Leo and Andy didn't speak for four days after that. Andy wasn't aware what was going through Leo's mind, but she thought she should give him some time to cool down. She pretended that everything was fine, but couldn't keep up her cheerful facade for long under Felicity's keen gaze.

"So, how are things with Leo?" Felicity cornered Andy one day, just as she was leaving for the day.

"Fine!" she lied brightly, "I'll catch you tomorrow, sweety!"

But Felicity grabbed her hand and dragged her physically into the backside of the store where there was no one loitering about. "Ok, so what happened? I won't judge, honey."

Andy couldn't keep up her nonchalance. Her face crumbled. "We-we sort of had a fight, and haven't spoken to each other for days!" She hugged Felicity and to her horror, started sobbing. "Oh God, it hurts so much!"

"Oh, is that it?" Felicity giggled. "You poor baby! It's a really normal thing for couples to fight, just talk it out."

"Oh, I don't know! He was really pissed off. I've never seen Leo so angry! He-he said mean things, he said that I should stay out of his family matters!"

Felicity was shocked. "Leo was pissed? He's generally cool as a cucumber! And what family matters?"

Andy could hardly confide Leo's secrets. "Oh, it's just something I said about his dad!"

"Hmm yeah, he's sensitive about his old man, but I'm sure you can work it out. You know what you should do? You should come with me to see him, ohh, sorry, Emily said that he had left town again."

"Well, there's another thing. Before our fight, Leo asked me to move in with him, he said he has to move back to LA."

Felicity squealed, "Wow, this is exciting! What did you say?"

"I was thinking about it, but I'm not sure now. How can you be sure in life about people, anyway?"

"Oh come on, just coz you had a silly fight?"

She wished she could confide that it wasn't a silly fight. 

"Well, the only time I'd seen Leo behave weirdly was regarding a small scandal regarding his mom a few years back. He fought with his father and left town."

"What scandal?"

Felicity looked at Andy warily. She sighed and leaned against the wall. "I'm not so sure it's my place to tell you. Do you know about Dr. Robin?"

Andy nodded. "Do YOU also know about Robin?"

Felicity sighed. "Honey, the whole town knows about Dr. Robin. He's Leo's father. The resemblance between them is uncanny. And you know how much a small town loves to gossip."

"Oh no, that must've been a terrible time for Leo."

"Well, yea, the town started gossiping about the relationship between Leo's mom, Betty, and Robin, who was the doctor here at that time. It started as snide comments, but Leo did get into his share of fights in high school when his paternity came into question."

"It must be so tough for him at that age!"

"Well, I guess Leo was in denial for all this time. I mean, it's obvious, though not to a little boy, when his father was institutionalized more often than not, his parents aren't spending any time together. But he was close to both his parents and pretty clueless or deliberately so, until a few years ago when Betty finally left with Robin. Both her boys refused to go with her. I guess around the same time, Leo's dad Dan Knight, also took out his frustrations on Leo and they had a falling out. Leo only returned to Prescott after his mother's death."

"Oh, how did she die?"

"Robin and she were involved in a car crash. Robin survived but needs round the clock care now."

"I-I think he wants to patch up things with Leo."

"Well, a brush with death will do that to people." Felicity shrugged.

"Leo yelled at me and asked me to butt out." Andy gulped. "This is so messed up."

"Andy, just a few months back, you were determined to not be involved with anyone. Now, you are in over your head."

Andy pursed her lips. "He called Mary 'a stray'!"

In spite of herself, Felicity let out a giggle.  Andy narrowed her eyes and Felicity stopped at once. "Oh, that's kind of sad." But she ruined the effect by giggling again.

"Oh, just go to hell!" Andy flipped her off and walked away, as Felicity's laughter trailed her.

********

After tossing and turning for the umpteenth number of time, Andy got up with a sigh. She pushed Washington away who was hounding most of her bed. After the tiff with Leo, she had been again scared, confused and been suffering bouts of insomnia. She hugged herself tightly. This was ridiculous! She was a strong, independent woman. She shouldn't let Leo get under her skin.

