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a-porcelain-gir1 · 4 months

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The Danger Zone (Part 17) - Hangman

Pairing: Hangman / Fem!Bradshaw!Reader | OC

Word Count: 5.0k

This work, all my works, and my entire blog are 18+ ONLY.

Warnings: Unplanned Pregnancy; Military Inaccuracies; Medical Inaccuracies; Crying; Fluff; Talk of Marriage; Angst; Use of "You," No Use of Y/N, No Set Physical Description

Summary: Jake gets his orders.

Series Master List

Master List

It was deathly quiet in Cyclone’s office and the only sound that Jake registered was his heart beating out of his chest. Slowly closing the folder, Jake turned back to Cyclone, who remained sitting with an impassive expression behind his desk.

“I’m sorry, Hangman,” Cyclone replied quietly, his tone genuine. “There was nothing that I could do.”

Cyclone had been in Hangman’s position before. Twice, actually. And he didn’t relish in handing any man or woman orders that would take them away from their family. Especially during such an important time. But that came with the industry that they signed up for.

“I was expecting it, sir.”

And that roughly translated to: of course, they wouldn’t let me finally be happy

“Still, I am sorry. I’ve been in your position before and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone else.”

“Do you know how long I’ll be away?” Jake asked quietly, holding onto a tiny thread of hope.

“Anywhere from two to eight months. Most likely, somewhere in the middle.”

You were about six and a half months pregnant now. If he made it back in two months, he could be there for the birth of your child. But Jake knew from experience that he probably wouldn’t be home by then. And what if the baby came early? He’d be cutting it extremely close if he was lucky.

Worst-case scenario, he would return home to you when the baby was almost six months old. Six months. He would miss your baby growing and learning all about the world around them. He’d come home and the baby would already almost be halfway to a full year old. He’d miss so many milestones, so many little triumphs.

“Am I excused, sir?”

“Yes, of course. Take the days before you deploy and spend them with your family.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Slowly walking out to his truck with the most defeated feeling of his life, Jake slipped into the driver’s seat of his truck. He just sat there for a minute, processing the news, and trying to get his emotions under control.

But once the tears started falling, there was nothing that he could do to stop them.

Resting his head on his fist, Hangman let a batch of tears of complete and utter frustration slip down his cheeks. He slammed his fist onto the steering wheel of his truck before the fight left his body and he slumped against the steering wheel, letting more tears slip down his cheeks.

How the hell was he going to break the news to you?

~~~~~

The lights were on in your apartment when Jake pulled into the parking lot. He took the key out of the ignition and slowly slid out of his truck. Staring up at the window that showed into your living room, he took a moment to gather himself before heading inside.

From the outside, you could be seen smiling to yourself, making dinner for the two of you. Your growing and prominent bump was covered by one of Jake’s tee shirts and you wore his ring on your finger proudly. The joy on your features only multiplied when you heard the door unlock and Jake step inside.

As you hurried to wipe your hands on a towel, Jake set his bag down, and tried to push his emotions aside when he heard your footsteps. And when you came hurrying around the corner, his smile was pained as you ran up to him.

“We got the house!” you yelled, causing Jake’s mind to shift for a moment. “They took our second offer!”

“Really?” Jake breathed out as you nodded, practically bursting with excitement.

“We bought a house!”

Jake held out his arms and quickly pulled you close to his chest, his mind still on the news that he had to break to you.

The kiss that you initiated was light-hearted and celebratory, full of playful little pecks. But the kiss that Jake returned was one of deep-seated emotion, like he was afraid that you were going to disappear right in front of him. He held you firmly, his arms enveloping your figure and cradling your bump with every touch of protective energy that he possessed in his body.

You pulled back, your brows furrowed, as you cupped his cheeks with your hands. Staring into his eyes, you rubbed your thumbs along his cheeks.

“Jake, what’s wrong?”

From the outside, Jake could be seen leading you over to the couch and sitting you down. He forced himself to gather his courage as you looked at him with concern. Letting out a breath, he turned back to you and finally broke the news.

As he slowly explained the situation, your expression started to change. There was a flash of fear that built and built until a defeated, frustrated look drew your gaze down to your lap. Jake leaned over, whispering soft words until you picked your head up. Forcing a smile to assure Jake that you were alright, you couldn’t help the tears that started slipping down your cheeks.

Jake wiped them away with his thumb, starting to cry again himself. The two of you shared another kiss before Jake pulled you into his lap. Curling against his chest, you dug your fingers into his shirt, trying to hold in the sobs that were crawling out of your throat. Jake rested his head on top of your own, whispering all kinds of words of reassurance that neither of you truly believed in.

He had been in this industry since he was eighteen. You grew up around the Navy.

And you knew what this would mean for your family.

The two of you sat there, locking in embrace, as the sun started to slip below the horizon. Jake rested his arm around your bump, hoping that your baby would still be there when he returned. He’d never forgive himself if he missed the birth of your child. Especially if anything went wrong.

He would never forgive himself.

The sun had completely set when you finally uncurled yourself from Jake’s chest. Sitting up, you brushed your hand through his hair a few times, causing him to close his eyes for a moment. Jake slowly opened his green eyes, the eyes that you quite honestly pictured your baby inheriting, when you removed your hand from his head.

“We have a few days,” you whispered, your voice cracking with emotion as you tried to find the good in the situation. There wasn’t much to be found, and you were really trying your best to not start crying all over again. “What did you want to do with them?”

“Spend every minute with the two of you.”

“Anything more specific?” you teased him, trying to smile though Jake couldn’t seem to return it. “You want to take a trip or go shopping for some more baby stuff or . . .?”

You trailed off, trying to think of something else when Jake gently grabbed your hand. You looked down as he slowly turned your wrist over and ran his thumb over your engagement ring. Sharing a look with Jake, you felt another batch of tears start to form.

“I know you mentioned wanting to wait until after the baby was born because it would just be too chaotic to think about now . . . but—”

“—Yes,” you agreed quickly. “I’ll marry you, Jake.”

He offered you a genuinely touched smile, a different batch of tears coming to his eyes. You wiped them away while you shed some of your own before pulling him in for a soft, loving kiss. And Jake could only pull you closer, savoring one of his last opportunities to do so. Breaking away a few moments later, you flashed him a painful smile.

“I guess I should find a dress.”

