A bit late - but only by half an hour or so, and it's still the 16th for most of you so ...

Thank you to everyone who's read, reviewed and everything else.

I'm exhausted so ... on with the story. (Oh, one mildly offensive term near the end, but it's not that bad).


The next few days passed in a haze of ... CHRISTMAS ... a feeling strongest when around the twins, but still all too soon it was the morning after Boxing Day, and the pair were getting ready to head up to Scotland.

Pulling their suitcases along as they hurried through the busy train station, Fitz's worries began to grow once again.

"I just don't think this is a good idea. I mean, we didn't even tell anyone we're coming."

"Do you want to see your grandma Fitz?" She spun to face him, her face almost uncomfortably close to his, a pale flush spreading across her cheeks as she realised, and took a conspicuous step backwards, her eyes locked with his, showing the same intensity she put into everything.

"Of course, but Rebecca said..." He tried to argue.

"But nothing," she interrupted, slightly distracted once again, as she checked the platform on their tickets - a task she didn't trust to her best friend any more. "We're going." She glanced back at him, an eyebrow raised, "When are you going to realise I'm always going to get my way?" There was a joke in her voice, but there was a truth that Fitz couldn't quite deny - even in just the four months they'd known each other, he hadn't been able to say 'no' to her - not about anything important anyway.


Stood at the unassuming wooden door, Fitz hesitated a moment, risking a look back at Jemma, sat on the uncomfortable plastic chair as she let the engineer have some time alone with his grandmother first.

Pushing the doubts out of his mind, he shoved the door open before he could try to run away yet again.

The first thing he noticed was that she didn't look as bad as he had imagined (dreaded), but as some of thoughts had included the elderly woman in intensive care. There were a few machines around her bed, but the only piece of equipment actually attached to her was a single IV, and even that looked mostly empty. His eyes darted to the chart at the foot of her bed, the charts and notes not making the slightest bit of sense, despite his knowing that they explained what was wrong with his grandmother.

He was tempted to call Simmons in, at least she would know what a portion of the medical jargon would mean, but the white haired woman's eyes began to flutter and even he knew that meant she was waking up.

"Hey grandma," his voice was quiet, his eyes anywhere but on her, as she fixed a steely stare on him.

"You're late." Her voice was raspy, but no more so than it usually was, and it was reassuring to have her here and in front of him - the telephone calls he had been surviving on for the last few months just weren't the same.

"Sorry grandma," and everything just felt normal again, "Rebecca said..."

He trailed off as he caught sight of her expression, a sudden ... explosion of noise on the other side of the door catching his attention.

"That is my grandmother."

"Oh, so you're Rebecca. I should have guessed."

"What's that supposed to mean then?"

And Fitz had to suppress a wince, recognising the voices easily as Jemma and Rebecca's.

"Well you can't go in there," and a shadow fell across the frosted glass in the door - Jemma blocking the entrance he presumed. She could be quite stubborn when she wanted to be. Even when she didn't want to be as well, he had fast come to the conclusion. "Fitz is in there."

"Fitz?" Rebecca was confused - not unusual for the elder woman, he had to note - but he wasn't really known as that around here.

"Leo. You know. Your ... brother. Do you remember him know?" And he had to note, it was pretty impressive (not to mention mildly amusing - when he wasn't on the receiving end) how quickly Simmons could switch from her usual mild mannered self to a snarky, stubborn headed mule given the right conditions.

"My brother's in there?" There was a hardness in her voice that didn't lend itself to being a question, and he could tell she was trying to force her way into the hospital room - Jemma not budging an inch.

"Shift it, you stupid slag." That was his sister's voice - and the last straw of his patience.

His grandmother raised an eyebrow as Fitz stood up - no ... not just because she insulted Jemma (and she wasn't stupid in the slightest- she was the cleverest person he knew, and he included himself in that), but to try and talk some sense into the two women, before they did something they'd really regret.

Of course!

"I like her." The old woman cackled, coughing violently once more, and still refusing to let him help her, somehow falling asleep that probably had something to do with the amount of medication she refused to admit she was on.

"Of course you do... Grandma!" The exasperation bled into his voice, confusion still prevalent on his face as he made it into the hallway just in time to catch the climax of the argument - and watch the reactions of (the now many) bystanders - as a resounding slap echoed off the walls, sending everyone into a stunned silence, their eyes on the voiceless war between the two females.

Well, that and the already blossoming red mark on Rebecca's cheek.


"I can't believe we got kicked out of the hospital." And she really couldn't believe, even a few hours, finally alone in their hotel room.

Turning to him, suddenly worried, she asked quickly. "I wasn't too horrible was I?"

Fitz couldn't quite suppress his laughter.


Thank you for reading, and please review,
Mia