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"But if we see better days those big airplanes go both ways, and we'll all be coming back to you again" Wolfe Tones - Flight of the Earls
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Shana O'Hara leaned back into her cramped coach seat on the plane. She was no longer Scarlett, the E-5 hand to hand instructor for America's top anti-terrorist force, she left all traces of that back in America in her barracks. Firstly because she was on vacation, but just as importantly, it wasn't necessarily safe for her as American military where she was going, especially as a counter-terrorist.
She slipped her feet back into her shoes as the captain announced their approach into the airport. She couldn't deny her excitement, the way her heart was starting to pound at the prospect of what this trip held. This was a chance to reconnect with herself, her mother and her extended family; possibly even her father.
The city as she disembarked looked much like any generic city she'd been through, maybe a little dirtier and more polluted than upstate New York. She slung her bag over her shoulder, opting to bring a backpack instead of a traditional suitcase. She got a few looks because of the size of the bag and the ease with which she lifted it, but in truth, it was light in comparison to most of her military packs.
She made her way through customs slowly, trying to not be annoyed with the amount of time it took. She was too used to being able to move in and out of pretty much any country freely, no customs searches, no questions, if they even knew of her presence. Finally, she made her way through the throng of people, scanning the waiting people for the driver they said would be waiting for her. Finally she saw the sign, "Red", and she chuckled as she went over to the driver. "I'm Red, I'm sure there are a lot of those around though."
He smiled back amiably, "Michael. S'good to meet you." She shook off his offer of help with her bag and sat down in the back. The trip to her hotel was quiet as she watched the scenery go by. It was so beautiful here. She didn't know if it was just because she was on vacation, or the city itself, but it all seemed more vibrant and alive than it did back home.
She was aware suddenly that the driver had asked her a question, "Sorry, what was that?"
"I just asked what brought you here? Business? Vacation?"
"Family." She grinned, "I'm going to meet my grandmother for the first time."
"Is that so? How is it that ya never met her before this?"
"My parents emigrated and never looked back." Simple enough answer, though with so many questions behind it.
The driver nodded knowingly, "That goes around a lot 'round here. Sad." She nodded, thinking about his words as the car slowed in front of a hotel, "Here we are Miss."
"Thank you very much Michael, drive safely." She hefted her bag back up on her shoulder and went to check in.
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In her room and unpacked, she stepped into the shower, turning the water on as hot as she could bear. She washed off the sweat from travel and grime that had accumulated and let the spray massage her tight muscles. When she was done, she wrapped her body and hair each in a towel, looking at the clock. She should be jetlagged, but with her experiences and training, that wasn't something she was worried about. She didn't need sleep and anyway, the day was young and she wanted to see her Grandmother. She looked over to the phone, then carefully dialed.
"Hello?" An older woman's voice answered.
"Um. Hello. May I please speak with ..."
Shana was cut off before she could continue though, the woman recognizing the american accent immediately, "Shana! Shana dear! You are here? Safe and sound?"
She was knocked a tad off balance by the woman's exhuberance, pausing before continuing, "Yes, it's me. And I'm fine, I was hoping to see you..." She began to trail off when the other woman interrupted.
"Yes, please. Are you too tired from your flight? Did you hire a car for while you were here?"
Shana realized as the woman pelted her with questions that she was nearly crying. "It's ok, I'm not too tired, would you like me to stop over today? I didn't rent a car. But I think the hotel is near to your house."
"Shana, darling, I've been waiting to see you for a very long time. It would do this old heart good if you could come over today for some tea. Please?" Her voice was pleading and almost pitiful.
"If you give me some directions from my hotel, I will be over in an hour? Would that be alright?" She felt bad, this poor woman had been cut off from her daughter and grandchildren for decades and suddenly one was so nearby and willing to see her. She wondered what had happened that caused such a complete cutoff of communication and affection. Her grandparents hadn't even been to the funeral when her mother died.
"Yes, as soon as you can. I've missed you and your mother so much. I can't wait to hear all about you and your brothers." She gave the directions quickly and then they hung up the phone with promises to see each other soon.
Shana sat back, a little overwhelmed by the emotion of the other woman. She hesitated, then called her father. "Da, I just wanted to let you know I got here safely."
He seemed a bit nervous, or perhaps it was just the connection, "I'm glad Shana. Have you called your grandma yet?"
"Yeah. I'm heading over there in a few minutes. I just need to call into work."
"Be very careful over there Shana. Please." Her father was definitely worried. She wasn't sure why, because he knew how well trained she was, even if he didn't know the full extent of her abilities. She felt confident in defending herself in any situation.
"I will Da. Take care and give the boys a hug from me." He gave her a farewell and then hung up and she quickly dialed the number that went directly to her suite at the Pit.
"Jaye." Pleasantries were not incredibly common in the military style of answering a phone.
"Hey Jaye. It's me. I've arrived. I'm safe." She was vague and non-specific since the phone on her end was not secured. She heard a male voice in the background inquiring about the call, "I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing before, tell the guys 'hi' from me."
"Will do. Stay safe sister. Out." With that, the call was done and Shana walked to the bathroom, deciding to put her hair in a braid instead of drying it so she could head over to her grandmother's house more quickly. She quickly plaited it, then stepping into a comfortable pair of chinos and a blue sweater that complimented her coloring and a pair of black boots and headed out, making sure the door was locked behind her.
