The Bus

Chapter 1: SEPTEMBER

"Oh, bloody hell!"

Of course, Leo Fitz overslept again. Leaping out of bed, he quickly flung on any clothes he could find nearby, ate a slice of bread (he didn't have time to actually toast it) and rushed out of his flat towards the bus stop. It was the first day of the new school year and his second year of being a science teacher, and he didn't want to be late on the first day back. All he had to do was catch the next bus…that was due in two minutes.

And so Leopold Fitz ran faster than he ever had, and by some miracle he made it to the stop before the bus has arrived. The school was in the centre of town and he lived quite a way out on the outskirts, and couldn't afford a car just yet. Despite his hatred of public transport, he had no choice but to put up with it.

The bus turned up on time (for once) and Fitz sadly accepted his fate and bought a ticket before turning his attention to everyone on board, quickly examining them. All the seats were taken bar one near the back, but a bag was placed firmly on top of it. Fitz's hatred of public transport grew, his cynical nature assuming the woman sat next to the bag wouldn't move it. To his delight, however, the woman noticed him and moved her bag away, smiling at him as he approached her. He smiled back, taking a closer look at the woman as he sat down.

She had hazel hair, the colour matching her eyes. There was something about her Fitz found fascinating. Everyone about her was welcoming. She was dressed smartly and her clothing, Fitz guessed, would be classed as fashionable. She just radiated warmth and was unlike anyone Fitz had met, and he didn't even know her name.

"Thanks." He mustered as he took a seat.

"No problem. I hate public transport you see, so I try and at least make it enjoyable for others." The woman said with a smile. Fitz's face lit up.

"I…I hate public transport too!" Fitz beamed. The woman sat up more in her seat.

"Really? Well, I am glad. I can't drive so I don't really have a choice and I can't be late for work. At least I did a good deed for you; I wouldn't want so weirdo sitting next to me for the whole journey."

"Oh, well I better move then." Fitz joked. He was more than pleased that she laughed in response.

…

The traffic meant the journey would take about half an hour, but that still gave Fitz just enough time to get to the school in time. He pulled out some paper from his bag with a list of his new classes, going through and sighing over the fact that he had some of the troublemakers in his class again for another year. He hadn't noticed the pretty woman looking at what he was doing.

"Wait, do you teach at Coulson High?" The woman asked. Fitz faced her.

"Yeah, I'm the science teacher. My second year there starts today." Fitz said.

"Oh, what a coincidence; it's my first day there today! I'm the new English teacher." The woman said. Fitz grew instantly happier, his cold exterior starting to melt away.

"No way! Well it's even nicer to meet you now. I'm Leo Fitz. People call me Fitz." Fitz said, shaking the woman's hand, who smiled.

"Jemma. Jemma Simmons."

Fitz knew she'd have a pretty name.

"Great to meet you. It's not a bad school really; there are just a few little nightmares you have to put up with." Fitz explained.

"I hope so; I'm so nervous. My last school was hellish to say the least. Monsters, all of them. It was inhuman." Jemma said.

"You'll be great, I'm sure. Have you got your list of classes on you?" Fitz asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Jemma said, reaching into her bag and handing Fitz her papers with all her classes written on. He examined each class carefully.

"You've got quite a good bunch here. Watch out for him though, and make sure that she sits as far away from her as possible. Apart from that, you're very lucky indeed." Fitz said, underlining the names of students to be wary of as he spoke.

"Oh, good. Thank you, I feel much better now. You're very kind." Jemma said happily.

"No problem. I practically live in room S12 if you ever need me. If not I'll be in the staffroom." Fitz replied.

"You're very sweet." Jemma said, smiling at Fitz. He smiled back, unable to comprehend how he's grown so fond of another human being that wasn't fictional in such a short space of time.

The two spent the remainder of the journey chatting away, eventually discovering their joint love of Doctor Who and getting so caught up in their conversation that they almost missed their stop. They got off and walked the final few minutes of the journey, arriving at the school just in time.

"Right, well, I wish you luck. You'll be fine." Fitz said comfortingly as they walked in.

"Thank you; I'm very glad I moved my bag now." Jemma said with a smile. Fitz chuckled.

"Yeah, uh, me too." He said shyly. Jemma smiled again, sheepishly approaching Fitz and kissing him on the cheek, waving slightly as she walked off to find her classroom. Fitz waved back at her, engrossed and mesmerised by this wonderful woman that had entered his life on what he expected to be the dullest of days. It's funny how life works out.

And it turns out, Fitz decided, public transport wasn't so bad after all.