For The Love Of A Daughter

AN: In this AU, I have used an invented backstory for Jiaying: She is the older half sister of Black Bolt and Maximus, all fathered by the previous king of Attilan, Agon. She left Attilan as an adult, and founded Afterlife for those Inhumans who couldn't or wouldn't fit into Attilan's strict caste system. When this story begins, she and Cal are living in America anonymously with Daisy, having tracked her down after the incident in Hunan.

Chapter One

It was the fifth day that Cal had not heard from Jiaying, and Daisy had stopped asking for her mother. She was fussing a lot more though, despite Cal's best efforts to keep her quiet. After a particularly loud shriek, there was a scraping noise from the next room and Jiaying's half-brother Maximus (living with them at Jiaying's insistence for reasons unknown to Cal) stomped into the room, glowering.

"Can you do nothing to make that brat of yours cease her racket?" Maximus snapped, dark eyes narrowed, giving Daisy and Cal filthy looks. Fourteen month old Daisy only cried louder at her uncle's tone.

Cal cradled Daisy's head protectively, stroking her hair to calm her. "She's just bored and tired. And yelling isn't helping."

Maximus scoffed. "Pathetic. She should be disciplined, learn to be seen and not heard. But I suppose teaching her that is too much to ask of a human."

Cal bristled. I mustn't lose my head. He forced a smile. "Do you know when Jiaying will return? It's been nearly a week."

"My sister's whereabouts are no concern of yours, human." Maximus smirked, as if he saw Cal's burning desire to rip his head off. He sneered at a still whimpering Daisy as he turned and strode back to his study/bedroom. "And by the way, if the whelp disturbs me again I will be teaching her a lesson myself. One she won't soon forget." He slammed the door behind him.

Cal's hands shook with rage. As if he would ever let that... snake harm his precious Daisy! Jiaying wouldn't stand for it either, he knew that. She might be busy a lot more these days, but she would never allow anyone to hurt their daughter. He'd talk to her when she returned, and she'd make it clear to Maximus that Daisy was the most important thing here. Not whatever plans she and Maximus had made to teach Hydra and SHIELD a lesson for trying to kill Jiaying and hiding Daisy from her parents for eight months!

As if his thoughts had conjured her, Jiaying slipped into the room quietly. Cal started- he hadn't heard the front door open! He smiled warmly at his wife, and Daisy's crying stopped as she squirmed in Cal's arms, reaching for Jiaying, laughing excitedly. "Ma-ma!"

Jiaying smiled vaguely, not looking at her daughter or Cal, and immediately headed into Maximus' study, closing the door behind her. The murmur of their voices was the only sound for the next few minutes. Cal was stunned. He didn't mind being put aside briefly, but Daisy was far too young to understand, and she'd missed her mother! Didn't Jiaying care about that?

He stood, lifting Daisy with him, walking towards the study. He'd just have to interrupt. Daisy needed to see her mother, and surely it wouldn't be too much to ask just to let her play in the room while Jiaying and Maximus spoke? Reaching the study, he knocked on the door.

There was no reply- Maximus and Jiaying didn't even stop speaking, judging by the murmurs he could hear through the door! He knocked again, louder, then set Daisy down and pushed the door open. The little girl walked on wobbly legs to her mother's side, beaming, arms outstretched. "Ma-ma!"

Jiaying stared down at Daisy for a minute, looking unsure. Maximus cleared his throat, visibly rolling his eyes. "Jiaying, we were in the middle of a discussion..."

Jiaying's face hardened. She patted Daisy's head absently then turned her round to face Cal, who still stood in the doorway. Jiaying's face was creased with annoyance. "Can't you keep her out of here?" She pushed Daisy towards him and shut the door again. Cal stood there gobsmacked.

Daisy looked up at him, big brown eyes brimming with tears, lip wobbling. "Wan' Ma-ma!"

He picked her up again, rocking her back and forth. "Mama will be able to play with you soon." After she comes out of there and I tell her to get rid of Maximus! The sullen Inhuman was ruining their family!

