Blondie- A Jake 'Hangman' Seresin fanfiction

Chapter 2

"And how is Amelia?" Georgiana asked Penny.

"She's all good, sophomore year now, so plenty of homework and extracurriculars to keep her busy," Penny smiled.

"Gosh, sophomore... that makes me feel old."

"Just wait until you get to my age," Penny sighed. "It all goes so fast. Anyway, enough of my morbid ramblings, I can see that Hangman is dying to catch up with you, so I'll leave you two to it." She winked at Georgiana, who waved at her before turning away from the bar to go and sit with her boyfriend.

"Hey," she murmured, and he greeted her with a kiss. "Long time, no see."

"You have no idea how much I missed you," he assured her.

"I think I do..."

"Nah, you don't," he smirked, kissing her again.

"Alright. Before the others get in and start laughing at us, I love you, Jake."

"You think I give a damn what the others think about us? The only opinion I care about is yours."

"And several Admirals, I hope," Georgiana laughed. "Look, they're all coming in now- why don't you do something nice and go get everyone a drink?"

"You're so much better at being nice than me," he sighed dramatically, standing up to head towards the bar. "I am trying, I swear."

"I'm sure you're doing great, Jake," she called to him.

The other pilots came in and sat around the table, talking.

"Phoenix," Georgiana appealed, "I'm not very happy with you."

"Why?" Phoenix questioned, turning around to face her. "What've I done?"

"You stole my WSO," she replied as though it was obvious.

"Wait, Bob?"

Georgiana nodded.

"Bob, that other pilot you were flying with in Lemoore, that was Blondie?"

"Yeah?"

"Why is that so surprising?" Georgiana laughed.

"You know," Jake broke in, sitting down, "I knew I recognised you from somewhere, Bob."

"I'd hope so, considering I literally introduced you to him when you came to visit me that weekend."

"Holy shit, you did."

"Wow, I'm really memorable, huh?" Bob sighed.

"Flying under the radar," Georgiana comforted him. "Admiral Bates obviously knows who you are, or you wouldn't be here, would you?"

"I am so sorry, Bob. Let me just say I was probably very distracted." Jake winked at Georgiana and she rolled her eyes at him, shaking her head with a small smirk.

"Anyway, Phe, I'm not actually mad at you," Georgiana continued. "Much love to you, Bob, but I think it's safe to say we weren't really working as a team."

Bob nodded his head in agreement.

"What wasn't working?" Phoenix pressed.

Georgiana laughed. "Look at the two of us. Nobody was making the decisions."

"You two? Indecisive? Never."

"After the fiasco with the target practise, Captain Heart decided it was best if I worked on my own."

They finished their drinks, and then Jake offered to take Georgiana home and 'help her unpack'. Coyote thought this was hilarious, but Jake managed to convince her that what he thought didn't matter.

The next morning, they were to begin officially training together as a squadron, and Jake came to pick her up in his silver pickup truck.

"I don't understand why you need such a large vehicle," Georgiana was laughing. "I'd suggest that you're compensating for something, but obviously I have evidence to the contrary."

"Look, you can take the guy outta Texas, but you can't take Texas out the guy," he grinned. "Ever heard the phrase, 'everything's bigger in Texas'?"

They pulled into a parking bay, and Georgiana moved to get out, but Jake stopped her. "Georgie, wait," he said, putting a hand on her leg. "Before we go in," he murmured, kissing her square on the lips for several seconds. "Okay, now you can get out of the truck. Had to get that out my system."

Technically speaking, they weren't supposed to be involved with fellow Navy officers, and though most people in their branch of the Navy knew about them, they preferred not to flaunt it in front of more senior personnel.

Despite Jake's pause, they weren't the last into the hangar where they would be briefed, so the other pilots were still milling around rather than sat at their desks.

"Gigi!" a voice called and Georgiana turned her head to see none other than her best friend Lainey Moore staring back at her.

"Lainey? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"Surprise, bitch," Lainey grinned, and Georgiana, who could never stay mad at anyone, pulled her in for a hug.

"Hangman," Lainey acknowledged when she noticed him.

"Mars," he responded, a little too coldly for Georgiana's liking.

"The gang is back together," Phoenix broke in, sliding her arms around the other two women's shoulders. "Pity summer's nearly over."

"It's always hot girl summer in California," Georgiana grinned, watching as Jake walked away to talk to Coyote. "Have you not made up with him yet?" she hissed at Lainey once he had gone.

"He's a dickhead," she replied simply.

"You are so stubborn. It sounds like we're going to be working together for a while, can you please make up with him? For me?"

"Fine," she sighed dramatically. "When I get a chance to talk to him, I will."

"He's not actually that bad, really," Phoenix said. "I mean, obviously he's incredibly self-centred, and annoying-"

"You guys do realise that is the same man I have been in a relationship with for over two years, right?"

Lainey nodded. "It's probably a good thing that he and I aren't best friends. He needs to know that if he ever hurt you, I would be there to cut his dick off."

"Well, it hasn't happened yet, so maybe keep the knife stashed away," Georgiana smiled, sitting down next to her best friend as Warlock came in, with Phoenix and Bob behind and Hangman and Coyote in front.

"Good morning." Warlock briefly surveyed the room before continuing. "You are the first members of the elite Dagger squadron, assembled to take on the most difficult missions the Navy has to offer. You are our best and brightest. Your training will be designed to push you, your aircraft and even the laws of physics to the limit, because that is what your assignments will ask of you. It will not be easy, but you are the most qualified team of people for the job." He sighed, his gaze lingering on Jake who was no doubt smirking up at him from his seat. "I will now hand you over to Captain Mitchell, squadron leader."

"Good morning, aviators," Maverick began with a much cheerier air than Warlock. "It's nice to see so many familiar faces, as well as several new ones. If there is anyone who doesn't know me, I am Pete Mitchell, callsign Maverick, and I am your new CO. There are a number of things I could attempt to teach you, here in this hangar, from this screen," he gestured behind him- "or this manual-" he held up the F-18 training manual- "but I believe that the only way for you to improve as pilots, to be the best out there, is to get up in the air. So, without further ado, everyone go and get your gear on, and let's fly."