highwaytothedangerzone502

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 53

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 1987

Warnings: Mention of death, grief

Summary: Hangman learned his lesson a long time ago to never show his true feelings when someone's words or actions hurt him. To do so showed weakness that could be exploited, and Seresin men couldn't show weakness. Of course, there was an exception to every rule, and Jake's always came in the form of women, three in particular: his mom, Juliette Kazansky, and the girl whose name he could no longer bring himself to speak. She was the girl that got away; she was his biggest 'what if' and his biggest regret; she would forever be the ghost that haunted his dreams. Jake believed that's where she'd stay, for he would surely never see her again after what he did.

Or so he thought.

Notes: This is the sequel to India Lima Yankee; I'm using the same callsign for the Female OC as in Ghost Story because I just really like it, but they are different characters; chapters in italics are flashbacks.

Chapter Songs: See You Again (ft. Charlie Puth) See You Again (Carrie Underwood)

****

Hangman

"Do you just automatically assume I'm here now?" Hangman inquired of his best friend as he stared out over the ocean from the privacy behind a few boxes.

"Pretty much," Coyote replied, plopping beside Hangman with a grunt. "If you're not in your bunk or at the gym, I check here. How are you holding up?"

Hangman shrugged indifferently. "Pleased we rescued the POWs, thrilled we destroyed the terrorists and their base, disappointed the Shabah Alghaba was a man instead of a woman."

"Have you met the rescuees?"

"Yeah, met them yesterday morning." Twenty-four hours after the mission, Hangman met them, mainly to see for his own eyes that they were safe. Another, smaller part of him hoped to meet the Shabah Alghaba to validate that they were, in fact, a man. According to the POWS, the person wasn't there, still in intensive care. Hangman heard nothing further about the matter. "When are you heading home?"

"Cyclone offered to let me go home as soon as I wanted since this was a special mission, but I decided to stay here with you."

Hangman's heart warmed at his friend's admission. "And the others?"

"Heading home except for Maverick. Rooster wants to be home with Jules and the twins, and Phoenix and Bob are just eager to return home."

"I don't blame them. If you-"

"Don't even finish that sentence. We're the last of the Four Musketeers. We gotta stick together, man."

Jake obliged and changed course. "So, why is Pops staying behind?"

Coyote shrugged. "No idea."

"You could ask me yourself," Maverick voiced from behind the pair. Coyote whirled around, but Hangman merely peered over his shoulder. However, seeing Mav's pale face, he immediately stood to check on him. "I'm fine. Glad I found you, though. I need both of you to follow me."

Hangman and Coyote shared a concerned look before obeying, keeping close to the Captain's heels. As they made their way through the labyrinthine hallways of the carrier, Hangman began to recognize where they were headed. Were they about to meet the Shabah Alghaba? Had he requested their presence? Or would their visit be a surprise?

"How is he doing?" Hangman queried, a small part of him still wishing it'd been a big misunderstanding, that the person had been misidentified as a man, that he was, in fact, a woman. That he was Ghost. But he reminded himself that he had used up all his miracles when he somehow convinced Ghost to give him another chance he did not deserve. It'd be foolish to ask God for one more.

"Alive and recovering, but they're in rough condition. Severely malnourished, severe ear infection that's travelled down her throat, which is causing issues speaking, hence why she couldn't speak to us in the air." Maverick stopped outside the door to a sick room and faced the two aviators.

Coyote grimaced. "I'm glad-"

"She?" Hangman interrupted sharply, eyes searching Maverick's imploringly, waiting to find the cruel lie, deciding this had to be a cruel prank by the Captain for allowing his daughter, his only biological child, to die.

But as fast as the accusation rose in his head, it immediately dissipated at the silver brimming in Maverick's green eyes as the Captain nodded slightly and confirmed, "She."

****

Ghost

They say when you die, your life flashes before your eyes. They say there will be a bright white light at the end of the tunnel.

Ghost experienced neither of those things, unless the light at the end of the tunnel was hellfire, because she could feel intense heat emanating from wherever the hell she was, although it contradicted the coolness on her skin, and the sound of crashing waves and the roaring of an unidentifiable source.

Ghost woke up in a place she'd never been before, but she recognized the faces surrounding her as they lounged in the chairs nearby, chatting amiably over a cup of tea. Or in Ghoul's case, a large Pumpkin Spice Latte. Her favorite, a cliche she'd always embraced.

Ghoul? How was she here? Where was here? Why was everyone surrounding her... dead? Ghost stared at the faces of her former WSO, her dad, Admiral Kazansky, Natalie Seresin, and Nick and Carole Bradshaw. She never met the last two in person but had seen enough pictures from Rooster to recognize them.

"Ghoul?" Ghost croaked in disbelief, staring wide-eyed at her friend's happy, healthy form. Ghoul stopped mid-sentence and beamed at Ghost before leaping up and bounding over to her, engulfing her in a tight hug. "I missed you!"

"I missed you, too!" Ghoul pulled away, only to be replaced by Ghost's dad, then Natalie, then Admiral Kazansky, then the Bradshaws.

"I-where am I? What's going on? Am I dead?" Ghost queried, heartache rising in her chest at the idea of her friends and family back in reality that she'd been alive all this time, fighting her way to get back to them.

"No, not yet," Mr. Blackwood said, smiling softly at his daughter. "But you've given it your best shot."

"This-" Admiral Kazansky motioned at the quiet room they stood in, which Ghost now recognized as the Hard Deck- "is a creation of your own mind."

"So... this is all my imagination?"

"No. Just because this place you've created isn't real doesn't mean we aren't. You're unconscious, and if you're able to talk to us, it most likely means you're close to dying."

"I don't want to die," Ghost suddenly said, the truth hitting her hard because as much as she missed her dad and her best friend and Mrs. Seresin, she missed those back home, in reality, more. She had so much more to live for still. "How do I-"

"Just because you're close to dying doesn't mean you are dying. Consider this a... checkpoint, of sorts," Ghoul explained carefully. "A last chance for you to decide whether you want to continue living or not. Your body is in rough condition, so it won't be an easy recovery, but it is possible."

