Quinn watched me as we entered the lift and went up instead of down. I could feel the questions burning in her which made me smirk.

"Ask me."

"Where will all your things go? Those paintings..." She trailed off, frowning at the single duffle bag I slung over my shoulder. I glanced at her.

"The same safe storage location I will send all of your things." I answered calmly.

"You–what?" She demanded.

"Honestly, Adams. You didn't really think I would let you leave all your possessions behind without any security?"

She seemed lost for a moment before she shook her head. "You're prepared for everything."

"Everything apart from you." I murmured as the doors opened to the top floor. I caught Quinn's smile in the corner of my eye as I walked the lone corridor towards a set of stairs. I could hear the blades rotating from here.

I pulled open the metal door and held it for Quinn as the wind of the helicopter's blades sent a storm around us. Her hair rushed around her in wild waves and her expression was more that of awe than that of fear. Her heartbeat was certainly dancing in anticipation. 

The city spilled out beyond us in a sea glowing lights in the night. I watched the co-pilot jump out and pull the door open. Quinn approached it hesitantly until I was beside her quickly and took the headsets offered from him. He dropped me a nod in a flight helmet and shades and waited for us.

I hopped in and offered Quinn a hand–who was still staring at the exterior.

"It's not too late to turn around!" I called over the beating blades, with daring challenge in my eyes. A part of me honestly wished she would. Just so that I wouldn't feel so damn responsible if this wasn't what she wanted later–

She met my eyes unflinchingly. Then took my hand and I pulled her close to me, feeling the rush between us and the desperate fire claw at me, before stepping back and gesturing to the flight seat. The co-pilot quickly slid the door closed beside us and rushed around the side. Quinn sat as instructed and I pulled the harness from above and below her into place. It clicked securely and I tightened it–feeling her blood rush a little faster when it constricted. 

I met her eyes briefly and there was a slow smile that returned it. I rolled my eyes and moved back into my own seat without bothering with the harness at all. Quinn eyed me with a brow raise. So I pulled on the headset and tossed her the other. She rushed to catch it in surprise and with a glare.

"Safety first, Adams." I told her through the comm.

"You're not setting a great example!" She quipped back, just as the helicopter began to climb in height.

She gripped her seat suddenly and whipped her head towards the outside world that would grow smaller by the second. I leant forward on my knees until I could place a hand on her knee. Her heart rate was high as the helicopter moved quickly.

"You're safe with me." I told her calmly.

This made her tear her eyes away from the city below and meet my own.

"I know that, detective. It doesn't stop it from being incredible." She told me, casting her eyes back out the window.

I grinned, joining her gaze to the city lights beyond. "Here I was thinking that frantic heartbeat was fear."

"You can expect that when we board the plane." She murmured, continuing to watch miles fly past us in seconds.

"I could always knock you out." I said innocently.

She smirked at me. "No, I don't think you have it in you."

"You're right." I retorted easily. "I'll have the pilot do it."

She glared and I winked, leaning back in my seat and enjoying the mini attack her heart had from the gesture Quinn often used on me.

"So you can travel like this whenever you want, yet you chose a career as a civil servant?" She asked in genuine curiosity. 

I shrugged, crossing a leg over and watching her intently as her eyes caught an interesting sight below and she smiled. 

"As I said before, I've had many careers outside of detective."

This drew in her curiosity. So instead of focusing on the outside world, she leant forward mirroring my earlier posture and rested her forearms on her knees. I watched those green eyes closely.

"Which was your favourite?" She asked slowly.

It didn't take me a second to decide. I had known the answer for many decades.

"My first and most important. A mechanic for the Royal Air Force." I told her simply.

She nodded with a wistful expression. "Was it the feeling of doing something that... mattered?"

I shook my head at her. "I used to think that. But it turned out it was much more simple. It was more that it gave me freedom." I answered honestly, causing Quinn to frown. I sighed and decided on filling in the blanks. "Women in that period of time didn't exactly have the options we have today." I drawled.

"Oh I did cover history in my extensive education, Fletcher." She snorted. "And misogyny isn't only a concept in the past." 

