A/N: Wow, you guys have been awesome! Thank you for all the encouraging reviews and messages. I am trying to get back to everyone individually. The response has really motivated me to get this story out. Enjoy this next installment and as always I don't own anything except the crazy idea of the coupling! :0)
Jane was feeling rather smug. Smug and proud. As their advanced maneuvers class was winding down, Jane was sneaking glances over at Iceman and couldn't help the smug smirk that was becoming a permanent fixture on her face around this stunning aviator. Even in her standard issue flight suit, Iceman looked gorgeous. The honey blonde curls she knew were there had been pulled into a tight bun per regulations but somehow it just made her look even more beautiful. Perhaps it was because her perfect face was even more on display, as well as that sinewy neck that had been calling out to Jane since the bar the previous night.
A low cough and a sharp jab to the ribs pulled Jane out of her musing. Apparently class was officially over and Jane had been caught by Frost just gawking wantonly at her rival. Jane should have felt embarrassed for being caught but she couldn't be bothered. If it was up to her, she would bask in the glow that was Iceman. Wait, Iceman? Jane realized she still had no idea what this gorgeous creature's real name was!
Getting up from her seat and squaring her shoulders, Jane approached her diminutive but clearly formidable rival/love interest and said, "so, Iceman, I'd like to officially introduce myself. As Charlie said, I am Lt. Jane Rizzoli, otherwise known as Maverick. This here is my trusty RIO and best mate LTJG Barold Frost also known as Goose." Jane held out her hand waiting to hear the object of her obsession speak again. Despite the tone in which Iceman had spoken to her earlier, Jane was completely enamored with the pilots voice.
Jane watched as Iceman took a moment to peruse her entire person, starting at the top of her head, sliding almost seductively lower past her breasts, which perked up immediately at the attention, and continue down her legs. When those green eyes splashed with gold finally reconnected to Jane's, Jane saw the desire that was quickly hidden when Iceman looked back to Slider.
"This is LTJG Susie Chang, as you know my RIO and call sign Slider. I am Lt. Maura Isles, Iceman, and reigning Top Gun" came the very composed reply. Jane waited for the hand shake but when Maura just looked her dead in the eye and made no move to shake her hand, Jane couldn't resist a small chuckle as she took her hand back and smacked her hands together.
"Oh, Iceman, it is going to be my absolute pleasure to bring you down off that high horse you love riding around on. See you in the air." Jane sent one last smirk Maura's way and clasped Frost on the back before turning to make her way out. It was time to show Maura just who was the ruler of the skies.
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Maura was flustered. Maura was never flustered but right at this moment, that is the only way to describe herself. After Jane had walked away, well after Maura had stopped watching her walk away in all her sexiness, Susie had to literally pry her out of the spot she seemed stuck to.
"Ice, hey Ice, you ok there?" Susie was practically hoping up in down in front of Maura, trying to snap her out of her trance. Watching that long, strong form of Jane walk away had done all kinds of things to Maura's body, including taken all moisture from the top half.
Shaking herself both internally and visibly, Maura snapped out of her lust-filled thoughts and looked at Susie. Seeing her RIO giving her a skeptical look, Maura knew she had to ground herself quickly in order to soar outside of this room.
"Yes, Slider, I am great. I am eager to teach Maverick a thing or two about how we got to be Top Gun." She gave Susie her signature smirk, dimple showing, and watched as Susie's skepticism slipped away into an all out smile. "Yahoo! Let's go get 'er done, boss!" Maura chuckled at this and made her way to the landing zone where all the F-14s were waiting.
Upon arrival, she realized she had to walk past Jane and Barold to get to her aircraft. With as much subtlety as she dared, she watched Jane suiting up with their standard flight gear. Maura was quickly realizing that she found every movement Jane made sexy. It might be the natural grace in which she moved or it could be that she was just that far gone on this fierce aviator. But Maura knew she had to rein in her desires if she wanted to be the best. And her goal was to graduate Top Gun school at the top, no matter what. Putting aside everything and recentering herself using her yoga breathing techniques, Maura was able to zero back in on the mission at hand.
They had been briefed that they would be trying to take down several enemy MIGs lead by LCDR Rafael "Jester" Martinez. Maura had been up against Martinez before and had always won but knew that she now had stiff competition. Time to show Jane who really was the maverick around here.
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Jane was in her element. She and Frost were soaring through the air at incredible speeds but to Jane it felt like she was taking a leisurely ride down the street on her bike. They were in pursuit of Jester and he was proving to be quite the tricky one. They had lost Martinez several times. Each time when Jane thought she had a target lock on him, he had slipped through her fingers.
They had just lost him again when Martinez popped up and was right on their six. Frost was giving her updates and she was luring him around several mountains, waiting to make her move. Frost was getting very agitated and yelled at her "Mav, do some of that pilot shit! He is still right on our six!" Jane, the picture of calm, simply replied, "I got him, Goose."
Suddenly, Jane cut their speed and was able to get behind Martinez as he flew right past them, allowing Jane to put her aircraft in position to get a target lock. Frost let out a loud yip and shouted "Yeah, Mav! Let's turn and burn!"
