TITLE: O Captain, my Captain
AUTHOR: VIDZ
PAIRING: Harm/Jen
TIMELINE: post-S10, in London, after Harm and Mac have broken up and the Evil Witch of the West has packed her bags and left for the West ;-)
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc of the TV show JAG are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this fic. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: While I'd love to be able to claim I wrote these two masterpieces of poetry, "O Captain, my Captain" was written by Walt Whitman and "Sonnet 43 - How do I love thee? Let me count the ways" is by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Dedicated to my Eve, the reason for why my life is so much brighter now.
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Harm nodded at Coates as he made his way out of his office in the London's FJA-NFE HQ.
Suddenly the young Petty Officer's voice rang clearly through the entire bullpen
"O Captain, my Captain."
What!?
Harm stopped in his tracks, not sure he'd heard right.
Seeing the faces on the rest of the staff he realized he hadn't been wrong, that he'd actually heard Jen call him in that tone.
Trying to figure out how to at the same time reprimand Coates while asking her if she'd lost her mind he turned around to find her standing less than 6 feet away from him.
When he opened his mouth he was surprised that the only thing coming out was an incredulous "Walt Whitman?"
But Jen seemed to ignore him as she made a step towards him, prompting him to take a step backwards, as she spoke again.
"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways."
"Um, Coates?" Harm stuttered, uncomfortably looking looking around at the people paying them rapt attention.
"I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's"
"Petty Officer, you had better stop this game you're playing, instantly." But Jen wasn't listening, only approached him further, an intense look in her expressive eyes.
"Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use"
"Coates, what the hell has gotten into you!?" Harm demanded, finally losing patience with his insubordinate subordinate, who was proclaiming her love for him in the middle of the bullpen in the middle of the day, even though these last few years she'd been nothing less than a model servicewoman. Was she really trying to destroy both of their careers and have them put in prison for fraternization?
"In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!"
"Coates..." Harm growled, taking a step to her and grabbed her by her shoulders, shaking her forcefully, trying to snap her out of whatever delusional world she was in.
With a few final, repeated words she finished, looking deeply into his eyes "I love you, o Captain, my Captain."
Somehow Jen slipped from his grip and invaded his personal space in the same way barbarian tribes had invaded Ancient Rome. Putting her small, gentle hands on his face she rose up on her toes and pressed a soulful kiss on his lips.
For a moment Harm was overwhelmed by feelings Jen's kiss brought from the depth of his heart up into daylight, but then he remembered just where exactly they were and he determinedly, but gently, pushed her away.
"Jen?" he groaned out, her name a question asking so many things and giving so many answers.
Jen smiled, her hands still cupping his cheek.
"It's okay, I've got it all cleared with the General, he gave us permission to proceed at our discretion." she assured him softly, not breaking the hold her brown pools had on his eyes.
Harm's eyebrows raised in surprise upon hearing that, then the smile that had threatened the vertical stability of many a woman in the past and hadn't been in seen in years, showed up again.
"Oh, in that case..." he murmured and took Jen's lips in a kiss he had initiated this time, a kiss a lot more passionate than their first one, as their coworkers and friends stood around them, clapping and cheering.
THE END
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