An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Happy Holidays to @castielsdwinchester I had a lovely time with your prompt, the future of fs: babies, perthshire, Deke. anything related to them being and making their
own family in the future.
Enjoy!
It was the Christmas she had always dreamed of.
Jemma let out a small contented sigh and snuggled deeper into what could only be described as the nest of pillows, cushions, and blankets that surrounded her. Her boys had ensured she was more than comfortable and able to watch them work as they transformed the living room for Christmas. Now hours later, there was a warm mug of hot chocolate in her hands and two figures curled up against her.
Fitz dozed lightly with his head on her left shoulder and one of his hands on her swollen stomach. While James, their now five-year-old son, was tucked into her right side. Finally a few feet away Deke slept with his feet propped on the ottoman they all shared.
The radio played Christmas Carols and the room was lit by the fire and soft glow of the Christmas tree they had set up that day. The boys had all got up early and set out onto their property on the outskirts of Perthshire to find the perfect tree. Jemma, just days away from welcoming their second child, had stayed back at the cottage with hot soup and tea waiting for them when they arrived home tree in tow.
The afternoon had been full of love, laughter, and memories that were sure to last a lifetime. Jemma smiled again when she tapped her phone to see the new lock screen, a picture she had taken as they’d decorated. It was a candid moment, Fitz and Deke lifting James up to put the star atop the tree. The little boys smile so bright it nearly lite up the room all on its own.
A soft flutter in her stomach brought her back to the present and she caressed her bump gently.
“Hello my love,” she cooed and smiled at the answering kick. “It’s about time for you to come join in the fun too.”
Before the baby could give another kick Fitz was up in an instant.
His hair was stuck at all angles and eyes were wide. “It’s time!” he shouted, the shout started Deke from his own nap.
“It’s time! Now?” Deke asked excited as he struggled to get out of the chair. “I’ll get the car started!” he said and made to move towards the door only to tangle up in the blankets he’d been covered in and crashed to the floor with a heavy thud.
“Fitz-” Jemma said and tried to place a calming hand on her husband who was doing battle with his own blankets.
“I’ll get the bags and call the Doctor,” Fitz said before he looked at his watched and tapped a few buttons. “Route C will be quickest this time of day!”
“C? Are you mad? It has to be D!” Deke called from the floor looking at his own watch. “The Christmas Fair is tonight so the main road through town will be blocked off.”
“Fitz! Deke!” Jemma shouted and both of them froze in the middle of the room, James was still fast asleep in the crook of her arm despite the commotion around him. “It’s not time, I was just talking to her.”
The both bore an identical look of relief and disappointment before running their hands their hair at the same time, in the same manner, and Jemma couldn’t help but laugh at them.
“She’ll be here before you know it, but the Doctor said it will be a few days at least,” she said as she gave Fitz’s hand a gentle squeeze. “And for the record, A would have been best.”
Do you still take request ? :P I have this 5x13 speculation where Fitz is facing his greatest fear with the help of Deke. When Framework!Fitz mention Fitz's incapacity at raising a child, Deke begins to explain how much his mom spoke about her dad, the best and perfect dad ever ❤️ Or when Deke choose to reveals his identity in time of need... Sorry if you don't take request anymore just forget about it haha
Hi! So, am I ~tentatively taking requests for prompts set in/around plot points for this season, but even those I can’t assure I’ll get to right away. As for other prompts, I’m trying to get to a handful of old ones I still have pending before I take anything new, and it’s still slow going.
Alright, so I’m pretty sure this isn’t how the episode’s going to go because...well, it’s Agents of SHIELD and I think has the potential to be a lot more painful, but I’d be pretty okay with it if it did go this way because I love this family dynamic so much, so we’ll see!
(Ao3)
-
“Have you seen Fitz?”
Deke turned away from the computer monitors in thecontrol room at the sound of Simmons’s now familiar voice, feeling that stillnew jolt of slightly startled awe at the reminder that the woman standingbefore him was his grandmother. “Uh,no. No. Why, you can’t find him?”
Simmons shook her head, her lips tugging down at thecorners. “Not at the moment, no. I’m sure he’ll turn up soon enough – it’snearly dinner time, after all.”
However, she’d barely finished speaking when an alertbegan going off on the monitors behind them. Simmons rushed past him, though hewasn’t far behind as she hurriedly began typing something, bringing up securitycamera footage within the Playground.
“What is it?” Deke asked in concern, stepping upbehind her.
“Another manifestation from the rift,” she repliedtightly. Her eyes scanned the various screens, before landing on one as herbody visibly tensed. She swore under her breath, catching Deke by surprise.
“What?” he repeated, leaning in and narrowing hiseyes to get a better look. He felt a lick of surprise when he found whatappeared to be two Fitzes across theroom from each other, but he didn’t really understand what about that hadSimmons so worried.
Before he could askher, though, she turned on her heel and hurried away, heading out of thecontrol room and no doubt in the direction of Fitz. Deke, naturally, followedher, hastening his pace until he was right beside her.
“I don’t get it,” he admitted, slightly out of breathfrom their hurried footsteps, “isn’t that just another Fitz? The manifestationof my mom didn’t try to hurt me, and she was just like I remembered her.”
She shook her head, however, answering tensely, “Thatisn’t Fitz – that’s the Doctor.”
