Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The locker room buzzed with the usual post-flight chatter. Rooster's voice cut through the noise, laced with sarcasm.

"Hey Hangman, you bringing another girl home tonight or just your ego?"

Jake didn't flinch. He slammed his locker shut and tossed Rooster a look that was half-bored, half-amused.

"If I wanted your opinion, Bradshaw, I'd have asked your dad. Oh wait..."

The room erupted in laughter. Payback and Coyote chuckled, while Phoenix shot Jake a knowing glance. She knew something the others didn't.

Jake was tired. Not physically—he was used to the grueling flight routines—but soul-deep. Three months. Three months since he'd kissed his wife goodbye in their driveway at Lemoore Air Station. Three months since he had been able to help Matthew with his math homework. Three months since he'd spun Charlotte in a circle while she shrieked with laughter, or watched Evie curl up on his chest during movie night. And Olivia... God, she’d probably started running by now. He had tried to make it home as much as possible but in last couple months the Navy just hadn’t given him enough time to make the trip.
Worse yet, Abby was pregnant. Again. A mix of joy and panic had surged through him the moment she told him during a midnight phone call. But he couldn’t do this anymore—missing first steps, sonograms, and all the messy, beautiful parts of fatherhood.

He needed out. Not out of the Navy—never that. But out of this assignment.
________________________________________
Flashback: Senior Year of High School

Jake stood outside the high school gym, watching for his longtime girlfriend. He was going to ask Abby to Homecoming, but the words caught in his throat as he caught sight of her laughing with a friend. She approached, her smile lighting up her face as she tilted her head up for a kiss that Jake gladly pressed to her lips.

"Hey, Jake! You okay?"

He nodded, swallowing his nerves. "Yeah, just... thinking."

Abby tilted her head, concern in her eyes. "About what?"

He took a deep breath. "About us. About the future."

She stepped closer, her presence grounding him. "What do you mean?"

Jake hesitated, then blurted out, "I want to be with you. Always."

Abby's eyes softened, and she reached out to touch his arm. "Jake..."

Before she could say more, a voice interrupted them. "Hey, Seresin! You ready for practice?"

Jake turned to see his friends approaching, but his gaze lingered on Abby. She smiled, understanding.

"Go have fun," she said softly.

He nodded and pressed a quick kiss to her lips, but as he walked away, his heart ached. He knew he wanted more than just homecoming with her.
________________________________________
Flashback: A Change of Plans

The sun was setting behind the dusty windows of the diner, casting everything in a warm, fading glow. Jake Seresin sat across from Abby, spinning wild plans about a post-graduation road trip, all confidence and charm. She barely touched her milkshake.

When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet. “Jake... I’m pregnant.”

The words hit him like a sudden dive in a jet — stomach dropping, breath catching. His grin faltered. “Wait… what?”

She nodded. “I took three tests. I’m sure.”

For a moment, Jake said nothing. He leaned back, ran a hand through his hair, and stared out the window. “This year was supposed to be ours, Abs. I was going to the Naval Academy. You were gonna go to UT. We had a plan.”

“I know,” she said, her voice steady despite the nerves. “Plans change. I don’t expect you to have it all figured out. I just… I need to know you’re with me in this.”

Jake looked at her — really looked — and all the memories rushed in. Her laugh at fifteen. The way she made fun of his bravado, but always believed in him more than he believed in himself.

Then, without a word, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small black box. He opened it slowly, revealing a delicate ring.

“I bought this three months ago,” he said, voice low. “Because I’ve known you were the one since we were kids. I was just waiting for the right moment.” He let out a breath, almost a laugh. “Guess this is it.”

Abby’s eyes widened, stunned.

“Marry me,” Jake said. “Come with me to Annapolis. We’ll figure out college near there for you. We’ll figure out everything. Just… don’t do this alone. I want to be there. Always.”

Tears welled in her eyes as she nodded, and Jake slipped the ring onto her finger with hands that were somehow steadier than his heart.

And then, without hesitation, he leaned across the table and kissed her — soft, certain, and full of every promise he couldn’t quite put into words. When they finally pulled apart, she smiled through the tears, and for the first time that day, so did he.

The future wasn’t what they’d planned — but now it was theirs.

________________________________________
Flashback: The Wedding

The ceremony was small, just close friends and family. Jake and Abby exchanged vows under a canopy of flowers, promising to love and support each other through whatever came their way.

As they kissed, the crowd cheered, and Jake felt a sense of peace settle over him. He had found his home in Abby and the coming baby.
________________________________________

________________________________________
Flashback: The Birth of Matthew

The hospital room was filled with the sounds of monitors and nurses moving about. Jake held Abby's hand, his heart pounding in his chest.

"It's time," the doctor said.

Abby nodded, squeezing his hand. "I'm ready."

Jake leaned down, kissing her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Hours later, they welcomed their first child, Matthew, into the world. The joy and exhaustion on their faces were mirrored in the tiny bundle they held.

________________________________________
Flashback: The Birth of the Twins

Eight years later, Jake and Abby found themselves in the hospital again, this time the arrival of twins.
Abby was exhausted but beaming as she held Charlotte and Evie, their tiny faces scrunched in sleep.

Jake kissed her lips. "You're incredible."

She smiled, her eyes filled with love. "We did it."
________________________________________
Flashback: Olivia

The early morning air at the base was crisp, the tarmac still damp from an overnight rain. Families lined the edge of the runway, eyes straining toward the approaching jets. Abby stood just beyond the crowd, cradling a sleeping baby girl against her chest, their three older kids huddled around her legs — fidgeting, excited, and trying to see past the mass of uniforms.

The roar of engines grew louder, and then — finally — the jets touched down, one by one.

Jake was the last to emerge from the hangar, duffel slung over his shoulder, still wearing the exhaustion of months away. He scanned the crowd until his eyes landed on them — on her.

Abby waved, tears already brimming. The older kids broke into a sprint, and Jake dropped his bag just in time to catch them, wrapping them in a tight, clumsy hug. He laughed, overwhelmed, holding them close like he could make up for every missed bedtime and school pickup all at once. Then he looked up. Abby was walking toward him slowly, their newborn still nestled against her, pink hat slipping to one side. Jake’s heart clenched as he stared at the little face he'd only seen in grainy video calls and photos. She was real now — so much smaller than he’d imagined, and somehow more perfect. He straightened, eyes locked on his wife’s.

“She’s really here,” he said, his voice low, rough with emotion.

Abby nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks. “She’s been waiting for you.”

Jake reached out, his hands trembling slightly as Abby gently transferred the baby into his arms. For a moment, all sound seemed to vanish — just him and this tiny new person, warm and squirming against his chest.

“Hi, sweetheart,” he whispered, voice breaking. “I’m your dad.”

The baby stirred, scrunching her nose in sleep. Jake let out a breath that sounded almost like a sob, then kissed her forehead. Three months late, but finally home.
He looked at Abby, eyes shining. “She’s perfect. Just like her mama.”

Abby smiled, tired and glowing. “And worth every day we waited.”

Jake kissed her next — slow and full of relief — before wrapping his free arm around her and pulling the whole family in close. After a minute Abby started to heard the kids to the car “Let’s go home.” Jake watched Abby with their children, his heart swelling with pride. She was the anchor to his wings, the constant in his ever-changing life.

Home had never felt so full.
________________________________________
Back to the Present

A year and a half ago, they welcomed Olivia into their family. The house was chaotic with four kids, but it was their chaos, their joy.

Jake sat in the locker room, his thoughts racing. He had just learned that the Dagger Squad assignment had been extended to 14 months. He couldn't do it. Not with Abby pregnant again. He had a family. A beautiful, chaotic, loving family. And he wasn't going to let anything come between them. He walked out of the locker room, his resolve firm. He was Hangman, but he was also Jake Seresin, husband and father. And that was the most important role he would ever play.

________________________________________

Chapter Text

Chapter Two: A Father's Breaking Point

A year and a half ago, they welcomed Olivia into their family. The house was chaotic with four kids, but it was their chaos, their joy.

Jake sat in Cyclone's office, his hands clenched into fists. He had learned that the Dagger Squad assignment had been extended to 14 months. He couldn't do it. Not with Abby pregnant again.

The air inside Cyclone’s office was still, the kind of stillness that made a man feel like he had to justify every breath he took.

Jake stood at parade rest, shoulders square and jaw locked tight. Cyclone sat behind the desk, reading the request for reassignment Jake had submitted just fifteen minutes ago.

Next to him, Warlock leaned back in his chair, arms crossed as he studied Jake with his usual calm but unreadable gaze.

“You’re aware that this request will take you off the Dagger Squad indefinitely,” Cyclone said at last, glancing up. “Possibly permanently.”

“Yes, sir,” Jake replied, voice clipped.

“And you’re still submitting it, even after we just got the rapid response program approved?”

“Yes, sir.”

Cyclone set the paper down and interlaced his fingers. “You’ve been here over five months now, Seresin. Why now?”

Jake hesitated for a breath. This was it. No more keeping secrets.

Jake hesitated, then spoke the truth. "I have a family. I’ve got four kids back home. A wife I’ve been with since I was fourteen. We’ve been married since I graduated high school. She’s pregnant again. I can't be away from them for that long.”

Cyclone blinked, caught completely off guard. Warlock sat forward slightly, eyes narrowing—not in suspicion, but in surprise.

Cyclone leaned forward, elbows on his desk. “Four kids, another on the way... How long have you been juggling this?”

Jake gave a dry laugh. “Since I was eighteen. But Abby… she’s a damn rock. She followed me to Annapolis so we could raise Matty together. Worked through college, raised our son practically solo while I trained. When the twins came, it got harder. But we made it work.”

He paused, eyes dimming. “Then Olivia came while I was in the Pacific on deployment. I missed everything. Her birth, the hospital, even her name—Abby had to text it to me.”

Warlock asked, “And how old is she now?”

“Almost eighteen months. Took three months to end my deployment, get back stateside and hold her. By then, she'd already learned how to smile... and I’d missed it.”

Jake’s voice cracked on the last word. He exhaled and turned away for a moment, jaw tight.

Cyclone leaned back, slowly. “You’re telling me that for the past year, while you’ve been flying as one of our top assets, you’ve had four children and a pregnant wife we didn’t know about?”

“Only one person here knows—Machado. He and his fiancée are close with Abby. We kept it quiet because this was supposed to be a temporary assignment.”

Jake’s gaze flickered between them, more emotion bleeding through than he liked. “I never planned to stay gone this long. This isn’t what we signed up for. My wife’s been raising our kids alone, and I’m missing a whole damn life.”

Cyclone rubbed his chin. “Why the hell didn’t you say something earlier?”

“I didn’t want to cause waves. I wanted to earn my spot like everyone else. But now? I’ve got a daughter who barely recognizes me when I FaceTime. Twins who ask if I’m coming home for their dance recital. A son trying to be the man of the house while I'm playing war games. That’s not right.”

Warlock’s voice was low. “And your wife?”

Jake gave a bitter chuckle. “She’s done everything. She’s always done everything. She knew what she signed up for and I’ve never once heard her complain. She just keeps loving me but she deserves better. When I started the academy, we knew deployments were going to happen but I promised her that I would do everything in my power to keep them as short as possible. 14 months is just too long, even trying to get leave every couple months to drive home.”

Cyclone nodded slowly, then stood. “Give me 72 hours. I’ll talk to the Secretary myself if I have to.”

Jake’s voice dropped. “Thank you.”

As he left the office, his chest felt a little lighter—but the weight of months, years of separation clung to him.

He had to get home.

----------------------

Cyclone and Warlock exchanged a look. A loaded silence passed between them before Warlock spoke up.

“How many others on Dagger have family you know of, Admiral?”

Cyclone’s brow furrowed. “We don’t... ask, usually. This team was supposed to be temporary. Fast deployment, minimal personal disruption.”

Later That Day — Cyclone’s Office

The silence was heavier now. Cyclone had called for brief bios and background checks on all Dagger pilots, and he wasn’t thrilled with what he found.

“Well,” he muttered, reading through the file on his tablet, “looks like Seresin’s not the only one.”

“Bob Floyd’s married with a baby,” Warlock added, reading over another report. “Had the kid a six months before they deployed to Daggers. He didn’t say anything because he thought it might affect his spot on the team.”

Cyclone ran a hand down his face. “We never asked. We just assumed... hell, maybe we didn’t want to know.”

Warlock nodded slowly. “We didn’t build this team for longevity. But we’re starting to ask these pilots to sacrifice like it is.”

Cyclone stood up and walked to the window, gazing out at the tarmac. “This whole damn thing’s supposed to be about making aviators better. But we can’t do that by breaking them.”

“Jake Seresin,” Warlock said with a slight smile, “might be a pain in the ass, but he’s not wrong.”

Naval Air Station North Island – Briefing Room

The low hum of the overhead lights filled the otherwise still room as Admiral Beau "Cyclone" Simpson stepped inside. Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell stood near the table, flipping through a stack of training reports. He looked up, sensing something heavier than routine behind Cyclone’s presence.

“Maverick,” Cyclone said, voice even. “We’ve received a formal request for transfer.”

Maverick raised a brow. “From who?”

“Lieutenant Seresin.”

Maverick straightened slightly. “Hangman?”

Cyclone gave a single, deliberate nod. “He’s asked to step down from Dagger Squadron and transfer to a stateside unit. Non-deployable. Closer to home.”

Maverick blinked. “That doesn’t sound like him. Jake lives for the action.”

Cyclone’s voice softened just a fraction. “Not anymore. He’s got a wife. Four kids. Youngest was born while he was overseas — he didn’t meet her until she was three months old.”

Maverick’s eyes widened. “Wait. Hangman has four kids?”

Cyclone nodded. “And one more on the way. She’s pregnant again.”

Maverick looked away stunned, the news settling in like a gust of wind he hadn’t braced for. He thought he knew Jake — the arrogant, relentless pilot who pushed every limit. This version — a husband, a father of soon-to-be five — was someone completely different. Or maybe not different. Maybe just... fuller.

“He kept that quiet, guess that cocky bastard’s not such a lone wolf after all.”” Maverick said quietly.

“He never wanted special treatment. Never once asked for time off. But this time, it’s different. You miss one birth, you carry it. Miss two?” Cyclone shook his head. “He’s not willing to make that mistake again.”

Maverick stood silent for a long moment, then gave a slow nod, a flicker of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Well,” he said with a smirk, “if he treats his family half as well as he treats himself, they might just be the luckiest people alive.”

Cyclone turned to leave but paused at the doorway. “Transfer is in progress.”

As the door closed behind him, Maverick looked out the window toward the line of jets gleaming on the tarmac — one of them still bearing the name LT. J. SERESIN.

