ALPHA STRIKE |rooster x oc|

chapter 17- they're fine

Static filled the room as the pilots surrounded the radio in silence. All contact had been cut off. The last thing that came through was Phoenix an Bob yelling "EJECT!" as both engines failed and they lost control. Everyone exchanged panicked glances but no one dared actually speak. Rushed footsteps boomed down the hall as people ran out to the tarmac and to help Phoenix, Bob, and Coyote. Rooster, Omaha, and Yale followed them outside leaving Clarke and Hangman in the room alone. 

"They're gonna be fine. It's okay, they ejected." Clarke spoke to herself as she paced back and forth around the room.

"Will you stop? Of course they're fine," Hangman rolled his eyes and scoffed. Clarke stopped dead in her tracks and looked at him, stunned.

"How are you so calm?! Your best friend almost died 5 minutes ago and then two co-workers after him, and you have the nerve to roll your eyes at me?" Clarke could feel her voice raising and her blood heating up. 

"No, I'm not calm!" He shouted as he stood up and crossed to her. "I'm freaking out, I just do a better job at hiding it than most!" His breath was shaky and Clarke could see the fear in his eyes. Her gaze softened as she watched him fall apart on the inside, though his tough exterior remained. She hesitantly raised a hand and rested it on his arm in comfort. He looked at it for a moment, almost unsure of how he felt about it. His look of sadness changed to one of thanking as he silently thanked Clarke for being there. "Sorry," he said softly and tried to laugh it off, but Clarke could see how shaken he really was.

"It's okay, I get it. I'd probably be a wreck right now, but I've cried enough the last couple days I don't have any left in me." She laughed. "Coyote will be fine, they'll just want to check him over after being in G lock. It's Phoenix and Bob we really should be worried about." He nodded in agreement. They jogged out to the tarmac and found the group of pilots standing around the back of an ambulance. When they joined everyone they saw Coyote sitting in the back, looking very shaken. Clarke looked to Hangman, who looked relieved to see Coyote but also equally as terrified for his friend. Her eyes scanned the crowd until she saw her dad. She ran to him as soon as she saw him.

"Where are they? Are they okay?" she panted as she stopped in front of her dad.

"Everyone's fine." he said as he steadied her shoulders. "They're gonna keep Phoenix and Bob overnight for observation, but it's just protocol. They were able to climb enough before the second engine failed so they had plenty of space for ejection." Clarke let out a heavy sigh, relieved that two of her best friends were going to be okay. A second later Bradley walked up to them and pulled Clarke into a hug.

"Hey, you okay?" Clarke nodded against his body as she buried her head into his chest. He looked to Mav, but he just nodded. 

"Yeah, I'm fine," Clarke said shakily as she pulled away from Bradley. "Just another thing on my mind with everything else recently." Her dad placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a firm nod.

"Well, get home. Rest. And don't worry about them, everyone is fine. Everyone is dismissed for the day." He said the last part louder so the rest of the pilots could hear him. Everyone was quick to leave, ready to be done with today's stress. As Clarke walked out to the parking lot Hangman stopped her.

"Thanks for..." he paused, unsure of what to say.

"It's okay. I needed it too." she assured him. They exchanged a small smile before going their separate ways. Clarke wasn't too sure of her interactions with him today, but she felt comfortable calling him a friend as opposed to rude nicknames used previously between them.