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Jemma’s sitting in the passenger seat, Skye’s at the wheel, and Fitz is in the backseat, watching them both with tender eyes. He’s not crazy, he’s not seeing things, and for once in his life things were going to plan.
“Jemma what’s it like in the rock?” Skye asks eagerly, and Fitz sighs. For the past three hours it had been like this, Skye asking questions or ‘talking’ to Jemma, and he filling in the gaps for the other girl. Only he could only see Jemma after all, Skye was completely incapable of seeing the girl leaning back against the passenger seat.
“It’s dark,” Jemma says, and Fitz passes on the message. “It’s warm too – but unless Fitz is sleeping, I’m mostly here with you.”
“Can we stop and get some food?” Fitz begs as his stomach lets out an unearthly grumble.
“Oh c’mon Leopold,” Skye says in distaste, rolling her eyes. “We can get Jemma out finally, and you’re thinking about food.”
“You need your strength,” Jemma chimes in.
“Jemma agrees with me!”
“She does not.”
“I actually do,” Jemma giggles.
“I swear she said we should eat. We need our strength,” he says, “And besides – shouldn’t we inform Coulson or something?”
Skye winces. “I’m going to let you do that,” she says, biting her lip. “I have a feeling he’s not so happy with me right now.”
“Because you snuck out?”
“You would have floundered without me,” Skye points out, bouncing up and down in her seat slightly.
“I would not have,” Fitz protests, but Jemma’s laugh distracts him. It’s beautiful, high ringing, and even though she’s not physically here, it feels like she is and it fills him with a sort of buttery sunshine that feels like coming home.
“Alright fine,” Skye says, rolling her eyes and pulling off onto an exit ramp, “We’ll get something in the drive through.”
“Yes!” Fitz cheers, and then reaches over the back of the seat to intertwine his fingers with Jemma’s again. She may feel like a ghost, but it’s a reminder to him that he’s almost there. That he’s so close to having her back for real.
“Can I tell you a secret Fitz?” Jemma asks quietly, and he squeezes her fingers to let her know yes. “I – I killed someone.”
He breathes out, slow, his thoughts getting tangled. “I did too,” he confesses, “In that final battle.”
“Oh,” she breathes.
Skye looks curiously over at him, but he knows that she won’t ask anything. She seems to know that they’re having one of their moments, and they have to get past it before she can talk to Jemma again.
“Was it someone – was it someone on our side?” he asks her next, wondering if while she was undercover something happened and she didn’t tell him.
“No.”
“Then that’s all that matters right? They were hurting people Jem.”
“I can’t stop thinking about it.”
“Okay Leopold, sorry to interrupt your conversation,” Skye says loudly, “But what do you want?”
He flickers to attention at once. “Where are we?”
Skye rolls her eyes. “McDonalds.”
“I’ll have a cheeseburger and fries.”
Skye orders, and he turns back to Jemma. She’s shaking his head slightly. “We can talk more when you get me out,” she promises. He nods, and then leans over the headrest to press a kiss on the top of her head – it’s a new thing, one he hasn’t ever done before, but it somehow feels right. Her head flicks upwards, her eyes meeting his and he’s pretty sure that the guy giving them their orders is giving him a weird look.
“Yeah,” he says, as Skye rolls up the window, “We’ll talk when we get you back.”
“Will you call Coulson for me?” Skye asks around ten minutes later, after their bellies are full. “Then we’ll switch, and you can drive?”
“The things I do for you,” he mutters, but pulls out his phone and dials the Director’s number.
Coulson picks up after two rings. “Fitz? Is Skye there?”
“Yeah – yeah but she’s driving and can’t really t-talk right now,” he stutters, nerves getting the best of him. It wasn’t everyday that he openly disobeyed the Director (even if it was an indirect way of doing so and it was really all Skye’s fault).
“Can you tell her that when she gets back, she is suspended from field duty until further notice?” Coulson asks, his voice hovering on anger.
“I’ll make sure to pass on the information sir,” he promises, “We’re actually on our way back now.”
“Did you find anything?” Coulson’s voice is flat, and it’s suddenly clear to Fitz how much the others had given up believing, how much they had decided that she wasn’t coming back. He doubted Coulson was even paying full attention to him now.
