ABOUT US 2: Surprise, Surprise 11/14
Author: LeE
e-mail: lee_81881@yahoo.com
Classification: Romance H/M
Disclaimers: JAG doesn't belong to me. It belongs to DPB and CBS. I'm just having some fun while procrastinating on homework...
*From Part 10*
"You think there's other guards here? I didn't see any when they brought me. How about you?" Harm asked.
"No, I didn't see any. I think we could make it if we could get a hold of Jay in here and get his gun." Harm nodded and they proceeded to lay out their plan to escape. Harm had always prided himself on being an observant person. But the things Clay had noticed about the place were amazing. 'I learned from the best' was all Clay had said when Harm had asked him about his CIA training. There were still many things Harm wanted to know about his friend the spy. There would be time for that later. For now, all he wanted to do was get out of there so he could see Mac again.
*Part 11*
SAFE HOUSE
WASHINGTON D.C.
SUNDAY MARCH 17, 2002
"Showtime" Don murmured as he readied himself to leave the house.
"I don't need to tell you, Don. But be careful. Callahan's lost it already. He won't hesitate to kill you if he feels cornered" Annika said and gave him a brief hug. Don hugged her back and placed a soft fatherly kiss on her forehead.
"I'll be fine, Annika. You go now and get that partner of yours back here in one piece."
She simply nodded and stepped away from him, watching with a faraway expression as he got in the car and headed out to confront Callahan. They had a pretty good idea as to where Jay was, but had agreed that Don would be in contact with them as soon as he got more information on his whereabouts. Minutes before, Don had communicated directly with the Secretary of Defense, who had agreed to their plan and had promised his full support to catch Callahan and Jay. It was Sunday, and the special team Don had assigned to watch Callahan had reported seeing him at CIA Headquarters in Langley. There was no doubt in Don's mind about what Callahan intended to do. Now it was up to him to stop him.
"I know he'll be fine" Annika said convincingly as she felt Mac's presence behind her. The two women had taken an immediate liking to each other once they started talking. They had so much in common, and they even looked alike, only difference being Annika's reddish hair and green eyes.
"And Harm will be too. I can tell you miss him like crazy" Annika said, smiling wryly at Mac as she turned around to face her.
"Just as much as you miss Clay, and it's killing me that I'm a Marine and I haven't been able to do anything to get them back until now"
"It's a very delicate situation, Mac. Storming the beaches would probably not be the best way to handle this one, Marine" Annika answered and chuckled along with Mac. It was better than crying.
"So, are you gonna tell him you love him?" Mac asked casually.
Annika gasped in surprise and looked away. "We're friends Mac. I've been telling you since we met" Annika answered, failing miserably to hide the disappointment on her face.
"I don't doubt it. Harm and I were friends for about as long as you and Clay have been. I don't know what I would do if I lost him, and I certainly don't want to find out" Mac finished, her voice breaking slightly as she thought of Harm once more. She had tried so hard to be strong, telling herself that he was okay, that they were after Clay and not him. That Callahan would soon be caught and Harm would return safely to her. But she also knew he had been shot, and he was hurt, and probably alone. Her heart broke every time she thought of him, and all she wanted to do was get on a damn plane and go find him. She'd swim across the ocean if it were the fastest way to get to him. It was so damn frustrating to have her hands tied.
Annika watched Mac as the emotions played across her face. That's exactly what she'd been afraid of since she'd met Clay. It was hard enough to know he was constantly in danger now. If they became involved like Harm and Mac, well, she was sure she'd lose her sanity sooner than later. She felt like yelling and screaming and crying every time Clay was in danger, but her strict training and the emotional walls she'd built around herself prevented her from any such emotional outbursts. Besides, Clay had never indicated he was at all romantically interested in her. She couldn't risk their friendship, their partnership. It meant the world to her, and if there was something in this world she knew she couldn't handle it was losing him.
CIA HQ
LANGLEY, VA
SUNDAY MARCH 17, 2002
Callahan was starting to feel a little nervous. He knew Trent was on his tail. He'd attempted communication with Jay and hadn't been able to get through. They'd known each other so long that they could very well anticipate each other's moves. Trent had disappeared Friday morning, and now, 48 hours later, there was no sign of him. Callahan knew his plan wasn't as secure as it should've been, but years of repressed anger and vengeance bottled up inside had taken their toll, and now all he wanted was to hurt them. To hurt, Webb, Trent and everyone who had a damn to do with the CIA.
