Disclaimer: I do not own Danger Mouse or any canon characters. They are the property of Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall. I do own Dr. Moore and Farmer Johnson.

Notes: I did go with the timeskip after all. This is to speed up the process for their recovery, as well as bring in the new arc, which is the week-long holiday in the countryside. The mission mentioned is not canon, I just made it up to give an excuse why they're permitted to stay on someone's property.

Warnings: There is slight mention of concerns of self-harm and suicidal thoughts, but this is actually one of the tamer chapters.

Relationship is still platonic! They are affectionate, but it is platonic!

I hope you enjoy this!

(Linebreaks hate me, so I am using DMEP.)

DMEP

So, the authoress has decided to go with a timeskip to help speed things along. This chapter may have flashbacks for that reason, I do apologise for that.

"All set to go?" Danger Mouse asked Penfold as he turned to the tiny hamster. "Don't forget to fasten your belt."

"I know." Penfold took hold of his seatbelt and pulled it across, fastening it securely. "Ready, DM."

"Right then. Next stop, the Johnson farmstead." He turned on the ignition of the Mark III.

Penfold sighed, looking at his paws. The holiday had been arranged so they could get out of the pillar-box flat they called home; it was meant to serve as freedom from stress. "Could you please make sure not to overdo the fancy flying, Sir?"

"Don't worry, Penfold, this is meant to help you relax, not stress you out. I already promised last night I would not do any loop-de-loops or anything of the sort until you were out of the vehicle." He drove out of the garage, changed the settings using his special watch and soon, the vehicle was airborne. It felt great to be back in the driver's seat once more, he had missed it. "Would you like to take the scenic route? Or would you rather just get there as soon as possible?"

Looking up to the mouse, he could see the signs of exhilaration about being able to be out and about once more. He couldn't find it in himself to deny him any joy, even if he wasn't entirely keen on taking the scenic route himself. "The scenic route would be nice, DM."

"Alright then, here we go!" He turned the wheel slightly, causing the vehicle to veer to the right.

As Penfold continued gazing at his best friend, gauging his expressions, he couldn't help but find himself thinking of the moment the holiday was approved.

Dr. Moore nodded in satisfaction as another session of partner therapy had come to an end. "Both of you are making amazing progress. Not just in these sessions, but in your personal ones as well. Mr. Mouse, I'm pleased to say that you have done well coping with everything. You can continue therapy if you'd like, but it's not really too necessary at the moment."

Danger Mouse thought about it. "I'd still like to engage in some sessions, but once a month instead."

"Very well then, if you feel that's best." He then turned to Penfold. "We still have a little while to go for you, but things are no longer so severe that you require two sessions a week. How does one session a fortnight sound?"

The hamster thought about it. "That should be alright. Have I really started seeming better?"

"Far better than when we started. I've noticed urges and suicidal thoughts have been getting to be far less frequent too."

"Cor! I still have my moments of feeling low...but it is true I don't really feel like I want to try jumping in the Thames again."

Dr. Moore smiled. "That is definitely proof of progress. Of course, we must make sure it stays that way, so our sessions will need to continue for a while longer."

"Once a fortnight sounds alright then."

"Excellent! I'd also like to declare that neither of you appear to be at any risk to yourselves."

The mouse and hamster exchanged glances. Those were the words they had been hoping to hear.

"I recall a couple of months ago, you mentioned you'd like to go on a holiday. By my judgement, I would say now is an appropriate time. How long do you intend to be away?"

"Only a week at the most. It's just a quick getaway, but we still need to consider trying to get our lives back in order. This is just to relax after the stresses of the last couple of months," Danger Mouse explained, turning back to the gerbil.

"Mm-hm, I see. I still think it is a bit too soon to consider both of you Fit for Duty, so we will see how things are at our next session. Alright then, shall I make your appointments now? Or would you like to contact me about them? Just in case your holiday is prolonged."

"That actually seems like a wise suggestion. Anything could cause us a delay."

"Exactly." He slipped his folders, notebook and pen into his bag. "Mr. Penfold, I do recommend you staying on those anti-depressants too."

Penfold sighed, but nodded. He still wasn't thrilled about needing to take them, but he was at least thankful he had been spared from the worst side-effects. Much like Danger Mouse, he'd only experienced slight nausea and fatigue, but it passed after a week.

"Now then, I shall be taking my leave."

At that moment, Agent 57, in the form of a lop-eared rabbit, entered the flat. "I'm getting good with my timing," he chuckled as he and Dr. Moore exchanged nods of acknowledgement, just as the gerbil made his way to the door. Once the gerbil had departed, he noticed something positive must've happened. "Been a while since I've seen a smile like that," he remarked, approaching Danger Mouse and Penfold. "Good news, I take it?"

