Chapter Text
Bradley sits on the lawn with his model plane in hand. The sun is out and it’s a peaceful. Carole is inside making sandwiches for the three of you. You pour some lemonade into your glass, topping up Carole’s glass too. Bradley waves his little plane around, making it fly. You smile at the sight.
“Is that daddy’s plane?” You ask him.
Bradley responds only with a smile. That was answer enough for you. Bradley often liked to pretend it was his dad’s plane. While Goose was away, Carole liked to come up with stories for Bradley to help keep him close to his father.
You hear the phone ring in the background. It rings three times before you assume Carole has picked it up. You sip your lemonade and sit back in your chair. Your eyes drift to the sky.
Goose and Maverick lived for the sky. Flying together, going on dangerous missions together, they loved it. You smile at the thought of them in their jet flying at high speeds and taking down the bad guys. You knew their work was dangerous. You had always known the risks, but you knew your boys could handle it.
You hear a squeal from inside the house and turn around to look at the door. Carole doesn’t sound like she’s in danger, but you when you don’t see her come out, you decide you have to just go and check on her.
“Stay here, Bradley. I will be right back,” you tell him, knowing he’ll just sit there with his plane anyway.
You get up out of the chair and quickly head inside.
“Carole?”
Another squeal of excitement, as you can now identify it as, and suddenly she’s right in front of you. The phone has been hung up, so the conversation was over.
“They’re coming home!” She tells you. Carole grabs you by the arms as she beams at you with a bright smile. You know who she means, but you ask anyway.
“What are you talking about?”
“Goose and Mav, they’re coming home. They have some news to share and want to tell us in person, but they are on their way home,” she looks like Christmas came early.
You laugh as you take her hands in yours.
“That’s wonderful news,” you chuckle. “We better think of something to welcome them home with.”
“We should go out and celebrate. Oh, I have to tell Bradley,” Carole says and rushes past you and into the garden. You laugh as you follow her out. When you get outside she had Bradley in her arms and they’re both laughing. She kisses his face multiple times. The sound of Bradley’s giggles warms your heart.
Pete, Nick, Carole, and Bradley are family to you. You have known Goose for as long as you can remember. Through him you came to know Pete, and of course Carole when they fell in love. They were all you had, Maverick feeling the same about you. You would be so lost without them. So, hearing that your boys were coming home was some of the best news you had heard in a while.
Mav and Goose has been on duty, working hard, and no doubt winding up their superiors. Maverick had a habit of causing trouble and breaking a few rules here and there. You would make sure to question him when he got here.
“When do they get here?” You ask her.
Carole puts Bradley down and smiles up at you.
“Tonight.”
“Then we better get a plan together.”
For the rest of the afternoon you both decide on a restaurant, get changed, and head out to meet the boys at the airport.
Bradley rests on Carole’s hip as you both stand at the arrivals gate. You thought it would be fun to be there with one of Goose’s Hawaiian shirts on over your top. Carole, your dear friend and partner in crime, agreed it would be funny too. You stand there with your eyes on the gate, waiting for the passengers of the flight that just landed to appear.
“What do you think the news is?” You ask, slightly turning your head in Carole’s direction.
“I’m not sure. Nick wouldn’t give me a clue on the phone. Whatever it is, it’s super exciting.”
You smile as you wonder what it could be.
There is no doubt that Mav and Goose are great at their jobs. You would consider them some of the best in the navy. You know Maverick can be reckless, but he’s good. This news definitely had something to do with their jobs.
People start to flood through the gate. You get up on your toes to try and overlook the crowd that suddenly appeared. Although, Goose would be easy to spot. He is the tallest of the group after all.
“Do you see them?” Carole asks, neck craning to look at each person.
“Not yet.”
More people pass by. You’re about to question if this was even their plane when your eyes spot a familiar head of hair.
“GOOSE!”
The man in question turns his head sharply and spots you jumping up on down on the spot. You wave your hands enthusiastically. He waves back and heads in your direction, yours eyes landing on Maverick who is right beside him. Carole cheers as she hurries over to her husband, you take the opportunity to jump at Mav. Pete grins as he sees you coming. He opens his arms and catches you, preventing you from falling by pulling you into him. You wrap your arms around his neck and hug him tight. It felt good to see your boys again.
“Goose, you big stud, oh I’ve missed you,” Carole grins and pulls her husband into a kiss, mindful of her son who still rests upon her hip. Goose is eager for the kiss. He gives Bradley big kiss too, excited to see his boy. While the pair of them greet each other in the most loving way possible, you welcome Mav home.
