Heart of Steel: B. Bradshaw

Twenty Two: Emotional

"Lieutenant Kerner, I don't know how I feel about you being up in the air so soon. Your emotions are too out of control at the moment. "

The heavy, shocked stares of her fellow pilots seared into the side of Steely's head as she sat in the quiet training room. Neil was able to convince her to dust herself off and get back to the mission that crept up on them. 

"With all do respect, and everything aside, Lieutenant Mitchell I was born to do this. I don't know how I feel about you stopping me."

Out of the corner of her eye Steely could see the corner of Hangman's lips tilt upwards in a hidden smile. Everyone else flicked through an array of different emotions. Surprise, amusement, concern.

"I'm not stopping you Sunshine all i'm doing is questioning your capability of continuing." Steely's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. Never in her whole life has she been so blatantly disrespected.

"If my current state is so concerning for you why don't you let me sit my emotional ass in a plane and show you just how capable I am."

Neil sucked in a sharp breath beside her. For some reason Maverick has had it out for her since the moment she walked into the room. Steely's new flip on emotions has caused her to be quite unpredictable. She's almost looking for an excuse to lash out.

"Alright, if you think this is going to somehow prove something then let's do it."

"Oh I don't need to prove anything Mav, we both know just what I can do," The room seemed to grow unnaturally silent before the sound of Steely's heavy boots slammed against the floor. She stood up and rolled her shoulders back.

Steely knew that the moment she came back she would spend her time trying to show everyone that she's fine. Half of the people in the room were witness to her harrowing breakdown.

But, as Iceman would push her to do, she came ready. It would take a while but the old Steely was slowly crawling her way back out. Foot hooking into each rut of rib as she proved over and over that noting would take her down.

That's exactly why she found herself strapped into a plane once more. The absence of her backseater clung to her skin like dead weight. She could do this without him, she had too.

"Sunshine to range control. Entering point alpha."

Her voice sounded out of body. To her it felt like someone else had grabbed onto the reins and tossed her to the side to watch. Quickly, as it always does, it became a second nature to her. The sounds and smells settled into her and lit the fire right back into her eyes.

Everyone watched from inside the training room. Asses planted on the edge of their seats. How cliche.   A flashing light popped up on the big screen in front of them. Sunshine's name displayed brightly on the screen. How fitting.

"Setting time to target: Two minutes and 15 seconds."

Bradley practically scrambled out of his seat. "2:15? Mav that's impossible," Maverick shook his head in visible disbelief. "Let her try Rooster."

Steely reached down past the zipper on her fly suit and her fingers found their way towards the cool metal of her dog tags. She brought them up to her lips and whispered against the engravings. "Guide me Ice."

The plane below her sprung to life as she surged forward towards the beginning of the course. Her breath pinched tight in the middle of her chest as she moved like waves back and forth through the turns of the mountain sides.

Rapid beeping was the only noise that could be heard as Steely kept her mouth shut firmly. The tip of her tongue peaked through her lips in complete concentration.

"Popping in three, two, one."

Steely counted backwards before fiddling with the laser. This part was quite a challenge for her because she realized just how much she relied on Omaha.

"O, I miss your extra set of hands right about now."

The laser locked perfect onto the target. Steely dropped the plane lower almost diving towards the metaphorical bullseye.

"Bombs away!"

Steely allowed herself a moment of satisfaction before jerking the nose of the plane upwards quickly. The pressure and angle of the plane caused a scary feeling of unconsciousness to scratch it's way up Steely's spine. Fighting hard against her instinct as she soared higher and higher up the mountain.

"Bullseye holy shit!" Neil was up and out of his chair so fast. His lips tugged upwards running for his cheeks as pride seeped out of him in waves.

Bradley stood right next to him, body rigid with unspoken words and an overwhelming amount of pride. Thats his girl. That's his Steely. He always knew she'd come back to him. Even if it was little by little, he'd lap up those pieces like they were his only source of life.

Just as Steely crested over the mountain peak and her plane was level with the ground below the timer snapped everyone out of their shocked haze. 2:15. Steely just proved to everyone in that room that this mission was possible. She proved to everyone that it could be done.

"And that ladies and gentlemen is how you fly a plane. To ease your minds I will be taking autographs when I touch down but I don't want anyone to fight, there's plenty enough Sunshine to go around."

The whole room erupted into wild laughter. Their sprits were raised high with the understanding that they could all do what Steely just did. All they had to do was try with everything in them.

********

"I have no words to tell you right now Sunshine."

"That's okay sir, I think my performance speaks for itself," Cyclone sat in front of her. His arms were crossed tightly against his chest. If Steely didn't know him any better she would think he is mad.

"Right, I will commend you on what you did. You showed everyone that this can be accomplished all while throwing yourself expertly back in the saddle."

Steely always liked Cyclone but she liked him much more when he was fluffing up her ego. Amusement painted itself clearly a crossed his features. She knew that what she did was important but as Cyclone yammered on and on about the benefits of her performance she began to grow bored.

"Sir," his mouth snapped shut in surprise. Most people wouldn't dare to interrupt him but most people weren't Steely Kerner.

"As much as I appreciate this well deserved ego stroking session I still have quite a bit to do in terms of getting back into the swing of things," she flashed  him a blinding smile full of white teeth.

"Of course. You are dismissed."

Steely wasted no time in flying out of her chair. She all but skipped to the door and was almost out before Cyclones voice stopped her.

"Lieutenant Kerner."

Her head swiveled quickly over her shoulder as she turned to face him once more. This time he was standing with his hands clasped behind his back.

"For what is worth Sunshine, I always knew you had it in you. It's good to have you back."

Her smile grew ten times brighter as she beamed back at him. Steely's eyes twinkled with unadulterated mischief. She didn't say anything in response instead she gave him a sharp nod of her head and whipped out of the door just as fast as she entered.

Cyclone knew right in that moment why they called her Sunshine.