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Jake 'Hangman' Seresin
D-Day (Jake Seresin x Reader series)
After finding out his girlfriend is pregnant, Jake is ready to move in and get married. The last thing he expected was to be hit with a six-month deployment at sea and missing the birth of his first child. (Jake x Reader, no y/n used)
First and Goal (Jake Seresin x Reader)
Hangman hosts a college football day for the Daggers, only to have Payback bring a history making Angel. (Hangman x female Reader fluff, no use of 'you')
Overtime (Jake Seresin x Reader, First and Goal pt. 2)
It was just supposed to be a football game. But then Hangman took Syla up on her invitation to watch the Blue Angels perform at the Miramar air show. A month after meeting and facing the last home show of her career, the history making Naval Aviator invited Hangman to visit her in Pensacola. She didn't actually expect him to accept. Payback definitely wasn't happy.
'tis the damn season (Jake Seresin x OC completed series)
After six years away from home, Jake âHangmanâ Seresin was finally going to make his parents happy and surprise his family by spending Christmas in Magnolia, Texas. Introducing his pregnant fiancee to his family is a culture clash, with rural Texas meeting California influencer. Though unhappy in his relationship, Jake knows he has to buckle down and do the right thing with a baby on the way.
The last person he expected to run into was his high school sweetheart and the one that got away, Julie.
After almost a decade apart, Jake and Julie can't help but feel that old familiar spark. Even with the realities of their lives pressing in, they can't help but wonder what might have happened if just one of them had fought for their relationship all those years ago.
The Perfect Match (Jake Seresin x Reader one shot)
Every third week in March, fourth year medical students find out where they'll be going for their residency. A quick 2.2K word one-shot of Jake's girlfriend going through that process.
we can't be friends (but i'd like to just pretend) (Jake Seresin x unnamed Reader [Ladybug] one shot)
Jake's not entirely sure how the bet came about other than being too drunk and maybe a little bored at the Fourth of July party. But after shaking on it with Yale, he agrees to help the new WSO - Ladybug - out with her crush on Rooster and figure out how to get the two of them to the Navy Ball together. With four months to get it done, it'll be simple. But when the reserved aviator is harder to get to know than expected, Jake has to push her to get out of her own way.
Two Lines (Jake Seresin x Reader one shot)
The last thing Jake expected to see first thing in the morning was a pregnancy test in the trash can. And he definitely didnât expect a debate with his wife about what those two lines meant.Â
good to come home to (but not to stay) (Jake Seresin x unnamed Reader one shot)
"It doesn't mean anything." It was just a fling. A friends with benefits situation. Sleeping with Jake was never meant to be more than that. But when you start to catch feelings and have a new assignment, the 10 month hook up had to end. Deploying on the USS Theodore Roosevelt would give you enough time to get him out of your system. Or so you thought.
Robert 'Bob' Floyd
(Every Step You Take) I'll Be Watching You (Bob Floyd x Reader one shot)
Bob disliked Friday team nights at The Hard Deck but knows they're important to the squad. That is, he disliked them until Penny hires a new summer bartender who gently pushes him to try new things. But when he comes in to find the police asking for her, the last thing he expected was to find himself protecting Evie. Trigger warnings: stalking, attempted assault. (Bob x Reader [Evie], no physical description)
Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw
Santa's North Island Delivery Service (Bradley Bradshaw x Reader one shot)
Stuck at work, Bradley is missing his daughter's first Christmas Eve. But when the squadron decides to turn the hanger into Santa's Workshop, the pilot is able to sneak away to spend a little time with his girls. (Inspired by a true story; Rooster x Reader Christmas fluff)
Wanna Dance with Somebody (Bradley Bradshaw x Reader one shot)
When his girlfriend of three months ditches a night at the Hard Deck after a rough day, Bradley knows just what to do to cheer her up.
Friendsgiving (Bradley Bradshaw x Reader [Duchess] one shot)
Rooster wasn't for you. You were opposites in so many ways - he was an extrovert to your introvert. The center of attention to your wallflower. You weren't interested in a one night stand, and he couldn't offer more. So his volunteering to help with Friendsgiving was just a friendly gesture after you returned from a deployment...right?
A Sunday Kind of Love (Bradley Bradshaw x Reader one shot)
Two months before deploying was a bad time to start a relationship. Especially when Bradley would be gone for six months. Returning the day after his 41st birthday, Bradley hoped to spend the day with his girlfriend, but a prior commitment makes that impossible. But that doesn't mean she can't show him how much she cares.
Just sliding in to say I went to see TGM in IMAX today, and the hyperfixation is back. Life will hopefully be slowing down soon (trying to change jobs, moving in with the boyfriend so less time commuting, and working to get on a normal 5/8 schedule rather than my current 4/10 that really turns into a 4/13 with all the unpaid over time).
I'm going to get back to writing the Bradley/Lark story that I have 2 chapters written for. While watching the movie, I realized I could connect her to Jake and Bradley's barb about him landing some in an early grave.
Also, I need to get back to writing for my own mental health. Continuing to work as a fed is a problem, but I'm trying to either switch out of my current hospital system into a trauma focused position, or completely out of the VA and into a civilian position with first responders.
Either way, I'm gonna focus on doing what makes me happy and that's writing angst about flyboys. Here's a snippet of the Bradley fic if anyone's still reading TGM fic:
Eventually, the only way to see what was happening in each otherâs lives was through social media. Bradley liked pictures of you hanging out at the beach. Gradually, he noticed a guy appearing in more and more of your photos, and then the inevitable status update came that you were dating.Â
He was assigned to a squadron just in time to be deployed to the Middle East. When he shared the news with his extended family and friends, you messaged him to ask for his mailing address. Every few weeks, he received a care package filled with his favorite snacks. His heart felt an odd pang when he noticed an open package of razors and read your note about taking one âfor old timeâs sake.âÂ
The squadron was welcoming, and he made a few new friends. Bradley gravitated toward Natasha Trace, another new pilot making her mark in the squad. But the closer he got, the more he realized something. Sure, she quickly became his closest friend, but their friendship was different from what he had with you. While he sometimes crashed on her couch after having one too many at the bar, he never felt the urge to crawl into bed with her at the end of the night to keep the conversation alive. Nat would probably give him a black eye for even suggesting it, whereas you would just flick back the covers and talk until you fell asleep. More often than not, he woke to find himself curled around you or you sprawled across his chest, and he would have to carefully extract himself to get back to his own bed.Â
Distance grew between you, communication dwindling to a text on birthdays and holidays. You didnât update social media much, so it was a surprise when a tagged picture of you popped up on his feed. Hundreds of people had commented and reacted to the sight of you kissing the guy in front of a judge. Bradley felt his heart in his throat as he read the caption.
Decided to elope before going underway. Weâre hoping to spend some time together in Liberty Ports for a Navy-funded honeymoon. Might have to spend our first few months together on separate ships, but itâs just the start of our adventure.Â
Bradley stared at the picture for a long time before closing his laptop.Â
It was over. You were married.
Tomorrow is supposed to be a super snowy. I want to do nothing but sit and write Rooster fic and finally get a chance to respond to comments on D-Day.
Instead, I have consulted on for EMDR training, signed up for a MDMA-assisted PTSD lecture, have my personal EMDR therapy, need to work on a 36 hour training, promised to bake cookies for work, want to finish making grounding skills flashcards, and have plans to hang out with the boyfriend.
Oh, and I have to read both books for my 2 bookclubs that meet this weekend.
So ready for a damn break đ”âđ« And some adaptive, healthy disassociation (⊠which reminds me that my 2 books on trauma and disassociation are due to the library soonâŠ)
TGM fandom, I need your help!!! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year and one of my favorite TGM fics is a RoosterxOFC Thanksgiving fic with the original character hosting Thanksgiving for the squad. Her call sign is Duchess and I absolutely fell in love when I read it and wanted to read it on Thanksgiving. Can y'all help me find it?????
Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Julie/Cece (OC, no physical description)
Word count: 4K
Synopsis: After six years away from home, Jake âHangmanâ Seresin finally went home to make his parents happy and surprise his family by spending Christmas in Magnolia, Texas. Introducing his 'pregnant' fiancee to his family was a culture clash, with rural Texas meeting California influencer. But when the truth came out, he turned to his high school sweetheart and the one that got away, Julie.
After getting married and having twins, the Jake and Julie are ready to spend Christmas together and relax.
Epilogue | Master List | Ao3
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Epilogue II
Car doors slammed and Cece froze, french fry suspended in mid-air. Shoving the food in her mouth, she slid off the counter and crept toward the bay window in the living room, stepping over discarded toys and books. The sight of her husband leaning into the back seat of his truck usually made her happy, but today, she groaned, eyes fluttering closed with exhaustion. âShit,â she breathed, forcing her eyes open and rushing back into the kitchen. Another curse fell from her lips when she stepped on a Barbie hair brush, the plastic bristles embedding in her sock. Hopping on one foot, she dislodged it and tossed the offending toy away.Â
The front door opened, and the usual chaotic sounds of backpacks and jackets hitting the floor rang out. It covered the crinkling of the bag holding her half-eaten lunch and the muffled snap of the walk-in pantry door shutting when she darted inside. Not daring to turn on the light, she moved a few steps inside and collapsed onto the floor. âTake off your shoes!â Jake called.
âMama! We home!âÂ
âMama!â
âMama!â
âMama, where ARE you?â
âYeah, where is Mama?â Jake asked.Â
As the three-year-old twins' voices drew closer, Cece hoped the childproof doorknob cover would continue to confuse them. But, knowing her luck, this would be the day her snack-fiend little ones would accomplish the difficult task of squeezing and twisting. As much as she loved her children, it had been a long day - hell, a long week - at the bakery in the lead-up to Christmas, to the point that she couldn't stop to eat.
So yes, hiding in the pantry from her children wasnât her proudest parenting moment, but damn it, she was hungry and wanted to eat her chicken and fries in relative peace and comfort. Sitting on the floor made her aching feet feel better, though the cold floor was killing her back. It had never quite recovered after her pregnancy - not that a job where she was constantly on her feet made it any better.Â
A chiming noise startled her, and she swiped the fry grease onto her flour-dusted legging before grabbing her phone. Cece groaned at the picture on the screen: her drink with a prominent fast food logo on the cup. Wanna explain, Mrs. Seresin? So close to dinner?
Donât rat me out, and Iâll give you a chicken tender
Deal
Cece bit her lip to keep from laughing at the speed of his reply. From the other side of the door, she heard a clap. âI wonder if Mamaâs taking a nap?â
âYeah!â Liam said.
âNaps are for babies,â Abby huffed.
âNaps are for tired parents and growing kiddos,â he countered. âNow, we have to be very quiet in case she is sleeping, alright?â
âShhhh,â Liam shushed loudly.
âRight. Now, where would Mama take a nap? The bathtub?âÂ
âNo!â the twins giggled.Â
âReally? Mama took naps in the bathtub when we were in college. Wanna go check?â The sound of running was the only response, followed by a cautious, âBe careful - and donât wake Mama up!â
The pantry opened quickly, allowing her the briefest glimpse of a silhouette before shutting. The sound of callouses on the wall was her only warning before the overhead light turned on. Clapping a hand to her eyes, Cece heard a deep chuckle and peeked through her fingers to see a sight for sore eyes: Jake crouching in front of her, his green eyes crinkling with suppressed laughter. When her hand dropped, he lifted her cup to his mouth, sipping from the straw. âI only slept in the bathtub once.âÂ
The unexpected words made him choke on the soda, and he cleared his throat before setting the cup beside her. âYour 21st was pretty memorable, from what I heard,â he agreed. Carefully lowering his bad knee to the floor, he planted a hand beside her hip and curved the other around her cheek.Â
Jake still smiled every time he kissed her.Â
Ceceâs eyes fluttered closed, eyelashes dusting the tops of her cheeks. The tension drained from her body when their noses brushed. His forehead pressed against hers, and her hand curled around the back of his neck, tangling in the short hairs. âHey, Cupcake.â Â
âHi,â she breathed.Â
âAnother long day?â Sighing, she nodded, trying - and failing - to open her eyes. âAlmost over, at least.â
âThank god. Remind me to hire more staff next year.â
âWill you listen to me next time or tell me the same thing you did this year?â The thinly veiled âtold you soâ was motivation enough to open one eye and half-heartedly glare. Jakeâs whispered suggestion that she bring on holiday staff had been dismissed whenever he brought it up. Even though the coffee shop/bakery was doing well, increasing payroll - even temporarily - still felt risky when she could handle the work with her usual crew. But the volume of sales and orders kept increasing, and sheâd returned to work multiple times after putting the twins to bed to prep for the following day.Â
Chuckling, he leaned forward to kiss her again. âYouâre a meanie-head,â she muttered, using their sonâs favorite insult. He laughed against her mouth, pulling away to run his thumb lightly over the dark circles under her eyes.Â
âWell, this âmeanie-headâ misses you. You have to go back - â
âDaddy!â
âWhere he go?â
Small hands slapped the pantry door, and they both bit back a groan. âMaybe if weâre really quiet, theyâll go away,â Cece whispered. That hope quickly went out the window when the pounding continued, joined by the spinning of the child lock on the knob and a thud.
âHey!â Jake snapped. âYou better not be kicking my doors.â The pounding stopped immediately. âGo sit on the couch. Daddyâll be there in a minute.â The twins loudly made their way out of the kitchen as Cece smothered her laughter at their childish grumbling, resting her head on his shoulder. âThey get that from you,â he huffed.
âExcuse me! Youâre the one who punches trees.â
âNot for years.âÂ
âThank god. We know how it ended the last time you did.â
âPretty sure it ended with you kissing me.â Wrapping her fingers in the collar of his flight suit, she kissed him again.Â
âWho would have thought weâd be hiding in the pantry six years later?âÂ
âWho woulda thought,â he agreed. âNow, I think you owe me a chicken tender, Mrs. Seresin.â Groaning, her head tipped back, and she smiled when Jakeâs mouth gravitated to the hinge of her jaw.
âAny chance youâd be willing to exchange a tender for something else, Lieutenant Commander Seresin?â
âWhatâd you have in mind?â
âGift wrapping tonight, then maybeâŠâ her fingers skated down his front, toying with the zipper tab.Â
âBedtime canât come soon enough,â he murmured before crushing his lips to hers. She didnât notice his hand sneaking into the bag at her hip until he pulled away and clamped a fry between his teeth. Reaching behind her, he grabbed two juice boxes from the shelf and pushed to his feet. âEnjoy your contraband. Iâll keep them distracted for a bit.â
With a wink, he walked out of the pantry. Greeted by the squeals of the kids, he quickly closed the door, hiding her from view.
A loud moan burst from her mouth, and Cece turned to stifle it in her arm. Jake chuckled from where he knelt between her thighs, hands closing around her waist when she pushed back against him. âFeel good, baby?â A whimper and nod were her response, and he grinned, planting a fist in the mattress by her shoulder and brushing aside her shower-dampened hair to kiss the back of her neck. Cracking one eye open, she smiled sleepily at him.
âHarder.âÂ
âI feel like Iâm gonna break your back if I go harder,â he said, shifting back onto his knees and resting his hands on the swell of his wifeâs ass.
âYou wonât,â she assured him, wiggling slightly to invite him to return his hands to where she wanted them. After a moment, she felt his thumbs digging into her lower back and moaned again. Pregnancy had destroyed her back, and - contrary to what the doctors said - it wasnât getting better on its own. After spending a small fortune on massages, Jake started watching videos online and offered to do them.Â
âItâs the least I can do,â heâd teased before the first one, his touch light and unsure. âEspecially after you did all the work to have them both look like me.âÂ
Cece hoped the massages wouldnât stop after her MRI in January.Â
Goosebumps erupted on her skin when his fingers grazed the curve of her breast as his hands moved higher, thumbs running parallel to her spine. The bed dipped as he moved to her side, and Cece lifted her head to rest on her folded arms. Through half-lidded eyes, she watched him work; his brows furrowed with concentration as he soothed her aching muscles. As much as she loved the attention from her husband, it was bittersweet. She knew he felt some misplaced sense of guilt over her body not bouncing back after delivering the twins, and he was well aware of her reluctance to discuss having any more kids until they figured out what was wrong. Living off of over-the-counter painkillers and dealing with tingling in her arms and fingers wasnât fun, and he hated thinking about the night her pain had flared up so badly that heâd had to carry her into the emergency room while Phoenix and Rooster sat with the twins.Â
Cece hated that it sometimes felt like she was edging closer to eighty than in her thirties and that she couldnât play with her kids as much as she wanted to without feeling it the next day. But not a single part of her would have changed it if it meant being without Abigail and Liam. She loved talking to them about their day at âschoolâ - the daycare on base that they were fortunate enough to get spots in - and everything they learned that day. Kneeling by the tub and watching the epic stories they created with their toys. The weight of them crawling into their bed after waking up in the middle of the night, fingers tangling in her hair, and the odd elbow, knee, or foot nudging her, echoing their movements when sheâd carried them.
But most of all, Cece loved seeing Jake as a father. Having witnessed the Seresin men parent for years, it shouldnât have been surprising that he took to it like a duck to water. He had been there for every midnight feeding, helping to juggle the babies on the nursing pillow and cooing as they burped or spit up. There was no judgment when she couldnât hold them when it came time for shots, and she fell in love with him just a little more when she saw the tears gleaming in Jakeâs eyes as their children wailed after every injection. The way he sought her out after having to mete out punishment, curling up in her lap and regretting making their little lips wobble and tears spill down their cheeks as he dissected every word made her want to laugh and cry and hold him.Â
âWillâs the same way with the boys,â Ally had once told her. âHe hates punishing them and thinks theyâll hate him forever, no matter how many times I tell him theyâll forget about the time out or getting sent to bed without dessert. He thinks heâs traumatizing them.âÂ
And Abigail⊠she was a force to be reckoned with. Older by fourteen minutes, she was well aware of her status as the firstborn and had inherited generations of Seresin bull-headedness. When Cece had remarked on this to her mother-in-law, Mama Seresin had only laughed. âYour mama and daddy come from a long line of stubborn folks, too, Julie. My granddaughter comes by it honest from her grandparents AND her parents.âÂ
Liam, though⊠Liam was her sweet boy, who loved to cuddle with her. A true mamaâs boy, he broke his daddyâs heart every time he pushed out of his arms and reached for her. On nights she worked late, Cece would inevitably get a call from her son, tears on his face as he begged her to come home. It bothered Jake how quickly the switch would flip - if she wasnât home, Liam was fine. But when it came time for bed, or she was in sight, Liam wanted nothing to do with his father. Will had assured him that it was expected - Tyler had gone through the same thing, and Kevin was in the same stage - but it was cold comfort.Â
âKeep goinâ, and Iâm gonna fall asleep,â Cece yawned. Jake chuckled, pulling away when she rolled onto her side. Lifting a heavy arm, she slung it over his shoulders and tugged him down. His lips were soft as he settled between her thighs, and she pushed down his shorts. Jakeâs cock sprung free, and she took him in hand. He grunted, smirking against her mouth.
âDefinitely worth a chicken tender.â That startled a laugh out of her, which choked off when he thrust into her. âMiss you, baby.â
âHoliday rush is almost over,â she panted as he rocked against her.Â
Afterward, she snuck into the kitchen to grab a bottle of wine and glasses while Jake grabbed the wrapping paper and gifts. And, as they wrapped presents, they caught up on each otherâs day and traded kisses. Tipsy and tired, she giggled while pulling off her shirt and pressing two bows to her nipples, posing when her husband grabbed his phone and snapped a picture.
Thankfully, everything was hidden away when little hands opened the bedroom door. Jake lifted the twins into bed when Abby poked him awake, forfeiting his time to spoon with his wife. Instead, he cuddled his daughter to his chest as Liam starfished over his mother, his towhead tucked under her chin and fingers tangling in her shirt.
âSqueeze gently,â Cece cautioned, then bit her lip when a glob of green frosting burst out of the piping bag.Â
âBeautiful,â Jake snickered. Liam beamed at his dad before setting aside the bag and rearranging the frosting with his finger.
