When I later came back to, my head was a foggy mess. The events of the crash lingered in my mind like a bad dream, and for a moment I was unsure if any of it was even real.

Around me it was quiet, saved for faint noise of humming machinery and gentle beeping, and I remained still, eyes closed for a little while longer.

“God…” I whispered, raising a hand to my head. My skull was pounding and the left side felt especially numb.

“Avery Rhyse?”

I froze momentarily at the sound of the voice. I hadn’t expected anyone else to be present.

After a second or so, I forced my eyes open and tried to sit up. I realized my left eye was covered by something and slid a hand across my face. Fabric, maybe? A bandage.

“Remain calm, Captain Rhyse. Allow me.”

There was a shift of motion, and I suddenly felt my back being raised by the mattress behind me.

Glancing over, I found a stern-looking woman, a bit older than me, sitting in a chair at the side of my bed.

Her demeanour reminded me a lot of Sal, and all of a sudden my memory of past events came rushing back with force.

“Sal…” I muttered. “Fynn, the-the crash!” passing the nurse at my side a desperate look, I made to continue, but she held up her hand.

“Calm down, Captain. They’re all fine.”

I blinked bewildered. All fine?

As though reading the confusion on my face, she gave a gentle smile.

“There were some minor injuries. Mr. Glade and Captain Marlowe as well as yourself were taken here for examination and treatment, but other than that, everyone aboard that flight got away alive and well.”

I sunk back in the bed, taking this information in. At least that was good news…

“How are you feeling, Captain Rhyse?” the nurse went on and I glanced over again, giving the question some thought.

“Alright, I suppose. My head’s a little… there’s this buzzing in my left ear.”

I looked down, realizing my left arm was in a sling as well.

“Right.” The nurse had gone a tad more serious and she looked over a clipboard by my bed.

“It says here you suffered blunt force injuries as a result of shrapnel striking your left shoulder and head. In addition, your proximity to the explosion might have caused some loss of hearing in your left ear, and the damage extended to your… to your eye.”

She looked back up at me with an uncomfortable expression on her face, and I remained silent, contemplating this new piece of information. My hand slid over the left side of my face again. With the bandages covering my eye I had no idea how bad it really was.

And the hearing…

“Is it temporary?” I asked, looking back up, and the nurse twisted uncomfortably in her seat.

“We are not sure, Captain Rhyse.” She replied. “We’ll need to run a few tests to determine the severity of the situation.”

“Right.” I looked away again. “Of, course, I… thank you for the information.”

I felt numb. An injury like this, if permanent could put me on the ground for good.

I’d lose my position with GBA permanently.

It was a loss which weighed heavy on my chest. This job was my life! What would I even do without it?

“Captain Rhyse?”

The nurse’s voice shook me out of my internal turmoil, and I looked back up.

“I am sorry to ask this, but I need to conduct a few tests to make sure you’re all here mentally.”

She passed me a compassionate look, and I gave a faint nod.

“Of course.” I said. “Of course. Go right ahead.”

As the nurse launched into what I assumed to be a standard questioning and examination related to head trauma, I did my best to pay attention.

Though my own personal tragedy occupied much of my thoughts.

What would happen to me?

I felt a lump begin to form in my chest, and tried to shake the bothersome concern away.

A greater tragedy was at hand. This was not the time.

“Thank you.” The nurse said, standing up. “I’ll leave you to get some rest now. The call button’s right here if you need me.”

She showed to a panel beside the bed, and then saw herself out.

I’d rather preferred the company. There was too much going on in my mind at the moment for me to go to sleep.

Feeling the tell-tale sting of tears in my eyes, I sighed silently, giving in to a moment of self pity.

Outside the window to my left, it was dark, indicating night time, and I wondered what time it was.

How long had I been out for? I’d forgotten to ask the nurse.

I doubted it was the same night as the crash, though. Maybe the night after.

A soft knock on my door shook me out of my fleeting thoughts, and I looked over as it silently slid open.

A tall, lanky figure stepped inside, and it took me a moment to recognize the man as Fynn Glade.

His auburn hair was loose and tumbling around his shoulders. Of course he was no longer wearing the company issued uniform, instead garnering a set of loose-fitted pyjamas.

He still seemed about as nervous as I recalled him though, and I gave a faint smile, inviting him in.

“Good to see you!” I said. “How do you feel?”

Fynn on his end seemed mortified at the sight of my tears.

“Er, are you–?” He staggered backwards. “I-I’ll come back later.”

“No, no!” I hurried to say. “Trust me, it’s nothing! Just…”

I gave a shaky sigh, and wiped a sleeve across my face.

“It’s been a lot to take in since I woke up, is all…” I smiled again and showed to the chair beside my bed.

“Stay! Please, stay.” The last two words were more like a command, but Fynn hesitated a moment longer before approaching.

“I don’t mean to disturb you…” he said silently, lingering by the chair.

“No, no!” I waved him off with a laugh. “Honestly, I could use the company.”

Taking a breath to recollect myself, I continued on.

“So what brings you along to my room?” I smiled, looking him over as I spoke.

He had visible bruises and cuts on his face and neck, and bandages wrapping his right hand.

