"Pen?" her eyes focused slightly, the coffee before her coming more into view. "Penelope?" she shook her head slightly and looked up.

"Schneider!" she gasped. "What…. when did you get here?"

He looked at her puzzled.

"I was here when you came in. You poured your coffee came in and sat down, it was…well it was really trippy."

"Well clearly you're here too much then if you're blending in with the furniture." She snapped eyebrows raised.

"Hey P no need to snap! What's got you all hot and bothered." He leaned towards her with genuine concern on his face.

"it's… it's nothing." She forced a smile. "Just tired."

"Yeah must be a relief having all the family gone." He nodded, sitting back. "As I spiritually believe myself to be Cuban I believe I can say this…" he paused dramatically. "…Those people were loud."

Despite herself Penelope felt a laugh escaping her. He gave her a slightly startled smile in return.

"Have…" he started cautiously. "Have you heard from Victor?" The happy bubble they'd formed burst.

"No. I haven't got my temper under control enough yet. Alex has spoken to him. But he hasn't rang Elena yet."

"I don't understand how…" he stopped himself.

"How?" she put her cup down.

"How he could have done that to her." Schneider said softly. "Leave her standing waiting like that."

Penelope's heart tightened.

"He's an old-fashioned army man." She sighed. "not that it's an excuse… but I can't hate him for it."

"You're a better man than me." Schneider said absentmindedly. He caught the look she threw him. "Well of course you are. You're a woman." He fluffed awkwardly.

She rolled her eyes and took a long sip from her coffee.

"Is it…" she started slowly. "…is it wrong that a small part of me thinks all of this may have also been a good thing."

He looked at her like she had grown a second head.

"I'm not with you there Pen…" she stifled a laugh.

"I know it sounds crazy. It's just… I think somewhere in my head I always believed that he would get better, or that things would change over time. But now I know, they really wont. He doesn't want them to. Not really. He wants to keep pretending everything is fine and… and that were a happy family." Very quickly her mouth was running away from her. "He wants me to welcome him back with open arms despite the danger he puts everyone in, and now I know for sure, that I can't."

He didn't speak, just watched her as this realisation washed over her.

"Maybe now. After all of this. I can finally move on with my life." She said softly.

"Well then. I guess there must be some good in it." he nodded. "If it makes your life… more your own."

"Why Schnieder, I do believe that is the most enlightened thing you've ever said to me." She joked, earning a smile.

"So… would you like me to download that dating app again?" he picked her phone up off the table. She reached out and took it back off him.

"Eh… no I think I'd like to do it the old fashion way." She said slowly.

"What? Like from a newspaper add?" he said

She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"No like meet someone by chance, get to know them and then… one day… realise you've developed feelings you never thought you would." She said, hands playing with her chain as she realised she may be saying too much.

He leaned back in his chair and nodded thoughtfully.

"Ok… old school. I get it. I don't get why you'd want to do it when there's so many people right there on your phone ready to…"

Penelope's heart sank slightly.

"Of course, you don't. Because I don't just want to text someone and have a one-night stand Schneider. I want a relationship. And I happen to believe that that doesn't come from swiping through pictures." She snapped, rising from her chair, and going back into the kitchen. "Some people want more than just sex at one in the morning when they're bored, or because it's a Tuesday!" She continued not hearing him following her.

"Hey I know that! What's with the aggression!" he said, causing her to jump when she realised how close he was. "You don't need to attack." He continued hands raised in defence.

"I'm sorry… it's just… I…" she looked up at him.

"Some people may not be looking for long term relationships, but it doesn't mean you need to disparage an entire community." He attempted a joke, but his hands were still raised.

"I didn't mean to. I just… I want someone I can sit on the couch with at the end of the day and moan about what ever happened at work. Someone I can completely trust to pick my children up for school or feed them or help with their homework…" she swallowed a lump that formed in her throat. "You don't want that?" she finished quietly.

"I… I guess I've never really thought about it. I didn't exactly have the stable family example"

"Yeah, yeah I know your sob story. Rich boy no love." She grinned at him.

"I guess having one-night stands is just easier." He said ignoring the jibe. "Less risk"

She suddenly realised how close to her he had moved, there was barely a step between them now.

"I hear you." she nodded. "I was lucky with Victor we met when I hadn't even considered risk. There was nothing to hold us back. Now everything is harder. The more heartbreak you face the tougher it is to try."

"Also. Casual sex is great." He grinned widely. She couldn't help but laugh.

"If you say so." She rolled her eyes.

"You mean you don't know?" he asked, eyes wide.

"Course not. Can't have casual sex when you've been married for as long as I was."

"But you were seeing that guy?" her eyebrows peaked, and she squared up to him.

"I wasn't seeing him that long. I don't sleep with a guy in the first few dates."

"No one's saying you have to be, but you should try it once in your life."

"I'm not going back on the apps. No matter what you suggest."

"You don't need it, if you put those signals out Pen they'll be falling at your feet." He smirked at her. She moved slightly closer to him having to look up as he towered over her.

"Is that so? And what signals are they? High heels and red lipstick?"

"I'm pretty sure all you need to do is to lose the "Touch me and I hurt you" vibe." She slowly uncrossed her arms and unpursued her lips, but didn't back away from him. "There you go. Irresistible…" he muttered as they stared each other down.

"Sch…" she started as he dove down and captured her lips with his. Their height difference only encouraging him to pull her as close as possible almost immediately as she melted into his embrace.

He was just about to lift her up onto the counter when a voice chilled both their blood.

"Eh Schneider, are you here?" Lydia called as the front door opened.

Penelope has never moved to the other side of a room faster.