"Stop!" Don yelled as he reached his office. Callahan was already there, and Don knew what he was after. The bomb squad was ready to come in, but he had a personal score to settle first.
Callahan turned around, masking well his surprise. "You're faster than I thought, Trent. Took you long enough to figure out my plan. Losing your touch Agent?" he said and laughed sarcastically.
"Callahan, you're gonna be one sorry SOB by the time I'm done with you"
"Oh, Don. You always had the gift for comedy, didn't ya? I see you've taken the picture of your precious little family reunion with the Webbs. I came in here looking for it" Callahan murmured as he raised his hand from where it rested behind his back and pointed the gun at him squarely on his head, mimicking Don's gun pointed at his own forehead.
"Think about this now, Callahan. Do you really want to..."
"That's enough! I don't want to hear another word from you or I swear I will..."
"Drop it, Callahan" A voice called from behind, and Callahan slowly turned to see Charlie there, his gun pointed at him. "Not until you pay," he whispered, his eyes darkening with rage.
"It wasn't our fault what happened back during 'Nam you know? They simply didn't pick you. Neville and I didn't want it that way. We were friends James. Why did you blame us?" Don was desperately trying to avoid bloodshed.
"I said enough! You were never my friends. All you cared about was your precious little families. You never cared about me! And now you and the damn CIA will pay!" he shouted as he turned fully towards Don once again. Quickly, Don dodged to the side and avoided the bullet that went by his head at the same time that Charlie fired in Callahan's direction.
"Charlie! The bomb! We need to know where..." Don shouted at Charlie as he hurried over to Callahan's side.
"We got it, Don. The bomb squad's on it as we speak" Don looked up in a daze. "But how..."
"We found the safety box in Callahan's office. We also have Jay's exact location. The others have already been informed" pausing for a second, Charlie seemed to compose himself to continue "Jay killed himself, Don. An hour ago. Clay and Commander Rabb are on their way to the USS Theodore Roosevelt. From there they'll fly to Andrews and Rabb will be transferred to Bethesda. He's in stable condition at the moment. Our guys in Afghanistan came through, Don. We did good"
Don sighed heavily and dropped to the floor, right next to the lifeless body of the man that he'd once called a friend, but who had caused so much pain to so many people throughout his life. Hearing of Jay's suicide broke his heart. He had hoped that maybe after the whole situation was cleared up, that Jay would get to know the truth. That he could be reunited with his family, and that way he'd fulfill that promise he'd made to his best friend Neville Webb before he died. Fate had decided otherwise, and Jay's life had ended without him ever learning the real truth. Clay had a long road ahead of him now, including telling his mother about the events of the last month, but he wouldn't do it alone. As long as he lived, Clayton Webb would be protected to the extent of his ability. Now, after the waters leveled back down; that's when the hard part would start. The healing process. Accepting what had happened and learning to live with it. However, he knew that even when the day came that he couldn't be there for Clay, he would still have his red headed partner, his best friend, his soul mate. Clayton Webb still had a lot of things to learn. Learning to love was one of them.
OVER THE ARABIAN SEA
Clayton Webb stared out the window, off into the deep blue ocean, focusing as much as he could on forgetting the events of the past two hours. Life in the CIA had never been a ticket to a good night's sleep, but the greater good of the country he served had always been first and foremost to him. On occasions, focusing on the good instead of the bad always helped him to do the job, sign the report, and turn the page to a new start. This time, turning the page didn't feel like the solution. This time he'd have to not just turn the page; this time he'd have to start a whole new book. Against his will, his mind once again transported him back in time, to relive the fateful events.
*****
"You ready?" Clay asked his friend once again as the time drew nearer to put their plan into action.
"Yeah. Let's do it."
A few minutes later, Jay entered the small room, and with an evil smirk handed each of his prisoners a wrinkled paper bag which- they knew- contained their food. Clay got ready and with one look at Harm, they both launched at Jay, Webb immediately taking possession of the gun he wore on the waistband of his faded jeans. Jay tried to fight Webb, but 200 pounds of Sailor was not an easy obstacle to overcome, so in the end, he found the tables turned.
