Written by M.A.G.~E-mail: Gypsyroo@aol.com
Disclaimer: JAG isn't mine and never will be, if it was, Renée would have been tortured and suffered some horrid fate a long time ago, along with BugMe....I borrowed the title from Billy Idol's song. Don't sue me please, all I have is lunch money. Well, I don't even have that now because it's summer....
Spoilers: Small reference to The Game of Go, Boomerang II, and so on....
Note: I can never see Harm even proposing to Renée but they're getting hitched in this story which I wrote awhile ago when I was in a bad mood. This story is not part of the Into the Night series and stands on its' own
********
It's a Nice Day for A White Wedding, It's a Nice Day to Start Again
Harm's Residence
North of Union Station
Washington, D.C.
18:54 Romeo, March 27
"Ugh!" exclaimed Renée as her reflection stared back at her, assaulting her eyes. The dress was extremely snug due to gaining ten pounds. She was at that age where every Twinkie and pint of ice cream started showing. How can I get married looking like this? It was too late to get the dress altered and too late for liposuction. Her normal surgeon was booked solid for weeks. There was no way to postpone it. Nothing was going right.
"What?" Harm called from the other room.
"Nothing!" she yelled. "I'm going to lose this excess weight if it kills me!" she muttered. She peeled the dress off with great difficulty and put on a robe.
Harm entered the bedroom. "Can we finish discussing.....?"
She cut him off. "It's just not right. It's not traditional, Harm!"
"Well, you won't let her be a matron of honor or bridesmaid!"
"I told you those positions are filled. If we add another bridesmaid, it will upset the whole balance." she said, talking out of her ass.
"I want Mac to be my best man."
"Isn't Bud your best man? There's a reason why it's called BEST MAN!"
"He is. Then she'd be my best woman. She's my best friend and I want her in the wedding."
"It's not right!"
"Since when are seven bridesmaids and one matron of honor 'right'?"
"She's your best friend, not mine!"
"That's 'right' and she's going to be my 'best woman.'"
Renée groaned loudly. "Grrrrrrrrrrr!" She stormed out of the room.
********
Outside JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
13:04 Romeo, March 29
It was a warm day for March and Mac and Harm ate lunch outside. Mac took a huge bite of her Beltway burger. "What happened to the full military wedding?" Mac said a moment later.
"She doesn't want that."
"What about what you want?"
"It's alright." he said. "I want you to be my best woman."
"Haven't I always been?" she said joking with a smile.
"I mean in the wedding."
"I didn't know there was such a thing as a 'best woman.'"
"Now there is."
"So do I have to wear a black and white tux or something?" she said with a smile.
"A tux could never flatter you." he said with a grin. "You wear what you want, whatever color you want."
Mac became serious. "How does she feel about this idea?"
"She wouldn't make you a bridesmaid so...."
"What about Bud?"
"If she can have seven bridesmaids and one maid of honor, I can have two best men. I mean a best man and best woman. It's my choice and I chose you."
Mac hid behind her smiling façade one more. Chose. She wished he chose her for more than his 'best woman.' They had a conversation more times then they could count. Mac couldn't understand why he finally chose now to settle down. She'd seen marriage potential between Harm and Jordan and even in Harm and Annie, but never Renée. 'Are you sure your just settling because you feel you should have by this point?' she'd asked him. She'd wanted to throttle him at his response. 'Of course not, Mac. I love her and want to marry her. You're acting as if you don't want me marrying Renée.'he'd said. 'Like you've never made it a secret you don't want me marrying Brumby. I won't mention it anymore. You do what you want.' she'd said. After that, she hadn't said anything to dissuade Harm from entering matrimonial bliss.
It was time to get back to work. They both stood. "Thank you, Mac." he said. They embraced.
********
Mac's Residence
Georgetown, MD
13:03 Romeo, April 1
Mac stared at her long black dress in the mirror. It was a dress fit for a funeral. All but the veil was missing. The dress certainly fit her mood. She felt like she were going to her own funeral as opposed to her best friend's wedding. The wedding did not seem real. Harm and Renée were not getting married. It was just some long, unrelenting and sadistic nightmare she hadn't awoken from yet. She never thought they would actually reach this point. The wedding started in two hours.
She took the ring box off of her dresser. She stared at the black box and ran her finger's over its faux velvet skin. She succumbed to the urge to open the box. It was a simple gold band encrusted with tiny diamonds, six in all. It would complement Renée's diamond solitaire engagement ring. She found it odd that Harm didn't give Renée his grandmother's ring. But she didn't pry.
