Handcuffed
1515 Zulu
JAG HQ
Falls Church, Virginia
"YOU DID IT AGAIN." Mac yelled once she was out of court and in the comforts of her own office.
"Did what?" Harm asked very puzzled.
"DON'T YOU PLAY DUMB! YOU SANDBAGGED ME AGAIN, HARM!" She retorted.
"How do you figure? I was defending a young man whose father beat him numerous times. I didn't bring you or your past up. How is that sandbagging someone?" Harm asked starting to get agitated.
Lowering her voice to classroom level she said "You know what, Harm, if you don't know what you did then fine figure it out yourself, IN YOUR OWN OFFICE."
"Okay but let me ask you one thing? ALTHOUGH, I didn't bring you or your past up in court, how many times as a kid when your father went on his rampage did you not want to hurt him like the petty officer did? How many times did you wish you could make him stop? Answer that then get back to me, I'll be in my office." With that Harm turned on his heel and left her office not giving her a chance to reply.
Puzzled Mac knew he was right but she would or was not going to admit it. He was right but then so was she, she thought.
As she heard Harm's door slam shut she looked up and made eye contact with Admiral Chegwidden. Looking elsewhere immediately she wondered what was going through his head.
Looking at Colonel Mackenzie divert her attention to something on the wall in her office he just thought 'Oh brother! Not today, I can't handle them not with a headache this size.' He walked to his office and stopped at Tiner's desk whom at once stood at attention.
"Tiner, I need a couple Tylenol and a glass of water immediately."
"Aye, Sir." Tiner walked as fast as he could to the break room without breaking into a run. He did not want to be on the Admiral's bad side this morning.
Tiner relieved that the Admiral hadn't asked for anything more after the Tylenol he took his seat.
TWO HOURS LATER…
Harm dry-mouthed walked out of his office towards the break room. He walked in and Mac was mixing up her a cup of coffee. He quickly came to an abrupt stop about to turn around and go back to his office when she started talking.
"Harm, don't worry you can stay I was just leaving."
"Mac, how long are you going to be mad at me. I didn't do anything wrong."
"No, you sandbagged your best friend and then acted like nothing happened!"
"You know what I don't feel like arguing with you when you're making a big deal out of nothing."
"Oh my Gosh! I can't believe you just said that." Mac said astonished.
"Whatever." With that he grabbed a bottled water from the refrigerator and walked away for the second time that day with the last word in the conversation.
Mac, not going to take it, went after him. She grabbed his arm and made him whirl around to face her. Not caring she was in the middle of the bullpen and everyone had quieted and looked up from their work to watch the two partners bicker.
"Just what the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Oh! I think you know, Colonel." Putting emphasis on her rank.
Turning with a surprised look on her face she started walking towards her office when a voice startled her.
"COMMANDER RABB, COLONEL MACKENZIE – SNAP TO! Everyone else at ease."
Both startled they stood at attention. Mac facing her office and Harm his.
"Commander, Colonel front and center."
"Aye, Sir." They said in unison both doing an 'about face' and walking crisply to stand in front of their CO side by side. Harm on the left, Mac to his right.
"Master at Arms, front and center, also."
The Master at Arms that was standing by the entrance to the JAG HQ bullpen snapped to attention and walked toward his CO in perfect military precision. He stopped on Harm's left-hand side and waited for the Admiral to address him.
"Master Sergeant, How many pairs of handcuffs do you carry on you at all times?"
"I carry two pairs of handcuffs on me at all times, Sir." The MA replied a bit puzzled.
"Very well, would it bother you if I used one of those pairs until further notice?" The Admiral asked a bit pleased by the young mans facial expression.
"No, Sir. Not…Not at all, Sir." The MA replied to his CO. He reached at the back of his belt and retrieved the spare pair of handcuffs. He handed them to the Admiral and then snapped back to attention.
"Thank you very much. You may return to your post, dismissed."
The Master Sergeant returned and immediate "Aye Aye, Sir," Executed a very clean about face and returned to his duty post by the double doors.
The Admiral then turned to his two senior officers and asked them a series of questions.
"Do you have a problem?"
"No, Sir." "Yes, Sir."
"Well that clarifies things for me. Are you two going to have a problem getting along with each other today?"
"Yes, Sir." "No, Sir."
"Yes, I assume you will. I have a solution to this little problem then."
Harm and Mac continued to stand at attention with thoughts running through their heads.
Mac – Oh man what is he going to do to us? I'm going to kill Rabb if I get into any trouble over this! I swear I am going to kick his six to Tim-Buc-Tu if I get any punishment.
Harm – Oh man he has handcuffs. Hey would the bullpen leave Mac and those Handcuffs with me and will show them just how much trouble I am capable of…Oh man BAD THOUGHTS. LEAVE MAC AND HANDCUFFS OUT OF THE SAME THOUGHT. OH DOWN BOY! PLEASE DON'T EMBARRASS ME HERE!
"Are you two still with me?" The Admiral asked looking at their faces.
"Yes, Sir." They replied in unison.
"Good now this is an order so don't ask questions alright!"
"Yes, Sir." Again together.
"Okay, Rabb stick out you left hand Mackenzie your right."
Both puzzled and remembering his previous statement both slowly stuck out their designated hands warily. When both of their hands were up the Admiral put the handcuffs on each of their hands.