“Good for you, Jake,” he murmured. “You picked the right fight.”

And for the first time, Maverick didn’t feel like he was losing a pilot.

He felt like someone had found their way home.

Chapter Text

Chapter Three: The Surprise Landing

Two Weeks Later — Dogfight Football Day

It was the kind of day Jake used to live for—sun, sand, a ball in the air and adrenaline in his veins. The beach was alive with chaos—sweaty, sun-drenched aviators diving across the sand, shouting playfully as dogfight football unfolded under the California sun.

Jake sprinted toward the ball, laughing as he juked Payback and was tackled by Rooster just short of the touchdown line. Phoenix whistled.

“You losing your edge, Hangman?”

“I let him win!” Jake called back with a cocky grin.

But beneath the bravado, the tension was eating at him again. He hadn’t checked his phone in hours—Abby was supposed to call this morning, but he’d missed it during the pre-flight brief. Maybe she’d texted. As he sprinted across the beach, laughter in the air and sweat on his brow, something tugged at him. Something missing.

Until he heard it.

“DADDY!”

He froze mid-stride, heart slamming against his ribs. He turned toward the sound—and there they were. Charlotte and Evie came flying at him, all sun-drenched curls and matching squeals. He dropped to his knees just in time to catch them both in his arms, scooping them up and spinning them around.

Charlotte kissed his cheek. “You were winning, Daddy!”

Evie nodded solemnly. “We saw you catch the ball!”

Jake looked up—his heart swelling to the point of pain—and saw Abby.

She stood on the beach, a baby carrier attached to her chest holding Olivia, her other arm looped with Melissa’s, her best friend and Javy’s girlfriend. Matthew stood beside her, waving enthusiastically.

“Abby…” he whispered, rising slowly as she walked towards him.

Her smile was tired but warm. “Surprise! Hi, Flyboy.”

“Hey, sunshine,” he said to Abby.

Her voice was soft but teasing. “You always did look good shirtless on a beach.”

He kissed her before he could think about it. Soft, but long enough to say everything three months of loneliness had left unsaid. Olivia blinked sleepily at him from the carrier and reached for his face.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Jake whispered as he pressed his lips to her forehead. “Hey, baby. You remember me?”

Abby stepped in, wrapping a hand around his arm. “She’s been watching videos of you every night. She thinks FaceTime is magic.”

“Daddy, are we gonna tackle you again?” Charlotte was already half climbing up his chest to get on his shoulders, grinning like the sun lived behind her teeth.

Jake laughed and lifted her onto his shoulders with practiced ease. “Sweetheart, you haven’t even given me time to breathe.”

From behind him, Evie tugged gently on his shirt. She didn’t say anything, just held up her arms. Jake’s heart clenched.

“Evie,” he murmured, lifting her to his hip, “c’mere, baby.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, silent but fierce. When he pulled back, her face was pressed into his shoulder. Charlotte peeked over from her spot in his arm.
“She missed you, Daddy,” she said matter-of-factly. “But I told her you were flying jets and not to cry too much.”

Abby raised a brow. “Charlotte…”

Jake smiled, brushing hair back from Evie’s face. “I think Evie can speak for herself, huh?”

Charlotte looked sheepish for a moment before shrugging. “She doesn’t like it when lots of people are around.”

“I know,” Jake said gently, meeting Evie’s eyes. “You wanna say something, baby?”

Evie nodded, her voice soft. “Hi, Daddy. I missed you”

He almost lost it right there. It was quiet and simple—but it was her.

Behind them, the squad had gone utterly still.

Payback whispered, “Are those... his kids?”

“No way,” Fanboy muttered.

Rooster stood apart, arms crossed, brow furrowed. “Since when does Hangman have four kids?”

Phoenix just smirked, arms crossed, watching Jake like she’d known the whole time. Because she had.

Coyote was grinning like he couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Surprise.”

Melissa and Matthew walked up to the quickly forming group, Matthew walking like a little soldier, posture straight, face focused. Melissa quickly walked to Javy, who grabbed her in a tight hug while giving her a big kiss.

As Matty approached Jake, the tension dropped and his shoulders relaxed like a weight was lifted.

“Hi Dad,”

Jake still carrying both girls answered with a grin. “Hi Bud, You got taller.”

“I grew an inch,” Matty said proudly. “I’m also 14 now.”

Jake kissed the top of his head and hugged him tight. “I know, buddy. I’m sorry I didn’t make it home for your birthday.”

Matty’s smile slipped just a tad and Jake’s heart broke a little, “It’s ok, I know you couldn’t get away. I froze a piece of cake for you so we can celebrate later.”

lol

Jake blinked back tears, “Thanks Matty.”

Phoenix finally stepped forward, gesturing toward Abby. “You gonna introduce the rest of us, Seresin?”

Jake shot her a look, then nodded toward his wife. “This is Abby. And these are the mini-Seresins.”

Abby laughed and gave a small wave, her smile soft but unmistakably proud. “Hey. Thanks for keeping him from flying into anything.”

“Trying our best,” Bob muttered under his breath.

Jake pointed to the girl sitting on his shoulders, pride practically glowing off him. “This is Charlotte—the loud one.”

“Hey!” Charlotte piped indignantly.

“Evie’s the quiet one. They’re five.”

“Evie and I are identical,” Charlotte added, very seriously. “But I talk way more.”

Evie nodded without argument.

Jake chuckled. “This is Matthew, he just turned fourteen. And this little one…” He walked closer to Abby, who was holding Olivia now. The baby’s curls framed her round cheeks as she babbled, “dada” and pointed at Jake’s aviator sunglasses. “…is Olivia.” His voice dipped, soft. “Didn’t meet her ‘til she was three months old.”

Phoenix’s smile faded just slightly at the pain beneath the pride.

Phoenix leaned toward Abby, impressed. “How do you wrangle all of that and Hangman?”

Abby grinned. “Years of practice. And a lot of caffeine.”

As the group laughed and started to relax, Jake wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close dropping a kiss to the top of her head, his kids swarming the others with questions and boundless energy.

Phoenix smirked. “Well damn. You really are a softie.”

“Since when does Hangman have kids?” Fanboy asked.

“Since about 13 years ago when he fist knocked me up,” Abby replied grinning.

“and now you have three kids?” Payback asked, still in shock.

“Four,” Abby corrected as she approached with a smirk. “Well….five, actually.”

Phoenix blinked. “Five?”

“Well,” Abby said, wrapping an arm around Jake’s waist, “one’s still in progress.”

“You’re pregnant?” Fanboy practically squeaked.

Melissa snorted from within Javy's arms. “Why do you sound personally attacked by that?”

Rooster folded his arms, glaring at Jake. “You’re telling me you’ve had a secret family this entire time?”

Phoenix cut in, arms crossed. “It wasn’t a secret. He just didn’t owe you an explanation.”

Rooster’s tone turned acidic. “Is that what we’re calling it? Guy's a dangerous pilot who ditched his wingman years ago and has been hiding kids?”

Jake’s smile faltered, but Abby stepped between them like it was second nature.

“You should be careful about the stories you repeat,” she said coldly, eyes locked on Rooster. “Especially when you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

Rooster flushed but didn’t back down.

Melissa and Javy exchanged a look before Melissa leaned toward Abby. “You want me to help you dig a hole for that one?”

“No need,” Abby said, glancing at Jake. “I brought the big guns.”

Jake raised a brow. “Me?”

Charlotte jumped in, swinging from his shoulders. “Daddy’s the best pilot ever. And he has glitter tea parties and he makes pancakes in shapes. One time he made a unicorn. He's the best daddy ever, I'm gonna get your hair wet if you aren't nice.”

Rooster looked at the little girl yelling at him in shock.

"Charlotte" Jake said a warning in his voice, but all she did was flash him a grin and wrap her body around his leg. He dropped a hand to her head as she beamed up at him.

Phoenix leaned toward Bob. “This is the best day of my life.”

“You heard her Rooster, let it go!”Jake said with raised a brow in Rooster’s direction and adjusted Evie on his hip. He dropped a kiss to Abby’s upturned lips, “Love you sweetheart!”

“Love you too”

Jake looked at his family. “C’mon, troublemakers. Let’s go find a place for y’all to stay.”

Inside, Jake was warm. The sight of all his kids in one place again, his wife next to him, was a reminder of what he was fighting for.

He had one shot to make this right.

Chapter Text

Bonus Scene: Dagger’s Reactions

The Hard Deck was alive with noise—glasses clinking, classic rock humming through the speakers, and the warm buzz of disbelief rippling through the Dagger Squad. They were crammed around two pushed-together tables, drinks in hand, still digesting the day's biggest shock: Jake “Hangman” Seresin wasn’t just married—he had four kids. And one more on the way.

“Five kids,” Fanboy repeated, shaking his head. “How’s that even real?”

Bob was the first to say it out loud. “I can’t believe he never said anything. Not one word.”

“Right?” Harvard said, eyes wide. “I mean, we’ve been flying together for years and the man’s out here living a whole secret life. Twins, a teenager, and a toddler? That’s like a minivan fleet.”

Phoenix chuckled, swirling her drink. “Abby’s a damn saint.”

Rooster, arms crossed and leaning away from the group, didn’t laugh. “Yeah, funny. Guy who’s known for leaving his wingman is suddenly Mr. Family Man. He ditches his wingman, every time,” Rooster continued. “He’s got a reputation for it. You think diapers and play-dates suddenly fixed that?”

The table quieted a little. Bob glanced at Phoenix, but didn’t say anything. Rooster wasn’t done.

“He hangs everyone out to dry. Every time. Briefings, flights, real missions—he’s always gone the second it matters. But now he’s just... Dad of the Year? Sure.”

“People can be different than what we think,” Bob offered carefully.

Rooster scoffed. “Not that different, you can’t change that much. You don’t go from bailing out on your squad to raising toddlers. How long before he leaves them hanging, too?”

The table stilled. Phoenix’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. “Watch it, Bradshaw.”

Bob glanced at him, then exchanged a look with Coyote before speaking.

“Rooster,” Bob said gently, “maybe he didn’t change. Maybe this is who he’s always been.”

Rooster frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“He never really let us see that side of him,” Bob continued, voice calm. “Doesn’t mean it wasn’t there.”

Coyote nodded. “Yeah. I’ve known Jake longer than most of you. He’s cocky, sure—but he’s always been loyal. You just had to look past the show.”

“Loyal?” Rooster scoffed. “He left me exposed in training, he left his wingman to die on a mission.”

“And I’ve seen him go last in real combat so no one else had to,” Coyote said. “There’s the version of Jake you see in the sky when he’s turning on the bravado—and then there’s the guy who FaceTimes his kids at 2 in the morning after just flying a mission to read stories and who fly's across the country, just to be there for a football game knowing he has to jump back on a plane the second it's over.”

Fanboy raised an eyebrow. “He does that?”

Coyote nodded. “Always has.”

Rooster looked unconvinced, but something in his expression wavered, “I’m just being honest with what I think.”

“No, you’re being an ass,” Phoenix snapped. “Remember what Charlotte said?”

He blinked. “Who?”

“His five-year-old,” she said. “Blonde. Attitude. She said if you’re not nice to her daddy, she’s gonna get your hair wet.”

Fanboy laughed. “She had a water gun in her Hello Kitty backpack, man. She meant it.”

Coyote gave a small smirk.. You’re one insult away from a glitter ambush and she gets good range with glitter, I know!”

Rooster tried not to smile, but a small one broke through, while the team laughed. “Okay, that kid’s terrifying.”

“She’s awesome,” Phoenix said, smirking. “Maybe don’t pick a fight with someone who shares her DNA.”

Rooster sighed, some of his edge cracking.

--------------------

Outside, Penny and Maverick stood on the deck, watching the sun sink into the water. Inside, the squad was still buzzing, but the tension from earlier lingered like smoke.

“Rooster still fuming?” Penny asked, sipping from her beer.

Maverick nodded. “Yeah. He’s got this version of Jake in his head and can’t see past it. Can’t figure out how the guy who ditched him in the air is also pushing a stroller and making preschool snack bags.”

Penny raised an eyebrow. “Or maybe he just doesn’t want to admit Jake grew up before he did.”

Maverick glanced at her. “You always know how to cut through the noise.”

“Comes with bartending and raising a teenager,” she said with a shrug.

--------------------

Back in a quieter corner of the bar, Maverick slipped into a seat where Cyclone sat with Warlock, his drink half-full, watching Rooster from a distance.

“Bradshaw’s still chewing on it,” Warlock said.

Maverick nodded. “He needs time. But he’s also wrong about Jake.”

Warlock glanced at him. “You really think Hangman’s wrong?”

“He has to be,” Maverick said. “He’s arrogant and he has left his wingman in training but I’ve never seen him do it in a mission. He saved my life and Bradley’s, that’s enough to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

“How many times did he say it tonight?” Cyclone asked.

Warlock gave a dry smile. “'He leaves his wingman'? At least six. Maybe more. He’s stuck.”

Cyclone sighed. “We need to know what really happened on that last op. Jake’s not the guy Rooster thinks he is — but we can’t prove it without the full story.”

Warlock nodded. “You want me to start the declassification process?”

“Yeah,” Cyclone said. “Get started tomorrow. Whatever Jake did, I want it on the table.” He paused, then added, “Also he’s been granted the reassignment. It’s already in the works.”

Maverick nodded. “Are you telling them tonight?”

“That’s the plan, the squad deserves to know.”

____________________

The atmosphere at the Dagger had shifted. Rooster was quieter now, sipping his beer while the others shared stories about Charlotte’s “accidental” glitter bombs or Matty’s obsession with model airplanes.

That’s when Cyclone walked over.

The squad straightened. Even Rooster sat up, sensing the shift.

Cyclone didn’t waste time. “I know today’s been surprising. But I need to make something clear.” He glanced around the group, meeting eyes. “Jake Seresin has submitted a reassignment request.”

A few stunned looks swept across the table. Phoenix’s brows lifted. Bob looked down. Rooster froze.

“It’s already in motion,” Cyclone continued. “He’ll be relocating within the next couple of weeks. His family’s priority now—and we’re honoring that.”

Nobody said a word.

Cyclone’s gaze lingered on Rooster a beat longer. “We owe him. And in time, you’ll understand why. Until then, show some respect.” He gave a small nod and stepped away.

Rooster stared into his drink, words caught somewhere between guilt and confusion.

Phoenix leaned over, her voice low. “Still think he’s leaving them hanging?”

Rooster didn’t answer.

Not yet.

Later, after Cyclone announced Jake’s reassignment to the team and left, the group went quiet again. Shock, disbelief, maybe even guilt, ran through the room.

“This isn’t him changing,” Coyote said quietly to no one in particular. “It’s just him stepping into the open.”

