#after they go with mitchell-kazansky

[crossthread]

No jokes here. The Navy’s best pilot and the Navy’s best admiral. Between them, eight air-to-air combat kills and five stars. These were men who commanded respect with or without your approval. This was the picture of ruthless competence.

Debriefing (& Other Stories) • part 2 of Easier Done Than Said by @compacflt

[vannral]

ice & mav

(anne sexton, a self-portrait in letters // alice oseman, radio silence)

[pollyna]

The night Bradley wakes up to find his parents sleeping on the ground around his bed is the night he gets annoyed because "nobody told me we were doing a sleepover!" So he takes his too-big-of-a-soft-plush, that's goose-shaped, and goes straight to cuddle with his dads. But Uncle Slider is there too, and Uncle Slider is the best person to cuddle when his parents aren't around, and he looks a little lonely. So he pats his dad's blond head and makes space for himself and Goosey between his uncle's arms. He's comfier than his bed, and Bradley doesn't have a single nightmare all night.

[compacflt]

what are bradley’s earliest memories of ice and mav? the bits of his perspective on them that you’ve written are so fascinating

fairly unsurprising answer but: ice: when he came to see Carole to apologize for killing goose in ch 2 of wwgattai (sets the tone of their relationship)

mav: something very benign like mav doing magic tricks for him as a little little kid. you know how your earliest memories are always a little fuzzy and always afternoon sunshine? imagine a desaturated maverick sitting crosslegged in the grass in pale afternoon southern california sunshine showing Bradley how he can detach his thumb from his hand and then put it back again. no blood, no bone, no pain, and he’s got this daredevil grin like he’s enjoying separating his thumb from his hand. can’t see his eyes behind his aviators. the best magicians are the ones who can make even their pain disappear. or, playing “got your nose,” holding Bradley’s nose up so he can see it right in front of his very eyes, NO PAIN!, and then making it disappear. “where’d your nose go, Gosling? oh, my gosh, I lost your nose!! how’re you gonna smell? i bet you’re gonna smell bad. get it? get it? —here it is, i found it, don’t worry, it’s all good!” and putting his nose back so everything’s ok. that’s Bradley’s earliest memory of mav.

[tgmsunmontue]

When Bradley keeps growing past the 6'5" limit of being a naval aviator Maverick lets out an internal sigh of relief. He's not going to be the one responsible for stopping Bradley from becoming a pilot.

Of course he thinks too soon because Bradley ends up falling in love with sky diving (an 18th birthday gift from Mav), and okay, that's a calculated risk. Mav indulges it. He understands that need to be risky although Mav can never understand why he'd want to jump out of a perfectly functioning plane. The fact Bradley has a bunch of honorary uncles who are all pilots means getting someone to fly him up for jumps is easy. He gets his licence before his 19th birthday.

He goes to college, studies, but he LIVES to jump out of planes. He works as a skydiving instructor and also does tandem dives with people - it pays good money.

He deliberately puts himself into spins and then recovers, over and over again. He makes YouTube instructional videos. He goes into spins when his parachute is deployed and has to do a release and use the reserve chute. He then collapses his chute only to extend it again. He's an adrenaline junky.

Over the next decade or so Bradley becomes an EXPERT in spin-recovery and ends up as a civilian contractor brought into train aviators on how to recover if they, or their parachute goes into a spin after an ejection.

Mav is a nervous wreck and Ice tells him he only has himself to blame.

(And can you imagine Bradley training Jake, Jake flirting (badly), and Bradley isn't impressed. His god father is Pete Maverick Mitchell, he has dinner with him and Admiral Kazansky at least once a week. Then Bradley decides to fuck with him. Tells him sure, he'll go on a date. And gives Jake an address to pick him up from. It's Ice's address... so Bradley pretends that Ice is his dad all the while Jake is pretty sure his life is now over.)

Edited 27th Feb 2024 - this is now a fic titled 'You need to learn how to fall' #You need to learn how to fall

[vivwritesfics]

Smooth Seas Don't Make Good Sailors

Summary: Mermaids. They're not real. At least Jake Seresin, future advisor to the future king, doesn't think so. But then two girls wash up on the beach and change his life (well, one changes his life, one changes Bradleys)

Jake Seresin X Reader - Little Mermaid AU

9.6K

Warnings: smut, fingering, oral (fem!receiving)

(banner by @nurse-floyd)

Jake Seresin stood on the balcony. The view of the sun setting over the ocean was always incredible at this time of day. The clouds were that mesmerising shade of orange and the horizon was lit up like a beacon. He had dreams, fantastic dreams of man one day being able to chase the sunset. 

From behind him, Pete cleared his throat. Pete Mitchell, advisor and closest confident to the king. Well, that was before the king had met his untimely end, sailing through that storm. The queen had taken up the mantle, but a heart can only survive so long without its other half. It was sickness that had claimed her, leaving behind the teenaged prince. 

Bradley wasn't yet king, couldn't be king until he was married. He was still the ruler of the kingdom, but all decisions were made between him and Pete. It wasn't always that way, though. There was a time where Pete had gone gallivanting across the continent, bedding a new girl in every kingdom. Tom Kazansky, another advisor and old friend of the kings, had been by Bradley's side at that time. The kingdom had flourished with the two of them working together. But then Tom had caught the sickness that had taken the queen, and it had taken him, too. 

Pete had returned to the kingdom the moment the news of Tom Kazansky had reached him. After his disappearance, it had taken Bradley a long while to begin trusting his fathers oldest friend again. They still weren't all the way there, but had some to some sort of truce. Bradley didn't fight him on every decision, like he had when Pete had first returned. Once again, the kingdom was beginning to thrive. 

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Pete said as he stepped up beside Jake. Jake, who would one day be in Pete's position when Bradley became king. He was dreading the day. If it was up to Jake, Bradley would have been a perpetual bachelor, never marrying, never forcing Jake to grow up with him. 

That was the way it was supposed to be, the two of them having fun and doing whatever the fuck they'd wanted, forever. Before Tom had died, he'd tried his best to introduce Bradley to several lovely young ladies. Princesses, the daughters of Lords and Dukes. Bradley had danced with each of them once, but it had never gone much further than that. 

Most prince's were married by the time they were Bradley's age. Most of them were kings, with families already. But not Bradley. 

"Yeah," Jake said, leaning forward. "It's really somethin'." 

His eyes moved to the docks, to Bradley's ship. It had been King Nicholas's before, the construction on it not yet finished before he died. That was how they were spending Bradley's birthday. 

"I need you to warn him of something," Pete said, his voice low. Jake let his eyes move to the side, but he kept his gaze pointed forward. "Bradley is getting too old to remain Prince," he said, leaning forward against the balcony railings. "The other advisors have suggested giving until the week after his birthday before they arrange a marriage."

The alarm bells immediately sounded in Jake's mind. Bradley getting married. That would mean Jake settling down, too. Because, really, what fun was he to have on his own? He'd be an advisor, too. There'd certainly be no time for fun. No, he'd have to follow in Bradley's footsteps, settle down and start a family. 

He swallowed, his mouth dry. "I'll warn him," he said and pushed away from the balcony. No more words were exchanged between them as Jake headed to his quarters. 

In just a few hours, the party would begin. The celebration to kick off Bradley's thirty-sixth birthday. Everybody was going to be there, everybody that Bradley cared about. Well, that was a very select group of people. Jake took a swig of the whisky he kept in his desk drawer, grabbed the gift he had gotten for Bradley, and headed out. 

The rest of their friends were waiting in the kitchen. "Does he have any idea what's going on?" Mickey asked as one of the cooks placed a plate in front of him. He immediately dug in. 

Robert, or Bob, as everybody called him, shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know how he couldn't," he answered from his place leaning against the wall. He was dreading this party. Not because he didn't love his friends, not because he didn't want to celebrate with Bradley, but because he knew that the moment they began drinking, he'd be the one responsible for all of them. 

Jake's chair scraped against the floor as he pulled it away from the grubby kitchen table. It wasn't the table for royalty, but the kitchens had become something of a safe haven for Bradley and his friends. "Nat's been keeping him busy," he said as he sat down and leaned back, boots hitting the table as he put his feet up. He looked at the clock on the wall. Any minute now and Natasha and Bradley would be walking through the door. 

Natasha was nothing if not punctual. The minute the clock struck six, Natasha dragged Bradley through the swinging kitchen doors. She clapped her hands together as she looked at the boys before her. "Shall we?"

"Shall we what?" Asked Bradley.

Bob couldn't help but laugh. He pushed away from the wall as Mickey and Jake stood up. Natasha strode forward, leading Bradley, Jake, Mickey, Rueben, Bob, and Javy out of the kitchens. They went out the back door and down the steps that led to the beach.

The sky was still lit up with the setting sun as the seven of them boarded the Queen Carole, the ship King Nicholas had made in honour of his wife. Bradley touched the railings as he boarded, following Natasha towards the captain. 

They set sail with no real destination in mind. The moment they set sail, Natasha was handing out the alcohol, filling the tankards with ale and passing them to her friends, to all of them but Bob.

The band started playing as soon as they were far enough away from the land that it was just a speck in the distance. Almost immediately, the dancing began. Javy twirled Natasha and Mickey moved his body without a care in the world. It really was a sight to behold, but Jake and Bradley weren't watching. 

"I don't imagine you'll get to sail much when you're king," Jake said as he sipped his drink. He looked down at the waves as they crashed against the hull of the Queen Carole. The ocean held so many mysteries, mysteries he'd tried to uncover with Bradley. There would be no time for that when he was married.

Bradley let out a scoff and wiped the traces of ale from his moustache. "Who says I'm going to become king?" He asked and drained his tankard. 

The breath Jake sucked in was so sharp, it had Bradley staring at him over the top of his empty tankard. "Your advisors," he began and moved his attention to the amber liquid in his own tankard. It was cowardly, the way he couldn't look at Bradley as he spoke. "In a week your advisors are going to arrange a marriage for you. Pete wanted me to warn you; I think he wants you to have a chance to find someone."

The scowl Bradley wore was vicious as he turned away from the waves. "So I'm just to find the love of my life in a week?" He muttered something under his breath, something Jake couldn't hear from the noise of the music and the waves, and strode off

***

It was fascinating, the way ships cut through the water. Even from beneath the waves, it was fascinating. 

The two mermaids watched from underneath as the ship moved above them. It was big, bigger than anything the two of them had ever seen before. 

"Shall we get a closer look?" Asked the youngest of the two. 

Her older sister shook her head. "No way," she said and turned to swim away. "You know what's going to be on that ship? Humans. They'd spot us and capture us in their fish nets and do who knows what with us."

Before she could swim away, the youngest mermaid grabbed her arm. "C'mon. It's dark enough that they won't see us if we remain beneath the waves," she reasoned. 

"No." But she didn't much fight when her sister began to pull her towards the grand ship. 

They'd played this game before, knew how the story ended. They'd get close enough to spark both of their curiosities and then they'd be unable to stop themselves from trying to gaze at the faces of the sailors. The youngest mermaid had always had a soft spot for humans. Her sister, though, just wanted to keep her safe. 

The lanterns illuminating the ship showed the mermaids little of the revelry taking place. Six of the many humans on the ship were dancing to the music, the vibrations of which could be heard beneath the waves. There was one, though, his face forlorn as he stared down at the waves. 

The younger of the two mermaids gasped as she looked at him. "Have you ever seen something so..." 

Her sister stared at the human. He was handsome, that wasn't up for debate. But he was human. If he knew the nature of the creatures currently watching him, he would have been brandishing the fishing nets and trying to catch them. 

She hated that she found humans so damn fascinating. But they were. The way they walked on two legs, the way they didn't need to be in water so sustain themselves. Air, it was a necessity for humans. She looked at the other humans, the ones dancing on the deck. Whatever was going on, it seemed to be a joyous celebration for everybody but the man with the moustache. 

Another man came to join him. Now this one the older mermaid could appreciate as beautiful. His hair was shorter, lighter, than the man with the moustache and his green eyes sparkled, even in the dark of the night. 

Any closer and they'd surely be seen. But the older mermaid didn't seem to care as she swam. Not very far, just enough to get a better look. She suddenly understood what her sister saw in humans. 

The mermaids watched as the men spoke. It had seemed light at first, some smiles, some small laughs. But it hadn't taken long for it to turn sour. The smiles faded from their faces, brows furrowed and gestures angry until they were brawling. 

It wasn't clear what either man wanted the outcome of this brawl to be. Not to the others on the ship of the mermaids in the ocean. What the outcome would be, was clear to all. 

The moustached man gave the green eyed one a particularly hard shove. Before he could go tumbling overboard, he grabbed the shirts of the moustached man, pulling him into the waves with him. 

As soon as the men hit the water, the two mermaids vanished, the only evidence that they were ever their being the few bubbles created when they swam for it. But they didn't go very far, just down to where it was darker. The two men couldn't see them, but they could see the two men. 

“Coral,” the older mermaid whispered, using the nickname she'd given her sister as children. “Look.” She pointed up, pointed at the men. 

With the way they were moving their limbs, they should have easily been swimming for the surface. But something was dragging them down, pulling them further away from the air they so desperately needed. It didn't make any sense. Their clothes weren't heavy and there didn't seem to be anything on their person to weigh them down. 

The mermaids watched as the ship dropped two much smaller rowing boats. Good, somebody was coming back for the men. They'd jump in and pull them to the surface, taking them back to the ship to dry off. 

But the rowing boat went right past them. It was in that moment that the mermaids realised the men were too far away. The other humans would never find them at this rate and… 

Their oxygen supply had to be running low. The mermaids sprang into action. Coral grabbed the moustached man while her sister grabbed the man with the green eyes. They brought them up, up, up out of the dark depths of the water, towards the rowing boats. Close enough for sets of hands to reach out and pull them onboard. 

“Do you think they're okay, Pearl?” Asked Coral, using her sisters nickname since childhood as the boat took the men back to the ship. 

Pearl couldn't look away. Even when they got the men up onto the ship and they headed home, she couldn't look away. 

Coral had a new obsession. That night, her sister had no doubt that Coral went to bed dreaming of the man with the moustache. But she couldn't say much, not when she couldn't stop thinking about the man with the green eyes? What had happened between him and the moustached man that had them tumbling into the ocean? Why weren't they able to swim to the surface?

It was these questions that had Pearl following her sister to the surface. They weren't supposed to get this close to the surface. If the humans saw them, they weren't making it out alive. 

Hidden behind rocks, Coral let her eyes scan across the big building, searching for the man with the moustache. "There!" She said suddenly, grabbing her sisters hand. "There he is!"

There he was, with the man with the green eyes. 

That evening, the Pearl couldn't find Coral. She searched where she could, in the old wrecks further out in the ocean, between the rocks that they used to keep themselves sheilded from the humans on the surface. But Coral was nowhere to be seen. 

But then she saw her, sitting on the beach, eyes closed, content. 

But that wasn't right. It wasn't possible for her to be sitting on the beach, legs stretched out in front of her. Human legs stretched out in front of her. She hummed to herself as the water splashed over her brand new toes. 

"Coral!" She gasped and readied herself to swim forward. 

Suddenly, fingers wrapped around her arms, stilling her. "Gorgeous, isn't she?" Came a terrifyingly beautiful voice. Black nails dug into her skin, hard enough to pull a whimper from Pearl's lips. Or, it would have if she wasn't so damn scared. "Darling little thing came to me just a few hours ago, just begging me to turn her into a human."

With a gasp, she turned to face the creature that had a hold of her. The Sea Witch was so damn beautiful, but there was something about her. Smile too wide, skin too pale, eyes too vibrant. It was so unnerving, but Pearl couldn't pull away. "I've watched you both," the Sea Witch confessed to her. "I watched when the two of you saved those humans, I watched  the two of you swim to the surface to try and see them again. It isn't just your sister." She tightened her grip on her arm. "It's you too, isn't it?"

A bubble appeared, showing the face of the green eyed man. But Pearl waved it away. "No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I don't want you to turn me human! I just want my sister back!" She cried, finally trying to pull away from the Sea Witch.

A cackle erupted from the Sea Witch's lips. “There is one way to get your sister back now!” She shouted and snapped her fingers. The pain began almost immediately. “She has thirty days to convince a man to fall in love with her or she's mine.”

The water was suddenly suffocating and her tail split in two. No, not tail. Legs. Feet, toes and ankles were all forming. Blue scales were shedding, giving way for skin. She tried to breath, but water flooded into her legs. Panic seized her as her new limbs 

Something pulled her to the surface. Strong arms grabbed her own and pulled her out of the water. The moment the fresh air kissed her skin, she breathed in deep before coughing up what water she had swallowed. 

“Holy shit.”

***

Jake stared down at the girl in the rowboat. Naked as the day she was born and coughing up enough sea water to sink the boat. She was gorgeous, but that wasn't what he cared about at that moment. 

Immediately, Jake shrugged off the coat around his shoulders. Thank God the day was overcast, he thought as he placed the coat around her. “Are you okay?” He asked as he helped her to sit up. “Were you shipwrecked, too?”

But she was just starting at him, her expression so damn fearful. Jake ran a hand over his face. Just the day before something unexplainable had saved him from the water, and he'd repaid the favour. “Let me get you back to shore.”

While he rowed, she stared at him, one hand keeping his coat closed around her body and the other feeling her legs. “There's another girl at the beach,” he said, never keeping his green eyes on her for longer than a few seconds. “Her ship went down and she swam to the shore,” he mumbled. 

She didn't say anything. “Can you tell me your name?” Asked Jake. Once the rowboat touched the surf, he climbed out, grabbed the rope and pulled it up onto the sand. 

For whatever reason, she stayed sitting in the rowboat. “You coming?” He asked, gesturing with a nod of his head. 

Gripping the sides of the rowboat, she tried to push herself up, tried to get to her feet. But her legs wobbled like a newborn fawn and she went tumbling, straight into Jake's chest. 

A gasp sounded from her lips when he wrapped his arms around her. “It's okay,” he said gently, green eyes searching her face for any sign of discomfort. But it wasn't there. “I've got you,” he said and pulled her away from the boat. 

There was no doubt in his mind that she had been shipwrecked, just like the girl standing with Bradley.

“I'm gonna take you to my friend,” he said and took a step. She tried to do the same, feet dragging only slightly. “He should be able to help.” He didn't say that Bradley was the Prince. No, that only would have freaked her out more. 

"Thank you," she finally said, struggling to find her footing. "I'm-"

"Pearl!" 

She whipped her head around, staring across the beach at the girl standing beside Bradley. "Pearl?" Jake asked, watching her expression go from surprised to sour. "Is that your name?"

"No," she said quickly and took a step. Jake got the hint and walked her towards Bradley and the girl who had told them to call her Coral. She gave him her real name, but Jake shook his head. 

"Pearl," he said again. "It's real pretty darlin'." He grinned, pretty much keeping her held up as they finally made it to Bradley and Coral.

The two girls stared at each other. Coral couldn't help but look shy as Pearl stared down at her. She sucked in a breath, expression furious. "What the hell were you thinking, C? Swimming off like that, you had me so worried!"

Jake and Bradley looked at each other over the girls heads. "Were you shipwrecked together?" Bradley asked, his hand still on Coral's back. She turned to him, eyes shining as she nodded. "She's my sister," she said and Pearl raised her chin, standing as tall and proud as she possibly could. 

Before Pearl could start again, Jake spoke up. "We'll take you guys back to the castle," he said and Bradley nodded in agreement. "Get you some clothes and something to eat."

***

Clothes were terribly uncomfortable. Big skirts, heavy skirts and corsets that were far too tight. 

There the mermaids sat, plates of food in front of them. For just a moment they studied Jake and Bradley as they ate, watched the way they did things, the way they used their forks and things like that. And then the girls tried it for themselves. 

Using a fork for the first time wasn't the easiest thing in the world. But one taste of the food and they were digging in like animals. Jake and Bradley watched on with wide eyes as they ate with little decorum. But that shouldn't have been a surprise.

Jake cleared his throat. "Where did your ship leave from?" He asked as he sat back in his seat and looked at them.

The girls looked at each other. Coral fiddled with her thick skirts, leaving her sister to answer everything. Which would have been fine, if she knew the names of any of the surrounding kingdoms. Swallowing thickly, she looked between Jake and Bradley. "Uh, we've been on the water for so long that I don't remember." Please, please, please let them believe that. 

From the looks on their faces, it was unclear whether they believed her story or not. She heard a thud as Jake crossed one boot over the other and laced his fingers together, placing them on his stomach. "You girls should come to Bradley's ball," he said, making it sound like it was nothing more than a passing comment.

It was not a passing comment, not with the way Bradley was looking at him. But he simply grinned and turned his attention back to the girls before him. 

"Ball?" Coral asked, leaning forward with her elbows on the table. If Jake's mother was there, she would have been chiding Coral, but just stayed quiet. 

"Yeah," he said, nodding slowly. "This guy needs to look for a wife before he has one picked for him."

But still, the two girls looked confused. 

The light hearted demeanour left Jake. He didn't mean for it to, but he couldn't help it. Something was just so off; it had him slightly uneasy. He sat up a little straighter, but he tried to keep his smile on his face. "You know, a ball. Dancing and bubbly drinks and god awful music."

The girls looked at each other again. Pearl shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "What's dancing?"

***

Jake couldn't sleep. He laid awake, staring at his ceiling. His sword rested against his bedpost. It was beautiful, and had yet to be used. Jake just hoped he could keep it that way; it was simply too pretty to be used.

It had been a whirlwind of a day and he hadn't yet been able to sort his thoughts. Two girls washing up on the beach. It was something Bradley had been hoping for since his father died, for him to either wash up on the beach or appear on another ship, looking haggard but still alive. Jake remembered being a kid, watching the beach with him, riding down to the docks with him.

And now people had washed up. It didn't feel real, but it had happened and they were here in the castle. Pearl and Coral. Those weren't their real names, he knew, but they suited them. They were pretty, and Coral was pretty much putty in his and Bradley's hands. But not Pearl. She hadn't melted into anything he said, and it damn near had Jake trailing after her like a puppy.

Footsteps. Just outside of his door. Jake sat up and threw his blankets away from him. He grabbed his sword and headed towards the door.

The hall was dark, lit by nothing than a lonely candle. Keeping his sword held out in front of him, Jake looked around.

"Gahh!"

"Pearl!" The pointed tip of his sword was against her chest. Swallowing, Jake lowered his sword and rubbed at his eyes. "What're you doing out of bed?"

She wore nothing but a nightdress. Jake sucked in a breath but tried to keep his composure as he took in the long skirts, falling to her bare feet, and the long sleeves that would have stretched past her fingers if she hadn't rolled them back.

"I..." She looked at him, looked at the sword he held down by his side. If she'd been standing any closer to him, she would have been dead. "I just wanted something to drink."

