Title: Chocolate is the best medicine
author: Cindy Ryan
spoilers: FZZT
category: oneshot, postep
Forty-eight hours after she thought she'd never see another day Jemma Simmons found herself in the Bus's Mess eating ice cream. At three thirteen in the morning. At least it was that time in the last time zone they'd been in when Jemma had checked her clock.
The young scientist was tired beyond tired. She had slept. Coulson had ordered that she take at least two days off. Jemma had politely refused stating she was fine and needed to work. Which at the time had been true. She was fine her brain just wouldn't shut off long enough for her to sleep more than four hours at a time.
"Have an extra spoon?"
Jemma glanced up at the familiar voice to find Fitz standing a few feet from the table she was sitting at. She returned his smile.
"I'll get one."Simmons stated as she stood and walked to the rear counter and retrieved a spoon and some napkins. "Sure you don't want a dish of your own?"
Leo shook his head as he sat down across from Jemma's empty seat.
"My body clock is so screwed up with us globe-trotting around the world. If I have my own sundae I'll be awake for days."Leo replied.
"This reminds me of our academy days."Jemma commented quietly as she sat down and dug back into the ice cream. "How many nights did we spend in the cafeteria studying over ice cream?"
Fitz ate a mouthful of ice cream before replying. "I believe you started that tradition. Something about oreos needing ice cream."
Jemma laughed and couldn't help but note how good it felt to do so. "I think you were the one that was stacking oreos into mini buildings using chocolate syrup as mortar."
"That got us out of doing extra credit for a month. Professor Goldburn was impressed."Leo stated as he dipped his spoon back into the bowl for another bite.
Jemma giggled. "He was amused."
"What you can't be amused and impressed at the same time?"Leo countered with a grin.
Jemma reached over and covered Leo's free hand with hers. He met her gaze and she knew he was thinking of her recent brush with death just as she was. Jemma knew how fortunate and lucky she was to be alive and to have family and friends that would risk their own life for hers. The S.H.I.E.L.D team was her family especially Leo. She didn't know what she'd do without him.
"We should come up with a new late night snack tradition for the bus."Jemma stated after a moment and she withdrew her hand.
Leo cleared his throat and nodded. "New is always good but I like old traditions best. I don't share three am sundaes with just anybody."
"Old traditions it is then."Jemma replied with a smile.
The two friends finished the ice cream and stayed in the mess talking well after the sun rose.
end