Of cough drops and peppermint.
By Jara
Authors note: This is a response to a challenge from Cat. Use the following words: credit card, peppermint, cough drop, CD case, Halloween, remote control, chap stick, hairbrush, rolodex, SNAPPLE MANGO MADNESS, dishwasher, Kaleidoscope, sunglasses.
Authors note 2: I know my other story To Tell The Truth is a bit on hold right now. This mostly is due to the lack of time. My studies have been demanding a lot of my time and of my awake mind. I do plan on finishing it so please bare with me it may only take a bit longer that I would have liked myself. But the story is right here in my head and waiting to get written out. In the meanwhile I received this challenge. This is part one of it and if I have a mindless day and feel like writing something fluff I will finish it. There won't be more than two parts here. Not a big story, just me having some fun. I hope you enjoy it and please feel free to give me some feedback.
PART ONE
Monday 9:30
JAG Headquarters Falls Church, Virginia
Harmon Rabb Jr walks into his office, the amendatory cup of coffee in his hand. Like he always does, he wants to greet his junior officer Meg Austin who would already be with her nose in a couple of files. However, the Lt. Commander stops dead in his tracks as he notices this morning his partner isn't in the office and there is nothing indicating that she had just stepped out. Frowning Harm puts his cup, briefcase and cover down on his messy desk and he leaves the office again.
"Tyner, do you know why Lt JG Austin isn't present?" Harm asks Admiral Chegwiddens yeoman.
Tyner looks up. "Yes, sir. She called in sick this morning." He informs Harm.
"Thank you, Tyner." Harm sighs and gets back into his office. There weren't any big cases they had to handle so her illness didn't really interfere with their work, still he just knew this day would be boring without her.
Monday 14:30
JAG Headquarters Falls Church, Virginia
Harm sighs and puts down his pen. He pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes so he doesn't have to look at the papers in front of him. He hates paperwork and now Meg wasn't there to take some of the load of his shoulders. Of course Krennick had been more than happy to dump some extra files on him that Meg should have been handling.
*Meg, I wonder how she is doing.* Harms thoughts go to his blonde partner, her blue eyes and her enchanting smile. His eyes travel towards her at the moment empty desk. Without thinking his hand travels towards the telephone and he starts dialling her number, knowing it by heart.
It takes a little while but finally Meg answers the telephone with a sleepy and hoarse voice. "Austin." She mumbles and coughs.
Harm cringes. "Wow, you really don't sound good." He observes.
Meg rolls her eyes on the other side of the telephone even though Harm can't see her she just knows he's aware of her doing that. "Well d'uh! Why else would I have called in sick?" She asks sarcastically but her soar throat interferes with her tone.
"Ok ok, I get the picture." Harm says quickly. "Did you call a doctor?" He asks worried.
Meg smiles hearing the concern in his voice. "Yeah, he says I got a flue but hopefully I'll be back at work by the end of the week."
"Good, 'cause dragonlady is trying to drown me in files." Harm jokes.
"Ow, is that the only reason why you want me back? To do your paperwork and to cover for you when Krennick drops by?" Meg asks laughing.
"No!" Harm protests. "And to get me some coffee." He smirks.
"Seems you'll have to get it yourself then, sir." Meg grins, wondering why he really called.
Harm seemed to have read her thoughts. "No, seriously. I was just wondering if you might need anything. I could drop by the pharmacist for you after work."
Meg smiles. "Thanks, Harm. That's really sweet to offer but my neighbour Mrs Jenkins already went to get me some medicine."
"Are you sure you don't need anything else?" Harm insists actually fishing for an excuse to drop by and check up on her.
"What? You want to come and check up on me? I'm a big girl, Harm. It's just a bug, I'll be back before you know it." Now she seems to have read his mind.
"I know perfectly well that you can take care of yourself. I just thought that if you needed anything I could go get it for you. Mrs Jenkins is not the only one who can go to the shop for you."
"Ok, you want to go shopping for me?" Meg asks trying to think of something she might need.
Harm laughs. "If you need anything, I'll be more than happy to go get it for you." He says sounding honest.
"Ok, I could use some cough drops, a chap stick, Kleenexes and something to drink." Meg sums up.
Because as usual his desk is a complete mess, Harm writes the small list on an empty card in his rolodex. "Ok, got it." Harm smiles. "What do you want to drink?"
"You know what I like." Meg smirks.
"Snapple mango madness." He laughs as he mentions her favourite drink.
"You got it." Meg coughs. "And hurry with the cough drops, my throat is killing me." She whines.
"As soon as I'm finished here, I'll come over. Want me to bring you something to eat?" He asks thinking she probably was too tired to fix up something herself.
