Passing Through

Part Sixty

Chapter Sixty

Five Months later

Natasha looked down at their entwined hands and sighed. Taking off, flying across the Atlantic, was something she never thought she'd do ever again. But here she was heading to Boston initially, before the Mid West, Chicago and Detroit, and then onto California. Time with Bo's friends, and his family. With the option of a 'reunion' with her parents if she felt like it.

She wasn't sure that she could deal with seeing them, but Bo was pushing her a little, his argument was that she'd have it hanging over her forever. Sometimes a giant full stop, or period as Bo insisted on calling it meant that she could just get past it all. She wasn't so sure. Even as they boarded the plane she had no idea what she'd do, and it was no clearer now as they soared into the air.

The two had spent Christmas together, well that was no surprise, since he'd moved into her home they'd spent every possible minute together. And there was no bad times. They had their quabbles, who didn't? But generally life together was stress free, and for Natasha is was the greatest time of her life. She'd never felt so happy.

Bo squeezed her fingers and her eyes flashed up to his, he was like an excited child. Something about going back to his motherland was having a positive effect on him.

"We're at altitude...think it's time for a celebration."

Planting a chaste kiss on her lips, he gestured to the steward who was serving them on their business class flight. He'd wanted first class, but she had been horrified at the prices. Business was apparently their compromise. Though it was still ridiculously expensive.

"Champagne please," he gave his most genial grin, then turned back to her.

"What are we celebrating?"

He grinned, boyishly, "being on holiday, having you to myself 24/7 for the next three weeks. As much as I admire your business acumen and drive, I bloody hate that we can never have a luxurious lie in together. That we can't just go on an impromptu day trip, can't just wake up and do something." When her face dropped he leaned in and cupped her chin, "this is not a criticism, I am just greedy, all I want is you, all to myself."

That made her smile, she couldn't fault his enthusiasm for her. Because he was that, very enthusiastic, he literally worshipped her, and Steph repeatedly teased her about that. But it wasn't nauseating or over the top, just a sign of how much he cared.

"You are Mister Extravagant all of a sudden."

He nodded, "have tried to live sufficiently this year, not eating into my savings, and now...I want to treat us, I worked damn hard for all that I have, and if we want a little luxury, then we will."

She was silent and contemplative as he smiled at the steward, accepting their drinks. He had a whole life in the US that she had no real idea about, this trip was her seeing the NHL star coming home as much as anything else, and it made her a little nervous.

"Cheers!" He announced handing her a glass and raising his to join it.

His enthusiasm, the champagne, even the business class seats, none of it helped her anxiety. In all honesty she was returning to the home of her teen age years, and there wasn't a single positive memory there to ease the tension. She felt like a lamb to the slaughter, albeit a lamb accompanied by the most annoyingly excitable and very cute puppy.

She managed to sleep, but then it was so much easier when she could convert her seat into a bed and lie flat. Not that sleep came easy. Bo insisted it was her choice what she did when they got to Boston with regards to her family.