A/N - I got distracted while I was writing the latest chapter of 'What Lies Beneath' and this is what happened xD I hope you like it!
Disclaimer - This is just a work of fiction. I don't own any of the brands or characters mentioned (even though I wish I did). It is in no way meant to reflect or suggest reality; it just popped into my head while watching a documentary. I apologise if it's not technically accurate - I've never flown a plane so this is outside my field of expertise ;)
~ FLIGHT 127 ~
AJ hummed along contentedly to the music blasting through her headphones as she sat in the airport terminal. It was nothing she wasn't used to…waiting for flights. She gazed around absent-mindedly at her co-workers. Everyone was exhausted. They finished Monday Night RAW and had to head straight to the airport for a red-eye to Russia - the next stop on their tour of Europe. While she was excited to visit another new place, all she really wanted was to sleep.
She was currently perched on top of her suitcase, wearing her comfy high-waisted denim shorts and red high-tops. She entertained herself by watching the people around her, from John Cena who was tossing a ball back and forth with Zack Ryder to CM Punk who was apparently sleeping with his cap over his face in the seating area opposite her. Anyone who knew him was well aware he wasn't sleeping though, more than likely just enjoying a few moments of peace.
"Flight 127 is now boarding at Gate 3A"
Their flight was called and they filed towards the gate. They were a large group alone, not even counting the rest of the passengers so it took a while to check everyone through. Apparently the tunnel wasn't available because they were shown out onto the runway, men in orange jackets leading them across the tarmac to the plane. It was huge.
She followed Randy Orton up the steps who was travelling with his wife and daughter Alanna. Alanna grinned at her over Randy's shoulder and AJ smiled at the little girl. The flight attendants showed her to her seat and she sat down, happy to have a window seat. Alanna waved at her from the seats in front and AJ returned the gesture, pressing a finger to her lips as Randy turned around and asked Alanna what she was doing.
"Nothing daddy" she heard the little girl reply. AJ sent her a wink as she set her bag down under the seat and grabbed a blanket. She closed her eyes for a moment as the rest of the superstars and divas filed onto the airplane. She must have nodded off though because when she awoke she found that they were already in the air.
She squinted up through sleepy eyes to find CM Punk reading quietly beside her, Kelly sleeping to his right. In fact, most of the people on the plane were sleeping. The lights were dimmed and she could make out the distinct snoring of Zack Ryder behind her. Peering through the seats she could see Alanna asleep on Randy's lap, his wife Sam resting against his other shoulder. It was a peaceful scene, an unusual flip-side to the chaos of being back-stage at shows. At the end of the day, they were all the same; Vince McMahon's prized possessions who were lucky enough to be given a chance at doing what they loved at the highest level. They made all the sacrifices for the same reasons; the jet lag, the broken bodies and the emotional strain for the sport they adored.
She caught Punk looking at her out of the corner of her eye and yawned. "How long was I out for?"
"Maybe an hour? You missed all the fun safety stuff" he chuckled sleepily.
"I'm sure you'll run through the emergency exit procedures for me should I need them" she laughed.
"Of course, I'll do the actions and everything"
"In the stewardesses' skirt and heels obviously" she joked.
"You forgot the red lipstick"
She had to put a hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter at the mental image of Punk dressed like a flight attendant. Kelly stirred at the noise but didn't wake.
"She looks so glamorous, even when she's sleeping" AJ mused out loud, staring at Kelly's still perfectly styled blonde hair. She realised that thought hadn't remained in her head as Punk chuckled.
"She was out like a light as soon as we took off; I swear a nuclear explosion wouldn't wake her" he laughed as her head lolled onto his shoulder.
"How come you're not sleeping?" she asked tiredly.
"I don't sleep on airplanes" he shrugged.
"That sucks"
Their light conversation was interrupted as the seat-belt signs came on and the flight attendants began walking up and down the aisles waking people to let them know. Punk leaned across and gently strapped Kelly in so they didn't disturb her. The plane shook lightly as they hit some turbulence. AJ heard John Cena groan behind her as he was woken up.
