Emerson Blackwood and Skye Kazansky had dreamed of becoming pilots for as long as they could remember.
Through an extensive amount of training at the Naval Academy and flight school, the two best friends had easily become some of the best Naval Avia...
Emerson sat on the bed, glaring at the hospital floor.
There was absolutely no reason for her and Skye to be kept overnight for observations. They were perfectly fine and didn't have a scratch on them.
Her glaring had, however, come to a pause when the door to her room opened and Bradley had raced inside with scared, concerned eyes and a relieved expression once he had seen that she was okay.
"Em.." He breathed out and rushed to her side, pulling the brunette into his arms. "Thank God.. I thought I lost you."
"It's going to take a lot more than a bird strike to get rid of me." She said, almost smugly as she hugged him only to roll her eyes slightly as he began assessing her for any cuts and/or bruises. "Brad, I'm okay. Really. Not a scratch."
"You scared the shit out of me, Em." He said, his brown gaze lifting to meet hers, revealing just how truly afraid he was when he had heard the incident take place over the radio. "I don't think you realise just how much you mean to me. I can't even imagine.. Just the thought--"
"Stop." She said softly and cupped his face between her hands gently. "Look at me. I'm okay."
"You're okay.." He whispered.
She nodded her head softly with a smile. "I'm okay." She repeated.
"You're okay.." The tall pilot said once more, as if to confirm it and put his mind at ease, before he pulled her closer and pressed his lips gently against her forehead.
Emerson didn't object to Bradley holding her in his arms in order to bring him comfort and piece of mind that she was perfectly alright, knowing fully well that this accident must've triggered memories of his father's death.
The couple remained in silence, simply holding the other in their arms when the door to her hospital room had opened and Pete had walked in with a solemn expression on his face.
Emerson arched a brow and exchanged a look with Bradley before she settled her gaze back onto her father.
"Dad?" She asked.
Pete raised his head and met his daughter and godson's concerned gazes - despite him and Bradley having an argument mere moments ago, the tall pilot was still concerned about the solemn expression and the silence of his godfather.
The Captain fought back his tears and he looked at his daughter and godson, trying to figure out how to break the news to them.
"It's Ice.." He trailed off slowly.
At the mention of their uncle, the couple sat up straight.
"What happened?" Emerson questioned. "Is he okay?"
Pete stared at them in silence and his silence and unshed tears were enough to let them know what had happened.
"I'm gonna go an call Aunt Kara.." Bradley announced, his eyes brimming with unshed tears and kissed Emerson on the cheek before he had excused himself from the room.
Emerson was in shock as she shook her head lightly with tears flooding her eyes. "But how?.." She asked her father. "He was better. He--"
"It came back." Pete said sadly. "Kara didn't want any of you to know, especially Ice. He knew that if they had told either of you, neither of you would have done this mission."
The cancer had come back? Her godfather was really, truly gone.
She blinked back her tears and released a shaky breath. "Does Skye?.."
"No.. Not yet." Pete confirmed. "I don't know how to tell her."
The brunette nodded with a soft sniffle. "I'll tell her.." She offered. "She's going to need me."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Emerson stood outside of her best friend's hospital room and inhaled deeply before she had knocked and entered, finding the blonde sitting cross-legged on the bed eating some raspberry jelly.
"Hospital food and dessert sucks." Skye said and pushed the small plastic tub away before she looked at her best friend. "Em? What's going on?"
Emerson chewed on her lip nervously. This was going to be much more difficult than she had anticipated but she had to remain strong for her best friend - Skye was going to need her.
"Skye.." She began slowly and made her way over, sitting on the foot of the bed and released a shaky breath. "We uh.. W-We received some news a few minutes ago.."
"What?" The blonde asked as she had begun to feel anxious.
"It's.. It's your Dad.." The brunette stammered. "Your Mom said the cancer had come back and they didn't want to tell us, knowing that we wouldn't go on this mission.. He's.."
Skye's green eyes as flooded with tears at Emerson's every word as she slowly began shaking her head. "No.." She whispered, her voice breaking. "No, he's not."
A tear slid down Emerson's cheek as she pressed her lips together before she met her best friend's tear filled gaze. "I'm so sorry, Skye.." She whispered.
The young pilot and WSO immediately broke down at those three words and was instantly pulled into her best friend's embrace; Skye clutching onto Emerson as she sobbed mournfully for the loss of one of her most favourite people in the world, a man that she had looked up to and deeply admired, the man that knew her like no other.
