A/N: Forgive my tardiness in updating this story and all my others. As I said before, I had some personal issues arise, that now seem to be a little under control. I want to thank you everyone who was so patient in waiting for an update. I promise you more updates later tonight, and tomorrow. I hope this chapter makes up for my lateness. Happy reading! :) Also, a quick reminder, I will be following the movie, but there will be some additions of my own to fit the story better.
There was a blue, almost purple color to the sky. Emma was thankful the weather was agreeing with her, and she was also thankful that her passenger was being pleasant enough to be around. It even inspired her to start up a conversation after a while, once the weather took an unexpected turn and the sky turned black and there was only a small portion of rain with very few lighting strikes. Luckily as a pilot, Emma has flown through a bit of rain before, so there was nothing to worry about.
"So, are you a model by profession for that Bagel magazine of yours?" Emma asked through the roaring of the plane's motor and taps of rain falling around the aircraft.
She didn't bother to turn and glance at the brunette who was slightly throwing a glare at the back of her head right now.
"That's Regal." She stated, her cheeks slightly red that anyone would think of her as a model. "And I'm an assistant editor. We were short that day on model's and the one we hired for the cover was a no show, so-"
"Naturally you had to step in?" Emma nodded.
"Exactly."
"I'll tell you, if women were to follow those top five dating tips of yours with me they would be wasting their time."
Regina's brow raised, "Is that so? So you were a tough catch for that co-pilot of yours, then?"
Emma rolled her eyes, "No. There is no tough catch, really. That's why we both have an understanding. We don't need to follow any top five dating tips."
"Well, that may be true for you but what about her? Or other women?" Regina scoffed.
"You want to know the best tip for dating a woman like me?" Emma asked.
"I can hardly wait." Regina's tone was sarcastic.
"Don't snore. And nothing complicated." Said Emma.
Regina blinked at this, releasing a chuckle. "You're kidding, right?"
"Nope." She shook her head, a ghost of a smile to her.
"Well, if you ask me- that sounds rather lonely. Not exactly a dating tip, is it?"
"Not all women are the same. Some like to complicate their lives, others don't. I personally fall into the category under uncomplicated. It's easier that way. You have your fun, no one gets hurt, you live your life."
"Now does that advice come with the seven hundred or do I have to pay extra for that?" Once again, her tone was filled with sarcasm.
Emma chuckled, "It's on the house."
"Thanks." Regina chuckled, shaking her head.
Thunder clapped around them, a lighting strike flashed before Emma's eyes. She kept the flight steady, even if this thundering rolling through the skies was making her a little nervous. She had checked on the weather before take off, and so far it was agreeing with her, but this thunder was a surprise how it was picking up. There was a slight turbulence, which didn't help her concern.
She picked up her radio and spoke into it as she placed it over her lips. "Island flight watch, beaver zero-three-one-eight. We are three thousand five hundred on a heading of one-one-zero. Looking for a weather update, please, along our route of flight."
Regina leaned in her seat, her eyes falling on the radio, listening to a male voice come through with a lot of static. Enough that even Emma couldn't understand the message.
"I couldn't read you. Say again." She talked into the radio, hearing nothing but more static.
"Is there a problem?" Asked Regina.
"I'm sorry. This weather came up quicker than anyone anticipated. We're going to have to turn back to Makatea. It's just not worth the risk."
"Oh, fine by me." Regina was fine with that decision. After all, Emma was the pilot and she knew the weather better than anyone. It didn't take a genius to see that with how bad this weather turned on them, it wasn't safe enough to fly in.
The plane was quickly turned around.
"See that?" Emma motioned toward a flash of thunder, followed by another, along with the dark set of clouds that surrounded them. "All this thunder and clouds have us boxed in."
"Uh, meaning?" Regina's eyes grew wide, too afraid to even know the answer.
"It means, buckle your seat belt. It's going to get bumpy." She tightened her seat belt as well, feeling a huge rattle around her aircraft.
"Whoa!" Regina's hand is placed by the flight window, which is surprisingly cold. Her body quickly moved its way over the seat and joined the pilot up front. "You know, you don't mind if I just… Come sit up here with you, do you?"
The corner of the blonde's lip curled into a tiny smirk. She had seen some jumpy passengers before, but never this jumpy. She could practically hear the woman's heart racing inside her chest.
"Get your seat belt on." She told the brunette, who was quick to strap herself in before digging through her purse.
At the sound of rattling, the pilot turned to see Regina holding a bottle of pills, popping two into her mouth.
"What are those?" She asked with her brow furrowed.
"Xanax. My doctor prescribed them for situations of tension. I think this qualifies." She placed another pill into her mouth.
"Oh yeah? Give me a couple." Emma held out her hand, smirking upon seeing a glare from the brunette.
"You just fly." She told Emma, popping another pill into her mouth.
