This is set now on both counts (AU WW, obviously). Nothing belongs to me.
Thanks again to my reviewers- you guys make me want to keep writing. The
last part will be up this weekend.
Part 4: Permutations
"Ooh! Minibar!" Willow said a bit too loudly for the late hour as they finally entered Toby's hotel room after struggling for a few minutes with the keycard.
She looked at him so hopefully that he almost laughed out loud. He made her wait a few agonizing moments before giving his consent to raid the small refrigerator. As she went through the contents, narrating her search with the random "ug" or "yes!", Toby took his shoes off and settled into the only chair in the room, shutting his eyes for a moment when the room insisted on spinning.
When he opened them again, Willow had lined up all the little bottles of alcohol on top of the fridge, and was attempting to open a can of cashews. Toby motioned for her to hand it to him, and, after an exaggerated eye-roll, she complied. He struggled for a moment before finally getting it open and handing it back to her.
She popped a couple of cashews into her mouth and plopped down on the bed, causing it to squeak loudly, which sent her into a small fit of giggles.
Toby smiled back and rubbed his eyes, grateful that the room was deciding to stay put, for the moment at least.
"Do you think getting this drunk means that I really do love her?" Willow asked, popping another cashew into her mouth.
"Maybe so," replied Toby.
Willow studied him for a moment before patting the spot next to her.
Toby pulled himself out of the chair and sat on the bed. He started fidgeting when Willow continued to stare at him.
Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "What?"
The redhead grinned and offered him a cashew, which he popped into his mouth.
"We should try an experiment," she said as he grabbed another cashew.
Toby raised an eyebrow at her, munching on the nut and working hard to keep himself from lying down and going to sleep.
"You should kiss me."
Toby started coughing as he choked on his cashew.
Willow just continued to look at him until he caught his breath.
"I what?"
"You heard me."
Toby stared at her for a moment and tried to remember, in his hazy mind, why this was a bad idea. All he could see was her red hair and big green eyes, and suddenly it seemed like the best idea in the world. CJ began to protest, but he shut her up almost instantly.
*A different country, no reporters for miles, lots of alcohol...*
Internally, Toby shrugged. On the outside, he held a hand up to stroke her cheek. She shut her eyes and met him halfway. The kiss was sloppy and uncoordinated, but quickly grew deeper. Toby tried to keep his thoughts on the beautiful, warm woman in his arms, but the voice of CJ refused to stay quiet.
As soon as he broke off the kiss, he knew that someone's voice was in Willow's head, telling her exactly the same things. This was just a substitute for what they wanted, and it wouldn't even tide them over until morning.
"Lots of experiments fail," Willow said in a quiet voice, "sometimes the timing is wrong."
"Sometimes the people are wrong," Toby replied, trying to keep his voice soft too.
Willow gave him a wavery smile and fidgeted with the comforter.
"You should talk to her," Toby said, eating another cashew.
"I don't know what to say."
"Tell her you love her. Tell her nothing is bigger than that. Let her know you want to try, and if it's meant to be, it will work itself out."
Willow nodded, going over the words in her head. Finally, she spoke up. "Why didn't it work out with your wife?"
"She said I was too sad."
Willow's first reaction was to laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of that statement. Feeling that that wouldn't go over very well, she spoke instead.
"The world is sad. Anyone too sad for the world doesn't stay in it long. You seem happy to me."
"I wouldn't go that far."
"I would," Willow replied, smiling at him.
Toby couldn't help but smile in return.
"It's better to know that you haven't found her yet."
"Yeah," Toby replied, hesitantly.
Willow gave him a knowing look, but didn't reply. Toby's smile returned briefly, as he grabbed the can of nuts and put it on the floor by the bed. He then laid down facing Willow. She hesitated for only a moment before turning her back to him and curling up against his chest to sleep.
Five minutes later, they were both snoring softly.
To Be Concluded...
Part 4: Permutations
"Ooh! Minibar!" Willow said a bit too loudly for the late hour as they finally entered Toby's hotel room after struggling for a few minutes with the keycard.
She looked at him so hopefully that he almost laughed out loud. He made her wait a few agonizing moments before giving his consent to raid the small refrigerator. As she went through the contents, narrating her search with the random "ug" or "yes!", Toby took his shoes off and settled into the only chair in the room, shutting his eyes for a moment when the room insisted on spinning.
When he opened them again, Willow had lined up all the little bottles of alcohol on top of the fridge, and was attempting to open a can of cashews. Toby motioned for her to hand it to him, and, after an exaggerated eye-roll, she complied. He struggled for a moment before finally getting it open and handing it back to her.
She popped a couple of cashews into her mouth and plopped down on the bed, causing it to squeak loudly, which sent her into a small fit of giggles.
Toby smiled back and rubbed his eyes, grateful that the room was deciding to stay put, for the moment at least.
"Do you think getting this drunk means that I really do love her?" Willow asked, popping another cashew into her mouth.
"Maybe so," replied Toby.
Willow studied him for a moment before patting the spot next to her.
Toby pulled himself out of the chair and sat on the bed. He started fidgeting when Willow continued to stare at him.
Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "What?"
The redhead grinned and offered him a cashew, which he popped into his mouth.
"We should try an experiment," she said as he grabbed another cashew.
Toby raised an eyebrow at her, munching on the nut and working hard to keep himself from lying down and going to sleep.
"You should kiss me."
Toby started coughing as he choked on his cashew.
Willow just continued to look at him until he caught his breath.
"I what?"
"You heard me."
Toby stared at her for a moment and tried to remember, in his hazy mind, why this was a bad idea. All he could see was her red hair and big green eyes, and suddenly it seemed like the best idea in the world. CJ began to protest, but he shut her up almost instantly.
*A different country, no reporters for miles, lots of alcohol...*
Internally, Toby shrugged. On the outside, he held a hand up to stroke her cheek. She shut her eyes and met him halfway. The kiss was sloppy and uncoordinated, but quickly grew deeper. Toby tried to keep his thoughts on the beautiful, warm woman in his arms, but the voice of CJ refused to stay quiet.
As soon as he broke off the kiss, he knew that someone's voice was in Willow's head, telling her exactly the same things. This was just a substitute for what they wanted, and it wouldn't even tide them over until morning.
"Lots of experiments fail," Willow said in a quiet voice, "sometimes the timing is wrong."
"Sometimes the people are wrong," Toby replied, trying to keep his voice soft too.
Willow gave him a wavery smile and fidgeted with the comforter.
"You should talk to her," Toby said, eating another cashew.
"I don't know what to say."
"Tell her you love her. Tell her nothing is bigger than that. Let her know you want to try, and if it's meant to be, it will work itself out."
Willow nodded, going over the words in her head. Finally, she spoke up. "Why didn't it work out with your wife?"
"She said I was too sad."
Willow's first reaction was to laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of that statement. Feeling that that wouldn't go over very well, she spoke instead.
"The world is sad. Anyone too sad for the world doesn't stay in it long. You seem happy to me."
"I wouldn't go that far."
"I would," Willow replied, smiling at him.
Toby couldn't help but smile in return.
"It's better to know that you haven't found her yet."
"Yeah," Toby replied, hesitantly.
Willow gave him a knowing look, but didn't reply. Toby's smile returned briefly, as he grabbed the can of nuts and put it on the floor by the bed. He then laid down facing Willow. She hesitated for only a moment before turning her back to him and curling up against his chest to sleep.
Five minutes later, they were both snoring softly.
To Be Concluded...