TITLE: In My Dreams

AUTHOR: Clairisant

CLASSIFICATION: Bud/Harriett, AJ/Mac, Harm/Jen.

FEEDBACK: Would love to hear both good and bad feedback but please try to be kind and constructive. Clairisant

CREDITS: A special thank you to my beta readers Qupeydoll and Julie.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is an alternate world story. Hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it.

Chapter 1

Wednesday, October 5, 1999

1030 EST

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, Virginia

"What are you doing Gunnery Sergeant?" Lieutenant Bud Roberts demanded of the man sitting at his wife's desk.

"Good morning Lieutenant, I'm new here and need a place to work. I was told by Petty Officer Tiner to choose any empty desk. This seemed to be the only one, is there a problem?" Victor Galendiz asked.

"This is my wife's desk."

"Oh, I'm sorry Sir," Victor said looking at the completely empty desk, except for the phone in one corner. "She sure keeps a…neat desk."

"She's on maternity leave right now Gunny," Bud told him.

"I see. Well then, I guess I'll just work from the floor," he stated and sat down next to the empty desk.

With a sigh as he realized he was being ridiculous, Bud said, "I guess you could use her desk until she comes back."

"Thank you Sir. I'll try not to get to comfortable at it," Gunny replied getting up from the floor.

The next morning Bud approached Gunnery Sergeant Galindez. "Gunny, my wife asked me to give you this," he said as he handed a sheaf of papers to him.

Victor looked at what the Lieutenant had given him and saw it was a list of relevant phone numbers and contacts that would help him greatly in doing his job. "Thank you Lieutenant. This will be amazingly useful. Please thank your wife for me!"

"I will," Bud replied and left the bullpen to go to his office. Sitting down at his desk, he saw the newest picture of his family. He had his arm around his beautiful blonde wife who was holding their baby son. Bud loved Harriett and AJ so much.

Stardate 45395.2

Suddenly the light came on in the room, waking him from his dream. The computer announced, "Commander Roberts, you are due on the Bridge in twenty minutes." With a groan, Bud sat up, running his hands over his short cut hair. He got up and headed for a quick sonic shower, then watching the stars race by the window he donned his uniform and communicator. He wondered why he was having these unusual dreams.

This was the third such dream he'd had in as many nights and he was becoming concerned at how very real they were. It had taken him longer each morning to re-orient himself to his real life not his dream one. He was a Commander in Star Fleet, not a Lieutenant in the Navy. He was the First Officer on the USS Phoenix, not a lawyer at JAG. And it was the twenty-third century not the twenty-first! Maybe if he could find time today, he'd stop by sickbay and see the doctor, but somehow he doubted that would happen since they were to pick up the Vice President today.

Bud took his seat on the Bridge after being briefed by the night duty officer that nothing out of the ordinary happened. They were still on course to Lorta Prime to pick up Vice President Chegwidden who had been on the planet on a humanitarian visit. Normally, a Starship wouldn't be playing taxi to a government official, but since the President of the Federation had been assassinated just three days ago, it was deemed prudent that Vice President Chegwidden receive every protection possible on his return trip to Earth where he would take the oath of office to replace President Turlock.

A few minutes later the Captain stepped onto the bridge and came down the ramp to take the center chair. "Good morning Captain Rabb," Bud greeted him and filled Harm in on the nights activities.

"Sounds like it was pretty quiet…as usual," Harm murmured.

"Yes Sir," Bud replied as the Captain got up and headed for his ready room.

"You have the Bridge Number One. I'm going to go back to the performance reviews. Call me if anything happens."

"Yes Sir," Bud once again answered, moving from his seat on the right of Harm's and into the Captain's chair.

To be continued…..