"I've been to France." Swanson said. "It really isn't all that great." He knew he was bringing down the wrath of Suzette,
so he smirked brightly. "In fact, I'd list it as one of the least likely places I'd ever go unless I was promised hot sweaty
sex." He said in French, still with that smirk.
"Did I ever tell you that Deltas seek out danger if we're left to our own devices too long?" Hector said, shaking his
head.
"Ignorant, immature, sexually frustrated....I wouldn't sleep with you if I were paid." Suzette snapped.
"I don't remember asking, but thank you very much." Swanson said with his grin.
Since the conversation had degenerated into French Andi leaned over and translated for Molly who was just looking
confused.
"He's telling Suz only hot sex would get him into France and she's tell him that you couldn't pay her and he's getting
smug and commenting he hadn't offered but thanks anyway."
"Typical male." Molly replied in the same stage whisper.
"Actually it was 'hot, sweaty sex.'" Janette leaned down to interject factually.
Hector chuckled, he needed the additional translation himself. "That's Swan, goes to the lowest common denominator
every time." He said.
"Hey, she offered." Swanson said with his hands up.
"I most certainly did not." Suzette said.
"I think she brings out the worst in him." Hector confided to Janette, who nodded patiently.
"I see that."
"So, anyway, when do you kids leave?" Sam asked, trying to bring some civility back to the tent. After all, once Hector
left, Swanson would leave and the French doctor would calm down.
"In a few hours." Hector said. Once Mike was ready to go anyway.
Mike shrugged.
"Just tell me when."
"You're a small sized mongrel." Suzette told Swanson in French.
"I'd like to go to France." Molly clarified. "Even without the hot, sweaty sex. I want to see the castles. They're romantic."
"They've got some you can stay in." Janette answered. "Refurbished into hotels."
"You're just sore because I said I wouldn't sleep with you." Swanson stated in French, smirking over at Suzette.
"The kids are getting into a fight again. Same subject." Andi translated.
"Do you think I could find a knight in shining armor over there?" Molly asked Janette and the older woman smiled.
"You can find those anywhere, dear. Sometimes the armor's just a bit rusty."
Sean coughed.
"You were the one begging last time we were together." Suzette clarified in French.
"Uh." Andi debated translating and Ahmed pulled pieces of a protein bar out of his pocket and handed it triumphantly
to Hector.
Hector watched the conversation, it was beyond him now, until Swanson broke out the swear words anyway. But he
could tell it was getting nasty.
"How about now?" He asked Mike, who chuckled.
"Begging? Okay, that's going a little far. I don't have to beg, I just ask, which if I remember right, you were all up on
the Swan man before we got interrupted. If anyone was going to beg it was you." Swanson had an innate ability to
translate American vernacular into any language.
"Beg to stop maybe you rabid dog."
"Just admit it. You still want me."
"Someone's dreaming."
"So you admit it, you dream of me."
"Night mares."
"Children." Janette said. "Please. Can we talk about something else?" Swanson then remembered Andi's parents
were there.
"I'm sorry, ma'am." He said with a grin. "But she started it."
"Oh!" Suzette said and looked ready to smack him.
"I didn't know you liked it rough." Swanson said with a smirk.
"Yeah, okay." Hector said, still not understanding, but knew a hot and bothered about to get violent Suzette when he
saw one. "Lead the way, Mike."
"Oo. Look what you have done." Suzette flared. "She is leaving now because you cannot keep a civil tongue in your
head."
"Up and at 'em." Sean stood up himself, dusting his hands off.
"I'm not the one about to resort to violence." Swanson stated.
"We will walk with you to the car." Janette stated. "I think everyone else can amuse themselves otherwise."
"I should hurt you." Suzette snapped. "Things were beautiful until you arrived and now you are driving them away."
"Meet you there." Mike told Hector while Andi leaned low and whispered to the three girls that had come from the
other camp with her. There was a great deal of cheek touching and murmured words exchanged.
"I'm going to miss you." Molly hugged Hector because Andi was busy at the moment.
Ahmed, pleased with all the chaos, climbed up onto a nearby cot and started to bounce. Sam warned him down with a
stern growl.
"I'm not the one that doesn't know when to let something drop." Swanson snapped, starting to drift into old, familiar
territory.
Mike picked up Andi's bags and carried them outside.
