Keep Your Eyes On Me

- 3 -

"Why didn't you tell me?" John whispered, nudging her.

"Because it doesn't matter," she whispered back, watching as her father took the stand. Seeing the slight grin on her father's face made her sink into her chair more, her knee beginning to bounce again as she nervously fiddled with her pen.

"Good morning." He sounded the same. A wave of familiarity rushed over her as he finally spoke. His eyes met Bradley's before meeting her's, lingering for a moment before he looked towards the rest of the group, being sure to give pointed looks to Jake and Javy as well. He raised up the giant F/A-18 handbook for all of them to see. "The f-18 NATOPS." He hit the huge book with the palm of his hand, making a thump. "It contains everything they want you to know about your aircraft. I'm assuming you know the book inside and out."

"Damn right."

"Damn straight," her peers called out confidently.

But her eyes never left her father's, taking in every little detail. Every wrinkle every twitch of his finger. The way he was standing. Anything she could use to get a read on what he actually felt. That's when she saw it. That mischievous glimmer she loved when she was a child. It always meant something fun was going to happen and she couldn't help the little grin beginning to form on her lips. She watched as he glanced over at the admirals before throwing the giant tome of papers into the trash can beside the podium. The other aviators including John looked at him in shock, a few shifting uncomfortably. Why should they be so nervous? They read it, didn't they?

"So does your enemy," Pete said coolly, resting his hands on the podium as he looked at his students, unsure if he could get his point across effectively. "But what the enemy doesn't know is your limits. I intend to find them, test them, push beyond."

She hung onto every word. As did many of her peers. She felt eyes on her so she looked over, meeting Bradley's eyes once again as he shook his head in disbelief. Unlike him, she was ready to reconcile with her father. She just didn't know how. Why would he want to reconcile with her after what she said? After what she did? She didn't know if she would forgive herself if she was in his shoes. She looked away back towards her father, her foot flat on the ground for the first time since he arrived. He sure knew how to give a good speech.

"Today we'll start with what you only think you know. You show me what you're made of."

She watched as her father stepped down from the podium, walking over to speak with the group of higher-ups. Elizabeth, however, was immediately swarmed as she stood up.

"Why didn't you tell us your father was a decorated Naval captain?" John asked again.

"It was in my file, plus nobody cared to ask," she said simply, getting a bit overwhelmed by the stream of questions. How did he fly? What should they look out for?

She quickly rushed into the women's locker room where she would get fewer questions. Natasha and Cassie followed her in, slamming the door in the boys' faces.

"So your father is Captain Mitchell?" Natasha asked, looking at her.

"Unfortunately." She didn't actually mean that but she didn't know what else to say.

She opened her locker and slipped into her gear tightening the straps so tight you could barely stand up straight. She grabbed her helmet. Her eyes went over the callsign that she was so gracefully given. The white helmet graced with the faint gray lettering of her callsign. The sides have the normal black and gold squiggles of her VFA squadron and the image of a skull with gray-green flames coming off of it.

She fiddled with the helmet before she grabbed her bag and followed Natasha and Callie out. John immediately bolted to her as they all walked towards their planes.