2nd Timeline
"Bye, thanks for coming," Troy yelled as the group members that didn't live at CasaTrobed walked down the hallway.
"Speaking of coming," Pierce gleefully said. "Did you know I once had sex with-"
"Pierce!" Shirley hissed, interrupting him. "Can you not constantly gross us out?"
"What, it was relevant to the conversation."
"And when exactly is he relevant," Jeff softly said, causing Annie to giggle.
Once they were outside each person started going to their cars. As Annie went to hers, Jeff considered asking her about the gun in her purse. He knew she didn't live in the best neighborhood, but he had no idea she was concerned enough for her safety to carry around a firearm. He wanted to tell her how much he worried about her living in that hellhole, and how much he really cared about her. And that he would be devastated if anything ever happened to her.
But he didn't say any of that. Instead he simply got in his car and kept a lid on his feelings, like he always did.
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4th Timeline
"Well, this sure was a bust," Jeff said as he walked out of the apartment building. After Shirley had ran away no one was in much of a party mood, and the party kind of fizzled out soon afterward. Given how early it was, Jeff really wished that billiards club was real so he could go there.
He started pulling his keys out when he looked over, seeing Annie give him one heck of a stare down. "What now? Is this about laughing at Troy and the troll, because I'm sure I caught you giggling about that."
"Jeff, Shirley is really upset about us. What are we going to do?"
"I don't know, eat a few of her brownies and all will be forgiven."
"Jeff, you know her baking wasn't what really upset her. She thinks no one finds her desirable."
Jeff looked at her, surprised at what he was hearing. "Where did you get that?"
"Jeff, she said we all eye each other up but never look at her that way. And then when Pierce said they were the same because no one looks at him like that either she really felt terrible."
"Can you blame her? I'd be upset of Pierce compared me to him."
"Jeff!" She shook her head for a moment before trying another approach. "Do you think Shirley's pretty?"
"Annie, why would you ask me that?"
"Because I know Shirley hates being thought of as just a mom. And maybe if she knew others thought she was attractive she'd know she was more than someone who just changes diapers and cooks meals."
Jeff sighed as he thought Annie's question over. "Okay, yeah, I think she's good looking. I'm not exactly attracted to her, but she's not bad looking."
"See. If you told her that she would feel better about herself."
He looked at her, seeing the Disney like look she had in her eyes, before saying, "Fine, next time I see her I'll make sure she knows she's attractive and nothing like Pierce." With that he got in his car, not missing the smile Annie gave him just before he drove away.
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3rd Timeline
"We should do this again," Troy yelled out the door as the other five group members made their way out of the building.
Pierce snickered at what Troy said. "You know what I'd love to do again? Or should I say, who I'd love to do again?"
Jeff ignored Pierce's latest gross sex comment as he noticed the smile on Annie's face. "Why do you look like the cat that ate the Canary?"
She took Jeff by the arm and pulled him aside. "Did you notice how Troy and Britta were acting all night?" she whispered as she pointed at Britta. "They were laughing and acting goofy. And during the movie they kept touching each other's hands."
"Yeah, because they were sitting next to each other and couldn't stop fidgeting like children."
Annie scoffed as she watched Britta drive away. "That wasn't it. I think something might be going on with them. Or start to be going on with them."
"That's won't cause any problems," Jeff said sarcastically, which Annie chose to ignore.
"I think it would be really good if Troy and Britta ended up together. She wouldn't be as cynical and Troy would grow up even more." She decided to keep her other reasons for wanting to see them together (Britta being unavailable and Jeff possibly seeing two people of different ages could work in a relationship) to herself.
"Maybe it wouldn't be terrible if they were together," Jeff finally admitted. "Though if anything happens I'm not being the one to break the news to Abed. I'll see you Monday." With that Jeff got in his car and drove off, completely missing the giant smile on Annie's face.
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6th Timeline
"What were you thinking?" Shirley said to Britta as they wanted out of the apartment. "That guy looked like he needed a strong dose of vitamin church."
"He seemed charming when I talked to him outside," Britta responded in a small voice.
"He smelled like onions and garlic, and he was looking at the pictures on the walls like he wanted to steal them." she reminded her friend. "Honestly, who wants to steal someone else's pictures?"
"I know, okay," Britta shamefully said. After Britta brought Toby the pizza guy up, the group managed to talk some sense into her about her newfound desire to marry the man. Luckily she came to her senses and sent him on his way. Though now she felt bad at having fallen for a guy who made Tall Kyle seem like a good catch.
As the two women talked Jeff trailed behind, keeping step with Annie. Normally Jeff would have been right in there ripping on Britta for her taste in men, but right now Britta was the furthest thing from his mind. He didn't think about her wanting to marry a gross pizza man, or Pierce terrorizing Troy with a troll doll. All he could think about was Annie, and what might have happened if they had remained in the bathroom.
