#fitz is still adjusting to being a grandpa

[theartofbeinganerd]

Hello!! Hope you don't mind but I was wondering if I could request a prompt with FS + Deke? Like something with Fitzsimmons being protective grandparents or something like that and Deke + everyone else just being so shocked about it?? Ahh hope this is no trouble, I love your writing xD. Have a nice day!!!

@dragonrider415 asked: Hey! I love your stories! I was wondering if you could write a story about the team finding out about Deke? Thanks! And keep up the great work!!

Anon asked: Hey, I was just wondering if, when you have a chance, you could write something about Daisy finding out about the (possible) Fitzsimmons baby?

@queensimmons asked: Fitzsimmons + losing their shit when they get back to find their trashcan of a grandson hurt fluff angst bonus if there’s some sort or mention of deke + crushing on his great aunt i am living

Okay, so I ended up combining all these prompts because they all seemed to make sense together, but feel free to prompt me again if you’d like to see something else! (Also, it turned out more fluffy with a bit of angst, so I hope that’s okay! Also also, sorry for the random pov change in the middle of the fic, but that scene just felt more natural being in Fitz’s pov.)

Set post 5x17

(Ao3)

-

As Daisy, Coulson, Mack, and May addressed Jemma, Fitz, andElena about the stunt they pulled by leaving the Lighthouse without clearanceas soon as they’d returned to the base and proved to be unharmed, Jemma feltproperly reprimanded. She did truly feel bad about having to trick Mack, and togo against Daisy’s orders, and, to boot, their actions at the HYDRA base mayhave simply contributed further to the planet’s ultimate destruction ratherthan stopping it, so she took it all without comment, simply nodding along.

“And drinking acid,”Coulson added then, shaking his head at Jemma and planting his hands on hiships. “What were you thinking,Simmons?”

“Technically, I didn’t drink the acid,” Jemma couldn’t helpbut point out, “that was sort of the point.” Her voice grew quieter andquieter, however, when Coulson leveled an unamused look at her.

“And then taking on a HYDRA base on your own,” Mack put in,though his disappointment seemed to be directed more toward Elena than Jemma orFitz. “What were you thinking?”

Elena opened her mouth, no doubt to shoot something back athim about thinking that she was at least doing something, but before she could get a word out, a cry sounded fromthe other side of the Lighthouse’s control center.

“Hey! You guys are back!”

Jemma felt a wave of relief at the sound of Deke’s voice, aswell a bit of excitement at seeing him again – when they’d nearly died inEngland (several times, truthfully), she’d been afraid that she’d never get thechance to see their grandson again.

As Deke climbed the steps to join them, she turned to greethim, but froze automatically when her gaze landed on the sling encasing hisright arm. Her eyebrows darted up her forehead, and she asked worriedly, “Whathappened?” Turning back to the others, she said, almost accusatorily in her rapidlygrowing concern for Deke, “You didn’t mention that Deke got hurt while we weregone.”

“Um…sorry?” Daisy offered, seeming bewildered by herreaction – no doubt, she was viewing it as an overreaction.

Fitz stepped forward then, giving Deke a bit of a look as hequestioned, “Did you do something else dumb?” However, even as he said thewords, he was obviously inspecting Deke, undoubtedly looking for a cast or abandage, something to indicate where his injury was.

“No, no, I’m fine!” Deke told them quickly, shaking hishead.

“Actually,” Daisy said suddenly, seemingly taking theopportunity to bring home just how bad of a decision it was for them to leave,getting one last reprimand in, “he needed surgery, and Simmons wasn’t here toperform it, so Mack and Piper did.”

Jemma whirled to face her, eyes wide as she demanded, “What?” She couldn’t help the slightlyshrill tone to her voice as she reminded Daisy, “Neither of them is a doctor! Anything could’ve gone wrong! What wereyou thinking?” She directed the last bit at Mack, unable to wrap her mindaround the idea of an engineer and an agent that had said herself that she didn’t“do science” performing an operation on her grandson.

