Chapter 2.
1755 ZULU
ADMIRAL CHEGWIDDENS RESIDENCE.
A.J Chegwidden stood in his kitchen preparing dinner for the eight people coming round tonight to help with wedding plans for Courteney. He had been pleasantly surprised when all of those he had called into his office when Courteney had visited the JAG headquarters had agreed to lend a hand, even more so when his very own partner Sydney Walden had decided to pitch in also. If he was honest he was worried about Courteney's decision to marry so young, but she was strong minded and he wanted her to be happy. If his blessing was what that took he would give it, and if he could help in any way with this wedding to make sure she had the best that she could imagine he would make sure of that too.
The doorbell rang.
"It's okay A.J I'll get it." came a shout from his living room. Sydney Walden opened the door.
"You must be Courteney, and you Jackson." she said smiling at the young couple, so obviously in love.
"It's uh Jack ma'am and yeah that's us." he said grinning at his fiancee.
"I'm Sydney. Come on in you don't have to stand out there all night." she told them.
"It's great to meet you Sydney. You're making A.J a very happy man." Courteney told the woman leading her fiance inside and giving her a hug, A.J grinning in the kitchen.
"She most certainly is." he agreed coming into the hallway to join them, putting an arm around Sydney's waist..
"A.J this is Jack." Courteney said intorducing the pair. "Jack, my sort of adoptive dad AJ."
A.J eyed the boy carefully. "So you want to marry Courteney huh."
"Yes sir." the young man said a little uncomfortably knowing the rank of the man standing in front of him.
"It's A.J here son and know this, if you ever hurt her I can set a group of very angry lawers on you." he finished patting the young man on the back before smiling.
"I don't intend on doing that si...A.J" he finished, being interuppted by the doorbell yet again.
"So Sydney I hear you're a doctor?" Courteney asked as A.J went to open the front door.
"Really? I'm training to be one." Jack told the woman. "I've got some questions if you wouldn't mind."
"Of course not." she said leading the young man into the living room so they could chat.
A.J opened the door to see Bud, Harriet, baby A.J and Harm carrying a high chair, a collapsable play pen and a bag full of A.J's things in his arms, the youngster reaching out for his uncle in Harriets arms next to him.
"Hello people, welcome." A.J said showing them in. "You all know Courteney."
The young woman smiled at them "Thanks for this guys." she told them.
"No problem." Harriet said grinning. "I've brought some bridal magazines." she said motioning at the magazines Bud was carrying "I hope that's okay."
"That's great." the young woman said smiling. "So this must be A.J" she said going over to Harriet.
"Yes it is." Bud cooed.
"He's adorable." she told the proud couple. "Can I take him?"
"Sure" Bud said smiling as Harriet put the little boy into Courteney's arms.
"Hello baby." the youngster said looking totally at home.
Jack came out of the living room and saw Courteney with the baby.
"Son I'd watch out if I were you, this one's getting broody." A.J whispered in his ear making the young man laugh.
"Can I put these down somewhere sir?" Harm asked, his strong arms buckling under the strain of the weight of what he was carrying.
"Sure you can set the play pen up in the living room and the high chair up in the dining room." the Admiral told him.
"You want a hand?" Jack asked the officer.
"Sure." he answered as the young man came over to relieve him of some of the things he was carrying, then walking into the living room.
Ten minutes later everyone had broken up into groups, Harriet, Sydney and Courteney were looking at gowns and discussing with A.J who was working around them preparing the dinner, as they were sitting in the dining room, venues for the wedding, preferably outside. Bud too was joining in with the females discussion offering his own opinions, sitting next to Harriet and playing with A.J, one hand rubbing his wifes swollen belly as they talked. Harm meanwhile was standing by the window in the living room, Jack talking to him. Mac hadn't arrived yet and it wasn't like her to be late.
"So you enjoyed flying?" Jack asked Harm.
"Yeah I did." Harm said turning around.
"Then why'd you go back to JAG?"
"My flying career wouldn't have lasted." he told the young man "I loved flying, but I love law too."
"Yeah but surely it can't be as exciting as flying was."
Harm smiled at the young man, he liked him, he reminded him of himself when he was younger, full of passion for the things he loved.
"I guess not, but sometimes being a lawyer does allow you to be part of pretty important stuff. So..." he said sitting down next to the young man "You seem young to be getting married."
