Disclaimer: The JAG characters are not my property. I thank the people who did create them.
Mission: Iraq

Chapter One Mission: Proposed
Jag FanFic

23 February 2003

1300 Zulu

JAG Falls Church, VA

Tiner: Admiral, Mr. Webb is here to see you, sir.

Admiral: Send him in. (Aside) What a way to start my week!

Webb: Admiral, I have got a project that I need Rabb and MacKenzie for. The details are rather unconventional so I thought I'd brief you first. Upon your consent, I will approach the Commander and the Colonel.

Admiral: I am disinclined to loan you two of my senior staff, but I'm listening.

1500 Zulu

RABB'S OFFICE

Tiner approaches as Rabb and MacKenzie are going over the facts of an UA case of a Marine in Kuwait's Tent City .
Tiner: Commander, Colonel, the Admiral would like to see you asap.

Mac: Thank you, Tiner. Let's go, Harm, we've been summoned.

ADMIRAL'S OFFICE

Rabb: Morning, sir.

Admiral: Have a seat, Rabb. Colonel, please. ( Webb appears from behind the door and stands behind the Admiral's desk.)

Rabb, smiling: Good morning to you, too, Mr. Webb. Sneaking surreptitiously around JAG to see if you can scare up any spies?

Webb: Rabb, the agency has a project in Iraq that we'd like you and Mac to help us with. As we set up the new provisional government there, we're going to need some military experts to serve as legal attaches.

Mac: It shouldn't be too difficult to find some junior level officers if you want us to recommend some people.

Webb: Well, we do not want just any JAG lawyers. We're looking for someone who isn't just limited to legal advice. We'd like people who can think out of the box and be discreet about it.

Mac: Well, the Commander failed kindergarten for coloring outside the lines, maybe if you let him fly F-14's, he'll go.

Webb: Actually, Colonel, we're interested with someone with language skills as well.

Rabb: Mac, being Miss Quintlingual just moved you to the head of the class!

Webb: Actually, we want you both. Before you say more, I'll give you a brief description of what you'd be doing. After you give your consent to go on the mission, I'll give you the full picture. Mac, we'll want you to travel between Basra and the embassy in Baghdad under the cover of military legal attaché to the Ambassador. Harm, you'll be in Basra advising the Navy and Marine commands centered there. We chose Basra because much of what enters Iraq enters through their only port. We've got a good handle on the airports and border cities up north to keep an eye on people coming in through Turkey and Syria. Besides, we have no excuse to station you there. The length of the mission is two months to a year, depending on what we see.

Rabb: What are you looking for?

Webb: That's in the full briefing, but I can tell you that we are not happy with the amount of Russian weapons we found during the war. We're also watching France, Germany, Pakistani fringe groups, and any strange deal North Korea may try to make. We're still concerned with the various terrorist links from the Middle East. Constructing a democracy in the middle of warring tribal Muslim groups is not a small task. We need people on the ground listening and getting a feel for what's going on.

Mac: A year? That's a long time for us to be away from JAG. Admiral, how does that affect us here?

Admiral: The Pentagon has authorized me to pull officers from the various regions to fill your shoes. When you return, you would both still be senior JAG lawyers. I'd probably pull Commander Turner to be my temporary staff administrator, assuming that you would be willing to go. Two hours ago, I told Webb that I didn't want to spare you, and I don't. However, given the full picture that Webb provided me with, I can understand how the agency would want you two for this particular mission and its..nuances.

Mac: When would we have to leave, sir? I've made some commitments to Chloe.

Webb: You'd have to leave on March 29. It's a Sunday. Rabb, you're being uncharacteristically quiet.

Rabb: I'm thinking about how many more of these wild goose, get my six shot at, cases you're going to send me on.

Webb: Does that mean you're going?

Rabb: Webb, I'm turning forty this year, so I'm thinking that this ought to be it, but, yes, I'll go.

Webb: Colonel?

Mac: I'm thinking. Can't I have some time? You can get the Commander up to speed and I'll give you my answer in a few days.

Webb: It's a package deal. If you're not in, the Commander is out too.

Mac: Why?

Webb: I can't tell you that until you've committed to the plan.

