Mac's Residence
Washington, D.C.
1800 Zulu, March 27
"Ugh!" Exclaimed Mac as her reflection stared back at her, assaulting her eyes. The dress was utterly repulsive. How can I get married looking like this? It was too late to get the dress altered and too late for a new one. Her tailor was booked solid for weeks. There was no way to postpone it. Nothing was going right.
"What?" Mic called from the other room.
"Nothing!" She yelled. "I'm going to wear this dress even if it kills me!" She muttered. She peeled the dress off with great difficulty and put on a robe.
Mic entered the bedroom. "Can we finish discussing.....?"
She cut him off. "It's just not right. It's not traditional, Mic!"
"Well, I won't let him be the best man!"
"I told there was never a relationship there Mic. We are just partners and best friends and I'd like him in my wedding." She said.
"I want Harm to be the best man."
"Bud's my best man." "There's a reason why it's called BEST MAN!"
"He is. He's my best friend and I want him in the wedding."
"It's not right!"
"Since when are seven bridesmaids and one matron of honor that I don't know 6 of them 'right'?"
"He's your best friend, not mine!"
"That's 'right' and he's going to be our best man.'"
Mic groaned loudly. "Ahhhhh!" He stormed out of the room.
********
Outside JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
13:04 Zulu, March 29
It was a warm day for March and Mac and Harm ate lunch outside. Mac took a huge bite of her burger. "What happened to the full military wedding?" Harm said a moment later.
"He doesn't want that."
"What about what you want?"
"It's all right." She said. "I want you to be our best man."
"Haven't I always been?" He said joking with a smile.
"I mean in the wedding."
"I didn't know that was aloud."
"A best man?"
"Yeah the groom hates his own best man. That would be a great story for the kids. So do I have to wear a black and white tux or something?" He said with a smile.
"A tux could never flatter you." She replied. She said with a grin. "You wear what you want, whatever color you want."
Harm became serious. "How does he feel about this idea?"
"He doesn't like it much but what can he do about it I'm a marine."
"What about Bud?"
"We can have two best men."
Harm hid behind his flyboy smile one more. Chose. He wished she would chose him for more than her best man. They had a conversation more times then they could count. Harm couldn't understand why she finally chose now to settle down. He'd seen marriage potential between Mac and Dalton and they both knew how that turned out.
"Are you sure your just settling because you feel you should have by this point?" He asked "Of course not, Harm. I love him and want to marry him. You're acting as if you don't want me marrying Mic." She said.
"Like you've never made it a secret you don't want me marrying Renée. I won't mention it anymore. You do what you want." He said.
"It's time to get back to work". They both stood.
"Thank you, Mac." He said.
********
Harm's Residence
13:03 Zulu, April 1
Harm stared at his dress whites in the mirror. It didn't look right. It fit his mood. He felt like as if he were going to her own funeral as opposed to her wedding. The wedding did not seem real. Sarah and Mic were not getting married. It was just some long, unrelenting and sadistic nightmare he hadn't awoken from yet. He never thought they would actually reach this point. The wedding started in two hours.
He took the ring box off of his dresser. He stared at the black box and ran his fingers over its faux velvet skin. He could no longer fight the urge to open the box. It was a simple gold band encrusted with tiny diamonds, six in all. It would complement Max's diamond solitaire engagement ring.
He lifted it from the box to further examine its glittering beauty as if in a trance. He thought of the ring that sat in the third drawer down on the left that he had bought while in Australia after the ferry. What would it be like to be Mr. and Mrs. Harmon Rabb? He let himself wonder. She'd worn other's rings on her finger, Chris's engagement and wedding ring, and soon Mic's ring.
Stop it; Harm, he told himself. She's marrying Mic, not you. If she felt the same way you do about him, you wouldn't be standing here as some best man today.
There was a loud knock at the door. Mic and Bud! He quickly put the ring back into its place. Another knock. "Coming!" He yelled. He ran to the door.
He opened the door and ushered them in. "Sorry," he said, "I was just fixing my wings. Mac, you're shaking and you look horrible!"
