Fitzsimmons Christmas wedding
(How did you know that number would be your own prompt! haha! sneaky ;) Anyway I kind of twisted this one…and it’s not very Christmassy…Oh God it’s nothing like the prompt…I’m so sorry! Please take the time to read it but I’m sorry if it’s not what you wanted! I promise I’ll answer another of yours to make up for it!)
Jemma Simmons weighed Skye’s question in her head…the best day of her life? What was the best day of her life? She was just about to give up when the answer suddenly dropped on her like a bomb, clear as day, and she answered the answer that she was surprised she hadn’t thought of immediately. She smiled, eyes flitting briefly over to Fitz, sitting across the room, and said;
"My wedding day of course."
The snow billowed around Simmons feet as she emerged from the front door of the hotel. She looked down at her lace-painted hands as she wrung them together, trying to expel the almost overwhelming nerves threatening to spill at any moment and consume her whole. She didn’t even know what was making her so nervous either. She was about to marry her other half and she had no right to feel the way she did. There was no downside…was there?
She had thought she was a firm believer in scientific logic and absolute certainty but, to be honest, now…now she wasn’t so sure. She had weighed up the pros and cons of her engagement countless times in her head and finding every time that the pros far outweighed the cons, in fact, there was only one con she could even fathom. She had thought about it again and again, over and over, and only in the past week did it seem to be coming any clearer in her mind. This particular con, although only one in number, was actually a very significant one.
Stepping into the back of the car, destined for the church, she once again considered her options. On one hand there was the wedding, her fiancé, a man she could depend on, someone who would do anything for her, loved her deeply. She thought of his embrace, of his kisses, the pressure of his hand in hers…and yet it still felt wrong.
She had tried not to think of the other hand…the wild card…the gamble.
"Just make up your mind." she muttered to herself as the car jerked into motion.
Then in dawned on her, she knew exactly what she wanted, she was just afraid to take it.
Could she do that? Could she leave the man that had been so faithful, so kind to her, hanging in the lurch? She didn’t know if she had it in her to do something…so…cruel.
But what was really cruel? Dissolving their engagement here and now…or living a life with him full of regrets and ‘what ifs’?
And with that her mind was made up.
The Scottish are remarkably late for everything, there was no way he’d be at the church yet…that meant she still had time, time to turn her life upside down.
It was time to throw logic aside, time to follow her gut instinct.
"Turn around!" She burst out at the driver "Turn around! Go to the Riverside Guest House!"
"Just do it! Before I chicken out." She replied then added pleadingly "Please"
The car pulled to a stop outside the small Guest House on the Upper Thames.
"Are you sure you know what you’re doing m’am?" came the drivers voice from the front of the car once more. She had been venting her internal battle to him the whole ten minute car journey to the Guest House and he had sat, listening intently to her, never interrupting, only listening and somehow she appreciated the presence of this complete stranger over anyone in the world right now.
Simmons simply sighed while staring out of the window at the building before her, hand on the handle of the car door. It wasn’t too late to just drive away, head for the church and blame her tardiness on the traffic, marry the man her parents had picked out for her and approved of…but she knew it wasn’t enough. “Not in the slightest, Toby, not in the slightest…wish me luck.”
He turned around and she looked at his face for the first time since she’d met him fifteen minutes ago, a man in his mid to late fifties, greying hair, a bald patch and kind blue eyes, eyes that made you believe they’d seen more than their fair share of laughter and happiness over the years.
"Good luck Miss Simmons." He smiled and in the next few seconds, in some strange way, he managed to give her all the courage she needed "and for the record…I believe you to be doing the right thing, m’am. Better to break a man’s heart once than live a lie and let your own heart break every day when you wake up and wonder ‘what if?’"
Simmons felt tears pricking at the corner of her eyes and managed a small “Thank you Toby…truly.” before exiting the car.
She stood at his door, hand poised to knock.
Because then there’s no going back, you fool.
Was that me? Oh so it was…
As she waited she felt her palms start to sweat, ruining the lace wrapped around them, no doubt.
She released a breath and found herself looking into the blue pools of her best friend’s eyes.
There he was…the only con.
"Jemma? What are you doing here?!"
Leo Fitz fixed his kilt in the mirror. He was in a rush when he heard a knock at the door.
"Who could that possibly be! I’m so late. Jemma’s going to kill me!" he muttered angrily to himself. "Just coming!" he shouted and headed for the door.
Upon turning the doorknob he came face to face with the most beautiful, yet terrifying sight he’d ever seen. There she was…Jemma Simmons, clad head to foot in a white wedding dress, the image of an angel. It was long and flowing, lace gloves and a lace train. She was winter envisioned, the lace of her train giving the appearance of individual snowflakes sewn together with delicate silver thread, it glowed around her making him wonder how he ever managed to go all this time without making her his…but there was something wrong, tears were brimming in her eyes, threatening to spill over.
"Jemma! What are you doing here?!" He finally managed, trying to usher her inside but she stood her ground.
"It’s you!" she seemingly blurted out not able to control her words.
"Of course it’s me. You came to my door!" He pulled her in this time and closed the door behind them "What are you doing here?! You should be at the church by now!"
"No. You idiot." She continued, apparently still on her previous train of thought "It’s you. I can’t do this wedding Fitz. I can’t go through with it."
"Jemma what are you on about? This is madness, lets get in that car outside and take you to the church. You’re getting married, it’s alright to be nervous.” Why did he instantly regret his words? He loved her more than life itself but he couldn’t let that get in the way of his actions here. Somehow he could never bring himself to be selfish when she was involved and right now he needed to do what was best for her…and that was to get her to that church and married to Daniel Tully, successful business man, endless prospects, pick of her parents. Her fiancé was what was best for her, not him.
"Leo you don’t understand." she pushed forward towards him "I can’t marry him."
He was completely confused now.
"I can’t marry him and spend the rest of my life pretending." she continued.
"Pretending what Simmons? You’re not making any sense, come sit down and take a deep breath." Fitz tried to reason with her. He had no idea what to say to her. What do you say to someone who you don’t (and never did) want to get married to someone else but now also happens to suddenly agree with you?
"For someone so clever Leo you really are as dim as they come! It’s you! I can’t spend the rest of my life pretending that I’m not in love with you!" tears were flowing freely down her cheeks now and Leo Fitz was stuck in his track, lost for words.
"because I do Leo. I love you so damn much and I don’t know why it took me so long to tell you. I…I felt safe with Dan and then when things got serious and you didn’t…you didn’t fight for me…I thought you didn’t love me."
Fitz was dumstruck. She loved him? Nerdy, pasty, boring him?
"Tell me you don’t love me and I will turn around and walk out this door, get married and never mention this again." she said softly, trying to calm herself down.
Talk you idiot. Say something.
He turned his head to look in her eyes but they were clouded by hurt. He had stayed silent too long but as hard as he tried nothing would come out. His throat was dry and this, the moment he’d been waiting for, was drifting in mid air in front of him but he found himself unable to make that final grasp.
"Of course…I’m sorry…see you at the church." she mumbled, trying to hold herself strong and turning towards the door.
It was too late for words now.
Fitz crossed the floor between them in two long strides and grabbed her wrist to prevent her from leaving. She spun her head back to him and met the determination in his eyes with shock. Pulling her to him he took one last breath “God, you have no idea do you?” and with that he pressed his lips to hers.
"So Fitz, what about you? What’s your best day ever?" Skye repeated the question but this time turned to him.
He pretended to consider his answer for a moment and smiled, winking at Jemma as he said “Why, Jemma Simmons’ wedding day of course.”
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