This made me chuckle despite it all. "Yes, that I am aware of." I allowed, "–but it was different. A career wasn't even an option for me. An arranged marriage was." I finished with a cool look.

Quinn couldn't hide the look of utter shock on her face.

"So you were to be married?" She murmured into the mic.

The winds shuddered against the helicopter briefly before I spoke.

"To a man I had no interest in." I confirmed clearly. "So I ran off to be enlisted as soon as the chance presented itself. I never had contact with my family again before I turned... nor did I have any desire to." I stated candidly, watching her expression morph into one that tried hard to understand. "No one likes to feel trapped. And I have even less regard for those that are the trappers." I finished, cutting my eyes outside and unable to meet her curious look anymore.

But moments later I felt her warm hand capture my own. I glanced at her but she didn't stare me down. She just watched the world flash past us below and the lights became more scarce as we left London's limits. It felt comforting. Non invasive and as natural as anything in the world. This woman was quickly becoming something more than just burning interest and desire. I wasn't sure how I would deal with the concept but I was not scared of the future.

The co-pilot suddenly came through on the open line.

"We're a few minutes out, Ms Fletcher."

"Is the weather still holding?" I responded.

"Your flight schedule is still clear." He confirmed.

I nodded to myself and looked down at the warm hand still in my own. Quinn continued watching the landscape blur below as we neared the airport. The final place on this grey island before we cast off on a cloaked flight plan–one that would pass off on all paperwork but take a very different route. One that couldn't be traced.

"How far out are we?" Quinn asked.

"A few minutes." I answered.

"And may I ask where we are headed?" She said dryly.

I smirked at her with a shrug. "Let's call it a surprise."

She sighed and rolled her eyes at me. "It's funny because I actually like the excitement of not knowing. I'm only dreading stepping onto that death trap with wings..."

I looked at her more seriously. "If there's anything I can do–"

"No, no–just be near me. I'll feel a bit easier near someone that's indestructible." She told me with a breathless laugh.

I raised an eyebrow. "There's a bar on the plane if that makes you feel any better."

"Of course there is." She laughed, looking at me in disbelief. "Can you even get drunk?"

"No, Quinn." I deadpanned. "But you can."

"I think we both know nothing good happens when I drink." She retorted seriously.

I noticed our altitude start to drop faster and glanced out the window. Quinn followed my stare and her heartbeat picked up again. I gripped her hand a little tighter and she met my eyes. She gave me a short smile and took a breath.

"Whatever you need. You've got it."

"When that thing takes off I am near you." She stated flatly.

"Of course." I said simply.

The helicopter dropped lower in the sky for the next few minutes before we finally landed on the runway. When we touched the tarmac the co-pilot was quickly out the door and pulling ours open. I drew over to Quinn's position and moved to unclip her harness. I felt her eyes on me as I drew back the buckles and unclipped the metal.

I kept my eyes on the floor before jumping out and offering her a hand.

She ignored it and hopped out anyway onto the recently slick runway from rain. Her shoes not designed remotely for such weather inevitably slipped and I righted her before she could even catch her breath.

"Don't even say anything." She murmured while I smiled darkly ahead of us.

"Never crossed my mind, Adams." I said, before releasing her quickly.

She huffed and I thanked the co-pilot before meeting with a member of prompt cabin crew. He stood in a crisp white shirt and navy tie. The jet was only a few yards back blinking in red and green wing lights. 

"Ms Fletcher, good evening! May I take your bag?" He asked politely, dipping his head.

I smiled formerly and declined before introducing Quinn. She naturally became another person with an easy smile that she had practiced on many. It was so fascinating to watch it in action again.

"Pleasure, on such grim circumstances." She smirked in knowing, like they had only convened last night.

Naturally enthralled by her easy smile and beauty he smiled back and shook her hand a fraction too long before stepping back.

"I believe the hospitality will be more suited on the plane, Ms Adams." He agreed, with the same shine in his eyes. It made my body grow a touch cooler watching and sensing the way his body reacted to hers. I knew it was petty but it was quickly becoming a natural defence. To ward off other advances on her–yet she was not my own to warrant such a response. She was free to attract whoever she desired–

"Fletcher?"

