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Jemma moved her thumb back and forth across Fitz’s hand as they waited patiently on the sofa in the common room, a hint of nervous energy mingling between them. They were enjoying the rare peaceful moments they currently shared on the base, and after nearly losing each other once again, this time to a mysterious alternate dimension, they were no longer taking advantage of their time together.

It was surprisingly quiet on the base, with few things for the team to actually worry about at the moment. Immediately after successfully taking on Eli Morrow, the director gave everyone a much needed day off to recover, which was part of the reason why Jemma and Fitz felt slightly guilty for asking to speak with Coulson to discuss quite an extravagant request. There really wasn’t anything to worry about though, since they normally didn’t ask for anything other than simple favors here and there, but this particular request was something they couldn’t just ask casually.

When Fitz made the suggestion that morning in their bunk, tangled up in their sheets, Jemma thought he was kidding. She figured he would want to just stay in bed together, watching shows and letting their future worries drift through the walls of their bunk. But looking into his eyes, she instantly knew he was serious, and she somehow fell in love with him all over again.

Jemma curled herself further into Fitz’s side, pulling her legs up onto the sofa’s cushion and feeling his chin rest against the top of her head. “Are you sure you want to do this?” he murmured against her hair.

“I’m positive,” Jemma said reassuringly, tightening her grip on his hand. “Look, we only have today off, so we should really take advantage of it. All of our friends are here…well, not all of them. But we don’t know when we’ll get another opportunity.”

She felt him nod in agreement. “You’re right,” he said, although his voice lacked any resounding confidence.

Jemma turned her head to look up at him. “You’re nervous, aren’t you?” she asked.

“Of course, I am. This is a big deal!”

“I know, but it was your idea, and we don’t need to make it a big ordeal. I mean, we live together, so nothing’s really going to change.”

“I know, but…still. It’s…it’s a big deal.”

Before they could second-guess themselves, Coulson walked into the common room. “You guys said you wanted to see me?”

“Yes!” Jemma exclaimed somewhat louder than she intended. They uncurled themselves, sitting up straight on the sofa in an attempt to look as professional as possible, but their hands stayed interlocked. “Please, sit,” Jemma instructed, gesturing to the seat opposite the sofa.

Coulson sunk into the chair. “How are you guys feeling?”

“We’re well, thank you. Much better, considering the circumstances. Just glad everyone’s okay and back on the base. It’s been quite a week, hasn’t it? How are you feeling?” Jemma's voice seemed to go up an entire octave at her last question. 

Coulson shrugged his shoulders. “I’m doing okay. Can’t complain.” He paused to narrow his eyes, particularly at Jemma. She was usually the first to crack under pressure. “You guys are stalling. And you look nervous.”

“Oh no, we just wanted to ask you for something, is all. Nothing to be nervous about. Right, Fitz?”

“Nope, absolutely not,” he mumbled.

Coulson’s eyes shifted between the two of them, unsure of where they were going with this. “Okay, spill.”

Jemma let out a deep breath and placed her hands, including the one still holding Fitz’s, neatly in her lap as she collected her thoughts. Smiling once she was sure of herself, she continued. “We know you probably want to take the day to relax after everything that’s happened.” She turned to Fitz for him to continue.

“So, the last thing you would want to do is spend the day fussing over us.”

“I mean, honestly, you can say no if it’s too much trouble—”

“Guys, spit it out.”

Fitz and Jemma turned their heads to look at each other, nodded in unison, and then slowly turned their attention back to Coulson.

“We want to get married,” Jemma said with confidence, her excitement radiating through her words.

“Today,” Fitz clarified.

It only took a few seconds of Coulson’s silence for a fresh wave of nervous energy to rush through Jemma. She watched Coulson carefully as he sat in the chair completely still, obviously taken aback by their words. After a few moments, he finally mustered up a response. “Excuse me?”

Letting go of Fitz's hand, Jemma scooted forward on the sofa to speak more directly to Coulson. “Look, sir, I know it doesn’t seem like the best time…”

“And we’re completely aware that you probably want us to wait…” Fitz continued.

“And it’s just a piece of paper, really. It’s not like it proves that we’re somehow more devoted to each other—”

“Guys.”

Coulson’s word ceased their rambling. They watched in silence as he mulled over their request, still unsure of his reaction. He wasn’t one to usually deny their requests, but this was probably the most personal one to date, so the possibility of him saying no still lingered in the air.

Luckily, a small grin crept on his lips as he seemed to make up his mind. “You really wanna do this?”

Exhaling together, they both nodded, blissful smiles on their faces.

Coulson nodded, and then rubbed his hands together. “Okay. A wedding it is. But first, a pretty crucial question, who’s going to marry you two?”

Jemma chose her next words carefully. “Actually, we were hoping that you would.”

They sat in silence once again, Coulson processing this addition to their original request, so Fitz jumped in. “You’ve been with us since the beginning, sir. On the bus, through every catastrophe, everything. We thought it would be best.”

It didn’t seem to take much convincing after that, Coulson making eye contact with Fitz and seeing how much this would mean to them. “Of course.”

Fitz sat back against the sofa, a look of relief on his face. “Excellent.”

A few seconds later, much to the surprise of no one, they all heard a small squeal coming from the doorway. Turning to see its source, they saw Daisy attempting to restrain herself from barging into the room. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry for eavesdropping but oh my god. I am so on board with this.” At last, she couldn’t restrain herself any longer and strode into the common room, launching herself at the back of the sofa to squeeze Jemma’s shoulders. “I can’t believe these science babies are getting hitched.”

Jemma lifted her arm up to pull Daisy into a slightly awkward hug from where she stood behind the sofa. “We figured you’d be. Sorry we didn’t get a chance to tell you ourselves. Everything just happened so fast and—“

“Jemma, stop,” Daisy said, letting go of their embrace. “You don’t have to apologize. Look, I’m just happy for you guys. Honestly. I just can’t believe this is happening.”

“I know! We really can’t believe it either,” Jemma said through a joyous grin.

“So what time are we looking at?” Coulson asked.

“Uh, six pm?” Fitz answered. “Honestly, I have no idea.”

“No, that should work,” Daisy replied, letting out a soft sigh. “This is going to be so adorable.”

Coulson stood from his chair, ready to get started. “Okay, well, looks like I have to go figure out how to become an ordained minister in the next few hours, but it’s fine. I’ll figure it out. I’ve been under worse pressure than this.”

Fitz stood to stand next to Coulson, placing his hand on the man’s arm in gratitude. “That doesn’t even matter. Even if it’s not legal, it’s really just the thought that counts.”

