The Book Shelves
 

On the left hand side of the corridor there is a gigantic bookshelf. It is jam packed with books from international magazines to cookbooks. There is fiction and non fiction books in amongst all the books as well. You can find pretty much anything here, you just have to look. On either side of the bookcase there are two huge chairs, that if you choose to sit down and read for a bit you'll sink right in. Although they are armchairs they are big enough for a few people to occupy. So sit back, have a pleasant conversation about what is happening around the world, or what you are going to cook for supper that night.


OOC: All Ministry of Magic employees, regardless of their assigned department, are welcome to create their own roleplay in this thread.

Antigone hummed a little Muggle tune as she walked down the level five corridor, searching for the book shelves she had heard so much about... she was too lazy to venture out to a library, so why not check them out?!

Her heels clicked against the floor as she went. She smooth out the front of her pencil skirt and blew a strand of hair from her face as she went.

Noticing Pandora sitting there she smiled, not even she could bring her down... not after all the fun she had been having with a certain special someone. "Allo, Pandora. Lovely day, isn't it?" she said as she stepped up to the bookshelves looking for a book on Muggle plant care... her daisies were drooping and she needed to stop that.

Antigone frowned... how could someone not be outside at all on a lovely May day??!! *cough* "Well, it is quite lovely, great day for a walk through London" she smiled as she spoke.

Showing off her shoes a bit she grinned and said, "Ah, thank you! Christian Louboutin... aren't they something." She giggled and leaned over a little closer and said, "I have a shoe collection nearly as big as my closet itself, it is my weakness, it is"

Furrowing her brow she thought it odd that the woman was already chiding her children and they hadn't even been born yet.. but whatever. "Sooo... have you been well?" she inquired.

Antigone felt like she was in a shoe induced state of elation when she nodded fervently. "I have so many pairs of Manolo's I feel bad for the man that ever tries to move into my house... he won't ever have any closet space," she said with a girlish giggle.

Furrowing her brow she tried to shake the urge to ask her what was wrongbut she couldn't help it... it came out before she could stop herself. "Pandora, is everything okay? Has something happened... I am sorry for being so invasive... but that tone on your voice, it speaks volumes, dear," she said. She had the urge to pat her on the arm or something but she didn't dare...s he didn't like most people enough to touch them... besides, people were germy and whatnot.

Oh bugger... that wasn't what she had been expecting. Completely ignoring the previous comment about Malachi... or better yet, choosing not to speak on it... I wonder if she means Malachi Brown? Because I used to keep my shoes on display in Fiji... because I mostly went barefoot there.. Oh good Merlin! She knows Malachi! she thought to herself.

Antigone squatted down beside the woman and placed her hand on her leg and said, "Oh my Merlin, I am so sorry to hear that, Pandora. Are you talking about Nymphadora? That is just terrible. How are the children... Oh Merlin, I am sorry for the barage of questions.... I can leave you to your thoughts if you'd like... but I am also here if you need to talk to someone."

Antigone averted her eyes and withdrew her hand, placing it on the arm of the chair instead of her leg... She had only known Dora through the letters... she was a good woman... looking out for a total strangers feelings that way as well as her friend's, but Tiggy daren't tell her that was how she knew everything that she knew about Pandora and Ronan. She didn't answer her at all actually.

"Magic can't fix everything... sometimes terrible things happen that we can't stop even with the strongest magic," she said softly. She had not had much experience with death, but what she did know was magic and there was none known that could stop death... without serious consequences anyway and Dora hadn't seemed that way.

"I read her obituary in the Daily Prophet actually, it was lovely. She strikes me as the type of woman that would want everyone to celebrate her life and those children's lives rather than mourn her death. You should take that into account. When my Gram died I threw the biggest party I could and when I spoke to her portrait later that month she was so happy that she cried," Antigone told her in a warm voice... well as warm as Antigone could manage. Her Irish lilt came through stronger when she got nostalgic about her family and she said, "That is what me family has alweeys done. YOu celebrate their lives, darling... not their deaths."

