Unexpected happenings

The private jet was too small.

Okay, logically, it was huge luxurious, sleek, ridiculously excessive. But with Rowan Vaughn sitting just a few feet away from me, it might as well have been a damn shoebox.

I shifted in my seat, trying to focus on my tablet, but the words blurred together. The quiet hum of the engine, the soft leather beneath my fingers, and the awareness of him were making it impossible to concentrate.

Rowan, on the other hand, looked completely at ease.

He had removed his suit jacket, leaving only his crisp white dress shirt, the top button undone. He leaned back, one arm draped over the seat beside him, his wristwatch glinting under the cabin lights.

He wasn’t even trying to be distracting.

But he was.

I hated it.

I shifted again, clearing my throat. “So… you arranged this trip?”

Rowan glanced at me, his gaze sharp and unreadable. “I thought you wanted more investors.”

I frowned. “I do. But why do you care?”

A slow smirk played on his lips. “Maybe I’m just a generous man.”

I scoffed. “You’re many things, Vaughn. Generous isn’t one of them.”

He chuckled, unbothered. “And yet, here we are, so maybe I am generous after all.”

I rolled my eyes, returning my focus to my screen.

Silence stretched between us, but it wasn’t comfortable. It was charged, like a live wire humming between us, daring one of us to touch it.

Then—

“I saw you at the hospital yesterday.”

I stiffened.

Rowan’s voice was lower now, quieter. Not teasing. Just… something else.

I glanced at him. “You were there?”

He nodded, his eyes searching mine. “I didn’t go inside. But I saw you.”

Something flickered in his gaze, something unreadable.

“I heard Claire said your name,” he continued. “That must’ve meant something.”

I swallowed. “It did. It was the first thing she said before she went into shock.”

He studied me for a long moment. “You’re close to her.”

I looked away. “She’s my best friend.”

More silence.

Then Rowan sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Remi.”

Something about the way he said my name made my stomach tighten.

I glanced at him again, expecting mockery, but there was none. Just… curiosity.

“You’re always running,” he said. “Always trying to carry everything by yourself. I’ve noticed.”

I let out a dry laugh. “Not this conversation.”

“Why?” He tilted his head. “Because I’m right?”

I turned fully toward him now, my arms crossing. “Why do you even care, Rowan?”

He exhaled, his jaw tightening. “I don’t know.”

His honesty caught me off guard.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

His gaze flickered down to my lips, and I felt my breath hitch.

No.

I turned away quickly, gripping the armrest. “We should sleep. It’s a long flight.”

Rowan chuckled, low and amused. “Running again, Doctor?”

I didn’t answer.

Because I wasn’t sure what I was running from anymore.

*****

The flight was smooth for most of the trip.

I kept my focus on my tablet, trying to ignore Rowan’s presence, but it was impossible. Every shift of his seat, every quiet breath, every glance in my direction—it was there. The awareness. The tension. The thing between us that I refused to acknowledge.

He hadn’t spoken much after our earlier conversation, but I could feel his eyes on me every so often. Watching. Thinking.

I wasn’t sure if it irritated me or made my pulse quicken.

Maybe both.

I had just started to relax when the first jolt rocked the plane.

Not subtle. Not mild. A deep, sudden drop that made my stomach lurch.

I gripped the armrest, eyes darting to Rowan. His jaw clenched, but he didn’t look panicked.

Yet.

Then it happened again.

Harder this time. The plane shook, the cabin lights flickering for half a second.

I heard a faint curse from the cockpit.

A heavy voice crackled through the speakers.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we’re experiencing some unexpected turbulence. Please remain seated and fasten your seatbelts.”

I exhaled slowly, my hands clenching into fists.

It’s just turbulence. Nothing serious.

But the third jolt was worse.

The plane dropped, sending my stomach into my throat. My breath hitched as I clutched the seat, knuckles white.

Rowan’s voice was calm but firm. “Remi.”

I turned to him, trying to steady my breathing.

The plane shook again, heavier this time, rattling the overhead compartments.

Then—

The oxygen masks dropped.

And my heart stopped.

This wasn’t just turbulence.

The cabin shook violently, the overhead compartments rattling, a loud boom echoing from somewhere outside.

“Brace!” The pilot’s voice crackled through the speaker. “Brace for impact!”

My body went cold.

This was happening.

This was really happening.

Rowan unbuckled his seatbelt, reaching for me. “Remi—”

Another jolt cut him off. The plane lurched sideways, and I was thrown hard against the window. Pain exploded in my shoulder, my breath knocking out of me.

