<br/><br/>Through her excitement of traveling with Jonah, Catherine could not help but notice the significant shift in Jonah’s temperament- he seemed relaxed- no, relieved- and his happiness rolled off of him and crashed over her in warm waves. He seemed as composed as ever, but he exuded a contention that he had lacked in Alaska.<br/><br/>As she gazed out the window, she pondered over the intense connection they seemed to share- it seemed to grow the longer that she stayed in his presence. They were almost symbiotic- it was not just that she was getting better at reading his expressions and body language, she could almost feel him as if he were an extension of herself. And that wasn’t to mention her emotional reactions to him- it made no sense.<br/><br/>Buried deep within her- for the most part (she found it very hard to be truly upset in Jonah’s presence)- calm display, she felt a growing fear- what if his family didn’t approve of her? She had a vague understanding of the Ackerlund’s power and wealth- she had never let it bother her before as she considered it to be trivial at best, but she was only a small-town American girl with humble beginnings; nothing to write home about.<br/><br/>Sure, she was probably pretty enough and she had good enough marks in school, but that was a dime a dozen. And she would stick out like a sore thumb in Sweden with her olive skin, long dark hair and exotic green eyes.<br/><br/>This possibility of her rejection made her deeply sad- she wanted for them to like her, for their approval. And what if they didn’t? What would that mean for her and Jonah?<br/><br/><em>“It’s okay sweetheart, I am here. I keep forgetting you’ve never been on a transatlantic flight before”</em><br/><br/>Cat could almost physically feel the anxiety and panic leave her body and she all but melted into Jonah as he reclaimed his seat beside her and rubbed her back, leaving a trail of fire where their skin had made contact. The fire spread it’s way up her back and into her chest in warm, dizzying spirals filling her with desire, a sensation she hadn’t felt in such a long time. Jonah’s voice had an almost instant calming effect on her, his laugh making her all but forget about the slight turbulence that had upset her as the plane made it’s descent.<br/><br/>“I’m sorry,” Cat apologized, her cheeks flushing in mild embarrassment. There was another mild shake and she gripped his hand tightly, closing her eyes so as not to be tempted to look out the window. “I don’t know why I got so upset- I guess I was scared. I’ve never flown before.”<br/><br/>Cat let out big sigh of relief when the plane finally came to a stop and opened her eyes. There was some low mumbling among the other passengers and some clamoring as everyone began reaching for their carry-on and filing out.<br/><br/>Finally, she looked out the window to see a small portion of Stockholm through the steady curtain of rain- from what she could see there was a great expanse of water and clusters of buildings on the small amount of land she could make out.<br/><br/><em>“Welcome to Stockholm Sweden”</em><br/><br/>Cat’s knowledge of airports was restricted to mainly movies and this most recent trip- which was in fact her first. She could not help but be blown away by how significantly different this was from the airport they had departed from in Anchorage. It was like night and day- where America’s was bustling, strict, and chaotic, Sweden’s was almost peaceful and organized, everyone taking their time and waiting their turn.<br/><br/>She listened eagerly with, grinning with excitement as she took everything around her in and he explained how everything worked- it was fascinating. Not just the airport, but to see Jonah’s so clearly in his element.<br/><br/><em> “This is Catherine a friend from America. She has never been outside the US before and I thought it would be nice for her to see another way of life.”</em><br/><br/>It warmed Catherine’s heart to see Jonah’s interaction with his uncle- there was much love there and it thrilled her to see Jonah so happy. Just as quickly, she felt the sharp sting of ice in her chest when Jonah introduced her. Her blush, as always, gave Cat away and she could not hide her embarrassment.<br/><br/>It just seemed a bit … impersonal? Did he really only see her as a friend? Either way, Jonah’s introduction inferred that he had brought other women home in the past, and frequently enough for there to be an explanation. Had the other’s been rejected by his family? Was she just a flavor of the week? A million thoughts and emotions quelled inside of her, but she pushed it aside. Now was not the time.<br/><br/>Despite her worries, Cat offered Rolf a brilliant smile and replied warmly to his cheerful greeting, remembering how Jonah had firmly grasped her hand upon first meeting and she mimicked the gesture. “It’s a pleasure to meet you! Please, call me Cat, everyone does.”<br/><br/><em>“Well young lady, I hope you enjoy Sweden. I am Rolf, Jonas’s uncle, and brother to Martin his father you might notice that there are a lot of people with the same name in this country and that is normal. Even we forget who we are now and again…” </em><br/><br/>Cat could not help but laugh along with Rolf, his good-natured, cheerful personality was<br/>Infectious and she quickly found her worries subdued. She rolled down the window to breathe in the sweet, damp, earthy air- it was so fresh she could almost taste it. Alaska certainly held its own beauty, particularly in the summer with it’s majestic mountains and greenery, but nothing could have prepared for the beauty of Stockholm with it’s cluster of small islands and clear, glistening waters, and smattering of colorful buildings. It was absolutely lovely.<br/><br/>“It is so beautiful here.” She remarked, happily- she could only hope the rest of Jonah’s family were so welcoming- she felt very much at ease in Rolf’s company and enjoyed his positive energy. “It is like being in a fairy-tale. So much beauty and colors!”<br/><br/><em>“To the King! It sure is nice to have you back where you belong Jonas and with a lovely lady on your arm to boot. Birgitte will be happy to see you so…happy”</em><br/><br/>Cat let out a small sigh of relief- perhaps she had been overthinking things, earlier after all- Jonah certainly didn’t seem embarrassed by her or secretive any means. She had been burned badly enough by love in the pas to be cautious.<br/><br/>Cat glanced at Jonah- he had always been devilishly handsome and charming, but here in the country he loved and called home, surrounded by family he was truly breath-taking. He seemed so at ease and happy- she could not help but the same way. Cat smiled and squeezed his hand affectionately, her soulful eyes gleaming with all the emotions she couldn’t find the words to say.<br/><br/><em> “Welcome to Wayne Manor”</em><br/><br/>“Holy smoke, Batman!” Cat replied in her best Robin impersonation, her mouth falling open in shock as the Ackerlund estate came into view- they had driven down a long gravel path lined with massive spruce trees for what felt like ages until it opened into a large clearing. The lawns were sprawling and impeccably kept, and at the far end, winding for miles it seemed was a massive Victorian mansion with beautiful red rooftops.<br/>She glanced nervously at Jonah, unsure of how to respond, feeling more like a duck out of water than ever- she knew the Ackerlund’s were wealthy. She didn’t know they were this wealthy…<br/>