The day at the beach had done its job. This detachment was working as a team more than ever.

A few more runs had been attempted, all ultimately failing. But they were getting closer and closer to the time goal.

But it was time for a run that would change everything.

"Talk to me, Bob," Phoenix calls back to her WSO.

"We're 12 seconds late on Target. we gotta move, we gotta move!" he replies.

"Copy, try and stay with me," Coyote says over the radio.

"Uh, wait, who's that?" Bob asks after seeing a boogie appear on his radar.

"Blue team, you've been spotted," Maverick says over the radio.

Coyote curses. "Shit, it's Maverick.”

"What the hell is he doing here?" Phoenix questions.

"I'm a bandit on course to intercept, blue team. What are you gonna do?" Maverick asks.

"He's 12 miles left, 10 o’clock and closing," Bob informs the others.

"Your call, what do you want to do?" Coyote asks Phoenix, as she was team leader for this particular run.

"Continue, we're close," she says. "Stay on target."

"He's swinging around to the north," Bob says.

"Stay ready for the pop-up," Coyote advises.

"Be ready with my laser, Bob!" Phoenix tells him.

"Copy, I'm on it," he responds.

"Blue team, bandit is still closing," Maverick informs them.

"Popping up," Coyote says as he pops his plane up.

"Talk to me Bob, where's the bandit?" Coyote asks.

"He's 5 miles out. He's coming fast," Bob responded.

"Targets in sight," Phoenix confirms.

"Where's my laser, Bob?!" Coyote asks.

"Dead eye, dead eye! It's no good, sorry I can't get a lock." Bob calls out.

"We're out of time, I'm dropping blind," Coyote says. He sends the missile. "Damn it! Miss!"

They start the steep climb out of the canyon, but Coyote goes into GLOC.

"That's tone," Maverick says as he locks onto Bob and Phoenix. 

"Shit, we're dead," Phoenix says.

"Blue team, that's a fail," Maverick informs them. "Level out Coyote " Coyote doesn't respond.

"Coyote, talk to me," Maverick tries again. "Coyote, come in! Coyote level wings."

Still nothing.

"Oh my god, he's in GLOC," Maverick realizes. "Coyote, Coyote!"

"He's gonna burn in!" Phoenix worries.

"I'm going after him," Maverick says, punching his speed. "Come on, give me tone, give me tone, give me tone."

He gets a lock on Coyote, using the sound to wake him out of GLOC. "Snap out of it, Coyote, come on, come on. Break right, break right!!!"

Coyote wakes up just in time to steer away from the mountain.

"There we go, kid, you ok?" Maverick asks him.

"Yeah, I'm ok," he replies. "I’m good."

"Good, good. That's enough for today," Maverick releases a breath.

"That was close," Phoenix says as she flies up to Maverick's wing. 

"Too close," Maverick agrees.

"Bird strike, bird strike!!!" Maverick yells. Phoenix and Bob pull away, but it's too late.

"Phoenix, left engines on fire!" Bob exclaims.

"Climbing!" she responds. "Shutting off fuel to left engine, pushing fire."

"Right engines out!" Bob calls out.

They are still spinning, trying to restart the engine.

"Phoenix, it's on fire!" Maverick tries to warn her.

"Oh god, we're on fire!" Bob yells out.

"Igniting engine," Phoenix tries to remain calm.

"Phoenix, Bob, punch out! Punch out!" Maverick yells.

"Hydraulic failure," Bob informs.

"I can't control it!" Phoenix calls to him. "We're going down!"

"You can't shake it, eject, eject," Maverick insists, not wanting to lose anyone else like this.

"Eject, eject, eject," Phoenix says as she and Bob grab their ejection handles. They manage to eject just before the plane crashes.

Maverick let out a breath of relief. He saw the parachutes open, calling it in for a search and rescue.

Now, he just had to figure out how to tell Emmett. And to be honest, that scared him a bit more.

☽☆☾   ☽☆☾   ☽☆☾

Emmett nearly crashed his car and most definitely broke a few speeding laws when he got the call.

He's not quite sure he's ever felt the kind of terror that ran through his veins, finding out Natasha was in a crash.

