Sam joins Pansy in New York City for Fashion Week. Can they both make decisions and sacrifices to keep each other happy?


Pansy: Don't hate me
Ginny: What's going on?
Pansy: I'm thinking about moving
Ginny: To where?
Pansy: DC …

FlyBoy: I've been thinking …
Old man: About what?
FlyBoy: Moving
Old man: Where?
FlyBoy: London …

Pansy played with the fringe on her scarf as she waited to get off the plane. This trip to Fashion Week was both a dream and a nightmare. Blaise had made one of her dreams come true but his gift had made her question her choice to build her life in London. He may have gifted her a trip to New York, but he had also gifted her another week with Sam.

"Chin up, Pans," She muttered as she walked off the plane. "You have survived a war, you can survive a week with beautiful clothes and a beautiful man."

"Speaking of beautiful men, he had bloody well be at the gate when I walk out. I took that metal box across an ocean so he could meet me the Muggle way instead of the Portkey I wanted to use." Pansy continued to mutter to herself as she navigated her way through the crowded terminals of LaGuardia. "Merlin's beard, I have seen smaller crushes in the Alley the week before term starts at Hogwarts. What I wouldn't give for a beater and bludger to clear a path about now."

"Can I help you? I don't know who the beautiful man you are muttering about is, but I can try to help you find him." A deep and familiar voice whispered in her ear as she searched the baggage claim for the belt where her bags would be arriving. "Sounds like you need a tour guide for the day. What is the name of this man and the place you were supposed to meet?"

"Bloody hell, don't sneak up on a witch like that, Fly boy," Pansy tried to suppress her grin as she turned at his familiar words. "You might want to get a new pick up line or two while you are at it. I'm still not sure how well they worked the first time."

Sam bent down to kiss her on the cheek. "I'm just glad to have you in the same city as me. How was the flight?"

"Not much better than apparating for the first time." Pansy grumbled as Sam put his hand in the small of her back and guided her towards the baggage carousels. "I don't see how Muggles stand being crammed into those bloody tin cans on wings for hours at a time. The only salvation for this whole ordeal was the champagne in first class during the flight."

"I guess I will have to see what I can do to redeem your trip after your flight, Sweetness." Sam pulled her into a hug as they watched the luggage drop onto the baggage carousel. "What bag are we looking for? I've already gotten us checked into the hotel, so we can go straight up to the room when we get there."

"The black one with the green ribbon." Pansy sighed as she pointed to the bag just dropping onto the carousel. "All I really want is a hot bath and a soft bed. I have a few days before the shows start to spend exploring. Do you know a good tour guide?"

"As a matter of fact, I know a guy who has lived here most of his life." Sam reached for her bag. "He gave me a few places to enjoy. But first, a nap, for both of us."

"I haven't taken a nap in years." Pansy muttered as she watched Sam pull her bag off the carousel. "I am not going to start now. I have things to organize if I am going to make the most of this trip. I have a list of things …"

Sam interrupted Pansy's list with a soft nip of her lower lip. "You have two days before the shows start to get those things together. I have not seen you for months and I have plans of my own for you tonight."

"Do you, now?" Pansy quirked a brow as she returned Sam's nip. "What if I have plans? New York City is full of things to do."

Sam held up his phone and grinned. "I have my sources. She also tells me you are a gryffin with a sore paw when you travel and don't get your rest. Trust me."

"Bloody ginger, always tattling on me." Pansy grumbled and leaned into Sam. "The worst part is she is right. The last time I traveled to outfit the Harpies I did it on too little sleep and too much caffeine. A few things might have caught on fire."

Sam's laugh filled the busy baggage claim. "Sweetness, I have seen the pictures. I have seen the wand in your hand and the smoke coming off the bar. Budapest will never be the same. New York has just recovered from Loki and his mischief, I don't think I could handle a dose of cranky Pansy."