~~~~~

Sitting with your head in your hands at Bradley and Emma’s kitchen table, you tried to not let your stress show. Everyone was giving you looks like they were waiting for you to finally break and you just frankly did not have the time.

You were marrying Jake that afternoon and you didn’t have a wedding dress to get married in.

The day before the two of you had run around like crazy people, making sure that all of the necessary documents were being prepared for the closing of your house. Then you spent time at his lawyer’s office, signing off on wills and other documents to protect yourselves and the baby while Jake was away. And you did a fair amount of crying along the way and so here you were, still without a dress.

“I just don’t know where I’m going to find a white dress that fits me in time,” you told Penny, picking your head up from your hands.

“We’ll figure something out,” she assured you, squeezing your shoulder. “Maybe we can find a dress down at one of the department stores in town.”

“And what if we don’t find something?”

“We’ll find something,” Emma said from your other side. “You’ll have a white dress for this wedding.”

“What about this one?” Bradley called, causing the three of you to turn to him.

Your brother held up the vacuum sealed bag that contained your mother’s wedding dress from her own wedding in 1983. It used to sit in your apartment closet, up until you moved in with Jake and were pretty much forced to hand it over to Bradley since you didn’t have any space in the apartment.

After your mom’s death, you knew that you would incorporate her dress into your own in some way. Perhaps with a bit of fabric. Or you would borrow the veil. Something small that would have her with you on your special day, but also not holding you back with eighties fashion.

You never really pictured actually getting married in your mom’s wedding dress.

For one thing, there was the little detail that your mom was over five months pregnant when she married your dad.

Apparently, shotgun weddings and unplanned pregnancies ran in the family.

Walking over to your brother, you inspected your mother’s wedding dress a little closer. It was fitted at the bust, but even with the slight cinch at the hips, the fabric was loose. It had to be. Bradley’s fat ass had to be accommodated. The skirt was a bit full, but nothing crazy. The bodice was covered in delicate lace and it had the distinct puffy sleeves from the eighties.

“Mom’s dress,” you said quietly, turning to your brother. “You think I should wear Mom’s dress?”

“It’s the only suggestion I have,” Bradley replied softly. And when he saw a flash of doubt in your eyes, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I just don’t want to ruin it,” you replied, running your fingers along it.

“You’re not going to ruin it,” Bradley assured you, causing you to turn back to him. “She always said that she would have married Dad in a potato sack. She didn’t care about the dress. She just wanted to get married, that was all.”

“She never cared about any of that,” you agreed, sniffling a bit. Wiping your tears away, you croaked out, “I just wish she was here.”

Bradley pulled you in for a tight brotherly hug that you quickly returned. Emma carefully took the dress from Bradley’s hand, letting him properly hug you. You held onto your brother and sobbed, your promise to yourself about not breaking down falling to little pieces at your feet.

It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair how Jake got called up for deployment when you were nearing your third trimester. It wasn’t fair how the two of you had to cobble together some random ceremony at the last minute. It wasn’t fair how you couldn’t have your parents at your wedding. It wasn’t fair how you could have your baby without Jake by your side for months.

And it all just came rushing out as your big brother protectively hugged you in the middle of his kitchen.

“It’s going to be alright,” he told you, sharing a worried look with Emma. “You’ll see.”

“I’ve lost enough. I just wanted to win this one time, Brad,” you sobbed, causing your brother to start to tear up too. “I just wanted him here for a few more months. That’s all I needed.”

“I know, I know,” he told you, rubbing your back. “It’s going to be alright.”

The two of you stood there for a few moments, maybe even minutes as you cried and Bradley tried his best to comfort you.

“And Mom and Dad aren’t here to walk me down the aisle,” you continued on, sniffling repeatedly.

“I cried about that too, on my wedding day,” Bradley told you quietly, voice thick with emotion. “But they’re both here. And they both wouldn’t want you to cry like this on your wedding day.”

“I know,” you whispered, wiping your tears away.

Giving your brother another hug, you stepped back and turned to see Penny, Emma, and Sarah, who had come in while you were crying to Bradley, standing there, waiting for you.

“So, do you want to wear your mom’s dress?” Emma asked softly, holding it up for you.

“Yeah,” you agreed with a small smile, wiping some more tears away. “I’ll wear my mom’s wedding dress.”

Penny walked over and gave you a tight hug before leading you over to the guest bedroom with Sarah and Emma trailing after the two of you.

