(Standard disclaimers apply, please read and review. And if
anyone else knows who I can use as my third ghost, please let
me know! It will make updating a lot faster. Again, please
read and review! Thanks!)
AJ shook his head, and stood up and headed towards his bed only to find someone sitting on it. He took one big step back and looked into the eyes of Greg. Greg was a friend of his that died in Vietnam. How-
"Hey there AJ, I know you know who I am, so let's just skip the pleasantries and get to work."
AJ was speechless. Was that really Greg?
"Greg-"
"AJ, I'm disappointed in you. How could you be so blind? You are lucky that you have so many people that care about you, people that consider you family. Do you know what that family is doing right now AJ? You wouldn't would you? And do you know why? Because you are sitting here feeling sorry for yourself. What happened to you AJ? Whatever happened to that tough take no shit seal that I used to know?"
"A lot has changed."
"That's life AJ. Things do change. But I thought you would have learned by know AJ that the most important things, are right under your nose, or in your command in your case. Come on; let's go take a look at what you family is doing."
Before AJ could protest, they were standing in the doorway of the Roberts living room watching everyone talking and laughing.
"Looks cozy, don't you think?" Greg mussed.
AJ didn't answer but watched as little AJ ran around the room handing out candy canes. Bud and Sturgis were discussing his physical therapy, while Harriet, Mikey, and Tiner were trying to get dinner ready. But where were Harm and Mac?
"Looking for Harm and Mac? They're outside, why don't we go see what there're up to."
Outside, Harm and Mac were standing side by side on the porch watching the snow fall.
"Tonight is a very important night for them." Greg said.
"Why?"
"You'll see."
"You know it's been quiet a year," Harm said breaking the silence.
"Yeah, it sure has."
"You miss Chloe, don't you?"
"She is spending Christmas in Florida this year. Her dad is flying in, and they are going to Disney world."
"You'll see her soon."
"I wish."
"You'll make a great mother one day Mac."
"Yeah, like that is ever going to happen," she smirked.
"Don't give up on it just yet Mac."
"But why hold on?"
"You gotta have faith Mac"
"Not a lot of things to have faith in this year."
"Thinking about Mic?"
"Yes and no."
"Care to elaborate?"
"I'm not thinking about Mic being my husband, because more and more I realize how it wouldn't have worked. But if I was married-"
"Don't start thinking like that Mac, it'll make you depressed."
"Too late"
Harm covered his hand with hers, and sighed.
"Life is complicated Mac, dwelling on the 'woulda-coulda- shoulda', only holds you back."
"It's still tough to let go of the thought when you're sitting in your apartment all alone."
"It's not as hard to let go as you think," he said quietly
"I never understood what you had to let go of," she said just as quiet.
AJ stared at the pair wondering what the hell they were talking about, when Greg spoke up.
"What he meant when he said 'it's not as hard to let go as you think', is let go of what is holding them back from being together. They had that conversation a long time ago; needless to say it didn't end as most people would have liked it to."
[I'm referring to all you shipper people out there]
"No wonder he acted so strangely when they came back from Australia."
"Well can you blame him? He lost his only shot at having everything he ever wanted when she came back wearing another mans ring."
AJ was silent, and just watched his officers. The look they were giving each other could have killed.
"That if I got to close to you I would lose you," he whispered.
"Harm-"
"I know Mac, but look at my track record. My father, Diane, Jordan, Annie, and Renee, almost everyone who I have ever gotten close to is gone. I just don't want to lose you Mac. Not as a best friend. But down the line, it just wasn't enough. I've hurt you so many times Sarah, I'm just not sure if you feel that way."
He removed his hand from her and faced towards the house, hanging his head. AJ was speechless. He knew his officers were involved on some deeper level but not like this.
Mac turned around to face him, taking both of his hands in hers, and sighed.
"You'll never lose me Harm. And I never stopped caring about you. I-I never stopped loving you." she said caressing his Harm.
He covered her hand with his and looked up at her. "I love you too Sarah. I'm just scared that if this doesn't work out then I'll lose you forever."
Mac smiled, "you should follow you own advice and have some faith."
He crossed the final line and drew her into his arms for a hug that spoke volumes between them. They stayed outside awhile longer and then rejoined the group. As they all settled down for dinner, little AJ tugged on Harriet's shirt with a concerned look crossing his little face.
"Momma, where is uncle AJ?"
AJ looked around at the pained looks that crossed his officer's faces.
"Ah sweetie, he couldn't come tonight," Harriet said trying to avoid the subject.
"Why?"
Sensing Harriet's distress, at not wanting to answer, Harm spoke up.
"Hey buddy, what is Santa going to bring you for Christmas this year?"
Happy at talking about presents, little AJ made the whole group laugh at his very long Christmas list.
"You see what you did?"
But before he could answer Greg cut in. "They think that you don't want to join them this year is because you think your only family is ten thousand miles away. They all consider each other family, and they thought the feeling was mutual. It certainly was a kick in the stomach to find out otherwise. Your people aren't stupid AJ, you taught them better. It's hard to explain that to o four year old. That's why Harm changed the subject, because he wanted to spare that boy the heartache. That boy looks up to you. And he isn't the only one. I though so many years of war and heartache taught you better AJ."
AJ hung his head, knowing the consequences of his actions. But before he could explain to Greg why he was acting this way, he found himself standing in his own room again.
