By SuzyRNC
E-mail address: Linda_mcc@cox.net
Rating: No one under at least 15 should be reading this story - adult situations, language, violence and sexual content
Classification: Shipper/Romance - Harm and
Mac
Spoilers: Up through season 8.
Disclaimer: JAG, its characters and premise are
the exclusive property of Bellasarius Productions, Paramount Television and CBS
Entertainment. No monetary gain is appreciated from this endeavor, nor is any
copyright infringement intended. I only borrowed them for a few days; I put
them back, no muss, no fuss.
***
Somewhere south of
2120 Zulu
A red corvette made its way down Interstate 95 at a brisk pace. The driver was deep in thought as the trip continued. Hills and trees flew past the vehicle, but went seemingly unnoticed. Nothing outside the car could compare to the events that were playing in the head of the driver.
Sarah Mackenzie was mad.
Not just mad, but hurt, angry and disappointed. How dare he do this! She thought to
herself.
Seven years. Seven long, wasted years. She thought to herself as she continued her drive, glancing down at the speedometer. The last thing she needed was to get a speeding ticket. Easing her foot off of the gas and engaging the cruise control, she continued her inner dialogue.
Damn him. Harmon Rabb.
So well-liked, so cheerful. Women seemed to be
magnetically drawn to him, but dammit! Did he have to fall over himself with
that “Aw shucks, ma’am” chivalry that he seemed to exude without even being
aware of it?
Earlier
that day, this inner struggle came to a head at JAG headquarters. Commander
Michaela Carmichael was a witness to a case that Sturgis was prosecuting. She
waltzed in and in a few minutes, she managed to do something that Mac had not
in seven long years: she turned Harmon Rabb’s head. Harm noticed her almost
immediately, and seemingly changed course in mid stride to go fawn over her.
Mac could take no more; it was too painful to watch. Turning, she made her way
to her office, closed the door and drew the blinds. She needed time to be alone.
Time to put her game face back on so she could finish out the
day and go home. Alone.
Mac
sat at her desk, looking out the window, trying to find something to focus on
that could help her reel her emotions back in. She was aware that she had been
sitting that way for 28 minutes. Her pain re-appeared as she was treated to the
sight of Harm walking out with his arm around the striking Commander, helping
her into his Lexus and then the couple drove away together.
Her
pain began to transform to anger. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks,
up the back of her neck, and to the top of her head. She felt the urge to do
something. Rising from behind her desk, she grabbed her cover and her purse,
leaving her briefcase behind.
Reaching
her car, she felt the desire to go somewhere that she could think. She made her
way into DC.. The late spring evenings were too cool
for the tourists, but perfect for the locals. Mac climbed the stairs to the
As
the sun began a slow descent into the horizon, Mac decided to take a walk
around the reflecting pool, to take a look at some of the statues and other
memorials; however, the Vietnam Memorial would not be on her list of stops, for
obvious reasons. Making her way down the straight dirt path
that lead to the Women’s memorial, Mac felt her skin begin to tingle.
She knew what it was immediately: Harm. Looking up through the light foliage,
over to the Wall, she took in the tall couple, standing at a well-recognized
portion of the Memorial. She knew it was him; nothing seemed to go her way. It
seemed that she could not get away from them; fate was determined to cheat her,
and life was determined to rub her nose in it.
Frustration
rising, she turned and followed the path back to the reflecting pool, making
her way past the stands of Vietnam Veteran flags, POW bracelets, and military paraphernalia for sale at several small stands, and weaving
through the departing Tourmobile trams back to her car. She pulled out quickly
and was determined to go anywhere from where she was then.
So now here she was, flying down Interstate 95, and she
realized that she was no closer to happiness than she was the day she shook
hands with the tall, then-Lt Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. in the White House Rose
Garden. Something in him called to her, but poor timing, fear and plain dumb
luck played their hands to keep them from coming together. No more. It all ends right here, right now. I have to make a clean
break. Her thoughts determined. Her thought seemed to be verified by the
new surging confidence that she felt swell in her chest. She would start over,
a new location, new people. She would leave this town and never look back. She
would miss her home and her friends terribly, but the pain and frustration of Harm’s
constant rejection made it impossible for her to stay. She would talk to the
Admiral in the morning; he had to understand. However, if he did not, she would
resign her commission; it was that serious to her. She did not want to leave
the Marines, but if that was her only choice, so be it. Remembering something,
she turned around at the nearest exit and made her way back north to
JAG Headquarters
1330 Zulu
The sunrise had found Mac at her desk, reading over a typed
letter for the Admiral. She had typed two, one for transfer and the other for
resignation. She came in before sunrise to finish up what she had returned for
the previous evening. Her reason for returning the night before sat on her
desk: the list for open JAG positions. Naval Station Pearl Harbor needed a
Chief of Staff, as its previous officer had recently taken a posting for his
first base JAG position at
Mac had asked Petty Officer Tiner for some time with Admiral
Chegwidden right after the Morning meeting. Harm was on assignment at
Mac entered the office and stood at attention as she neared the desk. The Admiral looked up from his stack of paperwork and said “At ease, Colonel. Tiner said that you need to speak with me, what can I do for you?”
Mac remained standing, her arms at her sides, a slightly relaxed posture from her at attention pose. “Sir, there is something that I need to discuss with you, but I do not know how to go about it other than straight on. Sir, I, I have the utmost respect for you and your command here at JAG, and I feel that I have grown here and am a better lawyer and Marine for it. However, sir, I think that it is time that I look into other areas for me. I would like to advance, perhaps even become the first female JAG, but sir, I don’t think that will happen by staying here.” She paused, trying to gauge his reaction, there was none. The Admiral’s face was impassive. He looked as if thinking out her reasoning.
“Mac, is there something or someone here that has made you unhappy?” He asked.
She took a deep breath before answering. “Sir, I just think that it would be a great opportunity for me.” She said, neither confirming nor denying his question; however, it was not unnoticed by him.
Sitting back in his chair, he asked, “What do you have in mind, Colonel?”
Mac now took the time to sit. “Sir, there is a posting for
Chief of Staff at
She’s done her homework. Damn. AJ thought as he studied her expression, her body language, looking for anything that could be a chink in that armor of a Marine façade she displayed. He found none.
AJ leaned forward, resting his forearms on his desk as he spoke. “Mac, I will give you to the end of the week to think about this. You need to consider this carefully.”
“With all due respect, sir.” She answered, “I have given it much consideration. I would not have come to you before putting in the effort of careful thought.”
He continued to study her, then asked, “Mac, what about your friends? What about Harm?”
She flinched at the Commander’s name. Ah Ha! There is the problem. He thought inwardly, his face showing no expression at her physical response.
Mac looked at her hands, trying to get over the pain at the mere mention of Harm’s name.
“Please sir. I have to do this. I wish I could tell you, but I can’t. I need to get away from here, sir. I don’t have a choice.”
AJ Chegwidden picked up the phone handset and paged Petty Officer Tiner.
“Tiner. Hold all my calls until further notice. No one, and I mean no one gets in here. That is an order!” AJ commanded.
“Aye sir.” Tiner replied as the Admiral hung up.
He took a breath and began. “Mac, forget about rank for a minute. Nothing will go past this door, talk to me. What is this about?”
Mac continued to look at her hands, as she played nervously with her fingers. “Sir,” she answered, “I think that you know what it is about. I…I have been in love with Harm from the first day we met. I have never stopped loving him, despite the other men that have come into my life. But he doesn’t love me, he doesn’t want me, and I can’t stay here, watching him with other women, acting as if I don’t exist. It hurts too much.”
AJ looked at her; he could see a glimpse into her soul. The
pain, the anguish was evident in her words, the rejection in her actions. He
hurt in empathy for her. She needed to break this hold that the pain had on
her; and unfortunately for him, it did not seem as if it were going to happen
here. God damn you, Rabb! You have made
the biggest mistake in your life and you probably don’t even know it!
AJ took a deep breath, resigned to this decision. “Colonel,
I will grant your request on a temporary basis. I will assign you at
Mac took a second before responding, “Sir, I don’t usually
call in favors, but if memory serves me correct, you said you owed me one.”
AJ’s mind went to the time she defended him at his flag mast hearing for
slapping a disrespectful high school student. Mac continued, “I do not want a
lot of attention paid to me over this. I would like to just slip out today as
if nothing has happened. You could tell everyone after I’ve gone to
AJ hated the sneaky way that she wanted to leave, but felt bound to the favor. He agreed.
Mac rose and said, “Thank you sir. I will not forget this.” She came to full attention, and snapped a crisp salute to her soon to be former commanding officer. He rose and returned her salute and she made her way out the door, out of JAG and onto her new life.