“We’ll get you fitted into the dress and while Sarah’s sewing it up, you hop in the shower and get all of the tears and snot off of your face and then we’ll really start getting you ready, alright?”

~~~~~

“. . . and that was how I met your mom,” Jake recorded his own voice, sitting in your shared apartment.

With you at Bradley and Emma’s house to get ready, Jake was taking the opportunity to put together a little gift for you. He ordered a set of headphones for your bump and now he was recording little messages to your baby.

Saving that message, Jake was about to start another one when there was a knock on the door. He got up from his seat and walked over, letting Javy in. Just like him, Javy was dressed in his dress whites and he offered Jake a smile of condolence as he walked into the apartment.

“How’re you doing?”

“I’ve been recording messages. For the baby,” Jake replied softly, shutting the door. “For her to play when I’m deployed.”

“How many do you have now?”

“Six,” Jake stated, showing Javy his phone. “I’m hoping to record a few more before I leave.”

“I’m sorry, Jake,” Javy stated quietly, trying to not let defeat enter his tone. Jake’s expression already had too much of it for Javy’s taste. “You should get to be there. And there’s still a chance, but this isn’t fair and you have the right to be pissed about it.”

“I’m not even angry anymore. I’m just . . . depressed,” Jake returned quietly. “And I’m worried about her. I’m terrified that this is going to push her into early labor or hurt the baby or something like that.”

“We’ve already passed around a sign up sheet,” Javy told Jake, who looked at his best friend with a measure of confusion. “Every day, at least one of us is going to stop by and spend time with her. Check on her. Help her with anything that she needs help with. Make sure that she and the baby are alright. She’s not going to be left here alone.”

Jake nodded slowly, tears threatening to fall. He bit his lip, trying to hold it in, but when Javy pulled him into a tight hug, Jake let a few fall.

“I’m so sorry, Jake,” Javy repeated sorrowfully.

Straightening up after a few solemn moments, the two aviators collected themselves before Javy put on a brave face for his best friend. Looking around the apartment, Javy turned back to Jake.

“So, you got the rings?”

“Yeah, we bought them yesterday,” Jake replied, walking over to your bedroom.

He pulled out a fabric bag and handed it over to Javy, who opened it and dropped the rings into his hand. To match your engagement ring, the two of you bought silver wedding bands. They were simple, traditional wedding bands, but when Jake got back, the two of you were already discussing getting something engraved on the inside of them.

But right now, the most important fact was that the two of you got married today. All the other details could come later.

“Anything else that you’re supposed to bring?” Javy asked, handing the bag back to Jake. “You got all of the paperwork?”

“Right here,” Jake replied, picking up a folder from the kitchen counter. “I’m just waiting for the text to start heading down there.”

“Go record your messages to your kid then. I’m going to call Nat,” Javy told Jake before heading out of the apartment.

Pulling out his phone, Javy pressed Phoenix’s contact and held the phone to his ear as he walked over to the stairwell. After a few rings, Phoenix picked up the call.

“Hey, you at Jake’s?” she answered quietly.

“Yeah, I am.”

“How is he?”

“He’s fucking broken, Nat,” Javy sighed, rubbing his face. “I’ve never seen him look this defeated before.” After a pause, Javy asked, “How’s she doing? Did you make it to Rooster and Emma’s place?”

“They’re doing some quick alterations to her dress. And Emma is doing her hair and makeup right now. So, we’ll probably be heading out within an hour.” Phoenix took a moment before adding, “She’s trying to pretend like she’s okay but Rooster said that she had a bit of a breakdown earlier.”

“But she’s okay now?”

“Physically, yeah, she’s fine. Emotionally, I’m worried. But Penny’s keeping a close eye on her.”

“I just feel so bad for them.”

“I know, me too,” Phoenix replied softly. “Where’s Jake now?”

“Don’t tell her because I’m pretty sure that he wants to make it a surprise, but he’s recording messages to their baby for her to play while he’s gone.”

“Jesus Christ,” Phoenix sighed, shaking her head. “I can’t believe that he has to leave tomorrow. They can’t even fully enjoy their wedding night.”

“I know,” Javy sighed, glancing down the hall at your and Jake’s apartment. “I’m going to go check on him again. Text me when you guys are heading down to Town Hall.”

“Yeah, I’ll let you know.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

~~~~~

You sat in Emma and Bradley’s bathroom as Emma applied some eyeshadow to your eyelids. She had already braided your hair into a simple updo with some help from Phoenix before working on your makeup.

“Alright, no more crying, okay?” Emma stated as she pulled out your eyeliner and mascara. “Once this is on your face, no more tears.”

“I’ll try my best,” you returned quietly.

Closing your eyes as Emma applied your eyeliner, you could hear the sound of footsteps down the hall. When Emma told you that you could open your eyes, you turned your head to see Maverick standing at the entrance to the bathroom. He was already in his dress whites and offered you a supportive smile.

“Hey, Mav,” you called to him before Emma turned your head to apply your mascara.

“How’re you feeling?”

“Like I’m tired of everyone asking me that question,” you replied, causing a small smile to crack at Maverick’s lips.

“Did you find something to wear?”

“I’m wearing Mom’s dress,” you replied, turning back to him after Emma removed the mascara brush. “Sarah and Penny are fixing it up quickly right now in the guest room.”

“You’re wearing your mom’s dress?”

“With a few alterations. I had the sleeves cut off,” you explained, causing Maverick to nod slowly. “But it actually fits pretty well. Turns out that my baby at almost seven months is about the same size as Bradley when he was five months.”

“He was a big baby,” Maverick replied, missing Emma’s wince.

“You think that she ever pictured me walking down the aisle in it?” you asked Maverick as Emma finished up with your eye makeup.

“She was probably hoping that you’d get married first and pregnant second.”

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” you returned with a shrug of your shoulders, causing you and Maverick to share a quiet laugh.

“Well, Phoenix bought you a bouquet. And are you wearing a veil?”

“No, it was just another thing to worry about.”

“Then that should be everything. Do you need anything else before I start rounding everyone up?” Maverick inquired, straightening up.

“Yeah, actually.”

“What is it?”

“Can you help walk me down the aisle?” you asked him, causing Maverick to freeze.

“Of course, I will,” Maverick promised you.

