#AHHHH THE WAY I SCREAMED WHEN I COPIED AND PASTED THE LINK AND SAW IT WAS *THE* EDIT

[always-andromeda]

So like https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRGykFvx/ that with percy plsssss I dying it was my first thought when I saw that edit

(Attaching the edit for everyone’s benefit <3)

The idea of this with Percy makes me cackle because it would just be clips of this whiny and greasy little man-child getting his shit rocked by Daniel Craig and the aliens. 😭

[chloelucia13]

Chapter 14: Suzie, Do you Copy?

Pairing: none for the moment (currently Jonathan Byers x (kinda) Platonic!Henderson!reader)

Prompt:  You always thought Hawkins was the most boring town of all, stuck in a vacuum void of excitement and entertainment. Well, it seems that way until the world decided to flip upside down, literally.

Chapter Summary: Dustin’s return to Hawkins had overjoyed you, but other than that, there was no change to the normal routine of your summer. At least, that’s what you thought.

Warnings: Mostly fluff, spoilers (obvi), language, mentions of violence, injuries, pretty chill tbh

Word Count: 2764

A/N: AHHHH, I’m back finally! I’m so sorry I took so long to update this story! Hopefully I’ll be able to get back onto this series and update it regularly like I used to, but I can’t make any promises. For the time being, I hope you enjoy and make sure to keep an eye out for any updates! As always, my taglist and ask box is open! 

Tags: @just-my-fandom​, @nightbu-g​

You couldn’t recall a time you had woken up earlier than nine a.m. in the past month.

In all honesty, you had considered just sleeping in until the very last minute scramble to get dressed, rush out the door, and get back before Dustin got home.

Unfortunately that plan could not be executed as your mother woke you up, knowing you well enough that she could predict your plans.

And that was why you were at the mall at 10 a.m., your gaze focused on the floor as you made the trek over to Scoops Ahoy. Surprisingly, there was a small line in the shop, considering it wasn’t even lunchtime yet.

As you finally stood at the counter and lifted your head, Steve visibly relaxed, his “customer service” persona fading. “Oh thank god, it’s just you,” he sighed, leaning against the counter.

“Just little ol’ me,” you hummed, absentmindedly rubbing at your eye. “God, has the day already gone to shit for you, Steve?”

“Well, he’s already struck out twice if that’s any indication,” Robin piped up, peeking through the window that peered into the back area.

“Twice? Didn’t you guys open just an hour ago?” 

“Don’t rub it in,” Steve huffed, a frown sinking onto his features.

“Fine, fine.”

You and Steve had grown close in the past six months, sharing a special bond that you honestly needed. Though you couldn’t decide if the bond grew from him literally saving your life, or from your significant others (well, for Steve at least) dating each other rather than you two. Both, probably.

“Are you here to order something or just to bully me?” he spoke finally, pulling his ice cream scooper from his makeshift-holster. 

“Right, right. Just a pint of cookie dough and a pint of strawberry,” you instructed, pulling a ten out of your pocket.

He nodded and began scooping the two pints of ice cream. “Who’s the cookie dough for?”

“Dustin.”

He looked up at you, his brows furrowed in confusion. “He’s coming back today?”

“Yeah!”

He sealed the lid of the cookie dough pint. “No one tells me anything!”

You rolled your eyes. “Steve, I told you this two days ago.”

You heard Robin let out a laugh in the back room and Steve pressed his lips into a line. “Do you want ice cream or not?!”

You laughed. “Come on, you know you’d never deprive your two favorite people of ice cream.”

He rolled his eyes and finished up the second pint, sliding both of them over to you as you handed him the $10 bill. “Do you work today?”

“Unfortunately. I’m just hoping I’ll be home before dark tonight because they’ve been fucking keeping me for hours after closing.”

“Doesn’t the pool close at like five?”

“Yup,” you huffed, popping the ‘p.’ “And, to top it all off, I’m stuck with Heather  and Billy today.”

The two of you cringed simultaneously. “Can’t say I’d rather be you.”

“Thanks for the support.” You took the change from Steve and stuffed it into your pocket before cradling both pints of ice cream in your arms. “Well, I gotta drop these off at home and then sit in the sun for a few miserable hours. I’ll call you when I get home.”

***

Your soul nearly left your body when a chorus of screams erupted in the kitchen as soon as you stepped in the front door. They fell silent a moment later, though, and a voice echoed out, “Oh, it’s just you.”

With a hand clutched over your chest, you rolled your eyes. “Sorry to disappoint you guys with my presence, but can we avoid killing me the next time you see me?” you huffed, still struggling to take in a proper breath.

We thought you were Dustin,” Lucas explained, a party blower between his teeth.

“Yeah, I figured.” You brushed past the group and put the ice cream in the freezer. “Can someone make sure that Dustin gets his ice cream? I won’t be able to see him until later tonight.”

“I can,” Will spoke up, raising his hand in the air.

“Finally, someone I can count on.” You grabbed the drawstring bag that held all of your items and slung it over your shoulder. “How’s Jonathan enjoying his job at the newspaper?”

There was a small silence. “You haven’t talked to him about it?” Mike spoke up, and Max swatted his arm.

You shook your head, the healing scratch on your eye beginning to burn slightly. “No, not yet. We’ve, uh... We’ve both been too busy. We haven’t talked in a couple of weeks.” More like a month.

There was another silence before Will spoke. “He likes it. He has the dark room all to himself,” he explained, his voice gentle and hesitant.

“Good. That’s good. Tell him I said hi, or something.” You cleared your throat before turning to the group and giving them a smile. “I gotta head to work. You guys have fun, okay?”

***

God, you felt like vomiting.

Everything seemed to be going wrong today, like you forgetting to bring your sunscreen and sunglasses, Billy and Heather’s constant pestering and gossiping, Billy ignoring his job so he could flirt with Mrs. Wheeler, Mrs. Wheeler completely ignoring you so she could flirt with Billy, the dozens of kids that had coined multiple nicknames for you and your scar, and the 101 degree temperature that was unrelenting.

Luckily, though, the day was close to coming to an end. Most of the crowd had thinned, excluding a couple of kids who spent the whole day there anyways and adults who insisted on lingering until they absolutely had to leave. 

The shriek of a whistle startled you from your thoughts, your head slipping from your hand and making you lurch forward slightly. A group of muffled cackles sounded to your right, and you rolled your eyes. “Can I help you, or are you just here to make my life a living hell,” you grumbled, snapping your gaze over to Billy and Heather.

“Well, I was gonna ask if you wanted a water, but I guess not,” Heather huffed, stubbornly crossing her arms over your chest.

