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highwaytothedangerzone502 · 1 month ago

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Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 43

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 1567

Warnings: Mention of death/near-death and childbirth complications

Summary: Hangman learned his lesson a long time ago to never show his true feelings when someone's words or actions hurt him. To do so showed weakness that could be exploited, and Seresin men couldn't show weakness. Of course, there was an exception to every rule, and Jake's always came in the form of women, three in particular: his mom, Juliette Kazansky, and the girl whose name he could no longer bring himself to speak. She was the girl that got away; she was his biggest 'what if' and his biggest regret; she would forever be the ghost that haunted his dreams. Jake believed that's where she'd stay, for he would surely never see her again after what he did.

Or so he thought.

Notes: This is the sequel to India Lima Yankee; I'm using the same callsign for the Female OC as in Ghost Story because I just really like it, but they are different characters; chapters in italics are flashbacks.

Also, I'm so sorry for the delay on this chapter. It's been a rough couple of months because my company decided to do layoffs and unfortunately, I was in the layoff group ☹️ I know it's short but I do hope you enjoy!

Chapter Songs: Every Storm Sweet Nothings

***

Hangman

The muffled noise of the hustle and bustle in the hospital hallway outside reminded Jake of many things, namely that he survived his brother's attack. He used it to ground him to reality while he slowly got dressed. Coyote had gone to retrieve his truck to bring both Jake and Ghost back to her place since Hangman's was still technically considered a crime scene. Ghost had left to officially check him out of the hospital. Matt had gone to the police station at their request to assist with something in the assault and embezzlement cases against Nick, but he'd promised to come to Ghost's later to help out.

A knock on his door caught his attention, and without turning around, he called for them to come in. It opened, and Ghost said, "You have a visitor."

"I hardly call you a visitor when you've practically lived in this room with me since I got here," he joked, trying to make his girlfriend laugh. She'd barely done so since she'd broken down about the guilt she felt over the entire situation, and Hangman used any opportunity he could to make Ghost laugh, to let her know it wasn't her fault, to let her know he didn't blame her for what happened, and to assure himself that Ghost had made it out alive as well. Her silence was deafening, and hearing her laugh made him believe in her physical presence when he couldn't touch her.

A different, weaker female voice replied, "Ghost isn't referring to herself."

Against his better judgment, Hangman whirled around, instantly regretting the action when pain lanced up his abdomen. He would've reacted to it had he not seen Juliette standing in the doorway; Ghost stood at her side, arm-in-arm, to support her friend and ensure she didn't collapse to the ground.

"Hey, Hangman," Juliette greeted with a small but sincere smile. "You're looking well for a guy who got stabbed multiple times."

Jake strode over to her, saying, "You look good for someone who died and came back."

He enveloped her in a giant, gentle hug, relieved to know his best friend was alive and well. Despite her fragile appearance, Juliette hugged him fiercely. "Sounds like we both almost met Death."

"Yeah, try not to do that again. I don't think my heart could handle it, and I know Rooster's couldn't.

"He's going to be a complete Mother Hen when we get home," Juliette groaned, pulling away from Jake.

"As he should," Ghost and Hangman replied simultaneously. The former added, "How are the twins doing?"

"Doing well, all things considered. We should be able to take them home next week." Juliette glanced up and down at Hangman. "You're sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, I promise. Are you?"

Juliette nodded. "Yeah. A little shaken, but okay."

"If it wasn't for you nailing Nick on the head with that baseball bat, I'm not sure we'd all be standing here," Ghost remarked, gently squeezing her friend's arm.

"Don't do drugs, kids." Hangman's joke earned a grin from Juliette and a small smile from Ghost. He ached to reach for her but decided Ghost wouldn't appreciate the gesture in front of her friend because Juliette would pick up on the hidden message and ask what was wrong when all she needed to do was focus on recovering herself. "How'd you escape Bradshaw's watchful eye?"

"A lot of convincing and a little bit of sneaking out while he went to get the Bronco," Juliette confessed sheepishly, scrunching her face up with the knowledge she'd undoubtedly be reprimanded by her fiance.

"Which was not appreciated," came Rooster's voice behind them. All three of them jumped at his sudden appearance. He'd come from around the corner with the most impeccable timing, eyeing his fiancee disapprovingly. "You're lucky your mom was there to tell me where you were."

Ghost moved aside to let Rooster support Juliette, joining Hangman's side. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to him, savoring the moment of being able to make such a gesture without repercussions or questions.

Rooster shook his head. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Take me to bed or lose me forever?" Juliette suggested with a playful gleam in her sapphire eyes.

"The only reason you're getting into a bed is to rest." Kissing her on top of the head, Rooster then turned to Ghost and Hangman. "Do you two need a ride?"

"No, Coyote's picking us up. Thanks, though."

"All right. If you two need anything-"

"We'll call Coyote because you-" Ghost pointed a firm finger at Rooster- "will be taking care of your wife and kids. On the other hand, if you need anything from me-"

"Us," Hangman corrected.

"Neither of you," Juliette interrupted sternly. "One of you has a severe concussion, the other got stabbed and nearly died, so you're taking care of yourselves and each other and no one else until you're better. Understood?"

"The minute one of us can drive, we're at your disposal. No arguments," Ghost declared with equal seriousness.

Juliette narrowed her eyes at her friend. Hangman might've relented under the intensity of it, but Ghost held firm in her statement. "Fine, but don't overdo it when you're better. Concussions take a while to recover from."

"Trust me, I know." Ghost ruefully rubbed the back of her head, and Hangman flashed back to her high school car wreck. His heart lurched at the memory because it'd terrified him then to see her stumbling out of her totaled car in a daze, and it still horrified him now, especially after what they'd just gone through. "We'll see you soon, though, okay?"

Bidding each other goodbye, the couples parted ways. Hangman watched Rooster and Juliette walk away, the latter leaning heavily onto her husband. Worry gnawed at Hangman, and he asked quietly, "Do you really think she's okay?"

Ghost hesitated for a moment before responding. "No. I don't think she is."

***

Rooster

Watching my wife, I noticed the smile on her face slowly fade until it wholly disappeared by the time we reached home. I tried to think of something, anything, to say to her, but nothing came to mind. I couldn't even begin to imagine what she was going through. In the span of twenty-four hours, she'd been told to go to the hospital for her pre-eclampsia, walked into a fight where two men were trying to murder her friends and family, had a seizure, had an emergency C-section, died, and came back. That was a lot for anyone to handle, even for someone as strong as my wife, and I felt so useless in not being able to do anything about it for her.

I helped Juliette out of the car, and entering the house, her melancholy momentarily disappeared to greet Raptor and Lightning. She knelt on the floor, hugging and kissing our dogs, who acted peculiarly and uncharacteristically reserved, almost like they sensed their mom's fragile state.

"Hi, babies," Juliette whispered, kissing them on their heads. "Momma's okay. I'm okay."

Although subtle, I heard the crack in her voice at the end, and I wondered if her telling the dogs she was okay was more for herself than for them. I sat on the floor beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Juliette said nothing at the contact; she simply continued petting the dogs. For five minutes, we sat in silence. For five minutes, I watched Juliette's face slowly redden, watched tears brim her sapphire eyes, felt her body begin to tremble until I finally softly said, "Jules."

Her composure crumbled, and for the first time in my life, I watched in horror as my wife completely and utterly broke down. Without a word, I pulled her into my arms and cradled her while she wept. Raptor and Lightning lay on the floor on each side of me, flanking us protectively.

"I'm so sorry," Juliette rasped when her sobs had somewhat abated.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I managed to reply despite the painful knot in my throat. I wanted to cry, too, not only because it dawned on me once more how close I'd come to losing my wife but because she felt she had to apologize for it.

"I nearly widowed you and orphaned our children," Jules said. "I should've listened to you. I should've gone sooner to the hospital and-"

"And if we hadn't, you wouldn't have saved Ghost, Hangman, and Maverick. I'm not sure they would've made it had we not shown up. So, yes, it was terrifying and painful to watch you die, but you're still here, Jules. I got you back, our kids got you back, our dogs got you back, and our friends and family are alive because of you."

Juliette sniffled, wiping her nose. "I died, Bradley. I- I can't-"

"I know." I kissed her forehead, understanding that she was still trying to comprehend everything she'd been through. It would be a long while before Juliette was okay again, but I would be here for her no matter what, as would our friends and family. We would help her get through this.