âDefinitely a cookie for Santa,â she said, watching Jakeâs smile drop just a fraction. He was responsible for eating Santaâs cookies. Eating anything sweet after taste-testing her products for weeks turned Ceceâs stomach.Â
âDaddy, look!â Abby said before dumping almost an entire container of sprinkles onto her cookie. Thankfully, the paper plate caught most of them, but the rest rained down on the table, bouncing and hitting the floor.Â
âLooks like another Santa cookie!â Shooting his wife a look, Jake started to sweep up the sprinkles from the table while Cece grabbed the broom. Having the kids decorate cookies on Christmas Eve was always more fun in theory than practice.Â
After dictating letters to Santa and a spectacular sea battle in the bathtub that left all the Seresins soaked, it was bedtime. The twins shared a room, and Liam pulled Cece into his bed while Abby and Jake grabbed three books. The twin bed was a tight squeeze for the four of them, and Jake had to keep a foot on the floor to keep from falling out.Â
The twins were asleep by the end of the Polar Express, and he moved Abby to her bed while Cece carefully extracted herself from Liamâs grasp. Together, they tiptoed out of the room, splitting off at the kitchen. âWhat time do you want to put the stuff out?â Jake asked, walking into the living room and offering her a glass of water. Lying on his stomach with his head resting on her chest, he tucked his head under her chin, shivering with pleasure when Ceceâs fingers carded in his hair, nails lightly scratching his scalp. One arm dangled from the side of the couch while the other loosely wrapped around her, eyes drifting closed. Â
âMaybe an hour? That way, theyâre really asleep and before they come into our room.â
âYou think weâll ever get our bed back to ourselves?â
âNot for a few years,â she smirked. Â
He was silent for a long moment, then sighed. ââM gonna miss this when I deploy.â
âMe too.â The notice had hit his inbox a few weeks ago, and heâd told her as soon as the kids were in bed. While heâd gone on a few short missions since their birth, this would be the first time he would be gone for an extended period. âItâs only three months.â
âA long three months.â
âItâs what? A couple weeks longer than a semester?â She asked, lifting a shoulder. âWeâve done longer than that.â
âWhat if the kids forget about me?â His eyes shot open when Cece flicked the tip of his nose.Â
âPlease. They wonât forget about you because youâre away for a few months.â Catching her hand, he ran his thumb along her wedding band as her nails lightly scratched the back of his neck.Â
âThey might.â
âNot gonna happen.âÂ
âTheyâre little, and their memories arenât that good.â
âThree months isnât enough time to erase three years. Your kids arenât going to forget you.âÂ
âAre you gonna be okay?â That made her pause for a heartbeat.
âIâll miss you.â
âYouâre gonna be outnumbered.â
âItâll be easier than when they were both in diapers.â
âIâm thinking of dropping my papers.â Ceceâs movements froze as she blinked down at the crown of his head, eyebrows nearly reaching her hair. âI just⊠I donât want to lose my family to the Navy. Not again.â
Shaking off his hold, her palm rasped on his stubble as she encouraged him to meet her soft gaze. Worry creased his brow, the Christmas tree lights twinkling in his solemn green eyes. âYou wonât, Farm Boy. I promise you - Abby, Liam, and I will be here waiting for you to come home.âÂ
âI worry - â
âI know you do,â she cut him off. âAnd I love you for it. But weâll be okay. Letâs⊠letâs talk about dropping your papers in the New Year if youâre really thinking about it.â
âI am.â
âAlright. I justâŠâ her teeth dug into her lower lip momentarily before clearing her throat. âI donât want you makinâ a hasty decision after all of the work you put in without giving us a chance to prove that we can do it.â When he opened his mouth to reply, Cece placed her finger over his lips. âThe New Year.â
Swallowing hard against the lump in his throat, he pushed onto his hands and kissed her, licking into her mouth. Time seemed to slow as they made out on the couch like teenagers, the couch feeling just slightly larger than his truck cab in high school.Â
And, after putting the presents under the tree and stuffing the stockings, Jake flipped the lock on their bedroom door after pressing his wife against it, fingers delving into her panties to find her wet.Â
Not even an hour later, small hands hitting wood woke them, accompanied by sleepy cries for Mama. Pausing only long enough to pull on his boxers and toss Cece her clothes, he crossed the room and unlocked the door. The twins stumbled in, Abby raising her arms for him to lift her while Liam rubbed his eyes and ambled toward his motherâs outstretched arms. âCâmere baby,â Cece cooed.Â
âMerry Christmas!â
âMerry Christmas!â the kids screeched as the call connected, and they caught sight of their grandparents. Nursing her second cup of coffee and nibbling on another orange cranberry scone, Cece smiled at her in-laws. After saying their hellos, the grandparents focused on their grandchildren, making appreciative noises at everything they tried to share while talking over one another.Â
Setting aside his second plate of French toast casserole, Jake acted as a cameraman as Liam showed off his new dinosaurs and Hot Wheels, and Abby her baby dolls and dress-up clothes.
Thankfully, the only knitted baby blanket this year had been addressed to Abby for her toys. Â
Will and Ally were at the main house, and Jake and Cece caught sight of them as the phone was passed around. Ty and Kev took their turn showing off their presents, and the four cousins talked over one another.Â
But then Bill took the phone and cleared his throat. âYour Granny and I got you kids a present. I need you to put on your boots and jacket so we can go see it.â
âWhatâd you get, Pops?â Jake asked, shooting a look at his wife.
âJust something for them to enjoy whenever yâall come out. Keep âem distracted while we paint the house.â The bi-annual house painting was scheduled for the summer, not too long after Jake was to get home from the deployment. Theyâd already decided to take time off and drive home on a road trip, partly to allow themselves to explore and partly to save on the expense of flying the four out and renting a car.
Once the family was bundled up and the twins settled in their parents' laps, Bill led them outside to the barn. Jake bit his tongue, having a pretty good idea of the gift. The camera shook as Bill told his grandsons to stay back before passing it off to Mama Seresin.
And there, standing in the last stall with its head peeking out, was a spotted Appaloosa. She stuck out on a farm that mainly bred Quarterhorses and American Paints. âHorsie!â Abby squealed, bouncing in Jakeâs lap as he ran a hand down his face.Â
âPops.â
âYou got them a horse?â Will huffed.Â
âSheâs beautiful!â Ally sighed.Â
âBroken for riding already,â Bill said proudly, striding closer and petting her forelock. âHer last owners said she loved kids and taught theirs how to ride.â Ty and Kevin got closer, each holding one of Willâs hands.
âHow big is she?â Cece asked.
âJust under 15 hands,â Mama Seresin answered. âAnd sweet as can be. Donât worry, Julie - the twins will be in good hands with her.â
And they were. When summer came, the Seresin grandchildren took turns riding Nutmeg. Abby and Liam were only slightly behind their cousins in riding lessons and would have stayed in the barn all day if allowed.Â
So when Jake saddled up two horses, handing Abby up to Cece, and settled his son in front of him, the twins held tight to the saddle horns and grinned excitedly. After months of physical therapy, Cece was feeling better than ever with her back pain - multiple bulging disks right where her uterus had pulled on her spine - finally being addressed. âReady?â he asked, looking back at his wife, who nodded and adjusted Abbyâs little cowgirl hat on her head. The ride across the ranch was slower; both parents worried about kids bouncing out of saddles, but it was still enjoyable. Liam, who had clung to Jake after he got home, asked a million questions as they rode.Â
Under his favorite tree on the property, Cece laid out a picnic sheâd packed while Jake tumbled in the high grass with the kids. When called to eat, he sat beside his wife and listened to her story about running into Betty Roberts in the grocery store. He was positive that there was some new story about them running through Magnolia. There were plans to have dinner with Lucy and her family and to stop by the firehouse to introduce the kids to some of Brianâs friends.Â
And, of course, they needed to visit her parents.
On their last night in Magnolia, they sat on the front porch swing, watching the twins chase fireflies with their cousins. With his eyes drooping closed and his wifeâs head resting on his shoulder, he sighed contentedly.
âHmm?â Cece hummed.Â
âNothinâ,â Jake replied. âJust thinkinâ about how happy I am to be home.âÂ
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Author's Note: I couldn't *not* revisit Jake and Julie at Christmas. I credit @tgmreader for encouraging me to continue writing these two. I had fun going back through the fic and pulling out reminders of my favorite scenes (such as Jake being comforted by Cece on the couch, and having Liam sleep the same way).
I definitely pulled the back pain part from my friend's experience with it after having her twins.
Happy (belated) Christmas to those who celebrate!
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Synopsis: After finding out his girlfriend is pregnant, Jake is ready to move in and get married. The last thing he expected was to be hit with a six-month deployment at sea and missing the birth of his first child.
18+, minors DNI
Chapter 23 | Series Master List | Ao3
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Epilogue
âYou get nothing,â you breathed as Jake prowled toward you. Cocking an eyebrow, you sipped your coffee, leaning back against the kitchen counter.
âYou know I didnât - â
âZip it, Seresin. I asked for very little and PCS-ing with a newborn - hey!â Your protest was cut off when he took your mug, set it on the counter, then tugged you close. When he lowered his mouth to kiss you, you turned your head so he grazed your cheek.
âDarlinâ,â he groaned, hands drifting from your waist to your ass while his lips shifted to your throat. âYou know Iâd turn down the assignment if I could.âÂ
âYou can.â His kisses stalled, and his grip on your ass tightened before Jake lifted you onto the kitchen counter. Green eyes bore into yours. âYou can turn it down, Jake. The squadron is a test case.âÂ
And it was. After the success of the Dagger Squadronâs deployment - the one Jake was unable to tell you about, but resulted in the creation of your daughter - Mav and one of the admirals at TOPGUN had started advocating for a specialized aviation unit to be permanently stationed at North Island. While it would be separate from the weapons training school, it would allow the aviators to train together and rapidly deploy to developing situations.
Put more plainly, as you had pointed out when Jake had come home from submitting his paternity leave three days after you gave birth and told you about the opportunity, the squadron would be sent on more dangerous tasks.Â
Jake dropped the topic, seeing the impending tears and recalling his first time father class warning that day three post-partum was the worst due to hormone fluctuations. Sitting beside you on the couch, he watched as you nursed Sloane while wiping away the tears that wouldnât be blinked back, and dreaded the idea of going on another deployment. Heâd already missed so much, and he would have happily volunteered to have his own heart ripped from his chest to keep from leaving again.Â
Your parents arrived a week and a half after Sloaneâs birth, and Jake had never welcomed anyone into the house faster. While he was used to getting by on little sleep, it appeared his daughter needed even less. By the time you got her fed and he got her changed in the middle of the night, there was only time for a quick nap before it was time to restart the cycle. Heâd learned the hard way not to zombie walk through the diaper change when youâd shrieked and gagged after picking up Sloane, only to find that shit was halfway up her back.Â
So reinforcements were welcomed, especially when they insisted on watching the baby while you napped in bed. Your parents stocked the freezer with prepared meals and cleaned the house while you slept. They also kept his parents and sister on their best behavior when, reluctantly, he video-called them so they could meet their granddaughter and niece. When his mom commented on coming out soon, he hedged and said they could discuss it later.Â
Youâd chosen to take a shower in peace rather than talk to them.Â
On a run around the neighborhood with his father-in-law, Jake talked to him about the new squad. By accepting his promotion to Lieutenant Commander, he had signed away another three years of his life to the Navy. He was due for orders in the next year, and there was no guarantee that you could stay in Lemoore. If he agreed to join the squad, it was a three-year commitment - enough to get him to the end of his contract, and to give your little family some more stability. Mav had told him that there would be deployments, but nothing like what youâd just gone through.
âWhat do you want, Jake?â your dad asked. âIf my daughter were to say exactly what you wanted to hear, what would she say?âÂ
The answer was on the tip of his tongue. The plans heâd made while dreaming about his career in his little room in Texas flashed before his eyes. The golden wings were just the first step on his mission to pin on the silver admiral stars. A long career in the Navy, continuing to climb - partially to spite his father and go further than he ever did, but also because the service was the first family heâd found. He loved so many parts about his career, except for that one huge part: deploying.Â
Mav respectfully waited for Jakeâs answer while he was out on paternity leave. But as they stared down his return to work - heâd taken 8 weeks of consecutive leave, allowing him to take the remaining 4 weeks off when you returned to work after your 12 weeks, so Sloane wouldnât have to go to daycare until she was at least four months old - a decision needed to be made.Â
âYouâre right,â Jake sighed, acknowledging your point. âThe squad is a test. But itâs an opportunity to pick where weâre going next instead of hoping we get to stay here. And weâll be with our friends.âÂ
The slight twitch at the corner of your mouth let him know heâd struck a nerve with that one. What had started as a trickle of news about the Daggers getting orders to North Island had become a tidal wave, with the latest blow striking yesterday morning - Javy. Jake had known that his best friend would take the offer the minute it was extended, but you had held out hope that not everyone would be relocating 200 miles south. âI⊠Iâm afraid youâre gonna be gone all the time. When we were stationed in New Mexico, my dad had to deploy all the time and IâŠâ Your lip wobbled, a tear slipping down your cheek that he quickly brushed away. âI remember picking him up from the airport one time and thinking I was dreaming because Dad was home. I-I donât want that for Sloane.âÂ
Jake felt his heart fracture as he tugged you into his arms, holding tightly as you struggled not to cry. Peppering kisses to the side of your head and neck, Jake blinked back his own tears, hating that heâd already signed the paperwork to accept the promotion. Heâd had just a year left on his contract before never having to put you through this again.Â
You stood in the bathroom doorway the next morning, watching him put on his khakis as Sloane snoozed in the bassinet by the bed. After kissing his sleeping daughter, he went to the kitchen, where you followed silently. âIâll come home over lunch,â he promised, reaching for his coffee thermos. It was heavier than expected when he lifted it, ready to fill it with the leftovers from yesterdayâs pot. Glancing down, he saw the light colored drink. His eyes darted up to see you smiling tiredly.
âBy the time you get here, youâll have to head right back in. Weâll be okay for the day.â Setting the thermos down, he crossed the kitchen and pulled you into a hug.
âIâm coming home over lunch. Gonna miss my girls, and even a quick kissâll be worth the traffic.â The kiss he gave you wasnât quick as he backed you against the wall. âLove you, darlinâ.âÂ
âLove you too,â you sighed against his mouth. âMaybe⊠I might hit the store today.â You gripped his ass, pulling his hips flush to yours. Jake groaned, planting a hand on the wall over your head. âMaybe we can try again tonight?â While youâd been cleared for sex, it had been too painful the first time youâd tried, and your husband backed off immediately, afraid to hurt you.Â
âFuck,â he breathed. âGonna make me hard before work.âÂ
âKinda the point, Lieutenant Honey Lavender Latte,â you smirked.Â
The teasing glint in his eye was tempered with concern as he stroked your cheek. âYou sure, mama?âÂ
âI wanna try. No promises.â Nodding, he kissed you again.
âLuckiest man in the world. Gorgeous wife, perfect daughter, my favorite coffee, and possibly sex tonight.â
âYouâre damn right,â you chuckled, smacking his ass. âNow go before youâre late for work.âÂ
Groaning, he rested his forehead on yours. âI think Iâm gonna call in sick. Stay home with you two.â A laugh burst from you, and Jake joined a second later. But you both froze at the all too familiar wail coming from the bedroom. In a flash, he was gone, hurrying across the house to retrieve Sloane. Letting your head fall back against the wall, you followed a moment later with his coffee thermos and keys.Â
âItâs alright, Sloane-girl, daddyâs here,â Jake cooed, bouncing your daughter as she screamed. When he caught sight of you in the doorway, he said, âI think sheâs just wet and hungry.â
âItâs about that time,â you agreed, feeling your breasts get warm and tingly.
âIâll change her if you want to get set up.âÂ
âAnd then you need to go because youâll really be late.â Nodding, he quickly changed the diaper while you put his things on your nightstand and settled in. But, instead of leaving after Sloane had latched, he grabbed your water bottle and left, coming back with it refilled and an opened packet of mini-muffins. When he made as though to sit beside you, you lifted your foot and pressed it to his hip. âGo. The gate is gonna get backed up, and youâre gonna be late.â Jake glanced at his watch and groaned.
âFine. Iâll be back in a few hours.â
After kissing his fingertips and pressing them to Sloaneâs cheek, he leaned down to give you a lingering kiss goodbye. Reluctantly, he backed out of the bedroom, eyes fixed on your daughter attached to your breast. âAnd Jake?âÂ
âYeah?â he said, pausing in the doorway.Â
Fighting the urge to take a deep breath that would dislodge Sloane, you sighed, âTell Mav weâll come.âÂ
Confusion quirked his brows. âYeah?â
âI want to PCS as late as possible so that this one will be a bit older, but yeah. If our familyâs going to be in Miramar, we should be too.â When he took a step back into the room, you shook your head and pointed to the door. âGo. Weâll talk later.âÂ
âAlright. I love you.âÂ
âLove you too.â When you heard the rumble of the truckâs engine, you sighed and stroked Sloaneâs cheek. âItâs gonna be fine. If it makes Daddy happy, you and Iâll figure it out.â Lifting her hand from your chest, you kissed her knuckles and gave her a watery smile when her grey eyes met yours.
The house echoed as you stood in the middle of the empty living room, rocking Sloane as she slept in the wrap carrier. Your eyes traveled over the bare walls that youâd patched and the spot where your daughter had rolled over on her play mat for the first time, then promptly started crying when her father yelled in surprise.Â
Wandering the house, you stopped in the empty nursery, remembering the long, sleepless nights youâd spent in it when Jake was gone. How Javy had walked in and found out about the pregnancy while you were playing around. In the kitchen, you ran your fingers along the counters. A smirk tugged at your lips when you thought about Jake signing that first dating contract, authorizing him to call you his girlfriend before he fucked you against them. And the sweeter memories there, like when youâd decided to have Sloane after the trip to the emergency room. Pressing a kiss to her head, you recalled that moment of emotional whiplash - the terror of admitting you wanted to keep the pregnancy and Jakeâs slow nod before asking, âDarlinâ, are we having a baby?â
Reluctantly, you went to your empty bedroom and sat on the carpet in the middle of the room. It was where youâd been the first time Jake told you he loved you, letting the words slip as you dozed off alone in his bed. Where youâd prepared for your wedding, and heâd held you when your nausea had been horrible during the backyard reception.Â
You carefully laid down, trying not to jostle Sloane. She was a comforting weight on your chest, though you could feel her drool soaking your shirt. Closing your eyes, you took a deep breath and tried to do the exercise Helen had suggested at your last appointment. Rather than pushing away your emotions, you named and tried not to judge them.
âIâm sad weâre leaving our first home,â you whispered, tears pricking at your eyes. The thought this is so stupid tugged at the corner of your mind, but you challenged it with itâs okay to be upset. âIâm sad I had to leave the job I loved, and Iâm worried I wonât find a new one.â
Jake had been encouraging you to think about going back to school to finish your physics degree after heâd caught you reading the NATOPS he brought home after clearing out his desk at work. And, while a part of you wanted to do it, the idea of juggling academics and a baby seemed too overwhelming. That wasnât even accounting for paying for classes and supporting your little family financially.Â
So, instead, youâd agreed to take it slow finding a new job. The last two months youâd been back at work were hard, but it had been so lovely to get back into the routine of things. Knowing Jake had been home that first month made the transition easier, but youâd both struggled when dropping Sloane off at her daycare on the first day you were both back at work.
Voices echoed in the empty house, and you heard Jake call for you. You felt him standing over you, but didnât open your eyes. âYou alright, darlinâ?â
âJust taking it in,â you replied, resting a hand on your daughterâs back, feeling the steady rise and fall of her breathing. He hummed, and you met his worried green eyes. âDone?â
âYup. Your carâs on the trailer, and itâs locked up.â Nodding, you sat up and crossed your legs, looking around your empty bedroom. A calloused hand appeared in front of you, and you allowed Jake to pull you to your feet. With your daughter between you, he brushed the hair from your face and kissed you gently. âIâm gonna miss this place,â he sighed.Â
âMe too.âÂ
âReady?â Javy asked. At the sound of her godfatherâs voice, Sloane stirred, her fist popping over the fabric and nearly hitting your nose.
âSomeoneâs up,â Jake chuckled.