“In that case, I guess you two should go get ready. Daisy, you seem much more equipped for this than I am, so you’re in charge of planning everything else.”

“Oh, I’ve got it covered. Speaking of which, for our first order of business…” At this, she pulled on Fitz’s hand, and then pushed on his shoulder to spin him around, dramatically marching him towards the door out of the common room.

“Hey! Daisy, stop, what are you doing?” Fitz struggled against her efforts, attempting to turn around to find Jemma for support, but to no avail.

“You are not allowed to see her! It’s your wedding day, so it’s bad luck! Coulson, get him out of here. You’re in charge of helping Fitz. I’ll take care of Jemma.”

“You got it, boss,” Coulson said on his way out to follow Fitz.

Jemma heard Fitz from down the hallway. “I’ll see you…later!”

“Okay!” She called after him. “Oh god. Okay. This is actually happening.”

Once the boys were gone, Daisy raced back to the sofa to sit next to Jemma, completely thrilled by this sudden turn of events, and took hold of Jemma’s hand. “So, what’s your plan?”

“My plan? I thought you were in charge of planning this whole thing.”

“Well, yeah, but I kinda figured you had some sort of idea going already. Are you telling me Jemma Simmons does not have a plan? At all?” Daisy’s eyes widened each time Jemma didn’t respond to a question. “Not even part of a plan?”

“We didn’t want to make a big fuss about it! What, with everything going on lately, and you just getting back…”

“Which gives me the perfect opportunity to throw myself back in with the family. Look, it’s going to be great. I will help you. We’ll take care of everything…” She trailed off as her attention was drawn to something outside the common room. “Hold on, MACK!” She stood as she shouted at the window as her former partner, closely followed by Elena, walked down the hallway, both of them wearing startled expressions. At Daisy’s outburst, they turned around and made their way through the doorway.

“What’s up?” Mack asked skeptically.

“Guys, FitzSimmons are getting married. Today.”

Elena’s eyes lit up instantly. “Aw, congratulations!” Moving around to the front of the sofa, she pulled Jemma up into a warm hug.

Mack stood with his arms crossed over his chest, shaking his head in disbelief. “Damn, getting married. I didn’t think I’d live to see this day.”

Jemma pulled herself out of Elena’s tight embrace. “Wha?” she gawked at him.

“What? It took you guys long enough to get your act together. Who knows how long Fitz was gonna wait before he finally popped the question?”

Elena rolled her eyes. “Ignore him. I think it’s wonderful.”

“Thank you,” Jemma said pointedly.

Daisy snapped her finger to get everyone’s attention. “Alright, enough chitchat. Since it’s all sort of last minute, you two…” she said, pointing back and forth between Mack and Elena, “…are in charge of decorations.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Mack asked, a look of near horror suddenly consuming his face.

“DECORATIONS. You know, lights, flowers, whatever you can find. I’ve got some ideas already, so I’ll text you with more details.”

A beat passed, Mack still failing to comprehend Daisy’s directions.

“Just go, you’ll figure it out,” Daisy said as she waved them out of the room.

“Alright, alright. We’re going.” But before they made their way through the doorway, Mack turned around. “Hey, Jemma?”

“Hmm?”

“I’m happy for you two. Truly.”

“Thanks, Mack,” Jemma said, lowering her eyes through a sheepish grin.

Once the two were off, Daisy turned to Jemma and placed her hand on her arm. “You just relax. Now, let’s go to your bunk to figure out what you’re going to wear.”

“Oh, good lord.”

‘Shush! It’s going to be great!”

-----

Within the few short minutes, Jemma’s bunk was a sea of clothing, shoes, and accessories, nearly the entirety of her wardrobe covering every surface. Jemma sat on her bed, watching Daisy sift through dress after dress from her closet, Jemma being swift to strike down options left and right. She was usually not particularly picky in terms of her own personal style, but this was their wedding, so she felt the occasion warranted an additional amount of careful thinking before making a final decision.

Even though they were getting married in just a few short hours, Jemma somehow felt at ease. For once, in quite a long time, choosing not to plan everything to the T was giving her more time to actually enjoy what was about to happen. A wedding was not something she always dreamt about, per say, but it was still a significant moment in her relationship with Fitz, so she wanted to make the most of it, even if the event was so last minute. And the fact that she got to spend some much-needed alone time with Daisy was an added bonus.

Daisy paused her search in the closet to turn around to face Jemma. “Heels or flats?”

“Heels, definitely. Although, not too high. I would like to look at Fitz in the eye, if it were at all possible.”

“Kitten heels, it is,” Daisy replied, suppressing a giggle and turning to face the closet again. “So, did you picture your wedding in your head when you were little? I was never one to get too caught up in all that stuff, although, I never really had the opportunity, so today’s kind of awesome, to say the least.”

“Not really. I mean, I went to weddings when I was a child and enjoyed watching them enough to want one myself, but I never imagined myself as a bride or anything. Felt a bit silly to dream about something like that. Or maybe I just didn’t want to get my hopes up if I didn’t find the right person.”

“Well, here you are, no dreaming required. And I think he’s the right person. I mean, he’s okay, I guess.”

“Yeah, he’s decent enough. Not hard to look at I suppose.”

They giggled together through their sarcastic remarks until Daisy got quiet and stared at Jemma with a more serious look. “Nah, he’s the best.”

Jemma looked down into her lap, knowing very well how lucky she was to have found her match. “He is, isn’t he?”

Daisy pulled her out of her thoughts by thrusting another dress in front of her face. “What about this one?” she asked, waving the dress from side to side. “Modest, but still stylish.”

“Oh God, no. I wore that a few days before we were kidnapped.”

Daisy raised an eyebrow.

“By Ward and Garrett.” She shook her head to rid the memory, as well as the fact that she just had to clarify which kidnapping she was speaking of. “I don’t know why I still have that,” she whispered.

Daisy frowned and lowered the clothes hanger slowly. “So…a hard pass on this one.”

“Correct.”

Returning to the wardrobe, Daisy continued to pull through different articles of clothing. “How about we can find something a little steamier, maybe to get Fitz in the mood for later…” She trailed off as she spotted something that caught her eye, and pulled it out to see. “Ohhh, what about this?” The dress was a dark burgundy velvet cocktail number, complete with a high slit and low neckline.

“Daisy! That’s far too revealing for this kind of occasion.”

“I can’t believe you own something like this.” Stepping in front of the full-length mirror, Daisy pulled the hanger up to her chin, admiring it from different angles. “Do you think this would fit me? Why do you own this?”