Clay and Harm took their time securing each room in the old abandoned building. It didn't seem like a big powerful terrorist organization would be able to coordinate such attacks as Jay had outlined to them before from a place like this. There was no one there other than Jay. No guards, no more guns. Nonetheless, the threat to the USS Theodore Roosevelt had been number one on their minds, followed by their plan to return safely home. Finally, Clay found a hidden cabinet on the wall where Jay kept a cell phone and a laptop. Quickly he ran through the numbers listed, and realizing the first priority was to stop the attack on the carrier, he dialed the first number he found. Callahan's. Clay's jaw dropped as he heard Don's voice on the other end. Carefully, Don explained without much detail the situation and had also told them a SAR team was on its way to them. Jay's screams caused him to end his conversation and as he turned around, he found Harm, on his knees, the gun he'd held now thrown on the floor.
"He's not dead. He can't be dead!" Jay screamed, and Clay realized he had repeated out loud what Don had just told him on the phone.
"Jay, Callahan's dead. It's over" Clay said firmly, as he hurried over to Harm's side and laid him back against the wall. Apparently Jay had once again put some sort of drug on the food Harm had eaten earlier. Jay's sobs made Clay turn again and as he looked at his twin brother, tied to the chair, crying, he felt something he'd never felt before.
"I'm sorry. You deserve to know the truth...." And as Clay explained to his brother the truth about Callahan, the truth about who he was, the truth about his parents, he witnessed Jay's anger boil away and turn into sadness. Clay was surprised Jay believed him so easily; but they were twins after all. However, Clay quickly recognized that Jay's reaction was not that of a mentally stable person. Callahan had never been mentally stable either, in Clay's opinion.
The sound of the helicopter approaching the building took Clay away from his thoughts, and he watched, as Jay's eyes grew wide. Minutes later, the team was inside the building, and Clay ordered them to take care of Harm first. Returning to Jay's side, Clay noticed his pleading eyes, and feeling a tinge of compassion for his look-alike, he proceeded to untie him, his gun still in his hand. However, as soon as Jay was free to use his arms, he jerked his body around forcefully, catching Clay off guard and unprepared. Jay's hand took hold of the gun in Clay's grip, and as Clay fell back on the floor from Jay's push, he watched as his brother took the gun and pointed at his own head. Seconds later, after a last glance at Clay through watery eyes and a muttered 'I'm sorry', Jason Webb ended his life.
*****
What he lived through that day would haunt him for the rest of his adult life, and as the helicopter initiated its decent towards the USS Theodore Roosevelt, Clayton Webb did something he hadn't done in years; he prayed.
NEXT DAY
ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE
It'd been a long 24 hours since they'd gotten the news about Jay's death and had been assured Harm and Clay were on their way. Annika was a mess of nerves, pacing the terminal endless times. Clay had been in danger numerous times before, but this time the enormity of what might have happened was slowly driving her insane. If she'd only finished her assignment sooner. Maybe she could've helped. Maybe Clay's twin brother wouldn't be dead. Feeling her heart breaking for the man she secretly loved, Annika walked slowly towards the exit, knowing Clay would walk through that door any minute.
Glancing over at her new friend Mac, Annika prayed the other woman had enough strength to handle the sight of Harm unconscious. Apparently he had been heavily drugged, and nearly poisoned to death minutes before Jay's death. However, she found herself drawing strength from the brave Marine standing next to her. Mac had shared with her many of her adventures with Harm. Annika had asked if they weren't secret CIA agents. Both women had shared a good laugh at that one, but the truth was that Sarah Mackenzie and Harmon Rabb had been in more dangerous situations than any lawyer she'd ever heard of. Knowing all this, she understood why Mac seemed so calm, and yet so anxious to see her Sailor. 'Hey, as long as he's not dead, I'll take him however I can get him' Mac had said to her in one of those heartfelt conversations the two had had. Annika simply nodded. She felt the same about Clay, and even though she felt like she could trust Mac, she still couldn't admit it even to herself.
Don stood a few steps behind both women, silently studying their demeanors. Part of his job was to read people, and being friends with Clay and Annika for so long only helped to do his job better. He could read them like a book. The love they shared was obvious to anyone who knew them, anyone but themselves. He'd had long vivid conversations with the Admiral, and from what he'd learned, Harm and Mac had been on the same road Clay and Annika were in. He hoped the two couples would stay close after this. Maybe seeing themselves in someone else would help them realize what they were missing. What they could have if they just let go of the fear of losing each other.
