Keep Your Eyes On Me

- 4 -

"Lizzy, I forgave you the moment those words left your lips," Pete breathed out, stepping forward again.

This time the young aviator didn't step back. Her head hung low as she tried to hold it together. She finally felt the guilt and shame she had been hiding for so long. Her vision blurred, shit she was crying. Why was she crying? There was nothing to cry over. She had seen worse and experienced worse.

The short woman felt her father's arms wrap around her, pushing her head into his shoulder as he squeezed her, causing her to break down.

Elizabeth clung to him, gripping onto him as if letting go would mean this wasn't real. She'd wake up and be back in Japan. Liz cried and cried and cried until she couldn't anymore, just holding onto her father until all that was left was a breathless shudder and a sniffle. They sat there holding one another before she slowly pulled away, her heart breaking a little more when she saw her father's red eyes. She was too busy breaking down that she didn't even feel him doing so himself.

Neither of them really noticed they had been there for a solid 15 minutes. Both Mitchell's heads shot over as a secretary walked into the bathroom, freezing when she saw the two of them. The father-daughter pair quickly scurried out before awkwardly looking around. How did this work again? There was still so much that needed to be said.

"Captain Mitchell," called Admiral Simpson, causing both to salute. The admiral motioned for her father to come to him. Pete looked at his daughter as she lowered her hand. She silently nodded before she pivoted on her heels and speed walked to the locker room.

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She walked through her front door, using her foot to close it as she dropped her rucksack and slipped her shoes off. Elizabeth walked into her kitchen, being sure to be quiet. Since all the lights were off in the house, she assumed Bradley and John had gone to sleep early for a long next day of more dogfighting. She opened her fridge and looked through it, reaching toward the back for the leftovers.

"You're home late," Bradley's voice said from behind, causing her to jump and hit her head on top of the fridge. She cursed and exited the cold box rubbing her head.

"Jerk," she grumbled. Bradley laughed lightly. She closed the fridge and shoved her food into the microwave. "Didn't think you were up. John sleeping?"

"No, he went to the Hard Deck with a few of the others," he explained as she took her food out and began to separate it onto two plates.

"You eat?"

"No."

She handed him the plate before walking to the living room and plopping down on the couch, Bradley followed suit. The two ate in silence as she flipped through the channels on the TV, eventually landing on the news.

"I saw your father follow you into the bathroom," Bradley said, causing her to stop chewing.

She glanced over at him. He looked at her, an internal battle clear inside his eyes.

"I saw you and Maverick had a conversation as well."

"He isn't taking accountability for what he did," he said, looking down and picking at his meal.

"Did you let him?"

Bradley stayed silent for a moment. He supposed he didn't.

"What did he want with you?"

"Not sure, we spent most of it crying," she put bluntly, her voice monotone.

He could tell that she wanted to talk about it. She had the look in her eye.