Authors: jagfanatic85 and hermiine
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: We own nothing.
Summery: Mac finds her biological family.
AN: Early April this year jagfanatic85 posted a fanfic-challenge on the shipper- and hmshipperlist. I responded, Jagfanatic85 sent me this first part and I felt challenged to finish the story. Thank you Cria for beta-reading and catching all of those mistakes! Feedback is very welcome and appreciated.
Part 1Her father was dying. Her eyes grew cold and a steely glint would appear when she thought of her mother. What she did was reprehensible. But her father... She wanted to hate him. She wanted it so bad because she thought it would bring her some sort of satisfaction. She was angry, but she couldn't hate him. Her father was a drunk who'd hit her mother and drove her away. But he could never bring himself to hit her, she remembered. A responsible, loving mother would've tried to take her child away for protection... but not her mom. Her father had wronged her by turning into an alcoholic who was unable to control his actions because of it. Her mother had wronged her while being sober. She could still remember the few occasions he'd been sober. He cried. Wept out of pain for his actions. Those moments were quickly followed by the cure all "medicine" alcohol.
When her mother left her she was fifteen. Fifteen, motherless and lived with a drunk who could just barely scrape by taking care of himself, let alone his daughter. With alcohol and cigarettes within easy reach - just a trip to her father's room - she quickly took up both bad habits as her own. Smoking lasted only a short while and she always seemed to end up coughing.
Alcohol turned into an addiction. With no parents to guide or care for her, she looked for love in all the wrong places. Or more accurately, one wrong place. The backseat of any boys' cars. She'd then met Chris, they got and stayed drunk together - and he didn't turn her away after a solitaire night of fun. He wanted to drink and party and have fun - with Sarah. She was nothing special to him exactly. But fun and good in bed. Besides, she adored him.
Her life had been one mistake after another. Chris was too, but at the time he was her knight in shining armor. It wasn't until years later that she realized Uncle Matt was her real knight in shining armor. He'd taken her away, sobered her up and helped her start on the path to a new and much, much better life. When she joined the Marines she was ready for a change. It seemed to her that many of the other Marines were like her. Nowhere to go, wanted to make a new life and serve their country. As the motto goes, "In goes orphans, out comes family."
No, that didn't mean they were all friends. No way. But seeing the others go through the same thing you were dealing with bound them together. They became family when Semper Fi and mutual respect for the others were wrapped in one. She hadn't made any friends during trainings, but she'd made a few buddies. Most of her friends she'd made after training.
She was shook out of her trance by the squeak at the door. It was the nurse, checking in.
"Any change?" she asked while checking the bleeping machines connected to his unmoving body.
She shook her head no, sadly. She wanted him awake, to hear what he had to say before he died.
Harm had offered to go with her, but she had refused, thinking that this was something she had to do on her own. Now she regretted that, because she didn't want to be alone. Tonight was supposed to have been their first real date. During the last couple of months since her court martial, they had steadily been rebuilding their friendship so much that they were now moving forward towards a romantic relationship. Harm finding out about her marriage had ultimately led them to talk more and in an attempt to restore their trust, they had disclosed other secrets as well. Last week when he had asked her out on a date it had seemed like such a natural step for them to take. So even if he wasn't there with her now, his presence in her heart made it all much easier for her to bear.
She finally sank into one of the chairs at hand, and fell asleep.
She awoke to harsh sunlight streaming through the window. Squinting at her father, she sighed. Annoyed, she stood up and closed the blinds making the morning easier on herself. After sitting quietly for a time, she reached over and took her father's hand. Squeezing it gently she began to sing the song he'd sung to her only a few times as a young child. But those times were never forgotten. She waited and waited, but there was no reaction.
She eventually pulled out a few files to work on while she waited. She knew she had Major Myers nailed against the wall for dereliction of duty and negligent homicide. Taking a breather she glanced up at her father's pale, still form on the bed. Wait. Pale, but not still. She could've sworn she'd seen his eyes start to twitch. Then just as suddenly, it stopped. Mac didn't even realize she'd been holding her breath until she let it out. When the nurse checked in again, Mac was still focused on his eyelids.
"Something happen?"
"I could've sworn I'd seen his eyes start twitching. I thought he'd wake up." Her eyes still didn't stray.
The nurse just sighed, sad. "Unfortunately, its just a reflex many comatose patients have. Major... once your father... if your father comes out of his coma, it will be short lived. His organs are failing him. It's only a matter of time. This is coming from an experienced nurse though, and not a trained doctor."
Mac turned and stared out the window. As the nurse looked on, sympathizing, a movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attentions. His hand was shaking and he was trying to open up his eyes.