Antigone stood up and averted her eyes as Pandora cried. She wanted to comfort the woman but she wouldn't let her. She turned back to face her as she asked about the paper. "I don't have it but I am sure that the obituary was written by her parents because there was barely mention of her life with Silas... just that they had married and that she had passed away during the birth of their twin babies," she explained.

"Maybe it would be just what hte man needed, Pandora. You never know. He might be able to get some sort of closure from the party as well. I will not impose on your goodwill for anyy party, Pandora... I know you don't like me and you only invited me because you felt awkward or thought that you should. But I am okay with you not liking me, really," she said indifferently to the woman who tensed in front of her. What the hell did she think Antigone was going to do? Steal her husband? Her children? What the crap... SHe was really a nutter, she thought.

Immediately shutting down all facial emotion and keeping a level voice Antigone said, "That's nonsense, don't you think. SHe was your best friend, I hardly think she would have done that." SHe hardly wanted to sully her friend's memory with any sort of betrayal. She stood her ground and looked Pandora directly in the eye, not giving her any indication that she was lying.

"Well, honey I am just trying to help," she said with a shrug as she took the book she wanted from the shelf and hugged it to herself. Then the hormonal woman started to snap...

Good Merlin! Antigone immediately narrowed her eyes and steeled herself. "Darling, it seems that YOU are the only one who still cares about the past here. I do not dislike you anymore and I am not speaking rubbish. You are determined to NOT like me and that is is RUBBISH," she spoke through her teeth.

Antigone was not shocked that the woman figured she knew better than what Antigone was saying. she groung her teeth together and said, "Oh my Merlin, you're an insufferable little brat, Pandora. YOu don't hear what you want and you storm off... that's really mature." Watching the woman attempt to not waddle she smirked evilly. If the woman wanted to be enemies then she would be.

Antigone spotted Torio as she followed the evil woman with her eyes. "Oh Torio! She is so awful to me," Tiggy pouted as she made grabby hands at him... clearly needing a big brother hug.

Ooh dear. Definetly a repeat of the infamous Diagon Alley incident.

Giving Pandora another small smile, he let go of the door when he was sure she was safely through and turned his attention back to Antigone.

A small sigh left him as he shook his head a little, making his way over to her. "You would say she is living up to her name then, yes?" He stopped in front of her, reaching out and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Just how was she awful to you, Tiggy?"

*cure little sad eyes* Looking at Torio she huffed and threw herself on him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Oh T... I was trying to be nice and she said mean things to me and made me snap at her... she makes me SO angry!" she said in an innocent voice and she snugged her friend closely.

Another sigh left Torio in more of a strangled gasp as he was glomped. Shaking his head a little he released another breath and walked her backwards gently, one hand on her lower back to make sure she wouldn't fall over, and placed the violin case on the chair.

With both hands free, he was able to give her a proper hug, rubbing her back a little. "She made you snap at her. Or you chose to snap at her?"

Antigone walked backward, head on Torio's shoulder as he set his violin case down. "T... she makes me crazy... I was really trying... she was upset about her friend passing and I was listening and being nice and she just goes off about stupid Ronan... I don't care about him!" she sniffled as she snuggled into his shoulder.

"Apparently, you still do." He responded quietly, gently, giving her back another rub. "Would you get so upset when she talked about him if you didn't care?"

Antigone stiffened in his arms. She really didn't care about the man anymore. SHe was torn between her feelings for Torio and Ethan... and another unnamed party had recently written to her saying he was about to visit.... But Ronan... nothing.

"I get angry when she looks at me like I am about to steal her life from her. I don't give a damn about that man, Torio. I have no desire to be her, or have her life. She thinks I am a sick, husband stealing hussy I guess," she sniffled to him softly. That really did sting a bit.

