Disclaimer: I don't own Flashpoint or its characters.

Vacation Plans

Spike clicked on the 'SUBMIT' button and watched his computer screen. Within seconds he was presented with all the details of his trip to Italy. He scanned through the information on the screen. Flight times - they look ok, he thought. Did he think there was enough time between flights? Yep - so far so good. Connections? Was exactly what he wanted.

His eyes then focused on the travelers names: Scarlatti, Mike & Camden, Winnie.

What the hell was he thinking?

He can't believe she actually agreed to go with him to Italy. He can't believe he asked her! He had asked her out to dinner a while ago and she said 'No'. So now he asked her to accompany him to visit his mother half way around the world as she says 'Yes'? Was he insane? Maybe she's the one who's insane - she's the one who said 'Yes'! He remembers the conversation they had when he asked her -

"This just in from Italy!" Winnie looks up at his voice and his heart begins that funny thumping it always does when she looks at him. She swipes the postcard out of his hand.

"Your mother is solely responsible for keeping the post office in business!"

"At lease she waits until the third line to ask me when I'm coming to visit."

"Awwww"

"Wanna be my wingman? Keep all my aunts from asking me why I'm still single?" What the hell was he saying?

"What's in it for me?"

"All the homemade wine you can drink?", he says as his brow furrows.

"I'm listening…"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah".

So that's how it went - he asked, she said yes, he panicked. Of course he didn't do it in front of her! They chatted for a while longer discussing things like when to go and when to ask for the time off. Spike started to clue her in on some of his more colorful relatives. He watched her face as he regaled her with stories of his past visits there. She was laughing, showing those perfect white teeth. Big brown eyes looking at him, those full lips, smooth skin. He told her his mother was living with her two sisters, both widows. That they shared a small house. He wondered if there would be enough bedrooms for them. Maybe him and Winnie would have to share a room. He pictured them getting ready for bed - Winnie in a skimpy night gown, hair tumbling down her shoulders, the silky material revealing every luscious curve of her body. He pictured himself reaching out to her and pulling her close to him. His hands would rove over her soft skin. She would tilt her face up to him and slowly close her eyes, gently parting those full lips...

"Spike? You listening?" He was suddenly pulled out of his fantasy. Good thing there was a desk between them so she couldn't see just how 'excited' he was over this trip. Good thing the rest of Team One was gone for the day! This time he lucked out.

"Oh, sorry. Just thinking about my mother", he lied. "What did you ask?"

Winnie just smiled at him - that kind of 'Wow - what a good son he is, thinking of his mother' kind of smile. Good thing she wasn't a mind reader!

"I was just wondering what the weather would be like. Wanna make sure I bring the right clothes. Think I need anything fancy? Will we be doing any fancy stuff?"

He can think of a few 'fancy things' for them to do!

Spike also remembers the day after that conversation - it's after shift and he's driving back to the barn with Leah. He's staring out the window while she's driving.

"So - a little birdie told me you and Winnie are going on a vacation together. How did that come about?" She glances over at him and he just stares at her.

"Who told you?"

"Who do you think? You certainly didn't. Big news like that and you kept it from me? Come on Scarlatti - share!"

"She told you?" He's thinking he should gather some intel from Leah so he continued, "Did she sound happy? Did she look happy? I don't know - did she look like she's regretting it?" He was starting to panic again.

Leah just turned and gave him a dirty look - "What's wrong with you? She was excited about it. Kept going on and on about it. You're the one who looks like he's regretting it! Isn't this what you wanted?"

Spike just shrugged. Of course this is what he wanted! He just didn't know what it was he was getting!

"So Leah, what does it mean when a girl says 'No' to a date but 'Yes' to a trip to Italy? What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to act? How do I introduce her to my family - 'hey this is my pretend girlfriend'!" He's starting to mumble, "Good thing she doesn't speak Italian. Maybe I'll tell them she's a mute. Then I'll tell Winnie none of them speak English. Yeah that'll work."

Leah just glanced at him and sighed. "You know what Scarlatti? You're smart, you'll just have to figure it out!"

They drove the rest of the way in silence.

So here he is now staring at the itinerary. Winnie suggested they get together and discuss the details of the trip. Maybe plan a side trip to Rome since his mother lived about an hour away. His mind slipped back into his 'Winnie fantasy' mode - them strolling hand in hand through the streets of Rome. Maybe sitting at a cozy outdoor restaurant, sipping wine and laughing...God! He needs to wake up and quit this day dreaming! So he calls his mother and lets her know that he's coming to visit. Also that he's bringing a 'friend'. Once he told her it was a girl he couldn't get her to quit asking questions.

"Mikey, how long have you been seeing this girl? Is she the pretty one with the dark hair you always talk about?" God, was he that transparent?

"Her name's Winnie, ma. And she's just a friend." Saying it was like admitting defeat.

"I'm going to tell your aunts that you're coming and bringing your girlfriend with you. Oh, they will be so excited!" Spike thinks he can't wait for that.

Two days later he gets an email from his favorite aunt, Serafina. Fina, as she was called, was his mother's youngest sister. His mom had 5 siblings in all, Matteo, Mariella and Monalisa were all older than her. The last was Serafina. His mom says that Serafina was 'A little suprise'. Given the fact that she was so much younger than his mom Spike figures she was a surprise. In fact she was only 12 years older than he was!

