Someone once said ""I saw the world in black and white instead of the vibrant colours and shades I knew existed." that was now Gemma Ross-Kazansky felt as she stared at the coffin her husband, the love of her life lay in.

She heard the words "Fire!" shouted, she heard the gunshots, but she didn't feel a thing.. She watched as Pete punched Iceman's wings into the coffin, and she reached out to grab the flag that they gave to her... But she didn't register it, how could she? It made no sense.

"Has she even spoken to anyone?" Kailani asked as all their friends and family congregated in their house afterward. Aria shook her head "She holed herself up in their office, she won't say more than two words to anyone."

Garrison sighed and looked to their uncle William "Has she ever done this before?"

William shook his head looking to his two other siblings who shook their heads in agreement "No, even when grandpa and grandma passed on it wasn't this bad. She was expecting it." He looked towards the office door where his father had just exited, the man was older now but he still had a gleam in his eyes. That gleam was gone today as he shook his head in his son's direction before walking to his wife.

William sighed "I don't know what to do."

Suddenly the doors to the house slammed open and a man entered surrounded by screaming children which he and his wife were trying to quiet down. The man whispered to his wife who nodded and he turned his eyes looking for someone. He headed to where William stood, said man groaned "Oh no."

Aria, Kailani, and Garrison all grinned and hugged the man who greeted them fondly "Hello little Firebirds!"

"Hey, Uncle Turtle."

The man smiled sadly pulling back to look the children over, then his eyes landed on William and he rolled his eyes "Eagle."

"Turtle."

Eagles eyes looked over Turtle with derision, covered head to toe in tattoos and with piercings littering his body, Turtle had taken full advantage of his freedom the second he left the navy.

Eagle was still the golden boy, and he showed it with every fiber of his being.

"Where's Fire?"

Eagle sighed as much as he didn't personally love Turtle, his sister did, and Turtle might just be the one to pull her out of her shock.

"She's in the office, Turtle, she... It hit her pretty hard."

Turtle nodded and headed to the office, he entered without knocking as he always did, and he found her on the floor knees pulled up and head rested on them.

"I thought I said I didn't wish to be bothered."

"Yes, well your biggest bother decided to ignore that order."

Gemma didn't look up, she didn't need to, that voice had been her constant companion during only the Navy knew how many flight hours.

Turtle walked over to where he knew a mini bar was hidden and opened it pulling out two cokes "I forgot you managed to convince Ice not to drink."

He walked back to her and sprawled out beside her on the floor "So, how have you been?"

Gemma blinked turning her head to stare at him "I'm sorry?"

Any other man probably would have backed down seeing the fire that sparked in her eyes at that question, but not Commander Jack Metcalf.

"How have you been?" He asked again enunciating every word this time, and he watched as Gemma's eyes flared and her head shot up from her knees.

"How have I been? That's what you're asking me? What do you just want to sit and talk about the weather? Or maybe you want me to talk about how amazing it was to have my husband die in the cockpit of my jet!"

And finally, for the first time since Tom "Iceman" Kazansky died Gemma broke down crying, and Turtle reached out pulling her into his arms. Because Turtle knew his wingman better than almost anyone, in ways he had known her better than Tom. And perhaps he was the only one who knew how to break her down so she could build herself back up again.

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Rooster looked around for Aria, he found her talking to an older couple, as he approached the man turned raising an eyebrow.

Aria followed the mans gaze and smiled slightly when she saw Rooster "Gran, Papa Bear, this is Bradley Bradshaw."

They shook his hand and her grandmother smiled "Your father Nick was a good man, we all loved him."

"Thank you ma'am."

Thomas Ross looked the young man over with a discerning gaze, he hadnt been to impressed with Seresin to begin with but the boy had grown on him. Bradshaw had a good name and her appeared to be respectful, much the way Tom had been. Thomas Ross approved.

Aria led Bradley away from her grandparents, he looked down into her eyes and saw the sadness she was trying to hide from him.

