-HEAD CANON SERIES-

I was working on Chapter 2 of the Missing Key when StarryDreamer01 made me realise that I was skipping and barely outlining a series of moments in the story line. I've got this head canon universe so detailed in my head that I somehow take for granted that everyone knows what I'm talking about...

...which is clearly untrue.

So, this story had to be written and done before that chapter.

I'm sorry for the delay in Missing Key and Temptation but I'm really busy at work and I'm taking my time writing everything. Hope you guys like this story in the meantime... :)

This is set after Please don't say you love me and before 20 years in Tis the Season to be Jolly.

The Prompt was #31-Sacred

Thanks to my Beta StarryDreamer01 who helped me edit this.

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN AGENTS OF SHIELD.

"What? You didn't get the invitation?!"

"No."

"Oh, no!"

Leo was sitting with his legs crossed on the sofa with his laptop balanced on his thighs as he skyped with Alison.

"Really, sis," he said. "If you don't want me at the wedding, just say it."

"What?" His sister's face was clear enough on screen to show him how bewildered she looked. "Don't even think that, you prat. God, if you didn't receive the invitation, maybe there was some problem at the post office and someone else didn't get it either."

Leo cleared his throat, in an attempt to stop the rumble of laughter bubbling inside him. His sister was so tense about her wedding: she needed to loosen up a bit.

"Oh, I'm going to kill Alec!"

"What did I do now?" A male voice in the background asked with resignation. Leo grinned as his almost -brother-in-law appeared behind his sister.

"The invitations!" Alison exclaimed, turning in her chair to point an accusatory finger at him. "It was your job to send them."

"And I sent them."

"Well, Leo and Jemma didn't get theirs."

Alec peered at Alison's computer screen.

"Hey, Leo," he greeted with a wave. "So, you didn't get your invitation, huh?"

Leo nodded, keeping his face as blank as possible. Alec stared at him before shrugging.

"Well, there might have been a problem with the international post," he remarked. "Everyone else replied and told us that they'd be here for the wedding."

"How can you be so sure?" Alison asked. "What if we forgot someone?"

"Really, Ali? We got answers from all the people we invited!"

"What if we've forgotten someone?"

Leo failed to curb the twitching of his lips as he watched his sister pull out a notebook and showing something to Alec who rolled his eyes at her.

"What's going on?"

Leo turned around and saw Jemma walking out of the bathroom, rubbing her hair dry with a towel. He grinned at her puzzled expression.

"Nothing," he replied. "Ali's losing it, Alec's calming her down: the usual things."

Jemma arched a brow at him and leaned on the sofa with her elbows as she looked at the screen over his shoulder.

Leo was suddenly enveloped by the heady scent of lavender of Jemma's shampoo and soap. Without realising it, he took a long deep breath.

He liked that scent...

"Hey, Jemma," Alison greeted, noticing her. Jemma waved with a smile. "How are you?"

Jemma moved closer and Leo felt the cool dampness of her hair next to his ear, causing a shiver run down his spine.

"I'm fine, thanks, Alison," she replied. "How are you? How are the final preparations going?"

"I'm going insane," his sister remarked with a sigh.

"I'm going insane!" Alec shouted from somewhere in the room, making both Leo and Jemma laugh.

"Figures..." Ali muttered. "By the way, sorry for the invitation mishap, Jemma. Leo was telling me: I'll give you one as soon as you get here."

"What are you talking about?" Jemma turned to him in confusion. Leo shrugged and put up his most innocent face. She narrowed her eyes. "Alison, I don't know what he told you but we both got the invitations a few weeks ago. Oh, and my parents too! Mum said that she'd call you."

"What..?" Alison glared at the screen and pointed at her brother. "You little..."

Leo laughed.

"You were too tense, sis," he remarked. "You need to loosen up a bit."

"Oh sure... And giving me a heart failure four days before the wedding would help me loads."

Leo snorted and then ducked as he saw Jemma swatting his head with her hand. She walked around the sofa and sat down next to him, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You're impossible," she remarked, bumping their shoulders together. Leo grinned at her.

"God, I was already thinking that I'd have to call everyone," Alison huffed and then looked at them through the camera. "Anyway, Jemma, your parents called me a few days ago and confirmed me that they'll come. I obviously invited your grandmother as well but she's off to France to visit your relatives.."

"Yeah, Gran's off to Lyon to see my Aunt and her family: she always goes there in May," Jemma said. "She should be back next month."

"Alright...And when are you two coming over?"

"Friday afternoon," Leo said. "We can't get there any sooner, not with my ongoing project at TechData and her dissertation next week." He was caught in a project that would conclude his Masters while Jemma was going to discuss the dissertation for her second PhD.

"They're not giving you a hard time, are they?" Alison sounded worried. "I mean, coming here for the weekend won't mess up your schedules."

"No, not at all!" Jemma remarked. "I talked with the commission already: I'll hand over my papers and documentation Friday morning and present my dissertation next week, probably on Wednesday."

"And I've done my share of work in building the circuitry and mainframe," Leo said. "I promised to be back by Tuesday morning: I couldn't ask for more time off."

"Good..." Ali smiled. "It will be nice to have you kids here for a few days. And the bachelor and bachelorette night is on Friday: you can't miss that."

"Seriously?" Leo arched a brow. "I thought you'd be done with that already."

"No, Alec wanted you to be here," Alison's hand gestured vaguely to some point outside the room. "He said that he wanted all of his brothers for that night."

Leo blinked and swallowed dryly, a small lump of emotion choking his throat.

"Oh... alright," he said slowly. He felt Jemma's hand brush against his and he glanced up as she smiled softly.

Of course she would know... He smiled back.

"And I wanted Jemma to come with us girls," Alison continued, smiling a bit too knowingly for Leo's tastes.

"Really?" Jemma asked in surprise. "I-I thought that was for family and friends..."

"Exactly... So why are you surprised again?" Leo's grin mirrored his sister's and he felt a little bubble of warmth as Jemma blushed and thanked Ali for the invitation as she ran her fingers through her almost dry hair.

"Oh..." Alison looked bashful. "There's a little thing you should know before you arrive."

Leo and Jemma shared a glance before turning to the screen.

"What?" They asked.

"Leo, do you remember Shona Taylor, my old school friend?"

Frowning slightly, Leo went through his memories trying to give a face to the name.

"Er- do you mean the redhead with the loud voice and way too much make-up?" He asked, remembering his sister's friends when they would come at home, every now and then, when he was younger. He usually ran to hide in his room when they came home.

Alison snorted.

"Yeah...that's Shona. Well, she broke up with her boyfriend and...is on the prowl."

Leo tensed.