“Hello you,” you grin at him.
“Missed me?” Pete asks, sending a charming smile your way.
“Of course I did. We all missed you both very much. I hope you’ve been keeping out of trouble, you two,” you glare at him softly.
“No promises,” Maverick winks.
You stare at him in slight shock.
“Maverick?”
“We’ll get to that later, first, we need to hear this news. We are going out for dinner to celebrate you being home,” Carole says, smiling up at Goose.
“In that case, lead he way, honey,” Goose most definitely pinches her bottom. She jumps and bursts into giggles. You and Mav watch them with smiles. You feel a slight twinge in your chest and find yourself having to look away. Mav notices and gives your arm a squeeze.
“You alright?” He asks.
“Fine,” you say, hoping you sound convincing. There is no way he believes you, you can tell by the slight change of his expression but he doesn’t say anything. He accepts your little smile and turns back to his friends.
Bradley is now settled on Goose’s shoulders as Carole leads the way to the diner she had chosen. It’s a good little place that you guys often go to went you’re all together. It seemed like the perfect little spot to go to with your boys.
Maverick holds the door open for you when you get there. You smile at him and enter, Mav right on your tail. The Bradshaw’s pick a table and sit down, little Bradley between his parents. You sit down with Maverick on the other side of the table. There’s music playing in the background, and light chatter fills in the rest. It’s nice and comfortable.
You pluck a menu from the stand on the table and lazily browse it. You’ll only order your usual anyway. Maverick knows this as he laughs quietly beside you, peering down at the menu in your hands.
“What’s this news then?” You ask, placing the menu on the table. You know Mav isn’t actually reading it.
“You want to tell them or should I?” Pete asks, looking up at Goose.
“You tell them, Mav,” Goose beams at his buddy.
Maverick has this grin on his face and you’re becoming suspicious.
“Go on,” you nudge him.
“Goose and I are heading to Top Gun. We’ve been chosen for the training.”
Your jaw hits the floor. You look at Pete and then to Nick, who only nods at you. Carole is the first to make a noise as she pull Nick into a heated kiss. You laugh as you over come your shock and grab at Mav’s arm.
“No joke?”
“No joke.”
You grin at him and pull him into a side hug.
“Oh my word, look at our boys, going off to the big fighter school,” you tease.
“It’s even better that we’re doing it together,” Goose smiles at his best friend. You smile at the pair.
“This is amazing, you guys. I’m proud of both of you,” you tell them.
“Thank you,” Maverick smiles at you.
“Gosh, Top Gun. That’s a big deal, you know. Only the best of the best go there.”
“Well, Cougar was supposed to go, but he handed in his wings. That job was too much and he made a decision. We were the next best thing,” Goose told you. You look at both of them.
“I’m still proud of you both.”
Carole gives her husband another kiss.
A waitress comes over and takes everyone’s orders, Mav orders for you knowing your usual and you repay him with a stomp to his foot and a grin. He laughs and wraps an arm around the back of your chair, getting comfortable. It felt good to be among his family again.
The meal passes in total harmony… for your table anyway. You’re sure some of the other customers may have complaints about the amount of laughter coming from your table. You have dessert and you all walk out together. Mav throws an arm around your shoulders.
“Want me to take you home?” He asks.
“Sure. See you guys tomorrow,” you say, looking to the Bradshaw family. Goose gives you a kiss on the forehead, which you laugh at, and you wave Bradley off as his mother waves at you too.
The pair of you walk. You don’t live all that close, and you all arrived in Goose’s car, but the walk is nice. It gives you time to catch up with Pete.
“It’s so good seeing you both again,” you say, looking up at Mav.
“We missed you too,” he tells you. You give him a small hug as you walk.
“You must be very excited about Top Gun, huh. You always said you’d make it one day,” you smile.
“Yeah. I almost can’t believe it.”
You take his hand and give it a squeeze.
“You’re both going to do amazing, but please do me one thing,” you look him in the eye.
“What?” He asks softly.
“Stay safe.”
He gives your hand a squeeze.
“I’ll do my best. You know me,” he smiles.
“I do know you, that’s why I’m telling you to stay safe,” you chuckle lightly.
You don’t say any more for the rest of the journey home. You know he has a lot on his mind and you don’t want to him to worry about you. It was your job to worry about him. When you reach your door your give Maverick a kiss on the cheek and smile at him.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” you say. He nods and waits for you to go inside before leaving.
It was good to have yours boys back home again.