The One Where The Lines Get Kinda Blurry

The One Where Jetlag Wins

A/N - Full credit to @JuliaG656 for this chapter idea and title! Thank you :)

Seeing each other every three to four weeks was the pattern they'd managed to fall into, usually David flying to LA and usually managing to spend between four and seven days together, depending on when he needed to get home for Cleo. This particular Thursday morning at the end of October saw Jen boarding her plane, headed for seven whole days of togetherness with the man who she'd been missing like crazy since they last parted some three and a half weeks earlier.

"Paul hey!" said Jen as she climbed down the steps to where the black SUV was waiting patiently for her, giving him a hug before he took her bags and loaded them into the trunk as she slipped unnoticed into the empty back seat.

"Schwimmer says sorry he didn't come and meet you but he'll be waiting for you at home when you get there" said Paul as he took up his position in the driver's seat.

"Nothing's wrong I hope?" said Jen, immediately concerned as he was supposed to be meeting her at the airport.

"Just a change of plans I think" replied Paul, "he told me to tell you there was nothing to worry about."

But of course, Jen did worry and spent the next forty five minutes conjuring up about a hundred different possible scenarios in her head why he hadn't come with Paul to collect her. She was entirely thankful for the invisible cloak provided by the dark autumn sky as she exited the car and made the short walk to the front door of David's building which Paul had kindly opened for her, placing her bags inside the entrance and then departing to park the car and head home for the night. "He said to go on up as soon as you arrived" Paul said with a broad grin as he closed the door and disappeared into the night.

Jen did as she'd been instructed, kicking off her sneakers, climbing the stairs and making her way towards the vast, open plan living area. As she reached the doorway she let out a loud gasp as her eyes fell on a beautiful candle lit and flower laden table set for two. The rest of the room was bathed in dim light but as she rounded the wall she saw David busy in the kitchen area, his back to her as he pulled something from the oven, gave it a prod, then put it back inside before turning to greet her. "Hey you" he said with a huge smile that she could see filling his entire face despite the low level lighting. "Sorry for not coming to pick you up but I wanted to surprise you."

"This is the most wonderful surprise" she said, dropping her purse on the dark wood table by the doorway and making her way over to where he was stood, sinking herself into his tight embrace for a few happy moments before a timer began to beep. "What are you making? It smells delicious" she said as he excused himself from her arms and took a small, square, white dish from the oven once more and decided that it was ready.

"We're on rosemary chicken thighs with roasted grapes and shallots, with whipped ginger sweet potatoes" he said. "I hope it's ok. I've not tried it before but it was a recipe in a magazine I got and I thought it sounded tasty."

"It sounds and smells amazing" she replied. "Have I got time to go and freshen up quickly before we eat?"

"Sure" he said with a smile, "the chicken needs another five minutes or so. I'll pour us some wine. Red, white or pink?"

"White for me please" she replied as she quickly left the room, re-appearing less than five minutes later refreshed and ready to relax in the company of the man who had been filling her dreams even more of late, their bond seeming to grow even stronger every time they spent time together.

The dinner was fantastic, both of them declaring it one of the tastiest dishes they'd had in a long time and David promising to give Jen the recipe to take home with her for a Sunday funday get together. They sat at the table long after their meal was eaten, the candles still spreading their warm, flickering light as they opened another bottle of wine, talking none stop about everything and nothing and generally enjoying being in each other's company again.