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elsewheregremlin · 2 years

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006: Mission Report

(The first ever Bond fic from yours truly, Gremlin)

“You know, Q.” Bond started conversationally. “If you want to murder me then dump my body, there are easier ways.”

“Shush.” Towing 007 along by the wrist, Q didn’t look back. “And if I wanted you dead, I would’ve done it a long time ago.” The Q Branch minions leading the way snickered, being two of many who had grown immune to 00 agents’ charm and/or threats.

The group of four was traveling down a huge—for the lack of a better word—hole under a MI6 warehouse in the suburbs, possibly the remnant of this construction project or that. It was dim, dusty and the wooden walkway that led downward seemed never-ending even by Bond’s standards, but that might just be the circular design and identical yellow lights on the wall talking.

“I’m just saying this looks awfully like that hole in National Treasure.” Bond allowed himself to be towed but kept up the idle musing. “Have Q Branch discovered some long-lost treasure? Have you established a tech heaven down here? Have I been invited because of my dashing good looks and charming personality?”

Q turned his head to toss him a fondly exasperated look.

“Where is the patience that can outwait a sniper?”

“I left it on the shelf in your office.” Bond answered loftily, reveling in the minions’ giggles.

He didn’t care what the other double-oh said, making the boffins laugh always felt better than sending them scattering away in fear.

Q huffed, but the fake irritation couldn’t hide a glint of amusement shining in his eyes.

“Then you just have to wait and see.”

They led him down roughly two more floors, then stopped before an unassuming wall.

At first glance, it seemed to be perfectly in tune with its surroundings: old wood, dusty, looked like it’d break if you breathe too hard on it.

But Bond knew better. No self-respecting Q branchers would ever settle for this, especially with the secrecy they employed when bringing him here.

And his speculation was confirmed as Q and his two underlings pressed their right hands onto the panel, making whatever electronics hiding in it lit up like a Christmas tree.

Or rather, like that door in The Fellowship of the Ring.

“This door requires three Q branch employees of high enough clearance to open, so nosy double-ohs can’t get in even if they know it’s here.” Q told him, a tad smugly. Bond smirked at him.

“I should be honored to be granted nosy privilege then?”

“You better, or you’ll never get to touch Q Brach’s special designs.” Minion #1 snipped, just as a voice spoke up from a speaker hidden nearby. It was a very pleasant male tenor. “Who's your friend that likes to play?” Bond lifted an eyebrow.

(He remembered Moneypenny and Tanner sobbing into their whiskey when they watched Inside Out.)

“The Doctor, the Force, and the U.S.S Enterprise.” Minion #2 answered, looking excited enough to vibrate out of her skin.

The lights on the panel turned to a lovely shade of blue. “Affirmative, long live our overlord.”

When the door opened just a crack, the two minions immediately slithered into the technicolor lights beyond the door, leaving Q and Bond standing outside.

Before leading him in, Q turned to him with a crooked smirk and sparkling eyes. “Ready to be blown away?”

It was obvious that Q was just as excited about this as his two minions, and Bond just had to lean in to steal a quick kiss from those tempting lips.

“When was I not blown away by you?” He murmured, and Q snorted into the chaste kiss.

“Flatterer.” Slender fingers curled around Bond’s wrists. “Come on, let me show you what my people can do with an extra budget.”

Several rants about the Accounting Department immediately sprang to mind, making Bond laugh in delight.

“Lead the way then, Quartermaster.”

And it was with a mad grin that Q pulled him through the door, into what is possibly a scene plucked straight out of Star Trek.

“Welcome, 007, to Avalon.”

[And welcome! To the 007 Fest!]

#007 fest 2022 #team00 #mission report #mine #my fic

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sunshine-captain · 6 years

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Hi! I asked Phoenix (horsegirlharry) for fic recs about star trek tos and she sent me to you! I am a new fan and in desperate need for some good fics since I am having a hard time finding them. I would be very grateful if you could link me to some. Thank you in advance

Oh my goodness!!! Hello my friend! I’m honored Phoenix directed you to me, I really am! To tell you the truth, they’re the one that actually convinced me to watch TOS from the start. Welcome to the fandom!!

To start off with, here is a lovely rec blog that is exclusively TOS (that I’m a mod on, so I am of course biased, but I loved the blog even before I was added, haha!) It’s not updated that often at the moment, usually just when I have some spare time, but there’s a lot of recs already added to look through, and there are plenty of tags to maybe let you look for tropes or genres that you like. :)

Alright, here go the recs!

Sha Ka Ree The year is 2258. Jim Kirk is a Lieutenant on the U.S.S. Farragut, Spock the science officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise. When the ships come together for a priority landing party, these two strangers find themselves fighting against the odds for a chance at life in an alien world, and the only way they’ll make it through is by relying on each other. This is a TOS fic that takes place seven years before the show begins. It’s one of my favorite fics ever, it’s beautiful and just perfect. It’s a lovely slow burn, and it contains one of my fave tropes: Jim (Kirk) and Spock crash on an alien world and get stranded there. So, so highly recommended! Honestly, that writer is amazing and anything by them I recommend.

Crash and Burn As the Enterprise’s celebrated voyage winds down, the tension between her captain and first officer escalates, and three days aboard Jupiter’s premier lunar station will change everything. Jim doesn’t handle change very well. Slow-build, character-study prelude to the Lost Years and TMP. Unhappy ending, but canon functions as a fix-it! As the summary states, this fic doesn’t end happily. But it’s basically an explanation as to why Spock does what he does prior to The Motion Picture (I’m not sure if you’ve seen the movies so I won’t clarify just in case you haven’t, haha!), which also means there is a happy ending after the events of the movies. I had it in my bookmarks under the tag I use for fics that hurt me (literally ‘ow’, lol) so apparently I found it pretty painful. ;__;

The Squire of Eros An old nemesis pays a social call to the Enterprise just in time for the annual Valentine’s Day party. On this occasion it’s Spock who draws the brunt force of his irritating personality. But when his holiday-inspired antics turn dangerous, it’s up to the Captain and crew to take him down, and Jim is forced to confront his long-evaded desires regarding his first officer. Written for the K/S Valentine Challenge at LJ, beta’d by purple_spock. This one isn’t even remotely as serious as the other two. It’s honestly just a lot of humor and lightheartedness for the most part. It features Trelane from TOS paying another visit to the crew. :D

Definitions “We call it t'hy'la,” Spock says. This one is so beautiful. It’s a relatively short oneshot (under 10k) but it’s so romantic and in character and just perfect (this author is another one of my favorites, I would read anything at all by them.)

Pattern Deviations A mind meld is the most intimate of any possible connection – to know and be known, wholly and completely. Usually, melds are advocated for leading to increased understanding and empathy. Spock wonders what it means, then, that everyone he melds with is so repulsed by his mind… Until he meets James Kirk, anyway. This is by the same writer as Definitions; another lovely oneshot by them. I love it!

And I Am Also Quite Blind In the aftermath of Spock’s blinding in Operation Annihilate, Jim tries to help him through his pain. A fic with premise that Spock doesn’t handily recover from his blindness in Operation Annihilate. Lengthy, painful, excellent. I try to avoid WIPs because I can’t deal with the pain of fics that are NEVER FINISHED, but I started reading this one when it was only halfway through and man, it sucked me in. Worth it! (And it has been completed now, so no worries, haha.)

Undone During first contact with the highly telepathic Nghians, an invasion begins on their home world. A powerful psychic attack cripples the populace–and Spock.Out of contact with the Enterprise and stranded on a planet at war, Jim must struggle to keep himself and his violent, unpredictable first officer alive. Another of my favorite writers! I love this fic. Lengthy, excellent, and that favorite trope of mine again (being stranded, heh), this is great. Please note the tags, though!

What I Am To You I say, “Ask me anything, Spock,” for perhaps the fifth time.This time, you respond, your gaze bright and penetrating, “Perhaps you could satisfy my curiosity in–one particular.”“Of course,” I say enthusiastically.You seem perfectly calm as you ask, “How long have we been lovers?” And I am certain I have heard you correctly, even as I struggle not to allow my astonishment to show on my face. Takes place after the events of the third movie. Spock tries to make sense of his and Jim’s relationship.

