Title: Passing the Torch
Author: Hollyjp
Premise: Harm is looking for ways to draw Mac closer and to prove to her that he is ready to make good on his promise - if she isn’t in a relationship with someone else.
Spoilers: Any episode through Season 9 is fair game but I also used creative license and did not stick tightly to each and every episode. Starts around the episode called, “Hard Time.”
0750 Local
JAG HQ
Falls Church, Virginia
Commander Harmon Rabb Junior made his way into the bullpen that Tuesday morning with a smile for everyone he met. His six foot four frame and his muscular physique created an impressive image but add to that the navy blue uniform with the gold trim and the sparkling green eyes along with his handsome face and it was a vision that turned heads.
“Good morning Commander.”
“Good morning Harriet. How are the boys doing?”
“Jimmy is growing constantly and has managed to sleep through the night for two weeks now. Little AJ has been begging me to let him return to pre-school, so Bud and I talked it over and decided that with the opening at the day care for Jimmy it was a good time to go back to work three days a week.”
“Well we’re glad to have you back Harriet.”
“Thank you Commander. It will be nice to be back around my JAG friends and family and not have to rely on Bud for the news of everyone.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been around as much Harriet...”
“That’s alright, sir. With Mattie to keep track of I’m sure that you don’t have the time you use to...but you can bring her with you, you know.”
“I know. However, between her meetings, school, volleyball and now track it seems her schedule is full too.”
“And you love every second of it don’t you, sir?”
“I do Harriet. As a matter of fact I love it so much I’m thinking it would be great to start from scratch - like you and Bud have done.”
“A baby, sir?”
“Yes.”
“You should be working on getting a wife then sir.”
“I’m trying, Harriet...but I’m pretty particular you know.”
“How’s that sir?”
“Not only does she need to be intelligent, have a sense of humor, and an inner strength she needs to love me as much as I love her.”
“That makes sense. Have a candidate in mind, sir?”
“I do Harriet...but I’m not sure she meets all the qualifications yet or not.”
“Keep me posted, sir,” Harriet laughed as Harm moved past her toward Mac’s office before moving down the hall to his own office.
Once in his office Harm opened his brief case and settled in for the day. He had some reports to write this morning and later he and Sturgis were scheduled to interview some potential witnesses in a case with Sturgis prosecuting and Harm defending. They had agreed to interview several of the witnesses together due to the sensitive nature of the case.
Harm booted up his computer and allowed himself a few minutes to day dream while he waited and before he went to work. Ever since they had gone to lunch to celebrate Coates’ promotion and he had been caught up thinking about the ‘road not taken’ - yet.
Over the last couple of months, he had become more and more aware of what he wanted and he had slowly and carefully been making plans to make it happen. He hadn’t told anyone so far what he wanted - but he almost told Harriet this morning. He hinted at his goal - marriage and a baby.
Harriet didn’t know about the promise he had made Mac the day little AJ had been born. Harm had known back then that when he was ready to settle down and get married that he wanted it to be with Sarah Mackenzie. She was beautiful, brilliant, and the only woman that he became tongue tied around. He had never been one to talk about people he worked with when he visited with his mother, but he found himself telling both his grandmother and mother about Mac from the very first time he talked with them after he had started working with Mac.
What he hadn’t realized is that his mother and grandmother were both so surprised by the change that they started talking to each other and comparing notes. It didn’t take long before they were convinced that Mac was the girl for him and they began hinting and teasing him a little. They were careful not to go to far yet never letting him forget that grandchildren, or great grandchildren as the case may be, would be welcomed. Harm would never admit it, but by the time they had returned from Russia the first time, Harm had started picturing Mac as the mother of his children. He also knew that he wasn’t ready to settle down at that point.
The following year had culminated in his eye treatment and subsequent return to flight status. He knew that he had to bring closure to that dream on his terms if he was ever going to have a chance to fulfill the dreams of his future - a wife and child. Little AJ’s birth had given him the opportunity to let Mac in a little on his dream. He knew that she wanted children as much as he did and when she looked so sad that day watching the Roberts family pull away in the ambulance, it wasn’t about them having what she didn’t, it was about not having hope that she would have what they did. So Harm had let her know in his own way - he thought - that although he wasn’t ready to settle down to have a family yet, that he figured he would be in five years and when that time came, he hoped she would be available and willing to have him and start that family they both wanted. At the same time he didn’t want to assume anything so he presented his dream to her as a deal that gave her an out.
“In five years, if neither of us are involved in a relationship we’ll go halves on a kid. With your looks and my brains he’ll be perfect.”
She had countered with, “What if she has your looks and my brains?”
“That could work too. What do you say?”
“Don’t make a promise you can’t keep.”
“I haven’t yet.”
They had shook on it and for two years neither of them mentioned it again. It finally came up on the Admiral’s porch one evening when they were gathered to celebrate Mac and Mic’s engagement. While Mac had suggested it was null and void, Harm had been eager to point out that it had three years left to run and that a lot could happen in that time. Mac of course had taken that as a slam against her ability to sustain a relationship while Harm had only meant that a lot could happen in three years.
After that the deal was not mentioned until last winter. Every where Harm turned, women were pregnant and babies were being born. Harm had thought he saw a wistfulness about Mac and wondered if she wanted to join the ‘baby-boom’. They were getting along and growing closer. He was thinking about settling down soon, so he had found the courage to ask her point blank if she wanted to move up the time-table on their deal. She had brushed it off and told him that she wasn’t feeling the need to push the date up.
Harm had taken her at her word and let it go. He had decided however to increase his attention to her and try to increase the intensity with which he pursued her. That was when the bottom had fallen out of their lives. First with his arrest for the murder of Lauren Singer and then her assignment to Paraguay. That experience had almost ended his dream completely. Had he shown up even seconds later the outcome would have been so much worse and her dreams of being a parent may have not even been possible.
Harm had been shut out of JAG and ended up with the CIA before being shut out there as well. The one good thing that came about as a result of the previous spring was finding Mattie Grace. He loved being needed and he loved the fact that he was helping Mattie enjoy her childhood - or what was left of it- before she officially became an adult. The bonus had been that as he learned to be a parent - something he wanted to be and do well - he began to get more insight into Mac.
Although he had shut her out of his life when he left JAG, he knew it was a knee jerk reaction to her statement that they would ‘never’ work. He missed her more and more every day and had resigned himself to the role of friend. He didn’t think that Clayton Webb was good for Mac, but if that was who she chose to date he couldn’t do much about it. When he first returned to JAG he had offered to include her in his life again. He had asked her to dinner the way they had often done in years past. Each time she had a previous commitment with Webb.
Through out the fall and early winter, Harm still found himself lashing out at Mac verbally but he also tried to apologize too. He wasn’t proud of himself and so he slowly started to find ways to filter the things he said. The biggest blow had come when he went to Mac to ask for her help in getting custody of Mattie and she had been angry that he had not told her about his plans sooner. His irrational out of character behavior combined with his desire to help Mattie and fear of not being approved resulted in him walking away from Mac in anger.
Mac had apparently taken his words to heart and realized the depth of his commitment to Mattie because she had shown up in court and spoken on his behalf. When the court had decided against him due to Mr. Johnson’s intervention she had interceded with both Tom Johnson and the judge, giving him Mattie for a Christmas present. Although she had a prior obligation with Webb and wouldn’t join them, Harm began to deal with their relationship differently from that night on.
In front of the judge, Mattie, Tom Johnson and the other people in court, Mac had all but admitted that she wanted a future with Harm and that she wanted him to be the father of her children. He knew that she had risked her pride saying what she did about him within his hearing. He vowed to himself that no matter what happened in court, he would do what ever he could to give Mac her dream and in so doing, he would have his dream. He also knew that it would require careful planning.
Since Mattie had come in to his life he had learned to think things through like he did when preparing for a trial. He learned to weigh the evidence and draw his conclusions in his personal life with the same care as he used as a lawyer. He had possessed the skills but hadn’t thought about applying them in day to day life until now. Now he had a reason. He thought that this may have been what the Admiral was getting at when they had their little heart to heart talk.
Thinking back to how he had bristled at the Admiral’s words and how he had slipped into that arrogant, self-assured attitude he tended to adopt to get him through tough situations, Harm wondered how the Admiral had walked away without decking him.
A flurry of activity outside his office got his attention and he realized that he had been lost in thought for almost two hours. He had worked on the report which was mostly a standard template where he had to fill in the blanks. Yet, Harm realized that he would need to proof his work carefully later. Curious as to the commotion, he left his office and went in search of the disruption. Spotting Harriet across the bullpen he called to her.
“Lt. Sims, what’s going on?”
“Getting ice packs for the Colonel, Sir,” she called as she rushed toward the courtroom.
“Colonel Mackenzie?”
“Yes sir!”
Harm rushed to the courtroom and pushed his way through the crowd gathered there. His height gave him an advantage as he peered over the others just as Harriet knelt beside Mac and placed an ice pack on her face. Harm pushed through the rest of the crowd and knelt on the other side of Mac just as she began to stir.
“Take it easy, Mac. What happened here?” Harm demanded.
“The defendant punched her and she went down sir.”
“Where is he now?”
“They have her in custody and on the way back to the brig, Commander.”
“It’s okay Mac...take it easy...” Harm tried to sooth her as he helped her to sit up while Harriet held the ice pack to her face.
“Do you remember what happened?”
“Yeah...after the findings were announced, the defendant wasn’t happy with me and came at me. I wasn’t expecting her to come after me like that and she caught me by surprise. How long was I out?”
“About ten minutes Ma’am,” Lt. Roberts answered.
“Throw your clock off Mac?”
“Yeah a little...oh...”
“What is it?” Harm searched her face and let his fingers slide through her hair and across her head looking for further signs of injury.
“”My jaw hurts when I talk...and no smart comments.”
Harm smiled at her. “Think you can stand up?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, let’s move slow and easy.” Harm stood up and practically lifted her to her feet. He held on to her and she leaned against him as she got her feet under her.
“Thanks.”
“Mac, I think you should have a doctor look you over. You have a bump on your head too.”
“Harm I’m fine...A little bruised maybe, but other then that I’m fine.”
“Hold that ice on your jaw a little longer, Mac, and maybe you’ll get a way with less bruising. Want another pack for your head?”
“I’m fine Harm...”
“Humor me okay?” Mac nodded and Harm escorted Mac toward her office. “Back to work people.”
Mac looked at Harm and tried to smile behind the ice pack. “You’re getting better at taking charge Commander.”
“Parenting helps you master just the right tone of voice, I guess,” Harm acknowledged. They both thought back to the time when Mac had to intercede with Petty Officer Coates to get her to comply with Harm’s orders. Of course they were all exhausted and distraught worrying about Bud Roberts at the time.
Harm stayed by Mac’s side with one hand at her back as they moved through the bull pen and into her office. Once she was seated at her desk, Harm sat across from the desk and studied her.
“What?”
“Thank you for not decking me when I helped you up and brought you up here. I’m sure you would have been fine, Mac, but thanks for putting up with me.”
“Harm...if you tell anyone I said this I swear I’ll make you pay - but thank you. It felt good to be taken care of.”
“Your welcome...and I’ll keep your secret, I promise.” Harm smiled and Mac tried to give it back to him.
“Ow...”
“Jaw hurt?”
“Yeah, a little when I smile.”
“You may need to settle for soup and soft foods for a few days as well.”
“Harm, it’s not broken.”
“You sure?”
“Yes...”
“Might not hurt to have it checked.”
“But it might hurt a lot when I kick your six for driving me crazy!” Mac smiled as she threatened him with bodily harm.
“Okay...I’ll back off but it will cost you.”
“What?” Mac looked at Harm with a puzzled expression on her face.
“I said you’ll owe me for letting you off the hook about getting that jaw checked out and the bump on your head.”
“So how much?”
“Oh no...not that easy, Mac. Let’s see, this should be good for at least two dates, don’t you think?”
“Dates?”
“Well, scheduled times together...I think they usually call them dates.”
“Two?”
“Maybe three...”
“I’ll agree to two scheduled get togethers.”
Harm just smiled at her and lightly touched her nose and lips with his index finger. “Is your calendar clear this evening, Mac?”
“Yes...”
“Good, then I’ll pick you up at 1930 for dinner and movie. How’s that?”
“Harm...”
“No backing out.”
“I wasn’t going to...I’ll be ready.”
“Good. You going to be alright?”
“Yes...and thanks for everything, Harm.”
****
1925 Local
Mac’s Apartment
Georgetown
Mac gave herself one final look in the mirror and decided that there was little she could do to hide the bruise on her jaw. She was glad that neither the blow to her chin or the bump on her head when she hit the floor had done any more damage then it had. A little make-up and a few days would take care of the bruise on her chin. The bump on her head had given her a bit of a headache but the Advil seemed to be keeping that under control. She was looking forward to her ‘scheduled get together’ with Harm.
Leave it to that man to come up with an understated way of asking her out. When she thought about it he had always done that. Over the years he had often created times for them to get together for one reason or another. It wasn’t until today that she realized that all that time he had in his own way been trying to date her. She shook her head in amusement. With this new aspect of looking at things she was eagerly anticipating spending the time with him this evening. She wondered now if there were other things she had missed - clues that may have given her a different perspective on them - their relationship.
Mac had put on a simple black skirt that was shorter then her uniforms and paired it with a tangerine colored short sleeved sweater with a sweetheart neckline that was low enough to hint at what was there, but modest enough to cover her. She slipped her feet into the black wedge heeled shoes with the open toes that gave her the height she liked. Clay had never minded her being taller then him, but she had always enjoyed that feminine feeling she had when Harm towered over her and seemed to surround her with his size. Harm’s size had never over-powered her although sometimes his personality made her feel like it would. She turned toward the door as Harm knocked, on time for a change.
“Harm...” Mac seemed to forget what she was going to say when she saw him standing at her door in black slacks and a charcoal gray shirt with a matching tie topped with a black leather jacket.
“You look great Mac...” Harm touched her face looking carefully where he expected a bruise to be. “I can just barely see it.”
“Make-up helped...”
“It will fade soon, Mac.”
“I know...let me grab my jacket and then we can go.”
“Here - let me help you...”Harm stepped up and helped Mac slip into the short black leather jacket. As he settled it on her shoulders he let his hands linger there for just a moment longer then necessary. He wanted to enjoy every second with her and savor those little touches that he had taken for granted before.
“Thanks...ready?”
“Yeah...you hungry tonight?”
“Harm when am I not hungry?”
“I’ve seen you once or twice not care about food...but I’m glad you are hungry tonight.”
“Where are we going?”
“Nothing fancy - just a little restaurant that I found that has a nice variety, good portions and a great atmosphere.”
“What kind of atmosphere?”
“You’ll see...” Harm smiled. Together they walked down to his Lexus. Harm held the door open for Mac to slide in and then after closing the door went around to slide into the car beside her. They rode in companionable silence for a few minutes before Mac finally broke the silence asking after Mattie.
“What’s Mattie up to this evening?”
“She went out of town with the track team. They won’t be back for a couple of days.”
“Where was the meet?”
“Actually it isn’t a meet, she went with the team on a retreat.”
“So does she run with you now?”
“Yeah, it took her awhile to realize that every time I run doesn’t have to be a marathon. I started going with her to the track and having her set the pace. She was looking at doing shot and disc, long jump, and some sprints, but now that we’ve graduated from the track to the trails, she’s thinking of trying for longer distances and then maybe doing cross country this fall.”
“That’s great.”
“You should join us sometime Mac. Mattie would love it I’m sure.”
“Maybe I will. I use to enjoy running with you, you know.”
“Me too...I’ve missed that Mac. Clay ever run with you?”
“Harm...” Mac’s tone warned with that she didn’t want to discuss Webb.
“Mac, I was going to suggest that he join us if you wanted him too.”
“Why?”
“Because as much as I want to spend time with you like we use to, I know there is only so much time in a day and with Webb’s schedule it may interfere with your time together.”
“Thanks - I think...but Clay wouldn’t join us on a trail. He prefers the gym.”
“So do I when the weather is bad,” Harm admitted with a smile.
Mac smiled.
Harm pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. It was a chain restaurant that offered good food, decent prices and a fun atmosphere that Harm had enjoyed with Mattie and thought Mac would enjoy it as well.
“Ever been to one of these restaurants?”
“No, but I’ve heard the food is good.”
“Let’s go check it out, okay?”
At Mac’s nod, Harm got out and went around to guide Mac from the car and then lock it. He slipped one arm around her back and rested his hand near her hip. As they walked in they were greeted with the large grizzly bear standing tall and as they walked by a roar followed by a welcome could be heard. Mac jumped a little and stopped to look at the ‘talking bear’ and then looked at Harm.
“You are kidding me right?”
“It only gets better Mac...” Harm grinned as they made there way through the entrance to the hostess who showed them to a booth in a secluded area of the restaurant. Above the table was a large rainbow trout on display. Behind Harm was a bobcat and across from them a beaver near it’s den.
“The taxidermist was kept busy decorating this place by the looks.” Mac rolled her eyes at Harm as she looked around.
On the far wall on one side of the room they could see a large moose head while on the other side was a bison.
As the waitress approached with water and to offer them menus, the moose head began to speak. Mac jumped and burst out laughing. Harm laughed too. The waitress saw Mac’s surprise.
“First time eating with us?”
“Yes.”
“You too sir?”
“No, my ward and I have been here and we really enjoyed it, so I thought it was time to share the experience.”
“I’ll be back in a few minutes to take your orders.”
Mac looked at Harm. “This wasn’t quite the atmosphere I had anticipated.”
“Do you mind? I thought it was fun and I thought we both deserved to have some fun and relax. This isn’t the kind of place you go if you want quiet or sophistication, but it is fun.”
“I don’t mind at all...if the food is as good as you say.”
“Trust me.”
“You know I do.”
“I hope so...sometimes lately I haven’t been sure if you still did.”
“Still trust you? Of course. There is no reason not to trust you Harm.”
“I think an argument could be made for not trusting me, Mac.”
“Harm, we’ve both made some mistakes in the past and this past year has been rough on both of us for many reasons. I’m glad that we’ve been able to get back to this point, aren’t you?”
“Of course...but...I had hoped...” Harm stopped as the bison head at the end of the restaurant started to talk. Mac covered her mouth with her hand as she burst out laughing. Eyes shining she listened to the bison tell about the delicious offerings the restaurant had to offer. Turning to look back at Harm, she cringed thinking about the serious conversation he had started before the bison had interrupted them.
“Sorry Harm.”
“I’m not, Mac. I like seeing you laugh. Remember in Paraguay you said that I sucked the joy out of living.”
“Harm...I’m sorry...I never should have said that.”
“No...You were right...I had forgotten how to enjoy life...I think it was after Bud’s accident...”
“Harm that took a lot out of all of us. But Bud and Harriet are doing great. The admiral is going to put in for Bud to be promoted you know.”
“I didn’t know...but that’s great. He’s worked hard and deserves it. He’s been able to bounce back from this better then any of us had hoped. But Mac...somehow this past year, despite everything, I’ve found what makes me happy and how to take time to be happy. It was thinking about your words that made me realize that I had lost the fun in life and it was you helping me to get Mattie in my life that helped me find it again.”
“She’s been good for you Harm.”
“We’ve been good for each other.”
“Are you ready to place your orders?” the waitress asked as she appeared at the table.
“Mac?”
“I will have the filet mignons with baked potato and salad.”
“Sir?”
“I’ll have the grilled swordfish and salad.”
“Baked potato, fries, or rice?”
“No thanks...I love the rolls too much so I’ll pass on the other carbs.”
“What would you like to drink?”
“I think I’ll just stick with water.”
“Me too.”
As the waitress walked away Harm looked back at Mac. He didn’t want to say too much too soon and scare her away, but he also knew that it was important he be up front with her.
“Mac, I’ve missed spending time with you and I want to find ways to include you in my life again. Do you have any objections to that?”
