✦XO✦

The next day, Luke sat at his desk at work looking over files, spreadsheets, list of vendors making sure everything was set before the meeting tomorrow. It wasn't a huge contract or a new one but every contract meant something to him. But his mind was somewhere else the moment Matt walked in.

Luke had know Matt since high school and attended the same college together. College is where they met Derek. Derek was Luke's roommate. It didn't take really long before they became good friends. Their friendship only strengthen more when Luke's parent passed away. They were driving at night when a driver who fell asleep at the wheel drove them off the road into a deep ditch. His mother had died on impact. A witness who tried to help said his father had died by a heart attack after realizing his wife was no longer alive. Matt and Derek had taken the semester off to help Luke settle his father business and other matters that fell on him. He no longer viewed them as friends but brothers. So when Derek brought up the proposal for Penelope he didn't argue like he often did with his uncle.

Penelope turned out to be the perfect partner. She didn't question him about his past. She didn't harass him about working to much. She didn't asked to be loved or cared for. She never asked for anything really. Luke sat back looking blankly at the screen in front of him. 'Why didn't she?' He wonder to himself. Even he felt a little odd that she didn't question him about the lipstick mark on his shirt. Before he could think any further Matt walked in like he always did without a care in the world. Then again Prentiss never stopped him from going in unless he was in an important meeting.

Prentiss was Luke assistant but before that she was a really good friend from high school. She was struggling when the company she worked for collapsed and all her saving with it. She had invested a lot, if not all, into that company. So when Luke and Matt found out they asked her to work for them. Unfortunately, since it wasn't their own company, getting her a better position was hard to come by. Even Luke had to struggle to work his way up. But she was fine with the position, it paid very well and the benefits were good. She only been working there for over a year. Once the opportunity opened up they were more then happy to push her into its direction.

"Alright I tripled.. no wait quadruple checked the file I sent you. I don't see anything in it that would make you classify me as an idiot. It happened over four years ago, you need to let it go." Matt said as he pulled out a chair and sat down hard into it. He hated meetings.

Luke looked up at him with a smirk as he leaned back into his chair. "When did I say there was something wrong with the file you sent me." Luke loved pulling Matt legs. Luke was different in front of everyone else but with Matt and Prentiss he was the class clown.

Matt looked at him, dumbfounded. Four years ago, as a boss and secretary foreplay between him and JJ, he attached a indecent letter, meant only for JJ, to his work file. He, however, forgot to delete it and sent it out for printing for the meeting the next day. It was a small meeting between them and a old client, providing them all with a good laugh. However, Luke, for his own amusement, never let him forget it. "What? Yes you did. You called me an idiot. I have the text."

"Yes but when did I say something was wrong with the file." Luke smirked at Mark as he walked over to lean against his desk in front of Matt. "It's not me who needs to let it go, Elsa." Matt looked at him with his eyebrow raised while he pulled out his phone to go over yesterday text. Luke began to sing while he twirled around Matt seat "Let it go! Let it go! You'll never see me cry! Let it go! Let it go!"

Matt punched Luke in the stomach as Luke made his way to the front of him. Luke grabbed Matt head in a head lock and began giving him a noogie. Matt let out a groan. "Say Uncle." Luke said still rubbing his knuckles into Matt head.

"Never." Matt took his chance to straighten himself enough to elbow Luke in the stomach. The blow made both of them trip over the chairs and land on the floor with a thud.

Prentiss walked in to find them both laying on the floor trying to catch they breathe. "Honestly… you guys.." Prentiss was again speechless. She glared at them as they got up and straighted themselves out. She doesn't understand how these grown men got any work done. Whenever they were together they were like little children. "I am not even going to waste my breath." As she turned to walk away, Luke grabbed Prentiss and pulls her into a hug. Dramatically pushing her head against his chest.

"I am sooo sorry darling." Luke say in a whimpering voice as he runs his hand over her head. "I promise. I promise I will never do this again. Just don't walk away from me like this. I promise." Prentiss pushes herself of Luke.

"I hate you so much." Prentiss said as she fixes her hair. Luke and Matt laugh at her. Prentiss grabs Luke's hand showing him his crossed fingers. "You promise, huh?" It was something Luke often did when he would make a promise or say something he knew he couldn't fulfill. Prentiss let his hand fall as she pushed him aside. "So what we're you both fighting about."

"He called me an idiot." Matt looked down suddenly realizing how stupid it sounded. Luke smirked as he placed the last chairs up right before going to his chair to sit down.

Prentiss shook her head, 'children' she thought. "Well not that I disagree but what did he do this time." Both Matt and Prentiss went to sit across the desk in front of Luke.

"Yeah what did I do?" Matt said looking towards Luke, curiously, since now he knew it had nothing to do with the file he sent him.

"Unlike you predicted, she didn't say anything about the lipstick mark." Luke said turning to his work. "I should of made a bet."

Prentiss lifts herself from the chair. "Lipstick mark? Who didn't say anything?"

"Silence before the storm my child. Silence before the storm." Matt said smirkingly at Luke.

"Would someone care to tell me what happened?" Prentiss asked turning her head to look at both of them.

"Someone got a bit naughty with someone and they left their calling card on his shirt." Matt purposely trying to make it sound bad.

"No." Prentiss look over to Luke, shocked. Luke was glaring at Matt as he threw a pen at him. "Is it true?"

