#It feels like a kind of nonverbal agreement where we collectively decided we wanted to see this key's hips

[okinmars]

I find it fucking funny that every human Paracelsus fanart has at least this exposed thing on his hip even if on his original design is covered

[floraone]

What do we mean when we say “sex positivity?”

With Smutember around the corner, and because this is SADLY nothing sex ed talks about consistently around the globe, I want to take a bit of time to about sex positivity if you’ll allow me. Specifically, what we mean when we use the term, and what it doesn’t. Does sex positivity mean you have to like having sex? (Spoiler, it doesn’t). Does sex positivity mean it’s wrong to not be open about doing certain practices? (Nope, it doesn’t either.) Does sex positivity mean I have to either love or hate porn, or erotic literature? (No, again.)

Since I’ll talk about this for a little longer, AND you because get to decide if you want this topic on your dash*, read ahead after the cut.  (*and, while we’re at that, with smutember coming: all posts on this blog will be tagged with the hashtag #smutember2020 henceforth. If you don’t want to see this content, please feel free to block the hashtag.)

Forthose who don’t want a long post, here is the TL;DR:

Sex positivity is defined in many, many different ways, but ultimately spans attitudes regarding how we perceive sex and sexual conduct both for ourselves and others. It sees sex as a healthy expression of ourselves in which all consensual expressions of it are valid. In which shaming each other for sex or sex practices or shaming each other for the lack of experiencing sexual desire and having healthy sexual boundaries is not sex-positive. Sex positivity is about embracing all expressions of sex and sexuality (as long as they are between consenting people) as something positive that embraces open communication about personal limits and desires, and encourages exploration. Consent here is the most important prerequisite requirement: That all people involved are of an age and state of mind and consciousness where they are able to willingly consent, as well as have the perceived power to willingly consent to participate in the action. 

So, to preface this shortly, this isn’t actually a term that is super easy to define. Which is why scholars (among them feminist, psychologist, social studies and sexual medicine scholars and many others) have not yet agreed on a universal definition. In fact, there are papers solely focusing on comparing definitions to find their common ground. It is, thus, definitely not something that goes without saying.

Before I can speak about what sex positivity is, we have to talk about the most important ingredient, though: Consent.

What is (and isn’t) consent?

Consent is the explicit agreement to participating in any action, and here, specificially, sex. It can be verbal and non-verbal, but it means everyone involved really wants to do all sexual actions that are being done, no exceptions. It means no one is being coerced against their will, no one’s concerns are being ignored, their desires and boundaries are known and being listened to and respected. It means no one is doing something they had no chance to reflect upon if they want it or not, and no one is doing something they don’t want out of obligation or a sense of duty. It means no one is having sexual contact with someone who isn’t able to consent in any form: be it because they can’t consent because of their age, or limited consciousness, or because of perceived verbal or nonverbal threats and/or consequences. The latter, in its most base terms, means (non-exhaustively) that people below the (culturally differing) ages of consent - meaning children and young teenagers - cannot consent, that people who are intoxicated, under the influence of drugs, asleep, in a state of trauma or shock, in a dissociated state of mind or any similar states cannot consent, and that people who feel they have no power to say no cannot conset - i.e. someone who fears consequences to their physical, social or psychological well-being (or those of others) if they say no, which can range from, say, an employee feeling like they can’t decline an employer’s physical advances that they don’t want without negative consequences in any form in their work-environment, or a person in a romantic relationship fearing a break-up if they don’t “deliver” sex even if they don’t want it, or a person who feels they have to “deliver” sex they don’t want in order to prove their personal worth or love or affection or to avoid ridicule. These are of course non-exhaustive. A person who says yes even though they don’t want to because they feel they can’t say no, as well as a person who is too young and/or unable to say no, isn’t consenting. 

And because this is so important, here, have that brilliant Tea of Consent by Emmeline May, quoted and photographed off my copy of “More Orgasms Please: Why Female Pleasure Matters” by the Hotbed Collective.

What Sex Positivity Is

Most of us are very intuitive about what sex positivity is, but the fewest of us have ever discussed it at length in any way or form, and thus the edges are very often hazy!

First and foremost, sex positivity is a set of attitudes that forms personal beliefs regarding sexuality, how we perceive collectively shared sexual norms, and how we view sexual autonomy and sexual expression both in ourselves and others. So what does that all entail, and how does that look?