The voice announcing the arrival of the flight broke through their thoughts, and the three quickly walked closer to the terminal exit. Mac seemed anxious, Don was simply ecstatic, and Annika looked like she was ready to fight a hundred armed men.
"Relax, Annika. He's fine, you'll see"
Annika scoffed. "Yeah, but will he still be after I'm through with him?" Mac burst out laughing. That's exactly the same way she'd try to hide her feelings before she and Harm got together. Whenever he'd get himself in a mess, she'd feel like ripping his throat out. It was a good way to mask the concern and fear of him not coming back to her. She'd done it countless times, and now she saw how foolish it looked from an outsider point of view.
"Annika, don't be too hard on him now. It wasn't his fault, you know?" Don soothed, attempting to calm the nerves of the young woman. Annika simply nodded and waited.
Minutes later, the doors opened and there he stood, Clayton Webb in the flesh. His eyes searched quickly and thankful for the security that had kept the press outside, he walked purposefully towards the faces he recognized.
Coming closer, he finally reached them and Don enveloped him in a manly hug first. "Thank you" Clay whispered to him, and Don merely nodded. Releasing him seconds later Clay turned quickly towards Annika, simply staring at her for a few seconds before he spoke.
"Aren't you gonna give your partner a hug?" Clay asked, half-jokingly, half-shyly. He knew how she got when he was in danger. Annika had never had a problem telling him exactly what she felt. He was the one that sucked at showing emotion.
"I should kick your six for not waiting for me to go" she waited a few seconds, her jaw tight, and for a minute there Clay thought he'd have to really beg this time. "But I'll forgive you because I know it wasn't your fault" This brought a huge smile to Clay's face. Annika smiled back and an instant later they were wrapped up in a desperate embrace.
Mac had never seen Clay really smile. This was a new side of Clay she'd never known even existed, but according to Annika he was charming, caring, and loyal. Well, she just needed to see it with her own eyes.
"Lt. Colonel Mackenzie?"
"Yes, that's me"
"Please follow me, ma'am. The helo's waiting for you to depart" Mac nodded and accepted a small hug from Clay, who managed to startle her when he told her he was sorry with such sincerity. Something big had happened over the past week that had changed Clayton Webb. There'd be time to figure that out later, for now she just wanted to see her Sailor.
TBC
Author: LeE
e-mail: lee_81881@yahoo.com
Classification: Romance H/M
Disclaimers: JAG doesn't belong to me. It belongs to DPB and CBS. I'm just having some fun while procrastinating on homework...
*From Part 10*
"You think there's other guards here? I didn't see any when they brought me. How about you?" Harm asked.
"No, I didn't see any. I think we could make it if we could get a hold of Jay in here and get his gun." Harm nodded and they proceeded to lay out their plan to escape. Harm had always prided himself on being an observant person. But the things Clay had noticed about the place were amazing. 'I learned from the best' was all Clay had said when Harm had asked him about his CIA training. There were still many things Harm wanted to know about his friend the spy. There would be time for that later. For now, all he wanted to do was get out of there so he could see Mac again.
*Part 11*
SAFE HOUSE
WASHINGTON D.C.
SUNDAY MARCH 17, 2002
"Showtime" Don murmured as he readied himself to leave the house.
"I don't need to tell you, Don. But be careful. Callahan's lost it already. He won't hesitate to kill you if he feels cornered" Annika said and gave him a brief hug. Don hugged her back and placed a soft fatherly kiss on her forehead.
"I'll be fine, Annika. You go now and get that partner of yours back here in one piece."
She simply nodded and stepped away from him, watching with a faraway expression as he got in the car and headed out to confront Callahan. They had a pretty good idea as to where Jay was, but had agreed that Don would be in contact with them as soon as he got more information on his whereabouts. Minutes before, Don had communicated directly with the Secretary of Defense, who had agreed to their plan and had promised his full support to catch Callahan and Jay. It was Sunday, and the special team Don had assigned to watch Callahan had reported seeing him at CIA Headquarters in Langley. There was no doubt in Don's mind about what Callahan intended to do. Now it was up to him to stop him.
"I know he'll be fine" Annika said convincingly as she felt Mac's presence behind her. The two women had taken an immediate liking to each other once they started talking. They had so much in common, and they even looked alike, only difference being Annika's reddish hair and green eyes.
"And Harm will be too. I can tell you miss him like crazy" Annika said, smiling wryly at Mac as she turned around to face her.
