BRADLEY'S POV
We watched the portrait of Iceman as the trumpet was playing. We stood there in our crisp dress blues, I looked over at Sienna who was just staring at her dad who was standing by the casket. I looked over at Maverick, he just seemed numb. He placed the wings onto the casket and hammered it down and then salutes. He looked over at Iceman's family who was in tears. The Navy's Blue Angels flew overhead. One pulled up in a vertical climb, the missing man formation.
After the funeral we all headed back to Top Gun, we had no time to loose. We needed to train. We changed out of the dress blues and into our flight suit. I looked over at Sienna who looked extremely beautiful. We all headed out of the locker room.
"Where you going?" I asked as Sienna walked the other way.
"I'll be right back, don't worry." She said and it seemed strange to me, but we walked into the classroom for the debriefing.
"Captain Mitchell is no longer your instructor, due to personal reasons." Admiral Simpson said and we all looked at each other. Wtf.
"Time to target is now four minutes. You'll be entering the valley level at reduced speed. Not to exceed 420 knots." He said and we all once again looked at each other, what was happening? And where the hell is Sienna?
"Sir, won't we be giving their planes time to intercept?" Bob asked.
"Well, Lieutenant, you have a fighting chance against enemy aircraft. What are the odds of survival in a head-on collision with a mountain?" He asked and we all were silent.
"You will be hitting the target from higher altitude, level with the north wall. It'll be a little harder to hold your laze on the target but you'll avoid the high G climb out." He said and I sighed, dumb fuck.
"And he sitting ducks for enemy missiles." Payback mumbled. Suddenly two planes appeared getting close to the mountain range making us all on the edge of our seats.
"Who the hell is that?" Admiral Simpson asked.
"Maverick to range control, entering Point Alpha. Confirm green range." Maverick said and we all smiled.
"Nice." Phoenix said.
"Bring all the screens up." Admiral Simpson said and a second later the camera from inside of Maverick's plane were shown.
"I'm working on the second plane." Hondo said.
"Aircraft calling range control, range is green, but I don't see an event scheduled for you, let alone two planes." Range control said.
"Well, we're going anyways." Sienna's voice said as her picture came up on the screen and our eyes went wide.
"Good afternoon, aviators, time to rock and roll." She said and we chuckled. I was totally gobsmacked.
"Setting time to target, what should we say dad?" She asked.
"Two and a half minutes?" He asked.
"Let's set it to two fifteen, just for fun." She said and he chuckled.
"Alright." He said.
"That's impossible." Payback said.
"You got yourself a gangster." Hangman said and I chuckled in shock.
"Are you ready ol' man?" She asked.
"Whenever you are." He said.
"Okay, let's go." She said as their jets flew into the course. I felt my heart beating faster and faster. They hug the twists and curves in 900 knots, not breaking the 100 feet ceiling.
"Damn." Hangman said.
"Yeehaw!" Sienna said and we all chuckled as she mastered the twists and curves.
"Look at that altitude." Payback said, shit. They were so low, and dropping.
"920 knots." Hangman said.
"Jesus." I mumbled.
"20 feet off deck." He added.
"The Mitchell Missiles, how 'bout that?" Coyote asked with a chuckle.
"The Mitchell Morons." Admiral Simpson said and we chuckled.
"Either works." Hangman said.
"Popping in 3.....2.....1." They said at the same time as they swooped onto the pop-up climb, pulling severe G's as they top out, rolls and plunges into their bombing dive.
"Lazing the target." Maverick said.
"Bombs away." Sienna said as she dropped the training round and swoops into a climb just in time. My heart was beating fast and then the smoke hit.
"Bullseye!" Payback said.
"Hoooly shit." Hangman said.
"Nice." Phoenix said.
"That's some sharky move." I mumbled with a proud smirk.
"Time to target, exactly two minutes and fifteen seconds." Bob said.
"Damn." Hangman said.
"Target destroyed." She said and it was time for her to concur the coffin corner. Everyone was on edge as the Gs were increasing to an impossible number. She got over the virtual mountain with, Maverick behind her, without entering enemy radar. And I looked over at the readout on the screen. 10Gs.
"10Gs..... damn." Hangman said with a chuckle and I couldn't help myself from smiling and everyone cheered as they had completed mission.