AJ watched her leave and then slid down into his chair. He felt as if the wind was knocked out of him, torn between the incredible sadness and pain he witnessed from Mac and anger at the blind negligence that Harmon Rabb seemed to exercise by tap dancing on her heart. He witnessed the sucker-punched, out of sorts look on her face that came about as a result of a careless comment about her from Harm the day before the JAG-A-Thon, so he knew that it was not all in her head.
He hated to see such a fine officer and a good friend leave, but maybe it was for her best.
Mac made her way quietly back to her office, she had only been in the office for a moment when she heard footsteps behind her.
“Ma’am?”
Mac turned at the voice to see Petty Officer Tiner standing at her door. “Tiner?” She responded.
“May I close the door ma’am?” He asked. At her nod, he shut the door gently.
“The Admiral told me that your office needs to be emptied. Is it going to be renovated, ma’am?” He asked curiously.
Mac was quiet, enigmatic in her reply. “Something like that.”
“The Admiral said that you may want to have your things taken care of. I can do that for you, ma’am. I will be here this weekend catching up on some filing, I can box it all up and store it for you, if you would like.” He offered.
“OK, Tiner. Box it up, but instead, make sure it gets to NAS Pearl Harbor for me.” She replied.
Tiner tried to hide his facial response, but failed miserably. He looked like the goose with the proverbial golden egg. Mac saw the look immediately and walked over to him.
“Tiner, not one word, to any one at all, inside this office or out. As far as you are concerned, you know nothing about this; you never talked to me or took any part in this. Is that understood?” Mac ordered sternly.
Tiner snapped to attention. “Yes Colonel.”
“Dismissed.” She said, then added, “Tiner?”
He turned and looked back at her. “Thank you.” She said sincerely.
He could do little more than smile. He turned back and quietly entered the bullpen.
Mac turned and went back into her office after shutting the door. She took a look around, taking in the area, committing each inch to memory. She stood, turning to pull her diploma and her framed citations and awards from the wall, placing them into a large shopping bag she had stored in the bottom of her desk.
“OK Marine, its time.” She said aloud to herself as she opened up the door and made her way though the bullpen and into an awaiting elevator without stopping. Bracing the elevator door with her hand, she turned and took this scene in, savoring each moment. She looked at Harriet, ever busy on a call, Tiner, typing busily at a keyboard, and Bud in his office meeting with a client. With no more hesitation, she stepped into the elevator and let the doors slide quietly shut.
Reaching her car, her cell phone began to ring. Pulling it out, she looked at the number. Harm was trying to reach her. She took a deep breath and turned the phone off. Its time I learned how to say no to that man. Might as well start now. She thought, feeling a little better than she had all day.
***
“Mac, give me a call when you get this. I thought that you
might like to do something with me this weekend. I should be back from
Harm felt a bit guilty. He could have sworn that he saw a
look of hurt in her face yesterday when he greeted Mike. He had known Mike
Carmichael since
Mac went home and began to make her flight arrangements. She
would fly out Sunday morning. That would give her Friday and Saturday to pack
up everything. A phone call to a Teen Achievement, a youth volunteer group,
gave her
She had a considerable part of the packing done when the teens arrived Friday. They finished up around 1400 and she treated them to pizza and cokes as a reward for their hard work. She had made arrangements for utilities, phone, and the like to be shut off. She was pleased at the progress. Keeping busy hid the pain, and so she dove in with wild abandon. The shippers arrived about 1500 and packed up her belongings and made their way from her apartment. She left a couple of sheets and a pillow; otherwise everything was ready to go. She knew that the Admiral was probably expecting her to come running back in 30 days, and he would be shocked at the empty house, but she had already made up her mind. She would leave, not to return. Packing was not to make herself believe this promise, but rather, it was to make it not necessary to return in a month to retrieve her belongings.
Deciding to take a good long last look at the town, she hopped in her car and decided to see the town at sunset. She made her way back eventually to the Lincoln Memorial. She would miss this place a great deal. She sat in the somber silence of the early evening, drinking in the crisp evening air, taking quiet solace in the setting, and making some plans for her life. After a while, she returned to her car and continued to drive around for about an hour, then returned home. Slowing up to her apartment building, she spotted Harm’s Lexus. Determined not to have any contact with him, she turned down the side street just before her building and went to Maggiano’s for dinner. Dinner was a bittersweet affair, she loved the restaurant, but her mind returned to Harm. He had taken her here a few months ago when she beat him in court. When will there be a time when I don’t think of him? She thought to herself. Never, the inward reply came. She knew it was true, but she needed the distance to have a chance for herself.
Mac’s Apartment
0100 Zulu
Harm knocked several times and found no response. He knew that she had to have received his message; she checked several times a day. Something was wrong. He could feel that something was not right. He had to talk to her, but she was making herself scarce. He turned and left the building, and he thought he saw her car, but it turned and took a side street. Was it Mac? Was she hiding from him? He had to find out what was going on, but he had to talk to her to do that. He tried her cell phone again, and still was referred to voicemail. Dammit Mac! What is going on? His frustration was mounting. An idea entered his head. Pulling out his cell phone again, he hit #4 on his speed dial.
“Roberts’ residence.” The female voice answered.
“Harriet! Hey it’s Harm.” He said, trying not to sound too worried.
“Hello, sir. Do you want to talk to Bud? He is in the Den with little AJ. They are working on the model of the Seahawk that the Colonel gave him.” Harriet replied.
Harm smiled at the memory of the present. “Actually Harriet, I called to ask you a question. How was the Colonel today at work? I have been trying to get a hold of her and am having no luck. I thought that she might have mentioned something to you.”
Harried answered. “Sir, she wasn’t at work today. As a matter of fact, I have not seen her since our morning meeting yesterday. She seemed fine, a little quiet, but then, I only saw her in the meeting. Is everything OK, sir?”
This news surprised Harm. She would have told him if she was going out of town. He answered Harriet, “I don’t know, Harriet. I hope not. Thanks for the information. Give little AJ a hug for me and tell Bud I said hi.”
Harriet began to worry at this turn of events as well. She said, “Thank you sir, I will.”
Hanging up, he was determined to talk to Mac.
Harm tried to get in touch with her all day Saturday, to no
avail. Mac took her car and had it stored in a garage for a month, then she had
decided to stay in a hotel near Dulles on Saturday night. She took advantage of
the Jacuzzi and weight room and then retired early, anxious to leave
0930 Zulu
Mac picked up her boarding pass at the ticket counter. She
was so close that she could hardly stand the anticipation. She knew that she
could not delude herself into thinking that all was going to be just fine
overnight, but a change of scenery would definitely help. Not to mention the
fact that she would be living in
Harm woke on his sofa, where he had fallen asleep the night before. Determined to see Mac, he wanted to get to her place before she would have a chance to get out for the day. Still wearing his clothes from the night before, and his chin full of stubble, he made his way to her apartment one more time. He had not used his key, thinking that she would come to him once she was ready; however, she had never purposefully stayed away this long, not without something being wrong. He pulled into a parking space and made his way into the building and to her door. Knocking on the door, he waited, but no answer met his knock. He put his ear to the door, but heard nothing. Pushing his key into the lock, he twisted the knob and his heart shot into his throat at what he found. Nothing. The entire apartment was empty. He closed the door and proceeded to go from room to room, looking for something, anything. His heart pounded as he searched. Coming back into the living room, he could not believe what he was seeing. Where is she? I don’t understand what is happening. His thoughts churned inside his head. Where could Mac and all her things have gone? Looking at his watch, he noted that it was 0720. Surly the Admiral would know what was happening. He would call him and find out what was going on.
***
“….and as always, thank you for
flying with us. The time is
“0720 and all IS well.” She said quietly to herself, as she snuggled her body back into the seat.
***
“Commander, do you have any idea what time it is?” AJ Chegwidden asked, the ire palpable in his voice.
Harm flinched. “Yes sir, it is 0725 Sunday. I am terribly sorry to bother you, sir, but would you happen to know where Colonel Mackenzie may have gone? I am in her apartment and it is empty, looks like someone just backed up a truck here and took it all away.” Harm explained.
She’s not going to come back. She already had made up her mind. Damn! thought AJ as he heard Harm speak. “Harm, I am sorry, but I can’t help you with this one.” AJ said plainly.
Harm was surprised by his answer. “Does that mean you know where she is, sir?”
AJ was getting testy. “Commander, did I not just tell you that I cannot help you? I can not and will not tell you where the Colonel is, not yet. It is need to know, and I ‘m sorry son, no matter how well you know Mac, you are not in a need to know position. Give this up. We will discuss it further when the time is right. Do not continue to search for Mac. Go home, Harm. That is an order.”
