Jemma thought she'd set her alarm early the next day- she was impatient to get started on the tests she and Fitz discussed the previous night- so she was surprised to see Fitz already there setting up the equipment for the tests they were going to run.
"You're here early!" She quipped as she walked in.
"So're you. Wasn't expecting ya for a while yet." Fitz replied.
"Yes, well, we've a lot to do today, haven't we?" Jemma floated over to her work station, sending out a text to the three resident Inhumans requesting that they present themselves in the lab at once.
"I've requisitioned the concentrated terragen samples we're gonna need. I've also booked the EEG machine. All we need now are the test subjects."
"Fitz!" Jemma chided. "They are not lab rats, they're our friends!"
"Sure. Friends whom we just happen to be performing tests on. We've all been there."
It was true that in the academy, most of the victims of the tests they performed for their projects were fellow students. Still, Jemma had a feeling normal people might not have 'been there' and might not take kindly to being called test subjects. Nevertheless, she was humored by the reminder.
"I've already messaged our friends" Jemma emphasized the word to make her point, "so they should be here any minute now." Her ears pricked at the sound of the lab doors opening. "What perfect timing! I was just saying you should be arriving…" When she turned to greet the people she'd summoned, she was taken aback to be facing Agent May. "Oh! I'm sorry Agent May. You weren't who I was expecting. How can we help you?" Jemma recovered politely.
"I just thought I'd stop by to see your progress. I noticed Fitz requested access to the EEG and EKG machines." May stated matter-of-factly.
Jemma found it curious that May was so interested in what they were doing as, it was usually Coulson who was nagging them about updates. "Yes! Fitz and I think that the ISO-8 particle is reactive to some result of the evolution that occurs in Inhumans. We plan to use that to see exactly what has changed in their macrophysiology that may have an effect on the ISO-8."
"You think that the ISO-8 only affects Inhumans?" May clarified.
"Yes, precisely!" Jemma smiled at May, who must have shared her enthusiasm since she volunteered an "Interesting" before taking her leave.
May brushed past Daisy in the doorway as she headed out.
"Whoa. Everything alright? May doesn't usually spend a lot of time down here." Daisy noted.
"It is unusual. She seems to have taken a special interest in our latest project." Jemma gazed thoughtfully at the place where May exited the room, trying to solve the puzzle.
"Which is?" Daisy interrupted her thoughts. "You called me down here, remember?" She teased.
"Oh, yes of course!" Jemma shook her head and pulled Daisy over to Fitz' station so they could explain together what their plan was. First, filling her in about the ISO-8. "You know that Fitz went out on a mission a couple days back to collect samples from the caves around the temple where…" she trailed off, not knowing exactly how to sensitively describe all that had happened there.
Daisy picked up where she left off. "Yeah, I heard about that. I was surprised there was anything left, I thought we'd collapsed the whole place." Her distaste was not lost on Jemma.
"Yeah, mostly. But there were still these caves…." Fitz agreed. "So I volunteered to go down there to see if there was anything interesting." He puffed his chest slightly.
Daisy grinned at his not-so-subtle brag. "I'm guessing there was?" She prompted.
"Very." Simmons savored the reveal. "We think that the foreign substance we found there was intentionally placed by the Kree to assist with the transformation."
Daisy processed the information. "So, like, what Jiaying did for me at 'Afterlife'? Healed me, made it so my abilities were a little more… controllable?"
"Exactly. It may even be the same thing she used. But we're having a little trouble figuring out what it does or how it does it." Jemma added.
Fitz eyes lit up again. He loved explaining the process they used, it made him feel clever. "Yeah cuz yesterday we did all sorts of tests, right? Turns out, it's not dangerous. The results from the electron microscope and the mass spectrometer proved that it's inert."
"To normal humans." Daisy finished for him. It didn't sound like she liked where this was going.
"Well, yeah. And, we don't really know what it does to Inhumans so…"
Daisy turned to Jemma. "You can't be serious. You want us to be lab rats?"
"No, no not at all!" exclaimed Jemma, glaring at Fitz. "We just need a sample of your blood and maybe a quick EKG and EEG test." She tried to make it sound trivial. Daisy didn't buy it.
"Lincoln will never go for this. Joey maybe. But Lincoln, he's still a little skittish when it comes to normal humans investigating our powers. He's got good reason to be." Daisy half apologized.
"I know. We were hoping maybe you could convince him to cooperate. It is for the purpose of helping Inhumans after all. We don't have Jiaying's instruments from Afterlife, and …" Jemma paused briefly, "this could be the first step to coming up with something similar." Jemma pressed.
"Yeah, it wouldn't even take very long. We're not talking about actually exposing any of you to it before we know what it does." Fitz argued.
Daisy sighed. "Just… let me ask him, okay? I'm not guaranteeing anything but I'll ask."
Jemma gave Daisy a wide smile. "Thank you, we really appreciate it."
"Does that mean you'll let us take your blood too?" Fitz deduced.
"And do an EKG and EEG?" Jemma added hopefully.
Daisy rolled her eyes. "I guess. But only because you're my favorite mad scientists."
