Title: Lost With You
Author: rooster dawn
Classification: Harm/Mac
Spoiler: Last five episodes season eight
Disclaimer: The characters of JAG are the property of Donald Bellisario and Bellisarius Production, Inc. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended. May be reproduce if unchanged, author given full credit, and no financial transaction is involved.
Summary: Harm goes to South America to rescue Mac. During the mission their plane crashes.
Good feedback is good for the soul and my happiness.
part 9 Being There for You
4 June 2003
JAG Headquarters
A couple of days later Harriet went in to see the Admiral. She was concerned that he wasn't dealing with the Colonel and Commander being missing for so long. She thought that he might be feeling a little guilty about them not being here at JAG.
After all he was the one who let the Colonel go undercover with Mr. Webb in the first place. He was after all responsible for the Commander resigning his commission to go after the Colonel.
She wanted to find a way to help the Admiral. She knew he usually got assistance from the Colonel when he was troubled. But the Colonel wasn't here to help him. The Admiral had always been there for her and Bud.
Maybe this was the time she could be there for him. With some apprehension she went in to offer her assistance.
"Sir, may I talk to you?" asked Harriet hesitantly.
"What is it Lieutenant?" asked the Admiral a little surprised to see her.
He was worried that maybe she was having problems with the baby. Everyone had been devastated when she lost baby Sarah. He knew it took a long time for Harriet to get over losing her.
"Is it the baby?" he asked.
"No Sir. I was wondering how you are doing Sir. I know how much you miss the Commander and Colonel. They have been missing for quite some time now. If you need to talk with someone about it, I'm here Sir." stammered Harriet.
Unfortunately for her the Admiral was in no mood for her attention. How dare a lowly Lieutenant come waltzing into his office to offer emotional support to a two star Admiral. He gave her the riot act before dismissing her.
"Just who the hell do you think you are Lieutenant? What makes you think I need your help dealing with anything? I'm a Rear Admiral who's been in the Navy for over thirty five years.
I've lost people before, I'll probably lose them again. What makes you think I need your assistance? If I need any mothering or someone to talk to, I have Meredith in my life.
I have put up with your lack of respect to senior officers in the past hoping you would eventually grow up and become a professional. But unfortunately that doesn't seem to have happen.
You better start shaping up Lieutenant or you won't be back here after your child is born." bellowed the Admiral.
"Yes Sir." whimpered Harriet as she ran out of the office crying before running into Bud.
Bud, seeing Harriet distress look, took her to his office. "What's wrong honey?" asked Bud sweetly.
"I was trying to help the Admiral like I've seen the Colonel do before, but he told me to butt out of his life and take my mother hen attitude with me.
He told me it was bad enough dealing with my emotional outburst and nesting because of my pregnancy, but he wasn't going to deal with my meddling and mothering. He then ordered me out of his office." wailed Harriet.
"Harriet, the Admiral is the strong and silent type. He doesn't like to show his emotions. It makes him appear weak. I'm sure he appreciates your concern, but he would rather deal with the Commander and the Colonel being missing in his own way.
I'm sure he's feeling quite guilty right now. First for letting the Colonel go with Webb. Then he had to force the Commander to resign his commission to go rescue her.
The US military isn't allowed to go into another sovereign nation without their permission. He needed to find a way to rescue the Colonel without disobeying the SecNav and the policies of this country.
Forcing Commander Rabb to resign was probably the only option he had if Colonel MacKenzie was to be rescued. I'm sure that they are okay Harriet. It may take a little time, but they will come back, I'm sure of it.
Besides he has Meredith now in his life to help him with any emotional issues he might have. The Admiral has told me a few times that she helps keep him sane when it comes to dealing with the Commander and the Colonel.
He's walking a very tight rope with the SecNav. It's nothing personal Harriet. Maybe we should get little AJ and go home. You need to take it easy now because of the baby." soothed Bud.
"Okay Bud, I guess you're right." sniffled Harriet.
1600 hours
7 June 2003
Roberts' house
A few days later the JAG staff all gathered at the Roberts' new home. Sturgis father held a short ten minute service leading them all in prayer for the safe return of Harm and Mac.
They had been missing for about three weeks now. Everyone missed them dearly. JAG Headquarters seemed like a tomb. It was so quiet without Harm and Mac there. They really could liven up a place.
The Admiral was morose. He didn't know what to do. He was missing his two best people. He had been holding off finding permanent replacements for them, but knew he had to do something very soon.
Work was beginning to pile up. Even with Bud helping out more than he was authorized to, they were beginning to fall further behind on all the case work. He had just reassign two JAG officers from other commands to HQ TAD.
They would be arriving in a couple of days. For now it was only temporary. But how long could he wait before he made it permanent. There was no telling that even if they both did return, would they come back to JAG.
Rabb had resigned before he left. He also was very angry with him. He knew Rabb didn't understand why he couldn't let him go. That no member of the military was allowed to undergo covert operations in another country.
The Admiral was brought out of his revelry by an announcement from Harriet.
"I've had some discussions with some of you the past few days. Bud and I thought it would be nice if everyone here would share one of their special memory of the Commander and the Colonel with the rest of us."
"Here, here!" shouted a few people.
"I would like to start with a story of my own since it was my idea." smiled Harriet.
"My favorite memory of the Commander was when he caught me as I began to fall down the stairs during a blackout when I was pregnant with little AJ.
