'TRACES IN THE SNOW'
Author: Daenar Rating: G, except for parts of the fourth chapter that might need a PG-13 rating. Category: Romance (H/M), Drama
Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius Productions, Paramount and CBS. The story 'Traces in the Sand' is written by Margaret Fishback Powers. No copyright infringement intended.
Spoiler: Mac gets a Christmas surprise she never expected - and Harm finds himself involved in it head over heels... The story refers to Mac's assignment as carrier JAG on the USS Guadalcanal in Indonesia at the beginning of season seven.
Many, many thanks to Katie M. for beta-reading!
Dec. 19th, 2002 1647 ZULU Harbor, Dock 142 Baltimore, MD
The sun fought hard against the milky-white veil that covered the sky. One could make out its brilliant circle through the clouds, and a few rays even managed to break through, painting the city's silhouette in the colors of a dreamy twilight. Grim frost had taken over all of the East Coast for about a week now. Even down in Georgia, temperatures didn't climb higher than the thirties. The air was crisp and clear, telling of the snow that was soon expected.
The Lombok Queen had arrived about three hours ago, with a shipment of freshly cut tropical wood for the US market. Having broken its journey only in Japan and Panama, the ship had been underway for eight weeks now since it had set off from Surabaya on the island of Java, Indonesia. The crew knew they were lucky. They got to spend Christmas in the States before starting their journey back on January 2nd. All were eager to unload the cargo as quickly as possible, bustling around the ship without paying attention to their surroundings.
Deep down in the ship's cargo bay, Deke Miller from Baltimore Port Authority stumbled over something in the shadows and fell. "Crap!" Deke examined his ripped coverall and looked around to see what he had tripped over. There, in the corner... that had to be the object in question, but he could have sworn that it had been longer. How else could it have gotten in his way? Deke cautiously approached the corner... , and his heart skipped a beat. "For Christ's sake!!! How did the kid get here?"
Dec. 19th, 2002 1658 ZULU Baltimore Port Authority Baltimore, MD
Deputy Vern Morris wiped his forehead, sighing heavily. The girl didn't talk. She just kept looking at him with those huge, deeply terrified eyes that seemed even larger given the fact that she was all but starving. How old could she be, nine maybe? Ten? Her body was badly bruised, even showed traces of inflamed burns. She was running a fever, and she was incredibly dirty. But the thing that ripped most at the deputy's heart was the expression of sheer panic that seemed to paralyze her completely.
"What do we do about her?" Deke approached Vern, sorrow making his brow furrow.
Again Vern sighed. "I have no idea. Call family services? The INS? Let's hope Miranda finds something that will give us a hint." He cast a rather doubtful look in the direction of the office where his young colleague from the BPD was right now cleaning the girl up a bit, trying to find any indication of who she might be among the few things she had worn.
A few minutes later, Miranda Michaels came out of the small room that they had taken the girl to. "She's asleep now," she said in a low voice. "The ambulance should be here any minute to take her to a hospital. No words yet," she added with a sad apologetic frown, answering the unspoken question of her colleague. "But," her expression turned somewhat puzzled, "I did find something very interesting in her skirt's pocket." She held out her hand and both men gasped. On her palm lay a USMC Eagle, Globe and Anchor and a US Meritorious Service Medal.
Dec. 19th, 2002 1726 ZULU JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
"Enter."
Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. cheerfully opened the door to his partner's office and flashed her a trademark flyboy-grin. "Hello Colonel!"
"Harm, hi!" Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie's face lit up to a genuine smile. "Back already?"
Harm closed the door and sat down opposite to her. "Yup. Bud gave the Petty Officer such a grilling that he practically begged me on his knees to cut a deal once he was off the stand."
"What did you settle for?" Mac asked, grinning at the mental image of someone on his knees before the Almighty Rabb.
"Six months' confinement, forfeiture of pay, dishonorable discharge, loss of pension. And he gladly took it."
"He'd better." Mac nodded, satisfied. There had been no doubt about P.O. Marsden's guilt from the start. "So what do you want to do with your day, flyboy?"