Harm was disappointed, but knew he could not let on that he was. “Aye aye, sir.” He said and then hung up the phone.
Harm was confused. How could she leave without telling him?
Perhaps she was with Webb, but if so, why the need to pack and go? He walked
around the apartment, looking for anything that would provide him with some
answers. Walking back into the living room, he placed his hand on the mantle,
looking for balance as he leaned back onto it. His eye caught something.
Reaching down onto the top of the mantle, he picked up the familiar frame and
took in the picture. He could remember the day it was taken as if was
yesterday. They were getting ready to head out on their own looking for Atef,
Gunny snapped a photo, and they had held each other with an arm around the
other. The picture looked so natural, even romantic. Several people had asked
if that was his wife when they took a glimpse at the photo on his desk. Truth be told, that was the day that Mac
saved me; not just from the mine, but from myself. I realized that I wanted to
have a real relationship with a woman. With...her. I
just had not gotten the courage to tell her yet,. Thought
Harm
Why would she leave it behind and take everything else? He pondered again. His mind thought back over the last few days. Mac had seemed fine until…until Mike arrived at JAG. I should have seen it! One minute she was talking to Tiner, the next she was in her office, with the hatches battened down tight. And then she was gone. God, she didn’t think that Mike and I were involved, did she? His mind suddenly recalled the very minute in startling clarity. He saw the look of hurt and disappointment take over her face as she then turned and retreated into her space. He did not remember it before, as he was wrapped up in the moment of welcoming an old friend. He was so wrapped up in one friend that he never realized that he had lost another.
God, what have I done? Is that why she’s gone? His inner dialogue continued to war within, with no end in sight. He shook his head and looked down a moment, trying to summons up an idea of what to do next, where to find her, and that was if he was even able to find her. Dejectedly, he closed and locked the front door and headed home.
JAG Headquarters
2355 Zulu
Monday morning came slowly, as though the clock just decided not to move and allow the day to begin. Harm had not really slept well, just an hour or two of restless sleep, punctuated with tossing and turning. Finally, the clock alarm sounded, and he rose and prepared to go to work, hoping above all other hope that Mac would be there. Harm parked his Lexus and pulled out his brief case as he was greeted by Sturgis Turner, his old friend and co-worker.
“Harm, what’s up buddy? You look like something that I scraped off my shoe once.” Sturgis jested.
The two entered the building and stepped into the elevator as they spoke. “Commander, you have no idea how bad my weekend was. Have you seen Mac?” Harm queried.
“Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen her since Thursday, right after our AM meeting. I figured that she must have been on a case.” Sturgis stated.
The elevator slid open with a quiet “swoosh”, and the pair exited into the bullpen. Following the turn of the hallway and into the bullpen, Harm froze in his tracks. He could see right into Mac’s office. It was as empty as her apartment had been. He ran over to the door, threw it open and confirmed his worries. The swift action had drawn the attention of every person in the office.
“Where are Mac’s things?” Sturgis asked, now becoming thoroughly confused.
Harm just stood there, stunned a moment before he answered, “I don’t know. But I am going to find out, if it’s the last thing I do.” He stormed out of the doorway of Mac’s office, through the bullpen and over to Tiner’s desk.
“Tiner, I need to see the Admiral, ASAP!” He stated bluntly to Petty Officer Jason Tiner.
Tiner announced Harm to the Admiral. Harm made his way over to the door and entered, coming to attention as he waited to be acknowledged by the Admiral.
AJ Chegwidden considered himself to be a pretty even-keeled commanding officer, most of the time. He treated his officers and enlisted with respect and fairness, and that was generally the case; however, right this minute, he could feel the anger rise through his body in response to the callous nature that Harm exhibited, as he seemed to run roughshod over the Colonel.
Harm stood at attention, watching the Admiral just stand in front of him, observing him, and looking as if he were trying to gather some words to express what he was feeling. The Admiral stepped right up nose to nose with Harm and began to speak. “Commander, I have seen you do some pretty bone-headed things in the time that we have been posted here, but every now and then I find myself asking ‘Just what could he possibly do to top that?’ Well Commander, I think that I can say for sure that I have seen it.”
Feeling his control over his tongue slipping, and thought
the better of it, as he had made a promise to Mac and he intended to keep his
end of that promise. “Commander, I know why you are here; I know the question
that you are going to ask. It is the same one as everyone here in this office
when they came in this morning. You are no more special than they are, no
matter what your friendship status with the Colonel. Get out of here, Rabb. I
can’t look at you right now. And if you don’t know why I am mad, why don’t you
go back to your office and think about it, maybe it will come to you. The
Colonel is gone. I cannot talk about where or what for just yet, but I will say
that it is highly probable that she will never return to this office.” Feeling
his anger rising, he dismissed Harm. Harm stepped back and did an about face
and left the office, his pride stung and his heart hurting. His thoughts
taunted him. Mac had left because of me!
The questions now are ‘where did she go’ and ‘what will it take to get her
back?’ I just realized that I was ready to move forward with a relationship,
and I wanted to do so with Mac, with Sarah. God, how could this get any more fucked
up that it was right now?
***
Mac had landed in
Mac had decided that work would probably help get her mind off of Harm, so she decided to report early. She entered the office of Captain Marie Einsworthy, her new commanding officer to report for duty. She was announced and escorted by the Yeoman, and made her way into the large office, not much unlike the one Admiral Chegwidden used.
“At ease, Colonel”, the Captain began. Mac relaxed from her stance, and took a seat at the Captain’s offer.
“We’ve met before, haven’t we?” Einsworthy asked.
“Yes ma’am, it was about a year ago at the Military Justice Briefing on Terrorism in DC.” Mac stated plainly. She had not served under a female commanding officer, and took this as an opportunity to see how well they could work together.
“That is right. Tell me, Colonel, why would one of the
Marine Corps’, nay, even JAG’s best and brightest
attorneys decide to leave the
Mac was a bit taken aback. She looked at the Captain, trying to determine what she could read from her body language. It seemed that she was genuinely curious, not probing for an admission of something she already knew. “Ma’am, I think that I can do some good around here. I have served as an acting chief at JAG headquarters in DC, and would like to take that position on fully. As far as the appeal, I think that this place is as good as any to move my career along, ma’am.”
Einsworthy looked her over. She was impressed not only by Admiral Chegwidden’s shining words of praise for the Colonel, but her service record alone looked as if it was something out of a Tom Clancy novel. But something was not right, she decided to press a bit more.
“Colonel,” She began.
“Call me Mac if you would like, Ma’am.” Mac supplied.
“Ok, Mac, I consider myself to be a very perceptive person. I can’t help but wonder what you are hiding. I’m thinking, perhaps you are looking to get away from an unpleasant experience, but not the job, as your glowing recommendation and your FitReps amply show. So, my second guess would be someone.”
Mac’s heart was pounding, this woman was not only perceptive, she was extremely perceptive! “Captain, with all due respect, I am here to do a job. I don’t think that it is required to discuss issues that you think you notice in my personal life, if it is not interfering with my professional or military capacity.” Mac warned, respectfully. She still felt raw, and could not talk to this woman, virtually a stranger, about her heart.
“Mac, I did not mean to pry. I was just wondering why you asked to be transferred, that is all. I think that you have something eating away at you; I can see it in your eyes, your facial expression, and so many things. But I will stop playing ‘Madame Zelda’ for now.” This brought a slight smile to Mac’s face. The ice was broken between them.
The Captain stood, prompting Mac to do so as well. “Mac, I have arranged for my former chief to give you a look around.” She said as she buzzed the Yeoman to allow entrance to a tall, striking man, his blonde hair cut in the standard Marine square cut, his blue eyes the color of a crystal blue sky.
“Colonel, this is Colonel Mark Kelley, USMC. Mark has been my chief of staff here for the last three years. I suspect that I will miss him about as much as the Admiral states that he misses you. Colonel Kelley, this is Colonel Sarah Mackenzie, she has been assigned to us here for a 30 day TAD as your replacement.”
Col. Kelley extended his hand to Mac, “Call me Mark, please. Colonel, if you would follow me, I can show you around this little bitty piece of paradise.”
“Its Mac, and I would be delighted. Ma’am” She said as she showed respect to her superior, then turned and exited the door which Colonel Kelley held open. Mark escorted Mac around the JAG office, introducing her to her legal man, Lt j.g. Greg O’Connor, a tall young man with a shock of red hair and emerald green eyes. He reminded her of an Irish version of Bud Roberts; innocent, well-meaning and perhaps a bit naïve. Mark assured her that Greg was one of the best research assistants that he had worked with. Greg welcomed her and said that he had heard about her and couldn’t wait to work with her.
