Maverick blew past Jester and Vipers aircraft mid training flight. She fist pumped the air and Goose Whooped behind her. Mav would always be happy flying Mach 1 speed with Goose as her Rio. She ripped her oxygen mask off her face, exhaling loudly.

"Calm down Maverick. It's not over yet." Came the cool and calm demeanor of Jester over her headset. Jester was more of a parental figure to her than the parents she had. Her mom and dad both abused her from a young age, so she jumped on the chance to go to fighter school and be away from her family for good.

"Stay aware Mav." Said Goose from behind her. That jolted her from her thoughts of what was happening miles ahead of her. Iceman was running the board and currently winning so far. Maverick smoothly did the overunder with Ghostrider and Sundown as she heard Goose calling out again about Iceman being on their tail.

"Sundown and Ghost rider are down.." boomed Icemans voice over the pilots headset. He gave Maverick goosebumps every time he spoke, she shook her head and focused again. Maverick whoooed as she did the slingshot maneuver under jester and viper, which landed her in Icemans jet stream. Something happened, and it was fast, so fast she didn't know what happened till she was in the moment.

"Fuck!!" Maverick exclaimed, "We're in his jet stream! Fuck fuck fuck fuck!!!!!"

"Mav!! Mav!!! Mav!!!" Goose shouted trying to get her attention as they began to spin out.

"C'mon!!! C'mon!!!! C'mon!!!!!!!! Damnit c'mon!!!!!" Maverick shouted as she tried moving the joystick as they spun out of control. Slowly, they got disoriented but Maverick managed to stay awake.

"Goose!! Goose pull the ejection line!!" Maverick shouted, "WATCH FOR THE CANOPY GOOSE!! Fuck!"

She pulled her ejection line two seconds late and managed to miss the canopy herself. Maverick then began the parachuted decent down to the water that was glowing green under goose. She attempted to hold her Rio up but nearly drowned herself. Maverick moved her hand and felt the thick sticky liquid on her hand. She felt sick to her stomach at the thought and grimaced.

"Oh no.."

Maverick had to float with Goose as deadweight for hours until the CoastGuard would retrieve them during the practice maneuver.

"You know Mav, Goose loves flying with you." Gooses wife's voice echoed in her head after meeting his wife for the first time. Maverick shook her head hearing the turn of the coast guards propellers above and looked up. A man in a safety vest on a rope was descending to them. She breathed in relief. Maverick was tended to first as they brought her up.

"My Rio!!!!" Mav shouted trying to go back out after goose.

"Ma'am." Said a tall strong man holding her back, "Ma'am. There's nothing we can do for him."

"BUT HES MY RESPONSIBILITY!!!!" Maverick shouted hysterically.

"Your not the only one Darlin." Said a thick southern voice.

"You fly long enough kid it'll happen." Said a Boston like accent.

"I promised his wife...." Maverick said tearfully looking at the tall man that was holding her back.

"I know hon. I know you did." The man said smiling kindly at the young woman, "But we can't do anything for him.. He snapped his neck."

"Oh god..." Maverick said, "I told him to pull the ejection lines.."

"Don't be too hard on yourself love." The man repeated.

Maverick sat quietly wrapped in a grey fire retardant blanket the whole flight back to the aircraft carrier they were assigned to and once they landed, she looked up quickly getting out and was instantly enveloped in firm but jacked arms. Iceman. She let out a sob against his Brest patch breaking down because of the adrenaline high she was coming off. Maverick felt his hand comb over her ponytail and he pulled her apart from him getting a good look at her.

"Your alive doll. That's all that matters okay?" Iceman said softly smiling.

Maverick nodded when She softly smiled back at Iceman.

"Mav? Oh god Mav!" Ghost rider said looking at her and Iceman. The tall well built toehead blonde man seemed to have taken a quick liking to Mav after a few training flights before this and it was really showing.

"Now just breathe doll." Iceman cooed, which earned him a strange look from his Rio.