Rabb: Next he'll threaten to reveal all and then have to kill you!

Mac: Okay, I'm in. Who can resist nation building with my partner, the hotshot flyboy?

Webb: You're both certain? Because you'll have to sign these contracts and then I'll give you more details on how your lives are going to change. There will be some drastic changes but the agency will change them back after your mission is over. The risk of death is always there when you deal with rogue nations, but we think for the most part you'll be living in the honeymoon period of a new nation.

Admiral (clearing his throat): Interesting word choice.

Rabb: This doesn't affect the people we love? I don't want my mother wondering whether I'm dead or alive for a year.

Webb: No, nothing like that. You'll be able to have visitors once we have the region somewhat stabilized, if you can persuade anyone to visit Iraq.

Rabb: Okay.

Mac: Give me the papers.

Harm and Mac sign the contract. Webb smiles at the Admiral. The admiral slowly shakes his head.

Webb: In a week, there'll be an announcement in the society pages of the Washington Post.announcing your engagement. The wedding will take place on March 28 at the Naval Observatory. In the next month, you will receive training here during the day under the guise of various menial infractions you will be assigned to investigate. We will actually have our operatives training you to use advanced equipment for information gathering. During the evenings, you will be seen actively planning your wedding.shopping for china patterns, etc.

Rabb: Are you kidding me? We're staging a wedding complete with china patterns?

Webb: We're not staging anything, Rabb. You and the Colonel are getting married, legally. The whole world's diplomatic corps is going to be watching this society event unfold. Mac's famous as the TV Jag lawyer. You're famous for crashing hardware worth more than some nation's defense budgets. A few of these diplomats will be allowed to "view" the wedding through their intelligence agencies.

Rabb: Webb, you can't mess with us that way! How can you expect us to carry this off? Why can't we just pose as a married couple or have some quiet wedding or something? You know."Surprise, they got married in Las Vegas!"

Mac: Now there's a lovely thought! Married in Las Vegas by an Elvis impersonator! Commander, your sense of romance is amazing!

Rabb: C'mon, Mac. All of our friends and family are going to pack out here to witness a farce.

Webb: Look, you signed on. I admit I left this detail out on purpose. We have to have a married couple, especially in a Muslim culture. We can't explain why you would be sneaking into each other's bedrooms with Iraqi servants lurking around. I told you we'd undo whatever we'd done after the mission.

Admiral: May I interrupt, Webb? Rabb, you've been on my staff for eight years. Colonel, you've been here for seven years. You two have a more.well, intimate may not be the best choice of words, but I can't think of a more descriptive one now.relationship than many married people. You may not have had the, shall we say perks, of a marriage but you've certainly maintained a deep and abiding commitment to each other through times of danger, heartache, and tragedy. Many marriages breakup when they hit those same rocks. Who knows? In a year, you might not want Webb to undo anything.

Mac: Admiral!

Admiral: Colonel, if I had a nickel for every time someone who has worked or passed through this office has speculated on the nature of your relationship with the Commander, I'd be a wealthy man, retired from the Navy, and doing summer stock Shakespeare productions.

Rabb: I.I need some time. I mean, I need to take care of something first. Can we hold off on any formal announcements until Wednesday?

Mac: Scared, Harm? Going off to find a plane that needs delivery to some remote station? That'll keep you safe from the strong matrimonial arms.

Rabb: If that's what you want to think, Colonel. I'll be able to tell you at some point, just not now.

Webb: You're not going to mess up this operation because you've got some girl in some port that you have to break the news to, are you?

Rabb: NO!

Webb: Rabb, if you leak this to anyone, I mean ANYONE, you could blow things up in Iraq.

Rabb: I'm not telling anyone anything about this mission.

Webb: I don't trust you on this.

Admiral: Webb, the Commander obviously has something on his mind. If he's willing to take me into his confidence on it, and I determine that it won't jeopardize your mission, can you give him until Wednesday?

Webb: Rabb? Will you tell the Admiral exactly what you're doing, not leaving out any details?

Mac: Wait! What about me?

Admiral and Rabb (at the same time): Mac, don't you trust me?

Mac, smiling: Admiral, always. Harm, does this involve flying?

Rabb: It could, but if you'll feel better, it won't.

