Author's Notes:
As the description mentions, this fic is canon-compliant through Season 5, episode 12 with one exception: Yo-Yo has not lost her arms at this point. As the story begins, Season 5, episode 12 has just wrapped up and then something different has happened to the team.
Rating is Teen and Up and expected to stay that way; there is a chance that a later chapter or two will move up to Mature. If so, it will be marked and I'll give readers an easy way to bypass that content if they want. The F bomb will be dropped once or twice.
A huge thank you to JaneDoh7 and LibbyWeasley for their beta-testing skills.
The First Week – Part A
Jemma Simmons paced the campsite. The weather was pleasantly cool with a gentle breeze. A few clouds obstructed the sun but the warm patches felt good on her skin. The ground, some sections covered by grass and some by dirt, was soft under her shoes. Jemma had become accustomed to the new surroundings, but she told herself that another walk around the area would be useful to again memorize the layout.
The center of the campsite held several spacious tents, large enough for a few people to stand up inside them. Also in the center of the site stood a long, wooden table covered by a tarp. Split, smooth logs served as chairs. Several fire pits and a rudimentary outdoor kitchen were nearby.
To the north was the trail that led to the village of the people who lived nearby. They called themselves the Khoji. A 30-40 minute walk at a brisk pace would take you there.
To the south was the pond. Its waters were clean and clear, and the muted sun was hitting it in the right way to cause a pleasant gleam.
The east led to a thick forest, dense and either beautiful or foreboding depending on your point of view. The showers and latrines were also in that general direction.
And the west pointed to the direction that Fitz had gone. Fitz, May, Mack, Yo-Yo, Hunter, Deke, Davis, and Piper had set out three days ago with a handful of Khoji functioning as their guides. The view would have been enchanting had it not reminded Jemma of the fact that Fitz was away – yet again she and the man she loved, the man who was now her husband, had been forcibly separated.
That left Jemma back at camp along with Coulson, Daisy, and Bobbi. Coulson wanted the bulk of the team on the scouting mission, with only those who absolutely had to be there left behind. Jemma was happy to remain behind and tend to Coulson, who was responding shockingly well to the treatment. Daisy had insisted upon staying with him too, as she was still absorbing the news of his sickness – and of his possible, eventual recovery.
Bobbi and Hunter had been at the camp – wherever this place was – far longer than the others. The Khoji respected Bobbi and Hunter, and thus Bobbi felt it was in the team's best interest if she remained behind so she could liaison with the Khoji when needed. She and Hunter now spoke their language with some degree of fluency. The fact that Bobbi and Hunter had arrived here months ago and had acted heroically in the Khojis' eyes had – thankfully – cemented the team's place at this campsite as friends instead of foe.
As Jemma walked around the area and mulled over what Bobbi had explained to the team earlier, she felt the tall woman approach her.
"He will be back soon," Bobbi said firmly, placing a hand on Jemma's shoulder. "Stop worrying."
Jemma took a deep breath. The air here was delicious, especially after what she had experienced in the Lighthouse. She wasn't enjoying it right now though. Jemma turned and faced Bobbi. "I know. It's just that – we had decided to never leave each other's sides again."
Bobbi nodded. "You couldn't have predicted this; you couldn't have known that you'd end up here. Hunter and I certainly didn't see it coming."
Jemma's eyes darted around as Bobbi spoke. Having been here far longer, Bobbi felt grounded in the place but she understood why Jemma was having trouble settling in and seemed to constantly scan her surroundings.
Jemma's eyes then focused back on Bobbi. She spoke quietly, as Coulson's tent wasn't far away. "I guess I must accept the fact that I just don't agree with Coulson that a recon mission was even needed. You and Hunter have been here a while and made peace with the Khoji. You already know the lay of the land."
Bobbi tilted her head. "I understand where Coulson's coming from," she said, her tone also soft since words carried further outside. "Hunter and I may have been here for a couple months, but Coulson hasn't. You have a larger team here than just Hunter and me, so now we can cover more ground. Maybe there is something we missed, in terms of a way home. Coulson wants our team to scout out more territory and he wants to see it with his own eyes – well, or with May's own eyes, since Coulson himself needs to rest."
"Or did he just want to push May away?" Jemma asked with a hint of sourness in her voice.
Bobbi raised her eyebrows. Was Jemma angry at Coulson? No, Bobbi decided. Jemma was worried about Fitz and upset at having been separated from him. Understandable, Bobbi said to herself, given that their wedding had taken place just hours before the team had been forcibly transported here. Another cruel trick the universe had played on them.
"Maybe," Bobbi said. "But regardless, this place isn't that big. The team will be back in another day or two," she added emphatically.
"Unless they encounter enemy tribes – or any other unwelcome surprises. The Khoji did say they have enemies," Jemma insisted.
"But this is their territory and they scout it all the time. This area is as secure as can be. We can't be as sure about the area outside the campsite, but I believe we're safe. Even though Daisy and Yo-Yo don't have their powers here, I still doubt that there's much here that our team couldn't handle."
Both women heard footsteps; Daisy emerged from Coulson's tent and approach them.
