Above All, Honor

Chapter Fifteen

"How's your head?" Megan asked as she slipped into the seat next to Normani.

"I'll live," the President's daughter responded, strangely subdued. In fact, the slightest vertical movement of the aircraft produced a wave of nausea that threatened to overpower her considerable self-control. Fortunately, the skies were clear, and the jet streaked toward New York City with very little turbulence. Otherwise, she was very much afraid she would embarrass herself.

It didn't escape Megan's notice that Normani's face was pale, and that her normally crystal brown eyes were clouded with pain. Megan inclined her head closer, although the other agents and Donna were ten rows further forward, engaged in conversation or napping. She and Normani were quite alone. Nevertheless, Megan did not want their private conversation overheard. "You don't have to be a hero, you know. Why don't you take a couple of pain pills and rest."

Normani started to shake her head and abruptly stopped when the slight movement caused her stomach to lurch. "Believe me, Commander, I am no hero. The problem is, the pain pills tend to make me sicker than the pain."

Megan laughed softly as she shifted in her seat and pushed the center armrest up out of the way. She laid her left arm along the backs of the seats and offered Normani her shoulder. "Just try to close your eyes for the rest of the flight. It's probably the only thing that will do any good. Believe me, I've been in your position more than once. The only way to get through it is pills or sleep."

Normani knew instinctively that Megan's offer of comfort was prompted by sympathy and no special feelings for her. Nevertheless, what she needed at that moment was precisely what Megan offered. Simple human comfort. She allowed her body to relax against Megan's side and rested her head in the curve of Megan's arm. She knew she wouldn't sleep, but perhaps if she closed her eyes, the pain would lessen.

Megan gently stretched her legs out in front of her and settled back into the seat. In only a minute or two, she knew from the rhythmic motion of Normani's breathing that she had settled into sleep. The faint background drone of the engines and the warmth of Normani's body along her side lulled her into a sense of peacefulness that she had long forgotten. She stared out the window and thought of nothing. For those few precious hours, Normani's presence was all she needed. As she dozed, she rested her cheek on the fragrant softness of Normani's hair.

...

As the plane touched down, Megan and Normani awoke together. Neither of them moved. Megan's hand had drifted down from the seat and was curled gently along Normani's side, resting just beneath her breast. In her sleep, Normani had turned to thread her arm around Megan's waist. She lay with her head tucked beneath Megan's chin, resting in her arms. They held each other as if it had always been.

As the others in the cabin began to stand and stretch, Megan lifted her arm from around Normani's body, acutely aware of how much she did not want to let her go. "Miss Hamilton, we need to leave."

With a sigh, Normani pushed herself upright and brushed her hands through her wild curly tresses. She noted with just a hint of surprise that her headache was gone. "Yes, of course we do."

She glanced at Megan, startled to see a fleeting look that might have been regret cross her beautiful face. Then, the professional impenetrable mask returned, and Megan simply smiled in agreement.

Megan left her then to move forward and speak to her people regarding the plans for transportation back to the townhouse. Donna worked her way down the aisle to Megan's vacant seat. "You two looked very cozy together," she remarked dryly.

"Leave it alone, Donna," Normani said quietly.

Donna bit back the retort she had been about to make. There was something in her old friend's voice that warned her off. In fact, they had looked very good together. Too good together. They looked as if they had held each other a thousand times before. Donna simply shook her head and left unspoken her words of caution. Something told her that Normani was beyond hearing.