Sabine arrives at my place in line for the coffee stand. "I've got to get whatever that is that you used." She grumbles.

"What, you don't like security?" I tease her. "They're only doing their job."

"What is it? And how'd you get it?"

"It's called TSA Pre-Check." I begin to explain. "You give the government some of your biometric data, fingerprints plus a fee, fill out some forms online and a background check."

Sabine gives me a skeptical look before we move up a place in line. "So we just hand over our data."

"For our security. And convenience."

"Why do you have it?" She fires right back.

I let myself smirk before answering. "You know why. Requirement of the job."

Jedi business.

The intercom crackles to life before Sabine can respond. "Attention United Flight 1545—"

That's our flight.

"—Can I get passengers Sabine Wren and Ezra Bridger to Gate 75B, Ezra Wren and Sabine Bridger to Gate 75B. Thank you!"

"Hmm." I mutter as Sabine turns to me. "Wonder what that's about."

"If they want one of us or both of us to split up flights, I'm going to say no." Sabine tells me. "Dad bought me the early flight so I can get back for lunch. And you've got a connection to hit."

Very true.

"I'll go figure out what's going on." I tell her while pulling out my wallet and going for my credit card. "You know what I want. I'll be right back."

I stick the card into her hands and am moving before Sabine can protest. "Ezra—!" She calls out before letting out an audible groan.

Gate 75B.

71, 72, 73…

There's 75. A & B.

Taking a right at the gate, I stroll up to the gate and the attendants then smile at the two of them. "Hi. I'm Ezra Bridger?"

The attendant on the left turns, looking a little surprised at my swift arrival. "Yes. Is Wren here as well?"

"Yes, but she's getting coffee at the moment. What's going on?"

"Nothing bad." She reassures me with a smile. "We just wanted to let you know that due to a seating glitch, it looks like the two of you have been upgraded to first class for today's flight. Our record already have you down in Boarding Group A?"

"Yeah, we printed out our boarding passes last night." I smile back at the attendant.

Perks of having Twos ready the moment you can select your boarding group, and grabbing our spots for us.

"Great!" The attendant smiles at me again. "Well we're prepping the plane, so it'll be just a few minutes!"

"Thank you." I smile back, then turn back towards the atrium of the terminal and the coffee stand.

Huh. Pleasant surprise.

On my way back to Sabine, I pull out my phone to shoot off a quick text. "Was that you?"

Meanwhile, in front of me Sabine is giving our order to the barista, while behind the barista three people are working at practically warp speed.

"Maybe." – Twos

"The Council authorized it. Your connecting flight to Barcelona is also on schedule."

Good to know.

"Thanks T." I answer just before Sabine looks around for me, then spots and makes for me.

"What was that all about?"

"—known for its clientele and discretion, the Mandarin Oriental will likely be where the Princess Leah is staying…"

Yeah yeah yeah.

I take my eyes off the tablet and my ears pick up the gentle hum of the airplane engines up here at 40,000 feet.

My half-filled drink cup, ice included sits to my right as my tablet is aisle side while—

"Ghhhzzz…" Sabine gently snores on my shoulder.

Smirking to myself, I grab my drink and sip it.

Her plan for this flight has totally gone to hell. First she wanted to wear some tight top that showed off her arms, then was too cold and went for her USC hoodie. She also said she was going to 'keep me company' for the whole flight, then promptly fell asleep and slowly drifted to using my shoulder as a pillow.

Her makeup, which she did for whatever reason is now getting smudged on my shoulder but whatever.

She must have needed her sleep.

"Can I get you another drink sir?" The flight attendant appears from behind me, prompting me opt turn back.

"Yes please, thank you."

"Coke, right?"

"Yes."

"I'll be right back…" She scoops up my cup and saunters off.

"Upon your arrival in Barcelona, the Council has bought you a room at the Mandarin Oriental, fourth floor nearest the stairwell. Deposit your bag in the room and check in, then proceed to Olympic Port for—"

My newly filled up drink reappears, placed back into its little indentation on my tray table. "Thank you." I smile at the attendant.

"You're very welcome. Do we want to get something for her? Or let her sleep?"

"We'll wait for now." I answer, then grab the $3 I have in my pocket and slip it to her. "Thanks for asking though.

"Oh. Thank you! You just let me know." The brunette gives me a genuine smile, then disappears back to the front.

