Two Ghosts (A Rooster/OC/Iceman Fanfic)

Epilogue

A/N - It's been a while, but here I am with the canon epilogue finally!

"I don't wanna!" Nikki Bradshaw yelled at her mother.

Mongoose took a deep breath.

God had blessed little Nicole Carol Bradshaw with a temper to rival her father's. God help the Navy if she ever decided to join like her parents.

"I don't care what you do or don't want. You're taking a nap."

Mongoose had flight plans to go over, plus new Top Gun recruits, and she couldn't do that if she had a cranky toddler.

Nikki pouted. "I just wanna be awake when daddy gets home."

"Think of it this way. Instead of sitting by the door and waiting for daddy to be home, you can take a nap and he'll be here when you wake up."

Nikki finally relented and let her mother tuck her in for a nap.

What was so hard about taking a nap? Mongoose wished she could take a nap most days.

She settled down on the couch to look over flight plans for new training exercises because her office chair hurt her back too much at this stage in her pregnancy. She also had to go through Top Gun applications and pick pilots for the upcoming class.

The baby was kicking up a storm today so she could barely focus on her work. Maybe it was time to go on maternity leave and leave this to her Rear Admiral to deal with.

This pregnancy had been more difficult than when she was pregnant with Nikki. With Nikki, the morning sickness had stopped around her second trimester, but this time it hit her at every minute of every day.

Before she knew it, Rooster was walking through the door still in his flight suit.

Mongoose smiled. "Hey baby."

"Hey Goose."

Rooster walked over to her and kissed her forehead. "How are you Admiral Bradshaw?"

Mongoose smiled. "Better now that you're here Commander Bradshaw."

Mongoose had worked her way up through the ranks and made Admiral. Just like Iceman had been. She loved Rooster with everything in her body. A part of still thought about Iceman from time to time, but she knew he was watching out for her and Rooster. Along with Goose. She hoped they were proud of them.

Rooster had risen through the ranks following the uranium mission, making Captain shortly after their wedding. He had stopped at Commander though. He didn't want the responsibility of Admiral. He saved that for his wife.

"How was Nikki today?" he asked.

"Pretty good. We only had one breakdown. She's currently sleeping it off."

Rooster placed his hand on her swollen stomach. "And the little one?"

"Kicking up a storm. I'm surprised they haven't burst out of me yet."

"Sure you're not giving birth to a Zenomorph?"

Mongoose narrowed her eyes at her husband. "Haha, very funny Bradshaw."

"I'm hilarious."

"Maybe you should just quit your job as pilot and do standup comedy."

Rooster just rolled his eyes at his wife.

Mongoose stroked her stomach as she watched as her husband walk around the living room, settling in for the night. "So...I was flipping through the baby name book and I found one I like," she told him.

"What it is?"

"What about...Tom?"

Rooster looked at his wife. "Like Iceman?"

Mongoose looked down at her lap as she played with her dog tags. "I mean...you were closed to him growing up. I know his death hit you hard too. Not just Maverick."

Rooster sighed as he sat down next to her. "Without him I wouldn't have gotten into the Top Gun program. I'll think about it."

Mongoose looked at him. "Unless you'd rather name them after Mav?"

Rooster laughed. "God no. The man has a big enough ego as it is."

After much convincing, eventually Mongoose got her wish.

Thomas Peter Bradshaw was born on the coldest night in San Diego on record, living up to his namesake's callsign.

As Mongoose drifted off to sleep, she swore she felt a cold kiss on her forehead and heard these words, "Good job, princess."