(A/N: Okay I know, what is going on? Don't worry, if you have
been sticking to the story, this chapter will make a whole
lot of sense. Standard disclaimers: Same as in last chapter.)
Fade in.
(This takes place the day after the call)
The Admiral once again was pacing the confines of his office. He was pretty sure he was wearing a hole in the carpet, but that didn't matter. What did matter that he had called a meeting in his office this morning. Harm's parents were going to be there a long with Mac, Sturgis, Bobbie, Harriet, the SECNAV, and he even called Webb in on this one. (A/N: You know where I'm going with this now right?) AJ knew that maybe with Webb's help he could track down Hicks. But right now he had to think of someway to tell everyone that he had killed Harm. He knew he would lose his career, the respect of his friends, and everything he valued most. But his daughter came first. Hell even Rabb knew that, from the last time she was kidnapped.
As soon as Harm's mother and stepfather arrived, he couldn't bear to look at the sadness that their faces held. He offered his condolences, and asked them to sit down.
"Admiral, you were with Harm, what happened?" Trish asked with a slight tremor in her voice.
"I would like to wait until the SECNAV and my other officers are here. Then I can explain it to everyone at once," he said; wanting to delay the inevitable as long as possible.
Twenty minutes latter everyone was assembled in the Admiral's office with the notable exception of Webb. Not wanting to wait any longer, he started.
"I know all of you are wondering why I called you in here, and wondering what happened that day in the warehouse. So I guess I had better start at the beginning."
Looking around with understanding glances from everyone, he continued. "It all started a few days ago in my office. I was in a good mood because my daughter had just gotten in town. We were going to spend a few days together, while she was here on business. "But the day we were supposed to meet, I got a call telling me that she was kidnapped, and that the man wouldn't give her back unless he got something in return."
"What?" Everyone looked in shock at the Admiral.
"When was this?" the SECNAV demanded.
"It was the day before Harm and I went with the RECON team."
"And why wasn't I informed about this?"
"Sir, he said that if I told anyone, then he would kill her. I didn't want to take that chance."
"Do you know who it is sir?" Mac asked with deep concern in her voice.
"Yes, I do. He told me his name was Hicks. It didn't take me long to link him with the case that Harm was working on."
"What does he want, sir?" Sturgis asked. AJ knew that Sturgis would help him even though he didn't even know his daughter.
"He wanted me to kill Harm, when we raided the warehouse."
"He wanted you to what?" Bobbie asked.
He looked up to the noticeable stares he was getting. Harm's mother went pale, and grabbed her husband's hand.
"But the report read that the sniper shot Harm. Sir, tell me you didn't-" Mac put her hand to her mouth and sat down.
"Sir?" Harriet asked unsure of what to say or believe.
"Did you kill him AJ?" the SECNAV asked, not wanting to believe what he just asked.
"I did," AJ whispered, receiving gasps from everyone in the room. "I had no choice, he has my daughter."
"You killed my son?" Trish whispered.
"I'm sorry."
AJ glanced at Sturgis who still hadn't said anything. His face was pale, and his gaze fixed at some point beyond the Admiral.
"And what is your explanation for this?" the SECNAV demanded.
"I don't have one."
"You know you'll have to be brought up on charges."
"I know."
"Hell AJ, you just ended your career! What in the hell were you thinking?"
The Admiral didn't answer; just put his head in his hands. "Mac-" he said, but she cut him off.
"Don't sir. Please just don't." Her voice was breaking, and AJ knew she was having a hard time keeping herself together.
"Admiral, I'm sorry but I have to relieve you from-"
The sound of the door opening, made the SECNAV stop and turn his head.
"What did I miss?" All heads jerked to the sound of that all too familiar voice. There standing with Webb and the Admiral's daughter, was Harm.
TBC
(A/N: Okay, I know, I know, I am evil for leaving you hanging this way. Still trying to figure out how I pulled this off? If you think you know, please e-mail me. I'll post who had the closest guess when I post my next chapter.)
