fanfic_name = Ricks Rain

chapter = 18

author = Adam Scott

Rating = AP

Type = Alternative Universe

fanfic =

Chapter 18

        The following months were filled with agony as my body fought to heal itself and to retrain the nerves and mussels to work together. I finally went home after 4 months but I still had several more months of daily rehab. I have always been a quick healer but this was proving to be a struggle. You can only imagine my frustration when my brain would tell my legs to do one thing and they would do another. My wiring was crossed and my brain had to learn which was which. Every day I would wake up and try to get out of bed on my own but in the end I would need help. On good days I could get myself to a sitting position on the side of the bed and then I needed help to get to the wheel chair or walker, on bad days I was lucky to raise my head to call for help. Lisa took a temporary leave of absence to help me recover. She was there for all of it. Coaching me and encouraging me on. Once I was home she took care of me on the bad days and on the good she would try to let me be. I know it was tough on her. Not only was she trying to raise our newborn son but take care of me as well.

Max was finally cleared for full duty and had taken over the responsibilities of commanding the REF as well as maintaining the Veritech squadrons. Miriya was commanding Skull squadron and she was assisting Max wherever she could. Construction of the SDF-3 was progressing well and they were starting on some of the support ships. Since I really didn't have much else to do then sit around I started working on designs for a new fighter. A sleeker more fuel efficient and agile fighter, one that was more attuned to space flight but could also hold it's own in atmospheric conditions. Dr. Lang was kind enough to help me iron out the details but it was primarily my design. I even put together a heavy bomber that could mate with the fighter for greater firepower and range. Of course it was all experimental and would need several revamps before we could get it right but it was something to occupy my time and it helped me feel like I was contributing to the upcoming mission.

I returned to work part time a few months later, almost a year and half since the accident. My memory of the accident was still a blank. I don't remember much after the initial hit from behind. The rest I have pieced together from what Lisa and the police reports have told me. The driver of the first car was obviously drunk and was killed instantly. No one ever told me who he was; his name had been withheld for some reason. The other people involved had minor injuries; I was the only one who had been seriously hurt. Lt Rawlins would prepare daily briefs for me and the recently promoted Sergeant Tanner would bring them to the house or wherever I may be at the time.  Everyone was trying their best to get me back into the game. It was all appreciated but I knew that the only one that could get me back up to snuff was me and I was starting to have doubts. Many times after work I would have my driver take me to the bluffs over looking the city. There I would sit and watch the sky and the city below, imagining myself soaring through the clouds. I wanted to fly but my limbs just weren't responding the way they used to. Yes, I could walk now but with great difficulty and I was a clumsy. Not the brisk, precise and eloquent walk of a fighter pilot. I felt out of control and out of place. Lisa and Max had noticed that I was sinking deeper into depression, so they launched into a plan to help bring me out of it.

