A/N: Once again I own nothing but the typos which I hope I caught. Thanks for your interest. I look forward to your feedback.
March 13, 2007
1325 ZULU
JAG Headquarters
"It's not at all comm. For the General and the XO to both be late," Lieutenant Socha commented to those gathered with him around the JAG conference table.
"Captain Rabb is almost never here before 1000 anymore," Bud reminded them. "Besides he probably won't…"
"Attention on deck!" the Staff Sergeant at the door commanded announcing the General's arrival.
"As you were," General Creswell replied before taking his seat. "I apologize for the delay. I know you all have a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to do it, however I've just come from a briefing with retired Admiral Chegwidden and SecNav regarding an issue that directly impacts our team here at JAG OPS," he explained. "Some more than other," he continued looking at Bud and Mic at the far side of the table.
"As you all are aware, Captain Rabb's daughter has been battling leukemia for the past six months. As a result of that and other matters he has used a lot of leave time and as of now has no more time left over," Creswell outlined. "On its own that's enough of an issue, but last night Lucy Rabb was rushed to Manassas General and later this morning she'll be admitted to the Children's Hospital at Northeast Georgetown in grave condition."
Creswell paused to allow the new to penetrate before going further. "Her doctors have made it clear unless she received a bone marrow transplant she will likely not see the end of the month and even with that procedure she has slim chance of pulling through this thing. For those of us who are parents that kind of news is our worst nightmare. Having said that however Captain Rabb has made it clear he has no intention of shirking either of his duties. That dedication deserves reward which brings about the plan we have devised during the briefing.
"Captain Rabb's XO duty will be temporarily handled by Commander Brumby and his case load will be divided amongst the junior attorneys who will be supervised by Lieutenant Commander Roberts. We will all be extending our house time by three hours, 90 minutes in the morning and 90 minutes in the evening," the General outlined. "In exchange Captain Rabb will forfeit wages for the unsupported leave. Questions?"
"Sir," Mic began. "Those doctor's and treatments do not come cheap with Colonel Rabb not working they won't be able to keep their heads above water if the Captain is not receiving pay."
"I understand, Commander, but that is the only way SecNav will authorize the extra leave time," Creswell explained.
"Then I'd like to give him my leave, Sir," Mic stated. 'If we all do that with even a few days…"
"I'll do it," Bud declared.
"So will I," added Lieutenants Socha and Quinn.
General Creswell beamed with pride at the selflessness of his team. "I'll clear that with SecNav," he replied before continuing the meeting with JAG business.
1509 ZULU
Northeast Georgetown Children's Hospital
"They finally got her settled," Harriet told Bud when he'd called to check in with her. "Harm's going to talk to Lucy's doctors with Mac then head over there."
"He doesn't have to, honey," Bud replied. "The Admiral, General Creswell cleared it with SecNav for us to divide Harm's duties."
"What's the quid pro quo?" Harried asked knowing there would be one.
"He forfeits all pay while he's not at his station," Bud replied.
"They can't afford that," Harriet sighed. "Unless he asks his folks for help."
"He won't have to do that either," Bud said still baffled at the idea. "We're all exchanging some leave days and giving them to Harm."
"That's a great idea," Harriet agreed. "Sometimes you surprise even me."
"I wish I'd thought of it but actually it was Commander Brumby," Bud admitted. 'I'm still floored. It seems his conscience had been bothering him lately about how he handled Lucy's diagnosis with Mac, but regardless, he'll be by in only a bit for Harm to initial some papers we need for an Article 32 so be prepared sweetie."
"Yes, sir Commander," Harriet replied laughing slightly. "Hey, Matthew's hungry. I have to go. I love you."
"Love you, too," Bud replied before hanging up the phone.
Harm and Mac once again were seated in the waiting room waiting for an update. Dr. Thomas arrived shortly after Dr. Jacobson did and now both were examining Lucy and test results from Manassas.
"He could be wrong right?" Mac asked hopefully referring to the ER doctor they'd seen earlier. 'He's not a specialist. He doesn't know for sure."
"ER doctors are really well rounded, Mac," Harm sighed. "Don't get your hopes up until Dr. Jacobson says he was wrong."
