The Pact // Bradley Bradshaw

Epilogue

Bradley Bradshaw
One Year Later
North Island

Rooster had spent the last six months overseas. He and Haley had stayed in touch somewhat after graduation initially, but that contact slowly became ghost like. It had been all formal, just how are you, how is your air base, basic things. They slowly seemed to grow apart without realizing it. Or maybe they were retreating. Rooster had gotten orders six months ago, and he really lost touch with her then. It didn't mean he didn't think about her, he did. He went out with Phoenix once when her squadron was assigned near his recently, but he felt nothing. Like hanging out with a friend, and she wasn't Haley.

He had just gotten back to Virginia Beach when he got news he was being moved again. At least the moving around kept his mind busy, but it wasn't enough. This news was pretty damn exciting though, and something he had been waiting for for a while. It was acceptance to Top Gun. He had gotten to North Island that morning, and knew a lot of the pilots were hanging out at the bar. He would be close to Maverick too while he went through the 13 week program.

Rooster didn't know who all was in his class yet since it hadn't begun. He figured he would be finding out soon at The Hard Deck who a few were. He walked into the bar, and sure enough there were pilots everywhere. Some were likely at the air base, but he knew some had to be students. He wondered who the competition was, the best of the best went to Top Gun. Rooster noticed Hangman immediately when he walked inside. That was going to be fucking hell putting up with him. He'd heard a lot about Hangman through the Navy grapevine in the last year. He was one of the best pilots, and so was Haley.

Rooster saw her before she had noticed him. Sitting at the bar was Haley with a drink. She was talking to Sabrina, who was behind the bar counter. He wondered when she started working there, but he was focused on Haley. Her hair was longer than the last time he had seen her, but she looked just as beautiful as the last time he had seen her. Even if her face had been covered with hurt that day. Rooster was a big believer in fate and things happening for a reason. He didn't know where the future went from here, but he knew one thing:

He had been brought back to her.