And here is the last chapter, sorry it took me this long but at least it gave me time to write a full chapter and not a short epilogue like I had planned ? And for my next stories I won't make the same mistake and wait until the whole thing is finished before I start posting it here ? Anyway hope you like this last chapter!
"Fitz … wake up …"
He was safely burrowed under the covers, he could easily pretend he didn't hear her.
"Fiiiiitz come on it's late …."
The voice was much closer now.
"Fiiiitz … you're going to miss breakfast if you don't get up …"
"Don't care Simmons, leave me alone …" He mumbled, still half asleep.
"Alright … but I think you're laying on my knickers so I'm gonna need you to move … I can't walk about naked, we have a teenager in the house …"
Wait knickers? Jemma's knickers? In his bed? Where he was sleeping ... yes definitely sleeping naked at the moment.
Suddenly the events of the previous night came back to his mind and he wasn't asleep at all anymore. Coffee with Linda, Jemma confessing her love for him, him doing the same, the kissing, the ...
"Wait wait wait …" He croaked, his voice still rough from sleep, as he turned around in bed until he laid on his side and found himself face to face with Jemma lying on the other side of the bed naked, at least from the waist up from what he could see, her head resting on her arm and grinning down at him. "… did last night really happen? I didn't dream it, did I?"
"What do you think?" She asked, looking down at her very noticeable nakedness then looking back at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Well … there's the chance that I'm still dreaming …" He teased.
Rolling her eyes in amusement, she moved forward to press a sleepy kiss to his lips, her fingers lightly grazing the skin of his neck, then going back for a another one and then another before pulling back with a contented sigh.
"Does this feel like a dream?" She asked in a whisper.
"No, definitely not …" He answered with a dopey smile, pulling his hand from under the covers to caress her soft cheek. She looked so pretty in the morning, her hair a little messy and her skin still free from any makeup. They lived together so of course it wasn't the first time he was seeing her just out of bed but somehow he'd always thought she did something before she got out of her room to look so fresh. But apparently, it was just one more perfect thing about his best friend and now girlfriend. Or maybe he was just being sappy. Or quite probably both. « Feels much better than any dream I've ever had …"
"Mmmhh …" She almost purred, pushing against his hand like a cat and it only made him smile wider. « I feel the same … »
"So hum … we kind of went from best friends to … well this » He started moving his finger between them and she grinned in amusement. "and I really don't regret going this fast, trust me I don't" He continued, his fingers going down from her cheek to her shoulder. "… but there are a few things we haven't talked about yet like … what are we going to do at work?"
"Well I really think I'd be better if we didn't have sex at work!" She grinned.
"Jemma!" He sighed, rolling his eyes and she grinned even wider. "I mean I haven't read that part since we signed our contract but isn't there something about not … fraternizing with fellow agents or something?"
"Well I have!" She answered, grinning in amusement at the way he blushed as the memory of their passionate night together and, knowing his very active imagination, probably picturing them being naughty in their lab.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Oh ... But when did you …"
"About a week ago …"
"Because you …"
"Because I'd just realized I might have feelings, romantic feelings, for you and well … you know I excel at preparation …" She finished for him with a pleased little smile and his heart filled with a deep fondness. That was such a Jemma thing to do. Being overwhelmed by confusing feelings and try to find the answer in rules. Once more, he was reminded that even though they'd both grown up a lot in the past few years, at heart, she was still the bright enthusiastic girl he met at sixteen and the first real friend he's ever had.
"Wow …" He smiled back dumbly. "And …"
"The fraternization rule only applies to agents working together on the field and even then, there can be exceptions so I think we're all good." She chirped.
"Wow … again!" He answered before letting his hand slide up to her cheek and bringing her face to him to capture her lips in an another slow sensual kiss.
"Mmmhh …" He sighed. "I don't know what makes more happy, that we get to do that now or that I won't have to read this bloody contract myself!" He grinned and she laughed fondly.
"And hum I know you wanted to go sooner but … I'm glad we'll still get a chance to go into the field in a few years." He added and her laugh stopped and turned into a surprised but very pleased expression.
"Oh … so you still want to go into the field?"
"Of course I do! I told you I'd apply to go with you once Amy's in college and I still mean it. Why do you think I've been working out for the past nine months?"
"Oooohhh …" She let out, her head dropping to the side, looking like she finally understood something that's been nagging at her for a while.
"What? What is it?" He asked, confused and she gave him a seductive smile.
