Disclaimer: I do not own Red Eye, or any characters originally involved. Any OCs are, of course, my own.
Chapter Two:
Alone
Lisa placed her hand over her eyes to shield them from the afternoon sun. This was it. This was the day that Lisa Reisert would actually take advantage of all of those vacation hours she had accumulated over the years. Lisa had managed to win tickets to a spectacular nineteen-day cruise. She hated to think of the convenient timing after the biggest public relations nightmare the Lux Atlantic had ever seen, so she chose not to. A trip was a trip, and who was more deserving than Lisa?
"So you're really going, huh?"
Lisa snapped out of her reverie and looked over at her father. Joe Reisert was trying his best to smile, but Lisa could feel the worry radiating off of him.
"Dad, I'll be fine. No planes. You hardly ever hear of cruises being terrorized."
Lisa could picture it now. Delicious beaches in South America. Scuba-diving. Endless sunshine and endless water. No tragic hijacking and no death-threats. Even the ever-present threat of Jackson's revenge had been eliminated along with him. Lisa shuddered. It seemed the Russians who had originally hired Jackson hadn't taken too kindly to the fact that he botched their job. He barely made it a week in the hospital.
"Are you sure you're going to be alright out there on that big boat? What about those pirates a few years ago, Leese? The ones from Somalia?"
Lisa chuckled and pulled her father in for a tight hug. Always the worrier. Lisa figured that after how well she had handled the last incident, Joe would be fine with her leaving again. Instead, he seemed quite the opposite. But, Lisa was always the survivor.
"Daddy, I'm going on a cruise. All relaxing, all the time. Remember?"
"I suppose so. If you need to, please call me, sweetie. You know I have some money saved up. It's no problem to get you a flight home from somewhere."
"There's a free flight included at the end of the trip, daddy. Whoever rigged this thing-"
"Oh Lisa," he interrupted with a sigh.
"Sure did a fine job of making sure I was pampered, but not stranded in Argentina. And I'll be back before you know it. Please stop worrying."
"It's second-nature for me, Leese."
Lisa laughed, but it was drowned out by the deep droning of the ship's horn.
"I have to go now, dad. I'll call you, alright?"
"Alright, Leese. You have fun."
Lisa grabbed her small carry-on and bolted off towards the boat, excited, for the first time in years, to be going on an actual vacation. Nothing could ruin it for her now. If only she could just make it to the boat…
"And for God's sake! Watch what you eat in those foreign countries!"
Lisa wheeled around, backpedaling towards the giant ship. She couldn't help but laugh as other passengers turned to stare at the older man shielding his eyes from the bright Miami sun. Lisa smirked and waved slowly to him. Joe turned and disappeared into the crowd. Lisa felt her heart sink. Wasn't this supposed to be her happy moment? Shouldn't she be overfilled with joy?
Lisa turned, determined to get her mind set straight with a nice Tequila Sunrise at the bar on the top deck, when she ran into the shoulder of a tall man.
"Oh! Excuse me," he commented, grabbing for her fallen rolling luggage bag.
"Oh no. I wasn't paying any..."
Lisa snatched up her purse from where it had fallen and looked up at the man. Her voice caught in her throat. He was a man close to Lisa's age with striking emerald eyes and dirty blonde hair that curled on the ends. He was dressed in cream-colored dress pants and blazer with a bleach-white shirt underneath. He was gorgeous.
"Déjà vu," Lisa murmured.
"That's why God created the Tex Mex."
Lisa stared sheepishly up at the man who had helped her defuse a very irate airline customer. Lisa couldn't bear to listen to that guy's incessant squawking any more. Thankfully this man behind her stepped in and shut him up for good.
"Best nachos in the airport and right across from our gate," he continued.
Lisa felt butterflies well up in her stomach. Shut him down, her brain warned.
"Good tip. Thanks."
She turned back around, hoping he would take the hint and leave her alone.
"Save you a seat?"
