Title: "A Grateful Citizen"
Author: TxJAG_b
Email:
Rating: G
Classification: A different kind of fluff
Spoilers: None that I am aware of
Summary: Mac has a bad day and receives a thank you she never expected - FYI - this one was deleted [by mistake] finally found the original copy and put it back! [red-faced author]
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 fans only. No copyright infringement is intended or implied.
Marine Lieutenant Colonel Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie had had a rough day. First, while she was getting dressed this morning, she had a run in her hose. Then she broke a heel on her way out of her apartment. Traffic had been a bear on the way to JAG Headquarters. At the morning briefing, Admiral Chegwidden had given her three assault cases and one adultery case - two of which would require drives to Norfolk before the end of the week. On her way out of the meeting, Coates told her that the statement that Mac had been expecting from a key witness for the upcoming Suarez murder trial had not arrived, and efforts to contact the witness had been futile.
Before lunch, Tiner reminded her that the Admiral needed a statement from her regarding her position on the Chief Petty Officer Taylor's chances to avoid a trial. This case was shaping up to be a public relations nightmare. All the media outlets were crying for Taylor's blood and the SECNAV wanted the CPO to get off lightly - fat chance of that happening. Mac did not want to be the bearer of that bad news. At least she had until tomorrow noon to come up with a solution. Maybe a miracle would happen.
Yeah, right.
Worst of all, Harm had left for the Roosevelt this afternoon to investigate a Petty Officer accused in a string of thefts and burglaries. Harriet told her he didn't expect to be back until Thursday at the earliest. And, to top it all off, she lost her case to Bud this afternoon before Judge Sebring. It had not been a good day.
Before she left for the evening, her computer chose that moment to crash, taking with it her files and notes on Sergeant Dickson's court martial. Tiner told her it would take until tomorrow morning to get a tech to look at her workstation. Sighing, she decided to call it a day. She packed up her briefcase, grabbed her purse and cover and headed out. Like this morning, traffic was a nightmare – bumper to bumper – it was times like this she wished that she could take the Metro instead of having to drive to and from Falls Church.
Mac arrived at her apartment after what seemed like eternity squared. As she got out of her Vette, she noticed the clasp on her briefcase had broken and that the handle had come loose – at least she hadn't spilled her files across the parking lot.
Carefully juggling her broken briefcase and purse, she got out of the car and started walking toward the steps leading to her upstairs apartment.
"Ma'am?"
What a day, groused Mac to herself, A run in my hose, lost a good pair of comfortable shoes, the stupid computer ate my files, grumble, grumble…
"Ma'am?"
Mac looked up to see a young man – she guessed in his early twenties, longish blond hair, dressed in blue jeans and polo shirt standing near her stairwell looking at her. She couldn't believe she had not seen him.
"Oh, I'm sorry," said Mac politely. She saw that he was staring at her then she remembered the broken briefcase she was trying to hold together.
"Do you need some help ma'am?"
"No thanks, I've got it." She noticed he wasn't going away.
"Can I help you?" She asked warily.
"I uh – just wanted to give you this ma'am." He held out a white envelope to her.
Slowly she took the envelope, her curiosity piqued, "What's this for?"
"Just a thank you, ma'am."
"A thank you?" Mac was clearly puzzled, "For what?"
"For keeping us safe." He smiled and started to walk away from her.
"Keep us safe? Who's *us*?" Demanded Mac. This chance meeting was beginning to make her nervous.
He stopped and turned back toward her. Mac tensed and prepared for him to rush her. Great. A perfect end to a perfect day….
"Us meaning those of us who live and work in the United States." She wasn't expecting that.
"Ever since September 11, I've realized how important it is that you people are willing to put your lives on the line for us. This is just my way of saying thanks." Mac was stunned. He turned again to walk away.
Mac finally found her voice. "Uh, wait…." It was too late; the man was gone.
She looked at the envelope. The flap was tucked inside. Curious, she set down her briefcase, opened the envelope and pulled out the card.
It had a statue of a minuteman, silhouetted in the twilight. Written just below the statue in flowing script…To our defenders
What she found inside made her smile. Thank you for being willing to protect and defend us.
Mac noted there wasn't a signature, just some words scribbled in hurried penmanship.
-A Grateful Citizen
He must've written this out as a last minute thought. She mused as she looked at the back cover-nothing there but the credits for the picture on the front.
-A Grateful Citizen
Mac smiled and began humming the Marine Corps Hymn. She picked up her broken briefcase, tucked the card inside and headed to her mailbox. Fishing her key from her purse, she unlocked her box and opening it saw she had two catalogs, what looked like three bills and at least five other pieces of junk mail.
Instead of feeling depressed about this, she continued to hum as she put the mail in her briefcase and closed and locked her mailbox. She walked up the steps still humming.
-A Grateful Citizen
She opened the door to her apartment, walked in, dropped her purse and cover on the table next to her door. Carrying the remains of her case to the sofa, she kicked off her shoes and started to sit down when her cell began to ring. Setting down the broken case, and pulling out the card again, she flipped open her phone.
"MacKenzie…."
"Hey Marine, heard you had a tough day."
"Harm?" Realizing how she sounded, Mac worked to keep the excitement out of her voice, "Where are you? I thought you were on the Roosevelt?"
"A Seaman confessed to setting the Petty Officer up – they had a disciplinary hearing on board and released me back to Norfolk - I should be back…in about four hours."
"That's good news." She sat down and tucked her feet up under her, "My day wasn't too bad."
"That isn't the way I heard it. Harriet told me you lost a case to Bud, broke a heel, and you had a run in your panty hose – sounds like a pretty bad day to me."
"Depends on your perspective." She smiled at his concern.
"Your perspective?"
"Uh huh." She looked at the card again.
"What put you in such a good mood?"
"Got a card today." She announced somewhat teasingly.
"Oh? From who? Anyone I know?"
"I doubt it." She smiled as she lead him on.
"Well then, who was it from?"
She liked teasing him like this. "A secret admirer."
"Oh, a secret admirer," He played along with her – for now, "Anything you want to tell me about?"
She laughed. "Well, you see, there was this guy-"
"A guy?" Playing along had ended. Now Harm was jealous. "What did he look like, Mac?"
"Easy Flyboy, He didn't try anything." She turned herself so that she was sitting more comfortably on the couch. "As I started to say, there was this guy who met me in the parking lot and handed me a card."
"What did it say?"
"Thank you for being willing to protect and defend us – A Grateful Citizen."
"A Grateful Citizen?"
"Yup."
"Wow."
"Yeah, that's what I thought too. Harm, he didn't even wait long enough to let me thank him."
"A real Lone Ranger type, huh?"
"Yeah, just 'Here you go ma'am' and he was gone."
"Kinda nice to be appreciated, isn't it?"
Mac leaned back on her couch, closing her eyes, un-tucking her feet and stretching them out. "Yeah, it is."
Harm decided to change the subject. "You still going to be up when I get there?"
"Probably; I'm working on reconstructing my Dickson court martial notes. My computer crashed this afternoon."
"Need some help?" She smiled at that. Ah, the gallant Harm to the rescue.
"Sure." It's nice to have a rescuer.
"I'll swing by the office, grab my notes and bring them with me."
"Okay, see you then."
"Bye Mac."
She closed up her cell, got up and walked to the kitchen. On her refrigerator were some address magnets for restaurants, a few pictures that Chloe had done when she was younger, and a grocery list. Mac took the card and placed it open faced in the center of this clutter. She used a magnet advertising great pizza by the slice to hold it in place.
She looked at the card again and smiled.
-A Grateful Citizen
Yes, it's nice to be appreciated.
-Fini