Title: Post-Op Side Effects

Summary: " A post-op patient just fainted when she should have been resting wants to have a coffee break instead of going to the hospital. My paramedic senses seem to be tingling." Charlie only glared.

Pairing: Toby/Charlie

Rating: Teen

Notes: This is after the finale so beware of spoilers. Italics are thoughts. This is my first fanfic in a while so I'm a bit rusty. Reviews are loved!

Post-Op Side Effects

The aroma of freshly ground coffee beans and newly baked Danishes wafted into Toby's nose. He briskly walked down the street with a tray of coffee in one hand and a bag of Danishes. He rounded the corner and walked into the apartment complex. The complex had white washed walls and a grubby stair case. He began his trek to the 6th floor.

Finding Charlie's address had proven quite difficult since she wasn't in the phone book being a cop and all. She broke her cell phone from her fall when she was shot so calling her was out of the question. Toby was tempted to go down to the police station and try get a phone number or an address to her apartment but he thought otherwise when he saw a glimpse of Becker in the hospital one afternoon. One tired and lonely evening Toby tripped over his side table by his door. Shifted out of place Toby was about to move the table back in place before he noticed a white envelope. He assumed the envelope had been shoved under his door then kicked underneath the desk since his building had mailboxes for each apartment on the ground floor. Inside the envelope was a neatly written note with one silver key. The note was from Charlie, it was only a few sentences explaining that if he needed somewhere to hide from Victor he was welcomed to her place. On the bottom of the paper was her address. Toby sighed, things would have been much better if he had just done what Charlie had suggested and stayed with her.

She lived a couple blocks from the hospital on a dingy little side road with graffiti on every building and it's own unoriginal shady corner store. It seemed like the complete opposite of where a strict cop should live.

Toby noticed while walking down the corridor that every door either had unidentified stains or the paint peeled off so much that the door looked incomplete. He stopped at the one door that had a fresh layer of green paint and it almost sparkled compared to the others. Naturally this was the apartment of one Detective Charlie Marks.

Toby braced himself tucking bag of Danishes under his arm and knocked lightly. He waited for a minute, cleared his throat and knocked again slightly harder this time. He waited and waited. Still no answer. Giving up on manners he pulled out the key and let himself in. He surveyed the apartment. In the left corner was a spacious kitchen with marble counters. Beside him was a little living room complete with a sofa and TV. To his right was a door. The place was empty except for this annoying sound coming from next room.

"Charlie?" Toby called out. The apartment was still except for that noise. Toby placed the coffee and the paper bag on the kitchen counter. He headed towards the sound, he stopped when he saw some hair peeking out from behind the doorway. Toby went into paramedic mode and rushed over to the collapsed detective. He rolled her onto her side moving her hair out of her face and checked for breathing. Relief washed over him when he realized she had only fainted.

Time had started again and the distracting noise was back again, it was coming from a treadmill that hadn't been turned off. Toby quickly turned it off before resuming his position with Charlie. Gently Toby tapped Marks cheek "Charley!" Toby yelled, his tapping becoming more insistent. She groaned. Toby smiled and stopped tapping her but pinched her cheeks.

Charlie's eyes shot wide open and pushed Toby's hands away. "What was that for? And why are you here!?" Toby grinned she was back to business as usual. "You fainted and I was just trying to revive you. It's a paramedic thing." Toby said ignoring her last question. Charlie's glare switched to the treadmill. Toby stood up and lent her his hand. She accepted and pulled herself up but not without grimacing and a few sharp intakes of air.

"Woah! You need to sit down." Toby said slinging Marks' arm over his shoulder and one hand on her back. Together they walked over to a nearby coach much to Charlie's chagrin. Toby kneeled in front of her pulling out his stethoscope and pressed it against Charlie's back. "Do you always carry those things with you?" Charlie asked in-between taking a deep breathes slowly. Toby satisfied with the results packed his stethoscope back into his jacket, "Always. Now are you in any pain? Headache? Do you feel weak?" Charlie shook her head, " No just drowsy from all those pain killers."

