#i was honestly going to write about bradley and ice's ashes to their favourite place but i decided not to go down that road for once lol

[pollyna]

During the summer of his sixteenth birthday, Ice teaches him how to drive a car. During the first lesson, Mav and Slider sit in the backseat, but three miles down the road, Ice kicks them out and leaves them in the middle of nowhere because kids have better behaviour than you two.

It's the same summer Mav and him fix the Bronco, and Slider finds the perfect blue to repaint it.

In September, Bradley drives them to the airport, his driver's licence proudly displayed in his wallet and tissues strewn about because seeing his father and uncle deployed still makes him cry a little, even after all these years.

Ice hugs him against his chest and Bradley wants to never let him go because summer was too short and he promised to let Bradley take them to his favourite spot after he passed his test. We're going to get there, okay baby goose? he asks, before kissing him on the forehead once I'm back, whether it's winter or summer. Okay, dad, okay he answers, already half engulfed in his uncle's arms.

By the time Ice and Slider are back, a year and a half has almost gone by, Bradley is studying to pass with a straight A to go to Annapolis, and then he's out of the door and out of their lives because of a promise Maverick won't talk about.

He returns after the mission. Fifteen years are gone, and so is most of Ice's strength and voice. Bradley's  taller than he is, but his car is as blue as the day he left home.

(Uncle Slider-he-he sent me the colour after that time I was on his carrier. He-just sent them dad he finds himself confessing over a beer after dinner.)

They're making progress day by day, but it is still difficult because it feels like they are strangers one to the other, and yet Ice knows him so well. Dad? he asks one afternoon, days after the mission is done and the bruises all over his body are nothing but memories. Ice inclines his head a little, giving him his whole attention. I was thinking, do you remember when I was sixteen and you promised you'd let me drive us to our favourite spot? Maybe we could go? Now or when you want? Bradley's hands are shaking a little, and he's hoping that his dad isn't going to say no, because that would break his heart all over again. He wants to mend what was broken, but he's so scared he won't be able to if he does say no. But Ice is already on his feet, walking around the house, picking up things and putting them all in a bag. He is already one foot outside the door, keys in his hands, when he watches Bradley and signs so? What are we waiting for?

Bradley laughs, their favourite songs already playing in his mind and then on the radio, miles in front of them and a whole day to be shared. He feels like he could cry.

His dad's hand is warm against his cheek when he touches his face. He's smiling when he signs a step at a time, baby goose and I love you.

Bradley smiles back. Yeah, a step at a time. They can do this.