LAX is not where Danny pictured himself at the end of his cross country trek. It's the last place on earth he wants to be, and he's pretty sure the button up he's wearing will be unsalvageable by the time they board the plane, his sweat glands working overtime along with his anxiety.

He's running crash statistics in his head, because the numbers don't lie. Planes are technically safer than driving, but christ, at least he has some sense of control in a car. He's gripping the armrest, his carry-on nestled between his knees as they wait for their flight to be called.

Mindy, on the other hand, is behaving as though she doesn't have a care in the world, sandal clad feet propped in an adjacent chair, flipping through a glossy magazine. She's chewing gum, the occasional pop making Danny flinch like someone's firing off shots.

"Ooh Danny, look at this. Tiramisu. I can't even remember the last time I had that. Italians like to cook, right?."

She flops the magazine over into his lap, little cardboard advertising inserts sliding from between the pages. He barely notices the litter, only nodding to acknowledge her comment. His mind is elsewhere, eyes darting down to his watch. "It's not too late. We can still go back to the rental place and get the car."

He's all breathy, and Mindy has sympathy for his fear. She honestly didn't know the extent of his phobia, and feels a little guilty about insisting on flying back to the east coast. "Planes are safe, and there's booze, and little tiny sandwiches. It'll be fine." She blows a big pink bubble as if to illustrate how carefree she is, wincing when it pops and sticks to her nose.

His head snaps around to her. "Did you get rid of your..." He glances around to make sure no one is eavesdropping, before dramatically whispering, "stuff?"

"Yes officer, totally stuffless. My stuff is lying in the desert where coyotes and diamondback rattlesnakes can use it to go on spirit quests." She's entirely focused on picking the gum residue off of her cheek, and only turns to look at him when he doesn't respond to her flippant remark.

She knows his anxiety is at its peak when he doesn't take issue with her sarcasm, instead swallowing hard and picking up the abandoned paperback beside him. She sticks the wad of gum underneath her seat and turns to him. "Hey. It's going to be fine. I'll be right here with you."

The book drops to the floor as he turns to face her, a pained expression twisting his features. "It's not just flying... I just... You don't know..." He struggles to articulate what he's thinking.

Mindy frowns in confusion, uncharacteristically quiet as she waits for him to find the words. For the first time since their conversation on the roof she feels unsure of herself. She shifts uncomfortably, regretting her short-shorts as the backs of her legs stick unpleasantly to the plastic seat. The press of many bodies is making the enclosed space a little too warm for her liking.

Trying to change the subject, he asks, "Why aren't you nervous? You haven't seen your parents in... years?"

Mindy nods, a little uncomfortable with the sudden shift. "I am nervous, but..." She doesn't know what to say. The thought of seeing her mother especially after so long makes her throat tight and tears spring to her eyes. There's so much love that's just been waiting in the reservoir around her heart, and there's a really small part of her that wonders if it'll be received when it pours out. "I have to tell myself they love me enough to forgive me. It's what family does."

This should make Danny feel better. She has this infinite capacity for forgiveness, and he really is in awe of it, but it only serves to highlight the disparity between their personalities. Instead of seeing it as a safe haven, he sees how easy it would be to hurt her. He bursts into speech, a deluge of words pouring out of him at breakneck speed. "I'm different in New York. I have an ex-wife who hates me, and I hate her too. My coworkers think I'm a jerk, mostly because I am a jerk, I spend too much time at the hospital, and watch boring documentaries when I do go home. You don't want to be stuck with me in New York."

He looks so defeated, her heart breaks a little, and she feels guilty for the relief coursing through her veins. She was afraid that Danny was about to renege on his confession, write it off as a drug fueled hallucination. This kind of insecurity seems more manageable. "I won't lie. The ex wife thing is a surprise, but Danny, lots of people are divorced. Just because something ended, doesn't mean that you failed. The bad times don't erase the good."

"You don't understand. I made her hate me. I made her bitter. She cheated on me, but it was my fault. There was a time in the beginning when she felt like you do, excited and supportive. It didn't last, and it's right that she left, because I never would have. I would have just continued being a horrible husband."

Mindy is growing alarmed, not because of the things he's telling her, but because his words are thick with pain and he looks like he's already given up. She can't help the sharp tone in her voice when she replies. "Excuse me, but if you haven't noticed, I'm not your ex-wife. And I know it's only been a few days, but I know you better than you think. It takes two people, Danny."

She places a hand on his arm, softening her voice. "You just need a little encouragement. You can step out of your comfort zone to help people, to grow. You make me want to go back and clean up the messes I've made. I'll always be grateful for that, even if things do go sour between us."

She kisses him softly, barely pulling away to say. "I've seen you be a jerk, and I still want to jump your bones."

"Yeah?"

"Of course, you idiot. Have you seen yourself naked?"

Her breath puffs out softly against his neck as she whispers into his ear, and he turns to capture her lips in a deeper kiss, stopping only when a fellow traveler clears his throat rather indignantly.

A/n: Sorry if this got a little too schmaltzy. :P Couldn't help it I suppose. Let me know what you think.