"And that concerns me because...?" He heard Jemma giggle softly next to him and was tempted to hit her with a cushion.

"She's one of my bridesmaids and was here a few days ago for the dress fitting." Their Mum had taken it upon herself to make Alison's dress and Alec's suit, the dresses for the bridesmaids and the suits for Leo and Bryce. "And she saw your graduation picture."

"My graduation picture?" Leo asked in confusion and turned to Jemma. "Did you send her a copy?"

"Yeah, she did," Alison replied and frowned. "Jemma was thoughtful enough to send us a photo since you're still a prat..."

Leo winced sensing the little hint of anger in his sister's tone. She still hadn't forgiven him for lying about his school graduation and for not allowing his family to celebrate him.

"Anyway, Shona saw your picture and made comments."

"Comments?"

"Appreciative comments," Alison ran a hand across her face as he stared at her, dumbly. "Really, Leo? You're a genius and you don't get that?!"

Jemma giggled again and he stared at her before his quick brain did the maths and he blushed. What...?

"Oh... but she's old-" Jemma's elbow hit him in the lower ribs and all air escaped him. Angering his sister telling that someone her age was old wasn't really going to help him.

"-er. Older than me," he quickly wheezed out.

Thankfully, Alison snorted in amusement.

"Nice save, Leo," she said. "And yes, she's older than you. And I know her and there's no way she's getting close to you. God knows that I don't want that mental image in my head..."

Leo stared at the screen with his mouth hanging open while he felt Jemma tremble in mirth next to him. He turned and shot her a dark look but she grinned, completely unfazed.

"So...what exactly am I meant to do?" He asked his sister, annoyance lacing his words. "Hide whenever I see her?"

"No...I took the matter in my hands," Alison replied, grinning slightly. Leo felt a little weary.

"What did you do?"

"I told her that you and Jemma are dating."

Leo stared at her and then looked at Jemma who looked just a flabbergasted as he did. And when she turned to him, pink in face, he felt a blush warm his cheeks too.

He was going to kill Alison...

-:-

Jemma rose from the sofa and tossed the towel into the hamper in the bathroom. She absent-mindedly ran her fingers through her drying hair, searching for any wayward knot.

She watched as Leo put his laptop away on the couch and got up, running a hand across his face.

The tip of his ears were still red. She smiled.

"It will only be for three days," she remarked, approaching him.

"She shouldn't have said that without asking us," he grumbled and she grinned.

"It was that or you being harassed by a twenty five year old woman who has fallen for your deadly looks," she teased, bumping their shoulders together.

Leo snorted and looked at her.

"And you're fine with pretending that you're my girlfriend?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.

Jemma had tried to ignore the little flare of warmth that had sparked in her when Alison had said that. Or the tingles dancing down her spine when she thought about being closer to him in the three days they'd spend in Scotland.

Honestly, she didn't mind because this was Leo, the same boy with whom she had lived together for the five years.

"I'll try to keep my hands off you most of the time, promise," she said cheekily and he laughed. "Seriously though... People mistake us for a couple on a common basis: our families tease us about it. We'll just have to behave as usual...and I might hug you every now and then..."

Leo looked at her, blue eyes soft and clear. Her heart did a funny jiggle in her chest.

"Right then..." he replied and smiled. He stretched his arms over his head and checked the time: it was only four o'clock. "You've got plans for the day?"

Jemma shook her head. Her thesis was mostly finished: she just needed to add the final edits to the bibliography and go through a few simulations again in the lab but she didn't want to think about it on Sunday.

"You?" She asked, tilting her head to a side. "Got any reports from work to do?"

His Masters at TechData was an apprenticeship. He earned a minimum wage and was out from morning to evening, working on computers and machines.

Leo liked the hands-on activity after the more theoretical take of his PhD and while Jemma missed having him around campus, she liked receiving his enthusiastic emails and texts from work.

And he had invented some devices, little prototypes and machines that were going to be used in TechData's engineering machines. Jemma still remembered his joyous smile when he told her that his devices -his own works- were going to get a patent and he'd receive monthly incomes from them.

Their studies were finally paying off...literally. Leo had always wanted to work and send his own money home to his mother: he was waiting for the first checks before telling her. But he did manage to get her a present. A big one.

And Jemma had been asked to do some paid research work too. One of her older professors had asked her to assist in an experimental biomedical project that he was working on; she had asked to wait until she was done with her PhD.

They were both thinking about speaking to MIT's Administration Board about their accommodation. Jemma's doctorate scholarship ended in July just like Leo's technical Masters contract with TechData.

They were willing to ask for another year there, doing researches or lab work. They were some of MIT's youngest and most brilliant students: they really didn't think that the Board would object to their stay.

Once they were legal in America, they could leave and maybe get a house together.

They could start their life outside of Uni...

"No," Leo replied. "I've done everything yesterday since I wanted a free day home. God knows when I'll get another one..."

She smiled at him.

"Fancy a walk?" She asked, looking out of the window. It was a wonderful sunny day.

"Sure," he said as he smiled back.

Half an hour later, they were walking outside campus and into the busy streets of Cambridge, her arm looped around his, as they chatted about everything as usual.

-:-

The first thing she saw when they walked into Glasgow's Airport was Alec's broad smile. She felt a smile tug on her own face too and Leo grinned as they walked towards him.

"Hey, little girl," the dark haired man said, enveloping Jemma in a hug.

Jemma had always been short, smaller than average even now that she was nineteen. Alec had fashioned this nickname for her from the moment he met her at Leo's house during Christmas years ago.

"Good to see you, Alec," she replied. At the beginning, she had thought the older Scot was teasing her (old school memories taunted her again) but then she saw the gentle and brotherly way he treated her and she became quite fond of the nickname.

"Leo, I should bash your head for being a git and making Ali go mental over invitations," Alec growled, hugging the shorter boy. "But... you did make her cool down a bit, so..."

"How are you feeling?" Leo asked him.

"Fine," Alec's green eyes shone with happiness. "I'll probably start freaking out on Sunday morning...but I'm holding on quite well now."

Leo grinned at him again and then picked up Jemma's small trolley, putting it on top on his own before rolling them both as they walked to Alec's car.

"Leo," she protested. "I'm perfectly capable of-"

"I know but I'm doing it anyway," he replied with a crooked grin that made her stomach flutter. She huffed and followed him, clutching her handbag.

Alec shot a knowing glance at them.

"And Ali said that you had to pretend to be together..." He asked. "Seriously?"

Jemma ignored his comment.

They were at the Fitz's house barely an hour later. Jemma was greeted by a radiant Alison and a smiling Mrs. Fitz. She couldn't help but smile fondly as Leo hugged his mother and his sister.

