"You're pregnant, Fitz," Skye gleefully informs Leo. "Dad knocked you up. Did I not warn you?"
"I'm not," Fitz protests. It's a vain, futile protest against the Heartless, Have-Never-Listened-And-Sure-As-Hell-Aren't-Gonna-Start-Listening-Now-to-You-Leopold-James-Fitz Fates.
"Prove it," Skye demands. "Talk to Auntie Jasper. He and Uncle Felix are so denying it, but they're doing it again."
"Really calling him Auntie Jasper is just so beyond wrong. For a male O to be called Auntie is … just pejorative and beyond offensive," Fitz sputters.
"He's always been Auntie Jasper," protests Skye even as they Frogmarch Fitz down to Auntie Jasper's home.
Jasper Sitwell stares at Fitz, expressionless, even while the women explain over each other why they've arrived at his home.
"And that's why came here to you, Auntie Jasper," Skye whimsically adds.
He points at the two women, and then gestures toward Felix Blake.
"You two, stay here. Felix, I think you better get what Phil left. Fitz will need it if they're right. Fitz, come with me, I've got a few kits here. I had a scare, so I keep a supply."
"You never told me," Blake protests.
"We weren't talking at the time," Sitwell states quietly.
The older couple exchange glances and Felix softly protests. "You should have told me."
"Our Bond was severing from the lack of physical contact, and the only way you'd touch me was if I got you liquored up. I couldn't tell you," Jasper explains. "I would have told you if I was, but it was a scare."
Felix exhales, it's a sound full of regret.
"I'm sorry. Just from now on, let me know, ok? I'll take better care in the future," Felix softy apologizes. Jasper nods his head in acknowledgement of what had been and what they were working towards.
Jasper puts his hand on Fitz's shoulder and leads him to his den even while Simmons futilely protests at her exclusion. It's a small tidy room, and Fitz sits at the desk.
Sitwell turns to face Fitz and he softly asks, "Did you Bond Phil?"
Fitz says nothing. The events between him and Phil are too raw to discuss with the older Omega, even though it has been months.
"When the Bond ruptures, come see Felix. He'll get you through it. He won't hurt you. He's never physically hurt me. Emotionally, we both fucked each over pretty good, but we're working on that these days. What with Ward, I think he's finally accepted how badly John Garrett can fuck someone over."
"And getting shot to protect Skye didn't prove your worth?" Fitz reminds Jasper.
Jasper looks away, "Audrey was always very kind to me. She was one of the few… and I couldn't let Garrett get Skye. I couldn't let her go through what I did."
Jasper expertly swabs Fitz's mouth and then sets the timer.
"You didn't answer me," prompts Jasper. "Come on, talk to Auntie Jasper."
He winks at the younger Omega to show his easy acceptance of Skye's childhood endearment.
"I'm not sure if I did," Fitz lies.
"The way Phil talked, I know the answer to that. He said that he could tell that you were afraid of him. I also figured you might want a moment to process the results without Simmons. If you need an option, I know someone."
It's illegal, what he's offering, but there are ways. And people. If you know the right connection and it seems Jasper does.
"Jemma..." Leo begins.
"It's your choice, not Jemma's decision. Talk to her, but you make the final decision. I know Phil wouldn't force you to do this if you didn't truly want to do it. He and I talked about it, because he wanted information on Omega reproduction. He knew you didn't want to be a breeder."
The two Omegas grimace at the very thought of being a BREEDER.
"He said that you were pretty reliable with your cycle as he could set his calendar on your cycle. It was always 197 days apart with a five day window. Hmm…Simmons went on hormonal supplements, right?"
Fitz nodds.
"You two are in such synch, it might have screwed up your cycle." There's a brief shake of the condo and Jaspers looks out the window. "I didn't realize we were supposed to get wind today. Must be gale force winds the way the trees just shook."
The timer imperiously dings and Jasper looks at Fitz. "You ready?"
"Yes," Leo states.
"Liar."
Jasper prints off the result and hands it to Fitz. He doesn't need to ask what the result was as Leo blanches.
"Oh bugger, bugger, bugger."
Jasper gives him Leo several minutes to digest the news. "Are you ready? I'm surprised that they're not banging down the door," Jasper admits.