Daisy crossed her arms over her chest, replying, “Well, wehad to make do with what we had since you weren’t here.” However, when Jemmafelt a great surge of guilt that without a doubt was showing on her face, Daisyfrowned a bit, her arms loosening and ultimately dropping to her sides.

Turning to Deke, Jemma apologized softly, “Oh Deke, I’m so sorry.”

Fitz clapped a hand on his uninjured shoulder, asking lowly,“You sure you’re okay? What’d you do to need surgery anyway?”

Deke let out a breath in a huff, narrowing his eyes as heshot back, “Why do you think it’s something that I did?” When Fitz simply gave him a look in response, he grumbledunder his breath, “Fine, I got shot.” Then, lowering his voice even further, headded, “By not listening to Daisy.”

Jemma couldn’t help the gasp that she let out at that,clapping a hand over her mouth as she imagined it, imagined Deke getting shot, bleeding and in pain and needing someone to be there to help him, and shewas gone; she hadn’t been there.Stepping closer to Deke, she removed her hand from her mouth, instead cuppinghis cheek. “I’m so sorry that I wasn’t here, Deke. Are you sure you’realright?”

He sighed, gently pushing away their hands before taking astep back and promising, “Guys, I’m not on my deathbed or something. I’malright, okay?”

“Okay,” Daisy broke in suddenly, “what is going on?”

At the same time, both Jemma and Fitz turned to find therest of the team (save for a smirking Elena, who was clearly trying her best tohide it – and failing, given the strange look that Mack was shooting at her),staring at them in blank shock and utter confusion. Well, except for May, whofor some reason didn’t appear anywhere near as taken aback as the others. But,Jemma wouldn’t be surprised if she’d somehow figured it out before then; it wasMay, after all, and she just seemedto know everything about everyone without really trying.  

They shared a look, but when Fitz shrugged, Jemma nodded, sohe thumbed over his shoulder at Deke and explained plainly, “Meet the grandson.Unfortunately.” When Jemma then smacked his arm, glaring up at him pointedly,he rolled his eyes and added in a mutter, “Just kidding.”

A hush fell over the room in the wake of his revelation, thenCoulson blinked, shaking his head as he asked slowly, “Deke is your…”

“Grandson,” Jemma finished for him, nodding, “yes.” She letout a sigh, then went on, “That’s why I feel so horrible about not being here…I, of course, would feel awful about not being here to help anyone, but Dekeespecially…”

She then turned back to Deke once more, but he held up hisone good hand quickly to put a stop to it before she could begin, insisting,“You don’t need to keep apologizing; I’m okay.”

Out of nowhere, Daisy blurted out, “Are you kidding me?”Startled, Jemma glanced back at Daisy, finding her with her mouth hanging open,her eyebrows high on her forehead. “There’s just no way…” She shook her head,obviously still stunned.

“I’m with Daisy,” Mack put in, shaking his head, “Are youguys sure?”

Before either Jemma or Fitz could say anything in response,Deke groaned loudly and said, “Yes, we’re sure! God, it’s not the most unbelievable thing, you know.”

Quickly, Jemma reached out to place a comforting hand onDeke’s arm, assuring him, “It’s just a lot to take in, that’s all. It’s notevery day that something like this happens, after all. Everyone will get usedto it eventually, I’m sure of it.”

When all they got in response was a few blank stares, Fitzshrugged widely and said, “Don’t look at me; I’m not used to it either.”

A moment of silence passed, then Coulson cleared his throat.“Well, as…interesting as this all is…”Letting his sentence trail off, he met May’s eyes and nodded to the hallwayoutside the control room. She nodded in understanding, and the two disappeared,no doubt to speak about something in private.

Once they left the room, Daisy appeared to take that as acue to the rest of them that the group could break up, startling Jemma bygrasping her arm and gently tugging her away from the others. Curious as towhat it was that Daisy wanted but felt that she couldn’t say in front of the restof the team, Jemma went with her.

