A/N: I won't be long, this is a two part chapter and i promise to post part 2 before Christmas okay!? OMG the newest episode made me furious though! UGH WHEDON! Oh and the title for my last chapter was actually a title for a chapter of my Doctors Daughter story as well, so fellow Whovians plz check that out! Enjoy the attempt at further romance (nothing bad, I promise!) please leave a review!

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Chapter 2: Baking and burning

The six agents raced in through the cargo hold, gasping and shivering from the biting cold air of the Artic center known as the North Pole.
The cargo closed, the black sky standing out against the white ice at the late hour.
They all fell to the ground, body's limp and cold, and they just sat there in silence; staring at eachother.

"...you guys were quick on your feet and had a tactical strategy, we deactivated the bomb and saved the scientist and his crew just in time, good job team," Coulson acknowledged their hard work on the field today.
It had only been an hour ago when they arrived back at the Bus, they all took turns taking hot showers to bring their bodies back to normal temperature and were told to meet Coulson by the lounge couch.
The five nodded their thanks as Agent Coulson turned away as a signal they were dismissed, but he turned around abruptly as he checked his watch and called after them again.

"Hey guys!"
They spun on their heels and walked back to their horizontal line in front of the Agent, "I almost forgot to ask you all," he smiled genuinely, "according to the Western Time zone in North America, its officially 12AM December 24th, now higher level SHIELD agents like yourselves-"

"Except Skye..." Ward murmured, just loud enough for everyone to hear.
She punched him in the arm and smirked at his witty comment.

"Anyways," Coulson smiled again, "higher level agents, and when I say higher I mean at least past level 2, usually spend Christmas and Christmas Eve working, but, judging by your performance these
last few weeks," he sucked in a deep breath, "I've decided to give you those two days off."

The five smiled immediately, most agents didn't give their team this privilege.

"Ah ah, I'm not saying Superheroes and powers take a break but I thought... this time you deserve one," he chuckled, "the engines are frozen right now, we'll all take some rest for a few hours and then when you all wake up I'll come and ask you where you want to be dropped off alright?"

"Yes sir," they all responded, grinning from ear to ear.

"Thanks team," he nodded and began walking away.

May began walking towards her cockpit, leaving the four alone.

"So where do you plan on going?" Ward asked Skye.

"Isn't it obvious?" She rolled her eyes and laughed. He raised an eyebrow and she grunted and rolled her eyes again, this time more annoyed, "Texas! Duh?"

"What? To be with your lousy excuse of a boyfriend?" He scoffed.

This time she punched him in the arm, hard. "Well at least I have a love life!" She spat as she left for her room.

He ignored her snarky remark, then looked at Simmons who was standing next to him, "And you?" he hadn't realized he had disturbed a conversation between the two scientists.

"Oh me?" She beamed, "London, probably... No, definitely." She shook her head, "I want to go home and be with my family."

"How bout you Fitz?" He asked.

"Oh I dunno yet... probably decide in the morning," he rubbed the back of his neck.

"And what of you?" she asked.

"I'm with Fitz here, I'll sleep over it and decide in the morning, goodnight guys, see ya later." He left for his room.

"Goodnight Ward!" They called after him and began walking down to their bunks.

"So you've got plans then? Parties, friends, family?" He asked.

"Just family, family always comes first," she nodded.

"But friends are important too, aren't they?" He asked nervously, "Like what if some friends from the Academy invited you to a party the night of Christmas Eve? Would you go?"

"Of course friends are important! But on Christmas, I'd rather be with me family instead of a party," she replied as she leaned on her cabin door and sighed, "Fitz, my answer stays the same, family always before friends..."

"Oh... right..." he whispered in agreement.
There was a pause between them before she clapped his shoulders and chirped,

"Well then Fitz! I shall be off to bed, goodnight!" She flung open her door and waved at him from the inside before closing it again.

"Family before friends..." he muttered to himself as he opened his door.

"So that's two batches of snickerdoodles, one tray of Brownies, two batches of chocolate chip and one sugar cookie." She counted to herself.

