Chapter Text
It’s them.
Daisy breathed out in stunned silence as faces she hadn’t seen in years talked amongst themselves right in front of the window. Coulson and Mack had no idea she was there and yet her elation at seeing them alive was near overwhelming.
Next up came Simmons followed closely by Yo Yo who still had both of her organic arms. Seeing their utter confusion at the situation sent a rush of memories racing through Daisy’s head. She remembered this. She remembered stumbling around in confusion, turning a corner, and seeing her friends being attacked.
And then, lo and behold, Daisy laid eyes upon a younger version of herself. That, in of itself, was almost as much a slap in the face as seeing the others. With no mirrors or really any way to see what she looked like in the void, Daisy had been slowly beginning to forget her own appearance. Seeing her own body alive and well was frankly surreal.
Using the small piece of Gravitonium she had managed to sneak inside the Lighthouse about two decades prior, Daisy followed the team. She watched as her past self led the team’s formation against the Roaches, keeping her hand extended in case anything were to jump out at them.
“This has to be the coolest we’ve ever looked…”
Daisy laughed internally at Coulson’s little sarcastic comment. She had to admit, they did look pretty ridiculous walking down the hallway like that.
Daisy continued watching in passive amazement as long-forgotten memories played out in front of her. Mack and Yo Yo getting tortured by the Kree. Deke showing up with May and busting the rest of them out of a holding cell. Daisy, herself, going in and killing a Kree with an icicle of all things.
Every little bit of the scenes in front of her sent waves of memories flooding into her postmortem brain. Daisy knew a part of her had been waiting for something all these years. However, over time, the knowledge of that something had gradually faded from her mind. But now, with everything she was seeing, that something was clearer than ever.
Daisy had been waiting for her team, for her family, to finally arrive. The last hope of humanity. The ones that the True Believers had prophesied would bring them salvation. They were here at last.
Of course, as Daisy was beginning to remember, not everything went entirely according to plan. Simmons, for example, was captured by Sinara and made into a servant for Kasius. Deke, in a bid of self-preservation, sold past Daisy into slavery. Coulson, Mack, and Yo Yo were essentially forced into indentured servitude to pay off their metrics. May had a goddamn limp.
Truly the definition of mission success.
The arrival of Fitz was…interesting to say the least. Memories of an operating table flashed through her mind as she watched a younger version of the scientist interact with the rest of Kasius’ guests. The cold, heartless manner he portrayed himself in seemed almost natural, like he hardly needed to put on an act.
Daisy mentally shook her head. Those memories happened a long, long time ago. She had to keep herself focused on the now. Why? Daisy wasn’t quite sure yet…
Maybe it had to do with how much Daisy absolutely despised the Kree. She watched from the sidelines as May was banished to the surface for the second time (even if she didn’t even know it). She watched with unbridled fury as Ben was murdered for lying.
Daisy watched as Fitz…proposed to Simmons? Okay, she did not remember that happening.
But that was besides the point. What mattered was that her past self, Simmons, and Fitz were able to escape and regroup with the rest of the team. And then, soon enough, she, Coulson, Deke, and Fitzsimmons were flying a Trawler to get to the surface.
From there, the team managed to locate the Zephyr and reunite with May, Enoch, and even Robin. Things were looking up, and yet Daisy knew there were still a whole lot more problems to come.
Key among those problems being Voss and his fellow outcasts. As she watched him try to kill her past self, Daisy couldn’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if he’d actually succeeded. Daisy had ended up dying anyway. At least if she died here, Talbot wouldn’t have been able to get her powers.
But, of course, in the end, those thoughts couldn’t change the past — future? Whatever.
Robin was dead and with Voss locked up, the team now had control over the Zephyr. The only thing they needed to do now was get back to the Lighthouse and find Flint. Although, Daisy’s memories of how they actually managed to do that were still a little fuzzy.
“Cut the ground anchors! Let a gravity wave take us. That's how we get in the air.”
Wait…what?!
“Zephyr One has Reaction Control System thrusters, meaning it’s capable of maneuvering in space. If we could get high enough…”
“…we could break through Earth's diminished gravity. We could fly in space straight to the Lighthouse.”
No. No no no. There was no way in hell they would—!
“May, can you pilot us through a gravity storm?”