Too easy. And pretty too.

I sip my drink, noticing the new, perfectly cut into cylinders pieces of ice floating in the cup before my eyes fall onto the backpack stowed away in front of me.

I'm going to have to give it to her at some point.

She legitimately has no idea. I managed to get home before she did on Tuesday and hid her presents in my safe, then tucked them into my backpack last night as she was in my kitchen packing away stuff.

Why she volunteered to help me pack up I don't know. But she did, which brought Jaicey and Matt over, which led to Matt and Trey and two female friends of theirs finding their way over.

They called it a 'Moving Party', which really turned into a party. Which caught the ire of my RA again, only for JJ and she to get into it at another noise disturbance.

Matt weaseled the name of the person who complained out of her, then they had an argument which basically constituted of JJ and Jaicey gleefully harassing the guy in the apartment below me for being "a ninny looking pansy."

The guy looked ready to fight them. But since he was about 5'4 and kept going on about "I'm in the Honors College!" he couldn't really do much.

Glad I'm leaving.

Hera found a prospective place for me a little further from campus. And she also cornered the complex's manager into allowing me to stay until the final day possible in January (if necessary) before I have to move out.

Which I definitely am now.

Funny thing is, the manager herself came and talked to me in the middle of Finals Week. Apologized for everything, alluded to a conversation with Hera, tried bargaining to get me to stay…

It was entertaining. Not happening though.

Swiping on my tablet, the man in the suit up to the left towards the cockpit rises and starts towards the back of the plane.

Ohh…

I tap twice on the top right hand corner or the tablet and double-check that the privacy filter is on so that Sabine can't see what's on the screen.

They are giving me information on the mission.

Letting a breath out through my nose, I lock in and scan the suddenly dense, briefing style paragraphs intended to convey a lot of information in a small space.

…

…

It's corporate and financial espionage. Tax havens.

They think her Brother, Prince Harald is caught up with a Crimean crime family that we're apparently trying to put a stop to.

I guess it makes sense that they'd call me in from the States as an unknown face to sweep the Princess off her feet and stick my USB drive in her—

Taking another drink, I scroll down before I hear a grumble.

"Why can't I read that."

"You're awake." I say softly.

Sabine's head gently shifts on my shoulder before I see her blink out of the corner of my eye. "Waking up. Why's it blacked out?"

I make a noncommittal noise and turn to properly look at her.

Forcing her eyes elsewhere.

"How was your nap? Do you want something to drink?"

Sabine straightens up and moves to stretch. "It was…good." She yawns. "Yeah, I do want a drink."

Alright. I'll lag down my friend.

Turning away from Sabine, I raise my hand in the aisle, which gathers the other flight attendant's eye. She says something, prompting the other one to appear and stride down the aisle.

"Yes?" She smiles at me.

"My friend woke up and did want a drink." I return the smile, then turn to Sabine.

Sabine turns and smiles. "Yes. Can I get a Mai Tai please?"

A—

"Sure, give me just a moment." The flight attendant smiles, then walks back upfront.

SABINE?! Are you insane?!

"A what?" I lower my voice and tilt my head in Sabine's direction.

She's out of her damn mind. Nineteen and bold enough to—

"It worked." She justifies herself.

Yeah! Because of the tip I just gave her a couple of minutes ago that you don't know about!

I roll my eyes and move to—

Where'd my tablet go?

Grabbing my drink, I lift up my tray table and start looking around for it.

I didn't feel myself knock it off…where is it?

"Here." Sabine says quietly, sticking a bill into my hand. "Bribe her."

"Subtle."

I feel Sabine judging me as I continue my search for the tablet until I feel the attendant start back this way.

"Here you go…" She hands the drink off to me, which I take with the bill slyly tucked away. Thankfully she takes my cue with a smile. "Do you need another refill?"

"Why not?" I smile back, just before she whisks my drink away.

When I turn back to Sabine, she's staring at me.

"Your drink." Is all I say, extending her drink.

"Did you enjoy that?" She cracks back.

"Enjoy what?"

"Eye-fucking her." She hisses, then pointedly stirs her Mai Tai with my straw. "It's pathetic."

"Is not. And I did not do that."

Sabine doesn't verbalize her response, instead turning to the seatback in front of her and makes a exaggerated face with her eyes widening and simulating drooling.

"Did not."

"Did too."

Whatever.

