Participants:
| Scene Title | Bunkers, Bailey's and Beaches |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | The Co-Supers at Gun Hill discuss the current climate. And Lynette is pleased to find that the often flighty Toby can still surprise the crap out of her. |
| Date | September 15, 2010 |
Gun Hill: Toby's Apartment
Fabulousness. And a RENT poster.
3:30 in the morning is a peculiar time to be making waffles. And yet, that is precisely what Tobias Benton-Ward is doing, this early morning. The man is in prime silk red PJs, and he's singing "When You're Good to Mama" at the top of his lungs.
Making waffles. At 3 am.
He is nothing if not a strange man.
It's a good thing, too, because there comes a sharp knock to his door before Lynette lets herself in. She's in her pajamas, with a silky robe draped over it all, and a pair of slippers to boot.
"I did smell waffles," she says, as if this would explain the early (late?) visit. But then again, which these two, maybe it doesn't even need explanation. "You mind some company, darling?"
The knock doesn't get his attention over the saucy song from Chicago; but Lynette's appearance out of the corner of his eye gets him to spin around, spatula lifted in a threatening gesture. Or… it would be, if it weren't held so femininely. "Aieee—!! Oh! It's you, Lynette! Goodness me, you startled me!" Hand going to hip, he gestures at her with the spatula. "Miss Thing, whatever are you doing over here at this hour? Waffle?" He gestures at the goods, sympathetic.
"You could at least threaten me with the metal spatula," Lynette says, teasing gently. "I was hungry," she offers as she moves to fix herself a plate. Toby's waffles are the yummiest, but… "I couldn't sleep. I tried a warm bath, a dull book, a movie I've seen a million times… nothing. So. I said forget it."
"That would be too useful," Toby chuckles. He pulls the warm homemade syrup from the stove and adds the soft butter to the trifecta of goodness. "Poor darling. Well you're certainly welcome to eat waffles here with me, another victim of insomnia. If you'd like, I can even set you up in the bed, if you get sleepy. Mi casa es su casa, of course."
"Oh, I'd love a sleepover," Lynette says with a smile as she pulls herself up to sit on the kitchen counter as she eats. "Listen, darling. I've got to talk to you about the safehouse. I had a meeting yesterday, and well. Some things came up. Are you in the mood for business?"
"Business? Well, I can't promise coherence at this hour, but I can certainly try. Safehouse business is important business!" Toby flips the switch on the waffle maker and moves the last one to the bountiful plate before serving one for himself. Hopping up next to her, he looks over at her. "So what's the news, sugar?"
"I wish is was good news," Lynette says with a shake of her head. "But the long and short of it is… this safehouse is compromised. Dangerous. If not for myself and the fugitive Company agents… well, it seems a former Ferrymen everyone thought was dead is now working for… the people that took me. She lived here. So. You're my co-operator, so I'm leveling it at you first. I'm staying here, keeping the safehouse going and secure for the agents, because they need a place and they're too hot for any of the other houses. But you and the others, you all can stay or get relocated to another safehouse… whatever you feel you need to do. I can't ask anyone to stay when it's not safe. Now, it could be that nothing at all will happen and everything will be fine, but considering that organization has grabbed me once and is actively looking for Mister Ryans and his people… I'm not really sure if it's likely. There you have it, love, the ugly truth."
Toby blinks, and frowns… and then sets his waffles aside and slips off the counter. "This conversation is not a waffles conversation," he decides, routing through a spacious cabinet and coming up with a black bottle. "This conversation is a /Bailey's/ conversation. On the rocks, dear?" He fishes out a pair of tumblers and some ice for himself, at least. "As for me, I believe I'll be staying. Ferry business is dangerous business, and that's what I signed up for. But you know what else I signed up for? Protecting people that need protecting. So, I believe Rugby and I will be keeping post here. If you don't mind, my dear." He gives her a good-natured smile, apparently unruffled by the news, generally.
"Please," Lynette says as far as the ice is concerned, although she is still going to eat the waffles. They're good, damnit. And she hasn't really been… eating very well lately, but her weight loss during captivity does a good job of hiding her lack of gain now. As he goes on, though, that plate is eventually set aside, and she just sort of looks at him for a long moment.
