A.N. Another weekend update! Warning: There are particularly dark themes that are touched upon in this chapter. This is also a two part chapter. Your feedback and interactions, as always are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Shaggy and Velma – Hawaiian Airlines Flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles.

You could still cut the tension with the proverbial knife.

Since leaving Fred and Daphne behind, they had passed through security and boarding, barely exchanging any pleasantries, conversing only to discuss details about their flight schedule.

Neither Velma nor Shaggy were as close to Ethan as Fred, and obviously Daphne were, but they both still felt devastated by the news that he was potentially dead. It didn't seem fair, Daphne had missed so much of her life unaware they were actually siblings, and now it seemed, he was gone forever.

Shaggy followed Velma despondently down the aisle, towards their seats in the middle of the plane. He waited patiently as she dumped her carry-on into the overhead locker and slumped into her middle seat. He took the aisle seat, grateful for the extra room for his long legs. They sat through the take-off and safety talk in uncomfortable silence and once they were air-bourne, Shaggy fully expected her to then curl away from him and sleep, conveniently avoiding her promised conversation, but she caught him by complete surprise when instead she turned to him. She locked eyes with him before she reached for his hand and spoke with with such utter sincerity that it melted the frosty atmosphere between them instantly;

Shaggy, we need to talk.

The feel of her delicate fingers on his palm was like electricity. Her eyes, bright and wide, and always his favourite feature, seemed to stare into his very soul.

In that moment for both Shaggy and Velma, they were now the only people aboard the plane, they were completely shut out to anything else happening around them. This feeling was cemented when the air hostess emerged with the catering trolley and Shaggy barely even acknowledged her presence and even more astonishingly, waved her on. This was the moment Velma knew she was going to have Shaggy's rapt and undivided attention for the next five hours. She took a little inward breath, preparing herself, this had to be it, this had to be the moment she finally revealed herself to him. She felt like she was shedding her skin, shedding the facade she had hidden herself under for so long, it felt liberating in one way but ultimately it was terrifying.

One step at a time though, she reminded herself. She would unveil those painful memories to him eventually, but first she needed to repair the damage she had done to their friendship, when she once again had pushed him away.

"Shaggy, I know I've hurt you, repeatedly, and we will get around to talking about our relationship but please hear me out."

Shaggy nodded at her, indicating he was willing to listen without interruption and Velma continued.

"We're on our own now Shaggy. Who knows when Fred and Daphne will even be able to join us in Coolsville? If Daphne finds what I fear she'll find in Japan, it could be an incredibly long time. Coolsville needs us though and no matter what's happened between us and what I might tell you in the next few hours, I need to know first of all, that you will be with me and we will put on a united front. I need to know that first Shaggy, before I say anything else, can you do that? Can you swear we'll still work together no matter what?" Velma held her breath in anticipation.

Her words had certainly unsettled Shaggy, and he could feel his heart start to beat just that little bit faster, just what was she going to tell him? He then thought about how easily he was able to put aside his complicated feelings about her to operate the trap together to stop a dangerous Koi yesterday and realised the answer was actually easy.

"Yes," he replied earnestly. "Yes Velma, putting everything else aside, I know Coolsville needs us. I will do whatever it takes to help you to help them, no matter what we might be facing when we land."

Velma nodded, her heart swelling in relief but she also felt a shiver of fear run through her when Shaggy reminded her they were flying into the unknown, Coolsville was seemingly in the grip of terror, they would undoubtedly be walking into danger. Before she could start to mentally prepare to unload, Shaggy spoke again.

"Velma, before you start, I just need to know something, these last couple of months... have I just been an easy lay for you?"

Velma stared at Shaggy absolutely dumbfounded, she almost pulled her hand away in shock, feeling completely speechless for once. Did he really think so little of her feelings for him? She realised with guilt that she had been totally unreadable but still his words stung.

"Shaggy," she spluttered, her voice tinged with hurt. "Do you really think that?"

He shrugged indifferently at her, "what else am I supposed to think? As a four we spend quite an extraordinary amount of time, solely in each other's company and well, we all have needs, you couldn't have Fred obviously, but... I'm just there aren't I?"

Her mouth gaped open, the scathing tone in his voice biting into her soul with every word. She was such a closed book to him recently, she was in real danger of Shaggy resenting her. He thought she was just using him for sex! Their relationship was even more damaged than she thought.

