Not Your Type (Chris Pine FanFic)

Chris

*** Two hours earlier ***

Chris ended the call and prepared to board the plane.  The American Airlines lounge was far down the concourse from the small little branch that he needed to be at, so he opted for pulling his Dodgers hat low on his forehead and slinking down into an uncomfortable airport chair at his gate.  It was literally the last gate.  A friendly woman had offered to let him go sit down by the actual gate, not the informal one that people had to pass through first.  He trudged down the eery hallway.  No one was down there.  There were no chairs, only doors that led outdoors to the planes.  He'd walked up on to a plane before, but those had been chartered flights.  He looked into the chilly Denver evening.  Men were deicing the plane that he assumed he'd board shortly. 

"You're not supposed to be here," an older woman asserted.

"Yeah, the woman at the gate up there let me down here," Chris pushed his hat up so the woman could see his face. 

"Well, I don't care what she did. You can't be down here until we start preboarding," the woman demanded his boarding pass and ID.  Chris sighed and obliged.  Even when she saw his name she didn't change her stance.  "Now, go back up there and wait like everybody else." 

"How many seats are in that plane?" he asked, attempting to make small talk to avoid the crowded terminal.

"Nineteen.  You'll have to duck when you get on the plane," the woman looked up at him. 

"Great," he murmured and started to head back up.  Just as he did his flight was called for boarding.  The employee groaned and Chris smiled.  "I guess I can stay down here now?" 

Shaking her head the woman replied, "You big California boys are all the same, thinking you own the world.  If you were so fancy why are you flying to Durango like this, with us? Where's your chartered jet, huh?" 

Chris was too excited about the flight, too excited about seeing Chelsea, to let what she was saying get to him.  Instead of reacting negatively, he simply shrugged. "This was a last minute sort of thing."

"RIght, last minute jaunt to lovely Durango, Colorado.  Like we can all afford that," with a huff the woman walked away as Chris shook his head and called out, "I hope you have a happy holiday!" 

Within minutes he was on the small plane.   Just as the angry woman had said, he had to duck. His seat was at the very back, giving him just slightly more legroom. 

“The flight from Denver to Durango is only about forty-five minutes, gate to gate.  Due to the quick nature of this flight we ask that you  have your in-flight beverage choice ready for us,” the flight attendant spoke into her microphone.  She was an older woman as well, well into her fifties Chris presumed.  It was simply her and the two pilots.  The whole ordeal made him feel uneasy, though he was a seasoned traveler.  “Also, as we fly over the Rockies it is normal for drops and turbulence.  Please keep your seatbelts fastened at all times.”   After this announcement she went into the basic safety information and soon they were flying high above the Rocky Mountains.  Chris looked out the window at the snow-capped peaks, it was exquisite.

Forty-five minutes later they had landed.  Chris had to close his eyes.  For a moment it looked like they would literally roll off the edge of the mesa on which the airport was situated.   The landing was safe though, he waited until almost all the passengers had disembarked before he stood and made his way off the plane. 

“Chris Pine,” the co-pilot spoke. He was in his late fifties or early sixties and had a warm smile. 

Chris smiled politely.  “Hello.”