, but death had not stuck. Lisa realised that it also hadn't for Aaron either. He was still in his chamber, healing. Coulson was in this...chamber? There was no other word for it really. He was charging, healing in his own way.

LMD - Life Model Decoy. One of Aaron's friends had made them. To send into the field instead of soldiers. It made sense, but AI was something that Lisa didn't like the thought of. It wasn't something she could see. It was weird.

This whole thing was weird.

"He has Chronicom hardware," Simmons explained to the others - who she had taken into the room Coulson was in after realising where they were, "which makes him our most advanced LMD. So...what do you think?" she asked. She looked different. Her hair was done up, she wore a smart black jacket, and a casual greyish top underneath. She even had earrings, piercings was the proper name. Had she had them before? Lisa wasn't sure, she never really liked to look at people's ears.

Daisy and Mack were both wide eyed, but Daisy's held hope in them. Melinda May's words could be true. May was still alive, so was Aaron, and Coulson could come back.

Her family would be whole again. May wouldn't have lied.

"He would want us to consider the ramifications –" Mack started to say, being more logical.

Daisy allowed her emotions to drive her this time. Her hand slammed onto the button. The chamber whirled as it powered on. White lights came on, going from the bottom to the top. They repeated in that pattern a few times. Before Coulson's eyes opened. He looked at his friends, a cool smile on his face, "Hey, guys." they did not give him a response at first. Lisa hung back. She always had an interest in this man, she even read some comic books he had given Aaron, along with some old history books of his. But, she didn't know him.

Coulson's eyes went between the agents of SHIELD, still waiting for a response, "why is no one talking?" Coulson whispered. Lisa let out a laugh, one that was louder than she intended it to be. Coulson looked to her, his smile going up a bit. She smiled back. Daisy soon had one on her face as well. Coulson then looked to her, "oh, hey. I'm digging the hair."

Daisy looked to her own hair, completely forgetting the purple streak that was in it. She couldn't find words right now. Lisa approached Daisy, pushing the pad towards her. Daisy jumped as it hit her fingers. She looked back to Lisa, her eyes on the pen. Lisa handed it to her. Daisy then started to move it in her fingers. It seemed to ground her. That was fair enough.

"Sir, you've missed quite a lot," Jemma said, voice professional, but gentle.

Coulson then clock where he was. He looked around the chamber in confusion, "how did we get here?"

Daisy looked to Jemma: how the hell were they going to explain this.

Jemma, however, had an answer, "the last scan of your brain was from the framework," she started to explain, "I've done my best to update it with all that you've missed. But you may feel some disorientation as your mind catches up to the present."

"My arm feels different. It's fixed," Lisa didn't know what Coulon was referring to, but it seemed Coulson was a bit disoriented already. He had blinked a few times before saying that, "doesn't feel the same."

"Coulson," Mack's voice rumbled, same level of softness as Jemma's had, "take it easy. Let Simmons explain."

He didn't, however, "I don't feel the same. Why?"

Jemma had a pause before she tried a response "We had to mke a tough decision –"

"Because you're an LMD," Daisy said, ripping the bandaid off.