Issue 1 Downtime

Rob sat with Vivien, looking thoughtful. He hadn't spoken much since his fight with Stan.

"Diamond for your thoughts, love?" Vivien mused without moving her head from his shoulder.

"I was just thinking about you actually," Rob says.

"Now there is a line that any lady loves to hear," Vivien said, smiling and settling herself a little more comfortably against him.

"I was wondering why you decided to help us," Rob says.

"Hmmm... well, the evasive easy answer is 'because it's what you asked me to do,'" she said, smiling a little. "I suppose... to do something, instead of sitting and waiting? Mother might not have a choice, but to me it's... infuriating."

Rob chuckles, holding Vivian close, "Well, I'm glad you came."

"So am I," she sighed. "You mustn't think I'm heartless," she added thoughtfully. "It's not that I don't care what happens to the world, it's more that... it's always been something separate from my world. So it's hard to be moved by altruism for something that seems quite... alien, I suppose."

"I don't think your heartless," Rob says, "I think you're very brave for venturing out into the world."

"Brave... foolish... sometimes there's not much difference, is there?" Vivien mused. "Also... I can't well let you go and get yourself hurt, can I?" she asked, sitting up to look at him, brushing a teasing finger over his lips.

"Brave and ready to rescue me from myself," Rob says playfully, pulling Vivien into his lap, "My heroine."

Vivien giggled, actually giggled, as she slid into his lap. "So tell me... why are you so set on helping this world? Your fellows, and even those from my time, only seem focused on saving the world in the past."

"Because it's real," Rob says, "This is real. You're real."

Rob's hands slide up Vivien's waist to punctuate the point.

"And that means it deserves our help."

Vivien smiled, leaning in and kissing him. "As I thought. Much more noble than they want to give you credit for," she said. She felt a pang in her heart as she considered that this same sentiment would mean that yes, he'd leave eventually. And even if he didn't, the terms of the agreement meant that the spell would break when his friends left, anyway... but she brushed those thoughts aside.

Rob kisses Vivien back, "Oh, I can be unsophisticated at times."

"Ah, again, always cutting right to a lady's heart," she teased, running her fingernails down his chest.

"One of my many talents," Rob says, his hands sliding up and down her legs as he kissed her neck.