Who's Guts?
SUMMARY: Harm loses his temper and says something to the CAG. The CAG has known Harm since he was a baby and there for sees fit to punish him in a fatherly manner.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own JAG or CBS
SPECIAL THANKS: To Sparx for allowing me to whine to her multiple times during my break! And for never losing patients with me! AND for believing in me!!
A/N: Ok all; here it is…my first JAG story. Please be nice!! I'm a little nervous as it's my first fic (and my 2nd posting) since I decided to take my break!
Lieutenant Harmon Rabb Junior was tired. He'd been pulled out of a military party, still in his dress whites, and shuttled to the Kitty Hawk…which happened to be in the middle of an ocean. He hadn't even been able to grab a change of clothes.
To make matters worse was that Mace, the brother of his deceased RIO, was stationed on the Kitty Hawk. Mace was intent to prove to Harm that he was better them him and that Harm didn't deserve to be considered an ex-pilot. Out of respect for his RIO Harm never wore the wings that designated him as a pilot.
His partner for the case, Lieutenant JG Kate Pike, seemed to be on a rampage about the CAG, Captain Tom Boone, killing his female RIO. After finding out that the CAG had been more then a little hostile to his RIO, Harm knew he had no choice but to question him.
Harm closed his eyes briefly. 'I should have known it wasn't going to be easy,' Harm thought sarcastically to himself. He followed the CAG in the pilot changing room only to lose his temper. The fire in the CAG's eyes didn't go unnoticed and Harm knew he'd stepped over the line.
'What have I done'? Harm wondered to himself as he watched the CAG leave the room.
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Harm left the room moments later and found his partner still investigating.
"You ok?" Kate asked upon seeing Harm's pale face.
"I'm fine Kate." He answered quickly.
Harm went through the motions of the investigations as the words he dared to utter to the CAG played in his head. "Were you testing her guts or yours?"
Harm rubbed his temples as he felt a headache coming on. It didn't help that Kate was badgering him once again. Finally Harm decided to get some sleep; he hadn't slept in 24 hours and it was starting to catch up with him. He knew there was no point in worrying about the disrespect he showed the CAG just yet as the CAG was still flying and wouldn't be in for a few hours. He decided to sleep and find the older man later.
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Harm woke up to someone shaking him. He opened his eyes slowly until he saw who was shaking him.
"Sir," Harm asked confused to see the CAG in his room.
"I heard you were looking for me." Boone said stiffly.
Harm sat up and looked at his hands.
"I-I wanted to apologize for earlier sir," Harm started. "I didn't mean to be disrespectful."
Boone watched the younger man carefully. He could see the guilt in the lieutenant's body language. He also didn't have time to deal with guilt yet; not when there was a possible mission that night.
"It's forgotten lieutenant." Boone stated quickly.
"Yes, sir," Harm replied quietly.
Book had turned to leave but hearing the quietness of his deceased best friend's son he turned back. Harm still refused to look at him let alone look him in the eyes. He knew at that moment that he had to deal with the younger man then and not later. 'You can never do anything the easy way, can you kid'?
"Look at me boy," Boone ordered.
He waited until Harm finally looked up. Boone could see the anguish in the younger man's eyes. He knew the guilt Harm was feeling was not at the words he said but at whom he had said them too. 'Time to fix it,' Boone thought to himself.
"What you said was wrong. You know better then to let your emotions run your mouth. Your father wouldn't have allowed it, no matter your age, and neither will I." Boone's voice was stern.
Harm looked down at his hands once again. He may have only been five when his father went MIA but he remembered vividly how his father punished him when he misbehaved. It wasn't the first time the CAG had, had to deal with him this way but it was still unsettling. He knew at his age he should be fighting the idea but the look of betrayal in the CAG's eyes made the idea of fighting impossible.
"I'm sorry," Harm said again.
"If you're not you will be soon; stand up," Boone demanded.
After Harm complied, Boone sat where Harm had and pulled the younger man over his lap. He quickly positioned the lieutenant and landed his first swat on the boxer clad bottom. It didn't take long for Harm's legs to start jerking involuntarily. Sensing Harm's change in demeanor Boon began to lecture.
"You know better" SWAT, SWAT "then to let your emotions," SWAT, SWAT "rule you." SWAT, SWAT "I know you," SWAT, SWAT "know better then," SWAT, SWAT "to talk to me that way." SWAT, SWAT "I had better," SWAT, SWAT "not learn that you," SWAT, SWAT "acted this way again!" SWAT, SWAT "Do you," SWAT, SWAT "understand?" SWAT, SWAT
"Y-yes sir," Harm cried out.
Boon kept the swats coming until he heard a sob come from the boy over his lap. Knowing Harm was almost at his breaking point he lowered one leg and raised the other. He started to swat at the sensitive under curve.
"OW!" SWAT, SWAT "P-please sir…" SWAT, SWAT "I'm sorry!" SWAT, SWAT "I w-wont…OW" SWAT, SWAT "d-do it again!" SWAT, SWAT "AH!" SWAT, SWAT "P-please U-uncle Tom…OW" SWAT, SWAT "I'm sorry…AH!" SWAT, SWAT
After hearing both 'Uncle Tom' and 'I'm sorry' Boone laid two final swats before stopping. Harm hadn't called him 'Uncle Tom' in years. When Harm turned ten he decided he was too old to call the Navy man anything other then sir; he only reverted back to 'Uncle' on rare occasions. However ever since Harm had started the academy he refused to call him 'Uncle at all; Tom had to smile at the child like gesture. He rubbed comforting circles on Harm's back till he calmed down. Then he helped him stand. Seeing the forlorn look that made Harm look all of twelve, Boone hugged him close.
He smiled to himself as Harm, a few inches taller, bent down and buried his head in the older man's shoulder. "I'm sorry Uncle Tom." Harm cried.
"I know you are son. It's over now though. You paid for your mistake; ok?" Boone asked.
"Yes, sir," Harm replied as he tried to calm his tears.
When at last Harm had calmed down completely, Boone pulled away.
"We're not gonna have a repeat are we Harmon?" Boone asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No sir," Harm replied with a quick shake of his head.
"Good; get dressed and finish your investigation lieutenant." Boone said, signifying that the personal moment was over.
"Yes, sir," Harm saluted.
As Boone left the room Harm was left rubbing his backside. When the door closed Harm closed his eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry dad." He felt a sense of comfort as he got ready for the day.
Boone went to an outside deck, needing some air before going to talk with the Captain. He looked around at the action going on and closed his eyes briefly. "You should be proud of him Hammer," he whispered to the sky. With the sun beating down he knew that Rabb Senior was in fact proud of his son.
EPILOGUE:
The CAG entered the dining room where Harm, Pike, and a reporter were seated and talking. He turned to the reporter, "Mr. Palmer, ready for your second ride? I got an A-TARS mission in eight minutes."
The reporter turned him down. Harm looked at his cup and squirmed in his seat. It still hurt to sit and the idea of sitting in a cock pit…"I'll take it."
Boone looked him up and down. "Saddle up," he ordered.
Harm was out of his seat in a flash. The flight didn't go as planned. The F-14 they were flying got shot and the CAG got hurt in the process. Harm had, had to land the jet which he did.
Some how he'd also managed to solve the case of the dead RIO. It had been a hard case in the beginning but in the end it was turned out for the better. Mace had given him his wings back and he and the CAG were once again back to relationship they'd had when Harm was younger.
THE END
A/N 2: CAG Captain, Air Group (in charge of pilots)
RIO Radio Intercept Officer
JG Junior Grade
F – 14 Tomcat (fighter jet)