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ereardon · 3 months

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Before I Knew [Jake Seresin x Reader] Chapter One

A Jake Seresin unexpected pregnancy fic

Overview: On your first night after moving to San Diego to spend more time with your brother Bob, you unknowingly have a one night stand with his teammate Jake Seresin. For the first time in his whole life, Bob has a closely knit friend group and you’re desperate not to rock the boat. But an unexpected and unplanned pregnancy upends your world, forcing you and Jake closer together, against Bob’s wishes. What will happen when you find yourself actually falling for the father of your unborn child?

Pairing: Jake Seresin x Reader; Bob Floyd x Sister!Reader

Warnings: Pregnancy, cursing, eventual smut, alcohol

Chapter summary: Y/N meets Bob's squadron, and encounters someone she thought she'd never see again; the Daggers celebrate Jake's birthday where he and Y/N have their first conversation after the one night stand

Masterlist here

You were late. Bob was going to kill you. Your brother was a stickler when it came to being on time. It came as no surprise to anyone in your family that he had gone into the military.

You rushed through the door, purse strap getting caught on the handle and you tugged it free, chest rising as you spun around, searching for Bob. He stood in the corner of the coffee shop, pristine in a khaki uniform, eyes wide behind his wire glasses.

“Hi Ducky,” he said as you tossed yourself into his arms, breathing in his familiar scent. He felt like home, even though it had been years since you and Bob had lived under the same roof. You had been barely a teen when Bob left for the Naval Academy, and his stints on land were far and few between after. His assignment to Top Gun was the first time he had settled somewhere on a more permanent basis. It’s why you decided to move to San Diego after college. All of your friends had scattered around the country – grad school in New York, policy analysts in Washington, even one friend had taken an internship with an art dealer in Miami. But you had packed up and left Tennessee with one goal. Be closer to your brother.

“Bobby,” you grinned, stepping back to admire him. Every time you saw him it was months apart and so much had changed, but also so little. He was the same Bob who had thrown you over his shoulder to win the family flag football game on Thanksgiving. The same Bob who had carried your book bag for you when you were in elementary school and he was a middle schooler and went a mile out of his way every morning to make sure you got to your homeroom class safe and sound. The Bob who always picked up, day or night, when you called. The Bob who listened to you weep about your college boyfriend who broke your heart. The Bob who took care of you when you were seven and had the flu and your mom was working a double shift at the hospital and couldn’t stay home with you.

“Ducky,” he said, dropping your hands. The familiar nickname on his tongue brought forward a flood of memories: spring weekends flying kites in the nearby park, sitting on the back of a tandem bike with Bob on a trip to Florida to visit your grandparents, the fort the two of you made the one time it snowed two feet in Tennessee in under a day in March. “This is my squad. Guys, meet my sister, Y/N.”

You tore your gaze from Bob, looking over at the table he was gesturing to, a smile plastered on your face. A beautiful brunette with pearly white teeth and a tight bun was on the far left. That was Phoenix. You had received a handful of letters from Bob talking about her. Next to Phoenix was a handsome, bulky man with a mustache in a plain blue t-shirt. Wow, he was gorgeous.

Your eyes shifted over one more, breath halting in your throat as your gaze slowly crept up. First you spotted the dog tags. Eerily familiar, but then again, a lot of military guys wore dog tags, right?

Then the chin. Ridiculously cut jaw, slight bifurcated butt chin that you had found weirdly adorable two nights before. Plump, pink lips, puckered up in a grin. You felt your heart sink. There was only one thing left. You raised your eyes to his. Clear, seafoam green. An ocean in two small orbs. He smiled as you screamed internally.

Bob’s voice drew you out of your coma. “That’s Bradley.” The mustache man waved a hand. “And Jake Seresin. Hangman.”

Jake. Your stomach did a somersault.

Last time you had seen him, you had been teetering on the edge of drunk, standing outside of the bar with one hand on the railing, the salty ocean wind licking at the sweat on your collarbone, flicking the ends of your hair up against your chin.

The next moment, his tongue was on your throat, in your mouth, fingers in your hair, pressing your body against the railing of the deck as you whimpered into his lips.

You had crept out of bed before he woke up. Just a gorgeous, tan, muscular back sticking out beneath crisp white sheets as you tugged on your short dress and called an Uber. You had expected to never see him again.

And here he was, smirking at you as your brother’s gaze narrowed.

You had fucked up. Correction. You had fucked Jake Seresin. And that was a major fuck up.

***

Bob had never been the type to have a huge friend group, or any close friends really. So the first time he called from Top Gun, giddy with excitement, you had been elated for him. Your brother deserved a tightly knit friend group.

Before you had moved to San Diego, Bob had filled you in on the group’s antics. Their flights, their wild nights out, the dynamics. But he had centered mostly on Phoenix and Rooster.

Jake had conveniently been left out of the majority of the conversation.

“Well?” Bob asked as the two of you headed back to his house in your rental car. “What do you think of the group?”

“They’re nice,” you said.

“That’s it? Nice?”

You sighed. “I’m really happy for you, Bobby. You have a good group of friends. I know that’s what you always wanted.”

Bob leaned back against the seat. You were the one person that Bob confided in. He was an open book and you could read him with one glance. Looking over, you spotted his furrowed brow, the tense way he was squeezing his knuckles together.

“Are you OK?” you asked, turning your eyes back toward the road, slowing down to take a right turn.

“Tell me you didn’t move here for me.”

“Then I’d be lying.”

“Y/N,” Bob said. His voice had taken on Big Brother™ mode. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“Don’t you want me around?” you whispered.

“Of course I do,” Bob replied. “I just don’t want you to waste your life following me.”

“Living in California a waste?” you asked. “No way.”

“What’s the plan, Duck?”

“Not everyone was born potty trained and with a plan, Bobby.”

“You’re twenty-three,” he countered. “It’s time to be an adult and figure out what you’re doing with your life.”

“You sound like mom.”

“And we both know she’s never wrong.”

You sighed. “Just because you got your life together at seven doesn’t mean I have to.”

“Duck—”

You cut him off. “Bobby, please. It’s been a week. Give me a little time and I promise, I'll figure out what I’m doing. Just be my brother, OK, instead of acting like my dad.”

That silenced him. Bob had taken your father’s disappearance harder than you had. He put on a brave face. He stepped up. He became the man of the house. But that meant that he had taken it upon himself to be your brother and your dad. So even at twenty three he still saw you as a child.

The two of you drove the rest of the way back to Bob’s house in silence. Inside, you were just about to close the door to your guest bedroom when Bob’s voice floated down the hall.

“By the way,” he said, “I told the squad we’d go out for drinks with them tonight. It’s Jake’s birthday.”

You grimaced. “Sounds good.”

“Leave at nine?”

“Sure.” You closed the door, plopping down on the bed face first. You had moved to San Diego to figure your life out. And of course the first thing you had done was have a one night stand with one of Bob’s teammates. If he had been anyone else in the world you would have been able to avoid him.

What do you get someone for their birthday when you hoped you’d never see them again?

***

“Floyd!”

You turned at the same time as Bob. Bradley grinned. “Oh this is going to get confusing.”

“Here.” Natasha pointed to the bar stool next to her. “Have a seat. Boys will get you a drink. Bradshaw?”

Bradley tipped his head. “On it, ma’am.”

She rolled her eyes as you settled into the seat, crossing your legs beneath the short skirt. “So, Y/N. Bob’s told me all about his little sister. But he left out that you were coming to live here.”

“I’m not much of a planner.”

Phoenix laughed. “The anti-Bob. I like you already.”

“He’s told me a lot about you,” you replied. “And Bradley.”

“And nothing about Jake I’m guessing?” You nodded and Phoenix took a sip of her beer. “Trust me when I say, you don’t want to even go there.”

“Are you speaking from experience?”

Phoenix craned her neck around, making sure the two of you were out of earshot before nodding. “Just steer clear of him. That’s my suggestion. Hangman is fun for a night. But things get messy quick. And he and Bob have a little bit of a history.”

You frowned. “What kind of history?”

Just as Phoenix opened her mouth to respond, Bradley pressed a beer into your open hand. “Ducky.”

You grimaced. “Bobby, you didn’t!”

He shrugged. “Sorry.”

You rolled your eyes. “I’m so going to eat your last Pop-Tart tomorrow just to get you back for that.”

“Fill us in, will you?” Phoenix asked.

“When she was four, Y/N became obsessed with those little yellow rubber ducks that you put in your bath.” You groaned as your brother recounted the full story. How you had thrown a fit when your mother had tried to take you out of the bath and the only thing to calm you had been to fill your bed with the rubber ducks. And how the next morning that continued, one rubber duck gripped firmly in your chubby hand as you ate breakfast, went to the park, tagged along to the grocery store, went to daycare. This continued for weeks.

You didn’t want to admit to the team that you still had a rubber duck stuffed inside your suitcase back at Bob’s house. It was a safety net of sorts.

“Sorry, Duck,” Bob said, squeezing your shoulders and placing a small peck on the top of your head.

You looked up at him. His cheeks were flushed, he had a massive grin on his face. He was happy. All you had wanted in as long as you could remember was for Bob to be happy. He took your happiness more seriously than his own. It was time you returned the favor.

“Am I interrupting?” All eyes turned to Jake. He had on a tight black t-shirt and a pair of jeans with cowboy boots peeking out the bottom. He shot a grin your way and you did your best to avoid his eye contact.

“Happy birthday, Hangman.” There was a chill in Bob’s voice, or perhaps you were reading into it because of what Phoenix had said earlier.

Jake nodded. “Thanks, man. Anyone up for a game of darts?”

Bob dropped his hand from your shoulder, following Phoenix and Jake back toward the darts board on one end of the bar. You sat back in your seat, tipping the beer down your throat, watching as they played. There was an easy banter with all of them.

You finished your beer, the darts game still ongoing. Quietly, you slipped around the edge of the room, out the door that led to the back deck.

It was quiet outside, just the sound of the waves crashing against the hard sand and the soft hum of the music as it seeped through under the door and from behind the old windows. You laid your fingertips on the wooden railing, tipping your head back toward the moon that was slung low in the sky, feeling the cool breeze dry the sweat that had started to form on the base of your neck.

“Mind if I join?”

You turned. Jake stepped out onto the deck, a beer in one hand. He approached the railing, putting the green bottle down and smirking over at you. This time you were far less drunk. You shrugged. “It’s your birthday. Who am I to say what you can or can’t do?”

He frowned. “Don’t be like that.”

“Just because you’ve seen me naked doesn’t mean you know me.”

He looked bristled. “Y/N. I had no idea you were Bob’s sister when we met the other night. If I had known, I—”

“Wouldn’t have fucked me?”

He grimaced. “You’re the one that left without saying anything.”

You folded your arms over your chest. “It’s not like you were falling over yourself to drive me home. It was better that way and we both know it.” You allowed yourself to look up. God, he was stunning. Green, wide eyes. Tanned skin, the way his forearm flexed as he gripped the railing. You could remember the way his touch felt as he dragged his fingertips over your skin. You tried to shake the memory from your mind. “Just do me one favor.”

“Sure.”

“Don’t tell Bob,” you whispered. “Let’s just forget the other night ever happened.”

Jake’s gaze lingered. “If that’s what you want.”

You pushed up off of the railing. “It’ll be better, trust me.” You headed for the door, turning around at the last moment. Jake was still leaning against the railing, watching the waves in the dark. “Jake?”

He turned, green eyes wide. There was something almost sad about him, you thought. It was a fleeting glimpse, but you saw it.

“Happy birthday.”

He smiled. You turned, peering through the glass on the wood door. Bob had his head thrown back in a laugh as Bradley pounded against the piano keys and Phoenix danced. You smiled. Your brother was happy.

You weren’t going to ruin his perfectly crafted life by saying you had slept with one of his friends. It would be easier for everyone if you and Jake Seresin pretended you had never met before.

How would they ever catch you in your lie?

Please follow my library page @ereardonlibrary as that will largely serve as my tag list. Anyone I previous promised to tag is here:

@bobfloydsbabe @blue-aconite @wkndwlff @mamachasesmayhem @mandylove1000 @djs8891 @clancycucumber230 @rosiahills22 @buckysteveloki-me @kmc1989 @gigisimsonmars @eloquentdreamer @mjisbby @shanimallina87 @seresinslady @seresinhangmanjake @blackwidownat2814 @yanna-banana @bbyvanessaa @mrsjobarnes @midnightmagpiemama @ingoaliesitrust @rockbottomphilosophies-blog @iangiemae @joaquinwhorres @boiolay @sometimesanalice @spinning-away

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drawnfamiliarfaces · 7 months

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what would they look like as villains? I know that some have canonical versions, but I would like to see your intropritation (let's be honest, for most - the evil alterego is an exact copy, but only with a slightly modified color palette and frowning eyebrows)

(I'm sorry for my English)

oh, this was a wonderful ask to get on the eve of spooky month ;D im not god at villain (re)design but it was a fun thinking exercise! (also im assuming you were asking about HoMies xD so)

I mean, there is only so much one can do to remake protagonists into villains and yet still have them remain recognizable, so no wonder evil!versions often are just recolor/frowny sort, but I tried my best to be creative ;D

(and your english is alright! no worries)

also while you can imagine them being as villanous as you want in these designs, there are some little blurbs/backstories i made up for myself as I tried to design them, if you are interested (they are various shades of dark, since you know, tragic backstory and all that lol):

Kim Possible - Hero for Hire turned Mercenary for Money - Kim is widely known for her profeciency in hand-to-hand and quick thinking when on the jobs, but one time something went terribly wrong. Maybe client info was unreliable, or a freak accident, but as the result both Kim and Ron got hurt, leaving Ron in a hospital permanently, and Kim with scars and trauma. After that the girl who worked on favors and rides lost her trust/belief in goodness of people, becoming jaded by reality of a job she accidently found herself in. Kim changed into someone very cold and calculated, someone who started taking jobs that required using serious weapons instead of gadgets, and more importantly getting paid, so she could support her best friend (who is in coma and thus unable to influence this downwards spiral Kim find herself in).

(in contrast to canon!Kim's free flowing hair, she ties it back in order to never be distracted in crucial moment. has a lot of new scars due to more dangerous jobs. i still cant decide if she kills with her weapons or not, but she certainly learned to hurt people. also a very complicated relationship with Shego, since Kim is also a mercenary now, but Shego still remembers that girl she was and is conflicted about this new Kim)

Danny Fenton/Phantom - Ghostly Hero turned Ice Prince - s3e6 Urban Jungle turned out differently, when in the end, defeating Undergrowth, meant also hurting everyone he had been connected to at that moment (level of hurt depends on your preference for angst i guess lol), but anyway, Danny horrified by what he have done (and with memory of Dan still haunting him), still technically unstable with his Ice Powers, flees back into the Ghost Zone to the one place he knows he won't be able to hurt anyone. Sequestering himself in the Far Frozen, he goes full Elsa, and become a remote Ice Prince, that even Far Frozen Yetis are still nervous around, with his only contact being Frostbite. Slowly he wastes away, freezing from his powers not only physically but also like emotionally.

(fun (?) tidbit: fur on his new snow cape/coat is from yetis, unfortunate to wander too close to ice prince. so there are a bunch of partially bald yetis in far frozen lol. Danny is constantly covered in bits of ice and frost, since his ice powers are unstable due to emotional damage. Danny's crown is not a conscious choice, but rather a manifestation of Far Frozen starting to bond with Danny's ice core to become his lair and also sort of recognizing Danny as future Ghost King.)

Jake Long - American Dragon Guardian turned Corrupted by Dark Magic Dragon - Series Finale The Hong Kong Longs, ended differently, when Dark Dragon left a parting shot before he was inprisoned for another Millennium. Since meeting Jake, Dark Dragon has been interested in aquiring him as minion/apprentice(?), and had been steadily trying to sway him to his side. But as he lost he made a last ditch attempt, infecting Jake with Dark Magic. As the result, Jake now cannot control his Dragon Form, being steadily consummed by the Darkness and turning more Draconic as time passes, until he will become full Dragon all the time and under the thrall of Darkness. The change is harsh and as the result Jake falls into violent moments during which he hurt his loved ones that fight to keep him from changing. In one of his more lucid moments, Jake flees to hide away in order not to hurt anyone.

(it seems an interesting thought to expand on the possiblity that the Dragon form can overwhelm the human part and that it would associate with dark magic to succumb to its baser instincts, and also would be a great opening to all those wonderful draconic fan headcanons fandom made about Jake lol)

Ben Tennyson - Hero Wielder of Omnitrix turned Corrupted/Hacked Ultimatrix Unstable User - During Alien Force Ben tried multiple times to hack/meddle with Omnitrix settings, and when he continuously tried the same with Ultimatrix in Ultimate Alien, something has gone wrong. Ultimatrix has bonded deep into Ben's DNA and body, and now every change is felt acutely, not to mention the alien perceptions are now unfiltered and Ben recieves the raw experience of being a different speices/state. It comes to a point when it start to mess with his mind, only made worse by Dagon's reemergence and all the enemies. In the final showdown of Ultimate Enemy goes differently, how? no idea (again depends on your preference level of angst lol). But as the result, Ben, unstable and a little crazy, is on the run with his corrupted Ultimatrix, his reputation in tatters and is considered dangerous by Plumbers.

(i had a little extra idea of Omniverse continuation, where new Plumber Rook Blonko, now has to hunt his hero turned crazy tragic villain Ben Tennyson. Very emotional and angsty (and a bit gay lol), where Rook continuously trying to unsuccessfully catch crazy Ben and convince him to let Azimuth and plumbers to help him.)

Juniper Lee - Youngest Te Xuan Zhe turned Corrupted/Fallen Te Xuan Zhe - in this case in Out of the Past, what Ah-Mah Jasmine feared about Fallen Te Xuan Zhe Kay Yee managing to corrupt Jun has sort of came to pass. After defeating Kai Yee, being touched by the overwhelming power of Magical Elders has left its mark on Jun, as well as Kai Yee's words and Jasmine's initial fear about/distrust in Jun (she is like 11-12 people, it would FUCK HER UP MENTALLY???). As Jun goes through her rebellious teen phase, the unfairness of her trapped position as protector and the demands of it, grates on her more and more, and she finds refuge in studying magic. As the result, her magical ability grows and as her desire for freedom, and the smallest seed of corruption from the events of Out of the Past grow too. So in the end, Jun learns magic to wield it , like Kai Yee, but unlike Kai Yee, not just for battle, but for personal goal of freeing herself and any future Te Xuan Zhe of her family line.

(fun tidbit, Jun doesn't continue to dye her hair pink, instead she uses blood from battle ;D morbid i know but i couldnt help it i like the imagery of her passing her bloody hands through the white part to paint it. she has lightning scars all over her body, that appear only when she uses magic - a manifestation of her brush with orb of magic elders.)

Rex Salazar - Last Hope Against EVO turned Contained and Controlled Weapon of Providence - Rex's return 6 months after Breach transported him and his introduction to Black Knight goes very differently. Instead of prolonged mind games, Black Knight just imprisons Rex pretty much right away while he is vulnerable, content to attempt to trigger Rex's amnesia ad use the mind-control collar, to turn him into her mindless weapon. She was sorta successful? But with Ceaser on the inside, he managed, with the help of Six and Holiday, to free Rex, even if it was too late to save his mind. As the result, whatever reeducation Rex suffered from Black Knights left him instinctively reacting with force and in defense. The whole last part of the season goes very differently in this state, and the finale also ends differently, with Rex, overwhelmed with power of Omega Nanite (God) but in no mind to actually control it. So in the end he is forced to be contained as his friends and family try to figure out how to save him.

(the angst of mind-controlled Rex is something I enjoy, but since he canonically is immune to it, the idea of an induced amnesiac episode seemed like a best bet for this one, but with like double the angst since Six&Holiday would have to struggle not only with Rex being turned into amind-controlled weapon but also him not knowing them)

Randy Cunningham - Chosen Norrisvile Ninja turned Disgraced/Fallen Ex-Ninja - relatively early in his career, after accidently releasing Tengu and Howard getting possesed by it, Randy makes an ultimate sacrifice by burning the Ninja Mask in order to defeat Tengu. However, he didn't expect that Tengu-possesed Howard to be sealed away together and the Ninja title being taken away from him for his reckless (even if noble) decision. Frantic, because he lost two important parts of his life, his best friend and heroic purpose, Randy tries to get the reborn mask back, but it, along with the Ninjanomicon were spirited away by the Messenger to pass on to another candidate. And thus starts Randy's panicked downward spiral and frantic attempts to get back the mask in order to free Howard. Since he still has his memories, Randy trains to become a better fighter. He knows he has to fight the new ninja for the mask, since he believes the Ninjanomicon would advice strongly against New Ninja helping Randy free Howard. In school He becomes known as resident outcast with bad reputation who lost his best friend under suspicious circumstances, and magical underbelly of Norrisville another antagonist for the Ninja to battle. However he still retains an odd sense of honor about Ninja (because he was one) so when opportunities to team up with Sorcerer, McFist, Sorcereress come up, he either ignores them or uses them for his own goal. The closest thing to hit home for him was when Mac Antfee also tried to get mask back, but for his own selfish purposes unlike Randy, well, lets just say Randy was pissed.

(i feel bad since i practically nipped Randy's career right on the bud, unlike others, but this one felt like a good turning villain opportunity unlike season finale. also! the idea of Randy beng an antagonist to the next ninja, while struggling with his own goodness and desire to save Howard is incredibly interesting to me lol. also he got scars from Tengu)

Zak Saturday - Heroic Fighter for Cryptids turned Cryptid Kur re-Reborn - the last episode, where Argost took powers of Kur and subsequently Zak died for about 3 minutes, Zak didn't reawaken unscathed. Kur is not only powers to control Cryptids, it was a person once, and after Zak died and was ressurected, a part of Kur has come forth, because some part of Zak has been lost in his death. A changed Zak Saturday worries his family, with him being quiet and introspective, not to mention pale/golden eyed and slightly zombie-like from his brush with death. Inside, parts of Zak the Kid and Kur the Olden Cryptid mesh and mix, leaving this new Zak struggling with who he is. As time passes however, Zak the Kid is slowly loosing the battle with a much more powerful older part of the soul of Kur (it wouldnt normally happen but Zak the Kid lost a significant part of his spirit when he died, which was filled with Kur) slowly regain his abilities (like in TGAS). At some point a change happens, and Zak retreats from his family, starting to wander the world as two parts of him struggle for dominance.

(fun tidbit! Zak's outfit is the same from his future vision of him overtaking the world as Kur, it seemed approrpiate lol. Also for some reason I kept thinking of Van Kleiss (from Generator Rex) when designing evil!Zak. they kinda have the same vibe)

Jenny XJ-9 Wakeman - Robotic Hero of Earth turned Robotic Overlord - this is a bit of mixed influences from different points: in season finale Dr. Locust turns Dr. Wakeman's creation against her; Jenny's Older Brother Armagedroid; Vexus attempt to sway Jenny to her fellow robots side; the whole year where Jenny was mind-controlled by a bratty kid and everyone feared her and even her mother planned to create a new XJ-10 in order to defeat her; and also a bit random but that one time Jenny pretended to be a villain Ruby Rocket (hence the red color scheme with bits of Armagedroid/Cluster designs). I have a bit less clear timeline for this, but lets just say its gradual and that at some point a lot of manipulations Jenny suffered turned her against humanity and their use of her robotic brethern. While she does not desire to destroy humanity like her brother, she certainly lost her trust in it, and after a manipulation one time too many, she snaps, turns into a leveled up version of Ruby Rocket/Anti-hero persona, she takes her sisters and leaves to Cluster, where Vega welcomes her. Jenny still protects Earth, but admittingly from afar and in a more evil way I guess?? She loves her mother, but she struggles with Dr Wakeman's previous disregard of her siblings and just callous regard to her creations (Wakeman can be cold/serious/to-the point, without Jenny constantly reminding her that she wants to be like a normal girl).

(Jenny was the hardest, because I couldnt find a clear point of turning in the series for her, so I decided to go with gradual change of mind about humanity sort of deal.)

oof this turned a bit long lol, thank you anyone who read through this clusterfuck! As you can see i sort of went with 'Were a Hero - tragically turned Anti-Hero due to circumstances' kind of vibe, since Im just unable to imagine these guys be like trully horrible evil villains (and this way is more angsty, since, like Fallen Heroes and all that). Im not that creative lol. Anyway, i hope you were as entertained as i was when creating this haha ;D

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topgun-imagines · 1 year

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The Pregnancy Glow

Requested: yes

Summary: Rooster can’t help but admire his wife. It’s only a bonus that you’re pregnant.

Word count: 1.0k

Warnings: mentions of pregnancy.

Pairings: Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw x wife!reader

The wind whipped quickly through your hair as loud laughs escaped you. You were in the passenger seat of your husband's Bronco, singing loudly with the music as he sped down the road. You two had decided to head down to the beach today, seeing as it was Rooster’s last day off before he was needed back at Top Gun. The rest of the aviators were going to meet you there later in the day, but you and Bradley went early to spend some time together on the beach.

Bradley watched you fondly with a large grin as you moved to change the song. Seconds later familiar chords filled the truck. Your eyes cut to Bradley, offering him a cheeky smile. You began singing quietly, waiting for the chorus where you knew your husband would join in. It soon came to the last line of the chorus and you were dying Bradley expectantly. He sighed dramatically before he began singing. “That’s right, I’ve got better things to do!” There was a giddy smile on your face when your husband looked back over at you. His hand found yours as he squeezed softly. The Terri Clark classic was one of you and your husband’s favourite songs. You had made sure to play it at least once whenever the two of you went out. The first time Bradley had ever heard the song you had used it to turn down a date, sending the lyrics to him. The pilot would never admit that he had to ask Phoenix what it meant. She still laughed about it today.

When the song finished a few minutes later Bradley was pulling into the parking lot. He pressed a kiss to the back of your hand as he hopped from the truck. Quickly rounding the front, he opened your door and helped you down. Your hands settled on your swollen belly as you pressed a kiss to his scruffy cheek. One of your favourite things about this time off was that he was able to grow out his beard. Although you had to admit, you couldn't wait for the return of the mustache.

Once Bradley grabbed your beach bags, he grasped your hand and began walking with you down to see the beach. Bradley led you to the spot where you usually set your belongings. After laying out your towels you slipped off your flip-flops and held your hand out for Bradley to grab. You offered him a small smile once he did.

The two of you began walking down the beach, hands swinging between you as your feet splashed in the water. Occasionally, Bradley’s eyes would dart over to you, running along your frame before they returned to the sand in front of him. The pilot couldn’t believe how lucky he was. The day that he officially got to call you his wife was the happiest day of his life, but he knew that the day his little girl is born will be a pretty close call. His eyes landed on your ever-growing bump as a large smile overtook his face.

You were seven months along, and needless to say, Bradley couldn’t wait until you gave birth. The gender reveal party had been over a month ago. You and your husband had trusted Jake and Natasha to plan the party. Since the day that Bradley found out that he was going to be a father to a baby girl, he was ecstatic to meet her. The hospital bag had been sitting by the door for the past two weeks. Just in case, as Bradley had put it.