They realize why no one has interrupted them, as they enter a scene of barely controlled chaos. A sweating and cursing Skye is huffing and puffing, Jemma is staring intently at her watch while counting out the time and Felix has ripped down the shower curtain.
"I think we should have stayed in my den," quips Jasper.
They make it the hospital in record time. Felix swerves at odd intervals, breaks a speed limit or three, perhaps runs a red light camera (or five). It matters not as he'll fix the tickets later on. Jasper becomes the defacto labor coach as Skye helpfully informs Jemma that she'll never want to have the baby now because she'll know that it'll hurt like hell.
"They LIED to me…" Skye growls like a Satan Spawn as she pulls at Jasper's shirt. "LIED."
"I never lied to you," squeaks Jasper. "I swear, I never did."
"Could you ask her to please stop Quaking? It's kinda hard to drive here, and we're about due to have another one…" Felix barks as he fights his steering wheel for control of the Jeep.
"Looking forward to this, are you?" Leo dryly asks Jemma. Truth be told, she appears to be having second or third doubts because… well… earthquakes.
"Sod off," she tartly informs him.
The unexpected expletive from JEMMA SIMMONS, of all people, causes him to gasp in mock horror, "Jemma Anne Simmons, do you kiss me with that mouth?"
"I want my mom," Skye whimpers even as Jasper wipes her sweaty brow. "I want my mom."
"I know honey, I know. I wish Audrey was here also," Jasper assures her. "But can you try not to cause an earthquake?"
"Guess they won't have to hook her up to a fetal monitor," offers Felix. There was a violent swerve and a severe juddering of the JEEP again and Skye growls, "NOT FUNNY."
"I just got new struts," protests Felix.
"So what are the results?" Jemma asks, even as Felix takes the turn on two wheels.
He pretends not to hear her, as they have arrived at the hospital. There is a full team assembled waiting for them and Dr. Streiten sighs, "Don't even have to ask about her contractions. The building shaking gave me an estimate. Is she crowning?"
"I didn't look, we were in a JEEP, with an Earthquake," protests a flustered Sitwell. "In a JEEP."
Streiten pats Jasper on his shoulder. In a very soothing tone, he reassures Jasper. "You did very well. Now get changed we're going into the delivery room."
Felix Blake and FitzSimmons are escorted to the waiting room. They sit in silence and then Felix finally breaks the silence with his usual sardonic charm, "Guess, they knocked her out as the walls aren't shaking."
Fitz laughs and Jemma keeps quiet.
"You look pale. Would you like some water?" a concerned Felix asks.
"A little nauseous after that ride," she admits with a weak laugh.
"Anybody would be," he easily admits. "I was driving and I was tempted to vomit."
He acquires water, ginger ale and four different types of crackers from the vending machine and limps back over to her. She gratefully accepts and Fitz grabs the ginger ale as he left his stomach somewhere on Fourth and Madison after Felix nearly hit a light pole. "Here. One of those might help. Now, Jasper and I are willing to be in loco avunculus for you, like we are for Skye."
Since Phil's death, Blake and Sitwell have become a larger part of their lives. They have assembled Skye's crib, painted rooms (well, Sitwell had while a critical Blake had supervised his work), and contributed financially during the first few difficult weeks. Jemma's not comfortable with the acerbic Blake yet, but she's learning there's a heart hidden somewhere down deep (very deep) beneath the crusty exterior.
To Jemma's surprise, Fitz had no problems with Blake and has quickly formed a ready friendship with the older Omega, Jasper. Her Bondmate views Blake as 'safe' as he's completely committed to Jasper. Plus they know what he is, (an undocumented, misidentified O) and has helped keep him and Simmons of out the Rehabilitation camps.
"That's a generous offer," Jemma murmurs. She rubs her fingers over her face and Fitz leans closer to her as he knows that she's missing Phil, because they all are, right now. None so much as Skye, however. Jemma leans against Leo for emotional and physical support.
"Think about it and let us know," Felix says. He pulls out a package from his leather jacket. "Now, we got distracted before I could give this to you. Phil ordered these a few weeks before he went on his mission and he had them sent to my house. They arrived yesterday and I think he'd want you to have them, especially now. The choice is yours."
