I Know You ~ J.Seresin

46

Maverick sat back on Tate's couch as he laughed. Tate and Maverick had agreed that he should go over to her beach house and they would talk about the mission. But instead, they sat there sharing stories they both had of her father. She was happy that she was getting this moment with Maverick. They had set everything aside and they were getting along.

As their laughter subsides, Tate takes a deep breath and puts her tea on the table. "I heard you yelled at Cyclone. I'm very impressed. I would never have the balls to do that," Maverick says as he takes a sip of his beer.

Tate nods. "He had said some out-of-pocket things about the pilots and I just wasn't having it," Tate says with a shrug as she leans back and looks at him.

"I'm proud of you. You're a lot like your dad," Tate smiles as she looks over at Maverick on the other side of the couch. "You look so much like your mother when she was younger, but you get your personality from your father,"

"And I have your flying abilities,"

Maverick smiles at her. It was nice to know that she still looked up to him. He had hoped that she still did but hoped that she made better decisions than he did when he was her age.

"We do need to talk about the mission. Cyclone wants me to help you pick out your teams and your wingman," Tate says as she sits crisscrossed. Maverick nods as he purses his lips and looks away from her.

Tate grabs her notebook from the floor and opens it. She had been taking notes on all the aviators throughout the course of time.

"I really think Bob and Phoenix would be a great team for the mission. They both work hard, and they get along really well," Tate says as she rips out the paper from her notebook and hands it to Maverick.

He takes it from her and looks it over.

"I also think either Fanboy and Payback. Or ma-"

"-Tate,"

Tate looks up at Maverick as he looks at her with his lip pursed. Tate sighs as she sets down her notebook. She purses her lips and clasps her hands together.

"You already picked your teams haven't you?" She asks. Maverick nods slightly. Tate takes a deep breath as she begins to feel tears form in her eyes.

"You're choosing Brad as your Wingman aren't you?"

Maverick is silent. He knows that either way she was going to find out. It was best that she found out in the comfort of her beach house.

Tate's lips quiver as she looks at Maverick. He looks at her as he tries hard to not change his mind.

"Pete, please bring him home," Maverick's breath hitches as she says his name. "I will,"

"Not for me. For his parents," Tate says as Maverick looks down at his hand. "Bradley needs to live on his father's legacy. It's what I can't do,"

Maverick nods. He knew how much the mustached man meant to her. They grew up together and she would be devastated if something happened to him.

Especially right now, after her father passing.

"Your mom told me that you're thinking about leaving the military after the mission?" He asks her.

Tate purses her lips as she wipes her eyes.

"I can't see myself doing anything else in the military. I got in the cockpit for that practice and I realized that I missed flying, and I am always going to miss it,"

"Why don't you just wait? I'm sure that you'll get cleared to fly," Tate twists her lips.

"I'm not cleared. The night after Bradley and I got to North Island, I got a call saying I wasn't cleared to fly anymore,"