Spice It’s a question of biology. Vulcan biology.The problem with falling in love with a member of an insanely private species is that it just might take you the best part of a five year mission to work out that the feelings are requited. And then you might discover that he’s already decided that the two of you can never be together.And what are you supposed to do if he won’t tell you why? Honestly, I’m reccing this one with…some trepidation. I never did decide whether I actually liked the fic or not, but I know a lot of people do like it. It’s most definitely one of the longest fics I’ve ever read in this fandom. It’s the SLOWEST OF ALL SLOW BURNS, which you said you liked, and even though it made me SO ANGRY at one point that I almost threw my phone across the room when one plot twist happened, it’s well written and in character. The reason behind it all is…kind of silly, in all honesty, but it makes complete sense why Spock thinks it would be best if Jim wasn’t with him, just like him to be so overprotective. *sigh* I’d say definitely give it a try and see if you get sucked in!

Translating Ennoia Spock intends to resign his commission with Starfleet six months into the Enterprise’s mission. Then he meets Captain Kirk – his t'hy'la – and everything becomes infinitely more complex. This author again! This fic has lots of pining. I love pining. And I love happy endings and romance and watching Jim and Spock’s friendship develop, too, and this fic has all of that.

Dirty Laundry Jim keeps leaving dirty dishes in the sink and toast crumbs in the bed. Spock deals with the mess silently until an unfortunate ironing incident puts it all in perspective. Jim and Spock have to adjust to domestic life. Spock has to adjust to Jim’s messiness. Domestic Spirk is always wonderful, and I enjoy that in this one it’s not all perfect at first. They have to adjust and learn to actually live together.

Breaking Tradition Newlyweds James T. Kirk and Spock spend their Holiday shore leave alone together in a remote cabin once belonging to Jim’s grandparents. They learn more about each other and Jim introduces his new husband to the Winter Holiday traditions - even if he doesn’t quite understand why he take part in them himself. An unexpected event occurs that disrupts the couple’s newlywed bliss. Luckily, one of them has experience with taking charge of a situation. This one is sooo sweet. Jim just wants to share Christmas with Spock, but they have a mishap. But it’s okay, because Jim takes good care of Spock. (Features cold!Spock, one of my favorite things. :3 )

Ghost in the Machine Tom Paris stumbles upon a Pandora’s Box of loss and regret. This fic is the outlier in this list; it’s actually a crossover of sorts between TOS and VOY. I’ve not actually watched Voyager yet, but that doesn’t stop me from reading and enjoying the fic, so please don’t let that stop you! Let me tell you, though, this has to be one of the most painful fics I’ve ever read. It just makes me cry for Jim and Spock both. It’s so painful. But also really great. But I totally understand if you don’t want to read this one, haha! It’s not for everyone. It messed me up though, I kept thinking about it for days. Especially Jim as he is in this fic. Ugh.

Home Renovation Shortly before his first mission to Romulus, Spock buys a fixer-upper house with Jim. Although Jim is excited to begin renovating their new home, Spock worries it’s only a matter of time before his husband falls off a ladder and breaks his spine. Not to mention, the house’s derelict state is preventing Spock from enjoying his remaining time with Jim. Old Married Spirk, protective!Spock, perfection.

To Be Wed “With a human ruling alongside King Sarek, it makes sense that they would want a Vulcan to rule alongside you. Look on the bright side. At least it’s not Sybok."Prince S'chn T'gai Spock and Crown Prince Sam Kirk are pushed by their families into an awkward courtship, sure to become an awkward marriage. Meanwhile, the younger Terran prince just wants to make sure his future brother-in-law feels comfortable in his new home. But unfortunately for Jim, the road to hopeless, unrequited love is paved with good intentions. It’s an AU, obviously, and it’s by the same author as Sha Ka Ree (who as I mentioned is one of my favorite writers) and I just adore this fic, it’s so great! Pining, slowly getting to watch Jim and Spock falling in love even when it’s ill advised, Sybok!! I’m also just a total sucker for royalty AUs so that helps.

In My Own Skin After the events of Turnabout Intruder, Jim is trapped in Janice Lester’s body indefinitely and has to learn to carry on with his normal life and duties trapped in this body. Established relationship with Spock, but things become understandably difficult as a result of Jim’s situation. Complicating matters even further, the Enterprise is assigned to a difficult diplomatic mission with a new member of the Federation. I don’t know about everyone else, but my brain definitely went “what if Jim was stuck in that body…” after watching Turnabout Intruder, and this fic definitely satisfied that urge to see that explored.

Heat Trapped together in a cave until the storm ceases, Jim and Spock find some freedom outside the press of the ship and its responsibilities. Oh look….this writer again. :DDD You’re starting to notice a pattern here, I’m sure. This was written because of a prompt I gave, so obviously I’m a little biased, but it’s just SO perfect??? Cold!Spock, cuddling for warmth (another of my favorites, hello), and just so ROMANTIC that I almost can’t handle it.

Okay, those are all TOS, but now I have just a handful of AOS AUs:

Still, Like Dust Vulcans have been enslaved on Earth for more than fifty years. To Jim Kirk, 14, this is just one more chapter from his history book… until his uncle brings home a Vulcan boy to help on the farm. I know this fic isn’t for everyone, it definitely isn’t, but it really is a great read and I enjoyed reading it a lot. There’s a lot of pain, it’s true, but there’s also a happy ending, if that helps.

Inside The River Starfleet sends Jim a spouse and an oddly vacant honeymoon. Arranged marriage!AU, always fun, and an interesting mystery going on throughout. Great read!

That’s all I’ve got for you for now, this should be a start! Welcome again to the fandom, and I hope you find something in this list that you enjoy. :)

#slumber--parties #fic rec #space husbands #tos #and like two aos but i wont tag that lol #can't remember which tag i use for that...#long post #this got long sorry

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starset21 · 4 months

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Disclaimer: I only own my original characters, I've done some research but there will likely be Navy/military inaccuracies, and I do not consent to the posting, translating, or publishing of my work to any 3rd party site, the only place it may be found is on tumblr and Wattpad under @.itswildflower

A/N: This story is heavily inspired by the hallmark movie of the same title and is very self-indulgent. I'm also trying a different format than I'm used to using so it may change in the future chapters. Hope everyone is having good winter holidays!

Looking for the other chapters? U.S.S. Christmas Masterlist

Summary: Kate and Jake take on New York City

Chapter 5: New York

“Oh! Look at this! Oh, I can't wait to see the rockettes and the the rockefeller Christmas tree, the decorations on fifth Avenue, but first, we gotta get New York pizza!” Elizabeth exclaimed.

“Okay, she's gonna wear me out. Now, the ship leaves at 8 P.M. on the dot. Don't be late,” Jackson reminded them.

“2000 hours. Roger that. I think the historical building is right up here,” Jake told Kate, taking her hand in his.

“Do you keep records of all the performances?” Kate asked the lady at the front desk.

“We sure do. The older ones haven't been transferred to the computer, though. We've had all kinds of personalities to perform for the troops. You said 1965?” she asked.

“Yes,” Jake nodded.

“The Polaris, right?” she asked again and Kate nodded.

“Do you see a Dorothy in there?” she asked.

“Oh! Here it is. It looks like Dorothy Milne. It lists her employment as a dance instructor,” the lady told them.

“Just like the journal says,” Kate whispered to Jake.

“She actually worked at the ovation dance studio right here in the city,” the lady told them.

“I could hug you right now,” Kate grinned and they headed out.

“We might just solve this Christmas mystery after all,” Jake told her, nudging her shoulder.

“I can't believe it! The ovation dance studio is actually still around! Wonder if Jonah tracked her down there. I remember the last passage in his journal said…”

"I saw Dorothy perform last night with the uso. She's breathtaking. It was like she was floating on air. I got to talk to her again after the show, and she's truly everything I imagined. Sweet, smart… But when I went to find her this morning, her brother said Dorothy left on the cargo plane. It's crazy, but I feel like I've known her forever. I have to find her after we dock in Norfolk."

“We might just solve this Christmas mystery after all,” Jake told her, nudging her shoulder as they headed into the dance studio. There were little ballerina’s dancing around the room.

“They are so sweet,” Kate couldn’t help commenting.

“Aren't they? Today's the dress rehearsal for our big Christmas show. Can I help you with something?” the instructor asked.

“Yes. Hi, I'm Kayleigh Wells of the Norfolk register newspaper. This is Lieutenant Seresin,” Kate introduced.

“Nice to meet you both. What's this about?” she asked.

“We're looking for a woman who might be a military spouse. Her name is Dorothy Milne. Apparently she worked here years ago,” Kate told her.

“Yes. Dorothy was my teacher as a girl. I eventually bought the studio from the owner,” she crossed her arms.

“Could you tell us more about her?” Kate asked.

“She, uh, moved to New York to be a rockette, but her dreams never quite panned out, so she worked here instead, and would sometimes perform for the troops with the USO,” the woman told them.

“Any idea where she was from?” Kate asked.

“Kansas City, I believe,” she told them.