That made Jemma do a little hop out of excitement. "Do you have to be anywhere?" She asked, anxious to get the tests done so they could see the results. "And do you have any idea where Joey is?"
"No idea about Joey. And I've got a meeting with the Director in a little bit…" Daisy didn't seem to mind putting this off.
"Well, we can at least take a blood sample right now." Jemma compromised. She drug Daisy out of the lab and to the Med Bay. There were three hypodermic needles waiting for them in one of the exam rooms.
"Well, that's not scary at all." Daisy commented sarcastically, noting the needles and plethora of vials Fitz had prepped for them.
"Oh, don't worry! They're not all for you!" Jemma assured her cheerily.
"I hope not." Daisy muttered, settling herself on the cot in the middle of the room.
"We were really counting on you agreeing to all this." Jemma confessed.
"I can tell." Daisy was quiet for a bit as she watched Jemma wash her hands and put on gloves. "So… It's been a while since we've caught up. How are… things?" Jemma disliked how everyone seemed to ask that question delicately. It did not make her inclined to open up.
Jemma spoke quickly as she prepped Daisy for the puncture. "Good! Never better! We've lots of projects going on. The additional data Fitz returned with from the no fly zone has opened up an entire new world –so to speak- and now with our discovery of the ISO-8…" Jemma paused her ramble to find Daisy's vein, "I think we are really going to make a lot of progress in helping all the new Inhumans to control their abilities! Besides, understanding the function of the monolith with be an enormous breakthrough in the physics of the time space continuum. It will revolutionize space travel as we know it…"
"Jemma."
Jemma finally looked up from her task to see Daisy giving her a look that said she wasn't going to accept that. She was looking for a real answer. Jemma caved. "Alright. Maybe things have been better. I'm still a little sore from that time at the castle, and I still have some claustrophobia and hypersensitivity to sound. I try not to think about it though. Focusing on work has helped."
"You know it will-"
"Take time, I know." Jemma interrupted. "It's just frustrating, that's all. Not being able to do what you used to."
"It'll keep getting better." Daisy sympathized. "I know a little about change." She grinned. "But you know what Fitz told me? He said, 'nothing is wrong with you. You're just different now. And that's okay.'" To Jemma's chagrin Daisy'd attempted to imitate Fitz' Scottish accent. But she could imagine him saying the words, and that made her smile as she removed the tourniquet, then slid the needle from Daisy's arm and covered the pinprick with a cotton swab. "Speaking of, how is Fitz doing? I haven't had a chance to talk to him either since he's been back. Really!?" Daisy looked incredulously at the neon pink bandage Jemma was about to put on her. "Yeah, that's totally subtle."
Jemma giggled. "Sorry, it's the only color we have left. Unless you would prefer neon green?" Daisy just shook her head. "And Fitz… seems to be doing well."
"Have you guys….talked?"
Jemma intentionally missed her meaning, and nervously turned away to clean up. "Of course. We've been working together silly-"
Daisy wasn't going to let her get away with that. "About things other than test results? I can tell when you're not telling me something, remember?" She held up her hand by way of indication.
Jemma jumped on the change of subject. "Technically, you might be able to tell when I'm lying, but we haven't even proven that. And even if you can, there's a difference anyway. Being able to tell when I'm hiding something does not require a superpower."
Daisy brought it back around. "Fair enough. But you guys need to talk, Jemma." Her eyes pleaded Jemma to consider.
"We will, of course we will. It just- There doesn't seem to be a good time." Jemma rationalized.
"Well, promise me." Daisy demanded. "Promise me you'll do it before it's too late again?"
Jemma just nodded, wishing to get off the topic. "You're all done. Would you like a sucker?" She mocked.
Daisy rolled her eyes at her. Grabbing her jacket, she made for the door. "See you later?"
"Sure!"
Alone in the room, Jemma put additional notes on the sample's labels and thought about what Daisy had said. Daisy knew about what Fitz said in the medpod at the bottom of the ocean, but she hadn't told her that before she got taken to that planet she and Fitz might have been going on a date. Or that she made a video diary to him while she was there. Or that they'd already kissed…. Jemma forced herself to stop thinking about that, it was distracting. But really, where would they start? So much had happened, and she was still feeling guilty about Will… another topic she shunted from her mind. It was all too much. Should they just pretend none of it had happened? She chewed her lip as she thought. That was the easy way out, but the counselling books she purchased told her denial wasn't a permanent answer.
A knock on the doorframe saved her from her thoughts. "Hey Simmons. Joey came in and…" Fitz leaned against the door as Joey walked in.
"Ah, good!" She put on a smile for them both through her blush. "Have a seat Joey. Fitz did you already explain…" she turned to get her gloves on. "Um, what we're doing?" She finished.
Fitz took a breath to answer but Joey beat him to it. "Yeah, he told me. And I get it, I think. You think you found something that will help people like me control our powers?" Jemma was impressed that after working with Daisy and Lincoln, Joey seemed to be adjusting remarkably well to his new circumstances. He seemed relatively unfazed by this.
