He had very few doubts that she would say no, but he was scared of taking
that step again. Things had been beautiful with Andy but then they'd gotten
married and things just seemed to dissipate. Things were majestic with KD.
Toby was feeling a way he'd never felt before and he never wanted that to go
away. And yet when he'd passed the jewelry store nearly three weeks ago, he'd
seen the rings and he'd wanted to just look. Looking turned to inspecting.
Inspecting turned to touching, testing, and eventually to buying. Now this
ring, this ring that was gorgeous but couldn't be a match for KD, was just
sitting in his desk. Now that she'd gone to Detroit, without talking to him,
Toby cursed himself for not asking when he could, swearing that he should
have asked the night before, or the night he'd gotten the ring. Now would he
ever get the chance? He had to believe that he would. A soft knock at the
door interrupted his thoughts, and all it meant to him was that yet another
annoying, yet well-meaning person was coming by to make sure he was 'okay'.

"Go away." He declared and snapped the box shut, dropping it back in the
drawer and turning back to his computer. He heard the door open and then shut
again with a click. "I said go away." He said with a groan and spun in his
chair to face the person and shout further, but stopped dead in the move as
his eyes fell on his most recent visitor.

"I know you did, but you know me. I never listen to you." KD's voice
exclaimed softly as she took in the sight of him happily.

"That's not true." He said softly, staring at her. He felt his throat
threaten to close up in pure joy. "It's because you listen to me that you
didn't talk to me before leaving." He pointed out weakly. She smiled weakly
and nodded, admitting the truth. They knew each other far too well. Toby
cleared his throat and tried to lift his hand to point at her. "Are you
okay?" He asked softly. She nodded and took a step forward.

"I got a few cuts and bruises I didn't have before, but I'm fine." She
replied. Before either of them could think, Toby sprung out of his chair and
moved across the room to take her in his arms and press her against the door,
his lips tight against hers. He kept his arms tight around her as he kissed
her passionately, trying to make sure she was real. She kissed him back, arms
around his neck. His hands moved up and down her body before settling in a
clutch around her back. He pulled away from her to breathe and leaned his
forehead against hers, gently nuzzling her nose with his own.

"Don't ever do that again." He said softly but sternly. He meant it.
"Don't ever do that to me again." He repeated. KD smiled and nuzzled back,
smiling a little wider as she felt his hand slowly trace up her back.

"With a welcome back like that, I don't see why not." She admitted in a
playful whisper. He smiled and kissed her neck, still trying to verify that
she was there, in his arms.

"Do you have any idea what I want to do to you right now?" He whispered
in her ear before grasping her earlobe between his lips. She groaned softly
and shifted against the door.

"I'm getting a pretty good idea." She murmured. He nodded and kissed her
neck again, pressing a little closer.

"I want to kill you." He teased.

"If this is how I go, I die a happy woman." She retorted before he
pressed his lips against hers and pressed her against the door. She moaned a
little through the kiss as he moved his lips back to her neck. "You wanna go
home?" She asked softly.

"I don't know if I can wait that long." He whispered as his hands started
to roam.

"How improper." She retorted by kissing him fiercely. He kissed back as
he explored her body. Then his phone rang. He groaned and decided not to
answer it. She chuckled. "Toby, answer the phone. It's a sign telling us to
make it home first." She said softly. He nodded and reluctantly moved away
from her to grab the receiver.

"Ziegler. Yeah, Leo. Yes, I know. Because she's standing in my office."
Toby said with an amused smirk. "Yes, she's fine. No, because we're going
home. Yes. I'll tell her. Okay. You'll see her tomorrow, Leo, but she's mine
so I get first crack. Yes, I'm being serious. Good night, Leo." Toby paused
to listen to his boss another second and then hung up. "Let's go home." He
said tiredly. KD smiled and moved to get the door. Toby paused, grabbed
something out of his desk drawer and then followed her home.


Jed stared at the wall. He was tired, angst-ridden. He knew KD was back
but he hadn't talked to her yet. He knew what had happened to Terrence
Faraday and it was something that he needed to talk about with her. It was
nine o'clock already and she hadn't stopped by. Leo had mentioned Toby saying
something about needing her for himself for awhile. He glanced around for
something to do when the door opened. KD walked through, engrossed in a
conversation with Leo and completely oblivious to anything else. Jed rose to
his feet and moved to take her in a bear hug. She laughed and hugged him back
as Leo looked on and the other staff members walked into the room, happy to
see their friend alive. The day started slowly, but it did start. The staff
meeting ended and Jed got her to stay behind for a moment.