Bob nodded beside him. “And letting us finally see who he’s been all along.”

--------------------

The crowd inside the Hard Deck had thinned. The jukebox played low, the night winding down, but the weight of the evening still hung heavy over the Dagger Squad. Rooster stepped outside, needing air. Phoenix followed a few beats later, catching him as he leaned against the railing, staring out at the ocean.

“You okay?” she asked.

He didn’t answer at first.

“I just…” He rubbed his hands over his face. “How did none of us know? A wife, four kids—and another one? And he’s already being reassigned? It’s like we never knew the guy.”

Phoenix hesitated. “You didn’t.”

Rooster turned to look at her, eyes narrowing. “What does that mean?”

She crossed her arms. “I’ve met Abby. I’ve known about Matty and the twins for a while.”

His face fell. “What?”

“I didn’t know about Olivia,” she added quickly. “Or the pregnancy. But yeah. I’ve known.”

“You knew and didn’t tell me?” he asked, voice rising with disbelief.

Phoenix didn’t flinch. “I didn’t think you deserved to know.”

“Wow,” he said, stepping back like she’d slapped him. “That’s low, even for you.”

“No,” she said, stepping forward, voice calm but firm. “What’s low is the way you talk about him. The way you act like Jake is just this reckless, shallow hotshot who doesn’t give a damn about anyone but himself.”

Rooster opened his mouth, but she cut him off.

“You’ve treated him like garbage since the day you met him. And you think I’m gonna hand you the softest part of his life? The part he protects the most? Hell no.”

He looked away, jaw clenched.

“I didn’t keep it from you to be cruel,” she said more gently. “I kept it because you would’ve used it as ammo. Or doubted it. Or made some crack about him ‘leaving his family like he leaves his wingmen.”

Silence stretched between them.

“I didn’t get it at first either,” she admitted. “Not until I saw him with them. The twins climbing all over him. Matty asking him for help on math homework. Abby just looking at him like he’s the center of her universe. He’s different with them.”

Rooster swallowed hard, but still didn’t speak.

Phoenix looked at him, voice softening. “He’s not pretending to be better. He’s just never let you see who he really is.”

He shook his head slowly. “I thought I knew him.”

“Yeah, well... maybe it’s time to admit you don’t.”

They stood there for a moment in the hush of the night, the waves crashing softly in the distance.

Phoenix finally turned toward the door. “Don’t be mad at me for protecting something he didn’t trust you with. Be mad at yourself for making him feel like he had to.”

Then she was gone.

And Rooster was alone with the weight of it all.

Chapter Text

Chapter Four: Pillow Forts and Promises

The base guest quarters weren’t fancy, but to the Seresin kids, they were a palace.

Blankets were pulled from every cabinet. Couches were rearranged. A rogue broomstick became a flagpole.

“We’re making a fort,” Matty announced proudly, “and Olivia gets the top bunk!”

Jake laughed. “She’s not even two, bud. She’d roll off.”

Matty blinked, dead serious. “Then I’ll sleep on the floor and catch her.”

Jake ruffled his hair. “Nice try, protector. She sleeps in the pack n play.”

Charlotte took command. “Matty, the fort needs a cannon!”

Evie tugged on Jake’s sleeve. “Can it have stars inside?”

“Sure thing, baby,” he whispered, lifting her up to stick glow-in-the-dark stars to the underside of the blanket ceiling. His wife thought of everything after visiting him on multiple bases throughout the years.

Abby leaned against the door frame, arms crossed and smiling. Her eyes followed Jake as he kneeled beside the twins, who were now bickering about whose stuffed animal should be the fort guard.

“Charlotte,” Jake said softly. “Let Evie talk, sweetheart.”

Charlotte froze mid-sentence, looking sheepish. “Sorry, Daddy.”

Evie looked up at him through long lashes. “I want Mr. Bear to guard the fort.”

Jake grinned. “Then Mr. Bear’s got it. Charlotte, you okay with that?”

Charlotte nodded. “He’s good at protecting dreams.”

“Then it’s settled.”

Abby watched the scene with a soft smile. It was moments like this that made the months of missed holidays, solo birthdays, and broken FaceTimes feel like they were worth surviving.

________________________________________

At bedtime, the guest quarters buzzed with excitement. The twins were in matching pajamas—Charlotte’s slightly stained from chocolate ice cream, Evie’s pristine as always. Matty was laying out sleeping bags while Jake made the fort a little more comfortable as the twins decided to sleep there.

Matty grinned. “We need you to tell a story, Dad.”

Jake raised an eyebrow. “What story?”

Matty cleared his throat. “The one where you flew upside down and scared the other pilot so bad he called you ‘sir.’”

Charlotte jumped in. “He was so scared he dropped his apple!”

Jake laughed, wrapping his arm around Matty. “Alright. But it was peach cobbler, not an apple.”

Evie leaned against his leg, sleepy already. “I like the story with the thunderstorm and Mommy waiting.”

Abby sat on the couch, rocking Olivia. “That’s a good one too.”

They all settled into a pile of warmth and fabric. Jake recounted a story from training in Georgia—thunder shaking the sky, Matty barely two, and Abby waiting up all night with rain on the windows.

He looked over and saw Matty’s eyes starting to drop, Evie already asleep and Charlotte was mumbling about cannonballs and unicorn pancakes as her eyes fluttered. Olivia snored gently on Abby’s shoulder.

When Jake tucked them all in, he lingered at each tiny face, memorizing every eyelash.

----------------------

Later, all four kids were asleep. Matty was knocked out with one arm thrown over his head, Charlotte and Evie curled into one another like always. Olivia snored in her Pack n Play, soft and rhythmic.

In the soft glow of the kitchenette light, Abby stood in one of his old Navy t-shirts, her hair in a messy braid.

Jake closed the door gently and pulled her into him, wrapping her in his arms.

“Hey,” she whispered, resting her hand on his waist.

He pulled her closer, "You're so beautiful", resting his forehead against hers. Her hands slid up his chest, settling over his heart. One of his hand slid over her belly.
“We have five,” he whispered. “I still can’t believe it.”

Abby looked up at him, eyes shining. “You keep disappearing. So, I keep making more so you have to come home to meet them.”

He laughed quietly, lips brushing her temple. “You really missed me, huh?”

Her voice was softer now. “Every night.”

His hand slid under the hem of her shirt, caressing the curve of her stomach.

“I want to be here this time,” he said. “Every appointment. Every kick.”

“I know.” She reached down, pulling him tighter to her. “Three months this time,” she murmured. “Three months of missing you.”

“I know,” Jake said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

Abby looked up, her voice thick. “I missed you. The girls missed you. Evie… started crying when she couldn’t remember what your voice sounded like for a whole day. Matty needed help in Math and I suck at math”

Jake’s breath caught. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to tell you. You already felt guilty enough.”

“I should’ve been there for Olivia. I should’ve been there for all of you.”

“You’re here now.”

He cupped her face, thumbs brushing her cheeks. “I asked for reassignment. Back to my old squadron. Cyclone said he’d try.”

Her eyes welled. “You did? I would never ask you to give up flying, you love being in the air. I’m just complaining cause I’m tired and hormonal.”

Jake dropped his forehead to hers. “I’m done missing life, Abs. Done missing you. You didn’t ask, this is me waiting to be home with all of you.” He kissed her then—slow and deep, the kind of kiss that spoke of empty beds and late-night tears and a thousand missed moments. Her fingers tangled in his hair as his hands slid down to her hips.

“Let’s go to bed,” she whispered, tugging his shirt up.

Jake didn’t hesitate

--------------------

Later, they lay tangled in the narrow bed, bare skin flush against warm sheets. Abby rested her head on Jake’s chest, one leg thrown over his waist.

“I forgot what this felt like,” she murmured.

Jake kissed the top of her head. “I didn’t. I dreamed about it every damn night.”

“You’re not allowed to leave again.”

He ran his fingers down her spine. “I don’t plan to.”

A soft knock on the door startled them. Abby sat up, wrapping a blanket around herself.

Matty’s voice came through the wood, muffled. “Dad?”

Jake stood, tugged on boxers and a tee, and opened the door. Matty stood barefoot, clutching a pillow.

“I had a dream someone was taking the girls,” he mumbled.

Jake hugged him tight without a second thought. “They’re safe. I promise. C’mon.”

Jake led Matty back to his bed, dropping a kiss to his head and sitting next to him until his eyes dropped closed again. “I love you, Matty!”

Abby leaned against the door frame. “Our protector.”

Jake grinned.

She held out her hand, “Come back to bed.” He silently rose and let her pull him back to bed to get his first solid sleep in months.

Chapter Text

Chapter Six: Ghosts in the Wake

A couple days later, the squad gathered on the tarmac for drills. Rooster stood off to the side, sunglasses on, arms folded. He hadn’t spoken a word to Jake since the reveal.
Jake, in contrast, felt more centered than he had in months. He moved with purpose, even with the shadows under his eyes from being up late with Matty and Evie. Abby had taken the girls out for breakfast with Melissa, giving him a few hours to work and clear his head before dropping Melissa and the twins off at the beach with Coyote and Matty. Luckily Maverick had given Coyote some time off as long as he flew later. But the high was starting to dull.

He could feel it—Rooster’s stare. The judgment. The tension.

As the team gathered near the briefing room for an afternoon debrief, Cyclone and Warlock entered from a side hallway, deep in conversation. Jake noticed the folder under Cyclone’s arm—unmarked, thick, old.

He didn’t think much of it until Cyclone paused, looked directly at him, then flicked a glance toward Rooster.

Something was coming.

But not yet.

“Lieutenant Seresin, my office at eleven hundred” Cyclone ordered as he walked past Jake.

“Yes, Sir!”

--------------------

11:00 - Vice Admiral Beau Simpson’s office

The office was quiet, the kind of stillness that came just before the ground shifted. Jake “Hangman” Seresin stood at ease in front of Cyclone’s desk, though there was tension in his shoulders. He was used to waiting for the hammer to fall. But this time, the silence felt heavier somehow.

Cyclone looked up from the folder in front of him, tapped the edge of the manila paper twice, then folded his hands.“Your reassignment request has been approved,” he said.

Jake exhaled quietly through his nose, keeping his expression neutral. “Understood, sir.”

“There’s more,” Cyclone continued. “We did a deeper dive into your service record after the recommendation came in. Took a look at your schooling, mission logs, leadership evaluations, unofficial citations. All of it.”

Jake gave a slight nod. “Didn’t think there was anything the Navy didn’t know.”

“There was,” Cyclone said with a raised eyebrow. “Enough to make some higher-ups ask why we’ve been sticking you in cockpits and deployment rotations when your tactical judgment, mechanical knowledge and people management are off the charts.”

Jake didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Just listened.

“We’re assigning you as a liaison between the Navy and McDonnell Douglas,” Cyclone said. “Joint systems testing, pilot feedback integration, transition oversight. It’ll be based out of Lemoore.”

Jake blinked. “That’s… stateside.”

Cyclone nodded. “Full-time. No more long deployments. No more six-month detachments halfway across the world.”

Jake’s mask cracked just slightly. “My wife’s going to cry when she hears that.”

Cyclone allowed a small smirk. “Hopefully in a good way.”

Jake’s voice was quieter now. “Why now?”

“Because someone finally looked past the swagger,” Cyclone said. “And saw the man underneath. You’ve done the work. You’ve made the sacrifices. You’ve never asked for anything in return. So we’re giving you what you didn’t ask for—because you earned it anyway.”

Jake’s throat worked as he swallowed.

“You’ll report to Lemoore in two weeks,” Cyclone continued. “Spend the time getting your affairs in order. Say your goodbyes. And Jake?” He looked up. “Make this next chapter count.”

Jake nodded. “Yes, sir. I intend to.”

As he turned to leave, Cyclone added, more quietly, “You’re still one hell of a pilot, Seresin. But it takes more than flying to be the kind of man who comes home.”
Jake paused at the door.

“That’s always been my plan, sir.”

Then he stepped out into the corridor, for the first time in years feeling like the future might finally belong to him.

--------------------

A Short Time Later - The Guest Quarters

The hall outside the guest quarters was quiet, the kind of still that only came when everyone was either at work or out exploring. Jake walked slowly, his steps soft even in boots, pausing just before the door marked for visiting families. He could hear Olivia giggling inside, followed by the faint sound of Abby humming — off-key, but in that way that always made him smile. He stepped inside and instantly softened. Olivia sat in the middle of the bed, clapping her hands and rocking back and forth while Abby tried — and failed — to tie her hair into tiny pigtails.

Abby looked up and smiled, a little tired, but glowing. “Hey. Coyote texted — the big kids are still having fun at the beach.”

Jake walked over and dropped a kiss on her forehead before scooping up Olivia. She squealed and immediately grabbed a fistful of his t-shirt.

“Well hello, troublemaker,” he murmured, kissing her chubby cheek. “Giving your mom a hard time again?”

“She thinks pigtails are a war crime,” Abby said with a dramatic sigh.

Jake chuckled and leaned back against the wall, Olivia now babbling happily in his arms.

Abby tilted her head. “What’s that look?”

“What look?”

“The one you get when you’ve got news and you’re trying to act like you’re not about to burst.”

He smirked. “Okay, yeah, there might be a little something.”

Abby stood, brushing her hands on her jeans. “Jake…”

“It’s good,” he said quickly. “It’s really good.”

She watched him carefully, Olivia now nestled against his shoulder, thumb in her mouth, while he slowly swayed. “They approved the reassignment,” Jake said, voice soft. “I’m going to be stationed at Lemoore.”

Abby blinked. “Lemoore? That’s already home.”

He nodded. “No deployments. No detachments. I’ll be working with McDonnell Douglas as a liaison. Testing systems, pilot integration, all of it.”

Abby’s breath hitched, and suddenly her hand was over her mouth. Her eyes filled with tears, and she sat down slowly on the edge of the bed.

Jake crossed to her sitting down, still holding Olivia, who was now sleepy and blinking slowly. “They want me to start in two weeks,” he said. “Which gives us just enough time to figure out how the hell to fit another car seats in the van.”

Abby let out a watery laugh and wrapped her arm around his waist, leaning into him as Olivia snuggled between them.

“You’re really coming home?” she whispered.

“I never wanted to be anywhere else,” he said. “I just had to make sure I’d earned the right to stay.”

She looked up at him, eyes shining. “You always had the right.”

He bent down and kissed her, soft and lingering, before resting his forehead against hers.

From the crook of his shoulder, Olivia gave a sleepy sigh.

Jake smiled. “Guess that’s our approval rating.”

Abby chuckled. “Unanimous.”

