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chapter eighteen

(April 30th, 2017
The Framework)

    WARD SAID they would be safe in Clara's old apartment. She didn't know how she felt to see him pass her his own pair of keys. Jack pursed his lips when she noticed how confused she looked, and quickly directed her along by her shoulder━the group of them: Clara, Daisy, Simmons and Jack all left Ward to dispose of the car, making their way to Clara's apartment. Jack seemed to know the way, and he found it with ease. Roy was anxious when she slipped the keys into the lock, but when it opened, she didn't feel any better.

     She stepped inside and frowned at what she saw. Whoever she had been in this Framework universe ... Agent Roy saw a breath of striking familiarity. Her gaze softened at the breakfast nook, the sweet little decorations and the framed picture of the Lyra constellation on the wall. Clara stepped up to it, her heart skipping a sad beat. That picture was still at the Playground ... Agent Roy didn't know whether it had been destroyed with the rest of it; whether she'd get it back. 

    (She had to focus on more important things).

     But then Clara noticed another picture on the hallway table. This whole apartment looked as though it hadn't been lived in for months. She walked up to it and picked the frame up in her fingers, her breath hitching when she saw Fitz. Roy swallowed harshly, her fingers starting to shake when she recognised them at seventeen. It was the same picture she had, tucked away in her wallet━bent at the corners, but a picture she never wanted to lose, and so she kept it as close to her as she could. 

     She saw him smile━that youthful, kind and bright smile, and then remembered the drone she found. Remembered all that she learnt, and Roy bit back tears. She shook her head. She didn't believe it. She refused to believe it. She set the framed photo back down and turned━she pursed her lips when she saw Daisy and Jemma gently approach her. 

     Her friend noticed the photo and the look she had on her face was pained. Clara took a sharp breath through her nose. She had to stay strong. "You━You saw Fitz, didn't you?" she asked Daisy. "That's why you're giving me that look."

     Daisy hesitated. But then she nodded. "Yeah."

     "What ..." Clara was afraid of the answer. "What was he like?"

     "He was ..." her friend looked as though she didn't want to tell her. But she also knew that she couldn't keep Roy in the dark any longer━she couldn't just lie to her, either. "He was ... different."

     "Like ... like bad different?" Clara's voice choked, even though she tried hard for it not to. 

     Daisy just nodded. 

     Roy shook her head and crossed her arms. She took another deep breath━even if it was staring at her right in the face, even if it was being told to her black and blue, Clara couldn't think━couldn't comprehend that Fitz could ever be a bad person. 

     At her reaction, Daisy quickly surged forward. "But, Roy, they all are. It's scary. Why change things like this? It makes no sense."

     "Radcliffe tried to take away people's pain in the Framework," murmured Simmons. She looked and started to sound a little better━especially with a fresh change of clothes. 

     Daisy considered this. She froze. "Wait. You're right. May's biggest pain was killing the girl in Bahrain. You take that away, and hundreds of kids are killed in Boston."

     "And Coulson is leading a quiet life. I'm worried he's not the same man," said Simmons. 

     Roy had heard Jemma's story. She shuffled, still uneasy at all of this news. "He ... He really let them take a kid?" she asked, soft and scared. That didn't sound like Coulson, at all. Not the Coulson she knew, who saw someone who was alone, and in need of hope━and gave them every faith he had to give them another chance. Jemma nodded. 

     Clara slumped against the wall. She glanced out towards the bathroom where she knew Jack was having a quick shower. Her gaze then met Jemma's, and she seemed to already know what she was going to say. "Leith's biggest pain was Jack ... Now, he's got Jack━he showed him a better life. Leith's Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. now..."

     Simmons clenched her jaw and looked down. Roy knew she was trying very hard not to show how much that troubled her. It was a delicate situation, she knew. Clara knew Jemma wanted to be happy that Leith had Jack here ... but this Jack wasn't real━but how could she explain that to him? How could she try and take him away from it? "Does he ... did we ever━?" Jemma swallowed harshly, but Clara knew what she meant. 

     "I don't know," she answered honestly. "I ... Realistically, I don't think you guys crossed paths ... you died, remember?"

     Jemma frowned to herself. Clara and Daisy's brows lifted, feeling pain as well when they saw their friend quickly wipe away a tear that threatened to fall. "So, he doesn't know who I am?" her whisper was choked in the back of her throat. "Leith━" she closed her eyes and looked down at her feet. "Leith doesn't remember me?" 

     Clara didn't know what to say. She didn't want to hurt her best friend, but she also didn't want to give her false hope━and yet, in her desperation to find Fitz; to believe they were all wrong about him ... who was she to say anything? She just hung her head and felt nothing else but a painful understanding. "Apparently ..." she murmured. "Apparently Radcliffe changed what happened at the bottom of the ocean." Her friends stared at her, alarmed. "I ... It was always something I━I regretted but I never ... I've moved on from it. But ... but here, I saved Fitz's life, like he had saved mine. Something happened━I don't know what ... but ..." she glanced at the framed photo on the table. "I don't think Framework me was entirely over it ... at all."

     Daisy gestured to her. "So, it's obvious what happened to Fitz. If the same events occurred to you after the bottom of the ocean to what happened back home ... then, somehow, Radcliffe stole you from Fitz's life. You're his rock, Roy━you've always been his rock. Without you ... he loses himself."

     She picked it up again and brushed her thumb along it, tracing Fitz's smile. She met Daisy's gaze, almost pleading. "He ... He can't be a bad person, here," she whispered. "Fitz is not a bad person. No matter what. He has a good heart, Daisy..."

     "Things are scary different, here, Roy," Daisy wrapped her hand, kind, around Clara's arm. "It lures you in. I can't even believe what I found myself doing, I ..." she hesitated but then sighed. "I looked up Lincoln." A sad air weighed down on them at the way Daisy's voice cracked at the mention of him. "I━I━I interrogated Vijay for being an Inhuman. And I have been here one day. May's been here weeks. She thinks it's her whole life."

     "A few choices and a few lives," sighed Simmons, sad. "Radcliffe ran a simulation, now it's a brave new terrifying world."

     Daisy sighed. She placed her hands on her hips and nodded. "Okay. Okay, um ... We need to get out."

     Both Roy and Simmons stared at her as if she had gone mad. 

     "What?" breathed Jemma, horrified at this decision. "N━No, we can't leave them."

     "We have to talk to Yo-Yo and come back with a game plan with backup. I don't have powers here!"

     "I do!" whispered Roy, pointing at herself, almost desperately. "I do━I do. Please, we can't go back━what if we can't get back in? What if something else happens and I lose━" she cut herself off, not wanting to speak the possibility: and I lose Fitz forever...?

      Daisy squeezed her arm. "We'll come back," she promised her. "We'll come back in with help, and we will find Fitz, Leith━everyone. We will get them back home. But we can't do that without a game plan, okay?"

     Clara was reluctant, but deep down she knew Daisy was right. She shuffled on her feet, anxious, but then set aside the photo. She nodded. "All right," she murmured under her breath. She heard the shower again, and her brows knitted. "Should━should we tell Jack what we're going to do?"

      "Why?" Daisy frowned at her. "He's not real."

     "But we'll be leaving him alone━him and Ward━" at her friend's reaction, she quickly whispered. "Ward's good different here. And Jack━I wouldn't be here, alive, if it weren't for either of them ... I can't just ... I can't just leave them without an explanation."

     Daisy huffed, a little frustrated━but she understood. She then made a decision. "All right. All right. Clara, you stay here, okay? You hold down the fort until Simmons and I return with backup and a plan, okay?"

     "What?" Simmons's eyes widened. "What, no."

     "I'll be fine," Roy reassured her. "I promise. Okay?"

     Jemma didn't want to leave her━at all. But at the look on her best friend's face, she knew that this might be the best (and only) choice. She nodded. "Okay," she whispered. "Just━Just promise me you'll be safe, Roy?"

     She nodded. "I will, Simmons. Always."

     Jemma hesitated, but she sighed and left it there. She grabbed the mechanism they had coded in that would take them back if they needed it. She pulled Daisy's hand close and together, they pressed the trigger.

     Nothing happened. 

     There was a pause━a horrible pause.

     And then Daisy muttered. "Why are we still here?"

     Jemma's heart paced. "I'm not sure," she replied, grave. She pressed it again. They stayed where they were. "This should disconnect us from the Framework, wake us up."

     A horrible realisation hit them. Their escape plan didn't work. They were stuck here. Jemma started to breathe heavily. She turned to Daisy who spun around, stressed. "They know we're here."

     Another thought hit Daisy. She glanced back to meet their frantic gazes. "You're supposed to be dead━" she gestured at Simmons and then Roy, "━you're meant to be in a coma. Someone re-coded our exit."

     "We're trapped."

     Clara's hands lifted to her head. She closed her eyes and tried to think. Radcliffe couldn't have re-coded their exit. At least, she didn't think he'd be able to. There was someone else here━something else. But what they needed right now, they needed help. They needed someone to remember. They couldn't go back to the Playground to Leith, they had no idea where Mack was, May was at HYDRA and Fitz ... Fitz wasn't an option. That only left one person:

     "Coulson," whispered Roy, lowering her hands. She turned to her friends, but her eyes fixed on Daisy in particular. "We need Coulson," she decided. 