"Well … I've been wondering if these …" She let her fingers trail down his chest and over his bicep. "were new or if I was just only now noticing them …"
Would a day ever come where he'd get used to Jemma looking at him like that?
"Well you know I'd do anything for you …"
"Awww … well it's much appreciated." She said, pushing him until he laid on his back and came to rest her head on his chest. "…yes much appreciated."
"So you like what you're seeing?" He grinned and she swat his chest playfully.
"Well I think I proved that to you last night … twice …" She grinned and he pulled her a little closer, not even caring that her skin was so cold from staying over the covers that he actually shivered, although to her defense it might have to do with the memory of how she proved it to him. He'd come to completely understand and accept that she reciprocated his feelings, they had such an history together and had so much in common that it made sense after all. But he'd also come to the conclusion that if she'd ever fall in love with him, it would mostly be something intellectual and that she'd basically make do with the physical part and just appreciate the way he would worship her body to make up for him not exactly falling into her standards of male beauty. But he'd been gobsmacked by how positively ravenous she'd been for him, her hands eager to map out every square inch of his body and her lips bolder than he could ever have imagined.
"But I really do appreciate it you know, not just this ..." She said, lightly grazing his chest for emphasis. "But everything about our new relationship. I know it's not even been a day but I can't imagine things being different anymore."
"Good 'cause I wasn't planning on letting you go anytime soon. Never actually ..."
"Mmmhh"
For a moment, they just remained that way, marvelling at how nice and right and natural this all felt. And how easy it was to finally express those feelings that had remained buried for so long, and how freeing it was.
"So hum ... you think they'll make an exception for us if we go to the field? Because I don't think I could work without you ..." He said against her temple.
"For us? Fitz!" She cried out as she looked up at him. "Separately, any team would kill to get us but together, we're unstoppable and they know it. Of course they'll make an exception for us!"
"Alright then …" He chuckled before pulling her half on top of him and pressing a small kiss on her lips. "... and do you think we could start being unstoppable in like ... an hour?" He asked tentatively.
She grinned mischievously as she settled better and more fully on top of him.
"Did you have something in mind?" She asked in a seductive tone.
"I honestly just wanted to sleep a little bit more but I could be convinced if YOU have something in mind ..."
"I could always convince you of anything anyway …" She grinned.
"Well yeah … add the nakedness and I'll do anything!"
"Funny, I remember this time you stumbled upon me as I was getting out of the shower and my towel fell off and I don't remember you doing any …."
Whatever she wanted to add, she was stopped short by Fitz crashing their lips together. Fitz remembered that moment very well, in details even -damn his photographic memory- and it had been at the same time one of the most embarrassing moments of his life and, he'd still be ashamed to admit it today, part of his recurrent dreams throughout all his academy years.
When they parted a few minutes later, panting and their limbs all tangled together, Jemma smiled down at him.
"Alright then … you get one more hour in bed … and I get to keep you for the rest of my life …"
"Deal"
-0-0-0-
Four months later
"Fitz … wake up, it's eight thirty already …"
"Mmmmmhhhh …" The groaning came from deep under the covers and Jemma grinned. In the four months since their friendship had turned into the most fulfilling and exhilarating relationship she's ever been in, she'd noticed quite proudly that Fitz's general grumpiness in the morning could easily be countered by a good morning kiss and a few minutes of cuddling. Also she'd discovered that if Fitz was not exactly the most tactile person in general (although he'd always been a bit different with her), as a boyfriend, he was so adorably cuddly he basically turned into a love starved puppy. But one thing that had never changed was his unwillingness to get off bed when he wasn't forced to because of work.
Most of the time she wouldn't insist any further and try again later by taunting him with pancakes. Also since they'd decided to share a room (about three weeks into their relationship and his obviously, as it gave them a lot more intimacy than one that shared a door with a teenage girl), she'd started seeing why people liked this whole "staying in bed long after you woke up" thing so much.
But this time, she was actually doing him a favor by insisting he woke up now. Because the other way that it could happen if he didn't hurry, wouldn't be pretty.
"Fitz, come on, we have to leave for the airport at nine thirty." She said, pulling the cover just a little bit to see his face and she had to bite her cheek to stop herself from swooning at the total adorableness that was Leo Fitz with bed hair.
"Perfect, I only need fifteen minutes to get ready, come back in half an hour!" He mumbled, making it a principle not to open his eyes despite him being obviously awake.
"But you won't have time for breakfast."
"I'll buy some at the airport. I'll buy us both breakfast if you come back to bed with me, you smell so niiiice in the morning…" He said, his voice slurring as he was obviously pretending to fall back asleep and blindly looking for her hand and grabbing it softly when he did. He was all warm from sleep and he knew his sleepy voice was her weakness and for a moment, she almost let herself be tempted.
