Once they'd been forced out of the room leaving Fitz to his fate alone with his father, they all ran down to the lab on Simmons' request.

"I left Sleepy and Grumpy in there so perhaps we could see what's going on behind that door."

"You're willing to disrespect their privacy like that Simmons?" asked an incredulous Ward. Simmons turned to look at the taller man with fire in her eyes.

"So you're saying that you are perfectly comfortable with leaving Fitz alone in a room with that awful man who calls himself his father?"

They all shook their heads and then returned their attention to the screen. They watched as Campbell filled his glass after having released Fitz's chin from its uncomfortable position.

"So what is it that you actually contribute to your 'team'?"

They watched as Fitz attempted to explain his much valued contributions to both the team but also the weapons stocks and in turn watched his father brush them off as ridiculous and invaluable.

"This Simmons, is she your girlfriend?"

Simmons' cheeks flushed as much as Fitz's did at the question. Luckily the team was to engrossed in watching the video to really notice.

"Good. I won't have my son fraternising with inadequate people."

They all glared as the man downed his glass only to hear him threaten Fitz to make sure not only he but also they behaved at this dinner he'd arranged for tonight.

"Having dinner with Fitz's dad. Add that to the list of things I really don't want to do."

The others were about to agree when Campbell suddenly stalked up to Fitz to yank him up by his shirt's front.

"What shite are you wearing?"

The fact that his voice still remained inhumanly calm during that sentence only made the team more uncomfortable.

"What's he talking about. That's what Fitz always wears." commented Skye, her face showing her shock.

"It's what he wears when with us." said Ward.

"I don't care what bloody excuses you have. You will not wear this or anythin' resemblin' it in my presence, especially tonight at dinner."

Fitz hit the floor with a thud.

"And I expect you to wear your formal clothes, that is if you can still remember how to put them on. Wouldn't be bloody surprised since you've spent too much time in bloody America."

"Oh piss off!" shouted Coulson at the screen.

"Thank god he's leaving the room." said Simmons.

"No he's not, his dad just told him to stop."

"You always defy me don't you? You can't even use your own bloody name."

"Oh dear." came Simmons' small and shaking voice.

"Oh yes, I found out what you did. Did you think I wouldn't notice that they don't call you Campbell? How dare you use your mother's name you piece of shite!"

Suddenly the glass was slicing through the air towards Fitz's face, ripping his outstretched hand.

"GET OUT!" his father screamed. "Get out of my sight!"

And with great relief they watched as Leo fled the room.

"I need to go see him…" Simmons said as she looked for the first aid kit.

"No, I'll go."

They all turned to see Malcom at the door.

"But I need…"

"I know you mean well lass but do ye really think that Fitz would like ye, or any of ye, to see him like this? Let him at least recover from his dah before he has to deal with facin' ye." Malcom sighed at Simmons' distressed face. "It's not that he doesn't value ye all, 'cus I have only seen ye with him for a day and I can tell. But let me take care of him just this once. It's what he's used to and it will help him to remember that part of his childhood."

Seeing Malcom's sadness and the truth of his intentions, the team eventually agreed, Simmons especially reluctantly.

"Thank ye. By the way as ye heard Master Campbell say, there'll be guests a'comin' tonight so ye best dress formally. I come round later to see if what ye have is adequate."

"That would be much appreciated, thank you Malcom." replied Coulson before they watched the scot walk up and out of the lab.

"Well I guess we need to go get dressed."

Fitz watched as the water pooled in the bottom of the bathtub, allowing the heavy billowing clouds of steam to rise up. He'd run into the bathroom at the top of the house, meaning that none of the team actually knew about it and he'd be alone for a while.

He started to unbutton his shirt, having already disposed of the tie on the floor and allowed the rest of his clothes to form a messy heap. He'd usually fold them and leave them in a pile but he just didn't have the heart.

Fitz looked up at the mirror only to see the clouded glass staring back at him. "Probably for the best. I'm not worth a look at."

He stepped into the water, ignoring the way his skin groaned against the scathing heat. Perhaps it could teach him a thing or two on how to be a better son. But the heat did nothing. All Fitz felt was the darkness that always consumed him when he spent time with his father. He knew deep down that no matter what, his father would never accept him. That's why he had changed his name to Fitz. He was never a true Campbell, he'd been told that often enough. No, only his mother had accepted him for who he was. She would encourage him to work on his projects or read "A brief history of time" instead of some philosophical book his father would have forced into his hands. But of course nothing stays the same, Heraclitus made sure of that.

