“Jemma Simmons.”
She looked older and more tired now. She also gained a little weight and cut her hair to just above her shoulders, but essentially, she was still the same woman that brought sunshine with her wherever she went.
“Ward?” after a moment of surprise, she recovered. She went back to what she had been doing: preparing her favourite drink. “Tea?”
And it looked like she still believed that there’s nothing in the world that couldn’t be solved with a spot of tea.
“No, thank you, Agent Simmons.” then, he told her, “It’s great to see you again.”
“Yes. Although the last time we saw each other, you were pointing a rather large gun on my head.” she grimaced as she poured. “I hope we could avoid the same conclusion this time.”
“How long has it been since we saw each other last?”
“Five years.”
“And you don’t even looked surprised to see me.”
“I knew this time would come eventually,” she told him candidly. “After all, I’m the worst secret keeper in the world.”
“That you are.” he cleared his throat. “Can I see him?”
She nodded. Her calm exterior was belied only by the subtle shaking of her hand as she put down her teacup. “Follow me.”
She led him out of the kitchen and down a dark hall. She stopped before a door and hesitated before opening it.
Immediately, his eyes were drawn to the occupied bed near the window, illuminated by the Iron Man nightlight on the adjacent table.
“Is that—” he trailed off, more afraid than he wanted to admit.
“I named him Max.”
“I wish—” he couldn’t continue, afraid that one more word would break him. But he didn't need to finish: Jemma’s comforting hand on his arm told him that she understood.
She moved aside and encouraged him to come in.
Ward moved closer to the tiny boy sleeping on the bed. If he had doubts before on the child’s paternity, one look at his rounded face dissipated them. He was the spitting image of Ward’s younger brother.
He could not exactly begrudge Jemma of keeping the child’s existence a secret from him. After all, they only had a single drunken hookup before he was revealed as a Hydra double agent. He was sure that when she found out that she was pregnant, they were already on opposing sides of the war.
Years later, while he was surveilling a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, he accidentally overheard a couple of agents talking about Jemma Simmons’ precocious son. Ward’s curiosity was piqued so he snooped around. When he found out about the kid’s age, he had his suspicions about the child’s paternity. A visit with an enraged and uncooperative Fitz confirmed it. Even after then, it took him more than a year to search for the whereabouts of Jemma Simmons.
And now that he had found her…
“What now?” Jemma asked softly.
“I propose a truce.” Ward cleared his throat. “For his sake. When it comes to him, there’s no Hydra or S.H.I.E.L.D. between us, only Jemma and Ward.”