Deke paused for the briefest of moments, his browfurrowing as he tried to make sense of that bit of information. Shaking awayhis confusion, though, he rushed to catch up once more with Simmons, chucklingas he asked jokingly, “What is that, like some kind of evil alter ego orsomething?”
Simmons, however, replied seriously, “Something likethat.”
-
“You know what it takes to be a man, to be strong, yetyou refuse to embrace it.”
Fitz squeezed his eyes closed, giving a jerky shakeof his head as he tried unsuccessfully to block out the words that felt as sharpas knives – much like the one the Doctor had managed to knock out of his handsome time ago, his only weapon against the ugliest part of himself come to life.“No,” he whispered.
“You are weak,”the Doctor continued sharply, “and as long as you are weak, you can’t protectyour family, you can never be the man and the husband that Jemma needs becauseyou aren’t enough.”
Though he tried to keep his voice firm, it trembledslightly as he argued, “You’re wrong, you’re a monster – you don’t…you don’t care about Jemma, you tried – you almostkilled her!” He reopened his eyesthen, narrowing them around the tears gathering there.
The Doctor had been pacing the room they’d ended upin after Fitz had attempted to flee and was subsequently corned once more byhim, but he stopped abruptly, turning harshly to face Fitz as he snapped, “Shekilled my father!” He blew out aharsh breath, then added a bit more calmly, “At least I know how to get done what needs to be done.” For a moment, heeyed Fitz, as though he was studying him, sizing him up. “Father would be sodisappointed if he could see you now.”
With that, he gestured to Fitz, standing as far backfrom the Doctor as he could get, pressed up against a wall, tears now on hischeeks and his hand shaking violently at his side. “Shut up,” Fitz told him in a trembling voice.
However, the Doctor ignored him, stalking closer andpointing angrily at him as he pressed on, “You think you can have a happilyever after, that you can have a family, have children?” He laughed mockingly, and it sent a shudder up Fitz’sspine. “If you couldn’t even protect the woman you love, how are you supposedto protect your kids? Everything our father did was to guide us, to help usgrow and to flourish, to be as strong as we possibly could be – things youcould never do for a child. Jemma’sgoing to realize this soon enough, and she will leave you.”
Fitz was shuddering, his mouth hanging open as hetried and failed several times to speak, to get the words out to argue. But, hejust couldn’t, not when everythingthat the Doctor was saying was what he’d agonized over for some time now, hisdeepest fears laid bare before him.
However, he didn’t need to argue, as a voice shoutedacross the room at that very moment, “That’s bullshit!”
Both Fitz and the Doctor turned in surprise, finding Deke of all people striding over, hiseyes narrowed in anger on Fitz’s behalf. Fitz hastily shook his head at him,advising him hoarsely, “Stop.”
Deke didn’t listen, though, not stopping until he wasright in front of the Doctor, standing eye-to-eye with him. “That’s bullshit,”he repeated, “I know Fitz would be agood father, okay? The best father, even, if what my mom always said was true.”
Fitz was completely shaken by that utterly unexpectedbit of information, his eyes growing wide, but Deke didn’t stop there.
“He was a caring, loving, protective dad, who did everythinghe could to make sure that my mom was safe and happy, even in the midst of theend of the world. My mom always used to tell me stories about her dad, abouthow he had such a big heart and, well, Ihaven’t been on the receiving end of it, but I’ve seen it, I believe it. Youdon’t know what you’re talking about.”
The Doctor eyed Deke calculatingly, but simply said, “Canyou be sure about that?”
The Doctor’s eyes narrowed, but a moment later, hedisappeared in a cloud of smoke, and it was Fitz left standing there across fromDeke, the knife he’d dropped earlier in his hand and his eyes wide as he gazedat him.
“Is that…true?”
Deke whirled around at the question, revealing Jemmalingering behind him, her lips parted in obvious shock. He winced, rubbing atthe back of his neck and glancing between the two of them as he chuckleduncomfortably. “Uh…yeah. I didn’t really, you know, know how to tell you guys,but…”
Jemma blinked, then asked in a whisper, “So we’reyour…”
“Grandparents?” he finished for her, nodding andgiving another awkward laugh. “Yeah.” He turned back to Fitz, who was stillfeeling completely beyond speech at the moment, assuring him quietly, “All thatstuff about my mom…that was true too. I don’t want you to think that I made itup or something, because…I didn’t. She loved you, both of you.” At that, helooked back to Jemma.
Fitz released a shuddering breath, taking a couple ofsteps back and sitting heavily in the chair there. Jemma hurried to his side inan instant, kneeling beside him and taking his bad hand between both of hers,massaging it gently in an attempt to calm the tremors.
Deke was quiet for another beat, then cleared histhroat. “Hey, uh, I don’t really know what that was all about, or why…you were your own fear, but…but thosethings he said about you…I mean, I don’t know you all that well, and you arekind of grouchy, but…you’re not a bad guy. In fact, you’re a really…great guy –the best, according to Mom.”
Fitz sighed shakily, closing his eyes and leaningforward to rest his elbows on his knees, taking a couple of deep breaths to tryand steady himself.
“He just needs a moment,” Jemma told Deke softly.
However, it was only a beat later that Fitz managedto finally find his words, asking roughly, “I was a good dad?”