Jemma holds out her hand and Felix places the package in her hand.
"I'll be back in a few. Need a smoke," he offers.
The older Alpha leaves and Jemma begins to unwrap the package. She removes the lid and then she gasps, "Oh, Fitz. Phil got us Bonding Bracelets."
Bonding bracelets, an outwardly display of their bond being eternal, unable to ever be broken.
"If we wear these, it means we're safe. It means you're safe unless they overturn the Covenant."
Jemma pulls out one of the bracelets. She examines it and then softly exhales, "I think this was to be Phil's bracelet. It's engraved on the inside - Doubt that the stars are fire… with our bonding date. Next one is mine, as it's a little more delicate than the other two. My inscription is …Doubt that the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a liar…"
She ceases talking, and she looks at him, wills him to complete the quote that is inscribed on his bracelet – deliberately chosen by Phil to reassure Fitz– …But never doubt I love.
"He fucking got me up the duff," whispers Leo. "It has to be the night he decided he had to leave…because of me… the night I Bonded him, Jem."
"Shh… we have time," Jemma reassures him. They cling and console one another in their mutual grief.
After an hour, they hear a soft knock on the door.
"If you're ready, you can see the baby now." Blake explains from outside the door.
"One moment," Jemma attempts a happy tone as she wipes her eyes. "I'd like to wear this? I know he was on a brief walkabout when he died, but…he was planning on working it out. He had sent me all these marvelous plans on how he wished to woo you at your speed and comfort level. They were simply gloriously romantic plans. I was quite jealous and planning on demanding the same from him after you had Bonded him."
Fitz nods. "Can I see them?"
"We can do them even," Jemma offers. "Though I'll pass on cooking, if you don't mind. Least until I am beyond the nauseous state."
She holds out her wrist. Fitz takes her wrist and kisses it before he begins to speak the words that Phil would have spoken, "Take this as a symbol of my eternal love. Never to be broken in this world."
He slides it on and she sadly smiles. She begins to stand and then Fitz coughs softly. When Simmons looks at him, he extends his wrist.
"If you'd do the honors?" he softly requests.
Audrey Anne Johnson has a shock of black hair, chubby cheeks and a squad of loyal, devoted minions. Even Fitz is unable to escape her sway, as the moment she is placed in his unsteady arms, he falls deeply, madly in love with her.
He watches spellbound as she sleeps and the decision is made.
"I'm keeping it," he whispers to Jemma. "I am."
Eleven weeks after Coulson's death
Intel is received, determined to be credible. An exchange is proposed, the terms defined and the drop is made.
Phil Coulson is alive.
A Phil Coulson who has been tortured for intel.
"Can you tell Audrey I'm alive," he begs Melinda May who has rescued him like the proverbial Cavalry that she is. "Tell her I'm alive so she can tell Skye. Did they pull you out of administration to rescue me? Or did you volunteer? Either way, I'm so glad...I feared I was gonna die in there, May."
Melinda May has been in the field for years now, so she tilts her head.
"Phil, what year do you think this is?"
"It's 2008," he answers. "I don't think, I know. Today is June 30, 2008. I made it home in time for Skye's birthday."
The extended family meets, and the decision is made to send Skye in along with Andy Gardner to meet with Phil. He's been prepared and shown pictures of Skye but he still doesn't recognize her. The meeting starts badly, and it ends worse, as Phil breaks down in body shaking sobs over Audrey's death. Andy is a compassionate man so he quickly injects Phil with something that will help him sleep.
The family meets, they discuss, they curse and they cry.
Phil is stuck in the denial state, refuses to truly accept Audrey's death and… FitzSimmons' expertise is required for his infected bionic interface. No one, not Andy nor Skye can predict how Phil will react when he learns the truth that he has moved on to a new relationship.
They decide it best to give Phil time, a few more days to physically as Andy gently guides him through an update of his life.
As Jemma tells Fitz, sometimes loving someone means that you need to take the high road.
Phil's having a full blown panic attack. He's lost his memory for the last ten years or so, he looks in the mirror and he doesn't recognize the old man staring back at him. And his wife... his bond mate... is dead.
And the SCAR on his chest – like he had heart surgery gone horribly wrong, which is surpassed by the huge entry point on his back.
