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Seeing Fitz freezing, snapped Coulson out of his stupor. With a startling speed, Skye was moved back onto the bus. It was decided that they would take her to the place where Coulson was operated on.
The medical pod was on the bus, and he saw the paleness in Skye's face. Normally "tiny" would not be the description he used for Skye, her volume and additive had him mistake her for someone much bigger. But seeing her in the bed, there wasn't a better way. And with that thought he lost it.
He walked into the cage. Quinn looked up. "Ahhh, It's abou--"
He was cut off by the metal rod Fitz brought. He back handed the rod across Quinn's face. Quinn flew off his chair, got caught by the handcuffs and was flung back into the table. It knocked the breath out of him, causing him to start wheezing.
He was laying on the ground and Fitz slammed the rod into both of his individual knees. He heard a crack and then him cry out. He slammed the rod onto his right hand. He heard numerous pops. He was about to bring it down on his other hand when it was snatched out of his hand from behind.
Suddenly two sets of hands wrapped around him and pulled him out of the room. May and Ward were trying to keep him out of the room but he was struggling.
Finally they shoved him into the medical pod. The thought was that he wouldn't do anything to endanger Skye.
Once he calmed down he looked at her. Her hand was pointing towards him. He decided that all he could do for right now was be with her. He pulled the chair up to him and pulled her hand into his.
Instantly her stats went up slightly. It was like when one twin was sick at birth and the other was put in the incubator with them. Her breathing picked up some.
Suddenly the bus shook.
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Jemma POV
Jemma had always been thrilled at the fact that she had a soulmate. Some one to get her on the level that no one else could even comprehend.
She had been born with her words, making her parents very happy that she had words. Neither one had ever even seen others with soulmarks. It wasn't until she was four that the words were even big enough to read on her tiny Palm.
"Why, don't you seem nervous?"
But on the other hand (no pun intended) it also made them very apprehensive. They didn't know how much older her soulmate was than her. It could've been 30 years older than her. They had heard numerous horror stories about that.
When she went to the academy, she was nervous. Only seventeen and she was away from home. And truthfully, she was hopeful that she'd meet her soulmate there. People who'd be close to her age and on the same level as her intelligence wise.
A week after she had got there, she knew it was to good to be true. Across the campus she saw him. A boy around her age and height. A friend told her his name was Leo. Although she knew it was ridiculous and there wasn't any scientific proof behind it, she knew it was love at first sight. There was an instant pull towards him.
After she found out his name, she became... well obsessed. The pull was extremely strong. Then she saw writing on his forearm. He was wearing only a white t-shirt in free lab that anyone could see the mark clearly. She couldn't read what it said, but it was definitely a mark.
She was debating for almost a week wether or not to go up to him. But she was too bloody nervous. Just like what her mark said. Instead she made it known that she had a mark to the entire campus. Hopefully that would draw him to her.
Eventually she didn't have to wait anymore. They were partnered together for a project. When he walked up she was shaking. She was certain that he was going to say her words. Especially considering her current mood.
"Hey" he said walking up to her grinning holding up his hand for her to shake it. "Guess we're partners aye?"
She felt her face fall. He wasn't the one. She started smiling again. Looking back later she realized even this revelation didn't change her feelings for him. It worried her. What would happen when he actually found his soulmate? He'd leave her by the way side.
Turns out that he had been avoiding her too. He was just as nervous as to meet him as she was him. She felt the same pull towards him as he felt towards her. She had a simple sentence. He did not. He had 32 words on his right forearm compared to her five.
"Of course it would be now. I'm sorry but I really can't be your soulmate. Especially not now. You're pure and probably have people who care about you. I'm just... Not that."
He decided to show her his mark. He could tell it saddened her because it did. His mate sounded so.... defeated.
After this they became partners. One part of an unbreakable unit. They weren't Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons anymore. They were FitzSimmons.
The worst part was pretending she was looking forward to finding her mate. She couldn't take his rejection otherwise.
