Back to You // Bradley Bradshaw

Chapter Eighteen

Haley was finally heading home from the hospital the following morning. Sabrina had brought her some clothes up to the hospital last night. Jake had met her downstairs to get them. He didn't leave all night. She tried to get him to go home, she was okay. She felt fine, minus just being a little sore.

Xavier was totally injury free too, thankfully. They both knew it could have been a lot worse, but everything went to plan when they had to eject. He was walking down the hallway beside her singing. "I fell into a burning ring of fire! It went down, down, down, and the flames went higher!"

Haley looked over at him. "Okay Johnny Cash, we didn't go down in a ring of fire." She said, but he kept on anyway. Whatever tale he wanted to tell. His parents were there and driving him back home. She had met them a few times before, both were lovely people. His dad had a long battle with throat cancer a few years back. She knew Xavier worried about it returning. "See you at work, Blaze." She told him.

Haley felt disappointed Rooster wasn't there that morning. She had wanted to text him, but she hadn't had her phone with her. She knew the reason he left had to be Jake. She didn't feel like she had a right to be disappointed when that was the boundary she had set to begin with. Until she was ready to tell her brother, she knew her relationship with Rooster had to look platonic. She was beginning to wonder how fair that was to Rooster.

"Ready?" Haley snapped out of her thoughts. Her brother was standing there to take her home. She nodded and followed him to the car. He offered to carry her and she rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine. Really. But thank you." Haley answered. She climbed into the passenger seat of his car and put her seatbelt on. Jake pulled out his phone and was typing on it before putting it away. She was quiet on the ride back to her house. She wondered how he was missing out on the morning training. She didn't think they exempted for much at Top Gun. When they pulled up in front of their houses, she unbuckled as her brother did too. They exited the car.

"Listen, I'm going to change and head in. Are you going to be okay?" Jake asked her. She was cleared to return tomorrow, but it would be on ground assignments for a week.

"I'm fine. Sabrina will probably be home anyway. Go. Before you miss anything else." Haley assured her brother. He nodded and disappeared into his own house next door.

    Haley walked up the steps to hers, and Sabrina opened the door. "Hey sparky," She teased as she pulled Haley into a hug. The two girls went inside, closing the door behind them.

    "How are you feeling?" Sabrina inquired. She had a cup of Haley's favorite tea waiting for her. Haley wondered how she knew exactly what time she'd be home.

    "I'm okay. I wish everyone would stop asking. It wasn't that big of a deal." Haley answered. She didn't like all the attention that came from this whole situation. She appreciated the concern, but she didn't want a fuss over her either.

    "Jake told me Bradley rushed out and was the first one at the hospital." Sabrina commented as she passed Haley her tea. Sabrina sat down on the couch, but Haley didn't join her.

    Haley scrunched her face in confusion. "Jake? Since when are you on a first name basis with him?" She asked. Usually it was 'dipshit', 'asshole' or any other variation of a curse word. Haley hadn't heard Sabrina use her brother's first name in years.

    "I let my distaste slide for today since he was not a major asshole and was helpful to you." Sabrina said casually.

    Haley tried to read her expression but couldn't. "I didn't know that, though. They were both there when I woke up. I think they were fighting about something." She took a sip of the tea and then sat it down on the counter. She had wondered about that but didn't get a chance to ask Rooster. She didn't think her brother's answer would be the entire truth if she had asked him.