Chapter 91

"I noticed that Ardee and Martin both have a pretty decent tan, Jase. What's your secret for not getting sun-burned?"

Richard heard Martin chortled aloud at a question Marc asked. He completely ignored them as he checked out their schedule for the next six months during the experiment.

The second day of their stay in Puerto Galera was pretty uneventful as Richard and Maine stayed in their room for most of the morning only coming out during lunch. Their talk the previous night and Richard's demonstration had exhausted Maine so much that she was completely spent. Completely satisfied but spent. He stayed by her side as she slept most of the morning, sitting beside her with a book in his hand. Something she had similarly done when they were in Frankfurt before.

Richard smiled his bedimpled smile at the memory, as he heard Martin gave another laugh that broke his reverie. He could feel the blush forming on his face as five sets of eyes were watching him.

"His secret, Marc, is that he and Maine didn't leave their room until around 4pm," Martin remarked.

"Not true," Richard remarked. "We joined you guys for lunch."

"But you guys went back to your room immediately after," Ardee said with a smirk.

"Maine was still pretty tired," he explained, his eyes were still on their schedule not looking up to them. "She was out the whole day the previous day. And we made her hike 2000 feet uphill. Her body isn't really prepared for strenuous activities."

"Makes me wonder how you prepare Maine's body for strenuous activities, Jase," Martin said with one eyebrow raised in question. Richard just gave him a pointed look to drop the subject.

Martin just gave him a knowing smile as they both reviewed their schedule.

The Captains and the Head FAs of the experimental teams just finished with their meeting with the execs. The expectations were high for this project to work, especially for Martin, who was the mastermind in all of it. After the execs meeting, Martin asked them to stay to brief them and discuss the schedules for the first six months.

"We're going to New York?" Richard said suddenly that Martin jumped.

"Why are you assigned to New York and we're not?" Adam, Ardee's partnered Captain, said.

"Really?" Adele remarked. "We're also assigned to New York. Does this mean that not all our flights are the same?"

"Check it again, Adam," Martin replied. "We're supposed to be assigned the same locations with a day or two intervals ahead or behind each other. The experiment won't work if we don't have the same locations."

"You seemed very happy with the New York assignment, Jase," Marc observed.

"I grew up in New York," he smiled. "And I haven't been back for quite some time now. I was still a reserve pilot when I last visited."

"Oooh," Martin chirped. "Where are you planning to take Maine when we're there?"

"There's this bookstore that I frequent when I was a kid," Richard replied, his voice full of excitement. "I'm very sure Maine would love to check that out. I'll just show her around my old stomping ground. And maybe check what's showing on Broadway."

"What about Central Park?"

"The tour wouldn't be complete without going to Central Park. I have fond memories there."

"Now I really wonder what Maine saw in you, Jase," Marc laughed. "You're a pretty boring person to be with. Really? A bookstore?"

"Well we both share a love for reading," Richard said as he smiled wistfully, ignoring the teasing in Marc's voice. "Maine could go on and on about a story she particularly likes and you would just get swept into in. She loves that books take her to places she only once imagined she could go to. A bookstore or a library would be like heaven on earth for her."

"Still a very boring place to take a girl on a date," said Marc.

"And that's why Maine would never be interested in you, Marc," Adele remarked with a smirk. "You don't really know how to please a woman."

"Ouch, that stung, Adele."

"Besides," Ardee added. "There's another thing that Captain Jase has that you don't, Captain Marc."

"And what is that?"

"He writes songs for Maine," she answered. "And he sings very well too."

All eyes were on Richard once more as he sighed and tried to cover his face with the folder of their schedule. He did his best to make himself as small as possible. He never really liked too much attention centered on him.

"Really?" Adele's face brightened. "Will we actually get to hear that or is Maine the only one allowed to hear him sing?"

"If you're a day ahead of us in Milan," Martin quipped. "You'll be able to hear him play. He sings at this pub called 'Gian Carlos'. He plays there on the day we arrive."

Marc, Adele, and Adam quickly checked their schedules for Milan while Richard gave Martin an incredulous look. Ardee just hid a smile by covering her mouth with her fingers. There was a look of triumph from Adele and Marc while a look of disappointment came from Adam.

"We're coming in a day after," Adam cried. "Can't you resched your performance to the next day, Jase?"

