Cowboy Casanova

5

After a year of therapy, they finally let me go back. Dr. Jamison was right. It wasn't easy and the first time that they let me back in a jet, I freaked out and almost crashed. They grounded me for that. I still go to therapy. Once a week. Anxiety. She calls it anxiety. Which is something I was definitely feeling as I stood outside of the Commander's office. Commander Edward Kampos. Callsign: Swift. He wasn't a scary man. Just strict. And I was worried that I had done something out of regulations. I couldn't think of something that I had done, but that didn't mean that I hadn't done it. "Banshee. Come in here." I walk into his office, standing at attention.

"Sir?" I stared down at the man, waiting for him to say something, anything. I saw a folded up envelope in his hands.

"You've had a rough last few years." My confusion melted and I stared straight ahead. I hated when people brought up the past, no matter how much therapy I had. "Let's not bullshit. You had expectations when you came into the Navy. You had to be better and cleaner than any other guy." I nodded. "And you are." I felt a smile rise on my lips, even if I wasn't supposed to.

"I just want to serve my country and be the best pilot in the Navy, sir. Better than my father, preferably. Just to rub it in his face one day." The commander stares back at me and I send him a smile, making him crack a smile to say.

"I knew your father. He was a good pilot, great even. But he didn't make the top of the list to be invited to Top Gun." He hands me the envelope and I rip it open, not even trying to be polite. I look back at him shocked after reading the first line. You have been invited...

"Sir?" He lets me open the envelope and inside is an invitation to go to Top Gun, a school for the best of the best pilots. My dad made it in, on a technicality. The technicality being that the person in front of him (and Uncle Nick) dropped out.

"You're a hell of an instinctive pilot. You are going to Top Gun Training." I smiled wide, staring back at him with tears in my eyes, but I didn't dare cry. "For five weeks you're going to bust your ass against the best of the best Naval pilots. But remember one thing: you are representing this squadron. You will do us proud. I know that much. That is all. You leave at 1200."

"Yes, sir! I will, sir." I turn to leave, but Swift calls me back.

"Banshee."

"Good luck." I walk out of his office and towards the hatch that takes me up. When I make my way up to the flight deck, I can see the stars and I can feel the stormy weather, rain falling down on me. The sea crashes up against the ship but the sound relaxes me. I look back up at the sky, closing my eyes so the rain doesn't get into my eyes. I yell excitedly, though no one can hear me over the strong winds and the rough sea.

"Uncle Nick, Kelly! I made it!" I smile up at the sky. "I made it." I cheered again, laughing in the rain.

𐑺

When I landed in San Diego, California, the first thing I did was hitch a ride to the storage unit where one of my most prized possessions was kept. My mom's 1958 Porsche 356 Speedster. I took off the tarp covering it and smiled. It looked exactly like the last time I saw it. When dad gave me my first ride in a convertible. Jumping into the speedster, I started its engine. With another smile, I raced out of the storage unit, towards the one place I knew in Fightertown, USA. The Hard Deck. I parked and as soon as I saw the beat up Bronco, my heart soared. I threw open the doors of the bar and all eyes were on me as I smiled widely, never more excited than I was at this very moment. The Hard Deck was a bar, but there is a control to it. There are none of the usual bar types, just pilots and Naval Officers. The first person I saw that I recognized was Penny Benjamin. "Well, look how much you've grown." She said in excitement when she saw me. I twirled for her, so she could get a full view. "You look more and more like your father." I laughed. To her, that might not have been a good thing. They've dated a few times. She was the closest thing I got to a step-mom, or really any mom.

"I can't believe you're still here. I was so excited. I got invited to Top Gun. And dad was so happy and I remember that you were here and then I got even more excited and I'm just so excited!" She laughed, happy that I was so happy. She knew this was my dream.

"I know, honey. I'm so proud of you." She placed a shot of tequila and a beer on the counter. "Here, on the house." I smiled back at her, taking the shot. And holding the beer in my other hand.

"Thanks, Penny." She came around the bar and hugged me. "God, I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, honey." I turned around, my back pressed against the bar, looking for my favorite person. When I saw him, I raced towards him, throwing myself onto his back.

"Bradley!" I heard him laugh, making me get off his back. He hugged me tightly.

"I'll be damned. Nicole." I grabbed his forearms.

"Did you make it? Is that why you're here?" He smiled back at me, the largest smile I had ever seen on his face. He returned my sentiments.

"I did. You?" I nodded, excitedly.

"Nicole?" I turned around, seeing Bradley's other half.

"I can't believe it! You too, Nat?" We hugged and she smiled, nodding.

"Looks like we're the best of the best." We took a seat in the corner of the bar, catching up. They told me a little bit about themselves and how they were doing, but they also filled me in on their experiences in Afghanistan. I mentioned Iraq, trying not to talk too much about it. It was still a little bit of a sore subject. Music plays a little louder as someone changes the song on the Jukebox. I see a group of people playing pool, one of them looking extremely familiar, but I pay no attention to him, trying not to get distracted from my friends. We talked about callsigns and I loved how they were both birds, but also how Rooster went so well with his father's call sign - Goose. It felt full circle.

"Well, if it isn't Rooster. Never thought that you'd make it into Top Gun." I see Bradley's face fall, a scowl resting on his lips as he drinks some of his beer.

"Hangman..." I turned around to see who made Bradley so angry. My eyes squint. It's the familiar guy.

"And who is your friend? Phoenix being with you is already a phenomenon. Two beautiful women with you is impossible." He sits down next to me and I stare into his emerald eyes. His Texan twang was the giveaway. The cowboy from graduation.

"It's none of your business." I look back at Bradley with my eyebrows raised.

"I don't need your help with this, Bradley. Thank you." I turn back to the cowboy and smile. "But he's right. Who I am is not your business. Especially when you treat my brother and my friend with such contempt." I pat his arm, turning back to Nat and Bradley who were both smirking at Hangman. I wanted to keep looking at him, because he was absolutely gorgeous. But he's rude, so I won't. He gets really close to my ear to whisper something.

"I'll find out sooner or later. I need to know the name of the pretty woman I won't be able to stop thinking about." I rolled my eyes to stop the blush from rising to my cheeks as he walked away.

"Alright. Who the hell is that?" I asked the two of them.

"He was with us in Afghanistan. Arrogant, cocky, dangerous. He doesn't care about anyone but himself. Hangman - we call him that because he leaves people hanging to die. He'll lead someone to their death, if he hasn't already. That's for sure." I looked back at Hangman as he played pool, staring at another woman, one who would probably put out for him.