She's grumpy.

Sabine tosses my straw back onto my tray table pointedly before turning back to her seat. Ignoring her fit, I resume my search.

I try to rifle through my backpack and be subtle about it, move to peer around the aisle then—

SABINE!

Sabine, who is looking at my tablet intently while sipping her drink and pointedly ignoring me moves to scroll.

"There it is. Give me—" I say then move to—

OW!

Sabine swats my hand away while still focused in on my iPad. "The hell is this?"

"Nothing." I counter. "Work."

Something about that causes Sabine to hesitate for just a moment before I hear "Your drink back…"

"Thank you." I turn and smile at the flight attendant.

"No problem. Let me know if I can help you guys out with anything else!"

Sauntering away again, I fold the tablet down into my lap before reaching out to probe Sabine.

She's…pissed.

And concerned.

"Ezra." Is all she says before I copy her and sip my drink.

"Hmm?"

"What, uhm—I didn't know you owned a tablet."

I don't. It's the Temple's. Dooku placed it in my room after my first Final.

"You didn't see any of that." I tell her.

"Ezra—"

I turn back to her. "I mean that." I say strongly. "Okay? It's not a game."

She shouldn't have just snatched up my tablet just because she was pissed I smiled at the cute flight attendant.

"I know it's not a game but—"

I sip my drink again and move to fold the cover on the touch screen before Sabine speaks again. "Is…everything okay?"

"Fine." I say brusquely.

Crap. That won't help me.

"My parents…are going on a Mediterranean cruise." I explain, going off the top of my head. "So my connection's a little tricky."

Her brows drop before Sabine shifts in her seat to really look at me again. "Don't they want to see you?"

"Eh." I shrug. "My grades were fine. They don't care past that."

"Ezra…"

I feel Sabine move to grab my hand before I answer. "It's fine. I just can't tell you anything else. It's dangerous. You know that."

"They're using that." She points out. "You."

"I've done more dangerous things."

Those were financial records, listings of arrests, crimes committed.

I'm sure to her eyes it looked horrifying.

"Don't…" She starts, then grabs my hand tenderly. "Say things like that. You—Do you have to do it?"

I nod, then sip my drink.

"Is it like…a mission?"

"Mhmm."

That's all I can give you.

Sabine lets out a breath, then takes a large swig of her drink. "I, Uhh. I don't know what to say."

There's nothing to say. It's my job.

"It's fine."

"Do you like, have to go dark? Can you call me, or text, or—"

"No." I shut her blabbering down. "Once we land I can't call or text until it's done."

Won't be bad. 24 hours tops.

This whole thing is time sensitive, thankfully.

"Last call on drinks?" My friend in the aisle chimes in, causing both Sabine and I to turn.

"No thank you." I smile.

Sabine counters. "Yes, please."

"I'll be right back." She gives Sabine the same smile then vanishes.

Hah.

"I'll be fine though." I try to reassure Sabine. "Don't worry."

Sabine gives me a side-eye before draining her drink. "Is this a normal thing? Can you say that?"

"I don't know what I can and can't say." I confess.

"Why?"

"It's not all written down." I smile at her. "The…they. Trust me to exercise caution. Information is dangerous, and I have to protect you."

I almost said 'The Council'. That would have been nearly impossible to wriggle myself out of.

Sabine seems to take a breath to steady herself, then grabs both of my hands. "Look at me?"

"Your drink."

Timing!

I take Sabine's drink and pass it over, only for Sabine to take advantage of that by taking my drink and that hand, then grabbing my other hand.

"Please…just be safe. I…didn't read very much. And it didn't make sense. So I kept reading." She rambles. "But please…please be careful."

"Of course." I smile at Sabine, who looks thoroughly concerned.

C'mon. Buy it.

Sabine lets go of my left hand and takes another gulp of her drink before a sound effect goes off throughout the cabin, causing me to jump in my seat.

Dammit!

"Alright everybody, if you can please return to your seats and strap those tray tables into their upright and locked positions, we'll begin our descent here down to Chicago-O'Hare. Where I regret to inform you that it is 18 degrees and snowing." The pilot says over the intercom.

The cabin lets out a collective groan, which gets me to smile before Sabine slumps in her seat.

No…this can't be how this goes.

She wasn't supposed to know about my mission. This was supposed to be an easy, fun flight.