"Well, that was a walk in the park. Wasn't it?" Sienna asked her dad.
"I prefer walks on the beach." He said and she chuckled.
"Shark returning to base." She said.
"Copy that." He said and they started flying back. We all made our way out to see them land and when they were getting closer I realised they were going too fast to land. They flew by in an incredible speed and took a lap of victory around the base which made us all laugh.
"She never fails to surprise." Phoenix said and I smiled widely.
"No, she doesn't." I said. They landed safely and the canopy opened and they both stood up and we all cheered as they laughed. Father and daughter, who would've thought. I jogged over to Sienna as she got down from the plane and I hugged her tightly, picked her up and spun her around.
"You are so goddamn insane." I said with a wide smile and she laughed. I slowly put her down and she looked me in the eyes and I just didn't care anymore, I grabbed her face and kissed her. Our lips moved in sync. My heart was beating faster and faster and faster. I almost felt like I couldn't control myself and my emotions. They were so powerful. We pulled away and immediately everyone rushed over and celebrated that the mission was achievable.
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We walked up to her apartment door and she unlocked it. We walked inside and when she had closed the door I grabbed her hand and twirled her around so she faced me. I gently pushed her back against the door and supported myself with my arm on it.
"You know, what you did up in the air today, was incredibly.... hot." I said and she smirked.
"Well, I only did it to get your attention." She said and I chuckled. I pressed my lips against hers and she put her arm around my neck. I quickly pulled off her shirt before I picked her up and she wrapped her legs around my waist. I carried her to the couch and laid her down, placing kisses from her stomach up to her lips. And when she was undoing my belt the doorbell went off and we both stopped and looked at each other and then at the door. I sat up straight as she got off the couch and pulled her shirt back on. I quickly fixed my belt and she opened the door.
"Dad." She said. Crap.
"Hi, I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you." He said and I looked into the hallway and my eyes met with Maverick's.
"Heey, Maverick." I said and walked into the hallway.
"Rooster, good to see you." He said and I smiled a very forced smile.
"Ehm... I just wanted to ask you... both... if you wanted to grab some dinner." He said and Sienna looked up at me and I thought about for a split second but then gave her a gesture that it was fine.
"Sure, what do you have in mind?" She asked.
"I have some nice steaks at my place, and beer." He said and she chuckled.
"Well, I never say no to a beer." She said and I let out a chuckle.
"You sure about this?" I asked as we were driving after Maverick's motorcycle.
"Nope." She said and I let out a chuckle.
"The guy is trying. And I had no intention of cooking tonight, so." She said.
"Well, you don't have any food in your home so it wouldn't even be possible." I said and she chuckled.
"True." She said. We got to his place and parked the car. He lead us to the backyard and we sat down as he went inside to grab the food he was barbecuing and some beers.
"Does he own this place?" I asked and she shrugged.
"I don't know." She said. He came back out and handed us a beer each. He heated up the grill and put the steaks on. I had no idea what we were going to talk about, I had nothing to say to this guy. I took a sip of my beer as I gently stroke Sienna's back and Tom sat down in front of us.
"It was some cool shit you guys pulled today." I said trying to talk about something.
"Thank you." Maverick said.
"You got appointed team leader, didn't you?" Sienna asked and he nodded.
"But I ain't taking it." He said and we furrowed our brows in surprise of his answer. Wtf.
"Are you insane?" Sienna asked.
"I told them there was someone else much better for the job." He said.
"Who?" I asked. I knew it wasn't me. It couldn't be. He looked up at his daughter and smiled softly.
"No." She said in surprise.
"What?" She asked.
"Really?" She asked and he nodded.
"Yep." He said and took a sip of his beer.
"I'm too old for this, you kids need to practice anyways." He said and we both chuckled. I looked over at Sienna and she looked so happy. I was so proud of her.
"You are gonna do a good job, kid. I know you are." He said and she smiled and looked over at me and I stroke her back making her smile wider.
"So proud of you." I said and she smiled softly at me.
But what about you, dad? Aren't you flying the mission at all?" She asked.
"I will be in reserve. Any sign of trouble and I will be right there." He said and she chuckled.
"Then you probably will lift before we do." She said and he chuckled as we all knew this mission was just trouble itself.