"I'm sorry sir but she needs to be in her own seat with the belt around her" the stewardess informed an agitated Randy Orton. He was forced to wake his daughter and move her from his lap into her seat. She complained and resisted.
"Come on baby you gotta put your belt on, then you can go back to sleep okay?" he coaxed. She whined some more, uncomfortable.
"Hey, you want a pillow?" AJ asked sweetly, catching the little girl's attention. She nodded, sucking her thumb. "It's my favourite, do you know Pikachu?" she asked, pulling it out of her bag. Alanna shook her head but took the travel cushion gratefully. She wrapped her arms around it and promptly fell asleep, head drooping into the cushion.
"Thanks" Randy whispered.
"No problem"
AJ pulled her knees up and settled back in, drifting into a light sleep once more.
She was startled from her slumber suddenly as the plane jolted and the lights flickered. She glanced around, most people were still sleeping, a few rubbing their faces and glancing around in search of the disturbance. She looked up at Punk who was now playing games on his iPhone. He noticed her shift position and glanced down at her.
"What was that?" she asked sleepily.
"Just some turbulence"
"How long has it been happening?" she asked, noting the seatbelt signs still lit.
"Maybe half an hour" he shrugged.
She glanced out of the window. She could see her reflection on the pitch black background of the night's sky in the glass. She heard the heavy rain pounding on the side of the aircraft, the weather was stormy. She pulled down the window cover, leaning her head back against the headrest.
She audibly whimpered as the plane jolted again, harder this time. The flight attendants rushed around from the back of the plane to the cabin and vice versa. Looking around for reassurance, she noticed Phil watching the stewards curiously. The fact that it had garnered his attention concerned her. Most of the roster was awake now, glancing around and chatting quietly.
Spotting the lady who woke him up earlier, John watched her run towards the cockpit. They travelled a lot. They'd seen most every 'normal' procedure on a flight. This…they'd never seen THIS before.
AJ's stomach dropped as she glanced across WWE's most seasoned personnel. John Cena, Punk, Orton, Mark Henry and more were looking around and wondering what in the world was happening. The seatbelt signs flashed once more, reminding people to stay in their seats. Like hell anyone was going walk-about when the plane was shaking this bad anyway.
Everyone fell silent as a noise alerted them to a tannoy from the captain.
"Ladies and gentlemen this is your captain speaking, due to an irrecoverable technical difficulty this flight is unable to reach its' final destination and we will be taking the next available opportunity to land. Please remain in your seats, we apologise for the inconvenience"
Hushed whispers broke out around the cabin. AJ felt her chest tighten and her heart beat harder against her rib cage.
"What's going on?" she asked Punk, knowing it was a stupid question but seeking some sort of reassurance.
"I don't know…" he replied, putting his iPhone away and sitting up properly.
"Has this ever happened before?"
"We've had to make precautionary stops for fuel and sick people onboard and stuff but I've never seen the attendants panicking like this" he replied honestly. He glanced back to her and saw the fear on her face. "Don't be scared, they know what they're doing" he offered a small smile. She nodded a little, hearing the thunder outside and clutching the blanket tighter around her.
She calmed slightly when nothing else happened for ten minutes or so. Everyone had settled down again and the cabin was quiet.
That silence only made the next event that much worse. A very loud and alarming 'bang' resonated around the aircraft. This time some people screamed as the plane seemed to lose altitude. The lights went out and Alanna started crying.
"Shh baby it's okay" Randy tried to calm her, finding it difficult to keep her in her seat when she wanted to be comforted.
"Phil I'm scared" she whispered shakily as the plane shuddered and an atmosphere of anxiety settled around them.
"I know" he breathed, decidedly less composed than his usual cool-as-a-cucumber self.
