Come Back To Me // Top Gun: Maverick

[Pheonix] Your Highness

"The hard deck is 5,000 feet above ground level. A parameter is set not just for the safety of our pilots, but for the safety of their aircraft. 5,000 feet is not just a rule. It is a law, as immutable as gravity." Cyclone says.

         

Cyclone sat behind his desk while Warlock, Maverick, and I stood in front. He was clearly not happy with us.

           

"The hard deck will be much lower for the mission, sir." Maverick then says.

        

"And it will not change without my approval! Especially not in the middle of an exercise. And that cobra maneuver of yours? That could've got all four of you killed. I never want to see that shit again."

          

"What exactly do you suppose you were teaching, Captain?" Warlock asks.

        

"That as good as they are, sir, they still have something to learn." Maverick says.

           

"You are talking about the best fighter pilots on the planet, Captain."

           

"And they've been told that their entire career, while they've been dropping bombs from a high altitude with little to no dog fighting."

                 

"The parameters of this mission call for something they have never encountered." I then say.

          

"Okay, you have less than three weeks to teach them how to fight as a team and how to strike the target."

           

"And how to come home." I say. Cyclone stares at me blankly and I and I turn to a slight whisper. "And how to come home, sir."

         

"Every mission has its risks. These pilots accept that."

          

"I don't, sir." Maverick then says.

             

"Every morning, from this day forward, you will brief us on your instructional plans in writing. And nothing will change without my express approval."

          

"Including the hard deck, sir?"

            

"Especially the hard deck, Captain."

          

"Sir." Mav says while placing a folder on Cyclone's desk.

             

"What is this?"

          

"It's a request to lower the hard deck, sir, to practice a low-level bombing run per the mission parameters."

        

"You could learn a thing or two about timing, Captain." I then say walking out of the building.

        

I left Dad and walked off to the locker rooms. I had gotten changed out of my flight suit and I was walking back out to my car when I saw Pheonix leaning against it on her phone. She looked up and saw me walking towards her.

"So what should I call you now? Flash? Miss Mitchell?" She asks causing me to laugh a little and roll my eyes. "Your Highness? Ma'am?"

"Your Highness works."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" She asks as we lean against my car looking out to the Top Gun base with my arms crossed. 

"I just needed one more night of normalcy before all of this. One more night where I was just one of you guys. Not your teacher or whatever."

As hard as I tried to not show Pheonix I was scared, that I was stressed, worried, anxious, and everything in between, I could tell that it would be easy for her to tell. She was good at reading people, and right now, I was worried about this mission, there was no way that this plan was going to go perfectly. 

"What's going on Hayley? What type of mission is this?"

I look over at her and she wore the exact worried expression I currently had on. 

"It's something that no one has ever faced before. A new type of threat. It's dangerous... challenging. One mistake could ruin everything. If I fail to teach you guys how to fly this mission the right way..."

"You won't fail. I know you are worried about someone not making it back, but it won't be your fault."

"Nat, I have never done this before. Teaching? It's not what I do. I should be up in the sky flying the mission. That way if something happens, I won't have many people to mourn me when I'm shot down."

"Don't say that..."

"It's true though. All my life, it has just been me and dad. Haven't really had time for anyone or anything else. I mean, of course, there is Iceman as well."

"You have me."

I can't help but look her in the eyes and smile a little. Hearing her say that felt amazing. From the day I met her, I always thought that she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Seeing her stand next to me, right here, after not seeing her for so long, after walking past many others, she was still the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. 

"I mean, Bagman would even go to your funeral." Pheonix suddenly says looking away. She pulls away from the car and stands in front of me. "I'll see you tomorrow, Your Majesty." She says with a mock curtsey making me laugh. 

I watch her turn and walk away before getting in my car and driving home. My mind was all over the place. All I knew was that I had to find a way to help teach these pilots to get home safely. I had to.