Harm was a little surprised when he went into work one morning, and an unfamiliar car was parked in the spot that had formerly been reserved for Admiral Chegwidden. Jen had two weeks of maternity leave to go, and was planning to spend the afternoon interviewing potential childcare providers. The last time that he'd been in the office, it seemed that there had been issues with the selection board's approval of Colonel Cresswell's appointment as the new Judge Advocate General. This news had been a relief to Mac, whose prior dealings with the man included his investigation of her affair with Col. John Farrow, USMC (ret.). Harm was reserving his own opinion, not that it mattered, as it seemed that Cresswell would not be taking over.
Harm entered the bullpen just as Sturgis was exiting the JAG's office, followed by a shorter man dressed in Marine green with two stars on his jacket.
"Attention on deck," Harm called out as he snapped to attention.
"Good morning. Stand at ease. For those of you who don't know me, my name is General Biff Cresswell, and I was appointed last night as your new commanding officer. This office has one of the most exemplary records in the history of the Judge Advocate General's Corps, and I'd like to keep it that way. Over the next few days, I'll be meeting with everyone privately. Now, I was informed that my regular Legalman is currently on maternity leave and will be returning in two weeks?" Harm cleared his throat and came to attention.
"Yes sir, Petty Officer Rabb is scheduled to return to her duties a week from Monday."
"Does anyone know if she has obtained suitable childcare for her dependents?"
"Not yet, sir. The petty officer and her husband will be interviewing prospective childcare providers over the next few days, starting this afternoon." Cresswell looked at Harm, his brow furrowing. Mac could hardly contain her look of glee, as she knew what was coming. General Cresswell was one of the Corps' biggest sticklers about fraternization regulations, and the expression on his face could only mean one thing. The Coates bitch was finally going down. The General's expression changed as realization dawned on him.
"I'd almost forgotten about the letter from Admiral Chegwidden. You must be Commander Rabb?" Harm affirmed, and Cresswell nodded. "Your wife has fourteen days of leave, and will be returning on the 9th, Commander?"
"Yes, sir. I think that she is looking forward to it somewhat." Cresswell smirked before dismissing everyone. As Harm went toward his office, he heard the general called his name.
"Commander Rabb, you mentioned that your wife wanted you to accompany her to interview potential childcare providers this afternoon?"
"Yes, sir." Cresswell nodded.
"Go ahead and secure at 1300, then." Both Harm and Cresswell saw the look on Mac's face as they returned to their respective offices, and the latter decided to get the full picture from a presumably unbiased source-his Chief of Staff. "Commander Turner, I'd like a word with you please." Sturgis nodded and followed the General back into his office. Cresswell told him to take a seat, and once both men were comfortable, asked Sturgis for a sitrep.
"Commander Turner, do you know what LtCol. Mackenzie's problem with Commander and Petty Officer Rabb is?" Sturgis sighed and took a deep breath.
"Harm…Commander Rabb resigned his commission in order to save Colonel Mackenzie and a CIA agent named Clayton Webb from getting themselves killed in Paraguay. After they came back home, he asked her if they would ever have a chance, and she told him never before going off and dating Webb. Two days later Admiral Chegwidden set the ruse that Harm had resigned in motion." Cresswell nodded, since that bit of information had been in the letter he'd received from A.J. Chegwidden. Sturgis continued. "About the only person who took time that day to make sure he was okay was Jennifer Coates-Rabb. They started dating, and were quietly married about five months or so later. I don't know all of the details, General, but I will say this. I've known Harm for almost twenty years now, we were roommates at Annapolis, and in all that time, I've never seen him happier or more at peace that he has been since Jennifer came into his life and they got married and had the babies. I honestly believe that Colonel Mackenzie thought Harm would always be there waiting for her to finally decide that she was ready to commit to him, but someone better came along. Harm didn't want to play games anymore, and Jen is perfect for him. God knows what would have happened if Admiral Chegwidden didn't send her to help him pack that day." Cresswell nodded and dismissed Sturgis, then sat back in his chair and considered the former submariner's words. Cresswell wondered if he'd been too quick to blame John Farrow fifteen years ago in Okinawa as he retrieved LtCol Mackenzie's personnel record from the filing cabinet.
By the time he'd finished going through the file, Biff Cresswell wondered how in the hell Sarah Mackenzie was still in the Marine Corps, much less a JAG attorney. Adultery, fraternization, perjury…Mackenzie's file read like an issue of the National Enquirer. Well, he wouldn't do anything at the moment, but every move she made would be scrutinized from now on, including her treatment of a certain Legalman.
At twelve fifty-five, Biff Cresswell was in the bullpen when a slender brunette woman entered the area. She was dressed in jeans and a button-down shirt, and carrying two infant carriers.
"Good afternoon," Biff called out, causing the woman to set the carriers on the floor and snap to attention. "You must be Petty Officer Rabb."