âFinally!â Javy grinned, crossing the room in a few strides and leaning down to kiss Sloaneâs cheek. âHey, Lolo - wanna come to your Uncle Coyote?âÂ
âWe are not calling her Lolo,â Jake scowled.Â
âWant me to put her in the car seat?â Javy asked, ignoring his best friend. Chuckling, you lifted the baby from the wrap and handed her to him. Heâd moved a month ago and was clearly going through withdrawals from his goddaughter.Â
Without your daughter between you, Jake tugged you back into his arms. âWe should hit the road soon. Javyâs gonna drop you off at the hotel so I can get a bit of a head start. That truck shakes like a motherfucker, so I donât want to push the speed too much.â
âYou sure you donât want him to be there to watch out for you?âÂ
âIâm sure heâll catch up,â he smirked. âI put your stuff in my truck, so you should be good for tomorrow.â
âSloaneâs first flight.â Jake nodded, a flicker of sadness at missing it crossing his face before he pushed it away. Youâd both agreed that flying with her for an hour to Miramar was a better choice than trying to make the four-hour drive again. The one weekend youâd attempted it while going to look at houses had been a logistical nightmare.Â
The house was empty as you left the bedroom and, hand in hand, did one last walk around the house to make sure you hadnât forgotten anything. The landlord would be by later to pick up the house keys left in the kitchen. Jake was scheduled to pick up your new ones from the realtor that afternoon.Â
After making sure the doorknob was locked, you both stepped out the front door and closed that chapter of your life.Â
Jake was exhausted by the time he got to the house, and you felt guilty as you lounged in the hotel. But you knew that your relaxation reprieve was only short-term.Â
Navigating the airport with a baby was so much more complicated than doing it on your own, but not impossible. Getting Sloane her own seat was something youâd both agreed on, knowing it was safer for her to be in the car seat instead of your arms, but it was a pain in the ass to do. Sloane whined during takeoff but was soothed by her pacifier, and you nursed her as soon as you hit cruising altitude.Â
Thankfully, the flight was smooth, and getting off the plane with the car seat and backpack was relatively easy. Jake texted you that he was waiting, and you were surprised to see that heâd parked and met you at baggage claim rather than staying in the car. As soon as Sloane set eyes on her father, she started screaming and wouldnât calm down until he held her. She babbled at him, and Jake nodded and smiled along as though she were telling him the secrets of the universe rather than one syllabus sounds. The sight of your husband holding your daughter in one arm, easily navigating the stroller holding your backpack through the crowded airport, definitely did something for you - even though he was trying to encourage her to say Dada before Mama.
While sex was still slow-going, Jake was more than patient, making sure that you were a trembling mess before even getting close to penetration. The extended foreplay meant fewer opportunities, but Sloane was only getting up a few times during the night and was almost ready to sleep in her nursery.
Traffic was something you would need to get used to again, and Sloane fussed in the backseat of the truck as Jake drove you home. His eyes darted constantly from the road to the mirror, making sure Sloane was alright. His hand rested on your thigh, squeezing lightly while shooting you a tired smile. You were quiet throughout the drive, listening to Jakeâs continued conversation with your daughter and thinking about what all needed to be done by the end of the day.Â
Before long, he pulled into the neighborhood youâd picked. It was established, and a good mixture of older and younger families, and youâd both liked that there was a park and daycare nearby. The commute wouldnât be horrible for Jake or you if you ended up getting another GS position.Â
The moving truck was backed into the driveway, and cars were parked in front of the house. âThey wanted to help,â Jake explained when you looked at him with a raised eyebrow. And, as you watched, Bob, Nat, and Rooster walked out of the garage as Fanboy backed down the truck ramp, holding one end of your dresser, with Mav appearing a moment later. Catching sight of the car, Nat yelled back into the garage, and you saw Paybackâs head pop out from around the truck before he jumped down. Javy ran out of the house and met you, taking a laughing Sloane from her car seat and bringing her to see the other Daggers, who cooed over your daughter. Even Penny and Amelia were there, wiping sweat from their brows and taking their turn holding the baby.Â
âReady?â Jake asked as you stood on the front lawn and looked up at your new house. When you nodded and started walking toward the garage, he huffed. Without warning, he lifted you off your feet. âCome on, Mrs. Seresin - you know better.âÂ
Laughing, you rolled your eyes as Jake grinned, striding across the lawn with you in his arms. âWe did this already, Jake. You donât have to do it again.âÂ
âIâm carrying my wife across the threshold of our home,â he said, lifting you higher to rub his nose against yours. âWhether you like it or not, darlinâ.âÂ
âIf you insist, Seresin.â
âI do.âÂ
âWhatâll the neighbors think?âÂ
âFuck the neighbors.â A devious smirk teased his lips as he quietly said, âHad a close call earlier - Bob started opening the boxes from the bedroom. Almost saw the mattress straps.â
âShit,â you hissed, eyes widening as you looked over his shoulder to where the WSO was bouncing your daughter.Â
âDonât worry - I got âem hidden. Iâll make sure they get put back when everyone leaves so that we can use them tonight.â Heat blazed in his eyes as he squeezed your thigh.Â
âCan I use them on you?â you asked, running your nails along the back of his neck to make him shiver.Â
Chuckling, he shook his head. âNope, gonna use them on my pretty girl. Gotta christen the house right, after all.â Your cheeks were flushed when he carried you inside, bypassing the living room and heading straight into your bedroom. Most of the furniture was inside, and the bedframe was already reassembled. But rather than stopping, Jake continued to the en-suite bathroom, kicking the walk-in closet door closed behind you. Gently placing you on your feet, he pressed you to the wall, capturing your lips in a bruising kiss. You hummed when he gently kneaded your heavy breasts while kissing your neck. âMissed you, darlinâ.â
âWe werenât even separated for 28 hours.â
âToo long.â When his hands traveled down your sides and slipped under your shirt, you grabbed his wrists.Â
âJake, we should be helping unpack the truck.â He ignored that, shifting his thigh between yours and pressing gently. You trembled when his tongue traced the rim of your ear before tugging the lobe between his teeth.Â
âMaybe we should start workinâ on a sibling for Sloane,â Jake whispered. Your eyes popped open, and you shoved him away. Laughing, you shook your head.Â
âOne life-changing thing at a time.âÂ
Jake blew out a breath, his tone slightly whining when he said, âFine. Youâre just so fuckinâ sexy in those pictures. I wanna see the real thing.â Your cheeks flushed, remembering that the boudoir photo album was packed in the same box as the bed straps. If Bob had seen those, you wouldnât have been able to meet his eyes ever again. Shaking your head, you traced the line of his jaw, his stubble scratching your fingertips. You laughed again when he nipped your thumb and pulled him in for a sweet kiss.Â
âCome on, Lieutenant Commander. We should order lunch for everyone as a thank you.â His breath was warm in your face as he leaned down to rest his forehead on yours.
âAlright.â Neither of you made an effort to move, content to simply hold one another.Â
That was, until you heard Roosterâs voice echo in the empty bathroom, âWeâre pretty sure Sloane shit her diaper.âÂ
âNot it!â Your voices overlapped, and Jake grinned when you chuckled and shook your head.Â
âFine, Iâll get her,â he said, kissing the tip of your nose before stepping away. After tugging his shirt into place, he opened the closet.Â
âHey, Jake?â
âYeah?âÂ
You smiled at him, taking in his ruffled hair and stubbled cheeks. âI love you.â
The corners of his green eyes crinkled, and the dimples you hoped Sloane inherited appeared as he smiled back at you and winked. âI know.â When you scoffed and rolled your eyes, Jake chuckled. âLove you too, darlinâ.â Â
----------------------------------------------
Author's Note: It's finished! I can't believe it. This is the story that brought me into the Top Gun fandom two years ago. It got me back into writing fic when I was burned out finishing my MSW and juggling full time work/school/internship, and kept me company when I moved across the country.
This fic has a lot of experiences shared by military families. A lot of my personal experiences have been shared, including the feeling like dreaming when Dad was home when stationed in New Mexico (he would be home for a month then gone for a month to the Middle East), and I hope it gives some insight into what it's like for service members' families. I loved my experience as a military brat, and led me to my current career working with veterans, but it was rough at times. I have so much respect for my mother for holding our family together, getting her degree while we were overseas, and putting her hopes and career aspirations on hold to support my dad in his 26 years in the Air Force.
I didn't want this chapter to feel like it was closing the book on Jake, Darlin', and Sloane because it's just the start of their family's story. Don't be surprised if a story or two pops up with them...I'm already thinking about a one-shot but no promises.
Thank you for reading and coming along on this journey with me!
If you would like to be added to the tag list, please fill out my tag form here.
Nothing like staring a 5 month EMDR training while piloting a 36 hour training on treating suicidality, and prepping for a 3rd 10 hour training on a different PTSD treatment modality to possibly start a new group while taking over a the contingency management clinic and standardizing it while being trained to cover/assess the withdrawal management consults, and being tasked with data gathering/management/analysis of clinical resources because "you're so good with Excel!" and juggling my every day clinical shit and personal life.
Long story short - hi, hello, I'm still alive. Thankfully not furloughed and still getting paid (not enough [but that's a different story]), but drowning as a fed and trying to support my family/friends who are furloughed or working without pay.
I promise that there's still more Jake, Darlin', and Sloane to come, as soon as I find a moment to come up for air. I mean, I literally stood in my kitchen and cut strips of paper for over 2 hours for work after hours on Halloween đ€Šđ»ââïž Your girl is TIRED but I have a pretty new paper cutter that I bought for work and a hell of a lot of new office supplies I'm excited to get organized. Nerdy, yes, I know.
Love you, gonna enjoy a glass of whiskey and watch Practical Magic.
One of my former students is married to a Navy fighter pilot (I went to their wedding and it was gorgeous).
Itâs so funny seeing her do things I wrote about in D-Day. For example, traveling to visit him while heâs on liberty in another country, homecomings, etc.
(Itâs also funny that her husband shared a name with one of the Daggers đ)
Hangman hosts a college football day for the Daggers, only to have Payback bring a history making Angel. (Hangman x female Reader fluff, no use of 'you')
Completely self-indulgant college football fic after seeing Glen and Danny at the Texas and Miami games last week. Fic contains some trash talking of Miami and Alabama. No physical description of the reader, callsign is Syla (pronounced like Cilla) and she's a Florida State fan.
Jake tore his eyes away from the television when the doorbell rang, huffing as the Game Day announcers stalled on making their prediction of who would win the Texas vs. Alabama game. Phoenix pushed away from the kitchen island where she and Coyote were grazing on the snacks heâd set out.Â
âCome on, come on, come on,â he grumbled as two hosts picked Bama. Planting his hands on his hips, he pressed his lips into a thin line when Lee Corso called for the fight song to play, and the twang of Sweet Home Alabama started.
âRoll Tide, I guess,â came a sigh beside him. Jakeâs gaze snapped to the woman, taking in her crimson shirt, Navy regulation bun, and furrowed brow as she watched the antics.Â
âHey, hey, hey! Oh no, wait a minute, wait a minute. Thatâs not the right song - play Texasâ song!âÂ
âYes!â He pumped his fist as Corso put on the Hookâem head.Â
âThank Christ.â Â
âNot rooting for your team?â he asked, facing her. She rolled her eyes, pointing towards the logo on her chest - a Seminole head.
âMight wanna get your eyes checked - garnet, not crimson.â A slight southern accent colored her words. âWhile I appreciate Bama for making Tim Tebow cry, their fans are insufferable. Iâm ready for them to get taken down a peg. If the Longhorns are the ones to do it, I guess Iâll put up with more of the Gig âem nonsense.â
âHook âem,â Jake corrected, and the smirk curving her lips made him think she knew exactly what she was doing.Â
âGiving Hangman shit already, Syla?â Payback asked, tossing an arm over the womanâs shoulder. The woman grinned up at the pilot and raised an eyebrow.Â
âI have no idea what you mean,â she laughed. Jake felt a shot of disappointment at the fond look that passed between the two. âBut if youâre Hangman,â she added, turning her attention back towards Jake, âthis is for you. Thanks for letting me crash.â She extended a bottle towards him - Wolcott bourbon, bottled in the bond.
âThanks. Syla your name or callsign?âÂ
âCallsign.â
âYou stationed here?â
âSoon, but Iâm in town for the show.âÂ
âTheâŠâ he frowned, then nodded. âYouâre a Blue Angel?â
âThat I am.â The Blue Angels were the Navyâs flight demonstration team. Stationed at NAS Pensacola, they were the most high-profile squad that toured across the US. Itâd made the news that they finally had their first female aviator on the team two years ago. âAt least until the end of the tour, then Iâm headed back to TOPGUN.â
âOh, come on,â Fanboy grumbled, watching as the University of Miami quarterback was sacked. Across the kitchen, Syla pumped her fist and silently cheered while nursing her water bottle. Jake smirked into his beer. Fanboy and Syla had exchanged some good-natured shit-talking since Florida State and Miami were in the same conference and would be playing against one another later in the season.Â
When sheâd shared the story behind her callsign - Syla, short for See Ya Later Alligator - Fanboy had gone red in the face laughing as Jake chuckled.
âWhatâs so funny?â Bob asked.Â
Heaving a sigh, Syla explained, âMy team is FSU Seminoles. We hate the Florida Gators, and there was a Gators fan in FRS with me. Our COs got tired of us shit-talking the whole season and decided to punish us by making our callsigns have to do with our rivalry. So Iâm Syla, and heâs Renegade after our mascot.âÂ
âAt least itâs not Swamp,â Jake offered, thinking of how Gainesville, where the University of Florida was located, was nicknamed âThe Swamp.â
âYeah, that cost me 150 pushups.âÂ
âRun, run, run, run, run!â Syla screamed, jumping off the couch with Jake beside her.Â
âCome on!â he yelled. When the player was tackled after a 40-yard run, he whooped and held a hand to Syla, who laughed and slapped his palm before leaning around him to high-five Fanboy.Â
âFuck. Thereâs three of them,â Phoenix grumbled.Â
The afternoon passed into shouts of âHe was wide fucking open!â, âNo! Sit his ass down!â, âWhereâs the damn flag?â, âPass interference!â and âFind it! Find it!â During commercials, they quickly learned about one another - Syla was a Florida girl born and raised in Tallahassee. Sheâd graduated from FSU and attended as many games as possible during the last three years sheâd been stationed in Pensacola. Touring with the Angels made it hard since she was on the road from March to November, but the constant travel was worth it to be the first female Blue Angel. She was looking forward to the stability of being an instructor at TOPGUN and not living out of her duffle bag.
Syla retrieved her uniform from Paybackâs car at halftime and disappeared into the bathroom. âSheâs nice,â Coyote told Payback as Jake stepped into his backyard.Â
âSheâs great. Pain in the ass perfectionist, but thatâs what got her on the Angels.âÂ
âSheâll be a good trainer,â Phoenix added. âHave you seen that diamond maneuver they pull?âÂ
âSo, how do you know each other?â Jake asked, glancing at Payback.
âWe met in flight school and kept in touch from there.âÂ
âYou guysâŠâ Rooster cocked an eyebrow.
âNooo,â Payback quickly replied, then shuddered. âSheâs like a sister. A sister,â he repeated, pinning the other men with a stern, warning look.
A while later, the door opened, and Syla peeked out, her eyes meeting Jakeâs. âTheyâre about to kick off.âÂ
âBe right in,â he smiled back. After collecting the empty beer bottles from his friends, he jogged back inside. Syla had swapped out her jean shorts and t-shirt for her dress white skirt, and white tank top. She declined another drink - sheâd sipped a glass of bourbon earlier before switching to water, saying that she needed to be sharp for work later - but accepted a soda.Â
The Daggers drifted in and out of the house, Payback sometimes joining them in the cheering squad, but Syla and Jake were glued to the game. When Texas threw a 39-yard touchdown to pull further ahead, Jake screamed and jumped around his living room, much to the amusement of his friends. Syla whooped and clapped, raising her hand for a high five. Their palms slapped, and his fingers curled around hers, giving a quick shake before collapsing beside her. His shoulders brushed against her as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, hands clasped and covering his mouth.
âWe gotta head out soon if youâre gonna make the dinner,â Payback said as the game clock wound down.Â
âShit,â Syla groaned, glancing at her watch. Between plays, she quickly slipped on her blouse, lower lip between her teeth as she watched the action and did up the buttons. Jake couldnât help but glance at her legs as she swayed beside him, their knees touching as she tucked in her shirt.
When the quarterback took a snap and dropped to his knee, Jake exploded off the couch, whooping as Texas won. Without thinking, his arms wrapped around a laughing Syla, lifting her off her feet as he celebrated his team beating the Crimson Tide on their home field.
âSyla, we really gotta go,â Payback said.Â
âFuck, okay, uh,â she said, stepping out of Jakeâs reach and patting his shoulder. âCongrats on the win. It was nice meeting all of you. Iâll hopefully see you in a couple months if I donât get reprimanded for being late for dinner with the top brass. Oh, and Fanboy - Iâll think of you when Iâm in Doak for the game in November.â
Smirking, Fanboy held up his hands, his thumbs touching to make the Miami âUâ signal. She gave him a saccharine smile and did the same; all her fingers were down except her middle ones, so she flipped him off. âIâll walk you out,â Jake offered, grabbing Sylaâs bag from the dining room table. Payback narrowed his eyes at the other man. âIt sucks you canât watch your team play tonight.âÂ
âItâs fine,â she shrugged, âwe played our hard game against LSU last week, and itâs an easy match-up this week. Iâll just duck into the bathroom and check the score every once in a while.âÂ
âWhat time do you fly tomorrow?â
âGates open at 0800, and weâre the closer at 1520. Why, gonna come to the show, Hangman?â
âYou never know,â he winked. âHeard the Angels do a pretty impressive diamond formation.âÂ
â18-inch clearance, wingtip to canopy,â she smirked. âIf you come, Iâll be in the blue and yellow flight suit.â
âIâll keep an eye out.â Chuckling, she took her bag, their fingers brushing and sending a pleasant tingling sensation up his spine. âGood to meet you, Syla.â
âYou too, Hangman.âÂ
Payback paused beside Jake when she walked away and hissed, âNo.â
Notes: The Blue Angels are based out of Pensacola and just welcomed their first female pilot in 2023 - callsign Stalin. I miss seeing them buzz the beaches and hear them practice in the afternoons. They tour the US and Canada, and the clips I've seen are phenomenal. If you haven't seen the pilot perspective of the tight diamond formation, I highly recommend it.
The 0800 and 1520 are military time, so it's 1520 is 3:20PM.
Synopsis: After finding out his girlfriend is pregnant, Jake is ready to move in and get married. The last thing he expected was to be hit with a six-month deployment at sea and missing the birth of his first child.
18+, minors DNI
Chapter 22 | Series Master List | Ao3
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Chapter 23
âIâm not in labor,â you hissed through gritted teeth as Javy ushered you out of the house, your hospital bag in his hand.
âWhy donât we let the professional decide that?â Jake said through the video call. Javy grunted his agreement. Even though it was a relatively cool day, not even breaking 60 degrees, it was easy to spot the sweat on the aviatorâs brow. He hadnât been kidding about coming into the bathroom if you didnât get out of the tub, having opened the door as you struggled to wrap a towel around yourself after managing to stand up. Your shriek freaked Jake out, and an inconveniently timed cramp made it difficult to assure him that you were fine.Â
âPlease donât have my goddaughter in the Jeep - I just got it detailed,â Javy said, hurrying around you to toss your bag into the back seat and open the door before coming back to your side.
âHilarious,â you scowled. But something dawned on you as he tried to shut the door. âMy laptop!â Still gripping your phone, you tried to push the door open again.
âJust wait here, Iâll get it,â Javy said, opening the door enough to gently guide you back to sitting forward.Â
âDonât forget the charging cable.âÂ
The door shut, and your hand tightened around the phone. In the silence of the vehicle, you felt your lower lip start to wobble. âDarlinâ?â
âYeah?â Try as you might, you werenât able to keep the quiver from your voice. Lifting the phone, you saw Jake give you a wry smile.Â
âEverythingâs gonna be alright.â
âYouâre not here.â Tears pricked your eyes, and you swallowed hard as you watched your husband nod slowly.
âI know, sweetheart. Soon.â
âNot soon enough.âÂ
âI know. As soon as Javy gets back, Iâm gonna let you go. I need to let my XO know whatâs happening.â
âJake.â His name was a sob, and you watched his Adamâs apple bob as he swallowed hard.Â
âYou got this, darlinâ.â Glancing up, you saw Javy locking the front door, your laptop and charger in hand. âI love you.â
âLove you too,â you whispered, brushing away the tears on your cheeks. âIâll let you know whatâs happening.â
Closing your eyes, you tried to breathe through the triage exam. Javy had stepped out into the hall to give you some privacy, and Jakeâs call was on speaker phone. Heâd assured you that he was set up and ready to jump on a video call the moment you said you wanted him to. But since arriving at the hospital, you had only had a single cramp, something youâd proudly told the doctor.Â
âYouâre definitely doing some work - I checked with Dr. Shearer, and youâre more effaced than your last appointment with her, but still two centimeters dilated,â the on-call doctor told you as she removed her gloves. Â
âDo I have to stay here?â you asked.Â
âYour water didnât break, so weâre not going to admit you now.â You grinned as Jake sighed. âThatâs good news?â the woman asked, confusion evident in her tone.
âAmazing news.â
She laughed and shook her head. âUsually, moms want to get admitted, especially when theyâre at their due date.âÂ
âNope, we want this one to wait at least two more days until her daddy gets home. This is the only time we want a Seresin to be running late.â Jake laughed at that.
âAgreed, darlinâ. Make sure our daughter knows that.â
âIâll let you know when weâre leaving,â you assured him before ending the call. The doc nodded to the phone.
