You're On Your Own, Kid (A Lt. Bob Floyd Fanfic)

Chapter 1

A/N - I know I just now finished "Two Ghosts", but I just love Bob so much! Also, you can blame Taylor Swift for this one.

Caroline "Kamikaze" Kazansky's birth was the U.S. Navy's worst kept secret.

The cover story was Iceman had an affair with a woman while on deployment and she ended up pregnant, dumping Caroline on Iceman's doorstep three months after her birth.

But higher ups whispered behind closed doors.

"Reckless."

"Dangerous."

"Just like Maverick."

"No way she's Ice's kid."

Caroline always knew she was different from her siblings with her dark hair and green eyes. She knew her father and Sarah loved her, but she sometimes felt like she didn't fit in with the rest of her fair-haired siblings.

A lot of times she got mistaken for a friend of the family or the babysitter for her younger brothers and sisters. So when she got old enough, she applied for the U.S. Navy. Caroline wanted to make a name for herself.

Sure, people accused her of being a nepotism baby, but she quickly proved them wrong when she made it to Top Gun and graduated at the top of her class just like her father did.

Right now, Caroline was back in Fightertown, USA for a special Top Gun mission.

Sarah hugged her as she walked through the door. "Oh it's so good to have you home!"

Caroline hugged her stepmother back.

"Your father is in his office."

"How...how is he?"

Sarah sighed and brushed some dark hair from Caroline's face. "It's too soon to know. It hurts him to talk nowadays."

Caroline nodded and walked down the hallway to her father's office passing pictures of her father and her siblings, her father's RIO Ron "Slider" Kerner, her godbrother Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, and finally a picture of her father and his wingman Pete "Maverick" Mitchell.

She entered her father's office and saw him sitting at his desk. "Hey, old man."

Her father smiled and turned in his chair.

"Oh, no. Please don't get up."

He gave her a playful glare, causing her to laugh.

"I know. I know you don't like when I mother you."

He stood up and opened his arms.

Caroline hugged her father. "Thank you for calling me back."

"Missed you," he croaked into her ear, "Best of the best."

"The best of the best, huh?"

She could name quite a few aviators that fit that description.

"Go have fun," her father told her.

Caroline pulled away and looked at her father. "What? No. I'm gonna stay here with you."

Her father shook his head. "Go."

Caroline playfully pouted, but finally kissed her father on the cheek and left the house, heading for the beach. She walked into the Hard Deck.

It was early, so there weren't many people there yet.

She did however spot a familiar head of blonde hair. "Wow. They must be desperate to call on you Hangman."

Hangman turned to her with a smile. "Well if it isn't my favorite nepotism baby." Hangman set his beer down and wrapped his arms around her waist, spinning her gently.

Caroline giggled as he set her down. "Who's your friend?" Caroline asked.

Hangman threw his arm around the guy. "This is Lieutenant Javy "Coyote" Machado. Coyote, meet Lieutenant Caroline "Kamikaze" Kazansky."

Coyote's eyes went wide. "You're the Admiral's daughter? But you..."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Don't look anything like him. Yeah, I know."

"Care to join us for a game of darts?" Hangman asked.

Caroline laughed. "Against you? No way."

"Suit yourself." Hangman picked up a dart and threw it at the board, hitting the bullseye. He threw another dart and hit the bullseye again.

Coyote put his hand over Hangman's eyes.

Hangman threw another dart and hit the bullseye.

Coyote looked at the board in disbelief as Caroline laughed.

Hangman slapped Coyote's hand in a high five and went to retrieve his darts.

"That is why I won't play darts with you," Caroline said.

"Because you know you'd lose?" Hangman asked.

"Well you know I always like to win. I'm a Kazansky. But there is one game I'll always beat you in..." Her eyes drifted to the pool table.

"No. No way."

"What's the matter Hangman? Afraid to get beat by a girl?"

Hangman leaned in close to her. "Well you know I always like to win. I'm a Seresin."

"Oh? Is that supposed to impress me?" Coyote laughed.

Hangman and Caroline had always had a flirty relationship, ever since flight school. They hadn't been at Top Gun the same year, but she knew he had graduated first in his class.

Caroline stood up and walked towards the pool tables, picking up a cue. "C'mon, Hangy. One game."

"One."

She handed one pool cue to Coyote. "Rack 'em." As she turned, her eyes met those of another aviator.

One with blue eyes and glasses.

A/N - I promise we'll officially meet Bob in the next chapter and start building their relationship!