A basic view of this is: sex is good! Sex is, as long as it’s consensual, something healthy, and a valid and enjoyable way to express intimacy, affection, love and desire. It’s not just a means to an end (satisfaction, babies, etc.) and it should not be shrouded in shame or pain or discomfort, and instead be communicated about openly and respectfully. This is of course, in direct answer to sex-negativity: The belief that sex is bad, shameful, sinful, and having it makes you just as sinful.

Here is one of many scientific definitions for the term:   “[Sex positivity is] the belief that all consensual expressions of sexuality are valid.” (p.289) 

That means if you’re, say, really into having sex while wearing stockings (actually something that comes up very often when you ask people of their fantasies in surveys!) or maybe wanting to be tied up for it (also a VERY frequent fantasy) and do it ONLY with people who are into it, too, and not against their will, then it’s a healthy expression of your desire and no one (no parents, no society, no church or institution or anyone) is entitled to shame or sanction you for it.

As Justin Lehmiller, a social psychologist and sex researcher says, society (including its medical and psychological history and authorities, sadly!) has had a very narrow and restrictive view of what is “ok” to be desirable when it comes to sex in the past and sadly sometimes still the present, and that “they’ve pretty much told us that we shoudn’t do anything other than put penises in vaginas and even that, ideally, should only take place within the confines of a heterosexual, monogamous marriage).” (p.vi) Bringing with it the dogma of immorality and crime, among else. 

Sex positivity aims to be the antithesis of this. It means all forms of consensual sexual expression are valid. Not one form is better than another. If you live and love monogamously or heteronormatively, it isn’t better or worse than living in any other form. From polyamory to kinks, or having any kind of consensual fetish that don’t hurt anyone else or their free sexual expression when sharing them with others, all of them are valid, none of them are better or worse than any other individual choice. It means celebrating and validating all forms of sexual expression (or lack thereof!) as well as all forms consensual practices, while having any form of sexual identity and any placement on the wide spectrum that is gender identity. 

What Sex Positivity Isn’t

Because sometimes it is easier to thoroughly understand something by outlining what it DOESN’T include, this is more imporant than many might think. And because I’m obviously not the first person to think about this, there is this really great article by Everyday Feminism about what sex positivity isn’t that is written in a very clear and straight-forward way, that I’ll urge everyone to check out, but I’ll also outline some select few of the (more numerous) basics they’ve described here:

🚫 Sex positivity means liking sex

No. Just because someone really, really enjoys sex, that does not mean at all they are sex-positive by default. Sex positivity isn’t synonym with being overly enthusiastic about having sex or surrounding yourself with it. It can! But that’s not at all the point in the slightest. Someone who really likes sex can still be disrespecful about someone else’s sexual expression, or feel entitled to someone else’s sexual acts or interest in sexuality, or that they can judge someone’s sexual identity or form of expression. Sex positivity is about respecting others in all their forms of sexual expression, even if those forms don’t represent your own. Likewise, someone who does not themselves like or enjoy sex can still be respectful of other’s expression of it in any form and with any other person or persons, and see sexuality as a healthy form of self-expression even when it is their choice to not engage in it for any span of time or reasons.

🚫 Sex positivity means everyone should have and like sex because it’s healthy

No. There are uncountably many reasons why someone might be repulsed by sex or simply not interested it. All of them are valid. None of them are to be shamed. Sexual trauma, sexual exploitation, a lack of feeling sexually empowered, pain during sexual intercourse, lack of desire, internalized shame that prevents sex from being enjoyable, the feeling of being in an environment where your sexuality is coerced or objectified and not feeling comfortable with it, being touch-repulsed or simply feeling no inkling of “lust”. All of this is valid. Sex positiy means respecting boundaries in consentual sex. It does not mean you have to have sex if it is unpleasant for you for any number of reasons. Of course, if you want sex and are suffering under any number of reasons that make you not enjoy it even though you would intrinsincally WANT to enjoy it (Anything from pain to sexual trauma to shame), then there are professionals out there qualified to help and counsel you. But they, too, are not entitled to dictate sexual action for you. Only you decide if you want to have sex or not. No one else. You are the master of your sexual expression in any form and are entitled to decide how, when and if you (and only you) want it, and no one else. That is an expression of sex positivity.

