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Jemma stared blearily at the clock beside her bed, who in their right mind is pounding on the door at 3:24 am? She closed her eyes and willed the noise to stop, when it continued, she rolled out of bed and marched angrily to the door. Flinging it open she backed away at the smell of liquor that wafted off the man standing in front of her.
“Please, don’t say anything, just listen,” he teetered on his feet, making Jemma wonder if he was going to fall over, “I know that I fucked up really bad, but I swear to you, it wasn’t my fault! I really do want to meet your parents! You know you’re my number ooooonnnneeee!” the inebriated man dropped to his knees, and Jemma thought he was going to throw up all over the entry way except he raised his clasped hands in supplication, “Please forgive me! I love you!”
Jemma didn’t know whether or not to be amused, frightened or call for security, thankfully the sound of footsteps and a rich tenor voice rang out, calling toward the wayward man at her feet. “Leo, what the hell!” Jemma looked up and was pleasantly taken back at how attractive this newcomer was.
Leo, (the man previously known as the drunken hot mess), turned to face his friend, “Tell Skye she has to forgive me!” he slurred as he pointed towards Jemma who was wondering why she was still standing there in her pj’s and hadn’t slammed the door in their faces yet.
“I will,” the newcomer said slowly as if he were talking to a child, “When we see Skye, who lives on the 5th floor, not the 4th.” He turned to face Jemma, “I’m sorry for my idiot friend, I hope he didn’t offend you or anything.”
“Do you have any idea what time it is?” she scolded in her most posh voice.
At the reveal of her accent Leo squinted up at her, “Heeeeeeeyyyyyy,” he struggled to his feet, practically using his tall handsome friend as a ladder, “You’re not Skye,” he hiccupped, “Skye isn’t a Brit.” He turned to his still unnamed friend, suddenly unsure, “Is she?”
Tall dark and handsome sighed deeply, massaging the bridge of his nose in exasperation, “No, she’s not. You’re on the wrong floor.” He reiterated again before turning back to Jemma, “I’m so sorry.” He apologized again smiling sheepishly and she found it absolutely charming.
“Jemma?” the grandmotherly voice floated down the corridor, “Are these men bothering you?”
Jemma turned to the right, where her sweet elderly neighbor Mrs. Lee was sticking her curler filled head out, sizing up the two men warily.
“Not at all Mrs. Lee,” She smiled sweetly at the woman she thought of like a grandmother. “Just a small mix up with the apartment numbers.”
“We’re terribly sorry Mrs. Lee,” Tall dark and handsome piped in offering a charming smile that had the elderly woman blushing, “We’re leaving,” he turned to face her, “Goodnight Jemma,” her name rolled like silk off his tongue and sent a shiver down her spine.
He grabbed Leo around the shoulder and winked at Jemma before hauling his friend down the hall.
Once they disappeared into the elevator Mrs. Lee turned back to Jemma, “That tall dark and handsome,” she sighed wistfully, “If I were 40 years younger…”
Jemma laughed and shook her head at the elderly woman, waving as she returned to her apartment, secretly agreeing.
Later on that morning, Jemma was wondering what to eat for breakfast when there was a knock at the door. Not one to have guests that knocked (Malachi, Antoinette and Pippa had keys and tended to simply barge in), Jemma wondered at the sudden popularity of her door.
Looking through the peep whole, she smiled as Tall, dark and handsome stood on the other side, his hands shoved boyishly into well fitting jeans, as he rocked back on his heels. The green tee and leather jacket fit his frame perfectly, and Jemma couldn’t help but notice how nicely built he was.
Jemma hadn’t realized how long she was staring until he began to walk away. Taking a deep breath she opened the door, hoping her cheeks weren’t flushed with embarrassment, “Yes?”
He seemed stunned by her appearance and simply stared at her for a beat before shaking himself out of his stupor, rubbing nervously at the back of his neck, suddenly seeming shy. “Uh- hi.” He smiled, that same charming smile from just a few hours before. “I just wanted to apologize again for last night. I hope we didn’t disrupt your sleep too much.”
“Wow Fitz, you weren’t kidding.” A new voice startled Jemma as a brunette beauty stepped out from behind Tall, dark and handsome, “Grant does turn into a blushing school boy around her.”
Jemma smiled as Grant groaned and shook his head although there was laughter in his eyes and a hint of pink in his cheeks.
“Hi, I’m Skye, I live upstairs, in 5L. These two wayward idiots are Fitz, my boyfriend,” she pointed to the formerly drunk hot mess now hung-over man leaning against the wall who offered her a sheepish smile, “and my brother Grant.” She elbowed her brother playfully, “We wanted to take you out for brunch since these two geniuses woke you last night.”
Jemma looked to Grant whose eyes were hopeful that she’d say yes. Blushing softly she nodded and grabbed her purse from the hook near the door, “Brunch sounds lovely.”
A few years later, when Leo was giving his best man’s speech, he took full credit for the mix up that led to the happy newly weds Grant and Jemma Ward.