The Need For Speed

"I won't let you down again, Angel"

Skye's POV: 

I turn around, cringing a little at the awkwardness, "Yes, Rooster?" 

He continues walking until he's a few steps from me before he speaks, "I just wanna say sorry that I wasn't there to cover you. That's my fault, you were just trying to help us out up there. That was really cool of you." 

I'm not sure how to take the compliment. Of course I knew I saved their asses up there in the sky, I just didn't think anyone would be saying it to me. I stutter out a thank you to him. 

This whole conversations just seems awkward to me. I honestly want to leave at this moment but he continues talking, "I also wanna say sorry for this morning. I don't even know what was really going on but I overreacted. Something could have just fallen for all I know" I know his words are sincere, but I find them very frustrating. 

I cross my arms over my chest and loud out an annoyed laugh, "Yeah, you didn't know what was really going on at all. There was no guy. Something, well someone, did fall over, but it was Phoenix. You always jump to conclusions and I just don't wanna fucking deal with it. You're always assuming there's more to something than there ever really is." 

Rooster lets out a scoff as if he can't believe the words coming out of my mouth. It's been a long time coming and I don't want to hold back my true feelings about what happened all those months ago. I know everything I said is harsh, but he just has to hear it. To get past what happened, we have to show our true feelings. 

He opens his mouth to most likely let out a string of curses but someone interrupts, "You're both going up again." It's Hondo. 

I'm confused by what he means. We already flew with Maverick today, why did we have to fly again? 

"Don't ask questions, he just specifically requested you both." 

I take a glance at Rooster to see him already looking at me with furrowed eyebrows. We stay looking at one another for a few moments before walking back outside at the same time. 

I know I could never beat my father on my own; we're going to have to work together. The sooner we both admit it, the sooner we can finish this mission. 

I look towards him once more, "Listen Roost, I'm tired of the fighting. I really, really am. I want to get past this, but first let's just work together to shoot down Mav." 

He doesn't look over at first, but then a few seconds later he looks at me with a slight smirk, "Okay. Let's do it." 

We go to our respective f-18's and climb in them for the second time today. We repeat everything as we did the first time, making sure it was safe for us to go back in the air. 

Rooster moves in my peripheral vision causing me to turn to my right, he mockingly salutes me before speaking into the comm., "Ready for take off any time now. Over." 

"Me too. Over." They give us the green light for take off and before I know it we're up in the air once more. We've been flying for about a minute when I speak up, "Any sign of him?" 

Rooster off to my right speaks back to me, "Nah, nowhere. He'll show up soon. He always does, Angel." 

Just then my radar beeps, alerting me of another aircraft nearby, "He's coming in quick from six o'clock. We better stick together for this." 

"Hello aviators, it's nice to see you working together." My father voices to us before flying straight overhead. 

"And there he is" I said dragging out the and. I pull towards the right making a quick turn while Rooster goes the opposite way. I pull up making myself go straight into the sky. I'm gonna have to get above him to distract him. "Rooster, you know what to do." 

Rooster is going to have to pull through with shooting him down if I'm going to become the decoy. Rooster and I have done this too many times to count and if it works as it usually does then we'll be fine. 

"I know what to do. I won't let you down again, Angel." His voice shows no signs of nervousness. Good. I can't afford for him to feel nerves right now. We had to win. We had to prove ourselves. 

I continue to try and find Maverick, he should be somewhere around where I am right now. I hear another jet as I move to the left, he was under me. I swiftly pull myself into a barrel roll and move further away. "C'mon Brad. Get here." 

"I'm comin', I'm comin'." 

I shift the lever down, making a nose dive to get below Maverick. He, of course, sees me and makes the same move as me but I slow the jet. Right as he's on my tail I hit the break and he goes flying past me. This lets me get behind him and for Rooster to finally catch up to us, "Nice of you to finally join us." 

"Sorry, took me a minute to find you" excuses, excuses. He should have been here but no time to dwell. We had to move. 

"You shoot him down, I'll do the rest." 

I make the move to fly above my dad's jet and become inverted. He must not have noticed this happening because as I speak he looks confused, "Wow Mav, the view's real nice from up here." 

"What are you.." he trails off as he looks up, "stealing my own move from me. How rude." I didn't think about what might happen if I got out, but I guess I would find out. My father had been able to move back enough while talking to put auto lock on me. 

"Fuck my life." 

Then beeping occurs in his cockpit, "Shit." 

"Woo-wee! Way to go Roost. Knew you had it in you, you big stud" I can't help but compliment the boy even though I had just lost. I know how bad he needed this win. I am a bit upset at the fact that I would have to do more pushups but I'm proud of the boy regardless. 

"Aw man, don't say it like that Angel. You'll make me blush" he goes along with the joke, forgetting my dad was there for a minute. 

"Alright you two, enough of that. Let's head back for pushups" my father sounds as awkward as a teenage boy when he says this. I can tell he doesn't know how to handle our interaction and this makes me giggle a bit out loud. 

The landing was smooth enough and we're quickly headed to do pushups. My dad claims he would do his after me but I just assume he won't be doing them at all. 

"Let's get this shit started. I don't wanna be here all night, Hondo" my voice sounds a bit irritated. I really didn't want to do this and it irked me to my core that my dad managed to beat me again. 

The whistle blows and I start. 

Some time goes by and I'm sweating profusely, "Angel," I don't listen to Hondo, I just keep going, "Angel, c'mon. You don't have to keep going," I still don't stop, "just stop." 

When I still don't listen, he walks away to leave me alone. I keep doing pushups until I'm sure there's no one around to see me stop. I sit with my legs up to my chest, holding my arms around them before putting my head between my knees and letting out a single tear. It's just frustrating to be continuously beaten by my own father for my whole life. Nothing I do is ever good enough to be better than him. I'm tired. 

Footsteps hit the tarmac beside me and when I look up I'm not surprised to see Rooster, "What do you want?" 

He stands with his arms by his side and a conflicted look on his face. It's silent for a few long moments until he sits next to me on the ground, "Are you okay?" 

I don't say anything. We both know I'm not, I don't have to admit that. 

I just put my head on his shoulder and we sit there until the sun has gone down completely and it's so cold my fingers might fall off, but neither of us cared. Neither of us cared because it felt like old times again. And that feeling alone was enough for us to know where our relationship stands. 

We finally forgive each other. 

Authors note

Honestly, I don't know how I feel about this whole chapter. it's obviously different than the movie and I did that for a reason. I'm not too proud of this but I wanted to put something out for you all. 

If you have anything specific you want to see, let me know! 

Hope you had a good day loves!