Releasing a breath, Jake quickly placed his sword back into his bedroom and turned to Pearl. "Come on," he said and hooked his fingers around her sleeve. She didn't fight as he pulled her down the hall. Maybe she was too tired to pull against him.

The halls were empty, aside from a few silent guards posted in alcoves. Jake took things slowly, his touch sometimes keeping her upright as she willed her unsteady legs to cooperate. 

That was what happened when you spent most of your life on the sea, he supposed. He'd never been on a ship for more than a few weeks at a time. All he could do was remain patient with her. But he was more than happy to do so. 

The kitchens were the emptiest part of the castle. He let his eyes move to the back door. Key twisted in the lock and the two bolts securely shut. "Right," he said, hands on his hips as he looked at the cupboards in front of him. "Let's get you some water."

Jake looked at the cupboards and the counters. The kitchen wasn't his area of expertise. "Uhm," he said, pulling open the first cupboard. It was stacked high with bowls and chipped searching dishes, but there were no glasses in sight. He moved onto the next. And then the next, until he found what he was looking for. A rather triumphant Aha! left his lips as he grabbed the glass from the cupboard and filled it with water. "One glass of water, coming right up."

He passed her the glass and she quietly thanked him. 

Jake's hand was on her back, leading her out of the kitchen. "So, did you and your sister never leave the ship when you docked?" He asked as he steered her back in the direction of her bedroom. 

"No," she answered, both hands holding her glass. "Never."

He made a noise, a quiet laugh that wasn't really a laugh. "I'm gonna have to teach you to dance before Bradley's ball," he said when they got to her door. Jake pushed the door open and she stepped inside. "Wanna give it a go?"

She placed her water down on the vanity to the right of her door. "Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?" She asked, returning to the door to lean against it. But she held it open, waited for Jake's response.

Shrugging his shoulders, he took a step inside of the room. "I'm not sleeping," he said and reached for her hand. 

Placing her hand into his, she let the door fall closed. "When I step back, you step forward. When I step forward, you step back," he said and pulled her into the middle of the room. 

His green eyes stared into hers. He squeezed her hand and placed her free one on his shoulder. The hand that wasn't in hers settled on her waist and he moved his left leg forward. She moved her right one back. Letting her gaze drop to her feet, she tried to copy his every move. It didn't go very well, but she was trying her best. "This would probably be better with music," he said with a little chuckle.

"Yeah?" She asked, nearly stumbling. But Jake stopped moving, and she stopped, too. He raised the hand he was holding up, holding it above her head. Using the hand on her waist, he slowly spun her. Thank God it was slow, or she would have been stumbling into him. 

"There ya go, sweets," he said, hand returning to her waist. "You're getting it now."

Heat warmed her cheeks as she let go of Jake and stepped away from him. "I should get some sleep," she mumbled and turned around to grab a hold of her water. 

"Oh," Jake said. For just a second he watched her, watched as she took large gulps of her water. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said and walked out of her bedroom.

*** 

She sat opposite her sister in the carriage, the both of them unable to look away from the windows as the scenery in the kingdom went by. "It's beautiful," gasped Coral as she turned back to Bradley. "And it's all yours?"

Sitting back in her seat, Pearl watched as Bradley nodded. "All of it," he said, arm stretching across the back of the seat. 

Jake leaned forward, his attention on the landscape just a little ways past the road. "Except this," he said, pointing at a large manor house just past the wheat fields. "That is my parent's place. Lord and Lady Seresin," he said and sat back, his smile smug. 

"Wanna stop in and say hello?" Bradley offered. He had always been a fan of Lord and Lady Seresin. They acted as stand-in parents for him when his parents had died. Even before that, Lady Seresin had been a friend to Queen Carole, had desperately tried to pull her out of depression. It hadn't worked, but Lady Seresin had still been there for her. 

Jake shook his head. "Later," he said and they passed the turning for the Seresin estate. "I'll speak to them later, after the ball."

"When is the ball?" Pearl asked, sparing a look at Jake. The way she was looking at him, there was something more she wanted to say, something she wasn't saying. 

"Three days time," Bradley answered, but his gaze was fully fixed on Coral.

Three days. That ate into the time they had on land. the fact that she didn't know the ins and outs of her sisters deal with the sea witch was so damn terrifying. 

The carriage kept moving, the sounds of the metal horse shoes hitting the road oddly melodic. Jake's fingers tapped her shoulder and gestured for her to lean across him and look at the view. "Oh, wow," she whispered as she looked at the sea, the reflexion of the sun making it sparkle. Beneath the waves, she'd never seen her true home look so pretty.

The carriage took them into a built up area of the kingdom. Houses and shops crowded the streets. Market stalls were set up around a pristine, well cared for fountain. On top of the fountain was a stone statue, the late king and queen standing together. 

The carriage stopped, and Bradley pushed open the door. He stepped out, and offered his hand to Coral. With a beaming smile, she took it and used Bradley's help to step down onto solid ground. Bradley stayed where he was, ready to help Pearl step out of the carriage, but Jake grabbed his hand. 

"Thank's, dear," he said and stepped down from the carriage in much the same Coral had just done. 

Bradley pulled a face and quickly pulled his hand away from Jake. It had the other man laughing as he walked around to the horses that had pulled them from the castle to the town. As he did, Bradley held out his hand again and helped Pearl to step down.

"Come on, sweets," said Jake, throwing his arm around her and pulling her after Coral and Bradley. 

He could see it, cold see how hard Coral was working for Bradley's attention. Poor girl, she didn't stand a chance. If they'd washed up a year earlier, Bradley would have been all over her, no questions asked. But now he had to seriously look for a wife; he had no time for flirting or flings. 

Pearl pushed Jake's arm from around her shoulders. "Where to first?" She asked as she looked around. There was so much going on that she didn't know where to look first. Sights and sounds and smells assulted her senses, but she loved all of it. 

Jake and Bradley showed the girls everything the little town had to offer. They discovered everything, the fine silk dresses in shop windows, sweet treats from the bakery. Some people bowed to Bradley, and several girls batted their eyelashes at Jake. But the men ignored it, pulling Pearl and Coral along to see something new. 

There was music playing in the town. It was soft and melodic, and had Pearl searching for the source. It went unnoticed by Coral and Bradley, but not by Jake. "C'mon," he said and offered her his hand. "Let's put these new dancing skills to good use."

She looked into his eyes for only a minute before allowing herself to be pulled into the square. There were other couples dancing, moving to the beat of the music. 

The dancing they'd done the night before was slower than what Jake had taught her the night before. "Just go with it," he said and stepped. Pearl sucked in a breath and moved with him. It wasn't a choreographed dance, not by any means. It was fun, it had her grinning from ear to ear. Just like the night before, Jake lifted her hand and spun her, just a little faster than last night. 

"You're gonna be a natural by the time the ball starts," he said and stepped again. She stepped with him, growing more and more enthusiastic by the minute. 

"You think so?" She replied. She'd been stumbling the entire time, but Jake's body was so solid against her own that he made it all look like a dance. She didn't look ready to topple over at any minute, not with how Jake was leading her. 

He grinned, green eyes seeming to sparkle in the midday sun. He really did have a pretty face, but she'd known that the moment she'd laid her eyes on him. "I know so," he answered. "All you need now is a pretty dress to match."

When a whistle cut across the square, Jake stopped moving, halting her against him. Their faces were so close, all she had to do was lean her face up. But Jake turned away from her, looking across the square. "What?" He called to the future king. Nobody else could be this familiar with him, a privilege reserved for Jake and Jake alone.

"We're going to get something to eat in Penny's!" 

His hand fell away from her hips and she tried not to let disappointment show on her face. "You hungry?" He asked as he pulled her out of the square.

***

The next two days were incredibly busy for Jake and Bradley. Pete gave them no reprieve from their duties. Jake was the unlucky chump who got saddled with making arrangements for the ball. He didn't know what he was doing, not in the slightest, but (with help from Javy and logistical help from Bob) he was going to throw the best damned ball for miles. 

It was his idea to get the seamstress to tailor a dress for Pearl and her sister. The clothes they'd been wearing since they arrived was borrowed. From where, Jake didn't know, but he wanted them to have something of their own for the ball. 

A day went by and the girls only saw Jake and Bradley during dinner. But it was short lived before they had to rush off again to get their work done. 

On the second day, the seamstress brought in two plain dress. They fit Pearl and Coral, but they weren't tailored, hanging off their bodies like rags. But that was what the seamstress was there to fix. 

In the afternoon, Pearl lost her sister. She'd gone for a walk through the castle, gone to get herself a glass of water. By the time she'd returned, Coral had disappeared. 

With her eyebrows furrowed, she walked through the castle, searching for her sister. She searched, called her name, but Coral was nowhere to be seen. She looked in the library one last time, called her sister's name one last time, and made her way back to her bedroom.

The halls were so damn empty. She knew there were more people in the castle, foreign dignitaries there for the ball. But still, it was empty, quiet. The only noise was her shoes against the floor as she walked.

But she didn't make it back to her room. She only glanced outside, towards the balcony. Stopping, she pushed open the doors and stepped out into the cool afternoon air. 

Jake didn't notice her as she stepped towards him. She placed her hands on the balcony railing and tried to see what he was looking at. Two people on the beach, chasing each other into the ocean. She couldn't see who they were, but they were having fun. That much was clear.

His hand was on top of hers. "You okay? She asked, stepping closer to him.

Jake didn't answer. He turned away from the couple on the beach, insteading choosing to look at her. "Pearl," he whispered, giving his hand up her arm and onto her shoulder. "Bradley is going to be king soon," he said, still staring into her eyes. It was so damn intense, but she couldn't look away. "He's going to be king and I'm going to be stuck being his advisor."

"And you don't want that."

His smile was kinder than she'd ever seen it. "That's right," he said and took a step closer to her. The space between them was so damn small, but it was still too much for the two of them.

She swallowed. "What do you want?"

His hand lifted from her shoulder, finger brushing over her cheek. He pushed her hair behind her ear and closed the gap between them, but he wasn't yet kissing her. "I don't know, Pearl," he whispered and held her chin. "Right now, I want you."

He leaned forward and kissed her. She was frozen against him, unable to move her lips with his. She watched as his eyes closed, but he started to furrow his brow and pull away. 

The moment she felt him pull away, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back. She kissed him back with just as much hunger as him. It was a mess of clashing teeth and tongues, stealing the air from their lungs. Jake pushed her back against the balcony, hands on her hips. Seeming not to think, he lifted her up and sat her on the balcony railings. "Fuck, Pearl," he hissed against her hips as he tried to step between her legs. 

But her skirts got in his way, stopping him in his tracks. Still holding her, he pulled his lips away from her own and pressed his forehead to hers. "Come with me to the ball," he whispered and leaned in to peck her again. 

She made a noise, as if she was going to respond to him. But, before she could say anything, Jake pecked her lips again, effectively cutting her off. She wore a glare as she pulled him in once more. Jake pushed her back more, tried to push her against something solid. 

Except there was nothing solid behind her. Nothing but air. 

He realised it just in time. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her off of the balcony railings and held her close. "Oops," he said and she smacked his chest.

"I'll do it," she said, still against him. Jake went to release her from his hold, but she grabbed his arms, stopping him. "I'll go to the ball with you."

Jake kissed her again. 

***

The day of the ball was utter chaos. The seamstress dropped off their dresses and the castle staff spent the day getting them ready. 

Coral allowed Queen Caroles old lady's maid to pull her towards the tub. 

The staff member assigned to Pearl sat her in the scented bath, full of bubbled and flower petals. She massaged the shampoo into her scalp with such determination that it had her moaning. It really was quite pleasant. 

Being in the water like this was something she hadn't gotten used to since taking her first steps on land. Every time she touched the water, she was taken back to when the Sea Witch transformed her, leaving her unable to breathe underwater for the first time in her life. 

Water was thrown over her head, washing out the bubbles. Her body was thoroughly scrubbed and more water was thrown over her. 

At last, she was pulled from the tub and a towel was wrapped around her body. It was a little forceful, how she was pulled about the room and sat at the vanity. The maid grabbed another towel and moved it through her hair. 

This wasn't nearly as relaxing as the bath and been. But she didn't complain as the maid got her ready, styling her hair once it was dry and decorating her face with makeup. 

She looked a little like a party clown when she looked at herself in the vanity mirror. But if this was how the other women at the ball were going to look, so be it. 

But the maid frowned. “This just won’t do,” she said and scrubbed her face clean. She tried again, something a little cleaner, a little more natural. The makeup was still there, but it was there to enhance her natural features more than cover them up. 

With just enough time to spare, she was helped into the dress. “That Lord Seresin had this designed for you, you know,” said the maid as she pulled it up over her hips. “Spoke to the seamstress and told him exactly what he wanted.”

When she looked at the dress she let out a panicked gasp. He had to know what she was, this dress told her so. 

The bodice was where the scale design started, where her belly button would be. It moved down, over the skirt, parting in the middle. Where the scales weren't the fabric became white, the change soft and subtle. The sleeves were more soft, mesh fabric that wrapped around her arms than anything else. 

It truly was gorgeous, and it terrified her. 

“Shoes, girl,” said the maid, pulling her over to the slippers. She broke herself out of her stupor and stepped into her shoes. 

The maid stepped back to admire her handiwork. She'd done an incredible job, the woman stood before her a far cry from the woman that had appeared on the beach just days before. 

Jake was going to lose his mind, that was for sure. 

A knock sounded at the door, and the maid pulled it open. “Ingrid,” Jake said, greeting her by placing a kiss on the back of her hand. He was always sweet and kind to the women that worked in the castle. 

But he looked past Ingrid, and his breath caught in his throat. Yeah, the dress had been his idea, but he didn't expect it to come out this beautiful. “Holy shit,” he gasped and Ingrid tutted him. 

He stepped around her and walked into the room. “You look…” But he couldn't find the words. Why couldn't he just tell her that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on?

“D'you like it?” She asked, picking up the skirts. 

He swallowed, mouth dry as he nodded. But then he let a small frown cross his face. “There's just one thing I want to change.”

When he began pulling the pins from her hair, Ingrid protested. But he didn't much care as he watched her hair fall from the too tight, too neat updo. 

“Jake!” She cried and tried to save her hair. 

But he grabbed her hands and held them, letting him get a proper look at her. “You're gorgeous, sweets,” he said and leaned in to kiss her. 

But Ingrid was still there, still watching them. She cleared her throat, making her presence known.

Standing up straighter, Jake cleared his throat and offered her his arm. “M'lady, will you allow me the honour of escorting you to Prince Bradley's ball?” He asked, waiting for Ingrid to give an approving nod. 

As soon as she did, Jake was leading her out of the bedroom. He kept his arm looped through hers until they were well past Ingrid. Only then did he loop his arm around her waist and press a kiss to the side of her head. 

“Do you like the dress?” He asked sincerely as they followed the sound of music. 

She looked down at herself. It really was beautiful. “I love it,” she said and pulled him to a stop. The kiss they shared was just quick, the two of them walking towards the ballroom far too soon. 

That was fine, Jake would have her in his arms soon enough. Holding her close as they danced around the room. 

The moment they entered the ballroom, she looked for her sister. There was Coral, stood beside Bradley as he tried to decide which eligible young lady to dance with. 

As soon as Jake began moving her on the dance floor, she lost sight of her sister. But that was okay, because there was something much more important to concentrate on. The man in front of her moved her slowly and gently, caging her between his arms. His every move led her in time to the music. 

“You and Coral should stay here,” he said, thumb stroking over her waist as he gently moved her. 

Panic overtook her features, but she tried to school it. “I-”

“I know you guys probably have to find your home, have to find your family. But I'd really love it if you guys stayed. I know Bradley would, too.” 

She sucked in a breath and rested her head against his chest. “I want to stay,” she confessed, reaching up to run her hands through his hair. “Here, with you, Jake. But I don't know what the future is going to hold.”

His touch was so damn comforting. “I know that,” he whispered and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I just want you to know you have the option of staying, and you have somebody who wants you here.”

He wore a barely there grin as he spun her around. But her body collided with another and she went tumbling back into Jake. 

His hands steadied her and he looked at the person that had knocked into her. Bradley and Coral. Together on the dance floor. They looked good together, Jake could admit. Maybe he'd  convince the council to let him court her before he became king. 

Through the night, Bradley danced with almost everybody. He danced with Natasha once and Coral several times. But Jake stayed dancing with Pearl. God, she looked so right, with his hands on her hips. He wanted to get her out of the ballroom, wanted to get her back to his bed. 

Soon, not right now.

He left her standing with his sister while he got them something to drink. “You two look good together,” Coral said to her, her fingers continuously moving over the bodice of her dress. 

“Thanks,” she replied, heat rising to her cheeks. “You've danced with Bradley more than any other girl in the room,” she said and Coral beamed. 

But then Jake was back, handing her something to drink and pulling her onto the dance floor. 

One more dance. His grip was so tight, lips constantly on her. Nobody cared about what they were doing, not when Prince Bradley was supposed to be choosing a wife. Nobody cared that she and Jake exchanged the sweetest kisses as he moved her. 

They kept it sweet, though, didn't push it any further. That was for the end of this dance. 

When the dance ended, Jake grabbed her hands. “Let me take you back to my room,” he whispered in her ear. 

She had no concept of what Jake wanted to happen in his room. Just the thought of being alone with him had her nodding her head and followed him through the group of people. He took her out into the halls. 

“Fuck,” he whispered and pushed her against the wall once they'd escaped any prying eyes. “I've wanted to do this since I first saw you in that dress.” His knee was between her legs, lips trailing down her neck. 

The breath she released was a gasp and then a moan. Taking her hand once again, Jake pulled her through the halls until they got to his bedroom. He rather unceremoniously threw open the door and led her inside. 

He was so damn gentle as he sat her down onto the bed and got to his knees in front of her. He pulled off her shoes and pushed her back until she was laying down. With his body on top of hers, he kissed her. It was just as sweet as it had been in the ballroom. 

But then he was moving his lips across her cheek and down to her neck. “Is this okay?” He mumbled against her lips. When her only response was a desperate moan, he pulled away to stare at her with those gorgeous green eyes. “Talk to me, sweets.”

“Yes,” she gasped out, fingers pulling at his hair. Grinning, Jake returned to his assault on her neck. He kissed and sucked and nibbled before he moved onto her chest. 

All the while his fingers worked to pull up the delicate skirt of her dress. His lips kissed every exposed inch of her skin as he did so. She'd never felt something like this before, never felt anything from between her legs. Well, she had, and it was always because of Jake. 

He grabbed the straps of her underwear and slowly pulled them down, watching for her reaction the entire time. She watched him, too, watched exactly what he was doing. 

“God,” he said when he got a glimpse beneath her skirt. “You're gorgeous.” His hands were on her, touching her thighs, touching just where she needed him, even if she didn't know it. 

His fingers ghosted over her folds and she sank her teeth into her bottom lip. “Jake,” she tried as he moved his fingers again. He parted her folds and touched her clit. 

Her entire body jolted. “Like that, sweets?” He asked and pressed a kiss to her chest. 

Her noises were so damn desperate as she nodded. “Yes, Jake,” she cried, tugging on his hair. “Yes!” 

One finger dipped into her hole. She gasped, entire body shaking. Jake used just one finger to fuck her on his hand, thumb pressed against her clit. 

She came so quickly, she would have been embarrassed. But Jake gave her no reason to feel embarrassed as he sucked his fingers between his lips, licking off everything she gave to him. “Shit, sweets,” he moaned as he withdrew his fingers. 

He leaned down to kiss her, his tongue exploring her mouth. Her fingers explored his chest, fiddling with the buttons. 

With a laugh, Jake pulled away. “I got you,” he said and started to unbutton his shirt. He opened his shirt and she blatantly admired his chest. 

But then a pained cry left her lips. Head thrown back she let out a gut wrenching scream. “Sweets,” Jake cried as he rushed back towards her. “What's wrong? Tell me!” 

He tried to look at her, tried to look for the source of her pain, but she kept a hold of his face. “Don't,” she said between her screams. “Don't look.” 

But whatever had her in so much pain was taking it out of her. Her grip on his face, on his shirt was so weak. Jake couldn't stop himself from looking towards her legs. 

Her legs weren't there. 

In their place was a tail. A blue, scaled tail. It was beautiful, but it didn't belong on his bed. Jake wanted to touch it, he wanted to reach out and feel her scales, but he couldn't. 

His hand held her against his chest. “Talk to me, sweets,” he said, concentrating on her face. “What do you need?”

“Get me to the water,” she whispered. 

Jake kissed her. He pressed his lips to her own as he slipped his arms beneath her tail and beneath her back, lifting her into his arms. The fact that he was still kissing her, even seeing what she was, had tears in her eyes as he carried her. 

He practically ran through the halls of the castle with her into his arms, avoiding other people at any cost. He burst into the empty kitchen and took out of the back door, down the steps and out to the beach. 

Her breath had become wheezy as he ran across the sand. Even running, he was slow, being so careful not to drop her on the sand. Even when he reached the water, he walked into it, ignoring the cold as he hit his skin. 

He still held her, even when the water hit his chest, splashing over her. Her arms were still around his neck. “Pearl,” he whispered as her tail flexed in his hold. “Pearl, you're a-”

“I know.” She dropped her forehead against her own, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Trust me, Jake, I know.” 

He let go of her tail in favour of holding her waist. “You're beautiful,” he whispered, desperate to keep her against him. 

She kissed him. Just as sweetly as before. If not, moreso. She kissed him like she was never going to see him again. It was the kind of kiss that had Jake panicking. 

But then she pulled away. “I need to go, Jake,” she whispered. 

He tightened his grip on her, a No leaving his lips. 

“You need to let me go.” 

Reluctantly, Jake released her. He stood in the water and watched as she swam away, dress still on her body, tail moving oh so elegantly as she swam away from him. 

The rain started to fall as Jake stood there, eyes searching the water for any sign of the girl he loved. 

***

Pearl swam like hell until she reached her sister. Coral had already shed her own dress, letting it disappear beneath the waves. 

“What happened?” Pearl asked, taking her sister into her arms. “Why… why aren't we human anymore?” She'd tried to be gentle with her words, but heartbreak laced her voice. 

Coral turned away from her, arms crossed over her chest. “He kissed someone. At the ball, he kissed a daughter of a Lord.” 

Was that really all it took for the spell to be broken? 

“Coral-” 

“The Sea Witch warned me. She warned me the risks of falling for a human. She told me if he did anything with anybody else, if he wasn't in love with me, if he broke my heart, we'd become mermaids again.” 

Furiously, Coral swam away. She hated him, she hated Bradley. He'd broken her heart, she was going to hate him. But Pearl had never seen her sister so bitter before. 