Ghost sat down, overwhelmed by the information given to her, but mainly by the presence of those she and her loved ones had lost, their time having ended much too soon.

"I'm so sorry we couldn't save you," Ghost whispered, looking first at Ghoul, then at Natalie, then at Goose. Logically, she knew there was nothing that she, Hangman, or Maverick could've done to prevent their deaths, but it still weighed heavily on the three living aviators.

She turned to her dad, Admiral Kazansky, and Carole, saying sincerely, "You were taken from us too early, too. I wish we could've caught the symptoms earlier, figured out the issue sooner than we did."

Her dad smiled understandingly at her. "There was nothing you could've done for any of us, nor could the doctors. It was terminal already for Carole and Tom, and the blockage in my heart was too big to do anything less than what it did to me."

Ghost nodded in understanding, wiping the silent tears rolling down her cheeks. "We miss you all so much. We talk about all of you still, and there's not a day that goes by that we don't think of you."

"Tell Maverick thank you," Goose said, his signature grin on his face. "Tell him thank you for raising Bradley and for taking care of Carole."

"Tell him thank you for me too," Carole added, leaning into her husband's tall, lanky frame. "And tell Bradley we're so proud of the man he's become. We're watching over him, Juliette, and their kids."

Natalie knelt beside Ghost and placed a motherly hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for taking care of my son when I couldn't. Regardless of what's happened between y'all, you found your way back to each other. Tell him I love him, that I don't blame him for what happened, and that I'm so glad he and Michael have become the brothers I always wished them to be."

Ghost nodded, sniffling. "Any other messages?"

"Give your mom and Jackie a hug for me," her dad said, kissing her atop her head.

Admiral Kazansky stepped forward. "Tell Juliette I'm so proud of how she handled everything with Maverick after I passed. I know the burden was anything but small, but I knew she was the only one who would make the same decisions as I would have. Tell her I'm glad I got to see her, if only briefly."

Ghost tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean you saw her?"

"When she coded at the hospital after giving birth, she experienced something very similar to what you are now, although it was just me and the Bradshaws. Your situation is a little more unique."

"I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing."

"Probably a little bit of both," Ghoul piped up, offering her hand out. Ghost took it. The aviator hugged everyone goodbye, lingering on her dad and Natalie, wishing this wouldn't be the last time.

Ghost forced herself to step away, though, and she allowed Ghoul to lead her out of the room. Once on the beach, the two girls stared at the waves, enjoying each other's silence and understanding they would never have this opportunity again until, perhaps, Ghost one day fully died.

"I heard you that day in your apartment, you know. You'd left the bar early with Juliette, and Maverick dropped you off at home," Ghoul said, sitting down in the sand.

Ghost joined her, heart wrenching at the memory. "So much was happening, and I just..."

"I know. I tried to answer, but I didn't have the power. Luckily for me, Juliette called you the next day, and I knew you were in good hands. I'm glad you have her."

"She's been a lifesaver this past year," Ghost acknowledged, thinking back to all the times Juliette had supported her while dealing with her own issues. "I don't know how I can ever repay her."

"By returning home. She needs her Maid of Honor back." Ghoul bumped Ghost's shoulder affectionately. "You should head back soon, but before you do, there are three things. First, tell Hangman I don't blame him. What happened was not his fault. Second, it was not your fault either. I was already gone even when I coded in sickbay. Physically, I was there, but my mind was already gone. Neither Hangman nor you nor the doctors could have saved me. Do you understand?"

Ghost nodded, her friend's words sinking in and lifting some of the guilt off her soul. "I do. And the third thing?"

"Tell Coyote it's okay for him to move on. Tell him I want to see him happy again, and that I approve of Phoenix."

If Ghost had been drinking something, she absolutely would've spewed it out. "Coyote is dating Phoenix?"

At this, Ghoul grinned. "Yeah, they're keeping it under wraps. Only Bob knows," she replied, although her smile faded quickly. "He feels guilty dating someone else. He feels like he's cheating on me. Tell him it's okay. Tell him to live his life, and that we'll see each other again one day."

"I will." Ghost reached over and grabbed Ghoul's hand, squeezing it affectionately. The two girls sat like that for a few minutes before Ghost sighed heavily and said, "How do I get back?"

"You just have to close your eyes."

"It's that simple?"

Ghoul nodded. "It's that simple. I'll see you again, Ghost. Just make sure it's not anytime soon. Try not to knock on death's door, although I know that may be hard with Mav being your dad. It might be genetic."

"As is surviving after knocking, apparently. But I do promise to try my hardest not to get this close to dying. Again."

"I'll hold you to it. Goodbye, Annalise. I love you."

"Goodbye, Lydia. I love you, too."

Ghost closed her eyes.

****

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[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Goose: Still not over how yesterday when we flight landed, Mav said we arrived 50 minutes early because he took some "shortcuts". Goose: Excuse me, we were in the sky, what do you mean???

Mav: *cackling in the corner*

Ice: *face palming next to him*

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

I will never be over this.

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

GLEN POWELL AS ↴ HANGMAN — TOP GUN: MAVERICK (2022)

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Ice: *Falls off the top bunk*

Ice: Hey Ron

Slider, on the bottom bunk raising his eyebrow: Hey Tommy

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Top Gun: Maverick (2022), dir. Joseph Kosinski

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

WHO DID THIS

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 52

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 1074

Warnings: Mention of death, swearing

Summary: Hangman learned his lesson a long time ago to never show his true feelings when someone's words or actions hurt him. To do so showed weakness that could be exploited, and Seresin men couldn't show weakness. Of course, there was an exception to every rule, and Jake's always came in the form of women, three in particular: his mom, Juliette Kazansky, and the girl whose name he could no longer bring himself to speak. She was the girl that got away; she was his biggest 'what if' and his biggest regret; she would forever be the ghost that haunted his dreams. Jake believed that's where she'd stay, for he would surely never see her again after what he did.