He was letting himself go now: he was showing his emotions and not keeping them inside himself, thinking that he didn't deserve his family's affection.

She felt a little pang of envy when she watched Alison tease Leo. She had always longed for siblings but unfortunately, her mother hadn't been able to have any children after her.

Somehow, meeting Leo had given her a best friend, a person that could understand her thoroughly and brought her Alison and Alec who had become the closest thing to a sister and brother.

"You're alright there, dear?"

Jemma looked to her side and smiled at Leo's mother as she approached her in the living room.

"Yes, Mrs. Fitz," she replied. "I was just thinking..."

"I've noticed that you were lost in your thoughts...and Jemma dear, it's Lena. You've known me long enough to stop calling me Mrs. Fitz."

Jemma blushed and nodded.

"Thank you for sending us the graduation pictures," Lena said, smiling warmly. "We never got a chance to celebrate Leo's school graduation nor take a picture."

"It was my pleasure, really..." Jemma replied and looked at the mantelpiece where the Fitzes family photos were arranged.

She took in the various frames with Alison, Bryce and Leo at different ages and the family pictures throughout the years with the older ones where Leo's father smiled at her. She saw Leo in his graduation gear, grinning at the camera as he held his diploma (she clearly remembered taking the picture after he took her own snapshot and making ridiculous jokes to get him to smile like that) and was surprised to see her own face smiling at her from a frame.

Jemma walked closer to the end of the mantlepiece. There was a sweet picture of Alison and Alec together, smiling at each other, then a group photo taken during last Christmas where the Fitzes and Simmons' were all sitting together in this very living room and then...

Her heart thumped oddly against her ribcage when she took in the picture of her and Leo, sitting close together on the couch, talking and grinning at each other, completely oblivious to the the camera. The fireplace's glowing light gave the picture a softer look and Jemma started to notice all the details: her head tilted to a side as she smiled at him, Leo's hand on her shoulder, his blue eyes fixed on her and that crooked grin on his face.

It was them. A picture of their normalcy and yet it seemed so intimate that Jemma felt her heart beat loudly in her chest.

"I like that one, too," Alison remarked, making Jemma turn to her side. "The two of you look really cute."

"Ah...-er..thanks," she stammered, feeling warmth flood her face. She turned around to see where Leo was and saw him speaking to his mother. Gladly, he wouldn't see her being ridiculously flustered by a picture...

He was animatedly moving his hands and Lena was beaming at him.

"What are they talking about?" she asked, seeing Leo act like when he has to describe some engineering theory or machine.

"The chair," Alison replied, failing to hide the pride in her voice and approaching her mother.

Jemma smiled.

TechData also worked with medical facilities and Leo had helped develop the internal computer system and data archive of a large medical supply structure. He did the work in less than a week.

As a payment, besides offering him a job once he was done with the master as their system technician, the director had offered him a large discount on the purchase of any medical supply. Leo had seen a motorized wheelchair, complete with remote control and a phone for emergencies and had promptly asked for that. With the discount and a considerable share of his savings, he purchased it and sent it home last month. His mother had called in tears and Jemma had smiled proudly as Leo comforted her saying that it was nothing and that she deserved his gift.

And now she saw how both his mother and sister were very proud of him too.

"I'll set it up for you, Mum," Leo said. "Then you can try it a bit."

Lena smiled and shook her head.

"Not now, darling," she remarked. "You've just come home and I'm sure you're tired. Go rest a bit and then get down for dinner." She turned to Jemma. "Both of you."

Leo glanced at Jemma and she shrugged slightly, smiling.

"And you've both got a long night ahead... So I think the chair can wait until tomorrow."

Jemma had almost forgotten it.

The Hen and Stag Night.

Leo approached her.

"It's going to be a long night," he whispered and looked at her. "You alright?"

"Yeah..." She looked at him in surprise. "Why?"

"You looked pensive a while ago."

Trust him to notice that while he was busy talking...

"It was nothing..." she said with a smile. "Just thinking about random things."

He smiled back.

As he took their trolleys upstairs to his room, depositing them by their beds, now so close that it almost seemed one, Jemma wondered if she was just over thinking because of their planned charade.

Nothing was different between them.

-:-

They didn't rest after all...

By the time he and Jemma had showered and changed into more comfortable clothes, his mum was already getting dinner ready.

They both went down to help but were ushered into the living room by Alison and so they ended up watching a Dr. Who re-run. They were half way through the episode when Jemma's parents called and he lowered the tv's audio so that she could speak clearly.

His eyes wandered off to look around the room: the house had been cleaned from top to bottom since the wedding reception was going to take place in their backyard.

He eyed the line of pictures on the mantelpiece above the fireplace. His mum had framed all their family pictures there: it was a collection of them throughout the years.

He then noticed the new additions on the line of photos: he saw his graduation picture (and he was smiling, but it all Jemma's fault: she was being so silly...), the group photo taken at Christmas and then...

He blinked and stood up.

It was he and Jemma. He didn't even know when the picture had been taken but, judging by their clothes, it had to be during the last Christmas vacation.

He would never admit it out loud because it would be odd for him as much as for Jemma but... they did look like a couple. He glanced at his best friend sitting on the couch, smiling at something that her mother must have said her on the phone.

Leo felt something twinge softly inside him. Another thing that he would never tell her was that he had a soft spot for that smile.

For all of her smiles.

Feeling a sudden rush of warmth, Leo turned around and tried to clear his mind.

What the hell was he thinking?

He sat back on the couch and Jemma put her phone away.

"Mum and Dad said hello," she said. "They'll be here Sunday morning: Dad's got a surgery tomorrow evening and no one else could take his place."

"Hmm," Leo assented. "They'll have to leave really early to be here for the ceremony."

"Yeah, I know... Mum said that she'll sleep early so that she'll drive while Dad dozes off."

Leo snorted.

"I can't really imagine your dad doing that," he remarked. Chivalry was ingrained in Jeremy Simmons' brain: there was no way he would allow his wife to drive for hours while he did something as mundane as sleep.

"Oh, don't I know," Jemma grinned. "He'll probably spend the whole time trying to convince Mum to switch places."

They both laughed and got up when his mum called them for dinner.

Dinner was a quick business: it was just them, his mum and Alison. They idly chatted about the wedding, his masters and Jemma's PhD.

Leo was pleasantly surprised to learn that his uncle and his family would come to the wedding too. It had been years since he'd last seen them them: he had been probably ten years old.

"He agreed because Alison talked to him," his mum said. "She explained that she wanted someone from your father's family to be at the wedding too."

