A/N1: This is my first posted fanfic, so please be a little easy on me. In this story the Admiral is still JAG, but Lt. Gregory Vukovic has joined the team and Sturgis has transferred out.
A/N: Also note that English is not my native tongue. Any mistakes made are mine.
Hope you´ll enjoy and please review!
JAG HQ
Falls Church, VA
1040 hours local
Two-star Admiral Albert Jethro Chegwidden got up out of his seat and stretched. Today was a lazy day. There was, for a difference, not so much to do. Or maybe he didn't feel like doing so much. Walking into the bullpen, he found other officers who had the same thing he had. For some reason, everything was quiet.
He heard voices in the break room. Rabb and Mackenzie. When those two would ever get things right… There was absolutely no poll to make on them. It had been a busy poll when they went to Australia, when Bud lost his leg, when Harm resigned his commission to go after her to Paraguay… Still, no result. The two were maybe not meant to be after all.
AJ stopped dead in his tracks when he heard soft moans. Moans? In the break room? They couldn't possibly be… He shook his head. No, Rabb and Mackenzie had too much sense to be making love in the break room in the middle of the morning.
Stepping closer, AJ started to listen to what exactly it was he was hearing.
'That's the spot…'
God, that was Mac's husk voice. She sounded so sexy when she talked with that voice.
'There?' he heard Harm ask, in the same low tone as Mac had been talking.
'Mmm mmm'.
Right. AJ composed himself. There had to be a totally legitimate reason why they were talking like that. Like he said, Rabb and Mackenzie had too much sense to be doing something close to making out in the break room where they could be heard.
'You have a way with your hands Flyboy'.
AJ could almost hear Harm smile and lean into her ear. 'You have no idea Ninja-girl'.
What was it with the nicknames too? He didn't know anyone else in the office, hell; he didn't know anyone else who used the nicknames besides Harm and Mac. They probably became the terms of endearment they used for each other. Almost had to be, after all the years of using them.
'You are sure that this is going to prevent…'
'Mac, if you want me to help you, you have to stop complaining and let me do my job okay? The pressure is just fine as it is. We're not going to get rid of it right this morning anyway'.
Curiosity got the best of him and AJ walked into the break room. The sight wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. Harm was softly massaging her foot and Mac was sitting on the counter so he didn't have to bent down all the way.
'Morning' AJ cheerfully greeted them.
'Morning' they responded. Harm didn't bother to take his hands of the place they were; he kept massaging her foot.
'Is that a fresh pot?' AJ asked.
'Yes sir. Mac just made it'. Harm added more pressure to her foot to keep her in her place. 'Stay still Marine. This isn't going to go away if you don't sit still'.
'It's nothing' Mac protested.
Harm made a face. 'Right. It's nothing. You would've looked as troubled as you did when it was nothing Tiger. Forget about it and sit still'.
AJ couldn't help but snort. Maybe it was just the day but for once, it was nice to watch them bicker. The tension between them had been unbearable after they returned from Paraguay but things were better now.
'When was the last time you used that bath in your bathroom?' Harm asked, obviously not caring that the Admiral was there.
Mac sighed. 'Too long ago. Can't remember. Any reason you're asking?'
'Just wondering'.
AJ made as much noise as he could possibly make but it didn't seem to bother them. He eventually gave up and retrieved from the break room. Having them bicker was better then to have them fight. He was sure everyone would agree with him on that. The spill of the office was all about them and if they didn't get along, the rest of the staff didn't know how to behave themselves around the two.
He softly started to sing:
''Rabb and Mackenzie
Sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G''
Jen looked up when she heard him sing and arched an eyebrow. She didn't really know the Admiral in a cheerful mood, let alone that she had heard him sing. 'Sir? Are you all right?'
'I'm perfectly happy Petty Officer'. He actually winked at her.
Jen got out of her chair and walked around her desk, following the Admiral to his office. 'Sir? Were you just singing something about Commander Rabb and Colonel Mackenzie?'
AJ set his mug on his desk and plumped down in his chair. 'You mean if I was singing:
''Rabb and Mackenzie
Are sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G?''
Guilty as charged'.
Jen had trouble holding her laugh back. 'Sir, with all due respect, but isn't that something Chloe or Mattie, maybe even little AJ would sing, sir?'
'That could be Petty Officer. However, I was the one singing it. If either three of the above would've sung it, maybe we would have them sitting in a tree…'
'K-I-S-S-I-N-G' Jen chorused.
AJ smiled. 'You're getting the hang of it Petty Officer. Keep it going'.
Jen stared at him in bewilderment. 'What if they hear me sir?'
He could care less at the moment. 'So, what if they do? They'll have to get their heads out of their sixes someday'.
It was silent in the room and Jen felt her jaw drop to the floor. Did he actually say that out loud? What had gotten into him? The Admiral never made comments like that. 'Sir?'
'Oh, face it Jen. He didn't just give up commission to find her, she didn't follow him all the way to Russia to help him find closure. There's something more between the two. They're both just too damn stubborn to do anything about it'.
Jen felt that she could make any comment or suggestion now that he was in such a good mood. She turned around to close the door and grinned. 'Sir, about that. Why don't we do that for them? Do something about it I mean'.
AJ sat right up in his chair and there appeared a mischievous smile on his face. 'What did you have in mind?'
'Well sir…let's put it like this. There is something called Admiral's privilege that could help them out a lot'.
