"Ma?"
Emma Majoris sat shifting in the fading light on the runway. She had been forcing back tears for more than an hour. She was literally worried sick, she was pale and shaking. Her soft blue eyes showed the depth of her emotion. But she couldn't cry; she wouldn't cry. She had to stay strong for her son.
Slowly she looked down to her the young Raptor, who was gazing up at her wide eyed. "Yes?"
Her heart dropped almost to her landing gear when he nestled himself against her, looking up at her with his bright blue eyes that seemed to glow even in the dying rays of the setting sun. "She's gonna be okay, isn't she?"
Emma sunk her teeth deeper in to the side of her cheek, she could already taste the oil dripping from the wound. She nodded. "She's fine dear, a few weeks of rest and she'll be back to normal." She said, though there was still that dreadful knot in her fuel tank, as if all the fuel had clumped together.
Orion Majoris nodded than turned his attention to the sky ahead once more. He didn't fully understand what happened, but he knew his sister was hurt, and that was enough for him.
Emma settled lower on to the tarmac, her large wing resting protectively over her son. She joined him in watching the horizon.
After what seemed like hours she picked up the faintest sound of engines, LOUD engines. She jolted upright, startling the younger jet. "I think she's here." She whispered.
Orion seemed to brighten. "Really?! Can we see her?!" He asked eagerly.
Emma smiled softly, though a cold feeling was spreading inside of her. "Once they land, and John says we can."
She looked back in to the ink black sky, watching the oncoming lights. She swallowed nervously, part of her was worried about seeing her daughter… How would she not break down? How could she stay strong when she was so close to tears now?
She shook her head, and cleared her head. She couldn't worry about that now, her daughter needed her.
She watched and waited as a massive Galaxy touched down in front of them, and taxied to the hanger next to them. Relief, worry, guilt and dread washed over her all at the same time as the back cargo ramp opened and the failure figure of John Wherling drive out. She quickly made her way to him.
A quick sideways wave told her to stay back.
She came to a stop and held her wing lower to keep the fledgling back as well.
John drove back up the ramp, returning a few minutes later with a large rolling pallet. A large gray emergency blanket was draped over, its edges fluttering lightly in the breeze. Emma shifted, trying to make out her daughter's features. She couldn't see much, but she could Epsilon was missing her vertical stabilizers, her horizontal stabilizers and her wings.
Of course, John had told her what happened, but part of her had refused to believe him.
As they hurried her inside, Emma and Orion approached. John smiled softly at them in greeting. "Once we get her all settled you can see her."
Emma nodded numbly. It had been a while since she'd seen the mechanic. He looked tired and stressed, but otherwise healthy. "I was hoping we wouldn't meet under these circumstances John..."]
He nodded. "It's mutual…" He said. "But that doesn't matter now," He shook his head. "Just wait inside, I'll call you when she's ready. With that he turned and disappeared with the other mechanics inside.
Once the door closed with a soft thud, Emma turned to the cargo jet who was closing his ramp and preparing to taxi away.
She made a soft cough, getting his attention.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
Emma shook her head. "No, you already have…" She said. "And I'd like to thank you."
The huge jet just smiled. "You're her mother aren't you?" He asked, turning towards her. The fighter jet looked as if she hadn't slept in days. Connor couldn't blame her. The young jet by her side only a little better. He felt bad for them, he knew the feeling all too well after he had almost lost his brother to a crash.
Emma nodded. "I am… I just… I'd like to thank you, again. It's great to have her home…"
Connor smiled, his eyes twinkling in the faint light of the hangers windows. "I'm glad to help." He said. "I wish you all luck, and I hope she gets better soon." He said before smiling goodbye and turning down back to the taxi way.
As he left he glance back one more time, the young jet was waving goodbye, Connor returned the gesture before turning off out of sight.
Once inside, the two settled down in the waiting room and began the last second to last phase of their painful waiting game.
After a while, Orion fell in to a light sleep, resting his small head against his mother's landing gear, lulled to sleep by the steady hum of her engines. His own smaller engine purred softly, revving up only a few times as he shifted ever so slightly.
Meanwhile Emma sat silent and still, lost in thought.
The soft creak of a door caught her attention.
John peered out from behind the silver door, he motioned with his fork for her to come in, but to stay quite while she did.
Ever so gently, she nudged Orion with her wing. "Hey," She whispered softly. "We can go in now."
The young fighter blink sleep out of his eyes and trailed after her, groggy.
As Emma entered the room, the lights were low, and all the mechanics but John had left. In the middle of the room, resting comfortably on a soft bed, was Epsilon. She was soundly sleeping, and was motionless save for the occasional twitch. Her wings and been replaced, and her stabilizers had been restored. A soft blanket had replaced the tarp, and was now draped gently over her airframe. Long, sliver scars ran down the seam where John and his team had welded the wings and stabilizers in place. A few lighter colored patches had long since replaced scratches and scrapes from her crash.
Emma settled quietly down next to the bed, careful not to wake her daughter. Orion cuddled up against her once more as he watched his older sister sleeping. "Is she gonna be okay?" He asked again sadly.
John smiled at the young jet. "With a little rest and some help from you two."
He nodded tiredly, yawning than closing his eyes resting against his mother again as he returned to sleep.
Emma turned to their family friend with a quiet sigh. "Thank you, John… You've done so much for our family… I don't even know what to say." She looked at young Orion. "I don't know what I would have done without her…"
The forklift smiled and put a fork on her wing. "She'll be fine." He said. "The repairs are going well, and the new wings fit nicely. The stabilizers are looking well, and I'm positive she'll be able to fly again. All she needs is a little time and some R&R. I'll give you a few meds to take home once she's ready to leave."
Emma looked from him to her daughter. "How long will that be?"
"It's hard say, anywhere from a few days to a month at most…" He said.
Emma sighed weakly once more and looked at her son. "What exactly happened?"
John made a weary motion with his forks. "Heat seeking missile… most likely, hit her right next to her afterburner."
His only response was a silent nodded. She was done talking.
He turned and smiled weakly. "I'll leave you alone for a while." He said. "Call me when she's awake."
With that he turned and disappeared out the door.
Emma settled down, Orion's head against her side. She exhaled heavily, watching Epsilon, and the monitors. She seemed calm, at least for now.
As she watched her children, felt a single tear rolling down her cheek.