I feel more free than I have in years, six feet in the ground

[all the confronts of home: season 5, episode 11]
*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

        Rose felt a small whoosh as she began to materialize once more. Her eyesight was still blurry, Rose couldn't tell if it was from the tears of the transportation of the monolith. Everything was dark. She could feel a set of eyes on her, "You okay?" Coulson asked her as more of the team began to appear.

"Fine," she responded simply. She was lying, of course.

"Well that was a hell of a thing," Leo stated as Coulson set Daisy down on a nearby crate.

Coulson nodded towards Jemma, Elena, and Mack, "I'm glad you guys made it," he expressed.

"Why are we still in the Lighthouse?" Elena asked. Rose didn't realize it at first, but she looked around, and she enough they were in the corridor of the lighthouse.

"Maybe Flint's Monolith didn't work?" Mack suggested.

"So we find them, try again," May asserted.

"We can't," Rose said bitterly. "They all got blown up. Dead, they're dead."

No one knew what to say to her, because ultimately she was right. Her entire life, her friends, Deke. They were gone. They were all gone and Rose couldn't get them back.

Fitz looked around, "No it worked," he said slowly. "It takes you through time, but to the same place. I've been here before with Enoch. We made it!"

"We're home?" Jemma asked hopefully.

"Yeah," he responded.

All of the agents let out a collective sigh of relief. Rose didn't dare join them. Wherever she was, it sure as hell wasn't at home.

"I'm gonna try and find some light," Fitz decided, walking over to the control panel and began pressing an array of buttons until he found the light switch. Rose heard a whirring noise as the lights in the room began to flicker on. It was a lot better for her eyesight as now she could clearly make out all of the people standing in front of her.

"It's hard to believe we're back," May stated, looking around at the now illuminated room.

"Find me a double cheeseburger and I'll believe it," Mack replied.

Rose looked up from the ground as a large noise sounded over their heads. She narrowed her eyes at the symbol that appeared on the pillar in front of them. It was an eagle with a few stars around it. Rose assumed it was the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo because she had seen some of the agents wear this symbol before. She blinked as the projection of a man appeared on the pillar. He had a handlebar mustache and one of the ugliest grey suits that Rose had ever seen.

The projection began to speak, 'Welcome to the Lighthouse, the world's last nation against the encroaching darkness. If you're here, you understand the gravity of this situation. The world as we know it has come to an end.'

"You don't have to tell me twice," Rose muttered under her breath. Her world had actually come to an end, as far as she knew, it didn't exist anymore.

'My name is General Rick Stoner.'

"Rick Stoner?" Coulson sounded. "I've heard of him."

'As you know, certain world events, should they occur, trigger what we in S.H.I.E.L.D. call Project Reclaimation,' Stoner continued. 'This protocol was created as a black-ops action made only known to the highest-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives.'

Rose's head swiveled as the projector switched to a different pillar in the room. 'Once initiated, Project Reclamation is conducted through secure communications we call electronic mail. Our Agents were instructed to gather you, the selected elite, from a host of nations and bring you here-'

"Must have never been initiated," Coulson reasoned as the projector continued to drone on. "The 1972 Hydrogen Wave Crisis was averted."

"And, what, people just forgot about this place?" Fitz asked.

"There's nothing in Fury's toolbox about it," Coulson replied.

Rose was too afraid to ask who the 'Fury' character was, but she didn't really care either way.

"Mack those injuries need to be treated," Coulson continued, examining the large cut across Mack's face.

"No, I'm fine," Mack responded, shaking his head.

"I'll decide that," Jemma said, looking at the larger man.

"So will I," Elena added. "Well, I'll be there while she decides."

Jemma nodded, "Let's find a medical station," she decided.

"Maybe have Simmons look at you, too, Coulson," Elena suggested. "That's a bad cut," she said pointing to the thin cut across the left side of his face.

Coulson shrugged off her concern, "We can worry about it later."

"Actually, I wouldn't mind checking everyone out," Jemma cut in. "We did just experience an unexplored phenomenon."

"Worry about it later," Coulson repeated. "You look after Mack. I'll stay here with Daisy. When she wakes up, she'll have questions."

"When she wakes up, she's gonna kill you," May pointed out.

