The Captain's Daughter (Bradley Bradshaw)

Chapter 5

Katie and Rooster few their planes together the next day with Maverick. This time, Maverick was so much more strict with Katie.

"Blaze, don't act too cocky now." He said sternly as he disappeared.

"Ah shit where did he go?" Rooster was looking around.

"Been under your noses the whole time." Maverick said as slowed down and got behind Rooster.

"That's a kill, Rooster." Maverick said.

"SHIT!" He yelled angrily.

"You're next, Blaze." Maverick said as he sped up to Katie going low.

Katie dove below the hard deck and started flying between hills.

"Blaze, what the hell are you doing. I lost track of you." Maverick said.

"I've been under your nose the whole time, sir." She said as she pulled the exact same move as Maverick.

"That's a kill, Mav." She smirked.

"Get back to base, Blaze." He said sternly.

Katie landed her plane and saw Rooster, Phoenix, and Bob talking outside by their planes. She smiled at all of them before she heard her name being called.

"Lieutenant Blackwood!" Maverick called out.

"Yes, Captain?" She turned around to look at him.

"That was very reckless flying you did. You can't fly that recklessly on this mission and expect to live. I knew your mother, and what would she say if she heard you were flying this recklessly?" He asked.

"I know you knew my mother. She taught you. And since I didn't have a father, she's the one who pushed me to do my best. She wouldn't have anything to say if I did my best, sir." Katie retorted.

"Why do you mean you didn't have a father?" He asked.

"She told me my father died during a training exercise, sir. She found out she was pregnant after he died, and she raised me on her own. She's been dead for a little over 5 years now." Katie explained.

"Is that so? And yes I heard about her death, and I am very sorry for your loss. She really said your father was dead?" He asked.

"Sir, with all do respect, but what does that have anything to do with you?" She asked.

"My apologies. It does not. You're dismissed." He said with a shocked and confused look on his face.

She turned around to go back to the classroom. She was more confused than anything. What did he wanna know about her father?

"What was that about?" Phoenix asked.

"I have no idea." Katie responded, looking over at Maverick, who was still looking at Katie. She shook her head and turned back to Phoenix, Bob, and Rooster.

"Why is he looking at you like he saw a ghost?" Bob asked.

"He knew my mother apparently." Katie shrugged it off.

They all walked back to the classroom. That's when they started talking about the map that they were going to have to take, and how specific it was going to be, and if they mess up ever so slightly, they very well could die.

"Do you wanna come back to my place for dinner?" Rooster whispered.

"And do what?" Katie chuckled.

"I wanna cook for you this time." Rooster chuckled.

"Interesting...I'm in!" She quietly said excitedly.

"Go home, change into comfy clothes, and we can hang out." Rooster smiled.

"Rooster. Blaze. Up here. Your life depends on it." Maverick said annoyingly.

The rest of the day flew by. Katie had her bag walking to her car when Hangman stopped her.

"Blaze!" Hangman ran up to her.

"Yes, Seresin?" She smiled.

"Are you that oblivious?" He asked with a chuckled.

"I don't understand?" She asked confused.

"I saw you and Bradshaw earlier. Have you not known this whole time? The man is literally in love with you." He said.

Katie was taken aback.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Do you not see the way he looks at you? He looks at you the way I looked at you." He stated.

"Jake, I—" He cut her off.

"Katie...trust me. I may get on his case a lot, I know that man loves you. And I can see you love him too." Hangman smiled.

"I-I don't know what to say. What do you think about it?" She asked.

"I've known him a long time, Katie. Yes you and I hooked up a few times and dated very briefly, and I did care about you a lot...I still do, but that man has never loved anyone as much as he loved you. That's why I broke up with you. I could see what it was doing to him, and I just knew you had felt the same. You need to talk to him." He said sincerely.

She knew Jake had always cared about her, and he probably always will. That's what she loved about him. Underneath his ego, which was very large, he had one of the biggest hearts she knew. She was overwhelmed with what he said. Their breakup wasn't bad, but he did it, because he knew who I wanted, and what our relationship was doing to him. It made her eyes water.

"Hey now don't do that, because then I'm going to get upset because you're upset." He chuckled and wiped her eyes.

"Thank you, Jake. You know I love you too." She said in a friendly way.

"I know you do. And I love you too. I always will. Now, go get him tiger. Just if he hurts you, I will beat his ass." He chuckled and hugged her before gently pushing her towards her car.

Blaze and Hangman will always have a special bond, but he even knew how she felt. Now she just had to go confront her best friend about what she felt like she always knew. She just didn't know how to actually go about it, because she never thought she would hear the words that her best friend, Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw was in fact in love with her, and has been this whole time.