When We Were Young (Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x FEM reader)

Chapter Seventeen

We are walking to the enemy base. As soon as we make it we squat down behind a plant and he points out our way home. My face immediately turns sour. "You've gotta be shitting me. An F-14?" "I shot down 3 MIGs in one of those things. "We don't even know even know if that bag of ass can fly?" I complain. Mav just nods. "Let's find out." He pops up and starts to run out. "Mav!" I try to stop him, but of course, he never listens. So I just follow him. Our walking was not as fast as it should be. There's an alarm going off for our enemies piloted. "There's guys over there Mav," I whisper. "Yeah," he mutters, trying to walk as normally as possible. "There's more over there," I mutter again. "Okay, let's start running," he says starting to jog. I was quick to follow. We made it to the hanger and Mav pulls on my arms. "Once I give you the signal for air, you're gonna switch until the needle gets to 120." He explains as I nod along. "When the engine starts you got to pull out the pins, and disconnect everything. Do you understand?

" He asks. I nod again. He powers it up and it slowly hums awake. "Yes!" He exclaims excitedly. "Once I'm up, Stowe the ladder." He yells and quickly retreats up the ladder. I quickly fold up the ladder. I switch the needle and run to pull all the pins. I climb on the wings to get to the cockpit. Maverick drives the jet out of the hangar. "Canopy?" "Clear." We stop right in the middle of the taxiway. "Both runways are cratered. How are we gonna get this museum piece in the air?" I ask, thinking there was no way we were gonna get home. But we all know Maverick, he always has a plan. Even if it doesn't seem wise. He flicks the wings out. "Why are the wings coming out, Mav?" I ask, preying that Maverick doesn't do what I think he wants to do. "Mav, this is a taxiway, not a runway. This is a very short taxiway." "I know, just hang on," Maverick said and launched us into the air, losing our landing equipment in the process.

-Switch to Y/N's pov-

I open my eyes to see myself on the deck with people surrounding me. "Okay, she's awake. Give her some space." Phoenix says as she helps me sit up. Fanboy hands me a water bottle. I chug it all and sigh when I'm done. "Anything?" I ask her. "Neither of them have responded. But um-" "What?" I ask, standing on my feet. Fanboy cleared his throat. "Rooster got shot down," Hundo said entering the deck. My mouth fell open. He can't be gone! We just found each other again. Why did he have to be so stupid to follow Maverick? I knew it wasn't gonna go well. "I'm sorry kid." I shake my head and start to pace. "Have you ever tried to contact him? Or Maverick?" "Come one, Dags, you know that we've already tried to get in contact multiple times, with Maverick. Now as for Rooster, we have tried to get in contact with his helmet and his jet. No luck."

"They have to be alive. There's no way that the navy's two strongest pilots can not be gone." "There is a small chance, but that is a chance that we are not willing to take." "I don't care!" I yell and Hundo's mouth opens to talk but I was quick to interrupt. "I don't care if I lose my post or my fault. If it means that I can find the only two members of my family left." I say, marching right into a single F-18. I start her up and slip my helmet on. As I was prepping I hear "You better find them. Or you're gonna be in a lot of trouble," Hundo mutter into a mic "This is extremely dangerous to do alone." "Who said she was gonna be alone," Hangman smirked. "Who is talking?" Bob asked. "Bangman, don't make me regret this," I mutter and guide myself to take off.