(Standard disclaimers apply, please read and review.)
AJ just went back to bed, when he smelled the faintest trace of cigar smoke. In the corner of his room, Harm sat smoking a cigar. But he looked different some how, a little older, with some grey hair and a mustache.
"Rabb what in the hell is the meaning of this!"
"I'm not the Rabb you are thinking about, kind of the older generation."
"You mean-"
"Harmon Rabb Senior at your service"
"You can't be-"
"I can't be here? I'm dead right? I know Laura explained to you what's going on, so come on. We have so much to do, and so little time."
"I'm not going anywhere."
Harm Sr. just laughed. The hairs on the back of AJ's neck stood up, because his laugh was so much like Harm's.
"You're stubborn. Just like some other people I know. My son included. Come on Admiral we have to get going."
Reluctantly AJ got out of bed, put on his robe and followed Harm's father out his front door.
AJ stood flabbergasted at the sight in front of him. He was standing in front of his childhood home. He must have been about eight when they moved into this house.
"Why-"
"What are we standing in front of your childhood home? I wanted to show you some good memories of Christmas. You remember this Christmas don't you?"
"My father came home."
"Yep, after eight months being at sea, your father surprised you and you mother by being home for Christmas."
"That was one of the happiest days of my life. I had missed him so much."
He watched as his father swung him up in the air, and hugged his mother close.
"You miss them don't you?"
"Of course I do."
"Why did they send you to show me this, and not them?"
"I'm glad you asked. Follow me, and I'll show you."
Walking through what seemed like fog, he found himself staring through another window of the past. He saw a man in a marine uniform on top of a woman punching her with all he had. He was about to take a step forward, but Harm Sr. put a hand on his back and made him still. The house was small and dirty, but was clean for the most part. There was a small Christmas tree standing in the corner, with two presents under it.
"What the hell is this?" He demanded. Harm Sr. pointed to the staircase, and pointed to a little girl with her legs drawn up to her chest, staring at the sight of her father beating her mother.
"Is that?-"
"Yep that's Mac; One of her more memorable Christmas's."
"Why are you showing me this?"
"Like Laura said, these are the lives of your family. Harm, Mac, Bud, Harriet, and Sturgis. Some are happier then others, but you need to get the general idea of what a bad Christmas really is. Come on, we have more to see."
"What about Mac?"
"She'll be okay. Let's go."
As if in the blink of an eye, AJ found himself standing outside another house. From the heat, and the size of the house, AJ knew he was standing inside Harm's childhood home. Harm's mother and stepfather looked like they were ready to go out, but AJ didn't see Harm anywhere.
"Harm are you sure you don't want to come to church with us?" Trish asked him, the worry evident in her voice.
"I'm sure!" He heard Harm call down. She gave Frank an exasperated look, as they headed towards the car.
"Come on," Harm Sr. said heading for the stairs. AJ followed him up to Harm's room, and saw him lying sprawled across the bed, holding a picture. He looked maybe about fourteen, with long dark hair. AJ inwardly laughed at the sight. Harm ran his hand over the picture again and again, and on further inspection AJ saw it to be a picture of his father.
AJ looked back at Harm Sr. who shook his head at the sight.
"I'll never give up looking for you Dad, never," Harm whispered to the picture.
"My son lost his childhood the day my plane went down. Christmas has always been hard for him. But I guess now a- days it is easier with friends like his. You included Admiral. He never told you, but you're like a father figure to him. He looks up to you."
"I never knew that," AJ whispered.
"Harm was never really open about his feelings, especially about me. Mac knew some, but he wouldn't let anyone else in that far. But he wanted to though."
AJ said nothing, feeling guilty about the time when Harm was trying to help bring down Osborn, and when he asked if it was possible for Jack to be alive, AJ pounced on him that maybe if Jack was alive, his father could be alive too. AJ hung his head in shame. But if Harm Sr. noticed, he said nothing.
"Come on, there is much more to see."
After visiting the childhood homes of Sturgis, Bud and Harriet, AJ was visibly and sick. Sure some were better then others, but AJ never knew his officers had gone through so much growing up.
Before he knew it, there were once again standing in hid bedroom. Harm Sr. stuck his hands in his flight jacket, and shook his head.
"I know you're all confused now about what to do and everything, but don't worry. After tonight, I'm sure you'll figure things out. Take care of my son sir. You're one of the few that he let's in."
And with those words, he was gone. AJ slumped down on the floor, and rubbed his temples hard. What the hell was going on?