Juliette pulled her head back just far enough to look me in the eyes. I braced my forehead against hers and lightly began pecking her on the lips, whispering a word between each: India. Lima. Yankee. ***

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highwaytothedangerzone502 · 3 months ago

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Iceman: This is not the time for your shenanigans!

Maverick: It was a single shenanigan.

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highwaytothedangerzone502 · 3 months ago

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Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 42

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 2561

Warnings: Swearing, mentions of assault and death

Or so he thought.

Chapter Songs: Grave One Thing Right

****

Hangman

Jake heard the steady, incessant beeping first. The soft murmurs of voices in the distance followed, but they were too far away to understand anything. Who was speaking, though? And where was he? He tried to lift his head, but while his brain sent the signals to his muscles to do so, nothing happened. His body refused to move.

Maybe opening my eyes is a better first step. Hangman thought, realizing he could not, in fact, see anything. He winced at the effort it took to do such a simple task, and his vision spun violently; it took all of his willpower not to succumb to the sleep that called him to return, but he had to figure out where Ghost was, if she was okay-

"Jake?" A familiar voice whispered, although not Ghost's soft and sweet one. It wasn't Maverick because of the slight Texan drawl. What about Kyle or Nick? But why would they be there? They would've killed him already if they were. Unless they wanted him to be awake before they committed the act, which Jake wouldn't put past either of them. The thought sent a surge of newfound strength, and with every ounce of willpower he could muster, he opened his eyes and struggled to sit up to confront them.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there, brother," insisted the man calmly, placing a firm hand on his shoulder and gently pushing him back onto a bed. "It's Matt."

"Matt? " Hangman echoed, blinking in surprise. He started scanning the room, noticing the sterile, neutral interior, the barely-disturbed white bedsheets covering his lower half, and the pale blue hospital gown he wore. "What—how are—wait. Ghost. Where's Ghost?"

"She's fine. Just went to grab something to drink with Coyote. She'll be upset she missed you waking up the one time she leaves."

"Leaves? What are you- what are you talking about? Where am I?" Hangman looked his brother up and down in confusion, taking in his unusually bedraggled appearance. His normally perfectly styled hair- a trait he and Jake shared- stuck in different directions like he'd rolled out of bed only moments ago. "What are you doing here?"

Matt sat down in a chair next to the bed Hangman resided in. "Ghost called me. Guess she saved my number after all these years. Got here as fast as I could. Truth be told, it was uncanny timing. I was already heading to California because I got a tip that Nick was out here. As for you, you're in the hospital. You got out of surgery a while ago and have been sleeping the anesthesia off the last few hours."

"Surgery?" Jake repeated incredulously. "What for?"

His brother leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. "You don't remember?"

"No, I-" Jake rubbed his face, cringing at the pain in his shoulder when he did so. He wracked his brain for the memories, replaying the evening over, and talked himself through it aloud. "Uh, Ghost and I got a call from Rooster and Juliette to watch their dogs while they went to the hospital. Maverick came over shortly after searching for Ghost. They talked. Ghost excused herself to grab something from her backpack, which was... was in my living room. That left me and Mav to chat. A noise, like a- like a bang, caught our attention, and when we went to check on Ghost, she..."

An image of Kyle with his hand wrapped around Ghost's throat, a bright red mark on her cheek in the shape of a handprint, the red haze that descended over his vision at the sight of her in peril...

And Nick.

Nick had been there. Had been pointing a gun at them, one Hangman had no doubt was fully loaded.

Jake's nostrils flared, a snarl involuntarily curling his lips. "Where are they?"

"Jail. I've already alerted the police in Texas about their whereabouts, so if California tries to release them, Texas authorities will have them extradited to stand trial down there."

"You think there's a chance they won't try them for attempted murder?"

"There's always a chance. Nick and Kyle are already trying to blame the attack on you and Maverick, saying they were trying to talk to Ghost, and you two started the brawl. Obviously, she's defending you two, and all the damage on you three supports your side of the story."

"Are they hurt?"

"Yeah. Since they were armed, they did worse damage to y'all, but you did a number on them. Especially whoever hit Nick in the back of the head."

Hangman started to laugh but winced at the pain in his back and abdomen. "That- that was Juliette. Finally took down the asshole. Don't know how he or Kyle kept going with the punches we were throwing at them."

"Drugs. Both had it in their system. Not sure which one. Or ones."

"Not surprising. So why am I in the hospital?"

Matt leaned back in his chair, his knees bouncing up and down. "When I say they did a number on you, I mean specifically you. Ghost and Maverick didn't escape unscathed by any means, but you took the brunt of it from Kyle. They counted about a dozen stab wounds. The fact you're alive, man... they had to staunch the bleeding, stitch you up, and give you a blood transfusion. We weren't sure you were going to make it," he said, his voice softening at the end.

Hangman gulped, only one question coming to mind. "Will I be able to fly again?"

"Once you recover, yeah, I think so. I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to, but I also may not be the best person to ask that."

A slight relief then. "What are Ghost's injuries? And Mav-"

A crash of something dropping to the floor behind him interrupted the conversation. Hangman turned to look at the newcomer in the doorway, and his heart practically stopped at the sight of Ghost. She rushed to his side with Coyote on her heels. Neither of them appeared like they'd gotten a lick of rest.

"Jake!" she breathed, taking his hand in hers and lifting it to her lips to press a gentle kiss on his knuckles.

"Hell, man, it's good to see you," Coyote said, running a hand through his too-shirt hair. "How are you feeling?"

Hangman didn't respond, his eyes assessing the damage done to Ghost and his mind formulating what pain he'd inflict upon Kyle for doing this to her. He removed his hand from hers and, ever so carefully, traced the outline of the bruise on her cheek before dragging it down to her neck, where his thumb- feather light to the touch- brushed over a thin, angry red line.

"Kyle's knife cut me when I pretended to pass out," Ghost explained, sitting on the edge of his bed. "Barely hurts."

"I'm going to kill him. Next time I see him, I'll kill him," Hangman said with such deadly quiet that no one in the room doubted the truth of his words.

"He's not worth the jail time."

"But you are."

The corners of her mouth quirked upward. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. How are you? How badly were you hurt? How are Mav and Bradshaw?"

"I'm better seeing you awake. I have a bad concussion, but other than some scrapes and a couple bruised ribs, I'm okay. Mav and Rooster have some scrapes and bruises, but they're fine."

"Princess... why do I remember something being wrong with her? Is she okay?"

Ghost pursed her lips and dropped her gaze to their intertwined hands, now resting on the white sheets. Coyote coughed and said, "Hey, Matt, can you help me find the Blackwoods and Maverick? They wanted to know when Jake woke up."

His brother nodded and exited the room with Coyote, leaving Ghost and Jake alone. The latter prompted, "How's Juliette?"

"She's alive."

Something about Ghost's tone set him on edge. "What happened?"

"If I tell you, I need you to promise me you won't blame it on yourself. I need you to understand that what happened to her would've happened whether you were here or not."

"Annalise-"

"Promise me."

"I-I promise."

Taking an unsteady breath, Ghost explained what all had happened since the attack, how Juliette seized because of her high blood pressure, how she'd had an emergency C-section, had coded in the middle of it due to AFE- amniotic fluid embolism. Because the doctors were concerned her symptoms prior to arrival may have been related to AFE, they were already prepared in case it occurred. They'd stabilized her relatively quickly, and both babies were in the NICU under careful observation to ensure no damage had been done to their health when Juliette coded.

Hangman had promised Ghost he wouldn't blame himself for the situation, but all he could think about was- regardless that Juliette was resuscitated- how he could add yet another person to the list of who had died in the hospital in his presence. Surely this couldn't be some grim and grisly coincidence? "How's Bradshaw holding up?"

"You could ask me yourself, you know." Ghost whirled around at the sound of Rooster's voice from the entryway. Coyote stood behind him. "I heard you were up. Thought I'd come see how you're doing."

"I'm alive. How are you holding up?"

"I haven't snapped, if that's what you're wondering, but I have your girlfriend to thank for that."

