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 6

They went into the small narrow room off his art studio and Viggo turned on the safety light and the overhead fan. He arranged tools on the long stainless sink top "OK, now it's going to have to be extremely dark in here for a few minutes...you kind of have to do it all by a sense of feel. First here are the tools, a bottle opener to open the film canister, scissors to cut the film from the roll, and this here is what we roll the film onto and then we place it inside this black tumbler here and fill with chemical solution. I have measured out the chemicals solution, and why don't you turn on the sink? I will need the water on." Viggo instructed.

She wasn't sure she had caught on to all of it just yet but she turned on the sink.

"OK come and stand in front of me, I am going to guide your hands and let you do this." Viggo said pulling her in front of him.

"No, Viggo I don't want to ruin all your hard work...please you just do it." Tabby protested.

"Nonsense, I am right here...I will guide you." Viggo said softly against her ear his breath tickling down her neck. It was all she could do to keep from pressing back against his body behind her.

He said, "OK now, take the canister of film in this hand like so." He pressed the roll into her hand. "Now take the bottle opener in this hand. Ok now I am going to flip off the lights." His body brushed hers as he leaned over to flip the switch. "Ok now pop the top off the film canister."

Tabby made a frustrated sound and Viggo put his hands over hers and helped her get the top off. Her hands were so small under his and he let thing linger on top of hers longer than necessary. Once the lid was off he took the bottle opener and tossed it onto the sink. It made a loud clattering sound and Tabby jumped. She had been so wrapped up in him she didn't realize he was going to toss it like that.

"Sorry should have warned you I was going to do that." Viggo said shaking his head.

"Ok now let the film slide out of the canister into your hand." He was feeling along with her and said, "Good, now hold on to this end; just toss the empty canister on the counter." She tossed it and giggled when it bounced back and hit her foot.

"Not such a great toss." She laughed. Viggo chuckled. "Ok now here are the scissors, feel for the end of the film where it is taped to the roll...there you go." He felt with his hand passing over hers. He decided to do the cutting himself.

"Ok there we are." He slid the scissors into his back pocket...no sense tossing something that could be dangerous with another person in here.

"Now. Pick up the basket looking thing I showed you. There you go...here let me feel the edge." He said as he passed his fingers over hers and then the edge of the plastic thing.

"Ok here is the slot right here, slide the film under that...there you go...now it works sort of like a ratchet, start turning it...here and here." He said as his hands guided hers. The contraption made a ratcheting sound and she felt the filmstrip getting shorter as it wound onto the thing.

"Ok, almost done." Viggo said softly. "Now drop it inside the tumbler...right, now hold it over the sink for me but don't put any water in it yet." She stepped closer to the sink and held the tumbler in both hands. He began pouring one of the smelly chemicals into the tumbler and then he put the lid on it. "Now don't shake it, but just swish it sort of back and forth slowly...yes there you go." He said
stepping behind her again and holding his hands over hers, guiding her movements.

"Bubbles can ruin the photos so we do it slowly so bubbles don't form." Viggo explained.

"Oh." Tabby said softly.

After a bit Viggo said, "Ok now rinse....put it under the sink."

"Do I need to take off the lid?" Tabby asked confused.

"No there is a special hole in the top...sorry I didn't show it to you. Just put it under the water...here we go." He said pushing her against the sink a bit as he stretched over her to the water. She had to bend at the waist to reach the water because she was so short. Tabby could feel him pressing tightly against her back with this strong thighs pressed against her rear. She decided here in the dark in
the smelly dark room was probably the most sensual non-sexual experience she had ever had with a man. It was taking all of Viggo's concentration to block getting aroused as her rear rubbed against him. Damn maybe this wasn't such a good idea. He thought.

"OK...now we let it set inside the tumbler with the water a bit." Then he was gone...the warmth disappeared from her back and Tabby had to suppress a shudder. He flipped on the safety light and went about preparing the baths.

They continued developing the film and individual prints the rest of the afternoon. Occasionally brushing against each other in the small room and Tabby thought the sexual tension in the room was thick enough to drown in.

Then as they hung the prints to dry on the strings Viggo said. "You did quite well for your first time."