"Well," Torio mused quietly, "You know you are not. So, perhaps it is time to let her see that." Very gently, he parted from her, keeping one hand wrapped around her waist while his other reached up to soothe her hair back. "People often see the emotions others are displaying and take them personally, reflect them. In this case, Pandora is afraid because she knows that you and Ronan used to be close. So she expresses that fear. You get defensive and angry because you know its not true. But that simply causes her to get defensive of her life; she sees your emotions as fueling her fear that she could lose everything to you. And so it goes in a vicious circle."

A small smile touched his lips as he tucked a few strands back into place. "It hurts yes, to be accussed of such things Tiggy, but you have to take a step back. See her fear and insecurity, see that she is taking what you say deeply to heart and fearing even more. Once you can see that she is not intentionally meaning to hurt you, nor you her, you can react in a way that will not increase her fear, but give comfort to it. And in doing so, you will find comfort in knowing, and giving power to the knowledge, that you do not carry further emotions for Ronan."

Antigone bit her bottom lip as she listened to Torio. She nodded slowly and began to silently weep. "I don't want to try anymore T... she doesn't want my friendship and she is too damn stubborn to see that I am not here to hurt her or him," she said in a sad little voice.

Smiling softly at her, Torio wipped some of the tears away. "And when we give up Tiggy, we do so almost when we are at the brink of success. Only there does the climb trully start to gain weight. Only then do we feel the sting in our legs and the pull at our backs. Tiggy, dear Tiggy. If you give up trying to be nice to her, what do you think will happen?"

Being the stubborn, bull headed woman that she was Antigone pouted a bit and threw her arms back around Torio. "But I don't wanna be nice to her anymore, Torio. He makes me crazy...I have tried. I just want to aviod her and be done with it. I shouldn't have to prove myself to anyone. I never did anything wrong to her to begin with. Never," she whined while she clin!hugged her dear friend. SHe knew she was being a big baby, but she couldn't help it...

This time, Torio didn't hug her back; he simply rested his hands on her shoulders. "Antigone," his voice was gentle but firm at the same time, "I cannot tell you what to do one way or the other, I can only offer advice. It is up to you to decide what you want to do. Whatever it is you chose, remember though, that you must be prepared to accept the consequences, which includes how you feel about the situation. If you want to avoid her and stop being nice, then that is what you are going to do, I cannot stop you. But just be ready to accept that you may feel as you do, frustrated and angry, for a vey long time because of it. Just be prepared to accept the consequences of your choices."

Jade's first stop should have been the Records and References but as she was already there, the library would just have to do. In her time at the ministry, she hadn't ever really visited the library, but she did need to look some things up. It wasn't as if it was crucial to her assignment but the thought of it had been embedded in her mind and she wanted to know more about it. Holes in time, what an interesting thought.

Finding the section on Physics, she ran her hand over the spines of the books. The feeling of the binding under her fingertips, brought a smile to her face. So much information was held under her fingertips and so much more could be taken from the words there.

Antigone made a pouty face when Torio got stern with her. She didn't like it that he wasn't pampering her. Not at all... that is what he should be doing. Yes, indeed. Patting her back telling her everything would be alright and that she had done nothing wrong.

Sniffling a bit she pulled back and stood a few feet away. Averting her eyes she picked her book up off of the shelf and said, "Okay, Torio. I will try my hardest to be civil... but she does it, not me... I need to go though. I will see you around, perhaps we can have lunch or something." With that she sniffled again and turned to leave, heading back to her level and her office... or to her flowers, whichever.

Letting out a small sigh, Torio stuffed his hands in his pockets and watched Antigone. While he understood where she was coming from, he could unfortunately see the flip side of the coin, considering there were always two sides to a coin, as there were two players in every converstation and action. Still, he didn't like having to point it out that Antigone was acting a bit childish, or seeing her hurt like she was, but the truth was the truth.

Letting his eyes trail back to the violin case waiting for him on the chair he wondered if he was really in the mood for music. Reaching up he adjusted the collar of his shirt and nodded a little to Antigone, his voice softer. "Take care Tiggy."

Tiggy sighed and stopped when she heard his softer tone and her nickname come out of his mouth. She just couldn't help but smile when she heard it. She wiped under her eyes, wiping away the black mascara and turned back to him grinning.

