Okay, I promise that I will write a Harm/Meg soon, but as I am sure you can tell by now, I'm an unrepentant Harm/Jen shipper. This one is set before Jen is forced by a judge to go into the Navy, and I'm making her a bit older, so the age difference is six years rather than the 10 or so years it is in canon. Set after Sydney, and Mac has Brumby's ring. Jen wasn't as much of a bad girl as she was in canon, and her story is different. She's also a partial vegetarian here, like Harm she doesn't eat red meat, but will eat seafood on occasion, along with eggs and milk.
Jen's rating badge in "Answered Prayers" was that of an Electronics Technician, and most people in that field hit E-4 (PO3) around their 1 year mark, so it fits the timeline. I assume she cross-rated (changed jobs) sometime after that. No Renee in this one. We have Commander Harm and Pre-Navy Jen. I am not bashing the USMC in general in this fic. I worked with Marines during my career, and the father of my children was a Marine. I just wanted a connection for Harm and Jen, so giving her a jerk of an ex that happens to be a Marine was a way to make the connection work. Once again, I own nothing.
"Don't look back Commander." Admiral Chegwidden's words of advice rang in Harm's head as he left Washington-Dulles and took a cab home. The last thing he wanted at that time was to return to his cold, empty apartment, so as soon as he dropped his bag in the door, Harm turned around and went to McMurphy's.
The place was fairly empty when he arrived, not surprising on a Wednesday night. The only other person he saw was a pretty brunette, who looked about as depressed as he felt, sipping a beer.
"How can I help you, sir? Harm ordered himself a beer as he took a seat at the bar. The bartender handed him a pilsner before taking sitting down near his two customers. "I see you in here now and then, Harm, right?" Harm nodded and the bartender continued. "I see you in here on occasion Harm, but you've never looked like this. What's got you down in the dumps?" Harm sighed as he took a drink.
"You ever feel like you've thrown away the best thing in your life without even knowing how you did it?" Tom, the bartender, shook his head, as he refilled the other customer's drink. Harm took the man's silence as a sign to continue. "We had a case in Australia, with that bastard Bugme. She and I were talking on a bridge, when she asked me if we were going to wait until eternity, that we weren't in D.C. or on the same continent. I said not yet, asked for more time. The next morning, when we were leaving, she and Bugme were late. When they finally showed up…God, a blind man could tell that they had just gotten out of bed with him, and she was wearing his ring." The woman on the barstool nearby looked up, and both men could see the shock in her eyes.
"May I say something, please? I'm Jen Coates, by the way." She extended her hand for Harm, who shook it.
"Harm Rabb." Jen nodded and sipped her beer.
"Well, Harm, it sounds like she didn't share your feelings. I mean if she loved you, then she could have waited, not gone and screwed the first guy she saw after you asked for a little more time. I mean, I could see her giving up and finding someone else if it had been months or even years, but the same night? That's just not right. She and my ex would get along great." Harm arched an eyebrow, and Jen explained that her former boyfriend was a Marine stationed at Quantico. She had come up to surprise him, but the surprise was on her when she discovered that he was married, with three children.
"I am not going to be the 'other woman' for anyone." Harm nodded at the vehement statement, knowing the betrayal she was feeling, since he had felt the same way when he learned that Mac was married last year after the murder of her estranged husband.
"So what are you going to do now?" Jen shrugged.
"Haven't thought that far ahead, Harm. There's nothing left for me in Platteville, and I swore when I left that I would never go back. I don't know anyone here. All I can do is try and get a job that will pay me my first check before my savings run out. Motels around here are expensive as hell, and I still gotta eat."
"What about your family?" Jen snorted and shook her head.
"My mother died about ten years ago. My dad wanted a son, but all they had was me. He's told me numerous times that I was a worthless waste of space and, once I graduated high school, threw me out and said that he never wanted to set eyes on me again. He's a minister, loves his precious congregation, but hates his disappointment of a daughter."
