Agents of SHIELD: Nexus

Once they arrived back at base, the hard truly part began. Fitz immediately took the Gravitonium to the lab, where he and Patten relentlessly began working on a way to permanently contain the Rift. On one hand, Mick was so grateful to have everyone back, but on the other, they haven't stopped for even a moment. Things were back to what they considered normal. It took about a week before Fitz and Patten made any progress on the design of the containment orb. The unfortunate issue they continued to run into was; there was no way to safely insert the Gravitonium due to its strange liquid like nature. 

"I've never seen people willingly not sleep," Deke said as he watched Fitz calculating even while eating breakfast. 

"Yeah, Fitz gets caught up in his work a lot," Mick said as he glanced around for Daisy and Patten. 

"I see you around Jemma and Daisy all the time," Deke said as Mick glanced at him skeptically. "They're pretty great aren't they?" 

"Yeah," Mick said without really thinking. "Some of the best people I know." 

"What do you think about Fitz?" Deke asked as Mick raised his brow. 

"Fitz is another one of my best friends," Mick said as Deke nodded. 

"So you knew that Davis guy too?" Mick was getting very annoyed with all of the questions, but trying not to let to show. 

"Yes, he was," Mick paused trying to decide on if was was the proper answer or would is be proper since he was still alive in space. "Is one of my best friends. I have a few of those. Namely, Jerren, Davis, Patten, Fitz, Jemma, and Daisy. I'm pretty close with Mack, I like May although she can be really hard to read. Yo-yo is really cool too, but really good at pranks due to that speed. Coulson is like a father to me, stepping in when I lost my family." 

"You lost your family too? That seems to be a trend for you guys," Deke said as if it were no big deal. Mick took in a deep breath, wondering if it was normal to be so nonchalant in the future about things that caused pain. 

"Yeah, it's pretty much what binds us together so well," Mick said as Deke looked confused. "We've all become a big family, replacing what we've lost with each other." 

"That sounds nice," Deke tone was longing, which only made Mick feel bad for getting so annoyed. "Do you think one day I can fit in with this family?" That was a rough question. It was quite clear, just the existence of Deke annoyed Fitz to no end. Patten wasn't his biggest fan either, but tolerated him much better than Fitz could. He hadn't really seen how May reacted to Deke, but Coulson didn't mind him much neither did Jemma. When Daisy was around, Mick typically paid no mind to Deke. 

"Maybe," Mick said trying to give Deke a little glimmer of hope. "It just takes time." 

"Something you guys don't seem to think we have," Deke frowned. 

"We're only working so hard so we can have time," Mick said as Deke looked a little less sad. "Just bare with us, it'll get better. Eventually." 

"I can't do it!" Fitz screamed, kicking the desk in frustration. 

"Have you even slept?" Patten asked, taking another sip from what he deemed his endless cup of coffee. 

"Don't be doaty," Fitz snapped, as Jemma shot him a glare. 

"Sweetheart," Jemma said lovingly, as Fitz took in a deep breath trying to calm himself. "You need to rest." She then smiled sympathetically at Patten who simply shrugged it off. 

"I'll sleep when I'm dead," Fitz muttered, as Jemma grabbed his face which then soothed his temper. "Fine, I'll get some rest." He then sulked off with Jemma, probably only to appease her. 

"Man," Mick muttered as Patten laughed. 

"It's not the first time I've been called stupid in other languages," Patten said, as Mick shook his head. "Probably won't be the last." 

"I'll never understand how you can be so cool about that," Mick said, as Deke chuckled. 

"It's better than some of the things I was called," he shrugged, which brought laughter from Daisy. 

"Did you hear that Bobbi and Lance left with Robin and her mother?" Daisy asked, trying to bring focus back to everyone. 

"Yeah, any clue as to why?" Mick asked as Daisy shook her head. 

"I think Robin needed a sense of home," Patten said with a sigh. 

"I can understand that," Deke said somberly. 

"What do you mean?" Daisy asked in a teasing tone. "Isn't being in this place home enough for you?" 

"Oh, ha ha," Deke rolled his eyes. 