You gave her a doubtful glance. “Were you really?”

She laughed. “No. Now get up, It’s my turn on deck.”

With a huff you stepped down the ladder and tucked your book and raft under your arm. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Billy step closer. “Billy, if you push me in the pool you’re gonna wake up with no fucking mullet tomorrow.”

The pair just laughed behind you condescendingly, and you stomped away with a scowl etched on your face.

Ever since the... altercation that occurred months ago, Billy had kept his distance from you. It was a relief, knowing that he wouldn’t test your limits for the sake of his own health. But that didn’t stop him from sprinkling in some teasing every single time he spoke to you.

The hot concrete stung the soles of your feet, and you picked up your pace so you could get to the office before your feet blistered.

“Hey, no running!”  You froze at the voice, your eyebrows knitting together in confusion. Slowly, you turned on your heel to face the source. 

Jonathan stood behind the fence, his hands in his pockets and a shy smile on his face.

“Jonathan?” you whispered, tilting your head slightly as if you were a dog. 

“Hey Y/N,” he hummed, awkwardly shifting from foot to foot.

A small smile settled on your face and you walked over to the fence, a silent sigh of relief leaving your lips when your feet settled on the grass that bordered the fence. “Hey! W-What are you doing here? I thought you got out the same time that I did?”

“I do, I just uh... I wanted to go on a walk.”

You nodded. “Oh, okay.”

“And I uh, I wanted to see you. Just see how you were doing, I mean.”

You let out a small chuckle, hooking your fingers through one of the chain links in the fence. “I’m doing good. I mean, as good as I can be sitting in the heat for five hours straight with no sunglasses. How have you been?”

“I-I’m good. Isn’t Dustin back in town?”

“He is, he just got back today. I haven’t seen him yet, though. How’s your job at the paper going?”

“It’s good, really good. I’m enjoying it a lot.”

“That’s good to hear.”

The two of you stood silently, avoiding each other’s gaze except for the spare glances you’d risk. 

“I should get going,” Jonathan spoke finally, a hint of reluctance in his voice. 

“Right, yeah,” you hummed, clearing your throat. “It was good to see you, Johnny.”

“You too.” His mouth opened as if he wanted to say more, but he decided against it, giving you an awkward wave before walking away.

You lingered there for a moment, an all-too-familiar ache in your chest as you watched him walk away from you.

***

After rinsing off, getting changed, and making a final check of the area, you were finally off for the night. You could feel your shoulders nearly weighing your entire body down and your eyelids were extremely close to falling shut at any moment. Silently, you made the trek through the parking lot and over to your car. 

You hopped in the driver’s seat and fished your key out of your bag before putting it in the ignition and twisting.

And twisting again.

And one more time.

Shit.

You slammed your hands against the wheel and let out a groan, throwing your head back against the headrest. “Of course. Of fucking course,” you grumbled.

Then you began to weigh your options. The first idea that came to your mind was walking home, but you quickly decided against it as you were too exhausted and it was too far. 

Your next idea was to walk over to The Hawkins Post and see if you could catch a ride with Jonathan. But you knew that wherever Jonathan was, Nancy would also be. For a moment, you contemplated swallowing your embarrassment and fear and just do it, but again, you decided against that option.

Then you thought about using the phone in the office to call Steve, but you had no idea if he was even home.

And after running through all of the ideas in your mind, you last ditch plan walked past your peripheral.

You shoved all of your disgust down and hopped out of your car, rushing to try and catch up.

“Billy!” you shouted, trying to stuff your keys back in your bag as you jogged over to him.

He stopped and turned to look at you, part-confusion and part-annoyance wrinkling his features. “What?” he huffed.

“Can you, um...” You shifted awkwardly, the reality of the moment catching up to you. “Would you mind giving me a ride home? My car won’t start.”

He rolled his eyes, fishing a pack of cigarettes out from his leather jacket. “Y’know, any other night I’d love to, but I’ve actually got plans tonight. Call a tow truck or something.”

“Billy, please.” Your shoulders slumped. “I don’t live that far from you.”

“Who said I was going home?” 

Your jaw tightened and you pulled your bag higher up on your shoulder. “I’ll pay you $20. Just please.”

“Why don’t you ask your boyfriend to do it? I saw you talking to him earlier.”

“He’s not my boyfriend! Goddammit-” You cut yourself off, taking a deep breath and scrubbing a hand over your face. “$50.”

He stood there a moment, placing a cigarette between his teeth as he silently debated it. “Fine. But you’re paying me upfront.”

You bit your tongue and refrained from snapping at him, instead pulling your wallet from your bag and handing him a $50 bill. He snatched it from your fingers and shoved it in his back pocket before nodding his head over to his car and heading that way. 

Though the anxiety from asking him was gone, it was replaced with the anxiety of being in a vehicle with a man who very clearly hated your guts. Your brain was nagging you to just walk home, but you pushed the annoying warnings away and got in the passenger seat.

Billy had exited the parking lot before you even had a chance to put on your seatbelt, the engine roaring as he tore down the empty streets. The ride was silent other than that annoying engine, his godawful music, and your heart racing so loudly and harshly that you felt as if you were about to have a heart attack.

Whether it was your panic or your swarming thoughts, you had zoned out for the first few minutes of the ride. When you finally came to, you realized that you were nowhere near your house. “Did you take a wrong turn?” you mumbled, brows furrowing confusedly.

He scoffed, pulling his lower lip between his teeth. “No, I have an errand to run,” he explained as if you were stupid, as if you were already aware of his plans.

Oh my god, he’s gonna kill me.

You gulped, gripping onto your drawstring bag. “What errand?”

“Well, I had already made plans with Karen before you decided to ask for my help, so you’re tagging along.”

Your jaw dropped and you turned in your seat to face him. “You’re making me sit in the car while you hook up with Mrs. Wheeler? You said you were gonna take me home!”

“I did, but I didn’t specify when.” He was grinning from ear to ear, and you had to move your hands under your thighs so you didn’t smack that look off of his face.

“You motherfucker. Literally.”

He rolled his eyes. “Shut up and get in the back seat. I don't want her seeing you.”

It was your turn to scoff. “Excuse me?” 

“I said-”

His words were cut off by a large object hitting the windshield, making both of you jump and causing him to lose control of the vehicle. The car spun off of the road and collided into a tree on your side, making Billy’s head collide into his door and crushing your door into your body.

A slew of curses and grunts fell from your mouth as you worked your way out of the seat, feeling your ribs ache with each breath as you finally got out from between the door and the center console. You sat down on the center console and gripped onto the back of the seat for balance.