"Can we go?" She whispered quietly, and Bradley nodded taking her hands and leading her outside to his jeep. He drove to the beach where they got out and Aria walked to the waters edge.

There was silence for a while before she spoke "Everyone used to say that he was always bigger than life, the Iceman, the Admiral, one of the best pilots in his century." Her voice quivered as she spoke again "But to us, he was just Daddy... He was the one who would scare away the monsters, the one who taught us to stand a little straighter. He was just Daddy, but he was never supposed to leave us."

Bradley walked forward taking her in his arms "I know. I still remember when my dad died, everyone talks about how good a man he was. How he was a good friend... I just remember him as my dad, and the fun we had, that's all I need to remember."

Aria looked up her tear-stained eyes meeting his, "Aren't we a pair?"

Bradley smiled sadly and leaned his forehead against her's, they were just two children who needed comfort.

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Pete Mitchell had been grounded two days after Ice's funeral he made his way back to the home his friends had made together. Gemma let him in with a frown "Shouldn't you be at Topgun?"

"That's what I'm here to talk to you about, I need your help." He explained everything to her and watched as his friend's legendary fury began to build up. "I can't believe this, he's barely gone four days and the first thing they do is go against his orders!"

She shook her head and reached for her phone "I'll call Cyclone and take care of this immediately, honestly he has gotten away too big for his britches."

Maverick smiled slightly but shook his head reaching to stop his friend "That's not the kind of help I need."

Gemma hung up the phone and tilted her head curiously as Maverick continued "I need you to help me prove a point."

"What point?"

"That the mission can be completed within the parameters set, to keep those pilots alive."

Gemma smiled "I'm not the pilot I used to be Maverick."

Maverick rolled his eyes "That's bull and you know it."

Gemma looked down but it was Firebird who raised her head "I'll need an ROI."

"Well it might take a moment but no plane can be more complicated than what we used to fly."

Firebird jumped turning to glare at her best friend "What have I told you about knocking?"

Turtle shrugged "I hardly know, I just tune you out when you start talking about it."

"Oh, Jack will you leave that poor woman alone!" Jack's wife called from the hallway, making Jack grin before looking back to Maverick and Firebird "So, what are we doing?"

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Admiral Simpson stood before the class making them all frown in confusion until he spoke "Captain Mitchell is no longer your instructor. Your new mission parameters as of today. The destination time is now 4 minutes. You will enter the valley level by reducing your speed. You shall not exceed 420 nautical miles."

Ice Queen frowned "But sir, that gives the enemy time to discover us."

"You have a chance to fight off the plane, Lieutenant. What are your chances of surviving hitting the mountain vertically?" Simpson asked making Ice Queen frown and looked to Dark Star who had the same expression.

"You will be attacking the target from a higher altitude. It's on the north wall. Keeping your laser on target will be more difficult...but you will avoid the steep climb."

"And then we'll be shot down by missiles." Said DarkStar in a smart-alecky tone that made Simpson turn to glare at the girl. As he opened his mouth to reply a beeping was heard and he turned to the rader which showed two planes flying "Who's that?"

"Maverick to Field Control. I'm entering the Alpha Point. I want green zone approval."

"Maverick, this is Field Control...Green zone confirmed but... I don't see your name on the program, sir. And there appears to be another plane with you."

"Arrival time at new destination 2 minutes 15 seconds."

"Maverick this tower we would appreciate it if your wingman would identify."

There was silence before "Call sign Firebird

DarkStar and Ice Queen both shot from their seats "You have to call this off!"

Admiral Simpson gave them both a look asking if they were crazy "Tell Firebird to stop? Are you two crazy?"

They all watched as the planes flew together in perfect sync as the two pilots called back and forth to each other. The fact that they were a team was clear, they flew in a tight formation never slowing, never straying.

The voice of Turtle came over the speaker "Preparing laser.... Laser ready.... You're on Maverick."

"Bombs away.."