She finally got bored with just lab work. She put in to go to the fieldan she couldn't go with out him! She may or may not have seen Fitz's handwriting enough times that she could forge his signature on memory. She put in for him to go as well.
Thank goodness she was able to convince him to go afterwards. It would've been entirely too awkward to deal with otherwise.
Once they got to the bus Jemma felt it straight away. There wasn't just one, but TWO people with soulmarks on the bus. Oddly enough their signal was stronger than the first time she met Fitz. When May walked into the room and it made sense. May and Coulson were a marked pair. And from the looks of it (and the conversation they both "accidentally overheard") they were resisting the bond.
This sadly gave her hope. Fitz was a honorable man. Despite the fact that the soulmate wouldn't want to be bonded, he'd stick with her anyway. But now that he saw that soulmates don't always work. Maybe they had a chance.
When he jumped in front of that bullet, her heart stopped. Then she saw him moving and cursing and her heart restarted. Then when she saw that he did it for Skye, her heart dropped into her stomach.
Of course when she was treating him she was praising him for his heroism. Afterwards she went to her bunk and cried. 5 centimeters down at the same angle, he'd be dead.
There was a knock on the door. She sniffed twice and cleared her eyes of tears. "Yes?" She said trying to keep the shakiness out of her voice. "Come in."
Skye walked in. She sized her up before walking over to her. Before Jemma realized what she was doing she pulled Skye into a hug.
After sixteen minutes of crying Jemma ran out of tears. "How long have you loved him?" She said. Jemma could practically hear the smirk in her voice.
"Since we met." She sniffed.
"I'm sorry."
You have nothing to be sorry for."
"I won't get in the way." Skye said walking out the door.
"But..." Jemma began but Skye was already gone. "Maybe I'm seeing something that isn't there. I'm not some jealous school girl." She thought to herself.
Then there was the offer to be her tutor; when she knew he had the crush. THAT'S when she knew she was acting like a jealous school girl.
She was climbing up the embankment... Scratch that. She was limping up the embankment. The van was damaged enough that they weren't using it again anytime soon.
"Sir?" She called out over coms. "She's here, she just attacked us."
She just got up the embankment when Ward responded. "Is everyone alright?"
She saw Skye laying on top of Fitz, and she was furious. Then when she saw the amount of blood on Skye, she panicked then rushed over. "Skye is cut. There seems to be a lot of blood."
"She just wanted to scare us." Fitz said, and then bitterly added "Skye just got in the way."
She gritted her teeth in annoyance, "Stop it!" She told her self.
"Ok Skye are you--"
"She's unconscious." Fitz said cutting her off.
"Of course she is." Jemma took out her coat and put it on the wound. She knew this was not Skye's fault. She had no control over what Fitz thought.
It took almost 25 minutes before Coulson and Ward got there. Ward threw Skye over his shoulder and walked the 15 minutes to where May moved the bus.
Skye woke up half way there and started up dry heaving. Ward put her down fairly quickly after that.
In the lab, Skye re-stabilized the image. Jemma managed to get Skye seated to do a work up in only 15 minutes. Once she finished cleaning the wound is when she saw it. Skye's soulmark in Fitz's hand writing, Make-up trailing all around it.
"Yeah, no more complaints about the testosterone level now you're here!"
"Skye is that what what I think it is?"
Skye tensed up then started shaking slightly. Only Jemma standing right over her would've been able to see it. "Don't." She said bitterly.
"Oh my god! It's--"
"Doctor/Patient privilege!" Skye said cutting Jemma off. "You can't repeat anything to ANYBODY."
She had never been this angry. And sad. She was resisting the urge to cry. It made sense why Fitz was acting like he was.
"Dammit! Everyone out so I can talk to my patient!" She wasn't sure if she was so angry because of what he was doing to Fitz, or because she could have him and was throwing it away.
She finished stitching her up, (there may or may not have been anesthetic involved) before she started. She was nothing but professional. As soon as snipped the cord Skye began.
