Training was finally finished. Tomorrow, they would leave for the mission. 

But tonight, tonight was a night to celebrate. To enjoy. To have fun before the possibility of someone not coming home hit too hard. 

And there was only one place to go. The Hard Deck. 

Penny's bar was packed that night. Between regular customers, out-of-towners and Navy personnel, there was little room to move. 

But our group of aviators and others were gathered around the pool tables in the back. A game was going on, bets placed on the winning team. 

Most of the team, however, were messing with Hangman. The man had been sulking slightly ever since Reyna and Mari went back home. He knew they couldn't stay. Rey had work and Mari had school. Lord knows both had missed enough days. 

"Turn that frown, upside down Bagman. You're no fun when you sulk," Phoenix goaded him. She wasn't lying. It was strange to see him without a smirk or smile. She may not like him, but she had fun messing with him.

Hangman, being the mature man he was, simply stuck his tongue out at the woman. Rooster clapped his hands, as sarcastically as one can. 

Carter and Malina laughed along with the others as Bob came back with some drinks. Taking one, Phoenix quickly took Mal away from Bob. "We need to stick together tonight. Too much testosterone in the building." 

Cue all the men rolling their eyes at the jab. Mal simply looped her arm through Natasha's and took a sip of her drink. 

Focusing back on the pool game happening, the women watched as Payback made a shot they didn't think possible. 

"Damn, Payback. You've got a secret talent we didn't know about. You've been holding out on us," Mal tells the man. She would have made different bets if she knew he had this skill up his sleeve. 

Payback laughs. "Just because you haven't been paying attention, doesn't mean I've been keeping it a secret." 

Fanboy lets out an "oohhh," before taking his own shot. (He misses, by the way.) 

Coyote inserts himself into the conversation. "You make a good point, Phee," he starts. "We need to know secret talents. Out with it, everybody. Time to reveal your secrets." He waves his hands and wiggles his fingers as he finishes that sentence. 

Rooster takes the cop-out method. "You all know I play the piano already. That's about my only secret talent, sorry." He shrugs off the boos from the others. 

Phoenix goes next. "I'm a mean bartender. Penny taught me the basics the first time I was here and I really got into it." 

She was then surrounded by requests for drinks and told she would be mixing everyone drinks when they returned. 

Fanboy lived up to his name with his. "I'm a fairly decent artist. Part of why I got my callsign. I draw characters, mostly comic related." That didn't truly surprise anyone but they all insisted on seeing some of his work. (He was better than decent, he just wouldn't admit it.) 

Coyote's was truly a hidden talent because literally only one person knew about it. "I'm pretty good at lasso." When he was asked for more information, he elaborated. "I went with Jake on leave one time. We went to his family's ranch and they taught me the basics. I picked it up fast." 

Since Jake was laughing at Coyote, he was put on the spot for his secret talent. "I'm pretty good at surfing. Mari was really interested in it a few years ago. I was on leave for a good chunk of time during that period so I went with her to lessons while Rey was working. Started doing it myself to help her out. I'll say, it's pretty relaxing." 

That left one person in the detachment. "Come on Bob, you gotta have something behind those glasses we don't know about." 

Malina takes the reins, just a bit. "I'll give you all a hint. His talent involved how we met." 

No one knew how they met, so that didn't help. Bob sighed, already knowing the reactions that would come. "I'm a drummer." 

Coyote and Hangman almost dropped their drinks. "Say what now? Baby on Board is a drummer?" 

"Woah, woah, woah. What kind of drummer are we talking?" Coyote asks for clarification. 

Mal takes pity on her husband. "He's a drummer in a band with some friends. Mostly Indie Rock, coffee shop type band. I was doing a photoshoot for the shop they were playing at and that's where we met." 

The men still couldn't believe what they were hearing. "Please tell me you have a video! Because I just can't imagine it. I need a visual." 

