Hiya!
I'm back with a new story. My girlfriend is back from vacation so thanks to her for proofing it. :)
Without further ado... Hope you'll enjoy.
Love at first flight
Clarke Griffin loved her job. She was great at it. Although it was born out of necessity to earn money, she had loved it from the moment she was able to leave the ground for the first time. The training hadn't required much time. In fact, it had only taken a couple of weeks, which had made her happy and scared at the same time. However, she had learned quickly that a hands-on approach was the most effective learning method. In the beginning the job had meant to be an additional income, to be able to afford her real passion, creating art, but she had loved it so much, and had made friends for life, that Clarke had decided to stay and make a career out of it.
Obviously, every profession had its pros and cons. Her biggest pro and the main reason for accepting all the cons, had been the part where she could lock the door, sit back tight and let herself be carried away to new places, new destinations and new people. As much as Clarke Griffin comes across as a well settled, hardworking and career focused adult, at heart she was still a teenager, who didn't want to be tied down at one place and hated the number one disadvantage of her profession - the unholy wake-up time when she had an early flight. She had never been a big fan of mornings. Clarke preferred to start the day at lunchtime and couldn't understand that nights weren't part of the day to be used more productively than being asleep. She groaned loudly into her little apartment, which was close enough to her workplace to reach it in a short amount of time, but far away to not be actively disturbed by the usual sound backdrop of it.
She frustratingly exhaled a whoosh of air and got up to face the chores of the day. She pitter-pattered into her kitchen and activated her coffee machine, which buzzed to life and blinked excitingly. "Well at least one thing in my life is happy to be awake." Clarke mumbled under her breath, whilst fishing for her favourite mug. She placed a capsule into the device and the cup under the nozzle and pressed the button. The smell of fresh coffee immediately invaded her senses and a small smile grazed her features. Everything was better with coffee in her system. She showered quickly and put on her uniform before carefully applying her makeup for the day. The flight wasn't too long, she sighed happily, but she would have to stay overnight at the destination, before they returned tomorrow night. Clarke finished her coffee, snatched her trolley and made the short way to the airport just in time, as she had to attend the cabin crew meeting in 20 minutes. She walked through the airport and was about to go through the security gate for employees when she heard her name being called out into the meagre populated hall.
"Clarke! Wait." She turned around in surprise and cursed mentally when she saw who had stopped her. The woman quickly approached her with an apologetic smile on her face. "Clarke, you look breath taking as usual." She whispered, as she kissed the blonde's cheek as a hello.
"Niylah thanks. I'm in a hurry, what do you want?" She stepped back and looked at her annoyed and frustrated.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?"
"There's nothing to talk about, Niy." Clarke brushed her off and turned to leave.
"Please. Give me one minute." The slightly taller blonde begged her.
"What do you want?" Clarke repeated exhaustingly.
"I'm so sorry." She started and moved them away from the security desk. "I didn't mean to do it."
"You didn't mean to fuck her?" Clarke snorted angrily. "Your hand accidently slipped into her pussy and you couldn't pull it out until she came all over it?" She growled sarcastically.
"I…" The other woman cringed at the vulgarly descriptive words.
"Leave it. Really."
"I love you. Baby, please give me another chance." She tried to hold onto Clarke and pulled her into an embrace.
"Let go of me." Clarke pushed against her. "You screwed up and in case you hadn't gotten the memo, I don't love you anymore." Niylah's face fell immediately upon hearing Clarke's last words.
"That's a lie and you know it." She hissed angrily, tightly closing her fingers around one of Clarke's arms.
"Would you mind taking your hands off of this woman?" A calm but eerily cool voice interrupted the slight wrangling. Both women turned to the source, one scowling in fury, whilst the other looked like she was seeing one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Lexa had been sat at the café vis-à-vis the airport entrance. She had been way too early for the mandatory meeting and had enjoyed the calm before her hectic workday would start. She'd sipped at her coffee, and had let her eyes wander through the terminal when a stunning blonde woman had walked past her on her way towards security. She'd had the most beautiful face Lexa had ever seen and the long tight coat had hugged her so perfectly it had seemed it had been sewn onto her body. She'd slowly swallowed the coffee to empty her mouth and had let her eyes follow her, when she'd witnessed the her being held back by another woman, who had run up to her. Whilst finishing her drink, she had observed the interaction between them. It was clear to Lexa they were more than just acquainted. The body language screamed lovers; the scowl on the smaller blonde's face however yelled 'ex'. She had checked the time and had decided she needed to get going anyway, when she had slowly walked closer to the arguing couple. By the time she had been in earshot the taller blonde had had the other woman's arm in a firm grasp. Lexa had debated whether to interfere or not, but upon hearing the clear distress in the shorter blonde she had made up her mind quickly.
Clarke couldn't do anything but stare at the striking vision in front of her. The woman had brown curly hair, smoky-eye makeup and the greenest of eyes she had ever seen. It would have been appropriate to stop ogling, but the blonde couldn't help herself as her gaze wandered slowly over sensual lips and a chiselled jaw, both tight and tense in annoyance. The rest of her body was hidden under a tight black shirt, half covered by an equally black leather jacket and lose fitting combat pants tucked into biker boots. The woman stood regally, her legs slightly parted, her body weight shifted onto the left one and her arms folded in front of her chest. Clarke gulped visibly. By the time her eyes met the stranger's, Clarke saw her pupils dilating and heard her breathing in deeply seconds later. Clarke fought the urge to moan at the sign of attraction and watched the woman turn her head back to Niylah, who still had her hands around her arms and started to shake her to regain her attention. "Clarke, I'm really, really sorry. Please." The blonde turned back to her ex-girlfriend, and said in a very quiet, but all the more threatening voice. "Leave me alone." She then wriggled out of the grip and stepped closer to the brunette, who had come to her rescue.
"I hope this event is unprecedented." Lexa said, eyes flickering between the two women, one looking at her as if she wanted to punch her. "Mind your own business, will ya." Niylah spat out and stepped closer to Clarke again. "Can we please talk, when you're back?"
"No." Clarke vehemently shook her head and stepped further back. "We're done."
Sensing the finality in the beautiful blonde's voice, Lexa moved herself silently between them both and slowly articulated the next words in a low tone, the warning palpable in each syllable. "I suggest you respect her answer and leave. Now."
