-HEAD CANON SERIES-

You guys are awesome as always... The response to this story was great!

Here's chapter 2: I had to cut the one shot in half since it was enormous. Hope you guys like it.

Thanks to my Beta StarryDreamer01 who helped me edit this.

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN AGENTS OF SHIELD.

Saturday passed in a breeze.

After their late night, Leo and Jemma walked into the kitchen bleary eyed when it was almost noon. His mother had made them breakfast and after a hot tea, they felt awake.

The first thing he did was mount the new wheelchair and let his mum try and get used to it. She could easily move around the house and also in the yard without tiring herself out. Leo had noticed that she tended not to move around a lot when her arms got tired. His mother worked with her hands, just like he did, and if the chair did all the work, then she wouldn't have to worry for her hands and arms.

Despite his mum's protest to relax, he and Jemma helped her clean the house and the back yard.

Their home was an old family house that had belonged to his mother's family for decades. The property included the house, spacious front garden, the old shed and the vast backyard; the yard was a expanse of meadow that extended for a good hundred feet and that boarded the small cluster of oak trees that separated their property from their neighbours. It was a miniature forest of old trees and Leo used to read there when he was a kid.

The yard was never used for anything and he knew that people had advised his mum to sell the land but she never agreed to do so. It meant too much for her: memories, family and much more...

The wedding reception would take place in the yard so they spent the afternoon arranging tables and chairs with the help of Alec's father and people from the catering service.

At some point during the afternoon, Alison appeared, a bit ruffled and suffering the last traces of a hangover but lucid enough to help with her own wedding.

She ushered Jemma and Leo away once she realised that they'd been hard at work all day and helped the catering service herself while their mother hovered around her, making suggestions about the organisation of tables and chairs.

Leo sat down on the back porch steps, watching the flurry of movements in front of him. His thoughts wandered aimlessly as he looked at Alison, smiling at something that Alec's father said.

He thought about her being so unlike herself last night: carefree, emotional...

The way she had hugged him and Bryce brought back memories...

And the it hit him square in the chest.

Christ, his sister was getting married tomorrow.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

He looked up as Jemma sat down next to him, handing him a mug of tea.

"Thanks," he said softly, taking the tea and sipping. Despite the sunny day, it was nice to drink something warm.

They were silent for a while, holding their mugs with both hands.

"So?" She asked, glancing at him. He looked back and smiled, her previous question coming back to his mind.

"Just wondering about random things," he replied. "Mostly, what or who possessed my sister last night."

Jemma laughed softly.

"I think she just needed to be completely carefree for once," she said, taking a sip of tea and stretching her legs in front of her. "Alec too. They're always thinking about everything, concerned about everyone's well being... They probably needed a thoughtless night. I'm no expert but I do think that getting married and starting to build a life together would bring a rally of thoughts and responsibilities."

"Yeah..." he remarked. "She's always been too responsible for her own good. And she's always putting others before herself. I'm glad that Alec came along: he's lifted some of that weight off of her."

"I always thought that they balanced each other," Jemma smiled slightly. "They remind me of Mum and Dad at times..."

Leo grinned. Saying that Ali and Alec resembled her parents was paying them an enormous compliment; his sister and future husband had nine years of together while her parents had been together for -what, almost twenty-seven years? If Alison and Alec ended up being like the Simmons, Leo was sure that they'd be more than happy for the rest of their lives.

They fell silent again. At some point, he heard Alison's voice as she spoke on the phone to Alec, he assumed, and complained about migraines, throbbing heads and -'I'm never drinking again!'

Leo grinned.

"God, if I ever start drinking at my bachelor party, you've got to stop me, yeah?" The moment he said it, he bit his tongue. What the hell was he saying?

Jemma turned to him, eyebrow raised and chin resting on her clasped hands. She shot him a curious look that he couldn't define and it unsettled him.

"Hmm, it would be rather amusing to see you drunk and frivolous," she commented and smirked. "But as your best friend, I'll do what I can..."

He didn't answer but just stared at her.

He had never thought of getting married: the idea was so farfetched, it was almost laughable. He didn't have any experience with girls, had never been on a date.

And Jemma was also the only girl with whom he had gone out on something like a date or kissed.

His heart clenched as his mind conjured a smoky image of some remote future. An image of him and her, vowing to be together forever...

Just as it appeared, the image dissolved but the feeling lingered in his chest, making his heart beat wildly and leaving his mind in shambles.

His thoughts went to last night where they'd been so close to doing something that would have overstepped all of their boundaries. Jemma's soft smile and intense look as he hovered behind her made his heart clench again. If she had given him a sign, he would have closed the distance between their lips and kissed her.

And he was sure that he wouldn't have blamed the slight fuzz of alcohol in his system…

Something else was lurking there between them. It had been for a while...

He just didn't know what it was.

He almost sighed in relief when Alison called Jemma over, leaving him on the steps. It would give him time to clear his mind from his sudden and confusing thoughts...

Leo watched as his best friend talked with his sister and mother, watched as she laughed at something...

Jemma was his best friend.

Nothing more.

Right?

-:-

The whole house was a flurry of nerves and emotions on Sunday.

It all started when his uncle Sean came with his wife and daughter. Leo had to blink twice and choke down whatever emotion was clogging his throat at the sight of his father's brother after eight years.

Sean looked a lot like Scott despite being three years older. Seeing him was like seeing a hypothetical image of what his father might have looked like now.

When his uncle smiled and hugged him, Leo had felt like a child again, wanting to cling to his uncle after his dad's passing but putting up a strong façade. He wondered if Bryce, who had come to the house early, felt the same as their uncle embraced him.

Alison appeared shortly after, a vision of white in her wedding dress and Leo wondered what was wrong with him when he felt like smiling, laughing and crying all together.

The Simmons rang the doorbell an hour before the wedding ceremony. Jemma had been upstairs the whole morning, giving his family privacy when his uncle arrived and then getting dressed.

Leo greeted the Simmons with a smile and got hugged by Mrs Simmons ("Elaine, how many time do I have to tell you, Leo?"). He was almost ready in his charcoal dress pants, matching coat draped on a chair downstairs and crisp white shirt. He was trying to figure out how to knot the tie as he came to his bedroom's door. He was about to knock to tell Jemma that her parents were here when she opened it.

And the tie was suddenly the last of his thoughts...

Actually, all thoughts just fled his mind and he just stared.

If he had thought that Jemma was stunning a few nights ago, she was downright beautiful right now.

She was wearing a cream coloured dress that flowed past her knees and matching heels. High heels, he noticed, that made her taller and all the more alluring.

Leo couldn't help but allow his eyes to take in the sight of his best friend showing little bits of skin and curves -very feminine curves- that were usually hidden by more modest clothing.

He swallowed dryly when he took in her face. Her hair was down, falling in a cascade of honey colored curls that framed her face. And she was wearing make-up: it did something to her eyes because he was sure that they weren't so bright and clear amber usually.

He would have noticed, right?

Leo stared shamelessly without realising it. Jemma ducked her head for a second and bit her lip in embarrassment before peering up at him.

"Good?" She asked softly, touching the long silver earring dangling from her right earlobe. "Or bad?"

Saying that she looked good was the greatest understatement of the century...but he couldn't say that loudly. Leo forced himself out of his stupor and smiled at her.

"You look wonderful," he said honestly, blushing slightly when he saw her blush.

"Thank you," she replied and approached him. Her eyes fell on the tie dangling around his neck. "Having trouble with that?"

"I can't find a way to keep the knot tight and straight," he said, rolling his eyes as she chuckled. "Why, you know how to do that?"

"Funnily enough, yes," She reached for the ends and her fingers started to move around his neck and in front of him in quick, skilled movements.

He tried to pay attention and learn but his mind is suddenly enveloped by the scent of lavender that he had learned to associate with her. There's a new fragrance lingering in the background, he noticed. Some other flower... Lilies?

She noticed his gaze and quirked an eyebrow.

"Just wondering why you know how to knot a tie," he replied to her silent question.

"Dad," she said and smiled. "I asked to help him when I was younger. I think he was going to some conference or ball with Mum that night... and he indulged on me. He used to ask me to knot it for him so I could practice." She glanced at him, eyes peering through long lashes. "I could teach you."

He nodded, not trusting his voice and she smiled again, smoothing his shirt collar.

A sound to the right made them turn in unison and Leo was surprised to see Bryce standing there. He looked at both of them oddly, eyes flitting between him and Jemma, before walking past them and into his room without saying a word.

Curious but unconcerned, he glanced at Jemma and shrugged. Today was Ali's day and it had to be perfect: Bryce didn't matter.

"Oh..." He suddenly remembered the reason of his going upstairs. "Your parents are here."

She beamed at him.

"Let's go then," she said and tugged his wrist. He smiled, allowing her to drag him downstairs.

-:-

The wedding was celebrated in a small chapel a few streets away from Leo's house. He explained that it was the same place where his parents and maternal grandparents had married.

And the same for the past generation of Alec's family.