"That's right. We're not sure how it works yet though, so we need some blood and a quick scan. That's alright then?" Joey nodded but still looked ill at ease. Jemma tried to reassure him by refreshing her smile. "It's alright, if you have a seat it will only take a moment."
"Right, well, I'll uh…be back at the lab." Fitz scratched the back of his head as he excused himself. Joey watched him go.
Jemma applied the tourniquet around his arm and began feeling gently for his vein. "Hey Agent Simmons, no offence, but I'm not really a big fan of needles... or doctor's offices…"
"I know, Bobbi told me. And you can just call me Simmons. Or Jemma. Jemma is fine. How are you doing with the new team? Any exciting missions yet?" Her attempt to distract him succeeded, she pressed the needle into his arm without any reaction from him.
"You mean besides the freaky Hydra castle where we almost died? No, nothing like that. But we've been out to pick up a couple of newly 'terra-morphed' people." Joey tried out the new vocabulary word Daisy explained to him. "It's a lot less scary without a black ops team trying to shoot you." He grinned when Jemma chuckled politely.
"That's good news. I've had a chance to look at the charts for the new intakes. I look forward to learning more about their abilities. Well, I think we're finished here. Thank you very much Joey." Jemma removed the needle from his skin and dismantled the barrel before placing the bunch in the biohazard bin.
"Yeah, I think they do too. It's not an easy thing to come to terms with, but understanding it helps." Jemma gave him a look of sympathy because she knew he was speaking from experience. "Speaking of, Age- er, Simmons- do you know if there are any side effects to my abilities?" A vexed look suddenly came over Joey's face as he looked back at the door.
"You mean besides the potential to suddenly find yourself in a puddle of liquid metal?" Jemma tried for a joke but it didn't go well, Joey just looked at her quizzically. "Never mind. Is there something new you've noticed?"
"Um, I don't know for sure…" He was clearly hesitant to confess what he had in mind. "You know what? It's nothing. Just a weird feeling I got this morning. Thanks." Joey stood up, put on his jacket and prepared to leave.
"Okay, well…" Jemma stood awkwardly unsure if she should press it. "If anything does come up, you'll let us know. It could be important. And if you head back to the lab, Fitz can get you set up for the EEG and EKG."
Joey mumbled his acknowledgment, but if she didn't know better Jemma would say there was a fleeting look of terror across his face as he turned away from her and walked out the door.
Jemma brought the samples she'd collected from Daisy and Joey back to the lab a little while later. She'd not hurried out of the med bay in case Lincoln stopped by, but no such luck. Daisy must not have had a chance to talk him round yet. Right away she moved over to the centrifuge and pipetted the samples into test tubes to separate out the different elements of the blood.
It was about halfway into her work that she noticed something was wrong. She looked around, trying to identify it until it dawned on her: Someone was missing. Fitz, more specifically, who had not run over to her to detail the results of Joey's tests. She quickly set the next round to run in the centrifuge before she went to track him down. There were only a few places he'd be, and the bioengineering lab was her first bet. Sure enough, that's where she found him. Curiously, he was fiddling with a hand.
"Did Coulson's hand go haywire again?" Jemma inquired.
Fitz started at her voice. "Yeah! I keep telling him, it is still a delicate instrument, he can't just go around destroying things with it!"
"What's he gone and done this time?"
"I don't know. They were out on a mission after one of the guys that escaped from the Cube all that time ago, and I guess he decided using the door wasn't cool enough, so he went through the cement wall instead."
"Sounds like Coulson alright. Will you be done with that soon? I wanted to go over the results of our tests with you."
"Aw, yeah, nearly there. And the results of the EEG are pretty weird. I'll be back in a bit."
"Great, I'll finish up the blood samples I'm working on." Jemma turned to leave, but Fitz' voice stopped her.
"Hey Jemma! I've been thinkin' about this though cuz these appendages keep breaking down -not cuz a design flaw, they just can't stand up to what Coulson is doing to them- but why haven't we looked into Extremis?"
Jemma couldn't believe her ears. "Fitz you can't be serious!? Do you want Coulson to explode? Because that's what it does, remember? Just ask Mike Peterson."
"No, I know- I've been doing some reading and Stark Industries published a paper on how they were able to reverse the effects, prevent someone from burning up. Besides, Coulson already has the GH formula in his blood. That might be enough to keep him stable. We could figure it out, is all I'm sayin'"
Something nagged at Jemma about this. It didn't seem right. On the other hand, if there was a way to regenerate Coulson's lost tissue surely that would be preferable to exchanging a cybernetic replacement once a week. "Reversing the effects is a lot different than maintaining the effects while stabilizing the reaction. And there isn't enough of the GH formula left in his system to help with any recovery he may need. But… maybe we could ask about reviving that program." She conceded. "But only after we've figured out this ISO-8."
Fitz gave a quick nod of agreement and went back to the delicate work of repairing the damaged apendage. Jemma walked back to the chem lab, but the conversation still stuck with her. His reasoning made sense, she thought, but for some reason she balked at the idea. Was it only because it had been used for evil ends in the past? This wouldn't be the first time they had fixed something together which was once used as a weapon. Still... something wasn't right.