They eyed each other for a several moments, before Niylah smiled as insincerely as possible and took a few steps back. "I'll call you." She looked at Clarke once more.
"Please don't Niylah." She sighed.
The taller blonde finally nodded accepting her defeat, for the moment, and Clarke turned to face the brunette, when she heard her speaking up again. "Merry Christmas in case I don't see you." Clarke looked over one last time and smiled a thin-lipped smile. "You too."
Lexa's gaze followed the woman until she saw her leave the building. She exhaled slowly and turned back to the blonde she had helped with a small smile.
"Thanks." Clarke extended her arm towards her and smiled gratefully, when the brunette slowly took her fingers and enclosed them with her warm hand. "She cheated on me and is not accepting the end of our relationship." She elucidated further, unsure as to why she felt the need to explain her situation.
"I really don't need to know." Lexa answered short-clipped, unsure of the intention of the woman's words.
"Clarke."
"Pardon?"
"My name is Clarke."
"I really don't need to know Clarke. It's none of my-" She repeated her earlier sentence, but lost track of her thought, when expressively gorgeous blue eyes seemed to bore into her very soul. Lexa only returned to earth and cleared her throat awkwardly, when Clarke had closed her eyes for a second to get her heart rate back to a healthy pace.
"Business." Lexa finally finished. She smiled shyly, still holding the blonde's hand, unwittingly caressing the soft skin with her thumb. Clarke smiled, highly aware of the soft strokes on her wrist.
"Thanks, again. You're kind of my knight in shining armour." She then said softly, effectively pulling Lexa out of her reverie. She let go of her hand and nodded sharply. "Sure."
They smiled once more at each other, when a loud whistle pierced the calm atmosphere of the early morning at the airport. Clarke turned annoyed at the sound and saw her two favourite colleagues, who had become her closest friends with their hands on their hips and amused grins on display. "You coming or what?"
She nodded and signalled wide eyed to leave her alone for another moment. They laughed but walked back into the meeting room.
"So." Clarke started turning back, catching the brunette's eyes flying back up from her lips to her eyes, expression guarded but not closed off. "I better get going. Thank you…" She drawled the 'you', hoping to get the brunette's name, who eyed her suspiciously, but quietly offered "Lexa." She breathed out, an unsettling tension taking hold of her.
"Lexa." Clarke repeated, enjoying the feel of the name on her tongue. It felt familiar although she'd never known anyone with the name. It felt warm and homely. "Thank you, Lexa." She repeated again.
"Of course Clarke." Intense green eyes nervously scanned sparkling blue orbs.
They shared one last timid smile before Clarke turned and finally stepped up to the scanner to start her day.
Clarke sat down next to Raven and Octavia, watching the woman in the front of the room stare at her. Madison Ortiz was their supervisor on the ground and responsible for th smooth organisation of the scheduled flights for the airline.
"Thank you Clarke for finally joining the meeting." She said in a clipped voice.
"Sorry Madison. I ran into a problem." Clarke shrugged and smiled apologetically.
"A 'hot as hell' kind of problem." Raven added quietly, snickering with Octavia, when Clarke sent her best death glare at her two friends. "Shut up." She hissed.
"Anyway." Madison cast one last angry glance at the blonde, before she continued eying the rest of the crew. "This trip is our best seller. Just because it's close to Christmas doesn't change anything." She explained in a stern voice. "I expect nothing but professionalism, is that clear?" Her gaze fell on the three women in the back, who were infamous for their humour and jokes with the passengers.
"Yes ma'am." All three answered at the same time, biting back grins.
"I hope so." She concluded and turned to the rest of the room. "One more thing before you can sort out your work. We have a new pilot working for us. Just transferred, but comes with excellent recommendations. Please take a moment to introduce yourself and try to be helpful." She said with another pointed glance to the back of the room.
"Don't worry Madison. We're always helpful." Clarke shrugged at their supervisor.
"Yeah Madison, we'll be absolutely professional."
"Raven is right." Octavia added as well. "All will be good."
"I know you. You're known for the entertainment. You're loved for your jokes. We get this feedback from everyone. It's great feedback. We just really need to make a good impression on the pilot. I trust you'll behave."
"Geez, this Captain must come with a million to invest or pants of pure gold." Clarke complained once Madison had left.
"You never know. What did I read recently? All airlines are only three days away from bankruptcy. Plus there's the new CEO no one seems to have a clue about. Guess it's time for extra charm to keep our jobs?" Raven mused, whilst everyone remaining in the meeting room shuffled closer to organise their work stations.
"Echo? Monty?" Clarke turned towards another woman and a man, who had been quiet and observing. "Your preferred positions?"
"Can we both take the rear?" Monty asked whilst Echo nodded.
"If O and Ray are happy to be up front?" Clarke turned to her friends who shrugged their approval.
"Settled then." Clarke smiled. All four flight attendants nodded to their head of cabin.
The standard rule was 50 passengers per flight attendant. Monty and Echo would do the 100 from the rear end, whilst Octavia and Raven were responsible for the 100 from the front.
Clarke would serve first and business class and help out whenever needed, as well as taking care of the 'oh so precious' pilots. She hated those old slimy douchebags, who oozed too much confidence, just because they knew how to press buttons and talk into a walkie-talkie in a made-up language. 'I learned to do that by the time I was four', Clarke thought frustratingly. Of course, she was aware, there was so much more to the profession, but she simply couldn't stand being reduced to a dumb blonde juice pusher in their eyes. She had responsibility too. She was accountable for anything happening in the cabin. Everyone trusted her to do the right thing in case of an emergency. 'If I screw up and the masses panic the airplane crashes', she thought to herself, but focused back on the task at hand.
"Are we ready?" She asked locking her blue eyes with everyone's who nodded at her. "Let's do this then." She smoothed the imaginary wrinkles out of her matching pencil skirt and dress jacket and grabbed her trolley bag, with her coat draped over her arm. "After you ladies and gent." She winked and held the door open for her team to walk past her. She loved this short moment of strolling down the aisle of an airport to the gate. The click clack of their high heels requesting the attention of everyone seated left and right at cafés or gates. They paraded down the tiled floor of the terminal in sync, lined up with confidence in their postures and laughter on their lips. They reached the gate and exchanged a few words with the ladies processing the groundwork, before stepping through the final glass door and walking down the gangway to the airplane. Upon entering the blonde turned to the cockpit to greet the pilots, who were already busy at check-up. She knocked at the open door to announce her presence and opened her mouth to introduce herself and the team, when familiar green eyes glanced over her shoulder at her.