When they filed into the chapel and stood at benches, she looked around, taking in the wooden beams and simple décor. It was rare for her to step inside a church.

She wasn't a religious person and neither were her parents: there was too much rationality and science running through their veins. She knew that Leo shared similar thoughts but it didn't seem to extend to his family. She had seen the small cross that Lena and Alison wore on a chain on their necks and she thought that she had seen a similar cross around Bryce's neck as well.

She couldn't help but wonder about it, the whole concept of believing in someone that just existed because of faith in a deity. It was hard to understand.

She stood with her parents in the bench right behind Leo's family. She saw Alec standing by the altar, tall and nervous as she had never seen him before.

The march erupted suddenly and they all turned around. The flower girl(Alec's sister) walked by and then came the bridesmaids (Shona winked at her as she passed. Or at Leo. Or both, she wasn't sure...) and then Alison escorted by her uncle.

She looked beautiful in the white dress sewn by her mother: it was sleeveless with a white bodice and satin gown, lace intricately patterned around it. Her long sandy brown curls tumbled past her shoulders and were covered by a thin, embroidered veil.

She was smiling but her hands were gripping the flower bouquet, her eyes darting through the small crowd, softening when she saw her family.

Jemma watched as Alison's eyes fell on Alec and saw the older girl light up, literally radiate joy from every fibre of her being, smile widening and eyes unwaveringly fixed on him.

Alec's green eyes were glued on Alison and took a soft, adoring look that made Jemma smile.

She wondered again if falling in love was as wonderful as it looked...

Her eyes flitted to Leo, standing to her right in front of her; he glanced back, smiling.

A flutter went through her stomach but she ignored it. She was doing this often lately: ignoring these confused messages that her body was giving her.

It happened again when Alison and Alec exchanged their vows.

"...to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law, in the presence of God I make this vow..."

It was just a line but the emotion lingering in their voices got to Jemma as well and she found herself swallowing a lump that was suddenly in her throat.

She never labelled herself an overly romantic girl but... this did something to her.

Out of no where a handkerchief appeared in front of her and she looked up to meet Leo's eyes, a bit glassy but soft. He quirked his lips in a crooked smile that made her heart do a funny flop in her chest but she managed to smile back, taking the handkerchief from his extended hand and dabbing the little moisture at the corner of her eyes.

The rest of the ceremony was a blur. It was all cheers and applauses and congratulations being tossed around at some point.

The sight of an emotional Alison hugging her mother (Lena wearing a blue dress and looking happier than Jemma had ever seen her) and then her brothers, one by one, making her smile.

When she and her parents went to congratulate the newlyweds, Jemma was engulfed in a tight hug by Alison and she melted slightly, wondering if this was how a sister would treat her.

"Congratulations," Jemma said softly.

"Thank you," Alison replied in a choked voice. "Thank you for everything, Jemma."

She pulled back and looked confused. The older girl shot her a watery smile.

"Leo," she said as though that should be an explanation. "You brought Leo back. He was gone after Dad died, lost inside himself... but then you came along and brought him back. I'll never be able to thank you enough for making my brother happy."

Jemma blinked. Stared. And then blushed, unable to respond.

That...wasn't true, right?

She looked at Leo, hugging Alec and congratulating him with a grin and thought about the fourteen year old boy who wouldn't allow himself call his family when he felt alone.

It couldn't be her...right? She didn't do anything...

-:-

Jemma watched Leo during the reception.

She was sitting with her parents, eating as the waiters brought food and piling things on the plate that should be Leo's.

He was walking around taking pictures and videos. The photographer that had taken pictures and videos during the ceremony was eating and Leo had taken his place in the meantime.

She smiled at his adamant, single handed, quest to make the wedding perfect and flawless. It was a his way of showing his sister how much he cared for her: he did little things without really being asked to do them. Like when the bottles of water had finished and he had run over to the shed to bring a crate.

Her best friend was an adorable, sweet boy...

"How are you feeling about your dissertation, sweetheart?" Her father asked, sipping some wine. "Nervous?"

"A bit," Jemma confessed, wiping her mouth with her napkin. "It's on Wednesday and I've got to simulate and explain an experiment in front of a commission..." She smiled nervously. "I really don't like speaking in public."

"Will Leo be there?" Her mother asked.

"Yes, thank god..." She had almost cried in relief when he told her that he had managed to get the morning off so that he could attend her dissertation. "Although...I think he'll have to work on Saturday for that." He'd be knackered on the weekend and she had already thought about a way to thank him: a nice homemade dinner and a Harry Potter movie marathon.

"That's very sweet of him," Her mum smiled.

"Yeah," Jemma smiled fondly and totally missed the glance shared by her parents.

"Any plans afterwards?" Her dad asked. "His Masters ends in July, right?"

"Yes, it does...unless the contract is extended," She looked at her Mum who nodded conspiratorially: Jemma had told her of the possible plan for the coming year for her and Leo. Her dad noticed right away.

"Alright, what are you two hiding from me?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did you get together? Should I go and give Leo the Talk and all?"

"Dad!" Jemma blushed furiously. Her parents were constantly teasing her about her best friend. She should be thankful that they hadn't started commenting about her pretending to be Leo's girlfriend.

"I was joking," her father said with a smile.

Jemma huffed and told him about the plan of staying at MIT for another year, getting a researcher post until they were twenty one. She felt a blush on her face again when she told him about getting a house with Leo.

What was wrong with her?

"Oh well, it seems that I should have a little talk with Leo then..." Her father remarked making Jemma groan in distress.

"Hey, Dr. Simmons!"

All three Simmons turned around and faced the cheeky grin of the youngest Fitz behind his camera.

"You couldn't have been more in sync even doing it on purpose," he remarked, putting the camera on the table and sitting next to Jemma.

She rolled her eyes.

"You've been dying to do that, yeah?" She asked, pushing his plate in front of him. "Here."

"Yeah," he said with a smile. "When would I get the chance to say one name and get three people to turn? Thanks." He poured some water in both their glasses.

They both missed the bemused smiles of her parents.

"You've become awfully...domestic," Her mum commented.

"Really?" they asked together, eyes wide and innocent. Both her parents laughed.

"So, Leo," her dad said after a while. "What's this thing about you and my daughter getting a house and living together?"

Leo choked on his food while Jemma buried her face in her hands.

-:-

The dancing had started once the food was cleared off the tables. Some friend of Alec's had started putting the music, serving as an impromptu DJ.

Leo was getting some drinks for him and Jemma. He knew that she had been dying to get to the dance floor: he'd have to relent at some point and give in to dance with her.

He'd been saved by her father now: they were swaying to some slow dance but he could clearly make out Jemma's laugh through the crowd.

It made him smile...

It had been a long time since he felt so...happy.

It was a good day. His sister was brimming with a joy that made his heart swell. His mum was happy too: he had seen her talk with his uncle and aunt. He realised that this was the first time in years that she talked with someone that was family and that weren't her children.

Hell, even his brother seemed to be in a good mood, smiling and chatting with people.

Things were going well...finally.

"Hey, look who we have here!"

And his good mood drained away. Immediately.

He would recognise that voice anywhere...

Leo turned around and met the the haughty gaze of James Cornwell. Behind him was Andrew Finnegan and...Bryce.

Leo felt a wave dread wash his body as old memories of his years at school and the endless taunts came back to his mind.

They hadn't changed much. James and Andrew had gotten taller (they still had a inch or so on him just like Bryce). Andrew was still gangly looking and James was still built like a rugby player.

"Leo," James drawled, approaching him. "How are you, mate?"

The tone was cheery but rather than calming him, it sent a shiver down Leo's spine: it was the voice he used back at school.

He saw that all three were holding glasses filled with an amber liquid. Scotch or whiskey.

"James, Andrew," he said, nodding at them as he filled Jemma's glass with some punch, trying to keep his calm. He had to play it cool. He put the glass on the table and turned to them. "I'm doing well. You?"

James laughed and turned to his friends.

"Well, look at that!" He exclaimed, draining his glass and approaching him. Leo could clearly smell scotch from where he was standing. "Little Leo's manned up."

He clapped his hand on Leo's shoulder, fingers purposely digging in the flesh.

Leo clenched his jaw but didn't say a word.

"What?" James hissed. "Just because you're going to some fancy nerd American school, you think you're better than us? You think we've forgotten who you are? You're Leo the little freak..."

It stung.

The taunting stung as it had back then.

Leo felt as though he was ten all over again: unable to respond. But it wasn't fear or weakness right now: it was purpose. He didn't know how James would react if he retorted; who knows what he'd do. The last thing he wanted was to cause a scene during Alison's wedding reception.

Leo's eyes went to look over James' shoulder at his brother. Didn't it matter to him? Didn't he care that his friend could mess their sister's day?

"What? You're trying to get your brother to help you out?" Andrew taunted. "Look at that, Bryce." He nodded towards Leo, smirking at his brother. Bryce shrugged, smirking and taking a sip of his drink.

