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"Talk to me, Goose," he's six years old the first time he hears Uncle Mav mutter those words, sitting on the porch steps outside of the Bradshaw home. He's running a hand over his face, and looking towards the sky.
Bradley walks shyly to him, and throws his arms around the pilot's neck. He feels Maverick tense up, before relaxing into his small arms.
"How can daddy talk to you if he's in heaven silly?" he asks. Maverick lifts him up and sets him in his lap, giving him his signature smile.
"Well, kid, sometimes he can hear us all the way up in heaven, and he can talk to us when we really need him."
"So you need daddy today?"
"I always need him, kiddo."
Bradley lowers his brown eyes to the concrete in front of them. "I need him, too."
Pete feels his heart shatter at the little boy in his arms. He's done everything he can to make up for his best friend's loss, but he knows he can never measure up to someone as larger-than-life than Goose was. The day he died, a giant void had ripped its way into their lives, and he was pretty sure it was never going to disappear.
He waits a few moments before he responds. "When you need him, Bradley, just talk to him. He'll find a way to answer you back."
The youngest Bradshaw peeks up at Maverick, unsure. "He will?"
"He will...just for you."
This seems to cheer the boy up some. Maverick feels a pang in his chest as the kid raises his eyes to the stars and whispers "talk to me, daddy."
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"Talk to me, dad," he mumbles, brown eyes eyes taking in the field before him.
Bradley's just turned 14, and he's nervous for his first baseball game as a freshman in high school. He can hear his mom screaming "that's my baby!" from the stands, and he feels his face flush red.
The game's all tied up and it's come down to him.
Talk to me, dad, tell me what to do.
"Don't think, just do!" he hears a voice call out from near the fence to his right. Maverick. He takes a deep breath and swings just as the ball comes towards him, pushing any thoughts from his head.
His bat makes a connection, and the ball soars way past any player in the outer field, and he runs the bases like his life depends on it. He feels a sense of pride, as the other players lift him up and cheer his name, and he lifts his head to the sky in acknowledgment, before searching the crowd.
He doesn't think his heart can expand anymore, but than he sees his mom jumping up and down next to Maverick, who's beaming at him as he yells "that's my boy!"
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"Talk to me, dad," he mutters under his breath. His name is about to be called to collect his diploma, and he just really wishes his dad could've been front row to see this momentous occasion.
At the sound of his name, he steps towards the front of the stage. He sees his mom trying to snap a photo of him as he grabs his certificate, balancing on Maverick's shoulders. He's a little bit embarrassed but enjoys the moment nonetheless.
As he walks out of the auditorium, his mom throws her arms around him. "My baby boy's officially a high school graduate! I can't believe you're all grown," she cries into his chest.
"Mom," he whines, but tightens his hold on her. She finally releases him, only for Maverick to her place. He almost laughs when he thinks of a time that the man was bigger than him.
"I am so proud of you, Bradley, and I know your dad is, too." He claps him on the back, and Bradley fails to stop the tears that eventually fall.
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"Talk to me, dad," Bradley whispers, standing outside of his mother's hospital room. His eyes are closed, and he thinks if he listens hard enough that he'll hear Goose's voice telling him how to make this all better, make his mom better. But all he's met with is the chatter of passing nurses and doctors.
He almost jumps out of his skin when a calloused hand touches his shoulder.
"Hey kid, I came here as fast as I could."
The smaller man pulls him tightly into his chest, and Bradley leans down to bury his head against Maverick's neck.
"I can't lose her, too, Mav. She's all I've got left."
"That's not true. You'll always carry them with you." He pats the younger man's back. "Besides, you'll always have me. I'm not going anywhere."
Bradley clings to him, taking in the strength being around Pete "Maverick" Mitchell provides.
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"Talk to me, dad," he yells through angry tears. His voice breaks as he looks towards the sky. "Please just talk to me."
Maybe his dad would have the answers as to why Maverick pulled his papers for the Naval Academy, why he felt the need to further tear Bradley's life apart and set him back four years.
All he's ever wanted to do is follow in his father's footsteps and be a naval aviator. But now he's not sure he'll ever be on track for that dream thanks to Pete Mitchell's actions. He doesn't understand how his dad could've trusted this man, how he could've brought him into their home and made them love him.
He wipes aggressively at his eyes, willing himself to get it together. His phone rings again, and can't trust himself to answer and hear whatever pathetic excuse the older pilot has to offer. The continuous ringing feels like daggers to his heart, so he blocks the number, finding that the silence is almost worse.
He's lost his dad, his mom, his career path. He's lost Maverick. He's all alone in the world, with nothing left to lose.
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"Talk to me, dad." The words feel strange on his tongue. He hasn't been able to bring himself to say them since his falling out with Maverick, but now he's beginning his journey at Top Gun, the very place that took his father from him, and he's afraid to face this place alone.
"Do you always talk to yourself?" a slight southern accent asks beside him. Rooster turns and finds a cocky grin and sharp green eyes looking back at him. The man takes no time awaiting his response, and extends his hand towards him.
"Jake Seresin, callsign: Hangman."
He shakes Hangman's hand. "Bradley Bradshaw...uhh, Rooster."
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Rooster. I hope you got what it takes to be my wingman."
He laughs loudly at that. "I could say the same to you."
If possible, Hangman's smile widens. "Bradshaw, I think you and I are gonna be great friends. You obviously need one or you wouldn't be talkin' to yourself."