     Simmons shook her head. "Clara, didn't you hear? Coulson is different here━he let HYDRA take a child."

     "No, no," Roy started to think━her brain went wild with revelations. "No, I'm serious. And I'm not just talking about what he's like back home. Coulson's been through something like this before. He's had his mind tampered with. That━that must have some effect on his conscious here."

     Jemma realised what she meant. "T.A.H.I.T.I.," she murmured. "But when I tried to speak to him about it, he shut me off. He sent me away."

     "I know him, Jemma," Clara wondered whether she was being desperate, but right now, perhaps desperate was what they needed. "He wouldn't just sit by and let an innocent kid be taken━he knows something doesn't add up. He investigates things. His mind━T.A.H.I.T.I. must act like a firewall against the Framework coding. Something doesn't quite match up and he would recognise that. Just━I need to talk to him. Let me talk to him." Her eyes met Daisy's again. "Let us talk to him..."

     They managed to convince Jack to let them go. Simmons told them what school Coulson worked at, and Clara and Daisy left. Maybe this was something that was insane━and dangerous; Roy might be playing a wild card. This could not work, and things could get way worse than they already were ... Clara knew this. But after all that has happened, Roy needed him. She needed Coulson back. 

     It didn't take them long to find his car. As soon as Clara saw Lola, she breathed a small, pained chuckle. It seemed no matter what, Coulson always had that 1962 red Corvette. And when she opened it up with her powers and sat in the back seat, Clara felt this wave of relaxation wash over━a breath of familiarity. Of easier days back on the Bus, before everything started to change. It made her feel confident that this was going to work━that somehow, this was her proof of a connection back home. That there was a way that Coulson would remember them. 

     As they waited for Coulson to come, a little scared on who they would meet, Daisy turned to Clara. She pursed her lips and took her hand. She squeezed it. 

    "What?" whispered Roy to her friend.

     Daisy stammered, but then she recovered and said to her in the same whisper. "I know ... I realise how hard this is for you right now."

     "It's hard for all of us," Clara quickly reminded her.

    "No," Daisy squeezed her hand again. "I━I saw Fitz, Clara ... I saw what his intentions are━what he is doing, in this world. But ... But there was something on his desk, Clara, in his lab. Three small monkeys━that statue, he always had back on the Bus. The one you gifted him."

     Clara's breath hitched. She felt a lump in her throat, and she couldn't swallow it. Daisy pursed her lips. Still hesitant, she continued. "He's different. Okay? He is so different, and you don't realise how much. I━I'm warning you ... He's not the Fitz you knew ... but if he has that, that means that he hasn't━whatever happened between the two of you here, he hasn't forgotten it either. Which means..."

    "There's hope," whispered Clara, tearful. 

     "That's something you guys have taught me," murmured Daisy. "There is always hope. You guys are gonna get through this. I know it."

     Clara nodded. Then, she looked down at her feet. "I don't know what we're going to do with Leith," she admitted, scared. "He ... He has Jack back ... I don't know how I can ... I don't want to lose my brother, Daisy ... but how can I take him away from Jack? He looked happy. Happier than I had ever seen him."

     She knew why she was saying this now. Daisy nodded, understanding━Clara could have never said that, not with Jemma standing there. 

     Fitz might remember who Clara was ... but Leith had no idea who was waiting for him━who was trying to bring him back home. Who made him happy, too. He never got the chance to know her in this universe. He had everything he wanted, already. They were scared that there wasn't anything missing that made him feel like he'd want to leave. Clara knew━she knew, even though he never said it: Leith loved Jemma. He loved her. And Jemma loved Leith. She knew that even though neither of them had said a single thing. But Leith loved Jack, too. He still loved him, even now that he was dead. He wasn't ever going to stop loving him. And now that he was back? 

     Clara didn't want to lose her brother. She had lost her mother and her father━she couldn't lose him, either. 

     (But how could she ever make him choose?).

     They glanced up when they saw a shadow making its way towards them. Their conversation ended, but they did not let go of each other's hands. They gripped on, even tighter━anxious and almost needing that reminder that they weren't alone. 

     Clara held her breath when the driver's seat door opened, and Coulson sat down. He closed it once he was inside━and he looked so different. He looked ... like he was living the simple life he had always wanted, deep down. He had glasses. His hair was greying. He wore a knitted jumper and slacks━he looked like every history teacher. He looked like he was just some average guy ... and Clara knew Coulson would be happy. 

     He didn't see them. At first, Clara felt like her voice wouldn't work. And she was glad that Daisy had the courage to speak up. "H━Hey..."

     Coulson jumped. He hitched his breath and sat up, rigid in his seat. He stared at them through his rearview mirror, and Clara felt this pang in her chest to see nothing in his eyes that recognised who they were. He gritted his teeth, and amongst his fear, there was anger. "Who are you?"

     He turned to face them. "Are you guys with the other person?" He breathed heavily. "This━this is not okay!"

     Clara fought past the lump in her throat. When she spoke, her voice was broken and scared. "Coulson ..." he shook his head and sat back to face the front. She felt tears brim in her eyes. "Coulson, it's me," she tried, but already, she felt like she was fighting a losing battle. "You ... you know me."

      Daisy nodded. In a gentle whisper, she added. "We need you to remember us━"

     "I'm sorry!" he let out, frantic and upset. Scared, too. "I'm sorry. But we haven't met!"

     Clara set her jaw, but she couldn't stop the tear that fell when he said that. She remembered Coulson, who had seen her desperate to prove herself and took her and her friends on for his team━inexperienced but ambitious and keen. She remembered Coulson who had believed that she could make it through━that she could survive the alien disease that almost killed her. She remembered Coulson, who believed in her when she didn't believe in herself. The same Coulson who had saved her from Ward, that had been there for her when she was alone after her father's death. Who had tried to protect her, and believed her capable━who held her in such high regard that he didn't stop believing her, or fighting for her, even when she stopped fighting for herself. Who thought her capable enough to take over his role as Director, but understood her, and respected her enough to know she never would have wanted that. Coulson who meant so much to her━who she needed back, right now. She needed the man that had stepped in to look after her, protect her, and be there for her when her father no longer could. He never said it, and she never said it━it was a line neither of them ever dared to cross, but Clara realised that he could never replace her father. Coulson never tried to replace her father ... but that didn't mean he never became another father in her life. Clara was lucky, in this life, that she had been given two.

     And she needed him back. 

     "Please," it hurt to speak. "Please, Coulson ... remember us."

     "No!" Coulson snapped. He started to get more and more frantic. He breathed heavily in his seat, gripping the steering wheel of the car. Something jolted in Clara's stomach━hope in his struggle. Because that struggle meant that there was some part of him that ... that did recognise them. "No! This isn't real. You're not here!"

     "We are," cried Daisy, leaning forward. "We are━" she reached out and touched his shoulder. He tensed up. "Please. Remember."

     He took a deep breath. He glanced at them through the mirror once again. Clara was on the edge of her seat, waiting as she noticed him hesitate. But then ... he shook his head. He shook his head again, and again. "I━I'm sorry..." he told them, and he almost sounded like he regretted his words: "I don't."

     Clara knitted her brows and looked down. She shook her head, too. She took a deep breath, too, and then sighed it out. Her eyes glanced upwards to the roof of the car, trying her best to stay calm. It wasn't his fault━none of this was his fault. But she found herself not giving up. "Coulson..." she said again and he met her gaze through the mirror. "Please. I━I know it's scary, and you probably don't know what's going on. But ... but you do know me. You know us. You do. Really well. A━and you've been there for me when ... when I needed you the most. You ... you believed in me, Coulson. I need you to believe, again. Believe in us━" she glanced at Daisy. "I ... I need you, Coulson."

     Daisy pursed her lips. She considered her words for a moment before she added: "You're the person that I go to when things get heavy..." she said to Coulson who watched them, troubled. "You're ... you're the closest thing I have to family. So ... so, I just hope that deep down, you feel it, too."

     He frowned at them. He was silent for a very long time, just examining the two of them through his rearview mirror. Clara's heart pounded with desperation ... with a final breath of hope.

     And then ...

    "Daisy ... Clara?"

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(May 1st, 2017
The Framework)

    "SO, WE'RE from the 'real world', we're S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, our bodies are being held captive, and this is all a virtual prison, built to keep us sedated?"

    Coulson turned to face them from behind his desk. Clara and Daisy stared at them, and then at each other. Before they both shrugged. Roy pursed her lips and admitted, "Well━yeah, in summary, I guess."

     He nodded, considering all of this. He seemed very troubled, and Clara didn't blame him. It was a lot to take in. But then he met their gazes again and stated something neither of them expected: "I knew I wasn't crazy." He chuckled. 

     They stared at him, shocked.

     "What, what?" let out Daisy.

    Coulson rounded his desk. "HYDRA lies about everything," he told them. "The news? It's all fake. Take the Cambridge Incident━" he snatched a newspaper and showed them it with a vigorous shake. "It was a setup. That girl shouldn't have been at that school in the first place!"

     "Where we're from," Daisy took the paper from him, "she died. This never happened."

