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↳ 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 'the resolution of all the fruitless searches'
━━ 𓄼 𓄹 ━━
MIRAMAR NAVAL AIR STATION
HE FOUND BRADLEY alone in one of the instruction rooms. Sitting amongst empty chairs, his head was in his hands. As the door clicked shut behind Pete, the noise was near deafening against the silence. No getting out of this now.
"They'll keep Berlin and Fritz in the hospital overnight for observation," Pete told him as he strode into the room. "But they're going to be okay."
This was the last thing they needed now. None of his pilots would believe this mission was even possible, least of all Cameron Mejia. The Navy had never promised them safety, but he had made the silent vow to himself that this would not be a sacrificial mission. And yet, here they were.
Bradley didn't bother to hide his relief. He squeezed his eyes shut tight and said, "I've never lost a wingman. In combat, off a carrier, never."
"You've been lucky. Fly long enough, it'll happen. There will be others," Mav warned.
"Easy for you to say," Bradley said bitterly. "No kids, no family. No one to mourn you when you burn in."
He let the blow roll off of him. "I know you were worried about them, but that's no reason to take it out on me."
Bradley's face contorted with worry and rage. "She could have died, Maverick."
He narrowed his eyes momentarily, but then it all made sense. Suddenly, he understood the missing piece of this story. Bradley had lashed out completely after his rejection from the Naval Academy. It hurt like hell to watch everything crumble around the kid, his godson, and be unable to say a word. He had made Bradley's mother a promise a long time ago that he wouldn't let him go to the academy for the sake of his safety. It had been his final act of apology to Carol to let Bradley go on believing that it had only ever been Maverick at fault.
But this, this was a different kind of anger. A protective kind. Bradley was in love with Cameron, it was written over and between every word. The two of them had had some kind of falling out years ago and Pete realized now that it had been connected to the academy rejection. Yet another thing that Bradley could blame him for. Even more lost time.
There was nothing Pete could say now, though. "She could have, but she didn't. Go home, Bradley. Get some sleep."
He turned to leave, but Bradley stood and stopped him. "Why did you pull my papers at the academy? Why did you stand in my way?"
