"Do you want to be sheltered for the rest of your life? Wouldn't you rather feel better about being dependant on yourself?" Matthew asked. "I won't help find you a job if you don't want one but I thought you wanted to become more independent." He said, confused.

Leane sighed as she looked up at Matt after she'd finished problem four, "I do.. but.. I'm afraid.. One, any place around here is going to reject me on account of my name. Two, I'm afraid my family will be furious with me for going against our family customs and doing my own thing.. Not to mention once they figure out that it was around the time I started falling in love with you that these ideas popped into my head, they'll hate you for 'turning me against them and making me turn my back on the Supton-ways'.. I.. I just.."

"You shouldn't be so afraid." Matthew sighed. "Maybe they should be happy that you want to take on more responsiblities. I think you should go for it despite what they think. Its ultimately your choice but I think you'd be happier if you were able to earn your own money." He said.

Leane sighed as she went back to her history homework and began working on the last problem. "You don't know my parents.... they won't be happy when they find out..." she whispered, "They only tolerate Josh have a job because he's studying to take Daddy's place and know that he needs an outlet to relax.. But with me..."

"Tell them that you want something to teach you more responsibility and you want experience working. If cooking doesn't work out then at least you will know what working is like before you're older. I'll gladly help you get the job but maybe you should think a little harder about what you want for your furture then worrying about what your parents are going to be upset about. They can't be upset with you forever." Matthew explained as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Leane sighed, "But.. What if... What if I... I could.. I'll fail.. I.. Matt, it's pointless to talk about," she said as she finished her problem and slammed her book shut. Putting it on the table, Leane grabbed her drink from the table, took a drink, and headed towards the kitchen, "There's nothing I can do Matt.. why try and get my hopes up? There's no way I can become a cook.. It'll just become a hobby for when I'm a mother.. But hey, at least my children will eat well and I won't have to hire a cook, right?"

"Leane." Matthew sighed as he stopped her and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Why are you so afraid of failing? You're never going to know unless you try. Besides, who cares if you're not a fabulous cook, which I'm sure you are." He said. "You can't fail at everything. There has to be something you're good at. I refuse to think that you fail at everything." He said, shaking his head.

Leane sighed, "If I fail.. my parents will be disappointed in me.. I'm a Supton, remember? Supton's don't fail.. When we do, we get written out and lose our family.. We... My family... They're more stuck up than you realize. Josh is the only one I'm close to and can honestly say I love aside from my Father. Sure, Daddy will still love me, but my mother? My grandparents? The rest of my family? They'll shun me just like they do my Aunt. She had a great career before my family outcast her.. Matt I.. I don't like disappointing people.. I.. I don't want to disappoint my family.. If I try and I fail at a job, if I make a fool out of the Supton name.. I.."

"Then what? You're parents will be mad that you tried to make a living?" Matthew asked, confused. "If you don't want to try then I'll understand but I think its worth the risk. I'm sure you're a great cook and maybe you should give it a shot anyways." Matthew said. "Its a little after school job. You're in high school, you're allowed to make mistakes. That's what high school is about, trying to figure out what you want." He said, resting his forhead against Leane's. "Give it a shot? Or you could just wonder what it'd be like if you'd tried while you're sitting in an office with a picture of your three kids and a husband straight out of your dad's office."

Leane rolled her eyes, "Thanks for painting my future so clearly.. I just love the idea of marrying a man Daddy chose for me... Isn't that where you're supposed to come in on your white horse and shining armor to save the day?" she teased with a grin as she placed a tender kiss upon his lips.

"But alright, alright, I'll work. For you, I will work if you find me a job, I promise. We'll just keep it our little secret and we'll make an excuse saying that I'm hanging out with you. Deal?"

"Alright." Matthew said, a little confused. "But if you hate disappointing your family then where exactly do I come in?" He asked shyly, letting go of Leane. "I mean, clearly they're not going to approve of me so what happens then?" He asked before shaking his head. "You don't have to answer that. Sorry." He said quickly before turning back towards the kitchen.

"Matt.." Leane sighed as she pulled him to a stop, wrapping her arms around his waist before placing a tender kiss upon the back of his neck. Resting her forehead between his shoulder blades, Leane held him close to her, just wanting to feel him near, forgetting for the moment that is ribs were all banged up.

"Matt.. Don't you understand? You're the exception.. My one exception.. Even if they become disappointed in me for falling in love with someone who doesn't work in the business field and isn't in the same social class as the Supton family, I'll go against them if it means being with you.. I can put my dreams to the side to make them happy by doing a job I won't love.. But I won't let them come between me and the man I love.. Which in case you haven't figure out yet, is you and only you," Leane continued, her voice thick as a tear slipped down her cheek, her hands clutching the front of his shirt.

"Matt.. I... I... Can't you see how much I love you? How could you even think that I would let my parents decide whom I fell in love with... If I had let them choose for me, I'd have been engaged to Kurt or one of the other jocks years ago," Leane said with a sigh as her tears wet the back of his shirt, "I love you... Don't you understand that this is the one area of my life in which they cannot control no matter how hard they try? Please don't tell me they're opinion of us is going to make you run from me.. Please..." Leane said helplessly as she pulled him closer to her.