"So... are you going to let me hear you play or not?" she asked as she made her way back to him and plopped down in one of the oversized chairs.

Torio blinked at her. He wasn't sure if she was a mind reader, had seen him eyeing the instrument or just had a rapid mood swing. Watching her with a playful wariness, Torio moved over and clicked open the case.

"I thought you were upset with me." Noticing a smudge on her cheek from her makeup, he licked his thumb and reached out to wipe away the smudge from her cheek.

Antigone smiled crookedly and said, "I was until I heard you call me Tiggy. I can't be at you for long, Torio, you know that." SHe smiled when he licked his finger to wipe away the makeup on her cheek. "Thanks, T," she said as she pulled her legs up into the chair.

Resting back on his haunches, Torio let his arms take place on his knees as he watched her. Personally, he didn't think he had done anything wrong, but he carefully reminded himself to heed his own words; two sides to a single coin.

Letting out a light breath he gave her a small smile, patting her leg as he rose to collect his violin, drawing it out of it's case. "Just...think over what I have said?" He threw a grin over his shoulder. "Even if it is only to try and prove me wrong."

REsisting the urge to stick out her tongue and blow raspberries at Torio she simply smiled and nodded waiting for him to play his violin for her. SHe loved to hear him play. It was...well... almost magical.

Chuckling softly, Torio returned his attention to quickly testing the strings of the instrument, running two fingers appreciatively along the black, polished wood engraved with a white crane on either side; it was probably the most elaborate and most expensive thing he owned. Once he was sure it wouldn't be producing any obnoxious squeaks, he drew the wood against his shoulder, craddling it in the crook of his neck.

He didn't know what he was going to play until his bow touched the string and produced its first note. From there, it all flowed from some subconcious memory; from somewhere deep within. While the rest of the world faded away to dull greys, blacks and pale whites, only the violin, the music and his soul seemed to remain. He could feel himself swaying slightly back and forth as he moved with the music, became part of it and its emotion, its spirit. The melody rose and fell, became happy and then sad and then a mix; a lifetime story of tragedies and miracles sung in its most raw form.

Soon even his fingers faded away from conciousness, leaving his soul to dance and glide along the strings, telling its story. He felt the song build within his core, felt his entire being swept away by the journey it portrayed. Only then did he realize how much he had needed to do this, how long he had put off coming back to this place of silence, of peace, of pure and honest truth.

Antigone took a deep breath and sighed as Torio's lovely music began to flow. She watched her former tutee sway with the music as he played. She was so moved by his skill she began to silently cry. His music was as beautiful as his soul.

Gradually, the notes faded away; trailing off into the blackness, pulling light and sound back into conciousness. Slowly, he felt himself return to his body, felt his fingers around the bow and neck of the instrument, it's last vibrations running through him. For a long few moments he simply stood still, absorbing the reminants back within, giving time for the tears he knew where behind his eyelids to dry.

Antigone smiled wetly as Torio finished the song. She sat in silence for a few moments and then said, "THat was beautiful, Torio very beautiful." She wiped at her eyes and then sighed. SHe really needed to go pull herself together.

A small blush jumped onto his cheeks at Antigone's compliment, finally giving him the resolve to lower the violin and open his eyes. The world was a little blurry, so he cast his eyes down to focus on putting the violin away. He could hear the tears in her voice, and the last thing he wanted to appear before her was vulnerable when she seemed to need him to be strong for her.

Asher once again found himself in a new and unexpected, though greatly appreciated, place within the Ministry. He beamed as he saw the endless rows of books on the shelves against the wall. He rubbed his hands together, wondering how in the world he managed to pull away from a busy day in the Department of Mysteries. He walked to the end of the shelves and ran his right index finger over the titles of the books before him. Some old, some new. He took a deep breath, trying to relax on his free time.

