Ch03: of "Bringing up babies with Harm": "Closer, deeper, together"
A/N: AU. This is a fictional story, in a fictional Alternative Universe, about fictional characters who entertained us in a fictional TV series between 1995 and 2005. Mike. Characters borrowed with love and appreciation for the great team who brought us "JAG"; may your following careers bolossom.
A/N: AU: "they aren't mine: I'm just playing with them - apart from any fictional character created by myself". See Phase One of this story for the whole disclaimer A/N. Feel free to PM me if you spot any typos - my goal is 100% error-free. Feedback and comments are also welcome. Your opinions, critiques (and requests as PMs) are always helpful - and 5
A/N: Publication date: 13-OCT-2022: summary: Harm and Carolyn start to get their heads around the practicalities of their new life together, as September rolls into October.
A/N: I would encourage you to read my earlier story "The life and loves of Carolyn Imes" for background. I shall dip into that story and summarise as *this* storyline develops. I am also – inevitably – going to encroach on previous authors' efforts around the "Harm bringing up baby" trope. To previous writers, I simply say "thank you for inspirations delivered and I hope to plough a different furrow".
A/N – link to Canon Episodes:
S04Ep19 "The Adversaries": airdate 13APR1999.
** everything happens on a Friday! **
S09Ep01: "A tangled Webb: Part 2": airdate 26SEP2003.
S09Ep03: "Secret Agent Man": airdate 10OCT2003.
S09Ep04: "The One that got away": airdate 17OCT2003.
S09Ep05: "Touchdown": airdate 24OCT2003.
S09Ep06: "Back in the Saddle": airdate 31OCT2003.
Characters from FFNET – H Rabb; Carolyn Imes-Rabb: others TBD as my storyline grows.
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Saturday 13th September 2003, 08:14hrs EDT
Apartment of Harmon Rabb, North of Union Station, Washington DC
Carolyn Imes had a problem.
Carolyn Imes had a big problem.
Carolyn Imes was facing a problem which she had not anticipated.
Carolyn Imes was facing a problem which she had neither anticipated nor even considered in the whirlwind of events over the past few days.
In the seventh week of her unexpected pregnancy – and on the third day of Harm's "insane-yet-oh-so-typically-Harmon-Rabb" plan for them to "bring up baby together", Carolyn's hormones were driving her bat-shit crazy.
She had woken up feeling queasy - as was her "new normal" these days - then everything had subsided after Harm had brought her a cup of tea and some saltines. Within 20 minutes, her ship was once again stable, on an even keel and they were chatting quietly as she recovered and began to think about what needed to be accomplished on the Saturday.
Then she had looked across at Harm sitting on the edge of the bed, just as he gazed at her with an expression full of wonderment and love. He was clearly still in awe that this flame-haired mother-to-be and fellow JAG lawyer could agree to his semi-insane idea, which he had pitched just two days before.
… and she was lost!
She suddenly realised that her body was betraying her, even though she was roughly one-sixth of the way through her pregnancy.
Carolyn Imes was feeling horny! Seriously. all-consumingly, "need-to-scratch-this-itch" horny.
With a tall, good-looking, fit sailor just three feet away, she gave in to Mother Nature's overpowering instincts – and she acted.
"Harm…?"
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Saturday 13th September 2003, (…some considerable time later…)
Apartment of Harmon Rabb, North of Union Station, Washington DC
Harmon Rabb jr eventually surfaced from the aftermath of what had been – by his own selfish (and self-satisfied) assessment – one of the best make-out sessions since Mary-Lou Watson had shown him her favours when they were both 15-years-olds, in La Jolla many years before.
Carolyn Imes was lying alongside him with a *huge* satisfied grin on her face. As always, she slept without make-up, so her cosmetic-free face was flushed, smiling and slightly sweaty. She opened her eyes to look at him and Harm realised that he was staring straight into Carolyn's soul. He liked what he saw: dedication, unconditional love and a certainty that she had done the right thing by accepting his suggestion and his offer of marriage.
She was contented. Some time earlier, she had realised that more than four years had passed since – at Bud's wet-down - she had asked Jordan Parker a question which might seem impertinent with hindsight.
