Fly With Me // Bradley Bradshaw

Chapter Two

Rooster isn't a selfish man. In fact, if you asked any of his friends, they'd say the exact opposite about him. He loves having fun and catching up with friends just as much as the next person, but he loves spending time with Sophie more than most things. It'd been three months since he'd last seen her, but it felt like an eternity when all he wanted was to be with her. He was tired of having to share her with everyone else, especially Hangman. And he was tired of listening to the songs that Hangman had picked on the jukebox. So, he does what anyone in his position would do. He grabs her hand and pulls her away from everyone.

Sophie, of course, lets him and follows closely behind, not letting go of his hand. Rooster unplugs the jukebox which causes groans to erupt around the whole bar. He sits down on the piano bench and motions for the girl to do the same. She smiles, knowing exactly what he's going to do next. He's about to turn this bar upside down. She takes a seat next to him and lies her head against his shoulder. "Couldn't stay away any longer, could you," she teases the man.

He starts playing a couple of keys, warming up as people start to gather around. Phoenix and a few others join the two at the piano, ready for whatever he's going to play. Anyone in this bar who knows Rooster knows that he loves to entertain the crowd. "You are a tough woman to get alone."

She scoffs, "You're one to talk." Sophie points to everyone surrounding the pair; all the women in particular. "I've seen half of these ladies staring at you since the moment you walked in here."

Rooster looks at the woman sitting right beside him. No one compared to the beauty she emits. "And yet, my eyes stay on you." He starts playing the tune of one of his favorite songs. Sophie shoves his arm and starts singing along with him.

You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain

Too much love drives a man insane

You broke my will, but what a thrill

Rooster and Sophie's faces get closer together as they, along with everyone else in the bar belts out, "Goodness, gracious, great balls of fire." The two light up the bar. Their smiles and singing radiate off each other. Their energy is infectious as everyone in the bar starts singing and dancing along with the two. Anyone with eyes can see that Sophie and Rooster are magnetic when they're together.

I laughed at love cause I thought it was funny

But you came along and you moved me, honey

I've changed my mind, this love is fine

Goodness, gracious, great balls of fire

Bradley makes eye contact with Sophie throughout the song. He loved singing with her and she loved it when he sang to her.

Kiss me, baby

He looked down at her singing lips, wanting nothing more than to kiss Sophie. His eyes on her lips don't go unnoticed by her and she smirks in his direction, driving Rooster insane.

Ooh, that feels good, baby

It's a top ten feeling when their lips touch and they lose themselves in each other.

Hold me, baby

I wanna love you like a lover should

You're fine, you're so kind

I'ma tell the world that you're mine, mine, mine, mine

Their heads bob up and down as they get more into the song. Everyone is having the time of their life, but Sophie and Rooster only notice each other.

That is until Hangman swoops in and drags Sophie away to the dance floor. "I did promise you dancing," he smirks at her. Rooster stares at the two, annoyed with the man who pulled her away. He doesn't let it affect him though and keeps on playing and entertaining everyone in the Hard Deck. Still, he can't help but to let his eyes linger over to the two dancing while he finishes up the song.

"Oh, because you'd never break a promise," she says sarcastically. She knows Jake better than anyone in the world and she knows he was just trying to get a rise out of Rooster. Jake's smirk stays in place as he twirls the girl around, not saying anything back to her comment. Sophie can't help the laugh escaping her when he spins her out and pulls her back in as the song comes to an end.

Everyone in the Hard Deck claps and cheers for Rooster. "Thank you for fulfilling your promise." She gives him a quick side hug. "I'm probably going to head out soon, but I will see you tomorrow."

Sophie heads back over to Rooster with one thought on her mind. "Don't have too much fun tonight," Hangman calls out after her, "We do have work tomorrow."

The brunette turns around with a mischievous glint in her eyes and winks at her childhood friend. He chuckles and shakes his head at her. He hated to admit it, but she was always happiest when Rooster was around. And all he wanted was for her to be happy.

The female fighter pilot makes her way through the crowd and to the man who is dancing to everyone chanting his name. She wraps her arms around his waist, making him spin to see her. "What do you say to getting out of here?"

"I say, I've been waiting to hear that since I first laid eyes on you tonight." She bites her bottom lip which drives him crazy. Sophie grabs his hand and leads him out of the building of people.

"So, they're like totally fucking, right," Payback asks Phoenix as everyone watches the two leave the bar together.

"Oh yeah," she laughs. The two tried to hide their relationship back when it first started, but it lasted all of two weeks. A blind man could see the sexual energy bouncing between Rooster and Sophie. There were many stolen glances between the two and they had a glow to them. They were so giddy with each other, like two children trying to keep a big secret. It was both nauseating and adorable at the same time. "They have been since the Academy, but between us, I think they're in love."

Bradley stops them in between their cars and grabs her face. He looks at the woman before him; her eyes shining in the moonlight. She is beautiful. He pulls her face closer to his and connects their lips. He waited more time than he cared for to do that. The familiar comforting feeling of being together encompasses over them. Their lips move in synchronization against each other. They finally break away, "Your place or mine," she asks, breathlessly.

"Yours."

Sophie gives him one last peck before hopping in her red two-door Jeep Wrangler and leading him to her apartment that she's been issued on base. As Rooster follows her speeding figure down the road, he knows that he would follow Sophie Starke anywhere.