Danger Zone • Top Gun: Maverick

• Chapter Seventeen •

"I think we need to talk." Pete said as he tried to muster up a small smile.

Emerson stared at him in silence for a moment and stepped aside, allowing him to enter her apartment before she closed the door behind him.

Placing a cup of coffee down for him on the coffee table, Emerson sat down on the couch next to him and crossed her legs, tracing the rim of her own cup with her finger as an awkward silence fell over them.

She guessed that she shouldn't have been surprised by this at all. She had last seen her father when she was ten years old; they hardly knew anything about each other since then and Emerson had clearly changed over the years.

"I'm sorry about Uncle Ice." She said softly, breaking the silence and the tension that hung over them. "I had every intention to come and talk to you after the service but.. It looked like you needed your space."

"It's okay." Pete replied with a small smile and took hold of his cup of coffee, taking a sip of the dark roast. "He's at peace and no longer in misery anymore. He won't have to worry about saving my ass anymore."

"He was your best friend." The brunette responded. "He would've done it regardless."

"Cyclone fired me from the mission." He stated.

She looked at her father with an arched brow. "What?" She quizzed.

"It's for the best." Pete said with a sigh. "I clearly can't teach you enough to be ready on time for this mission, and come home safely."

Emerson scoffed. "Now we both know that that's a lie." She replied. "I know everyone on base knows that we can't fly this mission without you. And as much as Cyclone would hate to admit it, your plan is a thousand times better than whatever he can pull out of his ass. Even though you can be a little bat-shit crazy."

"Language!" Pete reprimanded lightly with a slight chuckle. She was definitely his daughter, alright. "But it's not just the mission."

The daughter of the Captain tilted her head slightly in question as he released a heavy sigh.

"It's Bradley. He still hasn't forgiven me for pulling his papers from the Naval Academy all those years ago." The pilot stated. "And I think he still blames me for what happened.."

"Uncle Nick was not your fault. Even if it was, then he would've been mad at Uncle Ice too." The brunette replied. "Besides, you had been cleared of any and all wrong-doing in that accident. I know Bradley, and I know that he's just hurting over that stunt you pulled with his papers."

"It's not just him." Pete responded. "I haven't exactly been 'Father-Of-The-Year' to you. If I can even call myself a father at that."

He released a humourless scoff and took a sip of his coffee as Emerson stared at him in silence.

"I've always feared that I wouldn't be a good enough father to you, and I guess I just allowed that fear to take over and get the best of me and I just.. Ran." He continued. "I know that is no excuse for leaving you behind and I know that it has driven a wedge between us. Not that I'd be surprised because I am a shitty father."

Emerson gave a small smile and tapped her nail lightly against her coffee cup and allowed her father to get the words off his chest.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I know what its like to have someone or something ruin a relationship. I've missed out on so much of your life already as it is and I refuse to miss out on any more milestones." He said. "I know I don't expect you to trust me, or welcome me in with open arms - let alone forgive me but.. I am truly sorry for failing you in life, Emerson. You are one of the greatest treasures in my life and I would like nothing more than to be a part of your life again.."

Out of her eighteen years of last seeing him, Emerson had never seen Pete Mitchell be as genuine and real with her as he was at that very moment.

The brunette swallowed a lump in her throat. From the age of ten, she had grown up thinking that her father didn't want her anymore.

Of course she had still had her mother for a few more years, and Uncle Tom and Aunt Kara were the best godparents she could have ever asked for - the couple having become second parents to her; especially Uncle Tom, who she had viewed as her second father.

But it wasn't the same as having her real Dad.

She had grown up in those eighteen years, resenting him, hating him for leaving without a word and missing out on her milestones that she had achieved and accomplished in life and to hear that he had regretted his actions and wanted to be in her life and not miss out on anything more.

That was all she had ever hoped for.

She had never wanted to lose her Dad.

"I appreciate what you've said." She said, making the pilot look up at her as she gave him a small smile. "It's going to take time for us to build a bond again and there's a lot of things we have to learn about each other as I have clearly changed in the last eighteen years.. But I forgive you, Dad, and I want you to be a part of my life."

Pete was shocked. He hadn't expected his daughter to forgive him so quickly. Maybe this was Tom and Nick being his guardian angels yet again.

"I promise that I won't let you down again, Emerson." He said sincerely with determination filling his brown eyes. "Can I?.."

Emerson gave a soft smile and nodded her head lightly, placing her coffee cup down on the coffee table before she was pulled into her father's embrace. Unshed tears burned her eyes as she held onto his jacket tightly with him rubbing her back.

This was their new beginning as father and daughter.

The two pilots remained in that position for a moment before they pulled apart, both of them wiping away fallen tears that had slid down their cheeks.

"Okay." Emerson said and sniffled softly. "We gotta get you back to Top Gun."

"What should I do?" Pete asked. The expression on his face may not have shown it but his eyes had told a different story, and Emerson could already see the gears turning in his head.

"You are Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell." The brunette responded with a small smirk. "Show up and do something bat-shit crazy."

The Captain chuckled softly with a slight nod of his head, not even bothering to reprimand her for her language.

"Although, I do have one question." She said, her father's attention shifting back towards her. "Why did you pull Bradley's papers?"

Pete sighed softly. "His mother, your Aunt Carole, had made me promise that he wouldn't follow in his father's footsteps." He explained. "But I don't think she realised just how stubborn, self-assured and driven her son is."

"Hmm." She hummed, nodding her head softly with a smile. "Just like Uncle Nick."

"Exactly." He said. "So, when he had sent his application, I had to follow through with my promise that I had made to Carole and I pulled it. But I guess that just made him hate me even more."

"Why don't you just tell him the truth?" She asked curiously.

"He already resents me." Pete answered with a soft sigh. "Why would I allow him to resent his own mother the same way?"

Emerson nodded her head softly, she supposed that he had a point. "I mean, I guess I see your point." She replied.

The Captain nodded his head as he took his last sip of coffee and placed the cup down on the table as he stood up. "Alright." He said and looked down at his daughter. "I'll see you tomorrow, kiddo."

The brunette smiled softly with a nod and appreciated the kiss he had pressed to the top of her head before he had left the apartment, closing the door behind him as he had left.

Emerson smiled to herself as she grabbed her cup of coffee and took a sip of it.

Tomorrow sure was going to be interesting.