"So, what's Harm like?"
The Bethesda psychiatrist (who would later be killed by the confused wife of one of her patients) had initially mis-read the question but had then gone "above and beyond". Her response, addressed to Mac ("I'm happy with him until you want him") had – at the time – explained much to Carolyn about what was the perceived Harm-Mac dynamic in 1999.
Now in late 2003, with Mac away on secondment to the CIA, she realised that there would need to be a catch-up and update session whenever Mac eventually returned to Falls Church. Mac was unlikely to have heard the news regarding Carolyn and Harm's engagement – and the baby.
She hoped that the encounter would be civilised – heck, the "JAG Dynamic Duo" had obviously done nothing from January of 1997 until today. "Nearly seven years is long enough for them to develop an itch", she thought to herself.
Then she looked across at her fiancé, still lying there with a big satisfied grin on his face after their energetic session.
"Wow! Harm, I don't mind waking up like that every morning for the rest of my life!"
"Well Carolyn, I'd second that motion counselor – although there may be times when our children have other ideas!"
"Our childr…?" She paused: "oh yeah, fair enough."
She smiled, resting her hand on her stomach where "number one" was steadily growing. The idea of producing several more – genuine Harmon-Rabb-conceived – little Imes-Rabb offspring was an idea which found favour with her. Then she realised that their make-out session had produced an unexpected result for her.
"Harm, what time is it?"
He reached for his watch, looking back as her quizzically: "Lost track of time, hey?"
"No, it's not quite that. You see, I usually have a very good sense of time; but this morning I think that you've given my body clock a serious re-setting!"
They chuckled quietly as Harm digested the implications. He knew (since their first day working together way back in January 1997) that Mac was blessed with an accurate internal clock. Now that he knew that Carolyn was similarly blessed, he began to wonder if this was indicative of a more-widespread feature of the female gender.
He decided that he would ask Harriet Sims, quietly and when the opportunity presented itself, if she also had an internal clock. He filed this as a "task for another day" and turned back to concentrate on Carolyn.
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Saturday 13th September 2003, 09:57hrs ED/T
Apartment of Harmon Rabb, North of Union Station, Washington DC
Carolyn appreciated the wonderful power and flow of Harm's bathroom shower. By the time she was dried and dressed in a skirt and sweatshirt over a collared blouse, Harm was racing through the shower and then they shared a leisurely breakfast.
"So, shopping today?" He placed a pot of tea on the dining table and passed across a plate of toast; the peanut butter and the strawberry jam were already in place on the table. Carolyn settled into the chair and pulled a napkin from the dispenser as she answered.
"Yes, definitely – oh, by the way thanks for the orange juice."
"No problem – I do need to keep the mother of my child well-supplied with vitamins."
"Wow; I guess that I am, actually, going to be the mother of your child (and children?), if you put it like that."
He leaned in, gently mopping a slight dribble of butter from the corner of her mouth as she worked her way through the first piece of buttered toast. Although he had experienced some mornings of "domestic bliss" with Annie Pendry and subsequently with Jordan, he had somehow known that those relationships would not last. By contrast, Carolyn Imes and her presence in his apartment (and in his life henceforth) had an air of permanence. "Get used to that idea, Carolyn Rabb."
She stopped, toast poised between plate and mouth. That was the first time that Harm had addressed her by her upcoming title – and she simply loved the sound of his voice pronouncing her new name.
"Well, I suppose that the parents *should* have matching surnames, before we greet little Miss Rosemary Rabb."
"Rosemary?"
She nodded. "Well, if you're going to talk about names, so is the mother of our child." She snuggled further into his arms before she continued.
"Yes, Rosemary was my Aunt Carolyn's middle name; she funded me through Law school and supported my Mom when Dad didn't come home from Vietnam – he was killed in the summer of '63, just before I was born, so I obviously never knew him. I – and Mom – would have been lost without her support. So, as a small tribute, Mom named me after family members: Carolyn to honour my aunt, plus Rebecca (her own middle name) for continuity."
"A nice family link" Harm replied. "On my side, the name of David has featured heavily in the names of Rabb men – including my grandfather David Rabb who was lost at sea during the Battle of Midway in 1942 – as well as my middle name."