But no, today was a big day and she needed him for a lot of things.
"No come on Fitz, you should really get up now or ..."
"Nooooo!" He screamed, his voice more high pitched than she ever heard. She hadn't seen or heard Amy walk into the room until it was too late and she was pulling the covers away completely.
"Amy!" Jemma cried out, as offended as she managed to sound while biting her lip to stop herself from laughing. It wasn't the kind of behavior she should be encouraging and he was really pathetic all curled up on himself in the middle of the bed but it was also kind of funny.
"WHAT. THE. HELL?" He cried out, trying unsuccessfully to pull the blanket back. "I could have been naked!"
"I know you don't sleep naked. Jemma told me." Amy answered with an annoyed huff.
"Usually no but you don't know what ... wait ... why do you even talk about this?"
When they got together Amy had been surprisingly curious about their intimacy for someone who pretended to be grossed out every time they kissed. So that information was one of the few harmless things Jemma had agreed to tell Amy so she would leave her alone and not try to embarrass Fitz by asking him much bolder questions.
"Not important! Go get ready! I'm off to Sheffield for a month. Don't you want to see me off?"
"Oh yeah I'm gonna miss you SO much ..." He replied with fake enthusiasm as he sat up in bed and rubbed the last remnants of sleep from his eyes.
"Stop it you two! Amy go check that you have everything and I'll make sure Fitz is ready on time." Jemma interrupted.
"You know I'm really going to enjoy having the apartment all to ourselves for the coming month ..." Fitz said as he finally got off bed once Amy was gone.
Then moving towards her, he wound his arms around her, squeezing tight for a moment before releasing just long enough to give her a soft peck on the lips and an adorable sleepy smile.
Yes, a cuddly puppy, that's what he was.
"Yeah ...me too" She replied with a soft smile as she laid her head on his chest for just one more minute, enjoying the warmth of his just-out-of-bed body. Of course that wasn't what was going to happen but she'd enjoy their time together nonetheless. And it was much funnier to let him discover it on his own than to simply tell him now.
-0-0-0-
"Hu Jemma?"
She heard his confused and slightly worried voice coming from her older room turned shared office and secondary dressing. Smiling widely, she didn't bother answering and joined him in the room. There would be quite some explaining to do and she wasn't going to do it by yelling across the apartment. She'd given him quite a lot of clues about her surprise in the past few weeks (both voluntarily and involuntarily) and it seemed that he finally realized something was happening.
"Yes Fitz?" She replied with an innocent tone as she entered the room.
"Hum why are half my clothes in a suitcase and not in my closet?" He asked, sounding like he was trying to remain calm but couldn't really achieve it. He was looking between the suitcase and the closet like they'd been contaminated by some alien creature, which probably explained why he was still in his boxers and a t-shirt. "Is that some very cruel way to break up with me and tell me you want me out of the apartment?" He asked, half joking but still a little worried, and she rolled her eyes fondly.
"No Fitz!" She sighed and closed the space between them to press a kiss to his lips to reassure him. "It's a way of telling you that for someone so smart you've been terrible at catching the clues I sent your way those past few weeks and now that it's getting close I have to go bigger!" She finished and if anything, he looked even more confused.
"Jemma?"
"First you should know that we're not going to have the apartment to ourselves for a month but only two weeks ..."
"What? Did you invite ..."
"And also we're not going to work on monday or the next thirteen days after that." She finished with a very pleased smile that turned even bigger when she saw his gobsmacked expression.
"How about you consider I'm really stupid and you tell me what's going on? In details?" He asked with a smile that was slightly forced as he visibly tried not to look impatient. So she took his hand and led him to the small couch in the corner of the room and decided to put him out of his misery.
"So you remember when we asked for some vacation days and they told us no because we'd already had two weeks at Christmas?" She started.
"Yeah ..."
"Well I insisted!" She grinned. "At first I didn't say anything because I didn't want you to be disappointed but when they finally said yes I thought it'd be even better to make it a surprise ..."
"What ...wh-how how did you ..." He stuttered with a look on his face that reminded her of that way he used to look at her at the beginning of their friendship when he was still discovering how smart she was. She'd always loved that look. It made her feel so special when it came from someone like Fitz.
