Hey guys! I'm very glad you're liking the story and excited about new chapters, it's really motivating!

One of you basically complimented my english, which was really appreciated, but also mentioned some grammar mistakes that need to be tweaked. I just wanted to say that this kind of reviews are actually very welcome because they help me improve. So if you see any mistakes or something that could be improved, like grammar or something, please let me know in the reviews section down below.

P.D. This chapter only involves one episode of the series but I hope you like it!

FRIENDSHIP AND APOLOGIES

Up until now, most of Lea and Shaun's encounters would happen in the elevator or the hallway, when they happened to walk out or arrive at the same time. Most of heir conversations were brief but Lea truly enjoyed them and it seemed like so did Shaun. She always tried to make them last a little longer but Shaun isn't really a man of many words; unless he's telling you about one of the cases at work, talking about medical stuff or bout random things he's interested in and has knowledge of. Lea, most of the time, didn't understand anything of what he was saying but she loved his enthusiasm and how smart he was, plus, she would learn some pretty interesting facts about the human body and other things that she had no idea about.

All these things were going through her head one day at the office as she tried to cheer herself up some after she had an argument with a co-worker. She was at her desk, burying herself in work and music as she recalled the time her and Shaun were in the elevator and, out of nowhere, he asked "Are we friends?"

His question took her by surprise. No one had ever really asked her that before, except maybe in kindergarten. Because, who asks that nowadays? Just like no one really asks someone if they want to be their boyfriend or girlfriend, anymore. Times have changed a lot. Now you just hang out a few times and you pretty much become friends. You kiss someone and he or she becomes your boyfriend/girlfriend, or so they say. The truth was, Lea didn't have many actual friends, she always said she could count her friends with the fingers of one hand, because everyone else were just co-workers, acquaintances, nothing more. Having Shaun as her friend just felt right, she liked it, she could probably even consider him her best friend; as fast as it was to give him such title since they had just met, basically, but she didn't care.

She smiled and looked at him "Of course we are, Shaunie!" She said to him. He smiled a bit with a slight nod and proceeded to ask her about love. One of his questions was "Do you love anyone?", and without really letting her answer, he started telling her about how he didn't understand why people say having someone to love is so important and finished with a "I don't want love" just like he had told Glassman that morning and then, he just walked to his apartment without saying anything else but leaving Lea with a bunch of questions.

Why doesn't he want love? Did something happen to him? Has he ever been in love? Sure, love is tricky, it's hard, it can be messy; boy did she know about messy… it can also hurt but it's one of the most beautiful things one can ever experience… —What are you even talking about, Lea? Your relationships don't last longer than a few weeks or a couple months because you fear love, as well.— She told herself in her mind and rolled her eyes then she just continued working, because she didn't want to start remembering past relationships.

That night, back at home, she wanted to release some of the stress that had piled up during the day. There were only a few options to do such thing. She could play video games but the game could potentially end up stressing her even more. A healthier option was to go to the gym, but it was raining and she definitely was not in the mood to workout. Third option to blow off steam was probably the one that usually worked the best for her but it was tricky that day because she wasn't in the mood to go out and find some guy for a one night stand. So the only option left was music and dance. She was someone who really enjoyed music and often used it to express feelings that wouldn't that she other wise wouldn't know how to put into words. She had the idea that a lot of times, some songs had the ability to express her feelings so much better that she could ever do on her own. The good thing about music and dancing was that it was a healthy way to blow off steam and didn't put her at risk of contracting an STD.

She turned on her sound system and paired her phone with it and then, just like that, the music was blasting. Neighbors on that floor, including Shaun could hear it, even Armen who lived on the floor below. She started dancing and singing in her apartment, letting go of all that accumulated stress, but Armen downstairs wasn't too happy about it, in fact, the entire floor wasn't happy about it. It wasn't the first time Lea had done this and he had talked to her about it, even warned her, but Lea and her sassiness didn't care. Armen had enough and decided to warn her again, strike two. He would make sure or at least try to make this the last time she did this. He went down to the basement and turned off the switches of her apartment leaving it powerless for a few minutes. —That will teach her…— he thought.

