"You would not believe how competitive Erin was," Alex said, answering the question Penelope had posed of them. "We always tried to see who was the better shot, and I hate to admit it, but Erin always won. I used to tease her that she could try out for the Olympics, but she never took me up on that bet. I still think that she would have brought home gold."
"I'm not that good, Alex," she demurred, curling up closer to Dave as she rested her head on his chest.
"Well, we could always test out your skills, Ma'am. JJ is a crack shot as well, and I'm certain that she wouldn't mind having some competition. I'm man enough to say that she's a better shot than I am."
"If you can get her to agree to that, I suppose that I might be willing to go head to head with her. Though if I hear about anyone wagering on us, David, I might have to take appropriate measures."
"Hey! Why do you think that I would be the one to do something like that?" he teased as he checked her with his shoulder.
"I just know you, David."
The others laughed as they fell into a comfortable conversation, lasting late into the night. "Well, we should probably be heading back to Quantico. I made plans with Jayje for the morning, and I know that Henry will be disappointed if I don't show up," Penelope said as she got to her feet, looking around the room at the others. "Alex? You're staying here, right?"
"Yeah, I'm going to catch a ride home with Erin and Dave at the end of the weekend. Thank you for allowing me to ride up here with you, I really appreciate it."
"Anytime, Alex." Penelope went to the woman's side and hugged her, and Dave tried to hold in the chuckle that threatened to burst from his mouth when he saw the shocked look on Alex's face. Then Penelope went to Erin's side and leaned down to hug her tightly. "I love you, Erin, and I really want details, when you feel ready to give them to me. Don't do anything that I wouldn't do, since I can't tell you not to sleep with our Italian Stallion."
Erin giggled a little as she nodded. "I will keep that in mind, Penny. Drive safe, and let me know when you get back, okay?"
"Of course," Penelope replied before kissing their cheeks in turn and taking hold of Kevin's arm as they left the room. The air of silence that seemed to come over the room with her parting was immediate, and he knew that Erin felt a bit bereft, too, as she sighed and curved her arm around his waist.
"Penelope seems a bit intense," Alex quipped when the door of the cabin closed, and Dave nodded. "But I can tell that she means well, even if she does put her foot in her mouth quite often."
"She just has this heart that is ten times too large for her body," Erin said quietly. Drawing in a deep breath, she curled her fingers into the fabric of Dave's shirt before speaking once more. "I'm going to tell you something, Alex, something that might help you see Penelope like I see her, because I know that she is a bit ebullient for your tastes. When I first received the news that my family had perished in that awful accident, I was determined to join them. Somehow, God knew that that was a wrong decision, as He had Penelope and David see me and grow concerned over my actions. If they hadn't cared, if my hard heart and cruel actions had deadened any tenderness in their hearts, I wouldn't be here, able to make amends with you. And despite how much they try to keep me here, there are quiet moments in my soul when I feel like it would be easier if I had joined them."
"Erin…"
"No, I need to get this out, please?" Alex nodded. "I know that Penelope thinks I'm being rash in falling into a physical relationship with David already, given that it's only been a month since the news. As I told David, though, we had been in the process of separating, and so my heart was free to become entangled with his that much more easily. I know that you can see things more objectively, since you're on the outside right now. No matter how much I want you in my inner circle right away. Am I making a mistake? Have I fallen into love too soon?"
There was a brief moment when Alex paused, looking at them intently, scrutinizing him more closely than she did Erin. "I think that you deserve to find happiness and love after the incredibly cruel hand that fate dealt you so recently. From what I've read of Dave's work, I can infer that he is a compassionate, fiery, man who will treat you as you deserve to be treated. You're recovering from something no person should ever have to experience in their life, and I want you to grab onto whatever bit of happiness that you can find. At least I had James by my side when we lost Ethan. You felt like you had no one, and I can only imagine the depths of sorrow you felt that would lead you to such extreme measures. You've changed, you're more like the girl I met in the Academy, and I am more than willing to start our friendship anew because of that change. Yes, I accept your amends, and I give you my seal of approval for falling in love with Rossi, for all that that's worth."
"It's worth quite a lot, Alex. Darling, would you mind if we went out for a walk? Alone? I really want to talk to Alex alone. I hope you don't mind."
"That would be fine, Topalina. I have things to take care of in here while you're doing that." Erin nodded and leaned over to kiss his cheek softly before getting to her feet and holding her hand out to Alex. For a brief moment, Dave was certain that Alex would rebuff her, but then she was taking hold of it and letting Erin pull her to her feet before they left the room.
He listened to the back door open and close before he got up, picking up the used coffee cups and bringing them into the kitchen, rinsing them out before setting the cups upside down on the drying mat. Mudgie whined at his feet, and he crouched down to pet his dog, scratching his head before opening the front door and letting him out to do his business. When that was taken care of, Dave put Mudgie in his crate and then headed upstairs and changed into pyjamas and a dressing gown before settling down in the wingback chair that overlooked the lake and watched as Erin and Alex talked on the dock. He smiled as he watched Alex tug Erin down onto the dock, their feet soon bare and dangling in the cool water as they talked animatedly. It was a beautiful sight, watching the two friends come back together, and his lower lip trembled a little with emotion as he sighed and picked up the book he was currently reading, losing himself in the words on the page.
A loud, girlish, shriek pierced the quiet of the evening, and he closed the book on his thumb as he quickly looked out the window again to see that Alex and Erin were splashing each other with water, none of it truly getting on them, but still there was something sweet about the way they were playing, and he hoped that this meant there truly was hope for reconciliation that would last beyond this weekend for the friends. Erin suddenly glanced up at his window, grinning with a freedom that he hadn't seen on her face in far too long, and he nodded as he grinned in return, only to watch Alex manage to thoroughly soak Erin's torso. He wondered what would happen next, since he knew how cold the water tended to be this early in the summer, and felt his mouth run dry when his lover stripped off her shirt as she shivered a little. Then he guffawed when Erin rolled the shirt up into a tube and whump Alex with it before taking off in the direction of the cabin.
Alex was hot on her heels when they disappeared from view, and Dave relaxed back in his chair as he shook his head. He had never truly known their social dynamic back then, so seeing Erin as she might have been, had life not conspired against her and Alex, was a bit melancholy, and he tried to shrug that feeling off, knowing that there wouldn't be a proper place for that emotion once Erin joined him in the bedroom. Only a few moments later, the door thumped open and Erin was sprinting inside, curling up in his lap as she breathed heavily, her breasts heaving enticingly in her bra. "Alex is out for blood tonight, honey."
"I saw what you two were doing, you gave as good as she did, Topalina."
"Yeah, Rin, listen to Dave. You were the one that started the water fight, and I wanted to end it." Alex leaned against the doorway and smiled gently at them both. "Though since you've claimed sanctuary in Dave's arms, I suppose that I can let it go for the evening. We'll have to see what tomorrow brings. Sleep well, you two." From the broad wink Alex threw his way, he knew that she knew exactly what they would be up to as soon as the bedroom door closed, and he blushed a little as he waggled the fingers of his free hand at her, only relaxing when Alex closed the door and left them alone. And in that moment, he knew that it was going to be a very interesting evening.