Chapter Fifty-Six

This like a bad nightmare dipped in a side of unbelievable. He didn't know what to do next except hold her as they powered down the runway and nosed into the air. A quick breath of relief escaped but this was far from over, they were far from being safe. He couldn't stay in an airplane all his life, he could try but he was pretty sure he'd end up hauling himself out of it from insanity in the end. Mackenzie had gone quiet and he didn’t like it.

It should have been a bad dream or a bad take in a blockbuster movie. This stuff didn’t happen in real life, so he used to think. Now wasn’t the time to be hosting his pity party. As completely terrifying as what they just went through MacKenzie had not only put her life on the line but her co-worker, her Richie. That’s what David was to her and he was in this situation because of him.

She wriggled under him, dug into her pocket and pulled out her blackberry. “Dammit.”

“No signal? I don’t think you’re meant to use them on here anyway Kenz.”

“I have to find out if he’s ok.” She tugged away and stood up as the plane levelled out and paced up the small cabin holding her phone up.

Jon slid out of his chair and ducked his head into the cockpit. “Will we get a cell signal up here?”

The captain nodded. “Possibly but it could be skectchy.”

“Ok thanks and sorry about the drama.” He'd be lucky not to get away without being sued for personal trauma, but he figured since David arranged the plane they knew the risks taking on the job.

He didn’t look at Jon just straight ahead into blue and white skies. “No problem. Can’t say I want that to happen ever again but least they didn’t hit the plane. Is your lady friend ok?”

“She will be. Her partner was shot. That’s why we need the phone - we don’t know if he made it.” He didn't want to even think of that possibility he felt guilty enough when Mackenzie got hurt because of all this bullshit but someone she was close to get killed because of it? Unthinkable. He rubbed his chest.

“Good luck. We should be there earlier than expected. A nice tail wind coming through.”

He thanked the pilot and returned to the cabin where Mackenzie was crouched into a chair tapping furiously into her Blackberry.

“I’ve got a data connection. I can email one of the guys down at central they should be able to find out something…Nope now it’s gone.” She tucked her hair behind her ears and slammed the blackberry against the arm rest. “Piece of crap!”

“Hey hey.” He knelt in front of her and took her hands. "We'll be there soon. Captain says that we'll be there earlier than expected."

She met his gaze and her eyes were filled with worry. "I can't lose him Jon. I just can't." Her eyes filled with tears. "It should have been me."

“Don’t be silly MacKenzie, this isn’t your fault.”

She shook her head. “It is, he would have never had to have stepped in if I hadn’t fucked this up by falling in love you with. Say what you want but that is the truth.” She turned her head and gazed out the window. “He was just the innocent party.”

He jerked her and her eyes went wide. "Stop saying that dammit. It shouldn't have been anyone and certainly not you." His thumbs brushed her wrists. "I did not come this far to lose you now."

She smiled. "We’re similar. I hate myself for losing so much control over this and you hate losing your control of your own life.”

He squeezed her hands. “That’s why understand each other. We demand the best and sometimes…” He took a deep breath. “Sometimes we have to accept that we can’t always have that.”

A lone tear slid down her cheek. “When the hell did you get so wise?”

He grinned. “I have my moments.” He rose to his feet and lifted her up out of the chair, sat down in it and pulled her onto his knee. She curled in and rested her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her and pressed his nose into her hair. "It’s not your fault Kenz, it’s just not." He paused and sighed. "Do you think they got them?"

She shook her head. "I don't know anymore." She whispered it like a confession. "I don't even know how they got onto the runway. That's not supposed to happen--I just don't get it." She blew out a breath as her fingers clawed at his chest bunching the cotton under her palms. "I feel like I failed in so many ways."

He felt for her. She hadn’t failed but she wouldn’t be MacKenzie if she didn’t think so. He didn't even know at this point how the hell anyone could be successful against these thugs unless they played dirty. MacKenzie didn't play dirty and neither did he. He squeezed his arms tighter. "No you didn't Kenzie. And hey, I'm here aren't I? I'm charge and I'm here in one piece?" He forced a small smile as she looked up at him.

"Barely."

He dropped a kiss onto her lips and slowly the frown melted from her forehead. "I'm OK, so I might need therapy for the rest of my life...I’ve got the money."

She laughed. "Stop it, god I can't laugh when I don't know if he's-" She paused and broke their gaze.

"Did I ever tell you about the time Richie and I were arrested in Japan?"

Her eyes narrowed. "You weren't arrested? That’s not on your record."

His eyebrows shot up. “You looked at my record?” He waved his finger at her. "Well, no it's not because we cut a deal."

She tucked her head just below his against his shoulder. "I'm listening."

He reclined the chair and held her tight. "It was in the Slippery tour, we were huge. Japan was not a promiscuous country and the band one night partied till all hours of the morning. I think we were in Osaka for three shows and we had a few nights to ourselves in-between."

"Were you just as crazy as you are now?"

He jabbed her lightly. “Hey. I am not that crazy. Sometimes but yes Richie was into coke so he was high as a kite generally half the time so yeah we were crazy. Indestructible."

"So what happened?"

Jon leaned back and closed his eyes, she went heavy against him. Good, she was settling. "Well we went to a karaoke bar and we were pissed. And I mean pissed, god we could barely walk. Anyways, there was two kids singin' Prayer and they were crap, god love them for murdering my song."

She snorted. "Jon! That's the point of karaoke, you murder people's songs."

"Anyways so as I was saying. I'm telling the story here, no butting in if you can handle it."

"I know what you're doing Jon..."

He smiled. Of course she did. "Let me finish then." She remained silent so he continued. "We took over the stage well tried to as people recognized us so a bit of a crowd gathered. I was wasted I can't even remember singing but it was so awful no one believed us and booed us off the freaking stage."

She chuckled. "Oh nooo."

He stroked the top of her head and kissed it. "So Richie who was completely off his face and I, started a brawl."

"Oh Jesus. I am sure that went down well."

"Nope we were chucked in a cell over-night pleading on who were but they didn't believe us. It wasn't till we'd slept it off I could prove it."

"So you both spend a night in a Japanese cell in the eighties? God! How did that not get out?"

"They were so embarrassed and begged us not to tell anyone so we didn't. We were gods in Japan back in those days.”

"So how did you prove it?"

He laughed. "Had to sing, and the next morning we actually could sooo they believed us and were pretty embarrassed about the situation and let us go."

She snorted. "You're a goof." She curled in closer and the elusive scent of ginger filled him. They were both lucky to be alive; he was desperately trying not to over-think what just happened as he rubbed his chest. Right now he needed to keep it together for her. No one he knew was lying on a runway bleeding to death for fucks sake.

He shrugged. "My kids tell me that all the time." He swallowed and shook his head as she looked up at him. "It's ok." He needed to be strong for her and while he was being torn inside out so was she.

"Does your iPhone have a signal?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

He dug into his back pocket and pulled it out, NO SERVICE flashed angrily at him. He shook his head. "Sorry babe." He kissed the top of her head laid his head on hers. "We'll be there in a little while. I promise." He closed his eyes as her breathing became heavy. They were safe--in this one moment they were safe and he was going to enjoy it while the world went to hell outside of the tiny plane sized windows. If it was all he could get was this moment, he'd take it.