I know fitzsimmons week was a few weeks ago but I hope you guys don't mind me being a little late. Also I'm typing this out quickly between classes so if you guys want longer versions send me a note.

2. Monkey

Leo groggily rubs his calloused fingers over his eyes, cool wedding ring knocking against the bridge of his nose, as he swings open the worn front door. A few fluffs of snowflakes drift around and past him as he steps over the threshold and unceremoniously drops his briefcase at his feet, wincing at the dull thunk, "I'm home!" His chilled hands fumble with the buttons of his overcoat as he slips out of his loafers, foot nudging the door closed behind him as his four-year-old daughter, all brown curls and blue eyes and giggles, appears at the end of the hall.

"Daddy!"

Tired as he is, he cannot help genuinely smiling, his coat joining his shoes and briefcase on the floor, a small pool of melted snow forming around them, as he drops to his knees and opens his arms. His daughter barrels into his chest, her arms wrapping around his neck as he pulls her against him, kissing the top of her head. "Hello, monkey."

He stands up with her still secure in his arms and settles her onto his hip before kissing her cheek. She immediately pushes against his chest, squirming in his arms. "Daddy no! You're itchy!"

Leo strokes his cheeks and chin with his free hand, callouses catching on the day old stubble, "so I am. Do you know what that makes me?" She shakes her head. "The itchy monster!" He kisses her cheek over and over again, causing her to shriek and giggle, and starts walking them down the hall, grabbing a black aluminum cane leaning against the bathroom door frame as they pass it. "How was your day?"

She catches her breath and shouts "uncle Phil was here!"

Leo pulls back to look at her, surprised, "he was?"

She nods happily "he wanted to talk to you and mommy, but you weren't here, so he just talked to mommy. He wants you and mommy to go on a field trip."

His hand grips the cane tighter. "Mommy and I don't go on field trips anymore."

"That's what mommy said. He brought me LEGOs! And we were going to have a tea party with the dwarfs but his phone rang and he had to go but you know what daddy?"

"What's that, monkey?"

"He still had my pink crown in his hair when he left! And mommy didn't tell him! And she put her finger against her mouth like this," she makes a shushing motion, "when he wasn't looking so I didn't tell him either!" Leo laughs, his daughter's energy infectious, as they round the corner into the family room/toy room/home lab. "And guess what?" He opens his mouth but she is already onto the next sentence, "I made a picture in school today! I'll show you!" She wriggles in his arms, "down, daddy!"

"Ok, ok." Leo sets her down and bends to kiss her forehead, missing as she sprints past him.

Jemma looks up from her microscope, both exasperated and amused, "no running in the house, Melinda!" She swivels in her chair to face her husband, taking in his rumpled hair, his light stubble, his sunken eyes, and stands up, crossing the room to him.

He watches her face for any signs of pain as she lightly limps on her left foot, "cane works better when it's in the same room as you, darling."

He holds it out to her. "I can get around this floor of the house just fine without it." She wraps her fingers around his proffered wrist and tugs tenderly, pulling him to her for a soft kiss.

He sets the cane against the wall and pulls her into his arms, burying his face in her neck as she runs her fingers through his hair. "I know," his voice is muffled against her skin, and he sighs into her when she rakes her nails against his scalp, "I just…" His right hand settles on her left hip, thumb slipping under her shirt and caressing her skin.

"Worry. But I'm ok, Melinda's ok." She kisses his temple. "Are you?"

He nods, hands pressing into her back as he pulls her closer, nuzzling his nose against her collarbone. "Just tired. Twenty two hours straight, but impending disaster averted."

Melinda sprints back into the room and holds up a piece of construction paper in both hands, "daddy look!"

Leo lifts his head and turns to face his daughter, inspecting her artwork; a crudely drawn bright pink hellicarrier. He raises his eyebrows, impressed. "Wow, that looks great, monkey."

Jemma intertwines their fingers, "Mrs. Anderson says she has quite the imagination."

"Daddy, will you show me the rotary engines one day?"

Leo scoops her into his arms again, "of course, who do you think perfected them?"

"Tony Stark?"

He scoffs, mortified, "Tony? Tony Stark? You think Tony Stark could design four rotary engines on an invisible ship?" Melinda giggles, Jemma raises an eyebrow, and Leo sighs, "he helped. A little. A fair amount. Why don't we play LEGOs?"

"But I never got to play tea party! The dwarfs are still waiting, daddy!"

"Tea party? Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He sighs, "ok, monkey. Give mommy a kiss." Jemma leans against him as Melinda kisses her cheek. "And now mommy gives monkey a kiss." Jemma kisses her daughter's cheek and tickles her stomach, eliciting a shriek of laughter. "And daddy gives mommy a kiss," he places a kiss on his wife's forehead, smiling, "and lastly… itchy monster gives monkey a kiss!"

"Daddy no!"