"I just don't want to lose her," Mac said softly. "But at the same time I don't want her to suffer like she's been. If only this was a legal decision, like Solomon, then we'd be sure she'd make it if we told them all we really want is what is best for our baby. That really is all I want Harm."
Harm nodded, "I understand. Let's see what the doctors have to say before we talk anymore. I'm going to get a cup of coffee. As soon as we talk to Dr. Jacobson I have to go."
"No you don't," Mic said as he approached the couple. They had been so deep in thought they hadn't seen his approach.
"Excuse me?" Harm asked in disbelief. "What the Hell are you doing here Brumby?"
"I need your signature on some paperwork. General Creswell has made me his XO in your absence," Mic replied.
"I won't be absent," Harm argued. "I'm out of leave and we can't afford the loss of benefits. I'll be there by lunch."
"Admiral Chegwidden and General Creswell met with SecNav early this morning. He agreed to emergency leave without pay if the rest of us worked longer hours and took more cases," Mic explained.
"We can't…" Mac began but Mic cut her off.
"We know that's why each of us at JAG is sacrificing leave days and giving them to Harm," Mic replied. "Forty-five in all. If you need more I have another 20 I'll gladly surrender and I'm sure others will too."
"That's sweet, Mic," Mac replied. "But why are you doing this now? Why not before when we were together?"
Harm answered for him. "He was protecting something he believed was his own, his own child. There's not another feeling in the world than that urge, the drive to keep your baby from harm, at anyone's expense. You know that Mac."
"In spite of that, my actions were childish and downright cruel. You didn't deserve my contempt and neither did Lucy," Mic admitted. "I should have supported you then, and I did not. All I can do now is make things easier for you."
"I don't know what to say," Harm replied nearly speechless at Mic's actions.
"Then don't say anything," Mic replied. 'Let's go over these papers so you can focus on the little one."
The paperwork Mic brought occupied Harm about ten minutes nearly passing enough time for Drs. Jacobson and Thomas to finish reviewing Lucy's chart. The duo had just approached Mac when Harm returned.
"It's not good," Dr. Jacobson began gently. "The stress put on her body by the blood loss ahs cost us very precious time. Lucy's heart and lungs are beginning to show signs of stress as are her kidneys. Now, organ failure has not occurred, it is on the horizon, but we are not there yet."
Harm squeezed Mac's hand, "What about the bone marrow transplant?"
"Dr. Simms was right when he said that Lucy will die soon without it," Dr. Thomas replied. "And in all likelihood she will anyway given the stress of the procedure. Still we are operating at 100% verses98%, that 2% is something. What you need to decide is do you want to chance putting her through a very taxing drug regimen and shorten her time or do you want to take her home and let nature take its course."
"That's hardly a choice, Doctor," Harm barked. "Let her die or torture her for some fraction of hope? Did one of the boys match?" he asked hopeful.
"No, unfortunately not," Dr. Thomas replied. "We'll test both of you and if you have direct relations alive, we'll test them, but let's only go through that if you wish to attempt the graft."
Mac looked at Harm's tear stained cheeks and met his eyes, 'We've never backed down before; not start now. 2% is better than 0."
"That's what I would choose," Dr. Thomas admitted. "It happens every day. Let's get your blood drawn and then you can see her."
"You can test me too," AJ offered from where he'd been listening.
"And me," Harriet added. "And our kids."
"And I as well," Mic supplied. "I'll tell the General. I bet a lot of folks will be screened."
"I'll ask mom and Frank," Harm said.
"The more the better," Dr. Thomas smiled. If only every case could see this kind of generosity.
Twenty minutes later Harm and Mac donned hospital garb and made their way to Lucy's bedside. She was still and pale but when she saw it was her parent's underneath the hospital gowns, she smiled.
"Hi, baby girl," Mac smiled reaching out to smooth the tiny wisps of hair still remaining on Lucy's head.
"How are you feeling, Button?" Harm asked taking Lucy's hand in his.
"Sleepy," Lucy murmured. "Why am I here?"