Mac: Okay.

Webb: Colonel, we'll start working with you right away. Commander, Wednesday morning, I'll expect you to be ready to go. Mac, let's go into your office to discuss some appointments I'll be making for you, dress shops, caterers, etc. Admiral, call me when you've finished with Rabb.

Admiral: Can do, Webb.

MAC AND WEBB LEAVE THE ADMIRAL AND RABB ALONE. Soon Rabb leaves the Admiral's office, the Admiral tells Tiner to send Webb back in. As he turns to go back into his office, the Admiral smiles and shakes his head.

Harm leaves the Admiral's office, passes Webb in the hall, sticks his head in Mac's office and says, "Hey, Marine, if you don't have plans for dinner tomorrow night."

Mac: You'll be back by then?

Harm: I plan to. Anyway, would you have dinner with me?

Mac: Where?

Harm, smiling: I think I'll make that a surprise.

Mac: Harm! Okay, I don't have time for your adolescent banter right now. How dressy?

Harm: Like you'd dress for a dinner date. Dress, heels, whatever. It's not formal but it's not pizza and a beer dress either.

Mac: What time?

Harm: 18:30. I'll pick you up.

Mac: Harm, are we making a mistake with this mission?

Harm: Mac, it's a mission. I'm not sure how it's all going to affect us, but the Admiral made some sense. If anyone can carry it off, we can. Anyway, we can talk about that tomorrow night. I need to run.

Mac: Good luck on your mystery mission, Flyboy.

Harm grabs his cover, briefcase, topcoat, and enters the elevator. From his pocket he reaches for his cellphone, dials, and says: Hi, it's Harm. I need to see you so I'm coming up. (pause) No, I'm driving. We'll plan on dinner. (pause) No, I'm bringing my toothbrush. (pause) I can't wait either. I love you too.
2100 ZULU

Mac's Office JAG HEADQUARTERS

Harriet delivers a stack of files to Mac.

Mac: Thanks, Harriet. These will keep me busy for awhile.

Harriet: Where's the Commander and why isn't he helping you?

Mac: Uh, he's off on some mysterious leave. Only the Admiral knows for sure what it's about. He'll be back tomorrow night; we're having dinner.

Harriet: Really? Where are you going?

Mac: That's the big secret, but I'm supposed to dress up, but not formal. Any suggestions? You're pretty good with that stuff.

Harriet: Hmm. Okay, I'd say that you should wear a cocktail dress, sheer hose, and heels. Stay away from black, though. That can be a little too formal. Mac, is this a date?

Mac: Well, how can it be? It's Harm! Maybe I should go shopping.

Harriet: Mac, I just saw a champagne colored silk dress at Lord & Taylor.

Mac: Harriet, do you think Bud would keep AJ and you and I could run over there after work? I just don't have the energy for a major shopping expedition, but I value your taste.

Harriet: Mac, a girls' night out! I'm on my way to the big man now to ask him if he'd mind! We can catch a bite while we're out.

Mac: Make it someplace with good beef.who knows what kind of health food Harm will have me munching tomorrow!
Tuesday, 24 February 2003

Mac's Apartment Georgetown

ZULU 2120

Mac is getting ready, putting makeup on, hair in electric rollers, wearing a ratty, oversized robe. The doorbell rings.

Mac (to herself): Who could be at my door? Harm is going to be here in 10 minutes; of course, he will be late. She marches to the door, flings it open, and finds Harm standing there with a bouquet of calla lilies. He is wearing a charcoal gray suit, a royal blue shirt, and a yellow and blue tie.

Mac: Ah.Harm! You're early!

Harm: And you've never looked lovelier! New dress?

Mac: Well....um, I'm almost ready here. Just give me ten.um, you can wait in here if you'd like.

Harm hands her the flowers and says: These are for you. If you've got a vase, I'll put them in water while you finish.

Mac: Flowers, for me! Thanks, that's really thoughtful of you..you're not Palmer impersonating Harm are you?

Harm: You want to pinch me to see?

Mac: Nah.I'll figure it out by the end of the evening..the restaurant's food choices will give you away!