Jemma didn't have much to do this afternoon, her and Fitz had cleaned up the lab this morning, while she was asking him endless questions to where he would land, he still wouldn't say. When she had called her mum after that, she had heard some disappointing news.
Her brother was a soldier in the military, he was two years older than her with dirty blonde hair and bright hazel eyes; like hers.
When she had called, her mum was overjoyed at the fact she would be returning home for Christmas, but told her that this year her brother was stationed elsewhere and couldn't make it, that was heartbreaking for Simmons. She couldn't help but to cry by herself in her bunk over phone, but when she hung up, she was forced to keep these emotions inside, no one needed to comfort her sorrows in such a happy time of Christmas.

She composed herself and went around the Bus afterwards, asking everybody what sweet they'd like to take wherever they were going, and she'd make it, after all, baking was science.

May -who initially refused to ask for anything- and Coulson wanted chocolate chip, Skye and Ward wanted snickerdoodle, Fitz wanted Brownies and she would take Suger cookies back home.

Easily she recalled the recipe for these sweets and within almost 10 minutes she had put in a batch of Sugar cookies in the oven of the Bus.
Chocolate chip cookies were the next easiest, multiplying the recipe times two; she whipped up two batches of them as well.
Baking reminded her of her summers at home in London or her school days as roommates with Leo.
She'd bake cookies and cakes for her friends and teachers and birthdays, she just loved baking for people; and baking was currently taking her mind off of her brother.
After she popped the Brownies in the oven and took the sugar cookies out, she began preparing the icing for the Brownies.

As she stirred the melted chocolate in a bowl, she heard footsteps approaching the kitchen.
She brushed her hands off on her apron and pulled back a stand of hair that had fallen out from her ponytail.

"Hey Jemma," Fitz laughed as he walked in.

"Oh hi Fitz," she said without looking at him.

"So what's on your list of goodies today?" He leaned coolly on the countertop next to her so he could face her, as she hovered over a bowl of chocolate and powdered sugar; combining the two slowly.

"Ah, let's see, two batches of snickerdoodles and two of chocolate chip cookies, one tray of Brownies and one of sugar cookies." She counted with her fingers as she itched her cheek, smearing flour on her already messy face.

"You're fantastic, you know that?" He folded his arms and waited for a response in her eyes, a glimmer of affection, a show of shyness, but she still didn't look up; she was concentrating.

"Oh shut up," she shoved him in the chest with the arm she wasn't using to stir, "I'm doing all this because I want to."

"Which is what makes you fantastic!" he replied.

There, finally she had reacted, an eye roll and a smirk was something, better than nothing. But it was Christmas Eve; she looked as stressed as she was when exam time came around! He wanted to see her smile one more time, and then he'd stop with the questions.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, it's only baking! Why are you so stressed?" He nudged her shoulder with his.

"I'm not stressed! You know how much I love baking and making sweets for everyone! You're the one pestering me!" She waved her spatula at him and then laughed sweetly.
That was what he wanted, her laugh.
But... what he also wanted were his Brownies.

"Are my Brownies done yet?" He whined childishly.

"Give me a while; they'll be done shortly okay? I'm making the icing now!" She rolled her eyes at how impatient he was.

He quickly stuck his finger into the bowl and licked the icing on his finger, the chocolate in his mouth making him melt under satisfaction. Jemma looked at him with wide eyes,

"Hey don't do that!" She slapped his hand away.
Rebelliously, he stuck a finger in again except this time he dabbed the chocolate onto her nose.
She wiped it off and hit him with the hand towel; he cringed as she did even though he knew it was coming.
Playfully she scooped some with her finger and dabbed it on his nose as well, sticking her tongue out in a silly mockery.
He smiled and grabbed the towel, wiping it off as well, then took some again except, due to her moving and laughing, the chocolate landed on her upper lip.
She turned to get the towel but he grabbed her wrists,
"Let me get that for you," he whispered softly and romantically, she blushed insanely as he came closer.

"Agent Fitz, Agent Simmons!" They both jumped as they heard an assertive voice that was none other than Phil Coulson around the corner.
She pulled away, rapidly removing the cream off her lips and standing with her hands behind her back, Fitz stepped away and stood the same way, slightly angry he wasn't able to kiss her.

He came into the kitchen and smiled at both of them, "Did you decide yet? May needs coordinates to plan a route now."

