A/N: Here's 8. I'm sure I have more editing to do, but I want to get this posted before I need to go to an appointment :)
Miracles
Chapter 8: Huit
Mac's Dream…
A little girl, all of seven, skipped down the long dock, humming cheerfully. She enjoyed the feeling of the sun on her back, the breeze coming off the water countering its heat enough to make it comfortable for her. When she reached the dock's end, she kicked off her sandals, loving the grit of sand and salt under her feet before she sat down to dangle her legs above the water.
The girl didn't want to think too long or too hard about the fact that it was odd that she was here alone, that neither of her parents were nearby, and that she suspected she wasn't really supposed to be this young. She just wanted to sit here listening to the screeching of the gulls and watch the boats move through the water. One thing she didn't like was when the airplanes started flying overhead. It meant her friend was leaving, and lately whenever he left the angry red plane flew in. That plane was bigger and slower than the other jets; it was also louder, and the pilot, though she couldn't see him, was loud too. He would talk and talk and he wouldn't let her rest. He would make her head hurt and would squeeze her hand too hard, which was weird since he stayed invisible to her.
The other pilot, her friend, was so much nicer. She couldn't see him either, but his voice and touch were always gentle. He called her honey, sweetie, and sweetheart, and he loved her. His plane was a beautiful combination of blue and grey and green, like the sea, and though she thought it pretty, it made her sad. She wanted to call up to him and make him take her with him. Sometimes she got up and tried to follow, but then the red pilot would hold her back.
He was mean. He made her cry. She would try to tell him to go away, but he wouldn't listen.
He never listened.
The girl could hear the jets powering up and she started to shiver.
She was so focused on the sounds of the planes that she didn't hear the nice man she could see come up behind her.
"Good morning, my dear. How are you today?"
The man's voice made her jump, and he was quick to apologize as he sat down next to her. The two were silent for a few moments, until the man asked her once again how she was doing.
The girl didn't answer immediately, keeping her eyes to the sky for several seconds before she finally heaved a mournful sigh.
"I'm sad."
"Oh?"
"Yeah." Her tears started to fall then, faster than she could brush them aside. The man put his arm around her shoulders and handed her his handkerchief. He waited a moment until the girl was merely sniffling, and then spoke again.
"Do you want to tell me about it, Sarah?"
Harm's POV
"Hello, mate," the smarmy son of a bitch greets me. I don't think I've ever been in such a murderous rage before. Not even when I was confronting Hobarth did I want to end someone so badly. I have to keep myself under control, however; Mac needs me, and I can't be there for her if I'm in jail for murder. I'd say it would be justifiable homicide, but I imagine the courts won't see it that way.
"I'm not your mate, Brumby," I say through clenched teeth, and the bastard just smirks at me. My fists clench at my side and it wouldn't take much for me to pummel him to death. Control, Hammer. Control, I chant to myself. "Why the hell are you here?"
Brumby has the audacity to look affronted at my question. "To see my fiancée," he answers indignantly, and I stare at him incredulously.
"She is not your fiancée! Not anymore Brumby. I know she gave you back the ring…just before you nearly killed her!"
Brumby takes a step forward, attempting to look menacing, I suppose, and I fight the urge to flick him away like a bug.
"She pulled away from me! If you hadn't shown up…"
"If you hadn't been dragging her down the stairs…what were you trying to do, kidnap her?" Oh god, was that what he was doing?
"Absolutely not! If you must know, I was taking her to the ER for her migraine," he huffs. "She was dizzy and throwing up."
"And you decided it was a good idea to take her down the stairs?!" This man is an idiot. Or at least—wait a minute…
"You sonofabitch. You knew I was coming and deliberately went to the stairs to avoid me. You…you said as much that day. You knew she'd have let me take her, and you couldn't stand it. And because of that, she's lying up in the ICU fighting for her life!"
"It's because of you, mate, that we're here and she's there. If you hadn't decided to fuck my fiancée, she and I would be together right now, planning our wedding."
