Chapter 10: Ironic Coincidence

Cooper's pregnancy soon became common knowledge to the camp. Someone said they overheard her screaming at Jack in the rain; the rumours spread, and once asked Cooper didn't see the point in lying and confirmed what they were all thinking anyway.

The truth coming out definitely changed the way the campsite saw her; and not for the better. Now she was tainted, pregnant women died on this island, so they avoided her as though whatever ailment that she had coursing through her veins might be contagious; even the men. Other than Jack; that is, who now that he knew the truth; was quite concerned about Cooper's health.

Three mornings after her little outburst in the rain; Cooper found herself at Jack's tent getting a check-up. It seemed somewhat rustic considering she was sitting in the sand and he took her pulse at her wrists with his fingertips, but she didn't mind. She also knew Jack was just using the 'check-up' as an opportunity to question her about her pregnancy, Juliet, their experiments. She didn't give much away; there wasn't a point to it really, was there? He couldn't do anything, the only person who had a shot at helping her was Juliet; and she told Jack as much. He was a spinal surgeon after all; Juliet was the fertility specialist.

So when Jack began to ask her about her symptoms, Cooper dodged the question and decided to reveal something else; something she knew he would find just as – if not more – interesting than her condition. "Would you like to hear something odd?" She asked as Jack now took her pulse at her neck to double check.

"Sure."

"I was in a plane crash, too."

Jack dropped his hands and almost smiled at her. "Yeah?"

Cooper nodded; the irony of it wasn't lost on her, either. "Much smaller scale than yours, of course. Ours didn't even make the news."

"Where was it?"

"Vietnam." Cooper said, a little stunned at how quickly all of those feelings came rushing back to her. And suddenly these feelings reminded her of why she had only recounted this story a handful of times; and not once since the month she'd met Juliet. "I was in small aircraft, just the four of us, we had food supplies for this camp I was setting up to help with the Dengue epidemic... and it just..." Cooper felt her eyes mist over. "The first thing I remember... was how loud it was..."

xxx
8 years ago
Southern Vietnam

Cooper loved flying, especially in such a weightless aircraft. It made her feel lighter than air. The fact that Vietnam provided a simply beautiful view from her window was just a bonus.

"Coop?"

The view was misleading; anyone flying overhead could be forgiven for thinking what appeared to be a serene expanse of lakes, waterfalls and lush forests were no more than beautiful landmarks between cities. Cooper, and everyone on her plane, were there because the truth was the exact opposite. It was in the centre of one of these forests that they had helped the Red Cross set up a treatment camp for a Dengue outbreak. It had been the leading cause of death in children up to the age of fourteen since the late sixties, but this year had brought a sudden rise in Dengue cases, hence why Cooper and her team were flying to the camp with supplies.

The crew consisted their pilot, Alan, who looked like a hard-ass but was really a giant sweetheart, he even called his wife before every flight he piloted to tell her that he loved her. Next was the ringleader of the whole camp, Jolie Evans, she was the doctor who had selected Cooper for this voyage, she had been a guest lecturer at the university whom Cooper formed a bond with over their mutual endeavours to help the 'forgotten children' of the third world; and finally Damon, a trained ID (infectious disease) Specialist who had been watching this outbreak for the past two years, and also happened to be Cooper's boyfriend.

"Coop!" Damon called again; louder this time since she hadn't acknowledged his first call.

"Yes, I hear you," Cooper smirked; still gazing at the view outside. "What is it?" She turned to her boyfriend, smiling when she saw the vague flicker of annoyance that always crossed his eyes when she didn't listen.

"You double checked the vaccines, right?"

"Yes, dear," Cooper said patronizingly. A year into their relationship and he still asked her questions she knew he knew the answer to. "Twice before we boarded, and then twice before we took off," She rubbed his knee gently with her palm. "We have everything; we'll be fine."

Damon gave her a smile and then put his larger hand over her fingers and squeezed. He wasn't as calm with the flying as Cooper was; he much preferred driving himself across Vietnam in a jeep or even a bike; but it was a seven hour flight from the base where they loaded the plane to the camp. The patients' needs for the medicine, water, and basic food won out over his anxiety of being in the air. It was that attitude that had attracted Cooper. That, and his charming, almost regal good looks. His sandy blonde hair was in a ragged mess on top of his head, as always, but that and his pale blue eyes and laugh lines around his thin lips made him just that more adorable to Cooper.

"Landing in an hour," Alan spoke over his shoulder as he easily steered them around a mountain in the distance. "Should we wake up my co-pilot?"

Jolie was as used to flying as Cooper; and had taken the opportunity to get some sleep the moment they took off from the base. She elected the co-pilots seat so they could load more cargo into the rear of the plane.

"Let her sleep," Cooper told Alan with a smirk. "She's not good conversation right after she wakes up."

Alan chuckled and kept his eyes on the sky. "Whatever you say, ma'am."

The plane shuddered slightly as they curved around the mountain, and Damon's hand tightened around Cooper's fingers. "Don't worry, love," She said, cuddling his arm to her side and resting her head on his firm shoulder. "We'll be landing soon."

"The sooner the better." He said, kissing her gently on her forehead.

The plane shuddered again, so much so that Cooper's head slid off Damon's shoulder. "Oh," She gasped a little as she shifted forwards in her chair. "Jeez, Alan, a little warning next time would be nice."

"Sorry," Alan said, though his voice sounded like something more than just apologetic.

"Alan?" Cooper leaned forwards and caught the look of worry clear in Alan's navy blue eyes. "What's wrong?"

"We'll straighten out," Alan said, a wobbly smile trembling at his lips. "Just sit back."

"What's g-going on?" Josie stammered out of her nap when the plane reared forwards, sending her head into the side of the door.

