Note: Spoilers for 'Agent of SHIELD' S02E18 and possible spoilers for 'Avengers 2: Age of Ultron'. I tried to keep them mild. For 'Ultron' it would mainly be anything revealed and/or implied in the trailers. I certainly haven't given away any major plot points.

"Press Conference"

Still baffled about how she managed to escape – even from May, which must have surely been impossible – Jemma was striding along the path when she noticed a crowd. She walked over to find out what was going on, and her eyes widened when she heard the Avengers being mentioned. Something about Sokovia, as well, and someone called Ultron, and…

"What's happened?" she asked, poking the woman next to her.

"Watch this," she replied, and showed Jemma a compilation summing up everything which had occurred between the Avengers and a robot army.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. There's a press conference starting soon, just in there." She jerked her head towards the building they were in front of. "That's why we're out here, in case we can see them. Plus, the big screen." She pointed upwards. "Broadcasting on all channels across America."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Jemma nodded, and stepped back when she was jostled. She noticed movement near the stage door, or whatever it was, and gasped when she recognised the man breaking in. There was such a fuss out the front that no one was paying enough attention, and a HYDRA agent was going in. She turned her head, just in case he looked her way and recognised her. When she looked back, the door was closing.

Someone had to warn the Avengers.

There were reporters. If only she had a sign saying 'HYDRA IS HERE' that she could wave in the background! But… there would be people looking for her. If she sneaked into the camera shots, 'real' SHIELD would see her. They could help!

She sidled up to a group waving behind a reporter, made sure that she looked straight at the camera, enough for facial recognition, and then hurried out of the shot. She needed to get backstage, now.

Of course the door was locked, but she had ways around that. If HYDRA could get in without trouble, so could Jemma. She pulled out her electronic lock pick. It was disguised as a pen light, and scanned and remotely unlocked the door (one of Fitz's early prototypes, not that he knew she'd kept it). As soon as it clicked, she turned the handle and ducked inside. Everyone was running around, and as long as she was hurrying she fit right in. She got to the crew dressing room and slipped on a black shirt. It allowed her to blend in even better, at… what was it, a conference centre?

"Who's here?" one man called out.

"Iron Man, Captain America, War Machine, and Thor!" someone shouted back.

"Any assistant?"

"Dark-haired woman. Hill, I think her name is."

"She's in the green room," a woman said.

"Can you get these to her?"

"I'll do it," Jemma said quickly, holding out her hand. She accepted the papers.

"That way, go!"

She ran like the wind, excusing herself and keeping an eye out for anyone else she recognised from HYDRA. It seemed to take forever for her to reach the green room. She nearly ran right into Maria Hill, who stared at her.

"Agent Simmons?"

"HYDRA is coming here!" Jemma hissed, pushing the papers into Hill's hands.

"I…" There were more calls outside, and a rush of people. "Wait here, Simmons. We'll keep it on top of it. Is there anyone you can call? Is… the director here?"

"I thought Fury wasn't the director anymore," someone – oh my God, Steve Rogers! – said.

"I don't know where any of them are," Jemma said. "Hasn't anyone told you what's going on?"

"Been busy," Hill said. "Look, we have to get out there. We'll keep an eye out for trouble. If you see anything, report it. Known HYDRA agents, ring the fire alarm and follow them, is that clear?"

"Yes, Agent Hill."

Jemma stood out of the way as four men passed by her, each as impressive as the last, even out of costume. Uniform, she chastised herself. Thor was with Jane Foster, she knew that, but the others looked her over. Appreciatively, she realised with a small, delighted smile.

But being trapped in a room by herself was not the most sensible option, thank you very much, Agent Hill. So she waited until the rest of the crew rushed past after the Avengers, and then slipped out and headed for the backstage area. She may as well start her search on the other side from the Avengers, and kill time until May or Bobbi or Gonzales or any of them inevitably chased her down here.

Starting at one end of the centre, checking every door she could open, she made her way upstairs to a viewing room.

"Anyone want coffee?" she asked the two technicians there. She stood just behind them as they debated it, and ultimately decided against drinks. "Snacks, then?"