She might have loved Bradley, but she didn't have what she had with Jake. He loved her too, wanted her to stay with him. Sobs left her lips as she pulled off her dress. 

Holding it in her arms, she took a slow swim back towards the kingdom. Her eyes were trained on the surface, looking for any sign of Jake. 

There he still stood, in the water. She could see as his eyes searched for her and, as much as she wanted to reveal himself, she couldn't. 

Letting go of her dress, she let it float towards him and swam away. 

Hiding herself behind a rock, she watched as Jake grabbed the dress from the water. He held it up and let his eyes search the water. “PEARL!” He shouted, desperation marring his voice. “Pearl.” 

And then he broke down. 

That wasn't the last time she saw Jake. No, she saw him often. Every time he was on the beach, she was watching. She watched on the days he came back to search for her, watched as he took a ship out to look for her. 

Years went by, and she still saw him. There wasn't a moment she didn't think of him. She watched as he got older, as he took on his role as advisor. Watched as he fell in love, watched as he got married, watched as he had children. 

Each and every day, Jake Seresin looked towards the sea. He told his children stories of a gorgeous mermaid who had turned human. The king's advisor fell in love with the gorgeous mermaid in these stories. Sometimes, it ended happily. Sometimes it ended with the mermaid remaining human and marrying the advisor. 

But that was a rarity. The end of his stories to his children usually had the mermaid returning to the sea, leaving the advisor heartbroken. 

[torchflies]

Hi TG Fandom!

So this AU came to me in a dream and I woke up with actual tears so — here we go. 

In the deepest chunks of my cold, dead heart, I believe that even if Ice married Sarah, he still always loved Mav. There were just so many reasons why they couldn't work out long-term: Ice wanted to advance, Mav didn't want to hold him back, the danger of being a gay couple in the ‘80s and ‘90s — let alone in the Navy. 

It just couldn't work out for them. They were trying to protect each other and that meant sacrifices on both ends.

But it doesn't mean they ever stopped loving each other, Ice’s love was shown in saving Mav’s ass time after time, and Mav’s was in being there — always, no matter what Ice needed. 

Mav was there when all three of Ice’s kids were born, his two daughters and his youngest: Tom Kazansky Jr. 

Junior, who only looks more like his namesake with every year that passes. 

Eventually Mav gets shipped to China Lake so he doesn't have to get a front-row seat to Ice dying right in front of them (Ice’s decision of course).

The Mission rolls around, and lo and behold: a Tom Kazansky will always appear to Mav in his time of need. 

But instead of a text — it’s in the form of Junior, a vision of 27-year-old Tom Kazansky, complete with moles and his big ass teeth. 

“Apparently, we’ve got a mission, Maverick.”

Imagine the complete agony of a world where Mav never gets to have the life he deserves with the man he loves, and not only that, but he's surrounded by the living specters of the two men he loved most and lost. 

A world in which he gets to keep a piece of Goose and Ice, but only as a reminder that the Bradshaw and Kazansky on his wings will never be the ones he wants.

Or the flip side, where Mav is the only piece of their fathers that both boys have left and there gets to be a Kazansky-Bradshaw-Mitchell trio in the sky again.

Just me? Okay 😭

(Ice sent Junior out as a Dagger with a promise to: Be His Wingman. Both of them knowing he wasn't going to be there when Junior got back.)

[lewmagoo]

to my heart, he carries the key | bob floyd

sequel to someone to watch over me (i recommend reading the first part beforehand so this makes more sense)

description: in which a threat is made against the president’s daughter’s life, and agent robert floyd is tasked with carrying out ‘operation hidden angel’

characters: secret service agent bob floyd x f!reader, pete mitchell, beau simpson, dagger squad as their own respective characters

warnings: 18+, mentions of domestic terrorism, military, secret service and us gov’t inaccuracies, smut, unprotected sex, forbidden love, gun violence, attempted kidnapping, hospitals, broken bones, angst, hopeful ending

Things had changed in The White House.

It had been three months since that fateful night during a charity event, where a man in the crowd targeted the First Daughter of the United States. Agents Robert Floyd, Jacob Seresin, and Reuben Fitch intercepted the perpetrator, and he was disarmed before he could harm anyone. He had been taken into custody, and after weeks of extensive questioning and investigation, The Department of Homeland Security had determined that this man was not working alone. He was a member of a homegrown terrorist organization.

The only thing they couldn’t get out of him was the location of the organization. He refused to give them up, but he was adamant that in a few short months, they were going to go through with their next act of violence. And this time, people were going to die. 

It was very calculated. Every last detail was planned out. How they would get the attention of the American public. How they would carry out their threat against the US government. And the way that they planned to do that? 

Why, kidnapping the president’s daughter, of course. 

During the time it took to obtain that information from the perpetrator, there was unrest in The White House. A changing of the guard, so to speak, was taking place. Tragedy had struck in the personal life of Pete Mitchell, head of White House security. 

His husband of over thirty years, Tom Kazansky, had passed away after a bout with cancer. Pete took it hard. Hard enough that after the funeral and the burial and everything in between, he decided that it was time to retire from his decade long position as head of security. 

It was not a decision that he took lightly. In fact, he’d agonized over it before finally biting the bullet and placing his letter of resignation upon the president’s desk.

“The truth is, I’m getting too old for this,” he told his team of agents, as he addressed them on the day he left. “I know, I know, it’s shocking to most of you,” he teased, as lighthearted chuckles filled the room. “But…it’s time for me to step down. Tom’s death showed me how fragile life is, and how much I should be cherishing it. I have grandchildren on the way, and I plan to be here to watch them grow up.” He glanced at Bradley Bradshaw, and the pair shared a silent understanding. Bradley’s wife was expecting. Pete didn’t want to miss a moment of that little one’s life.

“So, in my stead, Beau Simpson has agreed to take on the position as the new White House Head of Security.”

And thus, new leadership walked onto the stage. 

At first, things weren’t that much difference. Your personal security detail, with Bob as the head, remained the same. Everyone missed Agent Mitchell, but life had to go on. And go on, it did. 

Bob, for one, wasn’t the biggest fan of change. But change was part of the job, it was part of life, so he couldn’t make a big deal about it. When Simpson began to implement subtle changes into the way things were done, Bob bristled, but he didn’t speak out. He held his tongue, because he had a sneaking suspicion that if he were to rebel against Simpson’s leadership, he’d lose his job faster than he could even blink.

So he simply observed silently and waited to see just how many changes Simpson was going to make.

And then, one day, Bob was called into the president’s office, where he stood before Agent Simpson and POTUS himself. “Do you know why we’ve brought you in, Agent Floyd?” Beau asked.

“No sir,” came Bob’s simple response. He didn’t get the sense that he was losing his job, so he had no idea why he was standing here in the Oval Office. 

“I’m sure you recall three months ago, when a threat was made against the president’s daughter.”

“Yes sir, vividly.” He’d never forget that night. Never forget the terror in your voice as you called out for him. 

Then, the president interjected. “As Agent Mitchell previously briefed you, the perpetrator was part of a domestic terrorist organization here on our soil. Recently, he confessed to agents that this group will be carrying out an act of violence upon the American people. We aren’t sure where, or when exactly, but what we are sure of, is that they’re going to go after my daughter again.”

Agent Simpson picked up where the man left off. “Listen very carefully to what I am about to tell you. What we talk about here is strictly confidential. It is a matter of national security.” Then he leaned closer toward Bob. “I am going to give you a set of coordinates. No one else but you, me, and the president know them. Once I give them to you, I want you to be prepared for my signal. When I deem it necessary, you will go to the Residence, retrieve his daughter, and escort her to this location. You will not bring any other agents with you. Just you, and herself. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes sir. But why am I being given coordinates contrary to the location of the safe house that was already put in place?”

“Because that location has been compromised. You must only escort her to the coordinates I give you. Her life depends on it.”

“And when we get there?”

“You wait for my all clear. It won’t be safe to bring her back home until the threat is neutralized. Can you carry out these orders?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good. Now memorize these coordinates.” Agent Simpson recited the numbers twice. Bob had an excellent memory, and stored away the information easily. Once he confirmed the coordinates by reciting them back to the man, Beau nodded. “From here on out, you will be prepared at all times to carry out Operation Hidden Angel.”

Bob breathed in, then out. Then he nodded. “I will be standing by awaiting further orders.”

The president stood from behind his desk. “I trust you to do whatever it takes to protect my only child, Agent Floyd. Don’t make me regret it.”

“Whatever it takes, sir.”

He was dismissed from the office, and his head was spinning. Suddenly, he was burdened with a deep sense of pressure. The need to do his job well. Not because your father and the entire country was depending on him, but because you were depending on him. 

He had taken an oath to serve and protect. And he meant it. Even before he knew he loved you, he had made good on that oath. And now, even more so. You were infinitely precious to him, and he would do whatever it took to ensure your safety. 

Even if it meant giving his life to ensure it. He was fully prepared to go to that length if he needed to. 

That night, he couldn’t sleep. His mind kept drifting to you. To how much he loved you. How much he missed you. He saw you everyday. He escorted you to wherever you needed to go. But those moments did not allow him to be alone with you in the way that you both wanted. There were always prying eyes. Other members of your security detail. Cameras. Nosey reporters. Your relationship had remained secret all this time, and you couldn’t risk exposing it. 

So he would continue pining for you, desiring you, hoping for a private moment to at least hold you in his arms. Little did he know he was about to get that opportunity, just not in the way that he was expecting.

The orders came one Friday afternoon. The work day was coming to a close. At that moment, you were in your quarters getting ready. That evening, you had a dinner engagement with a friend from college. Bob had only just finished briefing the rest of your detail on what the itinerary was for the night. Everyone was prepped and on the same page.

And then, Agent Simpson’s voice spoke into his earpiece.

“Agent Floyd, it’s time to enact Operation Hidden Angel.”

He tensed, his heart seizing in his chest as a shock of dread shuddered down his spine. This was it. His worst fear was coming true. Your life had been directly threatened, and it was time to take you to the designated safe house deep in the Virginia mountains.

And when Bob received that command, he had no choice but to act on it. He touched his fingers to his earpiece and responded. “Copy that. Operation Hidden Angel commencing.”

And then he was off, his shoes tapping rhythmically against the polished wooden floors as he rushed down each hallway and corridor. Adrenaline drove him forward, and he soon came to the entrance to the residence. Breathing in deeply to steady himself, he knocked twice before he opened the doors. 

He knew where you were. He didn’t have to search. You were in your bedroom, readying yourself for the night ahead. For propriety’s sake, he knocked softly. If he hadn’t been afraid that someone might see him, he would’ve just burst into the room. 

He still had to keep up the appearance that you were not romantically involved. 

On the other side of the door, you were just setting out the outfit you would wear that night. You were entirely oblivious to the looming danger, eager for an eveningof catching up with an old friend. “Come in!” You called out as you debated which accessories to add to your outfit. 

You were surprised to see Bob in your doorway. You smiled at the unexpected visit, but your smile soon faded when you saw the urgent look on his face. “You need to grab your emergency bag and come with me. Now.”

Your stomach dropped. “Bobby, what—”

“Just come. It’s not safe for you to be here right now.”

Deciding it best not to ask any further questions in the moment, you rushed to your closet, trembling hands yanking out the bag of packed necessities  you kept for emergencies such as this. Then you shoved your feet into your shoes and rushed after him. 

“What’s happening?” You asked as you followed Bob out of your room and down the corridor that led out of the residence. 

“Can’t tell you the details. Just need to get you somewhere safe.”

“But-”

He turned, stopping you in your tracks. “Do you trust me?” He asked, blazing blue eyes locked with yours. 

“With my life,” you replied without hesitation. 

“Then stick with me. I’ll keep you safe.”

So you stopped asking questions. You followed Bob through the back hallways of the White House, allowing him to lead you, trusting in his guidance. You knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would protect you. He always had. When there was a threat against your safety, he was the first to run toward the danger. 

But now, you were both running from it. You knew it had to be serious if you were being removed from The White House. Someone had likely made a significant threat, and Agent Simpson had advised you be removed from the premises until the threat was neutralized. 

But would the danger ever be gone? Even if this particular instance was taken care of, others would come up in the future. You would never be safe, because that was just your life as the president’s one and only child. 

You did, however, feel safe with the man in front of you. His large, warm hand engulfed your own as he led you down beneath the building. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to ensure your protection. Not only because it was his duty, but because he couldn’t live with himself if something happened to you. He loved you too much.

And that was the sticky part of the situation. No one knew about your secret love for one another. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Someone did know. Bradley Bradshaw, Bob’s secondhand man on your security detail, had silently put two and two together. He’d never outright told either of you that he knew, but there seemed to be a silent understanding between him and Bob. A way of communicating that had come with years of working alongside each other in the same military branch. Neither one of them had to say a word, but they knew what the other was thinking. 

Bradley had kept your secret all this time. You were often surprised that no one had found out, and both you and Bob lived in fear that one day, your father would find out. And if that were to happen, you would lose Bob. He would be dismissed from his duties and you would likely never see him again. The thought broke your heart. 

But for the time being, you were able to slip under the radar. Now, especially, because it was just the two of you. And for a moment, you wondered why the rest of your detail wasn’t with you. “Bob, where’s the rest of the team?” You asked as he pulled you to a stop outside a sleek black sedan. He grabbed your bag and threw it in the backseat before motioning for you to climb in alongside it.

“I’ll explain later.” He ushered you into your seat before he scurried to the driver’s side and slipped into the seat. The engine roared to life seconds later, and he glanced back at you. “Buckle up.”

You did.

Then he was taking off, headed out of the parking garage. As he hit the gas, he spoke into his earpiece. “Angel is flying.”

“Bob, why is it just the two of us?”  You reiterated your question from a few moments earlier.

He glanced at you through the rearview, debating just how much he should tell you. “The more people that know where we’re going, the more danger it puts you in. Only your dad and Agent Simpson know where we’re going.”

“Where are we going?”

“Just…just don’t ask questions, okay, honey? The less you know, the safer you are.”

You heeded his words and settled back into your seat, your heart racing against your ribcage. This was more serious than you realized, wasn’t it? And as you thought about it, the more fearful you became. Your life was in danger, and it was an odd feeling. 

Who were you, that someone wanted to kill you? Your father’s decisions were not a reflection of your own morals or beliefs. You had no control over the way he chose to run the country. But there were times when his decisions put a target on his family’s back. Yours especially, because as his child, you were his biggest weakness. Remove you from the equation, and one would have the President of the United States in the palm of their hand, willing to do whatever they asked just to get you back. 

This was why proactive measures were being taken. You couldn’t be used as a bargaining chip if you were in hiding. But oh, how you hated it. This was your father’s second term. You had been living in the White House for much too long, and you were tired of it. Tired of the world’s eyes being on you at all times. Tired of the politics and the responsibility. You had never asked for this. This was your father’s endeavor, you were just along for the ride. 

But it had resulted in you being placed into the back of a bulletproof car and driven off to some top-secret location just to keep you safe. And from the back of that seat, your eyes observed the singular agent in charge of maintaining that safety. He wasn’t looking at you through the rearview, his eyes were on the road where they belonged. But you could see the conflict in those beautiful blues. You could see the fear. 

Whatever this threat was had scared him. And that was saying something, because Bob Floyd didn’t scare easily. But when it came to protecting you, he did get scared. Terrified, even. He just didn’t let you see it. He wanted you to trust him, to feel secure. And you did. In fact, no one else made you feel as secure as he did. Yes, the rest of your detail did a wonderful job. You knew you could trust them with your life. 

But because you loved Bob so much, you sought him out for shelter and protection. He was the first you turned to when you were frightened or felt unsafe. And he loved being that for you. Loved that you looked to him for those things. 

However, he sometimes thought about the day he might fail you. Would his feelings for you hinder his ability to protect you effectively? Would he be blinded by love? It hadn’t happened yet, but he knew if he was even a smidge off his game, Agent Simpson would be able to sniff it out. And he would not let Bob off the hook for it, either. He’d instruct him to end his relationship with you immediately. And there would be no second chance. Beau would tell the president, and Bob’s position would be terminated.

But it had not gotten to that point, and you prayed it never would. You much preferred sharing this intimate little secret. It did make maintaining your relationship a little difficult, because there were times when you wished you had the guts to tell your father, to tell the world. But the thought of the repercussions that would follow always made you decide against it. 

You wanted to relish in this secret for a little longer. If the time ever did come to reveal your relationship, you would know. Until then, you remained under the radar, stealing private moments when you could, and otherwise keeping your distance when it was appropriate. 

But now you were entirely alone. No prying eyes. No risk of being caught. You were alone, because Bob was the only one your father trusted to watch over you. Because some unhinged madman had made a threat against your life and Bob would sooner die than let any harm come to you. 

“You’re taking me to the safe house, aren’t you?” You spoke up. You had no idea where the house was located, but you had heard of presidents in the past utilizing safe houses. If you were being physically removed from The White House and taken elsewhere, a safe house was the only logical destination you could think of. 

Bob caught your eye through the rearview mirror. His expression was bleak, and he said nothing, but it confirmed what you were asking. 

The drive to the safe house was two hours. You left behind the bustling area of Washington, D.C. and headed into the mountains of Virginia. And as you went, the sun began to sink lower in the sky, allowing eventide to grace the land.

You and Bob hardly spoke, which was uncommon. But you could tell he was harrowed by this situation, and in turn, you were just as scared. It rendered you both silent for the rest of the ride. Instead, you stared out the window, watching the landscape go by, wondering how long you would have to stay here. A night? A week? A month? How serious was this threat made against you? How immediate was the danger? 

All these questions swirled in your mind as Bob drove up a winding, dirt drive. It seemed to go on forever, and the farther he went, the darker it got. But he kept going, until finally, he was pulling up outside a small cabin.

You stared in confusion. Surely this couldn’t be it, right? When thinking of a safe house, you imagined concrete walls and impenetrable security systems. This was just a cabin in the middle of nowhere. 

Bob was confused as well. An odd feeling churned to life in his gut. Something didn’t feel quite right about this, but these were the coordinates he was given. He had not made a mistake in his navigation. You were where you were supposed to be.

“Are you sure this is the place?” You asked as he pulled the car behind the house, intending to keep it hidden from view so as not to raise any suspicions if anyone were to happen upon the place.

“These are the coordinates I was given. I followed orders,” Bob replied, a little sharply, but his annoyance wasn’t directed at you. It was at whoever had designated this as a safe house. Surely the US government could afford something more than this, right?

“I just…was expecting something more grand. A fortress or something,” came your explanation.

Bob softened. “Honestly, me too. I didn’t know what to expect. They gave me the coordinates when I first took charge of your detail. I always assumed the safe house was a bunker.”

Both of you were wrong. Instead, it was a quaint cabin that looked like any normal cabin in the forest might look. However, when you got up to the porch, you found a keypad on the door. It had to be unlocked by a code.

Bob spoke into his mic. “Angel has landed safely.”

Seconds later, Agent Simpson’s voice crackled to life in his ear. “Copy that,” he said. And then, “zero one zero two nine three.”

Bob typed the numbers into the keypad, and the sound of a lock turning reached his ears. Seconds later, the door was unlocked. He opened the door and took a look inside, scoping out the place. 

It looked like a typical hunting cabin, except more well furnished. a seating area off to the left, complete with a bearskin rug. A small kitchen off to the right. An old oak dining table in the middle of the main room. 

“Let me see,” you spoke up from behind him. 

He stepped forward into the house and allowed you to follow suit. As soon as you were both safely inside, he shut the door, manually locking it. He was surprised at the addition of windows to the cabin. As you wandered around and explored the place, he parted the blackout curtain that hung upon one of the front windows, tapping the glass with his fingertips. It was bulletproof. 

He eyed the architecture of the house, assessing what it was made out of. It he had to guess, there was also bulletproof material within the wall panels. Although the cabin looked normal, it was anything but. It was designed to blend in, to not raise suspicion. 

And then his eyes traveled to the bearskin rug, and something told him to check it out. As you were rifling around in the kitchen, he stepped over to the seating area and kicked at the rug with his foot. It seemed to be fastened to the floor. So he knelt down and pulled at each edge until one gave way, lifting up to reveal a hiding space beneath the floor. 

He grabbed his small utility flashlight he kept on his belt and shined the light inside. This was the bunker he’d assumed he was taking you to. It was very clearly designed to withstand any sort of disaster. I hoped he wouldn’t have to utilize it. 

“What’s that?” You came up behind him, peering over his shoulder. 

“Bunker.” He slammed the door shut. With the rug overtop of it, it didn’t look out of place at all. Bob turned to you, his expression serious. “If anything happens, we go down there.”

You held his gaze, your own fearful. “Bobby…how bad is it?” You wanted to know the severity of the threat. You wanted to know if you’d be forced to hide in that bunker. 

Bob stepped closer to you, allowing himself the physical connection he’d deprived you both of in his haste to get you here safely. His hand came up to cup your cheek. “Bad enough that your dad was spooked. Bad enough that Simpson thought we should bring you to the safe house.”

You closed your eyes for a moment, lifting your hand to rest it gently overtop of his own. “I’m tired of this,” you whispered. 

“I know,” he whispered back. He wanted to assure you that he’d protect you. That you were safe with him. But the words felt so insignificant. Yes, he would protect you, but that didn’t change the fact that a threat had still been made to your life. You, the most precious soul he’d ever known. You, kind and giving and compassionate. You, the one who loved him. How could anyone target you?

You leaned in close, and his mind ceased its wandering. Your free hand was placed gently against his chest, over his heart. And then you spoke. “Do you think that maybe…we could pretend, just for a little bit, that life is normal? That we’re just two people living in their little cabin in the woods, who aren’t actually in danger of a terrorist trying to take their lives?”

Bob’s mouth curled into a halfhearted smile. “Yeah…yeah, we can do that, little love. Whatever you want.”

Little love. The endearing nickname always made your heart warm in your chest. You nestled yourself against him, lifting your head and seeking out his kiss. He gladly returned the affection, mouth fitting against yours like it was always meant to, lips meeting in a tender kiss. 

For a fleeting moment, everything felt alright. There was no looming danger. No president’s daughter and secret service agent. It was just two people, very much in love, sharing an impassioned kiss in their living room. 

And then you parted, and as Bob rested his forehead against yours, you said, “You hungry? I found a box of MREs stored away in the kitchen.”

He smiled, humming softly in amusement. “Mm, my favorite,” he teasingly replied. 

Your hands now rested on his chest. “I’ll get them ready.”

You shared one more kiss before you slipped away to saunter over to the kitchen. As you did so, Bob grabbed your duffel bag and carried it to what he assumed was a bedroom. When he opened the door, his assumption was confirmed. 

