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chapter eight

(April 12th, 2017
The Playground, Classified)

      A MOMENT of relaxation was rare. When they were there, Leith took them immediately and relished in them with every ounce of being he had. If he had the chance to sleep in? He took it. The chance of a fancy dinner? Yes. Chance to spend the night with Jemma before a major mission? Hell yes. 

      Documentaries, salad nibbles and kisses cuddled together at the couch was something Leith sometimes forgot existed. It was so domestic and so ... calm and loving that he almost thought he was dreaming. Maybe she was compensating for their previous argument, or maybe she found it as simple as he did, just lying there, with her at his side under the sheets and he could smell a breath of jasmine still on her breath in the morning. 

       Leith turned to his side, still a little tired from last night. Five-thirty am chimed on the alarm, but he had placed it on snooze. They had to be up and ready for briefing at six-thirty, but he just wanted this moment with her alone. A sleepy morning, a little cold and wishing he put on a shirt to sleep in. But watching Jemma snore softly with hooded eyes made him forget he was an agent for a second; even Inhuman. He felt like a normal man, under a normal roof, with his gorgeous, really, really smart science nerd girlfriend, living the life he could have had. 

      He found himself reaching gentle, calloused fingers to brush her brown hair out of her face so he could see the freckles dotted across her cheeks like stars. He could count a constellation on her skin; draw lines and map galaxies. 

      Leith never thought he could feel how he did for her ever again after Jack. And here he was, and slowly, he was losing that guilt. He was smiling, and he was feeling the swell of his heart. Different, but just as strong. He stopped thinking: what about Jack, and instead thought, Jack would be happy. Jack would like her. Jack would be smiling. Together, he and Jemma have managed to find something special under respect of Jack and Will━and that was important, that was good; that was ... it was calm.

      He felt calm right now. He felt the calmest he's been in a long time. 

      Lying next to Jemma, Leith felt like he deserved happiness. 

      He smiled, brushing his thumb gently across her cheek. "You're beautiful," he told her in a whisper, not sure whether she'd hear. "My darling Jemma; my darling gem. You make me want to be happy."

     Leith leaned in and kissed her forehead, brushing his fingers through her hair as she stirred, but did not wake. And they had a moment, just them, after the arguments and the distance━together, and at peace. They needed it. They needed this. 

      But as it got closer to a quarter to six, Leith sighed and got up. He turned to sweep his legs off the side of the bed, rubbing his eyes as he tried to wake himself up. He set his gaze onto the bedside table, seeing his wallet open. In the clear sleeve was an old face smiling back at him, holding up the champaign bottle he popped the day his sister announced she was getting married. 

     Leith picked up his wallet and slipped the picture of Jack out. He stared at him for a moment, tracing the outline of his silhouette. He expected the flash of a body dangling, but he didn't, and he took that as a good sign the start the day. 

     He pressed his lips onto the photo, taking a deep breath. Something he used to do every morning, but recently, found himself settling for just once a week at the most. 

     Leith felt Jemma wake behind him. She sat up, blinking through her tired gaze to settle on him holding the picture. She just smiled sadly. Shuffling over, Jemma wrapped her arms around Leith from behind and settled her chin on his shoulder. She stared at the picture of Jack━she's never really seen a photo of him before.

      "He looks like he was an amazing person," she said to Leith. 

      He felt better hearing her say that. "Yeah," he murmured. "He was ..."

      "I wish I met him," Jemma kissed him faintly on the cheek. 

      "He was a bookworm; you both would have bonded over Harry Potter."

      "Well, he had immaculate taste," Simmons squeezed Leith. 

      "Yeah," Leith smiled fondly at the memories, "but he was a Snape person."

     Jemma gasped at this, "What?" she held herself back, as if to remind herself not to speak ill of the dead. "I━I mean, that's ... that's understandable."

       Leith snickered at the look on her face, "I'm joking. He bloody hated Snape. He had a crush on Sirius Black, though━honestly, sometimes I was jealous."

      "I fancied Hermione Granger."

      "Oh," Leith threw his head back, nodding. "Yes. But I always saw you as a Remus Lupin girl."

     "No," Jemma chuckled, shaking her head and letting go. She stood up, "No. Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Lily Evans and James Potter━I absolutely loved them."

      Leith watched her walk around the room, "I feel like you wanted to date everyone out of that book."

      She smirked playfully over her shoulder, "Obviously."

     "Simp."

     "That's a childish comeback━" Jemma chucked him his phone that was somehow on the otherside of the room. He caught it and reached for his watch. He saw a briefing reminder and sighed. Morning peace was over. 

      "Come on," he sighed again, standing up. He fixed his watch onto his wrist and reached for his shirt. "We got to go." Leith pulled in on, "How does this guy even generate carbon from thin air?"

      Jemma dropped her shoulders, frustarted, "I don't know!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. "It completely defied the laws of Thermodynamics! No energy in this universe can be created, it already exists, passing on and on through the air. To be able to create it from nothing ..." she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Makes me wonder how we'll stop him."

      "Yeah, well," Leith fixed the hem of his shirt, "I may not be a scientist, but I know that the universe has its way of fixing things that aren't right. Eli will get what's coming for him. Mess with the universe, and it'll mess with you. And besides, I think Robbie won't rest until he makes the universe finish his uncle off━him and that ... thing."

      Jemma faltered, hearing the hesitance in his voice. She glanced over, brows lifting. "Leith ..." she murmured. He knew that tone.

      "I know," he finished before she could continue. He tugged on his jacket rather harshly. "If he wanted to punish me, he would've by now. But I just ..." Leith didn't want to continue. He didn't want to say it, to admit that he deserved to be punished. That he deserved to be burned with the flames of Hell.

      But Jemma understood. She knew what he had been going to say, and immediately, she marched right up to him. "You are not a bad person," she told him strongly. Reaching up, she cupped Leith's cheeks to make him look down at her. His breath hitched, hating how he was growing tearful thinking about it all. He hated being vulnerable, but in front of her, it was always easier. "You had a past, Leith; and in that past you did questionable things━" he scoffed, feeling questionable was beating around the bush, but she just continued, "━but you've also done a lot of good things, too. You spent all that time, by my side, trying to get me back to Maveth. You promised to help me and we barely even knew each other. You are a good man, who has a kind heart and an even kinder soul. You are brave, and you are intelligent, and this man you've become should be proud of the person you are. I know I am."

       Leith felt something warm swell; large and light. It didn't overtake the lump in his throat, but it gave it new meaning. He stared at Jemma, seeing such determination. She believed he was good; that he was brave and kind━she believed it to her core. She had always believed in him when he felt like no one else did, not even him. She trusted him with things he never even thought he could handle. And now, he found himself capable in many things he'd never believe before. Because she made him start to believe, too.

      He kissed her right palm before leaning down to press his forehead against hers. He took a deep breath and she sighed. Silence settled; they didn't need to say anything. Leith could just be there, and feel the presence and that smell of jasmine tea and know that he was going to be okay; that everything will be okay.

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(April 12th, 2017
Los Angeles, California)

     "JUST finished a scan of the building, I'm uploading signatures now."

