automatic stop, bradley bradshaw

fifty-eight.

SKYE COULD HEAR PEOPLE CHEERING ON EVERY SIDE OF HER AIRCRAFT AS THE CANOPY OPENED. a wide grin spread across her cheeks as she unbuckled herself from her seat and turned, immediately enveloping katia into a hug. "thank you so much. for everything you've done for me." she said, feeling her helmet bump into her best friend's matching one. "i love you, kat."

"i love you, too." when they pulled away from the hug, both aviators were teary eyed and laughing. "you.. need to go talk to your man." katia said once her laughter had ceased, wiping at her eyes.

skye laughed before also putting a hand to her eyes, trying to stop any tears from escaping them. "no, i need to talk to my dad." she argued, looking around for him. she spotted him standing a few feet away with hondo, an excited smile on his face.

fanboy and phoenix came over to cheer on skye and katia, but skye was already hopping onto the wing of her f-18 and running off of it, jumping down to the ground.

"dad!" she then raced towards him, frantically unclipping her helmet's strap from her chin. she dropped the helmet to the ground as she reached her father, practically launching into his arms.

the father and daughter held each other for a moment, seeming to be the only essence of calm amidst the excited pilots and crew around them. skye had her face pressed into her father's shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut so that she wouldn't cry. he, however, seemed to already be crying, and he squeezed her body closer.

"i'm so sorry." was the first thing maverick said after pulling away to look into his daughter's eyes. "kid, i- i am so sorry." the guilt was evident in his eyes as he put his hands on her shoulders. "bradley.. he told me two years ago that he was in love with you."

skye's brows immediately furrowed in confusion. "w-what?"

maverick hung his head. "i.. i was worried. and i was overprotective. and he asked for my blessing to date you, and i told him no." he admitted. "and it's because.. because i was too afraid of letting you go. of losing my little girl, the most.. important thing in my life." he began to cry again, looking into her eyes. "i was wrong. i kept two.. excellent people from each other. and for that, i- i can't apologize enough. but you have to understand, skye, you have to know.. how deeply bradley loves you. he just couldn't say so," he sighed, "because of me."

the silence between the two was deafening for a moment as maverick allowed his daughter to process all of this, but skye was soon wrapping her arms around him again. "dad, you almost died today." she said, holding him tighter. "you aren't always perfect, but you are my father. and you are the most important thing in my life, too. i'm sorry i haven't ever been the best at showing that."

he held onto her, struggling to keep his composure. "i love you, kid." he spoke through tears. "i'm sorry that i haven't ever been the best at showing it, either. and i'm so sorry for interfering with your life. i should never have turned bradley away-"

"hey," skye interrupted, pulling back to look into his eyes, "it's okay. you.. you saved his life today."

"he saved mine." maverick countered.

a smile spread to his daughter's lips. "i'm just so glad that you're alive." she admitted, hugging him again. "that's what really matters." they stayed like that for a moment before she cleared her throat. "have you talked to him about.. your change in thoughts?"

maverick nodded, his hands back on her shoulders. "yes. i still need to formally apologize to him, but-" he seemed distracted by something over her shoulder, and skye followed his gaze to see rooster standing with hangman. the two exchanged a respectful handshake, smiles on their faces. "go talk to him." maverick encouraged his daughter, nudging her arm.