"Oh, you think so…"
Brumby looks smug again. "I don't have any doubt of that."
It's so very hard not to put my hands around his neck and squeeze or save time and just snap it. "Well, you'd be disappointed. Mac told me what it was like with you. Hell, I saw it myself. That night of the concert…I saw the way you touched her. I saw where you put your hands. She hated it."
"Are you sure about that? She sure sounded appreciative whenever I'd fu— "
I don't really remember moving; one second I'm standing a few feet from him, the next, I have him up against the wall. My fists are clenched around the lapels of his jacket, and I slam him once more into the wall for good measure. "You. Will. Not. Talk about her. That. Way!" Another slam punctuates my last word. He tries to shove me away, but my fury has given me the strength to hold fast. I stare into his eyes, and he must see something in mine, for that cocky façade finally starts to fade. Now would be the perfect time to end him. Do it, Hammer. Just do it!" The devil on my shoulder whispers, but finally, I just toss Brumby to the side. "You're not worth it," I sneer, and I back away.
"I knew you didn't have the guts, Rabb," Brumby says with false bravado.
"You are not worth it, Brumby," I repeat. "And if I see you around here, I'll— "
"You have no right to keep me from my fiancée!"
I can't believe it. The man won't give it up. "For the last time, Brumby—Mac is not your fiancée! She isn't going to marry you. Not now, not ever! You haven't even been around to see her!"
The arrogant Aussie smirks again. "Oh, haven't I?"
"What?"
"You and your "friends" can't be here all the time, Rabb."
In an instant, I have Brumby against the wall again. "You stay away from her, you hear me? She doesn't want you here. She told me some things about you, and I swear, if I ever see you lurking around her again, I'll make it so you have to permanently eat from a straw!"
"Is that a threat, Rabb?"
"More like a promise."
"You can't keep me away, Harm."
"Wanna bet?"
"Harm, let him go. And Brumby, get the fuck out of here." A voice sounds from behind me, and I don't know if I'm glad about it or pissed off because now I definitely can't kill him, but since the voice belongs to my CO…
Slowly, I relinquish my hold on Brumby and step back as the admiral steps into my field of vision. The three of us just stand there for a moment, two naval officers glaring at one piece of human trash before the admiral speaks again.
"Didn't you hear me, Brumby? I said, get the fuck out of here." Admiral Chegwidden's voice is low and menacing, and I must say I'm a little shocked at the profanity he just used. But if it gets the job done…
Finally, after several seconds, Brumby shrugs. He takes a few steps away and I'm about to heave a sigh of relief, but then he turns around again.
"Don't think you've seen the last of me, mates." And finally, with that, he walks away.
Mac's Dream…
"So, Sarah, why are you sad?"
Sarah looked up at the nice man who had been sitting with her every day since she'd started coming here, then looked up at the sky. "My friend is leaving." She pointed up at a jet flying overhead. "That's him."
The man looked up as well and nodded. "That's a really nice airplane."
"Yeah…it's really pretty. I like it, but I wish he'd take me with him."
"I'm sure." The man nodded again as a loud whine filled the air. Sarah's shoulders slumped and tears started to slide down her cheeks again. "What is it, Sarah?"
"He's back."
"Who is, my dear?"
"The angry one. I don't like him."
"I see."
"He always comes after my friend leaves. I try to tell him to go away but he won't." Sarah turned under the man's arm and wrapped her arms around him. "Can you tell him to go?" The man smiled sadly at her.
"No, I can't, sweetheart. But I'll stay with you while he's here."
Harm's POV…
I didn't sleep well last night, not that I'm overly surprised. I'm still shaken and furious over my encounter with Brumby, and the last place I want to be right now is in the brig where they're holding my client, Sergeant Major Jarvis Krohn. I wanted to go back up to Mac's floor and ask about Mac's former fiancé—how many times has he been here, when does he show up…I know he's right; Mac's friends can't be here all the time, but how has he been able to spend any significant time with her? I suppose he could be exaggerating, but I honestly don't think he is. I was going to follow the admiral up to Mac's room, but he told me in no uncertain terms to go home. I practically begged him to at least talk to her nurse, to Sara, to tell her not to let Brumby in, and he said he would. Of course, Sara doesn't work every night and though I know she'll try, she won't be able to protect Mac all the time.
