The office smelled of cinnamon and the last traces of strong coffee. Elliot sat slouched on the couch, her legs stretched out on the coffee table and her ankles crossed. Her computer sat beside her on the tan leather cushion. A half finished chapter stared at her from the screen as the cursor blinked.

Beck, as usual, sat opposite her, his face a concentrated scowl. The sound of tapping keys mixed with the click of metal as Elliot played with a Slinky. She watched as it seesawed in her hands, her mind searching for the right words. Empty coffee cups sat on the table by her legs alongside a pink pastry box.

The typing stopped. Elliot's gaze flickered up to Beck as she kept the Slinky moving. He looked down at his phone. When the screen remained black, he went back to typing. His scowl deepened, taking on a new meaning. Elliot returned her focus to the Slinky and tried to ignore the taunting, blinking cursor.

Minutes ticked on, as the clock resigned itself to its constant state of always being on time. Beck stopped typing again and looked at his phone, receiving the same result as the last time. Elliot watched him, trying to read the thoughts beyond the scowl. He took up his work once more. After a minute he stopped again. Elliot tossed the Slinky onto the couch and stared at him. He remained unfazed by her gaze and continued writing.

Like clockwork, after a few minutes his attention moved to the phone. Elliot leaned on the armrest, her fist propping up her head.

"If you keep looking at your phone then I'm inclined to believe you have another floozie on the side," she said.

He didn't seem to hear her and went back to writing. Elliot throw up her hands.

"Beckingham Palace! What is going on with you?" she said.

He paused, as if wondering if she had said something but not certain. Elliot crossed her arms.

"Bend it like Beckham, are you going to tell me what is going on with you?"

He lifted his head and looked at her, a cloud of confusion crossing over his face.

"What did you just call me?" he asked.

"What: Beckingham Palace or bend it like Beckham?"

He shook his head and looked back at his screen.

"Don't call me that," he said.

Elliot scowled as the sound of typing took over the office again. Beck's eyes darted to the phone as his fingers stilled for half a second.

"Beck, what is going on?" she said.

He looked at her, his gaze unfocused as if trapped somewhere else. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Nothing," he said.

Elliot took up the slinky and started playing with it again.

"Liar. If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to. But if you look at that phone again, I'll throw it through the window."

"El, it's nothing."

"I believe that almost as much as I believe the earth is round," she said.

He frowned. "The earth is round, El."

"Sure it is, that's why from way up it looks flat. Makes complete sense."

Beck waved his hand, looking lost.

"What are we even talking about?"

"The fact that something is wrong with you and you aren't telling me."

Beck ran a hand through his hair, his eyes flickering to the phone screen. Elliot silenced the slinky and stared at him.

"David Beckham are you going to tell me what is with you and that phone?"

He let out a weary chuckle.

"I don't like that name either," he said.

"Yeah, you try to come up with nicknames for yourself. The only one I have left is Beth but it's weak and really doesn't fit your personality."

"It also happens to be a girl's name."

Elliot shrugged.

"Come up with something better then."

Beck put his head in his hands, letting out a tired breath. Elliot laid the Slinky aside and leaned over her knees, a worried frown moving onto her face.

"Steinbeck, you going to pen me into your thoughts or do I have to plot through the rest of the day trying to figure it out?"

Beck pulled his gaze up from the floor and looked at her. The concern in her hazel eyes dragged him from his own troubled thoughts. He leaned back on the couch, successfully disrupting his hair once more with his fingers.

"It's my mom," he said, slowly.

"What's wrong? Is she alright?" Elliot asked, suddenly on the edge of the couch.

He raised his hand, cutting off her tirade of concerns.

"She's fine," he said. "It was just a rougher night than usual and I'm worried. That's all. Nothing serious. She has ups and downs. This is just a down day."

She nodded, her eyes jumping to his phone.

"That's why you're so distracted."

He crossed his arms and gave a single nod.

"Then what are you doing here, you noodle?!" she asked.

Beck burst out laughing, the sound dashing away a piece of his worry. Elliot smiled as his laugh bounced around the room.

"I think I like Beth over that one," he said.

"Still doesn't suit you."

Beck shook his head and looked back at his computer, the smile slowly falling away.

