Why was he doing this? That's what he asked himself as he climbed the stairs to the ninth floor. Why was he putting himself through this for somebody he only sort of knew? Perhaps it was because they had kissed. Yes, that had to be it. Women were evil. They kissed you, acted vulnerable for a moment to trigger some sort of evolutionary imperative, and then dragged you through the mud a thousand times to serve you right for even bothering.
Griffin was right.
And yet no matter how many times he went over this in his head, counting off all the reasons why he should just turn around and go back to his apartment, Archer couldn't bring himself to do it. Even though he wanted to, even though he really did, he just forged onward.
Finally, he reached the landing of the ninth floor. Face flushed with exertion, he took a moment to catch his breath before walking towards 906. To his surprise, Isobel was standing outside it. He wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing, but he wasn't about to think on it. There was no room for thought with women.
"Isobel," he said simply, pausing before her. What to say? He didn't know. Glancing down awkwardly, he finally looked into her face with a fairly neutral expression. "Hello."