"Why are we having this meeting again?" Meredith asked. Her voice was scratchy, and her eyes were puffy. She'd obviously just woken up.

"It's just a quick get-together before you all scatter for the next two weeks, to make sure everything's in order," Sally said briskly. She gestured to the carafes of coffee that dotted the table, and Isabella, one of the publicists, who was sitting next to Meredith, very helpfully poured her a cup.

MJ took another sip of hers. It was very good, a nice, dark brew of sock-it-to-your-senses Parisian coffee that smelled amazing and tasted even better than that.

Meredith smiled her thanks and took a small sip.

It was pretty early, the morning after the show, and everyone was getting ready to leave for the break, and while no one was exactly thrilled to be at the breakfast meeting, Meredith was definitely the most vociferous about being unhappy.

"Let's keep the complaining to a minimum, and we can get out of here that much faster, yeah?" Sally continued, looking around the table. Only Executive Crew, Heath and Meredith were present. General Crew were busy in the bowels of the hotel and at the venue, packing up and loading up, getting everything moved to Santiago, Chile, where everyone would meet up in two weeks' time.

"So first, there's a clipboard coming around with your most recent plans for the break written on it. If your plans have changed, if you're going somewhere else, please fix it. And please make sure I have your correct mobile. I know some of you change frequently."

"Not me," Meredith declared. "Ibiza, here I come! Whoo-hoo!" She looked around. "Heath? Where you off to?"

"England, to see my family," Heath told her.

"But, you know the tour ends in England in less than three months," Meredith told him. "It was scheduled that way on purpose because your fanbase is so huge there."

"Yeah?" Heath just looked at her.

"And didn't you say your brother's coming out to South America to visit you anyway, after the break?" Meredith went on.

"My brother and my sister, actually," Heath corrected her.

Meredith stared at him. "So why waste your break seeing them if you're going to see them right after the break and when the tour's over?" she asked. She was obviously mystified.

"Maybe some people don't consider seeing their family a 'waste,' ever," Ruth, one of the other publicists, said gently.

"Whatevs," Meredith said with a shrug.

The clipboard came to MJ, and she saw "Eurail, France, Spain, Portugal," next to her name, and she passed it down. Sally knew she was going with Heath to his family's country estate, so she wasn't concerned. She saw "Ibiza," and "French Riviera," next to Meredith's.

"That was quite a splash you made closing the show last night, well done," Sally said, nodding in Heath's direction. "I'm told social media nearly melted down afterward, and that uploaded fan clips of the song have already gone over fifty million. Is the song even registered yet?"

Heath shook his head. "I wanted it to be a complete surprise," he said. "My people will take care of it today."

Sally nodded.

"I heard that everyone would be really happy if you could manage something similar, maybe right after the break?" She was talking to  Meredith now.

Meredith was nodding and sighing. "I know, I know, I've heard from Al and Maggie already. They'd love a new song for right after the break." She shrugged and flapped her arm on the table in frustration. "I don't know what anyone expects me to do, though. I mean, Sandrine and Stewart are leaving as soon as the meeting's over to go to Provence to spend time with her family, right?" She looked in their direction.

Sandrine nodded.

"They're my main support when I write. Helen?" She turned to the redhead.

"I'm going to Scotland," she supplied.

"Fucking Scotland," Meredith repeated.

"Maybe you could write it on your own?" Sally suggested.

Meredith looked at her like she'd suggested she fly to the moon.

"Besides, we're supposed to be on fucking vacation," she complained. "I'm going to fucking Ibiza, I don't want to have to think about fucking work, and have all this pressure on me to have a fucking song ready for fucking Santiago the day we get back, you know?" She looked around the table.

Sally sighed. "Just keep it in mind," she said gently. She looked down her agenda.

"Okay, just a few more things," she promised.

MJ got a text from Meredith.

