Chapter Text
Chapter 1 - Final Preparations
The planning for the next tour had been in full swing as soon as the Christmas holidays were over. Andy was enjoying a few moments outside of the edit suite, particularly as he had gone straight from Europe into Africa, feeling like he lived in there for months. The viewer reactions had been good for Africa, a chunk of Penny's notes were used in the v/o and the Miss Penny diaries were getting plenty of hits on their website. Amazon were pleased with the viewing numbers. He'd thought long and hard how to credit Penny, the Boys all refused to take any accountability, reminding him that he claimed to be the boss, so it was his problem. Finally the answer came to him - Righthand Woman and Keeper of the Talent. He had it made into a desk plaque for her for Christmas. Keeper felt apt with each of them having animal nicknames, even if Richard tried to insist his wasn't used on air anymore.
Andy called a meeting straight after Elevenses.
"Right your cars, where are we up to?"
"Mine is easy and doesn't really need much doing to it, the car is light but powerful and should be able to handle anything. I won't need Caterham to do any serious modifications. They will sent out one engineer, just in case, to do them," James replied.
"Ford engineers are well up for my idea of tank tracks and have worked out how to make them work. I'm going to their test site to practice driving with them next week," Richard beamed at the idea of some uber off-roading fun.
"I'm really looking forward to finally having a car that I'll enjoy and be comfortable driving in. Bentley are working like stink to find a suitable way to modify it to handle the briefed conditions, I have a meeting to see their progress next Tuesday. They are going to provide two cars, in case there are any problems with the modifying work and two sets of engineers to do the work on them as fast as possible, the condition being that they will retain ownership of them. It does mean unless I can REALLY justify it I have to make sure not to trash either of them!" Jeremy grinned.
"Jo is the usual crew booked?" Andy asked.
"They are, jumped at the contracts," Jo confirmed.
"Penny, the accommodation, where are we up to?"
"I've put together a combination of hotels and houses, sorry guys no roughing it this time, I hope that will not disappoint," Penny replied. There were a few cheers around the table. "Although I do think it is worth having camp kit on stand-by."
"And medical?" Andy continued.
"I've booked John and Emma again, they were available and already know the crew, our medical backgrounds and how we roll. We will be on anti-malaria medication again, there were no reactions to it last time so I'm ordering the same one again. I'll use the same distribution strategy too. There is a long list of vaccinations and I'm cross-referencing it with everyone's lists, in case any boosters are needed."
"So we are on track, excellent. Most of the crew will be in 4x4 off-roaders, plus a few larger vehicles. This is what I like to hear," Andy grinned. "Penny, I need you to stay at the end please to talk about a recce trip to meet the location fixers."
"Whoa, Andy you're not planning to whisk Penny off on a trip alone together are you?" Jeremy questioned as Richard and James laughed, knowing how he got when they just had dinner alone with her.
"I am indeed Clarkson now get lost the rest of you, Penny and I have work to do and I'm sure you all have things you like to try and make me believe is work." Jeremy tried to hang around until Penny glared at him and jerked her head towards the door. Eventually he huffed his way out. Andy waited until the door closed behind him.
"Ok, this is a multi-location trip and some of it will be very difficult to travel through, I want you and I to go and use the planned route with the fixers and make sure is will be passable for the Boys. I'd like to be prepared as possible for this one, and knowing the local team and getting their advice will help. It will mean you having to keep secrets from them, will you be able to? I don't want to put a wedge between you and Jeremy."
"Oh I'll cope, would rather know what I need to prepare for, will make the day to day managing them easier en-route. Let me worry about Jeremy, I can handle him," Penny reassured him. "Do I need to book the flights or anything?"
"No, no Jo already has done, we leave on Sunday evening for five days," he reassured. "John has sent me anti-malaria tablets for us, I'll drop those off for you. Your jabs are up to date aren't they?"
"Oh yes you and I are fully covered. Is there anything else? I need to check whether I've got to talk him down off a ledge," she winked and he shook his head. Gathering her folder she left quickly.
Richard looked up as she opened the door to their office, spotted the expression on Jeremy's face and stood up.
