Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of JAG! I am just borrowing them for this little story! They and the concept of the show belong to Donald P. Bellisario, CBS, Paramount et al!
Kleenex - alert
JAG'S BABY
Parking lot
Outside the JAG-Headquarters
Falls Church/ Virginia
1000 ZULU (05:00 EST)
A young, red-haired women leaned against her car looking at the redbrickstone-building.
What she was going to do was not easy but she had no other choice. If she had, she would not be standing here. Life wasn't easy, it had never been.
She took a deep breath, then straightened her Marine uniform before she opened the passenger door of her car and took out a baby carrier and a letter.
This was the way things had to be.
She could not take care of her child although she wanted to be a good mother. She had no choice, she had to give her baby away. Maybe her daughter would get wonderful parents. Giving her child away was the only chance for her child to have a promising future and a good life.
She walked inside the building, no one looking at her but she hoped the guard at the gate would not remember her.
She rode up to the second floor. She knew this place, having been there long before her child had been born. The people working here, were good people, that was the reason why she had chosen this place to leave her daughter.
She walked into the ladies restroom, placed the carrier, with the letter on top, on the floor. Then the woman kneeled down on the floor, kissed her child on her forehead.
"I love you baby, never forget that. Your mommy loves you and I hope one day you will forgive me for abandoning you but I have no other choice" she whispered and brushed some tears away from her cheek.Leaving her child was the hardest thing she had ever done.
Conference room
JAG-Headquarters
Falls Church/ Virginia
1230 ZULU (07:30 EST)
The Admiral wanted an early staff meeting before he would have a meeting with the SecNav at 1400 ZULU. Everyone working in his staff sat in the conference room - Mac, Meg, who had returned to JAG just some weeks ago, Harm, Bud, Singer, Commander Imes, Turner and Mattoni. Harriet had excused herself for a moment, because she wasn't feeling well to use the restroom.
Restroom
As Harriet walked into the restroom, she saw the carrier sitting on the middle of the floor.
"What's this? A baby?" she said aloud.
As she walked nearer towards the carrier she saw the letter on it. Harriet kneeled down to take the letter. What a surprise! She couldn't understand how a woman, how a mother could abandon her child. That was something she would never ever do. How could someone do this? There was no excuse.
"Hey young lady, what am I doing with you now? I don't know if it will be a good idea to take you with me to the staff meeting but I have no other choice" Harriet said to the baby, absently Harriet brushed with her hand over the baby's head.
Then, after a moment of thinking, she picked up the carrier and walked out of the restroom towards the conference room.
Conference room
5 minutes later
Everyone in the room looked at Harriet as she walked back in the room with a baby carrier.
"Lieutenant, care to explain what this is?" the Admiral asked and pointed at the baby.
"A baby Sir"
"That's what I see but what is it doing here?" he asked.
"I found her in the restroom, with this letter" Harriet said and gave him the letter she had found.
"How can a mother do something like this to her child?" the Admiral exclaimed.
As she heard his words, Mac remembered her own childhood. She knew how it felt to be abandoned by a parent. Her mother had done that to her when she had been fifteen years old, she had left her alone with her abusive father and the alcohol. Even though she knew why her mother had done it she couldn't forgive her own mother or accept the fact that it would happen nearly every day.
It had hurt too much.
"I don't know Sir. What are we going to do with her?" Harriet wanted to know.
"Calling social service,".
"Sir, her mother didn't want her; social service means she would grow up in a foster home. This isn't the right place for a child" Harriet said.
"Lieutenant Sims, we have to do it. We have no other choice" AJ started.
"We could try to find her mother!".
Admiral Chegwidden looked at her. He did not know what to do because after baby Sarah's death Harriet started to be more emotional when it came to babys..
"Her mother made clear that she doesn't want her child, Lieutenant. I will have to call social service when I've got the time today. If not, I'll call them on Monday" the Admiral interrupted Harriet.
Giving the baby away was hard, keeping her for the weekend and giving her away on Monday would be harder. With whom should she stay during the weekend? The best solution would be the Roberts, but letting a baby stay with the Roberts for the weekend and then taking her away would break up old wounds.
2 hours later
Bullpen
JAG HQ
Falls Church/Virginia
Since Admiral Chegwidden had left for his meeting no work had been done at JAG.
Everyone was fussing over JAG's baby.
Harriet stood there, looking at the baby with a far away look in her eyes. She thought about her baby that she had lost months ago. Baby Sarah was dead.
She did not know what to do. She could not understand why someone would abandon a child. She knew that Mac had made this experience when she was 15 but a baby.
"She is a cutie" Carolyn Imes exclaimed.