Bradshaw- pale and with dark bags under his eyes- shuffled behind Ghost and pulled her into a side hug. At some point in time, seeing the affection the two shared for each other would've bothered Jake, but knowing they were practically siblings now, knowing that Rooster had no eyes but for Juliette, and that Jake himself had Ghost, all he felt was relief that his girlfriend had had support from Rooster during this.

"All I did was sit with you," Ghost pointed out, eyes briefly darting over to Coyote, who took residence in the chair Matt had previously occupied.

Rooster shrugged. "Yeah, but that's what I needed. You recognized that."

"How's Juliette? Any updates?"

Rooster rubbed his eyes with his hands, a silent but unmistakable sign of his stress. "No. Sarah's with her right now. Jack is watching the dogs for us, and Joey is on his way back from Hawaii as we speak."

"Whatever we can do to help-"

"Just get better. That's an order."

"You're not my Captain, Bradshaw. You can't give me orders."

"He's not-" Maverick stepped into the room with Charlotte and Jackie Blackwood behind him- "but I can."

Hangman grinned. "Hey, Pops. You look the best out of all of us."

Rooster rolled his eyes. "All right, Kiss-Ass. I'm going to return to Jules, but let me know if you need anything. Enjoy the peace and quiet before the Daggers come visit."

Bidding the group goodbye, Rooster exited the room; Charlie, Jackie, and Maverick immediately surrounded the bed, and Coyote got up to move next to Ghost, keeping a careful eye on her as she swayed a little on the bed. Hangman would be forever grateful for his wingman's acute awareness.

Ghost's grip tightened on his hand, and he suddenly remembered that everyone in this room knew Ghost's true parentage. I really thought this meeting would be more awkward.

"I did, too, if we're being honest," Coyote agreed.

The realization struck Jake hard, and the heart monitor betrayed his embarrassment. "I- I said that out loud, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but you've still got anesthesia in your system, so we'll let it slide," Charlie replied, giving him a small yet playful smile. "Thank you for protecting my-" she glanced at Maverick out of the corner of her eye- "our daughter."

Maverick nodded in agreement, seemingly unable to speak. His gaze kept drifting to Ghost, who remained uncharacteristically silent, even for her. Jackie must've noticed, too, because she casually sidled away from her mom and next to her sister, gently bumping shoulders with Ghost. The female aviator returned it lightly but didn't look up, keeping her eyes on hers and Hangman's intertwined hands.

"We're so relieved to see you up and talking," Charlie continued, "and whatever you need, I'm here for you."

"Thank you," Hangman said sincerely.

"I need to make a few calls, but text me if you need me. Both of you, okay?"

Hangman and Ghost nodded. Charlie, Jackie, and Maverick hugged the two aviators, Coyote gently squeezed his friends' shoulders, and then they exited the room, leaving Hangman and Ghost wholly alone.

"Talk to me, Ghost. What's wrong?" he prodded softly.

Her voice was all but a whisper. "I'm so sorry, Jake. This is all my fault. If I hadn't- I never should've started anything with him."

Hangman's heartstrings tugged in agony at the sight of tears welling in his girlfriend's eyes and her desperate, silent fight to keep them at bay. With a painful effort, he braced himself on his elbow so he could reach up and lift Ghost's chin with his knuckle. "Annie, look at me. You are not responsible for this. You cannot control his reaction to your actions. He could've handled your rejection by not losing his shit and coming after you with Nick. Kyle's the problem, not you."

"I know, but what did I ever see in him? Why did I-" Ghost's voice broke, tears of guilt and shame flooding silently down her cheeks.

"Because as I remember you telling me, you thought he'd changed, and he gave you no other reason besides his troubled past to make you believe he remained the same person he'd been back then."

"It was a mistake. A horrible mistake-"

"We all make mistakes, Annie; it's ok-"

"It's not when it nearly got you killed!" she burst. Ghost trembled and furiously wiped away tears. "I nearly lost you last night, and it made me realize how close I came to losing you all those years ago, and logically, I know... I know I can't control other people's actions, but this never would've happened if I hadn't fallen for his stupid lie and charms. I thought I was a better judge of character than that. I don't care if my bad judgment inflicts painful repercussions on myself, but it's not okay when it drags in other people, especially when they nearly get killed because of it."

Hangman had been in her position before. He understood the self-loathing running through her mind for guilt over something she had no control over. Even if she had made a bad judgment call, it wasn't Ghost's fault for Kyle's reaction. And in that moment, Hangman suddenly had an epiphany of his own. He'd made a bad judgment call during his training exercise that ended in Ghoul's demise, but it hadn't been his fault that her parachute didn't open. However, he'd have to come to terms with that later because he had to focus on Ghost right now. She needed him.

"Come here," he ordered, opening up his free arm and motioning for Ghost to embrace him. She did, being careful to avoid hurting him. Wrapping his arm tightly around her shoulders, Hangman said, "I do not blame you for any of this. You have me forever."

He could feel Ghost smile into the crook of his neck. "And always.

****

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highwaytothedangerzone502 · 4 months ago

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Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 41

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 2440

Warnings: Swearing, pregnancy complications

Or so he thought.

Chapter Songs: Soon You'll Get Better Love You, Miss You, Mean It

****

Coyote

"What the hell happened?!" Phoenix demanded, giving a beat-up Maverick a quick once-over and assessing his injuries. She spoke the words Coyote couldn't find because his sights settled on an even worse-looking Ghost shuffling up behind the Captain. She had a nasty bruise on her cheek in the suspicious form of a handprint, a busted lip, some stitches on her left temple, and unfocused eyes.

"Annalise?" Coyote heard himself say as he moved toward her. Her eyes drifted to him in a daze, and she blinked.

"Javy?" She asked, tilting her head. "What are you doing here?"

"The hospital called me. I'm one of Hangman's emergency contacts. What hap-"

"Natasha? You are too?"

"Oh, uh, no," Phoenix replied, taken aback by Ghost's use of her first name. "I was hanging out with Coyote when he got the call. What happened to you two and Hangman?"

Maverick debriefed the pair of aviators on what transpired hardly an hour ago. Ghost stood by him silently, swaying slightly on her feet. Worry gnawed at Coyote, not only for Hangman- who was in surgery to sew up apparently multiple stab wounds- but Ghost, too. She had been through something traumatic, undoubtedly, but even when she had the accident with Ghoul a few years ago, Ghost had been coherent and talking. This... this Ghost was like a shell of herself.

Only when Maverick began listing the injuries of everyone involved in the brawl did Coyote finally understand why. Concussions were no joke, and his best friend had a nasty one. He slipped an arm around her shoulders to steady her, and Ghost leaned into him, mumbling a thanks.

"Is Hangman going to be okay?" Coyote queried hesitantly, afraid of what the answer might be.

Maverick nodded, and Coyote's shoulders sagged in relief. The Captain explained, "He lost a good amount of blood. He'll be receiving a blood transfusion once they stitch him up, but he should survive."

"And Juliette? Why did she start seizing?" Phoenix prodded.

"Her blood pressure had already been high when she arrived. The stress of the situation raised it even higher, and her preeclampsia turned into eclampsia, which caused the seizure. They're stabilizing her right now."

"What's the cure to it?"

"Once she's stabilized, she'll have to have a C-section. The only way to help her is to deliver the babies."

Phoenix crossed her arms. "They'll be premature... How's Rooster handling it?"

"Better now that Juliette is stabilized. I-" Maverick glanced at his phone, the screen flashing with an incoming call from Penny. "Excuse me, I have to take this."

He sidled away, and Coyote and Phoenix turned their attention to Ghost, whose eyes were half shut. But that's not what worried Javy. It was the clenching of her fists around her dog tags, the subtle but powerful sign of her pain.

"Phoenix, tell the Daggers what's happened," Coyote instructed, knowing full well they would need the group of hotshots to support both Ghost and Rooster. "I'm going to get Annalise somewhere quieter."

Phoenix nodded in understanding, squeezing his arm affectionately and reassuringly rubbing Ghost's shoulder before leaving them. Coyote then led Ghost to a quieter, darker area of the waiting room and helped her sit. She sank into the chair, braced her elbows on her knees, and covered her face with her hands.

"Talk to me, Annalise," Coyote said gently. "What do you need?"