Martinez tried to out maneuver Jane by going vertical. Jane knew this tactic well especially since the MIGs were lighter and faster than the F-14 she was flying but she knew she could bring Jester down . Martinez made to go below the hard deck, the simulated area set to represent the ground when training during dogfights. It is set well above the actual ground to make sure that fighter pilots can train safely.
Jane wasn't going to let Martinez beat her. Frost knew that as well and shouted "Mav, he is going for the hard deck. Let's get down there before he does." Jane smiled widely and said "Already on it Goose." Maneuvering her F-14, Jane got down below and as Martinez was making his vertical descent, Jane was able to get a target lock on him.
"Wooohooo, Jester is dead!" Goose shouted. Jane let out a yell of her own. "Repeat, Jester is dead!"
Martinez could be heard over their comms shouting at them to get back to base immediately. Jane heard his angry tone but ignored it because she was high on victory. She knew she had just shown the instructor her exquisite flying skills. Jane didn't care if it might have been against the rules. She had outmaneuvered her instructor and she knew he was going to be grumpy about it.
"Yes, sir" Jane said cheekily over the comms. As she made her way back to base, Jane couldn't resist being insolent. Jane requested a flyby from the tower. She was denied as she expected but she just couldn't help herself. "Mav, please, please don't do this" Frost begged but Jane just chuckled and said "Sorry Goose, but it's time to buzz the tower." Jane could hear Frost groan over the comms which only made her grin even harder. Jane pulled up along the side of the tower and briefly saw the people inside scatter from the sight of her approach. Jane just let out a jubilant laugh and Frost laughed along with her as he yelled "Great balls of fire!"
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Maura had had a great flight. She had successfully engaged Martinez and knew that her flying had been beyond reproach. As she and Susie deplaned, they gave each other a quick hug, something that Susie had worn Maura down into doing after so many victories. Maura had grown to like their congratulatory hugs and it was part of what made being the best so much sweeter.
As they made their way back into the locker room, Maura could hear a loud celebration. Apparently, Jane and Barold had also been successful. She wasn't surprised. Clearly just from the video she had seen of Jane's flying, Maura knew that Jane was an exceptional pilot. What did surprise her were the details she was starting to get about the engagement. Apparently, Jane had gone below the hard deck to get Jester. This was a hard no-no and against at least two of the rules of engagement. It was also exceeding stupid and dangerous. Maura found herself getting incredibly angry. She wasn't sure if it was because Jane had broken the rules or that Jane could have been hurt. The latter seemed to be winning out and that only enraged Maura more.
Susie was in the midst of regaling the details of their engagement to their fellow aviators when Maura heard Barold tell Susie how they had won. Susie interrupted him and told him in no uncertain terms that a win below the hard deck didn't count. Jane chimed in with "below the hard deck my ass, we nailed that punk!" Maura could hear the sound of a high five being given among the friends.
Maura still hadn't faced Jane as she was trying to get her anger under control but hearing that comment and the resulting celebration set Maura off. "You really are some kind of a cowboy aren't you" she said with a glare at Jane. Jane met Maura with an equal glare despite towering over Maura and said, "What is your problem Iceman?"
Maura couldn't believe that Jane couldn't see the problem. Yes, Maura was angry about Jane breaking the rules but what was really getting under her skin was Jane's apparent lack of self preservation. If Jane thought so little about taking risks like that with her own life, well and that of her best friend, what would she do with someone else's? In particular, Maura's. Maura knew that she was quickly losing her heart to this wreckless goddess and she didn't know if she could survive if Jane threw it around like it wasn't priceless.
"You're everybody's problem. That's because every time you go up in the air, you are unsafe." Maura tried to steal herself for what she wanted to say next, knowing that it was a bit of a lie but she felt it needed to be said, if only to save her from her own heartbreak. "I don't like you because you are dangerous." Maura started to feel the telltale signs of hives starting to form under her flight suit but held herself still as Jane's eyes flashed with fire in them.
"That's right, I am dangerous!" Jane said getting really up close to Maura, invading her personal space. Jane brought her hands up to brush along Maura's shoulders slowly, almost seductively, as she said "Ice...man. I am dangerous." Jane gave her a dimpled filled grin that almost made Maura's knees buckle. The close proximity, the feel of Jane's hands on her shoulder, the husk to Jane's voice, and the fierceness of her reaction, all had Maura aching to push Jane up against the locker and have her way with her.
Instead, the most peculiar response came from Maura. Looking back on it, she would deny ever doing it but in that moment, something had come over Maura and she had smiled back at Jane and made a chomping motion at her. Maura watched as the fire in Jane's eyes transformed into amusement and the dimpled grin she was sporting grew even wider. They were staring into each other's eyes and Maura knew that they both were thinking the same thing. They wanted each other. Now!
Unfortunately the moment was broken when Martinez showed up and called for Maverick. Apparently Viper wanted to see her in his office immediately. Maura knew that could only mean one thing. Holding Jane's intense stare for a moment more, she reached out herself and patted Jane tenderly on the shoulder. She took a moment to squeeze the firm muscle she felt underneath. Maura gave a quick wink to Jane as she turned around and went about changing out of her flight gear and getting ready to take a shower. It would definitely have to be a very, very cold one.
A/N: I think I need a cold shower after that. Let me know if I am the only one. ;-)