Coulson had assigned May and Fitz to go find the technology that the General kept babbling on about. Rose could've joined them, but honestly, she didn't have the energy to go and walk around the Lighthouse as that's what she had done most of her life. "You didn't want to go with them?" Coulson asked her.

Rose shook her head, "No," she said simply. "I'd rather just sit here if that's fine with you."

Coulson glanced down at her, "You don't seem like you're fine," he said, referencing the bullshit answer she had given him earlier.

"I'm great," Rose said sighing. "The only home I've ever known just got blown up. I'm stuck in a new time where I know absolutely nothing, and the only person I've ever cared about since my parents died is now dead," she choked out. "So, yeah, why wouldn't I be fine?"

Coulson looked like he was gonna say something but something caught his attention. "You ice'd me," Daisy stated, causing both Rose and Coulson to look in her direction. She was sitting up in the crate that Coulson had set her on.

"Yeah, I was kind of hoping you'd forget that part," Coulson admitted.

Daisy scoffed, "Sorry to disappoint." She glanced around the room. "It looks the same, but we're, we're home, aren't we?" she asked.

"Did you really think after everything we've been through, you and me, that there was any universe where I would leave you behind?" Coulson asked.

"Even with all of the risks that-"

"Don't care," Coulson interrupted. "I need you here."

Daisy smiled and looked past him at the other woman in the room. "You came here," she stated. "What about your friend?" she asked.

Rose sighed, "Didn't make it," she said simply. "Got blown up, so," she said quietly, looking down at her feet.

"Oh," she sounded. "I'm sorry."

Rose gulped, "It's fine. It's not every day your home gets blown up by a robot. A fun, new experience, I guess."

---

Rose had decided that she wasn't going to waste any more tears on whatever the fuck was going on, at least in front of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. By herself, she would let the waterworks fall. But Coulson was deadset on not leaving her alone, which Rose did not appreciate. At the moment, they were all huddled around a small monitor, glancing at some surveillance footage. Rose wasn't really sure what it was showing but Coulson dragged her along anyway. "A light from the sky?" he asked.

"Figured you'd be interested," May said, tilting her head.

"This is what Voss warned us about," Coulson said, gesturing between him and Rose, who was also present when Voss had described how the world would end. "If he's right, then this is where it all starts- hell on earth."

"And we're back," Mack stated.

Rose blinked, "Just a normal day at S.H.I.E.L.D. Great, great," she muttered under her breath.

Coulson turned back to Noah, a chronicon like Enoch who had been stationed on the Lighthouse to keep an eye on them. "How long since it first appeared?" he asked.

"It showed up a few weeks ago," Noah informed them. "Then appeared intermittently for some time after."

"You think it's alien?" Elena asked.

"The wavelength is unusual," Noah stated, although Rose had no idea how this was relevant to the task at hand.

"Showed up where?" Simmons asked. "Where was this?"

Noah looked down at the tablet in his head. "St. Lous, Missouri."

"Well, guess we're going to St. Louis, Missouri," Coulson decided.

Rose sighed, knowing that she was gonna have to get used to all of this running around, as well as the other place names that they didn't have back in 2091. "I don't even know what a Saint Louis, Missouri is," she stated.

"State name," Daisy whispered to her. "I'll fill you in later."

Rose nodded as Fitz began to speak again. "Hunter and I left the Zephyr cloaked just outside of town. I'll show you where it is."

"Great, but I'm not going," Daisy stated simply.

"What?" Coulson asked

"If I'm responsible for ending the world, I'd rather not get near one of the first omens," she explained. "Hard pass."

"We could use you out there," Coulson said, trying to convince Daisy to come with them.

Daisy shook her head, "I'll be more useful in here," she reasoned. "I'll run back end on the mission with all of Noah's dope-ass equipment." Noah looked confused, "Dope-ass is a- it's a good thing. Look I can even keep Rose with me too if you're so concerned," she added.

Rose gave a small smile. If she had to be stuck with any one of the agents, she would pick Daisy for obvious reasons. "I'm perfectly fine with that," she shrugged.

"So, what do we do?" May asked. "Just walk out the front door into town?"