     Leith stepped out from the van, leaving Fitz to figure things out with the communications agent. He tugged on his gloves, flexing the leather and fixing his jacket on his shoulders. He took a deep breath, trying to get out all of his nerves now before he would step into the compound. He could hear the reporters on the outside streets, begging for information on the investigation and Leith could almost hear Mace on the phone declare: It is our policy not to comment on ongoing investigations. 

      Setting his sunglasses on the top of his nose, he eyed Robbie Reyes walking uptowards him warily. He had been avoiding the Ghost Rider. Despite what Jemma had told him, and what he knew deep down, he remembered how he had acted when he saw his true form━how he had froze, petrified, and wanted to avoid that by all costs. He wanted to avoid that, and the possible death his past might give the Ghost Rider the belief he deserved. 

      "Hey, man," greeted Reyes, slipping his hands into his leather jacket pockets. 

      Leith replied by reaching back for a balaclava and throwing it at him. Robbie flung a hand out and caught it, confused. "Wear it, pretty boy."

      Robbie frowned at it. He unfolded the fabric and scoffed, "Yo━I'm not wearing a mask, man."

      "It's not a mask, it's a balaclava," said Leith, trying to walk away but Reyes stopped him with a:

     "Thought that was a dessert."

     "What━?" Leith spun back, confused. "I━how━? You know what? Doesn't matter." He snatched the hood back and chucked it into the van. Robbie rolled his eyes and zipped up his leather jacket to the collar. He was on edge, like the rest of them were, but perhaps the most. This was his uncle he was going against━someone who had lied to him, and behind the cause of the accident that got him killed and turned into ... this while his brother was put into a wheelchair. Who killed ten agents using carbon configured out of thin air━bloody hell, does this job confuse Leith sometimes. "The Director just wants you to keep a low profile. Hear all the media? I'm sure they'd love to twist a tale like yours."

     "I don't answer to him."

     "For now, you do," Leith was tense, and he was sure Robbie could see it no matter how hard he tried to hide it. 

      The Ghost Rider narrowed his eyes. "What is it, mijo?" Leith sent him a look at the tone of sweetheart, knowing he was being patronised. He didn't say anything. He just grabbed his guns and positioned them into his holster. 

      "Get to your position," Leith finally muttered, ready to walk off.

      Robbie just reached out and grasped his arm; tight. "I think I know why you're avoiding me," he said in a low voice. Leith met his gaze, hating how he had a lump in his throat. "You think there's something in your past that deserves penace. Something you can't live with."

     "I wouldn't say penace," Leith tried to push it off. "I'm not the religious sort of guy."

      "He can feel it," went on Robbie. Leith froze, breath hitching. All of his confidence wavered and here he was, that scared, petrified man facing his worst nightmares in the form of a veagance-seeking demon. "But you know what he also feels? The punishment you've served yourself. I guess that's why he doesn't feel the need to take you with him." The smirk on Robbie's face unnerved Leith. "You've done his work for him."

     For a moment, Leith was terrified he wouldn't be able to put himself together. But in the end, he managed to snatch his arm back and snap, "You and your ghost buddy don't know me. Now I would go find Daisy, if I were you."

     Robbie passed him, but he was smug━he had held power over Leith for that short amount of time, and in reality, that Ghost Rider within him held every power in the universe over Leith Roy, holding him like a puppet on a string over the deadly waters of his dark past. 

     He passed Clarissa Roy, who━decked in her field-medical gear━was chatting with Fitz and Simmons on comms. "I'll be fine!" she told them, hiding her smile to hear Fitz stress. She stood beside a S.H.I.E.L.D. issued SUV, checking her equipment; opening up cases and doing another inventory. "Honestly, all I wish is that you two were down with me."

     "We wish you were up here helping us," replied Simmons. She was walking around; Clara could tell she was pacing. "This whole thing is absurd."

     "Yeah," agreed Fitz with a scoff. "But━uh━Clara, you know that if you don't want to do this━"

    "It's fine," she said, closing the case and moving on to check the second. She appreciated him saying that to her, really━but she's heard it all morning. "I told Mace I didn't want to head in with Leith, Daisy and the others; that I'm just here for medical. He understands that. Coulson understands that. And Mack and Leith understand that. Unless it calls for some drastic measure, I am just your happy doctor! Doctor Clarissa Roy━" she put on her best movie agent's voice, "━ready for service!"

      Fitz scoffed again, "That is a terrible voice."

     "What? No, it isn't!"

     "Yeah, it is, sounds worse than your attempt at an Scottish accent━"

     "Fitz, I copy you."

     "Stop it," Jemma cut in before it would get too much. "Seriously. I cannot deal with a headache today."

      Leith walked over to join Clara, eager to help to get his mind of his conversation with Robbie, "How do you lot sound exactly as you do in person when you're separated and on comms? It's like you're all psychically linked."

     At the same time, Fitz and Roy both made sounds that piked the comms. Leith jumped, startled and Simmons made a noise of annoyance. "I wouldn't exactly say that━", "━Psychically linked? That's impossible," Clara chortled, shaking her head, "━I do not want to be thinking what she's thinking━", "━and I do not want to be thinking what Fitz is thinking right now."

     Leith winced, massaging his ear, "You guys are only proving my point, you know that right?" Clara made another face as he reached in to grab the case she checked, holding it at his side. She grabbed the second and third and together, they started to make their way over towards the entrance they were taking━or at least, the others were taking.

     "Agent Simmons," said Coulson as Leith and Clara passed him. He sent Roy a small smile, checking whether she was okay and she nodded, "the gang's all here and in position."

     "Copy that, Agent Coulson. Fitz, do we have thermals off the satellite?"

    "Morrow's men retreated inside a few minutes ago," replied Fitz. 

     "That's odd," said Clara, frowning. "All of them?"

     "Yeah," he agreed with her. "Strange."

     They made it to where Daisy, Robbie and Yo-Yo were waiting. Clara and Leith set down her euipment and Daisy came over to check. She and Roy shared a quick glance. Quake gave her a quick squeeze of the shoulder, happy to see her. 

     "Zephyr to Assault Team," then said Simmons, "be aware that all Morrow's men have pulled back. You need to be ready for anything."

      "Yay," said Leith sarcastically and went over to Yo-Yo. Clara stayed behind, listening to comms as the conversation dropped to just her line. 

     "Shards of carbon out of thin air," Fitz murmured, "it's not possible you can't create something out of nothing."

     "First law of thermodynamics."

     "Exactly," Roy nodded at Fitz's words. "Even in the realm of quantum vacuum fluctuations, there are still laws." He sighed. She knew he was leaning against something as he thought. "So, how's he doing it?"

      "Maybe it's magic," offered Simmons, but they all knew she was being sarcastic. 

     "I do not like magic," said Fitz at a low mutter. "Or clowns." He then added: "Or clowns with knives, in the dark."

      Roy frowned, perplexed. She's in love with a weirdo...

      There was a distant alarm on the Zephyr━something from the monitors. Clara was on immediate alert. She stood up from her cases and asked, "What is it," over comms.

     "We're reading another earthquake," replied Simmons. Immediately, everyone set their eyes on Daisy. She frowned, glancing down at her arms with brand new gauntlets. "One-Four."