TBC
AJ just went back to bed, when he smelled the faintest trace of cigar smoke. In the corner of his room, Harm sat smoking a cigar. But he looked different some how, a little older, with some grey hair and a mustache.
"Rabb what in the hell is the meaning of this!"
"I'm not the Rabb you are thinking about, kind of the older generation."
"You mean-"
"Harmon Rabb Senior at your service"
"You can't be-"
"I can't be here? I'm dead right? I know Laura explained to you what's going on, so come on. We have so much to do, and so little time."
"I'm not going anywhere."
Harm Sr. just laughed. The hairs on the back of AJ's neck stood up, because his laugh was so much like Harm's.
"You're stubborn. Just like some other people I know. My son included. Come on Admiral we have to get going."
Reluctantly AJ got out of bed, put on his robe and followed Harm's father out his front door.
AJ stood flabbergasted at the sight in front of him. He was standing in front of his childhood home. He must have been about eight when they moved into this house.
"Why-"
"What are we standing in front of your childhood home? I wanted to show you some good memories of Christmas. You remember this Christmas don't you?"
"My father came home."
"Yep, after eight months being at sea, your father surprised you and you mother by being home for Christmas."
"That was one of the happiest days of my life. I had missed him so much."
He watched as his father swung him up in the air, and hugged his mother close.
"You miss them don't you?"
"Of course I do."
"Why did they send you to show me this, and not them?"
"I'm glad you asked. Follow me, and I'll show you."
Walking through what seemed like fog, he found himself staring through another window of the past. He saw a man in a marine uniform on top of a woman punching her with all he had. He was about to take a step forward, but Harm Sr. put a hand on his back and made him still. The house was small and dirty, but was clean for the most part. There was a small Christmas tree standing in the corner, with two presents under it.
"What the hell is this?" He demanded. Harm Sr. pointed to the staircase, and pointed to a little girl with her legs drawn up to her chest, staring at the sight of her father beating her mother.
"Is that?-"
"Yep that's Mac; One of her more memorable Christmas's."
"Why are you showing me this?"
"Like Laura said, these are the lives of your family. Harm, Mac, Bud, Harriet, and Sturgis. Some are happier then others, but you need to get the general idea of what a bad Christmas really is. Come on, we have more to see."
"What about Mac?"
"She'll be okay. Let's go."
As if in the blink of an eye, AJ found himself standing outside another house. From the heat, and the size of the house, AJ knew he was standing inside Harm's childhood home. Harm's mother and stepfather looked like they were ready to go out, but AJ didn't see Harm anywhere.
"Harm are you sure you don't want to come to church with us?" Trish asked him, the worry evident in her voice.
"I'm sure!" He heard Harm call down. She gave Frank an exasperated look, as they headed towards the car.
"Come on," Harm Sr. said heading for the stairs. AJ followed him up to Harm's room, and saw him lying sprawled across the bed, holding a picture. He looked maybe about fourteen, with long dark hair. AJ inwardly laughed at the sight. Harm ran his hand over the picture again and again, and on further inspection AJ saw it to be a picture of his father.
AJ looked back at Harm Sr. who shook his head at the sight.
"I'll never give up looking for you Dad, never," Harm whispered to the picture.
"My son lost his childhood the day my plane went down. Christmas has always been hard for him. But I guess now a- days it is easier with friends like his. You included Admiral. He never told you, but you're like a father figure to him. He looks up to you."
"I never knew that," AJ whispered.
"Harm was never really open about his feelings, especially about me. Mac knew some, but he wouldn't let anyone else in that far. But he wanted to though."
AJ said nothing, feeling guilty about the time when Harm was trying to help bring down Osborn, and when he asked if it was possible for Jack to be alive, AJ pounced on him that maybe if Jack was alive, his father could be alive too. AJ hung his head in shame. But if Harm Sr. noticed, he said nothing.
"Come on, there is much more to see."
After visiting the childhood homes of Sturgis, Bud and Harriet, AJ was visibly and sick. Sure some were better then others, but AJ never knew his officers had gone through so much growing up.
Before he knew it, there were once again standing in hid bedroom. Harm Sr. stuck his hands in his flight jacket, and shook his head.
"I know you're all confused now about what to do and everything, but don't worry. After tonight, I'm sure you'll figure things out. Take care of my son sir. You're one of the few that he let's in."
And with those words, he was gone. AJ slumped down on the floor, and rubbed his temples hard. What the hell was going on?
TBC