Lights | J. Seresin

12

I thought I lost you

"Sir, we are picking up a signal from River and Rooster, in a F-14?" Operator questioned. Harper rose her head up. "Lana... she's.... she's alive." Harper said. "I told you, your sister is strong, I knew she was going to find way back." Maverick said. Harper smiled, "Nothing can't take my sister out, besides it was scary." Harper said.

"Radios out, No radar. Everything's dead back here." Rooster tells River. She sighed. "What do I do?" He questions her. "Harper had told me something about this besides this was your dad's department.... Try the UFH2 circuit breaker." She said. "I figure it out." He tells her. As he looks down he sees two enemy planes.

"River, tally 2, 5 o'clock low." Rooster points out. She look over her shoulder and see two planes beneath them. "Damn... can't catch a break can we." She muttered. "What do we do?" He asked. She sighed, "Just be cool, If they knew who we were, we'd be dead already." She replied as she put on their masks as the planes fly closer to them. "Just... wave and smile." River said as her nerves were on the rise. "Smile and wave at those who will kill us." River muttered.

River waves to the plane next to her then the pilot does a sign she's never seen before. "What's that signal, what's he saying?" Rooster asks her. "Your guess is as good as mine." She replied. "What about that one, have any idea?" He asked her again. "Nope." She answered, then her eyes widen when she realize what that pilot is doing. "Shit, his wing man is moving into weapons envelope." River said. "I don't we can outrun these guys, Lana." Rooster tells her. "I don't know what to do Roost." River said as she close her eyes for a moment.

River sighed heavily. "Come on River, don't think, just do besides Harper would tell you the same thing." Rooster tells her. She opened her eyes, she took breath for moment, then she jerked the plane and took out one of the enemy's plane.

"Eat dust you dickbags!" River exclaimed as one of the enemy planes took off and followed them.

...............

"Holy shit." River said as they began flying back, then she looked down and saw that her leg had started bleeding again. "Damn it." She said as she tried her best to fix it up until they got back. "River, I got the radio on." Rooster called out. "Yes, get in contact with the..." She said until she saw the enemy plane ahead.

..............

"We're out of Flares, River!" Rooster exclaimed. Then the plane took a hit, "Holy shit, Holy shit!" River exclaimed. She panic then she a tear slipped down her cheek. "We are going to have to eject!" She exclaimed. "Lana!" Rooster exclaimed. "Rooster, This is the only way!" River said as she pulled up and sent them straight into the sky.

"Eject! Eject! Eject!" She yelled but Nothing happens. "Rooster, Pull the handle, eject!" She shouted. "It's not working!" He exclaimed. "Damn it!" She said as she started to tear up some more. "Mom...Harper.... Goose...I'm sorry." She muttered. As she was about to accept the fate that was about to happen and bracing for impact. She looked up to see the plane in flames and a familiar voice over the radio.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This is you savior speaking." She heard Hangman speak and was in relief. "Please fasten all seatbeats. Return all tray-tables to their locked and upright positions and prepare for landing." He finished. Rooster and River giggled. "My goodness..." River said as she was relief to see her boyfriend. "Hey, Hangman, you look good." Rooster says. River smiled a bit. "I am good, Rooster. I'm very good." He replied and smiled. "I'll see you both back on deck." He finished.

"You two are dating, aren't you?" Rooster questioned her and she nodded.

......

The duo stepped out of the plane. River is pulled into a hug by Phoenix. 

"Oh my goodness, I thought we lost you." Phoenix said. "Me, get taken out... never?!?" River said. "But we did it." Phoenix said. "Way go River." Bob said to her. "Thanks buddy!" She exclaimed. 

She looked over at Rooster. "Thanks for being my wing man." She said with a smile. "Thanks for always being by my side, buddy." Rooster said to her. She smiled.

Maverick walked up to her. "I knew I made the right call." Maverick said to her. "Thanks for believing in me, in all of us." River said. "Your mother would be proud Lana, you have a bright future ahead of you." Maverick said. "Thanks old bird." She said with a smile. Maverick shook his head, she giggled and pulled him into a hug. "I mean it." River said and He nodded.

"LANA!!" She heard Harper exclaimed. Everyone turned to see Harper ran towards her sister. Maverick pulled away and went to Rooster then Harper ran into her sister's arms. "I thought I lost you." Harper said as she held onto her older sister. River held onto her sister. "Please, nothing can't take me out." River said as she then felt her sister smiled. River pulled out the pendant. "I had mom by my side." River said as she then place the pendant into her sister's hand. She smiled, then River felt someone tap her shoulder, she turned to see her boyfriend.

"I'll leave you two love birds to be, we'll talk later, Chicken boy!" Harper exclaimed as she ran to Rooster and hugged him, River giggled at her sister. "So you got yourself three more kills." Hangman said. "Well you got yourself one as well." River said with a smile. He smiled back at her. She pressed her lips to his and crowd whistled.

Then dizziness hit River, she stumbled. "Hey hey you alright?" He asked her concernedly. She looked down at her leg. "Shit Lana, hang on I take you to the Medic, just stay awake for me." He said as he then lift her up and carried her bridal style. She nodded. "My hero." She said and He couldn't help but smiled, as she snuggled into his chest and pressed kiss on the top of her head as he carried her to the medics.

"What's going on?" Harper asked concerndly. "Her leg, it happened when she crashed, don't worry, she'll be fine, go on." Rooster assured Harper. Harper nodded then caught up with Hangman and her sister.

............