The Sky and the Stars - Tom and Sarah Kazansky

-4-

"So where did Maverick have to run off to so quickly?" Sarah asked where she sat with Goose with another round of drinks at the booth while Tom and Slider were playing a game of pool. 

Goose sighed.  "I don't know, but I have a feeling it has to do with a lady friend." 

"Charlie?"

"Yup."

So she wasn't the only one who thought so.  

"You don't approve?"

"It's not that, it's just - right now, of all times? We need to be really focused right now, can't afford for any distractions. We can't lose this shot. But, then again, I have some distractions of my own coming soon."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, my wife and son will be visiting. Been looking forward to it for weeks."

"Aw, that'll be so nice!"

"Yeah, I miss 'em like hell. Here-" He reached into his pocket and retrieved his wallet from which he produced a polaroid of a smiling blonde woman and equally blond boy. "Here they are, Carole and Bradley."

"That'll be nice, Goose. You deserve a break after all your hard work."

"Thanks." He smiled down at the photo.  "After what happened with Cougar, it was a real wakeup call, for me at least. But it also came with this big chance here. Mav has it different, he doesn't have a family to think about back home. That's where some of his recklessness comes from. But me, I have to be more careful, for my family's sake."

"Does Maverick understand that?"

"I mean yeah, to some degree, yeah."

"You may need to  remind him."

Back at the pool table, Sarah and Tom were playing again - surprisingly, maybe, with no more injuries on Tom's part, and no injury-inflicting on  Sarah's.

"You probably don't want to be standing so close to me," she warned while aiming the cue. 

"I'll take my chances. So long as you don't mind."

"I don't but you might lose an eye this time."

He chuckled.  "I'll risk it."

She laughed too.  "So why 'Iceman'?"

"It's the way he flies: ice cold no mistakes. He wears you down and you get bored and frustrated, do something stupid and he's got you," Goose called over, clearly at the tipsy stage. 

"Damn right!" agreed Slider, also clearly tipsy. "Mr. Iceman!"

She turned to the man himself. "That so?"

 He gave a little shrug as if to say 'guess so'.  "That's what they say, Ma'am."

"And here I was thinking it was because of your icy personality." She poked him in the chest with her finger. She was going to do so with the pool cue but didn't want to risk hitting him - yet again. They were making a habit out of this and he was taking it extremely well.

He raised his eyebrows and lay a hand on his chest in mock offense.  "Oh, and who's icy now?"

"I'm not! I'm on fire!" It kind of did feel that way, with the alcohol now in her system igniting her veins and filling her up with warmth - maybe she was at the tipsy stage of the evening now too. 

"Yes you are."

"And I mean look at this game: I'm smoking you!"

"Hey smoky!"

"Good one, Goose!

"You are," Tom agreed.  "In fact, that's another game: you won."

"I won? I won!" she cheered.  She hadn't even realized they were that far along in the game. She also hadn't realized how late it was getting, and they all had work tomorrow. "Well boys, I've gotta call it a night."

"Aww!" whined Goose. 

"I know, I know, but duty calls, and that's for all of us." She turned to Ice and Slider.  "Thanks for the drinks you two."

"Anytime, Sarah." 

Maybe she just didn't recognize it, or it was her alcohol-fuzzy brain not registering properly, but she didn't realize the implications of his words then.

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"So, Sarah, I heard you stole my partner." Maverick came up to her the next day on base. 

"I did, but it was your fault for bailing on him in the first place."

"I also heard you took down Iceman."

Word spread fast here - she wasn't surprised. She found herself smiling. "Not intentionally."

"Nicely done. I might have to get some pointers from you."

"Easy there, pilot."

He raised his hands in surrender. 

"Only because Tom already knows my secrets and he might use them against you."

His lips broke into a smirk. "Tom?"

"Yeah, Tom, Iceman. What?"

His smirk grew.  "Nothing..."

"What? Maverick?"

"Nothing Sarah, nothing." He turned and started heading down the hall. 

"Maverick - Maverick!" He just turned and flashed a cheeky grin over his shoulder.  "Oh, you little shit!"

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"Sarah!" Goose, with Maverick and Charlie in tow, was approaching, also with an unfamiliar  woman and a little boy - well, unfamiliar in real life, but she knew them from his photo: his wife and son. 

"Sarah, meet Carole, and this handsome young fella who takes after his dad is Bradley."

"Nice to meet you both."

"And here I was thinking I'd be the only lady here!" Carole declared.

"That's what I thought at first too! Glad I was proven wrong!"

"So whose wife are you?" Carole asked. "Oh, I'm just teasing! Trust me, being married to a pilot is not all it's cracked up to be. Isn't that right, Dear?"

"Whatever you say, Honey!"

Carole winked at the ladies. 

Sarah instantly loved their relationship and their dynamic. "How was the trip?"

"Oh fine, just fine! Bradley's such a good flier, so good on planes, just like his dad!" Carole scooped up her son, making him laugh. "Now, Sarah, I was just discussing with Charlie here a ladies night, all to ourselves, and she said we should invite you, and I think the more the merrier! These two will watch the little man." She nodded to Goose and Maverick.

Sarah decided to poke a little fun.  "You sure that's a good idea?"

"Hey!" Goose cried.  "We've done it before, and it was fine!"

"It was all right," Carole corrected. She turned back to the ladies.  "Well, what d'ya say?"

"I'm in," said Charlie.

"Sounds great," Sarah agreed. "Let's do it." 

(Had to have the ladies get together for some fun! ;) 

As always thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :))