Top Gun: Phantom| Rooster

Chapter 20.

"Rooster, don't", Fanboy shouted when he went to go after Maverick.
My whole body was shaking.
I felt like I was suffocating and I got lightheaded.

I couldn't help him, neither could Rooster.
I wanted to break down but I had to get Bob to the carrier as soon as possible.
He hasn't been responding for a few minutes.
"I love you too", I whispered.
I knew that he wouldn't turn back, even if I begged him.

Maverick was gone.

And suddenly, I knew how he felt like when Goose passed.
"There is nothing you can do, Phantom", I heard Payback say.
I couldn't answer.
I just wanted to disappear.
I regret all the bad things I've ever said to him, he didn't deserve it.
My dad just wanted to protect me.
He was my hero, he always was.

"Comanche, Dagger two, bandits are approaching", a voice informed Rooster.
"I know, I see them", he said.
"God, Rooster. If you don't get out of there now your dead", Payback yelled into his microphone.
I closed my eyes.
This wasn't happening.

I could already see the carrier, when I opened them again.
Then, we all heard a loud noise through the headphones. And then silence.
"Bradley?", I screamed when his aircraft disappeared from my screen.
"Dagger two is hit, I repeated Dagger two is down", a voice confirmed.
My heart skipped a bad.
"Oh god", Fanboy whispered.
I screamed from the top of my lungs. "No!"
My heat broke.
I couldn't think. I couldn't think.
Tears were streaming down my face but I had to stay strong.
There was still hope for Bob.
I had to be strong.

"I need medical help. Robert Floyd is unconscious. My back seater is unconscious", I announced when we were about to land.
When I had my plane in the right position, I opened up the hood.
Bob face was covered in blood. He must've hit his head.
"Bob, talk to me", I said as I tried to get him up.
He wasn't responding. His eyes were closed but when I looked at his chest I noticed that he was still breathing.
"Oh, bob", I let out a few tears when I opened his seatbelt.
"Let's us help, Phantom", Fanboy and Payback got up and I saw the medics arriving.

"I'll go with him, don't worry", I heard Phoenix voice.
Her swollen, red eyes told me that she had been crying too.
"Your gonna be alright", I let go of his hand and he disappeared with the doctor and a few nurses.

"I'm sorry, Nicki", Fanboy said as he looked at me. He had tears in his eyes.
I felt dizzy so I sat down on the stairs.
I couldn't handle this.
Those were the only people I really loved.
My dad.
I loved Brad.
I can't live without them.
I rested my face in my hands.

A few minutes passed and no one said anything.
No one cheered that we accomplished the mission.
No one was happy.
We had just lost two of our best pilots.

I just lost my family.

I remembered the last night at home when Brad and I sat on the balcony.

We sat outside and watched the sun go down.
"What do you want to do after the mission?", he asked.
"I don't know, I go where ever I'm assigned to, I guess", I answered as I took a sip of my tea. "What about you?"
"I don't know", he shrugged. "Does this job ever not fulfill you?"
"I never thought about that. You?", I asked back.

He wanted to be a father, he wanted to have a family.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that my answers would've been completely different now.
I wouldn't go wherever I'm assigned to.
I would go where he would go.
I didn't have the balls to admit it back them but he turned my world around.

That's what love does.
Suddenly you care more about that person than yourself.
Every bad situation could be turned by them.
A piece of my heart was ripped out when I heard that my father and him were gone now.
Even though, I have to adapt to that now, the void will never be filled.