"Ladies and gentlemen this is your captain. It is with regret that I inform you that our second engine has failed and we are preparing to make an emergency landing. Please follow instructions from the flight attendants at all times and remain seated"
Loud chatter broke out across the cabin; everything from whimpers to sobs. AJ felt her stomach turn at the realisation of the situation. There was nothing any of them could do to change their fate now…it was in the hands of the people flying the plane. She watched Phil rub his face. Who knew what was going through his mind at that moment?…AJ knew what was going through hers - the fact she never got to say goodbye to her family or tell them how much she loved them…
"Ladies and gentlemen this is your co-captain speaking. We have begun our descent, all flight attendants prepare for landing"
"I'm not a religious man, but now might be a good time to start praying" Punk muttered, leaning over and gently nudging Kelly who had incredibly managed to sleep her way through the whole drama.
"Huh?" she whined, opening a sleepy eye.
"Don't get upset...but you need to stay awake now okay? We're making an emergency landing…" he broke the news.
"What…why?" she asked, eyes wide.
"They, err...think the engines failing"
"It's just precautionary right? We're gonna be okay right?" she asked him, petrified.
"I don't know Kelly…I hope so" he shook his head, grunting as they were thrown forward when the plane jolted again.
Alanna was full-on screaming now, Randy trying to comfort both her and Sam.
Kelly started to cry, AJ feeling a few tears escape her eyes. Kelly slipped her hand into Punk's - desperate for some reassurance and he reached over, taking one of AJ's in his other hand. He squeezed it lightly and the girls were grateful of the slight comfort.
The flight attendants began shouting instructions and everyone fell silent again.
"Fasten your seatbelts as tightly as possible, especially those around small children! Please assume the brace position when instructed! Feet flat on the floor, knees slightly apart! Put your chest on your thighs, hands on the backs of your head and elbows tucked in as demonstrated! If you can reach the seat in front of you, place your head against it! Keep your legs tucked as far under the seat as possible! Please aid children in achieving this position now!" they shouted before hurrying to their own seats.
They were left to their own thoughts, not really knowing how long they had before the plane met the ground and potentially how long they had left to live…
"I just want you guys to know, you're like my family and I love you all!" John shouted.
"Trust Cena to say something vomit-inducing at a time like this" Punk joked. AJ managed a shadow of a smile, feeling her hands shaking. Well, she wasn't actually sure if it was her hand or Punk's; quite possibly both. Everyone knows it's a possibility, but no one ever expects it to be them. To be faced with impending danger that had the potential to end your life…
AJ took one last look around at her colleagues. Never had she seen such a show of unity. Friends, enemies and strangers with linked hands. Eve was bravely comforting a frantic Natalya, Evan Bourne offering calming words to Beth Phoenix and Kofi Kingston.
Kelly was starting to hyperventilate. It was becoming increasingly hard to calm people down when the words that people wanted to hear - it's going to be okay - were an uncertainty. Punk squeezed her hand again in an effort to stem the panic.
The cabin was shaking violently now, indicating they were losing altitude at high speed. The dreaded words were spoken over the tannoy.
"Brace for impact"
AJ felt Punk reluctantly release her hand as they assumed the position. She felt sick as she stared at the spot on the floor between her feet as they waited what felt like an age to hit solid ground. Time seemed to slow as she listened intently to what could be the final sounds to reach her ears. Prayers, soft crying and Alanna's frantic sobs. She squeezed her eyes shut.
"Heads down! Stay down! Heads down! Stay down!" the attendants chanted, following protocol.
The last thing she recalled before the plane struck cement was Punk's hand on her upper back as he pushed her and Kelly lower to absorb the force of the impact.
Breaking News:
A flight carrying more than two hundred passengers including WWE superstar John Cena has made a crash landing en route to Russia. It is not yet known if there are any fatalities.
Flight 127 was less than half way through its journey to Moscow when bad weather conditions including hail and storms caused the second engine to fail. When pilots realised systems were unstable and they were fast losing altitude, a decision was made to crash land the plane. The aircraft is believed to have broken up on impact as it hit the small rural runway.