"I thought it was funny," Daisy smirked, prompting Deke to smile at her. 

"You're always so funny," he sounded as if he were swooning. 

"She is," Mick snapped, then glared at Deke, prompting a laugh from Patten. 

"Green never has been your color," Patten teased, as Mick turned his glare. 

"That's why I wear black or grey," Mick huffed. 

"Really? What about the spider thing? Are you just a big fan of them or something?" Deke asked as to everyone's amusement. "I mean, it's cool and all. Maybe a little weird, but it looks good on you." He continued to stammer. 

Mick groaned shaking his head while brushing his hands across his face. Maybe Fitz's annoyance with Deke was justified. Mick debated on shooting a web, just to see Deke's reaction, but changed his mind when an alert popped across his screen. Daisy quickly reacted, leaning over Mick's shoulder, taking over the laptop he was on. "No way," she gasped. "Hale finally slipped up." 

"What do you mean?" Mick asked, completely unsure of what she was doing until a map showed up with a small blue dot moving around somewhere.

"She slipped up," Daisy repeated. "That's her phone's location." 

"How?" Mick asked in disbelief. 

"I've been running a back door trace on any cell phone tied to Catherine Hale," Daisy said as Mick looked up at her. 

"On my laptop?" Mick was quite skeptical.

"It's on the whole system," Daisy said as Mick nodded. "You were just the closest."

Daisy then began zooming out as the map revealed Chicago. 

"That makes sense," Mick frowned. "Blue Ravin Ridge is close by there." 

"I doubt she's operating out of there now that she knows the team is back," Patten said as Mick glanced skeptically. "We broke into that facility how many times now? And then we only had a skeleton crew, why wouldn't we be able to do it again with all twelve of us?" 

"I think you're a little high on that number chief," Deke said as Patten glanced at him curiously. 

"Yeah, he's right," Daisy nodded, which made Deke smile. "Bobbi and Lance are out, Mack and Yo-yo are out, that leaves nine if you count Piper, ten if we can contact her old partner Davis."

"Either way, strategically, Blue Ravin Ridge is a terrible place to hide," Patten said as Daisy nodded. 

"Coulson is going to want to know about this," Mick said as everyone nodded in agreement. '

Mick walked to the office to see May and Coulson having what looked to be a deep discussion. He was hesitant to interrupt, knowing full and well just how heated these talks can get. Especially as of death clock on Coulson. He walked in, and the two fell absolutely silent. "Sorry, I don't mean to disturb you," Mick said uncomfortably. 

"It's nothing," May said sharply. 

"What did you guys find?" Coulson asked as Mick set his laptop down before him. 

"Hale slipped up," Mick showed them the trace Daisy picked up. "She's apparently looking for something judging by her pattern, but either way. If you wanted to snag her, this is the perfect opportunity." 

"Seems more like a trap," May said harshly. 

"Or just her being clumsy," Coulson was trying to be positive much to May's annoyance. "Either way, we need to jump on this. We'll take a small team." 

"This is a terrible idea," May said bitterly. 

"So you don't want to go?" Coulson asked. 

"Oh no, I'm going," May said firmly. "And I'll pick the team." 

"Fair enough," Coulson smirked as May shook her head. 

Mick returned to the lab to find out May was quite serious. She wasted no time grabbing a small team; Coulson, Piper, Patten, and herself. He and Daisy were to oversee them, letting them know of any changes. Fitz, who decided he wasn't going to rest much to Jemma's urging, had returned to his lab with Deke, which probably didn't cheer him up in the slightest. 

It wasn't long before they set off. Mick watched Hale's location continuing to ping, almost regretting even bringing it up. What if May was right, would they be okay on their own? He'd already lost Davis, in a technical sense, Coulson could go at any moment, would he really be able to handle losing anyone else? Half heartedly he would've preferred to die in solitary confinement than deal with these fears. His hands began to tremble wildly, the rest of his body following suit. 

A warm hand grazed his shoulder, almost immediately his fears melted. His trembling stopped. "You okay?" Daisy asked rubbing his shoulders. 

"Yeah," Mick didn't completely lie. "How's Yo-yo?" 