"Yeah" he smiled "That's what everyone says, but I believe that if you meet the right person you should go for it. When I met Courteney it was like I knew she was the one with the whole of my heart and the whole of my soul. It hurt to be away from her, and it was like when I was with her she was my whole world. If you meet someone who does that to you you should go with it, take that risk no matter how old you are or what's at stake. I guess that sounds pretty stupid coming from a guy huh?" he asked Harm
Harm thought about what the guy said, and thought about how true it was. He may be with Renee but there was never a woman he'd love more truly than he loved Sarah Mackenzie, he knew that. She was his soul, the one who filled his heart with love, the angel who was his whole world and he'd pushed her into the arms of another man because he was too stupid when they were on that ferry to admit that this was true.
"It's not stupid no. I envy you for being able to say that." Harm said quietly
"So what's her name?" Jack asked sensing Harms thoughts.
Harm smiled. "To tell you the truth it's all a bit confusing." he admitted.
"What that the woman you love is marrying someone else?" Jack told him and then seeing te puzzlement on his face adding "Courteney told me about that guy who...well you know, and that he was going to marry another officer she had met today, Sarah Mackenzie. She sensed you had feelings for her and vise versa and said that she thought was going to marry you."
"Hey there's nothing going on there. I have a girlfriend Renee and..."
"And you're happy with her? Sir no offence but if she was the one you cared about you wouldn't be sitting here worrying your ass off about the lady who's late." he finished "And your eyes wouldn't have lit up when I told you that Courteney thought you and Miss Mackenzie were getting married. You say you envy me for saying what I did about Courteney, but you obvously feel the same way about this lady. Why don't you say it to her if it's what you feel." he finished going into the kitchen to see which way the discussion was headed.
Harm sat there for a moment contemplating what his new friend had just said when Bud came in with baby A.J.
"Any sign of her sir?" he asked sitting down next to the worried man.
"Not yet Bud. How are things going in there?" he asked taking A.J into his arms and playing with him.
"They're discussing dresses and lingerie sir, I don't think the Admiral knows what to do with himself."
Harm smiled at this comment.
"I'm sure she's okay sir." Bud told his friend and superior officer knowing that deep down even though relations had been tense between the pair Harm really did care as much about her as he had before he left to fly, maybe even more so.
"I hope so Bud, I really do." he said pulling faces at the giggling child in his arms.
"If it makes you feel any better I'd be worried about Harriet too." he finished leaving Harm with his godson while he went back into the dining room to join his wife.
A few minutes later the doorbell rang.
"It's okay I'll get it." Harm shouted to the others in the kitchen. He opened the door to see Mac there. She looked beautiful but when she stepped into the light he could see she had been crying.
"Hey Marine you okay?" he asked as the others came into the hall to greet her. Seeing she was upset they promptly made their way back to the dining room where they carried on discussing what they had before though this time with an air of sadness about them, Harm still holding A.J who was reaching out for Mac.
"You want me to take him?" Harriet shouted from the dining room.
"It's fine Harriet." Harm told her, leading Mac into the livng room, his free hand on the small of her back. "So what's up? Are you ready to talk now?" he asked gently.
Mac looked up at him, her brown eyes full of unshed tears, she saw the concern in his eyes and knew right then that she needed him. "Things are getting bad Harm." she told him "I can't really say any more than that, just that I don't know what to do anymore." she finished.
"Why did you ask him to leave your apartment?" Harm asked her, handing over A.J who was trying to wriggle free to get to his adored aunt.
"He was just getting too possesive. He didn't want me to see my friends or to spend any time alone and he keeps..."
"Eyeing up young women?" Harm offered.
Mac gave a small smile, then started to pull faces at A.J who was trying to grab her nose. "We had an argument before I came, that's why I was late, I did invite him when he kept going on about it but he was being stubborn and refused. He wants to arrange our own wedding and I understand that, it's just...he doesn't understand I have close ties to my friends Harm, to one in particular..." she added under her breath "and when I told him I was going to be helping with this he got angry..."
"And gave you that?" he answered pointing to a bruise on Mac's arm.
"Of course not, Harm he'd never..."
"Okay." Harm answered seeing he had upset her. "Just know that I'm here okay, we have a lot to arrange for the couple in there." he said pointing to the dining room "They're so sweet."
