I hadn't planned on writing this, but my friend said it had to be done!

oOoOoOo

Pink luggage suited him, he decided. Although, not a common occurrence in the Tracy household, he hadn't really been given the chance for color appraisal. It could also be the company to which the luggage belonged. He'd be glad to carry anything belonging to her, no matter the color.

Gordon stood by Penelope's side as they waited for Parker to pull the car around. The wheelchair was no longer a 24/7 necessity, but she was still left winded after walking for more than five minutes straight. She had protested when he pulled it into her room which led to a half-hearted argument that he hated winning.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her tug at the sling holding her left arm. The bulky stabilizer had been replaced with a sleek plasti-cast that made most of her everyday activities much simpler. The damage to her right leg had been severe, but the surgeons were confident that the "bacta-gel"- not it's actual name, but he found it amusing- would speed up cell regeneration within a month. Unfortunately, it did nothing for returning range of motion and the ability to hold her full weight. That would come from weeks of physical therapy. Not a pleasant chain of thought. And it seemed one that he was sharing with the woman he would do anything for.

"Gordon?" Her usual proper mannerisms in full force again, "I've been thinking. Would you be willing to assist in my physical therapy sessions? I understand if you would not be available on a daily basis, but any help would be appreciated."

"If you want to spend more time with me, just say so." Gordon teased. Truthfully, he didn't think he had the strength to be the one putting her through any kind of pain, much less the kind he was far too familiar with.

"I would like to spend more time with you." Her eyes met his, firm and serious.

It was enough to draw the breath from his lungs, rendering his voice useless. He'd been waiting for this conversation since her medication-induced confession. For weeks it seemed the words had never existed, and now, he was floundering. The desire to be in the same room as her was battling with the knowledge that she would be in pain, solely caused by him. It was the post-hydrofoil memories that gave him purchase and let him answer.

"Penny... I-" he cleared his suddenly too-dry throat, "You know I will be there whenever you need me, but-" When did his hands start shaking... He flexed the one hand not clinging to the pink suitcase trying to still the unexpected reaction. He could feel her eyes on him and he realized he was focusing too much on one part of her statement. Did she really need him for therapy or just companionship? One was far more appealing than the other.

Gentle fingers slid into his hand as it opened for the umpteenth time. And in that instant, he knew he wouldn't refuse. Couldn't refuse. If she needed him to get her through the pain of reworking newly healed muscles, he'd give her everything he had.

"If it's too much to ask-" The slight disappointment in her voice made him want to curl up under a rock.

"Sorry! No, sorry- I mean! Yes!" He quickly shut his mouth, trying desperately to get his tongue under control. Breathing in and out, he gave her hand a light squeeze. "I'm sorry. I can be where ever you need me, whenever."

"Are you sure?" Her raised brow drew him to her eyes.

"Yes," he paused, "but I have one request."

"Name it." He could get lost in that smile.

"The physical therapy," he gave her his best Serious-Gordon face, "if it gets to be too much and you want me to stop, you have to tell me, deal?"

Her eyes moved past him to the approaching pink car. "Here's Parker, help me up?"

Acting as her personal walking stick, he helped her to her feet. Now stopped under the canopy of the hospital's front entrance, Parker busied himself with the luggage. Gordon was more than happy to hand over his particular bag in exchange for her arm as he led her to the back seat.

Bracing to help her step into the car, he was surprised to have her turn to face him.

The electric shock that shot through his brain as her lips pressed against the corner of his mouth was enough to melt every concern he had about the promise he was making. The moment was only an instant and he was looking into her eyes again.

"Deal. Can we start tomorrow?" He managed a nod before helping her into the car.

His heart- or his stomach- was doing cartwheels as he watched Fab1 pull away. The logistics of being lady Penelope's coach as well as a member of IR were nagging somewhere at the back of his mind, but that could wait until tomorrow. All he needed to focus on was how to keep his sanity while spending time with the woman he cared so much about, who had chosen him to cause her physical pain, no matter how necessary it was.

After a while, and on his way back to the heli-pod to head home, he decided life was too short to worry about the what ifs of the future. She would keep her part of the deal. A deal she had sealed.

Gordon smiled at the prospect of more 'seals' in the days to come.

oOoOoOo

Ack! I feel like I need to write a third part to this! … it may happen!

Hope y'all enjoyed part 2!