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Daisy’s return to the team has a sort of calming effect only she can provide.
Jemma and Fitz didn’t realize how much they missed their friend until she’s sitting with them, drinking beer, laughing at stupid jokes, and stealing glances at the newly intimate couple in the room. As their other team members trickle out in search of more privacy, the three remaining agents agree they don’t want the night to end just yet. Yes, there is still plenty to worry about, but after such a successful day working as a team, a complete team, they decide they deserve the night off to simply enjoy each other’s company.
Agreeing to freshen up in their respective bunks, Jemma is surprisingly the first one back in the common room for a night of watching television with Fitz and Daisy. She’s sitting in the center of the sofa waiting rather impatiently when Fitz comes rushing in with just a few minutes to spare before the show starts.
“Sorry, I know we said 9:30...”
“Well, it’s about time. I got out of the shower and you were gone! Daisy should be on her way, and didn’t we just promise each other we would spend more time together on the base not—”
Before she can finish, he sinks into the sofa next to her and wraps his hands around her waist, quickly pulling her in close to him. He breathes in her scent as he tightens his hold around her, nuzzling into her neck. She wiggles her arms out and links them around his neck, meeting his eyes.
He bites his bottom lip to stifle a laugh. “Hi.”
“Hi.” She lets out a small giggle. “I forgive you. Obviously.”
“Good, because I’ve missed this. I mean, the three of us. Just hanging out. Feels like old times.”
“Yeah, it’s nice having her back on the base. Now I can stop worrying about what kind of trouble she was getting into, with no way of knowing where she was or if she was even alive.”
He nods in agreement. “It’s like the team’s finally getting back to normal. And by normal I mean more complicated. And more couples, apparently.”
Jemma squeezes Fitz’s shoulders, her eyes lighting up. “Yes, did you see the look May was giving Coulson? That shall be interesting. Plus, now that Mack and Elena have, well…”
“Nothing new here, just a bunch of new emotions ready to cause havoc. Everyone seems happy, at least.”
“And we’re all in one place, so we can know that everyone’s okay. Physically speaking.”
At this, his eyes shift down, focusing on a different thought. He lets go of her waist and begins shifting away from her. “That reminds me. I wanted to give you…”
She gives him enough space to allow him to rummage in the front pocket of his jeans, having trouble removing whatever it is he is keeping hidden. She leans her arm on top of the sofa, resting her head on her hand and giving him a soft smile. “Fitz, you don’t have to give me gifts. What on earth could I possibly—” She stops her sentence short and sits up straight when he pulls free what he’s been searching for: a small black velvet box.
“Oh God—”
“—IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK.”
He holds up his hand in a stop position to put an end to that train of thought. She’s frozen, her eyes wild from her initial interpretation of his actions. He really should have thought this through more.
“Alright, well then, what is it?!” She reaches out to squeeze his forearm, her eyes pleading with her impatience.
He sighs, and then carefully opens the box, facing it toward her. “Well, it’s…I mean, yes, it’s technically a ring, but it’s not just one ring. It’s a set, actually, because…” He pulls the two near identical rings out of the security of their box, placing them gently into his palm. Both are simple, a black carbon color, thin enough to be worn comfortably and not draw too much attention.
“…they’re linked,” he says through an enthusiastic grin.
A beat passes with no response. Confusion washes over Jemma’s face, her brows furrowing as her eyes shift from the rings back up to meet Fitz’s eyes. His grin fades a bit, but he continues on, motioning for her hand. “Here, I’ll show you.”
He hastily slips the larger ring onto his own finger, and then carefully slips the smaller one onto the ring finger of her right hand. She prays he can’t see how her cheeks flush, imagining for a split second a similar situation involving her other hand. Once he’s satisfied the ring fits comfortably on her finger, he continues. “We each wear one, then you just tap the bottom of yours, and…” He reaches carefully for her finger, and then gently touches the underside of her ring.
Her breath catches as she feels the faintest pulsing sensation. A steady beat. It’s barely a whisper of a feeling, but the rhythm is something she’s all too familiar with. She’s always the one to check for a pulse. A monitor of hearts for her team. It brings her back to countless scares of almost losing someone she cares about. When she nearly lost Daisy to the bullet wounds courtesy of Ian Quinn. Or when she had to physically kill May and nearly couldn’t bring her back from the dead. But most of all, it reminds her of the relief she felt from Director Fury saying the words she desperately needed to hear after one of the worst days of her life.
