#top gun x ncis

[novastories]

Running Up That Hill

Title and chapter loosely inspired by the song “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush.

Summary: Aurora ends up back in the field to help with a case. She starts coming to terms about her self-worth, but at a cost.

Warnings: Mentions of guns, bombs, cancer, and death/suicide.

Word Count: 6.2k

A/N: I’m so sorry for the cliffhanger from the last chapter! 😬This one also contains another cliffhanger so…🫣 I’m so thankful that people are enjoying the story and loving Aurora and Bradley as much as I do 💖

Btw, I have a note for the people I tag at the end of the chapter, so if you’re tagged or want to be tagged, please read the note after the chapter! 💜

Thankful always for my beta reader and editor @reginleight 

As always, likes are great and all, but comments, reblogs, and feedback are highly appreciated and loved! 🤭

Previous | Next | Masterlist

A few hours earlier

“You want me to do what?” Aurora looked at her boss with a confused look.

“I want you back in the field. Just for this case. It’s all hands on deck, and I trust you to be out on the field,” her boss looks at her. Agent Daniella Hopkins knew her agents' capabilities, that’s what made her a good boss.

“You know this case better than anyone,” she adds.

“That’s only because I was transferring the case into the computer, since I am on desk duty. I just help put the reports in the database,” Aurora sighs.

There were many cases and reports that got put on her desk, which she helped with typing and filing them into the system. The downside of desk duty. 

“And you know those reports will help the case. It’s an advantage so we don’t have to put another agent in the field who has no idea what’s going on.”

“But why me? I’m supposed to be on desk duty for a reason.”

“Because, I know you Artemis. As much as you’re doing well behind the desk, you’re itching to go back out in the field.”

Aurora stood in front of her boss, fidgeting with her bracelet behind her back.

“That, and you were requested by the team that’s on the case.”

“What team?” Aurora questions.

As if on cue, the doors to Daniella’s office opened, and Aurora turned to gape at who had walked in.

“It’s good to see you, Artemis.”

Aurora smiles, and walks over to give Gibbs a hug.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Aurora smiled at him before noticing Ziva and Tony behind him.

“It is an all hands on deck case, Artemis. Who else better to have on this case than you?” Ziva smirks as Aurora turns to pull her into a hug next.

“I never thought I’d ever say this, but I actually missed you for a moment there, DiNozzo,” Aurora chuckles. Tony rolls his eyes and simply greets her with a hug of his own.

“I don’t know, little probie. I kind of miss not having a knife being thrown at me,” he tells her.

“McGee and Abby are getting set up in the lab and we’ll set up in your office.” Gibbs interrupts their conversation to inform her of the situation.

“The fact you went from a cubicle to your own office is just unfair,” Tony shakes his head.

“Let’s catch you up to speed, Artemis,” Ziva beckons Aurora out the door. Aurora turns to look at her boss, to which she nods.

—

“I still can’t believe you have your own office. If I ask for a transfer here, think I’d get an office too?” Tony looks out the window of Aurora’s office before getting smacked on the head from Gibbs.

“This isn’t a social call, DiNozzo. We have a job to do.” 

McGee and Abby got to say their hellos to Aurora before Abby had to start working on some evidence for the case, while the team got settled in their temporary space in Aurora’s office.

Aurora was sitting on her desk facing the TV screen, while Ziva stood next to her. Tony went to sit at her desk (and began snooping), while Gibbs sat in the corner chair, sipping his coffee.

McGee was getting the TV screen ready to prep the case for Aurora.

“Alright, let’s catch you up to speed, Artemis.” Gibbs gestures to McGee to start.

“A petty officer in DC was found dead in a hotel room. Turns out, the San Diego office had put a nationwide BOLO search for him for his involvement in drug and weapon dealing. His name is Noah Ward.” McGee stated, showing the file up on screen for Aurora to see.

“I recognize the name,” Aurora stares at the profile on the screen. “He was in San Diego to help pay for his sister’s hospital treatments, but got caught by some local LEOs selling cocaine. He was about to turn the name of his supplier over, but he escaped before he could say anything and we lost track of him. He didn’t have any friends, and his only living relative left is his sister, Karli, who also didn’t know anything because she’s currently in a coma.”

“Well, now he’s dead,” Tony states.

Aurora turns to him. “No duh, DiNozzo. How did he even end up all the way in DC?”

“Fake ID got him a plane ticket to DC. He fled all the way to Washington DC to get out of San Diego, but died instead. We caught the killer, but it turns out he was just a hired hand, a hitman,” Ziva informs her.

“And did the hitman say who hired him?”

“Gee Artemis, now why didn’t we think of that?” Tony sarcastically replies. 

Aurora gave him a murderous look to which he turned pale and continued on to what he was going to say.

“All he said was that he was contacted via email and that all the money was wire transferred to his account.”

“I tracked the email to San Diego, but that’s about as far as we got. We can’t even get a fix to which area of San Diego, so we figured that it’s best we find whoever it was that hired the hitman since it is still our case,” McGee explains. 

“I wonder what was the reason to kill him,” Aurora thought out loud.

“Tying up loose ends most likely,” Tony shrugs as he starts touching things on Aurora’s desk. 

“You’re just assuming this, we don’t even know if it’s his supplier, anyone could have had a grudge against him. And stop touching my stuff, DiNosy!” Aurora exclaims, slapping his hand off of a photo frame of her, her brother, and Bradley.

“Aurora’s right. Right now, we need to find out where he was getting his drugs from and go from there,” Gibbs concludes.

“DiNozzo, you and Ziva go over his cellphone records and bank statements. McGee, keep working on that email. You and Abby can work on that in her lab she has set up. Artemis, give me any files you have on the petty officer, the ones you’ve put into the system and the ones you have yet to type up.”

“Yes, boss!” They all reply while moving about to their destinations Aurora hops back into her desk chair to get started searching for more background on this guy.

“And Artemis,” Gibbs pauses at the doorway before turning back to Aurora.

Aurora turns her head towards him.

“Glad you’re back on the team for a bit.”

Aurora smiles. “Just like old times, boss.”

—

“Work has been so weird without you,” Abby tells Aurora as she sips her Caf-Pow.

Aurora didn’t have any luck with finding anything in her files or reports, so she had decided to take a snack break and visit Abby and McGee in the lab and bring Abby a Caf-Pow and McGee a coffee.

McGee was currently on his computer typing away, while Abby multi-tasked and had a program running in the background while talking to Aurora, who was seated on a stool next to her.

“Gibbs didn’t even want to find a replacement, so the team feels empty without you in it. But we’ve been getting by,” Abby continues.

“I miss you all too. It definitely feels weird being at the desk most of my day, but at least it gets me home at night,” Aurora shrugs. “Unlike when Gibbs called us at 3am for a dead body and we have to work 46 hours straight,” She sighs at the memory, munching on her chips. 

“Oh, yeah! That case took way too long, I remember you were so tired you accidentally fell asleep in the elevator and Tony decided to wake you up with an airhorn.”

Aurora cringes at that memory. “And then I kicked him in the shins.”

“Fun times,” Abby nods while sipping her drink. “How’s your panic attacks by the way? Any bad ones since you’ve left?”

“A few, but not like how they used to be. So not too bad. Bradley helped calm me down, which was the latest one.”

“So about Bradley, please tell me you’ve made a move!”

“Abby!”

“Oh, c’mon! I can tell you’ve been anxious about something, you’re eating hot cheetos again.”

Aurora looks down at the bag of chips she’s been eating from and at her red dyed fingertips. Hot cheetos have been her staple snack when she’s anxious or overthinking, especially when she didn’t have her bracelet on her wrist during those times.

The team had seen her go through so many bags, especially when working a case. She had once made the mistake of doing paperwork while she was anxious and had to redo it because she’d accidentally gotten red powder over it.

“It helps me think!” Aurora whines.

“So, you’re telling me, you and Bradley haven’t had a moment or like made out yet?”

“Well, I mean there was this one moment-”

“Oh my gosh!”

“-but my brother accidentally interrupted us.”

Abby groans. “Rory, you just need to walk up and kiss him already! I don’t know how much more of your pining I can take.”

“I’m not pining!”

“Please! He so wants you!” Abby exclaims. “Like you both live together! How do you NOT have the temptation to like, do it right on the kitchen table?!”

“I didn’t say I haven’t thought about that!”

“Uhh, guys, I’m still here,” McGee pops his head out from behind the computer he was working on.

“Shush McGee, the women are talking here,” Abby sasses him.

“Not right now you’re not,” Gibbs walks in, coffee in hand. “Any luck with the background?” he asks Aurora.

“Nothing we don’t already know. Sister’s in a coma from a car accident for almost a year, Ward couldn’t keep up with the payments, so sold cocaine and weapons on the side from an unknown source up until he was caught, was then dishonorably discharged and was supposed to be tried until he escaped and that’s all the intel I have,” she informs him.

“I have a lead!” Tony exclaims as he and Ziva walk in.

“WE have a lead,” Ziva corrects him.

“Yeah, yeah whatever,” Tony dismisses. Ziva rolls her eyes.

“Anyways, we found the supplier,” Tony continues. “One of Ziva’s contacts owed her a favor and we found out that the supplier is a small group of people that operate in a warehouse near the edge of the city. They’re called the Dark Renegades.”

“I know of them. They've been on NCIS San Diego’s radar because they’ve been known to recruit officers who have been dishonorably discharged by the Navy,” Aurora pipes in.

“Why haven’t they been caught?” McGee asks.

“Because they kill their dealers and keep everything tied shut. The fact that Ziva’s contact found out the location is such a big deal.”

“Let’s go check it out. McGee, you stay here, send the warehouse floor plans to us when you get them. Artemis, you’re with us,” Gibbs orders.

“Good luck! Stay safe!” Abby calls out, as Aurora trails behind Ziva, Tony, and Gibbs.

“Are you good to be out on the field?” Gibbs asks Aurora in the elevator as they ascend floor levels to gear up.

“I’m ready, Gibbs,” Aurora reassures him. Gibbs gives her a small look of concern before he nods.

Ziva gives her shoulder a light squeeze before they all exit the elevator, Aurora letting out a sigh before she starts to get into her gear. 

—

They arrived at the warehouse and made sure the coms in their ears were working. Tony was suggesting an attack plan, but none of them liked it.

“I’m just saying, if we came from the roof, we’d be like ninjas, they’d never see us coming. It’s like in the movie-”

“We don’t even have the equipment for that,” Ziva interrupts him and sighs at his stupidity.

“We can use rope!”

“I’m not dangling from a rope just to enter the warehouse.”

“But that way is more efficient,” Tony points out.

“No, that way is stupid and would get us killed,” Aurora corrects him.

“According to the floor plan McGee sent us, there’s a couple of side windows we can look inside to get a visual,” Gibbs interrupts them as they exit the car, which they park a block from the warehouse so they wouldn’t hear them coming.

“There’s also a front and back entrance. Ziva and Artemis, you get the back entrance. DiNozzo, you check out the situation from the window, I’ll cover the front until we have a plan.”

They agree before splitting to get into position.

“You good, Artemis?” Ziva turns to her, making sure the girl is doing alright.

“Yeah, I’m good,” Aurora nods, gun in hand.

“You know, I missed this. You, back on the team. Us, the unstoppable duo.”

“I miss this too, Ziva,” Aurora smiles at her.

“Aww, they’re having a girl moment,” Tony teases over coms.

“You know what Tony-”

“Enough chit chat. What’s your visual, DiNozzo?” Gibbs interrupts.

“I have 6 men, armed, scattered around the warehouse,” Tony asses. “No wait, no. Scratch that, 5 more men, also armed, just came out of the back office.”

“On my orders, Ziva, Artemis, you go in quietly. Tony, you and I will take the front when they’re in position.” Gibbs orders them.

They were silent, knowing Gibbs would take that as their answer as they prepared to enter from different places in order to quietly infiltrate. Tony moves to meet Gibbs at the front entrance.

“Okay, Ziva, Artemis go.”

Aurora opens the backdoor for Ziva to slip inside, while Aurora covers her. Ziva quietly navigates through the back part of the warehouse, with Aurora behind her, making sure there were no alarms or any threats behind them. 

They silently enter the warehouse until the two come to a stop by a stack of crates, blocking them from the men, but getting a visual.

“Aurora and I have 4 men in sight, they all have automatic weapons on them,” Ziva whispers into her coms.

“Alright, you know the drill. If they start shooting when we go in, you shoot back,” Gibbs reminds them.

“Got it, Gibbs,” Aurora whispers. 

“Alright. Ready, DiNozzo?” Gibbs asks him over the coms.

“Ready when you are, boss.”

A few seconds pass until Ziva and Aurora hear the front door of the warehouse get kicked down.

“Federal agents! Drop your weapons!” Gibbs yells out.

The men in the warehouse start shouting and automatically shoot at them so Gibbs and Tony take cover.

At that signal, Aurora takes out the man closest to her with a shot of her gun, hitting his shoulder. He goes down instantly and Aurora takes another shot at the man next to the guy that went down, immediately taking cover after knowing that they would soon retaliate with firepower of their own. 

Ziva also starts shooting from her vantage point, not missing her marks, already taking down 2 men. Gibbs takes one man down on his side, while Tony hits one as well.

The rest of the men took cover and tried to shoot back at the agents.

Aurora moves slowly from her cover of boxes and peaks around to see two men aiming to shoot her. She quickly covers herself as they rain a bunch of bullets her way. 

“Artemis!”

Ziva yells out, gesturing for Aurora to move to her left. There was a big gap between the crates to where the shooters could get her if she wasn’t fast enough.

Aurora takes a deep breath and starts to move towards Ziva. Aurora slides out from her spot, left leg out, right knee down as to help stabilize herself as she takes her two shots. Both shots end up taking down the two shooters that were cornering her.

Still sliding, she ends up next to Ziva, safely behind the crates. 

“Nice move,” Ziva praises her.

“Nice shooting,” she replies back. “How many left?”

Ziva takes a glance, seeing that there was one guy left.

Before she could reply, Tony takes him down instantly with one shot.

“I think that’s it, but I think Gibbs is working on one more.”

Looking over and seeing who Aurora assumes is the leader, he was currently in the middle of hand to hand combat with Gibbs. Eventually Gibbs hit him in the stomach, then the throat, taking the man down.

“Clear here!” Ziva yells out from their spot.

“Clear!” Tony calls out.

Gibbs puts his handcuffs on the leader before lifting him to his feet.

“Let’s take him back to the office, hopefully we got our guy.”

“Don’t jinx it, Gibbs. I’m ready for this to be over,” Aurora sighs.

—

“Gibbs jinxed it! All of that and it turns out to be a dead end?!” Aurora groans, laying her head on her desk. 

Turns out, no one in the Dark Renegades even knew that Noah Ward was dead. They were working on a big shipment of weapons that they were getting ready to sell.

No one in the group even had the technical skill of being able to block a trace. Basically, they weren’t smart enough to block a trace via email, therefore they weren’t the ones to kill the petty officer.

Gibbs had just finished interrogating the leader, who was now being charged and sent to jail.

“Well, at least we took them down,” Ziva reassures her.

They were all back in Aurora’s office, trying to regroup to see what they had missed.

“Now we’re back to square one on finding whoever hired the hitman,” Tony speaks up from his chair, hissing from a bruise on his face that he was currently icing. He accidentally ended up hitting the side of a crate earlier during the shootout.

McGee and Abby were still in the lab, trying to crack the email trace. Gibbs was updating both Director Vance and Agent Hopkins about the situation.

“What if someone had a grudge against Noah Ward? I mean, he was selling drugs, maybe someone wanted him to pay?” Aurora theorizes. 

“Yeah, but who? He didn’t have a client list that we could go through. And even if he did, his list would be long,” Tony points out.

McGee rushes into Aurora’s office and puffs out air.

“Guys, I think Abby and I found a lead.”

They rush into the lab to where Abby and Gibbs were waiting.

“We were finally able to trace the email address to an Adam Lewis,” Abby pulls up his file. According to his file at glance, Adam Lewis was a Marine, honorably discharged a few years ago.

“He doesn’t seem like the hiring hitman type,” Ziva profiles from his photo.

“That’s because he wasn’t, but up until two years ago when he lost his daughter,” Abby switches his profile to the daughter’s profile.

“His daughter was another Naval petty officer that also happened to serve with Noah Ward. Her name was Isabella Lewis. She died from a drug overdose, cocaine was the source,” McGee informs.

“She was a drug user?” Aurora asks.

“That’s how she got dishonorably discharged, and then a few weeks after her discharge, she was found dead in her house. Her dad was the one that found her,” McGee answers.

Aurora’s heart broke hearing that. No father should see their child dead.

“So, I’m guessing Noah Ward was the one supplying her drugs?” Tony inquires.

“And you’d be correct,” Abby nods her confirmation. “But he wasn’t charged for her death because no one knew who supplied her drugs because Noah Ward wasn’t caught until a few days ago.”

“What’s the background on the father?” Gibbs questions.

“He’s currently working as one of the Navy contractor’s for IT support,” Tony reads from the profile.

“Which would explain why it took so long for his email to be cracked,” McGee points out.

“But get this when he was in the Corps, he didn’t just work in the communications unit, but also an EOD technician,” Tony keeps on reading out loud.

“EOD as in Explosive Ordnance Disposal,” Ziva confirms. The team stills at that information.

“That doesn’t sound like a good thing,” Aurora mumbles. Her phone beeps and she takes it out while Gibbs gives out orders.

“We need to find him. McGee, phone records and bank statements. Tony-”

“Oh my gosh,” Aurora interrupts him. They all turn to look at her. 

“What is it?” Gibbs asks her.

Aurora, without a sound, moves to Abby, to which she moves and lets Aurora use the computer. She pulls up a live news feed and everyone freezes at what they see.

The news was reporting live that someone was holding hostages at a local coffee shop near the navy base by way of a bomb threat. About 20 people were in there, and that the criminal holding them hostage was the person they were looking for, Adam Lewis. 

“No time to waste, everyone let’s go! Abby, you stay here!” Gibbs orders the team.

Gibbs, Ziva, Tony, McGee, and Aurora rush out, hoping they were able to make it in time to save the hostages.

—

“What’s the status of the situation?” Gibbs questions the lead officer in charge.

After explaining that the suspect inside was an NCIS suspect, the San Diego Police Department were more than willing to let NCIS be in charge, especially since they were still waiting for the bomb squad to arrive.

The police department had set up a ways away, with a few medical tents and a barricade in place.

“We can’t get a clear visual on the bomber,” A police officer on scene reports to them.  “He took out all the security cameras and closed the blinds. We can’t send a man in there without him threatening to blow the place up if he doesn’t speak to NCIS. We did a scan of the area and it looks like he put the bomb in the basement of the coffee shop, which is their storage space. If we don’t take any action, he will blow himself and the hostages up,” the officer answers.

“What’s the bomb trigger?” Gibbs asks.

“Remote detonation, he has the remote in his hand, but we can’t find a way to trace or jam the signal from the remote to the bomb.”

“How many hostages?” Ziva inquires.

“27, men, women, and children. Most are Navy dependents. We figured that he was targeting them because of their connection.”

“Okay, Ziva, McGee, I want you to secure the perimeter, see if there’s any other way to get a visual without compromising yourselves,” Gibbs begins issuing out orders.  “DiNozzo, you and Artemis stay here and wait for the bomb squad. I’ll go in and try to get him to talk.”

Aurora stays rooted in her spot before realizing what had to happen.

“Gibbs, I think I should go in,” Artemis speaks up.

“No, not an option,” he shuts down the idea quickly.

“Think about it, Gibbs. If I go in, he’ll see another woman that’s like his daughter. He’s more likely to be sympathetic towards me and let me release the hostages then. 

“No! Absolutely not, Artemis. You could get hurt.”

“This is the job, Gibbs! Please, let me do this. It’s the only way he’ll release them. I’ll keep him talking while you guys find a way to take the shot without triggering the bomb,” Aurora pleads to him.

This was Aurora’s shot to prove that she can get the job done. She needed those hostages out of harm’s way from the crazy guy and his bomb. She needed to prove self-worth. And to keep everyone safe. But at what cost?

Gibbs stood there thinking about what she said. Tony, Ziva, and McGee look at him in disbelief that he would even think about it.

“Gibbs, this is insane,” Tony hisses.

“She raises a good point. She gets him talking enough to distract him, and we attach a live feed camera on her vest so we can see the detonator,” the lead police officer inputs.

“Gib-,” McGee argues but gets interrupted.

“You distract him until we can take the shot and disarm the bomb. And if it gets bad, you get out. You get out fast and run away even if he tries to blow himself up, got it?”

“Understood, sir,” Aurora nods.

“Alright, McGee, hook a camera up to her so we can get a visual inside. Tony and I will coordinate with the other police officers right now to get any more information about the situation. Ziva, stay with her.”

They all get to work quickly. Gibbs and Tony rush out, while McGee leads Aurora setting up a camera small enough to stay on her vest.

“I can’t believe you offered yourself like that, Artemis. That was stupid,” McGee mutters as he starts setting up the camera.

“I have no choice. If it was Gibbs, would you say the same thing?” Aurora defends herself. McGee stays silent while Ziva coaches her.

“You ask him to release the hostages and get him talking and distracted while we figure out a solution. You may have to try and talk him down so he doesn’t detonate, can you do that?”

Ziva was nervous for Aurora. She’s  been in many situations like Aurora, but the fact that she’d now be watching Aurora go through it, didn’t sit right with her.

“I’ll be fine Ziva,” Aurora reassures her. “Can you actually do me a favor?”

“Anything.”

Aurora takes off her charm bracelet, her hands trembling.

“No, Art-”

“Ziva, just listen to me. If anything happens to me, I need you to give this to Bradley.”

Ziva brings her hands on Aurora's shaking hands that were clasped on her bracelet.

“Nothing is going to happen to you.”

“I know, but please, just in case,” Aurora pleads to her as she slips the bracelet into Ziva’s hands.

Ziva solemnly nods as McGee pulls Aurora away to put the camera on her. Ziva grips the bracelet tightly, before tucking it away into one of her vest pockets for safety.

“Alright, signal is receiving, audio is working,” McGee reports just as Gibbs and Tony come back.

“You ready, Artemis? You don’t have to do this,” Gibbs assures her.

