32

                                    

                                          
Daisy was unconscious for 4 weeks. Caitlyn often visited her cousin, curious and excited about the possibility of becoming friends with a girl her age- and part of her family nonetheless! However, when Daisy did wake up, she never spoke. She just stared off in the distance, a blank look on her face. Caitlyn peered into the girls room multiple times, but it was like the girl was a statue. 
                          
Caitlyn let out a sigh, deciding she was finally going to talk to her cousin. Who knows, maybe Daisy would talk to her? Caitlyn knocks on the girls door, her head peering in. The blonde doesn't turn her head as Caitlyn walks into the room, "Daisy?" Caitlyn whispers, "You haven't officially met me yet. I'm Caitlyn, your cousin," Daisy doesn't respond, but Caitlyn notices her eyes shift slightly towards the girls voice, "I, um, I hear you like to read. We have a lovely library here. It's one of my favourite pastimes," 
                          
Caitlyn lets out a sigh when Daisy doesn't respond, "I understand if you don't want to talk. I can't imagine what you went through especially now that..." Caitlyn trails off. For the first time, Daisy looks over at the girl. Her eyes stare at her cousin with a blank look.
                          
"That I can't walk?" Daisy questions. Caitlyn widens her eyes at her voice. It's surprisingly more soft than she expected, even if she is talking with a hard voice.
                          
"It's not permanent. I mean, you will have to wear the brace but..." Caitlyn trails off again. She starts cursing at herself for starting this off so terribly. Daisy just stares at her before turning the other way, "Um," Caitlyn mutters as she stands there and tries to think of what to talk about, "I always wanted to meet you," Caitlyn tells the girl, sitting in a seat next to the girl. Daisy looks over at the girl from the corner of her eye, "I met your mother when she used to visit up here. She couldn't stop talking about you and... um," Caitlyn stutters and Daisy lets out a sigh, "I don't have any siblings. Jayce is my only friend and he's older than me," 
                          
"I never wanted to meet you," Daisy mutters, "I never wanted a life up here. And let me guess, my mother plans on keeping us up here," Daisy looks at Caitlyn who stands there with a sad look, nodding slowly.
                          
"You're staying here," Caitlyn whispers. 
                          
Daisy scoffs, "Right," Caitlyn watches as a tear runs down Daisy's face, "Please, just leave," Daisy whispers. Caitlyn nods lightly, walking out of the room quickly as Daisy is stuck in the bed. Currently, she needs help for everything. She can't move her body until her back heals. Daisy never listened to what the doctor told her. She just knows that she's on bed rest for 2 months, luckily she was unconscious for a month of it, and from there, she will have to start rehab to make herself stronger again. 
                          
Daisy doesn't turn when the door opens again. She looks over and sees Ekko peek in. Azalea follows closely behind him, "Hey sweetie. How are you feeling?" Azalea asks her daughter as she walks over to the bed. Daisy gives a strained smile to Ekko who lays down at the end of her bed, "I saw Caitlyn leave here. How are you two getting along?"
                          
When Daisy doesn't reply, Azalea sighs at the girl, "I got something for you. I wanted you to readjust and process everything. I found this before we found you," Azalea hands over the photo she took from Vi's bed. She's now happy that she took it, knowing that Vi is gone and her daughter needs something to hold onto her. Daisy grabs the photo, her eyes watering as she looks down at the familiar photo. Azalea gives her daughter a kiss on the forehead, "Call if you need anything, okay?" Daisy nods at her mother who walks out of the room. 
                          
Ekko waits for Azalea to leave the room before he sits next to Daisy, "How are you feeling?" Ekko asks.
                          
"Shit," Daisy mumbles, "How about you? Are you doing okay up here?"
                          
"It's weird," Ekko mutters, "I don't want to go outside because I get weird looks," Daisy nods at the boy, expecting just that, "I went down to the Undercity,"
                          
"You know it's too dangerous down there now," Daisy mumbles. She doesn't do it in a lecture sort of way, just stating a fact. She told Ekko what happened after she refused to tell her mother, aunt and the enforcer. Ekko is the only person Daisy actually talks to.
                          
"I know. I got you this though," Ekko hands Daisy a bunch of photos she had in her room and her arrow making book, "It's all I could carry. But I snuck into your house after your father left," Daisy's eyes harden at the thought of her father, but they soften when she looks through the photos. Her hand trails over the group photo of her, Lincoln, Powder, Ekko, Mylo and Claggor.
                          
"Thank you," Daisy whispers, "Have you talked to my mother yet?"
                          
"About staying?" Ekko asks. Daisy nods at the boy, "I can't. Even though my parents aren't around that much, they're still down there working in the mines. I can't leave them and stay up here. The Undercity needs good people down there," 
                          
"Talk like your age you're freaking me out," Daisy says lightly, cracking her first joke in a while. Ekko smiles sadly at the girl. Daisy notices his look and sighs, "I'll be alright, Ekko. You know you can visit whenever you like. If you're not comfortable here then when I can move again, I'll meet you at the bridge,"
                          
"You can't go down. They know who you are- you'll have men after you the minute you step back down there. They think you're dead, Daisy," 
                          
"I know. Just remember, if you ever need help then I'm always around. I need you to keep me updated so I know you're okay," 
                          
Ekko nods, "I'll visit you whenever I can," Daisy nods. 
                          
"Take care of yourself, Little Man. Take care of your family. Just remember to keep me updated, okay?" Ekko nods, giving the girl a hug as he feels tears in his eyes.
                          
"I'm happy you made it, Daisy," Ekko mutters, "At least we haven't lost everyone," Daisy closes her eyes as another tear falls down her cheek. She watches as Ekko pulls away, giving the girl a sad smile before leaving. 
                          
Once again, Daisy was left alone with her thoughts.