Harm smiled tentatively at his partner. "How about an early lunch?"
Mac found his smile contagious. "Sure, that'd be..."
The telephone interrupted her. Flashing him an apologetic smile, she picked up the receiver.
"Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie."
["Good morning, ma'am, this is Deputy Vern Morris, Baltimore Police. We might need the Marine Corps's expertise in a case we have here."]
Mac shot Harm a puzzled frown and switched on the speakerphone. "What can I do for you, Deputy?"
["Well, ma'am, this morning the Lombok Queen, an Indonesian ship, docked in port. As the crew was unloading the cargo they found a little girl onboard. She's about ten, badly injured, emaciated, obviously traumatized and unable to utter a syllable. She's been taken to Union Memorial Hospital. The only things that could possibly give us a hint as to who she is are a USMC Eagle, Globe and Anchor and a Meritorious Service Medal.... Uh... Colonel? Are you still with me? Colonel Mackenzie?"]
Harm felt his heart rate double when he saw Mac blanch. Instantly he was at her side. Kneeling down beside her and reaching for her hand, he quickly took over. "Deputy Morris? This is Commander Harmon Rabb. I'm Colonel Mackenzie's partner with the Judge Advocate General Corps. We'll both meet you at Union Memorial as soon as we can."
["I understand. Until later then, Commander."] If the deputy was surprised, he didn't let it show. Harm quickly told him goodbye and ended the connection. Then he turned all his attention to a trembling Mac.
"What's going on, Mac? Tell me," he urged her gently. She could tell he was trying to keep his concern from showing too openly. But he was failing miserably.
Mac's huge dark eyes captured his gaze. Her voice was uneven when she spoke. "Do you remember the little girl that I told you about, Liliana?"
"The one you had to leave behind in Indonesia after the consulate had been attacked?"
"Yeah. I gave her my EGA back then, and when I finally tracked her down, I flew to Indonesia again, remember?"
"Yeah."
"She was at a hospital, recovering from the injuries that she suffered when she saved us. I gave her my medal. Harm," Mac's voice rang with apprehension, "It's got to be her. I've got no clue what she's doing here, but she'd have only one reason to do this."
Harm reached out and pulled Mac into a tight embrace. "You," he whispered, shaken. For a few seconds, he held her firmly, feeling her slowly relax in his arms. Then he drew back and tried to let his gaze convey all the strength and reassurance he could possibly muster. "She's going to be okay, Mac. Listen, I'm finished here anyway. We'll notify the admiral and go up to Baltimore together. You're in no condition to drive right now." He tried a slight half-smile.
Her response was a misty smile of her own. "Thanks, Harm," she said, her voice barely audible, returning his embrace.
Dec. 19th, 2002 1927 ZULU Union Memorial Hospital Baltimore, MD
Resting his hand on the small of her back, Harm gently guided Mac to the reception desk. She had recovered from her initial shock and put up a professional Marine façade. Since she didn't object to his touch, he just let her feel that she wasn't alone in this.
As soon as he caught sight of the two officers, a middle-aged African- American in a police officer's uniform approached them. "Colonel Mackenzie and Commander Rabb?"
The JAG officers only nodded.
"Deputy Vern Morris. We talked earlier on the phone. Thanks for coming." His smile conveyed a slight uneasiness.
Mac spoke up, guessing what the deputy longed to know but obviously didn't dare to ask. "Thank you for notifying us, Deputy." A slight smile underlined her next sentence. "As improbable as it may seem, you called the right person. The girl's name is Liliana and it was me who gave her both, the insignia and the medal, after an attack on one of our consulates in Indonesia where I was deployed earlier this year. I could be mistaken, of course, but I think that would be highly improbable."
The deputy's jaw literally dropped. "Indeed, it would, ma'am," he said very slowly, not believing his ears. "So she came for you?"
Mac sighed. "I don't know. My reaction on the phone might have told you that I was just as surprised to find out about her as you were, Deputy."
Morris risked a half-grin. "That would be correct, ma'am." His grin grew as he saw Harm and Mac smile back at him.