“Oh yeah!” Deke rushed to assure him. “Definitely! Itgot kind of annoying after awhile, Mom always talking about how amazing her parents were – I mean, Ididn’t even know these people, afterall – but she had nothing but good stuff to say about you. And I…I can see why,now. I get it.”
Fitz felt Jemma rubbing a soothing hand over his arm,and he leaned back, lifting his head and blowing out a quiet breath. He sagged abit, feeling some of the tension leave his body at the confirmation, and heglanced down at Jemma’s teary smile before turning back to Deke. With a slight,but grateful smile of his own, he murmured, “Thanks.”
Deke chuckled, then asked teasingly, “You okay then,Gramps?”
It was quiet for a moment, then Fitz and Jemma bothlet out startled laughter, sharing a disbelieving look. Gramps. He could hardly believe it, believe that his grandson was standing right there beforehim – and that he was the annoyingtag-along from their trip to the future that had been getting on his nerves fordays now. “I’ll be better when you promise to never call me that again,” he shot back, his voice still a bitshaky even as a little grin quirked his lips up at the corners.
Another round of laughter followed his reply, andDeke returned the grin as he shook his head. “No promises.”
Though the Doctor’s harsh words and taunts were stillfilling his head, pounding against his skull, Fitz felt them growing quieterand quieter as Deke’s revelations about the future sunk in. He and Jemma weregoing to have a daughter, they were going to be a family, and despite everything, she would grow up happy, and safe,and loved, and that was all that Fitz could ask for. In fact, Deke was livingproof that the love that he and Jemma shared was enough to survive the end ofthe world as they knew it, that it would go on for far longer than they would.Their love was strong enough to carry on, possibly even forever – perhaps, likeenergy, it couldn’t be destroyed, only reformed into something new, living on throughtheir children, their grandchildren, and so on.
And, though he was still afraid that they were stuckin a loop and that nothing they did would change the terrible future that they’dwitnessed, Fitz could feel the barest bit of content in knowing that despiteeverything, there was a bright spot in all that darkness – their family.
Summary: Lydia is in a relationship with Jackson and best friends with the pack, and it’s not long before she realizes she loves Stiles
@castielsdwinchester my valentine’s day gift for you!! I enjoyed writing this as your stydia secret valentine, I hope you enjoy!!!!
Lydia stands at her locker, Allison and Scott on either side of her. Straight ahead is Stiles, his deep brown eyes flitting back and forth between them as he gestures wildly. She looks into them as he rambles, tuning out the words he’s saying, focuses solely on his irises, the way they lighten as he speaks about the supernatural wonders of Beacon Hills.
“But the oni can’t do anything if-” and Stiles is cut off abruptly by Jackson, Lydia’s boyfriend, pushing Stiles to the side lightly and reaching his hand over Lydia’s head, practically trapping her between him and the locker. She smiles at him half-heartedly, hearing Stiles let out a frustrated grunt. It wasn’t news the pack didn’t approve of her relationship with Jackson, Stiles especially. “Good morning, Jackson,” Stiles says in his sarcastic manner. Jackson ignores him and keeps his attention on Lydia. “Do you want to walk with me?” he suggests, though it sounds more like an order. Lydia looks at each of her three friends in turn, all of their heads pointed to the floor. She opens her mouth and hesitates for a moment. Jackson raises his eyebrows at her expectantly. She shifts her weight so she’s standing slightly further away from him. “I’m kind of in the middle of talking, it’s important,” she tells him, an apologetic look on her face. Jackson rolls his eyes at her and Lydia bites her lip shamefully. “What could be that important? Come on, let’s go,” he says and grabs her hand, pulling her away from the group. Lydia turns her head and mouths a quick “sorry”, but not before seeing the red shade of Stiles’ face.
They stop at Jackson’s locker, and he back her up against the surface, his warm hands finding their way to her hips. “Sorry to pull you away from that,” he says, his breath tickling her face lightly. She smiles up at him and lets out a small chuckle. “It’s okay, baby,” she says, her voice as soft silk. He smirks, leaning down and touching his lips to her, working them over hers slowly. She pulls away, theirs noses touching as the warning bell to first period rings. He pushes off her and wipes the smudged lipstick under her lip with his thumb. “Love you,” he says as he walks towards his class, not leaving her a chance to answer. She sighs, pulling herself upwards. Her gaze moves to a spot across the hallway, to where Stiles stands, staring at the spot where she was just kissing Jackson. He looks at her then, holding her stare for a moment before looking away quickly, his face becoming hot. Lydia slowly makes her way over to him. She stands in front of him for a minute, neither of them bothering to say anything. Taking a deep breath in, she tries to apologize. “Stiles-” but he interrupts her, speaking softly. “It’s okay. I understand you have other stuff going on, that’s fine. But Jackson? Lydia, you’re better than that, we’ve been over this.” Lydia tilts her head to the side, pursing her lips. “I don’t like that guy. I don’t like him,” Stiles continues, and Lydia’s head whips up to meet his eyes again. “Look,” she says to him, “I know you guys all have problems with Jackson and I, you’ve made that clear. But I don’t see why you hate him the most. For what reason, Stiles?” she demands. He squints his eyes at her, a rush of air leaving his lungs in frustration. “Because I’ve seen the way he treats you. And I don’t like it,” he spits, hanging his head down and rubbing the back of his neck with his head. “See you second period,” he rushes before running in the opposite direction. Lydia shakes her head at his figure running down the hallway, then pivots and heads to her own class.