🚫 Sex positivity means being open to all forms of sex

No. Being sex positive means you respect the healthy expression of your own and someone else’s sexuality, and this includes their boundaries. You can believe that sex is healthy and enjoyable and should not be shamed in the least, and still not like anal. It does mean however that you still respect someone and their sexual expression when they do like the shit out of anal (pun intended lol, thank you very much.) This person is not entitled for YOU to like anal or to get it from you if you don’t enjoy it, and you are not entitled for them to not desire it. And this of course goes for any sexual practice. Judging and shaming someone for enjoying giving blowjobs is not sex-positive, just like it isn’t sex-positive to expect someone to inherently WANT to give blowjobs. Sexual boundaries are very healthy, and an important form of self-reflection and the root of true informed consent. Knowing what you like and don’t like and that these things will most likely differ from others in their unique expression is an important path to a most healthy sexual expression.

🚫 Sex positivity means always being ready, available, and interested in sex, with anyone.

No. Sexual expectations wear heavily on people from any gender or sexual identity. Many queer or nonbinary people suffer, among else, under sexualisation and being made the stuff of fetishes or being ascribed heavily sexualized attributions. Many men, among else, suffer under normative stereotypes, myths and sexual scripts that say they always want sex and are unmanly when they don’t feel desire 24/7, that they’re always up for sex and never not in the mood. Likewise, the 70s brought women and their sexual freedom into a position heavily reinforced by porn scripts in which they are expected as ‘sexually freed’ beings to be sexually available, ready, interested, and orgasmic at all times, and if you are not, you are a prude, and if you do it too much, you are a slut. These are all (non-exhaustive) forms of sexual shaming and dictated sexual expectations. If you are generally enthusiastic about sex and enjoying it, you are allowed to have phases where you feel less desire. And whether you are someone with a generally smaller libido that sometimes spikes, or you’re someone who has never felt any sexual desire at all, or someone who wants sex a lot, you are sex positive when you respect other’s free expression of it, and this includes the frequency in which they want it or with whom they have it. You get to pick what sex you have and with whom or how many you have it, no one else. Anyone who tells you otherwise under the mantle of ‘sex positivity’ is, as everyday feminism so eloquently put, employing “sexual coercion cloaked in faux-progressive language. If someone is calling you a prude or sex-negative for not having sex with them, they’re violating your consent and their opinion of you is invalid. And just because you want to create a world in which everyone is empowered to make the sexual choices they want doesn’t mean that you personally have to be interested in casual sex.”

🚫 Sex positivity means sex is healthy, so that means I am entitled to sex.

No. It means you are entitled to WANT to have it, but not to have it. In sex as in every other need involving other people (from receiving oral, to boardgames, to conversations, to a hug or affection): Just because you are entitled to want something or even very validly need something, that does not mean someone else is obligated to give it to you. Just because someone needs comfort and company, you are not obligated to give it. Just because someone wants and needs attention, it is not your job to give it. Just because someone wants sex and feels they need it, even if they are your partner, you are not obligated to give it. This can be frustrating, of course. But NO: Just because you want sex, you are not entitled to have it. Ever. From anyone. No one owes you sex, not even if you’re married to them. Everyone has their own sexual agency, and everyone needs to respect it. In fact, feeling entitled to sex lies at the base of sexual aggressive behavior of all kind, and the idea that your own desire for sexual activity rates higher in priority than the individual needs of the person you’re coercing it from. It’s at the root of rape culture, and something we must all internalize to overcome it: Despite you wanting something and it being healthy to have it or to get this something, no one owes it to us or is obligated to give it to us.

🚫 Sex positivity means you have no problems with sex.

No. The term positivity of course often brings overtly positive connotations with it: something easy and happy. Of course, sex positivity doesn’t require you to have an easy or happy relationship with sex and sexuality. Sex can be traumatising, uncomfortable, regrettable, awkward, unpleasant, confusing, or plain boring and uninteresting to you. Even if it isn’t traumatising or painful, it can still be hell of a lot frustrating navigating it and your own desires. Body image issues or and religious restrictions that can be important to you or not, never having orgasmed but really really wanting to, the feelings of not ever having encountered sex that’s truly fun for you, all of these and many, many more are the giant maze that can arise when navigating sexuality in our lives. None of these means you aren’t sex positive. It’s here for survivors of sexual violence and aggression and those who want to reclaim their sexual agency, sexual empowerment and self-expression, just as it is here for asexuals, demisexuals, aromantics, or anyone else. It’s the belief that we have a right to a healthy sexuality without being shamed, violated, sanctioned or discriminated for it, and that we have a right to our boundaries as well as our fantasies. 

So, I’m guessing most of you knew this intuitively all along. I’m preaching to the choir. However, seeing it written down often helps us in expressing ourselves, and in the way we confidently navigate our own sexual empowerment.