She had to laugh at his choice of words. "Thanks, Now what?" She asked.

"We wait for them to dry." He flipped on the overhead lights and the room was flooded with artificial light. Tabby's eyes took a moment to readjust.

Viggo bent down and retrieved the film canister that had been tossed and then laid the scissors on the self next to the rest of the equipment. Viggo was quite neat actually; he kept the dark room in very good order...like the rest of the house.

When they walked out of the dark room he said, "I think I need a shower before dinner...I smell like photography chemicals."

She laughed. "Yeah I do too."

"You go first then, looks like I have some messages." Viggo said as they walked back into the living room noticing the red light on the answering machine.

"I didn't even hear the phone." Tabby admitted.

"Me either." Viggo said softly and brushed his hand through his hair.

She went up stairs and saw him lean over the phone machine and push the button.

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Tabby crawled into the shower and pressed her back against the tile wall. It was cold but she could barely feel it for the heat in her own blood. She had never been this attracted to a man this quickly in her life. If he had initiated anything she knows she would have been moaning his name right there in the dark room. She closed her eyes at that thought and sighed. It's been so long, three years since
I last had sex...that has to be why I am so attracted to him...but then of course there is more. It is more than just lust...I really like him...maybe even starting to fall in love with him. He is a stranger yet she was in his home, she had talked to his friends, even met some of them. She had spent the last two days with him and she was quickly loosing her heart to him. Hero worship she thought...that's it he
was there to rescue me from the wreck...that's why. At least that was what her brain wanted to say, but her heart was saying other things.

Viggo bounced up the stairs happily. Sean had called said he would be getting away earlier than Monday he would arrive on Sunday morning instead with Orlando in tow of course. He missed his friends.

When he got to the top of the steps he knocked on Tabby's door. "You leave me any hot water?" He called...though he doubted he would take a hot shower anyway.

"I think so!" She called back. He went to his room and got into his shower. Cold...very cold...though he barely felt it his blood was so hot and most of it rushing to parts of his body he hadn't thought about in a long time before Tabby came into his life.

He got out of the shower and wrapped up in a towel trying to keep his teeth from chattering. He stepped into his bedroom and Tabby was standing there looking at him. Her hair was wet looking almost black as it hung down around her face. She had the phone in her hand.

"Tabby?" He asked curiously she had a peculiar look on her face.

"Umm I think you should take this call." Tabby said handing the phone to him.

Viggo knew something was wrong by the look on Tabby's face.

"Hello, yes this is Viggo...Melanie...what???" He asked collapsing down onto his bed.

"Yeah, I can get on the next flight out of Boise...yes." Viggo said hanging up the phone then he let out a guttural howl and threw it across the room as it shattered against the wall.

Tabby flinched and then ran over to him and dropped to her knees in front of him.

"I am so sorry, Viggo." She whispered taking his hand.

"I...I need to pack." Viggo said standing up. His best friend from high school that he had always kept in touch with was in the hospital in New York. His wife had called...she said she didn't think Mike would make it much longer and that Viggo should hurry. He had been at the wrong place at the wrong time...he was in a convenience store that some punk kid tried to rob...and the kid got scared and
started shooting people. Mike was shot three times.

Viggo threw a suitcase on the bed and she went over and opened it...as he threw clothes on the bed, she folded them and put them in. He looked up at her at one point and she could see the darkness clouding his eyes. Once his bag was packed Viggo finished dressing. Tabby didn't leave the room she just kept arranging his clothes in the luggage. She never even looked up when he dropped the towel and pulled his boxers on and then a pair of slacks. She did finally look up when he sat down on the bed and started trying to button his shirt. He wasn't able to do it because his hands were shaking so hard.

She came to him and dropped to the floor in front of him again and started buttoning it. Then he slid off the bed into the floor in front of her and she wrapped her arms around him. He was shaking so hard trying to hold in the tears that finally she said, "Viggo I am here for you...whatever you need of me I will
do, mo chroí. Just let it out please...please."

He heard her and when she called him 'my heart' in Gaelic he began sobbing against her shoulder. He hadn't cried like this since he was a kid. "I will be here when you get back...now we have to get you off to the airport." She said getting up and helping him up. He looked down at her and closed his eyes slowly. She reached up and touched his cheek gently still wet with tears.

