Nic's PoV
Once I got off the plane in San Diego I grabbed my bags and headed towards the doors when I noticed Aunt Sarah waiting with a sign.
"Oh my god Sarah!" I screamed and ran towards her pulling her in for a hug once I got close enough.
I haven't been able to see Aunt Sarah and Uncle Tom since I graduated from TopGun three years ago. In the middle of all my thoughts and my looking around for Uncle Tom, Sarah speaks and breaks me out of my own world.
"Tom isn't with me sweetie, he had a bunch of work to catch up on, but we will definitely need to have a dinner or lunch while you're here so you can tell us all about the past three years." Sarah tells me as she grabs the handle of one of my suitcases and starts off towards the parking garage.
"You do realize that we facetimed every other day the whole time I was in Hawaii right?" I replied while grabbing my second suitcase and jogging to catch up to Sarah.
"Yes but honey facetime and talking to the real person face to face is different. 58% of communication is body language and that is very hard to read through a screen." Sarah laughed as we made out way to her car.
"I guess thats fair. So Sarah do you know anything about why I'm here by chance, or who else might be here for the same reason?" I tried to make it sound as nonchalant as I could, but she picked up on my nerves about what this mission could be.
"I'm sorry sweetie I don't know anything about the mission other than there are twelve Top Gun graduates. Ice hasn't let much else slip about it." She replies with a slight sigh.
"It's all good. I was just hoping maybe Ice would let slip who else would be here." I respond while turning to look back out the window. "Are you taking me to base now?" I ask while watching the city pass
"Yes. Ice gave me clear instructions that I was to pick you up and drive you straight to base so that you can report and get settled into your new room and meet your roommate." She responded with a gleam in her eye that told me she knew more than she was letting on.
During the rest of our short drive we sang along to the radio like we did when I was younger. It was as if no time had passed. Like I was the girl In middle school who had no care in the world. Who still had a strong family like unit that spent more time together than they did apart.
But like all memories, it faded as the base came into view.
We pulled up to the gate and I handed them my military ID along with Sarah's. After they let us in she drove me to the small line of apartment like buildings and stopped at building D.
"All of the pilots for this mission are in this building, but thats all I am allowed to say." Sarah said as she put the car in park.
"Well that's good to know I guess. Is it bad that I'm kinda scared?" I ask trying to mask the shakiness of my voice and looking down.
"No Nic honey, being nervous is natural. I would be more worried if you were 100% confidant going into this mission." Sarah said as she lifted my chin and pushed hair out of my face. "Fear is the way your body reminds you that you are human. You aren't an emotionless machine. Just don't let the fear keep you from achieving your goals."
"Thank you Aunt Sarah, I have definitely missed our girl talks." I say pulling her into a hun before getting out if the car and grabbing my luggage from the trunk. "I'll see you in a few days? Maybe after we have been briefed and I've settled in a bit I can come by for dinner."
"You are always welcome Nic, come by anytime." With that Sarah blows me a kiss through the window and pulls away and out of sight. Guess it really is time to go meet my new roomie.
Once I get into my new apartment on the third floor of the building I feel like I finally have enough time to take a breath and look around.
The apartment is pretty basic, two bedrooms one on each side of the living area, a bathroom straight back from the front entrance, and a small kitchen around the corner from the front door. The walls are a cream color accented with navy blue furniture.
After looking around the main living space I slowly make my way to the room furthest from the door to see if my new roommate has shown up yet but the room is empty. So I pull my bags inside the door claiming it as mine for however long this mission is.
After unpacking my bags I decide to check the other room, as I get closer I start to hear shuffling. I decided to knock on the door and introduce myself. So i knocked twice and waited for them to answer. No one came to the door. So i knocked once more this time a bit harder and stepped back. This time with in a minute the door began to open.
Once the door fully opened I was met with the shining face of my best friend, Natasha 'Phoenix' Trace.
"OH MY GOSH DOVE!" Natasha yells as she leaps across the doorway to pull me into a hug. "I haven't seen you in ages! How are you? Are you here for the super secret mission no one seems to know anything about?" Nat rattles off.
"Woah slow down Nat, I can only answer one question at a time." I laugh as I return the hug and begin to pull back.
We decide that catching up would work better from the couch where we can face each other and relax after out long travel day.
"Hello Nat it it wonderful to see you in person finally after three years of only facetime calls. I am here for this super secret mission no one seems to have any idea what is. How are you? Is your back seater here with you?" I respond after we finally get ourselves situated on the couch.
"I've been good, Nic. Super glad to finally see your face in person. It's definitely been way too long. Nah my back seater wasn't called back just I was so I'm getting a new WSO. Call sign is Bob. He is from Lemoore." She shrugs this off as if it's nothing, and here I am still shaken that my wingman wasn't also called back. Seems like a smaller issue compared to her now having to learn how to fly with a stranger in her cockpit.
"Yeah my wingman wasn't called back either so whatever this mission is must be a small selection." I say as I get lost in thought again thinking about what this mission could possibly be.
"Well whatever it is seems like a heavy load, but also something we don't have to think about till tomorrow so I say we get ready and head out for some drinks and enjoy our last day of complete freedom before tomorrow. How about we go to hard deck, maybe the other pilots will be there. It is the Navy hangout." Nat suggests.
"I'm down for that. Give me half an hour to freshen up then we can head out?"
"Sounds great Nic."
I head back to my room to get changed and do something more with my hair than the 6 hrs plane ride pony tail that it's currently in. I change into some ripped jean short shorts and a black tank top tucked in with one of my dad's old Hawaiian shirts over top with my well worn black and red nike high tops. I curl my hair into big loose beach waves, and put my aviators on top of my head to hold back the front pieces.
I apply very little make up deciding on just filling in my eyebrows a bit and some black mascara so my eyelashes are more noticeable. After taking one look at myself in the full length mirror in my bedroom I head out to the main living space and meet Nat by the door. Nat is in her service khakis, with her hair slicked back in the low bun required for work.
"What are you wearing?" We both ask at the same time.
"What am I wearing? I thought this was supposed to be a night to let loose and have fun before we have to get all worky." I said with a slight whine looking at her outfit choice.
"Well I thought maybe if we dressed in our uniforms the other pilots, who will most likely be egotistical men, would take us more seriously." Nat responds giving my outfit a once over as well.
"Well we both are Top Gun graduates and came in first and second in our class. We are just as good, if not better, than all the other pilots here. So I don't think we have anything to prove to them." I reply making sure she understands I am not changing.
"Fine we will both just show up in our own chosen outfits. No complaints from the other about it. Deal?" Nat says as she sticks her hand out to shake.
"Ok fine. Deal." I state as I connect our hands in a handshake.
"Alright lets go have some drinks and make memories before we have to be in full work mode in the morning." Nat says as she pulls me out of the door.