"It hurts, Javy," she whispered, fingers curling into her dirty blonde hair. "My head is pounding, every noise... god, every noise sounds like nails on a chalkboard, and all I want to do is sleep, and I tried. But my headache stops me from sleeping, and Jake, he..." She trailed off, and a silence hung over them. Coyote waited patiently for her to continue. However, when he observed her body trembling and her shoulders moving subtly up and down, the horror dawned on him: Ghost was crying.

Not knowing what to say that would make her feel better, he simply sat there and let her cry. The tears only lasted a few minutes, but her voice still held grief when she said, "It's my fault. I should never have gotten involved with Kyle in the first place, let alone have Jake try and put him in his place. I should've- I should've at least locked the stupid door after Mav came."

"Speaking of Maverick." Coyote nodded at the Captain striding over to them, looking worse for wear but better than he had been earlier. He glanced at Ghost before locking eyes with Coyote and mouthing, "How's she doing?"

Coyote gave a slight shake of the head, answering silently, "Not great."

Maverick knelt in front of the female pilot, a softness on his face Coyote had never seen before. "Hey, Ghost."

"Hey, Dad," she mumbled, rubbing her temples. "Uh, Mav. Sorry, sir."

Coyote thought nothing of the misnomer and attributed it to the nasty concussion, but Maverick appeared rattled. Maybe out of concern?

"I just got off the phone with your mom. She's on her way with your sister. They should be here early morning," Maverick explained after regaining his wits. "Sarah Kazansky is with Jack and is about three hours away, but she's on her way too and-"

Ghost's head snapped up. She swayed a little in place, causing both Maverick and Coyote to reach out and steady her, but she ignored them and said, "The dogs! Raptor and Lightning! Jake and I were- we were supposed to-"

"Penny is picking the dogs up and bringing them to our house. Amelia is going to watch them while Penny is here supporting you and Rooster. Bob is on his way too," Maverick explained gently.

Ghost sighed in relief and sank back into her chair. She leaned the back of her head against the wall only to snap away from it and clutch it with her hands. A barely audible whimper escaped from her lips.

"You okay?" Maverick asked worriedly, placing a paternal hand on her knee.

Ghost nodded. "Yes, sir. I forgot I couldn't do that. How's- how's Hangman? And Juliette and Rooster?"

"No word on Hangman yet, but I think the surgery is going well so far. As for Juliette, they've stabilized her, and she's already gone in for a C-section."

"Isn't that risky?" Coyote queried, leaning forward and bracing his arms on his knees. "Wouldn't it be better to leave the babies until their due date?"

Mav shook his head. "It's high-risk either way, but the only way to stop her eclampsia is to deliver the babies as soon as possible."

"Why is it high risk to deliver them?"

To both Coyote and Maveick's surprise, Ghost answered, "She's already had a complicated pregnancy, which we weren't surprised she had it after reading who was at risk for it. Her mom had it, she's 35 years old and carrying twins, and it's her first time being pregnant. The kicker is that all her symptoms are also signs of a possible deadlier complication- AFE- but it's difficult to diagnose. We didn't tell Rooster most of that because he worried about her enough, but she and I did our research to keep an eye on her health and the warning signs. Looks like we still missed it..."

Coyote's heart lurched, not only in fear for Juliette's life but also in fear of what losing her would do to Rooster. Coyote had finally learned of the couple's history and what they truly meant to each other. Rooster had just gotten her back. If he lost her now...

Desperate to bring some lightness to the situation for both his sake and his companions, Coyote remarked, "I amazed you remembered all that with your concussion but still called Maverick 'Dad.'"

Ghost chuckled humorlessly. "That wasn't a necessarily mistake."

"Yeah, I guess we've all called him 'Dad' at some point but-"

"No, Javy. Maverick is my dad. You can confirm it with him, Jackie, Mom, or Jake. They all know." Ghost had continued massaging her temples during the truth bomb she so casually dropped on her friend, so she failed to see his mouth drop open or the look of disbelief on his face. She had to be joking. Or her concussion was really screwing with her thoughts. Maverick couldn't be...

But when Coyote turned to the Captain for confirmation that Ghost was the crazy one and not him, he did not receive it. Only a slight nod that she was, indeed, correct.

"How-?"

"Long story. Tell you later because I'm going to go to the bathroom and hurl. I'll be back." Ghost- ashen-faced- stood unsteadily but waved off both men when they tried to help her. She hurried to the bathroom nearby, covering her mouth as she went. Phoenix, who had just stepped foot into the waiting area, caught sight and diverted her course to take care of her friend.

"I'm assuming—" Coyote began hesitantly— "since not even Rooster and Princess know about you being Ghost's real dad, you want me to keep quiet about it?"

"It'd be appreciated." Maverick opened his mouth to say more but stopped when Penny entered the room, followed by not just Bob but Payback, too.

And Fanboy.

And Omaha.

And Harvard.

And Yale.

And Fritz.

And Halo.

All the Daggers had shown up to support their friends, and the sight warmed Coyote's heart.

___________________________________

Maverick

Penny paled at the sight of Maverick's injuries, greeting him with a tight hug. The Captain winced but made no sound. Meanwhile, the Daggers demanded to know what had happened, and Coyote conveyed a very short story that covered all the essential details. He also provided updates on everyone's well-being.

"What's everyone doing here?" Ghost's weak voice sounded from behind the group. In unison, the Daggers' heads turned to look at her, and Maverick heard Omaha breathe, "Oh, shit."

Penny spoke first, maneuvering her way over to Ghost to hug her. "We came as soon as we heard what happened. I brought you some clothes and toiletries. I thought you might like to freshen up as best you can."

Ghost nodded in agreement. "Yes, ma'am. Thank you. I'm going to find go a- uh, I mean, go find a place to change. I'll be back."

"Do you want someone to go with you?"

"No, no, that's okay. I'll be right back."

Without another word, she shuffled off with the clothes in tow. The group watched her go, each wondering if they should keep an eye on her but deciding it best to leave her be. If she wanted them around, she would've asked.

"So what now?" Bob queried, glancing around. "Do we just sit and wait or-"

"We sit and wait," Maverick confirmed, torn between the turmoil his daughters endured. For what seemed like an eternity, he watched staff and guests alike walk back and forth in front of the waiting room. How long would the surgeries take? How long would he have to wait for word on Juliette? On Hangman? How long would he have to see Ghost suffer in silent agony waiting for an update on her boyfriend and best friend? Should he comfort her? Did she want him to comfort her? Or did she want him to stay away from her? It's not like his conversation with Ghost had been exactly happy before they'd been interrupted. He'd hesitated to answer her last question and had never given her a response because, the truth was, he didn't know what he would've done had he found out about her sooner. By the time Maverick would've found out, Charlie would've been back with her husband, living a happy life with him and their daughter. How would Maverick have fit into the picture? Would being in Ghost's life confuse her? Would she have wanted Maverick in her life when Nathan Blackwood was such a great man and dad? Would-

The doors to the operation room flew open. The suddenness of the action broke Maverick's spiraling train of thoughts, but it was the group of nurses struggling to escort a frantic Rooster out into the hallway that launched him and the Daggers into action, all of them simultaneously recognizing that they needed to restrain their comrade before he hurt either one of the staff or himself.

"Let me back in there!" He shouted, pointing furiously at the nurses, straining against the strength of six of his comrades. "That's my wife, damn it! Juliette! Jules- let me back in th-"

"Bradley!" Maverick stepped in front of his son, sensing the frantic behavior could only come from one thing. "What's happening?"

"Jules, she- she's cod-" Rooster stumbled backward and collapsed into a chair, his whole body shaking. "She's coding. She's coding..."

A deathly silence fell over the group as the news sank in, everyone standing in a daze. Of everyone in the group, Juliette had been the last person they expected to lose. She had the safest job and life of all of them, and yet...

Maverick's heart nearly stopped beating at the mere idea of losing Juliette so soon after Iceman. Of course, what he felt could not touch what Sarah Kazansky would feel when she found out. Maverick wasn't sure Sarah could recover from losing her husband and her only daughter only a few months apart from one another. Maverick could barely fathom the possibility himself.

