-Chapter One-

"COLIN!"

Colin sat up, he looked around and sighed, he was back in his office and back in reality.

At 21, Colin still hadn't mastered the immense task of doing what Lynda told him.

"Colin, for goodness sake, would it kill you to concentrate and do some work?" Said Lynda, she glared at him "And why were you saying Tiddler's name in your sleep?"

"Can you go, I have a lot to get on with..." Colin muttered as he covered his face with papers from his desk in the hope that Lynda wouldn't realise he had gone bright red but Lynda didn't leave.

"You fancy her don't you." she said, slightly smiling.

"Don't be ridiculous, I mean, she's so..."

"Small?"

"Come on Lynda, she isn't that short…"

"You have a thing for her, don't you?"

Colin felt his stomach tighten, why did Lynda have to be right about every little thing?

"Look, I don't fancy Tiddler, now can you go away because you'll only complain when I don't have everything sorted tomorrow." Colin said as he picked up some more papers from his desk, Lynda shrugged and left the room as Colin breathed a sigh of relief, hopefully Lynda would just forget, or at least have the decency to keep her mouth shut until Colin figured out what to do.

Could he just ask Tiddler out, or would that make him a pervert? Even if she was his age would he actually have the guts to ask her out? His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in." He said grimly.

The door opened and to his dismay it was Lynda.

"Colin, have you seen my stapler anywhere?"

"Erm, yeah I borrowed it earlier." he replied as he handed her the stapler.

"Colin, can we talk?" she asked anxiously as she took the stapler.

"If I say no, your going to do it anyway, let's chat Lynda." said Colin managing to put on a weak smile.

"Why Tiddler?" enquired Lynda as she sat down "A bit young for you isn't she?"

"Look for the last time Lynda, I do not and never will fancy Tiddler, now will you stop?!?"

"Why were you saying her name in your sleep then, why do you defend her whenever anyone says anything about her, why do you go all red when she walks into a room and for gods sake Colin, you made it pretty obvious when you wrote "I heart Toni" on the back of your hand!"

Colin looked down at his left hand and quickly hid it under his desk.

"I know other people called Toni you know..."

Lynda sighed and left slamming the door behind her, Colin sank back into his chair, he didn't have a clue what to do, should he ask her out, should he write a letter explaining how he felt but just forget to sign it, should he blackmail Lynda into keeping quiet, should he try and forget about her, or should he just go and find a nice quiet spot and have a nervous breakdown?

He had never noticed her before, she had just been Tiddler, funny, sweet but never a possible girlfriend, but now everything was changing, she was changing, she was more than just Tiddler, she had become beautiful, alluring, gorgeous, without even realising it, Tiddler had become Toni, she was grown up, sophisticated, she was no longer a girl, she was becoming a woman, and Colin certainly hadn't failed to notice.

It felt so wrong, having feelings for her, she had always been Tiddler, nothing more, just a girl he knew from the office, but now she had grown up, and everything he thought he knew was no longer making sense.

"If they didn't want me dating younger girls, why couldn't they make all the younger girls ugly?" he muttered as he heard the door creaking open.

"Y'alright Colin?"

Colin accidentally squealed as he looked up to see...

"Toni...I mean you...I mean Tiddler...hi!" Colin stammered as he stood up.

"Wow, someone's happy to see Me." said Tiddler smiling warmly, Colin could feel his insides melting as she smiled, why did she have to be so gorgeous, surely it should be a crime.

"So, what can I help you with?" he said barely able to breath.

"I know your secret Mr Mathews."

"Oh good lord..." said Colin weakly as he fell back into his seat covering his eyes.

"Look, let me explain..." he said as Tiddler perched herself on his desk, he wished she hadn't because her skirt was extremely short and he had no idea where to look.

"Its ok, I understand, I mean, god, who wouldn't fancy Sarah, she's really pretty, look, I've been thinking, I could ask her out for you if you want, Its no bother, I think she likes you too, and besides, if you don't ask, you won't get!" Colin breathed a sigh of relief, she didn't know!

"You got me, I guess hiding it was silly, I do fancy Sarah, in fact, I think I'm going to ask her out now!" Said Colin, he was bluffing but Tiddler took him seriously!

"Great! Just go for it!" she said smiling, she slid off the desk and left the office.

