Author's Note: I completely forgot that I'd posted this story here. So for those of you who reviewed, favorited, and/or followed, I'M SO VERY SORRY! I really hope that some of you are still out there so that I can make it up to you with the few chapters that I have - which were actually completed last summer - and can be posted right away.

Please send any constructive feedback my way. I have enough notes and stuff written for several chapters, but I'm not sure if I should continue with this story after almost a year later and given everything that happened with AoS in season 2!

Chapter Two: Second

We have nothing in common - couldn't be more different.

But you can't imagine your life without her.

Yes.

Sometimes, a person takes you by surprise.

...

The second time they kissed was after Skye had, technically, died. Three times. The biochemist wasn't sure she would ever forget the deafening sound of the heart monitor as Skye coded, her hands doing innumerable compressions, or the feeling of her heart lodged in her throat while the panic ran wild in her chest as Skye continued to code. Fitz finally arrived with the GH-325, and Jemma was left with no other option but to inject her with the mystery drug. She'd spent every moment thereafter, when she wasn't running tests and checking results, at Skye's bedside.

Skye's recovery had been utterly remarkable and Jemma was immensely grateful that she was on the mend. But the entire experience left Jemma with so many questions, and each attempt at finding an answer really only led to more questions.

...

Again with the blood drive? I'm not going to have anything left. Not sure how I feel about Dr. Simmons. She's so strict. Ow. And pokey.

Well, patient Skye is unruly and stubborn.

And grateful. I hope you know that.

I didn't do it alone.

Still, I'm the most... 'grateful-est-est' patient alive.

That's not even a word.

...

Jemma was nothing if not diligent, and so there she was for the umpteenth time with her tablet in hand checking and rechecking the information on the machines attached to Skye. The younger woman sat there with her arms crossed and wearing a scowl on her face because Jemma was still adamant that she stay in bed.

The door slid open and Skye looked over to see Coulson walk in. Happy to have a visitor, her scowl vanished and was replaced by a smile. "Sup, AC?"

He smiled slightly. "Skye, how are you?"

"I'm good…"

Jemma shot her a look with a sternly raised eyebrow that said, didn't we already discuss this?

Skye rolled her eyes at her. "Better. I'm doing better."

"I'm glad to hear that," he said, his smile widened.

"Any news on Mike? Have they found him yet?"

"Not yet. Garrett's team is looking for him."

"If someone," she looked pointedly at Simmons, "would just let me have my laptop I could-"

"No."

"My phone?"

"Definitely not."

"You're killing me, Simmons! I'm going to die of boredom or, like, brain atrophy or whatever."

Jemma huffed. "Don't be ridiculous."

"You're being ridiculous," Skye grumbled and sulked down further into the bed.

"I realize it's frustrating, Skye," Coulson said, putting a stopper in their bickering for the moment, "but there are S.H.I.E.L.D. agents working on it. Your only job right now is to get better."

"Yeah, yeah." She rolled her eyes at him and smirked.

"What about you, Simmons?"

Jemma looked at him confused. "Sir?"

"You've been resolutely managing Skye's care. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, sir."

"She's exhausted."

"Stay out of this, Skye."

The bickering resumed.

"I will not."

Jemma purposely turned away from her and addressed Coulson. "I can assure you that I'm fine, sir."

Skye made a noise in disagreement. "I don't think she's actually even slept in a week, AC. She just takes power naps."

"I - that's not…" Jemma stammered.

Skye looked at Coulson. "You can ask Fitz."

Jemma glared at her. "I said I'm-"

"If you say you're fine one more time!" Skye warned her.

Coulson tried to mediate again. "Ladies-"

They ignored him.

"Excuse me, but I'm the doctor here and if I say that I'm fine, then that's precisely what I mean!"

"That's it!" Skye growled, and pushed her legs over the edge of the bed, the action made her cringe instantly.

"Skye! Don't!" Jemma reached out to stop her and Skye pushed her hand away, but she also didn't try to move any further off the bed.

"I don't care if you're a doctor, I'm your friend damn it!" she said harshly. Her expression mirroring her words, which quickly changed as her face showed the genuine concern she felt about the other woman's well being. "Since I got shot you're non-stop, either working in the lab or you're in here checking on me, which I appreciate, more than you know, but Simmons - I'm okay now." She reached to touch Jemma's arm. "You need your rest too."

The women finally went quiet and Coulson took the opportunity to speak.

"Skye's right, Simmons, you need a break."

Jemma shifted slightly, breaking the contact from Skye and bringing the tablet protectively to her chest.

"Sir, honestly, I don't need-" she swallowed the rest of her words abruptly when Couslon put his hand up to stop her.

