A/N : So I just watched Ghosts of Christmas Past, and I couldn't help but think what if Harm and Mac had been married in the episode, so this is my take on a different little twist to it, Enjoy and Merry Christmas.
Disclaimer I don't own JAG ( but I wish I did ) all I own are my dvd sets and the autographs from DJE and the rest of the cast…..
2030 Zulu
Christmas Eve
Vietnam Memorial Wall
Harm walked up to the wall just like he has done every year since he had been in Washington, he walked up to the section with his dad's name, running his thumb along the engraving. This wasn't the first time that he wished his father could have been with him on Christmas, but this year was different, he continued to stand there for a while.
"Merry Christmas Dad."
"Oh, excuse me, I didn't mean to disturb you. I forgot to bring something to light this with." The woman said
"Not a problem" Harm reached in his pocket and pulled out his zippo and handed it to her.
"Who are you here to honor?"
"An aviator – Lt Harmon Rabb"
Harm's eyes got wide when she said his father's name….
"Little Harm – that's what your father use to call you; isn't it."
"Yes"
"You look so much like him. You must've been…."
"I was 5 – last time I saw him, he took me to mission park. We carved our initials in the roller coaster."
"Do you ever go back?"
"They tore it down. How did you know him?"
"I met him on the USS Ticonderoga – I was in the USO troupe with Bob Hope on his annual tour."
"Your Jenny Lake, I have your jazz experiment."
"That was a few years later, I met your father on Dec 23. Thirty years ago today."
"That Christmas eve he was shot down."
"I know – I was there.."
Harm stood there and listened as Jenny told him about his father's last days on board the ship….How he had helped her thru a bad part of her life, how he had given her back her life, how he gave her the strength to move on. She told him that his father had confided in her that his worst fear was to get shot down and taken a POW, how he told her that at least being killed would give loved ones the closure they need so that they can be able to move on with their lives.
"His worst fear, but you know all that."
"I didn't know about you and him."
"Harm he loved your mother, very much. And you he would be so proud of you. I finished that tour and I came back until all our boys where home, one way or the other. I fell in love with a bass player in the band, and I have two wonderful children, who wouldn't existed if your father hadn't chased a mixed-up girl out to the fantail in the middle of a crazy war. I was going to leave these at the memorial, but they belong to you."
Jenny handed Harm a blue velvet box, he opened it up and looked inside. "My father's wings" He placed the box on the ground at the base of the wall. "They belong to him." Harm snapped to attention and saluted his father. As Jenny stood behind him and watched.
He turned around and looked at her, "Thank you for telling me about my father's last days, it really helps me feel closer to him, and knowing that he had someone with him that he could confide in and bring him some comfort means a lot."
Jenny smiled at Harm.. "You really do look just like him, seeing you is like seeing a Ghost from my past."
"My mom tells me that all the time, that I remind her of him."
They both turned around when they heard another person walk up. Harm smiled at Mac and little Harm.
"We where starting to worry about you sailor!" Mac looked at the other woman standing beside Harm.
"Oh where are my manners, Lt Col Sarah Mackenzie – Rabb, this is Ms Jenny Lake. She was part of Bob Hope's USO tour, she was on the carrier day before and dad's last day."
"It's very nice to meet you ."
"And you as well Col Rabb, who is this here all bundled up."
Harm smiled as Mac handed their son over to his father, he turned the baby so Jenny could see him.
"This Harmon David Rabb 111, we call him little Harm."
Jenny smiled at the baby, "Just like your father called you, how old is he?"
"He just turned 4 weeks, we brought him to meet dad tonight. But then the snow started so we decided that Sarah would wait in the car while I went up to wall."
"And then I showed up." Jenny said looking down, "I'm sorry to have kept you from your family tonight."
"I'm glad you showed up, otherwise I wouldn't have known about dad's last days while he was with us, I cant think you enough for that."
Jenny smiled "It's I that owe him everything, he was a great man. And I can tell that his son is a great man as well." Jenny turned and walked over to Mac. "Treasure this man that you have been blessed with, he's one in million. Men like him only come along once in a lifetime, if your lucky enough to find them. Merry Christmas."
