automatic stop, bradley bradshaw

forty.

THE DRIVE TO ICEMAN'S HOUSE WAS ENTIRELY FULL OF CARPOOL KARAOKE IN THE CAR THAT SKYE AND KATIA WERE RENTING. after spending years with just their motorcycles, they decided that a car would be helpful for trips like this that they might need to bring bags to.

katia had explained on the drive that she didn't want her parents or family to know about her crush on phoenix. skye understood completely, of course, and assured her that she wouldn't say anything. katia simply needed to figure everything out for herself before she told her family, and she got that.

they arrived at ice's house in no time, and had barely closed their car doors before katia's siblings raided them both with hugs and questions. "how's top gun?" "what are you two flying?" "what are those?"

skye laughed as she attempted to answer each question, watching katia carefully exclude herself from the conversation and walk into the house.

when they were both inside, they were greeted by sarah, who was always so excited to see them. "how have you been?" she asked her daughter, pulling her into a tight hug before giving skye a similar hug. "is maverick being fair to you?"

katia chuckled. "oh yeah."

ice was sitting in his chair in the corner silently, as he was most days now. there was a bright smile on his face, though, as he looked at the two women.

"hey, dad." katia smiled, walking over to give him a hug. he stood up, quickly enveloping her. "i've missed you."

skye could tell just from his eyes that he wanted so badly to repeat the sentiment, and that it hurt him to be unable to. he signed the words out, though, a smile still on his lips.

ice had learned as much sign language as he could, since he couldn't always be around his computer or phone to relay his thoughts. his entire family, skye included, had then taught themselves sign language, too, hoping to be able to still talk to him.

"it's like.. flight signals." he had once signed with a proud smile.

"so, what all do you have for me to look through?" katia asked as she pulled away from the hug, looking between her mother and father.

sarah smiled. "come here, i have it all in boxes in the other room." she led them to their now vacant room that had once belonged to katia. "some of it is yours, too, skye."

there were multiple boxes laid out on the bed and floor, each of them full of either classwork and papers or stuffed animals and little knick knacks that katia had collected over the years.

"oh, we also found some of your dad's things." sarah said, putting a hand on katia's shoulder. "he wants you to have some of it as a gift for graduating top of your class." this made both young women laugh. "some of it is maverick's, too."

skye was then all ears, and she and katia thanked sarah as she brought in a cardboard box full of various items that had once belonged to ice. skye sat in the one free spot on katia's old bed to browse that box while the blonde sat on the floor, going through a box of her old essays.

"look at this." skye said with a smile, holding over a polaroid. it was both of their fathers when they were their age, smiles on their faces as they stood in front of an f-14. it was a couple of months before they had been born.

katia smiled. "look at them. they look so young."

"we don't call him slay for nothing." skye reminded her as she looked at their father's waists in their flight suits. "waist on fleek."

"that's gross." the blonde argued.

skye browsed through the various patches in the box, smiling as she took out a collection of top gun related patches and pins. "these are so fucking cool."