𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐔 | 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐲 "𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫" 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐰

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐎

{CHAPTER 𝟎.𝟐}
WORDS LEFT
UNSPOKEN

We looked at each other a little too long to be
"just friends"
- 𝐡.𝐰

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"YOU READY FOR THIS?" Maverick asked his daughter as they began to walk on deck. "Me? You should be asking yourself that question, old man." Fallon expressed with a toothy smile, earning one right back from her old man. "Your instructors, top gun graduates there, consider to be two of the finest pilots this program has ever produced. "Admiral Bates complements as the two approach the bench, all eyes on them and by the facial expressions some regret their action from the previous night. "What they have to teach you may be the difference between life and death." He continued on. "I give you captain Pete Mitchell callsign; Maverick and Lieutenant Fallon Mitchell callsign; Falcon." Bates ended, moving aside making room for the Mitchells.

I could tell by the look on Brad's face he was livid to see my dad. The crap they have going on is beyond childish all they needed to do was communicate. Well I guess I'm one to talk. "Good morning." Fallon greeted with a smile, from behind the podium catching Bradleys eye earning a wink from Hangman and a smile from Brad. "The f-18 natops." Fallon acknowledged holding up the book. "It contains everything they want you to know about your aircraft. I'm assuming you know the book through and through." She led on, eyebrows raised. "Damn right! Damn straight! You got it!" They spoke confidently. The dark haired girl chuckled looking over to her dad, handing him the book switching places. Maverick threw the book into the trash, "So does your enemy." He acknowledges, looking at each and everyone of them. "But what the enemy doesn't know is your limits. I intend to find them, test them, push beyond." The captain went on, earning an eye roll from rooster. "Today we'll start with what you only think you know." You show me what you're made of. Maverick landed.

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"Rooster!" Maverick called out walking behind Bradley with his daughter by his side. "Bradley! Lieutenant Bradshaw!" He Called out, stopping Rooster in his tracks, Turning around facing him. "Yes, sir." Brad spoke sternly. "I'm not sticking around for this one." Fallon spoke, walking off leaving the two men to themselves. Fallon headed into the break room with Phoenix, hangman, coyote and a few others. They listened to Maverick over the radio intercom. "So you didn't mention you were a lieutenant." Hangman pointed out taking a seat next to Falcon. She chuckled, following a small smile. "That's because after I graduated last year I was done. Being a pilot may run in my blood but I didn't yearn to be one anymore. " She explained, pulled out hangman's toothpick. "Pay attention, you'll wanna hear this." The dark haired girl insisted, turning up the radio volume. "If I shoot either one of you down you both lose." Maverick spoke through the radio. "Sir, what say we put some skin in the game?" Pay back suggested in the air. "What do you have in mind?" My father asked, never backing down from a challenge.

"Whoever gets shot down first has to do 200 push-ups." Payback wagered. "Guys, that's a lot of push ups." Maverick acknowledged, hooking his gear. "You got yourself a deal gentleman. Fights on lets turn and burn." He stated. By the sound of swearing Fallon could tell her dad was kicking their asses in the air. "Down! 109" Coleman called out as Rooster tended to his push ups. "That should be us down there." Fanboy acknowledged, from the side of Fallon watching Rooster. "But it's not." She pointed out, "And now you know a little something about Bradshaw." She stated walking away in her pilot gear. "Say, Phoenix hows about we tell everybody that "Bob"stands for something? Other than Robert." Hangman taunts. "I'm in—" Bob states before being cut off, "Don't take the bait Bob. Wanna know why we call him hangman?" Phenix eggs on with a grin. "Oh wait, I got it "Baby On Broad." Hangman continues to taunt with a hysterical laugh that is soon cut short by Fallon flying through both planes. "Shit!" Hangman cursed. "Greetings, aviators. Fight's on." Fallon mimicked, zooming through the air. "That's two kills." Fallon pointed out kill both Phoenix and Hangman.

Coming back from the showers from her flight, she entered the break room where everyone is surrounded by the radios. "Who's in the air?" I questioned, dreading the answer. "Rooster and Hangman." Fanboy answered, eyes moving from Fallon back to the radio. "What's going on?" She asked. "Maverick and Rooster are in some sort of competition." Phoenix voiced. "Shit." The dark haired girl mumble under her breath brushing her finger through her hair. "Hard deck is 5000 feet, fellas. You are running out of room." Hangman informed over the monitor.

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        "Alright that's enough. Rooster, that's enough." Hondo spoke, as Rooster came to the end did his pushups. He was done and yet he wouldn't stop, Hondo soon left him to himself . Fallon soon approached the dedicated pilot. "What the hell is wrong with you? Are you trying to get yourself kicked out?" The girl concerningly spat, as Bradley sat up.  "What do you care? You won't even look at me." He pointed out looking up at her as she looked down at the ground hearing his words. "I know how bad you want this...that's why. I know you want it more than anything." I voiced, thinking yea he wants it's more than he wants us..more than he ever wanted us. There's nothing more naïve than a girl in love. Especially one who won't admit it to herself. "God Fallon, he pulled my papers! He set me back four years." Rooster pointed out with a shout standing up, rage and bitterness pouring from his eyes and yet they were still warm. Fallon locked her in his gaze, her attempts to let the past go..and feelings with it. "That was then this is now...show him why you're doing this." I told him, my hand on his muscular arm. It wasn't the way I remember. But why would it? Time.  The one thing in the world we don't have enough of, it flies by slipping through our fingertips that what it did to me and him. He looked at the brunette, her hand on his arm feeling her warmth and the tenseness in his body slowly fading away by something as simple as Fallon's touch. Their eyes drifted back to each other, causing Falcon to swiftly mover her hand placement abruptly walking away from the scene.