"Owww, fuck." Chris groaned, his head throbbing as he rolled over in the early morning light. Realizing he was in an unfamiliar bed, he tried to sit up only to be forced back down onto the bed by the spinning of his head and lurch in his stomach.
//Where the fuck am I?// he asked himself, lying there waiting for the nausea to subside.
Gingerly, he raised his head again and attempted to get his bearings. Eyes slitted against the harsh light streaming through the windows, he looked around the small room. Focusing on the clock on the nightstand next to the bed he noted it read 6:15. The door was closed and the only other furniture in the room was a small dresser weith a mirror.
//Toby. I'm at Toby's.// This was quickly followed by //Why am I at Toby's?// As he drifted back to sleep, he thought //He asked me to stay for the party...//
Chris rolled over again and slowly opened his eyes, looking at the clock. //8:10. Fuck, I'd better get up.//
"God dammit," he grunted as he sat up, head pounding. "At least the room's not spinning," he said to himself wryly.
Sitting on the edge of the bed he saw most of his clothes piled in the floor. He shakily got to his feet and looked at himself in the mirror. He looked like hell. His eyes were bloodshot and he needed a shower and a shave. He was wearing nothing but his undershirt and boxers. Things were still a bit fuzzy from the night before. //Wow, I haven't been on a bender like that in ages.//
Chris finished interviewing Toby but he didn't want to run out on him immediately, given how upset he was. Chris told himself that it'd been a rough couple of days for the guy and he was just being a good cop wanting to make sure he was okay. As pathetic as it was he couldn't even fool himself. He liked Toby. He'd admit that to himself at least and hell, it was his day off, so if he could spend a little more time with him why then why not? Toby didn't seem to be in any sort of hurry for him to leave which was at least a little encouraging.
They talked for a while about every-day things, just getting a feel for each other. Toby grabbed a couple of beers and made a quick call to his folks while Chris played with the cat. The conversation didn't sound quite as intense as the one he'd witnessed when he first arrived.
"Things okay with them?" Chris'd asked.
"Yes. They seem to have calmed down a little. Besides, they have guests coming. If nothing else, my parents are excellent hosts and all the company will keep their minds off of my troubles. They may give me some grief this evening but everything'll be fine until then," Toby'd replied with a hint of bitterness in his voice.
Chris, not knowing what to say, decided it was time to go. "I'd better head back into the city and let you get to your party," he said as he turned up his bottle of beer, finishing it off.
"Why?" Toby asked, surprising himself. "It's my parent's party, not mine. There'll be a few relatives there but most everyone else will be my parent's friends, not mine..."
Chris looked at Toby not sure where this was going.
Toby continued, "Do you have to go back to work?"
Chris simply shook his head.
"Then why don't you stay for the party? Hell, it may even reassure my parents a little."
Pausing for a moment before replying, Chris asked, "You sure you want me to stay?"
With a smile lighting up his face, Toby simply said, "Yep."
Chris replied with a wicked grin, "I won't know anyone there. You'll have to entertain me."
Toby laughed, "You don't even really know me. Of course, if you stay for the party we could remedy that."
The laughter was infectious and Chris laughed back, saying, "How could I refuse an offer like that."
They continued to talk and drink, laughing at the antics of Toby's cat and watching a little television. Now and then Chris even thought Toby was flirting with him a little but dismissed that as wishful thinking.
Later, once a few guests had arrived they'd gone out to the party. Chris'd met Toby's parents and his younger brother, Angus. After that he'd been introduced to Toby's Aunt Deborah, who'd whispered in a conspiritory tone, "Call me Debbie. It drives my brother crazy", and her daughter, Lori. Lori'd looked like she might be interested in getting to know Chris better but Toby spirited him away, introducing him to numerous friends of the family.
"So what do you think of the family?" Toby'd asked as they watched his brother tell what Chris assumed was an off-color joke to a couple closer to Toby's parent's age than his own.
Chris replied as the man let out a hardy laugh and the woman flushed crimson, "They seem nice. Your brother definately appears to be popular."
"Angus has always been a bit of a joker. Mother and Dad find it a bit scandalous at times but their friends all find him entertaining."
"I bet." Chris said as Angus turned his attention to them.
