*I am not a Rox fan, however, someone needed to knock some sense into Leanne's head, and who better than the woman she's so jealous of.

**Also, the angst is real here guys.

Leanne had spent the rest of the afternoon walking on eggshells around everyone at Angels, even Jesse, and she was terrified that they were each going to ask her about her fight with Ethan. She knew that they had all heard it. She wasn't stupid. But luckily, no one brought it up, not even Jesse, and for that she was thankful.

She had tried calling Ethan several times that afternoon, and she had even texted him several times that night, asking him to come over. Telling him that she needed to see him. That she and Ariel were worried. But she got no reply. In fact, she got nothing. And she felt her stomach churn deep down inside. She wondered if he was with Rox. That would be just fucking dandy wouldn't it?

She barely slept that night, tossing and turning in her bed, the thought of him with that woman plaguing her dreams. She had finally gotten up after a few hours of restlessness, and had tried texting him once more. Again, no answer. She felt like her heart might just stop beating right then and there. After kissing Ariel's head and telling her that she could sleep in if she wanted, she had left for work without another word. She knew that the only way she would be able to get through the days ahead was to stay distracted. And what better place to distract her than Angels?

She had just finished depositing her items in her locker when she heard the door to the small room shut, and then lock. Panic took over instantly and she got ready to try and make a break for it when she saw Rox leaning against the row of lockers by the door, her arms crossed over her chest, her brown eyes shooting daggers in Leanne's direction. She had no idea what this was about, but she was nervous.

"It's amazing to me how badly you treat him and yet he still wants to be with you." Her words were low, but harsh, and it took Leanne a minute to recognize what she was talking about it. "I don't get it."

"Excuse me?" Leanne asked quietly. What business of hers was it what she and Ethan were going through?

"And for the record Leanne," The other woman leaned forward from her place against the lockers and offered her a solemn look. "I don't want to be with him."

Leanne shook her head back and forth. What was this crazy woman talking about? "I'm confused. What are we talking about?"

"Ethan." She said sharply. "We're talking about Ethan."

"And what does that have to do with me?" Leanne really didn't understand where this conversation was going.

"He told me that you think we're sleeping together." Her words were matter of fact and Leanne did a double take at the brunette in front of her. He said what? "Which we're not, by the way."

"And why should I believe you?" Not that she knew why she cared if they were sleeping together. Ethan was a grown man. He could do whatever he wanted, with whoever he wanted.

"Because I'm gay Leanne." The words caused Leanne to blink several times. So they weren't doing the nasty? "He's not exactly my type."

Leanne let a breath go that she hadn't been aware she was holding and she eyed the woman curiously. "But you two seem so close…"

"Well he's a great guy, and he's a great friend. I don't have to be attracted to him to see that." She replied and Leanne suddenly felt like the world's biggest idiot for even implying that the two of them were a thing. She wondered if Rox would tell Ethan about this conversation. She could only imagine how hilarious he would find it.

"So you're not…" Leanne gestured back and forth and she wondered why she couldn't just get the words out. She was a grown woman for fuck's sake. She should be able to ask another woman if she was sleeping with her best-friend. It really shouldn't be that hard.

"No Leanne." Rox let out a chuckle and Leanne was thankful the woman wasn't making this any more awkward than it already was. "We're not sleeping together. He's like a brother to me."

"Oh. Okay." She said softly, her eyes falling to the floor in front of her. She felt like a child who had accused an adult of doing something wrong. She felt like a first rate asshole.

"I do know that he loves you and Ariel deeply though. He cares about you both more than anything in this world." The other woman's words caused Leanne to bring her face back up, her eyes catching those of the paramedic across from her. "It's all he talks about. You and Ariel? That's all I ever hear about."

"He loves Ariel so much." She whispered. She knew that much. She would never in a million years doubt his love for the teen. "She's lucky to have him."

"He loves you both Leanne." She said softly, and Leanne wondered when this woman had gone from being her mortal enemy to something almost akin to a friend. "And you're both lucky to have him."

She shook her head back and worth at the other woman's words. After all of things that she had said to Ethan over the past few weeks. After everything that she had done to him. There was no way that he still felt that way about her. She doubted that he even did in the first place. Rox must have false information.

"I just wish that you could see that." Rox's words brought her out of her thoughts and she felt her heart tighten in her chest at the next words out of the younger woman's mouth. "I hate seeing him so upset because of what's going on between you two. Because of what's been said and done. Or rather, not said and done."

"It's not that simple." Leanne's words were quiet and she moved to sit down on the bench in front of her locker. She felt her body getting weaker by the second. She was already so mentally and emotionally drained, and this conversation was doing little to ease her worries.

"It's only as simple, or rather, as difficult as you make it Leanne." Rox's words hit her like a freight train. The woman had a point.

"I'm damaged goods." She whispered, twisting her hands in her lap as she spoke.

"Ethan doesn't seem to think so. Isn't that all that matters?" Her question sent Leanne's mind reeling. Was that all that mattered?

"He deserves better." Her voice was starting to fail her and she was doing her best not to let her tears fall. The last thing she needed was to cry in front of this stranger.

