#firstonthescene

It had been her own fault for bringing up the topic. Letting sleeping dogs lie would have been the best approach, and one she would have normally taken, but the hideous thing had caught her eye and now she couldn’t stop thinking about it.

In her defence, the tattered old hammock did look like it had seen better days. Swaying limply between the two trees, it really did appear to be quite literally hanging on by a few threads. Not to mention the lack of cohesion between the design of it and the rest of the patio furniture. At this point it was practically begging for someone to replace it, if only to liven up the place a little.

On more than one occasion, Penelope had been tempted. With Parker’s help — which he would have given wholeheartedly, she was certain — they could have had the dreadful hammock replaced in a snap. No-one would have been any the wiser until it was too late. It would have been an easy switch, but it was something she would never dare do. Penelope had far too much respect for the owners of that ghastly hammock, even if their choice in poolside furnishings left much to be desired, and so she had left the eyesore alone, averting her eyes every time she visited the island and was forced to walk passed it.

For months now, since she had first seen the thing, Penelope had done well to ignore the intolerable hammock.

Until today.

After the family barbecue earlier, she and Jeff had spent the better half of their evening down on one of Tracy Island’s not-so-secret secret beaches. Weeks ago, Jeff had promised Penelope he’d finally teach her how to surf. Making good use of the last of the daylight, he had begun to show her the basics. Now, as the sun had threatened to dive behind the horizon, they had begrudgingly returned to the villa.

As they strolled up the last of the steps, passing the pool and the sun loungers, the hammock had once again caught Penelope’s eye.

“Don’t you think it’s time you replaced that old thing?”

Jeff lugged his surfboard up the last of the steps as Penelope examined the limp fabric critically, pointing towards the trees where it hung. Perplexed by her sudden question, he cast her a curious look. “What, that hammock?”

“It’s positively ghastly.”

“I’ve never really noticed. It just kind of… sits there. Out of the way.”

“It’s an eyesore. It’s barely hanging on there. It looks as thought it’s a relic from the 1980s. No, it needs replacing one of these days before someone gets injured. You know what they say, Jeff; prevention is better than a cure. Replacing that thing before it gives out will be better than waiting for someone to have an accident.

Jeff allowed Penelope to continue, his lips quirking upwards into an amused half-grin.

In her rambling, she hadn’t noticed his quietness until she’d finished. She turned to face him, half-expecting him to agree with her. After all, all her points made were made in truth— any others were based in fact, pending metaphorical certification.

But Jeff did not outwardly agree. He laid down his board, took two steps forward until her was standing in front of her, took her waving, accusing hands in his and then softly claimed, “Penny, it’s a hammock.”

Her eyebrows lowered into a frown. “A ghastly hammock that is a death trap if ever I saw one.”

“Do hammocks usually kill people?”

“That one will. I’m certain of it!”

“Well, it hasn’t yet.”

“One day, Jeff. You shouldn’t tempt fate.”

“Penny, you’re being dramatic. I assure you that hammock is as safe as it was the day we put it up.”

“And when was that exactly?”

“Not the 1980s.”

“Are you sure?”

He chuckled, letting her hands go free. “Positive. It may not look sturdy, but it holds.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it.”

Rarely did Penelope regret her words. She never spoke without first thinking through her sentiments. On this occasion, she did.

Taking her words as a challenge, Jeff burst into a jog. He leaped over Kyrano’s gardening, launched himself through the air and threw himself onto the wretched hammock before Penelope could even yell a word of warning. If anyone wanted to question Jeff’s physical health — something the ageist media found immensely interesting upon hearing of his brief return to space a few months back —they’d need only see him perform that stunt again to be convinced he was as fit as a fiddle. Most would probably have been impressed by his skills. Penelope was not one of them.

Her heart was in her mouth.

And he had the nerve to call her dramatic?

The trees creaked and groaned as they catered to the sudden weight of a grown man leaping onto the hammock, but the ropes holding the hammock up held fast and Jeff gently rocked to and fro with the momentum.

He grinned up at her. “See? Perfectly safe!”

Penelope marched over to him, batting leaves and bushes out of the way to reach him. She folded her arms, clearly irritated by his display. “You could have seriously injured yourself pulling a stunt like that!”

But Jeff, like Penny, knew that she wasn’t angry with his reckless behaviour. She’d seen him perform far worse in his line of work, and, likewise, he’d see her dance with death on more than one occasion.

This was about her being proved wrong.

“Penny…”

“You know what they say, Jeff.” She continued defiantly. “That you’re more likely to injure yourself as home, and with crazy antics like this, I can see why.”

He opened up his arms for her, inviting her to join him, but Penelope shook her head.

“Absolutely not! That thing is a death trap!”

“I just jumped into it to prove that isn’t the case.”

“No. No way.”

It wasn’t that Penny didn’t trust Jeff, because she did. Very much so, in fact. Penelope trusted that man with her life and, on many occasions now he had never failed to come through for her. The Grand Canyon, Marrakech, Ilha da Queimada Grande… The list went on. Jeff had never once let her down. He had never once betrayed that trust. She knew that streak wasn’t about to be broken with this hammock, and yet she still found herself hesitating.