“Actually,” he says, “We did.”
This catches Coulson’s attention. “You did?”
“We did,” Fitz confirms, “We think – well we know,” he links eyes with Jemma, “That we can get her out.”
“You can – you can what?” Coulson sounds shocked, and Fitz savors this moment, because the other man had been one of the non-believers, one of the people who would be eating all of their words once he and Skye got her out.
“Yes sir,” he says patiently, “This man had the information we were looking for. He let us know – well there’s a way we can talk to Jemma, and she’s going to explain everything.”
“Are you sure you can trust this source?” he can hear the doubt in Coulson’s voice.
“Not entirely sure,” Fitz lies, “So Skye and I will be doing some more extensive research before we head home.”
Coulson sighs, “Alright.”
They hang up, and both Skye and Jemma are looking at him now.
“Well,” he says, “We’re going to sneak in and do it – obviously.”
Skye whistles. “I like how you think Leopold.”
“And how do you suggest we sneak into a high security government facility?” Jemma asks, raising one eyebrow.
“Uh – through the front door?” Fitz suggests, “Our badges get us in – no fuss. If we come in at night, well Coulson won’t be telling the night guards anything, so they’ll probably assume that Skye and I are just coming home a bit early.”
“Why are we – okay you two – lying?” Jemma asks. Fitz passed on the message to Skye.
“Because Coulson won’t let us do anything without a billion questions and doubts, not to mention guards,” Skye says, “No offense Jems, but everyone thinks your dead.”
“So we’re lying to everyone,” Jemma breathes, slumping down in her seat and pressing a hand over her eyes.
“I can hear Jemma practically melting,” Skye says, not removing her eyes from the road, “Can you reassure that everything’s going to be okay?”
“I can hear you,” Jemma rolls her eyes. “Just don’t get yourselves – oh I don’t know, shot or something. I’m not worth that.”
“Yes you are,” Fitz replies forcefully, “Don’t say that.”
* * *
Fitz is right (of course he is, he’s a genius) and they get onto the base with relatively no hassle.
“Okay,” Jemma says to herself, walking closely behind them, “This should all go as planned.”
“Yes, it should,” Fitz promises, “Now, how are we to get you out of there exactly?”
“Skye needs to send the right wavelength to it,” Jemma explains hurriedly, “With enough pressure, the rock should release.”
“That and the presence of an inhuman.”
“Exactly,” Jemma says, her voice rising in pitch. “Or on second thought, you should just leave me in there. It would kill Skye, it’s much to big of a risk –“
“I thought the rock wanted you out.”
“It does!” she looks sheepish then, “But only at the price of an inhuman. But I honestly do think the wavelength would work.” He passes on the message to Skye, who looks more determined than ever.
“It’s not going to get me Jemma, and it sure as hell isn’t going to keep you. I can practically hear you quivering about the danger, and I’m sure you’re breaking Fitz’s concentration so just shut the hell up.”
“Friendly,” Jemma says in an even higher voice.
“Blimey Jems –“ Fitz presses his hands over his ears, “Calm down.”
The reach the door, and Jemma gasps quietly at the sight of it. It’s covered up and down with crossing yellow tape. EXTREME HAZARD. DO NOT ENTER.
“So you did know exactly where I went,” Jemma trills.
“Uh yeah, did the last few months not mean anything to you?” Fitz asks inquisitorially, and she blushes.
“I’m just worried.”
“I know you are,” he says, as Skye goes to the process of gently disentangling the tape from the door. He reaches back and grips her hand tightly. “But Skye knows the danger. She’s aware.”
“Damn right I do,” Skye agrees, sounding more excited than scared, “And let me tell you Jemma Simmons, you’ll be getting one hell of a hug from me when this is all over.”
“Okay – so what wavelength should Skye send at the rock?” Fitz asks, as the last piece of tape falls away from the door. “Does it have to be specific?”
“No, she should just send all she’s got – or maybe a smaller fraction at it. Try not to destroy the base,” Jemma begs, “I’m definitely not worth that.”
“Don’t worry,” Skye says once Fitz passes on her message, “I’ve been working on improving my powers.”
Jemma says some words Fitz decides not to pass onto Skye, thinking it would only hinder rather than help.