Fitz opened his eyes and looked at his hand. It was still bleeding a small trickle of blood but it wasn't deep enough to require stiches. He'd deal with it later. He wouldn't want to get blood all over his formal suits. That would just make his father ever madder.

Fitz sighed. He knew this would have happened no matter what. He was just glad that this time he hadn't been dragged against his will back home. No, there was no way out of this one. They need the house as a base and the lab downstairs.

He couldn't help the small smile that lit up his face as he thought about their faces as they laid eyes on the lab. They all looked so proud of him. What a comparison to his dad. The only reason Fitz had been allowed to build it was because his father had regarded it as a way of building up his son's character.

Fitz was pulled out of his thoughts by the shark knock that came at the door. He was about to ask whoever it was to leave him alone when he heard a muffled "It's Malcom. Please let me come in."

After an overly quiet pause Fitz agreed and the door opened and quickly shut behind the old ground keeper. He walked over to the tub, neither man even remotely uneasy about the fact that the younger was naked. Malcom sat down on the small chair so that he could speak with Fitz at ease.

"I heard ye dah shoutin'." His eyes desperately attempting to lock on Fitz, but the latter stubbornly refused to lift his head from where it hung on his chest.

"Hm." was the only response Malcom got, making him sigh.

"Let me see yer hand lad." He waited for Fitz to move but was met with only cold motionless silence. "Please lad. I just want to make sure ye're alright."

Having acknowledged the worry that filled the older man's tone, Fitz lifted his hand and allowed it to be placed in Malcom's lap. Malcom's eyes inspected the wound and deeming it to be only in need of a bandage, he immediately felt a weight lift off his shoulders.

"Did he get ye anywhere else?" Fitz shook his head. "Are ye sure?"

"Yes Malcom."

"Good, I just don't want you to be hurt that's all."

He watched as the younger man finally lifted his head to look into his eyes before the tears began to stream down his face.

"Oh Leo." Malcom leant forward and wrapped his arms around the skinny boy's shoulders, one cradling the back of his curl filled hair as he gently rocked him back and forth. "Oh my poor boy."

The show of affection sent sobs that racked his entire body to take hold of Fitz as he attempted to gasp between them. He rested his forehead on Malcom's shoulder, not even thinking about the deep tear patches that now were beginning to form there. In fact, when he finally pulled away and saw them, he became even more distressed.

"I ruined ye shirt."

"Ah come on Leo." Malcom said with a smile. "Tis just tears. Salt and water lad, nothin' more."

Leo chuckled quietly. "I guess I am bein' silly aren't I."

"Well we all ur sometimes lad. That's because we're human."

"But bein' human isn't good enough for him." Fitz replied bitterly.

"I know lad. Yer father is a bitter man who can't see past th' end of his own bloody large ego to see that ye're an amazing lad."

"But…"

"Is that what yer mother thought of ye? 'Cus I don't think she did. She saw a bright young lad who could read enormous books by th' bright age of three and could fix a radio by five." Malcom smiled at the memories. Telling the truth he had thought Leo was destroying his old radio but to his immense surprise, the bloody thing actually started working. He remembered telling the lad's parents. Campbell had just dismissed it as his fool's imagination while the Mrs had just smiled behind his back, fully aware that her son was more than capable to achieve such a feat.

"No."

"Of course not. She was bloody well proud of ye."

Fitz looked up into the older man's eye, their blue orbs now released of the darkness that had held him in his father's presence. "Thank ye Malcom. I don't know what I'd do without ye."

"Well…"

"Oh shut up!" cried Fitz, playfully punching Malcom's arm, who in turn chuckled happily "If ye need any help with yer outfit, don't be afraid to holler fur me. Alison has already betted five pounds that ye clothes are gonna need some adjusting'. She's determined to get some more meat on ye bones since she's convinced you lost some since she last saw ye. Said that 'We can't have th' young master walkin' around th' house looking like a fish drownin' in his own clothes.'"

The two scots shared a hearty laugh after which Malcom excused himself to go help prepare dinner. Leo wrapped himself in a robe and having drained the bath tub, quickly made his way to his room. After he'd gotten dressed, he called up Alison to re-stich the waistline so that it actually remained on his body instead of slowly falling to the floor. And for once, Leo found that he didn't quite mind Alison's fussing as much as he usually did. Instead he found himself smiling knowing that these two people would always be his family no matter what.