**
Destiny
Has once again surprised me
Oh! Destiny
Must want you here beside me
Quietly
Like the sunrise with its splendor
Unexpectedly,
With a passion strong yet tender

You draw me in
Like the moon draws the tide
Swept away by this love
Taken in by your eyes

If I had to walk away from you
I know that it would be no use
Because you are so deep inside of me
Can't deny
I never want to be set free
The more you give the more I need
You can't change what it is meant to be
No you can't change Destiny
Destiny

Destiny
Speaks with many voices
So eventually
We're obliged to make some choices
Oh! Destiny
Who I thought I owned completely
Just to toy with me
Made me fall in love so deeply

You fill my soul
Like the stars fill the sky
Brought to life
This new world
Where I'm held captive inside

If I had to walk away from you
I know that it would be no use
Because you are so deep inside of me
Can't deny
I never want to be set free
The more you give the more I need
You can't change what it is meant to be
No you can't change Destiny
Destiny

If I had to walk away from you
I know that it would be no use
No you can't change
Destiny
Destiny
Destiny
Destiny
(Gloria Estefan, "Destiny")
**


(from Liz)

My first inkling that something was wrong was the turbulence we encountered just outside of the Sydney airport. The plane shook violently up and down and side to side, just as I imagined an earthquake would be. Only a few thousand feet in the air.

I found my voice. But it was high pitched and wouldn't stop once I started shrieking. Lucky's hand clamped over my lips.

"That won't help," he said through clenched teeth. He must have assumed that would calm me; he removed his hand. It didn't help at all, but I did have the common sense to shut up.

The voice on the intercom told us nothing was really wrong and that we should just remain calm. I couldn't control my shaking. The lights blinked once. A baby cried from across the plane.

"Lucky?" My voice trembled, much like I was. Lucky was outwardly calm. I couldn't know what went on in his head. He turned to me as best he could in our cramped quarters.

"It's okay, Elizabeth." He touched my face lightly, pushed my hair away from my eyes. Tears gathered in my eyes. I rubbed at them, suddenly worried about my mascara. Then a hysterical giggle escaped my mouth. It turned to a sob before its end. "Elizabeth," Lucky's voice was strong. His deep tones sunk into my soul and sent a shiver through me. "Elizabeth! Liz, baby," < He called me baby! > "Listen to me. Everything is gonna be fine. Trust me, okay?"

"What do you have to do with every possible thing that could go wrong right now?!" My fear and fury turned toward Lucky.

"*I* have to do with you," he said in a commanding tone, gripping my shoulders tightly. They burned from all the blood rushing to them. I was his helpless prisoner. And loving our close proximity. My breath came in little gasps. "Elizabeth, honey, I promise you I won't let anything happen to you. Can you believe that?"

My tears fell, rolling down my face. I brushed at them, smearing them across my face. Lucky stilled my hand by clasping it within his own. He wiped at my wet skin, then his fingers stilled and rested directly below my eyes. Both our eyes locked.

"I can believe you," I whispered, waiting for the inevitable kiss. The plane rocked, the lights shorting out again, and I jumped. Lucky threaded his fingers through mine.

"We request that all passengers please bend over and place your head between your knees," came the intercom voice again. This time it was strained and cracked once.

Lucky readjusted himself in his seat and did as the voice asked. I was half-hyperventilating by now. Lucky leaned upward and reached for me. His arm slipped around my shoulder and tugged me downward. He then rubbed comforting patterns on my shoulders, murmuring soothing things in my ear.

I fought for each breath. The lights flickered and went out. I whimpered softly.

"Liz, baby, everything's fine. The pilots are just using the extra electricity to get us on the ground."

I panted. "Lucky?"

"Yeah?"

"What if this is the end? What if we die now? I have so much that I want to do before I die! I don't want to die!" My hoarse voice broke.

"Elizabeth, no. Stop thinking like that. I won't let that happen."

"How can you stop it, if it's our time?"

"'Our time'? I don't think it is. Please, Elizabeth, I need you to do that for me. I *need* you."

My swirling thoughts came to a halt when the lights came back on. A crack of thunder outside the plane extracted a small yelp from me. The plane gave another brief shaking and then I felt solid ground below us. I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Please remain in your seats until we reach a runway closer to the terminal. You will be escorted out by rescue personnel. Please be patient." The intercom was flipped off for the last time.

I sat up quickly, sucking in large breaths of air. Lucky unclasped his belt, edged closer to me.

"Are you okay?"

"I - I think so."

"Hurt anywhere?"

"No. No, I think I'll be fine in a minute."

My heartbeat slowly returned to its normal pace. Lucky grabbed my hands. He leaned forward until our foreheads touched.

"Lucky?"

"Mmm?"

"Can we take the train back home?"

He laughed shortly, then brought my hands up to his lips for a sweet kiss on each. My stomach somersaulted.

"We made it into Australia," he said, replacing my hands in my lap. "Now all we have to do is get through customs, take one more flight, and we're there. Think you can handle it?"

"Do you think you can handle me?"

"Is that a trick question?"

"Haha."

"I think you'll do just fine if I can distract you long enough."

"And how do you propose to do that?"

"Propose? Who said anything about proposing?"

I didn't have time to reply. The emergency exits on the plane burst open and a group of yellow suited men swarmed in. They ushered us off of the plane and into the customs office.

Once through that ordeal, Lucky and I sat near the gate of our next flight to wait for it to be announced. I dropped off in sleep after an hour of boredom.

---

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