Mark and Mac went to his transport, where he took her around to see much of the base, and then returned her to the BOQ and walked her to the door. They had discussed the Captain’s preferences, her demands, and the normal operating procedure of the office. They enjoyed a warm and entertaining conversation on the way around, and he felt that they seemed to have much in common. She intrigued him, and he wanted to get to know more about the dark, mysterious Colonel that stood before him.
“Mac, since you are new in town, why don’t I pick you up and we can go out? We can enjoy a traditional Polynesian meal. I’d like to get to know you better.” Mark said all at once.
Mac was a bit surprised. She never realized that he seemed to be attracted to her. She had been so wrapped up in Harm that she never even thought that someone else could have feelings for her. Mac was tempted, but deep down she knew it was too soon.
“Mark, thanks for the offer. I am just getting over a painful experience. I am afraid that I am not ready for anything new just yet. I do mean yet, not never.” She explained.
Mark, sensitive to the raw feelings coming out through her voice, decided to let her off the hook. “Hey, it’s ok. One of these days, you can take me up on my offer. For now, we can take a rain check.”
Mac awkwardly shook his hand, and wished him a good night before turning in. She had decided to get to work early and tomorrow was as good of a day to start as any.
JAG Headquarters
1230 Zulu
AJ Chegwidden looked around at the officers around the table
in the conference room, gauging their morale and their overall attitude, if
possible. Most seemed quiet, respectful, and a bit down. Mac’s absence was felt
deeply, and although no one knew where she was, they felt her absence
powerfully. She had underestimated her worth as a Lawyer, a Marine, a JAG staff
member and as a friend to these people. Still, knowing the motivation, he could
little blame her. Harm sat quietly at the end of the table, a noticeable change
from his usual position at the “right hand” of JAG. His shoulders were slightly
slumped, as if defeated and his eyes never looked up from his papers on the
desk. I do feel bad for him, but at the
same time, I could slap him and tell him to wake up and tell her how he feels! Time to get this show on the road. Let’s see how he reacts
to this announcement; perhaps he can find a way to find her and set things
right.
“Alright people, now that we have covered the cases on hand,
I have an announcement to make. I know that the sudden vacancy in Colonel
Mackenzie’s office was a surprise to you on Monday. I am also aware of the
scuttlebutt that has been floating around here this week. At the Colonel’s
request, I could not say anything until today about the circumstances regarding
her absence. First off, let me set some of that scuttlebutt straight. The
Colonel has not resigned her commission, she is not behind enemy lines on a
covert CIA op, she has not been kidnapped, and she has not run away and
eloped.” He could hear some small snickers at the absurd theories that had been
conceived. “The Colonel has taken a position as the Chief of Staff for JAG ops,
at
“Admiral?” Harm asked.
“Yes, Mr. Rabb?” Got him. AJ thought to himself almost smugly.
“May I have a moment of your time after the meeting, sir?” Harm asked meekly.
“A moment, Commander.” AJ said as he rose. “Dismissed, people.”
The meeting broke up, AJ started off to his office, with
Harm following behind.
Harm closed the door behind him and came to attention as the Admiral walked behind his desk and sat, saying, “At ease, Commander. Have a seat. What is it?”
Harm relaxed his posture, took a seat and leaned forward in his chair before he spoke.
“You knew, sir? You knew and didn’t tell me?” Harm looked wounded.
“Harm, I told you. I was honor bound. I could not say anything. She asked me to keep it quiet.” AJ reasoned.
“But surely she did not mean me, sir. I am her best…” Harm said, until he was interrupted.
“She SPECIFICALLY mentioned you, Harm.” AJ said as he leaned up in his chair. He took a deep breath. Harm looks hurt, but this is for his own good. AJ thought to himself.
“Harm, let’s drop rank for just a moment. Someone came to me, she was as down as I have ever seen her. She was hurt and perhaps a bit disillusioned at the time. It seems that someone that she has had deep feelings for doesn’t share the feelings for her.”
“But sir, I never said that…” Harm tried again, until he was interrupted.
“Harm, I made Mac a promise. I can’t tell you about her specifically. But I will tell you about a friend of hers, understand?” AJ said with a sly smile.
Catching on, Harm nodded, waiting for the Admiral to continue.
“The woman was hurt. Apparently she thinks that this man, whom I am pretty sure she loves, does not feel the same. She feels that he doesn’t feel that way about her. Well, once someone like this woman comes to the point that she feels that the chances for this man to admit his love for her are near impossible, she gives up. Now she has a choice: she can stay near and let her heart be broken every time he loves someone else, or she can choose to make a clean break, try to get over him. I think that the latter is what happened to my friend.” AJ explained.
“What if this man has already realized that he does love her, that he was lying to himself and to this woman? How does he fix that?” Harm said as he leaned forward, running a hand through his hair in nervous exasperation.
“Harm, I would tell him to give it a little time. To let the emotions calm down a bit. She was hurt; I have never seen that look in her eyes before. I think that this woman was ready to go, even if it meant that she would have had to resign to do so.” AJ’s admission shocked Harm. He could never imagine Mac being to that point again. He realized at that point just how much he had hurt her.
AJ, noticing the pensive look on Harm’s face, continued. “However, I would not wait too long, if I were him, that is. Because if he does, he might just let the best thing that ever happened to him get away and also would cost her commanding officer a damn fine officer and one of the best lawyers he had ever had the privilege of knowing.” Harm and the Admiral shared a knowing look; this bolstered Harm’s courage. He would give her a little time, and then would find a way to talk to her.
***
Bud Roberts’ phone rang, stirring him from his thoughts about the Colonel. He had been hurt that she had not even said goodbye. The phone rang again, he reached for it.
“Lt. Roberts.” He answered.
“Bud?” The lilting voice greeted him. It was the Colonel.
“Colonel? How may I help you, ma’am?” He said formally, his disappointment playing in his voice.
“Bud, cut that out. I had to get away, clear my head. I would have told you, but there was no time. I am sorry that I hurt you. Please believe me; you, Harriet and little AJ are as close to a family as I have had in a long time. I was not thinking too clearly. Please forgive me.” She said honestly and to the point.
He could not stay mad at her. It wasn’t in his nature when it came to both her and to Harm. They were like family, even closer at times than most of his real family.
“Ma’am, I do forgive you. It was just such a shock to come in here Monday and find that your things were gone. None of us knew what happened.”
“Bud, I cannot go into it all just yet, but know that I felt that there was no other way. I needed some space to think.”
“I understand, just don’t do it again, ma’am.” He said, his voice warming to her again.
“Thanks Bud. Listen I also called for a reason; I need a favor.” said Mac.
“Anything, ma’am.” He replied without hesitation.
“I am appalled at the office efficiency around here. It takes twice as long for them to process their DD4’s and their motions forms as you did and as Tiner does now. I remembered that you built some databases so that you could keep track of the forms and such. Is there any way that you could get me a copy of those programs?” She asked.
Mac could hear clicking in the background. After a few seconds, he spoke.
Ma’am, you should have them now. I e-mailed them to you. Do you see them?” He asked.
“I will have to get back to you on that. I haven’t opened my e-mail this week, as I was afraid that I would be bombarded by ‘Where are you’ messages.” She stopped before she mentioned who she imagined that most of them would be from.
Opening her e-mail, she was not surprised. She had ten e-mails from Harm, a couple from Bud and Harriet, and several others from various others in the office, including Sturgis, and even one from Tiner, giving her the tracking numbers for her things from the office. Fortunately, there was only one Sarah Mackenzie on base; the things had already arrived. She found the new e-mail from Bud. “Got it. Thanks Bud. I think that these will help productivity around this place.” Mac said.
“Anytime, ma’am. I mean it. Just let me know.” He said, a small smile forming on his lips.
“Thanks Bud. You don’t know what that means to me. Give Harriet my best. Tell her I’ll call her soon. Give little AJ a hug for me.” She said, hoping that he would leave well enough alone.
Bud however, did not want to leave well enough alone. “What about the Commander, ma’am? May I tell him that you called? Is there a message that you would like for me to give him?” He asked, hoping that she would talk to him. He noted her absence about the same time as the Commander’s downhearted expression, and figured the two events were connected.
Mac took a deep breath and let it out slowly before she answered. “No, I don’t think so, Bud. Don’t tell him that I called. I will call him myself.” She lied. She had no plans to call him.
“Alright ma’am. Goodbye, Colonel.” He said quietly and hung up.
JAG Headquarters
1130 Zulu
Two weeks later
Admiral Chegwidden turned yet another page of forms that were requiring his signature. He hated paperwork, but knew that it was a part of the system. He prayed for a diversion.
