𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐱𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐢 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫

❝ 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 ❞

























































✈ ✈ ✈



"I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT YOU BOTH MUST BE FEELING RIGHT NOW."

Both Captains stood side by side, arms crossed in front, shoulders back and chins raised in the Air Boss' cabin.

"Take some time, whatever you need." Faith and Maverick share a quick glance, turning their heads back to their superior, as Maverick points out, "We appreciate that, sir, but there is no time. The mission-" Her uncle is cut off by Cyclone.

"I'll be taking over the training from here." Faith and Pete share a confused glance before Faith asks, leaning the tiniest bit forward to make sure she heard Cyclone correctly, "Sir?"

Cyclone leans back in his seat, arms crossed in his lap, "We both know you didn't want this job, Captain." He throws a pointed look in Maverick's direction, missing the glare Faith threw him after he stopped.

Trying to stand up for her uncle, Faith points out an obvious fact, "Sir, they're not ready." The man looks in her direction, brow raised, "Well, it was your job to get them ready."

Maverick cuts in, "Sir, they have to believe that this mission can be flown." Cyclone snarks back, "And all you've managed to do is teach them it can't." That was not true. They were trying to show them how the mission can be flown. There was a difference, one that their boss was simply not understanding, and it was pissing Faith off.

One last time, Maverick tries, "Sir-"

But he's cut off in disrespect by Cyclone once again, "You're grounded, Captain. Permanently." He sends a pointed in Maverick's direction. Utter silence follows.

"Wow. You really jumped on the chance, huh?" Faith mutters, unable to stop herself. But she'd said nothing but the truth. Her father, Iceman, was the only thing stopping Cyclone from kicking Maverick off, and now that he's gone, not wasting a minute, he's done it. And he seems happy about it.

"That is all, Captains." Cyclone points in the direction of the door, returning Faith's glare, but she hands him the silence treatment quite proudly, bearing the exception of rolling her eyes.

What an ass.

Not letting anyone else speak another word, Faith is pulling Maverick outside of the room with a tight grip on his forearm, that leaves him wincing.

Once they're out the door with a slam Faith knew Cyclone would take out on her, she shrugs, walking beside her uncle down the hallway, grumbling through heavy strides, "I need a drink."

She hugs her uncle's side, and he leans into her, walking beside her in silence and shock.

Yeah, they could definitely use a drink, alright.

































✈ ✈ ✈



MAVERICK HAD NEVER BEEN SO QUIET.

He'd been a mutterer, a grumbler, a giggler, but never this silent.

All Faith could think of doing was hold him at her side, as they walked on the pebbles leading up to the back of the Hard Deck in slow strides.

Penny looks up from where she sat on the steps, pure sympathy written all over her face as she watches Faith and Maverick walk up to her.

When they stand in front of her, Maverick steps away from her side, and Faith turns around, watching the scene ahead, turning her back to the two.

Penny speaks, in a low voice to Pete, "I heard. I'm sorry."

There's no reply from Pete, and Faith just stares at the cloudy dim sky, thinking back to her father and how much they loved watching the various shades in the day which painted the sky. It was their thing. Was.

"What are you gonna do?" The question Penny must've asked multiple times to Pete is brought up once again. Every time before he'd had a confident answer, and Faith and Penny knew that. Yet, today, there was silence, no conviction, a pointless few words, "Ice is gone."

There's a chill running down her spine. Her eyes close to stop the tears from falling out, feeling her head drop from the gloomy sky as she shakes her head. There was no other way, than to just accept.

"What choice do I have?" Pete asks, finally meeting Penny's solemn gaze.

Then the older woman, as kind and wise as ever, tells not only Pete, but Faith too, "You'll have to find a way back on your own. Both of you." Faith doesn't turn to meet her eyes. Her own eyes open, watching the sky once again. There was a pressure on her shoulder, one she'd never felt, but somehow, she knew who exactly it was. Tom. His own way of saying that he was right there by her side.

Pete is lowering his voice too, "No, Penny. I'm out." A nod, he's trying to convince not just Penny, but himself.

"This is over." His days of flying free were at an end.

"Pete, if you lost your wingman up there, you'd keep fighting. You wouldn't just give up." Penny speaks nothing but of the truth. Both of them would keep fighting. To avenge. To bring peace. For ever long it takes, both of them would. Because it was all they'd known.

"Those are your pilots. If anything happens to them, neither of you'll ever forgive yourself." Once again, nothing but the truth lingers in the air.

"I don't understand what we can do." Faith finally turns around to meet Penny's eyes with glistening eyes of herself. Her hands are folded to her side, hugging herself as she feels the pressure on her shoulder tighten.

Penny lets out a tiny chuckle, eyes shifting between Pete and Faith.

"You'll find a way. You both will."

Faith meets her uncle's eyes, stepping forward to hug his side once again as they stand before Penny. The older woman cups Faith's cheek, whispering with a small smirk, "You know what to do."



























































author's note:

THE END IS ALMOST HERE YOU GUYS!

this was another short and filler chapter before we're back to flying once again. a few more moments with the main squad, and then it's mission time, baby!