They didn't meet in the best of circumstances...

...and they didn't continue in the best of conditions...

...but they stayed together.

Wasn't that enough?

Inspiration ß Random Musing While On Vacation

...xXx...

"These are, of course, merely precautions. We should arrive in Los Angeles around 8:30 PM PDT," she stated carefully into the microphone in English, eyes scanning the control board for any remaining issues. She turned to her co-pilot, raising a curious eyebrow. Her partner nodded. "Flight attendants please be seated for take-off." 

She turned the microphone off, eyes turned to the sight in front of her as the plane slowly took off, wheels leaving the ground for the air. She smiled softly, looking at her co-pilot. 

"Good job," she complimented genuinely in Mandarin, glad for her partner. When Zhang Xiuxiu had first joined the aviation service, she had been tense and highly volatile; she could just as easily crash the plane as land it safely. However, with her guidance and a few experiences - one of which included Xiuxiu's current beau, a KPOP star by the name of Kim Jaejoong - Xiuxiu was shaping into a fine pilot who could easily fly her own plane without guidance. 

"Thanks," Xiuxiu muttered, slightly pink. Her hands loosened from the wheel as the plane successfully took off and reached altitude. "So...are you going to...?"

Her partner let the question hang in the air. 

And she chuckled. 

"I think I can leave it to you for now," she stated, unbuckling and hitting the button to allow the plane's occupants to also move around. "Call me if anything goes awry." 

She put a hand on Xiuxiu's head gently than left, hearing the familiar complaint that she-was-not-some-child behind her. 

"Oh Captain Sooyeon," a familiar voice greeted her. She turned to the speaker, smiling softly. 

"Ally," she greeted, tilting her head at the Australian stewardess. "How have the passengers been doing?"

"A few look a bit airsick but luckily no major incidents," Ally reported with relief; she knew the difficulties of first time travelers. The two shared a moment of companionable silence, smiling lightly as they looked out the window into the lights of the city below.

The newer stewardesses had been panicking all morning - and afternoon - and Ally had had little time to herself to just relax before the flight. She was a responsible and relaxed stewardess but she had problems comforting people, especially first time flyers; she was forbidden to deal with them after an incident involving another idol of some sort - Lee Kikwang she faintly recalled - whom she had quite simply advised to " it up." Thus, dealing with the newer stewardesses - first time flyers in another right - had drained her and she was content with the peace and silence. 

The two female bid each other farewell - one heading towards the front to recheck the snack cart as well as answer any calls while the other to the back to greet the newer stewardesses once more. 

Sooyeon headed down the aisle, cooing at a young baby and sternly warning a rowdy group of teens in the back. She was glad to see nothing out of order and was almost through the whole plane when a hand caught on her sleeve. She glanced back, blinking slowly at the youngest and newest stewardess - Park Miya. She was friendly and a good moodmaker but it was also her first flight and the terrified expression on her face could only mean trouble. 

"One of the passengers," the young stewardess breathed quickly, the English words slurring together. "Acrophobia."

That was all it took for Sooyeon to start moving.

"First class," Miya called after her and it wasn't long before she entered the curtain that divided the classes. She spotted boys crowding around another and without meaning to, her posture straightened, voice louder and commanding. 

"Back off," she ordered, her hands already pushing the boys back. "Give him room."

She crouched down in front of the boy, her eyes scanning him. Dilated pupils. Quick breathing. A paper bag in hand. Acrophobia. Panic attack. Hyperventilation. 

First, she tore the paper bag out of his hands and threw it off to the side, ignoring the loud curse from one of the boys. She began in Korean, juding by the nationalities of the males around him and his own outward genetic makeup.

"Look at me," she commanded, not seeing a response. Her left hand moved to his face, guiding him. "Look at me."

This time, she saw the recognition in his eyes and she continued, mind rapidly moving through the many lessons and incidents she had experienced while grateful that she had nailed the right language. 

"Now I need you to listen to my breathing and match yours to mine," she ordered, her right hand pulling his to rest on her stomach below her chest. She exaggerated the movements of her breathing, her left hand lowering to rest on his pulse. 

"You're doing fine," she encouraged as his pulse began to slow. "Come on. Keep going." 