She nodded, thinking through the historical implications. "So, if our son comes along in the future, I would also suggest the name Thomas after my father."
Harm smiled and nodded. "Well, given that Admiral Tom Boone is my godfather, I reckon you're part of the way to naming our son, Mrs Rabb. Might I also please suggest adding Patricia – my mom's name – into the mix for one of our daughters?"
That was the second time - within ten minutes - that he had referred to her in what would be her married name. She reached across the table to give his hand an affectionate squeeze, before she withdrew back to her side of the table.
"Rosemary Patricia Rabb – I like the sound of that, for our first-born."
He kissed the crown of her head. "But more immediately, I like the sound of Carolyn Rebecca Rabb."
"Hmm, me too darling."
It would be a while before they stirred from their comfortable contemplations over the remains of their breakfast. Each was lost in thought, considering the future and the sheer unexpected delight that came from committing to each other, despite the circumstances which had brought a pregnant Carolyn Imes into Harm's life.
Carolyn's mind wandered back to Pete's funeral. Harm had supported her throughout the tragedy and, as the echoes of the third and final rifle volley faded away across Arlington, he had simply kissed her on the crown of her head and hugged her gently. This had subsequently become their sign of affection over the intervening weeks since his historic offer – and her acceptance.
"Harm?"
"Hmm?"
"This may seem an odd request, but could we swing by Arlington sometime this weekend?"
"Well, the 9/11 commemorations are still winding down from Thursday but – hey, you know what, yes let's do it. But, let's do it tomorrow and then I then can introduce you to young Mattie down at Charlottesville-Albemarle airfield – and I can introduce you to Sarah as well."
As usual, Harm had taken an idea and run with it, well beyond the limits of logic!
"O...kay… Tomorrow works for Arlington. But who is Mattie and who is Sarah and are we going to do all that driving in a day? That's one hell of a lot of miles – probably six hours in all on the road and my bladder is starting to programme me for hourly pit-stops!"
"Let me make another pot of tea and then I shall explain, my darling Carolyn."
His plan for the Sunday made sense, with the result that Carolyn was very happy to indulge in a spot of "retail therapy" on the Saturday afternoon.
The rest of their first full Saturday as a bona-fide couple passed off quickly and peacefully. Carolyn was in bed by 21:00hrs on the Saturday, with Harm bringing a cup of hot chocolate for her to enjoy as she drifted off to sleep.
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Sunday 14th September 2003, 07:59hrs EDT
Apartment of Harmon Rabb, North of Union Station, Washington DC
Carolyn was now (she hoped!) largely past her period of morning sickness and, following her morning shower, had wolfed down the breakfast which Harm had prepared for her. Earlier, he had left her sleeping whilst he went for his ten-mile Sunday morning run, waking her gently with a cup of tea as he headed for the shower. This was becoming their new normal for weekends – and today marked an important stage in the development of their relationship.
In fact, September 14th 2003 would mark several important points in the development of their relationship, both looking backwards and also looking forwards.
In avoiding coffee, Carolyn had developed an increased capacity for orange juice (which she alternated with tomato juice) and tea. After reading up on pregnancy in August once she had realised her condition, she had noted down all the "good things" which an expectant mother was recommended to do – and not to do!
A conception after the age of 40 brings higher statistical risks of certain outcomes – Carolyn was determined to minimise the risks wherever possible. Because it also looked like she and Harm would be producing a brother or sister for "the Bump" at some later point, she wanted to achieve a healthy first pregnancy to increase the likelihood that "number Two" would be similarly blessed with good health.
She had not expected that, by the end of the day, she would be starting on the road to adopting a mouthy, slightly-troubled teenager who, nevertheless, would show great promise in Carolyn's dispassionate judgement.
Carolyn knew nothing of this as she digested her breakfast and headed for the shower.
Afterwards, she plaited her hair in a ridge down the top of her skull: this was her "late night military" hairstyle, keeping her face clear of hair and enabling her to wear her glasses easily. One of her fellow female USN officers had also described it as her "schoolmarm Imes" image. With the likely breeze across Arlington Cemetery, she didn't want a draught in her eyes if she had worn her contact lenses.
