"Skyler Seresin if you do not put your shoes on, you're not going outside!"
Nova sighed as she leaned back on the couch. They were visiting Jake's parents for the week, having finally gotten time off from work. And Sky was finally old enough to start riding the horses. (With her daddy, of course.)
Skyler Seresin has come as a welcome surprise to the couple three years ago. She was a surprise because Nova was pregnant at their wedding. They just didn't know it yet.
"But Mama, which shoes?" Even at 3, she had a large selection of shoes. But for the events about to take place, there was only one pair appropriate.
"Your boots, baby," Nova crouched down to help Sky put them on. While she had known that Jake grew up on a ranch in Texas, she has not been expecting a pair of cowboy (or cowgirl in this case) boots for her little girl. That child always had a pair of boots that fit her.
(She even had sparkly pink boots, because she had her daddy wrapped around her little finger.)
Jake walked into the room, dressed in his own cowboy boots and hat. "You ready to go, Angel?" He had an array of nicknames for his daughter. Her favorite was angel, of course. (Everyone found it ironic considering they called her Sky all the time.)
The little girl bounced onto her feet. "Ready Daddy!" She smiled with her full mouth, showcasing a full set of tiny, baby teeth.
Jake leaned down to pick her up, quickly setting her on his shoulders. She liked being up there because she got to be tall. She had once told her parents it was like she was in the sky with Daddy, Uncle Bradley, and Grandpa.
Nova's heart had melted when she heard that.
So far, Sky wasn't leaning towards anything specific, although she had plenty of pilot and cowboy themed items.
This visit alone made her constantly ask her parents for a dog. Grandma and Grandpa Seresin had a dog to help out with some ranch work and Sky had been following her around all week.
Jake was the one to put his foot down, knowing Nova needed backup on this one. He had told Sky that maybe in the future They could get a dog, but not right now.
Nova, for as much as Jake had tried to teach her, had difficulty riding a horse. She could do it if he was helping her, but since he would be teaching Sky today, she had decided to stay back. (It wasn't much different than Jake and surfing. Nova couldn't count the number of times he had wiped out trying to catch a wave.)
So she sat and watched as her little girl was walked out the door towards the next steps of her life.
☽☆☾ ☽☆☾ ☽☆☾
Once the week at Jake's parents was up, the family headed back to North Island so they could visit Mav and Penny. Ameila was back for the weekend from school, having started her sophomore year of college this past August.
Maverick had taken to the Grandpa role like a house on fire. He had decided to finally retire from the Navy just over a year ago and was enjoying civilian life with Penny. They had gotten married in a small ceremony not too long before Nova and Jake. Penny had gone through the big wedding thing once, she didn't need it again.
As soon as Sky came into view, she was sprinting as fast as her little legs could carry her towards her grandpa. Mav picked her up and threw her in the air, Sky giggling the entire time.
"Hi Dad," Nova greeted him, kissing him on the cheek. Mav gave her a side hug, still holding his granddaughter on his hip. "Hi sweetie."
He gave Jake a firm handshake, before moving to hug Penny. She knew she wasn't getting Sky for a while. Mav liked to hog the girl whenever they were together. JJ thought it was the funniest thing, having known Maverick his entire life. But Mav had raised a daughter by himself. He finally had a chance to fully spoil another little girl and he was going to take full advantage of it.
Bradley was supposed to come over later with his girlfriend, family dinner night a requirement whenever they were all in the same place. Nova helped Penny prep everything before giving it to Jake to grill.
JJ and Taylor were supposed to join but got caught in Sarah Kazansky's grasp and couldn't leave the house. (Nova had laughed when JJ called her to tell her, before he reminded her that Sarah would do the same thing to her next time they saw her.)
A few hours later, Amelia had made it home and stolen Sky from Mav. She had excelled at Aunt duties. Sky had dubbed her 'Auntie Mel' when she was learning to talk and Amelia almost recorded her saying it to be her ringtone. (Hell her Screensaver wasn't even Theo, her dog. It was a picture of her and Sky, faces squished together, mid laugh.)
Nova had her send the photo and it was currently framed in their living room.
As soon as everyone was settled, dinner was served and stories were told. Sky told everyone about 'riding the horsies' and how Grandpa Seresin has promised her a cowboy hat for her birthday.
But it was getting late, and it was almost time for Sky to go to bed. (She got cranky when she didn't go to bed on time.)
So, the family started to clean up, cleaning everything for dessert. And boy, did Nova and Jake have a surprise for everyone.
Photos were nothing unusual for Nova to take. She liked the memories they captured. Especially when everyone was together again after a long time.
So after eating some cake, Nova told everyone to sit on the couch for a family photo. Sky was between her parents, trying her best to stay awake a little longer. And just before the self timer went off for the photo, Nova told everyone to say one thing.
"Nova's pregnant!"
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Word Count: 1,035
Oh my god, you guys!! That's it!! This is the end of Nightingale!!!
Thank you all so much for coming on this journey with me. It took us a while to get here, but we did. I've had this idea since I began writing my Bradley Bradshaw fic and I'm so happy I could see it through.
This is only my second ever fanfic, and in the process of writing and creating this story I graduated college and started my full time job. So I thank you all for your patients.
But not to worry. I'll have some bonus chapters coming along, including: The Proposal The Wedding And more!
So be on the lookout for the chapter outlining what's left to come.
But until then, thank you all so much for going on this journey with me!
Bye guys!!!
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