Emma stepped aside and you slowly stood up to accept Maverick’s tight hug. You returned it, trying not to cry, but Maverick let a few tears slip from his eyes for the both of you. He slowly pulled away, holding you at arm’s length.

It was hard to believe that the little girl who he remembered learning how to walk, who asked him to help put her tiara on properly, was now pregnant and getting married. Goose’s little girl was all grown up. Carole’s little girl was all grown up.

And Maverick knew that he was going to cry about it.

“You’re going to make such a beautiful bride.”

“Thanks, Mav,” you returned, pulling him in for another tight hug.

“Alright,” Maverick sniffled, slowly releasing you. He quickly dried some tears before stepping out of the bathroom. “I’m going to go and make sure that everyone’s where they’re supposed to be and leave you to finish getting ready.”

“Bye, Mav.”

You waited for him to go before turning back to Emma, who put the final touches on your makeup. Dabbing your lip color a bit more, she smiled and stepped back.

“There, you’re all set. Let’s get you dressed.”

~~~~~

Bradley drove you down to Town Hall in the Bronco because it just felt like the proper send off. Accepting his hand, the two of you started walking up to the building. Turning to your brother with a nervous smile as you linked your arms together, you poked him in the side.

“Can I ask you something, Brad?”

“Of course, I’ll act as your getaway driver,” he joked, helping you up the stairs.

“Actually, will you help walk me down the aisle?” you asked him, causing him to pause for a moment. “I asked Maverick to walk me too, but I have two arms.”

“You’re sure that you want me to walk you down?” Bradley questioned, turning back to the stairs. “I mean, I know I wasn’t the most supportive of you and Jake in the past. And I just offered to be your getaway driver.”

“I know, but I want you to walk me down. You’re my big brother, Brad.”

“Are you trying to get me to cry?” Rooster jokingly asked, refusing to look over at you, because he knew that he would actually start crying if he did. “But, of course, I’ll help walk you down the aisle. I promised you when we were kids, didn’t I?”

“You did.”

Maverick met the two of you up at the top of the stairs. You looped your other arm through his own and shared smiles with your family before the three of you walked inside Town Hall. They led you through the building and to the ceremony room. Standing in front of the big doors, you took a moment to gather yourself.

“You ready?” Maverick asked you softly, causing you to smile and nod.

“I’m ready.”

The doors opened and you turned forward to see Jake waiting there for you, dressed in his immaculate dress whites, looking like a dream. There was a small crowd of friends and family, but the two of you were only focused on each other.

You offered Jake a small smile, letting a few tears drip down that you’d held in for the sake of your makeup. Jake rubbed his chin, trying desperately not to cry himself, but there you were, dressed in a white dress, looking like a goddess with your prominent baby bump where your shared child was growing.

And he started silently sobbing himself.

Reaching the end of the aisle, you accepted kisses on your cheeks from both Bradley and Mav before Jake gently took your hand into his own. The two of you stepped up onto the very small stage and faced each other as the officiant began the short service.

You reached up and wiped Jake’s tears away with your hands and as you tried not to cry too many of your own. The two of you repeated your vows clearly and without hesitation as you slipped your wedding bands onto each other’s fingers. Holding hands in front of your closest friends and family, you smiled widely as the officiant got to the end.

“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may—”

Jake’s lips pressed against your own before the officiant even finished his sentence. You smiled into the kiss and wrapped your arms around his shoulders as your friends and family cheered for the two of you.

“I love you,” you told Jake as he broke away and rested his forehead against your own.

“I love you too,” he returned softly, stealing another kiss. “My wife.”

~~~~~

“I have a wedding present for you,” you told Jake that night as the two of you laid in bed.

You rolled to the end of your bed and slowly got up, walking over to your dresser. Jake sat up from his own spot, watching you curiously.

“You had time to get me something?”

“I picked it up yesterday.”

Pulling out a simple plain white envelope, you walked over to Jake’s side and sat down beside him. Jake took the envelope from your hand and paused when he saw the logo from your obstetrician’s office.

“What is this?” he asked you quietly, an edge of concern in his voice.

“I wanted to wait to find out the baby’s gender until they were born,” you started off with, causing Jake to nod slowly. “But I also want us to be the first two people to find out. And just in case—”

Your voice broke and you cut yourself off as emotion clogged your throat. Jake quickly swooped in and pulled you in for a hug and a soft kiss. You rested your head against his shoulder, staring down at the envelope as you gathered yourself.

“It’s your choice, Jake. We can find out now or we can find out when the baby’s born.”

Jake looked down at the simple little white envelope in his hands. You didn’t move to rush him, but you sat up more when Jake pulled the paper out of the envelope. Turning to you, he held out the piece of paper and motioned for you to take the other side.

“On three,” he stated, causing you to nod.

The two of you counted down together before you opened it together. Staring at the simple message written there, you let out an incredulous laugh and Jake pressed a series of kisses to your cheek and neck as he pulled you into his lap.

“I knew it,” he breathed out, resting his hand on top of your bump.

“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?” you asked him, causing him to shake his head. You let out a bright laugh, some joy returning to you. “We’re having a girl, Jake.”

“I’ve been telling you,” he insisted, causing you to jokingly nudge him. The two of you shared a soft series of kisses before Jake pulled back. “We’re having a little girl.”

“She’s going to be a handful.”

“That was going to be true regardless,” Jake reminded you, causing you to laugh again and sink into his arms once more. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

“And I love our daughter so much.”

