Beginnings - The start of Hunted.

Chapter 2 - The quest to stay awake, and the stranger.

Day 1

I woke to the smell of food. Another flight attendant, a different young woman, was placing something on the tray in front of me. Eggs and a sauce on some kind of muffin?

"Sorry if I woke you, Miss, your friend seemed to think you'd prefer to eat before you got off. Here's our menu. You're free to choose up to two entrees, a main, and a desert, with any drink of your choice."

"For breakfast?"

She nodded, smiling, and moved along to the few other passengers. Some had already eaten. I looked sideways at Nick. He was already well into his breakfast, his hand off mine now, eagerly eating away. But he glanced at me when my eyes found his face.

"If you can't eat it all, order anyway, I'll eat it. I'm starving."

I stared at the amount he already had. Nick's eyes followed mine.

"I eat a lot." He added, a slight shrug, as if that was no big deal.

I just felt envy. Being able to eat like that... what I'd kill to have a body like that. Fluffy little bunnies. Adorable robots. Sacrifice the latest pokemon to the volcano for that kind of metabolism. "I'll order something for you then."

I ordered when the attendant came back and glanced at the clock. Seven in the morning? I had really slept then, not just a little bit, but for hours on end. For me on a plane that was new. Was that because it was first class? Maybe it was.

The food came. I was starving again and the food was fantastic. So was the fruit juice, for that matter, like they'd just squeezed it then. I couldn't eat it all anyway. Nick was on the phone while I ate, speaking softly to someone, but his hand came over to brush against mine when I offered the entrees. My cheeks went red and he winked, grinning, before he took the meal and slid it onto his table.

It was bizarre to be this affected by a man. He wasn't even my type. But I couldn't deny it. I was drawn towards him more and more now. Was it because he'd played 'rescuer'? I'd have to be careful if that was it. I didn't want to become needy.

"I'll call you later then, Tonio." He was saying, lifting the fork to his mouth. "Bye."

He hung up the phone and ate slowly, leaning back, arms and legs stretching.

"My brother's working. Can't meet us. I hope you don't mind a taxi instead." He informed me as he ate and I fiddled with the little video screen.

"No, I don't mind. I'll pay for half."

"With ten dollars? Don't worry about that." Nick went quiet as his head turned to me, mouth open, seemingly loosing the ability to talk.

"What?"

"Nice hair."

I blinked and reached up. My hair was everywhere. He grinned, dropping his fork, leaning over to run fingers through it for me. I flushed, his own face far too close, it made me nervous somehow. My heart sped up a bit.

He seemed to freeze a little as that happened, as if he could hear that reaction, before he withdrew slowly. Nick smile remained as he returned his attention to the food.

The second we were off the plane and we'd located Nick's suitcase, Nick led me to customer service, and let them have it while they tried to locate my suitcase. When they failed to find it he really got angry, while they took down the details of my hotel, promising to send it over free the second it was located.

"Come on." Nick gave them one glare, grabbing my hand and yanking me away, his hand almost crushing mine. I tried to loosen his finger a little and he glanced down, seeing my hand going white in his, and let go with an apology.