"London." They said in unison, she stole a glance at the other scientist but he continued to look straight at the Agent.

Coulson narrowed his eyes in suspicion, were they spending their Christmas together? Taking their relationship further, that was something he was afraid of...

"I'm staying with my family," Jemma nodded, answering the questioning look he was giving them.

"And I've got plans with some friends," Fitz said, putting his hands in his pockets.

Now Jemma glanced at him with even more curiosity, friends? Why wasn't he going to the town 30 kilometers from London to be with his parents?

"Alright, thanks you two," Coulson said and walked away.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Jemma placed her hands on his shoulders, "Friends? FRIENDS? What about your parents? They haven't seen you in months! Don't you want to spend Christmas with them?"

Leo let out a nervous breath, "Do you remember Mark back at the Academy?"

"The jerk who only got into the school because his parents paid extra money for him and his sister? Yes." She huffed and picked up her spatula again.

"Well he emailed me a few days ago, said he and a few friends from the Academy were getting together for a guy's only party on Christmas Eve, he asked if I wanted to join..."

"And you said yes?!" She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Well..." he looked away from her angry eyes.

"I can't believe you would rather hang out with those wasted losers than with your mum and dad!" She exclaimed, then slammed her spatula down, going to get flour to begin the snickerdoodles. He was an only child, of course he wouldn't understand! She knew what family meant, and now she prepared herself for someone she loved dearly to not be there... this would be how Fitz' parents would feel...

"Well I mean I've spent every Christmas with them! It wouldn't hurt if I spent one without them!" He defended.

"Ohh!" She shook her head, mad and frustrated, then looked at him with a sarcastic smile, "Ohhh I know why you want to go!" She scoffed.

"Why!?" He pressed.

"Because Mark has a beautiful sister!" Fitz gave her a look of confusion and disbelief, "Don't act like I didn't know, you've been trying to hook up with her since the first day at the Academy!" She threw flour into the bowl.

"Wha!? You know that's not true-"

"Oh shut up... you're so childish!" She yelled as the smell of chocolate filled the air, "...you just won't stop trying will you? You're only going to meet her and get lucky! I know you still have a crush on her!" She whisked ingredients together in a harsh manner, the smell of chocolate growing stronger.

"I do not!" He half lied, Crystal, Mark's sister was beautiful, stunning rather, and he wouldn't mind seeing her again, but he'd also wanted to see some other old friends as well... Crystal just happened to be one of them.

"You know what? You're a terrible liar," she scoffed, "just get out of the kitchen and leave me alone! I never knew you could so easily forget your loved ones." She rolled her eyes and cracked eggs into a bowl. The phrase had been true, you don't know what you have until it's gone, her brother would be the one gone this time... why couldn't Fitz realize what he was doing to his family? How could he be so careless?

Leo opened his mouth to protest but she just looked at him, and he knew she was in no mood to discuss the subject any further.
He turned around and left, burying his face in his hands wondering what to do.

She poured cinnamon into the bowl, muttering angry words to herself, not even realizing the other strong smell that began to devour the small room. She thought she had MEANT something to Fitz, not just another one of the many girls he had been attracted to and went out with. She thought he was past the 'hitting on other girls' phase and she thought... they were serious...
She couldn't believe, after that night, after admitting love to one another, he was still chasing behind Crystal...
She should've known...
He hadn't meant it...
He hadn't meant that kiss, or the hugs, or the promises, or those three words... WHEN SHE DID...
She sniffed a few times, the only thing bringing her back to reality, and realized the smell she had been identifying as chocolate was more along the line of... something... burning...

BEEP BEEP BEEP

She spun around to see the Brownies in the oven, much blacker than they should be.
She threw a mitt on then yanked them out and tossed onto the countertop; smoke forming gray, hot curls in the air.

"Bye Skye! Oh and here are your cookies!" She handed her a plastic box.

"Thanks Simmons, you're the best! Have a great Christmas, we'll talk about them when we get back okay?" Skye smiled.

"Definitely, now go!" She shivered, "I never knew Texas could be this cold!"