"I don't know, I don't think I can keep it in." Meg replies.
"Meg, you have to eat something." Harm insists. "I don't know, Harm." She says softly.
"Ok, I'll pick you up a Texas pizza." His tone making it clear that he doesn't want a discussion about this.
"Thanks." Meg smiles.
"You're welcome, now get some rest. I'll see you later."
Meg chuckles as Harm sounds like a worried boyfriend. "Aye, sir." She smirks and hangs up, getting back to sleep.
Monday 18:30
Megs apartment
Harm checks once more if he has got everything Meg asked him to bring and then finally gets out of the car. He runs up to her apartment, leaping up the steps so by the time he gets to her door he is out of breath. As he is balancing two pizza's in his one hand and holding a paperbag in the other he gently kicks the door with his foot.
It takes a while before Meg finally opens the door, she is wearing a pj covered with horses and on her feet are fluffy slippers that resemble mousses. Her blonde hair is dishevelled and her blue eyes are sparkling but this time it's not their normal light as they're fever bright.
"What are you doing out of bed?" Harm asks her teasingly. "Go on, get back in there." He brushes past her inside.
"I could just have left you standing in front of my door." Meg jokes as she closes the door behind him. "Besides, I was watching something on telly. Did you get what I asked?" She takes the bag from him and smiles as she notices he hadn't forgotten anything. "Thanks."
"You're welcome, now get back under the covers." He commands her as he notices she had put some pillows and a duvet in the couch.
"Aye, sir." Meg replies and coughs as she gets back in the couch. She opens the bag and right away takes some of the cough drops.
Harm places the pizza on the table and opens the boxes. Meg makes a face as the smell of the pizza's hits her nostrils and quickly closes the boxes again. "Not a good idea, Harm." She says feeling queasy.
Harm sighs. "Ok, I'll go put them in the fridge. When you feel better you'll just have to put them in the oven for a while." He takes the boxes and goes into the kitchen to put them away.
"How about you? You have to eat too and I bet you're famished." Meg calls after him.
"I'll wait till you can eat it together with me." Harm replies as he walks back into the livingroom. He leans against the doorframe and watches her smiling as she applies the chap stick.
"Harm, you really don't have to mind me. Just go ahead and eat." Meg insists and wets her lips. She moves her feet aside and motions him to take a seat next to her.
"I'm fine. I'm not that hungry anyway." He says and sits down next to her.
"You sure?" Meg places her feet on his lap.
"I'm sure." Harm smiles at her and doesn't protest about her feet. "What were you watching?"
"A chick movie." Meg grins.
"I love those. Which one?" Harm asks her curiously.
"You love those? Since when?" She doesn't believe him.
"Since now. Which one?" He insists.
Meg laughs. "The English patient."
"Ha!" Harm says having no clue what movie she means. "Want some company?"
Meg raises her eyebrows. "You're going to get bored." She assures him.
"I won't! I got you for company, how can I get bored then?" He winks at her.
Meg laughs and shakes her head. "Ok, but if you don't like it just say so and I'll stop the VCR. Ok?"
Harm nods and Meg grabs the remote control and winds the tape back. A comfortable silence settles between them and the movie starts playing. They both get caught up in the story and while watching Harms hands wander under the duvet. His fingertips gently touch her feet and he starts giving her a massage. Meg can feel her whole skin tingle from feeling him touch her. She loses her attention for the television and just watches Harm wondering if he is aware of what he is doing to her. It seems he isn't as his eyes are still fixed on the television but not for long.
Harm can feel Meg watching, he looks away from the movie and turns his head towards her. Right away his eyes meet hers and she is grinning at him.
"What?" Harm asks confused, wondering why she is watching him like that.
"Nothing." She just says and grins once more before turning her head towards the television again. By that she misses the mysterious smile Harm gives her as he continues to gently massage her feet.
When the movie finally has ended, Harm lets out a deep sigh. "Are you trying to depress me?" He asks Meg jokingly but there is no reply. When he watches her he notices that she had dozed off probably from exhaustion. Careful not to wake her, Harm moves from underneath Megs legs and kneels down beside her. For a second he considers letting her sleep in the couch but then he notices she isn't exactly lying comfortable and will probably end up with a stiff neck if he leaves her like this. So very gently he picks Meg up, duvet and all, from the couch and carries her into the bedroom. Meg in her sleep seems to notice she is being shifted and wraps her arms around his neck. When he lies her down in her bed, Harm is happy to see that she hadn't woken up at all. He wraps the duvet around her and sits down beside her on the bed. For a little while he just watches her sleep. As he is satisfied that she is comfortable and warm he places a kiss on her forehead.
"Sweet dreams, Meg." He whispers and quietly slips out of her room and her apartment.