A double sized bed was positioned in the middle of the sparsely furnished room. There was a nightstand on one side of the bed and a dresser along the opposite wall, facing the bed. An empty closet was across the room. 

Bob set your bag down on the bed, and he assumed the two of you would be sharing this bed. His heart yearned for it. It had been a while since the two of you had shared a bed and spent the night snuggled up close. He missed it so. 

Although the situation that had brought you here was less than ideal, at least you would be able to spend time with each other, without having to sneak around. 

With a soft sigh, Bob stepped out of the bedroom, pulling the door shut before he quickly made his way back outside, with intentions of doing a perimeter sweep to make sure the area was secure. Once he was satisfied, he made his way back to the house, stopping only to grab his own overnight bag that had been stashed in the trunk of the sedan. 

Moments later, he was inside with you again, the door locked securely behind him. 

In the meantime, you were at work in the kitchen, reading the directions on your MRE packet. When he entered the room, you looked up, and then motioned to the bin of pre-packaged food kits you had found. 

“Take your pick. There’s macaroni in tomato sauce, chili, spaghetti, and some bean and cheese thing.”

He chose the macaroni in tomato sauce, assuming it would be the safest option. Together, you prepared your respective meals, and you couldn’t help but find it a little humorous that your first time cooking together consisted of making military grade survival meals. 

“I haven’t eaten one of these in years,” Bob mused, as he activated the heating element. A memory flashed in his mind. A not so happy one. “Last time I had one was when my plane went down during a mission. Natasha was flying with me then. We were stuck in the woods for days.”

You frowned softly at his admission. “How did you make it back?”

“Some nice farmer saw us along the road and we were able to hitch a ride with him into the nearest town. We radioed for help.”

“Why didn’t search and rescue come for you?”

“Partly because we went down in enemy territory. And because our plane literally exploded into a million pieces. We were presumed dead.”

Your previously chipper mood was dampened a bit as you imagined him and Natasha, yet another trusted agent in your security detail, lost and potentially injured  in unfamiliar territory. “Did you get hurt when the plane went down?” You asked. 

He nodded. “Got some nasty cuts. Some burns, too. You know the scar on my side?”

You hummed in realization. You did know it. You’d run your fingers over the six inch long scar many times while laying in bed with him. 

“That was shrapnel from the blow. Cut me pretty good. Nat stitched it up for me, actually. Kind of embarrassed to admit I passed out during it.”

You reached out, touching his arm gently. “Nothing to be embarrassed about. I can’t even imagine, Bobby. That must’ve been awful.”

He nodded. “But we got through it. Nat’s one determined gal. She told me she was gonna get me home safe. And she did. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be alive right now.”

Your hand moved from his arm, resting against his back, thumb stroking circles along his spine. Your touch grounded him. “Remind me to thank her.”

He smiled softly as he finished preparing his food. He was beyond grateful that the Fates had decided to spare him. Had they not, he never would have met you, the best thing to ever happen to him. 

Joining the Secret Service had never been part of Bob’s plan. He’d never even considered it. But Agent Mitchell had recommended him to the president, and after Bob had fulfilled his commitment of time to the Navy, he’d moved over to The White House, where he became part of security. 

In fact, the entirety of your personal security detail had been recommended to your father by Pete Mitchell. With you making more public appearances and doing charity work, it put you on the radar. Your father wanted the best security detail possible for you, and because he trusted Pete’s judgment, he brought them in to begin the interview process. In the end, all of them were hired. 

But only one was the head of your detail. Only Bob was entrusted with every minute detail of your safety. Not because the others couldn’t be trusted, or because they were incapable. Far from it. It was his sharpness and his ability to assess threats quickly. It was his respectfulness and penchant for following the rules (or so everyone thought). Out of the group of agents assigned to you, Bob stood out above the rest. 

In the words of your father, Seresin was too cocky, Bradshaw too aloof, and Trace too emotional. You strongly disagreed with his words. You didn’t like the assessments he’d made of each agent. You thought he was being unfair and harsh. Especially with Natasha. Calling her too emotional was crossing over into sexist territory, you felt. If anything, Bradley was the emotional one. But you didn’t argue with your dad. Whatever POTUS says, goes. 

None of the supposed “downfalls” your father saw in each agent affected their ability to protect you. All of them put their lives on the line every single day to ensure your safety. 

But in the end, they hadn’t been put solely in charge of your security team. Bob had. And now here you stood, in safe house in the middle of the Virginia wilderness, eating survival food and pretending everything was fine. Just you and him. 

Strangely enough, you were grateful. Grateful that he was the one you were with. And maybe it was for selfish reasons, but you didn’t care. You just hated that your only opportunity to be alone with him as of late was because of the imminent danger posed to your life. 

But you would cherish the time you were allotted. 

That night, in the quietness of that little cabin in the woods, the two of you sat at the oak dining table adjacent to the kitchen, with your feet resting in Bob’s lap. You drank the electrolyte drink mixes that were provided in your MREs, pretending they were some sort of fancy alcoholic cocktail, if only for your sanity’s sake. 

For the rest of the evening, you didn’t acknowledge the circumstances that had brought you here. Instead, you talked of anything and everything. It wasn’t often that you had a chance to have such meaningful conversations with one another. Your time together was usually short. Secret meetings under the cover of darkness. Stolen moments of passion in hotel rooms. Intimate embraces where no prying eyes could see. 

But flashes of reality still shocked you like a splash of cold water to the face. Such as the fact that Bob’s gun was still strapped to his hip. Or the fact that he went around the house making sure all the blackout curtains were drawn, and double checking the lock system on the door. 

You tried to ignore it. Focused on cleaning up your haphazard dinner instead. But there was still a feeling of unease in your gut. Bob seemed to notice your anxiety, ever observant, and he approached you as you wiped down the table with a dish cloth you’d found in one of the drawers. His arms encircled your waist, and you sighed, leaning back against him, letting your eyes flutter shut. 

“Hey,” he whispered, nuzzling his face against the back of your neck. “You’re okay. You’re safe.”

You turned around in his hold, placing your hands upon his chest. “I know. I just…I’m trying to pretend everything is fine but it’s hard when there’s a literal bunker beneath us, and you’re walking around with your gun on your hip, and checking the state of the art locking system on the door over there.”

Bob glanced down at the weapon in its holster. “Here,” he said. He stepped back, removing his belt, and taking the holster along with it. He took the gun and carried it into the bedroom, where he placed it on the singular nightstand beside the bed. Then he rejoined you in the main room. 

“Is that better?” He asked. 

“A little,” you replied with a nod, welcoming him into your arms again. 

He dipped his head low, capturing your lips in a tender kiss. “I love you, sweet girl.”

Your chest warmed. “I love you too.”

A large hand lifted up, fingers stroking your cheek. “You want to play pretend? We’ll play pretend.” His arm then came down to wrap around your waist, palm pressed into the small of your back. “This is our homestead, right? And you…you are my pretty little wife.” His free hand tapped your nose with his fingers. 

“Oh? I like the sound of that,” came your soft reply. 

His arm tightened around you. “Mhm. And I just came in from a long day of workin’ the land. Looks like we’re gonna have a good harvest, too. Won’t go hungry this winter.” 

Your mouth curved into a fond smile. His accent was coming through. Picked up from summers spent on his granddaddy’s ranch. “Take such good care of me,” you said. “My strong, handsome man.”

He kissed you again, this time more languidly. “Always gonna take care of my wife.”

That promise translated outside of this silly little roleplay, too. You knew he’d always look out for you. “What would I do without my Bobby?” You asked. 

He gently bumped noses with you, enjoying the closeness. It made you a little dizzy. You hadn’t been in his big, strong arms like this in a while. You’d missed it more than you realized. The close proximity of your bodies had you growing breathless, and your fingers grasped at the fabric of his button down. 

“I…can we…” You couldn’t get the words out. But he knew what you wanted. 

“You need me, honey?”

You nodded, caught off guard when tears welled in your eyes. “Please,” you whimpered pitifully. It hit you hard, like a blow to the chest. You hadn’t expected the feeling to be so intense, but now you were leaning into him for support, afraid your knees would give way if you tried to stand on your own. 

“I’ve got you. Let’s go to the bedroom, okay?”

With his arm secured around you, he led you to the room. There, he guided you to sit on the bed before he turned on the little beside lamp on the nightstand. It didn’t give off much light, but it did cast a soft, warm glow over the bed. 

And then he was in front of you again, but this time, he was kneeling, placing his hands on your knees as he looked up at you. “If you want to stop at any time, you tell me, alright?”

You nodded. 

“Words, lovey.”

“Yes sir.”

He wanted to be a little more careful with you in this moment. Not that he wasn’t careful with you all the time, but he had a feeling you needed a little more tenderness than usual. Having your life threatened was a harrowing experience. He wanted to give you the intimacy and closeness you needed. He wanted to be a comfort to you. 

As he rose to his feet, a big, gentle hand cupped your cheek. You lifted your head, gazing up at him. His thumb lovingly stroked your bottom lip, and you instinctively opened your mouth, wrapping your lips around the digit. 

He watched in awe as your eyes began to grow glassy, and your gaze softened. All it took was his thumb in your mouth to turn you pliant. He smiled fondly, his eyes twinkling. 

And what beautiful eyes they were. You gazed up into them, so clear and blue, but somehow dark in the lowlight, as if the bright blue had turned brown. You could feel the tension leaving your body as you suckled on his thumb. The taste of his skin was familiar and soothing. 

“Poor thing. Just needed to shut your brain off for a bit, huh?” He murmured. 

“Mhm,” you hummed around his thumb. 

“I’ve got you. Don’t have to do any thinking with me. I’ll do it all for you.”

You liked the sound of that. You could let go of the stressors. Your circumstances. Your position as daughter of the President of the United States. Your political commitments. All of it could be forgotten, if only for a little while. 

So you gave yourself to him. To your Bobby. You let him take care of you, because he knew what was best at that moment in time. 

“C’mere,” he said. He took a seat on the bed, his back leaning against the headboard. As you scrambled over to him, he caught you, pulling you into his lap so that you were straddling him. His hands rested at your hips. Your own fell to his broad shoulders. The muscles rippled beneath your touch. 

With your body slotted against his like this, you felt so warm and secure. Like you were meant to fit together. In the warm glow of the lamp, and in the softness of the bed, it all felt so domestic. As if you truly were husband and wife, living in your little cabin in the woods. 

And then your mind began to wander, and you considered what it might be like if he truly was your husband. If you were allowed to live out your relationship without fear of being found out. 

You wanted that, you realized. You wanted it so badly. But you couldn’t have it. Not yet. So instead, you played pretend. You dove forward, connecting your lips with his, kissing him deeply, pouring all the passion you had into it. And he kissed you back with just as much fervor. 

Your hands moved from his shoulders to rest upon the sides of his neck. Your fingers slipped through the hair at the nape of his neck, nails ever so lightly scraping at the skin, making him shiver against you and moan into your mouth. 

You rotated your hips downward in the process, and he gasped, his grip tightening on your waist. So you moved your hips again. And again. Soon, you were rutting against him, searching out that delicious friction. The seam of your shorts caught against you in just the right place, and the stimulation had his cock hardening beneath you. 

He let his head thunk back against the headboard, biting his lip and closing his eyes. “Oh, just like that, honey,” he encouraged, breathless. 

“Feels so good,” you whined. 

“I know. Been too long, hasn’t it?” he cooed, bringing you closer so your forehead was pressed to his. 

“H-how long?” you wondered, shivering as he lifted his hips to meet your own. 

He remembered. Of course he did. “Last month. When you visited that one university.”

Oh, yes. Now you remembered. You’d really gone an entire month without touching him? No wonder you ached so terribly inside. You needed him. 

“Bobby,” you whimpered then. 

“I know, baby. I know.”

He was kissing you again, except this time, he rotated you, gently easing you onto the bed so he could hover over you. Then he began the reverent undressing of your body. He pulled your shirt over your head, leaving a kiss against your clavicle as he easily rid you of your undergarments. Then came your shorts and panties, tossed aside carelessly. 

This left you entirely bare to him, and oh, how naked you felt. But he distracted you from any trepidation you felt. He took your hands in his own, lifting them to his shirt, prompting you to unbutton it. Those big hands hovered over yours as you did, there to help if you were trembling too much to do it. 

In no time, the shirt was unbuttoned, and he tossed it to the floor before he made quick work of removing his white undershirt. Immediately, your hands splayed across his chest. Well-defined because he worked his ass off staying fit. His job was not for the faint of heart or body. He had to stay on top of his game. 

“If ya can stop ogling my chest for a minute, I’ll get my pants off,” he teased. 

You looked up at him before turning your head away shyly. He couldn’t help but hum in gentle amusement. You were just the most precious thing. 

Quickly, he shoved his pants and boxers down his legs, kicking them asunder, leaving you both naked as the day you were born. As soon as his body was slotted against yours, you sighed in deep relief. Finally. 

His mouth was on yours again, and his arms were at either side of your head, effectively caging you in. He overwhelmed your every sense, and it was glorious. In such close proximity, you could smell his cologne, and that natural, heady scent that could only be described as him. 

“Pretty girl,” he whispered in awe, his mouth trailing down your jaw, across your neck, over your collarbone. Reverence. Worship. 

As he kissed your heated skin, he moved to slip his hand between your thighs. Deft fingers tenderly parted your delicate folds, prodding at your entrance. First one finger, slid in deep. Then two. You whined into his mouth as he crooked those fingers upward, intent on locating that spongey little spot that made you shiver. 

It didn’t take him long. He knew your body so well. Knew exactly what to do to have you purring for him. You were so responsive to his touch as it was. 

“Gotta open you up for me, lovey,” he soothed. “Been a while since you took all of me.” 

Those fingers pumped in and out of you, and his thumb came up to swirl around your clit as he did so. You were oversensitive. Not only had you not been touched by him in over a month, but you hadn’t touched yourself, either. You’d hardly had any downtime, and when you did, you spent it resting. Now, you were so pent up that Bob’s gentle stimulation of your neglected pussy was already beginning to overwhelm you. 

In the meantime, he continued to trail searing kisses across your skin. Over the softness of your breasts. Teeth gently tugging at your pebbled nipples. Tongue soothing the sting. 

In the meantime, you grew wetter around his fingers, your body opening up to him, welcoming him in. And then he added a third finger, and you squealed, jolting against him. You felt his mouth curl into a smile against you.

Then he lifted his head to gaze down at the way your cunt stretched around those fingers. “Oh, look at this sweet little pussy. My fingers barely fit. I don’t know if it’ll be able to take my cock.”

He was teasing you. But in your hazy state, you took him seriously. “No! No, I can take it! Please, I need it!” You gasped. 

This prompted him to place his thumb in your mouth again. “Shh, I know. I’m gonna give it to you, I promise.” A gentle kiss to your lips before he leaned back. He removed his fingers from you, and you watched as he used the slick of your arousal as lubricant for his cock, smearing it over the velvety skin. You whimpered at the sight. 

You so desperately needed that cock inside you. Thick and heavy, with a blushed tip that was dripping with his own desire. You found yourself reaching for it, wrapping your fingers around him, longing to feel the heaviness in your hand. 

He gasped softly as your grip tightened and your thumb brushed over that pretty pink head, gathering the wetness that had gathered at the slit. You found yourself salivating, suddenly wishing he was in your mouth, warm on your tongue. But at the same time, you wanted to be filled by him so badly. It made you ache. 

Gently, he lifted your hand away, replacing it with his own. He slid the underside of his cock through your slick, and you both moaned lowly when the plush head caught at your clit. Again, he thrust his hips forward, teasing you. When he pulled back, he positioned himself at your entrance, slipping in only ever so slightly, enough to pull a desirous whine from you before he pulled back. 

“D-don’t tease,” you squeaked out. 

“I know. Just tryin’ to savor it. Might not get to do this again for a while.”

You pulled him down, kissing him deeply. “Don’t think about that right now. Just fuck me, Bobby. Please.”

“Uh-huh.” With his mouth open against your own, he finally inched his hips forward, moving so his arms were at either side of your head again, and his chest was pressed to yours. Forward, forward, forward, until…

“Oh!”

He was fully sheathed inside you, every last inch. It was the thickness that took your breath away. He felt so big, yet at the same time, it felt as if he was made to fit inside you in this way. You would never tire of the feeling of his body connected to yours. 

Bob couldn’t help but glance down, marveling at the way you stretched around him. He allowed himself a moment to bask in the feeling of the snug warmth. He had missed it so much. Missed you so much. “I love you,” he said with conviction. It warmed you to your core.

“Love you too,” you sighed out blissfully, eyes fluttering shut as you wrapped your legs around his waist, and your arms around those broad shoulders of his.

His hand caressed your face as he began to move, nudging his hips into yours. He kept things slow to begin with, intending to build up to a glorious crescendo. All the while, he held you close, resting his weight upon your body, grounding you, surrounding you. He cherished it all. The feeling of your warmth, the beating of your heart. A reminder that you were safe, that you were alive, that you were here, with him.

His mouth found its way to yours again, trailing down further to lave his tongue against your pulse point. “You are everything to me,” he breathed against your feverish skin. You were his life, his love, his angel.

You couldn’t speak, for you were too overwhelmed. Your heart sang, and the true reason for being here in thise safe house seemed to fade into the background as white noise. Your Bobby was on the forefront, infiltrating every one of your senses, wrapping you up in his love and adoration. You never wanted it to end.

As he began to quicken his pace, you held onto him tightly, every inch of your bodies touching, warm and familiar, safe and secure. You let yourself be vulnerable, let him chip away at the armor you always protected herself with. Oh, how good it felt to let him be your protector. He encased you in his warmth, and that warmth began to radiate throughout your body, thrumming deep within your belly. He kissed yu repeatedly, lips ever brushing against yours, swallowing your precious whimpers and moans, holding onto those sounds, locking them away in his memory.

In the back of his mind, he partly wondered if this would be the last time you were able to make love to each other. What if he slipped up and was dismissed from his duties, effectively barring him from ever being with you again? He hated that his mind went to such a morbid place, but it was hard to ignore.

But then you were drawing him in again with those soft sounds, sighing out his name, and your sweet pussy was fluttering around him, and he was brought back to the present moment. How could he let himself be anywhere else but here, with you in his arms? How could he let himself be distracted when the love of his life sighed and shivered in pleasure beneath him? Because of him?

“Feel so good,” you squeaked. Your eyes were closed, your brow furrowed in utter bliss. You looked rather adorable this way. He was so in love.

You were so wet, and he realized that you were quickly growing wetter by the minute. He could feel you dripping down against his heavy balls, and onto the bed covers below, and it only urged him to change his pace. You tightened your legs around his waist, inviting him deeper inside. As he thrust particularly deeply into you, you cried out softly. He’d bumped into that wonderful spot within you, sending you tightening around him, arousal slicking down the base of his cock. 

“Oh, right there!” You exclaimed, fingernails pressing crescent shapes into the skin of his back. He ducked a hand between you then, stimulating your sensitive little clit in such a way that your eyes rolled back, mouth falling open. The way you clenched around him again had him growling lowly, the heat of impending release already beginning to warm in his pelvis. How was he already so close? And then he remembered how long it had been since he’d had you like this, and it made sense.

He applied more pressure with his fingers, driving his hips forward with more force. He was hit with a sudden wave of desperation, wanting, needing you to come before he did. He’d stave off his own pleasure for as long as possible if it meant making you feel good. Beneath him, you were on fire, arousal rushing through your very being like raw electricity, consuming every part of you in its wake. And you let yourself be swallowed up in the feeling, suddenly overcome with intense emotion as tears began sliding down your cheeks. 

Bob cradled you against his chest, though he didn’t slow down. You needed him to keep going, and he wasn’t going to stop until you fell apart. And it was so close you could taste it, building and building and building. A vibration that began in your core, a peak that you were hurtling towards but couldn’t quite reach yet. It was a height that only your lover could bring you to. 

Sweet, tender love making turned into something so much more primal. His chest heaved against yours, and he growled deeply, teeth nipping at your bottom lip as he kissed you. Warmth blossomed between you both, growing into a wild flame. Your bodies fell into a desperate push and pull, faster and harder and deeper, chasing the pleasure high that you knew was inevitable. 

He could feel you tighten around him like a vice, and he knew you were close. He let his forehead rest against yours, though he never stopped his movements. “You’re close, I can feel it,” he spoke in a broken whisper. 

“I-I am,” you whimpered pathetically, clinging to him tightly. 

“Then come for me, my love. Just let go.”

He continued to work you over, carrying you toward that edge. You trembled fiercely, breathing labored, growing even more so. Pleasure began to fizz through you like a firework brought to life, or a pack of Pop Rocks sprinkled on the tongue. Starting at your core and bubbling all the way to your fingers and toes. 

Your body went taut against his as the first waves of it began to hit you. Almost there, almost there, almost there. And then, without warning, it hit you. Washing over you like an enormous wave, intense as could be. Seconds later, you came with a wail, convulsing beneath him as the fire of your orgasm ravaged you, surging through the entirety of your being. You cried out his name, and he was there, holding you in his arms as he watched you come apart, losing yourself because of him. 

And as you came down, you sobbed. You buried your face against his chest, crying openly, still wrapped tightly around him. And he let you cry, keeping you close. But he also needed to find his own release, you realized. Even in your state of emotion, she pulled back a little, looking into his face. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were blown, but there was still a tenderness in his gaze. He wouldn’t pressure you for more if you weren’t ready to move on yet.

“P-please, Bobby. Wan’ you to come in me.”

How could he ever say no when you asked so sweetly?

Satisfied with your plea, he began moving again, finding the rhythm that he needed to bring himself to his end. “Yeah? Want me to fill you up, lovey?” He breathlessly spoke. 

Glassy eyed, you nodded, bottom lip quivering. “Need it so bad,” you begged. 

His face contorted into a look of beautiful euphoria. His jaw went slack, his eyes fell shut, and he let his head fall to the crook of your neck as the climax began to overwhelm him entirely. It washed over him with great force, rendering him absolutely boneless as he keened, your name falling from his lips in a soft whimper. Beneath him, you relished in the feeling of his essence seeping into you, even as tears continued to stain your cheeks. 

His hips stuttered a few more times against yours as he made sure to fill you with everything he had to give. And as he came down, trying to catch his breath, you made no move to part from one another.

There you lay, holding each other, basking in the afterglow as the weight of his body settled atop yours. When your tears ceased, Bob very carefully slid out of you, soothing your mewl of protest with an open-mouthed kiss. As he moved to rest upon his back, he tucked you into his side, and you rested your head on his chest, right over his still racing heart. 

Gentle fingers traced circles along your arm. You hadn’t realized that you’d zoned out a little, still drunk off pleasure, until his touch brought it back down to earth. 

