"How much do you earn? I need a deposit upfront." The plump,  rose-cheeked old woman focused her intense myopic gaze on Andy.

Andy sighed and stopped herself from self-consciously crossing her legs together. Her diner uniform didn't exactly bespoke riches.

Before she could speak, Mrs. Tucker cut in, "No boys! And no staying out after dark."

Andy let out an exasperated breath. "I don't have a boyfriend Mrs. Tucker. But I sometimes work shifts at the Pizzeria. So, I maybe late. Regarding the deposit, I think I can manage and the rent will be paid by the Knights as a compensation for my home which is being currently fixed up. Leo Knight promised me."

Mrs. Tucker looked her up and down, as if trying to make out if she spoke the truth. Apparently satisfied, she said, "Of course, Leo would say that to a pretty young thing like you. Is there something going on between you two that I should be aware of?" Mrs. Tucker gave her a conspiratorial smile.

"Oh no, there's nothing going on between us, Mrs. Tucker. Nor do you have anything to worry about in the future. I am not dating, at all."

Andy might have been a tad too vehement as Mrs. Tucker's white eyebrows disappeared in her white wig. She got her rosary and started pacing and muttering while crossing herself.

"I should've guessed with the short hair. Not interested in dating, she says. Not interested in Leo!" Mrs. Tucker glared at Andy. "We don't put up with the lesbian business in Prescott, mind! Young lady, though I was quite pretty up in my days, you should be quite ashamed to even think of accosting me in anyway."

Lesbian? Short hair?

Mrs. Tucker was still muttering when Andy stood up. "I'm not a lesbian, Mrs. Tucker. Though I agree that you are quite a dish."

Andy winked at her, enjoying herself when the woman flinched and tried to get away from her.

After another sleepless night, she had decided to take up Leo's offer for a substitute home and paid Mrs. Tucker a visit. The crazy old bat had made Andy see the foolishness of the plan. She could never live under Mrs. Tucker's thumb. Though she had an inkling that the lady was going to steer clear of Andy from now on.

Lesbian, indeed! First time she'd heard that one. 

She laughed as she let herself out of Mrs. Tucker's Victorian, mentally waving good-bye to the garage apartment.

She laughed louder as she crossed the lawn and moved across the pavement to the diner for her afternoon shift. She was still laughing when she was assaulted by freezing rain and her teeth started chattering.

Then suddenly, she wasn't laughing, the thought of spending another sleepless night at her home clouded her senses. Not only was she broke, she was seriously sleep deprived. She worked longer hours at the diner to avoid going home and now she was bone-tired. She hated her life, her job, this miserable town and the house she was stuck in.

She heard a car pull up beside her, and she hoped to hell it wasn't Leo. She couldn't face him like this, or anyone else for that matter.

"Andy?" Drew's friendly face poked out from the van and Andy almost wept with relief. Drew opened the back door for her and she stumbled in with a choked thanks.

"Everything ok?", he asked redundantly, as Andy was sure he had seen her cry.

Andy managed a weak smile in response to his concern. She hadn't noticed before, but Ben was in the front seat. He was the guy that leered and Felicity had asked her to steer clear of him. But she only saw concern in his eyes as he handed her a flask of water. She gratefully took a drink.

"Uh, not a very good time for a walk," he said.

"Yeah, I just got caught unawares." Andy returned the flask with thanks. Both guys had clearly seen her tears and were shifting uncomfortably in their seats.

Andy said with false cheeriness, "Ok! So, if you can just drop me to the Pizzeria, that'd be great."

"Sure, but we need to pick up Leo from the train station first. His car broke down and he traveled to Dallas by train to visit his old man."

That was sweet, but no way was she equipped to deal with Leo now. She was wet and probably looked a fright.

"You guys can drop me at the train station, I can walk from there."

Against the backdrop of vehement male denials, Andy was firm. She jumped out of the car just as it slowed down and promptly ran into Leo.

He was carrying a back-pack and wore his sunglasses. He was buried under his jacket, though the rain had stopped now.

"Whoa, easy there, tiger!" His face crinkled into a good-humored smile and Andy had an insane urge to hug him. To tell him her troubles and ask him to make those go away.

"Sorry," she said instead and shuffled past him. His hand shot out to grab hers and she jolted back.

"Wait up, Red. We need to talk."

Oh no, it was the last thing Andy wanted to do. Leo let go of her hand and she heard him explain to his pals that they had to catch up about the repairs to her house and thanks for the lift, but he was going to drop Andy off on foot. She was in no mood to protest and soon, Drew had driven off and they were alone.

