JAG and all of it's characters belong to Donald Belisario and paramount pictures, this is purely recreational and I will not receive any benefit(besides getting to imagine the characters doing what I want) from this story.
A friend in need.
Harmon Rabb Jr. strode carelessly through the elevator doors and reached over to push the floor he needed. A few moments later the elevator doors opened again depositing him into JAG headquarters. He stepped out of the elevator quickly looking around and surveying the office, for a Thursday afternoon things seemed very quiet.
Out of habit he had already taken in the fact that his partner and best friend Sarah MacKenzie, must have already left for the day. Her office was dark, the door was closed and she was signed out on the assignment board. His eyes sweeping the bullpen one more time he walked over to his office. Setting his briefcase and cover on his desk he couldn't shake the feeling that there was some tension in the bullpen. Normally coming back from assignment he was greeted enthusiastically by his fellow colleges.
As he was getting ready to boot up his computer Petty Officer Tiner knocked softly on the door. " Sir, the Admiral asked to see you as soon as you arrived." Harm acknowledged with a nod of his head and followed the yeoman through the bullpen. Walking through he noticed that nobody would make eye contact with him but it seemed as though everyone were holding their breath. Approaching the admiral's door Harm chuckled, " Tiner, why do I feel like about to enter the lions den?" The young Petty officer looked up at him with sympathetic eyes, " The Admirals waiting for you sir."
Harm quickly steeled himself before knocking sharply on the door. His stomach suddenly in knots…. this was not good. From behind the door he heard the Admiral grant permission to enter. Coming to attention in front of his C.O. Harm noticed the tired eyes and somewhat haggard expression on the Admiral's face. " At ease Commander. Have a seat." Harm sat down tentatively, somewhat apprehensive. " How did your assignment go Commander? Were you able to get the interviews completed?" Harm nodded, " Yes Sir, it was pretty much cut and dried. I had six of the fifteen interviews completed when midshipmen Washburn confessed to falsifying the documents and steeling the money from the petty cash reserves. I advised Capt. Burk that….." The Admiral sat down, a defeated look on his face. Harm faltered, " Uh, Sir….."
The Admiral took a moment, simply looking at the officer in front of him. " Listen Harm, there's something I need to tell you." Harm's stomach knotted again, the use of his first name and the Admirals demeanor had his undivided attention. Harm waited patiently for the Admiral to continue. Taking a deep breath the Admiral began to speak softly. " First off, I want you to know that physically……she's alright, well…. she will be. She's at home resting right now and recovering." Harm didn't need to ask who 'she' was. He felt a tightening in his chest, wanting the Admiral to continue he held back the multitude of questions that rose in his mind.
A.J. stood from his desk, walking to the window he looked out as the rain fell softly against the glass. Turning back he continued, " Mac was working late the night before last. Nothing unusual, she had some paper work to take care of I guess. Wednesday morning, Tiner and I were coming in early to take care of the end of month reports. I happened to notice her car here already; I didn't think anything about it. She's usually one of the first in the office anyway." The Admiral sat down again, removing his glasses he rubbed at his eyes; Harm was about at his wits end. " With all do respect sir……please just tell me what happened." A.J looked the man in the eyes, wishing he could soften the blow that was about to come. " Tiner was walking across the parking lot to meet up with me when he saw her. She was lying in front of her car. Between the front end of the car and the wall of the garage……She had been beaten…. badly." With a look the Admiral stopped any questions from Harm. " I sent Tiner to call 911 and wait for the ambulance to arrive." Harm heard the brake in the Admiral's voice and closed his eyes. His stomach twisted painfully, and a ringing began in his ears. " She was barley conscious, I rolled her over onto her back so I could assess her injuries. She had a split lip, black eye, and a golf ball sized knot on her forehead that was bleeding. Her right hand was broken, there was a multitude of cuts, scrapes, bruises."
Harm was shaking his head, his vision blurred. This couldn't be, not Mac. He clenched his fists against the bile that rose in his throat. Harm was shocked to realize that the broken voice he heard was his own. " Sir, I need to go…..I, I have to go see…." A.J. rose again from behind the desk and went to stand by Harm's side. " Harm, that's not all. After we got to the hospital and they were able to treat and assess her injuries……. it was confirmed that she had also been, sexually assaulted." Harm lowered his head, rage consuming him. He quickly stood from the chair, intent on leaving. A hand on his shoulder stopped him. His eyes met those of his C.O. " she's going to be o.k. Harm, but she's going to need you to be calm and levelheaded. There's an investigation underway, we'll catch the guy that did this." Harm just nodded, he didn't think he could speak past the lump in his throat. Meeting A.J.'s intent gaze he walked out of the office.
Harm couldn't remember how he got there, but there he was, sitting in his car in front of Mac's building. Everything looked just as it should. Her car sat there in it's normal spot, the back seat was covered in files from work….. as usual. He couldn't help wondering how the car got here. Did the Admiral or Tiner drive it here for her? The sudden realization that Harriet's car was here as well made him stop. What did her car matter? He made himself turn and walk in the building. As much as he needed to be here, wanted to be here for her…….he realized he was scared. He told himself after Diane had died that he wouldn't care that much again……he knew now that it didn't really matter what you told yourself, you're heart didn't need permission from your brain to love someone.
