Today is known as field day, the last day of our four weeks of basic training which, I think I can speak for everyone when I say they were rough. Everyone has been waiting for this day, coming together as teams to compete in friendly competitive games, not having to worry about rules and regulations or being yelled at for looking the wrong way.

Each squadron was to pick a team name, Jennings calling us the Destroyers and having us wear blue to symbolize ourselves apart from the other teams. The days activity's would consist of games such as tug or war and a few races. Family's of the cadets came to visit, watching the games in support of the future naval aviators. High ranking aviators and admirals also sat in the crowd watching us compete, judging us to see if we really had what it takes to become aviators.

Trace and I walked out onto the field together, talking and joking as per normal, joining Bradshaw who had been left alone with Jennings and Anderson who were only talking about how to win the days games, their egos inflating greatly by the minute.

"Thank god you guys showed up" he sighed in relief when we joined the group, standing to close the gap between us and him. "Those two are insufferable" he pointed a thumb over his shoulder towards Jennings and Anderson.

"Okay, that's enough" I grumbled, pushing past Bradshaw with a newfound determination to make this team work.

"Danvers" Trace called after me, moving to follow and keep me out of trouble, especially with all of the watching eyes.

"We all want to win here today right?" I sternly questioned the two cadets who had been a pain in my ass since our first day of training, my arms crossed over my chest as I stared down at them.

"Yes" Anderson nodded as though I was asking a stupid question.

"Good, so we are all on the same page here" I nodded. Trace and Bradshaw exchanged a look behind me, unsure of how this would go and being ready to jump in at any moment. "I want to call a truce" I stated simply with a calm sense of confidence that it would finally work out.

"A truce?" Anderson asked back mockingly with a chuckle. When I stared at him with a blank yet stern expression he could clearly see that I wasn't joking and sighed.  "Fine" he shook my outreached hand yet when he moved to take his hand back I kept a firm grip on it. "You want me to say it?" He groaned knowingly.

"Yes" I nodded back in confirmation, solid grip still on his hand.

"Come on man, just say it" Jennings told his buddy with a sigh, also wanting this to be in the past now that we would be moving onto the next part of our training in a few days.

"Truce" Anderson shook my hand one last time with a proud smile and I released it, Bradshaw and Trace sharing an impressed look for how I managed to handle the situation.

Once our group came together as one we started assigning roles for each challenge, falling into perfect teamwork. I was participating in the long distance run, Trace in the hurdle run. Anderson and Jennings were in the log carry together and I would be doing the relay race with Bradshaw to end the challenges of the day.

"First challenge is the long distance run" Jennings started us off, taking the lead in deciding who gets each role.

"Danvers should do it" Anderson mumbled, not wanting to admit I was the best choice.

"What was that?" Trace wondered with a smirk.

"Danvers is the fastest, she should do the long distance run" he repeated in full thought, trying to hold back from showing his bruised ego.

"I agree" Bradshaw added and the others nodded along.

"Alright. Hurdle run?" I asked next.

"Trace" Bradshaw stated instantly.

"I agree" I nodded along.

"Sounds like a plan" Trace agreed as well, all of us looking to Jennings and Anderson for approval in which they nodded back to us.

"Log carry?" Bradshaw prompted our next challenge.

"Anderson and I can do that one" Jennings's claimed, though it was more with a subtle confidence than an egotistical cockiness. "And I think Bradshaw and Danvers should do the relay race together" he added a second thought.

"Bradshaw?" Trace asked skeptically. "He's not exactly the fastest" She reminded wearily as he gave her a look of offence.

"No, but Danvers is, so she can pick up his slack" Jennings elaborated on his plan.

"Hey! I'm right here" Bradshaw reminded them all.