As for the Colonel it was when I was upset with Bud for getting arrested the night before our wedding. I was upset and fighting with my mother. The Colonel made me realize that I was being foolish.
That I was marrying the most wonderful man in the world. I knew she was right. I married Bud that day and have been very happy ever since. They both have always been there for us when we needed them." wailed Harriet as she wiped her eyes with a tissue.
"I'll never forget them either." wailed Jen. When I was in need of help the most they were there for me. The Commander helped me stay in the Navy. The Colonel took me into her home no questions ask. They help me turned my life around.
They also were there when Lieutenant Roberts step on a landmine and lost his leg. They both stay aboard to be there for him and me. We were all worried and prayed together for Lieutenant Roberts. They helped me keep the faith."
"And thank you Jen for your quick actions and level head. If it wasn't for you I would have died. I wouldn't be here now with Harriet and little AJ. Harriet and I thank God everyday that you were there and in our lives." smiled Bud.
"Another example of the great work done by Harm and Mac." began Sturgis.
"My father has always told me to always to the right thing. To help others so that they can help others in return. We have seen that here today.
They help someone they didn't know. They didn't have to, but they did. They took her into their home. She later saved someone we all cared for. Now she has come full circle and is one of us." smiled Sturgis.
"When I first came here I was please to be joining the best staff in the navy. I knew Harm from my academy days. I always liked him and respected him. But when I met the Mac. She bought back some old memories.
She looked like Harm's old girlfriend from the academy. A person who helped him overcome his insecurities at the academy and nursed him back to health after his crash. But Mac was different. She was stubborn and ornery.
She took no prisoners. When I tried to intercede between them and bring peace to the office I was met with denial and resistance. I was quickly put in my place by Mac. Slowly I began to realize she was the strong leader of the JAG family.
I was going to have to earn her respect rather than she earning mine. Harm and Mac are the heart and soul of this office. I pray everyday that they will return safely. They are my friends.
They have always been there for each other. They are together now. They will find a way to come back to us together. And once again they will be here for us." moaned Sturgis as he bowed his head in reverence.
"My favorite story about the Commander and Colonel is about her engagement party. One would have thought she would have spent most of her time there with her fiancee talking to people wishing her good luck." began Jason.
"What do you mean?" asked Jen.
"She spent most of the evening out on the back porch talking with Commander Rabb. The first time I went out there to see if they wanted anything to drink, they were having a very serious and intense discussion." began Jason.
"What were they talking about?" asked Jen.
"I'm not really sure, but I got the impression that they were talking about how it could have been their engagement party if he had just said yes back in Australia." answered Jason.
"What happened in Australia?" asked a confused Jen.
"It's where Commander Rabb and Brumby duke it out. They were fighting over the Colonel." smiled Bud.
"It's also where they broke your jaw honey." added Harriet.
"Anyway." continue Jason.
"The next time I went out to tell them that the Admiral wanted them inside, they were looking at each other rather intensely like they had come to an understanding and something major was going to happen.
I went back inside and closed the door. Then I remembered that I forgot to tell the Colonel that Commander Brumby wanted to talk to her. When I got to the door and looked out, they were kissing." smiled Jason.
"Kissing!" shouted Harriet and Jen together.
"Uh huh!" nodded Jason. "Like there was no tomorrow. It was very hot and passionate. You know like in the movies, very hot and steamy, lasting a very long time. You know Jen, like the ones you make me watch."
"How else are you going to learn how to kiss the right way Jason?" asked Jen
"I didn't know old people kiss like th ... sorry Sir." said Jason looking at the Admiral.
"What are you apologizing to me for Tiner?" asked the Admiral.
"I don't know Sir." replied Jason.
"Did they kiss more than once Jason?" asked Harriet.
"Lieutenant!" scolded the Admiral.
"This is not the gossip hot line. We're all here to remember the Commander and Colonel, and to pray for their safe return to us."
"Yes Sir." replied Harriet shrinking under the scolding.
"I always wondered what they were doing out there on the porch. I always wondered if the Commander would take his head out of his six long enough to tell her how he felt about her." sighed the Admiral.
"I don't understand Sir, if they were making out on your back porch, why was she still going to marry Brumby? And once Brumby did leave, why did she run away for three months? And why did they not get together after she returned?" asked Sturgis.
"Ah ... ! Now that's the sixty four thousand dollar question. I'm sure we will never know the real answer to any of those questions Commander, but if I had to hazard a guess I would say Rabb's declaration to the Colonel was too little too late.
She was looking to get married and start a family. Maybe Rabb wasn't ready to offer her that. As to why she ran away after Brumby left, I can only guess she got tired of answering questions about her cancelled wedding plans.
As for the last part, your interference was as instrumental in all that. You kept pushing Rabb about his relationship with her causing him to revert to his denial complex, which made him say stupid things that upset her." replied the Admiral.
"I do have a hunch though that they made up shortly after the race." smiled the Admiral.
"Why do you think that Sir?" asked Sturgis.
"Come on now Commander, you have been around here long enough to know when everything is right in the world of MacKenzie and Rabb." smirked the Admiral.
"Yes Sir, I believe you're right. Jag headquarters does seem to be pretty peaceful when they both getting along. Only when one of them is missing or away do things begin to tense up." realized Sturgis.
After all this time he had never realized that. He was just pleased that they weren't fighting and that the office was a pleasant place to work.
"Harm and Mac always had a way of working things out when they were left alone. Interfering in their disagreements only prolongs the agony the rest of us had to suffer." added the Admiral.
