Chapter Text
Lance sat on the pavement in front of HQ, escaping this oppressive atmosphere that prevailed inside. He felt apart, everything was different. Though, he couldn't blame them, the way he had left cast a pall over their relationship. It would probably never be the same again, he'd never really fit in the team anyway.
Someone opened the door and squatted next to him. Jemma handed him a bottle of beer with a little smile.
“Thought you might want one of these”. Hunter thanked her with a nod. “Thought you might need some company too”. She admitted as she sat on the sidewalk.
Jemma waited for a reaction from Lance that never came. Both took a sip of beer and remained silent. Hunter looked anxious, he was scratching with his nail the bottle's tag.
“You're alright?” She asked laying a hand on his shoulder. Hunter chuckled and drank another sip of his bottle.
“I'm a father”.
A smile drew on Jemma's face. She turned her head to catch his expression, she couldn't see if he was concerned or just lost in though. Hunter wasn't the type of guy who confess his deep feeling, but it was usually easy to read him as he was carrying his emotions on his face.
“I don't know if Bobbi told you, but I'm Lily's godmother”. Hunter shook his head.
“Good. You can see she likes you. Probably more than me”. Jemma rolled her eyes
“She needs time”
Hunter took a sip and added.
“I know. But I can't stop thinking about everything I have missed”.
He sighed setting his beer on the ground. He had missed so many thing, and there was no way he could make up for the lost time. However, he would do all he could not to waste the time he had now.
“You only missed a year. You have plenty of others coming, and you'll be there”. She stopped to stare at him.
“And that what matter. Not the time wasted, but the time remaining”.
Jemma needed no word, she knew as she was glaring at Lance that she aimed right. Taking a sip of her beer, she patted his shoulder.
“Lizzie is timid, you're really lucky she asked for you earlier”. She remarked with a little smile on her lips. Lance was absorbed by the cracks on the asphalt but hearing this fact pleased him.
“Believe me or not, I... It's insane the way I love her. I saw her for the first time yesterday and it's like someone took all the love I could ever feel to give it to her”.
He finished his beer in one go.
“I know I've been a dick, the way I left was weak. But I think I'll never understand Bobbi's choice”.
Jemma took a deep breath. She was teared in two : In one hand, Hunter was right, Bobbi should have told him otherwise, but in a second hand she couldn't blame Bobbi, not under the circumstances.
“Hunter listen, I've been thinking about this many many times. And I will be honest with you, OK ?”
Lance nodded and set his beer down the pavement.
“In substance, you're right. She should have told you straight, without sending all those letters but... you can't pin all of this on Bobbi”. She stopped when Hunter frowned.
“I tried to convinced her to give you a call or something. I even almost called you myself the day she was born”.
“Why you didn't ?” His voice was bitter, his glare uncomfortable. Jemma shrugged.
“I don't know. Probably because it wasn't my decision to make”.
She looked up to the sky. Thousands of snow flakes were falling down on them. Jemma thought it was the right time to switch the subject of conversation.
“You have any plans for Christmas?”
Hunter shook his head, zipping his leather jacket.
“My mom invited me but I'm not planning on going. I'm not fond of those celebration”.
When Jemma asked him why, he only said he had other things to think of, Christmas would be whisked away this year.
“I've been with S.H.I.E.L.D for ten years now, and I've learned a lot's of things. But the most important of all is, no matter what we're after, no matter how it's hard you have to go on living. And to celebrate Christmas is a way to live like normal people”. She stopped for a minute.
“We are people. Not regular ones but still... ”.
Jemma turned toward him with a large smile.
“We are celebrating Christmas at HQ with everyone. You need to be here. For your daughter, and for you”.
“Alright”. He whispered.
She stood up and waved him to the headquarter.
“It will be the occasion to clear our head and catch up”. Lance grabbed his beer before he get on his feet.
“Who's going to be there ?”
Jemma opened the door. Both remained in the hall, rubbing their hands to warm them.
“The team. Mack, Fitz, May, Coulson, Skye, Bobbi... Probably Andrew too”.
Hunter chuckled.
“As long as May's ex doesn't try to psychoanalyze me, I think it's all good”
Jemma burst out laughing, Lance joining her quickly.
“I swear to god that if you wake Lizzie up, Bobbi's going to kill you both”.
Fitz was in the hallway, arms on his hips, eyebrows frowned.
“Don't worry Fitz, Lily's got a heavy sleep. Gun fires doesn't awaken her, why would us ?”
“Just warning, Simmons. Bobbi's at the end of her tether, she moved heaven and earth to get Lizzie to sleep”.
The biochemist sighed when she walked next to him.
“Fine” She said turning around and walking away.
“I bet she's rolling her eyes right now” Fitz muttered as he left the hallway.
Lance had a smile on his lips. He will never admit it to anybody but he was glad to be here. And even if he wouldn't be able to make up for the lost time, or clear the wrong he had done to the people he cared about, he will at least try.