Penelope Garcia chortles to herself as she takes a sip of the surprisingly-not-terrible white wine which was served to her in an adorable-if-plastic wine glass; she had ordered it mainly to annoy the air hostess since she knew that she was probably already giddy enough without adding more alchohol.

Luke had just dropped a quick kiss on her lips as he unfolded himself from his seat for the third time so he could take a couple laps up and down the aisle to stretch his legs.

Each time Luke had returned from his walk he reported how - if he even got close to the miniscule airplane washroom - he had been glared at by the on-flight security guard.

Meanwhile Penelope regaled him with how the air hostess had clearly been directed to swoop down on her with the offer of a drink - maybe a nice Perrier? - and a steely - just pull down your little table again dearie - the moment one half of a couple dared to vacate their seat. They surmised that this charter airline had been having trouble with their vacationer clientele trying to sneak into the mile high club. Apparently, much to the FBI Agents amusement, Luke and Penelope had been identified as potential offenders.

Otherwise the flight has been pretty straight forward - mostly Penelope has been kept busy by marveling at the unbelievability that she is sitting on an airplane - on her way to Banff-by-way-of-Calgary, Alberta, Canada - sitting beside the (in no particular order) kinetically kind, powerfully protective, awesomely astute, ridiculously resourceful - not to mention happily handsome ooh and horrendously hunky - and and voluptuosly vulnerable - Luke Alvez.

She has already admitted to him that when she hacked into the HR system to force the bi-annual employee leave report to be delivered to Emily's inbox three-weeks early - and noooooooo...she did not alter it in any way ...she had SOME scrupples ! - she had hoped it would somehow increase the odds that she and Luke could be both be granted the same a four day weekend... but somehow Luke had parlayed the whole thing into being forced by the team into taking the time off and even asking her to join him!

She had to admit that meeting the team at the elevator after they got back from Miami was going to go down in history as one of the most memorable moments of her life.

Thank goodness she had gotten his texts in time! She'd been hurrying to finish up an upgrade of one of her anti-incryption programs and had somehow missed his ping...and the 5 billion follow up panic pings as the team landed, disembarked, and then drove back to the office. (ok is was 3 follow up texts and they weren't panicky they just explained that if he didn't hear back from her he'd avoid meeting her in the office to avoid a debacle and that he would see her later tonight...he really was calm about all of this...)

But it all worked out - she saw the texts - and sent a quick confirmation that she understood the gist of what he needed from her - and met the gang with her usual pizazz. She had handed out hugs to everyone - even a quick one to Luke (she made sure he was not first or last) - while talking a mile a minute about how happy they were home and what a great job everyone did.

They of course, turned it around and glowed about how great a job she did - and Emily Prentiss - that sly-boss-lady-extraordinaire used the opportunity to publicly shame - Honnestly! Penelope should have filed a grievance! - their beloved and ever so talented Technical Analyst for allowing her leave bank to build up beyond that which is normally seen as decent and that if Penelope did not take some much deserved time off soon - she Emily Prentiss - Chief of the Unit - would have to schedule it for it.

Emily topped off her little show with an explanation that if she had to do the scheduling - she would be sure to also book and guilt Penelope in to taking a flight to the middle of nowhere - somewhere with no wifi and where it rained all the time!

Then, Emily cool as a cucumber had turned on Luke and had started threatening him too!

At which point - Luke pretending that it was the first time he's telling the team about the option to go to the mountains and that he could take a friend but that he'd had turned it down...at which point everyone did their part to convince him he just had to accept the invitation... then the cherry on top.. he turned to Penelope and said:

"Hey Chica - maybe you should come with? Use up some of those vacation days? Climb a snowy mountain or two? Take a soak in a hotspring? What do you say? It could be the beginning of a new and beautiful..."

Penelope is still so proud of her spluttery reaction to his question - she didn't think she could've been more convincing if they'd had weeks to rehearse... she had cut him off fiercely at that point.

"Didn't I once tell you before Agent Alvez that I do not come with? How dare you ask me to come with?"

The team could hardly stifle their reactions at that point. Matt and JJ were just on the edge of celebration...but Emily and Dave refuse to admit defeat so easily... Dave had been the first to put his oar in...

"Kitten - don't be so hasty - aren't you the one who is always telling me to use up my vacation days? Maybe you should consider going with our boy here."