“I do, we need to get those people out before anything happens,” Aurora affirms. She was determined to get this over with, but she was nervous. Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

“Alright, approach the door slowly, and just listen to me in your coms, got it?” Gibbs asks.

Aurora nods. She takes a deep breath before leaving the area and walking past the barricade, towards the door to the coffee shop. She opens the door slowly.

“Identify yourself!” A voice yells out.

“I’m NCIS Special Agent Aurora Benjamin-Mitchell. I heard you wanted to talk to NCIS,” she replies, slipping into the coffee shop.

She took in her surroundings and saw people scattered around the shop, all huddled, crying and scared.

In the middle of the shop, Adam Lewis sat in a chair, his right hand holding a gun, the left holding what looked to be the remote.

“So, you finally came. Took you long enough,” Adam scoffs. He sat confident, but Aurora could tell he was nervous.

“Let the hostages go, Adam. They don’t need to be here. You got what you want,” Aurora tells him.

“No! What I want is for NCIS to admit that it was their fault my daughter is dead, and that you should have done better.”

“Even if I said that, what good would it do? It won’t bring your daughter back!”

“Artemis, keep him talking, we think Ziva found a way into the basement of the coffee shop to try and disarm the bomb," she heard Gibbs say in her coms.

“Look, release the hostages, and we can talk about this, “ Artemis continued, trying to persuade Adam. He hesitates, getting a good look at her facial expression. She was determined to get the hostages out, but scared about his next actions.

Adam saw the determination in her eyes to do her job and get the hostages out safely. He saw his daughter in her eyes. 

A few seconds later, the front door to the coffee shop opened and the hostages came running out. Children were clinging to their parents crying, while some of the police officers were helping lead them to the ambulances and medical tents they had set up.

“She did it, boss,” Tony proudly says from next to Gibbs.

“She’s not done yet, DiNozzo,” Gibbs corrects him. “Status update, Ziva.”

“This bomb is way too sophisticated for me to disarm, I’ve never seen one like this before.”

“He is a computer tech. He made and disarmed bombs for a living. Makes sense why it’s probably hard to disarm it,” McGee speaks up from his laptop.

Just then, Gibbs’ cell phone rang and he answered it, putting it on speakerphone for Tony to hear.

“Yeah, Abs?” Gibbs asks on the phone.

“Okay, so I was looking up his background, Gibbs.  I found his bank statements and it turns out he spent most of his money on the hitman, and the rest went to a charity for veterans.”

“A charity? Why would he give away all his money?” Tony wonders out loud.

Gibbs was lost in thought before he was interrupted over his coms.

“Gibbs, I think there’s a timer on it,” Ziva informs them.

“How much time is left?”

“3 minutes and 23 seconds.”

“Try to disarm it, and if it reaches 1 minute you run out of there. Tony, what’s the status of the bomb squad, where are they?” Gibbs demands turning toward the other man.

“Won’t get here in time boss. They’re 7 minutes out.”

“Damnit!” Gibbs cusses, worried for his team.

He had Aurora talking to Adam Lewis and Ziva in the basement trying to disarm the bomb, he could only hope that Aurora would be able to talk him down, or Ziva disarms the bomb. He couldn’t lose either of them.

“Why would he bring a bomb to a coffee shop?” McGee asks from his laptop.

“Turns out, he and his daughter used to go there almost every Sunday since her mother passed away from cancer. It was the one place they shared together,” Abby answers.

“So what is his endgame? Why bring a bunch of hostages in and blow up the coffee shop?” Tony wonders.

“Should we inform Artemis of the situation?” McGee asks Gibbs.

“Not yet, if we tell her now, she’s going to panic. Which might cause him to panic and pull the trigger, remotely.”

“Boss-” Tony worriedly tries to talk him out of that decision, but Gibbs made up his mind.

“We wait until the last minute,” Gibbs orders, firmly.

“Look,” Aurora had her hands up, showing she wasn’t a threat. “I get that you lost your daughter, and I’m sorry about that. I know what it’s like to be scared that you lose your loved ones. I-I can’t even imagine how that feels when you found out what happened. She was a good person from what I read on her file, Adam.”

Aurora still stood near the door of the coffee shop. She had no idea what the status was on the bomb that Ziva was disarming or about why he was even threatening to blow up the coffee shop.

Adam looks at her sorrowfully. “You remind me of her, my daughter. Empathetic to strangers, brave, knowledgeable.”

Aurora stood silently.

“Tell me, agent. Do you have family who serve?” Adam wonders.

Adam could feel her sympathy radiating from her. He recognized the feeling anywhere, the hurt and pain of having someone that you love serve in the Navy. It was the same feeling he felt when his daughter had left on deployment.

“You can call me Aurora,” she replied, hoping to help build rapport with him, “And I do, my dad, best friend, and two of my godfather’s are Naval aviators. My brother is an aviation mechanic, also in the Navy. I almost lost my godfather in a training accident when I was little, and my other godfather to cancer.”

“Then you understand the pain when they leave, not knowing if they will ever return. But you never lost anyone?”

“I’m fortunate enough to never have felt that loss. I’ve lost many friends working at NCIS, losing a family member? I can’t even imagine. I wake up every day grateful for them to be alive, but your daughter Isabella wouldn’t want you to do this.”

“You didn’t know her! You don’t understand what it’s like!” Adam shouts. “To have someone ripped away from you forever and never see them again!” He was growing agitated.

Aurora stays silent. She had felt that feeling, she grew up with that feeling every time her dad left for a mission. The worry that he would never return. She felt that feeling the first time Bradley and Peyton were deployed. But losing someone to death, that was something she knew would break her, and she was lucky to never have known that.

“If only you had done your job, she would still be here! I had to hire a hitman in order to get the man that killed her! I got my revenge!” He screams at her, waving his gun around.

Aurora drew her gun out as a response. “Sometimes things don’t work out like that, Adam. Sometimes we don’t get the bad guy until it’s too late. There’s nothing else we can do. You blow us both up, and what will you have achieved?!” She cries out at him.

“I had him killed because I needed to make sure he was gone! I just want to hold my daughter one more time.” he starts crying, the grip on his gun loosening.  “It should have been me that died.”

Aurora’s aim falters as she hears this.

“How much time do we have left, McGee?” Gibbs asks as Ziva had left the basement and ran back to the team and the officers. They were behind the barricade in case the bomb was going to go off.

“Less than a minute left, boss!”

“Artemis, get out of there! That’s an order! There’s a timer on the bomb!” Gibbs yells into his coms.

Aurora’s eyes widened as she heard this. “It’s on a timer?” 

“I’m sorry, Aurora, I am. But I have to do this,” he cries. Adam just wanted to see his daughter one more time.

Then it dawned on Aurora. He was tying up loose ends. He hired the hitman in order to kill the man that caused his daughter’s death. Blowing up the coffee shop would put an end to the pain he felt losing his daughter.

This was his end game.

“How do we disarm it?” she worriedly asks both Gibbs, via her coms, as well as Adam.

Adam shook his head. “You can’t. I’m sorry.”

Aurora hesitates. She knew she should run, but she didn’t want to leave him. 

Adam looks at her. “Go,” he whispers.

“I-“

“Go! For your family, Aurora, get out of here!” he cries out.

Aurora quickly rushes out of the coffee shop.

Adam closes his eyes as she exits, waiting for the bomb to take him. A tear leaks from his eyes as he smiles. He could finally be at peace.

Gibbs spots Aurora running out of the coffee shop and yells for her, but before she could even reach them, the bomb goes off.

Everyone braces and covers themselves. A few seconds later, Gibbs rises from his barricade to get a glimpse of Aurora.

“Artemis!”

Aurora was a few feet away from the barricade, sprawled on her right side and laying limp in the grass. She was barely conscious, bleeding from shrapnel that hit her. It didn’t look good.

Gibbs, Ziva, and Tony rush to her, while McGee yells for a medic. Aurora moans in pain as they rolled her onto her back, waiting for the medic to reach them.

“Artemis, c’mon, stay awake,” Ziva encourages her.

“Medic! Where’s the medic!” Tony hollers at McGee.

“They’re on the way!”

“Hold on, Aurora. C’mon kid,” Gibbs brushes her hair away from her face.

She coughs before looking up at Gibbs.

“I just need a little rest, just let me close my eyes a bit,” she croaks out.

“No, you stay awake Artemis, that’s an order.”

“The hostages-”

“They’re all safe, thanks to you.”

Aurora soon starts tearing up. “I couldn’t save him, Gibbs,” she cries. “I couldn’t save Adam Lewis.”

“Shhh, it’s alright. There was nothing else you could have done. It was a suicide for him from the start.”

She glances at Ziva as her eyes start to flutter.

“Tell my family I’m sorry. Tell Bra-”

“You’re going to tell them yourself, Aurora,” Ziva grips her hand tightly.

“I’m tired, I’m just gonna rest for a bit.”

Aurora smiles before her eyes start fluttering closed.

“No, stay awake, Artemis…Artemis!” Tony calls out to her.

Darkness takes over Aurora and soon everything was quiet.

- - -

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[ohtobeleah]

NCIS // Bradley Bradshaw

Summary: Bradley Bradshaw knows when his soon to be wife shows up randomly on Friday evening at the Hard Deck it can’t be good. But just how bad could things really be, right?

Warnings: Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw x NCIS reader. Angst, Fluff. A little bit of action.

Word Count: 8.2k

Author Note: I’m glad you all had such a positive response to this idea. Here’s a one shot to say thank you for being absolute legends. Might even be open to doing more if this does well.

“What’s got you all twisted?” Rooster smirked as he watched Hangman glare down the pool table. Missing his shot by a mile. The usual confidence ridden aviator had seemingly shrunk into a hermit style shell for the last half an hour or so. Rooster had walked in half way through the game. Settling into his surroundings with a beer and a side of fries on the way.

Hangman didn’t even bother with a response, simply ignoring the question all together as he lined up another shot at redemption.

“Oh he tried to make a move on the civ sitting at the bar—she really knocked him down a peg.” Javy tried to hide his content. He always enjoyed when his best friend learnt a lesson or two. Not everyone was obsessed with Jake Hangman Seresin—and quite frankly? Sometimes he needed to be humbled. And humble Hangman you did indeed.

“Which one?” Rooster asked as he turned around, his eyes immediately landing on you as you sat by yourself. Content with the beer in front of you. Clearly working a case. “You know what? Never mind—I already have a gut feeling.” Finishing the rest of the beer Hangman had so graciously ordered last round, Rooster really did try and play it cool as he took strides to get to you. Trying to bury the fact if he had to he’d move goddamn mountains to get to you. His best friend. His fiancé. None of the team knew about Bradley Bradshaw's love life. He hadn’t found the right time to introduce you to the squad. His colleagues, friends. He was trying to, honestly. But with your line of work? It was becoming increasingly hard to pin you down.

As Rooster made his way over to you by the bar. Pushing past people who got in his way absentmindedly—you spotted him. Sending him a smirk that he’d missed seeing in person. FaceTime just didn’t do your beauty justice. Looking at your fiancé so helplessly stunned for only a split second before you forced yourself to remain calm. Rooster thought back to the first time he met you.

You hated being on carriers. For an NCIS agent, being aboard was a big part of your job description. It was something that couldn't be avoided, although you really did try. It wasn't that you weren't good on ships or got nauseous from the motion of the ocean, no. It was something far less exhilarating than throwing up at any given moment in front of whoever had fallen victim to the sight of your breakfast, lunch and or dinner making a quick escape.

It was the fact you never knew where on earth you were fucking going. And that really sucked.

Bradley Bradshaw had seen you going around in circles for the last forty five minutes. He’d been watching you from a distance. First he saw you when he was going over his Super Hornet. Checking its systems, the landing gear, the tags. All the good stuff. Then he saw you in the galley, looking confused and almost overwhelmed with the amount of crew that had filled in for dinner. And the last time Rooster saw you before he decided enough was enough? Was when he saw you heading down towards the engine room… What the hell were you doing? Were you–lost?

“Ma’am you aren’t lost are you?” Bradley Bradshaw considered himself a confident man when it came to talking to women, but for a moment you made it hard to formulate another sentence when you turned around to face him. Completely knocking the wind out of him with the way you looked so helplessly stunned. “Because if you are, I'm more than happy to help.” Yep. That was the moment Bradley Bradshaw knew he wanted you in his life.

“I'm good, thanks.” Shrugging the sailor off, it wasn't that you didn't want help. You just had too much pride to admit you were in fact. Lost. Rooster watched with an all knowing smirk as you turned around, heading straight to what he knew to be a deadend towards the laundry room. Unless that was what you had been looking for the entire time? Bradley knew you would have to pivot your way back past him. Opting to stay put, leaning against the hull with his arms crossed waiting for you to make your appearance.

Which you inevitably had to do because you were fucking lost. Sending the sailor with the cute smirk a look when you met him back where he stood originally. Stopping right next to Bradley as he smirked down at you. All Knowing.

“Okay, so maybe I am lost.” He smelt of pear and freesia. The delectable fresh scent that could be bottled and sold. It reminded you of home. “I'm looking for my room, 507.” Bradley raised his eyebrows in disbelief. Had you been wondering the entirety of the carrier trying to look for the dorms and bunks and hadn’t bothered to stop and ask a single soul for help. “The captain said my stuff had already been dropped off but I'm so disorientated.”

“First time on a carrier ma’am?” Rooster asked kindly as he walked with you in the complete opposite direction to where you had originally been going. Huh, you really were lost.

“Would you believe me if I said no?” Rooster chuckled quietly to himself at your response. “No, I do this more often than not, I should be used to this whole, ant hill.” You tried to explain as you walked side by side, not really in a hurry to get where you were going. Rooster couldn't have known you were NCIS. You were just in your blue jeans, white T and oversized corduroy jacket. There was nothing about you that screamed, ‘Hey I’m a federal agent, stop drop and put your damn hands up.’ “But I do prefer frigates, the occasional patrol boat.”

“So what brought you aboard the HMAS Carlton?” Rooster wasn’t expecting the answer you gave him. From time to time the Navy would accompany researchers and scientists to remote islands, he just assumed perhaps you were the latest one. But no.

“Uh, I’m here making sure that Clarence Diver who was stung by that group of Irukandji jellyfish was just that.” There were some suspicious toxins found in his bloodstream. “I’m Special Agent Y/n Gibbs with the NCIS.” Oh my fucking Christ Rooster was sure he was going into cardiac arrest. Why did you have to be NCIS? “Nice to meet you—“ Clearing your thirst as you paused in your stride. Sticking your hand out to shake the sailors hand who’d stopped to help you.

“Uh Bradley ma’am, Bradley Bradshaw.” Rooster stuck his hand out to meet yours. “Everyone calls me Rooster—“ You weren’t sure when Rooster had dropped your hand, or when you had started walking again. But you had. Side by side.

“Let me guess, you some kinda of cadet? A semen perhaps?” This was Rooster's first posting on a carrier. He was fresh out of the academy and had been abroad for six months. You had a glint in your eye, something worth exploring even though the idea of pursuing a Naval Criminal Investigation Agent scared the ever living Christ out of him.

“I uh—I fly an F-18 Agent Gibbs, I’m a Naval Aviator.” He was so proud of himself. I mean who else was around to be proud of him? So he had to be, for his own sanity. Stopping right in front of the door that read 507. “Guess this is where I leave you—“ news flash, it wasn't. Instantly smitten by the way you softly nodded in response. Pressing your lips together with a small frown.

“Yeah I guess it is huh?” Silence lingered for a moment as you worked up the courage to ask Rooster to hang around. Making up a totally fabricated but believable excuse he’d later find out was all so you could spend a little more time with him. “But now I’ve got no idea how to get back to the galley and I seem to have a pretty good tour guide.”

“Special Agent Gibbs, what on earth are you doing here?” Rooster taunted your official title as he slung his arm around your shoulders. Slumped over the bar as your eyes scanned the bar like a Hawk. “Heard you put Hangman in his place?”

“What the hell is a Hangman?” Your hand came up to grab Roosters softly, your thumb softly working to massage his palm. Turning your head to gently leave a subtle yet lingering kiss on his knuckles. “Oh wait—“ You remembered from conversations you’d had with Bradley in the past. “He’s the guy right, the super cocky one?” Clicking your fingers and squeezing your eyes tight as you tried to place a name to a call sign. “Jack, No—Jake!” Beaming, Bradley kissed your temple.

The sight of Bradshaw and you hitting it off so well sent Jake into a fit. Until he realised you must have been the girl Rooster had been talking about after the uranium mission. The one he wasn’t going to let get away.

“Woah look at you go detective, case closed in a whole minute.” Bradley taunted as he stood beside your barstool. “But seriously, as good as it is to see you here—you can’t be here for something good, it’s Friday baby—“ It was true. Usually wherever you ended up in the United States or on any US naval vessel didn’t usually come with good tidings. The Hard Deck in Miramar was no exception to that rule.

“You know that body that washed up about a week ago a few clicks up the beach?” You mumbled into the neck of your beer bottle as you brought it to your lips. Taking a small sip. “Intelligence believes the man responsible for that is here—and of course where else is there to go in Fraightertown but the most popular hang out point?”

“And you didn't bother to let me know you were coming?” Rooster teased as his hand slipped up your side, featherlike. Leaving goosebumps to rise in the wake of his fingertips. “Could’ve used the heads up.”

“Why? Need a change of pants, Lieutenant?’ It was the way you implied you so easily got Rooster where he needed to be that had his head spinning. You weren't wrong and he surely was feeling a little more restricted. But how could he not be when you were looking so fine. “Pretty sure I've got a pair of tracksuit pants in my carry on that might fit–might be pushing it though.” Winking as you took another sip of your beer. “Think they're grey even–” Roosters hand brushed against your hip. His eyes widened quickly at the realisation. Holy shit you were packing?

“You don’t have a gun in here do you?” Patting your shoulders, Bradley let his hands travel down your back, your gun Halsted. “Shit—you can’t bring a gun in here!!” Rooster's eyes bugged out of his head even more as he sat down beside you on the empty bar stool. “You gonna pepper the place or something? what the hell!” Guns always made Rooster a little uneasy and uncomfortable. But you were still caught up on his first statement.

“You know I’m a federal agent right?” Reminding your soon to be husband of your career choice. “I can bring a gun anywhere I damn please—“ Not that you would, but the idea that you could always did something weird to Rooster. Mentally and sexually.

“You scare the shit out of me.” He should have corrected himself, it wasn’t you that scared him. It was your damn job. Everyone he’d ever met had always told him what he did for a living had to be frightening. But you? Something about the way you so effortlessly did your job without a care in the world, blasé and effective? That scared Rooster. That was terrifying.

“Then leave me to do my job.” Rooster wrapped his leg around one of the legs of your bar stool. Dragging you closer to where he sat. He needed to be closer, needed you closer. “Rooster, honey—I’m in the middle of something here.” You played it off that Rooster was being an annoyance, but really? You loved the cat and mouse dynamic you always had. Loved him with all your heart.

“You got back up in here?” Bradley’s voice softened as his eyes trailed from your eyes to your lips and back to your eyes. Drinking in the sight of you. It was out of worry that he asked, a deep rooted concern for your well-being. “I’m not leaving this stool if you don’t have back up.”

“DiNozzo is by the jukebox.” Tilting your head Dinozzo’s way Bradley followed the direction you had pointed him in. A small wave of peace lapping at his heart. “I’m fine Roo, you don’t have to worry about me—“ You were about to mention the van out the front that held more agents, but Rooster didn't let you finish before he was interrupting.

“Doesn’t stop me though.” Rooster was quick to quip, leaning in closer to kiss your forehead as you ducked to hide your smirk. Cheeks heating with the love that flooded your system. “Worry about you all the time.”

You and Rooster had been together for a total of three weeks when he first got a real glimpse into just how dangerous your job could really be. How it so easily threatened to take you away from him. He’d been called to TopGun. An elite school for the top one percent of pilots. Its purpose was to teach the lost art of aerial combat and to ensure that the handful of men and women who graduated were the best fighter pilots in the world.

As Rooster went about his day, training exercise after the other—Admirial Bates was calling him down with urgency.

“Theres someone on the line for you calling from the Veterans affair’s medical centre—“ Rooster couldn’t place that hospital geographically until Warlock continued. “Seems as though your a registered emergency contact for a Y/n Gibbs?” Washington, that’s where the Veterans affairs hospital was.

“Uh—yeah.” Rooster couldn’t think straight. “I'm clear for landing?” He asked range control before he made any effort to turn around. With a confirmed green light Rooster headed in. He was in the administration building of the base in no time. His chest panting. A thin layer of sweat on his forehead. Panic rising to the surface as he held the phone to his ear.

“This is Lieutenant Bradley Bradshaw—“

“Hi Bradley, I’m just calling to let you know we’ve had a miss Gibbs present to the emergency department with a bullet wound to her left thigh—“ Rooster swore he forgot how to breathe as his knuckles went white as the sheer hip he held around the phone. “She’s had to go in for surgery but we’re incredibly hopeful it’s a set standard procedure, just need to remove some of the shrapnel that broke apart.”

“Can you get her to call me when she’s out?” All he wanted to do was hear your voice. “Is she okay?” When did he start crying? Why were his cheeks wet? Blinking away the tears that still threatened to spill over his waterline.

“Absolutely—” The admin assistant chuckled to herself, remembering how reluctant you’d been. “She walked herself in very reluctantly.” Rooster rolled his eyes at the thought of you not taking care of yourself. Of fucking course you’d shug this off as no big deal. “An older man brought her in, signed as Anthony DiNozzo?” That checked out, he’d been your partner since you transferred to your dads division. “Shes in good spirits and good hands, should be out shortly–ill get her to give you abuzz when she's out and feeling a little less dazed.”

That's exactly what the nurse had done. Once you were feeling up to it you called Bradley from your cell. Sitting alone in your hospital room–they wanted to keep you in overnight for observation. You understood, but home just seemed like a much better place to be. Besides, you still had work to do.

“Are you alright? What the hell happened!?” Rooster bellowed into his phone as he sat on the bench in the locker room, he was just finishing up for the day.

“Hi baby, nice to hear your voice too–” You taunted with a slight groan as you tried to move your leg out from under the lightweight blanket. “Im fine, just need to work on my reflexes a little.”

“You were shot Y/n I think you need to work on more than your reflexes, perhaps your proximity to people who want to kill you?” Rooster didn't mean to snap at you, he was just worried. “Since when am I your emergency contact anyway? I thought it would have been your dad or something?”