“Do you have any idea if she was married to a pilot named Jonah?” Jake asked.

“I remember there was a pilot she met on an aircraft carrier. He came to find her after the ship docked. Surprised her with roses right here in the studio in the middle of class! But she had a boyfriend at the time who she said was planning to propose, so I'm not sure who she ended up with,” she told them.

“Any idea what Jonah’s last name is?” Kate asked.

“It was so long ago. After that Christmas, we were told Dorothy moved to California. But that's all I know. I'm sorry I couldn't be more help.”

“Thank you,” Kate gave her an appreciative smile.

“I think we could use a snack right now, have you ever had roasted chestnuts?” Kate asked Jake.

“No, actually,” Jake told her. Kate smiled and went up to a cart selling them.

“We'll take two,” she told the man and went to pull out some money.

“I got this,” Jake told her, handing the man money.

“Thank you. All right. Let's see what this is,” Jake said as they began their walk again.

“Mmm! Lot sweeter than I thought,” he told her after having one.

“Hmm. Kinda how I feel about you,” Kate teased.

“I'll take that as a compliment,” Jake laughed.

“So, have you ever been to New York before?” Kate asked him.

“When I was six my parents brought me here for Christmas,” he told her.

“Before the divorce?” she asked hesitantly.

“Yeah. It was our last Christmas as a family together,” he bit his lip and looked down.

“That's bittersweet.” Jake nodded.

“Yeah, but it was the best Christmas I ever had,” he looked at her.

“Well, I think it's nice that you have those memories. Whenever my dad would be home for Christmas, we'd always go to Picasso’s diner and we would get semi crispy bacon. It was kind of our thing. Semi crispy is the only way to go,” Kate told him.

“I know, right?” Jake asked and Kate laughed.

“That looks really familiar. New York model train museum annual Christmas show! I went there when I was here with my dad,” Jake pointed out.

“Yeah? Come on, you wanna go? It'd be fun!” Kate exclaimed.

“Uhh... I don't know…” he trailed off.

“Oh, come on! You said it yourself, best Christmas you ever had,” Kate taunted.

“All right, yeah. Let's do it,” Jake smiled.

“Okay. Perfect,” Kate smiles, taking his hand and pulling him along.

“This really brings me back,” Jake says as they wander through the train exhibits. “You okay?” Kate asks.

“Yeah, it's just, uh… I remember my dad taught me how trains worked when we were here. And after the divorce, that's pretty much all we talked about trains, planes… Pretty much anything with a motor. You know, we never went too deep. Stiff upper lip, you know?”

Kate nodded. “My mom was the complete opposite. I think after my dad died she was just so heartbroken all she wanted to do was talk about him, but… I couldn't do it,” she told him.

“Why not?” he asked.

“It was too painful,” Kate shrugged.

“I'm sorry. He died from an accident, right?” Jake asked and Kate nodded.

“I was 16… The day everything changed,” she told him.

“My dad says he was a great man,” he told her.

“He was. And he loved us very, very much. So all the times he invited me to go on the Christmas tiger cruise, I should have,” Kate sighed.

“Well, I'm sure he understood. It's not easy being a Navy brat,” Jake tells her.

“Yeah, well, it's something I still regret to this day.”

“Look, don't beat yourself up over it. Believe me, I get it. All the moving around, the uncertainty… Our dads were gone for months at a time,” Jake told her, nudging her shoulder.

“Well, you're lucky yours is still around. You should cherish that,” Kate told him.

“I do. You know, he… He bought me this little red train…” Jake trailed off.

“Yeah?”

“At the gift shop here. Ahh. I drove that thing around on every surface of our house until the wheels fell off,” he told her.

“That's really sweet,” Kate smiled.

“I'll never forget that moment we picked it out together. Cost five dollars, but… Nothin' meant more to me than that train.”

Kate paused at one of the displays. “Do you still have it?” she asked.

“Got lost in one of the moves,” Jake shrugged.

“I'm sorry,” Kate apologized, she knew the feeling of losing something in a move fairly well.

“It's the memory that matters, right?” Jake asked. Kate nodded.

“Hey. Let's go check out the north pole train!” Jake exclaimed.

“You know what? I'm gonna get us some hot chocolate, but I'll meet you over there?” Kate asked.

“All right,” he smiled and headed over to the display.

“This is flight 747 to JFK tower, comin' in for a landing,” a little boy is flying a toy plane around.

“Copy, flight 747. Proceed to runway one-zero-niner and wait for clearance. Psst!” Jake pretended like he was a tower operator.

“Psst! Copy,” the little boy responded.

“I brought Teddy here for the trains, but he's obsessed with flying,” the dad laughed.

“Smart kid. You know, Jake is actually a fighter pilot in the Navy,” Kate told them, walking up with two hot chocolates.

“Whoa,” the kid marveled.

“At your service,” Jake tipped his imaginary hat.

“Do you fly off aircraft carriers?” the boy asked.

“Sure do. But flying off the carrier is the easy part. Landing, that's the hard part,” Jake told him.

“That's so cool! I want to be a Navy pilot!” the kid exclaimed.

“Well, you certainly can if you put the work in. Here. This…” He pulls out a pair of wings that they give to the kids on the cruises from his pocket. “Is for you, eh?” he offered with a smile.

“Whoa! No take-backs?” the kid asked.

“No take-backs, buddy. Promise,” Jake smiled.

“You just made his Christmas. Thank you so much. Have a great holiday,” the dad told him.

“Merry Christmas,” Jake told them as they walked away.

“You know, you were really good with him. And did I just hear you say, "merry Christmas"?” Kate asked.

“Yeah, well, don't tell my shipmates,” Jake told her.

“Oh, no, they'd never believe me. Hey, we should probably go get something to eat, and I know a place that's gonna actually change the way you see Christmas forever,” Kate grinned.

“Mind games, huh?” Jake asked.

“It'll definitely mess with your brain. Come on,” Kate laughed and took his hand in hers.

Christmas music played quietly in the background.

“Brain freeze!” Jake groaned.

“They don't call it the colossal Christmas cocoa for nothing,” Kate laughed.

“We don't mess around here. We take Christmas very seriously. Two burgers coming up,” the waitress told them.

“Thank you. I feel like I don't have a care in the world right now. Honestly, that's not happened very often,” she told Jake.

“That's how I feel when I'm flying my jet over the ocean, those moments when I'm at total peace. Until I realize I have to land on a ship that feels like it's the size of a postage stamp,” Jake laughed.

“Does that ever scare you?” Kate asked and Jake shook his head.

“I love every second of what I do. The adrenaline and the rush… I don't think I'm scared of anything,” he told her.

“Not even Christmas?”

Jake raised a brow. “Christmas? Why would I be scared of Christmas?” he asked.

“I'm just sayin', it… Kind of seems like you've been running away from it,” she told him.

“What do you mean?”

“Based on what you told me earlier, it seemed like maybe your parents got divorced shortly after your trip here,” she said simply.

“Yeah, well, after that, it was mostly mom and me at Christmas. Just wasn't the same without my family together. Just couldn't really see the magic in the holiday anymore,” Jake shrugged.

“I'm sorry.”

Jake waved her off.

“And I'm also sorry 'cause I totally judged you,” Kate apologized.

“It's okay. I know I can be a bit of a Christmas curmudgeon,” Jake nodded.

“A bit?” Kate teased.

“Mmhmm,” Jake laughed.

“Well, it's okay. If I wave my merry magic wand, maybe you'd think about embracing some new Christmas memories,” Kate tried.

“Hmm? Like what?” he asked.

“Like, you know, today, we… You made the little boy smile at the train show, right?” Jake hummed in response.

“He met his hero. And we saw the world's most adorable dance troupe, and I wasn't gonna say anything, but it appears that you actually took a bite of your candy cane,” Kate told him.

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Jake hid the candy cane.

“I haven't had this much fun in a long time,” he told her.

“Good!” Kate smiled.

“You're amazing.”

Kate tilted her head questioningly.

“The way you made me imagine our day like a living scrapbook. You really have a way with words,” Jake clarified.

“Well, I'm a writer. So…”

“You're much more than that,” Jake told her, and it felt like he was looking into her soul.

Her phone started buzzing and Kate smiled apologetically before reading the text messages.

“It's my mom. Oh, my gosh, we have to go. It's 7:30!” Jake’s eyes widened and then they were both collecting their jackets.

“Uh, sorry! Forget the burgers!” Kate called to the server.

“Sorry. Here you go! Merry Christmas,” Jake added, placing money down on the table.

“Yeah, merry Christmas! Sorry!” The two of them ran out.