“She knows that, Jake,” you replied softly, pressing a kiss to his chest. “She knows.”

~~~~~

Jake barely slept that night.

The two of you discussed it the night before and agreed that it would be less stressful on you and the baby for him to leave on his own in the early morning. You said your goodbyes the night before and Jake managed to coax you to sleep after another round of tears and kisses.

Getting up before his alarm, Jake took a quick shower and got dressed in his uniform. His bag was already packed and all he had to do was say goodbye to you and your daughter.

But that was going to be a difficult process.

Kneeling on the floor in front of you, Jake rested his hand on your bump and pressed a kiss to your skin before moving his hand around some more. He let a few tears drop as he tried to feel your daughter moving around to no avail.

“I’ll be back, Baby Girl, alright? I just have to go take care of some things, that’s all.” Jake took a moment and a deep breath before adding, “You’re going to be a good girl for your mom, right? Let her sleep at night and don’t dance on her bladder, okay?”

Removing his hands from your bump and moving to stand, Jake looked up at your peaceful expression one last time before turning back to your bump.

“I love you so much, sweetheart. And I’ll be back. Don’t you ever think that I’m abandoning you, okay? I’ll be back.”

Jake stood up and leaned over to press a soft kiss to your face. Not wanting to risk waking you up, he withdrew and let out a quiet sigh.

“I love you, Honey. I’ll be home as soon as I can.”

A few moments after Jake reluctantly left for base, you snuggled into your pillow, still deeply asleep. As you continued to snooze, there was a small press on your skin, like a little fist was waving goodbye, before it slowly sank back down.

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a-porcelain-gir1 · 2 years

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Ambrosia (Series)

[Ambrosia means "immortality" in Greek; it is derived from the Greek word ambrotos ("immortal"), which combines the prefix a- (meaning "not") with mbrotos ("mortal").]

Pairing: Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw x Fem!Reader (Past), Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw x Fem!Reader

Author Note: This series is inspired by the movie 'The Age of Adaline'. If you want to be tagged, just let me know in the comment. English is not my first language.

One

(Y/N) (Y/L/N) was born at 10.00 a.m on July 4th, 1914, at her house in Boston, Massachusetts. On January 15, 1935 (Y/N) sat on her porch reading a book. At that moment, Andrew Edgar Williams, her childhood friend has just gotten back from his deployment from the Navy walking in front of her house.

Andrew that saw (Y/N) reading a book with her leg tucked under the other stopped immediately at her fence. He took off his cap and called her.

"(Y/N) (Y/L/N)..?" He questioned.

(Y/N) that heard her name called raise her head from her book and saw a young man in her fence standing in Navy Uniform. She furrowed her eyebrows "Yes..?" she asked, bewildered with who was standing behind her fence. She rose to her feet and walked toward him but stopped a few feet away from behind her fence.

Andrew's smile grows bigger at her confirmation "I'm-I'm Andrew Williams. Noah Williams son, your next-door neighbour, remember?" He raises an eyebrow at her.

(Y/N) form a smile on her face, she definitely knows Andrew, her childhood friend, the last time she saw him was ten years ago when he moved away to live with his grandparents after her father died.

"You have grown up" Andrew smiled sheepishly, a blush crept on his cheek, and he tilted his head down to hide them.

"You expect me to stay as ten years old girl, Andrew?" She smirk, Andrew whipped his head and he become flustered. "No-no I mean, you are you are beautiful now, more beautiful than I imagine" his blushed cheeks are more prominent now, he then tilted his head down to hide his blushed cheeks. He clears his throat to ease some nerves.

(Y/N) smile and folded her arms on her chest. "Want to get some coffee and tell me about your day when you're away?" (Y/N) offered.

Andrew lifts his head to look at her and grins happily "Yeah, I love to". (Y/N) walked to her gate and open it from him. That day, they spent catching up some time when they drift away.

Three months later, Andrew proposed to (Y/N) and two weeks later they got married at the local cathedral. After three years of waiting, they were blessed with a daughter that they name Lorraine Joanne Williams. The couple is so happy about that.

On September 14, 1940, Andrew got called for deployment to Pearl Harbour in Oahu, Hawaii. Leaving his wife and two years old Lorraine.

"Be careful, okay" (Y/N) whisper to his ear. Andrew tightened his hug on his wife and caress her back. He kiss her forehead and muttered, "I love you".

Lorraine then walked to them and stopped beside (Y/N) leg. Andrew feels his daughter's presence pull away from (Y/N). He kneel in front of her, and the two years old Lorraine looked at her father, innocently.

"Papa have to go, so you two have to take care of each other, okay?" Andrew caresses his daughter's hair, Lorraine moves forward and threw her tiny arms on her father's neck. "I love you Papa" She muttered on his neck.

Andrew can't contain his tears again, he sniffed and kiss his daughter's hair. "I love you too darling". Andrew rose to his feet and kissed (Y/N) once again, "I'll miss you, my love". He muttered one last time before climbing to the truck that waiting for him outside their house.

On December 8th, 1941, (Y/N) pick up the morning newspaper in front of her house. Her mother live with her until her husband got back from deployment. The three years old Lorraine is sitting in her chair at the dinner table munching her food. (Y/N) walked to kiss Lorraine on her cheek which make her scrunch her nose. She stood a few feet away from her kitchen with a newspaper opened, she read the headline today.

"ATTACK ON THE PEARL HARBOUR BY THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE MILITARY"

"The Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor from the air and all naval and military activities on the island of Oahu, a principal American base in the Hawaiian islands"

(Y/N) eyes go wide by this, she scanned the newspaper and read the victims' names of this attack, there, Andrew Edgar Williams's name was written as one of them. She then passed out after reading the name, Lorraine heard a loud thud and saw her mother fall to the floor, she then called her grandmother who was outside watering the plant.

