Title: The Moose, the Tree, and the Irish Writer
Author: Sairalinde
Type: HET Fan Fic
Pairing: Viggo/OFC
Rating: R
Beta: Glorfindel
Disclaimer: This never happened…this is total fiction…Viggo is a real person but I
make no claims on him other than he is ready made for writing a romance story
about. Artist/Actor/Poet all that jazz perfect fodder for a romance story, saved me
a lot of time making up a character is all. The female character is a figment of my
deranged imagination from reading far too many cheesy romance novels.
Peripheral characters of Sean Bean and Orlando Bloom are also not mine
obviously and do NOT have a relationship as far as I know. This was written in
fun that's all. All other characters are fictitious.
Feedback: Yes please send to sairalinde@hornofgondor.com
Archiving: Yes but ask first please.
Summary/Notes:Viggo meets an Irish writer in a most unusual way. Love story.

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[Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4] [Chapter 5] [Chapter 6] [Chapter 7] [Chapter 8] [Chapter 9] [Chapter 10] [Chapter 11] [Chapter 12]

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Chapter 5

Viggo nearly killed himself running into the house.

"Tabby?!" He ran in the door just in time to see her start to crumple to the floor. He caught her in his arms and saw why she was screaming.

"Shit, Dave you scared her half to death." Viggo yelled.

"Didn't do me much good either, Viggo." Dave said quite pale faced as he watched Viggo carry the limp form to the couch.

"You look like some kind of weirdo Dave you realize that don't you...standing in the middle of my kitchen in that damn greasy uniform and why the fuck do you have an ax in your hands?" Viggo asked.

"I borrowed it remember? I saw how bad the weather was getting and figured you might need it back to chop wood. I didn't mean to scare her...really...I actually...well hell I planned on scaring you...didn't expect her to come bounding into the kitchen like that." Dave said guiltily.

Viggo just started laughing. "You are such an ass, Dave."

He leaned over Tabby and rubbed her hands in his. "Tabby sweetheart wake up...it's ok...Dave isn't an ax murderer really...he's my friend...it's ok."

After a few seconds her eyes started to flutter open and she saw Viggo...she flinched but she didn't scream. Then she sat up and saw Dave standing there.

"I am so sorry Miss." He said trying to apologize but nearly before he got all the words out Tabby was up and was slapping him with the loose cuffs of the too big sweatshirt. Smacking him all over his chest and calling him very unkind things in Gaelic. Viggo just sat on the coffee table and laughed...he couldn't help it and then she turned on him.

"And YOU sitting there laughing. Go n-ithe an cat thú is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat!!" Then she sputtered more words Gaelic he didn't understand before she calmed down.

Viggo just laughed, "I doubt the devil is handy right now."

She just glared at him, "Póg mo thóin!" and then stomped up stairs to her room.

"Shit." Dave said softly.

"She didn't hurt you did she?" Viggo asked trying to contain his laughter.

"No...nothing more than my pride...what was she saying to me anyway?" Dave
asked.

"She basically said 'may the cat eat me and the devil eat the cat' and on her way out she told me to kiss her ass. Trust me you do not want to know what she said to you at least the parts I understood of it."

"So she is the one who hit the tree huh? A little high strung?" Dave asked.

"She is a little jumpy but not normally that excitable but you did scare the hell out of her standing there with a fucking ax you moron." Viggo said shaking his head. Sean is going to absolutely hurt himself laughing over this one.

Viggo walked with Dave back out to his truck and waved as he left. He looked up and saw Tabby standing at her window...she was crying. "Shit." He mumbled.

He ran upstairs and knocked on her door but she didn't answer. He opened the door slowly.

"I am sorry, Tabby." Viggo started.

"Don't." She sniffed. "Don't...it's ok… Tá mé ceart go leor....I always cry when I get upset like that...I don't do it often and I always cry when I do. Emotional roller coaster we Irish are. Shit Viggo I fainted I was so scared...I just saw this big man with an ax and lost it."

Viggo tried to keep from cracking a smile...it was just too damn funny and sad at the same time. Plus the fact when she is upset she slides in and out of Gaelic just makes her even more endearing to him.

"It wouldn't have done me any good either even though I know Dave I was shocked too. I didn't even remember that it was MY ax I had loaned him last month." Viggo said walking toward her.

She turned away from him but Viggo took her shoulders and turned her back to him.

"I am sorry Tabby." He said looking into her teary eyes.

"It's not your fault, not really, and I don't really blame you for laughing...well I do but by tomorrow I will probably be laughing over it too. Maybe it's material I can use in one of my books." She said looking down studying the buttons on his shirt as if they were something of great importance.

Viggo tipped her head up with his finger under her chin.

"You are magnificent you know that. Tá tú go h-álainn." He said smiling down at her.

"Why would you say that? I wouldn't exactly say what I did was particularly brave…and don't tell me I am beautiful. I am a mess." She said shaking her head.