Toby frowned his dark blue eyes looked straight into hers, " Please tell me you weren't running on that tread mill." Charlie smiled sheepishly.

" It was only a brisk walk-"

"Charlie! You just got shot! You're on medication! You can't be wearing your self out-"

" Calm down Toby! I was just trying to get some sort exercise while being locked up in this apartment all week long."

Toby frowned and looked away from her. She grabbed his shoulders with both hands tried to get him to face her. He continued to ignore her. Roughly she grabbed his face and made him face her. His eyes. Charlie always looked into his eyes. Ironically she could usually tell what he was thinking just by looking into his deep blue orbs. The slight inclination of his eyebrows told her he was tense. The pupils retracting and enlarging said he was guilty. His glare screamed at her "FEAR"

She may not have been a mind reader but she was damn good at her job.

" Toby. I'm fine. It's over. Victor is dead." Charlie finally said. She gave him a reassuring smile. Toby's brow softened and he offered a small smile. Then his pupil's dilated at just the right size and she slapped him. Toby was bowled over by the blow sporting a big red mark on his cheek.

"What was that for!?" Toby squealed as Charlie followed the smell of coffee. "Invading my privacy!" Charlie hollered at him from the kitchen. Getting his bearings Toby got up and followed her. "You gave me a key to your apartment Charlie! What did you expect!?" She smirked at Toby before she took a sip of coffee, " I'm talking about you reading my mind. If we're gonna be friends we're going to do it the old fashion way." Toby rolled his eyes and grabbed her coffee before she could take a drink. He replaced her coffee with a newly filled water bottle from the sink, " A post-op patient just fainted when she should have been resting wants to have a coffee break instead of going to the hospital. My paramedic senses seem to be tingling." Charlie only glared.

"Come on, you can tell me how you know when I'm reading a mind on the ride there."

Toby smiled grabbing her car keys from the counter.

XXXXX

"Come on tell me how you know!"

"Not a chance."

Lalalalalalalalalalalalala…

XXXXX

Toby left Charlie in the exam room with Olivia. Being at the hospital wasn't exactly how he planned his day off. To his luck Oz came strolling down the hallway in uniform. "Hey man! I thought you and I had a day off today." Toby greeted his best friend. Oz looked around the room nervously before answering, "Ryder called me in! Can you believe that jerk? Out of everyone he picked me to fill in for Jesse!" Toby pretended to sympathize with his pal but secretly he was laughing. Only Ryder could rile up Oz so much.

"So what are you doing here Lazy?" Oz asked. "So having a day off makes me lazy? That hurts Oz." Toby joked holding his chest pretending to be wounded. Oz only raised his eyebrow. "I was visiting Charlie at her apartment-" "Oh really?" Oz interrupted wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Toby rolled his eyes, " She fainted so I brought her here." Oz's face turned serious, " So soon after operation? She was only released a couple days ago-" Toby raised his hands against his chest, " Relax man, she's fine from what I could tell."

Oz breathed a sigh of relief, " Well that's good. So how are you holding up?" Toby gave Oz a confused look, " What do you mean? I'm fine." "Oh okay." Oz looked at him disbelieving.

So they're still keeping it a secret?

"Keeping what a secret Oz?" Toby said trying to get some answers. Oz smiled weakly knowing he was cornered, " You and Charlie." Toby still looked confused. " Together. You know involved." Toby finally understood what Oz was getting at, " Who told you that?" Oz looked blankly at him, " I thought it was kinda obvious. You're always together, you were at her apartment, Becker hates you… The list goes on."

" First. I help her with cases. Two. Today is the first time I've been to her apartment. I was making sure she was doing okay. And lastly what does Becker have to do with anything?" Toby retaliated. Oz shrugged, " Well Becker is madly in love with Charlie so I figured that's why he hated you." For a moment Toby froze before asking, " Becker wants to date Charlie?"