She waited until his breathing matched hers before withdrawing his hand from her abdomen slowly. She smiled, relieved when he returned a shaky grin back. She turned to the side, looking to the boy who had cursed. 

"What's his name?" she whispered sharply. 

"Ahn Daniel," the boy answered quickly, moving further out of the way. The boys watched the female with amazement as slowly, their color of their companion's face returned. 

"You did well Daniel. I'm Sooyeon," she introduced steadily, making sure his eyes remained on hers. "Now I want you to answer me honestly. Are you scared of heights?" 

Wordlessly, the male nodded. Their hands remained interlocked. 

"Would you be ok if I left you for a bit right now?" she asked, eyes boring into his. His eyes darted around his friends then back to her and slowly, hesitantly, he nodded once more. She beamed at him and he relaxed slightly. 

She stood, looking to his companions. 

"Someone please switch seats with him so that he is no longer in the window seat," she requested before heading to the back of the plane. Miya was, as she expected, crouching in the very back, out of sight of the passengers. Beside her, also as she expected, was Kim Sadaf, a stewardess who had been in the same graduating year as Miya and was known for her sass and sarcasm but honesty and loyalty. 

"You did good Miya," she stated in English, crouching beside the young stewardess. 

"No I didn't," Miya complained, sniffling. "That was my first flight as a stewardess and my first incident and I panicked. I didn't know what to do." 

"So you did what you could," Sooyeon stated, placing a comforting hand on the female's shoulder. "When I first started out, three people ended up airsick and two passed out completely..all in a row together. I panicked so I got the Head Stewardess back then and I was so scared that my hesitation might kill one of them. Kind of like how you did today. So I'll end the conversation like how she did mine. 'The time you took to get me was both a waste and a benefit. If you hadn't known what to do and you tried, what if you had failed? If you had known what to do and you didn't, where was the passion as a stewardess? If you had panicked and done nothing at all, then I would have immediately marked you down, personally trained you, and made you wish you had known what to do. But you didn't know what to do so you found someone who did. That's why it wasn't a waste of time. It was a benefit. Because you learned your weakness and you learned another's strength.' " 

"Exactly," Sadaf agreed, giving Sooyeon an appraising look - one that admitted respect but not full friendship. 

"Watch over her Sadaf," Sooyeon advised before standing. "I have to check back with the pilot." 

She put a comforting hand on Miya's head then Sadaf's then walked out, amused by the shout of "I'm not a freaking child!" that followed. She paused, a body obstructing her path; she looked up, face barely registering in her mind before arms wrapped around her and pushed her back, smoothly sliding into a bathroom stall and the lock clicking behind him. 

"Daniel," she called in Korean with both confusion and panic. "What are you doing?" 

"I'm-I'm sorry," he mumbled, words stuck together as he held her, crushing her smaller form against his. She prepared a ready hand to pry the boy off - she had not learned judo for nothing - when she finally noticed his shaking. Slowly, one of her hands raised to rest comfortingly against his neck while the other rubbed soothing circles on his back. 

He wasn't attacking her; he was clinging to her as a lifeline. 

"I'm-I'm sorry," he repeated, his voice cracking. "I thought-I thought I'd be ok but after you left, the ground started spinning again a-a-and I just went back and-"

"It's ok," Sooyeon comforted, moving slightly to alleviate the insistent push of the sink counter on her back. "Let's go back to your seat. Your friends must be worried about you." 

"Ju-Just a bit more. Please," he begged, his voice small. She reassessed her situation, the hands around her back - panicked but somehow still polite - the counter on her back, the sharp breaths on her neck. 

She aquiesced, letting silence hang in the air for a few more seconds. 

"Ok," he finally stated, pulling away from her. "I'm ready...I think." 

"I'll go with you," she promised, reaching behind him and unlocking the door. "Are you ready for the jeering?"

"Jeering?" he repeated, confused. 

"Jeering," she confirmed. "A girl and boy are walking out of a small bathroom in the back of an airplane. Alone. If someone notices, what is their first thought?" 

He paled. 

"I-I can't do that either," he stuttered, locking the door once more. "My groupmates-"

"Famous?" she asked innocently, tilting her head to the side. 

