Chapter Four.

More Fitz this chapter. Yay!

A few weeks had passed. Fitz was having daily speech and physiotherapy and the improvement was startling. Jemma had researched strategies for rehabilitation after brain injury and knew that recovery was fastest in the early stages and was likely to plateau after a while, but even she couldn't believe the difference in Fitz in such a short time. She knew he would never regain his memories in the pod- a short period of retrograde amnesia is text book; they were lucky he had only lost a few hours. She couldn't imagine what it would have been like if she'd had to explain what had happened with Hydra. At least it had made some sense to Fitz when she'd told him it had been Ward who released the pod, he'd been upset of course but he'd remembered Ward was Hydra. He'd almost seemed sad for Ward, like he still believed he wasn't born evil, even after what she'd told him. Fitz's innate goodness warmed Jemma's heart. She couldn't think of anyone else who could go through what he had and still hold on to the potential for forgiveness. She herself wanted to lock Ward up and throw away the key. He was beyond redemption in her eyes.

Jemma pushed open the door to Fitz's makeshift hospital room, two mugs of tea in hand. He was sat up in bed flicking between the channels on the small television Tripp had installed for him. He turned it off as she entered and gave her a wide smile.

"Oh, you're a star! I'm parched."

"I thought you would be," she smiled back at him and carefully passed his tea to his good hand.

"Good day?"

"Well, it was eventful. I broke a beaker in the lab so I got to test the decontamination shower."

Fitz immediately looked worried. "Was that what the alarm was earlier? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, it was just a precaution," she patted his shoulder reassuringly and he settled back, sipping his tea.

"I wouldn't mind a decontamination shower myself," Fitz laughed and wrinkled his nose, the playful expression causing tingles to rise up Simmons' spine.

"You want a shower? Haven't you had one?" she eyed the ensuite bathroom that adjoined Fitz's room.

"No," he shook his head. "The shower in there is too small to get a wheelchair in and I can't stand on my own for long enough yet. Besides, I can't do much with this," he raised his left arm, which was still in a sling.

Simmons frowned sympathetically. She knew Fitz had always been very particular about his personal hygiene and he would have hated the last few weeks of having nurses give him bed baths.

"It's really badly designed, this place," Fitz looked around the room. "No wonder they call it the Playground- someone was certainly playing a game when they drew up the plans."

Simmons snickered, "well I don't think this was actually designed as a medical wing. We've had to make do, what with S.H.I.E.L.D. being dismantled and all."

Fitz huffed and nodded. Suddenly Simmons brightened.

"There's a bath upstairs. I'm sure it would be fine for you to use it."

"What about this?" the engineer raised his arm again. "I could sit in the tub but that's about it to be honest."

"I could help you," Simmons spoke without thinking. She noticed his startled expression and the flush in his cheeks before feeling the heat rise up her own neck. "You'd keep your boxers on, I wouldn't see anything."

"Oh. Maybe," He smiled at her appreciatively. "I don't want it to be... awkward though."

"It won't be," Jemma wasn't sure if the firmness in her tone was for his benefit or her own.

-:-

"Ready?" Jemma came into the room and averted her eyes as Fitz finished tying his dressing gown around his middle awkwardly with one hand. He moved slowly off the bed and into his wheelchair, allowing Simmons to take charge and wheel him down the corridor.

Along the way they passed Agent May, dressed head to toe in black as usual. She raised her eyebrows quizzically at the sight of Fitz in his dressing gown, but didn't say anything.

"I'm giving Fitz a bath..." Jemma stuttered quickly.

"Jemma's just giving me a hand... helping me," Fitz corrected himself.

"Okay," May smiled knowingly at the pair and continued moving stealthily down the corridor.

Why did he feel so embarrassed? It wasn't as though they were up to anything. Fitz frowned inwardly at himself. It was just one friend helping another friend in his hour of need. There was nothing else to it. Except that he was going to have to deal with being nearly naked in a room with Jemma. Jemma who he was completely in love with. But... it was fine- he'd spent so long pretending, he could pretend some more. If he didn't give it away nothing would change.

Jemma tightened her grip on the handles of Fitz's wheelchair. Now she had told Skye about her feelings she was paranoid that everyone in the Playground knew. Why had she said anything? It was ridiculous- Fitz couldn't even remember anything he'd said to her in the pod so for him nothing had changed. Except... He'd more or less told her he loved her. He may not know he had said anything, but that didn't mean he didn't feel the same way. Jemma felt her breathing quicken. She had two PhDs and a superior IQ, how had she not realised this? She had been so fixated on the fact that he'd forgotten that she hadn't really acknowledged what he'd said. The boy who she'd always loved was in love with her too.