"How is she?" Mac asked, sobering.
"She's in Intensive Care. No imminent danger, though. The doctors were able to stabilize her fairly well. Her wounds are not as deep as they seemed and luckily the burns are only second-degree. As soon as the infection diminishes and she gains some strength, she should be able to leave the hospital. But she still hasn't uttered a syllable. She must have been through something terrible." Morris tried to banish the images of how she'd looked when they first found her from his mind.
"Can we go see her?" Mac's voice was low.
"I've already informed the staff that a Marine Colonel and a Navy Commander would probably turn out to be the closest thing to a family she has," Morris stated. "They told me to tell you to go up as soon as you'd arrived."
Harm shook the deputy's hand. "Thank you very much, Deputy, we're indebted to you. I guess we might as well take over from here and inform the authorities in charge. If you have any further questions, be sure to call me, no matter what time." He handed the police officer a JAG business card.
'Well,' Morris thought, 'They're both lawyers. They'll probably know better than I what to do with her.' "You're very welcome, Commander. Thank you for taking care of her. Good luck. Colonel," he nodded to her, turned and left.
"You ready to go up there, Marine?" Harm asked gently.
She smiled, grateful for his assistance. "Yeah. Let's go."
Dec. 20th, 2002 0207 ZULU Union Memorial Hospital Baltimore, MD
The nurse stopped at the window and quietly observed the three people inside the small room. The officers had taken off their jackets and were sitting at the girl's bedside. The man had his arm wrapped around the woman, her head resting against his shoulder. She was holding the girl's hand. For hours they had quietly sat there like that. For some reason the nurse felt that the image reminded her of a Nativity scene. 'Oh, come on, Pam, just about everything reminds you of Christmas these days. Go and get your work done,' she scolded herself. But still she couldn't help wiping a tear from her cheek as she observed the pair watching over the sleep of a little girl they barely knew.
Inside the room, all was silent except for the eerie beeping and humming of the ICU's electronics. Mac stirred in Harm's embrace, then drew back and smiled at him a little self-consciously. He just smiled back, his blue- green eyes conveying comfort and confidence. Mac's smile intensified as she settled back into her former resting position, closing her eyes and exhaling slowly.
Suddenly, Harm felt Mac freeze. Both sat up straight and watched as Liliana's eyelids began to flutter. Mac got up and leaned over her. "Liliana," she called softly, trying not to startle her, "Liliana, it's me, Mac. You're in America. You found me."
Slowly the girl opened her eyes. Within seconds, Harm and Mac witnessed a myriad of different emotions wash over her: fear, outright panic, despair, confusion, recognition and finally overwhelming relief and silent joy. Mac felt the girl's grip tighten as Liliana's huge black eyes began to fill with tears. Carefully Mac reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm here, baby," she whispered, "I'm right here. You're safe now. Don't worry, everything's gonna be okay, I promise."
After a few long moments Mac carefully lowered Liliana onto her pillow again and turned to Harm who had stood back, granting them a moment to themselves. Motioning for him to join her, she sat down on the bed and gently caressed the girl's wet cheek. "Liliana, I want you to meet my partner and best friend, Harm," she said with a smile.
Seeing the girl look up at him, Harm warmly smiled back at her. "Hello, Liliana," he said softly, "Mac has told me a lot about you. I'm glad we meet at last." As she smiled, he all of a sudden felt strangely shy.
Mac's expression sobered. "Why did you come here? Can you tell me what happened? Where's your mother?" she asked gently.
As soon as the words were out, Harm and Mac saw Liliana's expression cloud and the panic return to her eyes. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks and she began to shake, trying to curl up in a ball on her bed. No sound ever escaped her lips, though. Mac immediately took her in her arms again, cradling her until her sobs subsided. "Shhh, it's okay. I'm here. It's okay, my little one. Don't think about it now. You're safe. Try to sleep. We won't leave," she whispered soothingly, at the same time looking up at Harm, helpless. He only placed a firm hand on her shoulder, hoping that his presence somehow gave her the strength she would need to stand through this.
