mentions of panic attack
Landing back on the tarmac after her brush with death and the emergency chopper being sent for Phoenix and Bob, Oakley collapses by her plane.
For the first time, she can't slow her breathing. She can't think, her lungs are tight. Nothing is working to slow down.
"Oak!" A muffled shout is all she can hear besides the pull up pull up just repeating over and over.
"hey hey. Look at me. Look at me." Raising her head to look at him, Bradley's heart breaks as the tears are falling on Oakley's face.
"Hey hey. Imma need you to take a deep breathe okay. We will do it together okay? Three two one." Placing her hand on his chest, Bradley takes a deep breath with Oakley.
"One more, give me one more. There we go."
Throwing her arms around Bradley's neck, he moves so that Oakley is just sitting in his lap as he hugs her. Soft sobs can be heard from Oakley as he just holds her.
"I'm sorry. I got tears on your suit." Oakley huffs as she pulls away.
"Hey don't be sorry, are you okay?"
"No." Pulling her in again, Bradley stands up while moving Oakley to his arms to carry her back into the hanger.
"Are N-Nat and Bob okay?" Oakley suddenly looks up and around.
"They landed a few minutes ago they are at the med bay right now. Which is where I'm taking you right now."
"No no. I want to wait here for them. I'm fine."
"No, you have to be checked out."
"No, i'm fine." Bradley lets out a low chuckle as she hiccups.
"Let me wait with you, please." Looking at her, Bradley sees that she cares more about her friends than her most recent plummet to the earth.
"Fine, but as soon as we know, I'm taking you to the med bay. Deal?"
"Okay." Taking her back to the common area, Bradley puts her down on one of the couches.
"Are you sure you are okay?" He asks.
"Yeah, I don't know why the G's really hit me today."
"Yeah, I'm just glad you were able to wake up before the mountain."
"me too me too." Placing her head on Bradley's thigh, Oakley can't help it as sleep overtakes her and she's out like a light in three minutes.
Moving her head over, Bradley stands and walks over to the wall with pictures from every single class of pilots that flew with Top Gun. His eyes land on the picture from his dad's class.
He smiles, looking at how happy Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw was to be there. Standing there right by his favorite Naval Aviator, Iceman and Maverick. He will never understand why the papers were pulled, why Maverick was only helping himself when the papers were pulled. It's not fair that Bradley hasn't gotten an answer. Sitting down, Bradley sighs.
The door clicks open and just by the footsteps, Bradley knows that it's Maverick stepping in.
"They'll keep Phoenix and Bob in the hospital overnight for observation. They're gonna be okay. Is she okay?" Maverick asks, pointing to Skywalker fast asleep.
"Yeah, she says she is but we were waiting to hear about them."
"But, um that's good. I've never lost a wingman."
"You're lucky. Fly long enough, It'll happen. There will be others."
"Easy for you to say. No wife, no kids. Nobody to mourn you when you burn in." At this point, Bradley does not want to hold back.
"Go home. Just get some sleep."
"Why'd you pull my papers at the academy? Why did you stand in my way?!" Bradley's sudden outburst stops Maverick in his tracks and wakes Oakley.
"You weren't ready." Oakley stays where she is not moving, not wanting to be in the middle of this.
"Ready for what? Huh? Ready to fly like you?" Bradley marches over to Maverick standing his ground.
"No, ready to forget the book. Trust your instincts. Don't think, just do. You think up there, you're dead. Believe me."
"My dad believed in you." the small gasp does not go unnoticed by the two younger pilots but Bradley continues "I'm not gonna make the same mistake."
"Maverick." Admiral Bates steps into the doorway. Giving Bradley one last look he walks away.
"Brad?" A timid voice comes from the couch and Bradley turns and runs over.
"Whats up? Are you okay?" He panics.
"Yeah yeah are you?"
"Yeah, oh you heard that?"
"Yeah i did, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. Do you wanna talk about it?"
"No. Not tonight at least. I want to take you to the med bay." He reaches to pick her up again.
"It's ok Bradley, I can walk now."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I think I am just gonna go home."
"No you promised me. that we would go."
"Look im sorry but I am really tired and I just wanna sleep in my bed."
"If i can't talk you out of it, then you can't talk me out of coming back with you and keeping watch."
"Are you sure?"
"Eh no fighting, this isn't a fight you are gonna win."
"okay I guess."
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"Guys, Iceman died tonight." Jake comes into the living room where everyone besides Natasha and Bob are sitting.
"What?"
"The Commander?" Mickey gasps.
"Yeah, the legend." Bradley comments.
"Where is Oakley?" Jake asks.
"She's sleeping."
"Well, the funeral is tomorrow. We are given the day off for it." Jake walks away.
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Standing in a cemetery in the best navy uniform you could get shouldn't be an regular occurrence, but for every single one of those pilots standing there watching the Navy Commander be lowered 6 feet under ground, many feel like they are at this spot way too much. Including Bradley.
And because of protocol, Oakley can't reach over and hold his hand. Because she knows that he is playing over his dads funeral.
Watching Maverick pound the gold wings into the coffin broke her heart. No one should ever have to do that and yet, that's what they all signed up for. It's in the really fine print.
A tear rolls down her cheek as the planes fly over and perform the missing man formation.
When that plane flies toward the sky, it means that the Renowned Navy Commander Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky is
truly gone.
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