Iced chai latte, extra foam, as soon as the fucking meeting's over

MJ sighed. She had some more England packing to do. Her Santiago stuff was ready, but her little stuff was still scattered around her room, and she didn't want to make Heath wait for her. She wondered if she could leave the meeting early and get the Starbucks now. But just as she was thinking this, someone else tried to go, and got the smackdown from Sally in no uncertain terms.

Great.

Twenty minutes later, they were finally finished, and MJ took the elevator downstairs, where, as she'd feared, everyone in the hotel wanted Starbucks for breakfast.

Sorry, Meredith wants Starbucks, I'll be there as soon as I can.

Heath sent back:

Don't worry, there's no way I'm leaving without you, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun😉💖

She finally got the drink and took it upstairs, where she found Meredith lounging on her bed, looking at her phone, all her luggage neatly packed and ready to go.

"Finally," she said, reaching for the drink. "Everyone's been waiting for me downstairs for ages." She grasped her pull case and headed for the door. "See you in two weeks!" she called gaily as she sailed out the door.

MJ quickly gathered her bathroom things, her notebook, laptop, and other sundry items, and took off for Heath's suite, arriving an hour after she sent the text, a little disheveled and out of breath.

"Oh no, darling, I told you not to worry," Heath said, laughing as he hugged her.

"I hate to keep people waiting," MJ gasped. "Don't you dare laugh at me, Heath Michael Spencer!"

"Okay, okay, I'm so sorry, Meadow Rain Jasse-moltenlava," Heath teased, chucking her under the chin. "God, you are just the cutest thing I've ever seen," he declared, maneuvering her against the wall and pinning her there.

"Kiss me," he whispered, running his hands up her sides to cup her face.

She closed her eyes as she put her arms around him, and let out a little whimper as his lips found her mouth. His thumb pushed down on her chin  little, opening her mouth, and he pressed in with his tongue, tasting her, accepting her tongue in return and making a noise of his own as he pressed his body even more firmly into hers.

"You don't even know what you do to me," he murmured. "You don't even know how you make me feel."

He reached for her mouth with his again and again, holding her prisoner against the wall as the strength left her legs.

His phone buzzed in his pocked, bringing them both back to the moment.

"Fuck," he said against her mouth, making her laugh.

"I guess the car's here?" she asked.

Ten minutes later they were in the car and headed for the airport.

"What if we run into Meredith and her friends?" MJ asked.

"Different airport," Heath answered. "I think," he added with a grin.

"You think?" MJ repeated, looking at him with wide eyes.

"I'm almost certain," he amended.

They safely made it to Charles de Gaulle airport, and onto yet another tiny plane without being spotted by anyone, and after (to MJ) another harrowing takeoff, they were over the English Channel for the short flight to London.

"So where are we going, exactly?" MJ asked.

"Surrey," Heath told her. "My parents have a place in London, but they spend most of their time at Tanglewood. It's really beautiful there, and my dad's an ardent animal lover, so it's where he's happiest, you know?" He turned to MJ. "He was an astrophysics professor, but he really should've been a country veterinarian, that's what everyone tells him. And my mum's an attorney, but she's semi-retired now, so they just mooch about Tanglewood most of the time, gardening and playing with the animals." He smiled at MJ. "It's a lovely life, and I'm so happy you're going to share it with us, even if it's only for a fortnight." He put an arm around her and gave her a squeeze.

"And Archie and Poppy are going to be there too?" MJ asked, snuggling into his side, reveling in not having to hide.

"Yeah, it's summer holidays for both of them for all of August yet, so you're going to be inflicted with them for the whole break and in South America," Heath informed her.

MJ hit his chest. "Don't say that, you know how lucky you are to have siblings," she chastised him.

And she could tell from his smile that he was joking. She knew how much he loved his brother and sister.

"Actually, Archie's a bit of a character, I should probably warn you," Heath told her. "And he loves animals more than my dad, even. He's probably the only boy ever to go to Harrow who's going to pursue a career in veterinary medicine."