You tugged on Bradley’s hand and pulled him more into the water. With a mischievous grin that you did your best to hide, you bent down slightly. Dipping your hand into the water, you turned from your husband and splashed him with the water. Once he had wiped all of the cold droplets off his face he was left gaping at you. You giggled quietly as Bradley fixed you with a playful glare. Next thing you knew water was flying at you, causing you to shriek and raise your hands to cover your face.

That was the beginning of a merciless water fight. By the end of it, you and your husband were laughing loudly as water dripped down the both of you. Bradley grabbed your hand gently with a soft smile and pulled you back onto the sand. The grainy substance was warm beneath your toes, sticking to the bottom of your wet feet as you walked back down the beach.

There was a small grin on your face as one of Bradley’s fingers began toying with your wedding rings. You squeezed his hand three times, receiving the same gesture in return a few seconds later. That was the gesture that you and Bradley had used since you first got engaged. Whenever one of you wanted to tell the other that they loved them, they simply had to squeeze their hand or even tap them three times to let them know. You usually used it when you were in crowded public spaces but you figured that now wasn’t the time to disturb the peace. The view from where you were standing really was beautiful.

A few minutes later you and Bradley arrived back at your towels. Your husband sat down in the sand first, grinning up at you before tugging on your hand. Slowly, you sat down in front of him, allowing Bradley to rest his hands on your bump. You relaxed back into his hold, your eyes fluttering shut as his fingers moved over your skin carefully.

Your husband gasped quietly when he felt the baby girl kick, grinning widely at the feeling. Humming as Bradley began rubbing his hand over your bump softly. You rested your head against his shoulder as you relaxed in the warmth of the sun. A few moments later you could hear your friends laughing in the parking lot. Your hand settled over Bradley’s on your belly as their voices grew closer.

A/n: Hope everyone enjoyed! Feel free to send in any requests.

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roosterbruiser · 1 year

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hi! could i request something where jake secretly has an older daughter that he had with his high school sweetheart during their senior year and the squad finds out? i just love the idea of jake and his high school girlfriend being married and just as in love now as they were back then

𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐌𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐲

𝐚 𝐉𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞

Things hadn't always been easy with Jake--God, no.

Well, really, things had been downright blissful in the beginning. What were teenagers going to fight about anyway? You two just clicked--you knew you were right for each other.

Then you got pregnant. And for a while, actually, things had been really hard.

Between the fateful night of your graduation when your pregnancy test came back positive and the next eight months of your pregnancy, the two of you fought more than you ever had before. It wasn't just because he was trying to do the responsible thing by asking you to marry him--which, let's be honest; he had planned on doing that long before the positive pregnancy test--and the stress of planning the shotgun wedding you were trying really hard not to call a shotgun wedding. It was the hormones and the academy and the moving cross-country in the middle of a difficult pregnancy and all the growing up the two of you had to do so hastily.

The two of you had bickered here and there--which was bound to happen when you are devoted to someone from the seventh grade forward--but had never fought as passionately as you were while you were pregnant. It was senseless arguments, ones sprinkled in between trainings and morning sickness and job searches and taping boxes.

It wasn't even that the two of you didn't love each other. That's what the most frustrating part of it all was, really; the two of you were stupidly in love. Like the kind of love people really only see on screens, which you would never say out loud (even though you know it's true), and wish for but usually never get.

Everything changed the day Charlotte was born. You went into labor in the middle of an impassioned argument--one that was going precisely nowhere, not that either of you would admit it--and made it to the hospital to settle in comfortably for a very uncomfortable seventeen hours of labor.

Young as you both were, scared (terrified, really) as you both were, exhausted as you both were--everything else in the world melted away when you held that little pink, squirming baby against your chest.

Jake had been a wreck, suddenly realizing how absolutely out of his element he was as a measly 19-year-old with a wife and baby on the way, but had not left your side for even a moment. And when Charlotte, that sweet and loud little thing, finally settled with her chubby cheek against the red skin of your chest--something changed in his body. Already he knew that he loved you--God, he loved you so much. But seeing you there on the hospital bed with your hair plastered to your sweaty head and your cheeks flushed and your eyes swollen from crying, that love suddenly expanded and overwhelmed him. He felt like he was going to positively drown in all that love.

As if you sensed it, you looked up at him with an exhausted sort of awe-struck look. Your eyebrows were raised, your dry lips parted, your cheeks flushed, your eyelashes clumped with tears.

"She's got your big mouth," you had said to him, laughing breathily, cradling her against you.

You were shaking--not just from the sheer effort of pushing that baby into this world, but from the overwhelming amount of love coursing through your veins for that little stranger in your arms.

It had made all the nurses and doctors laugh as they still hustled and bustled around your open legs, but neither you or Jake even noticed them. You were looking up at your husband--who was suddenly not that flirty boy with the sweeping blonde hair that let you put your books in his locker, but a man with tears of pride streaming down his face as he looked down at his newly-expanded family for the first time.

He thought he was going to explode--but instead he just sobbed out a laugh. Then he leaned forward and pressed your damp hair out of your face, bringing his salty lips down on your forehead again and again. His quivering hand pressed against Charlotte's back and God, he loved her so much already. He hadn't even really seen her face for the first time, but he knew she was fucking perfect. He could feel it just under the pads of his fingers, could feel your laughter and your tears beneath his trembling lips.

"No more fightin', angel. I promise. I'm sorry," he whispered against your skin, resting his nose against your temple, sniffing hard. "Don't ever wanna fight with you ever again, okay? Love you too damn much to be arguin' all the time."

"I love you so much," you whispered to him, lips trembling as they pressed against his wet ones, bones aching with tired. "I don't ever wanna fight with you again."

But as he cupped your cheek and nuzzled his nose against yours, peppering kisses all along your tears and flushed skin, you knew that he meant it. No more arguing. You knew something was bound to change, knew it would probably change once Charlotte was born, but you hadn't expected it to be so immediate. But you were radiating love now--so happy you felt like your heart was gonna fall out of your chest.

And the two of you, as devoted to each other and your daughter as you are, kept the promise with a fierceness. No more fighting--you meant it and so did he.

Now that you're used to deployments and special detachments and moving and all the rare beauty that is attached to life as a Naval aviator's wife, everything runs smoothly.

He loves that you still send him a picture of Charlotte every single day while he's not home--something you'd done since his very first deployment when she was a few months old. You never missed a day--like ever, which he still didn't understand the logistics of--and always wrote a paragraph about yours and Charlotte's day.

When she was little, it had been something like:

Today Charlotte and I went to the park. It was that cute little one by our house, the one with all the dogs and food trucks. She's getting really good at holding her head up on her own! And she's not so fussy anymore about tummy time, which is a relief. I got to read a little bit of my book while she napped on the picnic blanket. She wore that sunhat your mama got her (as seen in the attached photo) and laughed at a dog that came to investigate her. She's a big fan of animals--might be something to consider, huh? Right now, she is talking my ear off about you, telling me all about those bedtime stories you read and how your voices are so much better than mine. I get it--I'm obsessed with you, too. We miss you. Gonna go pray at the shrine we made for you, I guess. Get home safe, okay? We love you.

But right now, as Jake sits in The Hard Deck only a few days after the successful Uranium Mission, he's smiling as he scrolls through the emails you'd sent him that he's only just now able to read.

He's nursing a beer, shoulders slumped and lips pulled faintly upwards as he basks in the warm evening sun filtering in through the window. It's noisy as ever all around him--Rooster pounding away on the piano with Maverick right there next to him, Coyote and Fanboy shooting the shit as they play a truly pathetic game of pool, someone being thrown overboard--but everything's white noise when he reads your emails.

Your emails are a little bit different now--especially now that Charlotte is twelve. She's less apt to let you take pictures of her now, going through the make-a-face-at-the-camera phase or just running away at the first sign of your lens facing her. You managed to snap a good one the other day, one where her green eyes are glimmering in the sun as she sips on a lemonade. Jake looks closely at the picture and decides that the two of you are at that little bistro by your house that you like to walk to.

Your daughter's glossy hair is longer than it was when he left and God, if she isn't growing more and more beautiful everyday. She looks just like you. She's got your exuberance and even though he would never say it to you or Charlotte, she's even got the little crinkle between her brows that seems to just pulse when she's frustrated.

He rereads your paragraph again.

Well, good morning to you, Lieutenant Husband. I woke up this morning to your daughter's dog peeing on the rug outside the bathroom. And your daughter thought that was the funniest thing in the world until I made her clean it up! I'm a mean mom, I guess. But I made up for it because we walked down to Frankie's and I let her get the bottomless lemonade. Currently writing this during her fourth bathroom trip. Think we're gonna catch a movie in a little bit and then maybe get some ice cream after. We miss you, baby. Can't wait to hear your voice again. And even though she won't say it, I know Charlotte can't wait to take you up on that beach day you promised her. Be good, stay safe, stay alive, okay? We love you more than anything in the world and you're definitely gonna have to re-potty train Sandy when you come home!

He missed you two more than anything in the world. But what he missed the most was just the domesticity the two of you had blissfully settled into. What he wouldn't give to wake up to Sandy peeing on the rug outside the bathroom, to back you up when Charlotte groaned about having to clean it up, to walk down to Frankie's with the two of you and tease Charlotte for using the bathroom so many times, to go see whatever stupid Kristen Stewart movie is playing, to eat a cone of mint chip ice cream and take the long way home. He ached for it, really--even if he knew there was only a few more days until he'd be back in it.

He could hardly wait.

"Who's the teeny-bopper?"

Jake nearly jumps out of his skin, jerking back against the wooden booth and snapping up to look up at the squadron that has suddenly gathered all around him. It's Payback that's asked, his eyebrow perched as he leans in to get a closer look at Charlotte.

"God, she looks just like you," Phoenix adds, narrowing her eyes on what is essentially Hangman's mouth and nose on a much smaller face. "Younger sister?"

Everyone's staring at Jake now.

It isn't even that he's been hiding the two of you--he loves showing you off. But it's just that it hasn't come up and quite frankly, they've been a little busy the past few weeks.

Bob's always been good at reading people--so when he studies the photograph and then studies the redness in Hangman's cheeks and the way he wets his tongue nervously, Bob knows. Bob knows before anyone else--besides Maverick and Coyote, that is.

"How's my niece?" Coyote asks, clapping Jake on the shoulder with a sly grin.

Jake sighs, shaking his head softly at Javy before submitting to it all--thrusting his phone forward to let the squadron read your email and look at the picture of Charlotte.

"Niece? No way," Fanboy exclaims, brows furrowed. "No way."

But now Rooster is holding the phone, his mouth agape, zooming in on Charlotte's face and it is suddenly undeniable to everyone there--that is absolutely the spawn of Jake Seresin. Right down to the dimples and the green eyes, that is his daughter.

"Charlotte," Jake says softly, trying to choke down all that pride that is inching its way up his throat. "She's twelve. And she's the best person that's ever lived, obviously."

Phoenix would've snorted if she hadn't been so totally awe-struck.

"You taking all the credit for that?" Rooster quips, shooting a playful smirk Jake's way.

But Jake just holds his hands up in surrender, sighing as he shakes his head.

"I'll give that to the wife," he says fondly. "She's also the best person that's ever lived. Better than all of you combined."

Coyote takes a sip of his own beer before nodding.

"Oh, absolutely," he agrees at once. "That woman's a saint for putting up with you and raising that Hellion."

Javy's joking of course--he'd actually never seen a more communicative, loving relationship than yours and Jake's. And he'd never met such a well-rounded girl as Charlotte. She had a good head on her shoulders, put there by her parents. Javy was even sure that Charlotte knew more than he did already and she hadn't even finished middle school.

"A wife, too?" Bob asks softly, smiling as he reads your email.

"And a dog," Fanboy adds softly, scanning over your paragraph.

Jake hums, nodding, trying not to look too pathetically in love with you. Even though he is, in fact, pathetically in love with you.

"Going on thirteen years," Jake says. "Thirteen happy years."

And everyone knows that he means it, especially when he just glances back at his phone in Rooster's hands and smiles softly to himself. He is thoroughly in love with you and with your daughter--Hell, he just loves your shared life. He's itching to go home, even if a poorly house-trained dog is waiting for him.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Phoenix says, bumping him with her eyebrows furrowed.

"And when can we meet them?" Payback adds.

Jake is grinning now--just the prospect of his Navy family meeting his real family makes affection swarm his heart. He shrugs.

"Maybe we could figure something out before everyone has to go. I'm sure we can get Charlotte out of school for a couple of days. Family's a good enough reason for me--bet it will be for the wife, too."

He's gushing with pride--he's not even trying to, but he really is. Coyote is used to the way Jake practically glows when he talks about you and Charlotte. Hell, he even gets it. You're beautiful and funny and kind and whip-smart. You hold it down and make it look easy. And Charlotte is a perfect balance of the two of you, striking every single genetic sweet-spot.

"I'm shocked," Rooster says. "You're so...gooey right now."

"Yeah, Bagman," Phoenix says with a smile. "Going all soft on us."

Hangman wants to roll his eyes again. Really, he does. But he just can't. So he takes another sip of his beer, thinks about the way you would be cuddled into him right now and quipping back at Rooster as the two of you watch Charlotte sweetly order her third lemonade from Penny, and shrugs with a grin tugging on his lips.

"I guess I am," he smiles.

here is my tag list!!

if you liked this, consider checking out my Jake x You story!

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discount-shades · 1 year

Text

Contract Spouse Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Realizations

A/N: This is a sad one. I've written Chapter 9 and only one chapter left to write!

Pairing: Jake Seresin/Reader (nicknamed Pip)

Warning: Angst, death of civilians, war, PTSD

Length: 3000ish

Summary: Jake does some thinking and we find out why he is like that.

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“What we need are those veterinary gloves that come up to your shoulder.” You have a roll of tape out and combined with elastics and a small garbage bag you are trying to waterproof Jake’s cast. After finally being released from the hospital after 4 days, Jake is in desperate need of a shower. “Then you could use your hand. I’m going to order some from Amazon.”

“Why do vets need gloves that come up to their shoulder?” Jake watches you struggle to carefully tape the edges of the bag to the skin of his arm, fighting with the extra plastic.

“You know the long gloves Ellie wears when she digs in the dino poop looking for West Indian Lilac in Jurassic Park?” Jake blinks at you in confusion, trying to remember. “Vets wear them for a similar reason.”

“Eww.” Jake checks the seal around the tape job you did. “How do you even know that?”

“Remember when I dated a farm boy in university?” Jake nods. He remembers thinking the kid wasn’t good enough for you. “Well in those two months we were together I went and helped them when they preg checked their cows.” You give him a little half grin, “I learned I am not cut out for farm life.”

You start the shower for him before carefully helping him remove his shirt. You wince when you see the bruises crossing his torso from the seatbelt harness of his jet. The brush of your fingers, featherlight over the bruises, burns before you abruptly leave the bathroom, telling him to call if he needs help.

Jake sighs and finishes stripping before getting under the spray. Everything hurts and the concussion makes him feel like he is in a fog. His head is a constant dull throb and what he really wants to do is lie down and sleep some more. He holds his left arm hand up at a right angle and does his best to shower mostly one handed.

Pulling a shirt on seems too difficult so he walks into the bedroom half dressed. You've pulled the curtains, so it is dark and he collapses into the clean sheets. A water bottle and his painkillers lined up neatly on his end table, as well as a few protein bars.

You’ve thought of everything, you always do, but you seem different since the accident and he can’t figure it out. Every time he tries to think his head begins to ache. You are more clinical, less warm. Maybe it is because he is injured, maybe he is imagining it.

He thinks back to the morning of the crash. Remembers waking up with you in his arms, how good it felt to hold you and talk to you. The hospital had been so lonely when they wouldn’t let you stay overnight.

He wanted you to stay in California. He wanted to come home and have you there to talk to, he could always call you before, but living with you was better. He loved watching movies together, cooking together, cleaning, and grocery shopping. Every mundane task was better with you.

He couldn’t ask you to stay. He was too much of a mess. He couldn’t sleep and the guilt of what happened was always there. You didn’t deserve to be pulled into that. He was sure that you would stay if he asked. You and your misguided sense of duty and the belief that you owed him something. But if he asked then he would have to tell you and if he told you you would never look at him the same way.

He must have fallen asleep because the next thing he notices is your voice calling to him gently. His eyes flitter open and he can see you sitting on the edge of the bed. You are beautiful in the light filtering from the hall, and in that moment you take his breath away. “Doctor says you should be up and moving, so come have dinner.”

When you go to leave he curls his good hand around your arm and revels in the feel of your soft skin sliding through his fingers. When he thinks you are about to slip your hand through his fingers you catch his palm and give a gentle tug and he feels himself following you automatically.

“This can’t be what you are used to.” You say with a grin as you grab a shirt and help him into it. “Women are probably more keen to take your shirt off.”

“I’ll do anything if it's with you, pretty girl.” The words leave his lips before he can comprehend what he has said. Your sharp inhale makes him want to kick himself. Why did he say that? He never flirted with you. It was a line he refused to cross.

He can see the flustered look on your face as you stand to go. “Come on flyboy, you must be hard up if you are flirting with me.” He follows you down the hall to the table. That wasn’t completely fair. Why wouldn't he flirt with you? If you weren't his wife he definitely would have tried to pick you up in a bar.

That evening as you lie down beside him in bed you turn to him. “We have our first meeting with the couples therapist tomorrow, he wants to meet us separately first.” Jake had forgotten about the marriage counseling. “I think we should just say we want to keep our relationship strong, and I don't know, talk about how adjusting to living together is a challenge or something.” He just mumbles an agreement.

Jake has no idea how the two of you are going to sell being married to a professional. He thinks of all the ways this might go as you slowly drift off to sleep beside him. Once he can hear your steady breathing his mind starts to slow and as he falls asleep he rolls over so he is curled around you.

When he wakes the next morning he slides his arm across the bed feeling for your warmth but the sheets are cool. You are already gone. When he gets up he finds you making omelets in the kitchen.

“The contractor is going to be finishing up the repairs in the ceiling of my room today,” you tell him as you add the cheese. “You will have your bed back, free of my cold toes tonight.”

“Oh, ok.” Jake doesn't know what to think and it takes him a moment to realize he is disappointed. Last night was the last time he would sleep with you in his arms. He thinks about all the times he left you in the mornings. He shouldn't have run away. He could have just rolled back to his side of the bed and talked to you on those mornings, now he would never get the option.

You drive to the counselor’s and he spends his time in the passenger seat fighting his motion sickness. It's your turn first and you give him a worried look as you go, as he sits in the waiting room trying to get his head to stop spinning. If he says something wrong in the counselor's office he will just blame it on the concussion.

When it is his turn you squeeze his hand as you trade spots. He can't help himself as he pulls you into a hug. Jake presses his lips to your hairline. He should hug you more, he thinks.

You rarely initiate physical affection more than holding hands, and hug only on special occasions. He likes the feel of you in his arms, the scent of your shampoo, and the warmth of your skin. The way you melt into him is overwhelming before you pull away.

The session went well. A mixture of the truth and agreed upon lies slip easily off his tongue. At the end of the session Jake is given the same homework that you received.

“I want you to come up with a list of all the reasons you are in love with your wife.”

The homework is a fixture in his mind over the next few days. Jake can’t figure out why he keeps repeating the counselor's words in his head. He lists the reasons he loves you. You are smart, funny, tough as hell, your kindness, you are supportive, you are so easy to talk to and you always know what to say, you call him on his bullshit. You are capable.

He stares at the words he has written and feels they are not personal enough to sell it. You are beautiful, your smile makes his stomach clench, your laughter, you feel so good in his arms, how you being in his life made everything better. He stares at his list as the words play over in his head, ‘reasons you are in love with your wife.’

Jake drops the pen and buries his face in his hands as the realization hits him. “Fuck.” He is in love with you. When did that happen? Was it before you moved in or is it a recent thing? Sometime during the first or second year of the marriage he noticed he loved you. But it had always felt so platonic, a love of friendship, of convenience, and connection.

You have always been beautiful, and, if he was honest with himself, he had always been attracted to you, but with the nature of your relationship he had always locked those thoughts and feelings away. You were untouchable. But in the last month with you sleeping in his bed everything blurred. It didn’t matter when he fell in love, the only thing that mattered was that he is completely and irrevocably in love with you now.

It is weird to feel terrible about an emotion considered so positive. Jake stares at the closed door to the office where you are working from home. He can never tell you. You had only stayed married due to his inability to process his trauma.

He felt tainted, like you being with him would somehow mark you too. He didn't deserve you, he didn’t deserve anything good. And he loved you too much to let you be ruined by him. He wouldn't let you give up your life and the love you deserve. Because you need someone who is in love with you unconditionally, someone good.

The day he had agreed to marry you had told him that you would always be there for him and he had taken advantage of that over the years. Taken advantage of your kindness and good heart. Someone as good and kind as you would never stay married to him. He could never tell you he loved you. He wouldn’t be that guy, the man who thought he was owed something just because he had feelings for a woman. He would let you go even if it killed him.

– – –

Sleeping next to you didn’t stop the nightmares. They always came at the same frequency, mild ones a few times a week and the bad ones every week or so. What sleeping next to you did was calm him when he woke. Your breaths and the warmth of your skin would ground his mind and bring him back to the present like nothing else could.

Before you he would never get back to sleep after a nightmare. He would go for a run or go to the 24h gym. He sometimes would mindlessly watch tv or stare at his phone until it was an acceptable hour to get up. In the weeks after the concussion he couldn’t do that. Strenuous activity and screen time were two of the things the doctor told him to avoid.

Most nights he would just lay in bed. He had tried audio books but he could not focus on them. So he would lie there in the dark thinking about you, and everything that he loved about you, and torturing himself.

His post concussion nightmares were more intense than any he had before but he still hadn't had a bad one yet. He could feel it coming. Lack of sleep and anxiety tended to trigger the nightmares. Stress also played a role and the night before the second marriage counseling session it hit him.

Jake’s heart is pounding as he sits up in bed struggling to breath. The nightmares are rarely the same and his mind alway finds ways for his dreams to be somehow worse than what had happened, combining events and reimagining others.

You died tonight. The person he had killed was you, and even though he logically knew you were fine he needed to check on you. Stumbling, eyes bleary, he walks to your room and pushes open the door. The smell of new paint and construction is almost gone. Leaning on the door frame Jake can see you sleeping and he takes in the sight.

If he holds his breath and listens he can faintly hear you breathing from the doorway and he can’t help the muffled sob that slips past his lips. You stir and he bites his lips to keep from waking you but it is too late.

“Jake?” You lean up and look at him. “You ok?” he gives a jerky nod, unable to open his mouth. Afraid he would begin sobbing if he did. “Another nightmare?” He doesn’t know how you can tell. Maybe it is written on his face.

“Come here,” your voice is soft and you open your arms and beckon to him and he is moving his feet before he can think about it. Jake collapses on top of the covers and into your arms, head pillowed on your chest listening to your heartbeat. His eyes flutter closed as you rake your fingers through his hair and down his back. Your gentle movements calm him and steady his mind but soon it is not enough. There are too many layers between you.

He sits up and motions to the covers. “Can I?” he asks hesitantly, wanting to be able to hold you without the blanket between you. You nod and he slips beneath the covers and returns to his position with his head on your chest. Your hands resume their motions carding through his hair and stroking his back.

It’s still not enough. He sits abruptly and takes his shirt off before lying back down, slotting his body between your thighs and his head on your stomach this time. He needs to feel your skin pressed against his. He eases your shirt up so he can rest his cheek against your stomach. He can hear your sharp inhale but you don't say anything and for that he is grateful. You just go back to smoothing your hands over his bare skin. He doesn’t know how long he lays there with you beneath him, his hands curl around your rib cage as his thumbs smooth over your soft skin.

After a while of your hands moving over him he feels you pause. “If you want to talk about it, I’ll listen.” He shakes his head in denial, not wanting you to know. But when he feels your nails scratch his scalp and drag down his neck he starts talking.

“You know the military severely under-reports civilian deaths, right?” There is no change in you. Your hands keep moving in the same rhythm and your breathing is steady. “Every time we drop bombs we kill people and there is a chance we kill civilians. Mostly we don’t think about it. It is easier to drink the kool-aid. Accept the Navy’s narrative. But if you watch the news from other countries they will report it; show videos of civilians killed by American bombs.”

Jake stops talking, wanting you to respond, hoping you don’t. Looking for a clue to stop talking. You don’t give him one so he continues. “I shot another plane down, the first air-to-air kill in three decades. The Navy pinned a medal on me.'' Now that he was talking he couldn’t stop. The words he had never spoken to anyone pouring out. “No one mentioned that after I shot the jet it crashed into this community building. There were families inside. Sixteen people were killed, nine of them were children.

“They gave me a fucking medal for killing children. I saw the footage, the crashed jet and the injured people. There was this man carrying his dead son and I can’t get that out of my head.” Jake feels you shift and he raises his head to look at you but all you do is place a gentle kiss on his forehead before lying back down and resuming your motions.

“Please hate me.” He doesn't know why he says it; why he needs you to condemn him. As if your condemnation will justify everything he feels.

“No,” you say simply.

“Why not?” he can feel a sob building in his chest. “I fucking deserve it. How can you just learn all that about me and not care?”

“Javy told me years ago,” you confess, “actually I suspected. It was on the news that an American Navy pilot shot down a plane and what happened, I knew you were stationed in the area and you changed whenever we talked after, so I figured it was you and Javy confirmed it when I asked.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Jake had been keeping his knowledge and shame bottled up away from you for so long; not wanting to change the way you saw him and to find out you had always known was gutting.

“I knew you would tell me when you were ready.”

“You should hate me,” Jake hates the way he sounds. Small, meek, hesitant. “I hate me.”

“I hate that it happened. It breaks my heart for those families, but I can’t hate you for it. You are responsible, but not culpable.” You say simply.

“Then who is to blame if not me?” You don’t have an answer for him, he knows there isn’t one, at least not an answer that will make him feel better. Some things you just have to live with. The tears start to flow down Jake's cheeks in ugly sobs as you pull him closer. He clings to you and finally lets himself grieve.

#jake hangman seresin #jake hangman x reader #jake seresin/reader #jake seresin x reader #hangman #hangman/reader #top gun hangman #top gun fanfiction #top gun x reader #topgun maverick #jake seresin

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seresinhangmanjake · 6 months

Text

now that i have you

dad!Jake "Hangman" Seresin x reader

Summary: It's time you and Jake tell your daughter the truth about who her father is. Jake just hopes she can show forgiveness so the three of you can be what he's always wished to have: a family.

warnings: nothing really. mistakes likely.

Notes: this is the second and final part of Your Way Back to Me, which is an Oh, Baby AU. You don't need to read Oh, Baby to read this two-part fic.

words: 2600

---

She wasn’t confused; that was what Jake noticed first. Despite the closeness between his body and yours, the surely obvious connection of your energies, Eve’s face remained blank. He figured maybe she was tired, weak, disoriented from where she was and how she ended up there, but no. She proved rather quickly to be alert, aware, and remembering. And yet, unnoticing of the deep unbreakable bond he shared with her mother. Odd for someone so perceptive.

She held on to your hand as tightly as you did hers. And from that, Jake realized there was a mutualness there. You both far surpassed the titles of mother and daughter. You were friends, caretakers of one another, protectors to the best of your abilities. Made equals to support each other in the absence of a husband and father.