That illicits another laugh from Rooster, and for the first time in years, he feels like his dad is letting him know that everything is going to be okay.
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Hangman proves to be a good friend and an even better wingman. Until he isn't.
Things had been going great until Hangman had chosen to live up to his callsign, chasing their instructor in pursuit of the coveted title of first place, leaving Rooster hanging out to dry. In an attempt to catch up, he gets caught in his wingman's jet wash and loses control of his aircraft.
"Talk to me, dad!" The words come out panicked as his jet is in a flat spin, and he's stuck, plummeting at a high rate towards the earth.
"There's nothing else you can do, Rooster. Eject! Eject! Eject!" he hears Phoenix scream through comms. He tugs on the ejection handles, but nothing happens.
He feels stupid for trusting someone to have his back, given his history. This time it seems it's done him in.
"Dad!" he yells, praying, pleading. He yanks on the ejection handle again, and this time his body is shot upwards, clearing the doomed plane.
He should feel glad he only ends up with a couple of scrapes and a few bruised ribs, but he's consumed by anger that he allowed someone through the barriers he had built. He swears he won't do it again, his faith in his father wavering as he thinks about the people he had brought to him. The people who had betrayed him.
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He doesn't want to say the words, but it's like they fall from his mouth from habit. "Talk to me, dad."
If he ever needed words of wisdom, it was now. He's been called back to Top Gun, something he wants to be excited about, but can't, thanks to the two men in front of him. He doesn't know what to do when it comes to the wingman who almost got him killed and the man he'd once thought of as family but ultimately chose to blow up their relationship instead of support him.
How can he focus on a mission when he's constantly looking over his shoulder, afraid someone will stick another knife in his back?
He feels tears pricking at his eyes as he pushes past 200 push ups. If he keeps going, maybe the pain in his body will overshadow the ache in his chest.
"Breaking the hard deck? Insubordination? Are you trying to get kicked out?" Phoenix is angry as she storms up to him. He sits and meets her eyes, begging her to just leave like the rest, but she continues pressing, ranting about having to fly with Hangman.
"...talk to me. What the hell was that?"
He doesn't want to tell her, but the way she's looking at him has him pouring out every heartbreak. When he's done, she puts her arm around him.
"Then prove them wrong. If they don't think you're ready for this mission or willing to take risks, show them that they're wrong. You're the only one who can do that, Rooster. There's still time."
When she stands and offers him her hand, he's surprised that he takes it, but he's glad he does. She stops walking toward the hangar when she realizes he hasn't followed her.
"Are you coming?"
"I'll be there in a minute."
He waits for her to disappear into the building before he whispers a small "thank you" towards the clouds above him.
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"Talk to me, dad," Rooster breathes out. He wants this mission to be successful, but he's still afraid of what might happen if he chooses to take a risk. He grips at his accelerator, waiting for his dad to send him some kind of message that will let him know what the hell he should do.
"Come on kid, you can do it. Don't think...just do." Maverick's voice is soft through comms.
Hearing the faith the older man has in him, fills his resolve. He exhales before shoving the accelerator forward, increasing his speed.
"That's it kid. That's it," Maverick praises him, and Rooster feels warmth blossom in chest at the thought that his former father figure still believes in him, and he's surprised that the man's approval still matters to him, because he's still filled with anger.
But then Maverick's shot down, and he's being told to proceed to the carrier, to leave him behind. He's not one to break orders, but as he desperately calls to the others, hoping they can answer him about the other pilot, he tries to imagine a world without him. He's already lost one dad. The thought of losing his other one is unbearable, and he makes the decision to defy orders, knowing it's what his dad would've done, what he's telling him to do.
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Relief courses through him as he finds Mav alive, but it quickly subsides as they fight for their lives against 5th generation fighters. Maverick's a good pilot. He's pretty sure he's probably the best there is, but things aren't looking good. They're out of missiles. They're out of bullets. And now they're out of flares. They are completely helpless.
Maverick is yelling at him to pull the ejection handle when he says, but he doesn't want to go. Not without him. His dad wouldn't leave unless he knew they were both going. But there's something in Pete Mitchell's voice that says that's probably not an option.
"Rooster, there's no other way!"
Then, they're gaining altitude and Mav is shouting for him to eject, but it's not working. He doesn't need his dad to tell him what to do this time. He resigns himself that at least he'll die with someone he loves, and that it won't be long before he sees his mom and dad again. Their little family will finally be together once again. At least that's some compensation.
However, someone has other plans, as Hangman swoops in to save their sorry asses. Any hostility he once held dissipates at the sight of the other man.
"Hey, Hangman, you look good."
"I am good, Rooster. I'm very good," he beams, arrogance and affection visible in his green eyes.
Once they're safely back on deck, Rooster feels overwhelmed by the love he feels. His friends are there to give him a hero's welcome, hugging and congratulating him. He's especially glad when Hangman approaches him, a mutual respect overtaking them both, as they clasp hands.
And then he's searching for the one person that means the most to him.
"Captain Mitchell!" he shouts over the cheering crowd.
Maverick immediately turns to him, and he savors the feeling of belonging as he pulls him into a hug. He doesn't want to let go, taking in every ounce of the love only a father provides.
As he stands aboard the carrier, surrounded by the people he cares about most, Rooster knows without a doubt that they are the answer he's begged for in every "talk to me, dad." Even though his dad is gone, he's always been there to give Rooster everything he needs, and he couldn't be more grateful.