Top Gun: Maverick
Love Letters

by Mirwalker

Part 4

"Excuse me? Sir? You were asking about one of our wildlife care specialists?"

Floyd looked up, fighting the instinct to snap to attention off the bench where he was still fighting with his phone. He managed merely to stand quickly and not too awkwardly. "Yes… mam. I was… Am."

While she had a pleasant expression, this new gatekeeper was clearly sizing him up. Her khaki shirt and slacks, sewn-on patches, and tightly pulled back hair certainly didn't help his urge to salute or to wait for permission to speak. She didn't give him long to struggle, surmising, "You're the Navy pilot?'

He considered correcting the common conflation of his actual, critical role, with that of the flashier, more well-known front seat. He also knew that wasn't the point of his visit or her question. "Guess so," he nodded humbly.

Her eyes smiled more than her words, "You nearly scared the hell outta Christa. Nico's mentioned your stealth. Guess he wasn't exaggerating."

Robby blushed, still regretting the fright he gave when approaching the first 'keeper ten minutes earlier. He knew, and quietly was more than a little proud of, his reputation for going unnoticed. And he honestly expected a little more composure from those whose daily job was to handle ambush predators. Still, he hadn't meant to startle her. Hopefully this—he'd guess—supervisor hadn't come merely to tell him off. "I am sorry about that."

She smiled and nodded at a passing family, glancing down at the bright bouquet leaning on the backpack where he'd been sitting. With this same apparent hospitality, she asked, "May I ask what brings you to visit our person, and not our reptiles, at the Reptile House today?"

Robby took a breath, knowing she was just being diligent around unknown people showing up unexpected and asking after employees at their workplace. Confident he had nothing to hide, and would best pass this test with honesty, he swallowed and reported earnestly, "I wasn't able to be there for his mother's funeral early last month, and promised to connect right after my latest… assignment. I just got in this morning, but my phone's not reconnecting for some reason; so I couldn't message him directly." He held up the uncooperative device and tipped his head toward the harbor. "So I dropped my gear, caught a shuttle up to the medical center, and walked over from there."

She nodded at each of his plot points, continuing to take in and consider it all toward some decision. "You know he's working today…"

Robby wasn't sure whether she was checking how much he knew, reminding him her staffer was on the clock—and so not really supposed to see visitors, or was suggesting Nico wasn't actually on the premises in the first place. He blinked and glanced at the vegetation he hadn't brought to feed the giraffes. "I took the chance he was. If not, I'm sorry to have bothered you all, and can go." His unmoving stance and expression indicated he sincerely hoped that wasn't the case.

"And you're spending your day off today to visit?"

"I have a few days' leave. At least. So I could come back… Tomorrow?" He looked worried but hopeful, even if the delay wasn't his first choice. And he was clearly here for the duration, however polite.

She looked at him for what seemed like a long time. "Follow me," she finally instructed, as she turned and set off.

Blinking at the welcomed but unexpected summons, he quickly gathered up his carry-ons, and hurried to catch up.

"Reptiles One to Reptiles Two," she said into her radio, waving merrily to the kids looking wide-eyed at the glass-climbing anaconda.

"Reptiles Four," an unknown voice responded moments later. "He has his hands full."

"When he's done with that transfer, can you have him come out to the small trailer yard? He has a delivery."

"Will do."

Robby smiled nervously, still not entirely sure she didn't just intend to take the flowers the final leg herself, and pass them along with word he'd stopped by.

Swapping the radio for a huge set of keys on her belt, she didn't clarify her intentions as she worked to clarify his. "May I ask what specifically you're expecting of him this workday?"

Robby understood he was still being vetted, perhaps beyond the professional, as she'd made no specific commitments to him. He reminded them both of his well-considered plan. "I'm just hoping he might be able, and willing, to have lunch with me. If now's not a good time, I can wait."

"He could use a good lunch. But he needs more than a meal," she said flatly, stopping in front of a non-descript gate.

Robby stared at her wide-eyed, genuinely shocked at what "extra" she might be suggesting—especially regarding her employee.

"It's Robert, isn't it?" she cut off his speculation.

He nodded, bracing for a proper name dressing down or dismissal.

Instead, her entire presence softened, though she lost none of her clear concern, and now faced him in front of the still locked barrier. "I know you have a long history with Nico. And you've clearly made some effort today. So you should know that he is not doing well. He's not eating, not sleeping, and I don't think the extra hours he's putting in here are just to make up time to the team."

Robby's eyes and eyebrows fell, agonized on hearing Nico described as anything other than amazing. But from his own interaction barely two weeks prior, he also wasn't entirely surprised; and now felt even worse about everything.

"He says he's OK, but… He's clearly not, and he just won't stop going."

"That's Nico," he concurred based on long experience.

"And it's affecting his work, beyond his health," she added sharply. Her expression suggested he should deduce an even more dire future.

He blinked, slightly open-mouthed at the situation he'd returned to, perhaps contributed to.