--------------------

Phoenix leaned against the hangar wall, sipping bad coffee from a chipped mug. Bob stood beside her, awkward but steady.

“Did you talk to Hangman?” she asked quietly.

Bob nodded. “He said the transfer was approved and he will be permanently stateside before the new baby comes.”

Phoenix smiled. “That’s great! He’s not the same guy who strutted into the Academy with a arrogant smirk and cocky swagger.”

“No,” Bob said softly. “He’s better.”

Just then, Rooster walked past, scowling.

Phoenix stopped him. “Hey, you gonna let up already?”

Rooster snorted. “Guy hides a whole family and lies to us and we're just suppose to forgive and forget?”

“You’re mad because you didn’t know,” she said flatly. “Not because he lied. Because he didn’t include you.”

Rooster turned to her. “You weren’t there ten years ago. You didn’t see the aftermath when his wingman went down.”

She stepped forward. “Neither did you. It’s classified.”

“Exactly!” Rooster hissed. “And now he’s got the whole squad fooled into thinking he’s some hero dad wanting to be home—”

“You don’t get to talk about my husband like that.”

Rooster turned.

Abby stood just behind him, holding Olivia in one arm. Her expression wasn’t angry—just cold. Dangerous.

Phoenix stepped back.

Rooster blinked. “I didn’t mean—”

“No,” Abby said, voice even. “You did. You meant every word. So let me be clear.”

She handed Olivia to Melissa, who had quietly approached behind her.

“I’ve watched Jake Seresin miss first steps, school plays, Christmases, and almost every anniversary since he was nineteen. I’ve held my son while he cried because Jake had to deploy on his birthday. I’ve given birth alone. I’ve taken care of four kids by myself. And not once—not once—have I seen Jake make a selfish decision when it came to his family.”

Rooster opened his mouth, but Abby kept going.

“You think you know the story of what happened out there. You think his call sign makes him reckless. It doesn’t. You want to know what happened to his wingman?”

“Abby,” Jake said quietly behind her. She turned, but he nodded. “It’s okay.”

He stepped forward and put his arm around her anchoring her to his side.

Cyclone stood a few feet away, folder in hand.

“We got it declassified this morning,” Cyclone said. “You’re all cleared to know.”

He handed the folder to Rooster. Rooster flipped it open. His brow furrowed.

Jake spoke as he read. “Ten years ago, I was flying a joint op near the South China Sea. My wingman, LT Foster, got a critical failure mid-flight. No steering, no comms. He was going down. We weren’t supposed to engage—we were ordered to return to carrier.”

Rooster looked up. “But you didn’t.”

Jake’s voice was steady. “I disobeyed. I turned back. Stayed with him, tried to talk him down using hand signals. Got low enough to signal visually and get a last ping on his black box.”

He swallowed. “I didn’t leave him. I was right next him when the plane hit. The eject failed. I watched it happen.”

The hangar was silent.

Phoenix looked stunned. Bob’s eyes dropped to the floor. Coyote muttered a soft, “Damn…”

Jake turned to Rooster. “The Navy wanted to bury the story. Said it would raise questions about hardware failures. I got written up for disobedience, but I didn’t care. Foster’s family asked me to speak at his funeral. Said they were grateful he didn’t die alone.”

Rooster stared down at the report.

“I never left anyone behind,” Jake said. “Not in the sky. Not on the ground. Not at home.”

Abby came up beside him, her hand sliding into his. “I don’t care what you call him,” she said. “To me, he’s Jake. And to our kids, he’s everything.”

Rooster looked up, and—for once—his expression cracked. “I didn’t know.”

“You didn’t ask,” Jake replied softly. “No one ever does.”

Cyclone cleared his throat. “I’ve approved Seresin’s reassignment, effective in two weeks. He’ll be returning to Lemoore, as soon as we close out the current rotation.”

Jake nodded, squeezing Abby’s hand.

Warlock added, “We’ll be conducting a review of personal circumstances for all team members. If anyone else has family or dependents, now’s the time to speak up.”

Bob raised a tentative hand. “Uh... I’ve got a wife. And a daughter. She just turned eleven months old.”

Fanboy blinked. “Dude! Why didn’t you say anything?”

Bob shrugged. “Didn’t seem relevant in the sky.”

Jake smiled.

Cyclone looked around. “We’ve been asking the wrong questions of our personnel and we’re going to fix that. Dismissed.”

As the team slowly dispersed, Rooster walked up to Jake.

“I was wrong,” he said. “I let my assumptions fill in the blanks. And I said things I shouldn’t have.”

Jake looked at him. “You’ve got your own ghosts, man. I get it.”

Rooster held out a hand. “Still, I’m sorry.”

Jake shook it. “Just don’t let your feelings keep you from the truth next time.”

Rooster nodded. “So... you really made pancakes shaped like a unicorn?”

Charlotte piped up behind them, riding on Coyote’s shoulders. “And a dinosaur! But he burned the tail!He tries to do airplanes for Matty but those don't usually look right.”

The whole squad laughed.

Jake wrapped an arm around Abby, who leaned into him with a smile that said finally.

Chapter Text

Chapter Seven: Smoke in the Sky

The sun over NAS North Island was bright and warm, painting a perfect June sky. It felt like it should have been a good day. This was Jake’s last mission. A two-day recon run. Low risk. Low altitude. Just presence. Abby sat on the edge of the bed, one sock on, Olivia on her hip with a teether in her mouth, while Jake moved around the room in his flight suit. He was trying to be quiet, zipping bags, checking his orders on his phone, jotting something on a sticky note.

Abby watched him carefully. “You triple-checked your backup comms?”

 Jake nodded, without looking up. “Twice last night. Once this morning.” He was jittery. Not panicked—but she knew him. There was a tightness in his shoulders, in the way he exhaled through his nose. His “final flight” had all the right words on paper, but the sky wasn’t always that simple. She stood and stepped in front of him, pressing Olivia to his chest. He took her instinctively, resting his hand on the back of her tiny head.

“I’m not trying to jinx anything,” Abby said gently. “I just… I don’t like the look in your eyes.”

Jake leaned forward, pressed his lips to Olivia’s head, and then kissed Abby’s forehead, too. “It’s just a recon. I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon. Early.”

“Before dinner?”

“I’ll even make it.”

She smiled, barely. “Don’t forget the cinnamon in the cornbread this time.”

He kissed her again. “Yes, ma’am.”

Charlotte came barreling into the room wearing her sparkly tutu over a pair of leggings, dragging Evie behind her. “Daddy, wait! You didn’t sign the recital paper for Mr. Bear!”

Jake knelt, Olivia still balanced on his hip, and signed the paper with one hand. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, sweet pea.”

 Evie leaned into his shoulder. “You’ll be home?”

He touched her nose. “Tomorrow.”

 Matty appeared in the doorway, not speaking. He had his arms folded over his chest, and Jake could see the worry in his posture.

Later, Abby would remember that as the moment everything started to shift.

________________________________________

In the Sky - The Next Day

The jet was steady, the sky crisp blue and still. Jake flew low and fast, eyes sweeping the horizon. Beside him, his temporary wingman for the recon run, LT Kyle “Vandal” Duran, was quiet but present. Fifteen minutes from turning south toward base. Jake clicked on the comms. “Vandal, anything on radar?”

“Negative. Smooth run so far. Got visual on a cargo trail, but it’s outbound.”

Jake exhaled. “Good. Let’s keep it boring.”

And then— BEEP. BEEP-BEEP.

He felt it before he saw it. The left side of the stick started to stiffen, and his controls lagged by a millisecond. He checked the panel.

HYDRAULIC FAIL – LEFT AILERON / ROLL CONTROL ERROR

Jake’s jaw clenched. He flipped a series of toggles, attempting manual override. “Vandal, I’m showing a hydraulic issue. Going to slow speed and reroute to Bishop Airfield.”

Vandal’s voice crackled. “Copy that. Want me on your wing?”

“Affirmative. Stay close. This bird’s not done, but she’s bitchy.” Then the left side jerked.

Jake’s heart kicked. “Shit.”

 ________________________________________

North Island – Ops Center

Warlock was watching the live telemetry feed when the hydraulic alert hit. Cyclone entered a moment later, scanning the data on the overhead monitor. “He’s losing left roll response.”

“Trying manual override now,” Warlock replied, tapping the comms. “Still talking. Not spiraling. Yet.”

“Who is?” Abby’s voice cut across the space like a knife. They turned to see her in the doorway, holding Olivia. Melissa stood behind her with the twins, who were half-asleep after another day at the beach.

Warlock turned to Cyclone, silently asking if he should lie. Cyclone shook his head. “Jake’s having issues mid-flight,” he said, carefully. “Not combat-related. Just mechanical.”

Abby’s eyes went flat. She stepped forward. “Is he going down?”

 “No,” Warlock said quickly. “He’s working the controls. Diverting to Bishop. Emergency landing protocols initiated.”

Charlotte peeked up from behind Abby. “Mommy, is Daddy okay?”

Abby immediately turned running a hand over her head. “Yes, sweetheart. He’s okay. He’s just flying somewhere a little different right now. Melissa is going to take you back to the rooms so you can play.” Melissa silently grabbed Abby’s hand and squeezed, nodding her head and turned to go.

Matty was dead quiet, standing in the corner, fists clenched.

“Do they know what’s wrong?” Abby asked, straightening. “Is it fixable?”

Cyclone hesitated. “It’s a left-side hydraulic and roll issue. Not unrecoverable. But... if it locks mid-descent…”

Abby’s voice dropped. “Then?”

“Then we hope he’s Jake Seresin.”

Matty voice cut through the tension in the room looking at Abby. “Is Dad crashing?”

“No,” Abby said instantly, drawing Matthew to her in a hug. “His plane is having some issues, but he’s coming home.”

Matty’s lip trembled. “But what if he doesn’t?”

Abby hugged him tighter. “He will because he is a great pilot and because he always comes home to us.”

Warlock looked at the three of them and hoped Jake was as good a pilot as everyone always claimed.

His family needed him.

________________________________________

In the Air

Jake fought the stick like he was wrangling a damn crocodile. The left side had gone stiff. Nose yaw was uneven. But the field was in sight. He spoke aloud, even though no one could hear. “You are not doing this to me, girl. You hold. You hold for my kids. You hold for Abby.”

Vandal’s voice came over the comm. “You’ve got two clicks left. Altitude’s stable. You can do this.”

Jake forced breath into his lungs.

Landing gear down.

One side sticks.

Correctional thrusters engage.

Bounce.

Skid.

The entire left side of the fighter scraped the tarmac, trailing sparks as it dragged.

Jake braced, jaw clenched.

And then —

Silence.

________________________________________

Back at Base

 The Dagger Squad rolled back onto base, still sweat-soaked and half-laughing from post-drill adrenaline. Boots hit the tarmac, gear slung over shoulders, and the mood was high — until Fanboy glanced at his phone and stopped cold. “Guys,” he said. “You need to see this.”

Phoenix took one look and cursed under her breath. Rooster pushed forward, snatching the phone.

IN-FLIGHT INCIDENT — Echo-Seven reporting mechanical malfunction. Forced landing pending.

Rooster’s blood ran cold.

“That’s Jake’s designation,” Bob said quietly, already pulling his comms unit.

“Where is he?” Phoenix snapped, but before anyone could answer, the sound of hurried footsteps broke through the haze.

Abby came around the corner at a half-run, Olivia in her arms, Matty, Melissa and the twins trailing behind her. Her face was tight, eyes laser-focused on the flight tower. “Anything?” she asked.

“Not yet,” Coyote said. He crouched down and pulled Evie into a side hug, rubbing her back as she clung to his neck as he picked her up.

Charlotte looked over at Rooster. She tilted her head, then let go of Melissa’s hand and walked straight up to the brooding lieutenant like she had something important to do. Rooster didn’t notice her until she was right in front of him, tugging gently on his flight suit. He blinked, startled. “Uh… hey?”

“Pick me up,” she said plainly, reaching her arms up.

He looked at Abby instinctively, who just nodded. “Go ahead.”

Rooster hesitated. “I don’t really—” Charlotte was still looking at him, unwavering. So, he bent down and awkwardly hoisted her up into his arms, hands stiff at first like she was made of glass. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and tucked her head into his neck like it was the most natural thing in the world. Rooster stood there, frozen, not sure where to put his hands or how to breathe.

“Sheesh,” Fanboy muttered to Payback under his breath, “he looks like he just got handed a live grenade.”

Phoenix smirked but kept her eyes on Charlotte. Rooster slowly settled one hand against her back, uncertain but trying. “You doing okay, kid?”

Charlotte didn’t lift her head. “He said he’d be back before dinner in time for Mr. Bear’s recital.”

Rooster swallowed hard. “Then I guess he will be.”

 She nodded a little, then whispered, “You’re warm like Daddy.”

Rooster blinked rapidly. “Uh. Thanks?”

Matty leaned against Bob, face pale but stubborn. “He’ll stick the landing.”

Bob looked at Olivia, content on Abby’s hip, thinking of his own family. “He’s probably already safe on the ground.”

They stood there, an odd circle of pilots and family, tension thick as oil. No one wanted to speak the worst thoughts aloud. That was when Cyclone stepped out from the command building, jaw tight. Everyone turned. “He’s down,” he said. “Took a beating, but he’s conscious. Looks like a dislocated shoulder, maybe bruised ribs and some cuts and bruises. Rescue team is on the way now.”

Abby closed her eyes and let out a breath she’d clearly been holding.

Matty punched the air. “Told you!”

Charlotte’s head popped up. “He’s okay?”

Cyclone gave her the tiniest smile. “He’s okay.”

Without hesitation, she hugged Rooster tighter. Rooster looked helplessly around, totally out of his depth, while Phoenix openly laughed behind her hand. “I think you’ve been officially adopted,” she said.

He shifted Charlotte slightly in his arms and muttered, “I don’t even know how this happened.” But he didn’t let go.

Payback clapped his hands. “Alright. Who wants to go greet our boy when he rolls in looking like a hot mess?”

Evie raised her hand. “Me!”

Laughter broke the tension, and as the squad began to gather themselves, Phoenix slipped beside Abby, squeezing her shoulder. “Never a dull moment with pilots,” she murmured.

Abby smiled. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

And together, the Daggers waited — a squad no longer just teammates, but family.

--------------------

Bishop Airfield

Smoke. Fire-retardant foam. A skidded fighter jet on its side.

Jake’s plane had landed—badly—but landed.

When they opened the hatch, Jake was conscious, bloody from his temple, arm pinned in the seat harness.

He looked at the medics:

“You need to call my wife.”