      Daisy shrugged. "For the record," she tapped into comms, "it wasn't me."

     Robbie turned to Clara, "What about you, then?"

     Roy arched a brow, "Me?" she then shook her head. "No, no. I don't do earthquakes. I mean ... maybe I could cause one ... I guess━I don't know, never tried."

     Robbie was startled. He glanced at Yo-Yo, Leith and Daisy. Yo-Yo waved it off, "She does that," she explained. "She explains, but doesn't explain."

      The Ghost Rider nodded. He gazed at Clara for a moment before deciding to say, "A real doctor, then."

     She frowned, not sure how to take that. "I━uh━excuse me?"

     "Yeah, well, all the same, Daisy," said Fitz as Clara handed out body cameras for thermo readings, heart-rate monitoring and almost everything medical she could think of. She, Simmons and Fitz designed them over the years since they first created Mike's suit and they were so close to being perfect. "I'd like to look at the new gauntlets after the mission, check that they're calibrated correctly."

     "They are, trust me," said Daisy, a little amused at the way Robbie recoiled slightly as Clara fixed the miniscule monitor into his leather jacket with little recollection of how she was supposed to ask before invading someone's space (she tries to, she promises! She just has so many things on her mind that she forgets and just does it ... she apologised to Robbie afterwards...). "The effect on my bones is a tenth of what it was."

     "Yeah," said Clara, grabbing the last of the equipment for the team and securing it into the place-holder in Daisy's gauntlets. "But this should keep an eye on your bones, but also if for some reason the calibration is incorrect. It'll eliminate you for the earth quakes." 

     Finally finished, she stepped back and clasped her hands. It felt strange to stand there and see the team she was apart of last year head in without her there with them ... or Lincoln. It felt empty without him━and Clara had a feeling it always will. She knew exactly what medical terminology he'd say in his worry for Daisy ... Roy pursed her lips to herself. She missed him, and she wished she showed how much she valued his friendship and his expertise when he was alive. Now, he was gone. 

     But Clara will make sure she'd hold him still here by making sure Daisy didn't hurt herself. Especially when she felt as though she had to attone for his death. 

     Leith tugged at his gloves a final time and Roy didn't miss the tense glance he sent Robbie before he walked up to the door. 

     Reyes took a deep breath. He glowered at the door, "We sure Eli's in there?"

     "Let's find out," answered Coulson. "Assault Team, you have a go."

     "Copy," said Daisy. "Breaching now."

     She nodded at Leith and he stood at the ready. He would go in first for a quick subconsious recon before they sent in Yo-Yo. Daisy fastened a grip on the handle, Yo-Yo pressed her fingers on the peeling paint, and Leith closed his eyes.

     It was a few seconds before he opened them back up, "Okay, it seems clear. I couldn't see much━the light's really dark. But ... it's weird, there's these lines on the wall and the floor is damp. I heard running water."

     Clara frowned at this, opening her tablet with all of their vital signs situated in many organised graphs. Lines on the walls? Running water?

      Daisy looked confused, but she pushed the door open anyway. "Yo-Yo," she began, "head in, have a look around━maybe you can see something Leith didn't."

      Yo-Yo nodded. With a smirk, she was gone in a blur. Clara was still thinking about what possibly could be on the walls ... water? Lines? 

     Until it hit her. Water ... Those weren't just lines. "Wait," she spoke up. She spun on her feet back to the others. "Wait━Yo-Yo! Head back! Get back here right now━!"

     The explosion of fire sent them off their feet. Yo-Yo flew through the open, lit doorway. Clara scrambled to her feet, and her breath hitched with a cry to see Yo-Yo on the ground, writhing with her arm on fire. 

     "Yo-Yo!" she shouted and rushed to grab anything to use as a fire blanket. She found a cotton blanket from one of the dumpsters. It wasn't wet, but it will have to do. Agent Roy ran to Yo-Yo's sound, immediately smothering the flames with the blanket and patting it out. She turned her around, working to get her jacket off as the flames died before it would melt. 

     Clara was relieved to see it hadn't had the chance to get through to her shirt underneath; but she had minor burns on her neck and shoulders. As Roy pulled out her drink bottle, Robbie was on his feet as well. He scowled at the scorching depth now inside the hallway. 

     "You like playin' with fire, Eli?" he growled. "Let's play."

     And like that, he descended into the fire. 

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     YO-YO hissed as Clara applied the cream. She was a horrible patient. Roy only got just the bare minumum on before she pushed through the pain and shoved her away, "I'm fine!" snapped Elena. She cursed something in Spanish which Clara had a feeling wasn't exactly the nicest thing. She frowned, dropping her hands and the cream down. 

     "Do you want to get scarring?" she answered back in the same tone. 

     "Yes," replied Yo-Yo defiantly before snatching the cool towl Clara had grabbed once they returned to the van's and SUV's to place against the back of her neck with a wince. 

      Roy threw her hands up, exasperated. Why do people never want medical attention? 

     Seeing Mack walk up to them, she tried to express her frustration silently to him. He sighed and nodded to the van, telling Clara to give them a moment alone. She grumbled but did as he said, joining Daisy and Leith inside with Coulson to try and get a connection to Robbie's camera and monitors. 

     She heard Mack murmur to Yo-Yo, "She's just trying to help you out. Why you being so cold?"

     "I'm not being cold," she argued. "I just got hit by a giant fireball, I lost my favourite jacket and you're all treating me like a niña."

      Coulson could hear the annoyance off of Clara even without her saying anything. He arched an amused brow at her, "You okay?"

      "I'm bloody fine," she said, sounding very much like Yo-Yo in this moment. Then, she sighed and shook her head. "Yes, yes, I'm okay. I'm not the one who's got first-degree burns all along my neck and shoulders. She's glad they're only that. Anything on Robbie?"

     "No," said Coulson, scowling at the white noise and glitched-screen of the monitor. "His camera's all glitchy. The feed keeps cutting in and out."

     "Going through the fire probably didn't help," muttered Daisy. 

      "Wow, that's crazy, really?" Leith tried to be sarcastic and Daisy just sent him a I will hit you, look. As he said that, though, the screen shuddered and a very damaged, static view from Robbie's camera returned. They all sat up straighter, attention grabbed. "Ooh! Hello, think we got something here..."

     They watched him march through the dark corridors of the compound. Roy couldn't see the colour of the walls or the roof, but they seemed barely painted━everything was still in construction, but it looked as though there hadn't been workers inside for years. 

     That was when Robbie suddenly spun around. Someone from the Chinatown Crew had seen him. They attacked and he blocked their swings, disarming them quickly before knocking them out with a hard slam of his arm against the back of their neck. They crumpled to the ground. Another was coming straight for him. He had grabbed that one and slammed his head so hard into the wall it broke the plaster. Clara winced. Robbie continued on. 

      He walked through the corridor for a minute, quiet━which made Roy think that his microphone had been damaged in the fire. Then, he stepped out into an open warehouse with pillars stretching all along the width from wall to wall. He spun on his feet and Clara's eyes widened at what they all saw.

     "Oh," she let out quietly. She tapped her comms, quickly activating her microphone. "Fitz, Simmons, you see this?"

