Top Gun: G-Force

In the Air Again

A/N: Trigger warning, Jade will be confronting her newfound trauma in this chapter! Thank you all for your continued support! Enjoy reading Aviators!

The next morning was rushed, Jade had never felt more nervous yet excited in her life. She normally never flew on Sundays - rarely anybody did. However, since she had to be up in the air as soon as possible, an exception could be made. Her alarm had gone off at six am. She gave Bradley a kiss on the cheek and went for a shower. After her shower, her hair was pressed and sealed with gel into a nice bun. She tiptoed down the steps and made her way outside, with the keys to Bradley's Bronco.

She liked to do this, these past few weeks she was basically stuck inside. So sometimes before everyone was up she'd go out and get breakfast for everyone. Today she had decided to go to the local Nektar Juice Bar to get some smoothies for everyone in the house.

When Jade arrived home with the four smoothies, the others were up and ready to head to the base. Jade hadn't dressed in her uniform for the morning - deciding on sweatpants and her navy sweatshirt. She quickly handed out the smoothies. Bradley always got the Strawberry Banana Protein. Penny loved her elderberry smoothie. Pete, being the absolute machine he is, always got the "Popeye's Acai" aka a mix of acai, banana, spinach, cashew milk, and agave nectar. Jade loved the Pineapple Matcha Protein smoothie. Jade had also gotten a recovery drink for after flying today - she put that in the fridge before running upstairs to quickly put on that spiffy brown uniform.

Jade had chosen to ride with her father on his motorcycle to base. She thought it would be a good step to get back into the zone - the Danger Zone if you will.

When they arrived on base, Jade gave a relieved sigh. Surely if she could survive riding with Pete Mitchell she can get back in the air with no problem.

That was not how she felt sitting back in her cockpit. Well, not even her cockpit. Her plane was out of commission for a while. And although it was the same model, it just didn't feel right... It was different, she struggled to breathe as she clipped her helmet on.

"We'll wait for your signal, Renegade" She heard Maverick say on the comms.

She gasped and gave a shaky reply, "Okay"

Maverick responded, "It's alright if you need more time Jade" He sighed, trying to be understanding.

Jade took a deep breath and mumbled to herself, "Just a walk in the park Mitchell, you've got this." She held her oxygen mask - also her comms - closer to her mouth, "Just give me a minute Maverick."

The comms went silent, they understood to give Jade her space. Jade reached into the breast pocket of her flight suit, and along with Iceman's letter, she kept a picture of him from her flight school graduation. They stood together, he looked so proud of her. He was. Despite fighting the first bought of cancer at the time, he made sure that he was there. She secured it in the cockpit in a position she could always see it. However, that wasn't the only picture she had in there. She pulled out the picture she had from her Top Gun Graduation, of her mother, her and her father. It's the only one she had of all three of them. She put this in a spot where she could see them as well.

She spoke into the comms, "Alright, get up there, and I'll follow you Commander Mitchell"

Maverick was the first in the air as he made his way onto the taxi way. Jade agreed that she would go up next, followed by Bradley. Jade slowly moved to take off, signaling to the tower.

"You're clear Renegade," Admiral Beau in the tower replied.

Jade took a deep breathe, and what felt like a blink of an eye, she was back in the air. She was to the left of Maverick, and soon Rooster joined on her right.