"Lexa?"
Lexa loved her job. It had been difficult to convince her family that she'd not wanted to be an active part of the business, sitting in boardrooms making decisions. After numerous discussions they had finally accepted her choice to fly the planes, rather than deciding where to fly them to. Due to her lack of personal involvement at the top, Lexa had stayed out of the public eye and had enjoyed a normal lifestyle, working for several different airline companies over her short career.
However, everything had changed when her parents had passed away half a year ago, and Lexa, being the only heir to the Woods Empire, had had to finally accept the reins. Her parents had had a well picked team of highly trained people, and after their sudden accident, Lexa had been reluctant to get involved at first. The company had functioned well without her, but Titus Balder, her dad's closest adviser had convinced her of her responsibility towards her parent's legacy. She had had no choice but to drop what she loved and step up to ensure the well-being of the company, but with some of her own conditions thrown in. After long conversations with many different board members and advisers she had convinced each of them of the necessity to get to know the people who worked for her. Lexa had found it immensely important to investigate how the airline really worked and to identify how she could improve procedures, utilising her experience of working with their competitors. However, the only way to do so, without having to deal with people crawling up her ass, would be for her to go in undercover. She had faked the documentation and had sent herself over as the new pilot and it had worked fine in the last two airports. She was keen to make it work here as well. The only difference this time to any other airport her airline operated from, was this was her hometown, and she knew one the pilots rather closely and worried this would compromise her mission. She had called beforehand and had explained the situation. Her friend had sworn secrecy and Lexa prayed it would be enough.
She had changed into her uniform, shortly after helping the blonde woman in distress, and had made her way over to the airplane before the cabin crew was due to arrive. She had just finished her outside round and had re-entered the plane, when she'd felt two hands on her shoulders, coming out of nowhere.
"Fuck!" She exhaled and eyed the person angrily. "You could have killed me."
"Could have, but haven't." A big grin on her face. "So, what brings you to my neck of the god damn woods, Woods?" Anya asked.
"Ssssh. I told you not to use my real name."
"Geez, what are you going by these days then?"
"I took my mum's maiden name, Hayes."
"Alright. Captain Hayes. Welcome on board."
They started their check-up, when the sound of heels against linoleum announced the arrival of the cabin crew, which was seconds later confirmed with loud chatter and a knock against the cabin door. Lexa had looked up and over her shoulder to greet the head of cabin, when her eyes fell onto a set of very familiar deep-blue eyes.
"Clarke?"
Clarke scrunched up her nose in confusion. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same." Lexa furrowed her brow and stood up; eyeing the uniform she hadn't been able to see before due to the coat. "Are you a flight attendant?"
Clarke took in the changed outfit of the woman, who now stood in front of her and nodded. "Head of cabin, yes. And you must be the new pilot?"
Lexa lifted her arm in an awkward greeting and quickly placed it nervously on the back of her neck. "Yeah. Looks like it." This was not supposed to happen, and Lexa scolded herself for playing hero earlier.
"Wow, ok. Well, welcome on board then." Clarke smiled, still stunned by the revelation and slightly confused why they had been asked to impress Lexa. "Um, I've come to introduce the rest of the team. I'm with Monty and Echo in the rear and Octavia and Raven in the front." Lexa nodded and gestured to her right.
"Clarke, this is Anya Rivers. Anya, this is Clarke…" She realised she had no idea of the blonde's surname and quickly looked back at her.
"Hi Anya. Nice to see you again. Had a good vacation?" Clarke smiled in amusement.
"You know each other?" Lexa asked confused, but realised her mistake, laughing out in embarrassment. "Of course you would. I'm the new one." 'Get a grip. You're the pilot not the CEO.' Lexa berated herself mentally.
"Yeah Captain." Anya picked up on the weird behaviour and enunciated the work title, indicating for Lexa to chill. "We had the pleasure of flying together a couple of times." She explained further, an amused half grin on her face.
"But thanks for introducing us." Clarke charmed. "Um Captain…"
"Hayes. My name is Lexa Hayes." Lexa offered finally, slipping back into the undercover role.
"Ok. Nice to see you again." Clarke smiled one of her most charming smiles and Lexa's armour cracked a little.
"Right. Anyway, you guys are getting ready?" The pilot tried to change the subject.
"Yes, I'll let you know, when we've finished preparations." Clarke stated and left the cockpit and closed the door to start her routine control of the front galley, whilst her colleagues took over their tasks in the rest of the airplane.
"What was that about Lexa?" Anya inquired puzzled. "Where did you meet Clarke?"
"It's nothing really. I witnessed a scene between her and her ex and interfered before it got ugly."
"Niylah was here?"
"You know her?" Lexa really wanted to stay out of the drama. She couldn't afford to be dragged into it. She needed to stay aloof to do the job she had come for.
"Well, Niylah Spencer used to work for the airline, but was dismissed for highly inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour." Anya offered vaguely.
"What happened?"
"Uuugh, she was found 'pleasing' a passenger in one of the toilets." She explained politely. Lexa and Anya's had started when they had been partnered at their very first job; flying for a regional airline. Both had acquired their flight licences and needed hours in order to be allowed to work for a major airline. Anya had learned of Lexa's background after they had spent months together in the cockpit, alternating flying as pilot in commend and co-pilot. They had spent a lot of downtown together, and eventually the brunette had offered up the information, but had never regretted it, as Anya had been her best friend and had proven her capability to keep secrets.
After both had been appointed to commercial pilots by the Federal Aviation Administration, Lexa had secured her work for her parent's airline.
Before their death, Anya had seen Lexa as regularly as they could, but she had always been aware of her background and the responsibility coming along with Lexa's future.
"How come you know? Had it been broadcasted?" Lexa asked, pertaining to Niylah's dismissal.
