Hero
Rating- G
Declaimer- I don not own JAG or anything affiliated with it. I also do not own or have anything to do with the Washington Memorial Wall. This story was written strictly for entertainment purposes.
Summary- Future fic I guess. A tourist over hears Harm's son talking to his father.
Authors note- I personally have nothing against the countries involved in this story. I needed a realistic sounding war and the battles in the middle east are currently hitting closest to home, and unless I'm mistaken, Harm is still wanted in China.
Hannah Richards studied the names on the Washington Memorial Wall as if she were trying to commit every name to memory. She had been reading names for about 45 minutes when she reached a name on the Vietnam MIA panel that seemed to draw her attention, Lieutenant Harmon Rabb Sr. Because of the rank, she assumed that the man was fairly young and the Senior part of the name really made her think. This man had a son. Probably a young son. Idly running her fingers over the name she slowly wandered down the wall until she reached the newest panel. The panel had been added after the war with Afghanistan was officially ended. She still remembered the day that war had been declared. The war against Terrorism had come to a close 10 years before Afghan leaders began their attack on Israel. The three countries had battled for 6 months before the US and China had joined the fight on opposite sides. Even though it hadn't lasted long, the war had claimed many American lives. A startling number of American aircraft had been shot down and a depressing amount of men had been killed, wounded or lost.
Lost in thought, Hannah didn't notice the tall dark haired man that stopped at the name she was still pondering.
She had been studying the names on the Afghanistan panel for a total of 35 seconds when she saw it. Directly beneath her fingers was the name, Captain Harmon Rabb Jr. 'Oh, God'. Was the single thought that ran through her mind. 'He followed in his fathers footsteps'. The little boy who had lost his father in Vietnam, had joined the Navy and had paid the price for someone else's freedom. She took a deep breath and had to walk away to collect her thoughts.
When Hannah returned to the name a few minutes later she found someone else standing before it. Without realising what she was doing, she began to listen what the uniformed man was saying.
"Hey, dad. I have some good news, Uncle Clay and I finally managed to convince the SECNAV to put a cross by your name. He told me how hard it was for you to get Grandpa's and how you never gave up.
I think I understand how you felt when he went MIA. I'm just glad that I was old enough to go find you when they.. when they sold you." This statement was followed by the palm of his right hand being slammed into the wall and angry tears rolling down his cheeks. "DAMN IT! It was bad enough when you were MIA for 3 years.but they were our allies! How could they do that? They knew they were going to kill you!" his body was wracked with quiet sobs and Hannah's heart broke and the anguish she saw in the mans eyes.
"Mom says that one day I will learn to accept that they did what they had to do and that you would have forgiven them, that you probably understood and that even though it wasn't your choice you would have done it if you thought it would help. I know I'm being selfish and if they hadn't given you to the Chinese, Israel never would have gained the freedom they did, but its not fair that that you never got to see Sergei or Chloe graduate from High school or Sarah and I from the Academy. It's not fair that you and Mom never got to grow old together, that you will never meet your grandchildren or see your own children get married." The steady stream of tears never ceased as he continued.
"Mom is still devastated but you can see the pride in her eyes every time she hears your name. You were it for her you know? She'll never re-marry. She says that you gave her everything she ever wanted in her life and more. She says that you lead a full life, despite the short length of it and that no one could ever be any happier than the two of you were." brushing the tears out of his eyes and smiling a little, the man kept talking. "She says that you shared six moments that made you the happiest people in the world. She says that when you found Grandpa together, you grieved together and that was both one the happiest and saddest moments or your lives. She said that the look in your eyes on the day you got married was rivalled only when the four of us were born. She says that no matter what happens, she knows that you loved the five of us more than anything in the world and that you would have wanted us to be happy and live our dreams."
"When I told her that I can feel your presence whenever I need you, she smiled and said that Grandpa was there whenever you needed him too. I never knew that."
"Sarah has this crazy idea that she's a better pilot then me. It's scary because she's almost right. I can't let her be right Dad. If I let her be right then the CAG will send her up in my place and I can't protect her if she's flying lead! I know she's a big girl and can take care of her self but she's my twin sister and I promised you that I'd look after her. She doesn't like it but I think she understands that its something I have to do."
"Sergei is going to be one hell of a lawyer. He's still a perfect mix of you and mom, he loves the navy but I swear he's part marine. He's dating this girl now, she's pretty and smart but he doesn't love her like she loves him. He's trying to break it to her gently, he hates hurting people but it can't be helped. Uncle Sergei had been trying to tell him that for a week now but he's determined to find away."
"Chloe's exactly like mom. Except for the whole flying thing. That girl is crazy in the air, I'm just glad it's still awhile before the let her have her own bird. The idea of that little marine in the air is still a little scary. I remember what she was like when she was a kid and I don't envy her flight instructor. My roommate didn't believe me when I told him that all 4 of us are pilots but he understood when I told him our story. His father was a pilot and that's why he joined the Navy."
"I got to run Dad, I have to be back in Norfolk to check in with the Captain. I'll come back before the end of my leave. I love you Dad." The man then kissed his fingers and placed them over Harm Jr's name. After taking an object out of his pocket and placing it on the ground in front of the wall, he took a step back, snapped to attention, executed a crisp salute and walked away.
Hannah stood in her place for a few moments before approaching the name once again. The man's story had touched her heart. He had a family he loved and who loved him in return and although she didn't know the whole story, she knew he was a hero. She looked at the ground and located the object the man had set down. A rock. The man had placed a small rock with 'HR3' engraved on the top. She smiled at the symbolism. She was absolutely certain that it stood for Harmon Rabb III.
