The Wedding Date Part One
Prompt Fifteen: Need a Wedding Date
Jemma missed the first phone. She ha bolted down the hall when she heard it go off, but when she reached he room where it was charging, the call had ended.
"Crap," she uttered under her breath, looking at the screen to see who had been calling. 'Mum' lit up on the screen.
"Double crap," she added, dialing back to return the call.
Jemma's mother answered just after the first ring, as if she had been clutching the phone tightly.
"Hi, Mum, sorry I missed your ring," Jemma said picking up the phone.
"Jemma! Good, grief I finally get you on the phone. I wanted to ask what day you are coming home this week for your cousin's wedding," her mother responded.
Jemma planted her hand on her forehead. Another crap sprung into her head. She had completely forgotten the wedding, despite having it marked down for months in her phone and her calendar. She scurried over to see her schedule for the week, she did remember taking the days off, thank goodness. Her eyes scanned over the dates for when she booked her flight.
"I'll be arriving Thursday morning, Mum," she said.
"And your date is coming with you?" her mum pried.
Yet another thing Jemma forgot. She had checked off for a plus one, despite having been single at the time of the invitation. She guesses she had anticipated finding someone for the wedding but never got around to it. Could she really be blamed? She worked around the clock at a scientist for SHIELD, and everyone she knew she worked with.
"Oh, yeah, he will be with me," Jemma fibbed. She had two days to bring someone.
"How are you sweetie, you sound aghast. Are you eating enough? Are you getting enough sleep? You know if your entertainment business doesn't work you can always come home," there her mom dropped it. Her mother, sweet woman, but just didn't think what Jemma was doing with her life in the States was good enough for her. That is because Jemma's family did not know she was an agent of a government organization. She lied to them because they wouldn't approve. Instead, she had woven such a mass of a lies that she created a fake website for her entertainment business. When she told her parents that was what she was doing, they were disappointed that all the schooling she went to for science was dropped. Jemma always had to find a way to disappoint her parents, at least from her perspective.
"Yes, Mum, I'm eating well, just have a lot of work to get done. I'm dealing with a client from hell," Jemma hated lying. It reminded her she needed to update her fake business website, post new fake pictures.
"Well, don't let someone drive you crazy, okay? You can't help anyone if you can't help yourself, first," Jemma's mother replied. That was something Jemma's mother had been saying since she was a little girl.
“I won’t, Mum, thanks, I will see you on...” Jemma looked at the calendar again she had already forgotten the date of her flight. “Thursday.”
“Bye, darling, your father and I cannot wait to see you, and your date! Who is he? Oh! I guess I will just be surprised to meet him. I love you,” Jemma’s mom tittered on the other end of the phone.
“I love you too, Mum,” Jemma replied, ending the call directly after so her mom wouldn’t have a chance to say anything else.
Jemma set the phone back down on its charger and slumped down on her bed before jumping back up a second later. She had to make sure she was actually off of work. She bolted out of the room to find Coulson, her boss. His office door was closed, but she knocked until she was granted access.
“Hi, Sir,” Jemma huffed, catching her breath from her sprint.
“What’s up, Simmons?” he said, leaning against his desk.
“I can’t remember if I took this weekend off, I have my cousin’s wedding and it completely escaped my mind,” she spilled out.
Coulson uncrossed his arms and stood up straight.
“Yes Jemma, you took off months ago. Don’t you remember our chat about that?” Coulson said. He didn’t look upset with her.
“Uh, no, Sir, please refresh my memory,” Jemma took a few steps in the room.
“When you asked for this weekend off, I replied that Fitz had already taken it off, and I asked you guys not to do that again, because I can’t have both of you off the same time. In the future, of course,” Coulson informed.
Jemma smiled. Fitz was off, that was perfect. She could take him and not some random creepy drifter or pay someone or….
“You understand what I just said?” Coulson was dubious because of her odd response.
“Yes, but you just made my life so much easier telling me Fitz is off. I have got to go, Sir, thank you!” Jemma dashed back out of the room, continuing to smile on her way out.
First, she prepped the sandwich. Fitz was always hungry either way, but the sandwich could do wonders. She brought over two mugs for tea and held it all on a tray, bringing it to the lab.
