Description: It's stewardess Polly Red's birthday, and in a bid to impress her, Martin loses her gift and may or may not break her nose. Arthur tries to make a Sunday roast for her, in the microwave. Carolyn attempts to teach herself how to text. Douglas creates a new game that no one is very impressed by.
"Golf Tango India, this is Captain Martin Creiff, now clearing air space, awaiting co-ordinates" The afore mentioned Captain clicked of the intercom as the door to the cabin opened.
"Hello Polls" Douglas drawled, taking the young girls hand to kiss it, receiving a badly hidden groan from Martin. "And may I wish you a happy birthday"
"Thanks Douglas" She grinned warmly, seamlessly wiping the back of her hand on the captain's chair.
"Err…h-hi Polly" Martin stammered, looking up at her pretty pale face, no sharp edges just soft youthful curves, and chocolate brown hair, elegantly swept up into a bun. "And, um a…" He stopped getting caught in her amber eyes. "H-hap…Merry birthday!"
Merry birthday? Douglas mouthed at him.
"Uh Thanks" She smiled apologetically, used to being on the end of his stutter. "Well I just wanted to say hi, so 'Hi!'" she gave a little wave. "Also, Carolyn says if you want to call her, you're not to use the intercom but to text her instead"
"Sorry?" If Douglas had been drinking anything it would be decorating the cheap carpet by now. "Did you say Carolyn wants us to text us?"
"I know, Arthur explained to her the message app on her phone, now she's sure texting is going to save her money. Said it would save costs of the inter com if you only used it for announcements"
Martin stared in horror, "We're flying a plane, Polly. We can't use our phones, it ruins the equipment"
"Not to mention it makes it very hard to fly" Douglas raised an eyebrow at his captain's sudden outburst.
"Hey don't shoot the messenger" she said, defensively. "I'm just passing it on, now I have to do emergency procedures. And as funny as watching Arthur try to mime drowning is, it tends to frighten a few of the weaker passengers"
Turning to leave, she looked back for a second. A look of innocence and nervousness in her eyes. "Martin, I was wondering if you'd like to go out later, with me. When we land, back home, I mean"
Martin's face turned white, then a prominent red blush blew over his high cheek bones. "Uh…I…ha" his mouth opened and closed in a rather accurate impression of a goldfish.
Polly's features drooped for a moment, before pulling her lips back in a smile. "Never mind, you're probably busy, see you later guys"
Martin was still gaping at her retreating form and Douglas smacked his arm to bring him out. "You really have a way with woman, don't you?"
"So Polly" Arthur smiled good naturedly as he began making coffee in the miniscule kitchen. "Had a good birthday?"
"Well you know, got up at six in the morning to be underpaid and overworked at my job. My parents still haven't forgiven me for leaving my last underpaid and overworked job" She sighed, adjusting the back wheel of the rickety hostess trolley Carolyn had finally bought for the longer flights. "So when we reach home on this fourteen hour round trip, I'm going back to my horrible flat and eat what little remains in my fridge and lie in bed for six hours before I have to wake up and start all over again. And I don't even have anyone to share my misery with because the only men I meet are either passengers who I'll never see again or someone ridiculous like, I don't know, Martin!"
Once her little speech was over, Arthur finally spoke. "Well, at least it your birthday!" he began happily placing sugar sachets and wooden stirrers in the trolley draws. "And I for one have got you a brilliant present!"
Pride welled up in her throat and Polly smiled genuinely at him. "Really? What is it?" A childish glee appeared in her eyes as the kettle began whistling.
"Can't tell you that" He waged a finger at her, accidently sending a pack of sugar flying through the air. "But you're really going to love it. Also, I think Martin's got you a gift as well"
"I doubt it, he doesn't seem interested in me" She pouted, dusting off a few sprinkles of sugar that had landed on her blouse.
"No I'm sure he had, this morning he was wrapping up this box and even did the thing where you use the scissors to make the ribbon all curly" He nodded eagerly, pouring out coffee for the pilots.