Mac disappears into her bedroom. Rabb rummages through the kitchen cupboards, finds a vase, fills it, and awkwardly stuffs the lilies in it. He places the vase in the center of the table, stands back, rolls his eyes and shakes his head. He sits down on the couch and calls to Mac.

Harm: Did I miss anything at the office today?

Mac: No, not too much. Bud won his court case on the dereliction of duty defense for that Marine in Okinawa. The admiral was with Webb for a couple of hours this morning, then went to the Pentagon for the rest of the day. Tiner found reasons to bump into Petty Officer Coates as often as possible. Sturgis was out on an investigation all day. Harriet nagged me about what you and I were doing tonight.

Harm: Harriet? Why does she know about tonight?

Mac: Well, you got me all flustered about what to wear, so I asked her advice and the next thing I knew she and I were at a mall in Alexandria shopping until we dropped last night. Actually, we had dinner and then she helped me pick out this dress..(changesvoice into an exaggerated southern drawl) She done her society upbringing proud!

Mac walks back into the living room wearing a champagne colored silk chemise with a wide bateau neckline. The effect screamed classic sophistication.

Mac spins around: So.how'd we do?

Harm (swallows): Wow.you look great.maybe you could persuade the top Marine Brass to lose the Olive uniforms and substitute that dress.it'd give new meaning to "The few, the proud.". Of course, I was rather partial to that hot number you were wearing when you came to the door..

Mac playfully swats at Harm's arm and reaches for a black wool cape that she has thrown over the back of the couch.

Harm grabs the cape, and says: Let me help you with that. You ready?

Mac: Starved! I hope you're not taking me too far.

Harm: Mac.Beltway Burgers is just down the street!

Mac: Harmon Rabb, I intend to get some mileage out of this dress.it will not be Beltway Burgers. (pause) Is it possible that you and I are leaving on time?

Harm: What's the big deal? I've got timing!!

Mac: We're not dancing are we?

Harm: Never know!

2400 ZULU

Country Inn in rural Fairfax County. Setting: Table near a fireplace in a stone manor house. The table is completely set in white linens, white china with a platinum band. A brandy snifter with an arrangement of white roses and gardenias is in the center of the table. There are other rooms of the restaurant filled with people at tables, but the other tables in this room are empty. The maitre'd shows the couple to their table. The waiter asks Harm if he wants the wine now or with dinner.

Harm: Just bring it now.

The waiter returns, opens the bottle at the table, has Harm taste it, and then pours two glasses. He turns to leave.

Harm: This is okay. I had it sent from a California winery. It's their best quality non-alcoholic wine.

Mac: Really? You're a nice guy, no matter what everyone at JAG says! I wonder why this room is so empty. It's much nicer than the other two rooms and they are full. Maybe they are expecting a party in here later or something.

Harm: I don't think so.

Mac: Now how would you know the restaurant's plans for this room? You've been hanging with Webb too long!

Harm interrupts her: I booked this room. I wanted to talk to you privately.

Mac: Does that mean I'm to be taken your confidence about your mysterious thirty-six hour disappearance?

The waiter approaches. The two order - filet mignon for Mac; pasta with grilled fresh tuna for Harm.

Mac: Okay, where did you go?

Harm: Sorry, that's classified.

Mac: Okay, then tell me why we need to be alone in a room. There's nobody to appreciate Harriet's expensive taste in my new dress!

Harm: I'm appreciating it enough for a battalion.

Mac, leaning in: Harm, are you flirting with me?

Harm: No, I'm telling the truth.

Mac (in the mock accent of a southern belle): Why my dear Mr. Rabb, you do know how to turn a girl's head!

Harm: I'm not interested in girls, just one Marine.

Mac: Thanks, Harm. . You know, you look pretty spiffy yourself tonight. I don't think I've seen you wear that suit before.

Harm: You haven't. I just bought it.

Mac, straightens up: Are you leaving the Navy?

Harm: Where did you come up with that idea?

Mac: Well, I'm not sure what this dinner is all about. You've softened me up with flowers, a wonderful setting, and compliments. You're wearing a new suit.an expensive one at that. It's after hours and you're wearing a tie.I figure you're going to finish this one mission, and then take a job with a civilian law firm that represents defense contractors trying to build planes for the Navy.