“Well I mean if you don't wanna be I can change it?” Your tone had softened as you looked down at your leg, wondering how differently this conversation would have been going if that bullet had hit you somewhere else. Or if this conversation would be happening at all. “I just thought you might wanna be.”

“No I do–” Bradley paused for a moment as he swallowed the lump in his chest. “I just worry about you.” He knew that when he first met you you were only a rooky, that you'd get assigned mundane cases that weren't all that life threatening and serious. Like the Irukandji jellyfish guy who'd been doing drugs onboard the Carlton. But as the years went on and you gained more confidence and experience, the less and less you were assigned the meek role of crossing T’s and dotting i’s. You were a full blown field agent and until the moment Bradley Bradshaw got the call to say you'd been injured? He hadnt really put alot of thought into it. “I guess I just never really thought enough about how dangerous your job had become.”

“Says the one who's currently learning the art of aerial combat and defensive manoeuvres.” Yep, you had him there. Rooster knew his job was dangerous, he’d learnt to accept that a long time ago, as did you. Even when you had just been close friends you had to accept the fact Bradley might get deployed somewhere and not come home. But yours had kinda crept up on him. He’d never had to process that kind of worry before. Never knew how gut wrenching the feeling could be. He now knew what his mother had meant when the sick feeling just never really went away. The constant fear that lived rent free in the back of her mind about his dad, about him. “Listen Bradshaw, I'm fine– you don't gotta worry about me.”

“Doesn’t stop me though.” Rooster was quick to quip, leaning his back against his locker willing the moment he could wrap his arms around you to come sooner. He’s asked Admiral Bates for a compassionate leave of absence to go be with you. But he was told unless someone was dead or dying he could very much forget that he even asked. “I’ll worry about you all the time.”

“I can assure you, I know what I'm doing, Bradshaw.” Sitting back upright as you pulled away, finishing the rest of your beer in one final swig. “DiNozzo I can't quite speak on behalf of.” Your tone confused as your eyes followed the direction he was hastily walking, following a man across the length of the Hard Deck. Hot on his tail. His hand going to ghost his holster as he pushed past people who flocked in his way. “Oh fuck hang on–” Jumping to your feet in an instant as you watched the man DiNozzo had identified as Bodmin wrap his arm around the neck of one of the Naval Aviators sitting peacefully at one of the round tables. Rooster felt sick to his stomach as he stood, unable to comprehend what was going on. What had poor Bob done to be brought into this. Dragged to his feet as his hands came up to grasp the man's forearms. A gun to his temple quickly escalated the situation ten fold. “NCIS DROP YOUR WEAPON!!” Shouting as you drew your weapon from your hoster, holding it at eye height. “I said drop your weapon!!” Jake Seresin had been taken aback by only a few things in his life– this? Oh this took the goddamn cake. Bradshaw with an NCIS Agent? Never in a million years did he think that man had that kinda game.

“I DIDN'T KILL THAT MAN–” Bob swore he saw his life flash before his very eyes as he stood trapped between you and the man who had him by the next with the barrel of his gun pressing against his temple. Fear evident in his eyes. “I DIDN'T HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.” Well of course you did? Why else would you pull a gun out in the middle of a heavily populated bar and take a person hostage? Your inner thoughts didn’t match your next sentence, you needed to gain this guy's trust before there was brain matter splattered across the nice hardwood floor that probably had some historical value to it.

“That's great man, really–why don't we just have a bit of a chat about it, yeah?” Trying to deescalate the situation the best you could as you took a single step forward. Slowly and every so carefully. “I mean if you weren't involved you're pretty much a free man, why ruin that shooting this guy huh?” Rooster wanted to reach out and grab you. Stop you from getting any closer, fighter every fibre of his being that told him to protect you. His eyes welled with tears, mixing with fear and adrenaline as he turned his head slightly to where Hangman and Coyote stood in complete stillness—both trying just as hard as Rooster to comprehend the situation unfolding.

Shit like this didn’t happen at the fucking Hard Deck.

“I don’t fucking trust you!” You could very much tell this guy was losing his mind. Quickly. Making a rash decision to gain his trust immediately. Rooster watched from behind as you put your hands up in surrender. Your finger pushing the safety on your handgun before the clip fell to the ground.

“What about now?” Slowly but surely crouching as you placed the handgun on the ground, your eyes never for a second leaving Bob's eyes.

“Gibbs—“ DiNozzo gave you a warning look. Clearly unimpressed by your actions. Reckless and dangerous. Standing off to the right behind the man who had Bob hostage, his gun still drawn.

“I’m unarmed.” Standing just as slowly as you had crouched. Your hands came back to the height of your head. Palms facing the man. “Let’s talk, but first you gotta let him go—“

“Uh uh, not a chance sweetheart.” Damn. It was worth a shot right? The man, Daniel Bodmin had been identified as one of the men who’d been out finishing with marine Author Avery. He’d washed ashore five days after being reported missing when a storm hit off the coast of San Diago. It seemed pretty set standard until autopsy results came back that Avery had ingested five hundred grams of cocaine in small plastic bags. That mixed with the twenty four thousand dollars sim cash found stashed behind the backboard of one of the seats on the fishing boat made it suspiciously suspect Avery may have been killed. The smell of foul play in the air. “The second I don’t have leverage, you're partner here is gonna put a bullet in my spine.”

“I’m pretty tempted to just do it anyway—“ DiNozzo piped up as he eyes down the suspect. “I’m a pretty good shot.” It was your turn to send him the same warning look he’d given you. Your hands still up beside your head in surrender as you took another slow hesitant step forward. Rooster couldn’t breathe.

“Okay so I’ll make a trade, you let him go—and you take me. That way we can talk, just you and me. Outside.”

“NO!” Rooster shouted as he took a step towards you, his chest pressed against your back before you knew what was happening. “No way.”

“Lieutenant Bradshaw so help me god if you don’t step back this second I’ll have you arrested for interfering with a federal investigation.” It absolutely pained you to say but if Bradley wasn’t going to stand down you were going to make him one way or the other. “Go stand with Jake—“

“Y/n don’t do this!“ Leaning over your shoulder to whisper through gritted teeth, Bradley begged you, the love of his life—not to do this. “I can’t lose you too.”

“I will cuff you to the pool table if I have to—“ It was tough love, sure. But you needed to do your damn job before Bob or anyone else for that matter got hurt. “Go, now.” The tone you used had gone to a new level of seriousness, you weren’t messing around. If need be, you’d cuff Bradley Bradshaw to that pool table and leave him there if that meant he was out of your way. If it meant you could do your damn job.

With hesitance and his tail between his legs, Rooster backed away slowly. Eyeing off the man who had Bob by the next and a gun pressed to his temple. There would surely be an indent by the time he was let go. Hands up surrender style—Rooster made his way over to where Hangman and Coyote stood dumbfounded.

“Are your eyes glued to your head or some shit man?” Javy hissed as Rooster stood beside him. “The fuck is wrong with you!?”

“She’s the love of my life, man.” You couldn’t blame Rooster for acting in your defence. It was in his inherent nature to protect the ones he loved so deeply, tenderly and oh so fiercely. “My whole god damn world.” He’d never been so scared to lose you before this very moment. The fallout of the uranium mission had him racing across the west coast of the country all the way to Washington where you were based. Knowing he came an inch to losing his life. Far too many times to count. On the way back Rooster had confided in Hangman for a brief moment. Mentioning that there had been a girl, a girl so fierce and loving and kind that he couldn't help but to wonder how you'd mourn him. He didn't mention specific things like how long you’d know each other or how long you two had been dating. Rooster didn't mention what you did for work or even how he’d had his mothers engagement ring resized off another ring he’d stolen from your jewellery stand.

Rooster had simply told Jake Seresin that for a moment there if he hadn’t come after him and Pete? There would have been a heartbroken soul at his funeral. A woman so willing to pray for him, take his pain for him, save his soul from himself. Bradley Bradshaw had always been the one left behind, but that day he almost left you. And he wasn't ready to do that without having made it one thousand percent clear that you were the love of his life. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with you.

“Bradley? What–what are you doing here?” You questioned as he came through your front door. The key you'd gifted him nestled nicely in between all his other keys. Standing from your stop on the lounge–Youd been curled up watching Criminal Minds. “I thought you weren't supposed to be home for a few more days?”  Taking massive strides to get to you Bradly simply engulfed you in a warm embrace. Hugging you so tightly because there were a few moments there he thought he'd never get to hug you again. Smell your hair, feel how cold you ran against his usually hot self.

“I couldn't wait to see you for one more second.” You could hear it in his voice, fuck. Something had happened, hadn't it. But more importantly you could see it in his eyes as he pulled away to meet your gaze in the dimly lit living room or your modest two bedroom two bathroom townhouse. Big enough for you and big enough for Bradley Bradshaw. With a little extra room for a guest here and there. “As soon as I was dismissed I jumped in the Bronco and headed straight for the airport.”

“That's a pretty long flight –” You were trying to get a read on the situation. What makes a man drive almost the entire West Coast of the United States so pressingly? What on earth was going on inside his head. “Do you want a coffee or something? I can make you a fresh pot?”

“Uh yeah that would be nice.” Bradley replied softly as he brought your forehead to his lips by pressing the palm of his hand to the back of your head. Letting you go as you wondered your way into the kitchen. The kettle already empty and waiting to be filled.

Rooster couldn't wait another second, he had to ask. Following you as he fished the small black velvet box that held his mothers engagement ring out of his pocket. Opening it and he stood behind you. Your hips pressing against the lip of the kitchen bench as you filled the kettle with a soft smile on your face. Bradley's hand came to lean against the countertop as he kissed your neck softly. Peppering small butterfly-like kisses up and down the juncture of your neck and shoulder.

“What do you think you're playing at?” Taunting the naval aviator who you’d missed so dearly as you turned around, leaning against the countertop as you held the kettle now full of water. It wasn't long before it had found its new home on the tiles. Water cascading across the gloss white flooring. Your hands coming up to cup your mouth. Jaw hung slack as a gasp escaped. Eyes wide with pure shock as Bradley Bradshaw trapped you against the countertop and himself. Holding the open velvet box in his hand with a soft smile and watery eyes. “Brad–”

“I almost didn't come home this time.” It was a sentence you never wanted to hear but were still thankful enough to hear him say it. It was and would always be better than the alternative. The home calls all military men and women dreaded. The one where officials inform you of a loss. “And it made me realise that I now have someone to leave behind.”

“Bradley–” You tried to speak as you cupped his cheeks. Pressing your forehead against his as you stood on the tips of your toes to meet his lips.

“Marry me Y/n, marry me.” It was a question you didn't need to ponder or consider saying anything but yes to immediately. Watching as Bradley dropped down to one knee before you. Following him down. “I love you so much and I just–Ican't stand the thought of not having you in my life for whatever time I have here.” It was the honest truth of the matter. “And I want you all to myself, as my wife, my best friend.

“Yes.” It was all you said before you crashed into him. Your arms wrapping around his neck as you both fell to the floor, rooster on his back in the mess of water as you fell atop him. Melting together as your tongues danced and hands roamed. “I love you so much more.”

“Do we have a deal?” Your voice brought Rooster back into the room. His eyes trained on you as you kept your hands up and your eyes on bob. He looked like he was keeping it together. But you knew from experience the second he was let go he could react in all kinds of ways. You'd seen it all. “I said do we have a deal?” You weren't in the mood for this, to play silly games with peoples lives. “Bodmin!”

“Yes yes we have a deal!” He shouted. Accepting your proposal for a trade off. your self for Bob. Slowly making your way over to him, you took Bob's hand in yours. He was shaking something chronic. He’d been in situations where life and death seemed not too far apart but this? He’d never be able to forget the feeling of having his life threatened by another person.

“Floyd?” You said Bob’s last name allowed, committing the name that was proudly displayed on his name badge to memory. “Got a first name?” You vaguely remembered, it was something that started with a B. Bradley had mentioned so many people it was hard to keep track sometimes.

“Bob–” huh, You finally had a face to go with the stories Bradley had told you late at night in the kitchen. One in particular coming to mind, the bird strike. “Robert.”

“Well Bob, today's your lucky day.” You were sure to take your time as the man released Bob from his grasp, pulling Bob towards you step by step. “If you call being held hostage lucky–”

“You don't have to do this, you know.” Bob whispered as you turned around, it was now you who had your back to Bodmin. With a gentle smile you let his hands drop. The barrel of the gun that had once been held to Bob’s temple now pressing against the small of your back. “You don't have to risk your life for me–”

“It's kinda my job.” That was all you really had time to say before you were being marched towards the front door of the Hard Deck. Rooster sent DiNozzo a look as if to ask what the hell was he doing just letting you play self sacrificing damsel. DiNozzo just shrugged, his gun still drawn and locked onto Bodmin's back from across the room. “How do you wanna do this Dan? You gonna shoot a lady in the back? You know thats considered murder right?” It was now that you were getting Daniel right where you needed him to be that you started playing mind games. “If you’re already going down for the murder of Avery you may as well go two for two right?” DiNozzo could hear everything you were saying through his ear piece. When he got the chance? He was gonna slap the god damn shit out of the back of your head for being so undeniably reckless. “You killed him for the money didn't you? You just didn't know where he’d stashed it. So you panicked.”

“What happened to innocent until proven guilty huh?”

“You held a gun to a naval aviator's head–you’re as good as done.”

“Shut up before I put a goddamn bullet in you–” Shoving you out the front door was probably the dumbest thing Daniel Bodmin could have done. Because as you stepped out onto the front deck of the Hard Deck bar? A few dozen of your agents had him surrounded. Within milliseconds.

Bradley's heart fell out his arse when he heard a single gunshot come from outside. Shouting from all over the place ensued as he ran to where he’d last seen you, right out the front door.

“Y/n!!” He was expecting the worst, to see you lying on the ground with a bullet between your eyes. But that's not what he saw. Far from it actually. Special Agent DiNozzo was hot on Rooster's tail. Fuck. This couldn't be happening, this was meant to be a routine god damn op.

To both men's surprise, you had your knee pressed into Daniel Bodmin's back. He was face down on the deck with his hands cuffed behind his back, his gun discarded. Looking up at Rooster with a smirk evident on your face as Daniel squired under the pressure you were forcing him down with.

“Hi fellas.” You beamed like nothing unorthodox had just taken place. “DiNozzo, what the hell took you so long man–?”

“I was trying to listen to what everyone on comms was saying but it got all jumbled.” DiNozzo explained as he holstered his gun. Leaning down to take over the apprehension of Daniel Bodmin. “All I heard was gett him outside then you started going all awol of me like some suicidal maniac.” Pulling the now detained suspect to his feet. “When we get back to Quantico you best believe Gibbs is gonna be pissed.”

“When is he ever not?” You replied with a sigh. Turning your attention to Rooster who stood off to the side. The entire squad looking out the windows, peeping eyes looking over the windowsills to catch a glimpse of the action happening outside. This had been the most exhilarating situation the Hard Deck Bar had ever seen. Penny swore she was about ready to sell the damn place. “I'm sorry I threatened to arrest you, you know I wou–” before you could finish your sentence Bradley’s hands were clasping your cheeks. Pulling you against him as he kissed you with so much love and admiration you could taste it.

“I’ve never been so fucking worried about you—“ Roosted kissed you deeper this time, he knew what he was playing at as well. The whole ‘let me kiss her so she can’t speak’ shtick. Only pulling away with enough time so he could. “You’ve told me this stuff seems so normal to you but I want you to know it’s not—it’s beyond dangerous and I can't believe how easily you put down your weapon.” Rooster was projecting his own insecurities about your job onto you. Placing your hand over your lips as he came back to kiss you. Colliding with your open palm.

“You have a medallion sitting over our fireplace because you defied direct orders and single handedly flew into enemy territory knowing damn well you didn't have the ammunition to fight back–all to save the lives of others.” Yep. You had him with that one. “What is the difference here? Spot it and I'll give you five bucks Bradshaw–” Rooster just pulled you into his chest. His arms wrapping around your shoulders, his chin resting on the top of your head. Looking out as the sun set lower and slower on the horizon.

“I guess there isn't much in it.”

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

Twenty minutes. That how much time had passed since Rooster saw you held at gun point, since he saw Bob held at gunpoint. It was standard protocol, you had Bob sitting at a nearby picnic table outside of the Hard Deck taking a witness statement.

“And you’re sure you’re alright? You don’t feel like you need to get checked out or anything?” You had your windbreaker one. The dark blue oversized jacket that proudly displayed NCIS on the back.

“No ma’am, thanks to you I’m in one peice.” You smiled softly at him, honestly you were just doing your job. “I didn’t know Rooster had a fiancée—“ You closed your little notepad before pocketing it in the back of your jean pocket. “Wish we’d met under different circumstances.”

“It is a little unorthodox isn’t it.” You chuckled, tapping Bob in the shoulder before making your way over to Rooster. He’d been watching you like a Hawk as you did your thing. Told people where to go and who to talk to, lead the investigation as NCIS agents went in and out of the Hard Deck. Talking to other witnesses for as many recollections as possible to aid the prosecution. “I’m thinking of staying until Tuesday if you feel like some company?” You mentioned as you approached Bradley, he stool with his arms crossed over his chest. Just admiring you from a far. He never really got the chance to watch you work. “If not I can always get a room at the motel down the road.”

“Well I usually don’t bring in strays—“ Taunting you as you bumped your hip against your finance’s playfully, your tongue sticking out against the inner part of your cheek as his smart ass comment. “But I’m sure I can make an exception.” You and Bradley had spoken a few times about the possibility of maybe buying a house in Freightertown now that he was there on more of a permanent basis. You’d keep the rental in Washington for convenience—but the idea would eventually see you come to San Diago as well. “You can’t get mad about the dishes piled as high as Everest in the sink though.”

“I’m not gonna say a word—“ Rooster swore he saw your nose grow an inch longer. He knew you’d say something about the mess, he’d let it get a little out of hand this week. He’d been starting early and finishing late—leaving little time for upkeep on the day to day basics.

“Agent Gibbs?” One of your Agents approached you followed by two men you’d never seen before in your life. “This is officer Radavic and Wilcox—NSA.”

“What’s NSA want with our case?” You questioned and the men showed you their badges and credentials. Rooster didn’t know if he should leave or stay. Choosing to stay as you crossed your arms across your chest.

“Daniel Bodmin was a foreign national with information considered a threat to the United States of America.” You couldn't believe what you were hearing. This entire case had been blown way out of the realm of what you originally thought it to be. “We figured we’d jump in, take things off your hands.” With a scoff and a small laugh you shook your head. Kicking your heel in the rough gravel underneath your shoe.

“This case is NCIS jurisdiction–regardless if Bodmin is of interest to NSA—“ Something was off, way off. If NSA was interested they would have made contact way before now. And they’d use the proper channels to do so, not just show up in Miramar unannounced. Perhaps you were too much like your father, or maybe you just didn’t believe the story from the get go.

“Well, I personally believe it would be in the best interest of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service to work with us, after all? We are on the same side.” Yeah, no. There was something incredibly off about these two. “Have you been able to find anything on–” Before the supposed NSA  Agent had the chance to finish his sentence you were sending your shine directly between his legs. Pulling his shoulders forward into you as you did so. Immediately he went down like a sack of shit, groaning as his partner went at Rooster. Not knowing he wasn't NCIS.

“Hey woah what the–!” Rooster was pretty quick on the draw, you'd give your soon to be husband that. He didn't need your help when it came to defending himself. His knuckles would surely be bruised up slightly after he was done and the other agent was on the ground. “What are you doing! You heard the guy? You're on the same team?” Roosters eyes were as wide as saucers as he turned back to you, fixing his shirt after having laid the other agent on his ass. Unconscious.

“Im pretty sure he's not NSA–” Bending over to retrieve both their weapons as a few agents rushed to the scene. Taking them into custody.

“Pretty sure!?” Bradley shouted through gritted teeth. “Because you teed off on him like you were kicking a field goal!”

“Rooster, I've got a hunch they're working with Bodmin alright, they might be foreign oppritives—just slow your roll there.” Trying to calm your fiancé down as you dusted him off. Sand everywhere.

“Oh my gosh! Y/n, sweetheart, baby girl no you don't just kick a guy in the junk on a hunch–“ Rooster groaned as he held his stomach. “Gees, sometimes I don't even know you, who does that?” You shrugged it off with a chuckle, intertwining your arm with Roosters as yiu walked back into the Hard Deck—all eyes on you as you looked up. A good set of twelve eyes all locked onto you. “Uh, I think this might be a good time to introduce you to my colleagues here.” Rooster mumbled as he kissed the top of your head. Nodding in response you waved at everyone who just stood stunned, still processing what had happened earlier.

“You must be colleagues huh?”

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

“So how’d you know they were bogus?” You’d all been sitting around the pool table. You’d noticed pretty quickly just how close Bob had stayed to the side of the women who’d come racing to the Hard Deck not ten minutes after you’d placed Bodmin under arrest. When Bradley had introduced you she’d pulled you in for a hug, said thank you for saving Bob's life and told you her name was Nat.

“Theyre accents–” You replied to Coyote who just shook his head in disbelief. God you were cool. How on earth did Rooster manage to find a girl like you?

“Nope, they didn't have accents.” Rooster saw how everyone was looking at you like you were the coolest person they’d ever encountered. Flying high he decided to shoot you down for his own enjoyment. Bring you back down to earth where he and the commoners lived. Standing between Bradley legs as he sat on one of the barstools with your back against his chest. You turned as his arms came down from their home on your shoulders. His hands lingering on your hips.

“Rooster, sweetheart, baby boy.” You teased, knowing exactly what he was doing. “Do you know the difference between French open syllabic organisation and English archaic speech patterning?” Giving him a taste of his own medicine. He didn’t respond—simply smirking as he took a sip of his beer. Eyes never leaving yours. Fucking smart arse.

“What that old chestnut?” Hangman mumbled as he smirked into the beer bottle he held to his lips. The whole crew minus Bob were indulging in a few too many alcoholic beverages. “Nah, what the hell even is that?” Fuck—Rooster could count his lucky stars with you that was for damn sure. “They probably have some diplomatic unity or some bullshit.”

