Need For Speed (Top Gun)

Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell woke beside his wife, Penny. It was the first day of a new term at Top Gun. Though the naval aviator would never again signal to the flight deck crew to fire an aircraft catapult hooked up to his fighter jet, he still scratched his need for speed as a full-time Top Gun instructor. He wouldn't have it any other way, now that he was married to Penny.

The night before his last combat mission, he showed up to the Hard Deck, the bar Penny owned, in his dress uniform, and whispered something in her ear as they shared a prolonged, tight embrace. After three decades of scrambling from an aircraft carrier with no wife and kids to fear for his life, Maverick had something to lose if he didn't come home from that mission. No longer did he have to wake up at 4 AM. Getting up at 4 in the morning was routine for an active fighter pilot. He was where he belonged.

As a proud supporter of the Navy, Penny was an adrenaline junkie herself, but she preferred sailboats to planes. But as the wife of Pete Mitchell, flying was growing on her. Life with Maverick included leisurely flights in his P-51 Mustang or whatever new plane he got his hands on. Their wedding had been incredible. It was small, but Penny and Mav got the traditional wedding honors of the Navy. They emerged from the chapel to find a sword detail in position. Mav was a commissioned Navy officer so he and Penny were qualified for a Navy Arch of Swords ceremony. They were presented as Captain and Mrs. Pete Mitchell. The decorated captain wore his white dress uniform and Penny looked beautiful in a tea-length white and navy blue dress with navy blue lace floral appliques around the waist and a satin navy blue blazer over it. She had already been married once, so like many women, she chose to not wear the traditional white dress. Her hair was pulled back in a low bun updo with a few strands of curled hair framing her face and a few single pearls pinned into her hair at the back. Penny held a bouquet of flowers in one hand while the other was resting on Maverick's forearm. The detail held their swords in an arch with the blades facing the heavens.

Each pair of officers lowered their swords in front of the couple, blocking them momentarily. One of the officers from each pair said, "Sir and ma'am, the United States Navy requires a kiss to proceed." The bride and groom happily obliged. On the last pair of officers, Maverick kissed Penny deeply. 

As the happy couple emerged from the arch of swords, the last officer on Penny's side gave her a gentle swat on the backside with the flat edge of his sword and exclaimed, "Welcome to the Navy, ma'am!"

The irony of the warm welcome was not lost on the newlyweds, for Penny had been an unofficial member of the Navy long before she married Mav. Her father had been an admiral and now, she was the wife of a highly decorated captain and flying ace. 

During the reception, Maverick and Penny cut the cake with a sword.

In the present, it was 6:30 AM, which was too early for Penny. But it was time to start the day for Maverick. He stretched and swung his legs over the side of the bed, careful not to wake his bride. The soft thump he made against the floor was followed by Penny moaning about the noise. Maverick tiptoed downstairs to the bathroom. His stepdaughter, Amelia, was already up. That was unusual for the teenager.

"Good morning, Dad."

Amelia considered Maverick her real father now rather than her biological father. Still, it took her time to transition from calling him "Mav" to calling him "Dad." It also took her time to get used to her new last name, and so did her school. For a long time, she had been Amelia Benjamin. Now, she was Amelia Mitchell. 

"Morning, Amelia. What are you doing up this early?"

The teenager rolled her eyes at her dad's question.

"Amelia," warned Maverick.

"I have homework to finish."

"I thought you finished it last night."

"That was a test. I have a quiz next week," said the fifteen year old.

"Well, then, don't let me stop you."

"Thanks."

With a quick smile, Amelia ran into her room to retrieve her homework, leaving her father alone. After a quick shower and breakfast, Maverick made his way back upstairs. He put on his Top Gun uniform. A green jumpsuit with multiple patches. An American flag patch on the left shoulder. A square patch with a pair of wings. The words TOPGUN below the wings and below TOPGUN, his rank and name: Capt. Pete Mitchell. The United States Navy crest patch. Those were the important patches. He took his brown leather bomber jacket, which was covered in patches, and put it on. Then, he took his aviator sunglasses and hung them on the neckline of his undershirt. Lastly, he grabbed his wedding ring, a plain gold band, and slipped it on the ring finger of his left hand. 

He headed downstairs to the garage and opened the garage door, grabbing his motorcycle key on the way out and put his sunglasses on. He got on his motorcycle, started the engine, and drove off. It wasn't far to Top Gun. Maverick arrived at the school at 0700.