Richard shook his head and smiled, "sorry, Adam. Day two is reserved solely for Maine. I usually take her around the city."

"Aww..." Adele gushed. "Don't you have a brother that you could introduce me to, Jase?"

The laughter suddenly left Richard's eyes as well as his smile, which everyone was surprised to see except for Martin. There was a sudden coldness in the atmosphere when Richard cleared his throat and just replied, "not anymore."

He returned to studying their schedule as Martin tried to lighten up everyone's mood. Martin knew Alden was still a sore topic for Richard even if he was starting to move on from his grief. Still, any mention of his brother was painful for Richard and he owed it to his captain to distract the others so that it was never discussed again. He did that by mentioning that some of the places that they would be heading would be a first for the company, as they recently got the permit to enter the city

Adam got excited then as this was going to be his first assignment as Captain, being recently promoted to the position and was lucky enough to be assigned to international flights immediately.

They continued their discussion, as they passed on comments and inquiries back and forth with Richard just listening in. Every so often he would make a comment or two. The mood became light once again the more they discussed the six-month plan.

"We'll be in Paris on the 23rd of November?" Richard suddenly asked, looking up at Martin.

"Yes," Martin answered looking at Richard curiously.

"We're not staying at Hotel de l'Europe?"

"Nope," Martin replied. "We'll be at Hotel Richmond Gare du Nord. De l'Europe is fully booked on the dates we'll be there. Why?"

"I was hoping to stay in de l'Europe," Richard muttered. "The room that I had the last time we were there would have been perfect."

"That's too bad for you, Jase," Marc teased. "We're actually staying at de l'Europe when we arrive on the 25th."

"What's on your mind, Jason?" Martin asked, complete ignoring Marc's comment.

"I'll tell you later," Richard replied.

Martin just nodded and resumed their meeting. It went on for another thirty minutes until everything was laid out. When everyone was preparing to leave, Richard scowled as he turned his head to the door.

"Jason?" Martin called out as he noticed a change in Richard's demeanor.

"Maine's here," Richard replied. "She never mentioned that she needed to head here too."

"I watch 'Supernatural' a lot, Jase," Martin said. "But it really amazes and freaks me out whenever the two of you know where each other are when you're not together. But before you go looking for you lady love, what's that about Paris that got you all flustered."

Richard paused for a few minutes as he let the others leave the conference room where they held the meeting. He was trying to figure out how to tell Martin but decided it was best to just tell him straight up.

"Do you think there will be an available room at de l'Europe on the 24th?" He asked uneasily. "I was hoping I could book the room I previously stayed when we were there."

"What's on November 24th that you need to book that particular hotel room?" Martin inquired, one eyebrow raised in question.

Richard took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He replied, "Maine and I will be celebrating our sixth month together as a couple. It's just perfect timing that we'll be in Paris then. I wanted to make it a bit special for Maine. Monthsaries for us are just usually movie nights or series marathons. I wanted this to be different. Besides, Paris is the place where I found her again, Martin. It's a bit special for me. So I want that night to be special for the both of us."

Martin was doing his best to hide his giddiness as he stifled a scream that wanted to burst from him. It came out sounding like a cat being strangled, that Richard took a step back with worry. Martin tried to regain his composure as he took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Does it need to be that particular room, Jase?" He asked, still trying to keep his giddiness in check.

"Not really," Richard replied. "But I was hoping it would be similar in size. My old room there had a table for two where I could set a quiet dinner for us. And I know a bellboy there named Remi Le Beau who owns a left handed guitar, I wanted to borrow it again to maybe hold a private concert for her."

Martin gave another strangled cat sound to keep from screaming with glee. He reached out and held Richard by his shoulders and said, "I will make it happened, Jase. Don't worry about a thing. I promise it will be a perfect night for you and Maine."

"Thanks, Martin. That means a lot."

"You're very welcome. Now go find your lady love."

"She's right outside the door."

"Seriously, Jase," Martin cried. "How do you know?"

He gave out his bedimpled smile and replied, "she's my heart, Martin. The heart will always find it's way home."

-oo-

Author's Note:

For anyone who is a fan of X-Men, yes I know that Remi Le Beau is Gambit. The name was very French, so I used it. If the name's copy written please tell me immediately so I can think of a different name.