"Are we there yet?"
"Babygirl, does it look like we're there yet?"
David Rossi leaned on the door and sighed.
To his left, Derek Morgan peered up into the rearview mirror, teeth ever so slightly bared.
Immediately behind him, Penelope Garcia chattered incessantly, every statement rising in pitch like a question, whether it was or not.
"Given the low population density even in so-called cities this far north, the unobservant could fail to recognize landmarks indicating that we've arrived," Spencer Reid piped up from the rear of the car, his voice almost as squeaky as Penelope's.
"Yes, low population density. Why are we going someplace with low population density? Low population density means slow internet!"
"Peace and quiet," Dave grumbled, looking out the window and watching the land stretch out before him.
"Peace and quiet? With Garcia and me in the car?" Dave could almost see the smirk on Spencer's face without looking backwards.
"Hey, if Rossi actually wants to use his vacation days instead of giving them away for once, the least we can do is play along, right?" Dave could likewise see the charming smile take over Derek's face, but he could hear an undertone of worry, too.
"I bet you're just doing this to make us take a vacation, aren't you?" Penelope asked. As if to punctuate her sentence, she reached across the seat, poking his shoulder with a carefully manicured nail.
"Well, I wouldn't have rented the cottage if you clowns weren't tagging along," he finally replied. "The rooms on the island are nice enough for me."
"Did you have to rent a cottage an hour and a half from the airport?" Penelope whined.
"Yes."
"Don't they have an airport on the island?"
"Yes, but they-"
"Are we going to have to haul all of our stuff on foot?"
"Well, maybe you shouldn't have packed so much." Dave snapped, keeping his tone even.
"Nah, Rossi, everyone knows I'm gonna end up carrying all her crap."
"I resent that remark! I am an independent woman who just so happens to have a piece of luscious chocolate thunder to carry her totally not crap! How dare you call my stuff crap!"
The boys laughed, but David could only sigh and stare out the window. He muttered, "I thought vacations were supposed to relieve stress, not create it."
"Aww, come on, Rossi," Derek soothed. "You know we're just blowing off steam. If we didn't bicker, we wouldn't be family."
"I have some earplugs and a bottle of over-the-counter migraine medicine if it's the noise," Spencer added, and Dave could hear the rustling in his bag.
"Sorry, sir." Garcia's voice barely carried to the front.
As the bridge came into view, David found he couldn't pull himself out of the gloom to enjoy its beauty. Then the rest of the car erupted into gasps and cries of admiration. He turned and looked behind him, and found the joy in their eyes finally banished the tension from his shoulders.