AU-Daisy May-Chapter 4

It had only been a week since Melinda had called St Augustine's.

Tuesday Morning, on her way into headquarters, her phone rang with a familiar Texan number. She paused debating on answering it now or letting voicemail screen what they wanted. After another ring curiosity got the better of her for once and she picked it up with her car's Bluetooth.

"Hello, this is May."

"Oh, Ms. May. This Is Sister Ava from St. Augustine's We spoke not too long ago about Mary Sue."

"Yes, I remember Sister, how can I help you?"

" Well, You see when we spoke last I told you that Mary was being fostered." Melinda made a small hum in confirmation. " We held really high hopes for this one to stick. The Brodies seemed very wonderful and had everything in order but…"

"She was sent back." Melinda cut her off " I'm very sorry to hear that it must be rough."

" If I may be frank Ms. May, you don't strike me as a person who likes to waste time. I would like for you to consider fostering Mary."

Melinda's face stayed calm. Her outward appearance did not betray her fast beating heart.

" I'm sorry Sister Ava, I really wish I could help you but I don't think I'm a good candidate."

" Is it Financial? Foster parents get a check for the cost of living for every child, it's very adequate."

" No. No, money isn't a problem for me."

" Your Single status isn't an issue, let me assure you." Sister Ava powered on.

" I didn't think it would be. I'm not really a nurturing person these days. I don't think I should be in charge of the well being of a teenage girl."

" Yes, you are." Sister Ava said very frankly. " You called to check on a girl you met once. Someone so wholly unconnected to you. You might not be the PTSA president but you care for people. Forgive me for being pushy and I'm sorry if I have offended you at all."

"You haven't Sister Ava. It's not easy to hurt my feelings."

" Nevertheless, Ms. May, Mary is a very bright girl with a beautiful soul. The Brodies were her 15th foster family. She's been sent back every year since we have had her. Can you imagine what that does to a person, being constantly told that this isn't your family, that you are not wanted? I've seen her cry before and rage against the injustice of it all, but last night I watched her lose the last bit of hope she's managed to keep throughout it all. If I can't find a way to fix this now. I'm afraid when she ages out of the system in three years she'll be a broken woman. She won't last long like that. I'm begging you to at the very least please consider it."

Melinda was silent as Sister Ave pleaded her case. She knew all about losing hope and being a broken woman. Bahrain saw to that.

" If there were more people like you Sister Ava, fighting for every person, the world would be a much better place."

"Thank you for saying that. I apologize again for calling so early and trying to force this on you. Mary Sue really does not deserve this happening to her over and over again."

"I'll think about is Sister Ava."

"Thank You, Ms. May."

Shortly after Melinda finished her call she pulled into headquarters and started her day. Her thoughts were heavy.

' I can't foster her. Secret Agent and Mom don't exactly mix. Well, actually I'm just admin now it's not like I'm on the mission roster.'

" Snap out of it May!" She spoke to herself as she sat at her desk.

An image played in her mind of when she met Mary ' I've been here a while"

May could only imagine. 15 homes in 15 years. It sounds like something that shouldn't even be possible. Looking around at her desk noting that nothing was pressing, May loaded up her computer and started a search for one Mary Sue Poots of St Augustine's.

' It really is the worst name.' Melinda thought to herself as she typed.

Working for Shield for most of her life made Melinda May see shadows everywhere she went. She assumed the worst before the best. More often than not the extreme paranoia was unwarranted, but it has saved her life too many times for her to change. Today though that was not the case. May had spent the last two hours searching on Mary Sue. On the surface, everything seemed to be in order. Mary Sue just had bad luck. According to SHIELD though, no one is that unlucky. It took Melinda longer than she would care to admit to finding the hidden algorithm in Mary's government profile. Computers had never been her strong suit. What stumped her was that the code linked back to a shield server. It was a level 8 clearance which Melinda was able to bypass quickly with her credentials. What she found was a mission file 15 years old heavily redacted.

May sent the algorithm to the communications division to get it analyzed. It only took them 15 minutes to get back to her and tell her it was a shuffle program. A code designed to randomly move an object around to avoid detection. Apparently, it was very common in the agency for items that had restricted access and couldn't be kept in a single location.

By the time lunch rolled around May had put a few things together. Someone in SHIELD tried to hide Mary Sue. According to mission files they are all dead now. She took that with a grain of salt since she herself had been listed at KIA twice. Thomas Nash was in the area looking for powered people. The only guesswork was whether Mary had powers, or will she get powers, or is she simply a coincidence of the area. Another SHIELD mission went astray.