****

When she woke up, her mother and three years old Lorraine is waiting for her with a worried look. She embraces them and cried on her mother's shoulder. She lost her husband, she become a widow now, and Lorraine lost her father.

Lorraine didn't understand what just happened and hug back her mother, and she remember what her father told her whenever she was sad.

"Mama, don't worry, you have me, you don't have to be sad" (Y/N) that heard this, begin to sob. Andrew always told her that whenever they'll go to sleep, whenever she was sad. And who's gonna tell her now?

***

After her husband's funeral, (Y/N) and Lorraine move out to live with her mother in San Diego. Five months later, (Y/N) drove to her mother's house after getting back from work. She's driving in the middle of the night on the empty road with trees surrounding them.

But something highly unusual occurred.

Snow fell on San Diego.

(Y/N) peaked out to look at the snow. The snow begins to pour heavily. Her vision from the road begins blurry with the snow and the dark of the road makes it worse. She didn't see there was a turning, her car crashed with the roadblock. Her body got tossed around in her car while rolling in the valley. Her car then crashed into the lake with her body inside of it.

Immersion in the frigid water caused (Y/N) body to go into an anoxic reflex, instantly stopping her breathing and slowing her heartbeat. Within 2 minutes, (Y/N) (Y/L/N) core temperature had dropped to 87 degrees, and her heart stopped beating. (Y/N) body slowly begins to sink into the lake with her car.

At 8.35 the bold of lightning struck the car. The car discharges half of billion volts of electricity and produces 60.000 amperes of current. It was threefold. First, the charge defibrillated (Y/N) (Y/L/N) heart. Second, she was jolted out of her anoxic state causing her to draw her first breath in 2 minutes.

(Y/N) slowly rise from the drowning and took her breathing. She climbed from her car and swim to the river bank. She lay on her back on the muddy ground and took a deep breath, she breathed heavily and try to catch her breath. She try to calm herself from her dead experience as cold snow fell into her body.

Third, based on Von Lehman's principle of electron compression in deoxyribonucleic acid. Which will be discovered in the year 2035 (Y/N) (Y/L/N) and will henceforth be immune to the ravages of time. She will never age another day.

As the years passed.

(Y/N) (Y/L/N) credited her unchanging appearance to a combination of a healthy diet, exercise, heredity, and good luck.

San Diego, 1955

(Y/N) just got back from her brunch with Lorraine, they walked side by side with Lorraine looping her arm with her. When they arrived at the lobby, (Y/N) bumped into one of her childhood friends.

"(Y/N), is that you?" Her friend looked at her with incredulity. Her husband beside her turns to look at her too.

(Y/N) formed a smile "Margaret. How are you? it's been a long time". Margaret released her hand from her husband's arms and step to hug (Y/N), she hugged her back. Margaret then pull away and placed her arms in (Y/N) biceps. Margaret that was in her forty has wrinkles on her eyes and a few grey hairs prominent in her neatly styled hair. "Wow, you still so young. And is this Lorraine? Gosh, you've grown up" she then turn to Lorraine and placed her hand on Lorraine's biceps.

"That, I always told my mother, but she didn't believe me" she smile teasingly at (Y/N) who just chuckled. (Y/N) released herself from Margaret's grasp and looped her arm with Lorraine. Margaret still examined the two "You two looked like a sister" she chuckled nervously, and cannot believe her friend was still like in her twenties.

"That's very kind of you, but we really should leave" (Y/N) smiled politely, and turn around. She walked away from her with Lorraine in her arms.

"How is that possible, you still looked like twenty" Margaret still stood at her feet, stunned and in disbelief, her husband step up and placed his hand behind her back.

Lorraine turn her head "She just got back from Europe, to do some face thing and she doing a healthy lifestyle now" she told her. But (Y/N) tuck Lorraine's hand to tell her to stop. She shakes her head to her. "Okay darling, bye-bye Margaret. Great seeing you" she turned her head and bid goodbye to Margaret that still stunned on her feet.

***

Innsbruck, Richmond, Virginia. July 5th, 1960

The action was required later when living a quiet suburban existence, (Y/N) (Y/L/N) was pulled over for a minor traffic infraction.

A police officer with his uniform walked toward (Y/N) driving side, he knock on her window and she lowered it. She smiled at the officer.

"Can I help you, Officer?" She asked politely, a bit confused when the police stopped her car. "Yes, it seems you infringe the stop sign. And I need to see your driver's license, Ma'am" (Y/N) open her purse and give him an old driver's license from the 1930s that is just a piece of paper."Here we go, officer"

The officer hesitate a bit but take the paper from her. He read the paper and furrowed his eyebrows. "(Y/N) (Y/L/N), born July 4th, 1914." He glanced at her " So, you're 45 years old now?"

"46 actually" she smiled correcting him. The officer let out a sigh and leaned slightly toward her. He place one hand on her car roof and held the paper between his fingers and pointed at her. "Ma'am, I'm gonna hold onto this. When you come by the station house to pick it up, please bring your birth certificate."

"Of course, officer, is tomorrow, alright?" She asked politely. The police officer just nodded and (Y/N) drive away from him.

Soon after, (Y/N) moved back to Boston and took a clerical job at the School of Medicine. There, she availed herself of every opportunity to research her condition.

She opened every medical book she found but never get any explanation she wanted to find. She stared at herself in the mirror to find any sign of her getting ageing but cannot find anything. Not even wrinkles or grey hair form in her appearance. She's almost fifty but she is still like 27 years old.

After a year of intense study, (Y/N) (Y/L/N) was forced to confront the fact that there was absolutely no scientific explanation for her condition. She begins to accept the fact that she can't get older and leaves her life quietly in Boston.