Jemma covered her eyes in embarrassment. “It’s just a backup in case I have to go undercover again. And I am not wearing that, so you can forget it,” she said while simultaneously throwing a ballet flat in Daisy’s direction, successfully hitting her in the leg.

“Okay fine. Hold on. I think there was one more in the back I missed.”

Jemma’s calm was running slightly thinner. Her wardrobe wasn’t that extravagant, so at this rate, she would end up marrying her best friend in a lab coat. But once Daisy pulled out the last dress, hidden deep behind many layers of winter jumpers, Jemma’s heart stopped as she felt her face fall. There was a reason why it was in the very back. Jemma swallowed hard. “Oh, yeah, that.”

The excitement behind Daisy’s eyes suddenly turned into concern. “What’s wrong?”

“Well, I was going to wear that for our date, before…Maveth.”

So much time had passed that she completely forgot she still had it, really. The dress was a midnight blue color, knee length, and covered in small specks of silver to give the appearance of the night sky, with small constellations placed along the neckline. She remembered back to the day when she bought it the dress being a splurge, to be quite honest, as she did not actually have anywhere to wear it, but she still loved how the dark blue looked against her pale skin. And at the time, a part of her, or more accurately, a rather large part of her, wondered what a certain engineer would think if he saw her wearing it.

Daisy gave her a slight nod in understanding, but still brought the dress over to the bed and laid it across her friend’s lap. Jemma pulled the hem through her fingers, feeling the softness of the fabric and moving it slightly to watch the crystals catch the light. Daisy gave her a slight nudge in the arm, and Jemma looked up to see her friend’s hopeful eyes.

“Well, then. You should wear it and create a much happier memory.”

Jemma scrunched her nose as she considered this. “Would it be odd to wear for a wedding?”

“No! It’s beautiful. Just look at it.” Daisy lifted the hanger holding the dress and held it up under Jemma’s chin. “See? And today’s pretty non-traditional in a wedding sense, so this works really well. I always figured you as one to not wear white, anyway. Here.” Daisy pulled the dress free from the hanger and laid it gently across Jemma’s bed, smoothing it out to prevent it from wrinkling. “Try it on.” She then turned around to face Jemma’s set of drawers to give her friend some privacy while she changed.

Taking a deep breath, Jemma stood from her bed to pull her grey jumper over her head, and then slipped out of her skinny jeans. Daisy was right. The last word to describe their wedding, and their entire relationship, really, was traditional. And the dress really was beautiful. But as Jemma slid the dress over her head, she still couldn’t shake her thoughts of wanting to wear it for a different occasion. After Fitz rescued her and everything that happened with Will, she could never bring herself to put it on. At the time, her feelings confused her beyond belief, and she didn’t want to lead Fitz on before she knew for sure how she felt about him.

But once she finished fastening the dress’s closures and turned to look at herself in the mirror, the dress unexpectedly made her think of something else entirely. Suddenly, the dress brought her back to Fitz’s bunk, the night they shared together searching for a cure for Hive’s influence, when they both leaned in to a gentle kiss that seemed to kindle a fire that had been within them all along. She forever associated that night with that space picture of his, and the feeling as if their love was made in the stars. At once, with it’s star patterns and whimsical quality, the dress was suddenly the most appropriate thing to wear, and Jemma felt a bit silly for doubting it was anything less than perfection.

Still wanting to contain her excitement, she turned toward Daisy and asked her hesitantly to open her eyes. “What do you think?”

Dropping her hands that covered her eyes, Daisy exhaled loudly, and then dramatically dropped onto Jemma’s bed. “It’s perfect.”

The thrill from earlier today returned to Jemma’s heart in full force. Doing a little twirl to show off how the crystals on the dress shined in the light, an even brighter smile grew across Jemma’s face. “He does like blue.”

“Yeah, he does. And he’s going to love it even more when he sets his eyes on you in that dress. Seriously, he’s gonna love it.”

“Okay, now I’m really excited.”

“As you should be!” Lifting herself off the bed, Daisy moved toward the door of Jemma’s bunk. “Alright, now that we have that taken care of, you keep getting ready, and I’m going to get changed myself and start setting up.”

“Setting up what?”

“You’ll see. It’s a surprise. Text me if you need me!” Daisy said as she closed the door behind her.

Suddenly alone, Jemma let out a deep breath to try and center herself mentally. As much as she loved spending this time with Daisy, a bit of alone time was what she really needed to fully prepare herself for the next hour’s agenda. Now that she found the right dress to wear, she felt a few nervous jitters as she realized the extent of what was about to take place. This is really happening. You are about to get…married.

Luckily for her, Fitz made sure to calm most of her nerves about taking the last minute approach to their wedding. Earlier that day when he came up with the idea in the first place, he told her they would get wedding rings at a later date. As much as she tried to reassure him that wedding bands, and an engagement ring, for that matter, were not necessary, Fitz insisted, saying when the time was right, he would find the perfect rings for them. Although, a small feeling in her gut told her he probably wanted to make them himself, which didn’t surprise her in the slightest. 

Taking a seat in front of her vanity, she looked in the mirror to see the small charm Fitz gave to her a few months ago hanging around her neck. He really knew her so well, her taste and how she liked simple rather than extravagant pieces, so naturally, the necklace really was the perfect match to go with her choice of dress. Contemplating the rest of her look, she decided to go with something natural with not too much makeup, much to Fitz’s preference. She even chose a light shade of subtle pink lipstick, fully preparing to plant dozens of kisses all over his face whenever she got the chance. Moving onto her hair, she plugged in her curling wand, and began to debate between leaving her hair down or pulling it up into a simple knot.

As she weighed these options, she let her mind wander to thinking about the actual ceremony, and how impatient she was to see Fitz. Even though it had only been a few hours since telling Coulson about their impromptu wedding idea, she didn’t like being separated from Fitz since the alternate dimension incident, so she was already anxious to see him again. And as much as she told herself she would never picture her wedding day, sitting here, desperate to see her other half, all she could do was imagine the ceremony that was about to take place.

Seeing it clearly inside her head, she pictured Fitz turning around when she reaches the end of the aisle, wherever this aisle was, as she still didn’t know where on the base they were getting married. She imagined the ridiculous grin he’ll pull when he finally lays his eyes on her. They’ll join hands and Coulson will talk about the importance of marriage and the long journey it took them to get to this moment. It will be a short ceremony, and Coulson will get through his rehearsed ceremonial wedding phrases. And then he will ask each of them to recite their…

To recite their…

Oh god.