“That's exactly why we threw em in county.” A familiar voice entered the chat. “They’ll be lucky to even get a phone call by christmas. '' DiNozzo snickered as he picked up a handful of the peanuts sitting in a bowl on the edge of the pool table. Looking at him so disappointed and puzzled as to where he’d gone this whole time– He shot you a questioning look back. “What? What's that look for?”

“Where the hell have you been—?” It was a legitimate question you wanted an answer to. DiNozzo just frowned as he took the handful of nuts into his mouth.

“Escorting our perp into county, why? what did I miss?” Looking around, no one wanted to give him an answer. “I'm pretty sure we’re good here don't you think? Besides, I’m gonna head back to the motel and get a good rest in before giving our two NSA impersonators the old razzle dazzle tomorrow–” Bradley chuckled to himself as you lent back to him. His chin resting on your shoulder.

“Just don't let Agent Bradshaw here interrogate them.” You would soon have to get used to that. Special Agent Bradshaw. It sounded funny but in the best of ways. Like a new house. Sure it felt foregin at first but soon it would become a home. Rolling your eyes as you sighed dramatically.

“Why is that?” DiNozzo questioned with squinted eyes. “What did you do–?”

“She kicked one of the guys right in the non day plumes!” Bradley scoffed over your shoulder, feeling you pull away in defeat as you stood with your arms crossed, sending him a glare– telling him to get over it already. God you loved him. So much.

“No–” Anthony played into it. Holding his hands together to cover his crotch. “She didn’t–”

“Yep–Guy didn't even have his weapon out.” You couldn't believe how big of a deal Bradley was making out of this.

“Really!?” DiNozzo was flabbergasted. “Gibbs, that's just outright assault.” You didn't know who to stare at more, Anthony or Bradley as the group watched on with laughter and smirks.

“Mmhmm, right in the cul de sac, kicked him so hard it gave me a stomach ache.” Okay this was getting out of hand.

“So what!” Throwing your hands up in defeat. “Would it have been better if I pistol whipped him across the face?”

“YES!!” Every single man you stood with said allowed in unison. You couldn't believe it. Even Natasha rollered her eyes.

“I'd rather be held at gun point–” Bob pipped up as Phoenix softly slapped him in the chest with the back of her hand. The group couldn't help but to laugh, settling in soon after into their own conversations as you said bye to DiNozzo and turned all of your attention back to Rooster.

“You done?” Questioning his childishness you glared at him yet again with a soft smirk. “Or should I get that hotel room after all?”

“Oh No–” Bradley Bradshaw had never jumped from his seat so fast in his life. Finishing his beer as he did so. “No you're coming home with me.” kissing your cheek as he whispered in your ear. “I specifically remember you mentioning handcuffs and I don't know about you but I'm keen to play cops and robbers.”

Would you like to read more of NCIS Bradley? The series Masterlist is linked here

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

Tags: @auroraboreallisfine @tigerfan24 @atarmychick007

#top gun bradley bradshaw #bradley rooster bradshaw x reader #bradley rooster bradshaw #rooster x f!reader #ncis imagine #top gun fandom #bradley bradshaw one shot #bradley bradshaw fanfiction #top gun maverick fanfiction

[sarahsmi13s]

Hesitation

(gif not mine)

pairing: jake ‘hangman’ seresin x fem pilot!reader (last name: abbott, call sign: medusa)

characters: jake seresin, reader, the dagger squad + maverick and warlock, leroy jethro gibbs, ziva david, timothy mcgee, anthony dinozzo junior, donald mallard (ducky), james palmer, abby scuito, secnav, male villian!oc - Cole Cooke

warnings: THIS FIC IS 18+ MINORS DO NOT INTERACT, language, death, SA, torture, abuse (not by hangman), car accident (mentioned), vomiting, guns, canon violence, i’m sorry if i missed any, please let me know and I will add it to the list

word count: ~10.6k (i-i don’t know what to tell you)

a/n: the NCIS team will consist of Gibbs, McGee, DiNozzo, and Ziva (mainly because that’s the season i’m currently on) and the Dagger Squad is temporarily stationed at Oceana

like mentioned in the warning, this fic contains sensitive themes, reader discrection is advised

**********

The Gibbs Team looked at the plasma, looking over the military file displayed on it.

Tony crossed his arms over his chest and got closer to the screen, “She’s pretty, real pretty.” “She’s missing DiNozzo,” Gibbs said, walking into the bullpen with his coffee. “How did you-” Gibbs just stared at him. “Nevermind.”

McGee rolled his eyes before turning to the screen. “Lieutenant Y/N ‘Medusa’ Abbott was reported UA this morning by her captain, Captain Pete Mitchell.” Ziva spoke up, “She’s a Naval Aviator, graduated top of her class and has flown several high profile missions.” “She also was a TOP GUN graduate, graduating in the number one spot there as well,” Tony added.

“She got a backseater?” Gibbs asked. “Uh, no, not anymore,” Tim said, looking down at the ground. “Not anymore?” The image changed to one of a photo of Y/N and her backseater. “Lieutenant Jordan Winters was in a car accident in 2018. He was in a coma for a month, when he woke up the damage to his legs had been so severe that he was discharged,” Tony elaborated.

Gibbs nodded, “What about her wingman?” Ziva pressed the clicker, “Lieutenant Jacob Seresin, call sign ‘Hangman’; also graduated top of his class and graduated from TOP GUN in the number one slot.” Tony winced, “Wonder what he did to earn a call sign like that.” Ziva chuckled, “I can think of a few things.”

A smack sounded out in the bullpen.

Ziva and Tony rubbed the back of their heads. “Right, sorry boss.”

“We need to talk to her squadron, Captain Mitchell, and Admiral Bates,” he walked around his desk and grabbed his coffee. “DiNozzo, you’re with me.” “Gibbs, why are we looking into this? She’s only been UA a few hours, that’s not really enough to classify her as missing,” Ziva questioned. “My gut.”

As Gibbs and Tony got into the elevator, “McGee, I want a BOLO out for her vehicle.” “Yes, Boss.”

********

After flashing their badges to the gate they went into the training facility.

“How can I help you guys?” The secretary asked as he looked up from his computer. “Do you know where we can find Admiral Bates?” “He should be in his office, he’s expecting you.” Gibbs nodded and went down the hall.

He knocked and received a ‘come in’.

Gibbs walked in flashing his badge, “Admiral Bates? Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, NCIS. This is Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo.” Warlock stood, “Glad you could make it here so soon. I know Captain Mitchell called it in, but he was ordered to start training as usual.” “Is he on the ground?” Warlock nodded, “Yes, as are the rest of the pilots. If you’ll follow me I can show you the way.”

As he led the way, they asked him questions. Like what Y/N was like, what her relationship was with her squad and her commanding officers. And Warlock had nothing but positive responses.

They entered the hangar seeing the pilots sitting casually, standing at attention when the Admiral entered the room.

“You may be seated.” Warlock gestured to the agents, “They are Special Agents Gibbs and DiNozzo. They’re from NCIS.”

Payback sat up with a furrowed brow, “NCIS? What happened?” Warlock sighed, “As you all know, Lieutenant Abbott did not report this morning. They’re here to ask you all some questions.”

Gibbs turned to Maverick, “Captain, I’d like to speak with you first.” “Of course, my office is this way.”

******

In Maverick’s office, Gibbs asked him questions about Y/N.

“You called this in very early, why?” Maverick sighed, “Med- Lieutenant Abbott, has never been UA and has barely ever called in sick. I’ve had to send her home a few times actually.” Tony nodded before asking his own question, “So, there is no possibility that she’s late?” “No, sir.”

Maverick sighed, “I just, I have this feeling that something’s very wrong. It’s in my gut, and my gut is usually right.” Tony and Gibbs shared a look, nodding.

“Is there anyone that might want to hurt her for any reason?” Tony asked. Pete shook his head, “Not that I know of. She’s loved by everyone on this squad and her past squads had nothing but nice things to say about her.” Gibbs sat up, “We need to personally talk with each of those pilots out there.” Mav nodded, “Of course, whatever you need.”

******

They spoke with Hangman first.

“What can you tell us about Lieutenant Abbott?” Gibbs asked. “She’s one of the best damn fighter pilots around. It’s an honor flying with her,” Jake answered honestly.

“You’ve flown with her for a while, nearly your whole career,” Tony pointed out. “Yes, sir. We were in another squadron together before being reassigned to this one.” Both nodded.

Gibbs glanced down at Y/N’s file. “She’s got a badass call sign. ‘Medusa’. Let me guess, you gave that to her?” Jake nodded, smiling at the memory, “I did.” “Why Medusa?” Jake chuckled, “Well, first she flies stone cold. If she ever gets hit on in a bar, the look she has could kill. She also loves mythology, it’s one of her hyperfixations.” He smiled as he remembered the last reason, “She’s got a sick Medusa tattoo on her thigh.”

Tony raised his brows, huffing in amusement.

Jake tensed at that, and Gibbs noticed, but didn’t mention it.

“You mentioned that she got hit on, do you think any of those guys would maybe try to hurt her because she rejected them?” DiNozzo asked. Hangman frowned a little, thinking, “No, most of them are usually drunk and just move on to the next girl.” “Were there any that didn’t move on?” He nodded, “A few, but they tend to move on when the rest of us size him up from across the room.”

“Has anything like that happened since you’ve been stationed here?” Gibbs asked. “No, mainly because she’s not too familiar with the area or the bars so she usually doesn’t go up to the bar alone.” “What about her stone cold stare?” Tony asked, a hint of mirth in his tone. “It still works, but some guys tend to take that as playing hard to get. So, one of us guys usually goes to the bar with her. If she needs to go to the bathroom, she goes with Phoenix or Halo.” They nodded, writing their notes down.

“What about her relationship with her backseater?” Jake chuckled, “Her and X-Ray are like brother and sister. She still visits him when she gets the chance.” Tony arched a quizzical eyebrow, “They’re still close?” He nodded, “The bond between pilot and wizzo is something else. When you’re in a plane together, your life rests entirely on the other person’s shoulders. They were a great team, I owe both of them my life.”

Gibbs nodded, “Seems like Lieutenant Abbott owes you her life as well. You’ve got two air-to-air kills, one of which was to save her life about 2 years ago.” Hangman nodded, “Yes sir. She was out of defense with no ammo, she had a bandit on her three o’clock.” “So, that’s when you swooped in and saved the day?” Tony asked, chuckling before cutting it off with a cough from a stare from Gibbs.

“Thank you Lieutenant Seresin, if we have more questions I need you to be available,” Gibbs said as they both stood. “Of course, sir,” Jake shook his hand, along with Tony’s before leaving.

********

The rest of the interviews went very similarly.

Everyone said basically the same thing. Medusa was never late, loved by every one of them, and had no known enemies. When at the bar no pursuers ever tried to follow her out.

While they didn’t get a lead to where she could be, they got an idea on who she is.

*******

As they drove back to NCIS, Gibbs’ phone rang.

“What ya got, McGee?” “Lieutenant Abbott’s vehicle was spotted in a ditch headed towards the air station. Sending the coordinates now,” McGee reports. “Ziva and I have already started that way.”

Tony nodded at Gibbs after checking his phone. Gibbs nodded back, “Okay, we’ll meet you and Ziva there.” He hung up and started driving to where Y/N’s car was spotted.

*******

They met up at the scene and began to process it.

“So, what are we looking at Boss?” DiNozzo asked as he photographed tire marks. “I’ll tell you when I know, DiNozzo.” “Right.”

Gibbs turned to Ducky, “Do you have a time of death, Ducky?” “Based on bruising, I’d say a day, maybe two.” They moved her body from the vehicle to the gurney to check her body temperature. “Her body temperature suggests the same.”

“How are we gonna tell the Dagger Squad?” Tony asked, watching Palmer wheel the gurney up to the truck. “How are we gonna tell her family?” “Her squadron is the only family she’s got, McGee,” Gibbs huffed and made his way back to the car.

*******

Jethro walked into autopsy, “You got a cause of death for me, Ducky?” Dr. Mallard went over to the x-rays, “Well, based on the bruising, and the position we found her in - Lieutenant Abbott died of asphyxiation. When she crashed into the tree, she was pinned by the steering wheel. Poor girl, her ribs were crushed and it could have taken hours for her to lose consciousness.” Gibbs turned to the autopsy table, walking over to the body on it.

He tilted his head as he looked at her face, squinting a little. “Did we get a positive ID on her?” “We found her ID, sir,” Palmer piped up. Gibbs just gave him a look before turning to Ducky, “Did we confirm that?” Ducky waved his finger, “I thought you were going to ask that, which is why I was going to suggest getting one of her colleagues to come up here to confirm.” “Why didn’t we just fingerprint her?”

Palmer came over, “We would have-” He turned her palm over, “Except she doesn’t have any.” Gibbs nodded, “Lieutenant Seresin mentioned she had a tattoo on her thigh. One of Medusa, said that’s how she got her call sign.”

Ducky nodded, “Ah! Yes, Medusa.” He moved the cloth of her leg, showing the tattoo there. “Beautiful work of art, truly.”

Gibbs’ phone rang, “Yeah Abbs?” “I think I’ve got something fishy with the Lieutenant’s car.” He nodded, “On my way.”

Ducky looked down at her body, “Call it a gut feeling my dear, but something about you just doesn’t line up.”

*******

Gibbs and Tony walked into the garage, “What you got Abby?”

The scientist popped up from behind the door. “Something that doesn’t line up.” He rose a brow, “And that is?” She enthusiastically waved him over.

“Look at the interior.” He did. “It’s covered in glass, Abbs.” “Exactly!” Tony laughed, “Abby, that’s normal for a crash.” Abby held up a finger, “But the lack of blood is not!”

Gibbs furrowed his brow and looked at the interior more closely.

There truly was not enough blood in that car for it to have been a proper crash. There was little blood on the air bag, the seat, the windows- anywhere blood would be, there was small amounts.

Gibbs looked at the crime scene photos, seeing the little amount of blood on her body.

“The lack of blood suggests-” “She was dead before the car hit the tree,” Gibbs said as he turned to walk to the elevator.

Abby quickly followed him, “Gibbs wait!” “What?” She smiled at his expectant expression. “I was checking the brake pedal and I found this,” she held up an evidence jar. He sighed and grabbed the jar, shaking it a little, “What is this?” She took it back, “I’m thinking it’s cinder block. I’m gonna run tests to be sure, and on the trace amounts of blood as well.”

Gibbs smiled, “Good work, Abby.”

*****

Gibbs walked into the squad room the next day, he really hadn’t left the building, going over every detail he could find on Lieutenant Abbott. Also staying for the autopsy of her body, learning that she had in fact died somewhere else two days prior to the day she was found. And results from the residue found in the floorboard were confirmed to be cinder block

He was still waiting on the results of the blood analysis.

As if on cue, his phone rang. “Gibbs.” “The blood results came back and you won’t believe-” That’s all he needed before he hung up and went to the elevator.

*******

Walking in with a Caf-POW, Gibbs went over to Abby at her lab computer.

“Tell me something, Abbs,” he said, sitting the drink down. “I can do better than that.”

She pulled up the blood test, both from the body and what she pulled off the airbag. “These blood samples don’t match.” Gibbs furrowed his brow, “So there was someone else in the car?” Abby shook her head, “Nope. This blood-” She held up a vile taken from the body. “Does not match this blood.” She held up the swab Ducky took from where Medusa’s nose bled. “When I ran a test on this swab, I couldn’t find a match. So, I requested this.”

Abby took a breath, allowing Gibbs to ask questions. “So whose blood is this?” “I’m glad you asked.” She pulled up another test, showing a positive match. “What is this?” “When I learned the blood pulled off the Lieutenant’s skin didn’t match what was taken out of her body, I ran what I found on the airbag against both. What was found on the airbag matches what was taken off her skin.”

Gibbs nodded, “Do we have any idea on whose blood that is?” “Not who,” Abby smirked, turning to her evidence table. “Animal?” “Nope.” Gibbs exhaled impatiently, “Then what is it, Abby?”

“Based on the theory we had about her being dead before the crash, I tested the blood for red dye. And I found that both samples, the ones taken from both the air bag and her skin, contained Red Dye 40.” “That’s food coloring.” Abby nodded, “Yup! The blood in the vehicle is fake. Our Lieutenant was murdered before the crash.” Gibbs kissed her cheek, “Good work, Abbs.”

*******

“McGee, go get Lieutenant Seresin. Bring him in for questioning, but don’t tell him why,” Gibbs said as he walked around his desk.

Tim stood up, “Uh, but do I get to know why we’re bringing him in?” Gibbs looked up at him, “Because Lieutenant Abbott was murdered.”

*****

Hangman sat in interrogation, toothpick in his mouth as he tapped on the table.

Gibbs walked in and Jake looked up, taking the pick out of his mouth. “Lieutenant Seresin,” Gibbs nodded to him. “Agent Gibbs,” Jake nodded back.

It was silent for a moment, Hangman waiting for the agent to speak.

“When did you last see Medusa, Hangman?” Gibbs looked up from the file on the table. “Sunday night, around 2200, sir.” “That’s late, you both weren’t in your dorms?” Jake shook his head, “No sir. The squad went out to the bar that night, sir. Y/N and I went to our rental on base at 2130.” “You lived together?” Hangman nodded, “Yes, sir. We’re dating, sir.”

Gibbs leaned on the table, “Dating?”

“Yes sir.” “Was this not an issue with you being in the same squadron?” “We were dating before joining the Navy, sir. Grew up together.” “And you aren’t married yet?” Jake exhaled through his nose, his jaw clenching a little.

Gibbs smirked a little as he watched Hangman’s eyes fall to the table. “What happened Sunday night? Did you and Y/N get into a fight that night?” Jake swallowed, looking Gibbs in the eye, “Yes sir.” “About what?”

“A girl at the bar had flirted with me-” “Did you flirt back?” Jake looked at Gibbs incredulously, “Of course not.” “Then why did you fight with Medusa?” Jake rubbed his face, “When I turned the girl down, she laid it on thicker. Y/N claimed her territory.” Gibbs nodded and began writing, “I assume you left after that?” He nodded, “Yes sir.”

“What happened when you got home, Lieutenant?” Jake sniffed and rubbed his nose, “Medusa was giving me the cold shoulder, which I’m not entirely surprised about. I tried to get her to talk and when she did, it escalated. And she asked me a question, one that I hesitated to answer.” “Was the question,” Gibbs played with his pen. “When you were gonna marry her?”

Hangman nodded, “Yes sir. She said she was tired of having to show ‘barrack bunnies’ that I’m taken. That if we were married, it’d stop them. I told her a ring doesn’t stop them, if anything they try harder… Then she asked if I ever planned on marrying her, and I hesitated.” “That’s when she left?” “Stormed out the door and left. I needed to talk about it, so I called my buddy Rooster and he came by. He stayed over because I wasn’t sure if Medusa was going to stay with Phoenix or not. She didn’t come home or show up on base.”

Gibbs cleared his throat, “She didn’t come home because she was in a car accident, ran off the road and smashed into a tree.”

He could see Jake’s heart plummet as the words left his mouth. “Is-is she okay?” Gibbs shook his head, hesitating to pull out the photos but laid them out anyway, “I’m sorry, Lieutenant. She was found dead in the driver’s seat.” Jake looked down at the photos and covered his mouth, “Is she here?” Gibbs nodded, “She’s in autopsy.” “Can I see her? Please?”

******

Tony and Ziva watched the interrogation through the glass.

“Do you think he’s telling the truth?” He asked, looking down at Ziva. “About seeing her Sunday night?” She looked up at DiNozzo, laughing a little, “Or that they were a couple?” He scoffed, “I know that’s a lie. Dating for nearly 15 years and they aren’t married, there’s no way.”

Ziva looked back and saw how torn up Jake looked. She sobered up, “I think he’s telling the truth. Gibbs does too.”

******

Gibbs took Jake to autopsy, “Ducky, I’ve got a second opinion to confirm Lieutenant Abbott’s ID.”

“Oh, who might this charming young man be?” Ducky asked, walking up to Jake. Hangman held his hand out, “Lieutenant Jake Seresin, you can call me Hangman.” Ducky smiled and shook his hand, “Doctor Mallard, everyone calls me Ducky.” Jake couldn’t help but chuckle, “I think you’d like my friend.” “Is he also a medical examiner?” Hangman shook his head, chuckling, “No, he’s also a bird.”

Gibbs smirked from behind his coffee, before following Ducky and Hangman.

“I must warn you, Lieutenant, the crash made matching her to her ID through facial recognition difficult.” Ducky pinched the cloth in his fingers, waiting for Jake’s confirmation that this is what he wanted. “Please, Doctor Mallard.”

Ducky moved the sheet, exposing her face. Jake inhaled sharply, hesitantly reaching out, pausing. “You may touch her, Jacob.” Jake ran his index finger along the side of her face. “Oh, Sugar… I’m so sorry..”

Both Ducky and Gibbs watch tears fill Jake’s eyes before he furrows his brows. “What’s wrong Jake?” Gibbs asked, tilting his chin up. “It’s just- Y/N has a scar. Right here,” Hangman used his pinky to trace a line from just below her cheek bone to a spot on her neck. “She got it last year. She tried to break up a bar fight and got grazed by a broken bottle.” “Are you sure it hasn’t faded?” Jake shook his head, pulling out his phone, finding a photo from Sunday night before the fight.

He gave it to Ducky, who zoomed in on the photo, seeing the scar in the exact place it was supposed to be.

“Can you show me her tattoos?” Gibbs arched a brow, “Tattoos?” He looked at Ducky, “Why didn’t you say she had more than one?” “Because we only had one to go off of.” Gibbs nodded, “Yeah, the important one!”

Jake arched a brow, looking between the two before Ducky smirked and turned back to him and lifted the sheet. Jake’s eyes scanned her body, matching every tattoo to the ones he had committed to memory. He shuddered, covering his mouth, “It’s her.”

Gibbs inhaled through his nose, shoulders rising a little before he exhaled. “Lieutenant, can anyone confirm that Lieutenant Abbott was at the bar on Sunday?” Jake’s eyes shot up to the marine, “I don’t understand, you said this was a car accident.” “Answer the question, Hangman.” Jake stood straight at the tone Gibbs had, “The Dagger Squad, or the bartender at the Siren’s Cave, sir.”

******

Ziva and Tony headed to the air station to talk to the squad and McGee went to the bar to get surveillance.

