"They figured out what happened…"

"Hmm?"

"Why his breaks failed."

"…"

"…"

"Help me up, yeah?"

Q didn't make to move for a second, still upset with Gypsy for her recklessness, but he suspected that he was at fault just as much.

"Peter? Please?"

He walked over and helped her off the floor, taking care of her injured leg. He gingerly stood her up and then lifted her on to the countertop.

"I just wish you would let me take care of you." He said, brushing the remains of crushed confections off her pajamas and standing between her legs, keeping her from falling over.

She reached into his back pocket for his handkerchief and pulled his glasses off. She wiped each lens clean carefully as she spoke.

"You've…it's just…you've been taking so much care of me and you've neglected yourself. You said you wanted something sweet and I though I'd be okay to hobble over here in my crutches to get you the macaroons."

He chuckled.

"I'm serious."

"I know you are."

"So?"

"I don't count falling flat on your face and scaring the life out of me as a success."

"Yeah, well, I didn't plan on slipping."

"Which is why I'm trying to take care of you."

"But you're hovering."

"It was bound to happen. I don't want you out of my sight. I may have to start leaving the loo door open if you're going to try doing something like this again."

"Don't do that."

"Then don't make me worry about leaving you alone."

They were at a standstill. It wasn't the first time in the month she has been home that they had had this discussion.

The last time it happened, she was on the bed, holding back tears because she twisted the wrong way and put pressure on her still healing ribs. She had been trying to prove that a cast could be sexy.

"I want to try doing some things on my own."

"Like?"

"Getting up to fetch my own water, going to the bathroom, sitting up…you know, easy stuff."

"And I can compromise, but ask me first? You're not Superwoman and I need you to understand that. You're not supposed to be all healed up. Take it slow."

She looked up at him and he looked back at her. She was the first to break eye contact—sometimes the sincerity in his eyes was too much for her to handle and it made her regret her decisions…even if she didn't admit it to him.

She placed his glasses back on and folded the handkerchief into a neat square and reached back into his pocket. She wrapped her arms around him and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I love you."

"And I love you. Just…slow down? I know that must be a confusing concept to someone who's always delivering mail."

She groaned and let go, "Way to kill the mood."

He barked a laugh, "were you setting it up for something? Because I clearly remember that last ti—"

She shut him up with a kiss and pulled away to whisper.

"I don't need to be reminded, but practice does make perfect."

He gently threw her over his shoulder and marched into their room.

"So what happened?"

"Hmm?"

"With the cabbie?"

"Mm."

"Peter?"

"Hm?"

"Peter…" she whined.

"Mm?"

She reached over and ran her hand through his hair, but just before she finished, she tugged gently in her direction.

"Tell me."

"Mhph." He spoke into his pillow.

"Oh, come on…" She said pushing his head back playfully.

He laughed and turned over in their bed, pulling her into his arms.

He kissed the top of her head, but kept his eyes closed as he spoke.

"The place that changed his brakes took him for a fool. They 'replaced' his brakes, but actually switched them out for some less worn ones and charged his top dollar. The worst part is that they didn't even have the decency to properly install them."

"You're bloody joking! That's why I'm sitting here like this?!"

"I'm not. I was as livid as you are, but M is taking care of it."

"How?"

"Apparently this hasn't been the first time—"

"WHAT?!"

Q pulled her snug against him again, "So, he's pulling together all the evidence he can and there's a case being opened so as to shut them down and have them pay for everyone's loses."

"Really?"

"Yes and, if I can speak frankly, I haven't seen evidence come together so quickly in my entire time in the field of espionage."

She laughed, "So it'll be alright?"

"For you?"

"For all of us?"

"Most definitely. Now, let's go back to sleep."

She chuckled and snuggled back into his warmth.