"What are you two doing over here? You should mingle! Have fun! It's a party for God's sake," Angus said, draping an arm over each of their shoulders.
Chris just smiled but Toby said, "We're fine right here."
"Nonsense! You hardly ever come to these little get-togethers and you never bring such fascinating guests. I bet everyone would love your Detective." He let go of both men and stepped between them, turning to face them.
Huffing a little, Toby replied, "I don't come to these things because they bore me stiff and I don't have a 'detective'. His name is Chris."
Chris arched his brows eyeing the brothers. He didn't take offense at Angus' jovial manner but he did get a nice little flutter in his stomach when Toby jumped to his defense.
"Ahh, well. Got to run, places to go, things to do." To Chris he winked and said, "Don't let my brother keep you from having a good time." With that he turned and was gone.
"So I'm not 'your Detective', huh?"
Avoiding the question, Toby said,"Angus can get on my nerves quicker than just about anyone and he knows it. Sometimes his joking is...I don't know...rude."
Taking a drink to hide his grin, Chris replied,"Don't let him get to you. He didn't bother me."
Toby smiled a little at that, "So he's got another fan, does he?"
"He seems okay but you see where I --"
"What are you boys doing over here all alone?" Lori asked interrupting Chris. She had another young woman with her that he hadn't been introduced to yet.
"Drinking," Toby responded dryly.
"Taking in the scenery," Chris chimed in. He couldn't resist teasing Toby a little and was rewarded with a stormy look from the other man. Chris smirked at that. //Well, either he doesn't like the cousin or he'd rather be with me...//
"Toby, you're neglecting the guests. Have a little fun! This is Janet, by the way. She works with Uncle Harry at the firm. Janet, this is Chris, and have you met Toby?"
The pretty blonde girl smiled and said, "No, I haven't."
"This is my cousin, Toby. Uncle Harry is his dad."
Mustering up some manners, Toby smiled and said, "Nice to meet you, Janet. Have you worked with Dad long?"
Janet replied with a sunny smile, "The pleasure's all mine. To answer your question, no I've only been at the firm for about 6 months."
Things became a little hazy after that. Chris remembered chatting with the girls for a bit and that they'd all had a lot to drink.
The sound of a door shutting brought him out of his reverie. He decided it was time to get up. Standing slowly and not really trusting his legs, he stretched like a cat, trying to get some feeling back into his body. He walked to the door, still feeling shaky and careful of where he placed his feet. //That's it, Keller. You really don't want to go crashing to the ground and make an even bigger ass of yourself than you did by getting plastered in front of Toby's family last night.//
He briefly leaned against the door before turning the knob and opening it. Sighing, he crossed the hall, rubbing his eyes and his aching temples - and running smack dab into Toby who had just came out of the bathroom. Toby appeared to have just got out of the shower; a towel was wrapped loosely around his waist and he was vigorously rubbing his hair with another. Neither man saw each other before colliding.
"Shit!" They both yelped simultaneously.
Toby, still dripping from his shower recovered first. "G'Morning," was all he could say. He looked at Chris, smiling as the towel slipped out of his hand unnoticed. //Even hung-over he looks amazing,// Toby thought as he admired the way the shirt stretched tightly over Chris's chest, fitting like a second skin. As if of their own free will his eyes dropped drinking in the sight of Chris Keller in all his glory. Admonishing himself for it, he jerked his eyes upward as he realized he was staring at Chris's boxers. //Stop it,// Toby told himself sternly, feeling a slow flush creep from his neck to his forehead and hoping Chris hadn't caught him staring.
"Hi," Chris responded taking in a totally different view and coming to the same conclusion. Toby was standing in front of him looking like something out of a dream. Chris couldn't take his eyes off of a single trickle of water that had ran down the side of Toby's face and dripped onto his smooth, pale chest. He forced himself to meet Toby's eyes but found them even more distracting than the trickle of water
"You ok --"
"Sorry about --"
Both men spoke simultaneously again.
"You first," Toby said smiling.
"Sorry about yesterday. I don't usually drink that much," Chris said, looking sheepish.
"There's nothing to be sorry about. I seem to have lost a few hours, myself. I was going to ask if you were okay?"
"Other than the pounding headache and the fact I can't remember most of yesterday evening, I'm doing fine," Chris grinned.
