"What Am I To You?"

Hand

The next morning, Bob woke up slowly. He looked around and saw that the sun was barely out. He sighed and got up, making sure not to wake Phoenix.

He had a mission that morning.

He pulled a hoodie on, grabbed the ring from the nightstand and texted Rooster.

Bradley

Bob: hey man. You awake? I know it's early

Rooster: yeah... yeah I'm up. What's going on?"

Bob: I need to talk  to you. To you specifically.

Rooster: uh.. okay? Wanna go for a walk then?

Bob: yeah.

Rooster: okay. Im out front.

Bob closed his bedroom door carefully. He looked at his mothers room and saw a light on. Sighed in relief as he heard her laughing quietly.

He went down the flight of stairs and left through the front doors where rooster was. "Hey man." Rooster said.

"Hey... sleep well?" Bob asked. Rooster chuckled. "It's Texas, I slept okay." Bob just chuckled as they started to walk.

Bob was eerily silent and Rooster knew something was up. "What's wrong man... you did say you wanted to talk to me." Rooster said.

They had walked about a mile in silence. Bob looked at him and rubbed his neck as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring.

Roosters mouth fell open. "You..."

"My mom just gave it to me... I have been thinking about proposing for awhile now, but I feel as if I'm going too quickly, I'm scared and-." Bob said. Rooster walked over and held the ring.

"Please don't tell you you're scared of her saying no to you?" Rooster said. Bob nodded which only got laughter out of Rooster.

"Bro! She's so in love with you... throughout our entire deployment, she would not stop talking about you! Like when she chopped her hair off she was scared you wouldn't like it... despite us telling her you wouldn't care." Rooster said.

"Oh... she looks perfect for everything. But, you didn't let me finish..." he said as he took the ring back. He sighed and looked at rooster.

"I'm asking you for your blessing..." Bob said. Rooster froze.

"What?"

"I'm asking you for your blessing to marry her." Bob said. Rooster was simply confused on why he would ask him.

"Shouldn't you be asking... maverick, her mother..." rooster said.

"I will... but she has officially labeled you her brother. So, I want to ask you, for you blessing to marry her." Bob said again.

Rooster teared up, he couldn't believe it. He smiled and nodded. "You have my blessing man... you've had it from the very beginning." Rooster said as he wiped his eyes Quickly.

"Damn..." he said. "She really does consider me her brother." He said with pride in his voice.

"Yes she does... she adores you. And thank you..." Bob said. Rooster fist bumped him and nodded. "No problem man.." Bob smiled a bit to himself and continued to walk with him.

"When did you know you wanted to marry her?" Rooster asked.

"Oh... after our first night together. I knew that I wanted her in my life for the rest of it..." he said with a soft smile. Rooster laughed a bit. "Interesting... what about a night of intimate love made you know you want her to be yours?" Rooster said.

Bob thought back and smiled to himself. "How she comforted me in my moment of vulnerability." He said. "I was feeling very self conscious. I don't like showing off my body, and I was really getting nervous but she just looked at me and called me beautiful..." he chuckled to himself.

"I know it's probably lame but if she could look at me when I was so self conscious, and I still have a really bad scar from the crash, and she was still able to call me beautiful, I didn't want anyone else." He said with a chuckle.

"That's not lame..." rooster said. "That's what you need to be looking for. Someone who can uplift you in the darkest of times. Especially in moments of vulnerability like that."

Bob nodded as they turned around. "When did you know you wanted to marry Hangman?"

Rooster thought. "I think... at the wedding. I was playing the fake boyfriend but when I kissed him in the middle of the wedding, and I saw the look of shock and just pure bliss. It just made me know..." rooster said with the most affectionate look on his face.

Bob looked at him and smiled softly. "We got lucky huh?"

"That we did... that we did..."

Phoenix woke up a bit later and started her morning. She took a shower, got dressed and started to roam about.

She was going to go downstairs when she heard something drop on the ground in Bobs mothers room. She raised a brow and walked over. She opened the door slowly.

"Mrs. Floyd?" She said as she peeked her head in. She saw bobs mother on her knees. His mother looked at her.

"Oh Phoenix! Good morning!" She said with a bright smile. Phoenix ran over and immediately helped her up.

"Mrs. Floyd! You need to be careful." She said as she sat her down on the bed. Gabby just shrugged and sighed. "At this point in my life, no point." She said with a tired chuckle.

"But you still have to be careful." Phoenix said as she looked at her knees to make sure they weren't bruised or bleeding.

Gabby looked at her and smiled softly. "Such a kind girl you are." She said as Phoenix looked at her. Phoenix simply just smiled and chuckled. "I'm just doing what's right."

"Which makes you just perfect." Mrs. Floyd said. She chuckled. "I love your hair as well..."

Phoenix stood and extended a hand to Mrs. Floyd. "Thank you... I appreciate it." Mrs. Floyd took her hand and slowly pushed herself up.

"Now, let's get you downstairs for some breakfast. I have a feeling you probably don't wanna be locked up in this room." Phoenix said with a chuckle. Mrs. Floyd chuckled and nodded.

"Am I being rescued?!" She said with a surprised.

"Yes you are ma'am. And I'll be here to help you throughout."