"Did you see how they all looked when we crossed the finish line together?" Tom said about it for what must have been the tenth time and laughed heartily.

"I think it was because we tied up Pedro," Penny murmured as she listlessly picked at her pasta, still embarrassed that the stewards had wanted to report all five of them for deprivation of their liberty.

"Come on, after they saw Sam's wound, they listened to what we had to say," Franziska replied and nudged Penny encouragingly with her shoulder. Penny smiled weakly, but it wasn't the accusation that really bothered her, but rather the events of today, or more precisely, the entire week. Now that it was all over, it was catching up with her and taking its toll. It was always like that. As long as you had to, you worked. Afterwards, the worse the events were, the more exhausted you were.

Alex and Tom were engaged in a discussion about Pedro's disqualification due to his behavior. After the competition was over, they both wanted to tell the judges about the previous attacks on Sam and Penny, but Sam held them back. The events had happened in the evening and outside of the competition and would not play any role in the competition. Even the video from the individual competition, which clearly showed that Pedro was responsible for Sam's rope breaking, have had no meaning. You could see that Pedro had swung over to Sam's rope, but due to the distance it was too imprecise to tell whether he had actually cut it or it had just been a slip.

It was so unfair that Pedro got away scot-free. They had endured and overcome everything that had happened to them and especially to Sam, but it had taken a lot of luck. Pedro would also fly home the day after tomorrow and probably compete again next year. The disqualification only applied to this one team competition, not to anything else and not to the future. Would he then misplay again just to increase his chances of winning when he faced an opponent as good as Sam again?

"What's wrong, my angel?" Sam turned to her quietly. "Aren't you hungry or do you feel guilty about your hips?" She poked him briefly in the stomach, but smiled as she did so. Only Sam could put a smile on her face again, no matter how thoughtful or worried she was.

"I was just thinking about how glad I am that it's all over now," she replied quietly.

"But?" He took her hand and gave her a look that told her he knew there was more and he wouldn't tolerate any excuses.

"It's not fair for Pedro to get away with everything after what he did to you."

"And you. Don't forget yourself, my heart. But don't worry so much. We're leaving soon and then we'll never meet him again," he murmured in her ear as he slid a little closer to her and turned to Penny to rest her forehead against his.

"Still, it's not okay. He deserved a penalty and did you see how helpless he was when Alex was stuck on the ledge? He's not a good firefighter. This could cost lives."

"I know how much you would like to, my angel, but you can't save the whole world. I also talked to Alex about it. His brother isn't taken nearly as seriously at their station as he always tries to be. Don't worry anymore," he replied and gave her a kiss on the forehead before pulling her into his arms. She enjoyed his comforting embrace for a moment and her heart really felt a little lighter, even if it didn't completely satisfy her. Why was she so resentful towards Pedro? She wasn't usually inclined to do that. She decided to tick all of this off for herself. The day after tomorrow they would fly home and then they could finally leave everything behind them.

"To get back to the topic: My wish to become a godfather was serious. Just make sure you keep that in mind," Tom interjected and they both groaned in annoyance before turning to him and stopping in surprise.

"You didn't really order another portion?" asked Sam, amazed, who couldn't even finish his plate because the portions were so huge.

"Metabolism, Samy," he replied with a grin and Penny just shook her head, but couldn't help but laugh. "This competition today has totally drained me. I have to get my calorie balance back on track."

"The competition or rather what stopped you in the forest?" Alex teased his friend and Franziska turned bright red.

"Save any comments now, Thomas!" she hissed at him quietly and he immediately gave in and paid a little more attention to his plate. The two of them made a lovely couple and Franziska would take good care of Tom and keep him under control, Penny was sure of that.

"That's exactly why you shouldn't throw stones when you're sitting in a glass house, my friend!" Sam objected and took a sip.

"Now don't bother anymore. You'd better be happy when the topic is off the table," Penny whispered to him quietly, but not quietly enough.

"Now don't act so innocent all the time, you wannabe moralizer," Tom replied, offended, and he and Penny looked at each other perplexed.

"What do you mean with wannabe moralizer?" replied Sam.

"Oh come on, as if you could keep your hands off each other, the way you're always stuck together."

"We're constantly stuck together because after such a long time we're just happy to finally be together and we're enjoying it."

"And I take your word for it," Alex chimed in and winked at them with a grin. "You were already undressing each other with your eyes before you were even together," he then added and Sam and Penny looked at each other again - but this time surprised.

"You have?" they both asked at the same time and the other three couldn't hold back their laughter.

"Of course not," Sam replied immediately, but he immediately blushed, just like Penny, giving himself away. "You just think about it. But definitely not all the time, like that Casanova there!" he then added sheepishly and pointed to Tom. He didn't want to lie to Penny. It wouldn't be a good base. But it shouldn't be a table conversation for everyone either. That was only their business.

"But more and more often," Penny murmured and he looked up at her in surprise, but she was already poking around in her pasta again with her head down and red.

"I think you'll have to wait not for too long for your godchild, Tom," said Alex with a grin, who was reading the two of them like an open book. "Incredible. They're pining for each other for so long and even then self-control personified. Kudos, you two. Or is your nephew right, Sam, and you really don't know how to do it?!"

"I don't think it's any of your business what we do and don't do with each other. There are more important and nicer things to share with each other than just the bed!" Sam now demanded awkwardly and everyone looked at him in surprise, even Penny was curious what he meant.

"What could be nicer?" Tom replied helplessly and looked first at Franziska and then at Alex, who both shrugged their shoulders.

"There is nothing more beautiful than holding the woman I love in my arms. Seeing her as the last thing before I fall asleep and the first thing when I wake up. Only then is a day perfect. Having her close to me makes me the happiest man in the world and her love has really completed me. I've been missing something for so long, which I've finally found and makes my personal world complete."

"Oh, Sam," Penny sighed enthusiastically and put her arms around his neck to kiss him tenderly, while Franziska offered Tom he could follow that example."I feel the same way. I love you so much." She stole another gentle kiss before she sank into his beautiful eyes, knowing that the self-control that Tom had previously praised was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.

"You will also convince yourself that there is nothing better than that. The greater the love, the more magical it is," Alex now objected mischievously, but they ignored him, they were sinking too much into the feeling of well-being, that their closeness and looking into each other's beautiful eyes triggered.

"Could I have the desert card?" Tom pulled them out of their thoughts and they looked at him in shock as the waiter cleared away the empty plate. "What? Don't you want one?"

"No thanks," Penny replied and also handed the waiter her half-eaten plate.

"What you're shoveling into yourself is going to make us sick just watching it," Sam now objected.

"You're just jealous," Tom replied with a grin and Sam just shook his head with a resigned smile as Penny stood up next to him.

"It's been a long day and I'd like to lie down. Stay here, Sam." Penny kissed him quickly. "Have a good time," she said, but Sam immediately jumped up and grabbed her hand.

"I won't let you wander around the hotel alone," he clarified and turned to the other three. "See you tomorrow."

"Goodbye, you two. Have a nice night!" Tom replied with a grin and Sam rolled his eyes in annoyance, but couldn't be mad at them. They were several years younger than both of them and neither of them have had to hope and fear for so long that they would win the love of their lives. One day they too would learn how much more valuable it was to have your soul mate by your side than to pursue physical needs.

To be continued...