With the Lights Off...

(23): How to Save a Life

*Hi guys :)) well, this is the chapter where Ian tries to look for Nina and possibly save her from bad things in that island xD anyways, this time, it won't be any better for Ian and Nina's relationship. But, they'll make it work. They're NIan, don't they always? Love you all xx *

Ian's POV

"What do you mean we can't fly today?" I asked Al, the helicopter's pilot. "Of course we can! This is Nina we're talking about! We have to get to her."

"I know Sir," he whispered. "But the tower just won't permit any flights to that area. Not after what just happened."

"I don't give a crap," I muttered. " All that matters is we find Nina and get her away from there."

"But, Mr. Somerhalder-."

"I don't want to hear it," I snapped. "If I end up in prison for breaking whatever laws I'll be breaking, it would be all worth it for Nina. If you're afraid of losing your job, you can tell people I held you at gunpoint just to get me there so you'd appear the victim. What else are you afraid of?"

He cleared his throat and put his hat on. "Please fasten your seatbelts then," he said. "We'll be leaving in ten minutes."

I breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down on my seat, fastening my seatbelt. I put on my regulatory headphones and sighed.

"Are we waiting for any more passengers, Mr. Somerhalder?" he asked, trying his best to look me in the eyes."

"Call me Ian," I said. "And no, no we're not."

"Alrighty then," he said. "We're off."

I nodded as I closed the door and heard the propellers start. In a few minutes, we were already up in the air.

I rubbed my palms together and sighed loudly. "How long would it take for us to get there?" I asked. "Would it really be that dangerous?"

"As of right now, Ian, perhaps 45 minutes," he said. "And, unfortunately, it IS dangerous. But of course, it wouldn't matter."

I laughed and heard him snicker with me. "We would see the wreck from up here anyway, right?" I asked.

"Yes Ian," he answered.

"I just hope we get there soon enough," I sighed, knowing fully well that I was already two days and two hours late. 

"Don't worry Ian," he said. "We will."

---

"Ian, look there it is!" he said. "Look through your right window. It's right there."

I breathed in and out and tried to prepare myself for what I was about to see. I leaned close to my right window and almost gave up then and there.

The plane was wedged between the thick forest and the rocky mountain range. It was split right in half, with the front facing the ocean and the back turned over. All the windows were broken, the doors were hanging off their hinges, the wings were yanked right off of the plane and the tail was shredded and hanging off one side. The plane was basically ashes held up together by screws. Both sides of the plane exposed the insides and electrical wires were hanging out, some of their sparks clearly visible from the distance we were flying.

"Where can we land?" I yelled desperately.

"We're just about to land, Ian," he said, directing the helicopter to a part of the shore. Once we were close enough to the ground, I could see hoards of people: paramedics, naval and fire safety officers, airplane mechanics, and of course, paparazzi.

Al landed the helicopter and cut the engine. He stepped out and opened the heli's door for me. I stepped out and ruffled my hair worriedly.

As soon as I stepped out, people stared at me wordlessly. Then, I was just mobbed by the paparazzi and some of the officers.