Great, now Colin would have to actually ask Sarah out and hope she turned him down, it was great that Tiddler didn't know about how he felt but not so great that she thought he fancied Sarah, and where the hell did she get that idea?

Colin stood up and straightened his tie, he took a deep breath and walked out into the newsroom, he saw Sarah sitting at her desk typing, he thought about running back into his office and hiding for a month but then realised he had to do this so Tiddler wouldn't know the truth, he walked towards Sarah's desk and sat down next to her.

"Whatever your selling Colin, I'm not interested, there's still a massive burn mark on my favourite skirt after the last fiasco!" said Sarah, not even bothering to look up.

"Sarah, I was wondering, would you maybe...erm...that's a very nice shirt." This was always his weak spot, even when he wasn't seriously asking a girl out, he still couldn't do it properly, he took a deep breath "Sarah, will you go out with me?" he tensed his facial muscles, expecting a slap or harsh insult but instead was greeted with silence and then...

"Not in a million years."

"Please?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"But why?"

"Look Colin, I'm busy can you go away?" Sarah muttered, she looked down again and continued writing.

"Twenty quid."

Sarah looked up "Excuse me?"

"I'll pay you twenty pounds to be to be my girlfriend for a month that way even if you don't enjoy it you still have the money."

Sarah thought it over for a little while, chewing on her pen, twenty pounds to be his girlfriend for a month. Was it worth it?

"Forty."

"What? Are you mad? Twenty Five."

"Thirty Five."

"Come on Sarah, don't be silly, Thirty?"

Sarah drummed her fingers on the desk for a few moments.

"Yeah, alright then, but no jokes about what I'm willing to do for money, alright?"

-Chapter Two-

If Colin heard anyone else singing "Colin and Sarah sitting in a tree" he would go mad, he had only been going out with her for a week and already people were placing bets on what they would call their children!

He had to break up with her, but he didn't know how without hurting her feelings, dumping a girl was a delicate issue, but he had to think of something.

Just then he had a brilliant idea!

About twenty minutes later he emerged from his office carrying an envelope, he approached Sarah's desk and sat down. Sarah smiled.

"Hi Colin.." she kissed him on the cheek and he felt awful for what he was about to do "Do I get extra for public displays of affection, because I was thinking, I could start calling you a cute little nickname for five pounds extra."

"Sarah..."

"I was thinking of something like...Bambi or Simba maybe you could call me Nala, yeah that's good, Simba and Nala, that way people will get the impression we are deeply in love or something..."

"Sarah..."

"Yes Simba?"

"Sarah, now..."

"Call me Nala my little lion cub"

Colin had never been anyone's little lion cub before…

"Fair enough, Nala, now don't even offer me cash because I won't take it, I have something for you, a special deal just for you, for absolutely nothing you will get something that will boost your confidence, keep you smiling and make you feel a whole lot better about the situation." he flashed Sarah a reassuring smile, and she gave him one back, he felt her place her hand in his and he began to feel awful "Nala, my gift to you is the get over Colin Matthews in less than a day kit!" he said nervously, he placed the envelope on her desk then got up and ran back to his own office.

"Simba, Simba, come back!

"Um Sarah, I think you should open this..." Muttered Julie.

Sarah walked back to her desk and opened the envelope looking a little confused, there was a letter inside.

"Dear Sarah, I'm very sorry about this but I've realised that I was holding you back from what you really deserve, you are a truly lovely girl, your smart, beautiful and have a heart of gold and I simply don't deserve a girl like you, your way to good for me and you deserve so much better than I can give you, I hope you understand. Love Colin...I can't believe it, who does he think he is, I mean honestly?

This isn't fair!

He said if I went out with him for a month I would get thirty pounds, but he dumped me after a week!"

"Sarah calm down..." said Kenny, he put a hand on her shoulder "Look, I'm sure that if you go and talk to him reasonably he will pay you whatever he owes you."

"Your damn right he will! He has such a nerve, paying me to be his girlfriend then dumping me, who does he think he is?"

"He paid you to go out with him?" asked Tiddler looking up from her desk.

"Yeah, and I want my money!" said Sarah as she marched towards Colin's office as Tiddler watched from a corner of the room, it didn't add up, last week Colin was crazy about Sarah, there must be somebody else involved.

The door to Colin's door flew open and Sarah stood in the doorway, she was attempting to look intimidating but it wasn't quite working.