She ran to her room and dressed so fast she didn't realize until they were half way to Boise that she had her shirt on wrong side out.

Viggo looked at her tugging at her shirt. "What?" He asked...his eyes were still red rimmed but didn't have that same darkness they had before.

"I dressed so bloody fast I put my shirt on wrong side out." She said tugging at it.

Viggo laughed. "Thank you."

"What?"

"Thank you for being here, for being in my life these last few days...thank you for making me laugh, even when you don't quite mean to." He said quickly...he had to get the words out.

She smiled at him and patted his hand. "I meant it when I said I would be here when you got back."

"Come with me." Viggo said softly.

"No I think it would be better if I stay here, Viggo...someone has to stay and take care of the horses. Also you might not be back by Sunday...if you aren't someone will need to be at the house to greet Sean and Orlando unless you want to ask them to cancel their visit." Tabby asked.

"You are so sensible you know that." He said pulling her hand up to his mouth and kissing it. "No I think I need Sean and Orlando to be there when I get back...the more friends and family around the better I think. Mike and I did drift apart as we got older. He got married I moved to L.A. to become an actor and we did drift but I always stayed in touch with him and whenever I came home to visit my folks he and I would go fishing. God how could this happen to such a good guy...he was just standing there waiting to pay for a tank of gas for Gods sake?!" Viggo said starting to get angry again.

He shook his head and tried to focus on the road and the feel of Tabby's soft hand in his.

"I have never understood these things either Viggo...the randomness of it. I suppose though that there is a reason at least I have to trust in that." She said softly squeezing his hand.

They arrived at the airport and she saw him to his gate. "See you when you get back ok?" She said softly rubbing her hand down the front of his shirt.

"Ok...I'll call when I arrive." Viggo told her and then for a second they both weren't sure what to do. They weren't a couple really...a kiss goodbye...they had kissed a few times...but this was a little more awkward.

She looked so sad at that moment then she said, "Go n-éirí an bóthar leat!" She bid him a good journey, which made Viggo smile.

He grabbed her hands pulling them to his lips he kissed them. "See you in a few days, mo chroí."

With that he disappeared among the other people boarding. She wanted to cry...but she didn't. She went back to the Land Rover and drove back to the ranch.

It was dark when she arrived back at Viggo's and she just slid down the door and sat in the floor...then she cried. Cried for a mother she didn't even know, cried for a man and his wife and two small children, people Viggo loved, people she had never met, but people she wished she could make things right for. She cried for Viggo...and she cried for herself. Then she sat there in the floor and began to pray
Our Father in Gaelic.

Ár nAthair atá ar neamh,
go naofar d'ainm;
go dtaga do ríocht;
go ndéantar do thoil ar an talamh
mar a dhéantar ar neamh.
Ár n-arán laethúil tabhair dúinn inniu;
agus maith dúinn ár bhfiacha
mar a mhaithimidne dár bhféichiúna féin;
agus ná lig sinn i gcathú,
ach saor sinn ó olc. Amen.

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She had cried herself to sleep there against the door, clutching the little gold cross she wore around her neck. She awoke to the phone ringing...the phone...Viggo broke the phone...no...the OTHER phone in the studio.

She jumped up and flipped on the light and then winced and cursed because it hurt her eyes. She raced to the studio and picked up the phone. "Hello!" She practically yelled.

"Tabby?" Viggo asked. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes, I was, I fell asleep." She said trying to catch her breath. "How, how is Mike?" She asked worrying about the response.

"I...I got here in time to say goodbye. They are going to have the funeral the day after tomorrow. Melanie doesn't want a long drawn out affair for the kids sakes." Viggo said trying to keep the tremor out of his voice.

"God I am so sorry Viggo." Tabby said trying not to cry again.

"I wish you were with me. I could use some of your strength right now." Viggo said softly as he leaned his forehead against the hotel window.

"I wish I were too, in so short a time I have come to care about you Viggo...I wish I was there to support you but well you will have to do with long distance support." She said trying to keep her voice from wavering.

He laughed softly, barely a laugh at all really. "Sean always says that."