***

When she walked home from her work, there were two men in trench coats following her with fedora hats after she got out of the building. When she hit the sidewalk, they begin to walk closely behind her. The street is empty this night, there's no sign of people walking around.

"(Y/N) (Y/L/N), we're from Federal Bureau Investigation. We need to talk to you" One of them speaks while taking a drag of his cigarette.

When she heard this, she begins running, and they followed her running too, they began to chase her to the alley. She turn on the corner and hid in the tiny space that separated the two buildings. The place is enough to hide her, the dark of the night help to hide her body from the sight of eyes.

(Y/N) breathes heavily and trying to calm herself, she looked with wide eyes when she saw them arrive in front of her. She clutched her bag on her chest tightly.

"Shit! We lost her." One of them breathes heavily, he fixes his fedora hat.

"I think she's not far. She can't run that fast" the other suggest, they nodded to each other and begin running to find her through the alley. Soon after they leave, (Y/N) get out of her hiding and runs to the opposite direction from them straight to her house.

Inside her house, she packed her clothes and anything important in her suitcase, including her wedding pictures and her photos with Lorraine. She drives to Lorraine's house, where she lives with her husband now. She waits in her car, watching Lorraine cleaning her dinner table through her window shield.

***

Lorraine smiled when her husband kiss her cheek before he go to the kitchen to clean the dishes while she put some leftovers in the box. Through her window, she saw a car with her light pointed to her house, she recognise that car. Her smile that in her lips suddenly grow bigger, She stopped doing her task and run outside. She opens her mother's passenger side and climbs onto it. Her smile was flattered when she saw her mother's cheeks is tainted with tears.

***

(Y/N) explained everything about what happened to her and her decision to move away. Lorraine broke into tears hearing this, her mother never leave her side until now, despite her being married, she always visit her mother every week, but now she can't visit her again.

"Mama.. why you can just stay.." she sobbed, (Y/N) bringing Lorraine to her embrace.

"I'm sorry darling, but it has to be this way" she brushes her hair and Lorraine cries in her mother's embrace. (Y/N) doing this to ensure the freedom and safety of herself and her daughter, She vowed to keep moving, changing her name, residence, and appearance every decade, and never to speak of word or her fate to another living soul. In seven weeks, When Martha Blair disappears forever, and Hannah Parker takes up residence in a remote farmhouse in Greenfield, Ohio. (Y/N) (Y/L/N), besides one moment of weakness will have kept her vow for the past 60 years.

***

SAN DIEGO, 2019

(Y/N) open her apartment door, before she can close the door properly, she got surprised by someone throwing herself at her. She leaned back slightly for the impact.

She let out a laugh when she know who hug her. "Natasha, what are you doing here, darling" she caresses Natasha back.

"I miss you, Nana, you're not visiting us again since last year" she pouted on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, darling, I do visit you though, but Noah said you have a special mission on Top Gun" Natasha lift her head from (Y/N) shoulder to kiss her cheek. Natasha then walked to her kitchen.

"So what are you doing here?" (Y/N) open her shoe and placed it on a rack. She then shrugged off her coat and hung it behind the door. She walked to her kitchen where Natasha already sat in the pantry waiting for her.

"Just want to visit you while I'm in town. And I miss your carbonara" Natasha wiggles her eyebrows at (Y/N) that washing her hand in the sink. She smiles and shakes her head. She then begins to take out the ingredients from the fridge to make Carbonara. She filled the pot with water and place it on top of the stove. She turns the stove on and prepares another ingredient.

When she chopped some Pancetta, she turn to Natasha that messing around with the cutlery in the pantry. She placed one hand on her hips "Wait, how do you open this door? I don't remember giving the key to Noah?" She cock her eyebrows to her. Natasha looked at her with wide eyes and grinned innocently. "I used bobby pint as you taught me"

(Y/N) let out a sigh "I teach that to you so you can use it in emergency situations. Not breaking into my apartment"

"This is an emergency situation. My stomach growls for one hour now. See, you heard that" She exclaimed and pointed to her growling stomach. (Y/N) shake her head and place the pan on the stove, after the pan was hot she placed the Pancetta on top of it. When she grates the cheese she can know Natasha wants to tell her something, she finished grating the cheese and asks her. "Another thing you want to say to me?" She cracked the eggs and separated the yolk into another bowl. She took the spaghetti from the shelf and place it in the boiling water.

"Yes actually, I want you to come with me, to this Military Party" She trailed off. (Y/N) let out a sigh and mix the eggs, black pepper and cheese with the whisk.

"C'mon, Nana, dad said you never go out to party like this since the 80s. That's older than me. Besides, you will move out soon after right? I saw your new identity and your new address at the entry table." Natasha remarked. (Y/N) didn't answer it, the sound of boiling water filled the silence in them. Natasha let out a sigh and continue messing with the cutlery, she propped her head with her hand and rest her elbow on the table.

(Y/N) placed the pasta in front of Natasha after it was ready. She then walked out to the living room to find her white ragdoll cat, she sit down on the couch and called her. "Snowy came here." The white cat let out a miaow and climb on her lap. "Have you fed Snowy yet?" She caress Snowy back and looked at Natasha that munching her food.

"Yes, I fed her." She answers with a mouth full of food, (Y/N) gives her a look but Natasha just grins and swallows her food.

After a few seconds of silence, (Y/N) answered "Okay, I will come" (Y/N) let out a sigh and Snowy in her lap begin to purring when she stroked her back. Natasha jumps up from her seat. "Really!?" Her shout-out startled Snowy and make her jump from (Y/N) lap. Natasha rose to her feet and runs toward (Y/N), she bends down to hug her"you're the best. I'll pick you up at 8" she pull back and turns back to her seat and continues eating her food.

