𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐱𝐱𝐱𝐱 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫

❝ 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 ❞

✈ ✈ ✈

IT HAD BEEN A CRAZY PAST FEW DAYS.

Bradley and Faith were currently on their way to the Kazanksy household after what has been two days of just relaxing and staying in bed in each other's arms with Hulk cuddled between them.

As they belt out the final few lyrics to 'Tramp' by Otis Redding, her driving with him beside her pointing his closed fist before her as a mic. They smile at each other, continuing to sing rather loudly, yet lost in the moment, with each other.

They roll in through the driveway, and Bradley's hand finds Faith's on the gears. He looks at her with a somewhat nervous expression.

Yes, he'd come home with her once or twice, and Ice had already shown him the gun he'd keep in the shed, and Sarah had welcomed him with open arms, but that was before he'd left her standing in the rain. Now, it was years after, and Bradley could only hope her family had forgiven him for being an idiot.

Faith squeezes his hand thrice, eyes on the road to park. When she's found the perfect spot, the gear is pushed ahead, and her fingers entangle in his. She gives him a soft smile, leaning back in her seat, taking in his ever so widening smile.

Together, hand in hand, and ice-cream and desert in the other hands, they make their way up the porch steps, stepping before the door as Faith knocks thrice.

The doors open not three seconds after she'd knocked, revealing a smiling Sarah, and an awaiting Jane, with a stern James standing behind her.

Did Faith forget to mention this was Bradley's first time meeting Jane or James?

Sarah is pulling Faith in for a hug as they smile into it, finally able to be in each other's hold after so long. Bradley is yanked into the hug by Sarah, who'd grabbed him by the wrist and placed her hand on his back once he was near. He yelps as he's pulled, before he melts into it, resting into Faith's side.

They pull back, and Sarah brings either hand to caress either pilots' face, as she tells them in a soft tone with a soft smile, "Welcome home."

Faith presses a kiss to her mother's cheek, before falling to her knees in front of an ecstatic Jane.

"Auntie Fae!" The girl wraps her arms around her aunt, shaking left and right as Faith laughs into the chocolate brown locks of hers, wrapping her empty hand around the girl's back as she pulls her even closer, yelling in a similar tone, "Janie bug!"

The girl looks at Bradley behind a kneeling Faith, who smiled down at her, waving a shy hand at her. Jane smiles, looking down as she returns the wave with a shy smile of her own.

Faith pulls away from her, standing up and stepping back as she looks at Bradley who presses his forehead against hers' for a moment, before they both look down at a smiling Jane, swaying from side to side with the stuffed bear pressed to her side. "Janie bug, this is Bradley. Honey, that's my sweet girl."

Bradley kneels down to the girl's level, giving her a charming smile that made Faith's knees buckle the tiniest bit. God, the hold he had on her.

He extends a hand to the shy girl, "Hi, Jane. I'm Bradley." Jane ignores the hand, as Bradley pauses in his position, waiting for her to hold his hand, yet she wouldn't.

A silence sets in.

Just as he makes the move to get back up, Jane is wrapping her arms around Bradley's neck.

Faith's heart swells at the sight, hand immediately finding her chest as the voice in her mind 'aw's. Sarah presses a hand to her back, smiling up at the woman, who smiles back down at her, leaning her head against hers' as they watch the sight.

Jane pulls away first, smiling up at Bradley as he hands her the bag of ice-cream and cake in his hands. She screeches loudly, making them all chuckle before Jane is hugging Faith's leg, bags hitting her aunt's shins as they shake in the girl's hold. "You remembered!"

"Of course I did, Jane." Faith returns the hug.

Jane pulls away, moving back to Bradley who'd stood up, holding his hand and pulling him inside as he looks back at Faith with a concerned expression. She chuckles, shoulder shaking with laughter.

Faith looks at James, who keeps his face stoic, ice cold, both siblings share a staring contest before Sarah's slapping the back of their heads, both of them wincing together and whining. Sarah just shakes her head with a smile, moving into the house again.

James punches Faith's shoulder, muttering "Hey, jerk." Faith returns the gesture a tad bit harder, smiling up at him with a shaking head, "Hey, punk." The two move into the house, hands wrapped around each other's shoulders as they walk in side by side, matching smiles on their faces.

✈ ✈ ✈

MAVERICK HAD COME OVER NOT AN HOUR LATER, JOINING THEM ALL FOR LUNCH, THEN DESSERT AS THEY SAT BY THE TABLE, CONVERSING AND JUST CATCHING UP.

And then, Faith noticed the shared nods on James' and her uncle's faces, before James is looking at Bradley, "So, Bradley."

Faith slumps in her seat, knowing exactly what was going to happen. She brings a hand to her forehead, sharing an exasperated look with Sarah who smirks back at her.

"Yeah?" Bradley looks away from Jane, turning his gaze at the stern-ness in James' voice. His eyes meet Faith's for a second, and she tries not to laugh out loud at the panic on his face, just nodding at him.

"You.. like my sister." James folds his hands to his chest, oddly similar to how Faith would. Maverick cuts in, stern-ness on his face too, "You like my niece."

Faith feels like banging her head on the table.

