This was meant to be a one-shot that came to my mind watching the Pilot. I felt that Fitz was a bit intimidated by the field-agent business while Simmons was way beyond enthusiastic.
Then, I watched episode 1x06 (bawling my eyes out) and I've decided to turn this into some sort of a prequel to another shot/s that will come along in a while.
Hope you guys like it.
P.S: This story has been re-edited. Thanks to StarryDreamer01 who has become my wonderful Beta. :)
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AGENTS OF SHIELD.
Each other's Shield
The lab's doors slid open with a quiet whoosh and Fitz walked in, carrying a large reinforced briefcase. He delicately laid it on his desk, pulled out his chair and sat down with a soft groan.
This first mission on the Shield team had been quite...demanding. He wondered if this was just the beginning and if today had just been the easiest of all days.
He let his stare wander around the room. In the haste to leave, he and Simmons had left all the computers and screens turned on: calculations, experimental tests and simulations ran before his eyes in colourful diagrams.
All the tests brought one result: success.
His hand grazed the briefcase that held the Night-Night gun. Leo failed to hide a grin, knowing that it had been his prototype to save the day.
It saved a life. Many lives actually.
His eyes wandered off to his computer and he caught a glimpse of an unclosed window with the simulation he had been working on. His smile faltered slightly and turned softer.
He had built the gun, but it had been Simmons to actually think of using it.
It had been her studied combination of toxins that composed the dose that allowed to shoot Michael down, paralyzing, rather than killing him.
'To think that she didn't even think that that was possible a few days ago..' he mused, smiling as he recalled her exact words.
"I'm not Hermione, I can't create instant paralysis with that!"
But at the end, while he was losing his mind over new ideas, she had decided to exploit an existing one. She had been mind-blowingly brilliant.
'As always...' he thought.
That's why the med squad that had carted off Michael Peterson to the Shield's HQ had asked her to stay back and give them all information about the toxins, its effects and side effects but most of all, of the Centipede. If they had to treat him, they needed an expert's consultation and Simmons was their woman.
Fitz straightened up, ignoring the gnawing feeling in his gut that his partner seemed to deal with this whole 'field-agent/out-of-the-lab' experience a lot better than him.
It had been her idea, after all. And he had followed her, intrigued by the working aspects but most of all, because she had asked him to come with her.
He couldn't refuse that to his partner, could he?
Fitz got up and started to reorder the lab, trying to soothe his nervous thoughts in the silent Bus. He was the only one inside now. Coulson had left for some place and had probably included Skye in his journey. Ward and May had gone off to report the day's events to Shield's HQ and wouldn't be back for a while. He had left for the Bus, knowing that no one would require his presence or ask for reports until Simmons was back.
He had shut down all the computers, ordered the lab's equipment and was checking the Night-Night gun when he heard the lab doors open and his partner walk in.
She looked tired, wisps of hair escaping her loose ponytail but she smiled broadly at him. He smiled back, putting the gun down on the desk.
"Is he alright?" He asked as she sat on his chair, after dropping a small bag at her desk.
She let out a long breath as though dispelling her fatigue.
"He will be." She replied, "The surgery and the hospital stay will be long, but he will make it."
"Good."
They stayed in comfortable silence and Fitz resumed his check on the gun. Simmons looked around.
"You put everything in order."
"Place was a bloody mess and a clean up was sort of necessary... Why do you sound so surprised?"
"I'm usually the one that tidies up."
"Are you saying that I am untidy?" Leo gave Jemma a look and she laughed softly.
"Absolutely."
"Am not." He scoffed, making her laugh again.
He finished with the gun and put it back in its case. He felt Simmons stare on him.
"You were brilliant today." He said, closing the briefcase and looking down at her.
"We were." She corrected him but he shook his head.
"I meant you. All you did today was...brilliant."
Jemma stood up and stared at him curiously.
"Thank you.." She said slowly, "But I meant it too. We were both brilliant today."
He shook his head again and she reached out for him, hand gently touching his arm.
"Fitz.."she said gently, "Your gun, the Night-Night gun, prevented a massacre. It allowed a child to not loose his father.."
"Only because of your dose of toxins in the bullet.."