"No no." She quickly assured. "I had the pleasure of finding her."
"How did Clarke…?" Lexa didn't finish the sentence. The blonde was still on her mind, although she really wanted her not to be. She couldn't afford the distraction. Not now, when she needed to learn as quickly as possible, everything about her parent's business. Not ever, because she couldn't afford love, not after last time.
"I don't know, but she did find out and the rest is history. Well I thought at least. How ugly are we speaking?"
"She got 'handsy', in an aggressive way."
"I see. Well, good you'd been around then." She sighed and added in a light voice. "Since when do you pay attention to your surroundings?"
"I happened to walk by. I really hope I don't regret helping her." Lexa mused.
"Clarke is really a good woman who never should have gone through something like that."
"Guess so. Anyway, let's get back to work." Lexa deflected and fiddled with the radio to listen to the ATIS, ignoring Anya's pointed look.
"Fine. Ok." She said but quietened, so both could listen to the latest weather information.
Half an hour later, Clarke had just finished stacking the prepared food for the business and first class in the allocated trolley, when she heard Lexa clearing her throat, her hand flat against the nearly closed cockpit door. She had stripped herself of the form-fitting uniform jacket and wore the mandatory white button down shirt tucked into her suit pants, with her sleeves rolled up over her elbows. Clarke let her gaze wander quickly over the enticing body, whilst straightening up and facing her.
"Captain." She acknowledged, in her typical raspy voice. "What can I do for you?" She asked politely with a friendly smile on her face. Her first impression might not have been the best, but she was eager to make her second appearance as business-like as possible, having her supervisor's words in her ear.
"We've been informed of birds near the airport. We will have a 15-minute delay." Lexa explained in her smooth, velvety voice, keeping her posture stern and gaze professional. 'I've done this before. I can do it again. Just because Clarke is exceptionally beautiful, it won't change anything. I have to stay ahead of everything to fulfil my mission', Lexa pep-talked mentally.
"Ok. I'll inform the passengers as soon as they arrive." Clarke tried to sound as least affected as possible by Lexa, but the uniform, in combination with the enticing green eyes made it difficult for her not to swoon over the new pilot. However, after being involuntarily involved in a work scandal, she made sure to stick to the rules as tightly as possible. It would have been nicer, if Lexa wasn't the new pilot. She had never thought she would see her again, but here she was. Maybe it was fate telling her to start over?
"Thanks and I hope the passengers aren't too frustrated." Lexa offered a genuine smile; before she pushed the half closed door open, stepped through and let it fall back in its lock. "Damn." Clarke whispered to herself and shook her head to clear her mind, when the intercom next to her beeped. She intuitively picked up the receiver, with her eyes still fixed on the closed door. "Front cabin. Clarke speaking."
"Stop salivating over the Captain and get your horny ass in the rear, we've got a problem."
Clarke stepped into the aisle and eyed the brunette in the back of the airplane. "I am not drooling Ray!" She groaned into the mouthpiece.
"Whatever you say, Griffin." She grinned and gestured for her to come to them. Clarke hung up and quickly made her way down the aisle.
"What's wrong?" She asked, ignoring the grins.
"The safety movie doesn't work." Octavia informed her.
"What do you mean?"
"It just won't play."
"Can't you fix it?" Clarke had turned to Raven.
"No. The passengers will be here any minute." The brunette shook her head.
Clarke sighed. "Ok, old-fashioned then. Who wants to do it?"
"Will you do the talking?" Octavia asked excitedly.
"Yeah. Can do, if no one else wants to do it." Clarke nodded.
"Awesome. That'll be fun. I'm in!" Raven clapped her hands.
Clarke walked back to the front, checking the status of the passenger seats on her way up, when the intercom signalled again. Clarke looked at Raven, who was in the middle of the plane, who looked questioningly at Monty in the back.
"Not me." He mouthed to Raven who gestured the answer to Clarke, who picked up the receiver quickly. "Front cabin. Clarke speaking."
"Cockpit here." The warm voice snuggled into her ears, heating her up from the inside and Clarke gulped visibly, fighting the groan threatening to come up her throat. Seeing Lexa and was one thing, but just hearing her voice was something else altogether.
"What can I do for you this time Captain?" Clarke asked smiling, fighting the suggestive tone in her voice. 'Stay professional', she chanted silently.
Lexa hesitated upon hearing the deep sensual voice and tried to suppress the shiver running down her spine. "Can you bring us two coffees?" She finally managed.
Clarke laughed happily and asked. "And how would you two like your coffee?"
"Black and bitter. Just like my soul." Anya's voice came through the phone.
"Um, excuse her." Lexa replied. "But she's right. Just black coffee for me also."
"Ok. Gimme me a few minutes." Clarke hung up and switched on the coffee machine. Some moments later she knocked at the cockpit door and smiled when she heard the hum of the camera above her head moving. She held up the coffees to indicate her presence and the door opened a second later.
"There you go ladies." She held out the tray and let both women lift the cups off of it before stepping back.
"Thank you Clarke. We just finished and got clearance for boarding. You guys set?" Anya asked with a genuine smile, whilst Lexa focused on blowing onto her coffee to cool it down.
"We are, but the safety video doesn't work. We'll do it the traditional way." Upon seeing the frowns on the pilot's faces, Clarke added. "Nothing to worry about. It's probably just the DVD. Scratches or something. Everything else works efficiently."
Anya and Lexa exchanged a glance and nodded, before Lexa stood up, gesturing to Clarke to leave the cockpit. "I'm going to check it out." She informed her and followed her out, closing the door after herself.
They made their way into the back to the entertainment unit and Clarke showed her the disc, which had seen better days for sure. Upon inspecting the equipment and cables, Lexa sighed and looked closely at the DVD. "Can we arrange for a new one?" She asked.
"Um, no. We don't have any at the airport."
"None?" Lexa asked surprised.
"They were taken away, when a few went missing. We were accused of stealing them." Clarke explained calmly, although she was still furious about the accusations.
"Ridiculous." Lexa muttered. "Who would steal safety information?" She asked puzzled, trying to jog her brain to remember if she knew about it or not.
Clarke only shrugged. "It's no biggie, really. We receive annual training for safety instructions to secure the knowledge."
