[h2]S.H.I.E.L.D Headquarters - Present[/h2]

For once in the past eight months, Daisy was back on American soil with no orders. Which meant that she actually had time she could dedicate to Nikita. While she’d had no major incidents, Nikita had unfortunately not been on her best behavior in Daisy‘s absence. Daisy understood that Nikita was just a kid being a kid to the best of her ability. S.H.I.E.L.D. saw things differently, the organization still considered the teen hostile. Daisy was growing increasingly concerned especially considering how they reacted to rising tensions with other gifted young heroes they couldn’t control, like Damian Wayne. 

[color=a187be]“Just jokes,”[/color] Nikita had grumbled under her breath. The short response had pulled Daisy from her thoughts. 

[color=6ecff6]“Miss Kos, if we run out of agents willing to keep surveillance on you, you will no longer be permitted to live on your own. Is that clear?”[/color] the director asked, his tone sharp. He was not a man with a nurturing nature and unlikely to be sympathetic to Nikita’s growing pains.

Nikita nodded, mute for the time being and Daisy reached out and gave her wrist a gentle squeeze. [color=fff79a]“I’ll set her straight,”[/color] she assured.

[color=6ecff6]“See to it that you do,”[/color] he suggested. [color=6ecff6]“You are both dismissed,”[/color] he added.

Nikita had grown so much since she’d first landed in the states. She kept pace with Daisy as they retreated down the corridors. [color=fff79a]“I know it’s frustrating, but the better you behave, the more freedoms you’ll have,”[/color] Daisy said after a moment.

[color=a187be]“New chains, same shackles,”[/color] Nikita quipped bitterly, a light Russian accent present in her response. It had improved greatly in her time here but it still made her insecure. It marked her clearly as foreign and she had a distaste for the negative associations that often followed. 

Daisy was at a loss for what to say. She knew it was unfair. If Nikita had meant them any harm, she would’ve lashed out long ago. She had been handled by less capable field agents who had left completely unscathed. It was clear to Daisy that Nikita was just trying to grow in an environment that was resistant to it.

[color=a187be]“They’re wrong about me. I want to help. I want to do good things,”[/color] Nikita said gently. Here she was, growing in spite of the circumstances. Like a weed, forcing itself towards sunlight through concrete. 

Daisy sighed. [color=fff79a]“I’ll try to arrange someone more understanding to keep watch on you, in the meantime, stay out of trouble. That’ll be a good step in the right direction,”[/color] Daisy suggested softly. Nikita nodded in agreement and Daisy escorted her back to her new apartment in Gotham City.