      A minature room had been set up in the compound; pillared and white-walled━even in this static, damaged view, Clara knew the walls were pristine and new. There was a fuzzy line across the sides, making the contents inside blurred: a clear box on the middle of a podium in the centre of the squared containment.

      "Yeah, we are," murmured Simmons.

     "Looks like the power cells from Momentum Lab," said Fitz, "except economy-sized."

     "Yeah," agreed Clara. "But it's familiar━but not from that. I can't really pinpoint it."

      "Well, either way, it's deinitely a battery of somesort," Roy could hear that Simmons was back to pacing. "Morrow has created a giant battery for himself, filled with quantum energy."

      "Well, I wouldn't say created exactly━" her eyes widened as Robbie started forward, "━wait, no, no, no, Robbie! Don't go in there!"

      "Robbie?" Fitz waited for an answer.

      He didn't hear; Robbie stepped right inside of the unknown power-cell. Clara had her fingers to her lips, waiting for something to explode. The light inside darkened ... but it just brightened back up, and Robbie looked okay. He walked around the cube, giving them a view. 

     "What is it?" asked Leith, leaning in close with his eyes narrowed. 

     "What is that object on the wall?" 

     Simmons was right━there was something dark on the wall inside now that Robbie was closer. Clara got another sense of deja vu. She felt as though she's seen this before, and she hated how she couldn't pin-point it. It was on the tip of her tongue ...

      "I really hope it's not cesium again," Clara matched her brother's expression. 

      "Cesium?" Jemma exclaimed. "Is that what ignited the entry hall?"

      She hummed, "Yes. I guessed from what Leith described, but after a quick spectral analysis of Yo-Yo's jacket━Snow 2.0 is lovely, by the way, thanks, Fitz, for letting me borrow her━but, I found out I was right." At the others glances, she explained. "It's in no way a good thing. It's highly unstable and━"

      "Pyrophoric, yeah," finished Simmons, understanding. "Reacts on contact with water. First carbon, now cesium ... it's like Morrow is testing his abilities, making his way through the periodic table. Who knows what other traps he's set ..."

      Fitz was being uncharacteristically silent. Roy frowned. "Fitz?" she called lowly. "What is it?"

      The tone he replied in was grave, "Roy, you were right in saying you recognised that set up ... we've seen it before."

      Roy felt a twist in her gut. Her memory finally hit her, and she cursed. If it was that━this was not good. She met Coulson's eyes and he nodded, giving her the get-go. "Fitz, send a module down. I'll be up with the others."

      She was on her feet, gathering her purse and her equipment when Leith froze. "Wait━" he pointed at the screen where Robbie had turned. There, standing outside the cube, was a figure configured in the static. But they didn't need to see a face to know who it was. "It's Eli ..."

     There was a tense moment. They couldn't hear what they were saying; or what was happening. The body language seemed casual from Eli━

      But then Robbie's vitals spiked. Clara gasped and rushed to look over Daisy's shoulders. His chest cavaties were red; his heart was beginning to race at an alarming rate. In the camera, he looked down and they all saw a jagged shard of carbon impaled right through his chest. 

     "No!" croaked Daisy in a strained whisper. She then stood up, "I'm going in━"

     Coulson jumped, immediately against that idea, "Daisy, don't━"

     Clara yelped when the entire van shook. She clung onto her brother's shoulders, eyes wide. They stared at Daisy, alarmed as the tremors subsided.

     "You realise we're trying to hide you from the press, right?" said Coulson, annoyed.

     Daisy stared at the ground, brows furrowed in thought. "A, I don't care," she said. "And B, that wasn't me."

     "That's because if this is what Fitz and I think it is ..." Clara grabbed her things and jumped out of the van, already on her way towards where the module will land. "Then the problem is way bigger than you realise."

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(April 12th, 2017
The Zephyr, Los Angeles)

    "THE DEMON Core? Seriously?"

     Leith and Mack followed Coulson into the Zephyr command centre with a few grumbles of, "You cannot make this stuff up," and, "seriously, who names these?" 

     Agent Roy came up in the rear. She walked right up to Fitz and Simmons, gazing at the familiar box on the monitor. "I didn't name it that," Fitz rubbed her back in greeting. "The physicists at Los Alamos did." Then, he walked towards his desk. With a few commands, he starting to connect a second monitor. "This is the last image before Robbie's feed cut out."

     The two images sat parallel, dangerously similar. Clara tapped her fingers against her lips, her thoughts weighed with dread. Daisy crossed her arms, staring at the monitor. "They do look awfully similar ... whatever they are."

     "It's a fail-safe━", "━it's a fuel source━"

      Fitz and Simmons glanced at each other, frowning and Roy rolled her eyes, susprised she was actually the middle of them for once in their disagreements on science. She took the centre. "It's both," she explained. "The Demon Core was made and working to be unleashed on Japan as they were recovering from the events of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Then Japan surrendered, but they continued to work on it. But, instead, it ended up killing two of the scientists ... it's a lengthy story." Clara stopped herself before she got too much into it. "Basically, it's powering not just the cell, but Eli himself."

     "But it's also the perfect insurance policy to keep us all at bay," went on Simmons. Roy nodded. 

      Mack frowned, very taken-aback by Roy's story. "N━Now when you say fail-safe."

      "The Demon Core was a six-point-two kilogram sphere of refined plutonium and gallium," Roy explained immediately. "If this is even close in its similarity━" she pointed to the lid on the still from Robbie's camera. "You see this beryllium lid? It's a neutron reflector, rigged to drop at the touch of a finger."

     "If that lid drops into place," Fitz continued, ashen, "it would trigger supercritical mass."

      "Wait, wait━" Leith cut them all off. "You're all basically saying that this is a nuclear bomb? A living, working, ready to be triggered nuclear bomb in L.A? And just one mess of it from Robbie or Eli and...?"

      Fitz finished his statement with a silent explosion mimicked with his hands.

      Coulson stared at the two pictures, looking very pale. "It's time for Plan 'B'."     

      They all waited for him to say something, sharing quiet exchanges of pale faces, dreaded stomachs and racing hearts. When he didn't tell them what was next, and they didn't offer anything, Coulson turned around and asked, "A━Anyone? Feel free to chime in."

      "We're dead?"

      " ... Thanks, Leith."

      By now, Clara was used to working under a very small time-range, severe pressure and the weight of possible thousands of deaths under her shoulders. Even if it was a dangerous nuclear bomb, and could be accidentally triggered any second, and Robbie was stuck in that cube impaled on a carbon spike━tick, tick, tick━

      Until came the arrival of the Director, A.I.D.A. and Radcliffe. Roy was not happy about it. Not only were her and Simmons's space envaded and their work to try and stop this put to the side for some strange parts of an archway with no scientific explanation to make it make sense other than The Darkhold. This quantum dimension portal brought back Fitz and Coulson, but it didn't make Clara any less wary of it. 

     A.I.D.A. sent Clara a smile before leaving and her gaze narrowed into a flickering gold glare as she watched her leave.

    "Still can't believe she's an android," muttered Simmons. "Can you believe it?"

     Roy nodded. "Yep, and I hate it," she grumbled. "She has Fitz's attention more than I do. I can't believe I'm jealous over a robot."

