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It's been a week after the mission and the only decent sleep Rooster got from the past week was when he stayed the night over at the infirmary. The doctors wanted to observe them just for the night. That night was a blur, with adrenaline flushing out of his blood, he just felt really tired. He remembered lying on the infirmary bed, Mav in a bed next to his.
Six days passed without a decent night of sleep, he's frustrated. He just wants to sleep dammit . And now here he is, at Penny's bar. Drinking beer to make him a little drowsy before going to bed. At least that was the plan. Rooster drank a little too much.
Downing the last of his beer, he wondered if he should drive back. He really wasn't that drunk, he was tipsy. He tries and fails to get his wallet out, well, maybe he was tipsy going to the drunk side. He succeeded the second try though, that counts as something right?
Okay, maybe I shouldn't drive , Rooster thought. Patting his pockets in search of his phone. When he didn't feel it, he realized he must have left it as his apartment.
He sighed. Looking around trying to find familiar faces, before his eyes landed on Penny serving a drink, he smirked. Mav and Penny are going steady, he could ask Penny to call Mav.
"Hey, Penny," He called. Penny turned to look at him, signaling to him 'one second' . She filled up two glasses of beer, serving it to two girls chatting. "Enjoy," He heard her say and two cheery voices said thanks before coming up to him, raising an eyebrow.
"Hey, uh, can you call Mav?" She raised her eyebrow again, this time in amusement instead of question. "I'm too drunk to drive right now."
"Obviously," Said Penny in amusement, pulling out her phone fiddling with it for a while, before handing it to Rooster. Phone calling 'Pete' with a heart. Rooster cringed, god those two.
Maverick picked up after 3 rings. "Hey, Pen."
Rooster cringed harder, "Ew," He gagged.
"Bradley?" Maverick was taken aback.
"Hey, Mav. Can you - uh, pick me up?" Rooster blurted out, trying to avoid embarrassment.
He heard a chuckle on the other side, "Are you drunk?"
"No," Rooster denied. Maverick chuckled again, failing to repress his amusement.
Before Rooster could think of a comeback to stop his amusement, Maverick asked, "You're at Penny's bar?"
"Yep," Rooster said drowsily, popping the p. The alcohol's working, Rooster thinks as he's getting drowsy.
"Okay, I'm coming, " Rooster heard a door locking, meaning Mav just got out of the house. He'll be here in a few minutes.
Suddenly, the phone was taken away. Rooster looked up to see Penny. "Come quick, Pete," She said. "Come collect your son, before he falls asleep on the bar table." Then ending the call.
Rooster was getting more sleepy by the minute, he wished Maverick would come quick. He just wanted to sleep already, hopefully without any nightmares.
By the time Maverick bike rumbled outside, Rooster could barely keep his eyes open. The door to the bar opened and Maverick came walking towards Rooster, having spotted the younger man almost immediately.
"Hey," Rooster called.
"Hey, kiddo, you alright?" Maverick rubbed Rooster's back, offering comfort.
Rooster nodded. "Wanna go home?" Maverick asked and Rooster nodded again, too sleepy to respond. "Okay, let's get you home." Maverick helped Rooster stand up, with arms underneath his armpit.
Together, they both walked out and towards Rooster's Bronco. "Keys?" Rooster clumsily pulled the keys out of his pocket and handed them to Maverick.
Maverick opened the car door and when Rooster was settled in the passenger seat. Maverick told Rooster to wait for a second. He was going back to the bar to talk to Penny about something. Rooster didn't catch what.
Rooster closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them again, the car was moving. They just left Penny's bar.
Seeing that Rooster was now awake again, Maverick started, "Soo, what were you doing getting drunk alone?"
Rooster scoffed, "I didn't plan on getting drunk, just to drink a little," he explained.
"Why?"
"To get sleepy," Rooster answered honestly, the alcohol in his system acting like a truth serum.
The car was silent for a minute, before realization dawned Maverick. Of course, after all they experienced, of course . Why hadn't Maverick realised sooner. "You're having nightmares, aren't you?"
"Yea..," Rooster sleepily answered. Eyes fighting to stay open. Sheer will keeping him awake, at least until after he gets to bed.
"You wanna talk about it?"
