It was late morning when Toby finally rose from his bed, and with the pleasant forgetfulness that often accompanies waking up, he briefly forgot what had happened the night before. It was only when he noticed that Charlie was already gone―usually Toby had the jump on his young master―that he remembered the reason for his late night and let out a groan. "Now what am I going to do?"

His mood as he slumped downstairs for breakfast wasn't lost on the family as they cleared their dishes. "Dad," Charlie said as he balanced a glass on his plate with one hand while rounding up knife and fork with the other, "does Toby look kind of sick to you?"

Nolan picked up a water jug as he regarded the poorly-looking blusky. "I'd say he's probably tired from his long trip. Give him a day or two and he'll be just fine."

A day or two? That's a laugh. Scratching sounds at the door drew his attention. I wonder who…

"Toby?" barked a familiar voice.

Toby looked up from his breakfast. "Luna?"

"We need to talk. Is this a good time?"

Is this a good time?! his mind echoed. Any time would be a good time to get this mess sorted out. "Yeah, I'll be right out." He wolfed down the rest of his breakfast―no sense worrying Charlie any more than he already had―and made a beeline for the door. There was Luna, seated demurely on the steps and looking shyer than he had ever known her. Drawing on his vast knowledge of what Luna did and didn't like, what kinds of romantic remarks always got her going, and an acute sense of developed intuition, he said, "Hey."

"Hey," she replied uneasily.

There was a moment of awkward silence. "I'm sorry I―" they both said at the same time. More silence. "I didn't mean―" Same song, second verse. "You go fir…"

This is ridiculous, thought Toby. He had his mouth half open to tell her to go first when she interrupted.

"You go first."

Had he been an impartial observer, he probably would have rolled his eyes. As it was, he just took a deep breath. "I'm sorry about the house arrest. I was just trying to do what I thought was best for both of us."

"I know. And I'm sorry I ran off like that. I should have given us a chance to talk things over."

He shrugged. "I would have done the same thing, I guess. I can totally understand you freaking out."

"I wasn't freaking out. Well, not exactly. Mostly I was just…worried."

"What about?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. I guess after that incident, I started wondering if maybe you didn't love me like I thought you did."

"Didn't love you?" That confused him. "Luna, I've always loved you, even before I loved you like I do now. I thought you knew that."

"Let me finish. When you refused to listen to me as you were heading out, it really bothered me. I felt like you didn't think I was worth listening to."

Toby was silent for a moment. "Of course I think you're worth listening to. I was only trying to protect us. Protect you. You said last night that it was a good idea not to give the gossips anything to talk about. And you coming along when nobody beyond our parents and the team knew why would have given them endless speculation to talk about."

Inwardly Luna groaned. "Figures you'd listen enough to remember when I admitted you were right," she said without thinking.

"Now that's not fair. I listen to you other times."

"Yeah, but…" She stopped herself. This was exactly what she'd been trying to avoid. "Sorry. I'm doing the same thing right now."

"What same thing?"

"Not listening like I want to be listened to. I really want things to work between us, and that's not going to happen if we're both always trying to come out on top."

Resisting the urge to point out that this was right next to "You won't stay dry if you jump in the water" on the obvious scale, Toby nodded. Truth be told, he'd caught himself getting bent on having his own way sometimes. "So where does that leave us?"

"Well, I'm going to start by talking less and listening to you more, even if I don't like what you're saying. I'm not going to be a push-over, but if we're going to make this work then we've both got to give some."

"I think we're both going to have to give everything. In a good way," he added quickly. "So I guess this leaves us back where we were?"

She shook her head. "Not exactly. I've thought hard about your question. I stayed up nearly all night thinking about it. And it took a lot of debating with myself because I…"

"Quit gabbing and start singing please," Toby interrupted.

Luna immediately realized that she was babbling. "Sorry. I've thought about your proposal…" She took a deep breath. "Yes. I want to be your mate."

The blusky's face lit up. "Really? You mean―"

"I wasn't finished," she cut him off. Pleased to see how quickly he stopped, she went on. "I'll only be your mate on two conditions. One, from now on when we have a disagreement, we talk. No more of this 'my way or the highway' nonsense."

"Are you going to insist on that?" he joked. Seeing the serious look on her face and the warning in her eyes, he withdrew. "Sorry."

She gave him a look before continuing. "Yes, and I want you to insist on it, too. I like you the way you are, and I don't want to end up cowing you into a yes-dog."

"Like that could happen?"

She gave him the kind of look an annoyed wolf would give. "You of all dogs should know how persistent I can be. Anyway, that's the first condition."

Toby certainly did know better than anyone just how persistent Luna could be. "Talk things over and don't let you walk over me, got it. What's the second rule?"

Luna smiled coyly. "I don't want this to be a relationship of convenience."

Toby recoiled in surprise. "Of convenience?" he asked. "Luna, you're the best friend I've ever had. I've never loved anyone as much as I love you. How could I marry you for convenience?"

Luna gave him a peculiar look. "To keep the gossips quiet? To keep Pete off your back?"

Toby stopped cold and fell silent as the grave. The look on his face told very clearly that Luna's reasons for not wanting what they were discussing to be out of convenience had struck home. "Points taken," he answered. Then with just as much sincerity, he made her a solemn promise. "I swear by everything that ever mattered to me that this relationship won't be for convenience." He stepped up and touched her nose with his. "You don't have to worry, Luna," he told her softly. "Being your mate for any reason other than simply wanting to be with you and love you for the rest of my life would make me look like the kind of guy Pete is. And I don't know about you, but that's not the image I want to present."

She pulled away and looked him straight in the eye. "Do I have your word on that?"

Toby brushed the unruly tuft of fur behind Luna's left ear. "If you didn't, would you be talking to me right now?"

Luna groaned. "You're right. Again," she said. "And you're making me feel like an idiot."

"Consider it payback for coming out and showing me up in front of the whole team."

"You are a bad dog," she told him playfully, barely hiding a giggle.

"If I wasn't," he answered mischievously, "how would you stand yourself?"

She grinned and poked his chest with a paw. "You're not just bad, you're downright mean."

He shrugged. "Keeps life interesting."

"Wise guy. Then you should have no problem with this one." She hesitated and looked around before leaning in and whispering in his ear.

He blinked. "That's it?"

"Take it or leave it."

Toby hadn't been around Luna all that time without being able to tell when she was playing one of her games. "Well, dear, if that's really the way you want it, I guess I can agree to those terms."