Chloe was walking along Level Five when she spotted a very familiar [strike]and attractive[/strike] figure ducking behind some bookshelves. Chloe hurried her pace and caught up to him. She had the sudden urge to jump on his back, but a pencil skirt is not typical condusive to such things. Instead, she just wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his back. "Hello, my love! Don't you have enough of these at home?" she asked with a giggle.

Asher pulled a cookbook of all books to be in the grace of looking at, out of it's cozy spot on the shelf beside a few other cookbooks. He wasn't much of a cooker, unless you count the endless meals that he cooked that ended up being burnt in the process, he couldn't really understand why he had pulled such a book from the shelf. He looked at the cover intently and then flipped the cover open to the table of contents, just to see what recipes there were in it. He felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist and a head flop against his back. He knew who it was before she even spoke. "No said person can have too many of these wonderous things!" Asher exclaimed. "And, I don't have many that are in English." He reminded her, "Or cookbooks for that matter." He added on raising his eyebrows at the book he was holding.

Chloe just smiled and squeezed him tighter for a moment feeling thankful that his accent had apparently temporarily subsided. It had been a lot more frequent lately, and a lot harder to understand. When he said cookbooks, she peeked her head out from behind him and looked at the book with a laugh. "Yes, well, there's a reason you don't have cookbooks, my love." She stepped out from behind him and kissed him on the cheek wondering what had possessed him to pick up a cookbook of all things. "How is your day going?" she asked interestedly.

Asher flipped a few more pages in the book, and squinted his eyes at the recipe, it called for snake. He flipped the page again to find something a little more appetizing towards his stomach. "But, here's the thing." Asher told her, turning his body around so they were face to face...well Chloe's face was to his chest seeing how tall he was against her frame. "There are absolutely NO cookbooks in the Holden name." He told her, putting a heavy emphasis on the word 'no'. He paused as he flipped a few more pages, "And I know for a fact that we haven't always had a maid in the name. I didn't have one while I was growing up." He commented as he thought about his father attempting to cook while his mother was away for whatever reason. "Pretty good, as a matter of fact." Asher told her with a beaming smile as he looked at her instead of the cookbook, his accent had gone away for the time being, and though things were busy in the department they weren't too terribly bad. He had started relaxing about things, and getting things taken care of.

Chloe listened to him while he explained about his family. "So, are you telling me you want to learn how to cook, my love?" she asked curiously. Though, in all honesty she didn't much care about his response at the moment. Reaching up she began playing with the collar of his shirt. There didn't seem to be anyone else around, or at least she didn't see anyone as she looked up and down the row of books. Chloe gazed up at him with a mischievous smile on her face. Biting her lip, she slowly took the book out of his hands and placed it back on the shelf. Stepping as close as possible to him, she wrapped her arms around his neck, lightly scratching the back of his head with her perfectly done nails. And then she kissed him, ever so softly, almost teasingly.

Asher closed the book and thought about it for a second. "I don't know. It's just, I think I'd feel better if we had at least one cookbook in the Holden name." He told her nodding his head a couple times, up and down. He raised an eyebrow at her as she took the cookbook from his hands and placed it back on the shelf in it's cozy space between two other cookbooks of the same nature. He closed his eyes and gave a very content sigh as she wrapped her arms around his neck and scratched lightly on the back of his head. She hadn't completely found out that rubbing his head or playing with his hair would make him relax and go to sleep. He smiled into the kiss, knowing that she was teasing him, it was torturing him at how adorable she could be. His stomach gave a large growl. "Sorry, talking about food tends to make me hungry." he chuckled before returning her kiss with one of his own.

Chloe giggled when Asher's stomach gave a growl. His stomach was always hungry! One would think he never ate a proper meal, but that was certainly not the case. Still giggling as his lips met her again, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to be pulled into his kiss. There was something about his lips and the way it made her feel when his lips met hers. She would never, ever get tired of that feeling. Chloe was pretty sure she could kiss Asher for hours and hours and not get tired of it. When the kiss broke she just looked up at him, returning to scratching the back of his head. With her lips barely apart from his, she whispered, "Have I told you recently how much I love you?" And then she gave him another soft kiss on the lips.

