"Her food is in the pantry behind you, let me show you..."

Angus opened the door and pulled out a small brown bag filled with pellets. Susan stood aside to let him set it on the counter. A measuring cup was inside, buried halfway. Just a scoop every morning an' a half a scoop every night should keep her from nippin' at ya'. She's on a bit of a diet, she's gotten quite fat recently."

"I can see that," Susan laughed. She offered her hand for the brown rabbit to smell, her little nose twitching as a greeting. She had indeed grown larger over the months since they got her. Her movements were slower, and she kept to her bed licking and cleaning as of late. "What's her name again?"

Angus frowned and closed his eyes. "Her..my...nee," he said sounding it out. "Hermione, Hannah says it's Greek or somethin'."

"I bet she named her, huh?"

"It's her rabbit, ya' know, an' she likes it." He grinned at her. "I like it too. Now we'll only be gone a couple weeks, it won't be long."

"Take as long as you need, you don't get a honeymoon every year," Susan said putting the food away in the pantry. "If anything I wish I had gotten more of what I did. Two days at the nearest beach isn't exactly what I call romantic."

"Anythin's romantic if it's someone you love, ya' know," Angus said, grinning when Hannah appeared from the bedroom rolling a suitcase behind her with gloved hands. Her baby blue dress swished as she walked, having been washed and ironed last night. Her black hat kept sliding in front of her eyes, Hannah huffing every time she adjusted it. The ribbon tied around it flowed behind her like the tail of a kite. "Havin' a spot of trouble are we, love?"

"Nothing more than a spot," she grumbled, standing the suitcase upright and taking her hat off. "I'm okay. Susan? You know what to feed Hermione?"

"Don't worry, Hannah, Angus showed me. I'll make sure not to feed her too much, I can see she needs a little break." 

"Thank you so much for doing this, Susan, we really didn't mean for you to stay here so long and not see your family," Hannah said with an apologetic look on her face. Susan waved her hand.

"It's alright, I'm doing this for two very close friends. When does your plane leave?"

Angus glanced at his new clock on the wall. "There ain't enough time to say," he said grabbing what he could and heading for the door. Hannah rushed to open it for him, and grabbed her own suitcase to follow him. 

"We'll be back in time for Christmas, okay?" she called behind her. 

"No worries, I'll have the place looking like you never left," Susan replied. 

"You can sleep on the couch, or on the bed, we don't mind," Hannah said turning back around again. Angus was already halfway down the hall, dropping things behind him. He reached the stairs by the time he finally noticed, rolling his eyes and turning around to pick them up. 

"I think the couch will be enough, the little one won't mind," she said with a hand on her stomach. "I can phone a taxi if the time comes. Which it won't," she added to remedy Hannah's concerned expression. Hannah turned and almost ran into Angus, who had just picked up a pair of sunglasses. 

"What are you doing?"

He straightened himself and balanced the clutter in his arms. "I dropped a bit, had to come back."

"That's what a suitcase is for, Angus," Hannah said putting her hat back on. Angus took the brim and placed it over her eyes.

"There wasn't any room, Miss Mouthy," he teased, then upon setting off down the hallway again, realized he dropped more various necessities on his return the first time. He sighed, and headed for a hand towel crumpled on the floor. Hannah moved the hat out of her face, pushing the ribbon behind her again. 

"Sorry about that, you have enough food? Enough clothes with you?" she asked Susan.

"I can go shopping tomorrow, since I'm eating for two and I'm sure nothing of yours would fit me, but thanks for the offer," Susan smiled. 

"We really appreciate this, we couldn't get anyone else to watch the place while we were gone. Malcolm's got his own wife and kid, Cliff's with a girlfriend, you know."

"It's fine, I can look after a small apartment and rabbit, I have three kids of my own. I need a break."

Hannah turned to go at Angus calling her name. "Oh, remember to clean out Hermione's cage every few days, she's awfully picky about that. And she likes the spot behind her ear to be scratched, and don't be afraid to play a little music for her in the evenings. Angus usually does with his guitar, but he's taking it with us andbecarefulnottopinchhertail!" Hannah wasn't sure if Susan heard her correctly as Angus returned to the room and grabbed Hannah's hand, pulling her along. Susan only smiled and shut the door.

"Give me my hand back," Hannah said, her suitcase landing with a thud on every step of the stairs. Angus let her go, not responding as he carried the hand towel in his mouth. Hannah used her liberated hand to fix her hat for the umpteenth time. 

"Sphawy, sbeethot, put ee haf a kaw waytin."

"I was just making sure Hermione has proper care. I'm worried about her, you know. She's been eating way more than necessary and hasn't moved much since we got her." Angus heaved his guitar case over his shoulder, a few spare sweaters flopping around in his arms. 

"Tote oo shrusht er?"