"My god Shaggy I'm so sorry!" She tried to reach to stroke his hair but he flinched away from him so she tightly grasped his hand instead. "I can't believe you would ever think I saw you like that. I care for you Shaggy. I have done for such a long time...It's so hard to explain but..."

Her impassioned voice broke off as her eyes travelled beyond Shaggy to notice the gaggle of passengers with their heads turned avidly in their direction. Noticing the brunette's fiery glare, they quickly snapped away again just as quickly when they knew she had spotted them. Her face flushed beetroot red as she considered how loud their conversation had been, they were providing all the in-flight entertainment! Who didn't love a bit of relationship drama on a long flight?

She dropped her voice noticeably lower as she continued. "Relationships, they're hard for me. And every time we get close I just panic!"

"I would never hurt you Velma," Shaggy replied quietly.

"I know! Believe me I know, but there's always this nagging, insistent voice telling me to back away. It's fight or flight and I choose flight every time. And I know it hurts you and it hurts me so much. More than you'll ever know."

"And yet you still do it, over and over again and I fall for it every damn time," Shaggy sighed wearily. "We can't keep doing this, I can't keep doing this, it's going to rip us all apart if we continue this cycle."

"I know..." Velma nodded rabidly, "I want to use the time while we're alone on this flight to get everything out in the open..." Her eyes narrowed and she scowled as she clocked the particularly persistent young eavesdropper in the aisle opposite, leaning forward in her seat, her hand resting on her chin drinking in every last word of Velma and Shaggy's passionate discussion. All she was missing was the obligatory popcorn.

The girl didn't even have the decency to turn away when Velma's eyes blazed furiously in her direction. When she still didn't take the hint, Velma scowled across the aisle at her.

"Hey! If you look at that screen in front of you, you'll find plenty of that drama you so obviously crave!" she yelled sharply.

Shaggy sank back in his seat in embarrassment but the girl finally responded. She uncrossed her legs and sat back, huffing loudly as she made a show of scrolling through the screen options all the while glaring at Velma. She then exaggeratedly snapped her headphones on and smirked as if to say 'happy now?' Unable to help herself, Velma gave the girl a sarcastic clap before turning to Shaggy once again. She took both his hands in hers now, holding them in a soft grip.

Shaggy shifted his body round slightly to block the view of the eavesdropper just in case she decided to try it again. They didn't have to worry about the third passenger in their row, a middle-aged man occupying the window seat. He already had his sleep mask on, curled up against the window, a layer of drool already visible on his lip.

She spoke quietly but passionately, "I could spend ages telling you how I never meant to hurt you but I know that is scant comfort to you. But I do want you to know this. Those months we spent together, just after forming Mystery Incorporated were easily the happiest I have ever known."

"Like, me too."

Velma beamed but knew Shaggy wanted...no deserved, further answers. She couldn't tell him her whole story, she knew she wasn't ready yet but she could scratch the surface.

"I know we're good together," she whispered, tracing the lines on his palm delicately.

He felt his head moving in closer to hers naturally, and knew he was falling under her spell again. He pulled back sharply.

"Don't Velma."

"I'm damaged Shaggy!" she breathed desperately. "I'm the most fucked-up girl you're ever likely to meet and you deserve so much better!"

To Shaggy's horror, she started quietly sobbing and he just didn't know what to say, instead he awkwardly placed a hand on her knee.

"Look Vel, you can't just throw something like that at me," he said quietly. "Either tell me what's really going on or like, don't say anything at all." He folded his arms looking straight at her, awaiting her response.

Velma gulped, it was now or never, she opened her mouth to speak...

Fred and Daphne – Philippines Airlines Flight to Hong Kong via Manila

Fred felt completely on edge as he waited for their flight number to be called. Daphne had barely spoken of Ethan since, but his fate was all that Fred could think of. He'd obviously Skyped him the afternoon before he was reported missing and he couldn't help but remember that abrupt way Ethan had left their conversation, could that have been related to what eventually happened?

Fred knew Ethan was an experienced and accomplished motorcyclist, so he privately doubted that there was any likelihood of this having being an accident.

He was, of course, also worried about Daphne. Far from seeming worried about Ethan, she had barely acknowledged it. In fact, Fred reflected, she was acting as if they were merely going to meet Ethan. Knowing she was about to spend the best part of ten hours in her own company, Fred knew he couldn't shatter this belief. She was curled up on his shoulder, looking peaceful for the time being.