Asher placed a hand on each of Chloe's hip and held her there, he put on a playful face. He closed his left eye and peered at her through the right one, "No, not recently." He fibbed, it depended upon how long 'recently' was defined. If it was as of that morning, then yes, she had. But if had been in the past few hours, then no she hadn't. He gave her a sloppy grin as his stomach gave yet another growl. He needed to control the hunger of his stomach, it was like they were two different people now-and-days. "So, are you going to tell me how much you love me?" he asked opening his eye and giving her a questioning look, still being playful.

Chloe giggled playfully and kissed him again. She considered how to answer his question for a moment as she bit her lip. Her thoughts were interrupted when his stomach growled again, though. Chloe laughed and just shook her head. That silly stomach! It was ruining her attempts at being flirtatious and playful. In an attempt to save the moment, Chloe kissed Asher again and then stood on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. "I think you'll have to wait until we're home for that answer," and then she sweetly, softly kissed his cheek, falling back onto her heels and laying her head against his chest.

Asher's sloppy grin got a little bit larger, but it faded a little as he thought of how much work they were doing in their department. "I can't wait." He whispered to her kissing the top of her forehead. His stomach growled once more. "I think I should stop and get something to eat on the way down." he told her and his stomach. He didn't want to move from that spot though with Chloe so close to him. He thought of the ring he had picked out for Chloe and how Ziva would murder him for not letting her have a tiny little say in which one he had chosen. It had cost him a fortune, but it wasn't that big of a deal for his bank account, he did have a lot of money to the Holden name. And he was all too pleased to spend such an amount on a very special person.

Chloe's smile faltered a bit when Asher said something about going back down. She didn't let it show, though. Instead she just snuggled into him more deeply. She knew she would see him in a few hours and that they would spend all evening together at home. Probably their last night alone, actually. The boys would be home tomorrow. Sighing she looked up at him and smiled. "If you need to go back to work, you can my love."

"I don't want to though." Asher said in almost a whiny voice like a small child. Though he knew he had to, and that Chloe might make him go too. His watch gave two beeps, singaling he had less than five minutes to get back down to his level until his break was officially over. "Oi!" Asher exclaimed after giving her yet another kiss. "I almost forgot that I need to pick up the boys' tent after work. They wrote to me a while ago saying they'd like to give muggle camping a try." He explained to her, taking his hands off of her hips and running them through his hair one right after another, his hair was always such a mess when he was at the Ministry, the gravity did that quite often, put those pesky hairs out of place when he could FINALLY get them to lay down. He had given up on trying to keep them flat at work a few months ago.

Chloe smiled at his childlike voice as he said he didn't want to go. She didn't want him to either. Today was just one of those days that she couldn't bare to be away from him. It took all her strength to not think about him as she sat working at her desk. When he kissed her, she gladly returned yet another kiss. And then he was messing with his hair, and Chloe just rolled her eyes a bit. Reaching up she intentionally messed up the hair that he had just smoothed down and then gave him a hug. But then he was talking about the boys wanting a tent. Chloe looked up at him, eyebrows raised. "I used to go camping a lot with my friends in America. Muggle camping, I mean. It is a lot of fun. We should all go sometime," she said, thoughtfully. Her mind drifted, imagining her and Asher laying in a tent at night in the middle of a peaceful wood. The wind rustling through the trees and the last glows of a fire barely visible through the tent's canvas.

Asher smiled at her attempts of messing his hair up more than what it already was. He ran a single hand through it again and again, messing it up even more, today he just wanted someone to mess with his hair, but that'd lead to him falling asleep, and sleeping at work was NOT the best idea, especially seeing as his job involves floating around planets for hours on end. Thus, also messing his hair up then too. Chloe's a camping girl! Asher exclaimed in his thoughts. He loved camping, muggle or magic, it didn't matter. He mostly loved sleeping in a sleeping bag on the dirt covered flooring of the Earth in front of a dying down fire. He smiled largely, "We should." He said with a definate nod of his head. Maybe they'd even take Wynter, he couldn't remember if she was an outdoorsy girl like Ziva, or a girl who prefered to be inside most of the time like his mother.

