Penny frowned at him, those beautiful features full of disappointment.

'Don't lie to me Gordon'

'Well don't ask stupid questions then' he snapped, turning to go back to the pool, he wasn't in the mood for the Penelope styled Inquisition. She reached out and caught his shoulder before he could return to swimming laps and loosing himself in the water.

'Gordon, talk to me. please' her tone was soft and full of care. He sighed and he looked back to her. 'Please, I want to help' she smiled and held her hand out to him. He stood in the water thinking before groaning in defeat and pulling himself up onto the edge next to her, running his fingers through the damp hair, slicking it back and out of his face. Penny edged closer, not quite resting against him, but close enough that he could feel the loose sleeves of her soft pastel pink top brush again his arm and he vaguely wondered if she would be wearing that perfume thing he liked; sweet and scented of flowers. A perfume that was so very her.

'So' she turned to him and he watched from the corner of his eye as she looked at him, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear while studying him solidly 'Are you going to tell me what happened to your face?'

he scoffed, making an effort not to looking at her 'when you say it like that, you already know so why bother?'

'because I am fed up of being ignored Gordon, and I had some stupid hope that you would actually talk to me, but clearly not. so forgive my mistake, and I will bid you a good night now seeing as I suspect I won't be seeing anyone else today, let alone talk to them' she snapped, her clean-cut tone made all the worse by that English pronunciation that he had a crippling weakness for. he groaned again, pulling his hands down over his face as she stood, collecting her shoes to marched away.

'Penny, don't' He pushed himself to his feet, taking a few long strides to catch her, silently noting the sudden roles reversal. 'You want to know what happened? You told me what' he paused, struggling to say it; a part of him fearful to actually admit to the whole situation 'what John did. So I went there to talk to him, to ask why. Instead, I saw him, and I..' He stopped again, stumbling over the words. the ability to articulate his feelings right then, and the shame of even having felt them 'I wanted to cave that bastards head in with his own arm, and if not for kayo, i would have and I wish I had' there was that sudden spark of anger and regret 'why did I let her stop me?' He put his hands to his head and wrapped his fingers through the still damp hair as the question screamed at him 'why?' 'I should have-'

'No' penny took his hands and gently lowered them down before pulling him close, easing his face to her shoulder. hiding him from the world. 'No, you did the right thing, and you did it because you are better than him' she held him as he wrapped his arms around her, drawing from her never-ending reserve of strength as he breathed in the perfume; she was wearing it and he found himself smiling despite himself. Eventually feeling whole enough to pull back and away. She smiled at him leaning in to brush her soft lips against his in a gesture that completely threw him, turning slowly and began to walk away.

'Now, I am going to bed' she paused mid-stride and glances over her shoulder to him, that sweet smile now a smirk 'care to join me, Corporal Tracy?'