Author's Note: I am incredibly sorry for the insane gap between chapters, but I've been very busy with… well, everything. I'm starting to pick up where I left off, so expect new chapters to be coming. I hope people are still interested in the story, so review and let me know! Thanks.
Chapter 16: First Flight
The unnatural light of the airport waiting area causes Faith to cringe. The light combined with the tacky carpeting and less-than-comfortable seating makes her head ache. Ms. Nelson paces near the ticket counter, every so often looking up at the electronic sign behind the desk that announces flight arrivals and departures in a cryptic code.
Sitting back in a chair, Faith's eyelids are heavy and when undisturbed they slowly close over her tired eyes. It is seven o'clock in the morning, only a few hours after her patrol in the cemetery, and she hasn't slept since the night before. After retrieving a small amount of clothing and some basic necessities from her house, she had driven with Ms. Nelson to one of Boston's many airports. They passed through security check after security check, waited on line after line, and now they had nothing to do but wait another hour for the plane to begin boarding.
As she drifts off into a restless sleep, Faith's dreams revolve around the upcoming flight. Her mind is filled with horrific scenes of everything from bad on-flight meals to tragic plane crashes. As time goes by, her dreams change from aerial catastrophes to ones of attempted rape. She can clearly remember her helplessness, Kenny's cruelty, and Nick's confusion and hurt upon seeing what he must have thought was a consenting make-out session.
Suddenly, a tap on the shoulder jerks her awake. Ms. Nelson stands above her, offering a cup of Starbucks coffee and a cinnamon roll.
"Here, I thought you should eat something." Faith nods, taking the food and the hot beverage and placing them carefully on the table beside her. As Ms. Nelson sits, she stands. "What's the matter?"
She reaches into her pocket for any spare change that may be there. "I need to make a phone call."
When she finally locates the payphones, which have been cleverly hidden at the far edge of the food court, she realizes she is not quite sure what to tell Nick. Muttering to herself, she works out the many scenarios but none seem to be quite right. After minutes of contemplation, she picks up the receiver, inserts two quarters into the slot, and dials his cell phone number. Unfortunately, his cell phone is not turned on. Trying again, she calls his house number. The line rings, but no one picks up. A voice tells her to leave a message.
"Hey Nick, it's Faith. I'm at the airport right now, Ms. Nelson's taking me to Missouri for, uh, business, and I couldn't leave without telling you that last night was a huge misunderstanding. I wasn't with Kenny, I… I can't tell you all of it now but I just need you to know that-" she is abruptly cut off by the unforgiving beep of Nick's answering machine. Time is up.
Slamming down the receiver, she shouts a few obscene words before storming away from the pay phone area. When she reaches the waiting area she collapses angrily into a stale seat, folding her arms over her chest and glowering.
Twenty minutes later, a cheery blonde woman with a discordant voice announces that Flight 22 is now boarding. Gathering her backpack and denim jacket, Faith follows Ms. Nelson onto the plane. Finding their seats, they sit down and Faith hesitantly opens the shade of the window beside her. Looking down, she sees men and women in bright orange jackets directing luggage and planes on the crowded runway. Quickly shutting the shade, she leans back into her seat.
"Have you ever seen that episode of 'The Twilight Zone', the one where there's something on the wing of the plane but no one believes the man who sees it? They just think he's insane, or drunk or something." Faith asks quietly.
The Watcher senses her slayer's tension and places a steady hand on her shaking shoulder. "Faith, are you scared of planes?"
"I don't know yet." Faith answers, and then turns to look at the older woman. "I've never been on one, until today."
"You'll be fine. There's absolutely nothing to worry about. Have confidence in modern technology." Reaching into the bag she had placed under her seat, Ms. Nelson pulls out a pack of sugarless gum. "Chew this. It will help when the plane ascends. The altitude change can make your head hurt, but chewing the gum will alleviate some aggravation."
Faith willingly takes the gum and hastily shoves it into her mouth. Her hand clamps around the armrest and she tightly shuts her eyes, mumbling to herself while the plane rumbles down the runway. As the plane's wheels leave the ground, her hold tightens around the plastic armrest and it snaps pathetically under the pressure. A few surrounding passengers turn to look at her, and Ms. Nelson laughs nervously.
"Oh these armrests… so flimsy…" Ms. Nelson slumps into her seat as the plane continues to fly higher and higher. Beside her, Faith's grip still grows tighter around the plastic shards that had previously been the armrest. One sharply angled piece cuts into her palm and a trail of blood leaves her hand and drips to the unsightly argyle carpeting that covers the floor. Faith's gaze, however, remains straight towards the seat in front of her. Her eyes do not move, do not falter, from their constant vigilant of the headrest of the passenger before her.
When the plane reaches flying altitude Ms. Nelson reaches over and unclenches Faith's hand. Removing the plastic, she takes out a tissue from her bag and cleans as much blood as she can from Faith's hand. Her slayer, blank, does not notice.
For the rest of the plane ride, Faith stares straight ahead as the blood dries on her hand.