Sometimes, Chloe thought it was bad seeing Asher at work because once she saw him, all she wanted to do was to skive off the rest of work and go home and be with him. It made it especially hard to convince herself to walk away from him when he seemed so happy about the fact that she wanted to go camping. "We could go this summer. We can decide when after the kids get home. I need to ask for some time off work, anyway. I want to go visit my goddaughters in New York this summer. I haven't seen them since I came back here in the fall, and I miss those two so much!" she said with a bit of desperation in her voice. She hated being so far away from them and never being able to see them. Worked had kept her pretty busy, though, and what with things the way they were with Asher, she hadn't used her weekends to go visit either as she had usually spent her weekend time with him. She looked up into his eyes, taking a deep breath, and asked, "Will you come with me to New York? I want you to meet my goddaughters and all of my friends."

Asher nodded his head as he listened to Chloe speak about planning their camping trip when the kids got home in a couple of days. And how she needed to ask for time off, which reminded him he needed to do so too. He couldn't just NOT show up like he was used to at St. Mungo's where the other would stick their heads in floo to his fireplace in his study to ask what to do or how to do something. He would stay home during the summer with the kids if he felt or was told that they were extremely bored. He couldn't do that at the ministry, he'd surely get fired. Aha, the goddaughters, Asher had been thinking about them a little in the past few weeks. Just wondering what they were like...but then again, he had been thinking about A LOT of things, he didn't know what he HADN'T thought of. He gave her a questioning look when she looked into his eyes and took a deep breath. Asher's first repsonse was to take a really deep breath. Did Chloe just ask me to meet her goddaughters and friends? If Asher had been a woman, it would've been the equivelent to Chloe being a man and asking him to marry her. He was astonished for a reason or another that she wanted him to meet these other important figures in her life. But then again, it didn't, they were already living together, and he had met the parents and brother...and he WAS thinking of proposing. So this shouldn't have come as a shock to him. He beamed down at her. "I'd love to Chloe." he responded finally.

Chloe stood there in anxious silence, watching Asher's face. With every second that he didn't respond, she lost a little bit of hope. Maybe that was stupid to ask him. Maybe he just... maybe he wasn't ready to make a trip like that with her and meet the people who she held so close to her heart. She knew it was a big step, but she thought it was okay... she had thought they were... there, but maybe they weren't. And she was panicking again as the seconds stretched into at least a minute of silence. He didn't want to. He was trying to come up with a reason to say no. Chloe was pushing this too quickly.

And then he was smiling at her and saying he would. Chloe had to practically jump on him to throw her arms completely around his neck and kiss him on the cheek in her excitement. "Oh, Asher! Thank you, thank you, thank you! This means so much to me! And ever since I told them about you, they've been dying to meet you. They ask the cutest questions in their letters. Wanting to know if you're cute and a good kisser and just the silliest things, but... Oh! I'm so glad you'll go with me!" Chloe just hugged him tight. What more could she ask for from him? Asher was her other half, her perfect fit.

She just hoped he felt the same way.

Next thing Asher new, he saw Chloe mid jump as she jumped on him to throw her arms around his neck. He laughed a little louder than normal and returned the kiss on his cheek by kissing her cheek. "You're welcome Chloe." He told her as he wrapped his arms around her to keep her from falling back down to the floor. "You were brave enough to ask, and that made me want to go with you even more." He beamed at her. Wonder what she'll do when I pop the question. he thought to himself. If she had gotten SO excited over this confirmation of his answer in going with her to New York to see her friends and goddaughters he couldn't wait to see her reaction when he proposed to her. He wasn't even doubtful that she wouldn't say yes, he was more doubtful if she like the ring he had chosen for her. He wasn't much of a jewerly man, and when it came to picking out jewerly, he left those things to Maudi or Ziva. But, this wasn't Maudi or Zi's place to pick the jewerly out for this occassion. And he knew, that he'd have to have a little go around with Zi about the ring, about how he han't 'consulted' her on picking out the ring. She could deal with it though, Asher felt very confident in the ring the more he thought about it. He just couldn't wait to put his plan into action.