"Thanks, sweetheart, but we don't need any."

"Very well, then. My, it's certainly a large crowd." She leaned forward, her hands resting against the desk, and she angled herself to give her breasts the best advantage while she scanned the auditorium. She put on her pair of magnifying spectacles, making it easier to distinguish the faces of people not asking questions or taking notes.

That man… talk, tanned, dark hair, slim-faced… British accent questioning and threatening her… and the last time she'd seen him was when he was her patient…

"Bakshi," she whispered, horrified. What the hell? Shaking herself out of it, she stood back, and noticed that the technicians quickly returned to their work, clearing their throats. "Thank you for letting me watch. Bye."

As soon as she closed the door behind her, she ran downstairs. If Bakshi was here, the threat had suddenly tripled, at the very least.

"There she is!"

She turned, heart leaping to her throat, and recognised three of the security guards from when she had worked at HYDRA. She ran for it, made for the conference doors, and hoped that if she made enough racket aid would come her way. It seemed that luck was with her when the doors swung open… only for her to run smack bang into Bakshi's chest.

"Dr. Simmons, what an unexpected surprise," he murmured.

"What're you doing here, Bakshi?" she said.

"Following orders."

"Whose orders?" He smirked.

"Someone you know," he said cryptically.

The other men were still approaching. Jemma pursed her lips.

"Follow this," she said, kneeing him in the groin. He let go with a pained gasp, and she ran past him into the conference room, where people were shouting questions for the Avengers. She skirted around the audience, her shirt granting her access, until she was nearly at the stage. She was still wearing her glasses, and reactivated the magnifying function now that she had a better view of the attendees. She didn't recognise anyone else, except… wait. That was Dr. Lingenfelter, wasn't it? Looking nervous. But there was a determined clench to her jaw. Was she planning to finish Whitehall's work?

Oh my God. Did she have anything remaining of the Obelisk? Was the plan to use it on the audience… or the Avengers? Or worse, both?

Bakshi had just walked in the room, and he subtly gestured to Jemma. The Avengers were debating over some point. She couldn't see Agent Hill, and there was no sign of either SHIELD yet… well, except Steve Rogers' shield on his back, but it wasn't quite the same thing, was it? If only they could get the army…

She blinked. The army.

One table. Behind it four men, one a god and one a super soldier. At least one HYDRA scientist in the audience, armed agents approaching her. Her most comfortable shoes on and a few gadgets in the handbag no one had chosen to comment on.

So she ran onto the stage, creating a ripple through the crowd.

"General Talbot, Sunil Bakshi is here!" she shouted at the cameras.

"Get her!" came from the back of the hall. She glanced to her right, and noticed the Avengers standing. To her left, she saw Lingenfelter stand up. Jemma dashed to the table and pushed it over, knocking the four men down, and she leapt over just before a shot rang out, hitting the wall just above her head.

"What the hell is going on, Hermione?" Tony Stark said. To her. To Jemma. She was not fangirling inside, of course she wouldn't.

But meep!

Then he started to kneel up to look, and she threw herself over him, pushing him down, and gave him her fiercest glare.

"Get down unless you want to turn to dust," she said. Then she grabbed her bag and pulled out her ICER. People were screaming, and she took the chance to peek over the edge of the table. Bakshi was running up the stairs, and he looked over the audience long enough to tell Lingenfelter to recharge her weapon. Jemma's hands shook enough for her to be uncertain about hitting him at this distance. A dark hand plucked the gun from hers and shot Bakshi in the side of the head.

"There you are," he said.

"Uh… thank you, Colonel Rhodes." Dr. Lingenfelter aimed again, and Jemma shoved War Machine down this time. Another round of Obelisk fragment punctured the wooden wall behind them. She hoped no one was on the other side.

"What kind of weapon is that?" Thor asked, and his hammer flew into his hand.

"It shoots…" He's Asgardian. "It shoots part of a Diviner."

His wide eyes met hers, and she nodded.

"A Kree device is here on Midgard?"

"Yes. HYDRA's been weaponising it." She didn't mention her own part in advising them.