"Oh..." Leo looked at his sister and felt a little pang of sadness. Their father should have been there: his role was important in this wedding.

Alison looked at him and smiled slightly.

"I asked Uncle Sean to walk me down the aisle," she said, guessing his thoughts. "It won't be Dad...but he's the closest to him: I know he won't mind."

Leo nodded and smiled slightly as his sister and mother shared a glance. He wondered what else they had talked about with his uncle.

He wondered what he would tell him after all these years...

He felt Jemma's fingers brush his thigh and he glanced at her. She looked concerned but he smiled, shaking his head slowly. She didn't need to worry: thinking about his dad didn't hurt him as it did years ago. Talking to her had helped...

He gently squeezed her fingers and she smiled back.

-:-

Leo was downstairs, sitting on the couch and playing with his phone, waiting for Alec and his friends who were bound to pick him up at half past ten. And that was five minutes ago.

He eyed the staircase and wondered where Jemma was.

Alison had appeared in his room in a blue dress that he never seen before and had kidnapped Jemma, telling him that they were going to get ready and that he should too.

Jemma had followed her out, carrying a bag with her clothes and toiletries, before shooting him a flustered look. Leo had stayed in bed, hands frozen on the pages of his book, wondering what the hell just happened.

And now he sat there, dressed in black jeans, trainers and a comfortable but smart blue jumper. He didn't think that there was a dress code during these nights and Alec had told him that they were going to walk around Glasgow and hit as many pubs as possible.

He expected to walk a lot, drink as much and probably carry or support someone.

But after seeing Alison dressed up, he really didn't want to go too casual. This wedding was Alison's moment and he wanted to do everything in his power to make her happy.

And if Jemma was going to dress up, he really didn't want to look like a slob next to her.

The only thing he couldn't do was shave: Alison and Jemma had occupied the bathroom so he decided that the stubble on his face would stay there.

He vaguely heard the sound of heels clicking upstairs and he wondered when the girls were going to leave. Ali had told him that they were going to some pubs too and that they would all probably meet at some point during the night.

He was sending a text to Alec, asking where he was when he heard someone walk downstairs. He looked up... and his jaw dropped. Text completely forgotten, he shoved his phone in his pocket and got up.

Jemma was... Well, the words were suddenly lost to him.

He had never seen her in dress before. Skirts, yes, when the weather was good or she was in a particular girly mood. She usually preferred more comfortable clothing: jeans, cardigans, blouses and converse or boots.

But this...

She was wearing a sleeveless green-silvery dress that fell a little short of her knees. And heels: not the uncomfortable nail-like things he had seen other girls wear but something a little lower that didn't seem that easy to walk in either.

And they did something to her legs… His eyes were mysteriously drawn to them...

She had done something to her hair, gathered it to the back of her head while some strands framed her face. And she must have done something to her face -a change in her makeup, maybe?- because she looked more radiant, her pale skin almost glowing, light brown eyes shining...

Leo was speechless and realised that he was staring but he couldn't help himself...

It was only when he saw her bite her lip and blush, breaking their eye contact that he grabbed a hold of himself. He approached her at the end of the stairs and cleared his throat, suddenly very aware of his trainers and day old stubble and jeans.

"You look stunning, Jem," he said softly, smiling.

-:-

Jemma felt warmth flush her face, flooding her cheeks, and go all the way up her ears and down her neck. She rarely dressed up -the occasions were never there- and was awfully self aware.

This dress was something she had bought on her own, unlike the one she'd be wearing for the wedding that she had bought while shopping with her Mum during the last holiday.

She had gone shopping on her own, a day that she had finished early at the University lab and Leo was still at TechData, and had tried a few dresses and heels. This one had struck her immediately because it was simple and had a touch of elegance And the heels had been walkable and not the ice picks that had made her ankle wobble dangerously.

Leo hadn't seen either of the dresses and she had been truly glad that Alison had taken her to her room. She had been nervous to see his reaction to an outfit that wasn't her really style.

His wide eyed face and compliment were pleasantly surprising and made her heart twist a bit.

She took a good look at him. He looked...nice. Handsome in a simple and boyish way.

The jumper brought out the colour of his eyes and the v-cut sort of emphasized his shoulders and arms. His curls were a bit of a mess,as usual, flying in every direction even though he'd tried to tame them with a comb and running his hands through them.

He hadn't shaved: the dust of stubble on his jaw and cheek gave him a more rugged look.

It suited him.

He looked really good.

A little thrill ran down her spine.

"Thank you, Leo," she replied, smiling slightly. "You look quite charming yourself."

The smile turned into a grin when his cheeks turned pink and he scratched the back of his neck in clear embarrassment.

She was tempted to tease him a little bit more when his mother entered the room. Lena Fitz stared at them for a moment and then broke into a wide smile.

"You both look wonderful," she said, getting closer and taking a full look of them from head to toe.

"Thanks," they said together and turned around as one when they heard heels and Alison appeared.

She was wearing a simple blue dress, heels and a set of light blue earrings and necklace that Alec had given her years ago (she had said so when Jemma had asked).

Alison always looked so collected and mature for her age but now, as she descended the stairs, beamed at them and gushed over Leo, Jemma noticed that she looked younger and carefree for once.

"Is that stubble, Leo Camden Fitz?" Alison exclaimed, taking a look at Leo and ruffling his hair. "Oh God, what happened to my baby brother?"

Jemma heard him grunt softly in protest and watched as he ducked to escape his sister's hand and laughed when he shifted behind her, hands resting on her shoulders and head just behind her head.

"Really, Leo?" She asked, turning her head and catching a glimpse of him. "You're using me as a shield?"

He grinned at her and she had to ignore the little flutter in her stomach.

What was going on with her?

It was Alison that helped her out, unknowingly.

"You both look pretty good tonight," she commented, making them look at her and pulled out her phone. "Come on, smile."

"It's your night out and party. Why are you taking pictures of us?"Leo protested.

"That's right: my party, my night. So, my rules and orders: you, smile and pose with Jemma." She stepped back a few steps, phone in hand, joining her mother.

She started clicking a few snapshots.

Jemma felt Leo shift next to her, felt the sandpapery texture of his chin graze her bare shoulder and the rush of warm breath against her cheek as he sighed. Now she really had to concentrate and ignore the warm flare in her stomach.

She turned to look at him.

"You're itchy," she whispered and he snorted, smiling at her as he straightened up. With her heels, they were almost the same height and she found out that she liked being able to look at him in the eyes.

She wondered if her words had triggered memories to him as they did to her. It made her remember of their road trip during Spring Break, just the two of them on a car and sharing a tent, less than a year ago.