Giving up on sleep, she got up to lace her sneakers. Mary stirred in her sleep, but she didn't get up. Emily had visited her yesterday to extol the virtues of the customers who were interested in buying her place. Apparently, she wasn't aware that Leo wasn't answering her calls, but Andy came to know that Leo was looking for another nursing home for his father and wasn't in Prescott anymore. That could be a pretty straightforward explanation of why he wouldn't take her calls, but nothing regarding Leo was straightforward anymore.

Spring was here now, but she still donned a thin jacket and set off to the lake at a brisk pace. The same place where she had met Leo. The area looked abandoned and she sniffed and buried her nose in her jacket. She wasn't going to think about how Leo's interest in her had cooled after they had... ok, stop it. She really wasn't going to think about Leo at all.

She could think about Mary, however. It was becoming apparent, even for her boundless optimism where Mary's state was concerned, that she was beyond Andy's help. She barely spoke to Andy now. She did manage to cook and feed herself and Washington, and most nights Andy didn't have to bother with cooking. But, the vast silences were becoming unbearable. Phil Bremer had mentioned that Mary was on medication, it was possible that she had really needed some of it. Felicity was right, Andy was in way over her head.

A lone figure stood at the lake as she approached. Her heart skipped, then sped up. The profile was so familiar, her heart ached.

"Leo!" Andy exclaimed as she ran towards him. She skidded to a halt just in front of him. Leo looked tired and he sported two days worth of beard. But somehow, the disheveled, unkempt Leo was even more devastating to her senses. Life wasn't fair, but to her, it never had been.

She composed herself. "Fully clothed today, I see?"

Leo smile didn't reach his eyes. "Sorry to disappoint you, madam."

She put her hands in her pocket and looked at her frayed sneakers. "How have you been? How's your dad doing?"

Leo gave a grim smile. "I hope you mean my "real" dad. He had a small panic attack when we moved him."

"Oh!" Andy gripped his arm in concern.

Leo winced as if in pain. "He's fine now." Brusquely, he pulled his arm away.

Andy stuck her hands back in her pockets. "I- um, I'm sorry for butting in the other day."

Leo sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Don't be ridiculous, Andy. I was the one who was out of line."

"Well, it wasn't any of my business," Andy said in a small voice.

After a brief silence, Leo said, "I- um, I really was taken aback. I didn't want you or anyone to find out. Being a bastard, it hurts."

"Well, tell that to someone who isn't," Andy said complacently and shrugged.

Leo looked at her and sighed and looked away. He may not be standing too far from her, but his mind was miles away. "I- I don't mean to sound like a jerk. But you couldn't possibly know how it felt when I found out. I-I was carefree and cocky, it felt as if the ground beneath me had caved in. I was hurt and angry and confused. And to top it all off, my mom walked out on us."

"Did you talk to her after that?"

"No, of course not, I moved to LA right after to get away from it all. I was too angry at her. She did try to reconcile, but I didn't let her. Only after her death did the red haze of anger and frustration caused by her abandonment lifted. I remembered all the good things about her, about dad. I couldn't bear to lose him too, and that's why I came back."

"If you had spoken to her, it would've given you closure. She might have had a reason that you didn't-"

"Please Andy, there's nothing you can do to paint my mom in a good light. I understand that feminism is a big deal for you, but it's not always the men who are in the wrong."

He huffed after his speech, stuck his hands in his pocket, and looked out over the lake. "I have to leave tomorrow, a couple of things I have to take care of." He looked at Andy. "I couldn't leave without meeting you for the last time."

The last time? Words. These were simple words, but she wouldn't think about these now. She should keep up the charade that she wasn't affected by his decision. Theirs was doomed to be a short-term affair, after all.

"Yeah, ok. Thanks for meeting me, then."

Then Leo reached for her hand. "I'm sorry to leave it at this. But," he let out a long sigh. "I really need to go."

"Yes of course. Go on." Andy, in spite of herself, lifted on her toes and gave him a small kiss on his lips.

"That was for luck," she said when Leo raised a surprised brow.

"Promise me, Andy, that you'll keep your door locked and engage the security system in the house?"

It was really sweet of him to care! Andy bit her trembling lip. "Yes, I promise."

-------

A/N: So what's going on with Leo? A nice surprise is planned in the next chapter which will be much longer.

Sorry for the delay, writer's block is a real thing. :(