This was the real reason why she never pictured herself at her future wedding, because the pressure of getting this part right was nearly unbearable. She prayed this part would come naturally in the moment, so thinking about it beforehand was a waste of time. Yet, here she was on her actually wedding day, and she somehow completely neglected to consider what felt like the most important part of the ceremony:  

Vows.

A heavy wave of anxiety made its way through Jemma’s body, nearly pulling her from her feet. As she tried to steady herself on the edge of her bed, she pulled her hand up to her lips in an attempt to control her nervous breaths. “Fitz probably has the perfect vows already written, something sweet and romantic. He is the romantic one, after all,” she muttered to herself.

How could she have forgotten? The one thing she always remembered as a child attending weddings with her parents were the promises the bride and groom always shared with each other, and how she secretly hoped one day she would have the chance to share a similar moment with the person she loved. And now here she was, less than an hour before her wedding ceremony to the most incredible man she’d ever met, and she didn’t have a clue as to what she would say. She knew how she felt, obviously, but putting those feelings into words was an entirely different story.

Needing to work her way through her emotions and try to get something concrete down, she raced over to her desk and rummaged through one of the drawers in search of something to write on. She settled on a notebook filled with graph paper and returned to sit on her bed, bringing her pen to the paper as it balanced on her lap.

And her mind went completely blank.

Letting out a frustrated groan, she felt tears beginning to collect at the edge of her lashes. This is ridiculous, she thought to herself. They’re just vows. But a promise was still a promise, and she couldn’t just go out there after listening to his most likely perfect vows and have nothing to say other than ditto. But how could a few short sentences sum up the entirety of her feelings for him? Somehow, a simple I promise to love you forever didn’t sound appropriate to encompass their journey of finally getting together. And they never really spoke about promises to one another because they just knew. It didn’t need to be said. They were each other’s person, plain and simple. But a wedding required vows, and she would not be caught dead relying on some lousy recycled phrases used by couples around the world on their own wedding days. This wasn’t just another wedding. This was their wedding, and she was going to do everything in her power to make it special.

After a few more attempts at writing a sentence or two with little success, she flung the notebook onto her pillow and buried her face in her hands. She knew she was overreacting, but it didn’t matter. Her tears still continued to fall as she wracked her brain for something usable among her circling thoughts and emotions. Maybe this alone time was a poor idea after all.

As if on cue, she heard a strong knock and the door to her bunk opened.

“Hey, we’re almost ready, we just have to get the—whoa, are you okay?”

Daisy, now wearing a knee length fitted silver dress, froze at the door when she saw quite the sight in front of her. What was just a few minutes ago a joyful bride-to-be was now a sobbing mess. Hurrying over to the bed, Daisy sat down carefully next to her friend, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Hey,” she said softly. “What’s the matter?”

Through a few sniffles, Jemma reached for a tissue on her nightstand and used it to dab at the edges of her eyes, pulling it away to see it covered in black smudges from her mascara. “I can’t figure out my bloody vows.” Instead of calming her, her admission seemed to make her break down even more. “There’s so much I want to say, but I can’t figure out how to word it, and Fitz has probably had his written for the last year, if not longer. We’re getting married in the next hour. How am I supposed to figure out what to say? What if I forget something?”

“Hey, hey, hey. It’s okay.” Daisy looked around the room, feeling a bit helpless, but tried her best to calm Jemma down, drawing circles with her hand along her back. “I can stall for a little bit, say you burnt yourself with your curling iron or something. You have time.” As Daisy’s hand suddenly ceased its soothing movement, Jemma looked up to see something click behind her friend’s eyes. “Hold on. I’ve got an idea. And here.” She shoved the entire box of tissues into Jemma’s lap, and then moved swiftly out the door.

-----

Leaving her alone again probably wasn’t the best idea, as Jemma continued to let her thoughts jumble into a sea of chaos. All she really wanted in this moment was to talk to Fitz, but that obviously wasn’t a viable option, considering the circumstances. And she had solved enough problems on her own in the past, working through considerably more higher stakes circumstances, so she was sure she would get through this eventually. But the clock was ticking down, and she really didn’t want to keep Fitz waiting much longer.

Thankfully, Daisy quickly returned only a few minutes later, opening the door much slower this time and hiding something behind her back. Even though Jemma was still in quite a state, she still managed to notice a small smile creeping on Daisy’s face.

“What is it?” she asked quietly.

“Something I think will help.” Daisy pulled her hand from behind her back to reveal a small burner phone. Her small smile now turning into a complete grin, she extended the phone out in Jemma’s direction. “Someone wants to talk to you.”

Jemma stared wide-eyed at the phone, a look of utter confusion on her face. For just an instant, she let her mind consider who was on the other end of the line. It couldn’t be, so it probably wasn’t. But the look in Daisy’s eyes gave Jemma a small bit of hope that her initial guess wasn’t just wishful thinking. If anyone could help her through this nightmare besides Fitz, she knew it was her. She always knew the right things to say when it came to Jemma’s relationship with Fitz. And in the very back of her mind, she couldn’t stop herself from picturing this day a bit differently. It was nearly the same, but two additional guests that were really meant to be there with them stood on one side of the aisle with pride in their eyes. But the cosmos wouldn’t let them have everything.

Wiping her nose with a tissue, Jemma hesitantly reached for the phone and cradled it in her hands.

“Just say hi,” Daisy whispered. After backing away and opening the bunk door, she smiled again before closing the door behind her, leaving Jemma alone in silence. She still didn’t know for sure who would reply, but in her heart, she was almost positive she was right. After taking a few more deep breaths, Jemma slowly pulled the phone up to her ear. “Hello?”

“Hi Jemma.”

“Oh my god.” Jemma didn’t fight the new tears when they came and collapsed back onto her mattress. Nothing prepared her for the wave of relief and comfort that washed over her from hearing the familiar voice. As if writing her vows was making her emotional, this, this was just going to make it worse, apparently. It hadn’t really been that long since that dreadful night at the bar when they made their silent goodbyes. And after that night in Fitz’s bunk, when they finally reassured each other of their shared feelings and embarked on a new chapter in their story together, all she wanted to do was to call Bobbi to tell her the news. But she couldn’t. It was against protocol, as well as incredibly dangerous. But something told her that Coulson wasn’t going to mind making the exception for a day like this.

She swallowed hard in an attempt to control her emotions, not wanting to waste this precious opportunity. “Hi,” she managed, bringing her hand up to cover her eyes.

“It’s good to hear you voice.”

“I miss you so much. And Hunter. Both of you.”

“I know. And I wish we could be there with you guys right now. I know it’s going to be special. You’re not being too much of a bridezilla, are you?” she asked, stifling a few giggles.