"...get them to agree? It's a long story, I'll explain later but among other things, it explains your work load these past weeks ... sorry. Hopefully you'll think it was worth it. But now we should get ready and drive Amy to the airport and then I'll tell you everything." She finished bashfully, only now realizing that maybe he would have wanted to participate to the planning of their first holidays as a couple.
"You're not mad that I'm only telling you this now?" She added after a while when he just looked at her and didn't respond.
"Mad?" He repeated with a disbelieving chuckle. "It must have taken you so much time and energy and I get to have you all to myself, not only after work or during the week-end and hum… honestly any situation where I don't get to see Nathanson for two weeks is a good one!" He finished and they both chuckled.
"Good then ..."
"Yeah ... best …" He kissed her cheek. "girlfriend" and then the other cheek. "ever." And then he kissed her lips. And what he'd apparently meant to be a small peck turned to something more sensual as she locked her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, making him softly groan before he started kissing her back in earnest. She squeaked in delight when he pulled her across his lap and wound his arms tighter around her waist. She should have protested, reminded him that they should finish getting ready but in the four months since they'd started dating, she realized they were both just as incapable of denying each other kisses and cuddles and what often followed if they were alone. Maybe it was because they were still catching up on all the time they could have been kissing but didn't or maybe they were just really compatible.
"Urgh you guys get a room!"
Well, she wasn't going to solve that mystery today. Giving Fitz one last peck on the lips (she didn't want to let her sister think they were doing something they should be ashamed of), she reluctantly pulled apart until she was siting on his lap in a much more innocent way.
"Technically, IT IS still my room Amy!" Jemma replied, rolling her eyes.
"But I work on this couch, so just … keep it in your pants and go get ready!" The girl cried out as she was already walking away from the room.
"WELL IF YOU'RE GROSSED OUT BY A BIT OF KISSING, YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T SEAT ON THE LIVING ROOM COUCH AFTER WHAT WE Mmmmphhhh …" Fitz started yelling back but Jemma stopped him by putting a hand on his mouth.
"Fitz!" She cried out. "You can't tell THAT to my sister …" She half whispered as she felt herself blushing at the memory of what she exactly knew Fitz was talking about and he shrugged with an equally guilty and amused look.
"But she keeps trying to embarrass me, it's only fair I do the same …"
"I know Fitz" She cut him off. "But there are other ways … Wait till she brings home a boyfriend … imagine the possibilities …" Jemma grinned and after a moment, he grinned back.
"Oh Jemma … you evil genius you!"
-0-0-0-
The ride to the airport was rather ordinary. Ordinary meaning that Jemma spent half her time asking Amy if she hadn't forgotten her passport, the plane cushion Fitz designed years ago, the gifts for her aunt Beth and pretty much everything that was in her suitcase, and Amy spent half of hers telling her how annoying she was and that yes, she had everything because she'd already checked it a thousand times. At first, Fitz agreed with Amy and they both made fun of Jemma until he was reminded that time he did forget his passport despite Jemma's asking him about it ten times, and would have missed his flight home if Jemma hadn't insisted they left insanely early for the airport, thus giving him enough time to go back home to get it. After that, he basically agreed with her on everything, especially since he knew that with a little flattery about her flawless organizational skills she would probably do most of the packing for whatever their holidays would be.
Jemma had been in a great mood all day, with her first holidays with her boyfriend coming up after weeks of planning, and it's only when Amy was checked in and they had to leave her so she could go through security, that she realized that it would be the first time they would be separated for longer than a day since their parents died. Intellectually she knew that flying was the safest form of travel, and the only reasonable one from the US to the UK anyway, but she still felt her stomach twist at the idea or her sister in that plane. For once, she cursed Fitz for being an engineer and her own extensive knowledge that meant that she knew exactly every single thing that could go wrong on an airplane during a flight.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to reason herself. She couldn't possibly prevent Amy from going now and even if she could, they'd have to go back to the UK someday and actually being with her on the same flight wouldn't lessen the chances of something going wrong. And anyway, statistically, it was more dangerous to simply cross the street, especially in New York.
"Jemma? Oi Jemma is everything alright?" Amy said quite loud, apparently not for the first time, as she interrupted Jemma in her inner debate.
"What? Oh hum yes … just you know … so much to do before we leave on our holidays …" She answered, trying her best not to look worried. There was no need to make Amy nervous about flying.
"Wow, I'm not even on the plane yet and you're already ignoring me …" Amy answered in mock offense.
"Hey no that's not …" Jemma started with a slightly pained expression.
