Ever so sweet honey, soft petals plush against the grass, liquid nectar falling from the lush green of the tree leaves. It seemed like ever since Bradley had coke to her house last night, stayed, and comforted her, that all she could notice were the little things. The beautiful things that she never noticed on a day to day basis.

His hand was firmly placed on her thigh the entire ride back home, plus the ride back to base. His fingers squeezed every now and then, like he needed to reassure himself that she was there, that she hadn't gone off. Occasionally she would brush the top of his hand with her dainty fingers when she would place her phone back in the cup holder, after changing the song.

West Coast by Lana Del Rey played, as she through her arm pit the window of his Ford Bronco; the warm wind of Miramar blowing in her face, her eyes watching as buildings turn smaller and smaller, until the only land viable was flat, meaning they were getting closer to the base.

Dakota always connected this song to the man sitting next to her. It's sensual beat reminding her of when the two of them fucked in the shower; when her fear of slipping and falling was subsided when he picked her up, (quite easily), and pushed her against the wall.

She felt his fingers tightened on her thigh at the song, making her heart leap in her chest, did he remember the song too? She glanced her eyes over to the man driving, his aviators sitting on the bridge of his nose, sun kissed hair glowing in the early morning sun, his torso clad in his army-green jumpsuit, left hand sat atop the steering wheel.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, "I remember this song," he spoke. She quirked her head, a grin appearing on her face as she placed her hand on top of his, interlacing their fingers. "Oh yeah?"

He nodded, "Yeah," they pulled into the empty parking lot of the base, making her surprise me that no one else was there yet. "It's when I found out you liked being choked." He stated with an exhale, putting his car in park, his hand still on her thigh.

She opened her mouth, yet nothing came out, her eyebrows furrowing as she turned in her seat, leaning her back against the door as best as she could without ruining her bun. He laughed at her silence, "That was completely uncalled for." She picked up his hand that was on her thigh, playing with his fingers trying to distract herself.

He scoffed playfully, pulling his aviators to the rest atop his head, "Well I think it was completely called for," he leaned over the center console, grabbing her chin with his thumb and forefinger of his left hand, "Ms. Jones."

Her heart rate was accelerating in her chest at their suddenly close proximity. The calloused pads on his fingers contrasting intoxicatingly with the soft skin on her face. She watched as his lips parted slightly with a playful smirk on his lips, his brown eyes that were dashed with streaks of ocean blue and sunflower yellow, glinting down do her lips, that were set firmly in a pout.

Hey eyes were set on her mouth, the thought that they were in the parking lot of the base going out the window, "Can you just kiss me already, Bradley?" She breathed, her voice raspy due to lack of sleep. He smiled, his teeth glinting in the harsh sunlight. "Gladly, sweetheart."

His lips brushed hers, the breath in her throat catching at the feeling, warmth spreading in her lower stomach. She gasped audibly as his tongue darted out, tracing her bottom lip, then connecting their mouths sinfully.
She let out a quiet whimper at the feeling, his fingers on her thigh trailing up the her waist, palming the army-green material. His grip on her jaw becoming tighter with each noise she made.

A pounding on the window behind her jumped her nerves, making her pull away abruptly from the man to her dismay. The two of them groaned at the interruption. Dakota turned to face the window with swollen lips, eyes widening at the person who stood on the other side, a smile plastered on their face as she turned around.

"Phoenix!" She yelled, contorting her body where she could open the door, immediately being met with her body; arms throw around her neck as Dakota snaked hers around her neck. "Ugh I'm glad you're okay, babe." She mumbled into her shoulder, inhaling deeply as she shifted, trying to ignore the ignited heat in her lower stomach. Phoenix chuckled, pulling away as she placed her palms on her friend's cheeks, "I am too," she smiled, pulling her forehead down and placing a chaste kiss on it, "Even though you should know that you can't get rid of me that easily, Mustang."

Dakota shrugged, "Still, I was quite literally pissing, crying, and shoring everywhere when I didn't hear from you." Bradley peeked his head over her, chin placed on her shoulder, "Can confirm." A smirk was playing in his lips as he pulled back, but not before placing a swift kiss to her jaw, making a light sheet of red cover the apples of Dakota's cheeks.

Her eyes were on Phoenix's the whole time, watching as a smirk appeared on her face as she watched the interaction in front of her. "Bob's on the other side talkin' to him," she said, cockiness hinted in her tone. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, quirking an eyebrow, "What the fuck was that, though?"

Dakota just rolled her eyes as she got out of his car, closing the door behind her as Bradley locked it. She sighed, "I dunno, I guess things have been," she shrugged her shoulders as they walked slowly around the car, "Different? I guess? Since he came over last night. Which is weird considering it was literally just last night and he's acting this different."

She put her hands in her pockets, eyes squinting over the parking lot seeing as Rooster and Bob walked in front of them. "So no more teasing? No more wanting," Phoenix brought her fingers up, doing air quotes, "'to see you all hot and bothered?'" She questioned.

A raspberry blew through her lips, "Not in the past forty eight hours, no." Dakota shrugged, eyes locked on Rooster's back.  She nodded her head as the two of them entered the building, "Interesting. Have you told Penny? 'Cause y'know she's like a god-send at this type of stuff."

