𝕂𝕖𝕖𝕡 ℍ𝕚𝕞 𝕊𝕒𝕗𝕖

Chapter 4. Take my Breath Away

"If only for today, I am unafraid." ~ Berlin

"Goose, you big stud!" Carole Bradshaw, Bradley's mother called out from across the diner to her husband. "That's me, hunny." He responded looking over his shoulder at her, still playing the piano. "Take me to bed or lose me forever." She yelled back to him, a smile plastered on her face. "Show me the way home, hunny." Both Carole and Charlie walked over to where the two men, Maverick and Goose, were while Bradley was sitting on the Piano.

Carole sat on Goose's lap as Charlie stood next to Maverick in front of Bradley. All five of them started singing. "You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain. Too much loves drives a man insane. You broke my will, oh what a thrill. Goodness Gracious Great balls of Fire!" Bradley was smiling. This was his family and he loved all of them, and he was happy. Little did Bradley know, this would be the last memory he'd have of his father.

_________________________________________

2012:

It was around 10:30 now. The bar was just starting to get crowded with other people who had finished their jobs and planned on partying. Rooster and Ava decided that they'd had enough of the bar and went for a walk along the beach. 

Ava took her black sandals off and walked right on the shore line, the waves kissing her feet as she walked. Rooster was walking slightly behind her, admiring her beauty. He stopped for a moment, putting his hands in his front pockets, just staring at the women in front of him.

It was a full moon which caused Ava's purple hair to have a silver tint to it, only adding to her beauty. When Ava realized Rooster was no longer right behind her, she stopped and turned to face him. God he looked so handsome, the moonlight reflecting off of his face.

His soft brown eye's staring into her blue ones. His face in awe of the sight in front of him. His arm muscles flexing slightly. Everything about that sight made Ava weak in the knee's. "What are you looking at?" She asked with a slight laugh, feeling heat rising to her cheeks. 

Rooster looked down at the ground and smiled before looking back up at her as he started to walk towards her. "Nothing really. Just this cute girl." He shrugged, his hands still in his pockets

Rooster was only inches away from Ava now, the pair looking into each other's eye's. Ava could feel her heart rate speed up, her breath beginning to quicken. Meanwhile, Rooster's face started to turn red, his hands getting clammy. The two just stood there, both too shy to make the first move. 

Suddenly, all of Ava's memories of Devon came flooding into her brain. How he used to look at her the same way that Rooster was, how safe she felt in his presence, how his hug felt like a shield. The way his lips perfectly fit hers. Ava felt tears begin to prick her eye's as she quickly broke eye contact with Bradley.

"It's getting late, we should start heading back." Rooster's face instantly dropped as Ava turned and started heading back towards the bar. She stopped for a moment as she looked behind her shoulder before reaching her hand out to Rooster. He smiled as he took her hand, both of them not saying anything the entire walk.

Rooster walked Ava to her car before deciding to call it a night, feeling nervous that he would never see the girl again. "I had a nice time." Ava said, turning to face him. "I get to choose the next one." She smiled at him

Rooster's eyes widened for a moment, a shocked expression overcoming his face. Ava seemed to notice this and ask him about it. "What's with the look?"

"Well, I thought you weren't really interested in going on another date." Bradley rubbed the back of his neck anxiously as Ava furrowed her brows together, cocking her head at the pilot in a questioning manner.

"It's just when we got close you seemed to back away and I was-" He was interrupted by a pair of lips crashing onto his. Taking him a second to process, he closed his eye's and wrapped his arms around her waist. Ava threw her arms around his neck as she stood on her toes to reach his lips, seeing as he was five inches taller than her.

After about a minute, the pair separated. A soft "wow" escaping Rooster's mouth, causing Ava to blush. "So how about Saturday? Wanna come over and watch a movie?" She asked him, a confident smile painted her face. 

"Yeah, sure. I- I'd like that" Rooster said, stammering over his words. 

Ava handed him her phone, "Why don't you put your number in my phone so I can text you my address?" 

Rooster silently took the phone from her hands before putting his number in, a red blush overtaking his cheeks. When he handed her phone back, she noticed the name he had put in her contacts. The Most Beautiful Rooster Ever. 

She smiled, "Well, I'll text you when I get home." She opened her car door and looked over her shoulder at him one last time. "Goodnight Bradley."

"Goodnight, Ava." Rooster responded before walking towards his Jeep. Ava sat in her car for a moment, trying to process her feelings for him. "Shit!" She yelled in a whisper. She was falling for him, and she was terrified.

-

When Rooster pulled back into the base, Phoenix was already waiting for him to hear all about his date. He stepped out of the jeep and she could already see the dopey lovesick look on his face. He stood with his arms out to his side in a cocky manner.

Phoenix walked up to him and turned back to face the base when he caught up. "I got a goodnight kiss." He bragged, his face starting to turn red. 

"Wow Rooster, you big stud." She responded in a sarcastic tone.

Rooster felt his phone vibrate in his back pocket. When he pulled it out he saw a text from an unknown number, but when he read the message he instantly knew who it was.

Made it home safe :)

He smiled at his phone to which Phoenix noticed and couldn't help but comment on it. 

"Get a text from her?" She asked as they entered the residency. 

"Yeah," He answered, still smiling like an idiot. Phoenix and Rooster had been best friends since flight school and she'd seen him go on dates with other girls before. She had never seen him like this before. She knew that he was starting to fall for this girl, and she was so happy for him.

I'm glad :)

Ava grabbed her phone from  her dresser after hearing it vibrate. When she saw who it was from, she smiled. She turned her phone off and put it back on the dresser, letting out a sigh of content as she stared up at the ceiling while laying in her bed.

"Hey, Shark," She started, her voice becoming slightly shaky. "I miss you so much. But... I think I'm starting to fall for someone else." She didn't even notice that she was crying until she felt the tear slide down her cheek. 

"I will always love you, but I want to see where this goes." She took a shaky breath while wiping her tears from her face. "Goodnight, love." She said before turning her lamp off and closing her eye's, allowing sleep to overcome her.

A/N

Ava and Bradley finally went on their very first date! The two of them are definitely going to have their ups and downs and we all know that Ava is gonna have to tell Bradley about Devon soon... or maybe he'll find out on his own.

Let me know if you have any likes or dislikes and I'll try to add it into my next chapter. And if not I'll up date you again in two weeks : )

~ Jo