Almost miraculously, the phone rang.
“Yes Tiner?” He asked.
“Sir, the SecNav is on line 2.” Tiner supplied.
“Thank you Tiner.” The Admiral said, then selected line 2 and said, “Mr. Secretary, to what do I owe this call?”
The SecNav said, “Admiral, I don’t want to beat around the
bush, so I’ll be brief. There has been an arrest in
Admiral Chegwidden was surprised at the high level interference in such a low priority case. “Sir, may I ask why you want to take an interest in this type of case?”
“AJ, I do not normally step in, but this is a special circumstance. Kevin is my Nephew. I don’t believe that he could do something like this, but I know that there are many out there that do not like me, and would have no problem taking it out on my family. I am not asking you to look the other way; I just want to make sure that he gets a fair shake. I expect to be briefed when the investigation is complete, either way, Admiral.” He stated crisply.
“Yes sir. But please let me go on the record as saying that if we investigate and he is found not guilty, we all may be accused of showing favoritism.” AJ stated.
“Your concerns are so noted. I am aware of how this may play out, but I want you to check this out.” The SecNav stated.
“I’ll have my team on it ASAP, Mr. Secretary.” AJ stated plainly.
“Thank you, AJ. I appreciate it.” The SecNav stated and then hung up.
A thought suddenly hit AJ’s brain. When fate decides, sometimes it is best to just accept it. Rabb, you are one lucky SOB. He laughed at the thought, and then called for Tiner to have Harm and Sturgis come see him ASAP.
Within minutes, Harm and Sturgis were at attention in front of him.
“At ease.” He began, as he dropped a
file on his desk. “I want the two of you in on a special case that we have been
requested to investigate. Lt. Kevin Andrews was arrested for Assault and
attempted abduction at a night club in
Harm’s eyebrows shot up. He would see Mac. He was speechless; Sturgis was not.
“Sir, why isn’t Colonel Mackenzie’s group looking into this?” Turner asked.
“Well, that’s the tricky part. It seems that the Lt. is the SecNav’s nephew.” replied AJ.
Harm and Sturgis looked at each other, neither said a word.
“Wipe that look off of your faces, Commanders.” said the Admiral. “He is not asking for favoritism, he is just concerned that his connection may be taken as a chance to get at him indirectly. He doesn’t want to see his nephew get the shaft without due process. Commander Turner, you will have the lead, Rabb you will second him. That is all Commander Turner. Commander Rabb, a word please.”
Turner came to attention, followed by Harm. “Aye sir.” Sturgis then did an about face and left the two alone.
“Harm, this is the perfect opportunity to fix this otherwise fubar’d situation. Mac does not know you are coming, I only told them about Commander Turner. I figured turn about was fair play.” He said with a grin, and then continued, “Don’t screw this up, Harm. It may be your last chance. Mac is under orders to cooperate in the investigation as needed. Take advantage of the time and get her to talk to you.”
Harm could not believe the generous nature of the Admiral, but was not about to question it. “Sir, thank you.” Harm said, his throat growing tight.
“Dismissed, Commander.” AJ said noting the near display of emotions on Harm’s part.
Harm came to attention, and then left via an about face.
NAS
1830 Zulu
“At ease, Colonel. Have a seat. ” Captain Einsworthy said. Mac sat, waiting for the reason that she was summoned. “Lt. Kevin Andrews of the local branch of the Aegis readiness center was arrested late last evening for Assault and attempted abduction. He was identified by the victim. He is in Honolulu PD’s holding, and will be transferred to us by early afternoon. JAG Headquarters in DC has been called in to conduct the investigation.” She paused at Mac’s facial expression. “A Commander Turner is on his way and will investigate.” She also noted the sense of relief that came over the Colonel. It’s someone she knows, that’s the secret.
“Ma’am, is there some reason that we are not allowed to investigate?” Mac inquired.
“It seems that the Lt. is the nephew of the SecNav. Seems that he wants to make sure that the investigation is fair and balanced. I guess the DC JAG group is the only ones fair, you know, we’re so corrupt and unyielding and all.” She mused, and then remembered the Colonel’s previous post. “Sorry Colonel. No offence.”
“None taken. I think that it is a waste of resources to have the Commander come all this way, but I do not make the decisions.” Mac quipped.
“While I have you here, Colonel, I just wanted to say how pleased I am at your performance. I can see the turnaround already. You have implemented successful changes and the rest of the office is abuzz as well. Well done.”
Mac smiled and answered. “Thank you, ma’am. I hope to keep making you happy.”
Einsworthy said, “Well, if that is true, let me tell you how you can make me happy. Will you consider staying on here? I know that you will report back to the Admiral at the end of 30 days. We are nearing the halfway point and I just wanted to let you know that I think that you would fit in very well here, Mac. You already have.”
Mac smiled, “Thank you ma’am, that is good to know. I am considering asking the Admiral to make the assignment permanent. I just have to think about it a bit more first before I decide what I will request.”
Einsworthy leaned forward in her chair, resting her forearms on her desk. It reminded Mac of the Admiral. Just when he would go into fatherly mode, he always moved to his forearms. The Captain folded her hands together and spoke. “Mac, I would like to think that we have a good working relationship, don’t you agree?”
Mac nodded as she said, “Yes ma’am. I would like to think so too.”
Einsworthy continued. “Before you get up in arms again, I can see that you are hiding something. I have a good idea what it is now.”
Mac was intrigued. “Really?”
“Yes.” Continued the Captain. “You are here because you ran away from someone. Someone at JAG Headquarters.” She was rewarded by the sight of Mac’s eyebrows shooting up into her hairline. “When I mentioned someone was coming, you got nervous until I told you who it was, and then you seemed relieved. That tells me all I need to know. So, since I know the main details, why not talk to me? Get some of this off of your chest?”
Mac took a deep breath and stopped herself from nervously playing with her hands. “I suppose it’s too late to deny it anyway.” She said with a small smirk.
Einsworthy sat back in the chair. “Why don’t we go do dinner? I already have reservations at the Regent’s Club at 1930, I will just call and make it for two, we can grab a bite to eat and talk a bit. Off the record. As for the case, stop back by at 1530. Commander Turner will be here by then. We can go over the case. You can follow his lead on the case, you will assist as needed.”
Mac rose. “Thank you, ma’am. It might be good to talk to someone about this.” Mac was dismissed and she returned to her office to prepare for Sturgis’ arrival.
NAS
0230 Zulu
Harm and Sturgis landed and was escorted to their quarters.
Harm called the Admiral while Sturgis made his way to the Captain’s office to
begin the investigation. He met with Mac and Captain Einsworthy, they agreed
that he was to investigate and they would support him in any way necessary.
Captain Einsworthy invited him to dine with them at the Regent’s club. He
respectfully declined, as he knew how hard jet lag would hit him later. Sturgis
then asked to be taken to Lt. Andrews at
Sturgis entered the brig, where he was taken to the interview room and awaited the arrival of the alleged attacker.
The young man was brought in and made to sit; he looked frightened, tired and unsure of anything.
Sturgis took the man’s carriage into his mental notes about the man.
“Lt. Andrews? I am Commander Turner, from JAG. I am here to investigate the case. Can you tell me what happened?
The young man looked down at his hands before he spoke. “Sir, I went to the club with my friends. It was one of my buddies’ birthday, so we took him to this new club, called Elysian Fields. While we were there, there was this couple. They were arguing and the woman slapped the man and made her way out the back. I noted that it went to the alley before we went in, and I wasn’t sure if it was very safe for the woman to be out there alone. I went out after her. I saw her leaning against the wall of the club, smoking a cigarette. The next thing I know, I came to in the alley. My wallet and watch were gone and then the next second, the police were pulling me to my feet and stuffing me into their car after they handcuffed me and said that I had beat up and tried to abduct a woman. That is all I remember, I swear, sir!”
“Were you seen for the reason you blacked out?” Sturgis asked.
“Sir, I complained about a bad headache. The policeman
noticed that I had a lump on the back of my head and had them take me to a
hospital. They told me that I did not have a concussion, and then sent me to
jail. Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to be handcuffed to an
emergency room bed, with 2 cops on either side of you, and have the words,
‘injured after apparently attempting to kidnap a woman’ on your medical
records? Sir, I could never do something like that! The police gave me a hard
time; they said that I probably hit myself on the head to give me an alibi. I
did not have a concussion this time, but I took a fall on the
“When was this?” Sturgis asked.
“Maybe four months ago, sir. The doc is still on the ship, as far as I know.” replied Andrews.
“Is there anyone that could have seen you in that alleyway, Lt.?” queried Sturgis.
“Honestly, I don’t know Sir. If they did, I never saw them. I’m gonna’ go to prison, aren’t I, sir?” the young man asked Sturgis.