If Daisy could scream out in protest, she would. This…this couldn’t be right, could it? Daisy knew from years of observation that the gravity storms, when left uncontrolled, were a death trap. There were a million ways in which the Zephyr would be torn to pieces before it ever reached the required altitude.
But, then again, this was the plan that Daisy was beginning to remember them going with. Daisy knew that this plan would work. It had worked.
And yet, Daisy couldn’t shake off the feeling that this plan would end horribly. Just one unlikely swing into a tornado and the Zephyr would be done. Everyone, including her past self, would die within mere seconds.
Unless…
And that’s when it hit her. Daisy, as she was now, could control the Gravitonium within the gravity storm. With enough effort, it was theoretically possible that she could steer the Zephyr safely into the upper atmosphere.
But, judging by the current ferocity of the gravity storm the Zephyr was in, Daisy doubted she’d be able to do it by herself. Daisy would need help, and fast!
Letting her mind slip back into the void, Daisy ran toward where she knew the others would be. Seeing as she was the only one who really had any sort of interest in the outside world anymore, it wasn’t surprising to see the others mulling about in their designated ‘Community Spot.’
Daisy immediately searched for Creel and Ruby, finding them lying on the ground staring into nothing. Not wanting to waste any time, Daisy kicked them in each of their sides. (It was more so through each of their sides, but who cares about the details.)
“Get up! I need you. It’s important.”
It took several seconds for Creel’s eyes to focus on Daisy, even longer for Ruby. Slowly, Creel sat up and stared at Daisy in complete disinterest. “Come again?”
Daisy waved her hands around frantically. “I need you guys to help me with something. I…I think I finally figured out why we’re here!”
That last bit got Ruby to sit up as well. “Wait wait wait. Hold on. Are you saying there’s some grand reason for us being in this hellscape?!” She laughed incredulously. “Jeez, Daisy, I was wondering when you were gonna finally snap.”
“No, you don’t understand!” Daisy groaned impatiently. “Remember how I said I went to the future back when I was still alive? Well, that future is happening right now and I think we can do something to help!”
Creel raised an eyebrow. “Okay…? How so?”
Daisy let her shoulders relax somewhat. “You remember the Zephyr, right? The big plane my team used to fly? I need your help to guide it through a gravity storm and into space.”
Both Creel and Ruby gaped at her. Daisy quickly opened her mouth to explain. “The Gravitonium, we can control it to some extent, right? We just need to direct the Zephyr to where we need it to go!”
Ruby slowly got to her feet and rubbed her eyes. “Daisy…I’m sorry but there’s no way in hell that would work. The most any of us can control is a glob the size of a basketball. There’s no way the three of us can control a gravity storm like that.”
“Then we get everyone involved!” Daisy exclaimed adamantly.
Creel sighed. “Daisy, no one else is going to— and there she goes…”
Walking over to the rest of the group, Daisy cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted. “EVERYONE, CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE?!”
Dr. Hall and Crixon were quick to snap to attention, the two of them having been meditating for at least the past week straight. Talbot took a little longer, his glazed-over eyes slowly gaining focus due to the sudden shift in volume.
Quinn…Quinn was still staring off into nothingness.
Stomping her way over to him, Daisy stopped and snapped her fingers in front of his unfocused face. “Eyes up, Quinn, move it!”
Slowly, ever so painfully slowly, Quinn’s eyes refocused on the world around him. He paused as he took in the annoyed expression on Daisy’s face. “What’s got you in such a tizzy, petals? Did someone else you care about die or something?”
Choosing to ignore that statement, Daisy stepped back and turned to address everyone. “Alright, now that I have your attention, I need your help.”
After explaining her plan yet again, Daisy waited with bated breath to hear their reactions. Unfortunately, Quinn was the first to respond.
“Pff! Are you kidding me?!” The dead billionaire laughed nigh uncontrollably. “You want us to control a gravity storm?! Wow! And here I thought you couldn’t get any more naïve.”
Daisy whirled around to face him. “It can work! It will work! I’ve been to the future!”
Quinn waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah yeah, and I’m a dead man trapped inside a buncha magic metal. It won’t work, petals. End of story.”
