FLYBY (b. bradshaw)

𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙍𝙏𝙔-𝙊𝙉𝙀

"Lilah."

And that was all I needed to say to get laughed at.

"What's to say that she was here a couple of hours ago, begging me to keep alive, and yet, you just now showed up?"

"She's always loved to one up me." I said with a shrug.

Maverick appeared to me sneering, his nose wrinkled up in disdain. "You could live a million lives and never deserve her."

The words stung, yet I couldn't shake the feeling that he was right. Actually, I knew he was right.I'd been a grade-a douchebag to Lilah for weeks; for years. And she'd forgiven me, maybe never even been angry at me.

"I know."

The words were a whisper, so quiet I doubt that even Maverick heard me. If he did, he didn't acknowledge them, instead sitting down in the chair at his small desk.

"So, what, you want me to lock her in the bathroom, slip her some sedatives, what are we talking about here?"

He was mocking me. I didn't find it the least bit funny.

"I want you to make sure I'm up in the air tomorrow. I don't care how you do it, who you have to yell at, my ass just needs to be in a goddamn aircraft."

Maverick laughed. "She's benching you, man, she's planned on benching you since she saw you on that screen two weeks ago. I saw it in her eyes, see it in her eyes every time she flies with you. She won't risk the thing she loves them most."

I resisted the urge to ask whether he meant me or flying. "Tomorrow, she's the one that makes it home."

"No," my father figure shook his head, giving me a sad smile. "She'll be the one to jump in front of you tomorrow, Brad, and there's nothing you and I can do to stop it."

Before I knew what was happening, I had Maverick shoved up against the door, both of us breathing hard. Mav had one hand on my shoulders, keeping my hands from moving.

"Brad, let go." His voice was calm, soothing. "It's okay."

I let go of the shirt gripped in fingers. I stumbled a few steps back, running my hand down the side of my face. "I- I'm sorry."

Maverick light shoved me back onto the bed. I refused, pacing. Silence fell over the room as Mav watched me run a hole into his carpet.

"I'll get you into the air tomorrow." he said finally, sitting down on the edge of the bed. His knuckles turned white as he clenched the bed frame. "Before the briefing, I'll tell Simpson she's not stable enough to make the right decision, that I need to make it. We don't tell her, we let it play out."

"And if she tries to jump in front of me?" I asked, relief calming a smidgen of the panic in my brain.

He refused to look at me"Warlock will be on standby to give her an order."

A sudden realization dawned on me. "You didn't just think of this."

I had him.

And he knew it.

He stood up and clasped my shoulder. "You aren't the only one who made a promise to Ice, Bradley. Everyone knew she would fly this mission, there's no stopping her, but you can make promises. And promises are something you keep."

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from snapping. He'd promised my dad, yet he wasn't here. He was supposed to keep my dad safe, yet he was dead. How did I know he was going to keep Lilah out of danger? Trust? I'd never trust Maverick.

But, somehow, I knew that the girl sleeping seven doors down was the most important thing to Maverick, and that he wouldn't make the same mistake twice.