The Captain's Daughter (Bradley Bradshaw)

Chapter 8

We all got up a few hours before needing to be at the beach by the Hard Deck. Katie had high waisted black bikini bottoms and a royal blue bikini top. She threw on som running shorts, grabbed her aviators, and drove down to the Hard Deck.

Hangman was sitting on top the hood of his car...he was the first one there.

"Ahhh Blaze! I figured you would be the next person to show!" He smiled and took his sunglasses off.

"You need to apologize to Bradley." She stood next to him.

"I know. I will. You know why I push him don't you?" He asked her.

"I've always known. You did not have to bring his dad into it. Not like that." She told him.

"I know." He nodded and put his sunglasses back on.

"You don't have to be a softie only to me, Jake." She chuckled.

"Yeahhh, but you like the special treatment, don't ya Tiger."  He pushed down the front of his sunglasses and winked at her.

Hangman always called her Tiger. It's because she was feisty just like like him...and that was one of the things he loved about her. She was one of the very few who he let himself be "soft" around. Not to mention they dated very briefly in the past and hooked up a few times, but he knew she would've been happier with Rooster.

Part of it bothered him, but he would rather see her happy. The same went for Katie. She was upset at first when they broke up, but she didn't hate him. She could never really hate him. Besides her first boyfriend, Hangman was the only other guy she slept with. He had a very special place in her heart. Next to Bradley and Phoenix, he was one of her closest friends.

By the time Maverick and the rest of the gang got to the beach, the sun had risen, and the heat bested down on all of them.

"Now...you all have played football before, yes?" Maverick started. The group all said their "yes sir"'s.

"Good. This is where it gets interesting. This is what we're gonna call 'dogfight football'. It's gonna be everyone working together to make a team. You're not a team out there. So I'm gonna make you one." Maverick explained.

Everyone took there clothes off, leaving them just in their workout clothes, swimsuits, or in Bradley's case...cropped denim shorts and no shirt. Katie and Phoenix stood next to each other, looking at all the shirtless men.

"You cannot tell me this isn't the most marvelous thing you've never seen, Nat." Katie laughed.

"Oh it is. It's very marvelous." She said staring at Hangman.

"Now Nat...am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?" She chuckled.

"Meh. They're all hot." She laughed.

"You're not wrong there." She laughed, looking over to Rooster.

As the day went on, the "dogfight football" just turned more into them throwing a ball around. Both Katie and Maverick made themselves on each other's team, and they made a pretty good team. There was one point where Katie launched it at Maverick, and as soon as he got it, he was knocked on the ground. Rooster helped him up and patted him on the back. Katie saw that and smiled, he seemed content with Maverick. Maybe he let everything go just for one day.

Hours went on in the day, and they could all feel the sunburns on their skin. Katie bowed out and watched the rest play football. She saw Bradley catch the ball and do a little dance. She shook her head and laughed at how cute he was. She had to admit to herself that she was definitely staring at that man's abs. After Maverick bowed out, the game quickly finished, and Rooster went over to Katie.

"Wanna go for a swim?" He asked.

"Last one to the waves buys everyone a round at the Hard Deck tonight." Katie smiled and ran.

"Oh you asshole." He laughed and got up and ran.

She flew into the water, Bradley following shortly after. He grabbed her and tickled her endlessly, causing her to squeal and laugh as he picked her up. She turned to face him and kissed him. It was more passionate and lustful than their kisses they've shared since their dinner date a few days ago. The rest of the group came into the water after them, interrupting their kiss. They all chilled in the ocean, and talked. They all decided to go to the Hard Deck later, and Rooster agreed to buy them a round.

By the time they were at the Hard Deck, the sun had just barely started to go down. They walked in and saw Captain Mitchell sitting at the bar, waiting for Penny to get off. The group went to go play pool, but Katie went to the bar to talk to Maverick.

"That was some interesting skills you had. You did make us all a team." Katie smiled and sat down.

"Thank you, Blaze. Where did you come up with your callsign if you don't mind me asking?" He asked as she sat down.

"Oh my mom picked it out. she's called me it since I was little, and when the time come...it just stuck." She explained.

"That's sweet. Your mom and I were actually really good friends. Bradley's parents, your mom, and I were all actually really really close. Then Goose died, and I hadn't seen your mom since I left Top Gun." He explained.

"We'll She told me she would have stayed, but she found out she was pregnant a few months before leaving. She said she wanted to stick around for a bit, but then eventually left to go to Washington DC, and that's where I've been ever since. Well, up until I joined the Navy of course." She chuckled.

"You said your father died?" He asked, trying to remember the first conversation they had.

"Yes he did. Apparently he didn't know about me at all. She said she found out right before she finished her teaching at Top Gun, but my father had died before she even found out. So she stayed for a couple of months, and then left for Washington." She continued.

"So you would have bed born around 1986-87?" He asked with a very puzzled, almost troubling look.

"Yes? I was born in March of 1987, sir." She said with a confused look on her face.

His face went white. Just as she was going to ask if he was okay, Penny had gotten off her shift, and they abruptly left.

"What was that about?" Rooster came to see her.

"I have no idea. We talked about my mom." She said as she looked so confused.

"Wanna get out of here? We can go back to my place or your place." He asked with a smiled. She got up and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. She said goodbye to everyone and they left.

They went back to Bradley's house, leaving her jeep at the Hard Deck. They were gonna pick it up in the morning. After a very heated make out session, they curled up to watch an old movie to fall asleep too. She nuzzled into his side as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I love you Bradley. I love this." She smiled up at him.

"I love you too. And so do I. I never want it to change." He kissed her on the top of her head.

Eventually she fell asleep. Bradley was up...thinking...thinking about how he already knew he was gonna marry her someday. How they are going to grow old together. But he also thought about the mission, scared that one of them might not make it back.