FAIR WINDS AND FOLLOWING SEAS - HARM/OC
CHAPTER 1
May 2019 - 0730 Zulu
USS Allegiance - Persian Gulf
Commander Harley Steele split off from Captain Harmon Rabb Jr's 18E Super Hornet, taking a wide circle, waiting her turn to land on the aircraft carrier. Once Harm was down, she began her descent. She'd recently started flying without a RIO due to them contracting the flu, and she secretly loved it. Harm and her usually flew together, so she still had a partner, just not one right inside the cockpit with her.
"Thanks for warming the deck, XO." She praised, knowing he still had his helmet on so he could hear her. She teased him constantly about him wanting to land first. He claimed it was a way to ensure if equipment failure happened, it more likely happened to him than to her.
"Just the way you like it, Commander." Harm answered back before exiting his plane. Yes, he was worried about equipment failure, but mostly he just liked to watch her land. The woman knew how to handle a plane, even with the carrier deck pitching with the sea.
Harley forced herself not to laugh out loud since the line was still open.
"Call the ball." Came the order from the flight deck, completely ignoring their banter.
"I have the ball," She confirmed for the flight operations officer, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. She loved the rush of landing on a carrier at sea.
Harley focused and got her plane down safely, successfully trapping her 18E Super Hornet on the allotted 500 ft runway. She followed the flight deck personnel to the flight elevator and parked the plane as they directed. Harm was just climbing down from his cockpit when she parked. She quickly exited her cockpit to keep up with him. They were expecting NCIS agents to arrive sometime that morning.
"Nice job up there, Lee." Harm murmured, falling into step beside her.
"Thanks, Harm." She murmured back, reaching out and discreetly squeezing his elbow between them before falling back a step so they weren't so close together. "Looks like the Navy Cops arrived," she nodded to where the agents in white stood next to the flight deck entrance.
"Nice landing." Sam Hanna held out his hand to the newly arrived pilots.
"Thank you," Harm answered with an easy smile, taking Sam's hand.
"Agents Callen and Hanna, NCIS." Agent Callen greeted the newly arrived pilots.
"Captain Harmon Rabb," Harm introduced himself, he turned to his second in command who'd just landed herself, "Commander Harley Steele."
Harley gave them a nod. "Welcome aboard gentlemen, this way." She ordered, stepped through the men and headed off the flight deck, inside the ship.
Harm gave them a knowing smirk, and motioned for them to follow the Commander inside.
The ship seemed to be on high alert for some reason. The passageways were clogged with personel. "What's going on, Captain?" Agent Hanna asked, looking around at the barely organized chaos.
"We're searching for a missing crew member." Harm explained, motioning for them to continue down the passageway towards Combat. "We're searching every place he was last seen."
"Is NCIS Agent Afloat Brian Lee involved in the search?" Callen asked, stopping their advance.
Harm and Harley shared a look. "Unfortunately, gentlemen, he's the missing crew member we're looking for." Harm answered, hands on his hips.
"Well that complicates things." Callen scoffed. "Can we see his quarters?"
"Absolutely." Harm nodded to Harley. "Commander Steele, show them to Agent Lee's quarters then head to flight prep for debrief." He gave her a tight smile. "I'll meet you there."
"Aye, aye, Cap'n." Harley hit the attention stance before nodding to the two agents. "Right this way, gentlemen. And watch your step." She spun on her heel and led the agents deeper into the ship's massive network of passageways.
Flight debrief was, for lack of a better term, brief. Yes, they needed to have their meeting, but there was a bigger issue at hand. They needed to find their missing crew member.
"You okay?" Harm asked once the door had shut after the last naval aviator. The Commander was rubbing at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, biting her lip.
"Yeah," Harley sighed, rolling her neck a little. "Landed hard, is all." She shrugged. "The deck was pitching something awful, didn't land as smooth as I usually do."
"Let me see." Harm insisted, hands settling on her shoulders, turning her to face away from him. His fingers examined where her neck smoothed into her shoulder. He hit a tender spot with his thumb and she hissed and shrunk away from him. His grip on her shoulders tightened, holding her inplace. "Easy," He soothed. "I've got ya." He pressed a little firmer into the spot, working the muscle, trying to get it to relax.
"Harm," Harley panted, trying not to moan out loud with pleasure. "We need to go check on the Navy Cops."
Harm's lips twitched, hearing her so breathless gave his downstairs brain all kinds of wicked ideas, screw the crisis they were in. "Oh, I don't know," He pressed his lips to her ear. "I'm sure we can give them a few more minutes."