-

Fitz watched as Daisy tugged Jemma away the rest of them,and the two began speaking in lowered voices, but it didn’t seem as thoughDaisy was still upset with Jemma for their escape from the Lighthouse, nor didit seem as though that was the topic of their conversation, much to his relief.After all, Jemma didn’t deserve to be on the receiving end of any of Daisy’s misplacedanger with him.

“Ugh,” Mack saidsuddenly, drawing Fitz’s attention away from Jemma and instead to him, findingthat he was pulling a disgusted expression, “man, this just makes all the crapyou said while on those pain meds even worse.”

“What things?” Elena asked curiously before Fitz could.

“Ah – that’s not really important,” Deke interruptedquickly, his eyes growing wide as he held up his free hand, laughing nervously.“Right, Mack? Right?”

Mack crossed his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrowpointedly and giving Deke an unimpressed look. Then, he turned back to Fitz andElena, explaining, “Spaceman here wants to kiss Daisy; he described it to meand Piper in excruciating detailwhile he was doped up on his meds.”

At the same time, Deke groaned in embarrassment, and bothFitz and Elena made similarly disgusted faces. Fitz glanced sharply at Deke,shaking his head as he told him in no uncertain terms, “Now that’s just gross.”

“What? Why?” Deke demanded, narrowing his eyes in clearinsult, suddenly not seeming so upset about Mack sharing his little secret withthem.

It was Mack that replied, “What, with how close Simmons andDaisy are? That’s like wanting to kiss your great aunt, man.” He gave a bit ofa shudder at the prospect, adding distantly, “Like wanting to kiss my greataunt Harriet, false teeth, butterscotch candies, and all.”

“Now, come on,” Deke protested, planting his one hand on hiswaist, “it’s completely different!”

But, Fitz held up his own hand then, hopefully putting anend to all of this Deke and Daisy nonsense before it could go any further. “No,just…just stop that, will you? It’s too weird.”

Deke scowled, muttering under his breath, “Says thethirty-year-old guy with an adult grandson.” Instead of offering a verbalreply, Fitz simply pointed at Deke, narrowing his eyes at the dig, but clearlyDeke wasn’t intimidated, as he just shrugged unapologetically in response. “Sorry,Bobo.”

There was a beat, then Mack repeated in disbelief, “Bobo?”

-

When Daisy was satisfied that they were out of earshot ofthe others, she released Jemma’s arm, immediately pressing, “So…how long haveyou known about this?” Her eyebrows were high on her forehead, and she was clearlystill shocked about all of it. “Have you known since we were in the future? And,like, what does this even mean?”

“Not since we were in the future, no,” Jemma answered,pausing for a moment before continuing delicately, trying to avoid anyupsetting topics, “Deke told me a handful of days ago, when he thought that I’dneed to hear it the most.” Smiling wryly, she added, “And, well, I think you know what this means, Daisy.”

Daisy’s eyes grew wide before darting down to briefly glanceat Jemma’s midsection. She stepped closer, then asked in a whisper, “Are you…?”

It took Jemma a moment to understand what she was implying,but when she did, she blinked in surprise before quickly replying, “No! Atleast…well, not that I know of, no.”

She nodded a bit at that, then frowned and questioned,“Wait, so…is it his mom or his dad? I mean, he told me about his father, and hedidn’t really sound…Fitzsimmons-y,but…then neither is Deke, so…”

Shaking her head in the negative, Jemma confirmed, “No, it’shis mother – our daughter.” She smiled softly then, once more thinking about theirdaughter who had loved them, who had loved her father so much, the mother that Deke spoke so fondly of.

Giving a short laugh, Daisy shook her own head and admitted,“Wow, I…I can’t believe this. You’re going to have a daughter; it’s crazy.”

“No, it’s not.”

They both turned in surprise then, finding May, who wasclearly finished with her conversation with Coulson and had been passing bythem when she’d stopped to correct Daisy.