     Simmons chuckled. "You were always clingy."

    "What? No, I wasn't," Clara argued, even though Jemma was very much right. 

    "Ever since the Academy━"

     "Okay, let's not get into that."

     Jemma's smile faded slightly. "Roy," she said, softer this time. "It's okay. Fitz built her with Radcliffe, and you know how excited he gets over new inventions and such."

      "Yeah, I know," Roy sighed. She frowned at the peices of the quantum dimension arch. "Doesn't change the terrible feeling I have about all of this."

     Speaking of Fitz, he and Daisy walked into the lab. As soon as he saw the metal casings on the table, he gasped, "Ah! The Arch. I take it A.I.D.A.'s arrived?"

      Roy sent Simmons a look saying, see what I mean? "Don't need to look so excited, but yes, she's here. Along with Radcliffe and Director Mace."

     "Oh, well, then," Fitz held up his hands in sarcastic prayer, "the day is officially saved!"

      Simmons scoffed in agreement.

     "No love for your new Director?" Daisy quirked a brow.

     "We don't trust him━", "━he's a lying weasel━", "━he's most definitely hiding something."

     "Really?" she was surprised by their words. "What'd he do?"

     Just at the mention of what happened made Fitz go into a small bout of fury. He hsook his head, turning around to say angrily, "He betrayed Roy and Simmons."

      Jemma nodded in agreement, but Roy glanced nervously behind them at the open door. She didn't want Burrows or somebody overhear Fitz's outburst, so, she tried to calm him down with a small, "Oh, really, I wouldn't go that far━"

      "No," Fitz turned to her, "don't let him get away with this. He sent you and Simmons off to for all we know the bloody Moon into the hands of a senator who hates Inhumans, and lied to everyone about it! Even you!" She pursed her lips and he shook his head. "Oh, if I get the chance I swear I'll━"

      "Fitz," Clara tried, gently taking his wrist and pulling him back towards the rest of them with a soft━but stern━look that said, calm down, please? At his short scoff, Roy moved her fingers down to his own and squeezed it. That seemed to work and he let Simmons explain to Daisy in a much more composed tone.

     When she was done, Daisy joined Fitz in his anger, "So, where is this Inhuman being held?"

     "We have no idea," said Simmons truthfully. "The Director literally made us put bags over our heads, and wisked us away."

      "It's kidnapping," Fitz grumbled. When Roy made a sound of disagreement he gave her his own stern look that took her off guard. "No, Clara, he had you and Simmons kidnapped, and then lied about it. And he let them put you in bloody handcuffs!"

      "What?" let out Daisy. 

     "Look," Clara tried to keep the conversation low in whispers, eyeing the open door anxiously again, "that's not what is important. What's important is that the Director is involved with Senator Nadeer somehow, and there's no telling what they've got planned."

     "It just doesn't make any sense," frowned Daisy. "Director Mace is an Inhuam, and all that Senator does is spew hate about us━" she stopped. Looking down at her hands, Daisy stepped away from the table. Immediately, Clara let go of Fitz's hand and walked over.

     "What's wrong?" she asked, fingers reaching out to her arms. 

      But Quake held her hands to her, placing pressure against her palm. "Uh ..." concern flushed over all three scientists over their friend. "I feel a quake coming. Is ... is that even possible?"

     Fitz furrowed his brows. He thought about it. Grabbing his tablet, he muttered, "The gauntlets can absorb a wide range of infrasonic waves."

     "Yeah, to better shield your bones from further damage," Roy checked Daisy's arm herself, interest piqued. "Impressve you can feel it all the way up here..."

     They heard Fitz sigh, "The epicentre's right where Eli set up shop," he said. "That can't be a coincidence."

     "Something he created in there is the cause," said Daisy, "whether it's the power cell or━"

     "No, he's not creating anything," Fitz cut her off, annoyed. Simmons shot her gaze to the ceiling.

     "Here we go again..." she murmured. Daisy stared at her, a little incredulous. 

     "There's an order to things in this seemingly chaotic universe," Fitz set his tablet down and began to pace, expressing his words with his arms in many gestures and attempts to describe his thoughts. "And━and one of those laws says that every speck of matter that makes up every animal, vegetable, mineral..."

     "Monkey," whispered Clara to herself, feeling her heart warm over that simple memory at the bottom of the ocean━something little, but beautiful in such a tragic moment in their lives. 

        "No matter how much it changes," went on Fitz, coming to a stop as his thoughts started to know exactly where they wanted to go, "it comes from somewhere, belongs somewhere. Its natural state ... its home."

       Roy smiled at him, not that he really noticed. But she didn't mind. Even in drastic times, with the clock ticking away to disaster, there were always these moments. Clara had moments of peace with Fitz; whether it was at the bottom of the ocean, talking about Thermodynamics or now, it was here. A settle of gentle air that made her feel like she belonged here, too, with him; that he was her home. Her small, cozy fire in a small, cozy house on a small street in a small town. 

     She gushed a little to Daisy and Simmons, "It's quite a lovely sentiment, even if it was completely unintentional."

     Jemma nudged her knowingly and Roy replied back with a stronger one and a mutter of, "Shut up."

      But Daisy's eyes followed Fitz around the lab. It was then that Roy noticed that he had realised something━perhaps something that could help ... it was that look on his face. "So, what's the cause of the quake?"

     He stopped by the group of the small power cells they had originally found at Momentum Labs. Meeting the girls' gazes, he said: "Grand Larceny."

     And Clara understood. Eli wasn't creating energy. He was stealing it. 

✲══〖✰〗══✲

(April 12th, 2017
Chinatown Crew Compound; Los Angeles)

     FITZ WAS a genius. 

     Always has been, but also still continues to surprise even Clara, who believed in his genius more than anyone else (aside from his mother), constantly with just how much he knew, how much he could achieve, and how intelligent he kept growing to be. A.I.D.A. may be the one building the instrument that will stop Eli, but it was Fitz who had put all the pieces together. He connected the dots (or rather, the power cells).

     Roy sent a few glances A.I.D.A.'s way as she did as she was told, her eyes in a pernament scowl. Leith watched her, curious at the way she clenched her jaw and narrowed her gaze. 

     "Careful," he quipped in a whisper, "or I think you might expel a lot of kept up negative energy, and we all know that is never very good." He pouted at her, dipping his chin and Clara placed the narrowed gaze onto him. 

     Yes, she knew she saved Fitz and Coulson's life, and she could never be more grateful, and she may as well be saving the world right now. But gosh does she make her somach bubble with a fury. Roy reminded herself that she was a robot, and that deep down, what she felt wasn't jealousy. Call it her intuition, but she didn't trust A.I.D.A., or perhaps she didn't trust Radcliffe━but that was no secret. Either way, she grew nervous whenever they were around. 

     Daisy quaked the final Chinatown Crew member off his feet, hitting the wall and sliding unconscious down to the ground. Once finished, she turned back to Roy, Simmons and Leith, "Should be the last of them. How are we doing?"

     "We're close," said Agent Roy, checkig her tablet in correlation to the four pillars from the EMP set in a neat circle in the centre of the room. "The core should be placed here, directly underneath the cell."