“Not at the moment. I’d like to spend more time with you as well.” They shared a smile and then spent the evening chatting over their meal. Finally Harm noted the time and suggested they go if they were going to catch a movie.
They selected a current action suspense film that had been getting great reviews. They settled into their seats with their diet sodas and a small bucket of popcorn to share. Harm ate very little, but did take a few bites. The movie started with a bang and Mac dropped the popcorn when she jumped. Harm put one arm around her shoulders to hug her when it happened and then just left his arm loosely over the back of her seat.
When the lights came up they stood up and Harm helped her put her jacket back on and then kept his arm around her as they returned to his car. They talked about the movie and the fact that the action hadn’t let up from beginning to end. That led to a conversation about the coming attractions they had seen and a discussion of which of those that they wanted to see. There was one that was definitely a ‘chick flick’ and another one that was a gruesome murder mystery. Another was an action movie that they both thought might be good. By the time they were at Mac’s they had decided that they should try and catch that one.
Harm got out and opened the door for Mac, determined to be the attentive gentleman for the entire evening. With his hand at her back he saw her to her door. She unlocked the door and opened it to step through.
“Harm, would you like some coffee before you go? It should be ready?”
“Timer?”
“Yes,”
“Then I’d love a cup.”
Harm sat at the table as Mac instructed while she went to the kitchen to pour their coffee. Returning she set it on the table and sat at a right angle from Harm. They each sipped their coffee.
“Mac, I’d like to get together again like this. How’s your schedule looking?”
“Harm you know that things can change quickly around JAG...but I’d like to get together again too. It’s been too long.”
“So do you have anything going on Thursday evening?”
“No.”
“How about getting together again then? You can even pick the restaurant and the movie. Deal?”
“Sounds great.”
“I best be going. It’s getting late.”
“Work tomorrow...”
Together they walked to the door. Harm turned to open it and then stepped back toward Mac and dropped a quick kiss on her lips before he turned and left shutting the door behind him.
Mac didn’t hear Harm whistling as he went down the hall and out to the car. He didn’t hear Mac’s “Wow” or see her touch her lips where he had kissed her.
****
Wednesday
1100 Local
JAG HQ
Falls Church, Virginia
Harm was crossing the bull pen to the fax machine whistling as he waited. Harriet Sims-Roberts watched him with a smile on her face.
“One would think you are getting closer to finding Ms. Right Commander.”
“Why’s that Harriet?”
“You’re whistling again. It’s been a long time since you’ve whistled your way through a day. Hot date last night Commander?”
“Now Harriet, I don’t kiss and tell...you should know that by now.”
“But you kissed someone, didn’t you sir?”
“Maybe...but I did have a nice evening out.”
“Are you seeing her again?”
“Yes...tomorrow night.”
“When are you going to introduce us?”
“I’m not sure I will.”
“Oh you will eventually sir. Have a good day.”
“I intend to Lt. Sims.”
Harm picked up his fax and then returned to his office. He nodded to Mac as he passed her office. Once inside his own he called Mac.
“Lt. Colonel Mackenzie,” she answered.
“Commander Rabb - I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed getting together last night.”
“Me too.”
“Have you said anything to anyone?”
“No, have you?”
“No, but Harriet is trying to figure it out.”
“Then I’ll be sure to be careful that I don’t give anything away.”
“This almost feels like we are sneaking around, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah...but its fun too. How long can we do this without someone asking if we are seeing each other?”
“Shall we try it and see?”
“Do you really want to Harm?”
“If you won’t be in trouble with Clay, yeah.”
“Then let’s do it.”
They laughed over their plans like a couple of kids before hanging up.
Thursday 1053 Local
JAG HQ
Falls Church, Virginia
Mac was going over her notes from the junior attorney’s she and the Admiral had interviewed yesterday. She had a meeting in eight minutes to tell the Admiral who she thought the best two candidates were to bring into JAG. There were three that she felt were stand-outs but the Admiral said they needed to select two for now. They had met with six candidates yesterday and needed to make a final decision today. Lieutenant Jordan Stone, USN; Lieutenant Sandra Weston, USN; and Lieutenant Travis Williams, USMC were all equal in her eyes. Stone and Weston had served as legal aides on ships, and Williams had been stationed in San Diego under Allison Krennick but had requested a transfer to the east coast due to family concerns. Mac had thought that Williams and Weston would work well together at JAG in DC and then Stone could replace Williams in Krennick’s office. That was going to be her suggestion to the Admiral.
Mac presented herself at the appropriate time.
“At ease Mac. Have a seat. What do you think about the candidates?”
“I think we have three outstanding candidates, sir. Lieutenants Stone, Weston and Williams all have similar training and fit-reps. I think they are all worthy of consideration, but as I have to limit myself to two people in this office, then I would suggest Williams and Weston.”
“Any particular reason?”
“Yes...Williams requested east coast and Stone prefers West coast. If we take Williams it would leave a billet open on the west coast which Stone would fill very well.”
“So you get to pick three candidates after all, Colonel?”
“Yes sir, it would seem that way sir.”
“Good plan, Mac. Do you think that it warrants another interview or are you comfortable enough that we can bring them in and assign them to senior attorneys here right away.”
“I’d like to bring them in right away and assign one to Commander Rabb and work with the other myself.”
“And who will be assigned to keep up with Rabb?”
“I think Sandra Weston would be able to handle working with Harm.”
“This isn’t going to turn into Navy vs Marines is it Colonel?”
“No...I was actually thinking of preventing a male versus female scenario sir. I can see how it could deteriorate into Navy versus Marines although Harm and I never went that route.”
“Really?”
“We joke with each other about it sir, but I don’t think it would have mattered what uniform we wore; our battles would have existed.”
“You may be right. Alright Colonel, give the files to Coates to prepare the orders for my signature. I’ll leave it up to you to fill in Rabb. Colonel, did you consider assigning one of them to Turner?”
“No sir...I may eventually turn Williams over to Sturgis but I want to see what he’s made of first. Sturgis tends to be very rigid and I would like to think that with the right introduction to JAG, that we may find another Lt. Roberts.”
“I agree Colonel that the initial training should be you and Rabb. Once they’ve learned the ropes perhaps one could be assigned to partner Turner and the other Roberts. I hope that the members will consider making Roberts a Lt. Commander despite the injury. I feel he has shown he can handle the job and can get around on a carrier if necessary.”
“He deserves it Admiral.”
“Agreed. Anything else?”
“Actually Admiral there is one other thing that I’ve thought about...”
“Go ahead.”
“Well sir, when Commander Rabb returned he was put in a very small office that would normally be given to a junior attorney. When Carolyn Imes was here she was given the other office next to Bud’s...”
“And you think Rabb has gotten the point and deserves to have a senior office again?”
“Yes sir, I do.”
“I agree Colonel. Rabb took everything I dished out to him with class and has never once whined about the office or the smell. Have him move into the other office and put the two new attorneys in the two small offices down the hall - Rabb’s and the one next to it.”
“Thank you sir.”
“Dismissed.”
“Aye, Aye sir!”
Mac returned to her office and buzzed Commander Rabb.
“Commander Rabb.”
“Hey, Harm, you got a minute?”
“Hi Mac. Sure, what’s up?”
“I’ll be by in a few minutes to fill you in.”
“Okay. I’ll be here.” Harm hung up the phone and straightened out his desk closing the file he had been reading. Mac rarely came to his office anymore now that he was out of the main traffic pattern. He looked around at his little office and thought about the advantages of this office over the big office next to Mac’s. He wasn’t as distracted when she wasn’t around or when someone came into her office that he didn’t know. However, sometimes he felt left out.
{Knock, knock}
“Come on in Mac.”
“Ever get tired of being in this little office, Harm?”
“Yes and no...I was just thinking that it has its advantages - like fewer distractions, but it also tends to make one feel left out.”
“You up for moving up front again?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“The office next to Bud’s isn’t as big or as nice as your old one, but it’s better then this.”
“Why the sudden change?”
“I asked the admiral if he had any objections to moving you back into senior attorney space and he agreed that you had payed your dues and should be moved. Besides, we need space for two junior attorneys and this office and the one next door would be perfect.”
“Two new juniors, huh?”
“Yes...and you will be training one of them and I’ll have the other.”
“Are we going to compete over this?”
“No...I don’t think so. I think that Lt. Weston will be able to keep up with you and I think you will find her a quick study.”
“Navy or Marine?”
“Navy.”
“And who will you be training?”
“Lt. Williams, USMC.”
“Aahhh...”
“I’ve promised the Admiral we won’t turn this into Navy versus Marines, so don’t you start.”
“I won’t Mac...at least not officially.”
“Harm...” Mac warned him with her tone.
“I promise I’ll behave.”
“You’d better, Squid.”
“Hey! I’ll start calling you Jarhead...”
“Okay, okay...truce.”
“Truce. So what’s the plan with the new juniors?”
“As I said we’ll do the initial orientation and keep them with us for a few cases and then eventually we will turn them over to Bud and Sturgis.”
“Do either of them have Bud’s potential?”
“Both of them. Not a Singer in the mix.”
“That’s good. Hey, Mac?”
“We still on for tonight?”
“Yeah...I made reservations at 1930 for us at that restaurant we went to last year with Skates and her fiancé. That okay?”
“Sounds good. Pick out a movie?”
“We don’t have to do a movie too Harm...”
“We don’t have to, but I’d like to unless you don’t want to.”
“I’d like to but I’m not sure what we should go see.”
“What about that adventure movie we saw the previews for the other night. Isn’t that suppose to start today?”
“Yeah, I guess it is. Okay, I’ll see you by 1900, right?”
“I’ll be there. Hey Mac?”
“Yes?”
“When do you want me to move my office?”
“When you secure for the day I’ll leave orders for your files to be moved into the new office. You can settle in there tomorrow.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Mac smiled and felt the unspoken communications between them. It felt good to have that back.
****
2150 Local
Movie Theater
Georgetown
Following a relaxing dinner where they found plenty to talk about that was not work related, they had gone to the movie theater. They had chosen the movie with the preview that interested them from before. They had decided to skip the popcorn and soda after the meal and instead were planning on coffee and cake back at Mac’s after the movie. Harm had settled his arm around her shoulders again and Mac had looked around the theater and notices that most men were sitting with one arm behind their date. Mac decided it was probably more comfortable for Harm with his wide shoulders and long arms.
The movie was an action movie as advertised but the leading action hero turned out to be quite the ladies man. Just as Mac started thinking that the movie hero was a lot like Harm (tall, dark and handsome, with a desire to find truth and an eye for blondes) a steamy love scene had unfolded with the dark haired, olive complexioned heroine. Mac found the room growing warm while at the same time she realized that Harm’s hand was running up and down her arm and with his fingers grazing her breasts.
Harm swallowed as he watched the intense loving making scene on the big screen in front of him. He realized that he was caressing Mac’s arm and that his fingers were coming dangerously close to forbidden territory. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the feel of her skin beneath his fingers. With his eyes shut he was sure he could hear her breathing and his own heart racing. We willed his body not to respond the way it wanted to. He prayed that the scene would end soon and not be repeated.
Mac was thinking the same thing, but it was not to be. The last part of the movie was sex with a little bit of action adventure. The focus of the movie went from one of action and adventure to one of hot sex and adventure. The hero and heroine defeated the bad guys but spent more time defeating their demons and rescuing their relationship. It hit a little too close to home and left both of them feeling a little uncomfortable.
As the credits rolled, Harm and Mac stood up and quickly slipped into their jackets and headed for the car. They were careful not to touch or look at each other. They quietly got into Harm’s SUV, buckled their seat belts and headed toward Mac’s. Neither spoke for several minutes.
Harm drove in silence willing his body to behave and thinking about how uncomfortable he and Mac both were at the sex scenes. He had been to movies with Renee and she had used them for inspiration and had teased him by letting her hands roam up and down his thighs and into his lap until he had held her hands tightly to stop her mischievous fingers and avoid embarrassment. He started to grin at how embarrassed he and Mac had become when the love scenes started. To be honest, he knew he would like nothing more then to reenact some of those scenes with Mac.
Mac sat thinking about other movies she had been to with dates. There had been steamy love scenes in those movies, too, and they hadn’t acted like embarrassed teenagers on their first date. The humor of the situation finally surfaced for Mac and she started to grin and then giggle.
“Mac? What is it?”
“Oh Harm...we really are something, you know that?”
“What do you mean?”
“We are two mature adults and we’ve both been around some and yet we reacted to that movie like two virgin teenagers...”
“Why do you think that is, Mac?”
“Because we’ve never crossed that line with each other but have both thought about it at times, I guess.”
“Have you thought about it...I mean you and me...?”
“Yes. Have you?”
“Oh yeah...”
“But you’ve never acted like you were really interested.”
“I guess I hid it better then I realized.” Harm parked the car by Mac’s apartment building and they got out and started for her place. Harm reached out and threaded his fingers through hers. Maybe Webb was still in the picture and maybe they weren’t officially together, but Mac didn’t object to his attention so far and Webb wasn’t around.
Harm decided he may as well start his campaign to win Mac over and this was a perfect opportunity to begin.
Once in the apartment, they removed their jackets and headed to the kitchen together. Mac had set the timer on the coffee pot again and it was ready for them. Harm poured while Mac cut them each a slice of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. As she slid the second slice on to the plate, her finger went into the frosting. She raised her hand to lick the frosting off, but Harm had other ideas. He caught her hand before it got to her mouth and he brought it to his mouth and let his tongue and lips remove the frosting. He heard Mac gasp in surprise, but he was pleased that she didn’t pull away.
As quickly as he had taken her hand he released it and grabbed the coffee cups.
“I’ve got the coffee, you bring the cake. Where do you want to sit?”
“Table?”
“Sure.” Harm set the cups down and took a seat. Mac put the cake down and sat too.
“Harm, why did you do that?”
“I wanted to. Did it bother you?”
“Yes...No...you are full of surprises tonight, Flyboy.”
“Might even have more in store - you never know,” Harm teased as he flashed her a smile that melted her knees.
“Harm, at the risk of starting trouble, I’ve got to ask you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Normally when you show interest in me its when I’m involved with someone else or heading off to some assignment, but that’s not the case now. Why this sudden interest?”
“Are you telling me that Webb is no longer in the picture?”
“Answer my question first?”
“Okay...Mac...I’ve never lost interest in you. I made the mistake of taking you for granted maybe and I certainly never was as obvious in my interest in you as I guess you needed me to be, but I’ve never lost interest. You told me never and I tried to honor you and your opinion, but I found that I’m still interested in you and I’m not going to give up until I’ve tried to show you how I feel. That said, you need to know that you will need to convince me that you aren’t interested in us having a future. I’m not going to go away, but I will try to know where to draw the line so I don’t become a problem - I’m not a stalker and I won’t put you in danger. All I ask is that you be honest with me...because I’m going to risk a lot here trying to lay my cards on the table with you.”
“Harm...I haven’t seen Webb since February and when I do I am planning to tell him that although I want to be friends and I appreciate what he did for me, I can’t have a romantic relationship with him. It’s not healthy for either of us.”
“So I can go ahead and schedule some more times for us to get together outside of work?”
Mac burst out laughing, “Yes...I’d like to schedule more time with you...and with Mattie too.”
“Really?”
“Yeah...”
Harm picked up her hand and studied it. It felt small in his hand, but he knew her hands were strong. They sipped their coffee and enjoyed the cake. It was after midnight before Harm made a move to leave.
“I’d better go. We have work tomorrow. Walk me to the door?”
Mac got up and walked with Harm and watched him slip his jacket on. He stood there looking back at her and reached for her hands. Mac took a step closer toward Harm, and he leaned closer to her. Slowly he lowered his head and pulled her hands behind his back at his waist until she was standing very close to him.
“Have supper with Mattie and me tomorrow night?”
“Yes...”
Harm’s lips touched hers and she closed her eyes to savor the taste and feel of his lips. This time Harm let his kiss linger, although he didn’t deepen it. He stood up and watched her eyes flutter open.
“See you tomorrow.”
Mac just nodded as Harm stepped out of the door and shut it. His smile was of the thousand watt variety as he left the building and drove home.
Friday 1820 Local
Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station
Harm entered his apartment carrying two bags of groceries. Mattie had come home today and Mac was joining them for supper, so he wanted to stock up and make sure there was plenty of supplies on hand. Jen had offered to pick up Mattie for him and he had taken her up on the offer so that he could get the first of her welcome home surprises ready for her. As much as she loved pizza she also loved shrimp and strawberries. Harm had decided to have shrimp cocktail waiting for her as an appetizer when she arrived home along with ice cold Mt. Dew. He had just gotten the shrimp ready when he heard the door open.
“Harm? I’m home!”
“Hey Mattie!” Harm met her and swept her up in a big hug. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight.
“I really missed you.”
“Me too...missed you that is. Hey is Jen joining us?”
“No, she said she was going out and I know one of the reasons she offered to pick me up is she stopped at the boutique near my school that she liked. She found a really cool dress there that she’s planning to wear tonight.”
“Anyone we know?”
“I don’t know. Geez, Harm. She’s well over twenty-one and in the Navy and you’re still trying to screen her dates...what are you going to do when I start dating?”
“You’re not...at least until you’re thirty!” He grinned as he sat her back on her feet.
“Harm you had better be kidding me...”
“Maybe.”
“Just because you don’t date doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t.”
“Who says I don’t date?”
“I’ve never seen you have a date and I’ve been here four months. Even before I came here I asked you once if you had a hot date and you just laughed it off.”
“I’ll have you know that I went on two dates while you were gone.”
“Anyone I know?”
“Maybe...”
“Harm? Is this a potential Mrs. Harm?”
“Mattie most people don’t discuss or even think of marriage after two dates.”
“So? You aren’t most people.”
“I’ve fixed you a special appetizer while I fix dinner.”
“No fair changing the subject, Harm.”
The phone rang then and Harm picked it up. His sixth sense warned him it was Mac.
“Hello.”
{Harm it’s me, Mac.}
“You cancelling on me?”
{Not really - but I’ll be later then I had planned.}
“Is everything okay?”
{Yeah, I just don’t want to put this off any longer.}
“Clay show up?”
{How did you know?}
“Just a guess. Look if you don’t want to come over I’ll understand.”
{ I want to come over Harm. I’ve been looking forward to this evening. It’s just I need to tell him we’re done.}
“Okay...we’ll wait for you to start dinner.”
{No...Don’t make Mattie wait for me. I’ll be there and maybe we can just warm my food up?}
“Alright. See you later.”
“We expecting company?”
“Yes, but she’ll be later then planned.”
“Is this the mystery woman?”
“Look if I tell you who I am seeing, you’ve got to promise me not to say much to Jen about it.”
“Why?”
“Because we want to see how long we can go before everyone at the office catches on.”
“Are you seeing Mac?”
“Why do you think it would be Mac?”
“Because you two have a history...”
“Maybe that book is closed.”
“Then you must be working on a new volume.”
“Why don’t you set the table and enjoy your shrimp while I check dinner.” Harm had already put potatoes into bake and had rolls ready to warm up. He started on the salad while Mattie tackled the shrimp.
“Harm?”
“Yes Mattie.”
“Why haven’t you been out on dates until I was gone?”
“Well I wanted to spend my time with you and I had to wait until Mac was ready to spend time with me - not related to work.”
“I knew it!”
Harm realized that he hadn’t confirmed it before when Mattie asked, and he was pleased that Mattie was excited about him seeing Mac out of work.
“How did you get her to go out with you?”
“Well, I guess I blackmailed her into it.”
“How? Why?”
“I don’t know. She was hurting and I helped her get back to her office. I wanted her to go to the doctor and she didn’t want to. When I backed down I told her she owed me and when she asked how much I told her two or three scheduled get togethers.”
“Scheduled get togethers? Why didn’t you just say dates?”
“I figured it sounded less like blackmail the other way, I guess.”
“Harm you are just to funny. So where did you go?”
“The first night I took her to that funny place we’ve been to that has the good food and the talking stuffed heads. Then we went to a movie.”
