Because of the basket, Face knew that a picnic was planned; he just didn't know that Murdock was going to set the helicopter down in a random field, away from most civilization.

"No farmer's going to be upset we're ruining his . . . corn or hay, or something, right?" Face asked, looking suspiciously at the ground and not getting out of the chopper.

Kerry laughed at him. "Look at this field! It's all full of weeds! Not a crop in sight."

He still left the vehicle with trepidation.

"City boy, huh?" Kerry teased. "It's fine. We got permission."

That put him at ease, and he helped spread the blanket on top of the grasses. When they finally sat down with the basket, the plants beneath them crushed. If they lay back, the only things visible were the tall weeds surrounding them and the sky above. Murdock immediately assumed that position.

Through the course of the meal, Face discovered that since the team had been back in the general vicinity, his friend gotten in contact with Kerry. It should have been obvious, but Face tried to keep information and thoughts and feelings regarding the particular time the team had spent here before under wraps. He had never once even asked, after they had left, how Murdock was doing or if he thought he made a mistake or anything. Just another prime example of the infamous Templeton Peck selfishness.

Kerry had gotten a job at the airfield—

"Nothing glamorous, just a ramp agent."

—which told Face that some essence of Murdock germinated in her brain, that she hadn't gotten over Murdock either, and had been hopeful he'd swing by this area again.

Funny how things work out sometimes.

It wasn't as uncomfortable as he would have imagined it to be, if he'd dwelled on how a reunion would go. After lunch the two of them joined Murdock on their backs, staring up at the clouds. The sun was hot, and the smell of crushed weeds was pleasant.

Face looked over. Kerry had her head on Murdock's shoulder, and at his head turn, she looked at him. She gave him a smile.

Actually, this was much more comfortable Face ever could have expected. He sat up. Stretching over Murdock, he brushed Kerry's forehead to move her hair out of her eyes. Murdock protested,

"Hey—you're blocking my view!"

"Well, you're blocking mine!" Face retorted, and at Kerry's giggle, he chuckled too. With an exaggerated motion—including dropping an elbow into Murdock's abdomen just for play—Face climbed over both of them to settle at Kerry's other side.

She moved from resting her head on Murdock's shoulder to laying flat on her back. "How is this fair?" she asked. "Before, I could see both of you. Now it's just one at a time!"

"Too bad," Face answered, and carefully, more carefully than he adjusted her hair, he took her hand.

Murdock picked up his head and saw the hand-holding. Face met his eyes, but briefly. With a lop-sided smirk, like his friend was slow, Murdock shook his head and settled back down to stare at the sky again.

The three lay contentedly for a long while, until it was time to return the chopper.