Fade in.
(This takes place the day after the call)
The Admiral once again was pacing the confines of his office. He was pretty sure he was wearing a hole in the carpet, but that didn't matter. What did matter that he had called a meeting in his office this morning. Harm's parents were going to be there a long with Mac, Sturgis, Bobbie, Harriet, the SECNAV, and he even called Webb in on this one. (A/N: You know where I'm going with this now right?) AJ knew that maybe with Webb's help he could track down Hicks. But right now he had to think of someway to tell everyone that he had killed Harm. He knew he would lose his career, the respect of his friends, and everything he valued most. But his daughter came first. Hell even Rabb knew that, from the last time she was kidnapped.
As soon as Harm's mother and stepfather arrived, he couldn't bear to look at the sadness that their faces held. He offered his condolences, and asked them to sit down.
"Admiral, you were with Harm, what happened?" Trish asked with a slight tremor in her voice.
"I would like to wait until the SECNAV and my other officers are here. Then I can explain it to everyone at once," he said; wanting to delay the inevitable as long as possible.
Twenty minutes latter everyone was assembled in the Admiral's office with the notable exception of Webb. Not wanting to wait any longer, he started.
"I know all of you are wondering why I called you in here, and wondering what happened that day in the warehouse. So I guess I had better start at the beginning."
Looking around with understanding glances from everyone, he continued. "It all started a few days ago in my office. I was in a good mood because my daughter had just gotten in town. We were going to spend a few days together, while she was here on business. "But the day we were supposed to meet, I got a call telling me that she was kidnapped, and that the man wouldn't give her back unless he got something in return."
"What?" Everyone looked in shock at the Admiral.
"When was this?" the SECNAV demanded.
"It was the day before Harm and I went with the RECON team."
"And why wasn't I informed about this?"
"Sir, he said that if I told anyone, then he would kill her. I didn't want to take that chance."
"Do you know who it is sir?" Mac asked with deep concern in her voice.
"Yes, I do. He told me his name was Hicks. It didn't take me long to link him with the case that Harm was working on."
"What does he want, sir?" Sturgis asked. AJ knew that Sturgis would help him even though he didn't even know his daughter.
"He wanted me to kill Harm, when we raided the warehouse."
"He wanted you to what?" Bobbie asked.
He looked up to the noticeable stares he was getting. Harm's mother went pale, and grabbed her husband's hand.
"But the report read that the sniper shot Harm. Sir, tell me you didn't-" Mac put her hand to her mouth and sat down.
"Sir?" Harriet asked unsure of what to say or believe.
"Did you kill him AJ?" the SECNAV asked, not wanting to believe what he just asked.
"I did," AJ whispered, receiving gasps from everyone in the room. "I had no choice, he has my daughter."
"You killed my son?" Trish whispered.
"I'm sorry."
AJ glanced at Sturgis who still hadn't said anything. His face was pale, and his gaze fixed at some point beyond the Admiral.
"And what is your explanation for this?" the SECNAV demanded.
"I don't have one."
"You know you'll have to be brought up on charges."
"I know."
"Hell AJ, you just ended your career! What in the hell were you thinking?"
The Admiral didn't answer; just put his head in his hands. "Mac-" he said, but she cut him off.
"Don't sir. Please just don't." Her voice was breaking, and AJ knew she was having a hard time keeping herself together.
"Admiral, I'm sorry but I have to relieve you from-"
The sound of the door opening, made the SECNAV stop and turn his head.
"What did I miss?" All heads jerked to the sound of that all too familiar voice. There standing with Webb and the Admiral's daughter, was Harm.
TBC
(A/N: Okay, I know, I know, I am evil for leaving you hanging this way. Still trying to figure out how I pulled this off? If you think you know, please e-mail me. I'll post who had the closest guess when I post my next chapter.)