“You didn’t!”
“Yeah - she loved it. It was fun.”
“Not very romantic.”
“Too soon to do the romantic thing. It was a night out for fun. And it was. We laughed and relaxed and really enjoyed ourselves.”
“What movie did you see?” Harm told her about the action movie they had gone to and the previews they had watched.
“Which one did you end up going back to?”
Harm told her the title and when Mattie blushed he asked, “How much do you know about the movie?”
“Don’t panic. I haven’t seen it. I only know what I read in the reviews. The actress that is in it usually has very hot steamy scenes and they said this was no exception. I figure I’ll rent it on DVD when I turn 18 to see what its all about.” Mattie laughed at Harm’s expression.
“Twenty-one maybe!” Harm turned back to put the rolls in the oven and check the potatoes one more time. He turned to the counter top grill and put steak in for Mattie and Mac and some jumbo shrimp for himself. He put extra on because he knew both of them would have to ‘steal’ a shrimp from him.
****
Same Time
Mac’s Apartment
Georgetown
Mac had changed into jeans and a striped jersey top and slipped into her soft clogs just before the knock came at the door. She took a deep breath and opened the door to Clayton Webb.
“Hello Beautiful...miss me?”
“Hello Clay.” Mac turned her head so that Clay’s kiss landed on her check instead of her lips.
“What’s the matter Sarah? You angry with me again.”
“No.”
“Something’s wrong...”
“No...something is finally going to be right.”
“This has Rabb written all over it.”
Mac smiled. “You know he always tells me that things have ‘Webb written all over them.’ You two need to stop writing on things and take a look at real life for a change.”
“Oh I have Sarah...and I can’t say I like what I see.”
“What do you see?”
“My girlfriend going out behind my back with her partner or adversary depending on who and when you bring it up.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You were seen twice this week dining out and going to movies with Harmon Rabb. Do you deny it?”
“No. Are you spying on me or having me followed or something?”
“Or something...so is it serious?”
“Not yet. We’ve had fun. We’ve laughed and talked a little but mostly kept it light and relaxed. We’ve always enjoyed spending time together before and somehow we lost that part of our lives and its been nice getting it back again.”
“So what does that mean for us, Sarah?”
“It means that I want us to be friends, but I don’t feel the romantic spark with you like I had hoped.”
“So I guess I shouldn’t consider you my girlfriend any more, right?”
“Right. Do you think we can still be friends, Clay?”
“Eventually, probably...I’m not sure I could handle dinner with you and Rabb holding hands and playing kissy face yet.”
Mac laughed, “No problem. We might hold hands sometimes but we’re not to the kissy face stage yet. We may never be.” Mac smiled to herself thinking about the kisses Harm had given her this week alone. In one week he almost matched the total number of kisses he had given her in over eight years. She touched her lips lightly thinking of the feathery kisses he had placed on her lips and the one longer kiss they had shared last night.
“I guess I should go, huh?”
“Please. I had made other plans for the evening and I’ve delayed them so I could talk to you.”
“With Rabb?”
“Clay...” Mac’s voice clearly was issuing him a warning.
“Alright, I’m sorry. I won’t ask. Just don’t let him take you for granted this time Sarah.”
“I think we are going into this with a different attitude this time Clay. I don’t think either of us will take our relationship for granted this time.”
“Let me walk you to your car?”
“Thanks, I’d like that.”
Mac grabbed her purse, and jacket and locked her door. Clay saw her safely into her car and watched her drive away. He had held out hope that they would have a future, but he hadn’t counted on Rabb getting his act together this quickly. Clayton knew that he needed to graciously let Sarah go. If Rabb screwed it up this time, he would get one more chance at his own dream only if he was a gentleman about losing her now.
1940 Local
Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station
Harm served Mattie her steak and put his shrimp on his own plate. The baked potatoes were in a basket on the table and the rolls in another. The salad was in its bowl with Harm’s own dressing ready to be added (equal parts balsamic vinegar, honey, and extra light olive oil).
“This looks so good Harm. Does Mac know what she’s missing?”
“Not exactly...but she’ll be here. She called to say she was running late.”
Harm had taken his seat and broken open his baked potato when he heard the knock at the door. Quickly he stood up and opened the door to a smiling Mac.
“Hey there...that didn’t take long. Everything okay?”
“Yeah...it went very well. Something smells great.” Mac slipped her jacket off as she smiled at Harm.
“Let me take that. Go have a seat and start on the salad, rolls and baked potato and I’ll get your dinner.”
“Do I smell steak?”
“Hi Mac!”
“Hey Mattie. Did he really cook us the ‘dreaded dead cow’?”
“He did. And it is wonderful.”
Mac took her seat on Harm’s right across from Mattie. She reached for a potato and broke it open to add butter and seasoning. Harm brought her steak over and the rest of his shrimp.
“Harm sit and eat before your dinner gets cold.”
“It’s fine. Anything else you need?”
“I’m fine. Thank you.”
Harm, Mattie and Mac chatted their way through dinner. When Harm was looking at Mattie, Mac stole a shrimp from his plate and when he turned to Mac, Mattie stole her shrimp. Harm pretended not to notice at first and then challenge them both.
“Are you two going to leave me any dinner?”
“What?”
“Who us?”
“Yes you...I saw you taking my shrimp. I thought I’d be safe serving you two your ‘dead cow.’ Guess I shouldn’t bother next time.”
“No Harm...it’s really good.”
“Mattie’s right, Harm. It’s wonderful. Want a bite? It will make up for the shrimp I took...” Mac held up her fork with a bite of steak on it for him. Harm reached up and took her wrist and guided her hand to his mouth. He took the meat into his mouth and chewed it savoring the taste. Mac was so caught up in watching his mouth work that she didn’t realize at first she was holding her breath.
Mattie watched them and tried to hide a smile. No matter what her guardian said, he would not convince her that there wasn’t something special and everlasting between these two people.
As Harm swallowed the bite and licked his lips, Mac gasped for air. When Harm smiled, she smiled in return. Mattie let a giggle slip which broke the spell weaving itself around Harm and Mac.
“Hey Mattie, Harm tells me you’re doing track. Want a running partner tomorrow?” Mac asked the teenager and was rewarded with a warm smile.
“That would be great, Mac. You won’t mind if I’m a little slow?”
“Not a problem. I may be able to give you some pointers that ‘Daddy-longlegs’ wouldn’t have a clue about.”
“Daddy-longlegs! Where did that come from?” Harm dropped his fork and turned to Mac with a look of surprise on his face. Mattie covered her mouth and tried to stop her laughter. “And you young lady, show some respect to your elders.”
Mac and Mattie both laughed out loud at Harm’s reaction. He then broke into a grin himself and said to Mattie, “You know Mac’s right. She’s a good runner and the fastest woman at JAG. She’s learned to cover more ground to keep up with runner’s with longer strides and she has good form.”
“Thanks Harm...”
“Hey, Mac?”
“Yes Mattie.”
“What happened to your chin...it looks bruised.”
“It is. I was prosecuting and the defendant didn’t like the outcome and she decked me.”
“Really?”
“I went out like a light.”
“Wow! Has that ever happened before?”
“Not to me. I’ve had clients and defendants get angry and make threatening moves, but this girl just snapped, with almost no warning. Of course having inexperienced guards didn’t help.”
“Does she face more charges now?”
“Yes...but she’s plead guilty to the new charges. Didn’t have much choice. I filed a complaint with her commanding officer as he sent guards with her that couldn’t control her.”
“Is that a wise thing to do Mac?” asked Harm, the concern obvious in his voice.
“The original rebel of the Navy taking a conservative stance?”
“I’ve grown up Mac...I’m learning to look at things from all sides and weigh the consequences of my actions.”
“Good for you, Harm.” Mac smiled at Harm and touched his hand as it rested on the table between them.
“So what time do you want to run with me tomorrow Mac?”
“How about first thing in the morning?”
“How first thing?”
“Eight?”
“That I can do.” Mattie smiled at Harm and Mac. “I suppose you’re going to come too?”
“I won’t if you don’t want me to,” answered Harm trying to hide a feeling of dejection.
“No...I want you too, but I also want you to let Mac coach me.”
“I will.”
“And no interruptions?”
“None...as a matter of fact, why don’t you call Andre’ and see if he wants to join us. I can work with him while Mac works with you?”
“Really?”
“Sure.”
“Cool! Can I be excused to go call Andre’?”
“Yes, but call from here in case his mother wants to clear it with me.”
Mattie jumped up from the table, dropped a kiss on Harm’s forehead and headed for the phone.
“That was a great idea, Harm.”
“Andre’ a good kid and he wants to fly jets.”
“Oh...molding him in your image?”
“Not really...just helping him along the way. He’s a good kid with a level head. Made Mattie feel welcomed and special when she arrived at school that first day.”
“You know, you really are a pretty special guy,” Mac smiled and spoke softly as she looked into Harm’s eyes. He in return leaned back a little and smiled in return. Sometimes words just were not needed. They both knew that they were enjoying their time together and this time they were moving forward. The moment was interrupted when Mattie joined them at the table.
“Andre’ says thanks. He’s looking forward to getting some tips from his hero.” Mattie teased.
“Mattie...” Harm’s tone warned Mattie not to start on him about his heroic resume’.
“What Harm?” she smiled trying to be innocent of one of her favorite lines of teasing.
“Why don’t we get dinner cleaned up and then we can settle in to watch a movie. What did you pick for tonight?” Harm asked.
“Well...it’s a really good movie...”
“Mattie, what movie?”
“A Walk in the Clouds.”
Harm groaned and Mac brightened, “Isn’t that the one with Keanu Reeves?”
“Yeah...have you seen it?” Mattie asked.
“I saw about fifteen minutes of it and got a call to leave on an investigation. I’ve never watched the rest of it and I always wanted to see it.”
“Alright, you two win...just don’t complain if I read or fall asleep.” Harm warned them.
Mac and Mattie pitched in to wash the dishes and put the left overs away. Harm pretended to be put out a little about the movie, but the fact that both of them were eager to see it made it easier to deal with.
By the time the movie had ended, Harm had to admit that it was a decent movie. He was given praise for staying awake for the whole movie without escaping even once to a book. Harm didn’t bother to let them know he had let his mind wander during some of the scenes. He thought about what he would do if Mac had ever found herself if a position where she was pregnant and the father didn’t want her and the baby or was unavailable for some reason. He could see himself stepping in and happily filling the roll.
Harm reasoned that it wasn’t much different then taking on a foster child. Harm knew that he had come to love Mattie as much as if she was his own daughter. He also knew it would hurt as much when they day came that she no longer needed him and went back to her own father. Besides people adopted children all the time and loved them like their own.
“Harm...Harm? Where did you go?” Mac asked him as they sat together on the couch.
“Sorry, what were you saying?”
“Mattie was saying she’d see you in the morning.”
“Oh, sorry Mattie.” Harm stood up and gave her a hug, kissing the top of her head. “G’night. Coming over for breakfast before we run or do you want to have brunch after?”
“Brunch after. Night Mac.”
“Night Mattie,” Mac turned to Harm after the door closed. “I should be going too.”
“Cup of coffee first?” Harm asked wanting to prolong her stay.
“Okay.” Harm went to the kitchen to start the coffee and then turned to Mac. “ I actually made dessert and forgot to serve it. Want some now?”
“What is it?”
“Strawberry shortcake.”
“Sounds good but I think I’ll pass tonight...could I have some after we run tomorrow?”
“Sure...I could make crepes for breakfast if you want instead.”
“No...strawberry shortcake makes a great breakfast.”
“If you say so Mac...”
“Thanks for dinner again tonight. That steak was so good. You surprised me when you ate that bite I offered you.”
“I eat beef once in a while. I choose to stay away from it because it tends to be fattier then fish and chicken. It just seemed like a healthier choice for me.”
“Wow...over eight years and I’m still learning things about you.”
“And I’m still learning about you...”
“Like what?”
“Well, I think you liked the kiss I gave you last night.”
“If you thought I wouldn’t like it, why do it?”
“Wishful thinking I guess.”
“Any other wishful thinking you want to try out?”
“Maybe...coffee’s ready.” Harm took down two mugs and poured them each a cup. They sat at the island and sipped their coffee. “Mac, thanks for agreeing to work with Mattie on her track skills. I think she’s going to be a decent runner, but when we run together she worries so much about matching my stride that she throws herself off. I’ve tried to work with her, but she gets upset with me if she sees me change my stride to match hers.”
“You don’t have to thank me. It will be fun. Besides, the admiral showed me how to extend my stride so that I could cover maximum distance with minimal effort.”
“That’s how you went from a jogger to a runner before the JAG-a-thon, isn’t it?”
Mac smiled and nodded her head as she sipped her coffee. “You see Daddy long-legs, while you are covering ground with those long legs of yours, you are also using a lot more time to complete the cycle. I’ll demonstrate for you tomorrow.”
“Maybe it will help me...”
“Nope. You still have the long legs and they aren’t going away. Mattie and I can compensate for our shorter legs by using quicker strides.”
“This almost sounds like a challenge forming?”
“Not by me.”
“You sure.”
“Yes. And I’m sure I really need to get going.”
“Okay. Let me walk you to your car.”
“Harm, you don’t need to.”
“I know I don’t need to, but I’d like to.”
“Okay...let me get my coat.”
Harm helped Mac into her jacket and pulled her next to him as they left the loft and walked down to her car.
“Mac, you sure Clayton took the news okay?”
“Yes...he was very calm about it.”
“Okay...Mac, drive carefully.”
“I will.” They had reached her car and Harm took her keys to unlock the door and hold it open for her to get in. When she stepped between him and the car, Harm stopped her and took her hands in his as he had the night before. This time, instead of pulling her arms around his waist, he lifted them to his shoulders as he bent his head to kiss her lips.
Mac decided that she was done playing the innocent receiver of the chaste kiss, so when he placed her hands on his shoulders, she slid her hands to the back of his neck and pulled him toward her. Her mouth eagerly met his and she nibbled his lips and let her tongue tease his lips to part.
Harm felt the tip of her tongue tracing his lips and he gasped, opening his mouth enough to let her deepen the kiss. Harm didn’t object and met her lips and tongue with his own. He drew her closer to him wrapping his arms firmly around her. He could feel the heat radiating from her body every where it made contact with his. The kiss soon reached the level of passion they had shared on the Admiral’s porch during the party for her ill-fated engagement. Only this time no one was holding back because of significant others and the fear of being discovered. The kiss went on until they had to break for air. The early spring night was cool and Mac shivered despite her jacket and the heat from the large body wrapped around her.
“Your cold. I’m sorry.”
“Because its cold or because you kissed me like that?”
“Should I be sorry for kissing you Mac?”
“No...nor for me shivering.” Mac reached in and started her car before stepping close to Harm again. He wrapped his arms around her again while she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Hold me a few minutes while my car warms up?”
Harm held her tighter, resting his chin on the top of her head after she had tucked her face into his neck. “This is nice Mac.”
“Mmmm...why now Harm?”
“Why not now?” Mac was just ready to pull away and let him have it for answering her question with a question when she felt him hold her in place and heard him continue.
“Mac, the way I look at it is this...I waited for the right time and never found it. I almost lost you and then I started to realize that it was because I was too subtle. Going to Paraguay to rescue you was a grand gesture but it wasn’t enough. I started to realize when I took Mattie in that a roof with no supports and no walls still lets the cold and the wind and the other elements in.
“I also heard you when you said that I hadn’t fought for us and I started to understand that you wanted me to fight for us...so I tried to start with little things - like being a better friend, accepting that while you were seeing Webb, it wasn’t all you had hoped...I wanted to make sure that you still wanted at least a friendship between us...and then I decided to let you know that you had options. If Webb wasn’t right for you, then maybe I was worth another shot.”
“I think just maybe you are.” Mac looked up at Harm with a smile.
“I know this is going to sound strange Mac, considering that it has taken us so long to move this dance along, but I don’t want us to move it too fast. I mean, I think we need to take the time to learn to be together as a couple. I think we need to get to know each other all over again. I think we’ve both changed in the past year or maybe two and we lost touch with each other.”
“I think you have gotten wiser Mr. Rabb.” Harm bent his head to give her one more gentle and tender kiss before he helped her into her car. “Call me when you get home?”
“Okay...good-night Harm.”
“Night, Mac.”
****
Thursday - Almost two weeks later
JAG HQ
Falls Church, Virginia
“Hey Mac, ready for Chinese take-out after Mattie’s first track meet tonight?” Harm asked from her door-way.
“Hi...yeah it sounds great. She’s really coming along good on the distance running.”
“Thanks to you.”
“It will be fun to watch how she and Andre’ both do against their competition.” The phone on her desk buzzed.
{Colonel Mackenzie?}
“Yes Coates?”
{Admiral Chegwidden would like to see you in his office right away, Ma’am.}
“On my way Coates. Sorry Harm, sounds like some things up.”
“Okay. Catch you later.” Harm watched Mac hurry off to meet with the Admiral. They had been getting together three and four times a week by incorporating Mattie and Andre’ with their own personal work out sessions. Things had been crazy at JAG with the two new lawyers arriving. One was pretty green as a trial lawyer and the other was inexperienced in investigations. Mac’s assignments had been wise. Lt. Weston was solid in the court room but was a total basket case at crime scenes and during investigations. It didn’t help that she and Harm pulled an assault and a murder the same week. Talk about trial by fire.
Lt. Williams knew how to conduct an investigation, but had little experience in the courtroom. Mac knew the law and would be able to bring him along if anyone could. So far the two new lieutenants were working on cases with Harm and Mac. Instead of easing their work loads, they seemed to be adding to it. They had decided that Bud and Singer, despite her over zealousness, had spoiled them.
Harm returned to his office, the new one next to Bud and across the bull pen from Mac, and pushed the extension for Lt. Weston.
{Sandy Weston.}
“This is Commander Rabb. Sounds like you need to work on your telephone skills Lieutenant.”
“Sorry Commander. I was lost in thought and just answered like I would at home sir.”
“What have you got for me on the investigation?”
“Well sir, the preliminary forensic report came in from NCIS and they seem to think that the assault weapon was a blunt object but didn’t name anything. They also said the blood at the scene was from two people not just the one victim. It’s possible that the assailant was also injured.”
“Any thing else, Weston?”
“No, sir.”
“What about the other case?”
“The murder, sir?”
“Yes...that’s the only other case.”
“Well sir. NCIS suspects that it was a drug related hit.”
“We knew that going in, Weston.”
“Yes sir. It’s just that it may be tied to the assault.”
“How?”
“There was blood at the murder scene that didn’t belong to the victim and when the results came back it matched a John Doe in the system...the one from the assault scene.”
“Okay, I want you to start looking for connections between our assault victim and our murder victim. Get their phone numbers and addresses so we can contact them and arrange to interview them.”
“Yes sir.”
Harm hung up the phone and thought about the chances of being assigned two cases and having them connected, considering one of them was at Quantico and the other at Pax River.
“Harm?”
“Hey Mac, what’s wrong? You look upset.”
“Yeah, I’m going to have to miss Mattie’s track meet and dinner.”
“Assignment?”
“Yeah, seems that my assailant’s commanding officer took my complaints to heart and has demanded that I escort the prisoner to San Diego myself. Look, can you keep an eye on Williams for me?”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“He’s investigating a dereliction of duty charge at Norfolk and then he needs to start preparing a defense. We won’t be in court until next week at the earliest so he should be able to work alone until I return...but if you could just be there for him if he needs it I would appreciate it.”
“No problem...but I wish you didn’t have to go. Officers don’t usually get charged with guard and escort duty. Why you?”
“Because I complained and challenged a senior officer.”
“Oh Mac...you’re really need to stop following in my footsteps...” Harm grinned when he saw the steam begin to build in Mac. His grin had the desired effect and diffused her anger and made her smile. “When do you have to leave?”