“Oh, no,” Billy grumbled from beside you, eyes wide as he took in the damage. The stereo still spat out a distorted and garbled sound that resembled the music that were playing earlier as Billy tried to restart the car, to no avail. “Piece of shit.”

You finally glanced over at him. “You’re bleeding,” you wheezed out, watching the blood drip down his forehead and into his eye.

He reached up and touched the wound, pulling away and glancing down at his fingers with disdain. “Shit.” He slammed his hand against the steering wheel before shoving his door open and crawling out. You followed behind him, collapsing to the ground beside his feet. You gripped onto his arm and heaved yourself up.

Billy left your side to attempt to pry the passenger door open, only for a spew of expletives to fall from his mouth. “Yeah, I’m good, thanks for asking,” you huffed, leaning against the car and clutching your right side as he stomped past you and over to the front of the car.

“Shut up,” he grumbled, leaning close to the windshield and gliding his finger along the spiderwebbed glass. “What the hell?”

A strange ooze clung to his finger, stretching between his hand and the windshield with a strong elasticity. “Fuck.”

A rustling in the shrubs near the building you stood by attracted both of your attention, your heart leaping to your throat.

“Who’s there!” Billy shouted, his body standing straight up.

“I don’t think it’s a who,” you grumbled, reaching for your pocket knife in your back pocket.  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

As you opened your mouth to explain, Billy fell to the ground and was lugged away by a snaking vine. You screamed, but before you could move onto the car and off of the ground, a similar vine wrapped around your legs and dragged you through the dirt

[dxmagedrose]

GET TO KNOW THE BLOGGER!

Tagged by: my lover @hammurabicomplex​ I’m tagging: anyone and everyone who wants to pick this one up! share with the class if you feel like it! tag me in it!!

PRESENTING. RANDOM DEEP DIVE WITH INDIGO-MUN AT 2AM ;

FIRST NAME Good fucking question… It’s (sort-of) currently Dylann! I was Kieran before that, though; it’s still used as one of my first names and I’m not used to Dylann quite yet bc I’ve just started using it. 

Indigo is one of my middle names though, and I’ve used it as an online handle elsewhere forever so I use it here now!  [ Fun etymology facts: Dylan(n) is a mythology name generally meaning “born of the wave” (aspiring diver & a water witch at heart). Kieran means “little dark one” bc of my love for horror, && I chose Indigo bc as a kid to be it was neither boy (blue) or purple (girl) and was both and neither as well as my absolute favorite color as this vibrant ass mystical color. ]

STRANGE FACT ABOUT YOURSELF hmmmmm…. I’m a horror lover at heart, so as a child (I wanna say 12), I was walking through an antique store (I have a few cool finds, I considered putting my other one as the fact tbh) and I turned the corner and I saw these two dolls staring back at me at the foot of the stairs of this antique building. my blood froze, and i felt my stomach drop. i got actual, physical goosebumps stumbling across these two creepy dolls staring back at me in the corner, and i couldn’t leave the store without them. perhaps the little painted porcelain boy would be somewhat spooky by himself if it wasn’t for the terrifying lidded gaze of the porcelain girl with the hairline fractures and slightly open lips. i cant look at her. i dont really find dolls scary, I like to find the spookier ones ones, and she makes me paranoid as hell. i keep her face covered and her up in my closet except for when i bring her out to show her off proudly as the spookiest thing I have but……. i dont really collect dolls anymore.  even thinking about her brings a fearful tear to my eye.  i don’t like to think about her for very long, but that’s why I’m so fucking proud to own her. ( YES — I’m THAT white person in the horror film )

TOP THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU FIND ATTRACTIVE ON A PERSON hhhhh a beardy jawline, high cheekbones, crooked canine teeth >:3c

A FOOD YOU COULD EAT FOREVER AND NOT GET BORED OF b.l.t.’s with avocado. ahhhh. my mouth is watering just thinking about it, oh my god. just a bit of salt and pepper???

A FOOD YOU HATE barbecue anything, i hate the taste of bbq sauce, you keep your nasty black goo to yourselves at the grill. twice in my life i have presented with barbecue pizza and both times i cried literal tears. why would you do such a horrible thing to a person? what kind of a monster are you? how do you sleep at night?!

GUILTY PLEASURE the sims. constantly. always. i’ve sunk thousands of hours into my households. oh also uhhhhhh i run two 80s horror blogs, one being a shitpost blog with occasional art of mine and one gremlin fanfic ship blog for horrible, terrible self indulgent fanfics i’ll get the courage to finish writing & post so i can be cancelled on tumblr for at some point. NO, i won’t link them. as i pretend they’re even all that hard to find, within a day i was found on both by someone i admire here a lot :’) ilu bby thnk u eternally for supporting ur local horrifying dumbass wtf

WHAT DO YOU SLEEP IN the same clothes i’ve been wearing all day usually, my sweats & long sleeve raglans or my hoodies. i like being cozy day & and out. and ugh. efoort. just throw me in a blanket in a cool room and im out.

SERIOUS RELATIONSHIPS OR FLINGS serious relationships with some openness or poly. i wish i could fling! just not exactly easy for demisexual autistics lmao.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN THE PAST AND CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WOULD YOU AND WHAT WOULD IT BE I think I would be adopted by my grandma as a kid. It would save me some trauma but mostly I think it would get my autism diagnosed way earlier and save me angsting all these years of wondering why & thinking it’s my fault I’m struggling so much and so loud and affectionate and different in a world that i didnt fit in the same way. 

ARE YOU AN AFFECTIONATE PERSON when i get drunk i text people how much they mean to me in my life. does that answer your question? ahhh. i’m sometimes a cuddle monster with friends, i message people with long texts about how much they mean to me, but I sometimes really don’t like to be touched at all. 

A MOVIE YOU COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN FLYPAPER.  F L Y P A P E R.  FLYPAPER.  FLY, and, I can’t stress this enough, fucking PAPER. ( Though also Whole Nine Yards and both Re-Animator & Bride ). I have watched Flypaper already like, 5 times this week and I’m still not done, and the other movies have been on repeat for days in this household within the last year. In the past it has also been Donnie Darko & the new Nightmare on Elm Street.  roast me.

FAVORITE BOOK White Fang by Jack London. Have I actually ever finished it? No. Do I still own a copy I’ve had since childhood thru multiple dogs eating it, taking it to and from school, and highlighting and circling all the best parts of chapter one ever since I was a kid and it was too hard of a book for me to read? You bet your ass. If I ever need inspiration I just reread chapter 1. Although one of my other favorites was Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes. But White Fang is like, a weirdly personal text. We stan London’s writing in this household.

YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP ANY ANIMAL AS A PET, WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE FENNEC FOX!! I used to daydream about having my own named Shiloh when I was a lil kid. they’re adorable little things and i am obsessed. i mean, gimme any fox and im happy, marble foxes, red foxes… but I was obsessed with fennec foxes. Also tbh ferrets. I want a ferret.

TOP FIVE FICTIONAL SHIPS [IF YOU ARE AN RP BLOG, YOU CAN USE YOUR OWN SHIPS AS WELL] Rosa & @ninetyscnds‘s Luke, Rosa & @iimpulsivity is already screaming my name, Rosa & Constantine, Jesse & Andrea from Breaking Bad, and the joker and harley of 80s sci-fi Dan & Herbert from Re-Ani.  I am but a simple opossum. 

PIE OR CAKE Pie! I’ll take both pumpkin & melty apple over cake. also, cheesecake is more pie than cake soooo, pie wins.

FAVORITE SCENT my dogs / my blanket. :’)  It’s the most grounding smell in the world. 

CELEBRITY CRUSH oliver jackson-cohen, i’m fucking GAY and im angry about it. there i was, minding my own business, and i saw that asshole in a certain SHIRTLESS GIF and it AWOKE SOMETHING IN ME. dont talk to me about it, holy shit im obsessed with beardy men now god fuckkdafjaask i hate him why did he make me this gay i was perfectly fine being into girls but NOOOOOO him and his dumb hairy chest and sweet rugged face and I——  I also am obsessed with the archaeologist & television personality Josh Gates and may or may not be considering making a fan blog for him bc idk if my anthropology docuseries host is Dad or Daddy but i love him lots

IF YOU COULD TRAVEL ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD YOU GO I would go on a dive with anthropologists and archaeologists doing fieldwork research in the ancient cenotes of the Yucatán Peninsula. My actual dream job, catch me crying & fantasizing about being underwater documenting Mayan skulls given as offerings. Fuckkkk, I love anthropology so much!!  take me anywhere in the world to immerse myself into culture & archaeology.

INTROVERT OR EXTROVERT Introvert. I have a real life friend I see roughly once a month, and that’s it. Plenty of online relationships, I’m chatty, message me all day every day. but i dont do people well.

DO YOU SCARE EASILY I used to! Really bad. I don’t as much anymore. I do get paranoia a lot still. Having therapists telling you that the FBI could be outside your house watching you through your windows will kind of nervous. ( no google results for: yes hello fbi i am a writer please dont put me on watchlists i just have research i need to do for this idea im working on, would you like to try again? ) I have nightmares nightly but not they never make me afraid, they just make me feel like crap. jumpscares and loud noises and seeing people reaching into their pockets dont set off as many brain alarms anymore tho!! progress haha.

IPHONE OR ANDROID I like my android better bc of capabilities but meh

DO YOU PLAY ANY VIDEO GAMES My mom, her husband & I play COD for family game night, and Silent Hill is my life’s blood. I’ve sunken hours into Sims & Skyrim, and Norman Jayden from Heavy Rain is my #1 fictional character in existence, why do i love the druggie babies

DREAM JOB Oh… You’re asking me to pick? I’d love to be an anthropologist doing work out in the field. Underwater archaeology is peak, but I’m also heavily considering being a body recovery diver or police diver. I’d love to see myself in uniform someday, if possible. Just the thought makes me teary eyed & proud.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH A MILLION DOLLARS fund my person creative & educational endeavors. get myself a spooky ass abandoned house to make my own home to create in, and travel to the world’s best dive sites. just live a mild life of education, creation & exploration. that’s the dream TM.

FICTIONAL CHARACTER YOU HATE dr. hill is a gross and whiny lil bitch this post brought to u by the miskatonic crew, how is everyone here an even worse bad guy than herbert west precious dan excluded talk shit get hit tho john winchester from spn and both walter white & todd from breaking bad are all in my crew of hated characters. i jusT…   the reani novel is difficult to read because i have to deal with this old sack of shit.

FANDOM THAT YOU WERE ONCE A PART OF BUT AREN’T ANY LONGER Supernatural :-)

… AND THIS CONCLUDES A DEEP DIVE WITH INDIGO!! //

[ramblings-daily]

A Chained Heart // Chapter Two

Fandom: Criminal Minds Words: 6, 487 Genre: Drama / Romance Pairing: Luke Alvez & Penelope Garcia Author's Note: ahhhh, the love for the first chapter is incredible! I am so happy to hear that people are loving this AU fanfic of mine! It seriously means alot for me! Here is the second chapter, I hope you all like it (:

Chapter Two: "Unexpected Seriousness" [link to FF]

Penelope stared at the laptop screen in front of her. It has been exactly two hours since she arrived to work and she has done nothing by run copies for people around the floor. Checking the time on her watch, there's another forty minutes until Derek arrives for work. Only a week has gone by since she started working in Delicate and the one thing she is mostly curious about is why Derek Morgan always starts work two and a half hours later than everybody else in the company. Penelope hasn't exactly made friends to ask questions. What she has collected so far about the people on this floor is the fact that there isn't no funny business. Most of the employees are either running their own meetings about certain projects and the others are rushing to the bakery side of the building to run some ideas with bakers. One of the most frustrating part of this secretary job is the fact that she has yet to set foot inside the bakery side of the building. For just a second, she would love to see the behind the scenes action of the huge bakery. It would be such a big learning experience for her. Her eyes glanced away from the laptop screen once she heard the echoing sound of Lynda's high heels on the floorboard.

From what she understood from the guidebook that was given to her, Delicate Bakery & Co has exactly twenty-two floors. Each floor has one main assistant and a team leader for each department. Located in the first floor is the reception area. The second to third floor belongs solely to the bakery. The fourth to sixth floor is the Marketing Department with Team Leader Tara Lewis and her own assistant. The seventh to ninth floor is the Human Resources Department with team Leader Stephen Walker and his own assistant. It goes on and on with the same kind of pattern with the exception for the 20th floor to the 22nd floor. For those three floors, it belongs to three different team leaders that take charge of the bakery decision for the company. Spencer Reid's office is located on the 20th, Jennifer Jareau's office is located on the 21st and the 22nd's floor which is considered as the top floor - belongs to Derek Morgan and the CEO, Luke Alvez. With what she can gather from her short time here so far, the 22nd floor is the floor employees avoid the most. Unless it's really needed, no one dares to push the button for this floor in the elevator. Penelope blinked her eyes as soon as she heard the elevators open. Thinking that it was Derek, Penelope stood up to greet him but she paused once she saw Luke Alvez exiting out of the elevator. He slightly paused his steps as soon as he noticed Penelope but quickly ignored her as he walked toward his office. And the sole reason behind the fear and avoidance by people for this exact floor is due to Luke Alvez. Surprisingly, not much people like him and it's as if he knows it too and just doesn't care.

