automatic stop, bradley bradshaw

fifty-three.

SKYE WAS LAUGHING WITH HANGMAN FOR A BIT MORE AS THE NIGHT OFFICIALLY SUNK IN. neither of them wanted to accept that, just hours from then, they'd be waking up to enter into the most difficult mission they'd flown yet. "doesn't seem real." skye had said. "that it's tomorrow, i mean."

hangman nodded. "yeah.. it doesn't." he looked down at the drink that skye held in her hands, seemingly stuck in thought. he then looked back to her eyes. "you should talk to him."

"what?"

"bradshaw. before the mission. you should talk to him." he explained.

skye understood what he was saying, and honestly she knew that he was right. but the thought of talking to rooster still made her beyond anxious. especially considering how well her conversation with him just an hour prior had gone. "i know." 

"i know you know, but are you actually going to do it?"

she thought about this for a moment. "i know i should. but i really.. i would rather avoid getting rejected again, thanks."

"you know he didn't actually want to reject you, right?" hangman replied. "there's no way. everyone knows how that guy looks at you. and the way he talks to me? he's all 'you don't deserve her' and shit. he clearly loves you." 

"then why is he being difficult?"

"dropped too much as a child?" he shrugged. "i don't know. but i do know that you cannot go on this mission without explaining how you feel, or you're going to regret it. believe me."

skye nodded, letting that sink in. "is that why you came out here just now? trying to.. explain all your truths before the mission?"

he shook his head. "not entirely. i guess i just.. i didn't want to be in the way of you and bradshaw, if i ever was."

"you weren't in the way, jake." she argued. "like i said, he's the one who rejected me. you didn't do anything wrong."

"i'm being serious." he said. "you should tell him. soon."

"did you see how my recent conversation with him went? that lovely little.. ordeal that just went on? yeah, i'm good."

hangman nodded. "okay, tell you what; you tell bradshaw how you feel, and if he doesn't feel the same, you can kill yourself on the mission."

"kill myself in the name of honor?" she laughed.

"in the name of honor." he agreed. they clinked their drinks together.

when hangman made his way back into the bar for another drink, skye followed. she was quickly stopped by amelia, who practically sprinted over to her. "hello?" skye laughed as amelia's arms wrapped around her waist.

"don't go on the mission." the younger girl's voice was meek, and it broke skye's heart.

"i have to." she replied, moving back to look amelia in the eyes. "but i'm gonna come back, and when i do, we'll get to go shopping and hang out and do anything else you want, okay?"

"promise?"

skye didn't like the severity of the word. it was a promise that she certainly wanted to make, and aspired to keep, but she didn't know if that was realistic. the mission was unpredictable, of course, and she didn't know yet  if she'd be one of the people chosen for it. if she was chosen, then she had no right to promise that she'd be returning home. it was too dangerous. 

but she couldn't let amelia know how afraid she truly was, so skye just nodded, putting on what she hoped was a convincing smile. 

"promise."