"Nala, can I help you with anything?"

"Don't you Nala me, I want my money, I went out for dinner with you twice and I pretended to be ecstatic with the flowers you bought me AND I even kissed you in front of your mother so you didn't look like a complete social failure!" yelled Sarah slamming the door shut.

"That was a bit below the belt, now go play the mortified dumped girlfriend like a good girl and I'll get that cash to you by tomorrow."

"What do you want me to do huh? Go and cry in front of everybody, serenade you with "Tears on my pillow"? It's too late, they all know how pathetic you are, offering me money to go out with you, that's low Colin, even for you!"

"Stop it Sarah, your making me blush, look you'll get your money, now stop shouting at me."

"All thirty pounds of it?"

"Now Sarah, I do believe that we agreed on fifteen..."

"COLIN!"

-Chapter Three-

Colin was getting his coat, it was getting late and he wanted to get home, he was just about to leave when he heard a voice behind him.

"Thirty quid to be your girlfriend...sounds like a bargain." He turned around to see Tiddler standing in front of him.

"And if you're lucky I throw in a free cup of tea."

"Sounds even better, where do I sign up?" said Tiddler grinning.

He knew that she was only joking but it was still odd hearing her say she would take money to go out with him, maybe if he was a little younger, or she was a little older...it was only a couple of years difference, it wasn't like when she first started, she wasn't twelve anymore, she was sixteen, surely it would be okay...

"Toni..."

"Colin, why do you always call me that? Nobody else does."

"It makes you sound older, and let's face it, you're not the little twelve year old kid you were before, your different, your sixteen now and Toni sounds more grown up." Said Colin as he quickly glanced out of the window.

"Um...thanks for noticing."

"Anyway, I was just wondering..." said Colin quietly as he fiddled with the buttons on his coat.

"Look, I know you made a bit of a fiasco of it last time so of course I'll ask the lucky girl out for you."

"No, it's...actually it doesn't matter, don't worry..."

He turned to leave, but Tiddler grabbed his arm.

"Go on, I'm listening."

He could just tell her, there was nothing stopping him from telling her, except for the worry that she would see him differently if she knew.

"No, its ok, don't worry, its not important." Colin said as he opened the door "Bye Toni."

"Bye Simba."

-Chapter four-

A few weeks later things had cooled down between Sarah and Colin, they were now back on speaking terms but "Simba and Nala" were never mentioned again, Sarah got her money and it had been pretty much forgotten. Colin had decided that he could wait for Tiddler, she didn't need to know just yet, he had written a letter explaining how he felt, he would give it to her when she was old enough and hopefully she would understand.

As Colin walked into the newsroom, it felt that just like every other morning, he reached his office and opened the door and walked towards his desk, he reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope with "To Toni" written on it and placed it on his desk under his calculator then opened the top drawer of his desk. It was full of random things he had attempted to sell, not attempted to sell, and things he wouldn't bother selling because they were so odd that nobody in their right mind (except Frazz) would buy them! He picked up a wooden box and placed it on his desk, then lifted off the lid, inside were small bottles in various colours.

He smiled to himself and picked up the box and walked back into the newsroom in search of some customers, he spotted his first leaning up against a wall discussing her ideas for the front page with Kenny.

They were just ordinary bottles of water, but with his wit, charm and a quick demonstration, he was sure he could sell them for a good price.

"Good morning Julie, isn't it lovely this morning, but wouldn't you like to keep that feeling all day long, that beautiful first thing in the morning feeling? Don't we all, well I have the answer, in these little bottles, I have the key to keeping fresh all day long, watch this."

He handed Kenny the box to hold and took one of the bottles, he unscrewed the lid and took a deep breath before throwing the contents on himself.

"You see that, I feel fantastic!"

"That's funny; you look wet and distressed from where I'm standing..." Said Kenny suppressing a laugh.

Frazz ran over, he tapped Colin on the shoulder.

"I'll take three!" he said excitedly, he reached in his pocket for some money.

"That's six pounds then!" said Colin grinning smugly as Frazz handed over the money and took three bottles.

Meanwhile, Tiddler had been looking for a calculator she could use, she was doing some last minute maths homework, Lynda had informed her there was always one in Colin's office, so she had gone there to find one, she saw it on his desk and reached out to grab it, but something else caught her eye.

