𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐱𝐱𝐯 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫

❝ 𝐜𝐨𝐛𝐫𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐯𝐞𝐫 ❞

✈ ✈ ✈

IT'S THE SECOND DAY OF THE SPECIAL DETACHMENT.

An unexpected team-up was in the air, well, reluctant, both of them, but they had to follow orders.

Faith was in the break room, along with the squadron, standing by the radio. Hangman, Rooster were up against Maverick, when he'd won the game they'd been playing since the day before, and Faith had said it straight to his face, that she was happy to lose, not willing to go up against Hangman or Rooster.

"So, Rooster, mind if I ask you a personal question?" The green-eyed blonde's voice is clear on the radio. Natasha and Faith were by each other around the radio with the others, sharing an annoyed glance before looking back down at the device.

"Would it matter if I did?" Is Rooster's reply. Faith just sighs silently.

"So, what's the story with you and Maverick? It seems both Captains have you a little rattled." A shove in the wrong direction, Hangman's trying to clearly agitate Rooster.

Thankfully, Bradley doesn't budge, "That's none of your business. Now where the hell is he?"

And in all his glory, Faith knows what her uncle has pulled, palm running down her face, an invert right over the other man, flying straight ahead but upside down. He'd pulled the same move on her the first time they flew together, Iraq.

"Been here the whole time." Damn it, Maverick. Yes, they'd decided to push Bradley on a bit more than the others, but not this much.

"Holy shit." Hangman's exclaim of disbelief as he no doubt takes in the drama.

"You see me now? Come on, let's get it over with." Mav's adding gallons of fuel to the fire. But maybe, it's for the best. Maybe he'd finally do something for himself.

Rooster is practically seething, large pants heard on the radio before he's announcing, "Fight's on!" Natasha and Faith share a worried glance.

"What is with these two?" Hangman's watching it unfold, probably thinking of jumping in.

Oh, no.

The cobra maneuver. Great. Cyclone's going to have a field day with this.

"Alright, you put us here. How you gonna get yourself out?" Mav's calling out to Bradley, and Faith understands what he wants him to do.

Probably not put himself in the line of fire and save his own ass for once in his life.

"You can bail out anytime!" Rooster's challenging in a strained voice.

"How low you wanna go, Rooster?" A strained reply from Maverick.

"I can go as low as you, sir! And that's saying something." Bradshaw was snarling back. Faith winces, Maverick was probably hurt deeply at his words, but he doesn't shun the man, "What's past is past. For both of us."

"You'd like to believe that, wouldn't you?" A dagger to the heart of her uncle, once again.

"Hard deck is 5,000 feet, fellas. You are running out of room." Hangman cuts in, warning the pair engaged deep in their maneuver.

"Your strategy is about to run us into the ground. what's your move?" Maverick mentions to the rage-blinded Bradshaw.

The automated voice is repeatedly warning, "Altitude. Altitude." There's silence for several seconds, Rooster's panting as the only thing heard. Then, the voice is yelling, "Pull up, pull up!"

The two of them are in a cat and mouse game, Maverick telling Rooster, "You got it, don't think, just do."

"Come on, Rooster, you've got him! Drop down and take the shot!" Hangman encourages someone else but himself for once.

"It's too low!" The Bradshaw's only reply, before Maverick is done, "Too late, you had your chance." There's a sharp click from Maverick's side on the radio.

Faith assumes he's about to fly over to the back of Rooster and get tone, right about then he's announcing with loud beeping in the back, "That's a kill, knock it off. Go see Hondo about your push-ups."

The two women in the room look at each other in relief, happy the other two were safe.

Faith walks away from the radio, towards the window when she hears jets land. Natasha's behind her within seconds, placing a hand on her shoulder. No words are said as they watch Rooster and Maverick get down from their jets, the younger falling down to the ground, awaiting orders. Hondo starts to count as Bradley does his exercise.

Natasha nudges Faith in the shoulder, and when she looks at her best friend, she simply jerks her head in Rooster's direction. Talk to him.

Yeah, she needed to have to talk with him.

With that, Faith is making her way out of the break room with long strides and a rushed pace.

✈✈✈

WHEN FAITH IS OUT ON THE TARMAC BY BRADLEY'S JET, SHE CAN ONLY ASSUME HE WAS TOO MANY PUSH-UPS IN WITH HIS PACE.

Hondo takes sympathy on the younger man, eyes meeting Faith's as she walks closer and closer to the two of them, "Alright, that's enough. Rooster, that's enough, man." Hondo gives her a nod, and she returns it, muttering, "You go, Hondo, I'll see him." The man in question continues to raise his count. Hondo walks back towards the hangar, with a small smile shared with Faith.

She looks down at Bradley, who continues to push himself. A deep sigh escapes her, and there's deep vulnerability in her voice as she speaks to him, "Bradley. Enough."

He stops, falling to the hot tarmac lit up by the setting sun, and darkened by the shadows of the jets surrounding them. He sits up, knees propped up and elbows resting on them as he looks straight down.