"Hah, you'd be surprised..." she chuckled.
Skye waved at Coulson, Fitz and Simmons one last time before she took the passenger seat of the red car in the cargo hold, "see ya on the 26th guys!"
And Coulson, in his long, black trench coat, stepped into Lola and drove in through the small forest to drop her off at her destination.

May spoke over the plane as she closed the cargo, "Fitz, Simmons, you're next. We'll be there in 5 hours after Agent Coulson returns, it'll be 8PM when we get there." and she turned it off.

Jemma folded her arms, glanced at Fitz, who she hadn't spoken to in 2 hours, and stomped off.
Leo gaped and reached his arm out to grab hers but she had already left.

"Here, May's are on top and yours are in the box at the bottom okay?" She handed them to him and pulled gloves out of her pocket.

"Yes Jemma, thanks, this was very sweet of you," Coulson nodded.

"Aww Agent Coulson, we're a team, if we didn't just have random acts of kindness for one another what type of team would we be?" She fixed her gloves on, "anyway, when we get back tell May I said have a wonderful Christmas!" She beamed and grabbed her purse.

As Fitz spoke a few holiday wishes to Coulson, as Simmons put on the rest of her jacket, muffler, etc. It was supposed to be snowing in London today and on Christmas... but then again... when was it not snowing during a London Christmas?
She still hadn't spoken to him and he still hadn't changed his plans for the party, which made her all the more mad.
One day he'd learn to set his priorities straight, learn that family comes first...
She still had a box in her hand though, it was his.
Leo began walking towards the car with Agent Coulson when she tapped his shoulder,
"Here," she shoved the box into his chest forcefully and he instinctively grabbed it, "your Brownies..." she muttered.

He opened the box and they smelt... terrible.

Fitz carried a black backpack that he placed into the backseat of Lola where he sat and kept the box in his hands.
Simmons, seeing he was sitting in the back, stepped into the passenger, flaring her nostrils.

As they drove off, Leo dared to taste one of the Brownies.
He took a bite and immediately spat it out of the window.

"Jemma!" He said in disgust, "these Brownies are bloody burnt!"

She turned around and deadpanned, "I know."

And the car was silent for long minutes.

"So where do you need to be dropped off?" He asked Jemma.

"Well my house is just half a kilometer off the London Zoo, drop me off there and I'll be fine." She assured.

"You sure? It's freezing outside!" Coulson asked.

"No, no I'm fine, really, it'll give me time to see everyone around town again," she smiled, "...honest."

"Alright if that's what you want," he drove towards the zoo.

Truly, seeing the people of London was the last thing on her list, but she was still just as infuriated with Leo for being so careless, she just wanted to get out of the car.

No matter how hard Fitz tried, he couldn't shake his mind off of that party, it'd only be a few guys over, a couple beers and Crystal somewhere upstairs. She was bound to come down sometime soon wasn't she? And that's when he could make his move on her... that is what he wanted right?

More minutes flew by as he pondered on about his decision to go to the party, he hadn't even realized they had already gotten to the zoo and Jemma was already leaving.

"Jemma!" He called after her, she turned around in her magenta coat, annoyance written all over her face, "Merry Christmas!" He yelled and waved.
She didn't respond, she just turned and kept walking away.

Fitz felt his heart sink to his stomach; he was really regretting his decision now.

"Thank you Agent Coulson," he stepped out the car onto the sidewalk near a shopping center, a block away from Marks house.

"No problem Leo, have a great Christmas," he added before driving off.

He sighed, knowing he may not have a good Christmas…

He walked by stores, seeing some were still open for last minute shoppers. A toy store, a few clothing stores, and a jewelry store; a beautiful diamond pendant catching his attention. He continued walking though, he knew he had the money for it, but he'd buy it for someone some other time.

Fitz rubbed his hands together, even his gloves couldn't protect him from the freezing temperatures.

He glanced at his watch 9:12PM it read, he had only been walking for about 20 minutes. Then that's when he passed an intersection and realized was headed the wrong direction, it took him another 20 minutes to get back on track; it was now almost 9:30PM.
He recalled the number of the house address he had been told, he was already on the right street this time. He counted houses as he looked for Marks house, regret and excitement filing every step he took.