     He breathed out a relieved smile. Clara's chest lifted at the sight of it. She was relieved, too━she was more than relieved that he remembered; that he knew who they were. 

     The door opened and all three of them glanced over. Both Daisy and Clara tensed up, but at the sight of a young girl peering her head inside, they relaxed. She frowned at them but then turned to Coulson. "Uh━Hey, Mr. Coulson?" Daisy made a face at the title, it was a little strange to both of them and yet, it made sense at the same time. "My ... My homework was done, I swear, but then my dad made me━"

    Coulson walked up to her. "Amy," he said in a kind, but stern voice. She stopped her story with pursed lips, "we've been over this. Until first bell, this is my time."

    She blinked. "Right," she let out. She started to leave. "Okay. Geez. Sorry..." She closed the door behind her, and they were alone in the classroom once again. 

     Clara shared a quick glance with Daisy, neither of them quite sure on how to comprehend any of this.

    Coulson returned to his desk, switching back to the conversation like nothing had happened. "HYDRA used Cambridge to take control, in the name of law and order, to justify everything. It wasn't supposed to be like this."

     Roy sighed. She nodded. "Yes," she watched him sit down and sigh over his papers. "But ... I knew if anyone would understand, it would be you."

    He scoffed. "Yeah. I would've figured it out a long time ago if it wasn't for the mind-control soap."

    Clara went to say something but then stopped. She blinked, her brows furrowing in an incredulous breath. "Wait ... What?"

     Coulson frowned at their confused stares. "You know," he said, "that blue soap everyone uses? HYDRA loads it up with chemicals. It seeps into our bloodstream and plants false memories into our brains."

     Roy made a face, not too sure what to think. She didn't know of any sort of chemical that could do that other than some concentrated hallucinogen, but even then ... Recognising the look she held, Daisy quickly placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her from delving into a scientific explanation against Coulson's wild theories.

     "They want us to believe this is a magical place," he continued. "But don't worry," he then assured them. "I'm clear. I make my own soap, now."

      "No," Daisy said, "I think that you're talking about Project T.A.H.I.T.I." She pointed to the postcard on his desk. "They messed with your head a little bit ... Which is why you probably remember some things ..." she trailed off as Clara's phone began to ring.

    She frowned but stepped aside to take it. She glanced at the name, and when she saw it was Ward, quickly answered. "Hey?"

     "We got a problem," he said, straight to the point. 

     Clara glanced back at Daisy for a moment before murmuring. "Uh, well━yes━I suppose we have some sort of a problem of our own..."

     "Clara, listen━" she pursed her lips and stopped talking, hearing the urgency in his voice, "━something big's going down over here. They're sending a unit to pick up your teacher friend."

     Roy turned around, the dread returning to her chest. "Okay..." she said to Ward. "Thanks ... Uh━Hey, Coulson? You're going to need a substitute."

    "Clara," Ward stopped her before she'd hang up. And she listened to him. "You have to be careful. I don't know what the Hell you haven't told me, but if the Doctor even gets the slightest idea that you're the subversive ..."

     Clara choked back on the words she wanted to say. It confused her, because Roy had this hesitation to tell Ward the truth about Fitz━about why this mattered so much to her. She was confused as to why she even cared about what he felt━what was between them. He wasn't real. And the real Ward meant nothing to her, not anymore. She was glad he was dead.

     None of this world was real. 

    They barely got out of the school in time before HYDRA arrived. They snuck away, only just making it out with their lives. When they managed to make it back to the apartment, Jemma and Jack were standing there, awkwardly waiting. The way Jack glanced at Jemma, apprehensive made Clara feel as though they had had a discussion ... maybe about Leith━but right now, she didn't have time to ask, let alone think about any of it. 

    As soon as Simmons saw Coulson, she made a sheepish smile. "Hi," she whispered.

    Coulson recognised her. He pursed his lips as Daisy closed the door. "Oh," he murmured, sounding a little apologetic. "Hi. It's me again ... Phil Coulson. I called HYDRA on you. My bad."

    Jemma just smiled. She shook her head. "Water under the proverbial bridge. I'm so glad to see you, sir."

     He held out his hand, admittedly a bit excited by all of this. Jemma chuckled again and shook it. "Apparently, in━in the other world..." he glanced briefly at Jack (Clara had said that it was very important to keep Jack out of the loop of this━for him, it was a multiverse, and Clara wanted to keep it that way. She didn't know why she was protecting a bunch of programming ... but...), "... I have a robot hand!" He held up his other hand and chuckled. "Pretty cool, right?"

     Jemma let go, her smile turning a little strained. She glanced at Daisy and Clara for explanations. Daisy just sighed and told her. "And here, he makes his own soap."

     Jack blinked. "Soap?" he murmured, perplexed. "You make your own soap?"

    "I do," said Coulson. "You should, too."

    "Okay," Clara pulled her hair off her face. "We need to move. HYDRA came back for Coulson." The others followed her as she paced the apartment, finding it unusual for her to make the orders━but they listened to her despite it. "Ward warned us away, but we only just made it out."

    Jemma rolled her eyes. "Oh, thank goodness for Grant Ward."

    Jack frowned at her, confused at her sarcasm. "Hey, Ward's a great person. He's done so much for the Resistance."

     Daisy winced, not too sure how to explain it to him━or even if she could. 

    Meanwhile, Clara continued. "Look, it's not the best, but I know I can trust him. He's different here━a good different. "

    "Yeah, until you can't," Simmons reminded her, following her to the kitchen as she wandered there in her thoughts. "Betraying those closest to him is his signature move."

     "Not here," Roy murmured, meeting Jack's gaze briefly. She couldn't believe it━she was defending Grant Ward, of all people. And a version of him that didn't even exist ... but all of this felt so real; crazy real ... Daisy was right, it was very hard not to get caught up in it. 

     "Look," sighed Daisy, "for now, we just need to get somewhere safe. Ward set up a time and place for us to meet the Resistance. It's a whole password-exchange thing."

     Coulson gasped, excited. "Bona fides?" He then chuckled, giddy. "I━I always wanted to do that..."

     Jack immediately winced. He shrunk up and murmured softly. "I━I'm gonna miss out on that one ... or hide in the back of the car, where Leith can't find me and give me is━What were you doing? Disappointed look." Coulson frowned at him. Jack pursed his lips. "That's━Leith━he runs the Resistance," he suddenly said, his tone switching to something sounding very smug. "He's━he's like━we're together. He's cool. Like, super cool. He's basically a superhero ... A hot superhero ..."

     Simmons pursed her lips. The smile she forced on her lips couldn't mask the aching pain behind her eyes. "I bet he's a great leader," she said, a little sad. Jack frowned at her, thoughtful and intrigued━curious at the tone of her voice. Maybe Jemma hadn't said anything ... at all. 

     "Well," Clara rocked back and forth on her heels as she started to propose an idea she knew they weren't going to like. She glanced at them all each in turn, pursing her lips. "While━you guys go and do that ... But, I've been thinking ... What if I reached out to Fitz?"

     Jack's eyes went wide. "No," he told her, horrified.

    "Yes!" replied Roy, stubborn.

     Daisy slumped, trying not to get frustrated. "Roy, we've b━we've been over this."

    "Yes! Yes, I know━" Clara was soon following her around the apartment, she hadn't taken note that she was packing a bag while she did. "I know. But we were able to get through to Coulson. And like you said, he━he knows me, or at least a version of me. He still keeps that gift I gave him with the three little monkeys━that's Fitz! If he has that, like you said, there's hope. I'm sure I could get Fitz to remember me."

     "I didn't mean now. That's not going to end well, okay? Fitz is not the same," Daisy told her, and it was a very light way to put it. But no matter what she will say━no matter how much she warned her━there was no way the ignorant hope in Clara's eyes was ever going to disappear, and it was dangerous. "He's different here."

     Roy leaned against the threshold of the door into the bedroom, almost pleading with her friend. "Daisy ... This reality may be upside down, but Fitz is still Fitz. He's still a good person."

     "Who happens to be second in command at HYDRA. And has a grudge against you."

     "Yeah!" She lifted her hands up with a grin as if this only proves her point. "That's great! Well, I mean, not great but if I can get through to him, it means he'll have resources, not to mention Framework expertise which will need to get out of Radcliffe's little daydream." 

     Coulson overheard them. "Wait━Radcliffe ... like Holden Radcliffe, the scientist?" They frowned at him as he pulled off his back and rummaged through it. Jack's brows shot up, startled to see what looked to be a whole library of papers. (There was a reason HYDRA nearly got them at the school). "I ...I━I saw something a while back, and I cut it out. I... Here it is."

     He showed them a newspaper cutting from a few years back. It showed Radcliffe smiling at the camera, smugly holding a large trophy in his hands. "'Famed HYDRA scientist working on Inhuman cure'." He read the headline. "Something felt off about him. Do you know him? D━Do we know him?"

    Daisy, Roy and Simmons all shared troubled looks. Neither of them noticed the breath of suspicion Jack suddenly held. "Why would Radcliffe be in here?" asked Daisy.

    Roy shrugged, but a grin tugged at her lips. "I don't know. But think about it. He built the Framework, which means..."

     "He can help get us out."

