Danger Zone - Top Gun: Maverick

17. Survival

Maverick wakes up on the cold snow, hardly remembering his plummet to the ground. As his eyes open, he realizes he is not only alive, but's also in danger. When he sees the enemy helicopter circling him, Maverick is quick to try and run. He ducks behind a fallen tree, just nearly dodging bullets. He thinks for sure he is a goner, until the helicopter explodes before him. And that's when he sees a US F-18 flying over his head.

He watches the plane fly overhead, flinching when it gets shot down by a SAM. He knew it was Rooster, but dammit why did he have to get himself killed for Maverick?

"Dagger two is hit." Someone announces back on the ship.

"Dagger two, come in."

"Dagger two, do you copy?"

Nova hears this and walks out of the control room, unable to keep herself calm.

"Nova?" She hears a distant female voice.

"Phoenix?" Nova sighs with relief when she sees the pilot.

Phoenix doesn't hesitate before pulling Nova in for a hug, tightly engulfing her and trying her best to be comforting. Nova tries not to cry but quickly gives up on that at the feel of her friend's arms around her.

Maverick sees a shit ton of smoke across the white field, and sprints through the thick snow as fast as his fifty year old body will allow him towards the crashed plane.

Rooster's parachute had opened just in time for him to safely land, only hitting a few tree branches on his way down. He's got no clue where Mav is, so he packs away his parachute back into his backpack neatly and looks around for his instructor.

That's when he hears Maverick's voice booming from only twenty feet away.

"You alright?" Mav yells as he approaches.

"Yeah I'm good. You alright?" Rooster casually says before he is pushed into the snow.

"What the hell?" He says, thing his helmet off and standing up from the ground.

"What are you doing here?" Maverick angrily asks him.

"What am I doing here?"

"You think I took that missile so you could be down here with me? You should be back on the carrier by now!" Maverick yells.

"I saved your life!" Rooster defends, offended by Maverick's reaction.

"I saved your life. That's the whole point. What the hell were you even thinking?"

"You told me not to think!" Rooster points out, throwing his arms up.

The both stare at each other as they try to catch their breath.

"Well...it's good to see you." Maverick finally says after a moment of silence.

"It's good to see you too." Rooster nods. "So what's the plan?"

"Not sure." Maverick shrugs. "Let's go this way." He starts walking up the mountain.

"But we don't know where we're going." Rooster says.

"Maybe you don't. We're going towards the runway we blew up."

They continue trailing through the cold forest, which only seems to grow colder and colder the farther they go.

"So, dumbass, did Nova tell you to come after me or did she tell you not to?" Maverick infers.

"She didn't really tell me anything. I asked her what I should do. She couldn't answer, she freaked out. I think she thinks you died." Rooster gives him the gist of his quick decision making.