"I guess?" he stated hesitantly, obviously afraid to confirm his own popularity in fear of emanating pride. 

"Then here," she decided, pushing her hat into his hands. "Pull this over your head, look down, and trust in me...and don't ever mention a word of what I'm about to do with anyone again." 

He nodded wordlessly and followed her instructions. She untied her bun, letting the locks flow down her shoulders, and bit her bottom lip until it bled. He watched her curiously, and literally blanched at her next request.

"I can't do that," he hissed, feeling guilty at their predicament; stupid acrophobia.

"Bite me," she stated commandingly once more, and gulping nervously, he pushed back the hair behind her ear nervously and leaned down, placing a tentative bite on her neck. He released her immediately, turning red for reasons he didn't quite understand. She glanced in the mirror, mumbling "Good enough." before looking up at him once more. There was a silent agreement and her hand reached behind him.

The lock clicked open and she pulled him out, their hands interlocked. 

"Had to occupy the bathroom for that?" an old male voice questioned. Daniel kept his eyes firmly on the heels of Sooyeon's feet, hand tightening around hers. 

"I have no idea what you mean," Sooyeon declared, her voice strangely breathless. He was pulled further down the aisle before he could think more on the subject and before long, he entered the cabin with his groupmates. 

"On a date?" the boy from before teased. Sooyeon took the hat off of Daniel's head, adjusting her hat onto her own head without further fuss.

"Word of this gets out, your group becomes plastered all over the news from gossip like Baekhyun and Taeyeon," she reminded, raising an eyebrow. Daniel stood behind her, hand holding onto the cloth of her jacket. "Want that?" 

"No," the boy mumbled, averting his eyes. 

"I don't want that either. Nothing happened and I'll attest to that as many times as the press asks if they catch wind of this," she promised firmly. She turned to Daniel, his hand releasing her jacket. 

"Answer me honestly. Do you think that you'll be ok without me?" she asked seriously, eyes meeting his. Slowly, he shook his head. 

"Manager," she called, unsurprised when a male in sweats and matching jacket turned his head instinctively to meet hers. "I'm taking him."

"You can't take him," the manager protested, standing up. 

"I take him or he doesn't get to the ground safely," Sooyeon stated firmly. The male stared down at her, recalling the incident only moments ago and finally nodded. 

"One safe piece?" he asked, glancing at Daniel. 

"One safe piece," she confirmed, turning and pulling Daniel behind her. 

-oOo-

"Hey Sooyeon," Xiuxiu called, facing forward. Her Mandarin switched to Cantonese out of her exuberance. "Do you see these lights? I can't get over them no matter how many times I fly." 

"We have company," Sooyeon warned in Korean, catching the attention of her co-pilot. Xiuxiu glanced back, glowering at the male. 

"Who's he? Boytoy I didn't know about?" she grumbled, frowning. 

"Acrophobia to cure," Sooyeon stated simply, earning a Chinese curse from the female. 

"Don't let him push anything," Xiuxiu warned, sighing. She continued speaking in Mandarin, earlier glee dampened. "And I wish you'd stop taking in the problems of the passengers like your own." 

"I told you why already," Sooyeon reminded gently but firmly, signaling the conversation had ended. She turned to Daniel, switching back to Korean. "Look. We came just in time. Now Daniel, look outside the window." 

He hesitated, eyes glued firmly to her neck. 

"I don't know," he admitted. 

"Trust me," she requested gently. Slowly, his eyes moved, tracing upwards from her neck to the window outside. His hand tightened around hers involuntarily and he calmed his own heart, matching his breathing to hers as best as he could alone. 

"Do you see?" she asked. He blinked, looking outside and despite the height, his acrophobia, and the glowering female pilot only a few feet away from him, he could see. 

The lights of the city and the bright moon up in the sky was picture perfect and his breath caught. There was life underneath his very feet, running and working for their keep. The stars up in the sky were bright, unhindered by the light pollution below. 

His eyes turned to her, amazed and his breath caught for a different reason as she beamed at him, her hair catching in the light just so and her eyes glittering brightly, pleased and content of all things. 

"Yeah," he breathed, feeling breathless for a reason other than his acrophobia. "I see."