****

When (Y/N) got back from the party, she goes straight to her bedroom. She removed her earrings and make-up, and changed to her nightgown, when she sit in front of her vanity, she let out a sigh. She touches her face and examines them in the mirror. Why she can't get old? That's the question she always asked every year, she can't bear seeing someone close to her die. She is tired of mourning, she is tired of running away, she is tired of hiding, she misses people calling her by her real name, not pretending to be someone else, and she is tired when she can't become herself. She just wants her life back. She looked over her vanity where the black and white photo sat in the grey frame. The photo is of her and Lorraine embracing each other.

She misses her daughter, she misses her husband, she misses her mother, but all of them already leaving her, lonely, here.

***

"Happy Birthday, my darling" (Y/N) bends down to place a bouquet of flowers on top of the grave. It's been three days since the Military Party.

She looked at the name that was engraved on the headstone.

'Lorraine Joanne Williams-Trace'

She wipe the tears that got fallen on her cheek, she rose to her feet and stared at the grave.

"Diana.." A voice behind her startled her, she turn around and face the latter.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" He apologized and approached her.

"It's okay Lieutenant" She turn back to the Grave, he stood beside her.

"Call me Bradley, I'm not wearing uniform now" She turns to look at his outfit, a black suit with no tie. She nodded and turn back to look at the grave. "So, who are you visiting.?" Bradley nodded his head to the grave in front of them.

"My grandmother, it was her birthday today," She told him.

"Oh. Can I give her flowers?" Bradley lifts the sunflower in his hand and waves it in front of her.

"Sure" She nodded at him.

Bradley then kneel to place the flower on top of the grave "I hope you like it" he then looked over to the grave beside Lorraine, he saw they have the same last name. "And beside her it was.." he turn to her.

"Her husband" Diana shrugs.

"Oh shoot, I just have one flower" Bradley shot her an apologetic look.

Diana smiled and wave him off "It's okay Bradley, I think he would understand. It was his wife's birthday today" she shrug.

"Sorry pop, but next time I'll give ya flower too" He pats the grave next to Lorraine. Bradley then rose to his feet."So, you still want to stay or are you done here?" He looked at her.

"I'm done in here" Diana then turn around and walked away from the grave, Bradley doing the same and walking beside her. "Okay, let me walk with you"

They walked side by side towards the gate "So, who are you visiting?" Diana asked, breaking the silence in them.

"My mom, it was her anniversary with my dad today. After I visit my dad, I drove here to visit my mom" he glance at her slightly while he talking.

"Oh, they are not in the same cemetery?" She glances at him.

"No, my dad's buried in Fort Rosecrans" Bradley pursed his lip. Diana nodded, she then stopped and place a hand on his bicep. "I'm sorry for your loss". Bradley looked at her hand. When she's aware of what she's doing, she retreats her hand back and begins to walk again.

Dust of pink colour paints his cheeks, he then clears his throat. "It's okay, they've been gone for years now. My dad died when I was four, and my mom when I'm still in high school. And since then I live with my uncle" he shrugs casually. "Enough about me, what about you?" He glances at Diana, they step into the stairs that make from stone.

"Well I live with my uncle, my parents are long gone, and after I graduated from college, I move out and ended up here" she shrugged, they stopped at the curb and Diana called out for a cab.

"You know last time we met I asked for your number right" Bradley stood in front of her.

Diana furrowed her eyebrows and nodded "Yes.."

"Umm... Can I get that know" He hesitates a bit, he rocks his feet back and forth on the pavement and glances at her.

"The answer is still no, Lieutenant" she glanced at him and shake her head.

Bradley let out a groan, he shoved his hands in his suit pocket "No, It's Bradley, not the Lieutenant again." He groans. "C'mon, it feels right when you call me Bradley"

Diana smile and shake her head "The answer is still no, Bradley"

"Why, though? It's like fate, you know, we met again in the middle of nowhere, where you can bump with any other guy but instead, you met with me. Like when we met in that party where you can meet with another guy or that creepy guy, instead you met with me" He articulate.

"And I'm glad I met you because you save me from him" she nodded to him.

"See, I save you, so this is fate right" he jutted his hand toward her. Diana looked around and saw a cab approach her.

Diana cock an eyebrow at him "Why do you so believe in fate?" Because if it was fate that make her like this, she hate them. They are like a curse to her. They hey make her go through so much pain. This fate that she hates so much.

"Because fate brought me to you," he said softly and stared into her eyes. Diana looked at his eyes and it was like she was back in the 80s, she stared at his eyes until the cab honked and snapped her from staring. She then opens the back seat and climbs into it. Before she can close the window, Bradley places his hands on the cab door.

He bends down to her eye level."Hey, how about this, if we meet again in a random place or bump into each other, you have to agree to go on date with me? And of course, give me your number" He suggested.

"Why I should agree with that?" She cocked her eyebrows to him.

"Because you don't believe in fate, and I do believe in them" he shrugged. Diana think for a second and let out a sigh and nodded "Okay"

Bradley looked at her wide eyes "Wait you agree!?" He then stands up properly, "Okay, shoot. Until we meet again, Diana" he waves at her.

Diana smiled "Goodbye Lieutenant" she close the window and told the cab driver to drive away.

"It's Bradley! Bradshaw!" Bradley called out, but the cab had already driven away, leaving him alone standing on the pavement.

***

Diana walked beside the shelf to find the book she wanted. When she walked to the fiction section, she saw a familiar figure resting his shoulder on the shelf and casually opening one of the books, he looked straight at her. "So, about that date, what about Friday?" Bradley gives him a side smile. Diana shakes her head and lets out a chuckle.

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