________________________________________

North Island – Runway – 18:02 Hours

It was nearly an three hours later when the hum of a transport helicopter sent everyone’s heads turning. The rescue chopper touched down lightly on the tarmac, and the moment the rotors slowed, the Dagger Squad surged forward — not running, but fast-walking in that barely-contained way soldiers and pilots do when they’re holding everything tight inside. The hatch opened. Jake Seresin stepped down under his own power, flight suit streaked with dirt and torn at one shoulder, his arm in a sling, a wrap tight across his midsection, a visible limp in his left leg. He looked tired, dusty, and very slightly pissed off in that familiar Hangman way — but he was standing. Breathing. Smirking. Abby reached him first, Olivia in her arms, Matty right behind. Jake bent just enough to let Abby press her forehead to his, grounding both of them instantly. She kissed him before he could say anything—soft and deep, their daughter squished gently between them.

“I told you I’d be home for dinner tonight,” he murmured, voice hoarse.

“You’re late,” Abby whispered, tears thick in her voice. “But I’ll let it slide.”

Jake kissed her forehead with a soft “Love you” and dropped a kiss to Olivia’s head, who immediately snuggled against Abby with a sleepy sigh. “Love you too” she whispered.

Matty grinned. “You look like crap.”

“Appreciate it, buddy.” Jake looked up — and froze.

Rooster stood a few feet back, awkward as ever, and in his arms, still curled up and holding on, was Charlotte. Jake blinked, caught somewhere between confusion and awe. “What…?”

Charlotte spotted him and immediately straightened. “Daddy!”

She wriggled, and Rooster awkwardly lowered her to the ground. She grabbed Evie’s hand from Melissa and they bolted the last few feet to Jake slamming into his good side, arms wrapping around his legs. Jake groaned softly at the impact, but his smile broke wide and real. “Hi, girls.”

“You’re not allowed to fly broken planes anymore.” Charlotte ordered looking up at him with a fierce scowl.

“Deal.”

He scooped Evie up into one arm wincing, but didn’t let go as Charlotte twirled around them. Rooster was still standing where she’d left him, arms half-out like he wasn’t sure what to do now that the kid-shaped barnacle had left.

Jake looked at him for a long second. “Thanks for not dropping her,” he said.

Rooster scratched the back of his neck. “She didn’t give me much of a choice.”

“She never does.”

Phoenix came up beside them and gave Jake a once-over. “So. You finally tried landing like the rest of us mortals, huh?”

Jake smirked. “Not my best work.”

Coyote stepped in. “Still the plane’s mostly intact?”

“Somewhat.”

Fanboy whistled. “He really is evolving.”

Jake chuckled — then winced, one hand going to his ribs. Melissa reached for Evie again, relieving his sore body. “You done scaring the hell out of us?” she asked, eyes still glassy.

“Planning on it,” he said. “For a while.”

Rooster stepped closer now, still unsure. “She wanted me to hold her,” he said quietly. “I didn’t volunteer.”

Jake raised an eyebrow. “And you did it anyway?”

“She’s… persuasive.”

“Yeah. She gets that from her mom.” Their eyes met, not quite a truce, but a start.

“Glad you’re back, Hangman,” Rooster said finally.

Jake grinned. “Yeah. Me too.”

As the sun dipped low over the airstrip, casting long golden shadows, the squad stood a little closer, a little quieter. No one said it, but they all felt it — something had shifted. Grown. Hangman had flown close to the edge again — but this time, he’d landed with a full team waiting. And a family who never doubted he would.

Abby leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’ve had enough sky for now.”

Jake kissed her hair. “I’m grounded. For good.”

And for the first time, the words didn’t feel like a burden. They felt like freedom

Chapter Text

Bonus Scene: Med Bay

The med bay was dim and quiet, the chaos of the day finally settling into something slower, gentler. Machines hummed softly. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, but mercifully dimmed. Jake sat in the narrow hospital bed, propped against a mountain of stiff pillows, one arm bandaged, ribs wrapped, bruises blooming beneath his skin like old stories.

Evie was curled into his good side, fast asleep.

She hadn’t said anything when Abby brought her in, just climbed up beside Jake and latched onto his shirt with one small fist. Abby had pressed a kiss to Jake’s temple, whispered, “We’re headed to bed — all of us, I love you” and slipped away, leaving Jake with their quietest twin tucked against his chest.

Now, she breathed evenly, one cheek pressed to his shoulder, thumb half in her mouth. Every few minutes, she’d sigh and burrow a little deeper, as if making sure he was real.

Jake hadn’t moved. Wouldn’t dare.

The door cracked open.

He didn’t look up until he heard the telltale shuffle of boots and the familiar weight of someone standing just inside without knowing how to begin.

“Rooster.”

“Hey.”

Jake glanced over, raising a brow.

“You here to take a victory lap? ‘Cause I think Evie’s got that covered.”

Rooster offered a quiet snort but didn’t take the bait. Instead, he moved toward the chair beside the bed and sat, hands clasped loosely between his knees, unusually still.

“I came to check on you,” he said.

“Damn,” Jake muttered, adjusting slightly to take pressure off his ribs. “World really is ending.”

Rooster ignored the jab. His gaze drifted to Evie, fast asleep in her dad’s arms.

“She pick you, or did you ask for her?”

Jake looked down at his daughter, expression softening. “She crawled in and held on. What was I gonna do — say no?”

Rooster didn’t answer, but something in his face shifted — less edge, more thought. Evie stirred and let out a soft sigh. Jake soothed her back to sleep with a gentle hand, fingers threaded through her hair.

Rooster watched the motion, quiet for a long beat.

“You’re good with her,” he said after a while. “Different.”

Jake tilted his head, but not with his usual swagger. “She needs something quiet. I know what that feels like sometime. She’s quieter than Charlotte, but she’s got this depth to her. Feels big things. You can see it.”

Rooster exhaled slowly. “You were always… loud. Flashy. Sharp. I didn’t think you had this in you.”

Jake gave a small, tired smile. “Just ‘cause I didn’t show you this part, didn’t mean I didn’t have it.”

Rooster leaned back, nodding once. “You know,” he said, “when I found out you had a wife and kids… I was pissed. Not because you kept it secret. I was mad that I never gave you a reason to think you could tell me.”

Jake’s eyes lingered on him. “You weren’t wrong to hate me. I was a pain in the ass.”

“You still are.”

Jake smirked.

“But I think I missed a few chapters,” Rooster added, softer now. “And I’m starting to think... maybe you weren’t trying to be the hero all the time. Maybe you were just doing what you had to, to get back to them.”

Jake nodded, quiet for a moment. “You don’t get it perfect,” he said. “Being a dad. You just… keep showing up. Every single day. Even when you’re wrecked.”

Evie stirred and gave a tiny sigh, then settled again, her thumb falling from her mouth. Rooster looked at her like she was made of glass.

“She’ll remember this,” he said. “That you were here when she needed you.”

Jake looked down at her, the ghost of a grin tugging at his mouth. “I needed her too, tonight.”

Rooster sat in the chair beside them, uncharacteristically quiet, nursing what had to be a cold cup of coffee.

Jake glanced over. “You’ve been staring at the wall for ten minutes, man. You good?”

Rooster blinked, like he’d been pulled out of a deep thought. He exhaled through his nose and gave a half-hearted shrug.

“I keep thinking about Charlotte,” he said. “Back on base, when the call came through about your jet.”

Jake raised an eyebrow. “What about her?”

“She walked right up to me—me, of all people—held out her arms and just said, ‘Pick me up.’” He shook his head. “Didn’t wait. Didn’t ask again. Just stood there with this look like… like I was supposed to know.”

Jake smiled a little, not interrupting.

“I didn’t know what to do,” Rooster admitted, his voice quieter now. “She just... climbed into my arms and buried her face in my neck.”

Jake’s smile deepened, softer. “She was scared.”

“I know,” Rooster said. “But she didn’t go to Melissa. Or Coyote. Or even Abby. She came to me. And I’ve spent the last few hours trying to figure out why.”

Jake looked down at Evie, still sleeping soundly. “Because she saw you. The way you stood there. You probably looked worried, but solid. Like you weren’t going anywhere.”

Rooster scoffed. “I didn’t feel solid.”

“Doesn’t matter. Kids don’t care about how you feel. They care about how you are.”

There was a pause between them, filled only by the soft sounds of monitors and Evie’s breathing.

Rooster eventually said, “I’ve spent a long time thinking I knew who you were. And then your kid just… trusted me. Like she already knew something I didn’t.”

Jake looked over at him, tired but steady. “She did. She sees people clearer than most adults ever will.”

Rooster nodded slowly. “Still weird, though.”

Jake gave a huff of dry laughter. “She’s one of a kind.”

They sat there in companionable silence, not needing to say much more. But the weight in Rooster’s chest — the one made of history, assumptions, grudges — started to feel a little lighter.

Charlotte had picked him. And somehow, that had started to change everything.

When Rooster finally stood, he hesitated.

“She’s lucky,” he said. “All of them are. Get some sleep, Hangman”

Jake glanced up. “Thanks for having their backs today.”

Rooster nodded.

As the door closed behind him, Jake looked down at the sleeping weight curled against his chest. He tightened his arm just enough to hold her closer — and for the first time that day, let his eyes close.

Evie stayed right there, steady and small and warm.

Neither of them would move until morning.

Chapter Text

Chapter Eight: Landing Gear Down

The Seresin house sat on a modest stretch of land in the Central Valley, a wide, sun-drenched property with a gravel drive, a porch with rocking chairs, and enough room out back for four children to destroy in under fifteen minutes. Jake had poured most of his bonuses into it over the years. Abby had poured her soul into making it a home.

Jake had been back three months, but it felt like he'd never been gone in the first place, sleamlessly fitting back into his place in the family.

That morning, Matty and the twins had taken off for school in a whirlwind of cereal bowls, forgotten backpacks, and quick hugs. Jake was still in his pajama pants when he wandered into the kitchen and found Abby at the table, her laptop open, Wyatt doing gentle somersaults beneath her growing bump.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind, kissed the curve of her shoulder, and breathed her in.

“Mmm. You smell like coffee and cinnamon.”

“Because I spilled both on myself when I battled Charlotte over the fact that Ballet slippers are not appropriate school shoes ,” she muttered. “I swear, she’s more stubborn than you. By the way, you have to do math homework with Matty tonight, I tried last night but youtube didn’t help much. I think he’s already smatter than me.”

Jake grinned. “To be fair, I think he might be smarter than most of us.”

She leaned into him. “They just moved on to quadratic equations. I’m lost.”

Jake chuckled and kissed her temple. “Babe. I love you. But, I got all of high school math homework in the bag, all that math getting my master's may come in handy!”

“The one I helped you survive when Matty was still in preschool. The nights we stayed up till midnight editing your thesis over frozen pizza and baby bottles.”she said, turning in her chair and wrapping her arms around his waist.

He nodded, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “My best co-author.”

She smiled—then froze. Her eyes narrowed. “Wait. I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

Jake tilted his head.

“What…?”

She stood and marched to the hallway, barefoot, tugging him by the shirt. She stared up at the wall of frames—photos, kids’ art, old medals—and then her gaze settled on a sleek new frame he’d quietly added next to his old Georgia Tech diploma.

Georgia Institute of Technology -- Master of Science, Aerospace Engineering

Purdue University — Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering

She pointed.

“Jacob.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You finished another degree? When?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Well. I started taking one or two at time the year before Olivia was born and on that last carrier tour, I had a lot of nights to myself and needed the distraction.”

“You were getting another master’s while I was sobbing over toddler teeth and dragging 3 kids to all of their activities?!”

He held up both hands, grinning. “I didn’t do any of it during family time. I swear. I only worked after you and the kids were already in bed.” He dropped a kiss on her temple. “I also finished my thesis on turbulent flow modeling during the training for Dagger Squad. Wanna read it?”

“I’d rather eat rocks.”

Abby stared at him—part stunned, part amused, and more than a little impressed.

“You sneaky, sexy, closet genius.”

Jake stepped close again, resting his hands on her hips. “If it helps, I did it thinking about all the ways I could make sure you never had to handle math homework again.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her toes. “You’re absolutely getting laid later.”

He kissed her hard, letting it stretch long and slow. “Oh, good,” he murmured. “I was hoping for a reward.”

--------------------

Same Day – McDonnell Douglas Liaison Office

McDonnell Douglas had been looking for an experienced pilot with aerospace credentials to help redesign cockpit ergonomics and flight control feedback systems for the next generation of Navy fighters.

What they didn’t expect was Hangman to walk through the door with two master’s degrees and a binder full of modeling software tweaks.

He was technically employed as a Navy liaison, working with both their engineering and simulation departments—close enough to the sky to stay sharp, but grounded enough to be home for bedtime.

Warlock had called it “a damn unicorn posting.”

--------------------

Jake stood in front of a conference table full of engineers, test pilots, and systems designers, dressed in dark jeans and a crisp Navy liaison polo. The projector behind him displayed a simulation diagram with ten floating variables, pitch curves, and rate-of-climb modifiers.

He pointed with the laser. “Now, if you adjust the feedback spring-load here, the stick compliance becomes intuitive for pilots who train on fifth-gen fighters but transition to sixth-gen simulators.”

Someone at the table blinked. “You just... figured this out?”

Jake shrugged. “More like combined the existing equations with what it feels like when your controls freeze in a dive. Trust me, you don’t want guesswork when your wings are screaming.”

There was a pause.

Then the program lead — a wiry, older woman named Mira — leaned forward. “Seresin, you ever consider teaching this?”

Jake chuckled. “Only if my five-year-old students at home stop throwing pretzels at me.”

Mira smirked. “You’ve got kids?”

“Four,” Jake said, a little stunned he was sharing this with anyone here. “My son, Matty, just started high school. The twins—Charlotte and Evie—are starting kindergarden. And my youngest, Olivia, just turned two.”

Someone let out a low whistle. “You don’t look old enough to have a freshman.”

Jake laughed. “I got started early. High school sweethearts. We’ve been together since we were kids.”

“You’re not what I expected from a guy nicknamed ‘Hangman,’” one of the junior engineers muttered with a grin.

Jake tapped the table once. “Call sign was a joke about my spelling, not my ego. The spelling’s still bad. The ego—jury’s still out.”

The room laughed.

And Jake—for the first time in a long time—felt like he belonged.

--------------------

That Night – Home Again

The kids were down early. Matty had passed out mid-science documentary. The twins had danced themselves into a glitter coma. Olivia had curled up with her stuffed bunny and gone out like a light.

Abby was already waiting in bed when Jake came in from brushing his teeth, hair damp from a quick shower.

She had her Kindle on her lap, legs bare under the sheet, her bump rising gently beneath one of his old Navy shirts.

Jake stopped in the doorway and just stared.

“You’re looking at me like that again,” she whispered.