And, with smutember on the horizon again, when we once again try to incorporate sex positivity in our writing, too, it might serve as a good reminder that we help along the normalisation of sex positivity whenever we portray it in media in general, and fiction specifically! I hope one day we will take all this fully for granted, and everyone around us, too!

[theartofbeinganerd]

Hello! If you are still taking prompts, could you continue your 4x19/4x20 + pregnancy au? Maybe have it continue into 4x21 and 4x22 and possibly into space???

Hi! Thanks for the prompt!! :)

Continuation of this fic

(Ao3)

-

Ever since AIDA had gotten away from them during theirrescue of Fitz, things had only seemed to get progressively worse, something Jemma hadn’t thoughtpossible after finding that most of their friends had been replaced by LMDs,having to fight their way past them only to enter a virtual reality where HYDRAwas in charge, eventually saving their friends only to lose Fitz to AIDA oncemore, and then, on top of all ofthat, finding out that she was pregnant.

But, even though she hadn’t thought it possible, it washappening; the Framework had started collapsing in on itself, threatening thelives of both Mack and Elena, then Daisy had been implicated in the shooting ofTalbot and AIDA had escaped their reach once more, and now, Coulson wanted Fitzand Jemma to work together to come up with some way to lure AIDA into a trap atthe Playground.

The air between Jemma and Fitz had been tense ever since he’dreturned to the Zephyr after his most recent kidnapping; Jemma hadn’t been sureof what she’d been hoping for, if she truly had believed the existence of theirchild growing inside of her would set them on the path to healing. But,whatever it was that she’d been hoping for, it most certainly wasn’t the tenseair hanging around them in the lab on the Zephyr. She’d been trying for sometime now to brainstorm ideas on how to get AIDA where they needed her, but Fitzhad been practically nonverbal for the entire discussion, keeping his gazesettled firmly on the floor.

Finally, Jemma set down her tablet and sighed heavily. She noticedFitz’s head twitch upwards, but he still refused to meet her eyes. “Fitz, please, I need you to work with me onthis. We need to stop AIDA once and for all, and with Robbie’s help, we shouldbe able to do that. But, he can’t doanything if we can’t find some way to get AIDA to him without her catching onto our plan.”

Fitz’s shoulders rose and fell on a silent sigh, and hecrossed his arms uncomfortably over his chest. “I know,” he finally mumbled, givinga tiny little nod.

“So…so please, just talkto me,” Jemma all-but pleaded, taking a couple of cautious steps across thedistance he’d been sure to keep between them ever since the hug they’d sharedafter his rescue.

She heard him exhale shakily, tapping his fingers againsthis opposite forearm, before he said abruptly, “I dunno how…how can you evenstomach looking at me?”

Startled, Jemma paused in her progression toward him, heroutstretched fingers freezing in the open air between them. “What?” she asked,her voice barely more than a whisper. She couldn’t have heard that right, couldshe?

“I mean you…you have to remember it, remember seeing me…shootthat woman every time that you do.” His chin wobbled, and he snapped his eyesshut and hastily turned away from her. “Don’t lie to me, Jemma, because I know…Iknow, okay? I don’t blame you. I’m…I’m not the man that you thought I was, andit’s… I understand that we have no future together anymore. You don’t have to pretend.”

“Pretend?” Jemmagasped out, blinking rapidly to fight back the hot tears collecting on the rimsof her eyes. She’d been expecting that he’d break down at some point, but she hadn’tbeen expecting this; despite theguilt she knew he was carrying, she foolishly hadn’t imagined that he’d try topush her away because of it. “Fitz, I’m not…we…”

Before she could manage to collect her thoughts, scatteredby the heartbreak of Fitz’s words, he continued on hoarsely, “I don’t deserveto be a father, do I? After everything that I’ve done, all of the people that I’vehurt…I’m only gonna hurt them and I…I can’t…” He gave a jerky shake of his head,the very idea of hurting their child obviously too painful for him to continuethat thought. “I mean, look how myfather was – is that the kind of father that I’m doomed to be? Was I alwaysgonna turn into him?”

“No,” Jemmainsisted immediately, her denial fierce; Fitz could never be that man, and he had to understand that. “Fitz, you –”

But, he clearly wasn’t listening, as he half-turned back toher then, so that she could see the tears rolling steadily down his cheeks. Hewas obviously intending to be firm, but instead only sounded defeated and dejectedas he told her, “Our…the baby will have a better life without…without me in it,okay?”

