CHAPTER SEVEN When I'm Losing

Kate walked behind two pilots, ones that she hadn't kept tabs on, a little frustrated with their slow pace. She walked past them, and up to Pete and Nick.

"If it ain't Kerosene." Iceman greeted in a semi sarcastic tone.

"Snowman." Kate retorted. Ice shot her a glare, then one to Pete and Nick when they started laughing. Ice walked away, leaving them in the dust.

"You're my new favourite person." Nick told her, earning a look from Pete.

Pete looked at Nick, "I feel the need," Nick joined in so that they were in sync, "the need for speed."

"See you up there!" Pete shouted to Kate, seeing her walk away to her F-14 Tomcat.

Nick looked at Pete with a knowing look. "Her. I'm gonna marry her." Pete stated.

"Yeah, you're gonna marry Kerosene." Nick responded with sarcasm.

Kate in the cockpit, a grin on her face. "It's been a minute." She muttered to herself.

The engine started, then she was off in the sky. Her eyes lit up under the visor, breathing in and out. "You look good, Maxwell." Pete complimented.

"Flattery will get you nowhere—"

"Yes it will." Pete replied. "You're mentally giving me the finger, aren't you?" He asked, knowing damn well that she was.

"Aww, how did you know?" Kate asked rhetorically, flying inverted, above Pete and Nick's fighter jet. She then flipped him off. "That was for you, Mitchell, not Bradshaw."

"Thanks for the clarification, sweetheart." Pete thanked with a sarcastic undertone.

"Call me 'sweetheart' again, and I'll clock you." Kate threatened.

"Sorry, cap." He corrected.

"Maverick, stop flirting with Kerosene. Kerosene, stop threatening Maverick." Viper instructed.

"Yes, sir." Those words were whispered by Pete and Kate.

"To be clear and to understand better, does this apply to after flight training sessions? Or am I allowed to flirt with Kerosene afterwards?" Pete asked. Viper just let out a sigh in response. Anyone listening could hear the smirk from Pete.

That smirk transitioned into a genuine smile when he started thinking about Kate. "Alright, loverboy, focus on doing some of that pilot shit." Nick reminded. But he never once denied it, he didn't have to.

"Cap, do you have sights on Viper?" Pete wondered.

"Right behind you." She told him.

"He's not behind us- SHIT! He's behind us." Pete exclaimed, causing Kate to roll her eyes.

"Now would be a great time for whiskey." She said to herself, still very aware of flying the plane.

"Can you focus on flying the plane? And not think about alcohol for one second." Ice requested.

"How—"

"I might be on standby on the ground, but we can still hear you." He reminded.

"I'm multitasking." Kate told him. "You know, the thing that happens when you do or think of multiple things at a time." She explained, tone full of sarcasm.

Kate narrowly avoided Viper, cursing continuosly as she tried to not get shot down. But for once, her focus left, and she got shot down. "Kerosene, you're dead." Viper informed.

She let out another curse, as she landed, Ice flew up. "Maxwell, care to help a fellow pilot out?" He asked, hoping she'd give insight to Viper's flight patterns.

"I'm dead, dickhead." Kate responded, smirking. She climbed out of her F-14 and walked inside the building.

Kate was the only one in the changing room, she changed out of her flight gear, and into her white t-shirt, jeans, and her jean jacket. Loose strands of hair framed her face, she sat down on the cold floor. She heard footsteps go into the where the guys' changing room was. Then, she heard voices.

"Maverick, it's not your flying, it's your attitude. The enemy's dangerous, but right now you're worse than the enemy. You're dangerous and foolish. You may not like the guys flying with you, they may not like you, but whose side are you on?" Tom told Pete.

Kate got the strength and life in her body to get up from the floor and stand against the wall outside of the changing rooms. She watched Tom walk out, he looked at her. "What happened up there? You were fine, then all of a sudden, Viper caught you."

Kate looked down, "even the best pilots lose their focus sometimes." She replied, not wanting to get into it.

Sighing, Kate walked outside of the building, going back to the house. She lost her focus, and she didn't even know why. Sure, if it was a normal, on-the-ground activity, she'd know why, but she rarely let go during a flight session.

She opened the fridge, grimacing at the thought of food. Her brows furrowed when she realised how dark it was. Kate had nothing better to do, so naturally, she dug out her old motorcycle from under the tarp. It sure as hell wasn't perfect, it had scratches, dust, a little bit of mud, and small patches of rust collecting on it. She ran her hand over it before starting it up. The engine stalled for five minutes before working somewhat properly.

Kate drove to the area where all of the pilots were staying, and started to wonder why she was even in that parking lot. Why was he her safe person? Regardless, she walked up to the door, knocking. She opened the door.

Pete was nowhere in sight until she found herself standing outside of the room. He was staring at a picture. He looked up to see Kate, he furrowed his brows. "Are you okay?" He asked.

She sighed, looking around the room. "Am I a good pilot?" She wondered.

"Yeah, why would you question that?" He asked. When she didn't answer, he knew what she was thinking. It took him a minute, but he knew why. "Kate, you're the best damn pilot I know, other than me. You lost your focus one time! That's it. That doesn't make you the worst pilot in the Navy."

Pete motioned for her to sit on the bed with him, so she did. She looked down at the floor. He looked at her.

"I can flirt with you now, right?" He asked, causing her to look at him with a confused look on her face.

"What?"

"Well, Viper said I couldn't flirt with you while we were flying, so now I can."

"And you're stating this out loud, because?" Kate questioned.

"That means I can also kiss you right now..." He led on, smirking.

He kissed her softly. It wasn't passionate, it wasn't deep, or longing, it was more for comfort. It was one neither was completely used to. It was strange and different, but it felt good. It was like they both needed it.

"I'm always gonna be here." He whispered. "With you. There won't be a time I'm not with you. And the only reason I wouldn't is when I'm on a mission, and that's it." He assured her.

Kate sighed, "you don't know that." She told him.

"And how do you know we won't?" He countered.

There was an exchanged look in the silence that made her realise it. "I should..."

"I mean, you could stay here." Pete offered.

"I have shit I have to do—"

"At nine o'clock at night?" He questioned.

"I have to fix my motorcycle!" She told him. He rose a brow at her. "Look, it's on its last days, and I want it fixed. And the only person who's gonna fix it, is me." Kate explained, following Pete out of the room.

"See you at the bar, tomorrow." He said, kissing her again.

The amount of affection confused her, but the statement confused her more.

"Goose's wife, Carole, and their kid Bradley's gonna be there. So, I want you to be there... you'll like Carole, she's somewhat of a wildcard too." He told her, smiling.

"Fine, I'll see you tomorrow." She replied.

"Night, Kate."

Kate's just confused about the amount of affection Pete's giving her.

Pete just wants to protect her 24/7, he should be a professional Kate Maxwell protector.

Okay, bye!