âYour husbandâs out of state?âÂ
âOn deployment,â you sighed. Her look of amusement faded as she nodded.Â
âIâll get the paperwork done to get you out of here. But if your contractions become more regular - every 3-5 minutes for at least an hour, make sure to come back in. If youâre unsure, I want you to call and talk to one of the providers.â
Javy was at your side the moment the door opened, helping you to sit up. âSo? Is it baby time?â
âNot yet.â
The group chat had blown up while you were at the hospital. You sent a quick message saying that you were heading home before putting your phone on silent. After making sure you were settled in and didnât need anything, you sent Javy back to work.Â
With Jake back on duty as well, you had nothing to distract you. So, rather than sit at home and anxiously time what you accepted to be contractions, you rummaged through the work bag youâd shoved in the back of the closet and grabbed your purse before heading out.Â
A smile tugged at your lips as you drove along the outskirts of the base before pulling into a small parking lot. Backing Jakeâs truck in was a pain in the ass, but you managed before putting on your aviation earmuffs and gingerly getting out of the cab. Holding onto the door handle, you blew out a breath, rubbing your stomach as it tightened with a contraction. Even with ear protection, you heard the rumble of an engine and looked up to see a jet speeding toward you down the flightline, another not far behind. With just a glance, you noted the darker grey color and nose cone shape, identifying it as an F-35C. As it neared, you watched the first jetâs front tire leave the ground before smoothly lifting. The landing gear folded into place, the radar-absorbent skin of its underbelly smooth as the plane passed overhead, its speed ruffling your hair. Its twin followed moments later, and you turned in time to catch the design etched on the tail.
Looks like the Rough Raiders were also flying today.Â
The duo pointed their noses up and started an unrestricted climb as the contraction eased, and you rubbed your stomach. âDonât tell Daddy, but I like the Lightnings better than the Super Hornet,â you said. âThey just look sleeker.â As if to assure you of her secrecy, Sloane wiggled against your hand. Chuckling, you shut the car door and circled to the back of the truck to pull down the tailgate. It was a pain in the ass to get in on the best of days, and this certainly wasnât one of those. But after some finagling and forcefully pushing away the thought that you probably looked like a beached whale, you managed to get up. After running your fingers along the Baby on Board sticker that Bob had placed on the back window months ago, you leaned against the cab. Putting on your sunglasses, you settled in to watch the following duo line up at the far end of the flightline.Â
âWeâre watching Newtonâs Third Law in action, Sloane-girl,â you sighed. âFor every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Itâs the fundamental law of understanding flight.â Your belly pressed against the back window when you turned to track the jetsâ rapid climb, eyes fixated on the afterburner. Watched as the wings were enveloped by condensation, created by the change in pressure and temperature as air was forced over them. Folding your arms on the top of the truck, you murmured, âThrust is equal to the exit mass flow rate times the exit velocity minus the free stream mass flow rate times the free stream velocity.â The equation flowed over your tongue, sweet as sugar, and your fingers itched for your notebook.Â
Most of the time, you were too busy to watch the planes you worked near. Sure, you could pause a few minutes to watch as they taxiied past, or shade your eyes to watch as they shot by. But actually taking the time just to enjoy? Not very often. It made you think of the air shows you went to with your dad. Of how youâd one day imagined working on those engines before deciding against going into the Air Force. How those dreams had shifted to figuring out how to improve the propulsion systems.
Your hand migrated to your stomach again, swaying subtly as you remembered how it had felt to sign the paper, switching your major from Engineering to English. How right it had felt in that moment, taking a proactive step to protect yourself against something so determined to hurt you, even as a small part of you railed against it. Hated that the guys in your program would see it as confirmation of your inability to cut it rather than you making the conscious decision to turn away from a lifelong dream.Â
For the first time, you understood your parents' shock, worry, and sadness about making such a big change without discussing it with them. At that time, you saw yourself as striking out as an adult and making an independent decision about your life. But now, with your own daughter, you understand where your parents were coming from. You hadnât needed their permission, of course, but maybe they could have talked you out of making the rash decision. Of throwing away your lifelong dream out of what you now recognize as fear.Â
Tears pricked your eyes, and you blinked them away. For a split second, you thought about calling your parents to apologize for everything you put them through, but calling so soon after getting out of the hospital would freak them out. So, instead, you took out your phone and filmed the next set of jets taking off.Â
Your granddaughter loves the planes. I'm pretty sure there will be some airshows in the future.
Your parents quickly sent back their answers.
Your dadâll love that.
Canât wait to take my girls to one.Â
It wasnât wholly unexpected when Javy showed up at the house after work, an overnight bag in hand. While you werenât thrilled to wear clothes around the house, having him around wasnât a hardship. It was nice to have someone else decide what to have for dinner (ordering pizza), and get up to get you a glass of water when heaving yourself off the couch seemed too difficult. And he let you pick what to watch on TV.
At least, it wasnât a hardship until you noticed him texting every half an hour.
When you asked him about it, he stared at you before shoving his phone under his leg. It wasnât until you got up to pee - ignoring Javy jumping to his feet in a movement that you werenât at all jealous of while leveraging yourself up - that you caught sight of his screen. Rolling your eyes, you huffed, âTell your worry-wart boyfriend that Iâm fine and to stop bugging you for updates.â
Javy choked on air and cackled, âYou text him.â
âWe both know he wonât believe me.âÂ
âWell, you did refuse to get out of the tub earlier.â
âExcuse me,â you snapped, holding up a finger before pointing it at your stomach. âThe baby is in the same place she was then. So who was right about not being in labor? Thatâs right - the one with a vagina said baby will be exiting.â
âThe doc said you were in labor. Just not⊠You knowâŠâ he made a vague gesture with his hands that made you raise your eyebrow. Color tinged his cheeks as he sighed, âThe whole vagina exiting kind.âÂ
Biting your lip to keep from laughing, you rolled your eyes. Holding your hand out for his phone, you danced in place a bit, the urge to pee warring with the need to reassure your husband. As soon as you hit send on the text, you tossed the phone back and waddled to the bathroom. âOh, come on,â Javy groaned, and you hustled to keep from wetting yourself with laughing.
If you donât stop checking in on me with your boyfriend, youâll never get another video from me again.
The text had ended with a kissing emoji. A response was waiting on your phone when you made it back to the couch.
Itâs not nice to traumatize our daughterâs godfather. Who's gonna watch her for us when itâs time for another video?Â
Laughing, you almost told him about the photos awaiting him - teasing him with something to hold him off while you recovered from childbirth - but held onto the secret. Instead, you snapped a picture of your barely visible feet kicked up on the coffee table, your bump dominating the frame.
Iâm fine - a few contractions here and there, but nothing consistent. Sloane and I had a long talk this afternoon, so hopefully she'll listen and stay put.
And you had. Sitting in the back of Jakeâs truck, you had a silent conversation with your daughter, pausing every time a jet flew overhead. Youâd reminded her that in less than 48 hours, her daddy would be home. Begged her to stay nice and safe where she was. Promised that you wouldnât even mind her using your ribs as her personal kicking bag as long as she waited.Â
A picture flashed on your phone, and you opened it to see a stack of luggage. Youâre not the only one with their bags packed and ready to go, darling. Make sure Sloane knows that her daddyâll buy her whatever she wants as long as she waits for me to get there.Â
Convincing Javy that you didnât need him to call in sick the next day was an exercise in patience. While you appreciated his concern, you wanted to be alone in the house for a bit. It had taken all of your strength and practice in customer service not to point to the garage door and shove him through it when he stalled in the kitchen the next morning.
The minute you heard the Jeep back out of the driveway, you tore off your shirt and shorts, hating the feeling of the material on your skin. It didnât help that you felt hot, sweat starting to bead on your forehead. Grasping the kitchen counter, you swayed, trying to will away the contraction that hit, wishing the back pain would loosen its grip on you.Â
âSloane, your father will be home in 27 hours. We are not doing this right now, young lady,â you hissed.Â
When the contraction loosened its grip, you forced yourself to go about your day. There was a checklist on your phone of things to do before Jake got home and you went to the hospital, so you focused on those. If you had to pause and breathe through a contraction, that was your business. They still werenât regular enough to raise an alarm, and your research said that you were okay unless you had difficulty walking or talking through them. So you kept up a conversation with Sloane when they hit, almost begging your daughter to hold on.Â
Around three, you retreated to the bathroom. You sprinkled Epsom salt into the tepid bath, hoping that the lavender scent would help you relax. With your glass of water sitting on the rim of the tub and hair piled on top of your head, you pictured Jake sitting beside you, chin resting on his arm, as his fingers trailed through the water before drawing circles on your stomach. You imagined running your hand through his hair, watching his green eyes dart to meet yours when your stomach tightened under his touch. How his head would lift so he could track the time on his watch, counting the seconds as your fingers curled around his forearm.Â
Tears leaked from the corners of your eyes. You wanted Jake so badly. And, while the six months apart were difficult, the last day without him was the worst. In less than 19 hours, you would be waiting for him on the flightline. He would be home and safe in your arms.Â
âCome on, Sloane,â you said. âJust a little bit longer.â
âThis has to be the weirdest place Iâve ever had dinner,â Javy sighed, propping his foot against the tub rim. You didnât bother opening your eyes.Â
âFeel free to go back to the living room.â
âNot until you get out of the tub.â
âMight as well grab a sleeping bag, then,â you huffed, lifting your hand out of the water to adjust the strap of your bikini. The top was too small, your breasts nearly spilling out, but you couldnât bring yourself to care. Youâd only put the bathing suit on when it was clear that Javy wasnât going to leave you to yourself when he came over with another overnight bag. And, as much as you wanted to be alone, the scent of jet fuel coming off his flightsuit was oddly relaxing as he ate his warmed-up pizza from the night before.Â
âDarlinâ, youâve gotta be a prune by now. Maybe itâs time to - â
âIf you say call the doctor, Iâm gonna hang up on you, Jacob Michael Seresin.â Javy snickered, and you cracked one eye open to glare at him. âDonât think I wonât kick you out of here, too.â
âYour wifeâs grumpy when sheâs in labor, Hangman.â Dipping your hand back into the water, you flicked droplets at him as Jake chuckled.Â
âIâd like to see you be a ray of sunshine when you have a tiny human preparing to make her appearance and making your back ache like a motherfucker.âÂ
âYou know what would help with the back pain? Seeing the doc - â Irritated, you hit the button to end the call, cutting Jake off. Unsurprisingly, he called back immediately. When you stared at the screen, Javy reached over and answered, putting it on speaker again. Jake huffed your name.
âMy contractions arenât consistent enough to call the doctor. And I can still talk through them. Iâm fine.â
âDarlinâ,â he sighed. âPromise me youâre not just toughing it out until I get there.â
It was on the tip of your tongue to say you could neither confirm nor deny, but you knew that you would be tugged out of the tub and marched to the hospital if you let that slip. âI promise,â you said, mentally crossing your fingers.Â
That didnât keep you from frantically searching the internet when you finally got out of the tub and saw blood dotting the liner of your bathing suit bottoms.Â
You kept the bloody show to yourself, curling up in bed and trying to think calming thoughts as you hugged your pregnancy pillow.
Just a few more hours, and then Jake would be home.Â
Gripping the bathroom sink, you swayed back and forth, blowing out a breath through pursed lips. Youâd been up throughout the night, waddling to the bathroom and trying to breathe through the contractions that started and stopped. Around two in the morning, you almost caved and called triage to see if you needed to come in before the time between contractions lengthened again.
Nerves had kept you awake for the next few hours, and you finally dozed off before hearing your alarm go off at 6:30AM.Â
Waking up felt like Christmas morning as a kid - the anticipation propelling you out of bed and into the shower. The warm water felt like heaven on your back, and you braced yourself on the wall, recalling how Jake had massaged your tight muscles after the flight to Japan. In just over three hours, he could do it again.Â
Javy and Jake had hammered out the details of how the morning would go as you soaked in the tub. The air wing was scheduled to arrive around 10:00AM, with the families invited to come around 8:00AM. While you were more than willing to drive yourself, the men in your life were adamant that you take it easy. So, instead, Javy would drive you to the base in the truck and catch a ride with one of the other Daggers after work to pick up his Jeep. âIâll officially be off baby watch,â Javy had said, letting his head fall back against the wall.Â
So, as sleep-deprived as you were, you didnât mind getting up early to get ready. Sure, the contractions made it so you had to pause while doing your hair and makeup to focus on your breathing. And yeah, the burgundy dress youâd bought offline wasnât the most comfortable on your belly, but it hopefully wouldnât be on for too long. After grabbing Jakeâs brown leather jacket from the back of the closet, you forced yourself to examine your appearance in the mirror. Your lipstick almost perfectly matched the color of your dress, and your cheeks flushed with excitement.Â
In just a few hours, your husband would be home.Â
Homecoming morning was always hectic. Between making sure that everything was packed, grabbing breakfast, shoving bags into the travel pod, and wrapping up last-minute tasks, it was controlled chaos. There would be one last briefing - a reminder of the flight pattern and where each pilot would be in the flyby - before being dismissed to the flightline. The fixed-wing aircraft would launch before the carrier neared San Diego, making the hour flight back to Lemoore. The choppers would launch closer to shore, returning to North Island before the carrier docked in San Diego. Across the state, military families would be welcoming their sailors and aviators home.Â
âI have a feeling weâll be seeing each other soon,â Mav said, shaking Jakeâs hand as they stood below deck, watching the F-18s being loaded onto the elevators to be brought topside.Â
âComing up to Lemoore?â Jake asked. The tight-lipped smile the senior aviator gave him made him suppress a groan. âMy wifeâs not gonna be happy, is she?âÂ
Chuckling, Mav clapped him on the shoulder. âDonât think too much about it right now. Weâll talk soon.âÂ
âIt wasnât the worst, being deployed with you,â Rooster said, offering his hand.Â
âHigh praise, Rooster. Better watch it, or people might think weâre friends.â A smirk tugged at the other man's mouth as they shook.Â
âI told Nat Iâll be up your way in a few weeks. Iâd like to drop by and meet your daughter, if youâre okay with it.â
âSure.â Jake was shocked when he was pulled into a back-slapping hug. âGet home safe, Hangman. Tell your wife I said hi.â
And, as he sat in his jet, waiting for his turn to launch, Jake ran his finger along the pictures heâd stuck on the panel: one from your wedding, and Sloaneâs sonogram. Soon - but not soon enough - heâd be home.Â
The line to get on base was ridiculous, but Javy navigated the traffic easily while you impatiently sat in the passengerâs seat, rubbing your stomach and breathing through contractions. Sloane wiggled and turned, feeling your excitement and sharing her own. You pointedly ignored Javyâs nervous glances.Â
Families were directed to the Bounty Hunterâs hangar to await their loved ones, and you felt a momentâs regret at not making a sign or something to welcome your husband home when you saw the posterboards that many people carried. Women swayed babies on their hips, and kids chased one another, and you even saw a photographer or two waiting to document the homecoming for their clients.Â
But, rather than join them, you followed Javy to the Sidewinderâs hangar. Or, at least, you tried. You were constantly stopped by people you knew - maintenance crew members that you placed orders for, aviators who knew Jake, and civilian contractors you worked with. A smile was fixed to your lips as they exclaimed at you still being pregnant, tears stinging your eyes when they said how relieved they were that Jake was coming home in time. Javy hovered by your side until you waved him off to go to his 9:00AM briefing, promising to take it easy and put in the group chat if you needed anything before Jake landed.Â
Your coworkers escorted you to the Vigilanteâs hangar to get a bottle of water when you mentioned being thirsty. At some point, you knew that you needed to get back to the Bounty Hunterâs hangar, but it was nice to catch up with your friends. And it was a good distraction from the pain radiating from your back to your stomach, which you tried to ignore.Â
âI heard you were here, Mrs. Seresin - itâs good to see you,â Admiral Tritz, Jakeâs boss, said as he stepped into the break room. You set the water bottle on the counter and took the manâs outstretched hand. It had been a while since youâd seen him, but anytime youâd been in the hangar for work, heâd made it a point to check on you.
âGood to see you again, Admiral.â He grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he nodded to your stomach.
âI have to say - between his promotion to Lieutenant Commander and your little one being late, Hangmanâs in for a good year.â
âAs long as thereâs no PCS in the cards for us, Iâd agree,â you smiled, breath catching as another contraction hit. Tritzâs eyes narrowed, and his head cocked.
âAre you alright?â Unable to force the word from your lips, you nodded, fingers curling around the counter rim. And then you felt it.
A popping sensation low in your belly, and the trickle of fluid down your thighs.Â
It wasnât a dramatic gush, like youâd seen in too many movies. Instead, you seriously questioned if youâd just pissed yourself in front of your husbandâs boss. âOh fuck,â you groaned.
âOh fuck, indeed,â Admiral Tritz agreed.Â
The California coast sprawled beneath the wings of the jet, but Jakeâs eyes kept darting to the HUD, watching the miles to the base tick down. He knew that, like himself, the other pilots were leaning heavier on the throttle than necessary, the anticipation of getting home outweighing fuel rationing. This far out, they were still flying in the looser formation, not worrying about how they looked. Once they got closer to Lemoore, heâd call for a tighter formation, leading everyone home.Â
Already, he was imagining the scene. The smooth landing on his home flightline. Quickly doing his post-flight checks. Joining the huddle behind the jets to retrieve the rose heâd shelled out $10 to one of the guys for - his buddy doing the flower pick up so that the returning aviators would have something to give their loved ones. Forcing himself to walk across the tarmac instead of running to you. Finally, having you in his arms again. Kissing you.Â
âHangman, Fritz. Lemoore Tower.â
âRoger, Tower.â
âRoger, Tower,â Jake repeated.
âRelay new orders. Fritz to lead flyover. Hangman to land without flyby.â
âLeading flyover,â Fritz echoed. Jakeâs brow furrowed, his hand tightening on the throttle.Â
âSay again,â he said.
âFritz to lead flyover. Hangman to land without flyby,â the air traffic controller repeated. His eyes flitted to the gauges, worried heâd missed a warning that he was having mechanical issues but saw none.
âWhatâs the reason for the change in orders?â he asked.Â
âHangman to land without flyby.âÂ
âWilco.â ATC went quiet at his agreement to comply with the new orders, and Jake glanced over to his left to see Fritz looking at him.Â
âYou got any hot gauges?â the other pilot asked.Â
âNone.â After a moment, he announced, âClimbing.â Pulling back on the stick, he rose above the other pilots, allowing Fritz to drift into the lead spot. Once settled into the back of the pack, safely away from the jetwash, he glanced at his watch. The squad was already running late, a few mechanical issues delaying the launches. At this rate, it would be closer to 10:30AM when they approached Lemoore.Â
But if he didnât have to do the flyby, he would be on the ground within 45 minutes.Â
âYouâre not pushing, are you?â Javy demanded, head whipping to look at you as he stopped at a light. Ignoring him, you gripped the âoh shitâ bar and let your head fall back against the headrest as another contraction hit.Â
As soon as your water broke, Admiral Tritz helped you to sit in one of the chairs while sending your coworkers to put in an EMS report to have them sterilize the room. Another was sent to check how far away Jake was, while you quickly messaged Javy to let him know what was happening. The sound of boots slapping the ground heralded the arrival of the Daggers, and Javy and Bob helped you get to the truck, hands hovering anytime you had to stop to breathe. Nat went to pick up your hospital bag from the house, while Reuben hung back to update Jake when he landed. Youâd dashed off a quick text to your parents to let them know what was happening. As the date had neared, youâd all agreed that they would wait to come out until you were out of the hospital if Jake made it home. After assuring them that you wanted to stick to that plan, especially with your husband only a few hours away, you handed your phone to Javy to manage it. âYou should probably text his family and let him know,â you added as an afterthought. Â
Triage was a blur, but you were sent to Labor and Delivery after confirming your water had broken, and you were already 6 centimeters dilated. âWhereâs Jake?â you asked Javy as they rolled you into your room.
âHeâs still in the air. Should be here soon.â
Thankfully, Nat arrived in time with your bag and helped you change into the dressing gown a coworker had recommended. âPayback texted - Tritz went to the Tower and had them relay to Jake that heâs to land immediately.â
âDid they tell him why?â you asked, looking away as the nurse placed an IV in your hand.Â
âI donât think so. Probably safer - donât want him testing the speed limits of the aircraft.â That pulled a wry smile out of you, a welcome distraction from the numb feeling in your hand when the cold fluids started.Â
His tires hit the tarmac, and Jake let out a sigh of relief. He was home. Glancing up while taxiing, he saw the other jets lining up to land. As much as he would have liked to show off for you, at least he would be the first one to finish his post-flight checks. But as he maneuvered to the hangar and started to power down the engine, he noticed two people sprinting toward him.
