Fly With Me // Bradley Bradshaw

Chapter Fourteen

Sophie walks down to the common area where the team was planning on spending their last night before they shipped off for the mission.  They had all agreed on a relaxing night in.  Coyote and Hangman offered to grill hamburgers and hot dogs for everyone while hanging out.

There were only a few people down there when she arrived, which she was fine with.  She wanted to forget about her minor argument with Jake earlier, but it was easier said than done.  Especially since he wasn't the only one saying stuff about her so-called feelings for Rooster.  His words had been ringing through her mind at an endless speed since she left his room.  She tries to shake the thoughts away; she didn't want any tension between the two.  She was hoping they could both just drop it and have a good time tonight.

Sophie plops down on a couch next to Phoenix who is scrolling through her phone.  She has a deck of cards on the coffee table in front of her, probably waiting for more of the guys to come down and challenge her in poker.  She was a kick-ass player and she loved to show off to everyone.  She lays her head down on Natasha's shoulder.  "I'm tired of the boys," she says, pouting her lips.

The woman beside her lets a laugh escape her lips.  "What's the drama between you and Bradshaw?"

"No drama there," she reassures.  Phoenix side-eyes the girl, not quite believing that to be the truth, but leaves it alone anyways.

Rebound comes into view with Payback and Fanboy closely behind.  He squeezes himself in between the two women, half sitting on Sophie.  "Hello ladies," he says with a goofy smile.  He puts both his arms around their shoulders and pulls them closer to him, his body still crushing Sophie's.

She's barely able to breathe when she dramatically pushes herself out from under Rebound's muscular body.  "Dude, personal pace."

"We sit in a cockpit together.  There's no such thing as personal space between us."  He makes a face at her, saying 'duh.'

"I beg to differ."  She's finally able to push his laughing figure away from her, giving herself some space.

He waves his hand at her, brushing her words off.  Mark knew that Sophie loved him, no matter how much she put on a front to show otherwise.  He knew that he was one of the closest friends in her life, right behind Hangman and Rooster.  The bond between a pilot and a WSO is special and unlike any other relationship.  No one could understand it unless they had the dynamic themselves.  Both parties had to have complete trust in one another, and Sophie and Mark did.  Their relationship had quickly bled its way outside of just work not long after they started flying together.

Rebound hooks up his phone to the speaker that he brought with him as Phoenix starts a poker game with some of the other aviators.  Coyote and Hangman are busy working on the food outside.  The only person that hasn't made it down the stairs yet is Rooster.  He always seems to be the last one to arrive at these things.  Sophie hadn't talked to him since this morning.  She wondered if he had any of the same fears about this mission as she did.

Mark offers her a hand, distracting her from her thoughts.  He can see the wheels turning in her head and he knows that she needs a distraction from everything going on around her.  Her mind never stops and she's put a lot of pressure on herself these past two days due to that. He needed her to have one night of fun before she goes full Razor on everybody.

Sophie looks at Mark's hand for a second and rolls her eyes.  He keeps his hand in front of her, dramatically shaking until she decides to get off her ass and have some fun.  She tries to fight the grin that is begging to make its way to her face but eventually gives in.  She genuinely smiles and takes his hand.  He twirls her around, causing her to laugh, as they move to the beat of a Bon Jovi song.  They often did this back in Florida in their favorite bar.  They enjoyed going out and having fun, but Rebound knew that Sophie needed this.  She needed just an ounce of fun before going on this mission because he knew she was scared.  They all were.  He had the utmost belief that Sophie could do this and get them both home, but he still couldn't help but think that this could possibly be the last time they get to do something like this.  You just never knew.  There's always a possibility that you won't come back.