Jemma dropped her hand from her face, letting herself laugh out loud as well. “No! Oh gosh, of course not. Could you imagine? But I’m an emotional wreck, apparently. I was completely fine when Fitz came up with the idea and we talked to Coulson about it. But now I’m just a mess, honestly. But this is good, talking to you. This is helping.”

“Good. It’s okay if you’re emotional. This is a big day, a big step for both of you.” Jemma heard Bobbi pause for a moment. Her next words were gentler. “Daisy said you’re having some trouble with your vows.”

Jemma let out another small chuckle. “You could say that.” She used her hand not clutching the phone to wipe underneath her eyes, her tears having stopped at this point, but their remnants still lingering on her face.

“Let me tell you something, okay?”

“Alright,” Jemma replied through a deep breath.

“It doesn’t matter exactly what you say, okay? I know it feels like it. But he already loves you. This isn’t about proving anything to him. It’s about letting him know that this is it for you.”

Jemma didn’t know how to respond, but Bobbi continued nonetheless.

“Look, I know you’re scared and you don’t want to mess this up. But this isn’t the end of the ride. It’s just the beginning.”

Jemma let herself smile. “Yes, you’re right.”

“You don’t have to say everything. Just tell him how you feel. That should be enough.”

Jemma really didn’t know how Bobbi managed to always know the right things to say. Maybe it was her experience as an agent, or her relationship with Hunter. But whatever it was, Jemma cherished this quality of her friend, and wished she could talk to her more often than this. For now, this small moment would have to do.

She sat up on the bed, feeling much better than a few moments ago. “Yeah. I think I can do that.”

“I’m sure whatever you say will bring him to tears.”

“Oh, I’m sure. Poor man wears his heart, and his emotions, on his sleeve.”

“And Jemma?”

“Yeah?”

“Hunter just spoke to Fitz. He’s freaking out just as much as you are.”

“Oh, thank God.” She shook her head. He would.

“You guys really are in sync.”

“Yeah, apparently.” She heard Bobbi go quiet, and she knew their time was running short. “I wish there was a way to see you both in person.”

“I know. We’ll find a way someday. I promise. Tell Fitz hello for me, okay?”

“Of course.”

“It’s going to be great. Trust me.”

“Yeah. It is.”

“Goodbye, Jemma.”

“Goodbye, Bobbi. And thank you.”

She hit the red button to end the call.

This isn’t the end of the ride.

Bobbi’s words echoed inside her head. The ride. Of course. And what a ride it’s been for them. Sometimes, she thought a lot about when their ride actually began. In her head, she always thought of the moment when she was infected by the Chitauri virus that something shifted between them. The stakes were higher in the field; there were more life threatening situations. And that day, she knew instantly that Fitz would do anything in his power to save her. But it wasn’t just the grand gestures that helped her understand just how much Fitz cared about her. It was so much more than that. It was him seeing her, truly seeing her for who she really was, that helped her know for sure that he was the one she wanted by her side for the rest of her life. Thinking back now, about when their ride truly began, she realized it wasn’t when they arrived on the Bus, or during their time spent together at Sci-Ops.

It was that first day. That wonderful day when a nervous, yet incredibly handsome, boy spoke to her for the first time in the lab at the Academy. It didn’t even register that he was speaking to her, him not looking up from his notebook, but making his clever remark under his breath. She looked up to see him eyeing her carefully, probably nervous that he would offend her or something. Instead, her face broke out into the biggest smile she could muster. Finally, someone understood how she thought and how it felt to be at a completely different level than their peers. Whether it was luck or fate, some magnificent part of the universe decided to place them on this planet together, and let their paths cross at just the right moment. It was a moment she would never forget.

Jemma looked down at the notebook, still completely blank, and reached over to close it shut. She didn’t need to write anything down. It all made sense now, thanks to Bobbi. She knew exactly what to say.

Pulling another tissue from the box, she wiped away the last of her tears before calling out to Daisy outside the door. “You can come back in now!”

The door opened just a crack as Daisy hesitantly looked inside. Seeing Jemma’s face suddenly glowing again, she smiled at her friend, opened the door the rest of the way, and walked toward the bed. “Better?”

Jemma handed her the burner phone back, nodding eagerly. “Yeah, I think I’ve got it now. Just give me a few minutes to touch up all of this and I’ll be ready,” she said as she waved her hand in front of her face.

“Great. I knew you’d be okay.”

“And Daisy?” Jemma called before her friend reached for the door handle.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you. And you’ve been the best…maid of honor.”

Daisy failed to contain her squeal and ran back over to Jemma’s bed to pull her into a tight embrace. “I love you so much. And I promise, when we get the chance, I’m gonna throw you the baddest bachelorette party a girl’s ever seen.”

“But I won’t be a bachelorette anymore!”

“You think I care? I’m not giving up that opportunity.”

-----

Once Jemma finally finished getting ready, she walked with Daisy down the hallways of the base, their heels clicking in unison on the hard flooring. It was pretty quiet this late in the evening, most agents already making their way to their respective living quarters. Suddenly, it felt eerily like being on the Bus again, just the small family of theirs spending the evening together. Only this time, their agenda was much more exciting.

With her emotions running high, Jemma didn’t even have time to think about where the actual ceremony would take place, but once she realized where Daisy was leading her, a small thrill washed through her being. Of course. It is our lab, after all.

“Are you nervous?” Daisy asked as they continued down the familiar hallway.

“Not anymore.”

“I’m happy for you. Truly. And I’m sorry I haven’t really been here for you guys, and it’s probably one of the things I regret the most after leaving. I know Fitz was pretty pissed off at me at one point. I just needed time…and some space to myself, I guess.”

Jemma pulled on Daisy’s arm to stop them from moving forward. “You don’t have to apologize. We’re past this now. This is more than enough to make up for your absence. It took us some time, but we understand now why you left. We’re just happy that you’re back and safe. And I’m thrilled you’re with us on a day like today. We wouldn’t have it any other way.” She pulled her friend in for another hug.

“Thank you,” Daisy murmured into Jemma’s shoulder.

They untangled from their embrace and continued on their way to the ceremony. Turning the last corner before the entrance to the lab, Jemma saw Elena and May standing outside, May clutching a small flower bouquet of white roses. Jemma was surprised to see them both wearing dresses, May’s a simple fitted black number and Elena’s a deep burgundy color. She never thought of either of them as ones to enjoy wearing formal attire, so the sentiment of them finding this occasion an exception warmed her heart. As they heard Jemma and Daisy approaching, they turned, each of them smiling softly at the sight of Jemma in her own dress.

