A/N- Last section, and it encompasses the whole BUS family. I hope you all enjoyed this series!

They were all eating lunch when Coulson got the phone call.

"Alright," Skye said as she slammed the fridge close, "who ate my leftovers?" Trip let out a laugh and she quickly turned to him. "Ah, so new guy thinks he can waltz in here and eat other people's food, is that it?"

Trip shook his head. "It wasn't me."

"Then who was it?" she demanded.

Simmons smiled sheepishly as she raised her hand. "It was me."

"Simmons!"

"It was late, and I was hungry. I saw the "S" on the box and I thought they were mine." She gave a little shrug. "I'm sorry." As Skye turned back to the fridge with an eye roll, Simmons leaned over to Trip. "I'm not all that sorry. They were delicious." She joined in Trip's laughter before they both had to cover the sound from Skye, who had turned to look at them suspiciously. She looked like she was ready to do more than accuse them, and Simmons braced herself for Skye's reprimand, but it never came. Instead, Coulson walked into the room, phone held loosely in his right hand.

"Coulson?" He turned to Skye as if he hadn't realized she was there- as if any of them were there.

"It's Fitz." Simmons felt her stomach drop and her heart pound in her chest. They'd lost him. They must have lost him. "He's awake." The sigh of relief made her double over in her chair.

"Can we see him?" That was Skye, though Simmons didn't have the strength to look up yet. Fitz was awake, but what did that mean? Was he alert and cognitive? Did he suffer from amnesia or paralysis? Or was he altogether catatonic?

"... head over there now," Coulson was explaining.

"What's his condition?" She raised her head as she asked the question. Her eyes met Coulson's, and she could read the sorrow in his eyes.

"They aren't sure yet, and they're still running tests. But I told them to call me with any change at all."

Simmons found herself nodding. "Then let's go."

The way there was a blur, and she was only really aware of Skye's constant presence beside her. Simmons was lost in her thoughts, which circled around her best friend lying on a hospital bed. She'd been hoping (even praying) for the moment he would wake for so long.

The scenarios had run through her mind. If he didn't remember, she would have to meet him again. Doable, though certainly not what she wanted to do. If he couldn't move, they would build a device (together) that could serve out all of his functions. That would be the easiest consequence to deal with. Inability to talk or perform math, that would be harder. She would take him through any kind of therapy or reteaching he would need. It'd be difficult, not impossible. It was the thought of him being catatonic that she couldn't stand. Fitz, locked inside of his own mind- unable to move or communicate or do anything. It would be like when Skye had been shot, and she'd question what the right thing to do was. Would it be better to let him go if he was pain? She hoped she wouldn't have to find out. Ever.

They were standing outside the door to his room, and Simmons' breaths were getting harder to take. She felt Skye's hand slip into her own and give her a squeeze. It was comforting.

Coulson approached first, speaking with the doctor who had come to meet them. "We're here to see Fitz."

"I'm sorry"-the woman shook her head with a sad smile-"we can only allow one person in to see him right now. In his state, we're worried more faces will overwhelm him." Simmons blinked back the tears that formed at her words. The doctor looked out over the team. "I'll be waiting for you inside, Director Coulson."

"Hold on." Coulson walked over until he was standing in front of Simmons.

"Sir?"

"It should be you. You should be the first face he sees." She couldn't hold back the tears when he said it. She was immensely grateful to the man who understood what she needed before she even voiced it.

"Thank you, sir." He nodded and gave her shoulder a squeeze before moving aside to let her through. Simmons took a deep breath and gave Skye's hand another squeeze before stepping towards the room. The doctor nodded at her and moved inside. Before Simmons followed, she looked back at her team.

It was terrifying, what waited inside the room. Her world would never be the same again whatever state she found Fitz in. But remembering the past few days helped because she knew. She knew that the support and family she needed was just beyond the door, always within arms reach. A friend, a brother, a sister, a mum, a dad, all she needed right there for her. She couldn't have made it without them.

So she nodded and smiled at them once more before walking through the door and facing the biggest change of her life.

Thoughts?

-princessmelia