"Penelope," Jennifer Jareau walked over with a folder in her hand as she looked at her. "When Team Leader Derek Morgan comes in for work, hand this folder for him. Tell him it's the new updated details I have for our spring season project."

Penelope nodded her head. "Yes, Ma'am."

Jennifer arched an eyebrow at her. "Don't call me that. Jennifer is fine." Without another word, she turned around and headed toward the stairs. After staring at Jennifer for a week, Penelope has learned that she doesn't like using the elevator. Besides being a world champion baker with tons of gold medal, she is also a fitness maniac. If there is a way for her to input some fitness into her work hours, she'll take it.

The elevator doors opened just in time with Derek Morgan exiting with sunglasses still on. "Uh, this is from Team Leader Jennifer Jareau. She said it's about the spring season project."

Derek took the folder out of her hands and briefly smiled. "I'll be in my office. If I need anything, I'll just call you up."

"So," Penelope knit her eyebrows. "There's nothing for me to do? Again?" She doesn't get it. Does he doesn't trust her with some of his work? All she has been doing is running copies or read through the pages for the guidebook. Anything involving the actual person that she has to help, there is nothing.

Noticing the kind of tone she was using, Derek chuckled as he crossed his arms and leaned against his office door. "You're upset."

"What?" Penelope cleared her throat. "Why would I be upset toward a team leader?"

Derek lets out a small laugh before he opened the door and indicated his hand for Penelope to follow him inside. As soon as he was settled in his seat, he pointed toward the chair across from him for her to sit. "Here's the thing about me that you have to understand, Penelope. Unless there is something that I truly need help on, I don't call anyone for guidance. In the kind of situation and project I have going on that's under the watchful eyes of CEO Alvez, I am under a lot of pressure. With the kind of pressure I am facing, I like to be alone and diligent in my own work."

"You're working with Team Leader Jennifer." Penelope pointed out.

He arched an eyebrow. "She has been my partner for the last two years in this company. I feel comfortable around her when I work on things." He folded his hands onto the desk and smiled. "It has nothing to do with you or the mere fact that I don't trust you. The position you work as for this company as we speak is secretary. You're not my assistant. I know you've noticed that every team leader has one with the exception of me. The reasoning behind that is due to the fact again, I like being alone." He turned to his laptop screen, quickly typing in the password. "I read your resume."

Penelope blinked in surprise. "You did?"

"For a twenty-seven year old, your resume seems a bit lacking." Derek straightforwardly said.

"Ah," Penelope shut her eyes for a brief second. She knew it would come back and bit her in the butt for being so lacking. "The situation is that - "

Derek chuckled. "I don't need you to share your life story with me, Penelope." Opening the second drawer to his left, he took out her resume. "The one information I noticed here is that you actually attended and graduated Seamless Bakery School with high honors." She briefly smiled and nodded her head as a response. "And if I am reading this correctly, the position you actually applied for here is an intern. I'm sure Lynda already explained how the internship works in this company but why is a twenty-seven year old working as an intern when she graduated six years ago?"

"I had a late start on things after I graduated." Penelope explained. She clenched her hands together, practically feeling her nails digging into her skin. "It's better late than never, right?"

He nodded his head as he placed the resume back inside the drawer. "I was going to ignore what happened last week on your first day of work because it may be extremely uncomfortable for you. But if I want a better understand with my secretary, I have to at least know a bit." From his office windows, he watched as Lynda and Luke walked past and entering the elevators. "Luke Alvez also graduated from the same school in the same year."

"Oh." Penelope simply said.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the both of you know each other," Derek stated. "And I'm going to test my luck again and say that the history that you both have aren't exactly considered as memorable or good." Penelope didn't know what to say. She doesn't want the fact that she had a relationship with the CEO of the company to affect how people look at her.

"Team Leader, if I can overstep - "

Derek smiled. "Look, like I said, it's not that I don't trust you or anything. I just really don't have work right now that could have your help. The only thing I can say is if I have clients calling me or people looking for me, I only ask for you to inform them that I am busy working on the spring season project." He shrugged his shoulders as he opened the folder that Jennifer gave him. "I can understand where you're coming from. Working in a position that you don't know about when your talent belongs elsewhere is hard. The baker inside of you is screaming out, demanding to actually work with your hands and create things that can bring joy to someone else's life. Trust me when I say, I've been there." Derek skimmed through the pages as he spoke to her. "Just have patience and your day will come." He looked at her one last time before going back to the folder. "Sometimes in a company like this, doing nothing is definitely better."

Penelope nodded her head. "Thanks."

. . .

Luke crossed his arms as he watched the bakers discuss over the specials for the new week. He extremely hate Mondays for purely this reason. It's as if no one has their mind ready for this day. Adverting his attention over to the display cases, he scanned through all the bakery goods that were there. "Where are the cream puffs?"

Jennifer tied her hair into a ponytail as she answered. "We didn't have time this morning to make them."

"I'm sorry," Luke said. "You didn't have time to make them?"

"The thing is," Grant Anderson, one of the bakers for Delicate, cleared his throat as he stepped forward. "We were busy taking in orders for one of our regular customers. They have placed an order for over 450 macaroons by tomorrow afternoon. We were busy making the batter for the order and lost track of time."

Luke looked at all of the bakers. "So basically, none of you assigned the cream puffs to one person? You just thought that maybe today we can go forward without the cream puffs on display?" He adverted his attention over to Jennifer. "I expected something as forgetful as this from basic people but you? Team Leader Jennifer, I expect more from you."

Jennifer had to keep herself from rolling her eyes as she put on her baker uniform on. "I was a bit busy focusing on the spring season project this morning. I didn't know about the cream puffs until briefly." She glanced over at the other bakers, who had sullen expressions on their faces. "I don't think keeping themselves in order to make a customer's orders that wrong. Would you rather go on a day without cream puffs or lose a valuable customers that gives us bigger profits?"

Lynda, who always stands in the back, widened her eyes by the sudden remark by Jennifer. Besides Derek, no one else in this company ever dares to speak back to Luke. Is Jennifer on drugs this morning or what? "Sir, we have a conference call with London in five minutes."

"What about the macaroons? Have you finished making them?" Luke questioned.

"No," Grant replied. "We put it on hold since today is going to be busy with the event that we're being assigned with Team Leader Jennifer."

