The Day Everything Changed

Chapter 20

Being forced into an administrative role was Jemma's least favorite part about maternity leave. She knew that working with highly toxic chemicals and the occasional bits of radioactive metal were potentially very bad for the babies, but the paperwork was not that much better for her sanity. Leaving the desk that they had set up across the hall from the lab (and really, that was surely just to torture her, the lab walls were clear), she shuffled down the hallway in search of some decaffeinated tea to get her through the stacks of papers that needed to be sorted and filed.

Before she made it into the kitchen, she heard someone calling for her. "Simmons!"

Peeking into the Director's office, she raised her eyebrows at Coulson, who was sitting behind the desk, shucking off his jacket. "Did you want to see me, sir?"

He waved her in. "Take a seat. How are you feeling?"

"Bored." She said honestly, sitting in one of the chairs opposite his desk. She gave him a winning smile. "Have any field assignments for me?"

Chuckling, he unknotted his tie, letting it hang loosely around his neck. "If by 'field assignment' you mean 'OBGYN appointment,' I think May has you scheduled for next week."

She sighed, leaning back in the chair. "Just thought I'd try."

"I'd rather your fiance not kill me and for you, I know Fitz could." He gazed at her thoughtfully. "Administrative work that bad?"

"It's not altogether awful." She offered with an attempt at a smile. "I just miss the lab. I know that Fitz and Mack are in there experimenting and Fitz says that Bobbi does a relatively good job picking up where I leave off at times, but obviously, it's not the same, though of course, I appreciate her work! I'm used to doing a lot of writing and organizing, I have two PhDs after all, but then I was writing about science and my research and it was more interesting than budget reports. Though I did start a PowerPoint on some ways we could save money by being more energy conscious."

"I look forward to seeing it." He said, a twinkle of amusement in his blue eyes. He tapped his fingers against the desk. "Is there anything else you would rather be doing that wouldn't put the twins at risk? May said it was a higher risk pregnancy already even though you're in great health."

Jemma shook her head. "Really, I can handle desk duty for a bit. What would help is giving Fitz a bit less work? I know it's hard to manage what needs to be done in a time sensitive manner and you're already down one scientist, but he's been very stressed what with new parenthood quickly approaching and two babies and he's been so intent on getting the ultrasound machine built that he's been working practically around the clock and me hardly ever get to see him. I know it's important to him for us to have an ultrasound machine here even though it's really not a necessity but then he talks about 'what if there's an emergency, Jemma' or 'what if there are three now' even though I'm not even in the third trimester yet with the twins. Just...it's important for me to see him when he isn't overwhelmed with work." She said, twisting her hands together, engagement ring warm around her finger.

Nodding with understanding, Coulson said, "I'll see what I can do. And I'll talk to Fitz too, just in general." "I appreciate that, sir," Jemma smiled and laid her hands on her stomach.

The next day she was making lunch for herself and Fitz in the kitchen a few days later when Mac approached her. "Hello! Would you like a sandwich?" she said, indicating the spread of lunch meat on the counter in front of her.

"Sure. Roast beef sounds great." He leaned on the counter. "Would you like to have lunch with Sharon Carter?"

Jemma almost dropped the mustard as she stared at him. "I beg your pardon?"