automatic stop, bradley bradshaw

fifty-eight.

they then hugged, both of them feeling completely over the moon. a crowd of people started cheering behind them, and skye looked over her shoulder to see katia, phoenix, bob, fanboy, payback, hondo, and hangman all at the head of the group cheering them on. skye immediately flushed red, hiding her face in rooster's chest. 

"come on, guys." she groaned, though she was still smiling. 

katia seemed the most excited out of anyone, pointing to a camera in her hands. "you're going to want these pictures." she mouthed, laughing as skye couldn't even pretend to be mad at her. 

hangman stepped forward from the crowd of people, seeming to not quite know whether it would be appropriate to put a hand on skye's shoulder or not. she barely hesitated in wrapping her arms around him in a hug, feeling him tense with surprise before hugging her back. "thank you for saving their lives."

"hey, it's the least i can do." he replied, pulling away to smile at her. hangman looked at rooster, who didn't seem jealous, still smiling. "we. we had a talk, a few minutes ago." he said, looking back at skye. "i already explained everything to him about.. you and me. i didn't want him to think that you ever had feelings for anyone other than him."

skye hugged him again. "not only did you save their lives, jake, you've.. you've saved mine by being there for me when i needed a friend. thank you."

he smiled as she pulled away from the hug, and he looked back over at rooster. "now, i just saved your life, bradshaw." he said, his teasing tone back in his voice. "you two are a little gross, but you're also adorable and perfect for each other. but.. promise me you'll name a kid after me." he said. "you know, for saving your life."

skye moved back over to rooster, wrapping an arm around him. "oh, yeah? a kid named after you?" she looked up at bradley as if she was seriously considering it. "dipshit does have a really nice ring to it, don't you think?" 

hangman rolled his eyes at her joke, stepping back from the two as phoenix ran over to them. "oh my gosh!" she cheered, hugging skye. "i'm so happy for you guys!" 

"you got yourself another kill there, huh riot?" hangman asked.

she shrugged. "eh.. i'll let you take the credit for it this once."

he smiled. "that makes two for me."

phoenix laughed. "mav has five! makes him an ace."

rooster tilted his head with a shrug, daring hangman to argue with the facts. he didn't argue, though, only smiling and shaking his head. rooster then seemed to catch someone in the crowd, looking up over everyone. "captain mitchell!" he called. he moved his hand off of skye's waist. "i'll be right back." he said to her. "captain mitchell!" he walked over to maverick, both of them looking at each other with seemingly nothing to say. "sir-"

maverick didn't wait for him to say anything, only wrapping his arms around rooster in a hug. he pulled away, keeping a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "thank you for saving my life." 

rooster nodded. "it's what my dad would've done." 

they stood in silence for another moment before hugging once more, finally reunited and fully forgiven. "take care of her." maverick said. "you two.. are going to be an amazing couple." 

bradley smiled. "thank you, sir. and i will. i will take care of her." both men looked over at skye, who was laughing as fanboy and payback attempted to lift her and katia into the air. skye looked back over towards the two men she called family, and her eyes found bradley's. they both smiled.

____

when they got off the carrier and back to fightertown, skye and rooster walked side by side to their respective vehicles. rooster had, of course, driven to the base in his truck while skye had brought her motorcycle designed by her father. "so.." skye said when they reached her motorcycle. 

"so.." rooster replied, rocking on the heels of his feet. 

"can i maybe.. stay with you tonight?" she asked.

his brows raised in surprise. "oh! i mean, uh.. yes. yes, if you'd like to. i.. i would like you to."

she chuckled. "okay." they stood in silence for a moment before rooster helped her pick up her motorcycle and put it into the bed of his truck, making sure to secure it. they were comfortably silent on the drive to rooster's place, and he hesitantly moved his hand over to her knee. skye took his hand into hers, intertwining their fingers and looking over at him to see that he was already smiling. 

when they arrived at his temporary house, rooster lit a candle and plugged in his record player. 

"whatcha gonna play?" skye asked as he pulled out a 45 from his collection. she moved behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her face into his back. he adjusted the settings of his record player before dropping the needle, turning the volume up just slightly. 

he turned around in her arms, taking one of her hands into his and placing his other on her waist as she moved her free hand to his shoulder. they didn't waltz, though, they merely swayed back and forth as 'these arms of mine' by otis redding began to play. 

"these arms of mine," the record hummed, "they are lonely. lonely and feeling blue. these arms of mine, they are yearning. yearning from wanting you. and if you would let them hold you. oh, how grateful i would be." 

"i love the dirty dancing soundtrack." skye smiled, looking up at him.

he smiled back. "i know."

skye rested her head on rooster's chest, the waltzing position forgotten as they just held each other, listening to the music fade out. "i love you." she said once the song ceased.

bradley smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "i love you."