"What Am I To You?"

Ship

The helicopter landed on the deck. The pilots walked out and were cheered on by the others. The medical corps ran over and rush Bob to the medical bay.

She watched him get rushed off. She looked at Maverick as if asking for permission to go. He nodded, seeing the worry on her face. She raced through the crowd to get to him.

Suddenly the crowd calmed down as a familiar face appeared through the crowd. Rooster ran over and hugged Ice tightly. Ice hugged him and smiled softly. "You're okay..." Ice said.

"Of course... I can't leave my dad hanging here." Ice chuckled as Rooster backed up.

Ice looked at Maverick and teared up. Maverick ran over and hugged him tightly. Ice hugged him tightly and started to tear up more.

"You're home." Ice said.

"Of course. I-I always will come back home." Maverick said as he pulled away and looked at him. Everyone knew there was a rumor that they were married but it was considered a urban legend.

Maverick was about to say something when ice kissed his cheek. Mav looked at him shocked.

"Still shocked huh?"

Rooster looked around at the crowd that was now agape at the situation that just unfolded in front of them.

Maverick smiled and took his hand. "Let's go have a coffee."

Hangman looked at the two of them. Watching them hold hands. He glanced at Roosters and then just walked towards the barracks.

"Hangman! Wait up!" Rooster said as the two
Of them walked to the barracks. The two shared a room, which made them roommates of course.

Rooster walked to his bed and unzipped his flight suit halfway and took his shirt off. Hangman caught himself staring and pulled himself into the bathroom.

He took deep breaths as he washed his face. "Hey! Hangman, your phones ringing." Rooster said as he sat on his bed in basketball shorts. Hangman walked out and picked up his phone.

He smiled softly and answered. "Hey mom! How are- I'm fine. Yes, I'm alive. I mean..."

Rooster glanced at Hangman as he smiled talking to his mom. He was slightly staring at him. Then Hangman turned and met Roosters gaze.

The two flinched and continued what they were doing. "Yes mom... yes I'll be at the wedding. Oh, you guys want to meet him? Ah... alright then. I probably could ask."

Rooster looked at Hangman noticing that he looked more stressed than anything now. "He's... okay. See you next week. Love you too." He hung up and sighed.

He looked at rooster.

"What?"

"You're gonna hate what I'm gonna ask you."

"Depends on what you're asking him?" Rooster said.
Hangman sighed as he sat on his bed.

"I never realized I'd tell you like this but uh... I'm Bi. And I lean more towards men. And I told my mom I had a boyfriend who was also in the Navy, and I told her I would bring him to the wedding, but uh, heh... funny thing is we originally broke up, but I didn't tell her. So..." hangman pointed at him.

Rooster stared at him for a second, as the realization kicked in. "No."

"Please! It's only for three days and then we're done. We will be back to being mortal enemies till the end of time, and , I'll pay you." Hangman said.

Rooster sighed and looked at him. "Fine..."

"Oh my gosh thank you so much! I'll pay for your plane ticket to get there as well!" Hangman chuckled as he went to pull his shirt off but suddenly cringed in pain.

Rooster heard him and got up so quickly. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah... just forgot about my injury.." he said as he stood up straight. Suddenly, rooster helped pull his shirt off of him. "Need anything else?"

Hangman could think of a lot of things, but that will never happen in this lifetime.

"Um... no. Nothing really. You've already done enough for me." Hangman said thinking of the past day and a half.

"Alright. Just let me know. I'm gonna go see my parents." He said as he started for the door.

"So your the son of the greatest pilot and the most powerful admiral in the navy?" Hangman said.

Rooster looked at him. "Yeah?"

"I uh, didn't know Maverick was into guys." He said. "Is their son the same way?" Hangman asked sounding genuinely curious.

"No." Rooster said with a chuckle as he walked out. Hangman nodded slightly and groaned in annoyance as he laid down.

Rooster leaned against the door. "Shit... why, did I say no?"

Phoenix sat outside of Bobs room. She had been waiting for about and hour and a half for something... anything.

His room door opened and she shot up as the doctor walked out. She looked at him anxiously. "Is he..."

"He is perfectly fine now. He will just have to take antibiotics and rest. Especially when we get back to port. He just needs a breather." The doctor said as he took a step back letting her go in.

She stepped in and saw Bob sitting there. He was doing fine.

He was alive.

She started to cry as she walked over to him. He teared up and sat up as she hugged him. He hugged her back tightly. She gripped his shirt as he hid his head in her shoulder.

"Y-you scared me so bad." She said as her voice shook with fear and relief.

"I'm so sorry..." he said as she looked at him. He looked back at her. She placed her forehead against his and sighed in relief.

"Have you gotten any rest?" He asked tiredly.

"I got some sleep in the hallway." She said calmly. He nodded slightly as she stood up.

"I have to go get ready to head back into port. Text me when you need me to come help you to your room." She said as she started to leave.

"Thank you, Natasha." He said.

She stopped slightly and nodded. "You're welcome." As she walked out Payback and Fanboy rushed in to see if he was okay.

Phoenix simply tried to get herself farther and farther away from his room. She walked and found herself outside. All she could do was simply sigh and hold her head.

The scene of her and Bob crashing replayed in her head. "I could've..."

"Could've what?" She heard a voice said. She jumped and saw Maverick taking a seat next to her, staring at the ocean.

"It's nothing important..." she said. Maverick watched the waves go by on the boat as the sun was getting close to setting.

"I think it is... especially if it caused you to rush out of Bobs like that." Maverick said as he glanced over at her.

Tears pricked her eyes and then started to fall. "I could've caused him to come home in a coffin..." he said lowering her head in shame.

"I could've been the reason why he died.."she said as she covered her face. The embarrassment and anger she felt was valid, but it was something she shouldn't be worrying about right now.

Maverick wrapped his arms around her and sighed. "Natasha... focus on the fact that you saved his life too..."

"... and that he is alive and with us."