"Oh.. I almost forgot," James mockingly slapped a hand to his head. "Bryce says that you're here with your girlfriend. Now really, Leo? You brought a nerd friend over? Another freak like you? Or did you just pay a random girl?"

Leo felt a flare of anger in his stomach, hot and deep. He clenched his jaw tight.

It was alright if he was taunted but James shouldn't even think of speaking of-

"Leo?"

He whipped around at the sound of her voice. A spark of unease ran down his spine.

Jemma stared at him, eyes taking in his appearance and then sliding to the boys behind him.

She would know: she would surely understand. He had talked to her about his school experiences...

And he had seen how her eyes had flared in anger when he spoke about the bullying.

He approached her.

"Hey, I was getting your drink," he said, smiling in what he hoped was a convincing way.

"What's going on?" She whispered, taking his right wrist in her right hand. No, he didn't convince her. At all.

"Nothing, really..."

"Leo..."

"Well, hello there," James remarked, giving Jemma a once over. Leo felt the unease settle in his stomach. He didn't like that look at all. "Who are you, darling?"

"Jemma Simmons," Her tone was neutral as her face. Leo couldn't even remember one moment when she talked to someone without a hint of a smile.

James' eyes widened and he turned his head towards Bryce before looking at her again.

"You're...his girlfriend?" The question was incredulous and sarcastic as though he expected Jemma to scoff and laugh along with him at its absurdity.

She didn't...

Jemma's hand slid down from his wrist to his hand, soft nimble fingers entwining with his larger ones tightly.

"Yes," she replied firmly and turned to Leo, smiling, a soft blush colouring her cheeks. "Yes, I am."

Leo felt his heart stutter in his chest.

James gaped at her as did Andrew. Bryce just stared blankly and Leo felt unease wash over him again.

They had to get away from them.

"Fancy a dance?" He asked Jemma, turning to her with a smile.

She blinked at him for a moment before smiling uncertainly. He realised that she was mirroring his own smile.

"Of course," she replied and guided him to the dance floor, hands clasped together.

Leo didn't even bother to look back but he clearly heard James' voice.

"How did that prick of your brother get that fine lass? She's wasted with him."

Leo felt dread lacing with the unease in his stomach now.

-:-

As soon as they're on the dance floor, Jemma guided Leo to the furthest corner so that the refreshment table was out of sight and turned around to put a hand on his shoulder.

He slowly registered that they were standing in front of each other and put his hand on her waist absently. Their other hands were still locked together so she lifted them between their bodies.

She looked at him as they swayed to some slow song, the rush of excitement that she had had while dancing with her father now ebbed to nothing.

His eyes were clouded as they were when they were younger. She pursed her lips as the bit of anger that had fuelled her before slowly turned into concern.

"Leo?" She ventured, hoping that he would talk and not clam up like he used to.

He looked at her, lips in a thin line and eyes a swirl of emotion. Her heart clenched painfully and she tightened the hold of her hands on him, inadvertently stepping closer.

He blinked and smiled slightly.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I just...spaced out." And he looked away.

He was lying and she knew it. He knew that she knew it. She sighed deeply: it was like going back to when they were fifteen again.

But they weren't.

They were almost twenty, had known each other for five years and were best friends. She wasn't going to let it all slide into oblivion even for a moment.

"Liar," she muttered, stepping another few inches closer to him. She could clearly feel the heat radiating from his body and caught a whiff of his cologne, the leathery-spicy scent familiar to her.

She softly squeezed his shoulder to get his attention but when he didn't budge, she moved her hand to his face, put two fingers on the side of his jaw and forced him to turn.

Leo jumped slightly and stared at her.

"Jemma?" His voice barely hid his surprise. "Wha-?"

"What's going on?" She asked softly. "You're cooping everything up again...Talk to me, Leo."

His eyes settled on her, still a bit unclear but not looking at anything but her. She felt his fingertips move on her waist as a sigh escaped his lips.

"Sorry," he apologized again. "It's just... I hate that seeing them, hearing them again makes me feel like I'm back at school. It's like being the little genius freak all over again."

Jemma swallowed dryly, feeling the sadness and pain laced behind his even voice. She could easily understand him: her school experience had been pretty much identical though she didn't have to constantly face a threesome of bullies.

Now that she had seen them, she could finally put a face to the hateful names she had heard from him. And the few minutes had also given her a chance to identify their roles.

Andrew was the skinnier one and the sidekick: too weak to do anything on his own. James was the bulky one: he was the perpetrator, physically menacing and aware of that.

And Bryce... Jemma felt a flare of anger towards him. Bryce was the instigator: he was the one that planned the bullying, said the right words and got the others to do the dirty work.

Five years that she had known Leo and she had never had a conversation with Bryce that wasn't for mandatory greetings.

How could he allow his brother to be hurt in this way?

"You should react," she whispered. "Let them know that you're not the little...kid any more."

"No," He shook his head. "It's Ali's wedding: the last thing I want is to cause a scene...or a fight."

"I'm not saying to fight them," she said quickly. The thought of him confronting the other three, especially now that she had seen James, sent a little tingle of fear down her spine.

Leo was strong: she had seen him carry heavy weights easily but he was slight. She could imagine his bones breaking or bruising with harsh impacts and she really didn't want that to happen.

"I-I'm just saying that you can stand up to them now," she said, leaning forward so that her forehead was touching his chin. "You're brilliant, Leo. You're a rocket scientist with a PhD and a technical Masters...all before turning twenty," She looked up and smiled at him. "You're pretty awesome, Dr. Fitz."

He laughed, the sound reverberating from his chest and making her smile.

"Coming from a biochem genius with two PhDs as you are, Dr. Simmons," he teased. "That's quite the compliment."

She laughed and looked up at him. He was looking down at her with soft eyes but there's still a bit cloudiness there.

"What else?" She asked, forcibly turning him around and smiling as his eyes widened.

"I feared that you wanted to twirl me around, Jemma," he said, curling his fingers higher on her waist and changing the grip of their hands so that her fingers were covered by his.

It all felt oddly... comfortable. From his touch to his proximity and even the fact that they're slow dancing.

She felt as ease...and it made her bolder than usual.

"So?" She insisted and he looked at her with a crooked smile.

"It's scary how well you can read me," he commented.

"Well, you seem to figure me out just as easily," She shrugged. "And don't you dare ignore my question again."

He sighed and suddenly dropped his head against hers, foreheads touching. She almost stopped moving, startled by his reaction but his fingertips started to do little circles around her waist and palm so she swayed with him, ignoring the stuttering of her heart.

"Can I ask you a favour?" He asked after a few moments of silence. She glanced at him and saw how his eyes were clear now. And trained on her.

"Of course," she whispered.

"Don't... hang around on your own, alright? Stick with me or your parents. Or my mum. Just not alone."

His tone was carefully levelled but she could sense the urgency in his words.

Leo was worried. For her.

"Why?" She asked, frowning slightly. Why was he worrying over her?

"It's just-" He shook his head and straightened up. "Just indulge me, yeah? Only for today." He cracked a smile as she arched a brow and added. "I might be overreacting right now but... James seemed a little too interested in you. And I'm not sure that I like it..."

Jemma blinked. She recalled the older boy's leery tone and look and she pulled up a disgusted face.

"I don't think I'd even want to be in a ten feet radius of him," she said and Leo chuckled.

"I know..." He looked at her again, his smile turning softer. "Just do it, yeah? Please... For my sake."

It was the soft tone that did it to her. Along with his words.

She nodded, not trusting her voice because her heart had started to thump strangely again. She wondered if he realised how he could easily ask her to do anything in that tone and she would accept.

And it scared the hell out of her that he had such power over her.

She shook her head to disperse the sudden thoughts and looked up at him. Without thinking too much, she leaned forward to brush a kiss against his jaw.

"You're a damn worrier," she whispered with a smile.

He blushed slightly but smiled back.

-:-

"I think that they've forgotten that they're pretending to be together," Jeremy Simmons commented, swirling his glass of wine in his hand and looking at his wife. "I wonder if someone shouldn't go and remind them."

Elaine chuckled softly.

"I honestly don't see a reason to do that," she said and looked over at the dance floor where her daughter was currently dancing with her best friend. Her eyes softened as Jemma laughed when Leo twirled her on the spot. "I've never seen Jemma look so happy."

"You've been saying that for the last five years," her husband remarked, taking a sip of wine.

"And I hope to say that for much longer..." She quipped, rolling her eyes. "Please tell me that you're not seriously worrying about them? Or about him?" She wondered if her husband was suddenly remembering that their baby girl was not a baby anymore. "Leo's such a wonderful boy."

"I know, he's a fine lad," Jeremy admitted. He looked at Jemma and Leo and smiled. "And he cares for our daughter."

Elaine nodded. The way Leo looked at Jemma sometimes, the utterly tender look in his eyes made her wonder if he had realised just how deep his care went.

And Jemma shared the same sentiments: she had seen the way she looked at him...