“Fitz!” she chimed excitedly entering the laboratory. He turned around in his chair.
“Oh, hey Jemma,” his eyes narrowed in on the sandwich.
“Yes, this is for you,” Jemma said setting it down on the table next to him. Fitz shimmied up in the seat. He placed two hands around it and took a bite.
Hook, line… Jemma thought.
With his mouth still stuffed, Jemma began to preposition him.
“So, Fitz, I heard you are on vacation this weekend. I have got some plans for you, of course if you’re interested. But it will be so much fun, I promise,” she spoke rapidly.
He stopped chewing and gave her a concerned glance. Fitz swallowed.
“What?” he said flatly.
This was crucial now, to get her preposition just right. Things hadn’t been very great between them recently. After they kissed in the lab that night, they had both been unconsciously avoiding each other. Back to not being able to communicate properly. Jemma thought this could be an opportunity to save their relationship, their friendship.
“I have to go to home, to England, this weekend, for a wedding. I was wondering if you’d like to come. It would be nice to get a break from the lab, wouldn’t it? And we could always take a trip north after, visit your Mum,” Jemma’s fingers danced with each other nervously in her lap.
Fitz was silent. He took another bite of the Panini. Maybe it would help make up his mind. Jemma secretly wished she had the superpower to force him to say yes. No wait, that would be wrong. She wouldn’t want to force anyone to do anything they didn’t want to. But she did want Fitz to say yes right now.
Fitz’ face said otherwise. He was stoic, and she read his expression as considering rejecting her invitation.
“We can go to Perthshire,” Jemma blurted out in desperation. She hadn’t known where that came from and it was out of her mouth before she could process it.
This caught Fitz by surprise. It was true; he had been leaning towards saying no. He thought it was better if they stayed away from each other, just for a while. He didn’t want her to do favors for him and he didn’t want to do favors for her. He just wanted to do his job and when he was ready to deal with his thoughts, he was hoping she would be ready too.
He mulled it over for a bit longer. He could see Jemma grow in anxiety. She needed someone. And the thought that maybe she didn't have anyone else besides this small world crossed his mind. He figured, who did he have?
"Alright, I'll come," he said, Perthshire being the winning bargaining.
Jemma nearly jumped off the chair she was on to give him a hug, but instead she only managed in awkwardly pumping her fists in the air. Fitz cocked an eyebrow at her, as if to say 'really.'
"Thank you, Fitz," she said earnestly.
"It's been awhile since I've been back home," he said.
Jemma frowned for a second. She gathered from his statement that was the reason why he was coming.
"I will go and finish the arrangements, we lift off on Thursday, okay?" Jemma added, her voice an octave lower.
Fitz nodded, and thanked her for the panini. He was conflicted because he knew he wasn't fully ready to talk to Jemma. And now he was going to spend an eight hour flight next to her. A car ride from the airport and sitting next to her at the wedding. He could already see her family poking and prodding at him. Her parents for sure, probably surprised she was still friends with her old Academy friend. But, if he said no, it would have potentially closed a door forever. He would be stuck only asking 'what if,' after this. And besides, what if this was Jemma trying to make things right. Outside of doing science she wasn't fairly skilled in navigating human interaction. Although, he could say the same for himself.
Jemma returned to her room to update her plane ticket and to rent a car. She spent a good deal of time looking for that cottage in Perthshire she had seen as a girl. After an hour searching and coming up with nothing, she settled to booking a quaint bread and breakfast not too far from where his mother still lived. It was reclusive, in a mountainous area and by a river. There was still plenty to do, if Fitz was tired of her he could go off and of any number of activities. Jemma figured she would go for a jog on the trails. She missed the beauty of the United Kingdom.
She went over all the plans a few more times before plugging off for the night.
Fitz' vacation started the next day, Wednesday. Jemma didn't see him the whole day so she left the itinerary on his bed for him to look over and make any changes. When she saw him at night, she asked if he had seen it and he hadn't mentioned if he had anything to change. They woke up early on Thursday, both of their bags packed the day before. It was early in the morning and they were both quiet. The kind of quiet that was just a bit unsettling. Jemma bit her tongue every time she went to go and say something, knowing it would just be filler talk. And it was so early in the morning. Who wanted to have a conversation this early?