"I'm a little nervous."
"Go take a shower!" He said, savoring the thought.
Bud was already wearing his dressed whites. He took off his jacket. "Where can I put this, sir?"
He took the garment from him. "Bud we aren't at JAG you can call me Harm" He grabbed Mac's dress bag and entered his bedroom. To his surprise, Mac stood there in nothing but a towel, water droplets resting on her shoulders, rivulets of water from her hair dripping down her chest.
"Um...That was a fast shower. I was just going to hang these up."He hung the dress bag up and put Bud's jacket on a hanger. Mac practically naked, in front of him, in his bedroom. It was too much for him to take. He couldn't breath, talk or think.
"Yeah well we marines had to learn to take quick showers you know to fight off all the flyboy sailors with their wings." She replied jokingly.
He walked out of her bedroom, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Commander, you're all red." Bud commented. Harm bit his lip and smiled, exhaling slowly through his nose.
*******
Mac came out of his bedroom a few minutes later in her dress. She was staring right at Harm. Dressed whites and gold wings. She'd lied when she'd told them they were overrated. Hell, she had almost kissed him just before she said that. Who had she been kidding? "Very nice, Commander." Mac said.
"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself."
"What happened to the tux?" She asked.
"I figured I'd where my dress whites, no ifs, ands or buts about it. I just hope you know what you're doing." He said quietly.
"What?"
"Nothing."
********
"Mac, I've got something for you." He said. "You're my best friend. You've given me so much, gone further for me than anyone ever has and I just wanted to say thank you." He presented her with a crimson ring box.
She took it from him and slowly opened it. It was a beautiful star sapphire surrounded by four small diamonds.
She didn't know what quite to say. "Oh, Harm. It's so beautiful." She pulled it out of the box.
"Read the inscription."
She turned it to see inside the band. "Always my ninja girl, Harm." She whispered. Tears welled in her eyes. He took the ring from her trembling hands. He slipped it on her finger.
"I love you, Mac." He whispered. Oops, had he said that aloud?
She looked at her, a glint in her eyes. "I meant..." he started. "You know what I meant."
His phone bounced into life. He quickly snatched it up, wanting to get away from that awkward moment. "Rabb"
********
"It was Bud. He said they're running late and won't make the limo and they'll meet us there." Said Harm. He peered out of the window. The white limo was waiting. "We should go."
"Yeah" she said.
They walk outside together the wind blowing and the air unusually crisp. Mac shivered. "Here" Harm offered her his coat and rapped it around her shoulders.
********
Washington Monument Reflecting Pool
Washington, D.C.
14:30 Zulu
The guests were already there and assembled in neat little rows. Dress uniformed officers dotted the scene, some having opted to wear them. Harm had his hand on Mac's shoulder. "Calm down, ninja girl"
By a quarter to three, Mic was in front of the priest with Harm and Bud at his side. The monument towered over them casting a shadow in the sunlight. The music started and the procession of bridesmaids came sashaying down the aisle as if they were models on a runway.
Then Sarah made her entrance and confidently walked down the aisle. She joined Mic in front of the priest and linked arms with him.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join two people, Michael Samuel Brumby and Sarah Renee McKenzie ." The priest started. Harm blanked the priest's words, his eyes intently on Mac. He for the second time in his life felt like crying. If only he had explained earlier.
"Repeat after me, I Sarah Renee McKenzie do take Michael Samuel Brumby"
"I Sarah Renee McKenzie do take Harmon David Rabb Jr."
The whole church fell silent as tears started to form in Mic's eyes. Harm's face was of total shock. Then Mac ran from the church.
"Better go after he mate or we'll both lose her." Said Mic between tears.
"What are you talking about? I didn't plan this" replied Harm.
"Are you that dense? I was always second best to you, now just GO!"
"I....... Heck with it." Harm started to run down the isle toward Mac. "Mac" he cried out as she got into her car.
She stopped and got out of the car just as Harm caught up to her. He swept her into his arms as they shared their first real kiss. Then they got into the car and drove off into the night.
