Wishing Well | Leo Fitz Book Four

Chapter FiftyThree

Asia stumbled into the base in a daze, looking for Daisy and Jemma. After she climbed out of the Quinnjet, she heard speaking and saw the ramp down on one parked near by. She staggered over, to find Daisy standing at the bottom of the ramp, looking at her, wide eyed.

"I didn't mean to do it," She said quietly, lower lip trembling. "Daisy, you have to believe I didn't mean to." Guilt and pain played over her face like a portrait as she spoke.

"What do you mean? Didn't mean to do what?" Daisy asked, reaching out her arms and wrapping her friend in a tight hug. She didn't have to question whether or not her best friend needed it -they were cut from the same cloth and knew that look in her eyes all too well.

"I was trying...to save Leo. I thought I could fix everything," She said quietly, shaking her head.

"Please...tell me that's not his blood," Daisy said, brow furrowing with concern as she noted the blood staining Asia's sleeve.

"No, gods, no," Asia replied instantly. "It's his father's...I just. He attacked me first. Granted, I was holding him at gun point. But he was supposed to be smarter than that. I killed him, Daisy. I didn't mean to but...he was going to kill me." She reached up, hands finding the collar of her jacket. She peeled it back ever so slightly, revealing the bruises that ringed her throat in the shape of thick fingers. Daisy's mouth fell open when she saw them.

"Asia, that's..fine. His dad isn't a real person in here. He's just another avatar that was created for the Framework. You didn't actually kill anyone," Daisy said, holding her friend at shoulder length and looking her in the eyes in what she hoped came off as reassuring.

"Daisy you don't get it! Leo. He'll never come with us now. I blew our last chance. We've lost him," The despair in her words skyrocketed as her pupils dilated in a panic.

"Asia, I told you, we're going to go home, get more supplies, and then we'll come back to get him, ok?" Daisy said, nodding her head slowly as she spoke. "That was always the plan. You haven't ruined anything. We can still get him out of here." She took a deep breath and glanced back over her shoulder at the full jet behind her. "But first we have to get home," she whispered to her friend.

"Okay," Asia said, nodding, taking a deep breath. "Yea, yea you're right. I just...I think I need to sit down for a minute. That was a lot. He tried to kill me, Daisy. And Leo was on the phone to hear the whole thing." She glanced into the Quinnjet behind her. "Though I suppose I'll be able to sit just fine in here."

Daisy nodded, and steered Asia up into the jet. She took a seat in the co-pilot's chair, next to Trip. "Hey Tic-Tac, glad you're back. Was worried we'd have to fly off without you." He grinned that warm, welcoming, comforting grin of his. A grin she would probably never see again after today. She smiled a small, sad smile back at him, buckling up and settling into her seat. Everyone was here - Coulson, May, Mack, Jemma, Daisy. Everyone but Leo. That still hit her like a stab to the gut. She looked out at the darkening skyline and Trip took off, the acts of the day reflecting poorly in her memory.

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Trip landed the jet just outside the steal mill, the place Radcliff had told them to go. It was dark, but they could see the fires glowing hot from within the building, churning away. It was supposed to be a park - or at least that's what the scientist had explained it as. Looks like Aida had found another way to tarnish something beautiful.

"That's going to be rough for me," Asia said with a sigh, looking at the building, already feeling the heat rolling off of it. She knew she'd be in a weaker state, especially without her suit on to keep her body temperature regulated. She climbed out of her seat, trying to be as prepared as she could. But she paused, turning to look at Trip. "You're one of my best friends, you know," she said quietly, reaching out and squeezing his shoulder. "Always have been, always will be. Even if you didn't know it in this world. Not your fault Aida tampered with who I was."