Swim shorts? Check. Sandals? Check. A week's worth of clothes just in case they decided to go out? Check. Sunglasses and passport? "Fuck, passport," Jack called out to himself as he moved around his bedroom looking for his passport booklet. In all the craze of moving his things into Anna's place a few months back, he'd forgotten where he put it. Every drawer was rummaged through. A soft mew from Lucy as a t-shirt fell on top of the black cat told him he needed to calm down. He picked up the shirt and tossed it into his open suitcase before petting the cat under her chin. It was strange that Lucy was in the room with him and not paying attention to her actual owner, but he had a feeling that had something to do with the noise he had been making trying to get everything packed at the last minute. He couldn't quite place why he had put it off, knowing their plane would be boarding in a few hours, but it had been another one of those weeks.

Jack had woken up earlier with that familiar weird feeling of missing time. He didn't remember doing anything crazy, but a sword with what looked like a blood stain sitting on his dresser was indication that maybe he was missing something. With not much time to spare before he needed to be at the airport, he let it go and immediately began throwing items haphazardly in his suitcase. Four texts from Scarlett, and it wasn't even 8 a.m.

The whole trip had been his Christmas gift to her, and he was excited. Of course he was excited. It was their first getaway as a couple. It was the first vacation he had been on in years; for the first time in a long time, he could afford it. Financially and in terms of being able to take the time off. During his years as a police officer, time off had been a dream. Sure, he had two weeks just like everyone else - but that was on paper. Going through the motions of getting the time approved never ended well, and, more often than not, his requests had been 'misplaced'. It was part of the reason he had chosen undercover work in the first place. At least he could live a life away from the department and still consider it work. Not that he had to worry about that these days. Things had improved a lot for Jack since he'd quit his primary job to embrace the undercover life he had created for himself. This vacation was his way of showing his appreciation to Scarlett for, in a way, saving him.

His passport finally surfaced in his bedside table, hidden underneath the pistol he kept there for protection. He left that behind and pocketed the passport. A quick glance over his room and his suitcase told him he had everything he needed, but he ran over the list Scarlett had given him in his mind again. You'll want something to read on the plane, echoed in his mind, and he spoke, "Charger, shit!" as he scurried to the other side of the room to grab it. It went in his suitcase, and he quickly zipped it up. "I think I'm good to go, Luce," he said to the cat, giving her a pat on the head. The cat didn't seem to approve of his imminent departure, as his hand was met with a disapproving hiss.

"I'll be back in a week."

Packed and ready to go, Jack headed to Scarlett's to pick her up so they could get to the airport without having to rush. Transportation was finally starting to stablize, and with the rising temperatures, there was actual slush on the ground as they loaded her car with their luggage. He was so happy about the improving weather that he didn't even remark on the amount of luggage his girlfriend had packed or how many of her bags were filled solely with shoes. Instead, he kissed her, long and lovingly, before helping her inside the vehicle so they could get going. They were going on vacation after all, and he didn't want to start it on the wrong foot. They had a long flight ahead of them, too, so the last thing he wanted to deal with was her angry gaze the entire way there.

This trip was going to be good for them, he could feel it. They were getting away from their hectic lives, away from the cold, and he wasn't going to let anything ruin that, especially not his own stupidity.