𝐖𝐈𝐃𝐎𝐖'𝐒 𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐄. | top gun

five - leah meets an old friend.

leah found herself with a pounding headache the next morning.

although leah always tried her best to be tough, and never let arguments phase her, how she felt about rooster made the argument that the two had hit her like a train. she understood how rooster felt, though unfortunately she understood both sides of the argument and refused to pick sides. which, ended up leaving her in the really bad crossfire's of the situation.

as leah was doing her best to collect herself and wake up, a knock suddenly sounds at her door.

"come in if you bring something for a headache!" leah called, hoping that her father, whom she knew was on the other side, had gotten the idea. making leah smile whenever not only did he have some aspirin, but a mug of coffee for her in hand.

"just made it so it's piping hot." viper gently explains, handing leah the mug as she then dry swallows the aspirin. while not the most natural way of taki a pill, she was at that point too tired to care.

"whenever you're done go ahead and get dressed, and old friend of mine wants to see you." at the sudden mention of someone that knew her father wanting to see leah specifically, a sense of curiosity goes over her expression. but, nonetheless, she gives him a nod in response as her father then exits the room.

much to leah's surprise, the particular person who had wanted to see her had been iceman. the one who, at the words of leah's father, fought like hell to get her and maverick both back to top gun. of all the students from her father's days as an instructor, iceman was one of the only ones leah had never actually met. why he saw so much potential in her for top gun, she didn't know, but, no matter what, she was thankful.

the drive to the bigger house had been one that consisted of leah's dad simply trying to work through the bradshaw dilemma with her. viper simply putting it that if her and rooster don't eventually work things out, one of them could end up losing their top gun position. and that there will come a time whenever they won't have anyone there to fight for them, and will have to work things through on their own. but, that he loved leah, and at that moment, backed her with whatever she wanted to do. and while the advice was tougher, it was definitely something that she needed to hear.

whenever they finally arrived, leah felt a small sense of nervousness going up the stairs, not really knowing what to expect. she had her father, but knew the focus would be on her.

the interior of the two story house was beautiful in its own, leah having to hide the sudden burst of excitement whenever a woman who leah assumed to be iceman's wife, had come out to greet them.

though, unfortunately, within a couple of seconds, leah felt that excitement drop.

hearing that someone who cared so much about her success and did all that they could being in bad health felt like a hit to the gut. she knew what loss had felt like, but this particular occasion felt very different.

leah hesitated for a moment outside the office door, not really knowing what to expect. her father stayed downstairs with iceman's wife, so it was just her outside. though she did find a weird sense of comfort in the fact that maverick had been there not too long ago, making those nerves subside a little. if maverick could talk to the man, so could she.

after a moment, leah finally gathered up enough courage to open the door. a light smile on her face as she had seen iceman simply reading a book by his computer, returning the expression when he realized it was leah. some slight coughs were escaping him, but he didn't let it phase him as he shook leah's hand, and she sat down in the extra chair.

"it's a pleasure to finally meet you." leah speaks, iceman giving a nod as he turns to the monitor.

"your father wasn't lying when he said you grew. last i knew, you were the tiny kid he talked about all the time."

something about the words she read on the screen made leah's smile grow, as she could imagine her father doing such a thing perfectly.

"yes sir, he used to talk about you and maverick all the time." leah responds, that sense of peace never leaving the room as she could tell her statement made iceman pretty happy.

"i heard about the crash, and brought you here to talk about a couple of things."

while leah's demeanor dropped slightly, she kept a strong mind over the whole thing, knowing that maverick was in her shoes not too long ago, going through the same thing.

"no matter how much i want to put it on hangman and his inability to pay attention, i'm just glad we're both okay after the crash." she responds, being as open as she could over the whole thing.

"that's a good mentality, but i know more stuff had went on."

"bradshaw."

reading rooster's name is where leah falls silent, not knowing what to say. iceman noticably sees the change in her expression.

"i didn't make you come all the way here to talk about boy problems, but to offer some profound advice. if there's one thing you and maverick both have in common, you're both as stubborn as can be, but i hope this helps."

"your dad told me about how you lost your mom, right as maverick pulled bradshaw from the academy, correct?"

leah feels her heart shatter into a million pieces.

noone had mentioned her mother since her training days at the naval academy. leah's mother was everything to her, before she eventually lost her due to illness a week before leah was set to graduate. since then, leah had never been the same when it came to the concept of loss. and she forever carried a lump of guilt over not being able to say goodbye.

"yes sir, and maverick was so close to the family already that i got dragged into his mess as well as my own." leah explains, having to fight back tears over the mention of her mom. again, iceman notices, his expression slightly dropping as well.

"well, what happened in the past, should stay in the past. i know you had no control over it, but you can have control over the present. top gun needs you, maverick needs you, bradshaw needs you, more than you know. the tension between you two can leave, if one of you budges."

a week after leah's emotional first meeting with iceman, she got one of the biggest shocks whenever her father told her that iceman passed away. she only met him once throughout her life, but still, there she stood, tears in her eyes as they all give him one final salute. as they sit, she feels phoenix, who was next to her, gently grab her hand in a consoling manner. it makes her feel at peace for a moment, before her gaze suddenly wanders over to rooster as she thinks back to the advice iceman gave her.

if there was actually a proper time to budge after an argument, something in leah told her she finally found it.

----

i had to include iceman, his scene with maverick was so stinking wholesome, val kilmer deserves the world and that's a fact

and leah and rooster are finally! going towards each other again. which you will know more about in the next chapter.

wanted to also say, in my six years of being on this app, i've NEVER had a book garner this much traction. thank you so much for all the love so far, it means the world. the story is far from over, and i hope you continue to stick around.

much love,
alexis