A/N: A big thankyou to everyone who reviewed! Updating now..

Ruby looked out to sea in the darkness, her feet submerged by an incoming swell of water. Her arms were tightly wrapped around herself, the breeze blowing her hair across her face.

Leon had yelled at her.

She had been watching Cade for ten minutes or so that afternoon while Leon ran an errand and one of her work mates had mistakenly given Cade a piece of chocolate. It had only been a tiny square of it but that was all it took. The little boy was violently ill shortly after and had since been throwing up on a frequent basis all afternoon and evening - or so Angie had told her when she called to see how he was doing. Leon wasn't talking to her.

She knew that he had only yelled at her because he was worried but it had still frightened her. It was so unusual to see him that angry – usually he would bottle everything up and stay quiet on the matter, but when he'd gotten back to pick up Cade and saw his little boy in tears while Ruby was wiping him clean he'd lost it. He was so fiercely protective of his only child sometimes, others she wasn't sure he wanted to remember he existed. He loved Cade, that much was obvious – hell he was completely besotted with the small boy – but there were times Ruby thought he just wanted it to all go away so he could curl up and die. He was fading and he didn't even know it. She worried about him.

She turned on her heel and slowly started back to the house, leaving the ocean at her back. Tugging the sleeves of her light sweater down over her knuckles, she refolded her arms, watching her feet as they sunk into the fine white sand with each step. As she neared the back patio she stopped walking.

"What are you doing here?"

Leon sat on the top step, his elbows propped on his knees. As usual the ever present cigarette was pinched between his fingers.

"You've been down there a while," he murmured, "-you alright?"

Ruby lifted a brow, smirking. "So you are capable of speech – not just screaming."

He flinched. "I deserved that." He nodded to himself. "I shouldn't have yelled at you – it wasn't your fault."

He looked so pathetic and dejected that she couldn't stay angry with him. Rolling her eyes she carefully lifted her skirts and climbed up the steps to sit across from him, one step down. She leaned her back against the banister and stretched her legs out in front of her.

"Is he ok now?"

Leon nodded. "Cried himself to sleep. He's attached himself to Angie so she told me to come over here and relax a little." He looked at her warily. "And to apologise."

Ruby rubbed his knee. "You were scared for him, Le – I probably would have freaked too." She screwed up her nose. "Hell, I did freak."

"I noticed," he said, ashamed, "- I know you love him Ruby and I know you wouldn't let him get hurt." He hung his head, "I had no right behaving like that."

Slapping her hands down on the steps, ruby crawled up until she was beside him then draped her arm around his waist.

"I forgive you, Le." She leaned her head against his shoulder, snuggling into his side when he draped his arm around her. She watched him toss the cigarette butt into the sand at the foot of the steps before she untangled herself from him.

"Come on – the couch is calling."

Leon watched her walk slowly toward the back door, her pace unusually languid and lacking the bounce she usually had. His brows furrowed briefly and he hopped up to follow her. By the time he got inside she had already folded the sofa bed out and the television was on.

She grinned at his baffled look. "I'm feeling lazy – we can sprawl." She pointed to the tower beside the television. "Go pick a movie – there's nothing on TV tonight. Not at this hour."

Her statement confused him and Leon turned to look at the clock on the VCR. 00:23.

He blinked dumbly. "Shit, ruby – I didn't realise it was so late. I'll leave if you want me to. You can go to bed."

"Do I look tired? Anyway – you know I function on little sleep anyway. If there's anyone here who needs the rest it's you, Mr. 'I don't need sleep, I'll just collapse after a week'."

Leon shook his head and crawled onto the sofa bed. "Can't be bothered with a movie – you pick."

Ruby flopped onto the mattress beside him. "Nope. I guess we're watching the shopping network then."

Groaning, Leon rolled over and buried his face against her shoulder. "God no, anything but that."

"Hey! You couldn't be bothered picking a movie so we watch what I want to. You had your chance Mr Fancy Pants."