"I love your sister." Bradley looks at James with nothing but sincerity and a dazed look on his eyes before he's meeting Faith's eyes, olive greens clashing against emerald greens, her heart flutters in her chest, biting her lip and looking down at her lap to hide the flush.

"And, I love your niece." Bradley turns to her uncle, who presses his lips in a thin line at his words, hiding the pleasance and delightfulness he felt.

"And I know.. I know I was a jerk before, but I promise you I won't leave her again. I won't break her heart again. Ever." The honesty, the depth of his words meant so much to her. Eight years of pining after him, eight years of pining after her, and now, they could finally call each other their own. And they planned on never letting go. Ever. All of the silence, the patience, desperately waiting, it was over, and now they were for each other. Just each other.

Faith's eyes glisten with tears, happy ones at Bradley's words. Two nights of gently claiming each other as their own, in his plaid, and him in her home, her bed, her arms, her hold, she wouldn't have it any other way, not in this life, not in any other.

✈ ✈ ✈

THE SQUAD MEET ONE LAST TIME BEFORE THE OTHERS GO THEIR SEPARATE WAYS.

Don't worry, Bradley and Faith were staying right by each other's side.

The beach before the Hard Deck was just as good a refresher as the bar.

So, there they were.

Faith sat beside Bradley, between him and Natasha. To her right, after the Trace woman, Bob, Mickey, and Reuben. To her left, after the Bradshaw she'd loved since what felt like forever, Jake and Javy.

The California sky was blessing them with a beautiful sunrise, a beautiful view. The burgundy horizon mixed with an upper layer of a fresh orange, and right above, a periwinkle blue. The red hot ball of fire that was the sun was beautiful to look at.

The people around her were a family meant to be. The man beside her was a soulmate made to be.

His hand fit perfectly in hers', as they all sat watching the sun rise above the horizon. She kept her eyes on the side of his face, a smile painting and lighting up her face as she watched him look at the sky, then turn his eyes to hers' with that smile of his own.

The corners of his lips pulled up into a goofy grin, as he pressed a soft, messy, top lip peck on her lips. Faith chuckles against his lips as his moustache tickles her lips, before he was leaning his forehead against hers' as they shared a gaze, dazed looks on their face.

The way she loved him, it was unexplainable. There were no words for it, but the only way she could describe it, was that she loved him with her all, and he loved her with his all. Eight, long, fucking years of waiting and waiting and waiting, suffering without each other, or the other's hold.

When they'd met for the first time, when they'd sang for the first time, when they'd kissed for the first time, it was all vividly clear to her in her mind. They'd come far, and now they could go further with each other. They just held each other's hands, and everything would be okay, alright, better. Because they had each other. Eight years ago, and to this day, they had each other. And they wouldn't have it any other way.

If you'd have told Faith six months ago that Bradley Bradshaw would be storming back into her life, she'd have laughed in your face, thinking there was no possible way he'd forgive her for staying, and she'd forgive him for going.

But they did. They did, and it was beautiful. It was wonderful, fulfilling, and serendipitous. This love was good, and it was back, and it was the best feeling in the world for them.

Because now they had each other, to hold each other, and hold each other's hand, and say that everything is going to to be alright. The clouds had been grey for their sky, but now it was clear blue, like the water, like the sky today, and it was a sign they were going to be alright, because they needed each other.

They'd taken too long to see that the other was bleeding, and they'd waited too long to ask if the other was okay. But right now, just this moment, with a promise between the both of them to never letting go, and just promising to hold each other's eyes.

To cry in each other's hands, tonight and every night, to not leave until they understood, to just hold each other's hands, and know that they'll always remain with each other.

Where she'd go, he'll follow. They'll always be this close, forever and ever. They'd loved each other for eight summers, nearing another, but they wanted them all, together.

Olive green meets emerald green once again, their eyes meet once again, and for her and only her, only him in her eyes and her in his, the rest of the world black and white, he whispers through the air full of the sound of the waves, "I'm never gonna leave you again, honey."

His forehead presses against hers', their eyes closed in utter bliss and utter love and just all of the above for the other.

"As if I'll let you leave again, Bradshaw."

author's note:

AND THAT'S A WRAP!

jeez, guys, thank you so much for all the love on this book. bradley and faith are my BABIES, and apart of the first fic i've actually finished. we're nearing about 4K on this book, and i cannot thank you enough for the love. rooster and archer will be returning, for sure, if there's ever a third top gun film! this book, i'd begun in feb, i think, and it has been a joy writing it every single time i did. faith and bradley are just so endgame for each other, and they forever will be.

i think i might get back to rewriting this book, not changing stuff, but maybe adding a bit more of just them, and flying and adding depth to their story, so stay tuned.

soon enough, i'll begin updating 'Labyrinth', my Miles Teller fic. there's gonna be multiple parallels, and heartbreak and fluff, and just everything and all the options above.

just you wait, and hold onto your seats, but for now, please do be back for faith and bradley's story if you wanna come back!

thank you so much for choosing 'the archer' to read.

please do vote, and comment, because i adore your guys' comments, and always like to read them, don't be a silent reader!

i love you guys so much, and once again thank you so much for the love on the archer!

- love, destiny <3.