It’s second period, and Lydia walks into the doorway of her class, her eyes scanning for Stiles. Once she finds him, she wanders over there. She hovers at the table for a moment with no acknowledgement from Stiles before she sits down with a huff. She can feel the tension between them as if it were a living thing. She steals a glance over at him, his posture tight and his jaw clenched, rolling in circles. He sees her looking at him and she looks awkwardly at the wall, feigning innocence. “We’re studying at my house tonight. Me, you, Scott, Allison,” he informs her coldly. “Okay,” she breathes, nodding exaggeratedly. She fiddles with her pencil for a few seconds, her breaths shallow. Time passes as they listen to the lesson, neither of them daring to look at the other. “Stiles,” she blurts finally. She curses herself silently before continuing. “I’m sorry, about me being with someone you guys don’t like. But I love him- and I know you don’t like hearing that but-”
“Lydia, let’s just forget about it-”
“I get the feeling your disapproval is about more than not liking him.”
Stiles looks at her wide-eyed, his mouth dropped open slightly. He licks his lips nervously, keeping eye contact with her. She feels her hands shaking a little, and she squeezes her eyes shut. “Stiles,” she gasps. “I shouldn’t have said that-not now.” But Stiles just shakes his head and waves his head. “Don’t worry about it,” he answers, louder to be heard over the lunch bell. “I guess I’ll see you at my place tonight?” he asks, and she nods her response. She watches as he walks away again, then places her head against the table, thinking about Stiles’ past feelings for her. What was she thinking, bringing them into this? She lifts her head up finally, and braces herself for the rest of the day, thinking about anything than that night. Jackson meets her outside the door, planting a quick kiss on her lips before launching into a speech about lacrosse. She quickly blocks him out, nodding occasionally. Her minds drifts to images of that dark-haired, brown-eyed boy with the golden smile, and how hr may have been right after all.
Lydia turns into the driveway in front of Stiles’ house. She parks her car, then removes her key from the ignition, holding the bundle tightly in her hand. She squeezes them as hard as she can, then yelps in pain. She looks and can see the light on in the window of Stiles’ bedroom, feels the blood running down her hand from where her keys cut her. She quickly opens her door and gets out. Once she reaches the front door, she lets herself in; it’s unlocked. She makes her way to Stiles’ room, applying pressure to her hand to stop the blood from dropping to the floor. Once she walks into the doorway, she sees Scott, Allison on the bed and Stiles sprawled at his desk, all of them books scattered all over. She makes a noise and immediately all their heads look in her direction, at the red liquid coating her hand. Stiles stands up suddenly, running to her and grabbing her hand gently. “What happened?” he asks softly. “I cut myself, with my keys,” she explains. Stiles pulls a random shirt out of his drawer and wraps it around her hand with care. “Let’s go to the bathroom and get this fixed up,” he tells her, looking deeply into her eyes. “Okay,” she answers, nodding ever so slowly. They head out the door, and Scott and Allison exchange a knowing look at what they just witnessed.
Stiles leads Lydia to the washroom and closes the door behind them. Neither of them speak as he rifles through drawers to find the first aid kit. Lydia stares at him as he moves around in his typical frantic way, a small smile on her face despite the ache in her hand. She spots a few droplets of blood on the floor below her, beside her feet. “I’m messing up your floor,” she says jokingly. Stiles glances at the blood for a second before looking away again. “I don’t care about the floor,” he practically snaps, and she flinches, too small for him to see. He opens the first aid kit from the cabinet and she watches as his hands fumble to find the right things. She finds herself caught in his long eyelashes, the way the light seems to reflect off of them. Finally he turns to her and grabs her hand again, unwrapping the shirt. Carefully, he rubs some alcohol on her cut and she breathes in painfully. At this, he looks at her once more and smiles amusedly, and she smiles back. She can feel his small breaths on her nose, his face dangerously close to hers. “Stiles…” she trails, and his face stays the same, unmoving except for his eyes traveling along her face at an agonizingly slow pace. “Mhm,” he mumbles, sending another wave of air to her face and sending a tiny shiver down her back. She feels warmth where their hands touch, and never wants to let go. She stares intently into his brown eyes. “I was thinking about what happened earlier, and what I said,” she starts. This time, Stiles doesn’t tense at her words, but simply keeps working on her wound. “And I think you might be right,” she continues, and Stiles’ eyebrows raise in surprise. “I started really paying attention when I’m with Jackson, and I realized…maybe I could find someone who treats me better. Maybe even, that I don’t have to find someone, because maybe I’ve already found someone,’ she finishes. Stiles takes a sharp bout of breath and she notices their faces have moved even closer, now merely an inch apart. “Who have you found?” he asks hopefully. She looks downward and says quietly, “You. I think I love you.” Stiles is about to answer when the door to the washroom bursts open and Scott walks in. “Sorry, bro,” he says, “I really have to pee,” Lydia and Stiles both laugh awkwardly as Stiles seals the bandaid onto Lydia’s palm. They share a look as they leave, a look that speaks more words than they know how to say.