There was a pang in his chest. He wanted to be equal with you and his daughter. He wanted to be a part of his family. He so wished to easily slip into the role he’d never known belonged to him until you walked back into his life. But that potentially was a long road to be traveled; one that would blend into the horizon rather than show a clear end.

To Jake’s surprise, once you were positive Eve was fine and you were reassured of her safety, you didn’t wait a second longer. You stared right into the green of her eyes—of his eyes—and bared the truth before her.

“Jake is your father.”

He waited for the widening of eyes; a jaw dropping; an involuntary cough, maybe, to help keep her breathing moving along after momentarily forgetting how to do so. But again, no.

Instead, Eve looked between you and him and you again—her stare lasting just a touch longer on Jake’s stunned face. Then she said, “I know.” But when neither you nor Jake responded, entirely frozen from the shock Eve forced upon you both with those two little words, she continued. “I mean, I’ve…suspected.”

You were the first to shake yourself out of your rigid state. “H-How is that possible?”

Eve’s eyes slid over to Jake.

He did his best to pull himself back to the surface for her, his daughter. She needed him put back together—brain wiring untangled—in order to acknowledge whatever she was about to say. And he just barely had himself reconnected to the moment when Eve’s lips finally parted.

“You approved my leave the weekend my grandmother was in an accident and ended up in the hospital,” she said and Jake nodded, recalling the worry on her face when she approached him two months prior. “When I went home after visiting the hospital, I looked for the family album.”

Beside him, Jake could see you slouch slightly in your seat, as if you already knew what was coming, and feared it.

“I just wanted to see old pictures of her,” she spoke to her mother. “But I found the photos you had tucked in the back. The ones of the two of you.” With a nudge of her head Jake’s way, she said, “There’s one of you in uniform. And I was always told my father was a pilot.”

Everyone took a breath to soak it in. Each breath different. Yours deep and long, Eve’s surprisingly stable, and Jake’s too shallow to truly qualify as a breath.

His girl had known. For a while now. And she’d never said a word, but rather kept it bottled inside. Another occasional habit of Jake’s that he could now see he’d passed down to his child. He’d have preferred that not to be the case. But maybe she would grow out of it one day. Jake had, after all. His emotions struggled to hide after you’d told him how you felt about him all those years ago. He no longer wanted to keep them locked away, anyway. But when you left in the dead of night, he didn’t have a choice. Those emotions came flooding out of him. Relentless and unbearable. And there was no putting a cap back on that bottle.

Jake then tried to think back, shuffling through his more recent memories. He only found further confirmation of the behavior he wished his daughter had not inherited.

Not once did he notice the most miniscule of shifts in Eve’s demeanor over the last couple of months. Because, it seemed—even looking at her now—that she really hadn’t changed with the news. Perhaps it was also due to their established relationship. He’d treated her like his daughter from the second he was smacked upside the head with the reality of her potential. Realizing she was like him, with her drive and stubbornness and wit, brought out the fatherly nature he’d deep down always sensed within. In the presence of her pure talent, he felt at home. And if painful circumstances hadn’t taken away his chance to be with the woman he’d never ceased loving, the woman he’d hoped to share children with, he would’ve much earlier fulfilled his instinct to guide and care and protect. Eve was the closest thing, so he’d held on to that bond with a fist so tight, nails could’ve punctured the skin of his palm.

“We’re similar in a lot of ways,” Eve said to her newly found father, drawing him out of his thoughts. She was quite good at that. Then she shrugged in her seated position atop the hospital bed. “It made sense.”

“You…” you began, but there was a halting of your voice. Jake grabbed your hand as you swallowed. “You never said anything.”

There it is, Jake thought, glancing at his daughter after your words settled around the three of you. Eve’s mouth, shoulders, spine, slumped just a bit. The first hint of real emotion to show since you and Jake arrived at the hospital to see her. It was in there somewhere.

She looked down at her hands, picking at her thumbnail. A nervous habit. Your habit. “I didn’t want to be told I was wrong,” she said.

In that very simple statement, Jake heard the voice not of a grown woman, but a little girl. A little girl sad and scared of how much the truth might break her heart. Santa Claus isn’t real. Your favorite cartoon characters don’t exist outside of your television. You still don’t know who your father is.

She wanted to be right, Jake understood then. She wanted it to be him.

He wished to hop out of his seat and wrap her up in his arms, hold her close, whisper promises that he was there for her now and would always be, but he held himself back. If Jake knew anything, it was that too much emotion at once could throw someone over the edge. For a girl who now looked ready to cry but unwanting to do so, a simple hug could very well be enough to make her explode with sobs. He wasn’t sure. So he didn’t risk it.

You leaned forward in your seat, and Jake released your hand so you could give both to your daughter. “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”

Eve nodded. When she looked up, the tears seemed closer. Eyes slightly redder. “You had your reasons?” was asked with a detectable twinge of hope.

“Yes,” you replied, running one of those hands up and down her, thankfully, undamaged arm. “But they aren’t good enough. I loved your father when I left him. And I left him in the worst way.”

Knowing you as well as he did, Jake didn’t have to look at your face to know that you weren’t able to hold out as long as Eve. Tears of your own were running down your cheeks.

“The truth of it, sweetheart, is that we could have been together—” you continued, pushing through noticeable discomfort, “all of us—if I had just taken a moment to…breathe. But I was so scared that I’d forgotten how. And it didn’t occur to me that your father, and the support he would’ve given me, could’ve been that breath. Not until it was too late.”

That bit of sadness in Eve’s eyes was beginning to mix with a welcomed anger. It wasn’t strong, not yet ripe, but it was there. Jake could feel it. Which meant you could, too. A slight bite was in her next words. “How was it too late?”

You shook your head, leaning down to rest it atop your joined hands. Five painfully long seconds passed before you lifted your head again so you could press a to kiss her scraped knuckles. “It wasn’t,” you muttered.

That was the exclamation point on the conversation that had no choice but to end when the doctor walked back into the room. Three people, with great practice, righted themselves in the presence of another. Silent so they could listen. But that silence remained long after the doctor had gone.

—

He’d managed to lull you to sleep. With his arm snuggly around your waist; and kisses on your neck; with words at your ear of how strong you were for saying what you had, and how thankful he was that you had that strength, eventually had your eyelids fluttering closed. Jake would take that little blessing. He feared you’d struggle to sleep forever after seeing your daughter hurt the way she was.

Eve still hadn’t spoken to you. By default, she hadn’t spoken to Jake, either, seeing as he didn’t leave your side. When you told him you were going straight to his bedroom, he thought he might have the chance to check on his daughter, but Eve had done the same, making her way to the guest room Jake had offered and closing the door behind her.

With you now resting, Jake was nearly drifting off as well, but soft footsteps on the hardwood flooring of his hallway pulled him out of bed and away from you. He glanced at your sleeping face one last time, kissed your cheek, and threw a t-shirt over his torso.

Eve moved throughout the house as if she had been there before. As if she belonged there. As if it had been hers from the day of her birth.

She’d easily found her way to the back deck hanging off the house that overlooked a lush lawn. Her arms were crossed and resting on the cedar railing when Jake joined at her side.

“Can’t sleep?” he asked.

“I could ask you the same,” she said, still staring ahead. “Isn’t it past your bedtime or something?”

Jake chuckled. “Isn’t that supposed to be my line?”

His smile immediately died to a flinch, his features screwing as he internally cursed himself for being so bold. Her father he was, but he hadn’t been there for the instances where that question would have been most appropriate. He wasn’t there to ask it when a little Eve might have woken at midnight to sneak her way downstairs to steal a cookie. Neither was he there when she likely arrived home too late from a party, thinking she managed to evade a lecture only to be so, so wrong. And he felt stupid for asking it now, however teasingly.

Jake cleared his throat. “I know it’s a lot to take in,” he said. “If it’s too much—”

“It’s not too much,” Eve interjected. “I’ve been ninety-five percent sure of it for two months. And I’m happy about it,” she said, her eyes meeting his. “I am. You were like a father to me already. Maybe that’s why it didn’t feel like my whole life was flipped on its side when I found out.”

A rush of pride swelled Jake’s chest and he let his tight features settle.

“I just didn’t think–” Shaking her head, she turned her stare forward again. “I thought she’d have more for me than being scared. I don’t know why, but I guess I expected there to be some grand misunderstanding between you. Or that maybe you had a bad breakup. Something just a bit more logical would’ve been nice.”

Jake agreed, though he didn’t say so aloud. He’d felt more joy than pain in the last day and a half, and it was enough to keep him from falling to pieces. Having you and Eve now was his everything. It didn’t fix the past, but it illuminated his future. And he hoped Eve might feel the same, but there clearly was a steady balance to her internal war.

“How did you forgive her so quickly?” she asked.

Leaning forward to match her stance, Jake said, “I didn’t.”

“No? Why not, when it’s obvious you two are back together.”

Jake couldn’t tell if it was said with frustration or bitterness, or if he was just projecting his fear of Eve thinking he was picking sides by not being furious with you for what you’d done. There was no real way to know. So, with honesty fueling his heart, he sighed and said, “Your mother and I were never meant to be apart. But that doesn’t mean instant forgiveness.” He took in a deep breath and released it slowly before continuing. “I’m devastated, Eve. I think about the life I missed with you and it rips me to shreds. I think about your mother, and how no woman that followed ever came close to who she is to me. I think about how a family was at my fingertips, and it slipped right through them as if the two of you were made of air.

“At the end of the day, though, I will forgive her because I want to forgive her,” he said. “I went without you and your mother for more than two decades and the thought of that continuing a day longer makes me sick to my stomach.”

Eve hummed. Her fingers clasped over the railing and squeezed. “Do you really believe we can just pick up and be a family?”

“Sure.”

When his daughter returned her stare to his face, Jake shrugged.

“Who’s gonna stop us,” he said with a soft curve of his lips, “if that’s what we all want.”

What Eve wanted was to be alone. Jake could see it written across her features. When she was too hard on herself for making a mistake in the sky, she would always land with that same look on her face. Then she’d go off for some alone time to process what couldn’t at the moment be put into words.

Standing on the deck hanging off the back of his house, overlooking a lush lawn, Jake knew Eve was out of words for the night. So he left her with one more thing to hopefully consider.

“Eve, whatever you decide, I won’t hold it against you,” he swore, selecting his words carefully. He wanted her to hear him; really hear what occupied his heart and head. “But I need you to know that I want to be a part of your life, for every second that’s left of mine.”

Minutes that felt like hours passed in silence before Jake walked back from the edge of the deck to the door. He was almost through it when Eve twisted around.

“Dad,” she called, causing Jake to one-eighty as quickly as she had.

He braced himself against the door frame, trying not to fall to his knees from the suddenness of the new name she’d gifted him. Then he swallowed hard and raised a blond brow in question.

She had more words after all. Just a few. But they were enough.

“I will,” she said with a nod. “Because I want to.”

—

tags: @wkndwlff @kmc1989 @sagittarius-flowerchild @demp @oliviah-25 @rosiahills22 @xoxabs88xox @matisse556 @hardballoonlove @lynnevanss @pono-pura-vida @tgmreader @amgluvsbooks @ravenhood2792 @djs8891 @shakespeareanwannabe @sailor-aviator @hotch-meeeeeuppppp @abaker74 @novagreen04 @multifandomlover4life @mamachasesmayhem @memeorydotcom @ryiamarie @ateliefloresdaprimavera

#jake seresin #jake seresin x reader #jake hangman seresin #top gun maverick #jake seresin fic #jake hangman seresin x reader #top gun #jake hangman seresin fic #top gun hangman #jake hangman seresin x y/n #tgm #tgm fic #dad!jake seresin #jake seresin fluff #jake seresin angst #jake seresin fanfiction #jake seresin imagine #jake seresin fanfic

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backmuscles21 · 2 months

Text

The Big Visit

Tonowari X Reader x Ronal

Summary: Tonowari and Ronal go to visit their third mate, who is with the Omaticaya people. However, when they come down to visit they find out you're sick. Coincidently, this is the first time they will see your human body.

Finally, the sky people were gone and the Sullys went home, after thanking the leader of the Metkayina clan for their hospitality. You were sad to leave, you didn’t want to leave these two new souls you’ve bonded so well with. You ended up staying after Kiri had her seizure, you could use your avatar to help around the village and use your psychology PhD to help her. You started to steal glances at Ronal, she was the healer of the tribe and you admired that. Then you started seeing her with her mate, Tonowari, and he caught your eye just as much as she did. Their tattoos were so gorgeously splayed on their bodies and they both looked so strong. You couldn’t help yourself by stealing glances at both of them and eventually, they called you over and you were nervous, were they going to get very mad at you? So far it was just stolen glances, you didn’t think it was that bad, could this be a cultural thing that you couldn’t even look at a mate?

You went into their mauri and looked at them, you could feel how hard your heart was beating against your ribs. That’s when she kissed you, you were shocked at first, and your eyes were wide open. Then your brain caught up and you kissed back, it was heavenly.

That was how you started a relationship with the mated couple, you didn’t want to have to leave, and they didn’t want you to leave either. You had all grown accustomed to being with each other a lot, you didn’t want to be a part. You went up to hug Ronal and Tonowari before you left on your ikrans, and you squeezed them both tightly.

“Come visit sometime.”

“We shall, yawne,” Tonowari said as he kissed your forehead.

So, you left with the Sullys, you were going back to home base, the only refreshing thing was at least when you woke up in the link bed, you could see your body. You were nervous that if they ever came here, they’d see your human form and they may not like that. They knew you were a sky demon, but did they know you were still in and out of that body?

Regardless months passed and then Jake informed you that Tonowari and Ronal planned to visit. You were overjoyed, Jake told you that they’d be here within a couple of days and you couldn’t wait. However, in those couple of days, you got sick, you didn’t know what was happening but you felt awful. At that time, Tonowari and Ronal showed up, they went looking for Jake to announce their arrival and then to have him take them to you.

They went up to Jake and Neytiri, they said their hellos and got a tour around the place and that’s when they asked for you.

“Is she here?” Ronal asked first.

“She is. We can go see her now,” Jake said as he directed them towards the trailer.

That was the last place he knew you were and worst comes to worst, he’d ask Norm. They got to the trailer and Jake opened the airlock and they went inside, of course, it was slightly too short for the four of them. They walked past the scientists working away on their computers or in labs, Tonowari and Ronal shared a glance as they watched the humans.

They knew you were in a false body, but they never really put too much thought into it, they just didn’t want to believe someone they grew to love was a sky demon. They thought you’d greet them in your Na’vi body, this felt so different to see your human body.

Jake went up to Norm, asking him where you were currently at, “have you seen, y/n?”

“Uh, yeah, I think she’s in her bunk. Sleeping more than likely.”

“Thanks.”

“She got blood work done, so she might be quite tired.”

“Good to know.”

Tonowari and Ronal had no idea what those two said to each other, they didn’t know any English. However, they followed Jake as he told them to follow him, he also informed them that you were sleeping. When the three of them got to your bunk, you looked paler than usual.

“She has been sick for the past few days. Norm said she just had some blood tests to figure out what was wrong.”

“I can try and heal her,” Ronal said.

“I don’t know if that will work.”

“It is worth a shot if she is unwell,” Ronal sat down on her calves right next to your bed. Her hand brushed through your hair as you breathed calmly and deeply.

“You can try.”

“Then leave us,” Ronal asks.

Jake smiles at them and leaves, he knows that they are only trying to help, but he really believes that it won’t do much.

“Ronal, do you even know how to heal humans?” Tonowari asks as he places his hand on her shoulder.

“Should be similar to anyone else. Even if it helps a little.”

“What if it makes it worse?”

“The humans are taking too long. She had been sick for days apparently.”

Ronal rolled you softly to your back, she pulled the blanket off your body, and they both noted just how tiny you were. It felt like they towered over you, they were feet taller than you, just even the size of your torso was so teeny tiny.

You wore pajama pants and a long sleeve shirt as you were freezing, Ronal placed a hand on either shoulder and tried to connect with you. She knows she has connected with you, well your avatar, they both have. Being with you for months well the Sully sought refuge, of course, they were going to fall for you, and of course, you were going to get intimate.

She couldn’t feel the normal connection to the people she tried to heal, it had to be because you were human. She felt defeated, she couldn’t help the other love of her life, and she felt almost useless. She let go and moved away from you, Tonowari could see her face fall, he knew what had happened. He held his arms open to cradle her and console her, he knew that it hurt her to not be able to help you.

They both looked over at the door to the bunk when a knock rang out, Tonowari opened the door and it was the man from earlier, Norm. They were surprised to hear his practically perfect Na’vi language skills.

“We got the results back; I have medicine for her.”

“Very well then,” Ronal answered and let Norm in.

Ronal watched Norm very closely as he pulled up the sleeve of your shirt, she saw the white cotton ball taped to your inner arm. She was curious as to what that was, Norm then took the syringe he held in his hand, pulled the cap off and slid the needle into your skin. Ronal and Tonowari were confused as to what was happening and on top of that, he didn’t even wake you up.

“I’ll be back later with antibiotics. I’ll give that some time to settle in.”

“You did not wake her up?”

“She doesn’t like needles, I figured it best to do it that way. Plus, I know she wants to sleep. Although, you could wake her up now. She can’t nap forever.” Ronal nods as Norm walks off.

Ronal goes back to sit next to your bed again, she wanted to wake you up, she wanted to see your eyes. Jake had told them that you couldn’t wait till they showed up, so they felt bad that they were here for you and you were sleeping off some sickness.

Ronal slowly shook you, you stirred and your eyes still flickered, then they slowly opened. You blinked a few times, you stretched for a few seconds. You stared up at them and nuzzled into Ronal’s hand on your cheek, you smiled at them.

“I’ve been waiting for you two to show up.”

“How are you feeling?” Tonowari asked.

“Okay. I don’t really know what happened. I think I’m getting better. We just did some tests to try and figure out what is going on.”

“We have been informed.”

“I wanted to be up and around to show you around and take you for a ride.”

“That is okay, we are here for a while,” Ronal said.

“I just realized; this is the first time you've seen me outside the Na’vi body. Do I look okay? Despite how sick I look.”

“You will always be beautiful,” Tonowari said as he reached a hand down for you to hold.

You smiled brightly, you couldn’t wait to feel better and get out there with the two closest people to you.

I also have this posted on my Ao3 - Backmuscles

#avatar the way of water #tonowari #ronal #tonowari x reader #tonowari x ronal #tonowari x reader x ronal #polyamory #ronal x reader

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topguncortez · 6 months

Text

One Half of A Whole Person || Whumptober Day 16 - J. Seresin

whumptober masterlist

synopsis: Jake's dream has always been to fly. But what happens when the only way to save his life, is taking away something that would ruin his career.

word count: 2.7k

@ailesswhumptober prompt: amputation

warnings: injuries, infections, plane crash, medical jargon, mentions of death, mentions of suicide, amputations, grief

“The infection in your husband’s leg is spreading.”

Everything the doctor was telling her went in one ear and out the other. The last thing she could remember was being shoved out of her husband’s hospital room while loud alarms were buzzing and filling the air. His body was convulsing rapidly, only the whites of his eyes showing as more doctors and nurses filled the room.

Three weeks ago, Y/N thought she would never see Jake Seresin alive. Two officers dressed in their dress blues had shown up at her front door and told her the words no military spouse or family member wanted to hear. Her husband had gone down somewhere in enemy territory and was missing in action, but presumed dead. She had fallen to her knees right there in the middle of the doorway, sobs overtaking her body as she screamed out Jake’s name.

And then, after two weeks of mourning the loss of a man she planned on spending forever with, her dad, Maverick showed up at her front door and said that Jake was alive.

But, after seeing his condition, Y/N wasn’t so sure it was a good thing Jake was alive.

Y/N had fought with the doctors to see Jake when he first got there. She had hardly been listening as they were explaining Jake’s condition. All she wanted to do was see him with her own two eyes. See that he was alive. See that he was still breathing.

“Mrs. Seresin, we don’t think that it’s a good-”

“Unless your next words are his room number, I don’t want to hear it. Take me to him. Now.”

Wordlessly she followed the doctor down the hallway. The stark white lighting burned her eyes and the smell of antiseptic cleaners made her nose tingle. It was the first time in two weeks that she had even stepped foot out of the house, and all the lights and smells were making her feel like a wild animal. Y/N had shut down when she heard the news about Jake. He was her everything, and she didn’t see a point in continuing on without him.

The doctor came to a stop at the end of the long hallway. The ICU was pretty quiet, which made Y/N feel like she was going to meet her utter doom. Y/N suddenly realized that maybe, just maybe she should’ve let the doctor finish what he was going to say about her husband’s condition. But she couldn’t let her fear shine through, so, Y/N rolled her shoulders back and looked the doctor right in the eye.

“Oh Jake,” Y/N whispered as she walked into the room. He looked small and frail as he lay motionless in the hospital bed. Y/N never thought she would use words like ‘small’ and ‘frail’ to describe Jake Seresin, but here she was. Y/N sat down in the chair bedside his bed, and grabbed his hand, holding it tightly in her own.

If someone told her two weeks ago that she would get to hold her husband’s warm, rough hand in hers, she would’ve laughed at them. Y/N hated to admit it, but she had started to doubt that Jake would come home alive. When she heard that knock on her door the second time, she was expecting to be told that Jake had died in a fiery crash in the middle of enemy territory. Now, here she was sitting in a stiff chair, looking right at him.

“You’re going to be okay, baby,” She said, lifting his hand to her lips and placing a kiss on his knuckles, “We’re gonna be okay. We’ll get through this.”

It had taken a whole 24 hours for Jake to wake up. He was groggy and confused when he first came too, wondering where the hell he was and what the hell had happened. Y/N did her best to fill in the gaps of what had happened, but thankfully her dad could cover the rest. Doctor Merritt had also explained Jake’s injuries to him, going into more detail than he had with Y/N.

“When they found you, you had an open exposure to your right leg, below the knee,” Doctor Merritt said.

“Yeah, it hurt like a bitch,” Jake chuckled, “Imagine staring at your tibia for two weeks.”

“That’s the problem, Lieutenant Commander,” Doctor Merritt said grimly, “You have an infection in the bone. We’re treating it now with antibiotics, but if it starts to spread-”

“No,” Jake shook his head, “You are not cutting off my leg. I need that.”

“Lieutenant Commander,” Doctor Merritt sighed, “We agreed to do the X-fix, even though there’s a possibility that you’ll never walk or run the same way again. But this infection. . . it could be fatal.”

Y/N felt her heart sink to her stomach at the word. She sat up straighter in her chair and looked at her husband, “Jake. . .”

“Then let it kill me,” Jake answered, not even sparing a glance to his wife. Doctor Merritt looked at Y/N, whose eyes were filling with tears, and locked on Jake, “If you take my leg, that’s basically like killing me. So let the infection do it.”

Y/N lowered her head and stared at her hands that were intertwined with one of Jake’s. She didn’t even try to argue with him, knowing it was going to be a losing battle. Jake had always prided himself on having a healthy and sound body. He needed all functioning parts to be able to be the best of the best. To be able to live out his childhood dream. He had just reached the most important point in his career, and he be damned if something like an amputation was going to stop him.

“Alright, Lieutenant Commander,” Doctor Merritt said and left them alone in the room.

Jake waited a moment when the door shut before turning to his wife, “They’re gonna ask you.”

“What?” Y/N asked.

“If for whatever reason, I can’t make a decision for myself anymore, they’re gonna ask you. And you tell them no,” Jake said. Y/N licked her lips and looked back down at her hands, but Jake lifted her chin to look her in the eye, “You tell them no. Actually, you tell them to fuck off. Don’t let them take my leg, Y/N. . . please, Sunny.”

She wanted to curse him for using that nickname. That nickname he had given her the first time they met. He had called her his own personal ray of sunshine. The one thing that always kept him warm and gave him hope while he was in the middle of a mission and things weren’t looking good.

His green eyes were full of hope and pleading, and Y/N had to tear her eyes away from his green stare. She couldn’t say anything, scared that if she opened her mouth a sob would come out and plead to Jake to rethink this. She had just gotten him back, and now she was faced with the idea that he would be leaving her again. He would be leaving her again when he didn’t have to. He had a choice, but he was choosing to leave her.

So all Y/N did was nod.

But things had taken a turn for the worst. The infection in Jake’s leg had spread and the antibiotics weren’t working. His fever had spiked so high that it sent him into a seizure.

“This is what we were worried about,” Doctor Merritt said, “His body is not responding well to the antibiotics and he’s going septic.”

“No,” Y/N shook her head, “I won’t be the one to decide this. You need to ask him.”

“We can’t Mrs. Seresin,” Doctor Merritt said, “He crashed almost as soon as we got in there. He’s dying. You need to make the decision.”

It was as if the past five years of Y/N’s life flashed right before her. The first time she met Jake, the first time he asked her to dance, the first time they had said I Love You, the first time they made love. All the smiles and laughs and tears over the years. The promise to love each other forever and to always come home to one another. The ring on her hand suddenly felt like it weighed a thousand pounds as the image of Carole Bradshaw filled her mind.

“If I had the chance to save him, I would’ve done it.” Her sweet whisper of a voice filled Y/N’s mind as she looked up at the doctor and spoke.

“Cut it off.”

— — —

“I’m burning in!”

“Eject, Seresin! Eject, Eject, Eject!”

“I’m gonna die! Y/N!”

“Eject!”

Jake had experienced a lot of pain in his life.

Growing up being the youngest sibling, with two older brothers, and three older sisters, Jake was no stranger to the injuries caused by roughhousing. He was only 18 months old when he was trying to jump from the couch to the chair and fell, hitting his chin on the coffee table. Dylan had been near tears as he was trying to console toddler Jake and hope that they didn’t have to tell their mother what had happened. And now, Jake was thirty-three and living with a faint scar under his chin from his first-ever visit to the emergency room.

But no childhood injury, football mishap, or training accident could amount to the type of pain Jake was feeling right now.

His whole body hurt. An allover pain that he couldn’t shake. His head was pounding, his lungs felt like they were about to explode, and his leg, god his leg. He couldn’t even describe the pain he felt in his leg. It felt like a ton of hot metal was sitting right on it, crushing and burning at his flesh and bone.

Bits and pieces of the last memory Jake had were playing in his head, like a DVD that had been scratched. He could remember sitting on the flight deck of the Carl Vinson, looking out and seeing the endless amount of blue. He could remember flying into the rough terrain, skirting right over the tree tops with Rooster on his six. He could remember the burn in his lungs as he tried to pull up and get altitude, hoping that maybe, if he could eject, he could come home to you in one piece.

Except, Jake couldn’t remember ejecting.

He couldn’t remember anything past yelling he was going to die and your name.

Hell, he couldn’t even remember where he was right now, but the bright shining light over his head and the sound of muffled voices told him that he wasn’t in the middle of enemy territory, or in a pinewood box. Jake decided that must mean something good.

Jake started to feel his eyelids lift up and the bright flood of light came streaming into his retinas.

Fuck, even that hurt right now.

“Lieutenant Commander Seresin, can you open your eyes for me? Lieutenant Commander, can you squeeze my hand? Lieutenant Commander?”

Jake wanted to tell whoever was the owner of the grating, annoying voice to shut up and let him sleep. Everything hurt so much that Jake couldn’t even fathom opening his eyes, let alone squeezing some punk’s hand. Hell, Jake wasn’t even sure which hand the stranger held and which hand was being held by someone else.