Quite suddenly, Jemma’s gut-wrenching sadness was eclipsedby frustration and anger, her hands curling into fists at her sides and hereyes narrowing. Decisively, she told him, “Well, I don’t believe any of that. In fact, I can’t believe that you’d leave me alone toraise our child because you think you’re some kind of monster – shouldn’t I get to choose who is right or wrong tobe raising my child with me? And, not to mention that I’m quite sure that Iwasn’t alone when this baby was conceived.”

Looking quite bewildered, Fitz had turned to face her fullyat some point during her impassioned speech, and she was satisfied with thefact that he was finally looking ather, finally meeting her gaze. It was progress, at least. “Jemma…”

“I mean, yes, given a choice, I wouldn’t have chosen to havea child now, not when things are soup in the air and tumultuous, but…but this baby is here, Fitz, and isn’t goinganywhere. We need to accept that, and you need to remember that…that you notonly have a responsibility to me, but also to our baby.” As he hung his headonce more, she took a half-step closer and softened her tone as she said, “You’vebeen through so much, and I understand that you have a lot to work through, but…wecan get through this together; I’ll still be here for you, Fitz, still by yourside. We’re a team, we’re partners, and that will never change, no matter whathappened in the Framework, because…well, none of it was real, and we are. Alright?”

Fitz lifted his head, meeting her searching gazeuncertainly, and after a moment, he released a shuddering breath and droppedhis gaze once more. It wasn’t an agreement, but it also wasn’t a rejection, soJemma simply decided to take it as a win for now.

“Now, all we need to do is find a way to get AIDA to wherewe need her to be.” Jemma picked her tablet back up, tapping a finger againstit in thought.

Fitz gave a half-shrug, then said, “Well…we just need tofind something that she can’t resist the temptation of; she’s driven by emotionnow, not reason.”

She mulled that over for a moment, absently trailing thefingers of her free hand over her stomach as she did so. However, they pausedas it occurred to her in a flash of inspiration. “Fitz, that’s it! AIDA’s feeling vengeful, because shefeels something’s been taken from her. After all, she threatened me, didn’t she?”

With a jolt to his body that looked quite painful, Fitzjerked his head up to show his wide, terrified eyes. “No. No, absolutely not. I refuse to put you in anymore danger than you’vealready been in; even that was too much.”

Jemma was about to insist that it was their only option andthat she could take care of herself, but then she remembered something that oneof the other agents at the Playground had mentioned to her during their briefreturn trip, something that they’d discovered hidden away after the explosiveescape she and Daisy had conducted. “What if…it wasn’t me that was in danger atall?”

Fitz frowned in confusion, even as Jemma’s lips curled up ina smile.

-

Sometime later, after Fitz and Jemma’s LMD had lured AIDAright into their trap, and the Rider (inhabiting Coulson’s body) haddisappeared with her to see justice served, Jemma hurried through the halls ofthe Playground, unable to help her relieved sigh when she caught sight of Fitzcoming her way.

“Are you alright?” she asked gently as they met in themiddle, reaching up to thumb away a stray tear sliding down his cheek. Afterwatching the light go out of Fitz’s LMD’s eyes, she understood how hard it must’vebeen for him to watch something with her face as it struggled, and ultimatelywas killed by AIDA right in front of him as he stood helplessly by.

Fitz nodded, sniffling a bit and stepping back out of herreach, but didn’t say anything else as they hurried off to Coulson and AIDAbattling it out nearby. The overwhelming relief Jemma felt as she watched theandroid that had caused them all so much pain and heartache turned to ash washard to describe, and she cupped a hand protectively over her stomach as shewatched, promising her unborn baby silently that the danger had finally passed.

Now, they were all going to be okay.

And she truly believed that, until they’d bid their goodbyesto Robbie as he left to take care of the Darkhold, and all of a sudden Fitz wasinsisting that he stay behind and face the music for his actions, that he takethe fall for everything that Radcliffe and AIDA had caused. She was appalled and more than a little hurt,after having been so sure that they’d at least agreed to work together andheal, that he’d at least agreed to be there for their baby.

But, then she remembered that he’d never actually said aword in response, had never agreed to anything, and she was all-but crippled byfear as she watched him slipping through her fingers once more. She could onlylisten in stunned silence as Daisy tried to get Fitz to see reason, and did herbest to infuse as much feeling as possible into her “amen”, to show him thatthey were in this together, just likethey always had been, just like they always would be, if she had anything tosay about it.

