Dangerous Light

“Ma belle, you don’t have to walk us into the airport. Your feet must be killing you,” Max shakes his head.

Her heels make a clicking sound on the concrete and she keeps pace with the men, “it’s fine. I’ve gotta give you guys a proper goodbye, anyway.”

Jordan glances over his shoulder, watching Athena walk with her arms crossed. She is wearing the same dress that he found her in her apartment in, but it seems to be washed. The smile on her lips doesn’t match the look in her blue eyes.

She adjusts her purse on the curve of her shoulder when the group enters the automatic doors leading into the airport.

“Thank God,” Max says looking back at Jordan, Sidney and Athena, “we got here an hour early.”

Athena nods as she looks at the lines of people waiting to check in with their luggage. Albeit the lines’ fast moving pace, she still shakes her head and is happy not to have to deal with it for another handful of days.

“You really don’t wanna stand with us and wait, do you?” Jordan mutters, staring at the large lines of people with the same expression.

“Not really,” Athena shrugs, “if I do, I may end up going and buying a ticket and leaving tonight.”

Sidney smiles, “you say it like it’s a bad thing.”

With a shrug, Athena smirks. “It’s all perspective, I guess.”

Sidney laughs, covering his mouth and trying to cover it with a cough when a loud gasp escapes Athena’s lips.

“Ma belle,” Max coos as he wraps his arms around the blonde woman, “I’m gonna miss you.”

Gently patting Max’s back, Athena smiles. “I’ll miss you, too, Max.”

“I’ll try to convince Jordan to warm up to the idea of you coming to Pittsburgh,” he whispers, squeezing her one more time with his arms. Scrunching her nose playfully, she squeezes him back.

As soon as Max releases her, Athena walks over to Sidney and smiles sadly. “Give me a hug and go get in line so you don’t miss your flight.”

Wrapping her arms around Sidney’s neck, Athena closes her eyes and tries to smile when she feels Sidney return the tight embrace.

“I’ll see you, Sid.” Athena’s words barely leave her lips as she pulls away, subtly brushing her lips against his cheek as she passes.

Not saying a word, Sidney just bows his head.

Athena bites her lip, seeing his skin shift to the color of a tomato in the blink of an eye. With a sigh, she turns to Jordan and tilts her head.

“Turn that frown upside down, Fischer.” Jordan smirks, playfully putting his hand on her head.

“You sound like Eric,” the young woman laughs, extending her arms and walking into her best friend’s wall of a body. His arms feel so heavy around her shoulders.

Jordan smirks into her hair, “I’m offended, Athena.”

“Good,” she chuckles, squeezing his waist. “Maybe you’ll remember me, then.”

“Oh, for the five to seven days that I’ll be without you.” Jordan chuckles.

Slowly pulling away from her friend, Athena nods as her lips pull into a small smile. The stinging behind her eyes is painfully obvious to her, and to Jordan, as well, when her eyes glaze over.

“What’s wrong?” He whispers.

Athena shakes her head, “let’s just hope that it is only five or seven days, right?”

“Right,” Jordan’s tone mirrors Athena’s.

Letting her purse strap slip into her hand, Athena rubs her arm. “You should probably go catch up with the guys. Wouldn’t want you to miss your flight.”

Jordan rubs the back of his neck, “yeah.”

“I’ll see you in Thunder Bay, Jord.”

Turning away from each other, both blondes walk in opposite directions. Like old times, they don't look back at one another and don't attempt to drag the whole process out.

It just hurts more that way. Athena stops at the edge of the check-in area and looks through the swarming people. Her line of vision scans the streaks of people, as her hand subconsciously digs through her purse, emerging with both her phone and keys. Her perusing stare halts when it lands upon the end of the line. Blinking rapidly, she feels the edges of her lips rise.

Sidney, Jordan and Max are all standing in line together, with their suitcases at their feet. Jordan’s lips move rapidly and Max throws his head back in a fit of laughter. The smile on Sidney’s face is unmistakable.

Running her fingertips along the brims of her eyes, Athena slowly looks up after wiping her damp fingers on her black dress. She smiles when her eyes meet a pair of familiar brown ones. Lifting her hand, she waves her fingers before turning around and making her way toward the door.

The cool air of the desert night forms goose bumps on Athena’s skin. Halting on the sidewalk, Athena scrolls through her phone’s contact list and stops on a number that is foreign, familiar and scary all wrapped into ten simple digits.

Ringing fills one of her ears, her heels clicking on the concrete fill her other, as she begins to tread to her car.

She looks both ways before crossing over into the parking lot and making a beeline for her car.

The ringing stops as a noise fills the receiver.

Athena’s throat tightens as she grips her keys.

“Yeah?” A gruff voice sounds off.

Tilting her head back, Athena stops and rests her hand on the silver trunk of her car. “Dad.”

“Jesus Christ, Athena. You got any idea what time it is?”

Running her free hand through her hair, Athena walks to her door and unlocks it. “I just need to tell you something.”

“Make it quick. I’m tryin’ to sleep.”

“I’m gonna be home in a few days, Dad.”