A/N: Thank you Bethsthings and coolcat2 for all your beta help. Also thank you to the awesome people you have taken a few seconds out of their life to review the fic. You are all awesome. I am splitting what should have been all of chapter four into other chapters. So chapter five should be posted tonight or tomorrow. Be on the lookout for it. Until then enjoy and remember I love feedback. =)
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the JAG characters but Harmony. Also Goodnight Moon is not mine. It belongs to Margret Wise Brown. I am just using it for the purpose of this fic. I also do not own the lyrics to the song. The song is called Prayer by Lizzie West. I am sure you can find it on iTunes. So do not sue.
1300 Zulu
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, VA
Chaplain Turner stood at the podium as a song started to play.
Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there I do not sleep
I am a thousand winds that flow
I am the sunlight on my own grave
I am a gentle autumn rain
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight
do not stand at my grave and cry
do not stand at my grave and cry
do not stand at my grave and cry
I am not there I did not die
(spoken)
Man as yet is half grown
Even his flower stem has not appeared yet
He's all leaves and roots without a sign of stem in sight
Blossoming, establishing a new pure relationship with the cosmos
It is the sign of heaven.
It's the sign of the cobra.
It's the sign of a man who knows himself royally.
Crowned with the sun.
His feet gripping the earth as he goes.
We have arrived.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there I did not die.
I am not there I did not die.
As the music finished he started to speak. "We are here today not to remember Harmony but to celebrate her life, a life that she lived to the fullest. Many here watched Harmony grow from a little girl into a brave and strong Naval Aviator. Lt. Rabb,"Skittles" to those who flew with her knew she had a love of flying that even the Wright Brothers would envy. She followed in the footsteps of her father, and three generations of Rabb's before her, taking to the skies and defending a country that she loved. Harmony knew what she wanted to do and she didn't give up that dream." Chaplain Turner spoke. "If you ask anyone here what stood out most about Lieutenant Rabb they will tell you it was her driven spirit. How she never gave up and refused to take no for an answer. Harmony Mason Rabb was simply an amazing person who brought so much life to this world and gave so much back. For such a small girl she had such a big heart."
Harm felt his mother's hand slip into his and he squeezed it, pulling her into him and holding her tightly.
"There is no doubt we will never forget Harmony, you would be crazy if you did. She left a little bit of herself in each and every one of you. I hope that the memory of her will fill the void she has left in your heart, when Harmony left us all too soon. When you go home tonight and reflect upon her life, know that this was how she would have wanted to go. Harmony would also want all of you to know that you were the ones she always loved. Don't be sad that she is gone; be happy that now she can be with all of you every day at anytime." He looked over at Harm, "I will now let Captain Harmon Rabb Jr. say a few words about his daughter." As Harm took to the podium Chaplain Turner hugged him.
Harm looked around at everyone in attendance. He never knew just how many lives his daughter had touched. He looked at Mac who was dressed in black as tears fell down her face. Next to her was the Admiral who seemed to be staring off into the distance, it was his way of hiding his tears. SEALS never cried. In the empty seat, that Harm had been sitting in was his mother. Tears were falling from her eyes too. Her only granddaughter was dead. Bud was not hiding his emotions and neither was Harriet, who was holding a crying A.J. Even Brumby showed up for it. Her RIO had a blank expression on her face, like it had not sunk in yet. That it was not real. With everyone from her squadron and others she had met, the place was filled and there was more Military brass then she would have cared for. They were all here to pay their respects and say goodbye to a fellow friend.
Harm looked at her casket, which was draped, in the American flag. He was never going to hear her voice again. Harm would never see her get married or have kids of her own. Her life was cut short because of him. He should have done m ore to protect her, if he did she would not be here right now, instead she would be back in London recovering from a broken leg. Today was going to be the hardest thing he had ever done.
"When Harmony was little her favorite book was Goodnight Moon. She would not go to bed until I read the story to her. If I had to leave town I would bring the book with me and read it to her over the phone. Though after sometime I no longer needed the book, I knew every single word of the story. I could recite it in my sleep, but she had to have the book because of the pictures." He paused as he looked down at the book in front of him. He ran his hand over the cover. "Then one day she said 'dad I am too old for that baby book.' I was heartbroken. My little girl wasn't little anymore and she didn't want me to read her Goodnight Moon, instead she wanted to read her own book before bed. I never got rid of Goodnight Moon and I secretly hoped that one day she would come to me and ask me to read her the story. She never did. I am not going to stand here and say how we all loved her and how much she meant to us because we already know that. You wouldn't be here today if you didn't care about her or love her. If Harmony had not touched your life in some way none of you would be sitting here right now honoring her memory."