JAG HQ
Falls Church, VA
1554 hours local
Jen was sitting behind her desk, still humming the song the Admiral had planted in her head earlier in the day. She had a wide smile on her face. If things would work out the way she had in mind, the easygoing relationship between the Commander and Colonel wouldn't just end there.
It was only six minutes until she had to go and get them. What would they say? How would they react? The cover story was just a thin one. Well, there was no cover story. This was an act of the Judge Advocate General himself. And orders were to be obeyed.
The grin on Jen's face got even wider. There was no way she could hold it back now. Still humming, she got up and started to gather some papers. The ones she would need to make further arrangements.
'What's that song you've been humming through the entire day Jen?' Harriet asked as Jen was passing her on her way to the Colonel's office.
'Just some stupid song. Does AJ know how to spell yet?'
'He's getting there'. Harriet eyed her. 'Something you would like to share?'
Jen leaned in to Harriet's ear and softly sang the song. Harriet's eyes grew wide. 'You've been humming that song?'
'The Admiral started it this morning. When he came back from the break room he walked pass my desk and I heard him sing it. And when I asked him if he was fine he said that he was perfectly happy'.
'Well, he's not the only one anymore now, is he?' Harriet smiled and shook her head. 'Where you're heading?'
'I've been ordered to get the two teamed senior officers in his office by 1600 sharp to receive some very special orders'.
Harriet arched an eyebrow. 'Special orders? What kind of special orders?'
'You'll see'. Jen winked and went on to Mac's office. 'Colonel? The Admiral would like to see you'.
Mac looked up from her screen. 'Be right there'.
'I had to get you in there by 1600 sharp ma'am' Jen warned her.
Mac nodded absently. 'Just a second'.
Then Jen walked to Harms office. 'Commander? Admiral wants to see you at 1600 sharp'.
Harm waved with his hand. 'Give me a minute Jen'.
Jen hummed along and closed the door of the office behind her. They were wrapped up in cases as it was. 'Harriet? Could you help me down in archives? I need to find something and I think that you're the best person to help me out'.
Judging by the look on Jens face, Harriet dropped everything and followed the Petty Officer down to archives where Jen told her everything about the ''orders'' Harm and Mac were about to receive.
At exactly 1559 Mac got out of her chair and started to walk towards the Admiral's office. Harm followed her. 'He asked for you too?'
'Apparently'.
Harm tapped on the door and when they heard an 'Enter!' he opened the door and walked in. 'You wanted to see us sir?'
'Ah, yes. Right on time'.
Neither of the two trusted the expression in the eyes of the Admiral. He was up to something but neither knew what it was he was up to. Jen had been humming as well, like the Admiral was now. Mac's eyes grew wide when she recognized the song.
'Sir? Are you singing… that song sir?'
AJ nodded. 'Yes Colonel. That song'. He rose and started to pace along his office, around them. 'Would you guys mind snapping to?'
'Sir?'
AJ waved with his hand. 'Just snap to, will you please? I don't want to shout it in your face at a beautiful day like this'.
Both of them moved into position. Beautiful day? It had been raining all day long. There was nothing beautiful about it.
'How are you?' AJ started.
It stayed quiet. 'Well?'
'Fine sir' came Harm's hesitant response.
'How's your foot Mac? Bandage help anything?'
Harm taped her foot with a bandage earlier that morning after she fell down the stairs and hurt her ankle. It wasn't sprained thank god but it hurt her.
Mac had no idea to respond to that. AJ never asked anything about issues like these. 'Better sir, thank you'. She frowned. What had gotten into him?
'Yes? That's good'. He paced some more, only to drive the tension up. 'How's the… you know. You two good?'
Did he actually want to know? Since when did AJ care about their friendship when it didn't interfere with their work?
'We're working on that sir' Mac acknowledged.
AJ nodded. 'That's good. Very good actually'. He turned to look at Harm. 'You'll be watching out for her I assume?'
'If she'll let me sir, yes sir'.
'We all know that you'll be watching out whether she wants it or not'. He grinned at their faces. 'Are you able to stand on that foot Mac?' he asked when he saw her wince in pain.
'Sort of sir' she breathed.
Harm already knew what was coming. 'Could she sit down sir? I don't think it's…'
'I'm a Marine Harm I can…' Mac cut him short.
'…wise to put more pressure on it than necessary' Harm finished.
AJ gestured to the chair. 'Sit Colonel'.
Mac rolled her eyes at Harm's concern but sat down anyway. Harm was still standing at attention.
'How's Miss Grace doing? She getting adjusted to living down the hall from you Commander?'
Harm had to swallow hard in surprise the Admiral asked him that. 'Mattie's fine sir. Trying to do her best at school, working hard to catch up…'
Where the hell was this going? The Admiral had only ordered them in to make small talk? They were up in cases till their nose!
AJ kept talking though, about nothing in particular. At last he told them they could go. Mac tried to stand up but Harm could see that it hurt her ankle more then she wanted to admit.
'Permission to…?'
'Get her to her office Commander. Don't care how you do it' AJ waved.
Since the Admiral didn't care, Harm swept her up in his arms and carried her out of the office while Mac was giving him the ''I'm a Marine, I can handle it''- speech. AJ laughed and called Jen and Harriet.
'You gave them the orders sir?' Jen asked.
AJ shook his head. 'Not yet. I have another plan. This way they can get used to the idea of going there and the way I have in mind isn't going to do that. It'll take them by surprise. You go and take care of the things we've discussed. I think the Petty Officer filled you in Lieutenant?'
Harriet was grinning from ear to ear. 'Yes sir'.
'Very well. Let's do it'.
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