Author Note: A bit of a time was taken to upload this chapter but I really wanted to make sure that I got it right. Not gonna ramble too much here, I just hope that you like it 3

Jemma stood there speechless. That's him- that's Fitz. How is that Fitz? How is Fitz here?!

It all made sense to her now. The loss of signal, his eagerness to stay on the phone… He was traveling down here. He knew that you were upset and he came all the way down to SHEFIELD to see you. God only knows what that cost him.

Looking at the boy now stood opposite her (when did I even stand up?) she still couldn't find the words to say. She was happy- elated even- but with a mixture of a dozen other emotions from shock, the background sadness over her current situation with her parents and above all something else. Something that she couldn't describe and she was certain that she'd never felt for anyone before.

She's staring- she shouldn't just be staring. She should be saying something- ANYTHING!

Fitz watched as Simmons stood up ever so slowly, never swaying her gaze from directly into his eyes. This is weird now. She shouldn't have been staring for this long. She's probably horrified that I'm here. What kind of person hears that their friend is upset and spends a fortune getting a bloody train for hours to their exact location… Why am I such a creep?

"Fitz?" She finally managed to say, although it came out as more of a whisper.

"Heya Jemma" He smiled back, completely unaware of how to handle the situation.

"Wha… What are you doing here?" Was her next question. Although to his surprise (and joy) it didn't seem disgusted or 'creeped out' merely a little confused.

Come on mate- this is your chance… Make or break. You're either going to own this situation or make a total fool of yourself. It's time to put your heart on the line.

"You sounded upset, so I had to come down and see you." A statement, like it was the most obvious answer in the world. Finally a bit of confidence.

"Well you didn't have to… I mean it's awfully far… How much did your ticket cost?" She seemed concerned, but she wasn't hearing what he was saying.

"Actually I did (another plain statement). It doesn't matter how much it cost, I had to come down here. The truth is Jemma, there's something, well a lot actually, that I have to say to you and I had to say it in person. I can't handle you being sad, and certainly if I'm not around. It doesn't make sense and it isn't right."

In that moment Fitz flashed back to four years ago when he was just fifteen and almost dropping out of school:

"Another bad report card! What ever am I going to do with you Leo?!" His mother was completely at a loss as to why his son was performing so poorly. All through first school he'd been the brightest boy in all his classes.

"I mean honestly, 'doesn't even try' 'always busy doing everything but the school work'! Why are you doing this lad? You used to have so much potential."

"You don't get it mam! Its not that the lessons are bad, they just cannae challenge me. It's all too easy so why should I bother?" He sulked.

"If it's all too easy for you then why are your grades so low?" Mary Fitz scolded

"I guess I don't always show up to class. I'm in the DT room a lot I lose track of the time. Or the library. There's a few good books about science but they won't let me take them out… they're in the adult library you see. I even found some really interesting papers on the computer but I cant test any of the theories or make anything of my own because all of the equipment I need is either in the restricted section of the lab or school doesn't have at all. My tech teacher says that I'd be good enough to do my Highers if they'd only let me but you have to be at least 17! And I've looked at some past paper and even they're easy mam."

"Oh Leo…" the contempt melted away from her voice.

"I know it's hard for you. I know you haven't made many friends but I dinnae know that you were finding the work this easy. I thought you were just acting out. Look bairn, I know that its easy and it doesn't excite you but if you want to do your Highers you need to get through the next few years first. And if you don't get good grades now your school wont let you do them and then you wouldn't be able to go to university either….

I'm going to give you a bit of advice that one of the nuns once gave me after I had you. I was so scared that I wouldn't be able to provide and make a life for us but she said 'Mary, if you want something in life, sometimes you just have to take it, because no one else will give it to you…". What I'm trying to say son, is that if you want to test all these theories and take all these exams, work hard and do it. It may not be tomorrow, but you'll be able to achieve everything you can dream."

"Thanks mam. I will try harder I promise".

And he did. Leo's grades turned around overnight. But his mother was wrong about one thing. For Leo it did have to be tomorrow. So the next day he went into school and hacked the server. After a few dates of birth records were lost and recovered, Leo Fitz was now for all intensive purposes 17 years old and signed on to do 8 Highers exams (the average person only does 4 or 5). And the summer of the same year with shaking hands he entered every exam hall, sat in the back corner and prayed no older student ratted him out. Luckily Leo had the super power of being able to make himself completely invisible to his peers.