"I wonder if they will realise it..." she mused. "Or if they'll just go on pretending to be friends." She laughed as a sudden thought went through her mind. "If Jemma wasn't so horrible at lying, I'd wonder if they're not really pretending to be friends and have been together the whole time."

"Well, in that case, I will have to have a bit of a talk with Leo." Jeremy remarked with a teasing grin. "Genius or not, he's not getting away from me threatening him to not touch my daughter in any inappropriate way. I already feel like a terrible father that I've allowed my nineteen year old daughter to live with a boy for five years; there's no way I'm allowing them to have sex..."

"Sweetheart, you do realise that since we've allowed them to live together -and they're planning to move in a flat together in the future, mind you- and if they're having sex, they're doing it with our blessing, right?"

Jeremy nearly choked on his wine while Elaine laughed.

-:-

Leo was smiling.

Lena Fitz watched her son with soft eyes as he swayed to some jazzy song looking bashful. Jemma grinned at him, gripping his hands and made him move around a bit, causing her boy to laugh.

A smile made its way to her face too.

"Leo looks a lot like Scott," Lena turned as Sean spoke: he was looking at her son as well. He had left his wife and daughter at their table and had moved to sit next to her. "It's a bit shocking really: I feel as though I'm seeing my brother during our teenage years."

Lena smiled.

"He has taken from him the most," she admitted. "Alison's got Scott's will and temper and Bryce his stubbornness and determination but Leo's the one that resembles him most physically and mentally."

Sean glanced at her.

"Must have been hard for you," he said softly. "They constantly remind you of him."

"Scott has never left my mind. It feels like our life together has been a dream sometimes: our children are the only tangible things that keep me sane and show me that it wasn't." She looked at him with a smile.

"I should have come over more often," he said. "Helped you, given you support... Scott would have wanted that. He would have expected that from his older brother."

"You were dealing with your own pain. And you're here now: Alison is very happy."

"She's a wonderful girl. She told to me come not to apologize but to celebrate with the family. She told me to bring her a piece of her father's family to her wedding. I really couldn't deny her that."

Lena smiled, remembering the conversation with her daughter, feeling the wave of pride for her again.

They sat in silence for a while until Sean chuckled softly, making her turn towards him.

"Leo really does look like Scott," he mused with a fond look as he watched Leo and Jemma being approached by Alison and Alec and coaxed into dancing. "The way he looks at that girl..." He glanced at Lena. "Sort of reminds me of when my little brother decided not to move back to Edinburgh with us after Dad was relocated again but decided to stay here."

Lena didn't reply but smiled back. She watched her son and daughter dance as memories came back to her.

They had been twenty at the time.

The Fitzes had moved to her street when the father had been relocated by his business office from Edinburgh temporarily.

She was already working as a seamstress with her mother and she had been immediately attracted to the youngest son, a charming boy with an eager smile.

When his father was transferred back, Scott decided to stay. For her.

She looked at Leo and saw the soft, undiluted love in his eyes as he looked at Jemma.

She had seen the caring English girl look at her son the same way.

They just had to admit it to themselves. Then admitting it to each other would be easy..

Just like it had been for her and Scott.

-:-

It was almost evening when Leo walked to the shed to retrieve a few bottles of Alison's favourite drinks. He had noticed them missing from the refreshment table and from his sister's table.

He told Jemma to wait with her parents while he went to get them and stopped her when she was going to come with him. She had been on her feet nearly all day and, he was no expert, but those heels were probably giving her hell.

She must have understood his concern because she shot him a small look and conceded to wait.

He barely made it to the shed, slowly tugging his tie loose and enjoying the cool air without his suit jacket on when he found himself circled.

He should have known.

It had always been like that back at school.

They always managed to find a way to sneak up on him.

He twisted around as James appeared in front of him and saw Bryce standing behind him and Andrew by the shed's door.

A trickle of unease made its way down his spine.

"Well, well, well," James drawled out. "If it isn't our favourite freak..."

Leo clenched his jaw and stared at him. They had been waiting for him. They must have been looking for the moment to get him on his own.

A tingle ran down his spine again when he realised that they must have kept watching him and Jemma the whole time.

James swaggered forward, suit jacket open and tie loose. He stopped short of Leo and grinned.

"Why all alone?" He asked. "Where's your girlfriend?"

Leo was hit by a reeking stench of alcohol as soon as he opened his mouth and it took all of his willpower not to gag.

James was drunk and that didn't bid well for him. James was usually volatile in his actions: he had always been like that. Leo didn't want to think how unpredictable he could get now that he had alcohol in his body.

"I wouldn't stay away from that pretty face too long," the other boy continued.

Leo had to keep his calm and just let him and the others vent on him without reacting. But James mentioning Jemma made him clench his jaw tight.

"What? She still hasn't figured out what a tosser you are?" Andrew laughed from behind him but Leo didn't turn. He could easily ignore Andrew: the guy provoked but was too coward to do more. It was James and Bryce that worried him.

James waved his hand dismissively at Andrew and put a hand on Leo's shoulder, pulling into some sort of one armed hug. It made him tense.

"How the hell did you get the lass?" He asked, fingers digging into his shoulder. "She's fine as hell."

Leo didn't speak: James' leary tone was grating on his nerves but he didn't react and just stood ramrod straight.

'It's Alison's wedding,' he thought, looking down and tightening his fists.

"He didn't get anything," Bryce remarked suddenly. Leo turned around to see his brother approach them. They were wearing identical charcoal suit, white shirts and blue ties: only the pocket tissue varied (and Jemma still had his). "That girl must be desperate if she likes to be stuck with you."

His tone was icy and it hurt Leo more than he expected.

He wanted to ask why he was doing this but the words didn't come out. He just stared at his brother.

"Ha, thought so..." James taunted. "Too pretty to be shagging a wanker like you." He peered at Leo, lips curling into a smirk. "Did you even shag her, mate? Don't even know if you have that much in you..." He tightened the hold of his arm around Leo's shoulder, hugging him in the way (he assumed) old friends did. Or how fake friends and real bullies did. James smirk curled into something more twisted. "Let me guess, you pay her to do all the work, yeah? You just lay there and watch.. How much by the way? I wouldn't mind getting a round with her. She looked pretty fiery so-"

"Shut up," The words were out of Leo's mouth before he realised it. He abruptly shook off James' arm and took a step away, a flare of anger building in his stomach. There was an odd ringing in his ears.

James looked at him for a moment and then smirked again.

Leo almost swore at himself.

He hadn't realised how susceptible he was now. During his school years, the taunts had been daily and he had grown a hard shell of patience and control that tamed his temper. But years later , the shell had grown thin, waned by Jemma's friendship and care.

Jemma had allowed him to lower his guard and be more emotional: she had coaxed him to drop the blank mask he had been wearing for years after his father's death. Like he had coaxed her from putting up the cheery mask constantly.

They had both dropped their masks and opted to be thoroughly honest with each other.

And while this had helped them get closer, it had also lowered his defences. Leo hadn't realised that he almost forgotten what being bullied meant. People at MIT used to ignore him but now they acknowledged him.

The times he had been at home had been relaxed because his brother was never there. He had always made up excuses and went off with his friends when the Simmons invited him and his family for Christmas.

Leo had got used to being happy.

Bryce moved forward before he'd realised it and Leo felt the air knocked out of him when he was roughly pushed against the shed's door.

"You shut up," he hissed. "You don't get to say anything." Leo looked at his brother and saw the veil of anger in his usually icy eyes. "You don't deserve to be happy."

Leo suddenly realised what he had always known in the depths of his mind.

Bryce hated him because of their father's untimely death, yes, and had vented all of his anger on him. Bryce who would instigate his two friends to hurt him in every emotional way.

But Bryce was also irrationally jealous of him

He had brushed it off when Jemma had mentioned it years ago, thinking that his brother was just fuelled by anger and pain.

But, now...

"You don't deserve to be happy now."

"Wha-?" Leo's question was cut by another shove.

"Shut up," Bryce hissed again and Leo caught a whiff of alcohol on his breath too. It set off a little warning bell in his head. Bryce was many things but not brash or incautious; if he was drunk, he might be just as volatile as James.

Leo had always known that they'd come to a point where they could openly talk, argue or fight. Whether Bryce wanted it or not, they were brothers and shared a family: a confrontation would come up sooner or later.

But now wasn't the moment.

"It's Alison's wedding," Leo said slowly, looking at Bryce. He didn't elaborate but let his vague words sink in. Bryce stared at him, a flash of emotion went through his eyes before he slammed his open palm against Leo's sternum, making him hit the door again.

Air whooshed out of his lungs at the impact.

"Yeah, funnily enough I know that," Bryce said mirthlessly. "I don't need the intelligent little brother to remind me that. Oh.. Should I start calling you Dr. Fitz now?"

Leo stared at him.

Some of his old neighbours had greeted him at the reception, politely asked about his studies. Alec and Colin had teasingly started to call him Dr. Fitz after a while, making him blush while Jemma had giggled next to him.

He hadn't even noticed Bryce nearby...