"I know what you're going to sa--"
"No you bloody don't know what I am going to say!"
"You think this doesn't hurt me as well?"
"Then why the hell are you doing it!"
"I DON'T WANT TO LOOSE HIM!" Skye shouted, shocking both herself and Jemma. Seeing the look on Jemma's face she said, "Don't act like you weren't secretly thrilled at the thought that he was open."
"I'd rather see him happy then stuck with me." Jemma replied bitterly.
"He wouldn't be 'stuck' with you. He's in love with you too you know."
Jemma looked up. "No he's not!"
Skye looked down and started shaking her head. "For two geniuses, you two are the dumbest people I know."
"It doesn't matter. As soon as he finds out about you I'll be in his rear view mirror. Since Peru he's been complaining about his soulmark itch. He just didn't realize that's it what it was."
"He's not going to find out. There's two people who even know that I have a soulmark. You're one of them." She said that last part narrowing her eyes at Jemma.
"But... why?"
"I already told you. I don't want to lose him. Everyone who ever has gotten close to me leaves. They abandon me. I can't have it happen with him. It hurts a lot less to not have something, than if you lose it."
"Fitz would never!"
"You talking about the same Fitz that jumped in front of a bullet for me. That would've been the same as his leaving willingly." She went to the door grabbing her shirt on the way out, throwing it on. "I'm sorry but we're done talking about this." She said as she stormed out not even bothering to shut the door. The rest of the team was looking into the lab with curious faces.
After Skye stormed away from Coulson office, and called Jemma out she thought she was going to cry. Jemma deserved it too.
"Skye has put her resignation in."
Jemma's mind went numb. She knew Fitz would be miserable if Skye left. She wasn't just saying it for Skye's benefit when she said she'd rather Fit be with her and happy than with her. But what she knew is even though Fitz couldn't fully feel the effects of the bond, Skye could.
"Fitz! Maybe you should go talk to her."
After Ward brought her back on to the plane, Skye's hug was bone crushing. Jemma whispered in Skye's ear. "I get it. I understand why you didn't tell him about the mark." She was practically in tears.
"Shhhh, shhh, shhh, shhh" Skye whispered comforting her.
Jemma woke up, her entire body burning. She then remembered what happened. The grenade. Fitz shielding Skye. Jemma saving them both. All the Dendrotoxin rushing through her veins. Like a sunburn under her skin.
She opened her eyes saw that she was still on the train. She felt the ICER in her hand and started opening fire on the room.
Once the three senior agents calmed her down a tracer went off alerting them of Fitz and Skye's location. When they reached Fitz and he continued to rub his forearm with now silver writing, Jemma knew it was a problem.
They searched the house top to bottom until Coulson found her. Blood covering her torso. Even after they had gotten her in the chamber she couldn't help herself but she kept looking at Fitz to see how he was doing.
He was extremely agitated. He wouldn't stop rubbing his forearm. Nor would he sit still.
When the doctor came in, Jemma could tell by the look on her face they there wasn't good news.
"It doesn't look good. Does she have any family? Parents. Siblings. We need a direct family member to make any choices."
"No." Coulson said, not even trying to hide the defeat in his voice. "She has no one."
"What about her soulmate?" The doctor said, "He or she can make any choice needed as well."
"Skye doesn't have a soulmark." Coulson said feeling his wrist on instinct. "I would've felt it."
"Well I don't know what to tell you but she does. And this is it." The female doctor said handing him a photo. "But I'm not surprised you couldn't tell. She's been applying 'MarkUp'"
Coulson took the picture and was staring. He was stationary for about a minute when May walked over and snatched out of his hands. Her reaction was the same but she recovered quicker.
"Fitz?"
A puzzled look passed over both his and Ward's face. He took the paper and his jaw dropped. When Ward looked over his shoulder his did too.
Seeing Fitz like this snapped Coulson out of his trance. He decided that they were going to take her to the facility that he was worked on after New York.
