Maverick plotted a family grill, and he did so with great pleasure and a many a devious smirks. Though most of the smirks were for the days following the grill, but the grill was to be eventful as well.

That should have been the first sign of danger, but what really should have set off the daggers, was that Ice was plotting with a smirk too. When both of them were plotting and deviously smirking, then well, let's just say the world should fear for its safety.

The Daggers unknowingly walked right into the trap.

Phoenix and Bob were the first to arrive, always the timely ones. Rapidly followed by Fanboy and Payback, who forced to be early by Fanboy who insisted if they weren't early they were late and they needed to be ahead for good parking and if there was any traffic.

Not long after the rest of the squad appeared, Bradley and Jake being the last to arrive having been hanging out and then losing track of time.

No one asked questions on that one, but Maverick and Ice gave each other a look.

"Looks like everyone's here." Jake announced waltzing into the backyard.

"Not quiet, there is still a one more on their way." Maverick replied turning away to hide his smirk as he tended to the burgers.

"One more has arrived." Slider announced from the backyard door.

The Dagger's eyes went wide, all suddenly going to attention and just barely managing to restrain themselves from saluting realizing it was Admiral Kerner

"Daggers, same rule applies to for Slider as it does for me, no titles and no saluting in my house. This applies to all ranking officers in my house unless I say otherwise, and I do not intend to say otherwise." Ice announces walking up to Slider with a smirk.

Bradley slowly made his way to the back of the crowd of Daggers, hoping to evade being focused on as long as he could.

"Daggers, this is Slider, Ice's Rio." Maverick introduced.

"Daggers, I have heard a lot about you." Slider greeted, his eyes scanning the group recognizing each from pictures he had been sent. His eyes paused on the most familiar of faces, one hiding in the back: Bradley Bradshaw.

"They've heard about you too Sli, don't worry." Maverick assured, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, I have no doubt, however, I bet they haven't heard many stories about you two. I still like your aprons by the way." Slider smirked, and the Dagger's eyes lit up.

"Told you this would happen Ice." Maverick said as Slider became surrounded by 11 highly attentive Daggers. Fanboy already rattling off questions at a speed that would rival Maverick's flying.

Bradley held back in the crowd, uncertain of how to proceed. Causing Jake to give him a strange look and stay towards the back as well. Occasionally giving Bradley a questioning look between stories.

Eventually the Daggers calmed down and began to mingle around the backyard once more. Though Slider pulled off from the rest and gave a look to the one Dagger who had mostly avoided him thus far.

The Dagger continued to shy away even from the look, pretending to have missed it, thought Slider knew Bradley well enough to know, he didn't miss the look.

Slider decided he was taking this into his own hands, and swiftly walked across the backyard until he was right next to Bradley and grabbed his arm, not tight enough to hurt him, but enough to make it known he wasn't getting out of this.

"Come on kid, we have some stuff to talk about." Slider spoke with a decepitvely calm smile, though Bradley knew otherwise. Jake looked over with a questioning look, not trusting the calm, especially after noticing Bradley shy away from Ice's Rio. One of the rare times he wasn't the life of the party.

Ice gave Slider a look of warning from across the yard.

Slider just tilted his head and raised his eyebrows, effectively telling Ice, you knew this was coming and you shouldn't expect any less.

Ice nodded back in a sign of trust.

Slider guided Bradley upstairs to the guest bedroom, away from prying eyes and interupttions.

"Bradley." Slider greeted, waiting to see how Bradley would address him.

"Uncle Slider." Bradley said softly looking down.

Slider wasn't sure what name he would be called, but that was the one he was hoping for, or atleast it was as close as he was expecting to his usual 'Uncle Sli', but he doubted he would get that one yet. It had been too long and there was unresolved tension.

"Glad you atleast still consider me your Uncle."

Bradley just nodded. He knew what was comign to a certain degree, adn was already feeling the guilt.

"I'm sure you already know why I pulled you aside."

Bradley once again nodded, paying close attention to the details on the bedding rather than his uncle.

"I know Maverick probably let you back in with open arms, and Ice probably gave you a quick lecture then let you right on in after everything that happened."

Bradley silently nodded once more.

"I also know, that they did that because they love you so much and have waited years to have you back in their lives. I know they don't want to risk losing you again and quickly forgave some things that might should've still been spoke about. I do not fault them for it, they did what they felt the should. However, that means I am going to do what I feel I should."

