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

Chapter 3

After getting thrown out on his ass, Maverick stood up and started to walk back to his motorcycle when he heard "Great Balls of Fire" being sung by none other than Rooster himself.

Caroline, or Kamikaze as she was known in the Navy, was sitting on top of the piano singing right along with a huge smile on her face. The little girl he'd never met.

Maverick was always on deployment when she was at home and when he visited, she was always off at boarding school. Not knowing that there was a reason behind Iceman keeping his daughter at an arm's length away from Maverick.

He was unsure if Rooster and Caroline were an item, judging by the way she had jumped into his arms, but he knew he would find out sooner or later.

Rooster finished his performance and jumped up from the piano as his fellow servicemen and women started chanting his call-sign.

Caroline laughed at her god-brother as he danced around. "No wonder they call you Rooster."

Rooster turned to Caroline and smirked. "That's not the only reason why they call me Rooster."

Caroline scrunched her nose and gagged. "Oh gross! I did not need to know that!"

They talked and got to know the pilots that would be on their team until late in the evening.

"I should be getting back," Caroline said. She turned to Bob. "You need a ride?"

Bob's cheeks turned red. "Uh...I...um, no."

Rooster threw an arm around her shoulder. "I'll drive you home, Lina."

Caroline rolled her eyes and shrugged his arm off of her. "I drove here, dumbass. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

She left the Hard Deck and drove home, only to find her father waiting for her in the living room. "Hey, you should be resting. You didn't need to wait up for me."

He stood up and walked towards her. He cupped her cheek in his hand and kissed her forehead.

"Love you too. Goodnight." She could only imagine what Maverick would have them doing tomorrow.

"Attention on deck!"

They all stood up straight as Admiral Bates and Admiral Simpson walked up.

"Morning. Welcome to your special detachment. Be seated," Warlock told them.

They sat down.

Caroline had opted to sit by Rooster, since the bespectacled backseater she wanted to sit with was sitting with his pilot.

"I'm Admiral Bates, NAWDC commander. You're all Top Gun graduates. The elite. The best of the best."

Rooster looked at Caroline, who just rolled her eyes and bumped his shoulder with hers.

"That was yesterday. The enemy's new fifth-generation fighter has leveled the playing field. Details are few, but you can be sure we no longer possess the technological advantage. Success, now more than ever, comes down to the man or woman in the box. Half of you will make the cut. One of you will named mission leader. The other half will remain in reserve."

Hangman looked back at Rooster and Caroline.

Caroline flipped him off and he turned back around.

Rooster raised a fist and Caroline tapped his knuckles with hers.

"Your instructor is a Top Gun graduate with real-world experience in every mission aspect you'll be expected to master. His exploits are legendary. And he's considered to be one of the finest pilots this program has ever produced. What he has to teach you may very well mean the difference between life and death. I give you Captain Pete Mitchell. Callsign: Maverick."

Rooster was practically glaring daggers at Maverick.

Maverick stepped up to the podium. "Good morning." He held up the NATOPS. "The F-18 NATOPS. It contains everything they want you to know about your aircraft. I'm assuming you know the book inside and out."

Maverick threw the book in the trash can. "So does your enemy. But what the enemy doesn't know is your limits. I intend to find them, test them, push beyond. Today we'll start with what you only think you know. You show me what you're made of."

Well this was gonna be fun.