Hello Everyone! Sorry this update is so long in coming...I have an AP test coming up and about a hundred other things that I'm working on but I hope you won't be disappointed by the wonderful(and not so wonderful, depending on how you look at it) things that happen in this chapter. Also, to MapleCandys, you say Fitz has all the bad luck? I guess I'll just have to change that...*cue evil laugh* Enjoy and thank you guys for all of your feedback!
"Leeeeeeooooooo!" Fitz rolled over at the sound of his name being hollered up the stairs.
"Becky, I told you to go wake him up. If I wanted you to yell up the stairs I would have done it myself." Fitz grinned as Jemma's reprimand floated up the stairs. A few seconds later there was tapping on his door.
"Leo, Jemma's made pancakes and she said if you want any you need to get down there quick before the kids eat them all."
"Thanks, Becky," Fitz pushed the covers off and padded over to his closet. He pulled out a pair of jeans and a S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy t-shirt. In a futile attempt he dragged a comb through his unruly curls then he hurried downstairs. The kitchen was a center of chaos but Fitz simply smiled-he had come to expect it. Lucy, Angela, and Sarah were all sitting at the table chattering loudly and banging their silverware. Rebecca was flitting around the kitchen, helping Jemma put the finishing touches on the pancakes. Jemma herself was standing over the griddle, spatula in hand. Her hair was tied back in a messy ponytail and she was wearing a pair of gray sweats and a black tank top. Fitz looked back to the table and quickly rescued the syrup bottle from the hands of Angela.
"I don't think your Mum would appreciate a sticky floor, Ang," said Leo. Jemma turned around at the sound of his voice.
"Morning Fitz!" She said brightly.
"Watch out Jemma!" Cried Becky. Jemma spun back to the griddle.
"Oh!" She quickly slipped her spatula under one of the pancakes and flipped it over, revealing a very darkened underside. She blushed, turning back to Fitz.
"Would you mind getting juice for the girls?"
"Sure, no problem," said Fitz, grabbing the juice carton from the fridge. He poured a cup for each of them and set them on the table. Becky came over from the kitchen bearing a plate stacked high with fluffy pancakes while Jemma set the griddle aside to cool. The kids squealed with delight as Jemma took the spatula and slipped a pancake on to each of their plates. Fitz smiled a thank you when she did the same for him and they all dug into the syrupy goodness. Twenty minutes later Fitz looked up from an empty plate with a smile on his face.
"So what're we doing today?" Jemma smiled.
"We have the day off," she said happily, "Becky's gonna watch the little ones. I was thinking maybe we could go window shopping?"
"Why not," Fitz agreed readily. He had spent a lot of time with Lucy and the twins in the week that he had been at the Simmons' house and he absolutely loved them to death, but he was also ready to get out of the house for a bit. He stood and grabbed his dishes.
"You go upstairs and get ready Jem, Becky and I can do the dishes." Becky nodded and Jemma stretched her arms up.
"Alright, if you're sure,"
"We can do it Jemma," Becky gave her older sister a push and then grabbed a towel.
"You wash, I'll dry," she told Fitz.
"Yes ma'am," Fitz replied with a wink, pulling the dish soap from under the sink. They made short work of the pile of dishes. Becky reached up and set the last plate in the cabinet. Fitz dried off his hands and stepped over to where the three young ones were still sitting at the table.
"C'mon Angie," he said lifting the first twin out of her high chair and resting her against his hip.
"You too, Sarah-Bear," he tickled the other four-year-old under the chin, then scooped her up while she was in a fit of giggles. Fitz left Lucy in Becky's care and headed upstairs. Jemma was just stepping out of her room, now wearing skinny jeans and a dark blue sweater with a black puffy coat hanging on her arm.
"Here," she motioned for the twins and Fitz handed them over.