Emily was quick to concur. "PG I've got to say I agree with Dave on this one. You deserve a few days off - especially after your incredible work today - and I hear Banff is really cute - lots of cutesy shops and organic bakeries...besides have you been to Canada since we got you off that watch list?"

"Watch list smatch list. I am officially reformed. A person can change you know!"

Then, even though it was against her financial interests, JJ couldn't help but weedle "Exactly a person can change! And you've changed right? No longer on international no fly lists - are considering moving to a new place - are much nicer to Alvez... Pen...you vacationed with Morgan - I think it's only fair that the rest of us get our turn to enjoy some off duty joy with the Great Penelope Garcia...and since Luke has an opportunity that is imminent - I guess I'll let him go first... but then I'm calling dibs! Maybe you me and the boys can go to Harry Potter Land or something!"

Penelope had, distracted by the opportunity to spoil godchildren with all things Harry Potter, momentarily forgotten the plot for a second and squealed "REALLY?!?!? CAN SPENCER COME WITH TOO??? I hear you should totally get your costumes before you arrive because otherwise it'll cost an arm and a leg. Apparently you can go to Olivander's and be chosen by a wand and we will have to visit Hogsmead and visit Honeydukes - I wonder how they make fizzing whizbees ... the rides are supose to be awesome - although Spencer will probably skip them ...but he can hang out with the kids if they don't want to come with for a particular ride - I mean Michael is still a very tiny person."

...fortunately Luke took that as his cue to get the conversation back on track...

"So Spencer and Henry and Michael can all come with - but to come with me is beneath you, Garcia? If you don't want to join me for the weekend that's not a problem - it was just an idea. Something fun for friends who both need to take some time off to do together."

He had stood there with that look on his face. The serious kind-of-angry disapointed hurt one he had given her that day when he had told her that he could not just leave her to cry.

The look that demanded how she dare even think about asking him to do such a thing?

She remembers that even though she knew the whole insane conversation was an act - that she felt exactly the same as she did that first time - guilty, melting, touched, and so so so in danger from her feelings about this man who could call her on her bullshit and would never let anyone - not even herself - hurt her.

She stared across at him and it was like they were the only two in the room. Then a word - a single word - fell out of her.

"Fine."

"Fine?"

"I mean. You're right. I'm not too good to come with - and you are certainly someone that I - that anyone - should be over the moon to count as their friend. So if you're serious and will still have me. Although why you would want me to come with you when I have been so horrid to you - I have no idea. But..but.. I would be - honoured - Super Special Agent Luke Alvez to join you for a long weekend away - as a friend. I mean mountains are good places to bury hatchets aren't they? I meant aren't mountains the natural habitats of hatchets? I assume that's where all the hatchets settle down to raise their little hatchets...having their wood chopping and cliff climbing competitons at the annual hatchet family picnic..." at that point Luke was just about dying from barely contained mirth - so she pulled herself back to the actual point "Anyways it probably would be better for the team if we got along a bit better as friends."

"So? You're are actually willing to come for a long weekend away with me? Seriously?"

"Yes. If you still want me to come?"

"You're not planning on throwing me off a mountain side?"

"Nope. Promise."

"Ok then. Friends?"

He had stuck out his hand for her to shake.

She remembers how she had chosen to just put her finger tips in his and gave him a limp handshake to keep up appearances...but that she really had wanted to hug him.

"Friends."

At which point the rest of the team - who were pretty much turning blue from holding their breath erupted into laughter and high-fives.

Luke had ducked off to "text his buddy" - pulling out $50 and handing it to Matt who eventually passed it on to Dave. Which let Penelope "discover" that they had money riding on this thing - so she made a big deal of being insulted that they had bet on her answer. Everyone teased J.J. for helping to scupper her own bet - which led to more raving about the potential getaway to immerse themselves in all things Harry Potter - J.J. promised that she would talk to Will about the idea with a winked suggestion they start by looking into the California theme park - stating that they'd all probably had enough Florida for one week.

Then the team had all gone their seperate ways - everyone eager to get home..

That night had marked the second night Luke and Penelope shared a bed...

Luke sits back down and raises his eyebrows "They gave you a third glass of wine? They do know what affect alchohol can have on a lady right? This seems counter to their aims of keeping your hands off of me."

"Oh she knows and she did not approve. I've only had a sip though and we split the last one - do you want to finish it for me?"

"If you don't mind sharing?"

"Share with you, Newbie? Never!"

Penelope negated her words though by handing him the glass and kissing his cheek.

