Chapter 10: Jokes

Dedicated to happyfuckingquinn on tumblr for the save when I messed up. You're the best! :)

"Knock knock."

Happy unfolded the airplane that landed on her work table just before her blowtorch ignited it. As soon as she read the lame attempt at a joke she knew exactly who threw it.

Knock knock jokes were incredibly stupid, especially for geniuses, but they meant more to them than childish jokes.

Last week at Toby's apartment when they were babysitting Ralph, Toby went to make dinner and when he couldn't find them where he left them. he went back to his room and Happy was sitting cross-legged on his bed teaching Ralph how to take apart his TV.

"Excuse me what is going on here?" He leaned on the doorjamb feigning anger.

"Happy is teaching me to take apart the TV." Ralph shrugged like this was completely normal behavior.

"I can see that. but why doesn't she demonstrate on her own expensive electronic devices?"

Happy crossed her arms.

"You don't trust my ability to re-assemble your precious TV?"

"Of course I do. I trust your ability to do anything. Especially with that wrench in your hand. A wrench I would appreciate not being thrown at any important parts of my body. By the way, dinner is ready. Tools down."

Ralph ran past him, tools clambering onto the floor.

Happy climbed off of his bed and walked towards him.

"When did you become such a mom?"

Toby rolled his eyes.

"I'm not a mom, I'm a doctor. It doesn't take eight years of medical school to know children need food to live."

They all sat down at the table and Ralph asked "Uncle Toby will you teach me how to be funny?"

Happy and Toby looked at each other.

"Why do you need to be funny?" Toby asked.

"You're smart, Ralph. Smart people don't have to be funny." Happy replied.

"Toby is smart and funny."

"While that is true, Happy is right. I am smart and funny, but I don't have to be. Why do you want to be funny?"

He shrugged.

"My mom likes Walter. But she likes him more when he tries to be funny. Walter is the smartest person in the world, and even he can't get my mom unless he tries to be funny. I want to get a girl that's as good as my mom, so I have to be funny because I'm not as smart as Walter is."

Happy and Toby looked at each other again, unsure of how to combat his flawed logic.

"Ok, look. First of all, you are just as smart as Walter. Second, Getting a girl that is as good as your mom is the best goal you can have so keep it that way, and third, the right girl will like you for who you are whether you are funny or not." Happy said.

"She's right. The right girl will like you even if you aren't funny. Walter isn't really funny at all. His jokes are the worst. The important part is that he tries to be funny just to impress your mom. Try to do what your dream girl wants, but never lose yourself." Toby said.

"So all I have to do is be myself and make stupid jokes? That's it?" Ralph seemed confused still.

"Pretty much. Except you never have to put yourself in danger to impress a girl. You don't need to punch an angry biker or dangle from a balcony to impress someone. You can impress a girl by saving someone's life with jumper cables or helping her mend a broken relationship with someone important to her."

"Those examples were oddly specific, but thanks guys."

"Sure, anytime kid. We are always here if you need us. I'll clean up while you and Happy re-assemble my TV."

Ralph ran back to Toby's room and they heard him rummaging around in the tool box.

"You could have just come out and said that I impress you." Toby said to Happy's retreating form.

She turned around to face him.

"That would be too easy."

Toby finished cleaning up as soon as he heard sound returning to the TV.

He ran into his room and jumped on the bed tackling Happy and Ralph both on his way down.

"Toby!"

He sat back up like nothing happened.

"Ralphy boy, go pick out a movie."

Ralph jumped off the bed and picked out a movie at the speed of light.

"There are 30 different documentaries on that shelf and live surgery videos and you picked a romantic comedy? You must really like this girl."

Ralph only smiled and lay down at the foot of the bed.

Happy was sitting cross legged at one end of the bed and Toby was sitting at another. He made a dramatic display of falling over with his head resting on Happy's leg.

She just laughed and instead of pushing him off she started running her fingers through his hair.

Nearly an hour later there was a knock at the door.

"Hey Ralph, knock knock!" Toby said as he sat up from Happy's lap.

"Who's there?"

He scooped Ralph up and threw him over his shoulder.

"Paige."

Ralph laughed.

"Paige, who?"

"Paige Dineen, who is waiting for you."

"That was a terrible joke."

Toby pointed to his room.

"Yes it was, but I still got my dream girl."

Happy hadn't heard that then.

She grabbed a pen and wrote back to her mystery airplane pilot.

"Who's there?"

A minute later the plane flew back landing at her feet.

"Ye."

Confused she wrote back "Ye who."

When he threw it back it flew past her desk and bounced off the wall.

"Ye who looked really hot sitting on my bed. Movie date sans Ralph later?"

She laughed and wrote back.

Toby opened the airplane that landed perfectly in the middle of his desk.

"Fine. But no live surgery tapes."

A half hour later Cabe came in and told them all to go home, saying it was National Geniuses Day and there was nothing for them to do.

Walter of course pointed out that he can't declare a national holiday whenever he wants to, and then decided it wasn't worth the battle and went with Paige to pick Ralph up from school and drop Sylvester off to see Megan.

When it was just the two of them left, Toby quietly creeped up on Happy at her desk and picked her up by the waist. She kicked at first, but after she suppressed her instincts she calmed down.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"You promised me a movie date and I am ensuring that you keep your promise."

"By kidnapping me?"

He had already gathered their things and slung her over his shoulder like he had done Ralph the week before.

"You already agreed to go. This is simply a creative method of transportation."

"I am going to kick your ass."

"I specifically pointed your feet away from my ass. I'm way ahead of you."

She slumped back down and didn't put up a fight until they were almost to his car. He was shifting to put her down when she grabbed his ass and he nearly dropped her.

"Whoa, what the hell are you doing?"

She shrugged and got into the car.

"You kidnapped me, you had it coming."

He closed her car door and muttered "Remind me to kidnap you more often."

Jokes worked out pretty well for him that day.

Thanks for reading!

The anons from tumblr and the reviews keep me going. Life isn't easy right now, and your support means the world. Love you :)

Next chapter is a suprise because it is my favorite for this story and I don't want to reveal it yet. Hint: It will pick up where this chapter left off, the movie date is far from over. ;)

Love, M.