Don't Give Up On Me Now-Bradley Bradshaw

Chapter 1: You're being called back to Top Gun

I was walking to my Admiral's office since he needed to speak with me, and I was nervous. I haven't done anything dangerous lately that I can think of.

"Come in." I heard Admiral Smith say after I knocked on his office door and I went into his room and saluted him.

"At ease Lt. Trace." Admiral Smith said and I relaxed and stood in front of his desk.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" I asked.

"Yes, I did, take a seat." I sat down on the other side of the desk before he started talking.

"Unfortunately for me, your contract is ending soon and I wanted to know if you would like to renew it once you come back for another 13-24 months. I want you back here because you are one of the best pilots this base has had and you do a damn good job of protecting others in your squadron." Admiral Smith said. I've been in Greece for the past year and a half, and my contract ends next month. Dylan is back home in the U.S. so we've been making it work.

"Why wait until I come back from where sir?" I asked.

"You've been called back to Top Gun." Admiral Smith said.

"Your flight is tonight at 7;30 p.m., and you have your first meeting on Monday." Admiral Smith said. Wait, what?

"I graduated 3 years ago, why would they want me to come back, sir?" I asked, hoping he would know.

"I don't know much, all I know is that they've called back the top 12 graduates to complete a complicated mission. Now I know that you've taken a bit of a break from missions because you lost your WSO a couple of months ago and since then you've flown in singles, so this mission you have a chance of flying single or with a backseater. What is your choice, so I can let them know?" Admiral Smith asked.

"Single sir," I said.

"Great, that will be all Lieutenant." Admiral Smiths said, and then I saluted him and left. If the top 12 graduates are coming back, then I don't know who I'm going to see. Honestly, I hope it's not my sister, Javy, Reuben, Jake, or Mickey because it's been a while since I've seen them, and I call them all the time, but I haven't told them what happened between Dylan and me, and also me losing my WSO and now flying a single F/A-18E instead of a double F/A-18F. Before I left for Greece, Dylan and I got into a big fight one night about me not being careful while flying, and he wanted me to stop flying for good and he lost his control and he took his anger out on me but I've forgiven him. Once my sister and brother figures find out, they are going to lose their minds. They've been protective of me since we met and honestly, it can get kind of annoying but I don't mind it. I went back to my house and started packing my bags, full of everything I needed for the next couple of weeks, not knowing how long I would be gone. By the time it was 6:30, my sister had called me to check in on me. Every day we can, we always call at 6;30 my time or her time, depending on the day.

"Hey, Nat," I said.

"Hey Rach, how are you doing?" Nat asked me.

"I'm good, I'm about to renew my contract for another 13-24 months, and then after that, I'm done flying," I said, deciding not to tell her about me being called back to Top Gun.

"Well good, I miss you and I can't wait for you to be back home so you can visit more often. How's Dylan?" Nat said. She's in Lemoore while I'm here in Greece, so I can't see her much obviously because we are both so busy with our missions and deployments.

"Have you heard from any of the boys?" I asked.

"Yes, but why'd you avoid the question, Rachel?" Nat asked.

"What was the question?" I asked.

"How's Dylan? Your boyfriend...that I don't like?" Nat asked. Nat doesn't like Dylan, even though we've been together for years and we've known each other since middle school.

"He's good, he's in Miramar with his family right now. He had to go back home to help his family." I said.

"Is he treating you right?" Nat asked.

"Yeah, he's treating me right. Don't worry." I said.

"How's Maia?" Nat asked. Maia Devines was my WSO and one of my closest friends since the first day of the Naval Academy. We've flown together for every mission, practice, patrol, test, and anything related to flying, it was Maia and I doing it together. She lost her life because of me. I couldn't save her and it's my fault. No one but the people at my base know that Maia's gone and now I have to tell my sister. I constantly can't sleep because of nightmares about it because it happened a couple of months ago but I hope I can hide it from the people that I fly with for this mission.

"Nat, I have to go," I said, trying to stay away from a panic attack happening. I hung up, not letting my sister say anything and I laid down on my bed and just breathed in and out about 10 minutes later, I was okay and I went to where the plane was waiting for me to go to Miramar, which is where Top Gun is. I got on the plane and texted the boys and I's group chat.

The boys + Rachel: Javy, Jake, Mickey, Reuben, Rachel

Rachel: ...heyyyyyyyyyyy...

Javy: What did you do?

Rachel: Why do you think I did something

Jake: Come on Rach, we all know when you text like that, you're doing something, you did something, or you want something

Mickey: What do you want?

Reuben: What are you doing?

Rachel: I'm just saying hi. jeez.

Reuben, Jake, Javy, Mickey: Hi Rach

Rachel: What are you guys up to?

Reuben: I'm at home packing my bag because I have a mission to go to

Jake: Dude, me too

Javy: me three

Mickey: me four

Rachel: Nice, I should probably go since I'm about to take off...so...bye

I turned off my phone and got comfortable in my seat and the plane took off back to Miramar. Nat and I grew up in Miramar because both of our parents were Top Gun instructors, and we still own our old home so I'm just going to stay there instead of staying in a dorm on base or near base. I fell asleep halfway through the flight and woke up an hour before we landed since it's a long flight, I was able to get enough sleep.