"I'll be ready in just a mo'," Fitz promised, just catching Jemma's nod before he disappeared into his room. He emerged a few minutes later, still wearing jeans, but with a long sleeved polo on top and his own version of Jemma's puffy coat, along with a black beanie to keep his ears warm. Jemma was just finishing a mini-lecture to the kids when he arrived down in the entryway.
"...and don't eat all the cookies, Mum and Dad will want some. Becky make sure if you go outside that they all have gloves on and..." she paused, "alright I think that's everything." She turned to Fitz, "Ready?"
"Yup," he looked down at the kids, "you guys be good for Becky now, got it?" With three nods and 'uh-huh's' Leo and Jemma stepped out into the snow covered world.
A few hours later the pair was chilled to the bone and sporting cherry red noses. Fitz was burdened with all the presents they had bought for the kids. So much for window shopping, he thought. But he didn't really mind, not if it meant he got to spend a lovely day out with Simmons. He looked around the square they were standing in and spotted a tiny cafe squished between some tourist trap shops. He tapped Jemma and pointed toward it. She nodded and they hurried toward the blessed warmth. Jemma went toward a table, unwrapping her scarf, while Fitz went to order their drinks. He came back to the table, two hot cocoas in hand. Neither of them was particularly fond of coffee and they both not-so-secretly loved the memories that had been made over mugs of hot cocoa. This time though, Simmons was in for a surprise. Fitz grinned when she took her first sip and her eyes widened with shock.
"Cinnamon hot chocolate!" She exclaimed, smiling widely. Fitz beamed back at her.
"It sounded pretty good so I thought we should try it." Jemma had just opened her mouth to reply when her phone rang. She looked at the caller id and sighed.
"Should've known out peace wouldn't last very long." She flipped open the phone and answered Becky's call.
"Jemma? You need to come back."
"Becky? What's wrong?" Fitz was alarmed by the panic on Jemma's face.
"Just come back Jemma, please you need to come back!" Becky was scared and desperate. Jemma stood quickly and pulled her coat on.
"We're on our-" The line went dead. Fitz and Simmons locked eyes.
"We need to go, now," said Simmons. Fitz didn't question her, just followed her out, leaving their drinks abandoned in the cafe.
The front door was wide open when they made it back to the house. Jemma ran inside, Fitz right on her heels. The place had been ransacked and their belongings strewn about the floor. Whoever had been here was looking for something.
"Becky?!" Yelled Jemma, fear filling her voice. Her cry echoed through the empty halls.
"Rebecca?!" Jemma took off up the stairs pulling open doors and looking in rooms, even though they both knew that Rebecca would have answered them already if she was able to.
"Jemma?" A timid, scared voice sounded from down the hall. Jemma ripped open the door to the towel closet to find Lucy and the twins crouched inside, cleverly tucked beneath several stacks of towels.
"Oh thank goodness," Jemma grabbed Lucy, who was immediately pulled into Fitz's arms, then eased the twins out.
"What happened? Where's Becky?" Asked Jemma.
"She thaid there were bad men...that we had to thay in the clothet and be very, very, quiet. She thaid not to come out unleth it wath you or Mommy or Daddy," Lucy's lisp was very prominent in her distress and she whimpered, pressing her face into Fitz's shoulder.
"Shh, it's okay sweetie, I've got you," Fitz rubbed comforting circles on Lucy's back. He looked at Jemma and saw his own fear mirrored tenfold in her eyes. He was just about to say that they needed to call the police when Jemma's phone rang. They all jumped at the sound and Jemma quickly fumbled to answer the call.
"Hello?"
"Is this Jemma Simmons?" A man's voice, calm and soothing came over the line.
"Yes..." Jemma answered cautiously.
"My name is Phil Coulson. I work for S.H.I.E.L.D. We got word of an incident in your vicinity."
"How is that possible? We just discovered the incident ourselves, nobody's had time to report it." Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. There was a pause on the other end of the line.
"Well Miss Simmons, you have one damn intelligent girl for a sister."