Spike's earliest memory of Serafina was when he was 8 years old. His family had traveled to Italy during the summer and planned to spend a month there. Spike was excited even though it wasn't the first time he'd been there. This was the first time where he figured he would be able to hang out with his cousins without his mother hovering over him. He was one of the youngest cousins and certainly the geekiest. Sometimes when the older boys teased him it was always Serafina who came to his rescue. She would run off the other kids then help him plot his revenge. "Let's blow something up and scare the livin' crap out of them!", she would exclaim.

One time they did. Fina brought a wooden box and some firecrackers. The plan was to put the box over the firecrackers outside on the patio. Spike's job was to rig the firecrackers so he could detonate them remotely. On top of the box Fina placed a flower pot full of dirt. Then she put some chairs around it. Looked like a harmless little table. Once several of his cousins sat in the chairs or gathered the makeshift table Spike would then detonate the firecrackers. He remembers him and Fina hiding behind the garden wall. Fina poked her head out saying, "Easy Mikey, not just yet. Let's wait for them to get comfortable." When she thought the moment was right she said, "Go ahead Mikey, let 'er rip!" Spike then pressed the switch he made. BOOM! Dirt flew all over his cousins! They were jumping around and cursing. Some had screamed like little girls.

"What the hell is going on?" Oops, that was Spike's dad as he came out to survey the damage. Of course nobody was hurt. Just some bruised egos. "Who did this?" Spike knew he was in trouble and started to get up from his hiding place. Serafina pushed him to the ground and stood up. "It was me, Dominic. Didn't mean to scare anyone. Was just trying to get rid of the birds that were pecking at the fruit trees. Sorry!"

Spike's dad just looked at her and shook his head, mumbling something about how that girl needs to find a husband.

Fina dropped back down next to Spike and they both started to laugh hysterically.

The next time Spike went to Italy he was 12. Serafina was 24 and gorgeous. She was tall and willowy unlike her sisters who were rather short and more round. They didn't get to spend as much time together as she was pursuing her dream - she wanted to be a fashion designer. Spike had to admit some of the outfits she wore were rather 'unique'. Well, he wasn't exactly knowledgeable in fashion.

On his last trip to Italy at 17 he didn't see Serafina at all. She was living in Rome with her husband and her two small children. She did call him on the phone, "Mikey did you ever think that I would be married! With kids? You'd shit if you saw what I fed them sometimes!" He laughed at their conversation and was happy that she was happy. Ten years later would find his Aunt Serafina a widow. Her husband having gotten sick. His mother never did tell him the details and he never asked. But every year at Christmas and his birthday Fina would send him a card with a letter updating him on what was going on in her life. She would tell him how proud his dad was of him (he didn't believe that one!) But she always mentioned some award he was given or referred to a newspaper clip about his heroics. He guessed his mom had sent them to her.

Spike pulled his thoughts back to the present and reads Fina's email.

Dear Mikey,

So excited that I will finally get to see you! And your girlfriend too! Is she the one that turned you down? Things must have turned around for you!

Send me your itinerary and I will pick you both up from the airport and deliver you to your mother's house (lovingly know as the gates of hell!)

Ciao,

Fina

Spike had told Serafina about Winnie. If fact the night that Winnie turned him down, he had sent Fina an email. He was upset and needed to tell someone. He and Fina had been emailing regularly since his mom moved to Italy. Fina had picked his mom up from the airport and got her settled in with Mariella and Monalisa. Since they were all widows, Fina had called it 'The dead husband's club'. Spike told her she should also join. Fina owned the house and let her sisters stay there. They wanted to pay her rent but she just shook her head, "Come on, someone needs to be there and look after the place. Who better than my loving sisters?". Truth was Fina was pretty successful in her career and wanted to replay her older sisters since they mostly raised her. It seemed to work for everyone.

Spike had poured his heart out in the email. He remembers less than 10 minutes after he sent it his cell phone rang. It was Fina.

"Oh Michelangelo, I'm so sorry! How can any girl resist you?"

"It's ok Auntie Fina, I'll get over it."

"Is she interested in another guy? Maybe you can blow him up?"

"Funny. And I wouldn't know if she interested in another guy. I just know she's not interested in me!"

"How could she not be! Did I ever tell you about the first time I met Eduardo?" Eduardo was her late husband. "I thought he was a jerk. Didn't like him at all. Then two years later we were married!"

Spike thought about that - maybe there was some hope. "So what do I do?"

"What?! Turn on some of that Scarlatti charm!"

"Yeah, well, see where that got me?"

"Bah! Then give up! Maybe you'll find another girl." At that remark Spike went quiet. "So you don't believe there is another girl for you, huh Mikey?"

Spike sighed, "Not really".

"Then do something about it! Try to convince her you are the perfect guy! She did say that didn't she?"

"Yeah, she did". They spoke for another hour. Serafina told him how she went to the 'witches den' (another pet name for the house where his mom and aunts lived) and tried to setup an internet connection for them so they could 'face time' with relatives. They also talked about what was going on with their jobs. Spike regaling her with tales of bomb diffusal and Fina talking about her latest couture creations. After they said their goodbyes, Spike felt more frustrated than ever.