"Do you believe that?" He probes.
"Do I believe that this baby is a mistake? No, I don't believe that."
"Sarah, I didn't know."
"It doesn't matter. You can't take back what you said."
"I only meant that I thought that it was a mistake for us to have made such a hasty decision."
"That doesn't sound any better."
"What do you want me to say?"
"That you'll leave."
"I can't do that."
"I know right now that you have some fantasy about how this is going to work out. Allow me to shatter that for you, Harm. You aren't going to right in here on your shiny F-14 and make everything better. That isn't how this works. You can't just apologize, and expect me to forgive you, and live happily ever after. It isn't that easy. You can't put all the pieces back together that easily."
"What was your plan?"
"I filed for temporary reassignment," she reveals.
"Where?"
"At the Pentagon."
"Then what?"
"Go on maternity leave."
"You weren't going to tell me?"
"No."
"You thought that you could return to JAG and hide the fact that you had just had a baby?"
"Yes."
"Sarah where do you get off thinking that it is okay to hide all of this from me? You're having my baby."
"She's mine," she clarifies.
"If you think that you can keep her from me you are sadly mistaken."
"Please don't do this," she begs.
She wakes up in a cold sweat, breathing rapidly. She rolls from her left side to her right. She stares at the red digits on her clock. She violently kicks her covers off her body. Her hand comes to rest on her stomach. For the first time she allows for the possibility that she doesn't want to share her child with anyone.
The following morning she finds herself in the admiral's office. She closes the door upon entering. She stands before him waiting for further instruction. He looks up at her with a weary look. He clears his throat, "Have a seat," he says softly.
She lowers herself into a chair.
"Colonel how would you feel about a TAD?"
"Sir you know that I will go wherever you send me."
"I would like for you to be aware that the TAD may exceed six months. Will that be a problem?"
"Where would you like for me to go?"
"Camp Lejeune."
"Why would you like for me to go to Camp Lejeune?"
"There are a lot of marines at Camp Lejeune."
"What are the specifics?"
"Several Marines at Camp Gilbert H Johnson have gotten themselves into a particularly sticky situation. I need you to lead the JAG investigation."
"JAG investigation into what, sir?"
"What is in the water," he replies.
She furrows her brow, "Is that supposed to be a joke?"
"Thirty three female marines have turned up pregnant in the past three weeks."
"So what exactly am I investigating? It is not unheard of for a marine to get pregnant while in training."
"The number is up by more than three hundred percent."
"How is this a JAG issue?"
"The marine corp requested you for your investigative skills."
"I am not sure that I understand."
"None of the female marines are married. None of them had leave during the estimated dates of conception."
"They believe that male marines are responsible?"
"Not one of them will reveal who the father of baby is. The fear is that one marine is responsible for all of the pregnancies."
"One marine? Sir? What do they base this on?"
"No one knows the facts for certain, Colonel."
"I am not sure that I understand how this mission could take more than six months."
"None of the women are willing to consent to DNA testing until after they give birth. The first baby isn't due for nearly seven months. I don't have to explain to you all of the possible legal ramifications that are possible regarding this matter."
"You do not."
"You will have to exercise extreme discretion."
"I am sure that I can get to the bottom of this in less than six months," she reassures him.
"Colonel no one on that base is to know why you're there, or what you're investigating."
"What am I supposed to tell them?"
"That you are there to review case files from the past five years for quality assurance."
"Am I actually expected to review five years worth of case files?"
"No."
"What if I complete the investigation before the birth of any of the babies?"
"You will be expected to remain there until May thirtieth to review case files. You will be on leave from June first to July fifteenth. Colonel I would like to remind you that you are in no way obligated to go."
"I want to go."
"You're certain?"
"Yes, sir."
"Colonel how long has it been since you lived in on base housing?"
"Never, sir."
"I guess that there is a first time for everything."
"Aye, sir."
"I would assume that by now you are pretty proficient at packing, Colonel."
"Yes, sir."
"So you can be ready to move by tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow, sir?"
"Yes," he confirms, "Dismissed."
She leaves his office. She grabs her coat, and leaves JAG. She heads home, and finds boxes waiting on her doorstep. She furrows her brow as she drags the boxes into the apartment. She counts a dozen large boxes.