When they got to the airport, Fitz walked the length of the terminal a few times. Jemma wanted him to come back so she could get breakfast and not have to watch their luggage. She forgot how cumbersome civilian traveling was. When Fitz finally did show up, twenty minutes before the flight boarded, he had brought breakfast for both of them. He selected coffee; knowing airport tea would not satisfy either of their tastes. Other than thanking him for his thoughtfulness, they ate their breakfast sandwiches in silence, too.
Fitz fell asleep right away on the plane, he seemed very pleased that Jemma had booked first class tickets. In truth, her parents had paid for them, but she took the compliment. Her parents always wanted to make sure their daughter was comfortable, and they certainly had the pockets to make it that way, despite Jemma refusing their amenities constantly. She always became shy when her parents wealth somehow crossed into her life. It was their wealth, not hers. Her father had worked very hard to build his company. She had to beg him not to send the private jet.
A private car waited for them at Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield. Jemma’s name was scrawled on the chauffeur’s tablet. She recognized the driver right away, and smiled. He was the same driver that had driven her to elementary school each morning.
“Richard!” she beamed at the man. He was much older now, but the crinkle around his eyes as he smiled were the same.
“Miss Jemma, welcome home,” he said cheerfully, taking her luggage from her. She asked him not to make a fuss, blushing madly. Fitz remained mostly silent as Jemma introduced Richard to Fitz.
He brought them to a limousine, a full, stretch limousine. Even though Fitz had known how wealthy her parents were, it made her uncomfortable. She didn’t like showing off those kinds of things.
“The bar is stocked, Miss Jemma, if you and Mister Fitz would like to celebrate,” Richard said as he climbed into the front seat. After Jemma thanked him, he announced he was closing the partition for their privacy and if they needed anything to just use the intercom.
Fitz was still quiet. It bothered Jemma’s nerves. Being around her family was stressful enough and now Fitz wasn’t enjoying his time and was probably thinking about how much he wasted his vacation. If it were only a different time, this trip would be going such a different way.
Jemma popped open a bottle of wine. She offered Fitz a glass, which declined. She poured hers rather high.
“Well, my parents will be certainly happy to see you, they have seen you since we graduated the Academy,” Jemma spoke. She deemed it okay now to force conversation. It was mid afternoon now.
“That is very true,” he said. Jemma turned away to frown.
“Are you sure you don’t want a glass?” Jemma offered again. She was happy she could enjoy wine again. He shook his head and concentrated on the passing by countryside as they traveled south.
It wasn’t a terribly long drive, but Jemma’s parents did live in a sprawling piece of land, where they didn’t have any neighbors for miles. Jemma could feel the familiarity return to her, as Richard turned down their street. Fitz had been to her house before so he knew what to expect.
Jemma had left out one detail that Fitz would probably have wanted to know. Her cousin’s wedding was taking place here, so the house was going to be hectic as the catering services set up. Thankfully, the wedding was outside.
“You’re home, Miss Jemma,” Richard announced through the intercom as he turned down the very long, tree lined driveway. Jemma always loved this part of her house the most; she used to run up and down the line of trees. She spent most of her time as a kid outside exploring, examining.
There was staff waiting outside to take in their luggage, and Jemma’s mother appeared just moments later.
Her mother, where Jemma got her excitement from, yelled excitedly, grabbing her daughter in tight hug.
“Hello Mum!” Jemma gushed, trying to wiggle free for some air.
“Mum, you remember Leo Fitz, my friend from school,” Jemma said.
“Leopold! Oh! Of course I do Jemma! You’d be silly to think I didn’t after how much you talk about him on the phone!” Jemma’s mother spilled.
Jemma blushed again. Jemma’s mother went to give Fitz one of her life squeezing hugs.
“Hello, Mrs. Simmons, how are you?” Fitz, who had been grumpy and distant the entire time, had perked up. Perhaps he had been saving his energy for this.
“Oh, dear, it’s Regina, come in darling, come along,” Jemma’s mother corrected Fitz.