"Can we talk for a sec?" he whispered to her. He led Annie to his car and opened the passenger door for her. He waited until they got in before looking at her. "I just wanted to talk to you about the bathroom and what might have-"
"Did you mean it," she asked him.
"Mean what?"
"What you said before, about me being important to you."
Given how things almost went before, Jeff almost scoffed and tried to downplay it. But as he looked into her eyes he almost unconsciously found himself saying, "Of course I meant it. You mean a lot to me." She gasped slightly at those words, both of them looking deep into one another's eyes.
Although they were in Jeff's car, they almost felt a sense of Déjà vu as they leaned into each other. But this time there wasn't anything to stop their lips from connecting. Their kisses started out gentle, but quickly increased in passion as Jeff threated his hands through her hair and she ran hers over his shoulders and upper back.
Jeff pulled back, almost chuckling at the dazed look on her face, before remembering exactly who was in the car with him. This was Annie. This was him and Annie. There were a thousand reasons this never should have happened. And a million reasons this should stop right now and not go any further.
But the only thing he managed to say was a single question. "Are you sure about this?"
Annie nodded her head as she kissed him. "I'm sick of always holding back and thinking ahead. For once I don't want to think, I just want to do."
Good enough for me, he thought, feeling similar to how he felt about her. And if this really did end up being a mistake, he was going to enjoy every second of it. "Buckle up." He started the car and gunned the car, smoking the rubber on his precious tires as he raced back to his place.
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1st timeline
The apartment door burst open as EMTs wheeled out four gurneys and brought them to the two ambulances. The head responder directed the others as he pulled out an emergency phone. "We've got four people being brought in for immediately medical attention. One patient is a white male, late sixties to early seventies. Gunshot wound to the leg with massive blood loss, will need a blood transfusion. Second patient is a white male, early to mid-thirties, with a severely burned arm. It might have to amputated based on the severity of the burn. They're going together in one ambulance.
"The second ambulance will have the other two individuals. One is a black male, early twenties. Throat is severely burnt with melted plastic in his mouth. He'll need to be examined to see if his vocal cords can be salvaged. The other is a white female, also early twenties. She's in severe shock over what has happened to her friends. It also seems she was responsible for her friend being shot. Have a councilor on hand to talk to her after she's examined. We should also have the police come by also to assess the situation."
He waited until everyone was loaded up before getting in the first ambulance as both of them drove off.
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5th Timeline
The five of them left the apartment, all quiet and not talking. Shirley kept glaring at Britta, while for once Pierce felt guilty over his antics. And Annie kept huffing at Jeff, like they were in a relationship and were having a fight.
Once outside Jeff waited until the other three were on their way to their cars before taking hold of Annie's hand. "Annie wait."
"What, are you going to say I'm a kid again."
"That's not what I said, although you are acting a bit childish now." He quickly moved on as he saw her eyes blaze in anger. "All I said is not to talk about dads if you're making out with someone older then you, and not to use so much lip gloss."
"Why, because kids use lip gloss," she responded sarcastically.
"No, because if I'm going to kiss you I want to kiss Annie and not a bubble gum factory."
Her mouth dropped as her anger left her, instead being replaced with surprise. That was the last thing she ever expected to hear from Jeff Winger. "Really?"
"Yeah. If we're going to kiss, I want to have Annie and not some candy."
She sighed with affection as she inched up on her toes. But as she leaned in Jeff put his hands on her shoulders and stopped her. "Why don't we just pause here for now? We've already messed it up once already, let's not tempt fate."
Annie placed her feet firmly on the ground, disappointed but figuring Jeff probably had a point. "Okay. Good night Jeff."
"Night Annie." He watched her as she got in her car and drove off, honestly not sure if he made the right decision or not.
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7th Timeline
"Put on the red light! Put on the red light!" the three women sang as they left the apartment with Jeff and Pierce. Annie was so happy she came over tonight. She had a great time, and was seriously going to consider Abed's offer to move in there.
"Bye," she said as she hugged the women and then Pierce. "This was a great night."
"Glad I brought my i-pod," Brita said happily.
As everyone started getting into their cars Annie sauntered over to Jeff. "Admit it, you had fun tonight."
"I'll admit, it was amusing watching you guys dance like fools."
"You could have danced with us."
"Annie, guys my height can't dance without looking lame."
"Sure they can. Here, let me show you." Before he could stop her Annie took his hands and swung them as she moved her hips and rolled her shoulders.
"Annie, come on. We're not even listening to music."
"Just follow my movements," she told him. Jeff sighed as he moved his body, mimicking her movements. Though he was a bit jerky, he wasn't as bad as he usually was when he tried to dance. Before he could stop himself he twirled her into him, grinning as she laughed and he remembered when they danced during their first Halloween together.
Okay, if there are different timelines, this is the best one, he thought.