So this started out as a one shot and escalated into so much more. I hope you enjoy this plot bunny that has bewitched me, body and soul.

Disclaimer: I don't own Agents of Shield or anything in the Marvel Universe. *Cries many tears at this tragedy*

Always Hope

"Sometimes I forget that you're not here anymore. I'd start rambling on about different tech and biochemistry and no one was really there to understand me. Daisy told me I'd do that when you were gone before, too. Except this time I snap out of it and remember. Just goes to show you how much my mind is healing, I suppose. And it really has been healing. I'm still different, and that's okay, but I'm adjusting. Words hardly stutter any more, my ideas flow more easily. You'd be proud, I'm sure.

Coulson has a new bionic hand now. I designed it myself. It's basically like a super arm. It has an ultimate tensile strength of 27,900. Not quite the strength of carbon nanotubes, but still, that's something you and I can work on together. Once you're back of course. Once you're safe.

Skye, I mean Daisy, says hello, and that she misses you. We all do.

...I do."

Fitz paused, clearing his throat. He could get through this. He needed to do this. He became tired of not being able to talk to her, and although this seemed a little unorthodox, it provided him with some semblance of comfort. But it was still hard, looking at the blob that had taken Simmons from him. The range of emotions he felt when he watched the tape went from despair to anger. Anger at himself. Anger at the mass. Anger at the entire situation that lead up to that moment. It wasn't fair.

Daisy stood next to him, squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. "Go on, it's okay."

Leo blinked back tears and nodded. He continued, his voice shaking.

"It's not like there was any warning. You were gone, just like that. Just when things were finally getting better. Not necessarily normal, but better.

And now you're gone, and I wasn't even there to help.

There was a security camera recording the room when it happened. I've watched the video so many times, the images became engrained in my head. It sucked you in, whatever that thing was. The look of terror on your face was unforgettable. It took you, terrified you, sucked you in, and now you're gone. It was so quick, so uneventful. No one was there to hear you scream. Sometimes I think that, if I'd just waited for you, you'd be here, safe. We could've gone to dinner like I planned. But you're gone, and I can't help but feel that it's my fault.

We tried getting you back, provoking it, thinking we could maybe get it to spit you out again. But then it almost took Daisy. We were there to save her, but Coulson put an end to that strategy afterwards. I understood, but it didn't hurt any less. I felt like we were giving up on you. Of course Coulson said we weren't, that we'd never give up. Finding you had become our top priority.

That was three months ago.

We all know our priorities changed. More destruction was brought on by the Avengers. There was someone causing a ruckus in Hell's Kitchen. More people with abilities were being found. And with no progress in retrieving you, wherever you'd gone, it was only natural that finding you wasn't on their minds anymore.

It stayed in mine.

I can't just forget about you, Jemma Simmons. You've been in my life for so long. Someone I could count on. But when I needed you, you left. I know things, for the most part, turned out okay, but still.

I missed you.

And right now, you need me. So I'm not leaving you, okay? I don't know if you can hear me, or even if you're alive. But I'm not leaving. Never.

I promise.

I will find you. Wherever you've gone, whoever you've become by now, I will find you, and we will get through this together.

Because I love you, Jemma Simmons, and I always will."

Fitz put the note down. He felt better, after saying all of that, even if it did take a while to get through. He wasn't sure if Jemma could hear him, or if she was even there at all, but reading the note aloud at least gave him a relieving sense of closure.

"You okay?" Daisy was still next to him, giving him a sympathetic look.

He rubbed his eyes, making sure that none of the tears surfacing made it down his cheeks. "Yeah, I think so."

The two of them stood in silence for a while, looking at the mass that had taken their friend. Leo refused to let feelings of doubt take over. Jemma was safe. They would get her back. They had to. The idea of Simmons being gone forever terrified him. He couldn't let himself contemplate that possibility.

"We'll find her." Daisy spoke up, as if reading his mind.

"I know." He had to believe so, for his sake as much as Simmons'. Leo looked at Daisy and nodded, giving her a grim smile. "I know."

Simmons was running. She lost track of how long, but her legs were growing tired. She couldn't give up, though. Never. Not when she knew that someone was out there, looking for her, waiting for her to come back.

"I'll be back Fitz." She huffed out. "Just you wait. I won't give up on me if you don't"

She glanced behind her. It was dark, so she couldn't see anything, but she didn't stop. She kept going. Her lungs burned, her legs throbbed, her bare feet stung as they collided with jagged rocks. But she kept going.

As long as he had hope, so did she. And she knew he had hope. He always did.

That was why she loved him.

Again, thanks for reading!