Legacy | Top Gun Maverick

A Message.

It was indeed a close call, having to stay in hospital overnight for observation. The next morning came around, sitting up in my bed. Sitting cross legged, as I leant over reading a book that was provided by a nurse. Only thing in the room keeping me entertained as I waited to be discharged.

"Guess you're lucky and famous now, huh?" An arrogant voice said at the door of my room. Looking up, there he was. His golden skin, blue eyes and his rusty blonde/light brown hair. He stood there, coffee in hand as he put a tooth pick in his mouth. Leaning against the doorframe.

"No, you mean notorious." I smiled at him, his scent filled the room. His strong musk smell was mouth drooling. He smiled in return, passing the coffee forward towards me. "Thanks." I said as he kissed the top of my head.

"You're such a dickhead." He laughed, making me laugh in return. "Can you go yet?" He asked as he took the book from my hands, being a snoop and wanting to know what I was reading. "The notebook, book version?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Hey, that's all they had." I pushed him from his lower torso, he giggled as he chucked the book on the side table beside the bed. A gentle knock appeared on the door behind Jake, turning to face her. It was my nurse.

"Sorry, did I interrupt?" She said in such an innocent tone.

"No, not at all. Can I go yet?" I asked as Jake leant down and swung an arm over my shoulders.

"You can go, just need someone to be your guide back. If that makes sense?" She said, literally shaking.

"Yeah, too easy! I'll take her." Jake told her as he stood up straight again.

"Oh! Amazing! Relation to the patient?" She asked, looking up at him.

"Boyfriend." Boyfriend? We have titles?

"Amazing, see you later Dabria." She smiled as I smiled in return, watching as she left the room. I looked up at Jake as I got to my feet, giving him a smug look.

"What?" He smirked cunningly.

"Boyfriend, huh?" I questioned as we started to head back to the lounge on the base. He quickened his pace, he swung an arm over my shoulders. Bringing me into his side.

"Oh yeah, you're all mine." He kissed the side of my head. Both of us laughing, walking back to the lounge room. My phone started buzzing in my back pocket repeatedly, coming to a stop as Jake continued on towards Coyote and Payback. A lump grew in my throat as I looked at my Lock Screen, a message from my mother.

It's time.

"Hey, you ok?" Coyote asked, looking up as I held back all the emotions I was feeling. I smiled at them both.

"Y-yeah." I stuttered. "I'll be back, look after him for me." I ordered, starting to make a move for my bike. Jake jogged after me, picking me up from behind. "Hey!" I shouted at him, he placed me down. Looking at me concerned.

"What's wrong?" He demanded, sighing heavily as I looked down at my feet for a moment. I looked up at him, explaining briefly.

"It's my dad, I don't know what's wrong. I just need to go, I'll call you later. Yeah?" I raised my eyebrows up at him, his glanced softened.

"Yeah, drive safe." He pulled me into a hug, kissing my forehead. My heart sank, anxiety grew moment by moment as I approached my fathers room. Seeing nurses and doctors come in and out of his room, I stood there. Frozen. Peaking through slightly, seeing the state he was in. It wasn't my adult self standing, my inner child replaced where I stood. The little girl who wanted to be like her father when she grew up, oh how proud she would be and amazed on how far we came. But... this shattering moment, brought her out to play. As much as I wanted to keep her protected and hidden, she stood. Watching her mother talk to her father.

"Freya Kazanksy?" A voice appeared behind me, turning to face her. I raised an eyebrow at her, trying to hold my composure.

"Yes?"

"I am your fathers doctor, how are you doing?" She questioned.

"Terrified, what's going on?" My voice shook.

"I am sorry, honey. Your father, the cancer... it has gotten the better of him, he's strong. But unfortunately, this is bigger then all of us." She explained, she stepped forward as a cold shiver shot down my spine. She placed a hand on my upper arm. "Say your goodbyes, he doesn't have much time. As he said, he's not going until he speaks to his daughter." Walking off downstairs, I looked back towards my fathers door.

"Now or never, Freya. You'll regret it." I told myself, pressing my hand against the wooden door. Creaking open as my father and mother turned to face me, I smiled with pressed lips. Tears forming in my eyes, my mother walked up to me. Kissing my cheek, leaving my father and I to talk alone. "You're leaving me, already?" I teased as I approached him, tubes in his nose to help him breath. He was pale, it physically hurt me. His bed sheet sat on his chest, whilst his breathing pattern was Deep and long, followed by a wheeze. He tried to laugh at my joke, it only lead him to cough.

"You came." He pressed into his phone, taking a seat beside him. I took ahold of my fathers hand, he reached over, wiping the tears from my face.

"Of course I came, you're my partner in crime. Remember?" I smiled through the pain, as so did he. He looked over to the bedside draw, pointing at it. "You want me to open the draw?" I questioned as he nodded. Pulling the small wooden draw open, there was a letter. Labelled for me. Bringing it out, I looked to my father confused.

"Open it, read it aloud." He punched into his phone, sighing heavily. I ripped opened the letter, unfolding it as I begun to read it aloud. On request of my dad, he was shaking. He was trying to be strong.

"My dearest Freya,
There is no amount of words or expression, to let you know how much you mean to me, how you being born changed my life for the better. Watching you become the woman you are now, is nothing but rewarding. Your hard work and determination, is inspiring. I know this is scary, I don't think I will ever be ready to leave you and your mother. You two have been the greatest adventure I have ever been on. Recently, I have seen a side of you that I haven't seen in a while. Before you got your heart broken last time, the daughter who has so much love to give and wasn't afraid to show it. The Freya I knew before the Navy, please keep her alive. That boy, I want him to have the opportunity to get to know her... get to know you. I love you so so much, please don't be afraid to love and let people in. It can bring beautiful things into your life, like how your mother gifted me with you. I love you in this life and every after life, yours sincerely. Dad." I read aloud, choking on my tears as I watched his eyes begin to turn grey. "I love you." I said to him, reaching forward as I kissed upon his forehead.

Dropping to my knees beside my fathers lifeless body, my body ache and screamed as the realisation of my father being gone came to reality.

People came rushing in as my mother pulled me away from my father, bringing me into her chest as she cried as so did. Howling to the heavens above, my soul broke. This was a feeling I don't wish upon anyone, my role model was gone. My father... was gone.