"Well, we are wanted," Mack pointed out. "After what Fitz said about General Hale's tasks force, we need to be covert."

"You will be," Noah said typing on his tablet, changing the view of the screen to a recognizable blueprint of the Lighthouse. "The Lighthouse has a few covert entrances," he explained as a small blue dot began to make its way across the screen.

"This place has secret tunnels, like an Agatha Christie novel," Jemma said.

"More like C.H.U.D," Mack added.

Rose understood neither of these references but she didn't it was better to not ask any questions.

"There are a few tunnels," Noah explained. "But this one takes you underground to the charming little town of River's end. From there, it is up to you."

"No time like the present," Coulson said shrugging. "Let's go."

---

Rose had situated herself in a spot next to Daisy who was typing on one of the computers in this main control area. "If I'm gonna be holed up here for a while, it's good to know that it's fortified. It's kind of the perfect place to hideout." Rose wasn't sure if Daisy was speaking to herself or Noah.

"You are typing with my keyboard," Noah stated in a matter-of-fact tone, walking over to stand behind Daisy. "Which is fine. It does not bother me, even though you did not ask. But what are you typing?"

"I'm setting up an alert," Daisy explained. "Even though my friends have been out in the world for like four minutes, it'll let me know if one of them is spotted."

"It has been much longer than four min-"

"Dramatic effect, Noah," Daisy interjected.

Rose looked over at the computer, where Daisy was now pulling up photos of all of the agents. "Wait," Daisy said peering at the images. "We're not just wanted. We're most wanted. Top of the lists. All the lists. Expect you," she added, looking at Rose. "But that's because you technically don't exist yet."

"Good to know," Rose sounded absentmindedly.

"Yes, it seems you are the object of much interest right now," Noah said.

Daisy blinked, "Every local P.D. has our picture, which means to anyone with a badge... we're famous."

"Except me, because I don't exist right now," Rose said sighing, spinning around in her chair. "Just like my home, just like my friends. Everything."

Daisy glanced away from her computer screen and over at Rose. "You're not okay, are you?" she asked. "And before you start, don't try to give me that 'I'm fine' bullshit that you've been giving everyone else. Been there, done that so it's not gonna work on me."

Rose gulped, "How the hell am I supposed to feel? Everyone I loved and cared about is gone. Floating in space some eighty-odd years from now. I want to feel sad, but all I feel is anger. I should've known this was gonna happen. I should've died up there too, but the universe said no. So here I am, alone. Feels like some sort of punishment."

"So you loved him?" Daisy pressed. "Deke?"

"I don't think that's the right word," Rose admitted. "I cared about him a lot, he was my best friend. But love? It's- it's complicated. Like a friend love, but not real love. We were only ever friends, that's probably all we were gonna be."

"Uh-huh," Daisy sounded. "Sounds like he could've been more than that," she pointed out.

Rose bit her lip, "It doesn't matter now. He's gone now, any chance is gone."

Daisy looked her in the eyes, "You know you can grieve right? It's okay to do that."

"I know," Rose said slowly. "I just think it would be more useful to learn how to navigate this new world instead of wallowing in self-pity," she said, wiping away one of the tears that had fallen onto her face while she was speaking.

"One, you wouldn't be wallowing in self-pity," Daisy corrected her. "And two, who had you can't grieve and navigate."

Rose raised her eyebrow, "How?"

"Let me show you," Daisy started, typing away on the keyboard.

Daisy spent the next thirty minutes trying to explain to Rose how this computer worked and how the new technology was introduced. Rose didn't really get it, all she understood was the blueprints. She did however enjoy the box of sugary cereal as Daisy called it, that the both of them were sharing.

The computer beeped quickly. "What was that noise?" Noah asked peering around the corner.

Daisy blinked as the computer began to pull up a familiar photograph. "It's the alert that I set up at this... this is impossible."

"What the fuck!" Rose exclaimed, a photograph of Deke front and center on the screen. "What the actual fuck," she repeated. "He, he, got blown up. He died! How?" Rose stopped talking trying to collect her thoughts. "What the hell is going on."

"This man is unfamiliar to me," Noah stated.

"I know him, but from where we all just were," Daisy explained. "He- he can't be here."