Other than that he seemed fine, if a bit shaken.

Fynn remained frozen a moment longer, gaze averted, and hands fiddling with the drawstring on his pyjama pants.

In the end he ventured closer, sliding down onto the chair.

“I came to thank you.” He muttered. “I… you could have died! And… you didn’t have to do that.”

I noticed tears staining his own eyes, and reached a hand out.

“What you fail to understand, is that this isn’t a question of whether I had to, or whether it was quote-unquote ‘worth it’.”

I gave a careful smile.

“It’s a question of duty.” I said. “Now, I don’t know your story, or why you would even think that you’re not worth rescuing from a burning wreckage, but as commanding officer of the flight, I also don’t care. My responsibility is getting everyone out safely. In failing to do so, I have failed my training as a commercial pilot.

And for the record.” I caught his eye and smiled. “I do think you’re worth it, Fynn Glade, and if I ever hear you speaking poorly of yourself again, I will be very cross, you understand? Very cross.”

This coaxed a faint laugh out of him and he pulled his sleeve across his eyes, drying his tears.

Giving a smile of my own, I continued.

“So, how is hospital treating you?” I asked. “I do hope you’re not too badly shaken after my awful landing.”

“You did an excellent job, Captain, everyone agrees on that.” Fynn replied quickly, and casting me a serious glance.

I felt the urge to let him know I had been joking, but his sincere expression left me speechless for a moment.

Giving a gentle shake of my head I eventually reclaimed my voice.

“Well…” I said. “Any captain is only as good as their crew. It was more than a one-man job. You, Sal, Maria… everyone had a say in the outcome in the end.”

As I spoke, Fynn got an astonished look on his face.

“Me, sir?” he asked dubiously. “I’m pretty sure all I did was ensure you a trip to the hospital.”

“On the contrary!” I replied. “Lest you forget who it was who brought me to the cockpit in the first place.”

“But that was only because–!” Fynn exclaimed and then went quiet.

“Sal only grabbed hold of me. The task could have gone to either one of the flight attendants.”

“Well, I am glad it was you.” I said. “As fate would have it, I am glad this event shifted us within vicinity of one another.”

Fynn passed me a pitiful look, but said nothing.

“Will you continue flying with us?” I asked, and felt the tears pressing on my eyes again.

‘With us’… there was a certain chance that might not ring true in the future.

But I stubbornly shook the miserable thought away and held my gaze on Fynn.

“I hope to.” He said after a moment. “This job has given me much more than I could hope for.”

He looked up and met my gaze.

“And… and you, Captain Rhyse?” he asked. “I can’t imagine the stress you must have gone through… I mean you weren’t even the real captain!”

He paused with a gasp and eyed me fearfully.

“That’s not–!” he exclaimed. “I didn’t mean–!”

He broke himself off and took a moment to collect himself.

“What I meant was this wasn’t even your assigned flight. You were a passenger!”

“The thing is, Fynn,” I smiled and reached over for his hand. “That our experience don’t just leave us the moment we leave the pilot’s seat! Of course I’d never expected to be put in charge of an event like this when I boarded in New York, but… Thing is… mentally, I was prepared to handle it.”

I tilted my head and smiled.

“You’re a kind soul, Fynn!” I said. “You have such compassion for the people around you. I appreciate that, and I think it will aid you greatly, should you choose to stay your course.”

“You’re a lot braver than I could ever be…” Fynn muttered, wiping a sleeve across his watering eyes.

“I’m not so sure about that, Fynn…” I replied, casting my gaze towards the window again.

“As it were, there is an outcome of this which I can’t help but fear beyond anything.”

Fynn passed me a surprised look.

“What is it?” he breathed, and I gave a quiet sigh, feeling the tears welling into my eyes again. There was a burning sting in the left one, and I frowned in pain.

“According to my medical exam, there is a chance I might partially lose my hearing.” I said. “And eyesight in my left eye.”

I gulped back a sob and continued on.

“This could mean the end for my flight career, and…” I gave a shaky sigh and looked up.

“I’m scared, Fynn. I don’t know what to do if that happens.”

In the chair beside me, Fynn simply sat, looking at me with widened eyes.

I sniffed and wiped the tears from my face.

“I’m sorry.” I muttered, giving a quiet laugh. “This is not the time for selfish concerns. A greater tragedy is at hand.”

“Like what? The loss of a bloomin’ aircraft?”

I looked over, surprised at the sharpness in his voice.

“Everyone on that flight got out alive, because of you! And for you to be thanked by getting the sack, is just…”

He was truly mad! So mad in fact that he had trouble completing the sentence!

In the end he gave up and started over.

“I’ll talk to Sal.” He said. “Or-or Captain Marlowe! We’ll make sure you’re not kicked off the team for this.”

I felt the lump form in my chest again, but from gratitude rather than loss this time.

“Fynn, I… Thank you! I’m truly grateful.” I dropped my gaze to my folded hands.

Beside me Fynn got up and placed a hand on my shoulder.

“We’ll work this out, sir. We’ll find a way.”

“Avery.” I said as he turned to leave, and he paused.

“Please.” I said. “Call me Avery.”