"Italy," Sydney said, her voice sure of itself.

"Yeah?" Nathan was behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist and his head resting on her shoulder. "Me too." He kissed her cheek. "Rome especially."

"So we have the same dream destination?" Sydney laughed.

Nathan squeezed her. "See? Just another reason..." So this is what real happiness feel like? I don't know what I did right, but I hope I can keep doing it.

They were in the kitchen and Sydney was mixing up pancake batter. She was in love, it was returned, and she felt truly safe this time around. Nathan was, for the most part, stable (she would never hold his past issues against him and would only ever offer her help if he needed it) and wonderful to her. She was grateful that they were able to get to know one another before they dated…well, pursued other avenues and then dated, it was the first time she'd ever done this and she had a feeling it was making all the difference in the world. The batter was to be for after they all returned from Just Be, she was simply trying to get a head start, but the universe had other plans.

Sydney and Nathan heard Brynn coming down the stairs and broke apart. She walked into the kitchen, her face confused. Sydney thought she was pondering the two of them in the same room in pajamas, Nathan now wearing a shirt, but she was glancing at her phone.

"Uh…we need to go," she said, all but scratching her head.

"Everything okay?" Sydney asked.

"I…have no idea. Jess just called. He said that Eric left him at Just Be."

Sydney furrowed her brow, but kept her comments to herself. "Gimme five minutes." She looked at Nathan. "We'll find something. I'm sure you don't want to wear your suit."

Ten minutes later they were on the road, Brynn wondering aloud what could have happened. "God, I bet they fought! Ugh, why can't men just…" She poked her head between the front seats and tapped Nathan on the shoulder. "Why are you all so difficult?"

Nathan was caught by surprise. "Whoa, wrong male here, Brynn. I can safely say I've never been in a situation remotely like yours." He cleared his throat. "If they did fight though, you seem to be a better thing to fight over than something inanimate. Uh, does that help?"

Brynn smiled and shook her head. "Not really, but I appreciate it." Nathan winked at her. "Thing is, I don't know who would win, not that I've ever thought about something like that."

"Oh, of course not," Sydney laughed.

They pulled into the parking lot and were barely at a stop when Brynn jumped out of the car. She ran to the door and knocked rapidly. Jess came to the door and his slightly swollen and scraped cheek came into view. He unlocked and opened the door.

"Oh, Jess! What happened?" Brynn was in a slight panic.

Jess smiled as best he could. "You should see the other guy," he chuckled. "Seriously, Eric looks worse and, for the record, he started it."

Sydney went into "mom mode" when she saw Jess. "Oh, sweetie, really?"

"For those late to the show, Eric looks worse and started it." He shrugged at Sydney. "I'm okay, promise. We had to work out a few issues."

"And how'd that turn out for you?" Nathan asked, concerned.

Jess sighed. "Well, he skipped out on helping us finish here, so…I really don't know."

Understanding that Jess needed to get away form the concerned female eyes, Nathan put an arm around his shoulders and started to walk him away. "Come on then, slugger," he laughed, the words holding just the right amount of sarcasm, "let's go stack the rest of those tables."

"Guess that leaves us to the kitchen," Sydney commented and she and Brynn made their way back. "It was definitely a fight over you."

"Yeah…is it wrong that part of me wishes I could have seen it?"

Sydney giggled. "We're women…I think it's a natural reaction to sort of enjoy that sort of thing." They started on the slight mess that was waiting for them.

Nathan and Jess were far enough away that Jess knew any potential conversation couldn't be heard. He was eerily quiet for a while, but Nathan didn't push. It wasn't as though he was close to the young man, but he was used to his students coming to him for advice on a regular basis. Finally, Jess broke his silence.

"Uh, Nathan?"

Nathan looked up from the chairs he had begun stacking. "Yeah, Jess?"

"I…" He changed his mind. "So, you spent the night across the hall from Syd?"

He didn't mean for it to happen, but he smiled. "Sure." He left it like that.

Now Jess smiled as well. "You didn't stay across the hall, did you?"

Nathan sighed. "Not a word?" Nathan understood that Jess was looking for someone to trust and if that meant having to give up a little about himself, he would. Despite his anger at her, he had just lost his mother, never knew his father…and it wasn't fair that Jess was slightly alone. Jess motioned "cross my heart" over his chest. "No, I didn't stay across the hall, but that's all you get."

"So, you're super straight, right?" He turned crimson. "I didn't mean I was implying that you wouldn't be, but based on the other males that pop into Sydney's house…"

Nathan cleared his throat roughly. "Uh, I'm…yeah, I'm straight."

Jess sat down. "I just…I don't want to burden you or anything, but I don't exactly have anyone to…"

Nathan sat down next to him. "It's okay, I know you don't."

"Arlen, I mean, he's my uncle, my blood, but…and David, well, you know all about that…" He put his head in his hand. "My fucking mother never let me know who my dad is and I don't know what I'm supposed to do sometimes when things happens and…" His face went red.

"Jess, part of my job is to be there for my students. I don't make any judgments, I just listen…and I don't think there's much that can floor me." His voice was calm and reassuring.

"You deserve one another, you know that? You're both really good people." Nathan nodded in appreciation. He certainly didn't want to just come out with, "We're in love with each other!" when he knew that something was seriously bothering Jess. "Have you ever done anything questionable? I mean…and I'm sorry, but without alcohol involved?" He cringed.

"You don't have to tiptoe around that…my past is certainly spotty, but yes, I've done plenty of questionable things while sober. I was a teenage boy once."

Floodgates opened within Jess and he told Nathan all about his evening. He told him that Eric kept making comments about himself and Brynn and that he saw red. He told him how he couldn't remember throwing the first punch at the person who was supposed to be his best friend…and how they wound up pummeling one another for the better part of fifteen minutes. Nathan listened intently, letting him vent as much as he needed.

Jess broke eye contact and his tone changed when he reached his true concern. "I don't know what happened, but I…ugh…I suddenly…you sure you did some questionable stuff?"

"Maybe not as questionable as where this is going, but it doesn't matter. Go ahead."

"Ifuckingkissedhim!" The words were strung together and his cheeks went red, but there it was.

Nathan put a caring hand on Jess' shoulder. "You okay?" Jess shrugged. "First time, I'd assume?" He nodded again. "Never thought about it before?"

"Not once."

"You were, and have been, fighting over Brynn, either passively or, well, aggressively based on the bruises…was it a power play?"

"It's what I was going for, I think. I…I thought he'd just back off, but he didn't." He looked like he was going to cry. "And I didn't hate it." He lifted his head and thought Nathan would run off laughing.

"That pretty much sucks," Nathan said honestly. "Not that you did it, but that you don't know where you stand with yourself right now." Jess' eyes went wide. How could a man he barely knew understand where his mind was? "I can't give you any sort of solid advice here, but I can tell you this: you're young and ever changing – we're all ever changing – and you scared Eric. I think that's why he slunk off, yes?"

Jess was shocked. "You…you think?"

Nathan nodded. "From seeing you around one another a few times, he thinks he's the big shot in charge of everything. Sounds like you were showing him…" He changed his word choice. "Like you were trying to knock him down a few pegs. That aside, I'm afraid everything else is going to be up to you. Like I said, you're young and ever-changing…" He smiled. "And you fell in line with a group of people who would never judge you for any decision."

"You have a daughter, right?"

"Yeah."

"She's…lucky. Thank you." He got up from his seat. "Is stuff gonna be weird? I mean, I just…I would've burst if…"

Nathan smiled. "I'm pretty sure I'm part of that group I was telling you about."