His guide selected the correct key before pausing for a last observation. "If you could get him to go with you today, to rest a bit, really take care of himself—to start getting through this, I can get his shifts covered, at least through Sunday." Her serious look was worthy of a master chief. "We need him for the long term. And everyone's worried."

He realized she was waiting on a commitment from him—the apparent final price of his backstage access.

"Yes, mam."

She smiled at him for the first time. "I just hope you have more luck convincing him than we have. And… so you know, if he takes care of it, his leg will be fine."

As she stepped through the gate, Robby paused, "Sorry? What happened to his leg?"

She directed him to a well-weathered bench in the busy service area behind the exhibit buildings. "Just have him let me know that he's going. Here's hoping, for a few days, he's all yours, sailor," she summarized with another gentle smile, before heading back out into the wider park.

Still a little unsure how many layers of meaning, she was intending, Robby set his bag on the bench, decided to stand in nervous anticipation, and continued to stretch from his lengthy return flights.

It wasn't long before a nearby door opened, and a weathered Nico limped out, shaking his hands dry after washing them. Curls peaking from under a knit beanie, he blinked in the sudden sunlight, looking around the small, cramped space.

Unable to help himself, Robby grinned ear to ear behind the bouquet, before his eyes and smile dropped to the sizeable soft brace around Nico's left knee.

"Robby?" the new arrival asked, surprised and somewhat in disbelief.

Shifting back to the familiar face, the deliveryman quickstepped to him, pushing forward the bundle of blooms, almost bashfully. "Hi."

Nico's shoulders dropped in clear relief as he took the gift Robby seemed intent on planting in his chest. "Bit Officer and a Gentleman, don't you think?"

"I'm not in dress whites, and haven't been an ensign for a good while," the Navy man cocked his head to the side—relishing the amusement but not forgoing his penchant for accuracy. "I also wasn't planning on carrying you out; but if that's what you want, I have permission from your boss…"

Sniffing and admiring the gift, Nico's face scrunched at the odd idea, and as he pulled a blank "It's a…!" baby tag from among the blossoms, eyebrows raised.

Robby snatched it from him, embarrassed at the travel-weary oversight. "It was this or 'get well soon' at the hospital gift shop."

It was now Nico who looked concerned at the medical mention.

"I'm fine. Shuttled there from the Station and walked over." He looked down at the clear medical elephant in the room, symbolizing the keeper's overall state. "You look… horrible."

Nico scoffed, "Just a kneecap nip from a hungry gharial. My fault. I wasn't paying enough attention, and several went for the feed bucket. The brace is just to help reduce bending so the skin can heal up." He returned Robby's discerning visual assessment. "You look good. The mission went well?"

Robby nodded, reminding, "I promised you a drink. And am hoping I can maybe take you to lunch today?" He watched for any less-than-interested reaction, any of the chilliness from when they last met. Seeing none beyond weariness, he put all his cards on the table. "And I have two weeks' leave, at least. So if you're willing, I'd like to use as much of that time as you'll share to talk about how we can work."

Nico rocked back slightly, a little taken aback at the un-Midwestern, un-Robby directness. Fresh surprise and older concerns washed across his mind and face. "I'm flattered; but you can't just change your mind, show up, and expect…"

"I know I left before, and I'm sorry. I wasn't there when you needed me, and I'm sorry. You're hurting; a lot of that's on me; and I am sorry." He stepped closer, wide eyes fixed on Nico's. "The last few months and weeks especially have helped me realize what's really important. And I want to make up for it, to do better."

Honest and earnest as Robby always was, Nico recognized this new level of… vulnerability. The romantic hadn't gone away, but something had changed.

"Nicky…," Robby used the familiar name only family could. "All I'm asking is for a chance. Please let me help."

Nico's whole person drooped, as he sighed in an expressionless gaze at the eager officer.

Robby swallowed hard, apparently audibly.

Nico chuckled silently, asking as he looked up with amused recognition, "You practiced that speech the whole way back, didn't you?"

Blushing before he could feign any denial, Robby just half-grimaced, half-grinned. "Maybe a little."

Weary, but willing, Nico shook his head at them both, agreeing to, "Just lunch."

Robby smiled openly, seeming to inflate at even that step. He swept in for an embrace, with Nico just shifting the flowers from being crushed.

Despite himself, Nico drooped his head against the familiar grip, holding his breath and ground against the welcome, enveloping pressure.

"Nico?" Robby asked in a pained voice, as he peeled away slowly. "What is that smell?"

Nico smiled as widely as he had in more than a year. "Python musk."

Robby's eyes opened wide, his glasses exaggerating the expression, as he separated himself even more. "A snake peed on you?"

Clearly enjoying himself for a change, the reptile handler explained. "Not exactly. She just didn't want to be moved."

Robby just looked anxious, as he carefully kept his arms from touching his torso. Refocusing on his mission, he forced a smile. "So maybe we shouldn't go directly to that British pub you like so much…"(1)

A/N: I'm going to add chapters occasionally, just to get them out of my head. Enjoy!

NOTES

1 . Shakespeare is a real English pub in San Diego, overlooking the airport and harbor.