After a while of flying through the thunderstorm that seemed wasn't ending anytime soon, Emma could hear more rattling coming from the brunette, her head turned to her to see her trying to open a bottle of pills, only slower this time. Actually, she could see Regina's fingers starting to struggle.
"What are you taking now?" She asked her out of curiosity.
"Xaaanaaax. My doctor pressscribed them for situations of tensssion-" Regina's voice came out in a slur, her eyes a little droopy as she looked over at the pilot.
"Give me those," Emma reached for the bottle, tossing them over her shoulder.
Regina's brow furrowed as she followed the flying bottle of pills rattling and landing somewhere in the back of the plane. The last thing Emma needed was for this woman to get more drugged up on anxiety medication when she needed to be lucid and aware of their situation.
Suddenly there was a loud clap of thunder that caused the plane to shake violently, that Emma could feel it as if the lightning strike passed through her plane and through her body.
"Shit!" The blonde pilot hissed, gaining control of the shaken aircraft.
"Wow! Whoo! That was close, huh?" Regina droopily exclaimed, grabbing onto the seat and roof of the plane.
"That was more than close. That hit us." Green eyes were focused on the radars and needles before her as there was a constant beep coming from them. Now, her heart was accelerating a thousand miles per hour. She could feel the plane starting to lose altitude on her.
"It did?" Regina's eyes grew wide, though not particularly out of fear being as drugged up as she was. "Oh, wow. That's bad, huh?"
Emma quickly picked up her radio, "Mayday, mayday, mayday. We're unable to maintain altitude. Can anybody hear this?" She waited, getting nothing but static. "Mayday, mayday, mayday, we-"
"Attention shoppers! Snow shovels are on sale for twelve ninety-nine!" Regina shouted through the radio she now held in her hands after snatching out of the pilot's grip, it caused Emma to glare right at her.
"Put that down!" The blonde snatched the radio back, placing it over her own mouth. "I'm unable to maintain altitude. Forty miles South-South East of Makatea." She hissed, shrugging her shoulder as she felt Regina wanting to lay her head on it. "Can anybody hear this?"
Emma's green eyes turned to Regina, who once again snatched the radio from her hand and began to sing into it.
"Welcome to the Hotel California!" A drugged up Regina grinned, breaking into a fit of giggles.
"How many of those things did you take?" The pilot asked, growing aggravated with the woman.
"Oh… You know- I just don't know." She snickered.
"Look." Emma glared, pointing a single digit in front of the woman's face in warning. Their faces only inches apart.
"What?"
"We're in trouble here. I want you to sit back," she nudges her back toward her seat. "Be quiet. Keep your seat belt tight," Her hand reaches for the woman's seat belt and tightens it around her waist hard. "And let me fly this thing."
The brunette saluted before releasing a chuckle, "Did you know you are cute when you're angry?"
The pilot rolled her eyes, deciding to turn her attention toward her window, spotting an island in the darkness.
"There's an island down there." She pointed. "I'm going to try to land us in."
"Okey dokey." Was Regina's reply, sitting back and remaining quiet as she was instructed.
Emma maneuvered the plane to the best of her experienced abilities, heading directly toward the island she was able to spot every single time there was a flash of lighting around them. She prayed to all the gods above that no other lightning would strike the plane. If it did, she couldn't guarantee they would both live through this.
"Whoa!" Regina's hand gripped onto the blonde's exposed bicep upon feeling the plane rattle once again. "You know, you are really self-preserved. Do you work out?"
"Hold on!" Said the pilot, directing the plane down little by little, feeling the plane rattle even more through her rough landing onto the sand.
"Rock on the beach! Rock on the beach! Rock on the beach!" Regina's eyes grew wide at the sight of a rock in the middle of the beach, her finger not failing in pointing to it.
"Shit! Hold on!" Emma hissed, her eyes shutting tight upon feeling the left wheel impact with the rock.
Daniel walked along the beach, feeling utterly alone, seeing how happy other couples walked hand in hand while he had no one. It wasn't like he didn't have anyone. But Regina wasn't here. As passionate as he knew she was about her job, this was the first time he ever hated her job for coming in between what was supposed to be the most romantic vacation of their lives.
"Oh, hey!" Lily beamed upon recognizing Daniel. "Daniel, right?"
"Hi, good to see you again." he smiled back.
"You look lost. Can I help you find your way?" She let out a friendly chuckle.
"No. No, I'm just…" His eyes raked across Lily's body. She couldn't believe she looked so good wearing nothing but a bikini top and a skirt made entirely of banana leaves. "I'm just walking along. My fiancee had to work."
"Oh, right! Emmy took her in her plane!" She smiled.
"Yeah." His tone sounded sad.
"Well, since you aren't doing anything. Would you like to come see the show? I dance on Tuesday nights." Another smile.
"You dance?" His brows hit his hairline while his eyes raked across the woman's body once more. "Isn't that interesting?"
"So will you come?"
After a brief hesitation, Daniel decided. "Yeah."