I absolutely loved the new Top Gun Movie! Loved the action, the story, the EVERYTHING!

Including a certain Lt Bradley Bradshaw. I can't get Rooster out of my head so like any Hurt!Comfort addicted writer here comes the first (of hopefully a few) offerings.

Hope you enjoy!

Flying Home.

Chapter One

Night slowly released her embrace of the vast expanse of sky and sea. Giving up the dark protection of the lone ship below to the welcoming arms of dawn. The waves crashed against the grey metal as the aircraft carrier made its way back toward land, still a fair distance away somewhere beyond the orange flames of the horizon.

The sides of the ship caught the spray and sent it upwards toward the barrier surrounding that part of the flight deck, along which sat a shadowed figure. The spray from the ocean, mixed with the wind, had dampened the figures hair, collecting in small pools on his scalp to make their way slowly down his tanned face and collect, together again, on his collar bone.

Rooster sat oblivious to the dampness on his body. He'd been there all night. Alone with his thoughts, the wind, the sea.

His Dad.

He'd never felt as close to him as he had the day before. Sitting behind Maverick as they twisted and turned trying to evade the enemy. The elation of making it back alive, the small celebration on deck, a preamble to the epic party, as Fanboy had put it, that would take place at the Hard Deck when they arrived home. All the rush of adrenaline had kept the young pilot on his feet far longer than his body would have liked. His landing after ejection hadn't been the softest. Not that he'd told anyone that. He just figured he'd be right as rain after a night's sleep and a good meal. The mini celebration had been dispersed by Cyclone as "We need to debrief, Maverick", said in his most authoritative tone, not that Cyclone wasn't ecstatic with how things turned out, but his ears were still buzzing from Maverick's fly by and he really didn't like the guy all that much. Well maybe he disliked him a little less than the prior morning.

Everyone had started spreading out, some back to their jobs, others to the mess hall and a select few to get ready for a debrief. Rooster had found himself staring off the side of the ship, leant up against the railings and losing himself in the ocean beneath him. The sounds of the Aircraft Carrier had faded into the distance. All he could hear were the ocean waves crashing against the side as his heart ached for the father he once had. For a short time, he'd felt his Dad close. His Dad's guiding hand to find the circuit. His Dad's encouragement to keep him searching for smoke. Telling him when to turn his head and when to call out. His Dad's hand in his as he'd climbed from the F14, triumphant.

When the celebration had died down, Phoenix motioned for him to follow them to the mess. He'd smiled and mouthed the words "Give me a minute". Phoenix had smiled and nodded, thankfully leaving him to sort through his thoughts and feelings alone.

The emotions didn't take long to surface. What with the stress and tension between himself and Maverick, which he hoped, no he ached, for it to be over so that they could reconcile, his strength to remain stoic had been worn away. He needed Mav in his life more than he had dared to admit. The tears fell silently, falling from his eyes, down his face only to drop into the ocean below and disappear into the blue. He'd nearly lost the closest thing to a Dad he had. He'd rediscovered his father's spirit up high in the sky, as close to Goose as he'd ever felt. With no defence left the tears fell unchecked. Rooster's grip on the railing the only thing keeping him upright, even that started to fail as night fell. He'd slid slowly to the ground, pulled his knees up to his chest and raised his face to the sky. Eyes closed as he felt it all.

Unbeknown to the pilot, Maverick bore witness. One of the deck crew moved to check on Rooster but Pete held him back.

"He's ok, I'll keep an eye on him."

The deck hand had frowned but nodded. Trusting his superior officer.

Maverick had found a spot to sit, out of sight of Rooster. Sometime during the night, Hangman, much to Maverick's surprise, brought him out coffee and a sandwich.

"You sure he's ok?" Asked the overly confident pilot.

"Yeah, he just needs some time."

"Ok Mav, if you say so." But despite his tone Jake Seresin threw a concerned look towards Rooster. A look Maverick didn't fail to notice. His heart swelled. Despite all their differences he truly had made this bunch of pilots into one hell of a team.

A family.

Which made Maverick the father he guessed. And Hangman the annoying brother to the group.

As the dawn hinted to her arrival Maverick decided Rooster had had enough time to process. There was such a lot for the younger man to deal with. His mind span at the amount he'd had to go through in his life. Bridges had to be mended. They'd been temporarily patched up which was ok for now, but supports and reinforcements were needed.

"Bradley?"

The younger man barely nodded as Maverick approached.

"Bradley, I've put off the debrief as long as I can but you need to get to medical then you need to be debriefed. Time to get up, buddy."

Rooster shivered, small and barely imperceptible, but enough for Maverick to close the distance between them and kneel down in front of his pilot, gently placing his hands on Rooster's legs.

"Time to get up, Son."

Bradley looked up then, his eyes swimming with tears.

Son.

"I'm sorry, Mav."

"Sorry for what?"

"For everything I said. All of it. I know why you did it. I know you think it's what she wanted but I was so angry that you never thought about what I wanted. But up there, up there Mav, I was so close to Dad."

"He would have been proud of you." Said Maverick sadly as he smiled.

Rooster leaned forward. "No, that's not what I mean. Well not completely. I mean I felt him, I felt close to him, but I realised I was with Dad and I was also with you. You've always been there Mav, always." The tears fell freely as Bradley tried to convey with his eyes where his words failed him.

Maverick frowned, not quite following Rooster's train of thought. He searched the younger man's eyes, watched as the tears began to fall and then he felt it. He felt it. The overwhelming feeling of just wanting to fix Bradley's pain. Take it away and free him from his anguish. Like a parent would.

Like a Dad would.

"Bradley" Maverick swallowed hard as his voice cracked. "We've got a lot of ground to make up."

Rooster nodded, he smiled sadly as the fatigue wrapped it's arms around him. Maverick didn't miss the change and stood, holding his hand out to help pull the younger man standing. As Bradley stood his world tilted and he grabbed hold of Maverick's arms as he tried to stay upright.

"Whoa." Rooster shook his head slightly hoping to drive away the dizziness that currently overwhelmed him.

"Yeah, think that about covers it. Time to get you to medical. I shouldn't have let you sit out here so long." Maverick put Bradley's arm over his shoulder as he guided him inside the ship.

"You knew I was here?" Slurred the taller man.

"Son, I know where you are all the time." Smiled Maverick as he savoured the feeling of having Bradley so close. Willingly so. It had been too long. Too much distance between them.

"Creepy, Mav." Smiled Rooster as he leaned into Maverick as the two made their way down the corridor.

TBC

I promise there won't be a long wait until the next part. Some Hurt!Rooster and Worried!Maverick coming our way