'I know Jemma, I was just kidding!" Amy cut her off with a playful bump of her shoulder. "But I have to go now or I'm really going to miss this plane, which would really be too bad considering how ridiculously early we left for the airport." She added. Jemma could hear Fitz trying to stifle a snort but by the time she turned to him, his face was the most perfect exemple of innocence. "He's lucky he's cute" she thought as she rolled her eyes and turned back to Amy.
"Fine you're right. Just be careful not to lose your passport, get up at least three times during the flight to take a walk and text me the moment you touch ground, alright?" Jemma said, her voice soft and a little melancholic as she couldn't help reminding herself of her mother.
"Sure!" Amy replied, rolling her eyes fondly. "Even if I didn't, I'm sure you set up an alarm on my phone or something to remind me!" She added and they both chuckled.
"Actually I wanted to but Fitz said it was a violation of your privacy so …" Jemma said with a sheepish shrug.
Amy turned to him for confirmation and Jemma supposed he gave Amy some sort of sign because Amy just shook her head in mock disapproval and grinned before taking a step forward. She hugged her sister tightly and sincerely and all trace of annoyance or impatience was gone and Jemma hugged her back.
They remained a long moment like that, longer than they probably ever had. They'd been away from each other for much longer than a month several times but this time was different and Jemma thought that Amy felt the same because she didn't try to move away from their embrace. And then, with Jemma reminding her for the hundredth time to be careful and not to forget anything and Amy pretending to be annoyed when she was really a little touched and both of them pretending not to have tears in their eyes, they finally walked away from each other. Amy gave Fitz a small hug before walking towards security and Jemma barely gave him the time to breathe before she buried herself in his arms, not to say goodbye but to find the comfort she's always found there.
It's only when they watched Amy's plane take off safely through the airport window almost an hour later that Fitz talked. Looking down at where her head was nestled in the crook of his neck, he gently cradled her cheek to make her look up at him.
"Everything alright?" He asked softly, seeing her definitely teary eyes.
"Yeah yeah it's just, I didn't I …"
"You didn't think you were going to actually miss her, right?" He cut her off gently, probably hearing how emotions were making her voice strained.
She nodded even though it wasn't as simple as just missing her.
"It's stupid, isn't it? It's only going to be a month and I'm really excited for the coming weeks with you and …"
"You know, we could always change our plans, buy plane tickets to Sheffield and be there in a few days ... We'd still be on holidays and I'd still get to be with you all the time, I'd be fine with it if it made you feel better …" Fitz cut her off once more and the sincerity of his declaration made the butterflies that had been in her stomach for much longer than the four months they'd been dating, take flight. She knew how much he loved her, even before this love became romantic, but she didn't think she would one day stop being astounded by the depth of his feelings. He'd been so excited at the idea of being alone with her for so long and still he was willing to forget all about it just because of her irrational fears.
"No Fitz!" She replied, turning around to face him fully. "That's really sweet of you and I know you mean it but … I've been planning these holidays for us for weeks and it's going to be fantastic Fitz and I know Amy needs some alone time as well to reconnect with her older friends and aunt Beth, she'd always been closer to her than I was … It's just that, I know it's irrational but …"
"With what happened to your parents, you're afraid something is going to happen to her if you're not here to protect her?"
People always said she and Fitz were psychically linked, an idea she found ridiculous, they just knew and understood each other so well, but sometimes, he made her wonder.
"Yeah …" She sighed.
His hand came back to cradle her cheek and he bowed down his head to press a kiss to her forehead before speaking again.
"I know it's not the same but … when my father left, I was sad and angry and a million of other things but mostly I was terrified that someday my mom would do the same. Every day I went home from school with my stomach tied in a knot because I imagined that the house would be empty and it was such a huge relief to find her waiting for me. It got so bad I didn't even leave her side for a minute after school or during the week-end."
"Oh Fitz … you never told me that …" She let out and it was her turn to cradle his cheek and he smiled softly down at her.
It had taken him months for him to tell her about his father leaving when he was ten after they first became friends. And another few months and a sleepless night they were supposed to spend studying for exams to give her more details about the whole story. But she'd always felt that there were things he never told her.
"It's an old story now and I got over it in the end. Can you believe that my mom's now using it to guilt me into coming home to see her more often because I'm the one who left her after all?" He said, rolling his eyes affectionately and Jemma couldn't help giggling. That did sound like something Ms Fitz would do for her beloved and only son.
"And how did you? Get over it I mean?" Jemma asked.