"Think you're important now? Do you think people will see you differently? You're nothing. It doesn't matter if you buy Mum some fancy wheelchair or go around and help Alison. They might have forgiven you, you've been able to buy their forgiveness, but I'm not falling for it."

Leo swallowed dryly, feeling a familiar emotion of guilt and pain bubble in him.

"You should lock him up in that shed, Bryce," James said, his voice almost gleeful. "Maybe rough him up a bit. No one would notice him missing."

Bryce glanced at him and shook his head. Leo almost sighed in relief: his brother was clearly smarter than James and wouldn't do something so brash.

"Someone would," Bryce remarked. "I still can't figure out why..."

"His pretend girlfriend?" James' tone made something crawl inside Leo's stomach. "Oh, let her come. I wouldn't mind keeping her busy."

Bryce turned around this time and Leo caught a flash of alarm in his eyes.

"It's my sister wedding," he reminded him. "I don't want problems."

"There won't be. I could talk to her and take her in that shed or behind a tree: she'll have fun. If she's used to him, she'll have a hell of a fine time with me." He laughed. "Hell, she'd have a fine time with Drew if she's used to that prick of your brother. You might have a go with her too, mate."

Andrew laughed dumbly but Leo didn't bother. James' threat towards Jemma echoed in his brain and he was moving before he even realised it.

Slipping past Bryce faster than he had ever expected, Leo rammed into James and Andrew hard with his head and shoulders. They all fell to the ground.

"You fuckin-" James snarled, getting up.

"Don't you dare get close to her," Leo hissed, his ears ringing loudly, as he got up. He would never allow them to touch Jemma...

He wasn't quick enough to dodge and James' fist collided with his face. A flash of pain coursed through him as he tasted the irony tang of blood in his mouth.

Leo wasn't a fighter. He might be strong enough to lift things around the lab but that was it. He had no fighting skills or particular coordination, unlike James who despite his size, moved faster than him. Leo's dizzy mind couldn't keep track of him.

The punch in the gut made him double over but not fall down: Leo felt all air leave his body. He then heard James say something and Leo was suddenly straight on his feet, hands tightly wound behind his back. He turned to see Bryce holding him up.

For the first time in his life, Leo felt pure hatred towards his brother. How could he even allow them to say this?

"Leave her out of this," Leo said, his words slightly slurred out his mouth.

"Shut. Up," James fist collided with his face again and Leo didn't turn around quick enough. He felt a stinging pain on his cheekbone.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Andrew was still on the ground, staring at them with wide eyes.

In all the years of bullying, things had never escalated to this point...

James looked at him with blazing eyes.

"You little prick," he snarled and punched Leo again, right over his last ribs and groan escaped his lips.

"You should have just kept quiet," Bryce whispered from behind him. "He wouldn't have done anything to her...mostly. She's not even your girlfriend: you're pretending. Whatever the hell do you care?"

He cared because Jemma was his best friend.

He cared because no one knew him as much as she did.

He cared because even if they were pretending... he...

Something snapped inside Leo. He saw red before his eyes because he suddenly understood who was the one to blame here.

He twisted around, taking Bryce by surprise, and literally threw his brother on James. It was simple physics, actually...

The two older boys collided and Leo stumbled slightly, trying to ignore the little flashes of pain coming from his body as he stepped away.

Bloody hell, he felt his ribs on fire...

James fell to the ground and groaned, the alcohol in his system finally kicking in. Bryce stumbled but didn't fall and he turned and hit Leo's shoulder.

The sudden twist made Leo turn around, swinging his fist: he felt it collide with Bryce's jaw. Leo then grabbed his brother's arm and slammed him against the shed's door

Bryce groaned, a wheezy sound came out of his mouth before he gasped in surprise when Leo grabbed his suit's collar.

Leo was breathing harshly, anger and the pain from his bruises, making his heart thump erratically. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts that he couldn't control.

"I'm not pretending," he whispered angrily. "So don't you dare allow them to get to Jemma. Don't you dare get her involved. You hate me. Me. Take it out on me. I don't care if it's me..." He breathed unevenly. "Not her."

Bryce stared at him, eyes wide because for the first time in almost eleven years, Leo had reacted. For the first time, Leo had spoken to his brother without restraints.

Leo finally saw his brother for what he was. Manipulative, driven by anger and... jealousy. Jealousy because despite everything he had done to prevent it, Leo had found happiness.

And Jemma was the centre of all of it.

"You're pathetic," Bryce spat out, "You're falling for the only friend you have."

Leo blinked. What?

His momentary stupor allowed Bryce to react. He punched him straight on the face, on the same spot where James had and a cry of pain escaped Leo's lips.

He felt hands grab him from behind and he was suddenly too tired and in pain too move.

He was outnumbered.

-:-

After almost thirty minutes, Jemma excused herself and got up, leaving her parents at their table as she walked through the crowd, concern laced through her veins.

Leo was taking too long to grab a few bottles and come back.

She thought about his words and his concern for her. She had promised not to wander on her own...but that didn't mean that she couldn't look for him.

The thought that he could be in trouble sent her walking faster.

"Woah there, little girl, what's the rush?" Jemma jumped as Alec appeared next to her, wearing a grey suit now and holding a glass of sparkling wine. His smile faded as he took in her face. "What's going on?"

Jemma swallowed dryly as he looked at her with a serious look.

"Er-nothing really...I... just-" Jemma stammered slightly. "I was looking for Leo."

"Jemma, what's going on?" Alec's voice changed completely and it made her falter.

"I can't find Leo," she explained. "He went to fetch some drinks from the shed but...he didn't come back yet." She brought her hands to her neck. "I might be overreacting, Alec but... He had a bit of a run off with Bryce and his friends before and-"

"What?" Alec said sharply, making her jump. "Wait a minute..." Alec looked around, scanning the crowd, using his height to help him. His green eyes darkened. "I haven't see Bryce, James and Andrew around..."

Something froze inside Jemma's stomach.

"Come on, I'll help you find him," he said and turned around. Jemma followed his gaze and saw that he was looking at Alison, dressed in an elegant blue dress, while she was speaking with her mother and uncle. "Come on..."

They walked down to the shed quickly. Jemma felt her heart hammering in her chest and she hoped that Leo had just been hindered by some stupid thing like a locked door.

She didn't want to give into the other scenarios that crossed her mind.

But then she saw him when they came closer to the shed. And her heart stopped in her chest.

"Oh, no..." she whimpered.

"Shite," Alec cursed and she saw him change completely. Gone were the easy smile and gentle look: Alec looked dangerously menacing.

She heard Leo cry in pain and all thoughts fled her mind and she started to run.

-:-

Alec ran after Jemma, wondering how the girl was so fast while running with heels on grass.

It had to be the sight of Leo being used as punching bag by James while Bryce held him.

Alec never thought that he'd feel so much anger...

"Stop!" Jemma cried out and her sudden appearance made the boys freeze for a moment. Alec dashed forward and took advantage of James' raised fist to pull him away from Leo and push him against the shed's wooden wall. He saw that Andrew was standing back, looking at the scene with wide eyes.

Bryce had moved away, eyes wide in shock and Leo almost staggered to the ground but swayed at managed to stay on his feet.

He had a split lip and a bruise on his face and by the way he was wincing, he had been hit in other places. God, he never thought that Bryce would do this to him...

Leo stared in front of him, looking bleakly at Alec and then his eyes fell on Jemma as she rushed towards him. Relief flashed in his eyes before being replaced by something else.

Bryce's eyes fell on Jemma as did James' and Leo noticed it. Alec watched in stunned surprise as the younger boy grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her behind him, shielding her from view using his slight frame and nearly growled at the older boys.

He looked at Jemma and saw that she was just as surprised as he was. She was looking at Leo from behind, hands locked together, and seemed to be whispering to him but he wasn't listening.

As a matter of fact, it seemed that Leo wasn't hearing anything. His eyes were fixed on Bryce and there was a hardened, almost crazed look to them.

And Leo was trembling, literally shaking in rage.

This was bad... He had never seen him react like this: Alec wasn't even sure what he would do.

"Leo," he said loudly. "It's alright."

The boy turned to him, eyes still swirling with emotions. Then without any warning, he disentangled his hand from Jemma's and ran into the house.

Jemma stood still in astonishment for a few moments before following him.

Alec balled his fists tighter and then turned to look at the other three. None of them were nursing bruises like Leo did. They had attacked him...

It sent a flare of anger down his spine.

"Leave," he growled out, flooring James and Andrew with a dark look. "Now before I call the police."

Andrew was ready to dart out of the way but James, cocky as always, looked at Bryce with a smirk as though expecting him to say something.

Bryce looked up and opened his mouth but then shut it immediately. Alec was glad that his brother-in-law hadn't spoken: things were pretty ugly as they were.

James stared at him, eyes hardened. Alec's patience wasn't enough to deal with him now.

"I said: leave now," He walked until he was a step away from James. "Don't ever get close to this house or this family. Ever. And I don't care if he-" He pointed to Bryce. "-tells you anything or allows you here, I will kick you out."

