You and Me, Kid

○ Chapter 01 ○

"Hey, Uncle Mav?" Bradley, the son of his old friend who had died just before their graduation from Top Gun, asked as he leant against the wall of the brunette's living room. The man turned around, smiling at his nephew. "I'm gonna be a dad." Pete, also known by his callsign "Maverick", was ecstatic for the guy, he really was.

"That's great!" he cheered, grinning from ear to ear as he enveloped his surrogate son in a hug. It still hurt, looking at Bradley since he looked so much like Nick as a young adult, but he was absolutely frilled for the guy. He deserved to be happy after everything both he and his mother went through because of a stupid mistake. "When are they due?"

Bradley hugged back, also grinning from ear to ear. "She's due in a couple weeks," he replied, eyes filled with tears. "Do you think this is how Dad felt when it got closer to my due date?"

Pete laughed. "Oh, buddy, he was crying a lot of tears. But that's natural, this is your little girl." Bradley nodded, hugging his uncle once more before heading off to tell his mates, those who had joined them on that mission a couple of years back. Pete watched him go, leaning against his plane with a small smile, mind wandering when he felt arms wrap around his waist.

"Hey, you," a soft voice greeted, smiling as she rested her head on his shoulder. "What you thinking about?"

"Rooster's gonna be a dad," Pete replied, green eyes swimming with so many emotions. He remembered the day Bradley was born and couldn't help but wonder if what happened to his dad would happen to him. Luckily Carole was there for the kid, but Pete couldn't help wondering whether or not Lauren would be there for the kid if the same fate that bestowed Nick would bestow Bradley. As of late, she's been quite standoffish around everyone, especially Bradley. It made Pete's blood boil at the idea of Lauren dumping the kid in an orphanage somewhere just because Bradley wasn't around any longer.

"That's amazing!" Penny cheered, grinning before it faltered, noticing her boyfriend's distant look. "Hey, he's gonna be a great dad, if that's what your worried about, Pete."

"That's not what I'm worried about, Penny," the pilot sighed, turning to look at the brunette. "I'm just worried about if something were to happen to him like what happened with Goose. I can't lose anyone else, not now."

"Pete..." Penny murmured softly, hand brushing up against the man's cheek as he leaned in, eyes closing on instinct. "Pete, it'll be fine. Nothing's gonna happen to Bradley. He knows to wait for the canopy to clear, he knows to be cautious. He's a dad now, he's gonna be more cautious than ever." She was right, like always. When Nick became a father, he had been careful about everything and good on him, since their job was extremely dangerous when it comes down to it.

Weeks passed by and suddenly he got a call from his nephew, the man squealing about his daughter having arrived on the other end of the line. Pete smiled the whole time, listing to the blonde rant about his new daughter. Penny's words still rang in his ears. He's gonna be more cautious than ever. So was Nick and look at what happened. He died and didn't get the chance to see his little boy graduate from Top Gun.

A month later was when it happened, when Pete, as well as Bradley's daughter Autumn's, worlds came crashing down around him.

"I've been hit! I've been hit!" Bradley shouted over the comns, the brunette's heart sinking into his stomach at the implications. "Engine 1 is out." Shit. He still has a daughter to get home to, and I will make sure that happens.

"Shit!" Natasha swore from her end of the comns. Again, Pete's heart faltered at the fear in her voice. What the fuck happened?

"Rooster, Phoenix, come in. Rooster? Phoenix? Rooster, Phoenix, respond!" Blood pounded in his ears. No, no, no, no, this wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Natasha and Bradley were supposed to be by his sides, not lost in the battlefield, possibly missing or worse, dead. "Phoenix. Rooster. Respond!"

"This is Phoenix, I don't have eyes on Rooster." Slight relief flowed through the fifty-nine-year-old at the sound of the female pilot's voice over the intercom, but his heart was still in his stomach at the idea of Bradley still being out there, possibly lost, or dead. Please don't be dead, Rooster, please.

After landing on the carrier and exiting the aircraft, he rushed off to the main control room, ignoring the shouts of his name and callsign in favour of finding out if they had found Bradley. Before he could make it inside, Mike Metcalf pulled him aside and slowly shook his head before walking away. No... It felt like he couldn't breathe as he leant heavily against the wall, tears in his eyes as his mind tried to decipher what this means. No, he... he has a daughter to get home to, damn it! He can't be... Rooster can't be gone.

"Maverick!" Penny shouted, running over to him as he stayed frozen in shock, eyes looking but not quite seeing as his mouth fell agape. "Mav, I'm so sorry." He felt numb all over. At least Rooster knew his dad. Shit, how do I explain this to Lauren? Penny gently wrapped her arms around the grieving man and guiding him to the landing zone for some fresh air where Natasha, much to Penny's surprise, immediately wrapped her team leader in a tight embrace, knowing how hard this must be on him. After all, it was his best friend's son, his nephew, that had just been confirmed dead.

"He's in a better place," she whispered, eyes screwed shut tight. She had been the one to find his body, hand clutching the picture of his month-old baby girl, Autumn Bradshaw. He was supposed to get to see his little girl grow up, for fucks sake! Why... Why must she suffer? Why must Captain Mitchell suffer more? Hasn't he suffered enough? "I'm sorry, Maverick. I..." Pete cut the girl off, hugging back as tears silently trickled down his cheeks, the truth of everyone's words finally settling in; Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw had died in action, he was now a mere memory.

Natasha felt the man's arms tighten around her and she, too, tightened hers around him as Bob, Jake, Mickey, Javy, and Reuben joined the hug, shielding their captain as he slowly broke down as the news finally set in. Bradley, their Rooster, wasn't returning home.

I'm sorry, Autumn... Daddy's not coming home...