"With time mostly … And I guess I just accepted that you couldn't know what might happen the next day or even in just an hour and you should enjoy the people that are here and who matter as soon as possible, stop wasting time worrying and everything …" He said before wincing slightly at himself. "Wow … hum that sounded an awful lot like a motivational poster and it's easier said than done but you know … that's the spirit …" He finished, shrugging a little bashfully and she grinned at him.
How did her adorably grumpy genius boyfriend also become so wise and positive?
"Yeah a bit but … you're right, you're completely right. I'm going to keep the worry to a minimum and in six hours, I'll get her text and I'll know everything's fine." She sighed and moved forward to give him a small kiss. "So how about we go home so I can tell you how we're going to enjoy each other for the next two weeks …"
"I have a few ideas of my own, you know" Fitz grinned and she rolled her eyes.
"I meant that I'm going to show you what I've planned for our trip but hum … I've already packed a few clothes" She said, air quoting the word clothes. "that would probably lead to something you couldn't even think of." She added and a small grin made its way on her face when she saw him blush at her innuendo. He might play it cool and show a little bravado once in a while but he was still the awkward genius she met years ago who still felt a little embarrassed talking about anything to do with the human body.
"Okay, let's go then!" Fitz breathed out, taking her hand as he started to walk out fast enough that it was just short of running.
"Fitz!" She cried out, laughing incredulously at his eagerness. "Fitz!" She insisted as he kept on pulling her with him at such a rapid pace, until they reached the rather empty parking lot and he finally stopped and turned around. He looked at her with a big toothy grin for just a second before wounding his arms around her waist and pulling her to him to capture her lips into a heated kiss, his warm lips and sinful tongue making her see stars for a moment.
"Fitz?" She whispered, her voice breathless, when they broke apart.
"You like making me blush, I know I can make you breathless …" He replied, smiling smugly, even though he was just as breathless as she was.
"And I'll never get tired of it …"
"What? Making me blush or me making you breathless?"
"Both Fitz …" She breathed out.
"Let's go home then …"
"Mmhmm …"
-0-0-0-
Several hours later, Jemma lay curled up against Fitz's side on the couch, his arm around her shoulder and finally feeling like she was on holidays. Despite the promising kisses and teasing in the car on the way back home, they'd spent the last few hours in pretty much the same position on the couch, occasionally kissing but mostly talking. Because only a few minutes after they got home, as Jemma was pulling him in their bedroom with intent, he'd realized how she was just trying to distract herself from worrying for her sister. Not that he was ever against distracting her that way but in these circumstances, he suggested they talk instead. And of course, he was right.
Jemma reminisced about her family, about happy moments with her parents, about how things used to be with her sister before they became close and how mean they were to each other, helping Fitz understand how she'd always been more creative than he was in terms of pranking their classmates at the Academy. Fitz also shared a few stories, happy ones with his mother and other darker ones with his father. But the important thing was that they were together now and it made the happy memories even happier and the sad ones a little less sad. By the time Jemma got the text from Amy telling her she got to the UK alright, she wasn't even that worried anymore but still, she let out a sigh of relief and Fitz pulled her a little closer to press a kiss to her forehead.
She could sense that he was getting impatient to know where she was taking him on holidays but still, he said nothing and patiently waited until she was feeling more serene because that was how great he was. So she decided to finally put him out of his misery and tell him.
Of course, she had a whole thing prepared that relied, for a big part, on his memory. So knowing his was as good as hers, hopefully this would go well.
"Do you remember when we first met?" She asked after a moment, turning her head a little to look up at him.
"Of course I do Jemma ... I will spend the rest of my life thanking your alarm clock for malfunctioning this day and giving me the opportunity and courage to finally speak to you." He replied and she smiled fondly at the memory.
-0-0-0-
They'd both started at the academy for two months already and they were just so young and achingly shy back then. To Jemma, it was the most exiting time of her young life but as fascinated as she was by what she was studying, she still felt a little lonely. Oh sure, she was friendly enough that she had good relations with her dorm neighbors and classmates but she still didn't feel like she really connected to any other student. Maybe it was the age difference or the fact that she was still smarter than everyone else, even there at the academy where only the most brilliant were recruited, but no one had really picked her interest yet. And then, one morning, her alarm clock didn't work and she woke up just five minutes before the beginning of her class. She knew professor McSnurp didn't allow students in past the first few minutes of class and she knew she had at least at a 6-7 minutes walk to get there. Still, she'd packed her things, put on her clothes from the previous day, gathered her hair into a messy bun and only took the time to brush her teeth so she would not feel completely gross until she'd have the time to come back to her room for a shower.