"James, I think we need to make ourselves scarce for a few minutes," he suggested. James looked up from his monitor, saw Jeremy and joined him quickly. Jeremy was the picture of dejection, head and shoulders stooped.
"Am I going to living with Mr Sulky for the next week?" Penny asked, standing with her arms folded. He refused to answer. She walked over to him, turned his chair and sat in his lap, draping her arms round his neck.
"I am going on a business trip with your oldest friend and our boss, so that both of us can do our job better." He just looked sad. "You are going to be away yourself for part of it, at Bentley and aren't you filming Millionaire next week too?" Tipping his chin up, she kissed him gently. "We are in a fantastic place now. I know you hate being apart, but this isn't me going on holiday without you and it isn't for a fortnight. Now if you are going to sulk for the rest of this week then all it will accomplish is making yourself miserable for a fortnight." She kissed him again and felt his arms wrap around her. Eventually he returned her kiss, slow and loving.
"Sorry Pen," he murmured, breaking their kiss and looking a little ashamed. "I just hate being alone."
"You won't be alone, I'm not leaving you, I'll just be away," she pointed out.
"Oh ignore me, I'm just a silly old fool."
"Possibly but you are my silly old fool," she rested her forehead against his. He sought her lips again. "How about I go out and the four of us lunch and I join you all in here?"
"Mm, good idea, now I suppose we'd better let Hammond and May back in," he sighed.
"Just remember they are always there for you, let them," Penny commented, getting up.
She found Richard and James in the break area.
"Thanks for that both of you," she smiled. "I'm going out to get lunch for the four of us. If either of you think of anything to keep him occupied next week, I'd be very grateful."
"We've got your back Penny, don't worry," Richard reassured, James nodded in agreement. Penny left to get lunch, and they returned to their office. By the time she returned she could hear their laughter from her desk and sighed with relief. She might have been used to being on her own and had been her choice but he freely admitted that he hated it. Walking in she saw a much lighter expression on Jeremy's face and his posture was better. Catching his eye she gave him a private little smile, then unpacked lunch onto the coffee table as Jeremy joined her on the sofa and the others wheeled over.
Opening their front door, Jeremy let Penny in first. She headed straight into the lounge and he followed her. Sitting sideways on, she stroked his leg.
"You ok?"
"Not yet but I'll get there. Sorry about earlier, unprofessional of me,"
"Yes but they all know you and have done for years. Andy understands too, but I need to know what the environment is going to be like so that I can support the three of you. Just as Andy knew what to expect in Mongolia and didn't tell you."
"Mm, he has made a career of knowing and not telling us, Iraq was a doozie, took us a while to forgive him for that one!"
"Look you've been warned off-road conditions, hence the car modifications and I'll not be allowed to say anything else. Now what are you planning to make me for dinner?"
"Me? Since when am I cooking tonight?" He sounded indignant.
"Since you were the one who made the scene at work today," she replied.
"Would you be prepared to accept some chicken pho and spring rolls?" He asked hopefully.
"Mm, the first meal you cooked for me, perfect, but not yet," she smiled and curled into his side as he switched on the news, his arm sliding round her shoulder.
Coming out of the bathroom, she looked at Jeremy already in bed, his reading glasses perched on the end of his nose, engrossed in something on his ipad. Even after living together for months, she still got a thrill from the intimacy of a simple thing like sharing a bed. Leaving her dressing-gown on the chair, Penny slid into her side of the bed. Jeremy looked over his glasses at her and smiled. She took the ipad from him, closed it and put it on his bedside table, he smirked at her and put his glasses on top of it. Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her tenderly.
"I'm sorry for earlier, you mean the world to me and I made a fool of myself," he murmured.
"Stop Jeremy, just make love to me," she smiled.
"That I can do." He kissed her passionately and they sank into long, deep kisses, hands roaming, stroking, arousing, losing themselves in each other.
The rest of the week everyone was working hard preparing for the next tour or writing articles. They spent an evening in Penny's flat so that she could pack suitable clothing for the trip. She realised that it was feeling like a flat and not home anymore. After the tour she was going to have to make some decisions about it. The weekend was spent in the farmhouse, simply taking the time to be together and relax.