Here's a short one-shot story based on the first part of What Should Have Been. It starts after Harm is fired from the CIA, but he doesn't go back to JAG. Instead he goes to work for Tom Boone, who started a charter flight company after his retirement. Tom, Harm and other former military pilots that the two knew through their careers, fly VIP's around the country. He's married to Jen, and she is very pregnant with the twins (See What Will Be). A.J. hasn't retired yet, no one knows who Jen's husband is and Mac is still involved with Webb. I'm sure that by now everyone has guessed that I am also a football fanatic, and am ecstatic over the events of 2009-10 season for my home team, so they will be mentioned in a number of my fics, in context of how they were playing in the year in question. I own nothing but my own career, opinions, Alaina and Brandon Hughes (in a manner of speaking—look up the filmography of Alan Rickman)
"Coates? LN1 Coates? Are you okay?" Jen looked up into the concerned face of LT Bud Roberts.
"I've already called my husband, sir. He'll be here in about twenty minutes to take me to the hospital." Bud's eyes grew wide as he looked at the recently promoted Petty Officer First Class. He knew that she was married, but still used her maiden name at work, plus her husband had been out of town on business the night of her wet-down, so no one at JAG had met the man yet.
"You're in labor?!" Jen nodded and let out a breath as her contraction eased.
"Yes, sir. The contractions are about 12 minutes or so apart, and my water hasn't broken." The conversation was broken by Admiral Chegwidden, who had heard Bud's shout and came running out of his office. The former SEAL calmed down when his Legalman assured him that her husband was on the way and would be there shortly. Pretty soon the entire staff was gathered around Jen's desk and watching the door. Jen was in the middle of another contraction when the doors outside flew open and two men ran past the desks toward the Admiral's office. Nearly every jaw in the room dropped when recognition hit.
"Jen!" Harmon Rabb Junior shouted across the room, not breaking his stride. On his heels was retired Admiral Thomas Boone, whose smirk was a mile wide.
"Typical Rabbs," Tom grinned, "always too damned impatient." Harm knelt next to his wife, ignoring everyone around him.
"Hey, beautiful, these two getting ready to make an entrance?" Jen nodded as Harm kissed her forehead before helping her to her feet. He looked around before spotting LN2 Alaina Hughes standing toward the side. "Ally, did Brandon drive you in today?"
"Yeah, he did, Harm. You want me to take Jen's car back to your place after I get off?"
"If you can."
"Not a problem, Harm. I'll have Brandon meet me there and we'll stop by the hospital. Can't have Trisha and Frankie born without their favorite godparents there, can we?" Harm smiled and began helping his wife towards the elevator while Tom grabbed Jen's purse and duffel and followed them, handing Ally Hughes the keys to Jen's Impala. Mac finally recovered from her shock.
"How the hell are you two married?! When did this happen, and why didn't I know about it?!" Harm turned to face both his former best friend and his former CO.
"With the exception of my wife and her friend Ally, not one of you gave a damn about what happened to me after Paraguay. Don't blame us if you feel left out, since none of you bothered to try to find out what was going on." Harm continued toward the elevator, but Tom saw the expressions on the faces of his godson's former colleagues.
"Harm, go on with Jen. I'll meet you there." Harm nodded and disappeared into the elevator. As soon as the door closed, Tom looked at the group at JAG, before turning to Alaina Hughes.
"Ally, if there are any repercussions from today for either you or Jen, please let me know. These people have no right to abuse you for withholding information that, until today, none of them cared to know." Turning, Tom looked at everyone in the bullpen, A.J. and Mac, especially. "Harm would have died before treating a friend or colleague the way all of you treated him. Actually, he almost did get killed trying to help some of you on occasion. Harm deserved better from all of you. However, that's all water under the bridge. I've known him since the day he was born, and for the first time since Hammer was shot down, he is truly happy. I never had kids, and Harm and Jen are the closest thing I have to a family. Even Ally over there and her husband have become part of our clan, despite needing to pick a better football team."
"Go Saints!" came the shout from the grinning Louisiana native.
"Cheer all you want, Ally, they still suck. As I was saying, mess with my family, and there will be consequences. I might be retired, but I still have friends around. Take that to heart. See you later, Ally." As the retired aviator walked out of the bullpen and into the elevator, A.J. Chegwidden walked to the filing cabinet with the staff's personnel records. It took him a moment to find Jen's, since she had re-filed it under 'Rabb' after returning from her honeymoon nine months ago. Opening it, A.J. couldn't deny what was staring him in the face. Copies of a marriage license, ID request, and Page 2 update, adding one Harmon D. Rabb, Jr., spouse of one Legalman First Class Jennifer C. Rabb, to all of her military records. His signature was scrawled on every single form, approving the changes. A.J. gave a self-deprecating chuckle as he read the documents.
"Is everything alright, sir?" A.J. looked up at the bemused faces of Bud Roberts, Harriet Sims-Roberts, and Sturgis Turner, along with the irate one of Sarah Mackenzie.
"Well, we can't blame LN1 Rabb for us not being aware of the situation. She did everything by the book. All of her requests were approved by me. I just didn't pay enough attention to what I was signing." Mac finally lost her temper.
"When is her Article 32, sir? I'd like to prosecute." A.J. looked at the Marine as though she'd grown two heads.
"Who would I be bringing charges against, Colonel?"
"Coates, of course. She obviously is guilty of fraternization, sir."
"You mean Rabb. How can she be guilty of anything when she married a civilian and is giving birth to his children as we speak? Yes, that civilian happens to be a former Naval officer, but he's been a civilian for over a year now, and was a civilian for six months prior to the date on this marriage license. You could have had him after Paraguay, Colonel, but you chose Webb. Aren't you two still dating?" Mac sputtered as A.J. replaced the file and looked at the group still standing there. "Don't you all have work to do?" Everyone scattered, except Mac, who had just spotted Alaina Hughes returning to her desk. Before she could open her mouth, A.J. stepped in.
"LN2 Hughes, I'd like you to assume LN1 Rabb's duties while she is on maternity leave. Please move to her desk ASAP." Ally quickly complied, being careful to avoid Colonel Mackenzie as much as possible. Once the Marine returned to her office, Ally let out a breath she didn't know that she'd been holding. At the end of the day, the Admiral approached her as she was getting ready to leave.
"LN2, please give Harm and Jen my best and tell them both that, if it's all right, I'll stop by later. I had already gotten Jen a gift…" A.J. trailed off, but Ally got the message.
"Of course, sir. We'll see you later then." As she left, the last words she heard was the Admiral laughing to himself.
"Of all the days in my career, I had to pick that one to not read the damn paperwork!"