The power was out in the garage. However, this time it was because of the horrible storm outside, not a lack of payment. Everyone had gone home early because of the approaching storm. Everyone that is except for Happy, who as the mechanic wanted to make sure everything would be as safe as possible, and Toby of course refused to leave the woman he loved without making sure she was safe.
Five minutes ago, the sirens had gone off telling them to take cover. They had gone to the safest part of the garage, each with a chair and a flashlight. Happy had something to tinker with while Toby had grabbed a couple of his books. However neither had touched what they brought over. They were sitting listening to the storm, sounds they both really enjoyed.
At a particularly loud thunder, Happy involuntarily jumped, it surprised her really. That one didn't fit the pattern she had put the others in. Toby, having little light to actually read her, and misinterpreting her to think it scared her, reach a hand and gently placed it over hers.
Anger flashed in Happy's eyes, how dare he? How dare he attempt to comfort her after all they had been through this past week? First he missed their date, tried to have some singing guy named Frank apologize to her for him, explained away what happened that it was because of his childhood, and today no matter how much she yelled at him to go home he refused, leading them to this moment.
Happy quickly snatched her hand away and spun out of her chair. Happy stood there with her back to Toby now.
"What did I do this time, Happy? I really don't understand," Toby said as he got up and walked around her to see her face.
Happy spun again so she faced the back of the chair and gripped the top. She suddenly sighed, "Doc, be honest, what do you think about when you look at me?"
Toby reached for her shoulder only for her to shy away from it, causing him to slowly bring it back down to his side. "As a Shrink or as your friend?" Toby asked.
Happy sighed again her grip on the chair increasing, "As you, Toby, as you."
Toby smiled, "Happy, when I look at you I think about how lucky I am to be your best friend. I mean as I told you before, you are so smart and capable and everything you are is wrapped up in such a nice little package. I think about how in love I am with my best friend even if she doesn't admit if she shares those feelings."
Happy bit her lip to fight back the tears, this was the hardest thing she ever decided to do. "What makes you think I even have these feelings?"
"I don't know, I just do," Toby said trying to force back the hurt from his voice.
"I don't believe in fairytales, I never did. Though I did enjoy them. If I did believe though, I would have thought you would be my Prince Charming, who would save me," Happy's tears were slowly falling, something she hated to allow.
"We have been through a lot since Walter found you, introduced us, and we shook hands. We dove into a mystery," Toby said slightly smiling at her saying he would be her Prince.
Happy held back a sob, he couldn't know she was crying. Happy couldn't believe she was even doing this to him, to herself. "But it doesn't matter, Toby. We are too broken for each other. Anything we do, anywhere we go, our pasts will always be in the way! We can't be, Toby!" Why was she hurting him like this? Why was she doing this to herself? She loved him, she knew she did. Even when he was doing something that deserved her calling him numbnuts. Every Toby thing he did, she loved. How could she do this? Her knuckles were beginning to turn white from her grip.
"How I wish we could go back to simpler times, before all our scars and all our secrets were in thelight. It was easier when we loved each other as friends. Before you loved me romantically," Happy's voice dropped to such a low whisper if Toby had been only a step closer to her he would've heard it, "before I loved you." Her voice rose again, "Now on this hallowed ground, we've drawn the battle lines."
Thunder crashed. And there was crashing outside. Toby sighed at the noises, "Will we even make it through the night? Happy, no matter what you will always be my best friend." He began throwing his hands around next even though she couldn't see it, "But, Hap, look at our jobs! Somehow in the last year we went from being a group of geniuses doing odd jobs to working for the government doing things that could get us killed! Even if we make it thought this storm there is no telling if we will make it through our next case! Why shouldn't we both be happy with each other, loving each other as more than friends? What could be wrong with that? I, I know it's going to take much more than promises this time. I know I screwed up, but I can fix that. Hap, please."
Happy stood still her body nearly gave way to her shaking, "Toby, I would tell you to go away, but there really isn't anywhere for you to go. So please, Toby, please just stop. I told you we are too broken for each other!"
Toby reach a hand toward her but being sure she would shy away again rested it on the corner of the chair near her hand. She didn't move completely however she did turn away from him. "Happy, I, uh, maybe, maybe you and I were never meant to becomplete." His hand inched closer to hers just slightly, "Could we just be broken together. Ya know,if you can bring your shattered dreams and I'll bringmine, maybe healing could still be spoken and save us. Hap, I guess the only way we'll last forever is broken together."
"Broken together?" Happy asked in a whisper.
"Yea, I think so, Hap," his fingers were now lightly touching her hand, and this time she didn't move away.
"You won't give up?" Happy asked, she wasn't sure if she was asking in a desperate attempt to make him stop or if she was asking, begging for him not to give her up. Happy sniffed, she couldn't hide her crying from him much longer.
Toby's finger gently brushed over her hand, "On you? Never."
Suddenly she flipped her hand and grasped his tightly, "Good. Keep fighting."
Toby's other hand found her shoulder, "I promise, Hap."
Happy now turned to him, in the dim light from the flashlights he could see her tear stained face. Happy's other hand now rested on their grasped hands, her words stumbling out, "May-maybe we can be broken together, Doc."
"Oh, Hap," Toby whispered as he pulled her to him. She began to cry harder into his chest. He placed a kiss in her hair, "Come on we should sit." Toby led her to the wall and they slid down to the floor. After Happy's crying subsided, they just sat there. Her tucked under his arm, him holding her close and running his hand through her hair.
When they began to talk, they talked about everything they could think of, things that only brought them closer. Including every way that made them broken people.
