Chapter 6:

Maverick was laughing his socks off, ever since Bradley came over to help him with his P-51, he told him everything. "Through her window!? What are you? In high school?" he was laughing so hard he had to support his weight against the plane.

"It's not that funny." Bradley tried to defend himself.

"It sure is. Shacking up with an Admiral's daughter?" he laughs and laughs, for he just got reminded of himself back in his youth, how he pissed Penny's dad off, who also was an Admiral.

"I got to say, Bradley, this really made my day.".

Annoyed by his surrogate-father, he just grabs a socket wrench, "Can we just finish fixing up the P-51?". Wiping the tears from his eyes, Maverick grabs a wrench of his own and starts working as well.

The two men worked on the plane for a few hours, up to the point where Maverick gets a surprise visitor, two in fact.

Penny and Amelia both showed up, much to his surprise. Apparently, Bradley arranged the whole thing. So, while Maverick and Penny were up in the air, Rooster was left watching Amelia.

But he felt a little uncomfortable with the way she was looking at him. "Keep looking at me like that, and your eyes will get stuck.".

The teenage girl blushes deeply as she looks away.

Luckily, his phone started ringing, jumping up to see it was Natasha calling him, he smiles as he answers, "Hey gorgeous, miss me already?".

"Hello to you too, handsome, and yes, I do miss you. But are you open next Saturday?".

"I think so. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon, and uh, Hard Deck, 18h00?".

"Wear your Hawaiian shirt, you look sexy in it.".

"I'll do so. Love you.".

"Love you too.".

Hanging up, and placing the phone back in his pocket, he looks over to a photo, of the entire team. "Yup. Things are getting better.".

The next day, Hard Deck bar, 18h00:

Phoenix, and a few of her friends from college came by and decided to hang out, although Bradley has no idea, she also didn't think it was needed to inform him.

"So, when is this boyfriend of yours showing up?" the one named Amy asked.

"Oh, he'll be here, soon.".

The door to the bar opens as he strolls in, a big grin on his lips, which disappears when he sees the type of company she has. "Gorgeous? Who are your friends?".

Natasha quickly gets up and makes her way to him. "Babe, these are some of my old college friends. Amy, Brittany and Sally.".

Amy was a dark hair girl, just like Natasha, but around 5'6.

Brittany was a blonde, 5'8 and had bigger curves then Nat does, but Bradley could see she was trouble, it was obvious these women were uninvited and just decided to show up out of the blue.

While Sally, she looked like she was from down south, ripped jeans, crop top, and an accent.

"You must be Bradley, Nat has been talking about you." The one called Brittany spoke up. Rooster, sensing trouble again, nods lightly, "Yeah. That's me.".

"You a pilot?" asked Sally, leaning forward in her chair.

"Yeah, I am.".

"That must be so exciting.".

"It is." His instincts kick into overdrive.

"Uhm, babe, can I, talk to you for a minute." Nat pulls him away. They made their way to the outside deck.

"Let me guess, uninvited?" asked Bradley, aware of his girlfriend's behaviour.

"Yes, they came from San Francisco to surprise me.".

"Want to reschedule?" He asked, not because he was trying to be rude or anything, but because he could see she was uncomfortable with the situation.

"No. Uhm, how about just the two of us, we get out of here. I know a place. And besides, there's something we need to talk about.".

"Okay, sounds like a plan.".

She then slides through to her table, places a fifty on the top and says, "Sorry, ladies, but I got a date with a sweet and handsome man.". Regrouping with Bradley, arm around his waist, the two exit the bar, but to mock her old friends, she squeezes his backside. Which he responds with a grin.

(Warning: Some big twists are on the way. Be warned. -CPB99.)