Elena reached out to squeeze Jemma’s hand. “You look beautiful. I’ll see you inside, ” she whispered as she moved toward the door to the lab.

May angled her arm toward Jemma. “Are you ready?”

Jemma gave the woman a confused look. “What are you doing?”

“I figured you needed someone to walk you down the aisle.”

Jemma did her best to not let her eyes well up once again. She figured this day would make her emotional, but she never anticipated the extent of the kindness of her team, and it was truly a struggle to continue keeping herself together at this point.

“Thank you,” she managed to whisper as she linked her arm through May’s.

“Good luck.” Daisy said before making her way into the lab as well.

Jemma looked at May for a moment, the women’s steady eyes rather calming in this moment. Unable to contain her anticipation any longer, she nodded and motioned for them to move forward through the doorway.

As they turned the corner, Daisy holding the door open for them, Jemma felt her breath catch in her throat. The first thing she noticed was the light. Instead of the familiar steel services and the harsh glares of computer screens and holograms, the lab somehow glowed. Every surface was covered in hundreds of small tealight candles and white flower petals. For a last minute affair, her friends sure knew how to step it up for appearances.

May pulled Jemma in closer to her side to speak in her ear. “It’s probably a safety hazard, but we figured you could get past that for today.”

Looking at either side of the lab, she saw Mack standing on the right side wearing a sharp button down with Elena at his side, completely beaming at the sight of Jemma. She also saw Daisy, who had managed to make her way from the door to a spot on the left side of the lab, representing Jemma’s entire bridal party.

But the sight of her friends suddenly became a blur once she looked toward the far end of the lab.

And there he was.

Fitz was turned around, so he didn’t know she was looking at him, but she could see from his stance that he was nervous. On the wall was an arch made of fairy lights where Coulson stood facing the aisle, smiling at Fitz warmly. She saw Coulson talking softly to him, most likely attempting to calm his nerves, but Fitz couldn’t seem to stand still. Once Coulson saw Jemma and May begin their walk towards them, he made eye contact with Fitz, motioning with his eyes for him to turn around. Fitz wiped his hands on his trousers, and then slowly turned to face the aisle.

Once his eyes locked on Jemma, the world around them seemed to stop. No longer did she hear the soft simple music guiding her pace down the aisle, or notice her onlooking friends standing on either side of her. Instead, all she saw was him and that grin she predicted earlier that somehow looked even more radiant in real life. And his suit that looked vaguely familiar from the time when they finally crossed that line together. And the way he seemed to look at her the same way he always had for the last decade, and yet, at the same time, he seemed to look at her in a completely different light. He was looking at her like he couldn’t believe his eyes. That somehow this wasn’t what the cosmos had in store for them, and he would wake up to find it all a distant dream. But this was real. He was really there, standing in complete awe as his best friend in the world walked down the aisle on her way to marry him.

Jemma tried her best to continue her pace, but seeing him looking at her in that way made her feet falter a bit, so she held onto May a little tighter to keep her balance. There were still a few meters to go before she reached the so-called alter, so she took her time to take in the sight of him all the same. Just as he seemed to look at her anew, she let her eyes gaze upon him a new light. Somehow, standing there with the fairy lights shining behind him, he looked older, more confident, more handsome. But at the same time, she saw that same boy from so many years ago, his bright blue eyes always a welcoming sight to see each day, his curly hair always a bit crooked on one side, and his smile that told her he was always thrilled to have her company.

As she continued to walk slowly toward him, she watched as his eyes took in everything – her dress and how it sparkled against the candle lights, her smile as she failed to contain her elation, and her eyes as they matched his gaze, knowing they were thinking the same thing. This was better than a dream. This was really happening.

After a few more careful steps, Jemma and May finally reached the end of the aisle. Fitz gave May a simple nod in gratitude, and then returned his eyes to Jemma, standing just a few centimeters away from her. Up close, she could see his eyes were already glassing over, and she knew, within a few moments, he was going to struggle to keep his composure. She widened her smile, unable to control her own glee.

“Wow,” he finally whispered as his eyes moved up and down, taking her in head to toe.

“Wow, yourself.”

“You look…” He shook his head back and forth, unable to come up with the proper words.

She giggled through his struggle. “You too.”

He pulled his lips in, completely taken by the sight of her. She really couldn’t believe this was real, and that this man, this selfless, caring, and extraordinary man, was about to promise his life to her. Her mind buzzed through her anticipation as she continued to gaze at him in complete wonder.

The sound of someone’s heel tapping on the ground brought them back to reality. At once, they realized it wasn’t just the two of them in that lab, but also their friends, who were probably waiting rather impatiently for the ceremony to start. Fitz shifted his eyes in Coulson’s direction, wordlessly indicating that they should probably get it going. Turning toward Coulson together, everyone suddenly burst into chuckles. This was going to be an emotional evening, to be sure, but that wouldn't stop them from having a bit of fun.

Coulson cleared his throat. “You guys still with us?”

“Yeah, sorry. Got a little distracted is all,” Fitz said, keeping his eyes fixed on Jemma. “Ready?” he asked her.

“I think so,” Jemma answered quietly.

Coulson paused for a moment to let everyone settle, and then opened his arms out in a welcoming gesture. “Friends, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two people that probably mean a lot more than just the world to all of us. I don’t have to tell any of you what these two mean to each other, because we already know. Yes, they are two brilliant, loyal, caring individuals, but together, they’re really something else, something I don’t think I’ve seen in my lifetime. Because FitzSimmons are more that just a pair. They’re a team, a unit, a complete entity that I don’t think anyone could replicate. I didn’t know how, or when, but I figured we would get here eventually. And I’m thrilled that we can all experience this moment together.”

Jemma and Fitz looked at each other, their eyes already misting over, nearly stunned by Coulson’s introduction. Coulson was the closest to a father figure for both of them in their line of work, especially Fitz, so hearing him say those kind words seemed to make this moment even more special. And if this was how they were going to start the ceremony, it was going to be an emotional rollercoaster the rest of the way.

Coulson crossed his hands in front of his chest. “Would you two please join hands?”

Jemma looked down at the flowers in her hands before Daisy stepped in. “Here, I got this.” Daisy said as she reached out to take the bouquet. “Might as well do my job while I’m at it.”

“Thank you,” Jemma whispered as Fitz smiled back, giving Daisy a thankful nod. Free of her bouquet, Jemma took Fitz’s hands in hers, swinging them slightly back and forth. They were warm, probably from him rubbing them together through his nerves, so they were the perfect balance for her cold ones. He must have noticed too, as he began to rub his thumbs back and forth to warm them up. After taking a deep breath, Fitz turned his head toward Coulson and nodded, asking him to continue.