His daughter is widowed and there's a granddaughter. Whose name is Audrey.
And there's so much more that they're not telling him especially the Beta British Doctor. She's only come in once to 'consult' regarding his arm, but there's something about her that he feels he should know. She wears the dark muted colors of a bonded troika in mourning for their Alpha while her bonding bracelet is shiny new. Behind her bright smile and the slightest of belly swells, there lies a secret.
And Andy stays in the room, claims he needs to complete a report on Phil, but Phil notices that Andy watches their interactions. Intently.
Phil, being raised a gentleman by his mother, addresses the doctor with the proper honorific title for her grade and standing and the death of her bond mate. He's not stupid enough to add the honorific for her being pregnant however. (His mama didn't raise no fool after all). Her smile turns sad until she reminds herself to appear cheerful.
"With patients that have experienced similar trauma, many have regained their memories. Please don't be discouraged, Agent Coulson."
She means well, so he doesn't tell her to fuck off.
However after meeting her, the uneasiness grows inside him until he needs to escape. She has deeply disturbed him, and he needs to think. In quiet, blessed solitude.
It's easy to escape, far too easy, Phil decides.
He walks with purpose, deliberate in not making eye contact. There's a park that he's seen outside his hospital window. There's a fountain and there's people... and ... and... he bounces into someone. Hard. The person says something obscene in a Scottish brogue and Coulson grabs him before he falls.
He violates custom, he violates decorum, as he touches the man… skin to skin.
It's completely instinctive.
He apologizes profusely, as touching is not done among strangers.
"Coulson?" the man asks. "You're supposed to be in the hospital."
Coulson stares at the young man, willing that there be a trigger or a flash... or something. The young man seems to know him, or know of him... and... there's nothing.
Nothing at all.
"Having a walkabout," Coulson lies. "As long as I'm back in thirty minutes. I need to find someplace I can think in quiet."
This bearded man with short cropped hair… a Beta… wears the dark muted colors of a bonded troika in mourning for their Alpha while his Alpha bonding bracelet is shiny new. There's also a thickness around his middle which Coulson notices. It would most likely explain the young man's pallor.
The young Beta watches him, intently, until a decision is made. If Phil knew him, he'd say that the Beta has decided hell with convention, he's doing what he wants.
"Come with me," the Scot softly offers. "I know the perfect spot. I eat my lunch there as it's quiet."
"Are you feeling alright?" Coulson asks. "You seem pale and..." he refrains from gesturing at the man's midsection but his eyes can't help glancing downwards.
"Bit peckish. These days, I'm always hungry," the Scot explains.
Coulson just quirks an eyebrow.
"Yes," the younger man admits in a very dry tone.
"You seem..." Ambivalent.
"I wasn't supposed to be the one to get pregnant. My partner wanted a baby, but our Alpha got us both up the duff. He had a very odd sense of humor so I wouldn't be surprised if he did it deliberately. Then he had to go die on us, so I couldn't yell at him." The man's voice shakes and Coulson nods his head.
"Did he ever know?"
Long moment of silence. "No. I found out after he…" The man's blue eyes are suspiciously moist. "I would have given him the what for."
"I'm sorry for your loss," Coulson says.
"She wanted this with him, and..." he stops. "He wanted this with her… and…this… It's not public yet. Not yet. Just my partner, a few other people…. and now you. Rumor had that you were always very observant. Keep it under your hat, ok?"
"Let me buy you lunch," offers Coulson. He has a wallet and there's money in it, part of his rehabilitation. Hopefully there's enough money for lunch because he's not sure about the current prices of anything. "To apologize."
"Apologize for what?" The Scot asks. If anything, the pallor is more noticeable and his accent more pronounced. "You've done nothing for which you should apologize to me."
"For nearly tackling you in your condition. For asking questions that I shouldn't ask, as the wound seems new. Fortunately, you still have your partner. You two have been together for a while, I can tell. That's good, so you can console each other and you're not alone right now. When my wife died, I ….and…. I can… "
His new found companion looks uncertain as well he should, as Phil Coulson tears up like an idiot. Yes, she's been dead for almost ten years but... the wound is still new to him.
