𝕂𝕖𝕖𝕡 ℍ𝕚𝕞 𝕊𝕒𝕗𝕖

Chapter 26. Fights On

"Mav, with love, we don't even know if that piece of shit will take off."

As Maverick and Skywalker ran through the forest like mad men, they were starting to lose hope. That was until they spotted a tall silhouette of a blonde man that they recognized. Ava and Maverick both shared a look before running towards Rooster who was just standing there, looking up at a tree.

"You alright?" Ava shouted from a distance, causing Rooster to look over at her. A smiled graced his features as he nodded at her before letting out a slight 'oof' as Erica ran up to him and embraced him tightly.

He quickly wrapped his arms around her, holding her head against his chest as the two of them swayed back and forth. Rooster spotted Maverick who was just standing there, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Hey!" Hangman's voice could be heard from the distance. Ava and Maverick both looked around but saw no sign of the cocky blond. 

Rooster let out a slight chuckle before pointing up at the tree he was looking at earlier. When Ava and Maverick looked up, they saw Hangman who was dangling after his parachute got caught by a tree branch.

"How's it hanging, man?" Ava snickered slightly at her own pun as Hangman just rolled his eyes. He crossed his arms over his chest which only made the group laugh harder as he dangled.

"Would you just please help me get down?" He asked frustratedly. Ava wiped a fake tear from her eye as she calmed her laughter before taking her helmet off of her head and handing it to Rooster.

"Calm down, Bagman. I'm coming." Skywalker began to grip onto the tree to the best of her ability as she slowly but surely made her way towards Hangman. Rooster and Maverick watched in shock as she almost effortlessly reached the branch where the parachute connected to Hangman's pack.

Ava took up rock wall climbing over the last eight years as she got back into the Navy. Hence why she was able to climb the tree as fast as she did. It was her way of trying to escape her guilty feelings of leaving Rooster behind. Her way of trying to forget about the fact that she no longer had a RIO. She never once thought it would come in handy during one of her missions

"Alright, boys. Get ready to catch him!" She shouted to the two pilots on the ground who simply nodded as they stood with their hands up, ready to catch Hangman.

Once she unclipped the parachute, Hangman fell onto Rooster and Maverick who fell on impact. Ava couldn't help but laugh as she watched the three boys on the ground, grunting in pain as they slowly stood up. 

Skywalker slid down the tree slowly as Hangman offered his hand to help up the two other pilots. Once up on their feet, Maverick turned to face Rooster. "You okay?"

"Yeah, you?" Rooster responded but before he could get an answer, Maverick shoved him to the ground. Both Ava and Hangman walked off to the side awkwardly, watching the encounter between the two men from a distance.

"What the hell!" Rooster shouted as he jumped to his feet, glaring at the Captain who angrily threw his helmet in the snow.

"What are you doing here?" Maverick demanded, shouting at the younger pilot.

"What am I doing here?" Rooster repeated as if the answer should be obvious.

"You think I took that missile so you could be down here with me? You should be back on the carrier by now!" Ava and Jake kept shifting their gaze between the two men as they kept bickering back and forth, not saying a words. Too scared that if they did, they would be yelled at next.