Tomorrow's Child
Author: TxJAG_b
E-mail:
Category: Vignette. Takes place in sometime in Season 9. No spoilers that I know of, but anything from Seasons 1-10 are fair game.
Rating: G/PG
Disclaimer: The characters in this story are the property of Donald Bellisario, Belisaurius Productions, Paramount Pictures and Columbia Broadcasting Service Entertainment – this story is for non-profit entertainment of JAG and NCIS fans only. No copyright infringement is intended or implied.
A/N: ( ) indicates thoughts of a person.
2124 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Mac walked down the hall toward her office. Captain Sebring had let her client go on a technicality, but there was still a ton of paperwork left to complete. Harm had mumbled something about a lucky break or something to that affect, and bowed out of the courtroom as soon as the gavel banged. She knew it was tough for him to lose this case since the new JAG was keeping a close eye on their court performance. She also knew that unlike the old days, he wouldn't resort to making a sour comment just to assuage his own wounded ego. Still, she knew he couldn't help saying something that expressed his frustration. He gave her a little smile, to let her know that despite the banging his ego had taken in this case, he still was going to be there for her.
However, right now he had something else weighing on his mind in addition to the loss. As he bolted from the room, leaving Mac feeling slightly off kilter, Sturgis walked over and reminded her that Harm had told both of them he was meeting Mattie this afternoon.
She nodded her understanding, cursing herself for not remembering this.
Despite her acceptance of his hasty departure, Mac was sort of at loss. Truth be known, it was because she had become used to Harm's hovering, helping her, and seeing to her needs. She mused to herself that even though at first his attentiveness irritated her, she actually had gotten used to it, and now that he was spending the afternoon with his former ward, she felt just a little unreasonable twinge of jealousy.
She sighed and tried to tamp the feeling down as she headed away from the courtroom and back across the bullpen toward her office. She was deep in her own thoughts as she reviewed her case notes from the trial, when a crisp voice penetrated her concentration.
"Ma'am?" It was one of the non-commissioned officers.
Mac looked up from her notes and acknowledged the man. "Yes, Corporal?'
He motioned with his head to the little girl sitting in chair beside Mac's door. "There's a young lady that's been here most of this afternoon. She says she knows you, ma'am."
(Young lady?) thought Mac distractedly. (Now who could that be?) It couldn't be Chloe; she's away with her dad for the weekend. She hadn't heard from Lylyana since last month, but she still hadn't made any plans to come to America.
'Thank you, Corporal I'll take it from here." Mac said with a pleasant smile, brushing an errant strand of hair back out of her face. The Corporal acknowledged her request and went back to his duties. She rounded the corner, and what she saw made her stop cold.
Sitting in a chair by her office, was a young girl, probably about nine years old, the Marine Lieutenant Colonel guessed. She had jet black hair, cut in a Dorothy Hammill style. She wore faded purple knit top and matching jeans which graduated from white to light purple at the ankles. She looked up at Mac with a big grin on her face. That huge grin on her face gave the Marine attorney an unexpected chill. It was almost like she knew who this girl was; she just couldn't place her face.
"They told me you would be finished soon-" she launched herself off her chair and ran up to the Lieutenant Colonel, hugging her around her lower waist.
Mac looked down in shock at the girl hugging her. It was evident this child had mistaken her from someone else,perhaps a friend or relative. It was probably her new hairstyle which caused the mistake. But the way she hugged Mac felt so natural; it brought a lump to Sarah MacKenzie's throat.
She finally found her voice, "Um, I think you have me mistaken for someone else, I'm Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie. Who are you?'
The girl pulled back and looked at her with a puzzled expression. "You don't recognize me?'
Mac shook her head, feeling sad for this child who was obviously confused, "No I'm sorry, you have me at a loss."
The girl nodded her understanding. "It's okay; I figured this might happen."
The hairs on the back of Colonel MacKenzie's neck prickled at the girl's comment. "What do you mean?" There was something in her manner that made a rising tide of apprehension swamp Mac's initial friendliness toward this small child.
The girl fastened her dark bottomless eyes on the Lieutenant Colonel. She crooked her finger and motioned for Mac to come closer. Though her training told her no, Mac did as the little girl requested. She looked at Mac with a very adult expression "Let's go in your office where we can talk."