Cool air bellowed throughout her body as they entered the locker room, "Most of it. I legit had a whole breakdown the other night when we were over at her house and you were passed out on the couch with Amelia." She entered the combination for her lock, and opened it, grabbing her notebook that was placed on the bottom, before closing it once more.

Phoenix scoffed, "In my defense, I don't know how you stayed up that long after an early morning that day." Her eyebrows furred as a playful smile was apparent on her lips, the two of them making their way to the room where their group was.

-

She knew that Maverick was no longer in charge of the mission; yet the lack of sight of him in the room still came to a shock to her. Today, she was sat by Payback, who had an arm lazily thrown across the back of her chair.

Her and Reuben had always been somewhat close– the two of them being paired to complete a training exercise back in their Top Gun days when Payback had yet to have a WSO. The two had always had a connection with one another, the only African Americans in their class, facing racist comments; along with comments about their deceased mothers. They had learned to bond over those terrible occurrences, it only making them closer with more time.

She noticed as Cyclone walked up to the front of the room, that Rooster would ever now and then turn back to her, his jaw clenched as he turned back around, making her quirk and eyebrow slightly at him once he was facing the front again.

"Captain Mitchell is no longer your instructor, and as of today there are new mission parameters." Admiral Simpson stated firmly, the screen behind him changing. "Time to target is now four minutes," her and Payback shared a look, both of their faces covered in slight worry. "You'll be entering the valley level at reduced speed, not to exceed four hundred and twenty knots." She couldn't help the fact that her jaw went slack out of disbelief, "Excuse me Admiral, won't we be giving their planes time to intercept?" She questioned, a hint of remorse in her voice at the man standing.

"Well, Lieutenant you have a fighting chance against enemy aircraft. What are the odds of surviving a head on collision with a mountain?" He stated, pressing his lips in a thin line as Dakota rolled her eyes, cursing at the man under her breath. "You'll be attacking the target from higher altitude, level with the north wall. Gonna be a little harder to keep your eyes on target, but you will avoid the high G climb out."

On the screen behind him, a solo F-18 was detected, a beeping noise sounding.  "Who the hell is that?" Admiral Simpson questioned, yet Dakota knew who it was, having known the man that was once her instructor quite a while; a smirk was hidden behind her hand as she watched the screen. "Maverick to range control, entering point alpha. Confirm green range." His voice spoke through the comms, as everyone around her started shifting in their seats.

"Uh range control. Uh green range is confirmed, I don't see an event scheduled for you sir." Dakota couldn't help but elbow the man next to her, a slight chuckle coming from her at the confusion. "Well, I'm going anyway." Maverick said, and she could just see the smirk on his lips. "Setting time to target, two minutes and fifteen seconds."

Payback leaned his elbows on his knees, eyes concentrated on the screen, "Two fifteen, that's impossible." He muttered, eyebrows furrowing. "Final time point, Maverick step out."

Dakota, along with all of the other Top Gun graduates that were seated were on edge; legs bouncing, hands clasped tightly in front of them as their eyes were glued to the screen at the front of the room. Her guts were twisted as she heard his grunts through the comm, as he turned tightly between the valley, as the timer ticked down less and less.

He approached the first steep incline, his jet showing on the simulation on the screen. "Bombs away." Maverick strained, as he pulled up, facing the now 10G incline. Her knuckles were white at this point as her fingers wrapped tighter and tighter around the armrests of her chair. She held her breath, just waiting for his bombs to drop on the target, u til they did.

"Bullseye! Holy shit!" She heard Fanboy yell, a 'Damn' coming from Hangman who stared at the pen that was lazily held in between his fingers. Everyone around her was in shocked, jaws dropped, eyes wide, hands running through hair as they leaned back in their seats. Dakota looked at Payback next to her, both of them sharing the same expression of bewilderment. "Did he really just do that?" Payback questioned, his head hung low.  She nodded, not needing words to reply to the man.

In front of her, Bradley looked over his shoulder, making eye contact with her. His lips pursed, jaw set, rolling his eyes slightly as he shifted his gaze to the man next to her, before turning back to face the front. She couldn't actually believe it; was he actually upset that she was sitting with Reuben?

She dismissed him at the moment, still being shocked at what she had just witnessed. So it was possible.

Cyclone had dismissed them later that afternoon once they briefed over the mission parameters once more, claiming he hasn't decided on which ones they'll be using officially.

Now Dakota just couldn't help herself, and she knew her past self would be disappointed in herself when she saw her chasing after Bradley Bradshaw, her boots stomping on the hot asphalt, thankful that the only vehicles left were the Admirals and Maverick's.

"Bradley!"

PAIGE SPEAKS

just a lil small cliffhanger, don't fall ;)

this was really quickly written tbh, i wrote this before going to bed on my phone, LIKE NOT EVEN ON MY LAPTOP 😟😟😟😟😟😟

but nonetheless i hope you guys like herrrrr she's cute, the beginning is sweettt🙈🙈🙈

it was fun getting back to top gun mode😝😝😝😝

what do we think is roosters prob hmmm???????? HMMMM????🤨

much love since we aren't that far from 200k!!!!