Harm: You're right about the suit, and you're right about the mission. You are wrong about the career change, although I do have a life change in mind.

Mac: Not another designator change.what's left .submarines? Think you can run silent?

Harm reaches into his pocket and sets a small box on the table between them. Mac stares at the box, which is wrapped in ivory paper with a gold ribbon.

Harm: I actually think it's time for me to stop being silent. You are my best friend in the world. You're the one I go to for advice, professional and personal. You've covered my six more times than I can count. I'm going to be forty years old and I'm tired of being the randy Navy good time guy. I want more from life. I want roots and stability. I want you. Let me finish! I want you as my wife.

Mac looks around: Is Webb going to jump out from behind a wall and yell, "Surprise.you're on Spook Surprise TV?"

Harm: Nope. Webb has no idea about this. I want this to be between us. I don't want his phony staging. I want us to consider this mission, in part, to be permanent. I don't want to play house; I want the house, the mortgage, the leaky faucets, and the leaky kids. Whenever I think of that, I can't think of another woman that I want it with. For seven years, each woman I have dated, or even looked at, eventually I compared to you. Nobody else matches the package. It's kind of like the President.

Mac: George Bush?

Harm: Yeah. Remember when he was looking for a VP candidate and he got Dick Cheney to help him find a good running mate? Pretty soon, he figured out that nobody measured up to the guy in front of him, so he asked Cheney. Now I'm asking you. You want to be my running mate for life?

Mac: I don't know. I love you; is love enough?

Harm: Sarah, the physical attraction part has never been a problem for me. A guy would have to undergo a chromosome count if he weren't attracted to you. Marriage is a commitment, so I think there needs to be a genuine admiration and affection for the rest of the 23 and a half hours of the day.

Mac: You mean 22 and a half, don't you? (Smiles flirtatiously) If I ask to think about it, can I still open the box?

Harm: You're not stringing me along like you did Brumby..ten months of him mooning around. Tell you what.you can look, but you can't touch until you commit.

Mac: I love opening presents.okay. (Mac unwraps the box, opens it, and reveals a yellow gold ring with a diamond solitaire flanked by two sapphire trilliants and emerald baguettes at the base of the sapphires.) Wow! This is gorgeous, Harm. It's the most exquisite ring I've ever seen.

Harm: The diamond was the one my father gave my mother. She gave it to me years ago and I gave it to my grandmother to keep for me. I had it reset for you. You can get this stuff done pretty fast in small town jewelers. The sapphires are for the Navy and the emeralds are for the Corps. I guess the stones sum up our relationship. The diamond has a mineral hardness of 10.I think marriage takes a certain amount of toughness and I think we both have it. At the end of the day, we keep coming back to each other.there's something enduring about that. Anyway, did I do okay with the gold setting? I waffled back and forth between that and the platinum but thought that the gold matched your uniform better.

Mac: That was, uh, very practical of you, Harm. You did great on the ring. It's just that I'm stunned. You, Mr. Noncommittal, are pressuring me for a commitment.

Harm: I'm not pressuring you. I'll wait. I just don't want to do the phony thing with Webb's phony ring and his script. If you want to do that, we can. I'll play along, but what I want is this.our place, our ring.

Mac: I've never heard an engagement ring referred to as "ours" before.

Harm: That's because you can wear the ring on the outside.there's another ring that I wear on the inside. It binds my heart.

Mac: That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard you say. I want to say yes, but I'm so scared.

Harm: I've been fighting the fears for years. When Webb made this suggestion yesterday, I thought that we couldn't do it, we'd ruin the friendship, the rivalry, the chemistry. Then when the Admiral said what he did, for some reason, I thought of my grandparents. I don't remember much about my parents being together.living out the marriage, but I remember my grandparents. They'd sit out on their porch in the evenings, spring to fall, and just rock and talk. Grandpa would rest his arm on the swing behind Grandma and all was right with the world. They'd watch the sun go down. When he was dying, she sat at his bedside and quietly talked to him. Half the time, I don't even think he could hear her, but she still sat and watched the sun go down on their life together. I talked to my other grandma about it last night when we had dinner. She showed me the shallowness of all these other relationships I've been in. She asked me who would leave the biggest void if they evaporated from my life. For so many years, that void was my father being gone. I'm a man; I've lived almost as long as my father lived and I have invested little in others' lives. It's time to stop taking and start giving. I want to give to you; you'll probably have to be a patient teacher, but you're the one I want. When I draw my last breath, yours is the last face I want to see.