Dec. 22nd, 2002 2247 ZULU JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
Harm shoved the remaining files to one side of his desk, piling them up neatly. They could wait until after Christmas. All the rest of his work was wrapped up, as were Mac's cases that he had taken over when she had decided to stay with Liliana. Switching off his computer, he allowed himself a sigh of content. He had earned his vacation. But as he watched the first snowflakes fall from an indigo sky, he couldn't quite convince himself to let holiday spirit take over. His thoughts kept wandering back to where his best friend was trying to get a little girl to open up about what she had been through.
He had stayed with Mac at Liliana's side until the following day when the admiral had ordered him back to JAG, telling him to finish up Mac's most urgent assignments. He had been reluctant to leave her as he witnessed Mac's increasing desperation about the fact that she still couldn't get Liliana to talk. It had been knowing that wrapping up her cases would be the best help he could offer that had finally made him go back to D.C. But now he longed to get to her again and just let her feel that she wasn't alone.
Knowing that because of her position she had been allowed to use her cell- phone inside the hospital once the girl had been released from the ICU, Harm dialed Mac's number.
["Mackenzie."]
"Hi Marine, it's me."
Her voice let show her smile. ["Hey, sailor, good to hear you."] She spoke low. Obviously the girl was sleeping. Harm involuntarily lowered his voice as well.
"How are you two girls holding up?"
She sighed. ["Pretty much the same. She doesn't seem to have as many nightmares now, though, and sometimes she's even cheerful, but she still doesn't talk."]
"Are they going to release her anytime soon?"
["Actually, yes. And that's the good part of the story. She's strong enough to come home with me tomorrow. She'll stay with me for the holidays and then I'll call the INS."]
Harm hesitated. He had had an idea the other night, something that might do the little girl good, as well as Mac. "Uhm, Mac," he ventured carefully, "Might I suggest a slight change of plans?"
She again seemed to smile, curiously this time. ["Go ahead and explain yourself, Commander."]
He cleared his throat, feeling uneasy. "Well... I was thinking that a big city's noises might not be the best thing for Liliana's nerves. She should spend a couple of days somewhere where it's really quiet, you know?" His voice's volume lowered just a little bit as he went on. "And maybe she's more likely to open up in an environment that's just pure peace and love." He paused, unsure how to go on.
["And you happen to know such a place?"] Mac asked, although she already had a suspicion about what he had in mind.
"Yeah, in fact I do. Mac, I was going up to Grandma Sarah's for the holidays. Just to enjoy the calm, the good food and - hopefully - the snow. You know, decorating a Christmas tree, roasting marshmallows over the fireplace... that kind of thing. Might be just the break your little one needs." 'And you, too,' he silently added before continuing, "How about I come pick you up tomorrow morning, we get Liliana some clothes, and then we spend a week up in Beallsville?" Harm asked, hoping she wouldn't hear his heart pound.
Her voice seemed just a little uneven when she softly answered. ["I think Liliana would love that,"] she said, adding hesitatingly, ["And so would I."]
Harm felt a goofy smile spread over his face. "I'm glad you think so. Grandma tells me to say hello, by the way, and she can't wait to get to know you."
["Same here. So when will you pick us up?"]
"Say, 1000 sharp?"
["As sharp as you can manage, flyboy,"] she replied, obviously smirking.
He chuckled. "Hold your tongue, Marine, or I won't bring any warm things for you. Okay, see you girls tomorrow then. Uh, Mac?"
["Yeah?"]
"I'm really glad you're coming."
He just loved hearing her smile. ["Thank you so much for asking, Harm."]
"You're welcome. Good night, Marine. Sleep tight."
["You, too,"] she answered softly before ending the connection.
Harm slowly put the receiver down, stood up, and walked over to the window. Slight snowfall had set in, nothing to worry about if it didn't intensify over night. He watched as the light in the courtyard slowly turned milky- white, and a feeling of utmost peace began to grow inside him. Maybe, up at Grandma Sarah's, a terrorized child and two people who normally dreaded Christmastime would get a chance to learn what God's message was about.
To be continued... (Feedback highly appreciated!)