The flight was almost over and Luke couldn't believe how easy things were between them. It was a pretty long day of travel for a weekend away - in fact as the "public organizer" of the jaunt he'd already spoken to Prentiss about taking at least part of next Tuesday off since they weren't supposed to get back until pretty late - but they had yet to run out of conversation topics and when they did take a break from talking the silence was comfortable.

So far, ever since they had gotten back from Miami, the two of them have kept things pretty light - there was just one moment where they had let things tip over into something a bit - what was a good word? - deep? complicated? fraught? - nope - just plain fucking unbearably awful.

He wasn't regretful exactly it had happened but...well...he couldn't really feel anything about it because he could hardly let his brain touch the...the parts that made him wonder what the fuck he was doing letting himself let this whole thing continue...his jaw tightens as he cautiously - like a man walking into the grizzly's den that he suspects may be lined venemous snakes...lets himself remember...

It was their second night of sharing a bed...after that ridiculous crazy wonderful charade for the team...

They had decided to stay over at her apartment since Roxy was more flexible about travel then Sergio - it was super weird watching those two - you'd think they would hate each other just based on the cat/dog thing...but they instead seemed to have two modes - ignoring each other or curled up napping. He even had a photo on his phone to prove it. He was thinking maybe he could frame it and give it to Penny for Christmas...

He had woken up in the most ridiculously comfortable bed in the entire world wrapped in blankets and his cheek cradled on a velvet covered pillow (which when he woke up later that morning he had flipped over as soon as possible to hide the newest damn wet spot he had drooled into being much to his mortification). He knows that Penelope had been nakedly curled against him - still warm and frowsily snuggled into sleep. You'd think being swathed in all comfort would have led to a content and gradual awakening - but no - much to his utter-unmitigated-despite-knowing-better SHAME he had woken up VIOLENTLY - heart pounding - breath strangled - limbs jerking - hands clawing - shaking - shouting ALOUD at whatever horrors had been chasing him just before he woke up.

He had hurt her.

As he literally struggled awake his arm had come up and hit her under the chin - hard - he had felt her head snap back with the blow - hard - she had bit her tongue - hard - there had been tears in her eyes and even been a little blood in that way that tongues hardly bleed but if it had been anywhere else...

And then she had been so understanding and intent on comforting him...giving Roxy and him space to do their post nightmare thing of bringing him back to himself...but also also being so so so there...and then when he stood up and apologized...trying to check how badly she'd been hurt...she had told him there was nothing to apologize for and and and...

..and then he had completely lost it on her.

He had lost his carefully rigorously hard fought for controlled temper at HER.

He had screamed at her that he was cancelling the trip. That she was stupid and irresponsible and fucking crazy for being there with him because he was broken and would never be fixed and would just hurt her in the end and then he would never forgive himself and it would be her fault.

His vitriolic rant had only lasted a handful of sentences - cut off by one sharp commanding bark by his amazing soul saving dog - but it was ugly and loud and mean.

The worst of himself mixed with the worst of his fears.

The only thing that made the memory even remotely approachable was that he had kept himself as far away as possible from her.

He had kept his body in check - standing harsh and rigid - not allowing himself to pummel anything - not even his own stupid self.

It was still... unforgivable.

But she had forgiven him or rather had still felt he had done nothing that needed to be forgiven.

She had understood.

She had somehow had words that calmed him down.

She had finally coaxed him back to bed - and he had...he had said sorry and promised to try again the only way he knew how...through touch...he had worshipped her with his body - slowly making love to her until she had screamed his name...and then they had slept - until their alarms went off and they had to make their way to work - their last day in the office before their trip.

He had tried to talk about things in the morning - but she had shushed him with a kiss and a flow of words about something completely silly - and since then they had just kind of floated along.


"Pen...what were they saying the other day about you being on a watch list?"

"Not a good topic when on an international flight, Newbie! Don't you think the air staff are worried enough about our potential amorous activities in their totally inadequate washroom facilities without them getting me confused with some bad-ass t-e-r-r-o-i-s-t???"

"Fair enough. But you're telling me the whole story sometime this weekend - she who looks like butter could melt in her mouth but is actually public enemy number one!"

"Pshaw. Like you've never been on a list."

"Not of the good guys, Chica."

"That you know of Alvez!"

Just then then the seatbelt sign came on and the Captain announced that they were beginning their approach to Calgary...

Just a shuttle trip left and their WEEKEND OF DESTINY could start in earnest.