"How do you feel?" He asked softly. She looked at him.

"I feel like a chapter in my life has been closed, and I'm all the better
for it." She replied honestly. "I don't feel the least bit of remorse about
what I did, and Max assures me that there will not be any trouble about it."

"No remorse?" Jed asked, more than a little disturbed by the comment.

"I shot him, Joss. He's dead. I shot him through the neck. You know that
little dent at the base of your throat? He's gone. Sure, I'm not feeling that
great about having to see his blood spray or having to live with his life on
my hands, but I'm not gonna . . . not gonna cry . . .about it . . ." KD broke
off and sat on his couch. He moved to sit next to her as she ran her fingers
through her hair, bit her lip and tried not to cry. He hugged her close as
she leaned against him. Jed looked to the door to Leo's office and saw the
other man watch them sadly. Neither of them knew what to do. Suddenly KD
pulled away and wiped her eyes, not shaking quite as much.

"You okay?" Leo asked softly. KD looked at him and smiled weakly.

"I am now, I think." She whispered. "It's strange, guys. To pull a
trigger like that." She added unsteadily.

"I can't say I know what it's like." Jed replied.

"I can't say I don't." Leo admitted. Both the others looked at him in
shock. "I fought in a war, guys. I did what had to be done. I didn't shoot
anyone in the neck from six feet away however." He added in concern. "Are you
going to be okay, Katy?"

"I'll survive." She admitted, running her fingers through her hair again.

"Okay. If you need us-" Leo started.

"I know." She replied before rising to her feet. Jed stood with her and
smiled at her as she moved out of the room.

"I did that to her, Leo." Jed whispered.

"No, you didn't. Faraday did. And he never will again." Leo replied
before stepping out of the room. Jed sighed painfully and went back to his
desk. At least she was back, physically all right. The question remained,
what about everything else?


KD stepped into her office and found Toby waiting for her. "Hey you." She
said with a grin as she closed the door. He smiled at her and took her into a
strong hug. She hugged him back, just grateful for the arms to hold her in.
He held her tight and inhaled her presence through his nostrils.

"I love you." He whispered. She smiled and looked him in the eye,
wondering where all the affection was coming from.

"I love you too, you big lug." She said softly as she gently stroked his
eyebrow with her fingers. He smiled and slipped his hands around her waist.
"What's with you?" She asked playfully.

"You scared me, Katy. You scared me so much." He admitted, nuzzling her
nose with his own. She smiled at the touch and returned it while resting her
hands around his neck.

"I'm sorry, Toby." She murmured.

"But you made me realize something. You made me realize that there are
some things I can't be afraid of." He said softly. KD smiled, a little
confused. "Come on, let's go to lunch." He murmured.

"It's only ten-thirty." She replied with a chuckle.

"I know. I wanna take you somewhere though." He whispered. She nodded,
still confused and followed him out. David assured her that she had no
appointments as Toby lightly pulled her down the hall. Ten minutes later, KD
found herself in the small park outside her old apartment, walking with Toby
through the green bushes and grasses.

"Toby, what are we doing outdoors at ten forty-five on a Thursday? Last
time I checked, you don't like the outdoors." She teased as she leaned into
his shoulder. He smiled and pulled her on to a bench.

"Because I couldn't wait any longer." He said softly as he pulled her
against him. She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed contently.

"For what?" She asked. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the
black box.

"To be sure of what I wanted." He replied. She looked at the box, her
face turning slightly pink as she realized what it could be.

"Toby . . ." She started softly. Toby pulled away from her and looked her
in the eye. She looked back, her eyes brimming a little.

"I love you, Katy. Just across the street, I asked you out on our first
date, remember?" He asked softly as he brushed her cheek with his fingers.
She nodded, a weak smile spreading across her face. "I love you so much,
Katy, and when you left yesterday, I felt like a part of me had run away. I
can't stand to lose you and I'm not going to." He added as he slid off the
bench on to one knee. KD couldn't help but let a tear fall as her hand rested
on his face.

"Toby . . ." She stammered. She didn't know what to say.

"Kathryn Dylan Brody, will you marry me?" Toby asked softly. KD laughed
joyfully and nodded.

"Yes. Of course, yes." She said softly as he rose to kiss her gently. He
smiled and slipped the golden ring on to her hand before kissing her again.
He sat back on the bench, taking her into his arms and kissed her even
stronger. She kissed back, just happy to be in his arms.

The End