Author: Daenar Rating: G, except for parts of the fourth chapter that might need a PG-13 rating. Category: Romance (H/M), Drama
Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius Productions, Paramount and CBS. The story 'Traces in the Sand' is written by Margaret Fishback Powers. No copyright infringement intended.
Spoiler: Mac gets a Christmas surprise she never expected - and Harm finds himself involved in it head over heels... The story refers to Mac's assignment as carrier JAG on the USS Guadalcanal in Indonesia at the beginning of season seven.
Many, many thanks to Katie M. for beta-reading!
Dec. 19th, 2002 1647 ZULU Harbor, Dock 142 Baltimore, MD
The sun fought hard against the milky-white veil that covered the sky. One could make out its brilliant circle through the clouds, and a few rays even managed to break through, painting the city's silhouette in the colors of a dreamy twilight. Grim frost had taken over all of the East Coast for about a week now. Even down in Georgia, temperatures didn't climb higher than the thirties. The air was crisp and clear, telling of the snow that was soon expected.
The Lombok Queen had arrived about three hours ago, with a shipment of freshly cut tropical wood for the US market. Having broken its journey only in Japan and Panama, the ship had been underway for eight weeks now since it had set off from Surabaya on the island of Java, Indonesia. The crew knew they were lucky. They got to spend Christmas in the States before starting their journey back on January 2nd. All were eager to unload the cargo as quickly as possible, bustling around the ship without paying attention to their surroundings.
Deep down in the ship's cargo bay, Deke Miller from Baltimore Port Authority stumbled over something in the shadows and fell. "Crap!" Deke examined his ripped coverall and looked around to see what he had tripped over. There, in the corner... that had to be the object in question, but he could have sworn that it had been longer. How else could it have gotten in his way? Deke cautiously approached the corner... , and his heart skipped a beat. "For Christ's sake!!! How did the kid get here?"
Dec. 19th, 2002 1658 ZULU Baltimore Port Authority Baltimore, MD
Deputy Vern Morris wiped his forehead, sighing heavily. The girl didn't talk. She just kept looking at him with those huge, deeply terrified eyes that seemed even larger given the fact that she was all but starving. How old could she be, nine maybe? Ten? Her body was badly bruised, even showed traces of inflamed burns. She was running a fever, and she was incredibly dirty. But the thing that ripped most at the deputy's heart was the expression of sheer panic that seemed to paralyze her completely.
"What do we do about her?" Deke approached Vern, sorrow making his brow furrow.
Again Vern sighed. "I have no idea. Call family services? The INS? Let's hope Miranda finds something that will give us a hint." He cast a rather doubtful look in the direction of the office where his young colleague from the BPD was right now cleaning the girl up a bit, trying to find any indication of who she might be among the few things she had worn.
A few minutes later, Miranda Michaels came out of the small room that they had taken the girl to. "She's asleep now," she said in a low voice. "The ambulance should be here any minute to take her to a hospital. No words yet," she added with a sad apologetic frown, answering the unspoken question of her colleague. "But," her expression turned somewhat puzzled, "I did find something very interesting in her skirt's pocket." She held out her hand and both men gasped. On her palm lay a USMC Eagle, Globe and Anchor and a US Meritorious Service Medal.
Dec. 19th, 2002 1726 ZULU JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
"Enter."
Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. cheerfully opened the door to his partner's office and flashed her a trademark flyboy-grin. "Hello Colonel!"
"Harm, hi!" Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie's face lit up to a genuine smile. "Back already?"
Harm closed the door and sat down opposite to her. "Yup. Bud gave the Petty Officer such a grilling that he practically begged me on his knees to cut a deal once he was off the stand."
"What did you settle for?" Mac asked, grinning at the mental image of someone on his knees before the Almighty Rabb.
"Six months' confinement, forfeiture of pay, dishonorable discharge, loss of pension. And he gladly took it."
"He'd better." Mac nodded, satisfied. There had been no doubt about P.O. Marsden's guilt from the start. "So what do you want to do with your day, flyboy?"