There had been nights talking under a starry sky and reliving old memories. They had argued once (while they were both slightly drunk) and had solved the whole thing by talking.

And had shared a kiss.

And she really shouldn't be thinking about that; not when she had been carefully not thinking about it and the mixed feelings it caused her. And perhaps, she shouldn't recall it now in front of him and his family.

He looked at her with an arched brow, probably noticing that she was thinking about something. She lifted an eyebrow in response as an answer that nothing was wrong.

Silent communications were common between them: sometimes words weren't necessary.

Two sudden car horns made them all jump.

It seemed that Alison's friends had come to pick them up as did Alec.

The three of them were quickly bidding goodnight to Lena who smiled and told them to have fun. There were two cars waiting right outside the gate and Alec jumped out of his to greet them.

He looked at Jemma and whistled appreciatively, making her blush. Alison swatted his arm and he laughed, brushing a kiss on her face and whispering something that only she could hear, making her blush as well.

Jemma smiled, watching the couple and wondered if falling in love would really feel as wonderful as it looked from the outside: they looked so utterly happy...

She had never really thought about it. Her life had always been dedicated to her studies and she'd always been on her own, no one really caught her attention.

Until...

"I'll see you later, yeah?"

Jemma turned to her side to find Leo staring at her, blue eyes a tad darker under the streetlights. Her heart flipped in her chest, making her feel suddenly warm.

She'd have to sort out these emotions and thoughts at some point: they were getting her confused as hell...

"Yeah," she replied, managing to keep a steady voice. "Don't get too drunk."

"As if..." He rolled his eyes and she grinned. They'd both discovered that they had a rather high tolerance for alcohol: they wouldn't be embarrassing themselves tonight.

Unless Alison and Alec took it upon themselves to do so...

Said couple appeared at their sides and dragged them to the cars: Jemma with girls and Leo with the boys. She barely had time to shoot him a glance and smile as he grinned at her before being introduced to Alison's friends.

-:-

They were at their third pub, a small cluster of young women laughing and drinking colourful cocktails while getting free drinks or snacks whenever one of Alison's friends announced loudly 'She's getting married!'

Jemma laughed alongside them, every now and then taking a picture with her phone and sending it to Leo. Alison was on her way to getting fully drunk (Jemma had lost count of how many drinks she had had) but it seemed that resilience was a Fitz family trait and she laughed and talked with her friends.

Alison's friends were a nice and cheerful group. They were all the same age and had all been to school together, some were in old classmates. It didn't surprise her: Leo had mentioned how the families of his neighbourhood were close knit, knowing each other for years.

They were all young women who had started their working life: some were teachers, like Alison, others working in offices or companies.

She was the youngest in the group, being nineteen, but she wasn't surprised or flustered: she had always been the youngest everywhere.

She had long come to terms with that.

Jemma was a little bit of a source of curiosity for the other girls. It seemed that Alison often spoke about her and Leo so they all knew that she was PhD at MIT.

She had noticed that all of them were in literary or economics fields: no one but her was in science. They had asked her about her PhD and she had talked -rambled really, she realised later- about some applied forms of biochemistry that she was working on.

It made her smile that none of them had rolled their eyes or looked at her oddly but rather listened politely even though they probably didn't understand half of what she was saying.

Leo got lost in her biochem talk after a while...

Moments later, they were all chatting and Jemma was listening as names of people she didn't know were thrown around (Alison would fill her in, describing or adding a detail to explain). At some point, she was out of any conversation and was going to a sip of her drink when Shona Taylor took the seat next to hers, beaming.

Jemma blinked. Twice. But then she smiled back politely.

"So, Jemma..." she said, taking a sip of an awfully bright pink drink. Jemma wondered which elements would make that colour when combined...

"Yes?"

"You're Leo's girlfriend," The woman really didn't bat around the bush, it seemed.

"Hmm," she hummed in reply, hoping that it would be enough. She was a horrible liar and direct questions would have her a flustering mess.

Avoiding them would help her...

She and Leo had concocted a little bit of background for their alleged love story. She had asked him to do so because she hated improvisation. Leo had blushed crimson and had mumbled that that they could use their own friendship background, adding little details when necessary. Jemma had agreed, outlining the moments in her mind.

"How long have you've been together?"

"It's almost two years," she replied.

Seventeen-eighteen seemed to be an ideal age in her mind: it seemed like a plausible time for them to fall in love.

In their hypothetical story, of course.

Jemma tried not to think about the fact that she had started to notice little things about Leo around that age: noticed the way he had grown up, how his voice had deepened and how other girls at campus looked at him.

"Oh... and you live together?"

Jemma blushed.

"We share a dorm room," she corrected her. The concept of living together made everything look more intimate...

Shona must have mistaken her blush for some girlish emotion that she couldn't define because she grinned at her.

"Oh..." she cooed. "Young first love... that's so adorable.!"

Jemma took a sip of her drink, attempting to cool her suddenly warm face. Her words were doing funny things to her heart.

"So, how is Leo?" Jemma blinked at her in confusion. "As a boyfriend."

"-er..." Now that wasn't something she had considered: actual personal opinions and descriptions.

"Come on..." Thankfully, Shona thought that she was being shy and not completely at loss to what to say. "Is he sweet? Gives you presents or comes up with little surprises? Or is he the sort of guy that forgets your birthday?" The sudden harshness in her tone made Jemma realise that Shona was clearly talking about her ex. "Never cooks or cleans.."

"What? No, no,no... He's not like that!" she exclaimed, defending Leo. "He is sweet. He's never forgotten my birthday since we've met. He helps with the chores: we take turns cleaning. And...he always makes breakfast."

"Oooh..really?"

Jemma had to fight back a snort at Shona's cooing. She didn't know that Leo's cooking was disastrous. Breakfast was the only thing he did without damaging the kitchen.

Although...she had to admit that he was quite careful and attentive. He usually made her favourite blueberry pancakes when she had early classes and her tea was always perfectly made when she woke up.

"He's really sweet," she admitted with a smile.

"He seems like the type of bloke that pays for dinners..." Shona sipped her drink and grinned at her again. Jemma really didn't understand where she was going with all these questions. She had never been in a relationship with a boy and never had girl friends who would pry.

She was just pretending now but somehow the truth slipped past her lips, making her forget about it.

"Oh..he would if I allowed him," she confessed. They would go out to eat somewhere or to the cinema or to some random museum or exhibit when they were both free. They always paid for themselves, splitting bills and tickets but Leo did have the habit of paying for the extras: he left tips at restaurants or diners, bought booklets or gadgets for both at museums or popcorn at cinemas.

She complained, always, but he waved her words away, saying that he wanted to do it. It had come to the point that they tried to beat each other every time but he often managed to win. He was way too sneaky.