“Taxi! Taxi!” Kate yelled and it only took a moment before one pulled up and they got in.

“Pier 90,” Jake told the driver.

“We're almost there,” Kate groaned as they got stuck in traffic with 10 minutes till the ship left.

“We're never gonna make it. Maybe we should run,” Jake suggested.

“Run?!”

“Yeah. We can do it. Come on!”

Jake was handing the driver money and climbing out of the taxi. He took Kate’s hand and they began running.

“Go, go, go, go!” he encouraged.

“You're crazy! Whoa! Excuse us! Sorry!” Kate yelled as they ran by people.

“It's this way! Hi, Santa! Oh, wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait,” Jake had to stop and put some bills in the santa’s bucket.

“Merry Christmas!” he exclaimed as they took off running again.

“You barely made it, Lieutenant,” one of the sailors greeted them as they climbed aboard the ship.

“I can't believe we just ran 15 blocks,” Kate panted, trying to catch her breath.

“I know,” Jake laughed.

“Thank you for today. You know, for all the memories. The new ones.”

Kate smiled.

“You're welcome, Jake.”

#starset writes #jake seresin x oc #jake seresin fanfiction #hangman top gun #jake seresin #jake hangman seresin #pre tgm #fic:// u.s.s christmas #au #top gun maverick au

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starset21 · 4 months

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Looking for the other chapters? U.S.S. Christmas Masterlist

Summary: The final day of the tiger cruise is being wrapped up and its time to say goodbye.

Chapter 6: Disembarking

“Kate, how is the article coming along?” Ron asked as they were decorating some Christmas ornaments.

“Um, unfortunately, it's not coming along as easily as I had hoped, but it's been a fun adventure and… Jake's been amazing,” she told him.

“Jake?” Jackson asked in a teasing tone.

“Wonderful. It's been, uh… Enlightening,” he told them.

“Well, I'm glad to hear it. And I hope everybody enjoyed the cruise,” Ron told them.

“This time with my kids… was just the best Christmas gift,” Elizabeth told him.

“That makes me happy. Family is everything,” Ron said, a bright smile on his face.

“Apologies. I need to excuse myself,” Jake told them, standing up.

“Work?”

“Just a few lists I need to double-check. Excuse me,” Jake smiled before walking off.

“A toast. To friends… Family… And Christmas!” Ron added.

“Cheers, Merry Christmas!” they all echoed.

“Merry Christmas! Ho ho ho ho ho ho!”

They all turned to see Santa walk over to one of the chairs.

“Yay, Santa's here!” some kids cheer.

The Santa adjusted his beard just enough for them to see it was Jake. Kate laughed and he sent her a wink.

“Oh ho ho! Merry Christmas! Come on, kids, line up in a single-file line, everyone can see Santa,” Jake bellowed.

“You are a miracle worker,” Ron smiled, turning to Kate.

“Me?”

Ron nodded. “What happened on that trip to New York?” he asked.

“Oh. Um, we just talked a lot about the past and the future, and... I reminded Jake what makes Christmas so special,” Kate told him truthfully.

“Well… He seems very happy,” Ron nodded, turning back to the ornament he was working on.

Later that night Kate stood up in the crows nest, getting some air.

“I told you that first night I met you I can be spontaneous,” Jake said, coming to lean against the railing beside her, his hands in his jacket pockets.

“Yeah, you did. And I was wrong about you. Where'd you get that belly, anyway?” Kate asked, looking out at the water.

“Two life preservers, remember?” Jake laughed.

“Oh… Good use of a flotation device,” Kate shook her head. Jake pulled his hands out of his pockets and with it came a very glittery snowflake.

“Yeah, and sparkles. Tons and... tons of sparkles. Voilà. Not too shabby, huh?” he asked, handing it to her.

“It’s beautiful Jake…” she trailed off as little white things began floating down around them.

“Is... is it...?” she asked.

“Snow. It's the perfect night,” Jake told her.

“Absolutely… Perfect,” Kate echoed.

Jake took a step closer to her. He was never one for the romantic aspects of relationships, he was always so career driven, but with her, it was like he was an entirely new person. He would not lie and say he didn’t enjoy being this new guy, one who could open up and express his thoughts to her, watching him quietly. He leaned in and Kate did too. But before her lips could do more than brush his, she pulled away.

“Jake, this isn't a good idea,” she muttered before taking a step away from him.

“Why not?” he asks.

“I think you're so great, but whatever this is here on the ship, it's… It's not gonna work back home. I… I'm so sorry. I should go,” she tells him, turning and walking away.

“Kate, don't…” Jake trailed off but she was already gone.

“Tigers, thank you for joining us on our 4-day cruise of the eastern seaboard. It's been a pleasure having you onboard, and we wish you the merriest of christmases,” the intercom clicked off after they had docked.

“Sayonara, ladies, Jackson, Have a wonderful Christmas. I'm off to Aspen to meet the rest of my family,” Charlotte told them.

“It's been real, Charlotte,” Kate told her, shaking her hand.

“Real fun,” she smiled and nodded before heading off with her brother.

“Oh! We just had the best time, Ron. Thank you,” Elizabeth gushed.

“You're welcome. And I hope I wake up to your article Christmas day,” Ron directed to Kate.

“I hope so too,” she told him. “I thought Jake would have shown up to say goodbye, but… Well, Merry Christmas, ladies,” Ron told them.

“You too, Ron. Merry Christmas.” Kate grabbed her bag and they were about to head out when they heard heavy footsteps coming from behind them.

“Kate! I'm so glad I caught you before you left!” Nick exclaimed.

“We'll get the bags to the car. Do you have the keys?” Jackson asked their mom.

“My brother found a Jonah William who was a pilot on the polaris in 1965,” Nick hurriedly told her.

“That's amazing! What about the records? I thought we needed a freedom of information request.”

“Turns out he was awarded the Navy cross for extraordinary heroism. He shot down three enemy aircraft in Vietnam, and that makes him a person of exceptional prominence, which is an exception to the rule of releasing records to the public without a formal request,” Nick told her.

“That's so amazing. So where is he now?” Kate bit her lip in anticipation.

“He went back to Vietnam in 1967 and, sadly, went missing in action,” Nick told her and Kate frowned.

“Oh. Did they ever find him?” she asked.

“It's complicated. While Jonah was Mia, there was a fire at the VA storage facility in Missouri which houses the records. The strange part is, after the fire, the trail goes cold. My brother couldn't find any more from military records.” Kate’s head dropped.

“So we don't even know if he's alive?” she sighed.

“Okay. Well, I have his name, I can do my own search. Thanks Nick.”

Nick nodded. “Well, I hope it works out. Good luck,” he tells her.

“Thanks.”

Kate turned to leave but Jake walked out just as she did.

“Merry Christmas, Jake,” she said quietly.

“Merry Christmas, Kate.”

Kate swallowed, looking up at him.

“You stay safe, okay?” she asked and Jake nodded.

Kate nodded once more before heading off the ship.

#starset writes #jake seresin x oc #jake seresin fanfiction #jake hangman seresin #hangman top gun #fic:// u.s.s christmas #pre tgm #top gun maverick au

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starset21 · 4 months

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Standard Disclaimer: I only own my original characters, I've done some research but there will likely be Navy/military inaccuracies, and I do not consent to the posting, translating, or publishing of my work to any 3rd party site, the only place it may be found is on tumblr and Wattpad under @.itswildflower

Looking for the other chapters? U.S.S. Christmas Masterlist

Summary: Kate and Jake stumble upon a mystery in the ship's archive room.

Chapter 4: A New Story

“Wow. Look at all this old stuff,” Kate marveled.

“I have never been here,” Jake muttered.

“Oh, yeah? Wow, check this out,” Kate handed him a picture frame from one of the boxes she had began going through.

“Wow, cool. B29. Hmm. Found some Christmas photos,” he told her, passing the loose photos to Kate.

“These look like fun performances,” she told him.

“Yeah, you know, we've had all kinds of dancers, singers, celebrities… Presidents, even,” Jake told her.

“Yeah?”

Jake nodded. “You really never went on a tiger cruise as a kid?” he asked.

“I didn't want to give up even one day at home. All the baking, decorating the tree… I remember driving around looking at all the neighborhood lights. Christmas is the best,” Kate smiled.

“I'm just surprised we never met as kids,” Jake rubbed the back of his neck.

“Oh. Well, I never really went to military functions as a kid. I met a few kids but I was always buried in a book or writing stories… It's kind of my escape,” Kate shrugged.

“You cover corrupt bankers committing fraud, right?” Jake asked.

“That and some other... Questionable people. Did someone look up my latest story?” Kate teased.