Or so he thought.

Notes: This is the sequel to India Lima Yankee; I'm using the same callsign for the Female OC as in Ghost Story because I just really like it, but they are different characters; chapters in italics are flashbacks.

Chapter Songs: Tally Two/What's the Plan/F-14 Bigger Than The Whole Sky

****

Hangman

The first half of the mission went without incident; the POWs, led by Vin and Diesel, were extracted. Much to the dismay of Hangman, the Shabah Alghaba followed through with their promise of commandeering the terrorists' F-14 rather than joining the POWs on the rescue chopper. Now Hangman would have to wait even longer to learn the pilot's identity because not only were they clearly not on the helicopter, but they also chose not to follow it back to the carrier, instead flying alongside Maverick and Hangman. The latter wished he knew sign language so that he could ask the pilot via that method about their identity. Of course, that would've required Ghost to be able to sign as well, and she didn't outside of a few swears taught to her by a former neighbor. And if this pilot could use sign language, it would be a clear indicator that they weren't Ghost.

"Dagger Five, escort the rescue chopper back to the carrier," Maverick ordered, pulling alongside the newcomer and slowing down until he hovered dangerously close to their wing. "To the pilot in the F-14, can you hear me?"

Hangman watched the exchange of hand signals between the two pilots. Based on what he saw, the friendly pilot could hear them but not speak. Maverick confirmed Hangman's suspicions shortly after.

"Either their mic isn't working or they physically can't speak," Maverick informed. "Regardless, as long as they can hear us, we can work with that. For this mission, your callsign will be Havoc, which I think is fitting, considering the havoc you wreaked on the terrorists. Is your plane armed?"

Havoc offered a thumbs-up.

"How are you on fuel?"

Havoc tilted their hand from side to side. Hangman suspected it was probably halfway- not empty but not full either. Still, doable in their current situation.

"I know you want to fight-"Maverick started, earning an enthusiastic nod from Havoc- "but you just survived harsh winter terrain for at least a month. Are you in the best condition to fight?"

Their friend hesitated, then finally shook their head in denial. Maverick nodded and said, "I appreciate the honesty. My wingman and I are going to attack the base now that the POWs are gone. I want you to circle the perimeter and stay out of any lines of fire until Dagger Five arrives to escort you back to the carrier. Understood?"

Havoc gave a thumbs up and then veered off to the left.

"I think transmission is either distorted or weak, but it looks like the message got through to them," Maverick said as he and Hangman watched Havoc give a wide berth to the pilots as they circled the area. "Come on, we've got a base to destroy."

With the POWs having captured and held the base, all the terrorists resided at the other location, which, judging by the chatter from Rooster and Coyote, was being easily wiped out of existence by their concentrated efforts. This also meant there was no opposition for Hangman and Maverick, and they swiftly and surely destroyed their target and completed their mission, with Rooster and Coyote not far behind.

"Dagger Five to Dagger One, I'm here to escort our friendly home," Phoenix informed, blasting into the battle area. "Although by the looks of it, you've done a lot of damage in a short amount of time."

"That we have. Mission's complete. We'll head back to the carrier. Havoc, you read me?"

Unless Hangman was mistaken, he could've sworn he heard a 'yes,' but it was so faint and raspy that he couldn't tell whether it was male or female. "We're heading back to the carrier. I want you on my right wing where I can see you. Dagger Five, take my six. Dagger Two, on my left."

The fighters fell into place, and for the next few minutes, radio silence ensued. Rooster and Coyote joined their group halfway to the carrier. Hangman kept a careful eye on Havoc. The pilot hadn't shown any reaction to indicate familiarity with Maverick or the other Daggers. However, if the signal was weak, as Mav thought, then maybe their voices weren't recognizable to the pilot. Perhaps they sounded to the pilot what the pilot sounded to them: faint and raspy. Distorted. Unrecognizable.

Still, Hangman dared to hope, if only a little, that it might be Ghost. They hadn't found her body, hadn't found any trace of her when they searched. She very well could've escaped, could've survived in the harsh, sub-zero temperatures in the middle of the mountains, wreaking havoc on the terrorists and helping the POWs. Could've-

She was incinerated in the crash, you fool. The malicious reminder dimmed the flame of hope in Hangman's chest. This wasn't one of Ghost's romance novels. This wasn't a fanfiction story where an upset writer could simply bring back the dead character. This was real life, and Hangman had used up the only miracle in his arsenal when he somehow convinced Ghost to love him.

As the carrier came into view, Havoc began signing frantically to Maverick. It took a moment for the squadron to understand, and it was Phoenix who figured it out. "Their fuel is low. I'm not sure they'll be able to make it to the carrier."

"Shit, their fuel gauge must've been off because they thought they had enough earlier," Maverick said darkly. "Pretty sure they don't have a tail hook for carrier landings, too. We'll need to-"

Havoc jerked their plane to the right, hitting the afterburners so the F-14 shot away. Believing the friendly to be turning enemy and targeting the carrier, the Daggers turned tail to follow. However, as Hangman closed in on the fleeing aircraft, he also zeroed in on the struggling engines, watching as the left one went out, and then the right.

"They're not attacking," Hangman observed. "They're-"

Havoc ejected from the F-14 and floated down into the rough black waves. Maverick instantly requested a rescue chopper for them, and the Daggers did not leave the area until they saw Havoc safely airlifted into the helicopter.

"How are they doing? Are they okay?" Hangman asked, unable to help the worry that tinged his voice.

"This is Chevy. "He's unconscious and banged up pretty badly. We need to get him to sick bay immediately."

He. That's what Chevy referred to Havoc as, not a her. And with that, any hope Hangman had left evaporated.