Daisy tilted her head in consideration for a moment, pursingher lips. “Okay, yeah, May’s right. It’s totally believable. But…Deke…”

Already anticipating what would likely follow that, Jemmainsisted, “Really, he’s sweet and smart, and yes, he’s a bit…rough around theedges,” she pointedly ignored the scoff that May gave then under her breath,continuing, “but that’s just due to the future that he was raised in!”

She half-expected Daisy to have some other comeback aboutDeke waiting, but she didn’t reply for a long moment, clearly still letting itall soak in. When she did finally speak, it was to say quietly, “I’m sorry,Jemma, for…you know, trying to make you feel guilty about not being here. Ididn’t realize how much it would affect you.”

Jemma, in turn, apologized, “And I’m sorry for going behindyour back and not listening to your orders, Daisy. I still think that it wasthe right thing to do, but I can admit that we probably went about it the wrongway.”

With a little smile, Daisy teased, “Yeah, maybe I can see the family resemblance afterall; Deke thought he was doing the right thing too when he refused to listen tome.” Laughing quietly at that, Jemma gave a little roll of her eyes. Shenoticed Daisy take a half-step closer, then hesitate, before she abruptlypulled Jemma into hug, murmuring, “Congratulations. You know, for the daughter– whenever it is that she’s going to exist.”

Even as she returned the embrace, Jemma confessed lowly,“The congratulations may be a bit premature, Daisy; depending on when we break theloop and when our daughter was conceived, she may never exist in thistimeline.”

Daisy pulled back just as suddenly as she’d initiated thehug, frowning worriedly as she caught Jemma’s eye. However, it was May oncemore that spoke up then to say, “Doesn’t matter; whenever or whoever yourchildren are born, Simmons, they’ll be just as loved.”

Jemma gave May a warm, grateful smile. “Yes, I think so too.Thank you, May.”

“Does…Deke know about this?” Daisy asked carefully, glancingover her shoulder at where he was talking with Fitz, Mack, Elena, and nowCoulson.

“We haven’t talked about it, no,” Jemma replied with a quietsigh, looking toward her grandson as well and feeling another rush of guilt, “andI’m not sure if he’s come to that conclusion himself yet.”

They were silent a moment, concerned about the prospect ofDeke realizing that if they were successful in stopping the end of the world,his mother may never be born and how it might affect him. After a moment,though, Daisy nodded in understanding, then broke the silence to say, “Well,then let’s break this loop and save the planet already – the sooner we do, thesooner your guys can get busy on making some super cute, super smart babies forme to play with.”

Glancing back at Daisy to find her with a small smile on herlips, Jemma returned it with one of her own, giving a little laugh as sheagreed, “Sounds like a plan.”

[theartofbeinganerd]

I just LOVE your writing! Protective Deke is just adorable but can I get the first time Deke is in real danger after they find out and Grandpa and Grandma to the rescue.

Aww thank you so much!! Now, I’m not quite sure that this is what you were looking for, but this was the first thing that came to me and the idea wouldn’t leave me alone, so if you want, feel free to prompt me again!

Minor spoilers for 5x15.

(Ao3)

-

“How did everything go?” Jemma asked as soon as she and Fitzentered the control center of the Lighthouse, where the rest of the team hadgathered after Coulson, Daisy, Mack, and Deke had returned from a mission outto try and secure the gravitonium that Hale had been keeping securely hidden.They’d gotten a lead on it recently, and set out almost immediately in order toget it out of her hands as soon as possible.

However, she froze instantly when she scanned over the groupand found that everyone else was there – except Deke. They all turned to glance at their entrance, and she openedher mouth to demand straight away to know where he was.

“Where the hell’s Deke?” Fitz asked before she could, steppingquickly closer to join the others, his eyes narrowed in concern.

Coulson released a heavy sigh, moving to meet Fitz and Jemmahalfway as he explained, “We were ambushed; there was a lot going on, and wehad to get out while we could.”

“What does that mean?” Jemma questioned, her voice raisingan octave as she began to panic slightly. Deke couldn’t be…he had to be fine; she would accept nothing less.Fitz’s hand found hers, his fingers slotting into place between hers, and itprovided her a measure of comfort, but not enough, not when she didn’t know whereher grandson was.