Oz nodded like it was the most obvious thing in the world. " Besides all of that you know I'm dating 'Liv." Toby said.

And we all know how well that's worked before.

That lone thought scattered Toby's thoughts into a million different places. How could his best friend say that?

"What's you're problem with me and 'Liv?" Toby asked angrily.

"Nothing." Toby glared at Oz. " Fine." Oz said before he checked their parameters again and lowered his voice, "It's just I'm tired of seeing you and 'Liv fighting." "We don't-" "Don't give me that crap." Oz said sharply silencing Toby. "I'm friends with both of you. I'm the one who has to listen to Olivia cry whenever you blow her off. I'm the one that has to make you feel good about your self after she dumps you for the hundredth time."

Oz took a deep breathe before continuing, " Her knowing your secret isn't going to magically solve your relationship problems-" Oz's pager went off interrupting his tirade. Toby stared at floor thinking over Oz's words. He didn't look up at Oz as he left muttering something about Ryder. Suddenly stained white tiles seemed to be the only thing in the world that didn't hate him.

Oz was right they did fight. A lot. But didn't all the good times they had make up for the bad ones? Maybe they were better at being friends than with all the relationship drama. He needed to talk to Olivia.

He looked up when he heard Olivia and Charlie chattering getting louder. Charlie was looking much more energetic and to match her baggy sweat pants and undershirt was a brand new bandage covering her bullet wound. They both looked up at Toby as they neared and smiled. He struggled to return their smile only managing half a grin which looked more like a goofy face. Olivia giggled at his lopsided smile and Charlie just smiled although a bit puzzled. She handed Charlie a small bag before turning to him.

"Its really busy right now so I'll talk to you later!" She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before running off to another patient. He felt like dirt when she kissed him. Like he had done something horrible or cheated on her. Toby couldn't smile as he saw her blissfully unaware of his thoughts, running between patients. Toby turned around to face a smirking detective, he felt a grin stretching across his lips.

XXXXX

It was snowing. Large thick flakes rained down on the windshield which weight the wipers strained under.

"How come you live in such crappy area?"

Charlie was watching the road like a hawk praying that Toby wouldn't crash her car. " It's Toronto, every where's crappy except for the condos." Charlie said disinterested. Toby frowned carefully turning the steering wheel with both hands. " Point taken but there are tons of better places than where you live." Toby said. " The place was overridden with drugs and gangs a while ago so that's why the place looks like it does-" Charlie checked to make sure Toby had both hands on the steering wheel, " But the people are actually really nice."

Toby gave her a sceptical glance before returning his eyes to the road, " Really? So you're telling me that delightful corner store owner isn't dealing crack behind the counter?"

Charlie sighed, " I'm not. I'm just saying that for a crack dealer Sam seems to really like working at the soup kitchen." Charlie pointedly look at his surprised face.

" People are always going to drugs no matter what. My job isn't stop people from jumping off cliffs but to stop them from dragging anyone with them."

Wordless Toby could only say, "Oh."

Charlie pointed at a quaint little restaurant, " Now that's where you get your behind the counter drugs. I hear they make great hash cakes for the right price." Toby glanced at window. Inside the staff was getting ready for a busy night. He noticed a young teenage waitress setting doyleys on the tables . It just looked so innocent.

" Alright I get it. Appearances can be deceiving." Toby surrendered. Charlie shot him a victorious smile.

XXXXX

" Thanks Toby." Charlie said as bit into a Danish. Toby smiled while watching her eat. She was either starving or a very impatient eater. She took large bites and licked her lips after every few minutes keeping her face immaculate. Almost. She had a tiny dot of jam on the very tip of her nose. " No problem." He said while one finger wiped the jam off her face. She mumbled a thanks behind her coffee cup trying to hide her flushed cheeks.

" So I guess you got the envelope."

"Yep."

" Can I have my key back?"

"Nope."

Charlie didn't gape like a baboon or sneer like other girls. She just glared. It was a hardened glare, one that had grown and matured over time. For the fun of it Toby tried to read her mind. Her hand shot out like a whip grabbed a handful of his cheek.