Jenny turned and walked away from Harm and Mac, they stood there and watched her leave. Mac turned and looked at her husband, "Are you ok?"
"You know, I'm better then ok. I'm glad that dad wasn't alone, and that someone was with him before he was shot down. Since you guys are here let's introduce little H to his grandpa."
They walked back over to the wall, and up to where Harm Sr's name is engraved. Harm turned the baby to face the wall
"Dad I want to introduce you too a very special little person, dad this is your grandson little Harm. That's right dad I finally got it right, I'm going to teach him everything that you taught me."
Mac stood there watching her husband and son, she wished that Harm Sr could really be there to meet his grandson, she knew he would be proud of everything that Harm had accomplished in his life so far. She looked up just as a shooting star rushed across the sky, somehow she knew that was Harm's father's way of saying he was there with them. Mac looked back down, when she felt a hand take hers.
"Ready to go home sweetheart?"
"Very ready, I'm glad that little H got to meet his granddad tonight."
"You know Sarah it almost felt like dad was here tonight."
Mac smiled "I think he was."
Harm put his arm around Mac and lead her to the SUV, once there he opened the passenger front door for Mac and the side back door - he placed little Harm is his car seat, then walked around to the front getting in and heading home. The drive back to the apartment was somewhat short, it was kind of late on Christmas eve night, so traffic was light. Once they got home, they got out and headed up to the apartment. Once upstairs Mac went up to change and Harm took the baby into the nursery to change him and get him ready for bed, Since it was Christmas he put him in a little Christmas sleeper with gingerbread men and candy canes. He figured this would make mac happy.
Just as he came out he met Mac coming down the steps toward him, she was dressed in her Christmas p.j's, Harm just chuckled at his wife, he knew she loved wearing Christmas p.j's. He handed the baby to her and went to change himself, he wasn't shocked to see that she had laid out Christmas bottoms for him, and a white t-shirt. He changed and headed down to join his wife and son on the sofa.
"How do you feel about tonight?"
"I'm glad I met her, she helped me understand a part of dad that I didn't know. That I will never know, it just makes me more determined to always be here for my family. You guys are everything to me."
"It works both ways fly-boy, you're everything to us too. That's why your son and I bought you an extra special Christmas gift this year."
Mac handed Harm a Christmas gift bag, he took the bag and opened it up. Inside was a double sided photo frame, Harm studied the 2 side by side photos. One was his dad holding him as a baby and the other was of him holding little Harm. Harm noticed that both his father and himself where wearing the same clothes – navy khaki uniforms and flight jackets, Harm smiled. Then he read the words 'Like Father's, Like son's'
"Sarah…this is perfect..just perfect.."
Harm got up and walked over to their Christmas tree and picked up a gift wrapped box and a gift bag, he went back and sat back down on the sofa next to Mac and little Harm. He handed both items to Mac and took the baby from her, letting him snuggle into his chest.
"The box is for you, and the bag is for little H."
"oh goodie…" Mac opened little Harms first… inside was a little stuffed airplane and a onesie that read 'Future Navy Pilot'
"That's cute squid…"
Harm raised his eye brow, "Got to start him off right."
Mac then unwrapped her box, inside the box was a jewelry box. She opened it to find rose necklace, under the necklace was a card.
Sarah,
Roses brought us together, now this rose will
Keep us together, I love you forever.
Harm
"Oh Harm I love it…" Mac took Harms face in her hands and kissed him passionately on the lips…They broke the kiss only when the need for air overtook them, Mac took their gifts and placed them on the coffee table, she then snuggled up next to Harm and he placed his arm around her. Both drifted off to sleep, not noticing the figure standing in the room watching the family. Harm Sr stood their watching his son and his family. He smiled even though he knew they couldn't see him.
"You did good Little Harm, I'm proud of the man you became. Take good care of your wife and son for me. I love you.." With that Harm Sr disappeared…