"Please, sit tight!" Alan snapped, one of the rare occasions where he actually did raise his voice.

"What?" Josie turned her weary eyes back to Damon and Cooper; she saw the same puzzled expression she knew was mirrored on her own face.

The plane engine stuttered, puffed, clicked... and then nothing.

"Oh, hell," Alan mumbled under his breath, flicking numerous switches on the control panel in front of him. "Oh, hell, hell, hell! The engine's dead!"

"What? What the hell does that mean?" Damon still gripped Cooper's hand as he stared worriedly out the window as they quietly glided through the air. The silence was terrifying.

"Alan?" Cooper's heart was thumping into her throat; but she managed to yell through it. "Talk to us!"

"We're going to crash." Alan said blatantly.

"Crash?" Josie repeated in horror. "What? Ca-can't you land us somewhere, like in water?"

"Closest lake is twenty minutes ahead," Alan said through gritted teeth as he sent out a mayday call on his radio. "We won't make it."

Cooper had a perhaps delirious thought that they might just coast down and land safely on the treetops, before her rational mind reminded her that as they descended, the plane would pick up speed. They were like a bullet firing into the ground.

"What do we do?" Damon asked.

"Hold on." Alan said with a useless shrug, ripping off his headset to give full control to the task ahead of him.

Terrified, Cooper turned to Damon and suddenly realized he looked calmer than she felt. He was the one who hated planes, and she was the one panicking. "Damon!" Cooper grabbed for his face and stroked his cheeks; as if trying to memorize him, stamp him into her fingertips.

"Cooper, everything will be okay." He smiled and tucked a strand of her brown hair behind her ear, cupping her cheek in his palm as he did so. "I love you," He said, kissing her fast. "I love you so much."

"No," Cooper felt tears running down her cheeks as the plane dipped sharply forwards. "Don't say goodbye." She flung her arms around him. "We'll both get through this." She whispered shakily into his ear; hearing the wind pick up around them as they sped up.

"Cooper; tell me you love me," Damon said, running his hand across the crown of her head. He could already see the treetops out the window. "Please."

Pulling her arms from him, Cooper made herself smile. "I love you, Damon. I love you. I always have." This time, his kiss was softer, gentler, and full of love.

It was the last thing Cooper remembered before the plane nosedived through the roof of forest trees and rocketed into the ground.

The plane didn't stop there. It rolled; at least twice, and with the speed they lost the wings, the propeller and every window smashed upon impact.

The sound was deafening. Loud didn't cover it. It seemed as though every pipe, every wire and everything breakable in the aircraft shattered at the same time and then exploded. The bang rang through the forest like a deep, cruel bell tolling on the hour.

Cooper woke up on the ground, face in the mud. She first thought she was underwater, with the cool liquid against her cheek, but she realized right away that her legs were moving and she was on solid ground.

The smell of fuel and burning wood was the first thing Cooper noticed when she breathed in. She could feel aches and pains all over her body; her bones felt broken, but she could still move them. There was something warm trickling down the side of her head near her ear; blood. Her hands were dirty from the mud; but she was alive.

Her plane had crashed... and she was alive.

The thoughts came into her mind slowly as her body tried to get back into working order. Her ears were ringing, just like when she'd been to a concert when she was younger and had been standing ear to ear with the speaker. Even without one of her senses, Cooper could feel the flames from the aircraft. Turning to her right; she saw the back of the machine; the part with all the important cargo – vaccines, water, food, bandages... all gone, all in cinders. For a moment Cooper tried to calculate the deaths that would stem from not getting these supplies. Then she saw her seat; melted into the frame of the craft itself; and remembered Damon.

"DAMON!" She cried out; though even in her own ears her voice was muffled, like she had headphones on.

Legs wobbling as she took daring steps closer to the wreck; Cooper looked for Alan and Jolie, as well as her boyfriend. She saw no one; and at first that was a relief. She had seen the aftermath of numerous bomb blasts; and was unfortunately too familiar with the sight of burning corpses. But quickly; the fact that she could see no one at all made her anxious.

"Someone?" She yelled, tapering herself around the plane wreck with enough distance that she could feel the heat from the flames, but not enough to burn her. A hand grab her elbow and spun her around, her scream caught in her throat as she spied Jolie in front of her.

"There you are!" Jolie said; already inspecting the wounds on Cooper's head. "I saw you flung from the plane; you went straight out the window..."

Cooper could hear some of what she was saying; the rest was as muffled as her own voice. "Damon," She grabbed Jolie's wrist and stopped her fussing over her skin. "Damon! Alan! Where are they?"

Jolie's face was stricken; horrified with obvious grief. "I'm sorry, Cooper," She said.

Even though Cooper couldn't hear the apology; she recognized the shape Jolie's lips made as she spoke. Over her friend's shoulder; she could see two bodies. One, pulling himself into a sitting position while holding a hand over his bleeding ear. Alan. The other... unmoving.

"No..." Cooper stumbled towards the body of her boyfriend. He seemed to have received the worst injuries of them all. His legs were burnt to a crisp; the smell of singed flesh stung Cooper's nostrils as she fell to her knees by his shoulders. There was a hole in the side of his body, and nearby a piece of shrapnel that Jolie had no doubt removed when trying to save his life. But Cooper could tell quite easily, that Damon had died the moment the plane had crashed. He hadn't had a chance, and Jolie had probably risked her life just to retrieve his body.

Tears washing the dirt and blood down her face in tiny trickles, Cooper leant over Damon's body and kissed his forehead in one of the few places that seemed to still have skin intact. She could still see his laugh lines across his cheeks, but his beautiful eyes were closed. She loved his eyes; and he hers, and it was a running joke between them that their children would have the most beautiful eyes anyone had ever seen.

But that was a future that was gone; as dead as the figure in Cooper's arms.

xxx