Keeper Of The Flame ━ pete mitchell [1] ✔

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑒𝑛

CHAPTER TEN
Pilot Lights

Kate was glad to hear that Pete was cleared of the incident with Nick, which still felt strange that he was dead. Sure, she hadn't known him long, but in the time that she did know him, he had one of the kindest and humourous souls on the planet.

    She stood outside, watching as the pilots got into the cockpits of their planes. "Are you sure this is a good idea? To get him flying right away—"

    "Captain, I understand your concern, but it is my decision." Viper told her, not harshly.

    Kate crossed her arms over her chest, watching as the planes took off. "How do you know if this is gonna work or not?" She asked him.

    "Because it's what should have been done for you." He answered.

    Kate looked back and forth from the sky and the radar. Pete's plane wasn't engaging. She saw Pete walking from the plane, watching with Viper. Pete was arguing with Sundown, then he stormed off.

    "He can't get back in the saddle. Won't engage." Jester told Viper.

    "It's only been a few days." Viper defended.

    "You know, he just might not make it back." Jester reasoned.

    "Keep sending him up." Viper instructed.

    —

    Kate saw Pete walking out of the boy's locker room with most of his things. She saw Wolfman give a call, saying Pete was leaving.

    She followed Pete outside of the building, who was very well aware of her presence. "You coming to the bar with me?" He asked, tired as hell.

    "Yeah." She replied.

    When they sat down at the bar, they both got water.

    Kate saw Charlotte walk in. Pete was resting his head on his hand with his eyes closed. "Excuse me." Charlie said, making both Kate and Pete look at her. "May I?"

    "Please." Pete said quietly.

    "I'll have what he's having. Hemlock, is it?"

    "Ice water." Pete told the waitress.

    "You weren't gonna say goodbye?"

    "I heard from Kate that you got that job in Washington. Congratulations." Pete congratulated.

    "Thanks. But I wasn't gonna leave without saying goodbye." Charlie told him, also looking at Kate, who was also very tired.

    "Where are you going?" Charlie asked him. He didn't answer. "You don't even have a ticket, do you? Listen, I've seen all the evidence, and it's not your responsibility. It's not your fault. You're one of the best pilots in the Navy. What you do up there, it's dangerous. But you've got to go on." Charlie tried motivating him.

    "You don't understand."

    "You're not gonna be happy unless you're going Mach 2 with your hair on fire, you know that." Charlie told him.

    "No, it's over. It's just over." Pete told her, quickly looking to his right to see Kate.

    "To be the best of the best means you make mistakes and then you go on. It's just like the rest of us." Charlie told him.

    "You don't think I know that?"

    "I'm here to help."

    "Look, thank you. But if I wanted help, really, I would have asked for it."

    "So, it's too late. You've already left. You didn't learn a damn thing, did you? Except to quit. You've got that maneuver down real well. So long, Pete Mitchell." Charlie said, walking out.

    "You could come with me." Pete told Kate.

    "Pete... my place is in the sky, so is yours. I hate to admit it, but Charlie's kind of right." Kate admitted.

    Pete looked at her, he didn't want to leave her. He couldn't. He physically couldn't. He and Nick had that talk, and Pete remembered the promise he made to Nick.

    "I don't know what to do." Pete whispered.

    "If you want to go, I'll go with you. But I can't give up flying all together." Kate told him.

I love them

:]

Okay, bye!