"Then I like him already. You better get some sleep isn't it late?" She asked trying to spy the clock.

"Yeah...I just, I wanted to hear your voice. Conaím thú." He said softly.

"I miss you too. Oíche mhaith, codladh sámh." She responded in Gaelic.

"Goodnight, and sleep well to you too." Viggo said smiling into the phone.

She went back to the living room and noticed the answering machine had messages. The phone was shattered upstairs in Viggo's room...but the machine was still taking calls. She would take care of that in the morning. Then she thought...Sean and Orlando are coming Sunday...they will need rooms. Hopefully Viggo doesn't mind but I am moving into his room and his bed, tonight.

She went back up stairs and grabbed her nightgown and went to his room. She crawled under his covers and could smell him all around her. Her last thoughts before she fell asleep were of his smile and his blue gray eyes staring into hers and scent of sandalwood.

She awoke in the morning as sunlight was pouring through the window. She sat up and looked around her. Viggo's bed was warm and she wanted to stay but she had to feed the horses. So she got up and went back to her room...grabbed her things and brought them to Viggo's room where she dressed and stole another one of his soft sweatshirts. It smelled like Viggo.

She went downstairs and grabbed juice and toast and then grabbed one of Viggo's baseball caps and his gloves in the mudroom on the way out.

Once she was done with the horses she went back to the house and called Kate from the studio phone. Kate came over and the two women worked around the house...getting it ready for Viggo and his guests. Kate didn't say anything when she noticed that Tabby had moved her things into Viggo's room.

Then once they were done in the house Kate went with Tabby to the barn...they saddled both the horses and took them out for exercise.

When they rode back to the house Bob's truck was in the yard.

"Looks like your husband came looking for you." Tabby commented as they went in the barn.

Bob stepped in. "Hey there beautiful." He said kissing Kate's cheek. "Hi, Tabby."

"Hello, Bob...afraid Viggo and I won't make dinner tonight as you might have guessed." Tabby stated as she pulled the saddle off Brego.

"Yeah...I uh...I brought a new phone and hooked it up. Also Sally sent a casserole." Bob said smiling at her.

"Thanks...how much do I owe you for the phone?" Tabby asked.

"No, it's ok. Consider it a gift or something." Bob said smiling at her.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Yeah."

Later after they had the horses settled in they went back to the house and the three of them had tea. "You miss him don't you?" Kate asked.

"Well yes...it's his home after all...I feel like a house sitter just taking care of things until he gets home." Tabby said toying with a frayed sleeve.

"Well don't feel that way Tabby...Viggo really likes you. He doesn't normally take to people this quickly." Kate said seriously.

"Christ Kate, you make him sound like a dog." Bob said nearly snorting.

"Well you remember when he first moved here Bob...how long it took for him to warm up to anyone around here?" Kate said softly.

"That's true." Bob admitted.

Tabby just smiled. So Viggo wasn't as open with everyone as he is with her. Then the phone rang...the new one.

Tabby ran in and answered it. "Hello?"

"Tabby, it's Viggo. How are things at home?" He asked. She smiled at that.

"Everything is fine...we uh I mean you have a new phone...Kate and I took Brego and Sky out for some exercise, and we cleaned house a little bit to get ready for Sean and Orlando's arrival." She told him.

"Oh. Great." He said...he had heard the "we uh I mean you" that she had said...he realized then that he preferred we in that sentence.

"I think I might leave before the funeral...I am not sure if I can handle being here through it all." Viggo admitted.

"Do what you feel is best, Viggo." Tabby advised.

"All right. Tabby?" He asked.

"Aye?"

"I uh..thanks again." He said leaning against the window again like last night...he wanted to tell her so much more but he was so far away and still they had only known each other less than a week. He couldn't tell her yet...that he loved her; she might think he had lost his mind. He wasn't even sure he hadn't lost his mind.

"Anytime...goodbye." She said softly and then hung up and closed her eyes.

"Everything alright? Or at least is Viggo holding up ok?" Kate asked.

"Aye...he's holding up." Tabby responded setting the phone back down.

The next day Tabby got up and took care of the horses and then wrote the entire day. Late that night after writing for hours on end it seemed Tabby crawled into Viggo's bed and closed her eyes.

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