Sturgis couldn’t explain it more than just gut instinct, but he believed the kid. He sat back in his chair before he replied, “Not just yet. I want to get to the bottom of this. I still have some things to check into before I make my recommendations.”
Sturgis left the holding area and went to the Honolulu Police Department with Harm. They met Detective Raymond Manu, a tall, well-muscled man that had arrested Lt. Andrews and was the one that had conducted the local civilian investigation.
“Detective. I am Commander Sturgis Turner, this is Commander Harmon Rabb of the Navy Judge Advocate General’s office. We would like to talk to you about Lt. Kevin Andrews, the man arrested on suspicion of assault and abduction. Do you have any witnesses or any evidence that we can take a look at? We are conducting the investigation regarding the charges to determine a need for a court marshal.”
Manu just gave a small inward laugh before he continued, “You have excellent timing, Commanders. We have the victim in the interrogation room. You are welcome to observe. My partner, Detective Stinson and I were just getting started with her interview. Brave lady, she refused a violence counselor, though. I would have thought that she could have used the support.”
The detective escorted them over to a small room that was an observation area for the interrogation room. The dimly lit room was covered on one side with the back side of a two way mirror. A trash can and a water cooler graced the back wall of the room, leaving the only other furnishings in the room to be a small table and chairs scattered loosely about it. Sturgis flipped open the folder that Detective Manu had handed him to review. He took note of the alleged victim’s name: Leilani Kiloai of Oahu. The interrogation began in earnest on the opposite side of the mirror.
“Ms. Kiloai, can you tell me what happened?”
Leilani was seated in a chair, with one arm in a sling; many bruises adorned her face, neck and arms. Her right eye was swollen shut. She sat straight, and faced the policeman head on while she spoke. “I was at the club with my boyfriend, Jerry. We had an argument, and I went out into the alley to get away from him. It was cool out there, the breeze moves nicely through the alley, so I went out there to cool off. I heard someone come out just after I did. I turned around and he was there. I thought he had too much to drink, and was probably looking for a place to sleep it off. When I tried to walk away from where I was then, he jumped me and knocked me against the wall. He punched me in the face, and then in the stomach. I couldn’t breathe. He pulled me behind the dumpster and held me down on the ground. He started punching me. He kept calling me a whore and he told me that he was going to take me somewhere and kill me.”
Manu took notes and looked up as she stopped. “Could you tell us what happened then, Ms. Kiloai?”
“There was a noise, he was distracted a bit; I looked under the dumpster and noticed a piece of a board. I was able to get it and then I hit him on the head. I knocked him out, then I pushed him away from me and I ran out of there as fast as I could. I called the cops from inside the club.”
Detective Manu asked, “I know that you gave us the name of the person you believed did this to you, but let’s just verify what you want to tell us. Do you know who did this?”
Leilani nodded and said, “Of course. I think he is a sailor
on the
Detective Manu looked at her carefully. “How do you know that, ma’am?”
“I saw a tattoo with the words USS Port Royal.”, replied Leilani.
“Where is the tattoo located, Ma’am?” Manu pressed.
“It is just over his right shoulder. It is the navy anchor and the name, USS Port Royal.” She answered.
The interview proceeded for a few more moments, and then concluded. Leilani Kiloai was escorted to her car by Stinson. Manu returned to Harm and Sturgis.
“Seems pretty open and shut, gentlemen.” Manu stated confidently.
Harm said, “Nothing is ever truly open and shut, detective. Would it be possible to get copies of the medical examination for our investigation?”
Manu nodded, and added. “Sure. I can have them to you by the end of the day.”
Harm and Sturgis thanked him and left to return to base.
Sturgis looked over at Harm and smiled.
“What?” Harm asked, puzzled by the ‘Cat that ate the canary’ look on his friend’s face.
“I have intel.” Sturgis said enigmatically.
“About what? Mac?” Harm asked, his interest piqued.
“Affirmative. I know where she will be this evening.” Sturgis continued, taunting Harm.
Harm’s voice started to sound annoyed. “Ok, Sturg, tell me. Please?”
“The Regent’s Club. She and the Captain were going to meet for dinner at 1930. they invited me, but I declined due to jetlag.” Sturgis explained.
“You are the best!” Harm said as he clapped his friend on the back in appreciation.
***
Harm was in his quarters, shaving. He had just showered, and stood at the sink in an undershirt and boxers when the knock at the door sounded. Sturgis announced himself and entered when Harm called out for him to come on in.
“You look tired, Sturg. You ok?” observed Harm.
“Yes, just jet lagged, I guess. I just got the files that Detective Manu sent over. We can meet at 0800 to discuss it.” Replied Sturgis as he rubbed his temples. He had the makings of a first rate headache. “Are you going to try to talk to Mac?” Sturgis surmised, from the painstaking attention that Harm was placing on his appearance, and the clothes laid out on the bed.
“Yeah. I have to talk to her Sturgis. I have to know how she feels.” Replied Harm.
“She loves you, Harm.” Sturgis said and then realized where he was and who he was talking to. “Harm, I am sorry. I should have never let that come out. She confided in me, and I have ruined that trust.”
Harm was surprised that he could keep something like that from him, then thought better of it; Sturgis was nothing if not an honorable man and a trustworthy friend. He must have really been tired to let that fly.
“It’s OK. I think that I knew that, I just want to hear it from her, now.” Harm replied.
“Give her my best, and Harm, get it right this time.” Sturgis instructed.
Harm looked up at him and clapped him on the shoulder before stating, “I intend to, my man. I intend to.”
The Regent’s Club
0430 Zulu
The Regent’s club was dimly lit as there was to be live music tonight. Marie Einsworthy had convinced Mac to come, so she had talked herself into making the best of it. Tonight, according to the marquee out front, was amateur talent night, all military. She was sure that there would be some good and some bad performers, but thought that there would probably be more bad than good.
“Captain.” Mac acknowledged the presence of her commanding officer as she entered the front of the club. “Come on, tonight it is Marie. We are here off business hours. I made reservations, we have some good seats, so we can watch the talent.”
They were shown to their seats around a small table that faced the stage. They were sitting just at the footlights of the stage, and had an unobstructed view of the area. They were given their drinks, iced tea for them both, as Mac had learned that Marie was also a recovering alcoholic. Yet another thing we have in common. It also explains how well she can peg many of my issues. thought Mac. True to Mac’s earlier prediction, there were good and bad performers alike. Finally, the MC arrived back at the microphone.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a special treat for you tonight. This sailor came all the way from the east coast to sing for us tonight. He did not make the deadline for the talent show prize, but he convinced me to let him play nevertheless. It seems that there is a very special someone here tonight that he has something to tell. So, without further ado, here is Harm!”
Applause filled the room for a moment, and then the lights went back dim. A lone figure dressed in black dress slacks and a long sleeve white shirt came out onto the stage, carrying a guitar. The lights never came up enough to see the person’s face, and the mystery kept everyone glued to the stage to see what this man would perform. Sitting down on a stool, the man put one foot up onto the foot rail on the bottom of the bench, and the other on the floor. He began to play his guitar, stirring the strings into a slow haunting melody. He looked up, and the lights came up slowly, just enough for Mac to see who it was just as he began to sing. Oh my God. She thought at the sight.
Mac just sat there, taking in the words of the song and the emotions that he was pouring into them, and directing to her. He sang about how he had been afraid but no longer was that true. That he was ready to love her, and ready to use his heart instead of his head. He was asking for a chance to prove that his love was true. His eyes never left hers, as if he was talking right to her. Was he serious? Did he mean what I think this means? Her mind flooded with questions, that only he could answer.
The applause died down and Harm rested the guitar against the wall of the stage, and made his way towards her. Mac’s eyes were downcast, she could not look at him; she knew that she would give in too easily, and her life would be miserable again.
Marie took all this in and quietly excused herself. I can’t report what I didn’t see. Marie thought to herself as she exited. Mac was so caught up in the sight of this man and the feelings that he was evoking, that she never saw the Captain’s retreat. Harm sat down next to her, taking her hand in his. He felt a bit self conscious, and thought that they needed someplace quiet to talk.
“Mac, is there someplace that we can go to talk?” He asked simply.
Mac, her head and her heart still battling, paused a moment and shook her head yes. “My place.” She answered quietly.
Harm, wanting to look in her eyes, placed his hand under her chin and gently lifted her face. Her beautiful features were a drink of fresh water to him; her eyes filling with tears gave him a small dose of hope that perhaps she still loved him.