"Just as much as you miss Clay, and it's killing me that I'm a Marine and I haven't been able to do anything to get them back until now"
"It's a very delicate situation, Mac. Storming the beaches would probably not be the best way to handle this one, Marine" Annika answered and chuckled along with Mac. It was better than crying.
"So, are you gonna tell him you love him?" Mac asked casually.
Annika gasped in surprise and looked away. "We're friends Mac. I've been telling you since we met" Annika answered, failing miserably to hide the disappointment on her face.
"I don't doubt it. Harm and I were friends for about as long as you and Clay have been. I don't know what I would do if I lost him, and I certainly don't want to find out" Mac finished, her voice breaking slightly as she thought of Harm once more. She had tried so hard to be strong, telling herself that he was okay, that they were after Clay and not him. That Callahan would soon be caught and Harm would return safely to her. But she also knew he had been shot, and he was hurt, and probably alone. Her heart broke every time she thought of him, and all she wanted to do was get on a damn plane and go find him. She'd swim across the ocean if it were the fastest way to get to him. It was so damn frustrating to have her hands tied.
Annika watched Mac as the emotions played across her face. That's exactly what she'd been afraid of since she'd met Clay. It was hard enough to know he was constantly in danger now. If they became involved like Harm and Mac, well, she was sure she'd lose her sanity sooner than later. She felt like yelling and screaming and crying every time Clay was in danger, but her strict training and the emotional walls she'd built around herself prevented her from any such emotional outbursts. Besides, Clay had never indicated he was at all romantically interested in her. She couldn't risk their friendship, their partnership. It meant the world to her, and if there was something in this world she knew she couldn't handle it was losing him.
CIA HQ
LANGLEY, VA
SUNDAY MARCH 17, 2002
Callahan was starting to feel a little nervous. He knew Trent was on his tail. He'd attempted communication with Jay and hadn't been able to get through. They'd known each other so long that they could very well anticipate each other's moves. Trent had disappeared Friday morning, and now, 48 hours later, there was no sign of him. Callahan knew his plan wasn't as secure as it should've been, but years of repressed anger and vengeance bottled up inside had taken their toll, and now all he wanted was to hurt them. To hurt, Webb, Trent and everyone who had a damn to do with the CIA.
"Stop!" Don yelled as he reached his office. Callahan was already there, and Don knew what he was after. The bomb squad was ready to come in, but he had a personal score to settle first.
Callahan turned around, masking well his surprise. "You're faster than I thought, Trent. Took you long enough to figure out my plan. Losing your touch Agent?" he said and laughed sarcastically.
"Callahan, you're gonna be one sorry SOB by the time I'm done with you"
"Oh, Don. You always had the gift for comedy, didn't ya? I see you've taken the picture of your precious little family reunion with the Webbs. I came in here looking for it" Callahan murmured as he raised his hand from where it rested behind his back and pointed the gun at him squarely on his head, mimicking Don's gun pointed at his own forehead.
"Think about this now, Callahan. Do you really want to..."
"That's enough! I don't want to hear another word from you or I swear I will..."
"Drop it, Callahan" A voice called from behind, and Callahan slowly turned to see Charlie there, his gun pointed at him. "Not until you pay," he whispered, his eyes darkening with rage.
"It wasn't our fault what happened back during 'Nam you know? They simply didn't pick you. Neville and I didn't want it that way. We were friends James. Why did you blame us?" Don was desperately trying to avoid bloodshed.
"I said enough! You were never my friends. All you cared about was your precious little families. You never cared about me! And now you and the damn CIA will pay!" he shouted as he turned fully towards Don once again. Quickly, Don dodged to the side and avoided the bullet that went by his head at the same time that Charlie fired in Callahan's direction.
"Charlie! The bomb! We need to know where..." Don shouted at Charlie as he hurried over to Callahan's side.
"We got it, Don. The bomb squad's on it as we speak" Don looked up in a daze. "But how..."
