Flora

Chapter 4

Flora yawned as she allowed Gaz to lead her to the plane that was waiting to depart on the tarmac. It was still dark outside, the sky just beginning to lighten with the light of dawn. She honestly was feeling fatigued the most from the uncertainty of everything. Surely, she couldn't be wasting these soldiers' time forever. But if they ditched her at some orphanage, wouldn't she just be grabbed again by the same grunts as before? They seemed to know that too. So, she really didn't understand what their plans for her were.

Gaz deposited her on a seat and showed her how to strap in as the rest of the team piled in as well. Price looked the same as always. You would never know that it wasn't even the break of dawn outside. Soap and Ghost came next. Flora's eyes picked up on their hands connected by their pinkies as they boarded. She couldn't see Ghost's face, so she had no way of knowing if the early wake up had affected him. Soap was clearly tired, though. Rubbing sleepily at his eyes to clear some of the residual drowsiness of sleep. Gaz hadn't seemed tired when he had woken her up. That wasn't surprising though as the man just screamed 'morning person'.

Price took the seat next to her, Soap on her other side. Ghost sat next to Soap, and Gaz was up in the cockpit with the pilot. They all watched from the corners of their eyes intently at the way Flora's eyes were glued to the window. Eyes flitting over the details as they took off.

"You like planes?" Soap asked.

She turned away from where she had been looking and shrugged, "Dunno really. I've only flown two other times. When we moved from Scotland, but I was too young to really remember that part. And then, uh, three weeks ago. But I wasn't really conscious for that trip."

"Right."

Price glared at him from over her head and he shrugged. He hadn't thought about it. Probably should have though. Would have if he had thought about her situation for just a second.

"So, this is sort of your first time then." He said trying to remedy his error.

She scrunched up her nose, "I mean, not really."

"Well, if ya can't remember the other times I think this counts as yer first." He smiled at her then and she felt strangely warm.

"Unfortunate that this flight is ten hours then." Ghost commented.

Soap elbowed him in the ribs, "We've talked about this, Simon. Yer always so negative. Give us something positive."

Ghost huffed. Soap made him play the positivity game quite frequently. In this situation he couldn't think of anything in particular, so he stuck with his old standard for when that happened. "I'm here with you."

Soap smiled, satisfied.

They spent the remainder of the flight conversing, trying to keep themselves somewhat entertained. Normally they would just sleep on the plane, but the time difference between Mexico and Scotland was a full six hours. They didn't want to be too jet lagged as they would be getting there around eleven at night.

During the last hour Flora's chin had fallen to her chest, unable to stay awake. Planes could have that effect on a person. Soap carefully attempted to ease her head back so she wouldn't be stiff when she woke up, but he only succeeded in making her flop around onto Price's shoulder. He gave Soap another glare, making the Scot chuckle.

"Sorry sir." He whispered, "I can move her if ya like."

Price's gaze sharpened further, "Don't you dare, MacTavish."

The jostling of the landing made Flora's head snap up, eyes scanning her surroundings. She briefly felt alarm, but quickly calmed when she realized who all was sitting next her.