The next morning, Lydia meets Jackson at her locker and he gives her an arrogant smile. “Morning,” he says to her. “Hey,” she responds, giving him the cold shoulder. She opens her locker and starts organizing her books. She sees Jackson turn towards her and lean in close expectantly. She breathes in and prepares herself for what she has to do. She turns to him and smiles disappointedly. “Jackson, we need to break up,” she says matter-of-factly. His jaw drops open, and he looks at her, confused. “What?” he says angrily, his posture suddenly tighter as he raises his head to set his head above hers. She looks at him and holds herself straight confidently. “I deserve to be treated better than how you treat me,” she tells him. “I should be able to talk to my friends without you ruining it. I should be able to talk about things that I like, not just listen to you talk about lacrosse,” she spits at him. Jackson’s body begins to shake as he laughs maliciously. He slams her fist down hard on the locker beside her head, but she doesn’t flinch or bow down. She reaches behind her and closes her locker. “We’re over, Jackson,” she says. Before she can see his reaction, she turns and walks proudly in the other direction, a heavy weight lifted off her shoulders. She’s crossed half the length of the hallway before she is snatched to the side by a hand. She yelps softly and tries to shake off whoever it is before realizing it’s just Stiles. He lets go of her hand quickly and says, “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.” She smiles widely at him, a fluttery feeling building inside her. “I just broke up with Jackson,” she says, her words coming out in a sigh of content. Stiles’ eyes light up, and he raises his right and in the air. She slaps it, and they both smiles at each other admiringly. Lydia is about to say something when Stiles is slammed loudly against the locker, his body suspended in the air. “Jackson!’ Lydia screams. “Put him down,” she orders. “It was you,” Jackson seethes, Stiles cringing in pain. “It’s about him, isn’t it?” directed at Lydia this time. “ISN’T IT?” he yells, his face red as he lifts Stiles slightly off the locker only to slam him back down again. “This has nothing to do with him,” Lydia responds. “It has to do with you, and you only. So put him down and leave,” she says slowly, deliberately. “I love him, no you, so back off.” Jackson shakes his head and lets go of Stiles abruptly, and Stiles stumbles to the ground, catching his breath and staring at Jackson wide-eyed. Jackson stomps off and mutters “whatever” under his breath, kicking a locker on his way. Stiles looks at Lydia, his eyebrows raised. He walks closer to her. “I hate that guy,” he says, breathless. “How’d you deal with that?” he laughs. Lydia chuckles, lacing his fingers in her own. “I don’t know,” she answers, focusing only on his eyes staring lovingly into her own.
Later that day, Lydia is laying on Stiles’ bed, caught in her own thoughts. Stiles is sitting at his desk, flicking his pencil back and forth between his fingers. She giggles soundlessly at him and sits up. Stiles looks up at her when she moves and gives her a small smile. She smiles back, taking in the sight of him. He lifts his arm up to scratch his head lightly, lifting up his shirt to expose a sliver of stomach. Lydia moves off the bed with care, and stands over him. He’s holding the eraser of his pencil, nibbling on it. He moves his gaze to her in curiosity. Lydia leans down and presses a feather of a kiss on his lips. Stiles puts his books on his desk, clearing his lap as an invitation. She lowers herself down and straddles him, bringing her hands around his face to cradle his soft cheeks. “Today was a crazy day,” he says, stating the obvious. She touches her forehead to his and nods against it. “I’m glad it happened though, glad I found you,” she tells him. “Trust me,” he says, “everything changed when I found you.” She smiles brightly, her heart jumping with happiness. His lips come to meet hers, and she kisses him back with passion. Their lips work over each other heatedly, and she runs her hands through his hair. Stiles slowly works his tongue into her mouth, and she struggles to take in air, captured in his kiss. He stands up, his hands gripping her thighs as she wraps her legs around his waist. He carries her to the wall, her back pressed up against it as he kisses her more, working his way down her jawline in a sloppy line of kisses. He comes back to her mouth and kisses her again, long and hard. His lips pull from hers as she lowers her feet onto the ground. She holds his hand and leads him to the bed. They lie down beside each other and she rests her head on his chest. “I love you,” he says, running his fingers through her hair. She sighs happily and closes her eyes. “I love you, too.”
Hi :) Are you still taking prompt ? I was hoping if you could make something post 4x19 about Aida finding out Jemma is pregnant while trying to kill them or something and then exchange Fitz against Jemma's and the baby's life without Jemma knowing it but then she find out she's pregnant too and realize why he's gone with Aida and go for him with the team to reunite their family ? Sorry if it's messy, I hope you get the idea haha Anyway I really love your writing <3
Hi!! Thanks for the prompt! :)
I ended up setting this more toward the end of 4x20, but it goes AU from there (and disregards the Superior and the government being after SHIELD plots of 4x21/4x22); hope that’s okay!
(Ao3)
-
Nearly finished overseeing the completion of Project:Looking Glass, AIDA strode through the base beneath the oil rig, quicklyscanning through a stack of folders containing information she’d missed whileplugged into the Framework. Most of it was irrelevant, but her attention wascaught by a single file.
