Eye of the Storm

-> i love you

"Brad... it's beautiful." I say, gawking towards the water.

"Sometimes while I was at Top Gun, and it had been a really long day, I'd come here and just... think." Bradley admits.

Curious, I press, "What did you think about?"

"Lots of things."

"Like?"

"Life, the future, you."

I give him a little glare. "If you say one more cringey, lovey dovey thing, I might have to throw myself off this cliff and into the ocean, Feather Face."

His face scrunches up in annoyance, "Why do you keep calling me that? Just call me Rooster, or better yet, Bradley."

"Because it's more fun this way."

He lets go of my hand to get out of the car, and says, "Come on."

He leads me to the back of his truck, grabbing a couple of blankets. We've decide to lay down in watching the sun go under the horizon, and the stars as they decide to come out in the night sky.

It's gets a little chilly, and Bradley gave me his his aviator jacket. It's warm and fuzzy, and it smells like him.

Music is softly playing from the car, as we admire the stars and each other.

"Bradley?"

He grunts.

"I don't think I'm going on the mission."

He sits straight up, and looks me in the eye. "Rachel Lynn Mitchell, you are going on that mission. If not, you'll leave us for dead with Hangman."

I laugh, "But my dad is probably going to be team leader after the stunt he just pulled. Either that, or he's going to get a court martial. The navy somehow can't get rid of him, which means, there only one solo pilot from our class going up."

Bradley stays silent, he's knows I'm right about my father.

"And it'll be you."

"What? We're talking about the same guy who pulled my papers at the academy, right?" He says, leaning back on one of his arms.

I scoot closer.

"I just found you he tried to pull my papers too."

"He did?" Bradley asks angrily, it's a sore topic for him, and I don't blame him. Not only did it set back his career, but it drove us apart.

"Yep, but he didn't know I went there after I left. I didn't tell him, and he only figured out when a co-worker of his mentioned it. He searched my room and found the letter. And my dad didn't want me to hate him, but he lost me as soon as I lost you."

"Yeah, you left town without saying anything. I always thought you ran out because of me." He says, his hand running through his hair.

I breathe out, "Well kinda. I couldn't face my father after we fought. He took away your dream, and I hadn't told him I got into the Academy. So I left."

"Hey it's okay. Now look at us. Top Gun graduates, we've always been dreaming of this, huh?"

"You betcha." I pause. "Bradley, when you go up on that mission... please promise me you'll come back."

"You have just as much of a chance going up there as me." Rooster tries to convince me.

"Maverick will never choose me, no matter how good of a pilot I might be. He wouldn't put me up there, he couldn't handle if he lost me too. This is a life or death mission, Bradley."

He argues, "All of our missions are."

"Just... promise me you'll come back."

"I'll always come back for you."

I let out a sigh of relief, "Good. Because you can't escape me that easily."

Bradley sits up, and pulls me up with him. His brown eyes are full of admiration, but they look serious right now. "I promise that when the mission's over, we'll get married. Not immediately, no. But I'll start taking you on more dates, I'll ask you to be my girlfriend, I'll propose, and it'll happen sometime in our future. We have all the time we need. Rach, I love you."

Bradley loves me. He loves me. I've been waiting for this moment for years, my heart feels like it's about to explode.

"I love you too, Rooster. And after we get married, we'll have a couple of little Bradshaw's running around the yard, trying to see who can grow the best mustache." I add to his little fantasy.

"Hey! I thought you liked my mustache! And besides, it would be nice to have a little girl or two."

"With you as her dad and Maverick as her grandpa? Yeah, you won't let her date and go out of the house until she's 40."

"We'll see. I love you Rachel." He tests out again, as if he can't believe that this is finally happening.

I have a smug grin on my face, which is only explained by my response of, "I know."

Rooster climbs over me, and leans in really close, so close I think he's going to kiss me again.

He starts tickling me.

I squirm and try to move, but he has an iron grip.

Bradley says, "Take it back!" His attack only gets worse.

"Never!" I say between fits of giggles and tears.

He's relentless, and eventually I lament. "Okay, okay, I love you too Bradley! Just stop!"

He stops, and I gasp for air, my face more red than when I blushed.

Rooster continues to hover over me, "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Suddenly aware of our position, I blush, looking up at him from under my eyelashes.

He notices the change in the air, the newfound tension. Looking down at me, his eyes asking permission.

I nod.

He leans in, but I meet him the rest of the way.

Finally...

Our kiss starts pretty innocent, with only my lips on his. But then my mouth begins to move quicker with his. I bite his bottom lip, dragging my teeth along it slowly. Rooster grabs the back of my neck, to deepens the kiss, and I let him. I run my hands up and down his back, before securing them at his neck.

My senses were heightened, I could feel every touch, every caress, and his mustache was bristly but in the best way. 

He felt warm and familiar. Solid and safe. I wanted to cling to his shirt, bury my face into his body, and never let go.

Rooster made me feel like I was his sun and moon. Like I belonged with the stars above us.

At this moment, I knew three things.

1~ I loved Bradley.

2~ He was a good kisser.

3~ And he was all mine.

Out of air, we both slowly pull away. Rooster returns to his position next to me, never taking his eyes off of mine.

Rooster has a lazy grin slathered across his face, and I know I had one to match.

Looking at him, I realized how lucky I was.

But then worry surged through me, because we both had to survive tomorrow.