Mac took Harm to her car, and quickly and quietly traveled the three miles to her apartment. She had a place high up enough to have a waterfront view. Mac wandered out onto the balcony, leaning on the wall, her hands on the railing, looking out onto the twinkling lights of the city and those of the stars above as well. She had left the large glass doors open, letting the sea breeze flow into the apartment, bathing it in a crisp, clean smell of sea salt and flowers.
Mac decided to let him take the lead. He may open up more without the pressure of me trying to confront him. Harm followed her out onto the balcony, and stood behind her, close enough to feel his warmth on her back without the actual contact. “Mac, I wanted to talk to you. I want to apologize for holding back for so long. I came to realize that, that I love you, and I want you to know it.”
Mac closed her eyes at the revelation. How long she had dreamt of hearing that, and now when she did, she was worried as to the motivation behind it. Turning to face him, she took in the look of devotion in his eyes. That was something that she had never prepared for. She thought of his pity, his sarcasm, even an outright denial and hatred, but never honest, loving emotion. It floored her.
“I guess I am just worried about the timing, Harm. Are you here because you are in love with me, or are you here because you don’t want to lose me and will tell me enough of what I want to hear to come back?” She said, aware of the sting that it would deliver.
Harm flinched a bit at the accusation. He deserved it. “Mac,
I am doing it now because I don’t want to lose you, but now because of how you
said it, but because I realized that I had been an insensitive ass! I love you,
Mac. I am IN love with you, and I don’t want to waste one more minute by not
telling you that. I spent all weekend before you left trying to get in touch
with you to have this talk. So, to answer your question, no I am not telling
you this because you are here. I would tell you I love you tonight if we were
in front of your fireplace in DC, under the stars in
Mac gasped out as the tears overcame her. She fell into his arms, accepting the warmth he provided. He placed a small kiss on the top of her head, as she buried her head into his chest, taking of his strength. He decided to continue. “Sarah, nothing will change the fact that I love you. You are the most important thing in my life. I am not here to try and force you to come back, if you want to be here, we can work something out.”
Upon hearing his declaration, she looked up at him with a small smile. He caressed the frame of her face with his hands, gently wiping the tears from her face with his thumbs. “Does that mean we could see each other every other weekend or something?” She asked, again gauging his response.
Harm looked at her, the love in his eyes shining. “That means that I want to love you, I want to be with you no matter what, even if I had to transfer or even resign from the Navy outright.”
Mac was surprised at his answer. Sensing his level of commitment, she pressed forward. “Harm, I have loved you since you awkwardly took my hand in the Rose Garden. When we were at Red Rock Mesa, I told my Uncle Matt that I had met the man that I would spend the rest of my life with. He said that he knew it too when he saw us together.”
Her admission fueled Harm; he tried to speak, “Mac that is…” She interrupted him by placing her hand on his lips.
“Harm, let me finish. I love you; I am in love with you too. But I don’t think that I could bear it if you bypassed me like you did with the Commander the last time I saw you.”
Just
what I thought. “You mean Michaela Carmichael?” At her nod, he
continued. “I had not seen her since
Mac’s heart leapt at the news, confirming his sincerity to her. She was his as he further revealed his heart, “Mac, I only want you, forever. There will never be anyone else for me but you.” He said as he caressed her cheek again, the tears flowing unhindered from her eyes. She hugged him tighter, her head resting in the crook of his neck. He breathed in the delicious scent of her hair, waiting for her to say something.
Mac made her decision. Looking up and pulling back slightly out of his arms, she pinned his eyes with hers and uttered the sentence that would forever seal her fate, “Make love to me, Harm.”
Harm pulled her back into his arms, and drew her face up to his in a kiss of love, of passion, of eternal promise, a kiss to start this new facet of their lives together. Once the kiss ended, Mac took Harm by the hand and led him to her bedroom, stopping every few feet to kiss along the way.
Entering the bedroom, Mac drew him into a fiery kiss, pouring her entire emotions into the kiss, exciting them both further. They traded small kisses as they fumbled with the buttons of each other’s clothing. Mac was the first finished, she pushed the shirt off of his chest and moved down to the fastening of Harm’s pants as she sucked one of his nipples into her mouth, sucking firmly.
“Oh God, Mac” Harm gasped at the dual sensation of her pressure on his chest warring with the new sensation of her hand around his shaft. She squeezed with light pressure, driving him mad. She looked up and gave him another kiss as she slid his pants and boxers from his body. He stepped out of them and Mac slid to her knees, kissing his abdomen, his thighs and then lowered her mouth to his partially erect member. It was delicious torture for Harm, as he looked down and saw Mac take him almost entirely in her warm, wet mouth. She further drove him near the brink as she played with his balls, tugging and rolling at the same tempo that she used with her tongue and the wonderful suction on him. He was getting so close.
“Sarah, please. I want to come inside you.” He pleaded. She slowly stopped; he was now fully erect and larger than before. Mac had a new respect for the man upon closer inspection of the true size of his aroused manhood.
“Do I need…” He asked.
“I am on the pill and I was just tested, I am ok. You? She replied.
“Me too, I got checked last month, there’s been no one in over a year.” He answered.
Harm picked her up and placed her in the center of the bed after helping her out of her clothes. Waiting for him, her eyes never left him as he climbed onto the bed, laying over her, skin to skin. This feeling was the most wonderful experience that she had ever shared with a man, and he wasn’t even inside her yet. He kissed her, the fire of his emotions poured into his kiss. He moved down to her neck, Mac stretched her neck, allowing him better access to the most sensitive areas of her neck. Harm then moved to her breasts, taking her right nipple into his mouth, alternating the delicious suction with laving nearly the entire breast with his tongue, all the while teasing and playing with the left breast with his free hand. As the sensation grew too much and she arched up high under him, he switched sides, paying much deserved attention to the left breast as well. She could feel the wetness pool between her legs; she had never been so aroused so quickly with any other man. She was his, he was hers. Their bodies knew it as well. The contours of each other’s bodies fit perfectly together, she could only imagine that they would fit the same way together intimately as well. She couldn’t wait to find out.
Harm continued the mapping of her body with his touch. Moving down to her abdomen, he kissed her and continued to slide down, bypassing the juncture of her thighs, making her a bit crazier with passion. He kissed the insides of both inner thighs, then slid back to where he so longed to be. Mac whimpered at the intimate contact his tongue made to her clit. He alternated laving it with his tongue and pulling it into his mouth and sucking on her womanhood. He slid one finger then two into her, testing her readiness for him. She was drenched. This revelation only excited him more. She had arched her back off the bed again, near the point of climax. Her eyes were closed, her mouth slightly open and moaning at the sensations he was causing. He would never tire of watching her consumed in passion. Then suddenly, she flew over the edge, soaring into oblivion. He continued applying gentle suction, now drinking in the flow of moisture that poured from within her. Wiping his face on her thigh, he slid over her, waiting for her to come back to him. In a few moments, she opened her eyes and took in the sight of him above her. She was ready for him all over again. She pulled him down for a kiss, tasting herself on his lips, further exciting her. She spread her thighs, allowing him to settle in, and then she gasped in carnal ecstasy as he slid into her. Mac had been right; they even fit together this way perfectly.
Neither one moved right away, allowing for the other to adjust, Harm was overwhelmed by the tight wet warmth that enveloped him; it was perfect. Mac was adjusting to the size if her lover, He certainly had nothing to be ashamed about naked, for certain. Thought Mac. The coupling progressed, and they began to move together, providing a wonderful friction that drove them over the edge together. Calling her name, he came inside her, spilling his warm seed deep within her. He was finished searching for the other half of his soul, she was there with him, joined in every sense of the word with him. He would want only her for the rest of his life. Exhausted, he collapsed onto her. Mac loved the feel of his body pressing into hers, with him still inside. In a few moments, the sated lovers fell asleep, cocooned in each other.
***
The sun in Harm’s eyes woke the sleeping man. He had fallen asleep beside Mac, and from the looks of things, neither made much effort to move. The need to empty his bladder was now making itself known, and the he rose slightly, trying to get up without waking her. He was successful, but managed to wake her as he re-entered the bed. He greeted her with a slow, passionate good morning kiss.
“Good morning. How did you sleep?” He asked as he pulled
away from the kiss.
“Wonderfully. I never knew that
making love to you would be so good for me. I don’t think I have slept that
well in a long time.” Mac said as she stroked the cheek of the man perched
above her on his elbows. He leaned down to kiss her again, feeling the familiar
arousal returning. They made love again before getting up. They showered
separately, in order to avoid being late in meeting with Sturgis.
They decided to drive in together, taking the time to hold hands, exchange small kisses and to talk about what was next for them.