Chloe was a bit surprised when Asher wrapped his arms around her, holding her mid-air and so tightly pressed against him, but she wasn't complaining. Instead she just wrapped her arms around his neck and enjoyed the moment they were sharing. This was really important to Chloe, and she was so glad that Asher wanted to do it. She nuzzled her face against neck and then rested her cheek against his. Asher was so incredible. "I love you," she whispered.

Asher couldn't wipe the contagious smile he had on his face off. "I love you too." He whispered into her ear. He set her back down on the floor carefully, making sure she didn't loose her balance or anything. His stomach growled again, but he ignored it getting ready to tell her that Maudi would keep the kids straight while they were gone, but was cut off by his watch continually beeping. "I've really got to go darling." He told her before kissing her on the forehead. He really didn't want to leave her after deciding such a thing, but if he had thought correctly, Maudi had programmed that watch to keep beeping until he was in the boundries of his department...just to keep him on time. "I don't think we're working too terribly late tonight, so I'll be home as soon as I can." he told her kissing her forehead again. "And, the tent." he reminded himself.

Chloe smiled and closed her eyes as he whispered he loved her, too. Those were the best words in the entire world. But unfortunately the cute moment was ruined when his watch started beeping again. Balancing herself carefully back on her feet, she just smiled up at him as he talked. "Okay my love! I'll be waiting for you at home, then!" she said with a smile before giving him another kiss. "Right, and the tent! Don't forget or the boys will be thoroughly disappointed!" she said with a giggle, just looking up at him. And then she wrapped her arms around him in another hug. "I don't want you to gooooo!" she whined in a very pouty voice, burying her head in his chest.

"Oh I know." Asher chuckled, "It'll be the end of me if I forget it." He joked rolling his eyes. "Those boys would probably find some sheets and put together their own if it was the worst case scenario." He thought outloud. He kissedher on the cheek and let go of her completely, it was painful for him but he needed to get back to work. "Do you need me to pick up anything?" he asked her, knowing that the answer was probably no, but it was almost an automatic question. He looked down at his watch that was still beeping. "I know." he told Chloe when she began to whine. "I don't want to get fired or have this watch blow up." He said looking at the watch, he wasn't sure if there was something it did to make him mind or anything. Perhaps it shocked him if he didn't obey within so many minutes. He guessed he'd figure that one out. He began walking backwards towards the lifts, still looking at Chloe; he gave her one of his special smiles that he reserved for only HER, "Don't think about me too much."

Chloe giggled as she imagined the boys attempting to sew together sheets... and then she imagined the look that would be on Maudi's face if she found out Asher had let them do such a thing, and that was enough to make her bust out giggling as Asher let go of her. That beeping was reaaaaally annoying. Chloe had half a mind to point her wand at the thing and silence it. "I know, I know. I don't want you to get fired either. You would be horribly bored if you had to sit at home all day every day," she said with a smile. Asher was not the kind of man who enjoyed too much idle time. She was going to kiss him one last time, but then Asher was walking away and instead she blew him a kiss and responded, "I could think about you every second of every day, and it wouldn't be too much." And she smiled one of her AsherSmiles at him as she watched him leave.

"There would be no words to describe how terribly bored I would get. I'd probably read all of the books in the library at least a couple times in a month." Asher grimaced at the thoughts, he enjoyed reading, but not THAT much. Though, he'd have fun with Junior. Poor little guy, he hadn't spent much time with him lately, he just hoped that when he went to visit him there weren't books sterwn across the library like last time. Asher continued to walk backwards towards the lifts, "The same goes for me." Asher told her with a lopsided grin as he caught her kiss mid air with his hand. "I'll see you later darling!" he called before stepping into the lift, his watch still beeping.