He had to call Sarah, had to let her know what was going on. With one final glance at Rooster- whose elbows were braced on his knees, hands clasped tightly together, and head bowed- he excused himself to make the dreaded call. Penny patted his back sympathetically as he left. Maverick stepped into a quiet alcove in the hallway, but he still had Rooster in his line of sight. The Captain pulled out his phone and was about to dial Sarah's number when, out of his peripheral, silent as a phantom, Ghost- now in fresh clothes- glided over to Rooster and sat in the vacant seat beside him. His son hadn't reacted to the reassuring shoulder squeezes by the Daggers nor their sympathetic comments, but the moment Ghost rested her hand atop his, Rooster looked helplessly up at her. An equally broken expression etched onto her bruised face, and Rooster enveloped her hand in his. A silent communication passed between them, an unspoken, unbreakable bond between two people who loved and supported each other and were experiencing remarkably similar situations.

Without relinquishing their grip on the other, the pair leaned back in their seats. Ghost rested her head on Rooster's shoulder, and with identical distant and glazed eyes, they waited for news on their significant others.

****

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highwaytothedangerzone502 · 4 months ago

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I set him loose on purpose

insp

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highwaytothedangerzone502 · 6 months ago

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Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 40

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 1407

Warnings: Swearing, violence, pregnancy complications

Or so he thought.

Chapter Songs: Hi Lo Hold On For Your Life

****

Ghost

Amid the chaos and fending for her life, Hangman's, and Maverick's, Ghost had forgotten a crucial thing: Rooster and Juliette. They were meant to swing by with their keys, and Ghost only remembered when she saw Rooster standing bewildered in the doorway, staring at the all-out brawl. His eyes slid to Ghost first, still lying on the floor and barely clinging to consciousness. She refused to pass out, terrified of what she'd wake up to if she did. Hangman had blood all over him, but whether it was his, Kyle's, or Nick's, Ghost couldn't tell. Maverick had blood on him, too, but not near as much as her boyfriend.

Get up! Get up! Get up! Ghost screamed silently at herself. Help them!

Her brain sent the order to her muscles, but they refused to obey. Meanwhile, Rooster entered the fray, joining Maverick in his endeavor to take down Nick once and for all. Hangman still battled Kyle, the latter gradually gaining the upper hand. Ghost could see her boyfriend's movements slowing down, could see him struggling to stay standing, but he endured.

Help him damn it! Get up and do something! Ghost snarled internally at herself. With a Herculean effort, she began the painful process of pushing herself up. Her vision swam from the concussion she knew she had, and her head throbbed where it'd hit the corner of the TV stand. It wouldn't surprise her if it were bleeding, but that could be handled later. For now, Ghost had to help the situation rather than lying useless on the floor, no matter how badly her head hurt.

Ghost grabbed hold of the TV stand and used it to hoist herself up. She waited for her vision to stop swimming, although even when the swirling halted, it remained teetering from side to side. Still, it was better than it had been, and Ghost had Kyle's ass to kick. She took a step forward right as Hangman crouched and rushed at Kyle football-style, grabbing his waist and knocking him back directly into the coffee table, which broke and splintered on impact. She cringed, the sound exponentially louder to Ghost than it truly was, her hearing hypersensitive due to the concussion. She shut her eyes, willing the pounding in her head to calm down, and when she opened them again, Ghost found Hangman sitting atop Kyle, pinning him to the ground. Scratches marred his arms, and blood trickled down his face and soaked his shirt, but he acted okay. Looking to her left, she saw Maverick and Rooster stumble backward from Nick exploding upwards from the ground. How was he still going?

Ghost blinked, and in that short time span, Nick collapsed to the ground. Behind him stood Juliette, a wooden baseball bat in her hands, lifted like she was ready to swing again if Nick stood. Then-

Silence.

The quiet- a sharp contrast to the noise from the brawl- exacerbated the ringing in Ghost's ears. She barely heard Rooster exclaim to Juliette, "What are you doing here?!" before hurling the contents of her stomach onto the floor.

"Ghost?!" Hangman shouted as she collapsed to her knees. Maverick rushed to her side, pulling her hair back as she vomited two more times.

"The cops will be here shortly," Juliette's distant voice said shakily.

"I told you to wait in the car!" Rooster snapped, righting the toppled armchair and ushering her into it. "What the hell were you thinking coming in here?"

"You were taking too long. I thought something might be wrong. I barely got to the window when I saw the fight, so I ran back to the car and grabbed the crowbar. When I returned and saw Nick stand, I realized he didn't know I was there, I saw the opportunity and took it."

"You took it! And put yourself and the twins in dang-"

"Bradley, I had the chance to do something, and I did it! Don't yell at me right now. We can argue about this later. For now, make sure Nick stays down until the cops come here." Juliette's tone, firm and furious, forced Rooster to listen. He grudgingly stalked over to the unconscious Seresin brother and pinned his arms behind his back.

"Ghost, you okay?" Juliette asked from across the room.

"My head..." Ghost groaned, clutching the backside of it. Warm liquid touched her skin, confirming her suspicion that it'd been bleeding.

"Lean back," Maverick ordered kindly. Ghost listened willingly but kept her eyes on Hangman, scanning him for any injuries. She couldn't see any through his blood-soaked shirt.

"Jake, are you okay?" she croaked out.

"I'm good."

Ghost noticed his wan pallor and decided Hangman was anything but 'good.' "Mav, help me over to him."

The Captain shook his head. "I don't think-"

"Either you help me, or I do it myself."

With a sigh of defeat, Maverick assisted Ghost in standing, keeping a firm hand around her waist to keep her upright. She sank to her knees beside Hangman the moment she reached him and gingerly grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her. "Is the blood yours or-"

"I don't know," Hangman admitted, leaning back when Maverick took over restraining Kyle, who had begun to stir. He sat on his heels and reached out to tug Ghost closer to him. She willingly allowed the embrace, melting in his arms when he kissed the top of her head.

"Jules, you okay?" Ghost slurred slightly, forcing her eyes to stay open. Sleep sounded like the best possible thing. It's all she could think about.

"Yeah. Shaken, but good. I'll help in a second and-"

"You going to stay right there until the cops come," Rooster interrupted shortly. "Your blood pressure is high enough. I don't want it getting any-"

Police entering the scene cut him off, and suddenly, a new flurry of activity overtook the apartment. Hangman tried standing but couldn't; instead, he swayed in place as if he might pass out. Ghost attributed it to the adrenaline wearing off, but when he fell forward and caught himself on all fours, that's when she saw the knife embedded in his back. Saw the slash wounds in his shirt, blood seeping out like little waterfalls.

Ghost had never screamed in her life before, but she did then. Screamed for someone to help him as the last of his strength finally gave out, and he collapsed in a heap. Ghost tried catching him, but her own injuries had zapped her strength, so the most she did was stop his head from crashing into the debris of the broken coffee table.

Paramedics surrounded them, and Ghost scrambled backward to allow them to work. Maverick dropped to her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Ghost's head spun once more, but this time, not from her concussion. From seeing Hangman's ghastly injuries.

The paramedics blocked her view of him, and all she could think was that they needed more EMTs. So many injuries and so few people. God must've heard her thoughts because more first responders arrived shortly after, and they assessed her injuries along with Maverick's. The Captain, outside of a possible mild concussion and some wounds that would need minor stitching, was relatively okay. She was in the same boat, albeit with a moderate, possibly severe, concussion.

"What- Jake. How's- how's Jake?" Ghost demanded, straining to see past the paramedics.

"Get off me, pigs!" Nick's irate shouts pierced the air, and the sound caused a shudder to run down Ghost's spine. Maverick stood, expression murderous and only distorted by a brief wince of pain. He stared Nick down, watching him be dragged away by two burly cops. If looks could kill...

"We need to get him to the emergency room immediately," an EMT declared, capturing Ghost's attention. "We need a helicopter. Ambulance won't be fast enough."

"One's on the way," another responded.

"Good. Hey, uh, Miss, are you okay?" The man referred to Juliette. Ghost peered around him to study her friend, disturbed to find her standing and staring into space. Rooster cupped his fiancée's face, desperately attempting to get her attention. He failed, only succeeding in catching Juliette when her legs gave out from underneath her. He lay her on the floor, and then, Ghost noticed with horror that her best friend's body twitched and jerked uncontrollably; her eyes rolled in the back of her head.

Juliette was having a seizure.

****

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highwaytothedangerzone502 · 6 months ago

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Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 39

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 1549

Warnings: Swearing, violence

Or so he thought.