It takes him a moment but Phil composes himself, "I can tell the completeness of your bond by the way you speak of her. The Alpha, he was new to the mix, as you don't speak of him quite the same way."
The Alpha was... older... Coulson decided, because of the Bracelets. It had been old fashioned when he given one to Skye's mother, so it must be horribly archaic now in these modern times. The Bracelet represented an everlasting bond between an Alpha and their mate that lasted beyond death. It had been the only way he could protect her from the other Alphas if he had died.
Some of his fellow Alphas, he was loathe to admit, were rapists.
"He was closer to her than he was to me," The Scot quietly admits.
Coulson has his doubts, because of the Bracelets, because of the pregnancy, because… it just doesn't seem… right to him… because… never doubt I love….but he says nothing; instead he motions to the other man. "Let's get lunch before they locate me."
So many choices and he's not sure what, if anything, he likes, because it's all fusion. Organic Kale? Bok choy? It's enough to listen to the Scot bitterly bemoan the fact that he can't have a drink, so he tells the waiter to come back for his order but his friend needs to eat. The muttering washes over him, comforting and…. reassuring… and he decides his new found friend is Glaswegian. He's still staring at the menu, utterly overwhelmed when Skye locates him.
"DAD!" she yells even as she launches herself into the attack. "Where have you been? We've been so worried."
The British doctor is with his daughter and he realizes that she and the young man are bond mates.
"You two are together?" He points at the young man.
The doctor nods once and he ignores Skye to talk to the doctor.
"I know I don't have to tell you this, but you need to cosset him. He needs reassurance," he quietly explains to her. "About everything. About his relationship with his Alpha. Especially now."
"I can assure you that I'm taking very good care of him," the doctor informs Coulson. Her sincerity surprises Coulson, and Skye quickly rushes to his side.
"You had us so worried," she protests.
"I'm fine," he insists. "I was walking in the park with my new friend here." Coulson turns and he realizes that the bondmates have fled the scene. "They're not here. Did I break a Taboo by talking to him?"
"No, his lunch period probably ended," his daughter insists. "Plus, you were going all Dr. Phil on her."
"He didn't eat lunch, he needs to," Coulson protests. "Dr. Phil? Do I have a doctorate?"
"And you need to be in the hospital," Skye snaps at him. "What were you thinking? Just leaving?"
"Who is the Doctor?" he asks.
"Doctor Who?" Skye quips, which is apparently another cultural reference that he doesn't recognize. He'll ask Andy later.
"Fitz," Simmons asks. They are back at the condo that they had shared with Coulson before... everything. They are sitting next to each, tightly holding each other's hands.
"He didn't recognize me," Fitz softly admits. "But he realized that I was...and I told him about you."
"Things are getting complicated," Simmons sighs. "We should have told him about us."
"He wept when he spoke about Audrey," Fitz gently informs Jemma. "He's not ready for this. For us. For them."
There are problems with his arm. The stump is infected, the bionics need to be rebuilt. The pain… the pain is excruciating. He hasn't slept in what seems like days, as the medication does nothing for him. Well, the medication he takes, that is.
And the Betas return.
He learns their names.
Finally.
They are FitzSimmons, psychically and physically bonded, whole and yet not complete, he thinks as they stand so close to each other when they are brought in to examine him, and they complete each other's sentences even as they examine his records.
He's feverish, so he must be wrong as they seem to consume his medical annals in record time. When it's just the three of them in the exam room, he apologizes in advance.
"Forgive me, if I accidentally touch you. I do not mean to do so, for you have not given me permission. I will not force…"
Simmons' lips quirk even as she injects him. His eyes close and he almost asleep when he swears that he hears her say, "Always the old fashioned gentleman, Phil."
He's awake but not aware, as he hears snippets of conversation, high speed, highly accented conversations that wash over him. Phil repeats their names over and over to himself, willingly himself to remember them until he falls deeply asleep.
Fitzimmons returns the next day and he greets them. Respectfully, with the proper honorifics, (And God knows he had wracked his brains for what honorifics to address the very Learned, Highly Esteemed Bonded Betas in Mourning for their Alpha with the correct gender prefixes and a suffix for Simmons' known expectant condition while omitting Fitz's as it was not known) and he notices that Simmons looks uncomfortable.
