Paige and Bobby (James)

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Paige is doing everything right until she finds out Bobby isn't rooming with John anymore.


Armed with a small container of peach sorbet and a spoon, Bobby headed down to visit his second-favorite blonde in the mansion. He knocked lightly at the door of her room, then poked his head in without waiting for a response. "You decent, Frappe?"

The room was dark as Bobby entered, the only light coming from the hallway. There was the sound of heavy breathing coming from near the bed, but it remained unoccupied. Instead, on the ground, Paige laid spread out, cheek pressed to the linoleum. With much effort, she raised an arm over her head, fingers waving. "Present. Funny, I was just looking for you," she said tiredly, voice low as if she'd been crying.

Bobby was in the room immediately, sorbet set aside on the nearest flat surface as he hurried to Paige's side and crouched. "What happened? Are you okay? Should I grab a doc?"

"The bed moved," Paige explained, in an oddly reasonable tone. She raised her head a little, giving him a weak smile. "But it ended up being pleasantly cool down here so I just decided not to get up. Did you know you have a new room? You do."

"Um. Yeah, I do. I'm in a suite, now. What--" Bobby frowned and shook his head, worried, and hesitantly reached out to her. "Are you hurt?"

"No. I just over exerted myself. It seems when the docs said 'no stairs' they had a reason," Paige replied soothingly, taking his hand. "We could do the bed thing if you'd prefer, although, it really is perfectly comfortable down here."

"Yes, please," Bobby replied promptly--it made him very uncomfortable to see Paigs sprawled on the floor like this. "Let me help you up." He got an arm around her, asking quietly, "What were you doing taking the stairs, anyway? Where were you going?"

Paige laughed, and was startled when it turned into tears, arms around his neck. "I went up to find you. I wanted to try that whole leaning on people thing I'd heard about, but you weren't there! And... and I asked, and you're... you're rooming with Angelo."

Bobby paused for a moment, and then carefully straightened before replying. "Yeah. I am," he said quietly, helping her onto the bed again.

"I stood by the door. And I couldn't do it. Knowing he could be behind the door. And that his room wouldn't smell like him anymore. I don't even know where they put his clothes! His guitar. That stupid pink horse," Paige cried, feeling herself start to shake and clinging even tighter to Bobby, unwilling to release her hold on him. "It's like everything I didn't feel for two months..."

Bobby settled next to her, hugging her tightly. He wasn't exactly keeping up with what she was saying, but it seemed like something she needed to get out. So he held her, and stroked her hair, and let her talk.

"Monday, I just cried all day and I don't even remember why! I just remember being so tired at the end, so tired I slept almost all of Tuesday and then this morning I was fine, but then there was Angelo, and then the stairs and you're in Jono's room and it's been six months and I don't even know where James is!" Paige continued, getting to the point of hysterical before she finally fell onto his shoulder, exhausted again. She sniffled, as they sat there in the otherwise silence, letting herself be gently rocked. "And... and I need a Kleenex."

Bobby felt a stab of irrational guilt, as he freed one arm to reach for the Kleenex, the other staying tightly around Paige's shoulders. "I'm sorry, sweetie," he murmured, not really knowing what he could possibly say to all of that. He set the Kleenex in her lap, brushing her hair away from her face. "I'm sorry that you're hurting." But he was also there for her, and had no intention of leaving.

Paige smiled a little, blowing her nose without bothering to be overly dignified. "Great welcome home, huh? Hey, good to have you back, and here's your pal sobbing in the med lab after a mental breakdown," Paige said jokingly, even managing to laugh a little. "I'm sorry. I missed you. I just need someone to do exactly this and I missed you."

Bobby blinked a few times, smiling at her. "I missed you too, Paige. When I came back, and heard--well. I've been worried, let's just say. And I'm glad I'm here for you to do exactly this, if that's what you need." He kissed her temple and gave her another hug.

"How about you never leave again? Sounds good," Paige replied, her voice growing steadier as she spoke. Squirming about, she settled with her nose pressed against his neck, forehead against his jaw, as if trying to get as close as possible. "I'll just keep you forever and ever and stuff. You make me smoothies and hug me a lot and I'll be pretty and tell you you're pretty as well."

Bobby laughed and nodded. "Sounds good. Especially the never leaving part." He took a deep breath, his chest tight. He'd really missed this. Missed her. "And until you're cleared for stairs, since you're not going to do anything silly like ignore your doctors again..." a gentle reproach entered his voice at that, "I have brought you peach sorbet, in lieu of smoothies."

"Sorbet?" Paige asked, instantly perking up a little, her eyelashes fluttering and tickling his skin. "I like sorbet. Is it Bobby sorbet?"

"Of course it's Bobby sorbet! Would I bother bringing my Frappe anything inferior?" Bobby grinned and caressed under her chin. "You gonna be okay while I go aaalllll the way over there and get it for you?" He pointed to the tray he'd abandoned the sorbet on.

Paige made a show out of pulling a face, as if not really sure this was such a good idea, her arms tightening around him a moment, close to squishing the breath out of him, before letting go. "I don't know... It's awful far and I'm awful comfy. But if it's Bobby sorbet..."

"It's fast Bobby sorbet," Bobby reassured her, slipping away from her and darting across the room, grabbing the sorbet and hurrying back to her side, sorbet and spoon presented as he sank down onto the bed again. "See?"

"Speedy!" Paige exclaimed, taking the cold bowl to hold against her swollen eyes. Hissing against the good pain of the cold, she gently let the bowl rest there before moving it to her other eye. Without bothering to lower the sorbet, she stuck a finger in and popped it in her mouth, smiling instantly. "You haven't lost your touch."