"No," Slurred Rooster, "Wanna sleep."
"Okay, kiddo, we'll talk tomorrow," Bradley hummed. He really didn't want to talk about it right now.
After parking at his apartment complex, With the help of Maverick, Rooster got out of the car and unlocked the door to his apartment, falling face first on his bed when he got to his bedroom.
Maverick ruffled his hair. "Good night, kiddo."
Maverick made a turn to leave. Rooster began to panic. He reached for Maverick's wrist, which made the older man halt, "Please don't leave." Rooster whispered
Maverick smiled sadly, "I'm not, I'll be here."
"Promise?" Rooster asked. He sounded vulnerable and that reminded Maverick back when Bradley was just a four year old boy not understanding why he will never see his dad again, needing confirmation that his uncle Mav and mom won't leave him too. Maverick smiled bitterly at that memory.
"I promise," Maverick answered. That's the last thing Rooster heard before sleep took over him. The last thing he felt was a hand brushing his hair back.
-
Rooster woke up with a headache and felt disoriented, the morning sun shining through his curtains. He looked around trying to comprehend what had happened, when suddenly memories of last night came crashing back. He groaned in embarrassment. Turning to his side to bury his face into his pillow, that's when he saw a glass of water and a pack of painkillers on his bedside drawer. Who could possibly-
Mav.
He quickly - albeit clumsily - took the painkillers and downed it with water before standing up to leave his room. "Mav?" He called.
"Yeah?" Relief crashed through Rooster - he kept his promise. The voice came from the kitchen and Rooster started to make his way there, stumbling on his way, "You okay?" Maverick asked.
"Hangover," Rooster answered.
Maverick hummed, "Got anything I can make breakfast with? You're in need of a grocery trip."
Rooster rests his head on the kitchen island after taking a seat. The coolness of the marble helped his headache, "I just moved in, give me some slack," he groaned, "There's pancake batter somewhere."
"Somewhere? You're also in need of organization," Maverick jokes. Rooster only managed to hum in irritation.
Maverick opened cabinet after cabinets trying to find the pancake batter and smiled in triumph when he finally did.
The painkiller finally is in his system after Maverick finished making the pancakes. They enjoyed the pancakes in silence before Maverick dropped the question. "You wanna talk about it?"
"No," Rooster answered immediately, he doesn't want to even think about those nightmares.
Maverick looked at him unsure, "You sure?"
That look irritated Rooster - Mav doesn't trust him? "Yes."
"Okay," Maverick let the topic go, but after adding, "I'm here if you want to talk about it though, okay?"
"Yea," It soothed something in Rooster's chest, he didn't know what.
The rest of the day went surprisingly okay. He had debriefing in the morning, lunch with the team, and dinner with Penny, Mav and Amelia.
Then came along midnight, Rooster dreaded sleeping. But he has to, tomorrow is the first day of their leave. He and the team had planned to golf together. They promised to meet up at 6. Rooster could survive a day without sleep, but he really wanted to beat Hangman and no sleeping would really affect his aim.
So he got to bed and closed his eyes.
-
"Mav- No!"
Rooster woke up with a start, in cold sweats. He was breathing really fast. All he could see was Mav's plane coming down in smoke and he didn't see a chute. Voices saying to him that Mav's gone , No, he can't be-
Rooster scrambled to get his phone, hands shaking. Frantically searching for Maverick's phone number. Please, please , he can't lose him too. Rooster won't be able to breathe again if he's really gone.
"Please - please pick up, pick up.. please ." Bradley's heart was racing and he started to hyperventilate.
"Hello? Bradley?" Mav's voice sounded through the speaker. Immense relief crashed through Bradley. He finally could breathe again. He needs to see Maverick. He needs to see for himself that the older man is well and alive, that this all isn't just a dream.
Rooster took a deep breath before starting to ramble, wanting to explain himself and find comfort at the same time, "Mav, I'm sorry for calling so late but can I stay over at yours? I know it's so late and sudden it's just that my- I-"
Rooster's breathing was starting to pick up again. When Maverick cut him off, "Woah- Hey, hey Bradley, I'm coming to yours alright?" Over the beating of his heart in his ears, Bradley heard rustling of clothes over at the other line.