Now she's stressing out, probably buzzed and the mood is totally—

OH.

"Hey." I say suddenly, getting Sabine's attention. "Might as well give this to you now, since we're descending…"

I've got a trump card.

This will fix her mood.

"What?" Sabine asks, sounding falsely positive.

I reach down into my backpack and pull out the white bag, folded up along with the card and the two small packages, wrapped in blue paper. "I know it's not all formal or anything. I was going to give it to you last night." I lie. "But…Merry Christmas."

I extend the boxes and card to her, only for Sabine to be staring at them, completely stunned.

"You didn't—"

"I know I didn't." I smile before she shakily takes the big box. "I wanted to."

"I…" Sabine starts, then peers at me, looking to be near tears before saying "I didn't get you anything."

"Yeah you did. You made me that painting." I smile. "I just wanted to do this. No big deal."

C'mon.

"Open 'em." I encourage her, which gets Sabine to take the other box and the card before she stares down the small box.

I hope she doesn't think she knows what's in there. It's not anything crazy like a ring.

Mechanically, Sabine sets that box aside and moves to open the card first.

The card, which is pretty basic and has a painting of a snowy landscape on the front, is opened by Sabine and she glances down at the gift card and note enclosed.

It's not much. Basically repeating what she told me. That I'm glad we sat by each other and I'm lucky and thankful to call her my friend. Wished her a Merry Christmas, that's it.

"Ezra…" She says softly, then moving to give me a hug.

I lean into the hug, only for Sabine to give me a squeeze. "Open the boxes. I didn't wrap them if it makes you feel any better."

Sabine shakily laughs, then turns back to her gifts. She eyes the two boxes for a moment, then pushes the small one away again before fiddling with the tape on the bottom of the big one.

There we go.

Sabine unfurls the paper, pulls out the box and opens it before her head tilts and her face…

Does a weird thing. Crumples, kind of.

"I kinda cheated. Asked Jaicey to get me your size. I deleted the text." I joke.

I doubt she wants that to be common knowledge. I know how Hera can be about her jeans and stuff.

Mom was too.

"Thank you." She blinks. "They look very comfy."

"Should be. I hope so."

I know she likes leggings. She wore them a lot after Halloween. Although I don't think she has very many pairs. The pair she really liked were sort of worn near the ankle, which is hard to notice unless you spot it.

And it was hard to miss since she wore them a lot.

Sabine meanwhile lets out a breath, then grabs the small box. "This isn't what I think it is, is it?"

No.

I laugh, then smile at her. "No no…open it."

Finally, Sabine seems to calm down before she lets out another breath and starts fiddling with the paper of the box.

I didn't think this would have been such a big deal to her. I kind of made up the whole 'I was going to give this to you last night' thing up on the fly, but maybe I should have done that.

Sabine, who has gotten the paper off the box, pulls it out and—

"Oh! Dammit…"" She exclaims, almost in a squeak, before closing the box again.

Dammit? Why Dammit?

I freeze up, not knowing what else to do, just before I see Sabine's façade crack and for her lip to start quivering before I see—

Oh God.

I screwed it up.

Look away Ezra. Turn away.

I turn back towards the front of my seat, away from Sabine to give here the appearance of privacy as I don't even have to use the Force to feel her distress beside me.

How'd I mess it up?

I…

I don't understand.

…

Maybe I'm reading this wrong. I'll Force Probe and just get a general idea of what she's feeling.

I do just that, then freeze up.

Oh GOD.

I screwed up.

I messed it up.

Sabine's anguish, heartbreak, agony, torture and pain keep washing over into my head as beside me, Sabine is doing her best to try and look unbothered.

Calm. Normal.

I messed up.

I don't turn at Sabine's quiet squeak before she fully ducks into her sweatshirt and hides.

…

I don't understand!

I shouldn't have done this. Now she's trapped, on a descending plane with no place to hide, no place to get away from me.

A sniffle finds my ears before I roll my neck and look up at the display above my seat.

HOW CAN I BE SUCH AN IDIOT?

I AM SO STUPID!

Another sniffle comes from underneath her sweatshirt before I close my eyes.

I'm making Sabine cry.

I can't believe myself.

I…

First I snapped at her about my mission, Which is none of her business, but still. Then I make her cry with my Christmas present.

I know there's something she's not telling me. Which is okay, it really is. Whatever it is, it's her business.

