𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐁𝐈𝐍𝐃 | BRADLEY 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 BRADSHAW

𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐔𝐓

━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎𝑹𝑬𝑩𝑬𝑪𝑪𝑨 𝑴𝑰𝑻𝑪𝑯𝑬𝑳𝑳✈︎

In my years as a fighter pilot, I have never lost anyone. I've had friends get injured but they always recovered and got through it.

I asked my Dad once how he handled Goose' death.

"I didn't." He told me.

It's been close to 30 years and he still hasn't dealt with his pain. That blows my mind. Though I can't judge him for that since I've never felt the pain of losing someone that close to you.

So I sit here in the break room, waiting patiently on an answer. The one I want to hear is that Phoenix and Bob are going to be okay. Phoenix and I have gotten so close these last few weeks, I don't know what I'll do if I lose her. Then there's sweet sweet Bob, my fellow Weapons Systems Officer. I hate to admit it but he does the job better than I do.

They're both valuable assets. Not only to our team, but to me. To my life. I don't want to lose them.

I clasp my hands and silently cry into them as I pray to God, something I don't do often. I beg him to spare their lives. They don't deserve this, nobody does.

The door opens and shuts. I blink back tears so I can see better. When my vision clears, I look to find Bradley. I turn away as I wipe my eyes. "You okay?" I nod, keeping myself turned away from him. I feel a dip in the seat. He turns me towards him. His eyes widen, a worried look paints his face. "Becca.."

"It's fine. I'm fine." I push his hand away as he tries to touch my face but he ignores me.

"The mascara going down your cheeks says otherwise." He uses the pad of his thumb to wipe under my eyes.

"Have you heard anything?" I whisper, desperately.

He drops his hand and interlocks our fingers. "No. I haven't."

"Shoot." I hiss bringing a hand to my head. I can feel a headache forming. My body has impeccable timing. "What are we going to do? If they're not okay then-"

"Don't talk like that!" He cuts me off.

"I'm just saying. What if we lose them? I mean after everything that's happened-" He stands from his seat, his tall frame towering over me. What have I gotten myself into? "I- What's happened in the past I mean..."

"I know you're talking about my dad!" He snaps. "You think that's anything like this?"

"N-No I'm not saying that!" I stutter. Gosh I am really digging myself deeper into this hole. The door swings open, I snap my head over to see Dad. Perfect.

I hurry over to him. "Are they okay?"

He grabs my shoulders, trying to calm me down in a way. "They're fine." He whispers. My body relaxes. "They are going to watch them for a while longer. But they will be fine and that's all that matters."

"That's funny. Coming from you." Every word that comes out of Bradley's mouth is laced with hatred and disgust.

"Excuse me?" Dad narrows his eyes at him.

"Based on previous events you seem to just shrug off anyone that gets mutilated." Bradley shrugs. "But hey, maybe I'm wrong."

He shrugs off Bradley's comments and looks to me. "Phoenix and Bob were not mutilated. You should get some sleep. The both of you." He turns to leave but Bradley staggers towards him.

"Why did you take out my papers at the academy? Why did you have to stand in my way?!" He points as he yells in his face.

"You were not ready." Maverick whispers.

"What was I not ready for? To fly like you?" Bradley spits.

Dad's jaw clenched. "No."

"Then what? What am I not ready to do then?!"

"To forget the book. To trust your instincts. Not thinking, just doing." They're now at eye level. Well somewhat. Dad is much shorter than Bradley so it's more of an eye to chin movement. "If you think up there, you will die. Believe me."

"My father believed in you too." Bradley whispers. "I will not make the same mistake."

Dad backs away."I understand you're upset but you need to stay focused on the mission." He heads for the door. "We stay focused, everyone comes home."

"And what if they don't?" I mumble.

He comes to a halt, he gazes over his shoulder. "Then we move on." He answers which I wasn't expecting.

"That's easy for you to say." Bradley starts. "You don't have a wife, no children. There's no one to mourn you when you are gone."

Dad kisses his teeth. "This ends now." His jaw clenches as he turns his attention to me. "You are going to tell him the truth because that's what he deserves." His tone is demanding. A tone I haven't heard since he demanded that I pull my application at the naval academy. "Rebecca." He says gaining back my attention.

My heart drops to the very pit of my soul. My eyes dart from Maverick to Rooster.

"Becca, what is he talking about?" His confused look pains me and realization hits me like a flipping semi truck.

This is it. This ends now.

"Do you remember that night we were on the beach at the hard deck?" I take slow strides toward him. "When you were talking about that memory with your dad?" He nods. "And when you asked if you had told the story before? I lied." More tears start to stream down my face. "I was there."

His brows knit together. "I-I don't understand."

"My mom had taken me there so I could see my dad before his big mission." I look back to Dad. "She thought it would be his last. Cause she always worries that something bad is going to happen to him." I cry out. He gives me a sympathetic look.

"What are you saying?" Bradley's mouth twitches as he looks between the two of us.

I swiftly turn back to him, clearing my throat. "I'm saying that my name is Rebecca Mitchell." I bite my lip regretting my next words. "Maverick is my father."

It's silent for a few seconds. Bradley blinks, it looks as if tears have started to form in his eyes. "Y-You lied to me?"

My heart slowly starts to break. "I lied to everyone." My voice gives out for a moment. "I didn't want to-"

"But you did." He spits. "We were together for three years." He wipes his mouth as tears slide down his cheeks. "You kept this from me?!"

I hold my hands up in defense. "I was going to tell you..."

"When?! When he walked you down the aisle? We ar- We were engaged!" He yells making me flinch. He's never raised his voice at me like this.

I choke out a sob. "I never meant for it to go this far."

"But it did." He whispers. "You let it. And that's enough for me."And with that he stormed out of the room.

My legs give out, I fall to the ground sobbing. "Becca..." Dad whispers from above me.

"What have I done?" I cry. I can't see him but I hear him drop down beside me. He wraps his arms around me as I sob.

How?

How do I manage to ruin every good thing in my life?

I just got him back and I've lost him. Again.

*sorry if this sucks😭