TBC
By Jara
Authors note: This is a response to a challenge from Cat. Use the following words: credit card, peppermint, cough drop, CD case, Halloween, remote control, chap stick, hairbrush, rolodex, SNAPPLE MANGO MADNESS, dishwasher, Kaleidoscope, sunglasses.
Authors note 2: I know my other story To Tell The Truth is a bit on hold right now. This mostly is due to the lack of time. My studies have been demanding a lot of my time and of my awake mind. I do plan on finishing it so please bare with me it may only take a bit longer that I would have liked myself. But the story is right here in my head and waiting to get written out. In the meanwhile I received this challenge. This is part one of it and if I have a mindless day and feel like writing something fluff I will finish it. There won't be more than two parts here. Not a big story, just me having some fun. I hope you enjoy it and please feel free to give me some feedback.
PART ONE
Monday 9:30
JAG Headquarters Falls Church, Virginia
Harmon Rabb Jr walks into his office, the amendatory cup of coffee in his hand. Like he always does, he wants to greet his junior officer Meg Austin who would already be with her nose in a couple of files. However, the Lt. Commander stops dead in his tracks as he notices this morning his partner isn't in the office and there is nothing indicating that she had just stepped out. Frowning Harm puts his cup, briefcase and cover down on his messy desk and he leaves the office again.
"Tyner, do you know why Lt JG Austin isn't present?" Harm asks Admiral Chegwiddens yeoman.
Tyner looks up. "Yes, sir. She called in sick this morning." He informs Harm.
"Thank you, Tyner." Harm sighs and gets back into his office. There weren't any big cases they had to handle so her illness didn't really interfere with their work, still he just knew this day would be boring without her.
Monday 14:30
JAG Headquarters Falls Church, Virginia
Harm sighs and puts down his pen. He pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes so he doesn't have to look at the papers in front of him. He hates paperwork and now Meg wasn't there to take some of the load of his shoulders. Of course Krennick had been more than happy to dump some extra files on him that Meg should have been handling.
*Meg, I wonder how she is doing.* Harms thoughts go to his blonde partner, her blue eyes and her enchanting smile. His eyes travel towards her at the moment empty desk. Without thinking his hand travels towards the telephone and he starts dialling her number, knowing it by heart.
It takes a little while but finally Meg answers the telephone with a sleepy and hoarse voice. "Austin." She mumbles and coughs.
Harm cringes. "Wow, you really don't sound good." He observes.
Meg rolls her eyes on the other side of the telephone even though Harm can't see her she just knows he's aware of her doing that. "Well d'uh! Why else would I have called in sick?" She asks sarcastically but her soar throat interferes with her tone.
"Ok ok, I get the picture." Harm says quickly. "Did you call a doctor?" He asks worried.
Meg smiles hearing the concern in his voice. "Yeah, he says I got a flue but hopefully I'll be back at work by the end of the week."
"Good, 'cause dragonlady is trying to drown me in files." Harm jokes.
"Ow, is that the only reason why you want me back? To do your paperwork and to cover for you when Krennick drops by?" Meg asks laughing.
"No!" Harm protests. "And to get me some coffee." He smirks.
"Seems you'll have to get it yourself then, sir." Meg grins, wondering why he really called.
Harm seemed to have read her thoughts. "No, seriously. I was just wondering if you might need anything. I could drop by the pharmacist for you after work."
Meg smiles. "Thanks, Harm. That's really sweet to offer but my neighbour Mrs Jenkins already went to get me some medicine."
"Are you sure you don't need anything else?" Harm insists actually fishing for an excuse to drop by and check up on her.
"What? You want to come and check up on me? I'm a big girl, Harm. It's just a bug, I'll be back before you know it." Now she seems to have read his mind.
"I know perfectly well that you can take care of yourself. I just thought that if you needed anything I could go get it for you. Mrs Jenkins is not the only one who can go to the shop for you."
"Ok, you want to go shopping for me?" Meg asks trying to think of something she might need.
Harm laughs. "If you need anything, I'll be more than happy to go get it for you." He says sounding honest.
"Ok, I could use some cough drops, a chap stick, Kleenexes and something to drink." Meg sums up.
Because as usual his desk is a complete mess, Harm writes the small list on an empty card in his rolodex. "Ok, got it." Harm smiles. "What do you want to drink?"
"You know what I like." Meg smirks.
"Snapple mango madness." He laughs as he mentions her favourite drink.
"You got it." Meg coughs. "And hurry with the cough drops, my throat is killing me." She whines.
"As soon as I'm finished here, I'll come over. Want me to bring you something to eat?" He asks thinking she probably was too tired to fix up something herself.
"I don't know, I don't think I can keep it in." Meg replies.