Washington, D.C.
1800 Zulu, March 27
"Ugh!" Exclaimed Mac as her reflection stared back at her, assaulting her eyes. The dress was utterly repulsive. How can I get married looking like this? It was too late to get the dress altered and too late for a new one. Her tailor was booked solid for weeks. There was no way to postpone it. Nothing was going right.
"What?" Mic called from the other room.
"Nothing!" She yelled. "I'm going to wear this dress even if it kills me!" She muttered. She peeled the dress off with great difficulty and put on a robe.
Mic entered the bedroom. "Can we finish discussing.....?"
She cut him off. "It's just not right. It's not traditional, Mic!"
"Well, I won't let him be the best man!"
"I told there was never a relationship there Mic. We are just partners and best friends and I'd like him in my wedding." She said.
"I want Harm to be the best man."
"Bud's my best man." "There's a reason why it's called BEST MAN!"
"He is. He's my best friend and I want him in the wedding."
"It's not right!"
"Since when are seven bridesmaids and one matron of honor that I don't know 6 of them 'right'?"
"He's your best friend, not mine!"
"That's 'right' and he's going to be our best man.'"
Mic groaned loudly. "Ahhhhh!" He stormed out of the room.
********
Outside JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
13:04 Zulu, March 29
It was a warm day for March and Mac and Harm ate lunch outside. Mac took a huge bite of her burger. "What happened to the full military wedding?" Harm said a moment later.
"He doesn't want that."
"What about what you want?"
"It's all right." She said. "I want you to be our best man."
"Haven't I always been?" He said joking with a smile.
"I mean in the wedding."
"I didn't know that was aloud."
"A best man?"
"Yeah the groom hates his own best man. That would be a great story for the kids. So do I have to wear a black and white tux or something?" He said with a smile.
"A tux could never flatter you." She replied. She said with a grin. "You wear what you want, whatever color you want."
Harm became serious. "How does he feel about this idea?"
"He doesn't like it much but what can he do about it I'm a marine."
"What about Bud?"
"We can have two best men."
Harm hid behind his flyboy smile one more. Chose. He wished she would chose him for more than her best man. They had a conversation more times then they could count. Harm couldn't understand why she finally chose now to settle down. He'd seen marriage potential between Mac and Dalton and they both knew how that turned out.
"Are you sure your just settling because you feel you should have by this point?" He asked "Of course not, Harm. I love him and want to marry him. You're acting as if you don't want me marrying Mic." She said.
"Like you've never made it a secret you don't want me marrying Renée. I won't mention it anymore. You do what you want." He said.
"It's time to get back to work". They both stood.
"Thank you, Mac." He said.
********
Harm's Residence
13:03 Zulu, April 1
Harm stared at his dress whites in the mirror. It didn't look right. It fit his mood. He felt like as if he were going to her own funeral as opposed to her wedding. The wedding did not seem real. Sarah and Mic were not getting married. It was just some long, unrelenting and sadistic nightmare he hadn't awoken from yet. He never thought they would actually reach this point. The wedding started in two hours.
He took the ring box off of his dresser. He stared at the black box and ran his fingers over its faux velvet skin. He could no longer fight the urge to open the box. It was a simple gold band encrusted with tiny diamonds, six in all. It would complement Max's diamond solitaire engagement ring.
He lifted it from the box to further examine its glittering beauty as if in a trance. He thought of the ring that sat in the third drawer down on the left that he had bought while in Australia after the ferry. What would it be like to be Mr. and Mrs. Harmon Rabb? He let himself wonder. She'd worn other's rings on her finger, Chris's engagement and wedding ring, and soon Mic's ring.
Stop it; Harm, he told himself. She's marrying Mic, not you. If she felt the same way you do about him, you wouldn't be standing here as some best man today.
There was a loud knock at the door. Mic and Bud! He quickly put the ring back into its place. Another knock. "Coming!" He yelled. He ran to the door.
He opened the door and ushered them in. "Sorry," he said, "I was just fixing my wings. Mac, you're shaking and you look horrible!"