God, Daisy wished Quinn’s body was solid so she could strangle him right now! She gritted her teeth. “Look, Quinn, I don’t like you and you don’t like me. That’s fine. But right now, we have a chance to actually make a positive difference in the outside world.” She stepped forward. “So, please, for the love of God, do something for once with your pitiful existence and help me give humanity a fighting chance!”
Quinn was silent for a moment as he pointedly avoided her gaze. “Well, I…” He shook his head. “It’s no use. I’d love to help you, petals, but I don’t think—”
“Oh for fuck’s sake, Ian!” Dr. Hall yelled. “This is about so much more than your damn ego.”
He shook his head in disdain and turned his gaze toward Daisy. “Agent Johnson’s right. In order to do this, all of us will need to work together. If she says it will work, I have no reason not to at least try it.” He glared at Quinn. “So suck it up and do the right thing.”
Quinn’s shoulders dropped. “I…guess I can help…”
Yes! Finally!
Daisy turned to Crixon. “And what about you? Are you in favor of helping us help humanity take down the Kree?”
Crixon didn’t immediately answer. He rested his chin in his palm. “It’s…a difficult decision. I feel as though I should be loyal to the Confederacy and yet, a different part of me thinks otherwise. Taryan seemed to pay no mind to my passing. From what I can tell, none of the profits being extracted from Earth are benefiting my people. Perhaps I should. The Kree Empire is vast enough as is.”
Daisy gave the alien a genuine smile. “You have my thanks.”
Crixon only nodded as Daisy turned her attention to the seventh and final mind within the Gravitonium. Gearing herself up for what was probably going to be another round of back-and-forth fighting, Daisy walked in front of Talbot.
However, before she could say a word, Talbot held up a hand. “There’s no need, Agent Johnson. I’ll do it. Just tell me what you need me to do.”
Daisy just barely managed to hold back a look of shock. She raised an eyebrow. “Huh…care to explain the sudden change of heart?”
“This isn’t a change of heart, Johnson.” Talbot shook his head. “This is me making up for my mistakes. Or, well, my one big mistake. If you say we have a chance to give humanity back their freedom, then I will support you. You have my word.”
Well, that was…unexpected.
Was this the first time that Talbot admitted that what happened was his fault? The last time she’d said anything to him was close to a decade ago, so maybe something had changed in that time. Regardless, Daisy was relieved that her proposal had been accepted.
“Alrighty, then,” Daisy said as she took a step back. “Everyone, follow me to the gravity storm.”
Push and pull. This way and that way.
The gravity storm was a whirlwind of different directions each fighting for dominance. Daisy and the rest of the dead had to keep their minds extremely focused to even look through these bits of Gravitonium, much less control them.
“Alright.” Daisy mentally told the others as the seven of them got into position above the Zephyr. “We’ve only got one shot at this. The moment those anchors disconnect, all of us have to put everything we have into guiding it into space.”
Quinn groaned. “Why the hell did I agree to this…?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do, you waste of space.” Talbot sneered. “On your mark, Agent Johnson.”
Daisy nodded in affirmation and looked toward the Zephyr. After a few seconds of waiting, the plane shifted and then, it was airborne.
Daisy immediately jumped into action. “Crixon, Quinn, Creel, you get the left! Talbot, Ruby, Hall, you’re on the right! I’ll get the bottom! Let’s move it!”
Switching her concentration to the bits of Gravitonium directly underneath the Zephyr, Daisy pushed. She pushed with all her proverbial might as the gravity storm fought against her control.
Higher and higher the Zephyr went. Soon enough, the ground became obscured by the clouds below. Daisy internally winced as a flash of pain blinked through her mind. This was too much! She had to pull back! She couldn’t—!
No! Daisy reminded herself. I have to do this! We have to do this! The fate of humanity is in our hands!
Daisy screamed internally as she pushed on. At one point the plane began to tilt right, threatening to crash into one of the many tornadoes surrounding them. Daisy gritted her teeth. “What’s going on over there, Creel?”
“It’s Quinn!” Creel’s strained voice replied. “He passed out on us! We’re losing control!”
“I’m on it!” Talbot responded immediately.
Daisy gasped in pain as her own control weakened. “Talbot, you can’t! You can’t control both sides at once, it’ll be too much!”
