For disclaimer see ch.1.

Bethesda Naval Hospital

Bethesda, MD

December,6,2003 13:50 EST.

Twenty minutes in the span of a life can seem small and insignificant. For most it's the difference between order and delivery or the commute to a mundane job. However, for Captain William Hollis, his team and most importantly his patient and the people outside, these twenty minutes were life and death.

In his twenty-five years of service, including tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan , he had seen his share of death. The time spent in war zones had forced him to except the inevitability of death but the lose of a fellow officer would always hurt his deep sense of honor. However their was more than his duty as doctor or an officer. Their was a debt to be repaid.

Bethesda Naval Hospital

Bethesda, MD

May,1,2002 10:00 EST.

Captain Hollis had just finished morning rounds and was catching up on paperwork, when the news station he often left on simply background captured his attention.

This is Stewart Dustin reporting for ZNN aboard the USS. Seahawk. We have un-confirmed reports that a nuclear warhead was launched, by unknown terrorist towards the carrier and it's battle group. However the plot was foiled, when the warhead locked onto an F-14 Tomcat piloted by Commander Harmon Rabb. One of the thousands of lives saved that spring day was LT. Thomas Hollis, youngest son of Sandra and Captain William Hollis. The Captain and his family had sent words of thanks for Harm's heroics, to witch he simply replied,"Just doing my duty Captain." God willing Hollis would repay him by his.

The vigil outside the room remained silent despite the expanding presents of JAG senior staff. Bud and Sturgis had returned on their lunch break and the rest seem to take their lead. Their all here, even Matoni. AJ briefly wondered, who the hell was running the office. He decided he didn't give a damn. Work wasn't getting done today. It was not normal for a military unit to be so close are have senior staff stay so long. This had been one of the sticking points of the Lindsay report. They paid a heavy price for that disaster, know one more than Harm. They had been through hell the last two years and if this were they needed be so be it. At times like this he was glad to have his surrogate family.

Twenty minutes. It may as well be twenty hours. The internal clock that had fascinated her partner was awol. The only time Mac had moved was to allow Mattie to tuck herself into her side eyes yet to leave the chaotic seen in front of her. The Marine was on guard one arm firmly shielding her young friend while, her eyes never losing sight of Harm and the heart monitor that may render the final verdict, on the trial that become there lives.

Harm had flat lined twice in the first ten minutes. In nights too come hell, years too come the sounds of the defibrillator shocking him back to life haunt the dreams of those who loved him. Every convulsion of his body ripped at the heart of both mother and Marine alike. Both fought an instinct to rush in and shield him from all those would inflict pain on him. For Mac the fact she had played a role directly or not in his injury or death was worse then any Paraguayan torture shack.

Mac's focus so intense on Harm she failed to notice the departure of Captain Hollis, until Trish's shaky voice asked the question, that hung like a menacing cloud of fear. Captain is my son going to survive.

God I hate these conversations Hollis thought. The power to destroy a life with a simple yes or no was not one he enjoyed. People wanted answers often only god could answer. The squad of JAG lawyers wasn't making it easier. "Mr. and Mrs. Burnett, Admiral, Colonel can you come with me please? "The hell I will" what little was left of Mac' Marine discipline was fading fast. There is only one logical reason for his request. The Captain was trying to give them privacy because her world was about to shatter. Harm was dead. "I saw the damn machine Captain", don't you dare tell me he's dead." Hollis silently prayed his wife had paid the life insurance. The look on Mac's face could cause multiple homicides and faces around her said that she was not alone. "No Colonel he's not". The world was right side up again, but only for a moment. The next words the Captain spoke would shock them all. "However I would love to know who tried to kill him?"

A/N Sorry for delay. I hope it doesn't suck.

A/N I apologize if I was to harsh about guest reviewers in my A/N In the last chapter. Most have been constructive. I am constantly trying to improve and clean up mistakes . Thanks for staying with me.