"He's the one that always remembers anniversaries...and plans something. Every time."

The words escaped her mouth before she could stop them as they followed her train of thoughts. If Shona had been cooing before, now she was definitely gushing.

"God, he seems perfect! Let me guess: he's also a good kisser, yeah? She remarked with a wink. "And good in the other departments...?"

"And that's something I really don't want to know about my little brother," Alison exclaimed, interrupting their conversation and saving Jemma from self combustion. "Come on, we're leaving. Heather knows another place down the street."

Jemma nodded and stood up while Shona smiled at her and went to speak with some of her friends.

Alison approached her.

"You alright there?" She asked, smiling slightly. Her face was slightly pink but she looked lucid and very happy. "Thought you were going to burn out for a moment..."

Jemma reached for cheeks, feeling them hot beneath her palms.

"Hmm," she mumbled. "Shona asks a lot of questions."

"It's my fault really... She mustn't have believed me when I said that you and Leo were dating and tried to get you to crack up. But you didn't," Alison grinned as they left the pub, both walking a bit on the back away from the others. "You were quite convincing: I almost believed you when you were speaking about dates and anniversaries."

"I didn't make it up," Jemma said absently, looking around the street. She then caught Alison staring. "What?"

"You and Leo go out on dates?" She asked. "Am I missing something here?"

"What?" Jemma blinked and then groaned slightly. "Not in that way. We don't go out together! We just-" She huffed. "We go out. Together."

"I think that's pretty much the same thing, Jemma."

"There isn't anything romantic."

"Right... what about the anniversary story?"

Jemma smiled at that, ducking her face before looking up at Alison.

"It's the twenty-second of June: the day we first met in London, four years ago," she explained. "I'm..horrible at remembering dates: I've got my parents and Leo's birthday circled on the calendar. But Leo remembers. He always does and has always organised something on it; whether it be a take-away and film in our dorm or tickets to some exhibit we wanted to go to..."

She didn't tell her that he had actually taken her out for a full day when she had complained about her inexperience in dating and she had later found out about their meeting's anniversary.

She didn't realise the fond smile that lit her face. Alison did and smiled.

"Over here!"

Alison's best friend, Heather, pointed to a brightly lit pub. Jemma promptly followed the other girls inside and as they waited for a table, she replayed her conversation with Shona and Alison in her mind.

She'd never admit it aloud but... they did act like a couple.

But they weren't.

There wasn't anything romantic between them.

That only kiss had been a curious experiment...

They were best friends.

Nothing more.

Right?

-:-

Leo drank his beer and grinned as Alec's best friend, Kyle finished a hilarious story about them during ice hockey practice at school. The table of ten or so men roared with laughter as Alec hit Kyle's arm with a punch and drained his beer.

Leo had never been out for a boys' night and had never had close male friends. He watched this group of twenty-five years old interact with each other, all grown men with jobs, that suddenly became rowdy boys when they were together.

Bryce was on the other corner of the table, chatting with some of the men, nursing a red ale. Leo watched him attentively: he was smiling and laughing freely, comfortable with them in a way that he had never been with him.

It stung but he was used to the feeling now. He was nineteen, had lost his dad eleven years ago along with his brother's affection and presence in his life.

He was used to it now...

Alec's friends are all friendly and surprisingly easy to talk to. Some are architects that work with his almost brother-in-law while the others are old school friends, people that he vaguely remembered seeing at school but that we were mostly oblivious to him. He didn't mind that though: he preferred to be ignored rather than taunted.

He would see James and Andrew at the wedding reception: Alec had told him while they were arriving at the pub, shortly after they met Bryce. They should have been there with them but fortunately, they'd been delayed by some sudden family dinner. Leo hoped that they'd be busy on Sunday too.

He had heard rumours about the other boys' families: rumours about failing businesses and high tax payments. Bryce, Andrew and James were sharing an apartment in Glasgow close to the Law School where his brother and Andrew went.

He wondered about their condition: his brother worked but the apartment belonged to James. If something went wrong, Bryce would have to go back and live with their mother...

He had meant to ask Alec about it but he opted to wait until after the wedding.

"Leo, what about Quantum Physics? How's that?"

He turned to his side and looked at Alec's younger brother, Colin. Leo had expected to be the youngest of the group but had been pleasantly surprised to see that he had been wrong.

Colin was nineteen like him and a junior in Mechanical Engineering in Glasgow. Leo remembered old times, when he had been younger, and the MacDaniels had come over to his house: he used to play with Colin he was a kid.

Somewhere along the line, he assumed when he skipped class, they had drifted away.

Leo wondered how things would have been if he hadn't been a genius child. There had been times, when he was younger, that he had allowed the thought to grow in his head and it had been painful.

His father would be alive...probably. His mother wouldn't be in a wheelchair.

He would have had a normal childhood, playing with friends. He and Colin might be best mates and maybe now, at nineteen, he'd be planning his university career too, wondering which classes to choose and which not.

He would have given anything to have this Normal-Leo's life then. When his younger self was in bad place, thoughts dark and consuming, he would have done anything to have that life.

Things had become brighter after meeting Jemma.

Now, as he thought about the pros and cons of a genius and non-genius life, one point tipped the scales for the genius side: Jemma.

He really couldn't imagine a life without her being in it.

Leo took a swig of beer, washing away the turmoil of feelings suddenly swirling in his chest. He was thinking many odd things lately...

And all about his best friend.

He had to get a grip of himself.

"Quantum Physics?" Leo repeated, trying to concentrate. "Well, that's an interesting subject." He started talking (rambling really) about the various applied forms of quantum theories; it was only after five minutes of non-stop talking that he understood that he had lost Colin at the start but was listening with rapt attention because he was idolising him.

And that was a rather laughable concept.

Alec must talk about him often because Colin had greeted him enthusiastically when he got into the car and talked about his interest in Mechanics. He had raved about Leo already having a PhD and now taking a Technical Master in a big engineering company in Boston

Leo had blushed the whole way to the meeting place in town. It was odd to hear someone his age appreciate him and his studies; he was used to hearing it from professors and his family but not peers.

The only one his age that had ever acknowledged his genius was Jemma...

They talked for a while, he and Colin. The engineering talk subsided at some point and one of Alec's friends joined the conversation when Colin switched to sports: football and ice hockey. Neither were in Leo's field of interest; he had never been athletic or a sports fiend but he followed the news and knew some things. He listened more than talked as he sipped his beer.

At some point, they left. It was late, almost one o'clock and he wondered for how long they were going to walk around the streets of Glasgow, slipping into pubs and drinking.

