ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴏɴɴᴀ ʙᴇ ᴍʏ ɢɪʀʟ - b.bradshaw

007

I smiled weakly as he nodded at me reassuringly, his eyes glossing over. I simply wiped away his small tears as I rested my forehead against his, our eyes closing as we savoured whatever this was.

After a moment we were pulled away when Bob gripped onto Bradley's shoulders and Phoenix twirled me around, her eyes glistening in happiness.

I always hear how a pilot's most treasured memory was when they were in the air for the first time. Finally levelling out with the clouds, their eyes being blinded by the sun as the world was left behind. But I know, that my treasured memory will always be on the ground, looking up as my favourite people receive the communion of the infinite.

"everybody was dancin' in the moonlight
dancin' in the moonlight
everybody's feeling warm and right
it's such a fine and natural sight
everybody's dancin' in the moonlight."

It was around five thirty in the morning. I know that because the sunlight had just started to peak through the curtains, lighting up Bradley's face with a dusty orange hue as his eyes stare back into mine.

We'd both been awake for hours, feeling no need to talk as we looked at each other. I spent every second staring at his slightly crooked nose, his tanned skin that brought out minuscule freckles, his beautiful eyes that made me dread blinking in fear of losing the sight of them. But for all I knew, he was just trying to win a staring contest.

I didn't realise that he was in fact looking at me in even more detail, my grey eyes and my wavy hair that fell onto my round cheeks. I took a deep breath and whispered "We should probably sleep." and without saying anything, he blinked and pulled me into his arms, my head resting in his shoulder.

We both knew that in an hour we had to get up to meet the lieutenants and Hondo at the airbase as dad picked out his team. But in that moment, all of the emotions since we were eleven flooded through us, and we laid in bed, in complete ambivalence.

"It has been an honour flying with you." my dad declared, standing at the front of the hall on the carrier as the lieutenants sat in front of him. I stood to the side with Hondo, intense pride and fear swirling around me.

"Each one of you represents the best of the best. This is a very specific mission. My choices are a reflection of that and nothing else." he added, and I took in a deep breath as the admiral practically drawled "Choose your two foxtrot teams."

Dad looked over the crowd and sighed before saying "Payback and Fanboy. Phoenix and Bob." I smiled at the four, holding in a laugh as I saw Nat and Bob discretely high five under the table.

"Choose your wingman." the Admiral continued, and dad took a minute before answering. "Rooster." I saw him look up in confusion, turning to me but I just grinned in pride as it sunk in that he was going out there.

Admiral Bates added "The rest of you will stand by on the carrier for any reserve role that's required. Dismissed." and I smiled as I stepped over to Bradley as he stood up slowly.

No words needed to be said as I linked my hand with his, his sweaty palm encasing mine as I rubbed the back of his hand reassuring him. We joined up with the rest of the aviators, and as we walked outside I turned to stop him.

"I love you Harper." he whispered, and I nodded before replying "I love you too you shithead. Be safe." and I kissed him softly and quickly as he chuckled.

I backed away slowly, our eyes making contact for a second longer before I spun around to catch up with dad and Phoenix, wishing them good luck before I sped back inside to regroup with the Admirals and Hondo.

My role was simple, watch from the background and only intervene if they desperately needed me. To be honest, I would definitely be more of a hindrance as my opinion would without a doubt interfere with protocol. Still, I stood back with shaky breaths as I heard the order my dad called.

"dagger attack." I heard over the radio, and I exhaled quietly in realisation of the enormity of this mission. I felt Hondo come forward and pat my back slowly, and I looked over my shoulder to smile at him as we all focused on the mission.

As the group entered the valleys, I glued my eyes to the screen to watch as dad, Phoenix and Bob storm through, their skills shining through. It wasn't long however, until Bradley slowed down and despite the orders barking down for him to respond, all we could hear was his laboured breaths.

I sucked in my breaths as I closed my eyes, listening in attentively to the comms in hope of hearing anything. "Don't think, just do." my dad whispered, and we all laughed with relief as Rooster stared to speed up dramatically.

"Not that fast Rooster!" Payback shouted as he and Fanboy tried to follow after him, and I smiled as my faith in them all was being proved right.

Once dad had launched the first bomb and successfully started to climb the steep mountain, my stomach dropped as I heard Fanboy frantically shout "Deadeye! Deadeye!" down the radio, and everyone visibly held their tongue as Rooster replied "There's no time, I'm dropping bombs."

As soon as it dropped the last two flew straight up to coffin corner to follow the rest of the group, and everyone focused in as the gravitational force on the aviators increased dramatically. Once they shot out, the SAMs were immediately on them, and I leaned forward when all that any of us could hear was a symphony of shouts of smoke in the air and flares away.

Despite all of my anxiety, none of it was matched to the moment where I heard all the pilots collectively shout "Maverick!" and my heart fell when the little blue icon of dagger one on the screen turned red.

My eyes glazed over as I heard Phoenix shout "Maverick's down!" and I knew right there and then that today was going to get even worse. Because Bradley was going to go after him.

I turned around quickly and darted across the room to Hangman, falling into his open arms as he encased me in a hug. He can be rude and selfish, but he knew just as well as I did that Bradley would go after him, so he comforted me like the end was already here. It wasn't the same as Bradley's hugs though. Or dad's. No hug's were the same as dad's. 

I looked up at the usually smiling man, his eyes creased in worry as he looked down to me. "Please, go help them." I urged, and he looked at me for a second before nodding, getting ready to ask the Admiral for permission.

I walked back over to Hondo, and held in my sobs as he put his arm around me. 'This is it" I thought. "This was the moment I had feared."

This was the moment that two of the most important people in my lives would leave me.