"Did I offend? It was not my intent."
"Stop it with the honorifics. Else I will call you Coulson-sama," she snaps. "Perhaps, Coulson- qiánbèi."
Coulson winces. "Coulson- qiánbèi – that's what you say to old people."
He tries for joviality instead, he wounds. She turns away from him. She fumbles with equipment, but he sees that her eyes are full of tears.
"Fitz-hakase, what did I do?" he softly asks the other Beta.
"We originally built your biological interface and your bionic prosthesis. You've had a similar conversation before with us and its upsetting to her… that you don't remember. We finally convinced you that it was perfectly respectable that you called me Fitz and her Simmons."
"You know me? The old me?" Phil repeats. "When we met…. When I tackled you… you didn't tell me…that you worked on my arm. "
Fitz's eyes are blue, Phil realizes. Blue and not as guileless as he thought they'd be. No, they're red-rimmed, exhausted and full of an anger that seems to be directed inward.
… never doubt I love…but you're full of doubt, aren't you?, Phil thinks.
"Well, you have a lot to process. Didn't want to add more," Fitz explains.
"They're not telling me everything."
"No, it would make your brain go all," Fitz gestures an explosion. "We've been given careful instructions on what we can tell you."
"Did I know your Alpha?" Phil asks. "I'm assuming he was older due to your bracelets."
Fitz closes his eyes and looks away.
"Can't… talk about him…. Not yet," he explains. In a softer voice, he adds, "Maybe never. Jemma will give you another shot, so you'll fall asleep while we work on your arm."
When he wakes, he is in back in his hospital room. There is just Simmons, the female Beta, and she is tapping on her tablet.
"Hello, Dr. Simmons," he sleepily greets her. "I hope I didn't snore too badly."
"Like a rhino with a sinus infection," she admits which causes him to laugh at her brutal earnestness. "I could fix it for you."
"No, I like not being controlled by pheromones. I'm very sorry about earlier, I didn't mean to upset you. I really don't remember."
"I'm just fine," she lies. She's always been a horrible liar, he thinks. He ponders that thought but says nothing.
"I know it's none of my business, but… how's Fitz….?" He asks.
Her smile fades.
"I'm sorry. He just seems… as though he's having difficulties. I wish I could do something to help…." He admits.
She carefully tucks him in, and positioned his left arm just so on a pillow. Her gentleness doesn't surprise him but it should.
"Fitz and our Alpha were having some difficulties before … what happened. Fitz had a particularly difficult relationship with his father, so sometimes, he doesn't accept unconditional love easily. He's very lovable, except when he's hungry. That's why I always ensure that he has a sandwich nearby."
"Never doubt I love," Phil murmurs.
Simmons' expressive eyes widen. "Beg your pardon?"
"Doubt thou the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love. It's Shakespeare. I always think of that quote when I see Fitz. He's such a scientist and able to grasp the most obscure methodical concepts, but he can't seem to accept that his Alpha could love him just as much as he did you."
Her eyes well with tears, and she abruptly leaves.
"What are you two Brains hiding from me?" Phil wonders. "It's you, it's Skye… it's Andy."
It's surprisingly simple to determine what he hasn't been told. He escapes again (far too easily!) stops by Human Resources and he charms them into creating a life insurance policy for Skye's baby. Through flattery and sharp observations, he convinces Sharyn, she of the three kids, two dogs and new cat that he remembers everything, which is why he needs the paperwork completed.
"I wouldn't be a good grandfather if I didn't get this ready to go." He confesses with a happy smile.
"Well, are you currently happy with your Hartford policy for your partners? It's a really good thing that you added what you called 'Whoops not really dead' amendment because they were able to keep the payout."
He feels a cold chill run down his back. PartnerS.
OH DEAR GOD, Don't tell me it's BLAKE and SITWELL!
"Might be a good chance to review it after recent events."
He should have been surprised, but yet he wasn't, not really, when he saw that he was Bonded to Jemma Anne Simmons and Leopold James Fitz.
He was their Alpha.
"But never doubt I love," he whispers. "But Leopold James Fitz, you did and you still do… and Jemma Anne Simmons is Shielding you from me."