Pausing, she tossed aside the useless folders, focusing herattention on the one that contained all of the data sent back from the LMDs she’ddispatched to SHIELD’s base. Though only the Daisy LMDs had made it out, she’dstill received updates from the others before they’d been destroyed, and asingle tidbit of information from Fitz’s LMD caught her eye.
AIDA read it over once more (though of course she didn’thave to; she had been programmed not to make mistakes), then arched hereyebrows.
“Interesting.”
-
“I think that I’m a bad person,” Fitz admitted, growing moreand more nauseated the longer he thought over the terrible things he’d done inthe Framework. He’d never questioned the morality of any of it; he’d simply tortured and killed people without a singlethought to their lives because to him they weren’t even human.
What kind of sick, twisted person did that? Who was he, really?
“No,” Coulson insisted, shaking his head, “no, you –” But,he cut himself off, his gaze trailing to something over Fitz’s shoulder.
Still struggling to breathe properly with his heart racing amile a minute in his chest, Fitz slowly turned to find whatever it was that hadCoulson looking as though he’d seen a ghost.
“Leopold,” AIDA greeted him through the wide, disbelievingsmile spread across her face.
His thoughts all a jumble, Fitz blinked, then asked, “Ophelia?”Because he’d noticed AIDA’s decapitated body nearby, he remembered finishingProject: Looking Glass, so that had to be…
“I am so happy to see you,” she said, then paused andmurmured to herself, “This is what happiness feels like.”
“She’s not a robot anymore,” Coulson stated, catching up towhat Fitz already knew had to be true. “AIDA bleeds just like us.”
Fitz barely heard the words though, his confusion over the lifehe’d lived in the Framework meshing with his life back in the real world, andthe spark of awe that his machine actually workedand created a human body from nothing moving him forward.
But, as he heard the sound of a gun cocking behind him andAIDA’s excited observation, “Finally, you can feel the real me,” Fitz snapped out of his momentarydaze, taking a half-step away from her.
As Coulson and May both called for him to move out of hershot, he hurriedly took another step, just out of AIDA’s reach.
She didn’t seem to appreciate his retreat, quickly growing upset,the desperation clear in her eyes, and Fitz held his breath – he knew what shewas capable of, after all. She lowered her voice to a hiss only he could hear,and told him in no uncertain terms, “If you want to save their lives, you’llcome with me, Leopold.”
Fitz’s eyes grew wide, and he shot a quick glance over hisshoulder at May and Coulson. “Please, don’t hurt them,” he pleaded, shaking hishead.
A smirk curled AIDA’s lips, and Fitz felt a trickle of coldfear down his spine. “I wasn’t talking about them; I was talking about yourprecious Jemma,” she spat Jemma’sname as though it was a curse, and Fitz had a flash of memory, of the last timehe’d seen Jemma – he could still feel the weight of the gun in his hand, couldstill picture the broken look on her face with tears rolling down her cheeks asthough it was burned into his brain, “and your unborn child.”
He was so caught off-guard by the addition, Fitz almost didn’tregister the words at first. After a handful of seconds, the time it took torun back over what she’d said, the words ‘unbornchild’ hit him like a punch to the stomach.
What?
She had to belying, had to be trying to sway him into going with her; she must have thought thatJemma might not be enough, so she’d made up a fake pregnancy to insure hiscooperation.
But, her gaze never wavered, she showed no visible sign ofdeceit, and he just knew, somehow, that it mustbe true.
And as the idea that somewhere, Jemma was carrying theirbaby sunk in, Fitz knew that even though he was a terrible person and he’d doneawful things and he didn’t think Jemma would ever even be able to look at himagain, he’d do anything to protecther and their…their baby.
So, Fitz gave a single nod and stepped forward once more. Triumphantly,AIDA grasped his arm as Coulson shouted, “No!” and they disappeared.
-
Alongside Daisy and Elena, Jemma burst through the door ofthe final room of the base hidden beneath the oil rig that Radcliffe’sinstructions had led them to. Immediately, Coulson and May looked up from wherethey’d been crouched on the concrete floor, Coulson helping May back to herfeet.
Hoping to have somehow just missed him, Jemma took anotherlook around, but all she could see was Mack’s unconscious body (which Elena hadinstantly gone to) and the decapitated body of AIDA (the sight of which leftJemma with a spark of satisfaction). A bit desperately, she asked, “Where’sFitz?”
May and Coulson exchanged a heavy glance, then he told hergently, “Simmons…AIDA just…she disappearedwith him.”
Jemma shook her head, automatically rejecting the very idea,because she couldn’t have just gotten him back only to lose him again beforeshe could return to his side. But, suddenly there was an even more horrifyingthought niggling at the back of her mind, and she inhaled a shaky breath as sheasked, “Did…did he want to go with her?”
There was a beat of silence, then May started lowly, “Simmons–”
But, Jemma cut her off before she could say a word, becauseno matter what either of them said, she wasn’t going to believe it until shesaw it with her own eyes. Fitz was herFitz in this world, and nothing could change that, especially not an obsessiverobot and her brainwashing alternate reality. “There has to be something thatwe don’t know; that has to be it.”
Neither of them looked completely convinced, but they bothstill nodded, clearly understanding that she wasn’t about to give up on Fitzwithout one hell of a fight.
