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Jon was sitting down in the campus coffee shop, The Busy Bee, a particular favourite location of his and Stephen’s, but really it was the heart of the campus. He was reading from his iPad when he heard the scraping of a chair. He looked up to see Trevor sitting opposite him. ‘Did you hear?’ he asked. ‘Hear what, Trevor?’ asked Jon.‘There was a plane crash - a flight from Newark here to Birmingham in England,’ Trevor explained. ‘Apparently, the plane hit a flock of geese during descent, which caused a wonky emergency landing. And several injuries.’ ‘Like that Sully guy?’ asked Jon. ‘The Hudson Miracle?’‘Yeah, like that!’ Trevor nodded furiously. ‘Like that!’‘Is everyone okay?’ asked Jon. ‘How do you know this?’ ‘Uh... it’s all on the news, Jon,’ said Trevor. ‘And John Oliver was on that flight too.’ ‘That’s nice.’ Jon lifted up his iPad to search for the news when the penny dropped, and his iPad came crashing down on the table. ‘Holy shit, is he okay?’ ‘I don’t know.’ Trevor said. ‘I just know he was on that flight because I recognise the flight number. And he said he was flying home to visit his family. From Newark. And I saw him off at the airport last night.’ ‘Jesus.’ Jon blinked, not knowing what to say. He and Trevor sat in silence for a minute or so before Jon took a breath. ‘Stephen can’t find out.’ ‘What? Why?’ asked Trevor. ‘It’s... complicated. And it’s not my story to tell,’ said Jon, scratching behind his ear. ‘But he can’t find out.’ Trevor frowned. ‘You know, I would think that Stephen would notice a plane crash on the news.’ ‘He would,’ said Jon. ‘He just doesn’t need to know John was on it.’ ‘Should I tell anyone else?’ asked Trevor, as he watched Jon readjust his hearing aid. ‘Let’s just keep it between us for now,’ said Jon. ‘Is there anything else on the news?’ ‘Uh... probably,’ said Trevor. ‘But I ran out after seeing that. Mostly because I was late for class. Then I came here and found you.’ ‘Oh yeah, now I’m seeing it.’ Jon read from his iPad. ‘Wow. It looks pretty bad. Around eighty-six injuries, at least seventeen of those being life-threatening.’ He looked up at Trevor. ‘How do you get life-threatening injuries from a bad landing?’ ‘Have you never been on a plane, Jon?’ asked Trevor. ‘The overhead bins could have come open, and someone’s bag could have hit someone else in the head, and that’s a skull fracture right there.’‘Do you think that’s what happened to John?’ asked Jon. ‘You know what, let me just consult my crystal ball,’ said Trevor. ‘No need to be so sarcastic, Noah.’ Jon looked back down at his iPad. ‘Oh. This is just really... it’s terrible,’ he said. ‘The engines were taken out by a goose flock.’‘That’s what I said,’ Trevor mumbled. ‘I heard that,’ Jon snapped. Trevor simply grunted. He had hoped that Jon hadn’t heard that because his hearing really hadn’t been the same since he got sick. Jon himself hadn’t been the same since he got sick. ‘Do you think John is okay?’ asked Jon. ‘Honestly, I hope so,’ said Trevor. A coffee cup was dropped on the table. ‘Well, guys,’ said Shep, pulling up a chair. ‘I am spent.’ He plopped down into the chair, looking as if he was going to faint from exhaustion.‘And he’s not the only one,’ said Kimmel, sitting down next to Jon and pulling his coffee cup closer to him. ‘Rough night?’ asked Jon. ‘Very,’ Shep mumbled, putting his arms on the table. ‘I was just cramming all night,’ said Kimmel. ‘I’m only here for a coffee, and then I’m going back to study.’ ‘Workin’ all evenin’ for CNN,’ Shep mumbled. ‘Up all night finishing my essay.’ He rested his head on his arms. ‘Can’t do it no more.’‘There was a plane crash in England,’ said Trevor. ‘A plane was landing and hit a flock of geese.’Kimmel was taking a sip of his coffee but swallowed it and winced and hissed in pain as the hot liquid forced itself down his gullet. ‘Holy shit,’ he said.‘And John Oliver was on the flight,’ Trevor added. Kimmel said nothing. He didn’t even hardly move. He simply grunted as the information was processed. Shep’s head shot up. ‘Is he alright?’ he asked. ‘I think the important question here is, are you alright?’ asked Jon. ‘Yeah, you’re, uh, not looking so good there, pal,’ said Kimmel.‘Are you losing your hair?’ asked Jon, pointing to a bald spot on Shep’s head. ‘And you’ve got crows feet,’ Kimmel added. ‘And worry lines.’‘Thanks for making me feel better, guys. But I’m not secretly a forty year old; it’s just stress,’ said Shep. ‘I haven’t eaten a proper meal in like... nine days.’