You placed your hand against his chest, eyeing the rise and fall of each breath he took. For a while, neither of you said anything. And when the silence finally did break, it was Bob who broke it. 

“Need to get you cleaned up, lovey. Can’t let you fall asleep like this.” 

Despite your murmur of protest, he gathered you into his arms and carried you out of the bedroom and into the bathroom just a few feet away. 

You were so sleepy, it seemed that the events of the day were finally catching up with you, paired with the romp in the sheets you’d just gone on with Bob. You were in a haze as he tenderly cleaned you up and urged you to use the restroom. 

“I’ve got you,” his low, comforting voice assured you. You could allow yourself to remain in that hazy state, because you knew he would take care of you. He always did. 

He led you back to the bedroom, where he helped you change into the pajamas you had brought. Once you were taken care of, he tucked you into bed and kissed you on the forehead before he proceeded to ready himself for bed. A shirt and a pair of sweatpants. Easy, in case he needed to jump out of bed and tend to a threat in the middle of the night. 

Then he slipped into bed beside you, and you immediately snuggled into him, content to be in his arms, enjoying his warmth. You would cherish every last moment you had with him. Safe and secure, your head on his chest, listening to the steady thumping of his heart. Oh, how you loved him. 

You were lulled into a deep, comforting slumber. In fact, it was the best sleep you’d gotten in weeks. Just his presence alone gave you rest. 

But while you slept peacefully, Bob remained awake. He couldn’t sleep, not when he had to watch over you. He was tempted to get up and do a perimeter sweep outside, just to make sure everything was safe. But you were sleeping so peacefully in his arms that he didn’t want to disturb you. 

At some point during the night, he did drift off into a light slumber, still partially alert, always ready to address danger, should it come knocking on the door. 

And, unfortunately, it did. 

At around 0400 hours, Bob was alerted to movement outside. It wasn’t loud. But there was a strange rustling in the woods, and the snapping of twigs. Instantly, his eyes were open, and he held his breath, hoping he’d just dreamt the sounds. But then he heard it again, and his heart seized in his chest. 

Without hesitation, he eased you out of his arms, and you remained sleeping while he slipped out of bed, grabbing his gun from the nightstand and rushing to put his earpiece back in his ear so he could communicate with White House security if need be. 

There were no windows in the bedroom, so he quickly and quietly scrambled to the front of the house, where he stopped at the window and discreetly lifted the edge of the curtain to peer outside. Sure enough, he saw two figures dressed in black gear approaching from the tree line. 

And that’s when he realized one of them was already at the door, working on the security keypad. Bob knew, in that moment, that he should have trusted his gut feeling from the beginning. Where the hell had Agent Simpson sent the two of you? Because there was no way this was a safe house if it was this easy to get into.

But there was no time to debate the security of the house. Danger was right on the doorstep, and his first priority was protecting you. So he sprang into action, rushing back to the bedroom where you slept peacefully. 

“Safe house is compromised,” he reported into his mic, just before he leaned down to shake you awake. 

“Copy. Get into the bunker. Sending backup now,” Simpson’s voice crackled to life in his ear.

Bob didn’t reply. He was too focused on waking you. “Hey, hey, need you to wake up for me, honey.” He shook you vigorously until you stirred from your slumber.

You stared up at him in confusion, your eyes bleary. “Bobby? Wha-?”

“No time. Get up, we need to get under the house now. They found us.”

That woke you up. Your eyes widened, and you sat upright, throwing the covers from your body as you swung your legs over the side of the bed. “How?!”

“I don’t know! Just come with me!” He yanked you to your feet, hands tight on your arms, catching you when you stumbled. 

Adrenaline coursed through you, wiping away the sleep-induced fog that had been cast over your brain. Bob’s remained closed firmly around your wrist and he pulled you after him out of the bedroom, intending to take you down into the bunker. But in a split second, he stopped abruptly, and you ran into his back with a surprised gasp.

He could only just catch sight of the door coming open. There was no time to make it to the trap door that would lead you to safety beneath the house. Going for it would result in the two of you being spotted and killed instantly. He had a split second to make a decision. This was life or death.

He whirled around, and in the darkness, you could see the wildness in his eyes, and it sent an icy shock of terror through you. Without a word, he clamped his hand over your mouth, silencing you before he pushed you back toward the bedroom.

Your heart pounded against your chest, your entire body trembling with fear as he released you and turned to shut the bedroom door silently. Thank God there was a lock on it, which he promptly turned, careful to do it silently. Then he whirled back around to face you. “Get under the bed. No matter what happens, you do not come out unless I tell you to.” His voice was so low it was barely audible, but you heard every word. And then, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” you whispered, your eyes filled with tears. You didn’t hesitate to follow his instructions, sinking to your knees and maneuvering your body underneath the bed. Bob yanked the covers down so they were hanging from the edge of the mattress, effectively obscuring you from view. It was only a temporary solution, but it would do.

Then, his hand closed around the cool metal of his gun, which he pulled from his waistband and positioned himself a few feet away from the door, weapon drawn, hands steady as he flipped the safety off. He could hear Simpson’s voice in his earpiece, asking for confirmation that the two of you had made it down into the bunker. But Bob couldn’t answer. Silence was what was going to keep you alive at the moment.

He placed his finger against the trigger, ready to pull it at any second. Whoever was on the other side of the door was quiet, but he could still hear them. Creeping closer and closer, inch by inch. And then, the doorknob rattled, and Bob felt his breath catch in his throat.

You pressed your own hand over your mouth, squeezing your eyes shut. Bob’s eyes never left that door. He counted down in his head. Five. The silence was broken as the person threw their weight against the door. Four. Again, their body thudded against the door. Three. Two steps backward. Two. Bob realized what was about to happen. One. He threw his body to the side just as the sound of a gunshot rang through the house. Wood splintered. Smoke curled through the air. 

Bob had moved aside just in time. A second too late and he would be suffering from a gunshot wound. But just as quickly as he moved, his gun was in the air again, held steadily in front of him. As soon as he had the assailant in his sights, he fired. 

Beneath the bed, your hands came up to your ears, protecting them from the awful sound. You couldn’t see around the quilt obscuring your vision. You prayed silently that Bob was unharmed. And he was. He’d just put one perpetrator down. You’d heard the thud of the body hitting the floor. 

But he had no idea how many more there were. 

He would soon find out.

Seconds later, more footsteps. Bob fired. But the second man was expecting it, and kept his body partially hidden by the doorway as he lifted his rifle and aimed it at Bob. The secret service agent ducked quickly, firing his own weapon in retaliation. 

He put up a good fight. Really, he did. Bob had always been seen as a pacifist, and by nature, he was. But that didn’t mean he shied away from a fight. And when he did have to utilize physical force, there was a calculated tenacity with which he fought. He was a worthy opponent. 

He disarmed the second man quickly. Grazed his cheek with a bullet and used that split-second distraction to dive for the gun that belonged to the dead man on the floor. But then, a voice stopped him. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Bob looked up to find three men pointing rifles at his head. He was cornered. 

“Drop the fuckin’ weapon.”

He did. He was severely outnumbered. If he tried anything, he’d be shot dead on the spot. That would leave you entirely vulnerable and alone. 

The one in the middle stepped forward. He was tall. Dark hair. Beard. couldn’t have been much older than Bob himself. Dark eyes stared murderously at the agent kneeling on the ground. He never lowered his rifle. 

“We’re just here for the girl. Tell us where she is.”

“She’s not here,” Bob lied through his teeth.

“That’s bullshit and you know it. We staked you out. We know you brought her here. Now where is she, huh?” Then, he called out into the room in a singsong voice that made your skin crawl, “come out, come out wherever you are!”

“She’s not going to come out, because she’s not here!”

The stranger rolled his eyes. “Alright, then you won’t mind if I fire a couple of precautionary shots, right? Just to make doubly sure?” He aimed his gun at the bed you were currently stowed beneath. 

Bob’s stomach dropped. “Hey, there’s no reason to waste ammunition on–”

“Ah! So she is here!”

And just like that, it all fell apart.

One of the assailants forced Bob into a prone position on the floor, his gun pressed to the back of his head. He reached down and ripped Bob’s earpiece out of his ear, tossing it to the hardwood floor and stomping on it, effectively cutting off any and all communication with The White House. And then, Bob watched helplessly as you were dragged from beneath the bed, kicking and screaming. 

And all he could think, was that he’d failed you. 

“Bobby!” You wailed.

“Hey! What is it that you want, huh?! Money?! We’ll give it to you, I can make a call to Washington, get it wired to–”

“Shut your goddamn mouth,” the man above him snarled, smacking him square in the back of the head with the butt of his rifle. Bob’s vision went white as searing pain radiated through his skull. 

“It’s not about money,” said the one who had wrestled you from beneath the bed. “It’s about sending a message to her daddy.”

You whimpered in fright as he grabbed your face, squeezing your cheeks hard. His expression was full of hatred. It chilled you to your very core. “We’ll make him wish he’d never taken office.”

“Let her go!” Bob cried desperately from the floor, though he was in no position to be making demands.

“No, I don’t think we will.” The man began to haul you out of the room, his hand clamped over your mouth to muffle your screams. He glanced at the one standing over Bob. “Make sure he can’t follow us.” 

As you were dragged into the hall, you heard the sound of a single shot ring out, and you sobbed behind the hand pressed to your mouth. No!

But Bob wasn’t dead. He was very much alive, his teeth clenched so hard he was sure he would break them, letting out a muffled, tormented scream behind them. White hot pain traveled up his thigh, and with it, a violent sense of nausea overwhelmed him. His assailant had shot him in the leg. 

And then he was left alone in that bedroom, helpless to do anything as you were carried away, putting up a fight despite being overpowered. Crying out in absolute agony, Bob fought to drag himself upright, though his head spun and his leg throbbed wickedly. He had to stop them. Had to get to you. 

It took every ounce of strength in his being to pull himself upright, but by that time, it was too late. They had taken you outside. He’d never reach you in time. After everything he had done to keep you safe, he had lost you in the end. He would never forgive himself as long as he lived. 

But then, hope. 

All of the sudden, the sound of a helicopter approaching could be heart, and not long after, blinding white light shone through the front door. Moments later, a magnified voice called out, “Homeland Security! We have you surrounded!”

What happened next was a blur. There was shouting. So much shouting. Outside, you were blinded by the lights, reaching your hands up to shield your eyes. The sounds around you were deafening. Someone fired a shot. Then another. Hands grabbed at you. You had no idea who they belonged to. But they pulled you away from the men who had taken you, guiding you to the sidelines, away from the danger. 

But you didn’t want to go to the sidelines. You wanted to run back to your Bobby. “Let go! I need to see if Bobby’s alright!”

“Miss, we can send someone to check on him, right now I need you to—”

“No! They shot him! I have to know that he’s okay!”

You argued back and forth for a moment before you got the drop on the agent trying to restrain you. You threw your weight downwards and she released you out of surprise. You didn’t feel bad when you elbowed your way past her. You probably should have, because after all, she was just trying to do her job. But nothing else mattered to you in that moment than knowing Bob’s fate. If he was dying, you needed to be by his side to say goodbye. You weren’t about to miss your last chance to be with him.

So you made a dash for the house, ducking back inside, frantic. 

“Bobby!” You cried out, scrambling toward the bedroom. Sickening dread coursed through you. What were you about to walk in on? Would you find the love of your life dead on the ground? 

But then, you heard it. “I-in here!”

As soon as you burst into the room, you saw him. He’d tried to stand, but had crumpled to the ground in severe pain, and was now leaning back against the side of the bed, injured leg stretched out in front of him. 

“Oh dear God.” You rushed to his aid, dropping to your knees beside him. “I’m here! I’m right here!”

His pant leg was soaked with crimson, and he’d placed his hand over the wound, in effort to slow the bleeding. “I-I’m okay,” he assured you, gazing into your frightened face. “Can you get my belt for me? It’s on the floor on the other side of the bed.” It sounded as if it took great labor for him to get the words out. 

You didn’t hesitate. You jumped up and ran around to the other side of the bed, grabbing his belt. As soon as you handed it to him, he got to work tightening it around his thigh as a makeshift tourniquet. 

Voices could be heard out in the main room of the cabin. You knew that you would soon be separated. It sent a terrible wave of dread through you, and you reached for Bob. 

“Bobby,” you tearfully spoke. 

“Hey, it’s okay,” he assured you, his tourniquet finished. His clean hand came up to cup your cheek. “You’ll be in good hands. I’ll see you again real soon.”

“But I don’t—”

“Honey, listen to me. Need you to be my brave girl, okay? I can’t go with you. They’re gonna take me to the hospital. And after that there’s a whole protocol I have to go through. But those agents out there, they’ll get you to safety. I promise you.”

Weeping, you wrapped your arms around his neck once more before you pulled back, just as none other than Agent Simpson walked into the room, his gun drawn. 

Bob protectively placed an arm in front of you. “It’s all clear!” He called out. The assailant on the floor a few feet away from you both had long since been dead and did not pose a threat. Simpson still turned him over with his foot just to make absolutely certain that he was dead. 

Beau approached you, kneeling so that he was eye level with you. His expression was neutral, but there was sympathy in his eyes. “I need you to come with me. I’ll see to it that you get back home safely. The threat to your life has been neutralized.”

“Agent Simpson, he’s been shot,” you whimpered, motioning to Bob. 

“I see it. I’ve got a medic chopper on the way. We’ll transport him to the hospital. Right now, you’ve got two parents who are worried sick about you. Let’s get you back to them.”

“But—”

“Go with him,” Bob gently coaxed. “There’s nothing else you can do for me here. I’ll be fine.”

You gazed into his face, tears blurring your vision. “O-okay,” you whispered. 

You wanted so badly to kiss him goodbye. But even now, you were hyper aware of Simpson’s presence and you knew you couldn’t openly show romantic affection to Bob in front of him. 

So you allowed Agent Simpson to escort you from the room. You cast one more glance over your shoulder at your injured lover, before you finally left him behind. It felt like your heart was being torn in two. You longed to stay by his side, to board that medical helicopter with him and wait at the hospital while they tended to his injury. 

But you supposed you did have one thing to be grateful for. At least he wasn’t dead. 

As you were led outside, the early morning light was just beginning to peek over the horizon. It illuminated the carnage that had taken place. You gasped as you realized that the three remaining men who had tried to take you were dead. But there were others. Others you hadn’t seen. They were in custody, ready to be taken in for questioning. In one night, Homeland Security had succeeded in taking down a homegrown terrorist organization. 

But that begged the question: why on earth had they been after you? It didn’t matter, because no one would answer your question, anyway. 

You were led to a waiting car, where you realized Bradley Bradshaw and Natasha Trace were waiting for you. After what you had been through, you were relieved to see them. 

“Hey kid,” Bradley greeted you. 

“I sure am glad to see you,” you breathed. 

“We’re glad to see you, too,” Natasha replied. 

Bradley opened the door, and Nat slid into the seat first before you took your place in the middle, while he brought up the rear and closed the door behind him. 

Javy Machado, who was driving, glanced back at you. “Good to see you safe and sound,” he said with a small smile. 

You didn’t feel safe and sound. You felt harrowed and anxious. 

The entire drive to The White House, you didn’t say a word. You stared out the window and fought to hold back your tears. What had gone wrong? How had those men found you? It seemed too easy. As if you and Bob had been nothing more than sitting ducks. 

You were fortunate that all he had sustained was a shot to the leg. And you were even more fortunate that you had not been physically harmed. You were more emotionally scarred than anything. You weren’t sure how long it would take you to recover, but you knew you needed time. And most of all, you needed Bob. 

But that was out of the question. 

Instead, you had to hold your head high as you climbed out of the car once you had arrived at The White House. Waiting for you were Jake, Reuben, and Mickey. They reported your safe arrival through their mics, and then carefully led you into the building.

“Glad you’re home safe,” Jake softly told you.

You didn’t say a word. You couldn’t muster one. You were already steeling yourself for being reunited with your parents. You knew your mother would be teetering toward hysterics, and your father would likely be stoic, as he often was. You loved them, but you were overwhelmed.

Your mind was elsewhere, longing for your Bobby.

Meanwhile, he was just arriving at the hospital, where a team of medical personnel had already been warned of his arrival. He was a little delirious from the blood loss and the pain, but he could hear the terms they were throwing back and forth. 

They were going to operate immediately. 

“Agent Floyd?” A woman’s voice filled his ears. She was strawberry blonde, with kind blue eyes that reminded him of his mother’s. “I’m Doctor Vitarella. We’re gonna get this bullet outta you as fast as we can, alright?”

He mumbled something in reply, but his tongue felt heavy in his mouth. Then an oxygen mask was placed over his face, and he found himself slipping into a dark and dreamless slumber. The first thing he noticed when he woke a few hours later was the cast.

As consciousness washed over him, he gazed down at it, stretching from his foot to the top of his thigh. Still groggy, he glanced around the room, and saw a nurse walking into the room with a clipboard in hand. She looked up and realized that he was awake. 

“Welcome back to the land of the living, Mr. Floyd,” she said with a smile. “I’ll go get the doctor. She’ll want to talk to you.”

She scurried away before he could say anything. About five minutes later, the woman he vaguely remembered as Doctor Vitarella walked into the room. “You, sir, gave me a run for my money in the operating room,” she said.

Bob looked at her confusedly, still not fully out of his anesthesia-induced haze. 

“When the bullet entered your leg, it fractured your femur. I inserted a rod into your leg to provide solid support to the bone. But you should know that the second it came in contact with the bone, the bullet broke into a bunch of tiny little pieces. My team and I did the best that we could, but I must inform you that there are still leftover fragments in your leg. I could not get those out without causing more damage.”

As he mulled over her words, Bob only had one question. “Will I be able to use my leg again?”

“With proper physical therapy, yes. But you’ll likely live with lasting pain. I wish I had a better prognosis for you, but what matters is that we stopped the bleeding and set the bone.”

He nodded solemnly. There were still bullet fragments in his body. A constant reminder of what he had been through. He felt as if he hadn’t let it fully sink in yet. Everything had been such a blur. Being carried on a stretcher out of the safe house because he couldn’t walk. Being placed into a helicopter and then rushed into the hospital.

And now here he was, on his back in a hospital bed, his leg aching something fierce. No, not aching. Throbbing. As the fog began to clear from his brain, the pain set in, and he groaned softly. His head was pounding. His leg hurt enough to prompt him to clench his teeth.  “Could I get some, uh, pain meds?” He asked.

“I’ll have the nurse bring you some.”

A while later, he had been given his medicine, but it just barely took the edge off the pain. There was no distraction from it. He didn’t want to watch whatever mindless show that was playing on the television. He didn’t have his phone to scroll through. He had nothing. The only thing that made it even slightly bearable was the thought of you. 

He wondered how you were faring. He wondered if you even knew of his condition. Had anyone updated you? He imagined that you were demanding to know how he was. 

And you were. You had informed Agent Simpson yourself that you wanted a report of Bob’s health. You had to know that he was okay. Thankfully, as soon as Beau knew something, he called you right away.

“He’s gonna be okay, kid,” he said, “bullet fractured his femur, and they put him in a cast. But he’s gonna be okay.”

You breathed a sigh of relief, thanked Beau for the update, and hung up the phone. Seconds later, you burst into tears. Your Bobby was going to be okay.

But his worries were far from over. 

He was given a couple days to rest, but on his third day in the hospital, Agent Simpson walked through the door of his hospital room, and he knew it had begun. 

“How are you feeling?” He asked, making courteous small talk. 

“Like hell,” Bob muttered in reply. 

Beau nodded. “Sorry to hear that.” And then, he brandished a folder from a briefcase. “I hate to jump right into business, but…I have no other choice.” He pulled up a chair and sat at Bob’s bedside. “There are a few things I need to clear up.”

“Go ahead.”

“First and foremost, why did you not utilize the bunker beneath the house? The two of you were sitting ducks where you were.”

Bob stared at his superior. “I tried. But they were in the house before I could get her there. So I hid her under the bed.”

“And why were you not aware of the threat before then? Did you not do a thorough enough perimeter sweep?”

His tone was slightly accusatory. At least, Bob took it as such. His eyes narrowed. “No disrespect, sir, but what the hell kind of safe house was that? They never should have been able to breach it that easily.” He paused for a beat, awaiting an explanation.

“I think you might already know the answer to that, agent.”

“It wasn’t a safe house at all, was it?”

Beau sighed, shaking his head. “No, it wasn’t.”

Now Bob was angry. “Y’know, my gut told me that something wasn’t right, and I just brushed it off. But I should’ve listened. You used her as bait, didn’t you? And I went right along with it like a fool.”

“Floyd, this was a tricky situation we were dealing with here. We’ve been tracking this group for months. Our only chance at luring them out was to use her as a decoy. By doing that, we in turn saved her life.”

“How is that any better?! You can’t just use someone as live bait!”

“I didn’t like doing it either, in fact it was my absolute last resort. But it worked, didn’t it? President’s daughter is safe and sound. Terrorist group has been disbanded. We have the few remaining ones in custody. It’s over. The threat to her life and our government has been neutralized.”

“And what if it didn’t work? What if she’d been killed?”

“But she wasn’t. There’s no use thinking about the what ifs. What’s done is done.”

“Does she know she was used as bait?”

Simpson shook his head, his gaze hard. “No. And it’s going to stay that way.”

Several moments of silence passed. Bob processed what he’d just been told. This entire time, he had tried so hard to keep you safe. Tried so hard to keep the danger away. And yet, the danger had still found you, all because the very administration he worked for had led them right to you. 

A sick feeling churned in his gut. He felt dirty. He hadn’t been protecting you at all. He’d been offering you up to the very men who were after you, and he didn’t even know it. 

“What did the president think about his daughter being used to lure her potential killers in?” His tone was bitter. He couldn’t help it. 

“He was in agreement that it was the most effective way of eliminating the threat.”

“So I was the only one who wasn’t clued in to this plan?”

The agent looked him dead in the eyes and said, “Yes, because just from my own personal assessments and observations of you as an agent, I knew you wouldn’t go along with it otherwise. And she needed to be kept entirely in the dark. It was better that way.”

Bob’s head was spinning. “So really I was just used as a pawn?”

“You have to understand that this was a matter of national security. And sometimes you have to play dirty for the sake of the greater good.” He firmly believed that this had been the most effective course of action. 

“I…I’m gonna need a minute to sit with this,” Bob continued. 

“You don’t have a minute, Bob. I’m going to need you to fill out a report about what happened. You do not say one word about what I just shared with you. Just report what you saw, how you reacted, and nothing more or less.”

“So you want me to lie.”

“Some things are meant to be confidential. This is one of those things. Just report what you witnessed, agent. I’ll handle the rest.” He placed the folder, marked CONFIDENTIAL, onto Bob’s lap. Then he clicked a pen and set it on top.

