messages from america

(gif of maggie and drew by me)

Maggie Kazansky was fucking sick of seeing the Pacific Ocean. Sure it was badass to live on an aircraft carrier and get paid to fly planes off it, but there was only so much blue Maggie could take. It reminded her too much of what she had back home.

"Hey dumbass," a voice called from outside the open door to her shared bunk and broke her out of her thoughts.

Thankfully, aviators had to share with their RIOs, so Maggie wasn't left with some random navy guy wanting to try something. She was the only female aviator on board, the others being nurses and medical staff as the Navy was still very misogynistic. It was a wonder she made it this far in her naval career. But, she and her RIO, Andrew Harper, made a fantastic team.

Drew walked into their room and threw two letters at her face. She was laying on her bed, reading a book and trying to pass some time.

She pushed the letters off her face. "That's Commander Dumbass to you," she sassed back. Maggie placed the book on the floor next to her and sat up. The only reason that she was a Commander instead of a Lieutenant like Drew was that she'd flown a few years before him with another RIO and had enough of a decorated career with Drew that she deserved a higher title. She was Drew's first pilot out of Academy and it'd been four long years since then.

Maggie's heart fluttered when she fully processed the fact that Drew threw letters at her. She quickly flipped over the first envelope and noticed her name scrawled in that loopy handwriting she missed so much.

A giddy smile was plastered on her face as she ripped open the letter. It was from her husband, who never failed to make her have butterflies even after six years and countless letters.

My dearest Mags,

God, I miss you so much. Eight months is too fucking long. I think we broke our record though, by a long shot. I'm pretty sure that when we were stationed cross-country it was only like five or six months.

Fort Lauderdale has been pretty alright. It's just not the same without you. Ron's been giving me tons of shit for moping around, but I know he's just trying to cheer me up in his own weird way. He says hi, by the way, and that his new-ish girlfriend Molly (the one I told you about a few letters ago) really wants to meet you. I told him that when you get home, it'll be a bit before you see the outside of wherever we're staying.

Our assignment here is almost up and we haven't gotten a renewal yet, so who the hell knows where we'll be next? Maybe I'll know by the time this reaches you across the sea. I hope we're together next, even if it's unlikely. We need to plan a travel day to meet up before we go on our next assignments. You've still got two months in the Pacific, right?

Sometimes, I feel sappy writing these, but I know you love it - especially with all those trashy romance novels you read. I will never understand how you and mom go through so many. They're so boring. I tried to read part of one when mom came to visit, and it was not worth my attempt. I miss you - even if your book choices suck.

If you are going to write me, I will get the letter no matter what, even if you send it to Florida. How's the boat been? You and Drew see any action? Tell Drew I miss him and that he's an ass for the weird Japanese cat keychain he sent me last time. Where the hell did he get that thing?

Keep him safe, and keep yourself safe too. I've been married to you long enough to know that we're both always worrying. Don't worry, I'm being safe with my goal of coming home and sweeping you off your feet.

I hope that we end up close soon, it's not the same without you. Until then, I'll be holding onto your ring while I sleep, imagining my arms were wrapped around you.

I love you.

Yours,

Tom

Maggie had to fight back the tears welling up in her eyes at Tom's letter. Being married was hard but being married and being across the world? That was a thousand times worse.

She fished her chain out of her shirt and let the cool metal of Tom's wedding ring sit in her palm. It was his idea to swap them. Since wearing rings was something that was frowned upon, Tom had suggested that they switch so he can always have a piece of her and her of him.

A tear trailed down her cheek. Maggie thought she was quick enough to wipe it away before Drew saw it, but he looked up from his own letter in perfect time. He set his letter to the side and sat on Maggie's bed next to her.

"I know Mags," he muttered putting a comforting arm around her shoulders. Drew had a wife back home, but unlike Maggie's military marriage, his wife was a civilian who would often travel to where they were on land to visit.

She sniffled and wiped her tears away. "How are the kids? And Beth?" Maggie asked, gesturing towards Drew's bed and leaning into him.

"Beth's good. Isla and Teddy are doing good too. Beth said they love school and that Isla loves seashell hunting. She also said that she has to help Teddy with his new fear of the ocean after getting stung by a washed-up jellyfish."

Maggie laughed. When she'd met Beth, they'd just clicked. So much so that Maggie was her maid of honor and the godmother to both her kids. Isla was two and Teddy was four.

"I hope we get to go to San Franscisioco after this stupid deployment ends. Then I can steal Beth from you and at least be on the same continent as Tom," Maggie joked, shoving her elbow into Drew's side.

He laughed and pushed her back. "Did you open the letter from your mom yet?" he asked, gesturing to the unopened letter sitting next to them.

Maggie shook her head. "Nah, I'll let it sit a little bit. I honestly don't want to hear whatever bullshit she's sent this time to guilt me."

Drew placed his head on top of Maggie's, "Well if it helps to distract you from your shitty mom, my mother spent most of her letter begging me to bring you over when I'm in the states because she misses you."

"I love Mrs. Harper."

"She'd kill you if she heard you calling her that."

Maggie laughed, "I know, 'Mrs. Harper is my bitch of a mother in law, you know better' and then she won't answer me until I call her Mary."

"Sounds like Ma."

A knock on their doorframe interrupted their conversation. In the doorway sat a seaman whose name Maggie didn't know. He was dressed in plain clothes, so there was no way for her to figure it out.

"Rear Admiral Davis wants to see you both on deck in 15," the seaman said, before walking back down the tight hall.

"What the hell could that be about?" Maggie blurted out.

"Not a clue."

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When the duo made up to the deck, it was pretty chaotic, per usual. People were running around doing their different tasks. Now dressed in their tan day clothes, Drew and Maggie walked over to the air control base on the aircraft carrier. They assumed that's where the Rear Admiral would be, and they were correct.

Rear Admiral Davis was a short and stuffy man who was generally a pain in the ass to deal with.

"Commander Kazansky, Liutenent Harper," Davis addressed, nodding his head at the two, "Please follow me into my office so we can talk."

Maggie shared a look with Drew that sent the silent message, what did we do?

Once the door to his office was closed, Davis leaned against his desk and lit a cigar. Maggie tried her best not to grimace. She hated the smell of cigars.

"I have good news for you both," Davis said between puffs of his cigar, "You're going to be heading back to the states sooner than expected."

Maggie's jaw dropped and she took Drew's hand in excitement.

"What for, sir?" She finally got out. Drew was standing starstruck next to her.

"You've been called to Top Gun, congrats."

A grin appeared on Maggie's face and she squeezed Drew's hand in excitement.

"When do we leave sir?" Drew asked, speaking up for the first time.

"You'll be flown over to the closest mainland - which is Japan - and then flown commercially back San Franscisco to start your training in two days. I apologize for the last minute warning, but you leave in the morning."

Maggie didn't care. She was going to Top Gun to prove that she and Drew were truly the best of the best.  

And - most importantly - she'd be in the same country as her husband for the first time in months.

author's note !

This is a SUPER long chapter at around 1500 words, but don't worry, I plan on making the chapters around a thousand each time.  This was just a little intro I planned to show Maggie and Tom's relationship as well as her closeness to her RIO Drew.  I'm so excited for the next chapter where Tom and Maggie will finally reunite!

also, a disclaimer is that I don't know much about the military or the navy, so there will be some inaccuracies.  thanks!