Tailspin: A Top Gun Love Story

Chapter 5

There's a group of pilots crowding the flight line as the Tomcat taxies to a halt. Viper and Jester break through the mass of officers to get to the plane, shouting orders that nobody seems to be hearing. The excitement on the base is too great and everyone is simultaneously wired and emotionally exhausted. There are crews surrounding the aircraft as the canopy lifts.

You see Maverick sitting still for a few moments, his oxygen mask hanging down over his chest. Then, he tears off his helmet and runs a hand through his hair, ruffling the strands that have been stuck to his face with sweat. He leans his head back into the seat and takes a deep breath. He looks so adrift that you wish you could run up to him to take his hand and tell him he's okay.

Moments later, Maverick lifts himself up with a groan and glances back at Goose who is beaming up at him and shaking his head. Maverick grins back, wiping his brow. He hops off the F-14 and bends over, putting his hands on his knees. Goose stumbles out of the plane and collapses onto the tarmac dramatically, his arms and legs sprawled as if he's hugging the ground.

Maverick laughs at his friend as Viper and Jester announce their presence and instruct the two to follow them inside. Maverick tilts his head slightly, as if he's not quite sure what's coming but he knows it won't be good.

As he walks after Viper, his eyes find you in the crowd. You watch him solemnly, unable to crack a smile, even though his mouth curves slightly upward when he sees you. Your heart hammers against your ribs and your insides lurch as if your body is in freefall.

Beside you, Tom holds out his hand as Maverick walks by. Maverick gives him a quizzical look.

"I respect what you did up there," Tom says. He juts out his chin as if paying the compliment is physically taxing. "That took guts."

Viper throws Tom an irked glance but continues walking.

Maverick briefly raises his eyebrows in Viper's direction, as if to say, Well, I'm fucked. He takes Tom's hand in a firm grip and shakes it. "I appreciate that, Kazansky."

Tom nods curtly.

You watch Maverick's back as he and Goose funnel through the congregation of officers, trailing Viper and Jester. Soon you lose sight of him, and you're left with an unnerving sensation: a longing to see him again.

...

You can't sleep that night and, after tossing and turning for about an hour, you get out of bed and pull a sweater over your head. You walk out into the darkness outside the residence and wrap your arms around yourself, wishing you'd thought to bring a jacket.

You stroll down the empty sidewalk, trying to warm up with a brisk march. That's when you see him. Maverick is sitting on the curb about a hundred feet out with a cup in his hand. He looks up when he hears your footsteps.

You're not quite sure what to say, but you sense the familiar exhilaration course through your body at the sight of him. You know you shouldn't be feeling this way, but you don't know how to turn it off.

"Hi," you say when you reach him.

He gives you a lopsided smirk and pats the pavement beside him.

You step down to sit by his side. For several moments, neither of you says anything. Then, he offers you his paper cup. You glance at him suspiciously, taking it slowly. When you bring the cup to your lips, the sharp scent of hard liquor stings your eyes, blurring your vision. You hesitate briefly, but then you take a gulp. The liquid burns through your esophagus and warms your stomach. You pass the cup back.

He takes it from your hand, his fingers momentarily brushing over yours. You glance up at him, briefly meeting his gaze before quickly looking away.

He takes a swig from the cup and lets out a steady sigh.