A deafening screech ripped through the cabin.

Then the drop came.

A free fall.

The force crushed me into my seat, the pressure so intense I could barely breathe. My fingers dug into the armrests, my mind screaming at me to do something, but there was nothing.

I did not even know what was happening to Rowan, I just screamed.

Nothing came to my mind except—

Larry. Laura.

I never told them goodbye.

The last thing I saw was Rowan, eyes locked onto mine, before everything—

Went black.

Darkness. Then pain.

****

I woke up choking on smoke.

My lungs burned, my body screaming in protest as I sucked in a breath.

Everything was wrong.

The sky above me wasn’t blue—it was gray, choked with thick clouds of smoke. The scent of fire and fuel clogged my throat. Somewhere in the distance, metal groaned, crackling like something was still burning.

I was on the ground. Body soaked with sea water. Sand cling to my body, I could feel the wetness on my forehead.

Slowly reached out and looked at it.

Blood. My shoulder too felt like lead. Damaged but manageable.

I tried to calm my mind by breathing slowly.

It wasn't working.
I blinked rapidly, trying to push through the dizziness.

What happened?

Where was Rowan?

I forced myself up, biting down a cry as pain flared in my ribs. My legs wobbled, my vision swam, but I stood.

And I saw it.

The wreckage.

Pieces of the plane were scattered across the landscape, the main body split open like a crushed can. Smoke billowed from the wreckage, flames licking at the edges.

Oh, God.

I pressed a hand to my chest, my breath ragged.

People.

There were other people on that plane.

Where were they?

Where was he?

Did they…I gulped. No. I did not want to reason like that.

I turned, scanning the broken landscape. “Rowan!”

No answer.

Panic curled around my heart I stumbled forward, nearly tripping over a torn piece of luggage. My fingers shook as I pushed my hair out of my face.

“Rowan!” I screamed this time, my voice cracking.

Nothing.

I was alone.

The realization sent a cold shiver down my spine. My breathing was uneven, my limbs aching as I forced myself forward. Every step was agonizing—my left ankle throbbed, my ribs screamed, and my head felt like it had been split open.

But I couldn’t stop.

I wouldn’t stop.

The ground beneath me was rough, uneven, littered with debris from the wreckage. Pieces of torn metal, shredded seats, and bits of luggage were scattered across the landscape. Every so often, I saw something that made my stomach twist—a torn scarf, a shoe, a shattered phone.

Smoke still curled in the air, mixing with the scent of burning fuel. My throat was dry, raw from inhaling the toxic fumes.

I needed to find water.

I needed to find him.

My legs trembled as I climbed over a fallen tree, my breath coming out in sharp gasps. My fingers curled around my side, sticky warmth coating my skin.

I was bleeding.

I didn’t even know from where. My body hurt everywhere.

I trudged forward, pushing past the sharp sting of pain. The trees were dense, towering above me like silent watchers. The forest was eerily quiet, except for the occasional crackle of fire in the distance and the soft rustling of leaves in the wind.

I had no idea where I was going.

But I kept moving.

Minutes stretched into an hour. Maybe more. My vision blurred, my body threatening to collapse, but I forced one foot in front of the other.

Then—

A sound.

A low, rumbling growl.

I froze.

My pulse pounded as I slowly turned my head.

And I saw it.

A bear.

Massive, brown, and far too close.

I didn’t move. I didn’t breathe.

The bear sniffed the air, its dark eyes locking onto me.

Oh, God.

Run? No. That would trigger it.

Stay still? Maybe. But I was bleeding.

I swallowed, my hands shaking as I took the tiniest step backward.

A twig snapped beneath my foot.

The bear’s ears perked.

Then—it charged.

I didn’t think. I just ran.

Pain exploded in my leg, my body screaming at me to stop, but adrenaline drowned out everything else. My feet barely touched the ground as I stumbled through the trees, branches slashing at my arms.

The growls grew louder, closer.

I couldn’t outrun it. I knew that.

But then—I saw a fallen tree ahead, its roots exposed, forming a small hollow beneath it.

Without hesitation, I dove inside, scraping my elbows against the rough bark.

I pressed myself into the dirt, my breath held, my heartbeat a violent drum in my ears.

The growls slowed.

Heavy footsteps.

Then—silence.

I stayed still, every muscle locked in place.

Minutes passed.

When I finally crawled out, my body trembling, the bear was gone.

I collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.

Then, through the trees, I saw something.

Someone.

A tall figure, slumped against a rock.

My breath caught.

Rowan.