By 0915hrs, Harm had settled Carolyn into the passenger seat of the Lexus and they were on their way to Arlington. They had already agreed to share the driving – after a brief "Harm, I am pregnant not disabled!" discussion – so she had kept her legs warm in a pair of low-heeled long boots beneath her long woollen coat. With winter-weight tights, she was determined to keep her little passenger warm.
Upon reaching Pete's grave, she nudged a few dead leaves away with the toecap of her boot and then knelt down to brush more leaves away with her gloved hand. She bent to kiss the top of the headstone, then she introduced Harm to Pete.
The symbolic "passing of the torch" was not lost upon Harm. Knowing how long – and how hard – he had fought to track down his own father (including, he had subsequently realised, having Carolyn come and bail him out after the scam around the "Parlovsky Papers") he appreciated the dedication of the wonderful woman standing alongside him at the grave. He saluted the fallen father of Carolyn's child.
Eventually she dabbed her eyes under her glasses and they slowly walked back, hand in hand, to the Lexus.
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Sunday 14th September 2003, 11:08hrs EDT
Battlefield Coffee Shop, 6150 Plank Road, Fredericksburg, VA 22407, USA
Carolyn had volunteered to drive the first hour of the journey south, which they passed in a companionable silence.
Harm watched the countryside roll past as they headed down I-95, knowing that - when she was ready - Carolyn would speak. This was the first long drive that they had carried out together and, within five miles, he was comfortable and impressed by his fiancée's skilled handling of the Lexus on the highway.
Heading out southwards through Woodbridge, they stopped for a coffee just past Fredericksburg. As she joined him at their table following her necessary trip to the powder room, Carolyn opened up the conversation once more after her first taste of the cinnamon bagel.
"So Harm, tell me about Mattie and your Sarah."
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Sipping his coffee, Harm began a short version of his history and how he had met Mattie.
Harm had encountered Mathilda Grace earlier during the summer, when he had visited the airfield to carry out an oil-change on "Sarah" – his PT-17 Stearman which he had restored during his recovery from his ramp strike in 1991. He kept the restored aircraft in the hangar at Albemarle field, where "Pops" had maintained and overseen the Stearman for more than a decade. With Pops finally deciding to retire, Harm had met "Mattie", as she introduced herself as the new owner earlier in the year.
Over an oil change on Sarah's radial engine, they had slowly shared information – including the death of her mother and the loss of his father over Vietnam when Harm was five – and had steadily built a bond. Harm had been curious about never meeting Mattie's father, but had never pressed the issue.
It wasn't as though he would be working for Grace Aviation, after all!
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Sunday 14th September 2003, 12:20hrs EDT
Grace Aviation hangar, Charlottesville-Albemarle Airfield, 100 Bowen Loop #200, Charlottesville, VA 22911, United States
Harm had diverted southwards past the airfield to make a pick-up at Domino's Pizza, a couple of miles further south on US-29. Carolyn was quite glad to be able to maintain her calorie and protein intake – carefully extracting the meat, vegetables and mushrooms from her pizza whilst leaving most of the dough base behind.
Licking her fingers in satisfaction, she smiled at Harm and Mattie who were still making inroads into their own pizzas. Two large bottles of Pepsi, dispensed into disposable cups, helped to wash down the meals. She observed that the two of them - seemingly 14-year-old and 40-year-old - were bonding nicely over the pizzas. So what was the story about Mattie's parents?
Harm paid his hangarage invoice just as Carolyn enquired about the whereabouts of the rest rooms. On her way back through the office, she noticed a number of invoices all marked "past due". With her keen lawyer's brain, she noted this for later discussion with Harm.
Carolyn's legal antennae were a-twitchin' and she couldn't work out just what was wrong. However, her instincts would be proven correct just a few weeks later when Harm brought her back to the airfield for a flight in "Sarah".
But before then, back at JAG HQ, late September and the whole of October went to hell in a hand-cart!
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Friday 26th September 2003, 11:43hrs EDT
Main office floor, JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA United States
"Coates: find me Commander Rabb – at his earliest convenience please!"