Alec and his friends were walking, holding onto to each other, laughing about something. Bryce walked next to them, grinning.

"Phew..." Colin muttered next to him, straightening his hooded jumper. "How the hell are they so fine and dandy? I've had four ales and my head's shorting out: I'll have a hell of hangover tomorrow. Mum will murder me..."

Leo snorted.

"She'll be busy bringing Alec back from the dead," he commented, nodding towards his brother. "I've lost count on how much he drank."

"Yeah..." Colin grinned. "Would be a bit of problem if the groom was not up to be at the wedding."

"Alison would come over and murder him."

"Oh, believe me, Mum would do it first."

They both laughed.

Leo wondered what the girls were doing. There really weren't that many pubs in Glasgow: they should have met or would meet at some point.

As on cue, he heard female voices and he turned just in time to see a group of women stumble around the corner. Actually, one woman stumbled: his sister.

Leo literally groaned when his sister -mature, hard working, thoroughly-rule-abiding-sister- grinned a wide, dazed and drunk grin and pointed in the general direction of Alec.

"Hey, look, that's my fiancé!" She said loudly to...the whole street. Leo clapped a hand against his head and groaned again, while Colin laughed. He heard another groan and turned to his side to see Bryce mimic him, hand slap and all.

Oh well, they seemed to agree on this at least: their sister was being ridiculous.

Colin joined the sorrowful bunch of embarrassed younger brothers when Alec walked -half-stumbled, swayed, whatever- towards Alison, announcing that she was his fiancée.

"Christ, he just woke up half the city," Colin muttered.

Thankfully, Alec and Ali's best friends intervened, taking the two to sit on a bench and getting them quiet.

Leo watched the four friends: he remembered seeing them together in school during lunch breaks. He smiled, glad to know that his sister had always had friends by her side.

"Holy shit," Colin muttered beside him. "Who the hell is that?"

Leo turned to look at him and then followed his gaze.

Straight to where Jemma was standing. She looked up and saw him, face breaking into a smile and walked towards him.

"Hell...she's..." Colin whistled appreciatively and grinned at him.

Leo found his new appreciation and friendly affection for Colin waning very, very fast. Ignoring him, he let out a breath and walked towards Jemma, meeting her half way.

She wobbled slightly on the last step and he moved forward, grabbing her by her elbow and shoulder.

"Woah, there..." he said, steadying her. "Are you drunk?"

"As if..." she huffed, echoing his words at the beginning of the night. "I'd like to see you walking the whole night in these contraptions..."

Leo snorted.

"Right..." He grinned. "Had fun with Ali and her friends?"

"Yeah, it had been a fun night" She laughed softly. "I even managed to convince Alison's friend that we're really together..."

"Really?" A smile made its way on his face. "How?"

"Hmm... We just talked... You know, girl talk."

She was hiding something, he was quite sure but he didn't press on. It was nice to see her so carefree; she'd been a bit stressed over her thesis lately...

"You?" She asked, looking at him. "How was your night?"

"I had fun, too," he replied with a nod.

"Do you think someone's up to drive?" Her eyes took in the large group of men and women, wondering who would be able to drive a car at this moment.

He could see her concern but Colin spoke up from behind him. Leo had almost forgotten that he was there.

"Kyle and Heather didn't drink anything," he said, approaching them. "They were at home when they organised this night and those two were speaking about best friends' responsibility. Or was it best man and maid of honour? Well, whatever.." Colin grinned and held out a hand to Jemma. "I'm Colin."

"He's Alec's brother," Leo told her.

"Oh, I'm Jemma," she replied, shaking the hand with a smile. "Jemma Simmons, pleased to meet you."

As soon as she let go of his hand, Colin looked at Leo and then at Jemma. It was only after a moment that Leo realised that he was still holding her, fingers curled around her arm. He hadn't even realised... and neither did Jemma, it seemed.

And for some reason, he didn't want to let go...

"Oh, yeah..." Colin's expression brightened. "You go to MIT with Leo, right? Are you an engineer too?"

"Oh God, no. One is more than enough" Jemma replied and shot Leo a teasing smile. "I'm a biochemist."

"A brilliant biochemist," Leo added with a smile. "Jemma's finishing her second PhD."

"I'd say you're pretty brilliant too, Mr. Rocket Scientist..." she remarked, glancing at him.

Leo grinned.

Colin stared at them for a moment before asking more things about MIT and the three of them stood there talking for a while until Alec called for his brother and he excused himself.

Jemma turned to Leo, eyebrow raised.

"What?" He asked.

"What was all that about?"

"I don't understand..."

"This," She gestured to his hand, fingers firm around her wrist now. "And the whole 'She's brilliant' thing."

Leo shrugged.

"If I didn't do that, you'd probably be dealing with a smitten suitor."

Jemma shot him a deadpanned look.

"Really?" She drawled. "So, you're putting up the jealous-pretend-boyfriend act now?"

"Annoyed-pretend-boyfriend act, please."

Jemma laughed.

-:-

People started to wave goodbye and leave in little groups.

Colin and Kyle had to each take Alec by an arm and get him inside the car. Heather agreed to take her, Leo and Alison home while Bryce waited along with them before walking to his apartment.

Jemma couldn't help but chuckle when Alison suddenly got a hold of both her brothers as they hovered close to her, identical concerned looks on their faces, and pulled them in a hug.

Both boys groaned in protest and pain as their sister nuzzled them, making them hit their heads against each other.

"You two are the best brothers in the world," Alison announced happily.

"Er- good to know," Leo commented dryly.

"Bloody hell, Ali," Bryce remarked. "You're sloshed. And clingy."

He slowly tried to disentangle himself but his sister held tight.

"No, not letting go. I don't know when I'll get to hold you like this again. Just... Just a moment, like the old times." It came out like a soft plea.

Jemma saw how Leo froze, going still in his sister's hold. Bryce stopped fidgeting too and turned to his brother with a wide eyed expression-it was the first time that she actually saw him do that.

Alison was hugging them with her eyes closed and she didn't know what was happening but it seemed important for her.

She wondered if she used to do this before, when they three of them were younger. She could almost imagine caring and loving Alison hug her younger brothers freely: the older girl just exuded that sort of love. Just the way Alec did.

And after their troubled past and conflicts, her brothers were allowing her to do so now.

Jemma felt a little bit of emotion choke her throat when she saw Leo's arm slowly wrap around Alison's waist and Bryce wrap an arm around her shoulder. The two brothers shared a glanced and exchanged a wry smile.

The moment lasted a minute. Jemma and Heather stood there in silence, both sharing a glance and a small smile. Jemma realised that the other woman knew a side of Alison that was rarely shown: she must have seen her cry, get angry, lose faith in everything and herself.