Bobbi again placed a hand on Jemma's back. "They will be back soon. I know it." She smirked and added, "I've tried to get rid of Hunter so many times but fate always seems to bring us back together despite our best efforts."
Jemma let out a much-needed laugh at that, and Daisy was now in earshot and joined them.
"How's Coulson?" Jemma asked, even though she had been checking on him numerous times a day.
"I want to believe what the Khoji say, that he will be fine. He certainly seems good, though tired," Daisy said. Her voice sounded a bit throaty and raw, and her eyes were distant. "I just wish I had an explanation. For everything. For why we're here and how they're curing Coulson. I mean, I've gotten used to the fact that my life has been a non-stop pit of chaos since I joined S.H.I.E.L.D. But I still wish we had some answers."
Jemma shook her head. "Not being able to analyze the situation is absolutely maddening!"
"You get used to it," Bobbi insisted. "The rest of you haven't been here long enough." She then looked at Daisy and added, "I was just telling Simmons to stop worrying and that her husband and the others will be back soon enough. There's not enough to do here other than worry about the away team and worry about Coulson - and that fact isn't helping your mindset. So….I have an idea to take your mind off of things."
Given Bobbi's suddenly conspiratorial – even impish - tone, Jemma and Daisy exchanged a look. Bobbi then shrugged and grinned. "Let's get you ready for your husband's return. You're newlyweds and you deserve to look special for him."
"What did you have in mind?" Jemma asked. She forced herself to turn her thoughts away from the perplexing situation with Coulson's recovery. In fact, she suddenly wanted very much to hear what Bobbi had to say.
"Well, for starters we can figure out what to do with your hair – the ponytail is nice for every day, but let's see what we can do despite the fact that we have no styling products. Other than brushes. There are wildflowers we can pick – as long as, of course, we take just a few and leave most behind. The Khoji have pigments that they use for ceremonies; I have some and sometimes I use them for lipstick and blush."
Daisy opened her mouth, but Bobbi cut her off, "Yes, yes, we know Fitz finds Simmons gorgeous even when she first gets out of bed and even if she were wearing a burlap sack – and, hell, even if she had mud smeared all over her face. But why not do something special? That brings me to my next thing. I have a dress! A gift from the Khoji. So how about you borrow it on the day Fitz returns?"
"A dress?" Jemma echoed, feeling even more delighted than she had been a moment ago at Bobbi's redirection of her focus. Of course, Simmons' logical side stepped right in. "Any dress that fits you will be far too long on me."
"I'm guessing it will reach your ankles," Bobbi said, surveying Jemma's lower half. "It was short on me. We can always pin it if we need to." Seeing Jemma nod, Bobbi continued, "So we'll do something with your hair, we have a bit of makeup, we have a dress. And I have tweezers and will pluck your eyebrows."
Jemma winced at that last sentence but didn't object. And any reference to wearing a dress brought her back to her wedding. It almost felt like no sooner had she and Fitz changed back into their every day clothing before they and the others had been transported here.
"You're just sore that you missed the wedding," Daisy remarked at Bobbi, crossing her arms. She was bemused at Bobbi's zeal for this topic.
Jemma wanted to figure out the mystery with Coulson – and with the team's surroundings – but Bobbi's plan appealed to her. Fitz always said – truthfully - that he was the more romantic of the two. Perhaps Jemma could show him that she had her own romantic side.
The team sent to scout the area had been blessed with good weather for the past few days. Hunter grumbled loudly over the fact that rain had been abundant before the rest of the team had been brought here, and that he and Bobbi had spent many days inside their tent, eating dried venison and dried apples, and wishing they could keep a decent fire going. However for the past few days, the team had experienced skies that were clear or partly cloudy, generally with a pleasant breeze which served to cool them down after a day of walking.
"We'll make camp here," Mack said, as the came upon a clearing. He looked at Hunter and nodded.
Hunter spoke with the Khoji who confirmed that they agreed with the plan. It had been a long day of walking and the sun would be setting soon.
Fitz was glad for the rest. He had been charged with mapmaking and navigation, no simple tasks given the rudimentary tools available to him. He liked the challenge though. No sense, he told himself, in wishing for all the tools back at the lab. He and Simmons could've spent years analyzing everything here from the soil under their feet to the stars in the sky. Well, he mused, perhaps they would indeed spend years analyzing everything if they failed to find a way home. They just wouldn't have any of the advanced equipment they were used to.
The team soon got to work making camp. After several days out on this mission, they had found a rhythm to getting the chores done. Hunter coordinated with the Khoji, ensuring that the division of labor was respectful and would keep the agents on good terms with the Khoji. The fire was started and dinner begun.
Five tents were erected: one to be shared by Fitz and Hunter, one by Mack and Yo-Yo, the next by Deke and Davis, then May and Piper, and then the three Khoji men.
Fitz was largely quiet and contemplative during dinner, which had been the norm for him during this trip. As the team sat around the fire and ate, Hunter did the lion's share of the talking, sharing his observations about this place given his experience here. The Khoji would occasionally chime in, Hunter would translate, Deke would run his mouth whenever possible, and usually by the time their anecdotes were over, Fitz was bone tired and would retire to his tent.