Harley turned in his arms to face him, "What did you have in mind, Cap'n?" She asked, hands sliding around his neck, fingers curling into his hair that was still mussed by his helmet.
Harm bent his head and pressed his lips to hers, pulling her closer to him. He swept his tongue against the seam of her lips and she opened for him, a soft moan escaping her throat as their tongues touched. Harm turned them to press Harley against the cool metal wall, giving him better leverage to deepen their kiss.
Harley loved getting Harm to let his guard down like this. As much as she enjoyed their time together on shore leave, she really enjoyed getting him like this. They'd been lucky enough to have been assigned to the same carrier duty for the typical three year tour. Harm changed the angle of their kiss and her neck protested. "Fuck," She swore, breaking their kiss, hand flying to her neck.
Harm pulled back immediately, eyes wide with worry, his hand resting on the wall by her head. "I'm sorry," He murmured, "Let's get some ice on that." His hand covered hers, massaging the spot gently.
"Later," She waved him off, "Let's go see what the Navy Cops have dug up."
Harm nodded, releasing his grip on her shoulder. He sighed and shook his head as Harley headed for the door. He was one lucky bastard. Not everyone knew their partner as intimately as he knew his. Granted, he'd protested at first, but as the weeks wore on, he warmed up to the idea of letting Harley Steele back in close. "Aye, aye, Commander." He teased. She was always bossing him around, despite being a rank below him.
The search and rescue team found Special Agent Afloat Brian Lee. He had been stabbed 6 times and most likely bled out before he even hit the ocean. No one had found blood or anything to indicate where his murder had taken place. Someone must've cleaned it up, furthering the claim that there was more than one foreign operative aboard the vessel.
NCIS linked the Chechen operative they'd been following to a Russian diplomat, making what was actually going on, on the USS Allegiance that much more puzzling. Russians didn't use Chechen operatives, but it appeared this time they were linked and also somehow operating with ISIS sympathizers aboard the Allegiance. Eric had a new partner, Agent Garcia, since Nell was with her mother and family in San Francisco. The newly formed duo had been able to use specialized software to pinpoint one of the ISIS sympathizers aboard the carrier.
"Aye, Aye, Captain." Harley answered before hanging up the phone on the wall. "Agents Callen and Hanna are in the mess hall on 0-6 searching for the person of interest. She glanced up, confirming that they were in fact on 0-6 themselves.
"He have brown hair?" Harm asked, stepping in front of her.
"Yeah," Harley scoffed, "Why?"
Suddenly Harm reached out and practically clothes lined a sailor who was running full tilt down the passageway, away from the mess haul.
"Oh." Harley smirked as Agents Callen and Hanna arrived, looking out of breath.
"Where are you running to, Sailor?" Harm asked, bending over the semi conscious man sprawled out on the floor. "You're on a ship!" He scoffed.
"They always run." Agent Hanna mused with a shrug.
"Why?" Harm asked, his brow furrowing.
Agent Callen shook his head, "Mystery of the universe."
Harley laughed, exchanging a look of relief with Harm. At least one thing had gone right.
The interrogation didn't go as planned. Harley suspected that the men expected the operative to fold like a cheap suit. She had to hand it to him, he held his own pretty well. Played the "avoid harassment" card and lawyered up. Little did he know the XO was a lawyer and damn good one at that.
Harm entered the interrogation room "Sorry to interrupt. We've been requested back in combat." Agents Callen and Hanna nodded, getting up from the table.
"Hey, I'm a lawyer." Harm offered after Agents Callen and Hanna exited the room. Harley watched as Harm leaned close to the prisoner and murmured. "So let me give you a piece of free advice." He glanced at the glass, knowing Harley was probably watching him, "If you're attacking my men and my ship, a lawyer is not going to be able to help you." Then he pulled back, spun on his heel and swept from the room.
Harley smirked. It was incredibly hot to see Rabb all fired up about protecting this ship and her crew. She was going to save this display for the next time that they were alone together. "Feel a little like old times?" She asked, falling into step beside him.
Harm glanced down at her, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah." Harley had this endearing habit of squeezing his elbow while they were in uniform to express affection. PDA was frowned upon while in uniform, so she'd found a way around it. He appreciated it, he hadn't realized how much he needed the physical touch until she started doing it.