****

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Chp 45 Chp 46 Chp 47 Chp 48 Chp 49 Chp 50 Chp 51 Chp 52

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[highwaytothedangerzone502]

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 51

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 1479

Warnings: Mention of death, depression, grief

Summary: Hangman learned his lesson a long time ago to never show his true feelings when someone's words or actions hurt him. To do so showed weakness that could be exploited, and Seresin men couldn't show weakness. Of course, there was an exception to every rule, and Jake's always came in the form of women, three in particular: his mom, Juliette Kazansky, and the girl whose name he could no longer bring himself to speak. She was the girl that got away; she was his biggest 'what if' and his biggest regret; she would forever be the ghost that haunted his dreams. Jake believed that's where she'd stay, for he would surely never see her again after what he did.

Or so he thought.

Notes: This is the sequel to India Lima Yankee; I'm using the same callsign for the Female OC as in Ghost Story because I just really like it, but they are different characters; chapters in italics are flashbacks.

Chapter Songs: You're Where You Belong/Give 'Em Hell Destiny

****

Hangman

Seeing his godchildren before deploying reminded Hangman why he needed to return from this mission, even if part of him wished to join Ghost in her snowy, mountainous grave. His sisterly relationship with Juliette and Phoenix, his brotherhood with Coyote, and even with Rooster and Bob, also reminded him that he had to return. Not to mention Hangman didn't want to put Charlie through any further grief, and Jackie might drag him back from the depths of Hell herself if he died on this mission. Then there was his oldest brother, Matt, his wife, Melissa, and daughter, Sophie, with whom Hangman had finally developed a strong relationship. He couldn't leave them now.

Tom. Carole. Juliette. Coyote. Rooster. Charlie. Jackie. Phoenix. Bob. Matt. Sophie. Melissa.

Hangman silently repeated the names in his head as he stared out over the open water, an ocean breeze ruffling his short hair. He would've been content to stand there forever.

Soft footsteps sounded from behind Hangman. Coyote appeared beside him and opened his hand, revealing a single dog tag. "I had these made after Ghost passed. It's not her real ones, but I thought it might suffice."

Hangman took the dog tag and rubbed his thumb over the shining metal. It contained all the information that would've been on Ghost's original dog tags. Hangman vaguely wondered how Coyote managed to find out her blood type.

"When you're ready, let me know," Coyote said, holding the second dog tag.

Hangman nodded, shutting his eyes and closing his fist over the cold piece of metal. Ghost would be avenged today. He'd make sure of it. Opening his eyes again and releasing an unsteady breath, Hangman said, "Ready."

Both aviators chucked Ghost's dog tags into the dark blue waters with all their might. A knot formed in Hangman's throat at the finality of the gesture, but he swallowed it down. Now was not the time to cry. They had a mission to accomplish.

"At least Ghost and Ghoul are together again," Coyote remarked wistfully. "I know they'll be watching over us today."

Hangman nodded in agreement, but refrained from speaking, his emotions threatening to overtake his ability to function.

Get it together, Jake. Keep it together for Ghost. Break down later.

"We should get going for the briefing," Coyote said, seeming reluctant to leave the tranquility of the moment. Still, he turned on his heel, and Hangman followed suit. They arrived at the briefing in the nick of time, taking their places beside Maverick. Rooster stood on the Captain's other side with Phoenix and Bob, all of them stoically facing the front of the room.

Cyclone and Warlock flanked the screen that showed the mission details, and the former began speaking. "Our intelligence discovered a terrorist base hidden deep within the mountain range where Lieutenant Blackwood was shot down. Up until yesterday, we believed that there was only one base. We've now learned there are two, one of which has been commandeered by some American POWs. Most are civilians, but a pilot and a WSO are in the mix and are relaying continuous intel to us. This means a new goal has been added to this mission. We need to retrieve the POWs before destroying the second base. Captain Mitchell, I'll leave it up to you to decide how you want to proceed with the teams."

Hope fluttered in Hangman's chest. A pilot POW? Could it be…? Maverick must've had a similar thought because he asked, "Sir, do we know who the pilot and WSO are?"

Cyclone nodded. "Captain Vin and Lieutenant Diesel. They're both Air Force. They were shot down in a different part of the region, but it appears they were brought to our target location for their imprisonment."

The hope died in Hangman's chest. For a fleeting second, he thought Ghost might've been the pilot. For a fleeting second, he thought he might get to hold his fiancée in his arms again.

But no.

Warlock's gaze flicked over to the Rear Admiral. The two men shared a long look, silently communicating before Cyclone said hesitantly, "Captain Vin mentioned they had outside help in overtaking the second base. Allegedly, there's a lone ranger who's been assassinating the terrorists over the course of the month. The person either can't or won't speak, or doesn't speak English, but the POWs have only interacted with them in person a couple of times, most recently when they snuck weapons into the jail cells. The terrorists have nicknamed the person Shabah Alghaba, which, translated to English, means Forest Ghost."

A new hope sprang back into Hangman's chest. It was Ghost. It had to be.

"Is it a man or a woman?" Maverick asked, clearly thinking along the same lines as Hangman.

"They're not sure. The person keeps their face hidden and wears too many layers to determine any identifying bodily features. We intend to rescue them as well, if we can."

Maverick nodded. "Noted. Lieutenants Bradshaw and Machado will attack the first base while Lieutenant Seresin and I will assist in the rescue operation before initiating our attack on the second base. Lieutenants Trace and Floyd will remain on standby in the air until we need their assistance."

"Good. Any questions before we get started?"

Hangman glanced at his comrades out of the corner of his eye. None of them moved. Their silence gave Cyclone his answer. "Dismissed. Let's bring our people home."

Hangman beelined for his plane, eager to get in the air. He highly doubted the savior of the POWs was Ghost; she surely would've told them who she was if it were her, but the smallest flame of hope refused to die until he knew for sure. Either way, today, Hangman would save her or avenge her.

"If it's Ghost—" Maverick said, coming to stand beside Jake— "we'll get her home. We're not leaving her behind."