"It was probably for someone else" she poured milk in the mugs as her phone began vibrating.
"A message from your mum" Arthur looked up in interest, moving round so he could read as well.
Tul domics and marvin to cal rapis
"She hasn't really caught on with predictive texting yet has she?" Polly wondered aloud, Arthur's attention brought back to the thrilling task of taking both coffee's to Gertie's cabin.
"Oh come on Martin"
"No!" the frustrated Captain shot his co-pilot a look as the door opened and Polly and Arthur walked in, holding mugs of something steaming in both hands.
"Polls, you'll play with me won't you?" Douglas pleaded, looking at the steward.
"What game have you come up with today?" She asked handing Martin his drink, but without her usual gracious smile.
"Well, if you and Martin could demonstrate?-" He threw a sly smile in the shocked Captain's direction.
"No! I'm not going to do it with Polly!" His cheeks flushed bright pink and his eyebrows nearly disappeared into his curly ginger hair.
"All right, me and Arthur can demonstrate" she came as close as her soft, yet high pitched, voice could get to snapping.
"Perfect" Douglas said, shooting Martin a joyful look that was not returned.
"Basically you two have to be touching at all times"
"That doesn't sound that bad Skipper" Arthur smiled, not quite sure of the strange looks being passed around the cabin.
"Not just touching though" Martin rolled his eyes, accidently landing on Polly whose own brown iris were narrowed in anger.
"You have to have chests or backs touching" Douglas grinned, right eyebrow raised.
Polly felt the heat rush to her cheeks, mouth opening in the fashion of Martin's earlier today.
"So will you and our favourite air stewardess be participating in my new game?" the first officer grinned at Martin suggestively.
"No!" They both yelled, Polly storming out and he going an even, if possible, brighter shade of red.
"Douglas! If you've taken it, I will push you out of this plane!" Martin roared, slamming the pilot's locker close.
"Taken what?" he answered, lazily flicking at the controls somehow, making it seem effortless and yet impressive at the same time.
"My gift to Polly! It was in my gym bag"
"Why would I go into your bag?" Douglas turned to see Martin on his knees, searching for whatever he had gotten the stewardess.
"I don't know, maybe you got it confused with your own?"
"You think I got my brand new, £50, top of the range bag, confused with your cheap freebie from a hotel we stayed at months ago? I highly doubt that"
"Then where is it?" His voice had risen franticly high, similar to when someone refused to believe he was Captain.
"Oh come on it's not that bad, when we land, just get her another present" He reasoned.
"I can't just get another present! It cost practically a month's wages"
"What was it? A card from Tesco?" the older man grinned slyly.
"No! It was… look I can't tell, you'll just laugh, Please, I really need to give Polly that gift!" he pleaded, eyes wide as a puppy's.
The co-pilot thought about teasing him, using this to get leverage, maybe the first choice of the cheese tray. But then he saw the fear in Martin's blue eyes, twined with Polly's chocolate ones. As much as he enjoyed embarrassing the two love birds, they really suited each other. It would be easier for the airline in general if they got together.
"Fine, I'll take the reins, or joystick as the case may be, and you look for whatever it is you got her"
The ruffled Captain sighed, legging it through the door
"ARTHUR!" Carolyn roared as smoke milled round the kitchen. "What are you doing!"
He looked up sheepishly from where he was trying to make whatever was in the micro wave stop burning, simply by waving his hands at it.
"Sorry mum, I was just making Pol…" He stopped as the female flight attendant walked into the kitchen, a couple of inches smaller now she was out of heels. Carolyn allowed them to dress down when not on a flight with passengers.
"What's going on?" she asked, coughing as more smoke filled the room.
"Just what I wanted to know" the older woman stared down at him, eyes narrowed, sending him into a state of shock.
"I-it was for Polly's birthday. Remember your birthday last year?" he asked his mother whose eyes widened in horror. "With the cake?"
"Oh Arthur you didn't!" no one could forget the in edible sludge Arthur had attempted to create for her 63rd.
