Title: Fighting My Way Back To You.
Summary: The JAG staff faces both a threat to their own lives, as well as the crushing news that one of their own has been lost. H/M centered, although other characters do appear.
Spoilers: Everything up until 'Death At The Mosque, but only the part where Harm turns Mac away at the hospital.
Rating: T, if even that…Maybe, just because of emotive issues, but I think that most over the age of 13 should be able to deal with this one…
Harm story that delves into his feelings for Mac, so this is a what you would consider to be shippery. Is it resolved? Well, you'll have to read on, won't you!? ;oP
Disclaimer: JAG does not belong to me. It doesn't matter that the series has finished its run. No, you did not miss the auction they had to sell the rights to JAG, I wouldn't have the money to buy them, anyway. Let's just say I'm borrowing the characters for a little fun and that I'll return them to the proper figureheads when I'm done. No harm, no foul.
AN 1: I always enjoy the feedback I get from my readers, even if it's to say, 'Uh, well, it wouldn't really happen that way. Just in case you're interested, this is how it would actually happen…' I'm always interested to hear what other people know about subjects that have inspired my fics, but this is the fanfiction arena and if the 'fiction' part of that term doesn't give you some artistic license, then what does? Also, with work commitments, I've got much less time and am not able to do all the research that I used to. Still, please believe me that I try my best with researching the content of my stories…but from now on, I'm just doing this for fun and because people have encouraged me to continue writing my stories, which they say they enjoy. Keep in mind that this is done primarily for the enjoyment of others. I don't believe that this will be everyone's cup of tea, so if you don't enjoy it, just click 'back' and find something else to read. I don't want to hear about it, there's plenty else here for you to choose from that will suit you.
AN 2: I'm going to warn you right now, the JAG staff deals with the news that one of their own has been lost…I'm not expanding any more than that, 'cos it'll ruin the story. I saw Death At The Mosque and was grossly dissatisfied, thinking that I would try to do better and add a dash more angst while I was at it (You guys let me know how the recipe worked out!) I was perplexed with this episode for many reasons; mainly the lack of Harm-Mac involvement and especially the storylines about characters they knew they would never be able to develop. What's up with that, TPTB? Why couldn't we fast-forward to the Harm-Mac smoochies, three episodes sooner? I know it's not a soap opera and DPB couldn't have them producing mini-marines and flyboys in that time, but you really could have gotten so much more done that would have satisfied the shippers amongst us! Enough ranting; FW&FS doesn't happen and JAG never ends! MUAH-HA, HA, HA, HA, HA! Happy journeys, shipper-writers! You are limited only by the scope of your imagination!
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Part 1
Harm stretched as he vacated the chair he'd been sitting in for the past four hours. He paused to check Mattie, gently brushing her hair back, stroking the softness of her cheek before he left for a quick bite in the cafeteria.
He let the nurses know where he'd be then headed to the elevator lobby, arriving in time to catch one just departing. On his way down, he checked his cellphone, which told him that he'd missed a call from Mac and from his CO, General Gordon Cresswell.
Even though Harm was so tired, he knew he couldn't just ignore calls from his CO, although he was sure Mac wouldn't hold it against him if he went home and caught up on some sleep before he called her back. He punched in the number, because he'd never gotten around to putting the General's contact details into his phonebook. He had to wait until he got to the lobby and got reception, but hit 'call' after he got out of the elevator.
"Hello, Sir? It's Commander Rabb…"
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Gordon was just getting back into his car, when his cellphone began to ring.
"Hello?"
Commander Rabb's voice came across the line, although it was fairly faint. Cresswell then realized that the Commander was probably inside the hospital building where his ward was being cared for. The connection seemed to pick up within a couple of seconds, so Cresswell decided to continue the call, rather than have the man call him back once he had better reception.
"Thank you for getting back to me, Commander…I know you're busy, just now…"
"I apologize for missing your call, Sir, but I've been at the hospital, checking up on Mattie. They don't allow cellphones to be switched on inside the ICU…"
"I understand, Commander. However, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to call you in to headquarters, Harm…A situation has come up and I need you and all other staff there, ASAP. If you could call the Roberts family for me, let them know that all personnel are to report. I know that they probably have nobody to watch their children, tell them to bring the kids with them, for now. We'll work something out, later…"
"Yes, Sir," Harm replied, "I'll do that, Sir."
"See you soon, Commander…"
Gordon hung up and sat contemplating what would happen, once he told everyone what he had to tell them…He turned to look at the person sitting in the passenger seat of his car.
"Are you sure this is the only way?" he asked.
