This flight wasn't helping her nerves. All she could do to calm herself was drum her fingers against the wooden surface of the table. But even that couldn't stop her mind from reeling. The memory flashed through her head again and again. Those fingers slipping from hers. That face slowly fading into darkness. And all she could do was watch. Watch everything she had left die.
"Helena? " Her eyes focused on the coarse-faced man sitting in front of her. His sandy blonde hair seemed to move along with the plane's vibrations.
"You ok?" His soft eyes seemed to cast a worried glance and his mouth was set in an almost permanent frown.
"Yeah. It's just…hard to believe that she's..." She couldn't say anymore. She had to be strong now. No use in crying when she could act. No use in regretting all that she had done. Because it didn't change the past. It didn't change the fact that her sister was still dead. She had betrayed her coworkers, the government, and basically handed the President to Simmons. At that thought, all she could feel was rage.
That man had a lot to pay for. She could barely sit here knowing a monster like him was still out there among the rest. To her, he was the worst of them all. He was the lowest. It was a stroke of luck that she'd been given the opportunity to avenge her sister. It wouldn't be easy but, with Leon, they could hope to bring Simmons into custody together. The question was: why had she been allowed to tag along?
"How're you holdin' up?" The question had caught her off guard. She certainly didn't expect her well being to be apart of their priority list. Why did he even care about her inner struggles? Maybe this was just casual conversation. So she said the first thought that came to mind.
"Why didn't you turn me in? It would have cleared your name." she asked. The harsh reality of the situation was palpable. Her throat suddenly became dry and her shoulders tensed. Leon just stared for a moment, his mouth slightly open before replying.
"Maybe, but it wouldn't have stopped Simmons." She could only shake her head at that. It didn't seem likely that they would walk away from this with their freedom or their lives. So why not turn a traitor in if it meant removing yourself from the situation? Then again, Leon had his own personal score to settle for the President's death. Things were starting to make a little bit more sense.
"Besides, you're starting to grow on me a little bit." Her eyes blinked in confusion. It seemed like the normally stoic agent was full of surprises. Had he just made a pass at her? Should she be offended or compassionate? In the end, her mouth couldn't help but curl into a smile of mutual understanding. They were partners for the time being, at least, until this mission was over. She would accept the consequences if it meant getting a chance to make things right. For her sister, Deborah.
The moment of peace didn't last long as the two were jerked harshly from their seats. The lights flickered as passengers were thrown against walls and floors, some tripping over fallen luggage. Leon acted quickly, making his way to the front of the plane while Helena followed behind. It was unlikely that the captain had just fallen asleep at the controls.