"She's still pretty down," Daisy frowned. "She was able to work the arms a little though." 

"That's a plus," Mick half smiled. "And Mack?" 

"Resilient as ever," Daisy said happily. "Any changes?" 

"She stopped for a nice diner at a place called Steak 48," Mick shrugged. 

"I can't believe she's not hiding," Daisy seemed to be as skeptical as him. 

"May thinks it's a trap," Mick said as Daisy's smile faded. "So does Patten."

"And you?"

"Hale is relentless, and according to Piper, she's really calculated. You heard Coulson though, he's sure this is the only chance we're going to have to bring her in on our terms." 

Fitz came running into Mission Control, clearly distraught, wiping his brow and panting. "The Rift is opening again," he mumbled. 

"What?" Mick's tension spiked, stiffening his posture. 

"Th-the Rift, it's tearing itself open!" Fitz panted. 

"How long do we have?" Daisy asked as Fitz shook his head. 

"I don't know," Fitz said nervously. 

"Has any of that stuff escaped?" Mick asked cautiously. 

"I don't know," Fitz leaned on the computer station panting heavily. 

"We need to keep an eye on the base and the team," Daisy said as she looked at Mick. 

"They'll be fine for a few minutes," Mick said with a sigh. "Let's put the security cams on the main screen and I'll grab my laptop." 

"On it," Fitz said as the screen shifted to the nine active camera's feed. 

He ran quickly not hearing what Fitz and Daisy were saying. He needed to hurry, just in case Hale wised up, or worse, something from the FEAR Rift appeared. He also needed to grab his new weapon Fitz had made him. It was an upgraded retractable saber with a trigger controlled small repulser blaster attached to the guard. How Fitz came up with such a neat little weapon was impressive was beyond him. Unfortunately the blaster was still in it's prototype phase, but the saber worked just fine. With his weapon and laptop in hand, he rushed back to find Mission Control empty, and three of the camera's off line. He then spotted Daisy passing on one of the camera's assuming she was heading down to check it out. 

He then rushed off to check on the others, hoping that the FEAR mist wasn't spreading quickly and they had time to finish the device to stop it. There was gunfire from the med area, which drew his attention. Surely the FEAR mist hadn't gotten up here that fast, either way, he wasn't about to let anything happen to Mack, Jemma, or Yo-yo! He slid into the room, his blade drawn, stunned to see Mack on the ground with a wounded leg, as well as the robot that they had taken down with several bullet holes in it's head. 

"What happened?" Mick asked as drew the concerned looks of both Yo-yo and Jemma. 

"That thing attacked us," Mack pointed at the robotic soldier, wincing at his pain. 

"How? I thought it was shorted out when we brought it here?" Mick asked as Mack shrugged. 

"I thought it was one of those FEAR creations at first," Yo-yo said. 

"Where's Fitz and Deke?" Mick asked as Jemma shook her head. 

"Fitz was here a few moments ago, but he was heading to the lab to work on the device. He warned us about the FEAR Rift opening back up," Mick sighed. 

"Daisy is heading downstairs to fix the camera's," Mick was now beginning to get nervous. "She's unarmed." 

"Go," Mack said with a smile. "I can protect these two." 

"You sure?" Mick asked as Mack nodded. 

"It's just a flesh wound Webs," Mick nodded at just how tough Mack really was. 

"Call me if you need anything," Mick said. "I'll swing by with Daisy once she get's the camera's running just to check in." They all nodded and Mick was off. 

His heart raced as he sprinted through corridors, pausing only briefly to see Fitz's lab empty. His mind began to race with terrible fears of something happening to either Deke or Fitz. Despite his desire to protect Daisy, he headed back to the lab looking around at the empty table were the robosoldier, even Fitz's personal table was empty. His eyes immediately searched for the gravitonium device. Much to his surprise, he found Deke unconscious on the floor behind the work station. 

"Deke?" Mick knelt down beside him as Deke's eyes fluttered at Mick's touch. 

"Ow," Deke reached for his head, wincing as Mick noticed the bruising on the side of his face. 

"What happened?" Mick asked his concerns rising. 