"Beck, I'm serious. What are you doing here? Go home."

"El, it's-"

"Beth, if you don't go home, I will fire you."

Beck's mouth twitched at a smile. She stared at him, her resolve unwavering. Beck's expression softened and he dropped her gaze. Slowly, he shut and packed up his computer. As he stood, he looked back at Elliot.

"Thanks," he said.

She gave him a half smile. "Of course."

He left, the door clicking shut behind him. She listened as his footsteps faded in the stairway. After a long moment of sitting in the silence of the office, she looked over at her computer. With a determined scowl, she pulled it onto her lap. The cursor blinked at her, patiently waiting for words. She began typing, doing what she could to muffle the quiet.

After an hour, in which she couldn't remember what she wrote and her gaze had jumped to Beck's empty spot over a hundred times, she closed her computer. She grabbed her purse and left the office, locking it behind her.

She jogged across the street and entered the sanctuary of the Common, the thick tree branches providing cover from the sun. Halfway through the Common she stopped and turned back to the office.

After taking a couple steps she stopped, the emptiness of the office halting her. With a troubled frown, she turned around again and continued towards the cafe.

The tables outside the cafe were empty, the heat forcing everyone inside. Before Elliot reached the door it opened and SoSo stepped out. Elliot paused at the sight of her. SoSo noticed her and a smile jumped onto her face.

"Hey Elliot!" she said, stopping.

Elliot gave a small wave, afraid of the awkwardness that was sure to descend.

"It's been awhile," she said.

SoSo let out a light laugh, the sound keeping the awkwardness at bay.

"You mean since Milo's birthday party where he and Cece fought? Yes, it has been awhile." She shrugged, the gesture carefree. "But now they are together and peace has returned to the world."

Elliot looked at her, surprised by the cavalier attitude toward Milo being with Cece.

"So you...know?"

SoSo gave her a wide grin, another laugh close to her lips.

"Of course I know. Milo no longer looks like he lives in a perpetual thunder storm."

"I'm surprised you are so cool with it since-" Elliot swallowed the end of her sentence before it could escape.

SoSo gave her a playful look.

"Since I like Milo?" Elliot shifted and the laugh that was close to the edge slipped from SoSo's lips. "Don't worry. I'm not sure there is a girl alive who has met Milo that hasn't been slightly in love with him. Except possibly you. I knew from the moment I saw him look at Cece that it was always going to her. So I am his friend and will go find my own Milo."

Elliot stared at her blinking in disbelief.

"Wow...I just...okay...That's really level headed of you."

SoSo shrugged.

"It's not like I could ever take him a way from her, so why mope?" she said. "I'll see you around Elliot."

She left Elliot with a small wave. Elliot watched her a for long moment, before turning back to the cafe. She pulled the door open and stepped inside. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as cool air swept passed her. The room hummed with voices as friends chatted with each other, cups of coffee and the odd assortment of pastries littering the tops of tables. Milo gave her a nod then a confused frown as she walked up to the counter.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "And where is Robin?"

"Please, like Beck could pull off those colors," she said. "Although I will admit, I am secretly Batman."

"You're right," he said, "he couldn't. So Zelda, where is Fitzgerald?"

Elliot rested her elbows on the counter and propped up her chin.

"Beck is back home with his mom. He's worried about her and it was affecting his concentration. I told him to go home."

Milo nodded, and raised an eyebrow when she didn't continue.

"And you are here because..."

Elliot shrugged and looked away, trying not to have her face voice her thoughts.

"You know...getting coffee and what not."

"You usually don't come to get coffee until after you've been writing for the day. What is the real reason you are here?"

She stood up and crossed her arms.

"What is with the third degree? I can't get coffee and visit with a friend?"

He didn't respond, his eyes studying her. She shifted annoyed with his scrutiny of her.

"Will you stop that?" she said. "I was stuck writing so I thought I would take a break."

A smile slowly crept onto Milo's face.

"Were you stuck or was the office too lonely?"

"Would you believe me if I said 'I don't know what you are talking about' ?"

Milo shook his head. "Not even for a second."

Elliot placed her arms on the top of the display case and set her chin on top.

"Fine," she said. "Yes, the office was too quiet." She raised her head. "Did you know it echoes if you say something? It's weird."