“Okay, so Skye just shoot a massive wave of energy at that rock,” Fitz says carefully, “Try to avoid knocking the base down.”
“I can manage that – but this is definitely going to wake everyone up,” Skye warns, rolling back her shoulders. Fitz shrugs.
“We’re already going to be in massive trouble or this – so why not?”
“You two are crazy,” Jemma mutters.
“You know it,” Fitz mutters, “Okay, so I’m going to open the door, you send the wave, and I’ll run in, help Jemma, close the latch –“
“Oh no you won’t,” Jemma protests.
“And then I’ll be out here with probably the whole base on our heels.”
“Sounds good!” Skye says, “Just don’t die okay?”
“I don’t plan on it,” he says, still ignoring Jemma’s gradually louder protests.
“LEOPOLD FITZ!” Jemma finally shouts, “I KNOW YOU CAN BLOODY WELL HEAR ME, SO LISTEN CLOSELY. THERE IS NO WAY YOU’RE DOING THAT. NO WAY.”
Fitz winces. “You’re hurting my ears,” he complains.
“Are you ready?” Skye asks, her brow furrowing in concentration. “On the count of three.”
“One,” Fitz says slowly, edging towards the door and grabbing ahold of the handle.
“Two,” Skye continues, raising her hands, a look of pure determination steeling over her features.
“Three!” he shouted, and Jemma screamed as he shoves open the door and darts inside.
Skye’s really gotten better at controlling her powers, and the wavelength barely brushes past him as it makes it’s way to the rock.
After the wavelength hits the rock, it’s chaos. The rock begins to vibrate, the glass making awful screeching sounds like it’s trying to break, the floor shaking, and judging by the sputtering of the lights and the sound of glass breaking that the entire base is feeling it’s effects.
The rock finally dissolves, the black liquid pouring out of the glass case like water, and with it comes Jemma Simmons, tumbling onto the pavement with a crack. Fitz runs forward, grabs her by the arms and begins to drag her away from the rock. It’s pulling away from the two of them – like it’s reassessing it’s surroundings, but he can feel by the pull in the floor that it’s going to spread again – soon.
He isn’t sure exactly what happens next, all he knows is that he and Jemma go flying out of the room and Skye is slamming the door shut. They can see the shadows of the rock lapping against the glass, and before Fitz can think to much about it – he’s dragging Skye away from the door and shielding her with his body. It wants her – not them.
The base is still shaking, and Skye’s breath is coming in hurried gasps. He finally releases her when the shadows retreat from the door and back into their case.
“We are definitely going to need to find a better place to keep that thing,” Fitz pants, slumping against the wall.
“Jemma!” Skye’s cry makes him move, and he suddenly realizes that the other girl is staring at them from the opposite end of the hallway, her eyes wide and her mouth opening and closing like a gigantic fish. In his desperation to protect Skye, he’d almost forgotten - Skye hits her in a flying tackle, wrestling her to the ground.
“Skye,” he finally hears Jemma say, and the two girls are hugging like they might never let go. Jemma’s buried her face in Skye’s shoulder, and Skye is obviously crying, her cries ringing off the walls with a sort of bitter happiness.
“We found you,” Skye sobs, “We really did it.”
Fitz edges forward, and then he throws his arms around both of them – his girls, because the three of them are together again and it’s painfully clear now that he can’t lose either of them. Without one, the other two would fall apart.
The base finally stops shaking, the shattered remains of the glass that wasn’t made earthquake proof lying in shards around their feet, the sounds of frantic running and swearing and shouts of Skye and Fitz ringing through the air.
Skye finally lets go, getting to her feet and wiping her eyes. Fitz considers it, but it doesn’t take Jemma long to latch onto him like a starfish clings to a rock, her arms wrapping tight around him and her face buried in his shoulder. He’s crying to now (damn it) but it doesn’t matter because Jemma’s here and she’s safe, and everything’s going to be okay now.
The alarms are blaring now, and it’s May who finds them first. She’s obviously been running all over the base, and stops at the sight of Fitz and Jemma hugging.
“You really did it,” is all she says, and Skye’s nodding and reciting the story in high pitched tones, gesturing towards Fitz and Jemma, who haven’t let go and aren’t intending to anytime soon.
He wasn’t going to let go of her ever again.