A/N: I think this is the last chapter guys. Unless you're going to bug me for more (be specific) this is it. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! ;-)
Love, Rae
JAG HQ
Falls Church, VA
0906 hours local
Harm stepped out of the elevator, into the hallway to the bullpen. Wow, he had to get used to places being busy. In Cabo Verde things hadn't been really crowded, expect for the airports of course. But airports had been in another city on the island, and on Santo Antão there hadn't even been an airport.
'Commander!'
Harriet. Of course. Harriet was the first one to spot him. Or at least the first one to let him know that she'd spotted him. Harm hugged her and smiled. 'Hey Harriet. Good morning'.
'It's so good to see you sir. You look tanned'.
Harm grinned. 'You go spent four months in Africa, being in the sun all day long, and then take a two week holiday at your parents' house in California. You'll get tanned'.
'You went to Africa?' Harriet's eyes grew wide. 'What for?'
Harm shook his head. 'Classified Ensign. Sorry. Anyway, is the Admiral in? I need to report back to duty officially'.
'Yes sir. Major Mackenzie and Commander Brumby are with him in his office'.
Harm handed her his cover and briefcase and walked to the Admiral's office. 'Tiner, is he in?'
'He told me that you could go right in sir'. Tiner smiled at the man, glad that the Commander was back in the office. Having been gone for four months, the man left a void in the office.
The Admiral, Mac and Mic looked up when Harm entered the office. Tanned, well-rested and with a happy smile on his face. 'Good morning sir; Mac, Mic'.
Mac gave him a radiant smile. 'Good morning'.
AJ looked at the Commander over his glasses. 'Well-rested, tanned and ready to work I see Commander? That's good'.
'Aye sir'.
The Admiral went on handing out cases. Harm was thankful for the fact that he got a pretty open and shut case in DC. He and Rome hadn't wanted to wait any longer with getting married and had gotten married the Saturday after Harm had proposed; their bare feet buried in the white sand of the beach in front of the Rabb house. That was also when they had officially adopted Diego.
But with his hands clasped together behind his back, there was no one who was able to notice the golden wedding band around his finger. But the famous smile that had taken residence up his face was noticeable. It was the first thing someone noticed when looking at his face.
Mac smiled up to him when they walked back into the bullpen. 'How come you're looking so tanned? Where have you been for the past four months? And why didn't you call or write me?'
'First of, I've spent the past four months in Africa, where the sun is shining all day long, and secondly it was an undercover mission, so I couldn't have called or written you'.
She seemed to think that was logical. 'Did everything work out?' she asked.
Harm nodded. 'Yeah, everything worked out. Not really the way we wanted to, but yeah they did'. He grinned and headed for his office.
'Hey Harm' Mac called him back. 'You wanna have lunch? You know, catch up?'
'I'd love to Mac, but I have a lunch date today. Rain check?' he offered.
Mac nodded, silently wondering what had happened with Harm in the past four months. He was more relaxed then she had seen him in all the time she knew him. Which was a little longer than what… two years?
By lunch time, the young woman Mac had seen the day Harm had gone with Clay, walked into the bullpen. Carrying a baby in her arms. Mac frowned. What was going on? Had Harm gone with her because she had been five months pregnant? No, she had been further along than that, judging by the age of the baby. But she hadn't showed. Had it been one of those hidden pregnancies? And even so, why had Harm gone with her?
Harriet had already walked over to her; politely smiling. 'Are you looking for someone ma'am?'
Rome looked up from Diego. 'Actually, I already know where to find him Ensign. But thanks anyway'. She smiled and started to cross the bullpen to Harm's office.
Mac had to admit that she looked even more beautiful than she had last time she'd come into the office. Instead of jeans she was wearing a red sundress and red, high-heeled sandals. Her long hair was up in a ponytail, and the diaper bag was casually thrown over her shoulder.
For some reason, Mac had felt that the young woman would be a threat to her relationship (or better, not yet existing relationship) with Harm and seeing her here with a baby on her arm, only confirmed Mac's suspicion.
Rome walked up to Harm's office and opened the door; widely smiling. (Hey Pilot. You ready for take-off?)
Harm's head snapped up when he heard her voice. His wife and son were standing in the doorway, both smiling. He still couldn't believe that he and Rome actually made it through all their difficulties and had overcome all the obstacles of the past few years and were officially married.
'Hello to you too'. He rose out of his seat and made his way around his desk to greet them properly. Rome received a kiss on her lips and Diego one on his head. 'I'm ready for take-off. You two?'
'We're ready for take-off. Especially since you're flying'. Rome winked at her husband. 'How did you survive your first morning back at work?'
Harm grinned. 'Barely. I kept thinking about those two people I had left at home, totally alone…'
'Oh right. And who were that then sailor?' Rome laughed and took his hand in hers.
'You know how they are Mi…'
Harm was unable to finish his sentence because he got interrupted by the Admiral. 'Commander, do you have one spare moment before you go to lunch?'
'Is that okay with you?' Harm asked Rome.
Rome pushed him in the direction of the Admiral's office. 'You go. I'll see you in a couple of minutes'.
He blew her a kiss as responds. Rome shook her head and looked down at Diego. 'Your daddy is such a crazy guy'. Diego gave her a toothless grin as answer.
Mac gasped when she heard Rome say that. "Your daddy…" Harm was that little guy's father? Seriously? But if Harm had fathered that little guy, who was she? And why had Harm kissed her on her lips? Were they involved in a serious relationship then? Did all of it mean that Harm was off limits now?
When Harm came back with the Admiral a couple of minutes later, Mac almost ran over. 'Everything okay?' she asked, as casual as possible.
Harm grinned at her. 'Yeah, everything is fine Mac'. He turned to Rome. 'I've got some great news'.
'Really? What's that?' Rome shifted Diego in her arms and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
Harm leaned into her ear. 'We're going to move down to California'.
Rome was not impressed. 'What's so great about moving down to California? We just spent two weeks with your parents'.
'Yeah, but they offered me a position at Top Gun this time'.
For a split second Rome's eyes grew wide. 'They did what?'
Harm gave her his patent smile. 'If you're willing Mrs. Rabb, we'll be moving the family down to California'.
Mac followed the conversation with played professional interest. Mrs. Rabb? That… girl, was Mrs. Harmon Rabb Jr.? Since when? When Harm lifted his left arm to strike over Rome's head, she noticed the wedding band around his finger.
And when Rome threw herself in his arms, and Harm whirled her around, Mac knew that she never had a chance with a great guy like Harm. Too many demons in her past, too many difficulties… Besides, it was pretty obvious that Harm had lost his heart to this stunning beauty ages ago.
So Mac smiled, congratulated Harm and suddenly remembered something. 'What about Traces?'
Harm wrapped Rome in his arm. 'Keep Traces. In that case you'll have something to remember me by'.
With that he winked, said goodbye to Harriet and Bud and the Rabb family made their way out of the building. While standing in her office, Mac stared at them as they moved off the parking lot and thought something. There will be a whole lot more than just Traces to remember you by Lt. Commander Rabb.
So, was that a good enough ending for you guys or do you want some more? Let me know... (especially since I got over 7500 hits).