Danger Zone - Top Gun: Maverick

14. One More Day

"We're here." She nods at the house, unbuckling her seat belt.

"Oh." He looks out the windshield at his temporary home, just now realizing the car wasn't moving anymore.

He gets out of the car at the same time as Nova, shaking his head at himself as if he was disappointed by his own thoughts.

"You okay?" Nova softly asks on their walk across the driveway.

"I was just...thinking." He tells her, and she immediately understands.

They've been avoiding talking about whether or not he would be flying. Nova knew he should be, but she also knew her father cared a lot about Bradley, and probably wouldn't want to put his life on the line. Selfishly, Nova hoped he might not get chosen, that way she'd only have to worry about one of her loved ones dying. She didn't tell anybody that, it felt wrong even in her head. It seemed to Nova that too much was going on at one time. Her dad coming back in the picture, him and Penny, the mission entirely, Iceman's death, her relationship with Bradley. It seemed like there was just too much happening in her life for her to focus on her job right now, but now was when her job mattered the most.

As the two of them walk inside the house they see Payback and Fanboy in the kitchen with their bags, all packed and ready to go.

"Would you look at that, Fanboy, he's alive!" Payback says the moment he sees Rooster enter the room.

"Jesus, honey, we were worried sick when you didn't come home last night." Fanboy jokingly says, making Nova laugh out loud.

"Oh, I'm sure you were." Rooster mocks them before going to his room to grab his last bag, a large camouflage backpack containing his clothes and uniform. He quickly changed into a Navy hoodie and sweatpants, much like Nova's outfit.

"Get lucky last night, Mitchell?" Payback asks, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Shut up!" She sticks a hand up in between them.

"I didn't assume anything, just making conversation."

"Seriously though, did you?" Fanboy asks.

"Dude-"

"I mean, in the most respectful, nonchalant way. You know what, you don't have to tell us." Fanboy says.

"If I don't tell you, are you just gonna assume?" She crosses her arms.

"No!"

"We would never."

"We're just bored. Nothing fun ever happens these days."

"Maybe not for you..." Nova teases.

"Woahhhhhh!"

"Are you hinting at something there?" Payback raises one eyebrow at Nova oddly.

"I didn't say anything!" She defends.

"But you implied tha-"

"Leave the woman alone, jesus christ." Rooster walks back into the living room in his new outfit, barely catching the end of their conversation.

"Yessir!"

"Yes, Lieutenant Bradshaw!" They joke, dramatically saluting at him.

"Shut up-where's Floyd?" They notice now that Bob is not there.

At that very moment, Bob emerges from the short hallway into the living room accompanied by the one and only Natasha Trace.

The other three look at them confusingly, but Rooster has a strong feeling he knows what's going on. It was only a matter of time, he thought.