Tired or not, Fitz was grateful to be using his brain, to have a mission and a purpose. During his six months of hell inside the black ops prison, he too had had a project – but it was one he could not solve. At least here Fitz could successfully map out the land.
"You're too quiet," Hunter said as he entered the tent. He sealed the tent flap and prepared his sleeping bag, grateful to the Khoji for the supplies. The evening would be slightly cool, but the sleeping bags were warm so Hunter began to undress. He and Fitz had each worn hats during the day to protect their skin from the sun, and Hunter especially had been glad to discard his.
"If I'm quiet that's more room for you to talk, yeah?" Fitz retorted.
"True enough." Hunter said and then slid into his sleeping bag. "We'll be back to the campsite in no time."
"I know," Fitz said quietly. He traced a finger across the wedding band on his left hand, still almost in disbelief that he and Jemma had tied the knot.
"I know you promised never to leave each other's sides – and that Coulson's orders shot that all to hell," Hunter continued. "Of course he didn't know that when he ordered this scouting mission. Bobbi and I don't fully have the lay of the land here, but I think it's safe here. You'll be back with her soon."
"I know." Fitz turned his head in the direction of Hunter, although it was dark inside their tent. He tried to think of a way to say that he appreciated Hunter's concern, a way that wouldn't sound too syrupy. But Hunter spoke again before Fitz could.
"Although fate really does seem to be playing with you two, bringing you here right after your wedding. I remember when Bobbi and I were newlyweds," Hunter began.
Fitz loved his friend but had to tune him out this time. He'd heard all the stories before. He knew, given Hunter and Bobbi's subsequent divorce and reconciliation, that any anecdote taking place soon after their wedding would be full of Hunter wryly complaining about Bobbi, only to end the tale with an admission that he couldn't live without her.
As Hunter droned on, Fitz felt a rush of gratitude. He was no longer inside that horrible prison. He could hear the wind outside. He was surrounded by his makeshift family. He hated that Jemma was not there, but reminded himself that in just a few days they would be reunited.
Those six months in the black ops prison had been torture. Before that, he had known physical pain, he had known heartache, fear, and loneliness. But the prison had brought it all to a new level. Every night on the bed, he had gripped the pillow and wished it were Jemma. He had replayed their conversations, remembered the sound of her voice and the touch of her hands. He had thought of her beautiful smile. He had wished he could share the progress of his research with her because he knew she would've uncovered solutions that he hadn't been able to find.
He had eaten the rubbery prison food and remembered the sandwich that only Jemma could make for him. He had wished that his right shoulder were stiff and sore from the weight of Jemma's head on it all night. And of course, he had remembered the way she tasted and how his tongue had run itself along every inch of her.
"Oh bollocks!" Hunter grumbled loudly, jolting Fitz out of his thoughts.
Sounds were coming from Mack and Yo-Yo's tent. They were trying to be discreet but the tents were close together and sounds carried.
"Well, good for them," Hunter muttered a minute later, apparently having changed his opinion of the situation. "And don't worry, mate. I tell you, you'll be back with her in a few days, and you'll be keeping the rest of us up at night. You'll have that wedding night."
Fitz pretended to be asleep this time. He again felt twinges of real gratitude despite everything. He and Jemma had grabbed bits of time together once they had been reunited. A reunion in Voss's lab on the zephyr, and of course later inside their room at the Lighthouse. It wasn't as if he even had anything special planned for their wedding night. Well, not anything too special though Deke had secretly handed Fitz some silk flowers and hard candies he had acquired on his outdoor mission. They were all back at the Lighthouse of course; when the team had been transported here, they had come with nothing but the clothing on their backs.
"Bobbi's probably talked to Jemma about birth control here," Hunter added.
This topic piqued Fitz's interest. "Oh yeah? What – uh, what do you think she's said?"
"Well, mate, there isn't any here!" Hunter said, exasperated. "Bobbi's gathered from the Khoji women that they just track their cycles and that's how they avoid pregnancy. Some of them hinted that they use sponges from the sea – but we're nowhere near the damn sea, and Bobbi couldn't find one of the mysterious sponges when she snooped around their village. So we have to avoid sex when Bobbi's fertile. Which of course she will be in a few days when we get back! Just our goddamn luck." He paused, "Well, we don't have to avoid all forms of sex. There's still all the oral things. And the back door, if you're into that."
Fitz was silent for a moment and then said, straightforwardly, "Ah, well, good to know. I figured that might be the case here. Didn't think they had a pharmacy where you could purchase condoms or pills."
Hunter yawned loudly. More noises came from Mack and Yo-Yo's tent. "Well, mate, we should probably stop this line of discussion. I don't want to get all riled up. G'night."
"Good night."
Fitz rolled over onto his side. He had a soft sleeping bag and pillow, and he had most of his team here with him. He just had to hope that their luck continued and their team made it safely back to camp -despite whatever threats were lurking in this alien land.
TO BE CONTINUED
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