"I know you do." Lexa said and stopped in her motion. "I mean I assume you do as flight attendants." She corrected quickly, upon seeing Clarke's questioning face.
"Yeah, part of the airline policy is the hands on training. A little old-fashioned, but I believe in its efficiency in case of an emergency." Lexa looked at her and opened her mouth, but closed it with the words dying on her tongue. Clarke came across as a highly trained and experienced flight attendant. She didn't need to stress the importance of safety. Besides, in order for her to get as much information as possible from everyone, her real self needed to stay hidden as long as possible.
She stepped back into the aisle and made her way back to the cockpit. "Thanks for the coffee." She finally said, before closing the cockpit once more. Clarke kept rooted in her spot, forehead deeply furrowed. What was that about? She had noticed Lexa had wanted to say something, but had stopped herself. Clarke was getting more and more confused about the new pilot, but she couldn't ponder it any further, as the few first and business class passengers had started to walk onto the plane.
The cabin team was in full working mode, Raven and Clarke in the front greeting people, Octavia, Monty and Echo spread throughout the cabin to help with the luggage. Whilst the passengers slowly made their way into the airplane, Clarke picked up the receiver and addressed the cabin.
"Good morning, Ladies and gentlemen." She paused for a second, rolling her eyes at the disinterest of everyone. That was the part she disliked the most, but she had her own way of dealing with it. "If you haven't already lost it, please stow your carry-on monstrosities, you thought would fit in our cabin, underneath the seat in front of you or in an overhead bin. If you are seated in a row with the prospect of fresh air, please read the special instructions card located in front of you and if you do not feel the desire for windswept hair in the event of an emergency, please ask one of my colleagues to reseat you.
As soon as you have found your seat, in case you worry, the numbers are decreasing from the front to the back starting with number one, please make room for all the other poor souls having to be here at this awful time of day, sit down and fasten your seat belt. We also remind you that this is a non-smoking flight. Smoking is not only disgusting and unhealthy; it is also prohibited on the entire aircraft, including the lavatories. In case you feel overwhelmed by your freedom, tampering with, disabling or destroying the lavatory smoke detectors is prohibited by law and will be punished with an overnight stay in a 6 by 8-foot room with steel or brick walls. If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask me or any of my colleagues. Questions unrelated to the flight will be punished with losing the right to order tomato juice. Thank you."
Clarke put the receiver back into its holder on the wall and smiled friendly. A few passengers grinned at her and she instantly feel better. Maybe they weren't all grumpy fuckers after all.
When the last travellers had entered, Clarke received the copy of the passenger list. She stored it in the safe and closed the doors, before picking up the phone again.
"Boarding completed." She said and waited for the affirmation of comprehension and switched once more to address the passengers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Clarke and I'm your head of cabin. With me today to provide you with a unique flight experience are Octavia and Raven in the front and Monty and Echo in the rear. On behalf of Captains Hayes and Rivers and the entire crew, welcome aboard Grounder Airline's flight 307, non-stop service from Los Angeles to Honolulu, Hawaii. Our flight time will be roughly 6 hours." She stopped and waited for the last passengers to sit down, whilst Octavia closed the door. "The Captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign, which means you need to shackle yourself to the easy chair beneath you." This time she received laughter as people started listening. "Make sure your seat and tray are in their full upright position, in case you don't know what that means, it's the most uncomfortable position to be in. Furthermore, this is the time to say goodbye. Your portable electronic devices must be switched off or set to airplane mode until I allow you to switch it back on." Clarke paused. "If you've behaved well enough, that is." She laughed along with the passengers and finished. "One more thing, we're very sorry for the delay, but endothermic vertebrates, characterised by feathers and beaks with no teeth were sighted close to the airport and for your and our safety we had to wait for Bob to shoo them fluffy birdies away. Thank you for your attention." The murmur of the passengers increased once Clarke had put the receiver down, and everyone tried to get ready for take-off. The four other flight attendants moved through the cabin to make sure, everyone had followed the instructions Clarke had just explained.
The aircraft was about to be pushed back, when Lexa's voice came through the speaker.
"Cabin Crew, doors on automatic, cross-check and report. Thank you." Clarke checked the door in the front, after Octavia had approved the status and quickly searched eye contact with Monty in the back. Upon seeing the ok signal, she contacted the cockpit.
"Doors on automatic, cross-checked, hereby reporting." She said and waited.
"Thanks Clarke. Pushback in 10 minutes." She waited for Clarke to confirm and disconnected the cabin. She looked over to Anya who looked at her worryingly. "Ok, you got one chance. Speak now or never."
"Why are you doing this?" Anya shrugged.
"What do you mean?"
"Closing yourself off so completely."
"I don't know what you mean?"
"Clarke for example. You had a good start with her I guess and now you're back peddling because you feel like you're about to lose control."
"If you consider me stepping between domestic quarrels as a good start, I think we hit off spectacularly well." Lexa replied sarcastically, checking the instruments in front of her, switching on what was needed.
"I'm not telling you to hit on her."
"Anya, does this conversation have a reason?" She was getting annoyed by her. She didn't need anyone telling her how to behave. She treated all her employees the same, and if she was distanced, so be it. She couldn't let herself be human; she had to stem a multimillion dollar business without much knowledge of how it worked. She had no time for being human.
"I'm just saying not everyone is like Costia and you could use some more friends."
"This has nothing to do with Costia." Lexa growled.
"Maybe not, but please do yourself a favour and loosen up a little. Live a little. This team…" Anya pointed over her shoulder to the back of the plane, "is fabulous. You should listen to Clarke's announcements. You wanted to know, how your company functions. Well this is LA base entertainment." Anya eloquently steered the conversation away from Lexa's past and exchanged one more look with her friend.
"You're absolutely right." She agreed and opened the speaker to the cabin, whilst adjusting their headsets and confirming the routine with the ground and departure control.
In the meantime, the cabin crew had prepared for security instructions, with Raven close to the front and Octavia taking over the spot in the middle of the airplane. After making sure everyone was ready, Clarke again addressed the cabin.