"Come on, Baby Girl, Your chariot awaits …"

Pansy: Made it to NYC in one piece
Ginny Do you know what time it is?
Pansy: Time to go for a ride?
Ginny: Really?!
Pansy: In a cab, to a hotel
Ginny: Sure …
Pansy: He wants me to take a bloody nap
Ginny: Oh my
Pansy: I hate naps
Ginny Who said you had to go to sleep right away
Pansy: Naps by their bloody nature imply sleep
Ginny: A "nap" with Sam could be fun
Pansy: Why did you do that?
Ginny: I love taking "naps' with Harry
Pansy: Bloody hell … gross

Pansy tried not to shudder as she shoved her mobile back into her handbag. She did not need the image of naptime with Harry and Ginny in her head.

"Everything okay back home?" Sam put an arm around her shoulders. "You are looking a little green. What was that text about?"

"Bloody ginger and her logic." Pansy rubbed her eyes and let her head rest on Sam's shoulder. "I did not need the image of her personal life. She may have thought it was a good argument for a nap, but I will never hear that word again without that image. That is just foul."

"What image?" Sam's chest shook with suppressed laughter. "How could what she just said make you shudder at a word? She seems so nice and helpful."

"I never needed to know that she enjoys taking 'naps' with her boyfriend." Pansy could feel another shudder run down her spine. "That is just bloody disgusting. I do not need to know anything about that menace of a redhead and her other half get into."

"Well, maybe I can change your feelings about the word." Sam pressed a kiss to her forehead. "We're here. Time to go up to the room and take a nap…"

Old Man: You have been quiet today
FlyBoy: Picked her up from the airport a few hours ago
Old Man: How is she?
FlyBoy: Good. She's asleep right now
Old Man: Really?
FlyBoy: I talked her into a nap
Old Man: Hmmmm
FlyBoy: Taking her to dinner tonight
Old Man: Have you talked to her about London?
FlyBoy: I still need to plan
Old man: You need to make a decision

Sam set his cell on the table beside the bed. "That conversation can happen later, Old Man. I have a nap to enjoy."

Sam looked over at the still figure in the bed with him. "I have to figure out how we can balance our lives without giving up too much. But, first, sleep."

Sam curled his body around Pansy's sleeping form and let his dreams take over.

Ginny: Hmmmm … good nap?
Pansy: Don't
Ginny: He looks peaceful
Pansy: Looks are deceiving
Ginny: What's wrong?
Pansy: He's restless. It's what woke me up.
Ginny: Are you sure that is what woke you up?
Pansy: Most of it
Ginny: Have you made a decision?
Pansy: I still need to do some research.
Ginny: You know the girls will support you
Pansy: But what about the rest of my clients?
Ginny: Talk to him
Pansy: I could lose everything
Ginny: Or he could help you conquer the world … from both sides of the pond

Pansy set her mobile back on the bedside table. Ginny, the git, was right. She needed to talk to Sam about what she wanted to do. She had already decided that she could not do this long distance thing for much longer. She missed feeling him beside her. The last few months had proved that. But, could she ask him to give up everything and join her in London?

"Sam, wake up," Pansy whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek. "Fly Boy, we need to talk. Wake up love."

Sam muttered and rolled towards her. "No talking, more napping."

Pansy let herself be pulled back into Sam's warm body. "Fly Boy, I'm hungry and you promised me dinner."

Sam nuzzled the crook of her neck and feathered it with kisses. "I think I have something tasty right here. Why go out for dinner when we can enjoy ourselves here?"

"Fly Boy, that is a tempting offer." Pansy sighed and ran her hands through his tight curls. "But, I haven't eaten for hours. As much as I would love to stay in this bed with you, my bloody stomach won't shut up."

The angry rumble from Pansy's midsection seemed to punctuate her thought.

"What time is it?" Sam muttered as he continued to kiss any patch of exposed skin he could find. "Tony set our reservation at Zenkichi at nine. Unless you want to stay in and order room service?"

"Can he change our reservations?" Pansy groaned as Sam closed his lips around her nipple. "I think room service is a bloody good idea."