Matthew turned back to Leane, pulling his arms around her and burying his face in her hair, ignoring the pain in his stomach area. "Leane." He said softly as he pulled her closer. "I won't leave you unless you wish it." He soothed as his hands clasped at her lower back. "But if you're worried that they'll disapprove of your job then how am I to know that you won't cast me away when they don't approve of me?" He whispered against her neck. "I won't be leaving you but I'm scared that you'll leave me and I'll understand but I love you and I don't want to let you go." He sighed as he pulled away and kissed away the tears on her cheeks. "Don't cry, love." He soothed gently.

Burying her face in his chest as her hands clutched the back of his shirt and she held him close, Leane sniffed and tried to stop her tears as she spoke, her voice still thick, "Matt.. How can I not cry? You think I'd let you go at the drop of a hat just because my parents don't approve.. You think so poorly of me.. You think my words are meaningless.. You don't believe me when I tell you I love you.. You think I'm just saying those three little words to pacify you... I-I.. I really do love you Matt... I don't know how I can make that much clearer... I.. I don't want you to go.. Why can't it just be enough that I approve of you? Why do my parents and family need to approve as well? Aren't I enough?" she asked helplessly as she looked up at him, his face blurry through her tears as she tried to blink them back.

"I know you love me." Matthew whispered softly as he rested his fored head against Leane's. "I love you to. So, so much. Which is why it scares me so much that you might leave. You say that you don't want to disappoint your family and I'm obviously not the person they're going to approve of. I just don't want you to feel like you have to choose between me and them. I love you, Leane." He said as he pulled her small frame closer to him, wincing slightly as pain shot through his side.

"Matt.." Leane whispered as she wiped the tears from her face with one hand, the palm of the other softly caressing Matt's cheek as she continued as she found her voice and forced it not to crack from her tears, "Matt I... I don't feel like I have to choose, for my choice was made the moment you told me you loved me.. Don't you understand? If it comes right down to it, and I have to choose, I'll always choose you, no matter what. For with you, my happiness lies, don't you see that? If you leave me not because you don't love me anymore, but because of my family, I.. I... Matt I..."

Resting her forehead against his chest, Leane clenched her hand into a fist as she let it fall from his cheek to his shoulder, "How can you be so stupid and blind not to know this and see this..."

"Because I'm a straight B student with a beat up nose and bruised ribs." Matthew smiled before lifting her chin to give her a tender kiss. "Don't be upset." He said softly against her lips. "I'm not leaving you." He said, wrapping a hand around the back of her neck and kissing her nose gently.

Leane sighed as she leaned into him and whispered, "Then why are you saying such horrible things and making it seem like you're giving me reasons for why you're leaving me? Now that I have you, and now that I've found this.. I.. I don't want to give it up for anything.. Please don't make me give it up..."

"I'm not leaving." Matthew promised as he buried his face in her hair. "I'm not going anywhere unless you want me to. "I just want you to be happy, Leane. Forgive me for making you think otherwise?" He asked, giving her neck a quick kiss.

"I'm happy with you.. Please don't ever forget that.." she whispered before slipping out of his embrace. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Leane went into the kitchen to the refrigerator and scanned over the contents, "What would you like for dinner?"

"What's your favourite?" Matthew asked as he leaned against a counter. "I want to see some of your amazing cooking skills." He smiled.

Sniffling, Leane's tears slowed as she moved to the cupboards and scanned their contents, "How about chicken stir fry wraps, steamed broccoli and corn, and home-made rolls with cinnamon buns for desert?"

Matthew's eyes widened slightly at Leane's words. "You're more talented then I thought." He smiled before quickly backtracking. "I mean, not that I was doubting you. I just didn't know you were such a great cook." He rambled quickly. "You're pretty." He said with a big smile. "What do you need help with?" He offered, moving towards her.

"I'm not that great of a cook.. I've only made this once before, so it's still trial and error," Leane laughed as the tears finally stopped. Looking over at him, her eyes red and puffy from crying, Leane sighed, "You really are wretched, you know that? I can't say I mind all of the flattery though," she teased as she grabbed the olive oil, the cinnamon, brown sugar, garlic salt, sugar, as well as the materials to make the rolls and cinnamon bun dough out of the cupboards and laid them all out on the counter.

Moving to the fridge, she took out an onion, two bell peppers, a couple cloves of garlic, some carrots, some beans, and a few snow peas. Grabbing a couple knives and a couple cutting boards, Leane set a set down beside her own on the counter with a smile over at Matt, "You can cut up those peppers into slices while I chop the onions and garlic if you'd like."

"Alright." Matthew laughed as he picked up his knife and took the seeds out of the peppers before starting to slice them. "So where'd you learn to cook?" He asked as he chopped the peppers, skillfully avoiding his fingers.