I stifle a yawn as I'm escorted down the corridor toward the room where I'll meet with Sergeant Krohn. At least my night of minimal sleep allowed me to work more on his case. I still am not entirely certain how I'll present things, but I'm still sure of my client's innocence. Yes, I've defended with zeal clients whom I knew were guilty as sin, but it is certainly easier to defend someone innocent.
Sergeant Krohn is brought in a few minutes after I'm settled in my chair. The room we're in is entirely utilitarian with poor lighting and ancient furniture, but I suppose that's typical of a brig. It fits my mood at least.
Sergeant Krohn sits down across from me as I open his casefile. I can feel his eyes on me as I flip through it to find the page I need and I want to squirm—so unfitting for an officer and a lawyer in the presence of his enlisted client, but then again, somehow, I feel…I know Krohn is no ordinary client. Finally, I raise my eyes to his. "Something on your mind, Sergeant?"
Sergeant Krohn's lip quirks up in a semblance of a smile. "Plenty…"
"Well?"
Krohn eyes me for a moment more before he finally speaks again. "Commander, you look like you've just been through a dark night of the soul."
My eyes widen a bit before I look away. "We're not here to discuss me," I mumble.
"No, we're not," he replies. "But you look like you could get a few things off your chest."
The sergeant major is certainly being bold here, and yet I find myself answering him.
"It's, uh, my friend…my partner at JAG. She's in the hospital right now. She was injured recently and isn't doing very well." I feel the sting of tears and I pinch my leg hard under the table to distract myself.
"I'm sorry to her that, sir. Would this be Colonel MacKenzie?"
I'm surprised for a moment, but being a fellow marine, Krohn has probably heard of Mac and her exploits.
"Um, yeah, it would be…"
"I'm very sorry to hear that, Commander. She's a fine officer, and more importantly, a fine marine."
"That she is." I swallow hard, then shore up my resolve to get through this meeting. "Sergeant, we should get back to the case…"
Krohn nods. "I suppose we should, but I will add Colonel MacKenzie to my prayers…and you as well."
I nod, pinching myself harder to maintain my control. I try to speak, to thank him, but just now I can't. Many people say things like that, that they'll say a prayer for someone but then don't, or just consider saying that they will 'say a prayer' the prayer itself, but this time I know the sentiment is completely sincere, and I'm moved. It takes me several moments, but I finally find my voice.
"Thank you, Sergeant Krohn. I appreciate that."
"You're welcome, sir…and please, call me, Jarvis."
"Okay…Jarvis. Let's get started."
Mac's Dream…
It was another day at the pier, but this time, the only airplane that came and went with any frequency was the angry red one. Sometimes a huge white plane, bigger than all the rest, would circle in, and she would feel safer for a moment, and then sometimes a small blue plane and a soft pink plane would fly in, and she would feel loved. What she didn't see was her friend's airplane, the beautiful sea-hued one, and it made her immeasurably sad. Where was he? Why wouldn't he come?
The red pilot's voice continued to haunt her and she gave up trying to make him leave. She could only sob into her hands, and when she finally looked up again, she saw the sky was no longer a vivid blue. It was darker, hazier, and the air was heavy, settling around her like a shroud.
"Sarah, dear, what's wrong?" The nice man was back, and it made her glad. His arm went around her and she rested against his side.
"Nothing," she sighed. The sky darkened further. "I'm just so tired."
"I know, Sarah. Maybe it's time to go home."
"Maybe…but I don't want to."
Sarah suspected, however, that she didn't have much of a choice.
She lifted her head and gazed up to the heavens.
"I don't want to," she repeated, then fell asleep as the angry red jet flew in again.
End Chapter 8