For now though, he had to pacify his baby girl. He played with her for a while, keeping her distracted, then started on mac and cheese for her dinner. He frowned at the study door. Maximus and Jiaying had been talking for well over an hour! What could possibly be so urgent?

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Jiaying shook her head. "I don't know, Maximus. Even if I give you the Diviner that's now in my possession, melting it down won't give you pure Terrigen crystals. How do you know if what gets produced will even induce transformation?"

Maximus looked at his half-sister intently. "I've run simulations of this a thousand times. If you provide the crystals I need, my device will distribute them into Earth's atmosphere, and we will usher in a new age of our people, free of the confines of Attilan and without fear of human prejudice."

Jiaying still looked uneasy.

Maximus put his hands on her shoulders. "Jiaying, this is for the sake of our people's survival. Our sainted brother-" he spat the word, "will never admit that, and I will never be able to retrieve Terrigen Crystals from Attilan itself. I'm a exile, remember?" Actually, he'd fled prison, but he'd been imprisoned unlawfully, so she didn't need to know that.

Jiaying stared straight into his eyes. "And you swear this will work?"

"Yes."

She frowned. "We'll have to move quickly. Blackagar often checks on Daisy and I when we're not inside Afterlife, and you say he vetoed this idea."

"How soon can you have the Diviner melted?"

"A few hours, maybe a day."

"Show it to me."

She pulled the object from the bag she carried, the metal and the Kree symbols glinting in the fading light of the day. Maximus grinned like a shark scenting blood. "Excellent."

"And you're certain that releasing the mists will benefit our people?"

"I'm positive. Although... there is one catch."

Her eyes narrowed. "Catch?"

"According to my calculations, the impure Terrigen we will create will transform any with Inhuman genes, but all those who do not carry our DNA..." He shrugged. "Well, you know what the Diviner does to humans."

Jiaying tensed. "But... Cal..."

"Is a human. Isn't one life worth the salvation of our race? Right now humans outnumber us a million to one! Evening the scales can only work in our favour." Maximus lowered his voice. "He wasn't enough to protect you, Jiaying, when Whitehall came here, was he?"

She shuddered at the memories his words invoked. Maximus clasped her shoulder reassuringly. "He can't protect you, Jia. Humans have to pay."

She nodded, images of her torment at Whitehall's hands all too vivid. "And my Daisy?"

"If she's one of us, deserving of a gift, she'll survive. She is so like you, I have no doubt she will change." Actually, he didn't and he couldn't care less for his sister's brat, but if it meant getting her help before the militia of Attilan tracked him down, then he would say whatever he had to.

Jiaying nodded firmly. "Alright. I will help you. For our people's future."

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Cal had finished feeding Daisy and was washing the dishes by the time Jiaying emerged from Maximus' study. She smiled warmly at him, but her expression faltered when he didn't return the gesture.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Hmm. Maybe that you've been gone for almost a week, on some sort of job Maximus told you to do, and your daughter and I have missed you, and yet when you finally get home the first priority you have is not seeing us, but jumping to do whatever your obnoxious little brother tells you, again!"

Jiaying's hands clenched. "Don't speak of things you don't understand, Cal."

"Don't understand?!" He spluttered for a minute. "I understand that our daughter needs you and you don't seem to care any more!"

Jiaying shook her head. Maximus was right, he will never understand. "I am doing this for her, for her safety! When our plan works, she'll never have to fear humans again. None of my people will."

"What 'plan'? What are you talking about?"

Daisy began squirming in her high chair, reaching for her mother again. Her little face was full of hope, but her eyes were nervous. "Ma-ma?"

Jiaying didn't reply, her eyes still on Cal. "Don't you want to do what's best for Daisy, protect her in the future?"

"Yes, but-"

"Ma-ma!" Daisy banged her fists on the tray of the highchair, then grabbed her beaker and threw it- an obvious cry for attention. The lid came off and blackcurrant squash splashed all over Cal and Jiaying.

