The Captain's Daughter (Bradley Bradshaw)

Chapter 35

Taking off was always a rush for Katie. The joy it brought her. Especially lifting off of a carrier...it was the best feeling for her. This time, it was more than just the rush. It was her determination. Her drive. The sense of eagerness to get up in the air. She knew Brad was safe with Maverick, but she wanted them both home. She needed him back in her arms. Once he was back with her, she was never letting him go ever again. 

Hangman saw the look in Katie's eyes. He could feel all her emotions. When they all thought Rooster was gone, he couldn't forget the look she gave him. The pale face that was white as snow, the sense of panic written all over her face. The sorrow he could see in her eyes, even though they were a good distance away. He just knew. He fully believes that him and Katie are soulmates...not in the sense of romance, but in the sense of friendship. She was his family. She meant everything to him. Sure they had a very fast but brief relationship, but that doesn't change the fact that he considers her family. And the fact she could have lost the love of her life, and the father of her child, it would have ruined him. 

Hangman gave his signal that he was ready to go. He flew into the air. Katie took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and thought of what made her most calm. 

She thought of Bradley. She thought of him sleeping in her bed after the first night they were intimate together. When she looked over, she could see the sunlight peering through her open windows. It made his skin glow. He was sleeping on his stomach and had his head turned away from her. She could see him breathing so calmly, and it just made her so happy. She opened her eyes and gave the people by her plane her signal that she was ready to go. Her green eyes became dark with determination. She already had adrenaline through her system. She wanted him back, and wanted Bradley back. 

"Now, if you get shot down. I might just have to kill you, Hangman." She said to him with a chuckle.

"Do you know who you're talking to?" He asked with a sassy tone.

"I do. Just try to keep up." She smiled and then accelerated her speed.

"Damn, Blaze! Slow down!" He yelled with a laugh. 

"Do you see them anywhere?" She asked.

"No. I don't. Hopefully they pop up on our radar soon." He told her.

They flew for a few minutes before they saw a dogfight going on in the air. 

"There they are! Hangman go high and take out the bogie. I'll stay low as patrol." She told him.

"Copy that, Blaze! Going up!" He chuckled and flew up. 

Katie followed his fly pattern, she just stayed a few hundred feet below, so that she was undetected on the radar. She and Hangman turned off their contact to each other. They wanted to surprise them. When they came close enough she could tell something was wrong. 

"Come on, Jake. Take the kill. Take the kill." She said to herself. 

She could see Hangman getting close enough to get a lock on the plane. Just as Hangman is about to take the shot, the bogie launches a missile towards Maverick and Rooster's plane. 

"No!!!" She yelled. 

Just as she yelled, another missile took out both the bogie and its missile it had just launched. She smiled and started laughing.

"Jake, you soon of a bitch." She smiled up at his plane. She heard his coms come on.

She heard Jake talk about how he was their lord and savior and that they should prepare for landing. 

"You look good, Hangman." She heard Bradley say.

"I am good. I'm very good, Rooster." He chuckled.

"Dickhead." Rooster chuckled. "How is Katie? Is she alright?" He asked. 

It made her heart skip a beat. 

"Why don't you ask her yourself, Bradshaw?" Jake asked.

"Is she here? I don't see her." He said looking around. 

Katie pulled the move she saw her dad to to Rooster and Hangman their first day training. She was right underneath Maverick and Rooster, so she gently swung above them, and looked down at them.

"You see me now?" She asked with a chuckle. 

She could tell Mav and Rooster were smiling.

"I'll see y'all on deck." Hangman chuckled and flew away.

"Damn." Bradley said in awe.

"She really is my child." Maverick chuckled looking at her.

"Hello boys." She chuckled at him.

"It's good to see you, Kat." Rooster said lovingly.

"It's certainly good to see you too, Brad." She smiled 

Just as she was about to say hello to her dad, her radar started beeping.

"Oh shit. We got another bogie!" She said to them.

"Shit he's on our tail!" Rooster looked back.

"I got him." She said as she turned and burned. 

Katie saw him launch a missile towards them, but lit off flares to deflect the missile. She ended up circling up and over them to get behind him. As she was flying up he shot his guns at her. 

"Oh no you don't." Katie said and turned to go after him. 

The bogie flew up and Katie followed after him. She fired a missile, and it was deflected by his flares. Katie switched to guns, and shot at the plane. She ended up getting the. entire back of the plane. The bogie abruptly flew downward, throwing Katie off.

"Katie he's coming back to us!" Maverick called out. 

Katie turned and flew down in a spiral, she was determined to kill him.

"He's not getting away." Katie told them as she accelerated speed. 

"Smoke in the air, Blaze! Smoke in the air!" Rooster called out. 

"Sending flares!" She yelled as her flares deflected the missile.

Katie got right on his tail. He shut his engine off right as she was about to launch a missile. 

"You're not getting away from me!" She yelled as she flew up and around in a circle and launched her missile.

"Holy god." Rooster said as the missile struck the plane and the bogie exploded. 

"That's a kill." She said proudly. 

Katie flew through the smoke, and managed to fly up next to Maverick's plane.

"I will see you two back on deck. Try not to get blow up this time, please?" She chuckled.

"Yes, ma'am." They both said in unison and saluted her. 

She laughed and flew back towards the carrier. She was so elated. She turned off her coms and put a gentle hand on her stomach.

"You're gonna get to know your daddy, baby. And your grandfather! We did it, little one! We did it!" She smiled with tears in her eyes. She couldn't wait to get back home, and live the life she's always imagined of.