Harm took a deep breath, not knowing what was making him want to help her, but he could understand why she felt that she had nowhere to go."
"Jen, I hope that you won't take this the wrong way, but I own two apartments in my building. You can have the extra one until you get back on your feet." She looked at him like he had grown another head.
"What's in it for you?" Harm shook his head.
"Nothing. I've been in your shoes before, but I did have my grandmother close enough to help me realize that even if one door closes, another will open. Do you want the apartment?" Jen took a deep breath and looked carefully at the man sitting there. She could see the sincerity in his eyes, that he wasn't expecting anything she didn't want to give. Finally she nodded, and they walked to the motel where her possessions were, before returning to the large brick building in Union Square. Jen followed Harm to the empty apartment, only occupied with a sofa and a bed. After he opened the door, he handed her the key with a small smile.
"Do you need any blankets or pillows?" Jen took a deep breath and nodded. Harm smiled again and walked out the open door and across the hall. She watched as he unlocked the door and turned on a light before disappearing inside. Harm re-emerged a few minutes later holding two pillows, a blanket and a few sheets. On top was a pair of towels and a washcloth. He set them on the couch, before turning back to her with a smile as they walked back to his apartment.
"I have to leave early for work, but if you want to come over early and have some coffee and breakfast, you're welcome to do so." Jen smiled and nodded.
"I'd like that, but just so you know, I'm…well, sort of a vegetarian. I'll eat seafood every once in a while, and I like eggs and milk." Harm's smile widened and he pointed to his refrigerator.
"Go take a look." Jen was intrigued by his response and walked over. Opening the door, she was stunned by the lack of meat and the abundance of vegetables and tofu." She turned back to him, her smile matching his. "I didn't want you to think that I was just trying to make you feel better, but I've been a vegetarian for years." Jen walked back over to where he was standing and extended her hand once more.
"Mr. Rabb, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." Harm engulfed her hand with both of his.
"Miss Coates, I couldn't agree more. See you at sevenish tomorrow?" Jen nodded and before her courage deserted her, stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
"Tomorrow, then." Jen left and once she closed the door of her apartment, collapsed on her bed. She must have done something right in a past life, she thought right before she fell asleep.
The next morning, Jen was up at quarter after six. She showered and dressed in a pair of charcoal grey slacks and a cream colored blouse. Jen French-braided her long brown hair, and after slipping into a pair of simple black heels, walked next door and knocked.
"It's open," Harm called out from the kitchen. Jen walked in to see him in tailored black dress pants, crisp white dress shirt, and a black tie. Her eyes fell on a black, double-breasted coat with several brightly colored ribbons and a pair of gold wings that Jen recognized from movies laying on the back of a chair.
"You're in the Navy?" He nodded and poured them both a cup of coffee.
"Remember our conversation last night, when I said that we had a lot in common?" She nodded, confused.
"The woman I talked about is a Marine." Jen's jaw dropped. "Now, I've got some friends in the Corps, and most of them are wonderful people. You and I just managed to fall for two bad examples. So," Harm changed the subject, "how do you take your coffee?" Once he finished serving breakfast, Harm sat down next to her.
"I didn't get a chance to ask you this last night, but what kind of job are you looking for?"
"I was a paralegal back home. Finished school a couple of years ago and went to work for the public defender. Only job I could get there with my record."
"Record?" Jen blushed.
"I got busted for shoplifting when I was 15. Small town like that, everyone knows your business. It didn't help when the good Reverend Coates used me as an example for his sermon on the wages of sin, repeatedly."
"Your record should have been sealed when you turned eighteen." Jen smiled.
"It was, but that didn't matter."
"Is there anything on your record since your eighteenth birthday?"
"No, why? You know where I might be able to get a job?" Harm nodded.
"Yes, I do. The Navy is hiring civilians in support positions in order to free up personnel. I'm certain that you could get a job at the Judge Advocate General's Headquarters. The office is in Falls Church, do you know where that is?"
