Two Ghosts (A Rooster/OC/Iceman Fanfic)

Chapter 12

A/N - More angst! No happy ending for now.

Maverick, Merlin, and Mongoose climbed into the cockpits of their jets listening to the radio in their helmets.

"They're at 15,000 feet now, dead ahead, ten miles. Air speed is still increasing."

Mongoose looked over at Maverick. "You've got this, Mav."

He nodded at her.

"Eight hundred knows. Dead ahead now, 8 miles. Dead ahead, 8 miles. Wood, you got them?"

"Not yet, I can't see them."

It killed Mongoose to not be up there with them. Now she knew how Hangman felt when he had been named Dagger Spare.

"They must be close, I'm getting a hard on."

Iceman's voice came through her helmet. "Okay, Wood, I'm taking the lead. Let's identify them."

"Roger Ice, you got the lead. I'm on your left side, a little low."

Eventually, they were given the go ahead as they heard Slider call out that there were more than two bogies. There were five.

Mongoose had never launched so fast in her life. "I'm coming, Ice!"

"I'm hit! I'm hit! We're coming apart!" Hollywood called out.

"You'd better come back to me, Rooster. If you don't, I'll kill you myself."

"Yes ma'am."

"Dagger one is hit!"

"Dagger two is hit! Dagger two is hit!"

"Dagger Spare requesting permission to assist."

"Permission denied."

Mongoose somehow snapped out of it and realized that she had lost altitude. She pulled up on her joystick and leveled out. She was breathing heavily.

"We've lost our wingman!" Iceman called out.

Mongoose flew over to Iceman and Slider's right wing. "I got you, Ice."

"I know you do, baby. Three MiG's coming down the left side. I'm going after them. I'm bringing it around to the left."

Mongoose mimicked Iceman's maneuver.

"We got four on our tail! That makes six of them!" Slider called out, "Who do you think is hooking in the guns range? He's firing! Break right!"

Mongoose pulled up so Iceman wouldn't fly right into her.

"Voodoo one is totally defensive! I need Maverick! Mongoose and I are engaged with five!"

Mongoose had a crazy idea. She inverted her plane above Ice and then flipped so she was facing the MiG's.

"Noel! What in the hell are you doing!"

"Saving your ass!" She got a missile lock on one of them and fired.

The plane exploded.

"Mongoose and Ice engaged with four. Hurry up, Mav!"

One of the MiG's returned fire with guns.

Mongoose dodged them.

"Mongoose!" Iceman yelled, "Maverick! A little help! Engage, goddammit!"

Mongoose could hear Merlin yelling at Maverick. "Maverick! Don't think, just do!" Mongoose told him, "Don't think, just do."

Maverick was still having trouble engaging, so Mongoose made a decision. "I'm sorry, Ice."

"What...?"

Mongoose positioned her plane so she could take out two MiG's out at once. "Hey Mav?"

"Yeah?" he said.

"Buzz the tower for me."

"Will do."

Mongoose flew towards the MiG's.

"Noel!"

Mongoose closed her eyes and waited for the impact.

"Mongoose, no!" Iceman yelled. He watched in horror as Mongoose's jet collided with the MiG.

The explosion took out another MiG.

"Mongoose!"

There was silence.

Iceman never saw a chute. She never even tried to eject.

"She's gone. I'm sorry, Ice," Maverick said.

"She gave her life for us. Let's not waste it."

Maverick nodded. "Let's get these sons of bitches."

They landed on deck and everyone around them was congratulating them as if they hadn't just lost one of their own. No one even offered their condolences to Iceman and Maverick.

"Sir, we need to organize search and rescue for Mo...Minx," Iceman told Stinger.

He just looked at him. "Who?"

"N...Never mind."

What the hell was going on?

No one had any memory of Mongoose besides him and Maverick.

Iceman retreated to the locker room where he started to take off his flight suit when a note fluttered to the ground.

When you find this, read the letter I left for you in your room. ~ M

Iceman took off running to his room. On his pillow was a letter addressed to him.

Dear Ice,

I didn't know how to tell you this, so I settled for putting it in a letter instead. My name is Noel Grenier and I'm from the future. 30 years in the future. In the future you're a four-star Admiral, which is how I knew you. Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, uncle to Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw. That's right. Rooster is Goose's son. Funny how their callsigns are so similar. You may not believe all this now, but you will one day. If by some chance I'm ever sent back, please look after Bradley for me? Be there for him because he'll need it. I won't spoil anything for you, but Maverick does something pretty stupid and he'll need someone in his corner. I already told Mav about being from the future because I kind of let it slip. Sorry. If you don't want anything to do with me after this letter, I'll understand. I'll strike out on my own and make sure you never see me again, but if you still wanna be with me I'll meet you at the O Club when we get back to California. Or come find me in my room.

Your Minx

Iceman's mind was reeling.

She clearly hadn't planned on sacrificing herself for him or she wouldn't have written this letter.

No one remembered her. It was like she had been erased from history.

Iceman wouldn't let her memory go. Not until the day he was reunited with her in whatever capacity that may be.

But for now, he held the letter to his chest and cried.