"I think they actually prefer us leaving without the goodbye." Andi suggested once she was at Hector's side again,
Molly squeezing her tight enough that the second half of her sentence came out in a sharp exhale before she
returned the hug.
"Oh don't worry, they'll be making out before we're even out of the camp." Mike said with a shrug.
"Disturbing." Hector said as he released Molly.
"They were leaving already!" Swanson shouted at Suzette. "Probably to get the hell away from Miss High and Mighty!"
"Better than staying around Mr Arrogant!"
"Yeah. So, bye!" Hector called out and they left the tent. "Now that is one thing I will not miss."
"Peace and quiet is good." Sean said with a chuckle.
"They simply don't understand how to deal with each other yet." Janette stated. "Still young at the relationship part of
interaction."
"Mm." Sean commented mildly. "I seem to remember you not being too fond of me to begin with."
"Well, you were arrogant." Janette told him with a smile, slipping one arm around his waist and the other around
Hector's. "He was too." She whispered aside to the younger man.
"She likes arrogant." Sean clarified with a surprisingly boyish grin and she returned a bright smile of her own.
"I do." She agreed. Andi laughed quietly from Hector's other side.
Considering he only had two bags, it didn't take much for Mike to load the jeep.
"Look, I'm going to go get some supplies for the road. You guys go ahead and take you're time. I'll be back when
you're ready."
"Thanks." Sean shook his hand and then put his arm around his little girl so that they ended up in a circle of sorts.
"Don't really believe in goodbyes." He stated.
"We want you to both be happy. And enjoy yourselves. And get plenty of rest and good food" Janette supplied. "And
not push yourselves too hard. Or invent obligations you need to worry about because you don't. Everything's going to
take care of itself while you're away. So take your time and relax."
"Be good." Sean added firmly.
"Take care of each other. And call us if you need anything. Even to talk. About anything. You have our number,
right?"
"Sure glad we skipped that part." Hector said to Andi, laughing. "But I am arrogant."
"All men are, dear." Janette said with a smile. He just might be arrogant, but at least it was the bearable quiet kind.
And earned. She would definitely say he had earned it. "I think M'mselle Suzette needs someone to keep her on her
toes."
"I don't know, I think young Robert doesn't need the head injury." Sean said. "Now about our number..."
Hector repeated it with the international code in front with a grin. "We've got it. And we're going to relax, leave the
world to solve its own problems for a while, and keep busy terrorizing my neighbor."
Well, that was one way to keep busy, Sean silently mused. And a much more preferable way in his mind. At least
where his Dromie was concerned.
"Call us when you get there. No matter the time. We should be in Zaire by then." Janette said.
"If not, like all god fearing men afraid of missing calls from their wives, I have an answering machine." Sean said with a
chuckle.
"His name's Joseph." Janette added. "Day or night, he knows to come get a hold of us."
"Mum." Andi began and Janette leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her, holding her tight as she kissed
her cheek.
"You'll be back, bebe. I know you will. And I think you've made a good choice and I'm very, very proud of you and I
love you. More than life and breath." Andi wrapped her arms around her mother and held tight.
Sean shook Hector's hand and rested his other on his shoulder.
"You know what I'm thinking, son. And I know about how effective saying anything would be. So instead I'm going to
say you be careful and you take good care of her. You hurt her and I'll kill you. And if I thought that was going to be a
worry I wouldn't let you be taking her home with you in the first place. I fully expect to see you again often. In this life
and the next. Don't you dare think about disappointing me." He pulled the younger man into a sudden hug. "And for
the record, I think my baby girl chose good too." He added gruffly.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of her." Hector assured Sean and Janette.
"I know." Janette said, confident in that fact as Hector and Andi got into the vehicle to start the first leg of their
journey, Mike having slipped into the drivers seat without anyone knowing he was there. He didn't want to interrupt.
"But just for the record, and you can hear this too Andi. Same goes for me. I'll kill you too." Mike said.
Andi had actually had a harder time letting go of her father than her mother but she had, taking his kiss on the top of
her head. No tears. She didn't cry. But her heart ached.
"Grand adventure, baby girl." He whispered in her ear. "Go have fun." It had made her throat close up but it had also
made her smile.
"Love you, Da." She'd whispered back and he'd kissed her again.
"More than words." He'd agreed and helped her into the jeep.
And then they were gone.