“Baby? Can you hear me?” A small voice called out.

“I’m going to die! Y/N!”

“It’s me, Y/N. Can you open your eyes, please?”

Slowly, Jake fluttered his eyes open, squinting at the harsh bright light above him. He squeezed your hand tightly, as he fought through the pain in his head to open his eyes for you. You let out a gasp as you took in the sight of those green eyes you loved so much. The ones that would change color slightly when he looked at things he loved. The ones that looked at you like you were the most precious jewel in the world.

“Jake?” You called out, running your thumb over the back of his hand, watching as his eyes opened and looked at you, “Oh my god.” You put your head down on his arm as you cried, letting out the emotion that you had bottled up for days.

“Sunny,” Jake said, his voice hoarse. It felt like sandpaper to even swallow let alone talk. You picked your head up quickly and reached for the water jug sitting next to him and held it to his lips.

Jake had never thought California water had tasted so good until this very moment. He always swore that they added some strange minerals or whatever to the water, making it taste weird. But right now, it tasted like nectar straight from God himself. His eyes fluttered shut to hopefully stop some of the pounding pain between his eyebrows.

You gingerly took the cup away from his lips, placing it on the table next to him. You watched him intently, as his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes slowly opened again. He looked around the room, taking in the surroundings. It looked as though you had somewhat moved into the small hospital room. Jake looked down at himself, noticing the white blankets covering his body and the gown.

As Jake looked down at the foot of the bed, confusion swiped over him. More memories of the mission and crash filled his head.

“Is it still there?” Jake asked, looking up at his wife, “Please. . . is my leg still there?”

Y/N stayed silent, unsure of what to say. Jake looked over at his doctor, “Is it still there!?” He yelled, causing Y/N to jump in her seat, “Tell me!”

“Lieutenant Commander,” Doctor Merritt spoke evenly, “The infection in your leg had spread, and your body was shutting down. Your fever had spiked, which caused a seizure and then led to your heart stopping. We did what we could to try and save-“

Without a second thought, Jake pulled the blankets back from his body, revealing the missing limb. A sob escaped his lips as he laid back in bed, defeated. Y/N closed her eyes and bowed her head, as Jake cried. She had been planning on telling him a different way. Hoping to ease into the conversation.

“I told them not to. . . I told you not to!” Jake yelled at the doctor.

“Lieutenant Commander, if we didn’t amputate, you would’ve-”

Jake growled as he grabbed a vase of flowers on his bedside and threw it at the wall behind the doctor. Y/N jumped at the sound of shattering glass.

“Get the fuck out!” Jake yelled. Doctor Merritt left quickly, letting the door slam loudly behind him. Jake flopped back in his bed, staring up at the ceiling as tears ran down his face. What the hell was he going to do now? His life was over. Everything he ever dreamed of being was over. The Navy was probably already working on his discharge papers as he laid in the hospital.

“Jake, you didn’t have to throw the vase at-“

“You,” Jake said, turning his head towards his wife, “You let them do this.”

“Jake, I-“

“You let them do this to me!” Jake gestured to where his leg once was, “You let them hack me up! You let them do the one thing I didn’t want!”

“I saved your life!” Y/N cried, “I had to do something! I… You couldn’t just die!”

“Yes! I could’ve!” Jake yelled back. He flopped back down on his pillow, “Get out.”

Y/N snapped her head towards him, “What?”

“Get. Out.” He spoke slowly, venom dripping from his words.

Y/N shook her head, refusing to leave his side.

“Get Out!” Jake yelled at her, “Get the fuck out of my room! I never want to see you again! Get out! Get out!”

The door to the room opened suddenly, as Maverick walked in. He had been coming to bring her a change of clothes when he heard the screaming. Y/N’s eyes were still locked on her husband who was seething in both pain and anger. She was frozen in her spot as Maverick wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her towards the door.

taglist: @els-marvelvsp @sarahsmi13s @topgun-imagines @cassiemitchell @xoxabs88xox @seitmai @a-reader-and-a-writer @bradleybeachbabe @kmc1989 @senawashere @beautifulandvoid @ohtobeleah @rogersbarnesxx @oatmealisweird @dempy @devil-angel-winchester @gillybear17

note: and before you ask. . . there's probably gonna be a part two

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thezombieprostitute · 3 months

Text

Dream Come True - Part 4

Summary: The “Garbage Men” are the guys in the mob who get the dirt on others and clean up after the higher ups. They have many different ways of gathering intel by running legitimate businesses. One such business is Jefferson/Jensen’s cyber cafe where you regularly go to work. You’ve actually become good friends with Jefferson’s daughter and Jensen’s niece. You even volunteered as their after-school tutor. One day, there’s a robbery attempt where you get hurt protecting the girls. This is how you are introduced to Curtis Everett, the guy in charge of the “Garbage Men”.

A/N: Reader is plus sized, femme. No other descriptors used.

Word Count: ~2000. I think this is my longest chapter.

Warnings: Bullying, Fat shaming, Insecure reader, Violence mentioned and referenced but not written. Please let me know if I missed any!

Series Masterlist

Part 3 -- Part 5

It figured. You had an interview in an hour and now Curtis had time to talk to you. You could probably catch a cab and still arrive on time, so long as you kept this conversation short.

As soon as he walked into the cyber cafe (your second home at this point) you stood up and got his attention. He looked a little surprised to see you standing but you remembered every time he's seen you so far it was in a hospital bed. It's been a few weeks and your leg was still stiff but you were diligent in your physical therapy and healing well.

He walked over to you, accompanied by someone you didn't recognize. As soon as he got close enough you directed him to the office in the back, "Jefferson gave me permission to use his office for this discussion." Curtis nodded and the three of you went into the room, closing the door behind you.

"Hello," you reach a hand towards the stranger, "I'm Y/N. I don't think we've been introduced."

"Mace," he shakes your hand with a smile. "We've never met but I have heard a lot about you."

"It's nice to meet you," you return the smile. Looking at Curtis you continue, "we need to talk about either my schedule or Hal's, Sir."

Curtis gestures to the chairs and you all take a seat.

You start, "I understand that there are a lot of things you can't account for in your scheduling but Hal has had to cancel every session I've tried to have with him. And if I'm not tutoring, I'm not getting paid."

"We can put you on retainer," Curtis started.

You interrupted him with a scoff. "I'm not getting paid to do nothing, Sir. What's more, this is hurting Hal. He wants to learn but your chaotic scheduling is preventing that. Do you know how discouraging that can be? To finally have a resource but never be allowed to use it?"

Curtis sighs and looks at Mace, "do you think we can figure out a consistent time?"

"It'll take some work," he replies. "And, as the lady points out, there are things we can't plan for. But it should be possible."

Curtis looks at you, questioningly and you nod your head, "thank you both. This has been very frustrating for me and Hal so I really appreciate it."

"Eh," Mace replies, "what's a little more work?"

"Well I don't mean to cut into your time off with this, Sirs," your tone apologetic.

"We don't do time off," Curtis cuts in.

"What? Why not," you demand. "Time off is important for physical and mental health."

"We have to show our people that we're not asking them to do anything we wouldn't do ourselves," Curtis replied calmly.

"That's bullshit," you exclaim. "No wonder everyone's schedules are so hectic! You're all too exhausted and worn out to think straight!"

"We've been doing this for years," Curtis angrily interjects. "It's clearly been working."

"If you, Hal and Jake are any indication it's only working because of an ungodly amount of caffeine and luck," you retort. "You either need to get some more people or start scheduling R&R for you and your employees, Sir."

You're so focused on Curtis that you don't see Mace smiling, clearly trying not to laugh. Curtis's eyes soften a bit and he nods in concession.

"Thank you." You check your watch, "now if you'll excuse me, I have an interview to get to."

"What?" Curtis looked shocked. You almost think you saw some hurt in his eyes.

"My work for you will always get highest priority, Sir," you assure. "But it's very part-time work, that you’ve been unintentionally sabotaging and keeping very part-time. And that overly generous back pay won't last forever. So I'm looking at getting another income."

"Do you need a ride to the interview," Mace offers.

"No, but thank you," you reply. "The Wilford & Gilliam Trust building isn't too far and I can afford a cab."

Both men froze at your words as you got up and tried to leave. Curtis quickly blocked your access to the door and nearly growled, "you're not going to that interview."

"Excuse you?" Your eyes widen in surprise. "I've already told you that my work for you will get top priority and that I need the income, Sir. Now please move. I don't want to be late."

"You're not working for Wilford & Gilliam," Curtis barked. "You need another income? Fine. I'll find you another job. But you're not working for them."

"It's just a part-time, data entry kind of job," you retort. "And it's consistent, reliable work."

"They're horrible people who fund even worse people," Curtis scowled. "I know you like your data to back up these kinds of things but I can't tell you how I know."

You scan Curtis's face, take aback at the intensity of his conviction. There is no room for doubt that he believes in what he's saying. "Okay, Sir," you concede. "You've yet to do wrong by me so I'll trust you. I will still look for a second job, in case you can't find me one, but it will not be with them."

Satisfied with your answer Curtis let's you leave. As soon as you're out the office door he sees the grin on Mace's face. He gives him a questioning look but before Mace can say anything they hear you exclaim, "Mr. Drysdale?!"

Both men rush out to the main cafe and see Ransom looking uncharacteristically repentant.

"Y/N," Ransom gulped, "come back to work for me. Please."

"No," you responded before trying to walk around him.

Ransom blocks your path, "please! I...I made a mistake and I would like to make it up to you."

"No," you repeat, patience wearing thin.

"I'll double your pay, please!"

"Hire someone else!"

"I'VE TRIED," he shouts. "Their work doesn't get me through writer's block like yours did. Their research is all dry facts that are hard to absorb. You wrote in such a way that it was easy for me to figure out how to write it into the story. So PLEASE come back to work for me!"

"Do you know why I requested remote work, Mr. Drysdale?" He shakes his head, not used to the iciness in your voice. "I heard you complaining about me to your grandfather, the one who made you hire me. You never had a problem with my work but you still insisted he let you fire me so you could get a pretty assistant. One who was, to use your words, preferably fresh out of college. Because how could you be expected to write when you had to look at ugly, fat ass instead of a beautiful muse?"

Ransom at least had the decency to look ashamed but you didn't relent.

"So I worked remotely, making sure you wouldn't have to see me and I wouldn't have to put up with your looks of disgust. And then, when I got hurt, you cut me loose. So, no, Mr. Drysdale, I will not be working for you ever again. I prefer a reliable employer who appreciates my work."

You try to walk past him but he puts an arm out to stop you. Before you can react to the arm, Curtis has pulled Ransom away, gripping him by the front of his sweater. You don't want to cry in front of everyone so you keep walking, set on going home.

As soon as you're out the door Curtis snarls, "you do not treat any of my employees like that." Before Ransom can reply Curtis punches him in the face and he falls to the floor. Curtis glances at Mace who responds with a nod, promising he'll see to the witnesses, before he lets himself run after you.

Thankfully it was an off time of day and the sidewalks were mostly empty. He spotted you right away and quickly went after you. He caught up to you but the tears in your eyes made him stop in his tracks.

“Y/N,” he asked. “You gonna be okay?”

“Eventually, Sir,” you reply, still walking. “He’s not the first asshole I’ve had to deal with and he won’t be the last.”

“I’m sorry you had to deal with that. I should’ve stepped in sooner.”

“I’m glad you didn’t, actually. He needs to know I’m serious and that I’m strong enough to not need him. If you had stepped in before I was done talking, he’d think he could still get to me by going around you. This way I got to be the one shutting him out, giving him no room to think he could worm around.”

“That’s fair. I was incredibly impressed with how you handled him.”

“Like I said, not the first asshole to put my looks ahead of my worth.”

“Your prettiness is definitely a bonus to your good work,” he says before he can stop himself.

You stop and look at him, an angry expression and fresh tears on your face. “Don’t, Sir. Just don’t. I’m not interested in your pity.”

“I’m not…” Curtis stops himself. He’s clearly not saying the right things and doesn’t want to hurt you further. “I’m sorry.”

You nod and continue the trek to your apartment. He silently accompanies you. You’re hurt and he can’t fix it. If anything, he’d likely just make it worse. He never wanted to see tears in your eyes but being the cause of a fresh wave of them made him hurt in ways he never knew he could.

“This is my building, Sir,” you interrupt his thoughts. “Thank you for walking me home and making sure I’m okay.” He nods, still afraid to say or do anything else, and you walk into your building, leaving him on the sidewalk. Part of him wants to follow after but he’s not sure he’d be able to actually do anything. Best if he just gets lost in his work. That’s always helped him before.

As he turns to walk back to the cybercafe, he sees Mace in their work van, parked on the curb. He moves into the passenger seat and sighs. As Mace drives away, Curtis says, “okay, we’ve gotta rework a few schedules.”

Mace chuckles, “if I’d known all it would take to get you to relent was a pretty face with a fiery spirit-”

“Don’t,” Curtis interrupts.

“I’m just saying,” Mace bantered. “I’ve been telling you for a long while now that we need to give the guys a better work environment or they’ll burnout and make stupid mistakes. She makes one comment about how it affects her and you’re singing a different tune.”

“That’s not what happened.”

“I was there, Curtis. I saw it all happen.”

Curtis remained silent.

“I can’t say I blame you, though. She’s got some serious-”

“ENOUGH,” Curtis ordered. “Let’s just get to thinking about some more work for her.”

Mace took a calculating look at Curtis, “how about we have work with Colin and Mickey? They could use someone responsible to act as their manager. We could get better info from their VIP section if at least one person was sober. And you know they’d make her feel…appreciated.”

“No,” Curtis barked. “They’re idiots who would get her in trouble. I also don’t want her anywhere near the drug monitoring operations. If one of Rumlow’s goons pushes something on her…”

“Okay,” Mace interrupted. “How about Lee or Barber? She’d be pretty safe with them.”

“No. She’s too curious. Lee and Barber have information about us and I don’t want her to go snooping and suddenly be liable for our mistakes.”

“You’re intent on keeping her in the dark? She’s clearly smart enough to know there’s more to all of what we do.”

“But she has no specifics. No details. She can still claim ignorance and that’s how I want it.”

“Not sure how plausible an idea that’s gonna be. Especially when you two start dating.” Mace smiles a little when he hears Curtis’s warning grunt.

“That’s not going to happen,” Curtis vows. “We’ll figure out something.”

“Whatever you say, Boss.”

Part 3 -- Part 5

Tagging @alicedopey because I promised I would.

@dontbescaredtosingalong

@icefrozendeadlyqueen

@texmexdarling

@veltana

@winter-soldier-101

Let me know if you'd like to be tagged.

#Curtis Everett x plus size!reader #curtis everett x reader #mob!curtis everett #mafia!curtis everett #Curtis Everett x female!reader

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callsign-dexter · 5 months

Text

Pops is Hurt

Summary: Jake's jet gets shot down. Bradley goes after him and gets shot down as well but ejects unscathed. The temperature is not what they expected and it's snowing. How is their little girl going to deal with seeing her other father in the hospital?

Pairings: Jake Seresin x Daughter!Reader, Bradley Bradshaw x Daughter!Reader, Jake Seresin x Bradley Bradshaw

Warnings: angst, inaccurate medical talk, plane crashes, inaccurate military talk, fluff, swearing

Masterlist

Our Little Girl

Banner done by @callsigns-haze

Jake and Bradley along with Natasha and Bob had been chosen to go on a brief and very short mission. Short as in 1 month or 4 weeks. They just needed jets to get in and get out then come home. They found this out while they were at work before they had to go and pick up their little girl from daycare. Ice wouldn't be going with them instead it would be staying behind to watch the little girl, normally Carole and Goose would but they have and since Goose is going with Maverick, Ice was quick to volunteer to watch his spoiled granddaughter. Carole and Ice agreed to help each other out but Ice practically begged to keep her and she agreed. Bradley, Jake, Bob, and Natasha would be leaving the day after tomorrow, Sunday, to get a jump on things and maybe have them come home sooner. In the meantime, they were going to spend it with their little girl.

Both Jake's and Bradley's alarms blared right next to them. They were quick to turn them off that way they didn't disturb their little girl from her peaceful sleeping. They both got up simultaneously and started getting ready for the day. It was a Saturday and they left on Sunday. Both of them were early risers so it was normal for them to get up early even on the weekend but let their daughter sleep in until 9 AM it was only 6:30 AM. Both of them usually ran in the morning and they would do it together but since they had Y/N they took separate turns never leaving her alone by herself. "You wanna go run first?" Bradley asked Jake in a voice still laced with sleep that Jake loved so much.

"Yes and then you can go when I get back." He said and Bradley nodded. Bradley always took a little bit to wake up so he always offered to stay behind while Jake went. They kissed each other and Bradley started to head downstairs to start a pot of coffee while Jake got changed in his running gear. As he was heading downstairs he stopped by their daughter's room and checked in on her. He smiled when he saw her curled up with her stuffed chocolate and tan Bunny whom she had named Rolo sleeping soundly. He closed the door quietly and made his way to the kitchen. After a few minutes, he heard the door open and shut again and knew that his husband did the same thing as him. Jake then came down and kissed him and then headed outside to start his run.

While Jake was running Bradley started working around the kitchen and transferring clothes in the washer over to the dryer. 30 minutes later Jake came back in sweating he had his music in so he didn't say anything just walked upstairs to get ready for the day. While the shower was running Bradley went upstairs and checked on their daughter one more time before changing and going on his run. She had yet to move positions but had kicked the covers off and he walked in and pulled them up over her again and then kissed her head and headed out as he heard the water shut off and walked in as his husband came out of the bathroom in only a towel. "She still sound to sleep?" He asked and Bradley nodded.

"She kicked her covers off and I covered her back up." He said and Jake chuckled. "What's so funny?" Bradley asked smiling.

"Nothing really it's just that you do that same thing." Jake said and Bradley gaped at him.

"No I do not." He defended but Jake just chuckled and walked over and kissed him.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." He said and patted him on the cheek and got ready for the day as Bradley got ready to run. They both walked downstairs and Bradley was put the door with a kiss to Jake's lips.

Bradley had been gone 20 minutes while Jake started to get things ready for breakfast when a little voice called out to both of them. "Papa? Daddy?" Jake dropped everything and walked up to her room and opened the door to their daughter's room. Jake checked his watch it was only 7:30 AM.

"What's wrong, Sweets?" He asked walking into her room and she lifted her hands up and he picked her up.

"Me no feel good." She said and he touched her forehead, she was a little warm but nothing too concerning. She always tended to get clingy and a little sick before they left for a deployment. They told everyone Friday after work over dinner that they were deploying for a month and she had been glued to them both ever since.

"Oh, Sweets. You're a little warm. What hurts?" He asked beginning to walk to the kitchen.

"My tummy." She said and laid her head on his shoulder. He knew that she wasn't lying she was an honest child and would never lie.

"Do you wanna sit on the couch while I cook breakfast and drink some juice or stay in my arms while I cook and drink some juice?" He asked looking at his daughter that looked a little pale.

"You." She said and Jake nodded and repositioned her and began cooking. It's a good thing that Jake and Bradley were used to holding her and multitasking.

"Ok, Sweets." He said and got a bottle and put some apple juice in it and gave it to her she downed half of it and then handed it to him. She laid her head down on his shoulder and fell back to sleep just as soon as Bradley walked into the house. He immediately noticed Y/N in Jake's arms and grew concerned she usually slept until 9 AM and it was only 7:50 AM. He walked over to both of them as Jake turned hearing footsteps.

"Everything ok?" He asked rubbing his daughter's back and kissing Jake.

"She woke up and called out for us. I walked in and she wanted me to pick her up and I did. She said her stomach hurt when I asked what was wrong and she was and still is warm." Jake said and Bradley's heart broke a little he hated it when one of his loved ones was sick. He felt his forehead and it was warm.

"Oh, poor Baby. I'll go and take a shower and change and then take her from you or finish breakfast. Has she eaten or drank anything?" He asked and Jake nodded.

"Downed a half of a bottle of apple juice and then went back to sleep." He said and Bradley nodded.

"I'll be right back." He said and headed upstairs. Jake heard the shower turn on and turned back to the food and not even 10 minutes later Bradley was walking down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Want me to finish breakfast or hold her?" He asked.

"You finish breakfast. I don't want to wake her up." Jake said and Bradley nodded as Jake gave him the spatula and Jake shifted her weight to where it was distributed equally. She moved a little bit but did not wake. Jake leaned up against the counter backward while holding her.

"How's she feeling?" Bradley asked as he flipped the pancakes and bacon. Her forehead was resting on his neck so he could feel it easily but wanted to feel it with his hand instead and that's what he did.

"She's not as warm." He said and then looked at the clock and it was 9 AM "Should we wake her and get some food into her?" Jake asked and Bradley turned to them and nodded and that's what they did. Jake tasked himself with waking her up as Bradley plated the food. "Hey, Sweets. It's time to get up. Do you want some food?" He asked as he rubbed her back and that roused her she slowly woke up and nodded and they smiled. Then she noticed Bradley.

"Daddy?" She asked in a queit voice.

"Hey, Honey." He came over and kissed her forehead with two plates of food one in each hand and headed to the table. Jake and Y/N weren't too far behind. Jake sat her down at the table and went to grab plates and her drink as she stole some bacon. "How's your tummy?" He asked as she took a bite of bacon.

"Better, Daddy." She said as Jake came back with plates and drinks.

"Good, Sweets. We don't like it when you're sick." Jake said and she nodded her head agreeing. The rest of the breakfast was filled with talking and eating.

The rest of the day they spent it together doing anything they could as a family before they had to go away for a month. Y/N hated when her daddies left her, she had grown so attached to them that it wasn't even funny.

——————————————————————

Sunday had come a lot sooner than they would have liked. They would be leaving at 2 PM so they were going to spend the morning with their little girl and getting her packed and ready to stay at Ice and Mav's. Instead of having Y/N sleep in her own bed they had let her sleep with them so they went to sleep together and woke up together, on occasion they would let her do this especially if the mission was high risk.

The morning was spent with laughter and talking like nothing was going on and like they weren't about to leave and potentially not come back. When they time was to come Carole and Goose were going to drive the boys and Y/N and then Ice and Maverick were going in their own car. Since Maverick was going then that meant that Goose was going because he was his RIO, of course Maverick knew how to fly without one but nothing better than him being able to fly with Goose.

12 PM rolled around and everyone was meeting at the Bradshaw-Seresin household. First it was Goose and Carole and then Ice and Maverick arrived. Nobody really talked everyone preparing for what was to come. Of course Y/N being the exact copy of her parents was hyper and bouncing off the walls saying hi to everyone and that honestly brought a smile to everyone's faces. She knew what was coming but she was just a bright happy girl and made the room light up. "You ready, Sweets?" Jake asked her picking her up and she nodded and they took that cue to leave the house. Ice had picked up her suitcase and walked out before them so they had time to rearrange suitcases and duffle bags.

"Papa?" Y/N asked looking at Jake and he turned to look at her as he stopped by Carole and Goose's car about to put her in.

"Yes, Sweets?" Jake asked as he began to open the door.

"Will you be back soon?" She asked innocently and he swore his heart broke.

"Very soon, Sweets. You're gonna have a good time with Grandpa Ice and before you know it Daddy and I will be back in no time." Jake said and then followed it by a kiss and that made her giggle. Everyone acted like they weren't listening but secretly they were and they were smiling. He buckled her into her car seat and then got in as everyone got in their cars and respected places and started to drive towards the dock.

They arrived at the dock and Bradley was the one that got her out and then everyone followed suit. When they got to the aircraft carrier Jake came over to Bradley and her and they both hugged her and she did the best to hug them both while everyone else said their goodbyes. Carole was snapping pictures left and right of the boys and their little girl, one particular picture she got and was going to cherish was when she threw each of her arms around their shoulders and they kissed her cheek not looking at the camera but facing her and she had the biggest smile on her face and eyes closed enjoying the company of her fathers.

Once everyone said their goodbyes Jake handed Y/N off to Ice and she protested but got comfortable in Ice's arms and settled down. She watched Bradley, Jake, Maverick, and Goose head towards the aircraft carrier to greet the other Daggers and to get ready to board the aircraft carrier . Once they boarded and watched the aircraft carrier sail away and once it was out of sight Ice turned to Carole. "Do you want to come over for a little bit and have a late lunch?" Ice asked and Y/N looked at her Grandma with puppy dog eyes.

"How can I say no to that face? Of course, I will." Carole said and stroked her granddaughter's face that lit up like a Christmas tree. "I'll follow you." She said and Ice nodded and they headed back to the cars. Ice got Y/N in with no problems and then got in and started the truck he made sure Carole was in and ready to go before pulling out and heading towards his and Maverick's house. It wasn't a very far drive when they got there Ice pulled in first and then Carole. Carole was already getting out of the car as Ice turned the truck off and then was getting out and opening the back door that way he could get her out from the middle seat. The three of them walked into the house after Ice had grabbed her suitcase and then they started to have their late lunch in the backyard talking about their plans and watching the energetic young version of Bradley and Jake run around the backyard.

——————————————————————

Jake and Bradley and the rest of The Daggers weren't on the aircraft carrier long before they started missing their little girl, even if it was just for a month it still hurt to leave. "How's Y/N?" Bob asked coming up to the fathers while everyone was sitting in a little common room not far from the bunks. Their kids had been hanging out more and more and they had almost come inseparable.

"She's doing good, was a little sick yesterday morning but quickly got over it." Bradley said, "How's Mason?" He asked and Bob smiled.

"He's doing good. Asking when he can see Y/N again." He said and everyone chuckled.

"We'll have to get them together when we get back." Jake said

"I bet when they get older that they'll get together, get married, and have kids." Javy said and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Oh please, lets not talk about that yet. She's not allowed to date until she's 30." Bradley said and Goose laughed and they looked at him. "What's so funny?" Bradley asked smiling.

"We said the same thing about you." He said and everyone laughed.

——————————————————————

Going into the third week of her fathers being gone she was getting antsy. Ice, Slider, and Carole had done everything to keep her distracted from going to the beach to going to the zoo that she had been to multiple times and her going to school.

One morning Ice had just finished getting ready for the day and getting everything prepared for her to go to school when he heard crying and grew concerned. He walked up to Y/N's room and opened the door and found her tossing and turning. She was mumbling incoherent words. Ice walked over to her bed and knelt down and began talking to her calmly. "Sunshine, it's ok." He said and nothing happened and she was still going on about something. "Y/N, it's just a bad dream. You're safe." He said rubbing her back again nothing. So, he sat on her bed and took her in his arms and held her while she sobbed and he shushed her. "Sunshine." He said again and that seemed to do the trick this time and she slowly woke up. "Are you ok?" He asked and she shook her head.

"Papa is hurt." She said and he looked at her confused.

"What do you mean, Sunshine?" He asked

"Papa went down in snow and Daddy went after him and got shot down." She said and this concerned Ice.

"It was just a bad dream, Sunshine." Ice said trying to soothe the poor child "They'll be home in no time and back to you." He said pulling her into him "Let's get ready for school. Slider and I are gonna pick you up afterward and we'll go out. How does that sound?" He asked.

"That sounds good." She said and that is what they did and as he was helping her get ready he kept thinking back to what she had said. He hoped she was wrong but he'll soon find out that she wasn't and it was going to wreck them.