Many houses were lit up and decorated nicely in the neighborhood, but when he finally reached Marks house, he was caught off guard.
The only light emitting from his house were white, flashing strobe lights, and the heavy rock versions of Christmas music could be felt in his feet on the sidewalk.

Leo flipped the collar on his black jacket up, slightly confused at all the loud things for "a few guy friends" party.

No one answered the door when he knocked, the pounding music hurting his ears, so he just opened it and was awed at what he saw.

AT LEAST 70 people crowded in the bottom floor, squished to one another and jumping up and down dancing; many women too.

There was smoking, drinking, and everything else wrong going on at the party of 70+; the only question was, why had Mark lied?
He couldn't leave without asking Mark, he pushed through the crowd, examining each males face in the dark, trying to find the man he was looking for.
Finally, by the drink table, he saw the stuck up young adult, cigarette in hand, a young woman in the other.

"What is this Mark?" He asked, nearly shouting over the music.

"Fitz? Oh my God Leo it's you!" Mark let the lady go and patted Fitz on the back, "where have ya been?" He asked, swaying slightly.

Leo gave him a stern look; he could see in Marks eyes he already had one too many drinks.

"What happened to just a few friends? What happened to no women?" Leo shouted again.

"Well, I sent it to a few people and they sent it to people and so on... I guess somewhere along the way they deleted the 'guys only' thing" he laughed, "so it got a bit out of hand but I'm managing it just fine!" He leaned on Leo, the alcohol obviously affecting him fast.

"Well it was nice seeing you Mark..." Leo said into his ear to be heard over the music.

"Nice seeing you too!" He shouted and fell back into the arms of his lady friend.
Fitz was so wrong, and Jemma was so right...
He was at a party with tons of drunken losers, why hadn't he listened to her? He was wasting his time here...
He didn't care for Crystal anymore, he didn't look for her, he didn't even want to see her ever again, she had just been a distraction.
So he just opened the door and left.

After walking the bleak, yet busy, Christmas spirited streets for another 30 minutes, thinking and thinking about where he probably should've been, he came across a phone Booth at 10:37PM.
Leo bit his bottom lip, feeling the change in his pocket and realizing he may not have enough for the call.
He dug through his backpack and found enough £ to cut it.
He ran into the phone Booth and slowly dialed the numbers...
Ring...
Ring...
Ring...
And then finally there was an answer,

"Hello?"

"Hey mum, how are you...?"

9:30PM at the Simmons...

"...yes, there I was, standing, crying, on the edge of death... and..."

"No! You jumped!?"

She nodded her head yes as the 8 other family members in the living room gasped. She sat on the floor in the middle of them all as they had gathered around to hear stories of her dangerous adventures.

"And then what!?" One of her uncles asked.

"And then... well... I don't remember a lot..." her voice cracked, "I just remember falling, nearly dying... the sky and the water were the only things I could see if I opened my eyes..." she brought her knees to her chest and buried her face in them.
Her mother came and placed her hands over her back, embracing her daughter.
After Jemma composed herself, she cleared her throat and sat up straight,

"Do you all remember Leo? Leo Fitz?" She asked the uncles and aunts -of course her parents remembered who her best friend was- "well, he works with me on the plane... and he's the one who found the cure to save my life, except, from what they've told me, one of the other agents: Agent Ward, jumped out and shot the cure into me. It was terrible and adrenaline pumping and so scary, but honestly... I'm just happy to be alive..."

Jemma sighed, her brother would've loved... and hated this story. But he had to be elsewhere tonight, for the first time ever he hadn't been allowed home for Christmas, she cursed under her breath at the cruelty of the English military this year.

She stood up and took glasses from the family members and walked into the kitchen as one of her aunts began a story.

Every year her and her brother had traditions to follow, they had an order of events of stuff they did on Christmas Eve, an order they'd been following since she was in the 3rd standard and he was in the 5th. She missed him dearly and wished he had been here with her...

After washing the glasses, she handed out her sugar cookies to everyone as her relatives told more stories of the past year.

At around 11PM, as her relatives got ready for bed, she gathered her blankets, a few cookies, and milk.
Ever since they were kids, her and her brother would camp out by the fireplace, playing soft holiday music near the tree and wait for Santa Clause, so they could be the first ones to see their presents in the morning.
Even though they had grown out of it, they still sat there together, snuggled in blankets, telling stories and jokes to eachother that only a brother and sister could understand.