But of course, despite running as fast as she could, she made it to the classroom only to find the door closed. And just when she thought she couldn't have a worse start of a day, she turned around and literally crashed into someone passing by, both of their books and notebooks flying all around them. She didn't recognize him immediately, having only seen him from afar during the classes they shared. But then, he spoke, asking her tentatively if everything was okay and she recognized his voice immediately. Just as it did in class, his soft Scottish lilt, stronger back then than it was these days, made a smile appear on her face. Maybe it had to do with it reminding her of home or the fact that every time he spoke out in class, it was smart and witty and often funny. She knew he was her age (from upclose, he looked even younger) and it intrigued her. More than once, she thought about going to talk to him but she never found the right opportunity.
"Oh yes … I'm alright, just ran to get to class because I was late and professor McSnurp, she doesn't let people in when they're late and now I'm gonna have to catch up on two hours worth of …"
"Oh yeah McSnurp, she's terrifying, a real life McGonagall this one!" He'd cut her off as he went on his knees to start picking up their stuff and she'd followed him. And then probably sensing her distress at the idea of having missed a class -she used to get really dramatic over small things back then-, she'd seen him hesitate before he finally started talking again and god, was she glad that he had the courage to make the first step in what would become the most beautiful relationship of her life. "But hum, I just had this class last night so hum if you want … I could lend you my notes, explain it to you a bit if you have the time …"
He'd looked so cute, proposing to help her and sounding like she would be making him a favor.
"Really, you would?" She'd asked, enthusiastically and feeling like her morning was finally shaping up to be much nicer than she thought.
"Yeah, yeah of course!"
"How about now? I have some free time obviously and I haven't had breakfast. There's a small coffee shop just outside of campus, they make the best scones I've had this side of the Atlantic. What do you say?"
For a moment, she saw him hesitate as he looked at his watch and then his phone and she was afraid she'd been too forward. He was just offering to help her and it sounded like she was asking him out. But then he'd looked up at her with one of those blinding boyish smiles she'd gotten used to since then and said yes.
-0-0-0-
"You know, even back then, I felt really self conscious about going out for coffee with you looking like I just tumbled out of bed!" Jemma said, absentmindedly tracing patterns on his chest.
"Really?"
"Yeah I mean I was a sixteen years old girl and you were so cute with your big blue eyes and curly hair, I wanted to look nice just … just in case" She said, blushing slightly as she suddenly remembered how seeing Fitz as more than a friend wasn't an idea that came out of the blue when they had their first kiss.
"Well if it's confession time, then first you should know that I only remember you being nothing less than gorgeous that day but then again I always had a thing for how you look when you just woke up …"
"Oh Fitz …" She swooned.
"And then you should know that I actually missed a class to go get that coffee with you …" He finished and she turned around so quickly that she almost lost her balance and he had to catch her, her face ending up even closer to him and looking at him with surprise and quite a lot of fondness.
"Fitz! You should have told me ... So that's why you hesitated … and all this time I'd been afraid I came on too strong … we could have found another moment, you didn't need to miss class."
"No way! I finally had an opportunity to talk to you, I wasn't going to let it pass. I knew guys would have lined up to lend you their notes Jemma and then I would never have found the courage to talk to you again and we might have never become friends …"
"Oh yes I think we'd have … it was inevitable." She replied without thinking and he grinned widely. He wasn't used to her being romantic.
"But hum … what does our first coffee together have to do with our holidays?"
"I'm getting there Fitz … So you remember how we went to this coffee shop and it took us barely half an hour to sum up two hours of class?"
"Yeah …" He grinned.
"And then I was desperately trying to look for things to talk about so you wouldn't want to leave immediately because you were just as smart and interesting as I thought you would be … and then I saw this picture in one of your notebooks …"
"You're going to have to be more precise, I used to carry a lot of pictures of a lot of things, like reference pictures for designs I was working on or …"
"That beach in Costa Rica …"
"Oh yeahhhh …" He sighed dreamily and she couldn't help smiling at the sight of his enthusiasm that seemed just as intact as when he was sixteen but also at the idea that for a genius, he could be really slow. "Ooooh …" He added, turning around, his eyes wide as saucers.
There he was.
"Mmhmm …" She nodded with a pleased little smile before continuing without giving him time to react more than that. "And apparently that was the right topic to chose because after I asked you if it that was your next holiday destination, you told me how much you'd like to go because of the beaches of course but also for the monkeys. And then you went on about all the species of monkeys there and all the other species living in the forest. And I think that's when I fell in love with you. Not consciously and maybe not romantically yet but however crazy it sounds, I loved your brain and your mind. You were so smart and adorable and so endlessly inquisitive, I knew we'd have something special the two of us so oomphhh …"
She was cut off by Fitz crashing his lips to hers. He cradled her cheek and pulled her closer, his other arm going around her waist. The kiss was sudden and passionate and yet infused with all the sweetness he had in him and she let herself melt into him.