I flinched out of my thoughts again and realised that she was waiting on me with an eyebrow raised. The crew member took the moment to disappear back in the direction of the stairs to the plane.

"Yes, lead on." I told her calmly.

She chuckled. "I was hoping you'd do the honours." She answered with growing uncertainty. It was only now that I remembered her painful memories of plane travel.

"Of course." I nodded, meeting her eyes and stepping close to her but just slightly ahead.

"What were you thinking?" She asked behind me as we climbed the stairs.

I turned over my shoulder. "Just about that bed side manner of yours." I smirked.

She didn't have a chance to respond before more cabin crew greeted me and offered me water. I took the bottle and greeted them all with a nod before gesturing behind me to Quinn and we exchanged the painful formalities of mortals once again. She took it all in stride, long used to networking with other mortals–in many ways Quinn was very well versed in handling what my life entailed.

When we finally took our plush seats alongside each other the crew melted into the background in preparation for a brisk takeoff. 

"You really have this many staff for one flight?" Quinn asked, as the engines warmed up.

I eyed her in unfiltered exasperation. "If only they kept a pilot on board and no one else."

She giggled into her hand. "We've got to work on your social skills."

"I do not have to work on anything." I scoffed. "I have you for the mortals."

She smirked in return and eyed the outside window carefully. I didn't fail to notice her heart rate pick up in a different frantic beat. It was fear. I cast my hand up briefly and a crew member was quickly at my side.

"Double gin and tonic, please. Don't skip the ice."

The young woman nodded quickly and flitted back down the aisle to get the drink made. I felt Quinn glare at me. I threw her an innocent look before the same woman quickly reappeared with a glass in her hand. I thanked her with a measured smile before passing it across to Quinn without delay. 

She took it slowly before sinking a steady sip.

"What about you, detective?" She quipped ironically. "Need a drink?"

I grinned at her letting my teeth point briefly. She almost choked on the gin making me laugh. She wiped her mouth shaking her head.

"Don't do that." She hissed at me.

I continued to smirk out the window as we taxied down the runway. The rain had started picking up again and hit the window in crystalline shards lit by the reds and ambers of the runway lights.

"I like taking you by surprise, Adams." I said bluntly.

"I can tell." She muttered, taking a longer drink and eying the moving runway. By the time we had made it 30 yards she had consumed it to the base. I flicked a hand up again and ordered the same.

"This is actually helping." She admitted suddenly. I glanced at her, sinking into her seat and setting down the empty glass.

"Good, because knocking you out was still an option."

She threw me a flat look as another drink arrived. I took it with a practised smile and passed it to Quinn as the empty glass was removed.

"This is probably the craziest thing I've ever done." She said simply over the rim.

I nodded as I turned to her. "I'm still waiting for you to tell me this was a mistake." I said honestly.

"Unfortunately I wasn't lying when I said those things to you earlier. I'm a strange mix of excitement and nerves, Fletcher." She said with a chuckle, "I haven't been this excited since I found a new cross fit gym."

"God, you're deprived." I drawled.

She plucked a piece of ice out of her glass and threw it at me. I dodged it and chuckled in my seat. Then the plane started accelerating and Quinn lost her sense of humour. The jets pushed us back and I heard her breathing increase. I watched her grip the seat and her glass and try to keep her cool. 

I decided that I wouldn't let her live through the fear alone. I got out of the seat easily despite the momentum and moved to her side. Her eyes were squeezed shut but I dropped into a crouch beside her and took her hand. She opened her eyes quickly, feeling the cool of my had against her own in shock.

The plane tilted as we pulled into the air but her breathing steadied as I watched her. My stance firm as I anchored her to the earth. Her bright green eyes met my blue and gold. She took a breath and then another.

"Nothing to fear." I murmured, as the engines hummed around us and we continued to gain height. 

She nodded slowly without breaking my gaze. "When I look at you I start to believe it."

I smiled and looked down at her hand that wrapped tightly around my own. I never expected to be taking someone with me. Ever. Another soul onto the next path where my new identity would live. It was as she said... exciting. Terrifying but also exciting.