Chapter Songs: Dangerous This Is My World

****

Hangman

Always keep your doors locked, or someone unsavory might come in.

Hangman had never paid much heed to Ghost's words before, especially in the aftermath of their falling out. He had arrived at the conclusion that if someone bad did enter his residence, then it was God finally punishing him for all the horrible, fatal decisions he'd made in his life and that he deserved whatever came his way.

Although, the last couple of weeks, with Ghost staying with him, Hangman had found himself ensuring all the doors and windows were locked at all hours of the day, not for his safety, but hers. However, due to the back-to-back stress-inducing events, Hangman and Ghost must've both forgotten to lock the door after she'd let Maverick in.

Ghost's strangled yelp alerted the men that something was amiss, but Hangman could not have prepared himself for the sight before him. Kyle held Ghost tightly by the throat. She already sported the red imprint of a palm on her cheek, and Hangman's vision tunneled at the sight. How dare Kyle attack her?

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," drawled an all-too-familiar voice. Hangman hadn't even realized he'd started forward until he heard his brother's voice, one that did not belong to Matt.

"Nick?" Hangman breathed in disbelief, staring at his criminal brother standing in front of the door with a gun- most likely loaded- pointed straight at him. Out of the corner of his eye, Kyle pulled Ghost to him, her back against his chest. Nausea roiled in his stomach when the man put a glinting, viciously sharp knife up to her neck.

"Hey, little brother." Nick grinned maliciously and shifted the gun to Maverick, but his eyes remained on Hangman. "If you take another step, you're going to add another person to the list of people you've gotten killed. Understood?"

"Let them go. I will do whatever you want, just please-" his eyes flicked to Ghost, still entrapped by Kyle- "please let them go."

"I don't think we will. See, he-" Nick nodded at Kyle- "has some unfinished business with his girlfriend."

Ghost's lip lifted into a disgusted snarl. "I am not his girlfriend."

"Shut up, bitch," Kyle snapped, pressing the edge of the knife into her neck hard enough that a droplet of blood rolled down her pale skin. Ghost listened to the order, but Hangman could see the gears turning in her head, desperately searching for a way out of this. Her eyes met Maverick's and Hangman's, then she rolled her eyes in the back of her head, not like she was rolling her eyes at the two intruders but more like she was about to faint. Still, she stayed upright, making Hangman wonder what plan she attempted to send them just then.

"Meanwhile," Nick continued, mercifully oblivious to the silent communication between the three aviators, "you and I have some unfinished business to discuss."

"There's nothing that can't be discussed in front of Maverick and Ghost. They know all about you," Hangman lied. At least partially. Ghost knew of the situation with his family and brothers, but Maverick did not. Hangman simply prayed the captain would go along with his plan because he could not and would not allow Kyle to bring Ghost to another room out of his line of sight. "They know all about how you're on the lam because you embezzled funds from Matt's company."

"It's my company, too," Nick spat.

"Even if it is, it won't be for long. Not when you go to prison. Matt's in the process of getting everything in his name. Not hard to convince the Board of Directors to do so given everything you've done."

Stall. He had to stall. To give them time to figure out how to get out of this. Kyle posed the most immediate threat to Hangman, namely because he held Ghost's life in his hands. One flick of the wrist, and Ghost could have her throat-

Hangman forced that train of thought to stop abruptly. The mere idea of such a thing happening...

Kyle directed his attention to Maverick, tilting his head in curiosity. "Why you crying, old man? Got a thing for her, too, or something?"

"No, no, it's not- please. Let her go. Hangman and I will do anything, but please, let Ghost go. Let my daughter go," Maverick said in a tone so pleading that Hangman sensed the authentic despair in the man's voice.

"Wh-what?" Ghost stammered out, her brow furrowing. "Captain Mitchell, what are you- what are you talking about?"

"Yeah, what are you talking about?" Kyle prodded, seeming genuinely interested in this new piece of information. Hangman began to open his mouth to ask why Ghost was pretending not to know of her true birthright when she'd known for weeks, but then the epiphany hit him. His head swiveled to Maverick instead, and he demanded, "Sir, what's going on?"

"I-" Maverick gulped, tears rimming his bottom eyelid. Hangman doubted those were fake. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this, Ghost. It's- it's why I came over here tonight. To tell you the truth about who I am to you."

"No, no, no, that's impossible. Unless..." Ghost trailed off, her chest heaving up and down.

"Your mom and I had a fling when she and your dad briefly split up. I'm so sorry you had to find out this way, Ghost. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I couldn't- I didn't know how."

Hangman watched Kyle and Nick closely; both men were distracted by the conversation. Now, all the aviator needed was to discover an opportunity to disarm Nick—who stood closest to him—and for Maverick to rescue Ghost. With Kyle still holding a knife to his girlfriend's neck, though, Hangman could not risk making a move. Not yet.

"Oh God..." Ghost breathed, her chest rising and falling heavily and rapidly. Hangman would have to give her credit for her acting skills if they all survived this. At least, he believed her to be acting. "I can't- I can't breathe. Please-"

Ghost's eyes rolled in the back of her head as she collapsed in Kyle's arms, her dead-weight body dragging him down to the floor with her. Everyone's eyes diverted to the female aviator, and Hangman found his opportunity. Without warning, he lunged for Nick, grabbing his brother's wrist and forcing it upward while his other hand formed into a fist and swung an uppercut punch aimed at Nick's jaw. The blow landed on its target at the same time a loud bang sounded throughout the apartment. Nick staggered backward, stunned by the sudden attack. Hangman gave his brother no time to recover, landing a second blow to the stomach and a kick to the crotch. Having effectively, albeit temporarily, immobilized his brother, Jake wrenched the pistol out of his hand and slid it under the couch, out of reach and sight from anyone in the room.

Hangman returned his focus to his brother only to have Ghost come flying from the left to tackle Nick to the ground. The pair went tumbling, and Hangman moved to assist when a sharp pain slammed into his back- one, two, three times. He whirled to find Kyle behind him, and two things registered with him, the first being the bloody knife being held by his attacker. The second being Maverick lying unconscious on the floor behind Kyle, blood on his white shirt and trickling down the side of his face.

A red haze descended upon him, and Hangman lurched unsteadily forward, using the same tactic he had on Nick. His first and foremost thought was to disarm Kyle. That'd be the first step in putting them on equal footing.

Kyle, unfortunately, saw it coming and dodged to the left. His knife swung toward Hangman's back, who narrowly evaded it by dropping to the floor. Kyle's foot proceeded to slam into the aviator's stomach.

Hangman coughed, pain lancing through his back and abdomen. "Fuck!"

"Jake!" Ghost's cry of alarm garnered his attention. She had Nick pinned to the floor, the six-foot-five giant wriggling beneath her, desperate to throw her off. But her eyes were on Kyle, leaping forward to plunge the knife in Hangman's chest. "No!"

Maverick barrelled into Kyle. The two men went flying onto the armchair, toppling over it along with them. Nick used the distraction and bucked Ghost off his back. Her head struck the corner of the TV stand, and she stayed down, her eyes fluttering as she struggled to stay awake. It was then Hangman noticed the blood on her throat, rolling slowly but steadily down. The cut was deeper than it had been when Kyle pressed the knife into her throat.

Hangman lost it.

He had no memory of striking his brother or their fight that ensued. He had no idea whose blood stained his shirt- if it was his own, his brother's, or Kyle's. Hangman had no idea if Maverick was alive or dead, if Ghost was conscious or unconscious. All Jake knew was that Nick and Kyle were going to prison or to their grave tonight for hurting Ghost and Maverick.

"What the-" A new male voice had entered the fray, dragging Hangman out of his murderous focus. "Mav!"

Rooster.

****

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highwaytothedangerzone502 · 6 months ago

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Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 38

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 2104

Warnings: Swearing, insinuation of sex

Or so he thought.

Chapter Songs: Exile The Last Time

****

Ghost

When Ghost finally returned to her own apartment later in the day, she ended up going back to Hangman's with a bag of stuff and stayed overnight.

And the next night.

And the night after that.

This happened for the next couple of weeks, but she hardly minded. Ghost had missed having Hangman around, to be able to tell him immediately when something funny happened or when she just needed to be around him because his presence calmed her frayed nerves. They played guitar and sang songs together, and posted them on her Instagram account. Only Jules, Jackie, and Wolfie recognized the new companion in the blurred videos as Hangman, and all of them texted Ghost demanding answers about her new relationship with the Texan aviator. Ghost realized that she and Jake had probably confused their friends and family by covering Taylor Swift's 'Exile' and 'The Last Time,' which weren't exactly happy love songs.

