Rooster Top Gun A Love Story

M A V E R I C K

Admiral Beau walked into the control room. He watched as the pilots began to land on the landing. Beau looked to the others,
Admiral Warlock and Hondo who were already there.
"What's the verdict, and who is up on wings?" Beau asked, taking a sip of his coffee.
Hondo wasn't hesitant to speak. "Hangman and Rooster sir," he cleared his throat when he said this. Beau, like Maverick, didn't agree on both flying together as a team.
"Of course..." Admiral sighted unhappily. He knew just enough to know how much Rooster and Hangman competed with one another. But so far, they were two of the best that including Fin.
In the landing, Hangman cursed under his breath. He hated the feeling of defeat just as much as Bradshaw. "Really, you couldn't speed up just once!" He yelled over at Rooster as both men walked toward the other group.
Rooster shook his head. "I sped up! You can't even keep up without turning back to see if Phoenix is right behind us!"
"Guys," Phoenix breathed.
"Don't even...!" Hangman hissed, ignoring his girlfriend as he menacingly glared at Rooster. "You do the same if it was Ava,"
"Ava isn't even a pilot!" Rooster pointed out. "Besides, you're worrying for nothing! Phoenix has this!"
Phoenix grew angry. How could they stand there and talk about her like she wasn't even there!
"I don't need you two to worry about me, especially you!" She glared over at Hangman.
"Cabrones," she cursed in spanish.
"Hey, that's enough!" Maverick hissed. Phoenix was right she was a great pilot. Hangman was being a protective boyfriend, and Maverick understood why, but Phoenix didn't need them to worry. Bradley and Jake were slacking.
"Rooster, what did I tell you, huh? We are a week and a half away. Maverick looked to the pilots. "We haven't even done the last bit over the mountain!"
"Are you even aware that this is a race, a chaotic one," Hangman spit over to Rooster.
"Sir, all due respect. I still think all this is still impossible," Bob was growing weary now.
Hangman sighted frustratedly. "Bob, you expect me to have you be my girls' wingman with that attitude?"
"I have her back one hundred percent," Bob promised with a stern nod. He pulled his glasses back with his finger.
"It's normal to feel pressure," Payback cut in. "But this is our job, men and ladies." he looked to his team. "It's normal to feel scared..."
"I don't get scared," Hangman said boldly.
"You got this, Bob," Fanboy assured him.
Phoenix shook her head. "I need you two to back off," With that, she turned to leave.
Hangman watched as Phoenix stalked off with Bob, following behind trying to calm her.
What if Bob was right? "Damn it!" Hangman cursed.
Maverick could see that pressure, the fear these pilots were undergoing. But this was the life of an elite pilot.
"This is a mission, Hangman, and if you and Rooster can't fly like pilots, then maybe you two shouldn't fly at all!" Maverick yelled. He was tired of their crap.
Phoenix overheard the commotion and went back. She took a deep breath. "Sir, we need both men just as much as we need this team..."
Maverick couldn't think straight. He wanted all his students to return. But it was hard to when all he did was have them argue.
"Let's get back up there...Rooster!" he called him over.
Rooster let out a sight. He did as he was commanded and went over to him. "Captain,"
"What the hell is going on?" Maverick hissed you have been doing so well..."
"I-I don't understand, sir,"
"You bet your ass you do understand what I'm talking about. It's not the plane. it's the pilot! You better get your shit together by next week. This mission is a green," Maverick was raging inside. Rooster clenched his jaw. "Are we done, sir?" He he looked ahead.
Before, Maverick could go on Hando and came running. He pulled him to the side. "Maverick...its Iceman,"
Maverick's heart sped up. "What?!" He said. His eyes wide with question. He feared the worst.
"His...gone,"
Maverick's heart dropped. He clenched his knuckles and flexed his jaw to keep his voice from breaking. Another one of his wingmans was gone. Hondo patted his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Mave,"
Maverick stood very still. It was keeping him from falling into a million tiny pieces.
"When?" He managed to say. He gazed over at Hondo, not realizing he had been looking to the side.
"About an hour ago," Hondo watched his friend as his blood drained from his face. He was pale, but knowing Maverick, he wouldn't want anyone to keep him company. He preferred his own company, which could be the only worst enemy of all. Maverick's mind was his own personal dismy.
Maverick took a deep breath. "I-I uh need to be alone for awhile."
Hondo nodded he went over to the elite pilots. "LET'S GO!" He yelled, ordering the pilots. UP IN THE AIR COME ON!"