The speed of which Skye was transferred onto the bus was not something one would expect from a government organization. Jemma was frustrated because Fitz was refusing to go into the med pod, but wouldn't leave the hallway in front of it.
Then there was the nonsense about Coulson being brought back to life after several days. Which was then confirmed by May. Her soulmark had gone white for 6 days. Even though they weren't together for some reason, it was obvious that it was painful for her to talk about.
She was in the conference room reading the file when she watched Fitz walk into the cage with a metal rod. She alerted both May and Coulson. The three senior agents had to drag him kicking and squirming into Skye's medical pod.
Coulson walked up to her pissed. Wether it was because Fitz did it or because he hadn't done it himself was a toss up.
He took a deep breath and said, "Simmons, will you check our guest to make sure there is no -critical- damage. I know, I know." He said adding the last part after seeing her face.
So that is how she ended up checking to make sure the scumbag who put two bullets in Skye's stomach was OK.
"Sir," she said after she was done. "It doesn't seem to be anything more than broken bones. But I can't confirm nor deny that until I get him a proper check up with actual equipment."
"It can wait."
Then the entire ship rocked and Coulson cursed. Coulson never cursed.
He went rushing off and Jemma went back to reading the file. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ward stop a bald black man with an enormous amount of facial hair, and a blond woman who (Jemma was pretty sure) was taller than Ward.
They were saying something about taking Quinn, and Ward was arguing that Quinn wasn't going anywhere unless Coulson ordered it. The black man, Tripter? Trixtent? Tripplett! Tried to push past Ward and Ward grabbed his arm. This caused a fight.
"Go get Quinn!" Tripplett shouted to his companion.
Jemma grabbed an ICER off the table and rushed to the door to the cage. When the blond walked up Jemma pointed it at her. Unfortunately Jemma also shaking like a leaf, and the blond noticed it.
She smiled and condescendingly said, "Why, don't you seem nervous."
Jemma stopped shaking. Her eyes went wide. The blond stepped towards her, "Listen. My name is Bobbi Morse. I'm under orders to take Quinn to the fridge." She looked Jemma up and down and got an incredulous look on her face, "Is this your first time holding a gun?"
Before Jemma had time to answer, the blond snatched the ICER out of Jemma's hand, spun her around and had her gently pinned to the wall. "You're cute." Morse? Bobbi? Said. "And I really don't want to hurt you, but I can't have you stopping me from doing my job either."
Jemma finally got her bearings. She smiled knowing what ever she would say would rock this woman's world. "You're-- You're a legend!" Was all Jemma was able to communicate audibly.
The lite grip on Jemma's shoulders disappeared. She turned her around a little bit roughly and pinned her against the wall again. Only this time it was more intimate. She looked like a little kid on Christmas.
"I always pictured pinning you down, only it wasn't against a wall." She said with a sly grin. She looked her up and down. "You are adorably tiny."
Jemma assumed her face went bright red because Bobbi then said, "Oh, no no no! It's a good thing!" She gave a smile that Skye gave all the time. Jemma immediately knew she was up to something mischievous. "You give me the impression of someone who gets herself in trouble a lot."
Jemma tucked her head into the crook of Bobbi's neck. "Maybe..."
"Now I know I can just put you on a top shelf and you can't get yourself down. It'll keep you out of trouble." Bobbi said, her grin expanding. If the blush on her face hadn't already faded, Jemma was certain that it would've come back.
Bobbi pulled her into a hug. "And I will never let you get yourself in a situation like that ever again." She whispered into her ear. Jemma fit in to her body like she was made for it. Which she guessed she probably was with fate and all.
She had gotten so comfortable with Bobbi that she hadn't realized that she had her hand on Bobbi's ass. When she realized this she jerked it off catching Bobbi's attention as well.
After a second Bobbi realized what had happened. She chuckled and said, "Relax, cutie. It's fine. What's yours is mine, mine is yours you know the whole gist." Suddenly the was a pinch on her ass that made her jump.