It didn't matter that they had reiterated that she had ejected safely. It didn't matter that they told him what hospital she was getting checked out at.

All that mattered was getting to her.

Luckily, a friend was able to take Genevieve for the time being, distracting her so she didn't ask any questions.

But Emmett had to make a call while rushing to the hospital. His brother was just as close to Natasha as Gena was. And right now, Emmett needed another voice to tell him everything was going to be okay.

Fortunately, Liam Knight answered his phone after only two rings. “Hey Em. What's up?”

Well, let's just say Liam was not expecting the response he got.

“Nat was in a crash. I'm on my way to the hospital now.”

On the other side of the phone, Liam basically stops breathing. “What?! Is she okay?”

Emmett nods his head despite his brother not being able to see him. “They told me she safely ejected and was taken to the hospital for a check. I'll know more when I get in.”

Liam let's out a breath, regulating his heartbeat. “Where’s G? Does she know anything?”

“No. Mary’s taking her back to her place for a while until I know more. Don't need to scare or worry Gen if I don't have to.”

That was the saving grace for the moment. Emmett genuinely doesn't know what he would have done if Genevieve had to come with him or if he had to tell her.

He can hear typing over the phone before Liam speaks. “I've got something tomorrow that I can't reschedule, but I can be there in a few days.”

Emmett is too frazzled to try and argue. “I'll keep you updated once I know more.”

Liam can hear it all in his older brother’s voice. “Hey,” he starts softly. “She's okay. The hospital is just a precaution.”

He sighs. “I know. It doesn't stop the worrying, though.”

“I'll talk to you later. Tell her to feel better from me, okay?”

Emmett gets the first smile on his face he's had since the news broke. “I will. Bye Li.”

Finally arriving at the hospital, Emmett goes to the front desk, getting Natasha’s room information. (There had been some initial trouble since they weren't married, he doesn't have any actual legal rights, but he worked them out.)

By the time he found the room, Natasha had already been seen by the doctors. So when her boyfriend came charging into the room, Natasha finally let her emotions out.

She promptly burst into tears.

Emmett practically climbed into the hospital bed with her, gathering Natasha into his arms. She buried her head into his chest, letting her fear from the day out.

Once she had calmed down enough to remove her head, Emmett repeatedly kissed her head, and she finally spoke.

“It was a bird strike.”

Emmett was silent for a moment, waiting to see if she would continue. But she couldn't get the words out.

So, he asked a different question. “Are you okay? Physically, at least?”

He knew damn well she was not emotionally okay right now. But all he truly cared about was her well-being.

Natasha nodded. “A bit sore, few bumps and bruises, but that's from the ejection and landing. Bob’s the same.”

Emmett was glad Bob was okay as well. He had taken a liking to the man watching Nat’s back. And he knew if something had happened to him, Natasha would be devastated.

She takes a deep breath before diving into the events of the day. Emmett remained silent through it all, keeping a tight hold on the woman when it got tough.

“When I got that call,” Emmett began, “I froze. I didn't know what to think, what to do, what to say. All I knew was that I had to get to you.”

He sat up slightly, ensuring Natasha would look at him. “You changed my world, Natasha Trace. And I would very much like you to continue doing so.”

Natasha smiled before trying to lighten the sober mood a bit. “Now I know you want something. You're giving me the big eyes.”

It worked, if only slightly, before Emmett got serious again.

“I don't see a future without you, Natasha. You and Gena are my life. I hope you know that.”

And she did. Natasha knew damn well what she meant to Emmett because he meant the exact some to her.

“And you are mine, Emmett. You and Gena have given me something I never thought I would have. Family.”

The couple, one who had gone through one hell of a scare, now knew, without a doubt, that their futures were forever intertwined.

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Word count: 1,476

Heavy chapter today, but it had to happen eventually. Unfortunately, next chapter is also pretty somber, but I'll try to throw in some light where I can.

But we got our first glimpse at Liam! I can't wait to bring him in a bit more. He won't be here often, but he will be involved in the last few chapters.

So stay tuned and bring the tissues. Bye guys!!