"I came to ask Fitz a question, and then he knocked me out," Mick was flabbergasted. Fitz could get highly frustrated, but never enough to assault someone. 

"Did he say anything?" Mick's confusion was beyond belief. 

"No, he was welding on the robot thing, then all of a sudden turned and hit me with a wrench." 

"That doesn't make any sense," Mick frowned. 

"Where's the robot?" Deke asked as Mick shook his head. 

"No," Mick shook his head. "No!" Mick gasped as he came to a dreadful realization. 

"What?" Deke asked looking at Mick as if he were insane. 

"Fitz's biggest fear," Mick said as his face went pale. "It's the man he was in the Framework." 

"The what?" Deke asked in confusion. 

"I don't have time to explain. The Fitz that attacked you, it wasn't the real Fitz. It had to have been made of FEAR mist." 

"What do you mean?" Deke was a little more at ease, yet still concerned. 

"I mean Fitz and Daisy are in trouble, and we can't waste any more time here!" Mick stood up as Deke stood up with him. "Get to medical and get checked out, I'm going to find the other two!" 

"I'm fine!" Deke barked. "I'm coming with you!" 

"Then you better not slow me down," Mick said as he began running. 

Mick reached the camera area, to find it deserted. His heart raced, his mind swirled. "Where is she?" Mick slammed his fist into the wall. 

"Maybe we missed them?" Deke was clearly trying to be optimistic. 

"No, she wouldn't have left these wires disconnected," Mick said looking at the panel on the wall. "Something grabbed her." Mick began cursing under his breath. He instantly regretted not staying with her, not chasing after her when he saw her heading down here. 

"Do you think it could've headed toward the Rift?" Deke asked as Mick's panicked mind was steadily losing control. Thankfully Deke was here, Mick sighed. That wasn't a thought he ever thought he'd consider. 

"It's probably going to be dangerous down there," Mick said as he looked at Deke who shrugged. 

"Then you're going to want backup. If anything, you handle the threat and I'll get Daisy and Fitz out of there," Deke suggested, forcing an eye roll from Mick. He didn't like the plan, but at least it was better than the panic clouding his own mind. 

They raced to the basement, only to pause as another Mick stood blocking the way into the hangar. "Who's that?" Deke asked as the other Mick turned to them. 

His hair was much longer, flowing down into his face. He had black veins running up his neck, highlighting the scars from Arachnid's bite reaching into his face like a mask. He wore a completely black body suite with a blood red spider across his chest, with a skull on the abdomen. "I'm what he could have been." The doppelgänger said with a devilish tone. 

"Of course I'd follow in Fitz's footsteps," Mick frowned. 

"You're the one wishing you had the power to save others," Mick's double taunted. "I'm here to tell you to forget about them and become the world destroyer yourself." 

"Yeah, that's not going to happen," Mick said firmly as the double laughed darkly. 

"It's not really an option," the double gloated. "One way or another, you're going to bring about the end of the world, why not just have fun with it?" 

"Man, you guys are all kinds of twisted inside aren't you?" Deke asked as Mick sighed. 

"Make your choice Recluse," the double taunted. "Or should I even call you that anymore? I much preferred Darkheart." 

"That's a little melodramatic isn't it?" Deke chuckled, provoking the rage of Darkheart. He lifted his hand, thrusting it forward. A large wave of black liquid shot from his arm, coursing with violet electricity. Mick shoved Deke aside, narrowly dodging the liquid himself. "I didn't know you could do that!" 

"I can't," Mick said as he braced himself to face down Darkheart. 

"But you could," Darkheart said callously. "You could be so much stronger if you combined with me!" 

"I don't want your fake power!" Mick barked as he sprinted toward Darkheart. Darkheart launched another blast of the electrified liquid, Mick used his webs to jump up, keeping his momentum as he sprinted on the wall, before jumping down, slashing through Darkheart's blast turning it into FEAR mist, as he staggered backwards. 

"Don't do this!" Darkheart bellowed as Mick prepared for another strike. "I can help you save them! Even Agent Coulson!" 