"Well, I need to get the potato wedges into the oven. Be right back." He said and walked back inside.
"I don't deserve to be on this mission, Bradley. I flew once, you guys have been training so hard and-." She said but I stopped her.
"Hey, hey, hey, you got this." I said.
"In total honesty, I didn't think anyone was cut out to lead this mission. I thought it would end up with Maverick no matter how hard we trained." I said and she chuckled.
"You got this." I said and stroke her back.
"Alright kiddos, how about a game of dart?" Maverick asked as he walked back out.
"Alright, game on." I said and they chuckled.
"I'll just make sure we don't burn up your house, you boys go and play." She said and we chuckled as we walked over to the dartboard.
"Here you go." He said and gave me the darts.
"It was really nice of you to let Sienna take the lead on this mission." I said as he threw his first dart.
"Well, she is better cut out for it than I am." He said.
"The whole stealing the planes and proving the mission is achievable, her idea." He said and I looked over at him.
"Her idea?" I asked and he nodded.
"Yep." He said.
"I have understood she was good but I never thought she was that good." I said.
"She's always been that good. She knew everything about the planes and everything before she even entered the academy." He said.
"Just like you." He then added.
"I know you wonder why I did what I did, and I know you are pissed, you have every right to be." He said.
"Your mom didn't want you to fly, not after what happened to Goose. I knew you were going to end up in the navy, you were obsessed with planes and the military from a young age." He said as I threw my darts, and I looked over at him.
"But, I promised her to keep you safe so I pulled your papers, knowing it would give you the time to truly think it over." He said. I had no idea.
"Sir." I said.
"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to resent your mother, it was better that you resented me." He said and I looked down on the ground.
"You know, I failed being a dad and a role model. To Sienna..... and to you." He said and I looked up at him.
"We turned out okay." I said and he smiled softly.
"I don't regret pulling your papers, what I do regret is not being honest and not being there." He said.
"For you..... and Sienna." He said and we looked over at Sienna who was setting the table.
"I'm sorry." He apologised.
"I won't make that mistake again." He added.
"I can't speak for her, sir." I said as I threw a dart.
"But I appreciate you telling me the truth." I said and he nodded.
"And if you can be honest, so can I." I said.
"I don't an apology will be enough for her to forgive you, you need to prove that you will show up." I said.
"I'm working on it." He said.
"And for what it's worth, I think she really misses you." I said and he looked over at me.
"I'm not going to break her heart but she needs her dad to be there for her. You have no idea what she has been through." I said and threw my last dart.
"Hah, bullseye." I said and he chuckled.
"Great shot." He said.
"You better not break her heart." He then said.
"I won't, sir." I said and looked over at her and she smiled softly.
It turned out to be a pretty good dinner after all. I still felt a lot of resentment towards him but I did feel like we could work on that. At least I was willing to, if not for me, then it was for Sienna. I knew if I wanted to be with her, I was going to need to have a civil relationship with him. Because even though she has pretty much given up on him, deep inside, she would never loose the hope she had that he one day would be a dad who showed up.
"You need help?" She asked as Maverick was cleaning up after dinner.
"No it's fine." He said.
"Can we take a look around?" She asked.
"Of course, my casa is su casa." He said and we chuckled. We walked further into the house and looked around. She opened the door into his study that was filled with books and folders.
"Look." I said as I gestured to a bookshelf filled with pictures, achievements and articles.
"Omg." She mumbled as she read an article.
"What?" I asked and she gestured to one of the shelves.
"They are all about you." I said and she nodded.
"He kept tabs on you." I mumbled as I looked harder at all of the pictures of her from the naval academy, top gun and from when she was little. He had framed every single article about her and every achievement she made.
"He still cared." She mumbled.
"He just didn't know how to show it." She said and I gently massaged her shoulders from behind as we watched everything he had framed of her.
"Look." She said and gestured to a shelf a little higher.
"It's me." I said and she nodded.
"He put up articles and pictures of me too?" I asked.
"Uh huh." She said and she turned her head and looked at me.
"Wow." Was all I could get out. We walked around the house a little more and I could see at Sienna that she was a bit taken by what we had found in the study.
Maybe he cared more than she thought?