    "Yeah, one catch," Coulson folded up the paper back into his bag. "Nobody's seen him since this photo was taken."

     They shared a sigh. But then Daisy took a deep breath, determined. "Okay, you guys meet up with Ward's contact. I'll go back to the Triskelion and get a location on Radcliffe. And Roy, do not go looking for Fitz, you hear me?"

     Simmons's eyes widened at her words. Her breath hitched when she mentioned what she planned to do. "No, Daisy, you can't go back━it's too dangerous."

    "I'll be fine," she argued. "I'll be in and out. No one will even know I'm there."

    "So ..." Roy shuffled her feet, not particularly happy with this idea. "You can throw yourself into danger but I can't go after Fitz?"

     "Yes," said her friend, stern and pointed. "That's exactly it. I'm serious, Roy, looking for Fitz is a bad idea..."

✲══〖✰〗══✲

(May 1st, 2017
The Framework)

    COULSON was way too excited in being blindfolded and taken back to the Playground through secret means. When they arrived, guided inside down the hallways Clara already knew like the back of her hand, he was holding his breath with bated excitement. And when they were forced to sit down and the bags were taken off their heads, he grinned. "This is so cool!" he decided to say. 

    They were in the commons room. Unlike Coulson, who was grinning like a little kid, Clara pursed her lips━having to meet the disappointed and annoyed stare of her older brother. Who, as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (or the resistance), stood over them with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. He frowned at her, and then at Jack who scratched at his ear━as if to say, you should know better. His gaze glimpsed over Simmons and she watched him, holding her breath, too━as if waiting for him to recognise her ... but his gaze glanced past her without a care in the world. Jemma felt her heart sink. A lump formed in her throat and she forced herself to push it down. 

    Leith didn't look like the Leith she knew back home━and yet he did. He had the same strawberry-blonde curls that were a little messy over his head and a build that was still a little scrawny but had filled out from all the training he has done. But he held a breath of authority he didn't usually hold━confidence in himself and his abilities. He was the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and he wore a dark, smart jumper and jeans with boots━he looked like he was the leader. 

    And he didn't even recognise her. At all. He didn't even know who she was. 

    He frowned at her and at Coulson. "I'm Director Roy." There was a breath of annoyance clipped in his tone as he glanced back at Clara and Jack. "Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D." He took a deep breath. "Sorry about the hoods, but it's protocol━especially when your friends here," he added pointedly at his sister and Jack, "went against my orders."

    Jack shrunk down in the chair a little, trying to send him a small, sheepish smile. Leith closed his eyes and sighed, a little exasperated. "That being said ... if Ward, Clara and Jack trust you ... I'm happy to welcome you here."

    Jemma hitched her breath. She continued to watch him, waiting for a sign━anything to let her know that there could be a flicker of recognition; a flicker of her Leith that had been taken away from her. "I━Thank you," she said to him, soft and trembling. He met her gaze again. She pursed her lips, hesitant. "I━My name is Jemma ... Jemma Simmons."

     Leith frowned at her for a moment. She hung onto his expression, only to falter once again when he nodded with no change of expression. "Pleasure to meet you, Jemma Simmons."

    Clara watched her with a breath of sadness, watching her small smile sink. She decided to speak up. "Yeah, that's Simmons━" she nodded at Coulson. "And this is━"

    "Phil Coulson," said the history teacher with a bright grin. "Wow!" he then exclaimed, staring at Leith in amazement. "This is━don't worry about the hoods because it was amazing."

     Leith pursed his lips in a subtle, incredulous manner. He met Jack's eyes and he just shrugged. 

     "Am I late?" the new voice made them all glance over, surprised and confused. Clara frowned, noticing how familiar it sounded. A shadow appeared in the open doorway amongst the dim light. A tall, broad figure. His silhouette pulled at her mind, trying to make her figure out who it was. Until he then stepped into the light. Her eyes widened. "I'm sorry."

     Jemma hid her gasp. 

     It was Director Mace━or not Director, not here. But it was Mace. And yet ... it wasn't. He was dressed head to toe in the armour he had back home, but it was darker━thicker. It wrapped around his body that was bigger and stronger; he looked like some sort of super-soldier rather than the man they knew. And he held himself with an air of confidence that made Clara believe it, too. He clenched his hands, wearing the S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle on his chest proudly. He came to stand in front of them, and Clara felt like this was some superhero comic entrance. 

     Coulson gasped with delight. "The Patriot!"

    Simmons blinked. "The what?"

    "The Patriot!" he said again, looking as though he was living his dream. He glanced at them, grinning. "The Inhuman superhero! The Patriot! Have you never heard of him?! This━this is so cool," Coulson turned back to Mace or The Patriot and giggled under his breath. Clara shook her head, dubious. "I━Hello. I━I am a huge fan, by the way."

     Mace pursed his lips. He shared a glance with Leith. "Uh ... Jeffrey's fine. The Patriot's a little much for my taste."

    "Man," let out Coulson, in awe. He then stood up. Clara went to say something to stop him, but held back ... she supposed just like the Coulson she knew back home, he needed his little moment to geek out. "I dreamed about what your suit would look like. I even made a few sketches, but this is actually way cooler."

    Roy had to stop him at that. "Okay, okay━" she stood up as well. "Coulson, Coulson━" she held up her hands and gently gestured them down to say calm. "Maybe just tone it down a little bit, okay?"

    Meanwhile, Simmons frowned at the base. She glanced around, growing rather curious. "This place ... What happened here?"

    Leith met her gaze. He frowned at her for a moment again. At first, he didn't say anything, but then he quickly shook his head and cleared his throat. "Uh━For around seventy years after World War Two uh ... like nothing. No one knew it was here, but ... I━uh━" he grinned and tapped his head, "━I have this thing. More like a trick ... I can go to places without even being here, and that's how I found this place. A brave agent Billy Koenig died helping me find it again. It's taken all that time just to ... well ... get it operational to twenty-first century standards."

     Coulson nodded, very impressed. "Got to say, the whole Rebel Alliance aesthetic's really working for me."

    Leith arched a brow. He moved his gaze from Simmons back to Coulson. "I'll ... er━I'll take that as a compliment. Let's go━follow me."

    They did as he said. Simmons, Clara and Coulson all stayed together. Jack sent Roy a small glance before surging forward to walk in pace beside Leith with Mace following behind. In a soft voice, Jack whispered. "Hey, look, Leith, I━I'm sorry━"

    "We'll chat later," Leith said to him in the same whisper. "Okay ...?" Jack pursed his lips and looked down at his feet as he walked. Leith pursed his lips, too. Then, he managed a little smile and reassured him. "Right now, I'm just glad both of you are okay."

    Simmons faltered when she noticed something. She stopped by the entrance to another commons room━what would be one of their conference rooms back home. There, inside, it was empty of monitors and tables and chairs, but instead it had been transformed into a sanctuary full of cots and beds where families sat together: children, mothers, fathers, siblings. People sat alone, some huddled together. But it was full of ... of what Clara could honestly think of as refugees.

     "Who are these people?" they didn't realise Coulson was behind them until he spoke.

     "Potentials," answered Mace, grave. "Some of them have the Inhuman gene or they had a relative who did."

     Jemma went pale. "HYDRA's hunting them."

     (Fitz was hunting them... realised Clara). 

    "It's all we can do to find them first, give them shelter, and relocate them somewhere else."

     The door to the Playground opened. Clara glanced over and frowned to see Ward march his way down the hallway. She took a deep breath, clenching and unclenching her hands. As soon as she saw him, Simmons scoffed under her breath and rolled her eyes━as if the very sight of him made her taste something sour on her tongue. Clara didn't blame her. She swallowed her own bitterness. 

     Leith glanced back, too, and he scoffed a grin. "Well, look who it is."

     Ward didn't smile back. He made his way over, meeting Clara's gaze before moving on to Leith. "Been long enough━" he shook his hand firmly. 

    Roy recognised the look on his face━and she hated how she still could. Her brows furrowed. "Wait━what's happened?"

    Ward turned to her. The hard look he had whenever something was troubling him, that was going to trouble everyone seemed to soften the moment she spoke. Clara's own bitterness seemed to simmer the moment she saw it. She wanted to hate herself for it━how could she ever let herself trust and feel sorry for the person that ruined her life? Ruined so many others' lives? How could she look at this version of him, with the same eyes and the same face and even the same clothes, and see nothing else but reasons to trust him ... to redeem all that he has done. 

     (Because here, he hasn't done it...).

    (He ... 'he' doesn't even exist...).

    Ward clenched his jaw and sighed. "They got Skye."

    Clara felt her heart drop.

    They returned to the commons room as Ward began his story. Clara listened at her brother's side, tapping her foot in her anxiety as she tried to think. If Daisy was taken by HYDRA, it wasn't just bad━it was almost catastrophic. If anything happened to them in the Framework, it was permanent. If she was killed ... she would be dead. 

     In the end, Ward rubbed at his brow. "I don't know," he murmured. "It all happened so fast."

    "Well, from everything you've told us," said Mace, "Skye's tough as hell. She can handle herself in there."

     She can. Clara knew that Daisy was more than capable━but she was also without her powers; they were in new territory. Roy couldn't help but be worried. 