"How wonderful!" MJ declared. "I've always loved animals, but we could never have any," she told Heath. "Between the hours my dad put in at the diner, and the expense of shots and getting them fixed and all that, we just couldn't do it. I drove our neighbors crazy asking to play with their dog and cat all the time."

"Aww, I bet you were adorable," Heath said, kissing her hair. "You're going to get your fill of animals over the next two weeks, don't you worry. Some people have said our place should be called 'Tanglezoo' instead of 'Tanglewood'." He looked at MJ as a thought occurred to him. "Do you ride?" he asked.

MJ sat up and looked at him. "We've been talking about animals, so I'm going to assume you're not talking about my ten-speed," she replied. "Horses, right?" At his nod, she shook her head. "Aren't I too heavy?" she asked, swallowing, drawing her brows together.

"No no, stop. Stop," Heath said, pushing between her brows with his thumb. "You're not too heavy," he replied. "I mean, we won't be able to ride double or anything like that, but you're not too heavy, okay?" He pulled her head to him and kissed her forehead. "Why do you do that? Why?" He cuddled her some more.

"You haven't asked me how we're getting to Tanglewood," he said, obviously trying to change the subject.

"What do you mean?" MJ responded, sitting up once more. "Aren't we going by car, like usual?"

Heath nodded, then shook his head. "Yeah, it is by car, but no, it's definitely not like usual," he answered, looking so happy MJ had to smile.

"You remember once you asked me if I had a car?" he asked her.

She nodded.

"And I never answered, did I?" He grinned at her.

"Heath Michael Spencer! Do you have some ridiculous modern sports car that sits low to the ground and growls like an animal that I'm going to need help getting out of?" MJ asked, laughing with delight.

No!" Heath answered, offended. "Please! Have a little more faith in me! I'm classy!"

"Tell me what it is!"

But though she pestered him for the rest of the flight, he wouldn't.

She was tickled to pieces, however, when they got to the airport and she saw what was waiting for them. it was a classic Jaguar convertible two seater, with barely enough room for their pull cases. Their bags would have to be delivered.

"Oh, Heath," she breathed, running her fingers along the hood. "Look at this beautiful color."

"So do you like it?" he asked. He seemed almost anxious, though MJ couldn't fathom why.

"I love it," she answered, beaming at him.

"I hardly ever get to drive it, so I'm really looking forward to this," he confessed as he sat behind the wheel."

"This is so neat," MJ agreed as she buckled up.

"It is, isn't it?" he agreed, smiling over at her. "I'm so glad you're pleased," he told her. "It really means so much."

"Well, I am."

"Do you have an International license?" Heath asked as he inserted the key.

"Yeah, why?"

"You can drive it if you like, while we're here," Heath offered. "Would you like to switch out on the way tonight?"

MJ's eyes widened. "Wow, thanks! I'd love to, while we're here. Not tonight, though, you enjoy this drive, okay? I'm going to enjoy being the passenger, just like Bridget Jones."

Heath started the car, then her words registered, and he turned to her. He took a breath to say something, but she put a finger on his lips before he could, silencing him.

"I love you, Heath Michael Spencer," she said. She took her finger away and kissed him in the twilight as the engine purred. She kissed him once, twice, then again, smiling in between.

"Okay, Mister, let's go."

"Yeah," he replied, smiling back. "You mind if we take our time? See the countryside a bit?"

MJ shook her head. It was all joy to her.

So they took their meandering time, stopping in a deserted country pub for lunch as they slowly made their way to Heath's childhood home.

To MJ, it really was like she was in a movie. She pulled her hair into a pony tail to keep it out of her face as she rode in the convertible, through first London, then the English countryside, next to a bonafide English rock star. Every once in a while he would reach over and squeeze her hand.

Just as real twilight settled over the gorgeous woods and fields, they turned onto a winding, private, road, and followed it to a stately two story English, country house, with a couple of matching outbuildings. It was bathed in the light of the setting sun, with a few horses grazing in the fenced field as some dogs rambled in the large yard.

"Welcome to Tanglewood, darling," Heath said, squeezing her hand once more.