Jennifer checked the time on the clock. "As you know, there is a wedding event that the bakers and I have to attend to." She stared at Luke and briefly smiled. "Mayor Strauss's wedding, your good friend."

Luke sighed. "Go on." Without another word, he walked out of the kitchen and halted his steps at the bakery, staring at all the customers who were waiting in line for their orders. "Tell Team Leader Tara Lewis that I want the monthly rate for this month."

Writing it on her notes, Lynda nodded her head. "Yes, Sir." She followed Luke into the elevators and leaned against the wall as the elevator continues to go up. Deciding to test his patience, she leaned over and looked at him. "The cream puffs, what do you want me to do about it?"

"What do you mean?" He furrowed his eyebrows together as he narrowed his eyes at her. "Do you bake?"

"No..."

"Then what the heck are you able to do about the cream puffs?" Luke turned his attention back toward the elevator doors as it opened. Stepping out, he lets out a scoff. "Don't ask such a useless question like that ever again."

Lynda halted her steps and let him walk into his office on his own. As soon as the coast was clear, she kicked her legs up in the air as she imagined kicking his butt in her mind. "You don't have to be a jerk about it!" Turning around, she looked at Penelope. "I hate my job."

Penelope could only show a small smile. "What was that about?"

"Let's just say that Mondays aren't exactly CEO Alvez's favorite kind of day." Lynda sighed. "You know what's funny? For the four years since the grand opening of Delicate, I haven't seen him lay a single hand in the kitchen. He keeps complaining about the bakers downstairs when they don't do their job properly but what about him? Does he even know how to bake? How is he even the CEO when I haven't seen him do anything besides scold employees for three years."

"I wouldn't know those answers since it's only been a week since I started working here." Penelope answered. "I don't even know him."

Lynda sighed. "You're lucky."

Penelope watched in silence as Lynda headed toward the break room to probably make Luke's coffee. The question from earlier is now constantly ringing in her head. Does he even know how to bake? She stared blankly at the laptop screen as a memory came rushing back.

Luke's Apartment, 8 and a half years ago.

"Add in the two eggs to the mixture and stir," Penelope instructed him. "Make sure you don't get any egg shells in it."

Luke looked at her. "You act as if I don't know how to crack an egg." He wiggled his eyebrows as he took out an egg from the fridge but halted his steps when one of the eggs dropped onto the floor. "Alright, that's my bad."

Penelope laughed. "You have to focus when you bake, Luke."

"I am!" Luke said. "Your beauty is just too dazzling that I am getting clumsy. You made me drop an egg!"

She made a disgusted face at the flattery before she slapped his arm playfully. "Stop it. How are you going to pass the baking exam if you can't bake a simple white cake." She walked over to the fridge to grab another egg. "Come on, you have to focus in order for this cake to be perfected." Penelope glared at him.

"We're not going to sleep until you make the perfect white cake."

Luke arched an eyebrow. "So, you're staying for the night?"

Penelope slapped him on the arm again. "No." She cracked one of the eggs and added it into the mixture. "I have my own exam to worry about. Unlike you, I have two written exams and an actual baking exam to do. You only have to bake a white cake and you'll pass third year in baking school. I have to bake macaroons and - "

He sighed. "You're right," Unlike his other peers, the fact that he only has to bake a white cake to pass third year is a bit weird. Maybe it's due to the fact that he was supposed to have that done by second year. Or is it a trick? What if as soon as he passes this baking exam, every single thing that he missed about other baking techniques and bakery goods will bombard him next year? Does that mean he has to work extra hard since he has more things to study up and test on? "Staying back another year really is doing damages to me."

Penelope smiled. "At least you're learning and improving now."

Luke cracked the other egg and started mixing it when he noticed an small piece of egg shell in the bowl. "Damn it."

"Here, use a spoon and - " Penelope's eyes widened when Luke started searching for the egg shell with his hand. "Luke!" She was too shock to even speak. Instead, she started laughing hysterically at how cute Luke was being. The focus and attention in his eyes that he has for the egg shell is something she has never seen from him. "Why are you being so serious about the egg shell?!"

Blinking his eyes as he successfully took out the egg shell, he turned and looked at Penelope. "You said that I won't be able to sleep until I get it perfectly done!"

"Yeah but," Penelope clenched onto her stomach once it started hurting because she is laughing too hard. "I've never seen you so serious in my life!"

“You've only known me for two months." Luke corrected her as he concentrated on mixing the bowl. "And I can be serious and mean when I want to be, Penelope"

Penelope stopped laughing and silently rolled her eyes. "Luke Alvez, you're the most happiest and positive person I know." She leaned against the kitchen counter. "As behind as you are in baking, I think everybody in the school can agree that you're the one that makes them laugh the most. You have this aura around you, Luke. People can't help but love having you around them."

Luke stopped mixing and stared at her. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you love having me around?" Luke carefully repeated himself. Since the day they met each other in the hallways, they were inseparable. For two months, Penelope has been teaching him everything that he missed, letting him gain confidence in his own baking. There wasn't a single day where they were apart for some reason. "Never mind, don't answer that." Luke adverted his attention over to the mixture and cleared his throat. "So, what do I do now?"

Penelope scratched the back of her neck out of awkwardness. "Uh, take out the tins and pour the mixture inside. The oven has already been preheated so once you finished pouring, just put it in the oven."

After doing what Penelope instructed, Luke backed away from the oven and leaned against the wall. "So," checking the time on his watch, he exhaled deeply. "You can leave since you have a long night ahead for you. I mean, if the cake doesn't end up being edible, I'll just redo everything until I do it right."

"Are you sure?" Luke nodded his head and handed her the car keys and her jacket. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then."

Luke smiled. "Of course. Let me walk you out the door."

Penelope followed behind him. As the front door opened, she stepped out and turned around. "Have confidence in yourself. I know I laughed about it but it's not a bad thing to be serious sometimes. As happy as you are, I know you'll be happier once you graduate from baking school with the rest of us. You taught me to be happy and pause to have a laugh, I'm just returning the favor with this advance."

He chuckled as he held onto the doorknob. "You're right."

"Alright," she slowly puts on her jacket and waved goodbye. "Bye."

Luke watched as she started walking away. He clenched onto the doorknob even tighter as she becomes further away from him. Taking a deep breath, he is just going to go for it. "Penelope!"

She turned around and looked at him. "Yeah?"

"I have something to say," walking out of his apartment, he slowly paced himself towards her. "There's something that I've been meaning to tell you. I've been on the edge lately because of it." Luke looked into her eyes, it was one of the first things he noticed about her from that day in the hallways - they're so beautiful. "Penelope, I - " his eyes widened from surprise when Penelope leaned forward and softly kissed him.