"No! I didn't, I remembered what happened so I thought of something else to make" he said indignantly, crossing his arms in anger.
"So, what did you make?" Polly asked, trying to create a realistic smile, competing with the horror of what he'd created.
"In mum's Delia book she says a roast for lunch is the best thing ever on your birthday-"
"You made a roast dinner, in the microwave?" Carolyn's eyes were wide in horror.
Arthur nodded excitedly, opening the machine's door and pulling out a tray of blackened- um mush. "The chicken didn't quite fit, so I chopped it up a bit, then it was getting quite close to lunch so I threw the rest of the ingredients in as well"
"Arthur" Polly stepped forward cautiously to take a look at the smoking mess. "You can't make a roast dinner in a microwave"
"No" he agreed, while Carolyn wrenched the burnt tray from him and chucked it down the rubbish chute. "As it turns out, you can't"
"It was a sweet thought" She smiled warmly, turning to sit back in her seat before Carolyn began another lecture.
"You clot!" she heard, accompanied by a mumbled apology.
Pushing open the cabin door, she stepped inside, just as a mass of curly red hair pushed into her face. Followed by a head which smashed into her nostrils.
"Arhhh!" she screamed, stumbling backwards till her the door, hand flying up to clutch at her nose.
"Oh God!" Martin, realising what he had done, rushed forward. Catching her at the arm and waist, he bent low to try and see what damaged he'd caused.
"My nose!" she squealed, wincing as a jolt of pain surged through.
"Oh Polly, I'm so sorry!" she felt him gently touch the sore skin, surprisingly less painful than when she did it.
"Carolyn!" Douglas called through the intercom, "Little accident, Martin's head butted Polly, might need some ice"
"Look I'm so sorry!" Martin cried, sitting her down in his chair, bending down in front of her, worry written across her face.
He still hadn't let go of her arm, she noticed, and his other hand was resting just above her knee.
"Is it broken?" she asked, removing her hand to let him see, and check for any blood. Thankfully it was clean.
"I-I don't think so…Maybe if I…"
He brought his hand up to test, applying quite a bit of pressure to the reddened skin.
"Oww!" she squirmed, trying to go through the back of the chair.
"I'm no doctor" Douglas quipped, turning the plane to auto pilot for a moment.
"But if it hurts when you do that, don't do it"
Martin looked over scornfully. "Douglas, shut up and get Carolyn"
"Well it's not broken" Carolyn surmised, getting up from her knees. "Though I suggest you use some thicker foundation for the…"
Franticly, Polly searched for the hand mirror in her bag. "Oh my god!"
The bridge of her nose had a large wonky bruise, ugly pea green in colour that was already accommodating small purple blots where the blood was re grouping.
"Polly" Arthur stared. "Your nose looks like a gone off potato!"
"Yes thank you Arthur" Carolyn pushed her son through the curtain that separated them from the rest of the plane, before turning back to address her.
"I cannot apologise for Martin's idiocy. It seems to grow with every flight we take. Hopefully it'll heal while you're at home, I'm sure your boyfriend won't mind a night curled up on the couch"
The younger woman blushed, making the bruise appear even more prominent.
"I don't actually have a boyfriend" she replied sheepishly, almost like an embarrassed school girl.
"Oh, I apologise" she smiled in a very un Carolyn like way, similar to when Arthur did something sweet or nice for her, as long as it didn't cost her any money. "You know Hurk has a nephew who seems very nice, maybe I could call him"
"Carolyn, I really don't need you to set me up with Hur-"
"Oh but he sounds absolutely charming" the older woman butted in, her face eager and not one to be defeated.
"Seriously, I don't like blind dates, even if it's with someone who sounds wonderful. But it's nice of you to offer" She relaxed into the chair, a cold press laying on her nose.
"Well suit yourself then, fifteen minutes on, then off for fifteen" And with that the older woman went back to the front cabin, probably to reprimand Martin again.