     Roy took a deep breath and hugged her stomach. She glanced at her brother briefly and he met it, matching her pursed lips.

     "Before they took her," spoke up Simmons, "did she get a location on Radcliffe?"

     Ward eyed her for a moment. Then he reached inside his leather jacket and pulled out a slip of paper. He held it out for her to take, but as she reached out, he snapped his hand back towards him━she scowled, but he just arched a suspicious brow. "You know," he began, "Clara and Skye haven't been themselves ever since you showed up."

     Clara stiffened next to Leith. "Ward━" she began, trying to reassure him (of what? Grant Ward was smart, she would give him that━he was resourceful and cunning. He was a great agent and a great specialist━whether it was for S.H.I.E.L.D. or for HYDRA. She would be stupid to ever think he wouldn't notice something was off). 

     "No," Ward cut her off, giving her a pointed look. She took a deep breath, clenching her hands. Jack met her gaze and discreetly, he rubbed his friend's back. Leith frowned at the interaction. He was uncharacteristically silent, watching them speak with a set of his jaw. Or rather watching Jemma. (There was something about her ... something that intrigued him, but also made him on edge). 

     "Don't tell me that things haven't been off━that you haven't been off," Ward told Clara, a little stern━in a way that reminded her of the Grant Ward she knew. "Taking down one of HYDRA's drones? Running off━?" he pointed to Coulson. "You never told me about some random history teacher that you seem to know so well before. And now, you're suddenly so interested in tracking down the one person who you and I have spent years trying to protect you from? Waking up from a coma doesn't just do that━and for someone who just did," he shook his head and Clara hung her gaze, very aware of the frowns others were sending her, "you seem to act like nothing had happened. And so coincidentally, your friend Simmons who you also never mentioned, just shows up?"

     Ward set his steel scowl back onto Jemma and Roy took a deep breath through her nose, not sure what to say━or how to explain to him. For a moment, she was frozen with a breath of fear, thinking that this Grant Ward was the same she knew━that he would attack and hurt her best friend; with that same face that watched her as he dropped her and Fitz to the bottom of the ocean━Clara's heart sped up. "What is it you're really after?" he demanded, gaze narrowed at Simmons. 

     Jemma scoffed, bitter and furious. "Wow━You, of all people," she sneered at the face of the man who had caused her friends so much pain━her included, "the HYDRA double agent, are doubting my loyalty? That is rich!"

    "Hang on," Leith spoke up for the first time in a while. Simmons spun to him, startled. He gestured to her, also rather suspicious. "He's got a point. You're only here because I trust him━and I trust my sister. I don't trust you. I don't even know you, so be careful what you say right now."

    Simmons swallowed something in her throat. She frowned at Leith━and those words he said hurt her, deep inside her chest, even if he didn't mean him; even if none of it was his fault. Out of everyone, Leith had been the one she trusted with getting back to Maveth first━the most. Simmons always believed he trusted her the same; she knew he did. But hearing him say that he didn't, even if he didn't know, sent a staggering shock in her heart. 

     You do know me, she wanted to say to him. To plead with a desperate cry, hoping he would look at her with something else other than a gaze that was a void blank of any feeling, and any memory━of anything that was the tender, gentle and heartfelt gaze she knew. But then she glanced at Jack, and every urge she held dissipated with a sad weight on her shoulders. 

    Jemma took a deep breath. "You want to question me?" she locked Leith's scowl. "When HYDRA wiped out the Academy and people were dying, I was there. I fought and took a bullet. I had to claw my way out of a mass grave." She rummaged into her jean pocket and pulled out her old S.H.I.E.L.D. card. She showed it to Leith who stared at it, unblinking. "How's that for loyalty to S.H.I.E.L.D., Director Roy?"

     He watched her for a moment longer. Then, he gently took the card from her fingers. He frowned at it━he looked very troubled. Then, he glanced back at her. "I want you to tell me, right now, whether I can trust you."

     "You can trust me," she told him, determined━and it was true. Simmons lost her breath of frustration enough for her words to be sincere━to sound sincere, and gentle. Because she meant it. She really did. She would do anything for Leith, even if he didn't know who she was. She was here to get him back home━she made a promise to him. She was going to keep that promise. 

     Leith kept her gaze for a long time. Clara couldn't help but glance at Jack and didn't know what she felt when she saw him frown softly. Then, her brother passed her back her card. "I'll hold you onto that, Agent Simmons."

     He nodded at Ward. He was hesitant, but with a final scowl, he moved as if to hand over the coordinates to Simmons, but last minute, moved his arm over to Clara. Jemma scoffed, frustrated while Roy carefully picked out the paper to peer at what Daisy had written. 

    Almost immediately, she frowned. "What?" she whispered, perplexed. 

    "Why?" Jack turned to her. "What is it?"

     32.7149 degrees north, 62.6820 degrees west. 'Ogygia' Daisy had written. 

    "But..." Clara shook her head, glancing up at the others. "This doesn't make sense ..." She frowned, recognising the name of the mythical island in Greek Mythology where Calypso was stranded. No one could enter the island unless they were stranded, too ... it seemed like an ironic name for the place Radcliffe had hidden himself; his own sanctuary within the Framework. Except ... "These coordinates are east of Bermuda," she said to Ward, confused. "There shouldn't be anything out there."

    Leith stared at her. "You can get all of that just by looking at coordinates? You have coordinates memorised, do you?" 

    Clara slumped and turned to her brother. "No, I don't just memorise coordinates━you just need to understand simple geography━"

    "━Simple━?"

    "Guys," Jack stepped in between them, and the short spat the siblings had made Simmons seem to relax━for that look Leith gave to his shoes, incredulous and scoffing, reminded her of the man she knew. He was there. Her Leith was still there. "Seriously?'

     "Who is this Radcliffe?" Jeffrey Mace spoke up, directing the attention back to the problem at hand. 

     "He's a scientist," explained Simmons. 

    "Skye said he could take down HYDRA," added Ward softly to Mace and he pursed his lips, intrigued. He then nodded back at the paper in Clara's hands. "What does that mean?"

    "I'm not too sure," she said, honestly, "but we need to find him as soon as possible." Clara turned to Leith for his instruction. It was strange to do so, but at the same time, didn't feel strange at all. 

     He considered her words. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, almost like he was torn. Then, he decided. "I━I'm sorry. There's too much going on, today, I can't send a team."

    "Then send us," suggested Coulson suddenly. 

    Leith stared at him, surprised. He wasn't the only one. Mace and Ward both frowned, taken aback. Clara's brother soon placed his hands on his hips. "I━well━" he chuckled, a little incredulous. "That's brave of you, Mr. Coulson, but you are a teacher━if I were to send you out on a spy operation I would be making a horrible decision. You have no training, no experience ... I'd be doing the wrong thing for your safety."

     Coulson just shrugged. "It seems you need all the help you can get."

    Leith shook his head. Even still, he was torn. He knew they needed to follow this, but at the same time, he was hesitant. Clara turned to him. "Hey," she held up the paper, "Skye did risk everything for this. Send Coulson, Simmons and I, we can handle this."

    Her brother frowned at her. He held his breath for a moment━he looked upset. "Clara," he whispered to her. "I just got you back, okay? I can't ... I can't let you throw yourself into danger. You're a doctor, not a specialist."

    "I'm an Inhuman," she murmured. "Simmons is more than capable and ... look━" she gestured at Coulson, "━he makes his own soap, he's mind-control free."

     Leith made a face at this. Soap...? He mouthed, dubious. 

     Jack scratched the back of his ear, and then he decided to say: "Look, Leith, I━I've seen Clara's Inhuman powers in action. She's more than capable of looking after herself. And ... and they have a point."

     Surprisingly, Ward was on board. He stepped forward, and his shadow hovered over Clara━supportive. "I can pilot and supervise." Then in a softer, understanding tone, he added. "Leith, you know I'll look after her."

     Leith chewed on the inside of his cheek. He frowned at them all, and then down at the floor. At last, he took a deep breath and decided: "All right. Mace, Jack━keep things sorted here." Jack nodded. "I'll let you supervise, Ward━but one more thing: I'm coming with you."

✲══〖✰〗══✲

(May 1st, 2017

The Framework)

    THE QUINJET flight to the coordinates was quite suffocating. Even if there was plenty of room, Clara felt squeezed in. Ward was in the cockpit, and even if she was torn on what to think of him here, she couldn't find herself holding enough courage to sit with him. Coulson sat opposite her, fiddling with his fingers━he looked just as out of place as she did. Simmons was conversing with Ward about the coordinates in the cockpit, but eventually, she had to step away━as she did, her gaze lingered on Leith who was checking his gun. He didn't spare her a glance, and she pursed her lips, moving on to sit next to Coulson. 

     Agent Roy felt alone, even though she was surrounded. Coulson only remembered fragments, Leith didn't remember anything of the world they came from, and Ward ... Clara even couldn't find herself finding comfort in Simmons being with her.

     She missed Fitz. 

     It had always been them, ever since the Academy. Sixteen and achingly shy━even before they met Simmons, Agent Roy had been placed in that seat beside him in class, and while he barely spoke to her for ages until they were paired in chem lab ... it had been the two of them. Clara remembered that night when she had gone over to his dorm to help him solve a problem ... that was the night that everything changed between them. How far they have come since then...