Present Time

"Penelope," Derek leaned against the doorway from his office as he held out the folder in his hand. "Jennifer is leaving in ten minutes. I need you to show her the new updated information I have before she goes. I need to know what she thinks so I can get started on the project."

"Okay, do you know where she is?" Penelope asked as she stood up. Derek checked the time on his watch. "Now? She should be in the kitchen downstairs where the bakery is." As soon as Penelope took the folder, he smiled. "Don't say that I never gave you work."

Penelope softly smiled at his comment. "I'll be back." Walking toward the elevator, she quickly got in and pressed the first floor button. That's when the realization hit her. She's about to actually enter the kitchen of the bakery. An even bigger smile plastered on her face as she did a little dance in the elevator. She has always imagined at how big the kitchen would be for a huge company like Delicate. Are there over 20-30 bakers in one kitchen? If the bakery is really connected to three floors, does that mean there's a kitchen on each floor? Once the elevator opened, she rushed out because the curiosity is seriously killing her. Pacing herself so she doesn't look like a crazy woman, she walked into the bakery and straight toward the kitchen. "Ma'am - " she paused and remembered what Jennifer had said earlier. "Jennifer..."

Jennifer carefully took off her baker uniform and stared at Penelope. "What are you doing in here?"

"Derek wanted you to take a look at the updated information before he starts on the project." Penelope handed over the folder and quickly scanned the kitchen. She's in complete awe. This kitchen is as huge as a garden. It's almost too ridiculous to be true. The utensils, the tables, the ingredients - they're all so clean and shiny. She was about to touch the closest thing near her when Jennifer handed back the folder. "You're done looking over it?"

"Tell him that he needs to make that cake before Luke starts asking about it." Jennifer quickly puts on her jacket. "I have a wedding to take care of. See you around, Penelope."

Penelope watched as Jennifer and two other bakers walk out of the kitchen. She counted to one minute in her head before she start running around the kitchen. "Oh my God," she couldn't believe that she's actually inside a Delicate kitchen. "State of the art oven." She muttered to herself happily. Noticing a piece of paper on the middle of the gigantic table, she knows that she shouldn't look at it but one peek wouldn't hurt.

450 macaroons orders for Lillian's Bridal Shower. Batter is all set but will start making them tonight when we come back.

"450?!" Penelope gasped in shock. "How are they only going to start tonight? An order like this takes half a day."

"What are you doing in here?" Penelope jumped in surprise as she made eye contact with Luke. "I said, what are you doing in here?"

Penelope cleared her throat. "Derek wanted Jennifer to check on some information for the spring season project and I was here because she needed to check it off before he starts - "

"I don't see team leader Jennifer Jareau in here." Luke pointed out.

"That's because she just left and - "

Luke opened the kitchen door and sighed. "If she isn't here anymore, you shouldn't either."

Penelope doesn't even want to talk to him any longer. As she walked out of the kitchen, the door swiftly closed behind her. Leaving her speechless at how rude he has become, she rolled her eyes. "Six years does change people." Taking a look at her watch, she halted her steps and glanced back toward the kitchen. "It's only the afternoon, why would he be in the kitchen?"

. . .

Derek smirked at the little note that Jennifer had written for him inside the folder. "Thanks, Penelope."

Penelope nodded her head and watched as he started walking out of his office. Taking it as he is going to go off and do the project, she settled in her seat and sighed. "Wow, Penelope. You've been here for four hours now and you managed to complete two errands." She groaned to herself as she tapped her fingers on the desk. "Only five more hours to go."

. . .

"I told you that it would work," Derek said through the phone as he cleaned up the mess he made in the break room. "Jennifer, I just spent six hours in a break room, testing out flavors. It's going to work, trust me."

Jennifer yawned as she put the keys through the hole. "It better work. Hey, the wedding was pretty cute."

"A wedding is a wedding." Derek said as he cleaned his hands in the sink. Jennifer rolled her eyes. "Why do men think like that?"

"Why do women always want to spend tons of money toward one event?"

"A life changing event," Jennifer corrected him. Collapsing onto her couch, she yawned again. "It's late. Why are you still there anyways?"

Derek walked out of the break room and looked around through the darkness of the floor. "Do you honestly believe I want to be here this late? I lost track of time." He started walking past the secretary desk when he noticed Penelope there, asleep. "JJ, I'll call you back." Hanging up the phone, he furrowed his eyebrows together in confusion as he leaned forward to get a closer look of her. With his arm propped on the desk, he carefully look at her face. A smile spread across his face when he noticed the little post it note near her hand. Taking it off, he silently chuckled at what it said.

Sleep for only thirty minutes. Wake up and ask around if anyone needs copies. And ease on the staring at Derek, you wouldn't want him to think you're crazy. Also, try and sneak back into the kitchen and gather some baking inspiration from the aura inside there.

"You're one interesting woman, Penelope Garcia." Derek said softly before placing the post it note back where it originally was. Walking into his office, he grabbed his jacket and car keys before walking back over to the secretary desk. "Penelope."

Opening her eyes to the sound of her name, Penelope sat up in her seat and blinked her eyes in confusion to find herself surrounded in darkness. "Why is it so dark?"

Derek laughed. "Maybe it's because it's past nine."

"What?!" Penelope checked her phone to see a missing call from Jensen's daycare. "Oh God!"

"Do you have to rush somewhere?"

Penelope quickly grabbed her own jacket and car keys. "I have to pick up my - " she paused and looked at him. What's the point? Someone's bound to find out sooner enough. "My son. The good thing is that I already worked out the hours with the daycare and I'm not going to be too late to pick him up."

"Son?" Derek didn't expect that. "How old is he?"

"Six." Penelope smiled as they both entered the elevator. "Does everybody usually leave work at nine?" She stared at the buttons from 1-22. "Like the whole building?"

Derek nodded his head. "Yeah. I usually leave at eight but I lost track of time."

He glanced at her and chuckled. "You obviously also lost track of time."

Penelope cleared her throat. "Sorry. My son had a nightmare last night so I barely got any sleep. I won't do it again, I promise."

"Don't worry about it. I'm not the one that signs your paycheck, I could careless."

Derek laughed as he walked out the elevator. "Unless it's when you're doing something for me like a project," he halted his steps and looked at her. "Such as the current spring season project."

She smiled. "You're saying as if you're letting me," Penelope gasped and covered her mouth in shock. "Really?! You're going to let me work on the project with you?!"

