𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 828 || 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒

𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐱𝐢 || 𝐳𝐞𝐤𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧

you'd lost your husband during the 5 and a half year span between getting off of flight 828 and your death date. it was one of the worst moments of your life. you'd lost the one man you'd ever truly loved. your entire world shattered just in that moment.

today was june 2nd, 2024. it was the day you as well as 191 other passengers had been anxiously anticipating for almost five years now. it was the day you all believed was the end of your life, or the death date as the manifest had been calling it.

the passengers had all boarded the original flight, flying into the sky as you watched the entire world crumble beneath your feet. all of the ground you'd once known to be full of beautiful land was covered in rock and lava.

the only thought crossing your mind was that you were gonna die. you weren't upset about it either. you'd finally be with your husband again, whom you missed more than anything in this world. no one on that flight wanted to die, but you boarded knowing you didn't have any regrets.

to all of your shock, the sky turned white. you were back in the glow, or the 'long, delirious, burning blue' as the two pilots of this plane had referred to it as. it was beautiful, just as the others had always described it.

"what the fuck-" you heard eagen mumble next to you. it sure was a sight to see. most of you assumed you'd all be greeting satan at hell's gates right now.

soon, the exit doors clicked open. all 191 one of you shared the same look. should you get off? ben and micheala were the first to follow that plan, taking steps off into the blinding white light.

that's when you heard the rustles of luggage, smelt the rubbing alcohol of all the cleaning solution used in those damn airports. the bright light began to fade, and there you were. right back in queens, new york. sitting in JFK international airport.

you watched as ben reunited with his wife, micheala reuniting with her mother. cal getting to run out and see his twin again, the same ages as it should've been all along.

that's when it crossed your mind. the crazy story that zeke had told you once. he was a taxi driver picking up shifts at JFK the night 828 was supposed to land. you waved quick goodbyes to the stones, yelling out "i'll call you later!" as you ran out the front doors of the airport.

grace, karen, and alex all had the same confused look on their faces as to how all of these random passengers even knew one another. it was only a 2 and a half hour flight after all, wasn't it?

you searched from taxi to taxi, looking for the man you'd fallen in love with in the drivers seat of each one. that's when you saw him. an older gentleman was about to step in, but you held out a hand, stopping him.

"i'm sorry, this is.. sort of- my husband? do you mind finding another cab?" you asked, not giving him time to respond before hopping into the passenger seat of the car.

"hi, honey?" zeke responded, a confused but amused smile written on his face. god, you wanted to kiss him so bad but he didn't have a single clue who you were in that moment.

"i'm sorry-" you began, but were quickly cut off.

"don't worry about it. question though, does that pick-up line usually work on all the taxi drivers you encounter, or was i a lucky one?" he asks, a chuckle coming from his lips.

you smiled so bright. you may have looked insane, but you'd been waiting to see him again since the day he left. in fact, the two of your wedding rings were still around your neck. just as ben had broughten the dragon back in time with him, so did you with your wedding rings.

"i don't know, what do you think? it was the first time i've tried it." he smirked at you.

"i don't know, my love. i think it worked pretty damn well." he said, leaning across the center console and pressing a kiss to your lips. he was the only one who called you my love. he was the only one who knew to call you it. the nickname made you fall head over heels. how could he have possibly known that? he didn't remember you, right? why was he kissing you?

the shock was clearly written across your face as he pulled away, a smile still present on his own. "i remember it all. i was seeing how long it would take you." he said smiling. "how could i ever forget your beautiful face?" he finished.

every piece of your heart that had broken and shattered the day he left had just mended itself back together. he remembered you. he remembered the past you had, everything the two of you had gone through. the romance the two of you had shared.

"god, i missed you so much." you said, tears slipping from your eyes as you wrapped two arms around him. the tears fell onto the flannel he was wearing, one you'd never seen on him before. his cologne was still the same, the smell you'd missed every day and every night.

"i missed you more." he replied, choking up himself. you made his life whole, he loved you more than he'd ever be able to describe in any words or any letter.

the two of you didn't have any death dates or callings to worry about now, you could finally spend the rest of your life in peace.

the miracle everyone had been praying and hoping for.

"let's go... home?" you asked, not really sure where home was in that moment. you didn't care either, as long as you were with him.

"let's go home." he affirmed, holding your hand and driving into the bright new york city lights.