Bob stops it there. "Yea, that's not happening. Why don't you ask Mal or Cal about their secret talents, huh?" His face was slowly turning red, and it had nothing to do with his drink. 

Attention turns to the last two members of the group. "I mean, it's not really a secret, but I'm pretty good at baseball. Went to college on a full ride scholarship, played D1 ball. Could've gone pro if I wanted to." 

The team is in shock. "Dude, you just keep coming with the surprises," Fanboy tells him. 

Rooster speaks up. "I was full ride for baseball too. Though I played D2." That gave the two men something more to talk about, so they went off to discuss more of the topic and sport. 

"Well," Coyote nudges Malina. "What have you got going on?" 

She shrugged. "I mean, I crochet and knit. Not sure if that's a secret talent. Most people I know in the creative arts industry have multiple interests, so it's not uncommon." 

Hangman looked her dead in the eyes. "You do know you will now be getting requests from both my girls right? They are always cold and need blankets." 

That gets everyone laughing before the conversation finally switches to a new topic. 

But Hangman gets Malina's attention, gesturing to a semi private corner. They walk over, Mal sensing this was a serious topic. 

Jake starts after a moment. "I can never thank you enough for what you did. You don't know just how much you helped the two most important people in my life."

Mal shakes her head. "It was nothing, really. I really had a lot of fun with both of them." 

Jake doesn't let her brush it off. "I know you know the issues Mari has been having. And what led to them coming here so suddenly. You helped her smile in a way I have seen in a long time. In many ways Rey had to grow up fast because suddenly she had a 10 year old dependent on her. But Mari also had to grow up fast because she didn't have her parents anymore. She didn't really have the chance to be a normal kid after the accident. You helped her be that kid again." 

The emotions were in full force for both the adults. "I'm glad I could give her some relief. I lost my parents just after high school and I'm not close with the rest of my family. I know how lonely that can be. And I know I already told Reyna and Mari this, but if they or you ever need anything, even just to talk, give me a call." 

The two, who started off on the wrong foot only two weeks ago, embraced in a hug that conveyed so much. Mal knew just how it felt not being able to help those you loved. 

They rejoined the group, Mal going to Bob and wrapping her arm around his waist. He whispered in her ear, asking if everything was okay. She nodded, letting him know she'd tell him later. 

Another round of drinks was handed out, but that would be the last round. There was a mission to prepare for and they all needed to be sober and ready to go in the morning. 

Unfortunately for Malina, Carter also had to get going. Despite taking vacation days to be with Mal and Bob, he was called in for a new case that needed his immediate attention. He was headed to the airport that night, grabbing a red eye to Chicago where he would meet his team. 

So, with heavy hearts and heartfelt goodbyes, the team split up for the final time, heading home to get some sleep. 

After seeing Carter off to the airport, Malina and Bob took the dogs out for one last bathroom break before calling it a night themselves. 

The couple spent the entire night wrapped in each other's arms. No matter what the morning would bring, the love they had would never fade. 

For the way they fell in love was something out of a fairytale. It was fast, it was deep. It was a reverie. 

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Word count: 1,485

I know. Name drop at the end. Idk what I was on when I came up with that final line but I think it might just be one of my favorites. 

Just a fluffy chapter before the chaos that is the mission. Some emotions here and there. Personally, I love the development of Hangman and his relationships. His girls really bring out a different side of him and it's been so fun to explore. 

Fun fact: Mal's talent is also mine. To a certain extent. I learned to crochet when I was a kid, my aunt taught me when I was about 8. I haven't picked it up in a while, but I just recently restarted it. It's actually pretty calming when you need to zen out. Can't knit to save my life tho. I think it's cause I learned to crochet first. Who knows. 

Unfortunately, this is also where we say goodbye to Carter. He won't appear again until the bonus chapters, although he will be mentioned in the Epilogue. 

But that's all for now, so see y'all next chapter. Bye guys!!!