(A/N: I hope to get all of my chapters (Eleven in counting)
out once a day. PLEASE read and review. That is all that
keeps me going. (Disclaimers, same as in last chapter) Enjoy
(Harm's POV)
Before we head to the hospital, Mac and I stop at Josh's house to pick up a bag for him. Passing the officer at the door, the first thing I saw upon entering the house was the blood on the floor. Mac grabbed my hand and squeezed it tight, and I took a few deep breaths to subdue the nausea that was about to overtake me.
"You okay Harm"
"I feel like I'm gonna throw up."
Mac led me over to the stairs and held my arm, as I sat down.
"You gonna be okay, Flyboy?"
I let her down, Mac. I don't regret what I did, but I should have protected them. I should have-"
"Harm, don't do this to yourself. Annie wanted to stay out of her life. Her it's not your fault that she died, or Josh got hurt, it's just something that happened."
I looked at the blood stained floor one more time before looking up at Mac. "I know Mac, but I just can't help what I'm feeling."
"We'll get through it Harm, just don't shut me out," she said taking my hand and sitting down next to me.
"I stopped doing that a long time ago, Sarah. I don't know what I would ever do without you."
"And you're never going to find out. Now how about we get that stuff, and go back to the hospital. I'm sure Josh could use some company."
I kissed her softly on her head, and helped her to her feet. After searching a few rooms, we found Josh's room, and started putting a few things together for him.
"Here," Mac said throwing me a duffle bag. "You get some cloths together for him, and I'll find his CD's."
I was shocked to find that he didn't have a lot of cloths. All of his drawers were half empty.
"Mac, take a look at this."
"What?"
"Josh doesn't have a lot of cloths."
"What?" Mac asked walking over to me.
"There aren't a lot of cloths to pack for him."
"I guess we'll have to buy a few things for him," Mac concluded.
"Are you sure you want to do this Mac? Taking care of a fourteen year old boy isn't going to be easy."
"I know Harm, but we'll manage. We always do. Okay I found his CD's and his CD player, are you finished?"
"Yep, let's go."
Fade out
(Mac's POV)
We walked into Josh's room together, as he was pushing his food around on his trey.
"I think that food is for you to eat, not to play with," I said sitting down in the chair next to the bed, with Harm standing next to me.
"Well ma'am, this food should be labeled toxic waste, it tastes nasty. Did you guys talk this over?"
"Yeah, and we decided that it would be good if you came and lived with us." Harm said. I couldn't see his face, but I could hear the smile in his voice.
"You mean it?" Josh said trying to sit up, but stopped midway and grabbed his ribs.
"Are you okay Josh?" I asked.
"Yeah, I just sat up to fast, it's nothing."
"Hey Harm, how about going to get Josh something from the cafeteria? It has to be better then this stuff."
Harm gave me a long look, understanding what I wasn't telling him, and nodded.
"Sure, I'll be right back."
After Harm left, I handed Josh his CD's.
"Thanks."
"What kinds of CD's do you like Josh?"
"I got 'The Calling', 'Oasis', 'Creed', Linkin Park', 'SR71', and stuff like that."
"Hmm."
"Congratulations."
"What?"
He pointed to my stomach.
"How many months are you?"
"Seven."
"I'm sure harm is thrilled."
"We both are."
"I'm happy for you guys."
"Thanks. Josh, do you want to talk about what happened?"
"No."
"You know my childhood wasn't that great either."
"Did your stepfather beat you, and kill your mother?"
"No, but-"
"Then you have no idea how I feel."
"Josh-"
"Please, Mac, I really don't want to talk about it."
"Okay, but if you do-"
"I know, I know. I can talk to you or Harm"
I watched Josh, while he fiddled with his CD's, and wondered what was going on inside his head. Whatever it was, keeping it inside wasn't going to help him. I knew from experience.
Fade out
(A few days latter, Josh's POV)
As I was packing up to leave the hospital, Mac was signing me out, and Harm was talking to Ms. Carter. The judge granted temporary custody to Harm and Mac, and they were waiting on a hearing to decided custody. For me it was a dream coming true. I knew Harm and Mac would never hurt me, and that was what I needed, a stable family life. A light knock on the door broke me out of my thoughts.
"Is it okay to come in?" Ms. Carter asked.
"Yeah."
"So how are you doing Josh?"
"Okay. Where is Harm?"
"He is pulling the car around. Josh, are you sure this is what you want? Once the Rabb's adopt you-"
"Ma'am, this is what I want."
"Okay. The hearing is in a few days, and the judge will be asking you a few questions about what it was like at your house. I want you to be ready to answer those kinds of questions."
"I know."
"Have you talked to Harm or Mac at all?"
"I will."
"Then good luck Josh, I'll get in touch with you in a few days," she handed me a card, "you call me if you need anything, okay?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Bye Josh."
"Bye."
A few minutes after she left, Harm stuck his head in the door.
"You ready, pal?"
"I took one last look around the hospital room, and grabbed my duffle bag. "Let's go."
Fade out
(Webb's POV)
I sank into my seat on the jet, and waited for the other agent to get on board. Once he sat down, I bombarded him with questions. I hated the fact that he knew more about this case then I did.
"What do you got Bill?"
"The three men are being cared for at the base hospital. Your man has a leg injury that had to be operated on. They won't release him for a few days."
"And the others?"
"All have malnutrition, and other old injuries. They are being held for a few days to."
"What are the Russians saying?"
"That they had no idea."
"That figures. Are they being guarded?"
"Yes sir, two marine guards on each of them."
"Were they debriefed?"
"Yes sir."
"And has the President been informed?"
"Yes sir, the director called him yesterday, he was not happy about it. The President wants them home before the press gets wind of this."
"I agree."
"Mr. Webb, can I ask you something?"
