A/N: Hope everyone enjoys this week's entry...coming in under the wire.

Takes place June 2015

Aubrey and Jessica were having shakes and sharing a plate of fries at the diner one Friday night before going out when her phone rang. Seeing who was calling, Jessica looked up apologetically.

"It's my brother Aaron. Sorry, I have to take this. It won't be long."

Aubrey stole a fry from the large plate they were sharing. "No problem, Jess."

Jessica answered the call. "Hey Aaron…really?"

Aubrey took a drink of his shake as he listened to his friend talk to her brother. He was an only child and was envious of her for having five older brothers that she was close to.

"Well, you can't help it if you're called out of town for something like this." Jessica said as she switched the phone to the other ear. "Don't worry about me, big brother. Yeah, it's fine. Bye."

Jessica hung up the phone. "Shit…"

"What's wrong, Jess?"

The redhead put her phone down. "That was my brother. I'm going over to our old house tomorrow to go through my dad's stuff to donate to VCU for their new science wing and he was going to help me get it together and drive it back up there Sunday."

"Yeah, so what's wrong?"

"He has to fill in for his colleague at a speaking engagement at University of Michigan. Her husband was in a car accident today and she can't make it."

"He's the neuropathologist, right?"

"Yeah. He and Doctor Chen operate a joint practice in Richmond and they planned a whole session at the symposium around this research. If Aaron can't speak they will have to scrap it."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I can do it alone, but it's going to take twice as long because I have to go through everything, pack it up and drive it up so Nadia can take the collection over Monday morning."

Aubrey didn't even need a moment to think. "I can help."

"Are you sure, Superman?"

"Yeah, we're just taking over some research stuff, right?"

Jessica took a drink of her shake. "Okay, but they're kept in the attic and basement…and no one has lived in the house for six years. It's dusty and…there's stuff in places."

Aubrey was determined not to wuss out in front of Jessica. "I can handle a little dirt."

Jessica made a face. She didn't want her friend to be traumatized. "Okay. I'll call Greg to see if he is available to help. He may be available to take it here."

'Her brothers are Michael, Stephan, Aaron, Jack, Jason. No, no Greg.' The agent mentally calculated. "No, don't bother anyone, Jessica. I've got this." Aubrey said before looking at the time. "Ready to walk to the movies?"

"Sure." Jessica said before taking the bill. "You're helping me tomorrow, so I'm paying."

"Fine…" Aubrey said with a smile as the two got up from their table.

The next day, the two were had just crossed into Maryland when Jessica's phone rang from her dash mount. Turning her radio off, she hit the accept button. "Hey Greg."

"Hey babe. I'm in the attic now and found a few of your dad's things. I think we can whip this out in no time. I can drive it up tomorrow since I'm meeting with an owner of a gaming company near VCU Monday."

"Aubrey and I will be at the house soon. Thanks so much for helping out."

"Anything for you, Jessie. See you soon."

"Bye, Greg." Jessica said before pushing the phone button. "Having him there will be a help. He's a big guy and can do some of the heavy lifting."

'What am I? Chopped Liver?' Aubrey thought to himself. "Cool."

As Jessica drove through the main fare, he was struck by the neighborhoods…there were no poor neighborhoods in sight. Aubrey remembered Jessica telling him how her father's family came from old money but they lived modestly.

They got past the city proper and came to a driveway just outside of town. Jessica drove down and Aubrey estimated it was about half a mile long until they arrived at a large farmhouse with a wraparound porch.

"This is where you grew up?" Aubrey said.

"Yeah." Jessica said wistfully. "The cooperative is just past those trees. We would walk on the path through them to get to school. When I moved back here, I lived in the big house. Aaron is talking to Georgetown University about transferring there when his contact with UVA ends next year. If it goes through, he's looking into possibly buying this house from my dad."

"Looks like a fun place to grow up." Aubrey said.

"Sometimes." Jessica said. The redhead had conflicting emotions but didn't want to talk about those. Seeing a large silver SUV, Jessica smiled. "Come on, let's help Greg."

Greg….everything goes back to Greg. Aubrey talked his jealousy into feelings of guilt for someone else coming out when he could help.

When he got out of the SUV, he saw a powerfully built man, about 6'4" come out of the house. When he saw his Jessica run to him, he wanted to explode. Getting out, he walked over to the two people who were hugging. When they broke up, Jessica made the introduction.

"Aubrey this is Greg, Jack's-."