"Aye-aye sir". Settling into her new role as the Admiral's Yeoman, Jen Coates had learned to interpret the bass levels in the Admiral's growl as an indication of both urgency and seriousness.
This sounded serious - as in "ASAP and get his ass in gear pronto!"
Within ten minutes, Harm was reporting as instructed.
"Sit down Commander; I apologise but this may seem a little indelicate."
Harm raised an eyebrow, in what could be taken as a very good impersonation of the British actor Roger Moore, who played James Bond in several outings in the 1970s and 1980s.
"Go ahead sir: how indelicate?"
I realise that you and Commander Imes are engaged, but how well are you…" The Admiral paused, then with a probably silent curse of "fuck it" to himself, powered on with his question… "how well are you on speaking terms with the Major?"
"Unfortunately sir, we haven't spoken since she turned up in my apartment a while ago looking about six months pregnant."
At Chegwidden's raised eyebrow, Harm quickly stammered onwards. "No, it was a prosthetic for her role supporting the Idiot Webb." He paused, smiling as he recalled the image and the memory: "mind you, she did look pretty convincing."
Chegwidden's "harrumph" brought him back to Planet Earth from "Planet pregnant Marine Colonel". Harm stammered on: "but I guess that she's thrown her hand in with Webb, at least for now."
"She and Webb have missed two check-ins; the CIA are getting worried."
"Oh brother; let me guess, Webb's backup arrangements have crumbled into the usual SNAFU?"
"Well, Galindez is out there – somewhere – in Cuidad del Este."
Harm reconsidered his options - and his newly-revised parent-and-imminent-spouse commitments - in a brief pair of heartbeats before he replied.
"Sir, cutting to the chase, what exactly do you want from me? I would be very uncomfortable haring off down to – where exactly? – leaving Carolyn in the first trimester. Heck, we've got her first scan next week."
Harm looked rather nervous, but was clear in expressing his "new normal".
Chegwidden realised that Harm had committed wholly and exclusively to Carolyn – and that it was probably about time that he did. He was pleased to see his "surrogate son" stepping up to that parental plate - despite the operational challenge which the CIA had dumped in his lap.
Harm broke into his thoughts. "But sir, I am sure that I could advise Langley on what to look for and how to set up a search. I may be able to get hold of Jack Keeter if his handlers in Langley could be convinced – or directed or bullied – to talk."
"Good thinking Commander. I'll set it up with Kershaw."
Harm rose to leave, as Chegwidden was struck by an afterthought.
"Harm?"
He turned back to face the Admiral once more. The older man was smiling encouragingly.
"I think – personally – that you have made the correct call. Carolyn Imes is a good woman and – after losing the father of her child like that – she deserves and needs a good man alongside her. Best of luck with this one, son."
"Thanks Admiral – that means a lot."
"OK, stand by for a call from Keeter; if you need to get into the Ops areas at Langley, I expect Kershaw to grease the wheels and make this easy. Just turn your case files into Coates (or Harriet as a stand-in)."
"Aye-aye, sir - and thank you for the support about Carolyn: I am truly grateful for this unexpected late chance at parenting."
"Harm, I have no doubt that you and Carolyn will do well."
Harm nodded as he headed for the door. Chegwidden grunted as he searched through his Rolodex: "The morons of Langley need to make this easy. Hell, we're pulling their irons out of the fire again, for f**ks sake!"
With some considerable anger, the Admiral personally dialled the number for Harrison Kershaw.
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Within five hours, Jack Keeter was heading southwards and Gunny Galindez was speaking – via sat-phone – with Harm.
They kicked around a range of scenarios and even considered some seriously off-the-wall concepts.
Brief consideration was even given to tasking an experimental spy-plane with a one-way overflight, but a quick calculation on distances, availability of re-fuelling options and the sensitivity of the asset nixed the op.
The CIA planners had even considered flying the new spy-plane onwards to British territory in the Falklands Islands for a re-fuel, but the practicalities were overwhelming. This was despite the UK's 1982 experience, when Britain's Royal Air Force repeatedly flew Vulcan bombers from Ascension Island to the Falklands in 1982 (during the brief Argentine occupation), as part of the (successful) campaign to let the Argies know that their brief presence was seriously unwelcome. Although the new RAF Mount Pleasant airfield near Port Stanley would accommodate anything on the production list (B747s were a regular part of the trooping arrangements along with Tornado F3 interceptors of 1435 flight stationed for QRA) the eventual CIA decision was "K.I.S.S." – "keep it simple, stupid."