The minute the engines stopped spinning, before the blocks were put around his tires, the canopy was going up. âWhat happened? Jake demanded, glancing down at Bob and Paybackâs anxious expressions.
âGet out. Iâll do your checks while Bob gets you to the hospital,â Payback ordered.Â
âHospital?â Panic nearly choked him, but Bob gave him a reassuring smile.
âNo baby yet. Phoenix and Coyote are with her.â His scramble down the ladder was less than graceful, nearly ending with him landing on his ass, but Jake managed to get down safely while tugging at one of his pockets to get his phone. They - along with smart watches - were forbidden on the flightline, but he powered it on anyway. While texts rolled in from his mother and sister, there were none from you. Payback took no time, climbing into the jet to double-check things while Bob grabbed Jakeâs elbow and hurried him toward his waiting car. The buckles on his g-suit clanked as he ran, helmet still in place.Â
âHangman!âÂ
The voice pulled him up short, and he turned to see Admiral Tritz grinning at him. âSir.â
âTold you the first is usually late. Weâll talk about your paternity leave in a few days. Congratulations, son.â
A nervous grin tugged at his mouth, and Jake threw possibly the sloppiest salute of his career. But it didnât matter as he put his head down and followed Bobâs jog to the parking lot. After tossing his helmet into the backseat, he called; you answered on the second ring.
âDarlinâ?âÂ
âJake,â you sobbed.
âHey, Mama. You okay?âÂ
âI need you.âÂ
âI know, baby. Iâm on my way.âÂ
âGet here. Please.âÂ
âIâm cominâ, darlinâ - Iâll be there soon.â He kept up the reassurances, barely aware of what he was saying as he struggled to strip off his g-suit while Bob wove through traffic. Thankfully, the gates to get off base werenât nearly as backed up as those getting on. Jake couldnât help but think about how he was retracing the route that had started this - from picking you up on base when you fainted, to driving you to the ED to get checked out, and finding out that you were pregnant.Â
But this time, rather than dropping you off and moving the truck, he was being dropped off at the hospital by Bob and rushing through the doors. With his phone pressed to his ear, listening to you breathe, he spotted Nat waiting for him in the lobby. Jake was grateful that she didnât take the time to hug him; instead, she only motioned for him to follow. The call dropped in the elevator, which took too long, stopping at almost every floor. âSheâs good, Hangman,â Nat assured him, noticing his uncharacteristic fidgeting.Â
It took everything in him to keep from running in the halls. Understanding his urgency, Nat lengthened her stride to match his. And then her hand wrapped around his elbow, tugging him to a stop outside a door that heâd already started walking past. âGood luck, Jake,â she said, squeezing gently before tapping on the door and pushing it open. A curtain blocked his view, but he quickly pushed it aside to see the most beautiful sight heâd ever seen.
Your head was lowered, one hand braced on the bed as you swayed. Your hair was piled on your head, tendrils falling and sticking to your face. Javy grinned from where he stood next to you, a hand between your shoulders and the other holding yours tightly. When you let out a moan, both menâs attention snapped back to you. Frozen in the doorway, the sound forced Jake to move, circling to take the spot at your free side. When his hand slid onto your lower back, your head lifted to meet his gaze. âHey, darlinâ.âÂ
Tears pricked your eyes as you bit your lip to keep from sobbing. Leaning heavily into your husband, you took his hand, nails digging into his skin. Finally, when the contraction ended, you fell into Jakeâs arms. Ignoring the monitor wrapped around your belly, you snuggled as close to him as possible as his lips pressed to the top of your head. âYou made it,â you breathed before bursting into tears.Â
âI made it,â he echoed, hand curling around the back of your neck. Jake peppered kisses across your face until he captured your mouth, crushing you to him. âIâve gotcha, darlinâ. Itâs alright, sweetheart.â Â
Javy snuck out, leaving the two of you alone. At least until the nurses came back in to check on you and found you clinging to your husband as he helped you sway through another contraction.
Later, he crouched in front of you to maintain eye contact, murmuring his love as you got the epidural. Held your hand through the worst of the shakes while brushing the hair from your face, and called for medication to help with the nausea. Made sure you had whatever you needed.Â
And finally, when your little girl made her long-awaited arrival, he was right beside you, blinking back tears as he watched Sloane being placed on your chest. Carefully cut her cord when Dr. Shearer offered before quickly returning to his spot on the bed. His eyes followed Sloaneâs every movement as she was cleaned and weighed, unwilling to rely on the bracelets on both of your wrists and her ankle to keep track of her.Â
Much later, after you moved into a recovery room and the wave of text messages congratulating you both had tapered off after youâd sent pictures of your perfect little girl, Jake sat in the uncomfortable chair next to you with his shirt off. You struggled to keep your eyes open, watching your husbandâs awestruck expression as he studied Sloaneâs tiny hand wrapped around his finger. âHey,â you murmured. Immediately, his gaze swung to you, sitting up in the chair slightly.Â
âYeah? You need something, Mama?â Smiling tiredly, you shook your head.
âI love you.â
âI love you too.â Carefully, he stood and walked closer. Sloane looked so tiny in her fatherâs arms, and he cautiously adjusted her before leaning down to kiss you. âClose those pretty eyes and relax, sleepy girl. Daddyâs got it.âÂ
Tears sprang to your eyes as you reached up to cup Jakeâs cheek, your thumb tracing his jaw as he smiled softly down at you. âBabe?âÂ
âYeah?â
âI know itâs a little early, but⊠I think we may need to revisit our contract.â The corners of his eyes crinkled as Jake grinned.
âWerenât you the one who said we should focus on one life-changing event before doing that?âÂ
âI changed my mind.â
âYou wanna renegotiate three months before our dating anniversary?â Biting your lower lip to keep from grinning, you nodded. âWhat terms are you offering?âÂ
Shaking your head, you traced his mouth with your thumb. âMostly updates. We didnât change the language to be husband and wife.â Nodding, he leaned closer to kiss you, but you pulled away at the last minute. âAnd I want to have McDonald's for our anniversary tradition. Dating and marriage.âÂ
His laugh was warm against your face before he kissed you. âYou'd better offer something amazing in return to get that,â he chuckled.Â
âYouâre holding her.âÂ
Grinning, Jake looked down at his daughter and shook his head. âSloane-girl, I love you so much. But your mamaâs gonna have to offer more than you to get out of letting me spoil her rotten for one of our anniversaries.â
âIf youâre implying another kid while my vagina is still recovering from pushing your daughter out - â Jake choked on a laugh and shook his head.Â
âWouldnât dream of it, darlinâ. But Iâm just sayinâ... I could be open to it if the conditions are right.âÂ
âName your terms, Seresin.â
âIâll have to think of them, Seresin.â Narrowing your eyes, you shook your head.Â
âYouâve got three months.âÂ
âDefinitely have more than that,â he countered. âIf it doesnât make the contract this year, weâll have the next. And then the one after that. And after that. And - â
You cut him off with a kiss, shifting over when he sat beside you. The move jostled Sloane, who let out a dissatisfied whimper. Instantly, both of your attentions were on her, and Jake gently rocked her while settling in next to you. His arm went around your shoulders, gently encouraging you closer as you checked on her.Â
And, while it wasnât the homecoming either of you had pictured after his first big deployment, neither you nor Jake would have traded it for the world.Â
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Author's Note: She's finally here! And Jake made it home! I had struggled since starting to plot this story if it was gonna happen. I wanted this fic to be a more realistic approach to what military families go through, so initially I was going to have him watch the delivery while he was deployed. Then I thought about Mav pulling some strings with the higher ups to get him home when Darlin' went into labor the day before homecoming. But the other night I had a dream about this scenario and it fit - just a smidge of an Admiral putting his thumb on the scale to get Jake home quicker by missing a flyby rather than the entire carrier scrambling to launch one ship.
This fic isn't over - there's still at least one more chapter left. I hope this didn't disappoint after the (too long) buildup! We finally hit D-Day, i.e., delivery day (originally, I snuck the word 'delivery' into every chapter... that quickly trailed off).
If you would like to be added to the tag list, please fill out my tag form here.
Ugh this is EVERYTHING. I love this fic and Iâm so happy it got to this point. Thank you so much for writing such a realistic depiction of military life and relationships. It all just feels so real and that really speaks to your talent as a writer. Amazing work.
I love realistic fiction, and being able to share bits of my experience growing up around the military and now working with veterans. It's a whole different culture and language (every 3 weeks, I have a group session on communication styles and 'sentence enhancers' [aka swearing] being normalized in the military but seen as offensive in civilian-land), and even getting to share a glimpse of that is rewarding.
Synopsis: After finding out his girlfriend is pregnant, Jake is ready to move in and get married. The last thing he expected was to be hit with a six-month deployment at sea and missing the birth of his first child.
18+, minors DNI
Chapter 22 | Series Master List | Ao3
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Chapter 23
âIâm not in labor,â you hissed through gritted teeth as Javy ushered you out of the house, your hospital bag in his hand.
âWhy donât we let the professional decide that?â Jake said through the video call. Javy grunted his agreement. Even though it was a relatively cool day, not even breaking 60 degrees, it was easy to spot the sweat on the aviatorâs brow. He hadnât been kidding about coming into the bathroom if you didnât get out of the tub, having opened the door as you struggled to wrap a towel around yourself after managing to stand up. Your shriek freaked Jake out, and an inconveniently timed cramp made it difficult to assure him that you were fine.Â
âPlease donât have my goddaughter in the Jeep - I just got it detailed,â Javy said, hurrying around you to toss your bag into the back seat and open the door before coming back to your side.
âHilarious,â you scowled. But something dawned on you as he tried to shut the door. âMy laptop!â Still gripping your phone, you tried to push the door open again.
âJust wait here, Iâll get it,â Javy said, opening the door enough to gently guide you back to sitting forward.Â
âDonât forget the charging cable.âÂ
The door shut, and your hand tightened around the phone. In the silence of the vehicle, you felt your lower lip start to wobble. âDarlinâ?â
âYeah?â Try as you might, you werenât able to keep the quiver from your voice. Lifting the phone, you saw Jake give you a wry smile.Â
âEverythingâs gonna be alright.â
âYouâre not here.â Tears pricked your eyes, and you swallowed hard as you watched your husband nod slowly.
âI know, sweetheart. Soon.â
âNot soon enough.âÂ
âI know. As soon as Javy gets back, Iâm gonna let you go. I need to let my XO know whatâs happening.â
âJake.â His name was a sob, and you watched his Adamâs apple bob as he swallowed hard.Â
âYou got this, darlinâ.â Glancing up, you saw Javy locking the front door, your laptop and charger in hand. âI love you.â
âLove you too,â you whispered, brushing away the tears on your cheeks. âIâll let you know whatâs happening.â
Closing your eyes, you tried to breathe through the triage exam. Javy had stepped out into the hall to give you some privacy, and Jakeâs call was on speaker phone. Heâd assured you that he was set up and ready to jump on a video call the moment you said you wanted him to. But since arriving at the hospital, you had only had a single cramp, something youâd proudly told the doctor.Â
âYouâre definitely doing some work - I checked with Dr. Shearer, and youâre more effaced than your last appointment with her, but still two centimeters dilated,â the on-call doctor told you as she removed her gloves. Â
âDo I have to stay here?â you asked.Â
âYour water didnât break, so weâre not going to admit you now.â You grinned as Jake sighed. âThatâs good news?â the woman asked, confusion evident in her tone.
âAmazing news.â
She laughed and shook her head. âUsually, moms want to get admitted, especially when theyâre at their due date.âÂ
âNope, we want this one to wait at least two more days until her daddy gets home. This is the only time we want a Seresin to be running late.â Jake laughed at that.
âAgreed, darlinâ. Make sure our daughter knows that.â
âIâll let you know when weâre leaving,â you assured him before ending the call. The doc nodded to the phone.
âYour husbandâs out of state?âÂ
âOn deployment,â you sighed. Her look of amusement faded as she nodded.Â
âIâll get the paperwork done to get you out of here. But if your contractions become more regular - every 3-5 minutes for at least an hour, make sure to come back in. If youâre unsure, I want you to call and talk to one of the providers.â
Javy was at your side the moment the door opened, helping you to sit up. âSo? Is it baby time?â
âNot yet.â
The group chat had blown up while you were at the hospital. You sent a quick message saying that you were heading home before putting your phone on silent. After making sure you were settled in and didnât need anything, you sent Javy back to work.Â
With Jake back on duty as well, you had nothing to distract you. So, rather than sit at home and anxiously time what you accepted to be contractions, you rummaged through the work bag youâd shoved in the back of the closet and grabbed your purse before heading out.Â
A smile tugged at your lips as you drove along the outskirts of the base before pulling into a small parking lot. Backing Jakeâs truck in was a pain in the ass, but you managed before putting on your aviation earmuffs and gingerly getting out of the cab. Holding onto the door handle, you blew out a breath, rubbing your stomach as it tightened with a contraction. Even with ear protection, you heard the rumble of an engine and looked up to see a jet speeding toward you down the flightline, another not far behind. With just a glance, you noted the darker grey color and nose cone shape, identifying it as an F-35C. As it neared, you watched the first jetâs front tire leave the ground before smoothly lifting. The landing gear folded into place, the radar-absorbent skin of its underbelly smooth as the plane passed overhead, its speed ruffling your hair. Its twin followed moments later, and you turned in time to catch the design etched on the tail.
Looks like the Rough Raiders were also flying today.Â
The duo pointed their noses up and started an unrestricted climb as the contraction eased, and you rubbed your stomach. âDonât tell Daddy, but I like the Lightnings better than the Super Hornet,â you said. âThey just look sleeker.â As if to assure you of her secrecy, Sloane wiggled against your hand. Chuckling, you shut the car door and circled to the back of the truck to pull down the tailgate. It was a pain in the ass to get in on the best of days, and this certainly wasnât one of those. But after some finagling and forcefully pushing away the thought that you probably looked like a beached whale, you managed to get up. After running your fingers along the Baby on Board sticker that Bob had placed on the back window months ago, you leaned against the cab. Putting on your sunglasses, you settled in to watch the following duo line up at the far end of the flightline.Â
âWeâre watching Newtonâs Third Law in action, Sloane-girl,â you sighed. âFor every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Itâs the fundamental law of understanding flight.â Your belly pressed against the back window when you turned to track the jetsâ rapid climb, eyes fixated on the afterburner. Watched as the wings were enveloped by condensation, created by the change in pressure and temperature as air was forced over them. Folding your arms on the top of the truck, you murmured, âThrust is equal to the exit mass flow rate times the exit velocity minus the free stream mass flow rate times the free stream velocity.â The equation flowed over your tongue, sweet as sugar, and your fingers itched for your notebook.Â
Most of the time, you were too busy to watch the planes you worked near. Sure, you could pause a few minutes to watch as they taxiied past, or shade your eyes to watch as they shot by. But actually taking the time just to enjoy? Not very often. It made you think of the air shows you went to with your dad. Of how youâd one day imagined working on those engines before deciding against going into the Air Force. How those dreams had shifted to figuring out how to improve the propulsion systems.
Your hand migrated to your stomach again, swaying subtly as you remembered how it had felt to sign the paper, switching your major from Engineering to English. How right it had felt in that moment, taking a proactive step to protect yourself against something so determined to hurt you, even as a small part of you railed against it. Hated that the guys in your program would see it as confirmation of your inability to cut it rather than you making the conscious decision to turn away from a lifelong dream.Â
For the first time, you understood your parents' shock, worry, and sadness about making such a big change without discussing it with them. At that time, you saw yourself as striking out as an adult and making an independent decision about your life. But now, with your own daughter, you understand where your parents were coming from. You hadnât needed their permission, of course, but maybe they could have talked you out of making the rash decision. Of throwing away your lifelong dream out of what you now recognize as fear.Â
Tears pricked your eyes, and you blinked them away. For a split second, you thought about calling your parents to apologize for everything you put them through, but calling so soon after getting out of the hospital would freak them out. So, instead, you took out your phone and filmed the next set of jets taking off.Â
Your granddaughter loves the planes. I'm pretty sure there will be some airshows in the future.
Your parents quickly sent back their answers.
Your dadâll love that.
Canât wait to take my girls to one.Â
It wasnât wholly unexpected when Javy showed up at the house after work, an overnight bag in hand. While you werenât thrilled to wear clothes around the house, having him around wasnât a hardship. It was nice to have someone else decide what to have for dinner (ordering pizza), and get up to get you a glass of water when heaving yourself off the couch seemed too difficult. And he let you pick what to watch on TV.
At least, it wasnât a hardship until you noticed him texting every half an hour.
When you asked him about it, he stared at you before shoving his phone under his leg. It wasnât until you got up to pee - ignoring Javy jumping to his feet in a movement that you werenât at all jealous of while leveraging yourself up - that you caught sight of his screen. Rolling your eyes, you huffed, âTell your worry-wart boyfriend that Iâm fine and to stop bugging you for updates.â
Javy choked on air and cackled, âYou text him.â
âWe both know he wonât believe me.âÂ
âWell, you did refuse to get out of the tub earlier.â
âExcuse me,â you snapped, holding up a finger before pointing it at your stomach. âThe baby is in the same place she was then. So who was right about not being in labor? Thatâs right - the one with a vagina said baby will be exiting.â
âThe doc said you were in labor. Just not⊠You knowâŠâ he made a vague gesture with his hands that made you raise your eyebrow. Color tinged his cheeks as he sighed, âThe whole vagina exiting kind.âÂ
Biting your lip to keep from laughing, you rolled your eyes. Holding your hand out for his phone, you danced in place a bit, the urge to pee warring with the need to reassure your husband. As soon as you hit send on the text, you tossed the phone back and waddled to the bathroom. âOh, come on,â Javy groaned, and you hustled to keep from wetting yourself with laughing.
If you donât stop checking in on me with your boyfriend, youâll never get another video from me again.
The text had ended with a kissing emoji. A response was waiting on your phone when you made it back to the couch.
Itâs not nice to traumatize our daughterâs godfather. Who's gonna watch her for us when itâs time for another video?Â
Laughing, you almost told him about the photos awaiting him - teasing him with something to hold him off while you recovered from childbirth - but held onto the secret. Instead, you snapped a picture of your barely visible feet kicked up on the coffee table, your bump dominating the frame.
Iâm fine - a few contractions here and there, but nothing consistent. Sloane and I had a long talk this afternoon, so hopefully she'll listen and stay put.
And you had. Sitting in the back of Jakeâs truck, you had a silent conversation with your daughter, pausing every time a jet flew overhead. Youâd reminded her that in less than 48 hours, her daddy would be home. Begged her to stay nice and safe where she was. Promised that you wouldnât even mind her using your ribs as her personal kicking bag as long as she waited.Â
A picture flashed on your phone, and you opened it to see a stack of luggage. Youâre not the only one with their bags packed and ready to go, darling. Make sure Sloane knows that her daddyâll buy her whatever she wants as long as she waits for me to get there.Â
Convincing Javy that you didnât need him to call in sick the next day was an exercise in patience. While you appreciated his concern, you wanted to be alone in the house for a bit. It had taken all of your strength and practice in customer service not to point to the garage door and shove him through it when he stalled in the kitchen the next morning.
The minute you heard the Jeep back out of the driveway, you tore off your shirt and shorts, hating the feeling of the material on your skin. It didnât help that you felt hot, sweat starting to bead on your forehead. Grasping the kitchen counter, you swayed, trying to will away the contraction that hit, wishing the back pain would loosen its grip on you.Â
âSloane, your father will be home in 27 hours. We are not doing this right now, young lady,â you hissed.Â
When the contraction loosened its grip, you forced yourself to go about your day. There was a checklist on your phone of things to do before Jake got home and you went to the hospital, so you focused on those. If you had to pause and breathe through a contraction, that was your business. They still werenât regular enough to raise an alarm, and your research said that you were okay unless you had difficulty walking or talking through them. So you kept up a conversation with Sloane when they hit, almost begging your daughter to hold on.Â
Around three, you retreated to the bathroom. You sprinkled Epsom salt into the tepid bath, hoping that the lavender scent would help you relax. With your glass of water sitting on the rim of the tub and hair piled on top of your head, you pictured Jake sitting beside you, chin resting on his arm, as his fingers trailed through the water before drawing circles on your stomach. You imagined running your hand through his hair, watching his green eyes dart to meet yours when your stomach tightened under his touch. How his head would lift so he could track the time on his watch, counting the seconds as your fingers curled around his forearm.Â
Tears leaked from the corners of your eyes. You wanted Jake so badly. And, while the six months apart were difficult, the last day without him was the worst. In less than 19 hours, you would be waiting for him on the flightline. He would be home and safe in your arms.Â
âCome on, Sloane,â you said. âJust a little bit longer.â
âThis has to be the weirdest place Iâve ever had dinner,â Javy sighed, propping his foot against the tub rim. You didnât bother opening your eyes.Â
âFeel free to go back to the living room.â
âNot until you get out of the tub.â
âMight as well grab a sleeping bag, then,â you huffed, lifting your hand out of the water to adjust the strap of your bikini. The top was too small, your breasts nearly spilling out, but you couldnât bring yourself to care. Youâd only put the bathing suit on when it was clear that Javy wasnât going to leave you to yourself when he came over with another overnight bag. And, as much as you wanted to be alone, the scent of jet fuel coming off his flightsuit was oddly relaxing as he ate his warmed-up pizza from the night before.Â
âDarlinâ, youâve gotta be a prune by now. Maybe itâs time to - â
âIf you say call the doctor, Iâm gonna hang up on you, Jacob Michael Seresin.â Javy snickered, and you cracked one eye open to glare at him. âDonât think I wonât kick you out of here, too.â
âYour wifeâs grumpy when sheâs in labor, Hangman.â Dipping your hand back into the water, you flicked droplets at him as Jake chuckled.Â
âIâd like to see you be a ray of sunshine when you have a tiny human preparing to make her appearance and making your back ache like a motherfucker.âÂ
âYou know what would help with the back pain? Seeing the doc - â Irritated, you hit the button to end the call, cutting Jake off. Unsurprisingly, he called back immediately. When you stared at the screen, Javy reached over and answered, putting it on speaker again. Jake huffed your name.