Reacting to their sudden flight call, he gently nudged her awake and they slowly got to their feet. It was going to be so strange being in the same space at 30,000 feet but not actually together.

As they walked, he kept his arm around her shoulders, giving them a little squeeze. "Are you sure you're going to be OK? I could ask if they had any last minute cancellations..."

"Freddy," Daphne smiled tiredly. "It's fine, I'm on the same plane as you just a few rows further back. If I really need you then I will come find you, I promise. Honestly with ten hours ahead of us, I really am just planning on sleeping," she exclaimed, clutching her travel pillow tightly. "I suggest you do the same. Look they're boarding your section now, go!"

Fred pulled her towards him for one final deep kiss, before grabbing his bag reluctantly and walking to the already growing line. He gave one final wave, after handing his passport and documents over and then he was in the cattle line without her, heading for the plane.

Having quickly been directed to his seat, he was pleased to sink into the window seat, and smiled politely at the immaculately turned out elderly lady that soon sat down next to him.

"That your girl back there?" she asked with a smile, having obviously seen himself and Daphne in the departure lounge.

"Uh yeah," he smiled sheepishly, realising how embarrassing it must seem to have such a pronounced separating, when she was still boarding the same flight. "We had to get real last minute tickets for this flight, so we had to separate."

"Aw sonny," she said kindly, "if it wasn't for my arthritis and needing all this lovely extra legroom in this seat, I would have swapped with your sweetheart."

Fred felt immediately mortified."Oh god no, I would never have expected you, or anyone to do anything like that! We're absolutely fine ma'am."

The lady scolded him straight away. "Young man! I may be 85, and your manners are absolutely exemplary but please never call me ma'am. It makes my every last sinew twitch. Please, do call me Dorothy."

He smiled warmly as she continued to stare at him, but on the inside he was already squirming uncomfortably. Dorothy then proceeded to turn mere 'uncomfortable' up by about a 100 notches.

"Such a handsome boy," she cooed, "your girl is very lucky. You know, you remind me so much of my Bobby when we were courting," Dorothy said wistfully, her eyes misting over, as she reminisced over a lost love.

The plane lurched a little then, and she looked more than a little alarmed as they taxied for take-off. "Would you mind ever so much, doing a silly old lady a little favour sonny and hold my hand while we take-off?" Her eyes were now so wide-eyed and frightened, that Fred had no hesitation in saying yes.

"Sure, and please call me Fred," he winked, reaching across the arm rest and very gently and carefully; clasping her frail, wrinkled hand in his.

"Thank you Fred," she replied gratefully, holding onto his hand with a bone clenching grip for the entire time it took to reach altitude. Only when the seat belt release sign came on, did she let go, and she patted his hand fondly. "Such a lovely boy."

"It was my pleasure ma...erm, Dorothy," Fred replied, smiling as he thought about how amused Daphne would be, when he told her the story later.

"Gets me every time," she commented. "Lord knows I've travelled on enough planes over the years. I'm okay once we're up. Going to see my daughter in Hong Kong."

"We're going to visit...an er..." he felt his stomach clench tightly, "an old friend."

"That's nice dear, don't worry I won't keep you up nattering away, you look pretty tired, why don't you take a nap?"

Fred had hardly slept at all the night before and he doubted if he would be able to sleep now but with ten hours to pass, he was definitely going to try. He settled himself as comfortably as he could into his seat and tried to put all of his worries out of his mind. The gentle lulling of the plane and the general quietness of the cabin as most passengers also opted for sleeping meant he was quickly successful. His sleep was far from restful however.

He quickly found himself in a dream-like state that didn't seem to make much sense at all until finally some of the others came into view and he realised he was about to replay a nightmare he had had a couple of times recently about one of their most significant and terrifying European cases.

The gang were in Venice, hot on the trail of some sinister masked and caped gondolier that was after some ancient treasure in the form of a set of special amulets. Posing as American art students, the gang were in a gallery together observing the last remaining amulet. It really was a beauty of a stone, bejewelled on a golden medallion, it shimmered and sparkled effortlessly.

One of the older students, Mario, who was a bit of a sleaze and had already made something of a drunken pass at Daphne at a party last night, took the amulet from the plinth, insisting that Daphne should wear it. Naturally, it looked amazing on her and she enjoyed wearing it for a few minutes. As she was preparing to take it off however, that was when Fred's personal recurring nightmare began in earnest.