“Almost immediately...I have just enough time to straighten my desk, call Williams and tell him to report to you and then get to the brig. From there they are transporting us to the Airport where we fly commercial with three changes of planes between here and there.”
“Wow...they aren’t making this easy for you are they?”
“No...but I am a Marine and I can handle anything they dish out to me...and don’t forget it.”
“I won’t Mac...call me whenever you want if you need a reminder. I promise I won’t give you a hard time.”
“Thanks...I might call you. It looks like I’ll be back on Saturday.”
“Come over when you get back, okay? I’m going to miss you Marine.”
“I’ll miss you too Sailor. I’ll call tonight.”
2245 Local
Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station
[Ring, ring ]
“Commander Rabb”
{Hey Sailor...you aren’t going to believe where I am. }
“You can’t be home...”
{You’re right...I haven’t even made it to my destination yet.}
“What happened?”
{We missed our flight due to my difficult, smoke addicted prisoner.}
“She try to escape?”
{No...other then insisting she is not a drug addict she’s been fairly cooperative. We’re in Cleveland now...had to get a hotel. She has a little girl Harm.}
“Where does she live?”
{Cleveland...but I really don’t think she missed the flight intentionally.}
“Are you going to let her see her daughter while you are there?”
{I don’t know. Part of me wants her to have that chance. It will be five years before she’s out. Her daughter will be almost ten years old by then.}
“Mac...you okay?”
{Yeah...I know I shouldn’t let her see her, but the little girl in me remembers how important it was to know my mother cared and hoping she would just call to check on me kept me going at times.}
“What’s the father like?”
{Haven’t met him yet. Harm...you know I’m still dealing with some baggage from my childhood, Paraguay and shooting Sadik...right?}
“Yes...although I guess I don’t think about it all the time.”
{Do you think we should wait to work on us until I get a better handle on me?}
“Is that what you want?”
{No...yes...I don’t know, but I do know I want to hear what you think.}
“Then I don’t think we should wait. I want to be there for you. If you need me to back off or give you space, fine, but I have only wanted to be there for you and I just didn’t do it right. I guess I hope that I can show you that you are a priority in my life Mac.”
{Sometimes you say the sweetest things.}
“This is the kind of thing that I was referring to when I said that we are still learning about each other.”
{So Harm...how did Mattie and Andre do?}
“I wish you could have been there, Marine. Mattie set her pace in her comfort zone like you showed her. When she did the mile run, she was pretty far back on the first lap but she started making headway on the second lap, by the third lap she was running with the pack. She kept her pace until half way through the last lap and then turned it up. She sprinted from the last turn through the finish line. She finished third, but there was less then three seconds separating the top five runners! She also finished second in the long jump, and won the hurdles and the 200 meter sprint.”
{Wow! That’s wonderful. Give her a hug for me in the morning okay?}
“Be glad to.”
{What about Andre’?}
“Finished second in three events and first in the long jump.”
{Not bad.}
“They have another meet Tuesday afternoon and evening. Maybe you can make that one with me.”
{That would be great...if I can get home by then!}
“Mac!”
{I’m sure I’ll be back.}
“I miss our goodnight ritual...”
{Me too...}
“Be careful.”
{I will...Harm?}
“Yeah?”
{I’m going to try to let her see her daughter before we board the plane.}
“I thought you would. Call me tomorrow night no matter what, okay?”
{Yes.}
Next night 2035
Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station
[Ring, ring]
“Hello. Rabb Residence.”
{Mattie, it’s Mac. Harm told me about the track meet. Nice job.}
“Oh Hi Mac. Thanks for all your tips. The coach said he’s never seen anyone improve as quickly as Andre’ and I have. He wondered if maybe you and Harm would be willing to come to some sessions with the whole team.”
{I’ll think about it Mattie, okay?}
“Sure. I’ll let Harm take the phone before he rips it out of my hand. See you soon?”
{I hope so.}
“Mac, what’s happening?”
{You won’t believe this...}
“Did you miss your flight again?”
{Yes, but we are at the hospital.}
“What’s the matter? Are you okay?”
{Relax, Harm. I’m fine. I took her out to get her hair done and then we went to see her daughter. It was sad but she handled it quite well. Then we went to this little place that served muffins and she ate hers and mine too. Next thing I know she is shaky and sick and we’re on our way to the hospital. Harm...she’s innocent of the original charges.}
“What? Mac, I lost you...you were eating muffins and then you were going to the hospital and now she’s innocent. Want to bridge those jumps for me, Marine?”
{Sorry...it turns out that my prisoner is allergic to Poppy seeds and the muffins were lemon poppy seed.}
“And heroin is derived from poppy seeds which is why she tested positive for the drug.”
{Exactly. I’ve asked the doctor to prepare a statement and to contact her CO. We are waiting orders to return home.}
“Will you be getting in tonight?”
{Maybe...It depends if they will release her and if the brig will take her in tonight. She still has to face charges for assault, but her sentence will probably be reduced from five to two years...maybe less for good behavior.}
“And you plan on pleading her case?”
{No I was prosecuting so I’ll deal with her attorney, Lt. Roberts. Hey how’s it going with our new batch of trainees?}
“Williams checked in with me today. He’s got a good handle on the investigation for your case, and he actually helped me teach Weston a few things today. You know, they don’t like each other very much.”
{Like us?}
“No...I really think they don’t like each other. There’s no emotion between them at all. There were always plenty of emotions with us.”
{Is it just because they don’t know each other?}
“Maybe but I think its more then that. I’ll be curious to see what you think.”
{I gotta go Harm. I’ll talk to you when I get home...}
Before Harm could answer he heard a dial tone in his ear. “Mac? Mac!...damn, she hung up.”
“What’s the matter Harm?” asked Mattie.
“Nothing...Mac just hung up before I could say good-bye.”
“Was she mad at you?”
“No. Why?”
“You just sounded upset.”
“The only thing I was upset about was that she didn’t give me time to respond before she hung up.”
****
Sunday 2230 Local
Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station
Harm paced the length of his apartment over and over again. He had called Mac’s cell phone and left messages on her voice mail twice and called home and left three messages there. He had been sure Mac was going to be back fairly early that morning and as the day wore on and he didn’t hear from her his anxiety went higher and higher. Mattie had gotten tired of his increasing restlessness and hour ago and returned to her apartment that she shared with Jennifer Coates.
Twenty minutes away, Mac was letting herself into her apartment, exhausted from lack of sleep and stress from her unaccustomed assignment. She had played her voice mail on her cell phone while she walked to her apartment. Harm was getting worried so she knew she would need to take time to call him. When she got into her apartment she found the three messages waiting for her from him there. In addition there had been a message from Admiral Chegwidden for her to report to his office at 0730 Monday morning.
Checking to be sure her door was locked, she went to her bedroom and stripped out of her uniform and stepped into the shower. Towel drying her hair and wrapping another towel around her body, she curled up on the bed and reached for the phone.
{Rabb}
“I’m home.”
{Thank God...what happened?}
“The prisoner had a set back and then we couldn’t leave until the doctor released her. Then her CO decided he didn’t want her brought back here until the Admiral intervened. Then we had to wait for the orders and arrangements for the flight and then when we did get back the transport to the base was sent to the wrong terminal and by the time we got that worked out...anyway, I’m home. I could have called you about ten minutes sooner, but I had to take a shower and wash my hair first. I was too grungy and couldn’t stand myself.”
{Your home and your safe and that’s all that matters.}
Mac smiled. Harm was beginning to open up to her.
{Get some sleep Mac...I’ll see you tomorrow...} It was Mac’s turn to hear the dial tone. Smiling she hung up the phone and her wet towels. Slipping into her nightgown, she slid into bed and shut the light off. She fell asleep with a smile on her face.
Monday 0800 Local
JAG HQ
Falls Church, Virginia
“Lt. Weston, have you been able to make any connection yet between the two cases?”
“No sir.”
“What do you have?”
“Not much sir. No one is giving me information to work with.”
“Lieutenant, it is not their job to give you information. It is your job to get the information. I want you to set up a second interview with each of the people you’ve talked with. Give me your notes from your interviews and then watch and listen to me as I meet with them.”
“Yes sir.” Sandra Weston stood somewhat dejectedly by Commander Rabb’‘s desk. She had heard about him before being assigned here, as had most naval lawyers. She hadn’t realized that she would be expected to live up to his standards when she was placed here.
“Lt. Weston, is there some reason you are just standing here?”
“No sir. Sorry sir. It’s just...”
“What is it Lieutenant? I can’t help you if you don’t let me know what you need.”
“Sir, I’m fairly confident in the courtroom once I have the information. I can plan out my case, know what to ask and how to get the witness to spill their guts. What I don’t seem to have a handle on is figuring out how far to push or what to ask to get the information I need. How do you know sir? Is it instinct or did I miss a class in interrogation that I can take. I want to do a good job sir, but I know you are not pleased with my performance.”
Harm listened to the young lieutenant and realized that she wasn’t much older then Mattie. With Mattie he would be patient and encouraging and for some reason he realized that he was being abrasive with this young officer. He suspected that part of it was trying to keep some distance between them so that friendship didn’t develop and so that Mac wouldn’t worry about things or doubt his interest in her.
“First I owe you an apology, Lt. Weston. I realize that I have not been very patient or encouraging with you. To answer your question, yes there are courses in conducting interrogations you can take, but I’m not sure that’s what you need. Those have more to do with techniques not what questions to ask. I think that I can probably help you the most by having you watch me and then talking about it. I do work a lot on instinct however, some of what I do is think about possible answers I could get to my questions and then build on what I get. I watch body language and eye contact. Let’s see how today goes and if you think of a question, feel free to jump in. Fair enough?”
“Yes sir. I’ll try to improve sir.”
“Don’t worry about it - just remember that we all make mistakes and we learn from them if we are willing to.”
“Yes sir.”
“Dismissed.”
Harm watched the young Lieutenant leave his office. He promised himself that he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. He smiled as Mac stepped into his line of vision.
“Welcome back Colonel.”
“Good to be back. I was only gone three days but it felt like three weeks!”
“You were here early this morning. I got here at 0735 and you were already in with the Admiral.”
“Yeah, he called me when I got home last night and asked me to come in early.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yes. I saw Lt. Weston leaving here. How’s she doing?”
“Not bad. She’d be doing better if her supervisor would stop acting like an idiot.”
“What did you do?”
“It’s more like what I didn’t do Mac.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was so concerned that you would think I was too focused on her - because she was a woman - that I didn’t take time to put her at ease, make her feel welcomed, or give her the encouragement and instruction she needs.”
“Wow...are you blaming me?”
“No. I’m blaming me. I started to try to set things right with her this morning and I hope that it helps. Mac, I know you’ve been gone and just got home last night, but will you join Mattie and me for dinner this evening?”
“I’d love to Harm, but I have a feeling that its going to be a long day and I have court early tomorrow morning.”
“Must have pulled Admiral Morris for a case.”
“Yeah...he starts early and runs late, but he often takes a decent break in the middle of the day. Can I take a rain check for Tuesday?”
“Can you make the meet too?” Harm asked, remembering Mattie’s track meet.
“Yes.”
“Good...I’ll just have to wait until tomorrow night I guess to have the face to face explanation of those words you dropped on the phone the other night.”
“And you can explain the meaning behind yours words last night...” Mac smiled to let him know she had heard him as well as she stepped back out of his office and waved when she walked away.
Harm smiled and thought about how comfortable they were becoming with each other again. His was interrupted when Lt. Weston returned to his office.
“Sir, I’ve scheduled a car for us and have been able to reach three people and schedule times to meet with them. The first one is almost to Quantico. His name is Jesse Trombley and he was a cousin to our assault victim and worked with our murder victim.”
“Lt. Weston, both victims have names. Let’s remember we are dealing with people’s lives here and that there are people that cared about the victims. Most people feel more comfortable when we refer to the victims by names when we can.”
“Yes sir, as I was saying, Mr. Trombley is a cousin to Petty Officer Trombley and worked with Gunnery Sargent Marshall at Quantico temporarily as a civilian.”
“And you’ve interviewed Mr. Trombley already and said he was difficult and evasive...but he’s willing to meet with us today?”
“Yes sir. He works at Dumfries City Hall in maintenance. He said anytime before noon was good for him. After that he has deliveries to make.”
“Then why don’t we get started and you can fill me in on the others as we go.”
“Yes sir.”
Harm stopped by Coates desk and let her know where he was heading.
“I should be back so I can be home as usual Coates, but in case Mattie calls I wanted you to know where I was.”
“Thank you sir. Have a safe trip.”
Harm and Lt. Weston approached the car and Harm decided he would drive so that Lt. Weston could fill him in as he drove. He held out his hand for the keys. He thought Lt. Weston seemed disappointed so he explained why he was driving.
“Don’t worry, Lt. Weston, you’ll be doing your share of the driving before the day is over.”
While they drove toward Quantico, Sandra Weston set out the days itinerary. “From Dumfries, sir we will drive over to Waldorf, Maryland. Retired Gunnery Sargent Al Crespo will meet us there about noon, Sir. He served with PO Trombley in the Med and was on Gunnery Sargent Marshall’s Homeland Security detail out of Quantico.”
“That does not leave us a lot of time between interviews, Lieutenant.”
“No sir, but I can always call ahead if we are running late.”
“Very well. You said you have a third interview set up for us.”
“Yes sir. After we leave Sargent Crespo, we have an appointment with Lillian Foster. Ms. Foster had dated both men. She lives near Annapolis sir. She gets home from work around 1530.”
“And you’ve tried to get information out of her as well?”
“Yes sir, she was so distraught when I spoke to her that she couldn’t answer my questions.”
“Very well, let’s see what I can get from them. How well do you know your way around this area Lieutenant?”
“Not very well sir. If I can find it on my maps or the GPS I can get where I need to go.”
“And if you don’t find it there?”
“I’m a woman, sir...I go ask someone.”
Harm glanced at her sideways to see her smiling. He returned it, appreciating her humor. When we are out of the office and not with clients, feel free to call me Harm. Do you prefer Sandra or Sandy?”
“Actually sir, my nickname is Sandy but I’ve hated it since high school. I prefer Sandra.”
“Do I detect a Texas accent?”
“Yes, sir...I rode horses in a wild west show when other girls my age were cashing at the arches or other fast food places.”
“How did you end up in the Navy?”
“I graduated from high school in Fort Worth Texas, where both my parents were stationed.”
“Aahh, Navy brat. What did your folks do?”
“My father is a pilot sir, and my mother runs computer electronic and data systems.”
“You weren’t always at Fort Worth...”
“No...it just ended up that they were stationed there just before I went to high school and they’ve kept them there ever since. They’ll both have thirty years in this summer and plan to retire. Dad’s training trainers now and Mom’s training other people on the older systems that are still in use. Of course her specialty was the systems on the F-14 and now they are retiring them, she’s deadwood. Same as Dad.”
“Your father trained pilots on the F-14?”
“Yes sir...did he train you?”
“I don’t remember a Weston...but he probably trained the men that did train me. Where else were they stationed?”
“We were at Pensacola, Miramar, Fallon, Naples, and when they went overseas I stayed with my grandparents in Fort Worth.”
“What ships?”
“Dad was on the Ticonderoga, the Henry, the Guadal and the Seahawk. Mother was on the Stennis, the Henry and the Coral.”
“What rank are they now, Sandra?”
“Mom made Captain and Dad is a Commander still. He figures with some of the stuff he’s done, the members wouldn’t be able or willing to make him a Captain. That’s why he decided to call it quits with Mom this summer...that and the fact that the F-14's, ‘his babies’, are retiring.”
“He behind you going into law, by any chance?”
“Yes sir...but not for the reasons you might think. Most people assume that a lawyer saved his six or something...well actually one did, but not in a courtroom. I mean the lawyer did something during a court case that resulted in my father not being charged for something. He said the lawyer was the first one that sounded like he really knew what it was like in the trenches. Anyway, there are a lot of things that lawyers do behind the seasons that make a difference to outcomes else where. I decided that I wanted to have that kind of impact.”
“And I’m sure you will as long as you remember that truth and justice are the most important goal.”
“I was told you would remind me of that often.”
“Let me guess...Colonel Mackenzie?”
“No sir...Admiral Chegwidden.”
“Wow...that’s a surprise...how many horror stories were you told about working with me?”
“None sir...I was just told that you knew what you were doing even if it seemed unconventional. Nine times out of ten you get the desired outcome.”
“Well I doubt my record is that good...but its nice to know that people have faith me after all that’s happened.”
“Excuse me sir?”
“Nothing to worry about. I have had a few less then stellar moments that even my best friends can’t resist reminding me of. I’m sure that you will be filled in before long.”
“I guess we all have those moments we would like to forget, Commander.”
“I guess we do.”
They completed the drive by reviewing the case information that had to that point. By the time they reached their first appointment, Harm had outlined the questions he wanted to ask and Lt. Weston had noted them down so she could take notes during the interview.
Harm greeted Jesse Trombley with a handshake. “Thank you for agreeing to see us.”
“I owe the Lieutenant an apology for last time. I wasn’t having a good day I’m afraid.”
“We all have some days better then other sir. Shall we get started?”
“Go ahead Commander.”
“Thank you...How close are you to your cousin, Petty Officer Trombley?”
“Charlie and I share paternal grandparents. His father and mine were brothers. My father was the oldest in a rather large family and his father was the youngest. We were at family gatherings of course, but we did not hang out together or anything.”
“Were you ever in the military?”
“No sir...I couldn’t pass the physical back when I was of age. Always found ways to support the troops though.”
“How so, Mr. Trombley?”
“I watched for opportunities for civilians to work on base; I fly the flag and I do what I can to support the troops; letters, care packages, what ever I can do.”
“Why?”
“Most of my family has served and we were raised to serve our country. I wasn’t able to serve, but we were often reminded of things that were important to those that served when they would tell us about someone they knew that never got letters from home or got care packages.”
“That’s wonderful, Mr. Trombley. It does mean a lot to those that are far from home.”
“I’m sure you were never short of letters and packages from home...good looking fellow like you with them gold wings.”
“You’d be surprised, sir...” Harm gave a shy smile and then pushed on. “So tell me, how well did you know Gunny Marshall?”
“I worked with him for about three months at Quantico.” In addition to doing maintenance I also have done some work with heavy equipment. They were short of mechanics and I was hired temporarily to get some equipment ready for shipping out. I got my instructions from him and reported back to him but we did not socialize.”
“Did you ever observe unusual behavior from him?”
“Like what sir?”
“Mood swings? Fits of anger? Shakes?”
“Nothing that I recall.”
“Alright Mr. Trombley...thank you for your time.”
“If there’s anything else I can do for you sir, let me know. And once again Lieutenant, I apologize for being difficult when you were here before.”
“What caused your bad day, sir?” Harm asked in conversational tones.
“Well sir, I overslept so I was running late and then I had a flat tire that morning. When I got here I was late and everyone wanted me yesterday and then Lt. Weston showed up unannounced and it was just more then I could take. I guess I just clammed up and played dumb.”
“I can see how you would be out of sorts.”
After shaking hands, Harm and Sandra headed back to the car. Harm tossed her the keys as he headed for the passenger side.
“What do you think Lt. Weston?”
“I guess that explains why he was so evasive when I talked with him before.”
“You think so? Did you notice anything odd in his answers?” Harm asked.
“No...but you did?”
“There was no mention of his cousin being attacked and no comments about knowing the Gunny or his murder. I think he’s guarding something close to him.”
“Wow...you’re good.”
“Well that’s yet to be seen. I may be wrong about this.”
“But you don’t think so?”
“Let’s talk to the others.”
Harm and Sandra made both their appointments on time. Sargent Crespo couldn’t stop talking about how scarey it was to know two people that had been victims of violent crimes so close together. He spoke well of both men but expressed some concerns about men he had seen speaking to Gunny Marshall on a couple of occasions. Harm pointed out to Sandra the difference in the attitude of the two men that had been interviewed. After the fact she could see the difference.
Sandra asked Harm how he had learned about things like their reaction.