At this time it is believed that over fifty of the passengers are WWE personnel. More information as it comes in.
The initial smash was deafening and she was surprised to find herself conscious. The aircraft bounced, sparks visible in the darkness from the windows. People were screaming as the plane tipped and shook as the friction slowed its' speed. The sound of metal scraping against cement and the tearing of the structure of the plane filled the air as the aircraft ground to a halt.
The emergency lights flickered on along the edge of the aisles and a rush of cold air hit them as the emergency exits were opened. With shaky hands, AJ unbuckled her seatbelt. She couldn't see much in the dim lights, but Punk wasn't moving. She felt something run down her cheek and wiped her hand across it. She tried not to freak out when she saw it was blood. She shook him lightly, trying desperately to wake him.
There was a lot of noise as smoke billowed in through the exits. AJ reached across, helping Kelly with her seatbelt as she seemed to lose ability to think straight.
"Kelly you need to get out…" she told her, trying to get her to move so she could find a way to get Punk out.
"We can't leave him April, if he doesn't make it I won't be able to live with myself" Kelly whispered.
"Sam wake up…" Randy pleaded, holding his daughter in his arms.
"Randy get Alanna out, Kelly go! I'll get Phil…just go!" John yelled. AJ swallowed down her fear and trusted John. She managed to climb over Phil's prone body and grabbed Randy's arm.
"Let me take her…you help Sam" AJ told him.
"I…" Randy started, looking down at the little girl.
"Randy just let AJ take her!" John bellowed.
"Keep her safe…" Randy whispered.
AJ nodded, feeling the weight of the responsibility as Randy passed Alanna to her and she crouched down, coughing as the smoke filled the cabin. She covered Alanna's mouth with the blanket in an attempt to protect her lungs. She grabbed Kelly's hand, pulling her towards the exit as the airplane emptied.
"Zack help me with Phil…the wing caught fire, I doubt we have more than a few minutes before the fuel catches fire and blows this thing" they heard John yell instructions. Kelly released a sob at his words, scared for her friends.
She took a deep breath of the clean air as they climbed down from the plane and onto the tarmac. Emergency personnel immediately took Alanna and moved them to a safe distance from the wreckage.
They'd never been friends, or even really talked but right now Kelly sobbed into AJ's shoulder as they hugged one another. AJ was shocked to see a dishevelled-looking Vince McMahon on the tarmac. His private jet was parked in a bunker nearby and he was watching with concern as his employees appeared one-by-one.
"Cena…and Orton! Where are they?" he asked, deep voice carrying over the carnage.
"They're still inside sir, with others" Evan shouted to him as Vince's face creased with worry.
A few more agonising minutes later and Randy appeared, Sam draped over his arms. Paramedics were now on scene and took her away, Randy following to check on his daughter.
"Come on, come on" AJ chanted out loud, watching the exits and praying to see more emerge.
Cheers broke out as Zack appeared, holding a limping Tyson Kidd. Others followed as the captain helped more people from the wreckage. The co-captain looked to be in bad shape, unconscious as he was dragged to safety. Still no Cena or Punk…
"We dumped most of the fuel before landing…that gives them longer before it blows" the captain reminded them.
"Did you see them in there?" AJ asked frantically.
"No…" he admitted.
AJ wiped at a tear that escaped down her cheek, shaking off the paramedic who was trying to clean the blood still dripping from the gash in her head.
The look on Vince's face made AJ think if he wasn't being restrained that he'd have gone in there himself to rescue his top stars. It felt like another age of waiting before anymore movement could be seen inside the destroyed shell of the airplane.
AJ and Kelly both released sobs of relief as John appeared in the doorway, Punk in a fireman's carry over his shoulders. In a rare dismissal of his usual cold nature, Vince rushed to John's side, helping him to lay Punk gently on the grass and embracing him. John looked shocked but returned the gesture. AJ knelt beside Punk, noticing the swelling on the front of his head from where he knocked himself out.
"That everyone?" she heard Vince yell.