"Meg, you have to eat something." Harm insists. "I don't know, Harm." She says softly.
"Ok, I'll pick you up a Texas pizza." His tone making it clear that he doesn't want a discussion about this.
"Thanks." Meg smiles.
"You're welcome, now get some rest. I'll see you later."
Meg chuckles as Harm sounds like a worried boyfriend. "Aye, sir." She smirks and hangs up, getting back to sleep.
Monday 18:30
Megs apartment
Harm checks once more if he has got everything Meg asked him to bring and then finally gets out of the car. He runs up to her apartment, leaping up the steps so by the time he gets to her door he is out of breath. As he is balancing two pizza's in his one hand and holding a paperbag in the other he gently kicks the door with his foot.
It takes a while before Meg finally opens the door, she is wearing a pj covered with horses and on her feet are fluffy slippers that resemble mousses. Her blonde hair is dishevelled and her blue eyes are sparkling but this time it's not their normal light as they're fever bright.
"What are you doing out of bed?" Harm asks her teasingly. "Go on, get back in there." He brushes past her inside.
"I could just have left you standing in front of my door." Meg jokes as she closes the door behind him. "Besides, I was watching something on telly. Did you get what I asked?" She takes the bag from him and smiles as she notices he hadn't forgotten anything. "Thanks."
"You're welcome, now get back under the covers." He commands her as he notices she had put some pillows and a duvet in the couch.
"Aye, sir." Meg replies and coughs as she gets back in the couch. She opens the bag and right away takes some of the cough drops.
Harm places the pizza on the table and opens the boxes. Meg makes a face as the smell of the pizza's hits her nostrils and quickly closes the boxes again. "Not a good idea, Harm." She says feeling queasy.
Harm sighs. "Ok, I'll go put them in the fridge. When you feel better you'll just have to put them in the oven for a while." He takes the boxes and goes into the kitchen to put them away.
"How about you? You have to eat too and I bet you're famished." Meg calls after him.
"I'll wait till you can eat it together with me." Harm replies as he walks back into the livingroom. He leans against the doorframe and watches her smiling as she applies the chap stick.
"Harm, you really don't have to mind me. Just go ahead and eat." Meg insists and wets her lips. She moves her feet aside and motions him to take a seat next to her.
"I'm fine. I'm not that hungry anyway." He says and sits down next to her.
"You sure?" Meg places her feet on his lap.
"I'm sure." Harm smiles at her and doesn't protest about her feet. "What were you watching?"
"A chick movie." Meg grins.
"I love those. Which one?" Harm asks her curiously.
"You love those? Since when?" She doesn't believe him.
"Since now. Which one?" He insists.
Meg laughs. "The English patient."
"Ha!" Harm says having no clue what movie she means. "Want some company?"
Meg raises her eyebrows. "You're going to get bored." She assures him.
"I won't! I got you for company, how can I get bored then?" He winks at her.
Meg laughs and shakes her head. "Ok, but if you don't like it just say so and I'll stop the VCR. Ok?"
Harm nods and Meg grabs the remote control and winds the tape back. A comfortable silence settles between them and the movie starts playing. They both get caught up in the story and while watching Harms hands wander under the duvet. His fingertips gently touch her feet and he starts giving her a massage. Meg can feel her whole skin tingle from feeling him touch her. She loses her attention for the television and just watches Harm wondering if he is aware of what he is doing to her. It seems he isn't as his eyes are still fixed on the television but not for long.
Harm can feel Meg watching, he looks away from the movie and turns his head towards her. Right away his eyes meet hers and she is grinning at him.
"What?" Harm asks confused, wondering why she is watching him like that.
"Nothing." She just says and grins once more before turning her head towards the television again. By that she misses the mysterious smile Harm gives her as he continues to gently massage her feet.
When the movie finally has ended, Harm lets out a deep sigh. "Are you trying to depress me?" He asks Meg jokingly but there is no reply. When he watches her he notices that she had dozed off probably from exhaustion. Careful not to wake her, Harm moves from underneath Megs legs and kneels down beside her. For a second he considers letting her sleep in the couch but then he notices she isn't exactly lying comfortable and will probably end up with a stiff neck if he leaves her like this. So very gently he picks Meg up, duvet and all, from the couch and carries her into the bedroom. Meg in her sleep seems to notice she is being shifted and wraps her arms around his neck. When he lies her down in her bed, Harm is happy to see that she hadn't woken up at all. He wraps the duvet around her and sits down beside her on the bed. For a little while he just watches her sleep. As he is satisfied that she is comfortable and warm he places a kiss on her forehead.
"Sweet dreams, Meg." He whispers and quietly slips out of her room and her apartment.
TBC