-:-

Jemma closed the bathroom door behind them and wheeled Fitz's chair next to the tub. Steam rose from the surface of the water and she was glad she could blame her flushed complexion on the humidity in the room.

Fitz struggled his shoulders free of his dressing gown and leaned forward, gripping one side of the bath with his good hand. The cast of his other arm had been wrapped in a plastic bag by Jemma so he didn't damage it in the water. Simmons came up behind him and placed a hand under his arm, causing him to jump at her touch.

"Sorry. Here, let me help you," She took some of his weight as he gingerly lifted his legs into the bath one at a time, and did not let go until he had settled himself into the water. She averted her gaze from his naked chest; clearly she had not thought this through. He was practically naked and she was going to help him bathe... that involved touching him. There was no way she could do this without revealing how she felt.

Fitz was going through a similar inner turmoil. Just the thought of Simmons running her hands over him was making him dizzy... what on earth was he going to do when she actually did it. He closed his eyes and sank back into the water, focussing instead on the warming sensation through his bones.

"Is the temperature ok?" Simmons used her best nurse voice as she dipped her hand into the water to check for herself.

"Mmm," Fitz nodded. The look of uncensored pleasure on his face caused Simmons to bit her bottom lip distractedly. Thank goodness he had his eyes closed.

She reached down into a box she had brought with her and pulled out two bottles. "Shall I wash your hair?"

Fitz opened his eyes and glanced up at her and then at the bottle she held. His hair really did need to be washed and he couldn't do it with only one good arm. It would be fine; it would be just like getting his hair washed at the hairdresser. Except he wasn't completely in love with his hairdresser.

"Yes please," he nodded.

Simmons picked up the measuring jug she had brought with her and filled it with bath water. She tilted Fitz's head back gently and poured the warm water back over his head, using her other hand to shield his eyes. She then picked up the shampoo and squeezed a small amount into her palm.

Fitz closed his eyes as Simmons worked her hands into his curls, creating a soft lather. He recognised the smell of her black tea shampoo and breathed in slowly, letting the smell that was so Simmons flood his senses. He could feel himself relaxing under her touch and struggled to maintain a semblance of control.

Suddenly a low, breathy groan escaped Fitz's throat. At first Jemma wasn't sure if she had really heard it, but his embarrassed reaction confirmed that the involuntary noise had come from him. Fitz's eyes snapped open and he sat forward, shaking his head quickly from side to side.

"S...sorry," he stuttered. "I uh... hurt my arm."

Jemma could tell he was lying but didn't say anything. She pushed him gently backwards again so she could wash the soap from his hair, but this time he kept his eyes open. He seemed to find the ceiling tiles fascinating.

Jemma tried to ignore the feelings that were coursing through her body and focus on the task at hand. She lathered his hair again and massaged her fingers gently against his scalp, creating small circles across his head. She half wished he would groan again, the almost animal noise coming unintentionally from Fitz's throat had sent warm tingles up her spine, but she felt guilty as she knew how uncomfortable it had made him feel. The guilt was soon outweighed by pleasure as she realised the effect that her actions were having on him. He looked extremely vulnerable, and she reflected on how much he must really trust her to have agreed to this.

"Better?" she asked as she rinsed the last of her shampoo from his head.

"Much." Fitz smiled gratefully at her. He lowered his eyes quickly, embarrassed again.

"Do you want some help with... the rest of you?" Jemma bit her lip nervously as she eyed his wet torso.

"I can probably do most of it," he answered quickly. "Just maybe my back?"

Fitz tensed as he felt Jemma's hands skim the skin at the back of his neck, and smooth down his back with the loofah. She rubbed in slow circles, soaping him down, and he could feel her breath on his neck as she leaned across his back. He wanted to turn and look at her but knew if he did it would be a bad idea. The feeling of water cascading over his shoulders once more awoke Fitz from his reverie and Jemma passed him the loofah.

"I'll leave you in peace for a bit. I won't go far so just call when you're done." With that the biochemist smiled, got up quietly and left. As she closed the door behind her Fitz sank slowly back into the tub, exhaling a breath he felt like he'd been holding forever.

Outside the door, Jemma leaned her head back against the cool wood and sighed. That hadn't felt like one friend doing another friend a favour. That had felt... more.