âMy contractions arenât consistent enough to call the doctor. And I can still talk through them. Iâm fine.â
âDarlinâ,â he sighed. âPromise me youâre not just toughing it out until I get there.â
It was on the tip of your tongue to say you could neither confirm nor deny, but you knew that you would be tugged out of the tub and marched to the hospital if you let that slip. âI promise,â you said, mentally crossing your fingers.Â
That didnât keep you from frantically searching the internet when you finally got out of the tub and saw blood dotting the liner of your bathing suit bottoms.Â
You kept the bloody show to yourself, curling up in bed and trying to think calming thoughts as you hugged your pregnancy pillow.
Just a few more hours, and then Jake would be home.Â
Gripping the bathroom sink, you swayed back and forth, blowing out a breath through pursed lips. Youâd been up throughout the night, waddling to the bathroom and trying to breathe through the contractions that started and stopped. Around two in the morning, you almost caved and called triage to see if you needed to come in before the time between contractions lengthened again.
Nerves had kept you awake for the next few hours, and you finally dozed off before hearing your alarm go off at 6:30AM.Â
Waking up felt like Christmas morning as a kid - the anticipation propelling you out of bed and into the shower. The warm water felt like heaven on your back, and you braced yourself on the wall, recalling how Jake had massaged your tight muscles after the flight to Japan. In just over three hours, he could do it again.Â
Javy and Jake had hammered out the details of how the morning would go as you soaked in the tub. The air wing was scheduled to arrive around 10:00AM, with the families invited to come around 8:00AM. While you were more than willing to drive yourself, the men in your life were adamant that you take it easy. So, instead, Javy would drive you to the base in the truck and catch a ride with one of the other Daggers after work to pick up his Jeep. âIâll officially be off baby watch,â Javy had said, letting his head fall back against the wall.Â
So, as sleep-deprived as you were, you didnât mind getting up early to get ready. Sure, the contractions made it so you had to pause while doing your hair and makeup to focus on your breathing. And yeah, the burgundy dress youâd bought offline wasnât the most comfortable on your belly, but it hopefully wouldnât be on for too long. After grabbing Jakeâs brown leather jacket from the back of the closet, you forced yourself to examine your appearance in the mirror. Your lipstick almost perfectly matched the color of your dress, and your cheeks flushed with excitement.Â
In just a few hours, your husband would be home.Â
Homecoming morning was always hectic. Between making sure that everything was packed, grabbing breakfast, shoving bags into the travel pod, and wrapping up last-minute tasks, it was controlled chaos. There would be one last briefing - a reminder of the flight pattern and where each pilot would be in the flyby - before being dismissed to the flightline. The fixed-wing aircraft would launch before the carrier neared San Diego, making the hour flight back to Lemoore. The choppers would launch closer to shore, returning to North Island before the carrier docked in San Diego. Across the state, military families would be welcoming their sailors and aviators home.Â
âI have a feeling weâll be seeing each other soon,â Mav said, shaking Jakeâs hand as they stood below deck, watching the F-18s being loaded onto the elevators to be brought topside.Â
âComing up to Lemoore?â Jake asked. The tight-lipped smile the senior aviator gave him made him suppress a groan. âMy wifeâs not gonna be happy, is she?âÂ
Chuckling, Mav clapped him on the shoulder. âDonât think too much about it right now. Weâll talk soon.âÂ
âIt wasnât the worst, being deployed with you,â Rooster said, offering his hand.Â
âHigh praise, Rooster. Better watch it, or people might think weâre friends.â A smirk tugged at the other man's mouth as they shook.Â
âI told Nat Iâll be up your way in a few weeks. Iâd like to drop by and meet your daughter, if youâre okay with it.â
âSure.â Jake was shocked when he was pulled into a back-slapping hug. âGet home safe, Hangman. Tell your wife I said hi.â
And, as he sat in his jet, waiting for his turn to launch, Jake ran his finger along the pictures heâd stuck on the panel: one from your wedding, and Sloaneâs sonogram. Soon - but not soon enough - heâd be home.Â
The line to get on base was ridiculous, but Javy navigated the traffic easily while you impatiently sat in the passengerâs seat, rubbing your stomach and breathing through contractions. Sloane wiggled and turned, feeling your excitement and sharing her own. You pointedly ignored Javyâs nervous glances.Â
Families were directed to the Bounty Hunterâs hangar to await their loved ones, and you felt a momentâs regret at not making a sign or something to welcome your husband home when you saw the posterboards that many people carried. Women swayed babies on their hips, and kids chased one another, and you even saw a photographer or two waiting to document the homecoming for their clients.Â
But, rather than join them, you followed Javy to the Sidewinderâs hangar. Or, at least, you tried. You were constantly stopped by people you knew - maintenance crew members that you placed orders for, aviators who knew Jake, and civilian contractors you worked with. A smile was fixed to your lips as they exclaimed at you still being pregnant, tears stinging your eyes when they said how relieved they were that Jake was coming home in time. Javy hovered by your side until you waved him off to go to his 9:00AM briefing, promising to take it easy and put in the group chat if you needed anything before Jake landed.Â
Your coworkers escorted you to the Vigilanteâs hangar to get a bottle of water when you mentioned being thirsty. At some point, you knew that you needed to get back to the Bounty Hunterâs hangar, but it was nice to catch up with your friends. And it was a good distraction from the pain radiating from your back to your stomach, which you tried to ignore.Â
âI heard you were here, Mrs. Seresin - itâs good to see you,â Admiral Tritz, Jakeâs boss, said as he stepped into the break room. You set the water bottle on the counter and took the manâs outstretched hand. It had been a while since youâd seen him, but anytime youâd been in the hangar for work, heâd made it a point to check on you.
âGood to see you again, Admiral.â He grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he nodded to your stomach.
âI have to say - between his promotion to Lieutenant Commander and your little one being late, Hangmanâs in for a good year.â
âAs long as thereâs no PCS in the cards for us, Iâd agree,â you smiled, breath catching as another contraction hit. Tritzâs eyes narrowed, and his head cocked.
âAre you alright?â Unable to force the word from your lips, you nodded, fingers curling around the counter rim. And then you felt it.
A popping sensation low in your belly, and the trickle of fluid down your thighs.Â
It wasnât a dramatic gush, like youâd seen in too many movies. Instead, you seriously questioned if youâd just pissed yourself in front of your husbandâs boss. âOh fuck,â you groaned.
âOh fuck, indeed,â Admiral Tritz agreed.Â
The California coast sprawled beneath the wings of the jet, but Jakeâs eyes kept darting to the HUD, watching the miles to the base tick down. He knew that, like himself, the other pilots were leaning heavier on the throttle than necessary, the anticipation of getting home outweighing fuel rationing. This far out, they were still flying in the looser formation, not worrying about how they looked. Once they got closer to Lemoore, heâd call for a tighter formation, leading everyone home.Â
Already, he was imagining the scene. The smooth landing on his home flightline. Quickly doing his post-flight checks. Joining the huddle behind the jets to retrieve the rose heâd shelled out $10 to one of the guys for - his buddy doing the flower pick up so that the returning aviators would have something to give their loved ones. Forcing himself to walk across the tarmac instead of running to you. Finally, having you in his arms again. Kissing you.Â
âHangman, Fritz. Lemoore Tower.â
âRoger, Tower.â
âRoger, Tower,â Jake repeated.
âRelay new orders. Fritz to lead flyover. Hangman to land without flyby.â
âLeading flyover,â Fritz echoed. Jakeâs brow furrowed, his hand tightening on the throttle.Â
âSay again,â he said.
âFritz to lead flyover. Hangman to land without flyby,â the air traffic controller repeated. His eyes flitted to the gauges, worried heâd missed a warning that he was having mechanical issues but saw none.
âWhatâs the reason for the change in orders?â he asked.Â
âHangman to land without flyby.âÂ
âWilco.â ATC went quiet at his agreement to comply with the new orders, and Jake glanced over to his left to see Fritz looking at him.Â
âYou got any hot gauges?â the other pilot asked.Â
âNone.â After a moment, he announced, âClimbing.â Pulling back on the stick, he rose above the other pilots, allowing Fritz to drift into the lead spot. Once settled into the back of the pack, safely away from the jetwash, he glanced at his watch. The squad was already running late, a few mechanical issues delaying the launches. At this rate, it would be closer to 10:30AM when they approached Lemoore.Â
But if he didnât have to do the flyby, he would be on the ground within 45 minutes.Â
âYouâre not pushing, are you?â Javy demanded, head whipping to look at you as he stopped at a light. Ignoring him, you gripped the âoh shitâ bar and let your head fall back against the headrest as another contraction hit.Â
As soon as your water broke, Admiral Tritz helped you to sit in one of the chairs while sending your coworkers to put in an EMS report to have them sterilize the room. Another was sent to check how far away Jake was, while you quickly messaged Javy to let him know what was happening. The sound of boots slapping the ground heralded the arrival of the Daggers, and Javy and Bob helped you get to the truck, hands hovering anytime you had to stop to breathe. Nat went to pick up your hospital bag from the house, while Reuben hung back to update Jake when he landed. Youâd dashed off a quick text to your parents to let them know what was happening. As the date had neared, youâd all agreed that they would wait to come out until you were out of the hospital if Jake made it home. After assuring them that you wanted to stick to that plan, especially with your husband only a few hours away, you handed your phone to Javy to manage it. âYou should probably text his family and let him know,â you added as an afterthought. Â
Triage was a blur, but you were sent to Labor and Delivery after confirming your water had broken, and you were already 6 centimeters dilated. âWhereâs Jake?â you asked Javy as they rolled you into your room.
âHeâs still in the air. Should be here soon.â
Thankfully, Nat arrived in time with your bag and helped you change into the dressing gown a coworker had recommended. âPayback texted - Tritz went to the Tower and had them relay to Jake that heâs to land immediately.â
âDid they tell him why?â you asked, looking away as the nurse placed an IV in your hand.Â
âI donât think so. Probably safer - donât want him testing the speed limits of the aircraft.â That pulled a wry smile out of you, a welcome distraction from the numb feeling in your hand when the cold fluids started.Â
His tires hit the tarmac, and Jake let out a sigh of relief. He was home. Glancing up while taxiing, he saw the other jets lining up to land. As much as he would have liked to show off for you, at least he would be the first one to finish his post-flight checks. But as he maneuvered to the hangar and started to power down the engine, he noticed two people sprinting toward him.
The minute the engines stopped spinning, before the blocks were put around his tires, the canopy was going up. âWhat happened? Jake demanded, glancing down at Bob and Paybackâs anxious expressions.
âGet out. Iâll do your checks while Bob gets you to the hospital,â Payback ordered.Â
âHospital?â Panic nearly choked him, but Bob gave him a reassuring smile.
âNo baby yet. Phoenix and Coyote are with her.â His scramble down the ladder was less than graceful, nearly ending with him landing on his ass, but Jake managed to get down safely while tugging at one of his pockets to get his phone. They - along with smart watches - were forbidden on the flightline, but he powered it on anyway. While texts rolled in from his mother and sister, there were none from you. Payback took no time, climbing into the jet to double-check things while Bob grabbed Jakeâs elbow and hurried him toward his waiting car. The buckles on his g-suit clanked as he ran, helmet still in place.Â
âHangman!âÂ
The voice pulled him up short, and he turned to see Admiral Tritz grinning at him. âSir.â
âTold you the first is usually late. Weâll talk about your paternity leave in a few days. Congratulations, son.â
A nervous grin tugged at his mouth, and Jake threw possibly the sloppiest salute of his career. But it didnât matter as he put his head down and followed Bobâs jog to the parking lot. After tossing his helmet into the backseat, he called; you answered on the second ring.
âDarlinâ?âÂ
âJake,â you sobbed.
âHey, Mama. You okay?âÂ
âI need you.âÂ
âI know, baby. Iâm on my way.âÂ
âGet here. Please.âÂ
âIâm cominâ, darlinâ - Iâll be there soon.â He kept up the reassurances, barely aware of what he was saying as he struggled to strip off his g-suit while Bob wove through traffic. Thankfully, the gates to get off base werenât nearly as backed up as those getting on. Jake couldnât help but think about how he was retracing the route that had started this - from picking you up on base when you fainted, to driving you to the ED to get checked out, and finding out that you were pregnant.Â
But this time, rather than dropping you off and moving the truck, he was being dropped off at the hospital by Bob and rushing through the doors. With his phone pressed to his ear, listening to you breathe, he spotted Nat waiting for him in the lobby. Jake was grateful that she didnât take the time to hug him; instead, she only motioned for him to follow. The call dropped in the elevator, which took too long, stopping at almost every floor. âSheâs good, Hangman,â Nat assured him, noticing his uncharacteristic fidgeting.Â
It took everything in him to keep from running in the halls. Understanding his urgency, Nat lengthened her stride to match his. And then her hand wrapped around his elbow, tugging him to a stop outside a door that heâd already started walking past. âGood luck, Jake,â she said, squeezing gently before tapping on the door and pushing it open. A curtain blocked his view, but he quickly pushed it aside to see the most beautiful sight heâd ever seen.
Your head was lowered, one hand braced on the bed as you swayed. Your hair was piled on your head, tendrils falling and sticking to your face. Javy grinned from where he stood next to you, a hand between your shoulders and the other holding yours tightly. When you let out a moan, both menâs attention snapped back to you. Frozen in the doorway, the sound forced Jake to move, circling to take the spot at your free side. When his hand slid onto your lower back, your head lifted to meet his gaze. âHey, darlinâ.âÂ
Tears pricked your eyes as you bit your lip to keep from sobbing. Leaning heavily into your husband, you took his hand, nails digging into his skin. Finally, when the contraction ended, you fell into Jakeâs arms. Ignoring the monitor wrapped around your belly, you snuggled as close to him as possible as his lips pressed to the top of your head. âYou made it,â you breathed before bursting into tears.Â
âI made it,â he echoed, hand curling around the back of your neck. Jake peppered kisses across your face until he captured your mouth, crushing you to him. âIâve gotcha, darlinâ. Itâs alright, sweetheart.â Â
Javy snuck out, leaving the two of you alone. At least until the nurses came back in to check on you and found you clinging to your husband as he helped you sway through another contraction.
Later, he crouched in front of you to maintain eye contact, murmuring his love as you got the epidural. Held your hand through the worst of the shakes while brushing the hair from your face, and called for medication to help with the nausea. Made sure you had whatever you needed.Â
And finally, when your little girl made her long-awaited arrival, he was right beside you, blinking back tears as he watched Sloane being placed on your chest. Carefully cut her cord when Dr. Shearer offered before quickly returning to his spot on the bed. His eyes followed Sloaneâs every movement as she was cleaned and weighed, unwilling to rely on the bracelets on both of your wrists and her ankle to keep track of her.Â
Much later, after you moved into a recovery room and the wave of text messages congratulating you both had tapered off after youâd sent pictures of your perfect little girl, Jake sat in the uncomfortable chair next to you with his shirt off. You struggled to keep your eyes open, watching your husbandâs awestruck expression as he studied Sloaneâs tiny hand wrapped around his finger. âHey,â you murmured. Immediately, his gaze swung to you, sitting up in the chair slightly.Â
âYeah? You need something, Mama?â Smiling tiredly, you shook your head.
âI love you.â
âI love you too.â Carefully, he stood and walked closer. Sloane looked so tiny in her fatherâs arms, and he cautiously adjusted her before leaning down to kiss you. âClose those pretty eyes and relax, sleepy girl. Daddyâs got it.âÂ
Tears sprang to your eyes as you reached up to cup Jakeâs cheek, your thumb tracing his jaw as he smiled softly down at you. âBabe?âÂ
âYeah?â
âI know itâs a little early, but⊠I think we may need to revisit our contract.â The corners of his eyes crinkled as Jake grinned.
âWerenât you the one who said we should focus on one life-changing event before doing that?âÂ
âI changed my mind.â
âYou wanna renegotiate three months before our dating anniversary?â Biting your lower lip to keep from grinning, you nodded. âWhat terms are you offering?âÂ
Shaking your head, you traced his mouth with your thumb. âMostly updates. We didnât change the language to be husband and wife.â Nodding, he leaned closer to kiss you, but you pulled away at the last minute. âAnd I want to have McDonald's for our anniversary tradition. Dating and marriage.âÂ
His laugh was warm against your face before he kissed you. âYou'd better offer something amazing in return to get that,â he chuckled.Â
âYouâre holding her.âÂ
Grinning, Jake looked down at his daughter and shook his head. âSloane-girl, I love you so much. But your mamaâs gonna have to offer more than you to get out of letting me spoil her rotten for one of our anniversaries.â
âIf youâre implying another kid while my vagina is still recovering from pushing your daughter out - â Jake choked on a laugh and shook his head.Â
âWouldnât dream of it, darlinâ. But Iâm just sayinâ... I could be open to it if the conditions are right.âÂ
âName your terms, Seresin.â
âIâll have to think of them, Seresin.â Narrowing your eyes, you shook your head.Â
âYouâve got three months.âÂ
âDefinitely have more than that,â he countered. âIf it doesnât make the contract this year, weâll have the next. And then the one after that. And after that. And - â
You cut him off with a kiss, shifting over when he sat beside you. The move jostled Sloane, who let out a dissatisfied whimper. Instantly, both of your attentions were on her, and Jake gently rocked her while settling in next to you. His arm went around your shoulders, gently encouraging you closer as you checked on her.Â
And, while it wasnât the homecoming either of you had pictured after his first big deployment, neither you nor Jake would have traded it for the world.Â
----------------------------------------------
Author's Note: She's finally here! And Jake made it home! I had struggled since starting to plot this story if it was gonna happen. I wanted this fic to be a more realistic approach to what military families go through, so initially I was going to have him watch the delivery while he was deployed. Then I thought about Mav pulling some strings with the higher ups to get him home when Darlin' went into labor the day before homecoming. But the other night I had a dream about this scenario and it fit - just a smidge of an Admiral putting his thumb on the scale to get Jake home quicker by missing a flyby rather than the entire carrier scrambling to launch one ship.
This fic isn't over - there's still at least one more chapter left. I hope this didn't disappoint after the (too long) buildup! We finally hit D-Day, i.e., delivery day (originally, I snuck the word 'delivery' into every chapter... that quickly trailed off).
If you would like to be added to the tag list, please fill out my tag form here.
Synopsis: After finding out his girlfriend is pregnant, Jake is ready to move in and get married. The last thing he expected was to be hit with a six-month deployment at sea and missing the birth of his first child.
18+, minors DNI
Chapter 22 | Series Master List | Ao3
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Chapter 23
âIâm not in labor,â you hissed through gritted teeth as Javy ushered you out of the house, your hospital bag in his hand.
âWhy donât we let the professional decide that?â Jake said through the video call. Javy grunted his agreement. Even though it was a relatively cool day, not even breaking 60 degrees, it was easy to spot the sweat on the aviatorâs brow. He hadnât been kidding about coming into the bathroom if you didnât get out of the tub, having opened the door as you struggled to wrap a towel around yourself after managing to stand up. Your shriek freaked Jake out, and an inconveniently timed cramp made it difficult to assure him that you were fine.Â
âPlease donât have my goddaughter in the Jeep - I just got it detailed,â Javy said, hurrying around you to toss your bag into the back seat and open the door before coming back to your side.
âHilarious,â you scowled. But something dawned on you as he tried to shut the door. âMy laptop!â Still gripping your phone, you tried to push the door open again.