Snapped back to reality by the girl's forwardness, Colonel MacKenzie gave her a hard look. "I don't know what you're up to, young lady, but I think we can do our talking right here-"
"Is there a problem, Colonel?" Sturgis Turner came around the corner and stopped, looking at the cute little girl and Mac standing in front of her door.
Mac looked helplessly from the child to the preacher's son. "Uhh, she's-"
"I'm her niece!" The girl bubbled excitedly, "My mother is downstairs talking to a friend; she said for me to visit Aunt Mac until she comes up to get me!"
Internally, Mac was emotionally upended by the little girl's swift change in emotion and facial expression. Though Sarah MacKenzie was terrified by whoever this child was that had been waiting for her, she was not about to let the former Bubblehead know that. Besides, she wanted to know what was going on, and why this person made her so uneasy.
The lie came quickly to her lips. "That's right Sturgis," said Mac brightly, "This is my niece, er-" Mac faltered, trying desperately to come up with a name for her. Something innocuous and innocent that would get Commander Turner go on his way and leave them to talk.
The little girl took care of that problem by whipping out her hand to Sturgis. "I'm Diana, pleased to meet you."
"Well Diana, it's a pleasure to meet you." Sturgis took the proffered hand and shook it firmly. 'Diana' beamed at him, all of her teeth showing. Mac suddenly wished she had warned Sturgis about this girl.
But before Colonel MacKenzie could get any warning out, 'Diana' took control of the situation. "Could we have a few moments, Commander?" She whispered conspiratorially "Aunt Mac and I need to do some girl talk, you understand." She sounded just like a kid trying to sound grown up.
"Indeed I do," he looked with raised eyebrows at Mac who nodded dumbly. "Well ladies, please don't let me keep you any longer."
As Sturgis continued through the bullpen to his own office, the girl winked at Mac. "Pretty quick thinking huh?"
Mac seized the initiative and opened the door to let Diana go in first. "Yes it was, but is your name really Diana?"
Sarah MacKenzie watched as the girl walked in and began looking around the room, as if searching for something. The Marine's apprehension returned as 'Diana' seemed to visually examine every inch of the room. Finally she looked around at the unnerved Marine Lieutenant Colonel. "Sure is, you should know; you named me."
Mac's heart stopped and ice water sloshed through her veins. "I what?"
The girl fixed her with another penetrating stare, as if talking to a slow person. "You named me."
The tone and manner of the comment kicked the Marine into full defensive mode. Growling her impatience and annoyance with this little game, Colonel MacKenzie stalked over to the innocent looking child taking on the mannerism of a mother exasperated by her daughter's constant acting up. "Listen Diana, I don't know why you're doing this, but it has got to stop. Now who are you really?"
Diana sat down on the edge of Mac's desk and picked up her nameplate examining the faux wood finish and the white lettering. She looked up into the penetrating stare of Colonel MacKenzie and sighed.
The little girl looked down at floor, defeat creasing her small delicate features. "Okay you win, you always do anyway…"
Bolstered by the child's submission, the Marine attorney went into cross-examination mode of her guest. "So who are you? And what to do you mean by 'I always do anyway?'" To add to her intimidation factor, Colonel MacKenzie hardened her features and placed her hands on her hips, daring the child to continue this game.
Diana's simple admission ripped Mac's demanding lawyer façade to shreds. "I'm your child, Sarah." She said in a very grown up sounding way. It was almost frightening.
Sarah MacKenzie sat down hard in the chair facing her desk. The air had left her lungs. "My child…?" she finally gasped. The room was beginning to spin.
"Well, I will be your child when you decide to have me."
"Decide to have you?" She repeated. The Lieutenant Colonel had to fight the growing roar in her ears to hear the girl.
"Yeah," Diana picked up a Black's Law Dictionary and began nonchalantly thumbing through it, ignoring the Marine's obvious distress. "You see, I'm the child you will have; well, at least the one you will have if you marry Harmon Rabb, Jr."
Mac was still trying to regain her balance that had been rocked by this little girl. This comment did not help. "Harm? And I? A girl?"
Diana looked at her distress and took her hand. "Sure. You said you wanted a girl with his looks and your brains." She flashed a warm, dazzling smile that could only be found on one other face.
The recognition helped Sarah MacKenzie steady herself, and realize who she was speaking to. "I…you're my daughter."
"Yes…that is, if you want me. You see, I've been waiting for a while."
"Oh God," Mac breathed, as she thought about the other men that had passed through her life.
