The roar of the airplane engines filled the cabin once more, a sound that had never felt so comforting. The violent shaking subsided, and the plane stopped its terrifying descent. Gradually, it stabilized, regaining a sense of normalcy.
Inside the cabin, silence reigned for a brief moment. Everyone, including Matthew and Margot Robbie, seemed frozen in disbelief.
Then the captain's voice came over the intercom, confirming what they all hoped to hear: after several tense minutes, the pilots had successfully restarted both engines just before the plane reached critical stall speed. For now, the aircraft was out of immediate danger.
But the situation remained precarious. The engines were still malfunctioning and barely operational, meaning they could fail again at any moment. The pilots needed to land the plane as soon as possible.
The air circulation system resumed normal function, and most passengers removed their oxygen masks.
Tears streamed down many faces as people sobbed in relief. These weren't tears of panic or despair but of gratitude for escaping the clutches of death.
Matthew glanced around the first-class cabin. Even the most stoic among them couldn't hold back their emotions.
He turned to Margot, whose gaze met his. Her eyes, once clear and defiant in the face of death, now carried a mix of relief and uncertainty.
In the heat of impending disaster, it had been easy to promise and say things that felt deeply true in the moment. But now that the immediate danger was over, doubts crept in.
Margot's gaze fell to their hands, still tightly intertwined. The promise they had made moments ago lingered between them. Did those words mean anything now?
For her, they felt both significant and fleeting.
Matthew wasn't overthinking it. For now, he was simply grateful to be alive. Luck had once again smiled upon him, granting him another miraculous escape.
The feeling of surviving against all odds was exhilarating—but he hoped it would never need to happen again.
Around them, the other passengers remained seated, still buckled in, their emotions ranging from elation to sheer exhaustion. No one dared to unbuckle their seatbelts just yet.
Matthew glanced out the window. The engines appeared to be running, though unsteady, and below them stretched the vast expanse of ocean. Streams of fuel poured out from the wings into the open sea.
The aircraft was dumping fuel, lightening its load for an emergency landing.
Matthew knew this was standard procedure. Having recently read about airplane safety measures, he understood that the nearly 200,000 liters of jet fuel onboard posed a significant hazard during landing.
With this knowledge, he felt a cautious optimism. If the crew could manage the engines, they had a real shot at landing safely.
Turning back to Margot, he realized they were still holding hands. Their fingers were tightly interlocked, a symbol of the bond they had formed in the face of death.
Margot noticed his gaze and, with her characteristic bluntness, spoke first.
"Matthew, I think we're out of danger," she said. "About what we said earlier…"
"Margot," Matthew interrupted, meeting her eyes. "Have you fallen for me?"
Margot blinked, taken aback by the question. Instead of answering, she countered, "Have you fallen for me?"
Matthew's grip on her hand tightened. "I've had feelings for you since the shooting range. You impressed me that day."
Margot pressed her lips together, hesitating. "The plane didn't crash, though."
Matthew frowned. After years of fleeting flings and shallow relationships, Margot was one of the few women who had genuinely stirred something in him.
Before he could respond, Margot spoke again, a hint of a smile on her lips. "I'll try to fall for you before we land."
Matthew chuckled softly. "We've just passed the test of life and death together."
The captain's voice came over the intercom again, informing passengers that the plane was preparing for an emergency landing.
Following instructions, Matthew and Margot donned their oxygen masks and headsets. Their expressions were hidden now, but they exchanged a glance filled with unspoken understanding.
As the plane began its final approach, Matthew reached out his hand again. Margot placed hers in his without hesitation, and their fingers interlocked once more.
The descent was tense, with one of the engines briefly emitting smoke during the final moments. But ultimately, the plane touched down on the runway with a shuddering thud before coming to a full stop.
Applause erupted throughout the cabin, mixed with tears of relief.
The emergency exits opened, and inflatable slides deployed.
"Exit in an orderly manner!" the flight attendants called out.
Matthew unbuckled his seatbelt and stood. Margot followed suit, standing beside him.
"Feels good to be back on solid ground," Margot muttered.
Without a word, Matthew pulled her into a hug. "Let's go," he said, pulling her toward the emergency slide.
One of the engines near their side of the wing was still emitting smoke. Fire trucks were already on the scene, spraying foam over the area.
They stepped aside to let a child go down the slide first. Matthew then turned to Margot and said, "You go next. We'll talk more after this."
Margot nodded, her gaze steady. "I'll wait for you."
She jumped onto the slide and descended to safety.
Matthew stayed back, helping another child onto the slide.
"Kids first!" he called out, motioning for others to let the younger passengers go ahead.
Several crew members and remaining passengers watched him with newfound admiration.
Even as he slid down the inflatable slide himself, Matthew couldn't help but think, This whole act might actually turn me into a decent person someday.
At the bottom, Margot waited, scanning the crowd. When she saw Matthew helping others before finally sliding down, she shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Angel or devil?" she muttered under her breath. "Probably both."
Once Matthew reached the bottom, she took a step toward him.
"Let's move," he said, grabbing her hand. "We're not out of the woods yet."
Together, they followed airport staff away from the plane, walking across the runway to a waiting electric cart.
As they drove toward the terminal, Matthew glanced back at the aircraft. The sight of it now distant, surrounded by emergency vehicles, finally allowed him to exhale fully.
"We're safe," Margot said, breaking the silence.
Matthew nodded. "We've cheated death again."
"Yeah," she replied, her bluntness returning. "Fifteen minutes ago, I thought we were going to crash and become literal wreckage—just another pair of broken souls."
Matthew's mood lightened, and he teased, "Sorry to disappoint you. I'm too lucky to go down like that." He spread his arms theatrically. "Celebrate with me, Margot."
Margot laughed and leaned into him. Their lips met in a passionate kiss, the intensity of the moment heightened by their shared ordeal.
The driver, glancing at them through the rearview mirror, rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath.
By the time the electric cart stopped at the terminal, they had composed themselves. Matthew and Margot stepped off, unfazed by the driver's bemused expression.
Inside the VIP lounge, they joined other first-class passengers who had been given priority care. The airline staff moved about, offering assistance and refreshments.
Matthew, unbothered by the preferential treatment, found two seats next to each other and sat down.
"Turn your phone on," he told Margot. "People might be worried. Let them know you're safe."
Margot nodded, pulling out her phone.
Matthew powered his own device back on, sending a brief message to Helen Herman, who was likely still airborne. He also contacted his London-based lawyer, Amal Alamuddin, asking her to handle the inevitable fallout.
For now, he was content to bask in the fact that he was alive—and not alone.
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