"That she is. It's a shame that her mother doesn't want her. I cannot understand how someone is able to do something like this. Do you understand,Lieutenant Sims?" , Lauren Singer asked.
Harriet didn't answer. Her eyes still fixed on the baby. She wanted another child, after baby Sarah's death she had prayed to God. Was this his answer to her prayers?
Literally spoken little Enya Faith was sent by an angel. Lauren Singer took the baby out of her carrier and held her in her arms. Did she have a heart after all?
"Hey little one, where is your mommy?" Lauren Singer said.
After a while, she took a step closer to Harriet.
"Here, take her. You know how to handle a baby" And before Harriet could say or do anything she was holding the baby.
Later that day
Meg's office
JAG-HQ
Falls Church/ Virginia
1630 ZULU (11:30 EST)
Meg stood with the baby on her arm at the window in her office, looking outside and softly talking and singing to the child.
"Hush, little baby don't say a word.
Papa is going to buy you a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Papa's going to buy you a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Papa is going to buy you a looking glass
And if that looking glass gets broke,
Papa is going to buy you a billy goat
And if that billy goat won't pull,
Papa is going to buy you a cart and bull
And if that cart and bull fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town."
Harm watched her from a distance. Meg was good with children. He knew that one day she was going to be a good mother, the best mother his children could whish for.
"She is beautiful," Meg said as she saw him approaching her.
"Yes, she is."
"I hope my children will be as beautiful as her."
"They will be as beautiful as her mother is" Harm smiled.
"I hope you are right Commander," Meg whispered.
"Yes"
"Here, hold her for a second, wow, that looks good on you", Meg said.
"You think so?"
"Yeah and it makes you more attractive than you already are. Maybe a lot of women are a sucker for dress whites but no woman can resist a man with a baby" Meg told him and smiled.
"Are you talking from experience?" Harm asked.
"Maybe."
"Really?", Harm asked surprised.
"You will never know, Commander" Meg said and left him alone with the.
Admiral Chegwidden's car
On the road back to JAG-HQ
Falls Church/ Virginia
1700 ZULU (12:00 EST)
On his way back to JAG, the Admiral thought about what he had done. The idea of keeping the baby for the weekend was insane. He knew it. Deep inside his heart, he knew that he could not give her away. He had looked at her for a moment but this baby, the little one had touched a place in his heart he was sure had died years ago.
Maybe they should keep the baby. But who would take care of her? Bud and Harriet? They would be the best ones, but after what had happened with Baby Sarah, he wasn't sure if this was a good idea.Then there were the Mattoni's, a good pair, but he wasn't sure if this was the right choice.
Bullpen
JAG-HQ
Falls Church/Virginia
As he entered the Bullpen the undivided attention of his staff was on the little baby.He had never seen grown people act like this.
"Admiral on deck" he shouted in a loud voice.
Everyone came to attention immediately.
"As you were" he simply said and walked into his office.
After the door had closed behind him, he shook his head in disbelief.
"Grown officers and acting like they have seen a baby for the first time".
He sat down to decide what to do with the baby. At first he reached his hand out and took the receiver, he was about to dial social service but someone whispered to him: NO.As he turned around there was no one standing behind him. He was alone in his office but he was sure someone had just talked to him.
Sighing he stood up and walked over to the window, as he looked outside his mind drifted off. He remembered the time when Francesca had been a baby. He hadn't been the best father, a child could wish for because he hadn't been there for her.
Maybe this baby in the bullpen would know her family; but maybe she would never really know what a family is.
Hours later
Macs office
2300 ZULU
Harm and Mac sat together in Mac's office.After they had made the decision that the baby would stay with the Roberts over the weekend, still some people weren't sure that it was a smart decision, only 6 months after Baby Sarah's death. But who would be better than Bud and Harriet Roberts to watch JAG's baby?
Now Bud was downstairs, driving the minivan to the front of the building while Harriet was grabbing their covers and briefcases.
"Sometimes I ask myself how it would feel having a baby growing inside of me" Mac sighed.
"Your biological clock is ticking?" Harm asked.
"Don't you hear it ringing?"
"One day you have your own baby,".
"But when? I am not in a relationship," Mac said.
"Remember the baby deal, five years after the day A.J. Roberts was born and I have never broken a promise yet" Harm told her and left her alone.
Mac looked after him for a moment before she turned her attention back to the baby in her arms.
"Baby girl listen to me. When you are older, don't let the NAVY guys charm you. They will only hurt you" Mac told the baby.
5 minutes later Harriet entered Macs office.
"Ma'am I am here to take the baby with me".
Saturday
Roberts Residence
Rosslyn/ Virginia
Harriet sat on the couch, cuddling the baby. Bud leaned at the doorframe, unnoticed from Harriet, and observed his wife with the baby.He knew how badly she wanted another baby. Baby Sarah's death had broken her heart and now she had a baby, but just for the weekend. He wasn't sure how it would be on Monday when they had to give her away.