Diana jumped off the desk and climbed into Sarah's lap "Please Mom, I'm sorry, don't think about the past. I just wanted to get your attention." She hugged the stunned Lieutenant Colonel tightly.
"Well, you've got it," Mac said hoarsely, her eyes gleaming with unshed tears. "But I'm not sure this is the right time, Diana. So many things have happened lately and Harm-"
"Harm is thinking about it." Diana said cutting off the explanation.
Confusion clouded Mac's face. "I don't-"
"A long time ago," continued the girl softly, playing with Mac's hair. "You made a pact with him…"
"The baby deal," Mac said in a hushed voice. Diana nodded.
"Uh huh," said the girl looking up into Sarah MacKenzie's dark brown eyes, "He's ready when you are…Mom."
Though the word had not had much impact the first time Diana had said it, this time it carried an emotional surge that threatened to overwhelm Mac right there. She pulled the girl back so she could look into her brown eyes. "And if we decide not to?" Mac said quietly, she was almost afraid to hear the answer.
"That's always been your choice." said Diana sounding like an ancient sage. "My reason for appearing here is to let you know who you're missing from your life, and give you the chance to fix that before it is too late."
"Fix it? How? Harm's the *perfect gentleman*; he's not going to…" For the first time in this meeting, Sarah felt desperation creeping into her. She was at a loss to know how to let that aviator-lawyer know that she was ready for more.
"All he needs is a little push, Mom," said Diana, as if the answer was as obvious as the nose on her face all this time. "You can provide that."
Hope soared within Sarah MacKenzie, but her expectations had been dashed to bits so many times before, she had to give voice to her doubts. "But what if he says no?"
"Trust me Mom, he won't say no. Actually, he's been waiting for you to say you're ready."
That simple truth struck a chord in her. Why hadn't she seen this before? Of course,Commander Manners was just waiting for her to give him the green light. (How could I be so stupid?) she thought, kicking herself for all the wasted moments that had passed.
"Not stupid Sarah," said Diana, softly admonishing Mac as if reading her mind, "Just not ready."
Mac smiled warmly at the wisdom of this child. "Well I'm ready now." She said calmly.
Diana grinned back at her. "Good. Hey it's about 2200 Zulu right? It's getting late, I need to go now."
"Go?" Mac was confused and little sad at this change. Diana was right; it was exactly 2200 Zulu according to Mac's internal clock. "Go where?"
"Back to where I'm waiting to be born. Don't worry; I'll be back sooner than you think. You're gonna make a great Mom." She flashed that charming flyboy grin at her again.
She reached up and gave Mac a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Oh baby," Sarah sighed softly, a tear trickling down her cheek, "I'm going to miss you."
"Well, go talk to the Commander…you know, my Dad? And let him know you're ready." She hopped down off of Mac's lap. The Marine Lieutenant Colonel felt the warmth of Diana leave her. "I have to go now, really. It's time."
Mac watched as Diana walked to the door. She stopped and turned back to the Colonel.
"See you soon, Mom."
"Bye baby." Mac felt torn at seeing the girl leave, but also buoyed by her last statement.
Diana walked out the door and faded into the hallway. The Lieutenant Colonel walked over to the door and looked out at the sea of people moving around in the bullpen.
"Ma'am?" It was Jennifer Coates looking at her with concern. "Are you all right? You look, well, sad…" The last part the young Petty Officer said a little bit hesitantly, because it really wasn't any of her business how the Colonel was feeling, and she might just tell her that.
The Lieutenant Colonel smiled reassuringly at the nervous Petty Officer. "I'm okay Coates, really."
She really didn't believe her, but if Colonel MacKenzie said she was fine, then she was fine. "If you say so, ma'am…." She knew something was wrong, she wanted to say What's wrong ma'am? But she didn't know if the Colonel would let her get away with that the way Admiral Chegwidden would have.
Colonel MacKenzie's answer settled Coates' internal debate. "I do."
"Very good ma'am." Jen acknowledged her, and turned on her heel to walk away when Mac's voice stilled her.
"Oh, Coates?"
Jen stopped and turned back around. "Yes, ma'am?"
"When Harm gets back ask him to stop by my office, will you?"
The Petty Officer nodded her agreement. "Aye ma'am. Is there any particular message you want me to give the Commander?"
Mac saw Diana reappear by Jennifer Coates. She beamed and gave Mac the thumbs up.
Mac smiled warmly at both. "Yes, tell him I need to talk to him, and that it's time. He'll understand."
-Fini