Mick couldn't move, his mind froze. Saving Coulson was quite important to him. Could the FEAR mist actually save him? His mind began spinning wildly. What if that was true? What if they were fixing to close off the only way to save Coulson? He dropped the blade, looking up at Darkheart just in time to see the blast of electrified liquid as it slammed into him, launching him with incredible force into the wall. He screamed at the electricity coursed through his body. He tried hard to stand, but his muscles gave way, collapsing to the ground in stead. 

All of a sudden the pain stopped, everything around him dissolved into mist. He looked up to see Darkheart slowly fading away, then looked back to see Deke standing there, holding his blade. His eyes were wide, almost fearful, and he looked pale. "You alright?" Mick asked as he struggled his way to his feet. 

"Yeah," Deke shook his head looking at Mick with concern. "Guess that explains the spider thing," Deke pointed at Mick's wrists as he nodded with a smile. 

The moment was silenced when they heard Daisy screaming out in pain. Deke pulled Mick to his feet, then the two headed into the hangar to see large plastic sheet walls, set up like a make shift surgical room and just outside was the Rift, barely visible with it's pulsing purple aura. 

Without a moment's hesitation the two made their way into the room, both mortified to see who he assumed was the Doctor sitting beside Daisy cutting into the back of her neck with a scalpel. "Where's Fitz?" Mick bellowed as the Doctor turned to him with a devilish grin. 

"I am Fitz," he said emotionless. 

"No, you're just a monster!" Deke pointed the blade at the Doctor, only to receive a vicious scowl. 

"If you harm me, she'll die," he replied, as Deke looked at Mick. 

"Please, help me," Daisy cried out weakly. 

"I will," Mick said as he stepped forward almost daring to face down the Doctor. 

"Stop!" Jemma's voice called out as the Doctor snickered. She quickly slipped into the room staring at the Doctor in horror. "Fitz, you don't have to do this." 

"That's not Fitz," Mick said as Daisy continued to whimper. "Fitz would never hurt anyone." 

"That's right, it's all him," Fitz began to stammer as he stood up, pointing the bloody scalpel in the direction of the empty chair in the corner. "I've been trying to stop him." 

At that moment the robot stepped into the room, slammed his gun into Deke's head, rendering him unconscious, then grabbed Jemma placing the gun to her head, daring Mick to move with how tight it's finger was to the trigger. "What's going on?" Mick bellowed as Fitz shook his head. 

"I have to finish this," Fitz stammered, his voice bouncing between a dark tone and his usual one. "It's the only way to seal the Rift." 

"Fitz, we can figure out another way," Jemma pleaded as Daisy began to cry with Fitz returning to the chair. "This is too big of a risk, it could leave Daisy paralytic, or even kill her." 

"I've done all the calculations," Fitz said darkly. "This is the only way. I can do this, and if I fail, we all die anyway." 

"Fitz please," Mick knelt down, begging. "This isn't you, don't hurt her." 

"This is me," Fitz said plainly. "I know she'll never forgive me for this, but without her powers we cannot put the Gravitonium into the machine. And if you try to stop me, the robot kills us all before the Rift can." 

"Please don't do this," Daisy cried. 

"Do you want to hold her hand?" Fitz asked as he turned to Mick. "This isn't going to be pleasant, and I'm sure she'll need all of the support she can get." Mick then stood up, walked over grabbing Daisy's hand as she squeezed tightly. "It's almost over now, but this part will probably hurt the worst." 

Daisy tried hard to suppress her pain, crying and whimpering, squeezing Mick's hand as hard as she could while Mick and Jemma watched helplessly. How could they fight against Fitz? Mick was prepared to end the Doctor, but Fitz? He knelt down kissing Daisy's hand knowing it wasn't taking away her pain. The room began to shake wildly, reminiscent of when Daisy's powers first activated. He took in a deep breath, ready just in case they went out of control again. 

"Now to get you stitched up," Fitz set down the inhibitor chip with it's bloody wires on the table beside him. "Jemma, would you like to do the honor?" She reluctantly nodded as the robot released her and Fitz backed away. 