It was only a small jump but enough of one so that when she was in the air it gave Bobbi the opportunity to snake her forearm under her ass and bring Jemma's face level with her own.
"I--I've never been with a woman before." Jemma admitted.
"I've only have when... Ummm maybe we should talk about it later."
"You can tell me. I don'--" Jemma began before being cut off by Bobbi's lips. And just.... Wow!
"Morse! Down girl!" A female voice said cutting them both of. "I mean seduction is OK... But in this case I don't think it would've been the most successful tactic.
Both of them turned and saw Coulson standing there with Ward, May, and a woman who was about Coulson and May's age. She looked as though she could out bench press everyone on the bus. Combined.
Then a man about Coulson's age only looking a lot rougher walked up in between him and Ward. "Ohhhh, noooo! It was probably Agent Simmons here. Everyone has heard about her master seduction of Agent Sitwell in the Hub." He said grinning, dragging out the last syllable of each sentence. Her face turned bright red.
Bobbi gave her a quizzical look. "Please don't ask.... Ok I'll tell you later."
Although the the man made jokes the woman looked pissed. May and Coulson both exchanged a look and then looked them up and down. "Relax Izzy." Coulson sighed.
"I'm not gonna--"
"Yeah, Izzy." Bobbi grinned, "Apparently I'm a Legend!"
Izzy started to say something still pissed. Then she got what Bobbi was saying and started grinning.
"Jemma, this is Agent Hartley." Coulson said pointing to the woman the had been referring to as "Izzy". "And this is Agent Garrett." Pointing to the man making jokes. He finished with "And I'm assuming you already know Agent Morse" making her blush yet again.
"Now if you'd kindly move off the door, we need to interrogate the piece of trash." Garrett said.
Bobbi walked away from the door, carrying Jemma who was still in her arms. The three most senior agents walked into the room.
"Wow, And here I thought I though I'd get to be bad cop." Garrett said smugly.
Coulson chuckled darkly, "Well Skye never told Agent Fitz they were soulmates. He only found out because Mr. Quinn here shot her. Twice. Needless to say he was working out some things."After that Izzy closed the door.
The next two hours were a blur. Between Skye in the hospital bed, and trying to convince Fitz to go down in the Guest House.
"Agent Fitz." Coulson said, getting annoyed. Fitz wasn't responding to anything he said. He had only been sitting in the chair next to the bed with his hand in Skye's.
"Can I talk to him." She whispered in Coulson's ear. "Maybe I can convince him."
After Coulson agreed, she pulled a stool up to him. "Hey Fitz." She put her hand on his shoulder to which he shrugged it off. "I know you're mad at me but, this can help. I've looked at the stats myself. This is the only thing that can help. You need to go. The longer you wait the worse it gets."
They sat in silence for another minute before Jemma said, "I met my soulmate today, Fitz."
He glared at her then squeezed Skye's hand a little harder. "I can't say I know what you're going through exactly, but I can say that Skye had her own reasons for why see didn't tell you. If you don't go down you'll never find out."
He got up without saying a word and walked out the door. "Yeah, that's not going away."
Her palm started to itch again. She went to find Bobbi. She didn't find it appropriate to seal the bond, what with Skye dying downstairs even though everyone would've let them do it uninterrupted. Thankfully Bobbi was very patient with her about this.
She came into the common area and saw Coulson, Ward, Fitz, Garrett, and Hartley were all suiting up to go downstairs. She then went to the lounge and her stomach dropped. Bobbi was suiting up as well.
She knew it was ridiculous. Bobbi was a SHIELD Agent. She was a specialist. Hell, there was even a rumor she was on the Avengers Initiative. But it still pained her to watch her put herself in danger.
Bobbi sensed her standing there. "I can sense your worry from here." Jemma could hear the smile in her voice.
"You're going. It's a shame I can't put you on the top shelf." Jemma said with a grin that she hoped wasn't to fake looking.
Bobbi looked up and worry passed over her face. "Aww! Sport!" She said and wrapped her up in a hug. "I'll be fine!"