"You are beautiful. Plus who cares if you were brave or not...you scared the shit out of Dave you know...when you attacked him with your shirt sleeves I thought he was going to cry...he was very sorry you know." Viggo said softly stroking her cheek.

She laughed at that. "God Viggo look at us...look how we met...we are just plain
weird aren't we?"

"Yeah, but I like us like that." Viggo whispered just before he leaned in and claimed her lips. He had wanted to do that since last night. He had dreamed about it but the dream was never as good as being here with her now, warm and kissing him back. His tongue slid into her mouth slowly and then she sighed. It caused his knees to weaken. God he wanted her...he wanted to take her right then...then a noise invaded his thoughts. It was a car horn. Shit. Perfect timing. He thought.

He broke off the kiss and stepped back. They both turned and looked out the window.

"What the hell?" Viggo growled gazing at the car in the yard.

"For someone who lives in the middle of nowhere you sure get a lot of visitors." Tabby said smiling at him. Viggo just groaned and headed for the door.

He went downstairs with Tabby close behind him. When he got to the door he saw Kate standing there holding a basket and smiling widely with a very uncomfortable looking Bob beside her. Viggo took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Kate, Bob...uh something I can do for you?" Viggo asked giving Bob what he hoped was one of his most venomous looks.

Bob shifted beside his wife and started to open his mouth but the blonde woman started talking.

"Hi Viggo...Bob said you had a guest. The lady who had the mishap with the tree out front...I thought I would bring over some things to help her feel a bit more comfortable. I mean this place is nice but Viggo it has nothing of interest to a woman you know." Kate said pushing her way right into the house.

Viggo just stood there glaring at Bob but then turned and smiled at Kate.

"I am sure she will appreciate it." Viggo said softly.

"So where is this mystery woman?" Kate asked looking around.

"Uh...she was right behind me." Viggo muttered looking around as well.

"She's in the kitchen." Bob murmured he had seen Tabby head in there.

Viggo walked into the kitchen and found Tabby setting the teakettle on the stove.

"Tea?" He asked.

"Yes...well figured it couldn't hurt...you have company after all." She said grabbing cups from the shelf.

"I don't plan on them staying long enough for tea." Viggo replied rubbing his hand across the back of his neck.

Tabby laughed. "Oh Viggo...be nice."

"I really do not feel like being nice, Tabby." Viggo responded grinning at her wickedly.

"Oh...oh I believe my virtue just may be in danger the way you say that...perhaps they should stay for dinner?" Tabby teased.

Viggo laughed then and said, "You know in the last two days I don't think I have laughed this much in about six months, you are good for a person you know."

She smiled. "I certainly am...now go be nice to your friends."

Viggo walked back into the living room, Bob and Kate were still standing there staring at him.

"Sorry...she is uh making tea." Viggo said gesturing for them to have a seat.

"Tea?" Bob asked...tea wasn't exactly his speed. Viggo just smiled at him.

Kate set her basket down on the table and a few minutes later Tabby walked in carrying a tray Viggo forgot he even had with four cups of tea and small bowl of sugar.

"Viggo you really need a tea service. Really, as many Brits as you have visiting here you should invest in one." Tabby said as she set the tray on the table.

Kate started to say something but instead sat there with her mouth dropped open. Tabby raised her eyebrows and looked at the blonde sitting next to Bob.

"You look like you have seen a ghost dear." Tabby said to her.

"You, you're, but you are, Bob why didn't you tell me?" Kate said stunned.

"I didn't want to invade Miss O'Shea's privacy let alone Viggo's." Bob said uncomfortably.

Kate sat there a few minutes unable to say anything and finally Viggo said, "Kate, yes this is Tabitha O'Shea the author. She will be staying here for around a month while Bob works on her car. I had hoped we could keep her presence here a secret though, no one knows she is here...not even her publisher...she has decided to stay here a while and take some time off." Viggo was only partially lying.

"Oh...so that's why you didn't tell me Bob?" Kate asked.

"Uh yeah." Bob said looking at Tabby and then Viggo.

"Yes, I asked Bob to not betray my secret." Tabby said straightening a napkin in her lap. If she didn't look Kate in the eye then she wouldn't guess she was lying. Tabby was a horrible liar her eyes always betrayed her.

"Oh...well don't I feel silly. I brought you a few of your own books!" Kate said laughing.

That made everyone laugh.

"Quite alright...I should be flattered. Why don't you and I go in the kitchen and see what else is in that lovely the basket, and let the men talk." Tabby said standing.

Viggo just smiled. She's good. He thought.

"Viggo man I am sorry...Kate insisted." Bob said softly.

"It's ok." Viggo said waving his hand at him.

"So let's see what's in here." Tabby said pulling the pretty scarf back from the top of the basket.

There were three of her own novels inside it, which she sat to the side on the bar, and then pulled out some aromatic candles, soap, lotion, and bubble bath.

"I make them myself and sell them at the B&B in town." Kate said proudly.Tabby opened the bubble bath and sniffed. "Lovely." She said smiling.