"What?"
"Why is this man so important to you?"
"I owe him; and I owe his son."
TBC
(Harm's POV)
Before we head to the hospital, Mac and I stop at Josh's house to pick up a bag for him. Passing the officer at the door, the first thing I saw upon entering the house was the blood on the floor. Mac grabbed my hand and squeezed it tight, and I took a few deep breaths to subdue the nausea that was about to overtake me.
"You okay Harm"
"I feel like I'm gonna throw up."
Mac led me over to the stairs and held my arm, as I sat down.
"You gonna be okay, Flyboy?"
I let her down, Mac. I don't regret what I did, but I should have protected them. I should have-"
"Harm, don't do this to yourself. Annie wanted to stay out of her life. Her it's not your fault that she died, or Josh got hurt, it's just something that happened."
I looked at the blood stained floor one more time before looking up at Mac. "I know Mac, but I just can't help what I'm feeling."
"We'll get through it Harm, just don't shut me out," she said taking my hand and sitting down next to me.
"I stopped doing that a long time ago, Sarah. I don't know what I would ever do without you."
"And you're never going to find out. Now how about we get that stuff, and go back to the hospital. I'm sure Josh could use some company."
I kissed her softly on her head, and helped her to her feet. After searching a few rooms, we found Josh's room, and started putting a few things together for him.
"Here," Mac said throwing me a duffle bag. "You get some cloths together for him, and I'll find his CD's."
I was shocked to find that he didn't have a lot of cloths. All of his drawers were half empty.
"Mac, take a look at this."
"What?"
"Josh doesn't have a lot of cloths."
"What?" Mac asked walking over to me.
"There aren't a lot of cloths to pack for him."
"I guess we'll have to buy a few things for him," Mac concluded.
"Are you sure you want to do this Mac? Taking care of a fourteen year old boy isn't going to be easy."
"I know Harm, but we'll manage. We always do. Okay I found his CD's and his CD player, are you finished?"
"Yep, let's go."
Fade out
(Mac's POV)
We walked into Josh's room together, as he was pushing his food around on his trey.
"I think that food is for you to eat, not to play with," I said sitting down in the chair next to the bed, with Harm standing next to me.
"Well ma'am, this food should be labeled toxic waste, it tastes nasty. Did you guys talk this over?"
"Yeah, and we decided that it would be good if you came and lived with us." Harm said. I couldn't see his face, but I could hear the smile in his voice.
"You mean it?" Josh said trying to sit up, but stopped midway and grabbed his ribs.
"Are you okay Josh?" I asked.
"Yeah, I just sat up to fast, it's nothing."
"Hey Harm, how about going to get Josh something from the cafeteria? It has to be better then this stuff."
Harm gave me a long look, understanding what I wasn't telling him, and nodded.
"Sure, I'll be right back."
After Harm left, I handed Josh his CD's.
"Thanks."
"What kinds of CD's do you like Josh?"
"I got 'The Calling', 'Oasis', 'Creed', Linkin Park', 'SR71', and stuff like that."
"Hmm."
"Congratulations."
"What?"
He pointed to my stomach.
"How many months are you?"
"Seven."
"I'm sure harm is thrilled."
"We both are."
"I'm happy for you guys."
"Thanks. Josh, do you want to talk about what happened?"
"No."
"You know my childhood wasn't that great either."
"Did your stepfather beat you, and kill your mother?"
"No, but-"
"Then you have no idea how I feel."
"Josh-"
"Please, Mac, I really don't want to talk about it."
"Okay, but if you do-"
"I know, I know. I can talk to you or Harm"
I watched Josh, while he fiddled with his CD's, and wondered what was going on inside his head. Whatever it was, keeping it inside wasn't going to help him. I knew from experience.
Fade out
(A few days latter, Josh's POV)
As I was packing up to leave the hospital, Mac was signing me out, and Harm was talking to Ms. Carter. The judge granted temporary custody to Harm and Mac, and they were waiting on a hearing to decided custody. For me it was a dream coming true. I knew Harm and Mac would never hurt me, and that was what I needed, a stable family life. A light knock on the door broke me out of my thoughts.
"Is it okay to come in?" Ms. Carter asked.
"Yeah."
"So how are you doing Josh?"
"Okay. Where is Harm?"
"He is pulling the car around. Josh, are you sure this is what you want? Once the Rabb's adopt you-"
"Ma'am, this is what I want."
"Okay. The hearing is in a few days, and the judge will be asking you a few questions about what it was like at your house. I want you to be ready to answer those kinds of questions."
"I know."
"Have you talked to Harm or Mac at all?"
"I will."
"Then good luck Josh, I'll get in touch with you in a few days," she handed me a card, "you call me if you need anything, okay?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Bye Josh."
"Bye."
A few minutes after she left, Harm stuck his head in the door.
"You ready, pal?"
"I took one last look around the hospital room, and grabbed my duffle bag. "Let's go."
Fade out
(Webb's POV)
I sank into my seat on the jet, and waited for the other agent to get on board. Once he sat down, I bombarded him with questions. I hated the fact that he knew more about this case then I did.
"What do you got Bill?"
"The three men are being cared for at the base hospital. Your man has a leg injury that had to be operated on. They won't release him for a few days."
"And the others?"
"All have malnutrition, and other old injuries. They are being held for a few days to."
"What are the Russians saying?"
"That they had no idea."
"That figures. Are they being guarded?"
"Yes sir, two marine guards on each of them."
"Were they debriefed?"
"Yes sir."
"And has the President been informed?"
"Yes sir, the director called him yesterday, he was not happy about it. The President wants them home before the press gets wind of this."
"I agree."
"Mr. Webb, can I ask you something?"
"What?"
"Why is this man so important to you?"
"I owe him; and I owe his son."
TBC