Rescue Me -Jake Seresin// TG:Maverick

Chapter Fifteen

Haley hadn't seen or spoken to Jake since he left the bar almost immediately after the run in with Phoenix the day before. He hadn't said a word to Haley as he'd left, leaving an almost full bottle of beer still sitting on the bar top.

Though no nightmares had plagued her sleep, her mind hadn't been able to let go of the idea that Jake would willingly sabotage someone. It wouldn't connect that notion with the Jake she thought she had come to know; the Jake that had drawn a flower on her hand just to see her smile, that had pulled strings and potentially risked damaging his career by obtaining her medical file notes just to bring her some answers, that had researched the stories behind her favorite constellations despite the teasing of fellow pilots.

Finding herself awake before five once again, she'd gone on a run like usual, only this time she'd found disappointment rising in her chest at Jake not being there to greet her.

Her mind had warred with itself on whether his absence was a good thing or not. She'd only known him for a couple weeks after all, could she really claim to know who he really was?

For some strange reason she felt like she did. And admittedly, she hadn't given him a chance to defend himself. But was there really any way to defend one's self against sabotaging a fellow pilot?

What plagued her more was the question of why it mattered so much to her. What was it about this man that had her mind stuck to him like glue?

For the first time in a long time, her morning run hadn't helped her clear her mind. If anything, it'd just allowed space for it to create more confusion.

Now, later in the early afternoon, Haley found herself walking out the back door of the Hard Deck, setting a fresh cold beer on the wooden picnic table where Penny was currently sat working on paperwork. Or at least, where she was supposed to be working on paperwork. Instead, Penny was distracted staring at a certain Captain playing 'Dog-Fight Football'.

"I saw that," Haley smirked at Penny.

Penny dropped the pen she'd been timidly biting as she snapped her head around to look at Haley. "What?" Penny asked innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Okay," Haley said with a light laugh. "Oh, hey, Penny?" She asked, turning back to her friend.

"Yeah?"

"Try not to drool on your pen too much."

Haley laughed as she dodged the pen thrown at her before making her way back inside.

A little while later, Haley glanced up from sweeping under one of the booth tables to see Admiral Simpson talking to Mav. He didn't look thrilled with what he saw, his eyes focused on the sailors laughing and playing on the beach. Haley wasn't shocked. The Admiral was never happy when things were out of his control.

Watching the Admiral leave, Haley waited a few seconds before heading out and sitting in the sand beside Maverick, looking over her shoulder to see the Admiral's vehicle pull out of the parking lot.

"What was that all about?"

Mav shrugged as he looked over his shoulder at the Admiral's car fading into the distance. "Oh, you know him. Just being a grumpy asshole and finding fault wherever he can."

Haley held a hand to her chest as she let out a faux gasp. "Captain Mitchell! That's a higher ranking officer you're speaking about," she sarcastically scolded him. Mav just rolled his eyes with a smile.

"Let me guess," Haley continued, looking up to her friend, "you handled the situation in typical Maverick fashion?"

Mav just raised an eyebrow at her. Haley smiled and patted the man on his back with a proud, "that's my boy," before making a grossed out face at the sweat now covering her hand. Mav let out a belly laugh at her reaction.