"Yes, sir," Jen replied, still at attention. Biff smiled and extended his hand.
"Relax, Petty Officer, you're still on leave. I assume that you're here to pick up your husband?" Jen responded in the affirmative as Biff knelt to look at the two babies, both looking at him. "They're beautiful children, Petty Officer. What are their names?"
"Harmon Francis and Elizabeth Patricia Rabb, sir. Frankie and Trisha for short, sir."
"Jen…sorry…Petty Officer?" Both Jen and Biff looked up to see Harm standing there, looking worried. Biff chuckled as he looked at his two subordinates.
"Relax, Commander. She's your wife, on leave, and in civilian attire. You may call her by her first name. Were you intending on going to these appointments in uniform?" Jen shrugged a large backpack from her shoulders and handed it to Harm.
"Jeans, a shirt, and your tennis shoes are in there. I realized that you forgot to bring it with you this morning." Biff smirked at the expression on Harm's face.
"Don't worry, Commander, you'll get used to it. Go change and secure for the day. I'll see you tomorrow." As the general started to walk away, Harm called his name.
"Sir, we were having a housewarming party on Friday at 1900, and would be honored if you and your family were to join us. We couldn't do it when we first moved in since Jen was almost eight months along at the time."
"It would be a pleasure, Commander." A few minutes later, Harm stepped out of the head, dressed in the clothes that Jen had brought with her. He lifted both carriers with ease and followed his wife to the elevator.
Friday evening came quickly, and Harm came home to find Jen standing in the bedroom in her underwear, looking at three outfits on the bed. He stifled a chuckle and regarded his wife with warm eyes.
"Although I am certainly enjoying the view, our guests will be arriving in about forty-five minutes, and I don't think that they would appreciate it as much as I do." Jen's response was a single-finger salute as she continued to peruse the clothing on the bed before finally choosing a pair of black slacks and a dark crimson red shirt. Harm grabbed a towel from the linen closet before disappearing into the bathroom to take his own shower after Jen finished getting dressed. Frankie and Trisha were both in bouncer seats, gurgling at the toys dangling above them, while Jen finished setting the table and Harm pulled the last of the food out of the oven.
The first guests to arrive were Bud and Harriet. They had asked Mikey to babysit, and he agreed as long as they brought him a plate. About five minutes later, General Cresswell and his wife, who insisted that everyone call her Dora, came in with a bottle of white wine that Harm immediately put in the cooler. Next to show up was Sturgis, with Mac being the last to be there. Just as the door was closing behind Mac, Trisha Rabb made her presence known by crying loudly. Jen picked her daughter up as Harm rushed to the kitchen. Two bottles went into the warmer, and Harm put several appetizers on a plate. He returned to living room, juggling the plate and the bottles, set the plate next to Jen and picked his daughter up. Trisha had just started to drink her milk when her brother felt it was his turn. Jen lifted Frankie from his seat and started feeding him.
The babies had just been burped when both Jen and Harm's noses crinkled. Harm stood up, his daughter on one shoulder, and took his son in his other arm before walking toward the back of the house.
"There's something you don't see every day," Dora Cresswell commented with a smile.
"What's that, dear?" Biff asked.
"A man voluntarily changing dirty diapers," Dora said, making Harriet laugh as she poked Bud in the arm, and Jen hid her own smile behind her hand. "Good job on training him well, Jennifer."
Harm returned to the living room just in time to hear his wife's comment that 'Harm was fairly well housebroken, so training him wasn't that difficult'. He handed his daughter back to Jen, who resumed feeding her while he did the same for his son. Moments later, both babies were sound asleep in the arms of their parents, who excused themselves to take the twins to their nurseries. They had been gone for a few minutes, so Biff went to see if everything was okay. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw that Jen had Harm pressed against the wall, and the couple was making out. Suppressing a smile, Biff cleared his throat loudly, breaking the Rabbs apart as effectively as a bucket of cold water. Harm and Jen looked at their CO, who smirked before turning and walking back to the living room. Harm and Jen were both sporting red faces as they rejoined the group, cu++causing everyone but Mac to start laughing.
It was during dinner that Biff stood up to make an announcement that he hoped would ease the stress level of his staff.
"I know how hard everyone is working, and how understaffed we are. That being said, two new attorneys have just received their orders to Headquarters on Monday: Lt. Talley Mayfield and Lt. Gregory Vukovic." Biff then smiled at his staff and picked up his wine glass. "Enough about work for the moment. A toast to our hosts this evening, Harmon and Jennifer Rabb. To you and your family, that you continued to be blessed. To Harm and Jen."
On Monday morning, Harm walked in to see the two new officers standing in the conference room. Lt. Mayfield was standing at attention, her uniform neatly pressed, and hair carefully braided and pinned up. Lt. Vukovic, however was a complete contrast. Vukovic was slouching against the bulkhead, his uniform, while neat, fitted a little too snugly, and he certainly needed a shave. Shaking his head, Harm took his usual seat and steepled his hands in front of his face.