     It seemed that here, her Framework version of herself had been given the chance to change what happened at the bottom of the ocean. That was one of her biggest regrets, letting Fitz sacrifice himself ... but Clara's true regret was ever forcing him to follow her into this in the first place. If they had stayed at the lab, she didn't know where they'd be now ... but she did know that Fitz wouldn't be here, trapped and confused. All that has happened to him, if she had never forced him into this team ... He would be happier. 

     Leith frowned over at his sister who was looking down at her hands, quiet and upset. He pursed his lips and left what he was doing to take a seat down beside her. He sighed as he did, almost dramatically. 

     "What is it?" he asked her softly. 

     Clara glanced up to meet his gaze. "What?" she murmured.

     Leith shrugged. "You're clearly upset, what is it?"

     Agent Roy couldn't tell him. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't. Clara couldn't explain to him what had happened, how she had gone into the Framework to find him━how she wanted to bring him back home, and yet was at a crossroads the moment she realised Jack was in his life here. Yet, there was something in her that swallowed the lump in her throat and admitted in a soft voice: "Just ... Thinking about Fitz."

     Somehow, whatever happened in this world, Leith understood━enough that he sighed and slumped against the chair with her. "You don't talk about him much..." he murmured. "About what happened."

     Clara forced the tears back that welled up in her eyes. "We're ..." her voice cracked when she had to correct herself: "We were inseparable... You know," she took a deep breath to keep herself composed, "everyone used to joke that we were psychically linked ... We just ... always seemed to know what the other was thinking. Now..."

    "Now, he's HYDRA," Leith told her gently. "He's not the Fitz you used to know."

    Roy knitted her brows and frowned at her fingers. Leith watched her, curious. "But ... that's not it, either, is it?" He shook his head. "Ward was right ... you haven't been━you're different. What's going on, Clara?"

     She looked up at him, and she choked on the lump in her throat to see his confusion. He had no idea of what had happened. Clara held her breath, but then she found herself having enough courage to ask him: "Leith ... A━Are you sure you've never met Jemma before? You ... you haven't been having any strange dreams ...? Like memories that seem like yours but aren't at the same time...?"

     Leith frowned at her, perplexed. Slowly, he shook her head. "Uh ... No, I am sure I've never met your friend before in my life. No dreams, no ... What's going on? Seriously? What aren't you telling me?"

     Clara wondered whether she was going to try and tell him the truth until Ward called through the radio: "We're thirty minutes out."

     And she lost her chance.

     They landed on Ogygia━a secluded island that outside the Framework, back on their earth, did not exist. But this secluded retreat truly looked beautiful; a calm, gentle-breezed Utopia outside the horrific world that existed around it. Clara was bitter at the sight of it. Here Radcliffe was, living his best life, after he had imprisoned her friends and caused so much terror and destruction━here he was. 

     They all got ready as the quinjet opened out onto the clearing Ward had landed them in. Clara loaded a gun for herself and tucked it into her jeans. She pulled her shirt over it to conceal it. Leith frowned, perplexed but did the same, fixing his jacket. "All right, team," he began as they started to hover, ready. Ward slung the sniper rifle he had brought over his shoulder. "Pretty simple. We grab the guy and go."

    "Keep your eyes open," added Ward in a stubborn tone of authority. 

    "Yes, Ward," Leith mocked him and grinned slightly at the scowl he sent. Clara shared a glance with Simmons, finding the interaction sickening, knowing that in their world, the two never met━let alone befriended each other. 

     "Simmons and I will talk to Radcliffe," said Clara, pulling her hair off her face.

    "What about me?" piped up Coulson, a little awkward. "What should I do?" 

     They all froze, eyeing him with a breath of hesitation. In the end, Ward muttered. "Uh ... Just try not to get yourself killed." He stepped off the quinjet and Leith followed. Roy gave the others a final glance before stepping off, too. Simmons handed Coulson a gun, as well━just as a precaution. 

     Together, the group of them wandered through the forest towards the centre of the island where they had spotted a red-tiled villa from the air. As soon as they saw it, Agent Roy knew they were in the right place━it was most definitely Radcliffe's style.

     It felt weird to stick in Ward's shadow, treading carefully through the dense trees. It was more than weird━all of this was shocking and mind-twisting and horrible; because the longer Clara stayed here, she realised the more she found herself lost in its world ... falling for its lies and its differences. And she couldn't imagine what it was like to be in here for a long time. It made her scared. More than scared. Because what if she can't get through to Fitz? What if she had truly lost him? 

    And how could Roy ever live without Fitz? She couldn't. She couldn't. 

   (If this was the other way around, Fitz wouldn't give up on her━she reminded herself. She couldn't give up on him). 

     As they neared another clearing, Clara peered through the branches and leaves to frown at a well-mowed lawn outside a rich, pristine villa. She spotted Radcliffe almost immediately, and her nose turned up the moment she saw him dressed in a robe thrown over a shirt and lose shorts. He was crouched over a croquet stick, trying to aim the ball into the small gate across from him. 

     She rolled her eyes and pulled out her gun. 

    Silent and careful, the group of them all stepped out onto the grass. Radcliffe hadn't noticed them━or heard them. He didn't turn around as they crept around him, leaving him completely surrounded, as he merely hummed and aimed his stick, eyeing his target with narrowed concentration.

     Clara aimed her gun and resisted the urge to pull the trigger then and there. 

    Ward gripped his tight. "Drop it."

     Radcliffe froze. Slowly, he glanced around him━his eyes widened and he stood up straight, horrified to see them. He fixed his stare onto Ward and his breath hitched, terrified. "Hive? No━It can't be."

    Clara held her gun up higher when he turned to her, her stare rigid. "Hello," she said with a sickly sweet smile. "Long time, no see."

    "Surprise," added Coulson, holding up his own gun.

    Radcliffe spun around, glancing at them all with breathless shock. "You━" he shook his head, "━you shouldn't be here! None of you!"

    He stepped forward but Leith stopped him quickly. "Whoa━stay there, buddy."

     Radcliffe stepped back. His knees quivered and he hunched up, like a frantic animal who was caged in━except this time, he was caged in by his own karma. 

     He narrowed his eyes at Ward again. He tilted his head. "Oh, but... No━" he shook his head, and Ward frowned, very confused. "No, you're not Hive at all. You're the one who came before. Yeah, you know━I never did meet him━"

     "This is not a social visit," snapped Simmons, drawing Radcliffe's attention away from Ward the moment she noticed the anxious hitch of Roy's breath. 

     The scientist sighed at the lot of them. "Oh, Jemma!" he exclaimed sadly. "If only you knew the trials and tribulations I've endured!"

     "I am fresh out of sympathy for liars who kidnap my friends and replace them with killer androids!" she sneered in reply, not wavering her aim. 

     "Yeah!" Coulson surged forward, brandishing his weapon dangerously. "And Don't forget about implanting bogus memories and letting me think I'm off my gourd! Not cool, bro!"

     Radcliffe had no answers for that. His frown returned, confused. 

    "Catch up later," Ward spoke up. "We need to move."

    They didn't move. Radcliffe just turned to Simmons and Roy, pleading. "It's all become so very complicated!" he told them, desperate. Clara scoffed. "I never meant to hurt anyone."

    "Yeah, sure," said Clara angrily. "That's what you always say. I don't care about your excuses, Radcliffe, you're going to help us find our friends and escape."

     "My dear," Radcliffe sighed, suddenly very sad, "I'm afraid there is no escape from this place. This━" he threw his arms out at the field around them, "━this isn't the world I'd intended! Things have gone dreadfully wrong."

     "Maybe not so much for you," muttered Coulson.

    "I promise you, this is a gilded cage. One can only drink so many mai tais and watch so many sunsets..."

     "Oh, stuff it!" Roy shook her pistol, a livid fire rising up in her chest. Radcliffe stole Fitz from her, stole Coulson, May, Leith, Mack and Mace━stole her friends and her family. "You're in early retirement while the rest of your world tears itself apart!"

     "Clara," he tried. "Clara, I assure you, my intentions were pure. The Framework was to be a paradise, a━a pleasant forever-after!"

    "The Framework?" scoffed Leith, bewildered. He glanced at Clara. "What on Earth is he talking about?"

     "It doesn't matter," growled Ward, taking some threatening steps forward. "Story time's over. You're coming with us."

    "I'm afraid that's not possible."

    Ward raised his brows, challenging. "That wasn't a request..." he trailed off as he noticed a figure in the distance. Someone was walking through the garden, draped in a long cardigan and a paint set under one arm. Ward gestured his gun briefly over. "Who is that?" Radcliffe's eyes widened. He glanced over and his face went pale. 

     "No one," he said quickly. "It's unimportant."

    Ward stepped back, his eyes fixed on the woman walking through the leaves. "You guys watch him. I'll go and get her."

    "No!" said Radcliffe, urgent as he held out a hand to stop Ward. "No! You can't drag her into this! It'll only confuse her━" he spun to Roy, desperate. "She doesn't remember the other world."

     Jemma realised. Her aim slackened. "It's Agnes," she breathed. 

