So I wrote this on a plane tonight, surprise surprise…

Flight attendant Caroline Forbes thought her working day was going to be dull until she meets an unusual passenger but soon realises there's more to him than she first thought.

Learning to Fly

I'm learning to fly but I ain't got wings, coming down is the hardest thing…

For the most part Caroline liked her job. Although being a flight attendant certainly had its pitfalls including; unpleasant air sickness mishaps, overbearing passengers with sometimes impossible demands and sleazy (not to mention married) pilots.

There were some advantages though including; heavily discounted travel, great accommodation and a way to ease her itchy feet. Yes, she'd travelled extensively across the globe after completing high school but Caroline knew that wouldn't pay the bills. The next best thing? Flying around the country for work. At least that way she'd get to see some new places and hopefully experience new things.

"Welcome to Delta Airlines flight DL7693, non stop service to Memphis, Tennessee," Caroline recited through the cabin intercom. Sometimes it was difficult to keep up with all the places she was at times so she had to be extra vigilant to remember her destination.

She knew this spiel from memory given she'd said it enough times. "Please make sure all your cabin luggage is stowed away, the larger item in the compartment above and the smaller under the seat in front of you."

It was at that point she noticed a blonde peeking curiously at her from first class. There was no denying he was gorgeous but it wasn't like Caroline hadn't come across guys just like him on numerous flights. She had to admit that none had lips in such a deep crimson though. It was at that point she faltered, realising she'd lost her place.

Bonnie grabbed her attention from outside the cockpit door and gestured to her waist. Caroline had to remember to thank her best friend for that little prompt later.

"Please make sure your seat belts are fastened low and tight, the attendants will now be coming around the cabin before take-off," she finished, noting a somewhat amused expression from her cute but distracting first class passenger as he clicked his seat belt into place as instructed.

"2A?" Katherine asked, nodding discreetly towards the cabin. "Trust me, I would have forgotten too if I got lost in those molten, brown eyes."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh please," she groaned. "If it weren't for Bonnie, who knows what would have happened to our passengers in an emergency without their seat belts?"

"Hilarious," Caroline growled in the brunette's direction before looking towards her saviour. "Thanks, Bon."

"My pleasure," she smiled. "Although my guess is on 3C." Caroline wouldn't admit it aloud, but the cute blonde was seated in row one, seat A to be exact.

"Did you ever think that maybe I just forgot…"

"Hell no," Katherine teased. "You're Caroline Forbes. So come on fess up, who was the gorgeous guy? Twenty bucks it was the gorgeous but brooding brunette in 2A."

"I'll raise you $50 for the cheeky brunette in 3C," Bonnie added.

"Are you ladies going to be doing any work today or should I consider this it?" Enzo barked, looking between them curiously.

He was their Cabin Manager and attempted to take his job seriously most of the time, even if it didn't always pan out that way. He told them it was their fault for being too much fun.

"Of course not, Enzo," Katherine purred. "You know more than anyone just how well we can multitask."

"$100 on the blonde in 4B," he offered, before making his way down the aisle to begin the obligatory safety presentation. Caroline just shook her head noticing the attractive girl seated there, most definitely his type but not hers.

The airplane took off smoothly and they were now at cruising altitude. Caroline was out of her seat immediately, offering refreshments to business class. She was trying to ignore the penetrating gaze of Mr 1A but it was difficult. Sure, she'd had guys flirt with her on flights but this one merely sat back not offering any lame conversation at all, in fact he'd been relatively quiet so far.

"Would you like a drink?" She enquired, finally gathering the nerve to speak to her passenger.

"Uh sure, thanks," he murmured in an unmistakable English accent. "Whiskey, neat." He didn't look at her when he spoke, just tapped both feet on the floor, his fingers on the arm rest drumming in exact time.

"Here you go," she said offering it to him. "Peanuts?"

"No, I'm fine," he smiled, albeit uneasily. "But thank you."

When he'd distracted her on the ground, Caroline had assumed he'd be trouble but his current demeanour wasn't expected at all. She walked away, tending to the other passengers. Not that it stopped her sending sneaky glances at him during the flight. The one thing she knew for sure was that he could fidget and for some reason she felt sorry for him.

"Don't worry about my brother, it's just normal," the blonde in 4B said almost reading her thoughts. "Can't sit still to save himself."

"And you're perfect princess?" The cheeky brunette from 3C Bonnie seemed to like chimed into the conversation.

"The same accusation could be directed at you, Kol," the brooder from 2A added to this already strange conversation.

Caroline was starting to feel like she was in the twilight zone. It was unusual to find travelling companions flying in different rows but these people seemed to know each other. In fact they fought like something resembling siblings. She busied herself, ignoring the curious glances of her friends as she did so. The one thing she tried to avoid was getting involved in personal arguments. The captain announced their descent soon after thankfully and Caroline tidied up quickly, not before sending a small smile in the blonde's direction.

The wheels connected with the runway, something Caroline was familiar with but she couldn't miss his steady glance on her as they taxied their way toward the airport. In fact he'd been staring ever since they descended through the clouds and headed towards their destination.

Most people would think it was extremely weird (and it was) but Caroline could tell he wasn't the best flyer and for some reason she wanted to help, even with the peanut gallery commenting on everything for whatever reason.

The Madison Hotel, Memphis - four hours later

Caroline had followed through with her usual post flight rituals, spending a good forty-five minutes in the bath and unpacking her clothes, even if it was only for one night. When she'd begun in this profession, it had been exciting and fun but Caroline had to admit it had become a little repetitive and tiring. All she wanted to do was stay in one place she loved with someone who liked it as much as her.

"Caroline?" Bonnie knocked on the door. She pulled the robe tighter around her waist and came into the bedroom.

"What's going on? Don't tell me Katherine wants another all night orgy." Caroline joked. As the words came out, she was faced at the front door of their suite with two familiar brunettes and an opinionated blonde regarding her curiously.

"Nothing like embarrassing a girl, roomie," Katherine chided, her now rosy cheeks a clear sign she'd been caught out by the serious brunette to the left.

"We need your help, Ms Forbes," the broody one implored, moving into the room. Caroline couldn't miss just how embarrassed her usually unembarrassed friend now looked by his presence.

"Suddenly, I feel like I should be more formally attired," she mumbled. "Or possibly in a superhero costume?"

"How about Wonder Woman?" The younger, cheeky one she knew as Kol joked.

"In your dreams," the blonde girl growled. "My brother has an extreme fear of flying and I've never seen him more relaxed than on your flight this afternoon."

"Well, that's good, I suppose," she bit out, still trying to come to terms with all these people in her suite half dressed. "What does that have to do with me exactly?"

"It's you," the serious one offered. "You calmed him down, unlike anyone else."

"And?"

"We need to make that the norm," the half distracted cheeky one offered between his glances towards Bonnie.

"But why?" She huffed, feeling like she was part of a weird TV experiment or something. "Surely he can make his own choices?"

"Not when it comes to flying."

"But yet you do this without his consent?" Caroline didn't know the guy past their interactions today, but for some reason she hated the fact that his family were interfering.

"He's going to be the CEO of British Airways in six months," the cheeky one offered. "It's his legacy but he doesn't fly well. As you can imagine we are trying to help him as best as we can."

Caroline was stuck for words momentarily, wondering if their comments were authentic. She took a deep breath before replying. "So what exactly do you want?"

"Any chance he could ride along with you for a little while longer?

TBC