One morning my driver, instead of taking me to the office as usual, took me to the airfield. Sitting on the tarmac was the Mockingbird 2, ready to go. Max was standing by it, saluting. My driver pulled the car up close and then got out and opened my door. Max hurried over and helped me stand-up. "What's going on here?" I ask Max. "Your wife told me that you needed some cheering up! So I thought a spin in the Mockingbird would be a good start," he replied. "Max, I don't know if I can fly that thing!?" I say in protest. "Sure you can, I'll be in the back seat so don't worry, if you run into trouble I can take over" Max said exuberantly. I agree to the flight with reluctance. I trust Max but what if I do get into trouble. Will I have the strength to control the plane? He helps me lift myself into the plane and I settle into the cockpit. Just sitting here gets my heart racing. The familiarity of the controls, the smell of the leather seat and how it forms snugly to my body, I felt at home here. Max crawled into the back seat and closed the canopy. I go slowly through the check list before moving the plane. It's been over 2 years since I last flew her. I increased the throttle purposefully and started the plane rolling. Then I asked for clearance to taxi onto the runway and take off. A familiar voice echoed back through the radio "you have clearance to take off on runway zero-three-five my love". Lisa was running the control tower this morning. She didn't want to miss my first flight. I could hear little Roy giggling in the back ground. He was a happy child and even at 10 months old he had a contagious laugh. I turn the nose of the plane toward the appropriate runway. I could hear Max humming to himself in the back seat. He was enjoying this. We had flown together a lot over the years but never in the same plane. This could be interesting. I finally pull onto the runway and set the brakes. "Let's see if Max likes this" I think to myself. Keeping the brakes locked I push the throttle. The plane starts to vibrate and shake. The engine roared and you could hear it straining against the airframe to be set free. Just when you think the engine was going to push through the cockpit I release the brakes. We shoot like a bullet down the runway and we are air born almost instantly. "That wasn't nice skipper!" Max says in protest from the back seat. He was joking of course. He had seen me do it before but from a distance. It was an old circus maneuver, used to get you in the air on even the shortest of runways. It helped to have a light weight aircraft though. The Veritech had enough power to perform the maneuver but took a lot more runway to do it because of their weight, it was just better to be in guardian mode for a quick take off. We circled the field a couple of times to get my feet wet and then we climbed. Slowly at first, I didn't want to pull high G's just yet. This is what I had wanted, to be up in the clouds soaring high above the city.  Soon we were at about 30,000 ft, gliding through the ether. Lisa came on to my tac-net vid-com, I had it installed after our honey moon; I didn't want another surprise like that again, "how is it going dear?" she asked with a smile. I could see Sergeant Tanner playing with Roy in the background. "Wonderful!" I replied with glee, "Lisa wants to know how it's going Max?" There was no response from the back seat. He had gone to sleep. I guess I was boring him. Little Roy was starting to get fussy so Lisa excused herself, clicked off the vid-com and went to attend to him. By now I was feeling pretty confident, I could feel the strength returning in my legs and the continuous back ache that I had dealt with ever since I came home was not as noticeable.  I decided it's time to wake up Max. I start climbing again; the M2 was akin to the stunt plane I used to fly but had a pressurized cockpit. Higher and higher I went. Finally I reach 45,000 ft., just the right height for a corkscrew maneuver. But first I think a couple of loop-de-loops are in order. I push the throttle forward and pull the stick back and the nose of the plane responds in kind. Max is still passed out in the back but he'll wake up soon. The acceleration pushes me back into the seat as we climb and then as we apex I feel the seat pull out from beneath me and then pressed back into it again as we complete the circle. Max didn't react, this time I will have to be a little more aggressive. I pull back on the stick again but much harder this time. The M2 reacted just as quickly, snapping the nose up, jarring Max awake. This time, instead of leveling back out I continue around the apex of the loop and begin spiraling on the down side. I continue this for another 10,000 ft and then level it off again. Max was wide awake now. He wasn't expecting me to be pulling off old circus maneuvers. I was back in my element "Hold on Max!" I shout as I roll the plane on its back and pull the stick back again. This time, instead of climbing we go into a dive and I spiral the plane the opposite direction. After another 10,000 ft I level off again. I can hear Max breathing heavily, even though he was an ace pilot he wasn't used to the severity of the maneuvers. I guess it's time to call it quits. I slowly take the plane back towards the airfield. As we make our approach I want to make one more maneuver. I take the plane low over the runway and push the throttle forward again, increasing my air speed. I touch the wheels briefly to the ground and then rip back on the stick and shoot the plane straight into the air, spiraling as I go. Then I cut the engine and cause a stall. The whole time Max is exclaiming profanities from the back seat. We fall back on our tail for a few hundred feet and then I pull the nose over to gain air speed. I level out about 50ft from the ground and land the plane. Max was white as a sheet. He may have been an ace combat pilot but he was no circus performer. I felt good to get out and do that. It had been a long time since I had able to just fly.

Lisa and little Roy along with Sergeant Tanner were waiting for us as we pulled back into our hanger. Lisa had a look of bemusement on her face. This time I had to help Max out of the plane. He was a little shaky "remind me not to do that ever again!" he said jokingly. As soon as we were settled, Lisa set down Roy and he came toddling over to me, "dada, dada" he screamed. I bent down and scooped him into my arms. I had never felt so alive. I walked with Roy over to Lisa and gave her a big hug. "Thank you, you helped me find myself again" I say thankfully. We turn to look at Max, who was still trying to gather his wits.  Max looks up at us and smiles, shaking his head in disbelief. Today was a very, very good day.


State = Continuará/To Be Continue

feedback = Sí/Yes

email = jscott_73ATyahoo.com