Actually, it ended up as "keep it sneaky, stupid". No, this would need to be done sneaky – and Jack Keeter was well-equipped for sneaky, especially with Victor Galindez as his new partner.
Harm was able to provide a nugget of intelligence regarding Mac: that she dropped to her left if ducking for cover (this knowledge was a result of Harm's long-ago discharge of a sub-machine gun into the ceiling of Stiles Morris' court). This would prove invaluable when Galindez cleared the Torture Shed where Mac and Webb were being held. A simple shout of "Mac, Harm says to duck" left Gunny's field of fire clear – as he terminated all four of the terrorists in the shed.
Sadly, the British missionaries were beyond saving, so Galindez had to leave the corpses for the clean-up crew who were en-route in a SpecOps C-130 which would arrive that might.
Jack Keeter, meanwhile, had sourced an old bi-plane, which he used for dropping "Molotov cocktails" – with pinpoint accuracy - through the open hatch in the cab roof of the semi tractor unit. Jack's creative "bombing run" disabled the truck long enough for Galindez (who had commandeered a battered Jeep and hurled Mac and Webb into the back) to finish off the truck and its contents with a spare Stinger missile – which he just happened to find propped up whilst clearing the Torture Shed.
Some while later, the next pass by Google Earth identified a new geographical feature, which was christened – at least in CIA Langley and in JAG HQ at Falls Church – as "the Galindez Crater".
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Jack Keeter never forgave Galindez for being given the credit for what – in Jack's mind – had been a team effort! However, on the flight back to the USA, Jack managed to charm the pants (literally!) off a stewardess and to build a relationship with her.
Keeter – like Harm – was realising that the "Shield of Invincibility" was starting to look a little the worse for wear; maybe it was time to settle down!
American Airlines, two years later, would be rostering Mrs Katherine Keeter as Senior Stewardess on services from Washington Dulles – but that is a story for another DAY! *A/N: anyone interested?
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Friday 10th October 2003, 10:13hrs EDT
Main office floor, JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA United States
"Coates: please find Commander Rabb."
Harm arrived within five minutes, clutching a brown paperwork folder. Chegwidden felt sorry for what he was about to ask.
"Commander, I need to send you TDY to the CIA for a day."
"OK sir, that shouldn't be long enough to get me into trouble."
"Agreed – you are to assist Commander Keeter in planning an Op around the Philippines. The reason for selecting you is that his co-pilot was one of your clients a while back – former Commander Beth O'Neill."
Harm smiled; "OK sir, I'll do this for the pleasure of catching up with old friends – as well as finding out how Beth is getting on. She took my advice (well, technically it was Tracy Manetti's advice) about her life and living openly. OK sir, I'll head to Langley."
As he stood up, the folder slipped open and an obvious ultrasound printout fluttered to the floor. His expression, as he picked it, up was a mixture of embarrassment and parental pride.
Chegwidden envied the younger man. "Pin that in your briefcase, son, to remind you of your priorities every time you think about turning into Secret Agent Man."
"Aye-aye sir."
"Dismissed – and good luck".
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Friday 10th October 2003, 14:36hrs EDT
"Spook Airlines Central Ops Planning";
Location: Somewhere which may be near Langley Virginia (or not!), United States
After a quick phone call to let Carolyn know where he was going (she shared an office on the first floor with Tracy Manetti and Alan Mattoni, so someone would be able to give her a lift home that evening if Harm was delayed), Harm headed out to Langley.
The "old flying colleague re-union" was joyous. Now out of the US Navy, Beth O'Neill looked contented, with a longer hairstyle and a confident smile as she greeted Harm.
Beth was a world away from the haunted woman who had nursed her secrets and nearly deep-sixed her career over Jack Kersey. She was living with her girlfriend and was delighted to no longer have to introduce Julia as her "flatmate". The CIA clearly didn't bother with "Don't ask, don't tell". A simple gold band on her ring finger was a silent symbol of the commitment between the two women.