——————————————————————

This was it. This was the mission. It's supposed to be a simple one. Go in scope out the enemy base, get information, take out the runway, and get out for they realize that they anyone is there. One by one The Daggers took off with Maverick and Goose leading then Bradley and Jake and the last Natasha and Bob. The first half was easy and they got what they needed and then when Cyclone gave the orders for bombs away they sent them and they were getting out of there as soon as possible. Everything was going smoothly until enemy fighters popped up and a dogfight began. Everyone had taken hits but The Daggers were still up and flying until Jake started to have mechanical problems from a bullet hitting his plane and fuel tank. "Hangman to Maverick I'm leaking fuel." Jake said being calm as ever but freaking out on the inside.

"Maverick to Hangman can you make it back to the aircraft carrier?" Maverick asked starting to worry and so was Goose that was his son-in-law.

"Negative." Jake said and this struck fear into Bradley and well everyone else.

"Rooster to Hangman you're going to have to eject. You can't save the jet. I know you love it as much as you love me and our daughter but it can't be saved." Bradley was pleading with his husband but got no response back and this worried him. He looked over and Jake was losing altitude and fast.

"I think is communication has gone out." Bob said watching his squad member lose control of his jet.

"Hangman, you need to eject." Goose said trying to get through to his son-in-law but got nothing in return.

"Come on Hangman. Don't do this to us." Natasha said as she watched helplessly and after 5 minutes or so they watched him nose dive right to the ground and eject as much too close to the ground as everyone was silent as the plane burst into flames and hoping a parachute had opened up.

"I'm going after him." Bradley said after 15 minutes of just flying around trying to see anything.

"Negative. We head back to the ship and let search and rescue find him." Maverick said and it was silent but Bradley wasn't going to do that.

"I'm going after him." He said and turned his jet around just as soon as a stray missile shot off from a SAM and hit the backend of his jet and making him go down. Fear struck everyone's hearts especially Goose and Maverick's. Goose just watched his son's go down. Everyone was ordered to return back to the aircraft carrier and as much as they didn't want to they had to.

——————————————————————

Jake went down 20 minutes before Bradley did and he had landed in a puddle that had to freeze over and it was snowing. He was soaked and freezing. The ejection had rattled him so much and he had hit his shoulder and the pain from that just made him lie there. His parachute did open but he was too low to the ground to have a safe landing. "Damn it." Jake said after coming around to his senses and trying to sit up but his shoulder protested and had him crashing back down in the fairly large puddle of cold water. After a few minutes of blinding white-hot pain, he heard a SAM being shot off and then he watched it fly and then hit a jet. "Please don't let it be Bradley." Jake said as his teeth rattled.

When Bradley went down he was able to open his parachute in time and landed safely. Once on the ground, he took off in the direction of the jet wreckage "Jake please be alive and not in that wreckage." Bradley pleaded as he got closer to it. He then saw a body lying in the snow in a puddle and sighed a sigh of relief but then panic started building up and he ran towards him as best as he could. "JAKE!" Bradley yelled and he didn't get a response. The pain had become so bad for Jake that he had passed out and was just lying there in the cold water. "Fuck, Jake." Bradley said but mostly to himself and started pulling him out of the puddle and then realized that he was soaking wet. "Come on, Babe. We have to get you warm." Bradley said as he hoisted Jake up with each arm under his armpits. Jake stirred a little bit, he knew that voice so he forced his eyes open.

"Bradley?" Jake asked slurring his words and then the pain hit "Shoulder. Stop. Hurts." Jake said.

"Yeah, it's me. Let's get out of this water and then I'll put you down. I'm sorry." Bradley said and true to his word once he was out of the water he put him down.

"You're not supposed to be here." Jake said teeth chattering.

"I couldn't just leave my husband and the father of my child alone." Bradley said and began trying to get them something dry to sit on and figured the parachute would have to do.

"I'm sorry." Jake said and Bradley looked at him, he was soaked and his helmet was off and his hair was wet. He was shivering and that made Bradley's heart break.

"For what?" Bradley asked

"For going down and then you being down here with me.

"Baby, I would go to the end of the earth for you." Bradley said cuddling him close trying to give him some body heat.

"I love you." Jake said and Bradley smiled and dropped a kiss onto Jake's wet head.

"I love you too. Now keep fighting. We have a little girl waiting at home for us." Bradley said as Jake shivered and Bradley held him closer. He just prayed and hoped that they would find them soon.

——————————————————————

Ice had just picked Y/N up from school with Slider and they were heading to a little café that everyone had grown to love, they were meeting Carole there. As they were driving Y/N and Slider were talking nonstop about something they both had an interest in and Ice just smiled. They finally arrived at the café and he parked just as soon as his phone rang. It was from a restricted number and his heart sank. Slider saw it too. "Go and take her in to meet Carole. I'm gonna answer this." Ice said and Slider nodded as he made quick work of getting the little girl out as Ice answered the phone.

"Hello." Ice said in a professional voice.

"Hey, it's me." Maverick said Ice could tell something was wrong.

"What's wrong?" Ice asked

"Bradley and Jake went down. They have search and rescue looking for them now. It's been 3 hrs." Maverick said and Ice's heart dropped.

"Do I need to tell Carole?" Ice asked voice starting to shake.

"Yes but make sure Y/N/N isn't there." Maverick said "Just to be on the safe side and we find them soon. I know how she gets when she gets worried." Maverick said and Ice nodded.

"Bring them home." Ice said

"We will. I love you." Maverick said

"I love you too." Ice replied and then they hung up. Now he has to tell Carole and Slider.

Ice sat in his truck and then took a breath and got out and walked into the building and to where the others were. "Slider, why don't you take Sunshine to look at the menu." Ice said and when Slider looked up and saw the look on Ice's face he knew not to argue and did just that.

"Come on, Y/N/N. Let's go see what we want to eat." Slider said and picked the girl up and then Ice turned to Carole who was quiet.

"Who is it?" Carole asked knowing that look on his face.

"Jake and Bradley." Ice said and Carole let a few tears leak out.

"How bad?" She asked wiping them away.

"Maverick didn't tell me. They haven't found them and it's been 3 hrs." Ice said and then pulled her into a hug once he moved to sit next to her. "You know, Y/N said that she had a nightmare about this happening." Ice said.

"When?" She asked

"This morning." He said

"She knew. She always knows when something happens to her daddies." Carole said and then put her emotions back as Slider and Y/N came back. Ice looked at her.

"Tell me what you want and Slider and I'll go order the food." He said and she nodded and told her and they walked off leaving Carole and her granddaughter to their own devices while food was being ordered.

"Who?" Slider asker and Ice sighed.

"Jake and Bradley." He told him and Slider paled.

"Do they know anything?" He asked and Ice shook his head.

"They haven't found them and it's been 3 hrs." Ice said

"For everyone's sake, I hope they find them fast." Slider said and Ice nodded and ordered the food.

——————————————————————

In the 8th hour, the search and rescue helicopter finally found them and landed. They were quick to rush to them at some point Jake passed out and Bradley was so cold that he had fallen asleep but woke up when he heard shouting.

"Lt. Commander Bradshaw, are you ok?" One of the medics asked he nodded.

"Just a little cold. It's him you have to worry about." Bradley said nodded down to his husband and they nodded and he helped them get Jake up on the backboard and onto the helicopter. They wrapped a blanket around both.

"Sorry for making you both wait so long. We had trouble locating you and had to make sure the coast was clear." Someone said and Bradley nodded not caring about what was being said just worried about his husband and the father of their daughter. Jake was unconscious and his lips were turning a tinge of blue. They got them up and going and before they knew it they were back on the aircraft carrier and headed to the med wing.

"Bradley." Maverick said and he turned to look at him and noticed his father was there too. They hugged each other and the questions started. Once everything was sorted "I'm gonna see if I can call Ice." He said and they nodded leaving Bradley and Goose together waiting on their loved one.

When Maverick got to his office he closed the door and sighed in relief. They were safe but Jake was not out of the woods. Now it was time to call Ice and get Bradley and Jake back to their little girl. He dialed Ice's number and it rang twice before he picked up.

"Mav?" Ice's voice came through.

"They found them." Maverick said and he heard Ice sigh in relief.

"How are they?" Ice asked

"They haven't told me anything but it looks like Jake is going through a serious case of hypothermia and Bradley seems ok just a little shaken up but looks unscathed. Goose is with him waiting for news on Jake." Maverick explained to his husband who had gone quiet and that was understandable.

"Do I need to wait to tell Carole and Slider?" Ice asked

"You're the Admiral you can tell them if you want." Maverick smiled and chuckled and Ice chuckled.

"That is true. When will you guys be home?" Ice asked

"They're flying them out as soon as possible and the rest of us will be scheduled for the regular time. Goose will probably go with Jake and Bradley." Maverick said and Ice nodded even though Maverick couldn't see it.

"Get home safely and don't forget that I love you." Ice said and Maverick smiled.

"I love you too. See you soon." Maverick said and then they both hung up.

Goose came in after they ended the phone call and Maverick looked over to him. "They're flying Jake, Bradley, and I out in 10 minutes." He said and Maverick nodded.

"That's good. Go on and I'll meet you on land and meet you at the hospital." Maverick said and then Maverick pulled his RIO into a hug and they stayed like that for a few minutes until they parted and Goose headed out of the office getting ready to leave with the helicopter.

——————————————————————

Ice had just gotten off the phone with Maverick around 9 PM. Carole and Slider were over after having supper and then watched a movie that Y/N insisted on watching and not 20 minutes into the movie she was out like a light snoring on lightly on Slider. When Ice had gotten the call he had walked out of the room. He walked in and they looked at him. "They got them." Ice said loud enough to hear but quiet enough not to wake the sleeping child. Everyone side in relief.

"How are they?" Carole asked happy tears streaming down her face.

"Maverick hasn't heard much about Jake's condition but it looks like he is going through a serious case of hypothermia and Bradley seems ok just a little shaken up but looks unscathed. Maverick said that Goose was with Bradley waiting for news on Jake." Ice said "He also told me that they were flying Jake, Bradley, and Goose back as soon as possible." He added.

"What do we do now?" Slider asked

"We wait until they give us a call and tell us which hospital they're taking him too." He said and they nodded and he sat down and they finished watching the movie. Not even 15 minutes more into the movie Ice got the call and told them what hospital they were taking Jake too, they were also taking Bradley just to him get checked over since he too was out in the cold.

"What about Y/N?" Slider asked and Ice and Carole looked at each other.

"Do you mind staying here with her until everything gets settled and conditions are talked about?" Ice asked and Slider nodded.

"Of course, your guys are like family. I would do anything for you especially this little girl." He nodded down to the sleeping child who had yet to wake and had only moved to change positions. Ice and Carole thanked him and they were on their way after kissing their granddaughter goodbye.

They took separate cars to the hospital and luckily it wasn't too far away from the house. They got their in no time. They parked next to each other and walked into the building and were met by Goose who rushed to his wife and hugged her and then hugged Ice. "They just took Jake back and Bradley." He said once he released Ice and they nodded and went to sit in the waiting room. "Where's Chick?" Goose asked.

"She's with Slider. We figured she shouldn't be here until we knew of conditions and she was asleep." Carole said as she leaned further into her husband. 10 minutes later the doctor, who knew them very well.

"We really need to stop meeting under circumstances like this." Dr. Rachel Hayes said trying to lighten the mood and it worked a little bit. "Bradley is fine he'll be sore and that's it. Jake on the other hand is in critical condition. From what Bradley said and the medical team said he had laid in a puddle of cold water for awhile and was soaked head to toe and he had dislocated shoulder, which we put back into place. He also had some broken ribs and looks like a broken wrist but nothing to serious to end his career." She said and everyone nodded as they listened.

"You guy's can see him but just prepare yourselves." She said and led them the way to Jake. Bradley was already in there by his husband's side. Bradley looked up and got up and hugged his mother and Ice. "Let me know if he wakes up or something goes on." She said and everyone nodded.

"Where's Y/N?" Bradley asked going to sit back down by his husband's side while looking at them.

"Slider has her. Carole and I figured we would see you first and asses the situation before bringing her here. Plus she was as asleep." Ice said and he nodded.

"It was bad guys. The mission was successful but his fuel tank was hit and he was going down and then his communication went out. I followed after him and a stray SAM deployed and hit my backside and luckily I ejected high enough unlike Jake. I thought I was going to lose him and I thought Y/N was going to lose her dad." Bradley said as he looked at the now intubated Jake watching his chest rise and fall and listening to his heart monitor. Everyone's heart broke. "When do you think we should bring Y/N in?" Bradley asked looking up from his husband.

"Maybe not for a couple of days. Let Jake rest and let you rest." Carole said and he nodded.

"I'm gonna call Slider and let him know the plan." Ice said and they nodded and now it was just the Bradshaw and Bradshaw-Seresin family. A few minutes later Ice was coming back in and sitting with the family members.

——————————————————————

It had been a week and Dr. Rachel Hayes was in and out checking in on Jake and each day was better than before and they were grateful for that. One day while Bradley was the only one in there while the rest went home to grab some things and pick up Maverick, Dr. Hayes had walked in and checked on Jake and Bradley normally she would have a nurse come in but she insisted that she be the one to check up on him. "Dr. Hayes?" Bradley asked and she looked up and over at him.

"Yes?" She asked

"You remember our daughter, right?" He asked and she nodded with a smile. "When can she see him?" He asked.

"At this point. I would say anytime. Just understand that it may be little but traumatic for her. I just ask that she doesn't cuddle with him at this time nit until he's awake." She said with a smile and Bradley nodded.

"I understand. She had to deal with me while I was in the hospital due to a training accident 6 months back." Bradley said and she nodded she remembered that she wasn't on shift or call that time due to taking a vacation. She nodded and then left and Bradley looked over at Jake. "I don't know if you can hear me or not but I need to say this. You need to come back to us. I need you. Your baby girl needs you." He said and kissed his forehead. Goose, Carole, and Maverick had just walked into the room and everyone greeted each other and Bradley updated them on Jake's condition. "Dr. Hayes said that we could bring Y/N in anytime since his condition is better." Bradley said.

"When do you want to do that?" Maverick asked

"I was thinking now." He said and everyone nodded.

"I'll call Slider to bring her on in." Ice said and they nodded and he walked out of the room. Nobody talked and that was ok. 5 minutes later Ice was walking back in "He'll be here in 10. He also said that he would tell her what is going on." He said and they nodded.

10 minutes later Slider was walking in with Y/N and when she saw Bradley she practically leapt into his arms when he stood up and walked over to them "Daddy!" She yelled out and he hugged her like his life depended on it and tears fell from his eyes. "Why you cry, Daddy?" She asked looking at him and wiping his tears and that made everyone start to cry.

"I'm just happy to see you, Honey." Bradley said truth was that she reminded him of Jake and that hurt.

"Papa?" She asked looking at him.

"He's ok just sleep." Bradley said and she tried to go to him but he stopped her "No, Honey you can't cuddle with him right now." He said and that made her cry.

"But, Daddy. Papa." She said and cried harder and tried harder to get to him but he stopped her everytime.

"Soon, Honey. I promise." Bradley said and she seemed ok with that answer because she settled down but pouted. Seconds, minutes, and hours went by with no update. Y/N had gone to sleep around 9 PM and was sleeping soundly in Bradley's arms. Most of everyone went home besides Carole and Goose. They had offered to take Y/N home but Bradley refused to give her up.

4 more days went by and it was during the night when Jake started to come around. Bradley and Y/N were asleep on the couch and Goose was up while Carole was asleep on the other couch. Goose watched Jake's eyes open and he smiled and was thankful when he didn't start to panic. Goose and he had a silent conversation and then Goose was up and heading to the nurse's station where they paged Dr. Hayes who was there in no time with some nurses. Carole had woken up and joined Goose but hadn't woken up the other father and daughter they had been the ones that were up the most. Dr. Hayes and her team quickly got him extubated and instructions were made and she was leaving. She had also given permission for Y/N to cuddle with Jake.

The commotion had woken Bradley up unfortunately and he was up in a instant without waking their daughter up. Goose and Carole stood back and cried as they reunited and kissed each other. "We're going to go and get some coffee and leave you three be." Goose said and Bradley and Jake nodded not being able to say anything with out breaking down but once they were gone they broke down and started talking.

"I thought I lost you, Babe." Bradley said and kissed Jake.

"I know, Baby. But I'm here. I heard what you said and kept fighting." Jake said "Now where is my Sweets?" He asked Bradley and he chuckled.

"Sleeping but I'll get her." He said and walked over to her and picked her up and walked her over.

"Dr. Hayes said that she was good to cuddle." Jake said and Bradley nodded.

"I heard." Bradley said and smiled and gently laid her down next to Jake. She snuggled into him recognizing the scent and warmth of her other father and that woke her up immediately.

"Papa?" She asked sleepily.

"Hey, Sweets. I missed you." He said and she hugged him like it was her lifeline. Carole and Goose had came back to the scene of her sitting in bed looking at Jake full of love and Bradley doing the same at both of them. They gave them a few more minutes before they walked in. When they did everyone greeted everyone and talking began catching up. Y/N tried to keep awake but the battle of sleep won and she had fallen back to sleep on Jake.

——————————————————————

Over the next few days everyone came and saw him and Jake was back to his cocky self that everyone loved. Maverick and Ice visited a lot since they were family. When Jake was released he was told to take it easy and he did and before he knew it he was back up in the air doing what he did best and taking care of his little girl.

As he was putting her to bed one night after insisting that he wanted to do it and told Bradley to go onto bed. He laid in bed with her on his chest as she snoozed away. He laid there awake thinking about if he didn't make it but he wasn't going to let that happen because he loved his family too much and he had to fight for his and Bradley's child. She was their whole world. "I love you, Sweets. I'm not leaving anytime soon." He told her and kissed the top of her head and then he drifted off to sleep. A few minutes later when Bradley rolled over and didn't feel Jake he grew confused and got up and to search for him. He couldn't find him anywhere until he remembered that he put their daughter to bed. So, he went there and opened the door and light from the hallway and her night light filled the room.

"That's where you are." Bradley said to himself and smiled when he saw Jake and Y/N cuddled up on her twin bed both laying the same way and snoring lightly, he shook his head she was defiantly a perfect mix of them. He thought about waking him but figured Jake needed all the cuddling from his little girl that he needed. He would get his cuddles later. He walked in and threw an extra blanket over Jake and then kissed both of their heads "I love you both so much." He said and then slipped out of her room and cracking the door and then walking back to his and Jake's room while turning off the hallway light. He got into bed and quickly fell back to sleep knowing his daughter and husband were safe and sound just two doors down.

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ereardon · 2 months

Text

Before I Knew [Jake Seresin x Reader] Chapter Eight

A Jake Seresin unexpected pregnancy fic

Pairing: Jake Seresin x Reader; Bob Floyd x Sister!Reader

Warnings: Pregnancy, cursing, eventual smut, angst, vomit

Chapter summary: Ducky and Jake deal with the fallout of Bob and Phoenix's accident

WC: 2.1K

Masterlist here; previous chapter here

It was his first flight. You were a freshman in college. You could still remember the way the anxiety pooled in your stomach as you waited for news that he was home safe.

And then you got the call.

Bob’s team had been struck by birds. He and his pilot at the time went down. They were fine, the voice on the other end of the line said, but in the hospital to recover and he would be granted a leave of absence following his discharge from the medical facility.

You went back to your room and sat in a ball, crying until your eyes were puffy enough to sleep on like a blow up mattress. You felt more alone in that moment than any other second in your life, knowing that Bob’s life teetered on the edge. You weren’t sure who you were without him.

***

The first person you saw was Bradley. He stood in the waiting room with his hands in his pockets, pacing the floor. You skidded to a stop in front of him. “Where is he?”

“Y/N.” Jake’s voice appeared to your left and you turned, eyes wide. He looked disheveled. You had seen Jake in a myriad of forms since moving in together: exhausted in the mornings, fresh out of the shower, concentrating hard over a book, angry with the TV remote like an old man. But you had never seen him this frazzled.

“Where is he?” you repeated, voice climbing.

“He’s not awake yet.”

You heard the sob before you even felt it escape from your throat. It was guttural. Primal. Eyes turned in the waiting room.

“Come here.” Jake put both of his hands on your upper arms, steering you toward a chair against the wall. He knelt down at your feet. “Listen to me. He’s going to be fine.”

“Are you a doctor?” you snapped. Jake’s face hardened and you sighed. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“It’s OK,” he said. “It was bad up there.”

You raised your head, realization flooding your mind for the first time. “Wait, are you OK?”

He smiled gently. “I’ll be fine.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“I’m here,” he replied. “I’m whole. That’s what matters.”

“I told him to leave,” you whispered. “That was the last thing I said to him before he went up there. What if he doesn’t come back? Not really.”

“He’ll come back to you,” Jake said softly, placing one hand on your knee. “Floyd is a fighter.”

“I want to see him.”

Jake nodded. He put one hand on your back, steering you out of the waiting room to the front desk. “Lieutenant Seresin,” he said to the nurse. “This is Lieutenant Floyd’s sister. She would like to see him.”

“Go on back, Lieutenant.”

Jake led you down the hallway before hooking a left and stopping at a door. You sucked in a breath. “Do you want me to go in with you?” he asked.

You shook your head. “No. I need to do this myself.”

He nodded. “I’ll be in Natasha’s room. Two doors down.”

He slipped down the hall and you let out your breath, fingertips closing on the door handle, pushing it open.

Bob laid on the bed against the wall. He was ghostly looking, so pale he practically blended in with the sheets. His glasses were sitting on the table to his left. There were bandages across his legs and arms, what looked like a burn mark on his cheek. His breath was shallow, but he was doing it on his own without the support of machines.

You sat down on the chair next to his bed, taking his hand in yours. His was cold, limp. How many times had you held Bob’s hand? Crossing the street as a kid. During your high school graduation. When your mean uncle Alan yelled at the two of you for spilling his vodka soda.

“Hi,” you whispered. “It’s Ducky. You probably know that, right? What’s it like in there? Just a weird ass dream probably. Where you’re doing something insane like eating popsicles but they turn into those blow up banana boats and suddenly you’re in the Caribbean and you don’t know how you got there. Anyway, it’s me. You scared the shit out of me, you dick.” You paused. “Out of us.”

You placed one hand on your stomach.

“I know you’re mad at me. And guess what? I’m mad at you, too. For going down, even though you always said I shouldn’t worry. How could I not worry? You’re all I have. I know we didn’t leave things on good terms. And I’m still not happy with your reaction to everything. But you’re my brother. And I love you. So come home, Bobby,” you murmured. “God, just come home.”

***

Bradley drove you home in Bob’s truck. He lingered in the driveway to the apartment complex, two hands on the wheel, car lingering in park. “I’ll bring the truck by tomorrow,” he said. “Jake can drive you to the hospital in the morning.”

You opened the door. “Thanks.”

“Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

Bradley sighed. “It was bad up there. For all of us.”

You had only known Bradley for a few months. But he was usually jovial, happy, the life of the party. In that moment, there was a sullenness that you recognized. It was what you felt like looking in the mirror. You leaned over and put your hand on his forearm. “You’re safe now,” you whispered. “It’ll be OK.”

He nodded and you smiled, slipping out of the door and closing it, waving as he drove away.

The apartment was quiet. Jake had left a light on in the kitchen hanging over the island, but the rest of the apartment was empty. You slipped into your room, changing into a pair of pajamas and laying down, staring blankly at the ceiling. Despite everything, knowing that Jake was one room away made the silence more tolerable. It felt safe to sleep again.

Until you woke up to screaming.

You shot up in bed, hands clutching at the covers bunched around your hips, heart racing. There was a grunt, and then a muffled yell. You tiptoed to the door, cracking it open, peering through the slit. The hallway was dark and quiet. Then another stifled yell pierced the silence and your eyes turned.

Jake.

You stepped out into the hallway, easing open his door. Jake laid on the bed, thrashing, shirtless, moaning terribly into his pillow.

“Jake,” you whispered, but it did nothing. “Jake!”

His eyes snapped open and he stood up in under a second, a soldier preparing for battle. “What is it? Is it the baby?” he demanded.

You shook your head, crossing your arms over your chest. “It’s you. You were having a nightmare.”

“Fuck.” He sat down on the edge of the bed, putting his head in his hands. “I’m sorry I woke you up.”

“It’s OK.”

“No, it’s not. Nothing is OK.”

“Were you dreaming about it?” you asked quietly. Jake looked up, green eyes wide. You shrugged. “Bobby used to, too. After the first time he went down. I came home for Christmas and he woke up every single night that break, screaming. Just screaming.”

“It was my fault,” Jake said softly.

You crossed the room, sitting next to him on the bed. “What?”

“It was my job to look out for them. I was her wingman. And I fucked up. I looked away and I didn’t see them get shot down.”

“It’s part of the job. You can’t protect them every second and protect yourself. It’s just not possible.”

“You’re not going to forgive me, are you?” he asked.

“What?”

“If they don’t wake up. You’ll hold it against me forever.”

“The only person to blame would be Bobby. For picking such a stupid fucking job,” you whispered. You expected Jake to laugh or at least brighten up, but he didn’t. To your surprise, you reached out, taking his hand in yours. It was warm and large. “I care if you make it back, you know. I know you think that I only care about Bobby. But it’s not just me and him anymore. It’s all of us.”

“I still feel like I let you down.”

“You’re acting like he’s dead,” you replied, voice hardening. “He’s not. He’s not dead. He can’t be dead.” Your voice started to climb and Jake sensed the wildness in your words.

“No, shh, it’s OK. That’s not what I meant.” His thumb stroked your palm softly. “God, we’re two messes, aren’t we?”

“Speak for yourself,” you replied. “I’m perfect.”

Jake smiled softly, one edge of his lip curling up. “Yeah, sure. Perfect.”

“Are you OK?” you asked. “Do you, uh, want me to stay?”

At that, Jake grinned. “A sleepover?”

You rolled your eyes, standing up. “Nevermind, you’re a preteen boy.”

“Y/N.” Jake grabbed your hand, pushing to stand so the two of you were face-to-face, only a few inches apart. He wound his arms around your body, tugging you in, pressing your face to his chest. You could feel the warmth of his muscular body through your thin pajama set. He smelled like sweat and mint. A familiar rush traveled through your senses. When he let go, you were slow to release him. “I’m glad you’re here.”

You held Jake’s hand for a moment before dropping it. “Ditto.”

***

For two days you sat next to Bob’s bed, waiting for him to wake up. Sitting on the chair at his side. Lying on the edge of the bed, careful not to jostle his IVs. Finally, a nurse offered a roll out cot after Jake griped about how you were sitting.

“It’s going to hurt your back,” he warned.

“Not all of us are geriatric,” you replied.

You tried to read, but words only held your attention for a paragraph before you got distracted by the pulsating beeps of the machines or the sound of someone scrambling down the hallway or shouting in the distance. Jake and Bradley weaved in and out of the room, going between Bob and Phoenix.

Until one day, Bradley poked his head through the door. “She’s awake.”

You practically fell out of your chair you pushed it back so hard, rounding the corner and down the hall, skidding to a stop in front of the door to Phoenix’s room. She sat up in the bed, dark hair loosely tied in a braid. Her eyes looked deep set and tired. “Hey,” she said as you entered the room. Jake stood at her side, eyes wide.