"I know, Sir." Hangman omitted the fact that if the extraction team couldn't rescue Ghost, if it was her down there, then he would eject from his plane and join her. He would not leave her down there alone. They went home together, or they died together. There was no alternative.

"I'll see you up there." Maverick clapped Hangman's shoulder and strode off to his plane. Jake scanned the deck. Coyote, Phoenix, and Bob were already in their jets. Rooster was finishing his last checks but glanced up in Hangman's direction, as if sensing his comrade's gaze. The men nodded in acknowledgement, a silent understanding passing between them: take care of your wingman. Shortly after, the two men climbed into their planes. A few minutes later, Hangman took off, falling in line behind Maverick. Rooster and Coyote swiftly caught up to them. Upon reaching the mainland, the two parties deviated from each other to handle their respective bases.

"This is Dagger One," Maverick said, dipping his plane below the valley rim. "Do we have contact with Vin or Diesel?"

"We do. They have spotty reception, so you won't be able to hear them too clearly until you get closer to their location," Cyclone responded. "You should be within range shortly."

"Dagger Two speaking," Hangman chimed in, his attention focused on a figure sprinting through the snow and trees below. "Do we have word on where the Shabah Alghaba is?"

"Last we heard, Vin managed to get a message to him declaring our impending arrival. Why?"

"Because we just flew over someone bolting through the forest all by themselves, but I can't tell if it's friend or foe."

"It's... friend..." a voice crackled over the radio. A few seconds later, the same person continued, the reception much stronger and clearer. "This is Vin. All the terrorists stick together in groups of two or three at a minimum, so whoever you saw must've been Shabah Alghaba. They won't be joining us. I couldn't understand them fully since they can't exactly speak, but I think they said there's a fighter jet nearby. I'd fly it myself if it weren't for my broken arm. Truth be told, I'm not entirely sure they're in good enough shape to fly it either."

Maverick couldn't hide his surprise when he asked, "They're going to fly it?"

"I think so. Should be an F-14 if they do. It was the only one at this base. The other base holds the majority of the terrorists' aircraft," Vin answered matter-of-factly.

The breath caught in Hangman's throat; Shabah Alghaba was not only called a ghost by the terrorists, but they were a pilot as well. Hangman's heart ached to believe it was Ghost, but he reminded himself that Vin referred to the mysterious pilot as 'him.' But what if it was Ghost all layered up to protect herself from the cold? He wouldn't know until the pilot returned to the carrier.

Hangman took a deep, steadying breath. "Let's do this, Mav."

****

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Top Gun Silliness

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Top Gun Silliness

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 50

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 1463

Warnings: Mention of death, depression, grief, minor swearing

Summary: Hangman learned his lesson a long time ago to never show his true feelings when someone's words or actions hurt him. To do so showed weakness that could be exploited, and Seresin men couldn't show weakness. Of course, there was an exception to every rule, and Jake's always came in the form of women, three in particular: his mom, Juliette Kazansky, and the girl whose name he could no longer bring himself to speak. She was the girl that got away; she was his biggest 'what if' and his biggest regret; she would forever be the ghost that haunted his dreams. Jake believed that's where she'd stay, for he would surely never see her again after what he did.

Or so he thought.

Notes: This is the sequel to India Lima Yankee; I'm using the same callsign for the Female OC as in Ghost Story because I just really like it, but they are different characters; chapters in italics are flashbacks.

Also, if you want to cry, watch the music video for Legends 🙃

Chapter Songs: Legends Run

****

Hangman

A torrential downpour hit the Blackwood house, almost as if in warning to Jake not to go on the mission. He wholeheartedly ignored it. If this allowed him to destroy the people who took Ghost away from him, then not even God himself could stop him. That's not to say Hangman held no reservations about the mission. Rooster and Coyote would be the second pair with Phoenix as the reserve pilot, and although Hangman understood why Rooster took the opportunity to live rather than go down with Ghost, the aviator still worried incessantly about Coyote's well-being. His death would be the final nail in Jake's coffin.

After finishing packing, Hangman strode downstairs to find Maverick, who sat at the dining room table with Charlie and Jackie, sipping coffee. They all turned to face Hangman when he entered. Mav said, "Ready?"

"Yes, sir," Jake replied with a nod. Charlie and Jackie stood to hug the men goodbye. When the former reached Hangman, he whispered, "I'll make them pay for what they did to her."

"Just make sure you come back to me in the process. I lost one kid. I don't want to lose another," she responded softly, tightening her grip on his as if she dreaded letting him go. Hangman let her hug him as long as she needed, and it took a few more seconds before Charlie did, but he could tell she was forcing herself to. Jackie followed suit, ordering Hangman to return and stating that anything else was unacceptable. It made the corners of his lips tug upward.

The women walked Hangman and Maverick out, although they stayed underneath the covered porch to avoid getting soaked by the rain. Hangman threw his duffel in the backseat of the rental car before sliding into the passenger seat. While his Captain drove them to the airport, Hangman stared out the window, a swirling vortex of emotions raging in his heart: worry, anxiety, anger, anticipation... he couldn't decide which was the most prominent. It seemed as if they took turns.

The next few hours passed in a blur. Hangman, so distracted by his thoughts and his readiness to exact justice and vengeance for Ghost, hardly paid attention to what he was doing and where he was going. Like a plane on autopilot, he mimicked Maverick's actions, following him through the rental car station, to the airport, to the check-in counter, and through security to the plane. Hangman would've done the same when they arrived in California had a familiar blonde not called out his and Maverick's names in glee.

"Hey, Jules," Mav greeted with a fatherly smile, embracing his daughter-in-law. Hangman barely had time to brace himself before Juliette launched herself at him, squeezing him so tightly, he could scarcely breathe.

"It's so good to see you," she breathed, releasing her Vulcan grip on him. "Things haven't been the same without you here, and the twins miss their uncle."

Hangman was pretty sure the twins had no concept of object permanence yet, and even if they did, that they'd remember him, but he still said, "I missed them, too. You, as well, Princess, and even Bradshaw, but don't tell him I said that."