“Experience. You’ll learn after a while. Don’t beat yourself up over it.”
Lillian Foster was still distraught over the death of Gunny Marshall and was going to visit Petty Officer Trombley after their visit. Like when Lt. Weston had interviewed her, she frequently burst into tears. Usually it was after a question about something she might have noticed or observed. Harm had tried sympathizing, comforting, and nothing got through. He tried being a little hard on her and then apologizing. Nothing shook loose.
“I’m not done with Lillian Foster,” Harm informed Lt. Weston when they returned to the car. Checking the time he decided that there wasn’t time for a visit to PO Trombley today, but first thing tomorrow, he and Lt. Weston would be on their way to Bethesda to interview the victim.
“Why don’t we go interview Trombley at the hospital now?”
“Well there are several reasons. First, we would arrive about meal time, Ms. Foster said she was heading there this evening, and if the large family is as close as we’ve been led to believe , then they will all be there as well. I’d rather not alienate the family yet if we don’t need too. And finally I have a teenager I need to get home to.”
“I’m sorry Commander, I didn’t realize you had a family.”
“That’s okay...there was a day that everyone and everything took a backseat to a case I was working. Not any more. Family time is important for everyone and its hard to find the time to spend together and pursue different interests. I try to find ways to include Mattie in my interests and find ways to get involved in hers. Tomorrow for example, I will include the woman I am dating by taking her to watch Mattie compete at her school track meet. We train together a couple of times a week and include her friends. She’ll join my date and I for dinner and then afterward we will talk together about all kinds of things and tease each other about something - of course lately they take great delight in ganging up on me.”
“That’s nice sir. My parents use to say that in order to enjoy life you had to work hard and play hard and that if any part of your life was out of balance it would put the rest of it into a tailspin.”
“Wise parents...It took me a long time to learn that lesson. You’ll find that I am obsessive about things Lieutenant. I’ll stay with something until I get to the bottom of things and get to the truth...and the truth is that in order to have what I want, I had to learn to be a better person. Mattie needed me and I had to do it right for her. She’s too special for me to do this wrong. It also means the difference between me being able to be a good friend and maybe a husband someday.”
Sandra sat quietly thinking about the way her supervisor had opened up to her. It surprised her, yet gave her a glimpse of the kind of person he was and why her father thought so highly of him. Some day she would tell him the roll he had unknowingly played in her life and in bringing her to this point in her career.
****
Tuesday 1925 Local
Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station
The door to Harm’s apartment opened inward with Mac, Mattie and Harm tripping over each other as they entered laughing and holding on to each other.
“Harm you were too funny trying to coach me from the stands,” Mattie laughed.
“Why? It worked didn’t it?” Harm asked, smiling despite his attempt to sound put out.
“Yeah, but Harm, you looked so funny Mattie had all she could do not to burst out laughing!” Mac teased.
“Well I didn’t want to holler to her and she knew where I sit to watch her, so I thought just acting it out would help.”
“It did Harm. I knew right away I was stiffening my shoulders and holding my arms too high...but watching you pretend to run with your elbows up by your shoulders while standing up in the stands was just too much!” Mattie burst out laughing.
They rehashed Mattie’s track meet over Chinese take-out and the jovial mood continued during clean up. Mattie excused herself claiming a test the next day when Harm and Mac settled on the couch with their after dinner coffee.
Harm turned so that he was facing Mac who was sitting next to him on the leather sofa. “This is nice...feels like our friendship is back on firm ground again. I know my attitude toward you after you announced we would never work really damaged what we had. I hope that you are as pleased to have our friendship back as I am.”
“Yes...I never thought it would end and then I never thought we would be able to rebuild it. I’m glad we’ve been able to reconnect.”
“Me too. Mac, you seemed to shut yourself off too you know.”
“Yes...I guess that with everything that happened this past year I kept bottling things up and I wasn’t handling things all that well...the Admiral made me see that...anyway, I watched you getting your life together and building your family with Mattie and I realized that all the things I had felt about you over the years hadn’t faded or stopped or gone away...I just started seeing things a little differently.”
“How’s that Mac?”
“Well, I guess I tried to look at things without second guessing and finding motives for everything you said and did...for example, whenever you would come to my rescue I looked at it that you didn’t think I was capable of taking care of myself - and then one day I watched you with Mattie and I realized that you take care of people and that one of the things that makes you who you are is the way you are there for people. I didn’t think you thought Mattie was weak when you helped her out, just that she needed some support and guidance. You’ve let her be her own person and you’ve encouraged her to be strong and independent. Roscoe, Jennifer, Dar-lynn, and many of the others you’ve helped was because you were there to support, defend, encourage and give them another chance if they wanted it. You didn’t force them into anything.”
“But you felt like I was telling you that you were weak?”
“I guess I did at first I just wanted you to see me as your equal and then when I realized what kind of partner I had, I knew that I couldn’t compete at the same level, so I looked to find places where I could challenge myself to be your equal. When I did it felt great and when I lost to you, I felt inadequate and I guess I blamed you.”
“And if I made you feel that bad about yourself why would you want to deepen our relationship so you said never?”
“Well, I guess that’s the simple version...but I know in my head and my heart that it isn’t what you were doing - it was only the way I was looking at things.”
“Mac, I know sometimes I’ve said things without thinking and I’ve hurt you...and I am sorry for each and every time I’ve done that. It’s not fair and it was wrong of me to do it.”
“Harm, you have treated me with respect and honor - except for the times you engaged your mouth and not your brain - but I didn’t see it that way. I guess I took your respect and honor as lack of interest - instead of being flattered I was insulted.”
“I haven’t always behaved honorably with you...”
“The admiral’s porch?”
“Yes - and Norfolk docks...and in Russia...”
“Russia? I don’t get it?”
“You were wearing that white nightgown and my thoughts were not all about my father that night...”
“Really?”Mac asked. Harm nodded. “You didn’t let on Harm?”
“Yeah I did...but you missed it I guess.”
“So give me a clue.”
“Mac, I was so jealous of Mark Solkov because you accepted a date from him. I couldn’t sleep and for weeks afterward I couldn’t get the picture out of my mind...and then we went on the Watertown...”
“And you told me to leave the lingerie at home...I never thought about it...you think that’s why we had trouble getting along?” Mac looked at Harm with amazement as more puzzle pieces fit together.
“Yes, especially when you referred to us as ‘having been on a honeymoon’ and all I could think about was what that nightgown had done to me. It scared me Mac...I knew at that point that I wasn’t quite ready to settle down and I was also beginning to realize how deep my feelings for you went.”
“How deep do they go Harm?”
“Really, really deep, Mac...I did everything I could to kill off any feelings I had for you after you announced never in Paraguay. That’s why I didn’t get back to you when you left those messages...but that day you came waltzing into my apartment asking for my help, I was lost all over again.”
“Lost?”
“Yeah...I couldn’t deny that I still had feelings for you. I thought at first that being back at JAG would help me get over you and move on, but it didn’t take long before I realized that I needed you in my life. You had become so much a part of my life but I didn’t know if there was anyway I could get you to see me as a friend again - because I was still sore about not having had my say before you announced ‘never’ and then there was Clayton Webb...”
“Yeah...our timing that use to be so good was really messed up...because every time you would ask me to do something with you, Clayton would have just made arrangements with me shortly before...and then after I turned you down, he would sometimes come and go in less then twenty-minutes.”
“You’re talking like you aren’t seeing him anymore.”
“I’m not. He’s not good for me. I am concerned about him as a person and as a friend, but not as my significant other...I need someone in my life that makes me a better person, not one that shares some of the same baggage.”
“You know, Mac, I have as much baggage as you do.”
“Every one has baggage. I guess in some ways its like chemistry - if you have the right combination then good things happen; with the wrong combination its dangerous and ...”
“Sometimes the ingredients are neutral and nothing happens.”
“No one can describe us as neutral, Harm.”
“You’re right about that.”
“Mac, I’m sorry it took me so long to be ready for a commitment. The thing is, whenever I’ve pictured my future you’ve been in it. When I set the five year mark on our deal, it was because I figured by forty I would be ready to settle down. Last year when I asked you if you wanted to move up the timeline, it was because I realized that I didn’t want to wait anymore to have a family and I was afraid that you wouldn’t want me...that’s why I was nervous - not of the commitment.”
“Harm when did things really fall apart for us? Was it when we took turns on the bench?”
“I don’t think so...I think we both changed when Bud was hurt and we both closed ourselves off...no I think I screwed us up when I didn’t talk to you about my suspicions regarding Sergei and Lauren. I’m sorry I went behind your back. I honestly didn’t look at it that way - I was just trying to protect Lauren’s privacy.”
“I know. I think if we could have talked about it then it wouldn’t even have been an issue at all...but you were in the brig and then I left with Webb for Paraguay...that’s where things really went from bad to worse.”
“I know...I think we are so conditioned to dealing with everything with our military training that we pushed down our human reactions. Both of us needed to react like two humans and not two officers. I can see that in hindsight.”
“Me too...thanks to the counseling that the Admiral made me start.”
“I guess we’ve both been given a wake up call this year, Mac.”
“What’s one thing you would have done differently in Paraguay if you had it to do over again?” Mac asked Harm.
“Well, I wish I could have taken you in my arms and held you after we found you for one thing.”
“What else?”
“I probably would have sent you with Gunny and Webb so you didn’t have to go through the plane crash.”
“I wouldn’t have gone...”
“I would have kissed you like I wanted to...”
“You wanted to kiss me?”
“Always do.”
“Do you now?” Harm nodded as he stood up and pulled Mac into his arms. Very slowly he lowered his head as he gazed into her eyes. Slowly he smiled. “ You know Mac, I want there to be an us...and I want to do this right with you this time.” His voice was so soft and sexy that Mac’s knees grew weak.
“Then start by kissing me...” Mac whispered as they smiled into one another’s eyes.
And Harm did as he was told...and then let his hands do what they’d been itching to do for years while Mac wrapped her arms around his neck and reveled in the length and strength of his body against hers.
When they finally stopped for air, they stood holding each other and smiling.
“Harm, I should be going.”
“Do you have to?”
“No...but I think I should.”
“Why?”
“I hate to have this conversation with you tonight because we’ve done really well tonight...”
“But you have something to say that you think might upset me?”
“Yes...”
“Let’s sit down. You’ve given me a warning so I can prepare myself. I’ll try to hear you out and not over react...”
“And I will try to give you time to think and respond without jumping to conclusions.”
Together they sat on the edge of the couch. Harm held Mac’s hands in his. Mac looked at their hands and took a deep breath.
“Harm, I did something really foolish after I shot Sadik. You know I wasn’t dealing well with things and you were right, Sadik tried to mentally seduce me. I dared him..I challenged him to see me as a sex object and make a move and he didn’t. I reacted badly - not with him really - but later when Webb showed up at my place. I seduced him, Harm...it was the first time we were together like that...and the last.” Mac kept talking afraid to look up into Harm’s face and see what would be obvious in his eyes.
“Afterwards I felt dirty and cheap and not worthy of anyone or anything in my life. I lashed out at Clay and at JAG...I was angry all the time...not with any of you...with myself, for being so weak! Clay tried to tell me that it was adrenaline sex...maybe it was. I just know I didn’t like it or the way I felt.” Mac sat quietly and waited.
Harm swallowed when he realized Mac was done with her story. He wasn’t quite sure why she was telling him this unless...’oh God! She thinks she could be pregnant!’ he thought to himself. He knew for sure now that she didn’t want Clay in her life in that way. He took a deep breath, and lifted Mac’s chin so he could see her face.
“Mac, do you think you might be pregnant by Clay?”
Tears welled up in her eyes and she nodded her head.
“Have you taken a test?”
“There’s more...”
“Tell me Mac.”
“Clay may have picked up something and I have to wait to be tested and cleared.”
“Is this fear or do you know for sure?”
“Clay is drinking a lot. I know when someone is drinking their actions can be more risky then when they are not drinking. I don’t know what Clay is up to when he is gone for long periods of time. I didn’t take a drink that night but I did takes some serious risks. I talked to my doctor today and I can take a home pregnancy test anytime now. As for the other, they can do a preliminary test soon and then I will have to repeat the test in 3 months and again at six months to be sure.” Mac burst into tears then and Harm gathered her against his chest.
“Ssshhhh, Mac...its going to be okay. I’ll be there for you - however you need me. If you are carrying Clay’s baby, we will deal with it. It will be your choice of course, but you and I can raise the baby together and let Clay still be a part of its life if that’s what he wants to do...or I can adopt the baby as my own.”
“You’d do that?”
“Yes...for you.”
“What did I do to deserve you?”
“Let’s see, you followed me to Russia - twice; you defended me in a murder trial; you’ve bailed me out of jail; covered my six in South America more then once - and that’s just for starters...should I go on?”
“No. Harm I know this is a lot to ask, considering you are being so good about everything, but...um...could I stay here tonight?”
“Sure. As a matter of fact I was going to ask you to let me hold you...”
“I’d like that.”
“Come on...let’s see if we can get some sleep and we’ll deal with the rest of this tomorrow.”
0345 Local
Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station
Harm watched as Mac slept in his arms. He had not slept all night. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Mac had told him. Although it hurt that he might not be the first one to give Mac a baby, he could live with it. He knew he would love any child of Mac’s regardless of who the father was. His guts churned, however, to think that Mac could have picked up something from Webb - that she could be sick bothered him because he would be helpless.
Mac stirred in her sleep and rolled away from him. Carefully Harm slid out of bed, and moved into the bathroom. He was thinking about all the possibilities - maybe it was an infection, or a simple virus that was not life threatening. Then again it could be one of many STD’s or the big one -AIDs. Harm’s stomach clenched and he gagged and vomited the bile that had churned in his stomach all night.
“Harm? You okay?” Mac’s sleepy voice came from the bedroom as Harm wiped his mouth and reached for his toothbrush.
“Yeah, guess something I ate didn’t agree with me. I think I’ll be okay now. Go back to sleep.”
“In a minute...”
“Need the bathroom?”
“Yeah...”
Harm slid back into bed and Mac returned to his side moments later rubbing her stomach.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, must be my food wasn’t just right either.”
“Hope Mattie’s okay.”
“I’ll know if she’s not, when she calls instead of joining me for breakfast.”
Mac propped her head up on her elbow as she lay on her side looking at Harm. “You haven’t slept have you, Squid?”
“No...but I rested.”
“Some how I don’t think it will be enough.” Mac reached out and touched his neck feeling the tightness there. Her fingers slid to the back on his neck and top of his shoulders.
“Okay, Harm, lay on your stomach and let’s see if we can work some knots out for you.”
“Mac, I’m not sure how much that will really help.”
“Let’s try it and find out, shall we?”
With that Mac straddled Harm’s six while she went to work on his neck and across the shoulder muscles. Her hands were small but strong and she kneaded and soothed his muscles until she felt each one relax. From his neck and shoulders, she slid back and continued working on his back. Slowly Mac realized that Harm’s breathing had changed. He was finally asleep. He wouldn’t have long to sleep, but at least he should be able to get a couple of hours of peaceful sleep. Mac pressed a kiss to his face and then lay on the bed bedside him, rubbing her stomach. She fell back to sleep with her hand protectively covering her lower stomach.
****
0615 Local
Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station
The alarm buzzer woke Harm who immediately sat up and looked around trying to figure out where he was. He didn’t remember falling asleep and that jolt when you are abruptly awakened had the adrenaline pumping through his body. He wasn’t going to need caffeine this morning to get started - maybe later to stay awake. As his heart rate returned to normal, Harm realized that Mac wasn’t in bed beside him and his senses let him know she was in the bathroom. He heard a soft moan as he stepped around the foot of the bed.
“Mac? You okay?” Harm listened and although he didn’t hear her respond, he did hear her moving around and he heard rustling noises. “Mac, everything alright?”
“I’m okay, Harm. I’ll be right out.”
“Take your time...want some coffee?”
“Not this morning, thank you...have any juice?”
“Orange juice okay?”
“Great...toast?”
“Coming right up...” Harm slipped his robe on over his boxers and headed for the kitchen. He poured juice for both of them and put toast in for Mac. He decided to wait until he had showered and dressed before having breakfast. He looked up as she came around the stairs. Her face was pale and she looked like she was trembling. He immediately moved to her side. “What’s wrong Mac?”
“Sure you really want to know Harm? It may be more information then you can handle.”
“Mac...”
“It’s nothing...I guess I’m not pregnant...I started my period and I’m having pretty severe cramps.”
“Are you sure that’s all it is?”
“Harm, I’ve been dealing with this many years...I think I know what’s going on with my body.”
“I know Mac...it’s just I wondered if maybe it was more.”
“Like what?”
“A miscarriage?”
“I don’t think so because I have had other periods that start like this when I’ve been late and there was no question then of a possible pregnancy.”
“Sorry...its just...”
“I know...I guess if I had waited to tell you then I may have been able to avoid most of that conversation last night...except I still need to rule out disease...”
“Mac...what ever happens, it won’t change what I feel for you.”
“I know, Harm...I’m actually glad that I’m not pregnant...I really want my baby to start life with no clouds hanging over his or her head.”
“Here’s your juice and toast. I’m going to shower and change.”
“Harm?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks...”
“Your welcome.”
1700 Local
JAG HQ
Falls Church, Virginia
Harm leaned back in his chair after Lt. Weston and Lt. Williams left his office. In a short time they were both shaping up nicely. Since Lt. Weston had spent the day with him interviewing candidates and going over their findings, she had gone on her own and been more productive as she completed the interviews. She had gathered sufficient information so that she and Harm had been able to make their case. Lt. Williams would be prosecuting while they defended.
{Knock- Knock}
Harm looked up from his desk and smiled at his visitor.
“Hey, Mac. What’s up?”
“I understand you are letting Lt. Weston do most of the work against Lt. Williams when they go into the court room.”
“I’ll be there , but yeah. Her reputation as a trial lawyer is outstanding. Problem with it?”
“No problem at all. I’m just a little surprised you are stepping aside and giving her the chance so quickly.”
“You think I’m going to try to control her?” Harm wasn’t sure if Mac was serious or teasing him.
“I don’t know what I thought...you always supported Bud, but I guess I thought it would be harder for you to back off with Lt. Weston.”
“Because she’s a woman?” Harm saw Mac’s slight nod and took a deep breath. “Mac...”
“I know Harm. I have no reason to think you would do that yet I do...did.”
“I guess I’m going to have to really work to regain your trust.”
“No...I trust you.”
“Maybe with some things, but it won’t hurt to have me reinforce some of my basic values with you I guess,” Harm grinned to take any sting out of his words.
“Why do you put up with me?” Mac asked quietly.
“I think you’re worth it.”
Three days later
JAG Ops
1700 Local
“Lt. Williams, Lt. Weston...my office please,” Admiral Chegwidden barked as they left court after the verdict was read.
They stepped into the Admiral’s office to see Commander Rabb and Colonel Mackenzie already seated in front of the large desk.
“At ease. Pull up chairs to join us,” instructed the Admiral.
“Yes sir,” they chorused.
“Rabb and Mackenzie tell me you both stepped up to the plate and took over this case with minimal intervention from them.”
“Yes sir.”
“What’s your take on the outcome of the case Lt. Williams?”
“Well, sir, I’m glad we found the truth. My ego took a bruising but I can live with that.”
“Feel like you learned anything?”
“Yes, don’t under estimate your opposing counsel.”
Chegwidden chuckled as he crossed his arms. “What about you Lt. Weston?”
“Well, sir, I learned a lot about investigative techniques watching Commander Rabb that I never learned reading or taking courses.”
“Interesting...you apparently didn’t pick up any courtroom techniques from him...at least I didn’t get any complaints about shots fired in the courtroom.”
“No sir.” Lt. Weston glanced at Harm and tried to hide a smile.
“We have decided to have a slightly belated welcoming for the two of you. Are you free Friday evening?”
“Yes sir.”
