When We Were Young (Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x FEM reader)

Chapter Seven

"Time is your greatest enemy." Maverick was running through our course for today. "Phase one of your mission will be a low-level attack with 2 singles and 2 two-seaters. You'll fly along these narrow walls of this valley. The top of the wall is in line with Service-To-Air missiles evokes for us. They are designed to protect the skies above." "That's because the enemy knows that no one is insane enough to fly below it," Rooster calls out. Y/n makes a glance at him. Y/n didn't much sleep last night thinking about Rooster. "That's exactly what I'm going to train you to do. Today your altitude will be 300 feet maximum." Maximum! Y/n and Phoenix look at each other. Eyes growing the size of golf balls. What the hell is this man thinking? "Your airspeed will be 660 minimum. 2 1/2 minutes." Y/n rolled her eyes. 'Dad, what have you gotten me into?' Y/n felt eyes on her. She looks over at Rooster. "You ok?" he asked. She nods and shifts her eyes back to Maverick. "The reason being 5th generation are waiting on an airstrip nearby. In a dog fight with your F-18, you're dead! That's why time is your mission is to get in, hit the target, and get out before they can make it to you. This makes time your great adversary."

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"Phoenix, Bod can I talk to you for a second?" Maverick called out as we were leaving "You too Y/n." "What's up Mav?" Y/n asked. "Well I have some bad news, but there is a solution. We're down 1 two-seater and another back-seater. So I was going to have you share the plane and the back seater." Maverick points at Bob. Both Y/n and Phoenix look at him as well. Bob starts at them and swallows harshly. "Is that an issue?" Maverick asks. "No that's ok, sue. I just have never had two pilots before. Let alone two female pilots." He responded. Phoenix and I laugh as Maverick nods. "Pheonix will go first then we will have some other pilots than Y/n you will go." "Sounds good."

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Y/n stood at her usual spot by the window, chewing on her finger as she listened to the radio. But not really. She was thinking more about last night. And her realization. She was ready for a change. Y/n felt a presents next to her that broke her from her daydream. She turned to see Hangman. It took everything inside her to not roll her eyes into the back of her head. "You know I was real disappointed to not see Ghosty, with ya." He said and watched her reaction, hoping for a crash. But Y/n stayed calm or at least tried. "Yeah, we got separated a few years back." "Really. Cause I saw something about a Mr. Liam Thompson, call sign Ghost." "Oh yeah?" she ask finally turning to face him. "Yeah, it said he died in the Harbor of Maui Hawaii. And his pilot, the same age as him but a female made a deal with the navy and retired after the accent. Or maybe it wasn't-" Before he could finish, Y/n ran out of the room. She ran into the lecture hall and broke. "I'm sorry, Liam," She repeats as her legs give in.

Maverick walked past, heading to the commons to get the rest of the group when he saw Y/n, on the ground. "Y/n?" he called getting closer. She turned to him trying to stand back up. Tears filled her eyes again. He ran to catch her. "What happen kiddo?" He asked "Hangman, he was getting on me about Ghost," she mumbled in his chest. Maverick sighed. Rooster walked in, immanently running to Y/n side, even if it is next to Maverick. "Is she ok?" he asked Maverick as they help Y/n to her seat. "She's fine, can you go get everyone and grab her a water from the fridge?" Rooster nodded and went to the commons. "Maverick wants us now," he said. As the group files out he walks over to the fridge and grabbed a water bottle. "Hey," Phoenix called to him "What happen to Daggers?" "I don't know I was walking past the lecture center and Maverick was holding her as she sobbed. "Rooster and Phoenix make their way back as Maveric became again. He first displayed Coyte's group first. Rooster sat next to Y/n. "But sir, Daggers never flew," Bob called. "I'm ok, Bob. Continue Captain Michell." Y/n spoke. She sounded like it was any other day, but her face displayed otherwise. Rooster handed Y/n her drink and placed his hand on her knee, comfortably drawing circles with his thumb.

Maverick went through each group and then got to Rooster. "Why are you dead?" he asked Rooster but he didn't look up, he just kept looking at Y/n as Phoenix spoke. "Sir with all due respect, he was the only one to make it to the target." "A minute late. He gave the enemy time to catch-" "You're not flying fast enough," Hangman said banging his head on the back of his chair after every word. "Then it's a dog fight," Rooster finally spoke bringing his eyes away from Y/n and to Maverick. "Against 5th generation fighters?" "It's not the plane, It's the pilot." "Exactly!" The yell from Maverick made Y/n jump and turn to Rooster whose jaw tightened. Y/n placed her hand on his knee. Rooster looked down at it and then back at Y/n."There is more than one way to fly this mission," Rooster calls and looks at Maverick. "You don't get it to do you," Hangman spoke up. "A man flies like Maverick here or doesn't make it back. And I do not mean any disrespect or anything but we are going into combat that no pilot has ever seen. Not even him, so now is not a good time to bring up the past." Hangman smirked.

"What's that support to mean?" Rooster asked, turning away from Y/n. "I can't be the only one that knew that Rooster's old man not only flew with Mav up there but with Navel princess over there," Y/n's throat grew dry as she tuned to Hangman. Something is gonna happen. Something bad."And I also can't be the only one who knew that Maverick was up there when Rooster's dad-" Rooster popped up faster than light when those words left Hangman's lips. Y/n tried to hold Rooster back as he spat out "You son of a bitch!" Maverick dismissed us. Y/n marched her way up to Hangman. "What are you gonna do Princess?" She didn't say anything. All she did was lift her hand and smacked him as hard as she could. She then walked away, letting a few more tears spill.