It only stressed Lea even more, she was fuming but she wasn't gonna go out to his place and make a scene. She was too stressed and tired, physically and emotionally, so she just laid down on her bed and eventually fell asleep.

In the morning, she woke up rather early and with a headache, almost as those from a hangover but this one was just product of yesterday's stress. She was still upset about what Armen did so she headed out of her apartment and went to Armen's. The had an argument and her headache only got worse. She felt like she had to let this anger out somehow. She needed to vent but it was getting late for her to go to work.

She went back to her apartment, got all ready for her day and walked out of there but, instead of heading to the elevator, she walked to Shaun's door and knocked frantically, which startled Shaun who was about to start eating his breakfast.

He opened the door and looked at her quizzically as she stormed inside his apartment.

"You won't believe the crap Armen pulled last night. He cut the power to my apartment! That's right! No lights, no Wi-Fi, nothing" She said pacing around his kitchen area and continued. "For 15 minutes!" She sighed and grabbed the apple that was on his table in an angry manner, the way one would grab a stress ball to squeeze it, except she couldn't exactly squeeze an apple. Shaun watched that getting somewhat anxious because he didn't exactly enjoy when anyone touched his things, specially his food.

"An if I had been on a ventilator, I could have suffocated in that time, right? You're a doctor." She said stopping her pacing to look at Shaun while still holding his apple.

"You're not on a ventilator" He said with a slight shrug.

"Thank God for that. But I could be. I mean, it was dark. I could've tripped. I should sue him." She said moving around the hand with which she was holding the apple and he kept staring at and then she took an anxious bite off the apple swaying around until she saw Shaun's expression. His eyes widened a bit still staring at the apple.

"Sorry… Were you gonna eat this? I stress eat… Okay, listen. I go to talk to him and he claims I was playing my music too loud again" she let out a dramatic huff. "I mean, what?"

"I wear earplugs when your music irritates me. I miss the dripping." he said.

He brow arched up and shook her head slightly. "You're missing the point here, Shaun, okay? You knock, you ask. You don't cut someone's power. You knock, right?" She said staring at him as if it was something so obvious and logic then she continued "Of course you would knock. Any normal person would. I mean, am I crazy or is he a total sociopath?" She let out a sarcastic chuckle.

"You should get headphones." He said suggested her but she didn't take it well.

"Headphones?" She said with a "really?" kinda tone and expression on her face.

"They would eliminate the sound." He replied but she almost cut him off.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got it" She huffed again and shook her head. "Thank you" She said sarcastically and left the bitten apple back on the table. "Thank you for being so objective about this. In fact, why don't you go help Armen write my eviction notice!" She yelled at him while heading out of his apartment and slammed the door shut behind her for an even more dramatic effect.

"Ugh!" She groaned as she walked back into her apartment to get her bag and finally head to work.

The day before wasn't good, her night was worse and, this morning, thing's weren't looking so promising but luckily things turned around and the rest of her day actually went better than expected. She got congratulated for her presentation at work and even got told about a possible promotion.

By lunch time, she was in a much better mood and recalled her rant with Shaun that morning. She regretted how she went about things and the reaction she had over what he said to her. —He was just giving me advise but my anger and ego clouded my judgment. I was mad at Armen and ended up taking it out on Shaun. He didn't deserve that. He did nothing to me. In fact, he was being nice… even after I made him wear earplugs to block out my noise, invaded his space and ate his apple… Who sucks as a neighbor now?— She said to herself in her mind and shook her head some, feeling embarrassed. She knew she had to apologize but had to think how.

What could she possibly do for Shaun? —An apology gift, maybe?— She thought. But she didn't know him that well to know what to get him. —Think, Lea…What does he like?— She tried to think, leaving aside the sandwich she was eating for a moment, then she mumbled to herself "He's always eating apples… and ate his apple"

—What kind of apology gift is that, though? An apple, really?— She thought again and rolled her eyes but there was no other option she could think of.