"We've been cleared to go on our week-long holiday in the countryside," Danger Mouse responded. "Neither of us are considered risks to ourselves."

The rabbit smiled widely at hearing that. Ever since everything had started, he'd been wanting to hear his good friends were showing progress in their recoveries. "Still having therapy?"

"Yes, but we're making our appointments upon our return from our holiday."

"Where exactly are you planning on going?"

"I've already contacted Farmer Johnson to ask if we could camp on his property. He's still thankful to us for helping find who'd been pulling the wool over his sheep's eyes and once offered if there was anything he could to to repay us, to just give him a bell."

"When do you plan on heading off?"

"Tomorrow morning."

Penfold chuckled. "We've been eager to go on this holiday, so we packed everything ages ago."

Agent 57 couldn't help but chuckle while shaking his head. "Well, you two really do need it after all of this. What about your status on being Unfit for Duty?"

Danger Mouse shook his head. "No change to that just yet. There is still a little while to go before we can return to the field."

"I see. That's a shame."

"Would you like to spend one more night here?"

"That's jolly nice of you to invite me, but if you're heading out in the morning... No, it's fine."

"Well, at least stay for tea then. You've done a lot to help us over these last couple of months."

"I couldn't do anything other than that when two of my good friends were in trouble."

"You've been staring at me for quite a while now, Penfold. Is something the matter?"

He blinked once, returning to reality. "Oh. No, it's nothing. I've just noticed how happy you are right now, DM."

"Happy?"

"That you're no longer cooped up in our flat, having to keep an eye on me, when you could be out driving or flying or on a mission or..."

"Penfold, shush."

"Been a while since you've said that."

The mouse was smiling. "I am happy to be out and about again, but being cooped up in our flat, as you so aptly put it, was worth it just to make sure a time would come when you'd be alright."

"Well, I don't quite think alright is the right word for it at the moment."

"Should I be more blunt and say alive then?"

"Oh. I get it now."

"Really though, Penfold, instead of looking at me, you should have a look at the lovely view."

"No thanks, too high."

"I can take us lower if you'd like."

"Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

"Not when there are no obstacles in our flight path." He directed the vehicle to fly a little lower. "Is that better?"

He looked out the side. "Better. Thanks, DM."

"Quite alright. It shouldn't be much longer before we arrive."

"That mission had been a strange one, eh? I mean, I never thought pulling the wool over a sheep's eyes could've caused such trouble."

"Well, they were blinded by it, and then controlled to go on stampedes through the nearby town. All to serve as a distraction to rob the bank. They might be in a small town, but that bank carried almost as much as the one back home."

"That one was El Loco, right?"

"Right. Greenback and Crumhorn usually have more imaginative schemes in mind, this wouldn't have allowed Count Duckula to gain the fame he wanted and, of course, Earth money is no use to someone like Quark." He pulled back, noticing the path ahead would soon be full of obstacles. "Hold on, we're going up now!"

For some reason, Penfold didn't even let out a shriek of alarm as they sharply changed from a horizontal to vertical position. Though he enjoyed having things quiet and free from danger, he had to admit, it felt good to be back in the Mark III while Danger Mouse engaged in risky driving. "Sir?"

"Yes, Penfold?"

"Erm...this is going to sound silly coming from me, and I assure you I am quite alright. But, well..."

"What's the matter?"

"Maybe we can do one loop-de-loop before we get there."

He had to remind himself slamming on the brakes would result in them plummeting to the earth below. "Penfold, are you quite sure? I know how much you hate that sort of thing!"

"I guess it's just...for old time's sake. It will be a while before either of us will be back on the field. I'll put up with it this once, DM." He grabbed hold of the arms of his spectacles, making sure they wouldn't slip off when upside down. "I'm ready."

"If you're sure..." He waited for the hamster to protest, but he noticed that while the hamster was trembling, knowing what was coming, he was still holding the arms of his glasses. "In that case, here we go!"

Penfold let out a shriek as the car performed a perfect loop-de-loop. He always hated that sort of thing. But, when he could hear Danger Mouse chuckle at the thrill added to the flight, he felt like he'd made a good choice in the end.

DMEP

They soon arrived on the back paddock of the Johnson farm. There was no sign of any livestock; the farmer had already made preparations for them to have a peaceful holiday without worries. "Here we are, Penfold."

The hamster smiled as he unfastened his seatbelt, opened the door of the vehicle and stepped out onto the grass. He inhaled deeply. "I almost forgot what fresh air was like."

The mouse couldn't hold back a chuckle. "Excuse me, but that seems a bit extreme to say, don't you think?"

