"So how's your super secret spy stuff going?"

Bradley chuckled. "I'm not a spy."

"Eh-" Finley shrugged. "I like to think that maybe you are."

His smile lingered for a moment, then fell. "It's okay."

"I actually met Maverick the other day."

"No way, really? I'm sorry."

"No, don't apologize, it was fine. It was kinda weird actually - I just always thought that if we were to ever meet it would be through you, which I guess is kinda true, but you weren't there when it happened. He came by the Hard Deck while I was tutoring Amelia. I kinda can't believe that was him."

"What do you mean?'

"Well after hearing everything you've told me about him I had this image of him in my mind, but it was totally different. He really liked my bike, I was telling him about Dad." She smiled, thinking of her father. "He said he's your instructor at work."

Bradley heaved a sigh. "Yeah, he is."

"How do you feel about that?"

"Not great, but it's only for a few weeks, and I'm not gonna let him screw up this chance for me like last time. Not this time..."

"Well if he gives you any trouble, just send him my way and I'll make sure he has some sense knocked into him."

He chuckled at this and she saw that as a win. "Thanks, Fin."

They were talking about the same guy who had literally had heart-eye emojis while looking at her bike. "Is he a real hard-ass as a teacher?" Instructor, she mentally corrected herself, but they were the same. And she and him were both teachers in their own right.

"Well, I did four hundred pushups."

"Why?!" she cried, aghast.

"I lost an exercise against him. We made a deal to do two hundred pushups if he could take us down. Well, he took us all down. Me twice."

"Damn, he must be good."

"Yeah, real scary good."

"Well don't let it discourage you. You were chosen for this super secret mission thing, you deserve to be there just as much as the others."

"Thanks Fin. I know, deep down, but sometimes it's easy to forget."

"I can imagine, with so much talent surrounding you all the time."

"And a cocky instructor who likes to show off."

"I bet. He really liked my bike. Like really liked it."

"I bet. I used to think he was so cool with his motorcycle..."

"I'm sorry this is so difficult, Brad."

"Thanks, but, like I said, it's only a few weeks - I can do it."

She gave his arm a playful punch. "Yeah you can."

She didn't like to see Bitter Bradley, who only showed himself rarely when he was really angry. But here he was now - hadn't the poor guy already gone through enough?

Well, thought Fin. That Captain Mitchell had better watch out.

Amelia had a meeting with the theatre club after school on the day of their next scheduled tutoring meeting, so Finley awaited her arrival at the Hard Deck.

Jimmy, one of Penny's employees, a friendly older man, let Finley into the bar to get set up while she waited for her student.

"Hey Pete."

"Hey Jimmy."

She'd only been there about ten minutes when another figure walked in. Maverick - the same Captain Mitchell who had better watch out according to Finely - removed his aviator sunglasses and smiled at her.

"Captain Mitchell." She nodded.

He waved away the formalities. "Please, that's what my students call me. Call me Pete."

"Mine call me Ms. Austen. It's okay, it sound like I'm Jane Austen."

He chuckled. "Looks like we're both making a habit of showing up at a closed bar."

"Looks like it."

"More tutoring?"

"Yup. You?"

"Penny's asked me to help out some more with the boat - with Amelia focusing on school she needs another hand. And now since I've apparently finally officially joined the navy..." He shrugged.

"Ah."

Jimmy had disappeared into the kitchen so it was just them in the empty bar room. A strange silence fell over them. What do you even say to the guy who's put your good friend through a whole lot of crap?

"How's your training going?" she finally asked. She had already heard Bradley's side of the story, so she might as well hear his too.

"All right. It's challenging. I'm really not a teacher, but I got into trouble after my last job ended and my friend helped me get this job, so I'm grateful. I'm just not so good at it... The flying yes," he was quick to specify. "But the classroom stuff, no."

"It can take some time to get into the teaching groove - your own unique teaching groove that is. Give it time and practice."

"I'm afraid we don't have a lot of time, but..."

"But you can still practice. Here, pretend I'm one of your students, teach me your course."

"Training detachment."

"Whatever."

"Well I would, but it is classified. I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." There was a glimmer in his eyes.

As for her own eyes, she gave them a roll. "Okay, Flyboy-"

"Flyboy?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, I guess it makes sense..."

"Okay then, teach me all about flying." She leaned back against the bar. "Tell me how it's done, Captain Mitchell." She wasn't usually a very social person, but for some reason, she felt safe here, safe with him even, despite her reservations concerning the guy and all the stuff with Bradley.

"Okay-" He thought for a moment, then turned serious and addressed her. "You're the top one percent of your class. You're all the best of the best and you know it. You also all deserve to be here and you know that too. Now my job - I can't make you better, but I can prepare you for this special assignment-" He finished off with a little shrug. "I don't know - how was that?"

"Good, good. You're very direct, and make good eye contact with everyone. And I mean I know you're passionate about flying, and that makes all the difference. People who aren't passionate about what they teach shouldn't teach it, period. At least in my opinion. Also, it's okay not to know the answer, we can't know everything."

"Okay, thanks, that helped. What doesn't help is that I was never the most attentive student myself."

"Somehow I can see that."

He chuckled at this. "Somehow huh?"

"Yeah, somehow."

"We're here!" Penny's voice called, filling the room, she and Amelia entering the bar.

"How was the meeting?" Finely asked.

"Good." Amelia grinned with excitement. "We're doing the Importance of Being Earnest."

"Ooo, I love Oscar Wilde!"

"Yeah! Will you help me run lines?"

"For sure - I'm no actress, but I'm good at memorization."

"Well-" Penny gave Maverick - Pete, Finley tried out in her head, Pete - a playful punch on the arm. "Back to the marina?"

"Aye aye Captain." He gave a salute and followed Penny back out of the bar, waving to the ladies on the way out.

I'm afraid I'm struggling with this story - I know where I want it to go just not how to get there, and I don't want to rush their relationship!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)