Chapter 1: Fractured

The fluorescent lights of the common room flickered overhead, casting an eerie glow on the gathered faces of the team. Daisy Johnson, codename Quake, sat on the couch, her eyes vacant and her body shaking. Her teammates, Fitz, Mack, and Leo, exchanged worried glances, unsure of how to react. The mission had been a disaster. Daisy had been tasked with taking down a HYDRA cell, but things had quickly spiraled out of control. Innocents had been caught in the crossfire, and Daisy had been left feeling hollow and defeated. As she sat there, her composure began to crumble. Her face contorted in anguish, and her body began to shake with violent sobs. The team moved to comfort her, but she pushed them away, her voice hoarse from screaming. "I want my mom," she whispered, her words cracking with desperation. The team exchanged confused glances. Who was she talking about? They'd heard her mention her parents before, but only in passing. Daisy had never spoken about them in detail, and they had assumed she was referring to her foster parents, not her biological ones. Just as they were about to try and calm her down, the door to the common room swung open, and Melinda May walked in. Her expression was calm and collected, but her eyes narrowed as she took in the scene before her. "Daisy?" she said softly, her voice a gentle breeze on a summer's day. Daisy's sobs grew louder, and she flung herself into May's arms. "Mom," she whispered, her voice muffled against May's shoulder. The team's eyes widened in surprise as they realized who Daisy was talking about. May was her mom? They had no idea. May held Daisy close, her arms wrapping around her like a shield. She didn't say a word, just rocked her gently back and forth. The team watched, unsure of what to do, as May worked her magic. Slowly but surely, Daisy's sobs began to subside. Her body still shook, but the violent tremors had stopped. May held her for a long moment, her expression calm and soothing. Finally, Daisy pulled back, her eyes red and puffy. May handed her a tissue, and Daisy blew her nose, her face still streaked with tears. "I'm sorry," Daisy whispered, her voice barely audible. May smiled softly. "You don't have to apologize, Daisy. You're safe now." The team watched, still in shock, as May led Daisy out of the room, leaving them to wonder about the secrets that had been hidden beneath their noses. What was the story behind Daisy and May's relationship? And how would it affect the team?