Ghost continued to shield herself from the outside world, ignoring her mom's phone calls and only texting Charlie to declare that she needed space. This was a partial truth. The other truth was that Ghost ached to detach from the chaos around her and spend her days with Hangman in his cozy apartment, relishing the bubble of peace and happiness he brought her before confronting her next challenge.

"What are the plans for tomorrow?" Hangman asked while he and Ghost scrubbed the dishes from dinner. "Should we go for a drive? Head to the beach? Maybe we could visit Princess and-"

"Oh, speaking of Juliette," Ghost remarked, glancing at the buzzing phone on the counter beside her. She answered it and put it on speaker, letting her friend know as such.

"Hey, how are you doing?" Jules's chipper voice sounded forced, causing the two pilots to share a concerned glance.

"I'm good. How are you? You sound like something's wrong," Ghost replied casually in hopes her gut instinct turned out to be incorrect.

"Honestly, I've had better days. Can I ask you a huge favor?"

Hangman turned off the faucet and braced himself on the counter to hear better while Ghost said without hesitation, "Of course. What's going on?"

"Rooster and I are going to head to the hospital after we return home with the dogs because my blood pressure spiked and won't come down. Would you and/or Hangman be able to watch Raptor and Lightning for a few days until we return?"

"Absolutely. We'll finish the dishes, pack our bags, and head over."

"You're both saints. Rooster and I will drop off the keys to the house on the way to the hospital. Also, we have a ton of food, so help yourselves to anything you'd like while we're gone."

"Sounds good. We'll see you in a bit."

Ghost hung up and chewed her lip, mind racing over Juliette's health. Hangman slipped an arm around her waist and kissed the side of her head, saying, "I'll finish up here. You go pack."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, besides—" he nipped her lip playfully— "you have more to pack than I do."

"Yeah, because I don't immediately look like a god rolling out of bed like someone I know."

"That's because you look like Heaven, which I would argue is ultimately more beautiful than a god."

"You really need to get your eyesight checked if you think I look like Heaven in the morning." Ghost patted his cheek and started walking off, but Hangman grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him, pinning her against the counter. His green eyes pierced hers, devouring her soul and breath. He leaned next to her ear, kissed the sensitive spot below it, and whispered huskily, "You look and taste like Heaven to me."

They had somewhere to be, things to do, and Juliette to worry about, but feeling every inch of Hangman against her body, despite having felt him as such every single night since they reconciled, Ghost's mind could focus on one thing, and one thing only.

"Fuck," she breathed before dragging her hand into his hair to pull his head back just enough so she could crash her lips onto his. Hangman reacted instantly. His hands slid down to the backs of her thighs and effortlessly lifted her onto his counter. Ghost had always been curvy and self-conscious of her weight, and she had never had that perfect body like the models and actresses in magazines and Hollywood, but the man before her made all of that doubt disappear.

The doorbell rang, and Ghost groaned in annoyance at the interruption. "Oh, fuck me."

"Ignore it, and I will," Hangman replied between kisses to her chest. Deciding his idea better than answering the door, she obliged and continued the makeout session with her man, knowing it would inevitably lead to more until-

"Hangman? Is Ghost with you?" The voice shattered the passion between the two aviators as Ghost stilled, her eyes locking with Hangman's.

"What's Maverick doing here?" she whispered.

"I don't know," he said, and judging by the crease between his brows, Ghost determined he meant it. "He won't leave until we answer, though. If you don't want to face him-"

"I'm going to have to at some point. I'd rather have support when I do."

"Then let's continue this later." Hangman gently pulled Ghost off the counter, and she took a deep breath to steady herself. Kissing Hangman once more, she tore herself away from him and, plastering on an expression that feigned indifference, opened the door.

"Hey, Maverick," Ghost greeted. Her voice came out steadier than she expected but also quieter, exposing her true feelings about the situation at hand.

Relief flashed in his misty green eyes. "Hey, Ghost. I, uh... your mom called me. Said you weren't talking to her and wanted me to check on you. Make sure you're alive."

"Honestly, I'm surprised she didn't ask you sooner," Ghost admitted shyly, moving aside. "Would you like to come in?"

Maverick hesitated, then stepped inside, taking in the scene before him: Ghost's shoes next to Hangman's, her jacket hanging on the hook beside his, and Hangman himself still standing behind the kitchen counter where Ghost had left him. She wondered why he remained there but quickly deducted after their brief but intense makeout session that he probably had a particular reason for staying there lest Maverick figure out what activity they'd been engaging in before he arrived.

"Hey, Pops," Hangman said casually, shifting back to the sink and scrubbing the remaining dishes and pans.

Maverick nodded in acknowledgment. "Hangman. I'm assuming you know about-"

"That my girlfriend is your daughter?"

A small thrill bubbled in Ghost's chest at the sound of her title to Hangman. She'd been wondering what they were now that they'd crossed that line with each other, had wanted to assume they were dating, but hadn't been able to bring herself to ask the question even after all these years in fear she'd find herself dreaming up false fantasies.

Maverick's head cocked. "You two are dating now? Since when?"

"It only just happened," Ghost said with a shrug, regaining her ability to speak. "Uh, we have to pack, but if you'd like to continue talking, you're welcome to."

"Are you up to it?"

"I don't think I ever will be, so no time like the present. Come on." Ghost motioned for Maverick to follow her, and Hangman said he'd join them shortly. Ghost shot him a knowing grin, which he flipped her off in response when Maverick wasn't looking. Having Jake here, even if they weren't in the same room, brought Ghost a tremendous amount of comfort.

When they reached the master bedroom, Ghost pulled out her duffel bag from under the bed and began grabbing her clothes from the closet and dresser drawers. An incredibly awkward silence fell over the Captain and Lieutenant, both trying to formulate some sentence to break the tension between them until finally, Ghost quietly asked, "How long have you known?"

"I received confirmation about it around the same time you did, but I'd started suspecting it before then. Your flying in the air reminded me a lot of myself when I was your age, not to mention your age aligned with when your mom and I met in California the second time. When did you-"

"Started wondering the night you found me on the beach. Some of the things you said made me question things, so I had Jackie help me with the investigation."

Maverick sat in the chair in the corner of the room, his eyes swirling with so many emotions that Ghost couldn't determine a single one. And, rather than have the awkward silence envelop them again, Ghost did what she did best in such situations. She rambled. "Outside of you and obviously my mom, no one else knows about my newfound heritage except my sister and Hangman. I'll tell Jules and Rooster at some point, but maybe after she gets out of the hospital."

Maverick stiffened. "Juliette's in the hospital?"

"They're heading there tonight. Depending on how long you stay, you might see them. They're dropping off the keys to their place so Jake and I can watch the dogs." Ghost swallowed the slight pang of jealousy at the relationship between her best friend and her father. She had no right to feel such a thing. Ghost had no idea who Maverick was to her until recently and had had an amazing dad growing up, whereas he'd been like a second father to Juliette since she was a toddler. They would always have a bond that Ghost doubted she'd ever have with him. Still, she wanted one like it. It's not like he had ignored her all these years. Maverick hadn't known about her. Then Ghost realized something, and the question burst from her before she could stop it. "What would you have done? If you'd known about me sooner?"

The Captain hesitated, his mouth opening and closing repeatedly. Ghost regretted asking the question despite being unable to stop it from escaping her lips, but Hangman—whether he knew of his impeccable timing or not—entered the room and said, "Bradshaw and Princess just got home and are packing some stuff before swinging by. They should be here soon."

"Oh, good. I should be done shortly, so we can leave after they do, if not at the same time as them," Ghost replied nonchalantly, praying to whatever gods existed that Hangman wouldn't notice the tears rimming her eyes. If he did, he mercifully refrained from pointing them out. Still, Ghost had to get out of the room, if not simply to catch her breath and steady her racing heart. "I'll be right back. I left my phone in the kitchen."

It was a blatant lie, but Ghost could pass it off as forgetting that she'd put it in her pocket earlier. Enough had happened in the past few minutes to warrant the memory loss of such an insignificant event.

