𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍, bradley bradshaw

chapter thirteen

Dakota folded her arms on the counter and placed her head on them, "God I don't even know anymore. It's all too confusing and," She sighed, rising her chest up and down against the edge of the bar top, "I know that if I allow my non-logical part of my brain to take over that'll get hurt again, yet I don't even think there's a difference anymore. The feeling that I get when I'm around him is indescribable."

Phoenix and Penny gave each other a look, "Honey," the older started as Dakota moved her chin to rest on her forearms. "I think you know that feeling, you just don't want to come to terms to it."

-

The warm light of the afternoon sun shined through the large window overseeing the taxiway full of F-18s. Small beads of sweat gathered on her nose as she looked out at the view, sighing softly to herself as she crossed her legs, kicking the back of Rooster's seat occasionally due to her boredom.

He would clear his throat softly and adjust his pants every now and then, causing a smirk to tighten at her plump lips as she would play with her fingers in her lap. She should be listening to Maverick, firmly stating and getting onto her fellow aviators about their failed flight simulations they- some, of them completed yesterday.

Right now the captain was replaying Coyote, Phoenix, and Bob's sequence, watching as The solo pilot slowed down drastically without any warning to his duo, causing Phoenix with pull up, breaking the maximum altitude and being 'shot down' by the SAMS.

"Why are they dead?" Maverick questioned Coyote, raising his eyebrows as he paused the screen, the simulation of a missile striking down the duo jet. "We broke to three hundred foot ceiling and a SAM took us out." Phoenix stated, a pen in her hand as she rested her elbow against the built-in desk of the chair she was sat in.

Maverick disregarded her, turning his attention back to the solo pilot, "No, why are they dead?" He motioned to the screen behind him. "I slowed down and I didn't give her a warning. It's my fault-" "Is there a reason you didn't communicate with your team?" The captain interrupted, walking from the front of the room and towards him. "I was focusing on-" Maverick interrupted him again, "What will their family accept at the funeral?" A beat of silence, Coyote swallowed harshly, "None sir."

The captain then turned towards Phoenix, "Why didn't you anticipate the turn? You're briefed on the terrain." She went to speak, only to be cutoff, "Don't tell me," he motion his head to Bob seated next to her, "Tell it to his family." She turned her head, furrowing her eyebrows at her back-seater.

The screen behind Maverick then changed to Dakota's flying sequence, showing as she avoided the twists of the canyon, never breaking the three hundred foot ceiling, and making it to the target with ten seconds to spare. A small smile broke out on her face, a small ounce of pride filling her chest as quiet whistles of impressment echoed through the room.

He paused it was her missile hit the target, then turning to her, taking a step towards her as he leaned on the podium behind him. "Why are you dead?"

A shocked expression overtook her features, her jaw dropping slightly, "I'm sorry, sir?" She questioned, furrowing her eyebrows slightly as she tilted her head in confusion. Her eyes drifted to Rooster as he turned in his seat to look at her, not helping with her confused state at the site of his soft eyes gazing at her.

"Why are you dead?" Maverick repeated, as if the answer was obvious. She felt more of the pilot's eyes on her. "I don't understand, sir-" "You we're flying at more than double the speed allotted. Why are you dead?" She inhaled deeply, a small scoff falling from her lips, "With all due respect sir, I made it to the target, well within the given amount of time." Her voice rose a little, slightly annoyed at the captain.