Lisa turned back around, smiling awkwardly at him. He just seemed so charming. Too charming. He couldn't be trusted. She wasn't sure how to respond. Lisa didn't want to be rude, but… she just wanted to be alone. The seconds ticked by slowly as she tried to think of something clever to say to him, but he spoke first. Relief washed over Lisa as he disarmed the situation with stumbling words. Clearly he wasn't used to being turned down.
The man cocked his head to the side, paused where he was bent over grabbing her luggage.
"I'm sorry, what?"
Lisa felt her cheeks flush as she was pulled back to the present. These daily hauntings and replays had to stop. Even when Lisa wasn't asleep her mind replayed the events of the Red Eye. It was like having nightmares while you were awake.
"Oh, nothing. This just... reminded me of someone."
"What an odd pick-up line."
"I wasn't-"
The man held out the handle for her carry-on luggage and grinned. Nearly perfect teeth shone bright in the mid-day sun. This guy just couldn't be real.
"I'm kidding. The name's Gabriel."
He held out a broad hand for her to shake and Lisa took it hesitantly. This whole thing just seemed too familiar for her liking, and yet, she couldn't pull herself away. She was like a moth being attracted to a flame. And here, she had promised her father, and herself, that there would be no danger. Maybe not physically…
"And you are?"
Gabriel smirked, clearly reading her deep thoughts and paranoia without effort.
"Lisa," she said calmly, attempting to collect herself.
"Well, Lisa. It was a pleasure to meet you."
And there's where everything changed. Gabriel simply turned and walked away, returning to his original path, and leaving Lisa to simply stare after him. He seemed to be more normal than his looks led on. Lisa wondered what his profession was.
"Oh sweetie, don't drool."
Lisa turned and looked over at another young blonde. She reminded Lisa of Cynthia. Innocent looks, straight blonde hair, and light makeup.
"Excuse me?"
"If you want him, you hit up the on-ship nightclub tonight wearing your shortest dress and dance your pretty little heart out."
Lisa laughed.
"Thank you for the advice, but I'm just looking to relax and clear my head."
"If you say so!"
The girl teetered off up the ramp and onto the ship, and Lisa followed suit, not wanting to waste another minute. The minute she boarded the ship, her vacation officially began. No more work. No more trials. No more interviews and questions. Just Lisa and the Atlantic. With both feet across the threshold, Lisa could already feel the electric excitement pulsing through her veins. This was it.
Lisa stood leaning on the railing inside what the ship called, "The Sanctuary." Here, passengers could relax and sit in the sun in near-silence. Lisa had just indulged in a massage and now she stood, staring out into the bright Atlantic waters. The massage had been refreshing. Lisa had spent the last hour out on the upper decks, watching couples dancing and already tanning near the pool. Everyone was so carefree. Still, Lisa couldn't bring herself to snap out of her current funk.
She was still gripped by these visions of a dead man she wished she could forget. During the day, Lisa could have sworn she saw those electric blue eyes pass her on more than one occasion. It always ended the same. Lisa would whirl around, trying to get a better look at their owner, but the man would be dissolved into thin air. Her mind was playing tricks on her, and because of that, Lisa decided to go somewhere more private and secluded to watch the ship's departure from the Port.
"Miss Reisert," an attendant said softly.
"Yes?"
"Your drink."
The young man bowed his head slightly and held out a silver tray with her Sea breeze on it. Lisa figured it was fitting. She shouldn't let a dead man determine what she does with her life.
"Thank you," she said, picking up the glass. She waited until the boy walked away before murmuring, "To new beginnings."
Lisa raised her glass to her lips and felt the alcohol just touching her skin when someone interrupted her.
"Need someone to toast with?"
She opened her eyes and looked over to see Gabriel, the man from earlier, sauntering towards her with a drink of his own. Lisa's stomach lurched. "Put on your shortest dress," the woman had told her as they boarded the ship earlier. Lisa wanted nothing more than to roll her eyes. It would figure that one of the most attractive men Lisa had been in contact with would find her when she was simply trying to hide.
"Oh. Well hello again."