On the screen the pilots watched as the sign that the target had been hit appeared on the screen, then they waited as the two pilots pulled up hitting the G's.

Both Kazansky girls braced in their seats watching, Bradley reaxhed over taking Aria's hand in his and squeezing tight.

Gemma groaned as she flew harder and faster then she ever had before, she barely see through the tunnel that was closing on her vision. Then just as she thought she wouldnt make it anymore she realized that she was clear and quickly pulled out of her ascent.

"You good Turtle? Maverick?"

Turtles breathless voice came over the comm "I'm getting to old for this shit."

Maverick came along side obviously laughing at the two as they flew back to base, where they were promptly greeted by Admiral Simpson.

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You put me in a difficult position, Captain. On the one hand, you showed that this mission can be flown. Maybe the only way to get out alive. On the other hand you did so by stealing two pieces of multimillion-dollar military property and you did it by using it in a way that it can't take off again. Iceman is no longer here to protect you. It's up to me to take you too court-martial and I have everything needed to get you kicked out of the army."

"Except that decision is no longer your as of 24 hours ago Admiral." Gemma finally spoke from her spot near the window, making Cyclone turn to her in surprise "Ma'am?"

Admiral Gemma Ross stood head held high "As of 24 hours ago I was given back command of Top Gun, making everything that has happened in the last few hours my decision. I ordered Captain Mitchell to do what he did, I drug Commander Metcalf out of retirement... And you can't say one single thing about it."

Cyclone swallowed before standing to empty his seat for the Admiral to take, she moved forward sitting down. Firebird took a deep breath before speaking "Maverick. You are the only one I trust to be the team leader, so congratulations, you're going in... Make us proud."

The next day Maverick stood before his class

"It was an honor to fly with you. Each of you represents the best of the best. This is a very special mission. My choices are only a reflection of that.

First Foxtrot team members. Ice Queen and Rock Steady. Phoenix and Bob."

Dark Star smiled proudly to her sister unsuprised that Maverick had chosen the two most level headed pilotsof the bunch. It made her sure that she knew his other choice as well.

"And your fire. Rooster."

DarkStar reached out taking Roosters hand in her own, he squeezed gently as Maverick finished.

"The rest of you are in support roles on board..."

Dark Star tuned out the rest focusing instead on Rooster beside her, they had never gone on that date.... He better come home."

You were trained for this." Her mothers voice broke through Arias thoughts "Good luck, come back home."



The pilots all headed to their planes but Darkstar pulled Rooster into an alcove, he gasped in surprise but smiled when he saw her. "Hey."

Aria looked up into his brown eyes feeling like she could stare into them forever. "You never took me on that Bradshaw, a gentlemen isnt supposed to leave a lady hanging."

Bradley smiled leaning his forehead against hers "My apologies ma'am, soon as I get back I'll make it up to you."

"You better Bradshaw."

Bradley looked deep into her eyes before he shook his head, he couldn't wait any longer. He leaned forward kissing her gently, she moaned into the kiss, happy that they at least got this moment.

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A few minutes later Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw walked down the runway with a small smile on his face, inside he knew, he had to come back.

"Hey Bradley, Bradley!"

Turning Rooster found Hangman approaching him

"Hey... You can do this." They shook hands and Hangman pulled Rooster a little closer whispering "You better come back for her, and you better bring my wife back too."

Then Hangman turned walking to his wife who he kissed with everything he had in him "I love you."

Kailani smiled reaching up to stroke his face and Hangman whispered "When you come back, how about we start on that family?"

"I'll take you up on that one handsome."

Then they all loaded up, ready and waiting for action, all knowing they might not come back from this. But they were all ready and willing to die for the country they loved, and vowed to serve.

Above them watching was Admiral Simpson and Admiral Ross "You think they can do this ma'am?"

"They have to, what choice do we have?"

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A shorter chapter but I thought it was a good idea to stop here before we get to the action!

Again thank you guys for all of the support, we are up to 4k views on this story and I am overwhelmed!

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