Please don't be surprised that everyone gets along so well, even though they come from different countries. I'll take the artistic liberty of letting them speak the same language for the sake of simplicity.

Have fun while reading.

"So I'm excited to see what else German cuisine has to offer." Sam collapsed onto his bed and clasped his hands behind his head as he watched Penny hang up her jacket and walk towards him.

"It can only get better."

"What do you mean? Didn't you like it?"

"It was surprisingly good, considering it was actually just a bratwurst with lots of ketchup and curry powder." She smiled as she took off her shoes and placed them under the bed.

"Sometimes the simplest connections are the best. Look at us. We are a good team."

"Simple?" she asked skeptically while rummaging through her bag. "You're not seriously comparing us to currywurst?!"

"What? No!...I didn't mean that I think you're simple...well, you're not difficult either...you're something special...so we get along well...I... ."

"I don't think you should drink more of the German beer, Sam," she interrupted him teasingly, sitting back down on her bed armed with a book while he blushed.

"I only had two."

"And that's why you should leave it to that if these two already confusing you so much, right?" she objected teasingly as she drew up her legs and opened the book. God, she was so wonderful, no matter the perspective and no matter what she did, he thought wistfully. She had no idea that it wasn't the beer that confused his senses when she was near him. "Our beer isn't quite as strong as the german ones."

"But at least what people say is true, that German beer is the best. I think I'll take a bottle with me for Charly and Steele when we fly home."

"So you want to fly after all?" She looked up at him in surprise and he thought for a moment.

"Yes, I think I prefer a quick fall than a slow, painful drowning in the cold sea."

"Why are you really so negative about flying, Sam?" she asked him gently and put the book down to turn to him. She always knew when he was hiding something and he took a deep breath.

"I was in my final year in Cardiff, about to graduate, when we were called in for a major operation to support the emergency services on site. We weren't supposed to go all the way to the front of the scene, but I heard someone calling for help and since everyone else was looking elsewhere, I ran over there. I rescued an old man from the rubble, but he died in my arms before the paramedics got to us. There were children on board too. It was horrible." He closed his eyes for a moment to clear away the images from back then that were reappearing behind his mind's eye when he felt a touch on his shoulder and opened his eyes again.

"I'm really sorry, Sam," she objected sympathetically.

"I swore to myself back then that I would always do everything I could to never lose anyone in action again."

"And you always managed that. Pontypandy was never as safe as with you."

"You know very well that this is not just my achievement. Without such a great team behind me and such a great teamleader like you at my side, I would often be powerless."

"Don't make me bigger than I am. I'm just doing my job," she replied with a smile and Sam joined in with her last sentence, which made them both laugh. "You know, today is the first day we haven't been trained in two weeks?" she then changed the subject.

"I didn't train. You went jogging this morning."

"This isn't training. This is habit." Sam couldn't help but wonder if she could change her habits and eventually prefer to stay in bed longer in the morning?

"Did you know that none of our new friends were allowed to train for this competition while on duty?"

"They don't have Boyce or Ellie breathing down their neck," Penny replied with a smile.

"Well, you have to admit that Ellie has been holding back a lot over the last week."

"She had no choice after we pointed out the risks of training too hard and her responsibility for it."

"But at least we're lying here now and can still move without every muscle in our body hurting. That's the main thing," he replied with a grin. "Besides, Tom, Franziska and Alex didn't train today when we did. They don't see it as so bad either."

"The three of them are nice." Penny picked up her book again and opened it.

"Yes, they are. But purely theoretically they are our competitors."

"But that doesn't seem to bother them. Since when do you of all people see other people as competitors?"

"I just wanted to point out, but you're right: I like them too. They're different than this Pedro and the two women who flirted with him in the back seat."

"Jealous?" she interjected teasingly.

"How could I be jealous of the two gray mice when I share a room with the kitten." He looked at the ceiling, lost in thought. The beer had really gone to his head a little, but he was far from drunk. Still, it was enough to make his heart slip to his tongue if he wasn't careful.

"Does the kitten have to sleep with its claws extended or does the tomcat stay well-behaved?" she replied and had difficulty stopping herself from laughing when Sam woke up from his thoughts and realized what he had said.

"I should really stay away from the beer while we're here," he muttered sheepishly as he turned around and buried his face in the pillow. He felt the heat, which certainly made his head glow like the wire of a light bulb. Still, humor was probably always the best defense. "When you feel more comfortable, you can extend your claws, but I promise you won't need them. The tomcat is very nice."

"Even if he wasn't, there would be no reason to scratch," she murmured, and he turned his face to see the smile at the corner of her mouth as she looked at her book.

"I thought you didn't drink beer?!"

"Neither did I, except for the sip of yours." She still didn't look up from her book and Sam took advantage of this moment because he couldn't help the wide grin that now spread across his face. Could it really be? Maybe her involuntary stay here wouldn't be so bad after all?!

He decided to let her read and picked up his sweatpants and shirt, then got ready in the bathroom before crawling into bed with a book too. But he didn't get far as he dozed off over the book. The day had been long and the many new impressions and finally the beer had done their part to tire him out. At some point he opened his eyes sleepily when Penny carefully took the book from his hands and straightened his blanket.

He heard her quietly wishing him a good night and murmured a quiet "Sleep well!" before he fell asleep completely as it became dark around him.

To be continued...