Taking Flight

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Cyclone cancelled training for the rest of the day.

Mav was taken to the infirmary.

The others were told to read up on some of the guests that would be at the party.

And Ava was sent to her room.

She sat in bed; her iPad next to her. She also tried to do some reading, but her brain couldn't seem to the words. A tub of cookie dough ice cream sat in her lap, almost empty, when a knock sounded at her door. Rex, who was lying over her feet, began to growl menacingly at the intruder. The door swung open, and Cyclone poked his head in.

"Eating our way through our feelings, are we?" he asked in a light voice, his green eyes falling to the tub of cold dessert.

Ava just looked up at him sadly, still upset at herself. First, she couldn't read English. Now, it seemed, she was so woeful, she couldn't talk, either.

But Cyclone didn't need her to use any words. Seeing the look on her face was enough to tell him she could use some company. He gave a quiet sigh and walked further into the room, shutting the door behind him. Rex, upon recognizing the Admiral, stopped growling.

Cyclone squeezed himself onto the bed without asking, and Ava let him. She scooted over so he could lie down next to her like he used to do when she was much younger.

"Maverick is going to be fine," he assured Ava, grabbing the tub of ice cream and placing it on the bedside table as he talked. "The guy has escaped death countless times. A broken nose and a bruised ego aren't going to kill him."

Ava glanced up at Cyclone, who had an understanding smile on his face. "I know that," Ava ground out. "But he's not the problem. I am. I lost focus, Cyclone. And I made a mistake. All because of something that happened before I was even born. Maybe mom was right – maybe I never should have-"

"Hey, hey, hey," Cyclone interrupted as Ava's breath hitched. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. Ava breathed out as she moved closer to Cyclone, some of the tension leaving her body thanks to his familiar presence. "What is all this uncertainty I'm hearing? You always used to be so sure of yourself, kid."

"Not since I got back here," Ava admitted for the first time. She'd been trying to deny it for the past few days, but being back at TOPGUN was slowly dismantling her carefully curated life. "I always knew it was going to be hard. But I didn't expect it to be so... so..."

"Painful?" Cyclone finished for her.

"Yeah," she agreed quietly, her voice barely audible. "Whenever I see him, I think of mom. And I think of what she went through. Meanwhile, he's okay. He's more than okay. It's not fair."

Cyclone sighed, wishing he could somehow hug her pain away. He'd known Ava since she was a little girl because, once upon a time, he had the chance to work with Charlotte Blackwood. Charlie was a great woman with a brilliant daughter, and as soon as Ava and Izzy met, they became inseparable. The Blackwoods became extended family. They spent holidays, vacations and birthdays together. Cyclone watched Ava go through her ups and downs. He'd taught her to ride a bike and fly an F-18 Super Hornet. He met her first boyfriend and sat with her through her first heartbreak. He supported her achievements and guided her through her mistakes. But some of her wounds were too deep to heal.

"I didn't mean to hurt him though," she murmured, her voice breaking on the word hurt.

Cyclone just hugged her closer, wishing that Ava had never been hurt, too. Maybe they could have avoided all this drama. "I know, kid. I know."

The base was as silent as a tomb.

It was almost midnight, but Ava was wide awake. Cyclone eventually left her to go see to dinner and finish work, allowing her to rest in her room. But it was no use. Ava felt like coffee had been shot through her veins, but instead of caffeine, it was guilt gnawing at her.