She lifted it from the box to further examine it's glittering beauty as if in a trance. She slipped in on her left ring finger and stared at her hand. What would it be like to be Mrs. Harmon Rabb? she let herself wonder. She'd worn other's rings on this finger; Eddie's highschool ring, Chris's engagement and wedding ring, and soon Mic's ring which was temporarily in limbo on her right hand. Stop it, Mac, she told herself. He's marrying Renée, not you. If he felt the same way you do about him, you wouldn't be standing here as some best woman today.
There was a loud knock at the door. Harm and Bud! She tried to pull the ring off but it wouldn't budge. Another knock. "Coming!" she yelled. "Shit!" she muttered. She gave the ring a good tugged and it flew off her finger onto the carpet. She scooped it up and placed it in its box and sat it on her dresser. She ran to the door.
She opened the door and ushered them in. "Sorry," she said, "I was wrestling with a pair of nylons. Harm, you're soaked!"
"I'm a little nervous."
"Go take a shower!" she said, savoring the thought.
Bud was already wearing his dressed whites. He took off his jacket. "Where can I put this, ma'am?"
She took the garment from him. "I'll hang it up." She grabbed Harm's suit bag and entered her bedroom. To her surprise, Harm stood there in nothing but a towel, water droplets resting on his shoulders, rivulets of water from his hair dripping down his chest.
"Um...That was a fast shower. I was just going to hang these up."She hung the suit jacket bag up and put Bud's jacket on a hanger. Harm practically naked, in front of her, in her bedroom. It was too much for her to take. She couldn't breath, talk or think. She walked out of her bedroom, closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Colonel, you're all red." Bud commented. Mac bit her lip and smiled, exhaling slowly through her nose.
********
Harm came out of her bedroom a few minutes later clad in his dressed whites. Dressed whites and gold wings. She'd lied when she'd told them they were overrated. Hell, she had almost kissed him just before she said that. Who had she been kidding? "Very nice, Commander." Mac said.
"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself."
"What happened?" she asked referring to his mode of dress.
"I told her I wanted to wear my dressed whites, no ifs, ands or buts about it."
"I just hope you know what you're doing." she said quietly.
"What?"
"Nothing."
********
Bud had to leave to get Harriet, Little AJ and baby Lexie from Commander Imes place. Her apartment was much closer than Bud and Harriet's. Mac and Harm would have to be leaving soon themselves.
"Mac, I've got something for you." he said. "You're my best friend. You've given me so much, gone further for me than anyone ever has and I just wanted to say thank you." He presented her with a crimson ring box.
She took it from him and slowly opened it. It was a beautiful star sapphire surrounded by four small diamonds.
She didn't know what quite to say. "Oh, Harm. It's so beautiful." She pulled it out of the box.
"Read the inscription."
She turned it to see inside the band. "Semper Fi, Harm." she whispered. Tears welled in her eyes. He took the ring from her trembling hands. He slipped it on her finger.
"I love you, Harm." she whispered. Oops, had she said that aloud?
He looked at her, a glint in his eyes. "I meant..." she started. "You know what I meant."
Her phone bounced into life. She quickly snatched it up, wanting to get away from that awkward moment. "MacKenzie."
********
"It was Bud. He said they're running late and won't make the limo and they'll meet us there." said Mac. She peered out of the window. The white limo was waiting. "We should go."
"Yeah." he said. He put his jacket on.
********
Washington Monument Reflecting Pool
Washington, D.C.
14:30 Romeo
The guests were already there and assembled in neat little rows. Dress uniformed officers dotted the scene, some having opted to wear them. Mac had her hand on Harm's shoulder. "Calm down, flyboy."
By a quarter to three, Harm was in front of the priest with Mac and Bud at his side. The monument towered over them casting a shadow in the sunlight. The music started and the procession of bridesmaids came sashaying down the aisle as if they were models on a runway. They probably were, they were Renée's friends after all.
Then Renée made her entrance and confidently walked down the aisle. Thanks to some diet pills, she had lost five of her ten extra pounds. She joined Harm in front of the priest and linked arms with him.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join two people, Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. and Renée Kingston Peterson." The priest started. Mac blanked the priests words, her eyes intently on Harm. She felt like crying. She was going to lose him. If only she had elaborated earlier....Mac was shot back to earth when she heard Harm's voice. "I do." She didn't even remember handing Harm the ring.
"If anyone knows why this man and this woman should not be bound together in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace."
This is your chance, Mac thought. Am I going to take it? She clenched the bouquet of roses in her hands. They were pink, almost peach with gold tips, a special variety called Sarah. She stared at Harm silently. He met her eyes. She parted her lips.
********
(FEED BACK HIGHLY APPRECIATED!!! :) I'm currently working on Parts 6 and 7 of the Into the Night series, the sequel to this story, as well as the sequel to Too Little, Too Late.)