He looked down at his old worn blue jeans and then back at Ruby. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Ruby shrugged, flicking through the channels with the remote. "Not a clue, really." She could feel his breath through the fabric of her sweater against her collar bone. Timidly, she lifted her arm and draped it around his neck. She knew that he felt like shit for yelling at her and as much as he'd scared her, she wouldn't deny him the affection he sought after.

There was a tense moment when she thought he'd tell her to let him go, but then his arm slipped across her stomach and his leg draped across hers.

Ruby gasped when his tongue pressed against her throat, his teeth nipping the delicate skin slightly. Her heart started to race, though it wasn't from excitement – well, not entirely. There was a little fear there too. Fear brought on by the memory of the week prior when he'd taken her almost savagely against the wall, made her bleed. She'd been a fully willing participant but his intensity had frightened her. She was only new at this whole sex thing and she wasn't quite sure whether she could handle a repeat performance of last week. Not so soon. Maybe if he was careful..

Her hand slid up into his hair and tugged slightly on the light brown strands, his moan making her flush a light shade of pink.

"Le? Did you want to..?" her voice was hesitant, slightly apprehensive. She wanted him – wanted to help him have some kind of release but that niggling memory lingered.

He went still against her, his hand just beneath the waist of her skirt brushing the skin over her hip. His lips grazed the underside of her jaw briefly. He leant back, eyes searching her features.

He could see lust but what was mixed with it upset him. "You're scared?"

Ruby flushed even more and for a moment Leon was forced to remember she was virtually a virgin.

"It doesn't matter, precious – if you want to.." her fingers stroked his hair, tracing down over his cheekbone to his bottom lip.

Leon looked as though he was having a battle with himself and Ruby's heart thundered, her stomach tightening when he reached up to cup her jaw.

His lips pressed to hers, a damn sight gentler than the last time he kissed her. She didn't feel bruised when he finally pulled his mouth from hers. He brushed his nose against hers then pecked her on the lips once more.

He crawled backward a little bit and flopped down on his side next to her. His fingers strayed back to her hip and traced over the swell of it gently.

Ruby blinked, confused. "Leon? Aren't we going to-"

He cut her off. "You're not ready for that again – it can wait."

She felt herself warm. Ruby knew that Leon was an emotional wreck at the moment and he needed a release, but he was denying himself that just to prevent her feeling uncomfortable. She grinned, scooting forward to snuggle into him.

"You're a good friend, precious."

He scoffed. "No I'm not – but thanks for lying anyway."

They lay in virtual silence for some time, occasionally speaking to criticise something that they were trying to sell on the television but they were quiet for the most part.

Leon had actually started to doze off when he felt his shirt being pushed up over his chest, a moment later something hot and wet closing around his nipple. He flinched at the sudden sensation, eyes opening to look down at Ruby.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice raspy from being near sleep.

She blinked innocently. "Well I figured if I liked it so much," she blushed, "-maybe you'd like it too."

Leon nodded slowly. "I do – but you know that's not what I meant. I thought we decided not to do anything?" his eyes fluttered closed when her tongue swiped across his nipple again, her mouth closing around it.

Ruby smiled against his skin, "You decided." She bit down lightly, rolling the sensitive nub between her teeth and tongue.

He looked at her, apprehension creeping into his eyes. "Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you if you're still a bit.." he flushed, averting his eyes. He visibly bit back a moan.

Ruby rolled her eyes at him and sat up, pushing on his shoulder until he was laying on his back. She grinned at the look on his face as she slung her leg over him and lowered herself to straddle his lap. Her long fingers reached down and pulled her top off, dropping it off the side of the sofa to the floor.

"I'm sure, Leon." She looked a little more self conscious now. "Do you still-?" she leant back slightly as he sat up, his hands moulding to her sides gently as he scooted back to lean against the back of the couch.

His head ducked to trace a line across the top of her breast with his tongue.

Ruby smirked, her fingers in his hair again. She loved his hair. "I'll take that as a yes."