Something I did completely hit the wrong mark.

I screwed it up.

I can't believe I screwed it up.

YES YOU CAN! YOU CAN BELIEVE YOU SCREWED IT UP!

Ignoring Vader, I let out a breath and impatiently tap my foot near where the seat in front of me is bolted into the floor of the plane.

C'mon. Land.

I screwed it up.

I can't believe I screwed it up.

I screwed it up.

I screwed it up.

I don't understand.

But I screwed it up.

I most definitely screwed it up.

The plane finally comes to a shuttering halt at our gate, just before the fasten seatbelt sign clicks off, and basically everyone leaps into action.

Feeling everyone around me looking at me, I gently dare to tap on Sabine's jeans. "Hey. We're here. You can go now."

I make a point to look away before Sabine reappears from behind her sweatshirt. And in a flash, Sabine's gathered up her stuff and bolts past me, up the aisle and out the front of the plane.

…

Well.

I guess that's that then.

Feeling the aisle across from me looking at me, I turn and give them a smile.

I don't know what else to do.

"What happened?" The woman, who I assume is married to the middle aged man beside her asks.

"Didn't like my Christmas present." I shrug. "Sorry."

That was probably the most awkward thirty to forty minutes of my life.

Sabine, crying nearly silently beside me with nowhere for either of us to go.

I am such an idiot.

The woman starts telling me some tale about how I have nothing to apologize for, blah blah blah. Meanwhile, the folks ahead of me turn back.

"You can go, if you want to."

To chase after her.

Sabine.

They pity me.

Disgust and fury boil inside me as I force a smile onto my face. "Nah, it's cool. Go ahead." I gesture for the others here in First Class to go ahead and deplane.

I am such an idiot.

EZRA YOU MORON!

YOU. FUCKING. IDIOT!

Overhead bins are emptied and those around me maneuver as I fiddle with my backpack.

Why should I have expected anything different? How stupid am I?

I know Sabine doesn't want a relationship. Certainly not with me. And what'd I go and do?

I BOUGHT HER JEWELRY! SOMETHING ONLY A BOYFRIEND WOULD DO!

I. Am. SO. SOOOO. Stupid!

Focus Ezra. You'll be up soon.

Jacket.

I force myself to stop fiddling with the zipper on my backpack and pull out my plain black pullover with the zipper near the neck.

Focus.

Pulling the pullover over my three-quarter, I roll my shoulders to accommodate the extra fabric then pull out the baseball hat Cayle bought me, grey with a black brim and throw it on before grabbing my sunglasses.

Vader.

…

Façade.

Focus.

When I get up, this is all over. It has to be over.

When I stand up, I'm not Ezra Bridger. I'm nobody. I'm a Jedi, I've got a damn job to do.

And if I don't do that job, I'll find myself in a prison cell for the rest of my life.

As I should be.

The final person in front of me moves to start deplaning, and I do the same. Rising up, I throw my backpack over my shoulder and hook the sunglasses in the zipper of my pullover.

Move.

I walk down the aisle, smile at the flight attendants and move out to the skyway.

Discipline. Stay on track.

It's easy to stray, slip up. The Dark Side is easy. Tempting. Begging me to come along for the ride. Take a step off the path laid out before me.

I cannot allow that to happen.

I deluded myself into thinking whatever the hell that was with Sabine back there—

NO EZRA!

…

FOCUS.

I close my eyes as I walk down the skyway and let out a breath.

When I open my eyes, it's over.

I have a job to do.

Allowing the Force to guide me, I walk with my eyes closed, trying to control my heart and my breathing before the sound of a thousand voices in the terminal ahead of me glides to my ears.

Open.

I snap my eyes open and find myself with a simple right-hand turn, leading to a doorway and the terminal in front of me.

Taking the turn, I sidle out into the terminal and keep close to the window before probing out with the Force.

No threats…

No Sabine either.

She's gone.

Keep moving Ezra.

Obeying my thoughts, I keep my feet moving while reaching back to the mesh where you would normally keep a water bottle and grab the ticketing information.

What gate am I looking for? Am I in the right terminal?

Phone's off, and it stays off until I'm done. So it can't get hacked.

I need to find a display that shows all of the outgoing flights.

Finally I'm forced to take a left out into the terminal at large, then dart across and look around—

There it is.

Let's get going.

I've got a job to do.