Girleh and Polo.

"Ah - yes, you're right... Sorry." Leon chuckled slightly, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. But Maggie's words reassured him, and he finally relaxed slightly.
His eyes followed the progress of her fingers as she fiddled with her hair - and the action drew his attention to a faint swelling on her cheek.
He reached out and brushed her hair aside, touching his fingertips gently to her cheek, and frowning slightly as he felt the heat of the swelling.
But he said nothing on it... Instead, he dropped his hand back to his side, and managed a faint smile.
"I've missed you." He admitted quietly, "Want to come in, and... Talk a little?" His lips formed a charming smile - complimenting his handsome face, despite the faint gray tinge still clinging to his skin, and the dullness of exhaustion in his eyes.

When Maggie jumped away from him, Leon felt instantly guilty - but at the same time, she had to trust him. He wouldn't hurt her.
So, when she accepted his offer to come in - he disregarded her reaction to the last time he had touched her, and took her hand in a light grasp.
"Come." He murmured softly, pulling her gently into the room and closing the door behind her.
The room was tidy, but cold. Nobody had been living in it for the past few days, since Jake had been at home, and Leon had been in the hospital.
It was dusty.
Leon coughed quietly, feeling a painful burn inside his lungs. He winced, then turned his attention back to Maggie.
"Who did it?" He asked softly. "This can't go on, Maggie... I really think you should go to the police."

"It's okay." Leon soothed her, resting a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "I'm not going to force you. I just want to help... Here, sit down, talk to me."
He seated himself on the bed, and patted the spot next to him, gesturing for her to sit down beside him.
"Why don't you tell me the problem?" He suggested kindly.

"Well that's no excuse!" Leon objected, bristling with indignation. "If he thinks he can hit you just because he's angry with your mother, he needs some serious help. And I'm not kidding - he needs to see a shrink. It really does help..." He trailed off into silence, smiling slightly awkwardly as he realized he had just admitted to taking therapy.

"That's true..." Leon muttered with a sigh, "But I never took him for the sort of jerk who would hurt his own daughter."
Leon glanced down, clenching his fists in fury. He hated that there was nothing he could do... As usual, he was useless.
"Well, I'll call my therapist and see if he thinks he could help. It's a better option than the cops anyway, and we've got to do something..."
He turned his gaze to Maggie, watching her, waiting for her reaction to his decision.

"So this has been going on for a while?" Leon asked darkly, a concerned frown creasing his brow.
"I'll give Doctor Hudson a call now... See what he thinks..." He trailed off thoughtfully, then got up and walked over to his cellphone. He had the therapist on speed dial, so all he had to do was press a button, and the call was in motion.
Before long, a husky male voice answered at the other end of the line.
"Heya, Doc." Leon greeted him, smiling slightly to himself. He liked Dr. Hudson.
"Leon! Good to hear from you - how're you doing?" Dr. Hudson replied, and Leon could hear the grin in his voice.
"I've been just swell Doc, but listen here, I've got a problem..." He trailed off, then began explaining.
"You see, I've got this friend, and-" But Leon broke off as an excited shout at the other end of the line interrupted him.
"A friend?! A friend! You, Leon Hunter, have got a friend?"
Leon waited with a dull, slightly insulted expression until the therapist was done raving, then continued.
"Yes, Doc, I have a friend. There's no need to sound so surprised..." He sighed and rolled his eyes irritably, then finished telling Dr. Hudson about Maggie's problem.
He was concerned, but he said that he was sure he would be able to help the man if only they could get him to agree to come in.
If not, Dr. Hudson promised he would come up with another plan.

Maggie-
She thought to herself before glancing up as she heard Leon's voice. She steadily removed her jumper. He knew now so there was no point in hiding it now and she was boiling. Bruises littering her arms and upperbody some newer than others.
"Just don't flip." Maggie mumbled to him watching him cautiously for his reaction. Slightly afraid of it though she trusted him

When Leon finally hung up the phone, he was starting to feel tired again. He turned to Maggie with a weary smile, but it faded at the sight of her bruises - replaced by a frown.
"Mags, this is ridiculous..." He muttered, shaking his head. "Just look at you! This can't go on."
He shook his head in disgust, then walked over to his bedside table and poured himself a glass of water. He popped a pill into his mouth, washed it down with a gulp of water, then turned back to Maggie.
"Dr. Hudson thinks he can help your dad. We've just got to convince him to go there... Any ideas?"
He sat back down on the bed, watching Maggie as he waited for her response.

Maggie-
She chewed her lip at his reaction before thinking. "I might be able to. When does he want him there?" Maggie asked him thinking to herself

"Whenever you can get him there." Leon replied with a faint smile. "The Doc owes me - whenever it is, he'll fit it in." He nodded briefly, then stood up and glanced around the room for a moment, before turning back to Maggie.
"I tell you what, that's enough on all the doom and gloom... I'm actually feeling okay today. How about we go out and do something?" He offered, a kind smile on his handsome face. It was strange, really... Unless it was scornful and mocking, a smile looked out of place on his face. Of course, this was not surprising - what with the image he had created for himself.

Maggie didn't exactly seem thrilled about his suggestion, but Leon disregarded this - merely offering a slight reassuring smile.
"Right then! Let's see..."
He stepped over to the mirror in the corner of his room and checked his reflection. He had no eyeliner on today - so already he looked a little different to usual. He supposed it wouldn't be too hard to come up with a makeshift disguise...
He tapped his fingers together thoughtfully for a minute, then ran them through his sleek brown hair, tugging it out of its usual style and instantly transforming his entire image.
Lastly, he grabbed a hat from the hook next to the mirror and tugged it over his head.
"This should throw the paparazzi off!" He declared with a laugh, turning back to Maggie.
"What do you think?" He asked teasingly - striking a pose and winking playfully.
It was actually really nice to be spending time with somebody again... He hadn't realised until that moment how lonely he had become...

Leon glanced at Maggie in faint surprise as she giggled. He had never heard her sound so... Carefree before. He smiled slightly at her, then turned away with a chuckle. He grabbed a thick, warm jacket from his cupboard and pulled it on, then straightened his hat and turned back to Maggie.
"Anything you need to do before we go?" He asked with a grin - obviously looking forward to spending some time away from the hellish boredom that had become his life.

"Okay then! Let's go!" Leon replied - laughing at his own enthusiasm.
He grabbed his wallet off the bedside table, then opened the door and left the room - glancing back to make sure Maggie was following before jogging down the stairs and exiting the school.
"Where do you want to go?" He asked, turning back to Maggie. "I hadn't really thought any further than 'out'." He admitted with a laugh - grinning sheepishly.

"I'm much the same." Leon replied with a faint smile, "It just never seems worth the effort to get up and go somewhere..." He laughed, then raised a hand to hail a cab - turning back to Maggie as he waited for it to pull up. "I suppose I could eat. Or walk... Gee, I'm not being very helpful, am I?" He offering a brief smile, then decided to voice the first suggestion that came to mind. "How about a movie? There's less chance we'll be disturbed, then."
He opened the door of the cab as it pulled up beside them, waiting for Maggie to get in.

"True." Leon replied with a nod, climbing into the cab beside Maggie and closing the door. He leaned forward to tell the driver their destination, then sat back in his seat with a soft sigh. He was starting to feel a little tired now. He just hoped his good health would last through the evening...
"So, Maggie, tell me something about yourself." Leon encouraged, turning to her with a smile - keen to distract himself from worrying about his health, since that would only make him sicker.