Baby Mav

Waiting is The Worst

The team was directed back to the main hanger, forced to wait for any word from the emergency response team sent to Maddlyn's last location. Maverick nervously paced while the trainees sat and watched him.

It felt like a lifetime to him as he waited for the response team to find his daughter. He forced himself to sit down, closing his eyes as he focused on Maddy.

He thought about how it felt to hold his little girl for the first time. He thought about her entire life. He thought about how scared he was to raise her after her mother died. He thought about how proud he was when she told him she wanted to be a pilot. He wasn't scared. He never thought about the chance that something would happen to her.

Until F18-20.

During that flight, Maverick felt the same that he felt now; terrified. While Maddlyn was going through physical therapy, he never left her side. What's worse is the fact that he made her a promise. He promised that she would never have to step into a plane again.

And here he was, night in the same position he was three years ago — waiting to hear if his daughter was alive.

"Rescue Team Beta to Captain Mitchell."

"Captain Mitchell here," Maverick said as he jumped up, grabbed the headset, and answered the call. "Where's my daughter?"

"We found her, sir," the responder said. Maverick could tell from his tone of voice that there was more.

"Well?" He pushed. "How is she? Where did you find her? Are you on your way back with her?"

"Sir," a different responder gently interrupted. "We found her but she's in bad shape."

"How bad?"

The trainees froze at that simple question.

"We're not entirely sure, sir," the first responder stuttered. "All we know is that Lieutenant Phillip's parachute tore as she descended."

"Meaning?" Maverick pushed.

"Meaning, she landed without slowing her descent. From what we can tell, she's suffered some severe back injuries."

"We'll be there soon," the second responder said. "We've already called the infirmary on the ship. They're waiting for us."

Maverick didn't say anything as he turned off the radio and took off the headset. The group waited for Maverick to turn around and tell them, but he didn't. As much as they all wanted to know what state Maddlyn was in, none of them wanted to ask him.

A few minutes went by and Rooster couldn't wait any longer.

"How is she?" Rooster eagerly asked.

"They aren't sure," Maverick mumbled. "They're on their way back with her now."

"How long. . ."

"Clear the way!"

"Get surgery prepped now!"

Maverick spun around and the trainees stood up as the emergency response team wheeled in a gurney. Even from across the hanger, Maverick recognized his daughter on the gurney. Without thinking, he ran toward her.

"Captain!" One of the responders stopped him.

"That's my. . ."

"I know, sir," the young man said gently. Maverick watched as they wheeled his daughter away from him. "I'm sorry, Captain, but I need to ask you to stay here. I promise we will take care of her."

"So?"

The young responder jogged after the gurney as Maverick turned around. When he did, he saw the faces of trainees staring at him hopefully.