Harriet absently rubbed her fingertips up and down Enya Faith's chubby little arm. Bud recognized the look on her face. Only a mother could have the look.
Sunday evening
Roberts Residence
Rosslyn/ Virginia
0200 ZULU
Harriet and Bud sat on the couch in their living room. She knew that the things she was going to say to him weren't easy because there was the possibility that he would misunderstand. With Bud, you never knew.
"Bud, I want to keep her. I want her to grow up as our child" Harriet said finally.
"Harriet, are you sure?" Bud asked his wife.
"Yes."
"She isn't just a replacement for Sarah?" Bud asked.
"Bud Roberts how can you ask such a thing?"
"Honey, I have to be sure that you want to be the surrogated mother of this baby because you love her like our own and not because you want another child."
Harriet was silent for a moment.
"I want Enya to be our daughter. I don't want a replacement for Sarah. Sarah will always have a special place in my heart, I carried her for nine months and I will never forget her. Enya won't be a replacement".
"Then we should talk with the social service tomorrow."
Monday morning
Admiral Chegwidden's office
JAG-Headquarters
Falls Church/ Virginia
1300 ZULU (8:00 EST)
"Sir, Miss De Lorenzo from the social service is here to see you" Tiner told AJ through the intercom.
"Send her in and the Lieutenants Roberts with our baby" Admiral Chegwidden answered.
He had referred to her as their baby since she had smiled at him for the first time. Enya Faith was a real cute baby and he was sad that they had to give her away.
A second later Miss De Lorenzo entered the room.
"Admiral, I am Cindy De Lorenzo" she greeted him.
"Miss De Lorenzo, please take a seat."
After she had sat down it knocked at the door.
"Enter" the Admiral said.
Bud and Harriet, carrying the baby, walked in.
"Lieutenants, this is Miss De Lorenzo. She is here to take Baby Enya".
"Sir, can we talk to Miss De Lorenzo for a moment?" Harriet asked.
"What's the matter?" Miss De Lorenzo asked.
"It's about the baby".
"Then what is it?" Miss De Lorenzo asked impatient.
"We want her, we want to give her a family, we want to be her parents" Harriet blurted out.
The Admiral had foreseen it, he had observed Harriet with the baby during the weekend. He knew that after Baby Sarah's death they wanted another child. Maybe this was their second chance.
Miss De Lorenzo didn't say anything. She was silent.
"We are sure " Bud added.
"I believe the two of you. I cannot decide it. If you want to adopt her then you have a lot of paperwork to do" The social service woman told them.
"We know."
"Come to my office at 14:00 and we'll start with the paperwork for you to become legal custody" She finally said.
"Thanks Ma'am".
20 years later
US-NAVALACADEMY
Annapolis/Maryland
1700 ZULU (12:00 EST)
The hall was crowded with a lot of people, families, friends, graduates.
Somewhere in the room sat Enya Faith Roberts, JAG's baby, like everyone had called her since day one.Now 20 years after she had been found in the ladies restroom at JAG-Headquarters she graduated at the US-Naval academy.
Her family was proud of her.
". . . Enya Faith Roberts. . ."
As she heard her name, she stood up and proudly walked on the platform.
Enya Faith was going to receive her diploma. As she stood there, she looked at her family.
Everyone was there, her parents, Harriet and Bud Roberts, her godparents Senator Harmon Rabb junior and Admiral Meg Austin Rabb, the first female JAG. Her so-called Grandpa, retired Admiral A.J. Chegwidden, her aunts the Inspector General Sarah Mackenzie, Admiral Carolyn Imes, Captain Lauren Singer, her uncles Commander Michael Roberts, Admiral Mattoni, Commander Jason Tiner and retired Gunnery Seargent Victor Galindez.
Looking at them made her remembering who she was, she was JAG's Baby.
Enya Faith had been lucky that so friendly people found her.
Unseen for everyone in the room stood a Marine-Colonel, a red-haired woman, in her mid-forties. Tears were shimmering in her eyes.The proud young redhead on the platform was her baby.
Now she knew that it had been the right decision. Over the years she had asked herself where her baby was and now she knew that her child had everything she would have never been able to give to her.
Giving her away was the best decision she could have made. She was happy for her daughter.
A tear rolled down her cheek as she thought about what would have been if she hadn't abandon her. She did not want to know the answer, her child was happy and that was all what counted.
She turned around and left the hall before someone would spot her in the room.
She left her daughter, like she had done 20 years before, but this time, she felt a lot better , because she knew she had done the right thing.
THE END