"We found the safety box in Callahan's office. We also have Jay's exact location. The others have already been informed" pausing for a second, Charlie seemed to compose himself to continue "Jay killed himself, Don. An hour ago. Clay and Commander Rabb are on their way to the USS Theodore Roosevelt. From there they'll fly to Andrews and Rabb will be transferred to Bethesda. He's in stable condition at the moment. Our guys in Afghanistan came through, Don. We did good"
Don sighed heavily and dropped to the floor, right next to the lifeless body of the man that he'd once called a friend, but who had caused so much pain to so many people throughout his life. Hearing of Jay's suicide broke his heart. He had hoped that maybe after the whole situation was cleared up, that Jay would get to know the truth. That he could be reunited with his family, and that way he'd fulfill that promise he'd made to his best friend Neville Webb before he died. Fate had decided otherwise, and Jay's life had ended without him ever learning the real truth. Clay had a long road ahead of him now, including telling his mother about the events of the last month, but he wouldn't do it alone. As long as he lived, Clayton Webb would be protected to the extent of his ability. Now, after the waters leveled back down; that's when the hard part would start. The healing process. Accepting what had happened and learning to live with it. However, he knew that even when the day came that he couldn't be there for Clay, he would still have his red headed partner, his best friend, his soul mate. Clayton Webb still had a lot of things to learn. Learning to love was one of them.
OVER THE ARABIAN SEA
Clayton Webb stared out the window, off into the deep blue ocean, focusing as much as he could on forgetting the events of the past two hours. Life in the CIA had never been a ticket to a good night's sleep, but the greater good of the country he served had always been first and foremost to him. On occasions, focusing on the good instead of the bad always helped him to do the job, sign the report, and turn the page to a new start. This time, turning the page didn't feel like the solution. This time he'd have to not just turn the page; this time he'd have to start a whole new book. Against his will, his mind once again transported him back in time, to relive the fateful events.
*****
"You ready?" Clay asked his friend once again as the time drew nearer to put their plan into action.
"Yeah. Let's do it."
A few minutes later, Jay entered the small room, and with an evil smirk handed each of his prisoners a wrinkled paper bag which- they knew- contained their food. Clay got ready and with one look at Harm, they both launched at Jay, Webb immediately taking possession of the gun he wore on the waistband of his faded jeans. Jay tried to fight Webb, but 200 pounds of Sailor was not an easy obstacle to overcome, so in the end, he found the tables turned.
Clay and Harm took their time securing each room in the old abandoned building. It didn't seem like a big powerful terrorist organization would be able to coordinate such attacks as Jay had outlined to them before from a place like this. There was no one there other than Jay. No guards, no more guns. Nonetheless, the threat to the USS Theodore Roosevelt had been number one on their minds, followed by their plan to return safely home. Finally, Clay found a hidden cabinet on the wall where Jay kept a cell phone and a laptop. Quickly he ran through the numbers listed, and realizing the first priority was to stop the attack on the carrier, he dialed the first number he found. Callahan's. Clay's jaw dropped as he heard Don's voice on the other end. Carefully, Don explained without much detail the situation and had also told them a SAR team was on its way to them. Jay's screams caused him to end his conversation and as he turned around, he found Harm, on his knees, the gun he'd held now thrown on the floor.
"He's not dead. He can't be dead!" Jay screamed, and Clay realized he had repeated out loud what Don had just told him on the phone.
"Jay, Callahan's dead. It's over" Clay said firmly, as he hurried over to Harm's side and laid him back against the wall. Apparently Jay had once again put some sort of drug on the food Harm had eaten earlier. Jay's sobs made Clay turn again and as he looked at his twin brother, tied to the chair, crying, he felt something he'd never felt before.
"I'm sorry. You deserve to know the truth...." And as Clay explained to his brother the truth about Callahan, the truth about who he was, the truth about his parents, he witnessed Jay's anger boil away and turn into sadness. Clay was surprised Jay believed him so easily; but they were twins after all. However, Clay quickly recognized that Jay's reaction was not that of a mentally stable person. Callahan had never been mentally stable either, in Clay's opinion.
The sound of the helicopter approaching the building took Clay away from his thoughts, and he watched, as Jay's eyes grew wide. Minutes later, the team was inside the building, and Clay ordered them to take care of Harm first. Returning to Jay's side, Clay noticed his pleading eyes, and feeling a tinge of compassion for his look-alike, he proceeded to untie him, his gun still in his hand. However, as soon as Jay was free to use his arms, he jerked his body around forcefully, catching Clay off guard and unprepared. Jay's hand took hold of the gun in Clay's grip, and as Clay fell back on the floor from Jay's push, he watched as his brother took the gun and pointed at his own head. Seconds later, after a last glance at Clay through watery eyes and a muttered 'I'm sorry', Jason Webb ended his life.
