The pieces of my puzzle.

Nine.

(Azara's POV)

As the days passed, the mission got closer and closer. The pilots got more capable and Rooster and I got closer.

We had settled for friends. I had forgot how much I missed our friendship: I missed the movies nights and the drinks at the hard deck. And him making me so incredibly happy. It felt like before we even had a romantic relationship. Even if there was a deadly mission's upcoming looming over us, we still enjoyed the time we had before we had to risk our lives.

We were currently showing the pilots the new scenario program that was set up for the mission training.

Me and my dad took up two pilots at a time.

First up was Rooster and Phoenix and bob.

"So, the mission is gonna work like this: the team leader and a double team are going to get a ride from a chopper that will take them to the location of the stolen jets. While the other double team and the single pilot will follow the chopper in their F-18's and keep lookout and defend the group on the ground until they reach the planes and are able to head back to base."
I explained. I waited until they nodded in understanding before continuing.

"This program is allot like the Uranium mission's one. It is programmed into your jet's NAV system. So, Inferno and I are going to be leading today's training." I told them.

"Yes. So you act as if Hellfire is your team leader." Maverick clarified, before splitting us up into two groups. "Rooster, you go with Hellfire and Inferno." My dad said.

Rooster replied with a "yes, sir." Before walking up to me. "Are you gonna go easy on me, sweetheart?" Rooster whispered in my ear, giving me a wink.

I rolled my eyes at him. "If you ever call me sweetheart without my permission again, I will break your nose." I replied, giving him a hard look. But my voice was all playful. He just chuckled at my threat, raising his hands in mock surrender.

"Phoenix, you and Bob will go up with me." Mav continued. Seemingly not noticing me and Rooster's little banter.

"Rooster, Hellfire and Inferno will go through some more techniques with the jet's from the ground." Maverick finished before walking out of the room with the two pilots.

***

It went on like that.

We took up two at a time and split them up. Mav took a double and trained with them for the lookout part of the mission, while I took the other pilot and took them over more techniques on the ground.

They didn't suck at the training from the ground, but up in the air all of them got hit by the training simulator's missiles.

So we called it a day and dismissed the class.

We only had a week and a half before the mission, but we couldn't achieve anything with overworked pilots.

I had just finished all my paperwork for the day and was looking for Rooster. I wanted to ask him if he wanted to come over to my place tonight for dinner and a movie with the rest of the team. But I couldn't find him anywhere. I took a hunch and headed for the airstrip.

He was sitting at the foot of his jet. Much like I had a few days ago. The sun was just beginning to set above the horizon, painting the sky with orange, yellow and pink.

I looked at him from afar. He looked amazing. The evening light shining through his sandy brown hair and mustache, the kaki of his flight suit looking amazing on him even though I see him in it every day.

I realized I had been staring and a faint blush painted my cheeks as I caught myself in the act.

I'm not gonna lie.
I still find him attractive, I always will. And I did long for the relationship we had.

I still had feelings for him and with the weight of the mission hanging over my head, I was tempted to just tell him how I really feel.

But there was a voice in the back of my head that told that as soon as he got scared he would leave me again. And I can't go through that again. So I'm going to push those feelings down and just be his friend.

I walked over to where he was sitting. "May I?" I asked, gesturing to the tarmac beside him. Doing the same he did for me when I was sitting out here.

He looked up at me and when I looked into his brown eyes, I could've sworn I saw them glistening slightly. He nodded and I sat down next to him.

I didn't speak, I just sat there. Waiting patiently for him to tell me when he was ready.

After a while he broke through silence. "Can I tell you something?" He asked hesitantly, keeping his gaze fixed on the horizon.

I nodded. "Of course. You can tell me anything." I stated. Tucking my hair behind my ear.

"I-I don't know how to feel anymore." He started, taking a deem breath. "I know we chose this job and knew what the risks were, but what if I don't come back? I have so much I regret and I have so much I want to do with my life. And if I don't get chosen for the mission, there's just going to be another one with the same probability of return." He rambled, running a hand through his hair, it had always been a nervous tick of his.

I furrowed my brows in both, worry and confusion. I hadn't seen him this worked up in a long time. Then again, the last time I saw him like this was the day he left.

"Bradly, everything is going to be fine." I reassured. Using his first name in hope to comfort him.

"I'm scared, Azara. I'm terrified of not making it back." I heard his breath hitch. He looked over at me, his eyes pooling with unshed tears.

"Oh, Brads." I spoke softly, his old nickname just slipped out of my mouth. But I didn't dwell on that fact.

I wanted to comfort him, but didn't know what to do. So I did something on impulse and scooted closer to him and hugged him.

He tensed up at first, not expecting it, before relaxing into my embrace. He rested his head on my shoulder and wrapped his arms around my waist. I played with his hair with one hand and rubbed soothing circles on his back with the other.

He tried to hold back his tears at first, but as soon as I muttered: "it's okay, I'm here." He burst into tears, sobs wracking his body as he cried into my shoulder.

I would've thought that this would be a strange and uncomfortable situation, but surprisingly it wasn't. I just wanted to be there for him.

After his sob's died down, we just sat there in comfortable silence.

"I'm sorry. I'm scared and you're here for me, but when you were scared I left" He sat up, looking at me.

"It's okay. We should stop dwelling on the past, the past is the past. All that matters is that we're here now." I told him.

"Thank you for being here for me. And you should know that I'm here for you too. Really." He promised, giving me a small smile. I returned it. Resting my head on his shoulder as we watched the last of the light fade from the horizon and make way for the starry sky.

"I missed you Brads." I told him softly.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "I missed you too, Az."

And it's as if at that moment, another piece of our puzzle clicked back together.