His heart’s still beating.
This isn’t just any heartbeat she feels. It’s his.
“Oh. Is that?” She knows, but she still wants to hear him say it.
“Yeah.”
“When did you have time to do this?”
He gives her a crooked smile and shrugs.
Swallowing the lump forming in her throat, she lets out a single chuckle. She splays her hand in front of her, admiring her newest small treasure. Of course he would manage to find a way to surprise her after all this time.
“It’s incredible,” she whispers.
“I know we said we wouldn’t let anything get between us again, not the director, or that senator, or magic of all things. And I believe in our promise to each other, so I just thought this would help. As sort of a reassurance, if you will.” He looks down and takes her right hand between both of his, gently stroking the ring that fits her perfectly. “That even if we’re in another room, or on another planet—”
“—or in another dimension.”
He looks up at her then. The corner of her mouth perks up in a small smirk. He stares and sees so much behind her eyes. The pain of past obstacles. The determination to keep her friends safe. And the depth of her love that continues to surprise him. After going through so much together, the universe still finds ways to toss them into the unknown. So, no matter what happens, they now share something they can rely on for a small sense of relief.
After swallowing down his own fit of emotions, he continues. “Yeah. We’ll be okay. Because at least we’ll know the other’s heart is still beating.”
She lets herself smile freely now, not caring if her emotions get the better of her as her eyes begin to water. She places her hands on the sides of his face and gently strokes his cheek with her thumb. Leaning forward, she places a gentle kiss on his lips, his arms snaking around her waist, holding her against him. As their lips part, she presses her forehead against his a bit longer, not wanting to lose contact just yet, and whispers a soft thank you.
“You’re quite welcome.”
She shifts on the sofa, curling into his side. She places her hand on his chest, just above his heart, and feels the strong beating beneath her fingertips. It’s a strange sensation, feeling the identical pulse she felt moments ago from her ring, but one she will certainly get used to. He breathes her in again, holding onto this moment as long as he can, and sits with her in silence. It’s a long moment before he breaks through the quiet. “And also, I’m a bit offended.”
“What?” She cranes her neck up to see his face.
“We both know I’m the romantic one, so did you honestly think when I’m going to do that, I would do it in the common room when Daisy could walk in at any moment?”
She can’t help the flutter she feels in her stomach from hearing him correctly.
Not if he’s going to do that. When.
She doesn’t let him notice her slight change of expression. “Right. Of course.” She looks down as he intertwines his hand in hers, then back up, giving him a quizzical look. “But still, how do you know my ring size?”
“Not important.” He smiles, then leans down to press his lips to hers to distract from her question when Daisy strides into the common room.
“What’s not important? And let’s not get too carried away there on the sofa, kids. I’d like to watch Murder without distractions, thank you very much.” Daisy smirks as she sets some snacks down on the coffee table. Popcorn and wine, naturally.
Jemma sits up and places her hand on Fitz’s knee. She shakes her head, dodging Daisy’s question. “Never mind. What is important is that we have a bet going on and I am determined to win this one.” She reaches for a glass as Daisy opens the wine bottle.
Fitz lets out a short huff. “Right, because we all know how well that went last time.”
“It was a logical choice! Wes was the cliffhanger from series one, why would it be him again? Plus everyone thought Laurel shot Annalise, so technically I was not wrong.”
“You were still wrong,” he deadpans.
A small pout forms on Jemma’s face as she crosses her arms and sinks deeper into the sofa. Daisy slides in next to her and bumps her shoulder. “Okay, but seriously? If Conner is under that sheet, I swear to God I will stop watching. Him and Oliver are just too much.”
"Yeah, they are, aren't they?" With a content smile, Jemma leans closer to Daisy and links their arms, reveling in the feeling of finally having her friend next to her. She knows it will take some time before Daisy feels truly comfortable being back with the team, but moments like these give her hope that she's back for good.
As the episode begins and their conversation ceases, Jemma pulls her hands together in her lap, her arm still linked through Daisy’s. She’s knows her gift from Fitz is only meant for emergencies, but she can’t stop herself from tapping the underside of her ring once again and letting the warmth of the steady pulse fill her being. There’s still so much ahead, her mind consumed with thoughts of unknown Inhumans, androids, and mysteries beyond her comprehension. But tonight, she allows her mind to drift away from the worry to focus on the two most important people in her life, and the hope for more moments like these.