Three days later
JAG HQ
1148 local
At first, Mac almost didn't hear the knock at her door, it was so
soft. But it came again, this time a little louder, so she called
out, "Enter." It was probably Harriet, come to check on her again.
The door opened, and while the person had come to check on her, it
wasn't Harriet. Harm stood tentatively in the doorway. "You got a
minute?" he asked in a subdued tone.
She nodded, and he stepped fully into the office, facing her across
the desk. He looked down, fidgeting a bit with his Academy ring,
before looking up at her with guarded eyes. "Mac," he began
uncertainly, "I just... I just wanted to see how things were going.
After last week."
"I'm fine, Harm," she answered, avoiding his eyes.
"Really?" His tone was uncertain, but concerned.
She sighed. Normally, this might have annoyed her, but for some
reason today it didn't. "Really," she answered. "I got the bedroom
fixed, but I'm still not real thrilled to spend a lot of time there.
But I've been sleeping on the couch, and I'll get over it." She
paused. "But thanks for asking, Harm. I appreciate it."
He nodded, and silence fell for a few moments before he moved
around the desk and half-leaned, half-sat on the edge. "I'm glad you're
all right. I--we were so worried that night when we got the
message." Gently, he placed his large hand over her smaller one where
it rested on the desk. "Mac--- you know if you ever need anything-
anything at all-- you can come to me, right?"
"I know, Harm," she answered in a near whisper, looking straight in
his sea-blue eyes as silence fell once again.
"Hey, Luv!"
The sound of Mic Brumby's voice snapped them both back to reality.
Harm stood, jerking his hand away as if he'd been stung. For her part,
Mac greeted him with a tired voice. "Hello, Mic. You're back early."
"Yup, got everything wrapped up early, so I came back to take my
lovely fiancée out to lunch." Just then, the Australian noticed Harm.
"Rabb," he said by way of greeting.
"Mic."
He looked from Harm to Mac and Back again. "Did I interrupt
anything?" he asked, the smallest note of suspicion in his voice.
Mac opened her mouth to answer, but Harm beat her to it. "Not at
all, Mic," he said with an affability he didn't feel. "I was just
discussing a recent case with Mac. Now if you'll excuse me," he added,
even as he stepped around Mic and out the door.
As Mic continued to prattle on about the case and lunch, Mac could
only watch as Harm retreated to his office and closed the door.
********************************
Ten days later
Hospital
1527 local
Clay didn't know what he was doing back here, and he had even less
idea why he was carrying a bouquet of pale pink roses. He had been
frustrated all week, unable to get Mercedes Rabb out of his mind.
Finally, last night he had called the hospital, only to find out that
no, Miss Rabb hadn't had any visitors and that she would likely be
released soon. That had stuck with him, until about an hour ago he
decided to take a long lunch and come visit her. He didn't know why he
was doing any of this, and he didn't want to.
Turning the corner, he came to Mercedes's room. Pausing to collect
his thoughts, he noticed the name plate outside the door way was blank.
Quickly, he checked the room.
Both the room and the bed were empty.
It took him almost two hours to find and drive to her house. In
the dying light, he knocked on the door several times. A moment later,
he had picked the lock and was inside.
Like the hospital room, the house was empty. A cover was draped
over the piano, and an inspection of the kitchen revealed an empty and
unplugged refrigerator. Mercedes was gone, and apparently planning to
be so for some time.
Clay stood silently, gazing at the lifeless house. Without a word,
he laid the roses on the dining table, then turned and left, locking
the door behind him.
************************
Unnamed Barrier Island
Off the Delaware Coast
Same Time
"Hey, look over there!" 17-year old Jake Elwood pointed to the
shore of the normally empty island.
"Wow, what a boat! Man, you don't normally see those big
cigarette-type things around here," his friend Dylan Tracy remarked.
"Wonder whose it is?"
"Dunno."
"Let's go check it out!"
Jake glanced at his watch. "Aw, crap. We don't have time, dude.
We gotta get back."
"Bummer. Still...cool boat. Weird name, though."
Jake squinted, reading the dark red lettering along the bow.
"Phoenix's Nest? What kinda name is that?"
Dylan shrugged as Jake turned the boat around to head back.
Neither one ever saw the blonde woman sitting on the shore behind
it, staring blankly out over the ocean.
