Atlas: A Top Gun: Maverick Fanfiction

Chapter 28: Proving A Point

A/N: in case it's not clear, Kelsey is going through it. As always though, let me know what you think!

If Jake thought that some of his days recently were weird, coming home to get kicked out of the house the next night by the sight of Phoenix—his very tomboyish teammate wearing a facemask and purple pajamas—sitting next to his fianceé certainly did the trick.

"Nooooo—you're banished to Javy's for the night!" Kelsey exclaimed, sipping on her capri sun and gesturing emphatically at him.

"But this—"

"You say a single word and I will break your hand." Phoenix retorted without batting an eye, downing the rest of her capri sun in a menacing tone.

"Noted," Jake mumbled, immediately heading for the door.

As soon as he was gone, both women broke into slight giggles. "Did you see his face? He was shocked!" Kelsey exclaimed with a grin.

"You know, when Coyote mentioned Hangman had a girlfriend, I was absolutely certain that she was going to be some evil Malibu Barbie incarnate." Natasha said, sinking back on the couch and handing Kelsey some nail polish.

"And?"

"Well you're not exactly Barbie."

"I'm a firm believer in being Kenough, yes." Kelsey retorted.

"But you keep him on his toes and it's friggin' hilarious." Natasha finished, a grin breaking out on her face. "Still, I think he's marrying someone WAY better than him."

"I for one," Kelsey said, pulling out the brush and beginning to do Natasha's nails. "Will take that as a compliment."

"But I also know you Bradshaws."

"I plead the fact that I changed my name?"

"No," Natasha said, rolling her eyes. "You have an ulterior motive. Just like every time your brother said he needed help studying."

Kelsey visibly gagged at the thought. "Eew! Disgusting! My virgin brain didn't need to hear that!"

"Virgin brain and being engaged to Seresin can't coexist." Natasha said pointedly, then glanced over at the screen. "10 Things I Hate About You?"

"I love this movie," Kelsey breathed out, eyes falling on Heath Ledger with a dreamy smile.

"Don't tell anyone....but I do too." Natasha admitted, somewhat bashfully.

"So...what did go wrong with you and my brother? Not to be overly invasive or anything, but he seemed totally....obsessed with you back when you were in Top Gun together." Kelsey said, finishing up the one hand and moving on to the next.

Natasha thought about it for a moment. She wouldn't lie—a lot of emotions and feelings and memories had been brought up by the mere presence of Bradley Bradshaw. But she was no longer a young woman who thought that true love existed and that if you loved something, you let it go and it would come back to you.

"In the words of Hermione Granger, your brother has the emotional range of a spoon." Natasha deadpanned.

Kelsey didn't even snort, she just gave a nod. "Yeah."

"Yeah?" Natasha questioned in surprise.

"Ever since mom died, he's been a royal asshat and refuses to get close to anyone. Sounds like you cared a lot." Kelsey said, pressing lightly on the subject.