     "Agnes was dying," said Radcliffe, pained. "In order to save her, I had to bring her consciousness into the Framework."

     "And her body?"

     "Deceased, I'm afraid. We gave her a burial at sea. It was very emotional. The Framework is all Agnes has left!"

     "All right," Leith was growing frustrated. "Can somebody tell me what the bloody hell this Framework is?!"

     "To be honest," murmured Coulson, "he lost me there, too..."

    "As a matter of fact," continued Radcliffe, slouching, "she's not the only one in that particular boat. A.I.D.A..." he pulled his robe around his body tight, "... sort of killed me, as well."

     Clara's gun dropped down, shocked. "What?" she surged towards the scientist, unable to believe what she was hearing. "H━how did she go against her programming?"

    "She found a loophole," shrugged Radcliffe. "I mean, it was really rather clever. If I weren't dead already, I'd be impressed..."

     "Who the hell is A.I.D.A.?" Leith was getting angrier and angrier. He was demanding answers, and no one was giving them to him. "You know what━Ward, grab that woman and after that, we're getting out of here. You━" he scowled at Clara and Simmons, "━both have a lot of explaining to do."

     "I never wanted any of this to happen," whispered Radcliffe. "I only wanted to do good."

    "Then actually do good," Clara said to him in the same tone, stepping even closer to him as their conversation grew soft. "Tell me where A.I.D.A. is keeping our friends."

     Radcliffe sighed once more. He hung his head. But in the end, he took a deep breath and said to her: "The Russian has a base under a drilling platform in the Baltic. Go and save them, and leave us in peace."

     Roy's brows softened for a moment. There was a part of her that wanted to do that. To leave this Framework, but also save it. These people in here, they were programming and they were nothing but coding ... but they had memories, they had emotions and reactions and feelings ... If that wasn't what made somebody human then ... What did? Flesh and bone? Pain? Bleeding? How could something that held the capacity for compassion and ambition and ... Her eyes wandered over to Ward━the capacity for love ... not be as human as the rest of them? 

     "How do we get out?" Coulson asked for her. "Did you build an exit back to the real world?"

     "The real world?" Leith looked as though he was going to go mad any second. He turned to Ward who only shook his head, completely clueless as to what they were saying. Clara met her brother's stare, and stammered on her words━she had no idea what to tell him.

     "Of course, I did," said Radcliffe, "but I suspect A.I.D.A.'s discovered it by now. You'll just have to go however you came in."

    "That's the problem," said Simmons. "Ours isn't working."

     Radcliffe frowned. He held his breath for a second, off in thought━troublesome thought. "Yeah, but that means ..." His face dropped. He threw his head back. "Oh, dear God!" he exclaimed, a horrible realisation hitting him. "Then she knows you're here!"

     "Who?!" cried out Ward this time. "Who? Who is she?!"

     A low, rumbling sound above━almost like thunder━rolled across the sky. But at the way Clara's hair lifted off her back and into her face told her something that made her heart sink with dread. She and the others all glanced up and their breaths left them to see something large and monstrous block out the sun. A sleek, dark black plane; and when Clara saw the symbol on its wing: the symbol of HYDRA ... she knew who had found them.

     Her confidence wavered. Her breath hitched. She stared as the jet hovered over them, shadowing them in darkness. 

    "Go!" Radcliffe shouted. He shoved Clara along. "Hide! Hide━All of you━!"

    "Go!" Leith grabbed Clara's arm and pulled her with him, and they all ditched Radcliffe━leaving him alone in the field and ducking for cover in the forest before they would be seen. 

     She glanced back as they ran, her heart pounding and painful━it rose up into her throat as the large jet started to land in the clearing. Her stomach twisted. "Wait━" she pulled against Leith's grip, "━Fitz━"

     Ward grabbed Clara, too, and tugged her━harshly━into the cover of the trees. She struggled, but in the end, let him pull her down. She stayed frighteningly still, not able to breathe as the plane's power engines started to die down, and the aircraft let out a long exhale onto the grass. Then, following it, the ramp slowly drew open, revealing a tactical team in the glow of a furious red. And leading the team was...

     Clara struggled once again, having the dangerous urge to rush out to him━and she would have if Ward didn't keep her still in a bruising grip. 

     He marched out into the light at the side of her━at A.I.D.A.'s side. Stoic and rigid, in a polished black suit and shined shoes. The Doctor scowled out into the clearing, jaw rigid and covered in a close-cropped scuff. As he stepped onto the grass, he fixed his suit and ran a hand along the slick of his hair━as if to make sure nothing was out of place. 

     After that, Fitz clasped his hands behind his back once again and continued to follow his team and A.I.D.A. towards Radcliffe standing alone. 

    Clara didn't recognise him━at all. 

    "Search the island," ordered A.I.D.A. and the HYDRA soldiers dispersed. "Find them."

    Fitz gestured to the agents closest to him. "You two, with me━" and he moved on past. Clara watched him go, disappearing into the depths of Radcliffe's gardens━so close, and yet so far away ... 

    "Look at that plane," meanwhile, murmured Coulson. "What kind of monster flies around in something that size?"

    Clara kept staring off where Fitz had gone. He was right there ... and yet he wasn't. That didn't look like the Fitz she knew. He looked ... She didn't know how to explain it, but it left her jarred and pained━like somebody had struck a spear right through her chest, and she couldn't move even if she wanted to. 

    Ward glanced at Clara. He had pulled his sniper gun off his shoulder but stopped fiddling with it the moment he saw the look on her face. 

    "What is Fitz doing with A.I.D.A.?" whispered Jemma, horrified with shock and confusion as the android spoke in muffled tones to Radcliffe. 

    Leith frowned at her. "A.I.D.A.?" he echoed. "That's Madame Hydra━" he nodded at the android. 

    Simmons was troubled. She turned back to the clearing in front of them, bile rising up in her throat. 

    "Subversives?" they heard Radcliffe exclaim. "They are people who happen to be our friends. I wanted to help them. You've turned them into prisoners!"

    "I did exactly as you asked," said A.I.D.A.

     He scoffed at her. "Don't play innocent with me. We both know it's gone much further than that."

    "I took away their one, greatest regret. How things played out from there wasn't up to me."

    "You put yourself into the Framework!" said Radcliffe, pointing at Madame Hydra. "You've been manipulating it ever since! The whole thing is an unmitigated disaster and all you do is lie!"

     A.I.D.A. just smiled. "Sometimes it's okay to lie to save a life. You taught me that."

     "Don't use my words or my bloody programming against me, A.I.D.A.!"

     A.I.D.A.'s smile dropped. At Radcliffe's shout, her jaw set━her eyes narrowed into a deadly, evil scowl that sent chills down Roy's spine. Madame Hydra took a dangerous step forward. "Do not..." she said with a wave of seething anger, "...call me that here. 'A.I.D.A.' is an acronym. The 'A' stands for 'artificial'."

     Clara went rigid. She reached out, her fingers gripping Ward's jacket before she could even stop to think, her breath hitching as she saw Fitz return. She shook her head when she saw who he led back to Madame Hydra. Terrified and shaking, two agents dragged Agnes across the grass. She struggled and whimpered pleading cries, but they ignored her━Fitz ignored her. 

     "Found one in the back," he announced. His words were harsh; clipped and vicious━not like him at all. 

     A.I.D.A. smirked and stepped to the side as Radcliffe turned around. His face dropped. "Agnes!" 

     "Holden," whimpered Agnes as she was dragged to a standstill at the Doctor's side. "What━what's happening? Who are these people?"

     Fitz just chuckled at her, low and almost malicious as he rounded Agnes like a tiger circling his prey. He fiddled with the button of his suit jacket, keeping it in perfect position. He brushed down his jacket once again and fixed the cuffs of his sleeves, examining Agnes who watched him, breathing heavily. "Well..." he mused, "it's exactly as you said ..." he stopped in front of her and narrowed his eyes at her features━an exact copy of the android standing a few paces away. "The other side's coming for us."

     Clara frowned, not sure whether she was even comprehending the sight of Fitz reaching out and gripping Agnes's chin━he moved it from side to side, a dangerous glint in his eye as his lips tugged upwards into an amused sneer. "She even has your face━" he turned Agnes's head roughly to face Madame Hydra and her eyes widened. 

    They studied each other for a moment. 

    Fitz let go, almost smug with a side glare he sent to Radcliffe. 

    Agnes's breaths quickened, horrified. "W━what...?" her voice trembled. "W━why does she look like me, Holden?"

    Radcliffe clenched his hands. "Don't panic, love," he tried to reassure her. "I can explain all of this. I━I━I've been meaning to, really, but the timing just━"

    "This man is from the other side," A.I.D.A. cut him off, fixing a piercing stare on the scientist. Fitz's brows shot up and he stared Radcliffe down with a new breath of hatred. Madame Hydra watched the Doctor with a smug, satisfied look in her eye━anticipating what he will do and excited for it. "He's the one who enslaved me."

     "What?!" let out Radcliffe. "No━Now, hold on that's a pretty extreme bit of paraphrasing, don't you think━?"

     "He used me," continued A.I.D.A. and the Doctor slowly approached Radcliffe━he stalked up to him, and Clara was sick to the stomach. "Kept me as his property."