"Jemma …" He sighed when they finally broke apart a moment later. "Are we really going there, Are we really going to Costa Rica? Just you and me?"
"Yes … just you and me …" She replied breathlessly, an ecstatic smile on her face. "And hum … had a talk with my friend who works at the university of San José and she arranged for one her colleagues who studies monkeys to show us her work and give us a tour in the forest so you can see spider monkeys in the wild … I mean it's not the one month road trip we'd planned last year but hopefully …"
"Jemma Simmons!" He cut her off, taking both her hands in his. "Don't you dare apologize! This is the nicest, most thoughtful thing anyone's ever done for me, I love you!'
"Ooh Fitz I love you too" She replied before pressing one more kiss to his lips. "So really do you think it was a good idea? You don't regret our road trip through the US?"
"Do I regret getting to see monkeys and going to the beach with my beautiful girlfriend instead of driving all day and sleeping in Steve Jenkin's old van with my platonic and no less beautiful best friend?" He replied, pretending to actually think about it before answering. "Hmm no I really don't Jemma!"
"Great then …" She said, sliding over until she sat across his lap to give him another kiss, his arms naturally coming around her waist to hold her tightly.
"So when are we leaving?"
"Tomorrow night."
"Tomorrow night? And you thought you had to start packing this morning?" He asked with a small smirk and a raised eyebrow.
"Oh no actually, i started packing three days ago, I have everything ready for the both of us: hiking shoes, bathings suits, venom packs just in case, our passports, touristic guides, books about the flora and fauna … you just need to need to check if there's specific clothes you want to bring and we're all set!" She replied happily. She knew people tended to think her obsession for preparation was a bit crazy but she was actually quite proud of it. And considering the growing smile on Fitz's face, he apparently didn't mind about it either. She supposed it had a lot to do with the fact that he hated packing. Back when they were at the Academy, he'd always wait till the very last moment to pack his suitcase to go home. Amazingly enough though, he never forgot anything.
"So that means we have the whole evening and most of tomorrow open for us?" He asked with a mischievous grin and she started to see where this was going.
"Yeah I guess we do …" She replied, scooting even closer to him on his lap.
"So hum …" He started as he let his hands wander further down her back. "How about I cook us a nice dinner and then we can watch a movie or I could talk to you some more about which monkeys we can find in Costa Rica and then … we can go to bed early to be well rested for out flight tomorrow!" He finished with a teasing grin and she rolled her eyes.
"Fine then I suppose it'll give me time to pack all the pyjamas I thought I wouldn't need over there …" She replied with a fake innocent smile before pressing a very chaste kiss to his forehead and standing up to walk towards her old room where she would hopefully soon be too occupied to think about packing pyjamas.
"Ah wait wait wait …"
-0-0-0-
Later, after spending a long delicious moment together in her old room definitely not packing pyjamas, she watched him cook dinner from their small dinner table. Even though he still tended to have childish tastes when it came to food, he'd always been good at cooking and they always complimented each other. Where her skills in biochemistry helped her being precise and knowing how ingredients would react together, he had all the creativity and the dexterity of an engineer. But tonight he'd insisted to cook for her to thank her for everything she's had to do to plan their holidays and she gladly let him. As she watched him move around the kitchen, humming some indistinct melody while she went through her files once more to check that they had everything, she was hit by the domesticity of it all. After four months, she still marveled at how easily they went from best friends and roommates to a couple raising a teenager together. And now they were going on their first holidays together and she knew the steps that normally followed after that and she supposed she should be scared because she'd never even lived with someone before Fitz, but somehow she wasn't. Whatever was waiting for them down the road, she was excited to get there.
"Jemma?" He asked with a slightly amused smile. She must have been staring at him for some time.
"Yeah?"
"Is everything alright?"
"Yes Fitz everything's perfect … I'm just … I'm really happy"
"Oh good …" He replied with a blinding smile. "I'm really happy too."
Fun fact: I've just come back from a two weeks holiday in Norway and as I always do when in a foreign country, I buy a local edition of the first Harry Potter book. And it turns out that in Norwegian, McGonagall becomes McSnurp ? Most characters names have been changed actually (except Harry) but I just found that one just too funny not to use it somewhere!