In truth, Lisa didn't want someone to toast with. She wanted her privacy. She wanted to breathe in the fresh air and swim in the silence of the Sanctuary. Lisa wanted to clear her mind and try to rid herself of the nightmares and the visions. Her escape was turning out to be quite the opposite.
"I'm sorry to bother you, Lisa, but earlier, I couldn't help but think about you and how familiar you seem. Have we met before?"
Lisa scoffed and sipped on her sea breeze.
"And you said my pick up line was lame."
Gabriel smiled politely and nodded.
"Alright, alright. Message received loud and clear. Enjoy your cruise, Lisa."
With that, Gabriel turned, just as he had earlier, and walked away from Lisa. Relief washed over her.
"New beginnings, my ass," she muttered to herself.
Still, Lisa was slightly disappointed. Why did she continue to shut people out? She had succeeded. Sure, the road to success was a rough one, but she had made it none the less. Why shouldn't she let herself indulge in a handsome man? She hadn't had any further visions of steely cold eyes since her massage. Was it Gabriel's fault she was having flashbacks?
"I'll regret this later," she whispered. Then she called out to Gabriel.
He turned, genuinely curious and Lisa jogged over to him.
"I'm… I'm sorry. I've been rude. I was just looking for some solitude and… I really don't have an excuse."
Gabriel laughed.
"Apology accepted. And, for the record, that wasn't a pick up line. You genuinely look familiar, though from where, I have no idea. You said yourself that you had a bit of déjà vu earlier when we ran into each other."
Lisa chuckled and shrugged.
"People tell me I look like Rachel McAdams."
Gabriel laughed.
"I don't see it. She's too thin and you're far more attractive than she is. Then again, people tell me I look a bit like a young Brad Pitt."
Now Lisa finally smiled. Here she was, having a conversation with a strange and attractive man, and he had told her she was more attractive than Rachel McAdams. There was no denying that Gabriel was a charmer. In this light, he certainly did look like a young Brad Pitt and Lisa's stomach began to flutter. He was far too attractive for her.
"Maybe the hair," she commented absently.
"Maybe." He took a sip of his drink, a deep amber liquid, before continuing. "Look. I have some business to tend to tonight, but if you're done with your solitary confinement, how about you join me for dinner tomorrow around sixish?"
Lisa cocked her head and laughed.
"Business? On a cruise?"
Gabriel's green eyes narrowed and he became very serious.
"Harrowing matters, Lisa. Of the utmost importance. Fates of many depend on me and me alone."
"Oh, well, then by all means, superman. Dinner can wait until tomorrow."
Gabriel grinned at her, back to his playful self.
"Great. I look forward to it."
"As do I." She held up her Sea breeze. "How about that toast?"
Gabriel joined in and held up his almost-empty glass.
"To new Beginnings," she stated slowly.
"To new Beginnings," Gabriel commented, serious once more.
They let their glasses connect, making the distinct clinking sound of glass on glass, before Gabriel swallowed what was left of his drink. He then held it up briefly, to catch the eye of the attendant, before he placed it on the silver tray.
"Until we meet again, keep relaxing."
Lisa smiled. What an odd thing to say, she thought. Gabriel gave her a quick nod before he wandered back inside the ship. Lisa wondered what business he had to take care of that would take an entire night on the ship. Another woman, perhaps. After all, didn't people usually take cruises for vacations? Lisa refused to let herself look any further into the situation. Tomorrow, she would be having dinner with a gorgeous, charming, man named Gabriel, and Lisa refused to let anything bring her down from that high.
A/N: So, it's Spring Break for me... This means I probably won't post another update until around the 18th or 19th when I get back. I'm going on a cruise to the Bahamas! :P Hence the inspiration for this story. (Except, Lisa is on one of those extended trip cruises- that go to all sorts of places and take like 3 months. I WISH I could go on one of those... *sniffle*)
I hope this chapter wasn't too horrible. I promise I do try! What about this Gabriel guy...? Is he suspicious, or just friendly?
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review so far! I really do appreciate it!
And, thank you to everyone for reading. Let me know what you think about this newest chapter.