Below The Hard Deck | A Top Gun Fanfiction

CHAPTER VI

When I dismiss everyone for the day, I hold Rooster back. Nobody needs, or dares, to ask why. I may be mad at Maverick, but that doesn't mean I am about to let Bradley get away scot-free. They both had a part in what happened in that dogfight and both of them chose to do it. The young pilot remains seated, doing everything in his power not to look at me when I sit down in a chair front of him.

"You're lucky that I can't kick you off this mission for that shit you pulled today." He winces at my words. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Maverick—"

"Don't you dare say that he started it," I interrupt him. "I don't care who fucking started it. If you spent half the effort you exerted worrying about Maverick all day, you might've been the only one who could've shot one of us down. You weren't thinking about the training or your flying and it showed."

"I get it, okay?" He snaps. "Phoenix already gave me an earful about it."

I sigh, running my fingers through my hair. "Bradley, Pete doesn't want me to talk about it with you, but the animosity between you both needs to stop. I know you're mad at him and I don't expect you to fully make up, but what happened today was way to much."

"You're really going to back him up?" He finally meets my gaze, eyes full of fire. "After all the shit he's put you through? He basically abandoned you after Nick di—"

"Bradley Nicholas Bradshaw don't you dare finish that sentence." I don't need to yell to get his attention, the venom in my tone is enough to scare him. He becomes sheepish once more and I can tell he regrets trying to play that card. "Like it or not, Maverick is not only your instructor he is your superior, as am I. I know that you are still mad at Pete and I do not expect you to just forgive and forget, but I do expect you to put your personal feelings aside during training or I can ensure you that you will not be picked to fly this mission. Do I make myself clear, Lieutenant?"

I hate using my rank as a sword against people, believing that I should rather earn their respect through my performance than a title. Having been on receiving side of such treatment, I also know how belittling it feels. To do it against Rooster makes it even that much harder. I've always strived to be a safe person he can come to and confide in. That being said, we have a job that needs to be done and it can't be completed if our personal lives keep rearing their ugly heads.

"Yes ma'am," he mumbles, head turned to the ground. After a moment, he finds the strength to look at me again. "Auntie Lucky, I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean—"

"I know Roo," I'm not mad at him. Even though his words hurt, I know he didn't mean them. He is angry at the situation, so he said the first thing he could think of that would make me frustrated as well. I gently stroke his hair, finger combing through the knots left over from the day's work. He leans into my touch. It brings me back to all the nights Maverick and I would watch him as a kid. How his little voice would wakes us in the middle of the night, saying he had another nightmare about his dad. How he would snuggle up in between us and I'd brush through his hair while Maverick told him funny stories about Goose until Bradley finally went to sleep.

It was so much simpler back then.

"Go home, Bradley." I move my hand to his shoulder, gently patting it as he sits up. "I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

He nods and moves to leave, but not before pulling me in for a tight hug. "I'm sorry." I can sense the multiple meanings to his words. When he finally walks out the door, I struggle to hold back the tears that fill my eyes. When did everything get so messed up?

After saying a quick goodbye to Hondo, I head straight to my car and try to avoid running into Maverick. Originally, I had planned to go straight from my talk with Rooster to him, adding more to the already long scolding he probably got from Cyclone. There is plenty that I would like to say, but that's not what he needs right now. Just like with Bradley, old wounds have been freshly opened today and what everyone needs now is some time to themselves.