With the planning completed some hours later, Harm headed home for a late meal with Carolyn and a hoped-for quiet weekend so that they could spend time, together, looking at the ultrasound photograph.
Naturally, the "curse of Keeter" impacted the mission in the Philippines; despite recovering the mission (twice) and safely accomplishing all the mission parameters, Jack managed a final "unhappy landing" by missing the step down from the C-130 and breaking his ankle!
Even Beth O'Neill seemed slightly heartless, bursting into peals of laughter (it may have been stress relief, of course!) at Jack's misfortune as he lay on the tarmac inside the CIA hangar.
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Friday 17th October 2003, 10:19hrs EDT
Main office floor, JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA United States
"Coates – please find Commander Rabb."
"Oh for... what is it about Fridays?"
"Commander Rabb reporting as ordered – once more on a Friday, sir!"
"I know, Commander, but this is a case which you might want to handle. Your unique mix of skills is particularly apposite for the request which I have received."
"the request which you have…?" Harm sight. "Langley again?
"Yep. "
"Why don't they…"
Chegwidden held up a hand in admonition. "Harm, you may actually like this; they need a qualified pilot to maintain flight development whilst Jack Keeter recovers from his recent failure to land straight."
"Yes, sir, I know – he was around for dinner with Carolyn and myself the other evening – along with a *very* smart lady who is showing all the possibilities of becoming Mrs John Keeter at some future date."
"So, I presume that your Carolyn gave Jack's lady the once-over and her approval?"
"Yes indeed sir." Harm sighed: "OK sir, I'm in – what's the mission?"
It appears that there is a new spy-plane which needs a co-pilot. Given your honorary astronaut wings, there is both merit and logic in you spending a week in Kadena."
"Okinawa?"
"Yes, the development testing has moved to a hangar in Japan. Just as the original SR-71 flew there from Beale at the start of its operational testing."
"Sounds a bit close to Korea sir?"
"Harm; you might speculate. I couldn't possibly comment!"
Sensing the importance of the request from the CIA, Harm agreed with Chegwidden's assessment. He need to let Carolyn know that he would be heading westwards.
In the event, Harm completed a number of successful flights in the "Aurora", with Andy Watson as his fellow pilot. They completed their test programmes, explored the capability envelope of the plane – and ended up "by accident" (yeah, right!) carrying out a couple of highly-questionable overflights of a very sensitive and secretive country which sits between mainland China and The Republic of South Korea!
On the Thursday evening, Harm finally returned home safely to Carolyn, who was now *seriously* into nest-building mode!
Then they awoke on the Friday morning!
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Friday 24th October 2003, 11:11hrs EDT
Main office floor, JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA United States
"Coates – please find Commander Rabb."
"Reporting Sir – I don't believe this!"
"Commander, I can appreciate your feelings – but have you ever visited Malta?"
"Malta? Well no, but I overflew the island a few times during the Gulf of Sidra engagement, from the carrier to the Libyan coast and back."
Chegwidden smiled: "Good: so I can tell the CIA that you know your way around the Mediterranean, including Libya and Malta. "
"Seriously sir?"
"Seriously Commander."
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Flying with Beth O'Neill was an enjoyable experience. Having to use the US State Department and the DoD chain of command to "ask" his own colleagues in the US Navy to place Captain Johnson's entire crew of the Seahawk at risk in order to land a crippled C-130 on the deck of his former carrier was not something that Harm would ever want to accomplish again. He rejoiced that the USN was able to "pull out the stops" and make space on the miniscule surface area of the carrier for the shot-up cargo aircraft.
Despite Beth O'Neill remembering that the North American RA-5 "Vigilante" was the heaviest airframe to habitually land (and take-off) from a USN carrier, Harm was mightily relieved when – as the front edge of the carrier deck slid out of sight beneath the massive glasshouse of the C-130 – he finally sensed that his aircraft was no longer moving forward along the deck.
Being hugged semi-senseless by Beth O'Neill – as she rejoiced in still being alive – was one of the more unusual experiences of his life. After they shared a congratulatory and passionate kiss, they both realised where they were and agreed to shake hands in front of their audience.
