Reprieve from the writers block! I think I have an idea of where to go with this now...ish.
Martin was already on the flight deck, starting the pre-flight checks by the time the others boarded GERTI. He couldn't help humming to himself happily as he flipped the various switches and checked dials ready for take-off.
"Are you going to be like this for the whole flight?" Douglas enquired as he took the co-pilot's seat.
Martin looked up at him confused by what he meant. "Like what?"
"Disgustingly happy." Douglas fixed his seat belt into place with a weary sigh.
"Jealous." Martin shot back at him, barely concealing a smile.
"Of you, Martin? I hardly think so."
Martin stuck his chin ever so slightly in the air. "Oh I think you are. Because my luck might finally be changing." He paused.
Douglas let out a small snort. "I very much doubt that."
"It might be!" Martin replied indignant.
"But you are forgetting one small, but ever so vital, fact."
"What?" Martin huffed.
"You..." Douglas emphasised. "...are you."
Martin turned his attention back to the flight controls, ignoring Douglas' teasing. He wasn't going to dignify him with a response; he was better than that. He could just rise above it, like a professional.
The thing was, Douglas was right. Despite his utter happiness, every now and then a part of his brain would raise its ugly head to make him wonder in what new and interesting ways he could screw this up. Then he would internally panic about it because, as Douglas rightly pointed out, he was Martin Crieff.
The weekend had been just amazing. Finally he'd met someone who liked him for him. Martin didn't think that he'd ever felt so truly happy. The problem was that at the back of his mind he could hear Arthur's voice...
"...whereas you're hardly ever, you know, blissfully happy with the love of your life in the moonlight, and when you are, you're too busy worrying about it being over soon."
Arthur, it appeared, was not nearly as daft as he appeared. His words could not have been more true. Even though Martin tried to push the worries to the back of his mind, they were still there, nagging away.
"Martin?"
He realised too late that Douglas had asked him a question. "Hmm...what?"
"I said, are the pre-flight checks complete, Captain?"
"Oh. Yes, sorry. Pre-flight checks complete." He replied in a business-like manner. Time to stop acting like a love-sick puppy and start acting like an Airline Captain, Martin.
Martin had uncharacteristically given Douglas control for the flight out to Madrid, but hadn't yet left the flight deck. Douglas had assumed that as soon as they were airborne and flying level, he would have made his excuses to visit the cabin and the rather lovely woman currently occupying it. Goodness knows had it been the other way around, Douglas was had gone half an hour ago.
"You know you don't need to stay in the flight deck, Martin. I think I can manage."
Martin looked up from the controls, surprised at Douglas' suggestion."I always stay on the flight deck."
Douglas almost rolled his eyes. "Yes. I realise that you have an, one would say, almost unhealthily obsessive relationship with the control column, but I thought today you might want to visit the cabin?"
He looked puzzled and Douglas continued. "What with Kate being onboard and all..."
"Oh." Martin finally seemed to realise what Douglas was getting at. "I appreciate that, Douglas, but as the Captain, it's my duty to act as a professional at all times. And that wouldn't be very..."
"Professional?"
"...well...yes."
Good grief Martin really could be a positive bore at times, Douglas sighed.
"Martin, we are flying a piece of machinery in the hold. I don't think it's going to mind if you want to spend a little time with your girlfriend. We won't even tell it." He teased.
Martin started to turn slightly red. "T-t-that's...that's not the point, Douglas. Cargo flight or not, I think I should try and maintain my... "
"Professionalism?"
"...authority."
Douglas couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh, I see. Like that is it?" he winked. "Say no more."
Now Martin really did turn beetroot, which amused Douglas greatly.
"Douglas!...I...just meant that..."
"Oh, Martin." Douglas cut him off abruptly. "I was merely suggesting that you might want to go say hello, not join the mile high club."
Martin turned his attention back to the flight controls in front of him despite having nothing to actually do with them at the moment. Douglas could virtually feel the heat radiating from his cheeks and he couldn't help but smirk smugly. He'd been worried that a happy Martin would mean he wasn't as easy to wind up, but clearly that wasn't the case. In fact, Douglas thought with glee, there appeared to be even more ammunition now.
The flight deck door opened behind them and Arthur cheerily stepped in.
"Hi chaps! I came to see if you..." Arthur trailed off, looking at Martin. "You ok, Skip?"
"Y-y-yes, I'm fine, Arthur." Martin still didn't lift his head up from studying the controls.
"Only you look a bit...well...red." Arthur continued.
"Ah yes, Arthur. You find our Captain sporting the flush of love." Douglas interjected quickly.
"Love?" Arthur replied a little too enthusiastically. "Have you met someone, Skip?"
Martin looked up with a grin, having seemingly shaken off Douglas' teasing. "Well...yes, I have."
"Oh that's brilliant! What's her name?"
"Well, it's...it's Kate, actually." Martin replied a little sheepishly.
"Oh wow! That's just..."
"...let me guess..." Douglas injected.
"...brilliant!" Arthur finished.
"Yes well...if we've all quite finished with the brilliantness of Martin's love-life, do you think we could get some coffee, Arthur?" Douglas felt the need to nip this particular conversation in the bud.
"Oh, of course. I'll just go make it." Arthur went to leave the flight deck, but turned around again. "Uh, Skip?"
"Yes, Arthur."
"I think it's great, you know. You and Kate. I mean...you're both brilliant."
"Oh." Martin seemed a little taken aback by Arthur's statement. "Well, that's really...really lovely of you Arthur. Thank you."
As Arthur closed the door behind him the Satcom started to ring. Douglas could think of only one other person who knew the satcom number. He answered it quickly.
"Carolyn Knapp-Shappey's personal answering service. What message may I pass on, Herc? It's not like we're busy flying a plane."
"Oh...I...um...was looking for Kate Harrison?" Said the very female voice at the end of the phone, not what Douglas was expecting at all. Of course, he remembered too late, Kate's company had the number too.
"Just a little airline humour there." He tried to deflect. "I'll just get her. Can I ask who's calling?"
He shot a look toward Martin, who was half listening to the conversation, writing in the flight log.
"Yes, it's Annabel, from the office. I have a message from her husband."
Mwhahahahahahaha! yes, I know I am evil leaving it there. Just call me Steven Moffatt ;-)
(Don't panic, next chapter up soon!)