The Danger Zone

Chapter Four: Failures Happen

The next day, everyone gathered into a smaller classroom with a large screen at the front. A simulation of what they were bound to fly in to had been pulled up, and their directions within the area had been marked with a line. Hangman and Whamo sat beside each other, whispering about some things that had went down the previous day. They chatted about where she went after their meeting with Maverick, and how some of that would affect her in the field. She, as stubborn as she was, said that it wouldn't. However, everyone who had ever seen her fly knew that it would.

Maverick walked in, beginning to explain what was going to happen. They would start out on an easier course, and then move to the higher paced course that would be an exact simulation of their task. He showed them a few different scenarios of what NOT to do, that way they had a bit of an idea. He mentioned the climb rate of coffin corner, which sparked some interest between the pilots.

"To hit a climb like that, you're pulling at least 8 G's." Jake Seresin said, looking at Maverick like he was a crazy person.

"9. Minimum." Maverick responded, looking at the group of pilots seated in front of him, all intrigued yet terrified of what they were getting pulled in to.

"The limit of an F-18 is 7.5." Rooster said, looking at Maverick with the same prejudice he always had.

"That's the accepted limit." He said, looking at the group. "You will push beyond that for this mission. Go suit up, the first group should meet me in the sky at 1100 hours." With that, the older man walked from the room. Everyone else soon followed behind, going to get suited up in their flight uniforms.

While in the lady's locker room, Phoenix and Whamo were chatting about a few different things they had been meaning to catch up on. All the while, Melissa had more thoughts than she could imagine going through her head. Phoenix saw her zoning out and looked at her, "You okay? You don't look to good..."

Melissa smiled, "I'm fine. I was just thinking about some things is all." She grabbed her gear, "Let's go."

Phoenix smiled, following Melissa out of the locker room. "You're sure you're okay to fly? You looked like you were ready to zone out."

Whamo nodded, looking at Phoenix, "I'm perfect. More than perfect actually. I am brilliant. Let's do this. Put your game face on baby!"

"Jesus...she's lost it completely." Phoenix mumbled, walking to her plane and meeting up with Bob.

Bob looked at her, having heard her last sentence, "Who?"

"Whamo. We're in for a treat today. I have no idea what type of technique is getting ready to come from her today."

Bob nodded, "Does anyone ever?"

"Fair point." Phoenix responded, climbing in to her seat.

Once everyone was up in the air, the first group began their simulation. Rooster, Coyote and Fanboy, Whamo, and Phoenix and Bob were all up in the air, beginning the flight. Whamo and Phoenix raced through the course no problem. Whamo felt that this was too easy. However, on the other hand, Rooster and Coyote were struggling. Coyote was having issues staying on course, and Rooster couldn't make up his mind on what he would like to do.

The simulation ended with Whamo and Phoenix making it out, but Coyote, Fanboy, and Rooster were all late to target.

Back in the classroom, Maverick had their run of the simulation pulled up onto their screen. "Why are they dead?" He asked, looking at the group.

Melissa looked up at him, "They couldn't take the speed on the course that they needed.."

"One that their family will accept." Maverick shot back.

"Sir, they were the only ones that made it to the target.." Phoenix began.

"But they were late. Being late gets you killed."

Hangman looked up, "You're all missing the point here." He smiled his smirk at everyone, "A man flies like Maverick here...or a man does not come back." He looked at the front and then back at Phoenix, "No offense intended."

Bob shifted to look at the male, "Yet somehow you always manage."

Hangman looked at Maverick and then to Rooster, "I can't be the only one that hasn't figured this out. Maverick here was flying with Rooster's old man the day he died." That sparked a light under Rooster, which then ended the conversation with a few swings being flown before the men were separated.

Rooster stormed out and the next group went out to run the simulation. The group left inside wondered what in the world was going on. How has so many people in one group had so many ties to the one and only Pete Mitchell? Better yet, how the hell was this bound to affect them all?

Later that night, Melissa was sat in the rec room, surrounded by different photos from graduate classes of Top Gun. She curled up on the sofa facing the loading dock with a cup of tea, staring out. She was entranced in the beauty of the night sky, how each star glistened and reflected from the Earth. So much so, she didn't hear Rooster slip in until he had seated himself beside her.

He looked to the girl, "Mel...I wanna talk. I don't want our fights. I want a good old fashioned lets hash this out, face to face, let me get this off my chest, I don't want voices raised talk."

Melissa nodded, looking at the male who had seated himself beside her, "I've wanted that for a while...but every time I see you and get ready to talk to you...different words come out and I have no idea why."

Rooster nodded, "You're emotionally motivated." He said bluntly. "We both know it. You let your emotions overtake your decisions. You can try to deny it all you want, but the truth is, you motivate with your heart. You take things too personal sometimes."

Melissa sipped her tea and nodded, "You're right.." she finally admitted, looking at him in the eye. "Because I fight for who I love. I fight so I won't become a failure to them. I dedicate every bone in my body to not becoming a failure."

He sighed, "I knew that. I knew you would swoop in at any possible moment and risk your life for anyone on that squad. Think about this for a minute. Me, Glasses, Lefty...all of us were going on that mission. Adding you to that? You would've taken anything for any one of us. I couldn't loose another person I loved. I knew I'd loose you, but at least this way I knew you were safe somewhere else."

Melissa nodded, breathing deeply as her mind ran through what he just said. She had no idea the other two were bound to go as well. She smiled for a moment, remembering one of their moments through boot camp together, all four of them in a bunker, singing along to ABBA and jumping on beds. She soon wiped the memory from her mind and nodded, "Why didn't you just tell me that? I had other opportunities I would have jumped on."

"Because I didn't know HOW to tell you, Mel." Rooster said, using a nickname only a spare few knew and used. "I wanted to tell you, I wanted to call you every day and tell you...but I didn't know how."

She shifted to lay her head on his shoulder, "It's okay...we'll figure it out." She relaxed at the fruity yet manly smell that entranced her nostrils. "I wish we could be like we were when we were kids. We used to hang out all the damn time."

Rooster chuckled, "Remember that time you hid me in your closet so I wouldn't have to leave?"

Melissa smiled, giggling softly, "I do." She sighed contently, holding her tea mug close as they reminisced on what they had been in the past.

"You've changed Melissa Mitchell, but I think this is a better change than we see it." He said looking down at her, smiling.

And finally, for the first time in a long time, she didn't feel like a total failure. She finally had something to motivate her.

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A/N
Word Count: 1401

Y'all I can't with this. They're too cute. Also! New characters? I think so!