"DM, we've been cooped up in a pillar-box flat, in the city of London, for two months instead of being out and about. I think it's perfectly reasonable."

"Alright, if that's how you feel. Now, come help me pitch this tent; we'll want to be ready for any wet and cold nights after all."

"Coming!" He plodded over to the trunk of the Mark III. "What happens if a tent isn't good enough for shelter?"

"If it's not too serious, we can stay in the car with the dome covering us. If it is severe, we've been granted permission to enter the farmhouse. I told Farmer Johnson it may not have to come to that."

"What about the barn?"

"That's where his livestock goes in such weather. It'd be a bit too crowded for your liking."

"Ah."

He opened the trunk and pulled out the peg bag. He handed that to the hamster before lifting out the tent and support rods. "Let's see...over there should do it." After scanning the surroundings, he led his assistant to a spot not too far from the car. "Is the mallet in the peg bag?"

The hamster opened it and peeked inside. "It's there."

"Good." He unfurled the tent, laying it out on the ground.

"You said we'd need it just for cold and wet nights. How come?"

"Because some nights might be pleasant enough to simply sleep under the stars without it covering us." He was sliding the support poles into the material and joining them together. "I'm rather looking forward to this. Just you and I, a nice week away from everything."

"Me too, DM."

"Alright, hand me the first peg, please. This tent is ready to go up."

He dug into the bag and pulled out a peg.

DMEP

Night was nearing. The sun was setting over the horizon. "It's quite a sight, hm?" Danger Mouse asked.

Penfold nodded, a wide smile on his face. "It's even better out here than in the city."

"It usually is. There's barely any buildings or exhaust from traffic blocking the view."

"And for a pair like us, those can really be a bother."

"A pair like us?"

"A tiny mouse and even smaller hamster."

"Oh, I see."

"What will we be having for tea, DM?"

"How does campfire stew sound?"

"Campfire stew?"

"A little recipe I came up with when I was younger and exploring the world."

"What's in it?"

"Just about anything you can cook over a campfire, but none of the flavours clash so it's actually rather delicious."

"Oh, goody! I think I would like to try some then!"

"Then, don't fill up on sweeties before it's done." He pointed to the bag the hamster was holding. "It might be a good idea to put those away to avoid the temptation."

"Good idea." He got to his feet and carried the bag back to the car. He opened the glove compartment and set it inside, closing the little door when done.

Danger Mouse was going through the sack he was sitting by. "Hm. That's funny. I was certain we'd packed enough food for a week. It was only enough for lunch."

"What's up, DM?"

"It just seems we may need to do more shopping tomorrow. Best put out the campfire for now; we'll go into town and get something there."

"Right." He picked up the bucket of water sitting by the fire and carefully tipped it over the flames.

"Last I recall, they did have a fish 'n' chips shop. I wonder if it's still open. Right, come along, Penfold."

"Coming, DM!" He set the bucket down again and followed the mouse back to the car.

DMEP

Because the town wasn't too far away, they didn't have to fly there. It was still preferred though, due to the size of their vehicle versus the standard size. Danger Mouse found an ideal parking spot; not too far away from the little shop, but still out of range of large vehicles. "Oh, looks like they're still open after all."

Penfold climbed out of the car. "I'll have the usual, thanks."

"As will I. Come along."

"Coming!"

The mouse waited for the hamster to stand beside him before taking hold of his paw and walking alongside him. After promenading for a few minutes until they reached the building, they carefully entered the shop and approached the counter.

DMEP

Ten minutes later, they emerged with tiny parcels of their food. "Should we go back to the farm to eat this?" Penfold asked.

"I have a better idea. There is a lovely park just down the road. We can have a picnic there." He used his head to gesture to the park nearby, his arms full with food.

"Oh, goody! That sounds really nice, DM!"

"I thought you might like that idea." He led the way to the park, through the gates and to a quiet spot near the lake. "Here we are. We can sit here."

Both rodents sat down, set their parcels down, tore them open and started to eat. "This really is relaxing..." Penfold sighed as he picked up a chip and popped it into his mouth. "Ah! Hot!"

"You need to remember to blow on it first," he sighed, half-smiling. "But, you're right. This is relaxing. A twilight picnic by a lake with my best friend; truly there is nothing else I would ask for right now."

"Me too, DM."

Especially after the last couple of months. I'm just thankful we still have the opportunity to do something like this.

Penfold noticed Danger Mouse was frowning. "DM? Is something the matter? Did they get your order wrong or something?"

"No, it's not that. Just...reflecting."

"Reflecting?"

"I suddenly found myself thinking about the last couple of months, and how after going through them, this moment is a blessing."