She pursed her lips and childishly refused to meet Leo's gaze. He was the antithesis of her. Rich, suave and confident. She was like an unwanted step-child that no one wanted and certainly no one loved. Her entire life that had been true and she was sick and tired of not having. For once, she wanted someone to worry about her, to pamper her. 

Someone who would take care of her.

Tears welled in her eyes and Leo lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. His gaze was concerned.

"Surely Red, whatever's bothering you can't be that bad."

"I'm sorry, you just got me at a bad time." Andy dug in her purse for a tissue, but it was Leo who handed one to her. She dabbed her eyes and grimaced when she dabbed away some of her mascara as well. She must truly look a fright. 

She dabbed at her eyes and cheeks till she was sure she had scrubbed her face of all make-up. Going without make-up was better than looking like Uncle Fester from The Addams Family.

Leo waited patiently till Andy was done, then took her arm in his and started to stroll. "Want to tell me what that was about?"

Andy bit her lip and contemplated, she wasn't even sure anymore why she had been crying. "I just had a vision that I was stuck in Prescott forever. With you for company," she added with a teasing grin. She felt much better since she had a good cry. She had had a good cry due for quite sometime now.

Leo returned her grin. "Surely that isn't so scary, Red. You're worried about your house, aren't you?"

Damn him, he was too perceptive. Who better to tell her worries to, he knew very well that she was desperate to sell-off the house.

"I'm kinda scared that I won't be able to sell it as quickly as I previously thought." Like, yesterday. "It's, well, a tad intimidating to stay there alone."

Leo let out a sigh and threw up his arms. "And hardly safe! Why don't you take up the residence with Mrs. Tucker?"

Andy huffed, and told him how Mrs. Tucker had treated her. When she was done, Leo was howling with laughter.

"She thought you were a lesbian? Oh jeez, she's a staunch church-goer, so she won't stand for that."

Andy got riled up and crossed her arms to glare at him. "Do I look like a lesbian to you?"

Leo smiled his wicked smile. "No, but maybe you should prove it to me, just to be on the safer side."

Andy smiled, glad that at least Leo hadn't been confused about her sexual orientation. Really, being a lesbian wasn't a big deal, but it was always better that no one was confused about the team one batted for.

"Not gonna happen."

"Don't bet on it." Leo said, but he smiled and she smiled back, feeling quite light and fresh.

"Are you happy with the repairs on your house, so far? I have been spending all afternoons there."

"What repairs? All I saw was a bunch of tools lying around!" Andy's tone was indignant. She seriously hadn't noticed any changes to the house.

"Oh, didn't you see the attic? I replaced the skylight and fixed up those windows." Leo raised a brow at her.

"Oh, I hardly go there." Never was more like it. "But I appreciate it, thanks!"

"I will fix up a security system in your house, since you'd be there for awhile now. It will be as safe as a castle. I will even dig a moat around it, if you want. And you can have a drawbridge which you lower whenever your prince visits you."

Andy smiled at the absurdity of the picture. "Is a security system a justified cost for selling the house?"

"It mightn't be , but it's necessary. It's not safe for you all alone there and you know it."

"Oh." Andy couldn't refute the logic of that statement. She couldn't help it then. She jumped up and hugged him.

She felt him chuckle. "I didn't realize you would be so thankful. Are you sure you don't want the moat after all?"

Andy pulled away and stood awkwardly next to him, grinning stupidly. "No, I will pass, this time. But really, thanks!"

Since they had reached her workplace, she stuck her hand out for him to shake. 

"Oh, I think we are way past that." Leo bent down and placed a soft kiss, close to her lips.

"See ya around, Red!"

Andy waved him off and turned to her workplace, smiling. She couldn't remember what she had been upset about at all.

-----

The reason came back to Andy soon enough. As soon as she settled in her bed, after a lift from Johnny from the diner, she started hearing all sounds from the woods around amplified a thousand times over. They were the hoots of the owls, the scurrying of rodents and the whines of god-knows-what animals.

She tossed and turned for an hour and then simply stayed awake. She buried under her comforter, realizing for the first time that it hadn't been that cold at night. Leo had really fixed the skylight.

Yes, she would think of Leo and maybe she would be able to sleep. He was really quite perfect. It was really too bad that she wasn't looking for a relationship. A fling with him was beginning to sound like a really good idea.

He was perfect fling material. When the fling was over, they could go their own ways and Leo and she would even be able to remain friends. After nearly a decade of abstinence, Leo Knight was God's gift to her to rediscover her sexuality. Because they would be great in bed, she just knew it.

Humming now, Andy stepped out of bed. She wanted to have a quick sip of water and stepped into the kitchen. She took out a bottle of water from the fridge and guzzled down the cool water. She was still smiling as she turned and saw the face staring at her from the kitchen window.

Andy screamed.