What Is Love - Barlow/Williams

Part 27: People Obscure The View

Chapter Summary:

Robbie races over to Gary, and is not happy with what he finds, but things can only get worse. So sorry for the delay! See end for A/N.

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Robbie was still on the motorway but there wasn't far to go. While his driver tore down it doing 85mph on the outer lane, Robbie checked his emails again. Noticing there was still no response from Gary yet, he frowned. He knew he was jumping to conclusions, and was frankly acting a bit silly, but he just needed to know Gary was ok. Lucas was an arsehole, but he was also an arsehole with a creepy vibe, and Robbie couldn't help feeling there was more to be cautious about when it came to Lucas. Robbie looked at his dogs, their  dogs – he'd brought along for the ride. He really didn't want to hand them back over to Gary so soon, but he needed the pretence of bringing the dogs back to have an excuse to be going there, to begin with.

In no time at all, his driver was pulling up on to Gary's spacious driveway. Robbie immediately spotted Gary's Landover, and nestled beside it was a pretentious-looking slick black sports car that Robbie would bet his millions belonged to Lucas Harris-Turner.

Knowing Lucas was indeed there too immediately had him on edge and Robbie hesitated before walking up to the door – what if Gary's not happy to see him? – what if Lucas opens the door? – what if he's got this all wrong and this was all a big mistake? ...the numerous thoughts flooded his head and continued to swirl as he slowly out-stretched a finger towards the doorbell.

He thought he heard raised voices inside, but after only a moment's pause he finally pressed the doorbell, and silence fell. He stood there waiting for the door to open, and briefly pondered on whether he should just let himself in, he still had his key after all. He waited a little longer before he removed his bunch of keys from his jacket pocket – sure Gary might be mad at him for invading his privacy, but then Gary was the one ignoring the bell. Just as he had located the key however, the man in question finally opened the door, if only by a narrow slit.

"Robbie! What are you doing here?" a startled Gary breathily asked him.

But Robbie was prepared for this, he'd already tied the dogs up at the side of the house, but now gently tugged on their leads and brought them around for Gary to see. Immediately the dogs went crazy at the sight of Gary. They knew they were home. Robbie watched Gary's reaction closely as it changed from surprise to elation and happiness, before a strange darkness then clouded over it, and left only worry in it's wake.

"I don't understand", Gary eventually said, "why have you brought them back so early?" he desperately asked, "I said they could stay as long as you like – it's been so long since you've spent time with them". Gary looked confused, but Robbie saw a hint of something else in his eyes, too.

"I know", Robbie replied, trying to sound casual, "but see – I'm actually coming back down to London permanently, and I thought it'd be easier to leave them here with you, while I do", Robbie lied – he completely made it up on the spot, although as he considered his own fabrication, it actually sounded like a good idea, after all why should he stay away- he needed to be here where he could keep an eye on everything...and everyone, "but Gaz that's not the only" Robbie continued, dropping his voice to barely a whisper, "...I...I was worried – that email you left earlier – what did you mean and why didn't you reply to me?!" Robbie questioned, he'd been so worried about Gary. However, it seemed to him, all that Gary cared about was why the dogs were there, not the fact that Robbie had travelled so far with them, to see him.

But Robbie couldn't have been more wrong. In actual fact, the moment Gary saw Robbie through the window his heart had inflated with longing, he'd give anything to tell Robbie that but of course he wouldn't, he couldn't, and especially not with Lucas just beside him, hidden, on the other side of the door, listening intently. Gary hoped he hadn't heard the part about the email. Although it pained him greatly he knew he had to get Robbie away.