The lights went out, plunging the huge room into darkness, and suddenly one of the guests screamed that 'it was the Ghostly Gondolier' and a panicked stampede to get out ensued. In the darkness and hysteria, the gang were quickly separated, and Fred's heart fell into his stomach when he couldn't find Daphne at all.

Usually the nightmare then continued solely from Fred's point of view, whereby he had found himself standing outside the Gallery with Shaggy and Scooby, and with both the girls still missing.

This time however, his fingers twitched in his sleep when he realised he was about to become an observer to the events that he had never personally witnessed, but had only been told about by Daphne later.

A panicked Daphne ran out of the room alone and it was clear she had been deliberately targeted by the Ghostly Gondolier, which made sense as she was still wearing the amulet he was supposedly after.

Trapped within his own nightmare, Fred could only watch helplessly as she ran up and down empty corridors, hopelessly lost and calling out for the gang. Eventually, she was cornered in an alley out the back by the Gondolier and in sheer desperation she had unclasped the amulet from her neck and offered it straight to him. Fred's hands clenched into fists in his sleep, he knew what happened next.

The masked menace said nothing at first, only grinning at her sinisterly and this was when things took the darkest turn that the gang had faced in their mystery solving since Devon. Pulling at his hood, he allowed it to fall down and removed the black mask, instantly unmasking himself as he stepped into a pool of light.

"Now, Daphne my dear," the newly revealed Mario mocked her, as she reacted in terror. "Why would I want to do that, when the amulet is not all that I want here?"

His wicked intention now clear, Daphne screamed and attempted to make a break for it past him. Quick as a flash, he grabbed her, pulling her towards him, a gloved hand firmly clamping over her mouth to silence her screams. He dragged her out of the alley, re-fastening his hood and this is when the nightmare shifted back to the real-life point of view of Fred, an instant replay of the most horrifying passage of minutes or maybe it was even seconds, that they had experienced, again since Devon.

As he and Shaggy stood frantic outside the gallery waiting for the girls, Velma finally re-emerged, stumbling from the art gallery. With every passing minute, Fred's fears for Daphne had grown; there was no sign of her coming from within the gallery. They raced around the back instead and that's when Fred witnessed the stomach churning scene he had replayed more times then he cared to remember. As they reached the back of the building, they were met with the horrifying sight of Daphne trapped in the arms of the sinister Gondolier.

Fred had broken into a sprint the second he saw them, bursting every blood vessel he possessed as he desperately tried to stop his girlfriend from being violently kidnapped by who they later discovered was far from 'just a thief'. They also didn't know it was him at this stage, but Mario grinned sadistically at him, knowing Fred was just too far away. Smashing his way into a nearby car with his elbow, Mario popped the trunk in seconds and threw Daphne inside, her blood curdling scream the last thing that echoed in Fred's ears as she disappeared from his sight and the lid slammed shut.

He was just a few feet away now but Mario jumped into the driver's seat and peeled away, with Fred agonisingly just mere centimetres away from reaching that trunk.

He was so close.

He almost saved her.

But he didn't.

He carried on running, foolishly trying to reach the accelerating car but with a howl of anguish he had to admit defeat when the distance grew into a vast chasm. Daphne was gone.

This part of the nightmare, of being so close to saving her but ultimately failing had been the recurring part. The details of the time they were without her however, they didn't need replaying in the form of a nightmare, those were imprinted on his brain forever...

Six hours.

Six long torturous hours.

That's how long Mario had Daphne. It could have been six years, every second she was gone felt like an eternity to Fred.

After he had finally given up the ghost chasing the car futilely, they all returned back to the Gallery to find a scene of chaos unravelling. The police had eventually arrived, too late to save Daphne, and so Fred had marched right up to them to tell them not only had the 'Ghostly Gondolier' stolen the last amulet but he had also taken an American girl hostage.

It was obvious who the culprit was, he was conspicuously absent too.

Once Fred had got over the police's laughable and ludicrous theory that poor Mario must also have been taken hostage too, he realised very quickly they would be of no help.

Driven by an urgency he had never felt before, Fred led the gang as they tore into their investigation. They all knew every second counted. It wasn't until they spoke to Mario's old room-mate Antonio, that they realised the true extent of the danger Daphne was really in.

Antonio, very obviously, had no time for his previously good friend Mario. With trepidation building, Fred had wasted no time asking why.

Mario Materazzi was the son of a wealthy family with links to Italian aristocracy. Charming and good looking, unsurprisingly he was one of the most popular students at their art school. Himself and Antonio had become fast friends but by the second term, things started to go wrong in a big way and Antonio found himself looking at Mario in a whole new light.