Some co-workers invited her out for a beer that night but she left the bar earlier than the others. She was still thinking about offering Shaun an apology.

On her way home, she stopped by the store and bought a single green apple. The clerk looked at her with a puzzled look when Lea placed the single apple on the desk.

"That's it?" He asked and she nodded. His brow arched and proceeded to put that on the monitor so he could give her a ticket. "One apple…" He mumbled with irony and Lea narrowed her eyes at him slightly then grabbed the apple, paid him and left the store hopping back in her car.

When she finally got back home, she realized Shaun was at home and possibly still awake, because she could see light filtering through the edges of his door. She had planned to give him the apple and her apology in the morning but —To hell with that…— She left her backpack inside her apartment, walked to Shaun's door and knocked, then waited patiently.

Shaun opened the door in pyjamas and Lea immediately started talking.

"I, uh, saw your light…" She said pointing to his light and looked at him then started fiddling nervously with her fingers as Shaun looked up at his light getting distracted for a second but then he looked back at her and the space around her while fiddling with his own fingers, as well.

She stared at him thinking —Where do I start? Is he mad at me? He doesn't look mad…— She was about to say something but he spoke first.

"I'm sorry." He said and she looked at him with slight surprise on her face, then there was as second of silence between them until he continued. "Claire told me to apologize because you didn't want me to tell the truth. You only wanted me to support your position, even though is wrong." He nodded some.

Lea looked at him between not knowing what to say and thinking —I don't know who Claire is but, I like her? Anyway, I came here to apologize to him and now he's apologizing… he did nothing wrong...— Then in a somewhat sassy way she replied "Well, I don't accept… I may have overreacted this morning… a little... And you're honest… brutally honest… but you shouldn't have to wear earplugs in your own home…" She stared at him and he listened quietly, making eye contact with her every now and then.

"And don't start lying to me to make me feel good…" She continued. "You're the only honest guy I know... So…" She pulled the apple she bought from her back pocket and handed it to him with a smile and he gently took it "Have a good night, Shaun Murphy. And I will try not to keep you up." Without more to say, she turned around and walked back to her apartment.

Lea appreciated Shaun's honesty, it was like a breath of fresh air for her. Though a lot of people can't handle that kind of honesty, she preferred to be told the truth rather than be lied to or be told only what she wanted to hear because had had enough of that in the past and even in the present too. She had never met someone like that, she hated when someone would say something like "I lied to protect you" or "I didn't want to make you feel bad". She hated hypocrisy and Shaun wasn't at all like that, which she loved. She knew he'd always tell her what was on his mind even if it hurt or felt odd for a moment. He was so far one, if not THE best person she's ever met.

Not even a couple minutes had passed when she heard a knock on her door. She walked back and opened it finding Shaun standing in the hallway holding the apple she had just given him. She looked at him and smiled with a "What's up?" expression but then she got that vibe again, the he's not well kinda vibe.

"I made a mistake today" He let out. "…and someone got hurt." He finished, making eye contact with her briefly.

Lea stared at him feeling bad and wondering what happened but also thought maybe the last thing he needed in that moment was to talk about it, so, what do you do when someone feels bad? The least you can do is to offer them your support and a hug, but having in mind what she had read about autistic people, she didn't know how Shaun would react to it. She didn't want to screw it so she warily moved closer to him, looking into his eyes.

Once she was right in front of him she gently wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest; because of the height difference between them, still afraid he would freak out and push her away, but he didn't.

At first, it was like he wasn't expecting that and was uncomfortable but, a second later, he basically relaxed in her embrace as she moved her hands gently up to his shoulder blades in order to hold him even closer, and they stood there for a moment in the middle of the hallway.

Little did she know, Shaun had received hugs before, usually from thankful parents of patients, but they always felt wrong and made him uncomfortable. This one though, it felt right. He felt at ease, and he hadn't felt like that in long time since his brother died...