Chapter Text
You awoke to a good morning text from Leonard the next day, much your surprise, and a picture of a grumpy looking little kid that looked exactly like her father scowling at the camera so hard you bust out laughing. The picture was captioned “If you can’t have a good morning, at least I hope it’s not as bad as hers seems to be going.”
Still laughing you sent a quick good morning back and remarked at just how much she looked like her daddy before getting ready for work with more bounce in your step than usual. You texted back and forth briefly in the morning before you were thrown back to the wolves of Crisis calls, CPS workers, and Law Enforcement. Thankfully you were able to get the kid back to his mother by the end of the day. Once you had finished your notes for the day though, made your list for what was pressing tomorrow, and passed the crisis line over to your replacement for the next shift, you realized it was already almost 10 PM. You stepped out into the night air, checking your phone to see two missed texts from Chris and one from Leonard. Without opening any of them you tiredly climbed into your car and laid your head back. You were too tired to drive, you knew that. But you were reluctant to ask your coworkers if you could crash at their places and your only friend lived two states away.
As you were debating the pros and cons of sleeping at the shelter vs trying to drive home you heard a knock on your window that made you jump and hit your wrist off the steering wheel. Ribbing your wrist, you turned to glare at whoever had dared to scare you like that, only to see Leonard looking at you through the window with a sheepish grin. He took a step back as you opened the door for you to speak.
“Oh! Hello Leonard, What’s up?”
“Hello Darlin’. Sorry for scaring you like that. I saw you were still at work and wanted to see if you were down to go out? I’ve got a nurse who was willing to take care of Joe for me so me and Kirk were gonna go for a drive and maybe have a couple drinks.” He rubbed the back of his neck and blushed lightly. “I, um” he cleared his throat. “I promise I wasn’t stalking you, I just happened to notice that this is where you said you worked and when I saw you in your car, I figured I’d say hi. You didn’t hurt your wrist, did you?”
You looked blearily up at Leonard with a smile before glancing back down at your wrist. “Nah, wrist is fine. I’d love to go out with you guys, but, honestly, I’d just be a drag. I was just debating going back in to work and crashing on one of the beds cause I don’t know if I’m safe to drive. It was a long day.”
Leonard looked worriedly down at you, then offered a hand for you to get up. “I’ll drive you home, you’ll rest better in your own bed.”
“No, you can’t do that! You got a babysitter and everything, you deserve a night out! Don’t let ol’ stick in the mud me drag you down. Besides there’s plenty of beds inside and if they’re good enough for my clients they’re good enough for me.”
Leonard laughed and grabbed your hand, tugging you up to stand before reaching around you to grab your purse and keys. “Yeah, and the beds where I work at are good enough for my clients too, but that doesn’t mean I want to sleep in them. Come on, into the truck.”
Taking you by the arm he led you gently to his truck and you didn’t resist. If he was willing to drive you, who were you to say no. “You know I live out of town, right?”
“So, you’ve said. Common, up you get.” He popped open the passenger seat of his truck and helped you in, placing your stuff in your lap. “I’m gonna call Jim and let him know what’s going on. Then you can tell me where you live.”
“No fair, if I tell you you’ll know more about me than I know about you.” you whined and Leonard chuckled, “Next time, we will go to my place, deal?”
“Deal” You smiled and tried to ignore the giddy feeling of butterflies rising again.
Soon enough you were on the road to your house making small talk. Leonard had passed you a beer from a cooler in the back he had been saving for Jim and you relished the drink as you learned about his hometown, his ex-wife and why he had gone to medical school. You returned the favor and told him about growing up here and your choice in profession and your parents. When you finally pulled into the driveway at your house you were awake enough and desperate for the night to not end, so you offered for Leonard to join you on your porch with another beer. He obliged and the night wore on and it became too cold to sit outside any longer.
With a heavy heart you walked Leonard back to his truck, making sure he was okay to drive.
“I’m fine darlin. I’ll text you when I make it, okay?”
“Alright.” You shuffled your feet and looked at the ground before glancing back up into his eyes. “Can I give you something for luck?”
Leonard, who seemed just as reluctant to say goodbye as you, smiled “I’d never say no to a little luck.”
You smiled, and then lifting on your toes before he could react you placed a light kiss to the corner of his lips and then spun and ran. Before you could get more than a step though his hand wrapped around your wrist, and he spun you back around until your back was to his truck and his arms were braced on either side of you. “Now now, that wasn’t very nice, teasing a gentleman like that.”
“Oh really” you replied with a smirk. Leaning further back like you hadn’t a care in the world. Leonard leaned in closer. “Really, here I was, spending the whole night, working up the courage to ask you out, and then you go and steal a kiss. Naughty Naughty.” His voice had become almost a growl by the end of his statement and his eyes flicked from your own eyes to your lips.
“(Y/N)”
“Yes Leonard?” you whispered; voice caught in your throat as he slowly leaned in. His forehead rested against his truck, his breath whispering over your ear. “May I kiss you?” You swallowed and nodded, not trusting your voice and he pulled back, long enough to see your consent, before leaning back in and capturing your mouth with his.
It was exquisite, he tasted like the apple cider you two had been drinking and something distinctly him underneath. The kiss started soft, just a brush of his lips over yours, but at your hum of pleasure he pressed in further, tongue flicking out to trace your lips. You pulled back just enough to nip at his lip as you ran your hands up into his hair.
With a growl Leonard chased your lips, pressing you back into the truck and reaching down to lift under your thighs, picking you up and wrapping your legs around his waist. Pressing you further against the truck he began to run his hands along the hem of your shirt.
You stayed like this for what could have been a lifetime, and when eventually you came up for air you were dizzy and strung out. He lowered you to the ground and took a half step back, hands running all over your body to keep you balanced and to not break the connection. You glanced up at him and he had a look of almost regret on his face. “I… I have to get home… Joe…”
You smiled in understanding. “I get it, don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.” He nodded and then looked out over the fields surrounding your house, before turning back to you. “Come home with me. Normally I ask you to go on a date first but… Damnit darlin, I just can’t drive away like this.” You swallowed and searched his eyes, reading his face for a long moment before nodding. “Yes. Let me grab an overnight bag, I’ll be 5 minutes, and then…. Yes.”
Leonard looked relieved and followed you into the house to pack your things. Hand never leaving yours as you led the way.
TWO YEARS LATER
“Mamma!” a little voice yelled, and you turned around to see Joanna dashing out of Leonard’s truck and headed straight for you. You bent down to swoop the 8-year-old off her feet and into the air, twirling her around under the fall leaves that decorated the trees in your yard. Turning around you spotted Leonard making his way too you.
“If I was any less a man, I’d be jealous of that greeting there missy.”
“Who you calling Missy Dr. McCoy?”
“Why you Mrs. McCoy.” Leonard said with a grin, leaning in to kiss you softly. You smiled and leaned in, happy in his embrace.