The day after results day he got his results through the post and found out he got full marks in all 8 exams. The day after that (much to his mothers surprise) they got a home visit from the furious school, a police officer and a man from an agency they'd never heard of called SHIELD. It was lucky that agent was there because he managed to calm down the school, convince the policeman to drop the hacking and fraud charges AND offer him a sponsorship to begin a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering that September at MIT, on the condition that he joined their academy when he was sufficiently qualified.

It was his mothers advice to take what he wanted that got him into MIT, Shield and, indirectly, to meet Jemma. And he was going to take that advice again today to get what he really wanted.

"Fitz what do you mean? You're not making any sense" Her eyes searched his, trying to solve him like a difficult equation and not seeing that the answer was right there in front of her. He took one hard looking into her honey coloured eyes and mustered up the last bit of confidence he needed.

"I know I'm not making much sense. To be honest I'm not really the most articulate person so you're going to have to just let me stumble my way through this… I missed you. This holiday, since I've last seen you I really missed you. And it makes me sick to think of the way that we ended things. I should have told you, god Jemma, I know I should have told you. And I'm not going to make that mistake again."

His eyes were burning with intensity now. The normally cool blue tides were a rapid storm. Darker. Brighter. And she knew it was all for her. Could this be it? Is something about to happen? She didn't dare hope but the indescribable feeling inside of her was rising up and she started to feel light headed.

"I'm tired of this. I'm tired of pretending that I don't care. That we're just friends. I'm tired of pretending that I don't think about you all the time. Because I do! Christ I miss you every single second that we're not together. These last two weeks have been hell for me. I can't focus, I can't see straight- nothing has meaning if I'm not doing it with you. And for god sake I'm sick of that talking and the rumours. I want to hold you hand in public and not have to pretend it's platonic. I want you to be my girlfriend. If I'm honest with you Jemma, I think I'm in love with you."

He blurted that all out so quickly he had to gasp a bit for breath at the end. He wanted to be shy again. To avert his gaze and to run, like he'd always run but something kept him there, staring. It was her. He couldn't look away from her perfection. She was stood there, next to no makeup (what she did have on was a bit of a mess) in a cardigan and a big coat that drowned her. Her shoes were tattered and despite the cold she was in a tiny skirt with tights that were laddered all up one side. Her hair was messy and falling down but she had never looked more beautiful to him. She needed him. She was vulnerable. And standing opposite each other in those woods he felt like he was seeing her truly for the first time.

A single tear ran down her cheek. He kept staring with flaming eyes, boring into her soul. Jemma took a cautious step forward. Her face was now mere centimetres away from his, their bodies making contact in a million different places. When she felt that she couldn't look at him for one second longer, she made their lips collide.

They came together then kissing like it was the first and last kiss that they'd ever share (both of which weren't true). Last time it had been cautious and chaste but this time it was serious. They had both let down their guards and this kiss meant everything. It was rougher and more passionate as they began to explore each other's bodies. Her hands ran through his hair and down his arms. His moved to her lower back. They backed against the tree and deepened the kiss until their bodies and souls were completely intertwined, like the two stands of a double helix of DNA- always crossing and connecting with each other.

Both of them felt like this feeling could last forever but eventually they had to pull away for breath. As he pulled back Leo noticed white specks glittering in her hair. The drizzle of rain had turned into a full snow shower.

She looked in his eyes and noticed that they had calmed now. The burning had disappeared but they were still as bright. Now I understand, they're full of love. Love for me. HE LOVES ME! Jemma Simmons never thought that she could feel this happy, especially not on a day that had started like this one had. She also noticed a feeling beside happiness- the one she couldn't describe.

Only now she could

"Oh just so you know- Leopold Andrew Fitz, I know that I'm in love with you too."

FINALLY!

Together at last (for now ahahah).

This is a really important chapter for the entire character/plot development of the whole story so a bit of feedback would be fab

You guys are the best and I'll try and get a new chapter up asap