The Pilot

Chapter Seven

There was a knock at the door.

Danielle went to answer it and let the medic inside. "Good evening Ms Spampinato, I'm Dr Robbins and I hear you've got a bit of a sore head." Stefania shook the Doctor's hand and smiled politely. She explained that she had fainted and hit her head on the concrete. The doctor gave her a thorough examination, looked at the cut on the back of her head and checked her eye functionality. Everything was fine and she said that Stefania would be fine although she'd more than likely wake up with a headache. She handed Stefania a bottle of Advil and bid farewell to the group.

"OK then," Caterina started, making herself comfy on the bed. "What film are we all going to watch?" Stefania laughed but explained that she really was tired and was just going to turn in for the night. "You and Kevin go, enjoy the rest of your night. Head to the bar and set up a tab. I'll settle it before we leave on Sunday." Caterina just shook her head though. "No way, I know the doc gave you the all clear but I'm not leaving you alone. I'm staying here until you're asleep." "Caterina, I'm fine. You're only going to be downstairs and besides Danielle will be here. Now Kevin, please take this lovely woman of yours away and get her to enjoy the remainder of the night." "Well OK", Caterina agreed, "but I'll help you get changed first."

Once Stefania was ready for bed, Caterina and Kevin made their way out and down to the bar,  leaving Danielle and Stefania alone in the room.

"Danielle, please feel free to put the TV on if you want. Just because I'm tired, doesn't mean you should have to go to sleep too", Stefania stated. "Oh, it's alright, I'm pretty tired myself" the blonde responded. I was awake super early this morning, feeling nervous about the flight", she laughed.

"You were nervous?" Stefania asked. "Are you kidding? Of course I was. You're probably the most VIP passenger I've ever flown completely on my own. It was big deal for me today." The blonde then looked down at her lap nervously fiddling with the fabric on the blanket. Her words hit Stefania deep in her chest and she felt a ton of guilt at the way she had treated Danielle all day. She made a mental note that she definitely had to ask the others for ideas on how to make it up to the blonde now. A silence hung in the room but it wasn't necessarily awkward - it was just a bit strange. "Well, in that case, goodnight then Danielle" Stefania finally said. "Goodnight Stefania", Danielle replied and turned off the light.

30 minutes later, neither woman was asleep. Both were thinking about the other. Danielle was wondering what the connection between Cooper and Stefania was and what had happened between them for her to react the way she had tonight. Stefania was consumed with guilt for being so horrid to Danielle all day. She decided to say something. "Danielle, are you awake?" The blonde didn't speak to begin with. She just lay there listening. "I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to speak to me, I've been a total bitch to you all day. I want to apologise about how I've treated you. You don't deserve any of that" Stefania could feel her eyes filling with tears but she continued "It was a real shock for me to turn up to the jet and not see Bruno and it's no excuse but I didn't know he'd went back to the UK. I had been kept in the dark that you'd been hired as his replacement. I know you've been briefed that I don't cope well with change and maybe I'll be able to explain it to you fully one day." Stefania couldn't control her emotions anymore and she started to let out a few sobs. She could also feel her breathing start to quicken but she kept going "tonight you had a glimpse into my past and it's not pretty. I'm very protective of my privacy and the image I portray to the public. They see me as this powerful, successful woman and that's how I need it to stay. They don't need to see the mess I am behind closed doors." Her chest was beginning to tighten and her breathing was becoming more laboured. 

Danielle realised that her boss was in a full blown panic attack and jumped out of her bed. She crouched down so she was eye level with the brunette. "Stefania, Stefania, open your eyes" Danielle whispered. "You're OK, you're safe. It's just you and I. There's no one here but the two of us. You can let it all out but I need you to breathe too." Stefania opened her eyes and couldn't help but fix her gaze on the beautiful blue orbs directly in front of her. She felt Danielle take her hand and place it on her chest. "Feel my heartbeat and match my breathing" Danielle then spoke softly. After a few minutes, Stefania's breathing had settled and she calmed down relaxing back into her bed. Danielle climbed up on top of the bed and guided Stefania's head down on to her chest. With the sound of Danielle's heart beating like a metronome and the younger woman stroking her hair gently, careful to avoid the cut from earlier, Stefania drifted off to sleep. As Danielle went to move back to her own bed, Stefania whimpered and reached out for Danielle's arm. "Please stay here", she begged. "Ok Beautiful, shhh, I'm not going anywhere, I've got you." Danielle then also fell asleep with Stefania holding her like she never wanted to let her go.

"Buona notte Bambina", Stefania whispered, drifting back off to sleep too.