"Well, as long as you don't let Luke find out, you can work on it with me and Jennifer." Luke adverted his attention over to the bakery in confusion. There were lights coming from the kitchen but the door was closed. "That's odd. Jennifer said that her and the other bakers were too tired to come back here and work on this order they got this morning."

"The order for 450 macaroons, right?" Penelope asked.

Derek nodded his head. "I was going to come in early tomorrow to help them out since it's a big order." He smirked as he zipped up his jacket and yawned. "Well, as long as I don't have to come in for work early, I don't care." Dangling his car keys from his hands, he smiled. "I'm going to head out first. See you tomorrow."

Penelope waved goodbye. She should leave too but again, this damn curiosity. Biting her lower lip, she carefully walked through the bakery and squinted her eyes though the door window to see who is inside. "What..." She knit her eyebrows and watch as Luke, who has flour all over him, was walking back and forth between the oven and the table. From what she can see with very little light that is inside, there were rows and rows of the macaroons over at the kitchen counters. Quietly, she continued watching as Luke balanced two new huge trays of fresh macaroons with his hands and onto the counters. As soon as he puts two different trays into the oven, he walked over to the sink to wash his hands. In one swift move, he took out little cute bags with ribbons attached to them out. Luke twirled his neck around for a few seconds, he must have a strain on his neck from all the constant baking. Penelope couldn't stop her mouth from opening, what is all of this? Has he been baking the macaroons since the moment she left the kitchen earlier in the afternoon? Just by staring at the batches of the macaroons that are done, there's at least only about 200 of them. He still has so much to do in such a short time span. She took one last peek just in time to see Luke adding a couple of macaroons into the cute little bags carefully.

Stepping away from the door and the bakery, Penelope stared aimlessly at the floor. "He end up learning and improving..." A small faint smile appeared on her face, something she didn't even notice as she walked out of the building.

. . .

"Good morning," Penelope greeted Jennifer by the door of the building. "You're here early."

Jennifer smiled. "I can say the same for you," she took a sip of her coffee. "You do realize that you don't have to come in as early like us. You're technically under the same hours as Derek since he comes into work two hours and a half later than the rest of us."

"I still think it's best if - " Penelope stopped talking when one of the bakers, she recognized to be Grant Anderson charges forward toward them.

"Grant, there's no need to run." Jennifer said. "We'll get the macaroons done in time. The people aren't picking it up until 2 and it's only," checking the time on her watch. "It's only 8."

Penelope arched an eyebrow at the timing that Jennifer thinks she has for the macaroons. Does she honestly think she would've gotten the order for 450 done in six hours?

"No." Grant said. "The macaroons are done!"

Jennifer looked at him as if he was crazy. "What are you talking about?" She started rushing over to the kitchen with Grant and Penelope following behind. "What the - " In front of them were rows of baskets with bagged macaroons inside. "Who did this?" She immediately looked at her junior baker. "Grant Anderson..."

Grant shook his head. "I wish I could say I did it." He picked up one of the bags and pointed at them. "Look at how perfect they are! You know that I still lack in that area of perfecting it."

She glanced over at the other bakers, who also were shaking their heads. "Well, whoever did it. Thank goodness."

Penelope heard the familiar sounds of Lynda's high heels again. She turned her head over to the doorway just in time to see Luke and Lynda walk in. "It's nice to see my employees come into work early."

"Did you give someone else permission to do the order of macaroons?" Jennifer asked him.

Luke glanced at the macaroons and the bakers. "No but I can see that they're all finished." He crossed his arms and looked at them. "Seeing as how it's done and the four of you did work hard for last night's wedding." He paused and shrugged his shoulders. "Take four hours off and come back to work afterwards. I want cream puffs to be out on display today."

"Wait, you're giving us a half day off?" Grant questioned to make sure.

“I can take it back if you want." Luke blankly said.

"No! We'll take it!" The other bakers screamed in happiness.

Jennifer narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you sure you don't know who did this? Did you assign this order for someone?"

"No," Luke repeated. "I don't know who did this order but as long as it's done and you get a break that you haven't gotten in a while, should we really be complaining here?"

Penelope has been standing in silence, listening to their conversation, waiting for the moment that Luke would say that he was actually the one that did the whole order by himself. The fact that he didn't admit to anything has her really confused.

"I expect to see two rows of cream puffs on display by the afternoon." Luke glanced at the bakers and stared around the kitchen. He didn't say anything else before he turned around with Lynda following and walked out of the door.

Grant scoffed. "The break's not even a break. It takes an hour to make the mixture and cream for the puff and another hour for when it's in the oven." He rolled his eyes. "The one moment we expect him to be caring, it's a joke."

One of the bakers sighed as he took out a huge bowl out to start the cream for the cream puffs. "That man is nothing but someone who complains. He does nothing for this company either. The one who did this order for us should be head of the company."

Penelope almost opened her mouth to correct the baker's words but she closed it. What's even the point? She doesn't feel it's necessary to share something good of what Luke did nor does she see a point in correcting somebody else's opinion. She quietly dismissed herself from the kitchen and head toward the elevators. She came just in time to share the same one with Luke and Lynda, sadly. Clearing her throat, she leaned against the back of the wall and watched as the numbers for the floors slowly go up.

"Sir, are you tired?" Lynda asked. Penelope glanced over to see Luke is leaning his head against the wall with his eyes closed and arms crossed. "Did you stay up to look over the new upcoming projects again?"

"You can say that," Luke silently said. "What time is our phone conference with Italy?"

Lynda checked her tablet. "In an hour."

"Bring me all the detailed documents we have on their company and a cup of coffee into my office. I want to study on their foundation before the meeting starts." The sound of the elevators arriving to the 22nd floor immediately made him to stand up straight before walking out.

Penelope stepped out and silently watched as Luke entered his office. "So, that's how you look like when you're being serious...." Taking a deep breath, she settled into her seat and folded her arms as she stared at the time. Another beginning to what seems like another repetitive day for her.

. . .

Luke loudly yawned as soon as he was alone in the office. Collapsing in his seat, he placed his head onto the desk for a brief nap. This is the single moment that he wants Lynda to be late on the coffee and document. Finishing the order of macaroons around one in the morning and driving back home takes close to 45 minutes, he barely got any sleep in. This is the moment that needs, just peace and - he abruptly sat up as soon as he heard knocking on his door. "Come in."

Lynda showed up with his coffee in one hand and the stack of documents on the other. "Here is what you told me get." She stepped back and watched as he sipped the coffee and started getting into business as he opened the documents.

"You can leave now." From the corner of his eyes, he could see her nodding her head before walking out of the office. Luke stretched his arms and legs out for a few minutes and quickly returned back to work.