Crash

The Monaco Curse

"Remind me how long the flight is again?" Charles asked Penelope as they sat waiting for her jet to leave the runway. They were finally leaving New York and going back home to Monaco after Penelope decided she was happy to skip L.A. She'd started the long process of getting her things shipped over to Charles's apartment a few weeks ago, meaning she had all she needed without having to go back. The last thing she wanted to do at the moment was go home and face the fact that she didn't belong there anymore. 

"I don't know. Like eight hours, probably?"

"Have you checked the weather? Is it meant to be windy?"

Penelope's brow furrowed slightly, confused as to why he was asking. "I don't know, I didn't look. Why?"

"Oh, uh, no reason."

"No reason? I don't..." Penelope's voice trailed off as all the pieces started to fall into place. When she spoke again, her tone was laden with disbelief. "Charles Leclerc, are you afraid of flying?"

"What? Pff, no."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really? First, you ask about the weather, now you look like you've seen a ghost. Charlie, come on, tell me."

"You'll laugh," he grumbled, his knuckles white as he gripped the arm of his seat. 

"I promise I won't."

Charles sighed, like he knew he couldn't keep anything from her even if he tried. Penelope was nothing if not persistent, and she wasn't about to let this go without a fight.

"Fine," he said finally. "I don't like flying."

"But you fly all the time! Long haul, too. You really don't like it?"

"No. I have to fly, for work, but I hate it every time." He made a motion with his hand, moving it up and down. "I don't like when it goes like this."

Penelope shook her head in amazement, dumbfounded. "But...but what about all the flights you took when we first got together? You used to go back and forth all the time. Were you not scared then?"

"Well, I was. But you were worth it. I'd close my eyes and picture you."

Penelope felt herself almost tear up. She held out her hand, squeezing his fingers as they touched. "I can't promise you I can stop the plane from crashing," she said with a gentle smile. "But I can promise that they'll make a really good movie about us if it does happen."

"That's not funny."

Penelope suddenly sat forward, gripping the seat in front. "You feel that? Was that a bump? Did we hit something?"

Charles gave her a long, stern look as she burst into a fit of giggles. "Remember when I said we didn't have to go back to that racecourse in Monaco? Well, I changed my mind. This time, I'm going twice as fast."

Penelope gave him a coy smile, rolling her eyes. He couldn't stay mad at her, she could see it in his face. "That's fine, as long as your plan is to be single by the end of the circuit."

He tried to play it cool, but she couldn't take him seriously. The first mention of them not being together and his face went as pale as a sheet. "...that was a joke, right?"

Penelope rolled her eyes again, swatting his arm fondly. "No, Charles, I'm really going to leave you. Of course it's a joke, tonto! You'd have to give me a better reason than that, come on."

"Hey, you know I'm nervous. I say stupid things when I'm nervous."

She squeezed his fingers again, suddenly feeling guilty for poking fun. She knew what it was like to feel scared, and as much as it may amuse her, it wasn't kind to bully him for it.