“I’m the one who made this mess, Agent Johnson. I’ve got to be the one who will fix it!”
The Zephyr lurched again as it righted itself once more. Almost there. Daisy told herself. Just a little bit more.
Daisy continued pushing against the will of the gravity storm. As her vision began to darken, so too did the sky. Just as she was about to pass out, the Zephyr took control of itself, its built-in thrusters finally powering up to propel the plane through space.
Daisy immediately allowed herself to shrink her control back down to that of a tiny speck of Gravitonium. Utterly exhausted, she mentally reached out to the others. “Everyone okay?”
A few noncommittal murmurs answered her as she and the others breathed a collective sigh of relief. The intense headache that had set in earlier began to ease as Daisy relaxed her mind. They had done it. With the team back in the Lighthouse, it would only be a matter of time until the Kree were overthrown and Kasius was dead.
We did it. Daisy thought to herself in amazement. We fucking did it…
Daisy looked to the side as she felt Creel and Ruby’s presence come up alongside her. Nearly merging their two globs of Gravitonium together, Ruby whooped loudly with such joy that Daisy couldn’t help but laugh internally at her antics.
“That was awesome, Daisy! No wonder the Confederacy wanted Gravitonium so badly. The stuff we can do with it is insane!”
“I still can’t believe your plan worked,” Creel added. “Decades of doing nothing and the first time we have a chance of doing anything of note, it’s this?! Never would’ve guessed.”
Although they couldn’t necessarily see it, Daisy smiled. That long-lost feeling of accomplishment — of being useful to her team — sent a thrill through Daisy’s bones that almost made her feel like she had her powers again. Even after all this time, Daisy had found a way to help those she cared about, to help them forge a better future than the one she had seen up until now.
Even as the others started to return to the void, Daisy remained put. Regardless of whether or not she had seen it all before, Daisy’s brain demanded that she see the rest of her team’s journey through.
Once again on the sidelines, Daisy watched as her team raced to free the inhumans, dispatch the Kree, and construct the Monolith. She watched in satisfaction as Flint sent asteroids careening into the Kree headquarters. She watched in mild resentment as Coulson iced her past self and carried her into the elevator. She watched in horror as Kasius slit the throat of a revived Yo Yo before being killed himself by Mack.
Daisy watched from outside the window as the newly rebuilt Monolith activated, swallowing her old team whole and sending them back to the past from whence they came.
Hopefully, maybe this time, they will make the right decisions. Maybe this time, the loop would be broken.
Daisy sighed. If only.
In the weeks that followed, Daisy watched as the Lighthouse flourished. Since they were no longer under the Kree’s thumb, humanity now had an opportunity to decide for themselves what their future would hold.
The contrast between the dark and hopeless atmosphere from before and the joyous and frankly carefree atmosphere now was stark. Methods to reverse sterilization were introduced and expeditions to the surface to rescue the outcasts were quickly carried out.
Using technology left behind by the Kree, humanity began to quickly build up their defenses. It wouldn’t be much, but it would allow the remaining people of Earth to stave off attacks for at least the foreseeable future.
As for that future, Flint was unequivocally dead-set on reforming the Earth in its entirety. After first hearing him and Tess lay out their plan, Daisy was initially inclined to dismiss it. It was too ambitious, too idealistic to take seriously. However, after seeing the slow but steady progress Flint was making with reforming Earth’s core, Daisy couldn’t help but wonder if he might actually be able to do it. It would take decades, sure, but it might not be impossible.
Now if only there was a way to help him hold it all together…
Deciding that she had nothing else to lose at this point, the dead inhuman took a chance. One day, while Flint and Tess were talking in the cockpit of the Zephyr, Daisy made herself known.
Gathering up all the Gravitonium in her vicinity, she molded the element into the shape of a flower. It took a few moments for the two to notice, but once they did, their mouths dropped.
Flint’s eyes widened in interest as he placed one hand on the window. “Wow, I’ve never seen Gravitonium do that before.”
Tess, for her part, simply opened and closed her mouth in complete bafflement. “That…shouldn’t be possible.”
And with those statements, Daisy went for it. With intense concentration, the long-dead S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent spelled out her carefully considered, well-thought-out message.
“SUP”
And Daisy’s world began anew…