Skye watched as Jemma ran her fingers over the crisp white bed sheet, smoothing minuscule wrinkles from the fabric. It had been weeks since the accident, but ever since she had boarded the BUS, the scientist had been distracted, always moving in silence and returning to Fitz's room when her tasks were complete.
"Hey." The hacker casually leaned against the door, eyes cast over the biochemist huddling in her partner's bunk.
"Oh, hello, Skye," she greeted her in a numb, detached voice. Eyes slightly glazed, they focused on the hacker for a moment before staring into nothing once more.
"How're you holding up?"
"Fine," came the automatic answer, dull and lifeless as her eyes. Concern knotted the hacker's brow as she settled next to Simmons. Even when working and doing the things she loved, the biochemist had seemed dazed, almost numb to the world around her.
"Be honest. Your other half is missing. Are you holding up okay?" Internally, she cringed at her own words. Maybe frankness wasn't the way to go, but Skye knew no other way. Jemma let out a long breath.
"I'm holding up well enough to function. I've been monitoring my vitals as well as everyone on the plane's, and I'm just fine." A snort escaped the hacker before she could help herself.
"Simmons, that's all well and good, but I'm asking how you are holding up. Spiritual energy and chakra and all that crap," the hacker rattled off.
"I'm..." Her voice trailed off. "I... I'm not sure." Another few moments passed and in a horrible, cracked, broken voice, Jemma croaked out, "Please go."
Skye did.
Weeks became months and there were no calls. Fitz was stable, no more, no less. Simmons, on the other hand, was on a slow decline. She had started to disregard her own health, skipping meals and spending so much time in the lab she would occasionally fall asleep standing up. Skye, Trip, and sometimes May would find her in a crumpled heap in the lab and carry her to Fitz's room before continuing with their workouts. After one such morning, the resident hacker settled in the doorway and watched as the biochemist woke, sitting upright and rubbing her eyes.
"Hey," Skye whispered, leaning against the doorframe. The slightest inclination of the head was the only sign that Simmons had heard. "You okay?" The scientist looked up, blinking.
"Oh, me? Yes, I'm fine. I'm..." Her voice trailed off.
"You're a horrible liar." Skye went to sit next to her on the bed. "Do you want to talk?" A tiny shake of the head was her response. Quietly, not taking her eyes from the floor, the scientist reached over and pulled her partner's pillow into her arms and hugged it, chin resting on the softness.
"It'll... I'm sure..." The hacker struggled for something to say, but nothing felt right on her tongue. Promising that it would all turn out in the end was too likely to be a lie, but she wasn't sure what else would be an adequate condolence. "This sucks," she managed. A listless, empty-eyed nod responded.
"Yeah." Silence fell between the two of them. Skye fiddled with the hem of her shirt, fingers brushing and smoothing the rough edges. The quiet draped over them like a blanket, smothering and choking. Awkward and uncertain of what else she could offer, she started to stand.
"Well, I'm going to-" the hacker was cut off by a choked noise and a light hand on her wrist.
"Skye-" It was then that the scientist started crying in earnest. Tears ran tracks from her cheeks to the pillow. Settling down again, Skye wrapped an arm around her friend's back. It started with soft whimpering sounds and small tear tracks, but slowly intensified as bottle emotions began to leak. Sobs echoed around the room as Simmons finally broke down, clutching the pillow of her missing partner. Skye murmured soft comforts, simply going along with the flow of things. It hurt to contain things for too long, as she knew. She still mourned the old Ward most nights, alone. She watched Triplett glance in, see the situation, and gently slide the door closed. Practically screaming silent thanks to him in her head, Skye returned to gently running her hand over Simmons's back, giving her quiet comfort as the scientist's body was wrecked with heaving, choking sobs.
"He-he t-t-told m-m-me that I-I-I-" a choked sob ripped through the sentence, "t-t-that he l-l-loved m-m-m-" Jemma's voice disappeared in a fresh wave of tears as the hacker stared in shock. Fitz had what?! After a moment of thought, the only word that Skye could conceive was finally. Too bad Ward was gone, he now owed her ten bucks and a day off from training. Maybe they still allow cash in the Fridge. Thinking like that stabbed painfully at her gut, so she tucked the thought away for later.
"Shhh..." the hacker murmured softly. "It's okay. To be honest, I saw this one coming from miles away." The sobs increased and Skye cursed her blatant nature. "Shhh..." she tried again. Maybe I should just stop talking.
"And I-I-I think I l-l-love h-h-him, t-t-too..." finished the weeping girl. Damn, now he owes me twenty.
"Yeah, Simmons?" Still sniffling, the biochemist glanced up. "I have never seen people as close a you two. If you guys weren't in love, I don't know a couple who is." The hacker's face suddenly scrunched up, and after a moment she stood. "You know what I'm gonna do?" Jemma shook her head slowly, wiping her eyes with one hand. "I'm going to go get May to turn this stupid plane around. I'll be damned if Fitz wakes up without you by his bedside."