“Yeah. Yeah, I mean… I do read the paper. You should write about the pilots on the Polaris. We're the best of the best. That's inspiring.”

Kate laughed. “Yeah, an ego as big as a fighter pilot's. Look, an old journal. It was written by… A pilot named Jonah in 1965. Wow, she's beautiful. Looks like a dancer,” she said as she passed him the picture.

“Wow. Great artist, if he drew this. What's the journal say?” Jake asked.

"We returned home from Vietnam just in time for operation tiger cruise. December 18th, 1965. It was the first time our families are allowed to stay with us… To see what we do every day for this country. I've missed everyone so much. Today the most beautiful woman I've ever seen boarded the ship, and I helped her with her bag.”

“He only got her first name. Dorothy,” Kate told Jake.

"I can't explain. The moment I saw her, I felt like I was looking into my future. There was just something about her."

“It's so-” Kate trailed off.

“Undisciplined,” Jake cut her off but Kate shook her head.

“No. Romantic. You know, there actually might be a story here, maybe a Christmas story. You mind if I borrow this?” she asked.

“Yeah. You heard what my dad said. Anything you need,” Jake waved to boxes in the archieve room.

“Great. I want to see how Jonah’s story ends,” Kate smiled as she set the journal next to her bag.

“Is that a Santa suit?” She asked as she saw the red and white in a box. Jake shrugged.

“Oh! Jake, you know, I think this looks like it's just your size,” Kate laughed.

“Yeah, if I wore two life preservers under it,” Jake shook his head.

“I think that you should dress up as Santa for the kids on the ship,” Kate suggested.

“It's not gonna work,” Jake says seriously.

“What's not going to work?” Kate asked.

“Look, I'm sure my dad wants me to get in your love story and suddenly discover the spirit of the holidays, but I'm just not a Christmas guy. Fourth of July. Hmm! Ten thousand pounds of crackling explosives up in the air. Now, that is way better than caroling and candy canes,” Jake tells her.

“Who doesn't like candy canes?” Kate asks confounded.

“You're not gonna change me. The Navy is my life. Christmas on a ship is a distraction. End of story.”

"Last night I ran into Dorothy in the mess eating dinner. I finally had the courage to talk to her. She lives in New York City and works as a dance teacher. She's as sweet as can be. But her brother told me Dorothy has a fellow back home. I hope it's not serious, because there is something about her smile that gives me hope for the first time in years."

“Hey! Your mom said I could find you here,” Jake greeted as he joined Kate at one of the various desks in a ready room.

“Yeah. Nice flying today, it was pretty awesome,” Kate told him.

“Thanks. So, any update on our Christmas couple?” he asked.

“Oh, curious, huh?” Kate smirked.

“Hmm. Look, I'm interested in the historical aspect of it,” Jake told her but Kate wasn’t buying it.

“Okay. Well, I ended up reading the journal from the beginning, and it turns out that Jonah did talk to Dorothy. But he just found out she has a man back home, so not really sure how it ends,” Kate tells him.

“Well, I went down to the archives room to see if I could find anything else, and take a look at this,” Jake hands her a turquoise sparkle covered star ornament.

"To Dorothy, 1965. Wonder if Jonah made this for her?” Jake hummed.

“Makes sense. Your dad said there's a senior chief who handles all things Christmas, maybe he could help us,” Kate asked.

“Yeah. But the post office closes at 1800,” Jake tells her after looking at his watch. “That's ten minutes from now.”

Kate stood quickly, putting the journal in her satchel before taking Jake’s hand and pulling him along.

“Senior chief, I found this old ornament in the archives room. We know it's a longshot, but we were wondering if you might know who Dorothy is… Her name's on the back,” Kate asked handing him the ornament.

“Well, 1965, that was the very first Christmas tiger cruise. Looks like it could be from the ornament decorating station. It's a tradition on the cruise. Gosh, I have no idea who Dorothy is, though,” the senior chief told them.

“We think a pilot named Jonah made it for her. We're looking for him too,” Jake added.

“You know, my brother has access to military records. He works for the VA. He just went on vacation today, but he does owe me a favor for decorating his house last year for Christmas,” the senior chief told them.

“Great!” Kate smiled. “What's Jonah's last name?” the senior chief asked.

“Unfortunately, we don't have it,” Kate told him, her face falling.

“Well, that's a tall order of eggnog, but I'll see what I can do,” the senior chief reassured.

“Oh, and this is his journal. There's a picture he drew in here, we think it might be Dorothy,” Kate handed him the drawing.

“A dancer,” the chief clarified.

“You know, some years the uso performers come on the ship for Christmas,” the chief told them. “You think she might have been one of them?” Jake asked.

“Maybe. There's a bunch of photographs and memorabilia down on the quarterdeck,” the chief told them.

“I saw them when we boarded the ship,” Kate nodded.

“Yeah, exactly. You could check there. Meanwhile, I'll give my brother a buzz,” the chief assured.

“Thanks, Nick,” Jake told him.

“Senior chief,” Kate shook his hand.

“Merry Christmas,” the chief called out before they had left the room.

“Wow, these photos are great. This ship has so much history. This could be Dorothy,” Kate pointed to a picture on the wall.

“Sure looks a lot like her. You know, there's a historical building for the Navy in New York City,” Jake told her.

“Yeah? Any chance you want to go with me? I mean, we're docking there tomorrow anyway, so I could call ahead?” she asked.

“Four years at the naval academy to serve on the Christmas version of the love boat,” Jake sighed.

Kate gave him a look.

“Not funny?” he asked. “You know my Dad'll throw me in the brig if I don't go with you.”

Kate grinned. “Great!”

#starset writes #jake seresin x oc #jake seresin fanfiction #hangman top gun #jake hangman seresin #fic:// u.s.s christmas #pre tgm #au

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starset21 · 4 months

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Looking for the other chapters? U.S.S. Christmas Masterlist

Summary: Kate and her family join Jake and his father for dinner with some added company, Kate learns there may be more to just being on the ship with her family.

Chapter 3: Dinner with old friends (and new)

“Ladies, Jackson, welcome. Please, have a seat,” Ron greeted them.

“Oh, my gosh, it looks so beautiful!” Elizabeth complimented.

“Thank you. We take our christmases very seriously on the Polaris,” he grinned.

“How do you decorate something that looks like a rhino in a rainstorm? Not to mention its size. I'm guessing, what… 125 maybe eight-foot Christmas trees laid end to end?” Kate asked.

“Well, I've never quite heard it put that way before,” Ron laughed.

“Kate has quite a way with words sometimes, don't you, darling?” Elizabeth smiled at her daughter.

“Well, the senior chief who runs the post office is in charge of all things Christmas, and he's been here forever,” Ron told her as they took their seats.

“Waste of time if you ask me. Ships are for combat… Not Christmas,” Jake spoke up as he walked in with the woman from the ball from the other door.

“And that is why they start to call him the grinch around Christmas time. Great fighter pilot, but a bit of a Christmas curmudgeon. Oh, forgive my manners. Charlotte, welcome,” Ron greeted.

“Thank you for the invite, Captain,” Charlotte smiled.

“Hmm. This is Elizabeth, Kate, and Jackson. I flew with their father.”

Charlotte nodded. “Nice to meet you all!”

“Charlotte is a successful writer,” Ron told them.

“Oh. What do you write about?” Kate asked.

“Romance. I'm a big traveler, so I find amazing love stories from around the world and turn them into novels,” Charlotte told them.

“Wow, how interesting. You know, I met Jake's mother on a Christmas tiger cruise about 35 years ago,” Ron reminisced.

“Really?” Kate asked.

“Mm-hm. I was a young lieutenant at the time, and Barbara was a college student visiting her brother. How's that for a unique love story?” Ron asked.

“Without the happy ending,” Jake muttered under his breath.

“So your father was looking for Christmas presents for you kids at a flea market in Japan. And he asked the vendor for a doll… Using his best Japanese, of course. Well, she thought he said… "Cat." Well, your father, he was so confused,” Ron told them.

“I remember the little Japanese dolls he got me,” Kate nodded.

“Yeah. He bought you… A kimono, Elizabeth. Pink with flowers, if I recall,” Ron asked her mother and Elizabeth nodded.

“Yeah. He did.”

“It was always your father's mission to find you girls something new and exciting for Christmas. I used to do the same for Jake.”

Jake scoffed. “Most kids find their presents under the tree. Found mine in the mailbox every year.”

Another man in uniform walked in.

“Dan, hey. You made it,” Ron greeted.

“Sorry I missed dinner. I was airborne,” Dan apologized.

