Safe
By Celli Lane
Feedback: Positive or negative both welcome. celli@fanfiction.net
Pairing: Harm/Mac
Category: Vignette, Angst. Missing Scene for "Adrift Part II."
Rating: PG
Spoiler: Everything through "Adrift Part II."
Summary: Chloe picks Mic.
Archiving: Just let me know where so I can come visit it.
Disclaimer: If JAG belonged to me, Gunny wouldn't be off in a war
zone, even if I do like "First Monday"...nope, all these guys belong to
DPB, Paramount, and CBS.
Author's Notes: This one takes a bit of explaining...or maybe not. I
just recently saw the season premiere, and like everyone else, I was
startled by the changes in Chloe and Mic during the course of the
episode. It just didn't make sense. This story has been knocking on the
back of my brain ever since, demanding to be heard. Thanks to Packrat
for the beta-reading, and Jen for the reassurance.
***
1730 ZULU
BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL
GROUND FLOOR CAFETERIA
They have huge windows here, or maybe they just look huge because
there's so much sun coming in them. It bounces off the table I'm
waiting at, and it's shining on the floor by the vending machines,
where Mic and Mac are arguing about the wedding again. Which is
almost a relief, because it means they're not looking at me. I
can stop with the stupid smile I've had on since we walked into
Harm's hospital room. Maybe if they argue for a minute more, I
won't look like I'm crying when they get back.
Harm looked so...awful. And he sounded awful, and he was trying to
pretend everything was fine, but of course it wasn't. I can't believe
he asked Harriet about "the kids!"
That wasn't the worst part, though. The worst part is, I think how
Harm looks right now is how Mac *feels.* She's been smiling like me
since we found out Harm was okay, but if you really look at her, she's
not happy. She's more scared than me, and more hurt than Harm.
Mic brings my bear claw to me, and I'm sure Mac thinks I'm nuts because
I'm so excited over it. I'd better just start eating it before they
notice anything's wrong.
I guess I was too excited. Mac gives me a funny look before she goes
off to the bathroom, and Mic is giving me one of those lawyer looks and
sitting real close to me. "Okay, now," he says when Mac is out of
earshot, "what's going on, Chloe?"
"Nothing! I just really like bear claws."
"Mm-hm..."
"And I do think you're the greatest. Really."
"Mm-hm..."
I tear little pieces of the plastic off and drop them 'round the
table. "What?"
"Chloe." He takes the bear claw away from me. "I mean it. What's
wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just..." The sun is really bright today. It's
hurting my eyes. "I'm just really sorry that I wasn't nice to
you before. It was very immature."
"Harm's your friend."
Huh? "Well, I guess. But you're much better for Mac than he ever
would be."
"Mm-hm." I'm starting to really hate it when he does that. I'm just
sort of babbling everything while he nods and looks stern.
"Being married to Harm would be like being married to a cop or a
firefighter. When I first met him, I thought he was a hero like in the
movies. I think that's why Renee likes him."
"Mm-hm..."
"But he could have died being a hero. *You* don't fly planes or get
hit by lightning or get lost in the middle of the ocean."
"Yeah, but Harm's okay." How come he's arguing with me? "Sarah helped
save him."
"Like she saved me." Mic looks at me funny. "Which is a good thing,"
I say quickly. "That she could find him. It's pretty neat, because,
you know, she has to be really close to somebody to do it. Like with
me."
Mic is quiet for a really long time. I probably shouldn't have said
that. It came out all wrong. "But now everything's okay," I say even
faster. "Harm's okay, and he was really happy to see Renee." ...I
think. "And you and Mac are gonna get married, and everything will
be--"
"Safe," Mic says, very quietly.
"I...guess. Yeah, safe." That's it. "Which is good. Safe means
that you'll be around forever, and we don't ever have to worry about
you. I love safe."
"I'm glad," he says in that same voice.
Mac is heading back towards our table. I give Mic a big hug. "You
really are just the best," I say.
