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If Fitz knew from the start or if it was a coincidence will always be a mystery. It started when they had graduated the Academy. On their graduation ceremony, after being partners for three years, Fitz had given Simmons a bouquet of red and white roses. A totally platonic gesture to be honest, except no one really bought that. Well, that is except for Simmons. She always understood.
There were four long tables running through the hall, set for almost 200 students. Fitz looked around in the crowded room, somewhat nervous. He and Simmons had to give a speech and he had never liked attention much. Simmons on the other hand seemed calm and it almost made him feel worse like he was taking on her part of the nerves. He wouldn’t mind doing it thought, he never did.
Two hours, one dinner and a nerve-wrecking speech later he finally made it out. Loosening his tie he walked with the biochemist to his car and the conversation flowed easy.
“I’m actually shocked Dr Stangler owns a dress,” Simmons exclaimed.
“And the fact that she is married just messes with my mental image of her,” he laughingly replied.
“Which was that she is a crazy cat lady who devotes her nights to making a death ray?” she suggested. They had reached the car and Fitz caught a glimpse of the bouquet he had meant to give Simmons before the ceremony. He stopped in his tracks and slapped his hand to his forehead.
“What did you forget now genius?”
“Okayokay, erm, you WERE supposed to get these before the ceremony but y`know the speech had me freaked out and stuff…” he said while he reached into the backseat and awkwardly handed her a bouquet of red and white roses. “Congratulations on the graduation, Simmons and thanks for the partnership,” he smiled and stuffed his hands into his pockets.
Simmons cocked her head at him, then smiled and buried her nose in the flowers. Then she laughed and hugged him tightly.
“You’re talking like we’re parting forever. You’re not gonna get rid of me that easily.” Simmons smiled into his shoulder.
“Yeah, lets hope that.”
***
It became a tradition. Red and white roses on major events. On every birthday, every breakthrough and also just whenever. They never talked about it, some days the flowers would just be on their kitchen counter. After the Academy they worked six months on a SHIELD lab in New York and even there the roses would appear. Simmons once tried to gain access to the lab with a bouquet but was denied as they were a violation to the protocol. It ended with a framed picture of red and white roses, Simmons being 45 minutes late and Fitz freaking out because this was so unlike her!
Another time Simmons was up all night trying to figure out those damn cells they had retrieved during a mission and had fallen asleep in the lab. She woke up at 10 in the morning, still at her desk but in the company of a steaming cup of tea and a vase with the roses. It was always the same flowers but the pair managed to make a few details different every time. Sometimes a red ribbon or string would tie them together or they would lie beautifully in a basket. Simmons had once sprayed the white ones with silver glitter and the red ones with gold. The opportunities were endless and maybe that’s why they wouldn’t stop playing the idea.
As much fun they had with it, it only annoyed the team. First Skye and Ward who were openly curious. Coulson and May a little annoyed but kept quiet as it seemed to make the pair more comfortable. Trip joined Skye and Ward when he tagged along after SHIELDS fall. That’s when the flowers stopped. Everyone had somewhere they were needed, something they had to do. They were honestly just too busy to keep the tradition alive. Then everything went to shit yet again.
They were stuck at the bottom of the sea. Fitz was begging her to take that last breath when he confessed. She didn’t know what to think but before she knew it she kissing him all over the face, silently crying and protesting. He gave her a sad smile. Then he pushed the button and water was flowing in and she barely had time to inhale the little they had of air and he was gone.
Nine days. That’s how long she was left on her own. He was lying in a hospital bed, pale and shrunken. Simmons almost looked same, she hadn’t left his room the first three days. On the fourth day, Skye had marched in and demanded she should take a shower and sleep in her own bed. She returned only 5 hours later.
When he finally woke up, it was uncovered that he was suffering from hypoxia and he would be for some time. Leopold Fitz once the brilliant engineer with SHIELD was now at constant loss of words and had reduced functionality in his right hand. Simmons tried to tell him that he was still brilliant and brave and smart and everything he was before but he didn’t seem to listen. He got angry when he couldn’t manage basic tasks and she understood. She just wished that he would let her in.
The assignment came shortly after.
***
“Sir, with all due respect, I can’t. I can’t leave him!” Simmons hadn’t meant for the last sentence to be exclaimed that loud. The director’s eyes flickered to the door to see if anyone was listening in on them. It was all clear, just as it had been for the last two hours.
“Simmons, I know this is hard for you but this is also a onetime chance. We will never have a chance like this again, we have to seize it and you are our strongest candidate,” he said matter-of-factly. Simmons slumped into the chair behind her and sighed.
“He needs me sir,” she stated and looked up. Phil Coulson might have inherited the Director title and all of its responsibilities and was literally carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders but he still had that caring look in his eyes. He still cared about his team. He kneeled down in front of her and got on eye level.
“He will be just fine. He is surrounded by friends who are there for him and will help him. Jemma, I will be damned before I let anything else happen to him.” The genuine concern in his voice pushed Simmons further towards agreeing. Fitz may need some time on his own, he might need to figure out how everything was before. She looked back at Coulson and nodded.
***
After being gone for a few months, she really was excited to see Fitz again. The things they had to talk about, there were things she had to vent about to him. She knew that Fitz would probably be quite upset with her and she didn’t blame him. Simmons had just assumed that he had made a fast recovery and that the anger would pass like it always did. She was wrong.
Fitz was both distant and hesitant. She understood, she really did but the coping process was so hard. On one of the few days she had off, she wandered the city. As she aimlessly walked around a small flower stall caught her eye. The desk and shelves were loaded with flowers. Tulips, lilies, roses and so many more. She inched closer, heart hammering. Simmons stared at the roses, trying to tell bouquet from bouquet. She desperately wanted them to have what she was looking for because maybe just maybe Fitz would remember would they used to be. Maybe it was false hope but Jemma Simmons always tried to see the best in every situation. Usually things went back to being quite all right and that’s what she was hoping for when she purchased a bouquet of red and white roses, tied together with string and surrounded by green leaves.
On her way back to the headquarters, she stopped by the library and looked through a book about flowers and their meanings. If they were going to start doing this again (she hoped with all her heart that they would), she might as well know if the flowers meant something special. What she found shocked her as well as amused her.
***
She found Fitz in the lab when she got back, working on some motor. He hadn’t noticed her coming in yet so she stood there for a minute and observed the man who used to be her best friend. A sad smile crossed her lips but she shook it off, determined to only smile happy, content smiled whenever she saw him. Because hopefully this gesture would make their friendship what it was.
She swallowed hard and placed the flowers in front of him. He looked at her little confused but still knowingly as she sat down across from him. They just sat there for a minute, stealing glances at each other. When the silence got too much they both started babbling.
“I really am sorry.”
“I was being foolish.”
“I’ve missed you so much.”
“Hope you can forgive me.”
“Everything is just so stressful now.”
“Do you hate me? Please don’t hate me.”
They stopped talking again and Simmons seized the opportunity.
“I was looking though a book about flowers and their meaning. After holding on to this tradition for so long, I wanted know if they meant anything,” she said and stared at the bouquet. Fitz caught her eye and for the first time in months they finally spoke in sync.
“Unity,” they said and Simmons finally had hopes for the future.