Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fic: Loyalties (5/5)
Her first thought was to synthesize the GH formula. If it had been enough to bring Coulson back to life and keep Garrett alive, then surely it could wake up one little coma patient. And, somewhat unsurprisingly, she managed to replicate the formula on her first try. Apparently, she was self-sabotaging her work for Hydra more than Fitz ever had been.
But Coulson had vetoed her plan when he found out what she was doing. He declared that he didn’t want anyone else spiraling down the way Garrett had, the way he feared he was himself. And in perhaps the moment that demonstrated how much Jemma had changed over the last few months, she had accepted that. She agreed to destroy the samples and all of her notes on them, choosing what was good and right over what could have been the single greatest scientific breakthrough she had ever made. Over what could have saved Fitz’ life.
She wasn’t done there, though. Because Hydra had also been working on the Extremis formula, copied after the serum that had made Captain America super strong and super able to recover from any injury. And as long as Fitz didn’t start spouting patriotic catchphrases, trying to remake a superhero was a much better plan than trying to remake a villain.
But the formula wasn’t perfect, and the photos of exploded test subjects were incredibly disturbing. She had been working on it for weeks now and while she was pretty sure she had modified the formula correctly, she had yet to find a safe dose and delivery mechanism. The previous week she had even decided to move into the plane’s lab and work in there whenever she could. It might have been grasping at straws, but she was hoping for some inspiration.
Or maybe some supernatural intervention…
Because that morning, when she had jerked awake where she had fallen asleep, still seated at the lab table, some of her paperwork had been reorganized, and some of the settings and equations on her tablet had been recalculated.
“Yes,” she said to herself, standing up in excitement. “Yes, yes, of course. Fitz! You’re brilliant.”
She nearly knocked a few things off the table as she moved, trying to implement the changes to the actual device. “Well, I mean, obviously I loosened the lid a bit there, but... We’re such a good team. Can you imagine what it will be like when we can actually work together?”
The lights flickered on and off briefly and Jemma grinned widely. It was the first time since the plane had been recovered that there had been any indication Fitz was still there. Maybe he couldn’t figure out how to become visible again. Maybe the shock of remembering had been too disturbing, Jemma didn’t know. But he was still there. And soon he would actually, really be there because…
“Yes!” Jemma shouted in joy as the mouse test subject survived longer than any of its predecessors had. She’d have to monitor it a while longer before she’d risk injecting the serum into Fitz, but it was a very good sign.
***
Except for the beep and whir of the machines, the room was entirely silent. Jemma had recommended moving Fitz into the plane lab. Maybe it was a bit superstitious and very much unscientific, but she wanted to make sure the two parts of him were as close as possible when they tried to put him back together. After Mack and Hunter helped move him, they left to give the rest of them privacy, so now, at the moment of truth, it was just the remaining members of the original team - Coulson, May and Skye - and of course Jemma herself. She leaned forward over Fitz and slowly injected the serum into his line. She could feel everyone tense up even more, and she held her own breath in hope and fear.
At first there was nothing. Minutes passed with no change. Jemma tried to convince herself that it was at least good he hadn’t exploded yet, but she couldn’t stop the sinking feeling of disappointment. She reached one shaking hand out and placed it over his, giving him a tiny squeeze of encouragement.
“Come on, Fitz,” she urged.
Still nothing. She heard Coulson exhale behind her, which seemed to break them all. Jemma’s shoulders dropped and she covered her crumpling face with her free hand. She heard a small sob from Skye, while someone who could only be May slammed their palm against the wall.
And then - and then - the hand beneath hers twitched. Jemma looked over in confused, shocked hope. Fitz’ legs moved underneath the blankets, and he made a small moaning sound. Jemma jumped up in excitement and moved closer to read the output on the monitor.
“He’s waking up,” she exclaimed, barely believing it herself.
“What?” Skye nearly yelled.
But she didn’t have to repeat herself; it was far too obvious. Fitz lifted his hand, awkwardly trying to remove the tube helping him breath. Jemma quickly reached out to help him and before she knew it, he was coughing and gagging and then, the most beautiful sound she had ever heard, breathing on his own.
His eyes opened and immediately latched onto hers. She hadn’t necessarily planned to be the first person he saw, but she wouldn’t have changed places with anyone. She grinned despite the tears in her eyes, and he stared at her for what felt like hours.
“Simmons?” he finally croaked.
Before she could reply, the others rushed forward, reaching out to touch Fitz in some way and filling the room with joyful noise. Jemma attempted to make them give him peace and calm as he recovered, but it was futile, especially considering he was as excited as the rest of them. Eventually, she just allowed herself to slip behind the others and back into the corner of the lab, about where she had first seen him. While the team reunited, she slid down to the floor in exhaustion and happiness.
***
Jemma ran a brush through her hair as she got ready for bed. It had been a very long week of rehabilitating Fitz physically, mentally, and emotionally. The others had been working with him as much as Jemma had, and she secretly felt a little disappointed and jealous that she no longer had him to herself. They hadn’t even really been able to talk alone much, but it was hard to feel bad about that when she considered the unbelievable progress Fitz had made in only several days. To go from being in a coma for months to walking around like nothing had happened was incredible. So, yes, she could share him a bit. She hadn’t given up hope that, when things settled, they could figure out what they were to each other and how they fit in each other’s new lives.
There was a knock on her door, and Jemma looked up in curiosity. It was quite late, but she pulled her wrap around herself tighter and went to answer.
Speak of the devil.
“Fitz!”
He offered her a shy smile. “Sorry. I know it’s late.”
“No, no. Come in.”
She led him inside, closing the door behind him. When she turned to face him again, she took another step closer. Maybe a little too close than would be totally normal, but it was still too amazing to feel a warm, solid presence whenever she was near him.
“We just,” he started out, before pausing and clearing his throat. He tried again. “It’s just I haven’t had a chance to really thank you. You saved me.”
Jemma fought a watery smile. “Oh, Fitz…it was the other way around.”
He looked like he wanted to say more. Jemma felt like she too had hundreds of things to tell him and yet no need to say anything at all. They were in sync. Surely he knew. They stared at each other for another moment. And then Fitz’ eyes dropped down even as a blush rose up his cheeks.
“Anyway. I should probably go. Um, good night…Jemma.”
He stepped around her, and Jemma turned to watch him, feeling both disappointed and urgent as she called out his name. He faced her again, one eyebrow lifting in question.
She took a breath and slipped the wrap off her shoulders. His stare turned intense as his eyes roamed over her body, and Jemma remembered the first dream she had of him what felt like ages ago.
“You don’t have to go,” she murmured.
His eyes lifted up and met her own again. They were dark with desire, and she was pretty sure her own expression matched. She licked her suddenly dry lips.
“We really should test all of your physiological functions,” she continued, somewhere between nervous and seductive.
He moved then, pulling her close with a speed and strength that made her wonder if she hadn’t modified the formula enough after all. And then his lips were against hers and she was feeling entirely too oxygen-deprived and then she stopped thinking about anything else.
The End