âJust wait here, Iâll get it,â Javy said, opening the door enough to gently guide you back to sitting forward.Â
âDonât forget the charging cable.âÂ
The door shut, and your hand tightened around the phone. In the silence of the vehicle, you felt your lower lip start to wobble. âDarlinâ?â
âYeah?â Try as you might, you werenât able to keep the quiver from your voice. Lifting the phone, you saw Jake give you a wry smile.Â
âEverythingâs gonna be alright.â
âYouâre not here.â Tears pricked your eyes, and you swallowed hard as you watched your husband nod slowly.
âI know, sweetheart. Soon.â
âNot soon enough.âÂ
âI know. As soon as Javy gets back, Iâm gonna let you go. I need to let my XO know whatâs happening.â
âJake.â His name was a sob, and you watched his Adamâs apple bob as he swallowed hard.Â
âYou got this, darlinâ.â Glancing up, you saw Javy locking the front door, your laptop and charger in hand. âI love you.â
âLove you too,â you whispered, brushing away the tears on your cheeks. âIâll let you know whatâs happening.â
Closing your eyes, you tried to breathe through the triage exam. Javy had stepped out into the hall to give you some privacy, and Jakeâs call was on speaker phone. Heâd assured you that he was set up and ready to jump on a video call the moment you said you wanted him to. But since arriving at the hospital, you had only had a single cramp, something youâd proudly told the doctor.Â
âYouâre definitely doing some work - I checked with Dr. Shearer, and youâre more effaced than your last appointment with her, but still two centimeters dilated,â the on-call doctor told you as she removed her gloves. Â
âDo I have to stay here?â you asked.Â
âYour water didnât break, so weâre not going to admit you now.â You grinned as Jake sighed. âThatâs good news?â the woman asked, confusion evident in her tone.
âAmazing news.â
She laughed and shook her head. âUsually, moms want to get admitted, especially when theyâre at their due date.âÂ
âNope, we want this one to wait at least two more days until her daddy gets home. This is the only time we want a Seresin to be running late.â Jake laughed at that.
âAgreed, darlinâ. Make sure our daughter knows that.â
âIâll let you know when weâre leaving,â you assured him before ending the call. The doc nodded to the phone.
âYour husbandâs out of state?âÂ
âOn deployment,â you sighed. Her look of amusement faded as she nodded.Â
âIâll get the paperwork done to get you out of here. But if your contractions become more regular - every 3-5 minutes for at least an hour, make sure to come back in. If youâre unsure, I want you to call and talk to one of the providers.â
Javy was at your side the moment the door opened, helping you to sit up. âSo? Is it baby time?â
âNot yet.â
The group chat had blown up while you were at the hospital. You sent a quick message saying that you were heading home before putting your phone on silent. After making sure you were settled in and didnât need anything, you sent Javy back to work.Â
With Jake back on duty as well, you had nothing to distract you. So, rather than sit at home and anxiously time what you accepted to be contractions, you rummaged through the work bag youâd shoved in the back of the closet and grabbed your purse before heading out.Â
A smile tugged at your lips as you drove along the outskirts of the base before pulling into a small parking lot. Backing Jakeâs truck in was a pain in the ass, but you managed before putting on your aviation earmuffs and gingerly getting out of the cab. Holding onto the door handle, you blew out a breath, rubbing your stomach as it tightened with a contraction. Even with ear protection, you heard the rumble of an engine and looked up to see a jet speeding toward you down the flightline, another not far behind. With just a glance, you noted the darker grey color and nose cone shape, identifying it as an F-35C. As it neared, you watched the first jetâs front tire leave the ground before smoothly lifting. The landing gear folded into place, the radar-absorbent skin of its underbelly smooth as the plane passed overhead, its speed ruffling your hair. Its twin followed moments later, and you turned in time to catch the design etched on the tail.
Looks like the Rough Raiders were also flying today.Â
The duo pointed their noses up and started an unrestricted climb as the contraction eased, and you rubbed your stomach. âDonât tell Daddy, but I like the Lightnings better than the Super Hornet,â you said. âThey just look sleeker.â As if to assure you of her secrecy, Sloane wiggled against your hand. Chuckling, you shut the car door and circled to the back of the truck to pull down the tailgate. It was a pain in the ass to get in on the best of days, and this certainly wasnât one of those. But after some finagling and forcefully pushing away the thought that you probably looked like a beached whale, you managed to get up. After running your fingers along the Baby on Board sticker that Bob had placed on the back window months ago, you leaned against the cab. Putting on your sunglasses, you settled in to watch the following duo line up at the far end of the flightline.Â
âWeâre watching Newtonâs Third Law in action, Sloane-girl,â you sighed. âFor every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Itâs the fundamental law of understanding flight.â Your belly pressed against the back window when you turned to track the jetsâ rapid climb, eyes fixated on the afterburner. Watched as the wings were enveloped by condensation, created by the change in pressure and temperature as air was forced over them. Folding your arms on the top of the truck, you murmured, âThrust is equal to the exit mass flow rate times the exit velocity minus the free stream mass flow rate times the free stream velocity.â The equation flowed over your tongue, sweet as sugar, and your fingers itched for your notebook.Â
Most of the time, you were too busy to watch the planes you worked near. Sure, you could pause a few minutes to watch as they taxiied past, or shade your eyes to watch as they shot by. But actually taking the time just to enjoy? Not very often. It made you think of the air shows you went to with your dad. Of how youâd one day imagined working on those engines before deciding against going into the Air Force. How those dreams had shifted to figuring out how to improve the propulsion systems.
Your hand migrated to your stomach again, swaying subtly as you remembered how it had felt to sign the paper, switching your major from Engineering to English. How right it had felt in that moment, taking a proactive step to protect yourself against something so determined to hurt you, even as a small part of you railed against it. Hated that the guys in your program would see it as confirmation of your inability to cut it rather than you making the conscious decision to turn away from a lifelong dream.Â
For the first time, you understood your parents' shock, worry, and sadness about making such a big change without discussing it with them. At that time, you saw yourself as striking out as an adult and making an independent decision about your life. But now, with your own daughter, you understand where your parents were coming from. You hadnât needed their permission, of course, but maybe they could have talked you out of making the rash decision. Of throwing away your lifelong dream out of what you now recognize as fear.Â
Tears pricked your eyes, and you blinked them away. For a split second, you thought about calling your parents to apologize for everything you put them through, but calling so soon after getting out of the hospital would freak them out. So, instead, you took out your phone and filmed the next set of jets taking off.Â
Your granddaughter loves the planes. I'm pretty sure there will be some airshows in the future.
Your parents quickly sent back their answers.
Your dadâll love that.
Canât wait to take my girls to one.Â
It wasnât wholly unexpected when Javy showed up at the house after work, an overnight bag in hand. While you werenât thrilled to wear clothes around the house, having him around wasnât a hardship. It was nice to have someone else decide what to have for dinner (ordering pizza), and get up to get you a glass of water when heaving yourself off the couch seemed too difficult. And he let you pick what to watch on TV.
At least, it wasnât a hardship until you noticed him texting every half an hour.
When you asked him about it, he stared at you before shoving his phone under his leg. It wasnât until you got up to pee - ignoring Javy jumping to his feet in a movement that you werenât at all jealous of while leveraging yourself up - that you caught sight of his screen. Rolling your eyes, you huffed, âTell your worry-wart boyfriend that Iâm fine and to stop bugging you for updates.â
Javy choked on air and cackled, âYou text him.â
âWe both know he wonât believe me.âÂ
âWell, you did refuse to get out of the tub earlier.â
âExcuse me,â you snapped, holding up a finger before pointing it at your stomach. âThe baby is in the same place she was then. So who was right about not being in labor? Thatâs right - the one with a vagina said baby will be exiting.â
âThe doc said you were in labor. Just not⊠You knowâŠâ he made a vague gesture with his hands that made you raise your eyebrow. Color tinged his cheeks as he sighed, âThe whole vagina exiting kind.âÂ
Biting your lip to keep from laughing, you rolled your eyes. Holding your hand out for his phone, you danced in place a bit, the urge to pee warring with the need to reassure your husband. As soon as you hit send on the text, you tossed the phone back and waddled to the bathroom. âOh, come on,â Javy groaned, and you hustled to keep from wetting yourself with laughing.
If you donât stop checking in on me with your boyfriend, youâll never get another video from me again.
The text had ended with a kissing emoji. A response was waiting on your phone when you made it back to the couch.
Itâs not nice to traumatize our daughterâs godfather. Who's gonna watch her for us when itâs time for another video?Â
Laughing, you almost told him about the photos awaiting him - teasing him with something to hold him off while you recovered from childbirth - but held onto the secret. Instead, you snapped a picture of your barely visible feet kicked up on the coffee table, your bump dominating the frame.
Iâm fine - a few contractions here and there, but nothing consistent. Sloane and I had a long talk this afternoon, so hopefully she'll listen and stay put.
And you had. Sitting in the back of Jakeâs truck, you had a silent conversation with your daughter, pausing every time a jet flew overhead. Youâd reminded her that in less than 48 hours, her daddy would be home. Begged her to stay nice and safe where she was. Promised that you wouldnât even mind her using your ribs as her personal kicking bag as long as she waited.Â
A picture flashed on your phone, and you opened it to see a stack of luggage. Youâre not the only one with their bags packed and ready to go, darling. Make sure Sloane knows that her daddyâll buy her whatever she wants as long as she waits for me to get there.Â
Convincing Javy that you didnât need him to call in sick the next day was an exercise in patience. While you appreciated his concern, you wanted to be alone in the house for a bit. It had taken all of your strength and practice in customer service not to point to the garage door and shove him through it when he stalled in the kitchen the next morning.
The minute you heard the Jeep back out of the driveway, you tore off your shirt and shorts, hating the feeling of the material on your skin. It didnât help that you felt hot, sweat starting to bead on your forehead. Grasping the kitchen counter, you swayed, trying to will away the contraction that hit, wishing the back pain would loosen its grip on you.Â
âSloane, your father will be home in 27 hours. We are not doing this right now, young lady,â you hissed.Â
When the contraction loosened its grip, you forced yourself to go about your day. There was a checklist on your phone of things to do before Jake got home and you went to the hospital, so you focused on those. If you had to pause and breathe through a contraction, that was your business. They still werenât regular enough to raise an alarm, and your research said that you were okay unless you had difficulty walking or talking through them. So you kept up a conversation with Sloane when they hit, almost begging your daughter to hold on.Â
Around three, you retreated to the bathroom. You sprinkled Epsom salt into the tepid bath, hoping that the lavender scent would help you relax. With your glass of water sitting on the rim of the tub and hair piled on top of your head, you pictured Jake sitting beside you, chin resting on his arm, as his fingers trailed through the water before drawing circles on your stomach. You imagined running your hand through his hair, watching his green eyes dart to meet yours when your stomach tightened under his touch. How his head would lift so he could track the time on his watch, counting the seconds as your fingers curled around his forearm.Â
Tears leaked from the corners of your eyes. You wanted Jake so badly. And, while the six months apart were difficult, the last day without him was the worst. In less than 19 hours, you would be waiting for him on the flightline. He would be home and safe in your arms.Â
âCome on, Sloane,â you said. âJust a little bit longer.â
âThis has to be the weirdest place Iâve ever had dinner,â Javy sighed, propping his foot against the tub rim. You didnât bother opening your eyes.Â
âFeel free to go back to the living room.â
âNot until you get out of the tub.â
âMight as well grab a sleeping bag, then,â you huffed, lifting your hand out of the water to adjust the strap of your bikini. The top was too small, your breasts nearly spilling out, but you couldnât bring yourself to care. Youâd only put the bathing suit on when it was clear that Javy wasnât going to leave you to yourself when he came over with another overnight bag. And, as much as you wanted to be alone, the scent of jet fuel coming off his flightsuit was oddly relaxing as he ate his warmed-up pizza from the night before.Â
âDarlinâ, youâve gotta be a prune by now. Maybe itâs time to - â
âIf you say call the doctor, Iâm gonna hang up on you, Jacob Michael Seresin.â Javy snickered, and you cracked one eye open to glare at him. âDonât think I wonât kick you out of here, too.â
âYour wifeâs grumpy when sheâs in labor, Hangman.â Dipping your hand back into the water, you flicked droplets at him as Jake chuckled.Â
âIâd like to see you be a ray of sunshine when you have a tiny human preparing to make her appearance and making your back ache like a motherfucker.âÂ
âYou know what would help with the back pain? Seeing the doc - â Irritated, you hit the button to end the call, cutting Jake off. Unsurprisingly, he called back immediately. When you stared at the screen, Javy reached over and answered, putting it on speaker again. Jake huffed your name.
âMy contractions arenât consistent enough to call the doctor. And I can still talk through them. Iâm fine.â
âDarlinâ,â he sighed. âPromise me youâre not just toughing it out until I get there.â
It was on the tip of your tongue to say you could neither confirm nor deny, but you knew that you would be tugged out of the tub and marched to the hospital if you let that slip. âI promise,â you said, mentally crossing your fingers.Â
That didnât keep you from frantically searching the internet when you finally got out of the tub and saw blood dotting the liner of your bathing suit bottoms.Â
You kept the bloody show to yourself, curling up in bed and trying to think calming thoughts as you hugged your pregnancy pillow.
Just a few more hours, and then Jake would be home.Â
Gripping the bathroom sink, you swayed back and forth, blowing out a breath through pursed lips. Youâd been up throughout the night, waddling to the bathroom and trying to breathe through the contractions that started and stopped. Around two in the morning, you almost caved and called triage to see if you needed to come in before the time between contractions lengthened again.
Nerves had kept you awake for the next few hours, and you finally dozed off before hearing your alarm go off at 6:30AM.Â
Waking up felt like Christmas morning as a kid - the anticipation propelling you out of bed and into the shower. The warm water felt like heaven on your back, and you braced yourself on the wall, recalling how Jake had massaged your tight muscles after the flight to Japan. In just over three hours, he could do it again.Â
Javy and Jake had hammered out the details of how the morning would go as you soaked in the tub. The air wing was scheduled to arrive around 10:00AM, with the families invited to come around 8:00AM. While you were more than willing to drive yourself, the men in your life were adamant that you take it easy. So, instead, Javy would drive you to the base in the truck and catch a ride with one of the other Daggers after work to pick up his Jeep. âIâll officially be off baby watch,â Javy had said, letting his head fall back against the wall.Â
So, as sleep-deprived as you were, you didnât mind getting up early to get ready. Sure, the contractions made it so you had to pause while doing your hair and makeup to focus on your breathing. And yeah, the burgundy dress youâd bought offline wasnât the most comfortable on your belly, but it hopefully wouldnât be on for too long. After grabbing Jakeâs brown leather jacket from the back of the closet, you forced yourself to examine your appearance in the mirror. Your lipstick almost perfectly matched the color of your dress, and your cheeks flushed with excitement.Â
In just a few hours, your husband would be home.Â
Homecoming morning was always hectic. Between making sure that everything was packed, grabbing breakfast, shoving bags into the travel pod, and wrapping up last-minute tasks, it was controlled chaos. There would be one last briefing - a reminder of the flight pattern and where each pilot would be in the flyby - before being dismissed to the flightline. The fixed-wing aircraft would launch before the carrier neared San Diego, making the hour flight back to Lemoore. The choppers would launch closer to shore, returning to North Island before the carrier docked in San Diego. Across the state, military families would be welcoming their sailors and aviators home.Â
âI have a feeling weâll be seeing each other soon,â Mav said, shaking Jakeâs hand as they stood below deck, watching the F-18s being loaded onto the elevators to be brought topside.Â
âComing up to Lemoore?â Jake asked. The tight-lipped smile the senior aviator gave him made him suppress a groan. âMy wifeâs not gonna be happy, is she?âÂ
Chuckling, Mav clapped him on the shoulder. âDonât think too much about it right now. Weâll talk soon.âÂ
âIt wasnât the worst, being deployed with you,â Rooster said, offering his hand.Â
âHigh praise, Rooster. Better watch it, or people might think weâre friends.â A smirk tugged at the other man's mouth as they shook.Â
âI told Nat Iâll be up your way in a few weeks. Iâd like to drop by and meet your daughter, if youâre okay with it.â
âSure.â Jake was shocked when he was pulled into a back-slapping hug. âGet home safe, Hangman. Tell your wife I said hi.â
And, as he sat in his jet, waiting for his turn to launch, Jake ran his finger along the pictures heâd stuck on the panel: one from your wedding, and Sloaneâs sonogram. Soon - but not soon enough - heâd be home.Â
The line to get on base was ridiculous, but Javy navigated the traffic easily while you impatiently sat in the passengerâs seat, rubbing your stomach and breathing through contractions. Sloane wiggled and turned, feeling your excitement and sharing her own. You pointedly ignored Javyâs nervous glances.Â
Families were directed to the Bounty Hunterâs hangar to await their loved ones, and you felt a momentâs regret at not making a sign or something to welcome your husband home when you saw the posterboards that many people carried. Women swayed babies on their hips, and kids chased one another, and you even saw a photographer or two waiting to document the homecoming for their clients.Â
But, rather than join them, you followed Javy to the Sidewinderâs hangar. Or, at least, you tried. You were constantly stopped by people you knew - maintenance crew members that you placed orders for, aviators who knew Jake, and civilian contractors you worked with. A smile was fixed to your lips as they exclaimed at you still being pregnant, tears stinging your eyes when they said how relieved they were that Jake was coming home in time. Javy hovered by your side until you waved him off to go to his 9:00AM briefing, promising to take it easy and put in the group chat if you needed anything before Jake landed.Â
Your coworkers escorted you to the Vigilanteâs hangar to get a bottle of water when you mentioned being thirsty. At some point, you knew that you needed to get back to the Bounty Hunterâs hangar, but it was nice to catch up with your friends. And it was a good distraction from the pain radiating from your back to your stomach, which you tried to ignore.Â
âI heard you were here, Mrs. Seresin - itâs good to see you,â Admiral Tritz, Jakeâs boss, said as he stepped into the break room. You set the water bottle on the counter and took the manâs outstretched hand. It had been a while since youâd seen him, but anytime youâd been in the hangar for work, heâd made it a point to check on you.
âGood to see you again, Admiral.â He grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he nodded to your stomach.
âI have to say - between his promotion to Lieutenant Commander and your little one being late, Hangmanâs in for a good year.â
âAs long as thereâs no PCS in the cards for us, Iâd agree,â you smiled, breath catching as another contraction hit. Tritzâs eyes narrowed, and his head cocked.
âAre you alright?â Unable to force the word from your lips, you nodded, fingers curling around the counter rim. And then you felt it.
A popping sensation low in your belly, and the trickle of fluid down your thighs.Â
It wasnât a dramatic gush, like youâd seen in too many movies. Instead, you seriously questioned if youâd just pissed yourself in front of your husbandâs boss. âOh fuck,â you groaned.
âOh fuck, indeed,â Admiral Tritz agreed.Â
The California coast sprawled beneath the wings of the jet, but Jakeâs eyes kept darting to the HUD, watching the miles to the base tick down. He knew that, like himself, the other pilots were leaning heavier on the throttle than necessary, the anticipation of getting home outweighing fuel rationing. This far out, they were still flying in the looser formation, not worrying about how they looked. Once they got closer to Lemoore, heâd call for a tighter formation, leading everyone home.Â
Already, he was imagining the scene. The smooth landing on his home flightline. Quickly doing his post-flight checks. Joining the huddle behind the jets to retrieve the rose heâd shelled out $10 to one of the guys for - his buddy doing the flower pick up so that the returning aviators would have something to give their loved ones. Forcing himself to walk across the tarmac instead of running to you. Finally, having you in his arms again. Kissing you.Â
âHangman, Fritz. Lemoore Tower.â
âRoger, Tower.â
âRoger, Tower,â Jake repeated.
âRelay new orders. Fritz to lead flyover. Hangman to land without flyby.â
âLeading flyover,â Fritz echoed. Jakeâs brow furrowed, his hand tightening on the throttle.Â
âSay again,â he said.
âFritz to lead flyover. Hangman to land without flyby,â the air traffic controller repeated. His eyes flitted to the gauges, worried heâd missed a warning that he was having mechanical issues but saw none.