-
Once they were safely back on the Zephyr with Mack carefullyplugged into the Framework, Jemma excused herself to the small lab on-board theplane. It wasn’t long before she found herself pacing, using the time and quietto try and figure everything out; it just wasn’t making sense.
What could’ve possibly gotten Fitz to willingly go with thekiller android that had taken him captive and forced him to become a twistedmonster against his will?
She may not have known the Doctor as she’d hoped she would,but she knew Fitz – her Fitz, the oneshe’d befriended at the age of sixteen, the one she’d grown up alongside, theone she’d spent the better part of thirteen years beside, the one she’d fallencompletely in love with. She knew hewouldn’t have chosen to go with the person responsible for this whole messunless he’d had to.
Perhaps Coulson had been mistaken; perhaps Fitz hadn’t had a choice.
Jemma paused in her pacing then, suddenly feeling a bitfaint. It wasn’t the first time this had happened since she’d come out of theFramework; she figured that it had to be from the lack of proper nutritionwhile plugged in, and the fading adrenaline that had kept her going sinceescaping the Playground.
Just as she caught herself on the lab table, Coulson stuckhis head into the room. “We’ve just landed, and I want full medical work-upsfor everyone who was in the Framework, no arguments.”
She swallowed back her protests, making a face as shesteadied herself before following him out of the lab and down the stairs toexit the Zephyr with the rest of the team.
They entered the Playground through the destroyed hangar,thankful to find that the rest of the base had been left mostly unscathed. Andafter a brief interlude where they were scanned by the suspicious agents remainingand found to not be LMDs (much to therelief of the other agents, who seemed to have been struggling to operatewithout their highest-ranking agents), they were brought to the lab.
Immediately, Jemma crossed over to her desk and began afacial recognition search for Fitz, even as a lab tech came over to take herblood, temperature, blood pressure, and other necessary medical tests. She hadto hope that, wherever AIDA had taken Fitz to, they were close enough to bespotted by a camera.
The sooner they rescued Fitz from that walking nightmare,the better.
She was still dutifully watching the search run when thetech returned to her side, holding a clipboard with her test results in hishands. “Well Dr. Simmons,” he said brightly, “you’re in perfect health.”However, then he grimaced and added, “Other than the knife wound and mildconcussion, of course.” When Jemma arched an eyebrow at him, he fidgeted withhis clipboard, then managed another smile as he told her, “The important thingis, you and your baby are safe and sound.”
Just as Jemma demanded, “My what?”, the computer beeped behind her to show that the facialrecognition search had finished running.
Negative.
-
Positive.
Again.
Positive.
Again.
Positive.
No matter how many times Jemma ran the blood test, she kept receivingthe same result – she was pregnant.
She felt as though she must be on the verge of a panicattack just then, her breathing and heartbeat picking up speed at an alarmingrate as the truth settled into her brain. She’d spent the last week and a halffighting tooth and nail to get Fitz back, only to lose him to AIDA once more,and on top of all that, now she found out that she was expecting their child?
How in the world was she supposed to deal with all of that?
Just then, Daisy reentered the lab, leafing through a filefolder. Without looking up from it, she explained aloud, “This was taken fromAIDA’s lair under the sea.” She tapped the folder with her free hand. “We’rehoping there might be a clue in here as to where AIDA’s gone and what herendgame is.”
Jemma wanted to say something,to ask if she’d found anything promising, to offer her help; but her lungs wereseized with panic and fear and the overwhelming feeling that she was drowning.
When she noticed the lack of response, Daisy frowned andpeered up at her curiously. Her eyebrows rose in concern when she noticed Jemma’swild-eyed panic, and she quickly set down the folder before hurrying to herside. “Are you alright?”
The only words to make it past Jemma’s lips in response werea flat, “I’m pregnant.”
Daisy blinked, as though the words didn’t quite register.Then, she gasped out, “Are you serious?”
Jemma gave her a dry look, taking a breath and anothermoment to gather her thoughts before attempting to speak once more. “If themultiple blood tests I’ve run are to be believed, then yes, I’m quite serious.”
For a moment, Daisy gazed at her worriedly. Then, she askedsoftly, “Well what are you going to do now?”
She didn’t reply at first, mulling over the question and herreply, before she stepped around Daisy and picked up the folder she’d beengoing through. “The first thing I’m going to do is find Fitz,” she finallyanswered, beginning to flip through the pages and scanning each one carefully.
About halfway through, she happened upon one with her name printed across the top, and sheread through it quickly, pausing when she found the medical records Fitz’s LMDhad managed to work up on her, in preparation for her delivery and introductioninto the Framework.
It had included a blood sample – which, of course, revealedthe truth of her condition before even shehad known.
As the realization that AIDA had had access to this hitJemma, it all clicked, and she suddenly had a very good idea of how AIDA might’veconvinced Fitz to go with her without a fight.
-
“HYDRA had a way of tracking Gordon’s teleportation ability,”Jemma explained to the others once they were back on the Zephyr and in the air,“and we should be able to as well.” Turning to Coulson, she double-checked, “You’resure AIDA’s powers looked similar to Gordon’s?”
“I am,” Coulson answered confidently.
“And I remember Gordon coming through HYDRA’s doors in theFramework – and never leaving,” May admitted, the tight set of her jawrevealing just how much the memory of the atrocities she’d allowed to happenand aided in affected her.