“Hi,” you said quietly. “How are you feeling?”

“Like shit.”

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry.” She blurted it out like she couldn’t spit it out fast enough. “I fucked up and I didn’t see them coming and I–”

“You did the best you could,” you said, inching closer. “I know you love him, too.”

Jake and Bradley watched as you leaned forward, wrapping your arms around Phoenix’s shoulders, letting her head fall against your neck, her quiet tears soaking your shirt.

“Can we have a minute?” you asked, pulling away, looking at Jake and Bradley. Bradley nodded while Jake frowned, but the two of them left the room. You turned back to Phoenix. “I have to know. What happened up there?”

Phoenix sighed, launching into a full analysis of the flight. How the other plane came from nowhere. How she and Bob started plummeting to the ground before they could even realize. How they barely had time to eject.

You nodded along. When she was done, you asked, “What about Jake?”

“What about him?”

“Last night. He said something. I think he blames himself.” You paused. “I guess I’m asking if he should.”

“As much as I want to say yes,” Phoenix said and you sucked in a deep breath, “no, he’s not to blame. There was barely time to turn your head up there, let alone make a decision. It’s all instinct at some point. And even that isn’t very helpful at times.”

You let out the breath sharply. “Thank you.”

“He’s not as bad as he seems,” Phoenix added. “Unfortunately.”

You smiled. “Yeah, I’m starting to realize that.” You stood up. “I’ll let you rest.”

“He was upset,” Phoenix said and you turned. “Bob. He said he left things with you on bad terms before the flight. I should have known better. He wasn’t ready to be up there.”

“Let’s hope he wakes up,” you replied quietly. “So we can both kick his ass.”

Please follow my library page @ereardonlibrary as that will largely serve as my tag list. Anyone I previous promised to tag is here:

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ohtobeleah · 1 year

Note

I was having such a relaxing evening and now I’m stressed. 🥲

Thought I’d used this ^^ as our update post because it was too good not to hahah. As always, here’s the Terms of Endermeant Masterlist if you need to catch up. (Fun fact, this is the 20th chapter of ToE wtf…..

Warnings: Mentions of domestic abuse & violence. Gun related themes. Bradley Bradshaw x F!reader.

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~*

“Hangman’s Direct Hits?” You chuckled softly at the name of the playlist Bradley showed you on his phone. The one he was listening to out loud, the one that filled the void. The one Jake had made in his spare time. “Is he actually that sure of himself?” He couldn't be helped, at this point Jake Seresin was a lost cause.

“Man has two air to air kills, he’s gotta be.” Bradley mumbled back as he watched your eyelids fight to stay open. “None of us are gonna boost that ego of his any higher than it already is.” It was late, your hospital room was dark, and you’d been given some pretty stellar painkillers for your shoulder. “You know, you should get some rest bubs.”

Bradley liked to use his time in the hospital working on his laptop. He had a grand plan. He’d managed to swindle the blueprints and schematics of his home from the realestate the Navy went through. He was, as he sat with his feet kicked up at the bottom of your bed with his hood pulled over his head, rendering a 3D digital composite of Odette's new room. The one he’d promised her. The one he was going to make perfect for a perfect little girl who held his entire heart captive.

She wanted yellow polkadots. Or lellow as she specifically said as they looked at paint samples in home depot the other day. Bradley wasn’t all too keen on the lellow polkadots, but he’d meet the three year old half way and do her up a feature wall that could easily be repainted if need be. So long as he could do a composite imagine to see exactly what these lellow polkadots looked like amongst the digital curtains and bed frame.

After all, he wasn't just a pretty face.

“Come lay with me?”

“I’m content here, I’m just working on some things while I have the time.” Bradley replied through a yawn of his own. He didn’t sleep much when he was in the hospital with you. He chose to stay by your bedside the nights he stayed. He got maybe one or two broken hours here and there but other than that he was running on pure steam. “Get some rest gorgeous.”

“I think you need some rest too.” You mumbled back as your head lulled to the side. “There's room? If you wanna lay down for a little while?” It wasn't much of a statement, but a plea laced in temptation. Bradley raised a single eyebrow as he peered over the top of his laptop screen. “Plenty of room for you Roos.” The way you said his name made Bradleys core temperature rise. His cheeks flushed a crimson rose’ at the fleeting thought of you. But he shook his head and sent you a soft bashful smile that could have swooned the entirety of the moulin rouge.

“Such a little minx aren't you.” Bradley adjusted himself quickly in his sweats as he shook his head at the sight of your tight lipped smile. You still had bands in your mouth, keeping your jaw shut and in place. Your shoulder was still immobilised for another ten weeks before an incredible amount of physiotherapy would begin to get you back on track.

“Just miss you is all.” Bradley never thought his heart could break anymore than it already had over the last few weeks, but hearing you say you missed him when he was sitting right in front of you made his heart explode inside his chest–it sent shrapnel into his organs and from the shock of your admission he forgot how to breathe. “So much.”

Bradley didn't say anything in response, he let his actions speak louder than any words he could say. He pressed his lips together and sighed through his nose, he shut his laptop and carefully placed it on the table before he turned back to you, gesturing for you to shove over.

Which you happily did.

Bradley laid in the bed that wasn't big enough for the both of you as you curled into his side the best you could. He let you rest your head on his chest and intertwin your legs with his as he wrapped an arm around you. Drawing you as close as he possibly could.

“For what it's worth, I can't wait until you’re outta this hospital.” For the second time in the space of three minutes you broke Bradley Bradshaw's heart just by proxy as you played with the string of his hood and closed your eyes to hopefully coax yourself into a dreamscape filled with better tomorrows.

“For what it's worth, I can't wait until I can have my life back.”

***~***~***~***~***~***

“Amilia! Slow down!” Reuben shouted as he ran after his sister in law down the pathway of their quiet suburban parkway. “Slow down!”

“Run fucking faster!” Amilia shouted as she ran till her lungs felt like they were on fire and her legs felt heavy and the bottoms of her feet hurt from pounding against the bitumen. But she wouldn’t slow down, not until she got to Jake. “Hurry up! Payback he’s hurt! Dots in trouble!”

Reuben had been out on the back porch with his wife enjoying a glass of red under the festoon lights he’d just installed. Everyone knew why work had been called off until further notice, it left a sour taste in the mouths of everyone that knew you. But that didn’t mean the Daggers couldn’t enjoy just a little bit of happiness where they could.

At least Reuben got a good ten minutes of peaceful enjoyment out of his newest home improvement job before Amilia came barreling out in a fit of panic, screaming about how someone was in Jake's home down the street.

Amilia was a personal trainer by trade, sure she could pour a beer and make up a fancy cocktail if need be but what she did best was putting her body to the test day in day out in more ways than one. So even though her feet hurt from running barefoot and her lung’s caught on fire from her unregulated breathing pattern—she willed herself to give just a little more.

“Four percent more—just four percent more.” She kept running, so fast and so panicked that by the time she finally reached Jake's front lawn she swore she had no oxygen left in her lungs to shout his name into the darkness that had consumed his humble abode. Reuben was hot on her tail, still confused as to why they were both running down the block in the middle of the night in their pyjamas. “JAKE!”

“Amilia, what the hell is going on?” Reuben asked as he watched his sister in law frantically pull at the front door handle. It was locked. “It’s locked—“

“Won’t be for long.” If Jake had a dollar for every time the window panel beside his front door had been busted this month he'd have two whole dollars. Which wasn’t exactly a whole lot of money but when you stopped to think about why a glass panel would be broken in that small of a timeframe, it was a little odd. “Watch out.” With all her might and a groan that came from somewhere deep inside her soul—Amilia Fisher smashed her elbow into the glass panelling beside Jake Seresins front door. It cut her up pretty good but she didn’t care. All that mattered was getting inside and as she reached her arm through and over to the handle like a pro—Reuben wondered for a minute if his sister and law had done this before.

The answer was yes. Yes she had. In a past life.

“Jake!” Amilia shouted through the dark home. “Reu he went to the garage to check the breaker box, where’s the door to the garage?”

“Over to the left past the kitchen—I’ll check on Odette.” The pair wasted no time in going their respective ways through the darkness of Jake Seresins home. Payback was still afraid of the dark—he knew it was an irrational fear but that’s what irrational fears were. Fucking Irrational. But he fought off his own demons as they swarmed his mind. He raced up the stairs with a pounding heart and a heavy set of lungs, he turned down the hall to where he knew his friend's bedroom was. Hoping the little girl who’d stolen the hearts of an entire squadron of Naval Aviators was still sound asleep in the safety that was her uncle Jake's bed.

“Amilia said Jake was hurt?” Chelsea tried to comprehend what she’d managed to figure out in the flurry that had been her panicked sister's rampage through the house. “She took off Bob, ran out the door like some mad woman screaming bloody murder.”

“We’re on our way.” Bob hated the fact he was riding shotgun in his own car, but it wouldn’t come close to how much Rhett hated driving Bob's Suzuki Jimny. “Less than five minutes.” Bob and Rhett were only around the corner when Amilia found Jake.

“Oh my god—“ She froze at the sight she saw in the corner of the garage as she flashed the flashlight on her phone and caught a glimpse of Jake on the ground in a puddle of blood. “Oh god, Jake!” She was by his side in seconds. “Oh no oh fuck oh Christ I’ll need to see a fucking chiropractor after this!” She huffed as she lifted the full limp weight of Jake from his stomach and flipped his unconscious self onto his back. His head lulled to the side. His eyes were closed and non responsive. He was out like a light. “Hey—hey!” Amilia tapped Jake's cheek softly at first but that impatience and worry grew into a harsher slap that left a sting in its wake. “Jake for the love of god please wake the fuck up.”

This wasn’t what Amilia thought she would be doing during her time in the good old U S of A.

“Mmm—“ Jake's eyelids fluttered as he let out a soft groan. “Mmm—“

“Hey it’s me, it’s Amil—“ Before Amilia could get her name out of her mouth Jake's eyes shot out of his head in shock as adrenaline rushed through his veins, with a loud gasp Jake did the unthinkable. His arm shot up and soon enough his hand had wrapped itself around Amilias throat. Tight.

“Ja—!” She clawed at his fist as he restricted her airways, but it didn’t take long for the fog to fade from his mind. “Stop! It’s—it’s me!” Jake immediately pulled his hand away as he snapped out of his trance like state and sat up to hold Amilia to his chest as she coughed and splattered in his embrace. His hand trailed into her hair as he held her close in shock horror at what he’d done.

He could never take that back. Jake had two confirmed air to air kills—but choking Amilia Fisher was officially the worst thing he’d ever done.

“I’m so sorry—“ Jake couldn’t believe what he’d just done. “I’m so fucking sorry.” Why he did that he’d never know, but he couldn’t ever take it back. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? Wh—“ As Jake pulled away to take Amilia in, he saw the blood dripping down her forearm from her elbow. “You’re bleeding?”

“So are you!” Amilia snapped as she tried not to think about the fact she’d just been choked by a guy she really liked after she’d just run out of her brother-in laws house in the middle of the night. “Your head, you’ve got a nasty gash Jake you probably have a concussion.” Then it dawned on him, where was Odette in all of this? “We should get you to the hospital—“

“Where’s Odette?” Jake grumbled as he tried to sit up, his vision blurred and his head spun as he did so. Amilia was quick to help him up with a hand pressed into his back and the other wrapped in his hand. “Where is she? Where’s Dot?”

“Reubens here, he’s gone to see if she’s alright—“

“What happened?” Jake was barely able to keep his head straight on his shoulders, it wasn’t good—there was far too much blood for Amilia to be comfortable with as she looked at the back of Jake's head as he slouched into her. “My head—“ He pouted, Jake's bottom lip poked out and quivered as he tried to regulate his breathing. “Hurts.”

“It’ll buff out.” Amilia shrugged her shoulders as she tried to lighten the mood. She assessed the damage, he was definitely not in a good way. Jake just frowns at her, he was so in love but did she really just say that? What the fuck did that even mean? “Here, can you stand?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m good.” Jake wasn’t good, he wasn’t alright and he certainly couldn’t stand on his own. He clung to Amilia for dear life as she called his bluff and pulled him up off the ground of his garage. “Woah—“ Jake clung to Amilia tight as she wrapped his arm around her shoulders and placed a gentle hand to his chest.

“Okay big guy, where’s your keys?” Amilia asked as she walked with Jake back into his house slowly but surely. Darkness still consumed the humble abode, but through the darkness came a shining light from a phone that was heading back down stairs. “She alright? Have you got her?”

“Shhhh—“ Reuben replied as he made his way down stairs with a sleeping Odette in his arms. Her face was pressed against his collar as he carried her. “She’s still asleep, she’s fine, she’s alright.”

“What the fuck happened?” Jake was still bleeding, his blood was all over Amilias hands. She had a pretty nasty gash herself from the glass she’d busted and now that Jake knew his niece was safe? He really felt the pain settling in.

“You’re real pretty you know that right?” Amilia could feel the heat rising in her cheeks as she looked to her brother in law who stood there with a shit eating grin smeared across his face. “So pretty Oz.” Jake cooed as he leaned on Amilia for support. The nickname made her heart skip a beat inside her chest as she felt her core temperature rise to new heights yet to be reached. “Hey, we were meant to go on that date tomorrow–” Payback raised an eyebrow at Jake's omission, Amilia hadnt mentioned that to anyone.

“A date huh Oz?” Yep, that was gonna stick like super glue.

“Let’s get you up to the hospital.” Amilia tried to steer the conversation back on track as she held Jake up. She sent Reuben a look to shut the fuck up as she did so. This was not the time nor the place to be talking about her love life.

“Hangman!?” Bob came bounding through the front door like he was expecting a murder scene to be unfolding before him. “You okay? What happened?” Amilia was already sick of that question, she didn't even know herself what really happened. All she knew for sure was that someone intentionally meant to hurt her Flyboy. “Oh my god you’re bleeding.”

“The girl alright?” Rhett asked a little more nonchalantly, Reuben nodded in response before Rhett vanished into the garage, looking for the power box. He flipped the power back on and suddenly it became blindingly apparent how much blood Jake Seresin had lost and just how much intent behind the force he’d been struck with was there.

“Son of a bitch is lucky he’s still standing.” Rhett mumbled out as he made his way back into the house. “There’s an awful lot of blood on the ground.”

“We’re heading to the hospital right now.” Amilia replied, she was still carrying most of Jake's weight as his head lulled towards her.

“Your hair smells like Strawberries–” Jake mumbled as he found himself consumed by the scent of Amilias hair. Rhett frowned and tried to stifle a laugh. “And cream, strawberries and cream.” Everyone did their best to ignore the clearly delirious aviator who hung from Amilia like she was his life support.

“Who’s gonna take Dot?” Payback asked. The gears turned and the cogs moved inside Rhett Abbotts mind as he stood there with arms crossed and dark eyes. His rugged, rather unhinged persona did a world of good when it came to protecting the people he loved. But it served as a mask of his own sometimes too. No one expected Rhett to advocate for you, hell they all thought the last place he wanted to be was here caught up in all this mess.

But when the question of who would look after Dot lingered in the air, Rhett was the first to give a legitimate and wholehearted response.

“She should come to the hospital, Fe’s been driving me crazy about seeing her.” Bob could read between the lines, he knew Rhett cared. He knew Rhett was just thinking of you and your best interest. He’d been the one who sat with you day in and day out for a week straight while Jake and Bradley rotated in and out. “I can take her.”

“Someone should call Rooster, let him know what’s happened.” Payback added as he handed Dot over gently. Rhett took her on his hip and within a second she was sinking against him like she was in the safest arms in the world. He smiled genuinely as her squished cheek against his shoulder and Bob knew in that moment his brother would do just about anything to keep Odette safe.

They all would.

“I'll call–” Amilia was the first to put her hand up. “I’ll call him from Jake’s phone on our way over.”

“I’ll take Dot straight up the Fe’s room.” Rhett followed the pair out of the house. Amilia just nodded as she guided Jake towards his truck. “He got a booster?” Rhett opened the back of the truck and confirmed what he’d just asked before Amilia even had a chance to ponder the question. “Alright, do you want me to drive or are you good?”

Amilia couldn’t even reach the clutch, suddenly the old statesman Reuben let her drive around with the mismatched pins in the roofing wasn’t that big of a car.

“Uh—no, maybe you should drive.”

***~***~***~***~***~***~***

There wasn’t a lot in this world Jaidyn Dolan cared about. He cared about his reputation as a fine Naval Aviator, he cared about his car, his collection of watches that cost a pretty penny. He cared about what products he used and if they were organic and ethically sourced. But the thing he cared about the most in this world was his pride, his ego—and most importantly he cared about making sure you knew that crossing boundaries and understanding that you couldn’t just walk away from him like he didn’t waist the best years of his life trying to turn you into the household slave he desired.

“Hollow point—“ The man who sat in the car mumbled as he handed Jaidyn the box of bullets he’d asked for from a friend of a friend of a friend. “You planning on doing some damage brother?” Jaidyn didn't respond as he pocketed the box—he was on a warpath. He’d never been more ready to seek revenge for everything you’d done to him, everything you put him through. From having that fucking kid he told you to abort, to leaving him in that air bnb he had brought his buddies back to, for fucking around with Jake Seresin behind his back. For making him feel like less than a man should.

He knew you’d fuck him, there was no way you hadn’t. A guy like Hangman didn’t hang around for less than getting his dick wet. Jaidyn knew the guy long enough and well enough to understand that Jake chased pussy like he was playing in peak hour traffic.

“Nah—damage was done ages ago.” Jaidyn finally replied as he looked out across the street to where Bradley Bradshaw's empty house stood shrouded in darkness. “I’m just cleaning up loose ends.”

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

“Hey man s’going on? Dot alright?” Bradley’s ringtone was what drew him out of his light sleep he’d fallen victim to as you laid your head on his chest. How you were able to sleep he never knew, but with enough pain killers to put an elephant into a state of euphoria—he was able to understand.

“It’s uh, it’s Amilia—“ She could help the panic in her voice but she knew it was unmistakably noticeable as she sat in the back seat of Jake’s truck with Dot in her booster seat.

“What happened?” Rooster didn’t need to say anything more before Amilia was filling him in. She was giving him every detail about the events that transpired that she could recall with quick haste. “Slow down, Ams—slow down yeah? Where are you now? Who’s with Odette?” Bradley could barely keep up as his feet padded along the laminate flooring of your hospital room.

“We’re on our way to the emergency department. Rhett said he’s gonna bring Odette up, it’s the safest place for her to be I guess.” Bradley couldn’t help but to smile as he turned back to where you laid still sleeping soundly in the hospital bed.

Rhett cared—they all knew it even if the guy was too stubborn to admit it.

“Okay, yeah—” Bradley knew it would be a good thing, you had been apart from your little girl for far too long now. Longer than anyone really thought you'd be. He watched the rise and fall of your chest as you slept soundly, knowing that when you woke up and saw your little girl was here–all would be right with the world again. “Yeah, bring her up.”

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

In the middle of the night while all was quiet and all those who cared enough to worry about the safety and security of Jake fucking Seresin we’re pre-occupied, Jaidyn Dolan took no safety precautions as he broke his way into the back kitchen window of Bradley’s home.

He was a man who had nothing but everything to lose. Not an ounce of sanity or stability remained in his mind as Jaidyn stood in the kitchen, looking around to see the dirty dishes still in the sink. Sippy cups and rubber suction plates told him that little Odette had been here and would be back. If there was a sure fire way to break whatever hope, whatever strength, whatever chance of a life you had after Jaidyn that you so desperately wanted, he knew to go through that little pest you called a daughter and take Bradshaw out in the process.

“What’s Rooster Boy got prepared for me this evening?” Jaidyn mumbled to himself as he placed the handgun he’d managed to get his hands on ontop of the kitchen bench. The same kitchen bench that Bradley sat Dot at for breakfast while he’d cook her pancakes.

Jaidyn opened the fridge like he was right at home and peered in to find exactly what he was looking for. “Ah, good to see you’re good for something Bradshaw—“ He snickered to himself as he reached in to grab the neck of the beer bottle sitting on the shelf of the door. “Don’t mind if I do.”

He was in no hurry, Jaidyn knew from his research, his reconnaissance—that nobody would be home for hours. He had time. Time to dick around, time to go through Bradley Bradshaw's entire life. Time to sit and stew. Time to enjoy a beer and eat the leftover pasta bake that Bradley had half hazardly covered in his haste to get out the damn door. He had time to look through the boxes of unpacked things he carried over from Jake’s place, going through the things you’d started to rebuild your life from the ground up with. Work clothes, Dots toys, sentimental possessions you'd begun to replace.

“Huh—“ Jaidyn took a sip of the beer he’d stolen from Bradley’s fridge as he stopped by the mantelpiece above the fireplace. Photo frames sat collecting a light covering of dust, from old family photos to new photographs that captured the love and warmth that was you and Bradley. Little Odette between the two of you in some, one of her sitting on her Toosters shoulders told Jaidyn all he needed to know.

He was irrelevant.

“Fucking pathetic—“ Jaidyn growled as he snatched the picture frames off the mantelpiece and smashed the frame on the corner. The old worn photo slipped out from the glass with ease. Jaidyn took the pack of smokes he carried from his back pocket and lit the cigarette he held between his lips. As he took a long draw of the nicotine and settled into his surroundings. Without a second of regret or remorse, Jaidyn took the lighter to the edge of the photo and watched it burn.

Jaidyn watched as Nick and Carole Bradshaw burned up into nothing but ash with a wicked smile the devil himself would have been scared of.

“Fucking pathetic—“

***~***~***~***~***~***~***

“Rhett!” Amilia groaned as she stumbled her way across the car park into the emergency department with Jake slung over her shoulder. “Would you give me a hand here? for crying out loud!”

Rhett slowed his strides down to a halt as he waited for Amilia to catch up. He thought she’d been right, but assuming made an arse out of him.

“Ere—you take Odette, give me Seresin.” Rhett gestured and Amilia was happy to oblige. “Thought you were right, my bad.” Amilia shook her head as if to say it wasn’t a huge deal. “You want me to take him in or do you wanna take Odette up to her ma?” Amilia settled the little girl on her hip as she mulled over the option she had as she walked with Rhett—who was now carrying the deadweight of Jake. “Fuck he’s a heavy bastard isn’t he.”

“I heard that—“ Jake grumbled under his breath as he tried his best to step in toe with Rhett.

Amilia didn’t want to leave Jake's side, she was beginning to develop real feelings for this guy. Fast and all consuming too. She’d never felt like this before, so sure of someone. So trusting. She didn’t want Jake to feel like he couldn’t trust her to stay by his side when he so clearly needed someone.

“I’m pretty cut up, should probably get cleaned up too—might be best if you take Dot and I stay with Jake but I’ll head up after.” Rhett chuckled to himself, he knew that was going to be the answer. He knew a lost cause when he saw one because it was like he was looking in the fucking mirror.

“Sure Oz.” Rhett nodded as he placed Jake down on one of the empty hospital chairs with a groan. “I won’t tell your boyfriend here that you didn’t wanna leave his side, wouldn’t wanna inflate his ego and make him all the more harder to lug around.” Amilias jaw nearly hit the ground in shock.

“He isn’t my boyfriend rodeo clown.” She snapped. “He’s just a mate—“

“Right right, my bad then.” Rhett gestured for Amilia to hand him over Dot. “Guess your mate here’s pretty lucky to have a friend in you isn't he.” Amilia truly did believe Jake was lucky in a sense—if he hadn't kept her on the phone, who knows how long he would’ve been left to bleed all over his garage floor. She didn’t respond until she was sitting beside Jake in an empty chair, watching one of the emergency triage nurses come over as she popped on some latex gloves.

“Luckiest bastard alive if you ask me.” Amilia cooed as she pushed some of Jake's bloody blonde locks behind his ear, admiring his profile as Rhett took in the sight. Damn—if that was just friendship he’d been doing it wrong his entire life. “Luckiest bastard alive.”

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

“Aw hell kid.” It didn’t take long for Rhett to make it to your room. Dot was, as she had been all night through all the chaos and all the drama, groggy and sleepy. She clung to Rhett’s jacket like he was her very lifeline, a protector she felt safe in the arms of. “You’re kinda cute aren’t ya.”

“That she is.” Bradley chuckled as he met Rhett in the hall just outside your door. Dot heard her Toosters voice and was quick to rub her eyes to see if she was really seeing him standing with open arms ready to take her in or if she was still dreaming.

He was there. He was always there.

“Tooster—“ Dot mumbled through a pouted bottom lip.

“Hi baby, I’ve got you.” He groaned as he took her from Rhett, the little tot had been passed around more tonight than she had been her entire life. “Gonna see mama, you ready?” Dot nodded silently with tired eyes.

“That Fisher bird was pretty switched on tonight.” Rhett made sure to mentioned as he trailed behind Rooster. “He’s pretty banged up, if she wasn’t there when she was I can't imagine the state he’d be in.”

“We know for sure it was Dolan?” Bradley asked as he placed Dot down onto the bed and watched with tears in his eyes as Dot immediately curled up and snuggled into your chest. You were still under some pretty intense pain medication. All you did in reaction was pull your little girl closer, as close as you could possibly bring her. Even asleep you were her most fearsome protector. “Like this wasn’t just a random break and enter?”

“Would that be any better?” Rhett asked as he crossed his arms over his chest and stood at the base on your hospital bed.

“I’d rather it be random than intentional Abbott.” Bradley sighed as he leaned in to kiss your forehead gently. “My girls huh, what would I ever do without the two of you.” He felt like his little family was finally on the mend. “How’s Amilia holding up? After—“

“Oh yeah, nah home among the gumtrees down there is fine, got a few cuts on her forearm but nothing an amputation and a couple for beers won’t fix.” Bradley couldn’t help but to chuckle as he sat back in his chair. Rhett laughed along at his own tease before the two men settled into the slice once more and listened to the steady beating of your monitors. “She should be able to go home soon, you know.” Rhett hinted. “You got everything sorted?”

“Not even close.” Bradley groaned as he reached out for his laptop. “I’m stuck on the yellow polkadots.” Rhett wasn’t proud of all the punches he’d thrown in the name of someone he no longer knew, but watching as you and your daughter slept soundly like two peas in a perfect pod, he knew he’d die for you both before he ever let anyone ever hurt the two of you again.

“You sure do make domestic bliss seem riveting.” Bradley smiled in response, it was all he ever really wanted and whoever was playing the game that was life up stairs was truly making him work for it. “If you guys are good here I might head home.”

“Tell Bob there’s a beer in the fridge for him if he gets a chance to swing by my place in the morning.” Rhett turned on his heels soon after he’d acknowledged Bradley’s comment.

Bob didn’t drink, but it was always offered nevertheless.

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***

“Okay Jake, this might sting a little but you’re gonna be fine.” Doctor Taylor explained as he injected numbing fluid into the back of Jake's skull. Amilia sat close by, having her own war wounds attached to.

“How’d you get these bruises?” One of the triage nurses asked Amilia as they cleaned up her forearms and picked out the small fragments of glass still embedded in her arm.

“I’m not here about the bruises, I know enough about your healthcare system to know I don’t need anymore than the bare minimum care thanks.”

“Your travel insurance should cover most of the expenses.” It was clear Amilia had struck a nerve with the nurse who’d been tending to her not so emergent aid as she packed up her things and left.