"I'm guessing you want to get cleaned up?"
"Yeah, that'd be great."
"There's a new toothbrush laying on the sink and fresh towels laid out. I'll find you something to wear if you want to ..." Toby's words drifted off under Chris' intent stare. "What?"
"Sorry, I was zoning. I really need that shower," Chris replied, trying to hide the fact that he had been staring at Toby again.
"Go ahead. I'll bring some clothes back and put on some coffee."
Chris leaned against the tiled wall of the shower, letting the hot water spray his body and trying to relax, when he heard a quick knock at the door and Toby saying, "Chris? I've got some clothes for you."
Chris smiled and pulled the shower curtain back a little so he could look out at Toby when he answered, "Just lay them on the vanity. I'll be out in a minute."
"Uhh...Okay," Toby replied as he caught a flash of Chris' bare chest and leg through the steam. His face was burning as he dropped the clothes on the counter and practically fled the bathroom, calling over his shoulder, "I'll be downstairs with the coffee."
Chris chuckled to himself, thinking about Toby's various reactions to him. //Maybe he's interested after all. He sure wasn't too happy about Lori and her friend interrupting us and he's definitely been paying attention to me...// The thought trailed off as Chris turned off the steaming shower and reached out, grabbing a towel.
He quickly dried himself and picked up the t-shirt and athletic shorts Toby'd found for him. He thought about his own disguarded undershirt and boxers and immediately decided against putting either of them back on. Still feeling rough, he looked at himself in the mirror.
//At least I look better than I feel. Other than the bloodshot eyes, that is,// he thought to himself. //Ah, well. You win some, you lose some.//
With that thought, he picked up his clothes from the bathroom floor, tossed them in the bedroom across the hall, and slowly walked down the stairs.
"Here. This'll help you feel better," Toby said, meeting Chris at the bottom of the stairs. He handed Chris a steaming cup of black coffee.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome. You doing okay?"
"The shower helped but...not really," Chris said wryly.
"The coffee will help. I hope the clothes are okay. I couldn't find anything else I thought would fit," Toby said, eyeing Chris critically.
"They're fine. Thank for getting them for me."
"Have a seat," Toby gestured at the bar separating the dining area from the kitchen. "You up to some breakfast?"
Chris, nursing his coffee, paled at the thought of food and shook his head.
"Didn't think so. I'm going to whip up some scrambled eggs. I'll make some extra just in case you change your mind," Toby said, busying himself in the kitchen.
Chris watched him for a moment, letting the coffee revive him somewhat before saying, "I'm pretty sure you drank as much as I did last night. Why are you so chipper this morning?"
Toby, stirred the eggs in the skillet before picking up a loaf of bread. His attention seemingly focused on twisting open the bread, he replied, "Practice. I used to drink way too much. I had a close call one night which was a real eye opener. Mostly I drink socially these days. It's been a couple of years since I've been on a drinking spree like last night, but I guess old habits are hard to break."
Toby finished speaking and raised his eyes to meet Chris's. He was relieved to find no judgment there, just frank curiosity.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up," he said. Chris, not sure where the conversation was headed, finished off his coffee, still watching Toby intently.
Toby smiled, "It's okay. The family likes to forget little things like that. I, however, think a little reminder every now and then is a good thing. I don't want to ever forget almost having that accident. As long as I remember, I know it won't happen again."
"Good point."
"I think so. Want some more coffee?" Toby asked, noting the empty cup.
"Sure. That'd be great."
"Here you go," He said, refilling Chris' mug. "The eggs are done. You sure you don't want any?" He asked, clearly not wanting to dwell on the subject of drinking any longer.
"On second thought, maybe I'll feel better if I eat something," Chris replied, not exactly believing it but willing to give anything a try.
"Okay," Toby said.
He spent the next couple of minutes pouring orange juice and fixing two plates of eggs and toast. He juggled all of the food as he brought it over to the bar and sat down next to Chris.
They ate in a companionable silence, Chris picking at his food without much appetite while Toby ate with gusto. Chris cautiously sipped at his juice and decided to stick with the coffee. He snuck a few glances here and there at Toby before finally concentrating on his mug. Just the sight of someone eating threatened to make him sick.
Toby finished off his breakfast and noticed Chris's plate was still mostly full. "Breakfast wasn't such a good idea?"