Harm flipped the book open to the first page and looked out at everyone. "In the great green room there was a telephone, and a red balloon, and a picture of The cow jumping over the moon." He started to read aloud. He could hear people sobbing and saw his stepfather holding his crying mother in his arms trying to comfort her. "and there were three little bears, sitting on chairs, and two little kittens and a pair of mittens." Tears started to fall down his cheeks and he was not sure if he would be able to finish, but Harm knew he had to for Harmony.
He looked at Mac, her eyes were red with tears as he head hung down. "and a little toy house and a young mouse and a comb and a brush and bowl full of mush and a quiet old lady who was whispering "hush." Goodnight room, goodnight moon, goodnight cow jumping over the moon, goodnight light and the red balloon." He continued but stopped. He was almost done with the book, but these last few pages were hard. Really hard. His eyes met Mac's and she nodded at him. Harm knew she wanted him to continue and that Harmony would have wanted him to finish.
"Goodnight bears, goodnight mittens, goodnight clocks and goodnight socks, goodnight little house and goodnight mouse, goodnight comb and goodnight brush goodnight nobody, goodnight mush and goodnight to the old lady whispering "hush" goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere." Crying he closed the book. "Goodnight Princess, daddy loves you." As he finished speaking four F-18's flew over in a Missing Man Fly by, everyone attending who was in military uniform stood up and saluted. Harm tearfully watched as the three jets continued off and the fourth one separated from the pack and flew alone.
"Dad. Dad. DAD!"
H arm's eyes shot open.
"Dad…"
He looked around and then saw Harmony. It was all a dream, she wasn't dead. She was still alive and in a hospital. "Harmony…hey." He stood up and walked over to the side of her bed.
"It's a good thing we are in a hospital, because you need to see a doctor about that snoring." She weakly spoke. Harmony tried to sit up but stopped.
"Whoa! Relax. Just relax." He poured some water into a cup, and then put a straw in the cup. "Here drink this." He placed the straw near her lips, holding the cup for Harmony. "You gave us a real scare there." Harm spoke running his thumb over her eyebrow.
Harmony sipped slowly and the rested her head back against the pillow. Just drinking the water made her winded. "What the – what the hell happened? Why do I feel like a truck hit me?"
Harm kissed her temple. "During the rescue you were shot in the chest. You almost died."
"Harley? Lt. Sullivan?" Harmony asked. "Did she get out?"
"She got out, yes. Lt. Sullivan is ok. Her wound was infected and they treated her with antibiotics. She will be as good as new in a few months."
"You're going to make a lot of people happy tonight. You had everyone real worried." He pulled out his cell phone dialing Mac's number. "Hey," his voice was chipper. "She's awake...just now. Ok see you then." He closed his phone. "Mac is on her way, she'll be here shortly."
"How long have I been out?" She asked her eyes scanning the non-descript hospital room.
"Three weeks. You were medevaced to a Marine hospital where they stabilized you, from there to the Guadalcanal where you had to have surgery, and then here to Naples, now hopefully in a few weeks to Bethesda. Mac and I are going to rent a place in DC for while, just until you get on your feet. "Don't even think about arguing with me because as your father I out rank you on this one."
Harmony started at her father. "I'm grounded aren't I?"
He hung his head taking a few seconds before looking at her sad face. Harm nodded his head a few times. "Harmony I'm sorry, but-"
She cut him off a few tears rolling down her cheeks "Dad it's ok, I already figured as much. After I punched out and the way my leg broke on the landing, I am not that stupid. I was just hoping there was a slim chance you know? The idea of never flying again…"
He carefully embraced. "I know, you feel like your soul is being ripped out."
"How did you do it? How did you deal with knowing you would never fly again?"
"At first I couldn't. I didn't want to deal with it." His heart was breaking for her. "But I realized I had you and having you was much better than flying. Then I found another way to fight the bad guys and save the good ones. I went to law school."
"Harley asked me if I couldn't fly again what would I do. I didn't have an answer because if I can't fly then I would rather not do anything."
"How about we worry about you getting better first, than worry about what you will do. Ok." He kissed her temple. "We can't do plan B without working on plan A, all right?"
At any other time Harmony would have fought her dad tooth and nail, but right now she was too tired and in way too much pain to do so. "Yes sir." She gave in.
I am going to go get the doctor, ok. Don't go anywhere."
"Where the heck am I going to go. I can't walk dad and my chest feels like an elephant stood on it."
Harm grinned a little at her description. "I love you."
"I love you too dad."
Opening the door to exit Harm stopped and looked back at his daughter, he knew that look on her face all too well. Harm knew better than anyone else how his little girl was feeling right now, and he would do anything to take that pain away from her