As Regina shuffled them inside, she gabbed on about how Jemma’s father was still at work but would be back for dinner. Regina walked with them up the stairs, prattling on and on about gossip and whatever she usually talked about. Jemma was more interested n seeing her family’s pets at this point. Regina had walked them to Jemma’s room.
“Your luggage is inside. Go and make yourselves comfortable of course, we’ll have tea in the courtyard at four when your father arrives home,” Regina said, pushing Jemma’s door open.
Jemma’s room was a sprawling space. It was comprised of mismatched furniture, remnants from Jemma’s short rebellious phase as a pre-teen. There were several old chemistry sets that Jemma had used to near ruin as a child.
“Um, Mum,” Jemma said, pulling her mother to the side. She had said their luggage was here.
“Where is Fitz staying?” she asked in a hushed tone.
Regina giggled, “Oh Jemma, darling, you’re adults, you’re together, I wouldn’t put you in separate rooms for the life of me. Besides, all the extra bedrooms will have family in them.”
“But, Mu-,” Jemma started.
“Don’t worry about it!” Regina added with a wink, before walking off.
Jemma was now mortified. She slowly turned back to Fitz.
“So, uh, we’re staying together… in here,” Jemma said softly.
Fitz’ looked surprised. “Oh,” he said.
Jemma quickly entered the room, passing by him. She immediately went to pull out the trundle bed underneath hers.
“I-I’m sorry,” she blustered, tugging at the heavy wooden bed frame.
“It’s not a problem, Jemma,” he said quite blankly, putting a hand on her arm to get her to stop.
He mumbled something about going to freshen up, and went to her private bathroom.
Jemma sighed. This was going worse then she had hoped it would go. I should have never asked him to come, she thought. She took out her dresses for the weekend and hung them up. Fitz’ tuxedo was draped across his luggage as he had kept it in bag. She hung that up, too for him.
After dealing with the clothes, she examined her old chemistry sets, smiling about how many times she almost set the drapes on fire. Then she remembered Fitz had done that once with Trip’s spy gear. She laughed at the memory.
Fitz came out of the bathroom at this time. He had washed his face and spent time in front of the mirror repeating positive affirmations to himself. It was so silly, but this was going to be a rough weekend if he at least didn’t try to stop wallowing in it. Coming out of the bathroom, he made an attempt to undo his displeasing demeanor, and he smiled, actually smiled at Jemma, who was bent over a chemistry laughing about something.
She hadn’t noticed he had come out of the bathroom. He was able to walk right up next to her, and crouch to see what she was finding so funny. He startled her as she hadn’t expected him to be so close and she jumped backwards, loosing her footing and crashing to the floor with a loud thud.
She continued to laugh, and Fitz went to help her up.
“That’s all I need, a big bruise on my bum for the wedding,” she chuckled to herself. She clenched on to his hand to hoist herself up.
“What was so funny?” Fitz asked. He was struggling not to laugh at her.
“Oh…” Jemma started, her voice fading out, “just thought of an old memory.”
She excused herself to use the bathroom, to freshen up herself, and Fitz took to walking around her room, looking at the remnants of pre-teen Jemma’s life. She hadn’t lived here since before the Academy. He remembered the first time he came here he laughed at the big poster of Pierre Curie she had on her wall. Jemma’s mother had pointed out that she had a crush on him. Fitz didn’t let that go for years. He noticed the Curie poster wasn’t on her walls this time around.
Jemma returned in much shorter time then Fitz had taken. He stood in the center of her room, with his hands on his hips.
“You know, you could have always asked Pierre to be your plus one to the wedding,” he said.
Jemma was confused, and the puzzled look on her face told Fitz she hadn’t gotten his joke.
“Pierre… Pierre Curie… you used to have his poster…right there,” Fitz said, pointing to an empty space of wall above a chemistry set.
Jemma bit her lower lip to stave off embarrassment.
“I let that crush sail away quite some time ago, you might say he was quite toxic,” Jemma thought she was coming off smart.
Fitz didn’t quite get her response. Jemma shrugged it off and began to make for the door, it was almost time to meet her parents for tea.
“Wait, was that… was that a joke about his high level of radiation?” Fitz said following her out.