"Finish up what you're working on, and then take the rest of the evening off."

"But-"

"That's an order, Simmons." Coulson said, his tone serious yet sincere.

"Yes, sir," Jemma relented.

...

A while later, Jemma made her way to the medpod to check on Skye one final time before heading off to sleep in her own bed for the first time since their mission to Brazil. She knew they were right, she was being a little... overly vigilant, and that Skye was well enough now that she could relinquish most of her unnecessary duties, but she still didn't have to like it.

When Jemma entered the room she found Skye awake with her attention focused on a tablet in her hands. Someone, unaware of the full force of Simmons wrath, must have snuck it in to her.

"You," she said with a pointed eyebrow, "should be asleep."

"All I get to do is sleep," Skye complained. "You're the one who should be asleep."

Simmons moved closer and looked down at the tablet that was playing an absurd movie. "Who brought you the contraband?"

Skye tapped the screen to stop it while they talked. "Not gonna tell you that."

"I figured."

"You're not going to confiscate it, are you?" Skye asked, her voice worried.

Jemma was thoughtful before answering. "As long as you don't do anything even remotely considered work-"

"I won't."

"I'm serious. No hacking, no researching, no bypassing HQ firewall to nose through reports from Agent Garrett's team about Mike Peterson..."

Skye sighed. "I won't."

"I suppose, if it means you'll keep your bum in that bed all night-"

"I will."

"Promise?" Simmons asked, holding out her pinky finger.

Skye eyed her hand. "Seriously?"

Jemma nodded, "Absolutely. I take pinky promises very seriously."

Skye let out a laugh. "Okay." She linked her pinky with Jemma's. "I promise."

"Good. Carry on." Skye grinned happily at her and Jemma smiled softly back. She moved to let go, but Skye didn't release her finger which drew Jemma's attention back to her.

"Listen, about earlier," Skye began, "I'm sorry about being all grouchy."

"You do know that I'm just trying to do what's best for you?"

Skye let go of Jemma's finger and brought her hand back to her lap. "I know, Simmons. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. You're frustrated. I understand."

Skye shrugged. "It's better than the alternative."

They both went quiet and Jemma busied herself with double checking the machines one more time. When she was finished, she stood next to Skye again.

"Well… I think I'll head to bed, if you're all good here?"

"As good as I'm gonna get under house arrest," Skye teased and Jemma rolled her eyes at her. "Go. Get some rest. I'll be fine. And if I'm not, I'll just try to get out of bed again and you'll… sense it, or whatever, and come running in here to tell me off."

"Sense it? Please. There's an app for that." Jemma teased right back and shook her phone at Skye.

"Hey, what? Wait, you're supposed to be taking the night off and I'm sure THAT, whatever it is IS considered working."

Jemma smirked. "No, it's for- just in case."

Skye crossed her arms. "I'm telling."

Jemma chuckled. "Hey, I thought you were the world's most grateful patient? That certainly doesn't sound like appreciation."

"Grateful-est-est patient." Skye corrected.

"That still isn't a word so I refuse to use it."

Skye stuck her tongue out at her and Jemma laughed.

Skye grinned. "Seriously, get some rest. You need it. You're starting to look a little rough around the edges, Simmons."

"Thanks," Jemma said sarcastically as she dropped her hand to touch Skye's knee through the bed covers. It was a move only meant to be a light gesture as she went to leave the room, but suddenly she was serious and quiet as she remained standing there.

"Simmons?" Skye inquired, after the silence stretched on.

"I hope you know," she finally began, her throat working hard and her voice unexpectedly thick from the thoughts occupying her mind, "how happy I am that you… that you're okay."

Instead of saying anything, Skye simply reached for Jemma's hand and held it in both of hers in her lap. The motion calmed Jemma and she took a deep breath and looked up at Skye. She wasn't sure what possessed her to do it - maybe it was the exhaustion, maybe it was the relief that Skye was awake and talking and seemingly back to her usual self after surviving such an experience, maybe it was the understanding and comfort that Jemma saw reflected in Skye's eyes - but with her free hand she cupped Skye's cheek, her thumb tracing the smooth skin beneath it, and then she was pressing her lips to Skye's in a gentle kiss. It was short and sweet, and Skye's eyes fluttered closed. A moment later, Jemma pulled away to rest her forehead against Skye's.

"Don't ever do that again," she whispered, mirroring the words that Skye had said to her the last time they were in this situation; Jemma having almost died and Skye kissing her afterwards. When Skye opened her eyes, Jemma was already stepping out of the room and saying a hasty goodnight as she slid the door closed behind her.

...

...

...

Thanks for reading!