“Then your presence is requested at my house in McLean, Virginia at 1930 local Friday evening. Commander Rabb and Colonel Mackenzie will give you directions. Dress of the day civilian informal. Rabb, let Bud know and maybe give him some suggestions,” the Admiral directed as Harm and Mac exchanged knowing glances. Bud was notorious for wearing the wrong thing or messing up what he did wear.
“Now back to JAG business,” the Admiral again resumed his command. “We just got some new cases in that I wanted to talk to you about.”
“All of us sir?” asked Lt. Weston.
“You have a problem with that Lt.?”
“No sir...it’s just I thought my assignments would come from Colonel Mackenzie or Commander Rabb.”
“And where do they get their assignments, Lt.?”
“From you, sir.”
“So we will save time by having you hear the same things they hear, won’t we?”
“Yes sir. Sorry sir.”
“As I was saying, we got some new cases. Roberts and Turner are swamped right now so I will let you decide the best way to split these cases. First, we have an Ensign Billings that missed ships movement due to religious obligations. Second, we have a Gunnery Sargent Arnold Marckres and a Major Amanda Sykes charged with fraternization and finally we have a missing persons case that will involve working closely with NCIS.”
“Oh God...” murmured Mac.
“Agent Gibbs?” asked Harm.
“His team yes. Will that be a problem Commander?”
“No sir...if it hadn’t been for Gibbs’ team clearing me I’d probably still be in the brig.”
“Commander, no one would blame you if you held any animosity toward Gibbs and his team,” offered Chegwidden.
“They were doing their job, sir. I admit I was pretty angry at first, but the fact that they began to question their own evidence which eventually led to me being cleared gives me a sense of respect for the way Gibbs does his work.”
“How do you do it Harm?” asked Mac. “You set aside your own feelings and look at the job.”
“I have to if I’m going to get to the truth, Mac.”
“Be that as it may, Commander, this case is going to involve a great deal of investigative work initially and all of you may be involved by the time it gets to trial. Colonel, I want you and Rabb to look at each case carefully and assign people in the way you think will be most effective, considering that you may all be working together on the third case.”
“Aye, aye sir.”
“That will be all. Dismissed.”
The four officers exited the Admiral’s office loaded down with case files and followed Colonel Mackenzie to her office.
“Sandra...Travis... I’d like you to go finish the paperwork on the case you just completed. When you have filed your after action reports and any other loose ends are tied up, report to me for your next assignment.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” they chorused.
“Dismissed.”
“Wow, Mac, you are something when you are in command mode,” teased Harm.
“Harm, this is not as easy as it looks divvying up these assignments. If we put Travis and Sandra on the first two cases, we aren’t going to have time to supervise them if we take the NCIS case. If we put them on the NCIS case Gibbs will probably eat them for breakfast and we’ll be wasting our time with fraternization and missed ships movement cases. Any ideas?”
“Yeah. Give Sandra and Travis the Fraternization case together. I’ll start the investigation with NCIS while you dispense with the Ensign’s case. Once you’re done you join me on the NCIS case. That will give you the time to supervise the kids.”
“The kids, huh? Harm, I don’t think they’ll appreciate being referred to as kids.”
“So what do you think of my idea?” Harm asked.
“I hate to admit it but you are probably right.”
“Mac, about Friday night...”
“Yes?”
“How about I pick you up and we go together?”
“I’d like that Harm. Do you think we should offer to pick up Travis and Sandra?”
“No...let’s just give them directions.”
“I’ll have Jennifer type them out and distribute them.”
“Good plan. Look, I’m going to try and get a hold of Gibbs and see if he’ll bring me up to speed on the investigation.”
“Harm...be careful.”
“You too Marine. I’ll call you later.”
****
1430 Local
NCIS Headquarters
Washington, DC
“Commander Harmon Rabb to see Agent Gibbs, please,” Harm introduced himself.
“Is he expecting you sir?”
“I would expect so. I’m from JAG and have been assigned to an investigation with him and his team.”
“I’ll see what I can find out,” the attractive blonde at the desk smiled at Harm, liking what she saw.
“Is Agent Gibbs in?...I see...Commander Rabb from JAG is here. He says he is assigned to Gibbs for an investigation...Yes, Agent Todd, I’ll send him to you....Yes Ma’am.” The blonde batted her eyes and smiled at Harm. “Sir, Agent Todd said to send you in. Go through those doors and take the second elevator to Level B. When you get off the elevator turn right and you will see the office area right ahead of you.”
“Thank you.” Harm turned to follow the directions he was given after clipping on the visitor’s badge he had been handed. Entering the office on Level B, he noticed the high level technology stations and desks, the conference area and an attractive petite brunette approaching him in a no-nonsense manner.
“Commander Rabb?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Agent Kate Todd. I understand you will be working with us on the missing persons case. Come with me and I’ll introduce you to some of the other team members.” Harm followed her over to the desk area just as a familiar figure with black hair bounced through the door. Harm had to smile.
“Abby right?” Harm asked as he recognized the Goth that had testified at his trial and then been the miracle worker that proved his innocence.
“Yes...Do I know you?...Oh wait! Commander Rabb, right?”
“Yes, Ma’am. I never had a chance to thank you for the role you played in clearing my name last year during the murder investigation.”
“Just doing my job.”
“Well thank you anyway.” Harm turned to the young man next, “Agent Dnozzo, right?” asked Harm.
“Rabb. Still keeping secrets from people?”
“Not unless I have too. It will be nice to work with you on a case for a change.”
“No grudges?”
“You were doing your job and you kept going until you found the truth. I respect that...it’s how I operate too.”
“You have Gibbs to thank for that. He ordered me to keep looking when he decided that thinks didn’t add up. Abby tested every thing I found and eventually came up with the evidence that was needed to clear you.”
“Well I appreciate it. Now shall we put that behind us and get down to business on this case?”
“Yeah. Kate, you want to fill him in?”
“What’s the matter Tony? Did you sleep through the briefing?” Kate ribbed her team mate.
“You do such a good job, Kate.”
“Yeah right. Lets go over to the projection area.” Kate led the way. “Have a seat and we’ll go over what we know.”
“This is Captain Jacob Stearns, USMC. He was stationed at Quantico and was in charge of training the men who stand guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier at Arlington Cemetery,” Kate began.
Harm looked at the man with the blue eyes and dark complexion looking back at him before Kate continued.
“He was last scene five days ago after an inspection drill. Another squad captain, Henry Karlson was seen having words with him after they had dismissed their squads. Captain Karlson has not been available for comment. So far the evidence gathered at his residence and in his office as well as remarks from those we have interviewed, has turned up nothing significant. We are trying to recreate his last day and see if there is anything seemingly insignificant that we are missing that would give us some clues.”
“Agent Todd...”
“Please call me Kate.”
“Fine, Kate. Can you tell me why we are so intent about finding this person without even the slightest hint of a crime being committed?”
“Well, Commander...”
“Don’t give him the need to know line because he’ll use it against you before you can blink.”
“Hello Agent Gibbs,”
“Harmon Rabb. Working with us this time?”
“I hope so.”
“Kate, Tony, Abby, play nice with the Commander. As much as I hate to admit it, we can use him on this one,” explained Leroy Gibbs.
“You see Commander, we believe that he has either been kidnaped by terrorists or is working with them.”
“Why him?” Harm queried, curious to see what Gibbs was thinking.
“Stearns’ knowledge of the rituals at major historical sights is critical to anyone that would want to pull off moves that would keep them and us engaged, possibly allowing for a more devastating hit than nine-eleven. Captain Stearns has pulled duty at a number of historic sights throughout his career - sometimes for only three month temporary duty and sometimes for much longer stints. Kate put up the next picture.”
Harm watched as a picture of a beautiful olive skinned woman dressed in American style clothing appeared on the screen.
“This is Maya Stearns - the Captain’s sister. Next please...” An older woman dressed in traditional middle eastern clothing was standing next to a red-headed, blue eyed man wearing Marine green.
“This is their parents. We understand that Mrs. Stearns has many relatives living in Iraq.”
“So this is why you think he has turned and become a terrorist?” asked Harm puzzled by what was being presented.
“We just don’t know, Commander. It could be that because his heritage includes middle-eastern culture, they felt he would be a likely mark or he could be a traitor or it could be purely coincidence. There are so many facets to this case right now, that we think we have to pursue all of them. As you know, it can be difficult following several theories at one time.”
“That’s for sure. So where do you want me to begin?” Harm asked, eager to do something.
“Commander, will your partner be joining you?” asked Gibbs.
“Eventually yes. She’s currently overseeing two new lawyers as they muddle through a case on their own. She also has a case she is working. After that, she’ll be with us.”
“Anyway she might be able to get away to do some interviews with you? Her language skills might be handy,” explained Gibbs. Kate and Tony looked on puzzled.
“I will ask her. I’m sure she’ll be willing to help if she can.”
“Learning to ask and not assume, huh, Commander?”
“You might say so...” Harm nodded to the ex-Marine acknowledging his dig at Harm’s miserable attempt to protect his brother that had ended up putting him in the brig and starting a riff between him and Mac that had finally mended - he hoped.
“Tony, why don’t you take the Commander down to show him Abby’s lair and introduce him to Ducky. Give him a tour of what we do here and how it works.”
“Okay, Boss. Follow me Commander...”
“Please, call me Harm.”
“You’ve met Abby, but you’ve got to see where she works.”
Harm followed Tony on a tour of NCIS he wouldn’t soon forget.
****
2241 Local
Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station
“Good-night Harm,” Mattie said as she tried to stifle a yawn as she leaned down to hug her guardian.
“Night Mattie...sleep tight. Glad things went well at your meeting tonight.” Harm hugged his ward back and watched her head for the door, hardly able to keep her eyes open.
“Yeah...See you tomorrow.”
Once Mattie left he realized how late it was. He’d been reviewing the investigation while she had worked on her homework and then curled up on the coach next to him to watch a video. It was little things she did like that he had come to cherish. Last week she had fallen asleep with her head against his thigh and he had allowed himself to brush her hair back from her face and just watch her sleep. Later that night he had dreamt about his own child and how he would love to watch the baby grow into a child and into a teenager and then a young adult. It made him feel melancholy a little, but only when he thought about it not ever happening.
Harm shook off his thoughts and went to his bedroom and reached for the phone on the bedside table.
{Colonel Mackenzie.}
“Did I wake you up?”
{Hi Harm...no I was just sitting here reviewing my notes. You okay?}
“Yeah...Mattie just left to go to bed and I was sitting here alone and I felt like calling you.”
{You sure you’re okay?}
“I’m fine. I guess I shouldn’t have called...”
{I’m glad you did. I didn’t hear from you after your visit with NCIS and you did say you would call me later. How did it go?}
“It’s a real puzzle. I’m going to need your help when I interview a couple of people.”
{How come?}
“Your language skills.”
{Farsi must be.}
‘Yeah it’s a strange case. Look I don’t really want to talk about work tonight.”
{Then what do you want to talk about?}
“I guess I just wanted to hear your voice.”
{Why?}
“I-I miss you.” Harm stuttered a little trying to admit how he was feeling, but smiled at the sense of relief he felt when it came out.
{Harm, you saw me earlier today.}
“I know Mac, but we’ve spent a few evenings together and I kind of like it when we do.”
{Aahhhh...And what part of the evenings together do you think you miss the most?}
“All of it Mac...just being with you.”
{As a friend?}
“Yes, partly.” Mac didn’t say anything and after a couple of heartbeats of silence Harm added, “The hugs and kisses too.”
Mac grinned and hope Harm could hear it in her voice as she responded to his admission.
{I miss that too. We’ll have to make up for it tomorrow night I guess.}
“Tomorrow night?”
{Didn’t you tell me that Mattie was going to be away for a track meet?}
“Yes.”
{Then why don’t you plan on coming over for dinner.}
“Thanks Mac.”
{Thank you, Harm.}
“For what?”
{Giving me the time and space and another chance to understand you and be a better friend. For not giving up on us when I did.}
“Well, I did try to give up on us, Mac...but I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t know what to do or how to show you what I was having trouble saying and it took having to deal with a teenager day in and day out to understand how to get beyond my adolescent bumbling with you.”
{And you’re beyond it now?}
“For the most part.”
{So do I expect the new Harm to be suave and debonair?}
“Ma-a-ac...”
{Yes Harm?} She could hear him chuckling.
“I haven’t changed that much, Mac. But I do know what I want and I think I understand what I need to do to get it.”
{And what do you want Harm?}
“I want it all Mac...when you are ready and when you can trust me again...I want to show you and tell you how you make me feel and what you do to me.” Harm heard Sarah Mackenzie’s light gasp over the phone and smiled. He knew she hadn’t expected that answer from him and her lack of comeback was rare. Harm had once more tightened the cords that bound them together after covering them with another layer of satin. Before Mac could say anything more, Harm ended the conversation.
“Sweet dreams Mac. See you tomorrow. ‘Night.” Before Mac could get her breath Harm had disconnected the call and his deep sexy voice was replaced by the dial tone in her ear. Slowly Mac put down the phone and slid back down into her bed. ‘Sweet dreams’ he had said. She didn’t see how they could be anything but after that.
****
Thursday 0755 Local
JAG HQ
Falls Church, Virginia
Harm was whistling again as he entered the bull pen. He had settled into one of the larger senior offices surrounding the ops area and although it wasn’t his old office, it was at least in the thick of things. After reviewing the messages on his desk and on voice mail, he grabbed his coffee mug and headed for the kitchen. As he approached he could hear Travis Williams voice.
“I’m telling you Sandra, there is something going on with those two.”
“You’re nuts, Travis. Commander Rabb told me himself he is seeing someone. He’s too honorable and straight-laced to be seeing one woman while being involved with a co-worker.” Sandra Weston defended Harm as zealously as Harm did many of his clients. The Commander in question stopped and waited, curious to see what else would be said.
“What, you don’t think that Commander Rabb and Colonel Mackenzie would risk fraternization charges? Or you don’t think the two of them have any chemistry? Or are you setting your sights on the infamous Rabb yourself?” Travis Williams challenged Sandra Weston. Harm, hearing this turn in the conversation was galvanized into action at the same time he heard the young attorney putting Lt. Williams in his place.
“I have more respect for Commander Rabb, the uniform and myself to give that last statement any credibility. I do respect him and he has influenced me in my career choice, but not because he is handsome, single, or infamous...but because he respects and values the truth above all else.” Sandra’s voice was deadly quiet as she spoke.
Both officers were so intent in their conversation that they were unaware that one object of their conversation was standing in sight now and hearing all they said.
“What would you know about that?”
“More then you think.”
“Do tell.” At that point Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie came breezing around the corner and practically ran into Harm.
“Morning Harm...Sandra...Travis...What’s going on?”
Travis Williams and Sandra Weston both paled as they came to attention, barely relaxing at the “At ease” Mac through their way. Sandra found her voice first.
“How much did you hear Commander?”
“Enough to know there is some distension between the two of you and its seems somehow tied to your perceptions of us - Colonel Mackenzie and myself.”
Mac turned with interest realizing that she had interrupted something Harm had heard between the two junior attorneys and somehow it involved the two senior attorneys.
“I suggest that you get your coffee and report to my office in ten minutes. We’ll finish this conversation then.” Harm got his coffee and exited as he said to Mac, “Would you join me now Colonel?”
“Right behind you, Commander.”
Weston and Williams glared at each other before grabbing their things and scattering until it was time to meet with Rabb in his office. Neither knew what to expect.
As Mac shut the door of Harm’s office, she turned to ask what that was about when she caught his grin.
“Spill it Harm.”
“I don’t know whether to throttle them or not, but once again you and I are at the root of the problem.”
“What do you mean?”
Harm explained what he had overheard and Mac fortunately saw the humor in it too.
“Look Mac, I want to know why Sandra Weston is claiming I’ve had such an influence on her. She’s hinted at this a few times, but this was pretty clear this time that she’s got me on a pedestal or something. Besides that, we already have Harriet running the rumor mill, we don’t need junior attorneys speculating on who either of us is or isn’t involved with.”
“ I agree.”
“You do?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want to handle it as Chief of Staff?”
“No, you handle this step. I’ll be your back up.”
“Thanks, Mac...” {Knock, Knock} “Enter.”
“Lieutenants Williams and Weston reporting as ordered, sir,” stated Travis Williams as they entered Rabb’s office.
“At ease...who’s going to explain to me what I walked into in the kitchen?”
“Lt. Williams claimed that there was something going on between you and Colonel Mackenzie. I explained that you are seeing someone and that your sense of duty and honor would not allow you to risk fraternization charges.”
“I see...Lt. Williams, why are you so sure that there is something between the Colonel and myself and what does it matter to you?”
“It doesn’t matter to me, sir, but when you and Colonel Mackenzie are together you act just like my sister and her husband before they finally gave in and got married.”
“How’s that?”
“You seem to know what each other is thinking and how the other will react; you make eye contact and communicate without words in a room full of people; you have a picture of the Colonel and yourself in your office,” he nodded toward the small picture of Harm and Mac taken in Afghanistan when they were dressed in BDU’s, “and everyone around here talks like you two are a set.”
Harm glanced at Mac and saw no reaction on her face as the young Lieutenant made his case. Part of him still wanted to strangle the young man, but part of him had to acknowledge that he was just noticing and saying what so many others had noticed and remarked on over the years. There was a connection between Harm and Mac whether they admitted to it or not.
“Anything to add to this Lt. Weston?” asked Harm.
“No sir.”
“Well, I can’t say as either Colonel Mackenzie or I appreciate our personal lives being discussed among our co-workers. However, things here at JAG tend to resemble one big family at times and as such things are tolerated a little more as long as the talk is not malicious.
“As for Colonel Mackenzie and myself, you need to remember that we have worked together for a long time and after nine years it would be strange if we hadn’t developed a friendship between us. As for a more...romantic relationship...we are of equal rank so if we were to date it would not be fraternization. We have both had a difficult year personally and professionally and I do rely on the Colonel to help me get through the tough times...”
“And I rely on him, too,” Mac interrupted Harm’s explanation. “I would suggest in the future if you have a question about one of us, ask one of us.”
“Sorry, Ma’am. Sir.” Lt. Williams apologized for his comments and speculation.
“Dismissed,” said Harm.
“Aye, sir,” they both choursed.
“Not you Lt. Weston. I have some more questions for you.” Harm stopped Sandra from leaving and motioned for Mac to stay also. When Lt. Williams had shut the door behind him, Harm turned to Sandra Weston and studied her for a minute. He debated how to proceed but instinct told him that anything less then a direct question would be evaded.
“Lt. Weston, I heard you tell Lt. Williams that I had influenced your career, yet I had never met you until you came here to JAG. How is it that you credit me with influencing your career?”
Harm and Mac watched Sandra Weston closely as she looked down gathering her thoughts. When she looked up she made direct eye contact with first Harm and then Mac. Maintaining eye contact with first one then the other, she spoke.
“About eight...maybe nine years ago my father was stationed in San Diego TAD for training on some new technology that had been developed and installed on the aircraft his ship was using. While he was there a young aviator that he knew died in a crash. There was a JAGman investigation and a hot shot naval lawyer proved that the unit that had been installed in the aircraft had caused the crash, not pilot error. My dad was pretty impressed and started following the career of that lawyer.”
“Your dad flew with Luke Pendry?” asked Harm remembering the case well.
“Yes, for a short time. Anyway, about three or four years later my father was filling in as a commanding officer of a squadron on the Patrick Henry and there was this young know-it-all pilot that got on his nerves. He got pretty sick and tired of the stunts he pulled and told him so. The other pilots thought my father was too old and had lost his edge and created a scenario where my father was in effective. He could have fought it but it was his word against theirs and so he chose to take a different assignment. He heard afterward that a pilot-turned lawyer-turned pilot was assigned to his squad. Within six months the trouble maker was out and my father’s replacement went back to being a lawyer. My father was asked to return to the Henry and the CO apologized for not listening to my father’s complaints which might have prevented the incident in the first place.”