“I can’t help it.”

He walked over, slid onto the bed, and kissed her knee.

Then her thigh.

Then just under her bump, whispering, “Hey there, Wyatt,” and smiling as the baby kicked.

Abby sighed and pulled her hands into his hair. “You smell like mint and soap and safety.”

Jake kissed her shoulder. “You smell like home.”

He kissed her mouth then—deep, slow, reverent. She pulled him closer, hands pressed to his back, letting him settle beside her, her leg draped over his, bellies and bodies tangling.

“You know what I missed most?” she whispered against his lips.

“What?”

“This. Talking. Laughing. Kissing you in bed without wondering if someone going to be calling with new orders.”

He kissed her again, softer this time, brushing her cheek with his thumb. “I’m not going anywhere, Abby.”

“I know,” she whispered, kissing him once more.

And when their hands wandered, slow and searching, when breath turned to laughter and back again, when they tangled into each other with familiarity and fire—Abby didn’t feel rushed or desperate.

She felt whole.

He felt home.

Chapter Text

Chapter Nine: Glitter and Good Men

Two Months Later

Charlotte insisted on wearing her tutu to breakfast.

“It's recital week,” she declared, already hopping on one foot in sparkly tights. “I have to rehearse all day.”

Jake raised a brow as he flipped pancakes. “You're going to school.”

“Exactly,” Charlotte said, pointing her spoon. “More people to witness my talent.”

Evie sat beside her, chewing her toast silently, one hand blocking her sister’s arm in case Charlotte flailed too hard.

Jake leaned against the counter, coffee in hand, and watched them. This. All of this.

He didn’t even realize he was smiling until Abby walked in behind him, kissed his cheek, and murmured, “You’ve got pancake batter on your shirt, genius.”

He smirked. “It’s called accessorizing.”

She ran her hand over his chest, under the smudge of batter. “Matty’s up. He needs help with something in the garage. I think he’s setting up for his science fair since the High School is off today because of that water leak.”

Jake nodded and headed out back, slipping through the screen door, greeted by the warm, dry air and the soft squeak of sneakers on concrete.

--------------------

The Garage – Later That Morning

Matty stood over a half-built flight simulator, safety goggles perched on his head, laptop open beside a rig of wires and old joystick equipment.

Jake grinned. “Good idea using my old flight trainer!”

“Yeah. You said I could after you retired it.”

“Damn right. Looks good.”

Jake walked over, rolling up his sleeves. “Need help aligning the gimbals?”

Matty looked up at him. “You’re sure you’re okay being home, Dad?”

The question hit Jake like a slow punch.

He crouched beside his son. “What makes you ask that?”

Matty shrugged. “I know you were doing important stuff. Flying. Missions. All that. And now you’re just... here.”

Jake put a hand on his shoulder. “Being here is the most important thing I’ve ever done. I’m still working—I just don’t have to miss your life to do it.”

Matty studied him. “You don’t miss it? The sky?”

Jake glanced at the open garage door, the horizon stretching wide.

“I’ll always love flying,” he admitted. “But nothing compares to this—watching you do your first science fair project, seeing your sisters dance, being there when Wyatt’s born. I still get to fly occasionally with the new job but I also get to be home.” He pulled Matty into a quick hug, ruffling his hair. “I don’t need to be in the sky to feel like I’m doing something that matters.”

Matty nodded but didn’t say anything, but his smile stayed all morning.

--------------------

Dance Recital Day – That Evening

The auditorium smelled like hairspray, juice boxes, and anticipation.

Charlotte had glitter everywhere. On her face. Her tights. Her elbows.

Evie sat backstage, lips pressed tight, eyes wide behind her sparkly headband. Jake knelt beside her while Abby wrangled Olivia and tried to keep Wyatt from tap dancing inside her stomach.

“You nervous, baby?” Jake asked gently.

Evie nodded. Just once.

“Want me to sit right in the front row so you can see me?”

Evie looked at him, then leaned in and whispered, “Thanks for wearing your uniform. I wanted to be able spot you easy. You’re tall. And shiny.”

He smiled. “I’d do anything for you, sweetheart .”

Twenty minutes later, Jake Seresin sat in the front row of the elementary school auditorium in full dress uniform, with a sparkly sticker on his cheek and two flower crowns in his lap.

Rooster leaned over from the next seat. “This is the most un-Hangman thing I’ve ever seen you do.”

Jake grinned. “And yet, I’ve never been prouder.”

Then the lights dimmed, and his daughters danced.

Charlotte, predictably, owned the stage.

Evie—quiet, steady Evie—held her steps with grace and focus, her eyes locked on her father’s the entire time.

And Jake may have cried, just a little.

--------------------

After the Recital – Home Again

Abby lay curled on the couch, shoes off, belly rising and falling as Jake massaged her feet.

“I love you,” she mumbled.

Jake kissed the inside of her ankle. “I love you more.”

“I love you with my aching back and heartburn and this baby who’s kicking my liver like he’s in a bar fight.”

Jake laughed and shifted closer, pressing a kiss to the side of her bump. “Wyatt’s just making sure I appreciate your strength.”

“You already do.”

He kissed her again—soft and slow—and whispered, “You’re still the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Even in maternity leggings and your old flight hoodie?”

“Especially in my hoodie.”

They kissed again, longer this time. Deeper. The kind of kiss that said, I see you, I want you, and I never stopped loving you.

“Take me to bed?” she whispered.

Jake grinned, stood, and scooped her up bridal-style.

“You don’t even have to ask.”

--------------------

Later

The house was still. Kids asleep. Abby drifting in their bed, hand on her belly, face peaceful.

Jake stepped out onto the porch with a blanket slung over one shoulder and his phone in hand. The stars were out—big and wide above the Central Valley sky, the hum of crickets underscoring the stillness.

He sat on the swing and hit FaceTime – Bob.

The screen rang twice before Bob’s familiar face popped up—his glasses slightly crooked, hair rumpled, and the gentle chaos of a child’s art-covered wall behind him.

“Hey,” Bob said, smiling. “You look... pretty.”

Jake chuckled. “I’ve still got glitter in my hair don’t I.”

“Yup!” Bob smirked. “Recital day, right?.”

Jake nodded. “Evie froze right before she went on so I let her put glitter in my hair so I would sparkle. She also insisted I wear my dress uniform all she could find me in the crowd.”

“That’s adorable.”

“She nailed it. Charlotte, on the other hand, nearly knocked over the scenery trying to do multiple solo spins.”

Bob laughed quietly. “Sounds about right.”

Jake leaned back against the swing, the wood creaking under him. “Thanks for talking to me that day, back at North Island. You were the first person who didn’t treat me like some Navy punchline.”

Bob shook his head. “You weren’t a punchline. You just didn’t let people close. Most guys assumed that meant you didn’t care.”

Jake paused. “And you didn’t?”

“I didn’t assume. I knew better. I’ve been the quiet one too many times to judge.”

Jake smiled, quiet and grateful. “You still with the squad full-time?”

Bob nodded. “Yup. Still at Top Gun. But—” he turned his phone, giving Jake a peek at a blanket fort behind him—“Nora and Maddie just moved out here last month. I finally wore command down to let me stay long-term, and the second I got the green light, they packed up and came.”

Jake smiled. “That’s huge, man.”

“Feels like I can breathe again,” Bob said. “I missed too many firsts already. Her first steps happened on a video call. I wasn’t missing her first day of preschool, too.”

There was a long pause before Jake spoke again.

“Are you... okay?” he asked softly.

Bob blinked. “What do you mean?”

“I mean—how are you really doing? Being a dad. A husband. While still doing this job.”

Bob’s face softened. “Some days are beautiful. Some days are... crushing. But I come home to that little girl and my wife, and I remember that I’d rather be exhausted with them than well-rested without.”

Jake rubbed his chest, the truth of it hitting home.

“Yeah,” he murmured. “Yeah, I get that.”

Bob grinned. “So… Rooster was at the recital, huh?”

Jake groaned. “Don’t even start.”

Bob laughed. “No, I’ve got to hear this.”

Jake sighed and leaned back.

“Apparently,” he said, “Charlotte stole Abby’s iPad and FaceTimed Rooster five separate times until he finally answered. She’d found his number in Abby’s contacts.”

Bob blinked. “She what?”

“She told him he was her ‘assigned honorary uncle’ and she ‘needed his tall hair to be visible from the back row.’”

Bob was laughing so hard he had to wipe his glasses.

“He tried to say he was on a training rotation,” Jake continued. “She said—and I quote—‘Rooster, be serious. I’ve seen your calendar. You can fly around the country for love, you can fly across the state for art.’”

Bob wheezed. “Oh my god.”

“So he showed up in a leather jacket, brought her a bouquet, and tried not to cry when Evie did the opening pose facing the wrong direction.”

Bob wiped a tear of laughter from the corner of his eye. “She’s dangerous. Like Phoenix but glitter-coated.”

Jake smiled at that—full and honest. “Yeah. She is.”

There was a long beat of comfortable silence.

“You’re doing good, Jake,” Bob said at last. “You’re a great dad. And... I think we all underestimated you, for a long time.”

Jake’s jaw clenched a little. “I let them underestimate me. I figured if they saw the truth, they’d expect more. And I was already giving everything I had to my family.”

Bob tilted his head, thoughtful. “Maybe. But you’re allowed to be more than one thing. A fighter pilot. A husband. A father. A damn genius, apparently.”

Jake chuckled.

Bob added softly, “You’re not the only one who’s been hiding parts of themselves.”

Jake looked up.

“You ever need someone to talk to,” Bob said, “you’ve got me. We don’t have to do this the hard way, not anymore.”

Jake nodded. “Right back at you.”

They ended the call a few minutes later, both feeling steadier than before.

Jake sat on the porch a little longer, staring at the stars.

Then he heard the door open behind him—soft footsteps, and a whisper: “You okay?”

Abby.

Jake reached for her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it.

“I’m good,” he murmured. “Better than good.”

She curled beside him, belly warm against his ribs, her head on his shoulder.

And for the first time in a long time, Jake Seresin didn’t feel like he was juggling two lives.

He just felt whole.

Chapter Text

The Ambush

Rooster dropped into a chair in the ready room, running a hand through his hair and checking his phone like muscle memory. He’d just wrapped up a training brief and was ready to zone out before drills.

But instead of memes or maintenance reports, he saw something that made him freeze.

Four missed FaceTime calls.

All from Abigail Seresin.

His stomach tightened. Abby never FaceTimed him— texted, sure, sent pictures of the kids now and then if they’d done something especially adorable or incriminating —but this? At work? Multiple times?

His thumb hovered over the screen.

Then it buzzed again. Incoming FaceTime Call – Abigail Seresin.

He answered, already standing up. “Abby? Is everything—”

The screen exploded into sparkles, tulle, and very serious five-year-old intensity.

“Rooster!” Charlotte Seresin burst onto the screen, filling it completely with her glitter-covered cheeks and sparkly headband. “You finally answered! We need to talk”

He stared. “Charlotte?”

“I borrowed Mommy’s iPad.” She turned it around briefly to show him the pantry, shelves stocked and clearly raided. “She’s napping. It’s fine.”

He glanced around the room like someone might suddenly offer him adult backup.

“That’s… definitely not fine.”

Rooster pinched the bridge of his nose. “You can’t just FaceTime me like that. You used your mom’s contact —”

“I needed you to answer,” she said simply. “It’s urgent.”

He blinked. “Did someone get hurt?”

She ignored him completely and flipped the camera back to her face. “I need you,” she said, cutting him off. “It’s almost the ballet recital and the auditorium is huge and scary, and Mommy says you won’t be busy.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Did she?”

“No,” Charlotte admitted. “But I did check your name on the family calendar. And you have nothing. Not even ‘laundry.’ So.”

“Charlotte—”

She ignored him completely. “Listen. You’re my assigned honorary uncle now, okay?”

Rooster sat down on chair. “Come again?”

“You have tall hair. You’re dramatic. And you don’t talk baby talk. So, I picked you.”

He rubbed a hand over his mouth to hide the completely inappropriate laugh that bubbled up. “Okay, I’m... honored, I think? But why the multiple FaceTime calls?”

Charlotte huffed like she was dealing with the world’s densest adult. “Because I need your hair. All the other dads are short or bald. You have to come. I need your tall hair to be visible so I don’t get nervous.”

Rooster blinked. “That’s… specific.”

“It’s important,” she insisted.

“You have tall hair,” she said gravely. “I need to be able to find it from the stage so I don’t freak out.”

Rooster opened his mouth.

“I need your hair to anchor me emotionally,” she added, in a tone that suggested she was quoting someone. Probably Abby.

Somewhere to his left, there was the distinct sound of someone snorting.

He twisted in his chair—and locked eyes with Phoenix, who was frozen in the doorway, absolutely eating this up and phone already out, no doubt recording footage to weaponize at the bar later.

Rooster mouthed go away, but she leaned against the doorframe like she had nowhere better to be.

Charlotte kept going. “You’re my honorary uncle. I’ve decided. You have to come.”

Rooster ran a hand down his face. He chuckled. “Charlotte, I’m on a training rotation. I don’t even know if I’ll be in town.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Rooster. Be serious. I’ve seen your calendar.”

His spine straightened. “What?”

“You fly everyday for love,” she said, in a deadpan that was 100% her mother. “and you flew across the state for art.”

He stared. “How do you know about the mural trip?”

“You were in the group text,” she said, bored. “I read fast.”

He dropped his head into his hands, laughing softly. “You’re five.”

“Five and determined,” she corrected.

Rooster looked back up at the screen. Her eyes were wide and hopeful, her glittery headband askew.

“She’s got a point,” Phoenix called helpfully.

Rooster glared. “Privacy, please?”

Phoenix held up a hand in mock surrender, phone still out. “Oh, don’t mind me. Just enjoying the moment.”

Charlotte squinted at the screen. “Is that Aunt Nat?”

“Go do literally anything else,” Rooster muttered at Phoenix, then turned back to the iPad. “Fine. Fine. I’ll come. What time?”

“The Recital is on a Friday night,” Charlotte said brightly. “I’ll have Mommy text you the details. You’ll sit in the first row next to Daddy. Bring snacks.”

She hung up before he could argue.

Rooster lowered the phone like it had personally betrayed him, sighed, and looked up at Phoenix, who was still standing there with one eyebrow arched like a weapon.

“Don’t,” he warned.

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of telling anyone,” she said sweetly. “As long as you wear something glitter-adjacent.”

He groaned. “I hate you.”

“You love me,” she corrected. “Almost as much as you love that tiny war general. She’s five and she runs your whole life now. Congrats.”.”

Rooster leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. “I can’t believe I got bullied by a five-year-old. I got ambushed,” he muttered. “That was a tactical strike.”