"Your secret is safe with me." She beamed at him, and the sight made Hangman a little happier, a little lighter. Hangman followed her and Mav to the Bronco, and Juliette drove them to the Benjamin household, where Hangman would stay for the next two nights before deploying. The waiting would be the worst part of this entire thing: waiting to deploy, waiting to fly, waiting to decimate those who caused Ghost's death.

"I haven't told the Daggers you're here yet," Juliette said, peering at Jake from the rearview mirror. "Rooster, Phoenix, Bob, and Coyote know, of course, since they're on the mission, but I figured you could decide when you were ready to see everyone again."

Hangman had never been so appreciative of Juliette and her ability to sense people's unspoken wishes. He didn't want to see the Daggers, didn't want to see the pity in their eyes or hear them all ask how he was doing, because Hangman would do what he did best - put on a smile and lie and say he was fine. Now, he wouldn't have to. The Daggers would probably find out at some point he'd been there, maybe be mad at him for it, but that was okay. The fewer people who loved and cared for him, the fewer people who would be affected if anything ever happened to him.

And, somewhere along the way from the time he left Charlie and Jackie to the time he got in the Bradshaw's Bronco, Hangman decided he'd continue flying for the Navy, namely to honor Ghost because he understood she wouldn't want him to stop doing what he loved with her no longer there, but also because the risks and dangers of the job made him feel; it might just be the thundering of his heart and adrenaline coursing through his veins, but he still felt something. Anything was better than the constant nothingness in his chest and soul.

Upon arriving at the Benjamin household, Hangman thanked Juliette for the ride and her secrecy about his visit, then plastered on a fake smile to greet Penny and Amelia, although he knew the former could see through his bullshit façade immediately. Thankfully, Penny said nothing, only giving him a reassuring squeeze when she hugged him before leading him to the guest room.

As Hangman dropped to the floor and took off his shoes, his phone dinged with a notification. He knew immediately what it was. Knew that it was 8 p.m. on a Friday. Knew that he could once again hear Ghost's voice and pretend for a couple of minutes that she was still here with him. Hangman snatched up his phone and opened Instagram, his heart breaking before his late fiancée even began singing when he recognized the beginning chords of Kelsea Ballerini's Legends. With the voice of an angel, Ghost started singing:

We were golden, we were fire, we were magic

Yeah, and they all knew our names all over town

We had it made in the middle of the madness

We were neon in a gray cloud

Yeah, we wrote our own story

Full of blood, sweat, and heartbeats

We didn't do it for the fame or the glory

But we went down in history

Yeah, we were legends

Loving you, baby, it was Heaven

What everyone wondered, we'd never question

Close our eyes and took on the world together

Do you remember?

We were crazy

Tragic and epic and so amazing

I'll always wear the crown that you gave me

We will always stay lost in forever

And they'll remember

We were legends

Like we were written down in permanent marker

Not even the brightest sun could ever fade

Come whichever hell or high water

It was always me and you either way

Hey, we wrote our own story

Full of blood, sweat, and heartbeats

We didn't do it for the fame or the glory

We just did it for you and me

And that's why we were legends

Loving you, baby, it was Heaven

What everyone wondered, we'd never question

Close our eyes and took on the world together

Do you remember?

We were crazy

Tragic and epic and so amazing

I'll always wear the crown that you gave me

We will always stay lost in forever

And they'll remember

We were legends

We were legends

Loving you, baby, it was Heaven

What everyone wondered, we'd never question

Close our eyes and took on the world together

Do you remember, baby?

We were crazy

Tragic and epic and so amazing

I'll always wear the crown that you gave me

We will always stay lost in forever

And they'll remember

We were legends

We were

Yeah, we were legends

Yeah, we wrote our own story

Hangman wiped the stray tear rolling down his cheek, only for a new one to replace it. Through a tearful smile, he whispered, "We're still legends, Annie. I won't let anyone forget it, either."

For the first time since she passed, Hangman opened their shared Instagram account and posted a video of himself singing, one of the last he'd done before the couple deployed for the final time together. It would be the last one he ever posted on there. This would remain Ghost's account even after her final scheduled video was posted. But Hangman had to post a tribute to her before leaving the account alone, and he intended to make it count. Adding the caption "To the legend that started it all," Jake Seresin posted the video of him singing George Strait's Run.

****

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[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 49

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 1188

Warnings: Mention of death, grief

Summary: Hangman learned his lesson a long time ago to never show his true feelings when someone's words or actions hurt him. To do so showed weakness that could be exploited, and Seresin men couldn't show weakness. Of course, there was an exception to every rule, and Jake's always came in the form of women, three in particular: his mom, Juliette Kazansky, and the girl whose name he could no longer bring himself to speak. She was the girl that got away; she was his biggest 'what if' and his biggest regret; she would forever be the ghost that haunted his dreams. Jake believed that's where she'd stay, for he would surely never see her again after what he did.

Or so he thought.

Notes: This is the sequel to India Lima Yankee; I'm using the same callsign for the Female OC as in Ghost Story because I just really like it, but they are different characters; chapters in italics are flashbacks.

Chapter Songs: Ghost Story Sittin On The Dock of the Bay

****

Hangman

It took a week to pack all of Ghost’s belongings, three days to say goodbye to the Bradshaws, the Daggers, Maverick, and Penny, and another two days to drive Ghost’s stuff down to Texas. Hangman planned on staying with Charlie and Jackie for a month to help them through their grief and around the house, reconnect with his family, and figure out his future.

Juliette and Coyote checked in on him daily; Maverick every few days. Hangman appreciated their worry but thought it unnecessary. Nothing any of them could do or say would bring him out of this hellhole, not this time.

Each day passed excruciatingly slowly, but Hangman kept to a strict schedule: wake up at 5 a.m., go for a jog no matter the weather, do his hour-long workout routine, cook breakfast for himself, Charlie, and Jackie, feed Jackie’s cats, do the dishes, complete imperative chores around the house, shower, get dressed, head to his brother’s to hang out with Matt, his wife, and Sophie, return to the Blackwood’s to eat dinner and do the dishes, help with any outstanding tasks, get ready for bed, answer texts and emails, and go to bed at 11 p.m.

Same schedule every day. Hangman made himself so exhausted that he had no time to think about his sorrow when his head hit the pillow, because he was already asleep. Still, nightmares plagued him, sometimes of what happened to Ghost and sometimes conjurings of his own horrid imagination. Jake wished they’d stop, but nothing he tried prevented them. They would forever be a lingering reminder of Annalise Nicole Blackwood and how he had failed her by not being there.

Sometimes, when Hangman woke up from the dreaded nightmares, he swore he’d see a shadow float down the dark hallway or hear Annalise’s familiar voice downstairs. Both always turned out to be figments of his imagination, and Hangman added hallucinations to his growing list of PTSD symptoms, which he kept to himself.

As his month with the Blackwoods neared to a close, Hangman found himself sitting by a small pond under a great oak. Instead of taking guitar lessons from Ghost, he prayed to her, begging, “Tell me what to do, Annie. I don’t know where to go from here. I can’t imagine flying the skies without you, but I can’t imagine doing anything but flying. Help me. Send me a sign. Please…”

A soft breeze caressed his cheek in response but provided no advice. Hangman sighed heavily and leaned against the tree trunk, having never felt so lost in his life. When he was little, he had his mom to guide him. When he lost his mom, there was Ghost. Even when they’d stopped speaking, Hangman motivated himself by one day reconciling with her. Now his two guiding angels were both dead, watching him from above, and, not for the first time, he wished he were with them.

“Pretty place.”

Hangman’s eyes flew open at the sound of Maverick’s voice. Staring in disbelief at his Captain, he asked, “What are you doing here?”

Mav smiled with a mixture of kindness and sadness as he sat beside Jake. “Mainly to check on you. What is this place?”

“This is where I met Ghost for the first time. She nearly took my head off with her guitar.” Hangman’s lips tugged upward in wistful reminiscence. Then, like a long-dormant volcano, all the memories spewed from his lips as he relived all the best times he had with Ghost: all the guitar lessons, their drives through the town when Hangman needed a distraction from his thoughts, the panic when he saw her stagger out of her totaled car, stargazing on the school bleachers in the middle of the night, midnight McDonald’s runs for McFlurries when Ghsot got a craving, morning donut runs with Coyote and Ghoul, the night he used the creepy stalker as an excuse to be able to kiss her for the first and what he thought would be the only time, the time Ghost accidentally flooded a restaurant when her dart struck a pipe instead of the board, watching all the romantic movies and romantic comedies with her and quietly taking mental note of what she loved and didn’t, and so much more that he lost track of time.

Maverick sat in silence, listening intently to the stories of his late daughter. Once in a while, Hangman swore tears glistened in the Captain’s eyes. The emotion took Hangman off guard, and when he finished his last tale, he asked, “Ghost asked you what you would’ve done if you’d known about her, but you didn’t respond. Why?”

Maverick cleared his throat. “Because I didn’t know at the time. I thought about it a lot after she asked me, and I planned on talking to her again about it at the right time. The truth is that I would’ve loved to have been in her life, but I didn’t know if Charlie would want me in it because Ghost already had a dad. It may not have been by blood, and whether her dad knew she wasn’t biologically his or not, he still raised her as his own. I very well could’ve disrupted that dynamic, caused more confusion for her than anything else. But I still would’ve liked to have been there for her. I know the situation allowed me to help Carole with Rooster, but I still wonder what it would’ve been like to be a dad to her.”

“You may not have been able to be there for her growing up, but she still idolizes you, you know. You’re the reason she wanted to go in the Navy. Charlie always told us stories about your skills and prowess in battle. Hell, we both wanted to be like you.”

“She’s so much like me, I don’t know why I didn’t suspect it from the moment I met her.” Maverick paused momentarily, then added quietly, “She was so much like me… I hope she knows I loved her.”

Hangman debated whether or not to tell Maverick that while Ghost knew he loved her, she also admitted to Jake that she knew Maverick would never love her in quite the same way he did Rooster and Juliette, the two kids he’d practically raised alongside their parents. He decided against it and simply said, “She did.”

“Good.”

They fell into a comfortable silence, watching the thunderclouds rolling in from the distance. Hangman broke it by asking, “You said you were mainly here to check on me. What was the other reason?”

“To give you these.” Maverick pulled a letter out of his jacket and handed it to Hangman. “They’re orders.”

“I was supposed to have another two months before going back.”

“Those-” Maverick nodded at the papers in Hangman’s hands- “detail the discovery of the terrorist organization that caused Ghost’s death. Cyclone requested I lead the assault with a team of my choice. I assumed you’d want in on it as my number two.”

The fire that Hangman thought had died in him sprang to life into a roaring wildfire. “When do we go?”

****

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[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 48

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 1300

Warnings: Repeated mention of death

Summary: Hangman learned his lesson a long time ago to never show his true feelings when someone's words or actions hurt him. To do so showed weakness that could be exploited, and Seresin men couldn't show weakness. Of course, there was an exception to every rule, and Jake's always came in the form of women, three in particular: his mom, Juliette Kazansky, and the girl whose name he could no longer bring himself to speak. She was the girl that got away; she was his biggest 'what if' and his biggest regret; she would forever be the ghost that haunted his dreams. Jake believed that's where she'd stay, for he would surely never see her again after what he did.

Or so he thought.

Notes: This is the sequel to India Lima Yankee; I'm using the same callsign for the Female OC as in Ghost Story because I just really like it, but they are different characters; chapters in italics are flashbacks.

