Friday Afternoon

JAG Headquarters

After hanging up with Harm, Mac closed up her office. As she walked out, she bumped into Admiral Chegwidden, "Heading out Col?"

"Yes Sir, I've some personal matters I need to take care of."

"Mind if I walk with you?"

"No Sir." Both walked towards the elevator, standing in silence as they waited. Every once in a while Mac would glance over toward her CO. This whole thing seemed awkward to her. "Something on your mind Sir?"

"No Col, should there be."

"Sir?" Both looked at the elevator as the door opened. They walked inside.

"Col; I make it my business not to meddle in the personal lives of my officers, however in this case I feel I must. Is there anything I need to know?"

"Sir; about what?"

"Your wedding Col? Or lack there of? Given Brumby is MIA at the moment."

Mac was getting nervous, "About that Sir, he well, he had a family death, so I canceled the wedding."

"Don't you mean postponed, Col?"

"Not in this case Sir." Mac was interrupted before she could say more by the doors opening up. She stepped out and started towards the front door, The Admiral following her. Upon reaching the front entrance, she turned around. "Sir; there is more to this, just now isn't the right time."

"Col is there something going on that I might need to know about?"

Mac looked at the ground, "Col?"

"Sir permission to speak freely?"

"Granted"

Mac breathed a sigh of relief, "Sir, Mic is headed back to town, he's going to be back late tonight, he still wants to get married in the morning."

"And you don't?"

"Sir, I can't marry him. You see Sir, I married Harm"

Admiral Chegwidden just stood there, "Well I'm not shocked, I expected this to happen long before now. Hell, I thought he would have married you in Russia."

"Sir?"

"Come on Mac, you must have known back then?"

Mac blushed. "I suspected, but getting Harm to admit his feelings, is like pulling teeth, Sir."

"Well now that the cat is out of the bag, what type of damage control do we need to do."

"Sir; Mic doesn't know I ran off and married Harm."

"I see, that's why he thinks the wedding is still on for in the morning?"

"I tried to explain to him that I canceled it, due to the death in his family, but Sir, he just wouldn't listen to me, no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't get through to him."

"Let me see if I'm up to speed here, you married Rabb, Brumby still thinks the wedding is still taking place."

"Yes Sir; that just about sums it up."

"Col, I'm going to be blunt with you here. What in blue blazes were you and Rabb thinking?"

"Sir it sorta kinda happened, truthfully I never should have gotten involved with Mic, all I needed to do was listen to Harm. But at the time I only heard what I wanted to hear. That's on me."

"Well it's over and done with, now we fix this before Brumby shows up here and makes an ass out of himself."

"It's too late Sir; he's on his way back, Harm told me to check into a hotel till he gets back from his quals."

"When is Rabb due back?"

"He said he's leaving today."

"Col; I've got a better idea, since it's late, why don't you stay in my spare room, I assume you have a go bag in your car?"

"Yes Sir but I can't let you do that."

"Col, the last thing we all need is for Rabb and Brumby to come face to face. Right?"

"Well yes Sir."

"Fine, it's settled." Both looked up when they felt raindrops start. And heard the loud crack of thunder. "Hope Rabb doesn't get caught in this."

"You and me both Sir."

Somewhere over the Atlantic

"How's it looking skates?"

"So far so good Harm. Looks like we are in for a nice safe flight into Andrews."

"Music to my ears."

"Harm I gotta ask, why the sudden rush to get back?"

"Mac's ex is coming back, I'm worried about her."

"I see, who's her ex again?"

"Mic Brumby."

"Isn't he the other guy, that defended Buxton?"

"The one and only."

"I thought you hated him?"

"I don't like the guy, he gets on my nerves. Can't say I hate him."

"I see."

"You see what?"

"Well for someone that doesn't hate him, you sure acted like you did."

"He just bugs me. Acting all smug and all."

"Kinda like a bunch of fighter jocks do."

"Now you're sounding like Mac."

( lighting in the background and thunder in the distance )

"Skates what's the radar showing?"

"Strong storm cell ahead of us, I think we should be okay if we stay at 30 thousand feet."

"Sounds good to me." About that time lighting lit up the sky, this caused Skates to jump in her seat.

"Geez, that was bright."

"And too close for comfort. What's our ETA?"

"Looks like we are about a 1.45 away from Andrews."

"At 30 out, radio them for ground conditions."

"Will do."

Early Friday evening

Admiral Chegwidden's House

McLean Va

Mac pulled into the Admirals driveway, she just sat there thinking back to the last time she'd been here. It was the night of her ill fated engagement part, she'd spent the entire evening on the porch with Harm, and not inside with Mic and her guests.

At the time she saw nothing wrong with that, but looking back now, she could see how Mic would have thought it looked. God Mic, that was another problem. One that she wasn't looking forward to dealing with. Gathering her wits she opened her door and grabbed her bag, out of her passengers seat.

As she walked up, the Admiral stepped out onto the front porch, "I was about to call you Col, just to make sure you where on the way."

"Thank you for worrying Sir, traffic was a little heavier than I thought it would be."

"Tends be like that on Friday's. Let me take that from you."

"No need Sir, I've got this." Both jumped as they heard the rumbling in the sky,

"We should probably get inside, looks like the sky is about to open up."

"Yes Sir." As Mac looked at the sky she could only hope that Harm would miss the storm approaching

Somewhere over the Atlantic.

Lighting was lighting up the sky all around Harm and Skates, as they where heading towards Andrews. Thunder was cracking loudly in the background. This kept causing Skates to jump in her seat. "Jesus Harm, could this get any louder?"

"Well let's hope not."

( static started to come through the radio )

"Skates try and clean that up."

"Will do." Skates started working the nobs, attempting to clear the radio. After a while she had success.

"This is the tower at Andrews, please be advised that we are expecting server weather in the next 45 minutes."

"Skates what's our ETA?"

"30 minutes Harm."

"Looks like we will beat it."

2 hours later

Admiral Chegwidden's House

McLean Va,

Mac found herself sitting on the sofa, just stirring out of the Admrial's window, she kept looking towards the sky, wondering where Harm was at.

"Coffee Mac?"

"Thank you Sir."

"Tonight it's A.J."

"I'll try Sir."

"Want to talk about it?"

"I can't shake this feeling that something bad is going to happen."

"Try and think positive," As the Admiral said that, his cell phone rang, he pulled it out. "Admiral Chegwidden."

Mac watched as the Admiral, spoke on the phone. Something seemed wrong as she watched his face. All his color drained from it as he looked at her. He disconnected the call.

"Mac that was Georgetown Memorial, Harm has been taken to the ER he was in car crash on his way back from Andrews."

Mac dropped to floor in tears. "No Sir, please don't tell me... He can't be..."

The Admiral went over to her. "They say he's in stable but critical condition."

Mac sobbing... "Please take me to him." A.J nodded as he helped her off the floor.