"Yeah, I passed it on my way here after leaving Quantico." Harm grabbed a pen and piece of paper and jotted down the address and his cell phone number.
"Bring a copy of your resume for the Admiral there, and stop by personnel and fill out a GS application. Put me down as a reference. Harmon Rabb, Jr. My number is on the paper I gave you."
"You really think that I could get a job there?" Harm nodded as he put their cups and plates in the dishwasher.
"I've got to get to work, but I'll see you later." He pulled on his coat, and before he walked out the door, Jen gave him a quick hug and returned to her own apartment as he locked his door. As soon as he knew she couldn't see him, Harm's face broke out in a broad grin. They didn't call him the King of Pranks at Annapolis for nothing.
Harm was whistling as he entered the bullpen, surprising everyone, especially Mac and the Admiral. Chegwidden learned the reason behind the Commander's odd behavior two hours later when he received a call from the Chief Petty Officer in Personnel. Apparently, a twenty-nine year old paralegal from Platteville had just put in a GS application to work there at JAG. The woman's top reference was one Commander Harmon Rabb. A.J. immediately had Tiner call Rabb in to see him.
"Commander Rabb, reporting as ordered, sir!"
"Have a seat, Commander. I just received a call from Chief Davis about an application for a paralegal job that he just received from a Ms. Jennifer Coates. What surprised him most was your name on the reference list. Care to explain, Commander. Is this your new girlfriend?" Harm shook his head.
"No sir. She's my new neighbor, just got into D.C. last night. She and I talked while I helped her move in, and I realized that she's a good woman who's gotten more than her fair share of hard knocks. When she said that she was a paralegal, I suggested that she apply here, and gave her my name to use as a reference. Jen has no idea that I work here." A.J. nodded. Harm had never deliberately lied to him, so he would take the younger man's word for it.
"We'll try your friend out, Commander, but you are responsible for training her. I know you have more than your share of cases at the moment, so I am assigning her as your paralegal. She screws up or brings discredit on this office, and I will have your ass. Are we clear, Mr. Rabb?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Good. I'll have her escorted up. You can meet her in the bullpen after I speak to her. Dismissed."
"Aye-aye, sir." Harm turned on his heel and went back to his office. At the same time, Jen was having her picture taken for her security badge. Chief Davis explained that her duties would be restricted until her application and clearance were processed, but since someone had vouched for her, she would be able to start work immediately. As the security officer opened the door, Jen saw a tall, balding man in a similar uniform to the one she saw Harm wearing this morning waiting for her.
"Good morning, Miss Coates. I'm Admiral A.J. Chegwidden, and I run this asylum. I've decided to put you with one of our senior attorneys. He's swamped right now with cases, and needs the help. Tiner," A.J. yelled across the room. "Go get him." The man that the Admiral called Tiner rushed over to a closed door with a plaque on it that Jen couldn't read from the distance. Her jaw dropped when a very familiar face appeared in the doorway, grinning at her.
"Hi, Jen." Jen's mouth snapped shut as she stalked across the room, her heels clicking on the linoleum, drawing everyone's attention to her.
"Harm, you asshole! You didn't tell me that you worked here. This must be why you were so confident that I'd get the job, and why the guy in HR looked at me so funny when he read my application."
"Yep" was the reply. Jen's mouth opened and closed a few times before she punched him in the arm. Realizing that everyone was watching, Jen took a deep breath before turning back to the Admiral. A.J. was barely able to contain his laughter, and his eyes twinkled like Christmas lights. Soon another desk was set up in Harm's office, and the two began working their way through the mountain of paperwork on the desk.
Jen had taken a break to use the restroom and refill both hers and Harm's coffee cups. Harm was still in the office when he heard a feminine throat clearing and looked up to see Mac, rage barely concealed on her face.
"You got your newest conquest a job here?" She asked, disdain oozing from every syllable. Harm shook his head and set his pen down.
"Not that it should matter to you, Mac, but she's my new neighbor, my friend, and is more than qualified to do the job." Mac snorted in disbelief, turning when she heard 'Excuse me' from behind her. Jen was standing there with two steaming mugs of coffee, carefully sliding by the other woman.
