SUMMARY: Agent Leopold Fitz leaves letters to the team behind in his will. "Don't rush to meet me, will you? I don't expect to be seeing you for a long, long time."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter sort of popped out without any planning. This chapter was supposed to be a happy one, but.. blame the terribly dramatic music I listen to. Hopefully you enjoyed. I was planning to have Fitz record his messages instead of an old-fashioned letter, but I think I like it better this way. Hopefully the next chapter is a little happier. Also, quotes are in italics.

P.S I can totally imagine FitzSimmons's future children finding these letters in a dusty attic and cooing over the general Fitzness of it all.

CHAPTER TWELVE: Will

"We have no authority to do this. We're no longer S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. We're..."

"We're vigilantes."

"I was gonna say, 'doing this because it's the right thing to do, but... yeah."

Coulson,

I'd just like to say.. thank you. For everything. For recruiting me and Simmons, for every single little thing that you have done for the team; for us. And I know.. I know that if you're reading this.. that you would have tried your best. You're a good man, sir.

And I know that sometimes it's hard. I've never gotten a taste at leadership, but I'm glad for that. And, don't feel bad. I know that if I'm really.. gone, than that's okay. Don't beat yourself over it.

Do you believe in heaven, Coulson?

As a scientist, strictly I'm not supposed to believe in heaven, or religion. Only atoms and particles and what-not. But you know, sir? I think.. I think that somewhere out there, there is an entity of afterlife. Whether we're reincarnated as another being, or whether we move onto a different place entirely. Whether you believe in the first law of thermodynamics. I think that somewhere.. there is a place where we can be happy again.

So please, Coulson. Be happy. You don't know how long you've got. You should know, you died once. Thank you for everything, sir. Let me just tell you that you were the best leader anyone could hope for. I wouldn't work under anyone else.

And Coulson, please look after the team. That'd be nice as well.

Fitz.

...

"She's the cavalry?"

"I told you never to call me that."

May,

If I'm honest, I don't know where to start with you. We didn't interact often, did we?

I do know that you're brave, though. So much braver than anyone else I know. You have skills that I have.. never quite seen before. Then again, I wouldn't know. I'm just an engineer who somehow got the most amazing person for a lab partner.

But sometimes, May... Sometimes bravery doesn't mean being alone. Have fun. Get out there. It might not seem like it at times, but they need you. Coulson, especially. Bravery can be paired with fun as well. But, uh, not too much fun. Simmons would go crazy if she found out.

Somewhere down there, I know you care. I hope you care. It's a human emotion. Emotions are part of human biology, right? Trust me, I would know. Years of interacting with Simmons has me with enough information to fill an Urban dictionary.

Anyway. I'd just like to say, I admire you, I do. Thanks for everything. Continue to look after Coulson. Good luck.

Fitz.

...

"Oh, I'm well aware it's not a picnic, Mr. Save the Day."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, come on. You obviously get off on it; being the guy who gets to throw the last punch, who always swoops in to save the girl. And, now you've destroyed the world's most dangerous sandwich. Congratulations."

Ward,

I don't even know if this will get to you, being that you're in jail. But they can't exactly refuse a dead man's wishes, right?

Well, if you're reading, I just want to ask one thing of you. Please.. try and apologise to the team. They'll hate you. They'll hate you for a very long time. But I think they can forgive you. I have. Only just. Just... don't go throwing people into the ocean again, yeah?

I don't know what happened with you and Skye. But you did love her, right? I think I realised that when you ask me about Simmons back in Providence.

Were you brainwashed, Ward? I hope you were. But even if you weren't... I forgive you. The thing with the pod.. don't feel sorry. You thought that it would float, it wasn't your fault. It was Garret, okay? He.. he twisted your mind. He's done something to you. No one else believes me, but.. you're our friend. You wouldn't do this to us on purpose, right?

Please. Look after Simmons. She won't want to be looked after - not by you. But she'll come around. Hopefully.

I don't understand. But.. I'll forgive you, Ward.

Fitz.

...

"No! You do not touch that! Two semesters minimum of holographic engineering before you touch this!"

"All right, all right. I get it. I didn't go to your stupid SHIELD Hogwarts or whatever. I'm gonna go upstairs. And I'm gonna do my own research on my computer. My boring, old, flat computer."

Skye,

Uh, now, don't be embarrassed, but I think I had a bit of a crush on you when you first arrived. It's a perfectly normal reaction - it's human biology, so don't.. don't be telling anyone, okay? Especially not Simmons. Definitely not her.

Well, I'm happy to say I'm over that now. You're a good friend, Skye. One of the best, actually. You're annoying, but you're fun and you're a good person. You've been hanging out with May more. You're stronger, a better fighter. And I'm pretty sure you two went shopping, because you both look like you're wearing similar clothes.

I'm not sure how much I like New Skye. But I'm happy for you, really.

Look after Simmons for me. I don't think... if I'm dead, I don't think she'll take it well. Take some time for yourself as well, though. Don't.. don't, uh, hold a big funeral for me or anything. I know that's not really an option anyway, what with SHIELD's corruption, but.. yeah.

Also. I think you're well past graduating SHIELD Hogwarts.

Fitz.

...

"Have you even read Moby Dick?"

"Yeah, have you?"

"That's not the point."

Triplett,

I don't have a lot to say to you. I didn't like you at first. I was jealous. I thought.. well. That doesn't matter now. Jealousy isn't a good enough reason to hate someone. So, I'm sorry.

But I'd just like to say, that I admire you. You're smart, you're a good person. I'm sorry I never really made the time for you.

Take care of Jemma, please.

Fitz.

...

"Do you remember the last time you brought a dead thing into the lab?"

"Oh, not the stupid cat again!"

Simmons,

The first law of thermodynamics. Just remember that. You believe that theory? Then look for me. Look for me in the stars, the grass, the clouds.

The monkeys.

You'll never let me have a monkey, will you? I don't understand why - they're the perfect animals for research. Capable of human actions, and yet small and nimble enough to carry out basic tasks that humans have trouble with. But anyway. This isn't a report on monkeys, is it now?

I'd just like to say that.. you are almost probably the best person in my life. Whether I'm talking about being best friends, or lab partners, or.. more than that, it's up to you.

Down there in that tiny pod at the bottom of an endless ocean... we never did talk about that, did we? I don't regret my choice. If we were put in that situation once more, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. But you know that.

Maybe.. maybe you don't feel the same way. Didn't, don't; I don't know what tense to use anymore. It's hard to write from a dead man's perspective, you know?

The words are getting blurred now.. maybe I should have asked Skye to help me? It's the middle of the night - I can almost imagine you telling me off for that. Although, I suppose it doesn't matter, now does it? Not for you, anyway. When you're reading this, I'll be dead. A strange thought. It's turning into a time paradox, like the one from Doctor Who.

Speaking of Doctor Who, Future Jemma. Do I live to see the thirteenth Doctor? I hope so. Although I'm not sure I can handle another regeneration.

I'm rambling. I'll stop now. I think you - past you, that is - are looking for me. I've got to go soon. You're lovely and all, but a chore when you're angry.

So before I seal this off and sneak off to hopefully bribe past Jemma (was I successful?); thank you.

Because no matter what, or where, or who we are, it was nice to know you, Simmons. Is nice to know you. And whether we're in a relationship, or purely platonic.. thanks. Because without you, I don't think my life would be very interesting.

So there you have it, Jemma Simmons. I wrote a letter in my will, dedicated just to you.

Don't rush to meet me, will you? I don't expect to be seeing you for a long time.

Fitz.