‘You look like you haven’t slept in twice as long,’ said Trevor.‘I’m not surprised,’ said Jon. ‘You’re working full-time, and you’re studying full-time, and you’re the full-time editor of the college paper.’‘Yeah, Jon’s right,’ said Trevor. ‘That kind of shit will take a toll. You have to decide what you want to do; study or work.’‘I’ll do that.’ Shep lowered his head in his arms again. ‘Right after I sleep.’Sam woke up late, checked her texts and went to brush her teeth before she turned on the small TV she had in her dorm room; CBS This Morning was the show she tuned it to as she dressed, ready for the day ahead. Only something made her stop in her tracks completely. She grabbed her phone and called her boyfriend, Jason. ‘Jason, have you seen the news?’ ‘Not this morning. Why? What’s up ?’ asked Jason. ‘There’s been some sort of... plane... incident in England. Several people injured. Two deaths,’ said Sam. ‘And get this, the flight was from Newark.’‘Lots of flights are from Newark, Sam. What are you implying?’ ‘I’m not implying anything. I’m just worried that John Oliver was on that flight.’ Sam said. ‘And what if he’s died?’ ‘John won’t have died.’ ‘What if he’s in a coma?’ asked Sam. ‘Like Jon? Stewart?’‘Then he’s not dead.’ ‘Jason! You’re not helping!’ Sam snapped. ‘Sam,’ said Jason. ‘Take a breath. Just breathe. I know you’re worried about John.’‘He’s not going to get my calls or texts because he’s flying,’ said Sam. ‘Or he’s badly injured. Or dead.’‘He’s not dead,’ Jason insisted. ‘What happened in this incident?’‘A plane hit a flock of geese. They knocked out the engines. The plane crashed as it was making an emergency landing into Birmingham -’‘Birmingham? Yikes,’ Jason sighed. 'That doesn’t mean he’s dead,’ he said quickly. ‘Or badly hurt. John’s a lucky guy, I’m sure you know.’‘Like that time he fell out of a tree when he was drunk and walked away without injury,’ said Sam. ‘Yeah. I get what you mean.’ ‘And if he wasn’t on the flight, then it’s all good,’ said Jason. ‘All good,’ Sam repeated. ‘You’re right.’ ‘Of course, I am,’ said Jason. ‘I’m not worried that-that John’s dead or h-horribly injured.’ ‘Your voice betrayed you, Jason,’ said Sam. ‘Eh.’ Jason grunted. ‘I'm not worried,’ he repeated.‘Your voice went high again,’ said Sam. ‘Don’t you have to worry about your radio show tonight?’ asked Jason, changing the subject.‘Oh shit, is it Wednesday?’ asked Sam. ‘Shit.’ ‘Yeah, that’s today,’ said Jason. ‘Shit.’ Sam sighed. ‘Alright. I’ll meet you at The Busy Bee later on. We can talk about this face to face because I really need some comfort right now.’News of the plane crash spread faster than wildfire. So did the news that John Oliver had been on the flight. And when news of deaths started coming in, it didn’t take long for the rumour mill to start grinding. By the evening, candlelight vigils were being held all over campus in memory of fellow student John Oliver. Stephen walked past some of these vigils and saw students laying down flowers, candles, cups of tea, scones, English flags and various British paraphernalia. He looked curiously at the students, some of whom were crying, others were playing sad music, and someone was even playing the guitar and singing along. Mostly, Stephen wondered what the hell was happening. Why the hell they were playing depressing, maudlin music? Why the hell was that random guy playing the guitar and singing James Taylor's Fire and Rain?Stephen got into his car and turned the radio on. He knew Sam would be doing her radio show about now. ‘- I just wanted to say, to those of you who are doing vigils, thank you, and it means a lot to, not just me, but to all of us -’ Us? Who were "us"? Stephen turned the station over and began his drive out of Manhattan and out of the state.It would be a while before Stephen eventually reached Newark Airport, making his way inside. Standing in the Departures lounge was a dishevelled, bloody, tired and very stressed looking John Oliver. The second he saw Stephen, John ran over and hugged him. ‘John, are you alright?’ asked Stephen. ‘Oh Stephen, it was horrible,’ said John. ‘I forgot I had a bottle of water in my backpack, and when it went through the x-ray thing, they pulled me aside and asked all kinds of questions. When I couldn’t answer, they tackled me to the ground and detained me in a room like I was in the Taliban - it’s been nearly a day since I last ate, slept, drank or went to the toilet!’‘What?’ ‘I pissed myself in that room, Stephen,’ said John. ‘Oh, now I smell it,’ said Stephen. ‘Like a nineteen-year-old white, British guy could ever be any danger to any other country that’s also predominantly white.’ ‘Did they at least let you on another flight?’ asked Stephen. ‘No. I’m... banned from Lufthansa forever,’ said John. Stephen gasped slightly, and his hand half raised to his mouth, but he fought the urge to raise it all the way. ‘What? What’s going on?’ asked John. ‘Nothing,’ Stephen lied. ‘I-I thought I saw a bee. I was going to swat it. But it wasn’t a bee. Just my imagi -’‘Stephen,’ said John firmly. ‘I know something’s happened.’‘You... there was a plane crash,’ said Stephen. ‘And you were supposed to be on it.’‘How do you -’‘Lufthansa. From Newark to Birmingham. Hit a flock of geese on descent. Like ten people died.’ Stephen’s eyes widened. ‘Holy shit - that’s what all that shit was about earlier! People think you’re dead!’‘But I’m not dead,’ said John. Stephen covered his mouth and started laughing. ‘Why are you laughing?’ asked John. ‘People died.’‘Relief, I guess. And yeah, people did die,’ Stephen agreed. ‘But you’re okay. Ish.’ He put his arms around John. ‘What I mean to say is that I’m so fucking happy you aren’t dead. I mean... after everything that’s happened with Jon back in January.’‘I know,’ said John. ‘Believe me, I’m more happy than you are that I’m not dead.’ Stephen let go of John. ‘So what’re you gonna do?’ John shrugged. ‘Book another flight from another airport, I guess. Probably JFK. Maybe LaGuardia.’ ‘Do planes fly from LaGuardia to England?’ asked Stephen.‘No idea. I’m sure I’ll find out,’ said John. ‘But for now, just take me home. I need to call my family.’‘So I heard someone singing Fire and Rain on the campus quad today,’ said Jessica. She was at Jon and Stephen’s apartment along with Jason and Sam.‘Okay.’ Jon nodded. ‘What do you want me to do about that?’‘Is it true that John died?’ asked Jessica. ‘Um...’ ‘Yes then,’ said Jessica. ‘Probably not,’ said Jon. ‘So where’s Stephen?’ asked Jason. ‘Newark,’ Jon answered.‘And Shep?’ asked Sam. ‘Also in Newark,’ said Jon. ‘So John’s dead then?’ asked Sam. ‘John Oliver is probably not dead,’ said Jason. ‘I’ve told you this before, Sam.’‘Is Stephen dead?’ asked Sam. ‘Or Shep?’‘No,’ said Jon. ‘Stephen’s not dead either, and I’m pretty sure Shep’s only dead inside.’ Sam opened her mouth to speak again but was interrupted by the sound of a key in the lock. Stephen’s key. Stephen opened the door and yawned. ‘Ugh. It’s been a long evening.’‘Hey, Stephen. How was Newark?’ asked Jon. ‘Great for me,’ Stephen answered. ‘Real bad for this guy.’ He stepped aside to reveal John. John stepped forward and waved sheepishly. ‘Hey.’‘I told you he wasn’t dead,’ said Jason. ‘John. Holy crap.’ Jon stood up and walked over to John. ‘Oh my god, are you okay? You smell like piss. Are you okay?’ ‘I... have been banned from Lufthansa forever,’ said John. ‘Because I carried a bottle of water in my backpack - accidentally. As if I was some kind of terrorist threat.’ ‘You’ve got dried blood on your face and in your hair and on your shirt,’ said Sam. ‘And you’ve got a huge shiner.’‘Oh yeah. The TSA tackled me to the ground, and I hit my head on the x-ray scanner thing,’ said John. ‘Then they locked me in a room for almost a day. I was handcuffed to a table. Nobody bothered to check up on me. And I had no idea that the plane I was supposed to be on crashed. That’s just some horrible irony right there. And further, on that point, I had no idea people thought I was dead!’‘At least you’re okay,’ said Jason. ‘I mean, as long as that cut doesn’t get infected.’ ‘Yeah, that looks really deep,’ said Jessica. ‘You should go to the hospital.’‘I already offered. He said no,’ said Stephen. ‘His skull could be fractured,’ Jon argued.‘It’s not crushing his brain. Just keep an eye on him,’ said Stephen. ‘You know, he’s lucky. He’s unlucky, but he’s lucky.’‘Yeah,’ Jessica agreed. ‘If the TSA hadn’t got to him, he could have been on that flight.’ She looked down at her phone and then back up. ‘And the death toll’s just gone up to twelve now.’‘People really think I’m dead,’ said John. ‘I’ve never had random strangers care about me before.’ ‘I have,’ said Jon. ‘When I got sick. Shep when he first appeared on TV. Kimmel, when he raised money for his surgery -’‘I guess it’s just your turn,’ said Stephen. ‘So... when do we tell everyone I’m not dead?’ asked John. ‘Or do we leave it a little longer?’