"If he's here that means he's alive," Rose started standing up quickly. "Which means that asshole made me cry over him for nothing!" she exclaimed.

Daisy stood up as well, "I mean, oh, my God, he cannot be around the cops."

"You're concerned he will alert the authorities to your presence?" Noah asked.

"Yes, he folds like a little bitch under pressure," Rose said quickly, her anger still evident in her words. "To be fair, so do I but he's so much worse."

"And we're the only people that he knows in this time," Daisy added. "He could tell them that." She looked over at Noah. "You have to go get him out of lockup! Obviously, we can't go."

Noah shook his head, "I cannot. That would be interfering with the natural course of-"

Daisy scoffed, "You people literally kidnapped us and then took us to another time."

"As has been thoroughly explained, that was an extinction-level event," Noah said. "Also, it was Enoch." The two women stared at him blankly. "Enoch is very reckless," he continued. "But you know this, you've met him."

Daisy and Rose eyed each other carefully, unsure of how to proceed. Obviously, someone had to get Deke from prison, so he wouldn't tell everyone about the agents. Also so Rose could beat the shit out of him for leaving without her. Daisy sighed, "Fine. I'll go," she said finally.

"That includes me too right?" Rose asked.

"Yes, yes," Daisy said nodding. "You can be my- paralegal."

"Great, okay," Rose said biting her lip quickly. "One question though. What's a paralegal?"

---

Apparently, a paralegal is basically an assistant to the lawyer, but since Daisy was posing as a social worker, Rose needed to say that she was sent from some fancy law firm. So Rose's job on their mission to get Deke out of prison was to aid Daisy in bullshitting their way through the interrogations with the police. And if life on the Lighthouse had taught Rose one thing, it was how to bullshit her way through everything.

Daisy walked into the station quickly, Rose at her side, trying not to look surprised at the new sights that she was seeing. "Hi there," Daisy said to one of the officers. "Um, Chief Wellins is it? I'm here for Deke Shaw over there," she said pointing to Deke, who was staring at the two of them in disbelief. "I'm his state-assigned social worker."

"Well, he didn't mention a social worker was supervising him," Wellins stated. "Your name?"

"Sinara," Daisy stated instantly. "Sinara Smith. It's Portuguese, Sinara, not Smith."

Wellins turned to Rose. "And you?" he asked.

"She's from the law firm who suggested that the state appoint me to Mr. Shaw" Daisy answered for Rose. "He got in some previous trouble with the law which was all wiped clean due to his state."

Rose smiled, "Yes, Tess Flinton, a paralegal. I'm just here to make sure this exchange goes smoothly. Mr. Shaw here can be a bit of an asshole, in the legal sense," she said her eyes wandering over to Deke who had an offended look on his face. "We wouldn't want to have another incident with the police, again."

"Uh, yes, he wandered off during a day trip, that we were both supervising," Daisy continued. "Our apologies."

"He was out of control," Wellins told them.

"Yeah, says you," Daisy said leaning in. "He's not even my toughest customer, believe me. Just a little slippery. If you check online, you'll see that I sent out an alert when I lost him."

Wellins walked over to the computer behind his desk. "What are Mr. Shaw's issues?" he asked.

"I mean, how much time do you have sir?" Daisy asked, laughing. "Uh, complex neurological deficiencies, low- low I.Q., poor motor skills."

"Doesn't think about the consequences of his actions," Rose said, folding her arms over her chest. "Uh, it's in his legal file."

"Oh, he hasn't, uh, soiled himself today, has he?" Daisy added.

Wellins shook his head, continuing to type on his computer. "No, but he was quite inebriated. He told us he was saving the world."

"Mm," Daisy sounded. "Imagine that."

Wellins shrugged, "Not the first guy we picked up who's made big claims. Seems like you have your work cut out for you with this one."

"Chief, you have no idea," Daisy told him.

Wellins got up and unlocked the cell behind him, ushering Deke over to Daisy and Rose. "So, yeah, if you check River's end P.D's online account, you'll see that I went ahead and took care of Mr. Shaw's bail." Daisy turned to Deke, clearing her throat. "What did we discuss about wandering off without permission?"

Deke stared at her, his mouth slightly open. "Don't wander off without permission," he said, slurring his words.