"This is going to be a long night," AJ muttered to himself.
TBC
AJ shook his head, and stood up and headed towards his bed only to find someone sitting on it. He took one big step back and looked into the eyes of Greg. Greg was a friend of his that died in Vietnam. How-
"Hey there AJ, I know you know who I am, so let's just skip the pleasantries and get to work."
AJ was speechless. Was that really Greg?
"Greg-"
"AJ, I'm disappointed in you. How could you be so blind? You are lucky that you have so many people that care about you, people that consider you family. Do you know what that family is doing right now AJ? You wouldn't would you? And do you know why? Because you are sitting here feeling sorry for yourself. What happened to you AJ? Whatever happened to that tough take no shit seal that I used to know?"
"A lot has changed."
"That's life AJ. Things do change. But I thought you would have learned by know AJ that the most important things, are right under your nose, or in your command in your case. Come on; let's go take a look at what you family is doing."
Before AJ could protest, they were standing in the doorway of the Roberts living room watching everyone talking and laughing.
"Looks cozy, don't you think?" Greg mussed.
AJ didn't answer but watched as little AJ ran around the room handing out candy canes. Bud and Sturgis were discussing his physical therapy, while Harriet, Mikey, and Tiner were trying to get dinner ready. But where were Harm and Mac?
"Looking for Harm and Mac? They're outside, why don't we go see what there're up to."
Outside, Harm and Mac were standing side by side on the porch watching the snow fall.
"Tonight is a very important night for them." Greg said.
"Why?"
"You'll see."
"You know it's been quiet a year," Harm said breaking the silence.
"Yeah, it sure has."
"You miss Chloe, don't you?"
"She is spending Christmas in Florida this year. Her dad is flying in, and they are going to Disney world."
"You'll see her soon."
"I wish."
"You'll make a great mother one day Mac."
"Yeah, like that is ever going to happen," she smirked.
"Don't give up on it just yet Mac."
"But why hold on?"
"You gotta have faith Mac"
"Not a lot of things to have faith in this year."
"Thinking about Mic?"
"Yes and no."
"Care to elaborate?"
"I'm not thinking about Mic being my husband, because more and more I realize how it wouldn't have worked. But if I was married-"
"Don't start thinking like that Mac, it'll make you depressed."
"Too late"
Harm covered his hand with hers, and sighed.
"Life is complicated Mac, dwelling on the 'woulda-coulda- shoulda', only holds you back."
"It's still tough to let go of the thought when you're sitting in your apartment all alone."
"It's not as hard to let go as you think," he said quietly
"I never understood what you had to let go of," she said just as quiet.
AJ stared at the pair wondering what the hell they were talking about, when Greg spoke up.
"What he meant when he said 'it's not as hard to let go as you think', is let go of what is holding them back from being together. They had that conversation a long time ago; needless to say it didn't end as most people would have liked it to."
[I'm referring to all you shipper people out there]
"No wonder he acted so strangely when they came back from Australia."
"Well can you blame him? He lost his only shot at having everything he ever wanted when she came back wearing another mans ring."
AJ was silent, and just watched his officers. The look they were giving each other could have killed.
"That if I got to close to you I would lose you," he whispered.
"Harm-"
"I know Mac, but look at my track record. My father, Diane, Jordan, Annie, and Renee, almost everyone who I have ever gotten close to is gone. I just don't want to lose you Mac. Not as a best friend. But down the line, it just wasn't enough. I've hurt you so many times Sarah, I'm just not sure if you feel that way."
He removed his hand from her and faced towards the house, hanging his head. AJ was speechless. He knew his officers were involved on some deeper level but not like this.
Mac turned around to face him, taking both of his hands in hers, and sighed.
"You'll never lose me Harm. And I never stopped caring about you. I-I never stopped loving you." she said caressing his Harm.
He covered her hand with his and looked up at her. "I love you too Sarah. I'm just scared that if this doesn't work out then I'll lose you forever."
Mac smiled, "you should follow you own advice and have some faith."
He crossed the final line and drew her into his arms for a hug that spoke volumes between them. They stayed outside awhile longer and then rejoined the group. As they all settled down for dinner, little AJ tugged on Harriet's shirt with a concerned look crossing his little face.
"Momma, where is uncle AJ?"
AJ looked around at the pained looks that crossed his officer's faces.
"Ah sweetie, he couldn't come tonight," Harriet said trying to avoid the subject.
"Why?"
Sensing Harriet's distress, at not wanting to answer, Harm spoke up.
"Hey buddy, what is Santa going to bring you for Christmas this year?"
Happy at talking about presents, little AJ made the whole group laugh at his very long Christmas list.
"You see what you did?"
But before he could answer Greg cut in. "They think that you don't want to join them this year is because you think your only family is ten thousand miles away. They all consider each other family, and they thought the feeling was mutual. It certainly was a kick in the stomach to find out otherwise. Your people aren't stupid AJ, you taught them better. It's hard to explain that to o four year old. That's why Harm changed the subject, because he wanted to spare that boy the heartache. That boy looks up to you. And he isn't the only one. I though so many years of war and heartache taught you better AJ."
AJ hung his head, knowing the consequences of his actions. But before he could explain to Greg why he was acting this way, he found himself standing in his own room again.
"This is going to be a long night," AJ muttered to himself.
TBC