Disclaimer:: I don't own Scorpion, or its characters, or anything else related to it.
"Toby," she clears her throat. He looks at her over the table. She's fidgeting; there's something she hasn't told him.
"What's up, Happy?"
"Remember, like three weeks ago? When I told you someone was coming to the company, looking for dancers?" Her hands keep running through her hair, she's nervous.
"Yeah," his face brightening as he realizes what she's trying to say. "You got it, didn't you? That's so great!" Standing, he goes to spin her around in a hug, but he's stopped by a firm hand.
"Yes, I got it. But, the show's in New York." He stops, processing the information while she stands, still and uneasy.
"Well?"
"Do it. You can't pass up New York. Broadway's in New York; you could get picked up for a Broadway show. I'll be here, or move there, or whatever, but you have to do this." Letting out a relieved breath, she meets his eyes.
"That's the thing, the show will take around four months. Toby, that's a long time. Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. We'll Skype a few times a week. And your phone's always going off with calls from Paige or Megan. Maybe I'll add a few of my own into the mix. I promise we'll be fine. You'll be fucking amazing as always and I'll laze around until you get back and start yelling at me to be productive again." She smacks him on the arm, but she's smiling.
"Okay, I'll confirm it tomorrow. Just, watch the show on TV, for me." Kissing the top of her head, he nods.
-x-
She's nervous, to say the least. Not as nervous as she used to be but her hands are sweating and she has to keep counting to ten to slow her breathing. It's been that way since opening night; nerves. Trying to calm herself, she thinks about California. The way the fog looks in the morning and the blinking lights look at night. In one last attempt at easing her jitters she thinks about Toby.
True to his word, he had Skyped her at least twice a week, (sometimes with fewer clothes on than other times) and blown up her phone with messages. He apologized every time he couldn't see her live, but she wasn't mad. She understood they were 3000 miles apart for a few months, and he'd make her dance out a few numbers when she returned. Closing the picture of him and locking her phone, she clenched her hands one last time before preparing to step into the blinding light for the last night of the show.
-x-
Toby Curtis is almost, almost murdered that same night. He's sitting on the bed of the apartment she rented. The TV is too loud, and he doesn't hear the door open or her footsteps until she's turning on the bedroom light and chucking a box of tin foil at him.
"Okay, rude!" Toby yells, after shrieking, throwing his hands up in surrender.
"My fucking God, Toby! What the hell are you doing here?" She sounds angry mostly, but there's a hint of intrigue on her voice.
"Surprise? I was able to catch a flight from LAX. I remembered where you said you were staying. So, I pulled some strings and here I am!" That dumb, ever familiar smile of his spreading across his face, and she sighs heavily, biting her lip.
"You're an idiot. A text or call would've been nice. How'd you know I wouldn't have anyone over? Specifically right where you're sitting?" Her words are daring, a challenge to see how he'll respond, and all he manages to do is drop his jaw. She raises her eyebrows impossibly higher before winking.
"Ow, my heart, at even the thought of that." He musters up after a minute, "But you'd never do that to me."
"Course not, Doc. So, c'mon," she bounces down onto the bed next to him, "catch me up. What have I missed?"
-x-
When he's finally done recounting everything she missed back at home, down to the last detail, and she finishes telling him about all of her New York adventures, the sun's coming up and making the air sparkle with particles.
"I did what you asked me to y'know." She raises her head off of his shoulder and glances at him in confusion, "the TV? You told me to at least watch you dance on TV. I did, every single night."
Her hand comes up to stifle a laugh and try to hide the blush spreading across her face.
"I was kidding when I said that. But, you really did?"
"I figured you were kidding, but I would've done it either way. You dancing on TV is way better than any shitty reality show."
Burying her head in his shoulder again, her cheeks hurt from smiling.
Her voice is filled with nothing but sincerity when she answers him. "Thank you, so much. But why didn't you buy a ticket last night? To see me dance, in real life?" He doesn't answer, just gives her a smile, so she shrugs it off, adjusts herself farther into the blankets and pulls him to her
"Well, I need sleep. Had a fourteen-hour day and then an all-nighter, but, seriously, thank you. I've missed you."
"I missed you too, but I'm here now and we'll fly back together and you can nag me the whole way home on the plane."
He turns to look at her, but she's already asleep, hair spread over the pillow and a peaceful smile on her face.
