𝙹𝙰𝙺𝙴 "𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙶𝙼𝙰𝙽" 𝚂𝙴𝚁𝙴𝚂𝙸𝙽

For the Best (2)

I stared into his eyes, "no ma'am."

"Good, don't interrupt me again." I go back over to the board and finish explaining the mission. Maverick calls out the teams for the first training session. Slowly the day progressed and it was time to go home. Well everyone went home but I stayed.

Hearing knocking on my door again, I rub my eyes seeing it's dark outside, "come in."

Jake walks in before closing the door and standing in front of my desk.

"Lt. Seresin? What are you going here? You should be at home, resting."

"May I sit down?"

"Sure."

Jake sits down and makes sure that he was right informer of me. After not talking for a little I speak up, "if you aren't going to say anything, please see yourself out of my office. I have work to be done."

"Hadley." He started. "What happened?"

I sighed before continuing, "I grew up after years. I realized that life is too short to be as emotional and connected to people as I was."

"Why?"

"Because, bad thing after bad thing happened to me. I got myself out of the rabbit hole, by myself. That's when I realized the people I considered friends were just holding me back."

"So you turned yourself into...this?" He motioned to me.

I leaned in my desk looking at him. "Jake, you have no clue what I have been through, this was the only way."

"To get rid of the version of yourself everyone loved?"

"I didn't, and quite frankly, I think my opinion mattered the most on a topic like that." I leaned back into my chair.

"So no second chances? For anyone?"

"Jake listen, giving someone a second chance is like giving someone a second bullet because they missed the first time. I'm not letting anything get in the way, I became what I once feared."

"And what's that? A girl that's incapable of letting herself be human?" Jake questioned.

"A woman that doesn't take bull shit from anyone. Including you."

Jake huffed and went over to the door, hand on the door knob. He turned to face me, "and to think I was coming in here to tell you that I made the most stupidest decision three years ago."

He shook his head while waking out of the office. I thought it was for the better. I sat in the chair as my phone dinged. I pick it up and see Pete had texted me asking me to fly with him tomorrow for the training. After hours of sayin that I didn't want to, and that I've not flown in years, somehow he convinced me to fly for the training.

Looking at the clock on the wall I see it was eleven o'clock, I sigh while grabbing all of my stuff. I walk out to my car and go home, going to bed as soon as I hit the pillow.

The next morning when I got up, I did my daily run and shower after that. When I went to get something to wear, I remember that Pete was having me fly with him this morning. I put on a pair of spandex and a t-shirt with a sports bra underneath. I put my flight suit over it and walked out of the front door with my duffel bag on my shoulder.

I always made sure to get on base at least two hours earlier then the rest would be getting here. I set my bag on the ground and went over to my desk. I haven't had a bun in my hair for a very long time. Maverick enters my office.

"You ready for today?" He asks walking over to my desk.

"Sure."

"That doesn't sound convincing."

"I've just not flown since my accident."

"You'll do fine. I guess it's time to break out Raptor again huh?"

"I guess so."

"Well I'm off the the Admirals office." Mav says walking to the door.

"Oh no, what did you do this time?" I joked, standing up.

"They have to see our training plans in the mornings because of the first day."

"Of course, best of luck." I chuckle as he walks out. I do a little bit more paper work before heading to the classroom where everyone was.

I kept getting confused looks because I was in my flight suit. It was slightly big on me, but it was still fine. I stood in front of everyone with Pete by my side. "Attention." Pete said.

"We'll be starting to run the course today. No messing around, don't leave your wingman, make sure that they are alright. Most importantly, talk to them." I continued.

"For the first run, Hadley and I will run the course. You will be expected to be up in the air when I call you to. Dismissed." Maverick says.

I walk to my office getting all my stuff before picking up my helmet. I brushed my hands over it. They stopped seeing the scratch on the side of it. It wasn't big, but still noticeable close up. When I went down I hit my head on the canopy, scratching the side of it. I pulled myself out of my thoughts, walking down to the tarmac. I didn't know what I was flexing in today, but I knew how to fly in about anything.

Seeing Maverick doing a preflight check I go over to him. "Sir? What am I flying in today?"

He didn't speak but just pointed across the Tarmac before going inside his plane. I look over and see the same F-18 that I flew in right after my accident. I didn't stop right after the accident, I flew for about a month before deciding it was too much for me.

I saw the same black lettering that read out my name. I take a deep breath before doing a preflight check I've not done in for years. Getting myself ready, I climb up the ladder. Once I was strapped in I put my helmet on and turned the plane on.

Following Maverick, I head up to the sky. My breathing was a little shaky, but that was it. Getting familiar again with the flying, Maverick calls out to me.

"Raptor? Are you ready?"

"I'm always an Maverick."

I clipped my mask on before flying behind Pete through the course. "We are at good speed, continue the course Maverick." I told him.

We reached the first climb and I flew right behind him. Maverick hit the target and I dropped mine, getting target. "Bullseye! Starting second climb!"

I pull up on my throttle, force crashed down on my body as we flipped over the 'mountain', completing the course.

"I'm staying up here, you can go back Raptor."

I went back to base and contours to watch everyone run the course and failing. I knew that the rest of this assignment was going to be difficult.

.