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It was a beautiful day at sea. The warm sun reflected off the water below sending drops of sweat down the faces of the flight deck crew as they worked hard to prepare for the arrival of Raven's F-18 and Maverick's F-14. However, in typical Mitchell fashion, Raven and Maverick made an unsanctioned flyby around the carrier's control tower. What was the Navy going to do? Admiral Simpson already threatened Maverick with retirement and Raven with a court-martial. What was one more strike on their record?
Admiral Simpson watched the father and daughter in flight. In his earlier years at Top Gun, Simpson was acquainted with Raven's mother, Charlie Blackwood. She had spent years studying and learning from Maverick's file which Cyclone always thought was odd. Now, it was all starting to make sense; he could even see the resemblance between the two. "Yeah, she's definitely his kid."
"That's for damn sure," Admiral Bates agreed.
The tailhook of Raven's F-18 successfully caught the thick cable stretched across the runway of the carrier, pulling her into an easy landing. For Maverick, it wasn't that simple. With the jet's damaged landing gear, the flight deck crew extended a net barricade across the runway, capturing the plane inside of it.
As the three pilots climbed out of their planes, the entire carrier's personnel gathered around them, rejoicing over the success of the mission. As Bradley cleared his way through the crowd, several crew members patted him on the back; he sent nods of appreciation their way.
His hand brushed the side of Emerson's waist, turning her to face him. Her lips quirked up, happy to see him in one piece, "Hey—" Bradley's calloused hands gently cupped the sides of Emerson's face. Her emerald eyes sparkled as she stared intently into his brown ones. He was close enough to smell the rose soap that lingered on her skin from last night's shower.
Bradley's heart beat so loudly in anticipation that he was sure those around him could it hear too. He dipped his head down, capturing Emerson's soft, pink lips against his own. Emerson was in a daze; it felt like time wasn't real. Her hands curved around his waist, practically clinging to him, begging for more as if she would wake up and it was all a dream. The kiss consumed the two in a fiery passion. Neither focused on the crowd around them, but rather on how their lips felt against each other.
Though it wasn't their first kiss, this kiss was entirely different than the others they had shared. Previous ones occurred in private moments of intimacy or genuine care and concern. But this kiss, in front of everyone, opened the door to a world where they no longer hid their true feelings behind friendship. A world where Emerson Raye Blackwood was actually Bradley Bradshaw's girl. And he wanted to kiss her like that and with that intention again and again for as long as he lived.