The camera crew – in a way – was good news for Harm. Alan Blaisdell, orbiting in the CIA spyglass plane, kicked the crap out of the comms panel once it was realised what had happened.
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Eventually, the spooks and the USN Public Affairs team managed to concoct a story which – just about – held up in the light of day.
But Harm (along with Carolyn) decided that CIA flying days for Harmon Rabb junior were now consigned to history – and the history of the Rabb family. Harm would never fly for the CIA again: a decision which he (and his wife-to-be) welcomed with open arms!
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Friday 31st October 2003, 10:00hrs EDT
Main office floor, JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA United States
Chegwidden simply could not believe what he was reading. Placing the report on his blotted, he stabbed the intercom.
"Coates – please find Commanders Rabb and Imes."
Ten minutes later, Harm and Carolyn were standing in front of the Admiral's desk. At the end of her first trimester and at around 13 weeks, Carolyn was clearly showing the presence of her child and was beginning - ever so slightly - to waddle along as she walked.
"Reporting Sir – I don't believe this!"
"Actually Harm – this isn't about you; Carolyn, please take a seat."
She acknowledged the courtesy, sinking into the wing-back chair. Chegwidden didn't miss the fact that she kept hold of Harm's hand.
"Carolyn, this is difficult; have you ever had any problems with your status as a lawyer since you qualified?"
"Not at all Admiral; I passed in Michigan after night school (not the highest score on the Alumni board, but a clear pass) and I pay my annual renewal fee every year."
She looked quizzically at the Admiral.
"Why, sir?"
"As part of the enhanced screening processes following 9/11, a routine check on your status and standing with your Law School shows that there is no-one called Carolyn Imes on the Law School Register".
"Well, shoot!"
Carolyn could feel the colour rising in her cheeks as her grip on Harm's hand tightened.
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End of Chapter 3 of "Bringing up babies with Harm": "Closer, deeper, together".
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Mike: UK, 13-10-2022
A/N – link to Canon Episodes in more detail for those who are interested (the rationale for my episode selection in this chapter):
S04Ep19 "The Adversaries": airdate 13APR1999: Carolyn Imes is sharing a table with Jordy Parker and Mac. Carolyn's curiosity overspills, so she asks Jordy (who initially mis-reads the question before realising Carolyn's true intent) and also asks Mac, on the principle that Mac and Harm have indulged in passions during their three years together.
Mac fends off Carolyn's question (I'm not going to use the "brother-sister analogy") only for Jordy to lay it on the line with "I'm happy with him until you want him". Jordy (psychiatrist) has realised what Mac and Harm apparently cannot see (mind you, the UST then ran on for another six seasons after this episode!).
** everything happens on a Friday! **
S09Ep01 "A tangled Webb: Part 2": airdate 26SEP2003: The Galindez Crater and "there can never be an us"; Mac takes up with Clayton Webb as she fails to face her PTSD.
S09Ep03: "Secret Agent Man": airdate 10OCT2003: Harm and Philippines – give the job to Jack Keeter. Keeter busts his ankle on leaving the C-130 so Harm is railroaded into the Libyan mission two weeks later.
S09Ep04 "The One that got away": airdate 17OCT2003: Harm flies the "Aurora" on a training mission, which turns into a live reconnaissance mission over North Korea.
S09Ep05 "Touchdown": airdate 24OCT2003. By Hallowe'en, Harm was finally – and permanently - off the CIA "dependable assets" list. Harm flies one more mission for the CIA – with Beth O'Neill – and they save the day, the C-130, the Seahawk and 13 civilians. But that's it: Harm gets away from the CIA for good, whilst Beth's girlfriend prevails upon her to look for civilian work just as Carolyn and Harm successfully petition for guardianship of Mattie.
S09Ep06 "Back in the Saddle": airdate 31OCT2003: Carolyn; Bar Exam – because of Carolyn's pregnancy in this AU, I decided to rewrite this as an Admin SNAFU around Carolyn Rosemary/Rebecca Imes and a mistranslation to "Eames". Annoying reference to "is this a Hallowe'en joke?" Harm saves the day – but not without stress to the baby. Harm flies into super-hero mode!