"Major!" she whispered excitedly, "Look!"
Mac spun on her heels and rushed to her side while the nurse quickly scanned his vitals and ran for the doctor.
Grabbing hold of his hand she prayed he would come to. When he finally opened his eyes, her image filled his head.
"Hi Daddy," she whispered.
His face contorted. He fell back against the pillow just as the doctor reached the doorway.
"He woke up!" she stated.
"Give him a bit. There's a good chance he'll come to again when he gets the energy," the doctor encouraged.
Just as predicted, Joe Mackenzie woke again a short time later. After being checked out by the medical staff, he turned to her.
"Sarah, we need to talk. There... there are things you don't know," his voice cracked, revealing something important was happening. "Sarah, when your mother and I got married she wanted a baby more than anything in the world. She'd always had that ideal house with the white picket fence thing in her head. I too wanted a baby. But not like her. She was... obsessive. But she loved her freedom, the ability to come and go as she pleased, even if she didn't realize it. Nothing we did worked. We couldn't have a baby."
Mac's eyes were bunched together in confusion. Had she been some miracle baby?
"Finally, your mother told me she'd contacted an adoption agency. Said I'd just have to sign a few forms and she'd do the rest."
She was adopted?!
"It wasn't until you came to us that I suspected what she'd done. You were already 10 months old. Your mother finally caved. She'd gotten desperate and she'd found a... a black market agency so to speak. But what could I do? I'd signed without looking at any of those papers. I didn't know the birth parents. Your mother would certainly never confess. So I've gone along with it all these years." He paused, eyes red with tears he wouldn't unleash. She stared, open mouthed and appalled. She had gone into total shock.
"I'm adopted? You and Mom... aren't... then Uncle Matt isn't... I mean..." tears began to roll down her face. Dangit she was a Marine!
The fact that her drunk father and wretch of a mother weren't biologically her parents was bad enough, but knowing that Uncle Matt wasn't... that she couldn't take.
"Sarah. Sweetheart," he began hesitantly, "A few years ago I got sober long enough to clean the house. I found the adoption papers."
Her head snapped up.
"Your...your real parents names are on them. While I'm sure the signatures are forged, I believe the names are real."
"Is my name even really Sarah?" Mac asked.
"I believe it is. Guess your mother got sentimental or something... It says Sarah on those papers at least."
He'd put the papers in a safe deposit box, secure in the fact that if he died the key to it would be discovered and she would know the truth.
"Where's my jacket?" he asked.
"It's in the closet."
"Bring it to me."
Curious, she did as he asked. Reaching into the deep pocket he retrieved the key.
"Here," he said. "Find the truth for yourself. I only hope someday you'll forgive me.
She nodded slowly, "I already have." There was a long silence. "Dad," she still referred to him, "if my... mother wanted me so badly, why'd she abandon me?"
"Like I said, she liked her freedom. You were more responsibility than she'd guessed. She missed her friends. Her life. Add that to an alcoholic husband... took her 15 years, but the straw broke the camel's back.
Without warning her father clutched his stomach and turned ghostly white. Mac ran to the door for the door and yelled for the doctor. It was no use, his organs had failed him.
Holding his coat and the key close to her, she slid down the wall to the floor. All she had left was a man in Leavenworth who may or may not know that he was not her biological uncle and a key to a possible future, which laid elsewhere. Or nowhere at all. But she had to see where it led, no matter what the cost. A thought struck her.
Strangely now, she realized how Harm felt about his father.
Harm. She had to tell somebody. Him. But wait. What if things turned out bad? If her parents were dead, or didn't want her now? Or were worse than the pair who had attempted to raise her? Then she needed him for support... No! She wouldn't drag him into this mess of a trailer trash soap opera life anymore than she already had unless she knew the outcome would be positive.
She gripped the key in her hand. This was the key - however punny it may seem - to her future. She stood up precariously and wandered out into the hallway as they took care of the body arrangements. The free services provided by the hospital there were taken care of by them. They informed her of the time of the graveside ceremony. As she was sitting in the waiting room an older, rather large woman entered. She had changed a lot from the last time Mac had seen her, but she would have been able to recognize her anywhere.
"Sarah," she said carefully.
"Why, Mom, why?" was the only thing Mac could get out.
"He told you?" Deanne, Mac's mother, quietly asked.
"Yeah," Mac nodded "Why did you do it? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Does it matter now?" Deanne asked. The truth was one of the reasons for her coming here had been to try to prevent her daughter from finding out about the adoption. She liked to think that it was for Sarah's sake, to prevent her from being hurt, but deep down that wasn't the reason.
"Yes, it matters a lot. I want to know. I need to know. To be able to move on."
