I Will Rescue You | Elizabeth Olsen

13. "you need to let me be here"

August 17th

ELIZABETH's POV

Working alongside Daisy after she moved out to Cole's house last week has been tense. Not our actual scenes because she refuses to let her personal life interfere with her work life, but in between scenes on set are the worst.

She doesn't say a word to me, even if I try to start up a conversation. It's like exactly how she was when she first arrived.

It's been obvious from the start that she has abandonment issues, but I didn't realize that it was so intense that she wouldn't allow herself to live with someone who is at least safe. Unlike her boyfriend, who I highly disapprove of her being with.

As usual, I start off my morning with a walk around a nearby park. It's a great way to wake up and ease all my anxieties and stresses right at the beginning of the day, and improves my focus for work.

Of course when that part is taken care of, I grab a coffee and get ready to head to set. It's definitely strange not having a sixteen year old teenager by my side and with me in my car, but she made that decision for herself and as hard as it is to accept it, I don't have any legal authority over her.

I'm simply a colleague now.

Except, I still can't help myself from at least trying to reconcile with the girl. Hence me being at her trailer right now, coffee and cruller in hand in case she hasn't had any breakfast. We're supposed to be at hair and makeup in half an hour, alongside Scarlett and Florence.

We're shooting one big scene with a load of the Marvel women. Something about a scene that shows girl power or whatever.

All of the others have to get glamoured up too, such as Letitia, Karen, Zoe, Pom and quite a lot more.

After a couple of knocks at her trailer door, there's still no answer, which I find odd considering I can't think of anywhere else she would be right now.

"Hey!" Scarlett's raspy morning voice startles me from behind. I turn around and there she is with Florence practically latched onto to her arm. "Trying to wake up sleeping beauty?"

My brows furrow in confusion. "Sleeping? How do you know she's asleep?"

"Cate said she saw her going into her trailer last night at around eleven. She asked security this morning if Daisy ever ended up leaving and she hasn't. I thought she was staying with you."

That's odd. Why would Daisy have slept here last night?

Crap. Unless something happened with Cole.

"You guys head to hair and makeup, I'll explain everything later," I say to them and we all say goodbye before they stroll off.

Knowing that she won't wake up from my knocks, I easily unlock the door (they're not the most secure) and let myself in. I place the coffee and cruller in the kitchen area and step closer to her bed.

Gentle snores fill the room as she rests peacefully. I feel bad having to disturb it but she needs to get up and ready.

"Sunshine," I whisper, brushing some hair out of her face, which reveals a light purple bruise on her head. It's fairly faint, but it's big.

"Daisy, time to wake up." After a couple of gentle shakes from me, her eyes flutter open.

She takes the next minute or so waking up. When she's sat up fully, I'm shot a harsh glare.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to bring you coffee and some breakfast," I answer in a way that in hindsight, sounds quite motherly. Probably in a way that's only going to want to make her distance herself further. "And also... what are you doing staying overnight in your trailer? Did something happen with Cole? I can see that you've hurt your head again."

Brushing it off, she uses the excuse of, "We just had a small argument so I decided to spend the night here. And I didn't do anything to my head, I just walked into a street lamp when I was walking here last night."

"Daisy, you're sixteen and without a stable home. It would make sense for you to feel the urge to hurt yourself. Can you please just tell me, though? Because last time this happened, you gave yourself a concussion."

"Lizzie... stop it," she begs through watery eyes. I know that there's more to this.

"Let me take you back to the apartment with me, Daisy. Gather up your things from Cole's place and come back to mine. I miss you and you aren't safe with him."

For a second, just for a second, she lets her mask slip as she looks me desperately in the eyes.

But that second is all she allows herself before stiffly shaking her head.

If she won't accept my efforts to help, I can't force her. I'll keep trying, of course. But she has to come to that decision on her own.

-

I've been in hair and makeup for twenty minutes now with Scar and Flo, and Daisy's only just decided to join us, bringing in the smell of smoke with her.

Just like at the apartment. It makes me wonder if she was telling the truth when she told me that it was only Cole smoking, not her.

Once she's seated, she's instantly tended to as her hair is clipped back and the makeup artist makes some friendly small talk, most of which Daisy is yet to reciprocate.

Scarlett, Florence and I all share a bit of a look, Florence also clears her throat as the smokey smell gets stronger.

Daisy sends her daggers at that cough. I don't think those two have become acquainted yet.

"Watch it, lady!" she suddenly snaps at the poor makeup artist as she starts adding primer to her forehead.

I quickly jump into action and hold onto Daisy's hand, leading her out of the hair and makeup trailer and onto the grass just beside it. She makes no effort to fight me and allows herself to be led outside.

"What's going on with you?" I ask, she attempts to talk but I can tell that it's going to be an excuse so I cut her off. "Don't bother with the whole 'nothing's wrong' act because I've grown to know you, Daisy Roberts. You're in trouble somehow. Tell me and I will get you out of it. But if you keep it to yourself then-"

"Cole kicked me out!"

I freeze and stop talking at her revelation. I knew that there had to be something more than just an argument between them going on.

"Didn't you see the giant suitcase in my trailer? It's not like I have a lot of belongings, anyway. I'm a homeless teenager who's court hearing is quickly approaching and I'm a wreck!"

"Slow down, sweetheart," I attempt to placate her. All she does is shuffle into my arms, where I wrap them around her and rub her back up and down. "You're not homeless, you're gonna stay with me. I won't ever let you be without a safe shelter. Just stop pushing me away, okay? I'm here but you need to let me be here."

-

posting this early today but it's gonna flop either way so