“Sounds like your father’s life and mine is intertwined fairly strongly, Lt. Weston. I’ve never met the man, but it sounds like he’s someone I would like to meet.”
“Lt. Weston, I guess I don’t understand how Harm influenced you when he’s never even met you or your father. Can you make that connection for me?” asked Colonel Mackenzie.
“My father was so impressed with Commander Rabb that he followed his career. He started following navel court cases. Any time he met someone that had known the Commander, he asked about him. When he was home, he talked about this pilot-lawyer that put it all on the line for truth and honesty. Dad would say to me, ‘this is who you
should aspire to be like’ and my mother would agree. So when I was ready to make career choices, I didn’t want to compete with my parents naval records, so I went to law school. I found my own path and my father’s praise because I was following in the footsteps of my father’s hero.”
“I’m not a hero, Lt. Weston. If I somehow had a role in you choosing law school, then I’m honored. But Colonel Mackenzie will be among the first to tell you that I’m not a hero. I’m a good lawyer and investigator and I use to be a good aviator - but as a person I tend to be a screw up. I hope that you are a much better person then I am.” Harm wanted the hero worship to stop if that was what she was doing so he chose to highlight his most obvious weakness - one that Mac would not have any trouble refuting.
“What Commander Rabb is trying to say is that while taking risks seems to be second nature to him, it isn’t because he thinks no one else can do it. He just won’t ask someone to do what he’s not willing to do himself. And those of us that know him, know that as frustrating as it can be when he doesn’t open up and when he rushes off to rescue someone, its because he cares about the person and he can’t not stand by and do nothing. Don’t let him convince you that he’s not a good person...”
“Colonel...”
“You had your say. My turn. He is a good person, Lt. Weston - but he tends to keep everything inside. Learn from his mistakes and reach for your dreams and you will go far. You could chose a much less suitable role model. Commander Rabb is not always comfortable in that role...and I think he is afraid that you might misinterpret his friendly demeanor to be something more.” Mac finally stopped, arms folded and leaning back in her chair.
“Yes, Ma’am. Please don’t worry about my interest in Commander Rabb being anything more then respect for his skills and as a co-worker. Travis - Lt. Williams - hinted that my interest might be more. Meaning no disrespect sir, but I think I’m more interested in men my own age. IS there anything else sir? Ma’am?”
“That will be all, Lt. Weston. And thank you for your candor.”
“Thank you sir.” Quickly Lt. Weston exited the office and rushed to her own.
Harm looked at Mac and saw the steely look of determination on her face. He had been about to ask her why she had disagreed with his statement about not being a good person but the look she wore stopped him.
“Mac?”
“What was that all about Harm? ‘I’m not a hero...I’m a screw up as a person...’ You have got to be kidding me! You are a hero Harm whether you want to be or not. You have the medals to prove it. As for being a screw-up...there are times you say and do the wrong thing, but you have a good heart. It took me a while to realize that you lash out when you’ve been hurt. You are human and so are we. We sometimes do and say things that hurt the other person but we also should be able to apologize and move beyond it. Are you telling me that you can’t do that?”
“Apologize?”
“Yes...and move beyond it when someone else apologizes?”
“Yes...”
“Then how are you a screw-up?”
“I can’t seem to say what I’m feeling and what I want to say in a way that comes out right.”
“You’re doing better Rabb...keep working on it. Got to go. I’ll see you later,” and with that Mac got up and left Harm’s office and a very confused Commander in her wake.
****
Friday night
Mac’s Apartment
Georgetown
Harm knocked on Mac’s door dressed in his tan suit with a burgundy shirt and gold, tan and burgundy striped tie.
Mac opened the door at once dressed in an off-white halter dress with gold threads shot through it. Her shoes were off-white canvas and rope platform sandals. She carried a matching clutch bag and had a soft knit wrap draped over her arm.
“Wow! Mac you look fantastic...aren’t you going to be cold?”
“I don’t think so. I have my wrap if it gets cool.” She smiled up at Harm and thought how he had draped his jacket over her shoulder last time they were at Admiral Chegwidden’s house. “You look very nice yourself.”
“Thank you. You ready?”
“Let’s go,” Mac smiled as she answered.
Harm offered her his arm which she took with a smile and they proceeded to his Corvette. Holding the door for her, Mac slid in and looked up at Harm pleasantly surprised at his ‘date-like’ behavior. Harm usually allowed Mac the independence of getting in and out of a vehicle on her own. She was pleased at his attentiveness this evening. Not that she really expected it to last, but she had noticed that Harm was doing little things like this more and more lately. Sitting back in her seat she relaxed as Harm put the car in gear and maneuvered the Corvette into traffic.
They rode in comfortable silence listening to the music on the radio. Mac got caught up in her thoughts. Harm had recently become more attentive to her. Besides the ‘date-like’ behavior tonight, there had been the ‘scheduled-get-togethers’ and the phone calls for no special reason other then he missed her. They talked about everything and sought the other out for comfort at times as well.
“Hey, Mac...you okay?”
“Yeah...why?”
“You haven’t said a word since we left your place and we’re almost there.”
“Sorry...I was just enjoying the music and the company I guess.”
“So nothing’s wrong?”
“Not a thing.”
“Good. Do you suppose our two young lawyers will freak out when they see us together this evening?”
“Travis will probably tell Sandra, ‘I told you so,’ and Sandra will remind him that it’s none of his business.”
“But what do you think, Mac? Do you think we are just friends going to the same place together? Or do you think that we would be considered dating at this point?” Harm asked.
“Well, technically I guess we have been going places together which could be considered dating...”
“I know. But do you think of us as friends hanging out together or do you think of us as dating?” Harm was insistent but pleasant and Mac thought she detected a smile in his voice.
“Well, I was actually thinking about this on the drive over...tonight I do feel like we are on a date...more so then I did on our ‘scheduled-get-togethers.’”
“Why’s that?”
“You are inquisitive tonight Commander Rabb.”
“Answer the question Colonel Mackenzie.”
“It’s the little things you’ve been doing when we aren’t going some place or at JAG...calling me to say hello and telling me you’ve missed me when I’ve been away; holding the car door for me; kissing me when you leave my place or when I’m leaving your place; dropping in to say hi during the day; telling me what you’re thinking or feeling about things...holding me when I thought I might be pregnant and being there for me when I wasn’t. Not pushing me into anything but letting me know you have thought about me as something besides your best buddy.”
“Mac I told you years ago that I saw you as a beautiful desirable women.”
“I know...but you never acted like it until recently.”
“I was afraid you’d deck me.”
“And now?”
“I like exploring and learning what you like and how you taste.”
“Good...then maybe later you can explore some more.”
“Count on it, Marine.” Harm parked the car and came around to open the door and help Mac out. Holding his arm they once again entered the Admiral’s home stepping onto the very porch where they had first admitted that they did care for the other and always would.
“Good evening, Colonel...Commander. I see you decided to come together.”
“Yes sir. Is that a problem?”
“No...As a matter of fact I feel better about you coming together then coming with other people and spending most of the evening alone on the front porch together.”
“Sorry, Admiral...” Harm began before AJ could cut him off with a chuckle.
“Just remember you are in public if you escape to the porch together tonight.”
Blushing the both responded, “Yes sir,” while their hands tangled and held.
Two hours later, after mingling, eating and dancing, Harm asked Mac if she wanted to step out on the bak porch for some fresh air. Other couples had meander out and back throughout the evening and he didn’t expect they would be alone. Together they had gone to the back porch and stood to one side enjoying the fragrance from the early spring garden and the tiny white lights that lit the pathway in the back yard. One other couple was on the back porch. Harm stood beside, but slightly behind Mac with his arm around her. She in turn leaned back against his shoulder.
“I’d like a back yard and porch like this someday, wouldn’t you?” asked Mac.
“It would be nice. What about a pool?”
“Maybe...hot tub definitely.”
“And a fire place...”
“Yes. Hey Harm?”
“Yeah?”
“Were you as embarrassed as I was when the Admiral mentioned us spending time on the porch?”
“Oh yeah! I guess I didn’t realize that he was aware that we were out there.”
“The man doesn’t miss much.”
Harm rested his face against Mac’s hair and pulled her a little closer to his body. “Still, we can’t have you get chilled out here. Better let me warm you up a little.”
“Mmmm...sounds nice. How are you going to do that?”
“How about I wrap my arms around you? - like this.” And Harm stepped behnd Mac a little and put both arms around her from behind.
“That’s good...for a start.”
“Are you flirting with me Colonel?”
“Maybe...a little.”
“Good. I like it.” Harm whispered near her ear and then let his lips settle on the cord behind her ear.
“Aahhh...H-h-a-a-rm...Mmmmm...” Mac had trouble saying anything while he let his lips nibble on her neck.
“Yes? You were saying?”
“Don’t stop...”
“Ever?”
“Not right away at least...”
“Okay...” And with that Harm let his hands roam Mac’s rib cage stopping just under her breasts while his lips feasted on her neck and cheek and around to her lips. Harm and Mac were both breathless and weak-kneed when Harm backed away a little.
“Harm?”
“I-ah-think we’d better stop for now.” Harm rested his chin on Mac’s head again and just held her with her back to him. “Not that I really want to but this isn’t the time or place.”
“Harm, what do you think it is about this porch that lets us let go a little more then other places seem to let us...I mean it’s the Admiral’s porch and you would think we’d be even more in control here, yet it seems like every time we move our relationship forward its in the open on a porch or deck. I don’t understand it. Do you?” Mac asked, her voice soft but a little husky from the effects of Harm’s kisses.
“I don’t, Mac. I’m just thankful that it happens.”
“Me too.” Mac sighed in contentment and leaned back a little more into Harm’s body. She felt the evidence of his desire for her and smiled. She knew if she did or said anything right now about it Harm would not appreciate it and she hoped he would stay in the amorous mood he seemed to be in tonight long enough for them to get back to her place. He had said she could set the pace for their relationship and although she hadn’t been cleared completely from her previous risk taking behavior with Clay, the preliminary tests had come back clean and Mac felt that is was reasonably safe for Harm as long as they used safety measures for now. And as much as Mac wanted to start a family, she wanted to do it in the traditional sequence - marriage then the carriage.
Harm heard Mac sigh and felt her brush against him. He wasn’t sure if she felt the effects their make-out session had on him, but she didn’t seem to mind and she seemed content in his arms. He hoped she would allow them to continue what they had started after they got back to her place. Harm had decided to come prepared tonight just in case. Each day that went by, Mac seemed to accept his attention and interest more and more. He had told her that he hoped they had a future together and she seemed open to it.
“Excuse me, Commander...Colonel...but the Admiral has asked everyone to gather inside so that he can make an announcement.”
“What’s up Jennifer?” Harm asked as he turned them both toward the Petty Officers voice.
“Can’t say, sir...but the Admiral is planning to make an announcement.”
“Right behind you Petty Officer,” Harm assured Jennifer Coates, as he turned with Mac to escort her back into the house.
Once they were all gather together, AJ Chegwidden stood proud and tall in front of his guests.
“Thank you all for joining us tonight. I set this up as an opportunity to welcome our two newest additions to JAG...Lt. Sandra Weston, USN and Lt. Travis Williams, USMC. You are both a welcome addition to the JAG family and I hope that you find your way and feel as comfortable among us as we have been with each other for so many years.” AJ paused to look around and then took a deep breath before continuing.
“I have another announcement to make. It will be officially announced next week at the office and a ‘Dining Out’ is being scheduled, but I want you all to know that after a great deal of thought and personal reflection, I have decided to retire from active duty. I assure you that this was entirely my decision. I’ve been thinking about moving on for the last couple of years, but there was always something more to take care of first. Now, my daughter and I need to take first priority in my life. My JAG family seems to be in good shape. The selection committee is working on finding my replacement. I begin terminal leave in two weeks.”
When AJ finished speaking guests in his house remained silent. Finally, Harm found his voice first and spoke up.
“Admiral, I understand the need to put family first and I am sure that none of us would deny you the joy of being able to spend time with your daughter. However, you will be a hard act for anyone to follow as JAG. We’ll miss you sir.” With that Harm snapped off a salute that was picture perfect and the others followed. The gathering began to disperse, each one passing by the Admiral on their way out to express their appreciation for the evening and for the years they were able to serve under his command.
As Mac and Harm approached him, he held up a hand to stop them. “I will stay in touch. I want to know how things turn out between you. You seem to have rediscovered your friendship and my porch.” AJ raised his brows in such a way that they knew that he knew they had been making out on his porch.
“Sorry sir. I guess we just talk better on the porch.”
“Well Commander, when headed out there I didn’t hear or see anyone doing much talking.”
Harm blushed a little and squeezed Mac’s hands tighter. She squeezed back. After saying good-night, Harm led Mac to his Corvette and helped her to get in. As he slid into his seat and started the engine Mac turned to him.
“I guess we were caught after all.”
“Guess so. He didn’t seem terribly surprised. I wonder if he overheard Williams and Weston speculating too,” Mac pondered as she reached over to pat Harm’s hand.
They rode in silence each dealing with the news that the Admiral was leaving JAG. His fatherly indulgence of their squabbles over the year combined with his firm hand made him a man to be respected even when they didn’t always agree with him. It had only been since the Lindsey investigation and report that he had seemed to change. Some speculated it was the report that made him harsher, while others said that Meredith made him into someone he was not.
Harm and Mac didn’t know it yet, but they both felt that the Admiral had changed after Bud lost his leg. Although it was his responsibility to make sure those in his command grew and spread their wings, the fact that he had pushed Bud to leave JAG and spread his wings, left him feeling a great deal of guilt when Bud lost his leg.
Harm parked the car in front of Mac’s apartment and got out to help her out. He wasn’t sure either of them would be in the mood they were in earlier, but his instincts told him that Mac would not want to be alone yet. She reached for his hand and he took it smiling at her.
Hand in hand they approached her apartment. Mac unlocked the door to let them in and the smell of coffee greeted them. Harm shook his head in amazement.
“How did you know we’d be wanting coffee when we got back?”
“I didn’t. It was a guess.”
“Well, I’d love a cup if you’re offering.”
“I am. Have a seat and I’ll get it.”
“I can help...”
“I know...but I got it this time. Why don’t you put on some music?”
“I can do that.” Harm smiled as he watched Mac go to the kitchen. He looked through her CD collection before selecting an instrumental collection that seemed to fit the mood they were in...a little serious, a little romantic.
He was just sitting on the sofa when Mac joined him with their coffee. She set it on the coffee table and then kicked off her shoes and curled up next to him.
“Feet hurt?”
“Not really...I just like to tuck bare feet under me instead of shoes.”
“Makes sense. So what are you thinking, Mac?”
“I don’t know. We were having such a wonderful evening and his announcement just floored me.”
“I know.” Harm sipped his coffee with his elbows on his knees. “I don’t know what to think. Part of me wants to forget he said anything and just roll back time to when we were on the porch...”
“And the other part wants to throw something; maybe scream or holler and tell him not to be insane.” Mac added knowing that she and Harm were on the same page about this.
“I think this started when Bud was hurt, Mac. I don’t think the Admiral ever forgave himself and it influenced everything he did after that.”
“I agree. I don’t want him to go.”
“Me either, Mac, but he does want to spend time with Francesca.”
“I know...but we could try to change his mind, Harm.”
“Do you really want him to stay if he doesn’t want to?” Harm asked.
“No...I guess not...” Mac suddenly looked at Harm as if she was seeing him through a new lense. “You would never ask him to stay would you?”
“No...unless he indicated that he wanted to...then I’d encourage him and help to make it right.”
“I can’t believe after all this time and the conversations we’ve had, that I finally understand why you’ve never fought for me...why you said that if I wanted Webb it didn’t matter what I wanted...I just got it Harm...” Sarah Mackenzie turned to him then and took the coffee cup out of his hands and set it down before she kneeled at his side and wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her forehead against his. He inturned lifted his arms to hold them around her waist.
“I’m sorry Harm...for doubting you and putting you through everything because I didn’t get it. I should have known that your sense of honor would prohibit you from going after me if you thought I wanted to be with someone else. It makes a first talk on the Admiral’s porch that much more revealing, doesn’t it?”
“I guess so,” Harm whispered, overwhelmed at the emotion and love he felt coming from the woman in his arms.
“Harm you said you want to take things slow, and give us time to get to know each other in a new way. You’ve told me that you see a future with me in it. Three years ago that’s what I wanted to hear but I wasn’t patient enough to wait for you...not like you’ve been. Now that I’ve started to understand you a little better, I think I’d like to explore the potential for us.”
“Where do you think we should start?” Harm asked.
“Can we pick up where we were on the porch tonight before you remembered where we were?” Mac smiled.
“I think I could try to recapture the mood if you’d like.”
“Oh I’d like. Now lets see, I had my back to you before, shall I turn around?”
“How ‘bout we try taking it from here?” Harm whispered against her lips.
“Mmmmm...” Mac gave in to his kiss immediately and allowed herself to lean against his bug warm body.
Harm’s hands moved over her back and hips and then cupped her six drawing her close to him. Somehow Mac managed to straddle his lap and lowered her six to his thighs. Each kiss became deeper and wilder. Their hands roamed and undid buttons and zippers and ties without them consciously thinking about what they were doing. When they both stopped for breath, they looked into each others eyes and laughed. Harm pulled Mac’s naked breasts against his naked chest and they just held each other like that for awhile resting their heads together.
“Wow, Mac...I think I got carried away. You alright?”
“I feel so alive...feels so wonderful. I think I could stay like this all night.”
“Sitting on your sofa half dressed?”
“Well, maybe we could get a little more comfortable.”
“Mac...”
“It’s okay Harm...we don’t have to.”
“Mac, wait...” Harm stopped her as she started to sit up and pull away. “I want to but if I stay tonight, I’m going to want more then kisses and cuddling. If you aren’t ready to take that step, then we need to wait.”
“I’m ready Harm...I want you,” she whispered against his lips as she kissed him again rubbing her breasts against his chest and trailing her hand across his crotch so that he knew she knew how their kissing session had effected him again.
Harm stood up and with her legs wrapped around his waist, he carried her to the bedroom where they both were carried away by their passion for each other.
****
One week later
JAG HQ
Falls Church, Virginia
Harm entered Mac’s office while she was looking out the window and rubbing the small of her back.
“Mac? You okay?”
“Oh hi Harm. Yeah, my back is aching a little but its nothing. I must have hit harder then I realized when I was fighting with Sadik.”
“Mac that was months ago. You sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Have you had a doctor check it out?”
“No. It doesn’t bother me all the time...”
“No, but when it does it almost puts you down and out. Don’t fool with this Mac. Have it checked, please.”
“When I get time...”
“I’m calling to get you an appointment, right now.”
“Harm, its okay.”
“Then there is nothing to worry about and I’ll get off your case about it. I think its getting worse.”
“Yes, I’d like to get an appointment with Dr. Kwan for Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie...Commander Harmon Rabb...yes sir...very good. I’ll make sure she makes the appointment. Thank you.”
“Harm?” Mac asked in warning and as a question.
“You go today at 1640. You want me to drive?”
“No...I’ll go. I promise.” Mac looked at him and held up her fingers in the girl scout oath position. “Now, that wasn’t why you came in here.”
“Oh, yeah...I just wanted you to know that I am leaving to work with the NCIS team again today. I should be home this evening though. You coming over?”
“Probably not tonight Harm...but I’ll call you.”
“Okay. You sure you are alright...with us I mean.”
“Yes...Why?” Mac frowned and gave Harm a quizzical stare.
“Well since last week at your apartment - after the party and all...I mean we seemed okay that morning but then Sunday when I called you seemed to put up some walls and I got the feeling you weren’t quite as ready for things as you thought.”
Mac grinned and shook her head. “I was ready for things to happen and I hope they will happen again. Unfortunately Saturday night I started my period and I have felt pretty lousy most of this week. Besides, you’ve not been around much.”
