"When we get back to the base you are to report to your barracks to get cleaned up before dinner" the leading officer began in the middle of the afternoon as we had packed up the site and were preparing for the hike back to base. "Tomorrow you will be given the day off, go out, enjoy the town and report back to base before curfew" he added and everyone cheered out at the idea of a day off.

"You got any plans tomorrow?" Trace asked me with a happy smile.

"Nope, I'll just take the day as it comes" I smiled back, happy to sit back and relax.

"Sounds like a good plan" she agreed with a relaxed ease.

"Hey Bradshaw!" I called him over to us with a wave of my hand. "Try not to trip and hurt yourself on the way back" I teased slightly and he gave me a mock salut.

"Yes, ma'am"

~~~

Sunday morning I woke up at the normal early time, getting dressed in shorts and a tank top and tying up my running shoes. I was out on the track field doing my morning run alone, Trace and Bradshaw sleeping in on our day off. The wind was in my hair as my legs burned from the sensation of running free, remembering why I chose to come here in the first place.

I took a drink from my water bottle as the sun began to shine down on me and I decided it was time to head back to the barracks. I had been coming close to the door to the building when someone ran up behind me and wrapped their arms around me, spinning me around with a laugh as I squealed.

"What the fuck? Put me down!" I shouted and was dropped back to my feet. I spun around harshly only to find Bradshaw holding his chest and laughing. "Not funny" I pushed his shoulder back as he tried to quiet his laughter.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" he held his hands up in defence. "I was wondering if you and Trace wanted to go out for the day, check out the town" he offered politely.

"Yeah, that's sounds like fun" I smiled back and a large smile grew on his face.

"Yeah? Great"

"I just gotta get a quick shower then we will meet you in the parking lot" I waved, going to grab the door to the barracks when Bradshaw had grabbed it and opened it for me.

"See you then" he waved and I just shook my head at him with a smile.

"Get up" I told Trace, nudging her foot that had fallen off of the bed as I passed her to go towards the bathroom.

"Why? It's our day off" she grumbled back into her pillow.

"Bradshaw is taking us out to see the town"

"Did he say us as in you, me and him or us as in you and him?" She sat up with her questions.

"All of us" I replied, grabbing my things and heading into the bathroom.

After I had cleaned up we walked out to the parking lot together where we looked around in search of Bradshaw.

"Oh my god" Trace spoke from beside me, jaw lowered in amusing shock.

"What?" I followed her eyeline to see a man waving at us. Though this man was not the normal Bradshaw we had seen in uniform everyday. He was wearing a white tank top under a brightly coloured Hawaiian shirt paired with jean shorts and his aviator sunglasses. "No way" I shook my head as he waved at us. Trace and I laughed together as we went over. Bradshaw walked to the passenger side of his car, opening the front door and the backseat door.

"Ladies" he presented us into his bronco. Trace climbed into the back, prompting me to take the passenger seat. "You guys up for some lunch before we hit the town?" He looked over at us both from the drivers seat.

"I could eat" Trace agreed and I nodded along. With a nod from Bradshaw he had all of the windows rolled down and turned up the radio which was playing old classics. The stray hairs that had fallen from my French braid, blew in the wind as we cruised down the old road out of the base.

A few notes played from the next song and Bradshaw was cranking the music even louder, Trace wearing a confused look from the backseat as she tried to recall the song but couldn't.

"You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain" Bradshaw began to sing out loud and proud while tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. "Too much love drives a man insane" he continued. "You broke my will. But what a thrill"

"Goodness gracious great balls of fire!" The two of us cheered out with bright smiles.

"Woah" Trace laughed from the backseat with amusement.

The three of us climbed out of his truck when we pulled up to a seaside dinner. Bradshaw held the door open for both of us as we walked in and sat in a booth, just like normal with Trace and I beside each other and Bradshaw across from us.

"Hello Folks, what can I get you today?" The sweet waitress asked as she stood at the end of our table with her pen and notepad ready.

"I'll have the traditional breakfast, eggs sunny side up with bacon and coffee" Trace said, closing up her menu to hand over to the waitress.

"I'll have the pancakes" I smiled handing over my own menu and eager to eat non military food.

"And to drink?" She wondered.

"Coffee please"

"And you?" She turned to Bradshaw.

"I'll take the traditional breakfast as well with coffee" he agreed, nodding towards Trace as he gave the woman the last menu.

"I'll bring that right over" she said before walking off towards the kitchen.

The three of us chatted mindlessly over our meals. Though the conversation always came back to flying as naval aviators.

"Who knows, maybe you could end up flying with one of us" Trace suggested to me with an idea.

"Maybe" I shrugged back, not opposed to flying with one of my friends.

"Here's the bill" the waitress came over after taking our empty plates from us.

"I've got it" Bradshaw claimed, reaching out for it.

"We are more than capable of paying for our own meals" I challenged as Trace agreed from beside me.

"I know, but I invited you both out so it's my treat" Bradshaw said, taking the bill before we could argue any further and leaving the waitress a tip.

"You are the worst" Trace muttered to him as he held the dinner door open for us on our way out.

Leaving the car in the parking lot we walked down the beachside stores, looking at what the small town had to offer.

Bradshaw, Trace and I spent a good hour in a record shop listening to old tunes before moving onto some other stores. Trace took me to a small clothing store where I had bought myself a new baseball hat, Trace teasing me about it as I asked for her opinion.

When Bradshaw had finally found us Trace and I were having a mini fashion show in the dressing rooms, dancing around to the music that played over the speakers and laughing with each other.

As the evening came to an end the three of us walked back to the truck along the beach. Trace and I were walking side by side in the sand when we looked over to find Bradshaw splashing through the shallow waves like a child.

"Where did you find him?" Trace teased shaking her head.

"Me? I didn't find him" I looked at her with confusion.

"Oh really?" She laughed back. "You, little miss sunshine are the one who wanted to go make friends with everyone"

"Little miss sunshine?" I scrunched your my face at the nickname.

"Yeah, you're like a compete ray of sunshine" she explained her point further as if it made perfect sense.

"I am not" I shook my head, following her up the small path to the parking lot of the dinner where the truck was waiting for us.

"You're not what?" Bradshaw appeared beside us again, trying to catch up on the conversation.

"Tell her she is a ray of sunshine" Trace crossed her arms defiantly as we continued over to the truck.

"Oh, you are definitely a ray of sunshine" Bradshaw quickly agreed with a smile on his face as he directed his comment towards me. As he did earlier, Bradshaw opened the truck doors for us both and allowed us to climb in, me in the front and Trace in the back again.

Upon arriving back at the base we all climbed out and started towards the barracks to get a good nights rest before the next challenge we would face tomorrow.

"I'll see you tomorrow ladies" Bradshaw waved goodbye as we went into our own building.

"Bye" I waved back with a bright smile.

"See? That right there!" Trace pointed at me as if a point was proven.

"What?" I turned back to her as the door shut behind us.

"That smile, your enthusiasm, a ray of sunshine" she pointed out with pride.

"Okay, okay" I laughed, opening the door to our room for us to get settled in for the night.