“Dan's a pilot, and Charlotte's brother. They're old family friends,” Jake explained.

“Mom said Dan and I needed more quality time together, so here I am on a Navy ship,” Charlotte laughed.

“So you're not…” Kate trailed off.

“Not what? Oh, together? No, no. I love Jake like my own brother. Oh, Dan, that reminds me. We promised mom we'd call her after dinner. I hope you don't mind if we sneak out?” Charlotte asked.

“No, not at all, not at all. Looks like we're finished up anyway,” Ron told her.

“Yeah, I have to work the night shift,” Jackson stood up.

“Oh. Can I come watch you for a bit? Please? I want to see you in action,” Elizabeth asked as she stood too.

“I'd love that, mom. I'll get some coffees to go. Kate, you want to come?” Jackson asked.

“No, I'm kind of tired,” Kate told him and Jackson nodded.

“Thank you so much. It was just perfect,” Elizabeth told Ron as Jackson took her arm to lead her out.

“You're welcome. Uh, Jake, why don't you walk Kate to her stateroom. It's very easy to get lost around here.” Ron told him before leaving the room with Jackson and their mother.

“Looks like it's just the two of us,” Kate rubbed her hands together.

“Can't believe you thought Charlotte was my girlfriend,” Jake teased.

“Well, I mean, first there was the ball, then she showed up at dinner. I think it's a natural assumption.”

“That makes sense. It's just funny 'cause my dad's always telling me that if I don't meet someone, I'm gonna be alone forever,” Jake snickers.

“My brother tells me the same thing. He say he wants me to find lasting love,” Kate laughs and Jake raises a brow. “Jackson wants me to date an officer, which is not gonna happen. Sorry, it's just that military life is not for me,” she elaborated.

“It's not for everyone,” Jake admits.

“It's pretty amazing, though, that your dad met your mom on a Christmas tiger cruise. Does that happen often?” Kate asked him.

“Wouldn't know. I'm not really focused on that kind of thing. I'm just here to fly my jet and serve this country,” Jake shrugged.

“You said something at dinner about it having an unhappy ending. What did you mean?” Kate asked.

“Nothing. It's not important.” The two of them walked in silence for a moment. “This place is like a giant maze.”

Jake nodded. “Twenty stories high and almost as long as the empire state building is tall. Here we are,” he came to a stop in front of a doorway.

“Wow. Thanks for helping me get back.”

Jake offered her his thousand watt smile. “Just call me your top gun tour guide. Staterooms are in there.”

Kate laughed. “Okay, thanks. See you tomorrow?” She asked.

“See you tomorrow,” he confirmed before she turned down the corridor to her stateroom and entered it.

“Captain?”

Ron turned from the navigation screens he was looking at the next morning. “Huh. It's Ron. And come on in, please. Hi, Kate, what can I do for you today?” he asked.

“Well, I was thinking about something you said at dinner last night, about meeting your wife on a Christmas tiger cruise,” Kate started.

“Ah, Christmas 1984, yeah. But I should tell you, Barbara and I got divorced a long time ago,” Ron told her.

“I'm sorry. Jake alluded to something at dinner,” she apologized.

“The divorce was tough on him as a kid,” Ron admitted sadly.

“Well, military life is hard on any family,” Kate sympathized.

“I hear you. But, you know, some couples do figure it out. Barbara and I, we weren't the first ones to fall in love on a tiger cruise, you know,” Ron told Kate.

“Do you happen to know anyone that I could maybe talk to about that?” Kate asked.

“I'd have to ask around. Everybody's kind of all over the place these days.”

Kate nodded. It was understandable. “Thanks. There must be such rich history on this ship,” she remarked.

“Well, if you're interested, we do have an archives room. Photos, records. You might find something in there,” Ron told her.

“I'd love to take a look.” Kate smiled.

“What's this for, anyway? A story?” he asked.

“Maybe, I… I don't really know yet,” Kate told him.

“Well, I'd find it interesting. Tell you what, I'll have Jake take you for a look around. He can help you with anything you need.”

Kate raised a brow. “Sir, do you think he's gonna be okay with that? Romance and Christmas?” Kate asked.

“Honestly... No! But it might do him some good.”

Jake happened to walk in just as his dad finished speaking.

“No. I have flight ops, and we're trying to finish all the maintenance logs before the end of the year. I'm too busy, pops,” Jake told him.

“I'll clear your schedule. You get Kate whatever she needs. That's an order, Lieutenant Seresin!” Ron smirked and shot Kate a wink before shooing them away.

#starset writes #jake seresin x oc #fic:// u.s.s christmas #top gun maverick au #jake hangman seresin #jake seresin fanfiction

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starset21 · 4 months

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Looking for the other chapters? U.S.S. Christmas Masterlist

Summary: Kate agrees to go on the Christmas tiger cruise, will she run into the handsome aviator she met at the ball?

Chapter 2: Departure

“Picasso diner's two best customers, the Wells kids, Merry Christmas.” The siblings are greeted as they walk into the dinner they’d been going to since they were kids.

“Merry Christmas, Sharon,” Kate greeted.

“Your favorite table is available. Here you go,” Sharon handed them the menu’s.

“Thank you,” Jackson told her, offering a smile.

“So, Kate, I read that story this morning about the bank president. He's been in here. Seemed like a good guy,” Sharon lamented.

“Well. Goes to show you never really know what's going on with people,” Kate shrugged.

“That's for sure. And Jackson, I saw the photo that you posted of the Norfolk Christmas lights from your jet. That was absolutely stunning,” Sharon complimented.

“Oh, yeah, that was on my night hop last week,” Jackson told her. “As always, thank you for your service. So, the usual?” Sharon asked.

“Semi crispy bacon and hash browns.”

“And a Chocolate donut with coffee for me,” Jackson added.

“Last one. They went fast today,” Sharon told him before heading off to put in their order.

“You are so lucky,” Kate spoke up after a moment of comfortable silence.

“I know. I don't know what I'd do without my morning sugar fix,” he laughed.

“No, I mean, 'cause you love what you do,” she told him.

“What about you, though? You've loved writing for as long as I can remember,” Jackson’s brow furrowed.

“Yeah. Yeah, I… It's just... I don't know, it's not as much fun as it used to be. Remember when I was in college and I wrote that article about the firefighter who adopted the baby, and it was dropped off at his fire station on Christmas Eve, and he named her Noel?” she asked.

“Oh, yeah, that was such a heartwarming story,” Jackson recalled.

“Now she's ten years old, she's a straight- "a" student, and she just played Mary in her Christmas play, I mean, that firefighter changed her entire life, and… Just wish I could write more stories like that. Especially around the holidays,” Kate told him.

“Yeah, I can understand that.”

Kate looked out the window at the people passing by and sighed. “Maybe I'm just burned out,” she lamented.

“But you had fun at the ball, right?” Jackson asked.

“Yeah, of course. Your fellow Navy people are very nice.” Kate looked at him.

“Did anyone, you know, catch your eye?” he questioned and Kate rolled her eyes.

“Jackson! You are relentless! No! Besides, I mean, come on, you remember what it was like. Every time you and Jordan deployed I was was so worried. I don't know, it's too much for me,” she told him.

“Yeah, but you guys didn't work out because your personalities didn't match,” Jackson pointed out.

“I just don't want to do the military thing. You remember how hard it was on mom,” Kate told him with some finality.

“Yeah, I know,” Jackson sighed. “You could use a break, Kate. Why don't you come on the Christmas tiger cruise?”

Kate shook her head. “No. I told you, I don't want to go, okay, and besides, I have work.”

Jackson deployed his puppy eyes. “The chill of the fresh sea air will help clear your head,” he tried.

“The chill of the air? You mean the freezing air,” Kate laughed. “And honestly, I don't even actually know if I could be away from my phone that long,” she added.

“Maybe that'd be a good thing,” Jackson laughed.

Kate’s phone buzzed several times. “Sorry, it's my boss. Apparently the bank president's brother has now been arrested,” Kate apologized.

“Look, think about it. No breaking news, no annoying texts from your boss. We'll be in the middle of nowhere,” he told her. “And you'll be without mom and me right before Christmas, which is your favorite time of year,” he tempted.

“Okay, now you're just playing hardball,” Kate sighed.

“Do it for us! Come on!” Jackson exclaimed.

“Ohh fine. I suppose I haven't taken even a fraction of my vacation time. So, sure. Yeah. Yeah, okay. I will go on the tiger cruise. I'll just tell Mr. Carmichael he has to deal,” Kate gave in and Jackson grinned.

“Yay! That's amazing!”

Kate put her head in her hands. “Ohh, it's gonna be freezing,” she lamented as Sharon came back with their food.