"Good morning again everyone. If we could have your attention for just a few moments before you hit the snooze button and fall back to sleep. My sister from another mister and the devil in disguise are going to show you the safety instructions." Clarke stopped to give Octavia and Raven her dazzling smile before she continued. "The seat belt is opened and closed as shown. Position your seatbelt low across your hips, like boys wear their pants nowadays. Blood is so difficult to get out of clothes, so to avoid having to deal with injuries, we suggest that you keep it fastened throughout the flight, as we may experience turbulence." Clarke stopped to let the laughter die down again. "When the seat belt sign magically illuminates above your head, it isn't Harry Potter but the captain, and you must secure it immediately." She laughed and continued after a second. "There are several emergency exits on this aircraft, 2 in the front, 2 in the rear and 1 over each wing." She waited for her friends to finish pointing them out. "We suggest you take a moment to locate your nearest exit, as in some cases it may be behind you. If we need to evacuate the aircraft, fairy lights will guide you towards the exit or the North Pole as this could very well be the Polar Express." The laughter got louder and Raven doubled over whilst pointing to the floor lighting. "Only if you believe." Octavia quipped and laughed along. "Ah, to believe or not believe that is the question. Anyway…" Clarke resumed in a more serious voice. "Everyone knows Santa has a list of naughty girls and I've been meaning to get my hands on it for years. Let's hope this is the Polar Express, shall we?" The plane burst out laughing and the two pilots in the front exchanged a smile as well. At least Clarke had managed to engage the passengers in the safety instructions, Lexa thought and let herself revel in her admiration for the blonde for a few seconds. "No one will ever forget these." She said approvingly.
"We're famous for her announcements. All over social media." Her friend confirmed. Lexa nodded, she had heard of them, but never gotten around to actually watch one the movies circling the net. What a coincidence that she'd stumbled upon the source of the hype. She shrugged and confirmed the pushback to the tower.
"On a more serious note, oxygen and the air pressure are always being monitored. In the unlikely event of decompression, an oxygen mask will automatically fall out of the ceiling above you. To start the flow of oxygen, pull the mask towards you. Place it firmly over your nose and mouth, secure the elastic band behind your head, and breathe normally. If you're not flying alone, this is the moment to think about how much your companion means to you. If you are travelling with more than one child, decide which one has more potential and will support your extravagant lifestyle once you're old and wrinkly, as you are asked to secure your mask on first, and then assist other's including your kids." Clarke waited again for a little more silence before she proceeded. "Keep your mask on until a uniformed crew member advises you to remove it. If they're wearing red costumes or look like elves, you either really are at the North Pole, or we have accidently opened the line of nitrous oxide instead of oxygen all hallucinate." She explained and quickly proceeded. "Furthermore, in the event of an emergency, please assume the brace position as shown so elegantly by my lovely colleagues. You may find that position useful whenever stopped by the police for speeding. It'll highlight your innocence." Clarke winked. "Next point in our safety demonstration, fashion tips. Life vests are located under your seat. When instructed to do so, open the plastic pouch and remove the vest. Don't worry, we can assure you that the colour will most likely not fit any of your clothes. Slip it over your head anyway. Pass the straps around your waist like a good old fanny pack and adjust at the front. Do not tighten too much. Even in the case of an emergency, no one wants to see lots of Michelin Men."
The airplane had been pushed back and was currently moving at a slow pace towards the runway.
"To inflate the vest, pull firmly on the red cord, only when leaving the aircraft. This is actually important. Do not inflate inside the aircraft. It makes you look stupid and who wants that?" Raven and Octavia shook their heads to emphasize Clarke's words as if they had been trained to respond accordingly.
"Indeed. No one. So, if you need to refill the vest, blow into the mouthpiece. Use the whistle and light to attract attention as long as you can or until you're rescued or the sharks get to you." Clarke had lowered her voice significantly for dramatic effect and continued with a happier voice. "Whichever happens first, right?"
"Last but not least, you will find everything I've just explained and all the other safety information in the card located in the seat pocket in front of you." Raven and Octavia pointed to cards. "We strongly suggest you read it before take-off. So hurry up and read it now as we're mere seconds away from it. Thank you for your attention and we wish you all an enjoyable flight." Clarke smiled, hung up and helped Raven clear away the utensils, while the cabin erupted in applause, just before the intercom crackled alive and Lexa's soft voice filled the plane once more.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome on board Grounder Airlines Flight 307. My name is Lexa Hayes and together with my colleague Anya Rivers and the cabin crew, we are looking forward to fly you safely and soundly from Los Angeles to Honolulu. We are currently third in line for take-off and are expected to be in the air in approximately seven minutes time. We also hope you enjoy your flight."
A few minutes passed while Clarke and the rest secured last items and made their way over to their seats, when Anya spoke up. "Cabin crew, take-off in 2 minutes."
Raven and Octavia were sat on one side and Clarke facing them with her back to the cockpit.
"So? What's going on with you and the 'hot pilot'?" Raven asked letting her eyebrows suggestively dance up and down her forehead.
"There's nothing Ray. I just met her this morning, when she saved me from another fight with Niylah."
The plane finally arrived on the runway and after a short stop; it rolled into action and accelerated to leave the ground.
"She clearly had an impact on you. And what the fuck did Niylah want from you?"
"Urgh, time to talk."
"And?"
The plane lifted off the concrete strip and proceeding to reach its travel height.
"I told her to leave me alone. It needed Lexa to interfere for her to finally leave." Clarke rolled her eyes upon seeing the dirty grins of her two friends after she'd mentioned the brunette's name again. She continued, ignoring them. "I hope Niy understands now. I mean, excuse me for not being interested in a lying, cheating bitch, who nearly destroyed my career as well." Clarke added angrily.
"I get it." Octavia agreed. "She had her second chance. Enough is enough, right?"
"Exactly! Besides…" Raven smiled devilishly and pointed towards the closed cockpit door. "Looks like you might just have found someone way more interesting." She grinned at Clarke and held her hand up for the blonde to high five her. "You go girl."
Clarke accepted the hand gesture and answered carefully. "I don't really think she's up for that. I mean we had a moment back in the airport, but when I saw her again, it kind of changed. Besides, she's a…"
"Colleague and you don't date them anymore." Raven ended the sentence with a bored voice. "No one is talking about dating. Why don't you stop existing and start living again?"
"Why don't you butt out and leave me alone?"
