The first time Jemma says those three little words was when he was on a mission. It was supposed to be more of a whisper to the wind. A silent prayer.

She didn't mean to say it out loud.

She could feel the everyone's eyes on her. But it wasn't a surprised look. Everyone knew how the Specialist and the Biochemist had grown close over the months they've all been together. The entire room was silent for a few beats and was broken by Skye who hissed a "Yes!" Under her breath, followed by Fitz groaning. "You owe me Fitz." Skye whispered into her comm link. If she wasn't on a mission and currently lying underneath a semi, Skye would've done her victory dance.

"Skye, focus on the mission." Coulson told her as he crossed his arms and observed the large screen. "Ward, status."

Silence.

After a few seconds, Coulson tried again. "Ward, are you there? What's your status?"

He didn't reply right away and for a moment Jemma thought something bad happened to him.

"Here." Came his voice, in a low grunt. May noted that that Jemma let out a small sigh of relief, closing her eyes briefly before opening them and looking at the large monitor on the table.

"I have eyes on the target - Skye, they're heading your way, get out of there." After an affirmative from the other agent

"Fitz, do you have the blueprints of the building?" Coulson turned to the young scientist, "Pull it up." Fitz nodded and the screen showed the blueprints of a large building. Jemma typed in a series of commands that showed the area where Ward and Skye were - a large delivery garage behind the main building. She was about to point out a small entry way for employees as their way out when she froze as Skye yelled out.

"Ward! Look out!"

Her eyes immediately flew to the screen - but this time they had no visual - the warehouse was an old fashioned one, there were security cameras to hack into. All they had were voice confirmations from the two agents on site.

They could hear a scuffle, someone must've found Ward and is currently in a fight with them. Then Skye spoke up. "I'm heading in, but I think there's too many of them -"

"Got it - " May replied already on her way out. Coulson turned to the remaining occupants in the room. "You two stay here, keep your eyes on the target and see where it's heading." Fitz gave a small nod looking back down on his tablet.

"Simmons." Coulson called her out twice before she even looked up. She was biting her thumb her other arm around her waist. She looked at him for a few seconds before he gave her a pointed look. Jemma snapped out of her thoughts and nodded. "Right, got it." Coulson gave her a second glance, this time with a bit of worry, before walking out of the room to follow May.

"He'll be fine." Fitz said, squeezing her shoulder affectionately. "He's one of the -"

He was cut off when Ward suddenly yelled out, then muttered a few curses under his breath. Jemma was already on her way to tears. Did her confession threw him off? That maybe he didn't feel the same way. A thousand thoughts came through her head as she continued to fidget. But she needed to focus.

There were lives at stake.

With a small breath of determination she went back to work, tracking the blinking dot while her mind was still with the man she had given her heart to a long time ago.

Skye appeared at the large door that doubles as the vehicle bay. She had a bruise on her face, but basing on the large grin she had on her face, Jemma doesn't have to guess that she's alright. May and Coulson arrived next. The biochemist smiled glad that they was safe as well, but even as she made small talk, the older agent knew that there was one person the young scientist wanted to see the most.

As soon as footsteps were heard making its way up to the metal floor, Coulson quietly excused himself while May sent a pointed look towards Skye and Fitz. The rocket scientist straightened up and nodded - he respects Agent May and is slightly terrified of the woman once known as the Cavalry - Skye sagged her shoulders and was about to complain about wanting to see the whole exchange but the look on Agent May could make anyone run away screaming. So she did. Except the screaming part - she was a field agent now. But the young woman was sure she was going to get nightmares tonight.

Jemma never noticed the entire exchange between the three , her eyes focused on the man walking towards her. The scientist blinked several times for two reasons - one, she wanted to be sure he was real and two, she didn't want to cry in front of him.

Thinking that Agent May and the others are still with her, she cleared her throat and straightened up. "Agent Ward -" She swallowed again, the lump forming in her throat made it hard for her to say anything or even breathe properly. "I'm glad to see you're alright."

Ward didn't say anything as he continued walking only stop right in front of her. Jemma had to look up given their height differences. His face was unreadable, but it wasn't a surprise to her, he was one of the best agents SHIELD ever had, he was meant to be unreadable, unpredictable. But as she found out over the months he wasn't cold or heartless as he makes himself out to be. A hand reaches up to cup his face, and with his stance she knew he was in pain.

"We should get that iced up." She whispered, running a thumb softly across the bruised skin. She was about to pull away when Ward reached up and covered her hand with his. Her hands always looked so tiny with his, but they were a perfect fit. He shut his eyes for a brief second and took a deep breath. "Jemma…" He said and for a moment, she forgot how to breathe.

"Agent Ward -"

"Grant."

Her eyes went wide as she stared at him. There were only a few instances where she feels like she can call him by his first name and it specially wouldn't be in the vehicle bay where anyone can walk in. Ward stared right back at her as he pulls down her hand from his face. A brief second of disappointment went through her before she felt his hands cup her face followed by his lips pressing softly against hers. Immediately her arms snaked around his neck sighing contently into the kiss.

The kiss was heated, filled with lust and yet soft and gentle. Jemma had to stand on her tip toe to respond, deepening the kiss. Only when air had become an issue did she pull away.

"I'm sorry." She breathed out.

She caught him off guard as confusion flashed on his face.

"I shouldn't have said it." Ward didn't need to be clarified on what 'it' meant. "I should've picked a better time - maybe after the mission.. maybe after a few days…" Or maybe not at all. She added in her head. "It probably threw you off, thinking I'd want a reply but I know you're not good with words. And it was the worst possible time to have said it.." She looked up at him, biting her bottom lip. "You don't need to say anything back.." But since she already said, she couldn't go back now. "I love you.. and I don't regret saying it.

"But you don't have to say it back I just -" She was cut short when he kissed her softly. But before she could kiss back he pulled away. "I know you don't." He smiled down at her, pressing his lips against the corner of her eyes, it was only then did she realized she was crying. "I'm glad you don't.." Another soft kiss against her lips.

"Because I love you too."