Just like she knew Leo and his fears and doubts...

The three siblings broke away, Alison smiling a watery smile while Leo and Bryce looked a bit choked up but bracing themselves to be normal.

Bryce stepped away and waved a hand.

"See you on Sunday," he said softly, looking at his sister. "Night, sis."

He walked away after Alison smiled at him.

Heather walked forward and took a hold of Alison,wrapping an arm around her waist while the elder Fitz rambled about her being the best friend in the world. The soft laughter coming from the two older girls made Jemma smile.

Leo was standing still, his eyes fixed on the retreating figure of his brother. His eyes were a swirl of emotion. She approached him and without saying a word, laced her fingers around his wrist, squeezing slightly.

He just stared at her and shot her a soft look that made her heart thud in her chest but she managed a smile and they walked to the car.

Once at home and after tucking Alison in her bed, they checked all the doors and walked into Leo's room, Jemma carrying her heels from the moment she stepped on the porch, feeling immediate relief.

They moved around in silence, not wanting to wake up Leo's mother downstairs. The only thought in Jemma's mind was to change and go to sleep. Tiredness was weighing on her body: the early morning at the lab, the plane trip and the late night getting to her at once.

Leo was knackered as she was, she could clearly see it by the way his shoulders were slumped as he took off his jumper and trainers.

She was going to leave the room, carrying her sleepwear and toiletries when a thought crossed her mind and she froze by the door.

"Jemma?" Leo's voice was barely a whisper but she could clearly hear his confusion. She felt a blush rise on her face.

"Er...I need your help," she whispered back, turning around. He approached her, puzzled and she felt the blush darken on her face.

She must have drank a little bit too much during the night; otherwise, she couldn't explain the sudden warm tingles in her stomach as she looked at Leo in his white t-shirt with his scruffy jaw and messy curls.

Some part of her mind was telling her to drop everything she had in her hands and see how his chin and hair would feel under her fingers. Jemma remembered the sandpapery texture of his jaw against her shoulder and couldn't help the little shiver that ran down her spine at the thought of his jaw nudging against the soft skin of her neck…

"Jemma?" Leo was awfully close now. She got a heady whiff of his cologne and it did terrible things to her wriggling stomach. Why were her body and mind suddenly reminding her that she was a nineteen year old girl? Why was she sensing Leo's pheromones in a completely non-academic way?

'Focus, Jemma,' she thought to herself. Bloody hell, she was a doctor and a biologist, not just some hormonal girl!

"Alison helped me get dressed earlier," she explained turning around again and showing her back to him. Maybe not looking at him would give her time to clear her head... She moved her hair out of the way. "Can you-can you unzip me? An inch or two will be enough..."

She couldn't see his face and was immensely glad of it. Best friends or not, it was the first time that she has asked him to help her out of her clothes.

And...that sounded completely wrong in her head. And it created a whole influx of thoughts too...

Bloody hell...

Jemma felt Leo get closer to her. She literally felt his body heat on her back. Her heart did some odd flips in her chest.

Out of the blue, she felt Leo's hand on her right shoulder. She had discarded her heels so when he leaned forward, she felt his body enclose hers, his breath tingling the hair of her nape.

She turned to her side and her heart thudded loudly in her chest when she almost brushed his nose in doing so. They were so close she could clearly see the various shades of blue that coloured his eyes; eyes, she noticed, that had turned darker than usual.

It suddenly occurred to her that Leo must be affected by all of...this (whatever this was) just as she was. And he was giving in to the feeling, teasing her slightly.

Her fuzzy and muddled brain made her realise that they'd been doing this a lot lately, without really giving it much thought. They had grown to be a little more tactile with each other: brushed touches, hugs or cuddles when they watched a film together…

Everything clearly platonic and friendly but enough to send a little thrill down her spine. Or make his eyes darken like they did now.

"You alright?" Leo asked softly, smiling slightly. His chin scratched her bare shoulder as he talked and Jemma was thoroughly distracted by the rough feeling.

Feeling more than bold, the sensation enhanced by the alcohol in her, Jemma leaned back, savoring the warmth radiating from him and craned her neck slightly, bumping her nose against his before brushing it down his left cheekbone.

She felt Leo breathe out deeply and her lips quirked upwards when his hand gripped her shoulder a little tighter.

"I might have had too many cocktails tonight," she whispered, her lips barely brushing the thin scruff of his jaw. "Brain's a bit fuzzy."

A voice in her head was telling her to turn around and move closer. His eyes were beckoning her...

'No...' Jemma thought. 'Not a good idea...'

Leo looked at her, eyes moving over the length of her face and her heart did a funny twist when his stare fell on her lips.

"Mine too," he whispered, biting his lip. "Too much ale maybe..."

He sighed softly and smiled.

The little wave of warm air on her face along with the smile and lip bite did terrible -or wonderful?- she wasn't really sure- things to her mind and heart.

Their lips were inches apart and Jemma wondered what would happen if she -or he- closed the distance.

They stood in his room and a series of... possibilities crossed her mind, making warm tingles flicker in her stomach. Her eyes flitted to Leo's lips and then his eyes.

The intensity in his gaze made her swallow dryly.

This was Leo.

Her best friend, Leo.

That thought made a ray of reason pierce her mind and she blushed, instantly stepping forward, away from Leo. She felt the scrape of Leo's fingers on her skin and promptly ignored the feeling.

She couldn't help but notice though how his fingers loosened their grip on her shoulder but didn't move away.

He could have pulled her back against him...

She didn't want to linger on the thought that she might have not stopped him from doing so..

"The.. the zip," she whispered. The hand on her right shoulder stilled for a moment before sliding to her spine. She felt his other hand splayed on her shoulder blade.

His fingers were warm against her neck and she had to suppress a shiver when she felt them move down the first trait of her spine with the metallic zipper.

What was happening to her?

This was just Leo...

"Done," he whispered, breath hitting the back of her neck. She swallowed dryly again.

"Thanks," she said, quickly turning around. He was blushing too and his eyes were a deep blue.

Her heart thumped loudly again but she ignored it, rushing to the bathroom.

It took her ten minutes to change and get ready for the night. When she got back, Leo had already changed. She smiled seeing that he was wearing his old MIT t-shirt.

The familiarity of it brought a wave of calm over her: it was enough to clear her head from these odd thoughts.

They settled on their beds, so close now that their arms almost touched.

"Goodnight," she whispered and saw his outline turn towards her in the darkness.

"Goodnight," he replied softly.

Jemma blinked in the dark and it was Leo's steady breathing that actually lulled her into sleep a few minutes later.

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