Hello, everybody; ModernDayBard here! Today's installment is in the AoS corner of the MCU, taking place in the theoretical Christmas during the time gap between seasons 2 and 3. (Please forgive any slight inconsistencies, I wrote these before season 3 began to air.)
As has been previously established, I own neither Agents of Shield nor any songs that I quote.


This was worse than Simmons leaving for her undercover assignment without any explanation. This time, nobody knew where she was or how she disappeared. This time, after months, everyone had given up on Jemma...

...Everyone but Leo Fitz.

He couldn't. But he couldn't find her, either. Nevertheless, he continued trying, pouring every resource he had, every idea he could come up with, and every free waking moment into either actively searching or creating devices that could find his missing—friend? It was too small a word for everything Simmons was to him, but 'partner' was just too cold, distant, and they never had gotten to the conversation where other possibilities were raised...

Fitz knew Coulson, Skye—sorry, Daisy—, and the others were worried about him, but at least they now accepted the fact that no, he wasn't going to stop, so please, stop asking him to come out and join the others. He was perfectly content where he was...or as content as he could be until their biologist was back in her lab. And no—he certainly didn't need help from anyone!

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?

Fitz looked up, annoyed and puzzled, to see Mack had entered, iPod and 6-pack in hand.

"Really, Mack?" Leo had to ask, trying his best to return his focus to his work. "It's not even Christmas yet and that's a New Year's song—also not very subtle, of you."

The taller man shrugged. "I get it's not normally your style, but figured it might confuse you enough to let me get a word in. We never really patched things up after...you know, the whole 'Real SHIELD' thing."

"I told you: it's fine. Now let me work."

"No, man, it's not fine. Those two words are all you've said to me since, and I'm not letting you keep working yourself to death all alone in here." Mack crossed his arms, having deposited both items on Fitz's work table. Before the curly-haired Scot could protest, the other scientist added, "So what can I do?"

Leo stared at him for nearly half a minute, brain trying to make sense of Mack's offer (and tune out the highly-repetitive song that was still playing).

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne—

A few hours later, Coulson walked by the glass doors of the lab and had to stop, hoping he wouldn't be noticed, and that the spell wouldn't shatter. Somehow, Mack had gotten Leo to stop, to take a break, and the two were sitting and drinking together, laughing and joking like they had before everything had gone wrong. Things were still far from perfect, but the director couldn't suppress a smile as he tip-toed past.

We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne


So, yeah. Kind of a bitter-sweet Fitz scene, but I wanted to do something with him and Mack, since I loved the dynamic they had as friends before everything went south. And I know it's not a Christmas song, per se, but I could see Mack doing something like that to startle Fitz into letting his guard down, a little.

Song: Auld Lang Syne
Recommended Version: Street Corner Symphony