Disclaimer: JAG isn't mine and never will be, if it was, Renée would have been tortured and suffered some horrid fate a long time ago, along with BugMe....I borrowed the title from Billy Idol's song. Don't sue me please, all I have is lunch money. Well, I don't even have that now because it's summer....
Spoilers: Small reference to The Game of Go, Boomerang II, and so on....
Note: I can never see Harm even proposing to Renée but they're getting hitched in this story which I wrote awhile ago when I was in a bad mood. This story is not part of the Into the Night series and stands on its' own
********
It's a Nice Day for A White Wedding, It's a Nice Day to Start Again
Harm's Residence
North of Union Station
Washington, D.C.
18:54 Romeo, March 27
"Ugh!" exclaimed Renée as her reflection stared back at her, assaulting her eyes. The dress was extremely snug due to gaining ten pounds. She was at that age where every Twinkie and pint of ice cream started showing. How can I get married looking like this? It was too late to get the dress altered and too late for liposuction. Her normal surgeon was booked solid for weeks. There was no way to postpone it. Nothing was going right.
"What?" Harm called from the other room.
"Nothing!" she yelled. "I'm going to lose this excess weight if it kills me!" she muttered. She peeled the dress off with great difficulty and put on a robe.
Harm entered the bedroom. "Can we finish discussing.....?"
She cut him off. "It's just not right. It's not traditional, Harm!"
"Well, you won't let her be a matron of honor or bridesmaid!"
"I told you those positions are filled. If we add another bridesmaid, it will upset the whole balance." she said, talking out of her ass.
"I want Mac to be my best man."
"Isn't Bud your best man? There's a reason why it's called BEST MAN!"
"He is. Then she'd be my best woman. She's my best friend and I want her in the wedding."
"It's not right!"
"Since when are seven bridesmaids and one matron of honor 'right'?"
"She's your best friend, not mine!"
"That's 'right' and she's going to be my 'best woman.'"
Renée groaned loudly. "Grrrrrrrrrrr!" She stormed out of the room.
********
Outside JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
13:04 Romeo, March 29
It was a warm day for March and Mac and Harm ate lunch outside. Mac took a huge bite of her Beltway burger. "What happened to the full military wedding?" Mac said a moment later.
"She doesn't want that."
"What about what you want?"
"It's alright." he said. "I want you to be my best woman."
"Haven't I always been?" she said joking with a smile.
"I mean in the wedding."
"I didn't know there was such a thing as a 'best woman.'"
"Now there is."
"So do I have to wear a black and white tux or something?" she said with a smile.
"A tux could never flatter you." he said with a grin. "You wear what you want, whatever color you want."
Mac became serious. "How does she feel about this idea?"
"She wouldn't make you a bridesmaid so...."
"What about Bud?"
"If she can have seven bridesmaids and one maid of honor, I can have two best men. I mean a best man and best woman. It's my choice and I chose you."
Mac hid behind her smiling façade one more. Chose. She wished he chose her for more than his 'best woman.' They had a conversation more times then they could count. Mac couldn't understand why he finally chose now to settle down. She'd seen marriage potential between Harm and Jordan and even in Harm and Annie, but never Renée. 'Are you sure your just settling because you feel you should have by this point?' she'd asked him. She'd wanted to throttle him at his response. 'Of course not, Mac. I love her and want to marry her. You're acting as if you don't want me marrying Renée.'he'd said. 'Like you've never made it a secret you don't want me marrying Brumby. I won't mention it anymore. You do what you want.' she'd said. After that, she hadn't said anything to dissuade Harm from entering matrimonial bliss.
It was time to get back to work. They both stood. "Thank you, Mac." he said. They embraced.
********
Mac's Residence
Georgetown, MD
13:03 Romeo, April 1
Mac stared at her long black dress in the mirror. It was a dress fit for a funeral. All but the veil was missing. The dress certainly fit her mood. She felt like she were going to her own funeral as opposed to her best friend's wedding. The wedding did not seem real. Harm and Renée were not getting married. It was just some long, unrelenting and sadistic nightmare she hadn't awoken from yet. She never thought they would actually reach this point. The wedding started in two hours.
She took the ring box off of her dresser. She stared at the black box and ran her finger's over its faux velvet skin. She succumbed to the urge to open the box. It was a simple gold band encrusted with tiny diamonds, six in all. It would complement Renée's diamond solitaire engagement ring. She found it odd that Harm didn't give Renée his grandmother's ring. But she didn't pry.