"Thanks." Kate said smiling.

"Well thank you so much for all of this, I do appreciate it." Tabby said setting one of the candles back on the counter she had been admiring.

"No problem...Viggo doesn't ever have any women here...I thought maybe well you could use these things. Wasn't sure what you had packed but I figured you didn't have a few extras like this with you." Kate said indicating the items on the counter.

"No I didn't...just had what you would normally take to a hotel I guess. I didn't intend to be staying here, and Viggo didn't expect me either." Tabby admitted.

"If you don't mind my saying so I think you and he make a cute couple, though I hope I am not reading anything extra into the situation." Kate said shyly.

Tabby laughed. "I don't know how to answer that exactly, I only just met him yesterday but I am quite taken with him already." Tabby admitted glad she was able to talk to another woman about this.

Kate laughed. "It's easy to be taken with Viggo I think. He's a handsome actor, artist and poet, and he's straight and masculine...what more could a girl want right?"

Tabby nearly snorted with laughter. "You know when I first met Viggo I thought one of my characters had just jumped off the page right into my life. Right down to the slightly cleft chin and scar on his lip. Details I would put in one of my stories. Little did I know that men I imagined could actually exist."

Both women laughed then and decided to return to the living room.

"We better get back, Sally is going to wonder where I went off to, and Dave is probably needing Bob's help." Kate said as they went back into the room.

Both men stood up then and everyone said their goodbyes. Kate invited Viggo and Tabby to dinner Friday night to which they agreed.

Viggo walked them out to their car.

Tabby retreated back to her room. She pulled out her laptop and got it set up on the small desk in her room. When Viggo came back in she was typing away on it.

He stood in the doorway watching her. "Caught the writing bug?" Viggo asked as he stepped into the room.

"Aye, I think I did...I think I finally rounded out one of my characters I was having trouble with...thanks to something Kate said." Tabby admitted never missing a beat, typing along not even looking at the screen but at Viggo.

"Then I will leave you to it." Viggo leaned down and kissed her on top of her head. He wasn't sure why he did it but it felt natural.

She smiled but kept typing.

He decided to head down to his studio and grab his camera. He needed to finish the roll he started yesterday before the accident. Plus he needed time out of the house, away from Tabby. He needed to think about what he was feeling for her...why did he feel so off balance the moment he met her? Why couldn't he seem to get that balance back?

Tabby looked out the window as she saw Viggo walking across the yard toward the barn. He had his camera with him and she couldn't help but smile to herself. She felt so comfortable here in his home; with him...that feeling scared her but also made her feel good at the same time. It had been three years since she caught Michael cheating on her...maybe it was time to trust real men again and not just her fictional characters?

Time passed quickly; before she knew it she had typed more than thirty pages on the screen. She saved them and then shut down the system as her stomach started to growl. She made her way through the quiet house to the kitchen, no Viggo. She went into his studio...he wasn't there either. "Viggo!" She called through the house; she even went to Henry's room. He hadn't come back yet. He probably gets as wrapped up in his photography as I do my writing. She thought.

She went back to the kitchen and heated the kettle and grabbed an apple. After she finished she went back upstairs. She went back to her room and then crossed to her window and looked out...and there she saw him. He was walking back against the wind just on the other side of the barn. His hair was whipping around his face and his jacket seemed to be fluttering behind him like a banner. She watched him for a few minutes and then she went downstairs and reheated the kettle. He would want something warm after being in that wind all day.

He walked in the back door stomping his feet a bit trying to get feeling back in his toes. It was only late September but already the wind was biting cold.

Viggo stood in the doorway-watching Tabby pour tea for him. "Here, you are cold." She said softly.

He stripped off his jacket and set his camera bag on the counter then sat down at the bar. "Thanks." He said enjoying the way that the warm cup was seeping warmth back into his fingers.

She stood across from him leaned on the opposite counter. "Did you get some good shots?" She asked.

"Yeah, I think so...the light is strange today with all the wind and the way the clouds keep passing in front of the sun and stuff...should make some interesting shots...either that or they will look like shit." Viggo said grinning.

"Nonsense they will be wonderful." Tabby said setting her own cup down on the counter next to her.

"You get much written?" Viggo asked taking a slow swallow of the warm tea...it burned all the way down to his stomach. He hadn't realized just how cold he had gotten.

"Yes, around 30 pages I think. Quite a lot more than I have done in a long time. I had a bit of writers block before I ended up here...seems the fog has lifted though." Tabby said tapping her finger against her cup.

Viggo smiled then. "Good. Well I want to try and get these developed before dinner...you want to come help me?"

"Are you sure I wouldn't be in the way?" Tabby asked intrigued that he would invite her into his darkroom.

"No, don't think so...I taught Orlando how to develop his own film, if I can put up with him in a darkroom then I can tolerate anything." Viggo said smiling at her.

"Ok, would love to see how it's done...I could always use it in a story. I like to know what my haracters are doing are actually real things." She said setting her cup back on the counter and rubbing her hands together.

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