"Of course I do." Hannah picked a piece of fuzz off her dress and let it fall. "But I don't know anyone who plays music like you and I know how much Hermione likes it when you play."

"I ike plain too, ats why ine akee ig." They both reached the taxi, which had been waiting outside the apartments for five minutes. Courteous of other residents still sleeping, the driver refrained from honking the horn. He stepped out of the car and opened the trunk, helping Hannah situate her suitcase. Angus set his own down and took the towel out of his mouth, making a face. "I'm figurin' somethin' out when we get to the airport, this is bollocks."

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that?" Hannah said turning to face him. He waved her off. She fixed the glove that started sliding off her hand, and noticed all the various things Angus brought along with him. The hand towel and sunglasses, an overcoat, and some bits and bobs here and there. A full suitcase sitting under his left hand and his guitar case in his right. "Would you like me to carry something, Angus?"

The face he made her almost drove her to hysterics. "Thank God, I thought you'd never ask!" he teased, placing his guitar case in her arms and kissing her nose. "I'd like a cup for the ride over too if ya' don't mind, maybe a little neck massage while we're at it?"

The driver took Angus' guitar and set it in the trunk a little less carefully than Angus would have liked, but he let it go when his extra clothes were neatly folded beside it. He opened the back door, letting Hannah step in first, then climbed in after, instinctively putting his arm around her. She fastened her seat belt, leaning into him, closing her eyes.  He sighed in response, turning his head to look down at her. 

No allusion to that night ever came up between them. As if she wanted to forget it ever happened, just like she wanted to forget all the other attacks she'd had since moving in. If she had one on their honeymoon she'd never forgive herself, apologizing every minute for putting such a bad time on the both of them. It was better to bring it up now than leave it to fate.

"Hey." She stirred as he nudged her, and sat up. 

"Hmm?"

"You okay?"

She shrugged. "Anxious, I guess. You know how I am with travelling despite all I've done when we moved...and now Hermione is in someone else's care and-"

"I'm not talkin' about that," he said taking her hand and squeezing it in his own. "I meant...you remember, a few nights ago?" Hannah's face fell.

"Oh."

"I'm just askin' ya' know, makin' sure you're okay. I don't want you thinkin' you'll spoil anythin' by havin' another one-"

"Who says I'll have another one?" Hannah said lifting her head up. Angus opened his mouth to speak, but let her continue instead. "Maybe I'll be fine, maybe...nothing will happen. It's only a couple of weeks, right?"

Angus could see her skepticism. Rather than ramble about the shortening intervals between each attack, he simply kissed her head as an answer, bringing her close when she leaned into him again. "We'll just eh...strum that solo when we get to it, yeah?" Hannah hid the smile she gave herself at his choice of words. She brushed her hat out of her line of sight, and grumbled when the force of the trunk being closed knocked it down again. "What's the matter?" Angus asked, his eyes closed. 

"It's this hat Margaret gave me. Keeps slipping down." Angus took it from her and inspected it. 

"Well, be glad you don't look like some bobble head, yeah? I bet if you had hair like mine...or hair like Bon, imagine, I bet..." He took the hat and placed it on his own head, the brim covering his eyes as well. "Huh. What size did Margaret buy?"

"I don't know, but-" She laughed seeing Angus make himself comfortable in his seat, tilting the hat so it covered his eyes on purpose. The ribbons lay over each of his shoulders. The driver's door opened and he sat behind the wheel, looking through the mirror to ask a question, and reconsidering when he saw Angus' reflection grinning back at him. 

Angus' hand began to turn white. Hannah sat by the window, her gaze locked solely on the clouds below them, getting smaller and smaller with each bounce of turbulence. Her leg was bouncing too in what little room their seats allowed them. He set the plane magazine down and looked out the window as well.

"I hate flying," Hannah mumbled, feeling his close presence. Angus rubbed his thumb over her hand and she lessened her grip, the color returning. 

"Ya' know, I'm not the biggest fan either when it comes to these things, ya 'know."

"But you're used to it." She tore away from the window and sat back in her seat, her leg going crazy. "I was miserable on the way to America when we moved, and even going to Australia for the first time..." She hid her face in his arm mumbling something to which Angus couldn't hear. 

"Doesn't make it any easier on me," he said. "Remember I moved across the globe too, farther than you did. Granted I didn't leave again for a while but..." He replaced his hand holding hers with the other one, then moved the free one to rub her back. "I hated every second, ya' know. An' I don't like it now."

Hannah took her hand away, moved the arm rest aside, and wrapped her arms around him in a sort of hug. As soon as the clouds fell below the plane the shaking eased up, and so did Hannah's nerves. Angus picked up the magazine again and held it in a way so both of them could see it. The words blended together on each page he turned to, and the roar of the engine lulled Hannah to a sleepy state. Her eyes shifted to the left, and saw another passenger bring his tray down so he could read his magazine on a table. He looked familiar, the haircut, his profile, all of him down to the bridge of his nose. Her heart began to race, and with a gasp she tightened her hold on Angus. It didn't go unnoticed.