     Helping A.I.D.A. get her gloves on, Radcliffe muttered, "Time for you to work your magic, my dear."

     "I don't perform magic, Doctor," replied the adroid. "Magic involves deception."

     "Yeah, I just meant it's time to start connecting the power cells," he sighed, shaking his head as he finished powering up her gloves. "I really need to update your cache of common vernacular."

     "You really think the magnet's gonna be strong enough to hold him down?" frowned Daisy, returning back to the group of them.

     "The neodymium core is no ordinary magnet," A.I.D.A. told her, coming to stand in the middle of the square. Roy rolled her eyes, standing in between Fitz and Leith, watching Simmons finish the set up. "It enabled the Watchdogs' EMP device to knocok out the power in several cities."

     Daisy blinked. She shared a quick, dubious glance with Leith. "I can't believe she's a robot." Her eyes darted downwards and she instantly looked upwards, clearing her throat. "She's so lifelike." 

     Leith hitched a small gasp in horror, "Daisy Johnson, A.I.D.A.'s eyes are up here," he gestured to the android's face.

      Daisy punched him. A.I.D.A. smiled at her, flattered. "Thank you. I'm learning."

     "What A.I.D.A. neglected to add," spoke up Simmons is a soft voice so only the five of them could hear, "was that the core is useless unless we get the other half properly placed and we manage to get the rest of the gate up in time."

      "Hey," Leith rubbed her back gently, "we well. You're in the room, so it's bound to work ... barring an earthquake," he then winced. "Sorry." He gave Jemma another rub. 

      "Leave those to me, okay?" said Daisy. "Everyone leaves like we came: in one piece."

      Clara watched her move and something in her jolted. She reached out to stop her, surprising even herself when she said, "You sure you don't need my help?"

      Daisy faltered. Perhaps things were still tense between them after their explosive argument, but right now, all of that was gone. She smiled and squeezed Clara's hand. "I'll be fine. If you try, you'll get hurt. I have an advantage against that."

     "Still won't stop you from getting hurt," Roy replied, worried. "I might not be able to take the quakes ... but I can take your pain, heal you, to keep you going."

     "I won't risk shattering your bones," Daisy said, and that was the end of the conversation. It had been decided. A.I.D.A. watched the group of them, a frown upon her face as she analysed their movements, their tones━the way they all cared for each other; how they would put themselves in danger just to save the other. Many codes ran through her system, but none of them could fully understand the pure human emotion that came with caring deeply for someone ... but her codes did undestand: she didn't have that ... and it was perhaps an error, or maybe some loophole in her coding that made her feel a want to; or in correction: an obligation━to complete her initial purpose. 

      And so, they got to work quickly.

     A.I.D.A. began to map out ... something using whatever knowledge that book gave her. Roy wasn't seeing anything, just her connecting dots from one point of nothing to another point of nothing. Daisy held back each quake as they came as best as she could, grasping onto the floor and the walls and the pillars━but they were getting stronger with each tremor. 

     A rather nasty tremble made A.I.D.A. stumble, and she looked at Radcliffe, as if surprised. Her eyes were wild like a child's━inquisitive and young, and yet they held codes and codes; volumes of knowledge. It slightly scared Clara. "Careful, A.I.D.A.," said Radcliffe. "Our lives depend on this. Yours in particular."

     "They're getting stronger," said Daisy through gritted teeth. "it's like riding a choppy wave."

      FItz opened up one of the cases holding the magnets. Meeting Leith's eyes, he asked, "Did you get the other magnet to Yo-Yo?"

     "Yeah," he said, nodding. "She's got it."

     He pursed his lips. Fitz glanced at Clara and whispered, "We can't handle another tremor like that."

     "If that beryllium lid drops into place..." agreed Roy with a frown, "the plutonium goes nuclear."

    "That's not helping, Clara," Daisy grunted. Roy muttered a small apology, her nerves starting to get up to her throat and chest. "I'm ... I'm absorbing the quakes as best I can."

    "How much can those gauntlets take?" asked Radcliffe.

     There was another tremor━and the whole room shuddered. Roy stumbled slightly in her surprise, but kept her ground. Daisy, on the other hand, barely stayed on her feet. She grabbed ahold of one of the metal columns, her gauntlets shaking along with the room around them. It subsided, and she clenched her jaw.

     "It's not the guantlets I'm worried about," Fitz slowly stood back up. He shared a worried glance with Roy and she hugged her stomach, feeling sick. 

     They worked quicker in hearing Coulson on comms. This bomb wasn't a failsafe. Or power. It was means to an end. Eli was going to blow it, no matter what. They needed to hurry. As soon as A.I.D.A. was finished, waiting casually outside the cyllinder, Fitz rushed to attatch the magnet to the pully system. Radcliffe hefted it up, rolling the lever until it hit the roof with a clang!

      Another quake. Simmons gripped the pillars, too, trying to keep everything stable. Leith helped her, grasping one on the opposite side and digging his feet against the stone, rooting his legs. Roy stumbled and Fitz caught her before she could trip. "Come on!" Daisy grinded her teeth.

     They all grabbed a pillar, desperate to keep it steady. Up above, the portal opened, and Roy's breath hitched to see a spiral of orange. Twisting and turning to reveal nothing but darkness. But she felt it━she felt something. Like a ringing that rattled through her bones, making her close her eyes and cling on harder. She felt like as if she had just tried to stand up from the aftermath of a bomb, and the world around her was in a spinning daze. The trembling grew, and grew, and grew━

     Daisy couldn't handle it any more. "It's too strong!" she cried and fell to the ground. Her arms shook as she still tried to keep it all in, and ignoring the stumble in her step and the blur of her gaze━the loud, thundering ringing like high-pitch drones piericng her ears━Clara ran to her side. 

     "Daisy," she had a hand on her back. She was shaking; the tremors had all become too much. "Daisy!" Fitz was quick to follow her, crouching on Quake's other side. Her gauntlets clattered against the skin of her suit. She was in pain, and Roy only knew one way to try to help her. 

     Clara pulled her closer, wrapping her arms around her body to try and take the shakes for her. She closed her eyes, pushing through the horrible, excruciating pain like a million bees buzzing inside her━

     "Hey!"

     At the shout, Roy gasped. Her concentration broke and something snapped between her and Daisy. Like a rubber band had been flung right back. The flow of bees stopped, but they grew inside her anyway, and she had no time━no thought━to defend them as the barrel of the gun was aimed right for her and Daisy. Fitz's eyes widened, "Look out━!"

     Like the crack of a whip, the man fired three shots. They hit a mark━but not the ones they intended. 

     Roy watched, dazed, as A.I.D.A. staggered. She glanced down, eyes wide to see three, bright red spots staining her blaizer right at her gut. The android fell to her knees, face crying out in silent pain. Behind her, Leith and Simmons flung up their own guns and fired two equal shots. Bang! Bang! The Chinatown Crew member hit the ground. 

     Clara was dizzy. She swayed in her attempt to get up. A.I.D.A writhed on the ground; blood beginning to pool around her━she winced, she cried; she was in pain ... she was bleeding. An android ...

     Daisy groaned as well; her pain subsided, but not gone━she still trembled, like she had been struck multiple times by an eletric shock. Roy hated to leave her, but she needed to get to A.I.D.A━an android, and she was in pain? She bled? Like she was human?