"I'm still your mother, I raised you, took care of you when you were sick and comforted you when you were sad..."
"You left."
"I had to. Your father came at me with a knife and..."
"You left ME," Mac interrupted "I can understand why you left him. What I can't understand is why you left me alone with him... And I just want to know why you thought that you'd be better parents to me than my birth parents would have been."
"No one could have loved you more than I did. You don't know what those people were like."
"Do you?"
"I never met them, but..."
"Well, then you didn't know either," Mac made a pause and leaned forward on the chair and looked her mother right into the eyes "Right now I don't know how or when, but somehow I will come to terms with this and learn to forgive you for it too. I already forgave you for leaving and... I need time. I'm going to leave now." Mac got up from the chair and walked out of the room without turning around.
Back in her hotel room she stared at the key. Engraved on it were the words 'Bank of Arizona'. She picked up the phone and dialed the information. Three tries and a 50cent connection later she had it.
"Bank of Arizona, may I help you?"
"Yes. My uh, my father passed away recently and left in my possession a safety deposit box key. When would I be able to come by and take possession of the contents?"
"We're open Monday through Friday, 9 to 5. We'll need identification papers on you, proof of his death and the key."
"Okay, thank you."
After she hung up, she almost started to pace the room, but opted instead to get some dinner.
Back in her room an hour later, she noticed a light blinking on the phone, indicating a message.
Click. "Ms. Mackenzie, your father's funeral is set for the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow I'd like to meet with you and go over his will. Please call me at 555-3197 if you can make it." Beep.
She tossed her purse into a chair and decided she'd call him tomorrow. She readied herself for bed and sat tucked in, flipping channels. Of course nothing was ever on. She slid the remote onto the bedside table and turned in early.
"Yes, is Mr. Calhoun there? Yes I'll hold." She twisted the phone cord around her finger. She was so antsy!
"Calhoun."
"This is Sarah Mackenzie. What time would you like me to stop by and go over my father's will?"
"I have time at 1:00 if that suits you."
"Sounds fine, I'll see you then."
"I'll transfer you to my secretary, she can give you directions to the office."
"I'd appreciate it.'
She was early. She sat in the waiting room. If it wasn't for her internal clock, she'd be checking her watch every two minutes. Finally, the secretary told her she could go in.
"Ms. Mackenzie, I've discovered some information. A couple weeks ago, your father sold his house and most possessions to pay off extensive debts. I'm sorry, but there's no money or inheritance for you."
Mac paused. "It's almost like he was preparing to die."
"You're not upset? Over the money, I mean?" he asked nervously.
"Money's not important. I will however need a copy of his will."
"Any specific reason?"
"Because I asked for it."
"Right."
"I'll also need a copy of his death certificate."
"I don't know why..."
"I'm confident you'll be able to arrange that."
He nodded. He stepped over to his filing cabinet and pawed through some files.
"Luckily, I still have it. I was getting to file it away soon."
He made a copy of the needed documents and wished her a good day.
Papers in hand, she hopped into her rental and pressed on the gas, zooming closer and closer to the Bank of Arizona. Pulling into the parking lot she sat in shock for a moment. The names of her parents sat right through those walls.
'Then what are you waiting for, Marine? Act!' she berated herself.
She stepped out of the car and headed up the steps. Inside, a bank attendant pointed her in the direction of the safety deposit boxes.
After providing the required documents, she was directed to the aisle she needed, armed with the box number.
"I'll be at the desk if you need anything."
"Thanks."
She checked the key although she'd already memorized the number stamped there. 263. Making her way down the middle row she scanned the numbers. 240 - 253 - 263. She breathed deep and inserted the key. Twisting it slowly, it unlocked and she removed the box.
Sitting down gently on the floor, she pulled the papers out of the box and slowly unfolded them. She skipped past the first few pages of legal jargon she recognized so well.
'Custody is granted to Joe and Deanne Mackenzie on.... Yada yada... Jim and Marilyn Schonke reject all parental rights to Sarah Schonke...'
'SCHONKE?!' her mind screamed at her. How could this be? Her eyes pored over the page, wide-eyed and shocked. But... then this would mean... she and Dianne were related. Cousins? Sisters? Or twins??
She couldn't do this here. Messily grabbing the papers, she returned the box and exited the key.
She sat the key on the employee's desk, "I won't be keeping up the box here, so there's the key. Thanks," she said as she'd already begun to leave.
Not until she was safe in the car did she allow herself to breathe.
The odds... what were the odds? What were the odds that Harmon Rabb, her best friend on the verge to something more, had dated the woman she was possibly biologically related to?
TBC