Deep breaths, Annalise. Deep breaths... She repeated the mantra in her head while she walked purposefully to the kitchen, only to sag against the kitchen bar once she rounded the corner and out of sight from Hangman and Maverick, unwilling to let either man see how horribly the whole situation affected her. Ghost hated showing weakness. It was one thing in front of Hangman. At least, now it was. But Maverick... she could see him struggling himself, but Ghost wouldn't let him pity her or, even worse, act on that pity.

Get it together. Stop crying and get your shit together. Juliette and Rooster need you, and the last thing you want to do is make them worry about you again when they should be focused on Juliette's health. Ghost furiously wiped the tears from her cheeks and huffed an annoyed sigh at herself. Easier to be mad at herself than sad.

After checking her reflection in her phone's camera to ensure any evidence of her mild breakdown was erased, she went to the front door, where her backpack lay nearby.

Ghost had just started bending down when the door flew open. She barely jumped back in time to avoid being struck in the head, but not the calloused hand that firmly grasped her elbow and yanked her to him.

Ghost let out a short scream before the man clapped a hand over her mouth and snarled, "Shut up. This is what you get for not talking to me when I asked."

Ghost's blood ran cold at the words and at the man she now recognized before her.

Kyle.

****

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highwaytothedangerzone502 · 7 months ago

Text

Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 37

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 1417

Warnings: Swearing, insinuation of sex

Or so he thought.

Chapter Songs: True The Alchemy

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Hangman

The blue light of breaking dawn peeked through his curtains, adding to the serene, surreal reality Hangman found himself in. Ghost lay beside him in the crook of his arm, her head on his shoulder and arm draped lazily over his torso. He traced mindless patterns on her bare back with one hand while his other rested on her arm. Sleep remained fleeting throughout the night, only allowing him a few precious hours of rest. It was Hangman's own fault. He feared if he fell asleep, that when he awoke, the events of yesterday and last night would be a dream. A cruel, heartbreaking, wishful dream.

I love you. Ghost's words echoed repeatedly in his head. Hangman couldn't stop it. For so long, he'd ached to hear those words, and then she'd said them. Hangman hadn't quite been able to process it, still silently reeling from seeing the letters he'd written to her- with no intentions of ever relinquishing them to her- in Ghost's hands. Coyote had no right to give them to her, but while Hangman wanted to give his friend a piece of his mind about it, he also recognized that without it, he and Ghost may never have confronted each other about everything.

Ghost twitched in her sleep and whimpered. Hangman placed a kiss on the top of her head, and she settled down. A few moments later, she stirred, squinting at the daylight and letting out an annoyed groan. She shifted slightly up his body to hide her eyes in the crook of his neck.

Chuckling to himself, he whispered, "Good morning."

Ghost only let a tired grunt in response. She had never been a morning person unless it involved getting breakfast, so Hangman didn't take it personally.

"You hungry?" Hangman queried.

Ghost nodded but failed to move to let him up. When he pointed this out to her, she mumbled, "I think I'm going to choose starving and staying where I'm at."

Hangman, unable to stop himself from teasing her, said, "Can you say that again? I can't hear you when you're talking into my shoulder."

Ghost twisted her head and rested it on his chest, but didn't look up at him. She repeated what she'd said and added, "You didn't have trouble hearing me talk into your shoulder last night."

Hangman laughed good-naturedly, tugging her closer to him. "That's because you were screaming, not mumbling."

"Shut up." The searing kiss Ghost captured him in took away any seriousness from her statement. God, Hangman couldn't get enough of her. He never believed they'd be like this together, let alone even speaking. And the strangest sensation, the most unfamiliar emotion, settled over him.

Happy.

He was happy.

Hangman tried to reflect on the last time he felt the way he did now. It didn't take long to figure out it had been before Ghoul died. A time when he and Ghost had briefly returned to Texas, and they sat on the bleachers of their high school football stadium, staring up at the stars, laughing so hard that tears filled their eyes. For the life of him, what they had talked about eluded him, but the memory and feelings remained, and Hangman would savor them forever, including the current moment he found himself in.

Hangman kissed the top of Ghost's head and said, "You relax here. I'm going to cook breakfast."

"No, no, I need to get up. Otherwise, I'll sleep until noon."

"We can go back to sleep after breakfast because God knows we barely got any last night."

Ghost grinned wickedly. "Who says we'll get any after breakfast?"

Hangman debated on saying 'fuck it' and skipping eating if it meant going another round -or two- with Ghost, but the love of his life decided for him, rousing herself out of bed and heading to the bathroom. He forced himself up and threw on some underwear and gray sweatpants before shuffling to the kitchen. He pulled out the bacon, the eggs, and some potatoes and got to cooking, playing some soft country music in the background.

About ten minutes later, Ghost padded in, wearing nothing but her underwear and his t-shirt. He nearly went weak in the knees at the sight but managed to stay upright through sheer stubborness. Ghost sat at the bar and watched him cook. Without a word, he slid a cup of tea over to her, already made the way she liked it with cream and sugar.

Ghost smiled sleepily and said, "I needed this."

"Wake you up for round two?" Hangman asked cheekily.

She snorted softly. "I'm pretty sure it'll be more like round six or seven, but no. It's not just because I got no sleep last night."

Hangman grated the potatoes to prep for the hash browns. "What's up?"

Ghost traced the rim of the cup, staring into the steaming hot liquid. "You know how my mom and dad split up for a bit before I was born?"

"Yeah, your mom came to Cali. Why?"

"She met up with Maverick while she did. They... had a fling."

"Huh. I'm surprised Charlie did that when she was still technically married. I mean, I know your parents were separated, but-"

"That's not the kicker."

"I feel I should stop grating the potatoes for this."

"You might want to sit down, actually," Ghost suggested with mild amusement. Hangman remained standing but braced himself on the counter. "It was roughly nine months before I was born."

"I don't... Oh. OH!" Hangman barely remained standing as the epiphany struck him harder than a plane going Mach 2. "You-you're-"

"Maverick's daughter," Ghost finished, crossing her arms on the counter and resting her chin atop them. "I haven't told anyone else in the Daggers. Not even Juliette. I wasn't planning on anyone finding out, especially Mom and Maverick."

"They know?"

"Yeah. Mom somehow found out, and I know she told Maverick because he tried calling me not long after Mom called me out on it. That was before I came over here, so, you know, was dealing with two existential crises at a time. Figured this one might be more easily solved since it was closer to home."

"Maverick's close to home," Hangman pointed out, tossing the potatoes onto the skillet. "Why not deal with him first?"

Ghost shrugged. "I don't know where to start or what to do about it. With you, I at least had history to go off of."

"And the knowledge that, for better or worse, I just can't say no to you."

Mischief flared in her eyes. "You shouldn't have told me that."

"Food first-" Hangman said, piling her plate with breakfast- "cardio after."

He joined her at the bar, and they said nothing as they devoured their food, starving from yesterday's activities. And last night's. But Hangman didn't mind the silence. It allowed him to wrap his head around everything that had happened and been discovered in the past twenty-four hours, and Hangman couldn't decide what shocked him more: Ghost sitting beside him as more than a friend or the news of Ghost's real father.

Maverick was Ghost's biological dad.

How... well, he knew how, but still. How would this affect Ghost's relationship with the Captain? How would it affect her relationship with Juliette, who had practically been a surrogate daughter to Maverick? And Rooster, who might as well have been Maverick's son?

"Trust me, I've had the same thoughts," Ghost said quietly, picking at the last few pieces of hashbrown on her plate.

"How did you-"

"I recognize the expression," she replied simply. "I should probably call my mom back, and Maverick too, for that matter, but I don't want to deal with it. I just... I want to enjoy a sliver of peace and happiness right now."

Hangman grabbed the underside of her stool and pulled her closer to him. "You don't have to face this alone. I'm with you."

"Forever?"

He leaned in and pecked her on the lips. "And always."

Ghost smiled, a blush rising on her cheeks. "Would it be okay if I stayed here a little longer? I don't want to go home yet."

"Of course," Hangman replied immediately, silently pleased not only for his own selfish reasons of keeping Ghost at his side for as long as possible but also because a little voice whispered sinisterly at him that if he let her out of his sight any time soon, he wouldn't see her again for a long time.

****

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