Mac: Harmon Rabb, Jr. I'm scared to death about what I'm about to do, but I can't not give this a shot. It'll either be the greatest ride of my life or I'll have a shattered heart, but the pain of not trying it will be far worse than trying. I'll wear your ring.

Harm: I'll put it on. (Tears roll down both of their cheeks as Harm places the ring on Mac's finger and says: Grow old along with me. The best is yet to be.

Mac: Did you just quote Browning?

Harm: My high school English teacher said it might come in handy some day.

Will you marry me?

Mac: This kind of gives new meaning to joint operations, don't you think?

Mac leans across the table and kisses Harm very gently.

Mac: You can read that as a yes.(kisses Harm again.)

Harm: Easy Marine, I'll be taking you flying at 2 G's in no time.

Mac: Promises, promises! Can we skip dessert?

Harm: You're not eating dessert? Tower, I've got the ball!
0500 ZULU

Mac's apartment Georgetown

Mac and Harm are in a steamy embrace on the couch.

Harm: Listen, before we get too out of control here, I'm going to go home.

Mac: You're not going to stay the night?

Harm: I'm allowing all the self-control the Navy has taught me to speak now, and I'm telling you that I want to wait.

Mac: For what?

Harm: For my wife.

Mac: But that's going to be me.

Harm: But it's not yet.

Mac: So what?

Harm: So, you're different and I want "it" to be different. I want it to be inside the commitment rather than outside the commitment.

Mac: Really?

Harm: Well, as I said, that's what my head wants. The rest of my body is screaming to go for it now. Frank told me one time that there's nothing like making love to your wife. It was during one of those adolescent talks that embarrassed me to death, but the idea has stuck with me for twenty- five years. I don't want to compare you as fiancée versus you as wife.

Mac: Don't worry. I've already got the flannel cowboy jammies and lots of cold cream. I can be an old shoe at will!

Harm: I like old shoes. (He rises to leave. Mac walks him to the door and kisses him.)

Harm: What time is it?

Mac: Zero fifteen, why?

Harm: So this is Wednesday?

Mac: Yep, why?

Harm: Thirty-one days.

Mac: Till what?

Harm: Till you fly with me.

Mac: Can't wait.

Harm: I don't know how I'm going to. Good Night, my love.

25 February 2003

1230 ZULU

JAG HEADQUARTERS Falls Church, VA

Mac is sitting in her office. Harriet sticks her head in the door.

Harriet: Morning, ma'am, how was the dinner last night?

Mac: Unforgettable, Harriet.

Harriet: Did the Commander notice your dress?

Mac: Harriet, I think you can be my personal shopper from now on.

Harriet: Really? But, does that mean we can't go together?

Mac: It means that you are an incredible friend.

Harriet: Thanks, Mac. You've been a great friend to me; I'm glad to return the favor. I need to run. The Commander left a voice mail of files he wants pulled from the Archives.

Commander Rabb passes Harriet in the hall.

Rabb: Morning, Lt. Sims.

Harriet: Morning, Sir. Did you have a good time last night?

Rabb: Life changing, Harriet.

Harriet: Really, sir?

Rabb: Better than a tailhook.

Harriet: That must've been some restaurant. Bud and I will have to try it. Our anniversary is coming up.hmmm.

Tiner: Attention on deck.

Admiral: At ease. Rabb, Colonel MacKenzie, my office.

Rabb and Mac follow the Admiral to his office

The admiral unfolds the newspaper, pulls out the society section, points to a picture of Mac leaning across the table kissing Harm and says, "Mind explaining this? The caption reads 'Trial TV's Colonel MacKenzie pleads 'No Contest' in a trial of the heart in Fairfax County last night."

Rabb: HOW did anyone get that picture?

Mac: You didn't know anything about this?

Rabb: Of course not. I went to a lot of work to keep last night a secret. Only the Admiral knew.