Phoenix was already walking away. “Honestly? You never stood a chance. Just know if you back out now, she will remember it forever.”

Rooster sat there for a long beat, staring at his reflection in the black screen.

“Assigned honorary uncle,” he muttered. “What the hell just happened?”

And yet, somewhere in the back of his mind, he was already clearing his calendar.

Chapter Text

Chapter Twelve: All Systems Go

Approximately 1 Month Later

Abby had organized the baby closet by color, then again by size, then again by softness.

It was 6:42 a.m.

Jake woke up to the sound of a vacuum in the hallway and rolled over to find the other side of the bed empty. Again.

By the time he stumbled into the nursery, Abby was standing on a stool alphabetizing board books.

“Babe, get down!” Jake croaked, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “What are you doing?”

“Nesting.”

“You did this yesterday.”

“That was practice nesting. This is real nesting.”

Jake blinked. “There’s a difference?”

“Get coffee,” she muttered, holding up two copies of Goodnight Moon and frowning like they’d personally offended her. “We don’t need duplicates. What kind of monsters are we?”

Jake kissed her shoulder and wandered toward the kitchen.

--------------------

An Hour Later – The Calvary Arrives

“Abby!” Penny called as she walked through the door, arms full of groceries. “We’re here!”

Maverick followed, carrying what looked like two bags of diapers, more food and a potted succulent.

“Diapers?” Jake asked, eyebrows raised.

 “Penny bought it, said ‘Everyone can use more diapers’. I’m just the mule.” Mav said grinning.

Jake helped them in, thankful for the distraction.

Penny kissed Abby’s cheek, took one look at her organizing baby wipes by brand and stage, and immediately put down the groceries.

“Oh no. You’re at Level 5 Nesting. We’re intervening.”

Jake laughed. “What level does it go up to?”

“Seven. At seven she’ll repaint the garage and start canning peaches.”

“You,” she said, pointing to Abby, “are coming with me.”

“I have to finish the bassinet skirt,” Abby protested.

“No, you have to let someone rub your swollen feet and feed you chocolate during a prenatal massage.”

Abby opened her mouth. Closed it. “...fine.”

Jake grinned as he walked them to the door. “If she tries to clean the spa’s baseboards, call me.

----------------------

Abby nearly wept when her feet hit the warm water.

Penny leaned back in her chair, holding a mocktail. “You know, when I was pregnant with Amelia, all I wanted was to eat crushed ice and slap people.”

“That tracks,” Abby said, groaning as the massage therapist kneaded her calves. “I have the sudden urge to alphabetize my baby name book even though we’ve already picked a name.”

“Classic Level 6 nesting.”

Abby laughed, taking a drink of her water.

Penny smiled warmly. “He’s so in love with you. It’s ridiculous.”

Abby’s expression softened. “Yeah. I know. I wanted to thank you for coming up. Wyatt could come any day and it’s nice to be able to leave the kids with family.”

Penny smiled, “We wouldn’t have it any other way, we wanted to help.”

--------------------

The Day It All Starts – two days later

Jake woke up to a quiet house, the kind of silence that felt heavy. He found Abby standing by the nursery window, her fingers tracing circles over her belly as the early morning light slipped through the curtains.

“You okay?” he asked softly.

Abby gave a small smile but didn’t meet his eyes. “I’m... not sure. Something feels different today.”

He reached out, brushing her hair behind her ear. “What kind of different?”

She hesitated, then whispered, “A pressure. Like the baby’s trying to tell me something.”

Jake nodded, knowing that feeling well—he’d been on the other side, waiting for this moment. “Contractions?”

“Maybe,” she said, a flicker of doubt in her voice. “But they’re not regular, not strong yet. Just... noticeable.”

They sat together in the nursery, quiet, as the minutes stretched. “Good Morning” Penny told them as she walked into the room with a load of baby laundry.

“Morning” Abby said while Jake nodded.

“I’m working from home today, it’s a slow day with a couple of meeting. Let me know if you need me.” Jake announced as he dropped a kiss to Abby’s forehead and left the room.

Penny looked at Abby, “Are we going to need him today?”

Abby got up, trying to distract herself with folding laundry, but Penny saw her stop and wince. “Maybe, it could be early labor, but we’ve still got time.”

Hours passed, and the signs became clearer: the pressure grew, contractions came closer, and Abby’s breath hitched more often. Yet she insisted on holding on to normalcy.

--------------------

Later That Afternoon – Conference Call Chaos

Jake had retreated back to his home office to take a technical call with McDonnell’s lead systems engineer after the kids came home. Matty was in the kitchen finishing an essay, and the girls were in the backyard with Maverick pretending to “fly like jets.” Jake was logged in, headset on, notebook open, trying to focus on the technical discussion about flight system tweaks.

Penny and Abby were in the nursery, reorganizing—again.

“Jake,” the voice over the speaker said, “if we shift the dynamic control feed forward three frames in the latency cycle, we might stabilize roll compression under G-force tension—”

Abby shouted from upstairs: “JAKE!”

He froze.

Penny appeared at his door seconds later, wide-eyed.

“Her water just broke.”

Jake dropped his pen. “Now?”

Jake’s eyes flicked between her and the screen. He cleared his throat, voice steady but urgent:

“Sorry, folks. I hate to cut in, but... my wife’s water jut broke. Looks like I gotta run and have a baby. So... let’s pick this up later?”

A beat of silence.

Then laughter and congratulations flooded the chat box.

“Hangman, good luck!” one engineer typed.

“Tell Abby congrats!” another added.

Jake bolted past Penny.

--------------------

The Drive

Abby gripped his hand in the passenger seat, calm but visibly uncomfortable.

“You were supposed to be in a meeting.”

“Baby takes priority.”

He kissed her knuckles and drove a little faster.

--------------------

Delivery Room – 4 Hours Later

Jake sat by Abby on the hospital bed, one hand on her belly, the other gripping hers.

“You’re doing so good, baby,” he murmured against her temple. “So damn good.”

She let out a strangled, half-laughing moan. “I swear... if you say that again... I’ll throw an ice chip at you.”

The nurse laughed.

Jake kissed her forehead. “Promise?”

He helped Abby breathe through every contraction, talked her through each centimeter of dilation, and whispered dumb jokes to distract her when things got hard.

“I swear to God, Jake, if you say one more word about jet turbines—”

“Okay, okay,” he said, hands up. “But technically, Wyatt’s exit velocity will be on par with a—”

“JAKE!”

“Stopping. Definitely stopping.”

Then, suddenly, the room changed. The nurses grew sharper, more focused. The doctor stepped in. Everything started moving faster.

“It’s time,” someone said.

Jake leaned in. “You’ve got this, Abby.”

Jake sat behind Abby on the bed, holding her hands tightly as she summoned every ounce of strength.

“You’re doing amazing,” he said, voice breaking. “So strong, Abby. You’re almost there.”

She grimaced, sweat beading on her forehead. “I’m tired...”

“I know, darlin,” Jake promised. “I’m right here. You’ve got this.”

With one last, exhausted push, the room filled with a newborn’s cry.

Jake’s heart soared.

Wyatt was here.

8:46 PM – Wyatt Seresin Arrives

Tiny.

Red-faced.

Loud.

And perfect.

Jake didn’t realize he was crying until Abby looked up at him and whispered, “He’s got your chin.”

Jake kissed her—once, twice, a third time—and let his forehead rest against hers.

“I love you,” he whispered hoarsely. “So damn much.”

“I know,” she whispered. “I love you too.”

Then Wyatt was placed in her arms, and everything inside Jake stilled. Their son blinked up at them, blinking slowly, content and sleepy. Jake pressed a kiss to the baby’s head and whispered, “Welcome to the world, little man. It’s crazy out here, but you’ve got the best damn crew a kid could ask for.”

--------------------

The Waiting Room – Later

Penny was bouncing Olivia gently in her arms while Maverick let Charlotte draw mustaches on his hand.

Evie clutched at Mr. Bear like a security blanket.

Matty stood when the door opened.

Jake walked out, eyes rimmed red, but smiling like he’d just touched the sun.

“He’s here,” he said. “Wyatt Jacob Seresin. Seven pounds, ten ounces. Healthy lungs. Strong grip.”

Matty beamed. “Is Mom okay?”

Jake nodded. “Tired. Glowing. She's... she's perfect.”

Charlotte tilted her head. “Can I give him glitter?”

Jake laughed. “Hard no.”

--------------------

Later That Night – Hospital Room

Abby lay half-asleep, Wyatt cradled on her chest, Jake beside her in the small couch chair, one arm draped over the both of them.

“You’re gonna be a good dad to him too,” Abby whispered.

Jake looked up. “What do you mean?”

“You always worried you missed too much with the others. But you’re here now. For all of it. And he’ll know.”

Jake kissed her hand. “They’ll all know.”

She smiled sleepily. “You’re my favorite fly-boy.”

“I’ll put it on a plaque.”

Then they dozed together, new life breathing between them, the calm after the storm.

And Jake Seresin—fighter pilot, father, husband, late-night algebra tutor—knew one thing with absolute certainty:

He was exactly where he belonged.

--------------------

Dagger Group Text

Jake stepped into the quiet hallway to send the text.

📱Group Chat: DAGGER SQUAD + Command

🛩️ Hangman:

He’s here.
Wyatt Jacob Seresin
7 lbs 10 oz, loud lungs, good hair
Abby’s okay. I’m a mess. 🍼💙

Phoenix:

OMGGG!!! BABY HANGMAN!!! 💙💙💙
Congrats!! Tell Abby she’s a damn queen.

Fanboy:

HE’S GOTTA BE A MINI YOU.
I want pics. Also: does he have an honorary call sign yet??

Payback:

Congrats, bro!
Hope you cried. A lot. You deserve it.

Bob:

💙 So happy for you both. Can’t wait to meet him.
We’ll raise a juice box in his honor.

Rooster:

…Did Charlotte name him?
If not, tell her I expect full glitter reports.
Congrats, man. Proud of you.

Coyote:

😭😭😭 Bro. You did it.
I’m getting this kid a flight suit, don’t argue.

Phoenix:

He’s not even out of diapers and already more emotionally balanced than you, Jake 😏

Hangman:

He also spells better than me. Already.
Thank you all. Seriously.

Warlock:

Congratulations, Lieutenant Seresin.
Make sure to take more pictures than you think you need. The little moments matter.

Cyclone:

Congrats, Jake.
Take the full leave. That’s an order.
And tell your wife she’s officially tougher than every man I’ve ever flown with.

------

Jake stared at the screen, grinning like a fool.

Then he walked back into the room, where Abby was half-asleep with Wyatt cuddled to her chest her, and sat quietly, soaking it all in.

He texted one last thing.

🛩️ Hangman:

You all were part of the team that got me here.
Thanks for being my wingmen. Always.

Chapter Text

Chapter Twelve: Home Stretch

Bringing Wyatt home felt surreal.

The house buzzed with life. Charlotte made glittery welcome signs that ended up stuck too everything. Evie quietly hovered nearby, hesitant but always adding a stuffed animal to wherever the baby was. Matty, as expected, was calm and confident, helping with bags and taking on big brother duty like it was second nature.

And Olivia?

Olivia stood by the couch with wide, suspicious eyes, a sippy cup in one hand and stared at the new baby.

Jake knelt beside her. “Olivia, this is your new baby brother. His name’s Wyatt.”

She stared.

Then turned around, toddled off, and dramatically muttered, “No, thank you.”

Abby burst out laughing. “Well. We knew someone was going to take it poorly.”

----------

Settling In

The first few weeks were a blur of feedings, diaper changes, and tag-team naps. Jake fell asleep with Wyatt on his chest more times than he could count. Matty helped all the little one with their bedtime routines. Charlotte “decorated” Wyatt’s crib with sticker sheets. Evie mostly sat beside the crib like a silent guard dog.

And Olivia?

She warmed up eventually — mostly when she realized the baby couldn’t eat her snacks or steal her toys.

By week five, she was gently patting his head and proudly declaring, “My baby.”

Abby rolled her eyes. “Well, that turned fast.”

--------------------

Week Eight — Squad Invasion

“Don’t call it a playdate,” Jake warned as he opened the front door.

Phoenix strolled in first with a tray of cupcakes, Rooster right behind her, balancing beer, juice boxes and chips.

“It’s a party, Seresin,” Phoenix grinned. “We brought noise. Hope you missed chaos.”

“Pretty sure we already have chaos”

Coyote was already letting the twins braid his hair, Melissa taking pictures and giving advice. Bob and his wife brought their toddler, who instantly started running after Olivia. Fanboy tried and failed to install a foam rocket launcher in the backyard with Matty. Payback just sat back and recorded it all.

Cyclone and Warlock arrived fashionably late with a baby blanket embroidered with “Team Hangbaby.”

Jake snorted. “You did not.”

Warlock handed it over, stone-faced. “You’ve earned your call sign. Now the kid has one too.”

--------------------

The squad took over with the kids — cupcakes, bubbles, music, the works. For the first time in eight weeks, Jake and Abby found themselves alone inside.

In the hallway.

Kissing like they hadn’t been able to in two months.

Abby backed into the wall, arms around Jake’s neck. “We should check on the baby…”

“Later,” he mumbled against her jaw.

“We’re technically hosting—”

Jake silenced her with another kiss, hands on her waist, voice low and full of heat. “They’re fine. We're getting two uninterrupted minutes and I’m using every damn second.”

Just as his hand started up Abby’s shirt—

“OH MY GOD—”

Phoenix spun on her heel.

“Hey!” Jake called after her. “You’re the one who said ‘find joy where you can!’”

“NOT IN THE HALLWAY, SERESIN!”

Rooster walked in just in time to see Abby adjusting her shirt. “I told you! I told you they’d do this the first chance they got.”

Jake just grinned and kissed Abby again, slower this time.

“Worth it,” he said, not remotely sorry.

--------------------

Later, as the kids were winding down with popsicles and the squad lounged in the living room, Abby sank into the couch next to Jake.

Wyatt was asleep in his arms, one tiny fist gripping his t-shirt.

Charlotte climbed into Abby’s lap. “Can we get a dog next?”

Abby laughed. “Sweetheart, the minivan is full. No more babies. No dogs. This is it.”

Jake raised an eyebrow. “You know the Jeep Wagoneer seats eight…”

Abby groaned and tossed a throw pillow at his head. “No!”

Rooster nearly fell off the ottoman laughing. “I KNEW IT! He’s already plotting!”

Fanboy held up his phone. “I’m making a group chat for Baby #6 right now.”

“No,” Abby said, trying to suppress her smile. “We’re done. Done.”

Jake leaned in and kissed her again anyway — slow, deep, smiling against her lips.

