~Raven~ a Miles Teller TopGun fanfiction (SPOILER ALERT FOR TOPGUN 2)

7

"Whether they are ready or not, this mission is happening. And I want every pilot to come back."

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~Raven's POV~

Everyone knows I was chosen as mission leader. No one really threw a hissy fit, Hangman looked a bit pissed, but after watching my performance yesterday, he mostly understood. We were going to do training today, and at the end of the day, I was meant to pick the team that would be flying the mission with me.

To say I was scared was an understatement. 

As soon as we took off today, I could feel the tension in the air. I could feel everyone straighten up around me. I didn't want them to try and impress me. I didn't want them to act a certain way. I know that this mission isn't just about who is the best pilot, not just about who can fly the fastest. This mission will only be successful in one way. 

If we work as a team.

I need to find the people who are the most compatible. Who work the best together. Maverick's plane pulls up next to mine, as he signals for me to join a private channel. I signal back, saying that I had received his message with a confused look on my face. I swap over to it.

"Hello?" I say.

"Hello, Raven." I hear his voice ring through my ears. I let a sense of comfort ripple through my body for the first time today. Maverick is the only one who isn't worried about impressing or swaying me. "So, may I ask, do you know who you're picking yet?" 

"Actually, I was hoping to ask you about that. I have a general idea don't get me wrong, but I feel like you've got your own opinions that I could really use right now." I hear him laugh. 

"Yes, that's true. Look, I can't force you to sway one way or the other on some people, but I urge you to think less about people's feelings, and more about their lives. I've made some decisions, decisions that I let feelings get in the way of and control." I just know he is talking about Rooster.

 I learned through some other pilots that Maverick and Rooster's dad use to fly together in Topgun. Rooster's dad, whose call sign was Goose, was killed in a mission. He was Mavericks Weapon systems officer. "I wouldn't change anything I did, not for the world, and I know that sometimes it's hard to understand why people do things, but they will forgive you. It may take years, but they will eventually understand, and come around." 

"You're talking about Rooster, right?" Silence rings through the mic before it's broken by a sharp exhale. 

"Rooster is an exceptional pilot. I will admit I sometimes let my personal relationship with him affect some decisions I make around him. If you are thinking about him for the mission, I urge you strongly to consider multiple paths of conclusions that might lead to."

"What do you mean?" 

"This is Rooster's whole life. This is what he does. This is all he does. These planes, missions like this, it's what he lives for. I know he isn't afraid to go... I know he isn't worried about sacrificing his life because he doesn't have anything solid holding him back. He doesn't have anything, other than these planes and this job, keeping him here. And excuse me for getting personal, but that scares the shit out of me. I just can't let him do that. I couldn't live with myself." I nod my head, knowing that Maverick can't see me, but also knowing that any words I force out right now will not live up to the level of understanding that just plagued my body and mind.

"Thank you, Maverick. For everything." 

"Any time. Let me know if you need anything else yeah?" I go to click off the channel before he jumps back in. "Oh and Raven?"