"I'm a little nervous."
"Go take a shower!" He said, savoring the thought.
Bud was already wearing his dressed whites. He took off his jacket. "Where can I put this, sir?"
He took the garment from him. "Bud we aren't at JAG you can call me Harm" He grabbed Mac's dress bag and entered his bedroom. To his surprise, Mac stood there in nothing but a towel, water droplets resting on her shoulders, rivulets of water from her hair dripping down her chest.
"Um...That was a fast shower. I was just going to hang these up."He hung the dress bag up and put Bud's jacket on a hanger. Mac practically naked, in front of him, in his bedroom. It was too much for him to take. He couldn't breath, talk or think.
"Yeah well we marines had to learn to take quick showers you know to fight off all the flyboy sailors with their wings." She replied jokingly.
He walked out of her bedroom, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Commander, you're all red." Bud commented. Harm bit his lip and smiled, exhaling slowly through his nose.
*******
Mac came out of his bedroom a few minutes later in her dress. She was staring right at Harm. Dressed whites and gold wings. She'd lied when she'd told them they were overrated. Hell, she had almost kissed him just before she said that. Who had she been kidding? "Very nice, Commander." Mac said.
"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself."
"What happened to the tux?" She asked.
"I figured I'd where my dress whites, no ifs, ands or buts about it. I just hope you know what you're doing." He said quietly.
"What?"
"Nothing."
********
"Mac, I've got something for you." He said. "You're my best friend. You've given me so much, gone further for me than anyone ever has and I just wanted to say thank you." He presented her with a crimson ring box.
She took it from him and slowly opened it. It was a beautiful star sapphire surrounded by four small diamonds.
She didn't know what quite to say. "Oh, Harm. It's so beautiful." She pulled it out of the box.
"Read the inscription."
She turned it to see inside the band. "Always my ninja girl, Harm." She whispered. Tears welled in her eyes. He took the ring from her trembling hands. He slipped it on her finger.
"I love you, Mac." He whispered. Oops, had he said that aloud?
She looked at her, a glint in her eyes. "I meant..." he started. "You know what I meant."
His phone bounced into life. He quickly snatched it up, wanting to get away from that awkward moment. "Rabb"
********
"It was Bud. He said they're running late and won't make the limo and they'll meet us there." Said Harm. He peered out of the window. The white limo was waiting. "We should go."
"Yeah" she said.
They walk outside together the wind blowing and the air unusually crisp. Mac shivered. "Here" Harm offered her his coat and rapped it around her shoulders.
********
Washington Monument Reflecting Pool
Washington, D.C.
14:30 Zulu
The guests were already there and assembled in neat little rows. Dress uniformed officers dotted the scene, some having opted to wear them. Harm had his hand on Mac's shoulder. "Calm down, ninja girl"
By a quarter to three, Mic was in front of the priest with Harm and Bud at his side. The monument towered over them casting a shadow in the sunlight. The music started and the procession of bridesmaids came sashaying down the aisle as if they were models on a runway.
Then Sarah made her entrance and confidently walked down the aisle. She joined Mic in front of the priest and linked arms with him.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join two people, Michael Samuel Brumby and Sarah Renee McKenzie ." The priest started. Harm blanked the priest's words, his eyes intently on Mac. He for the second time in his life felt like crying. If only he had explained earlier.
"Repeat after me, I Sarah Renee McKenzie do take Michael Samuel Brumby"
"I Sarah Renee McKenzie do take Harmon David Rabb Jr."
The whole church fell silent as tears started to form in Mic's eyes. Harm's face was of total shock. Then Mac ran from the church.
"Better go after he mate or we'll both lose her." Said Mic between tears.
"What are you talking about? I didn't plan this" replied Harm.
"Are you that dense? I was always second best to you, now just GO!"
"I....... Heck with it." Harm started to run down the isle toward Mac. "Mac" he cried out as she got into her car.
She stopped and got out of the car just as Harm caught up to her. He swept her into his arms as they shared their first real kiss. Then they got into the car and drove off into the night.