Another sigh escapes Faith, before she's beginning to scold him, not only as a Captain, but as a friend, if he'd have her, "Breaking the hard deck, insubordination. Do you want to get kicked out?" Bradley's eyes close at her voice, opening them back to continue looking down at the ground when he replies, "Don't worry about it."

Faith decides not to snark back with a confession, instead, leaning one knee against the tarmac, the other propped up. "Look."

"There's a chance you'll be selected for the mission. But if you get kicked out, you leave the others flying with Hangman. Think about it." Once again, Faith is shaking hands with the silent treatment.

And, she's decided she's had enough of it. So, she snaps.

"What the hell is going on, Bradley?" Faith shakes her head, meeting his eyes, finally, with concern filled in hers'. Those eyes. Whatever was hidden in them could add insult to injury. Those hazel green eyes. Filled with so much, a mixture of everything possible felt. Memories. Reminiscence. Hope. Fear. Anger. Disappointment. Bitterness. Her own reflection in the depth of his eyes.

But he still says nothing.

But a single word.

She hoped he would.

But he didn't.

She sighs, turning away from his gaze and standing up on her feet, looking around the tarmac. She looks back at him, as he still looks at her. With a bit of hesitance, Faith puts her hand out for him as support to get off the tarmac. He just looks at her hand with contempt.

Faith waits, a few more seconds pass, and just when she's pulling her hand back, he grabs onto it, pulling himself up, still looking at her. Surprise jumps in on her face, but she's quick to cover it up.

They just look at each other. Familiarizing themselves with the other. Eight years, and it seemed neither of them had changed at all. Eight years, and their feelings for each other were still clear as the blazing orange sky above. Not just eight years. Eight years, three months, and fifty-six days. Since they'd talked, sung their song, leant against each other's warmth and security, hugged, laughed, kissed.

Bradley snaps out of his gaze, and he lets go of Faith's hand, brushing past her as he walks back to the hangar.

Faith turns around, watching as he leaves. She's left alone standing like all those days ago, the heat of the red sky replacing the wet rain that fell on her.

✈ ✈ ✈

THE PAIR OF CAPTAINS STAND SIDE BY SIDE IN ATTENTION, CHINS UP, AS THEY GET AN EARFUL FROM CYCLONE IN HIS CABIN.

"The hard deck is 5,000 feet above ground level. A parameter is set, not just for the safety of our pilots, but for the safety of their aircraft." Cyclone's leant back against his chair as he looks at the two Captains standing before him. Warlock sits on a chair to the side.

"Five thousand feet is not just a rule. It is a law, as immutable as gravity." The Air Boss is yelling. Faith tries her best not to roll her eyes.

"Mission parameters require a lower hard deck, sir." Faith brings up, eyes widening at herself when she realizes she said it out loud. But it was true. If they have to fly through the canyon, then the hard deck needs to be lower than freaking five thousand feet.

"And it will not change, without my approval! Especially not in the middle of an exercise." Cyclone hits the desk with his fist, as Maverick and Faith quietly wince to themselves.

The Air Boss looks at Maverick pointedly, "And that cobra maneuver of yours? That could've got all three of you killed. I never want to see that shit again." Warlock looks at Maverick too, "What exactly do you suppose you were teaching, Captain?"

Maverick instantly responds, "That as good as they are, sir, they still have something to learn."

Cyclone snaps in agitation, leaning forward, "You are talking about the best fighter pilots on the planet, Captain." Her uncle cuts in, "They've been told that their entire career, while they've been dropping bombs from a high altitude with little to none dogfighting. The parameters of this mission call for something they've never encountered-" The Air Boss speaks up between his words, waving his hand at them, "Okay, you have less than three weeks to teach them how to fight as a team and how to strike the target."

"And how to come home." Faith speaks up after a brief pause. Maverick nods at her words, repeating, "How to come home, sir." Cyclone remains silent, leaning back against his chair, beginning to explain as he calms down, "Every mission has it's risks. These pilots accept that."

The Air Boss is met with two responses from either Captains.

"I don't, sir." Maverick meets Cyclone's gaze.

"Can't say I agree with you, sir." Faith avoids Cyclone's eyes.

"Every morning, from this day forward, you will brief us on your instructional planning in writing. And nothing, will change without my express approval." Faith's lips jut out at Cyclone's words. They could very much work with that, asking, "Including the hard deck, sir?" Cyclone repeats her words with a nod of confirmation.

Maverick and Faith share a glance before she jerks her head in the Air Boss's direction. Her uncle steps forward, placing a file on the Admiral's desk, before stepping back into line beside her, "Sir."

"What is this?" Cyclone points to the file. Maverick replies, "It's a request to lower the hard deck, sir."

Faith continues for him, "To practice a low-level bombing run, as per the mission parameters."

Warlock brings a hand to his mouth, and Cyclone just takes a deep breath.

As they walk out of the cabin and into the hallway to the locker room, Warlock tells the pair, "You could learn a thing or two about timing, Captains."