Admiral: Knew what, Commander?

Rabb: My plans, sir.

Admiral: What I knew was that you needed to drive to Pennsylvania to see your grandmother about something that needed safekeeping before you went on this mission to Iraq. What's that have to do with swapping spit with the Colonel in the newpaper?

Rabb: Well.uh.I thought you understood that I had to retrieve something from my grandmother.

Admiral: Your grandmother had the Colonel?

Rabb: No, my grandmother had the ring, Sir.

Admiral (staring into Rabb's eyes and never looking at Mac): You mean that stunning piece on the third digit of the Colonel's left hand?.. Gotchya!

Mac: How did you see it, sir?

Admiral: They teach you to see it all at Command School. Colonel, may I offer you my best wishes for your happiness, even if it is with this numbskull flyboy?

Turning to Rabb: Commander Rabb, you have pulled off your coup d'etat. I never thought you had the jet propulsion to get the job done.

Rabb: The job won't be done for another thirty-one days, sir. This filly has a tendency to buck when she's led into the stable.

Mac: Now I'm a horse?

Admiral: Has she ever had the right cowboy?

Harm: She has now.

Admiral: Okay, you two, we're going out into that bullpen and make an announcement. Then I'm going to make a large deposit into the gift pool that Harriet has going.

Mac: What pool?

Admiral: Mac, there's been a pool for years on you two. There were values for everything.stolen looks, private conversations, broken relationships, etc. Every time the blinds went down on the windows in one of your offices, it was a ten spot for whoever's day it was. Harriet keeps the calendar. Bud wouldn't allow anyone to bet, against regulations, so Harriet suggested that we accumulate the money into a gift fund for the two of you when and if "it" ever happened.

Raising his voice: People, Commander Rabb has an announcement to make, if I can have your attention.

Rabb: You can make it, sir.

Admiral: You stepped up to the plate last night, Rabb. Hit it out of the ballpark now.

Rabb: You've all been a family to me for these last eight years, and, as such, families are entitled to hear about good news. I have very good news to report to you today, and that is that Colonel MacKenzie and I .um.

Mac (aside): Cat got your tongue, Commander?

Rabb: ..that is, the Colonel has accepted.uh...The Colonel and I are going to.um, Iraq.I mean before we go to Iraq, we're going to

Harriet: MAC, IS THAT AN ENGAGEMENT RING???????

Rabb: .get married.

Mac holds up her hand and wiggles her finger. The Jag Corps staff cheers as Harm and Mac embrace with the Admiral looking on as if he'd arranged the whole thing.

In the shadows, Webb looks down at a ring and says, "Rabb even did this better than the rest of us."

Rabb: Oh my goodness, my mother.she reads the Washington papers. I'd better call her.

Rabb rushes to his office and closes the door. Members of the Jag staff gather around Harriet who tallies the amounts owed.

Admiral to Mac: Are you happy, Mac? You finally got him.

Mac: Sir, I'm scared to death.

Admiral: Why would you be scared? The only thing he's dangerous around is airplanes.

Mac: What if it doesn't work? I'll lose him and I'll lose my best friend.

Admiral: When Tennyson lost his best friend, he wrote the immortal words, "'Tis better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all."

Mac: That wasn't about a woman?

Admiral: No, it was about his best friend who died as a young man. The principle is the same. You have to take the risk. Colonel, has it occurred to you that the greatest couples in human history were married to each other? Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Mary and Joseph, Arthur and Guinevere, Napoleon and Josephine, George and Martha, John and Abigail, Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Madame and Pierre Curie, Bogie and Bacall,.

Mac: What about Tracy and Hepburn?

Admiral: An incredible combination, but once she's gone, what lives on besides some rolls of film? Besides, what fictional couple endures more than Petruchio and Kate?

Mac: Do I really want to be compared to the " Taming of the Shrew"?

Admiral quotes from Act V Scene ii.: "Marry, peace it bodes, and love, and quiet life, An awful rule, and right supremacy, And to be short, what not, that's sweet and happy"

Mac: Sweet and happy? Tell that to the Clintons. I think I'd better call Chloe and ask her if she prefers the title flower girl or junior bridesmaid.

END OF CHAPTER 1