To Shaggy, Velma and Fred's utter revulsion, Antonio revealed Mario had soon been plagued by a string of allegations. Several girls had come forward to say they had been attacked or sexually assaulted by Mario at parties. To Antonio's intense shame however, both the university and the police were quick to dismiss the claims against Mario. His family were not ones to be trifled with it appeared, and investigations were either mysteriously dropped or if it did get further, the girls themselves had their evidence discredited or smeared by the police and the super lawyers hired to protect Mario. The girls drunkenness was a common excuse used to get the charges quashed. Mario Materazzi quickly became untouchable, Antonio had disgustedly explained.

Thinking they had heard the worst, Velma tried to excuse them all, seeing Fred turn a frightening shade of purple but Antonio had one final appalling twist to the tale. Whilst Mario's reputation with the ladies on campus had definitely taken a downturn, some still steadfastly refused to believe; 'the girls must have led him on' was a common depressing reply. Things were quiet for a while, Mario had a steady girlfriend, Antonio found a new room-mate; until the campus was rocked by one of the most brutal attacks that had ever taken place.

Feeling unwell, a young student had left her Christmas party at a nearby restaurant early, as she had returned to campus, she was attacked and dragged into the bushes by a masked man and raped. She was found an hour or so later, hysterical and bleeding. They never caught her attacker. After six months of incompetence and injustice, the poor girl killed herself. Antonio had long suspected it was Mario but he had been provided an alibi.

That revelation from Antonio had sent a dreadful wave of terror and revulsion convulsing through Fred and he fought to retain the contents of his stomach as Antonio's revelation hit home hard.

Mario wasn't just a jewel thief, he was almost certainly a dangerous predator and he was alone with Daphne.

Only Velma and Shaggy had kept Fred sane as every worst case scenario had immediately careened straight through him.

For Fred's sake, it was a good job that Daphne, although alone as his prisoner, had the best ally on her side, her intelligence. Recognising Mario was a dangerously unhinged individual, she played along to survive. He had driven them to his family's palatial and empty summer house, and after enduring a torrid time in the trunk of the car, she was immediately compliant, offering no resistance as he forced her into the house.

He kept her handcuffed in a bedroom while he researched exactly where in the canal system was this secret door the amulets supposedly opened. He chatted to her all the time like she was a willing participant in the conversation, cheerfully admitting he had worn the costume of the once feared Ghostly Gondolier while he searched the canals and recovered each amulet. He also admitted having 'problems' with women but didn't elaborate further. It was probably for the best that Daphne didn't find out the truth until Mario was finally behind bars.

When he kissed her for the first time, a knife pressed into her stomach, she had fought back tears and tried not to recoil as he forced his lips on hers. Realising struggling was futile and his temper was immense if she tried to repel or forsake him in anyway, she forced herself to show Mario she was on his side.

She chatted to him about the amulets, even helping him to figure out exactly where this door was, she made it seem that she was doing all this to help him, when really she was trying to aid her rescue. She had complete faith that Velma would have quickly worked out the puzzle of the amulets too. She was just going to have to bide her time. Mario confessed to her that despite coming from a reasonably financially comfortable family, the supposed paintings that had been hidden within the walls were beyond priceless.

So priceless in fact, that although he had kissed Daphne, proclaiming she would be his 'queen', when he actually sourced the paintings, to her immense relief, he merely left her locked in the car by the canal side.

To his overwhelming relief, Fred and the others found her handcuffed to the inner rear door.

Daphne assured him she was fine, urging Fred instead, to get to Mario before he used the gondola to escape with the paintings. He dutifully pursued him, catching up with him just in time. Rarely had Fred ever demonstrated violence when they trapped the villains, but with everything they now knew about Mario and his fears of what he could have done to Daphne, his rage had built up considerably.

Seeing Mario's smirking face, after he saw they had rescued Daphne, Fred smashed his fist into Mario's face, sending him reeling backwards before calmly walking away, as the police moved in to arrest him at long last.

Of course Fred never dreamed of the rescue, it wouldn't be much of a nightmare if he dreamed of the happiest moments. Something about this dream was different this time though and he tossed and turned restlessly in his seat now as he saw himself in those canal tunnels once again.

It was dark, even darker than he remembered from that night. He also seemed to be alone, and his dream self called out in confusion, "Shaggy? Velma, Scooby Doo, where are you?"