"If you want to save the lives of your people. If you want to get them and their families out of this, alive," Clayton Webb nodded.
"Okay," Cresswell conceded, looking to his cellphone once more and keying in Sturgis Turner's number.
OOOO
When Harm and Jen got to headquarters (He'd gone home first to pick her up, because he was closer to their building than JAG Headquarters,) it was already full of staff and their family members, all in the same confused state as they were in. Nobody knew what was going on; just that Cresswell had called in all staff members, telling them to bring their family members with them. Even Cresswell's wife and daughter Cammie were there, but they knew about as much as anybody else. What they found most disconcerting was that Mac was the only person not yet there, but deduced that she was probably en route from an investigation she had been on, in Fauquier County. The quiet speculation in the bullpen fell silent, as they heard the door to Cresswell's office open, then all was silent as he walked into the bullpen. If Harm didn't already feel bad about the current situation, he did once he caught sight of the person with his CO. An icy fist gripped his insides, as Cresswell stopped to survey his people, before picking out the senior attorneys and asking them to follow him into his office. Before he turned back the way he had come, he asked the rest of the crowd for their patience, he'd explain to them just as soon as he was done bringing Sturgis, Harm, and Bud up to speed.
"Sir, what is Mister Webb doing here?" Bud asked Harm, quietly, as they followed the General through to his office.
"I have no idea, Bud, but I don't like it."
Once they were in Cresswell's office, with the door shut behind them, Gordon Cresswell told them what he had been instructed to.
"It has been brought to my attention that employees of JAG Headquarters are in danger…Very little information exists at this point, but to be sure that every staff member and their family living in and around Virginia are safe, it has been decided that we must take protective action. After tonight, we will all split into six different groups, each of which will go into protective custody, outside the state. You will each be accompanied back home by a Protective Services Agent, where you will grab what you need for the next few weeks, then you will be driven to an undisclosed location, where you are to remain, until this threat has been taken care of. I don't have time for any questions, but let me just say this; the threat appears to be in only the primary stages of execution. If we act now, we can prevent any more blood-shed and have the best chances of a positive outcome. Mister Webb has been assigned to assist in this matter and he will now accompany you outside and apprise the rest of your family and co-workers. Dismissed."
With shocked, incredulous expressions on their faces, all three senior officers turned to leave, but Cresswell spoke up before they did so.
"Commander Rabb," he spoke up, calmly, having decided upon this plan of action just minutes beforehand, "I'd like you to remain here, with me, for the minute…"
"Aye Sir," Harm answered, quickly coming back to attention.
"At ease," Cresswell told him, before coming out of his chair.
"Permission to speak freely, Sir?"
"Granted…"
"Sir, I just need to ask what this means for my ward, Mattie…She's still in the hospital, in a coma and you said that it was uncertain just how far this plot against the staff at JAG goes. If you think family members may be in danger, too…"
"Webb is sending some people as we speak to watch over Mattie, Harm. I know how anxious you've been, waiting for her to wake up, but right now you need to think about yourself first, so that she will still have a guardian to care for her once she wakes up. I'll make sure she's kept safe; nobody will get near her, I promise, but you will not be able to see her until this is over."
Harm thought he was near to breaking point. The last couple of weeks had been soul-destroying, but the thought of possibly not being there when Mattie woke up was awful…
"But Sir…" he tried to protest, despite the fact that he knew his CO would have no qualms about making this an order.
"This threat is very real, Commander," Cresswell interrupted him, his voice stronger, firmer than before, "and we all need to take it seriously…"
He paused as he heard a commotion coming from the bullpen, knowing that the rest of the staff now knew. He decided not to hold the information back, anymore. Harm needed to know.
"Harm," his voice once more became that of a civilian, rather than of a Marine Corps General, "I don't know if you heard what I said, earlier, but blood has already been spilled…A life has been lost, one of JAG's own…This evening, Colonel MacKenzie was deliberately run off the road in her car…Harm, I'm so sorry…I'm afraid she didn't make it…"
At first, there was no outward sign that Harm had understood. He stood stock-still, so stiff that he almost appeared to be at attention.
"Commander?" Cresswell asked, but didn't continue as he saw the color begin to drain from Harm's face.
Cresswell quickly got up, recognizing the signs all too well from his years in combat, but he didn't make it around the desk in time. He was just fast enough to protect Harm's head from hitting the corner of the desk, as the tall former-naval aviator went down.
He quickly checked him out, making sure Harm was okay, before he buzzed through to the bullpen and asked for Harriet and PO Coates.
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