"Exactly, we went over this," Daisy said. "Uh, I also went ahead and made a small contribution to the department's charity fund to thank you for your trouble."

"Truth is, I have no desire to keep drunks here in the office," Wellins' admitted. "You should go, but take better care of your charges, Ms Smith."

"Yes, Cheif," Daisy nodded. "Thank you."

"Of course," Wellins responded

Daisy grabbed Deke by the shoulder's harshly moving him to the door when the other officer called out. "Hold on!" The three turned to look at him. "There's still paperwork you need to fill out."

"Yeah. Of course. Whatever you need!" Daisy said quickly, pulling both Rose and Deke far enough away so that the officers couldn't hear their conversation.

"Rosie!" Deke slurred. "I'm so glad you're here!"

"Shut up!" Rose hissed.

Daisy looked at Deke. "Dude," she said expectantly.

"I know, there's so much paperwork, right?" Deke said. "Oh. You probably meant how did I get here. Well, I don't know. I was with the monolith and there was a shard and I turned the machine on and then the rock turned all liquid. And then it was like, buzzing, dizzy, and pushing and pulling, but them bang- Zima!"

Rose looked horrified by his actions, "Oh my god. Never drink again," she whispered.

"That and how do you show up in another time and, like, immediately get arrested?" Daisy added.

He looked between the two of them, "Have you even tried Zima?"

Daisy ignored him. "I thought they might have gotten you to talk about us or something!"

"What? No," Deke said. "I know yous guys are covertness. I'm not gonna talk about you. You forget I survived the Kree."

"Yes, true that did happen," Deke admitted. "But not this time."

"I thought you'd be, like, emotionally distraught or something," Daisy hissed.

"Emotionally distraught! This is awesome!" Deke said excitedly. "I thought I was gonna die. But instead, I'm about to go for a walk outside. Also, there is an outside," he pointed out. "I was walking here, and, yes, I was pretty drunk, but I- I saw in a store window there was these green apples and steaks, and these- and these thing called gummy bears. You know what people aren't eating here is sterilization pellets. I love this place so much."

Rose scoffed, "I'm glad you love it Deke. But you know who was in emotional distress? Me because I thought you died. Did you think about that while you were getting drunk in a bar!" she said raising her voice slightly.

"Rosie, I-" Deke started but stopped talking once the officer approached them.

"Great. So just this, and then we're free to go?" Daisy asked him.

"That, and I'll need a number where I can reach you so we can follow up," he explained.

Daisy clicked the pen that was in her hand, "No problem," she said as she began to write on the paper.

---

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Rose exclaimed once they made it back to the Lighthouse. "Oooh, you are gonna wish that explosion killed you when I'm done with you. You! You! You, dumbass! I'm gonna kill you. Yep! I'm gonna kill you."

"You're not gonna kill me, Rosie," Deke said lazily, still drunk from the Zima he had earlier.

"Oh, yes I am because you're the dumbass who thought that it was a good idea to send me to the past while you were gonna get blown up by the little robot," Rose said angrily. "You didn't die then, but you're gonna die now, at the hands of me."

Deke shook his head, "Rosie, if you stayed you would've gotten blown up too!"

"Well, I would've gotten blown up with you, idiot, and I was perfectly fine with that," she said, huffing.

"I wasn't!" he responded.

Rose sighed, "That wasn't you're decision to make!"

"I was keeping you safe! Can't you see that!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, fuck off, I don't give a shit!" She said storming off. "Although I'm glad you're not dead!" she added, turning to face him. "But I'm still mad at you! Very mad at you!"

loving you's the anecdote,
golden ☼

Grace talks ig: we've made it to the first chapter of act two! How are we feeling baes? Because I am feeling so great right now because I am a big fan of angst, and I have so much planned for Shalia against because Deke's a stubborn asshole and our girl Rose is pissed at him right now. Anyways, I kind of skipped the last bit of the episode in this chapter, but everything that happens with Yo-Yo and Ruby will be in the next chapter. Speaking of Ruby, I have some fun things planned for her and Rose (I posted a tiktok about it) and I can't wait for you all to see it! Okay it's very late for me right now, so I'm gonna go! BYEEEEE <3