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The past twenty one years of his life had been one disappointment after another. Nothing good ever came to him. If it wasn't his mother running out on the family when he was eight, or his alcoholic father never thinking that he was good enough, or his elder brother joining the army and taking the heart of his girlfriend with him, it was the fact that his best friend since he was a kid died of a drug overdose a couple months back. His life was crap. He would be the first to admit it. No matter how sunny Sydney was, he could never feel the warmth. By nature, he was a dark person. Whether it was his situation that made him that way, he'd never know. One thing he knew, however, was that it was no way to live. With that, he packed up his suitcase and booked the first cheap flight that he could get. Soon, he would be having a fresh start in California. Living the American dream.

Jace never planned leaving the country. In fact, he wasn't too far from settling down a few months back. He met the love of his life when he was seventeen. She was the typical Aussie. Blonde, cheery and a great sense of humour. She was the one person that made him feel like his life wasn't complete and utter bollocks. That something good can come out of nothing. However, she was only using him to get closer to his brother. Now she was up the spout with Dai's kid while he trooped off to play with guns, and she expected Jace to support her. Well she could get fucked. In fact, they both could. They meant no more to him now than the dirt on his shoe, the dirt probably meant more if he was honest.

"Flight 318 to California is now boarding," a syrupy sweet voice of a stewardess piped over the tinny intercom.

Jolted from his dark thoughts of the past, Jace stood up slowly. He stretched, taking one last look out the large windows that looked out onto the runway. This would be the last time he would be in Australia. This would be the last time he'd see the oh so familiar landscape of his home. Was he nervous, hell yeah. Was he having second thoughts, you better believe it. No matter how bad his past was, it was all he knew. Running away from things never made them better, he knew that. However, this was his only real chance to make a break, so he had to grab it with both hands.

He took a deep breath and started over to terminal two. This was the beginning of the rest of his life.

Brian Alderman was your typical 30-something-year-old with a demanding job and financial stability. He did not, however, have the pleasure of settling down and starting a family. He heard it enough from his parents already. "When are we going to be grandparents?" "Did you call that lovely lady from last night back yet?" "Don't chew with your mouth open- The ladies don't like a messy eater!"

He rolled his eyes. His parents were two simple country-folk. They had no clue that he was on his way to being a millionaire. To them, little baby Brian was just a regular city-boy who remembered where he was from. That place where he was from was a small farm in California, and he was on his way to go see his family. Work had been very stressful lately and his parents had been bugging him to visit and meet someone.

'Probably just another country girl...' He sighed and closed his eyes as he leaned back in his uncomfortable chair. The airport was always a very cold place, but he'd traveled so much with work that he was used to it.

"Flight 318 to California is now boarding"... Brian rolled his eyes and stood up with his suitcase. It was a bit heavier than his normal travel-gear, just because he knew he'd be staying for a few nights. Clothes, toothbrush, a few books, just the normal boring stuff. He made his way through the line and into the plane. Brian only flew first class. Anything less was just... awkward. He hated people staring at him sleep.

Once he found his seat, he placed his suitcase in the compartment above him and laid back in the now-comfortable chair. There was a TV installed in the seat in front of him and a pair of complimentary head phones dangling next to him.

'Wooonderful...' He smiled sleepily.

Jace gave his ticket to a cheery redhead at the entrance to the terminal. She clipped it and checked his passport before speaking. "Oh, I'm sorry, Sir. We've overbooked business class."

"What?" Jace asked, somewhat dazed. "Does that mean I can't get on this flight?"

"Oh no, no! Not at all. We're simply going to upgrade you to a first class seat."

"I don't have the extra cash to fritter away on some extra leg room, love."

"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear, Sir. We overbooked therefore we will upgrade you. You won't need to pay extra as it's an error on our part."

Jace glared at the woman. She was speaking to him like he was an idiot. However, his annoyance quickly melted away when the reality of the situation hit him. He was going to be flying first class for no extra cost. His new life had only just started and it was already off to a flying start, if you could pardon the pun.

"Very well," he replied, trying to sound like the sort of person you would find on a first class seat.

"Enjoy your flight, Sir."

Jace took his ticket and passport back from the woman and went down the tunnel and onto the plane. He was steered down towards first class, and when he stepped in, he knew this was going to be a good flight. The difference between business and first class was astounding. There were much fewer seats for a start, and the air of royalty just seeped from the sides. He was directed to an empty seat, thankfully a window one. He hastily stored his luggage in the overhead rack and plomped himself down, lifting the shutter on the window as he went. This was his first time flying and he intended to see everything.