“Lieutenant Machado, can you confirm that Lieutenants Seresin and Abbott were at the Siren’s Cave Sunday night?” Ziva asked, sitting across from Coyote. “Yeah, Medusa beat me twice at 9-ball.”

“Lieutenant Bradshaw, Lieutenant Seresin said that he called you to come over after the fight he had with Lieutenant Abbott. Did you pass her on your way to their home?” Tony asked Rooster. “Yeah, she passed the bar as I was leaving.”

Tony called Gibbs to relay the information.

******

Gibbs opened the interrogation room door.

“Everyone confirmed seeing you both at the bar on Sunday night. Lieutenant Bradshaw confirmed that he saw her on his way to your house. You can go.” Jake stood up, “Can I get her tags, sir?” Gibbs nodded and jerked his head for Hangman to follow him.

They went down to Abby’s lab.

“Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!” Abby came over, startling Jake a little. She paused, noticing him, “Hi, I’m Abby, forensic scientist.” He smiled, “Lieutenant Jake Seresin, friends call me Hangman.” “Oooh, a pilot- wait, you’re…” She trailed off as she realized who Jake was.

She hugged him, “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Jake glanced at Gibbs, who was smiling at him and shrugging, before hugging her back. “Thank you, Abby.”

When she pulled away she looked at Gibbs, waiting for him to speak. “If you’ve processed them, I need Lieutenant Abbott’s dog tags out of evidence and given to Lieutenant Seresin,” Gibbs told her. Abby frowned, “I’m sorry, I can’t do that.” Jake swallowed and nodded, “I understand if you need to keep them for any reason. I just-” “No!” Abby cut him off. “No, it’s not that I still need them. I don’t have them.” Jake tilted his head, “That can't be right, we never take them off.”

“Abby, I’ll be back. Lieutenant, I need to talk to you.” Gibbs ushered Jake out of Abby’s lab and to the elevator.

“Agent Gibbs, there’s something you’re not telling me. Was my wingman murdered?” Jake hissed as soon as the doors closed. Gibbs pressed the button for the squad room, sighing as he looked at Jake and stopped the elevator, “The body in autopsy is three days old. Y/N left your house on Sunday night.” Jake’s jaw slacked, “There’s a chance she’s alive?” Gibbs clenched his jaw, “Yeah. So I want to know who went through all the trouble to find a damn near perfect body double and replicate her tattoos to make it look like she died, and I wanna know why.”

******

Your head stayed down when the door opened.

“Oh come on, Y/N.” The cold metal of the blade under your chin made you raise your head. “There she is.”

*******

“Is there anyone in Y/N’s past that would want to hurt her?” Jake shook his head, chewing a toothpick as he paced through the squad room, “I don’t know.” “Come on, Hangman, think.” Jake clenched his jaw so hard he broke his toothpick, “I’m sorry if I can’t think of a single person that would have it out for the sweetest woman on the damn planet, Agent DiNozzo!”

Gibbs' phone rang, “Gibbs.” “I’ve got something!” He hung up and stood, “Abby’s lab now.”

Everyone, including Jake, went to Abby’s lab.

“Show me what you got Abbs.” She grinned at him and turned to her computer. “Just to be thorough, I found the Facebook pages of the tattoo shops Medusa got her tattoos at. I found the posts where she tagged them, and matched them with the photos taken in autopsy of her tattoos. And-” The team watched on the plasma as the photos layered over one another. “They don’t line up,” McGee finished for Abby.

“I also called the tattoo shops and learned they all use different ink. And all of the tattoos on our Jane Doe use the same ink.” “So this just further proves the fact that that body isn’t Lieutenant Abbott.” “Yes, but the fact it’s all the same ink means it’s easier to trace, Boss,” McGee spoke up.

Gibbs nodded and moved to leave, “Well, trace it McGee!” “I already did, Boss.” Gibbs stopped and turned, finding a smiling Probie.

He tossed his arms to the side, “Are you wanting a microphone?” Tim shook his head, “Sorry, Boss. First, Abby found the brand of ink, and then I was able to find where it’s sold. Turns out you can find it on Amazon, along with a tattoo machine. Ducky also noticed that, upon closer inspection, that the tattoos were in the healing stage. So I narrowed the search to purchases made two weeks ago and delivered to addresses in Virginia.��

McGee turned back to his computer, and everyone went to the plasma.

“Both were delivered to a: Hannah Nicholson.” Gibbs turned to Jake, “Lieutenant, does that name sound familiar to you?” Hangman shook his head, “No, never heard of her.”

Abby came up, “No, but you’ve seen her.” She clicked her remote and someone that looked similar to you was pulled up. “Hannah Nicholson is our Jane Doe.”

*******

You gritted your teeth as a slap was delivered to your face.

“When I’m done with you, your career will be over. You’ll never be in the sky again.” You laughed, like actually laughed, “You can’t be serious. Ruin my career? I’m a part of the best of the best, you could never keep me-” You grunted as he punched you in the gut.

The man squatted to be eye level with you, “Don’t get smart now, Y/N.” “Well, you could definitely benefit from getting smart. Don’t you think? You fake my death with a car accident and then send a video to NCIS of you with me, very much alive?” You arched a brow at him, “Not very smart-” He cut you off with a punch to the face, sending your chair, and you, to the floor.

*******

The next day while Jake was on base, he got an email sent to his phone. When he checked it and saw it was a video with you tied to a chair as a thumbnail.

“Maverick,” Jake didn’t hesitate to burst into his Captain’s office, not caring who may be in there. “Lieutenant-” “I need you to take me to NCIS.” (Jake was shaking too much to drive himself) Maverick stood, glancing at Warlock for a moment, “Why, Hangman?” Jake just turned his phone around and showed him the email.

Both Mav and Warlock looked at the phone. “Go, Captain, I’ll take over training for today.”

******

When they arrived, Jake had no hesitation to go right up to the squadroom.

“Lieutenant Seresin? What are you doing here?” McGee asked, being the first to see him. “Where’s Agent Gibbs?” Tony spun in his chair to get up, “Coffee run.”

He walked up to Hangman, “As senior field agent, I’d be more than happy to help.” Jake chuckled, tapping his palm with his phone, not really in the mood for putting up with Tony’s arrogance. “I’d prefer to speak to Agent Gibbs.” “Well, like I said, he’s not here. And I’m much better at-”

“At what, DiNozzo?” Gibbs said, standing next to the agent and the pilot as he sipped his coffee.

Tony stuttered to respond, making Jake smirk a little. “Have you ID’d the man Hannah met online?” “Not yet, boss.” “Then why are you standing here?” “Well, I was- uh- I was just- I’ll get right on that boss.”

Hangman and Maverick shared a look, before Gibbs spoke to them. “Lieutenant Seresin, I take it you have something for me?”

*******

“Well, you could definitely benefit from getting smart. Don’t you think? You fake my death with a car accident-”

“God, Medusa, stop talking…” Jake mumbled to himself. The group winced when you got punched in the face and your chair fell over.

Gibbs grunted a little, “Get this video to Abby. I want her to analyze every frame of that video. And who sent it to Lieutenant Seresin.” “On it, Boss,” McGee said, emailing it and then following his email.

Jake rubbed his face and sat down. He threw his head back and bit his lip. Maverick knelt down in front of him, “Hangman?”

Jake sniffed and looked down at his captain. “What is she thinkin’, Mav? Antagonizing him like that? That’s not how we were trained to handle situations like this.” “She’s not thinking, she’s just doing.” Jake scoffed, “As comforting as I assume that was supposed to be, it’s not even remotely easing my nerves.”

Ziva perked up, “Wait, what if she wasn’t taken because of the mission?” Tony nodded, “That would explain why she’s being so sassy. It’s not intel, it’s revenge”

*******

“Agent Gibbs!”

The crowd turned to the voice, seeing Director Vance upstairs. “SecNav would like to speak to you. MTAC now.”

As Gibbs made the stairs Vance noticed the two khaki uniforms in the squadroom, but simply nodded at them as they walked into MTAC.

“Agent Gibbs.” “Mister Secretary.” “One of the best naval aviators that just flew a high profile mission is missing. I was told you were on the case.” Gibbs nodded, “Yeah.” “Do you have any leads?” “No.” “Agent Gibbs, you do understand that if anything about that-” “He doesn’t care about the mission. He only cares about Lieutenant Abbott. It’s personal for him.” “So you know who he is?” Gibbs shook his head, “No, but based on the video sent to Lieutenant Seresin, he hasn’t asked any questions related to any mission.” SecNav nodded, “Okay. But Gibbs?” The marine raised a brow. “Get her back, the Navy needs her.”

*******

“You know, you ruined my life that day,” the masked man said as he played with his knife.

Your head lolled to the side, your exhaustion from the beatings taking a toll on you now. “What are you talking about?” “Do you not remember me?” He stood and you gritted your teeth as you forced your head up to look him in the eye. “Obviously not. Should I?” You winced as he pressed into a cut on your shoulder.

“Yeah, you should.” He pulled off his mask to reveal a face you haven’t seen since he got kicked out of the Academy.

“C-”

********

“Cole Cooke,” McGee said, pulling up Cooke’s old Naval Academy file. “Abby was able to find him because the email he used to send the video to Hangman, he used on an online dating site where he met Hannah.” Jake stood up, “Wait, Cooke?” The team parted to let him get a closer look. 

The pilot's face morphed into anger.

Anger that the marine recognized.

“What’d he do, Lieutenant?” Jake had fire in his eyes when he looked at Gibbs. “He sexually assaulted her and three other girls. Y/N’s the one that reported him.” Tim nodded, “And that’s what got him kicked out of the Naval Academy and blacklisted from the military.” “He wasn’t arrested?” Jake clenched his jaw, “He was, but he got out on good behavior.” 

Jake’s phone went off with a notification, an email to be more accurate. 

He dropped it onto McGee’s desk. “I don’t understand, why would he send these to me?” “You’re her boyfriend, Lieutenant, this can just be another form of revenge. He wants to get back at her for reporting him and, in turn, ruining his chances at a military career,” Ziva said, crossing her arms as McGee transferred the videos.

“He ruined his career all on his own, Agent David. Y/N just got a scumbag out of the service,” Jake huffed rubbing his forehead. “Nobody liked him, he was cocky. Always thought he was better than he is.” Tony chuckled, “Isn’t that the main trait of a naval aviator?” 

“They have something to back it up with, DiNozzo,” Gibbs said. “The only thing Cooke has to back him up is a record of being a dirtbag.” 

He looked at McGee, “Play it.”

You looked worse than before and Jake felt sick to his stomach. “Oh my god.” 

They watched him squat in front of you, twirling the knife he just cut you with in his hand. Jake’s jaw was clenched as he watched your head fall to the side as slow breaths made your chest move.

“You know, you ruined my life that day,” Cooke said. Your face scrunched in pain as you took a deep breath, “What are you talking about?” Cole stood and tipped your head back with a harsh grip on your chin, “Do you not remember me?” You scoffed, “Obviously not. Should I?” He moved the hand holding your chin to press into the cut he had just placed here, making you wince. “Yeah, you should,” he ripped his mask off.

The look on your face Jake had only seen one other time and it was when you came to his dorm crying.

********

The banging pulled Jake from his book.

“Hold your horses!” He pulled the door open, coming face to face with you crying and looking absolutely terrified. “Sugar what’s wrong?” 

Your hands were shaking as you showed him your knuckles, bruised and cut up.

“I-I didn’t want– I told him I had a boyfriend- Ja-ake,” you broke down outside his door. “Hey, hey, I got you. You’re safe now.” You swallowed, “Jake, I need to go to the superintendent-the dean-someone.” 

He pulled you into his room to get you out of the prying eyes of other midshipmen. “Why? I need you to-” He finally took in your appearance, you were wearing a disheveled USNA t-shirt and athletic shorts. Bruises were forming on your wrist and your eye and lip. “What the fuck happened to you?” 

“You remember last semester when those two girls dropped out for no reason?” He nodded, “Yeah, the two freshman girls right?” You nodded, swallowing another wave of tears away. “I found out why…” Jake searched your eyes, “Why, Y/N?”

*****

“Cole Cooke…”

Jake was brought back to the present by your voice.

Cole laughed, pushing your shoulder, “That’s right, Y/N. Cole Cooke, the man’s who military career you ruined.” It was your turn to laugh, “Me? Ruin your career? You assaulted me! And those two first years! They quit because they were scared of you! Scared because you threatened to kill them if they told anyone!”

He punched you, sending you falling back. He grabbed you by the rope under your breast. “And you’re not scared that I’ll do the same to you now?”

You held your head up to look at him, blood pouring from your nose. “I would lie and say ‘no’. But guess what?” “What?” He spat through gritted teeth. You smiled with blood stained teeth, “I put you in jail once. It’s almost poetic that I’d do it again. Except this time, there won’t be a chance you’ll make it out.”

Cole growled and they all noticed his posture change, “Let’s play a game, Lieutenant.” You shifted forward to get in his face, gaze stone cold, “What do you suggest, Cooke?” The team could feel the venom dripping off your tone. “Hangman.”

The video stopped on the frame of your face falling once again to show fear, and the team turned to face the pilot who looked equally worried and pissed.

*****

You were hanging from the ceiling, your chin resting against your chest.

The door to the room you were in opened. You whimpered just a little when he brushed his fingers against your bruised ribs, “You didn’t hurt him, did you? Please… You can do whatever you want to me, but please leave Jake out of this…”

Cole hummed in your ear, “Anything I want, hmmm?” You glanced at the camera, before looking at the ground shamefully. A shaky and timid ‘yes’ fell from your lips. He let out an amused huff before his hands ran over your shirtless torso.

*****

Jake felt bile rise up his throat when you looked down in shame.

“What’s he gonna do to her?” McGee asked. Gibbs frowned, “What he tried to do 12 years ago.”

The anger and disgust rolled off the agents as Cooke’s hands ran down your body. When he got to your breast you jerked away out of reflex, earning a pull to your hair which made you cry out.

You were getting weaker by the hour and the team could tell. Jake could tell, and he hated it.

“You know, you only had the one tattoo at the academy,” he said, groping at the inked flesh of your thigh. Jake watched your lip quiver and you inhaled as best you could with your position. “I also found your back, extremely enticing,” Cooke ran his hand down your back. You gritted your teeth and looked behind you at him, “Is that because you’re too much of a coward to attack women from the front?”

That must have really pissed him off because he came around and started to punch you.

Jake stood up hastily and made a beeline to the elevator, “I can’t watch this anymore.”

Tony jogged after him, “Lieutenant Seresin! Hangman-” The doors closed when he got to them.

******

Jake just needed to get away and he was going to Abby’s lab.

When he stopped on her floor, he moved quickly to her lab but nearly ran into Ducky in the process. “I’m sorry, Doctor.” “In a hurry, Jacob?” Hangman chuckled nervously, “Yeah.” “Needed a breather, my boy?” “Sir?” “I saw the videos as Abby was analyzing them.”

Jake felt bile rise again and this time he couldn’t stop it. Ducky noticed and quickly helped him get to a trash can.

“Let’s get you someplace cooler,” Ducky ushered Jake back to the elevator.

******

Jake sat on one of the metal tables in Autopsy.

His khaki uniform shirt was neatly folded next to him as he sipped his water. “Thank you, Ducky.” The doctor nodded, “Of course. It can’t be easy, seeing the one you love like that.” Jake coughed a little, trying to force the emotion out of his throat, “It’s not.”

Ducky watched his eyes fall to his shoes, he could tell he felt guilty. “It’s not your fault, Lieutenant.” “I hesitated, Ducky. And since I hesi-” His voice cracked, tears finally slipping past his lids. “Since I hesitated she's having to relive the worst day of her life.”

Jake set the bottle down and used his white undershirt to wipe his eyes, “How long have you been together?” “Over 15 years…” Ducky nodded in understanding, “High school sweethearts.” Jake huffed out a laugh, “Childhood friends to high school sweethearts to USNA sweethearts.”

“Forgive me if I’m overstepping, but why aren’t you married?” Jake shrugged, “I don’t know. I guess it’s because we were already acting like a married couple, just without the license and the rings. I never thought about it.” Jake laughed and shook his head.

It was silent for a moment.

“She asked me if I was ever gonna marry her, and I hesitated. It was a question she asks me all the time, but this was the only time it was during a fight. It was the only time that my answer really mattered. And I hesitated… She left and was in a vulnerable enough state to let herself get taken.”

Ducky leaned on the table next to Jake, “Cooke was going to get to her one way or another.” “But I led her right to him.”

Jake looked at the doctor next to him, allowing Ducky to see how broken and tired he was. “I’m scared, Doctor Mallard.” “That’s perfectly normal, Jacob.” “I'm a damn fighter pilot, I’m supposed to be level headed, and right now… my head doesn’t even feel like it’s on my damn shoulders.”

“It’s normal to feel like that, Jake,” Gibbs said, leaning on the doorframe.

He walked over to the pilot, “She’s strong. She’s gonna fight to get back to you.” Jake rose a brow, sniffling as wiped his eyes, “Did you see her, Agent Gibbs? He was using her like a punching bag…” “She will make it out of this.” “How do you know?” “My gut.”

That was oddly comforting to Jake.

“Do you know the mythology behind Medusa?” Ducky inquired after a beat of silence. Jake chuckled again, remembering the nights throughout your lives that you would stay up and talk about mythology of all sorts for fun. Sometimes when he was having trouble sleeping, you’d tell him the story of some hero in mythology and he’d fall right asleep.

He sighed, “We’ve stayed up hours talking about mythology. But if I’m honest, I never really heard the words she said…” Both men knew what Jake was getting at; he was listening to your voice and watching your expressions as you told the stories.

Ducky just smiled, “Medusa was a priestess for Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war strategy, and had sworn celibacy. However, Medusa had gained the attention of Poseidon, and they-” “Had sex in Athena’s temple,” Jake said as he sipped his water. “That much I remember.” Both Gibbs and Ducky laughed a little at that.

“When Athena found out, she punished Medusa for breaking her celibacy by turning her into a ‘beast’ with the ability to turn men to stone.” Jake nodded, “Yeah, Y/N has the tendency to do that, whether it be with fear or with her beauty.” Jake couldn’t help but smile at the memory of him seeing you on prom night for the first time, he froze on your parents doorstep.

Ducky and Gibbs smiled as they saw the look in Jake’s eyes as he thought about you.

“She was killed by the hero Perseus, beheaded. Then her head was then used to protect those who had it in their possession. The image of her head was used on shields, breast plates, and more recently, tattoos.” Jake remembered you mentioning that as he held your hand as you got it, “She mentioned that when she got it. She was getting it because she thought it looked cool, makes her feel powerful; but she likes the extra meaning.”

Ducky rested a hand on Jake’s shoulder, “I know it may not look like it, but she is protecting herself.” Jake took in a deep breath and nodded.

********

They walked back into the squad room, the group sitting at their desks and making conversation.

“Go home,” Gibbs told them.

It was late. They’d been out all day talking to Cooke’s neighbors, his parents, his boss and coworkers. And the last video was sent just after sundown.

They were tired.

“But we haven’t found-” “I know that, Ziva.” McGee spoke up, “Abby’s trying to analyze the room she is in so we know what to look for. I tried to triangulate where he sent the emails from, but he was using public wifi at an internet cafe.” “We have no direction to go, Boss,” Tony said, not being able to look at Jake.

Gibbs turned to DiNozzo, “Which is why I’m telling you to go home. Get some rest.” Ziva inhaled through her nose and interlocked her hands, “Gibbs, we don’t know what Cooke is going to do next. We have zero time to waste.” “If Cooke wanted her dead, he would have killed her already,” Jake said, jaw clenched with his eyes trained on the floor. “Believe me, I’m worried. Hell, I’m terrified out of my mind right now.-”

“But we can’t make progress without leads. Cooke lives in a studio apartment, his parents disowned him, and he’s not shown up to work in days, we don’t have anything,” Gibbs said, frustration in his tone. “Go home, get some sleep.” His team begrudgingly got their things, all avoiding Jake’s eyes.

“You should get some sleep too, Lieutenant.” Jake chuckled dryly as he shook his head, “I don’t think I can, sir.” He ran his thumbs along the khaki of his uniform.

Plus Maverick had left, needing to be back on base. The only way Jake was getting back to base was by cab. Maverick also gave him as much time off as he needed.

“But- uh, I better head back to base though.” “In what, Lieutenant?” Jake shrugged, “A cab, I guess.” Gibbs shook his head, “Stay with me, Jake. It’s late. And I doubt you want to be in that house right now.” Hangman looked down at the floor, huffing out his nose and tonguing his lip.

“I know how you feel.” Jake looked up, green eyes swimming with curiosity as his brows pinched together. “When I was in Desert Storm, I was informed that my wife and daughter were dead. It was hard to even walk into my house, let alone sleep there.” Jake’s eyes widened slightly and he swallowed as his jaw ticked, “I’m sorry, sir. I can’t imagine what that must have felt like…” Gibbs nodded, “And I hope you never have to.” He patted Jake's shoulder, “Come on.”

******

Gibbs gave Jake a pair of sweats to change into.

They went to his basement, neither being able to sleep.

“So, you’re a Marine?” Jake asked, sipping his bourbon. “What gave it away?” Gibbs asked, smiling a little bit as he sanded the wood of the boat. “Other than you being in Desert Storm?” Gibbs turned, wiping his hands on a damp towel, nodding. “Everything.”

The marine let out a breathy, amused chuckle. “You know a lot of marines?” “I was raised by one. My father retired when I was 4 as a Sergeant, he was 38.” Gibbs sipped his bourbon, “Why’d he retire?” “Wanted to be there for us. He had a close call, he didn’t want to risk not coming home to us. His 20 years were up, so he retired.”

Gibbs nodded, looking at the boat before looking back at Jake. “You wanna help?” Jake looked up from his glass and between the boat and Gibbs. “Sure, yeah.” He downed what was left and Gibbs gave him a sander.

*******

Since Jake didn’t need to report to base, he just freshened up and Gibbs took him by the base rental to get some clothes.

He had forgotten his keys in his locker and had to call someone to bring them to him at the house. That someone was Rooster.

Jake got out of Gibb’s car and saw Bradley on the porch. He was sitting on the bench, one fist held by the other as he looked at the ground. Maverick had gotten permission to relay what had happened to you to the squad, and everyone had taken it hard.

Rooster looked up when Hangman shut his car door.