"No!" Luke slightly upset that she would even think that way. "I only have eyes for you." Luke smiled at Prentiss.

"Eww gross. I could hardly stand being your friend. Both of you exactly. I can't believe how someone decided to marry you" she said pointing to Luke. "And someone decided to get engaged to you." Matt looked dumbfounded at her.

"What! I am a great catch. You are just jealous that I quit flirting with you after my engagement. And you are now stuck with that imbecile there." Matt said throwing the pen back at Luke.

"Enough." Prentiss yelled placing both hands out towards them. Luke placed the pen to the side. "Now talk like grown men or so help me God."

"The night before we flew back from Cali, Matt and I went to a restaurant for lunch. As we were leaving, a drunk girl bumped into me. She left a lipstick mark on the arm of my shirt."

"I told him to clean it before he got home so Penelope doesn't accuse him of having an affair. Like always, I bet, he was so busy thinking about work that he forgot." Matt sat back smug.

"And that is why you are an idiot because Penelope didn't say anything about it." Luke sat back in his own chair, smiling at Matt.

"Maybe she doesn't love you." Matt said pulling his friends leg. Luke raised an eyebrow at him, slightly hurt but ignoring the feeling all together. Matt noticed the switch from hurt to indifferent on Luke's face. It was quick but it was there. "I am telling you, silence before the storm."

"You should definitely tell Penelope." Prentiss said worried for Luke.

"What should I say? Ohh by the way, that shirt you saw yesterday with the lipstick mark, it's nothing. Just some drunk girl bumped into me and accidentally kissed my arm. And I am telling you now because even though I didnt do anything to feel guilty. I thought you should know. I am totally not making an excuse for that mark." Luke believing he didn't need to say anything because he didn't do anything wrong.

"You are right it looks odd bring it up a day after the fact but I think you should still say something." Prentiss running his hand through her hair. "Mention it show how and see how she reacts and tell her."

"Fine, my love, I'll talk to her tonight. Anything for you." Luke smiled at Matt while talking to Prentiss. Matt smiled back at Luke before grabbing Prentiss cheek and squeezing it hard.

"Owwww." She slapped Matt hand away and squeezed his cheeks equally hard. "I can't believe I have bosses like you let alone friends." She stood up and walked out the door leaving Luke and Matt laughing.

The friendship between the three never passed the line of friendship regardless of the flirting. The boys were the ones to initiated it always, but they all knew nothing was meant by it. The only time Prentiss flirted back was to get the boys away from unwanted attention.

Later that day, Penelope was busy cutting vegetables for the stew she was making for dinner. She was cutting carrots when Luke came and sat across from her on one of the stools. She looked up surprise to see him outside the room without his laptop. "Hey, dinner is going to be ready in 30, did you need anything?"

Luke stared at Penelope as she went back to cutting her carrots. "I actually wanted to ask you something."

Penelope picked up another carrot and began to chop. "Sure shoot."

"I get a lot of compliments about how clean my clothes are." Luke mentality shook his head. That was the best thing he could come up with, smooth. "So I was wondering how do you get all those tough stains out. Ink, coffee.. lipstick." Luke was watching Penelope closely and could of sworn she paused at the word lipstick. She went back to cutting the carrots so quickly he felt he might have mistaken. Luke watched as she chopped away at the carrots so quickly. He watched as she rocked the blade back and forth closer to her fingers. "Penelope!" he yelled as he saw the knife landing really close to her finger.

She jumped at him yelling, slightly cutting her finger on the blade. Luke jumped off his stool and ran over to her, grabbing a clean rag out of the drawer next to them. Applying pressure to the wound, he yelled at her. "What is wrong with you?" Where was your mind at? If I didn't call out for you, you would of cut your finger. Penelope answer me!" Luke looked up as tears fell from her eyes. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to yell. You need to be more careful in the kitchen." Luke said as he lifted the rag slightly to inspect the injury.

"I am sorry, I will." Penelope said as she stared at Luke looking at the wound.

"It seems small and not to deep. Come with me, let's get you bandage up." Luke walked out still holding her hand, applying pressure.

Penelope hearted ached as she watched him bandage up her cut. He refused to let her continue cooking "Luke, you will be leaving for your flight in 3 hours, take a nap. I'll finish dinner."

"Shhhh. I can sleep on the plane. Now sit there quietly." Luke wanted to yell at her for being so careless but image of her crying earlier stopped him.

Both quietly sat down for dinner not exchanging any words, only a compliment about dinner. Luke quickly took at shower before grabbing his suitcase to leave.

"Here is your wallet, phone, passport. Call me before you take off and land. Don't forget to call me when you reach the hotel. You forget that anyone exist when you get to the hotel." Luke smirked as he placed his suitcase near the door. "I ordered you a taxi but Luke I can drive you to the airport." Penelope said as Luke grabbed each item one by one from her.

"No Penelope, you know I don't like you driving especially as night." He said as he placed his passport in the front pocket of his carry on. "Listen take care of yourself and don't work to much and no cooking, get delivery. It's not deep but take care of that wound. Make sure to show it to the doctor tomorrow and don't forget to call me when you do." Luke stopped talking when he heard the horn of the taxi beep outside. "Take care of yourself, I'll be back in three days. Call me if you need anything." He opens the door to leave not before turning around to look at Penelope as he stepped out. Both waved at each other as the car drove off. Penelope stood at the door as she watched the taxi disappear around the corner.

✦XO✦