"What's wrong?" he asked turning a page. When she didn't answer he turned his head to see what she was looking at. 

"Nothing," she dismissed. Content to hide any signs of another attack, this one a public display, she hid her face again and closed her eyes. "Nothing, I'm okay."

"You sure?"

She didn't answer. Having found nothing of interest in the magazine he set it down again and figured a bit of sleep was a good idea. Holding his girl close to him he closed his eyes, and tried to distract his mind from how high the altitude was growing. He stretched his legs glad of the extra leg room he had from his height. The band by now must be having adventures of their own in local bars or their apartments. Susan might be having lunch in their kitchen, or reading a newspaper. He took his mind away from Susan and thought of having to shove their extra belongings in their suitcases once they reached the airport, and Angus having forgotten to take off Hannah's hat. A few minutes had passed before he realized why everyone stared at him funny, and why Hannah kept holding back a laugh. He laughed too after a fashion. He wasn't afraid to look silly in front of her, she would think fondly of him. Ask him when he was fourteen and he'd be terrified of pulling a stunt like that in front of Susan. She'd never give him the time of day. She certainly gave Victor Krauss the time of day, after she realized Angus was in love with someone else. And she gave him four kids too, half the amount of children his own parents had. Angus hadn't really given much thought to his own kids, if he would have any. Knowing what Hannah had to go through with Travis he wouldn't rush into anything. He tried thinking of something else besides Susan.

His drift into the arms of sleep was interrupted when Hannah mumbled his name. "Angus...?"

"What?" he asked. 

"...I love you," she whispered. Angus leaned his head against hers, gazing at her face.

"I love you too," he whispered back, kissing her head.

It was evening by the time they reached their hotel. Snow covered every street and still came down. Hannah threw her weight down on the bed completely exhausted. Angus closed the door and set his guitar case down, taking a spot next to her. A light fixture hung above them at an awkward angle while a few framed pieces of artwork decorated the walls. The white sheets flashed a contrast against the dark floor and paint. A sign written completely in German hung above a vase filled with fake lilies: Der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm. Angus decided it had to do with worms and looked for something else to focus his attention on. 

Hannah rolled off the bed and headed for her suitcase, opening it in search of something to sleep in. "Turnin' in?"

"After I take a shower," she responded. "I need to find my nightgown under all your sweaters."

"Your negligee?" he teased.

"Nightgown, Angus! For crying out loud..." She dropped her smile after removing five of Angus' sweaters from her suitcase and finally pulling out her nightgown underneath. Placing the sweaters back and standing up she continued. "Covers more of me than your napkins ever will."

Angus took a minute to think of what she was talking about. He started laughing, removing his coat and laying it on the bed. Ever since they were kids she'd tease him about the contents of his sock drawer. Malcolm had a good laugh about it too when he showed her. Angus threw a sneaker at him when he shoved a pair onto his head, Hannah laughing up a storm on the floor. 

The water from the shower was unusually loud. The one at the apartment was so quiet you had to be careful to lock the door lest someone invite themselves in thinking it was empty. Phil stayed over once not knowing this, and had some serious explaining to do before Angus drowned him in the bathtub. 

Fifteen minutes later the water stopped; another five minutes and the bathroom door opened. Angus didn't look up from his spot on the bed, and his head was covered by a piece of fabric someone had draped on him. He opened his eyes to see a pair of his own underwear inches from his mouth. "Hey!"

"It's your turn," Hannah said drying her hair out with a towel. Her messy hair and flushed skin combined with her nightgown made Angus reconsider the loveliness of the artwork on the walls around him. "I brought you a clean napkin."

"Thanks. You soak up all the hot water?" he asked sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I thought about it but I wanted to get to bed as soon as I could." Hannah folded the towel and placed it on the bathroom counter. She came back out, Angus taking her hands and pulling her to sit on his lap. Situating her legs on either side of him, she wrapped her arms around her neck. 

"Are ya' too tired to have any dinner?" he asked hugging her waist. She shrugged. "I can make us some when I get out, if that's alright."

"That's fine," she yawned. 

"What do you want?"

"I don't know, doesn't matter I guess." She rested her head against his shoulder, quickly removing it when Angus placed the small piece of fabric up to her nose. "Get-get that away from me!"

He laughed and stood up after her. "That's what you get. I'll be out in twenty minutes, alright? If I'm not out by then feel free to come check on me," he giggled to himself as Hannah tickled his neck. Closing the door after him, he turned the water on.

Hannah was asleep when he came out twenty minutes later. She had a blanket draped over her waist and an arm under her pillows, supporting her head. A towel around his shoulders, his hair still dripping wet, Angus walked to the side of the bed and leaned down, kissing her cheek. "Goodnight, love."