âWhatâs the reason for the change in orders?â he asked.Â
âHangman to land without flyby.âÂ
âWilco.â ATC went quiet at his agreement to comply with the new orders, and Jake glanced over to his left to see Fritz looking at him.Â
âYou got any hot gauges?â the other pilot asked.Â
âNone.â After a moment, he announced, âClimbing.â Pulling back on the stick, he rose above the other pilots, allowing Fritz to drift into the lead spot. Once settled into the back of the pack, safely away from the jetwash, he glanced at his watch. The squad was already running late, a few mechanical issues delaying the launches. At this rate, it would be closer to 10:30AM when they approached Lemoore.Â
But if he didnât have to do the flyby, he would be on the ground within 45 minutes.Â
âYouâre not pushing, are you?â Javy demanded, head whipping to look at you as he stopped at a light. Ignoring him, you gripped the âoh shitâ bar and let your head fall back against the headrest as another contraction hit.Â
As soon as your water broke, Admiral Tritz helped you to sit in one of the chairs while sending your coworkers to put in an EMS report to have them sterilize the room. Another was sent to check how far away Jake was, while you quickly messaged Javy to let him know what was happening. The sound of boots slapping the ground heralded the arrival of the Daggers, and Javy and Bob helped you get to the truck, hands hovering anytime you had to stop to breathe. Nat went to pick up your hospital bag from the house, while Reuben hung back to update Jake when he landed. Youâd dashed off a quick text to your parents to let them know what was happening. As the date had neared, youâd all agreed that they would wait to come out until you were out of the hospital if Jake made it home. After assuring them that you wanted to stick to that plan, especially with your husband only a few hours away, you handed your phone to Javy to manage it. âYou should probably text his family and let him know,â you added as an afterthought. Â
Triage was a blur, but you were sent to Labor and Delivery after confirming your water had broken, and you were already 6 centimeters dilated. âWhereâs Jake?â you asked Javy as they rolled you into your room.
âHeâs still in the air. Should be here soon.â
Thankfully, Nat arrived in time with your bag and helped you change into the dressing gown a coworker had recommended. âPayback texted - Tritz went to the Tower and had them relay to Jake that heâs to land immediately.â
âDid they tell him why?â you asked, looking away as the nurse placed an IV in your hand.Â
âI donât think so. Probably safer - donât want him testing the speed limits of the aircraft.â That pulled a wry smile out of you, a welcome distraction from the numb feeling in your hand when the cold fluids started.Â
His tires hit the tarmac, and Jake let out a sigh of relief. He was home. Glancing up while taxiing, he saw the other jets lining up to land. As much as he would have liked to show off for you, at least he would be the first one to finish his post-flight checks. But as he maneuvered to the hangar and started to power down the engine, he noticed two people sprinting toward him.
The minute the engines stopped spinning, before the blocks were put around his tires, the canopy was going up. âWhat happened? Jake demanded, glancing down at Bob and Paybackâs anxious expressions.
âGet out. Iâll do your checks while Bob gets you to the hospital,â Payback ordered.Â
âHospital?â Panic nearly choked him, but Bob gave him a reassuring smile.
âNo baby yet. Phoenix and Coyote are with her.â His scramble down the ladder was less than graceful, nearly ending with him landing on his ass, but Jake managed to get down safely while tugging at one of his pockets to get his phone. They - along with smart watches - were forbidden on the flightline, but he powered it on anyway. While texts rolled in from his mother and sister, there were none from you. Payback took no time, climbing into the jet to double-check things while Bob grabbed Jakeâs elbow and hurried him toward his waiting car. The buckles on his g-suit clanked as he ran, helmet still in place.Â
âHangman!âÂ
The voice pulled him up short, and he turned to see Admiral Tritz grinning at him. âSir.â
âTold you the first is usually late. Weâll talk about your paternity leave in a few days. Congratulations, son.â
A nervous grin tugged at his mouth, and Jake threw possibly the sloppiest salute of his career. But it didnât matter as he put his head down and followed Bobâs jog to the parking lot. After tossing his helmet into the backseat, he called; you answered on the second ring.
âDarlinâ?âÂ
âJake,â you sobbed.
âHey, Mama. You okay?âÂ
âI need you.âÂ
âI know, baby. Iâm on my way.âÂ
âGet here. Please.âÂ
âIâm cominâ, darlinâ - Iâll be there soon.â He kept up the reassurances, barely aware of what he was saying as he struggled to strip off his g-suit while Bob wove through traffic. Thankfully, the gates to get off base werenât nearly as backed up as those getting on. Jake couldnât help but think about how he was retracing the route that had started this - from picking you up on base when you fainted, to driving you to the ED to get checked out, and finding out that you were pregnant.Â
But this time, rather than dropping you off and moving the truck, he was being dropped off at the hospital by Bob and rushing through the doors. With his phone pressed to his ear, listening to you breathe, he spotted Nat waiting for him in the lobby. Jake was grateful that she didnât take the time to hug him; instead, she only motioned for him to follow. The call dropped in the elevator, which took too long, stopping at almost every floor. âSheâs good, Hangman,â Nat assured him, noticing his uncharacteristic fidgeting.Â
It took everything in him to keep from running in the halls. Understanding his urgency, Nat lengthened her stride to match his. And then her hand wrapped around his elbow, tugging him to a stop outside a door that heâd already started walking past. âGood luck, Jake,â she said, squeezing gently before tapping on the door and pushing it open. A curtain blocked his view, but he quickly pushed it aside to see the most beautiful sight heâd ever seen.
Your head was lowered, one hand braced on the bed as you swayed. Your hair was piled on your head, tendrils falling and sticking to your face. Javy grinned from where he stood next to you, a hand between your shoulders and the other holding yours tightly. When you let out a moan, both menâs attention snapped back to you. Frozen in the doorway, the sound forced Jake to move, circling to take the spot at your free side. When his hand slid onto your lower back, your head lifted to meet his gaze. âHey, darlinâ.âÂ
Tears pricked your eyes as you bit your lip to keep from sobbing. Leaning heavily into your husband, you took his hand, nails digging into his skin. Finally, when the contraction ended, you fell into Jakeâs arms. Ignoring the monitor wrapped around your belly, you snuggled as close to him as possible as his lips pressed to the top of your head. âYou made it,â you breathed before bursting into tears.Â
âI made it,â he echoed, hand curling around the back of your neck. Jake peppered kisses across your face until he captured your mouth, crushing you to him. âIâve gotcha, darlinâ. Itâs alright, sweetheart.â Â
Javy snuck out, leaving the two of you alone. At least until the nurses came back in to check on you and found you clinging to your husband as he helped you sway through another contraction.
Later, he crouched in front of you to maintain eye contact, murmuring his love as you got the epidural. Held your hand through the worst of the shakes while brushing the hair from your face, and called for medication to help with the nausea. Made sure you had whatever you needed.Â
And finally, when your little girl made her long-awaited arrival, he was right beside you, blinking back tears as he watched Sloane being placed on your chest. Carefully cut her cord when Dr. Shearer offered before quickly returning to his spot on the bed. His eyes followed Sloaneâs every movement as she was cleaned and weighed, unwilling to rely on the bracelets on both of your wrists and her ankle to keep track of her.Â
Much later, after you moved into a recovery room and the wave of text messages congratulating you both had tapered off after youâd sent pictures of your perfect little girl, Jake sat in the uncomfortable chair next to you with his shirt off. You struggled to keep your eyes open, watching your husbandâs awestruck expression as he studied Sloaneâs tiny hand wrapped around his finger. âHey,â you murmured. Immediately, his gaze swung to you, sitting up in the chair slightly.Â
âYeah? You need something, Mama?â Smiling tiredly, you shook your head.
âI love you.â
âI love you too.â Carefully, he stood and walked closer. Sloane looked so tiny in her fatherâs arms, and he cautiously adjusted her before leaning down to kiss you. âClose those pretty eyes and relax, sleepy girl. Daddyâs got it.âÂ
Tears sprang to your eyes as you reached up to cup Jakeâs cheek, your thumb tracing his jaw as he smiled softly down at you. âBabe?âÂ
âYeah?â
âI know itâs a little early, but⊠I think we may need to revisit our contract.â The corners of his eyes crinkled as Jake grinned.
âWerenât you the one who said we should focus on one life-changing event before doing that?âÂ
âI changed my mind.â
âYou wanna renegotiate three months before our dating anniversary?â Biting your lower lip to keep from grinning, you nodded. âWhat terms are you offering?âÂ
Shaking your head, you traced his mouth with your thumb. âMostly updates. We didnât change the language to be husband and wife.â Nodding, he leaned closer to kiss you, but you pulled away at the last minute. âAnd I want to have McDonald's for our anniversary tradition. Dating and marriage.âÂ
His laugh was warm against your face before he kissed you. âYou'd better offer something amazing in return to get that,â he chuckled.Â
âYouâre holding her.âÂ
Grinning, Jake looked down at his daughter and shook his head. âSloane-girl, I love you so much. But your mamaâs gonna have to offer more than you to get out of letting me spoil her rotten for one of our anniversaries.â
âIf youâre implying another kid while my vagina is still recovering from pushing your daughter out - â Jake choked on a laugh and shook his head.Â
âWouldnât dream of it, darlinâ. But Iâm just sayinâ... I could be open to it if the conditions are right.âÂ
âName your terms, Seresin.â
âIâll have to think of them, Seresin.â Narrowing your eyes, you shook your head.Â
âYouâve got three months.âÂ
âDefinitely have more than that,â he countered. âIf it doesnât make the contract this year, weâll have the next. And then the one after that. And after that. And - â
You cut him off with a kiss, shifting over when he sat beside you. The move jostled Sloane, who let out a dissatisfied whimper. Instantly, both of your attentions were on her, and Jake gently rocked her while settling in next to you. His arm went around your shoulders, gently encouraging you closer as you checked on her.Â
And, while it wasnât the homecoming either of you had pictured after his first big deployment, neither you nor Jake would have traded it for the world.Â
----------------------------------------------
Author's Note: She's finally here! And Jake made it home! I had struggled since starting to plot this story if it was gonna happen. I wanted this fic to be a more realistic approach to what military families go through, so initially I was going to have him watch the delivery while he was deployed. Then I thought about Mav pulling some strings with the higher ups to get him home when Darlin' went into labor the day before homecoming. But the other night I had a dream about this scenario and it fit - just a smidge of an Admiral putting his thumb on the scale to get Jake home quicker by missing a flyby rather than the entire carrier scrambling to launch one ship.
This fic isn't over - there's still at least one more chapter left. I hope this didn't disappoint after the (too long) buildup! We finally hit D-Day, i.e., delivery day (originally, I snuck the word 'delivery' into every chapter... that quickly trailed off).
If you would like to be added to the tag list, please fill out my tag form here.
âPlease donât have my goddaughter in the Jeep - I just got it detailed,â Javy said, hurrying around you to toss your bag into the back seat and open the door before coming back to your side.
But imagine the epic storyđ
đ„șđ„șđ„ș
âEverythingâs gonna be alright.â âYouâre not here.â Tears pricked your eyes, and you swallowed hard as you watched your husband nod slowly. âJake.â His name was a sob, and you watched his Adamâs apple bob as he swallowed hard. âYou got this, darlinâ.â Glancing up, you saw Javy locking the front door, your laptop and charger in hand. âI love you.â
âYour water didnât break, so weâre not going to admit you now.â You grinned as Jake sighed. âThatâs good news?â the woman asked, confusion evident in her tone. âAmazing news.â
Probably not the reaction she usually gets đ
âNope, we want this one to wait at least two more days until her daddy gets home. This is the only time we want a Seresin to be running late.â Jake laughed at that. âAgreed, darlinâ. Make sure our daughter knows that.â
The only time little Sloane will be late and her life hasn't properly started yet đ€
Javy was at your side the moment the door opened, helping you to sit up. âSo? Is it baby time?â âNot yet.â
I can just feel the joy and relief in those two little words
After running your fingers along the Baby on Board sticker that Bob had placed on the back window months ago, you leaned against the cab. Putting on your sunglasses, you settled in to watch the following duo line up at the far end of the flightline.Â
Bob getting her that sticker đ„čđ„°
Most of the time, you were too busy to watch the planes you worked near. Sure, you could pause a few minutes to watch as they taxiied past, or shade your eyes to watch as they shot by. But actually taking the time just to enjoy? Not very often. It made you think of the air shows you went to with your dad. Of how youâd one day imagined working on those engines before deciding against going into the Air Force. How those dreams had shifted to figuring out how to improve the propulsion systems.
What a great moment to use just before Sloane's arrival to enjoy this đ„°
Canât wait to take my girls to one.Â
đ„čđ„°đ„čđ„°
âExcuse me,â you snapped, holding up a finger before pointing it at your stomach. âThe baby is in the same place she was then. So who was right about not being in labor? Thatâs right - the one with a vagina said baby will be exiting.â
Period đđ»
When the contraction loosened its grip, you forced yourself to go about your day. There was a checklist on your phone of things to do before Jake got home and you went to the hospital, so you focused on those. If you had to pause and breathe through a contraction, that was your business. They still werenât regular enough to raise an alarm, and your research said that you were okay unless you had difficulty walking or talking through them. So you kept up a conversation with Sloane when they hit, almost begging your daughter to hold on.Â
Pregnant people are just so impressive to me đđ»
Around three, you retreated to the bathroom. You sprinkled Epsom salt into the tepid bath, hoping that the lavender scent would help you relax. With your glass of water sitting on the rim of the tub and hair piled on top of your head, you pictured Jake sitting beside you, chin resting on his arm, as his fingers trailed through the water before drawing circles on your stomach. You imagined running your hand through his hair, watching his green eyes dart to meet yours when your stomach tightened under his touch. How his head would lift so he could track the time on his watch, counting the seconds as your fingers curled around his forearm.Â
He absolutely wouldđ„č
Tears leaked from the corners of your eyes. You wanted Jake so badly. And, while the six months apart were difficult, the last day without him was the worst. In less than 19 hours, you would be waiting for him on the flightline. He would be home and safe in your arms.Â
They have been through a lot so those last hours probably feel like they are stretching
âYour wifeâs grumpy when sheâs in labor, Hangman.â Dipping your hand back into the water, you flicked droplets at him as Jake chuckled. âIâd like to see you be a ray of sunshine when you have a tiny human preparing to make her appearance and making your back ache like a motherfucker.âÂ
Oh he would go down so bad, I feel liek she should make Javy just try a period cramp simulator or something and then they can talk đ
Waking up felt like Christmas morning as a kid - the anticipation propelling you out of bed and into the shower. The warm water felt like heaven on your back, and you braced yourself on the wall, recalling how Jake had massaged your tight muscles after the flight to Japan. In just over three hours, he could do it again.Â
Counting down the minutes đ
Javy and Jake had hammered out the details of how the morning would go as you soaked in the tub. The air wing was scheduled to arrive around 10:00AM, with the families invited to come around 8:00AM. While you were more than willing to drive yourself, the men in your life were adamant that you take it easy. So, instead, Javy would drive you to the base in the truck and catch a ride with one of the other Daggers after work to pick up his Jeep. âIâll officially be off baby watch,â Javy had said, letting his head fall back against the wall.Â
The relief he is longing for đ
âIt wasnât the worst, being deployed with you,â Rooster said, offering his hand. âHigh praise, Rooster. Better watch it, or people might think weâre friends.â A smirk tugged at the other man's mouth as they shook.Â
Those two đ
âI have to say - between his promotion to Lieutenant Commander and your little one being late, Hangmanâs in for a good year.â
For real!
A popping sensation low in your belly, and the trickle of fluid down your thighs. It wasnât a dramatic gush, like youâd seen in too many movies. Instead, you seriously questioned if youâd just pissed yourself in front of your husbandâs boss. âOh fuck,â you groaned. âOh fuck, indeed,â Admiral Tritz agreed.Â
Ngl impeccable timing in Sloane's part lol
As soon as your water broke, Admiral Tritz helped you to sit in one of the chairs while sending your coworkers to put in an EMS report to have them sterilize the room. Another was sent to check how far away Jake was, while you quickly messaged Javy to let him know what was happening. The sound of boots slapping the ground heralded the arrival of the Daggers, and Javy and Bob helped you get to the truck, hands hovering anytime you had to stop to breathe. Nat went to pick up your hospital bag from the house, while Reuben hung back to update Jake when he landed. Youâd dashed off a quick text to your parents to let them know what was happening. As the date had neared, youâd all agreed that they would wait to come out until you were out of the hospital if Jake made it home. After assuring them that you wanted to stick to that plan, especially with your husband only a few hours away, you handed your phone to Javy to manage it. âYou should probably text his family and let him know,â you added as an afterthought. Â
The ball is rolling but they are all such a great team!đđ»
Thankfully, Nat arrived in time with your bag and helped you change into the dressing gown a coworker had recommended. âPayback texted - Tritz went to the Tower and had them relay to Jake that heâs to land immediately.â âDid they tell him why?â you asked, looking away as the nurse placed an IV in your hand. âI donât think so. Probably safer - donât want him testing the speed limits of the aircraft.â That pulled a wry smile out of you, a welcome distraction from the numb feeling in your hand when the cold fluids started.Â
They knew what they were doing not telling Jake what's up lol
The voice pulled him up short, and he turned to see Admiral Tritz grinning at him. âSir.â âTold you the first is usually late. Weâll talk about your paternity leave in a few days. Congratulations, son.â A nervous grin tugged at his mouth, and Jake threw possibly the sloppiest salute of his career. But it didnât matter as he put his head down and followed Bobâs jog to the parking lot. After tossing his helmet into the backseat, he called; you answered on the second ring.
Admiral Tritz being there from the start right to the end, poetic and he probably wants to meet the tiny human that caused before and with her arrival such a ruckus with one of his best people đ€
But this time, rather than dropping you off and moving the truck, he was being dropped off at the hospital by Bob and rushing through the doors. With his phone pressed to his ear, listening to you breathe, he spotted Nat waiting for him in the lobby. Jake was grateful that she didnât take the time to hug him; instead, she only motioned for him to follow. The call dropped in the elevator, which took too long, stopping at almost every floor. âSheâs good, Hangman,â Nat assured him, noticing his uncharacteristic fidgeting.Â
I love how the team has it all covered so well đđ»đ„°
It took everything in him to keep from running in the halls. Understanding his urgency, Nat lengthened her stride to match his. And then her hand wrapped around his elbow, tugging him to a stop outside a door that heâd already started walking past. âGood luck, Jake,â she said, squeezing gently before tapping on the door and pushing it open. A curtain blocked his view, but he quickly pushed it aside to see the most beautiful sight heâd ever seen.
From one mission straight to the next
Tears pricked your eyes as you bit your lip to keep from sobbing. Leaning heavily into your husband, you took his hand, nails digging into his skin. Finally, when the contraction ended, you fell into Jakeâs arms. Ignoring the monitor wrapped around your belly, you snuggled as close to him as possible as his lips pressed to the top of your head. âYou made it,â you breathed before bursting into tears. âI made it,â he echoed, hand curling around the back of your neck. Jake peppered kisses across your face until he captured your mouth, crushing you to him. âIâve gotcha, darlinâ. Itâs alright, sweetheart.â Â
The relief i felt just rwasing thisđ„č
Later, he crouched in front of you to maintain eye contact, murmuring his love as you got the epidural. Held your hand through the worst of the shakes while brushing the hair from your face, and called for medication to help with the nausea. Made sure you had whatever you needed.
He wanted to do what he can doing pregnancy but couldn't, so he is giving it his all now đ„č
 âYeah? You need something, Mama?â Smiling tiredly, you shook your head. âI love you.â âI love you too.â Carefully, he stood and walked closer. Sloane looked so tiny in her fatherâs arms, and he cautiously adjusted her before leaning down to kiss you. âClose those pretty eyes and relax, sleepy girl. Daddyâs got it.âÂ
đ„čđ„°đ„čđ„°
Shaking your head, you traced his mouth with your thumb. âMostly updates. We didnât change the language to be husband and wife.â Nodding, he leaned closer to kiss you, but you pulled away at the last minute. âAnd I want to have McDonald's for our anniversary tradition. Dating and marriage.â His laugh was warm against your face before he kissed you. âYou'd better offer something amazing in return to get that,â he chuckled. âYouâre holding her.âÂ
I think that's a fair deal, that's 9 months of heard work right there đ€
And, while it wasnât the homecoming either of you had pictured after his first big deployment, neither you nor Jake would have traded it for the world.Â
âDefinitely have more than that,â he countered. âIf it doesnât make the contract this year, weâll have the next. And then the one after that. And after that. And - â
Because the heave all the future together ahead of them đ„°
Javy was SO RELIEVED to be off baby watch. You know that man was stressing the whole pregnancy.
And I love that Bob put the Baby on Board sticker on Jake's truck as a little dig at him for their time at TOPGUN together, but Darlin' thinks it's just a sweet gesture.
And I'm glad you picked up on Tritz being there at the beginning and end! He will definitely want to meet the newest member of the Vigilante family.
Talk Shop Tuesday: the day of the week where you send fan creators (fic writers, fan artists, anyone that creates things for your fandom) questions about what they do! It can be fic-specific or general but either way: send them a question talking "shop" about the things they create! You never know what you might learn!