"El, you realize that eventually he will leave, right?"

She buried her head in her arms.

"Don't remind me," she said. "I don't even understand how this happened? I've been writing by myself for years now and suddenly, an empty office feels too big and eerily quiet." Milo was silent. "If you are smirking and about to break into song about love or some crap like that, I will hit you."

He smiled.

"Don't worry, I gave up singing ballads long ago when Cece said I had the voice of a drowning moose."

Elliot looked up at him.

"That's not original at all," she said. "She told me that when I was five. She really should get new material."

He smirked. "I'm sure she is working on it."

They fell silent, letting the murmur of voices float around them and fill the space between them. Elliot's mind jumped to Beck then to his mother. Images of her visit to his house darted through her mind. His mother reading in the library that was covered with odd little knick knacks. Her soft voice as she talked about Beck.

Milo brought his attention back on Elliot, her gaze lost on a spot on the ceiling.

"What are you going to do?" he asked.

She shrugged and then stared down at her arms, her tongue resisting her mind's promptings. Eventually, she looked up at Milo.

"Is it weird if I bring his mother flowers?" she asked.

He crossed his arms and leaned against the back wall, staring at her. She shifted and focused on her hands, playing with the edge of her finger nails.

"You actually care about him," he said.

Elliot jerked her head up, her brow furrowed. When she met Milo's understanding gaze all the denial fell away. She broke away and glanced about the cafe. Writers dotted tables, computers open before them while friends shared laughs and bits of gossip. She looked back at Milo, his expression unchanged.

"Do you think it would be weird?" she asked.

He gave her a small smile.

"No, I don't think so. Everyone wants to know when someone cares."

Elliot nodded and smiled down at the display case.

"The florist down the block has really good bouquets," Milo said, nodding his head towards the door.

Elliot took a step back.

"Thanks," she said. "I'll see you back at the house."

She turned to leave but Milo's response made her pause.

"Actually, you won't."

She twisted back, frowning.

"You've given up on Cece already? That's faster than I expected, but I can't blame you. She drives me crazy."

Milo chuckled and shook his head. "I'm having dinner tonight with my professor and a book editor he knows."

Elliot's face brightened with delight.

"Milo! Are you serious?! That's amazing!"

A look of concealed pride entered his face and he gave a single nod. Elliot took a step back to the counter.

"What does this mean for you? Could there possibly be an internship or even a job?"

Milo shrugged, trying to look unconcerned about the whole matter, but his gleeful smile contradicted his faked nonchalance.

"I don't know. It's a foot in the door though, to my dream job." He gave a low chuckle. "I figure I have enough experience around you and Cece to be able to handle over dramatic writers."

"Hey! We are completely normal, thank you very much!"

He raised an eyebrow. "What did Cece do the other day to find inspiration?"

Elliot shifted, dropping his gaze.

"She made a detailed plan of our escape in case of the zombie apocalypse."

Milo gave her a self satisfied smile. Elliot looked up and rolled her eyes.

"I hope you are never my editor. You're too smug. I'm leaving you now."

She turned toward the door.

"Good luck with Beck," he called after her.

She looked back as she reached the door, a knot in her stomach forming.

"Thanks."

Milo gave her a nod and she left the cafe.

**********************************************************************

Bean Burrito!! (Yes, I'm on a Mexican food type kick, mostly because I really want some)

Alright, so the other night I went to my first baseball game! (Woohoo! Go Red Sox!) Anyways the seats I had were right between Third and Home plate and literally right on the field. (No, I'm not super rich, my sister just got them from her boss.) It was fun, I went with my sister and brother and you know what I went away with?

1. I'm going to marry the opposing team, the Detroit Tiger's, Bat Boy. (We decided to name him Alex)

2. Again on the Tigers (We were right next to their dugout and so they were always walking past us) we thought players 1, 9, and 32 were the best looking.

3. Seats that close are awesome and the only way to watch baseball

4. That was probably my last baseball game. They told me it was an intense one and I was ready to leave by the third inning. Did I mention there are nine innings?

Oh and we lost, but I have a Bat Boy so I'm happy!

Pitch, Swing, Home Run! (Or I think that's how it works, I was a little distracted by Alex.)

This is how close I was, crazy I know!