They immediately met in a hug. “I’m so sorry, Jake.” “I’m scared, Rooster. I didn’t even-” Bradley pulled back and held Jake by the shoulders, “Hey, they’re gonna find her. Say it to her then.”

Gibbs came up beside them, nodding at Rooster before they went inside.

Jake didn’t want to be there longer than he needed to be so once it was opened, he booked it to the bedroom.

Bradley and Gibbs stood at the island in the kitchen. “They didn’t decorate much.” Rooster shrugged, looking around, “We aren’t here for long. They didn’t see the need to bring a whole lot.” “If you aren’t here for long, then why’d they rent the house?” Rooster chuckled, “They wanted their privacy.” Gibbs chuckled and glanced at his watch.

Hangman was taking longer than he said.

Gibbs went down the hall and found Jake sitting on the side of the bed. He had changed into a pair of his own sweatpants and a green t-shirt. Jethro knew what he was looking at, even with his back to him and from the door.

“Ask her.”

Jake chuckled humorlessly, “After this…” He shook his head, “I doubt she'll say yes.” “Ah, I don’t know about that.” Hangman sniffled, “I messed up…” Gibbs nodded, moving to sit next to him. “Yeah, you did, big time.” Jake shook his head.

“But this is how you fix it.” Gibbs pointed to the ring box. Jake swallowed, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, “I wanted to wait, ask her on my family's ranch where we had danced in my headlights to George Strait. I had this big plan. Just a private thing, but special…” “Plans change. Sometimes you have to adapt.” “Yeah.” “So ask her.”

Jake turned and looked at him, nodding at him. He stood from the bed and slid the box into his pocket. He grabbed the small stack of clothes next him and they left.

“Agent Gibbs?” Gibbs and Jake looked over at where Bradley was at his Bronco. “When you find her, give us a call?” The agent nodded, “Yeah, I’ll give ya a call.”

*******

When Jake and Gibbs got to NCIS, nothing had changed yet.

No new video. Abby was still working on room measurements, and no one had seen Cole.

Until McGee’s computer went off. Everyone’s head turned, and Jake felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. “It’s Cooke.” “Pull the video up McGee.”

You were still hanging from the ceiling, Cole running his hands over your torso.

The camera was a little closer, and it showed the tear tracks on your face.

“You know,” you spoke, voice shaky and raw. “I’m gonna need a drink after this. Yeah, whiskey sounds really nice.” Cole just grunted and pulled you back against him. You whimpered a little bit, definitely feeling gross because of what was happening. “Or an Oscar. Maybe two.”

“The hell’s an oscar?” Tony asked out of reflex, glancing at Jake, but he was just as confused.

Cole grunted into your neck, “Shut up.” “Have you ever been to the delta?” He stayed silent but reached over to yank the rope and pull you up higher. You swallowed, glancing at the camera, “Me either, but I’ve been to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I went there with Hangman on a weekend getaway after a rough deployment. My uncle has a cabin up there. God, that weekend was so fun. I love Jake, I love him so much…” You kept your eyes on the camera to make sure that Jake knew that you’d love him. The video stopped just as Cooke pulled your hair back, making you yelp.

Jake cleared his throat, nodded, “Yeah, that weekend was fun… Wait, we didn't go to the Sierras; we weren’t even in California, we were in Arkansas.” Gibbs caught Jake’s eyes and that’s when they realized it.

“She’s using phonetics!”

The team's eyes grew wide in realization. “Whiskey, Oscar, Delta, Sierra,” McGee repeated. “W O D S?” Ziva spelled it out. “She said two oscars,” Tony pointed out.

“She’s in the woods,” Gibbs finished for them. Jake thought back to what you said, “She put emphasis on ‘cabin’.” “DiNozzo, check to see if Cooke’s parents owned or still own a cabin.” “On it Boss.”

His phone rang, “Yeah, Gibbs.” “Gibbs, I ran the measurement of the room. She seems to be in a cabin. Based on the dimensions it’s a family cabin, probably two or three bedrooms.”

“Boss, it seems Cooke’s parents own a lot of cabins,” Tony said just as Gibbs picked up his phone. “Did you narrow it down to Virginia?” McGee asked, brow arched. “Yes, McGeek, I did. Mr. Cooke owns two hunting cabins and a-” “Family cabin, two or three bedrooms,” Gibbs cut in.

“Yeah, they haven’t used it in years. It’s in Fletcher State Park.” Gibbs got up, “Get your gear, let’s go.” Jake watched them all grab their things.

“Agent David,” he called out before she got too far. “Yes, Lieutenant?” Jake grabbed the clothes he brought. “Here,” he held them out. “She’s in nothing but a bra and underwear, give her these.” Ziva hesitated to take it. “Please.” She heard the desperation in his voice and took them.

She went over to Tony and Tim. “You know, despite the odds, we may not-” “We will find her alive,” she glanced at the fabrics in her hands. “We have to.”

*******

You yanked down on the rope, crying out a little at the pain in your dislocated shoulder. You had honestly been scared of losing feeling in your hands, but he gave you a bit of a break when he was finished hurting you for the day and left you locked in one of the bedroom closets.

Your toes barely scraped the ground and the rope wasn’t going anywhere. You shivered in the cold damp air of the cabin. Only being in your underwear, the chill soaked into your bones. You were certain that if you didn’t die of whatever Cooke was doing to you, you might die from the cold.

Hearing tires outside the cabin, your heart sped up. You could only huff out small breaths as you heard footsteps outside the door on the porch.

It was his routine to get you set up for his next sick video, film it, and then leave to send it. You’d calculated the time it took for him to get back and it was getting close for time to him to be back.

But then there was banging on the door, followed by a gruff voice yelling, “NCIS!”

Your entire body relaxed. You were safe.

“I’m in here! Help me!” You called back, coughing a little.

The door frame splintered when the door was kicked in. “Lieutenant Abbott?” The agent asked, pistol drawn as he walked over to you.“Yes,” you breathed out. “Where’s Cooke?” You shook your head, “I don’t know but he’ll be back soon.”

“Please get me down from here. It’s hard to breathe,” you begged, tears of relief falling down your cheeks. You jerked your neck towards where Cole had secured the rope, “Ease me down, please.”

McGee was quick to loosen the rope and Ziva helped steady you once your feet were on the ground. “Can you walk?” She asked, gently placing her hand on your sternum. “I think so. I might need a little help.” The agent simply nodded and helped you outside.

Once you were outside the uneven ground and rocks caused you to stumble. Tim moved to help Ziva steady you but he jostled your dislocated shoulder. “Shit!” McGee looked panicked, “What’s wrong?” You gritted your teeth, “My shoulder, it’s dislocated. I tried to break the rope and pulled it out.”

You chuckled a little at his expression, “Hurt like a bitch. Can either of you pop it back in?” Ziva nodded and leaned you against the car. She got a proper grip and looked at you, “Ready?” You swallowed and nodded. She exaggerated a few breaths and when you matched she popped it back in.

“Holy shit! Sweet baby Jesus..”

You pushed off the car and threw up; all the pain catching up to you with the adrenaline rush. Ziva came up and held your hair out of your face.

Spitting out the last of the saliva in your mouth, you thanked her under your breath.

A coat was wrapped around your shoulders. You looked to see Gibbs rubbing your shoulder, a small smile on his face.

His fatherly nature was present and it allowed you to be vulnerable, finally allowing yourself to outright sob; mostly in relief. You fell into his chest and he caught you, hands moving to rub your back. He mumbled into your hair, “You’re safe. I got ya. I got ya.”

The sound of gravel shifting caught their attention.

Gibbs felt you tense under his touch, “Is that him?” You nodded, whimpering a little bit. He looked at Ziva, “Stay with her, cover the front. DiNozzo, McGee, go find cover on the right, I’ll get cover on the left. You’ll know what to do.”

Carefully, Gibbs placed you in Ziva’s hold and she placed you in the car for both warmth and cover.

When Cole finally reached the cabin, Ziva raised her weapon. “Cole Cooke! NCIS! Get out of the car-” He threw it in reverse just to be stopped by Tony and Tim. He tried to get out and make a break for the tree line but Gibbs stepped out. He quickly surrendered and was handcuffed.

With you in a separate vehicle they made the trip back to NCIS.

********

Jake paced the squad room. Abby was up there with him, trying to keep him calm.

He was mumbling things to himself out of worry and Abby was following him, trying to grab him by the shoulders. “Jake. Jake. Ja-”

She finally got a hold of him, and ducked her head a little bit to make sure he was looking at her.

“Jake, they will find her. They’re the best there is. I’m sure they already found her and are either on their way here or to a hospital.” Jake frowned, “She hates hospitals, especially being in them alone.” Abby shook her head, “She isn’t alone. Gibbs wouldn’t let her be alone. Y/N is safe, I can feel it.” Jake just nodded, slowly calming down.

The elevators dinged and he was on his feet, nearly giving himself whiplash as he turned.

But when he did all he saw was red.

Cooke was being escorted out in handcuffs by Tony and McGee. Abby couldn’t hold Jake back as he swiftly made his way over and landed a punch to Cole’s jaw. Neither agent bothered to stop the pilot as the one punch sent Cooke to the ground.

But as he went in for more, Gibbs gripped Jake and pulled him away. He had to fight Jake back to the bullpen, but he got him there.

“That asshole just punched me!” McGee and DiNozzo huffed as they harshly yanked him off the ground. “You’re lucky that’s all he did.” They dragged him to interrogation.

Jake’s nostrils flared as he exhaled, his chest still broadened in his display of dominance over Cole.

However, the adrenaline wore off as quickly as it appeared and Jake felt tears line his eyes. He hung his head and fell into a chair. He pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes, sobs leaving his lips. “I wasn’t there the first time, and I wasn’t there this time… I can’t believe I-” Abby cut him off, “Don’t finish that sentence, Jake. Because you are here, you were there the first time. She ran to you, you are her safe place.” “But-”

He was cut off the elevator ding again.

Glancing up, his heart soared in his chest.

There you were. Standing right before him in an old Longhorn sweatshirt and gray sweatpants. You were clean from the dirt and dried blood, having used the showers to clean up after any evidence was collected.

Your arm was in a sling and some butterfly closures adorned your forehead. But even then, you were still the most beautiful girl in the world to him.

*****

You walked quietly with Ziva out of the elevator, the weight of the conversation you had with her and Ducky still sitting on your shoulders.

The sound of a chair rolling back and hitting a desk caught your attention.

Looking up, you saw Jake and once again, you were crying; both from relief and the realization you almost never saw him again.

You moved as fast as you could to get to him, slamming your beaten body into his when you got to him. His arms carefully wrapped around you, obviously not wanting to hurt you. But when your soft crying exhales hit his chest, he all but scooped you into his arms carefully wrapping your legs around his torso.

You winced a little when his arm tightened around your waist. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he immediately apologized. You pulled your head out of the crook of his neck, shaking it lightly before looking into his eyes, “It reminds me this isn’t just another dream.”

Jake closed his eyes, tears falling down his cheeks as he rested his forehead against yours. “Jacob, if you don’t-” He cut off your sentence with a kiss, it was slow but no less passionate. He was gentle, the arm wrapped around your shoulders bringing you closer to him.

Ziva, Gibbs, and Abby watched on with smiles. Tim and Tony walked in mid conversation, but stopped seeing the intimate moment happening in the squad room.

You had to pull back for air at some point. And when you did, you rested your forehead against Jake’s, both of your eyes closing with the contact.

“Marry me.”

Your eyes shot open and were met with Jake’s green ones.

You had said it at the same time.

A grin broke out on your face, “I hope you aren’t just askin’ me that-” Your tease was cut off by Jake, “I’m not. I-I had this big plan. I wanted to take you out to the pasture we danced in on prom night our senior year.” You giggled a little, “That would have been nice.”

Biting your lip you played with the hair at the nape of his neck.

“I had a lot of time to think over the past few days,” you said quietly, your breath ghosting over his lips. He nudged your nose with his. “So have I. And I’m sorry I never asked you sooner.” “Let me finish, will ya?” You chuckled lightly and he did as well. “I realized that proposing, nowadays, is a two way street. I could have asked you at any time and you would have said ‘yes’. We’ve been together since we were 15, Jake. Friends since we were born. We should have gotten married right out of high school, but we were scared of what our future held during the Academy and then flight school, then through separate deployments. It was too much to worry about at once, and we didn’t know what was gonna happen.”

You licked your lips and inhaled a little, “But I can’t go another damn day without legally being your wife. Those bitches at the bar aside. I just, I want others to know that you're mine and that I’m yours.” He nodded, “Okay, let’s do it.” You giggled and kissed him, “Alright cowboy.”

He sat you down and pulled out the ring box.

“Wait, you had that this whole time?” Jake rubbed the back of his neck, “Like I said, I had this whole plan. I was gonna ask you after we got some time off when we got back to North Island.” You laughed, “You perfectionist.” You peck his lips and he slid the ring on your finger.

You heard a squeal from behind you and you both looked around to see the entire Gibbs team smiling at you and Jake.

“Thank you, for getting her back to me. All of you.”

*********

thank you guys for making it to the end! i hope this crossover was accurate

i have plenty of ‘x readers’ in the drafts so if you want more let me know

and my asks are open, feel free to request what you would like to see next

feedback is greatly appreciated!

tags <3: @milesdickpic​ 

<3 love ya babes

#ncis x reader #ncis/topgun #ncis x top gun #top gun maverick #jake hangman seresin #jake seresin x reader #hangman x reader #glen powell #gibbs #ncis #hangman angst #jake seresin x fem pilot!reader #tw: assault

[scottishaccentsareawesome]

Maverick: I need to tell you something. Baby, sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night - and I can't breathe.

Iceman: What?

Maverick: I wake up and I and the world is narrow and claustrophobic, and I feel like my-my chest is caving in and I feel like I'm gonna die.

Iceman: What?

Maverick: But then, I look at you. Granted, you're usually drooling on yourself and snoring like a chubby dachshund But just knowing that you're there, and that somehow, in all of this madness, that you chose me, it makes my whole body relax and I have this thing that I can only describe as peace. Baby, I look at you and I see us - And I can fall back asleep.

#incorrect quotes #icemav #iceman x maverick #original: NCIS Los Angeles #pete mitchell #tom kazansky #maverick mitchell #iceman kazansky #top gun #top gun maverick

[bullet-prooflove]

Could you write a crossover story featuring Beau/Ally and Harm/Savanna?

Tagging: @kmc1989 @keyweegirlie @snowlover250 @kenbechillin @@too-strong-to-lose @buckysteveloki-me @sca3a @flopiboni @secretsquirrelinc @@sportslovers-world @burningpeachpuppy @mandy426 @@al-lethan @thiashazzywriting @justameresimp @agentorange9595 @lxaah11 @librarian1002 @imaginecrushes @flrboyd @areamir @b-bradshaw @adaydreamaway08 @crimeshowjunkie @inkandarsenic @caffeinatedwoman @tortilla-maria1 @lemmons1998 @dr-alan-grantler @penguin876 @deliriousfangirl61 @goosterroose @kishie8 @skyesthebomb @marshmallowflufffox @whateversomethingbruh @4everademigod @notanotherpotter @yousigned-upforthis @silversprings-mp3

Ladies and gents we got ourselves a crossover! Refs to both Ally's career in JAG and Beau being a flyboy.

It’s in a park by The Naval Yard that Mac first sees Harm again. It’s been nine years since she last laid eyes on him and he still looks as handsome as the day he packed his bag and walked out the door.  He’s standing alongside the coffee kiosk, hands tucked into the pockets of his dark overcoat as he surveys the menu board fixed the outer wall.

She doesn’t expect to see him back in Washington DC, the last she heard he was seeing a girl down in New Orleans, spending all his shore leave celebrating Jazzfest and Madri Grais. That man, she’d thought at the time, he’ll never grow up.  

She hasn’t had a single successful relationship since she left Harmon Rabb and she blames him for that. She blames him for a lot of things. The two of them had made a pact when they’d flipped that coin, he was supposed to stay out of the service, live life as a civilian in San Diego. They’d get married, have a couple of kids.

It had worked for a while but then he’d run into Ally again and it had all started to fall apart. The Admiral's Wife, Mac calls her, because she’d married Beau Simpson a decade ago, the rear admiral in charge of the Top Gun program.

Harm had been her mentor when she was coming up through JAG. He’s walked her down the aisle when she had married Beau at sunset in Cape Rey. Mac remembers she’d been a ferocious little thing, tenacious and fierce in the face of adversity. She packed a hell of a punch in the court room. Mac should know, she’d run up against her a couple of times since taking the promotion in San Diego.

“She’s as good as you.” Mac had told Harm over dinner one night. “And just as infuriating.”

“No.” Harm had responded, sipping from his beer bottle. “She’s better.”

It was Ally that had urged Harm to rejoin the Navy, her and Beau. Mac couldn’t see how unhappy he was at the time, she hadn’t understood it, not really. She remembers the day he’d come home from the airfield, eyes bright with exhilaration. He’d been out flying again with Beau, the two of them were like boys with toys once they got up in the sky. Testing boundaries, playing wargames, showing off. He always ended up at their home afterwards, talking cases over dinner with Ally or swapping war stories with Beau. He would come home with a smile on his face, smelling of cigar smoke, tasting of whiskey.

“I’m re-enlisting.” He’s told her that night after he stepped out of the shower. “It’s a different commission from JAG, it won’t mess up our agreement.”

He was wrong, it had been the end of everything. The posting that Beau had offered him meant he was away on aircraft carriers for six months out of the year, flying jets and sailing ships, the two things he loved most in the world.

Mac had hated him for that, she hated Beau and Ally for giving him that option because now she was the one left behind. The lonely one, the sad one.

It had lasted one deployment.

By the time the next one came up, it was over.   

It was a way of punishing him at the time, she’d expected him to resign his commission, come back with his tail between his legs, but he hadn’t. He’d packed a bag instead and gone to stay with Ally and Beau before shipping out to the USS Allegiance, she hadn’t seen him since. She’d heard stories over the years from mutual friends, places he’d been, women he was seeing. He’d become the Harm she used to know, the one without ties or commitments.

She had always believed they would find their way back to each other. Nine years and thousands of miles later, it’s finally happening on a rainy day in Washington DC.

She doesn’t realise how wrong she is, not until she sees you. You’re hurrying towards him, gesturing with your hands, your voice full of apology. He smiles then, and it’s that smile that completely obliterates her. She’s never seen him smile like that, not in all the years she’s known him.

You’re nothing special, not really. She’d call you pretty as opposed to beautiful, a step down from the women he usually covets. You aren’t military, she can tell from your walk, but you carry, she can see it in the way your coat drapes. Law enforcement then, she assumes. Most likely NCIS.

Strong women, she recalls. That’s what Harm’s attracted to, strong capable women.

It’s when he kisses you, she knows that it’s real. When he cradles your face between his large hands, there’s such tenderness in his expression. He looks at you as if you’re the most precious thing in the world and her heart just breaks. He’s loved before, she realises in that moment but he’s never been in love, not until you.

Her eyes start to sting because for all these years she’s clung to this hope, this stupid ridiculous dream that the two of them were meant for each other. She’d imagined that they’d bump into one another, their eyes would lock and it would be like it was back then. Nights filled with fire and passion, their days adventure and laughter.

That life, it isn’t a reality anymore.

It’s clear that Harm’s moved on and it’s time that Mac does too.

Love Harm? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Interested in supporting me? Join my Patreon for Bonus Content!

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

#beau simpson #beau simpson x reader #beau simpson x you #top gun maverick #harmon rabb jr #harmon rabb jr x reader #harmon rabb jr x you #harmon rabb #harmon rabb x reader #harmon rabb x you #harm rabb #harm rabb x you #harm rabb x reader #jag series #ncis los angeles #ncis la

[penwieldingdreamer]

Brewing Storm Masterlist

Y/N “Candy” Gibbs, former FBI Agent, gets sent to the San Diego office helping to clean up some older cases that had been tracked all the way up to Washington. What she didn’t expect was to meet a cocky pilot that wasn’t just trying to get into her pants but was in serious trouble with a capital T after he and Andrew Caine witnessed a drug deal at the base gone wrong.

Warnings: 18+ in future chapters, MDNI, canon violence, mentions of injuries, fighting, drug trafficking

1 - San Diego 2 - Army vs Navy 3 - Questions ....

#jake seresin x NCIS!reader #jake seresin x reader #hangman x reader #TG:M x NCIS #top gun maverick #top gun maverick fic #jake seresin fic #ncis fanfiction #TG:M x NCIS crossover

[24hrfrog]

My babies. NCIS crossover again, Halo as Abby was the best thing to combine 🧎🏻🧎🏻 Coyote better grab Hangman’s tie and kiss him 👹🤙 also bananas instead of guns and I realized I spelled banana wrong 💀

#nix just loving when halo gets all science on her— #I TOOK A BREAK FROM DRAWING COYOTW AND NOW I NED TO RELEARN HOW TO DRAW HIM AHHH #top gun: maverick #fanart #fan art #drawing #top gun #tgm #top gun coyote #phoenix top gun #hangman top gun #top gun halo #tg #callie halo shen #natasha phoenix trace #jake hangman seresin #javy coyote machado #ncis crossover #macheresin #halo x phoenix #halix #hangman x coyote #callie halo bassett #blurr au!

[imawkwardlysoc]

Rule #12

Characters

Age- 28

Occupation- NCIS Senior Field Agent

Faceclaim- Lana Condor

Age- 30

Occupation- Naval Weapon Systems Officer

Faceclaim- Lewis Pullman

Age- 52

Occupation- NCIS San Diego Headquarters Director/Naval Aviator (Part of the '86 Flyboy crew)

Faceclaim- Randall Park

Summary

Gibbs' Rules:

Rule #1- Never let suspects sit together

Also Rule #1- Never screw your partner

...

Rule #6- Never say you're sorry

...

Rule #9- Never go without a knife

...

Rule #12- Never date a coworker

In the light of finding out that international arms dealer Cole Henderson has made his reappearance in San Diego, NCIS has sent their best agents for an undercover mission. Despite them knowing what the mission entails, they don't know the ins and outs of the Navy. This is where they recruit the help of one of the Navy's top squadrons.

Coming Soon (Whenever college isn't taking over my life and I want to write a couple of chapters ahead)

A/N- Yeah I know I used a different template for Voung, was making mood boards for my own addition to the '86 Flyboys.

