'This plan is insane!' Penny took a deep breath. She knew that even though she didn't really want to do this, she had no choice. She was quite desperate, she simply had to get hold of those coins tonight. She clicked away the website of the British Museum and sighed. She hadn't been able to find out in which gallery the museum exhibited its ancient coin collection, but at least she had located the Greco-Roman galleries on the floor plan, so that gave her a place to start. If she had to roam the entire museum without even the slightest clue of where to begin, she'd be looking for hours!

She snatched the copy she'd made of the floor plan from her printer, tucked it away in her backpack and turned to Hermes. The god was standing in a corner of the room. She could tell from the look in his eyes that he completely agreed on the madness of their undertaking, but that he wouldn't try to discourage her from it anymore.

"Well, are you ready?" he simply asked as he moved out of his corner.

Penny started to move towards him, but hesitated. "Hermes, I… I couldn't even dream of doing this without you. Thank you. For everything."

He gave her a warm, reassuring smile. "I'll be right by your side, you won't have to do this alone." He stretched out his hand towards her. "Together?"

She answered his smile with one of her own and grabbed his hand. "Together."

They looked into each other's eyes with a mutual understanding for a few seconds, and then Hermes placed her hand on one of his shoulders. "Hold on tight!" he said with a slightly mischievous undertone.

Before she had time to wonder what he meant Hermes picked her up as if she was light as a feather and quickly moved for the door. Startled she threw her arms around his neck and clung on to him for dear life. He hadn't just walked out of her apartment, or even run out of it. He had flown out of it!

'What are you doing?' she shrieked, squeezing her eyes shut. 'This isn't what we agreed upon!'

'Oh, quit your whimpering,' she heard him laugh. 'You didn't really think we were going to walk all the way to the museum, did you? We're travelling much faster this way. And you may loosen your grip a little, you know. Just a little tighter and you're going to strangle me. I'm not going to let go of you, don't worry. Just relax and try to enjoy the ride.'

Apprehensively Penny opened an eye, and then another, and looked up in Hermes beaming face. He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. His golden-brown eyes shone with delight as the wind was playing with his blonde curls. Penny hadn't really paid much attention to his looks before, she'd been too preoccupied with the simple fact that he was a god and after that with the planning of a rescue-mission, but now she was immensely surprised that she hadn't noticed his curls before, as they seemed almost golden and radiant in the moonlit night.

Hermes caught her looking up and threw her another reassuring smile. 'Hi there,' he said while he winked at her. 'Are you starting to feel more at ease?'

Penny looked at him in surprise. He winked at her? Was this the same man… god that had seemed so stern and had opposed everything she said only an hour ago. True, he'd been quite friendly right from the start - apart from the fact that he had snatched her from the street rather forcibly, but he'd only done that to safe her in the first place - but his manner had been a bit more firm and perhaps even rigid then. Now he almost seemed to be someone else entirely, more relaxed, more sociable, more… well, like a human, instead of an all-seeing, all-controlling, unapproachable, worship-requesting Ancient god.

'Penny? Are you alright?' The ecstatic look on his face had made place for one of concern and she noticed a hint of worry in his voice. 'Are you really that scared? We'll be there in no time, but if you want I can stop flying right away and we'll walk the rest of the journey.'

'No, no, I'm fine. Really.' She shook her head slightly in an attempt to focus again, blinked a few times and tried to look as lively and at ease as possible. She'd been so lost in thought that she hadn't even paid attention to the fact that they were flying anymore, but to him apparently her absent-mindedness must have seemed as if she was blocking everything out or something. As Hermes didn't seem all too convinced that she was really feeling alright, she tried to smile at him, but she was so huddled up in his arms that it turned out more like a crooked, grin-like grimace. Apparently the expression on her face was that ridiculous that Hermes immediately lost his worry and just burst out laughing. Penny couldn't help but join in, and they kept giggling and chuckling uncontrollably for the next few minutes.

'I'm really fine, you know,' Penny said when they had finally calmed down and managed to stop laughing. 'You just startled me when you all of a sudden … took flight, or what should I call it? But now I'm truly ok.' She looked Hermes straight in the eyes. 'I know you'd never let me fall. I trust you.'

It was the truth: she really did trust him. She felt genuinely safe in his arms and knew he wouldn't let anything happen to her. And not only when it came to his flying. He'd look after her, no matter what would happen when they got to the museum. She was sure of it.

The look in Hermes eyes changed. It wasn't less friendly, but it gained something different, something more solemn and intense. This only confirmed her thoughts even more: he would protect her, no matter what. But she saw something else in his eyes as well, something new entirely. As she looked in Hermes eyes, she saw a reflection of her own budding feelings. She saw the beginning of their friendship.