Enterprise, 2258

"What do you mean you wanted to kiss him?" Uhura whispered, trying to look especially busy as one of the higher ups walked by. Sophie-Anne had found her almost immediately after they'd left for Vulcan, and was now pretending to fix a heat sensor down by Uhura's feet so the two could talk.

Sophie-Anne groaned, hiding her face. "It's hormones, Ny. It's got to be."

"Yeah." Uhura's eyes glazed over for a moment. "Hormones can be a bitch. But after everything he put you through, I just don't understand. What about that girl he got pregnant, what was her name?"

"Jocelyn."

"Right, Jocelyn. So just because they got divorced, that doesn't change the fact that he cheated on you. And his child? She's got to be at least twelve, and he left her behind? What kind of guy does that?" Uhura asked, typing furiously. She usually found she was strangely protective of Sophie-Anne, one of the first friends she'd made at the Academy. The girl could certainly take care of herself physically, but emotionally... well, Uhura sometimes thought Sophie-Anne was a little too soft-hearted for her own good.

Sophie-Anne's eyebrows knit together. "No, she didn't end up having the baby. Miscarriage," she explained, voice wavering a little, and Uhura tried to smile.

"Okay, then I guess he doesn't lose any points there. But he still cheated on you."

Sophie-Anne threw down her wrench and sighed, falling down to sit on the ground, no longer interested in looking busy. "He really was a spectacular kind of asshole. I never even saw it coming."

XXX

Georgia, 2245

It wasn't long into that last summer on Tybee Island that Leonard and Sophie-Anne began to date. At first they tried to downplay it, appearing in the same places by sheer coincidence and then spending the whole day together. Once Wilder caught wind of it though, everything was out in the open, and after Mr. Caldwell laid down a laundry list of ground rules the two began to date in earnest.

What followed was a year of phone calls, video chats, and weekend visits. Leonard had been allowed to spend Christmas with the Caldwells, and Sophie-Anne had similarly spent her spring break rooming with his younger sister Beatrice at the McCoy house. When graduation time rolled around everyone agreed Sophie-Anne could stay with the McCoys again, to watch Leonard walk the stage and be there for his party.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Leonard asked, more than a little pleading in his voice. His best friend Chauncey was already out in the car, unable to wait to get the night started. The graduation party wasn't until Sunday, but the graduates were all meeting up at the local dive bar for a night of drinking. Sophie-Anne laughed, pointing to her face.

"They'll never let me in that bar, Len. I look twelve," she exaggerated. It was true she didn't look twelve, but she definitely didn't look much older than sixteen, and knew that getting kicked out of the bar would put a serious damper on Leonard's night. He frowned, pulling her over toward the stairs and trapping her against the railing.

"Maybe I should stay, then. Chauncey will be fine without me..." He lowered his lips to her neck, planting a soft kiss there, and she couldn't keep herself from shivering. Part of him was worried, she knew, to leave her alone in the house. His stepfather had a notoriously short fuse, and more than once she'd been tempted to interject during some of the more abusive diatribes. But this was his night, and she wasn't going to let his jerk of a stepfather take something else away from him.

"You're going, and you're going to have fun. Besides, Bea and I already have a girls night planned, and sorry, you're missing the required equipment," she told him, motioning toward the couch where his sister Beatrice was waiting.

"Yeah, get lost. We're going to watch that movie you hate, the one where everyone's always breaking into song..." Bea added, already stuffing her face with popcorn. Bea was fourteen, with a slim, muscular figure from spending every summer at gymnastics camp, and she was Garrett's favorite. If Sophie-Anne was going to be safe from his stepfather's rage with anyone, it would definitely be with Bea. Finally Leonard sighed, lips twisting into a small smile.

"Fine, but I'm going to wake you up when I get back," he warned, allowing her to pull his face down and kiss him. Her lips lingered a little longer than she intended, and Bea was gagging on the cough.

"Gross, get a room!" she said, heaving a pillow at them, and they both laughed.

"Seriously, have fun. I'll see you when you get back," Sophie-Anne said, pushing Leonard toward the door and joining Bea on the couch. A few seconds later he was in the front yard, tapping on the glass. He blew against it, then carved out a heart in the condensation with his finger and winked at Sophie-Anne before disappearing into the darkness. Bea rolled her eyes, but she was smiling just the same.

"You two are disgusting," Bea said, starting the movie. As the film began to play Sophie-Anne clutched a pillow to her chest, giving Bea a sideways smirk.

"Just you wait, little bee. Someday you're going to meet someone who sweeps you off your feet. You won't think it's so disgusting then," she told the younger girl, who simply shrugged and handed her the popcorn.

"You're lucky, though."

"Lucky?"

"Len really loves you, you know? I hope whoever it is loves me that much." Bea was already humming along with the first song, but Sophie-Anne couldn't keep the stupid smile off her face.

XXX

It was late when Sophie-Anne awoke. She and Bea had watched the first movie, then spent a few hours laughing like idiots at old cartoons before dozing off. Bea was still slumped over the end of the couch, so Sophie-Anne grabbed a blanket and covered her, then carefully got to her feet. There was a thumping overhead from Leonard's room, and she had to smile. He must have gotten home drunk, and was stumbling around trying to find her.

Careful not to wake anyone else up she tiptoed up the stairs, past the room she was sharing with Bea to Leonard's door. One of the ground rules her father had been adamant about was no after hours bedroom visits, but she was only going to say goodnight...

When she pushed the door open it creaked, echoing loudly into the still night and she cursed under her breath. She was sure the noise would wake someone, and nerves were getting the best of her until her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she nearly threw up. Stumbling backwards into the hall, her hand flew to her mouth and she had to fight not to start sobbing. The scene in the bedroom had been all too clear: Leonard on the bed, being straddled by a redhead Sophie-Anne recognized from the graduation. Naked. She didn't wait for them to notice her, just ran to Bea's room and slammed the door as her heart snapped neatly in two pieces.

XXX

A/N: So, I've decided that in 2245 the drinking age is 18, for no other reason than why the heck not. This is more of a... chap-let, than anything, which is why I'm posting it alongside the next, longer, more current chapter. For those of you looking for more Spock/Sophie-Anne action (let's face it, I'm a member of that club), the next one is for you...