James glared at Alec but walked towards the gate, stepping close to Bryce who didn't look at him. A heavy silence fell between them.

Alec ran a hand in his hair, anger and disbelief intermingling together.

"What the bloody hell, Bryce?" He exploded all together. "What possessed you to go and attack your brother with those two pricks you call friends?"

"You don't know anyth-" Bryce retorted, anger actually lacing his words but it just fuelled Alec's own fury.

"No, I don't," he said. "I don't know a goddamn thing about how you feel or what's been going on in your for the last ten years but... there's a line. I overlooked the fact that you spent your school years isolating and victimising Leo: I didn't even tell Alison! I didn't interfere when you clearly ignored him in your own house. But attacking him? Beating him up in three?" Alec approached the younger boy, eyes hard. "And judging by Leo's reaction... you must have also threatened Jemma."

Bryce looked at him, eyes widening and then he went back to his guarded self again. Anger flared in Alec again.

"Christ, Bryce... You really did that? You went and threatened that girl to spite Leo?"

The boy didn't answer but looked away, shoulders tense and mouth a thin line.

Alec heaved a sigh: he had to go back to the reception. Alison would start to wonder where he'd gone...

"I can't... make you leave from here," Alec said coldly, making Bryce look up at him. "You're Alison's brother and she'd be...destroyed if I told what happened here. I don't want to even think of how your mother would take it... But I won't stay on the lines and let you do what you want, Bryce. I tolerated your actions before because I thought that you were in pain or suffering somehow... And that it would pass at some point.

But this... This is way worse. I can't even think of how you were able to hurt your own brother but you did it. In every possible way. And I swear, I'm having trouble even looking at you now.

But...I married your sister. And we're family now. And that's the only reason that keeping me from kicking you out. But, Bryce, what you did...that's just wrong. And really, you don't even know what being an older brother is."

Alec stared at his brother-in-law, expecting a reaction of any sort but Bryce didn't move. Gritting his teeth, he turned around and left for the reception, hoping that Jemma could calm Leo and help him.

And then, they'd have to come up with something to explain his bruises.

He walked away and didn't see Bryce sit down on the porch's steps, hands in his hair.

-:-

Leo had never felt so much anger.

Raw emotion was strangling his throat and making his vision blurry and red.

He had been on the verge of wanting to hit Bryce. And James. Hard.

But when he turned and saw Jemma behind him, he had to leave. She looked so concerned and her eyes were filled with panic. He caught very little of what she was telling him; scattered words like 'Leo', 'calm down' and 'alright'.

She was worried for him.

And he was worried for her.

Their words still lingered in his head and made his blood boil.

He ran upstairs and yanked his room's door open, getting inside with quick strides and ran his hands through his hair.

He had to calm down. He needed to calm down.

It was Alison's bloody wedding!

But the anger was not subsiding: it seemed to get stronger and harsher as his bruises stung and his mind replayed the whole fight.

Bryce.

It had been him the whole time.

Some part of him had hoped that his brother was just a part of the bullying and taunting and not the main instigator. He wanted to hope that he had been drawn into James' cruel antics.

It had always been the other way around.

Bryce was way too smart to be commanded by James...so he made him think that he was in charge while subtly ordering him around.

Leo thought about the ways his brother had been looking at him and Jemma in these days; he had noticed the odd looks and stares.

How long had he been planning to threaten her to get to him?

Did he hate Leo to that point, to the point of actually hurting her?

The answer was quite simple now: yes.

Leo felt the urge to scream.

He had to calm down.

He was breathing heavily, slow puffs of air coming out of his mouth as he leaned against the wall, shoulders sagging slightly as he forced himself to relax. His hands were trembling, fingers fidgeting and flexing.

It felt like he was a child again; when he would lock himself in his room to swallow his pain and sadness.

He looked around the room, sight becoming clearer. He looked at Jemma's things, neatly arranged on her bed and bedside table. He looked at his things: books arranged in order on the shelves along with stray bolts, nuts and little devices.

And then his stare fell to a lower shelf where he had left his childhood toys.

His eyes fell on two toy trucks and lingered on the firemen's one.

Anger flared in Leo all over again.

He had taken that toy from Bryce as a child and had fixed it, hoping that they'd play together. He had kept it in memory of old times...

He had hoped that his brother cared somewhere in his heart...

Hoped for years despite everything… at the end.

He had been wrong.

Leo walked forward and took the truck. It used to seem enormous when he was a child but now he easily held it in one hand.

He remembered his pride at having fixed it. His dad's proud smile and his brother's jealous look.

Leo gritted his teeth, fingers clenching painfully around the plastic body and threw the toy against the wall.

Anger took over after that...

-:-

Jemma was halfway up the stairs when she heard a shattering noise. She almost jumped, heart thumping in her chest.

Leo had to be in his room. He had mentioned that he would always go there in the past when he needed time alone.

She was still trying to get her mind wrap around all that had happened. Seeing him hurt, punched by his brother and friends had sent a series of pangs through her heart and brain.

She heard the noise of things falling to the ground -thrown to the ground- as she came to his door. Steeling herself, she pushed the door open.

The room was a mess.

Books were strewn on the floor, the contents of the shelves scattered around and she saw some red plastic pieces all over the room.

But all of this registered in her head but didn't concern her as much as the boy currently thrashing around the room. Leo's hands slammed hard against the wooden shelves, hard enough to break skin and bruise.

She was thrown back to when they were fifteen, when he had disappeared one Sunday and had came back late in the evening, weary, tired and hands laced with miniature cuts and bruises.

It had been his father's death anniversary, he later confessed her, and Leo had averted his gaze when he said that he had lost it and had to vent out his feelings.

He was not shouting or crying. He just hit the shelves and walls, attacking whatever obstacle he found.

Jemma felt her heart leap in her throat when he slammed a fist against the wall.

He was going to hurt himself.

"Leo!" She darted forward, sidestepping a few books and reached for him but Leo moved away. He didn't seem to see or hear her. He hit another shelf and she saw a line of red appear on the fair skin of his hand.

"Leo, stop!" Her hands reached for his shoulders, trying to placate his jerky and sudden movements. He turned and twisted, making her hands slip away.

When she finally got a look at his face, her heart dropped down to her feet. His eyes were clouded and he was biting his lip hard, bruising it more, as soft grunts escaped his throat.

He was unleashing and restraining himself altogether.

She almost cried out when he turned around, swinging his arm and hit the corner of his desk with a hard, dull thunk. The flash of pain in his eyes and face showed that he registered the impact but he kept moving on, ignoring it.

Leo was disregarding his own safety.

Jemma was physically smaller and lighter and her strength was laughable compared to his but that didn't mean that she wouldn't do anything to stop him now.

Her hands moved again, frantically grabbing his arms and shoulders and she pushed herself forward, using her body as an anchor.

"Leo," she said, swaying around as she attempted to stop him.. "No,no,no,no... stop. You're hurting yourself!" She managed to keep her hold on his shoulders steady as she pushed him against the wall.

He went still, completely unmoving after the frantic turns and this allowed her to press her body against his, arms circling tightly around his shoulders and waist. She had her eyes trained on him.

He was heaving and she could almost feel his heart beat erratically from his chest. His wasn't looking at her: his gaze was lost in empty space, arms hanging by his sides.

They stayed in silence for a few moments. When his breathing had returned to normal, Jemma dared to speak.

"Leo?" She whispered, her voice almost loud in the quiet room. He looked at her, eyes still clouded with emotions and Jemma felt a lump in her throat again. "Talk to me. Don't shut me out..." Her voice wavered slightly. "Please..."

He blinked at her as though he was finally seeing her and slowly, with the utmost care and gentleness, he wrapped his arms around her.

Jemma felt a rush of warmth as she fitted against him, face buried against the crook of his neck thanks to her additional height. Warmth that turned to something softer when she felt Leo's head drop on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he whispered against her ear.

She shook her head, brushing against his jaw with her nose. There was nothing that he had to apologize for: she should actually. If she had moved before to look for him, if she had gone with him... There were so many ifs that went through her mind as she thought of how she could have prevented him from getting hurt.

She slowly moved a hand up to his face and her fingertips traced the bruise on his cheek and she winced when he flinched.

"We should put some ice on that," she said and her eyes flitted to the cut on his lip. "And check that too."

Her eyes travelled up to meet his. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Leo stared at her for a moment and she saw some emotion flash through his eyes but she wasn't quick enough to identify it. He shook his head and she felt a little sting of disappointment that he hadn't confided in her.

As though reading her mind, Leo moved one hand to brush her face, fingertips grazing her cheek.

"Maybe...later?" He said softly. Jemma nodded numbly, her heart suddenly flipping in her chest for the look he was giving her.

He quirked a smile, flinching as the cut on his lip hurt him.

"We should go back," he said. "Our parents will wonder where we've gone."

"Leo, I should check your-"

"First, I'll clean up this mess," Leo interrupted her and gently disentangled himself from her. "I'm fine, Jemma." He gestured to his face. "These can wait another few minutes."