"I'm sure you will be! It's just... I guess paranoia."
They were hugging for another few minutes when Bobbi chuckled. "Well you're a handsy one now aren't you?"
Jemma realized her hand was on Bobbi's butt. Again. "Oh my gosh, Bobbi! I am sorry! I don't know what's gotten into me!" She said as she yanked her hand away.
Bobbi whispered, "Relax!" Grabbing two handfuls of Jemma's ass making her yelp and causing her to turn red. "It's gives me an excuse to do this!"
Bobbi grinned for a second then looked pensive. Bobbi pulled them apart about two feet. "Where's your soulmark?"
She showed Bobbi her right palm. Bobbi grabbed her wrist and led her hand back down to her butt. When it was down there she flattened it out. At Jemma's puzzled look, she wiggled her eyebrows. "Oh. Oh!"
"Yeah. I can't wait for you to see it."
"Maybe later?"
"Of course. No rush."
"I just don't see why you have to go too. They have three specialists going already. I feel nervous with Fitz going, but you too!"
"Well they needed one of us biochemists to go down there. And there's no way in hell I'm letting you go down there. I also figured you'd want to be near Skye."
"You seem like you're going to baby me to much."
Bobbi grinned, "I guess I am being a tad overprotective. Give me a few day to get used to our new bond and maybe it'll go away?" And then as a second thought she added, "...probably not though."
"Fine." She said squeezing Bobbi's ass. This time on purpose.
"You certainly are a handsy one aren't you?" Bobbi said her grin expanding.
It would be a lie to say that she didn't panic when Bobbi went down the cavern. And when they lost radio contact she had to distract her self with tending to Skye.
Ward, Fitz and Hartley came sprinting into the room. They handed her a blue vial.
"How much? And where?"
"Just bloody do it!" Fitz practically screamed. The rest of the agents came running in after she had injected it.
Skye started seizing and Fitz had to be physically restrained. He started to actually cry. She had seen Coulson cry. She had seen Ward cry. But in the ten years she had known Fitz, she had never seen him cry.
When she stabilized everyone let out a sigh of relief.
An hour later Garrett and Tripplett were escorting Quinn off the plane. "Hartley? Are you coming?"
"Nah, Morse here has been Jonesing for her girlfriend." She turned towards Coulson. "You mind two more on the plane?"
"It's fine. Morse can sleep in Simmons bunk, and it seems Skye and Fitz will probably be sharing as well."
Overhearing the conversation made Simmons giddy. "Well wish her luck for me" Garrett said with a wink as he walked up the rest of the stairs.
As she walked towards the bunk, Hartley asked, "Just how many Soulmarked are on this plane?"
She went down to the med pod and stood out side. Fit was once again sitting in the chair next to Skye's bed. Now that the make up had come off Fitz was feeling five months of the bond all at once. Whereas Skye had time to adjust. Although not fully because she didn't properly complete the bond. Speaking of which....
"We have a appointment with a top shelf, sport." Was all Jemma heard whispered into her ear before being picked up under Bobbi's arm like a suitcase.
Next thing she knew she was standing in front of her dresser, Bobbi's lips on her neck. Until she said "Well there isn't any top shelf--"
Jemma wrapped her arms around Bobbi's neck and kicked her shoes off. "It's fine." Bobbi smiled that mischievous smile again. "Uh-Oh." Jemma said apprehensive.
In a fluid movement she had Jemma's skirt, leggings and knickers off. Then in another both tops and her bra. She was left entirely in the nude. "Agent Morse!" She said in a fake scandalized tone.
Bobbi started to strip off her combat gear. Jemma turned around to lock her bunk. "I think I'll let you on top. I really don't want to crush you." Jemma was mortified when Bobbi then added "Nice to know when you're embarrassed BOTH sets of cheeks go red!" Jemma covered her rear with her hands. Bobbi moved her hands away and spun her around. She was just as nude as Jemma. "Let's seal this bond, huh?"