"Dear Toni...oh sounds like that's for me." she said as she pushed the calculator aside and picked up the envelope, she opened it as she sat down on a chair, she then began to read the letter aloud to herself.

"Dear Toni, By the time you read this you will be a lot older, so will I, but the point is, that won't matter, you will be much older, you will have finished school, maybe you will still work at the junior gazette, I'm not sure, but what I am sure of, is that if you are reading this letter, I have finally had the nerve to give it to you, which is great.
I never thought I would when I was writing it, well I did but deep down I had a feeling I wouldn't give it to you.
Do you ever get nervous about things, I try not to, but it just happens, the odd thing is, it's just talking to women I can't do, well actually I can but it's the whole asking them out thing that gets me, anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that I don't think I could tell you to your face so I wrote this, and hopefully gave it to you.

You have to understand that I didn't feel anything for you when you were twelve, because you were twelve and that would have been wrong on all sorts of levels.

But when you were about sixteen things changed, I began to notice things I had never noticed before, like how beautiful your smile is, how lovely your laugh sounds, how funny your jokes are, how sweet you can be, I guess you growing up showed me how beautiful you are.

I never really did anything about it then because it wouldn't have been appropriate, you were sixteen, I was twenty one, it just wouldn't have worked, besides you had school and stuff so it wouldn't have been fair to distract you, but now your past all that, so I suppose it's ok for you to know now.

I know I'm not Spike, which we both know is who you really want, I could try and do an American accent, well actually I couldn't, I tried once and it sounded awful, but I'm not that bad am I?

Love Colin.

Oh my god, what am I meant to do now?"

-Chapter Five-

"Lynda?"

Lynda turned around; Tiddler was standing by her desk looking a little upset.

"Is something the matter?"

"Sort of, I need some advice, and you...well anyway, I have a problem." Tiddler sat down "What should you do, if you read something but you weren't supposed to read it?"

"Well, I would just pretend I hadn't read it, it depends what it is to be honest." said Lynda thoughtfully.

"Right..." Said Tiddler as she stood up, she turned around to see Colin walking towards her, she couldn't face talking to him knowing how he felt, she was about to make a run for it when she heard a voice call her name.

Panic set in, she couldn't face Colin knowing what she knew, she was afraid, not of Colin but of what he felt for her, nobody had ever said anything like that, not even in a letter, she had no clue what to do.

"Toni!", he walked over to her smiling, she reacted in the only way she knew how, she ran as fast as she could in the other direction, she didn't stop running, she could hear Colin calling her and running after her, she was outside the newsroom but continued running.

"Tiddler, come back!" he yelled from behind her.

"No!" she decided taking Lynda's advice wouldn't work, she would have to just tell Colin straight that she couldn't go out with him, but was that what she wanted to do? She stopped to think for a while, what harm could come of giving it a little try? If it didn't work she could just end it, but what about the age gap, what would her parents think, what about school, could she concentrate if she had a relationship to handle? She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank god you stopped, Look Spike wanted to see you about something, I was just coming to tell you and you ran away, is there something wrong, I saw you talking to Lynda, was she having a go at you?"

"I didn't mean to, its just, the way you call me Toni all the time, I thought you wanted me to read it now, so I did...I never knew, I mean you never said..."

"Oh god..." Colin turned and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?"

Colin continued walking, he wasn't sure of what to do, what would she think of him now?

"Colin, wait, where are you going?"

"Oh come on, after reading that you probably want to scream and run, so how about I just leave now and you just forget everything you read, just forget it." Said Colin without even turning around.

"I don't want to..."

Colin turned around, he didn't quite understand.

"What?"

"I don't want to forget what you said…"

She walked a little way down the street so she was standing about a foot away from Colin, she felt a little nervous but wasn't sure why.

"Some of the things you said about me were...very nice, look, I have a lot of things going on right now, and a boyfriend would just mean more to deal with, so maybe if you asked in a couple of months...who knows?" Tiddler walked towards Colin, she kissed him on the cheek. "Nobody has ever told me I'm sweet, thank you, but for now, I think it's best that we just stay friends." She began to walk down the street back to the office.

"Hey Toni!"

Tiddler stopped and turned around.

"Wait for me." Colin joined Tiddler and they walked back to the newsroom together, not as lovers but simply as friends, but when the time was right, who knew?