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After they showered and she slipped into a borrowed NCIS t-shirt they headed out. They grabbed some coffee and bagels for the road and drove over an hour to a little airstrip in Virginia. There were several small garage buildings that Tony assumed held planes and the grassy area surrounding the airstrip itself was full of small planes in all shapes and sizes.
They parked and headed over to where a little red biplane sat waiting. There was a little old man in coveralls with his head stuck in the engine compartment working on something. When he heard them approach he closed the hatch and wiped his hands on a bandana hanging from his belt. He stepped away from the plane and walked slowly towards them in an old man shuffle, his snow white hair and unruly beard being blown gently in the breeze.
Tony had never seen anyone in his whole life smile like Isabel did seeing the old man. She gave the fragile looking man a bone crushing hug and teased, “What did you do to my bird, you old pterodactyl?”
“Just making sure she’s perfect for you, lass. And you’ll be minding your manners, you’re not to old to spank.” He had a slight brogue and Tony would be willing to bet that his hair had matched Isabel’s at some point when he was younger.
“Tony, this is my great Uncle Max. Uncle Max, this is my friend Tony.” Tony couldn’t help but smile as he extended his hand to him.
Max shook Tony’s hand in a surprisingly firm grip and said, “You must be a pretty special friend Tony, she never brings anyone up her to play with her toys.”
He had to bite back a laugh as Isabel rolled her eyes as she stood near her uncle. He gestured towards the plane, “So is this one of her toys?”
Max clapped Tony on the shoulder and proceeded to give him more information than he could have possibly ever needed on the subject of biplanes. But Max had a wonderful way of telling stories and Tony was enthralled. Isabel went off into the control office to file her flight plan and was not surprised to find Max still filling Tony’s head full of aviation history when she got back.
“Ready to go, Tony?”
“Where are we going?” All of this was a surprise; she hadn’t given him a clue as to what they would be doing on the drive up.
“Up, up and away.” She teased as she started her preflight routine. She new Max would have the plane perfect but she still had to check everything herself, it was engrained in her.
She got Tony situated in the front cockpit and gave him a pair of goggles and a radio headset then got into the cockpit behind him and fired up the engine.
Tony had never been in a biplane before and didn’t take him long to appreciate the rush the open cockpit gave. Isabel didn’t have to ask him if he were doing okay, she could hear him laughing on the headset. He was amazed at the skill in which she flew the plane. It was effortless and smooth. And when he teased her about being bored, she took the plane through its tricks. And she made Tony cry ‘mercy’ when she threatened to fly the rest of the trip inverted. The dives and the barrel rolls made him howl and by the time they landed on the airstrip he was disappointed to be getting out of the plane.
She parked the plane near one of the small hangers and they climbed out. Tony didn’t even think, he just threw his arm around her shoulder as they walked towards one of the buildings. He was on an endorphin high, he had never really understood fanatical pilots until now. All he wanted to do was get back up in the plane. And he was babbling to that effect when she teased, “We will, but we need fuel and lunch.” And as she opened the door to the little diner like restaurant that served the airstrip she said something that finally shut him up, “And then you’re gonna fly the plane.”
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Jack O’Neill was tired. Tired and stressed and he desperately needed the few days he had managed to squirrel away at his cabin in Minnesota. Peace and quiet, beer and fishing, they were all he wanted. The two stars now sitting on his shoulders weighed heavy at times. And he just needed a break to recharge.
An old buddy of his now stationed at the Pentagon offered Jack the use of his Cessna if he wanted to fly himself out to Minnesota. Jack had debated that but decided flying was something he truly enjoyed, and he didn’t get to do it often enough these days, so he took his friend up on his offer. The plane was kept at a little airfield in Virginia and Jack found himself enjoying the drive through the countryside to get there. He was passing a large stretch of farm land and saw a red biplane doing some tricks in the open airspace. He smiled fondly and pulled over to the side of the road and got out and watched. It was nice to see someone fly for the pure enjoyment of it and whoever the pilot was, they were extremely skilled with a natural talent.
When the plane took off for parts unknown Jack got back in his SUV heading for the airstrip. He was met by a humorous old man named Max that showed him to the plane. Jack filed his flight plan, fueled the plane, and after doing his preflight finally got the bird off the ground heading for the northern mid-west. As he flew he thought about the pilot of the biplane and wondered if Max knew who it was. He would have to ask when he returned in a few days.
He settled into the pilot’s seat comfortably and relaxed, flying was like breathing to him. It just came naturally. And it was a rare treat to be able to fly without worrying about a death glider or a mothership looming in the vicinity. He laughed at that thought and then laughed even harder as he thought about the good old days when all he had to worry about was a MIG popping up to engage. The good old days, before the Gou’ald, before the Ori, and before the two stars had been foisted upon him.
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Isabel and Tony did exactly what she had promised. After some hot dogs and a shared plate of fresh French fries they fueled the plane took off again, and she let Tony take the controls. Her hand a hair’s breath away from her own in case he needed her help. But he did well. And if he thought being a passenger was a rush, it didn’t compare to actually being the one in control of the plane.
They were sitting on a low stone wall near the hanger where her plane was stored, bottled waters in hand. Tony couldn’t remember the last time was that he had felt this good, this alive and although the flying and fresh air was certainly a part of it, the biggest reason was sitting right beside him.
“Thank you for this.” He gestured towards the plane in the hanger. “It was incredible.”
She smiled, “You’re very welcome, you really looked like you needed to have some fun and I’m glad you came with me.”
He thought about something that Max had said earlier and he asked, “So you really don’t bring your boyfriends up here?”
She laughed, “Nope.” Tony could sense that she wanted to say something else but didn’t and he wondered was it was, but he didn’t press.
She nudged him with her shoulder, “We should probably get going we still have an hour drive home.”
The stood up and before she could walk away he grabbed her hand and pulled her into a hug, he had thought about kissing her but it somehow didn’t seem right, but the hug was good and they both sort of melted into it, just wanting the human contact.
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Tbc…feedback adored :)
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