Bob stared at it. Could he really do this? His superior expected him to. The president expected him to. But his mind wandered to you, and the senseless trauma you had endured because of it. In his heart, he knew that if Agent Mitchell was still in charge, this situation would have been handled differently. He would have done everything in his power to ensure you were not used as bait.

But Pete Mitchell’s days in The White House were over. Bob had no choice but to follow the new leadership put in place. So he went along with what was being asked of him, even though it went against everything he stood for, everything he believed.

He penned a lie on that report. Described what had happened, as if he had no idea about the plot to use you to lure your attackers straight to you. He dotted every i and crossed every t. And when he was done, he shoved the file back into Beau Simpson’s hands. 

“You got what you came for. Now get out.” Bob didn’t care that he was speaking disrespectfully to a superior. It didn’t matter anymore. 

Simpson left without a word. And Bob was alone again.

That interaction changed everything for Bob. It made him question his very morals. Could he really allow himself to be part of an administration that purposely put the very members it was supposed to be protecting in harm’s way? This left him with much to consider. He had a decision to make.

He finalized that decision the day you came to visit him.

Escorted by Bradley, Jake, and Natasha, who all respectfully waited outside the room once they brought you to it, you came through the door, so eager to see the man you loved. You shut the door behind you, allowing you both some privacy.

As you took in his form, tears sprang to your eyes. His left leg was in a full cast. There was a bandage around his head from the injury he’d sustained from being hit in the head with a gun. But what mattered was that he was alive, and he was going to be okay.

“Oh, Bobby,” you whispered as you approached him, unable to keep the tears from sliding down your cheeks. 

He mustered a smile. “Hey there, sweet girl.”

You leaned down, oh so carefully wrapping your arms around him in a hug. “I’m so sorry.”

“Nothin’ to be sorry about. I’m okay.”

You pulled back, looking into his face before you lovingly stroked his cheek. He let his eyes flutter shut, relishing in your touch, so comforting and familiar. It distracted him from his pain and made him feel less alone. 

“They told me the bullet fractured your femur?” You finally found your voice a few moments later. As you spoke, you took a seat on the edge of the bed. Bob’s hand lifted to rest in your lap, and you placed your own hands over top of it. 

“Yeah. They put a pin in me. Got a bionic leg now,” he teased. But then, he grew serious. “When the bullet hit my bone, it broke into a bunch of little fragments. They took out most of them, but I’ve still got some floating around in there.”

You frowned, wiping at your tear dampened cheeks with the back of your hand. “How does that work? Will they ever be able to get them out?”

“The doc told me she couldn’t. Said it would cause more damage if she tried. So I’ll just have them inside me forever.”

Your heart broke for him. “I’m sorry they did this to you. All because you were trying to protect me.”

“Hey,” he interjected, hand moving to tip your chin up. “Don’t you ever think of blaming yourself. I’d do it again a million times over as long as it meant that you were safe. You’re what matters most to me in this world. I don’t want to live in one without you in it.”

“And I don’t want to live in one without you in it, either,” came your reply. 

His fingers wiped away your tears. There was so much he longed to say. He wanted so badly to tell you the truth. But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t. What good would it do? It would only bring more grief upon your shoulders. He didn’t want to cause you anymore pain than you’d already been through. 

But, with his next words, he ended up hurting you anyway. 

“I need to tell you something.”

His tone gave you pause. He was serious. “What is it?” You cautiously asked. 

“I…I’ve decided to step down from my job.”

You stared at him. “What?”

He sighed softly. “This injury’s going to have me out for months. And honestly, by the time it does heal, I just have this feeling that it won’t ever be the same again. I won’t be as effective at my job as I was before. So I’m making the decision to resign.”

But you were shaking your head, a fresh wave of tears filling your eyes. “Bobby, no. You can’t leave. I need you.”

“Sweetheart, my mind is made up.”

“Why? Because I know this isn’t just because of your leg. What happened? Did my dad threaten you?”

“No, nothing like that.”

“Then what?”

He sighed, shaking his head. How could he word it in a way that wouldn’t expose what he’d just sworn to keep secret? “I…I was asked to do something that goes against everything I believe. And I just can’t remain with this administration while knowing I was asked to do it.”

Your brow furrowed in confusion. “What—”

“That’s all I can tell you. I’m sorry.”

“Then what? You’re just going to leave? What does that mean for us?”

“We’ll figure it out. I know we will.”

You paused for a moment, looking down at your intertwined hands. More tears welled in your eyes. “I don’t want you to leave,” you whimpered. “You’re the one I feel safest with. I-I know everyone else is just as capable of looking after me but I want you, Bobby.”

It broke his heart to do this to you. And it filled him with uncertainty, too. He wasn’t sure what this would mean for your relationship. But he knew he couldn’t keep going on in secret. And he couldn’t continue to serve an administration that could potentially put you in danger again in the name of national security. 

“I don’t want to leave, either. But I have to.”

You squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry. I’m being selfish. You should be allowed to make this decision without me causing a fuss about it. Do what you feel is best. I’ll support you no matter what.”

He lovingly stroked your cheek. “That means the world to me, honey. I’m sorry to break the news to you like this, after everything you went through. But I just wanted you to know before anyone else. I haven’t even told your dad or Agent Simpson yet.”

“Well, thank you for telling me. But I don’t know what I’m gonna do with myself, not seeing you everyday. God, I’m going to miss you so much, Bobby.” Your voice wavered. You were barely holding it together.

“Hey, c’mere.” He pulled you in, wrapping his arms around you, letting you rest your head on his chest, over his heart. “We’re gonna be okay, you and me. We’ll figure it out. Somehow, some way.” He kissed the top of your head. 

You hoped he was right.

After that initial visit to the hospital, you tried to visit him as often as possible. Your security team was more than happy to tag along each day, because they loved Bob, too. And you cherished those quiet moments in that hospital room, without the eyes of the world on you.

Outside of that hospital, you had to face the public. Had to deliver statements about what happened that night in the safe house. Had to assure the American people that you were just fine, that the brave United States Secret Service and Homeland Security agents did their jobs well. Because of them, an entire domestic terrorist organization had been quashed. In America’s eyes, it was a great victory.

But you couldn’t help but feel like a spectacle. The girl who’d survived a harrowing attack on her life. You were made to relive that night over and over and over again. And finally, in the end, you’d had enough. In the following weeks, you came to terms with a lot of personal things. 

Namely, you came to terms with wanting to separate yourself from your family’s administration. You would never be able to erase the fact that you were the president’s daughter. And your life would never be normal. You would need a security detail for the rest of your life. But you were done living within the confines of The White House. 

The only time you had ever been away from it was when you were at college. After graduation, you came back to work as part of your father’s administration. But for your own sanity, you knew you needed to step down and find your own path. 

So you told your parents as much. You informed them that your mind was made up, that you were going to buy a home for yourself and live your life separate from them. You no longer wanted a foot in the door of politics. It was time to pursue your true passions.

And that was just what you did. 

You bought a house deep in Wyoming, of all places. A nice plot of land, spacious enough for owning horses or cows, and for planting a nice sized garden. It was quiet and secluded and the perfect respite after spending the last six years in The White House.

In the time leading up to your move, Bob was in the throes of physical therapy. His leg was healing well, and he was working hard to regain his strength. During those months, the two of you decided that it would be best to distance yourselves from one another, only because you did not want to raise suspicions about your relationship. You attending each one of his physical therapy sessions came across as suspicious, in your mind.

So you allowed him to focus on getting better, while you focused on starting your new life. You missed him so deeply, but your separation was only temporary. You planned to meet again, as soon as he was ready to travel, and you were situated in your new home. You also wanted the media attention on your safe house to die down.

Eventually, it did, and the world moved on to something else to panic about.

But you? You tuned it all out. You stayed out of the news, you stayed out of politics, and you tried to bring some sense of calm normalcy to your life. You no longer needed a full security detail. It was with a heavy heart that you bid farewell to a few of them, leaving only Natasha, Mickey, and Bradley as your remaining security. They helped ensure that your home was always safe, and that you were protected.

But there was still one part of your life that remained incomplete. A void that could only be filled by your Bobby.

And finally, after several months, the day came that you would be reunited. He was strong enough to travel again. He had officially resigned from his job in The White House. He returned to civilian life, and packed up the minimal amount of belongings he had, placing them in the trunk and backseat of his car.

He drove over fifteen hours just to get to you. And it was worth it to him. After not seeing you for months, all he wanted was to hold you in his arms and never let go. So he drove. And he drove. And he drove. Until finally, he was standing at your front door, his hands trembling as Natasha let him in, and informed him that you were out back, in the stable.

So he ran. Ignoring the residual ache in his bad leg, he dashed behind the house, where the stable was, and he kept going into he was standing in the wide doorway. His feet skidded against concrete and hay, and his eyes searched. There you were. Dressed in jeans, riding boots, and a t-shirt. One he recognized as an old shirt of his, which you had snagged from him in the early days of your secret relationship.

You heard him approaching. Heard his feet skid to a halt at the doorway. And your heart quickened in your chest. You turned in what felt like slow motion, your gaze falling upon the man you loved, standing at the entrance of your stable, breathless.

“Bobby,” you whispered.

You weren’t sure who moved first. But in an instant, you were both running toward each other. You met halfway, arms coming out to catch the other, to embrace the other. “You’re here! You’re really here!” Came your cry.

“I’m here.” And then he was kissing you. Arms secure around your body, lips soft and familiar. He kissed you and kissed you and kissed you. And you kissed back. Not even your mingled tears caused you to part. You didn’t want to. It was as if you were afraid this would all be a dream if you pulled away.

When you did part, he was smiling. That sweet smile that made his eyes disappear behind his cheeks. That sweet smile that made your heart sing. “Oh, I missed you!” you sobbed. 

“I missed you too, honey. So, so much.”

You embraced again. He spun you around in a circle, and you giggled musically, overjoyed. He was finally here, with you, where he belonged. After months of waiting, months of agony, months of uncertainty, he was in your arms. No longer as the head of your security detail, but as the man you loved.

“I just can’t believe this is real,” came your soft confession.

“Believe it. This couldn’t be more real,” he assured you.

You held his face in your hands. “Oh, my sweet, beautiful man. I’m never going to let you out of my sight again.”

“Good, because I’m here to stay.”

You shared several more moments in that stable, holding each other, still in disbelief that it was finally over. The years of secrecy, the sneaking around behind the scenes. You didn’t have to hide anymore. You were allowed to love each other freely and openly.

Together, you walked back to your house that night, arms around each other, swaying as you walked, happy and content and relieved. You enjoyed a wonderful dinner, just the two of you, as the three remaining members of your security team had excused themselves to their own quarters to allow you privacy.

A lot had changed in the time that you’d been apart. You told Bob all you’d been doing, and he informed you what stepping down from his job, and enduring all that physical therapy, had been like. 

He was no longer part of the secret service, and he never would be again. The fear of being found out and losing his position was no longer on the table. There were no superiors to appease. No presidents to serve. He was free to be his own man. To live his life. To love who he wanted.

To love you.

Things were not automatically perfect now that he was with you. But they were better. You would have to figure out some things. And eventually, you would have to tell your family that you were in a relationship with him. But for now, you could live in peace, if only for a brief moment in time. You were safe, on your little farm in Wyoming, with the man you loved. It was your own little slice of heaven. 

And after all the difficulty you had endured, you were more than content with that. You could figure everything else out later. For now, you would live in that domestic bliss for just a little while longer. You’d earned it, after all. 

Finally, it was your turn to live your life the way you wanted to, and not the way others dictated you should.

-

taglist (a mix of those already on the list/who might be interested):

@bradshawsbitch @sebsxphia @rhettabbotts @delopsia @milesmillergf @ohtobeleah @purelyfiction @honeymurdock @ihavealewproblem @high-speed-r @happyrebelruins @chasing-fics @roostersgirlfrxend @bradshawsbaby @whisperofsong @hangmanapologist @callsign-magnolia @callsignmedusa @withahappyrefrain @up-thereinthesky @peachystenbrough @damrlova @lovinglyeternal @laracrofted @bobfloydsbabe @nobody7102 @agentorange9595

[luxu1230]

Top Gun Maverick AU in which Jake knows sign language and Ice miraculous lives (let's say his wife dies instead)

Jake "Hangman" Seresin doesn't make it known to others he knows sign language and why should he? It doesn't impact his job as an aviator and it's not like he's around people who need it.

Well that was before he met thee Tom "Iceman" Kazansky.

////

Jake knew how to sign before he was even able to walk. Having a parent and siblings who are deaf will do that. He was born to a Father who was deaf and a Mother who was in the Navy. Growing up meant he had to know sign language with a mother who was hardly ever around even when she was back home on the ranch they had in Texas he needed it so he could communicate with his dad.

The only time he ever properly saw his mother was when she was on her paternity leaves for the twins (Michael and Johnathan) who were born deaf and the youngest (Lily) who could hear. After that they barely ever saw her as she was "Too busy trying to move her career along" (and isn't it funny that in the future the son she ignored managed to get a higher ranking than she would ever get).

So he had to step up. He was 5 years older than the twins and 11 years older than his baby sister and he knew his dad was struggling. So he helped teach his siblings sign language, he made sure that Lily didn't turn into one of those little brats he saw at school who thought they were special just because they fit within the norm of human society. And if he sat down with his dad when he was 18 and told him he was going to enlist so they wouldn't have to worry about money (since his mother never seemed to help out with her salary). His dad broke down crying telling him he hopes his son would return (That's when Jake finally settled in his heart, that woman was not his mother). So when he joined he made sure that every leave was spent with his family and he could never regret it even if his leave synced up with her's.

/////

Fast forward a few years and it's after the suicide mission that his sign language comes into use.

What's even funnier is that this story goes down in the history of how one Jake Seresin gets promoted at the same time as getting two Naval legends to finally realise their feelings for each other.

////

It was after the mission and everything was left in the past between Jake and Bradley. (Yes he can call his boyfriend by his real name NATASHA. No calling him by his Call Sign is not foreplay BOB). So he's surprised but not surprised when the squad gets a permanent home at Top Gun as a specialist unit with the help of Admiral Kazansky and phtff Admiral Mitchell (Thats a funny story within itself but that's a story of another time).

So to celebrate they all get smashed at the hard deck and if he's sat cuddled up to Bradley in a booth as Ice and Mav talk with Ice using a text to chat on his phone he can't help but notice every time Ice signs 'i love you' to a complete and utter oblivious and confused Mav. He can't help but sigh as he feels Bradley trying not to bust out laughing as Jake had done the same thing until Bradley came up one day and shoved flowers into his chest and signed it back his face red.

So he grabs Bradley's hand and stands up at the end of the table. Looks Mav right in the eye and goes "He's signing he loves you dumbass" and drags off a wheezing Bradley behind him leaving Mav stuttering and Ice blushing. He barely remembers the rest of that night.

So he's presently surprised that after a week he gets a call saying he's getting promoted to Captain due to his great service to the country. He can't help but sign in exaggeration as Bradley bursts out laughing when they find out Mav was the one who promoted him.

And if he proceeds to go up the ladder with his husband by his side and realise that when he reached Admiral he reached a rank his mother could never reach by ignoring his family. Who knew hiding his sign language would get him this far.

(if anyone would write this I would honestly love to read it)

[caystar13star]

This little piece is an ode to @snapghoul ’s Seresin twins au. I added Fritz (and his fandom-assigned storm chasing history as well). He and Tyler met at college in Arkansas, where the Wranglers got started. Then Fritz and Jake met and it was chaos.

“Shit, that’s Fritz!”

It took everything Jake had not to react when Payback called out to the newly arrived aviator. He and Fritz had been stationed together exactly once, and between the constant goading and their “insane” flying when they were paired in the air together, the brass tended to keep them separated for the good of the Navy.

That sobered him for a moment. What kind of mission was this?

Jake was surprised that Billy kept his distance during training, but he figured the other man must be waiting for just the right moment. They were all pretty focused on training.

It was a rather unremarkable Saturday after the mission that Fritz made his move.

The Dagger squad had been permanently assigned to North Island, under the command of the newly-appointed Admiral Mitchell (his husband refused to let him change his name, saying two Admiral Kazanskys would just be too confusing). They had been invited to the admirals’ home several times, and met even more admirals, and retired captains, and even a Texas Ranger! The TOPGUN class of ‘86 was certainly an interesting group.

Fanboy had cornered Fritz, asking him for more details about his storm chasing days, when Jake overheard them. “Hold up, let me show you. My old partner has a YouTube channel. It’s badass.”

Jake groaned, leaning his head against Bradley’s shoulder. “Kill me now, please.”

Rooster looked at the other aviators, confused as to what Jake’s problem was. Fritz was giggling quietly in that half-crazy way of his as he swiped and scrolled on Mickey’s iPad. “Here you go, check this out.”

Bradley caught on but held back his laughter when he heard Tyler’s voice through the speakers. “Alright, what’s up, chat?!?? Welcome back. Thank you for joining us. It’s a perfect weather day!”

Reuben and Mickey were staring wide-eyed at the screen, glancing between the scruffy cowboy Tyler on YouTube, and the perfectly put together mirror image Jake sitting curled up on Admiral Kazansky’s sofa.

“Is that…Hangman??” Fanboy’s confused voice brought the rest of the squad over to see what they were watching. Mav looked and cocked his head to the side, then narrowed his eyes at Jake.

“I didn’t know you had a twin!”

Jake looked surprised that Mav came to that conclusion from only seeing a short clip of Tyler. Most people who knew them all their lives still got them mixed up, despite their different styles and Jake’s efforts to minimize his accent (except when Bradley royally pissed him off).

Bradley squeezed his hand as if knowing the direction of his thoughts. “Dad has a twin, too,” he offered. “But I’m not sure if the Daggers are ready to meet Uncle Ethan yet…”

[tip-top-cloud-surfer]

Grand-Mav and Baby Chick

Pairings: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw / Unnamed Spouse; Implied Pete "Maverick" Mitchell / Tom "Iceman" Kazansky

Word Count: 0.9k

This work, all my works, and my entire blog is 18+ Only

Warnings: Parental Stress; Dad Joke Humor; Rooster's Spouse is Unnamed; Implied IceMav; There's no way that the Navy allows babies into the offices, but let's just pretend

Summary: Rooster needs a babysitter for his son last minute. Maverick volunteers.

Master List

Despite objections from a large portion of the admiralty, Maverick somehow managed to secure a job teaching at Top Gun again after the uranium facility mission. And an even more shocking aspect of that whole situation was the fact that he managed to actually keep the position. 

And the best part of the job for Maverick? The fact that he saw Rooster just about every day. Rooster had been stationed in Miramar for two years now and even though they no longer worked side by side, they tried to eat lunch together at least once a week. It helped them rebuild their relationship quickly and strengthen it even further as Rooster went on to get married and move onto the next stages of his adult life. 

Maverick loved spending time around Rooster’s family. But Maverick wasn’t expecting Rooster to burst into his office with little baby Nick Peter Bradshaw tucked in his arms. 

“Aren’t you a little young to be here?” Maverick teased, waving at Nick before turning to look up at a very flustered Rooster. “Why did you bring him to work?”

“Daycare is closed and I couldn’t find a babysitter,” Rooster explained rapidly. Quickly remembering that Rooster’s spouse was out of town, Maverick glanced back up at Rooster, who looked on the edge of a breakdown. “I have a briefing in ten minutes and I’m out of options, Mav, and—”

“—Give him here,” Maverick replied without hesitation, already reaching for Nick. 

“You don’t have anything?” Rooster asked, handing his son over.

“Just a class. Nothing too crazy,” Maverick stated, happily accepting Nick into his arms. Rubbing Nick’s belly and earning a coo in return, Maverick smiled down at the little chick. “And it’s never too early to teach him about aviation.”

“Thanks, Mav,” Rooster sighed, handing over the baby bag as well. “I owe you one.”