She frowned, noticing the rigid way he held himself and the winces that marred his face but she didn't say anything. Leo could be incredibly stubborn when he wanted to...

She let go of him and stepped back before looking around the room.

"I'll help you," she said, taking in the strewn books, papers and objects. She noticed that her things had escaped the rampage and she wondered if Leo had had that much of a clear head to avoid touching her belongings.

It would be something that he'd do...

They quickly put everything back to its place: books on shelves, papers and notes on his desk and the material that Leo used to make or repair devices was put in order in the empty places they could find.

The red plastic pieces that littered the floor belonged to an old toy truck: Jemma saw the twisted carcass next to Leo's bed. Unsure of the reason that had made Leo vent his rage on the toy -though she did have a few ideas- Jemma didn't touch it and let Leo dispose of it.

She noticed that he shoved it under his bed with his foot, pushing all the pieces scattered around the room along with it.

Once his bedroom looked normal, they walked downstairs and into the kitchen.

Jemma reached for a tea towel and handed it to Leo.

"Get some ice," she ordered. "And put it on your cheek: it should reduce the swelling." She inwardly winced at the reddish stain under his eye.

Leo nodded, almost rolling his eyes at her concern but did as he was told.

"Don't worry so much," he told her, getting ice cubes from the fridge. "It just looks worse than it seems."

Jemma bit her tongue from answering.

He was being ridiculous.

He had a clear bruise on his cheek and a cut on his lower lip. Who knew if those three had hit him elsewhere but they must have, because he was rigid as he walked. And she didn't know how he had damaged his hand with slamming and punching in his room.

The easy dismissal of his bruises was careless and she had no clue why he was behaving like that. As he held the tea towel filled with ice on his cheek, she wondered if he was just acting tough to make her worry less.

It was not working.

Jemma took the first aid kit from the cabinet in the kitchen, grateful that she had seen it before. Thankfully, no one was inside the house: everyone was out at the reception and this gave her time to patch Leo up.

Now that they were here, standing apart, her mind replayed the previous events and caught details that she didn't see immediately.

Leo was...well, rather punched up and she had see the other three hovering over him. But she realised now, they had looked a bit harried too: Leo must have reacted.

She couldn't imagine what was the reason that made Leo, gentle and non violent Leo, punch Bryce and his friends.

Jemma couldn't shake off the thought that she could be the reason or part of it.

It would explain Leo's sudden protectiveness when she and Alec had found him. He had taken her arm and pushed her behind him immediately, almost daring anyone to move past him.

He looked ready to attack anyone who dared to touch her. His raw protectiveness had stirred something in her stomach: a warm flutter that had lingered despite the terror of seeing him hurt.

She saw Leo pace around the room, looking worried and thoughtful. She knew that face: he was concocting some idea.

Knowing him, he was probably thinking of a way to explain his bruises without putting his brother in it. Leo would never want his sister and mother to know about the fight.

"Sit down," she ordered as she saw that he was trying to get out of the kitchen and into the living room. She couldn't follow him around: he needed to stay put while she tended his bruises.

With a huff, Leo did as he was told, grabbing a chair from the kitchen table, and she didn't miss the wince that crossed his face.

"Where else?" She asked, getting closer.

"What?" He said in confusion.

"Where else did they hit you? You're in pain..."

Leo looked away. She knew him well enough to know what he was going to do: make up some excuse, tell her it was nothing and possibly leave the room.

Jemma wouldn't allow him that.

Before thinking about it too much, she grabbed the med kit and sat across his lap, legs dangling on his left side.

"Jem-?" His eyes widened.

"Hush," she replied, taking his improvised ice pack from his hand and putting it on the table next to the med kit. She noticed that his bruise was reddish now and had stopped swelling. She carefully touched the bruise with her fingertips, inspecting his cheek and was glad to see he didn't have any fractures. She moved, gown fluttering slightly, and reached for a cotton swab and the antiseptic from the table, ready to treat his lip. Jemma was grateful that her dress was long enough not to cause her (or him) any embarrassing discomfort.

She started to clean the little cut on his lip; gladly he wouldn't need stitches. She saw him flinch more than once and she murmured apologies.

"It doesn't matter," he whispered with a crooked smile. "You're fixing me up. I should be grateful..."

She shook her head, ignoring the little flutter in her stomach as he smiled and his eyes looked at her softly. From such a short distance, it affected her in a completely different way...

Jemma swallowed dryly and slowly applied the disinfectant on his wound. She could feel his eyes trained on her.

"What are we going to say about this?" She asked, trying to avert his attention to anything that wasn't her. "We'll have to come up with something..."

"We?" He repeated, arching a brow and smiling slightly with half of his mouth. Jemma stared at him and quirked a brow up.

"We," she confirmed, sitting up a little straighter. Was it normal that she found sitting in his lap oddly comfortable?

She didn't want to linger too much on that thought...

"Hmm... Given the fact that the bruises are all on your left side, we could say that I tripped and caught you on the face with my elbow or so..."

Leo stared at her.

"Why are you trying to take the blame for this?" He asked, sitting up straighter and forcing her to put a hand on his shoulder for balance.

Jemma put away the cotton swab and bit her lip.

"I could have gone with you or went to find you earlier.." she whispered. "I could have called Alec...or..."

"Hey," Leo moved forward, flinching slightly but ignoring the pain. He brushed his fingertips on her cheek. "It's not your fault, alright? They were drunk and waiting for me. If you had come along-" Leo's fingers stilled on her jaw as he stopped talking, eyes clouding again and Jemma instinctively reached for his hand. He looked at her, blue eyes soft but firm.

"I'd have never let them hurt you, Jemma."

Jemma stared at him, heart thumping in her chest as his words washed over her.

It must have been these three days together pretending to be a couple and being together even more than usual. Otherwise, she couldn't explain why his words affected her so much. Why his eyes were suddenly so attention seeking and his smile took her breath away.

This was... Leo. Her best friend. Leo.

Exactly. Leo.

She didn't think, her mind was suddenly silent. She moved forward and brushed a kiss to his uninjured cheek, soft and feather like. She felt Leo tense slightly.

"Jemma?" He whispered.

She felt a blush invade her face as she pulled back slightly and looked at him. His blue eyes were fixed on her, wide and surprised. A blush was colouring his face too.

He was terribly close...

There was a part of her that wanted to pull away, stand up and pretend that nothing had happened.

The other part however...

-:-

Leo felt his heartbeat speed up as Jemma smiled at him. Her eyes held a soft look as one of her hands laid on his shirt while the other was still resting on his shoulder.

He couldn't take his eyes off her from this close distance.

The little jolts of pain coming from his face and lower ribs were dulled just by looking at her.

His mind wandered to thoughts that he never allowed himself to linger on: but as she sat there on his lap, amber eyes bright and fixed on him and a soft smile on her face, he was flooded by many emotions.

He knew that she was pretty: he had known for a while now. Just as he knew that she was downright beautiful in that cream coloured dress.

She was always beautiful.

It wasn't the dress... It was her: the way her eyes would light up when she talked or laughed, the way her smile could brighten a room...

Boys at MIT had noticed. Colin had noticed. James had too.

He felt an angry flare through his veins again when he thought of him.

"Hey..." Jemma moved her hand from his shoulder to his uninjured cheek. Whatever hateful feeling he had had, evaporated as she looked at him with those soft honey coloured eyes.

Her hand was warm against his face: he leaned into her touch without realising it and sighed contently, smiling at her.

Leo felt her fingertips move up on his chest and around his face before she moved forward.

Seconds later, Jemma's lips were on his, slanted crookedly so that the left corner of his mouth was not touched.

Leo realised that he wouldn't have bothered to care if she touched his cut. He honestly didn't care about anything.

Not now that Jemma was kissing him.

He vaguely wondered why he wasn't surprised or shocked. Leo felt Jemma's lips warm and soft against his and just accepted it, enjoying the feeling and the warmth spreading inside him.

It occurred to him that he should respond too; so he carefully moved his lips against hers, a soft exchange between closed mouths. He slowly moved one hand against her neck, fingers brushing the soft skin of her throat before stopping at her nape, tangling into her hair.

Leo watched Jemma for a moment as he kissed her: he saw how her eyes flutter shut when he responded. Then he closed his eyes too.

It felt like that kiss they shared during last year's Spring Break but it was longer, little exchanges of breath passing between them as they moved closer to each other. Jemma's fingers curled into his shirt while Leo's hand brought her head closer to him.

And it felt warmer.

Leo felt a little bit braver than he did back then. His tongue peeked out of his mouth and slowly caressed her lower lip.

He heard Jemma's little intake of breath and then she parted her lips.

And then they heard a thud coming from outside and they pulled away from each other.

Jemma scrambled out of his lap and he jumped up, flinching for his aching ribs. They both turned to the window as one.

Bryce had been standing there: Leo had been able to make eye contact before his brother hastily left.

