Below The Hard Deck | A Top Gun Fanfiction

CHAPTER III

"Specs, I'm a complete and utter idiot," I groan into my cellphone as I pace around my room. "What was I thinking?"

"I think it's pretty obvious you weren't." I roll my eyes at his words. The two of us haven't flow together in years, with RIOs becoming obsolete with improved technology or, in the case of F/A-18Fs, being replaced with WSOs, weapon systems officers. Though he had the option to switch and become a WSO, Specs ultimately decided he was done with flying for the Navy. He still works in the branch though, just as an instructor for new NFOs, or Naval Flight Officers. Even though he's in the same state, we don't see each other as much as I'd like considering he's roughly eight hours north in Monterey. So, phone calls are the next best option. "I can't believe he asked you out. I mean, after what went down between you two—"

"He didn't ask me out," I correct. "He just wants to get a better idea of what teaching would be like."

"And the place he choose for this very professional and not at all romantic meeting is the bar where you two first met back in '86 before subsequently sleeping together?" The judgement is quite evident in my partner's voice.

"Actually, I choose the place."

There is a beat. "Wow, you really weren't thinking."

"It's near the base and seemed like it would be the most convenient place!" I argue. "I wasn't thinking about our hook up over thirty years ago!"

Specs scoffs. "Yeah, sure. That totally was just an after thought. It's the place you met the man you'd later have a kid with, but who remembers tiny details like that."

"What do I do?" God, I'm being pathetic. I feel like a teenage girl gossiping with her friend about the cute boy in her Spanish class. "I haven't seen him in so long and when he finally pops back into my life again, I don't want him to leave. I don't know if I'm going to be able to do three weeks of this shit."

"Well, from what you said, there doesn't seem to be any animosity between you two. He wouldn't have asked you out if there was." I open my mouth to argue, but he stops me before I do. "And don't say he didn't ask you out. This is Maverick we're talking about here. The guy has the sex drive of a rabbit and the mind of a teenage boy all wrapped up in a midlife crisis. He asked you out. If you really don't want to go down that road, then keep things professional. Don't try to catch up with him and only talk about boring work stuff. But, something tells me you do want to explore something with him again."

I sigh. "I never stopped loving him, Specs. You know that. You were the one I cried to after he left and after our fight about Bradley's papers. The only thing I have done is bury those feelings. If I go down that path, those will all come back up and I don't know if I'll be able to handle it if we fall apart again."

"Look, in the wise words of Selena Gomez, 'The heart wants what it wants.' Go into this being totally professional and if it ends up being something more, then so be it."

"Selena Gomez?" I laugh. "That was the philosophical route you decided to go down?"

"The, 'If you love something, set it free' quote is completely over used and not nearly as catchy of a song. The point is, just let what happens happen. Besides, didn't you say Bradley was assigned to this mission. If worse comes to worse, you definitely have someone who will be more than willing to punch Mav in the face on your behalf."

"Don't get me started on that whole mess. I feel like I'm going to spend more time keeping them apart than actually teaching this thing." I rub my hand over my face. "I wish you were here with me."

"Me too. At least when we were all together at Top Gun I had a front row seat to the drama that was your guys' relationship. I fully expect at least weekly updates, by the way." A chuckle escapes my lips. That's the thing about Specs, he always has a way of calming me down. I honestly don't know what I would've done without him all these years.