Maybe There Is | Fitzsimmons

chapter six [edited]

Jemma's POV

I took a quick shower, grateful for a moment of peace. Like the bedroom, the bathroom was vast- Asgardian design seemed to favor space and grandeur. A massive tub sat in the center, and mirrors lined the walls from corner to corner, making everything feel even larger. After I was finished, I changed into the beautiful gown laid out for me: a silver-fitted top, a long white skirt, and matching silver sandals.

When I stepped outside, Lady Sif greeted me with a smile.
"That dress suits you well, Lady Simmons," she said kindly.

I gave a small, sheepish smile. "Thank you."

She turned and gestured for me to follow. We walked together down several corridors before entering a large hall. A small staircase on the right led up to a balcony, which no doubt offered a stunning view of Asgard. In the center of the room stood a long, elegant white stone table, surrounded by a modest buffet. Four men were gathered, deep in conversation, but their chatter stopped as soon as they noticed us.

"Lady Simmons," Sif said, gesturing to the group, "allow me to introduce you."

The first man stepped forward, tall and blonde with a charming grin.
"Fandral," Sif began, but he interrupted her, taking my hand and pressing a kiss to it.

"It is an honor, Lady Simmons," he said smoothly. "Truly, you are radiant."

I smiled, caught off guard by the compliment, and felt my cheeks flush with color.
Lady Sif, unsurprisingly, rolled her eyes.

She continued, introducing the others. "This is Volstagg,"-a large man with a vibrant red beard- "and Hogun." Hogun gave a polite nod, his long black hair and quiet demeanor standing in contrast to the others.

Then the final figure stepped forward, and I knew who he was before he spoke.
Thor.

"Lady Simmons of S.H.I.E.L.D.," he greeted me with a warm, regal smile. "It is an honor. Sif told me you were among those who aided her during her time on Midgard."

I dipped my head. "The honor is mine. And if I may speak on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D., we were glad to assist."

We took our seats around the table, and soon Thor began recounting tales of his time on Earth- how he'd met S.H.I.E.L.D., and more specifically, Agent Coulson.

"After my exile to Midgard, and during Loki's attempt to claim the Tesseract, I returned," Thor said. "In time, through struggle and loss, we formed the Avengers. Coulson's courage was part of what united us. His sacrifice... it was not in vain."

His voice held a quiet sadness, and guilt twisted in my chest. He still believed Coulson was dead. I hated lying to him, even by omission.

Then his gaze turned to me. "But enough of that. Tell me, Lady Simmons- what path brought you to S.H.I.E.L.D.? There must be more to you than being swallowed by a Kree stone."

That question opened a floodgate.

"I enrolled at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy of Science and Technology in 2004," I began, my voice gaining strength as I went. "That's where I met Leo Fitz- my best friend, a brilliant engineer. We graduated three years early. I didn't want to be stuck in a lab my whole life, so I convinced him to join a field team with me."

I found myself talking more freely than expected, like the weight of the past year was finally too heavy to carry alone.

"I joined a small team as their biochemist. We traveled, helped people... Until we discovered that S.H.I.E.L.D. had been infiltrated by Hydra. Everything fell apart. And worse- we learned that someone we trusted, someone we'd come to care about, had been working for Hydra all along. He'd saved our lives just to earn our trust, only to betray us later.

"When Fitz and I confronted him, he tried to kill us. Fitz ended up in a coma for nine days and woke with lasting injuries. I stayed to help rebuild what was left of S.H.I.E.L.D., but... I realized that my presence was holding Fitz back. So I left. Took an undercover assignment inside Hydra. I was eventually discovered, but another agent helped me escape.

"When I returned, the others welcomed me back... but Fitz didn't. He thought I'd abandoned him. I couldn't blame him for that."

I glanced down at my hands, the memory still raw.

"We rebuilt, brought in new agents, and found new purpose. But then came the Inhumans... and a war. When it ended, I was assigned to examine a Kree artifact. A stone. The Monolith. And it swallowed me."

I stopped, realizing I'd said far more than I intended. Four strangers- and a god- now knew more about my life than many people on Earth.

For a moment, there was silence.

"You've endured much," Thor finally said, his voice sincere. "And yet you remain loyal. You still seek your team. That is courage, Lady Simmons."

"Indeed," said Volstagg with a nod.

Then Fandral grinned. "Forgive my curiosity, but is there a lover waiting for you? Or shall I whisk you away to the tavern tonight and show you the beauty of Asgard?"

Volstagg groaned. Hogun sighed. Thor chuckled. And Lady Sif rolled her eyes again- it was clearly not Fandral's first attempt at charm.

Still, all eyes turned to me.

And, without thinking, I said, "Maybe there is."

There's nothing to discuss, Jemma.
There's nothing to discuss, Jemma.
Maybe... there is.

The dinner continued with lighter conversation. Volstagg told jokes, Thor shared stories, and everyone was welcoming. Kind. But eventually the exhaustion I'd been holding back caught up with me. Lady Sif noticed and gracefully excused both of us.

After saying goodnight to everyone, we returned to my room. She paused outside the door, her expression soft.

"Who stole your heart, Lady Simmons?"

I turned the handle, then looked over my shoulder and said simply,
"Fitz."

She smiled. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," I echoed, and closed the door behind me.

I crawled into the oversized bed, surrounded by golden walls and Asgardian silence.

Maybe there is.