But this year... she was... so... lonely...

"Here you go darling," her mother handed her a cup of hot cocoa, the smell exquisite and enchanting.
She clasped it in her hands and stared at the fireplace, emptiness in her heart and eyes.

Her mother noted the emotion that swept over her, she hugged her daughter again, "I know you're sad James couldn't be here tonight... but he choose a job where this could happen..."

Jemma's vision began to blur, she placed the warm cup on the coffee table that seemed high to her from her place on the ground.
She bawled into her mother's shoulder, she missed James today, and to make matters worse... even Leo didn't care for her anymore.

After long minutes of crying, she let her mother go, "You need to sleep mum... I'll be fine by myself here... really mum, go..."

"You sure you still want to stay here by yourself?"

"Positive. Goodnight mum," she called after her mother as she stood up.

"I have more hot cocoa in the kitchen if you want some alright dear? Goodnight darling."

Jemma balled up and watched the flames dance in curls and waves as she dried her teary face.
Her brother would've wiped away her tears...
But then again, she wouldn't have been crying if her brother was here...
She needed someone to fill in the empty space next to her; it was far too eerie for her to bear...
She couldn't think of Fitz doing so...
She wasn't sure now... how he felt about her anymore, and she didn't know how she felt about him.
He was head over heels for another sweetheart from school again...
That night... after he returned... after she had that terrible nightmare... she confessed to him... showed him the darker, concealed corners of her fragile heart... and that was the night she had said... those three words... the three words which she had kept inside for so long... the words that completely changed her perspective of him, no, they completely changed her life...
And you know what?
He had said those words too. He said them right back to her, 100% true as he laid his lips against hers, confirming his words.
She loved him, didn't she?
But the question was more... did he really love her...?
For weeks after that, they held hands, gave quick pecks, but was that all an act on the Bus?
If he loved her, how could he be so easily distracted by another woman?
Was he just playing around with her?
Those days,
Those nights,
Those winks,
Those kisses,
Those hugs,
Those tears,
Those laughs,
Those words!
All pent up... by lies?
Nothing was going her way!
Her brother wasn't there with her and now she was beginning to conflict with her feelings over the man she had thought she had loved!
Her eyes began to water again, the soft tune of "Last Christmas" playing in the background, making her emotions swell up even more.
"...I gave you my heart... but the very next day, you gave it away... this year, to save me from tears... I'll give it to someone special..."
She began soaking the sleeves of her knitted sweater she was wearing, then wiped her tears with the fleece blanket, the fabric doing almost no good.
There were other blankets and pillows scattered around her but she could not make herself get up to reach for one of them, nor the tissue box on the coffee table.
She spotted her cup sitting there, no more steam coming out, but definitely still warm.
She grabbed the hot cocoa with both hands, sipping it slowly, trying to block away the depressing thoughts that began devouring her Christmas spirit...
She jumped suddenly, spilling some of her drink on her blanket and sweater, frightened by the noise; a knock on the door.
A knock? At 11:30PM? She assumed it was some late carolers, she tip toed to her father's wallet by the kitchen, grabbing 5£ to hand to them at the door.
She opened it slowly, not wanting to disturb the others, with a smile on her face, though her expression quickly faded into a look of confusion.

"Hi Jemma," he said with his hands in his pockets, his breath forming grey puffs of air and a cold gust of wind following after him.

"Fitz...?" She asked, caught off guard.
He took a giant step into her house and hugged her, hugged her tight, "I'm sorry, I'm really really sorry Jemma..." he whispered into her hair.
She pulled away and closed the door.

"Why are you here?" She asked blankly, still confused.

"Because..." he sighed and looked into her eyes, "I realized I'd rather spend my Christmas with someone who's important to me..."

A/N: Next chapter will be posted soon I promise! Please follow to find out how their Christmas goes together! I was so happy when I got all of your positive feedback and so many followers! Thanks guys, you mean a lot so please review as well, it really helps me out! Thanks, please review!

Read. Review. Favor. Enjoy.