"But if we see better days those big airplanes go both ways, and we'll all be coming back to you again" Wolfe Tones - Flight of the Earls
----------------------------------------------------------
Shana O'Hara leaned back into her cramped coach seat on the plane. She was no longer Scarlett, the E-5 hand to hand instructor for America's top anti-terrorist force, she left all traces of that back in America in her barracks. Firstly because she was on vacation, but just as importantly, it wasn't necessarily safe for her as American military where she was going, especially as a counter-terrorist.
She slipped her feet back into her shoes as the captain announced their approach into the airport. She couldn't deny her excitement, the way her heart was starting to pound at the prospect of what this trip held. This was a chance to reconnect with herself, her mother and her extended family; possibly even her father.
The city as she disembarked looked much like any generic city she'd been through, maybe a little dirtier and more polluted than upstate New York. She slung her bag over her shoulder, opting to bring a backpack instead of a traditional suitcase. She got a few looks because of the size of the bag and the ease with which she lifted it, but in truth, it was light in comparison to most of her military packs.
She made her way through customs slowly, trying to not be annoyed with the amount of time it took. She was too used to being able to move in and out of pretty much any country freely, no customs searches, no questions, if they even knew of her presence. Finally, she made her way through the throng of people, scanning the waiting people for the driver they said would be waiting for her. Finally she saw the sign, "Red", and she chuckled as she went over to the driver. "I'm Red, I'm sure there are a lot of those around though."
He smiled back amiably, "Michael. S'good to meet you." She shook off his offer of help with her bag and sat down in the back. The trip to her hotel was quiet as she watched the scenery go by. It was so beautiful here. She didn't know if it was just because she was on vacation, or the city itself, but it all seemed more vibrant and alive than it did back home.
She was aware suddenly that the driver had asked her a question, "Sorry, what was that?"
"I just asked what brought you here? Business? Vacation?"
"Family." She grinned, "I'm going to meet my grandmother for the first time."
"Is that so? How is it that ya never met her before this?"
"My parents emigrated and never looked back." Simple enough answer, though with so many questions behind it.
The driver nodded knowingly, "That goes around a lot 'round here. Sad." She nodded, thinking about his words as the car slowed in front of a hotel, "Here we are Miss."
"Thank you very much Michael, drive safely." She hefted her bag back up on her shoulder and went to check in.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
In her room and unpacked, she stepped into the shower, turning the water on as hot as she could bear. She washed off the sweat from travel and grime that had accumulated and let the spray massage her tight muscles. When she was done, she wrapped her body and hair each in a towel, looking at the clock. She should be jetlagged, but with her experiences and training, that wasn't something she was worried about. She didn't need sleep and anyway, the day was young and she wanted to see her Grandmother. She looked over to the phone, then carefully dialed.
"Hello?" An older woman's voice answered.
"Um. Hello. May I please speak with ..."
Shana was cut off before she could continue though, the woman recognizing the american accent immediately, "Shana! Shana dear! You are here? Safe and sound?"
She was knocked a tad off balance by the woman's exhuberance, pausing before continuing, "Yes, it's me. And I'm fine, I was hoping to see you..." She began to trail off when the other woman interrupted.
"Yes, please. Are you too tired from your flight? Did you hire a car for while you were here?"
Shana realized as the woman pelted her with questions that she was nearly crying. "It's ok, I'm not too tired, would you like me to stop over today? I didn't rent a car. But I think the hotel is near to your house."
"Shana, darling, I've been waiting to see you for a very long time. It would do this old heart good if you could come over today for some tea. Please?" Her voice was pleading and almost pitiful.
"If you give me some directions from my hotel, I will be over in an hour? Would that be alright?" She felt bad, this poor woman had been cut off from her daughter and grandchildren for decades and suddenly one was so nearby and willing to see her. She wondered what had happened that caused such a complete cutoff of communication and affection. Her grandparents hadn't even been to the funeral when her mother died.
"Yes, as soon as you can. I've missed you and your mother so much. I can't wait to hear all about you and your brothers." She gave the directions quickly and then they hung up the phone with promises to see each other soon.
Shana sat back, a little overwhelmed by the emotion of the other woman. She hesitated, then called her father. "Da, I just wanted to let you know I got here safely."
He seemed a bit nervous, or perhaps it was just the connection, "I'm glad Shana. Have you called your grandma yet?"
"Yeah. I'm heading over there in a few minutes. I just need to call into work."
"Be very careful over there Shana. Please." Her father was definitely worried. She wasn't sure why, because he knew how well trained she was, even if he didn't know the full extent of her abilities. She felt confident in defending herself in any situation.
"I will Da. Take care and give the boys a hug from me." He gave her a farewell and then hung up and she quickly dialed the number that went directly to her suite at the Pit.
"Jaye." Pleasantries were not incredibly common in the military style of answering a phone.
"Hey Jaye. It's me. I've arrived. I'm safe." She was vague and non-specific since the phone on her end was not secured. She heard a male voice in the background inquiring about the call, "I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing before, tell the guys 'hi' from me."
"Will do. Stay safe sister. Out." With that, the call was done and Shana walked to the bathroom, deciding to put her hair in a braid instead of drying it so she could head over to her grandmother's house more quickly. She quickly plaited it, then stepping into a comfortable pair of chinos and a blue sweater that complimented her coloring and a pair of black boots and headed out, making sure the door was locked behind her.