To Have A Home (Darren Criss Love Story)

I smiled down at the long list of countries and cities that I'd been to so far. Japan, Tokoyo, China, USA, Europe, Africa, Chile, Canada, Russia, Asia, and other local places most people can go to like Florida, Delaware, Arby's...

I smiled at Vanessa, the elderly flight attendant I knew very well by now. She grinned at me and walked over cautiously, "Why hello Sage! How are you today?" She was always so interested in my "global nomad" life style.

"I'm great, V! How about you?" I replied stretching, running a tired hand through my tangled hair. She sighed, shaking her head, "I'm so tired today! I just got up and I just said, 'No, no, I don't feel like moving today' so, today, I'm dead. But anyway, where are you heading to next?"

I laughed gleefully before replying, "I'm heading to Chicago. Emilee and Brad said that the orphanage found an erased address on my file that my parents must have written. I'm checking it out, just in case."

Her eyes widened and she clapped, "That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you! I hope you find your parents!" I smiled a little, "Me too."

"Bless your huge heart, dear. Have a good flight." She smiled again and walked over to another couple. I smiled down at my list again, proud of myself. My life was something to be cherished. I loved life a lot.

I loved this airline, just because it was the first one I ever used when I was 18. The service was great and the crew would treat me as family. But another reason I loved flying was because I always met new seat partners.

This new seat partner plopped down next to me and sighed deeply, leaning his head back on the seat. He wore pink sunglasses that completely covered his eyes. His hair was dark and looked like it used to be huge and curly. Cut and glossed back every day with moose or some guck.

He was muscular and probably around my age. He was lean and he had nimble, slender fingers with marks on the tips. Guitar guy! He looked stressed and tired, as if he were constantly on his feet.

"What kind of guitar do you play?" I asked him, turning my whole body in his direction and sitting Indian Style.

I tried to talk carefully in case he wasn't stable or something. I'm pretty sure there weren't any crazies allowed on this flight...right?

As soon as he spoke, I knew that he and I would get along great. His voice was just...gorgeous. Like he would always talk and smile, or lie a lot. Actor, I hope. I can't stand liars. I never lie. Ever.

"Ah, how'd you know?" His leg moved side to side and his hands would move slightly as he talked, as if he were itching to speak with them. Was he Italian?

"Those marks on your fingers of course! I play too." I said excitedly, and because I was so excited, I started to move like I had ADD. I fidgeted with my many, many bracelets that ran up my arm, and pulled my legs up to my chin.

"Oh, really? What songs do you usually play?" He asked, sounding just as interested as I was. His smile was polite and cautious.

"Hold on. Lemme see your eyes." I said immediately, uncomfortable with talking to an eye-less stranger.

He laughed, "Why?"

"I'm weird about talking to people without reading them." I admitted sheepishly, smiling in my most 'awh I'm just a senseless young adult' way.

"Reading them? What are you, a little traveling psychic?" He teased lightly as he spoke and I laughed, shaking my head, smiling, "Close. I just am usually right on about people."

"Oh, so do you think you're right on about me?" He challenged, raising a thick, dark eyebrow just visible behind the glasses.

"I know I am," I said a little flirtatiously, winking my dark green left eye. He made a low whistling sound, "Really?"

I nodded, and quickly looked him over, then said confidently, "You're always energetic and happy. You're a funny guy and you smile a lot. You lie or act, like, a lot. Are you...famous, is that what I'm getting? No, don't tell me..comedian? Actor? Oh, no, you're an adult film star, aren't you?"

He nodded sheepishly, then quickly shook his head laughing, "No, I'm kidding, I'm an actor and a singer...and a song-writer. What can I say. I'm multi-talented."

"I don't even know your name." I told him then, smiling. He smiled sweetly back at me, "Darren. Yours?"

"I'm called Sage." I replied carefully, avoiding a lie. I really didn't know my name. He raised an eyebrow, "You didn't say 'my name is'."

"Neither did you." I replied confidently. He grinned widely, and I begged a little, "Please take off those glasses."

He laughed once and took them off to reveal beautiful hazel eyes. I couldn't help but smile wider, "Okay, I didn't say that because I don't really know my name."

He rose both his eyebrows and set his glasses down on his lap, "How do you not know your own name? Amnesia?"

I shook my head and bit my lip, "When I was 3 months old I was dropped off at an orphanage. One little, hardly filled out file about myself was left with me. My parent's names, ages, personalities, eye colour, heights...I don't know. The staff at the orphanage named me Sage because I had this really big earring hole in my left ear," I paused to show him my left ear and smiled broadly, then continued, "I lived there until I was 10 and I was adopted by this young, rich couple, Emilee and Brad. They dealt with me and paid for me until I was 18 and escaped. They've paid for me my whole life and I really wouldn't like it if I had any other lifestyle, but I really need this for me now and-"

He cut me off, "Do you always tell your life story to strangers on planes?"

"Only the special ones." I replied with a swift wink, and he nodded, "Fair enough, continue."

I laughed, "Anyway, I made a list when I was 17 of where I wanted to go in the world. I've gone to..a lot of places. I never stay in one place for too long. I speak Spanish, Italian, and obviously English. I don't really know my nationality or where I was born. But anyway, I love learning. I loved school and I thought about studying to become either a doctor or a nurse, or a popstar, but the whole exploring the world was more important. Part of it was the possibility of finding my parents. I'm now going to Chicago because Emilee and Brad were talking to the orphanage about my file and found a partially erased address on the "home" line. So I'm going there."

"You think they'd still be there?" He asked, sounding passionate and interested. I smiled, shrugging, "I can hope."

He slowly smiled, "Well, I'm going to Chicago too, so I can visit some of my silly college friends."

"How long are you staying?" I asked him carefully, trying not to sound like a stalker. Would we possibly meet up in Chicago?

"2 weeks. You?" He replied just as cautiously. I really liked this kind stranger. He was a good listener and seemed like an overall good guy.

"I never stay in one place more than a week." I admitted sheepishly. He made a face, "Why?"

"I dunno. I mean, I went around the world really just trying to find some where that felt like home. No where really does, and I think that 5 days really would tell me if this place were home."

"Well, you've never been to Chicago. It could be your home."

Home, I've heard the word before...it's never meant much more than just a thing, I never had..

"Maybe." I smiled.