Once Upon A Night’s Sky

James may have been smart but he had never been very good at reading people. So as he lent back in his seat to let the restrains rise once more he tried not to judge his fellow recruits based on his first impressions and most importantly he tried not to judge the women sat beside him based on her father.

James had known who she was as soon as his eyes had taken in her fiery red hair and piercing green eyes. Dawn Harrison the perfect daughter. Always in the shadows, on the sidelines of her father’s photos, how could James not know who she was? If there was any corruption within the skies James would put good money on it leading back to her father.

James was trying so very hard not to take his angry towards the prime minster and put it towards his daughter, but it was hard. It was only the girl’s silence which had James keeping his respect for her now.

She had never spoken out about her beliefs and as judgemental as James knew it was it would all boil down to whether or not she supported her father’s values. If she agreed with her father’s choices James really didn’t know what he was going to do. How was he meant to become a team member, as close as family with a girl whose father played a part in Dylan’s fate?

“Liam McGregor.” letting a calming breath fill his lungs James felt as his hands unclench at his sides. Slowly he looked up into the eyes of the boy sitting one across from him. Wearing a casual smile the boy continued to look one by one to the rest of the recruits. With blue curious eyes the boy continued.

“I’m not really one for many words but I really hope together we can become the team full of potential they think we can become.” He spoke with a soft Scottish accent that made James long for the sound of his own dialect. It had been a long trip from Wales to the sky. He really would miss the place. Though it had not always been like a home to him, Wales had always been part of his life, one that may no longer exist.

“How very patriotic,” A voice James had all too soon become a custom to ridiculed from the far corner. To Liam’s credit he ignored Dewhurst’s comment comfortably with a dismissing smile but others didn’t seem to be able to ignore the recruit’s judgemental character anymore including James himself.

James watched as the blonde from the far corner rose in her seat so she was perched on its surface as she edged to see the face of the bitter voice. Frustration mixed with anger as she gave up her attempt standing from her seat.

“Just what is your prob...?” The words seemed to suddenly fade from her welsh tongue as she stood stricken within the pathway of the room, her blonde hair settling softly onto her shoulders. Recognition and shock seemed to register behind her eyes before the palms of her hands covered them rubbing her fingertips roughly against her temples.

“Had an exhausting night did you Blondie?” His voice was smug and full of arrogances as he taunted the female recruit. James turned to face him, his lips pushing into a thin line as he watched a matching smirk pressed into his lips.

“I’ve had better” the blonde snapped into her palms sinking back into her seat as the back of her head collided with frustration into her head rest.

Though James may not have been able to read people well it was clear that this girl knew Dewhurst or had at least met him once before. It was clear to James and probably every other recruit here that she was not please to see him again. James really didn’t blame her. This boy was beginning to tug on even his tolerant patience.

With a simple shrug of his built shoulders and a light scoff James watched as Dewhurst tore his eyes away from the form of the Welsh women, turning back to face the rest of the silent recruits once more.

“Christian Dewhurst. Don’t except me to think of any of you as my family, even a team. I’m here to survive nothing else.” he branded with a quick and indifferent attitude. Sinking once more into his seat, closing his eyes with such a laid back attitude that James had to wonder just why this boy was so set on creating a bad first impression. It was almost as if he wanted every one of them to hate him. Christian Dewhurst had problems this much James did know.

“Leah Howells. I’m sorry I held everyone up.” James turned once more back towards the far corner where the blonde girl was now sitting straight within her seat. Determination was set across her expression as she introduced herself. “It was a mistake, one I plan on never making again.” She emphasised her eyes wondering to the far corner before settling quickly onto the male recruit sat beside her.

“I’m Robert McCarthy” the fellow blonde introduced a hint of an Irish accent out lining his words as he took the red woollen hat from atop of his head placing it down beside his right thigh. James thought it was an extremely polite mannerism. Though the boy had been very silent up until now James could tell he was much unlike Christian and somehow much more like himself.

With pale blue eyes James watched as Robert took each one of them in slowly before settling on the female recruit sat opposite him.

“I may have been forced to join the sky but I’m here for a reason and I won’t forget that.” He stated before looking off to the side once more. James was sure there was something behind his words which in return was important but he hardly had time to wonder the thought before the girl beside him straightened her back into a formal position. James instantly felt the frustration and judgement building within his blood once more.

“I’m Dawn Harrison. Some of you may think know who I am, but you are mistaken.” She announced her green eyes tearing from the form of Liam sat opposite her before slowly turning to face James himself. “I am not my father, nor will I ever be. All I ask from you is not to question me on my family and I will not question you on yours” It was a clever technique James thought as he kept her eye contact. It was pretty much common knowledge that family was a touchy subject for most recruits amongst the sky, James included.

“James Bennet,” James spoke never breaking his eyes from the boldly spoken girl before him. She had spoken like a politician had she known it or not. Even though she had grown up around politics the structure to her sentences and the thought behind her words still made James uneasy.

“I may not be as strong or physically endowed as others, but I would like you to try and find someone who could beat be at a game of chess or even poker in fact,” James admitted lightly tearing his eyes away from the figure of the prime ministers daughter, sending a slightly awkward smile to the rest of the recruits.

James chose to keep it light hearted, he didn’t want to answer or even acknowledge the words Dawn had spoken to him. Strategically he wanted her to feel uneasy about the words she had spoke. He didn’t want her to think them or even he himself trusted her because for James there was no questioning the fact that he didn’t trust her. He wouldn’t try to hide from that fact. It would take a lot for Dawn Harrison to earn James’ trust.

Letting James’ words sink into the silence all eyes apart from Christian’s whose were still comfortable closed as he lounged within the corner turned to face the only other recruit left of their team. Returning them all a comfortable yet shy smile the bright blue eyed brunette sat forward within her chair as she played nervously with the end of her sleeves.

“Ava Cunningham,” She introduced turning to look at each recruit in turn missing Christian completely before settling on James. “I’m quite a quiet person but that doesn’t mean I do not have an opinion. I also like to think I can play a mean game of poker.” She laughed lightly sending James a bright smile as she broke their eye contact, turning back towards the rest of the shuttle once again. James smiled softly to himself as he fought the light blush of his cheeks.

For the first time since James had boarded this shuttle he had the feeling of ease within the company of his future crew. It was satisfying not to be looked at behind pitiful eyes, not to be watched with sorrow. James felt surprisingly free here. With no past or expected future he felt unbound. There was no expectation placed upon him. For the first time in nearly in a year James was looking forward to what tomorrow or even today may bring.

He may have joined the skies for his brother but James had a feeling that here he would get so much more then he had ever bargained for.