Penelope’s gaze travelled the length of the lining, up to the knot that tied the structure off to the trunk. She frowned disapprovingly. “The ropes will snap under the extra weight. I don’t fancy sporting a broken limb. I’ve already used that one as an excuse to get out of obligations, Jeff, and I can’t use it again so soon.”

Determined to be undefeated in her claim regarding the hammock being unsafe, Penelope turned back towards the path. If she didn’t get on it, she couldn’t be proved entirely wrong.

She made it two steps before an arm wrapped around her waist.

Penelope would have easily batted off any assailant who tried that trick, but it hadn’t been an assailant who had grabbed her. Jeff pulled her backwards, back towards the waiting hammock. Knowing her fate was sealed, Penelope didn’t bother trying to fight free at all. In fact, the only fighting she was doing as Jeff dropped back down onto the hammock, dragging Penelope with him, was fighting off her laughter.

Only Jeff Tracy could make her feel like she was seventeen again.

A stray tendril of gold had fallen from her messy bun. He tucked it behind her ear, drawing her into his embrace. Now she was here, she wasn’t going to be able to get away easily.

Not that she necessarily wanted to get away.

Hammock be damned — Penny would use any excuse for a snuggle.

She glanced upwards to see Jeff’s smug grin. In this light, his eyes were more of a soft shade of grey than blue. Penelope was mesmerised by it.

“Ready to admit defeat?” Jeff asked, snapping out of her temporary trance.

“Defeat?”

“I think it’s safe to say the hammock won.”

“I think you’re mistaken.”

“It hasn’t collapsed. We haven’t died. You’re still laying in it.”

“I didn’t have much of a choice.”

“We can stay here all night if we have to.”

“And watch the beautiful sunset? I don’t see how that’s much of a threat, Jeff.”

In unison, they both glanced over to the horizon. The sun was breaching the horizon, rays reflecting off the waves in the distance. The sky was alight with deep oranges and soft toned pinks. Clouds interrupted the colour show and shadowed outlines of birds swooped and swarmed in clusters. The Pacific roared, crashing into the rocks of the island in a cacophony of sounds.

Jeff held Penelope tighter. His arm, still around her, drew her closer.

Penelope tore her gaze away from the glorious sunset and was met with a face full of grief. She had seen it on Jeff multiple times over the last couple of months, that faraway look, but Penelope never resented it. She did not like it, of course, for it signified the one thing she knew she would never be able to fully heal for him, but she could understand it, perhaps even better than most.

She raised her finger, booping him on the nose.

Jeff’s attention snapped back to her, apologetic and slightly startled, but Penelope merely grinned.

“I know you can hardly keep your eyes off the sky at the best of times, and tonight I must concede that it is exceptionally gorgeous, but you do have company, Jeff Tracy.”

“Sorry.” He chuckled, any thoughts and memories being pushed away to the recesses of his mind. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “I wanted to give the sunset a moment of appreciation before I settled my gaze on the prettier sight.”

“Oh? Is there a meteor shower or something I don’t know about?” Penelope teased, knowing full well there was not. She enjoyed watching the roll of his eyes, hearing his fond, if a little exasperated, sigh.

As she rested back, her head finding a pillow in the safety of his shoulder, Jeff propped his cheek on the top of her head. He offered a gentle squeeze of her hand. “Fancy a vacation?”

“Is this not already one?”

“Not for me it isn’t.”

“Your life is one big vacation.”

“I think you’re underestimating all the work we do on this island, Penny.”

“Fair point. What were you thinking?”

Jeff idly traced circles on the back of her hand and Penelope knew, without having to look back up at him, that he was staring out at the great beyond again.

For a few moments, Jeff said nothing more. In his hold, and with the dying sunset on the horizon, Penelope’s eyelids began to feel heavy.

Then, after a deep inhale, Jeff softly suggested, “Somewhere far away. Maybe that new space hotel? That looks pretty interesting.”

Fighting off sleep a little longer, Penelope forced herself to reply in her normal tone. “The one Brains helped design, you mean? Yes, I was talking to Parker the other day about organising a visit.”

She bit back a yawn and she could feel Jeff’s smile through her hair.

“We can arrange something in the morning.” He continued his whispering. “If you’d like to go?”

“I would love to, but would the boys be okay with you being away for a few days?”

“I was thinking of it being more like a week or two.” He joked with a half-laugh. “But I’m sure they’ll do fine. Scott needs a little room to spread his wings, get used to some leadership without feeling like I’m watching over his shoulder. I won’t be here forever.”

The thought was a sobering one. If Penelope wasn’t on the verge of falling asleep, she would have tackled it more ferociously. Instead, trying to sound as stubborn as possible, she responded with, “No, but you’re going to be here for a long while yet, if I can help it.”

“Are you going to fight Death himself for me, Penny?”

“You know I’d fight anything for you, Jeff Tracy.”

He pressed another kiss to her forehead. “Do you want to move inside?”

“Absolutely not. I’m far too comfortable here now.”

“Ah, so you do admit defeat!”

Too tired to understand entirely what he meant, Penelope furrowed her brows. “What?”

“You admit defeat, regarding this hammock.”

In truth, Penelope had forgotten exactly where they had become so snug. The hideous hammock, for all its faults she tried to point out, was annoyingly cozy.

Stubborn to a fault, she grumbled. “We can talk about that in the morning too.”