Harm and Mac exchanged glances over Lucy's head. Mac replied, "You got a little sicker last night, honey and you needed to come to the hospital so Dr. Jake could help you, okay?"
"I don't want to stay here," Lucy protested as she began to cry. "I want to go home, mommy. Please, I want to go home."
"Ssh," Harm soothed holding Lucy's frail little body close to keep her still. "Ssh, I know you want to go home, Button. Daddy knows, and you can really soon but for now you need to stay and rest here, okay. Mommy or I will be here all we can like before. I promise."
Lucy whimpered a bit more against Harm before her strength failed her and she fell asleep in her father's arms as he rocked her.
"I can sit with her, Harm," Mac offered. "You need some rest."
"So do you," Harm sighed sliding Lucy back onto her bed. "It's going to be a hard road ahead no matter what Mac. I don't want this for her anymore, she doesn't want it anymore, but I can't let her go,"' Harm declared with tears in his eyes. "I can't let her go, she's my baby girl."
Mac slipped her arms around Harm and cradled his head near her breast. She was sore from needing to feed Matthew but she ignored that for the time. "After she wakes again we'll ask AJ to stay and we can sleep. You need to call your mom too. She should be here."
"That's a good idea," Harm agreed holding tight to Mac feeling safe in her familiar embrace. As they pulled apart AJ knocked on the window and motioned for them to come out of Lucy's isolation room.
Curious, Harm and Mac stopped outside to be met by cameras and a crew from ZNN.
"What is this?" Mac asked upon seeing the news crew outside Lucy's room.
"I called in an old favor," AJ replied. "We're going against the clock here, Mac. You've helped so many people over the years, maybe now someone can repay you, if they know what's going on that is." AJ stopped and turned his attention to the correspondent.
"Good afternoon," the reporter began. "We are borrowing some time from our afternoon programming to share with you a heartbreaking story in need of a happy ending. In a small isolation room here in the brightly lit hallways of Northeast Georgetown Hospital seven year old Lucy Rabb is clinging to life after fighting a six month battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Lucy is the only daughter of Navy JAG Corp Captain Harmon Rabb, JR, the only son of Vietnam War POW Lieutenant Harmon Rabb and his wife retired Marine Corp Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie. "
"Lucy was first diagnosed last fall in the third stage of the disease, having suffered from Central Nervous System metastases that have left her whole body nearly paralyzed. Convention chemotherapy treatments have failed in bringing about a remission much to the chagrin of her doctor's and parents."
The reporter turned to Dr. Thomas who was waiting to say her piece, "Dr. Thomas is a pediatric hematologist who has been working on Lucy's case from the last few months alongside award winning oncologist Dr. Jacob Jacobson. Dr. Thomas, what precisely is needed for Lucy to have a chance at recovery now that traditional treatments have been exhausted?"
"Well, as you have said, common therapy has not been effective in Lucy's case. That does not mean we have not gained some ground against the cancer, but it does mean that it still has enough of a foothold over her body that she cannot continue to live with it as it is now. This little girl has fought a long battle and a brave one, but her body is failing her. Her only chance at this point is a bone marrow transplant."
"And when will you be doing that procedure, Dr. Thomas?" the reported prompted.
"We have tested Lucy's brothers and have not found a match that is close enough to be used safely. We have begun testing her parents, family friend, and even members of the hospital staff; however, matching bone marrow is difficult to do. There are very few individuals that have the six point match necessary for use and 25% of the time that match is a sibling. Since that is not the case with Lucy we are literally looking for a needle in a haystack. Still, we won't stop looking until we have a match."
"Thank you, Dr. Thomas," the reported acknowledged. "As you've just heard a bone marrow transplant is Lucy Rabb's only chance at life at this late stage of her illness. We are here sharing this story with you in hope that donors maybe out there unaware of the child who needs their blood to stay alive. If you wish to be tested as a potential donor you can report to Northeast Georgetown's bone marrow drive or call the number on your screen to locate a nearby facility. This is Dan Reardon for ZNN."
A/N: In the next installment, Harm and Mac are reunited with some old friends while family members arrive to offer support. A donor is found, but will Harm and Mac accept the risk that accompanies that donation.