“Oh, wow, look!” Kate exclaimed as they walked up the ramp to board the ship.

“Oh! Your dad used to tell me that they decorated the ship for Christmas, but I had no idea it was this gorgeous,” her mother fawned.

“Hi, tigers! I'm Jackson, I'll be your cruise director,” her brother came over, dressed in his khaki uniform.

“Oh, get over here! Hey, honey,” their mother opened her arms for a hug.

“Hi,” Kate greeted him, bringing him in to a hug when their mother let him go.

“I'm so glad you came,” he tells her.

“So, where's my little fruity drink with the umbrella on it?” Kate teased.

“Would you be okay to settle for eggnog and a Christmas feast with all the trimmings?” Jackson asked.

“Wells family!”

The family turned to see Ron Kerner approaching them.

“Ron, Thank you so much for hosting us,” their mother greeted.

“It's an honor, Elizabeth. I'm so glad you changed your mind Kate,” he smiled at her.

“Thanks for making it happen.”

“Oh, here he is. Just the man I wanted you to meet. Lieutenant Jake Seresin. One of my finest f-18 pilots, and I don't say that just because he happens to be my son. Jake, this is Elizabeth and Kate. You remember, I served with Sam Wells,” Ron told him.

“Yes, of course!”

“I knew you when you were this high,” Elizabeth reminisced.

“Well, nice to see you again,” Jake told her mother before turning to Kate.

“And nice seeing you. Again. Didn't know our fathers flew together or that you're Wiz's sister,” Jake raised a brow.

“You two know each other?” Jackson, her mom and Ron all asked.

“We met at the Christmas ball,” Jake explained.

“The wine incident,” Kate whispered to Jackson.

“Would you guys like to join us for dinner tonight?” Ron asked.

“Yes, thanks! We'd love to!” her mom exclaimed.

“Great. I'll see you at 1800 hours,” Ron smiled before he and Jake walked away.

“Let's get you checked in, get you to your stateroom,” Jackson took the ladies bags and led them away.

“This is it. Watch your head,” Jackson told them as he led them over to his jet on the deck. Lt. Jackson Wells, "Wizard", was painted on the side of it.

“Someone figured out that dad’s callsign was Merlin and decided to tell, the crew decided to chose something close to it,” Jackson told them.

“Oh, honey, that is so sweet!” their mother cooed.

“Call signs aren't supposed to be sweet, mom. The other pilots choose 'em. But I got pretty lucky. They can call me Wiz any day. He's the whole reason I became a pilot,” Jackson smiled.

“Attention, tigers. The USS Polaris is now departing. Happy sailing, everyone!” The intercom clicked off.

#starset writes #jake seresin x oc #jake seresin fanfiction #hangman top gun #fic:// u.s.s christmas #pre top gun maverick #jake hangman seresin

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starset21 · 4 months

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Looking for the next chapter? U.S.S. Christmas Masterlist

Summary: She’s on her way to a Christmas ball to meet her brother Jackson, a fighter pilot in the Navy. There, she spots a certain blonde, tall drink of water with gold wings clad in full dress uniform waiting at the bar.

Chapter 1: The Christmas Ball

“Oh, my. I feel like I should be standing at attention,” Kayleigh whispered to her brother.

“Relax, Kate. Even the most disciplined sailors know how to have fun. You just wait until this dance floor fills up. I'll go get our table number.”

Kate took a deep breath. “Okay. I'll get drinks,” she told him before walking over to the open bar.

“Hi. A red wine and a whiskey neat, please,” she ordered. The bartender got to work quickly and was handing them to her within a minute. “Thank you so much,” she handed him a 5-dollar tip before taking them and turning around only to run smack into a woman wearing white, effectively spilling her red wine over the white fabric.

“I'm so sorry!” she gasped, turning and setting the drinks down and picking up a towel to hand to the woman.

“We have literally been here for three minutes,” the woman complained.

“I- i-i-i-i'm… I'm gonna get your dress dry-cleaned. Actually, you know what? I'm gonna go get you a new dress. I'm gonna actually go to the mall right now,” Kate rambled on.

“I finally found a flattering white dress… Of course, this happens,” the woman mutters.

“I'm so sorry. I feel terrible,” she apologizes. “It's... fine. Accidents happen. If you'll excuse me, I am headed to the restroom.”

The woman leaves, leaving Kate with the handsome stranger.

“I'm so sorry,” she apologizes again.

“Red wine, the enemy of flattering white dresses everywhere,” the handsome blonde quipped.

“Yeah. It's a fashion emergency if I've ever seen one,” Kate muttered embarrassed.

“She'll survive. Although you might want to have your date grab your drinks for you next time,” he suggested.

“Oh, no, I'm not…” she trailed off when another man patted the handsome blonde on the shoulder.

“Hangman! Long time no see, buddy.” The two men speak for a moment.

“I better get back to my date,” Kate tells the man. “It was nice meeting you,” he tells her before she walks off.

“Kate! Over here,” her brother calls out, standing with a familiar face.

“Merry Christmas! It's so good to see you again,” the older man greeted and opened his arms for a hug.

“It's good to see you too, Captain Kerner,” Kate hugged him.

“No, no, no, you're a civilian. No formalities. It’s Ron or Slider... I cannot believe how grown up you are, I haven't seen you since your Dad's funeral.”

Kate nodded. “Yeah. You gave such a beautiful speech, sir.”

“Thank you. Sam was one of the finest RIOs and a great wingman out at sea,” he complimented.

“Yeah, he was the best,” Jackson chimed in.

“He would have been proud of you two. Your stories in the paper, Kate, and, of course, you following in his footsteps on the Polaris, Jackson,” Ron told them.

“It's my honor to serve, sir,” Jackson smiled.

“It's a shame, however, that you didn't sign up for the Christmas tiger cruise along with your mom this year. You could have seen your brother in action,” Ron told Kate.

“I just have so much work right now. Big stories percolating,” she countered.

“A chance to watch Jackson launch a $65 million jet off the deck of a carrier, why, that's a big story,” Ron laughed. “Not to mention we're gonna make a stop in New York City this year,” he added after a pause.

“Isn't it too late, sir? The cruise leaves Norfolk day after tomorrow,” Jackson asked.

“We carry 6,000 people on the ship. I think we can find an extra bunk for Kate,” Ron patted him on the back.

“Kate?” he asks.

“Well, thank you, really, for the offer, but it's just so last-minute with Christmas being ten days away,” She tells the older man.

“Well, the offer is there if you change your mind,” Ron told her with a smile.

“Sir!” A younger service member approached them. “Ah, yes. If you'll excuse me? It was great catching up.”

“You know Captain Kerner is my boss, right?” Jackson muttered to Kate as the older man walked away. “Like, my big boss?” he stressed.

“Yeah, I know. I'm not interested in going on a tiger cruise, okay? I didn't want to go when we were little, I don't really want to go now,” she told him.

“I get it. Now, the more important question is, where are those drinks?” he asked her.

“Oh, um…” Kate trailed off.

“Isn't that your shawl?” Jackson asks, his eyes following the woman she had spilled wine on. Kate nodded. “Who is that, anyway?” He looked at his sister.

“I don't know. I had a little bit of an accident at the bar. Some guy actually told me to have my date get the drinks next time,” she tells him, hanging her head in embarrassment.

“From the looks of that woman's dress, maybe you should have got the Merlot?” Jackson teased.

“Affirmative,” Kate sighed.

“Come on,” Jackson offered her an arm and led her to the table where they caught up on each other's lives.

“Oh, it's Jenny. I'm gonna grab this,” Jackson told her, grabbing his phone and standing.

Kate nodded and yawned. “I know the military can be stiff… But are we really that boring?” Hangman, the handsome stranger from earlier approached.

“Sorry, it's just… It's been a long day,” Kate tells him.

“There's your shawl. Solo again?” he asks as she takes the shawl from him.

“Thank you. What about you? Is your date okay?” Kate asks.

“She's a little traumatized.”

Kate’s cheeks flushed. “Seriously?” she lamented.

“She likes things to be… Just right,” he told her.

“Oh. A good match for you, then.”

Hangman raised a brow. “Based on...?” he questioned.

“I just know most military officers are meticulous,” Kate told him.

“I can be pretty easygoing. Spontaneous, even,” he countered.

“There you are. Your tie's a little crooked, Jake,” the woman in white came up to him and fiddled with his tie. The lieutenant mouths sorry to Kate before being led away by his date.

“Is Jenny okay?” Kate asked when Jackson returned to the table.

“She's good. She'll be back tomorrow. Look, I'm real glad you came with me tonight,” he told her.