     The Doctor took a sharp, murderous breath through his nose. Radcliffe shook his head, frantic at the way Fitz stared him down. "Leopold, my dear boy━I don't know what lies she's been feeding you, but━"

    "He wants what we have for himself," said Madame Hydra, casual━and if not happy at the Doctor's anger. "He means to replace me with her." She nodded at Agnes who watched on, pale and shaking. 

     "No!" cried Radcliffe, shocked. "No━That couldn't be further from the truth!" He gestured to his partner. "This is Agnes," he tried to explain to Fitz who didn't waver his stare. "She's harmless. There's no threat. You have to believe me!"

     The Doctor stared at him for a moment longer. He took another deep breath. He unclenched his fingers, flexing them and glanced at poor Agnes. He nodded. He nodded again━until he drew his gun and aimed it straight at her. Agnes screamed. Clara jolted from where she hid in the trees, her heart racing. She shook her head━again and again, her heart fixed painfully in her throat. 

    "Then convince me."

    She was shaking, too. "No," she rasped, barely able to hear what they were saying, but the sight of Fitz holding Agnes under his mercy sent her stomach rolling. "No ... This ... this isn't real," she whispered to herself, blinking and shaking her head━as if that would make what was happening in front of her disappear. "This world isn't real, Clara..."

     "He's gonna kill her," muttered Coulson in horror.

    "No!" Clara snapped at him in a harsh whisper. They all turned to her, startled. "Fitz would never do that."

     "Are you sure?"

    Ward shuffled and flung his sniper over the edge of the bushes. Clara's heart twisted as she realised what he was doing. "No━No, Ward━!" she tried to stop him but he threw her off, giving her a wild look at how she was reacting.

     "Get back to the quinjet!" he ordered. "I'll deal with this and meet you there."

    "No!" Clara pulled at his jacket. She hit him and pushed, desperately trying to make him drop the gun. Leith surged forward and grabbed her, pulling her away. "No━let go of me!"

     "What has gotten into you?!" Leith matched her harsh, whispered tone as she fought him, too. 

    "She's right!" Simmons muttered urgently. "We're going to need him."

    "Need the Doctor?" scoffed Ward as he fixed his aim, peering through the scope that was aimed directly onto Fitz's back━a perfect shot straight through his heart. "Are you nuts?!"

    "No━!" Clara managed to throw Leith's arms off her and she rushed back to Ward, tugging his arm and he turned to her, furious. "No, Ward, please━!"

    "What is wrong with you?!" he said through gritted teeth. "Don't you remember all that he's done to you? All that you and I have done to get to this moment?!"

     Clara was starting to get frantic━the lump in her throat making her voice splintered and desperate. "No, please━you don't understand━"

    "No," Ward shoved her off once again. "I know everything I need to know. I watched everything he did to you, Clara━" he fixed his stare back onto Fitz through the scope. "And I have a shot to finally end this. That's the mission, now."

    "No," Clara hitched a tearful breath, her heart pounding against her chest as she frantically, almost hysterically, tried to stop Ward before it was too late. "No━Please, Ward, listen to me!"

     He glared at her. "You know, you have been lying to me ever since you woke up. A woman's life is in danger━I'm done listening."

    "No!" Clara pressed her hands on his arm and made him stumble away from the trigger of the gun. He angrily fixed his aim, shoving her off with more force this time. Roy was shaking. She glanced between him and Fitz with his own aim fixed on Agnes, clenching her hands as she ran out of time. "W━Ward, Ward━" she shuffled even closer, her voice collapsing in the back of her throat. "Y━you're right. You're right. I haven't told you the truth. It━it's complicated and it's━I'm sorry. I'm sorry I've been lying to you, but ... but I know him!" she fought back her terrified sobs as she gestured to the man out in the clearing. 

    "Not as the Doctor," went on Clara Roy, a tear falling down her cheek as she begged Ward to spare his life. "But━But as a brilliant, awkward, annoying but sweet and kind and heroic scientist named Leopold James Fitz. He is a good man, and I love him!"

     Ward froze. His gaze dropped and he faltered; his grip slipped around the barrel when she said those words. 

     "That woman, Madame Hydra?" Clara took a quick breath to stop herself from breaking down, but more tears fell; they cascaded down as she begged ... she begged. "She's━she's messed with his mind. But this isn't him. This is not who he is. It isn't. Please..." she sobbed, her voice dropping down to a desperate whisper. "If ... If you do this, I lose him forever. Please, Ward..."

     He hesitated and Clara trembled. "I━I will tell you everything," she promised him. "I will tell you everything. I just━please, don't hurt him! You ... you think he's some horrible person but the person that's standing out there right now, that's not him! This Fitz━my Fitz ... He saved my life at the bottom of the ocean. He protected me when I went through Terrigenesis and he..." She clenched her eyes shut, not sure how else she was going to persuade Ward to let him go. "He is ... He would never harm an innocent woman."

     Roy's eyes widened with a heart-twisting relief when Ward pulled his head back as she finished. He glanced at her, and Clara was tearful as she met his eyes which were glazed with hurt. 

      Meanwhile, out in the clearing, Radcliffe pleaded with the Doctor. "P━Please, put the gun down. I'll━I'll take you to them━"

     "Tell me the truth," said the Doctor. "You act like you know me. Why?"

     Madame Hydra stiffened. "The soldiers can find the subversives. We should be going━"

    "You were like a son to me!" said Radcliffe to Fitz. "We worked side by side in the lab and on occasion, we'd raise a pint━" he breathed a chuckle, "━or six ... Watching football━real football."

     "That's absurd."

    "It's the truth, my boy! You even helped me build A.I.D.A.━!"

    "Enough!" snapped Madame Hydra. She set her jaw. "We're done here."

    But the Doctor was not finished. He flexed his grip on his gun. "Then why don't I remember you?" he asked Radcliffe.

     "Because it all happened in the other world!" said Radcliffe. 

    "It wasn't you, Fitz," A.I.D.A. desperately tried to interrupt, growing a little fretful at the way Fitz did not move. "It was their world's version of you━"

     "And Roy?" 

     The Doctor swallowed hard and took a sharp breath through his nose. "Clarissa Roy," he said again when Radcliffe didn't speak. "Or ... this woman who has taken her place, who is she?"

     Radcliffe's gaze softened. He breathed a sigh━it turned into a chuckle. "Roy?" he shook his head and managed a small smile. "You two were in love. Unbreakable. A force to be reckoned with. The Fitz I knew nearly drowned for Clara, he crossed the bloody universe to keep her safe!"

     "Roy is dead," seethed the Doctor in a shaky breath. 

     "Oh, she is not dead," murmured Radcliffe. "You've been looking for her, my boy━even if you do not realise why you are so desperate to find her. This Framework may have changed a lot of things but it does not change the fundamental parts of who you are. Roy is a part of you Fitz━she always has been. Even when she was not there!"

     "You see what we're up against?" Madame Hydra cut in with a furious breath, sounding almost scared at the way Radcliffe spoke about Clarissa Roy. "They mean to destroy us."

    "She lies because I'm right," quickly said Radcliffe. "She's trying to deceive you!"

    "I love you!" cried out A.I.D.A. to Fitz. "They're trying to take you away from me━"

    "She's trying to take you away from Clara!" Radcliffe gestured to the android, furious. "She is here, Fitz. She is here, and she is looking for you, and she loves you━like you still love her, deep down. This world has changed, but you're not this man. You're one of the good guys! You help people. Look inside ... This isn't you..."

     Fitz watched Radcliffe for a long time. He glanced at Agnes and took a deep breath. "You say that I'm not myself?" he turned back to the scientist. "That I don't know who I am?"

     "It isn't your fault ... any of it."

     The Doctor gripped the gun tighter. "But you're wrong," he then said. "I know exactly who I am━"

     He pulled the trigger. 

     The gunshot echoed. It shook the grounds━shook Clara Roy right to her bones. Agnes fell back and she hit the grass as Radcliffe yelled. He rushed to her, but agents took him by his arms, pulling him back.

     Clara was on her feet━she did not think. The others tried to stop her but she flung herself out of the trees as the sound continued to flood her mind and sent it trembling. She ran out into the clearing and screamed: 

     "FITZ! NOOO━!"

     He spun around. Her scream pierced his ears and sent him breathless with a feeling he could not describe━a memory that he did not know, but the scream he did. The scream ricocheted through him as he found her in the distance, Clarissa Roy, just as he always remembered her. And as gunfire rained down between them, they did not move. He locked her gaze across the field and the man that recognised her was not the Doctor. It was Leo Fitz.

    Someone ran out into the field as gunfire flew━Coulson stood in front of Clara, firing his weapon out and killing the nearest agent before he could shoot her. He pulled her away, he dragged her out━even as she fought and she screamed Fitz's name━screaming until her throat went raw.

✲══〖✰〗══✲

    a/n: yep, i wrote this monster of a chapter instead of working on my essay due friday. you're welcome xx

     i am still alive, i promise. 

     *laughs through the pain of this chapter*. 

    (no but fitz definitely recognised her by the scream; the same scream she had when he blew out the window of the containment pod at the bottom of the ocean, btw...).

    (not edited this is over 14500 words long).