Rating- G
Declaimer- I don not own JAG or anything affiliated with it. I also do not own or have anything to do with the Washington Memorial Wall. This story was written strictly for entertainment purposes.
Summary- Future fic I guess. A tourist over hears Harm's son talking to his father.
Authors note- I personally have nothing against the countries involved in this story. I needed a realistic sounding war and the battles in the middle east are currently hitting closest to home, and unless I'm mistaken, Harm is still wanted in China.
Hannah Richards studied the names on the Washington Memorial Wall as if she were trying to commit every name to memory. She had been reading names for about 45 minutes when she reached a name on the Vietnam MIA panel that seemed to draw her attention, Lieutenant Harmon Rabb Sr. Because of the rank, she assumed that the man was fairly young and the Senior part of the name really made her think. This man had a son. Probably a young son. Idly running her fingers over the name she slowly wandered down the wall until she reached the newest panel. The panel had been added after the war with Afghanistan was officially ended. She still remembered the day that war had been declared. The war against Terrorism had come to a close 10 years before Afghan leaders began their attack on Israel. The three countries had battled for 6 months before the US and China had joined the fight on opposite sides. Even though it hadn't lasted long, the war had claimed many American lives. A startling number of American aircraft had been shot down and a depressing amount of men had been killed, wounded or lost.
Lost in thought, Hannah didn't notice the tall dark haired man that stopped at the name she was still pondering.
She had been studying the names on the Afghanistan panel for a total of 35 seconds when she saw it. Directly beneath her fingers was the name, Captain Harmon Rabb Jr. 'Oh, God'. Was the single thought that ran through her mind. 'He followed in his fathers footsteps'. The little boy who had lost his father in Vietnam, had joined the Navy and had paid the price for someone else's freedom. She took a deep breath and had to walk away to collect her thoughts.
When Hannah returned to the name a few minutes later she found someone else standing before it. Without realising what she was doing, she began to listen what the uniformed man was saying.
"Hey, dad. I have some good news, Uncle Clay and I finally managed to convince the SECNAV to put a cross by your name. He told me how hard it was for you to get Grandpa's and how you never gave up.
I think I understand how you felt when he went MIA. I'm just glad that I was old enough to go find you when they.. when they sold you." This statement was followed by the palm of his right hand being slammed into the wall and angry tears rolling down his cheeks. "DAMN IT! It was bad enough when you were MIA for 3 years.but they were our allies! How could they do that? They knew they were going to kill you!" his body was wracked with quiet sobs and Hannah's heart broke and the anguish she saw in the mans eyes.
"Mom says that one day I will learn to accept that they did what they had to do and that you would have forgiven them, that you probably understood and that even though it wasn't your choice you would have done it if you thought it would help. I know I'm being selfish and if they hadn't given you to the Chinese, Israel never would have gained the freedom they did, but its not fair that that you never got to see Sergei or Chloe graduate from High school or Sarah and I from the Academy. It's not fair that you and Mom never got to grow old together, that you will never meet your grandchildren or see your own children get married." The steady stream of tears never ceased as he continued.
"Mom is still devastated but you can see the pride in her eyes every time she hears your name. You were it for her you know? She'll never re-marry. She says that you gave her everything she ever wanted in her life and more. She says that you lead a full life, despite the short length of it and that no one could ever be any happier than the two of you were." brushing the tears out of his eyes and smiling a little, the man kept talking. "She says that you shared six moments that made you the happiest people in the world. She says that when you found Grandpa together, you grieved together and that was both one the happiest and saddest moments or your lives. She said that the look in your eyes on the day you got married was rivalled only when the four of us were born. She says that no matter what happens, she knows that you loved the five of us more than anything in the world and that you would have wanted us to be happy and live our dreams."
"When I told her that I can feel your presence whenever I need you, she smiled and said that Grandpa was there whenever you needed him too. I never knew that."
"Sarah has this crazy idea that she's a better pilot then me. It's scary because she's almost right. I can't let her be right Dad. If I let her be right then the CAG will send her up in my place and I can't protect her if she's flying lead! I know she's a big girl and can take care of her self but she's my twin sister and I promised you that I'd look after her. She doesn't like it but I think she understands that its something I have to do."
"Sergei is going to be one hell of a lawyer. He's still a perfect mix of you and mom, he loves the navy but I swear he's part marine. He's dating this girl now, she's pretty and smart but he doesn't love her like she loves him. He's trying to break it to her gently, he hates hurting people but it can't be helped. Uncle Sergei had been trying to tell him that for a week now but he's determined to find away."
"Chloe's exactly like mom. Except for the whole flying thing. That girl is crazy in the air, I'm just glad it's still awhile before the let her have her own bird. The idea of that little marine in the air is still a little scary. I remember what she was like when she was a kid and I don't envy her flight instructor. My roommate didn't believe me when I told him that all 4 of us are pilots but he understood when I told him our story. His father was a pilot and that's why he joined the Navy."
"I got to run Dad, I have to be back in Norfolk to check in with the Captain. I'll come back before the end of my leave. I love you Dad." The man then kissed his fingers and placed them over Harm Jr's name. After taking an object out of his pocket and placing it on the ground in front of the wall, he took a step back, snapped to attention, executed a crisp salute and walked away.
Hannah stood in her place for a few moments before approaching the name once again. The man's story had touched her heart. He had a family he loved and who loved him in return and although she didn't know the whole story, she knew he was a hero. She looked at the ground and located the object the man had set down. A rock. The man had placed a small rock with 'HR3' engraved on the top. She smiled at the symbolism. She was absolutely certain that it stood for Harmon Rabb III.