She lifted it from the box to further examine it's glittering beauty as if in a trance. She slipped in on her left ring finger and stared at her hand. What would it be like to be Mrs. Harmon Rabb? she let herself wonder. She'd worn other's rings on this finger; Eddie's highschool ring, Chris's engagement and wedding ring, and soon Mic's ring which was temporarily in limbo on her right hand. Stop it, Mac, she told herself. He's marrying Renée, not you. If he felt the same way you do about him, you wouldn't be standing here as some best woman today.
There was a loud knock at the door. Harm and Bud! She tried to pull the ring off but it wouldn't budge. Another knock. "Coming!" she yelled. "Shit!" she muttered. She gave the ring a good tugged and it flew off her finger onto the carpet. She scooped it up and placed it in its box and sat it on her dresser. She ran to the door.
She opened the door and ushered them in. "Sorry," she said, "I was wrestling with a pair of nylons. Harm, you're soaked!"
"I'm a little nervous."
"Go take a shower!" she said, savoring the thought.
Bud was already wearing his dressed whites. He took off his jacket. "Where can I put this, ma'am?"
She took the garment from him. "I'll hang it up." She grabbed Harm's suit bag and entered her bedroom. To her surprise, Harm stood there in nothing but a towel, water droplets resting on his shoulders, rivulets of water from his hair dripping down his chest.
"Um...That was a fast shower. I was just going to hang these up."She hung the suit jacket bag up and put Bud's jacket on a hanger. Harm practically naked, in front of her, in her bedroom. It was too much for her to take. She couldn't breath, talk or think. She walked out of her bedroom, closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Colonel, you're all red." Bud commented. Mac bit her lip and smiled, exhaling slowly through her nose.
********
Harm came out of her bedroom a few minutes later clad in his dressed whites. Dressed whites and gold wings. She'd lied when she'd told them they were overrated. Hell, she had almost kissed him just before she said that. Who had she been kidding? "Very nice, Commander." Mac said.
"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself."
"What happened?" she asked referring to his mode of dress.
"I told her I wanted to wear my dressed whites, no ifs, ands or buts about it."
"I just hope you know what you're doing." she said quietly.
"What?"
"Nothing."
********
Bud had to leave to get Harriet, Little AJ and baby Lexie from Commander Imes place. Her apartment was much closer than Bud and Harriet's. Mac and Harm would have to be leaving soon themselves.
"Mac, I've got something for you." he said. "You're my best friend. You've given me so much, gone further for me than anyone ever has and I just wanted to say thank you." He presented her with a crimson ring box.
She took it from him and slowly opened it. It was a beautiful star sapphire surrounded by four small diamonds.
She didn't know what quite to say. "Oh, Harm. It's so beautiful." She pulled it out of the box.
"Read the inscription."
She turned it to see inside the band. "Semper Fi, Harm." she whispered. Tears welled in her eyes. He took the ring from her trembling hands. He slipped it on her finger.
"I love you, Harm." she whispered. Oops, had she said that aloud?
He looked at her, a glint in his eyes. "I meant..." she started. "You know what I meant."
Her phone bounced into life. She quickly snatched it up, wanting to get away from that awkward moment. "MacKenzie."
********
"It was Bud. He said they're running late and won't make the limo and they'll meet us there." said Mac. She peered out of the window. The white limo was waiting. "We should go."
"Yeah." he said. He put his jacket on.
********
Washington Monument Reflecting Pool
Washington, D.C.
14:30 Romeo
The guests were already there and assembled in neat little rows. Dress uniformed officers dotted the scene, some having opted to wear them. Mac had her hand on Harm's shoulder. "Calm down, flyboy."
By a quarter to three, Harm was in front of the priest with Mac and Bud at his side. The monument towered over them casting a shadow in the sunlight. The music started and the procession of bridesmaids came sashaying down the aisle as if they were models on a runway. They probably were, they were Renée's friends after all.
Then Renée made her entrance and confidently walked down the aisle. Thanks to some diet pills, she had lost five of her ten extra pounds. She joined Harm in front of the priest and linked arms with him.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join two people, Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. and Renée Kingston Peterson." The priest started. Mac blanked the priests words, her eyes intently on Harm. She felt like crying. She was going to lose him. If only she had elaborated earlier....Mac was shot back to earth when she heard Harm's voice. "I do." She didn't even remember handing Harm the ring.
"If anyone knows why this man and this woman should not be bound together in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace."
This is your chance, Mac thought. Am I going to take it? She clenched the bouquet of roses in her hands. They were pink, almost peach with gold tips, a special variety called Sarah. She stared at Harm silently. He met her eyes. She parted her lips.
********
(FEED BACK HIGHLY APPRECIATED!!! :) I'm currently working on Parts 6 and 7 of the Into the Night series, the sequel to this story, as well as the sequel to Too Little, Too Late.)