Fitzsimmons

Well, Fitz was in trouble now. Currently Agents Coulson, May, Ward, Skye, that scumbag Triplet, and his best friend Jemma Simmons were chewing him out in the interogation room for shooting Mike Peterson, whom S.H.I.E.L.D. was trying to save. Coulson was furious. Ever since he had learned about Ward's association with H.Y.D.R.A., although Ward had only intended to spy on the organization, Coulson had hated when his team started to unravel like it was now. Fitz felt close to tears. He truly thought they needed to stick together through this tough time, especially Jemma and himself. He thought he had just ruined everything.

"Just tell us why you did it." Skye consoled him after noticing the glimmering trail of a tear on his cheek. She was trying the gentler approach. Fitz kept his head down, afraid of what Jemma was thinking about him at this very moment. A silence passed over the room, Fitz scared to talk.

"You risked the safety of the whole team!" Ward shouted at him suddenly. Fitz slowly lifted his head and looked right at Ward.

"You are the one that's the bloody traitor!" he shouted at him. He saw Simmons' eyes widen out of the corner of his eye. The other agents didn't stop him. They probably felt the same way.

"Then why did you shoot Mike Peterson?" May asked in her 'interrogation voice'. "He was still consolable. He was on our side. He couldn't control himself at the time, but we could have iced him and-"

"It was too late for ice!" Fitz suddenly raged. He stood up, yelling at May furiously. "He was going to do something! He was going to- going to hurt-"

"Who, Fitz?" Coulson interrupted sharply. "Who was Mike Peterson going to hurt?"

"He was going to kill Jemma!" Fitz exclaimed. "I was watching what H.Y.D.R.A. broadcasted to him, and he had a target locked in on Jemma, and I couldn't bloody live with myself if she were gone."

Jemma, who had been staring at the floor uncomfortably, glanced up as she heard her name. Confusion played throughout her face. Fitz collapsed into his chair, exhausted of keeping his secret in. He looked at the floor in defeat.

"Fitz, I don't understand..." Jemma trailed off softly. The room remained awkwardly silent. Fitz brought his hands to his face, letting his feelings wash over him, just this once. He was tired of holding it in all of these weeks. He was tired of worrying about her life more than his own whenever he saw her in danger (which was a lot of time spent worrying). He was tired of seeing her happy with Triplet, and not him. He was tired of lying to the team about why he was so concerned whenever they were separated. He was tired of hiding his feelings so that he wouldn't ruin their friendship.

The rest of the team glance at each other uncomfortably. Coulson, after a moment of silence, quietly spoke.

"Team, let's leave them to talk," he uttered.

All the agents filed out but Fitz and Simmons, alone together, like when they had first started this job. Simmons stared at them as they passed her, eyes asking, 'what am I supposed to do?'. No one answered. As Coulson filed out last, the door clinked shut.

A steady, tension-filled silence passed through the interrogation room. They had been best friends neatly their whole lives, and it had just come burning down around them. The air felt unbreathable.

"I let my feelings disrupt the mission, Jemma," stated Fitz after a few minutes. "I apologize." He looked up, expecting her to answer him. There was still a look of raw shock on her face. He bowed his head back down.

"Fitz," Jemma soothingly replied soon. "When did you start to feel..."

"In love with you?" Fitz finished. Jemma nodded ever so slightly, still shocked. "'Cause that's what I feel, Simmons," he studied her face. She cringed. He decided to say it all and continued. "Ever since the day we started here. I've loved you every bloody day, Jemma."

Jemma cleared her throat. "And with Triplet?"

"I didn't hate him," Fitz admitted. He continued, with his eyes down. "I hated that you and him were so close. I had loved you longer, I had loved you more, I deserve to be your first love."

Simmons pulled a chair across from Fitz, thoughtfully contemplating her next action. It had started to sink in.

"How..." she tried to go on, but she couldn't. "How?" she repeted.

"How couldn't I?" he asked, still avoiding eye contact. "You are smart. You're beautiful. You're kind and compassionate to everyone. You work hard to protect the team. You know the plot line of every episode of Doctor Who," he chuckled silently. "And you have never rejected me." He turned his gaze upward. She was watching him intently. He could see her falling. She realized she had fallen a long while ago.

"You've never given up on me. And I know how difficult I can be. I know how much we fight. I know that this is a hard time to find love. And Jemma," he said, leaning over the table and fitting his hand into her hair.

"I love you." he finished quietly, breathing out gently. She stared into his eyes acceptingly, feeling the warmth on her lips. She leaned forward an extra centimeter and melted her mouth into his, like they were meant to be.

"And I love you." she replied against his lips. Fitzsimmons smiled as one, and kissed again, enjoying the now ironically comfortable interrogation room.