“Creel grabbed him,” Mack answered, letting out a breath andshaking his head.

“Well what are we doing to get him back?” Fitz asked, arching his eyebrows and glancing around at theothers in the room expectantly.

There was a beat, then Coulson replied slowly and evenly, “Weare going to get him back, but we don’t have the time and manpower to puteverything else aside to focus on that. We need to put everything we have intostopping Hale from accidentally tearing the planet apart – and when we do, we’llget Deke back. It’ll be killing two birds with one stone; it makes the mostsense.”

“No it doesn’t!”Jemma glanced around in disbelief, unable to believe that everyone else agreedwith Coulson about sacrificing Deke in order to take down Hale first. “Sir, we’renot just going to abandon our grandson!”

What followed her outburst was a very long period ofsilence, in which everyone else in the room appeared to have become motionlessin sheer shock, staring blankly at Fitz and Jemma. But, Mack was the one tofinally break the silence, arching his eyebrows and asking what they were allno doubt thinking, “What?”

Fitz and Jemma exchanged a glance, then he cleared histhroat and replied, “Uh, well, it’s like Jemma said: Deke’s our grandson.”

Another moment of silence passed, then Coulson blinked andsaid simply, “Okay.” Turning on his heel to face the others, he told them, “We’regoing to need to step up our search, try and find out where Hale’s taken Dekeas soon as possible, and what she wants with him.” He shot a glance in Fitz andJemma’s direction, then stepped off to the side with May, whispering somethingto her that they couldn’t hear.

Though Jemma wanted to ask what that was all about, she didn’tbother for the moment, glancing up at Fitz when he gave her hand a reassuringlittle squeeze and murmured, “I’m gonna go help them with the search.”

She nodded in understanding, reluctantly releasing his hand,only to fold hers together, wringing them anxiously. Taking a deep breath, shetried to focus on not letting her concern overwhelm her. From what Coulson hadtold them after his brief stint with Hale, she didn’t want to harm any assetsthat she thought could be of us. It should’ve been enough to placate her, butshe also knew that she wouldn’t stop worrying until Deke was in her sight andmost importantly, safe.

“Simmons?”

At the soft call of her name, she turned to find that Daisyhad approached her, a quietly incredulous expression on her face. Jemma swipedat an escaped tear on her cheek before facing her completely, greeting, “HelloDaisy.”

Daisy gave her a look, then shook her head, whispering inshock, “Deke is your grandkid? Whendid that happen?”

Jemma offered her a small semblance of a smile and a littleshrug. “Well, it would be safe to assume that it happens sometime in thefuture.”

Rolling her eyes, Daisy clarified, “No, how long have you known? Why didn’t you…”

Releasing a quiet sigh, Jemma let her gaze stray brieflyover Daisy’s shoulder, where Fitz was standing at the bank of computers. “Deketold me a couple of weeks ago,” she explained finally, “and then I shared thenews with Fitz a few days later. We were still adjusting to the idea ourselves,and so much else was happening that we simply…decided not to tell everyone elseyet.”

For the briefest of moments, Daisy looked almost…hurt bythis information, but then she gave another shocked little shake of her headand admitted, “Wow, I never would’ve guessed that Deke was a Fitzsimmons.”

Jemma gave a little laugh at that. “Ah, yes, well as Fitz isso fond of claiming, everything unsavory about Deke clearly came from the other half of his DNA. But, I think thathe’s just rather protective of our daughter; you know, that whole ‘no one wouldever be good enough’ thing that so many fathers subscribe to.”

Daisy’s eyebrows rose and she asked softly, “Daughter? Youguys are gonna have a daughter?”

Smiling widely and nodding, Jemma couldn’t help the littlerush of relief that she felt at finally being able to tell someone theincredible news. Her voice was filled with awe as she told Daisy, “She soundsabsolutely perfect.” However, it was only a moment before her face fell as shethought about all the time that she’d spent with Deke recently, learning moreand more about her future daughter, his mother, and how much he’d loved her.

