Copilot | Top Gun

ten

Glasses clinked all around you as a breeze whipped through your hair which rested down against your shoulders for once.

"I mean, if Gator didn't have such bad aim I might not be standing here," Pete laughed alongside the other cadets.

The Graduation Banquet was here. And everything was working out.

You and Pete had both graduated with flying colors, Gator had been tried and found guilty of attempted murder and damage to government property, Pete had almost fully recovered from his bullet wound, and the two of you were now trying to enjoy your last few days together.

"So, Mav, where are you headed next?" Ripper asked from across the table.

Pete popped his white cap off and set it down over your eyes. "There's a school down in Austin. They want my skills so bad they offered to pay me double." He smirked as a few graduates laughed and clapped him on the back.

"Well what about you?" Red looked at you. "You goin' with him? There's a base down near Austin. I think that's where Bowler's headed."

You blushed. Before you met Pete, your plan had always been to be stationed in Europe. Top Gun graduates got first pick of where to settle so you could go anywhere you liked.

"I'm not sure," You managed to say. The truth was that Pete had asked you what you wanted to do. He had to move back to Texas for more than one reason. His mother needed someone to look after her and he wanted to stay close. How could you blame him for choosing Texas over Europe because of that?

The dinner continued and you ate in silence. What should you do? Pursue new adventures in strange lands? Or stay with Pete?

They gave out diplomas and awards. You had to hobble your way up to the front on crutches to receive your plaque, but when you reached the stage, the applause was the loudest it had ever been.

You tried to walk back through the crowd of tables but each of your friends kept standing up and giving you shoulder hugs and patting you on the back. By the time you reached your seat, half the chairs had been emptied and more than ten guys were crowded around you, smiling and truly happy for you. Clover, smiling and friendly again, Ripper and Bluejay, who had always given you a hand, Bowler and Justice, those two could make you laugh at any time, and Dagger and Red, the most loyal boys you'd ever met.

Warmth flooded through you. These were your friends. You were about to go separate ways. You were about to lose them all.

You glanced at Pete and met his eye. He gave you a radiant smile. Were you about to lose him too?

As the commander got everyone to head back to their seats, Pete took your crutches and let you lean on him as he walked you back towards the table. But instead of stopping at it, he kept walking. You opened your mouth to say something to him but he shushed you with a look.

Past the big drape curtains, the two of you snuck out of the ceremony. When Pete finally stopped, you found yourself standing before the ocean pier on the dock. It was sunset. The air was cool and dry. With Pete's arms around you, you felt without a care in the world.

"I'm going to miss you." He whispered in your ear. "You're the light of my life."

You thought about how much you would miss him too. Then you remembered someone else you had been missing desperately. You fingered the second set of tags still around your neck. Chelsea's tags. Your best friend who was truly gone. You missed her like crazy. And if you left Pete, it would be much the same.

Pete noticed you fingering the tags and you expected him to scold you again. He had tried to get you to stop wearing them in the name of mental health.

Instead, Pete looked away. "It was on this dock that it happened." He said.

"What?"

"I moved on."

You were confused. "I don't get it."

He looked down at your tags again. "Goose. I used to carry his tags as well. But I had to let him go. He was my best friend..." He looked into the water, towards the sunset. "But I knew he would have wanted me to move on. To grow."

You were barely breathing. In a whisper, so desperate for answers to your pain, you asked: "What did you do?"

Pete blinked a few times. "I let his tags go. Right here, right off this pier."

You looked down.

Pete seemed to come out of his daze and he pulled you closer to him. "Let's make the most of the time we have together. So we don't have to move on so soon."

You resisted. He let his arms drop in disappointment.

You approached the side of the pier and clutched the railing for support.

Were you truly going to leave Pete like Chelsea had left you? And could you ever grow if you kept running away and hiding her tags?

After a moment of indecision, your mind was made up. Pulling the tags away from your neck, you felt the cord snap and the chain swung like a pendulum beneath your hand.

"Arrow?" Pete asked tentatively.

With one graceful arc, you tossed Chelsea's tags into the beautiful orange and yellow water. The sun's setting rays glittered off its surface as if to thank you for your efforts.

"Y/N..." Pete hesitated.

You turned around to face him. He stepped closer to you and held your waist to help keep your balance.

Then you kissed his mouth.

After a long few moments he looked into your eyes. "I don't know if I can let go..." He admitted. "I'm not strong like you. It took me much longer to commit to moving on from Goose."

You pulled him close into a hug. "Then you don't have to."

"What?" You felt him stiffen with surprise.

"I'm coming to Austin with you.

He pulled back, aghast. "Why? I thought you wanted to live in Europe?"

"I'd rather grow down in Texas with you than run from my troubles in another country." You said. "Besides..." You smiled. "You're my copilot. I can't just leave you hanging."

He smiled, love, tenderness, and triumph in his eyes, and you knew you were making the right choice.

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