Title: "Why Not Smile"

Series: R.E.M. title series

X-over with The West Wing

Pairing: Willow/Toby

Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine.

Distribution: Please, take it. Just let me know.

Rating:PG

Spoilers: AU for both.  TWW- Andi's pregnancy never happened.  Buffy-Willow never went all evil.

Home page: https://www.angelfire.com/dragon/seeker0/

 

    Happiness was not his default position, it never had been.  Pretty much everyone he had ever met knew that.  But he smiled more now.  Every once and a while one of his co-workers would catch him staring off into space with a soft smile on his face.  C.J. teased him about it a lot, but she was really happy for him.  It wasn't like Toby had changed completely.  He was still as tough as nails, and he could still be scary as hell.

 

    But there was no denying that he had changed a little.  And everyone who knew him knew the cause:  Willow Rosenberg.  No one had even considered that a relationship would form between the gruff Communications Director and the First Lady's bubbly Deputy Chief of Staff.  After all, their first meeting had not been a particularly warm one.

 

    Toby had been in a worse mood then usual the day he came barreling into the conference room where both the President's and the First Lady's senior staffs were meeting. Toby had just found out that Mrs. Bartlet had taken a speaking engagement that he had urged her not to take.  Abby had informed him that her new Deputy Chief of Staff had recommended that she take it.  Toby was pissed.  He hadn't yet met Willow Rosenberg; she had only been working for the First Lady for a few days.  He was furious, and the minute he stepped into the room, he was yelling.  He recognized Willow from her picture and immediately walked over to the petite redhead, still shouting.  Then she did the unthinkable.

 

    Willow Rosenberg laughed in his face.

 

    It wasn't a rude laugh.  It was gentle, and actually sounded quite kind.  But it was still a laugh.  The room fell completely silent, as Toby looked at Willow in shock.  People didn't laugh at Toby.  Sure his friends did occasionally, but even they wouldn't dream of doing it when he was so pissed off.  Toby's face had gotten bright red.  If Leo hadn't chosen that moment to walk in and start the meeting, disaster certainly would have occurred.

 

    After the meeting Toby had gone to confront Willow.  She apologized, saying that she hadn't been able to help it; that he was just really cute when he was angry.  Toby hadn't really known how to respond to that statement.  He had turned and left without a word.

 

   After that first meeting the two had some pretty heated arguments. Willow would match him point for point.  She was willing to yell right back at him when she though the situation warranted it.  But whenever she thought he was over reacting about something, she would just giggle at him. 

 

    At first this had just angered him more, but slowly he began to appreciate it.  Not only was this young woman able to match wits with him, but she wasn't frightened of him like most people were.  He found that he enjoyed spending time with her, even when they were fighting.   Eventually, after much pressure from C.J, Toby had asked Willow to dinner.  To his surprise, she had happily agreed.

 

    So now Toby occasionally stared into space and smiled softly. 

 

Now Toby found happiness in things outside of politics.

 

Now Toby kept a diamond ring in his top right desk drawer, just waiting for the perfect moment.

 

END