Daisy reached out briefly to grasp Jemma’s shoulder and gaveit a quick squeeze. Quietly but firmly, she assured her, “Don’t worry Simmons,we’re gonna find him.”

-

Late that night, Fitz was up and restlessly wanderingthrough the halls of the Lighthouse, as he’d taken to doing since he’d been letout of isolation. He hadn’t been able to find sleep – just like he hadn’t beenable to in the time since his breakdown, always finding himself plagued bynightmares of what he’d done, of what he feared he’d been capable of, of whathe still could do.

However, he’d hated to leave Jemma that night more than anyother. She had struggled to fall asleep, pressing herself close to him andburying her face between his neck and shoulder, crying at feeling so helplessto find Deke and bring him back home, at being unable to protect him. He’d beenable to do little else but hold her through it, promising to do whatever he couldto save their grandson. And, he fully intended the keep those promises, even ifhe didn’t know quite know how he wasgoing to yet.

Once she’d finally managed to fall asleep, it was clearly arestless sleep, and she was constantly tossing and turning, reaching out forsomething that wasn’t there. Fitz had wanted to be there for her, in case shewoke up needing comfort, but the walls of their bunk had started to feel tooconfining and he’d needed to take a short walk to try and clear his thoughts asbest he could.

He was just passing by the open door of control, however,when he decided that he should probably head back soon, and was just turningback around to do just that, but was startled into pausing by the sudden soundof voices coming from the room.

After a moment, Fitz managed to pick them out as Coulson andMay, and they both sounded tense and worried. His first thought was that they’dfound out something about Deke, and he moved closer to the door, trying to heara bit better.

“You know they’d want to know,” May was hissing at Coulson,clearly disapproving of some decision that he’d made.

Coulson sighed heavily, sounding as though he had the weightof the world resting squarely on his shoulders. “May, you know we need themhere. And, who knows what she wants them for – it could only make things worsethan they already are.”

There was a beat of silence, then May replied firmly, “Itneeds to be their decision, Phil. It’s theirfamily.” Coulson didn’t answer, save for sighing in resignation, and she thencalled, “You can come in, Fitz.”

Fitz was more than a little stunned at being caught, butsupposed after a brief moment of thought that he really shouldn’t have been. Hestepped in through the door, finding May perching on the edge of the desk thatCoulson was sitting at, leaning back in his chair and making a steeple with hishands.

Moving closer, Fitz cut straight to the chase and asked, “Haveyou found Deke?”

Coulson frowned deeply, rising up out of the chair andapproaching Fitz as he offered, “Perhaps you want Simmons to be here for thistoo.”

“Don’t bother,” May said suddenly, nodding behind them.

Surprised, they both turned to find Jemma hesitating in thedoorway, feet bare and wearing the pajama pants and t-shirt of Fitz’s that she’dworn to bed. Expression filled with concern, she climbed the stairs to jointhem, telling Fitz softly, “I woke up to find you missing, and tried to trackyou down.” Focusing on Coulson then, she prompted shakily, “Tell us.”

Coulson sighed, planting his hands on his hips and informingthem plainly, “We managed to get into contact with Hale – or, well, she gotinto contact with us. She made it clear that she’ll only return Deke to us…inexchange for the two of you.”

Sucking in a sharp breath, Fitz glanced down at Jemma, onlyto find her already watching him with alarm in her widened eyes. “Will she takejust one of us?” he questioned, his voice coming out low and rough.

He noticed Jemma’s eyes narrowing as Coulson replieduncertainly, “I’m not sure.”

Fitz opened his mouth to tell him to ask as soon as possible,but Jemma, keeping her now determined gaze locked on Fitz’s, said resolutely, “Itdoesn’t matter; we’ll do it.” He immediately went to protest, but she shook herhead, grasping his left hand between both of hers, her thumbs pressing againsthis ring. “Fitz, you know that we’re stronger together, and…and I absolutelyrefuse to be separated from you anymore.”

He let out a slow, shaky breath.