     Simmons got to her side before she could. The portal closed behind them, and Clara felt like something lifted off of her━a weight she couldn't describe. It allowed her to concentrate━just enough to push Daisy's pain and injury to something insignificent; like the sting of a paper cut before finally arriving at A.I.D.A.

     Roy dropped down, breath shaky, eyes hazy, but she pressed her hands onto A.I.D.A.'s bleeding━actually bleeding━gut. At her touch, the android shook and whimpered. But she met her gaze and said, "It's all right, Agent Roy. I won't bleed out," her voice trembled as much as her body. "The synthetic blood is mostly for appearances."

     Clara frowned. Taking her hands away, she glanced at Fitz, confused. "But ..." her voice was hoarse━whether it be shock or recovery, she wasn't too sure. "But you're in pain. I don't get it..."

     Leith crouched down, too, face pale. 

     "Doctor Radcliffe programmed me to be a decoy," said the android. "I need to exhibit the proper response to human sensations, and I was programmed to feel them."

     Roy glanced up at Radcliffe, too horrified to be angry. 

     "Including pain," finished Fitz, and his face dropped in guilt. 

     "Yes," she whimpered. "It's━it's quite awful."

     Despite her feelings around A.I.D.A., Clara found herself carefully brushing the hair off the android's face. She was a robot, and yet she felt pain. Human pain. And it made bile rise up in Clara's throat. This was cruel. How could Radcliffe put her through this? 

     (In fact, there was part of Clara that wasn't even surprised. She knew what he was capable of. There's only a brink before madness in science).

      "You're all right, A.I.D.A.," Roy told the android. "You'll be fine."

     She wanted to help her, but Roy cannot heal coding. She cannot heal what is technically not even alive.

      "Yes, I know," said the robot. "I am perfectly all right."

      And yet she winced and she shuddered, and their knees were stained with her synthetic blood. 

     "I'm so sorry, A.I.D.A.," Radcliffe frowned.

     "Is ... is there anyway we can stop the pain?" Leith asked the scientist as Clara's hand fell to A.I.D.A's shoulder, gripping tight. "This is ... are you mad?"

     He had no chance to answer. Behind them, Daisy struggled to her feet. "I gotta get outside," she told them and stumbled past. Her whole body shook━short convulsions up her legs and arms. Clara stood, ready to help, but she pushed past her. "It's too much. I got to get out."

     "Daisy━" Fitz called, but she was already gone.

✲══〖✰〗══✲

(April 12th, 2017
The Playground, Classified)

     SAVING THE DAY never felt completely right when you lost someone in the process. Clara didn't even ... well, she barely knew Robbie. She knew him for what he could do, she knew him for his attitude, but she didn't know him, and yet she still felt this empty space. Like she should have gotten to know him━that he should have been given a chance to belong.

     But perhaps with that thing inside him, whether it was different, or now apart of him, never could have really belonged. Perhaps, they were right━exactly━where they were supposed to be.

      But still, seeing his empty car in the cargo of the Zephyr made Roy feel something gape within her. She thought of Robbie's younger brother: Gabe. He was alone, now. 

      Clara looked away from the car, supporting an ice-pack to her head. She stepped away from the others as they celebrated a win, and celebrated Robbie's life. She needed a quiet space to take a breath and expell all the pain she felt; slowly like cramps in her stomach, or a severe migrane pounding against her temple. She'll join them after, but right now, she just needed this moment alone. 

      And besides, she didn't think she could look Fitz in the eye right now after what she had seen with A.I.D.A. It wasn't his fault, she knew that. He made things out of the good of his heart, to protect people━to protect everyone if he could. She didn't even think he realised that his and Radcliffe's coding meant the scene they had witnessed. But Roy couldn't look at him without thinking of how A.I.D.A. writhed and sobbed in severe pain with synethic blood pooling from those three gunshots she had taken for her, Fitz and Daisy ... and yet look her in the eye and tell her that it was okay, because she wasn't real. None of it was real.

      A rather harsh spell of pain washed over her and Clara clenched her eyes, taking a deep breath and holding the ice-pack tight. She didn't realise that someone walked up to her until he opened the door to the SUV and sat down in the backseat beside her.

      Coulson didn't say anything. He just relaxed back and sighed, getting comfortable on the leather seats. Clara appreciated it as she felt another, trying very hard not to sob as it made her shoulders tremble and her feel sick. But it subsided, and she just sat there, waiting for the next.

      He took this time to ask, "How long you've been here?"

      Roy settled herself back onto the seat━the cool of the leather didn't relieve her as much as she wished it did. "An hour," she admitted softly. "I'm ... I'm sorry, I just ... I couldn't let Daisy ..."

     "No, don't be sorry," Coulson stopped her, gentle. "You did the right thing. I don't think Daisy would be here right now, uninjured if you didn't."

      A silence settled. The pauses between the pain was getting longer and longer, which told Clara it was nearly over. She managed a scoff, "I can't believe she's back ... Quake, the hero."

     Coulson chuckled. "Yeah," he shook his head, thinking about what had happened. "Mace called an audible on me. I didn't know he'd do that."

     "He does that," Clara murmured. "Does things without telling people. I get that he's trying to do the right thing ... but ..." she met Coulson's gaze. "You should be the Director. You're ... you're S.H.I.E.L.D."

       Coulson smiled a little at that, but he shook his head. "It would've been the wrong decision by me to stay."

      "But why Mace?" Clara asked him, curious. "You had a choice on who to pick. Leith told me that. Why Mace? He's━he's an Inhuman, I get it. But he's ..." she winced as a little shudder went through her. She took a sharp breath through her nose.

      "I didn't choose him," Coulson told her, truthful. 

      Clara's brow shot up, confused. "What?"

      "I wanted a powered person in control, but not Mace."

       Roy watched him, seeing him smile at her in the way a father would━proud at his daughter just after she completed school, or just receieved some highly commendation over something so little and insignificant━and yet, for a father, would be one of the proudest moments in his life. It ached to see it directed at her. It reminded her of her own father, and she missed him━but it was different, too. It was Couslon, and that held something freakishly similar in her mind. 

      And then she realised what he meant. She felt a lump of emotion in her throat. Couslon thought her for the role. He considered her; believed her capable. Hold her so high in his pride that he trusted her to run S.H.I.E.L.D. But he decided not to. He chose against it. Why? Because he understood she would have never wanted it. That she wanted a simple life; wanted to be the back-up back-up. One in the lab, or maybe one day retired, settled down ... He knew that, understood that ... He respected her, just as much as she respected him. 

      She didn't know why that made her tearful, but it did. Roy wanted to say something, but she didn't know what. Thank you? That wasn't enough. Coulson meant more to her than almost anybody else. He found her when she was lost: gave her a team, and then found her again, and helped her believe she could get through one of the worst times in her life. And here she was. Still strong; still going. She had found something in S.H.I.E.L.D., and most of it was thanks to him. 

       But Coulson didn't wait for her to say anything. He just gave her that fatherly smile and opened the SUV door. As he stepped out, he glanced back at her, "You coming? There's Jaffa cakes?"