After that, Raven decided it was wise to change the subject. She wanted Clarke to be happy, but maybe she was right not to get involved with someone she worked with. They talked business and waited for their signal, which came a few minutes later when Lexa announced, 'Cabin crew released.'
They started their inflight work process smoothly and confidently. Everyone knew what to do and the length of the flight allowed for a more relaxed approach to serving drinks, food and snacks. Clarke had an easy job coordinating the work and luckily the passengers in the first and business class seemed to have enjoyed her performance enough to not bug her too much with extra wishes.
The flight went on smoothly and the passengers were surprisingly undemanding. It must be because was close to Christmas, Clarke mused, whilst cleaning the galley. Raven and Octavia had started to tidy the cabin as Echo and Monty prepared the duty free sale.
She was checking her time to calculate how much longer the flight would last, when the speakers crackled and Lexa's voice filled the cabin once more.
"Good day again, your Captain speaking. We are currently cruising at an altitude of 33,000 feet at airspeed of 400 miles per hour. The weather looks good and with the tailwind on our side we are expecting to land in Honolulu on time. The weather there is partly cloudy, with a high of 27° Celsius, around 80° Fahrenheit for this afternoon with rising humidity. You're lucky, although Honolulu has a tropical savanna climate, the winters are usually dry. If the weather cooperates we should get a great view of the main islands of Hawaii, which is also called the Aloha State. Aloha can mean 'hello', 'welcome', 'love', 'best wishes' or even 'goodbye'. A very universal word, and surely one to keep in mind throughout your visit. I hope you enjoyed your time on board Grounder Airlines Flight 307 and we hope to see you again. In the Hawaiian spirit, aloha." Lexa cut her microphone off and reclined in her seat.
"So, do you have plans for tonight?" Anya leaned back as well, leaving the work to the auto pilot.
"No idea."
"If you want you can join us hanging out? The cabin team and I usually go out, have dinner and relax. Honolulu is quiet awesome. I've always wanted to stay longer." She sighed.
"I don't know. I think it gets too complicated to keep up my cover, if I spend too much down time with employees."
"That's all we are for you now? Employees?" Anya scolded her.
"No. You are human beings to me. Human beings who depend solemnly on my skills to keep them employed with a decent salary."
"Not everything is on your shoulders. Share the burden! You've got a great team, who have been working for your parents as well."
"I know I do, but my parents owned the company. I only inherited it, and everyone knows I'm neither suited for the job nor trained. I have to work doubly hard not to fail."
"I get that Lex, I really do, but you can't stop living just to disprove your doubters."
"I can and I will."
"Ok." Anya was willing to let her be, but added one last thought. "If you really want to learn how a great team manages the up and downs this job brings along, you should consider coming out with us tonight."
"Ladies and gentlemen. The captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign as we've started our approach to Honolulu International Airport. Please make sure your seat and tray tables are in their full upright position. Also make sure your seat belt is securely fastened if you've dared to take it off and all luggage as well as your purchases on board, thanks for financing our evening," she added cheekily, "are stored underneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead bins. Thank you." Clarke finished her announcement and bounced excitingly over to help her two friends clean away the trash.
"So? What are we doing tonight?" Clarke asked Raven, whilst checking the locks of the trolleys.
"The usual?"
"Tonight?" Octavia asked coming out of the toilet. "We could hang out at that club at the waterfront again. What was the name?"
"M Nightclub?" Clarke suggested.
"Yeah. That one was so cool." Octavia gushed.
"Only cos of the barkeeper. Didn't you hook up with him the last time?" Raven suggestively lifted an eyebrow at her.
"I don't kiss and tell." Octavia pushed past her and grabbed the trash bag. "Besides, you got your own pilot lined up. You've got no right to talk."
"Speaking of, we should ask Lexa if she wants to come too." Raven turned to Clarke.
"Maybe Anya has asked her already?"
"Even if, I'm sure if you ask, she'll definitely come."
"Why are you so persistent? Have I missed some love declaration of hers? Last time I checked, she was a very guarded and much distanced colleague of us."
"Not again with the colleague shit. Look, Anya and I are having fun and no one gets hurt. Try that sometime?"
"I'm not you and certainly not her. I don't want to play around." Clarke looked at her friend only for a short moment before adverting her gaze quickly.
"You like her, don't you?" Raven stated, slightly surprised.
"I didn't mean to like her." Clarke defended herself.
"But you do nevertheless. I knew it by the way you looked at her." Octavia stepped close and seconded Raven's observation.
"Listen sweethearts." Clarke stopped their conversation abruptly. "The cabin needs to be cleaned and my private life should not be a discussion for all passengers."
"We didn't mean to -"
"I know O. I know you mean well, but please stay out of this. There's nothing going on and there won't be." To say she was disappointing herself with the statement was an understatement. She'd really liked Lexa the second she'd laid her eyes on her and she could have sworn she saw clear signs of attraction in the brunette's features, but since entering the plane, the spark she had thought to be between them had been extinguished. "It's for the best." She mumbled under her breath, as she finished her work.
Twenty minutes later, and the cabin was prepared for landing just in time to hearLexa's final announcement. "Cabin crew, please take your seats for landing."
"If you don't want to come with us, how do you plan on spending your night? Have you been to Honolulu before?" Anya asked, muting the microphone.
"Nope, haven't had the pleasure yet." Lexa answered quietly, focusing on the landing process.
Grounder 307, turn right heading zero six zero, descend and maintain five thousand, slow to two two zero knots. Honolulu airport had started the landing procedure and given directions for their approach, which Lexa confirmed. "Right to 060, down to 5,000, slowing to 220 knots, Grounder 307."
"Well, you could go downtown and have a look around?" Anya tapped her screens and switches to fulfil her part of the process.
"Or I could just stay in my room and take care of my company." Lexa answered, looking over to her friend.
"God woman." Anya shook her head.
Grounder 307, intercept the localizer runway two six right, cleared ILS two six right.
"Cleared ILS two six right, Grounder 307." Lexa replied to the tower.
"I really think a night out would do you good. You can be all business-like tomorrow."
"I don't know."
Grounder 307, cleared to land two six right.
"Cleared to land two six right, Grounder 307."
