Fitzsimmons

Shouldn't

Quick Note: Ugh hiatus is hard. I just have to picture the science babies alive and found in a nice hug. It will probably be awkward when the season returns, not to mention sad, but I need to see where they're going. That's why fic-writing has been slow. I'm still on edge.

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They were going to die (again), and this should have been terrifying to Fitz, but some part of him was completely overjoyed when Jemma crashed into his arms desperately. Maybe having nearly died before was taking the edge off of the experience. Or maybe he was perfectly fine with an end to his damaged life.

And then Jemma was curled into him snugly as the dust and debris rained down around them and Fitz realized this life was something worth fighting for. If Jemma cared if he lived or died, he was determined to keep her happy.

He felt slightly guilty after the fact. After the team had dragged the two dusty, limp scientists from the collapsed rubble and asked them brief questions about what happened. And all Fitz could remember was how close she was, which was no help to his teammates.

Hunter carried a broken-legged Jemma back to the Bus, and Fitz insisted on limping beside him. Fitz felt ridiculous for being jealous of their proximity to each other, yet he still placed a bruised hand gently on Jemma's knee to close the gap between them.

When they were back in the cargo ramp of the Bus, Hunter tried to make a joke about the earthquake, but ended up just looking at the floor and awkwardly mumbling before heading back to the cockpit. Fitz and Simmons were left alone, barely able to stand, but mustering enough strength to look fine for the other.

Now Fitz had intended on talking about it with her, but then she turned to him, face tense and arms shaking as she tried to hold it together with a forced half smile. And Fitz couldn't do anything but gently envelope her into a pained embrace, and try to hold her together as she fell apart in his arms.

The quaking sobs brought them to the floor quickly, still maintaining a closeness when they collapsed just like the underground city. It was dirty and wet and it hurt terribly, but at the same time they were healing, wordlessly communicating how much they needed each other. Finally Fitz felt worthy of being beside his genius best friend, and finally Jemma could sleep easy knowing he forgave her.

Jemma thought she should say something at this point, and although the silence was completely comfortable, and the feel of him pressed against her back was all the closure she needed, she opened her mouth.

"I," she started, and it came out as a whimper. She restarted. "I need you, Fitz."

It was the simplest way of putting it. She couldn't have him transfer out of the lab because he belonged next to her. He was her other part, though he was broken, and she needed him to be with her to feel completely like herself.

Fitz only responded with burying his face deeper into the back of her neck, and breathing deeply and nodding. He needed her, too. They couldn't just stop talking to each other and go on with their lives. They should be able to be separate people, of course, but the one thing they shouldn't be allowed to do is to be apart.