"Nice to meet you." Aubrey said shaking the other man's hand.

"Same here." The other man felt the other man's jealousy, but figured Jessica could handle it. "I got most of the stuff out of the attic, Jessie, but I haven't had time to start the basement yet."

"How bad is it?"

"It's probably fine." Aubrey volunteered, wanting to show he could be more helpful than Mister Muscles.

"But Superman—"

"No worries." The agent said. "Where is it?"

"Take a left after the stairs, first door on the right." Greg said. "But you…"

The two watched as the agent rushed into the house. "Jessie, I haven't had a chance to clean the out the—"

"AAAAAAIIIIIIEEEEEEE!"

The two raced into the house and towards the basement. Quickly, they ran down the stairs and found Aubrey frantically wiping off cobwebs from his upper body.

"Get them off! Get them off!"

Jessica and Greg ran over and helped Aubrey clean himself off. When done, the agent leaned forward breathing heavily.

"Jessie, I've got a cooler of Yeunglings in the kitchen. I think your friend has earned one or two."

"Yeah." The redhead. "Come on Aubrey."

The agent was too shook up to argue against it. When Jessica took his hand, he followed her up.

Twenty minutes later, Aubrey managed to get control of his nerves. Taking another drink of his beer, he looked and saw Jessica talking to Greg. He watched as he pulled a piece of paper out and Jessica's ecstatic reaction.

'Great. Mister Muscles made her happy. I'm the pussy who wimped out over some damn spiders. James Bond wasn't afraid of any spiders.'

He got out of his thoughts when Jessica trotted over to him. "Superman, you won't believe what Greg found."

Taking what she offered, Aubrey saw the letter head that stated MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY and the date from 2002. Reading it, he smiled. "Is this your acceptance letter to Michigan State?"

"Yep. My dad held onto it."

"Yeah, your dad was over the moon when you got accepted there." Greg said before grabbing a beer from the cooler.

'He's known her that long?' Aubrey said. Before he could ponder further, a voice beckoned from the front of the house.

"Have no fear…Jack's here!"

"Yeah, now that we got it almost done." Jessica yelled with sarcasm.

Aubrey watched as a man with red hair like Jessica's and brown eyes walked in. Jessica jumped up and hugged him. He was stunned when he then kissed Greg on the lips and turned to him.

"Jessie…who's this?"

"This is my friend that I was telling you about. James Aubrey, my brother Jack."

The agent pondered the last ninety seconds before he remembered earlier. 'Aubrey this is Greg, Jack's-.'

But he didn't wait to listen because he was determined to show the guy up. Suddenly, everything made sense to the agent.

Her brother Jack…the one Jessica said had been with his boyfriend on and off since they were in high school…who sold his company several years ago at its peak and now with his wealth spent time working with charities when not buying into new companies.

"Yeah, I'm Jack's partner and I'm Jessie's unofficial older brother." Greg said. "Greg Thomas, aka guy with money who likes to help others when not doing cool stuff like buying into gaming companies and paint portraits."

Aubrey knew when to surrender and held out his hand. "James Aubrey, aka FBI Agent who wanted to be the hero."

The three guys laughed to Jessica's befuddlement. "Guys, what's going on?"

"Nothing, Jessie." Jack said. "Just making friends."

After getting out her father's papers from his studies, Aubrey and Jessica took the two guys to a nearby tavern they liked to visit once in a while. The four shared shots and stories and the agent had a great time. With plans to meet up for breakfast before the couple left DC Sunday morning, they split up with the guys going to stay at a friend's house nearby.

It was 12:30 when Aubrey walked Jessica to her apartment above the Korean grocery store. As they reached the second floor, she talked him into staying on her couch so he wouldn't have to call a cab. When they got in, she made the furniture up for him in the living room.

"Thanks for helping us out today. VCU is offering my dad buku money for his research. It will be a nice chunk that goes into the fund for his care."

"Doesn't your father have Medicare and other insurance?" Aubrey asked while making up the pillows."

"Yeah, but the home in Towson is not cheap. My father's family were well off so he has enough money to pay for his care the rest of his life, but every bit counts. Also…he needs gambling money for his Sunday poker game with his friends at his nursing home."

The couple laughed together before Jessica kissed him on the cheek. "Good night Superman."

"G-good night, Jess."

Aubrey watched his best friend walk back into her bedroom. When the coast was clear, he pulled off his jeans, leaving him in his t-shirt and boxers. Getting comfortable, he closed his eyes with a smile on his face.