Drabble 53: Paralyzed

A/N: Hey guys! This drabble is for weasleywarrior. The next two weeks are absolutely crazy for me, but I'll try to update again as soon as I can. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please leave me a review!

Simmons was there when it happened.

It started out so simply, everything going exactly as it was supposed to. Then she blinked and everything was wrong.

Of course, those things happen when you least expect them to.

"Fitz, Simmons, stay close." Coulson ordered.

"Yes sir." Simmons said.

They were doing a scouting mission. Fitz had the drones out scanning everything in sight, and Simmons hadn't wanted to be left alone on the Bus, so she'd agreed to accompany him.

May was a few feet behind them, all senses alert as she watched for signs of activity. Coulson walked just ahead of them. Skye and Ward were training, just visible in the distance as he taught her the best stealth techniques.

They were almost at the edge of the area they were scouting when it happened. May shouted warning and started forward, pulling out her gun. Coulson yelled louder to Skye and Ward, and then whipped out his weapon.

An object was thrown into the air in a clear arc by the man. It was all the time he had to throw it up. The next instant he was sprawled on the ground, shot from multiple directions. Dead.

The object fell towards them, and before Simmons knew what was happening Fitz pushed her roughly aside.

It hit the ground and seemed to explode. An electrical net burst from it, shooting static sparks in every direction as it sought to wrap around the nearest object; Fitz.

It was very wide, large enough for multiple people. As soon as it hit Fitz he fell to the ground, caught in it. Then it shocked him.

"FITZ!" Simmons yelled.

He was convulsing on the ground, teeth gritted in pain as electricity coursed through his body. She rushed over to him and tried to pull the net away, but it was still sparking. It shocked her, but she kept pulling at it until an arm forced her backwards. She whirled and glared at Coulson.

"We have to help him!" she said.

"May's getting rid of the net now." Coulson said calmly but quickly. "We need you to be in top shape to look at him, and you can't do that if you're shocked too much."

She turned to look back at Fitz and saw that his convulsions had slowed. As May got the net completely off of him he became still, actually. She rushed forward again, her fingers flying to the side of his neck to take his pulse. It was there, but weak.

"Come on, Fitz!" she said, looking at his face. His eyes had closed. She didn't know what to do for him.

Then her worst possible fear came true.

His heart stopped.

"NO!" she yelled. She started beating frantically on his chest, willing him to breathe. He had to breathe.

"Simmons!" Coulson said, kneeling down next to her. "What's wrong?"

"His heart's stopped." She said, regaining some control of herself and performing CPR. "The shock was too much for it. We need to get it started again."

Her training took over as she pumped on his chest. Fifteen compressions, thirty… then a gasp.

She stopped the compressions immediately. "Fitz!"

He was gasping, but his eyes were open.

He was breathing. Simmons felt like crying with relief.

"Don't you ever do that to me again!" she yelled at him. Her voice held anger, but it shook too much to be convincing. She was an emotional wreck inside, though she struggled to maintain control of herself.

He managed to get his breathing under control and looked at her, still breathing heavily. "I won't."

"You can't die, you hear me?"

"I won't, Jemma. I promise."

She swallowed and bent over, wrapping her arms around him for a second. Then she straightened up and looked him over. "That was quite a charge." She said.

"Hurt like hell." Fitz said.

"I'll bet." Coulson put in. "That net was meant for more than one person, from the size of it. It had enough power to neutralize a few people, let alone one. I'm glad you're alright."

"May." Simmons said. "Is she alright?"

"I'm fine." May said. "I only got static."

"Good." Simmons said absentmindedly. "Fitz, does it hurt anywhere?"

"I don't know." Fitz said. "Everything's sort of tingling."

"What does that mean?" Coulson asked Simmons.

"We need to get him on the Bus." She said. "Something's not right."

Ward and Skye were standing behind Coulson, and when they heard this Ward stepped forward. "I'll carry him in."

"Alright." Simmons said, standing up. "I need you to bring him to the infirmary."

"Jemma, I'm fine." Fitz said as Ward picked him up. "Just a little shocked, that's all."

She glared at him, and he seemed to realize what he'd said. "I didn't mean it like that!"

But she wouldn't listen. Ward carried him to the infirmary, allowing him to walk with support as they got closer. Then Simmons started a thorough examination on him.

Twenty minutes later Fitz looked at her with bleary eyes. "I told you. It just took a minute to feel back to normal."

"I guess you're right." She admitted reluctantly.

She studied him for another moment in silence. "You should rest. I want you to stay here for the night."

"Okay." He said, closing his eyes. Two minutes later he was asleep.

Simmons pulled a blanket over him and took a seat next to him, finally allowing herself to cry. Fitz had pushed her out of harm's way and taken all of the charge by himself. It had almost killed him, but his first instinct had been to save her.

As much as she loved him for it, she also hated it. When his heart had stopped… her world had been turned upside down. She had felt empty, like nothing in the world made sense anymore.

It was the most terrifying experience she had ever had.

She leaned in closer to him, brushing one hand through his hair. "Don't ever leave me." She whispered. She brought her lips to his forehead and lingered there for a moment before sitting back in her chair, holding one of his hands. She needed to be near him for a while.

When Fitz woke up a few hours later, he immediately tried to get up and walk.

It didn't work as well as he'd hoped.

"Whoa!" Simmons said, easing him back onto the bed as he gripped the edge of it. Once he was seated again she gave him a look. "What were you doing, trying to move so fast?"

"I feel fine." He said. "I just want to go change my clothes, maybe get down to the lab."

"Just go slowly." Simmons instructed. "You're perfectly healthy, but I'm sure that shock drained your body. It's bound to affect your movement."

He nodded and tried getting up again, this time much slower. Simmons stood by his side, ready to grab his arm if he needed it. They walked to his room and she stood outside while he changed into fresh jeans and a new shirt. Then she walked alongside him to the lab, where he sat at his station.

"Can we start analyzing that grenade?" Fitz asked.

"Are you sure you want to?"

"Yeah, definitely." He said.

She nodded and walked over to a far table, where Coulson had told her the grenade had been placed. "Let's start by scanning it. Then we can start taking it apart to see exactly how it works."

"We can personalize it." Fitz said. "It seems like a very good weapon, depending on the goal of your mission. We'll improve it and make it our own."

Simmons watched him start analyzing the grenade carefully. She didn't know how good it was for him to be working on it so soon after the accident. He seemed obsessed with figuring it out, making it better.

But if he was struggling, he didn't show it. They worked all day and by dinner had the specs drawn out for a prototype. They planned to build it in the morning. The Electro-Net would be a great new weapon if they got it to work.

By the next day Simmons was sure Fitz was physically back to normal. Mentally he seemed fine as well, but she was happy once they made a working Electro-Net and could put the project away.

She'd had enough to do with electricity for a while.