FlyBoy: Take it
Sparky: Take what?
FlyBoy: Not leaving this bed
Sparky: So your girl is not hungry?
FlyBoy: Room service
Sparky: Be good
FlyBoy: Go away Tony

Sam ran his finger through Pansy's hair as thoughts flew through his head. This is what he wanted every day. He wanted to wake up to her hair spread across the pillow beside him. But, that was never going to happen if he didn't ask a few questions.

"Sweetness, wake up." Sam tucked Pansy's hair behind her ear. "I need to talk to you. Baby girl, wake up before I lose the courage to ask you something."

Pansy snuggled deeper into his shoulder and sighed. "It is dark and I am comfortable. I'm sleeping. No talking, more sleeping."

"Pansy, we need to talk." Sam put two fingers under her chin and tipped her head up. "We need to decide a few things. I need to decide a few things."

Pansy slowly opened her eyes. "This had better be good. I was having a bloody good dream and you woke me up. I need my beauty sleep."

"Do you like DC?" Sam whispered the question against Pansy's lips. "Could you make a life there with me? Can we make this all work?"

"Do you like London?" Pansy's question rushed out as Sam finished his. "Can we make this superhero-fashion witch thing work out? Do you want babies?"

"I want everything with you, sweetness." Sam kissed any further questions from Pansy's lips. "I would fly to the ends of the earth to have this every night. But how are we going to make this work?"

"I want it all, too." Pansy cupped Sam's cheek in her hand. "But how, Fly Boy? We live on opposite sides of the world and I cannot keep doing this. It hurts too much."

"I can't ask you to give up your business…"

"I can't ask you to give up your work …"

Pansy buried her face in Sam's shoulder again. "So what do we do? Portkeys are not any better than airplanes. Floos don't connect continents and I want more than a few stolen moments every few months."

Sam rubbed his chin across the top of Pansy's head. "So what do we do, Sweetness? How do we ask each other to give up what makes us who we are?"

"Do we have to give it up?" Pansy's voice was muffled by his chest. "Can't we just meet in the middle? It's not like I have to be in London to do what I love."

"I can retire from flying." Sam offered as he continued to rub his chin across the top of her head. "I will miss the sky, but it is worth it for you and for this."

"What are the winters like in DC?" Pansy yawned as she started to trace circles on Sam's chest. "It's cold and raining in London from October to February. Dreary place. Diagon Alley in the rain."

"It depends on the year," Sam covered Pansy's hand with his own. "Some years it rains and others it snows. The cold air makes it a little harder to fly. But, cold is better than rain."

"Does S.H.I.E.L.D. have an office in London?" Sam could feel Pansy's eyelashes flutter against his chest as she tried to stay awake. "It might be nice to have someone besides Aurors and war heroes to keep us safe. I know a great designer…"

"Does it have to be one or the other?" Sam let his eyes close as Pansy's steady breathing puffed against his chest. "Washington in August is almost as bad as winter. It would be nice if we could spend all our time in two places at the same time."

"Even magic can't do that." Pansy's sleepy whisper tickled Sam's skin. "It would be better if I had two shops and you had two nests. We could choose where and when to live …"

"Just because I'm called the Falcon doesn't mean I have a nest, Baby Girl." Sam's eyes drifted closed as he thought about what Pansy had said. "That might be a dream we could make come true…"

Old Man: Are you serious about retiring?
FlyBoy: What time is it?
Old Man: I've already had my morning run
FlyBoy: Don't know. Still sleeping
Old Man: Just thought you might want to know
FlyBoy: You have my attention
Old Man: Fury said something about needing someone to work with Mi-6 for the next couple of months
FlyBoy: MI-6? As in James Bond 007?
Old Man: Yes. He needs someone in London for the next several months
FlyBoy: Don't mess with me, Old Man.
Old Man: I'm not. Call Fury and ask him.
FlyBoy: Give me a few hours
Old Man: Don't wait too long. Fury will find someone else if you don't ask.
FlyBoy: He told you because he wants me.
Old Man: Maybe.
FlyBoy: What did you do?
Old Man: Just call Fury.