---the end---
By Celli Lane
Feedback: Positive or negative both welcome. celli@fanfiction.net
Pairing: Harm/Mac
Category: Vignette, Angst. Missing Scene for "Adrift Part II."
Rating: PG
Spoiler: Everything through "Adrift Part II."
Summary: Chloe picks Mic.
Archiving: Just let me know where so I can come visit it.
Disclaimer: If JAG belonged to me, Gunny wouldn't be off in a war
zone, even if I do like "First Monday"...nope, all these guys belong to
DPB, Paramount, and CBS.
Author's Notes: This one takes a bit of explaining...or maybe not. I
just recently saw the season premiere, and like everyone else, I was
startled by the changes in Chloe and Mic during the course of the
episode. It just didn't make sense. This story has been knocking on the
back of my brain ever since, demanding to be heard. Thanks to Packrat
for the beta-reading, and Jen for the reassurance.
***
1730 ZULU
BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL
GROUND FLOOR CAFETERIA
They have huge windows here, or maybe they just look huge because
there's so much sun coming in them. It bounces off the table I'm
waiting at, and it's shining on the floor by the vending machines,
where Mic and Mac are arguing about the wedding again. Which is
almost a relief, because it means they're not looking at me. I
can stop with the stupid smile I've had on since we walked into
Harm's hospital room. Maybe if they argue for a minute more, I
won't look like I'm crying when they get back.
Harm looked so...awful. And he sounded awful, and he was trying to
pretend everything was fine, but of course it wasn't. I can't believe
he asked Harriet about "the kids!"
That wasn't the worst part, though. The worst part is, I think how
Harm looks right now is how Mac *feels.* She's been smiling like me
since we found out Harm was okay, but if you really look at her, she's
not happy. She's more scared than me, and more hurt than Harm.
Mic brings my bear claw to me, and I'm sure Mac thinks I'm nuts because
I'm so excited over it. I'd better just start eating it before they
notice anything's wrong.
I guess I was too excited. Mac gives me a funny look before she goes
off to the bathroom, and Mic is giving me one of those lawyer looks and
sitting real close to me. "Okay, now," he says when Mac is out of
earshot, "what's going on, Chloe?"
"Nothing! I just really like bear claws."
"Mm-hm..."
"And I do think you're the greatest. Really."
"Mm-hm..."
I tear little pieces of the plastic off and drop them 'round the
table. "What?"
"Chloe." He takes the bear claw away from me. "I mean it. What's
wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just..." The sun is really bright today. It's
hurting my eyes. "I'm just really sorry that I wasn't nice to
you before. It was very immature."
"Harm's your friend."
Huh? "Well, I guess. But you're much better for Mac than he ever
would be."
"Mm-hm." I'm starting to really hate it when he does that. I'm just
sort of babbling everything while he nods and looks stern.
"Being married to Harm would be like being married to a cop or a
firefighter. When I first met him, I thought he was a hero like in the
movies. I think that's why Renee likes him."
"Mm-hm..."
"But he could have died being a hero. *You* don't fly planes or get
hit by lightning or get lost in the middle of the ocean."
"Yeah, but Harm's okay." How come he's arguing with me? "Sarah helped
save him."
"Like she saved me." Mic looks at me funny. "Which is a good thing,"
I say quickly. "That she could find him. It's pretty neat, because,
you know, she has to be really close to somebody to do it. Like with
me."
Mic is quiet for a really long time. I probably shouldn't have said
that. It came out all wrong. "But now everything's okay," I say even
faster. "Harm's okay, and he was really happy to see Renee." ...I
think. "And you and Mac are gonna get married, and everything will
be--"
"Safe," Mic says, very quietly.
"I...guess. Yeah, safe." That's it. "Which is good. Safe means
that you'll be around forever, and we don't ever have to worry about
you. I love safe."
"I'm glad," he says in that same voice.
Mac is heading back towards our table. I give Mic a big hug. "You
really are just the best," I say.
---the end---