But there was no reply. His voice echoed eerily in the tunnel, bouncing back off the walls and he pushed his way further down the canal tunnel into the inky blackness. Everything in Fred's brain was screaming something was seriously wrong here but his dream self continued obliviously. This Fred seemed tougher, darker, and Fred jolted in his sleep when he realised the dream version of himself was carrying a gun. A rat scuttled out of the tunnel and Fred didn't flinch, moving quicker. Finally he saw a shadow and without hesitation, he called out Mario's name. Mario was bent over something he couldn't see, and he turned half in shadow, half in light, smirking when he saw who it was.

"Oh Fred, she told me, you would come, told me that you loved her. I wonder if she was thinking of you when she was under me in my bed?"

Fred's unconscious grip of the armrest was matched by the grip of Fred's hold on the gun.

"That's not true."

"Isn't it?" Mario grinned. "I could have done anything I wanted and there's nothing you could have done to stop me."

"You're a sick son of a bitch."

"So I've been told, your lovely Daphne, well she was the finest of them all, her touch, her taste, a true beauty."

"Stop it."

"So you're here to rescue her?" Mario taunted as he got up from the floor, "Her brave hero..."

Fred pointed the gun towards him, shuffling steps closer, as Mario moved away he could start to see something that was behind him, that his body had previously concealed.

As he continued to inch closer to Mario, Mario stepped further away, a strange look on his face now. "Fred Jones, the fearless leader of the gang. She screamed your name you know? She wouldn't stop saying your fucking name in fact. It's the reason why I had to..." he shrugged and moved into the light, allowing Fred to fully glimpse what was behind him.

At the water's edge was a dark shape, and it took him a long time for Fred to realise it was Mario's cape. It looked odd, like it was draped over something, something that was partially in the water. He frowned trying to take a closer look, discern something else in the blackness when something caught his eye that took his very breath away. A flash of red, in the water.

A face. Submerged in the water.

Mario laughed hollowly at Fred's despair, "you see you're...just...too...late."

Fred barged past him, the vision of Daphne floating face down in the water all too clear now.

"No, no, no, no!," he screamed, dropping to his knees as he scooped her lifeless body from the water, Mario's words echoing manically in his head.

"Too late Freddy, you were just too late..."

"No!" Fred screamed, "I wasn't too late! I saved her, you bastard!"

He awakened with a start, his arms gripping the armrests ferociously, beads of sweat clinging to his forehead. He took in gaspfuls of air and then looked around. He knew straight away he had at least screamed that last part out loud.

Every passenger in his row had turned to stare at him open-mouthed in alarm including Dorothy, he stared back at her, struggling to recover from the nightmare and despite her obvious fear at the young man's outburst, she reached a hand over and gently held his arm.

"Fred, are you OK?"

Fred had had nightmares before, plenty of them but never like that, it felt so real. He knew instinctively why he had dreamed of the Venice case again now. He had dreamed of it many times but as if the real life nightmare wasn't terrifying enough, his dream version had now added the most devastating twist. It exploited his worst fears. Losing Daphne. Worse, not being able to save Daphne. Heading to Hong Kong, potentially tussling with Devon again in Coolsville eventually, he knew losing her, this was what he feared the most.

He unbuckled his seat belt quickly, his fingers still moist with sweat. He smiled at Dorothy as he squeezed past her. "Sure, I just need a moment."

He scrambled down the aisle, passengers giving him more than a curious stare as he passed and he knew he must look a wreck but he had to see her. He had to know.

He mentally counted the rows in his head, trying to remember her precise seat number, closer, closer, closer.

There.

He breathed an enormous sigh of relief. She was there, she was safe. Curled up in her sleep, eye mask on, hair fanning over her face, chest rising and falling. Peaceful. Beautiful.

He stared at her with a contented smile on his face. He had saved her that night. He would keep her safe in Hong Kong.

"Ahem," an air hostess sighed, eyebrow cocked at him, and he quickly realised how it must look.

"Oh no, it's OK because she's my girlfriend, you see," he replied lamely.

"Sure thing. Sir could you take your seat please, we're experiencing a little turbulence."

On cue, the plane lurched sideways, knocking Fred and the girl off their feet. He staggered back down the aisle and into his seat, fastening his seat belt tightly.

Dorothy looked a little frightened and he grabbed her hand in re-assurance.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Everything is just fine," he replied, sounding more contented then he truly was.

To be continued