The squad groaned.

Phoenix made gagging noises.

Cyclone cleared his throat loudly.

Jake didn’t care.

--------------------

Later that night, after the last juice box was emptied and the last glitter trail vacuumed, Jake stood in the doorway of the nursery, watching Wyatt sleep.

Abby wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder.

“You happy?” she whispered.

Jake turned to her, eyes soft. “Yeah. I’m home. I’ve got everything I’ve ever wanted.”

Abby kissed him again, slow and sweet.

“You’re not so bad, Lieutenant Seresin.”

He pulled her close. “Don’t you forget it, Mrs. Seresin.”

The baby stirred, let out a soft sigh, and settled again.

And the house — full of kids and love and stories — felt complete.

Chapter Text

Epilogue: Five Years Later

Five Years Later

The Seresin house was never calm anymore, but it was organized chaos. Wyatt had turned five last week. He had Charlotte’s spark, Evie’s thoughtful gaze, Matty’s protective streak, and Olivia’s sass.

Jake was standing at the stove flipping pancakes with one hand while reviewing Wyatt’s kindergarten registration form in the other.

“You checked the wrong box,” Abby called from the kitchen table, sipping coffee in her bathrobe.

Jake squinted. “He’s not left-handed?”

“No, Jake, you were only the left-handed one.”

Jake flipped a pancake and grinned. “He might be ambidextrous. Kid’s got fighter pilot genes.”

“Don’t curse him like that,” Abby smirked.

---------------------

Matty the College Man

Matty strolled into the kitchen in a Fresno State hoodie, hair a mess, and taller than both of his parents now. He dropped his duffel by the door and yawned.

“Physics exam today?” Jake asked casually.

Matty shot him a look. “You mean the one I didn’t study for because someone decided to FaceTime me, to quiz me with real-world fighter physics at ten p.m.?”

“You’re welcome,” Jake said with a wink. “You’ll thank me when you pass and calculate optimal lift in a dive.”

Abby just sipped her coffee. “You’re both nerds.”

“Hot nerds,” Jake said, leaning over to kiss her temple.

“Ew,” Matty muttered. “why do I come home”

--------------------

Squad Fly-In Weekend

It had become a tradition.

Once a year, the Dagger Squad flew in — literally — for a long weekend at the Seresin household. Coyote, Melissa (now Mrs. Machado) and Phoenix always arrived first, arguing over call signs. Bob, Nora, Maddie and little Emma brought homemade banana bread. Rooster never brought anything but always claimed the recliner.

This year, Olivia had learned to make name tags. Hers read: "Queen Liv." Wyatt’s: “Commander W.”

“Where’s the Hangman?” Rooster asked, stepping inside.

“In the garage, waxing the Wagoneer like it’s a classic Mustang,” Abby said with a fond roll of her eyes.

Rooster smirked. “He still holding out hope for Baby #6?”

Abby looked straight at him. “Rooster.”

He blinked. “Sorry.”

She smiled sweetly. “No.”

--------------------

Later That Night — Backyard Fire Pit

The squad lounged outside, s’mores in hand, kids running wild under string lights.

Abby was in Jake’s lap, wearing one of his old Navy sweatshirts, her legs draped over his.

“I don’t miss deployment,” Jake murmured into her ear, “but I do the pictures you sent.”

She turned her head, smiling lazily. “Me, covered in graham cracker crumbs?”

“You, in my clothes, I would study those for hours.”

He kissed her, when she laughed — slow, warm, familiar.

Phoenix gagged loudly from the other chair. “Every damn time.”

Charlotte marched past with a clipboard. “Uncle Rooster! You’re late for your glitter cannon appointment.”

Rooster blinked. “That’s... real?”

“She made a spreadsheet,” Evie added softly. “With assigned colors.”

Rooster sighed and stood up. “I fly jets for this country…”

--------------------

Full Circle

Jake lay in bed that night curled up beside Abby. Wyatt and Olivia snuggled into their beds. Charlotte and Evie asleep in the same bed, despite having bunk beds. Matty out with friends. The house was warm and alive, filled with the kind of chaos that Jake used to only dream about from far-off bases and carrier decks. He looked over at Abby, her hair spilling across the pillow, eyes half-lidded but still watching him with that same smirky softness she always had when she knew she had him wrapped around her finger.

He looked over at Abby, hair loose, eyes sleepy but content.

“I was right, you know,” he whispered.

Abby raised an eyebrow. “About what?”

“The Wagoneer really does fit eight.”

She scoffed, stretching out beside him. “Yeah, well, congrats, genius. You got your eight.”

She shifted slightly, her fingers drifting down to rest over her stomach — subtly, but not subtly enough.

Jake caught the motion.

Her smile deepened.

“Abigail.”

She tilted her head toward him, eyes gleaming.

His brows drew together. “Abby. Wait. Are you—”

Abby smirked, that sly, infuriatingly gorgeous smirk that had ruined him since they were fifteen. “Pregnant,” Abby said, nonchalant. “Again.”

Jake stared at her, stunned. “Are you messing with me?”

“Nope.”

Jake sat up slightly, blinking “Are you seriously pregnant again?”

She yawned, looking a little too smug. “You said you liked chaos.”

Jake was stunned for a second, staring at her like she’d just told him she enlisted in the Space Force. Then his face broke into the slowest, most stunned, completely love struck smile.

He was quiet for a second. Then?

He leaned across the blankets and kissed her.

Hard.

One hand tangled in her hair, the other holding her cheek as if he could hold every part of her closer at once. She kissed him back, warm and slow, smiling into it.

“You’re unreal,” he whispered against her lips, breathless.

“You’re fertile,” she whispered back.

He groaned, head falling into her shoulder.

“Well damn. Now I can start plotting for…”

She cut him off with a slow, knowing smirk. “Don’t bother. I already made your vasectomy appointment.”

He blinked, laughing. “You what?”

Abby leaned over and kissed him, slow and smug. “Wednesday after next. You’re welcome.”

Jake blinked, still processing everything — surprise baby, snuck-in appointment, and the fact that somehow, once again, Abby Seresin was three steps ahead of him.

Then he grinned like a fool, tumbling her under him, and murmured, “Anything you want, darling.”

Abby smiled into his lips. “Damn right.”

And in a quiet house full of love, glitter, loud children, and not nearly enough seating, Jake Seresin realized — again — that he’d won the damn jackpot.

Chapter Text

Bonus One-Shot: “Dagger Six"

Setting: Maverick's Retirement Party (Five Years and two months after Wyatt's birth)

The backyard was lit by golden string lights, tables scattered with catered BBQ trays and a sheet cake that said “You Actually Made It, Mav.” Penny had organized everything. Maverick had tried to claim he didn’t want a party — and absolutely no speeches — but no one believed him.

The Daggers were all there, plus their families, plus a couple of Top Gun old-timers who still called Jake “Hangbaby.”

Jake and Abby showed up late, which wasn’t unusual — with five kids and a perpetually sticky toddler, late was on-brand. Abby looked radiant though, glowing. Suspiciously glowing.

Phoenix: The First to Know (As Always)

Phoenix narrowed her eyes the second she saw Abby set a drink down and not sip it.

“You’re not drinking,” she said, stalking over.

“I’m hydrating,” Abby said smoothly, sipping sparkling water with lime.

Phoenix tilted her head. “You hate sparkling water.”

Abby smiled. “I’ve grown.”

Phoenix paused. Looked down. Narrowed her eyes further. “Is that a maternity dress?”

Abby just gave her a shrug and sipped.

“Abigail Seresin, are you pregnant again?”

Jake turned, hot dog in hand, halfway to his mouth.

“...We weren’t announcing it yet.”

Phoenix shouted across the backyard. “ROOSTER!”

Rooster: The Loudspeaker

Rooster jogged over, burger in hand. “What? What’d I miss? Someone fighting?”

Phoenix pointed at Jake and Abby.

“She’s pregnant again.”

Rooster stared. Then shouted: “SHE’S PREGNANT AGAIN?” Then bent at the waist, laughing so hard he nearly dropped his plate. “No. No! How?! When?! You just had a baby like yesterday.”

“Five years ago,” Abby said flatly.

“Same thing!” Rooster cackled. “What is this, kid number—?”

“Six,” Jake mumbled into his beer.

Rooster howled. “BRO. Bro. You need a new call sign. Breeder.”

Payback: The Sympathetic One

Payback walked up and patted Jake’s shoulder.

“You okay, man?”

Jake gave a long-suffering sigh. “She told me after she made my vasectomy appointment.”

Payback nodded solemnly. “Tactical.”

“I didn’t even see it coming,” Jake said.

“She’s smarter than you,” Phoenix called from behind them.

Jake just shrugged. “Yeah. That’s why I married her.”

Bob: Innocent. Unprepared. Next.

Bob had been playing catch with his daughter on the far end of the yard when he walked over, his wife holding his hand.

She leaned into him, whispered something in his ear.

Bob stopped walking.

Everyone turned as he blinked. Then blinked again.

Then turned red.

Jake raised an eyebrow. “Bob?”

“I’m, uh…” Bob looked around helplessly. “I’m gonna be a dad again.”

A beat.

“BOB?” Rooster gasped. “You too?!”

Phoenix clapped her hands. “It’s raining babies!”

Bob’s daughter came running over, grinning. “I get to be a big sister!”

Jake stared at him. “Welcome to the club, buddy.”

Bob just looked stunned. “I thought we were done.”

Jake nodded sympathetically. “So did I.”

Their wives high-fiveing behind them.

Javy: Confused. Surprised. Onboard.

Melissa stared at the group, then turned slowly to Javy—who had just finished an intense debate with Rooster about whether toddlers could be trained like junior pilots.

She tugged on his sleeve. “Babe?”

Javy looked down, alert. “Yeah?”

She nodded toward Abby and Nora. “We’re having a baby.”

Javy blinked. “What?”

“I want a baby,” she clarified. “Like, now. Abby and Nora are both pregnant again. I’m not getting left out of baby brunches and glitter-themed chaos.”

Javy tilted his head. “Wait, wait, I thought you didn’t want kids?”

“I changed my mind,” she said, matter-of-fact. “So get on board.”

Javy opened his mouth, closed it, and then laughed—shocked and delighted. “You’re serious?”

Melissa gave him a long look. “Do I look like I’m joking?”

He just grinned and pulled her close. “Then let’s go make a Seresin-in-training of our own.”

Across the room, Rooster—who had absolutely overheard—raised his glass and shouted, “ANOTHER ONE JOINS THE GLITTER BRIGADE!”

Maverick: Finally Makes a Speech

Later that night, Maverick stood up on the porch with Penny beside him and a beer in hand.

“I said no speeches,” he called. “But if you’re gonna fill my retirement party with baby announcements, then I’m saying something.”

Everyone laughed.

“To the Daggers,” he said, raising his glass. “Still wild. Still reckless. And somehow… all still breeding.”

Laughter echoed across the yard.

“To Abby and Jake. To Bob and Nora. To all the chaos coming your way. May your coffee be strong and your vasectomies not too late. To Javy and Melissa, Have fun!”

Everyone laughed and Jake and Javy clinked their beers against Bob’s.

Bob sighed. “We’re gonna need a bigger SUV.”

Cyclone — “The Ones You Don’t See Coming”

Rear Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson had seen some sh*t in his day.

He’d commanded squadrons, cleaned up messes, fielded classified blowback, and once — very memorably — had to personally escort a pilot who flew through a hangar door because he “wanted to see if it would fit.”

But this?

This was new.

He stood off to the side at Maverick’s retirement party, sipping whiskey from a short glass, arms crossed as he watched Phoenix zero in on Abby Seresin like a heat-seeking missile. He’d seen Jake Seresin go completely still mid–hot dog bite.

Cyclone didn’t even blink.

He sipped his drink. Waited.

Sure enough, Rooster scream across the yard like he was announcing a midair refuel: “SHE’S PREGNANT AGAIN.”

Cyclone closed his eyes. Of course.

Jake Seresin: five children. Now the sixth on the way. A man who, for years, everyone had assumed lived on bachelor chow and charm, had a mortgage, three car seats, and a diaper bag that probably had ranks of backup snacks. Beau had long since accepted that Hangman’s cocky facade had depth under the surface. But even so, he hadn’t expected this many layers.

Then Bob walked by his wife, received a whisper in the ear… and froze like a booted radar system.

Beau watched, utterly deadpan, as Bob turned red and nearly choked out the words, “I’m gonna be a dad again.”

Now Jake was smiling sheepishly while Rooster hollered and Bob still smiling shakily from his own surprise baby announcement. The twins were twirling on the dance floor with Madie. Bob’s younger daughter was throwing glitter with Olive (although where they got the glitter, Beau would never know,) Wyatt had a ketchup bottle in both hands and a dangerous look on his face, and someone’s kid was sticking a finger in the cake.

Warlock was laughing beside him.

“Maybe we should’ve screened for fertility before building this squad,” Beau muttered.

“They’re not building bombs anymore,” Warlock said, amused. “They’re building legacies.”

Beau rolled his eyes. “I thought we were raising aviators. Not… breeders.”

Warlock just grinned. “Still raising ‘em. They're just raising kids too.”

Cyclone gave him a deadpan look. “That was dangerously close to sentimental.”

“Admit it,” Warlock said. “You’re proud.”

“I’m… exhausted.”

Warlock was laughing.

The Quiet Admiration

A little while later, Cyclone wandered toward the porch where Maverick stood, watching the yard like a man who never thought he’d see this day.

“So,” Maverick said with a smirk. “You ready to reassign the Dagger call sign to their kids?”

Cyclone gave a dry chuckle.

“I should’ve guessed,” he muttered. “The quiet ones have secret families. The cocky ones turn out to be actual adults. And now half of them are having third — or sixth — kids.”

Maverick sipped his beer. “You sound proud.”

“I’m not proud,” Beau said quickly. “I’m… resigned.”

Maverick raised an eyebrow. “That what they call it now? How long are you planning on staying in? You can retire at any point now, right?”

Beau nodded his head. His eyes landed on Charlotte, leading the rest of the Seresin kids in what looked like a pretend mission briefing using squirt guns and glitter as “payload.” Matty was helping. Olivia was narrating. Wyatt was sitting in a bucket, yelling “launch!”

Beau took a long sip of his drink and said, absolutely serious:

“I’m retiring before any of Jake Seresin’s kids join the Navy.”

Maverick snorted.

Beau added, “Those kids are great — but I can’t handle more than one Seresin working for me. Imagine how much trouble they’d get into.”

And when Jake yelled across the yard — “WYATT, DO NOT GLITTER BOMB THE ADMIRAL!” — Beau simply turned on his heel and muttered,

“Too late.”