༺ NO LIMITS ➳ BRADLEY BRADSHAW ༻

⁰⁵ stupid moustache

___________

The next morning hurt in Daniella's head, eyes and heart. It had been an excellent welcome home but the hangover that came with it had forced Daniella to forget all good that came out of the night.

It had been a mix of emotions, one's she needed and ones she didn't expect. The sight of Bradley Bradshaw after all these years had brung feelings that Daniella wasn't ready to deal with to the surface.

Natasha knew every in and out of Dani's troubles with Rooster. So when Phoenix discovered the horror that she'd be working aside her best friend's biggest rival, she felt obligated to tell her. Daniella didn't react.

Daniella didn't care. She couldn't, what was the point? Bradley and Natasha's becoming friends didn't bother Dani but the role it played in her sudden arrival home hadn't crossed Daniella's mind.

Rooster had worked out soon enough that there was some sort of close connection between his colleague and former friend. He'd caught sight of photos, Daniella's face gleaming in everyone. He'd overheard conversations with her familiar voice mumbling softly from the other side but he choose to place it aside, he didn't want to interfere, she'd clearly moved on and he refused to be the burden in her life.

Being back, Bradley's new attractive manor and meaningful words had sent Daniella into a spiral after being clean for so long.

Dani's head pounded as the San Diego sun shone through the window. Daniella and her mom had made their way to open up the bar in the morning, despite her hungover migraine.

The bar had been reasonably quiet, nothing compared to the night before. Penny had chosen to serve a small variety of food at the bar so people came for breakfast and lunch during the earlier hours of the day.

Daniella found herself serving coffee to a seated older couple, she filled their coffee with a smile as they thanked her. From behind she heard the door of the bar open and as she walked away from the table Dani lifted her eyes to see who had just entered her mother's bar.

"Daniella?" The fresh voice halted in their tracks to scan, the now grown-up, girl.

"Maverick?" Daniella spoke bluntly in a state of shock.

Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell.

Another one of the men Dani had spent some of her happiest childhood memories with. Maverick was one of Goose's closest friends from Top Gun, Mav had also been there to witness the death of Goose. Some even blamed him for it, tho Dani wasn't one from that category.

"Jesus." Dani stammered out not knowing how to react. Although she hadn't blamed him for the death of Goose, she did however have other reasons to dislike the man. He and Daniella's mother had found themselves together just after Dani's father left, but the relationship just resulted in Dani's mother being heartbroken. The heartbreak Penny experience causes her daughter to hold bitterness toward the man who was responsible.

"You're definitely not seven anymore." He spoke out awkwardly, reminiscing on the last time he'd seen her.

"Nope. and you're- old." Dani smiled out jokingly causing a laugh, easing the tension between the two.

"Can I get you something Mav? A drink?" She offered, wiping down the bar as she spoke.

"No, no. I'm looking for your mom, I gotta close my tab." Maverick held up a pile of money and beamed at Dani.

"Got it." she nodded.

"Mom, Mavericks here, says he owes you money," Dani yelled out through the back of the bar. She glimpsed at Maverick, her face turning stern for a minute as she spoke. "Don't break her heart again, Mav." He hesitated regretfully before giving her a promising nod.