Harm smiled tentatively at his partner. "How about an early lunch?"
Mac found his smile contagious. "Sure, that'd be..."
The telephone interrupted her. Flashing him an apologetic smile, she picked up the receiver.
"Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie."
["Good morning, ma'am, this is Deputy Vern Morris, Baltimore Police. We might need the Marine Corps's expertise in a case we have here."]
Mac shot Harm a puzzled frown and switched on the speakerphone. "What can I do for you, Deputy?"
["Well, ma'am, this morning the Lombok Queen, an Indonesian ship, docked in port. As the crew was unloading the cargo they found a little girl onboard. She's about ten, badly injured, emaciated, obviously traumatized and unable to utter a syllable. She's been taken to Union Memorial Hospital. The only things that could possibly give us a hint as to who she is are a USMC Eagle, Globe and Anchor and a Meritorious Service Medal.... Uh... Colonel? Are you still with me? Colonel Mackenzie?"]
Harm felt his heart rate double when he saw Mac blanch. Instantly he was at her side. Kneeling down beside her and reaching for her hand, he quickly took over. "Deputy Morris? This is Commander Harmon Rabb. I'm Colonel Mackenzie's partner with the Judge Advocate General Corps. We'll both meet you at Union Memorial as soon as we can."
["I understand. Until later then, Commander."] If the deputy was surprised, he didn't let it show. Harm quickly told him goodbye and ended the connection. Then he turned all his attention to a trembling Mac.
"What's going on, Mac? Tell me," he urged her gently. She could tell he was trying to keep his concern from showing too openly. But he was failing miserably.
Mac's huge dark eyes captured his gaze. Her voice was uneven when she spoke. "Do you remember the little girl that I told you about, Liliana?"
"The one you had to leave behind in Indonesia after the consulate had been attacked?"
"Yeah. I gave her my EGA back then, and when I finally tracked her down, I flew to Indonesia again, remember?"
"Yeah."
"She was at a hospital, recovering from the injuries that she suffered when she saved us. I gave her my medal. Harm," Mac's voice rang with apprehension, "It's got to be her. I've got no clue what she's doing here, but she'd have only one reason to do this."
Harm reached out and pulled Mac into a tight embrace. "You," he whispered, shaken. For a few seconds, he held her firmly, feeling her slowly relax in his arms. Then he drew back and tried to let his gaze convey all the strength and reassurance he could possibly muster. "She's going to be okay, Mac. Listen, I'm finished here anyway. We'll notify the admiral and go up to Baltimore together. You're in no condition to drive right now." He tried a slight half-smile.
Her response was a misty smile of her own. "Thanks, Harm," she said, her voice barely audible, returning his embrace.
Dec. 19th, 2002 1927 ZULU Union Memorial Hospital Baltimore, MD
Resting his hand on the small of her back, Harm gently guided Mac to the reception desk. She had recovered from her initial shock and put up a professional Marine façade. Since she didn't object to his touch, he just let her feel that she wasn't alone in this.
As soon as he caught sight of the two officers, a middle-aged African- American in a police officer's uniform approached them. "Colonel Mackenzie and Commander Rabb?"
The JAG officers only nodded.
"Deputy Vern Morris. We talked earlier on the phone. Thanks for coming." His smile conveyed a slight uneasiness.
Mac spoke up, guessing what the deputy longed to know but obviously didn't dare to ask. "Thank you for notifying us, Deputy." A slight smile underlined her next sentence. "As improbable as it may seem, you called the right person. The girl's name is Liliana and it was me who gave her both, the insignia and the medal, after an attack on one of our consulates in Indonesia where I was deployed earlier this year. I could be mistaken, of course, but I think that would be highly improbable."
The deputy's jaw literally dropped. "Indeed, it would, ma'am," he said very slowly, not believing his ears. "So she came for you?"
Mac sighed. "I don't know. My reaction on the phone might have told you that I was just as surprised to find out about her as you were, Deputy."
Morris risked a half-grin. "That would be correct, ma'am." His grin grew as he saw Harm and Mac smile back at him.
"How is she?" Mac asked, sobering.
