Avalanche

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After the ceremony, the party was back to full force, dancing, drinking, and socializing.

Lots of other pilots and officers stopped to talked to me, and asked questions about my career and gave condolences for my father.

It was a little overwhelming, and I didn't like talk to strangers, so I tried to get out of it as politely as possible. I just wanted to celebrate and get back to my friends, so I could get drunk without judgement, but some people could not take the hint.

I find an opening to book it back to our group, and I take it. I don't know how many more people I could handle talking to before exploding. This was always my father's area of expertise, and he had a lot of experience calming people down due to Maverick. I preferred just doing my thing, I don't really like to think ahead.

I finally made my way over to the group, all of which smile at me. Like they know something I don't. I smile back, although confused on why Payback and Fanboy are shushing Hangman as he talks, whose back is turned towards me.

I ignored it because my social battery was low, and I wanted to leave a little early.

"Hey Jake," I said, leaning on him.

He turns his head, and gives me a kiss on the forehead. The group gives awws! and a couple of yucks! and Coyote whistles lowly.

"Shut up," Jake said, for once trying not to be in the spotlight.

"Whipped," Coyote coughs into his hand, and Hangman glares at him.

Ae return back to the conversation, and as Hangman and I talked to Rooster and Phoenix, I tugged in his jacket, and he got the message.

"We actually have plans for tonight, so we have to leave. It was good seeing you guys." Hangman says, and hugs Rooster.

Hangman hugs Rooster.

I give a look to Phoenix, what happened while I was gone? I expected a handshake very most. Why weren't these two mortal enemies anymore?

I hug Phoenix goodbye, and we leave, while my mind is racing with questions.

"Let's go on a walk on the beach. For old times sake." Jake suggested, veering away from his car, and I followed. I was too tired to respond.

I took off my heels, because my feet ached from standing and dancing in them all night. And I'd rather die than wear them again, let alone in sand.

Hangman grabs the shoes from me, so he could hold them instead, and held my hand with his free hand.

The beach is beautiful at night. It's late, so there's nobody out anymore, and nobody to judge us in our formal attire.

The moon reflects off of the waves, and gives enough light that I can see Jake next to me. I smell the salt from the ocean, and my nose immediately scrunches from distaste. I take a pause to relish the moment, because it is literally perfect. The silence isn't suffocating, I don't have to talk to Hangman to communicate with him. He's always there for me.

We walk into a pier that overlooks the Hard Deck, although it's many miles away. I assume that's where Maverick goes now that he's retired. He and Penny make a good couple.

I lean on the railways of the pier, looking off onto the distance, while Hangman stops a couple paces behind. I hear him shuffling behind me, but I pay it no mind.

"Zoe?" He asks.

"Mhm?" I ask, not taking my eyes off from the ocean.

"I was going to ask you at the ball tonight, but I didn't want to steal away the spotlight from you, and I liked it better if we didn't share our moment with anybody else."

"Ask me what? What moment?" I ask, but when I turn to face him, and he's down on one knee.

I gasp.

Jake clears his throat, "When I first met you, it was love at first sight. I know you didn't mean to bump into me that day, but I'm glad you did. I will always catch you, especially when you fall."

Tears immediately start to trickle down my cheeks, but I try to keep it in as I roll my eyes at Jake.

Hangman continues, "But then I found out you were a pilot like me. Not just any pilot, you were Avalanche, you were Zoe Kazansky. You were good, and I felt entranced and intimidated by your presence alone. I didn't know what my feelings were, so I didn't know how to act. Everything was a competition between is, but I loved the way you smiled when you won, or when you lost, the thought and effort that you put out the next day to get better." He pauses, and I realize his eyes are brighter than usual because he's holding back tears as well.

"Then you became the top Top Gun graduate, and I lost you after graduation. I thought time and space would make me fall out of love with you, but I then I remembered that's how we first met. That's how I first fell in love with you. And it was like a sign when we both got called back to Top Gun, it was my chance at a do over. I look my chances, now we're in love, and I wouldn't trade the world for it. And I know that the last few years have been hard with the passing of your Dad, and with people trying to kill you, but I will always stand by your side, whether you win or lose. I love you, Zoe Elizabeth Zakansky."

"I love you too Jake Seresin." I answer back, too overwhelmed to say anything else.

He pulls the diamond ring out of his pocket, "Zoe Kazansky, will you marry me?"

"I'll think about it—" I stop when the smile falls flat off of his face, "—but yes. Yes, I will marry you Jake."

He slips the ring onto my finger daintily, but then Jake's hands wrap around my waist and he lifts me into the air, spinning me. He kisses me, and slowly lowers me down, careful because I don't have any shoes on.

We separate, and rest our foreheads on each other. I look into his eyes, and he stares back. I break into a toothy smile, and he takes a step back from me.

"ZOE'S GOING TO BE MY WIFE!" He shouts to an empty ocean and beach front, and I giggle at his enthusiasm.

"How does it feel to be my fiancé, Mr. Seresin?" I ask haughtily.

"I don't know, Mrs. Seresin. Why don't you tell me?" He whispers, tucking a piece of my hair back behind my ear.

I lean in closer, "I'm still Ms. Kazansky until we get married, remember? But I can't until the day we do."

"We could go get it done tonight?" He tells me, and I could tell he was serious.

I laugh, "No, we should have our friends and family there. Phoenix would kill me if she didn't get to be the maid of honor."

He laughs, "Coyote would kill me too, because I asked him to be my best man."

"So that's why Rooster told me that, and why everyone was smiling at me when I came to the group. You told them, didn't you?"

"I may or may not have hinted that I was going to do it tonight." He says casually.

"You're lucky I love you."

"I love you, Avalanche."

"I love you more Hangman."

Between graduating Top Gun, completing our missions, and my promotion, I was glad that it was Hangman who stood by my side. Looking into his eyes, knowing that Jake 'Hangman' Seresin was now my fiancé, I could whole-heartedly say, Kazansky's were winners.

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THE END.

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