Jiaying swiped the purple liquid off her face with a sigh, finally turning her gaze to her daughter. "Silly girl! What was that for?"

Daisy, thrilled at finally having her mother's attention, reached out to her, hands grasping. "Ma-ma up!"

She lifted Daisy into her arms almost reluctantly. Cal, already mopping up the spilled drink, couldn't understand why. She was cuddling Daisy though, he noted with relief, and Daisy had snuggled up to her, resting her little head on her mother's shoulder. Maybe now Jiaying would re-evaluate her priorities and focus on their daughter rather than her brother.

"Jiaying! Come here." Maximus' voice was imperious, as if he had summoned her.

Cal seethed at Maximus' attitude. Giving orders in his house? Who did the Inhuman think he was? He expected Jiaying to tell him to wait, as she was busy with Daisy. Thus he was gobsmacked when she simply put Daisy down, absently kissed the top of her head and walked away.

He caught her arm. "Jiaying!"

"What? I have to help Maximus, it's important. I'll play with Daisy when I'm done. You can keep her happy for a while, can't you?"

Cal stood up, teeth clenched. "Answering your little brother's whims is more important than spending time with our daughter?!"

Jiaying didn't even turn to face him when she replied. "I can't focus on coddling her here and now when I'm trying to ensure she will have a safer future. Long term plans, Cal. I hoped you'd understand that much at least."

He was at a loss for words, unable to think what to say. Daisy, it appeared, did not have this problem. She pushed herself to her feet and toddled after Jiaying, her little face set in a determined pout.

"Ma-ma pway!"

Jiaying sighed loudly. "Mama's busy, sweetheart. Play with Daddy."

"No! Wan' Ma-ma!" Daisy's voice rose, and she grabbed hold of Jiaying's skirt.

Jiaying knelt to loosen her daughter's hold, looking at Cal in exasperation. "Can't you help?" She managed to free her dress from Daisy's grip, only for Daisy to wrap her tiny arms round her mother's shoulders, her face set stubbornly.

"Jiaying, I asked for your help!" Maximus sounded more annoyed now. Jiaying stood abruptly, making Daisy fall backwards. The toddler lay still for a minute, then began wailing. Cal rushed to Daisy's side, making sure she wasn't hurt, just as the study door slammed. Maximus came into view, eyes narrowed and fists clenched, radiating anger. He stalked towards Daisy and Cal.

"I told you to keep her quiet, human!"

Cal stood, blocking Maximus' path to Daisy, his own fists clenching. "She fell, it was an accident. Babies cry, it's not as if she's doing this on purpose." He kept his anger in check, glancing at Jiaying. And she wouldn't have fallen if you hadn't rushed away from her!

Jiaying looked from Maximus to Cal, at last looking torn as to what she should do. Daisy was still whimpering, probably as much from unease at the tense atmosphere as from shock by now. She hadn't been hurt by falling, just startled. She looked at each of the adults while still crying quietly.

Maximus broke eye contact first, huffing in disgust and walking away as if he couldn't bear to be around them any longer. "Jiaying, if you want this scheme to work, I need your help."

Jiaying looked at Daisy once more, making sure she hadn't been hurt by falling. Satisfied she was alright, she hurried after Maximus. I'm doing this for her. She'll understand someday.

Cal picked Daisy up, cuddling her until she quieted down, staring after his wife in shock. What had gotten into her? He'd been so glad when she'd recovered from Whitehall's butchery, despite her colder outlook on life, and lack of empathy for the humans who had had to die for her to continue to live. He had hoped that restoring Daisy to her would bring her back to her old self, but it hadn't. And since she'd invited Maximus to stay, Jiaying had only gotten more and more distant... It wasn't good for Daisy. Look at what had just happened! He shook his head.

Daisy was only just over a year old and very vulnerable. If something didn't change in Maximus' and Jiaying's attitudes, then he would have to think hard about what was best for his daughter. He couldn't let her grow up in a dangerous situation with him her only ally. He'd do anything for Daisy... even if it meant taking her from her mother.

To be continued...

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