Within a week, Harm could sense the storm brewing. He almost felt sorry for Vukovic, as it was obvious that the younger man was Mac's next target, but Vukovic was so sleazy, Harm decided that he deserved whatever he got.
Winter soon hit in full force, just in time for the annual JAG conference. General Cresswell had decided that a change in venue would be beneficial, so he had it moved to NAS North Island in San Diego. Mac, Vukovic and Mayfield accompanied the General, since Bud and Sturgis had a case. Harm was left as acting JAG, despite Mac commenting that he would surely show his wife undue favoritism. Cresswell disagreed, as Jen had been back at work for nearly a month, and the conduct of both Rabbs was so circumspect that it took days for the newest staff members to realize that Harm and Jen were married. Vukovic had the message drilled firmly into his head by Harm when the older man caught him hitting on Jen three days after she had returned to work.
Harm was going to take a finalized case report to General Cresswell when he saw Jen pressed against the file cabinet and Vukovic was leaning far too close to her. Harm caught the unhappy expression on his wife's face and saw red.
"Lieutenant Vukovic, my office, NOW!!!" Harm turned on his heel and stalked back to his office, Vukovic on his heels.
"Sir, what's the big idea…in front of an enlisted…" Harm turned and shoved Vukovic against the wall.
"Shut up, Vukovic! If I ever catch you invading the personal space of any woman at this office again, I'll have your ass at courts-martial for sexual harassment. Do I make myself clear, Lieutenant?!"
"She wasn't complaining…" Vukovic gasped as Harm slammed him into the wall again.
"You are an officer, and she is a married enlisted woman…" A snort came from the doorway and both Harm and Vukovic looked over to see Mac, Bud, Sturgis, Jen, Mayfield and General Cresswell looking at the confrontation.
"What seems to be the problem here Commander?" Biff asked, looking at both men. Harm stepped away from Vukovic and wiped his hands on his slacks.
"The Lieutenant here seems to have no concept of personal space regarding junior personnel, sir. He had your Legalman shoved up against her filing cabinets and was making inappropriate comments to her."
"What kind of inappropriate comments, Commander?"
"The kind that should never be used in a professional environment, and certainly not on a married woman." This was too much for Mac, who felt that Harm was being a hypocrite.
"Excuse me Commander, but I think that you need to stop passing judgment on the Lieutenant, when you only escaped getting charged for fraternization on a technicality." Harm took a deep breath.
"You have made your feelings regarding both my wife and my marriage quite clear, Colonel, but neither is relevant. Lieutenant Vukovic's behavior was certainly yellow light, borderline red, and the Petty Officer doesn't deserve to be harassed by an officer looking to add a notch to his bedpost." Vukovic finally spoke up again, having caught his breath.
"What does your wife have to do with my association with Petty Officer Coates?" Harm's eyes narrowed slightly as they flickered between Mac and Vukovic.
"I assume that it was Col. Mackenzie that introduced you to or told you about the members of staff here?"
"Yes, Commander." Harm nodded and glared briefly at Mac before turning back to Vukovic.
"Coates is the Petty Officer's maiden name, Vukovic. Her name here is…"
"Rabb, Lieutenant," Jen interjected. "Sorry for interrupting, Commander." Harm waved a hand dismissively, gesturing for her to continue. "My name is Legalman First Class Jennifer Rabb, sir." Vukovic looked from Harm to Jen, eyes widening in comprehension.
"You're telling me that the two of you are married?!" Jen nodded and Harm cleared his throat.
"Yes, Vukovic, Petty Officer Rabb is my wife. I see no need to explain the details to you, but our marriage was deemed to be in accordance with Navy regulations. However, none of this is relevant, but your conduct is. Watch your step, Lieutenant, with the women in this office. I don't give a damn what you do off-duty, but limit your womanizing to those that may actually be interested!"
Cresswell had learned that it took a great deal to set Harm off, so he knew that Vukovic had pushed the limits. After the crowd around them had dispersed, he told Vukovic that he had better take Harm's words to heart before returning to his own office. Vukovic had been more circumspect in his behavior, but Harm knew that it was just a matter of time. He had witnessed several of the interactions between Mac and Vukovic and wondered how long it would be before the office was torn apart because those two decided to put their libidos before their careers. Harm sighed as he watched the group preparing to leave for San Diego, and he wished that he could say something that would register with them. Mac and Vukovic would become lovers soon, and as soon as they broke up, the entire JAG Corps would be falling under the glare of a fraternization scandal that would ruin not only their careers, but also that of General Cresswell if the older man didn't catch it in time. Harm could only hope that the rest of the staff at Headquarters would be able to weather the approaching storm.