"How can General Talbot help?" Colonel Rhodes asked.

"He has a severe grudge against Bakshi."

"Jemma!"

"May?"

"Hill?"

Jemma scowled at Captain Rogers, who had his shield in hand and was going to stand up.

"Do you want to risk it rebounding on someone else?" she asked.

"I do not know what effect it would have on vibranium," Thor said. "You are well-advised to stay down, Steven."

"What do we do?" the captain said.

"Even a particle of the dust may cause death," Jemma said. "I never had a chance to study its effects outside of what I read."

"So you don't have any ideas?"

"I'm a bio-scientist, not a strategist!"

Mr. Stark was staring at her. Finally, he spoke.

"What did you say to me?" he said.

"About what?" She was searching through her bag for anything else of use. Oh, why did she think it was a good idea to leave the base with so little?

"When you pushed me down."

"Can't remember, sorry," she said.

"Dr. Simmons!"

She froze, and then looked to the side, jaw dropping.

"Mike!" she cried. "What're you doing here?"

"Saving your ass," he said.

"Don't go out there, you might turn to—"

"If Ace sees me being a hero, then I can't think of a better way to go," he replied.

"No, Mike!" She tried to get up, but HYDRA was still firing the occasional shot, making people scream. And honestly, wasn't nearly every American armed? Surely there were people in the crowd who could fight back? Some kind of security? Regardless, she was pulled back down, bumping her head against the stage, and Tony Stark was looming over her.

"Did you say 'Get down unless you want to turn to dust'?" he asked.

"I… I don't know. Maybe?"

"Because I called you Hermione."

Her heart nearly stopped beating, and her lips parted. "Oh."

"You stay down, let us deal with this." He held out his arm and crooked it, and there was a whirring sound as parts of the Iron Man armour flew out and began to attach themselves to him. He rolled off her, and she scrabbled back against the table. To her dismay, Thor and Captain Rogers both leapt over the table, and Colonel Rhodes was being covered with his armour as well. She stayed down, glancing to the side to see May and Hill.

But she couldn't move, even as Iron Man and War Machine flew over the table and joined the fight.

Tony Stark was her soulmate.

"My God," she murmured.

"Jemma, get over here now, while they're distracted!" May shouted at her. She scrabbled to get her things back into her bag. Someone must have been behind her, because May raised a gun and shot whomever it was. Jemma ran for it, and reached the wings safely. But she stayed on the other side of Hill from May, and glanced around nervously for any of 'real' SHIELD.

"You saw me on the news, I gather?" she said.

"Nice trick with the cameras," May said.

"Iron Man… he…"

"The rest of the team is dealing with the HYDRA threat outside. The blonde woman who was shooting at you is down. It won't be much longer. Let's get you out of here."

"No."

"It's alright, Simmons, you did a good job," Hill said, patting her back. "Let the Avengers finish dealing with this."

"I'm not going back to the Playground! Where's Coulson?"

"He's being brought back into custody, but he doesn't have the toolbox."

"He's…? At this rate, I rather want to shake Nick Fury by the shoulders," Jemma remarked. "And give him back that bloody toolbox. It's been nothing but trouble for us lately." She looked around, crossing her arms and fidgeting. "Does anywhere know where it is?"

"Not yet," May said. "You didn't follow exit protocols, Simmons. You will have to come back with us."

"No, she won't."

They all turned to look at Iron Man. The armour opened up far enough for Tony to step out and walk over to them. He glanced at Jemma, and then focussed on the other two women. Come to think of it, the sounds of fighting had stopped. A peek around the curtain showed that it was all over.

"Stark, stay out of this," May said. "It isn't your problem. Simmons, come on. We need to stick together."

"I don't feel safe at the Playground anymore."

"Nowhere is safe for us anymore. At least you'll be among friends."

"Not while Fitz and Skye aren't there. But I do know that you'll regret taking Coulson in. He must have some plan, and you know it will work."

"Coulson?" Tony said, his voice sharp. Jemma winced, and he sighed. "She's not going with you. She's already said no, so back off."