"Don't move, stay where you are, and take deep breaths, okay?"
"Okay," Rooster heard a motorbike starting.
"I'll be there in a few, alright?"
"Okay."
Rooster wasn't sure how long he waited. He just kept trying to slow his breathing like Mav had asked him to no avail. The image of his nightmare kept replaying over and over again. Mav plane was shot down by that missile, his radio suddenly cutting off, no chute - no chute , he didn't see a chute. Orders to get back to the carrier, abandoning Mav- The last real thing he said to him was that no one is going to mourn him in his funeral - not true, not true - Rooster would.
Tears were streaming down Bradley's face. His hands were shaking, griping at his forearms trying to stop the shake.
I'm so, so sorry. Please, don't go, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I'm sorry, dad-
The doorbell rang. "Bradley?" he heard a call- Mav .
Rooster sprang up, stumbling at his own feet and ran to the door as fast as he could. He unlocked it in record time.
The door opened, revealing Maverick, disheveled. Bradley wasted no time hugging the shorter man, burying his face into the crook of his neck and shoulder .
"Hey, kid, you're alright. I'm here," Maverick whispered, while rubbing Bradley's back, a gesture of comfort.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Bradley sobbed.
Maverick hushed him, "It's okay, it's okay."
Rooster continued to sob. Closing the door, Maverick maneuvered them to the couch, while whispering gentle reassurance. It took a while, but when he succeeded, they slumped onto the couch, with Rooster still hanging on him.
Maverick continued to whisper gentle reassurances. It took a while for Rooster's sobbing to subside.
"It's okay, it's okay. You're here, you're alive, Roo. You made it," Maverick comforted.
Rooster sniffled, hugging Maverick tighter.
"You wanna talk about it?"
"Everytime I close my eyes, I see those SAMs and smoke in the air. I see your plane go down in smoke, I didn't see your chute, Mav. Then my plane got hit and then I'm in the F-14 trying to eject but it didn't work," Rooster gulped "I really thought we were going to die, Mav." Rooster's voice wavered, tears threatening to spill again.
"I know, buddy, me too."
"I've been having them for a week straight. I just want them to stop!" He sobbed, frustrated. Maverick hushed him, while threading his fingers through Rooster's hair, trying to calm him. "Do they ever stop?" Rooster looked up at Maverick, eyes hopeful.
"No, gotta be honest with you, kiddo. They don't. But it does get better," Maverick's tone was gentle. He really didn't want to give him false hope. "I still get nightmares about the day your dad died, wondering what I could've done differently."
Rooster buried his head back into the crook of Maverick's neck, mumbling "it wasn't your fault,"
"Felt like it was. I went to therapy for a long while. Your uncle Ice helped me a lot too." Maverick paused before continuing, "You know therapy can really help."
"I don't know any therapists in the area." Rooster confessed.
"I can help you," Maverick quickly offered. After all these years, his godfather was still willing to help him, and that soothed something in Rooster's chest. "Tomorrow though," Maverick glanced down at his phone's clock which showed 05:00, "You think you'll be able to sleep again?"
Rooster shook his head.
"That's okay. Do you want to go for a walk instead?" Maverick offered.
Rooster nodded, "A walk sounds nice."
"Okay, let's go," They both stood up. Rooster took a random sweater that was hanging near the door and put it on.
As they walked out the door, Rooster realized that something that was being soothed in his chest was loss. He had lost the only father figure left in his life in anger and he had missed him. He had missed his constant presence, always there since he was born.
When Rooster was a kid he felt that if Mav was there, nothing could come and harm him and that everything will be okay. That feeling hadn't changed.
They continued walking in silence for a few minutes, before Maverick told him, "You know, Roo. You can stay at my house for as long as you want. You're always welcome there," And Rooster teared up, but if anyone asks, he would deny it.
"Thanks, Mav," Rooster looked to the ground, smiling gratefully. He's so glad he has his godfather back. They continued to walk, the sky getting brighter and brighter by the minute.
In a few hours he'll be golfing with his friends, in the next weeks he'll be moving in with Mav, and the next months will be the road to recovery and full of therapy. But for now he'll just enjoy the gentle wind blowing in his face and the first rays of warm morning sunlight.