The USS Allegiance had been ordered to sail the battle group off the coast of Iran to hopefully deter an attack on Israel and Saudi Arabia. The joint chiefs had picked up chatter indicating the attack after unconfirmed reports came flooding in about troop build up on Iran's western border. If there was any doubt about the Allegiance's safety or readiness they would be pulled from the mission. They needed to find those agents and find them fast.
Agent Hanna suggested using the SEAL team on board. He was a former SEAL himself, and thought the brotherhood would be a great option to search the vessel at such short notice because of their high level security clearance. Harm contacted the SEAL team leader and had them all meet together.
Harm and the Agents returned to Combat. Harley held an iPad and was going over possible air strike routes with the flight officer under Captain Douglas' supervision. She shared a tight smile with Harm as he faced the video screen for an incoming call from the NCIS field office in LA. Harley almost dropped her iPad when the screen lit up. Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie stood next to the other NCIS agents. She looked absolutely gorgeous in her smartly cut black suit and crisp white blouse. She even had the audacity to address Harm as "XO" and not by his name.
Before she and Harm had fallen back together at the start of this tour, Harley had made it abundantly clear that she was not Sarah Mackenzie. She wanted Harm to be a sailor and understood that choice kept them apart sometimes. However, she wouldn't tolerate his distance emotionally. If they were going to be together, that's what they were; together.
Harley forced herself not to make a big deal about Mac being on the video screen. She did see Harm's eyes widen in panic and when he stole a glance her way, she could tell he was worried about her reaction. Mac seemed radiant. Working for the State Department suited her well.
When Agents Callen and Hanna were called away, Harley gave Harm and Mac a few minutes alone together before she interrupted with a question to her XO.
"XO," She called, coming over to him with her iPad. "What do you think of traversing this valley to hide our heat sigs until we reach the mobile command units over the ridge?"
Harm tore his eyes away from the video screen to address his second in command. "That's a solid maneuver."
"Harley?" Mac questioned, "Harley Steele?" Her eyes lit up. She couldn't believe it. Harley Steele was on the Allegiance with Harm. It seemed fate had in fact decided for them after all. "Well that answers why I haven't heard from Harm in the last nine years." She mused, eyes bright with amusement. Evidently, she didn't hold a grudge. Maybe she actually had loved Harm at one time.
Harm shared a borderline panicked look with Harley who just shrugged her shoulders, trying to remain aloof. He opened his mouth to protest but Mac cut him off.
"Oh c'mon, you two." Mac smirked. "It's not an accident that you're on the same carrier, working on the same case, the first time I see either of you in nine years." She crossed her arms, "If you're not together yet, you will be." She smiled as the Agents joined them back at the video screen.
Harley blinked. Was it that obvious? She chanced a look at her XO. Harm was avoiding her inquiring gaze, trying to focus on the task at hand rather than the drama in their little love triangle. Harley gave Mac a tight smile, then shrunk back, still trying to figure out a path for her squadron if air support was needed.
The video link ended and after getting everything set for their mission, Harley practically fled Combat. She just needed a minute to catch her breath. Her almost disastrous landing, paired with seeing Mac had her all kinds of seasick.
"Commander Steele!" Harm called down the passageway. "Hold up." He had watched Harley beeline for the door once they all had their prospective orders given. She didn't have to report again until 1600 unless there was a reason to send fighters up sooner.
Harley cursed her lover under her breath. "XO." She hit the attention pose, refusing to meet his inquiring gaze.
"At ease, Commander." He looked both ways before stepping into her space, hand settling on her shoulder.
Harley simply relaxed her shoulders but still refused to meet his eyes.
"Harley." Harm sighed, "Don't make this difficult."
She still stared straight ahead and didn't look at him. "Just doing my job, sir!"
Harm leaned back to let a few sailors through the passageway. "Follow me, Commander." Harm instructed. "That's an order." Then he spun on his heel and headed straight for his quarters.
Harley grit her teeth. As much as she didn't want to have this discussion now, it was better for them to hash something like this out now rather than later.
Dearest Readers
I originally wrote Chapter 2 to this fic first. I added this chapter to give it context. I'm not entirely happy with it, but I guess it's necessary for literary something or other.
Harm and Harley are back, now 15 years later. I plan on expanding this universe, and playing around with what life looks like now that Harm moved on from his star-crossed bullshit with Mac. I wanted to write the ending that Harm deserves. He should be able to be happy, not just settle for life on a carrier, alone. He always seemed to want to be in a relationship, share his life with someone. So I've given him Harley Steele, a strawberry blonde spitfire who's got ambitions and goals that if a man wants to join her on the adventure, then he better buckle up!
xoxo
Lumora The White