A/N: I'm switching up characters for this chapter. This is an AJ/Meredith piece before their relationship fell apart. The incessant political feeds that keep showing up on my FB page are responsible for this story. I'm not voicing any opinion for or against gun control. I saw a picture resembling what is described here and could easily see Admiral Chegwidden doing something like this. The title came from a play on words from a popular 80's movie.

Adventures in Woodworking

Meredith wakes up and notices that the man who was sleeping beside her is no longer there. She places a hand over the sheets, and finds them cool to the touch. She sighs loudly, before getting up and heading out to the kitchen, knowing that she won't find him there either. He has been a bear to be around since the SecNav sent a Commander to investigate the JAG Office. This was a man that AJ had recommended against promoting to the slating panel. It was bad enough that the SecNav didn't seem to trust his leadership anymore, but sending in Commander Lindsay on top of that felt like a proverbial slap in the face.

She heads out to AJ's woodshop in the back of his house in Maclean, figuring that he is pounding out his frustrations on some poor dead tree. He has been out there almost every night for the last two weeks and she is quite curious as to what he has been working on. Secretly she hopes that it is the porch swing that she asked about a few weeks ago. They had been shopping at Home Depot and she saw a beautiful oak one that she loved. AJ liked it too until he tested the sturdiness of it and looked at the price. He immediately vetoed the idea of purchasing it, explaining that he could make one himself that would cost a whole lot less and be a lot more stable. He didn't have any desire to land on his keester, and judging the durability of the one at the store he immediately knew that is exactly what would happen.

She hands him a glass of bourbon in a mason jar, frowning when she sees what he is working on. The only way this could be a porch swing would be if it was being made for a small animal. He has a flat piece of wood that is approximately 1"x12"x24" and he is using a wood burning iron with a specialty tip for letters to brand words into the wood. He is moving slowly and methodically with a firm grip on the iron as he etches each letter. He had just bought a new iron with a temperature control knob. The one he had before caused problems. If it wasn't hot enough after a few strokes, you had to wait for the iron to heat up again before continuing your project. This was his third attempt at trying to get the words perfect. There were also several pieces of twine dangling from several round holes that he had drilled into the base of wood, and each piece of twine had metallic cylinders hanging from them. She looked at him, puzzled, "AJ, what in the world are you making?"

Concentrating on what he was doing, so as not to either burn himself or make another mistake with the lettering, he replies nonchalantly, "I'm constructing a wind chime, but it's not quite ready yet. I'm hoping to have it finished soon."

Meredith isn't quite sure what to make of his response. This certainly doesn't resemble any wind chime she has ever seen. Befuddled, she repeats, "A wind chime?"

AJ pulls the iron away from the wood and stares at her like she has grown another head. For a woman who seemingly knows how he ticks, she sure is missing her mark with him a lot lately. He replies, "Yeah, I'm tired of these damn hooligans wasting toilet paper spreading it across my lawn and tossing it on the roof. I don't wish to live in a teepee. Add to that the damn tire tracks that destroyed my flower bed when they drove their dirt bikes through it yesterday. When I came home today, the dang mailbox had a dent in it too. I've decided to take matters into my own hands."

Just then, Meredith takes a closer inspection at the metallic objects ready to be fastened to the wood. "My word AJ, those are brass bullet casings!"

AJ grins widely, "Yep, they sure are, spent casings from a .308 Winchester to be exact. And when I am finished with the sign, which is a warning, hopefully it will deter any future mischievous behavior. If it doesn't, I might just have to sit on the porch with my loaded rifle next to me." He blows on the wood, so that the remaining sawdust falls on the concrete floor, and admires his handiwork.

Meredith shakes her head, "AJ, I don't think this is a proper way to be working through your frustrations."

AJ places the piece of finished piece of wood back on the table to attach the strings. As he is fastening them, he snorts, "This from the woman who doesn't see any action during the week with her lectures so she needs to try every daredevil activity out there on her days off. I think what I am doing here is far less dangerous than skydiving."

While AJ is tying on each of the strings, Meredith notices that he has one empty hole at the end. She states, "Honey, you are missing one."

AJ picks the whole thing up, listening to the perfect way the shells clink against one and other. It's music to his ears. He replies, "No, I'm not. Read what it says."

Meredith glances at the message branded into the wood which says, "Only one more trespasser and my windchime is complete."

She rolls her eyes, "Okay, now that you are done, come back to bed so we can discuss your next project."

AJ asks, "Which one would that be? A coffin for the trespasser?"

Meredith smacks him in the arm, "No, I am not helping you bury Commander Lindsay in the backyard! I was referring to my porch swing."

AJ laughs, "Why not? Where's your sense of adventure?"

Meredith leads him back to the house, muttering, "Oh….AJ!"