     And Clara chuckled. She could never say no to Jaffa cakes.

     Across the Playground, Leith uncapped the lid of his beer. It hissed and he chucked the cap into the bin in the kitchen, taking a swift chug. It was a little sudden of a hit, but he didn't mind it, it made him feel better after Robbie's sacrifice━at least, it struck him with something strong alongside the guilt for the relief he felt. He was relieved the Ghost Rider was out of his life, or pushed backwards, and the fact that was how he felt instead of grief for what Robbie had done just made him feel worse. Robbie hadn't done anything, and neither had that bloody Ghost Rider, and yet Leith had held them further than arms length. He let his past controll him rather than get to know Robbie ... and now he could be dead, and part of Leith was relieved.

      It made him realise that no matter what he did, there was still a side of him that he hated━that he will never be proud of. 

     "You okay?" 

      Hearing Jemma, Leith glanced back. He thought about forcing a smile and ignoring it. But instead, he just shrugged and reached to grab a beer for her, too. She sighed, understanding. Coming around the counter, she leant against it beside him, watching him uncap a drink for her. "Daisy's back, now," she decided to say, "did you hear? She became the hero of the day."

     Leith chortled a scoff, "Agent Quake," he tested the name and shook his head in disbelief. "Undercover this whole time ... he can come up with stories, can't he, this Director?"

     He passed her the drink and she nodded, agreeing as she took a sip. He watched her for a moment━they could have all died today, but they didn't. They all got out, and Robbie didn't, taking his uncle with him. 

     Leith didn't know really why he did it, but his arms moved before he could stop them. He set down his beer and took Jemma's, placing it next to his. She frowned, "What are you━?"

      She was cut off by his kiss. 

      He pulled her close against his chest, wrapping his arms around her tight━holding her and trying to smother her; it made him feel a little better, knowing she was safe, and while Robbie was gone, things were okay again, for now. And this time, Leith wasn't going to go on the Zephyr for weeks at a time. He wasn't going to lie to her, and push her away. He was going to take this more seriously than he's ever before. He will not let his past rule him with this to make the same mistakes. Not for Jemma. Never for Jemma.

       Heairng Daisy's laugh, Leith jumped and pulled away. Simmons, a little surprised by his kiss, looked over, confused━realising that Daisy and Fitz had walked in on them, she went a bright scarlet.

      Leith just grinned, reaching for his beer with an arm still around Jemma's waist, "Hey, guys, what's up? You right, Fitz? Look like you saw something you shouldt've."

     Fitz cleared his throat and walked past, "Heylo."

     Leith Roy chuckled. He let go of Jemma to grab them both a drink. 

      One by one, the agents all gathered into the commons room. Mack and Yo-Yo followed in after Clara and Coulson, who had caught them in a kiss, too. ("What is it with kissing today?" Daisy had said, laughing.) 

      Clara snagged an entire plate of Jaffa cakes and sat down on the couch beside Fitz. She brought them to her lap as she settled her head against his chest, just wanting to rest after everything. "Took you guys long enough," she decided to say.

     "Says you," Yo-Yo replied. She grabbed a beer, mischevious. "How long did it take for you and Fitz to realise?"

     "Way too long," Simmons chuckled, leading the way to the couch. Leith followed her, sitting on the edge with an arm settling on the back behind her. Clara made a face equal to Fitz's, but they didn't argue, because they were right. May was the last to come in, and it wasn't long before they were all standing and sitting with each other, turning on the news. They didn't care about professionalism. They just took this moment together to spend it as friends and as family━they needed it, knowing they had each other still after losing someone else. 

      Clara cuddled up next to Fitz, happy for him to keep her close with an arm over her shoulder while the other held his drink. She set the Jaffa cakes between them, and Daisy chuckled at her.

     "You're a complete hog," she told her. 

      "No one takes Rapunzel's Jaffa cakes," said Mack, amused. 

     Roy gestured back at him carelessly in her agreement. She ate one, using her hand to catch the crumbs as they all watched the broadcast of how Agent Quake saved the day.

     "And according to Director Mace," said the reporter. "Quake was never actually a fugitve from S.H.I.E.L.D. She was working on an extended undercover operation to take down the anti-Inhuman group the Watchdogs. More details to come in an official press conference later this week."

     Leith glanced up and over his shoulder at Daisy. "You hear that, love? Undercover mission. You're my hero."

     "Shut up, Roy," she told him and they shared a chuckle. 

     "Sounds like Senator Nadeer lost her trump card," said Coulson.

    "She'll be after us," muttered Daisy. "Harder than ever."

     "We've faced worse than politicians," said Mack. 

     "Yeah," mumbled Fitz. He took a sip of his drink. "We faced Hunter."

     Everyone chuckled at that, remembering Hunter fondly. Suddenly, Simmons gasped as if she only just remembered something. Leaping off the couch, she had a grin on her face. "Well," she reached into the pocket of her jeans, "now that we're all gathered. I'd like to present Agent Johnson with something."

    "Don't you mean Agent Quake?" quipped Roy and Daisy narrowed her eyes at her (her lips quirked up into a smile, however).

      Jemma pulled out a blue lanyard, holding it out to their old friend with a bright and happy beam. "Your official lanyard!" Daisy breathed a laugh, taking it with━even though she would never admit it━a warm heart. She was happy to be back. She had missed them, this ... the family that was right here. "It's just a shame Agent Koenig couldn't be here."

     "Level Blue?" frowned Daisy.

     Fitz shifted in his seat, looking over the back of the couch to say, "Thrilling, isn't it?"

     "What does that mean?" she chuckled.

     "We have no idea," said the engineer and Daisy scoffed, amused. 

      Clara grinned. She decided to pass Daisy a Jaffa cake and her friend laughed━her face bright and smiling; the first time in a long while. While there was somberity over Robbie's death, there was also relief over all the lives they had saved. The team was back toegther, and they were laughing, sharing drinks and spending time toegther that all of them felt like they had lost. It had been a long time since they had a night like this; just drinking and feeling content, safe and happy. 

    But the scales always tip back down in the end. 

     And they were prepared to drop a very long way. 

✲══〖✰〗══✲

     a/n: this is sooooo long, i'm really sorry. it's also has minimal editing, because it's so long. so i'm super sorry if there are a lot of mistakes, and i mean a lot. unless there isn't, because then yay!

     my laptop is running like crazy to write this wtf. mate, if i can write all of this and survive, you shouldn't heat up. (it's dying, like seriously. rip my latop i need to buy a new one, good on her for getting this far).

     we finished like season 4a i'm pretty sure so!!! exciting!!!!!

      btw, eliminating a framework possibility that people were thinking about. no, sadly, clara isn't going to be the director in the framework. considering clara's past, and her problems she keeps bottled up, as fitz will quote: if she was in the framwork, the place would look like night of the living dead. 

     tho ... the doctor and hive!clara ... kinda a badass hot villain team ngl. even though like he would want her dead and she'd want him dead but they'd so have underlining sexual tension ... 

      anyway, but yeah, i'm sorry that won't happen. but i do hope you will like the ideas i have for the framework. 

      (also, comments are amazing and i love them; i love talking to you and seeing what you think).