“Me too,” Kate smiled.

“Ladies and gentlemen, excuse me. May I have your attention, please? The captain would like to say a few words.”

Ron steps forward. “Thank you, Commander. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Captain Ron Kerner, skipper of the USS Polaris, and I want to wish you all happy holidays and thank you for coming to the Navy Christmas ball. Now, as you know, while the Navy is not about self, but country, I look around this room tonight and I see so many fine men and women who make incredible sacrifices for this nation every day. And I'm not just talking about the sailors, but those who love them, as well. My apologies… I know we're not an easy bunch. And I can't wait to host your families on the Christmas tiger cruise. It's always exciting to me when they get to see what an incredible job you do on the ship. So during this holiday season, be thankful for family and for this fine country. Raise your glasses in a toast. To the Navy!” he cheered.

“To the Navy!” Everyone repeated.

“Merry Christmas,” he finished before the music began once more.

#starset writes #jake seresin x oc #fic:// u.s.s christmas #jake seresin fanfiction #jake hangman seresin #hangman top gun #top gun au

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starset21 · 4 months

Text

Chapter 8: Christmas

Looking for the other chapters? U.S.S. Christmas Masterlist

A/N: OMG its the final chapter (officially 👀)! This story is heavily inspired by the hallmark movie of the same title and is very self-indulgent. I'm also trying a different format than I'm used to using.

Summary: It's Christmas! Will everything work out?

“Looks so good. I'm starving,” Jackson mentioned as he helped his mom in the kitchen.

“Would you wait, please?” Elizabeth chided before they both turned to the doorway where they had heard it open and close.

“Oh, Kate, you made it!” her mom exclaims.

“Yeah! Of course, no article's gonna keep me away from my family on Christmas Eve.”

“How'd it turn out?” Jackson asked.

“Oh, beautifully, thanks to the Williams,” Kate set her things down.

“I am proud of you,” Elizabeth tells her.

“Thanks, mom,” Kate smiles.

“Let's dig in before it gets cold!” Jackson exclaimed. Both of the Wells women rolled their eyes at him before dishing the food and eating. After they were done Kate and her mom remained in the kitchen doing the dishes.

“Did you tell Jake about the article?” her mom asks.

“No, but he came by my work the other day,” Kate told her.

“Really? What'd he want?” she asks.

“To see me again.”

“I think you should.” Elizabeth looked at her daughter, who had set down the last dish in the cabinet.

“Mom, can I ask you something?” Elizabeth nodded.

“Did you ever think about what your future would be like with dad? In the beginning?” Kate asked.

“No. I just knew that I really liked him. Pretty soon… I loved him. You know, I never told you this before, but I broke off my engagement with your father.”

Kate’s brows furrowed. “What?”

“Mm-hm. The military thing. It scared me too,” she told her.

“Really?” Kate asked.

“Mm. But as hard as I tried to fight it, I knew he was the one. So... I flew to Japan to surprise him,” Elizabeth told her. “Are you serious?”

“Mm-hm. And he proposed again. In front of this beautiful temple. And it was perfect… Romantic… Mostly, I think, because that time… I knew it was forever.”

“I had no idea.”

“It was hard being apart. But we had this... connection, whether he was a thousand miles away or next to me at the dinner table,” Elizabeth reminisced.

“Yeah, but all his deployments, I mean, it was hard on us, I can only imagine what it was like for you, raising two kids practically alone,” Kate contemplated.

“Yeah. It was hard. But honey, don't you get it? He gave me you kids, and you were the best thing that ever happened to us. And you, Kate. Oh, you were the light of his life.”

“He lost his life too soon because of his job, though,” Kate said sadly.

“A job that he loved. He cared so much about protecting this country. A life of service, Kate. That's something to be proud of.”

Later that night Kate decided she should try talking to Jake again, so she called the number her mother had written down for his house. “Hello?” Ron picked up the phone.

“Hi, Captain Kerner. It's Kate.”

“Kate! Hey, Merry Christmas. Everything okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, um, sorry to bother you, but I was calling to see if Jake was there?”

Ron looked over to where his son was sitting on the couch opposite of him. Jake shook his head. “Oh, Jake, yeah, he's, um… He's... well, actually, he's... he's not available at the moment,” Ron told her.

“Oh. Um… Well, can you tell him to read the paper tomorrow and that I'll be at Picasso's diner at 10:00 if he wants to talk?” she asked.

“I'll pass that along, hon. You enjoy your Christmas, Kate,” Ron tells her.

“You too,” she tells him before hanging up and sighing.

“He's... not available? Mom, what does that even mean?” Kate asked as she went downstairs and collapsed onto the couch beside her mom.

“Well, maybe he's just busy. It is Christmas Eve,” Elizabeth tells her logically.

“Yeah, maybe. Mom, you want to tell me some more stories about dad?” she asks.

“I'd love to.”

“Bye! Thanks! And merry Christmas!” Kate yelled to the paperboy as she collected the paper.

“Mom?” she called out as she came in.

“Mm! I'm in here!” Her mom exclaimed from the living room.

“Hey, merry Christmas!” Kate called.

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”

“Look. Here it is,” she handed her mom the newspaper.

“That's it? Oh, Kate! I can't wait to read it. Where's my glasses?” Elizabeth asked.

“They're right here,” Kate handed them to her mom. “Thank you.”

“I'll get the coffee started,” Jackson grumbled as he came down the stairs.

Meanwhile at the Seresin/Kerner residence. "Hi," Jake greeted as he wiped some sleep out of his eyes.

"Merry Christmas, son."

"Merry Christmas, pops."

Ron didn't see a need to beat around the bush so he jumped straight into business, handing him the newspaper. "I think you need to read her article. She may have had a… Change of heart."

"Thanks, pops. Sure."

"I grew up as a Navy brat, and I loved my father, but I always resented that his job took him away from us. Last week I took an unexpected cruise of a lifetime. There were no midnight buffets or pool parties on the lido deck. It was a chilly Christmas tiger cruise aboard the U.S.S Polaris. While I was there, I discovered a special couple who changed the way I see love, family and the military. Jonah and Dorothy Williams love story is extraordinary…"

Jake read through the rest of the article quickly and when he was done he carefully set it down on the table in front of him.

"Good article, right?"

"Amazing article. I gotta hand it to Kate, she found an incredible love story," Jake told his father.

"And what about your own story?" Ron asked.

"Pops, you mind if I...?" Jake trailed off.

"Go."

"Christmas cappuccinos on the patio. Perfect," Kate sighed as the finished up their family morning at Picasso's.

"This is the perfect Christmas. We're all together, and your future award-winning story has just been published. Yay!" Jackson exclaimed and Kate laughed.

"Thanks, Jackson." Kate couldn't help but glance around, looking for that familiar head on blonde hair.

"Honey, if it's meant to be," Elizabeth tells her softly and Kate takes a deep breath before nodding.

"All right, shall we get this show on the road?" Jenny, Jackson's girlfriend of 2 years asked, standing up.

"Yeah, let's go." The family all stood up and pushed in their chairs.

"Hey, Jake," Jackson spoke up, causing Kate to look up from where she was gathering her things.

"Merry Christmas, Jake," Elizabeth tells him as the family gives Kate a knowing look and beginning to walk away.

"Merry Christmas," he tells them as they offer him a smile and continue on their way, leaving Kate behind.

"So I, uh, read your article. You learned a lot from your time in the Navy," he teased.

"Four whole days. But, you know, with the tight quarters, it was more like four weeks, military time," Kate shrugged.

"You know, I knew there was something special about you from the time I laid my eyes on you at the ball," Jake told her, stepping a little bit closer.

"Spilling wine?" she laughed. "Jake, I... I've never met anyone like you. You're... meticulous, spontaneous… Serious, but fun, and… And so handsome in a uniform."

"Handsome, huh?" he raised a brow.

"Uh-huh. And I got something for you. I, um… I got it at the Christmas train show."

"Oh… Thank you. Feel like I'm six years old again back at that train show. You know, you've made me happier than I've been in years. I have something for you too. Here.”

His lips brushed hers, soft and warm. He withdrew some and watched her.

"That’s it?" Kate demanded, and he laughed and kissed her fiercely.

“It's perfect.”

"Wanna dance?" Jake asked as the song playing over the outdoor speaker changed.

"I'd love to. Merry Christmas, Lieutenant."

"Merry Christmas, Kate."

#starset writes #jake seresin x oc #jake seresin fanfiction #jake hangman seresin #hangman top gun #fic:// u.s.s christmas #jake seresin #pre tgm #top gun maverick au #au

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