"Mind?" She eventually says, her voice softer than usual, and tears seem to be building a little. But she reaches over to pull him into a tight hug, her face buried against his shoulder. "It's only the best news I've heard in weeks."
They both get a glass of Bailey's, and Toby clinks glasses with her before taking a sip. "Here you go, honey!" Then he sets his aside to take a bit of waffles, because he never intended to let them go entirely. He made waffles, he's gonna eat them!
But as Lynette gets teary, his expression, already soft, softens further, and he holds her tightly at the hug. "Oh, Lynette, darling, you know I couldn't leave you in the lurch like that! I came here to help you work Gun Hill! I'm not about to leave because of a little danger — certainly not from a group of people who hurt you. So. Rest at ease, my dear, you have puppy power at your fingertips."
Those last words get a laugh out of Lynette, brief though it may be, and she squeeze him tighter. "And there isn't anyone I'd rather have. Toby, I… I'm just glad you're here." She hugs him a bit longer before she leans back a little, pressing the arm of her robe against her eyes before she looks up at him.
And Toby gives her shoulder a squeeze, because ruffling her hair would be criminal. "Well, ta-da! I'm here, and you needn't worry, dearheart." As she leans back, he pulls a silk handkerchief from his PJs and offers it to her. "Here you go. So, that's decided. The place is compromised, you and I are sticking around. Any business with those mysterious puzzle pieces going around?"
Lynette takes to handkerchief, the gesture bringing a smile to her lips even as she dabs at her eyes some more. "You know, I haven't touched those pieces in all this madness. But Barbara, she was able to do a drawing for me, of the guy who put them together. Other than that, we still have to collect some pieces. There was an ad in the paper about them, you know."
Toby lifts his brows in surprise. "Was there really? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised about that. Have we contacted them? We should consider it. And I'd love to see that drawing sometime. Oh! Speaking of this delightful mystery! I've got a manuscript going for that Evo-Drew series I was talking about!" He takes another drink of Bailey's and then leans his arms against the counter and nibbles at waffle.
"There was. It had an email address. I didn't look at it too hard, but I have the paper still, we can see about setting something up. Remind me tomorrow, about the drawing." But his news has her smiling again, she even looks… proud, "You do? That's fantastic, hun! When do I get to read it?"
"Excellent! I'll happily email them tomorrow. When we look at the drawing!" Toby beams proudly and shifts his weight as he leans over the counter, which has the effect of saucily cocking out his hip. "Why yes I do! It's still a little rough, but I love the characters. Not to be immodest, of course. I'll show you that tomorrow, too, unless you'd like to read it now?"
"Alright, perfect. You're in charge of communications." Lynette looks over at him over the rim of her glass, and she seems to be considering for a long moment before she says, "I'll read it tomorrow. Tonight, you know what I'd like to do?"
"Absolutely, madame," Toby chuckles, and he finishes the last of his waffles. Still, her question catches his attention, and his blue eyes glance up to her curiously. "What's that, darling?"
"I think we should have another drink, grab the tissues, curl up in bed and watch Beaches." Because Lynette could use a reason outside herself to start crying. Plus, Bette Midler! Singing! It's the perfect movie.
"Oh my god," Toby gasps, straightening up and planting his hands on his hips. "You have phenomenal ideas! Oh! I'll make the hot cocoa! And I have the fluffiest new comforter, ohmygod I don't even have to tell you. It's some absurd amount of down. You have to try it." And then he hops a little and claps. Glee!!
Lynette watches him clap, her reaction nothing more than a warm smile, outwardly. But the truth is, it's the best she's felt since getting out of that hospital. So when she slips off the counter, she gives him a little pat on the back and leans over to look up at his face, "Okay, you're on cocoa duty. I'll go get the movie set up. And try out the comforter!" And then she's off toward his room. Probably to try out the comforter first. >.>
Toby snaps to attention and salutes. "Ab-so-lutely!" he grins, before spinning on his heel to get that cocoa started. Of course, it will be piled high with marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate shavings and piroutte sticks. Because he's Toby.