~~~

The next day was all classroom lessons, finally teaching us about flying. The admiral at the front of the room spoke out, teaching the basic introductions to flying.

"You will be expected to memorize this book for the safety of you and anyone else in the air with you" he held up a book that had been handed out to the class upon entering the room, the F-18 manual.

Beside me Trace listened along, taking a few notes as she was clearly growing bored of being talked to more than taught. Me on the other hand, I was fully immersed in the lesson, taking note of everything and listening to every word. Bradshaw who was sitting behind us was bored beyond compare, twiddling his thumbs in attempt to relive his boredom.

I felt something bounce off the back of my head, hitting my bun for minimal impact. My face scrunched slightly in confusion before I shook away the thought and focused on the lesson again, copying the words written on the board. That was until another ball of paper hit the back of my head, a little higher this time to avoid my bun and gain my attention.

"Bradshaw is there a problem?" The admiral asked strictly, catching Bradshaw throwing paper balls at the back of my head.

"Uh no, sir" Bradshaw shook his head with panic as the whole class turned to look at him and he straightened properly in his seat. I shook my head and playfully rolled my eyes at him as he sheepishly shrugged in response. With a smile I turned back to the front, focusing again as he continued to explain the intricate details of our F-18 fighters.

"In two weeks you will begin flying, you must have this book memorized before then or you are putting everyone in the air with you in danger" the admiral reminded us all darkly of the importance of knowing your jet.

"Yes, sir" we all nodded before being dismissed for the day. All evening I was in the common room, studying the book like my life depended on it while Trace played pool against Jennings.

"What are you doing?" Bradshaw asked, coming up from behind me where I was sitting on the couch and reaching over to steal the book from my lap.

"Give it back, Bradshaw" I scolded but he simply held it out of my reach with a laugh.

"Hey, Danvers!" Trace called my attention, tossing me the pool stick she had been using. I nodded in thanks before looking back at Bradshaw who still towered over me.

"What do you plan on doing with that?" He asked with clear confusion but confidence that I wouldn't be able to win this fight.

"This" I knocked the book out of his grasp and caught it carefully before handing the pool cue back to Trace, leaving Bradshaw in shock. He just shook his head and gave a 'really?' Look to Trace.

"Need a study buddy" he pulled his book out and opened it up with taking the seat beside me, both of us reading through it together.

Bradshaw and I had built a steady routine that we would follow through with everyday. In the mornings we continued to do our daily run before sitting through classes all day and finally lounging around in the common room studying page after page of our flight books.

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Question of the day: what did you think of their adventures on their day off?