“Lucky me.” Amilia rolled her eyes as she jumped off the exam bed she’d been perched on and made her way over to where Jake was sitting. “How’s he holding up doc? Got all his brain cells?”

“Ha ha—“ Jake smiled a tight lip grin through the sharp sting of the needle being poked into his skull. His eyes trailed down to the bruises coming up nicely on Amilias neck. Jake's heart sank into his stomach. “I’m really—“ Amilia stopped Jake from talking as she placed a gentle hand to his knee and stood before him.

“Got nothing to apologise for.”

“Can you do me a favour?” Jake asked as he drank in the sight of Amilia as he tried not to think about the stitches being sewn into his skull. “Can you go see how Dot is? Just need to know she’s okay.” Jake knew Odette was safe, he was concussed but he wasn’t stupid.

“Sure Flyboy, I’m on it.” Amilia nodded silently with a small smile before she left the room. Jake waited a few seconds after she’d vanished from his sight before he cleared his throat.

Hey Doc?” Jake slurred. He just didn’t want Amilia to see what happened next. “I don’t feel so good.” Doctor Taylor raised an eyebrow as Jake fell forward from where he’d been sitting. He crashed to the floor in a heap unconscious—

Turns out that fear of needles he had as a child was still prominent. But that pride of his was far too important to have him fainting in front of the girl he just wanted a fucking date with already.

***~***~***~***~***~***~***

“Y/n, Y/n—listen to me.” Jake cooed as he held your face in his hands as you sat crying on the couch. Jake had been kneeling in front of you from the moment he found you in the state of distress you were in. You remembered this moment so vividly, so clearly in your mind that it had become a core memory. You’d just admitted that you were falling head over heels in love with Bradley Bradshaw and couldn’t understand why you’d let yourself do that after everything that had happened.

“I’m fucked Jake! I’m royally fucked!” The snot that came out your nose as you ugly cried made Jake laugh. He loved you oh so much but if he knew anything it was that you were about to become someone to Bradley Bradshaw and he, you.

“You deserve someone who can’t wait to talk to you every day you delirious delinquent!” Jake shook you softly. “Someone who can’t wait to spend time with you, get to know you, fall in love with you yeah?” He tried to remind you as his voice echoed inside your head. “Please stop settling for half hearted, lukewarm, hesitant and indecisiveness.”

The vision of Jake your memory had painted had slowly begun to fade as your eyes fluttered open. But not before the final sentence that stuck to you like super glue echoed through your mind. “It’s always gonna be better to be alone than to be with someone who makes you feel unworthy of love—but if you really like Rooster, take the leap Fe, you won’t regret it.”

The steady beeping of all your monitors was the first thing you focused on when you woke up. The second and most important thing you managed to focus on as you came out of your grogginess, was the little ball of warmth that curled up against you.

“Oh—“ Bradley heard the whimper like noise escape you as he looked up from his laptop, he’d moved past the yellow polkadot and onto possibly erecting a treehouse in the backyard like his dad had made him when he was just a kid. He was sure there was a photo on his mantlepiece of the man, the myth, the legend that was Nick Bradshaw standing with Bradley on his shoulder right in front of the newly built treehouse. “Oh my baby, my sweet baby girl.” You cuddled your daughter as tightly as he could with your arm still in a sling. Immobilised. With your jaw still locked. Banded. With your heart pounding inside your chest with a love so unconditional it would never fade.

“Hi mamma.” Dot cooed as she stirred in your arms and first the jumper of Bradley’s you wore. “I missed you.” Rooster just sat back and watched the moment he wished had come under better circumstances. He knew he’d have to tell you about Jake, about Jaidyn. But he’d do that in the morning.

“Oh darling you have no idea how much I missed you.”

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~*

Tags: @a-serene-place-to-be @lilyevanswhore @thescarletknight2014 @blindedbythelightt @averyhotchner @emma8895eb @blairfox04 @caitsymichelle13 @oxxolovemelikeyoudooxxo @teacupsandtopgun @aemondssiut @feltonswifesworld87 @akalei349 @notjustsomeblonde @americaarse @avaleineandafryingpan @phoenix1388 @xoxabs88xox @je-suis-prest-rachel @pono-pura-vida @rosiahills22 @starset21 @anarchyrising @caidi-paris @starkleila @criticalroleobssedperson @enchantingdreamergothprune @flrboyd @emma8895eb @endofdays56 @seresinsaint @topguncortez @mandylove1000

#terms of endearment// bradley bradshaw #rooster bradshaw imagine #bradley bradshaw fanfiction #bradley bradshaw #bradleybradshaw #rooster x you #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley 'rooster' bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x y/n #bradley bradshaw angst #terms of endearment #Jake hangman Seresin x oc

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topgun-imagines · 7 months

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Day 9: Pins And Needles

Pairings: Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw x fem!reader

Synopsis: Bradley isn’t taking too well to the aftermath of his recent accident. What happens when he takes it out on your children?

Warnings: Plane crashes, paralysis, hospitals, outbursts, injury, mentions of wheelchairs, panic attacks, mental breakdown, children, & brief mention of anger issues.

Word count: 1.6k

The joy and laughter that once filled your home was no longer there. Instead, the hallways were filled with a horrifying silence. A silence that grew and grew until it affected even your children. Once little balls of joy were now quiet most of the time. You hardly ever heard your little girl's laughter anymore, nor did you see your son very often anymore. The teenager had locked himself in his room and had refused to come out unless it was absolutely necessary. On top of all of that, you didn’t get to hear the sound of your husband playing piano.

Just over two months ago, your husband had been in an accident that had rendered him paralyzed from the waist down. Needless to say, the past nine weeks had been hell. Bradley was currently on a leave of absence from work and a part of you thought that he would never go back. However, he strongly disagreed. Bradley was working harder than ever to, as he put it, ‘fix himself’. You kept reminding him that it was okay for him to not be okay right away, that his body needed time to heal. But that all seemed to go in one ear and out the other.

He kept pushing himself, refusing to even consider the possibility of leaving the hospital. Instead, he chose to stay, spending as much time as possible in physical therapy. No matter how many times the team assured him that he could take his time getting better, he kept pushing himself harder and harder.

While you supported your husband through any hardship and with any decision he made, he hadn’t seen your children since the accident. They were really starting to miss their father. Nicky refused to come with you when you went to visit Bradley and despite your pleading, Bradley refused to let your daughter see him. You tried to stay strong for her, but you couldn’t help but let that break you inside.

However, today was the day that you were taking your children to see their father. You knew that it was against his wishes but you really didn’t care. Your children needed their dad. So, after much persuasion, you convince your son to come out of his room and come with you to the hospital. Your daughter couldn't help but feel giddy knowing that she was going to see her daddy. Your son, on the other hand, didn’t seem the least bit affected.

With the three of you packed into Bradley’s Bronco, you made the short drive to the military hospital. Your daughter was practically bouncing off the walls. A smile couldn’t help but blossom on your face at the sight of your little girl so happy. You were sure that Bradley would be elated to see his family. Sure, you understood that he needed his space, but it had been over two months since the kids had seen their father. They needed to know that he was okay.

As much as you would like to take credit for this brilliant idea, it wasn’t entirely yours. Jake had helped you plan the whole thing, making sure that Bradley would be a physio when you arrived that way the kids could surprise him. Your husband's wingman had been a large help during the whole ordeal. He had been there to help both Bradley and yourself, making sure that your husband was still somewhat taking care of himself even with how hard he was pushing and helping you manage the kids without your other half. Honestly, you weren’t sure what you would have done without him. The only times your son had left the house in the past two months was when Jake would take him on drives.

Of course, the rest of the Daggers had been a huge help, but Jake was the one that you could call in the middle of the night when you were having a breakdown and trust that he would be there for you within minutes. He was the one who stopped you from collapsing when Maverick first gave you the news of your husband's accident.

Before you knew it, you were pulling up to the building. Jake had agreed to meet you outside, and as promised, you found him leaning up against one of the back walls. For the first time in nearly a month, you saw your son smile. His face lit up at the sight of Jake. That alone was enough to bring you to tears. When you stepped out of the car, your daughter had already launched herself into Jake’s arms. You let out a watery chuckle at the sight. With a sad, understanding smile, Jake led you inside the building and to Bradley’s room.

For the next few minutes, the kids insisted on playing eye-spy with Jake. You chewed anxiously on your fingernail. What would happen if Bradley didn’t actually want all of you here? At the sound of your husband's voice coming from down the hallway, you knew that it was too late. Your husband sounded agitated. Instantly, there was a dark look on Jake’s face. Nerves surged through you. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Jake’s hold on your little girl tighten.

And then the door opened, revealing your husband in his wheelchair with a pissed-off look on his face. Your eyebrow pinched, not expecting to see him so upset. However, he froze at the sight of you and your children. “What are you doing here?” There was no hi, no excitement, nothing. The least you expected was a warm greeting. Not a cold, calculating stare that left you wondering why you ever came in the first place.

Jake’s face hardened even further. Your daughter, however, didn’t seem to pick up on the tension between the adults in the room. “Daddy!” She jumped down from Jake’s arms and ran toward her father. When her arms wrapped around him, careful of his remaining injuries, he didn’t even hug her back. Your son remained next to Jake, sensing the anger radiating off of his father.

“What are they doing here, Seresin?” With those six simple words, your stomach dropped. Your own husband wasn’t even going to address you. Or your children. Your daughter whispered for her father again, confused as to why he wouldn’t even look at her. Bradley avoided eye contact with everyone, jaw clenching. He only looked back at Jake after many moments of silence. “Answer the damn question.” You could see the tears well in your daughter's eyes from where you were standing.

With a small step forward, you tried to get through to your husband. “Bradley-” But he interrupted you before you could finish.

“Leave please.” Your son, who had remained glued to Jake’s side since his father rolled in, scoffed. With one glance at the young boy, Jake knew that was his way of keeping himself from breaking down. In that moment, Jake didn’t care what kind of promise he made to Bradley. You and your kids needed him more.

He stepped closer to your pissed-off husband, almost as if he was shielding Nicky from his father. “Bradshaw,” The blond pilot hissed. “Your kids wanted to see you.” He gestured down to your daughter who, at some point, had begun clinging to Jake’s leg. The tears now leaked down her face steadily and she sniffled against Jake’s jeans. The look in Jake’s eyes was one that you had never seen before. There was something about this situation that you were missing. And then it all came rushing back.

A few days ago, Jake came over during one of your breakdowns. It was then that he told you about Bradley’s outburst during physio. Your husband had become so upset over the fact that he couldn’t just do it that he had exploded on the kind nurse and Jake. According to Jake, that wasn’t the first time and by the looks of it, it wouldn’t have been the last. For the first time since you stepped foot into the room, Bradley looked into your eyes. They were bloodshot but that wasn't even what you noticed first. The first thing you noticed was the look of anger that was directed at you.

“Get out,” His tone left no room for argument. From beside you, you could see Jake wrap a protective arm around your son. Your baby girl sobbed as Jake hoisted her up and carried her out of the room. Not without glaring at your husband one more time. Now, it was only you and Bradley in the small room. Just like your daughter, you had tears in your eyes. However, you were trying as hard as you could to keep them at bay. His next words cut to the bone. “I don’t want you here.”

With a single nod, you left the room. Jake was outside waiting for you with a pained expression on his face. A shiver ran through you and your daughter cried harder when her father slammed the door on the four of you. Collapsing into Jake’s arms, the aviator held both you and your little girl as you cried. Even your son sniffled. Jake was quick to pull him into the hug, acting like more of a father in that moment than Bradley had in the past nine weeks.

a/n: thank you for reading! Join the taglist!

Tagging: @ohtobeleah @xoxabs88xox @oldermenaremyreligion @els-marvelvsp @kmc1989 @nyx2021 @mploopssek @callsignharper @seitmai @kellyls04

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say-al0e · 1 year

Text

Sleep Tight

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Jake Seresin knows he’s a good pilot. But what happens when skill and luck run out and you find your husband in the hospital for the first time. | Ft. Anon Request: “Should I stop talking?” “Please don’t. Your voice is… comforting. I’ve missed it.” + “Go to sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Warnings: Jake gets in an accident, hospitals, anxiety, questioning mortality, v knows nothing about medicine or Navy protocol, hurt/comfort, Dagger Squad is family; anything else, let me know and I’ll tag it.

Pairing: Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x fem!Reader

Word Count: 9.5k (Look, I see a pretty blonde southern man and I blackout. It is what it is.)

Hospitals had always been a source of - understandable - anxiety.

In your experience, nothing good ever happened in hospitals. It was where you were taken as a teenager, in desperate need of stitches after a schoolyard mishap; where your mother was taken when you were only seventeen, confined to a hospital bed after a particularly nasty car accident; where your brother was taken, face and uniform stained red after a football accident nearly took his eye.

The hallways were always too bright, the harsh scent of disinfectant always too strong, and certain sections rivaled only a library in terms of quiet. Getting the scent out of your nose, out of your clothes and off your skin, seemed next to impossible and the beeping of far off machines rang in your ears long after leaving. But, as life went on, you were fortunate enough to avoid hospitals, for the most part.

There was always a chance that would change upon meeting - and falling in love with - a Navy pilot. Every mission Jake went on, every training exercise he flew was a trip to the hospital in the making but he was too good for that. Human error or natural disaster, technical failure or birdstrike, freak accident or routine incident; Jake Seresin trusted himself and his skills enough for the both of you.

Once, early on in your relationship - not long after you realized it was love that kept you coming back to him, not just an appreciation for his pretty face - Jake grinned at your obvious but unspoken worry as he prepared for a mission. “I’m damn good at what I do, sweets,” he assured you, warm hands cupping your cheeks as he searched your eyes. “The best of the best. Don’t you worry about me.”

While you valued his trust and belief in his own abilities, Jake knew you still worried simply because you loved him. He appreciated it - told you once, in the darkness of your shared bedroom not long after you moved in together - but promised he would continue to do everything in his power to make it home to you. Regardless of how good he was, your worry only ceased when he stepped foot through your front door.

Jake himself worried, you knew that, though he buried it deep beneath a layer of bravado to keep from impacting him flying. Neither of you spoke of it and, really, you wouldn’t have known had you not fallen so ridiculously in love with him. Instead, you simply smiled and shook your head fondly as he paraded around, loud and proud.

The only thing you could do was hope beyond hope that he was right. However, hope only lasts so long.

A phone call from Javy was, usually, a good thing. More often than not, it was at Jake’s expense - tattling on something your husband did or said that would earn him an eye roll and an unimpressed look, poking fun at a mistake Jake made or a faux pas he committed, or, most recently, relaying the reason Hangman continued to draw the ire of other Naval officers.

Other calls were excited, bright declarations that he’d been sent something wonderful from home. You both shared an affinity for the chicory coffee his mother sent from New Orleans and, if asked, you never hesitated to help him whip up a batch of beignets to accompany it.

But you knew the moment the phone rang that it wasn’t a call you ever wanted to receive.

For nearly a week, a nagging, anxious feeling plagued you. Jake attempted to explain it away, reminded you that the holidays had rattled your nerves and you were simply stressed by the amount of work you’d returned to. There was an ever-growing to-do list pinned to the fridge and not enough hours in the day so you agreed, brushed it off and redirected your thoughts any time they veered into dimly lit territory, but it didn’t help much. And though Jake was destined to spend his first real week as a Top Gun instructor in a classroom, you made yourself feel just a little better by urging him to be careful, anyway.

That anxiety proved necessary when, instead of returning your greeting, Javy quietly informed you, “Jake’s in the hospital. I’ll meet you out front.”

As the words registered, the world seemed to fade around you. Whatever else he said - if anything at all - dissolved into a high-pitched ringing, lost to the ether, as “Jake’s in the hospital,” played on a loop.

For a long moment, you stood frozen. It felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over your head, chilling you to the bone as every horrible scenario you’d ever imagined and quickly brushed away suddenly became a reality. Dread filled the pit of your stomach as a weight settled on your chest, compressing until you feared your lungs might give, and your hands shook as you reached for you keys.

Try as you might to tell yourself that whatever landed Jake in the hospital likely wasn’t as serious as you were fearing, you knew that wasn’t the case. If it was simple - a few stitches, maybe an x-ray, possibly even another concussion - there was a good chance you wouldn’t have been notified until someone (likely Javy) drove him home.

With those thoughts plaguing you, everything between Javy’s phone call and your arrival at the hospital melded into a blur of trees and afternoon sun.

The hospital itself wasn’t that far from your new home, thankfully, but it was a miracle you made it in tact as the only thing on your mind was Jake. Javy himself likely didn’t know much and likely wasn’t supposed to be the one to call, however, you were grateful he had. Knowing that he was waiting for you, just as concerned about your husband, made the thought of stepping foot into the hospital just a little more tolerable.

True to his word, Javy waited near the entrance when you arrived. Seeing him stood there, worry crystal clear - obvious in the way he blinked just a little too fast, stood with slumped shoulders and furrowed brows as he folded his arms across his chest and tapped usually still fingers against his bicep - and only seeming to worsen as you rushed across the parking lot to meet him made catching your breath that much harder.

Seeing how shaken Javy was - usually so light and strong - made you feel as if you’d just run a marathon. Every step felt like a monumental task, each more difficult than the last, and your heart thumped so loud you worried everyone could hear. Tears pricked at the backs of your eyes, clumped in your throat and threatened to choke you, but you refused to break down when you still weren’t sure what you were walking in to.

“They won’t tell us anything yet,” he explained, forgoing any niceties as he ushered you inside. His voice was rough, quiet and solemn as he steered you down a long hallway, and you could feel the bile creeping up the back of your throat as he spared you a sidelong glance.

No one bothered to question you with Javy at your side. With his jaw set and shoulders squared, determined to keep himself composed (at least in part for your sake), you were thankful for his presence as he guided you through the brightly lit halls. In that moment, you were half-certain you would still be frozen in the middle of your kitchen had he not promised to be waiting, especially as he pushed open the door to the intensive care unit.

The weight pressing on your chest returned full force, heavier than before, as you realized where you were heading. Remaining upright took a concerted effort and, though he kept his distance, you could see Javy tense by your side, just in case.

Before you, a group of pilots - still dressed in flight suits, in various states of dishevelment after a day of work - crowded a doctor who looked more exasperated than anything. They filled the waiting room that was, mercifully, otherwise empty and you were unsurprised to see them. Though he hadn’t been back at Top Gun very long, Jake had finally found himself amongst friends and, like you, they all wanted answers.

Still, the doctor seemed reluctant to give them anything more than a stern look.

“Look,” he began, tone firm but not unkind, “I’m sorry. I understand your frustration but I cannot release any information at this time. Lieutenant Seresin’s commander or family can share information about his condition if they so choose.” It was as if he’d already repeated those exact words a thousand times over - which, based on all Jake had told you about the group, you assumed he had.

Jake could be personable when he chose, friendly and bright, but he’d never been the type to make friends easily in his line of work - especially with those he saw as competition, once upon a time. Since returning to Top Gun, however, the group of pilots had become something of a second family and you were grateful he’d managed to find a sense of belonging. It was clear that they cared about him deeply, despite their rocky start, and that made catching your breath just a little easier.

Though the tension grew more palpable the closer you stepped, there was no hesitation as you rounded the group to approach the doctor. None of them paid you any mind until you cleared your throat. “I’m his wife,” you announced, voice cutting through the aggravated chatter of the pilots as they continued to demand an answer.

In a split second, the group fell silent. Every set of eyes fell to you, all but two widening at your declaration, as Javy nudged a pair of pilots to the side to give you space. Their gazes burned into your skin, warmed your cheeks and would’ve been enough to send you stumbling under any other circumstances, but you paid them no mind.

With a shaking hand, you reached forward and introduced yourself to the doctor. From the corner of your eye, you could see the confusion written across every face as the group shared glances while the doctor scanned the file in his hand. You knew what was running through their minds but the questions could wait as you willed the doctor to speak.

“Mrs. Seresin,” he finally greeted, taking the hand you offered with a terse nod. “If you’ll come with me, I can give you an update on your husband’s condition.”

Javy remained close, gaze trained solely on you as you shook your head and folded your arms over your chest. “I’m just going to repeat everything you tell me,” you informed him, willing your voice not to shake. “Might as well say it here, that way I don’t leave anything out.”

Though it was clear he wasn’t pleased with your answer, the doctor nodded once more and began to explain Jake’s condition.

Most of the terminology went over your head, entered one ear and flew out the other, but you dutifully nodded along as he explained the steps they’d already taken to counteract the injuries he’d sustained. Javy hadn’t elaborated on what happened - and you weren’t sure you wanted to know - but the severity was made clear as you pieced together what little you could understand.

The doctor made it clear that Jake was lucky - he would claim skilled - to have made it and you could feel your knees growing weak as he explained that Jake was still in triage. The sting of your nails pressing into your forearm kept you tethered to the moment and inhaled slowly through your nose to keep your breathing even as he concluded.

“We’re going to keep Lieutenant Seresin sedated for now, until the swelling on his brain begins to go down, and then allow him to wake on his own. When he’s transferred to a room, you’ll be allowed to visit. Until then, you can wait out here,” he offered, gesturing to the empty lobby. “You’ll be notified the moment you can see him.”

With that, the doctor offered one more terse nod before turning to disappear through a door marked ‘staff only.’

For a long moment, the waiting room remained silent. There was a sharp ringing in your ears, drowning out the all too heavy thump of your heart, and you wondered if your breathing sounded as ragged as it felt. In the back of your mind, you were aware of the attention on you - the sets of eyes studying you for answers to a question no one knew existed - but the only set of eyes that you could meet belonged to Javy.

“You okay?”

The answer was no - he knew that, and wasn’t either, judging by the set of his jaw and the glassy sheen to his eyes - but neither of you were willing to admit it aloud. He was a solider, strong and tough, and you refused to play the part of weeping partner when you needed to believe that Jake would be alright. Strength mattered in that moment, composure in the face of tragedy, so you nodded.

“I’m fine,” you assured him, voice quiet but stronger than you hoped it would be. It was clear he didn’t believe you - no one would - but he didn’t question it. Instead, he returned your nod with one of his own and waited as you turned your attention to the group of pilots staring with uncertain frowns.

Javy took the initiative to introduce you, though it did little to answer the question on the tip of every tongue. Neither of you elaborated beyond your name and relationship with Jake and you could see that there were at least a dozen questions each of them wanted to ask. There was a quiet confusion, a bewilderment that would’ve made you laugh under different circumstances, even as they all politely agreed that it was nice to meet you.

If all had gone according to plan, Jake would’ve made the introduction himself and you would’ve smiled at their bewilderment as you stood with a strong arm tossed around your shoulders. There would’ve been an amused declaration that you hadn’t intended to keep your marriage a secret, an explanation that their friendship hadn’t existed when you wed and no one had questioned his relationship status since he returned.

Work had kept you in Lemoore a little longer than Jake, as had dealing with the last of the paperwork necessary to sell your home, and you’d jumped headfirst into a new position that kept you busier than you would’ve liked the moment you arrived in San Diego. You’d planned to visit the Hard Deck, join the fun and meet his friends, there just hadn’t been time.

Regret, bitter and biting, lingered in the back of your throat the moment you considered time. There were so many things you’d intended to do, so many plans you’d made with Jake, that had been delayed by the excuse of never having enough time. You were both focused on your respective careers - Jake, determined to make it to admiral someday; you, eager to follow your dreams - and never stopped to consider what might happen when time eventually ran out altogether.

Though Jake faced death relatively often - more often than the average person, certainly - the thought never really crossed your mind. Losing him was a fear that lingered, buried deep lest it immobilize you each time he set out for a flight, but it never felt like something that could become reality. Jake himself instilled that belief in you, urged you not to worry despite the circumstances he faced daily, and you’d clung tight to it.

Jake was too lucky, too confident, too good to die.

There’d always been all the time in the world, another day just around the corner, and the reality of the situation felt like a slap to the face as it suddenly dawned on you. There might never be another moment, might never be another day. All the plans you’d put off, all the plans you made; suddenly, there was a chance they would never come to fruition.

As the realization sank in, you could feel your knees growing weaker. The edges of your vision began to white and the bile crept higher and higher in your throat. Breathing was a chore, more and more difficult with every second that passed, and you were only vaguely aware of the hand at your elbow tugging you in the direction of uncomfortable wooden chairs.

Time passed slowly the moment you sat, crept by in a muddled mess of ticking clocks and faraway voices. The other pilots remained for a while, all scattered around the room and talking softly amongst themselves, but Javy remained at your side long after they’d gone.

The waiting room itself remained empty, devoid of others sharing your nauseating worry, and you couldn’t decide if you appreciated the quiet or not.

For the most part, Javy remained quiet but steadfast in his observation of you. Every so often, he stood and returned with bottles of water and nearly stale packets of Oreos from the vending machine down the hall that neither of you ate but he figured might come in handy. It was only a matter of time before he was forced to leave, you knew that, but you held tight to the comfort his presence brought as you struggled to keep your thoughts from wandering.

There was no use dwelling on the past. Nothing good would come of regret, of thinking of the time you’d wasted holding off on taking this trip or going on that date, so you forced yourself to think of the future. Jake was lucky, he was good, he would make it and there would be time to atone for the sins of the past.

Still, even the most optimistic thoughts were plagued with the whisper of ‘what-if’ that now lingered all too prominently in the back of every thought.

Eventually, after nearly three hours of anxiety-inducing, nauseating waiting, Jake was settled into a room. When a nurse retrieved you, she informed you that visiting hours would start soon and that Javy wouldn’t be allowed in until they did. You, however, were given a few moments alone with Jake.

Wandering down the hall behind her, close but far enough to keep her from hearing your ragged breathing, nearly sent you into an anxiety attack. Jake would be sedated, that much you knew, but everything else remained a mystery. Would there be bruising? Had he needed stitches? Would you even be able to recognize him?

Each question hurt more than the last and, when the nurse stopped in front of Jake’s room, you could tell she wasn’t surprised by your hesitation. “We’re optimistic,” she shared, voice a mere whisper in the quiet of the hall. “Lieutenant Seresin is a fighter.”

There was no doubt that Jake would do all he could to pull through - she was right, he was a fighter - but her soft encouragement did little to calm the churning of your stomach, even as you nodded. There would be no calm until he woke, a fact she likely knew as well as you did, so you swallowed your fear and stepped into his room.

Seeing your husband, usually so bright and boisterous with a seemingly permanent grin etched across his face, lying lifeless in a hospital bed was devastating. He looked frail, pale and bruised, and the tears you’d been narrowly keeping at bay began to fall as you took in the sight of him.

A gash, held together by stitches, ran from temple to forehead. A bruise, still fresh, was beginning to blossom along his jawline. The beginnings of a black eye were noticeable, as was a busted lip, and a handful of other scrapes and bruises along his neck and arms. The doctor mentioned a cracked rib and the need to monitor for internal bleeding and you lifted a hand to cover your mouth in an effort to muffle your sobs.

For nearly an hour, you sat in the small chair at Jake’s side and allowed yourself to feel the hurricane of emotions raging in your mind. Fear, regret, anxiety, anger, sorrow; each one was more powerful than the last and each one hurt worse. There was no estimate of when Jake would wake - if he woke at all - but you did your best not to dwell.