Screams resonated around the group as the flames reached the fuel tank and it exploded. They could feel the heat even from the distance they stood. Everyone held their breath as they waited confirmation that everyone was out…
There were cheers as it the attendants head count gave them the news they wanted to hear - every passenger on the plane had escaped alive, albeit with a few injuries and extremely shaken. They thanked the captain for making the best of the situation and landing the plane safely in the greatest test of his flying abilities.
AJ gingerly touched the bruise forming above Punk's eye and jumped back when his eyes snapped open.
He groaned. "Am I dead?" he asked, expression one of complete seriousness.
"No" she laughed through her tears.
"Then why is everyone looking at me like I am? And crying?" he grunted, feeling his face. She watched him testing out his joints, rotating his neck and wiggling his fingers.
"Because you went and knocked yourself out like a fool…you almost were"
"…and I had to go all super-Cena on your ass" John winked, holding out a hand to help Punk to his feet.
"Please tell me you didn't kiss me" he joked.
"You wish" John chuckled.
Thanks man…" Punk said genuinely, steadying himself. "Is everyone okay?" he asked, looking around and covering his mouth in shock at the flaming mess that was the plane.
"Yes thank God, no one's too badly hurt either" Vince sighed in relief.
"Oh come on Vincey-boy, I know you had dollar signs in your eyes when Cena appeared out of that wreckage" Punk teased.
"Obviously, I had Dwayne on the phone five minutes ago ready to come back full-time" he ribbed.
"I'm joking, I've watched you kids grow up. As much as you're a pain in my ass at times, I'd be devastated to lose any of you - whether it be to TNA or the big man in the sky…"
Breaking News:
It is now confirmed that after a large-scale crash of flight 127 on its way to Moscow, all passengers on board are alive. Sources claim WWE champion CM Punk was rescued from the wreckage by colleague John Cena, unconscious but otherwise unharmed. Speaking exclusively to CNN, WWE diva AJ Lee told us:
'I've never been so scared in my life. Everyone was saying goodbye, we thought it was over. I think I owe my lack of injuries to CM Punk…if he hadn't held myself and Kelly down when we hit the ground I'm not sure we'd have got away with as little as a scratch or two'
When asked about the impact of something like this on their working environment, the twenty five year old responded:
'I think it made Mr McMahon realise that he could have lost his entire workforce in the space of a few seconds…it's a scary thought. As for the people I work with, I think you realise what's important when you're so close to death. I think it'll bring us closer together'
TWO WEEKS LATER
"Hey" Punk nudged her as she waited for her ride.
AJ took out her headphones and smiled at him. "Hey yourself"
"What's up?" he asked.
"Just waiting for Kaitlyn to drive me to Tampa, how about you?"
"Riding with Kofi to the airport…how come you're not flying?" he questioned.
"Do you really need to ask that question Phil?" she laughed, rubbing her head.
"No, I guess not…but surely it's doubling your journey time…"
"For now, I think I'll take that over the alternative" she shrugged.
"Fair enough. Word on the grape-vine is that we're working together soon" he raised a brow.
"So I hear" she laughed.
"I'll see you around then I guess" he smiled.
"You will" she bit her lip. He slung his bag over his shoulder and began walking across the parking lot to his car. "Hey Phil?" she called out to him.
He turned around. "Yeah?"
"Text me when you land okay?"
He chuckled. "I will"
"Don't forget!" she yelled.
"I probably will" he laughed.
She watched him leave, sighing softly. In those few moments she learned more about that man than months of working with him. She bit her lip and grinned widely as she pulled her script out of her bag and read over it again. Since that day, she felt a strange urge to spend time with him...and judging by the upcoming storyline; she would be getting that and more.
I made it safely to my car - just keeping your paranoid ass updated ;)
Punk x
Oh HA HA. Very funny. Dickhead.
AJ x
I am funny...and in case you were wondering, I'm also a fantastic kisser.
Punk x
So what's the verdict? Love it? Hate it? Let me know!