“Don’t worry about it. Now get to your briefing," Maverick stated, shooing Rooster out of his office.

~~~~~

“And remember, when you’re flying in low visibility, you have to . . .”

Maverick continued on with his lesson, completely ignorant or simply uncaring about the odd looks that his students were shooting him. But then again, it wasn’t every day that the famous Maverick, who was pretty much a living legend in the naval aviation community, showed up to class with a random baby strapped to his chest. 

Maverick turned away from the board with notes and schematics up on it and back to his students. He pointed at the schematics and gesticulated to emphasize the important facts of the lesson, causing Nick to smile and drool a bit as Maverick indirectly entertained him with his movements and gestures.

“What the fuck is going on?” one of the cadets whispered quietly. 

“Whose baby is that?” another added on, leaning back in their seat.

“And why did he bring them to class?”

Maverick continued on with his lesson, but when Nick started to whine, he momentarily paused. Quickly reaching into the baby bag, Maverick fished out Nick’s binkie from one of the top pockets and quickly got him settled again. And then Maverick went right back to the lesson as if nothing happened to disturb it in the first place. Minus a couple odd bounces around to make sure that Nick stayed calm and happy in his carrier.

One brave cadet slowly raised his hand with a dumbstruck expression on his face. Maverick motioned for him to speak and the cadet slowly lowered his hand to point at Nick.

“Sir, why do you have a baby?”

“Oh,” Maverick realized, glancing down at Nick for a moment. “My son had a briefing and he didn’t have anyone else to watch his son, so I'm watching him for today.”

“Is that safe?” another cadet asked, sharing an odd look with their fellow students. 

“Oh, don’t worry. He’s up to date on his shots. And he can’t bite because he doesn’t have any teeth yet,” Maverick explained, earning even more incredulous looks as a result of his explanation. “Now, back to the maneuvers that we’ve been discussing this week . . .”

“What. The. Fuck," one cadet murmured under their breath.

“You know, when people told me that he was a little crazy, I didn’t think that he would be this crazy.”

“This day can’t get any weirder.”

But, of course, a knock at the door proved the cadets wrong. Because not three seconds later, the Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky walked into the classroom.

The cadets tripped over themselves, rushing to stand at attention for the most senior naval officer this side of the Rockies. But Maverick was completely relaxed and strode over to Ice to make the smooth hand off.

“You got out of your meeting early?” Maverick guessed, handing Ice the baby bag. 

“Well, I am the COMPACFLT,” Ice replied with an easygoing smile. “And besides . . .” Ice reached out to grab Nick from the baby carrier that Maverick tucked him into, “. . . someone has to watch the little chick.”

Nick cooed and made grabby motions for Ice, clearly happy to see him. Ice happily greeted Nick and held him protectively in his arms. Maverick handed off the rest of Nick’s belongings to Ice before the usually rigid and stern admiral turned to the class full of cadets. 

“We apologize for interrupting your lesson. We’ll get out of your way.” Ice shot Maverick a wink before turning to Nick. “Can you wave ‘bye bye’ to everyone, Nick?”

Nick held his half-curled hand up in the air and waved his whole arm at Maverick and the class before Ice turned and walked out of the room. When the door shut behind them, the entire class was completely silent.

“Any questions?” Maverick asked, breaking the stone-cold silence. 

All twenty hands immediately rose into the air with each cadet sitting on the edge of their seat to ask their question.

“About the lesson," Maverick emphasized a moment later.

All twenty hands quickly lowered back down, some more sheepish than others. Turning back to the board, Maverick carried on as if nothing odd or unusual happened.

[pollyna]

They have been together for maybe five years, and Bradley has lived on and off with them for the last two, when Mav presents both of them with presents on a random day of a random week. The paper is full of mini jets, and Bradley giggles all the way to the living room because uncle uncle, uncle Mav have a present for us! Mav explains to both of them, while Bradley destroys the package and Ice is metodically opening it, that they deserve to have a leather jacket too, like his, and maybe they (Ice) could put on all the patches from the squadron they work with or just go around all wearing it? Bradley smiles with all his teeth, except for two in the front row, before hugging Mav, yes yes we're going to wear it together! It's going to be fun, Uncle Mav! Then Ice's arms are hugging both of them, kissing his head, and yeah, can't promise I'm going to wear it every day like someone I know, but it's beautiful, thank you, babe.

(A year later, and this time on Mav's birthday, Bradley gives him two presents. The second one is a patch with a pretty colourful design and the code BKM-03 embroidered under it. Because Bradshaw-Kazansky-Mitchell! So you can take us with you when you're not around. We made it! Uncle Ice said the most important part of it was all the love we put into making it. We used all the love we have for you so you won't feel alone ever, ever, again! And Mav had found himself hugging Baby Goose and Ice as strongly as he could to hide the tears because that's the most beautiful present someone could give me.)

((After the mission, when Bradley sits in front of the two people who raised him, he can't help but notice that the patch he and Ice made a lifetime ago is still there. This time he's the one who hugs his dads and stays there, between them, trying not to cry and not letting them go.))

[compacflt]

for todays wip wednesday i thought it would be kind of fun to do a little wips vs final drafts post just to kind of illustrate how far back first drafts can really start. so following the famous 5+1 fanfic format (4+1 cause u can only post 10 pics on mobile)—four wips (left) & their related final drafts (right) + one that is still a wip (bottom two)

[sailor-aviator]

The Beginning

Stranger Like Me: Prologue

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Reader

Summary: From a young age, the animal kingdom had fascinated you, and maybe that's why you chose to pursue that passion. You quickly became a force within the field, becoming the leading expert on ape social structures, which is how you found yourself on an expedition into the African jungles searching for a troop of gorillas. What you weren't expecting, however, was to run into the local wild man on one of your excursions... (Tarzan!AU)

Trigger Warnings: Talk of loneliness, Inaccurate scientific descriptions and terminology, Flirty Jake, Allusions to loss of parents, Talk of reintigrating someone into society...I think that's it.

Word Count: 1,263

A/N: Here it is! I hope y'all don't mind me making you wait too long! This blog is 18+ ONLY! As always, reblogs and comments are welcomed and encouraged!! Find me on AO3 under sailor_aviator where all of my stories and drabbles are posted! If you would like to be added to the Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw tag list, please click the link below!

Series Masterlist || Moodboard 1 || Moodboard 2 || Moodboard 3 || Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw Tag List

You had a running theory that there were two types of people in this world: plant people and animal people. You? You were most definitely an animal person. Growing up, you visited the zoo frequently, the employees practically knowing you by name. You did your best to memorize as many facts as you could about the different animals in each exhibit, knowing from an early age that you wanted to work with animals for the rest of your life.

You’d spend hours at the primate exhibits, watching the way the different apes and monkeys interact with each other, and you wished you could fast forward to the moment where you got to study it day in and day out.

So, you worked hard, graduating high school with honors before moving on to study zoology in undergrad, and then skipping straight to your doctorate program after that. It had been a long, grueling road that left little time for much else, but it was your passion, and once you had been greeted with the title of “doctor,” you knew it had all been worth it.

That didn’t stop your bouts of loneliness though. While your friends all went out to party, you were usually found with your nose buried in a book. And it wasn’t like you wanted to go out partying, but it still hurt when your friends stopped asking.

And then there was Jake Seresin, your handsome best friend of several years who knew he looked good and never failed to own it. The two of you had met in the early days of undergrad, having been partnered up in a biology lab, and you had hit it off immediately. Jake wasn’t interested in primates, his focus turned towards botany of all things, but he loved to tease you about your love of great apes.

“A cute girl like you studying monkeys?” He had chuckled with a shake of his head, mossy green eyes glimmering with mischief. “You must have had a wild fascination with Boots the monkey, huh?”

“First of all, peabrain,” you scowled at him, fighting back the smile that threatened to take over your face as his jaw dropped, “I study apes, not monkeys. Second of all, my fascination with Boots is none of your business.”

“Whatever you say, Boots.”

And the nickname had stuck. It followed you through undergrad and all the way through to your now budding career as one of the leading researchers in gorilla social structures. Which is also how you found yourself invited to the North Island Research Camp in the Republic of the Congo.

The camp wasn’t some grand research center, but it was well respected amongst the scientific community for gathering the most up-to-date research and hands-on experiences between researchers and local fauna. The camp was run by Dr. Pete Mitchell and Dr. Tom Kazansky, both legends within the field and rarely opening up their camp to other researchers. You had been thrilled to receive the invitation, and even more thrilled when you found out that Jake had also received an invitation to the camp to continue his research on tropical plants.

The two of you had made plans to fly out of San Diego at the same time, even choosing to stay at his place the night before your flight.

“The early bird gets the worm, Boots!” He chirped, loading up the trunk of the Uber with your luggage. How he was so cheerful at three in the morning was beyond you.

The flight to your destination was uneventful, choosing to catch up on some of your reading as well as sleep for the majority of the flight. The two of you were greeted by a bespectacled man once you departed the plane, his demeanor relaxed but his face shy as he helped you with your bags.

“I’m Bob,” he said, loading the back of his jeep with your belongings. “I’m helping out Pete and Tom with their research. The other researcher is already at the camp. He got here about a month ago.”

“Who is it?” You asked him, hopping into the front seat of the car as Jake clambered into the back.

“Javy Machado,” Bob answered, already making his way through the city and towards the jungle. “He’s doing research into termite colonies.”

“Javy’s gonna be there?” Jake asked, leaning forward with a grin. You rolled your eyes at him. Javy and Jake almost went as far back as you two did, having first met in a chemistry course their junior year of college. While you and Jake had gone to the same university for your doctorate programs, Javy had ventured elsewhere, making a name for himself within the world of entomology. The two together was almost insufferable.

“You two better behave,” you groused, settling into your seat with a glare in his direction.

“Boots,” he gasped, placing a hand over his heart in faux hurt, “I am absolutely shocked that you think we would be anything other than complete professionals.”

“Don’t give me that crap,” you snapped, turning to face Bob who glanced at you two wearily. “Those two are going to be a nightmare, I’m just warning you now.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask,” he chuckled.

The three of you settled into a comfortable conversation as Bob continued to drive towards the camp, the jungle becoming denser the longer he went. Soon, the sun was hidden behind the canopy, and you got the sense that you were truly in the wild.

“Are you sure about this, Mav,” Ice hummed, hands clasped firmly in front of him as he eyed his fellow researcher. Mav spared him a smile, running a hand through his hair as he sat on the bench opposite his companion.

“He’s been on his own for decades, Ice,” Mav grimaced, glancing into the trees. “He deserves to know companionship beyond just us.”

“He has Bob and Javy.”

“He deserves more than just four other people in his life,” he amended, rolling his eyes. “We’re lucky we found him when we did, otherwise I’m not sure he would have survived on his own. Besides, Nick and Carole wouldn’t have wanted this for him. They would have wanted him to see the world, to meet other people.”

Ice hummed at that. Of course, Maverick had a point. They couldn’t keep the boy isolated for forever. He was already butting heads more and more with the troop leader and spending more nights in the observation tower as a result. It also wasn’t like Ice wanted to keep him isolated for selfish reasons. No, quite the opposite in fact. The kid had spent most of his life right there in the jungle, never having contact with another human being until the two men had opened up the research camp once more ten years before.

And that’s what had Ice so apprehensive. The boy had little to no experience with humans, and what he did have was from the time spent with the two older men who weren’t exactly the greatest of company at the best of times. How would he react to a camp full of people his own age? Would it be too much for him?

“Bradley is smart, Ice,” Mav continued, knocking his knuckles against the table. “He’s already been asking questions about the people in the movies and photos he sees. He wants to know about the outside world. Let’s let him have that chance.”

Ice didn’t answer. Instead, he sighed, leaning back in his chair. This would be good for Bradley. It had to be.

Tag List: @goldenseresinretriever @fanficfandomlove @seresinsbrat @hopip99 @lemmons1998 @yuckosworld @moon42flight @kmc1989 @rhettsluvr @imnotcreativeenoughforthisblog @deliriousfangirl61 @nouis-bum @topherwrites @crybaby-21 @linkpk88 @number-0-iz @princessofglitterland @agentorange9595 @pittbull-enthusiast @krispybearbouquet @els-marvelvsp @jupitercomet @maximus890 @eloquentdreamer @seresinslady @piceous21 @wh1skey0n1ce @uniquedreamlandcheesecake @the-house-of-rose-and-ember @smileybouquet @jessicab1991

[callsign-dexter]

Deployments and Slugs

Summary: Jake is called away to a deployment leaving Bradley home with their 5-year-old daughter. Jake meets an interesting friend and decides to keep his husband and daughter updated.

Pairings: Bradley Bradshaw x Daughter!Reader, Jake Seresin x Daughter!Reader, Bradley Bradshaw x Jake Seresin, Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw x Carole Bradshaw, Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell x Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky

Warnings: fluff, angst, deployment, inaccurate Navy talk, sickness

Our Little Girl

Masterlist

A/N: Inspired by this clip.

A/N 2: I feel like I rushed the weeks and I'm sorry about that. I don't think this is one of my best fics.

It was rare for Jake and Bradley to go on deployments without one another but sometimes it needed to be done. This time Jake would be deploying for 2 months to a base overseas in Spain. He hated leaving his family but knew it had to be done. Ice tried to stop it or send both of them or another person or team but whoever ordered it wasn't having any of it. Jake would be deploying with Javy.

They had found out during work while they had just finished doing some run-throughs. Maverick had met both him and Bradley on the tarmac. Bradley had come over to Jake once he was down and finished with his post checks. "What's up, Pops?" Jake asked in a cheery tone Maverick gave a weak smile.

"Cyclone, Ice, and Warlock need to see you both in the conference room." Maverick said

"Mav..." Bradley started and he knew what was coming.

"Who?" Jake asked understanding the tone.

"I can't tell you. Goose and myself will be there." Maverick said and Bradley and Jake looked at each other. They didn't like the sound of this. "Meeting is at 3 PM." Maverick said and thru nodded and then he was leaving.

"What do you think it is?" Jake asked and Bradley shrugged.

"Probably about a deployment." Bradley said

"Do you think it'll be the two of us?" He asked

"Probably, I hope it's none of us. I hope that it's all of us meeting about something new." Bradley said and Jake nodded.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 

3 PM rolled around and they were heading to the conference room, nervous as hell. They walked into the room to see Ice, Goose, Warlock, Cyclone, Maverick, and Javy there. Bradley and Jake looked at each other. Both men took a seat next to their teammate and friend. "Thank you all for coming." Ice starts. "I've called you here because a mission has come up and only two of you will go." He said.

"What are the three of us doing here then?" Bradley asked

"Well, considering that you're Jake's spouse and vice versa I wanted you to hear the news with him." He explained and Bradley nodded "We've decided to send Jake and Javy on this mission." Ice ended and Bradley's heart dropped. He was looking at Jake and saw that he was keeping a straight face but he knew what he was feeling. He silently reached under the table and grabbed his hand and instantly felt him squeeze it.

"When do we leave?" Jake asked

"A week from today." Cyclone said and they nodded.

"Do we know what kind of mission this is?" Javy asked

"You will be gone for at least a month. You'll be in Scotland." Warlock said and everyone nodded. Soon the meeting was over and information was given. By the time they got done talking, they were the only ones left. They went to the locker rooms took showers and got changed as they stood, they began talking.

"I wonder what kind of mission this is." Javy said and the other two males nodded

"I hope it goes by fast. I hate leaving Y/N and Bradley." Jake said

"I hate it too." Bradley said

Now it was time for Bradley and Jake to pick up their daughter from school. Bradley and Jake got into Jake's truck since the Bronco was acting up and headed to your school. It was a silent ride but it wasn't really uncomfortable but filled with thoughts that nobody was saying out loud. "When should we tell her?" Jake asked.

"Maybe after dinner." He said and Jake nodded agreeing with that. They arrived at your school and they saw you before they even got to you. You were standing with your teacher and you were laughing about something, you had the biggest smile on your face. Bradley got out and walked over to you as Jake stayed in the truck and he smiled as you got even happier seeing one of your fathers. He couldn't help but let thoughts get to him.

"They'll be fine if I don't make it back."

"They'll have each other to help each other heal and not to mention all of The Daggers and his parents along with Ice and Mav."

"Jake why are you thinking like this? It could be a very simple and easy mission. You love them too much to leave them you're going to fight to get back to them."

His thoughts were pushed back when he saw Bradley holding you and walking to the truck and he put a smile on his face. Bradley opened the back door "Daddy!" You shrieked and that brought a real smile to his face and he turned around.

"Hey, Sweets! Did you have a good day?" He asked and you nodded.

"But it's better now that I'm with you!" You said excitedly and he knew Bradley had you say that and he looked at him. Bradley had a smile on his face as he was buckling in. He was so grateful for his husband he always knew how to make his day better.

"Well, ours is better now that you're here." He said and reach back and tickled you and you giggled and squirmed.

"You're lucky I've had practice strapping her in while she is moving." Bradley said chuckling and that made Jake chuckle. They both had practice. Once Bradley had you settled in buckled in, he got in the passenger side. Now they had to wait to get out of the pickup line but luckily that didn't take long, before they knew it, they were on their way home.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 

The days leading up to the mission were nerve-wracking the routine never changed but there was some tension in the air that could be felt. Jake had taken on most of the responsibility for you Bradley of course took some too but he knew how important to Jake it was to in as much Sweets time as possible. One night, 3 nights before Jake left, it turned out to be a bad night. It started out good but it just increased into a bad night as the night progressed. It was the weekend so that meant that they didn't have to worry about going to work the next day. Everyone had just finished supper and now it was time to get you in a bath and start winding down for the night. "Alright time to get you in the bath." Jake said and you looked at him and pulled a face.

"No." You said and Jake looked at Bradley.

"Sweets, you've been playing outside all day. You need a bath." Jake said and you shook your head.

"No." You repeated

"Y/N/N listen to your Pops." Bradley said and you looked at him.

"No. I don't need a bath." You said

"Yes, you do." Jake and Bradley said at the same time. You shook your head.

"No." You began crying.

"Sweets, please for us. Take a bath and you can watch whatever you want afterwards." Jake said and you looked up at him.

"Really?" You ask and Jake looked at Bradley and he nodded.

"Really." Jake said and you took a moment to think about it.

"Ok." You said and that made your fathers smile.

"Good. Come on." Jake said and lifted you up and carried you down the hallway while Bradley smiled and cleaned up. The bath turned into play time which resulted in Jake becoming drenched but you thought it was the funniest thing in the world and he let it happen. Finally, after the bath was over, he was drying you off, getting you dressed, and then taking you downstairs to join your other father. He burst out laughing when he saw his husband which made you laugh.

"I see bath time went smoothly." Bradley said chuckling and smirking and Jake playfully glared at him.

"You take her while I shower and get changed." Jake said to a laughing Bradley.

"Did you and Papa have fun?" He asked and you giggled and nodded. "I can see that. Let’s pick out a movie to watch." He said and you nodded as you got settled in. Not long after picking a movie a damp haired Jake came down dressed in sweats and a t-shirt.

"What are we watching?" He asked

"Shrek!" You exclaimed and they smiled and he settled in and the movie began. You three watched Shrek and then you were falling asleep and soon they were taking you to your room and tucking you in for the night. They both decided to go on to bed and watch TV in their room.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 

It was the day that Jake and Javy were leaving for the deployment and you were clinging to Jake like your life depended on it. Instead of them going on a carrier they were being flown to Scotland. "No. I don't want you to go." You said crying into his neck and everyone's heart broke.

"Sweets, I'll be back before you know it. I'll talk to you and daddy every day. Ok?" He asked and you shook your head.

"No, Papa. You no leave!" You exclaimed and some people passing by were looking at the both of you in pity. They knew something was going on especially seeing two men in uniform.

"It'll just be a month. I promise." He said and then he looked at Bradley and nodded. Bradley wrapped his arms around your middle which made you cling to Jake even more.

"It's time to go, Honey." He said and started to use force to get you to release you father and man did you put up a fight. But with Jake prying your arms away from his neck and Bradley holding your middle they were able to get you off him and Bradley doubled down on his strength of holding you so you didn't lunge at Jake.

"I love you, Sweets." He said kissing your forehead and then he kissed Bradley and then he was turning around and heading further into the airport with Javy who had waved at the two of you.

"She going to be, ok?" Javy asked and Jake nodded.

"She will be in a day or two." He replied as they reached security. He had half of mind to turn around and not go but he knew he would be in trouble.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 

It was a silent ride back to the house because you had fallen asleep and Bradley could confirm this, because when he looked up at the first stop light you were out. He smiled and continued driving it was a 2-hour drive back home and that gave him time to think but didn't have long because his phone began to ring and he answered it. Carole's voice sounded through the speakers.

"Hey, how did it go?" She asked immediately.

"She didn't want him to go and fought so hard not let him go. It was heartbreaking." He replied

"How is she doing?" Goose asked

"Sound to asleep. She fell asleep before we even got to the first stoplight." Bradley replied.

"You both want to come over for dinner?" Carole asked

"We would love that. A distraction for her would be great around this time." Bradley replied as he glanced into the review mirror to find you still asleep. "Actually, can we come over now? I think it will hit her again when it is just the two of us home alone." He added.

"Of course! Come on over." Carole said and Bradley smiled.

"We're 10 minutes out." He said

"Can't wait to see you both." Goose said

"We love you both." Carole said and Bradley smiled.

"We love you too." He said and then they both hung up.

10 minutes later they were pulling up to the Bradshaw residence. Bradley parked his Bronco and got out and then worked to get your sleeping form out of your car seat. You only stirred but didn't wake up and that made him smile you could sleep through anything just like Jake despite him being in the Navy. As he got you out the front door was opening to revel your grandparents, he silently closed the door and walked up to them. "She's still out?" Goose asked and Bradley nodded.

"Leaving Jake drained her. I'll wake her up her soon." He said

"Let her sleep. We have all night and it is the weekend." Carole said waving him off as she ushered everyone into the house. "Go put her in her room." She said referring to the room you had here when you slept over for different occasions. That is what Bradley did he walked to your room and took off your shoes and tucked you in with a kiss to the forehead. Once he was satisfied that you were ok, he left the room and walked downstairs into the living room. He hugged his parents and then sat down. "It was bad huh?" She asked and Bradley nodded.

"We were getting sympathy looks from everyone that walked by." He said

"It's tough but they wouldn't be sending them if they didn't think they would be up for it." Goose said and Bradley nodded.

"I know but it doesn't make it any easier." He replied

"None in the slightest." Carole said they continued to talk for about an hour before you started to wake up.

"Daddy?" You asked

"Looks like I'm being summoned." He said and he got up and headed upstairs. His parents smiled at him watching him walk up the stairs to you, his daughter their grandchild. Just hearing him being called 'daddy' makes their heart swell. A few seconds later he was walking downstairs with you in his arms.

"Hey there, Chick." Goose said standing up as Bradley got close enough and took you from his arms.

"Hi, Grandpa Goose." You said and everyone smiled.

"You hungry, Honey?" Carole asked and you nodded laying your head on Goose's shoulder still waking up and they smiled.

"Alright let's get dinner started." Bradley said and everyone went to the kitchen.

"Actually, I have been making her favorite all day. Roast with plenty of potatoes, carrots, and onions." Carole said smiling and being her bright self.

"You knew this would happen, didn't you?" Bradley asked and she smiled and he had his answer.

"I did." She said. Bradley shook his head but grabbed you a plate and began to put some on it and then his. Goose had sat you in a chair and everyone else got theirs and supper began. Small talk was made and then once supper and dessert were eaten you and Bradley were saying bye. Bradley had you in his arms and your head was on his shoulder Carole and Goose followed him out carrying leftovers. "You two going to be, ok?" She asked and Bradley looked at her as they arrived at the Bronco.

