Strange

Chapter 19: Piper Becomes Increasingly More Pissed Off

5:00 am, Tuesday, January 19, 2011

Piper woke up the next morning around 5 am, in order to be able to get to the airport on time. After some final last-minute packing, Jason and her, along with Mellie drove down to a small, private airport.

After a surprisingly short drive, the group of three arrived and boarded the private plane that Mellie had hired. The captain and co-captain introduced themselves, and at 6:30 am, they took off.

Piper dozed off, falling asleep with Jason's arm around her.

10:45 am, Tuesday, January 19, 2011

Jason gently shook Piper awake as they started their descent, telling her it was time to get up. He himself had tried to fall asleep but ultimately failed, too energised by being in his father's realm to properly sleep.

Piper blearily opened her eyes at him, and he couldn't help but smile at her. Groaning, she shifted in her seat and stretched.

An announcement came over the speakers, "We will be landing in one minute. Please make sure that your seatbelts are fastened." Jason took Piper's hand, and she squeezed it tight.

"You okay?" He asked her quietly.

Piper sighed, glancing out her window. "I don't know," she whispered back. "I think I'm so emotionally drawn out to cry now, but I just feel numb. Like I'm so desensitised by this point that I have no emotions." she gave a weak laugh.

"And I feel like I should care and should be in shock, but I think my minds just blocking all those emotions out." The plane landed, and she put her head in her hands a few seconds later.

She huffed, blowing a hair off her face. She took a shaky breath, "And I guess worried he won't be okay. But I'm trying to stay positive, focus on the good things, but I'm scared Jason. I'm really fucking scared he won't survive this."

Jason rubbed her back slowly, "It's okay to be worried Pipes. It's normal to feel how you are. That numbness?" Piper nodded, "It's completely normal. Absolutely normal."

Piper nodded along, glancing up when the seatbelt sign turned off. She unbuckled her seatbelt, sat up and stretched again. Jason followed suit, grabbing their duffle bags and backpacks from the overhead compartment. Piper moved to grab hers, but he stopped her, saying he had it, smiling at her.

Piper smiled back, albeit halfheartedly.

Mellie was standing at the door when they walked over, on the phone. They looked at her, and she held up a finger, telling them to wait.

The captain came over and opened the door for the three of them. Bidding him a good day, Jason and Piper walked out, heading to the parked car that was waiting for them. Mellie followed behind, still on the phone.

Once they got in the car, Mellie ended the call, giving a huff of frustration.

Piper and Jason turned to her, and it was Piper who asked what was wrong. Mellie sighed and looked out the window, silent.

"Mellie?" Piper asked the cloud nymph.

"The paparazzi have figured out what hospital Tristan's at. And they've also managed to figure out that you're on their way, so those bastards are there, waiting.

Piper froze. Jason gave Mellie a panicked glance, before turning to his girlfriend. "Pipes, you okay?" He said with a furrow of his brow.

Piper nodded, then paused and shook her head as tears started to fall. She let loose a sob, before putting her face into her hands and starting to cry more.