Jake was strong, he would make it. And maybe if you repeated that enough times, it would be true.

The only thing that kept you from losing yourself completely to worry was the arrival of visitors.

Javy was, of course, the first to arrive.

Though you offered to give him a moment alone, he refused. He insisted you remain in the seat you’d made your own and, instead, offered you the duffle bag he’d retrieved from your home. Anything you could’ve needed - or wanted - was placed neatly inside.

Pajamas - both yours and Jake’s, pieces of his he knew either of you would love - and a small bag of toiletries, the cell phone you’d dropped the moment Javy ended the call and forgot about, a few personal items; the sight of it all made your eyes sting with another wave of tears and Javy accepted the grateful squeeze of your hand with a nod.

For a few moments, the pair of you sat in silence. Like you, Javy seemed unable to look at Jake for too long without getting overwhelmed and you imagined the rest of the squad would likely endure the same difficulty. He was the first - as far as you knew - to experience such a serious accident and, though you wished like hell it hadn’t been him, you hoped no one else would follow.

Somewhere amidst the beeping of the heart monitor, the far-off hum of voices, Javy turned to you. “I promised him if anything happened, I’d be there for you,” he confessed, voice rough with emotion. His eyes, like yours, were swollen and rimmed red. The promise was likely one he’d made when deployed, uttered in the heat of battle, but you could tell he’d taken it seriously as he spared Jake a glance. “If you need anything, you know where to find me.”

There wasn’t much you could say that could adequately convey your gratitude - both at him treating you like family and him loving Jake like a brother - so you squeezed his hand once more. In that moment, in that circumstance, that was enough.

Later, when Javy needed to return to Top Gun for a debriefing, Fanboy arrived and replaced him in the seat to your left.

Mickey - you’d come to learn his name the moment he sat down, uttered in an outburst of nervous energy that saw Javy shaking his head upon exiting the room - offered you a smile. He seemed to have no idea what to say, at a loss for words as he spared glances at Jake and blinked back a frown of worry, and you imagined silence wasn’t as comfortable for him as it had been for you. There was a chance he didn’t want to offend you, unsure of what was appropriate to discuss with the wife of a friend he hadn’t known existed in the midst of said friend’s hospital room, so you broke the silence for him.

“Where’d Fanboy come from?”

Callsigns always intrigued you - the story behind Jake’s was the first question you asked, though you hadn’t gotten the real story until much later on. The silence didn’t bother you but Mickey seemed grateful for the question, if a little surprised, and shot you a smile that managed to touch his eyes.

“I love nerd shit,” he explained with a quiet laugh. “Star Wars, Star Trek, comic books, superheroes; all of it. I became a pilot because of Han Solo,” he admitted, expression brightening when you smiled at him. “I can get a little… into it when I talk about it, so, fanboy,” he explained, only a little sheepish.

“I love Star Trek. And Star Wars, but Star Trek has my heart.”

The confession was met with wide eyes and parted lips, though there was a hint of delight beneath the winged eyebrows. Mickey spared Jake a glance, blinked hard at the reminder of why you were there, before he returned his attention to you.

“Hangman’s married to a Trekkie? No way.” Mickey paused, as if considering all he knew about Jake - which was, from your understanding, a little less than the rest of the squad - before a look of understanding lit his eyes. “His nerd jokes were always a little too detailed for him not to know anything about Star Trek,” he declared, head tilting as he met your eyes.

For a moment, the room felt nearly normal. It was a conversation you could picture having with him at the Hard Deck, laughing over a few drinks as Jake played a round of pool and rolled his eyes fondly with every secret you spilled, and you willed yourself to keep from glancing at him as you nodded.

“If you tell him I told you this, it’ll be the last thing you do,” you warned, tone clearly teasing as you tilted your head to meet Mickey’s eyes, “but back when we first started seeing each other, when we were just friends with benefits, he made fun of me for being a Trekkie. He thought it was hilarious and so embarrassing that I was a nerd. It was the only thing he ever truly teased me for.”

A brief pause interrupted your story, a moment in which you finally spared Jake a glance and took a steadying breath. The memory of Jake’s teasing was one you loved, especially as it indirectly lead to the true beginning of your relationship, and it helped to distract yourself with stories of the past. The smile that tugged at the corners of your mouth was a little more real, a little easier, as you continued.

“One night, though, he was having a really hard time. Javy got deployed and his dad was really sick. We’d only been seeing each other for a few months and it was still a casual thing so he tried playing it all off. I could tell he wasn’t himself, though. He wasn’t interested in sex but he didn’t want to be alone so I told him we could just hang out. I was watching Star Trek in chronological order, starting with Enterprise, and was only on the first season. He made fun of it at first, called it cheesy and weird, but he got so into it. He asked me a thousand questions, mostly about why the Klingons hated everyone and why the Vulcans were so disliked when they were right about pretty much everything. But every night for two weeks, until he got deployed himself, we watched Star Trek together. And when he got home, he came back to me and we picked up where we left off. It went from him coming over for sex and leaving immediately after to him coming over for dinner and a few episodes of Star Trek. It just kind of became our thing and he’ll deny it until he’s blue in the face to anyone but me but Jake Seresin has a soft spot for Star Trek.”

Mickey’s eyes grew brighter with every word, clearly surprised but pleasantly so. The wonder with which he glanced between you and Jake lifted a fraction of the weight on your chest and brought a small smile to your own lips as you recognized the look in his eyes. It was awe, something a little too hopeful for the setting you found yourselves in, and you were suddenly grateful for Mickey’s bright-eyed enthusiasm.

“The first Halloween we spent as a couple, we were the mirror versions of Trip and T’Pol,” you confessed, grinning when he gaped at you. “Jake only agreed because he could lie and say he was a pilot who’d been in an accident, because of the jumpsuit. I think I was the only one who really knew who he was but it was nice.”

“Do you have pictures and can I see them?”

Though you hadn’t known what to expect, stuck in a hospital room with a friend of your husbands that you’d never met, you were grateful for Mickey’s presence. There were parts of Jake you knew he wouldn’t want shared with his teammates - not yet, anyway - and you kept those tucked close to your heart. Other pieces of your shared life, however, were laid bare with every enthusiastic question Mickey asked.

For nearly an hour, you sifted through photos documenting your relationship with Jake - from the first picture you took, pressed close together in the dim light of a dive bar near a naval base, to photos from your wedding day, to a selfie taken on the beach only a few days prior. Though, somewhere along the way, Mickey’s questions shifted from reminiscing on the past to planning for the future without you even realizing.

When he left, after a great deal of chatter and even a little laughter, the weight on your chest felt lighter. Jake’s condition hadn’t changed miraculously over the course of your conversation but Mickey managed to steer you away from the dark clouds and back into the sunshine. When he left, you felt a little hope, a little peace, and could breathe a little easier as you reached for Jake’s hand.

Before the levity of Mickey’s visit could wear off, a third visitor stepped through the door of Jake’s room.

From the moment Phoenix entered the room, it was clear that she felt out of place. She and Jake weren’t the closest and would likely never be the best of friends. There was no real animosity, not anymore, but their personalities clashed more often than not. He was something of an annoying older brother, a pain in the ass that refused to disappear, and he knew it.

Because of his unapologetic Hangman tendencies, Jake once admitted he wasn’t sure Natasha would ever truly like him, despite how much he’d grown to respect and admire her. However, despite knowing that she was the one person who continually called him on his shit, it seemed that his fears were unfounded.

A soft frown curved her mouth and pinched her brows as she settled into the seat at your left. With every second she spent glancing at Jake, her concern grew clearer. It seemed new, as if it had taken her by surprise, but you’d expected it. Though Jake doubted his place in her heart, you had little doubt that she cared about him as much as he cared about her.

Of all the aviators - aside from Javy - Natasha was the only one you’d met prior to moving to San Diego. It was in passing, in the presence of a friend of a friend of a friend, and long before you married Jake. There’d been small talk, brief chatter that neither of you could remember, but you could see the dim recognition on her face as she finally turned to face you.

“I’ll be honest,” she began, voice soft after a few long moments of silence. “I really don’t know what to say.”

It was apologetic but you understood. If you were in her shoes, you likely wouldn’t know what to say, either.

Their relationship wasn’t built around feelings, had never been fuzzy and warm and truly friendly. Jake was cocky, a little too loud and brash and full of himself, and she reminded him of those facts every chance she got. Their friendship was witty quips and sharp remarks, rolled eyes and huffs of annoyance.

Soft declarations of hope were out of character, as were heartwarming - and, no doubt, embellished - stories of his contributions to the team. That was of no surprise to you, little about your husband surprised you, so you shrugged and offered her a half-smile.

“You don’t have to say anything.”

The declaration wasn’t unkind, simply an acknowledgement that you expected nothing from her, and Natasha seemed to understand. Though her pinched brows remained, frown still darkening her face, she nodded and allowed her gaze to return to Jake.

Though you were thankful for Mickey’s spirit, you found yourself grateful for Natasha’s quiet. The adrenaline that pushed you out of your house and to the hospital had long since worn off. The tears you’d shed left your eyes in a state of discomfort and you could feel a migraine beginning to form. Everything felt heavy, like the weight of the world resting on your shoulders, and holding a conversation felt too much like work in that moment.

It was clear that she worried for Jake, that she’d begun questioning her own mortality, and it hurt to know that Jake was the catalyst for such difficult soul-searching. As you gently traced the back of Jake’s hand, fingers a featherlight touch over his bruised skin, you wondered how long it would take for the squad to return to some semblance of normal, regardless of the outcome of Jake’s accident.

Natasha, however, didn’t leave you long to dwell. Instead, she tipped her head to truly look at you for the first time since stepping into the room.

“Hang- Jake,” she corrected herself, blinking just a little too fast. You knew the look well, had worn it a handful of times yourself, and smiled softly as she spared him a fleeting glance. “Jake is the most stubborn man I’ve ever met.” When you laughed, head tilting in quiet agreement, Natasha’s frown lifted into the smallest of smiles. “He’ll be okay,” she assured you.

There was a finality to her statement that told you she clearly believed it. Though their relationship seemed to be the roughest around the edges, Natasha’s certainty calmed your heart. If she believed he would be alright, if Mickey believed he would be alright, if Javy believed he would be alright, you were going to have to believe it, too.

“Yeah.” There was little you could say in response - even less that wouldn’t leave you in tears - so you nodded and traced the faint tan line at Jake’s ring finger. “Thanks for coming. I know he’d appreciate it.”

Natasha left shortly after, eyes a little glassier than you’d expected and shoulders slumped in a way that made your chest ache. However, you weren’t given time to dwell on the effect Jake’s accident might have on the squad - on Natasha and on their relationship moving forward - as another visitor stepped through the door.

Unlike the others, Bob lingered near the foot of Jake’s bed. He stood with his hands tucked into his pockets, taking in the sight of Jake with a deep frown darkening his face. Of the visitors, Bob seemed to be the most upset, and you found yourself surprised as he pulled in a shuddering breath.

“Can I ask a question?”

Bob’s voice was soft, timid, and though he had yet to spare you a glance, you smiled as you twined your fingers with Jake’s. “Sure,” you permitted, though you were quick to add, “but I’m not promising an answer.”

The frown he wore deepened into something nearing hurt, an anguish you weren’t expecting from someone who never seemed particularly close with your husband - someone who, like Natasha, Jake feared may never really like him - as he finally lifted his gaze to you.

“How come we didn’t know Hangman was married? I was stationed at Lemoore, too, and I never knew.”

That was the question you’d been waiting for, unasked but lingering on the tip of every tongue. You were surprised no one else had asked - Mickey, in particular - but it seemed as if the answer truly mattered to Bob. There was genuine hurt in his eyes and you felt your heart clench at the furrow of his brows.

There were no memories of him from Lemoore - he wasn’t someone you remembered seeing out at a bar, not someone you remembered having over for dinner - but he clearly remembered Jake.

“It wasn’t intentional,” you consoled him, voice just as soft as his had been as he slowly stepped closer. “Jake’s never really been one to make friends. Javy knew because he and Jake have been through a lot together but you guys are the first real friends he’s made since Javy. He was planning on bringing me to the Hard Deck to meet you all but I’ve been so busy with my new job and unpacking the house that the time was just never right.” A huff of laughter, devoid of any humor, escaped as you cast a sideways glance at Jake’s face. “That sounds really stupid now but it all felt so important at the time, you know?”

Bob made a noise of understanding, one that confirmed he understood the pang of regret you felt each time you truly looked at Jake, as he finally took the seat to your left. “Hindsight,” he mumbled, corner of his mouth kicking up in a rueful smile as he folded his hands across his lap. “We met a few times, me and Hangman,” he admitted, gaze dropping to his lap. “He didn’t remember me but most people don’t. He was nice to my grandma when she came to visit. Helped her find me when she got lost.”

“He can be nice when he wants to be.” Bob hummed, a noncommittal sound that acknowledged he’d heard you, and allowed himself a glance at the way you continued to caress Jake’s hand. “Grandparents love him,” you continued, though you weren’t quite sure why. “I’m my grandmother’s favorite but he’s a close second, even though she’s got six other real grandchildren.”

A small smile lifted the corner of Bob’s mouth. “How long have you been married?”

“A little over a year. We got married a few months before he was called back to Top Gun,” you informed him, smiling as you squeezed Jake’s hand.

The wedding itself was a small affair - a handful of friends and family - on his family ranch and brought a smile to your face each time you thought of it. Before Jake, you hadn’t given marriage much thought, hadn’t really considered what your wedding might look like, but looking back, there was nothing you would change.

“It rained, near the end of the reception. I panicked for a second ‘cause it felt like bad luck, you know? But Jake just smiled and pulled me out to dance in the rain.” There was a moment of pause, a moment in which you took in the deceptively peaceful look on his face, before you turned your gaze to Bob. “I know Jake can be… a lot. But there’s good there, too. Just takes him a while to let other people see it.”

Jake was an acquired taste, that much you knew to be fact, but Bob’s understanding nod confirmed something else you knew to be true; his return to Top Gun had flipped a sort of switch. Details were fuzzy, as they always seemed to be, but Jake had grown more comfortable in the last year.

A small part of you wondered if it was love, being given affection he’d doubted himself worthy of for so long, but another part of you wondered if it was acceptance. He’d finally come to accept that not only was he worthy of romantic love, he was worthy of familial, platonic love, too. The people he’d seen as competition for so long, the people he’d pushed himself to be better, stronger, louder than weren’t out to get him. They were there to work with him, to be part of the same team, and you were glad that others had seen the change, too.

While Bob wasn’t as quiet as Natasha or as chatty as Mickey, he still managed to make you laugh with the odd deadpan remark. He asked a handful of questions about your relationship, mostly wondering how you managed to live with Jake, and answered questions you would’ve asked had you met in any other setting.

It was nice, another pleasant conversation in the midst of a dark moment, but you were grateful for the silence that followed once he left. For the first time in hours, you were left alone for longer than a few moments. There was a slight worry it would be overwhelming, give you too much time to think about the dozens of potential outcomes that awaited you, but you felt a sort of peace you hadn’t expected.

Regardless of the outcome, knowing that Jake had managed to find a family that loved him, despite his past misgivings, granted you serenity. Knowing that that same family had taken the time to embrace you, despite learning of your existence only a handful of hours before, was enough to ease the weight on your chest and make catching your breath less of a monumental task.

Jake was loved, well and truly, and you were grateful for it.

Though you imagined the night was over, the visitors would stop funneling in, a final member of the team appeared with thirty minutes to spare. Rooster stepped into the room with a brown paper bag that smelled of Chinese takeout and a coffee that looked suspiciously like your go-to order.

When his offer was met with a frown of confusion, Bradley smiled. “Coyote,” he explained, not giving you the chance to ask. “You should eat."

Hunger was the last thing on your mind. The thought of eating turned your stomach but you knew he was right. So, instead of arguing, you took the coffee with a smile. “Thanks. You didn’t have to.”

Bradley sat in the chair to your left and began rifling through the bag. He produced a few of your favorites - an order Javy no doubt relayed - before pulling out a carton of his own food. When you realized he was waiting for you to begin before he would, you laughed quietly.

As the pair of you ate, both slow and methodical, Bradley spared you glances every so often. Like Javy, the silence you shared was comfortable. Despite not knowing one another, there was no overwhelming, awkward need to fill the quiet with mindless chatter. Still, Bradley managed to break the silence before you could.

“I never told him,” he began, voice a quiet rasp in the still of Jake’s room, “but I figured he was seeing someone. He’s got a photo of you in the cockpit of his jet.”

That was of little surprise to you. Jake had taken a handful of polaroids throughout your relationship, each with the excuse of being able to carry you with him wherever he went, and you smiled. “Is it still the one from the beach?”

Bradley returned your smile easily as he shook his head. “No, it looks like you’re in the snow. I tried not to stare too much. Figured he would’ve said something if he wanted us all to know.”

“That was right before we got engaged. He knew I’d never seen snow so he took me to see it.” Bradley paused, placed his chopsticks onto the small tray and turned to face you as you swirled the straw of your coffee. “Is he still an asshole? Absolutely. Do I want to smack him for being an asshole? Regularly.” Bradley laughed, smile as real as you imagined it could be, and tipped his head in acknowledgement as his eyes shifted to where you squeezed Jake’s hand. “I know that it’s hard sometimes, seeing Jake beneath Hangman, but I’m glad you’re all getting a glimpse.”

“When we first got called back,” Bradley began, “I told him that he hadn’t changed. But that was a lie. We can all see that he’s changed. He’s still an asshole, but he’s more tolerable now.”

“I can’t lie and say that I’ve never seen that side of him because I have. I’ve seen Hangman. But I see Jake more often. I see the man who dances with me in the kitchen to old country music after we do the dishes. I see the man who asked me to marry him in the snow, even though he hated every second of the cold.” Bradley frowned, if only slightly, as he watched you blink back the tears that stung the backs of eyes. “Jake loves you guys. He spent so long trying to be the best, seeing you guys as competition. I’m just glad he’s learning how to be part of a team.”

Bradley hesitated for a moment, seeming to question whether he should speak, before he spared Jake a glance. “He saved my life,” he admitted quietly, eyes on Jake as he shook his head slightly. “Out of everyone, he was the last person I expected to come back for me. But he did.”

The shift in their relationship had been the most obvious to you. Jake had gone from lamenting being passed over in favor of Bradley Bradshaw to laughing at his antics in the span of a few weeks, and you wondered what happened. To know that your husband, who felt overshadowed by Bradley for years, had gone out of his way to save him brought you comfort rather than instilling fear.

“He doesn’t talk a lot about deployment,” you confessed, shrugging slightly when he turned his attention back to you, “so I appreciate you telling me that. I’ve spent the last few years kind of terrified, just waiting for a call like this, but now that it’s here, I don’t really know what to do.”

“There’s not much you can do other than be here.” When you frowned, gaze falling to the cup in your hands, Bradley sighed. “I can’t tell you it’ll be okay because I don’t know that. But I can tell you that he’s good at what he does and he’s stubborn. Knowing he has you here, waiting for him, he’s going to fight like hell to stay with you.”

Bradley sounded just as confident as Natasha had, convinced that Jake would be fine, and you were grateful for his assurance. It filled your chest with a little hope, though you were careful not to allow it to inflate too much as hope was the thing that killed.

Instead, you attempted to keep some semblance of the peace the Squad’s visits brought, even as Bradley bid you goodnight. You knew that there was no chance of sleep finding you, even as tired as you found yourself, so you shuffled through the bag Javy bought and smiled when you came across the book he’d plucked from your nightstand.

It was a book you’d taken to reading when you couldn’t sleep, one you’d already read at least a dozen times, but it helped remove you from reality as you flipped it open and settled deeper into your seat. The nagging anxiety, the worry that Jake may not awake, lingered prominently in the pit of your stomach - made the tips of your fingers tingle and the intake of a deep breath seem next to impossible - but you attempted to swallow it as you removed the bookmark and began to read aloud.

Jake was never overly fond of the books you read - he preferred nonfiction, biographies or deep dives into historic events - but you’d found a happy medium in the form of modern classics. The Illustrated Man was one he’d gotten into and it helped that the book was comprised of short stories, split into pieces for those nights he was home and sleep seemed to evade you both.

While the hospital continued to move around you, while the machines Jake remained tethered to beeped and blinked, you began to read aloud. A story of explorers, searching for a force greater than themselves, followed by the tale of men driven to madness by eternal rain filled the relative quiet of the hospital room before you paused at the title page of The Rocket Man.

The story of a man who left his family for months at a time, off in a spaceship exploring the galaxy, was not one you gave much thought before falling in love with Jake. But the story of a young boy who desperately missed his father and a wife who once loved her husband greatly having resigned herself to knowing that one day her husband would walk out their door for the final time weighed a little too heavy on your chest these days.

There was no future in which you could see yourself growing numb, resigned to a fate you desperately wished to avoid, and you hoped beyond hope that Jake would continue returning to you. The pair of you hadn’t discussed a family, a future beyond loving one another, but you knew that Jake Seresin was it for you and that you were it for him.

So, instead of allowing yourself to fall deeper into the anxiety you’ve barely kept at bay, you flipped through the pages in search of a different story.

As you thumbed through the book, however, a quiet sigh drew your attention. The book was quickly abandoned as you lifted your head to glance at Jake. Those green eyes, a sight you marveled at even on the best of days, met yours and you nearly pinched yourself as you blinked back the tears stinging at the backs of your eyes.

In that moment, every emotion possible filled you. Breathing simultaneously grew easier and more difficult as the weight on your chest shifted. The tingling in the tips of your fingers eased, if only slightly, as you struggled to latch onto one particular train of thought.

Before you could speak - and say what, you weren’t sure - Jake beat you to it. “Why’d you stop reading?”

The question was so mundane, spoken as if he’d simply woken from a nap to find you pausing din the midst of a story, but the gravel of his voice and the injuries marring his face reminded you of exactly what happened. The story was one you made it a habit to skip, especially with Jake around, so you simply shrugged.

“I… the next one isn’t my favorite,” you nearly whispered, gaze never leaving his face as you dropped the book into the chair and reached for his hand. “I’ll keep reading after someone comes and looks you over, alright?”

Jake hummed, a noncommittal sound, as he tilted his head to offer you a lazy smile. “Good. Missed your voice, sweetheart.”

Though he didn’t mean for it to, Jake’s comment broke the dam that had kept the tears at bay since the aviators left you alone. Relief, so bright and warm, filled your veins even as Jake squeezed your hand and frowned at the sight of your tears. But before he could speak, you shook your head.

“I’m going to go grab a nurse. I’ll be right back,” you promised, squeezing his hand in return before untangling your fingers and rushing out of the room on jelly legs.

As the nurse, followed by a doctor, stepped into Jake’s room, you remained in the hall. With your back pressed to the wall, you scrubbed at your eyes to stop the tears from falling. You made it a point to keep your composure, especially in front of Jake as it related to his work, and did your best to settle yourself. However, the weight of the day, combined with the lack of sleep, made it difficult to pull yourself together.

Jake was lucky, you didn’t need a doctor to tell you that - though he made sure to point it out the moment he stepped back into the hall - and you knew that the day could’ve ended in tragedy. This was the closest you’d come to losing Jake and you had no desire to ever relive this day.

But this was his life, the path he’d chosen and a path you knew he would continue down the moment he was cleared to fly once more, so you swallowed your fear and thanked the doctor for letting you know that they’d be keeping Jake for a little while longer, just to observe.

After a few moments, when the nurse finally left the room, you stepped in and returned to your seat at Jake’s side.

For the first time in a long time, you weren’t sure what to say to Jake. The silence felt awkward, painful in a way it had never really been, as you took a moment to study the injuries Jake had sustained.

“Doc assured me there are ways to get rid of scars. Just gonna have to deal with me lookin’ like Two Face for a while.” The joke was weak, unable to hide the anxiety he clearly felt, and you frowned as you lifted a hand to gently brush the uninjured cheek. When you found yourself unable to speak, voice stuck in your throat even as you so desperately wanted to say something, Jake sighed. “Want me to stop talking?”

“Never.” The reply was quick, stronger than you intended, but it made Jake laugh quietly - and then wince - as your hand returned to his. “Please don’t. Your voice is comforting. I’ve missed it.”

Jake sighed once more, a quiet sound as he attempted to shift in bed, and turned his head to a more comfortable position. “I’m sorry for scaring you, sweetheart.”

The apology was soft, a whisper in the still of the room, and you shook your head to keep him from speaking further. “You’re awake,” you dismissed, “apology accepted.”

Sensing your desire to change the subject - you weren’t ready to talk about the accident and you were assuming he wasn’t either - Jake hummed. “Anything exciting happen while I was out?”

“I met some of the Dagger Squad.” Jake smiled - the barely there lifting of his lips - as you idly brushed your fingers over the back of his hand. “Phoenix, Bob, Fanboy, Rooster; they all dropped by. Javy said the others planned to come tomorrow but hopefully they can all visit at home, instead.”

“Anybody get a picture when they figured out who you were?”

“No, but they all looked a little like fish out of water.” Jake laughed quietly at that - a sound that seemed to pain him as the hand you weren’t holding lifted to his ribs. “I spilled some of your deepest, darkest secrets while you were out.”

“Mm, only fair,” he decided, hand turning to hold yours still as he waited for you to meet his eyes once more. “Know you don’t wanna talk about it right now but I’m glad you’re here, darlin’. You were the last thing I -“ Jake cut himself off, quickly realizing that line of thought was not one you needed to hear in that moment, so he corrected himself. “You’re always on my mind. Just wanted to make sure you know that.”

Jake made sure you knew that - often made it a point to remind you that he was thinking of you, whether it came in the form of flowers or a quick text - so you nodded. “I know.”

“Good.” Jake took a moment to really take you in, then, eyes roving your face for the first time, before he sighed and squeezed your hand. “You should go home, get some rest. I’ll still be here in the morning.” When you raised a brow, clearly unimpressed with his idea, he rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I know. You leave when I leave. Fine, at least try to get some sleep. I’m the one in the hospital bed but you look like hell, sweetheart.”

“If you didn’t have a head injury, I’d be really offended,” you huffed, though the joke came out a little weaker than you intended.

“How long you think the squad’ll let me get away with shit before they start calling me out again?”

The laughter was still light, brittle, and accompanied by a wince but Jake seemed to truly be in better spirits than you expected. You knew that it was for your benefit - the real damage would be uncovered later, when you were both in a headspace to discuss what happened, how he really felt - but you still laughed as you shook your head.

“Not even for a second. You’re lucky, babe, but not that lucky.”

Jake smiled, happy that his joke worked at least for the moment, and gestured to the small couch in the corner. “Still gonna push my luck, sweetheart. Go to sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up, promise.”

Though you had no desire to lose another moment with Jake, the need for sleep was overwhelming. You could feel the adrenaline of the day wearing off, the worry and anxiety calming just enough to leave you exhausted, so you sighed and slumped in your seat. “Fine, but only because you’re cute.”

Everything that awaited you both remained to be seen. The conversations you needed to have, what the future would hold, could wait. You were granted tomorrow with Jake, the only thing you could’ve asked for, and figured that would be enough for now. And with his hand clasped firmly in yours, you allowed yourself to rest with the knowledge that when you woke, he’d be there.

______________________________________

Author’s Note: If the tags don’t work, I will scream.

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