"I know I will be but Princess here" He said nodding his head to you "Might not be. You know how she gets one we go on a mission." He said and they nodded.

"You need anything at any time let us know and we'll be there. No matter what time." Goose said and Carole nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, Dad and Mom. Hopefully it'll be a fast mission and he'll be home soon." Bradley said and then he felt your breath even out. "It seems like she's asleep. Time to get her home and into bed." He said and they smiled.

"You go and take care of our granddaughter." Goose said as they both came over and kissed your head and hugged the both of you and Carole kissed her son.

"I will." Bradley said and then started to buckle you in while the food was placed on the passenger side. Once fully buckled in Bradley was getting in the driver's seat and heading home. It was a short drive home and when he arrived, he parked besides Jake's truck and worked on getting you out. There was a garage but it was used as a hang out area but the vehicles could be parked in there if need be. He got you and grabbed the leftovers and headed inside. He placed the food on the counter and carried you up to your room. Not once did you wake up. When he got there, he got you into pajamas and then tucked you in. He took a picture of you tucked in and planned to send it to Jake when he was done. Once he was satisfied, he kissed your head "I love you, Baby Girl and so does Pops." He said and then started to walk out of you room making sure to turn your night light on. He walked out of your room and cracking the door. Bradley walked into the kitchen and put the food in the fridge when his phone began to buzz, he grabbed it out of his pocket and saw it was Jake and smiled and he answered.

"Hey." He said

"Hey, we just got to our place we are staying." Jake said

"How was the flight?" Bradley asked

"It was long but we were first class, I guess that is what happens when the Admiral of the US Pacific Fleet Commander is your family." Jake said chuckling and that made Bradley chuckle.

"You got that right." He said

"How is, Sweets?" Jake asked

"Currently asleep." Bradley said

"Damn, I was hoping to talk to her." Jake said

"Hold on." Bradley said and quickly put him on speaker and sent the photo. "Check your messages." He said and Jake did.

"I'm already missing her and it hasn't even been a full day." Jake said

"If you aren't busy in when it is morning here, I can give you a call and you can talk to her." Bradley said

"Oh, I would love that." Jake said

"What time is it there?" Bradley asked

"Currently 4:30 AM." Jake said

"I should let you go. I'm sure you both have a big day tomorrow." Bradley said with almost sadness in his voice.

"Yea, hey it won't be long. I promise. You and Sweets will get through this together. You also have the squad, our parents, and Pops, Ice, and Slider." Jake said sensing the sadness in his voice.

"Ok ok. I love you." Bradley said and that made Jake smile.

"I love you and Sweets. Give her a kiss for me." He said and Bradley smiled.

"Already done." Bradley said

"Good. Get some sleep, I'll talk to you later." Jake said

"Alright, Babe. Talk to you later." He responded and then they were hanging up the phone.

"Alright, Bradley. You got this. It is only 4 weeks." He said as he headed to bed. He checked on you one more time and then he headed to his and Jake's room and got ready and laid down. He looked at the framed picture of you three, the one where they were both kissing your cheek and you had the biggest smile on your face and eyes closed. "We love you, Jake." Bradley said and then closed his eyes and went to sleep preparing for what tomorrow would come.

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Week 1

The next morning, the start of the first week of Jake's deployment, Bradley was up bright and early, as he normally was, and changed into his gear. He would normally go for a run but since Jake was not at home, he couldn't leave you alone so he would have to do it during lunch at work. It was currently 7:30 AM in California which meant it was 3:30 PM in Scotland. This is the time you usually were getting up and getting ready for school with the help from one of your fathers.

"Daddy?" You asked and he smiled.

"Right on time." He said to himself "Coming, Baby Girl." He said and walked upstairs to your room and he opened the door and smiled seeing you sit up. "Good morning." He said walking into your room.

"Papa?" You asked and he sadly smiled.

"Remember he is going to be gone for 4 weeks." He said and you nodded and he wasn't sure if you understood or not. "Hey, you wanna call him while you get ready for school?" He asked and your face lit up and you nodded and he chuckled "Alright go and pick something out then we'll go and brush your teeth." He said and you were up out of bed so fast picking everything out. He quickly got his phone out and texted Jake.

Bradley: Yup for a video call?

Jake: Always.

Bradley smiled as he looked up and saw that you had dressed yourself in jeans and a shirt that you had gotten recently from Jake. "Hey you wanna talk to Pops?" He asked.

"Yes!" You exclaimed and he chuckled.

"Alright let's get to the bathroom and started doing your hair and teeth." He said and you practically bounced to the bathroom. Once in there he stood behind you as you stood on your stool. He pulled out his phone and clicked on Jake's contact and hit the video call option. He set it up to where you were mostly in the frame and waited for him to answer and almost instantly he answered.

"There is my, Sweets." He said and you lit up as Bradley started your hair.

"Papa!" You shrieked

"Are you behaving for you Daddy?" He asked and you nodded.

"Uh-huh! We had supper at Grandma and Grandpa Goose's house last night." You said smiling.

"You did? I'm sure they loved having you over. Did you have a good time?" He asked and you nodded.

"Yes! I love going over there." You said and they both chuckled.

"Is Daddy doing your hair?" He asked as Bradley started French braiding your hair.

"Uh-huh! Papa what is on your wall?" You asked and he looked over and smiled.

"That is my boy, Freddy! He was here when we got back this afternoon!" He said and he watched your face light up and eyes go big.

"What is it?" You asked in amazement.

"It is called a slug. They are really slimy but harmless." He said getting a close-up of it. "He can do awesome stunts, like this!" He added and showed the slug climbing the wall. "He came like that." He finished and you giggled which made him smile and Bradley as well. "He is killing the game. Look at that height!" He exclaimed and zoomed in on the slug.

"I want one!" You exclaimed and both of your fathers chuckled.

"We'll see about that." Bradley said as he finished off the braid and was checking it over to make sure everything looked good.

"Are you going on about the slug?" Javy asked

"Javy!" You exclaimed and he came into view.

"Is that you, Short Stack?" He asked and you giggled.

"Yes." You said smiling "Papa was showing me his slug friend." You said

"It's cool, isn't it?" He asked and you nodded.

"Yea it is. Well, I hate to cut this short but we have to get Baby Girl's teeth brushed and off to school." Bradley said

"Ahhh man! Well, I'll keep you updated on Freddy! I love you, Sweets. Be good for Daddy." Jake said

"I will, Papa. I love you!" You said

"Love you too, Babe. Be safe." Bradley said

"Love you too. You be safe as well. I'll talk to you later?" He asked and Bradley nodded.

"Sounds like a plan." He said and then they were hanging up the phone.

"Papa has a slug pet. I want one." You said as Bradley was getting your toothbrush ready.

"We'll see about that." Bradley said and you pouted but he gave you your toothbrush and you started to brush your teeth. After that was done you both were heading out to his Bronco and he was taking you to school. He walked you in and gave you a kiss and left you with your teachers and headed back to his Bronco once there he texted Jake.

Bradley: She wants a slug now.

Jake: Haha we can talk about getting her one. They should be easy keepers.

Bradley: Jake

Jake: What? It's just a thought. I love you.

Bradley: We'll talk about it. I love you too.

He then put his phone away and drove to base to start his day. It was going to be a long day. As he parked and started to get out Bob parked next to him and got out. "Good morning." Bradley said.

"Good morning to you too. How is Y/N with Jake gone?" He asked

"We talked to him this morning and it lit her up like a Christmas tree." Bradley said and Bob smiled.

"We need to get her and Mason together one day. It would be a good distraction." Bob said and Bradley nodded.

"They really do like each other, don't they?" He asked and the other male nodded.

"They sure do. It would be crazy if they dated when they got older." Bob chuckled and Bradley nodded as they continued to walk.

"Jake was showing her a slug in their room and now she wants one." Bradley said

"Oh goodness. You going to get her one?" He asked

"We will see about that. Jake said we could talk about it later." Bradley said as they entered the building they continued to talk until they had to start teaching.

When it came to lunchtime instead of eating Bradley decided to go on a run. He would eat later since he didn't have to teach. We went to the locker room and started changing when Mickey walked in "Hey, you not eating?" He asked and Bradley shook his head.

"No, I didn't get to run this morning. I'll eat afterwards." He said

"How is it going without Jake being at home?" Mickey asked

"Surprisingly good at the moment. She got to talk to him this morning so that made her happy." Bradley said as he finished putting on his running shoes.

"Good. It'll go by quickly." He said and Bradley nodded.

"I know that but it's going to seem like forever for her." Bradley said and Mickey nodded.

"I would imagine so. Have a good run." Mickey said as they reached the cafeteria.

"I will. I'll see you later." Bradley said and Mickey nodded and smiled and then he went outside and started his run. When he was done, he went back to the locker room and showered and changed back into his flight suit. He grabbed himself something to eat and went on with his day.

By the time he was ready to pick up, he was exhausted and ready for some cuddle time with you. He didn't stay around long wanting to have you in his arms. He was quick to get to your school and it was fairly quick to get you and then you both were heading home. Just being in the car with you made it all better and then hearing you laugh, which sounded like Jake and sometimes his, made him smile.

When the both of you got home, he kept your mind busy by playing games, watching movies/shows, and food. Each activity he was taking pictures and sending them to Jake who replied each time when he could. By the time you had supper and a bath you were exhausted and out like a light before he could reach your room.

He kept up the usual routine throughout the week. You three talked whenever you could but sometimes Jake ran late at work and it ended up being only one time. But Bradley and he still texted and it was mainly about you and pictures of you.

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Week 2

Going into week 2 was a little easier everybody had kept you busy to the point where you weren't getting distracted by Jake not being there. Of course, you knew he wasn't there but keeping busy took the sting of not having one of your fathers not there. It was early in the morning when Jake texted Bradley.

Jake: Can't make the call this week. Been super busy. Tell Sweets that I will give her an update on out slug friend next week. Hopefully she won't be disappointed. I love you both so much.

Bradley: That's ok. You gotta do what you need. I will tell her and she won't be disappointed she will understand, I promise. She's smart for a 5-year-old. We love you too and be safe.

When Bradley finally walked into your room you were sound to sleep and he smiled. He walked into your room and you sensing he was there woke up pretty fast. "Daddy?" You asked and that made him smile more.

"Hi, Princes." He said and came over and sat on your bed.

"Talk to Papa?" You asked and he smiled sadly at you.

"Not this week, Baby Girl. He has some pretty important stuff that he needs to work on this week." He said and you nodded frowning.

"That's ok. I understand." You said and he smiled.

"How about I cook you breakfast and then drop you off at Grandma and Grandpa's for the day while I go to work?" He asked and you brightened up.

"Ok." You said and suddenly got into gear and he chuckled. Today you had the day off from school because the air went out in the school. They don't know when it will be fixed but they would let the parents know, but that was ok for Bradley because he had some built-in babysitters that would watch you in a heartbeat. He had texted Carole about it and it was an instant "Bring my grandchild over." Which he chuckled at.

When you were somewhat ready to go after having done the stuff you could do by yourself, he helped you with what you needed help with. Then he was loading you up in the Bronco and heading off to the other Bradshaw household. "You be good for Grandma, ok?" He asked and you smiled at him the same smile that Jake had.

"Always, Daddy." You said and he chuckled and then was pulling up into the driveway. He was quick to park and get out and then get you out. He walked up to the front door when it opened and there stood your Grandma smiling and being her energetic self.

"My babies!" She said and opened her arms pulling the two of you into them.

"Hi, Mom." Bradley said

"Hi, Grandma!" You said at the same time as your dad.

"We're going to have a fun day! I convinced Judy to let me keep Mason so he'll be here soon." She said as she pulled away.

"Did you hear that, Y/N/N? Mason is going to be hanging out with you." Bradley said and you got really excited.

"I like him." You said and they both smiled.

"We do too. Now I have to go to work but I'll be back soon I promise." Bradley said as he made the easy transition to Carole. Bradley kissed you on the forehead and then was heading out at the same time Judy was pulling up with Mason.

"Good morning, Bradley." Judy said with a smile and he smiled back.

"Good morning, Judy and Mason." Bradley said

"Hi." Mason said and that made Bradley smile. He also thought about how scary it was that he and Bob looked so identical. Bradley was quick into the Bronco and took one last look at you and saw that you were already playing with Mason and then he was off to work with a smile.

When he got to work, he parked next to Bob's truck and it seemed like he had just gotten there too. Bradley got out and so did Bob. "Hey, Mason get to your mom's?" He asked and Bradley nodded.

"Yup, he and Y/N started playing before I even left." Bradley said

"They're such good friends. How did we ever get so lucky to have kids like that?" Bob asked and Bradley chuckled and shrugged his shoulders as they walked.

"Probably because they have such good parents." Bradley answered

"True. You and Jake are great parents to her." Bob said

"I can say the same about you and Judy. Mason is so much like you. He's just so kind." Bradley said and Bob blushed.

"Thank you." He said as they walked into the building and into the classroom to be briefed on the day. The day dragged on and all he wanted was you and Jake but since Jake was gone for at least two more weeks he just wanted to cuddle with you. The cocky Top Gun students were putting him through the wringer and he was ready strangle them all. By the end of the day all he wanted to do was rush to the locker room shower, pick you up, and go home. But being an instructor of Top Gun it was never that easy. As he finished the day he was being pulled into a meeting with Goose, Maverick, Warlock, Ice, and Cyclone. "This can't be good." He said to himself.

"Lieutenant Commander Bradshaw." Cyclone said and Bradley saluted them.

"Admirals." He said

"Have a seat." Ice said and he took it. He was nervous that something happened to Jake.

"As you know Lieutenant Commander Seresin and Lieutenant Commander Machado are on a month long deployment." Warlock said

"Yes, Sir." Bradley said

"We got word this morning that they will be coming home next week. The base they were having some things to come up and they need to send home everyone deployed there home." Ice said and relief washed over Bradley. He was getting his husband back early and you were getting your other father back.

"When will they be back?" Bradley asked

"By the end of next week." Maverick said and Bradley nodded.

"You're dismissed." Cyclone said and he nodded and saluted them once again and walked out of the room and to the locker room. He showered and then he was rushing out of the locker room to the parking lot and too his Bronco. Everyone else had left so she pulled out his phone and dialed his husband's number and he answered instantly.

"I take it you heard?" Jake said instantly.

"I did. Best news I've heard all day." Bradley said

"What happened?" Jake asked and Bradley sighed.

"Everything. Students wouldn't listen. Jets were breaking down left and right. All I want is you and Y/N home in my arms." Bradley said

"You will have us both at the end of next week. I think we should surprise Sweets." Jake said

"That would be great. You should video call her one last time and give her an update on your slug friend." Bradley said

"I love the way you think. I gotta go but I love you both and can't wait to see you both again." Jake said

"We love you too." Bradley said and then they were both saying their goodbyes and then hanging up.

Bradley laid his head on the head rest and sighed. Then he was sitting up and heading to the other Bradshaw residence. It seemed like forever but he finally got there and was parking in the driveway. He turned off the Bronco and he was heading inside of the house. "Mom, it's just me." Bradley yelled out.

"We're in the living room." Carole's cheerful voice came through and and he was heading in there. "Mason left about 20 minutes ago." She said looking up at him.

"Daddy!" You shrieked out and ran and hugged his legs.

"Hi, Princess." He said and hugging you back. "I would've been here earlier but I got pulled into a meeting." Bradley added.

"I heard. You're dad shouldn't be too far behind you." She said smiling as he sat down. "Stay for dinner?" She asked.

"Only if you're ok with it." He said

"We're always ok with you staying." She said and just then Goose was walking in the door.

"Honey! I'm home!" He said and Bradley smiled and so did Carole. He nudged you and you knew what to do. You ran to him and attacked him with a hug to the legs nearly knocking him down. "Oof. Hey there Chick." He said and they guessed that he picked you up because you giggled and he walked into the living room with you. "Well hello you two." He said.

"Hey, Dad." Bradley said

"Hi, Honey." Carole said

The rest of the night was spent together laughing and supper was dished out and by the end of the night Bradley was carrying a sleeping you out of the house and to the Bronco and then home.

The rest of the week seemed to sail by knowing that Jake and Javy were coming home and he couldn't wait.

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Week 3

Jake and Javy were coming home at the end of the week. Early Monday morning Bradley was up way before you he was too excited to sleep. When it was time for you to get up he already had his phone up and ready. He started the wake up routine and you groggily woke up but perked right up when Bradley said that Jake would be calling this morning. Almost on cue Jake was requesting a FaceTime and Bradley was expecting it.

"Oh where is my slug?" He said energetically and you giggled having remembered it "Not here. Not here. Not here. Not here. Not here." He said as he showed the wall going up to the slug "There he is!" He said and you giggled loving it. "Now where is my Sweets?" He added and you smiled brightly.

"I'm right here, Papa!" You said and Bradley smiled loving the interaction between the two of you.

"You being good for Daddy, Grandma, and Grandpa Goose?" He asked and you nodded as Bradley started on doing your hair.

"Of course, Papa!" You said the two of you talked and Bradley chimed in when he could and when it was getting time to go he wanted to get in one last slug update. It was Sunday which meant that he could stay on the phone longer. As the three of you talked for 2 hours it was time for Jake to go.

"Before we get off of here one last update from Slug Line with Freddy. He has now moved because now I have to stand on a chair." Jake said as he moved to stand up on the chair "Because my slug is now chilling on the ceiling. Gravity ain't no thing #SlugLife." He finished and you burst out laughing. "I love you, Sweets." He said.

"I love you too." You said and then Bradley was telling you to go and get dressed leaving the two of them alone.

"You haven't told her have you?" He asked and Bradley shook his head.

"Nope not a clue. Please be safe. I love you." Bradley said and Jake smiled.

"I'm always safe. I love you too. See you both very soon." He said and then they were hanging up.

Bradley spent the day with you doing anything you wanted just to keep you occupied. Goose, Carole, Ice, and Maverick had all came over and that helped keep you occupied while the sorted everything out for the returned of Jake.

Throughout the week you started to pick up on the energy and knew something was up but you didn't know what. You had to back to school which helped somewhat keep you occupied and it also exhausted you as well. You had talked to Jake everyday which was unusual but you weren't complaining, it may not have been through FaceTime but just hearing his voice put you in a good mood.

By the time Saturday came around Carole and Goose had come over early so Bradley could get a jump start on getting Jake. When you woke up you called out for your Bradley but Goose was rushing in and scooping you up. "Where is Daddy?" You asked.

"He went to get a surprise for you." He said as he carried you out to Carole.

"A surprise?" You asked curious and Carole smiled along with Goose.

"Yup! You'll love this surprise." She said and you giggled and so the morning started with keeping you busy enough until they got back from the airport.

Bradley must've caught every single red light heading to the airport and that frustrated him to no end but he kept his calm and eventually got to the airport where Jake and Javy were waiting at the arrivals. He parked and got out and rushed into his husbands arms. "Hi." Bradley said.

"Hi, Baby." Jake said and then pulled back slightly and kissed him. They broke apart and Bradley greeted Javy.

"Hey, Javy." Bradley said and hugged him.

"Hey, I'm not kissing you." Javy joked and everyone laughed.

"If you do then we are going to have problems." Jake joked and again everyone laughed. The bags were loaded and they were headed back to the Seresin-Bradshaw household. The ride was filled with updates and talking about anything and everything. Bradley gave them updates on you and he finished as he pulled into the driveway next to his parent's car. "We'll worry about the luggage later." Jake said "I wanna see my Sweets." He added and they all got out and walked up to the front door and Bradley opened it. Laughter could be heard and they walked into the living room to see you and messing around his Goose. The looked up and smiled at the three men. "Mind if I help you, Sweets?" Jake said and you froze mind slowly registering that he was there.

"Papa?" You asked turning around and seeing him there, Anything that was in your hand was dropped and you were bolting over to him and into his legs and he was instantly picking you up and hugging you tightly.

"Hi, Angel." He said using another of your nicknames.

"Hi, Munchkin." Javy said when you turned to look at him and waved at him excitedly.

"Uncle Javy!" You yelled and he came over and hugged while you were still in Jake's arms. "Missed you both." You said and they smiled.

"We missed you too." Jake said Goose and Carole came over and gave them both a hug but you weren't letting Jake go. You stayed in his arms or by his side the entire day going into the night the only time you were away from him was when he went and changed and got everything out of the Bronco. Bradley offered to drive Javy home and he excepted it. Carole and Goose had gone home to give the three of you some time alone. While it was just you and Jake you gave him the rundown of your time away from and he listened happily.

When Bradley returned he found the two of you cuddled on the couch watching one of your shows and both sound to sleep. He debated on either waking you both up and leaving you two, he chose the first option. "Baby, let's get you to bed." Bradley said shaking Jake who gradually woke up and smiled at his husband and nodded. He gently picked you up and you snuggled into him. They stopped by your room and dropped you off.

"Papa?" You asked

"Yes Angel?" He asked

"Can we get a slug?" You asked tiredly and Jake looked at Bradley.

"We'll talk about it." Bradley said and you seemed satisfied with that answer because you rolled over and went to sleep. Jake kissed your forehead and so did Bradley and then they were heading to bed.

"I'm ready for my own bed." Jake said

"I'm ready to have you in my arms." Bradley said and Jake chuckled. They both got changed and slid into bed and into each other's arms. "I missed you." Bradley said.

"I miss you too." Jake replied and after a beat of silence he got the signature Seresin smirk on his face.

"Oh no. What is it?" Bradley asked

"Soooo about that slug..." Jake trailed off and Bradley rolled his eyes but smiled.

"We'll talk about it in the morning." Bradley said and Jake seemed satisfied because he nodded and snuggled into him.

"I love you." Jake said

"I love you too." Bradley replied and they both fell asleep.

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Jake was safely back with his family and that is all he could ask for. A week later you did end up getting a slug and named it Freddy 2. Freddy 2 is still alive and slugging away but you ended up getting bored with it and it became Bradley and Jake's responsibility.

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[rlphunter]

Top Gun Fic Recs!

Most if not all of these authors are strictly 18+ Only. Please abide by their rules.

Read each authors warning!!!

I made an attempt at summaries but each author does a better job so please check them out!

I have been lurking mainly in the Top Gun fandom so hi everyone!!

Jake Seresin x Reader

Less Talk (In Progress) by @tongue-like-a-razor

I love this series so much! In the nicest way no pressure way I need this series to end happily but I will also eat up anything they write and so should you!

In Too Deep (In Progress) by @sunlightmurdock

Jake after successfully wooing a single mom has to prove himself to her two kids when she has a work trip. The youngest takes to him but the oldest has their walls up and makes Jake really work for it. This series is so sweet and I can't wait to see how it ends.

Just Friends by @say-al0e

Spoiler alert! They are not just friends. This fic has jealous jake! which is amazing, sweetness and smut. Who could ask for more?

and the truth of the matter is (i’ll never let you go) by @fidogo

Some miscommunication plus smut makes for an amazing fic!

Oh, Baby Universe (In Progress) by @seresinhangmanjake 

I am obsessed with this universe! Reader leaves Jake in the dust and then comes back a year later with a mini Jake. Such a warm hug of a series.

Sunkissing by @top-hhun 

Jake comes back after eight and a half months and for once has someone to come home to.

Fuck! The Universe (Complete) by @roosterbruiser

Reader is a naval avaitor and the daughter of Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky. An unlikely companionship turns into something more.

De-instigating the Instigator by @jupitercomet

Turns out Jake Seresin does indeed have an off button. This is my absolute comfort fic that I reread ALL THE TIME!

Bradley Bradshaw x Reader

Like I Can (3 part Completed Series) by @sometimesanalice

The Daggers make a bet that they each have the perfect person to set up with reader. A sweet fic that I reread when I need some nice fluff but makes you work for it a little!

You’re All I Care About by @fandomxpreferences

Reader gets into an accident. A lot of angst.

Two to Tango (Completed Series) by @roosterforme

Little competition between the Naval aviators and Air Force pilots and neither of them are going to back down!

Bob Floyd x Reader

Full of Surprises by @withahappyrefrain

An unexpected side of Bob comes out......... SMUT!

After the Bar by @bradshawswife

Continuing the Bob fucks agenda!

Whoops by @roosterbruiser

An adorable Bob blurb that features our boy and Cats. Who can ask for more?

Why Me? (In Progress) by @lottesreads

A single glance was all it took for Bob to fall for the daughter of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. I am so excited to see where this series goes!