"No, I don't think so."
"Sorry about that. Do you have to work today?"
"I have my cell phone and pager in case anything comes up. Otherwise, I'm off until tomorrow morning."
"I don't have to go back until Monday."
"Good," Chris replied. "When are you going back into the city?"
"Sunday evening, I think. I'm going to have to spend some time with the family this weekend." Toby wrinkled his nose at the last statement.
Chris raised an eyebrow.
Toby grimaced, "Since I so successfully avoided them yesterday we still have to 'talk' about what's going on. Then we'll talk about it some more and then some more. Finally, they'll decide I should stay here and not go back to work until this guy is caught."
"Well, that is a thought..." Chris trailed off as he saw the look in Toby's eyes.
"Not a very good one," Toby replied flatly. "I'm not putting my life on hold because of this fuck. I'll be careful, but that's it."
Chris took a moment before he replied, choosing his words carefully. "Just so long as you're careful. And I want you to do one thing for me."
Toby looked dubious as he asked, "What?"
"Call me before you leave Sunday and I'll meet you when you get back to the city. McManus won't authorize any sort of protection but I'd feel more comfortable knowing you're safe. I'll meet you before you leave for work Monday morning, also."
"Come on, Chris! I don't need a baby-sitter!"
"I mean it, Toby. I don't want that fuck to have a chance to get his hands on you again. Promise me you'll call me."
Toby didn't say anything for a long moment. He tried to look away from Chris but the intensity of his gaze held him. There was no doubt in his mind that Chris was deadly serious about this. "Okay, I promise."
Chris held his gaze for a moment longer, "Good. That wasn't so hard, now was it?"
"No," was Toby's less than generous reply.
Chris flashed a grin, "I won't bother you. I just want to make sure you're safe. Now, I should get my things together and head home."
"You won't be bothering me. I just hate to feel like I need a nurse maid," Toby replied, but in a quiet corner of his mind, he was thrilled that he'd be seeing Chris again so soon. "You sure you're up to the drive?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Want me to help clean this up?" He looked around at the dishes.
"No, I've got it. Your clothes should all be in the bedroom. Just wear my stuff home. There's no point and putting dirty clothes back on just to drive home."
"Thanks. I'll be right back," Chris said, walking towards the stairs.
He came back a few minutes later with his clothes bundled under his arm. Toby was setting on the couch waiting on him.
"I'll call you if anything comes up. Otherwise I'll see you Sunday?" Chris said.
"Yes. You'll see me Sunday," Toby replied, getting to his feet. "I'll walk you out."
"You don't have to."
"It's okay. Here...For the road." Toby handed Chris a travel mug.
"Thanks. Now I won't have to stop for any."
They walked out the front door and to Chris's car. The tents and tables and chairs from the party were all gone, as if they had never been there. The clean up crew had been by earlier in the morning.
"Mother doesn't like things out of place," Toby said, noticing Chris looking around.
"I guess not. Look, I'm really sorry if I did anything last night to embarrass you--"
Toby grinned a wicked grin, "You don't need to apologize to me."
"Well, at least apologize to Lori. I don't think I did anything out of line..."
"Lori is a slut," Toby said flatly. "Nothing inappropriate happened with her. Not that I really think anything would be out of line with her but you were my guest. I know nothing embarrassing happened at least on your part."
"You were watching out for me, huh?"
"Uh huh. Trust me when I tell you that party was full of sharks. You know lawyers," Toby's attempt to look solemn was foiled by the wink he couldn't resist shooting at Chris.
Chris laughed as he got in his car. "You're a riot, Toby. I'll talk to you on Sunday."
Toby smiled back, "I'll talk to you then."
Toby stood and watched the car driving away. He waved as Chris flashed his tail lights before turning the corner and disappearing out of sight. He stood for a moment longer wishing he would have had the courage to ask Chris to stay.//Well, that was an interesting evening. Am I imagining things or is he just a little bit interested in me?// Toby's stomach fluttered at that thought. //I thought I was going to have to chase that bitch Lori off. And I can't believe they tried to pawn one of Dad's associates off on me. Not going to happen...//
Shaking himself out of his reverie, Toby turned and reluctantly went inside to call his parents. //I may as well get this out of the way.//