"You worked out Skye's audio files, allowing us to find the Centipede behind Michael's behaviour.."
"Only because you convinced me that it was possible.." He said, "I made a fool of myself during our first team meeting, announcing that the video taken from the secret lab's charred camera came to the line: Well, the man is angry at the other man."
Simmons squeezed his arm.
"Well...you weren't wrong.."
"It was more like stating the obvious.." He looked at her. "You defended me."
"Of course! What else am I there for? We are partners."
He looked at her.
"I should have done the same when Coulson lashed out on you."
Jemma blinked. She recalled his harsh tone.
"Don't ever tell me there's no way! It's on you. Get it done."
"Can't say that he wasn't right." she admitted, "We're Shield agents: we have to get it done. But you can't blame your-"
"And I'm so bloody out of place in the field!" Leo remarked, cutting through her sentence.
"Fitz.."
"It's the truth.."
"No." she said firmly, "You are just over thinking now. Today was our first real day as field agents. We never had to..deal with those issues. Everything we dealt with until now was abstract, from somebody else's point of view. Now it's all-"
"Real." Leo whispered and Jemma nodded. They stayed still, her hand gently rubbing his arm.
"I'm not hindering you then...?" He asked, uncertainty lacing his voice.
She looked at him incredulously. What was he even talking about?! She wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for him. It was their work, their partnership that had taken them so high in their job. Apart they were strong, together they were unstoppable.
"No..Forget about it. It's just that- You are so..enthusiastic and willing to do whatever is necessary while I am still...understanding and figuring out when to do what.."
"You will never be a hindrance.." She exclaimed, cutting into his rambling. "You will learn what to do. Slowly but surely, just like I am learning. You already know what to do when the situation requires it. I mean..You did all those simulations in record time. You took off with the Night-Night gun all the way up to Agent Ward-"
"And nearly lost a lung on the way.." he grumbled softly, "How the hell did you sprint all the way downstairs without even breaking a sweat?"
Simmons smiled at his attempt to change course of their conversation and decided to lay him off this time. She put both her hands on his shoulders, squeezing them softly.
"Everything will be all right, Fitz." she said, "We will manage. Both. You and me. And if something unknown comes across our way, we will deal with it." She looked at him straight in the eyes. "We're FitzSimmons: we have each other's back."
Leo smiled.
"We are each other's Shield, then?" He asked, mirth in his tone and eyes. Jemma rolled her eyes at the horrible pun but smiled at the hidden meaning beneath it.
They were each other's defence. They were each other's strength. They protected and guarded each other. Just like S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Yes, Fitz.." She agreed. "We are each other's Shield."
He grinned and she stepped back, freeing his shoulders after another squeeze.
He looked calmer now, less tense. She never liked seeing him in that state. She always cheered him up or talked him out of these rare dark moods.
"It's good to see that the old you is still there..." she commented airily. He looked at her oddly.
"The old me?"
"Yes, the Fitz from university. The one that was unsure every now and then and wasn't Mr Smarty-pants everytim-"
"Hey!"
She grinned at him teasingly.
"Trust me. I know that you know how much you know. And you like to share that quite a bit."
"You haven't changed at all." he mumbled.
"Well..that's a good thing, isn't it?" she remarked, walking to her desk. He stared at her back and smiled. He wouldn't have it any other way.
"Can't really bloody say that.." he said instead, earning a mock glare from her. She took the bag from her desk.
"What's that?" he asked, moving closer. A familiar waft of baked good invaded his nostrils, making his mouth water and stomach grumble.
"I found this small bakery near the station before heading back." She replied. "I thought that we could treat ourselves with some-"
"Muffins?" He asked.
"Blueberry and-"
"-Chocolate?"
"Of course. Just like we used to eat at tea during university."
"That sounds amazing."
"Shall we go down and have a cuppa then?"
"Yes." They walked out of the lab.
"Although..maybe you shouldn't eat, Fitz."
"And why the hell shouldn't I?!"
"Well..you did say that you felt like losing a lung after a bit of a run. Maybe you should eat less and I can set you up for a diet."
"Oh, shut up, Simmons."
Jemma's laugh echoed in the Bus.
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