Chapter Songs: Not Again Do This Life

****

Hangman

They train you for war but never teach you how to handle its repercussions. Hangman wished they had so he could stop the incessant, sharp stabbing pain in his chest that had started the second he learned of Ghost's death. When Maverick dropped him off at his apartment, Hangman tried to offer Pops a smile, but his body contained no further strength, not even for such a small gesture. Maverick squeezed Hangman's shoulder in silent understanding and stayed until the door shut behind his future son-in-law. What Maverick didn't know was that Hangman hadn't locked it. Not because he forgot, but because he no longer cared if someone unwelcome entered his apartment. One time, it'd worked in his favor. One time, it had been Ghost who strode in with the intent to finally work through the shit he caused for them. That would never happen again.

Hangman unceremoniously dumped his and Ghost's bags on the floor and shuffled to the couch, collapsing and staring at the wall to the right of him, where Ghost's guitars hung on display. In the center of the five was a familiar dark blue one, the first- and in Hangman's opinion, the best- gift he'd ever given Ghost. It still boggled his mind that she had held onto it after their falling out, that it was her favorite guitar for her Instagram videos.

A ding on his phone alerted him to a notification. He almost ignored it, but not wanting to worry anyone by not responding in case it was a text, he checked it out. His heart skipped a beat when he saw a notification from Instagram about a post.

From Ghost's account.

In a flash, Hangman opened the app and watched it, his heart sinking when it dawned on him that it'd been a scheduled post. Ghost hadn't miraculously lived through the crash and found a way to post a video. No. This was one that she and Hangman had filmed together. Sang together. Ghost had encouraged him to join her in duets for her account, and, willing to do anything that made her happy, he agreed. They'd done 'Exile' by Taylor Swift and Bon Iver, 'The Last Time' by Taylor Swift and Gary Lightbody, 'The Fighter' by Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban, and 'Without a Fight' by Brad Paisley and Demi Lovato. Ghost even convinced him to sing solos and post them. Soon, what had been her private account for singing covers became theirs. Ghost gave Hangman full access to it, so he could post whenever he wanted. He didn't do so without asking her since he still considered it her account, but Hangman still felt honored by the gesture.

The video he watched now may as well have been a punch to the gut. Of all the songs, of all the duets, that could have been scheduled for today, it had to be 'Do This Life' by High Valley and Alison Krauss. A song about not being able to go through life without their significant other. Hangman should've shut the phone off to prevent the inevitable spiral, but hearing Ghost's voice, essentially from the grave, sent him plunging down the rabbit hole of all her videos. Most of the songs they chose held no meaning beyond being their favorites and fun to sing, but occasionally, they chose one with meaning. Ghost did that more in the early stages of the account, although Hangman could only tell because he could hear the emotion in her voice.

He sat there for hours scrolling through each video, all 249 of them. Hangman thought about listening to the scheduled posts as well, but decided against it, wanting to be as surprised as the rest of her followers and to also give himself the feeling that Ghost was still alive and posting, give himself that hope she would one day walk through the unlocked front door. A fool's hope, he knew, but a hope nonetheless.

Someone knocked on the front door. Hangman ignored it, assuming it to be a deliveryman for a package he probably forgot he ordered. He could get it later. The person knocked again —strange for a deliveryman —but Hangman ignored it a second time. Then the door opened, and in stepped Charlie Blackwood. They locked eyes, and it took a moment for Hangman to register her presence. But when it finally hit him that Ghost's mom —his adopted mother, for all intents and purposes —stood in his apartment, he jumped up and rushed over to her, stopping himself from hugging her in case she didn't want to be. What if she blamed him for Ghost's death?

Hangman stood at attention. In a shaky voice, he said, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect her."

Charlie broke down and pulled him into a tight, motherly embrace. He returned it willingly, a small amount of relief flooding through him at the knowledge that Charlie didn't hate him for not being there for her daughter. Hangman kept mumbling apologies until Charlie said, "It's not your fault, sweetie. The only solace I have right now is that I didn't lose you, too."

I'd rather it be me than her. She meant more to more people than I do and ever did. The vicious thought assaulted Hangman, lingering in his mind regardless of how much he tried to silence it and shove it down into the pits of hell it belonged in.

"Wh- what are you doing here?" Hangman managed to ask, wiping his tears away with his sleeve. "I thought you were getting in tomorrow?"

"I managed to get an earlier flight. I wanted to be here when you arrived, but when I saw the ship, I figured I'd missed you. Mav confirmed it for me and said you were here. Jackie is still getting here tomorrow, though."

Hangman nodded and sniffled, glancing around at the apartment he'd once shared with Ghost. It'd been much cozier since she moved in, but without her, it felt barren, hostile, and unwelcoming. He'd need to move. He couldn't live here without her. "I haven't started on anything. I meant to, but-"

"Jake, it's okay," Charlie said gently. "We weren't expecting you to have done anything."

"I wanted to make this as easy as possible for you two. You-"

"What about making it easy for yourself?"

The idea never even crossed Hangman's mind. Ghost was Charlie's daughter, and she had been in Charlie's life much longer than in his. He had to take care of the people he let down, no matter how much they told him he didn't have to.

"Do you want to start now or wait until tomorrow? I'm leaving this up to you," Charlie continued.

"Why?" The question fell from Hangman's lips before he could stop it. "You lost your daughter. We should be doing this on your terms-"

"I lost a daughter, yes, and you lost the love of your life," Charlie replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "This apartment is where you shared your life with her. You get to decide how we go about this."

Hangman nodded but didn't answer. He didn't know what he wanted to do. Didn't know where to start. Didn't know how to move forward. What Hangman desired, he couldn't have. It was physically impossible because the thing he ached for most in the world died in enemy territory.

Charlie must've picked up on the warring thoughts because she simply pulled him into a much-needed and much-appreciated hug. Hangman tried to keep it together and keep his tears at bay, but Charlie's motherly embrace decimated his iron-clad willpower. For the first time since his mom died, Jake Seresin completely and utterly broke down. This time, he knew he would never fully recover.

****

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