#robert floyd x reader #bob floyd x female reader #robert bob floyd x reader #top gun au #top gun x reader #top gun maverick x reader #top gun fic #top gun maverick fic #top gun maverick au #ncis x reader #ncisverse #ncis au #ncis fic #ncis #top gun maverick #top gun #ncis × top gun

[dailywithbradley]

Same energy, different font:

#anthony dinozzo #ziva david #natasha trace #jake seresin #ncis ziva #tony x ziva #ncis #tony dinozzo #top gun maverick #top gun fandom #top gun hangman #top gun movie #ncisverse #phoenix #natasha phoenix trace

[novastories]

Repercussions

Title and chapter inspired the song “repercussions” by Bea Miller.

Summary: Aurora loves working for NCIS, but this case will uncover a lot of what she’s been trying to hide.  

Disclaimer: This story is fictitious. All works are written by me and only posted here. Please do not copy, repost, or plagiarize on any other platform without my permission!

Warnings: Mentions of dead body, torture (not in graphic detail), and language.

Word Count: 3.5k

A/N: Sorry this chapter is a bit late! I’ve watched all the original NCIS seasons (20 seasons), and a few episodes of NCIS: New Orleans. I’ve had this idea for a long time, and have been waiting for this chapter. I hope you like this as much as I do. Also to note, there are no more huge time jumps!

Thank you to my editor and beta reader, @reginleight. I made her watch an episode of NCIS to help understand the character dynamics. 🤭💛

Previous | Next | Masterlist

“Give it back to me Tony!” a voice yells out across the NCIS bullpen.

Anthony Dinozzo was holding a postcard out of reach from Aurora as she was trying to grab it from his hand. She reaches for it as Tony holds it up, trying to read it from his height.

“Why are you nosy?!” Aurora grunts, trying to reach for it still.

“Because it is my job as senior agent to know what you’re up to, and this postcard seems suspicious.” Tony answers, trying to get a read of the postcard. Aurora, then deciding to take matters into her own hands, stomps on his foot causing the man to bend over in pain. Taking the opportunity, Aurora grabs the postcard and turns away from him.

“What did you do, Tony?” asks Ziva David walking into the bullpen alongside Timothy McGee.

“DiNosy over here tried grabbing and reading my mail!” Aurora hisses, pointing to Tony who was still recovering from the attack.

“Well you shouldn’t have shown it to me.”

“It was laying on my desk!”

“Well that’s just irresponsible, leaving it there.”

Aurora groans, as she puts the postcard into a drawer in her desk making certain to lock it. Her charm bracelet was also safe in the drawer, as she didn’t ever want to lose one of her prized possessions. Aurora’s desk was on the other side of their team leader’s desk, Gibbs, who still had yet to appear in the bullpen. Across from McGee, they had made an open room for her desk when she had officially joined the team. 

“Why are you so worked up over a postcard?” McGee asks, setting down his go bag near his desk before sitting down.

“Because it’s my business and no one else’s!”

“What are you trying to hide?” Tony walks to Aurora, still sitting at her desk.

“I value privacy, something YOU should learn!”

“Please, we’re a team, we know everything about each other! And if we don't, we should.”

“You don’t have to know everything.” Ziva chimes in, backing Aurora up.

“Yes, I do. We know almost everything about each other.” Tony explains.

Little did Dinozzo know, Aurora’s profile wasn’t all the way transparent. When Aurora had applied for the NCIS internship position, she had left out her father’s last name and kept her mother’s maiden name. She didn’t want to be treated any differently by nepotism.

The only one who knew her full background was Gibbs and the director of NCIS. Having an uncle as an Admiral, who was also the Commander of the Pacific Fleet is useful at times, especially when you want to work at NCIS without being compared to your brother. Or father. The Mitchell name became popular in the Navy, so Aurora didn’t want to carry that burden. Her father agreed with it, as did her mom and brother. 

“Rifling through my mail is a federal offense.”

“Well it’s not if it’s just laying there.”

Aurora rolls her eyes, leaning on her desk. “Can we talk about something else?”

“Yeah, like, what about where the postcard came from?” McGee asks, curious why she was making this postcard a big deal. 

“Oh my gosh!” Aurora exclaims.

“Dinozzo, McGee, leave Artemis alone.” Walking in with a coffee in hand, Gibbs was quick to shut the situation down upon his entry proceeding straight to his desk. 

“Yes, boss!” “Shutting up boss!” 

Aurora was given the nickname Artemis her first week of her NCIS internship. She had rambled on about Greek mythology during a case, but had coincidentally helped them close it. Tony had nicknamed her Artemis after the goddess of hunt, due to how she’d been very persistent in the hunt of the killer during that case. Plus the throwing knife she usually had strapped on made Tony name her that. It didn’t help that he also happened to be on the receiving end of the knife at one point. 

Coincidentally, Peyton was given a nickname between his navy friends and the naval aviators he worked with. Due to a fire he set on accident during a training exercise, he was nicknamed Apollo. The twins laugh about their work nickname being the Greek twin duo coincidentally, as no one knew the connection between them.

“Grab your gear, dead naval officer in Norfolk,” Gibbs says, grabbing his gun and badge. With those words, the team quickly sprung into action.

“It’s a postcard from Japan, by the way. What do you have hiding over there?” Dinozzo wonders aloud as they all get in the elevator.

“Your dead body if you don’t shut up about it.” Aurora turns to him with a menacing smile on her face. The startled look that had gotten out of Tony had the other three of their group in the elevator laughing as the elevator doors shut. 

—

They get to the crime scene, each team member doing their designated job that Gibbs had assigned for them that day. Tony and Ziva were interviewing witnesses, McGee taking crime scene photos and IDing the body, Aurora collecting evidence, Gibbs talking to local law enforcement officers who were on the scene first.

The medical examiner, Ducky, and his assistant, Jimmy Palmer, had just gotten to the scene and were approaching the body.

“Who do we have here?” Ducky asks McGee.

“Petty Officer Derek Hayes, arresting gear operator assigned to the USS Seahawk.”

“Cause of death Ducky?” Gibbs asks, as he approaches them.

“Blunt force trauma with the pipe that happens to be next to the body,” Ducky recounts,  “I’ll know more once I get him back on the table.”

Aurora sighs. “Another murder. Whoopee.”

Gibbs gives her a look that makes her cringe, going right back to bagging and tagging evidence.

“Time of death, Duck?” Gibbs asks.

“Well, let’s see here.” Ducky examines the body. “I’d say about 12 to 14 hours, rough estimate.”

“Alright. Get the body out of here.” Gibbs tells Ducky.

“Get the gurney, Mr. Palmer.” Ducky calls out to his assistant.

“Right away!”

“Boss!” McGee calls out.

“What d’ya got, McGee?” Gibbs asks, turning to him.

“Hayes was reported UA about two days ago.”

“You and Dinozzo go to the USS Seahawk and talk to his shipmates. Benjamin, David, head back to the Navy yard after you’re done processing the scene. Give me everything you got on our petty officer.” Gibbs shouts the orders out to them.

“Got it boss!” They all reply in unison.

“Looks like it’s girl time for us, Ziva!” Aurora smiles at her. Ziva winks, giving Aurora a high five.

The two women had gotten very close, along with Abby, their forensic scientist when Aurora first started at NCIS. Ziva had taught her many tricks and how to fight, while Aurora helped her with her English and American culture. The trio became so close, Aurora considered both her and Abby older sisters, since she never had one.

“Aww don’t miss us too much, Arty.”

“In your dreams, DiNutsos.” Aurora sticks out her tongue at him. He copies the gesture back, as Gibbs smacks him on the back of the head.

“Now Dinozzo.”

“Right boss!”

Dinozzo hussles after McGee as Ziva and Aurora wrap everything up. Gibbs passes by Aurora and smacks her on the head. She hisses from it while he walks away as Ziva chuckles.

—

“So a Japanese postcard?” Ziva questions Aurora, leaning on her desk. 

“Let it go Ziva,” Aurora says in a singsong voice as she sits in her chair.

“Oh c’mon, Arty. No secrets, remember?” 

“Some things are kept private.”

“Well, I want to know every private thing about our dead petty officer,” Gibbs says as he walks into the bullpen. Ziva and Aurora get up as Ziva gets the remote for the tv screen to display information that they had found. 

“What do you got for me?” Gibbs asks. 

“Petty Officer Derek Hayes, assigned to the USS Seahawk. Works as an arresting gear operator. In the Navy for five years after graduating from the Naval Academy.” Ziva presents the background. 

“No misconduct charge, or any strikes. No parents, wife, or children. Has a girlfriend who is coming in soon.” Aurora adds on from her desk. 

“There’s not much on this guy, Gibbs.” Ziva tells him.

“Well, then find me more, Ziva.”

“I got something.” Tony announces as he and McGee walk into the squad room.

“I think you mean we, Tony,” McGee interjects.

“Yeah, whatever. Anyways! Turns out our petty officer got into an altercation with another person on board.”

“Why wasn’t it reported?” Gibbs asks.

“It just happened yesterday, paperwork hasn’t gone through.” McGee replies.

“Who did he have a fight with?”

“A naval aviator on board the USS Seahawk, he should be coming in soon.”

“Good,” Gibbs nods. “While McGee interviews the petty officer’s girlfriend, you and Artemis can interview him.”

“Wait, Gibbs I don’t think-” she pauses as he turns to stare at her. She bites the inside of her cheek, then caves.

“Right, okay, fine.”

Gibbs heads upstairs to update Director Vance about the case. Tony smiles at Aurora.

“Aww what? Are you scared of me?”

“More like what I will do to you if you keep getting on my nerves.” Aurora mumbles as she goes back to work.

—

Aurora heads to the restroom with the postcard she had received earlier in her hand. She wanted privacy to read it, and the bullpen was not an option. She heads to a stall and locks it. She sighs and begins reading the postcard.

‘Dear Rory,

Life at sea is a bit rough. Still don’t understand how dad does it. But I guess it helps to have a friend on board! Missing you tons, wish you were here. Hope you’re doing well. 

-Pey’

She lightly chuckles at the paragraph as she moves on to the next one, who she knew who had written it.

‘Hi princess,

Who knew life at sea with your brother would make me miss you more? I hope you’re doing well. The view may be great at sea, but nothing beats being near you. Hopefully we will be back soon for the holidays. I miss you lots. Be safe. 

-Love your knight in shining armor, B’

She weakly smiles at his words and gently brushes a finger over his writing. Aurora missed both her best friend and brother so dearly. If only they knew all that she’s been through. She didn’t like talking about her job with them, because she knew they would worry. In fact, she doesn’t talk to any of her family about her job, except maybe her Uncle Ice, but that’s only because he’s the Admiral of the Pacific Fleet and would hear about her through scuttlebutt, aka Navy gossip. No one in her family knew about the one case that had changed her.

A slap sounded through the air. Aurora was tied to a chair, covered in her own blood, grime and dirt. Her hair was matted a bit from being pulled on by the man in front of her.

“That all you got?” she remarks, spitting out the blood that had begun to fill her mouth. She looks up to her attacker as he chuckles before landing another slap across her face. The man was a murderer that the team was looking for. Apparently he had an eye on the team and took their weakest link, Aurora. 

“Your team will never find you. And if they do, it will be your dead body that they find.” 

“They’ll find you, and they’ll kill you.” Aurora grunts from pain as he tugs on her hair. 

“Not before I have a little fun with you.” Another slap echoes through the air. 

Aurora is brought out from that flashback, feeling herself shake from the memory. That day, Aurora became a different person. She was still herself, just a little bit stronger and tougher. The team had found her and shot the man who had her held captive. The only one who knew about her panic attacks and nightmares was her team. She kept her family in the dark, even Bradley. The only thing she had to show for what she had gone through were the scars and the mental trauma. 

Reigning in the emotions that those memories had stirred, she began focusing on regulating her breaths. Counting from one to five on each breath she takes in, and the same as she breathes out. Slowly beginning to calm, she wipes the tears from her face. Minutes pass by until Aurora hears a knock coming from the bathroom door. 

“Artemis, are you okay? Tony is looking for you.” McGee calls out from the restroom door.

“Coming, McGee!”

She walks out of the stall, splashes water on her face from the sink, stuffs the postcard into her jacket pocket (that fell on the floor during her small breakdown) and she grabs her eye drops she has in her pants pocket. She gets dry eyes on occasion and usually has them in emergencies.After putting some in her eyes, she checks herself over once more in the mirror before letting out a sigh and walking out of the restroom.

“Sorry.”

“You alright? I thought I heard you crying.” McGee asks, concerned for the girl. He always looked out for her, as she became a younger sister to him.

“Fine, McGee. Tony in the conference room?”

“Yeah, just try not to strangle him so much. He may be irritating but that’s just how he is.”

“I know, McGee. Besides, if he irritates me anymore, I always have my knife,” she smiles and winks at him before heading to the conference room. 

—

Aurora walks into the conference room where Tony and the person they were interviewing were. “Sorry, Tony, I had something to take care of.”

“About time, probie,” Tony turns to her.

“Not a probie anymore, Tony.” She points out.

She looks and sees the person that Tony was sitting across from, the one that they were supposed to be interviewing. Aurora had to admit, he was really handsome, but had a stupid smirk on his face that she would love to slap off. He had brown-blonde hair and green eyes. His energy reminded her of her dad, with a mix of her Uncle Ice. As he stood up to shake her hand, she noted that he was about 6 feet, which was the same height as Bradley. 

“Lieutenant Jake Seresin, ma'am,” he puts his hand out and winks at her. She looks at him incredulously. She shakes his hand.

“Aurora Benjamin.”

She lets go of his hand, and sits down next to Tony.

“So, what did I miss?”

“Well probie, Lieutenant Seresin here was just about to tell me his alibi for the night of the petty officer’s murder.”

“Look, like I said I had nothing to do with his murder,” Jake replies as he sits back down in his chair. “I was on board the USS Seahawk at the time. I was tired after a flight routine check, so I passed out in my bunk.”

“Uh huh, and what exactly do you do for a flight routine check that made you tired?” Tony asks.

“Making sure the aircraft is up to date, checking the mechanics, and depending on the mission, they’d perform overall mission exercises,” Aurora replies, as she looks down in her notepad, reciting what naval aviators normally do, since she had practice whenever anyone asked about her father.

The two men stare at her as she still had yet to make eye contact, as she was still looking through her notepad. Feeling eyes on her, she looks up and sees them looking at her.

“What?”

“How do you know that?” Tony questions.

She freezes. “It’s naval aviator common sense, Tony. You’ve been with NCIS for a long time, and you don’t know what naval aviators do?”

“Well not like that. You said that as if you know it.” Tony eyes her skeptically.

“Can we please just get back to the case?”

“You look familiar,” Jake says, as he looks at her, trying to figure out how he knows her.

Aurora chuckles. “I have a feeling I don’t.”

“So I haven’t slept with you before?”

“Trust me when I say, highly doubtful,” she scoffs. “Now can we get back to the murder we’re trying to solve.”

“Right. So, why did you fight with Petty Officer Hayes?” Tony questions.

“He came onto me. Accused me of sleeping with his girlfriend.”

“And did you?” Aurora asks.

“No. I didn’t sleep with another man’s girlfriend. I may be a dick sometimes, but I’m not that much of a dick,” he explains. “Are you sure we haven’t met before? Have you ever been to the Academy?”

“Lieutenant, trust me. I’ve never met you before nor have I attended the Naval Academy,” she sighs, as she writes notes down in her notebook.

“Maybe you know me by my callsign,” he flashes a smile at her.

“Which is?”

“Hangman.”

Aurora stills for a moment then shakes her head.

“Nope, still don’t know who you are.”

Of course she knew who he was. Peyton and Bradley wouldn’t shut up about him. Peyton knew him from the Naval Academy, and Bradley knew him from Top Gun. Both of them would complain about him, Bradley specifically.

Peyton would always say, “I would love to ride his airplane,” and “He may be an ass, but with an ass like his I wouldn’t mind--” and that was when she would cut her brother off. She just prayed to God that Jake really didn’t know her from them. She didn’t want her background to be revealed, let alone due to a case. 

“Well, I think that’s all the questions we have. But if we need anything else, we will call you back in. The USS Seahawk isn’t set to sail for another couple of days, to which we should have solved this case by then. Shouldn’t affect your deployment.” Tony tells him, as he stands up from his seat. 

Jake and Aurora do the same. They all walk out the door as they lead Jake back to the elevators to let him out of the building. As they pass the bullpen, Ziva looks at Aurora and gives her a stare and a motion to go next to her. Aurora walks to Ziva and sighs. 

“What, Ziva?”

“He’s hot,” Ziva whispers. Ziva always wondered why Aurora never dated, so she always tried her best to get Aurora to open up to dating someone. 

“Ziva, he’s a suspect.”

“Still hot. He flirt with you?”

“Oh big time.”

“Interested?”

Aurora scoffs. “In his dreams,” she rolls her eyes as they spy Tony and Jake who were by the elevators. 

“Thanks again for coming in on such short notice, Lieutenant,” Tony says, shaking Jake’s hand. 

“Not a problem. Sorry I wasn’t much help.”

The elevator dings, and out walks McGee, a security guy, and a woman who was presumably the petty officer’s girlfriend. 

“Oh hey Tony, hold on real quick. Miss, you can follow this gentleman to the conference room and I’ll be there shortly.”

The lady nods, her eyes watery and still quite obviously deep in her grief. The security man helps guide her to the conference room, as McGee talks to Tony.

“Do you know where Art is?”

“At her desk, just making sure Lieutenant Seresin finds his way out.”

McGee and Jake nod in hello at each other.

“Hey Artemis!” McGee calls out causing Aurora to groan. Apparently unaware he was interrupting her conversation with Ziva.

“What do you want, McGee?” She asks, turning to him.

“Gibbs is asking for you down at Abby’s lab.”

“Well shit McGee, why didn’t you say that earlier?!” She gets up from her desk and panics as she runs to the elevators to go down to Abby’s lab. 

“Artemis?” Jake asks, as he and Tony all walk into the elevator. 

“Oh yeah, it’s a nickname we gave her.” McGee replies, as he holds the elevator door for Aurora. 

“Yeah, plus the knife she always has on her, and loves to throw kind of sealed the deal on her nickname.” Tony adds.

Jake hums in thought as Aurora runs into the elevator. 

“Thanks, McGee.” 

McGee nods and walks to the conference room to interview the petty officer’s girlfriend, as the elevator door closes. Aurora chooses the floor number where Abby’s lab is.

Jake chuckles to himself.

“What?” Aurora questions him.

“Nothing, nothing. I think I know how I know you.”

“Like I said Lieutenant, you and I have never met before.”

“You’re right we haven’t.”

Aurora nods as Tony just stands awkwardly. The elevator dings and music blasts as soon as the door opens on the floor to Abby’s lab, an indication of Abby hard at work.

“Well, have a nice day Lieutenant,” Aurora smiles at him as she walks out.

“You too,” Jake smirks at her.

Just as she was about to walk away, she heard him mutter, “Tell Apollo and Rooster I said hi.”

Aurora froze, turning to face him just in time to see him wink at her before the elevator doors shut.

Well shit.

---

If you would like to be on the taglist or removed, please let me know! 

Taglist: @call-sign-jinx​ @sqrlgrl22 @luckyladycreator2​

#top gun #top gun maverick #top gun fanfic #top gun maverick fanfic #top gun fanfiction #top gun maverick fanfiction #bradley bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x oc #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw fanfic #bradley bradshaw fic #bradley bradshaw fanfiction #top gun x ncis #ncis x top gun #dad!maverick #mom!pennybenjamin #top gun au #ncis #oc ncis agent #anthony dinozzo #ziva david #timothy mcgee #leroy jethro gibbs #shrimp writes stories #grateful shrimp #shrimp writes #I'll Be Waiting Story

[ohtobeleah]

NCIS // Bradley Bradshaw

Masterlist

NCIS // Bradley Bradshaw knows when his soon to be wife shows up randomly on Friday evening at the Hard Deck it can’t be good. But just how bad could things really be, right? (8.2k)

Intercepted // When called for a case, DiNozzo and McGee show up at your house uninvited and stumbled upon a startling sight. (3.5k)

When // After Bradley spills his guts about details of the uranium mission, it sends you into a spiral of always wanting to be one step ahead. Upping your training to the point it becomes increasingly worrying (2.4K)

Boundaries // A call comes in on your day off about a hostage situation. Dragging your husband Bradley and his best friend Hangman into an active crime scene, the situation could not have turned out any worse. (8k)

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

Tag: @auroraboreallisfine @tigerfan24 @atarmychick007 @rosee-sensuelle @unhingedhousehold

#bradley bradshaw x female reader #bradley bradshaw x y/n #top gun bradley bradshaw #bradley rooster bradshaw x reader #rooster x f!reader #top gun maverick imagine #ncis imagine #ncis fanfiction #bradley bradshaw imagine

[sarahsmi13s]

This Is How It Feels

whumptober day 5: hostage / kidnapping / held at gunpoint

pairing: beau 'cyclone' simpson x daughter!reader

characters: beau simpson, y/n simpson, reagan simpson, ncis: new orleans team, the squad breifly, hayden and frankie, everett north (oc villian), cameron north (deceased)

warnings: 18+ MDNI, language, kidnapping, torture, guns, blood, waterboarding, loss of will to live, oc character death, revenge killing, if i missed any please tell me!

word count: ~3.2k

a/n: this is for whumptober! please please please proceed with caution and use discretion, protect your peace

also if you are on the whump taglist but are not familiar with a character, you can skip it will not hurt my feelings!

also also, i do want to apologize for getting this up late got distracted while writing it so i finished it later than i had hoped

whumptober 2023 masterlist

summary: a parent's grief is strong and powerful and it can make you crazy, if the opportunity presents itself to get revenge... you take it

“Simpson!”

You turned at the call of your name, spotting your friends waving to you from the front of a bar. “C’mon! We’re starving!”

Shaking your head, you jogged over. “You two, my goodness,” you laughed before you all walked in. “Are you sure we can even eat here? It’s a bar.” “We’ve eaten at the Hard Deck before,” your friend, Hayden, said as she walked over to a table.

“Okay okay, you have a point there. Just don’t try anything stupid, we’re all repping the school, but I’m also repping the Navy and my dad. So if any of you try to pull-”

“Relax, Simpson, I left my fake ID in California,” Frankie, your best friend said as she nudged you playfully.

