FIREBALL

Chapter 10

bob and phoenix watched thalia's limp body disappear behind the treeline, her parachute following closely after. they cut themselves free, sprinting in the direction she had fallen, any injuries they had quickly forgotten.

her face was bloody when they arrived, but her chest rose and fell in the telltale pattern of her breathing. phoenix stopped running and leant on her knees in relief, but bob merely slowed and carried on until he was at her side. he freed her from the once-white parachute, and attempted to wake her.

natasha came forward and pulled the girl into a sitting position, shaking her awake. 

thalia's eyes fluttered open and she gasped at the sight of the fighter duo. she wiped her face with her sleeve, grimacing at the slick red liquid that came away, staining the green and rusty brown.

"that was a stupid move, trying to save us," nat scolded, but hugged her friend anyway, helping her stand.

"fat lot of good it did. you still got struck," she grimaced popping her joints in her hips. "where's your glasses?"

bob shrugged. " lost 'em in the fall. it's fine, i can still see things that are fairly close. just don't put me on search 'copter watch," he joked, eliciting a laugh out of his female companions.

the trio wandered through the woods to an open meadow, where there was more of a chance for search and rescue to find them. it wasn't long until they did, dropping down a ladder for them to climb up. natasha went first, then thalia, with bob bringing up the rear in case thalia fell. he respectfully avoided looking up, focussing on the rungs in front of him as the helicopter carried them back to base.

a med team was watching with stretchers for the three, and the group of their teammates stood off to the side as they got carried away to the med-bay. 

-------- 

rooster sat in an abandoned classroom awaiting news of his fallen friends when maverick walked in. 

"they're keeping fireball, phoenix and bob overnight for observation. they're gonna be ok."

"that's good," rooster sighed, avoiding eye contact with the man he considered a traitor. "i've never lost a wingman," he admitted.

"you're lucky," maverick replied, "fly long enough, it'll happen. there will be others."

a somber mood settled in the room as maverick turned to leave, but rooster was burning with rage. "easy for you to say. no wife, no kids. nobody to mourn you when you burn in."

maverick stopped in his tracks, hurt swelling up inside. "go home. just get some sleep."

but bradley wasn't finished. "why'd you pull my papers at the academy?" he stormed. "why did you stand in my way?"

"you weren't ready." pete's reply was clipped. 

it was rooster's turn to be hurt, disbelief flashing in his eyes. "ready for what? huh? to fly like you?"

"no. ready to forget the book. trust your instincts. don't think. just do. you think up there, you're dead. believe me."

bradley scoffed. "my dad believed in you. i'm not gonna make the same mistake." 

the door opened and warlock walked in. "maverick... iceman's dead."

---------

the funeral was a few days later, the team standing on the left in their white pilot uniforms to pay their respects. 

"where's fireball?" hangman muttered to phoenix, who shrugged. 

"i'm not sure."

his question was soon answered as she headed the procession, sarah at her side. she wore two sets of wings- on her own, the other's belonging to her late uncle. sarah stood to the side as thalia continued forwards, the coffin-bearers steadily walking behind. 

she stopped short of a banner with iceman's face on it and turned to face the crowd, waiting for his coffin to be laid gently before speaking.

"admiral tom kazansky, callsign: iceman, was known as a hero to many. he was a mentor, a dad, a husband, a godfather, an uncle. that's what i knew him as. 'uncle tommy'. when i was eleven, we had careers day at school, and when we came over to visit him in the holidays, i told him all about it. how real people from the military came to our little primary school in yorkshire and let us hold the guns, and try on the gear. he told me that if that's what i wanted, he would be there the whole way. he sat with me when i wrote my application to the marines, guided me through my career and supported me through flight school for the RAF. i think i can speak for a lot of people here when i say  that without him, i wouldn't be here in this uniform."

thalia paused for a moment, taking a deep breath and glancing towards her friends.

"he was the greatest man i ever had the privilege to know. as we stand here today and honour him, we also honour his legacy, which lives on through the lives he has touched, and i am grateful to be a part of that legacy. in his final days, he was not frightened for the hold of death, instead excited for the next part of his journey, and joyful to see his late friends, his only brother and his wife and son, and his parents. when the end came, it was peaceful. he laid in his bed, holding onto two people he loved dearly with all his heart."

she took another breath. "i conclude this with my thanks. i love you, uncle tommy. fly high, iceman, and thank you, admiral kazansky, for all you have done for us."

she unpinned his wings and brought them up to her face, her lips brushing the cool metal for a fleeting second. thalia laid them down on the small strip that laid uncovered by the large american flag, and raised her fist, letting it fall and hit them so the pins penetrated the varnished mahogany.

maverick stepped up and joined her in a salute, and vice admiral simpson folded up the flag, and carried it solemnly over to a crying sarah, handing her the soft fabric and saluting, tucking his hat under his arm to do so. four jets flew overhead as he did so, one pulling up to signify the missing man manoeuvre, and to the side, a twenty-one gun salute started. 

sarah stepped towards her niece on shaky legs, and held out the american flag. spectators watched in shock at the gesture, and thalia's jaw dropped slightly at the offer. she shook her head slightly, but maverick pushed her forwards gently and she took it carefully into her gloved hands.

the young pilot held it under her arm and pulled sarah into an embrace, and the two watched from each others arms as the coffin of the man they loved was lowered into the ground. each pilot on the detachment stepped forwards and dropped a white rose into the grave as a sign of respect, and the crowd left as dirt was placed on top, signalling it had actually, genuinely happened.

admiral tom 'iceman' kazansky was dead.

1155 words- damn i'm sadly enjoying the angst. like really loving a bit it too much. i almost want to add a bit more for funsies....- C xox