He set his food down, wiped his paws, crawled over to the mouse and wrapped his arms around him. "I'm sorry."

He returned the embrace. "Don't apologise. I should for suddenly bringing the mood down."

"Yeah, but I was the one who started everything."

"Penfold..." He tightened his grip. "Though I may seem like I am sad, I really am considering just how special this moment is because of everything that happened. The fact I can share moments like this with you...it's actually very heartwarming."

"So...you're not sad?"

"More pensive. I started thinking about what could've been, but knowing that this is what it is...I'm happy. I'm truly happy that I can share this time with you."

"DM..."

He pushed the hamster back a bit so he could look into his eyes. "I want you to know that I am very proud of you."

"Proud?"

"For coming through the way you have. You may still have your moments, but really, everyone has a bad day or an unwelcome thought about themselves. Compared to how I saw you that night two months ago, you're showing you can bounce back from just about anything. I know you showed it in the past, but with this..."

"I know what you mean, DM."

He gave him a tender kiss on the forehead.

"Hm? I know we're a lot closer than we used to be, but what was that for?"

"I just felt like it is all. Is there something wrong?"

"No, just curious." He snuggled closer to the mouse. "Our food is getting cold."

"I know."

"You hate cold chips."

"I know."

"Then, shouldn't we eat now?"

"In a minute. Let's just enjoy this moment. I know we'll have more in the future, but for now..."

"Alright." He closed his eyes and smiled tenderly.

Danger Mouse was also smiling. "I love you, Penfold. I'm glad we're together like this."

"I love you too, DM. But, you know, saying it like that could confuse those people reading this."

"They should know what I mean by now."

DMEP

After they finished eating and had made sure they cleaned up after themselves, it was time to head back to the farm for a good night's rest.

The campfire stayed extinguished; both rodents felt too tired to be willing to keep an eye on it, and they would rather not accidentally burn the paddock Farmer Johnson had so graciously allowed them to use as their campground.

Danger Mouse pointed to the sky. "See, if you join the stars like so, you can find your own constellations."

"That's really incredible, DM! How'd you find that?"

"Something else I came up with when I was younger. It helped me pass the time on sleepless nights."

The hamster shifted closer to he was right beside him. "I think I just found you."

"Me?"

"See? Join those stars there to that one, then those over there..."

"Oh! I see what you mean!" He looked closely. "I believe I just found your constellation too. If you join those three stars, then link them to that one over there..."

He let out a chuckle. "This is fun, DM! We need to do this a lot more often!"

"I agree." He let out a small yawn. "It must be getting late."

"You did do a lot of driving and flying today, and we did get up early this morning. I'm feeling tired too."

"In that case, we should consider going to sleep. We still have some shopping to do tomorrow morning."

"Or this morning if it's past midnight."

"Not yet."

"Ah. Then, tomorrow it is."

He wrapped an arm around him, holding him close. It wasn't due to fears that if he let go, then Penfold wouldn't be there when he awoke. It was partly to keep warm, partly because he simply wanted to.

Penfold removed his glasses and set them just above his head, the best place to avoid accidentally smashing them through the night, and cuddled closer to the mouse. He let out a loud yawn.

"Good grief, Penfold, I didn't know a yawn that big could escape from a hamster as small as yourself."

He smiled drowsily and closed his eyes. "Good night, DM." He quickly gave him a kiss on the cheek before settling in for the night.

Danger Mouse stayed awake a little longer, though he quietly bade Penfold a good night with hopes he'd rest well. He was starting to wonder if this would soon become habit. Would they be wanting to continue sleeping in the same bed, in each other's hold, even when they returned home? What of bathtimes? They'd found they were a bit more fun when shared, they could play with each of their bath toys together. But, we can't always do this. When we get back home, we may have to return to our usual routines. For now...I'm going to enjoy this for as long as I can. He gave Penfold a kiss atop his head, closed his eye and started to doze.

DMEP

The next arc of their story, the Holiday Arc, has begun. Though things seem positive right at this moment, there is a chance they won't stay that way. What will happen? Will our heroes come through? I should hope so; the first arc of this story was very depressing. I mean, I know it's supposed to be, but anyway. Find out what happens next time.

DMEP

After-notes: Have you noticed the mood is getting a little lighter in this chapter? It just may be. My mindset is a little better at the moment, aside from some new anxieties popping up, but these chapters will be on the lighter side of things. Plus, if things are actually improving for DM and Penfold, then of course the mood will lift a bit. Sure, there will still be mentions of concerns of what had been going on in their lives, but other than that...

Thanks for reading! You don't have to review, but if you want to say something, please don't flame. I do welcome constructive criticism.