Viv paid the cab driver and thanked him profusely as he unloaded their luggage and gave it to a skycap to haul inside to the ticket counter. “Did we arrive with this much luggage, or is it just that we’re that much more tired than when we arrived?” Viv asked, eyeing their suitcases.

“It does seem like a lot more.” Juno agreed. “I know I didn’t buy that much, though.” Viv and Juno both looked at Darcy, who guiltily looked at her suitcase.

“I can’t go on vacation and not shop.” She said plaintively, making both girls laugh.

The trio trundled up the ticket counter and waited in line for the next available agent to issue them boarding passes and ask them questions about their packing techniques. As they wearily waited in line, Juno turned to the girls and gave them a shaky smile. “Listen, I know I was a real pill last night, but I really, really wanted to thank you guys. This has been the best vacation I’ve ever had – and not just the part with me picking up a hot Scottish guy.” She said bravely, trying for humor despite the circumstances. “I can’t thank you both enough for all of this.”

Darcy grinned and gave her a hug, then gave Viv a quick hug. “To Viv, for bankrolling the operation. To me, for suggesting it, and to Juno, for having an adventure for the first time in her life.”

The three girls linked arms and stepped to the ticket counter, emerging a few minutes later with boarding passes and only their carry on bags.

“Shall we just go through security now and get it over with?” Viv asked, looking around the crowded terminal.

Juno nodded. “We don’t actually have that much time to wait until we can board, so I think we should go through now in case there’s a delay.”

Nodding in agreement, Viv and Darcy followed Juno as she wove her way through the crowds of passengers and employees, arriving a few minutes later in a lengthy line in front of the security stations.

“I hate this part.” Darcy grumbled, automatically taking off her shoes and removing her jewelry. “I always feel like a criminal, and I always get picked to get searched.”

“Either you look suspicious, or the guards just like patting you down.” Viv said with a wink, making Darcy give her a playful push.

After a few minutes, it was time for Juno to step through the metal detector and set her bag on the conveyor belt. She stepped throughout without incident, and turned to retrieve her bag, giggling as she saw Darcy being led to the ‘pat down’ area to the side of the metal detector. She stood at the end of the conveyor belt and waited patiently, her eyes lazily panning across all the people wandering around the security area.

She dropped her bag as her eyes traveled back to the terminal area, where a clearly frantic Jamie Fulham was pacing up and down, looking for someone.

Looking for her, Juno was sure of it.

She let out a small squeak as she watched Jamie dash back and forth, his eyes darting from the security area to the ticket counters to the front door and back again. During his next lap, he stopped in his tracks, crashing into a small elderly woman who was standing right behind him. Juno saw, rather than heard, Jamie apologize profusely, picking up the woman’s dropped bag and giving it back to her. As he straightened, his eyes locked on Juno’s.

Without a second thought, Juno began walking towards him, away from the gates and back through the security checkpoint. She halted at a voice behind her.

“Can’t let you go back through, miss.” A thick Scottish brogue informed her. “Against the law and all, you see.”

“But…” Juno protested weakly, her eyes still on Jamie, who was watching her intently.

“Sorry, miss.” The man insisted, stepping in front of her and blocking her view of Jamie. Juno nodded her understanding, and the man slowly moved away. Juno stood rooted to the spot, her eyes on Jamie’s. They continued to both stand, not moving, watching each other. Juno could almost feel a surge of heat from Jamie’s gaze, a lightning bolt in his silent stare.

If she didn’t think she’d get shot or wrestled to the ground and arrested, she would have vaulted the security ropes and thrown herself into his arms.

Juno jumped as Viv took her arm gently. “Juno? We have to go – our flight just got called. What are you looking…” Viv trailed off as she saw Jamie on the other side of the checkpoint. “Oh my god…”

“Oh my god…” Juno echoed. “He came. He came here for me.”

“Guys, we have to go!” Darcy said from behind them, halting as she followed their gaze to Jamie. “Oh my god…” She echoed unknowingly. “Juno…”

“Ladies, we have to ask you to move along.” The same security officer was back again, clearly unaware of the pull towards the other side of security. “Now, please.”

Juno felt her arm being tugged, felt herself being propelled backwards. Her eyes were still trained on Jamie, straining to keep him in sight. She knew she was going to lose sight of him any second, and she struggled to slow down, to stay a little longer.

Jamie was still rooted to the same spot, his eyes on hers. Slowly, he raised one hand and placed it gently over his heart, his eyes filled with longing and desperation.

Juno stumbled, and saw Jamie for one last second, his gaze filled with all the steamy, simmering, sexy, warm, loving feelings she herself was feeling for the man who’d come after her.

Another jostle and he was out of her line of sight, gone from her view.

Juno nearly collapsed at the gate as Viv and Darcy took charge, each taking an elbow and steering her towards the gate door. Darcy handed over Juno’s boarding pass and her own to the gate attendant, then grabbed Juno’s arm again to help her down the jet way towards their waiting flight.

Juno never heard their murmured words of concern, and never felt their hands on her arms.

Tears blinded her as she stepped onto the plane, her head filled with that final image of Jamie Fulham, standing forlorn and alone in the middle of the terminal, his eyes searching only for her.

By the time Juno managed to clumsily buckle herself into the seat, her mascara had traced two black rivers down her face and her skin was frighteningly blotchy and red.

"I can't do this." She whispered to Darcy. "I can't just go."

Darcy squeezed her hand sympathetically. "We all have to get back to reality sometime, honey. You'll feel better when we get home. You'll see."

"That's right." Viv piped up from Juno's other side. "In a couple of weeks, this will all be a hazy memory, right? Reality is good."

Juno shook her head slowly as she looked at the window of the plane and took a last glimpse at the green hills as they blurred as the plane gained speed.

Her body may be leaving Scotland, but her heart was still squarely planted with the man who'd shown her Craigh Na Dun.

Juno closed her eyes as the plane bolted down the runway towards takeoff, another tear sliding down her cheek.

Reality was seriously overrated, she thought as the plane lurched into the air, winging her home.

1313 / 39082 / 50000

before . after