*****
What he lived through that day would haunt him for the rest of his adult life, and as the helicopter initiated its decent towards the USS Theodore Roosevelt, Clayton Webb did something he hadn't done in years; he prayed.
NEXT DAY
ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE
It'd been a long 24 hours since they'd gotten the news about Jay's death and had been assured Harm and Clay were on their way. Annika was a mess of nerves, pacing the terminal endless times. Clay had been in danger numerous times before, but this time the enormity of what might have happened was slowly driving her insane. If she'd only finished her assignment sooner. Maybe she could've helped. Maybe Clay's twin brother wouldn't be dead. Feeling her heart breaking for the man she secretly loved, Annika walked slowly towards the exit, knowing Clay would walk through that door any minute.
Glancing over at her new friend Mac, Annika prayed the other woman had enough strength to handle the sight of Harm unconscious. Apparently he had been heavily drugged, and nearly poisoned to death minutes before Jay's death. However, she found herself drawing strength from the brave Marine standing next to her. Mac had shared with her many of her adventures with Harm. Annika had asked if they weren't secret CIA agents. Both women had shared a good laugh at that one, but the truth was that Sarah Mackenzie and Harmon Rabb had been in more dangerous situations than any lawyer she'd ever heard of. Knowing all this, she understood why Mac seemed so calm, and yet so anxious to see her Sailor. 'Hey, as long as he's not dead, I'll take him however I can get him' Mac had said to her in one of those heartfelt conversations the two had had. Annika simply nodded. She felt the same about Clay, and even though she felt like she could trust Mac, she still couldn't admit it even to herself.
Don stood a few steps behind both women, silently studying their demeanors. Part of his job was to read people, and being friends with Clay and Annika for so long only helped to do his job better. He could read them like a book. The love they shared was obvious to anyone who knew them, anyone but themselves. He'd had long vivid conversations with the Admiral, and from what he'd learned, Harm and Mac had been on the same road Clay and Annika were in. He hoped the two couples would stay close after this. Maybe seeing themselves in someone else would help them realize what they were missing. What they could have if they just let go of the fear of losing each other.
The voice announcing the arrival of the flight broke through their thoughts, and the three quickly walked closer to the terminal exit. Mac seemed anxious, Don was simply ecstatic, and Annika looked like she was ready to fight a hundred armed men.
"Relax, Annika. He's fine, you'll see"
Annika scoffed. "Yeah, but will he still be after I'm through with him?" Mac burst out laughing. That's exactly the same way she'd try to hide her feelings before she and Harm got together. Whenever he'd get himself in a mess, she'd feel like ripping his throat out. It was a good way to mask the concern and fear of him not coming back to her. She'd done it countless times, and now she saw how foolish it looked from an outsider point of view.
"Annika, don't be too hard on him now. It wasn't his fault, you know?" Don soothed, attempting to calm the nerves of the young woman. Annika simply nodded and waited.
Minutes later, the doors opened and there he stood, Clayton Webb in the flesh. His eyes searched quickly and thankful for the security that had kept the press outside, he walked purposefully towards the faces he recognized.
Coming closer, he finally reached them and Don enveloped him in a manly hug first. "Thank you" Clay whispered to him, and Don merely nodded. Releasing him seconds later Clay turned quickly towards Annika, simply staring at her for a few seconds before he spoke.
"Aren't you gonna give your partner a hug?" Clay asked, half-jokingly, half-shyly. He knew how she got when he was in danger. Annika had never had a problem telling him exactly what she felt. He was the one that sucked at showing emotion.
"I should kick your six for not waiting for me to go" she waited a few seconds, her jaw tight, and for a minute there Clay thought he'd have to really beg this time. "But I'll forgive you because I know it wasn't your fault" This brought a huge smile to Clay's face. Annika smiled back and an instant later they were wrapped up in a desperate embrace.
Mac had never seen Clay really smile. This was a new side of Clay she'd never known even existed, but according to Annika he was charming, caring, and loyal. Well, she just needed to see it with her own eyes.
"Lt. Colonel Mackenzie?"
"Yes, that's me"
"Please follow me, ma'am. The helo's waiting for you to depart" Mac nodded and accepted a small hug from Clay, who managed to startle her when he told her he was sorry with such sincerity. Something big had happened over the past week that had changed Clayton Webb. There'd be time to figure that out later, for now she just wanted to see her Sailor.
TBC