"She's in Intensive Care. No imminent danger, though. The doctors were able to stabilize her fairly well. Her wounds are not as deep as they seemed and luckily the burns are only second-degree. As soon as the infection diminishes and she gains some strength, she should be able to leave the hospital. But she still hasn't uttered a syllable. She must have been through something terrible." Morris tried to banish the images of how she'd looked when they first found her from his mind.
"Can we go see her?" Mac's voice was low.
"I've already informed the staff that a Marine Colonel and a Navy Commander would probably turn out to be the closest thing to a family she has," Morris stated. "They told me to tell you to go up as soon as you'd arrived."
Harm shook the deputy's hand. "Thank you very much, Deputy, we're indebted to you. I guess we might as well take over from here and inform the authorities in charge. If you have any further questions, be sure to call me, no matter what time." He handed the police officer a JAG business card.
'Well,' Morris thought, 'They're both lawyers. They'll probably know better than I what to do with her.' "You're very welcome, Commander. Thank you for taking care of her. Good luck. Colonel," he nodded to her, turned and left.
"You ready to go up there, Marine?" Harm asked gently.
She smiled, grateful for his assistance. "Yeah. Let's go."
Dec. 20th, 2002 0207 ZULU Union Memorial Hospital Baltimore, MD
The nurse stopped at the window and quietly observed the three people inside the small room. The officers had taken off their jackets and were sitting at the girl's bedside. The man had his arm wrapped around the woman, her head resting against his shoulder. She was holding the girl's hand. For hours they had quietly sat there like that. For some reason the nurse felt that the image reminded her of a Nativity scene. 'Oh, come on, Pam, just about everything reminds you of Christmas these days. Go and get your work done,' she scolded herself. But still she couldn't help wiping a tear from her cheek as she observed the pair watching over the sleep of a little girl they barely knew.
Inside the room, all was silent except for the eerie beeping and humming of the ICU's electronics. Mac stirred in Harm's embrace, then drew back and smiled at him a little self-consciously. He just smiled back, his blue- green eyes conveying comfort and confidence. Mac's smile intensified as she settled back into her former resting position, closing her eyes and exhaling slowly.
Suddenly, Harm felt Mac freeze. Both sat up straight and watched as Liliana's eyelids began to flutter. Mac got up and leaned over her. "Liliana," she called softly, trying not to startle her, "Liliana, it's me, Mac. You're in America. You found me."
Slowly the girl opened her eyes. Within seconds, Harm and Mac witnessed a myriad of different emotions wash over her: fear, outright panic, despair, confusion, recognition and finally overwhelming relief and silent joy. Mac felt the girl's grip tighten as Liliana's huge black eyes began to fill with tears. Carefully Mac reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm here, baby," she whispered, "I'm right here. You're safe now. Don't worry, everything's gonna be okay, I promise."
After a few long moments Mac carefully lowered Liliana onto her pillow again and turned to Harm who had stood back, granting them a moment to themselves. Motioning for him to join her, she sat down on the bed and gently caressed the girl's wet cheek. "Liliana, I want you to meet my partner and best friend, Harm," she said with a smile.
Seeing the girl look up at him, Harm warmly smiled back at her. "Hello, Liliana," he said softly, "Mac has told me a lot about you. I'm glad we meet at last." As she smiled, he all of a sudden felt strangely shy.
Mac's expression sobered. "Why did you come here? Can you tell me what happened? Where's your mother?" she asked gently.
As soon as the words were out, Harm and Mac saw Liliana's expression cloud and the panic return to her eyes. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks and she began to shake, trying to curl up in a ball on her bed. No sound ever escaped her lips, though. Mac immediately took her in her arms again, cradling her until her sobs subsided. "Shhh, it's okay. I'm here. It's okay, my little one. Don't think about it now. You're safe. Try to sleep. We won't leave," she whispered soothingly, at the same time looking up at Harm, helpless. He only placed a firm hand on her shoulder, hoping that his presence somehow gave her the strength she would need to stand through this.