“Simpson?” 

You looked up to see an older gentleman standing there with an apron around his waist. 

“As in Beau Simpson?” He asked, looking over your face quizzically.

You nodded, “Yes sir, he’s my dad.” The man chuckled, “Yeah, I know your dad, grew up down the street from my mama. I’m sure he hasn’t talked about me much, I’m Dwayne Pride – folks around here call me King.”

“Oh! Yeah, Dad did tell me about you,” you said with a smile and stood up to shake his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.” Dwayne chuckled, “You can call me Dwayne…” He trailed off, brow arched as he silently prompted you to fill in the blank. “Y/N, I’m Y/N.” He smiled and nodded, “It’s nice to meet you, Y/N.”

You sat back down, but looked up at him. “Now, is your mama Reagan Autry?” You nodded, “Sure is!” He chuckles, “I knew they’d last. Anyhow, what can I get y’all to drink?”

Back in North Island, the squad was at Cyclone’s house for a little get together.

“Where’s Y/N?” Mav asked, sipping his drink as Beau sat down. “Oh her culture club is visiting New Orleans for Mardi Gras week,” Reagan said as she sat down on the arm on Beau’s chair.

“Now y’all are from NOLA, right?” Jake asked, relaxing back on the couch. They nodded, “Sure are. High school sweethearts at that.” He nodded, “That’s impressive.” “It is, because of all the hours and missed dates over the years because he’s such a hard worker,” she said, kissing the side of Beau’s head.

“I made up for it though,” he chuckled and squeezed her hip. “Yeah, you d-”

Reagan’s statement was cut off by Beau’s phone ringing.

He furrowed his brow and picked it up, checking the caller ID to see that it was Frankie.

“I better take this, excuse me,” he sat his drink down and stood before going out on the back patio.

He closed the door as he answered, “Frankie? What’s-” 

“Y/N’s been taken!” 

Beau froze, the breath being pulled from his lungs. “W-what?” Frankie was hyperventilating on the other end, “W-we were get-getting something fr-from the vending machine and-and-and some guy c-came up and t-took her. I tried to he-help b-but she-she told me to run.” 

Frankie sobbed, even though he couldn’t see her he knew she was pacing the hotel room 

“I-I’m sorry…” 

He had to remain calm, knowing that she would freak out if he did. “Frankie, Frankie, you need to breathe sweetheart. I know you’re scared, but I need you to listen to me. There’s a bar, it’s called the Tri-Tone, you need to go there and find Dwayne Pride.”

She sniffed, “W-Why Dwayne Pride?” “He’s an NCIS Agent, he’s the team leader down there and he can help.” She coughed a little, “O-okay…” He took a breath and glanced back inside, seeing his wife leaning on the wall and watching him carefully. “Frankie, I’ll try to be down there soon. Stay safe and be on alert.” “Y-yes sir.” 

He hung up and ran a hand over his face before turning to go back inside.

His eyes stayed on the floor as he closed the door behind him and leaned on it. “Beau… Honey, is everything okay? Is Y/N okay?” 

The concern in Reagan’s voice grabbed the squad’s attention and they looked over concerned.

“Uh.. She.. She was taken… Y/N and Frankie were getting something from the vending machine.. and–and some guy took her…” Beau looked up and met her eyes, tears filling his, “Someone took her…”

Reagan collapsed, Beau catching her just before she could hit the floor. “No! No! Not her, not our baby girl! Please,” she sobbed, her manicured nails biting at his shoulder as she clung to his shirt.

Beau couldn’t say anything as he held up his wife, trying to be strong for her and not break down in front of the squad.

But it was hard. 

I mean of course it was. 

You, his baby girl, in the hands of some stranger. It was his worst nightmare come to life.

Cold. Damp. Dark. 

Those were the words you would have used to describe the room you were in. The only light on in the room was a yellow bulb swinging in its cage above your head. The chill nipped at your exposed skin, having been stripped of the clothes you were in when you were taken. The room smelled of mildew, and you knew that any water ride you ever went on would remind you of this room.

Your arms were tied above your head, spread in a ‘Y’ to keep you from attempting to free yourself despite being in chains. Your bare feet scraped the rough concrete, your toenail polish being scraped off and leaving red, pink, and white streaks on the floor.

If you had to guess, you’d been there about 12 hours, if not a whole day.

The man that took you had only been in the room one other time and it was to tighten the gag in your mouth. It was a relief that was all, but you had a sinking gut feeling that he had something in store for you.

Your view of the room was awful, you could only see the staircase in front of you, the small window at the top of the wall letting in the moonlight and illuminating the assortment of instruments on the workbench underneath it. If there were worse things behind you, you couldn’t see it. But if what you could see was any indication, there was a reason you were here.

All you could do was pray that Frankie got help and that someone was on their way to save you.

“What do we know?” Dwayne asked as he came in, Beau and Reagan following behind him. “Any updates?” 

Chris and Tammy turned, heads tilted in confusion as to why they were there. But they continued when Pride nodded.

“We were just sent this photo anonymously, Patton’s tracing it now.” Sebastian put the photo on the plasma.

The photo was a newspaper being held by cracked manicured nails but the face in the background was too covered to be enhanced effectively. 

“However, there’s no way to determine-”

“That’s her,” Reagan spoke up, tears gathering in her eyes. “That’s my baby girl…” 

Dwayne looked from her and up to Beau, “Are you sure?” She nodded and held up her own hand, “We got a matching manicure before she left…” Reagan turned and sobbed into Beau’s shoulder.

“She was playing with her brothers when she was young and scraped her left hand on the brick wall, the scar never went away,” Beau added for more confirmation that the hand in the photo did belong to you.

Dwayne nodded, “Then there’s hope, it’s a proof of life photo.” 

All the Admiral could do was nod before holding his wife close and silently cry with her.

It had been 5 days since you had been abducted. 

5 agonizing days.

Beau was a wreck, he was falling apart with worry. With fear. Anything awful that came to Beau’s mind, it’s what they were doing to you. And it wasn’t getting better.

Because they hadn’t heard anything else from your abductor. Patton’s trace led them to a library computer, where they were able to obtain security footage but no one in the film looked suspicious. All the team could do was tell the library staff to keep a lookout for anything or anyone sketchy.

But other than that, they had nothing.

And they were running out of time.

“Please, stop!” You sobbed as the hot knife ran across your skin. 

The past four days have been non-stop pain. Even when you were given a break so your capture could do whatever, you were in pain. 

You felt like you had zero hope of getting out, of ever seeing your family again. You could only think of your dad, how he must feel. That he may never see you again, his only daughter, taken from him.

“No! He has to know the pain! The suffering I went through because of him!” 

Him.

That was all he ever referred to this mystery man as. Never said a name or anything other than ‘him’ or ‘he’.

“Who?! Who are you talking about?” You screamed before a fist collided with your stomach, the slick slap of his fist on your wet, bloody skin making you sick to your stomach. 

Your skin was littered with cuts, all ranging in depths and lengths but none deep enough to be immediately fatal. 

No.

It had to be slow.

Whomever this ‘he’ was had to experience the same pain your capture felt.

The man hit you again, smearing your own blood across your face and bruising your swollen skin. 

You cried out, begging for him to stop and to let you go as he walked away. Your voice was raw and broken, cracking as you desperately pleaded. 

“Let me go! Please! I just wanna go home…”

“My daughter never came home, why should I let his?” 

You blinked, not sure what he meant by that. 

“I’m sorry about your daughter… I am… but why inflict this on someone else? Why take someone else’s daughter away?”

He didn’t answer you and released the tension on your chains, sending you to your knees harshly and reopening the wounds on your knees. 

Grunting, he took long strides back over to you. 

You knew what he was after and you tried to crawl away, scraping your palms on the concrete. But you could only crawl so far and so fast. 

Your entire body throbbed and your blood made the floor slick. Your capture was faster than you were in your weak state. He grabbed your hair, yanked you back and grabbed you by the throat. Your yelp was cut short as he applied pressure, cutting off your air flow.

Weakly, you tried to claw at him, get him to let go, but he wouldn’t. He squeezed until your eyes rolled back and you passed out.

Beau paced the living room of his childhood home, waiting on Pride to arrive.

Dwayne had called, telling him they needed his help identifying a man and that they had a lead, a promising one.

He wasn’t given any other details, but even that was enough to give him some hope. It had been over a week, so this was gold to them.

The normally calm and collected admiral nearly jumped out of his skin when there was a knock at the door. He raced over and pulled it open, revealing the two agents behind it.

“King, Agent Gregorio,” he greeted, stepping to the side to let them both in. They nodded their thanks to him before they went to the kitchen.

“We’re gonna get right into this, Admiral, you and your wife have waited over a week for something like this,” Tammy said, with sympathy in her voice as she held the evidence bag and a printed photo up. 

Dwayne took the evidence bag, “This was in a book returned to the library early this morning.” He turned it to show the folded up notebook paper, the words, “FROM ONE FATHER TO ANOTHER THIS IS HOW IT FEELS” scrawled sloppily across the page in red ink and what looked to be blood droplets and a bloody fingerprint on the paper. 

“The blood is fresh, as old as this mornin’...” Beau didn’t have to ask, there was no other person whose blood it could be. But he needed the confirmation, no matter how sick it made him feel. “Is-Is it…” Both agents nodded, Tammy speaking, “Sebastian ran the print… it’s Y/N’s. The blood is her’s as well…”

Beau gripped the back of the chair to keep him from falling, Dwayne coming to his side to help him sit down.

“Do-do you know who sent it?” 

Tammy sat the photo down, “We were hoping you might.” He picked up the print and looked at it, recognizing the face instantly. “Yeah, yeah, that’s Everett North… His daughter, Cameron, was under my command a few years ago. She died on a mission.”

They nodded looking at each other, Tammy stepping out to call Chris and tell him to look up Cameron’s name. 

Beau runs a hand down his face, “He blames me for Forest’s death and is taking it out on my daughter…”

Everett sat in a chair, fiddling with a hose waiting for you to wake up. 

You were laying on the freezing floor, the only warmth being the pool of blood you were laying in. You weren’t sleeping so much as laying unconscious, passing out from the previous day's torment. You knew what today held, the same as yesterday. 

That’s what it was, a routine. Torture of all kinds day in and day out. Pain and suffering, that’s all it ever was.

You didn’t want to open your eyes, wake up to another day of this. You were sick, coughing and shivering as the cold basement plus your wet skin plagued you. Your wounds were infected. Your throat was raw from screaming, but Everett managed to pull them from you still. 

And you knew what was in store for you today… but keeping your eyes closed would only delay the inevitable.

You cracked your swollen eyes open, weakly trying to push yourself up. 

“They’re she is,” he gruffed out before getting up and turning the hose on. He puts his thumb over the opening on the hose, spraying you in the face with the freezing water. 

You could only weakly yelp before he was coming over and pulling you to your feet and dragging you to the table on the back wall.

“No, no, no, please, please don’t…” You protest weakly, still trying to fight him. 

“Stop fightin’, you know it's no use,” he said coldly before putting you on the table and strapping you down before running the cold water over your cuts and burns.

You whimpered, squirming to get away despite it being futile. 

He just laughed before covering your face with a towel and soaking it with the hose.

“Everett North, his daughter was Cameron North. Cameron was killed after her plane crashed and she was taken by the enemy. She was held and tortured for two weeks before her body was dumped back at the wreckage for search and rescue to find,” Gregorio started.

Chris was next, “After seeing her at the Tri-Tone and following her to her hotel, North abducted Y/N. She has been with him for a little over a week. But she isn’t trained like military personnel is, she’s only 18 and what Lieutenant North went through was intense and extensive. We don’t know if Y/N can handle it.”

“Okay, do we know where he lives?”

“Sebastian is–”

“I found it! I’ve got his address!” Sebastian shouted as he stood up.

With that the team jumped up and got their gear.

The moment the towel was yanked off your face you started coughing up the water you inhaled, lifting your head so you don’t choke on it again.

Everett started and ended with the same method. That's how you knew your day was over.

He unstrapped you from the table and watched you weakly roll until you fell onto the ground limply.

“Please… just kill me…” 

Your plea was weak as you continued to cough up water. You hated that you had gotten to that point so soon. That you could pull through for just a little longer. But you were in agony, body broken and bloody. You didn’t want your parents to see you like this.

“Oh no no no, your dad has to feel the same pain I felt.”

You look over your shoulder, “M-My dad? What did my dad do to you?” Everett reaches down and grabs your hair, pulling you up to your knees.

“He killed my daughter, I’m only returning the favor,” he hissed, yanking down to put you on your back.

You yelped, your head making contact with the ground. “My dad would never do that!” He kicked you across the face, “Shut up! You don’t know!”

You went to retort but you could hear movement upstairs.

And that’s when you felt your will to live enter your body again. 

“Help! I’m down here, help me!”

You could hear the flurry of footsteps to the basement door and Everett pulled you to your feet.

He held most of your weight and pointed a gun at your neck as the door flew open and agents ran down the stairs.

“Everett North! NCIS put your weapon down!”

“Come any closer and I’ll shoot her!”

Everything suddenly became blurry, the voices around you muddling together. You didn’t know exactly what was happening but you could only assume it was shock or your body finally letting go and relaxing because you had a chance of living.

But before you learned the answer, everything went black as a gunshot rang out.

The first thing you noticed as you woke up was the incessant beeping of a heart monitor. Next was the fact that the lights were off. Then it was the weight of a large, calloused hand in yours.

“D-Daddy?” You rasped out, attempting to squeeze his hand. 

Beau’s head whipped up, “Oh, baby…” “Daddy, I-I’m so sorry,” you nearly sobbed out. “Shhh shh baby girl, no, it’s not your fault. It’s never your fault.”

All you could do was nod before you started coughing. 

He was quick to react, getting you a cup of water and offering it for you to take, afraid that if he tried to help he’d send you into a panic.

You take it and sip it carefully before giving it back to him. He grabbed your hand, “I’m so glad you’re okay, sweetheart. I’m so sorry this happened.” You shake your head, “Not your fault… he-he blamed you… but it’s not your fault.”

He smiled gently at you before pushing hair behind your ear and kissing your forehead and you sent him an identical smile. “What matters is that I’m okay… well that I will be okay.” He nodded and kissed your hand, “Yeah, you’re gonna be okay. It’s gonna be okay.”

taglist: @valmare @fanboyswhore9 @bradleybeachbabe @cassiemitchell @startrekfangirl2233 @horseshoegirl @nightowlalltheway @86laura11 @kmc1989 @mayhemmanaged

hi, if you're seeing this and are currently not on the taglist and would like to be please fill out the taglist form -> whumptober taglist

i can not stress this enough, but whumptober can have some very serious and heavy topics and i want to make sure i am doing my part as an author to prepare my readers for what they are about to experience and that includes not only warnings above but my taglists as well

so if you want to be added check out the masterlist and read that carefully and fill out the form -> whumptober 2023

#vinny's whumptober #whumptober 2023 #ailesswhumptober2023 #whumptober day 5 #vinny's rainy day records #top gun maverick #ncis/topgun #beau cyclone simpson #beau simpson #beau simpson x daughter!reader #top gun maverick whump #cyclone top gun #whump #angst #sarahsmi13s

[scottishaccentsareawesome]

Rooster(to Phoenix, about he and Hangman's date): Hangman and I watched the sunrise together. It was very 'Brokeback Mountain'.

Hangman: He had me at "Howdy."

#incorrect quotes #hangster #hangaroo #hangman x rooster #original: NCIS #bradley bradshaw #jake seresin #rooster bradshaw #hangman seresin #top gun maverick

[roadtogracelandx45]

More info will come soon

#ash writes #series: he didn't do this #top gun maverick fan fiction #top gun maverick imagines #what if #ncis x top gun maverick x jag crossover #pete maverick Mitchell fan fiction #pete maverick Mitchell imagines

[penwieldingdreamer]

Brewing Storm - San Diego

Hey and welcome to a new day of "I have too many ideas and too little time to get it done." 😀

This is a new project that came up thanks to @none-of-your-bullshit and her cool idea to pair Jake Seresin with a NCIS!Reader. This is the first installment of I don't have a plan yet how many parts 🤭 Reader is non-descriptive and Y/N but I'll make sure to not use it or use Candy occasionally. Let me know what you think. If you want to be tagged in future chapters follow the link.

Have fun and happy reading ❤️

Thank you to @fortheloveoffanfic @ladyelissarose and @missathlete31 for being my betas

Warnings: 18+ in future chapters, MDNI, canon violence, mentions of injuries, fighting, drug trafficking

Y/N "Candy" Gibbs, former FBI Agent, gets sent to the San Diego office helping to clean up some older cases that had been tracked all the way up to Washington. What she didn't expect was to meet a cocky pilot that wasn't just trying to get into her pants but was in serious trouble with a capital T after he and Andrew Caine witnessed a drug deal at the base gone wrong.

Masterlist | Next

Part 1 - San Diego 

“So, Candy, how’s the California guys treating you?” Nick Torres asked with a grin, as they had their usual zoom dinner chat. Ellie shook her head and McGee had to swallow the retort that was about to leave his lips, thankful for using his headphones. No way was he going to say something with Gibbs sitting at his desk across from him while the other two were lounging at home having fun.

Chuckling at your fellow agent and friend you shook your head, before you held up your phone and turned around. One of the agents of the San Diego office had decided to take you to the Hard Deck, a bar most of the Navy personnel frequented. “I’m not complaining, the weather is great and I’ve seen the Navy men around here without a shirt on more often than not.”

“Shut up!” Ellie’s mouth hung open and you could practically see the light shining in her eyes. “I’ll be sure to send in a transfer to SoCal, can’t let you drool over them all by yourself.”

Laughing softly, your expression turned serious again. "I miss you guys already. This assignment is taking too fucking long."

"Don't worry, you'll have to bear our antics sooner than you'd like and you'd be happy to be back with the FBI instead of the Navy team catching the bad guys." Torres winked at you, taking a big bite of his burger and you already knew why you were happy to not have him sit next to you. Ellie scrunched up her nose at his behavior and shook her head, mumbling men loud enough for him to gasp around his food.

"Gibbs will make sure you guys behave, he did it before I joined the FBI."

"Yes, and I'll do it well after." His usual hard look softened as his gaze fell upon your face over McGee's.

"Hey Uncle G, hope the rascals are keeping out of trouble up in Washington." You cackled loudly at the way their faces scrunched up and the eyebrow raise you got from the three agents. 

Your uncle grinned, knowing they couldn't tell a lot about the last days without you at the Navy Yard and how many bad moods their boss had been in since you weren't there to calm him down. "How's the West Coast treating you, Candy darl'? Hopefully no premature Navy men trying to get in your pants."

"Never Uncle G." You told him, your voice sounding confident but over the bar top you saw the one person that made it hard for you to sleep at night.

Lieutenant Jake Seresin.

Not because you were occupied in the horizontal tango - no, not at all, but the Naval aviator had been coming to the Hard Deck like clockwork with or without his fellow pilots ever since you showed up that first day with your fellow agents. He would come to the bar, trying to buy you a drink at least three times during his stay, but each time you declined.

His eyes found yours from across the room. The Lieutenant looked good in his Khakis, his hair in his usual backcombed style. If Ellie saw you, she'd probably tell you, you were drooling.

The clearing of a throat pulled you out of your thoughts, your uncle giving you the side eye. “No men, huh?”

“Oh come on, you sound like I should be in a convent.”

“A convent? No, according to your mother, a different country is more like it.” He told you, but you weren’t sure if he was joking or not.

Shaking your head you grinned at your boss and family. "It's not like that, Gibbs. I just happen to be here in Fightertown and not to mention the Army vs Navy football game coming up."

"Oh, are you going to watch it?" Ellie asked, earning an eye roll from Torres as he knew what his partner was getting at.

"Actually we'll be helping with security. Jason and Andrew are part of the referee team and Lucille, Connor and I will be posing as a security team at the entrance."

Shaking his head, your uncle removed himself from his perch, knowing you wouldn't elaborate on the things that were happening down in Southern California. "Just stay safe over there or I'll come and get you back here all by my lonesome."

"Don't you worry, Uncle G. Nothing will happen, I promise.”

Ellie winked at you, telling you in a silent way to not do anything she wouldn’t do while Torres just rolled his eyes and McGee’s reaction was barely visible. Finally telling them goodbye you ended the call and returned to the drink in front of you.

Unbeknownst to you your nightly nemesis kept glancing your way a few times during his pool game with his fellow aviator. 

“You going to try that maneuver again with her or keep silently praying to whoever will listen that she’ll give you the time of the day?” The dark skinned pilot joked, watching his friend lining up his shot and to the shock of all that knew him failed to make it.

Closing his eyes, Jake took a deep breath. You had been on his mind constantly - at night, during the day, even in his head while he was soaring above the clouds. “I don’t think she’ll ever say yes. I tried all my moves and she said No. Got to stop before it gets embarrassing.”

Javy snorted, leaning against his cue. “Never thought the great Hangman was a quitter.”

“Shut up, Machado.” He grumbled, finally getting the shot right. Straightening up, he turned back towards the bar where you had been sitting all night. The way you smiled down at the screen of your phone made his insides flutter, a feeling that only being airborne could give him. 

Maybe - maybe he would have to think up a new maneuver to succeed in this mission. 

Yeah, he’d start on a new strategy tomorrow. Most important point of the battle plan - don’t be the dick that left others hanging, or he’d be the one to be hung out to dry.

Tagging:

@none-of-your-bullshit @fortheloveoffanfic @ladyelissarose @missathlete31 @chipendenspook1997 @mayhemmanaged

#jake seresin x NCIS!reader #jake seresin x reader #hangman x reader #TG:M x NCIS #top gun maverick #top gun maverick fic #jake seresin fic #ncis fanfiction #TG:M x NCIS crossover

[hatchetation]

you see the vision 🛩️✈️ hope your week gets better!

thank you! It’s actually already a bit better. and hell yeah I do!! I can 1000% imagine Lucy saying “I feel the need, the need for speed.” Also # I need to stop watching military propaganda is so so real 😂 😭

#someone should write this #Or dare I say #someone should fashion a gifset that is the plot of top gun #But featuring kate and lucy #kacy #whistara #lucy tara #kate whistler #ncis hawaii #lucy x kate