By some stroke of luck, they seemed to get through to him,and Fitz reluctantly agreed to face whatever was coming together.  Jemma had to take a moment then to calm herracing heart; she wasn’t going to lose him, not this time, not now.

Things weren’t great, but she knew that with a little time,they could get better, they could begin to heal; after all, she was confidentthat Fitz would make a wonderful father, even if he couldn’t see it himselfyet. At least she was going to have the chance to show him how wrong he wasabout their baby not needing him.

However, they’d decided to face the consequences together,as a team, and that meant it was only a matter of time before they were foundat a local diner. Jemma knew that whatever was going to happen next, thesituation wouldn’t exactly be idealfor raising a child, but at least she’d have Fitz with her.

While she’d prepared for a lot of things to happen next,though, blacking out and subsequently waking up in space (something she’d hoped and prayed she’d never have to doagain) wasn’t one of them.

From what she could gather, it was some kind of a base foran organization (she couldn’t tell if they were government or not, not yet),but it felt far more like a prison, the way she was left alone in a locked cellwith all of her personal items confiscated from her before she’d even woken up.

And, of course, there was the startling lack of Fitz anywherenearby, which was the worst punishment imaginable.

The very first day, she was put through a battery of teststo get “checked in”, the last of which put her in an exam room with what seemedto be the resident doctor. By then, Jemma was exhausted and seriously annoyed,and couldn’t quite help the bite in her tone as she informed the doctorcurrently taking her blood, “I’m going to save you some time, and tell you thatwhen you test that, you’re going to find that I’m pregnant.”

More than a little taken aback, the woman leaned awayslightly, arching her eyebrows and glancing down at the vial of Jemma’s blood. “Oh. I wasn’t notified about –”

“Because they didn’t know,” Jemma interrupted, her remainingpatience thinning with every passing moment. “You know, if we’re going to beheld here against our wills, the very leastyou could do is allow me to see my child’s father.”

The woman was clearly unsure, and admitted slowly, “Well…that’snot…it’s not up to me, but…”

“But I’m sure you’ll pass the information along,” Jemmafinished, arching an eyebrow.

And somehow (she imagined that it had something to do withthe ire that only continued to rise in her with the ongoing frustration of theircircumstances that had convinced their captors, in the end), over the next fewdays, she’d gotten their “assignments” changed and had them moved to a doubleroom.

When Fitz was brought there just a few days after theircapture, he was obviously shocked to find Jemma waiting for him, and hesitatedin the doorway, glancing over his shoulder at the guard still waiting outside. “MaybeI should be kept away from you,” he murmured,shuffling anxiously as a deep frown curved his lips.

She could already tell that the few days he’d been left insolitude had done his heavily weighing guilt no favors. But, she’s alreadyknown that she had her work cut out for her, and she’d prepared for thismoment.

So, with a soft sigh, Jemma stood from her seat on the edgeof the bed, grasping Fitz’s hand and tugging him over to sit back down withher. “Fitz, I’m not asking for you to be with me, to love me, to marry me – I’mjust asking that my best friend be here by my side as I carry our child. I’masking that we do our best to heal together from what’s happened, that we dowhat we can to maintain our friendship, because I can’t imagine my life withoutit. And then, someday…maybe we can talk about something more. But, for now,that’s all I want from you, my best friend.”

Fitz gazed back at her sadly for a moment, giving a slightshake of his head as he admitted, “I…I’m not sure that I can even do that.” Hepaused, inhaling a short breath, then went on shakily, “But…I’ll try, because Iowe it to you, and I can at least pay thisdebt.”

Smiling softly, she reached out to find his hand once more,lacing their fingers together and tugging their joined hands to rest in herlap. “You’ve never owed me anything, Fitz. I’m not keeping score, and youshouldn’t be either.” He simply shrugged in response, so she scooted closer andlaid her cheek against his shoulder, murmuring a quiet, “Thank you.”

As Fitz gave her hand a little squeeze, she pressed her freehand to her stomach, and hoped that this was a new start for them, that despitethe circumstances, they were going to do what they could to move on togetherand heal. Whatever was going on around them, Jemma knew that as long as she hadFitz, in whatever capacity his healing heart would allow, and they were therefor their baby, everything would be just fine.

Things were far from perfect just then, but as long as theirlittle family was together and would be for the foreseeable future, there wasalways the chance that they would be again somewhere down the line.

For Jemma, that was more than enough for now.