"How is she doing?" Trish asked her son as he entered the kitchen.
"She's asleep now, which is good. She was really upset before."
"Don't worry Harmon she'll be fine. This is all such a big shock to her. Now how are you holding up?" Trish asked her son as she gave him a hug.
"I'm okay mom. How are the kids?"
"The kids are fine," Frank said as he walked in the room. "They're playing downstairs."
The doorbell rang and Harm went to go answer it.
He opened the door to find Bud and Harriet on the other side. Then he noticed that standing behind the couple was the Admiral, Gunny, Tiner, Sturgis and Bobbie.
"We heard what happened sir, and we're here to help," Gunny said.
"Now don't look so shocked Commander, the Navy doesn't abandon it's own in their time of need," the Admiral said.
"Nor do the Marines sir," Gunny said.
"Family sticks together sir. If it effects one of us it effects all of us," Harriet said sincerely.
"Where is the Colonel sir?" Harriet asked Harm as he let everyone inside.
"She's asleep."
"Good maybe we can get most of this done by the time she wakes up," the Admiral said.
Frank and Trish made their way into the foyer greeting everyone. It was decided that Trish, Frank, Harriet and Tiner would work on the bedrooms upstairs, while everyone else would work on cleaning up downstairs.
Harriet let out a small gasp as the she entered Annabelle's room. 'The poor little girl' she thought. A lot of her stuff had been ruined.
"Well let's get to it shall we?" Trish said as they started to first turn the furniture back over.
Downstairs Sturgis, Bobbie and Harm were working on the living room, while Gunny and the Admiral worked on the dining room.
"Who would want to do something like this sir?" Gunny asked the Admiral.
"I don't know, I just don't know."
About an hour later Annabelle's room was finished and the upstairs crew had moved onto the twin's room. Harriet heard what sounded like someone crying so she decided to investigate. She found Mac crying in the middle of a nightmare. She decided to get Harm.
"Sir," Harriet called as she made her way into the living room.
"Sir I think you should come upstairs."
"What is it Harriet," Harm asked as he followed her up stairs. Harriet pointed in the direction of the master bedroom and that's when Harm heard Mac crying. He rushed to her side. He sat down beside her on the bed when he realized she was in the middle of a nightmare. He took her in his arms and gently rocked her as he said soothing words.
"Sarah, come honey it's just a dream. Sarah wake up." When Mac started to struggle in his embrace he held onto her tighter running his hands over her back in a calming circular motion. Finally she started to wake up.
"Harm?" she said her eyes still closed.
"I'm right here sweetheart. There's nothing to worry about it was just a dream."
When Mac finally opened her eyes she looked up to see concern in her husband's eyes.
"I'm sorry," she said as she leaned into his embrace.
"It's ok don't worry about. Hugs like this are part of my job description," he said with a smile hoping to lighten the mood. It worked as a small smile crept onto Mac's face.
Mac heard the voices a few other people and she asked who was there.
"Harm do we have company?"
"Actually the entire JAG staff is here. Harriet found out what happened and called everyone. The Admiral, Gunny, Tiner, Sturgis, Bobbie, Bud and Harriet are all here."
"They didn't have to come," she said touched be her friends generosity.
"Well thy said that if one person in their family is hurt it effects them all."
"We have really good friends Harm."
"That we do honey, that we do."
"Now how about we go downstairs and order some pizza for everyone. That sound good?" Harm asked.
"Of course it does, you have one hungry Marine on your hands," she said with a smile.
"I know don't tell me. Not only are you hungry but your eating for two is that right?" That last comment earned harm a punch on the arm.
"Don't be smart with me flyboy and yes it's true. It takes two make a baby but it only takes one to feed us both. So feed us!"
"Yes ma'am," Harm said as he chuckled.
Mac followed Harm downstairs, stopping to thank each one of their friends. When she made it downstairs she noted that everything was pretty much back to the way it was before. That's when Mac decided that she wanted to go ahead with the BBQ that scheduled for the following afternoon.
"Harm."
"Hmm?"
"I decided that I want to go ahead with the BBQ tomorrow. I think we could all use the break and it will be a lot of fun."
"Are you sure?"
"Yea."
"Ok if that's what you want then that's what we'll do!" Harm said glad to see that Mac was finally starting to relax. "I ordered the pizzas they should be here in about a half an hour."
"What did you order?" Mac asked casting a wary glance at her husband.
"I ordered three plain, two meat-lovers and one veggie delight."
"Good, I was just checking. Had to make sure you weren't trying to force anything healthy on me," she said with a smile.
"Now would I do that? It seems that I'm out numbered in this house. The only person who resembles some of my eating patterns is Annabelle. Daddy's little girl is a smart one."
"Whatever you say Harm. But you know it will all catch up to you someday," Mac teased.
Harriet came down the stairs and reported that they had finished working on the upstairs. The only room they didn't touch was the mater bedroom. Harriet figured Harm and Mac would want to do that themselves.
"Thank you Harriet."
"Anytime ma'am. I mean uhh Mac," she corrected as Harm and Mac both gave a stern look.
After dinner everyone said their goodbyes and promised to come back the next day around noon. Harm and Mac had just put the kids to bed when they decided they would work on cleaning their room. Once that task had been completed it was already very late and Harm and Mac were exhausted. They feel asleep instantly not waking up till 1030 hours the next morning.
At 1030 Harm woke up to the warm body of his wife snuggled up close to him. He smiled. He loved watching her while she slept. She looked so innocent and childlike. It saddened him to think that when she was a child, she probably never slept like this. Mac stirred.
"Mornin' Harm," Mac said as she yawned.
"Good morning beautiful. How about joining me in the shower. We still have sometime before everyone starts to get here."
"Hmm, a shower sounds nice. Let me know when you're done," she said teasing him.
"When I'm done?" Harm said feigning mock hurt.
"I'm just kidding, lead the way stickboy."
It was 1230 and the party was in full swing when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," Frank said as he walked into the house.
Standing at the door was Lt. Jameson.
"Ah, you must be the new Lieutenant, Hi I am Frank Harm's father," he said as he extended his hand out to her.
"Yes, its nice to meet you," she said as she stepped inside.
"Everyone is out back." Frank noticed how she walked through the house and to the backyard without any directions. Liked she had been there before.
The Lieutenant noted how large the house was. When she stepped into the back yard she noted the yard seemed to be at least two acres. She wondered how the Commander and the Colonel had been able to afford a place like that. She didn't know that the house had been a wedding present from Harm's parents.
At around 1330 Mac left the party and headed for the bakery to pick up the birthday cake she had ordered for Annabelle and Marie. On her way back she was in such a relaxed mood that she never noticed the car that was following her until after it had cut her off effectively running her off the road. Two strong men pulled her out of the car and placed a cloth doused in chloroform over her mouth putting her to sleep.
It was already 1630 and Harm was starting to get worried. Mac had left almost three hours ago and she still hadn't come back. She wasn't answering her phone either. Just then the doorbell rang and Harm went to go answer it.
When he opened the door he came face to face with two police detectives.
"Harmon Rabb?"
"Yes?"
"Is your wife a Sarah Mackenzie-Rabb?"
"Yes she is why?"
"Well sir we found her car a banded on the side of the road. Two sets of tire tracks make it look like your wife's car was run off the road. We don't know anything else at this time sir, we're still investing."
Harm felt his stomach turn and he thought he as going to throw up. His Mac was missing. A thousand thoughts ran through his head as he collapsed in the foyer.