The crush of people in the airport set Henrik's teeth on edge, but he tried to keep in mind the fact that this was completely normal, given how closely to Christmas he was travelling. Getting through security had been a nightmare, and he struggled to find his patience as he finally was able to find his gate, just in time for it to start boarding. "I never want to cut things so close again," he muttered to himself as he readied his passport and boarding pass.

"Get caught in security, too?"

He turned to see who was talking to him, finding a smiling young woman looking up at him. Her warm, brown, eyes danced with amusement, and he nodded a little in spite of himself. "I've never flown this close to the holidays before, and wasn't quite expecting this level of insanity. I mean, I knew it would be busier, but this is…"

"Overwhelming? I know." She held out her hand to him, and he shook it firmly. "Serena McKinney, pleased to meet you."

"Henrik Hanssen," he steadily replied. Her smile grew a little with his name, and he pulled his hand back to run through his hair. "So, why are you heading to Boston?"

"I'm heading back to the States to finish up my Masters in business before I head back and start my medical career. Dad thought it would be good for me to diversify my education, so that I might have something to fall back on. Just in case." He noticed that Serena rubbed her thumb over her pendant almost reverently, and he wondered if she had recently lost her father. "And you?" she asked as they started down the jetway.

He paused for a moment before smiling a little wider at Serena. "I am going to be with my partner, Roxanna, for the holidays. She's finishing up her studies in neuroscience in Boston, and then she'll be coming back home." He glanced down at his boarding pass once more, seeing that he was in an exit row, and he sighed with relief. "I managed to get a good seat for once."

"Oh? Better than the exit row?" she asked, and he let out a puff of a laugh. "No! Really? It must be fate, then. At least I'll have someone interesting to talk to on the flight before we fall asleep."

He nodded as he placed his bag into the overhead compartment before also placing Serena's there as well. Serena slid into the row after him, and he hoped that there wouldn't be anyone claiming the middle seat, as he didn't relish talking over someone for the entire flight. "Sometimes, fortune smiles on us, yes," he finally replied as he buckled his belt.

"That it does. So, what is it that you do?"

He settled back into his chair as he folded his hands over his stomach. "I'm a doctor, as well."

She laughed, a throaty sound that landed pleasantly on his ears. "Keeping it in the family, then?" He nodded. "That's how it's probably going to happen for me, too. You don't really meet people outside your cohort, given the hours doctors work. So, tell me a little more about her. It's clear that you're thoroughly smitten with her."

Henrik felt a little embarrassed at having been read so well, but he cleared his throat gently as he adjusted his tie. "Roxanna is the best thing that has ever happened in my life. We met at a club, well, she introduced herself to me first, and then everything sort of fell into place. I can never lock things up from her, since she knows how to break into the library, so who knows what other locks she can pick?"

Serena laughed once more, reaching out to pat his shoulder. "She sounds like a gem! Are you looking towards the future, then?"

He nodded, touching the small box in his breast coat pocket. "I had my father send my mother's engagement ring to me. Hopefully, I can work up the courage to ask her to marry me before I head home. I don't know if that will happen, but, as Roxanna would say, this is the season for miracles."

"She's right there, you know. Christmas is the perfect season for miracles to occur, we just have to remember that even a miracle needs a hand, sometimes. Is there a special way that you're thinking of proposing? A nice dinner? A walk in the park that ends with you getting down on one knee?"

He pursed his lips together as he lifted a hand to rub his chin. "I haven't thought that far ahead," he said as the cabin doors closed. Serena took that as her cue to scoot over to the middle seat, securing her seatbelt as she watched him intently. "I'm not a sentimental person. I prefer order and rational thought."

"But what would she want? In this case, I'm afraid that it doesn't really matter how you want to appear. For most people, there's only one proposal and it should be something special. Something that makes both of your hearts sing." She reached out and touched his upper arm lightly, causing him to meet her gaze. "I know we've only just met, Henrik, but you should listen to me. I know what I'm talking about."

"You do?" he asked sardonically. "I thought you weren't attached to anyone in particular?"

She blushed a little as she shrugged. "There are some things that most women want, in my experience. I'm not saying that you need to hunt down her favourite singer and have them serenade you as you sink down to one knee and ask her whilst fireworks go off in the distance, but there should be a little romance there."

"I'll take your words under consideration," he finally replied before giving her a small smile, hoping that she understood that that was all they were going to say on that subject. She nodded and they fell into a conversation about their medical careers, talking lowly through the entire take off. He was delighted to learn that she was going to be a surgeon as well, since there was always the need for more female surgeons. Though he didn't have as much experience as he'd like, Henrik made certain to give her as much advice as he could, knowing that it was sometimes more valuable to hear it from someone close in age.

It wasn't until after they'd eaten their meal that Serena let out a small yawn, and he nodded in reply. "I'm going to try to get in a small nap, since I know Roxanna is going to want to do some shopping before we head home for the evening."

"If you wake up and I'm sleeping on your shoulder, forgive me. My mother says I have the horrid habit of falling asleep on people, so I warn my seatmates all the time about it."

"If that's more comfortable for you, then I won't mind, Serena."

She nodded, a tender, yearning, look on her face. "I really hope that I find a love like yours one day. Your Roxanna is lucky to have you, even if you aren't the most romantic duck in the pond." He rolled his eyes a little as Serena leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, the silence becoming a little much, since he had quickly become accustomed to her voice, and a part of him hoped that they would meet at some point in the future, since he had the feeling Roxanna would get along with her famously.