“Leopold Fitz, do you take this woman to be your wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to her as long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” he replied without hesitation. His face lit up with the same addicting grin he wore when he first saw her walking down the aisle, but this time, his eyes were full of pride, like he couldn’t be more proud to devote his life to keeping this promise. Jemma matched his smile, and almost didn’t hear Coulson when he continued.

“And Jemma Simmons, do you take this man to be your wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to him as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.” Her eyes crinkled as she smiled, thrilled to finally say those two meaningful words.

“Now I know we don’t have rings, but I don’t know if you’ve prepared anything to say…”

“We have,” they said in unison. At this, they tightened their grip on each other’s hands, forever amused by their near identical brain patterns. Some things never change.

“Of course. Fitz, would you like to start?”

Fitz took a deep breath, and Jemma could feel his earlier nerves permeating through him once again. But all it took was her squeezing his hands to help him center himself. Meeting her eyes, the edge of his lip curled up into a half smile.

“Jemma. Sometimes I feel like I don’t tell you enough, what you mean to me, what this means to me. Part of me thinks it’s because you already know how much I care about you, and another part thinks that words never seem like enough. But today’s different. This is more than our wedding day. This is a start of a new chapter in our lives, one that I’ve been dreaming about for quite a while now.” He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts, so she gave him a soft smile to encourage him to keep going.

“I could go on and on if I had the time, but I don’t want to drag this on for too long, because I’m really just looking forward to what’s to come. So, I’ll say this. You’re everything and so much more. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner, a better friend, and now a better wife. I can’t wait for the road ahead knowing you’ll be by my side. Always.”

She mouthed his last word along with him, never failing to finish his sentences. His words sent a rush of joy and relief through her. There wasn’t a reason in the world to worry about saying the right thing, because no matter what she said, she knew he would take it to heart, just as she just did with his words. Still, she cleared her throat to prepare herself, knowing she probably was not going to make it through her little speech without breaking down even just a little. Taking a similar deep breath, she closed her eyes for a moment, and then found his eyes again, his encouraging gaze giving her the push she needed to begin.

“Fitz, I fretted…a lot…over what I wanted to say, but I think I finally figured it out.” She paused, noticing his breath already quickening at just those simple first words. He wasn’t going to make it even if he tried. “It’s been such a ride for the two of us. And it took us far too long to finally reach this point, but I don’t regret taking our time. Because in those early days, way before we knew where our lives would take us, it was so simple to care about you and trust you. But it took me quite a long time to realize that what I was feeling all those years ago wasn’t just friendship.” She took another deep breath, knowing this was the part of her speech that meant the most to her.

“I’ve loved you since the first day. That first day you talked to me at the Academy. Of course, I didn’t know it at the time. But, I see it now. You were always there for me, right from the start. You were the only person whom I could ever imagine spending the rest of my life with. A part of me, sixteen-year-old me, deep down knew we’d someday end up here together.” She paused to swallow the lump that formed in the throat. Thinking about their younger selves always made her emotional, to think of how much they’d been through together, always side by side. But it also made her think about how much time they had to look forward to, how many more adventures and discoveries they would encounter as they grew older, wiser, making her all the more eager for what was to come for them.

With her head clear again, she continued in a more hushed tone, delivering her next words just for him to hear. “I don’t where we’re going be in the next month, or year, or decade. But I promise you that whatever happens, wherever we go, wherever you are, that’s home for me.”

Unsurprisingly, Fitz failed miserably at keeping himself together. At her last words, he exhaled deeply, bouncing slightly onto the balls of his feet and chuckling as his eyes welled up to match hers. Somehow, during her vows, they’d managed to move closer together, so their foreheads were now nearly touching. If it weren’t for their friends surrounding them, they probably would have melted into one another on the spot.

Coulson cleared his throat again, causing them both to turn their heads, but they made no effort to move farther apart. “Well, without any rings, there’s really not much else for me to do. But I’ll end with this. You both inspire us every day to be better people, to care for one another, and above all else, to love deeply. We’re so lucky you both chose to share this moment with us. So, it is my great privilege to announce you as husband and wife. Fitz, I think you’ve waited long enough. You may now kiss your bride.”

“Finally.”

Fitz didn’t hesitate to pull Jemma in for what felt like the most glorious kiss she had ever experienced. His arms curled around her back as he brought her into his chest, his lips capturing hers in a heated kiss. She locked her hands on his jaw, savoring the feeling of his lips against hers, and traced her thumb against his check, just as she’d done many times before. And this wasn’t just any kiss. This kiss sealed the promises they just made, and signified how completely devoted they were to this marriage, this life, and each other.

They pulled apart after a few moments, not wanting to drag on for too long in front of their friends. Jemma reached up and moved her thumb against his lip while Fitz leaned his forehead against hers.

At this point, Coulson probably announced them as a couple to end the ceremony, but they didn’t hear much beyond their now synced breaths. Not bothering to retrieve her bouquet from Daisy, Jemma turned with Fitz to walk down the aisle, not breaking eye contact until it was absolutely necessary. They noticed the cheers coming from their friends, but at this moment, all they could focus on was each other, and the knowledge that for once, everything seemed to work out just as planned.

Once they exited the lab, without saying any words, they made their way in a rush down the hallway hand in hand. As much as they wanted to tackle each other with affection at their first opportunity, they didn’t want too much of their first moment alone as a married couple to be caught on the security cameras, so they waited until they found a small nook tucked away in a corner of the base before launching at each other in a fierce embrace. They still didn’t speak, too overwhelmed by the last few minutes, the vows they shared, seeing each other among all the lights and candles, experiencing this moment together in a room filled with the people they most care about.

After relishing in this blissful moment of holding each other tightly, Jemma pulled back just enough to start planting kisses all over his face, not caring about the marks her lipstick left behind on his skin. Eventually, she ended her frantic peppering of kisses to lean her forehead against his and stare deeply into his eyes. The eyes of her husband.

“We did it,” she whispered.

“We did,” he agreed.

After erupting in contagious giggles, they leaned in for another exhilarating kiss on the lips. This one was much more intense than the one they shared during the ceremony, Jemma not hesitating to explore his mouth with her tongue and let out a few soft moans in pleasure. She could feel a sudden heat from him gripping her waist, and a chill went up her spine when he snaked one hand up to curl it around the back of her neck.

As they pulled apart to catch their breaths, Fitz, unable to control his emotions yet again, let go of her waist to bring his hand up to wipe under his eyes.

