Robby finished his drink as he watched Ally and Sam engage Sophie Flanagan, Jamie’s girlfriend, in conversation. He could only imagine what stories Ally was telling.

“Dude, how are you feeling?” Jamie asked as he hopped on the counter Robby’d been leaning on. “Your shoulder good?”

“James, it’s been months, now,” Robby assured him. “I’m fine. How’s Tyler?”

They both gazed at Jamie’s younger brother who was sitting between Adam Johnson and Ray Stone on the sofa. Tyler had struggled the past couple of months, recovering from the stroke that had shaken his entire family around Christmas. Robby’s recuperation was nothing compared to that.

“He’s doing really good,” Jamie said with a soft smile. “His physical therapist says he’s made amazing progress.”

“I’m glad,” Robby said. “I really like Sophie. Glad you found someone.”

“You, too,” Jamie laughed. “Is Sam over all the trauma?”

“Yep,” Robby said as his eyes fell on the girl in question. His heart skipped a few beats and he suddenly wanted nothing more but to take her home and spend the rest of the evening with her.

It had taken awhile for her to get over ‘all the trauma’, as Jamie put it. Nightmares were a regular occurrence and all the excitement over having her own place again faded as she couldn’t bear to be alone. When Robby was released from the hospital, she’d returned to his place, claiming he needed someone to look after him. He protested at first until she woke him in the middle of the night with her screams. He scrambled to her room, sucking up the pain, and found her gasping and wheezing in the bed. He insisted she sleep with him, claiming they’d both sleep better. It worked and eventually, after a few weeks, she gave up the apartment and returned to him.

“James,” RJ exclaimed as he found them huddled together. “Man, I’m so glad football season is over.” He grinned and patted Robby on the back. “Getting tips from the superhero?”

Robby rolled his eyes and pushed away from the counter, but RJ placed a hand on his chest. “What?” Robby asked, lifting a brow. He shook his empty can. “I was getting a refill.”

“Hang on, bro,” RJ said with an impish glint in his eye. “We have a present for you.”

“News flash, it’s not my birthday,” Robby said, a little wary.

“I know,” RJ sighed. “But I didn’t think of it at Christmas time. Besides, with Tyler being sick, it wouldn’t have been appropriate. Now where are Cole and Ally?”

“Why?” Robby asked, his suspicion rising. “What is going on?”

“Yo, Ally!” RJ bellowed. Ally appeared with Cole in tow. She waved Sophie and Sam over, her face shining in anticipation.

“Where is it, RJ?” Ally asked.

“I gave it to Cole to hold,” RJ said.

“Oh, yeah,” Cole said, as he handed Ally his glass and jogged out of the room. He returned with a rectangular dress box.

Robby’s stomach fell to his feet. “I have a feeling I’m going to regret this.”

RJ snatched the box out of Cole’s hands, his eagerness evident on his face, and shoved it at Robby. “Come on, bro! Open it!”

Robby sighed and set it on the counter. He carefully tore the paper, smirking at RJ’s exasperation.

“Dude, I bet Christmas morning took forever at your house,” RJ complained.

“I’m a little leery, RJ,” Robby said. “And can you blame me?”

“Open it, Robby,” Ally coaxed. “I promise it’s nothing too bad.”

“I’m trusting you, Ally,” he said as he shot her a wink. He opened the box, lifted the tissue paper and laughed. Hard.

RJ jumped up and down, tousling Cole’s hair. “Great, ain’t it?”

“What is it?” Sam and Sophie asked in unison.

Still laughing, Robby lifted a red body suit with a big blue S plastered on the chest, complete with tights. Sam’s eyes grew as she pressed a hand to her mouth to cover her giggles.

“It comes with a cape, too,” RJ said. “Sorry, bro, we couldn’t find boots to match in your size.”

“I’m good, thanks,” Robby said, a touch of pink tinting his cheeks.

“Are you going to try it on, bro?” James asked as he draped an arm around Robby’s shoulders.

“Not on your life,” Robby said as he crammed it back in the box.

“He’ll wear it for Sammy I bet,” RJ said as he wrapped an arm around her and tugged her to his side. He whispered loudly in her ear, “Take pictures for us.”

Sam smacked him lightly on the stomach, her cheeks nearly identical to Robby’s.

“Leave them alone,” Ally said, her eyes still laughing. “You had your fun.”

“Yeah,” Jamie agreed as he slipped off the counter. “Let’s give them some privacy. Robby probably wants to find a telephone booth or something.”

XxX

“I can’t believe they bought you a superhero suit,” Sam laughed as they entered the condo. She tossed the box on the sofa and dropped next to it. “It’s hilarious! Of course, if it had been me, I’d have gone with a tie.”

“Of course you would,” he smirked as he pushed the box aside and sat next to her. He pulled her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. “A super tie?”

“Something like that,” she said, snuggling in his chest. She sighed.

“What?” he asked.

“This is nice, isn’t it?” she asked. “I mean, just sitting her together, alone. No one is out to kill us.”

He chuckled to hide his horror. Not a day had gone by that he didn’t think how close he’d come to losing her. He stroked her hair, resting his cheek on her head, and held her. “I love you, Sam.”

“I know you do, Robby,” she whispered. “I love you, too.”

“Yeah, well, get used to hearing it,” he said as he brushed his lips over her hair. “I’ll probably tell you so much, you’ll get tired of it.”

“I doubt it. I mean, if I can tolerate your ties, I can most definitely tolerate hearing you tell me you love me every single day.” She leaned back so he could kiss her. She lifted a hand to his cheek. “Robby, seriously, I want to hear you say you love me every day. You are my whole life and I love you more than anything.”

He collected her in his arms and held her to his chest, totally speechless.

“So, are you going to model it for me?” she asked.

He snorted. “Not on your life.”

She edged back to peer at him. “Come on, I won’t tell.”

“Sure.”

She shifted so that she was straddling his lap and wound her arms around his neck. “I wouldn’t, I promise,” she murmured as she pressed her lips to his. “It would be our little secret.”

He smiled, his lips still on hers. “Nice try but it’s not going to work.” He raised a brow. “Are you trying to tell me that you’d rather I was a superhero?”

She smiled and his heart twitched. “Never.” She held his face in her hands. “Who needs a superhero when they can have perfectly plain Robby?” And she kissed him.

A/N: Probably the cheesiest yet but I HAD to get the supersuit in there. I just pictured RJ shopping for the thing. Anyway, thanks and RJ should be updated soon.