“I am going to need some time to think about what to do next.” Mac said plainly as she waited in traffic. Harm’s heart pounded in suspense, waiting for her next words. Sensing his impending panic, she eased his concerns, “Not about us. I mean about work. I have to think about what I want. I feel good here, needed. But I also felt that in DC. I am going to have to make a hard choice.” She was torn, she did not just want to return to DC because they were hot bunking, and she wanted a future with him. She needed to consider her choices carefully.
Harm, sensing her inner dialogue, picked up her hand and placed a small kiss on the underside of her wrist. “Well, I had hoped to make reservations for three on the plane ride back, but I am patient. I can live with your decision, just as long as we are together in the end.”
She looked at him and smiled, as she pulled onto the base and into the parking outside the VOQ.
NAS
1830 Zulu
Harm sat in a spare office, studying Andrew’s statement, his notes from Leilani’s interview and the files that Detective Manu sent over. He and Sturgis had met to discuss the case, but not much remained in his memory once Mac had entered the room. She met his eyes and the rest of the base just fell away. God, will it be this way forever? I hope so! He thought.
The trio had finally met and Sturgis had given the files that he had received from the Honolulu PD to Harm. Sturgis was going to contact the police forensics team to inquire on any potential evidence; Mac was conducting a background check on Lt. Andrews as well as Leilani, which left Harm to go over her interview. Harm now began to study it in earnest, combing over each word with a legal eye, looking for holes. His eyes skimmed back and forth over Leilani’s interview, then stopped. His eyes were trained on one sentence when Mac back came in.
“Harm?” Mac asked, a bit concerned at the funny look on his face.
“The tattoo. Leilani stated that she could identify Lt. Andrews by his tattoo.” Harm said, his eyes never leaving the statement.
“So, many of them are quite expressive. It’s possible.” Mac supplied.
Harm motioned her over nearer to him, “Think about it Mac, She was pushed down on the ground, she stated that she was on her back. She claims that he had a tattoo on his back, on his shoulder, but when he came to and was apprehended, he was dressed. How could she have seen it?”
Mac and Harm met each other’s eyes before he spoke. “That is it. That’s the hole we were looking for!” He grabbed Mac and placed a congratulatory kiss on the lips, then pulled back suddenly, forgetting where they were and then suddenly remembering.
“I’m sorry, Mac. I got carried away a bit.” He apologized.
“Well, we’ll just have to make up for it later, Commander.” She teased as she gave him a wink, leading to a warm smile from him.
Mac smiled back, then continued, “I’ll go get Sturgis on the phone.” With that, she left the room. Harm pulled out his cell. He had a phone call to make too. Time to get some things together. He thought with a smile as he dialed his mother’s number. He would need some feminine help with a very special puchase.
***
Sturgis returned, and Harm explained his findings. They agreed that Leilani should be followed in order to find more information; Harm would take the first shift, Sturgis the second, and Lt j.g. O’Connor volunteered to take the overnight if needed. Mac would do legwork as needed.
The observation was fairly slow going for Harm, and soon he traded off with Sturgis. He decided to call Mac and have dinner together. Mac insisted that he come home with her. They dined together curled up in each other’s arms on the sofa. They had made love immediately upon arriving home, and again after dinner.
They were in each other’s arms, enjoying a luxurious bubble
bath when Sturgis called. Leilani picked up her pace about 30 minutes into his
watch. She had entertained three different men this evening, each of them
staying about 45 minutes to an hour, and then would leave looking rumpled. It
did not take a rocket scientist to figure out that she was a prostitute. She
made a cell phone call once she got in her car, and then she started up the car
and took off. Sturgis had followed her and now was parked outside a home on
Mac called Sturgis later on with her findings. “Commander, are you ready for the news?”
“What do you have, Mac?” Sturgis answered. Harm watched Mac intently, waiting for her to share the data.
“Leilani Kiloai, alias Leilani
Kay, alias Lani Ray, was arrested numerous times for
solicitation, drug possession and petty larceny. She has a brother who was
arrested two years ago with her for Petty Larceny. Here’s where things get
interesting. Her brother goes to court, and because of his attorney’s argument
of their troubled home life, the judge gives him a choice of jail time with
parole, or joining a branch of the service. He chose the Navy, AND he has been
a Seaman on the
Sturgis’ eyebrows lifted. “What do we know about the brother?”
Mac continued, “Seaman Craig Aiona’s fit reps are at best mediocre. He isn’t bad, just not good either. It was mentioned in his most recent fitrep that he would face a Captain’s Mast if he did not improve by the next evaluation.”
Harm joined in. “When he was on leave, did he have any trouble?”
Mac smiled and said, “I thought you would never ask. It seems that he was docked here every time that Leilani was arrested.”
Sturgis said “We need to talk to both of them. I saw the
movement reports today. The
Harm agreed, “Right. How about I look for the brother, Sturgis, you find Leilani and Mac, would you look into the arrests, get details. Maybe we can find more of a connection.”
Before the three of them finished, Sturgis’ pager alarmed. He returned the call and was told to report to the brig. He and Harm traveled quickly to the brig. Arriving there, they met with the officer on duty. They were informed that Lt. Andrews received a letter, and he had become upset and asked to speak with Sturgis. Once cleared, Harm and Sturgis were escorted to the interview area and awaited for Andrews’ arrival. When he was led in, the worry was visible on his face.
“Lt. I understand that you received some communication that left you shaken. What can we do for you?” asked Sturgis.
“Sir, I just received this.” He said as he slid the letter over to Sturgis. Sturgis opened the note with his pen, not wanting to smudge potential fingerprints, if any still existed.
Andrews continued, “I got this letter, it said that they knew I had powerful family ties and that if I did not some up with $25,000 by tomorrow night, they would produce photographs that would convict me.”
Harm looked doubtful, “The note said not to contact anyone for help. Why did you go against that?”
Andrews’ voice shook, “because sir, I am innocent! I thought that it would be better to hear this upfront from me than later on from someone else.”
This answer surprised Harm. He had figured the man to be hiding something, but that something in his gut told him that this kid was innocent. His respect for the young Lt. rose a notch.
The pair left after promising Andrews that they would look into the letter. Sturgis gave the letter to Mac to have it analyzed. As it was late in the day, they agreed to meet and continue the day’s first assignment the next morning.
***
The next morning found the team at work early. They were all eager to start looking over the results from Mac’s search. Mac pulled the records form off the fax and returned to her office to share the information.
“She was arrested three times for solicitation.” Mac began. “All three Johns arrested were civilians, but they were all military contractors. All three were posted either on the Royal or on base here. There was an anonymous call to the police each time. Thanks to Bud, I learned that the men came from affluent or prominent families; all were fairly young, the oldest being 30. I think that we should get in touch with Detective Manu and share this with him, see if he has anything else for us.”
Harm and Sturgis agreed with Mac. Sturgis called the detective and was met with some news: Leilani had been picked up on drug and prostitution charges. She had been picked up by an undercover officer at College Walk, a particularly prominent side of town for crime. Sturgis let him know that he was on his way. Harm headed out with Mac to find and question Seaman Aiona.
USS Port Royal
1800 Zulu
Seaman Aiona stood at attention, his face impassive. At the order “at ease” he let his body relax slightly as he waited for further instruction from Harm and Mac.
“Have a seat, Sailor.” Mac said, her voice flat.
Aiona sat down slowly, looking at them with feigned disinterest. He was cool and calm.
Mac decided to try and ruffle that calm façade if possible.
“Leilani was arrested last night.” She said, searching for a response. She got none.
“She was arrested for Prostitution. Do you know anything
about that?”
“Prostitution is where someone sells their pus…” He started, but was interrupted by an enraged Marine named Mackenzie. “Seaman, I suggest you stop that smartass reply midstream or you’ll be test piloting these brig benches indefinitely.” Mac stated, her Marine training rising up in her voice.
Harm looked down, attempting to hide the smirk he had on his face. He loved to see her ream out someone. Not so much that he liked to see someone in trouble, but rather the way she confronted it. He thought that it was the sexiest thing that he had seen. Of course, you would think her changing her socks was the sexiest too. God, you’ve got it bad! He thought to himself.
Aiona sat at attention, he did not answer any question that was asked of him directly. This interview was a bust. Knowing when to cut their losses, the pair rose to leave, but not before Mac could provide the sailor with notice.
“We are going to find out what we want to know one way or
the other. If you don’t cooperate, just know that if I find out anything about
you, you’re mine! Dismissed.”
Once they were back in the car, Harm spoke. “Geez, Mac! You even had me a bit on edge there. I was ready to drop and give you twenty!” replied Harm with a smirk.
Mac coyly smiled at him and answered him with one word. “Later”
Harm’s smirk slid off his face, replaced with a nervous smile.
***
Mac and Harm received the whereabo