"You don't have the right to say that, Stark," May began.

"Oh, I have a right to protect my soulmate," he said, and their jaws dropped. "Jemma, isn't it?"

"My first name is Hermione, thanks to my soulmark, but after the Harry Potter books became popular I chose to use my middle name for work purposes, and eventually it stuck. Fitz knows, and teases me about it, bless him."

"Him? Should I be jealous?"

"No. There's nothing like… like that between us."

"Good. Let's go, sweetheart. Got your stuff with you?"

"This is all I could risk taking when I ran," she said, indicating her handbag. He pursed his lips, and then nodded.

"We'll take care of that later," he said. "Do you want to come with me?"

"Yes, please," she said quickly. His lips began to curl into a smirk, and she realised the double entendre. "I'd… I'd like to go with you."

"Okay then." He held out his elbow, and she took hold. "I think the press conference is over."

"Seems like it." She glanced at May on the way past, but couldn't think of anything to say to the woman, and continued to trot at Tony's side, the armour following them like a creepy cybernetic bodyguard. Literally, without the creepy part.

"I'll try not to let the team swamp you," he continued. "At least we came in a big car. Plenty of room."

"Where's everyone else?"

"Scattered. Got a hell of a story to tell." His eyes narrowed. "So do you. When you say Coulson…?"

She nodded to the unspoken question. "It was terrible. Involved alien blood. He almost lost his mind. I think he's terrified of telling you… seeing any of you at all."

"We're not that intimidating."

Jemma snorted delicately, and nodded at Thor, Captain Rogers, and Colonel Rhodes, all waiting outside the ludicrously, impractically large vehicle.

"No, not intimidating at all," she said dryly.

For some reason he insisted on keeping it secret, and on Jemma calling all the Avengers by their first names (or nicknames). So Rhodey, Steve, and Thor were bright-eyed and tight-lipped as they all rode up in the lift to what must have been the Avengers' common area. But they insisted on Tony and Jemma going out first, and he seemed happy enough to strut forward with a smug grin on his face.

"Look who I found," he said.

"Who did you find?" Pepper Potts asked, not looking up from the papers she was flicking through.

"My soulmate." That made everyone look up. "We still have to compare soulmarks, but I found her!"

"We found each other," Jemma corrected him. "I'm the one who knocked the four of you to the floor to protect you."

"That was you?" Natasha Romanov said. Jemma couldn't stop internally fangirling.

"I had to do something. It was the most expedient course of action, and rather effective."

"The army's at the convention centre," Pepper said, pointing at the television. "General Talbot's there now. JARVIS, could we have sound?"

"…cleaning up more HYDRA agents. I'd like to thank the young woman who alerted us to the situation at great personal risk. The people at this centre – and four of the Avengers – owe her a debt of gratitude, along with the man known as Mike Peterson, who stepped in to help the Avengers eliminate the threat. But we do not encourage this behaviour from civilians—"

"Thank you, JARVIS," Pepper said. Jemma was blushing, her face pressed into the material of Tony's shirt, glad that Mike was safe. Tony tugged her close.

"My heroine," he murmured into her hair. "I'd be interested in knowing where your soulmark is, sweetheart."

"I'll show you, if you behave yourself."

"And if I don't behave myself?"

She cleared her throat, registering everyone else's looks of amusement. "I think I should call my family and let them know that it really was me, not a double. They think I'm dead, and if this ends up on the news in the UK…"

"Let me help you," Tony said.

"No. I want to know where the rest of my team is. Could… could you find them? Fitz and Hunter? Although it seems that Coulson may be going back to the Playground, and while I'm sure he has his reasons… Oh dear. I wish they kept me up-to-date."

"I'll do whatever I can to help you, Jemma."

She smiled. "Perhaps you'll see my soulmark sooner, rather than later."

"Best possible incentive you could offer."

My mum's nearly caught up with 'Agents of SHIELD', which is exciting! I'm sad that there are only a few episodes left to go until the end of the season, and panicking about everything that's going on. Fan fiction is necessary in life, to heal the aching heart.

Please review! Pairing requested by Bullla.