Dec. 22nd, 2002 2247 ZULU JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
Harm shoved the remaining files to one side of his desk, piling them up neatly. They could wait until after Christmas. All the rest of his work was wrapped up, as were Mac's cases that he had taken over when she had decided to stay with Liliana. Switching off his computer, he allowed himself a sigh of content. He had earned his vacation. But as he watched the first snowflakes fall from an indigo sky, he couldn't quite convince himself to let holiday spirit take over. His thoughts kept wandering back to where his best friend was trying to get a little girl to open up about what she had been through.
He had stayed with Mac at Liliana's side until the following day when the admiral had ordered him back to JAG, telling him to finish up Mac's most urgent assignments. He had been reluctant to leave her as he witnessed Mac's increasing desperation about the fact that she still couldn't get Liliana to talk. It had been knowing that wrapping up her cases would be the best help he could offer that had finally made him go back to D.C. But now he longed to get to her again and just let her feel that she wasn't alone.
Knowing that because of her position she had been allowed to use her cell- phone inside the hospital once the girl had been released from the ICU, Harm dialed Mac's number.
["Mackenzie."]
"Hi Marine, it's me."
Her voice let show her smile. ["Hey, sailor, good to hear you."] She spoke low. Obviously the girl was sleeping. Harm involuntarily lowered his voice as well.
"How are you two girls holding up?"
She sighed. ["Pretty much the same. She doesn't seem to have as many nightmares now, though, and sometimes she's even cheerful, but she still doesn't talk."]
"Are they going to release her anytime soon?"
["Actually, yes. And that's the good part of the story. She's strong enough to come home with me tomorrow. She'll stay with me for the holidays and then I'll call the INS."]
Harm hesitated. He had had an idea the other night, something that might do the little girl good, as well as Mac. "Uhm, Mac," he ventured carefully, "Might I suggest a slight change of plans?"
She again seemed to smile, curiously this time. ["Go ahead and explain yourself, Commander."]
He cleared his throat, feeling uneasy. "Well... I was thinking that a big city's noises might not be the best thing for Liliana's nerves. She should spend a couple of days somewhere where it's really quiet, you know?" His voice's volume lowered just a little bit as he went on. "And maybe she's more likely to open up in an environment that's just pure peace and love." He paused, unsure how to go on.
["And you happen to know such a place?"] Mac asked, although she already had a suspicion about what he had in mind.
"Yeah, in fact I do. Mac, I was going up to Grandma Sarah's for the holidays. Just to enjoy the calm, the good food and - hopefully - the snow. You know, decorating a Christmas tree, roasting marshmallows over the fireplace... that kind of thing. Might be just the break your little one needs." 'And you, too,' he silently added before continuing, "How about I come pick you up tomorrow morning, we get Liliana some clothes, and then we spend a week up in Beallsville?" Harm asked, hoping she wouldn't hear his heart pound.
Her voice seemed just a little uneven when she softly answered. ["I think Liliana would love that,"] she said, adding hesitatingly, ["And so would I."]
Harm felt a goofy smile spread over his face. "I'm glad you think so. Grandma tells me to say hello, by the way, and she can't wait to get to know you."
["Same here. So when will you pick us up?"]
"Say, 1000 sharp?"
["As sharp as you can manage, flyboy,"] she replied, obviously smirking.
He chuckled. "Hold your tongue, Marine, or I won't bring any warm things for you. Okay, see you girls tomorrow then. Uh, Mac?"
["Yeah?"]
"I'm really glad you're coming."
He just loved hearing her smile. ["Thank you so much for asking, Harm."]
"You're welcome. Good night, Marine. Sleep tight."
["You, too,"] she answered softly before ending the connection.
Harm slowly put the receiver down, stood up, and walked over to the window. Slight snowfall had set in, nothing to worry about if it didn't intensify over night. He watched as the light in the courtyard slowly turned milky- white, and a feeling of utmost peace began to grow inside him. Maybe, up at Grandma Sarah's, a terrorized child and two people who normally dreaded Christmastime would get a chance to learn what God's message was about.
To be continued... (Feedback highly appreciated!)