"I think it's a good plan" I nodded along, our group finalizing our decisions before marching out to start the competition.

~~~

"We are in second place, so all we need to do to get in first place is to win this race" I told Bradshaw simply as we stood in line, preparing to do the final race.

"We can do that" Bradshaw nodded with determination, shaking the nerves out of his hands as he didn't want to disappoint our squad.

The race started at the sound of the horn, Bradshaw taking the lead and running out first.

"What the hell are you doing here? You don't even want to be a pilot" the team next to me taunted as I stared dead ahead at where Bradshaw would be coming back any moment now.

"Hey! We're talking to you!"

"Stupid girl" they muttered but I had blocked them out of my focus.

Bradshaw rounded back towards me as I kept my eyes focused on him and only him. The baton was exchanged from his grasp into mine and with that simple pass I was off to the races, leaving the other teams in the dust.

"Woo!" Bradshaw cheered out behind me. "Come on, Danvers! You got this!" He continued his hooting and hollering of support.

My foot touched the dirt line marking our turn around and I pivoted back the way I had come from. The wind blew against my face from the force I was running with. The other teams began to groan as they knew they had already lost, nobody fast enough to catch up with me on the track.

Reaching my starting position I had held up the baton proudly, Bradshaw grabbing ahold of it as well. We dropped the baton to the ground as the runners came to a slow and the crowd of officers and family cheered out for our win of the day. Bradshaw and I shared a high-five before he got an idea.

"Come on!" He cheered, motioning for me to jump on his back. I shook my head with a laugh and pulled myself onto his back, arms wrapping around his neck to hang on while his hands supported my thighs. He ran a small victory lap around our cheering group as Trace gave me a high five as well. Bradshaw was in the process of setting me back on solid ground when I heard a familiar voice call out to me.

"There's my baby girl!" I quickly spun around to see my mother walking over with a large smile on her face.

"Mom!" I smiled happily at her, pulling her close for a hug not caring about how sweaty I was from the days challenges.

"I'm go proud of you" she squeezed me close, looking over my shoulder just as Bradley turned around to face her and she let out a small gasp at the sight.

"Mom these are my friends, Bradshaw and Trace" I pointed her to each of them, stepping to her side as I kept my arm over her shoulder.

"Hello" she smiled at the two of them. Trace simply waved to her but my mother pulled her in for a hug as well, treating her like family right away. However when she faced Bradshaw there was something else behind her look that I didn't quite understand.

"Hello Ma'am" Bradshaw held out his hand to shake hers but she just stared at him stunned.

"Sorry, hi" she shook her head and pulled him for a hug as well.

"I still can't believe you came out today" I smiled in shock at my mother when she stepped back from Bradshaw.

"I thought I would surprise my little pilot" she smiled happily.

"WSO, mom" I corrected her and she just laughed along.

"I know, I know" she mocked surrender. "Anyway, I should head back before your father gets worried" she began with a slight frown taking over her face.

"Did he know you came here?" I asked cautiously.

"No, no, he thinks I'm visiting my sister for the afternoon" she shook her head and I nodded along.

"Well, it was great seeing you" I pulled her in for a hug again, sad to let her leave.

"You're going to become a WSO before you know it my strong little girl" she whispered into my ear, holding me close.

"It was nice meeting you, Mrs Danvers" Bradshaw waved along with Trace as she walked away to go home.

"I can see where you get your happiness from" Trace teased as we all started walking to the Barracks together to get cleaned up before dinner.

"I think it's sweet" Bradshaw commented from my left side.

Trace and I split up, heading to the female barracks while Bradshaw continued down to the male barracks. As soon as we arrived at our room I flipped back onto my cot with a sigh of exhaustion.

"You can get a shower first, I need a minute" I told her and she just laughed before going to get cleaned up.

Jennings and Anderson have finally come around, working as a team with us instead of against us. Bradshaw and I pulled our team out of second place at the last challenge of the day, though he refuses to take any of the credit.

I got to see my mom again, I've missed her a lot these past few weeks. She has always been my biggest supporter ever since I was a little girl and I wanted to play with toy planes instead of Princess Barbie's.

~~~

"Ready for the big day tomorrow?" Bradshaw asked as we joined him at the table in the mess hall.

"Bring it" Trace challenged, knowing this would be even more difficult than the last four weeks of basic training. The next part of our training would be spent in the wilderness doing survival training with our squads.

"We'll be fine" I waved off any worry casually.

"I heard that there are people who never come back from it" another cadet commented in passing, talking about the same thing to his friend. I shifted slightly in my seat, nerves getting to me quickly.

"Like you said, we'll be fine" Bradshaw tried to reassure me. "We're smart and strong, what else do we need?" He added the thought.

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Question of the day: what do you think of Nicole's relationship with her mom?