"Once you're all patched up, here's what you need to do," Fitz said as he eased closer to the wall. "Focus your powers on the Gravitonium, dumping it into the machine. Once it's inside," Fitz turned to Mick. "You'll take it over to the Rift, and press the blue button. The machine will activate, and permanently seal the Rift." 

"What about you?" Mick asked as Fitz looked at them grievously. 

"I'll escort myself to the holding cells. You'll all be safer that way," Fitz said full of remorse. 

It wasn't long before Daisy stood up, Mick right beside her holding the steel ball Fitz had designed for the gravitonium. Tears fell down her face as she focused her pulses between her hands. Jemma then poured the gravitonium into the center of the newly formed orb of vibrations. The gravitonium danced about, shifting and squirming as Daisy held focus, manipulating it into the steel orb in Mick's hands. He held firm despite the force of vibrations pushing his hands as Daisy slid the gravitonium into the small opening. Once inside the machine closed itself. Mick then walked toward the Rift, pressing the button as Fitz ordered, and the orb began to float out of his hand toward the Rift. In that moment, he wondered if this was the right thing to do. What if the Rift really could've saved Coulson? Would they be able to find a way to save him at all? What if this really just lead to a massive unyielding cycle of destruction bringing the end of the world? A beautiful blue flash lit up the room, and once it faded, the orb sat on the ground without a trace of the Rift in sight. 

Daisy then turned, weeping uncontrollably as Mick and Jemma wrapped their arms around her. Mick held her even after Jemma let her go. He kissed the top of her head while rubbing her back, dying to ease her pain as she buried her face in his shoulder. "What if we really can't change the future?" Daisy asked as she looked up with puffy eyes and tear coated cheeks. 

"We will," Mick wanted to be confident, he wanted to be anything she needed. 

"What if though?"

"If is a two way street," Mick said thinking back to one of the last things his mom ever told him. "If we succeed, then there's nothing to worry about. If we fail, then at least we'll go together." 

Mick helped Deke to medical, with Daisy at his other side. Mack was quite surprised to hear how things unfolded, Yo-yo much more distraught. Daisy, clearly on the same wave length as Yo-yo. Once Mack finished cleaning up the blood around her wound, he dressed it as Mick stared at the floor. "That part is over," Mack said as Mick looked up, grateful for Mack. "I'm actually surprised you didn't pass out down there." 

"I did get a little faint," Mick admitted as Daisy tried to smile, but couldn't. She then stood up without a word, leaving the room. 

"She's going to need you now more than ever," Mack said as Mick nodded. "Don't worry, I'll patch up Deke when he wakes up." 

"Thanks," Mick said as he and Mack shook hands. 

Mick hurried out to see Daisy walking toward the bunks. "Hey," he said as she turned, her face drenched in tears falling into her arms. "It's okay," Mick tried reassuring her. 

"No, it's not," she cried. "Maybe it was with that chip, but now? Now I have the power to destroy the world." 

"You've always had that power," Mick said as she looked at him skeptically. "What makes now any different?" 

"You didn't see it," Daisy cried. "I saw the fractured Earth. I saw the people barely hanging on to life in the Lighthouse. I saw how cruel the Kree treated the survivors, both human and inhuman." 

"That's why I know you're not going to let it happen," Mick held her close. "I know you Daisy. You and I, we're protectors not destroyers. You'd rather die that watch anyone you care about suffer."

"And what if that's why I destroyed the world? Because I wanted to end it all because the people I cared about were suffering?" She looked up at Mick. 

"I know you better than that," Mick said, brushing the tears from her face. "You didn't destroy the world when Ward broke your heart." 

"I also didn't have powers then," Daisy said as her voice cracked.

"You didn't destroy the world when your mom died, or when Lincoln made his sacrifice," Mick said as Daisy bit down on her lip. "If you really had it in you to do something like that, why would you wait until now?" 

"Maybe now," Daisy leaned on his shoulder. "I have more at steak to lose?" 

"I'll be right here," Mick said somberly. "I'll make sure to protect them, just like I'm going to protect you." 

"How do you know you can?" Daisy asked as Mick frowned.

"Because I can't afford to fail," Mick said as Daisy leaned on him.