THE END
JAG HQ
1148 local
At first, Mac almost didn't hear the knock at her door, it was so
soft. But it came again, this time a little louder, so she called
out, "Enter." It was probably Harriet, come to check on her again.
The door opened, and while the person had come to check on her, it
wasn't Harriet. Harm stood tentatively in the doorway. "You got a
minute?" he asked in a subdued tone.
She nodded, and he stepped fully into the office, facing her across
the desk. He looked down, fidgeting a bit with his Academy ring,
before looking up at her with guarded eyes. "Mac," he began
uncertainly, "I just... I just wanted to see how things were going.
After last week."
"I'm fine, Harm," she answered, avoiding his eyes.
"Really?" His tone was uncertain, but concerned.
She sighed. Normally, this might have annoyed her, but for some
reason today it didn't. "Really," she answered. "I got the bedroom
fixed, but I'm still not real thrilled to spend a lot of time there.
But I've been sleeping on the couch, and I'll get over it." She
paused. "But thanks for asking, Harm. I appreciate it."
He nodded, and silence fell for a few moments before he moved
around the desk and half-leaned, half-sat on the edge. "I'm glad you're
all right. I--we were so worried that night when we got the
message." Gently, he placed his large hand over her smaller one where
it rested on the desk. "Mac--- you know if you ever need anything-
anything at all-- you can come to me, right?"
"I know, Harm," she answered in a near whisper, looking straight in
his sea-blue eyes as silence fell once again.
"Hey, Luv!"
The sound of Mic Brumby's voice snapped them both back to reality.
Harm stood, jerking his hand away as if he'd been stung. For her part,
Mac greeted him with a tired voice. "Hello, Mic. You're back early."
"Yup, got everything wrapped up early, so I came back to take my
lovely fiancée out to lunch." Just then, the Australian noticed Harm.
"Rabb," he said by way of greeting.
"Mic."
He looked from Harm to Mac and Back again. "Did I interrupt
anything?" he asked, the smallest note of suspicion in his voice.
Mac opened her mouth to answer, but Harm beat her to it. "Not at
all, Mic," he said with an affability he didn't feel. "I was just
discussing a recent case with Mac. Now if you'll excuse me," he added,
even as he stepped around Mic and out the door.
As Mic continued to prattle on about the case and lunch, Mac could
only watch as Harm retreated to his office and closed the door.
********************************
Ten days later
Hospital
1527 local
Clay didn't know what he was doing back here, and he had even less
idea why he was carrying a bouquet of pale pink roses. He had been
frustrated all week, unable to get Mercedes Rabb out of his mind.
Finally, last night he had called the hospital, only to find out that
no, Miss Rabb hadn't had any visitors and that she would likely be
released soon. That had stuck with him, until about an hour ago he
decided to take a long lunch and come visit her. He didn't know why he
was doing any of this, and he didn't want to.
Turning the corner, he came to Mercedes's room. Pausing to collect
his thoughts, he noticed the name plate outside the door way was blank.
Quickly, he checked the room.
Both the room and the bed were empty.
It took him almost two hours to find and drive to her house. In
the dying light, he knocked on the door several times. A moment later,
he had picked the lock and was inside.
Like the hospital room, the house was empty. A cover was draped
over the piano, and an inspection of the kitchen revealed an empty and
unplugged refrigerator. Mercedes was gone, and apparently planning to
be so for some time.
Clay stood silently, gazing at the lifeless house. Without a word,
he laid the roses on the dining table, then turned and left, locking
the door behind him.
************************
Unnamed Barrier Island
Off the Delaware Coast
Same Time
"Hey, look over there!" 17-year old Jake Elwood pointed to the
shore of the normally empty island.
"Wow, what a boat! Man, you don't normally see those big
cigarette-type things around here," his friend Dylan Tracy remarked.
"Wonder whose it is?"
"Dunno."
"Let's go check it out!"
Jake glanced at his watch. "Aw, crap. We don't have time, dude.
We gotta get back."
"Bummer. Still...cool boat. Weird name, though."
Jake squinted, reading the dark red lettering along the bow.
"Phoenix's Nest? What kinda name is that?"
Dylan shrugged as Jake turned the boat around to head back.
Neither one ever saw the blonde woman sitting on the shore behind
it, staring blankly out over the ocean.
THE END