"Wait, are you avoiding coming out with us because of someone blonde?" Anya asked incredulously.
"What?" Lexa asked in a high-pitched voice, feeling caught.
"Oh my god! You like her?"
"I do not. I agree she seems to be a lovely person, who is incredibly great at her job may I add, and I'll make sure to increase her salary to show my appreciation, but that's it." Lexa pressed a few buttons, adjusting the height.
"Uh-huh." Anya grinned unconvinced. "That's not it. What exactly happened this morning?"
"I told you already."
"Yeah, and now I want to know what happened in there." She pointed to Lexa's heart.
"I…" Lexa moistened her lips nervously. "I might have been a little breathless when I saw her for the first time." She finally admitted out loud.
"Right. And?"
Lexa didn't answer for a moment, staring out front; gaze unfocused.
"Lex?"
"Whatever I felt or didn't feel when I first saw her, plays no significance at the moment. I want to finish my job here. The company will only fully profit, if my disguise stays intact."
"You really believe no one will find out?"
"I would hope not."
"Why?"
"Because." Lexa said childishly, clearly unhappy of the turn the conversation had taken.
"That's not an answer. Let me be very specific now." Anya said and leaned forward in her seat, looking Lexa in the eye. "Why don't you want Clarke to get to know you? Especially as she had managed to knock the breath out of you."
"Because for once I'd like to meet someone, who isn't interested in my money or what I could do for her with my influence."
"Oh Lexa. That's what this is about? Don't you think it's time to learn to start trusting people again? It's been years. She's been gone for ages."
"No!" Lexa said with finality in her voice. "I can't risk this. Please promise me to not tell anyone."
Anya reassured her and left the discussion at that, as they both had to focus on the final landing. They could see the runway underneath and Lexa managed a smooth touchdown, slowing the airplane down. "Perfect as usual. It's a shame you have to stop." Anya complimented her friend sombrely. Lexa eyed her with an equally sad expression, but focused back and started the communication with the ground control. "Honolulu Ground, Grounder 307 off runway two six right at alpha six."
Grounder 307, taxi straight ahead to gate Charlie five.
"Straight ahead to Charlie five, Grounder 307." Both pilots nodded and steered the plane towards its parking position, when they heard the intercom signalling again.
"Cockpit, Lexa speaking."
"This is Clarke. Nice landing, Captain. Can I give the final speech? Which gate are we heading to?"
"Charlie five and thank you." Lexa smiled and felt her heartbeat quicken upon hearing the compliment.
"You're welcome." Clarke replied softly, and changed the channel to give her final announcement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are 'grounded'. Welcome to Honolulu Airport, where you no longer receive a lei so please don't expect one. For those, including me, who had hoped to be on the Polar Express – maybe next time if you're good." Clarke laughed and continued. "Local time is 10:45 am, and the temperature is 25° Celsius or 77° Fahrenheit. For your safety and our comfort, please remain seated with your seat belt fastened until our Captain, who has landed this mammoth so smoothly, turns off the fasten seat belt sign. We are cleared to park at gate C 5. At this time, and in case you're ready to be pestered on your vacation, you may switch your cellular phones back to full mode if you wish. Once we have reached our final parking position please check around your seat for any personal belongings you may have brought on board with you, as we are not obliged to give anything back once you've stepped off the plane. We're usually look forward to jewellery and money." Clarke winked in jest and gestured it was only a joke. "Furthermore, please use caution when opening the overhead bins, as heavy articles may have shifted around during the flight. On behalf of Grounder Airlines and the entire crew, I'd like to thank you for joining us on this trip and we are looking forward to seeing you on board again. Have a nice day and enjoy your stay. Merry Christmas and aloha." Clarke returned the receiver back to its resting position and sighed happily. Soon she'd be enjoying the warmth of the Hawaiian sun.
A few minutes later the plane came to a stop and the cockpit switched off all signs, which led to the usual chaos of everyone trying to gather their belongings and get off the plane as quickly as possible. Upon talking to the ground staff, Lexa informed the passengers that the gangway would arrive momentarily and thanked them for their patience.
Clarke disarmed the door upon hearing the knock and opened it to an overheated jetway.
"Urgh, couldn't you get it cooled down?" She smiled, despite her question and the engineer just shrugged in response and walked out the side door. Clarke stepped aside and let the passengers leave, receiving lots of thank you's for the awesome announcements and service.
As usual, it took about half an hour to clear the plane, and the flight attendants had had their hands full replacing the used equipment and trolleys with empty ones. The airplane would fly back in the afternoon to Los Angeles, which meant that they had to clean out all leftovers. Once they had done their jobs Monty, Echo, Raven and Octavia stepped out into the warm tunnel leading up to the terminal. Clarke was just about to follow her crew, when the cockpit door opened and Anya and Lexa walked out.
"Thank you all for the good work." Lexa suddenly started, making everyone look at her. "I haven't had the chance to get to know you all and I'm really sorry, but we will have more flights together." She said with a half smile.
"Well, you could come with us. We're heading to the hotel to freshen up and will later go out." Raven tried.
"Yeah Lexa." Anya nudged her, knowing full well how her friend had declined her invitation earlier. "You should come to get to know them." Lexa threw her a death stare, but knew she couldn't decline the invitation anymore or she would look like an asshole.
"Ok." She reluctantly agreed.
"Yeah."
"Awesome."
When everyone turned to finally leave the hot gangway, Clarke hesitated a moment, her eyes lingering on Lexa who was checking her watch. When she'd just decided to just let it go, whatever there was she had felt that morning, Lexa's eyes locked with hers and a smile played at the corner of her mouth. Clarke reciprocated the shy gesture and finally started to follow her friends and colleagues. Maybe she should listen to Raven and open up a little?
When Lexa caught Clarke looking at her, she stopped for a second and just marvelled at the beauty, before offering a small smile. Upon seeing Clarke returning a smile of her own, Lexa started walking up the gangway to catch up with everyone. Maybe she should listen to Anya and start to trust again?
So, this story will be a few chapters long. No idea how long as I haven't written it yet. To make things more complicated, I'm writting two stories at the same time. Depending which one gets more hits or likes or reviews or or or, I'll update first. So let me know which one you like more. Either here or on tumblr (Jaansche).