You're On Your Own, Kid

The Cadets, The Agent, And The Wardrobe

Daisy watched May walk down the stairs, listening for sounds. Nothing. Cool. Daisy turned back to her laptop and stuck her hand inside the cereal box.

"You really shouldn't be doing that," May's voice said behind her.

Expecting it but still jumping out of her skin, Daisy laughed weakly. "Oh well. It's done, anyway," she said, tossing the empty box into the trash can. Daisy turned to face May. "What can I do for you, May?"

"Coulson left already?" the agent asked.

"Yep." Daisy spun a circle in her chair. "Bright and early, right at the crack of dawn. Felt Lola pulling out of the driveway at 5:30."

"Felt?"

Daisy frowned. "You took care of me for a year when I was a baby. You probably know that I can sense vibrations and y'know-" she mimicked her hand movement when she quaked. "That. Wasn't that the reason you found me?"

May nodded before sitting down. "So, he left a note for today," she said, switching topics. "Fall Formal?"

"Yep." Daisy smiled. "I have my cohort, and the theme is SHIELD colours, so black and navy. Plus, we get to match our car."

"Car?"

Daisy grinned. "Yeah. Coulson got me a car. It's crazy. It's a bus, actually. Volkswagen," she added. "It's cute and old, so we fixed it up together. It was a real bonding moment. Couple... moments." She grabbed her keys, and then paused. "Do you want breakfast?" she asked hesitantly. "We have bacon."

May shook her head and lifted her mug of tea. "This is fine."

"That doesn't seem healthy or sustainable but to each their own, I guess," Daisy replied, hopping off the barstool. "I'll drive to the school and we'll grab Simmons and fly from there?"

May nodded. "Manhattan?"

"Yep." The girl walked to the garage with a skip in her step. "The SHIELD boutique, I think he called it."

"That's his nickname," the agent said with a sigh. "The official name is the Wardrobe."

Daisy frowned slightly, turning. "That's so much better. Why would he change that?"

"He does it all the time," May replied.

They got into the Bus and Daisy hesitated again as they sat. "May, you know how I've known you for a couple days as a teenager but a year as a baby?" she started.

May nodded.

"Well, I'd like to have a talk with you. About Coulson." Daisy took a deep breath. "He's the closest thing I have to a dad. Best family I've ever had. He's everything. My only link to SHIELD. Without him, I have no reason to be here. And I see the way he looks at you. He didn't look like that when he was seeing this lady named Audrey a couple months back. Never when he talked about past partners or friends. But he always gets that look whenever we talk about you. And Agent 7. And the Nightingale. So, yeah, I see it, and you're either blind or too used to it to care. I know you two have some sort of history, but... I just don't want to lose him, and I don't want him to lose himself. There's a bunch of people out there that love him, but the person he loves the most is you. I can see it, clear as day." She sighed, shaking her head. "And I can't believe I'm asking this to an actual adult, but... what are your intentions with him, Agent May?"

The agent was surprised and shocked into silence. She hasn't been asked this since she met Coulson's mother, and this time it was by a girl considering herself to be his daughter. Which was sweet. "Are you giving me the shovel talk?" May asked amusedly.