wait for me { bradley bradshaw }

x { the funeral }

THE NEXT MORNING BRADLEY LEFT TO GO CHANGE. i changed into the black naval uniform i have and grabbed the hat that goes with it. i looked in the mirror and my eyes were bloodshot with black bags under my eyes. in other words, i looked like complete dog shit.

bradley pulled up in his truck to take me. i got in his car and he held my hand the whole way there. he rubbed my knuckles soothingly. i stayed quiet of the car ride there. once we pulled into the parking lot bradley stayed close to me the entire day.

once the ceremony started, the top gun students all stood together watching the ceremony. i stood next to bradley as silent tears streamed down my face. he held my hand to comfort me. i saw my dad take his own wings off his jacket and put it on ice's casket.

he made a fist with his hand then hit it into the wood with one clean hit. he put his arm up into a saluting motion but never finished it. four jets flew over our heads as the second one to the left flew up. i saw everyone start to disperse as the ceremony ended.

i walked up to sarah, ice's wife, with bradley still walking beside me. as soon as i got to sarah i hugged her tightly.

"i'm so sorry sarah." i whispered. she squeezed me with her arms still around me.

"it's okay. are you okay? i know he was really close with you." sarah said, her tears slowly coming down her face. i nodded. i hugged her once again as she smiled at bradley.

as she was hugging me she whispered, "are you dating him?" i smiled, pulling away from her. i nodded, me cheeks flushed. bradley seemed to notice and he came up to me.

"don't say anything to mav, he doesn't know." i said quickly. bradley stood close by my side. "well he might have his suspicions but he doesn't know officially."

sarah nodded and smiled once again. she thanked us for coming to the ceremony and i walked with bradley to find my dad. i found his standing alone with tears in his eyes. i hugged him and he wrapped his arms around me. he let go of me and bradley kept his distance.

"i'll see you later kiddo." mav said. i nodded and he walked off.

"i want to show you something." bradley whispered once my dad left. he grabbed my hand and pulled me off further into the cemetery.

"this is uh, where goose and carole are." bradley said. i kneeled and tears collected in my eyes. "you can talk to them and they won't judge you, but they already know you so it won't be a big deal.

"remember that one time when we went on a road trip together with mav and carole to las vegas? that was hilarious!" i said, i tried laughing to not show bradley that i was crying.

"yeah i do, remember we got into a fight over who got the bed closer to the a.c unit in the hotel room?" bradley laughed.

i chuckled and placed my hands on the tombstones. i put my head down.

"bradley, i call this bed!" i yelled jumping into the bed closest to the a.c.

"no! i wanted that one!" bradley whined.

"too bad so sad." i said, sticking my tongue out at him.

"oh it's on!" bradley said as he jumped in bed next to me and started tickling me.

"bradley- stop!" i laughed, tears collecting in my eyes.

"bradley!" i squealed. bradley started laughing and i sat up trying to get away from him. "fine, you win, you win."

"that was fun." i said, my hands still on the tombstones. bradley kneeled by me and rubbed my back. "bradley i miss them." i said softly.

"oh, baby i miss them too. everyday. i try to come here as much as i can." he said. he stood up and he offered me a hand to help me up. i took his hand and once i was standing he wrapped his arms around me.

i put my head to his chest and we stood there for a moment. just wrapped in each other's arms. he unwrapped his arms from me and used his hand to move my chin so i would face him.

"i love you, so fucking much junebug." he said. i smiled. he brought his lips to mine and it was soft kiss. one that you would need after you feel like life has been fucking shit.

"i love you too bradley." i said, pulling away from him.

~ next morning at the base ~

"maverick is no longer your instructor so i will be taking over. your time til target has changed from 2 minutes and 30 seconds to 4 minutes. you will not exceed 440 knots." cyclone said.

"wouldn't that give enemy aircraft to intercept?" bob said. cyclone ignored bob and continued.

"you will be firing from a different altitude so you will not have to take the steep climb." cyclone said, pointing at the mountain range in the screen behind him.

the screen moves to show an f-18. "who the hell is that?" cyclone snaps.

"maverick inbound." we all here over the comms.

"clear, but maverick i do not see anything scheduled for you."

"well i'm going anyway." he said.

"nice.."

"change time to 2 minutes and 15 seconds. mark."

he flew the low level course with ease. he went inverted over the first mountain. he had lasers on the target and dropped the bombs.

"bombs away." he said. he started the second climb and the bomb hit the target. as maverick started the second climb everyone started standing, me included.

"direct hit!" bob said.

the timer stopped at, 00.00.16.

"holy shit!" i said.

~ a few days later ~

bradley and i were walking in the beach around sunset. we wanted to spend time together since tomorrow was the mission.

"bradley, if anything happens to you, i love you so fucking much." i said, putting my hands on his jaw.

"i love you too june." bradley said. "so fucking much you have no idea." he kissed me and i wrapped my arms around his neck. his arms went around my waist pulling me closer to him.

next chapter is really long so get ready!