"Okay, I'll stop."

Not.

Her iron grip threatened to tug harder.

"Fine." Toby stopped listening to Charlie singing the most obnoxious pop song he had ever heard. "I'll give you your key back when you tell me how you know when I'm reading your mind."

"I can arrest you for bribing a cop."

Toby couldn't help but laugh at Charlie's frustrated face. The way her brows furrowed and how her mouth shut tight was menacing to many yet hilarious to him. He stopped laughing when he saw red peaking out from behind Charlie's white undershirt. Her stitch was oozing blood on to the gauze.

"Why are you staring at my chest-" Toby interrupted her, " Is that normal?" He pointed a finger at her bloody gauze. She gazed down and looked less surprised than annoyed.

" Yeah Olivia said the stitches might be irritated from when I fell this morning." Charlie put down her Danish and dusted all the crumbs off her lap. She grabbed the bag Olivia had handed her and began pulling out gauzes and ointments. " Great. I really should have paid more attention to her when she was explaining how to put these things on."

Toby watched as Charlie tried to fold the gauzes up correctly and failed completely. He couldn't hide his smirk, " Give it here." Charlie reluctantly gave up her futile efforts and pushed bandages across the marble counter to him. Toby made the bandage slowly while explaining to how to do it. Toby glanced up once, he saw her arms crossed leaning against the counter her eyes followed every movement his hands made. Her face didn't look that different from when she glared at him except there was the tiniest hint of a smile upon her face. Her mouth was dead set in frown but the way her eyes sparkled told him that she was happy.

"See? Easy." He smiled proudly as held up his perfectly made bandage like a trophy. She rolled her eyes but clapped anyways. He stood up and took his creation around counter top to Charlie. He expected her to snatch the bandage from his hands so he was genuinely surprised when she stretched back her shirt's low collar revealing her bloody gauze. He place one hand on her shoulder as leverage and gently tore the old gauze off. Her scar was wider than he expected the bullet most have been lodged deep in her lung. It was miracle she was still alive today.

He paused staring at her wound. It was to the top right of her heart which beating softly against his finger tips. He placed a white cloth gently against her stitches wiping the cotton against the dried blood on skin.

He had never been so aware of someone in his life. He could feel her life drumming beneath his fingers. He could see the shift in rib cage with every breath she took. Every time she exhaled moist air would hit his nape shocking all of his nerves. He knew her brown eyes were staring right at him. He had to fight not to look into them because he knew if he did he might never stop.

He shouldn't be thinking about this. He shouldn't be thinking about her like this. When its his fault she got shot.

" I think it's clean." Charlie said jarring him away from his thoughts. Toby cringed seeing the trail of water going down her chest.

…

Toby shook his head trying to get rid of his thoughts. He tossed the wet cloth into the sink and grabbed another one and dried her wound. Toby felt guilty for a moment as thought about her bra being soaked…

He tried to get his head out of the gutter by concentrating on dressing the fresh bandage. Charlie kept her thoughts to herself as she watched Toby growl in anger while he dribbled ointment onto the bandage. At last he finished the bandage and taped it neatly against her clean stitches. He looked over her bandage making sure it was perfect when he felt her fingers slide underneath his chin. She gently raised his head until he was looking right at her and she kissed him.

It was short and quick to the point (how Charlie is with everything) yet she completely overpowered every nerve on his body with that single act. One thing was for sure, Olivia's kisses never felt like that. And all of sudden his body was aching for more like craving. His lips collided with hers, his hands grabbed her hips and grinded them against his. Her hands were running through his hair, his neck, his chest, underneath his shirt and nothing felt more like bliss.

His greatest desire now was to feel Charlie's heart hammering against his. Every time he breathed he spent it whispering against her about how much he wanted her. Just her.

And it hit him with like brick.

He really did want her.

Not Olivia.

Her.

Charlie.

FIN

Constructive criticism = love