She chuckled as a loud "CLOT!" filled the plane, wincing as pain shot through her face.
"Well" Douglas remarked, stretching out his back as they exited the airport. "For us, that wasn't too bad"
"Martin head butted Polly, nearly broke her nose and Arthur broke the microwave attempting to make a roast dinner" Carolyn pulled her overnight bag over her shoulder as the five of them waited for cabs to pull up. "I know what you mean"
"Crap, looks like rain" Polly remarked, as a few droplets fell, cursing her decision to leave her coat in her suitcase.
"H-here" a black umbrella appeared in front of her, accompanied by Martins apologetic tone.
"Thanks" the smile she returned was kind and forgiving, too tired to create anger.
The drops changed and began bucketing down. The group huddled together like penguins for warmth and shelter under the umbrella.
"Ooh, mum, look! I can see a taxi" Arthur piped up, playing with the toggles of his rain coat.
Douglas, sensing an opportunity to be the hero and annoy Carolyn, signalled for the car, picking up her and his bags graciously. "Why don't you, me and Arthur take this one, we do live closest together after all"
"What are you up to" the elderly woman eyed him warily, clutching to her handbag when he tried to take it.
"Nothing" he sighed, she never made it easy. "Fine I'll pay the fare"
"Deal" Carolyn pulled Arthur and her bags into the cab, leaving Douglas to give Martin and Polly a quick wink.
"Looks like we'll have to share then" she smiled weakly, stamping her heeled feet to warm up.
He opened his mouth to say something but suddenly became very nervous.
Polly looked on as Martin began opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish. "Are you okay?"
"W-what? Oh yeah. We don't have to-"
"No its fine. Good, even. That's what the government say this country needs. Offering to share a fare, you know, with the credit crunch and all" They shared a laugh, both adapting to their sort of friendship.
"Is that really what they're saying?" He asked, subtly moving closer to her.
"No, maybe. I don't really read a lot of papers" she admitted, her cheeks blushing pink.
Now Martin! Do it now! The little voice in his head yelled.
"Um, Polly. I-I didn't really know how to give this to you earlier" He coughed nervously, retrieving a parcel from his bag. "Because it's your birthday"
He handed the elegantly wrapped gift, with the curled ribbons springing from the top, to her, grinning at the delight in her eyes.
"Oh Martin!"
"Open it, go on"
She didn't need any more convincing, ripping at the paper gleefully. Inside a black jewellery box with cursive silver writing. Opening the last layer, she gasped at the twinkling jewels inside.
"Martin!" It was a delicate silver bracelet, adorned with tiny crystals. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into an embrace.
"It-t was nothing" he stuttered as she pulled away slightly, looking up into his eyes, she was inches shorter than him, even in heels.
"Don't give me that, I know you can hardly afford to feed yourself on your salary. This means so much" she closed the gap between them, brushing her lips to his.
He was so shocked it took him a few seconds to return the kiss, wrapping his hands round her waist, moving his mouth passionately.
Finally, they broke apart, both flushed pink, arms still wrapped around the other.
"This maybe a little out of order, but do you want to get a drink with me?" He asked, grinning as she laughed happily.
"What'd you think?" she answered, placing another kiss to his lips.
A.N.
AWWW! The last part made me squeal writing it!
Although I love this story, I'm kinda glad it's over. It took me nearly a month to write and I got a bad case of writers block.
The idea behind this was watching Kate Nash's music video Doo Wah Doo, which is set on an aeroplane a bit like GERTIE (The passengers are insane with moustaches, the pilots get drunk and nearly crash the plane and Kate is an awkward ginger. Martin anyone?) And wanting to write a story about it. Then listening to all the series non-stop turned it into a cabin pressure fic.
It's also there only being two Martin/OC fics, and neither being finished. I don't dislike slash fics but don't think they really suit the characters here, I think they're more of a family. Well I guess I'm the one two buck the trend. I may write a sequel to this but can't think of any ideas at the moment.
Hope you like and please review!
Love Rosie