-

Scowling up at the masked robot guards holding either of hisarms, Deke demanded to know, “Where are you taking me this time, huh?” Afterall, in the past two days, he’d been snatched right out of a firefight, thrownonto a quinjet, and then shoved into a tiny, empty room in an underground basefilled with a confusing number of hallways.

What was next – were they going to thrown him into an actual jail cell?

“Home.”

Craning his neck around to find the source of the voicebehind him, Deke caught sight of General Hale striding down the hallway, handsclasped behind her back. He arched his eyebrows at that, far too smart tobelieve that she was just going to let him go. “Oh yeah? What’s the catch? Ifyou were just gonna give me back, what the point of taking me here in the firstplace?”

She didn’t say anything, though, only nodding her head tothe guards. They then began leading Deke through the halls, until they reacheda hangar, where he was put back onto another quinjet with Hale and the guards.However, they were joined at the last minute by the big dude that had grabbedhim in the first place, and the creepy bearded guy with an accent that he’d noticedlurking around the base as well.

The whole time they were in the air, Deke bounced his leg upand down anxiously, constantly peppering the other occupants of the plane withquestions that were only ignored. Finally getting fed up with it, he pointedout loudly, “You know, where I come from, you at least got some answers as to why you were being held hostage. And theKree were like, actually evil, so.”

From the cockpit, Hale turned around and smiled in a waythat had a shiver travelling up Deke’s spine. “Relax; you were just a pawn in amuch bigger game, Mr. Shaw,” she replied simply, before turning back around.

He didn’t have a single word to say to that (and he couldhear Fitz’s voice in his head, saying dryly, “that’s a first”), so he satquietly until the quinjet landed, when the guards then grabbed him and yankedhim up out of his seat.

Hale led the way down the ramp, Deke and his guards behindher, and the other two flanking him, but he found himself utterly confused whenthey stepped off the plane and into what appeared to just be a big, emptyfield.

Just as he was about to comment on it to his captors, henoticed another ramp suddenly opening out of nowhere across the field fromthem, indicating that there was another cloaked quinjet there.

Deke lit up when he saw Coulson and May leading Fitz andJemma out of the plane, and both groups began crossing the field until they metin the middle. Jemma immediately closed the distance between them, framing Deke’sface in her hands and tilting his head back and forth to check him for injuriesas she inquired a bit breathlessly, “Are you alright?”

He nodded quickly, and with his hands now free, he reachedup to grasp Jemma’s wrists in them and gently tugged her hands away from hisface. A relieved grin tugged at his lips as he glanced between his grandparentsand informed them, “You have no idea how glad I am to see you guys.”

Fitz smiled slightly, clapping a hand on Deke’s shoulder ashe replied, “We have a pretty good idea, actually.”

Hale broke into the moment, saying sharply, “Alright, let’sget out of here,” and much to Deke’s confusion, Jemma and Fitz were thengrabbed by the bearded guy and the big bald dude, and though Fitz shot a glareup at the bearded guy, they didn’t fight it.

They were led away, back toward the quinjet he’d arrived in,and Hale shot Coulson a smile over her shoulder that had his jaw tensing inresponse.

“Wait, what…” Deke asked, trailing off as he automatically steppedforward, trying to follow them, but was stopped when May grabbed his arm andtugged him back. He looked at her in bewilderment, but she just gave a sharpshake her head in response.

As Fitz and Jemma were being led up the ramp, Jemma glancedback over her shoulder, meeting Deke’s eyes and offering him a reassuringsmile, but it was cut off after a handful of seconds by the ramp closing, andit was mere moments before it was lifting off the ground.

“What are you doing?” Deke shouted bewilderedly, turning toCoulson and May with wide, terrified eyes. “Why are you letting them – we haveto stop them!”

But, Coulson shook his head, sounding defeating as he toldhim simply, “It was a trade, Deke.”

And finally, Deke understood, tilting his head back to watchthe quinjet fly off to who knew where, his shoulders sagging as the truth hithim.

His grandparents had traded themselves to save him.