“Ah, none of that. No crying!” she exclaimed as she swatted his arm with the back of her hand.

“What do you expect? With you in that dress, and those vows.”

“I’ve already done enough of this already.” But looking at him, still welling up, she knew she was done for, and felt her eyelashes grow heavier with fresh tears. “Oh, bloody hell.”

“Here,” he said, gently running his finger under her eye to catch a stray tear that escaped.

“We’re going to look like a mess at the reception.”

“I think that’s allowed. And is there even going to be a reception?”

“I have no idea.” She brought her hands back up to his face and stroked his cheeks back and forth with her thumbs. “I still can’t believe that you’re my husband now. It sounds so strange…but not really. It sounds so lovely, natural, to be honest. I’m glad we did this today.”

“Me too,” he agreed, leaning in to capture her lips once more.

But before they could indulge, they heard a fit a laughter coming from the direction of the common room, and felt the subtle vibrations of upbeat music playing.

“I think they’re waiting for us,” Jemma whispered.

“They can wait a little longer,” he said before pulling her in for another fiery kiss.

-----

They did eventually make their way to the common room for what they assumed was their reception from the sound of it. Walking in sync, Jemma's arm linked through Fitz’s, they found Daisy waiting outside the doorway, looking rather impatient.

“Took you guys long enough.”

Jemma placed her hand on her hip. “What? I think we’re allowed some time alone since we just got married.”

“Dudes, save it for after the reception.”

Daisy opened the door, but kept her friends from entering the room. “Whoa, hold on, you guys have to make an entrance.” Tilting her head into the doorframe, she raised her voice to a near shout. “For the first time I would like to introduce Mr. and Mrs…wait, what are you guys calling yourselves? Ah, whatever. Mr. and Mrs. FITZSIMMONS!”

The room erupted in cheers from their friends, giving them the warmest welcome as Fitz and Jemma made their way through the door. They took in the beautiful sight together, staring in awe at how their friends somehow managed to turn the common room into a glowing fantasy. Similar candles from the lab filled the room on every surface, with fairly lights hanging on the walls and white rose petals dusting the floor. They had moved the sofa from the center of the room to create a makeshift dance floor, Mack already messing with his phone in the corner to get the music playing. On the island in the kitchen area were more rose petals surrounding a small white frosted cake, with a simple heart surrounding their initials written in blue lettering.

Elena shrugged as she saw them eyeing the cake. “It’s store-bought, but come on. We only had a few hours.”

“Oh, stop. We love it,” Jemma said as she smiled earnestly.

As they listened to the music and looked around at the details of the decorating, May helped Daisy begin passing flutes of champagne around. Once everyone was settled in a semi circle around Fitz and Jemma, Daisy stepped forward.

“I want to start with a toast. Don’t worry; I’ll keep it short. When I first met you both on the Bus, I knew there was something special between you two, even if you didn’t realize it was something much more than friendship. I know it's been quite a journey for you both, with a lot of pain, heartache, tragedy, but you two are always the light at the center of this team. You keep us stronger and give us hope that even when it feels like the world is working against us, as long as we have each other, we’ll be okay. I’m so proud to call you my friends, and I’m overjoyed that you two found happiness in each other. May your happiness continue for the years to come. To the bride and groom.”

“Cheers!” everyone exclaimed in unison.

Daisy downed her champagne quickly and moved forward to take Fitz and Jemma’s glasses. “Alright, enough of this sappy stuff. It’s time for some dancing.” On cue, Mack started playing the music, the simple melody making its way through the speakers. “Fitz, no pressure, but this is your moment. Don’t mess it up.”

Turning to Jemma, Fitz held out his hand, giving her a half smile. “Here goes nothing.”

Pulling her into the center of the floor, they fell into a steady sway, rocking effortlessly to the uplifting love song playing in the background. After a few moments of moving in a simple circle, someone whistled in encouragement, so Fitz dared to mix up their movements, pulling away to spin her under his arm before pulling her back into his chest. Jemma’s eyes widened, impressed by his change of pace.

“Don’t get your hopes up for anything more, because that’s probably the extent of my dancing ability.”

She let her head fall back as she laughed. “You’re doing great. And I think the rest of your character fully makes up for your lack of expert level dancing skills. I’ll still keep you.”

“Good.”

After a few more songs, Fitz managing to not trip over his feet too much, they settled into the sofa to let the others dance, finishing their champagne from their plastic flutes. Jemma sank down lower into the cushion, curling into Fitz’s side and laying her arm across his chest. “Well, that was fun.”

“It was, wasn’t it? I think I’m fond of weddings, especially when your friends plan everything for you.”

She giggled into his chest, but noticed him not joining in. Looking up at him, she saw his face suddenly serious. “What is it?”

“I know it’s not what you expected, how we would get married. But I promise, we’ll go back home, have another ceremony in Sheffield.”

“But this is home.” She sat up straight to look him square in the eye, placing her hands on his shoulders. “This was so much more than anything I could have imagined. I don’t need a fancy ceremony or a guest list full of relatives I didn’t even know existed. This is our family, and I couldn’t be happier that we got to do this here, last minute and all. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

He smiled then, that same smile he always pulled when he was completely enamored by her. She never tired of that smile.

“I love you, wife.”

“And I love you, husband.” She pushed herself up to place a kiss on his forehead.

“I like saying that.”

“I noticed.”

“Also, I’m impressed. You didn’t plan anything beforehand, and yet you seemed to be pretty calm throughout the whole thing. Still emotional, obviously, but calm nonetheless.”

“Are you kidding? I was so nervous.”

“When? You didn’t seem so during the ceremony.”

“Not then. Before, when I was getting ready. It was the vows. You’re always the romantic one, so I didn’t want to mess it up. But I had a little help.”

He tilted his head to the side in slight confusion.

“A certain friend of mine got me through it, told me what I needed to hear.”

A small smile crept on his face once he understood her meaning.

She moved closer to his side and rested her head on his shoulder. “We’ll see them again one day, right?” she murmured into his chest.

Bringing his hand up to trace his finger along her cheek, he nodded. “I like to think so.”

They didn’t stay at their reception for much longer, too eager to retire to their bunk for some celebratory activities, among other things. But what they truly looked forward to was waking up, seeing each other like any other day, but this time officially sharing a name. It was always an unspoken promise of forever for them. But now, it was solidified by their words, their contract to be there for one another, to carry each other when they weren’t strong enough, to fight for each other when they weren’t brave enough, and to love each other through every triumph and obstacle they faced.

Coulson was right.

They were a team, a unit, a complete entity that could not be matched in this universe. 

And today, the universe finally worked in their favor.