Melinda was ready to turn in her findings to Agent Sitwell as he was running her op in Texas, when she saw women walk into her office frazzled and in a hurry. She recognized her as a fellow agent. She came straight to Melinda desk and handed her a flash drive.

" I'm so sorry Agent May! I got a call from my daughter's school and left a bit early. I got all the way home before I realized I still had the flash drive with the meeting notes on it from yesterday's conference. I hope you weren't looking for it at all."

Honestly, May had been so tied up with Mary she forgot that she had to go over those notes.

" It's not a problem Suzanne. Things happen. Is your daughter okay?"

" Oh, she is fine!" Suzanne waved off. " She got into a bit of trouble at school with another girl. Of course over a boy. But you know how things are when your that age. Hormones going crazy, your body is changing, and frankly, teenage girls are bitches." She giggled " I don't miss it."

Melinda couldn't help but smile. " How much trouble is she in?"

" Well from the school 3-day suspension. I didn't bother adding to the punishment, because I've met the other girl and her mother, I fully believe they deserved it. Besides I've always believed in standing up for yourself, especially young girls. My daughters still young, but I only have so many years to shape her up and release her into the world. She will still make mistakes, but she with all the stories I've told her, at least she won't be making my mistakes."

Suzanne nodded her head and waved goodbye as she walked off.

Melinda clutched the flash drive in her hand thinking over an albeit brief conversation. Mary did not have anyone to teach her right from wrong. She was sure the nuns did their best but it was a common case of overcrowded underfunded. Who helped Mary when she was having boy troubles at school? How did she even do in school? Who gave her life lessons about mistakes. Was someone there to take her side in a dispute, unquestionable loyalty that only a family can bring. What if she did develop some sort of power or gift. 15 years in a foster system being told you weren't good enough can't exactly make a stable individual.

Could she? Could she be that person to a teenage girl? Melinda was barely holding on herself most days. But she could see it; flashes of events that haven't happened. Grocery shopping, movies nights on the couch, homework spread out over the table, paper mache projects that are entirely too much work.

'I think I could do it, I could protect her. If nothing else a few years with me could at least give her some stability. If she wants to leave at 18 I can't stop her. But at least for as long as she lets me, she has a place to call home. Everyone needs a home.'

Her mind made up Melinda grabbed her phone and called up to the Top floor.

"Director Fury's office."

" This is Agent May, I am on my way up to see Fury. It's important. Please let him know." Without waiting for a response May hung up the phone and walked towards the elevator. In a few minutes, she arrived at her destination.

" Director Fury will see you now Agent May." The no-nonsense receptionist said as soon as she disembarked from the elevator.

Without breaking her stride she walked to the doors, scanned her badge and walked in.

Nick Fury was standing at the window overlooking the city. When he heard the door he turned and leveled Melinda with his solitary gaze.

"What can I do for you Agent May, you said it was important."

" I need an off-books full Identity and protection house. Local is fine."

"Off books, I was under the impression you weren't active duty currently May?"

" Its personal Director. I'm asking for a favor which I'm sure you will call in when you need it."

"A Melinda May favor, no questions asked when I call it in."

A small frown made its way to her face. "I trust you enough Sir that you won't ask me to do something without just cause but yes. A solid Favor."

" Deal, what do you need." Nick Fury walked to his desk and scanned his hand on a biometric lock. " The room is secure no one can hear or see."

" I'm adopting a girl. I want her to have a new identity I'll need solid credentials for myself as well so that my work here can't be traced to her. Also, I'll need a house off books. I'll still be here working in Admin sir. I'm not turning my back on SHIELD by any stretch."

"You're asking for a life outside of it." At her nod Fury Continued. " I can make the clearance level 10, why does it need to be off books?"

" A gut feeling sir."

" Doesn't anyone know about this, Coulson?"

"No Sir and I would like to keep it that way. If I tell anyone it will be in my own time"

" I'll have it done by the end of the day May, Good Luck. For all the things I have done in life. Child Care is not in my skill set."

" Thank you, sir. This is important to me. I don't know if I can ever go back to how I was before, but I know what I'm doing is right, and I haven't felt that in a long time."

Melinda Turned to walk out of the room but stopped at Fury's voice " Agent May, Off the record. DO you still believe in SHIELD?"

Agent May turned and stared at Director Fury. " I believe in what we stand for sir always have an always will. But to me, it seems like what we stand for isn't always what we are doing."

"Thank you, Agent May, for your honesty. In return, I won't ask about this again. After I set you up, this conversation never happened."

At her nod, Melinda May stepped out of the office and headed back to her cubicle. She needs to look for flights to Texas.