Under My Skin

Part 2- Hangman

Rooster and Rebel arrived to San Diego later that night, and decided to stay in Rebel's childhood home, since it was closest off the interstate. They pulled into the driveway of a two-story home with a three-car garage. Right as they stepped out, a little boy of about three years came sprinting out the door yelling, "Daddy!" 

Rooster gained the biggest smile on his face, knelt down, and took the embrace of the boy, saying, "Oh there's my little boy. I missed you Nick." 

"I missed you too daddy," Nick said before moving to Rebel, yelling, "Aunty Emi! I missed you more than daddy." 

Picking Nick up, Rebel responded, "I missed you little man," looking at Rooster's offended look, she decided to stick her tongue out at him before giving Nick a kiss on the head and carrying him inside. 

Once inside, Rebel let him just in time to receive a death-grip hug from her mother. "Oh Emi baby I missed you." 

"Aww mom I missed you too," Rebel responded. 

"Hi Bradley, don't you dare think you're missing out on this hug." 

"I wasn't planning on it Mrs. Mitchell," Rooster responded half-way through a hug. 

"Bradley please, once again, it's Charlie. You don't have to keep calling me that." 

"Sorry Charlie. Nick wasn't a little shit was he?" 

"No he was amazing," Maverick said, walking into the living room and going straight to give Rebel and Rooster a hug. 

"I heard you both are going back to Top Gun, excited?" Maverick asked, to which both nodded their heads. 

"You'll be meeting Nat there, Bradley?" Charlie asked, "We'll be happy to watch Nick longer, he's a better help than Pete here." 

"Haha yeah- she'll be there. Maybe one day we can bring the little man on base and Mommy and I can give him a tour? But only if he's good to Mrs. Charlie and Mr. Pete." 

"I'll be good daddy," Nick said triumphantly after a yawn, "but right now I'm sleepy." 

"I can imagine, it's past your bedtime," Rooster said, "Mrs. Charlie let you stay up to see us?" to which Nick nodded, and looking to Pete, "can you put me to bed Mr. Pete?" 

"Of course my little goose," picking Nick up, "let's go." 

 ---- 

The next day, Rooster and Rebel pulled up to The Hard Deck bar to meet up with the rest of the pilots. 

Rooster ran up to Natasha, pulling her into a tight embrace with a kiss following it. 

"Hey Phoenix," Rebel said walking up, "Bradley move over you can make up with your wife later," pulling Phoenix into a hug. 

"Who all is here?" Rooster asked. 

"Payback, Coyote, Fanboy, and uh-" 

"He's here isn't he."

"Yeah Hangman's here. Sorry Rebel." 

"Not surprised. It's okay Nat, I'll just try to ignore his presence." Rebel said walking into the bar, with Rooster and Phoenix following her.

---

"Well look who it is. It's the bird couple! Did you two have a sweet little reunion?" Hangman laughed. 

Hangman looked to his right, to see Rebel by the bar, and started to walk over, but felt a hand on the back of his arm. 

"James no- leave her alone," a firm Rooster said. 

"Woah relax Bradley, I'm just going to get a drink." 

---- 

"Hey Em. Is this seat taken?" 

"Doesn't matter- you'll sit there anyways." 

"Can we-" Hangman asked but was cut off, "No. We can't talk. You're going to leave me alone for the duration of whatever this and if you even look at me, James, I swear to God I will karate kick your ass into the ground. Thanks Penny." Rebel said, slapping down a  $20 before getting up to leave. 

"Hey Rebel come back we aren't done here," Hangman called, grabbing Rebel's arm and spinning her around, to only be met with a punch to the jaw. 

"Leave me fucking alone." Rebel said before walking out. 

Walking back over to the group, Hangman was met with,  "Damn Hangman. I would say sorry but we all know Rebel, she's the toughest person here. Besides, what the hell did you do to piss her off the badly?" Bob chirped up from his chair.