"Regardless of whether or not that's true, it's not what he wants Leanne." Rox leaned forward and placed a hand on Leanne's shoulder. She was silently thankful for the woman's support. "I don't think it's what you want either."

"You don't understand." She chanced a look up at the other woman. "You don't know what I've been through."

"Maybe not Leanne." She moved to sit down next to her, her hand still on her shoulder as she spoke. "But I know what Ethan's been through. Some of it at least." Leanne turned her head to look at her and when she caught sight of the pain in Rox's eyes she wondered just how much of his soul Ethan had bared to this strange woman. It almost made her angry, knowing that he had confided in the new girl before her. "I know that he needs someone who can help him carry some of his burden too."

Leanne choked back a sob. Ethan had never once made mention of his demons to her. Other than their conversation a few months ago after she found him collapsed in the break room. She didn't know what he was dealing with. What monsters he was battling. But Rox sure seemed to know, and it killed her.

"I also know," She chanced another look sideways at her co-worker as the girl spoke, "that if you keep pushing him away, eventually, he'll stop coming back to you." Her words made Leanne's heart clench in her chest. "Think of what that would do to Ariel."

Letting out a soft sob Leanne hung her head, her eyes closing tightly against the tears that were still threatening to fall. "I would never tell him that he couldn't see her. I would never do that."

"That's not what I mean Leanne." Rox squeezed her shoulder gently as she continued. "Think about it. What's keeping him here right now? What's stopping him from going back to Afghanistan?"

"The Army." Leanne's answer was matter of fact. She knew that the Army had sent him here as punishment for something. She knew that they didn't want him back in the field again. She was thankful for that. Thankful that he was stuck with them for the time being. "They sent him here. They told him he couldn't go back."

"Leanne." Rox removed her hand from her shoulder and reached down to take one of her trembling hands in her own. "He received clearance to re-deploy three months ago." Those words caused Leanne's breath to catch in her chest. "He stayed because of you two. Because of his girls. You're what's keeping him here right now."

"His…" Leanne couldn't make words form in her throat. She couldn't speak. She felt like someone had just stabbed her in the heart. "His girls?"

Rox let out a soft chuckle as she squeezed Leanne's hand gently. "That's what he calls you and Ariel. You should hear the way he talks about you two. Never shuts up about how amazing and perfect his family is." Another chuckle and Leanne chanced another look up at the woman. "Hell, he had me convinced for the first few weeks that you were his wife and that Ariel was his daughter. Mario set me straight one night when I asked about y'all by accident."

Leanne couldn't hold back her tears any longer and she shook her head back and forth softly as she spoke. "I had no idea he cared so much."

"I figured as much." She felt her squeeze her hand again and she was thankful for the support, as awkward as it was. "But if you keep pushing him away. If you keep shutting him out. He won't hesitate to leave Leanne. He's done it before. He'll do it again. He's got to protect his heart, and if he has to leave to do it, well he's already told me he's thought about it."

Another stab to the heart. And this time, they were twisting the knife. "He wants to leave?" She choked out.

"No. But he won't keep being pushed away." Rox's next words were soft and Leanne couldn't help but feel her heart skip a beat as the young paramedic spoke to her like she actually knew her. "He doesn't want you to be alone again Leanne. He doesn't want Ariel to lose another father."

She choked back another sob as she reached her hands up to rub over her face. She couldn't believe this. She couldn't believe Ethan had actually thought about leaving them. He had never told her that. He had never even made so much as a mention to his desire to go back to the Middle East. Not after the visit from General Hutchins almost a year and a half ago. And certainly not since Ariel had come into their lives. She didn't understand why he would want to go away like that.

"Look Leanne," Rox's voice brought her out of her thoughts and she dropped her hands to her lap as she eyed her through her tear-filled eyes. "Ethan's been through a lot, and he's hurting, bad. His heart is breaking and he's having a hard time knowing which way is up right now. I know he's doing a good job of hiding it, but he's in a lot of pain, and he needs you. Both of you."

"He's never told me any of this." Leanne said softly. She couldn't believe it. She hoped that she wasn't the source of his pain and anger. She hoped that she wasn't the reason he was losing his way.

"Have you ever asked?" Rox's question was soft, yet slightly harsh, and Leanne couldn't blame her. She was looking out for her friend. She was thankful for that.

"No." She shook her head back and forth at her reply. "I've never thought to. He seems so strong and fearless. I figured he didn't need me." Another sob left her body and she felt Rox's hand return to it's spot on her shoulder as she spoke.

"He definitely needs you Leanne. More than you'll probably ever know." She squeezed softly as she stood from her position on the bench. Her eyes shifting downward toward Leanne as she spoke. "But if you don't let him know soon. If you don't let him in… Well I wouldn't be surprised if he left."

And with that the woman was gone. Almost as quick as she had come. And Leanne almost wondered if their conversation had actually happened. She dropped her head into her hands with a sigh as she replayed the younger woman's words over and over again in her head. She couldn't believe Ethan was falling apart. He was always so strong for her and Ariel. She had no idea that he was suffering too. She felt like the world's worst best-friend for not noticing his pain.

***Don't forget to comment!