Rooster ran toward his jet and climbed over it. But not before turning for a split second to see as Maverick walked off.
That night, Rooster went over to see Ava. She was staying at her dad's now.
Ava had been sitting in the backyard when Rooster texted her that he was on his way over. She had been writing an easy for a job interview while listening to soothing music. Ava was cooped up in a patio egg chair. A big chair her father got specificly for her. Ava was enjoying the evening air. Rooster made his way over toward the back and smiled when he spotted his beautiful fiance.
"Hey, baby," he greeted. "Journaling, are we?"
Ava had been staring at the pearl on her ring, admiring the simplicity that a single pearl could do to bring such beauty.
"It's for a job interview, but you can't read it yet," Ava shared the same smile and got on her feet. She let out a small sight. Her aunt Penny had just come by to talk to her father only to find out he was still at work. Ava had grown a little confused as to why her aunt marched in only to see Ava there.
Rooster kissed her lips gently.
"Did you hear the news?" Ava wondered.
"Yeah," Rooster nodded. "We've all received instructions on what to do and will be attending the funeral to pay our respects."
Ava didn't know how Rooster would react to it. So she just went ahead and said. "Aunt Penny just told me that Maverick was very close to him... they flew with your father,"
Rooster nodded and then spoke. "All these men knew my father..." he told her now. He didn't understand why it started to bother him so much now. Why now? Why when he was just about to do what he was meant to do. His job! It was more real now, that's why. "And no one has truly told me who he was!" He shook his head.
"Baby, I'm just..." he took a steady breath.
"I know," Ava said. She stood still with her hands in her pocket. She was wearing a romper short with a sleeveless blouse underneath.
Rooster turned to the garden. It all started creeping up on him. That's why he had been lacking. He was too caught up in the past. Rooster would be off in a dangerous mission soon, and time was crashing hard against him like the waves at the beach.
Like every one of his teammates. Rooster was desperate to get it over and done with but scared of never...knowing who his dad really was. He was afraid that he would be lost in legacy. Rooster knew all the stories, he knew his father's face, in fact he knew it so well he looked just like him. But who was he really?! His mother cried when she spoke of him, so he tried never to bring him up.
"Hey," Ava cupped his face and made him face down on her. "It's okay," she had brought him back. "Why don't you consider talking to Maverick?" She hoped that would bring him at ease. Ava couldn't help Rooster he had to do this alone. He had to figure out his own feelings, and she would be right beside him every step of the way.
Rooster knew he had to one way or the other. But how could he talk to Maverick?
He watched Ava and found himself starting at the women he loved. He knew he had to try without getting angry. He let out a sight.
"Hey," he smiled softly at her, turning around to lift her up. Ava circled her legs around his waist and looked down at him as she rested her arms around his strong neck.
"Yes," she mouthed with a small smile, searching his eyes. She was worried about him.
"Wanna get out here? Maybe we can try to see how soft those cotton bedsheets you bought me really are?" he whispered against Ava's lips.
Ava kissed him and laughed. "Okay, but...pancakes afterward,"
Rooster kissed her once more. This time, he didn't part from her.
Two days later, after the funeral, Maverick was to meet with Admiral Simpson. So Rooster didn't have time to speak to him.
The next day, Rooster laid down on the ground. He had been waiting for Maverick to show up. But he never did. It was Admiral Beau. "Morning, aviators,"
Rooster got on his feet real fast and stood up straight. "I will be your instructor today," Admiral Beau walked by him. He did not glance his way.
"Take a seat," he ordered to all who hadn't yet.
Rooster found his chair and looked over at the moving dot on the screen.
Admiral Beau followed his gaze.
"Who the hell is that?" Admiral asked.
Maverick had gone through so much to let Beau do this to him. After Ices funeral, maverick had a meeting with Admiral Beau. Admiral had taken it upon himself to remove Maverick from the mission. The mission he knew those poilets couldn't finish without him. He wasn't going anywhere.
Maverick was up in the air, and he was going to prove to everyone that he was going to get these pilots through this mission.
Hondo, who had not accepted Maverick leaving, turned to see what everyone was watching.
The room intensified as they watched the screen. A red arrow sped through the line of trace Rooster watched as Maverick flew the coordinates. This was insane. The pilots watched breathlessly with wide eyes as their breaths hitched on the back of their throats. Bob and a few others got on the feet; this was too much for them.
"He did it," Rooster mouthed softly to himself.
"Bullseye, holy shit!" Someone screamed in the room, and everyone was able to breathe now.