Little by little, memory by memory, Mac had made her way into his heart. And that heart was breaking all over again. Harm couldn't help but wonder why he had fought it for so long, he knew that initially his reasons were legitimate….. He couldn't stop the thoughts racing through his head with each step that brought him closer to her. It was going to be different this time, this time he would be able to help the women that he loved. With a gentle hand he knocked on the door. He released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding when the door was slowly opened by Harriet.
Harriet barley heard the soft knock. Cautiously she looked out the peephole. Relief flooded her when she saw Harm on the other side. Opening it quietly she whispered " Hello Sir.." Putting a finger to her lips she motioned for him to come in. Shutting the door she led the Commander to the kitchen. The two stared at each other for a moment before speaking, Harm was the first to break the silence. " How is she Harriet?" Harriet began wiping the counter top with a dish towel absently.
" I wish I could tell you Harm, I mean…..if you ask her, she say's she's just fine. You know the 'I'm a marine, I can handle anything' speech. Physically she's already starting to heal. The swelling has gone down around her face some, she doesn't walk as slowly. But Sir, she won't talk to me." Harriet threw the towel across the kitchen, obviously frustrated. " I think the Admiral asked me to stay with her in hopes that she would talk to me…… We've played cards, watched movies, TV., she's doing everything she can to avoid it. She's been asleep for two hours now….that's the longest stretch she's slept since they released her yesterday. She told me earlier that there's no reason for me to be here, that I should go home to Bud and A.J." Harriet sighed, looking up to Harm. " She's right Harriet, why don't you go home….you look beat. I'll stay here with her now. You know how she is…..until she's ready to deal with this, she's not going to talk to anyone." Harriet nodded her head. With a small smile she agreed. Looking around the apartment she voiced her thoughts. " Do you think I should just go in and let her know that you're here? I mean…, she might…" Harm cut her off, " Harriet it's ok, go on home and get some rest."
Harm settled down on the couch in the living room after Harriet left. He wanted nothing more than to go into her room, just to see her……see for himself that she was alright. Suddenly he couldn't help but wonder if maybe he should have let Harriet let her know that he was here. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her. Wanting to do something to keep busy he went into the kitchen to start some soup, maybe she would be hungry when she woke up. Harm looked through the ingredients and decided on some basic chicken soup. She didn't have any celery, but she did have carrots, canned chicken, and some broth, reaching past the can of chicken noodle soup for the broth he got to work.
Mac sat up with a start….. still gripped in her terror filled dream. Slowly she took in her surroundings and her breathing began to slow. She sat rigidly, fighting the tears that were threatening to fall. She could get through this, she could…..she would. Throwing her legs over the side of the bed she grimaced at the pain that suddenly shot through her ribs. Holding them tenderly with an arm she stood up. Mac walked slowly to the bathroom, she could hear Harriet puttering around the kitchen. Mac stopped cold in front of the mirror, she looked at her reflection…..not recognizing the face that stared back at her. Turning, she abruptly left the bathroom.
Harm stirred the soup and turned the fire down so it would simmer. He turned to start cleaning up the small mess he'd made, there staring at him from the middle of the kitchen stood Mac…..His heart broke all over again. Harriet had tried to tell him before she left about her injuries, the bruising…..it didn't prepare him. He noted the shocked look on Mac's face, arms that had been at his side reached out automatically. The breath he'd been holding left him in a rush when she closed the small distance between them, letting him take her in his arms. Mac was shocked beyond words to walk into the kitchen and find Harm there instead of Harriet. It only seemed natural to walk into his arms. Allowing herself the brief comfort she stepped back, did he know everything that happened? Looking up into his eyes she knew……yes, he knew. Unsure of what to say, unsure of herself she simply asked " What are you cooking?"
Harm couldn't stop himself from staring at her. He mentally cataloged each bruise, scratch, and cut that he could see. Her bottom lip was split down the middle, her eye was an array of colors ranging from yellow to purple. There were scratches on her throat and over her collarbone. Bruises covered her arms, front and back……the right arm was encased in a cast from the fingertips to just below the elbow. The rest of her he couldn't see, but knew it had to be just as bruised and battered. He met her eyes, trying to find the words…….Mac spoke first. " Harm, please don't. I know you're here because you care, and you want to help…..but I can't," Her voice broke, failing her. She looked down at the floor, willing back the same tears that had threatened before. Looking up she offered him a tender smile. " I'm glad that you're here, I am……but I need to do this on my terms." Mac took in his red-rimmed eyes, the fists clenched tightly at his sides. He nodded his head, gently he placed a finger under her chin "Just don't ask me to leave Sarah……I can't do that." A single tear made it's way down her cheek as she reached up to grasp his hand in hers. Squeezing his hand she turned to the stove, lifting the lid from the pot " You know I actually am hungry……what did you make?"