“I know. This NCIS case is driving me nuts. I can’t wait for the rest of the team to join me on this one...so you are looking forward to a repeat, huh? Wow! No pressure there. Not sure if I can muster up the first time intensity again, but I’ll give it my best shot.”
Mac laughed. “Get out of here Commander. I’ll talk to you tonight.”
2038 Local
Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station
{Knock-knock}
Harm opened the door to see the tear filled eyes of his partner before him.
“Mac! What is it? What’s wrong? Come in...”
“Oh Harm...I don’t know where to start.”
“Try the beginning.”
“I went to the doctor’s appointment like I promised. You were right...there is something wrong. I have to go back for a procedure. It’s not my back...but my back is aching because something is wrong inside me...the doctor won’t know until she does the procedure next week exactly what we are dealing with.”
“Did she give you any idea what it could be?”
“Kidney, liver and ovaries were the three things she mentioned. She said that one of them could be damaged in some way or that there could be a tumor pressing against the nerves near my back. None of it sounds great.”
“I’ll go with you...”
“No Harm...I need to go alone...please?”
“Call if you need me?”
“I promise.”
“What else is going on?”
“After I got home I got a call from Porter Webb, Clay’s mother.”
“Yes, I remember her well.”
“Clay’s dead Harm...he was killed during a mission in the ocean and that’s all they’ll say.”
“You still have feelings for him, don’t you?”
“ Not the way you mean. He was our friend for years Harm - even though he drove us nuts. My bond to him grew when he took the torture to try and protect me. I had hoped we could stay friends...”
“I’m sorry Mac. I know I’m not dealing with this very well...are you sure he’s dead? He has faked his death before.”
“Yes...but I feel it this time. And his mother has been to identify the body in Hawaii. He’s being cremated and his mother will spread his ashes on their estate.”
“What can I do for you Mac?”
“Just be here for me like you are now.”
“Do you want me to hold you tonight?”
“I don’t think so. I need to be alone but I’m glad you listened to me...and thanks for offering.”
“Call me when you get home and if you need me during the night...”
“I will.”
Harm took Mac in his arms to hold her for a few seconds before he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
He watched her from the window get in her car and drive away. She had chosen him while Webb was still alive but it still hurt a little that he didn’t want him close tonight. He tried to rationalize it and half an hour after Mac drove away he was still staring out the window. The phone ringing pulled him away.
It was Mac letting him know she was home safely and thanking him again for understanding. He reminded her again that if she needed to talk in the night she should call him. She assured him she would and said goodnight. Harm listened to the dial tone before he set the phone down as if that would keep the connection open. He turned to his desk and took out his NCIS investigation notes. This case was baffling them all.
Mac had gone with him to interview several members of the Stearns’ family. Her language skills had come in handy on two occasions. Unfortunately they hadn’t revealed any secrets when they used their native language, but had Mac not been there to hear it, they would have wondered. In both instances that family members had lapsed into Farsi, it was to check with the Jacobs mother is she was feeling alright or needed anything. She had answered that she was fine the first time and the second time had asked that they turn off the oven and remove the casserole before it burned. She had immediately returned her attention to Harm and Mac answering their questions as best she could. She even offered information without them asking twice and asked how she could reach them if she thought of or heard anything else. She had also assured them that she did not think her son had become a terrorist and expressed fear that they were using him to get information by threatening her family that still lived in the Middle East.
As Harm reviewed the notes, his instincts told him that Captain Stearns was not guilty of anything and was in fact a victim. He reviewed the noted that Dnozzo and Todd had compiled from their interviews and research. Something was nagging at him about this case but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
They had retraced Jacob Stearns’ steps as far as they could and the trail seemed to end between the squad meeting and his return to his office. Karlson was still not available for comment which bothered Harm. He had started looking into the background of Karlson and was hitting one dead-end after another.
Harm suddenly missed Clayton Webb. There was something about this case that smacked of the agency being involved. Harm thought who else he might be able to ask for help. Catherine Gayle was busy with her mother and new baby so that didn’t seem to be a good option. Kershaw wouldn’t even acknowledge him. Beth O’Neil didn’t have the kind of access that was needed. . He leaned back and stretched easing his back. He picked up his notes and closed the file putting it back in his briefcase. It would have to wait until he could get together with NCIS and maybe one of them would have an in. It was time for him to get some rest.
****
2239 Local
NCIS HQ
Washington, D.C.
Agents Gibbs, Todd, and Dnozzo along with Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie and Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. Sat in chairs, perched on desktops, and leaned on filing cabinets as they contemplated the information they had gathered and pieced together regarding the missing Captain Jacob Stearns, USMC. They had started at 0730 that morning and more then fifteen hours later they weren’t sure they were any further ahead despite ferreting out a few new pieces of information throughout the day.
“I think we need to run the evidence again together - one at a time. Who wants to go first?” asked Gibbs.
“Your idea boss,” hinted Tony Dnozzo earning him a thump on the head as Gibbs passed.
“Great Dnozzo. Thanks for offering.” Gibbs flashed a grin as he turned the tables on his favorite target.
“Stearns knows routines and back alleys in many national sites. He would have information that a terrorist cell might want if they were going to plan another strike. They would want to go after some place that would have lots of people and create an emotional response even greater then nine-one-one.” Dnozzo paused looking at the others gathered around him.
“Go on,” Harm encouraged him as Gibbs nodded his consent.
“Stearns has ties to the Middle East because of his mother’s family that still live there. Despite the fact that he has always demonstrated his loyalty to his country and taken pride in being a Marine, he would be a likely target because a terrorist cell could use his ties to put pressure on him to give them information they want and need to plan a strike. They could have followed him and grabbed him after he left his squad and have kidnaped him.” Dnozzo stopped again knowing he had evidence to support about everything he put into his theory.
“Yeah, but there are some unanswered questions with that theory,” Harm offered.
“Karlson?” asked Mac.
“Yeah. Where has he been? Why are his answers so vague and why wasn’t he available right after Stearns disappeared.” Harm shook his head bothered that this case had become so complicated when he felt that the missing piece of the puzzle was right in front of them but they were just not picking it up.
“Kate, what do you make of this? Run your theory,” Gibbs ordered.
“I agree mostly with Tony. And I think that Karlson is involved. I was able to get his fingerprints today when I met with him and maybe his DNA. Abby will let us know if she gets anything.”
“She’s still at it too?” asked Mac shaking her head at the unusual forensic specialist that worked with the NCIS team.
“You bet. Anyway, I can’t prove it yet, but I think Karlson sold out Stearns. He’s been in serious debt and recently started having more money in the bank, although so far it looks legal on the surface,” Kate added.
“Let’s try this then,” Mac jumped in with a spark of enthusiasm that had dwindled over the long day. “Someone approaches Karlson and offers to help him out if they can get him hooked up with the right person for a job they need done. Every time he gets them a piece of information he sells a picture on e-bay for the price they’ve agreed on. The pictures aren’t much...sights in the area or politicians or important looking people that you can’t really identify. Different people write the checks. IF there are ten or so men in a cell, then they take turns so it is harder to trace. It all looks legal. The money helps him with his debt and looks legal. Then they tell him they want someone to put the focus on and Karlson sees his chance to get even with Stearns, a man he can’t stand.” Mac stopped to look around at the others.
“Go on, Mac,” Gibbs encouraged. Harm smiled at her with pride.
“He can’t stand him because he gets plumb assignments and is respected by his men. He also is of mixed heritage, one part of him being of Middle eastern decent. Karlson knew people that died in the plane that went down in Pennsylvania. He hated anyone even remotely connected to the Middle East.”
“Then why take their money?” asked Harm.
“Because his debt was so severe that if he didn’t do something he would go bankrupt and then everyone would know he wasn’t all that he seemed. Anyway, he distracted Stearns by picking the fight so that they could kidnap him...in fact he helped them hide Stearns because he knew of some of the same back alleys and secret places that Stearns did. He had to wait for them to get him the money they owed him but he wanted them to pay him in smaller installments so he used the time to get more pictures posted on the internet so they could buy them.” Mac sat back feeling her argument was solid.
Gibbs reached for the button on the phone to buzz Abby. “Abby you got anything yet?”
“Geez, Gibbs! Stop scaring me, would ya?”
“Abby?”
“Yes, boss. I’ve got something...”
“We’re on our way...Let’s go people!” Gibbs led the pack as the five of them headed for Abby’s lair.
“Dazzle me, Abby,” Gibbs ordered.
“Okay. The cup that Kate brought back was a gold mine. Fingerprints on the cup match the partial prints we got at Stearns’ office and at his home and on his car. Now the DNA sample in the cup was pure genius on Kate’s part.”
“What did you do Kate?” asked Gibbs.
“Well, I tried an old trick that my brother use to pull at home. He put salt on the bottom of a coffee cup and then put cellophane over it, added the coffee and then carefully removed the cellophane. If you don’t stir it, you can drink most of the coffee before you get a mouthful of salt. When Karlson tasted the salt he spit what was in his mouth back in the cup and then kept spitting to get the taste out of his mouth. When he stormed off, I put it in plastic and kept it upright so Abby could try. Worked?”
“Like a charm!”
“Abby?”
“Yes, Boss?”
“What do you have for us?”
“A DNA sample, duh.” Abby rolled her eyes at the sometimes denseness of her boss.
“Abby, does it match anything?”
“No...but it could really help us is we find blood smears or something...”
Gibbs turned in discuss and barked at the others. “Let’s go. Abby, next time you’d better have something.”
“Just bring me the raw material and I can rule it out or in and I’ll know if I get a match to Karlson.” Abby was tired and miffed at the attitude her boss had given her tonight so she announced she was going home. “I’ve had enough for tonight and I’m out of here. Call me if you need something before morning. I can’t work until you bring stuff to me remember!”
“Sassy, impertinent, Goth!” Gibbs sputtered as he led the other four back to the office area while they tried not to laugh at the scene they had just witnessed.
“Look, Gibbs, we’ve been at this all day. I think we have a plausible theory but we need to get some leads as to where they are hiding him. Why don’t we call it a night and start up early in the morning? We can take turns tailing Karlson and see if he leads us anywhere,” Harm suggested.
“Alright...” Gibbs agreed.
“Why don’t Harm and I take the first watch? Karlson usually leaves his place about zero seven thirty so we’ll plan to get there by seven hundred.”
“Tony you take over around eleven; Kate I’ll meet you around three to take over for Tony.”
“We’ve got a couple of new lawyers at JAG that can help out with this tonight say about nineteen hundred,” Harm suggested and Mac nodded.
“Hey how come all of you are working with a partner and I’m pulling this boring detail by myself?” Tony asked indignant.
“Sorry, Dnozzo. Guess nobody wants to put up with you. Suck it up and don’t keep them waiting for you,” Gibbs ordered as he began shutting down the office so they could all leave.
Harm walked along side of Mac as they headed for her corvette. “Nice work in there tonight.”
“Thanks...Do you think Travis and Sandra will be able to pull duty together without doing each other bodily harm?”
“Time will tell, I guess. If we’ve managed all this time, then they should be able to handle a little surveillance without too many problems. Besides, it will give then a chance to talk and get to know each other better.”
“We use to spend hours talking about all kinds of stuff when we were working together like that,” Mac remembered with a smile.
“We still do.”
“Yeah, we just don’t get to work together as much anymore. I miss it. Do you?” Mac asked.
“Yes...although if I had to choose between working with you for a few hours a day or coming home to you after work, I think I’d opt for the time away from work.”
“Why?”
Harm wiggled his eyebrows. “You have to ask?”
“Just wondered what you’d say.”
“Hey Mac?”
“Yeah?”
“You have to go in for a procedure tomorrow don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Why don’t I take you?”
“Harm we’ve been over this. It won’t take long and you need to spend some time with Mattie and then we have the Dining Out tomorrow night.”
“Damn!”
“I’ll just meet you there. It’s nothing major. And spending the morning with you tomorrow doing surveillance will keep me thinking about the case and not all the possible bad news.”
“What about tonight? You going to spend the rest of it with me?”
“Sure...besides it will make it easier to get you moving in the morning and be at Karlson’s on time.” Mac tried to hide her smile.
“That the only reason?”
“Why what other reason could there be?” Mac teased.
“Wait ‘til we get home and I’ll try to give you some ideas,” Harm suggested with his voice deep and rough letting Mac know he was already anticipating how they could spend the hours until morning if she wanted and felt up to it.
****
May 23, 2004
2035 Local
Officer’s Club
Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland
Harm glanced at his watch again as he sat at the Dining Out in his summer mess dress trying to act like nothing was wrong. He had been amazed at the way Mac had stayed focused on the job earlier in the day. Not only had she conducted herself with a business as usual attitude, she had stayed positive despite her pending procedure. Although she did not want to discuss it in detail with Harm, she did relent and let him take her to the hospital. She had taken her dress uniform with her in case she was running late and promised Harm that she would see him at the Dining Out. She had presented him a logical argument which he had been unable to refute and had reluctantly agreed to her plan.
Now it was an hour and half from the time most of them had arrived. They had mingled and mixed and then Admiral AJ Chegwidden was presented with ceremonial bagpipes and the pomp and circumstance due a two star Admiral that had served with honor and distinction. When they had been directed to their seats, Harm had saved the seat to his left for Mac.
Lost in his own worries and thoughts, he tried to keep a smile on his face as the Admiral’s humor at the expense of his staff was unleashed. Everyone took it good-naturedly knowing the penalties and fines would go to a good cause in the Admiral’s name in honor of his retirement. Harm had prepared a toast in the same vain, knowing that only those that wore naval uniforms could appreciate his words fully. He would give the toast after the break which the Admiral had just announced.
Harm made a quick trip to the head and tried to call Mac on her cell phone. There was no answer. Hurrying down the stairs about to go looking for her, she came through the entry way.
“Mac, you made it. How are you?”
“I’m okay. Sorry I’m late. They wouldn’t release me at first because I was alone but then when they realized I was taking a taxi and not driving and that I wouldn’t be alone tonight, they let me go.”
“Are you sure you are okay?”
“Yeah, just a little crampy and uncomfortable. I’ll be okay and we’ll talk later, okay?”
“Okay.”
“So you here with anyone, Sailor?”
“I’m with you,” he whispered as he offered her his arm and escorted her to their table, holding the chair for her.
After they were seated he remembered the big news he wanted to share with her just as she spotted Travis and Sandra at another table.
“What are they doing here? They were suppose to follow Karlson.”
“It’s over.”
“Over?”
“Yeah, about an hour after Tony took over tailing him, Karlson went right to Stearns. He was hidden in one of the staging areas at Arlington. He’s a little under the weather but safe tonight. Karlson is in the brig along with two members of the terrorist cell that got him to give them information and Stearns.”
“Wow...after all that time and then to have it end so quickly.”
“You’re theory was right on Mac. Gibbs wants to steal you from JAG you know.”
Mac smiled, “I’ll keep it in mind in case I ever need to leave JAG.”
They ate dinner and Harm toasted the Admiral wishing him the enjoyment of wearing clothes with natural fibers. Everyone laughed and seemed relaxed, enjoying the evening.
After dinner the dancing began. Admiral AJ Chegwidden moved among his staff reflecting on where they were and how far they had come. He knew that it was time for him to leave JAG and to pass the torch of command onto someone else. He also knew that most of the people would always have a place in his heart. He hoped that some of them would still be a part of his life in some way.
He had watched Harm and Mac together recently. The two new laywers were picking up all the good that Harm and Mac could pass on to them. He hoped that they hadn’t passed the torch of love on to them as well. He didn’t think JAG could with stand another tempestuous relationship like Mac and Harm had lived over eight years. He was glad to see that they were finally getting their act together and some sixth sense told him that they would work it out. With one final glance around the room he picked up his cover and left. He was now on terminal leave.
Harm and Mac slowly walked out on to the deck to enjoy the warm spring evening air. Harm had asked Mac throughout the evening if she was okay and she kept answering yes. Harm didn’t believe her. She was pale and quiet. He asked her again as they sat on the bench.
“You keep asking me that.”
“Tell me something I can believe then, Mac.”
“I don’t know...I guess everything caught up with me today. Webb’s death; the stress of the last year; the strained relationship between us; and now my health.”
“Death is never easy to deal with and this past year was difficult to say the least. I think we’ve gotten ourselves back on track, haven’t we?”
“I guess so...you know I realized today that there have been several men that have passed through my life, but you have stuck around - even when I’ve pushed you away. Are you always going to be around for me Harm?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Remember I told you that when I made you the promise to go halves with you on a kid it was because I had come to realize that although I wasn’t ready to settle down then, I knew I wanted you in my life and to be the mother of my children. This is the week that I made you that promise, Mac...five years ago...and its still good...if and when you want to go ahead with that deal, all you have to do is say the word...no time limits...it’s open ended...Mac?” He saw the tears glisten in her eyes just as she lowered her head.
“Mac, I’m sorry...you’ve got so much you are dealing with. I gues it wasn’t fair of me to bring that up too.”
“No...it’s okay...thank you...but I may not be able to fulfill my end of the deal, Harm.”
“What? Why?” Harm held her hands in his and rested them on his thigh.
“The doctor said that I some scarring in my fallopian tubes that may prevent me from being able to have a baby. The procedure they did today was to look around and see what was going on inside me. The good news is that its nothing life threatening for me. The bad news is that I may not be able to get pregnant.”
“Is there anything they can do?”
“Surgery could help at least on one side. The other side, the one that is giving me the most discomfort, is because it is almost totally blocked and is now pressing against some nerves.”
“Can they relieve the pain?”
“Yes.”
“What can I do to help Mac?”
“Take me home and hold me?” She fought back tears from exhaustion, stress, worry and discomfort. She hated feeling needy, but tonight she didn’t have the strength to keep it together much longer.
Harm stood up and escorted her back through the Officer’s Club to get their covers and make their escape. After settling her into the Lexus, he drove them to her apartment, holding her hand between them most of the way.
Once in the apartment Mac went to put on more comfortable clothes while Harm fixed them a cup of tea. She didn’t want anything around her middle, so she chose a long pale pink cotton nightgown trimmed with satin ribbons. It fell to her ankles and gave her the appearance of floating when she walked.
She curled up on the sofa, tucking her feet under her and leaning her head against the back. Harm joined her setting the cups of tea on the coffee table. Once he sat down, Mac rested her head on his shoulder and he slid his arm behind her and lightly rubbed her back.
“Okay?”
Mac didn’t answer, but shook her head just as the dam burst and the tears began to fall. She cried silently at first while Harm just held her and smoothed her hair back from her face, lightly stroked her back.
“Why Harm? Why can’t I have my dream?”
“I don’t know Mac...you said there is still a chance, so don’t give up hope yet,” he whispered. If you want a baby we will do what ever we can to make it happen. If we find that you can’t have a baby, we can look at adoption.”
“But then you won’t get to have a child of your own and that’s not fair to you. I can’t ask you to give up that dream because of me.”
“If I can’t have a child with you, then I’d rather share a child with you then to think of having a child with someone else.”
“Why?”
“Look at how much you loved Chloe. I know from having Mattie with me, that I can love a child that is not biologically mine. The important thing is that we have a family - you and me.”
“Why Harm?”
“Because I love you Sarah Mackenzie.”
0645 Local
Mac’s Apartment
Georgetown
Mac opened her eyes and felt the warmth at her back at the same time that she had focused on the big hand holding hers. Carefully she eased herself onto her back and then rolled so she could look at the man who had held her all night, giving comfort when she cried, soothing her aches, and giving her hope. She watched him sleep ans reach for her again in his sleep. She captured his hand and held it to her.
He loved her. He had said the words last night and she had not asked. It was the last thing she had expected when she had asked why he would do this for her. She was sure he would say that it was the right thing to do or a logical solution that would result in them each having something they wanted. She smiled and watched and waited for him to wake up. The first words she wanted him to hear from her when he awoke was that she loved him too. Eleven minutes later, his eyes began to flicker and open. She waited and watched as he focused on her and remembered where he was and why.
“I love you, too.”
THE END