Jemma nodded gratefully, turning to Daisy. “Alright, then webetter get to work on replicating their tracking system.”
Thankfully, it only took them a short amount of time to finishit, but then they were left to wait until AIDA decided to use her powers –which could be never, Jemma couldn’t help but remind herself. AIDA mightsomehow know they had a way of tracking her, and she might decide to abstainfrom using her powers, secreting Fitz away somewhere that they would never befound.
Another hour passed without a hit, then another, and Jemmacould feel herself growing more anxious by the minute, her hands wringingtogether as she went back to her pacing. AIDA truly could’ve taken Fitz anywhere, and she couldn’t help but fearfor his mental state after everything he’d experienced in the Framework.
But more than that, she just wanted him there, with her and their…baby.She really, truly needed him now – and she wanted to believe that wherever hewas and whatever was going on in his head, he needed her too.
As a swell of overwhelming emotion began to wash over her,fear and sadness and grief and desperation combining to pull her under theirdepths and force tears to her eyes, Jemma heard a distinct beep from the computer.
Hurriedly, she turned to find that their program had pickedup an instance of teleportation.
Jemma released a shaky, relieved breath, her shouldersdrooping a bit as some of the tension left them. Unable to help herself, sheplaced a hand over her still-flat stomach and whispered, “We’re going to saveyour daddy,” before she dashed off to inform May of the new coordinates.
-
The coordinates of AIDA’s teleport had led them to a housethat was more mansion than anything else, one that May had recognized as MadameHydra’s from the Framework. Given that there hadn’t been any more hits on theirprogram, they knew that at the very least, AIDA had to be inside that house.
As the others prepared a surprise visit, Coulson told Jemmain no uncertain terms, “You’re staying on the Zephyr.” She opened her mouth toprotest, he was quick to remind her, “AIDA knows about the baby, and sheclearly isn’t above using it and you as leverage.”
Jemma certainly agreed with Coulson’s assessment, but shecouldn’t help but feel disappointed – she wanted to get to Fitz as soon as shepossibly could, and couldn’t bear to be so close but have to wait even longerstill.
However, their baby’s safety had to come before her desireto be with Fitz a few moments sooner. “Yes sir, I understand.”
As Coulson turned to exit the Zephyr down the ramp, hepaused and half-turned back to add, “And even if that weren’t the case, I’dstill make the same call.”
She managed a small smile as she watched them all leave,then the ramp retract, until she was left alone (well, not totally alone, giventhat Mack and Elena were still upstairs, plugged into the Framework – she’dused the confusion to her advantage and entered it in an attempt to rescueMack).
Placing a protective hand over her stomach, Jemma began towhisper to the baby in an attempt to soothe her own growing anxiety. “Yourdaddy’s going to be just fine.” She rubbed a little circle over where the babywas growing inside of her, going on, “Our little family will be back togethersoon enough, I promise,” even though she knew she might not be able to keepthat promise, not when she didn’t know whatFitz was going to be like when she saw him next.
Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, the ramp loweredonce more, and the first one Jemma saw was Daisy. Her expression was hard forJemma to read, but as she walked past her, she informed her lowly, “AIDA gotaway.”
Jemma’s heart began to race in her chest, and she turnedslightly to call after Daisy, “What about –”
But, she cut herself off when she caught sight of him behindCoulson. Without giving it a single thought, she rushed forward, all-butcollapsing in his arms. He hesitated briefly, then returned the embrace, askinga bit roughly, “Are you okay? Is the…”
She nodded a bit desperately, continuing to cling to him asshe murmured against his shoulder, “I’m alright, and so is the baby.” The wordstill felt foreign on her tongue, but…in a goodway, a way she was willing to get used to. “You?”
Fitz released a shaky breath, pointedly ignoring herquestion about his state. “So…it’s true, then?”
Reluctantly, Jemma pulled back just enough to meet histerrified gaze, nodding. “I just found out,” she admitted. “I didn’t knowbefore…”
His wide, horrified eyes began to glaze with tears as hewhispered shakily, “Jemma…the way I hurt you is unforgivable enough, but for meto have done so while you were carrying our child–”
Jemma refused let him finish that thought. “None of that wasyour fault, Fitz.”
“But –”
“You had nocontrol over what you did in the Framework, and I don’t blame you for a singlething,” she insisted, infusing as much honesty and sincerity into her voice asshe possibly could, hoping it’d somehow get through to him.
He still didn’t seem quite ready to believe it, and she knewfrom personal experience the way guilt could weigh on a person, but he gave aslight nod to show he’d heard her, and it was enough for now.
Jemma found his hand with hers, pressing his open palm toher stomach as she told him softly, “We’ll figure everything out – no matterhow long it takes, I’m with you, Fitz. Right now, the important thing is thatwe’re together, and…our baby is safe.”
Fitz gave the faintest of smiles, nodding in agreement as hegently stroked his thumb over her stomach. It may take some time and tears andreminders that she knew wholeheartedly that he was a good person, but Jemma had a feeling that their little family wasgoing to be just fine.
Rofroy is everything and nothing hurts ! Don't let others tell you otherwise.
thank! It's quick to consume your life isn't it? Like i didn't know what it was as of less than 60 hours ago and now here I am. I really want to make a video but I have no motivation :(