How long had he been standing outside the window? What had he been doing there?

He turned around to find Jemma do the same and look at him. She blushed furiously and looked at the ground.

Leo felt his face burn too.

What had just happened?

Jemma had kissed him.

Jemma, his best friend, had kissed him.

They stayed in silence for a while until Leo spoke up.

"Did you...-er...do.. that because you saw him...?" He stammered.

Only Ali, Alec, his mum and her parents knew that they were faking to be a couple. Jemma didn't know that Bryce knew as well...

She might have thought that kissing him might have helped him...somehow. Maybe show his brother that the fight hadn't made him lose Jemma's affection

But then Leo remembered what he had said during the fight with his brother.

That he was not pretending to be with Jemma...

The blush on his cheeks burned more as he realised that it was true.

And he didn't know what to think about it.

-:-

Jemma moved her hands to her cheeks, attempting to cool them down.

Leo's question played in her head but she didn't know how to reply.

She didn't even know what possessed her to kiss him.

She didn't know why she did it.

She just did.

And it had been wonderful...

But now that the hazy moment was gone and her mind was clear, Jemma realised the enormity of what she had done.

She had kissed her best friend. And he had responded.

But that didn't mean something, did it? As much as she knew Leo, he was still male. Having a girl -even his best friend- kiss him, had to make him react somehow.

She licked her suddenly dry lips and dispersed sudden thoughts of Leo's lips on her.

Jemma swallowed dryly. She had to focus.

Leo had asked her if she kissed him because she saw Bryce.

She hadn't.

But...Leo didn't know, did he?

She felt terrible to even think about it but she could use that as an excuse. It would fortify their fake-couple act even if it meant lying to Leo.

She didn't have alcohol to blame this time...

She looked at him.

"I saw a shadow..." she said. "Sorry- I-"

He stared at her. He knew her well enough to know when she lied.

And she was a horrible liar.

But to her great surprise, Leo didn't frown or ask her why she was lying. He just nodded, smiling slightly.

He knew that she was lying and yet he accepted her excuse. Jemma suddenly didn't know whether to be relieved or concerned.

"We should go," Leo said, turning around to look out the window again and then back at her. He scratched the back of his head, clearly nervous.

"Yeah," she replied, hastily putting away the med kit. Her heart was still beating fast. If Leo was going to pretend that everything was fine, then she would too.

She didn't know why he wasn't ratting her out for her blatant lie...but she could play along.

Especially since she couldn't come with a solid reason to justify her kissing him.

Jemma took a few deep breaths and turned to him with a smile. Leo looked at her oddly for a moment, eyes soft and...full of some emotion that she couldn't identify.

But then he smiled back and waited for her before leaving the house.

It was Alec that came up with the perfect explanation to Leo's bruises.

There was an old wooden beam in the shed -residue of some old house maintenance- and it had always been standing next to the door rather precariously.

When Leo had gone to fetch the drinks, the door must have sent enough vibrations to move the beam that slipped and hit Leo.

Thankfully, the bruise was small and didn't hurt him too much. Alec explained how Jemma had come over to him when she noticed Leo's delay and they both found the boy sitting by the house, feeling a little dizzy.

Jemma and Leo had to put up their most honest face, nodding along with Alec's explanation (they actually explained how the beam had fallen in scientific terms at some point).

Her parents looked a bit sceptical and Jemma couldn't really blame them: they were doctors and were probably scanning Leo with their eyes to understand what had happened.

Leo's mum and Alison had looked deeply worried but Alec and Leo had waved off their concern with a smiling face.

"I'm just clumsy," he said, looking bashful. "I should have moved out of the way...and I knew that that beam was in there for ages."

He looked sincere and they smiled slightly. Bryce had been standing nearby and Jemma felt a venomous feeling towards him.

How could he do that to his brother?

She looked at Leo and noticed, for the first time since she'd known him, that his eyes had hardened at the sight of his brother.

Whatever had started the fight, had also broken what little trust Leo had in him.

Jemma was standing by Leo's side and she brushed her hand against him, ignoring the tingling it sent down her spine or the twist it caused her heart.

Leo was her best friend.

She would always be there for him. Her confused...thoughts be damned.

So when Leo looked at her, blushing slightly and smiling uncertainly, Jemma smiled back.

They reached her house later that night: her parents taking turns to drive while she and Leo had dozed off in the back seat.

They had opted to spend the night at her home when they realised that the only flight that would take them back to Boston at a decent time would be the one leaving from Liverpool on Monday morning.

Her parents had consented to have Leo for the night (he honestly didn't even need to ask but he still did, much to her mum and dad's amusement) and to drive them to the airport.

During the drive, when they were almost to Sheffield, her mum looked at her.

"What really happened today, Jemma?" She asked softly.

Jemma stammered for a moment but her parents' eyes were fixed on her and she noticed how their gaze shifted to the sleeping boy next to her. She realised that they cared for Leo a lot too.

With a soft voice, she explained what she knew about the fight, begging her parents not to say a word to Lena or Alison.

The rest of the trip was silent. Jemma wondered if her parents were thinking about Bryce and his unpunished actions and Leo's deep care for his sister and her happiness.

Because that was what Jemma was thinking of as she ran her fingertips along Leo's arm.

They were almost home when Jemma got closer to her father after a sudden thought crossed her mind.

"Dad," she said, making him look at the rear view mirror. "Would you mind taking a look at Leo once we're home? I think he got hit on the ribs too...and I couldn't check them."

She couldn't really bring herself to do it. Not today. The thought of seeing Leo's body sent a flare in her stomach.

She wasn't really herself today...otherwise she wouldn't have kissed him

"Of course," her dad replied with a small smile. She smiled back and turned to wake up Leo when she saw their three-story house.

Later that night, after they had showered and her father had checked Leo's bruises (thankfully, his ribs and hands were not fractured but just bruised), Jemma made their beds in her room.

Her room was on the third floor next to the attic and the room that had once been her play room.

She used to have her room next to her parents on the second floor but she had asked to take the smaller but somehow more comfortable room on the third floor when she was eleven. Her parents had agreed, inclined to grant her a bit of independence and changed her old room into a guest room.

She smiled when she thought about the first time Leo came to her house and had been terribly embarrassed of sleeping in her room, He had mumbled about 'girl's rooms' and 'property' and 'your Dad will murder me' much to her amusement.

She looked at the two twin beds, close enough to seem as one, that had been in her room since they had met: she wouldn't have it any other way.

Leo came inside, closing the door behind him. He had been silent ever since they had come back, smiling and talking only when he needed to. Jemma realised that he needed some time to think and get over everything that had happened today.

She wondered if he mulled over their kiss as she did... before disposing quickly of the thought, relegating it to some corner of her head.

They were soon both in bed as light filtered through the curtains. She felt Leo's sheets rustle and turned around.

Leo was looking at her, propped on an elbow and she turned on a side too.

"Your dad gave me some painkillers and a lenitive balm," he said, smiling slightly. "He said that will help soothe the pain of the ribs."

She smiled slightly.

"I asked him to check you," she explained. "You were wincing too much for my tastes."

"I know...Thank you..." He stayed silent for a moment, staring at her, blue eyes clear as glass. Jemma felt a blush invade her face.

"What?" She asked, voice almost a squeak.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," he replied, blushing and smiling bashfully. Jemma felt her face burn more. "Don't know who'd take care of me..."

"Well... I wouldn't know..." she commented, clearing her voice and putting some tease in it to overcome the sudden awkwardness that she felt. "If I weren't there, you'd have probably survived on pancakes until now."

Leo laughed and then flinched, hand on his stomach.

"Christ, don't make me laugh..." he said, a small pained grin on his face. Jemma looked at him in concern.

"Why did they do this?" She asked, looking at him. Leo sighed and flipped on his back again and she stayed quiet as she saw him fidget with his sheets with his fingers.

"They did this because my brother hates me," he said softly.

Jemma felt her heart break a little at his sad and bitter tone. She moved forward until their arms and shoulder were almost touching; without thinking further, she laced her fingers through his.

"He doesn't deserve you, Leo," she whispered.

He turned to look at her, eyes oddly bright and smiled slightly. Jemma's heart flipped oddly but she ignored it.

Her emotions were a bit in shambles.

Everything would settle and be normal once they were back to MIT.

Everything would go back to normal...

..right?

-:-

The flight back to Boston was uneventful.

He and Jemma spent their time reading or sleeping, both fully conscious that they had a busy week ahead between his project and her dissertation.

Leo found himself eager to go back to his usual routines at MIT and TechData and living with Jemma. These three days at home had been hectic in more ways that he had imagined.

As he looked at Jemma sleeping, he wondered about their kiss and the words that his brother had said.

"You're falling for the only friend you have."

Leo swallowed dryly and looked at the bunch of noted he had been reading.

That couldn't be true...right?

It was only their charade. His emotions and feelings were just a bit confused because of that.

Once they got back to their usual life, he and Jemma would be fine.

And his thoughts about her wouldn't be so confused.

Please, leave a review... :)