"Here you go, Harm." Jen sat down, took a sip, and set the mug down. "I was just looking over the…"
"Excuse me, but who do you think you are?" Mac screeched, irate at the lack of respect shown by the other woman.
"Harm's paralegal, the last I checked," was the reply, further infuriating the Marine.
"You need to call him Commander or Sir!" Jen gave Mac a quizzical look, her brows furrowing.
"Why?"
"Because he outranks you!" Jen snorted and Harm bit the side of his cheek to keep from laughing.
"Does this look like a uniform?" Jen asked, standing up and waving a hand over her clothes. Mac sputtered incoherently and Jen re-took her seat. "Didn't think so. I'm not in your military, Ms. Mackenzie, so I can address Harm as I please, since we work together. I'm his paralegal, and I called the lawyer I worked for at my last firm by her first name. If Harm had asked, then I would have called him Mr. Rabb, however, he insisted on no formalities." Jen turned back to Harm, who was looking at her in awe. "Okay, as I was saying, the pre-trial agreement on this case seems to be in order, so I think that we can put this file in the 'done' stack." Mac was getting ready to launch into another rant when she heard footsteps behind her.
"Is there a problem here, Colonel?" A.J. had heard the shouting and moved close enough to hear the response from the new paralegal. He looked in Harm's office and saw that she had helped him make a good dent in the stack of case files already. "From the looks of it, Commander, your recommendation was a good one, so Colonel Mackenzie and I will leave the two of you to it." Jen smiled in acknowledgement of the compliment.
"Thank you, Mr. Chegwidden." A.J. chuckled.
"Just call me Admiral, like everyone else, Jennifer. I haven't been called Mr. Chegwidden in years…makes me feel old."
"Of course, Admiral. Could you please call me Jen then? When I hear Jennifer, I expect to hear my father to start yelling at me again." A.J. nodded, and forcibly escorted Mac away from Harm's door. Once they reached her office, he leaned over to where only she could hear him.
"You made your choice very clear in Sydney, Mac. You cannot blame him for accepting it and moving on, especially when you wear another man's ring. He just met that young woman, but if something were to happen between them, then so be it. I don't want to hear anymore arguments. Jen was right, she is a civilian, and therefore, you will not push her around like you do the rest of the women in this office. Am I clear?" Mac nodded and A.J. walked back to his office. Her door slammed as she went back to her desk.
Life at JAG became more complicated with the arrival of Mac's fiancé and another attorney. LT Loren Singer was cold to most of the people there, but Jen was able to recognize the pain in the other woman's eyes. Since Jen was a civilian, she was no threat to Loren's ambitions to become the first female JAG in history, and therefore spared from the blonde's machinations. Jen and Loren eventually realized that they held mutual disdain for one Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie and her sleazy excuse of a boyfriend. Apparently, Brumby had resigned from the Australian Navy and moved to D.C. to be with the woman he loved…or so he said. This helped a friendship to gradually develop between Jen and Loren, which led to Harm eventually becoming Loren's mentor. The three of them had gone to Russia and discovered that LT Harmon Rabb, Sr. had fathered a second son before his death in Siberia. After some nearly fatal events, and a little help from Clayton Webb, Sergei Zhukov was able to get a visa and come to the U.S. Harm and Jen watched as Sergei and Loren began falling for each other, while ignoring the feelings that were growing between them. Outside the office, they were often mistaken as a couple by strangers they encountered, and neither bothered to correct the misperception. Harm and Jen had the same tastes in music, food, and both had a passion for flying and old muscle cars.
Sergei and Loren watched as Harm and Jen allowed their fears to consume them, both scared to make the first move. "We need to do something, Sergei." Loren told her boyfriend one night after watching Harm and Jen tiptoe around their emotions, sacrificing their feelings unnecessarily. Sergei agreed with Loren, so the two began to formulate a plan.