Bradley didn't even bother to nod, he just let his head hang.

"Baby Goose, look at me." Slider said softly, the whole time he had been there Bradley had never once looked up at him.

Slowly, Bradley looked up at his uncle, and Slider saw the guilt in his eyes.

"I am telling you all of this as your Uncle who loves you, do not doubt that as I speak." Slider started, placing a hand on Bradley's shoulder and looking him straight in the eye.

"You screwed up kid, so did Mav and Ice, but so did you. Mav and Ice, they did what they did to protect you. As twisted as it was, it was out of love. Should they have not done it? Maybe, we will never know what would have happened, but you messed up that night too. Maverick, he helped raise you from the day you were born from what I've heard. After Goose, he grasped on even tighter. Ice helped raise you, especially after your mom. Maverick did a lot for you, and he did it out of love. So did Ice. That does not make everything they do right, they mess up just like everyone else. However, you reaction to them messing up, that is a problem. You threw everything you had at Ice and Mav, but especially Mav. You know them best and you used that to your advantage and you hurt them. They hurt you, but they did it out of love. You hurt them and did it out of anger. Maverick was a mess after you left, and Ice wasn't much better. You are their kid. You hurled every insult in the book at them and even wrote a few more. I don't care what is going on, you should never, and I mean never, throw your fathers death in your Dad or Pop's faces. You've seen the effects of that self imposed guilt. You've seen the reports. You know it wasn't their fault. I saw it first hand. Mistakes were made but no one was at fault. Maverick tried everything to save you dad. Ice watched over from above with me as we waited for help for them. So I don't ever want to hear that you threw that in either of their faces again."

Bradley had tears running down his face, he knew how much he had screwed up that night. He hadn't fully understood why Maverick and Ice had let him back in so easily, but that was because he didn't want to think about it, because he already knew: no matter how badly he screwed up they were still his family and they loved him unconditionally.

He also knew that he had already thrown it in Maverick's face again.

"I know Ice alreayd lecture you on when you did it a few weeks ago. So I will stop there for that. However, there is stuff they won't tell you that I will. When you left, they were devastated. They did everything to keep up with you without getting too close. They did their best to give you space once they realized you weren't going to answer a phone call or a text. They watched from afar. They were there fro every milestone they could be, usually hiding out in the back. They cared even when you said you hated them. They showed up. Maverick's flying became something else entirely. No one could tell if he was flying dangerously, or if he just used it to control the chaos. You know Mav, he can do anything in a plane, but those months after you left, I saw him do things he never dared try before, but he did it all while in control. Because that was the only chaos he could control. Ice, well many of his subordinates quickly came to further conclusions on why he was called Iceman. He shut down, he was cold as ice. He didn't waiver, he didn't show any emotion. He just was cold. Only when he was home did he let anythign out adn even that was rare. He just shut down. So did Maverick. Ice, people were used to seeing him steel up, but Maverick, that's a scary sight. Maverick just wasn't Maverick. If he wasn't in the sky, he was hollow. He just went through the motions."

Slider paused for a moment letting Bradley take in what he was saying.

"I tell you all of this, because I need to know, that the next time you get mad you won't just run out again. Because they cannot take it again, and I will not accept it again. They told us we couldn't go after you and drag you back, that you had to come back on your own. Though even Ice grew tired of that. He pulled you and Maverick together for the mission, though yall were the only options. He chose becuase of skill not becuase of family. Know that, you earned your place in the mission. I need to know though, that you won't ever do that again."

"I don't plan on ever leaving again." Bradley said, despite the tears in his eyes and those streaming down his face filled with guilt, his voice was strong. If only for that line.

"Now come here Baby Goose, I've missed you." Slider opened his arms for a hug which Bradley quickly accepted. Slider held him tight.

"I've missed you too Uncle Sli."

After a few moments, Bradley's tears had dried up and they split away from one another.

"I'll give you the warned, I'm not the only uncle back in town."

"So training tomorrow is going to be really interesting?

"Yep."

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Hey yall! Sorry it's been so long, classes were crazy and life in general was crazy, I will try and update more as time becomes available, but for now I hope you enjoyed this chapter (Sorry it's a little short). Next up will be the arrival of the rest of the fly boy uncles, and don't worry Hangster is still being built up, I add tid bits each chapter! Also more IceMav scenes soon too, because those are just amazing.

Let me know what you think and what you want to see happen in future chapters!