"So's this one." Mac said blowing kisses onto A.Js tummy.
"So are you." he finished pulling her off the chair and into the kitchen to meet the groom.
Just an hour later dinner was finished. Baby A.J had been the source of much laughter at the table, throwing his food at Harm who he was seated next to in his high chair and then turning to Mac and giggling as if sensing in his little mind the strain that the pair had been under lately. Everyone had decided what roles they were going to play to get this wedding orgainised, A.J was paying for a lot of it with the help of Jacks father as Courteney didn't have anyone else to help her pay. Mac and Harm were going to check out venues together and get the music organised, Sydney and Harriet were going to help Courteney with the colour schemes wedding gowns and music, Sydney also with the caterers, and Bud and the Admiral were all going to help with the grooms suit and the best mans and arrange someone to perform the ceremony which was to be held outside in the grounds of a hotel of which Harm and Mac were going to check out the day after on which they had been given leave, Harm having defended the owners brother during a trial which he had won and the owner now owing him a a favour.
As they were finishing Bud and Harriet announced they were giong to have to leave. "Sorry, it's been a lovely evening but we really have to go and get this one to bed." Bud said pointing at a tired A.J who was asleep with his head on Harms shoulder, a scene which Mac couldn't help but find adorable.
"Thanks guys." Courteney told them. "Look I know I don't really know you or anything but Harriet can I ask you something...and you Mac and Syd. I don't really have anyone else and you guys have been so great helping us out here, Harriet would you be my maid of honour and Mac and Syd would you be bridemaids...you can say no if you want but..."
"I'd be honoured." Harriet told her excitedly.
"So would I." Sydney told the her having taken quite a liking to the young woman A.J considered to be a daughter.
"Me too." Mac said sincerely putting a hand on top of Courteney's.
"I'd also like to ask you something Harm if you don't mind." Jack said to the half asleep Commander.
"Harm?" Mac said quietly squeezing his hand and waking him up a bit. "Jack's got a question for you."
The young man cleared his throat as someone does when they are about to say something that they find uncomfortable "Would you be best man? I have friends where I'm stationed, don't get me wrong, but I'd be honoured to have Harmon Rabb as my best man...if that's alright with you?" he asked.
"I'd be honoured." Harm said truly flattered throwing a smile at Bud and Harriet when he noticed A.J had fallen asleep in his arms.
"Well then, we have our missions people, I expect to hear from you two tommorow about the venue, Harriet and Bud call when you're free and we'll get the rest sorted out. It's gonna take a while but we're gonna have a wedding. Oh Comander Rabb and Colonel Mackenzie, I expect you to be in at JAG on Saturday to catch p with any missed work" A.J told them,
proud of officers from under his command who were willing to help in this way.
"Yes sir." they chorused.
Harriet and Bud got up and took A.J from Harm who then went to grab the items he had carried into the house earlier, ten minutes later they were packed and ready to head home.
"See you guys soon." Courteney told them gving them a hug, Jack shaking Buds hand and giving Harriet a kiss.
"Bye." Harriet shouted out of the car window as they were just about to set off, Mac having strapped the sleeping baby into his car seat. "Have a great time tommorow." she told Mac jealous that they'd been given a days leave to look at the hotel they were thinking of holding the wedding at.
"See you guys." Mac answered as they left though not before hearing Bud say to his wife that she'd make a beautiful maid of honour which prompted a kiss off Harriet and a grin off Harm and Mac.
Harm was about to set off when his cell phone rang, he picked it up to hear an irate Renee on the other end "Renee I'm at the Admiral's house....I told you that I was going to be here...why? because I'm helping out some friends Renee...they're important to me...yeah she's here..."
Harm turned away from Mac. She immediately knew that Renee was angry because he'd been spending time with her.
"Hey don't you ever say that about her...Yeah I love you...Renee now is not the time okay. I care about my friends and I'm doing this whether you agree with me or not...you know what don't bother." he hung up.
"I'd um better go." he answered climbing into his car. "I'll call round and pick you up at nine in the morning okay?"
"Yeah that's fine. Goodnight Harm." Mac said waving him off.
"Well we'd better go too I think. See you tommorow A.J" Courteney told him giving him, Sydney and Mac a kiss on the cheek while her husband to be gave the women a kiss and A.J a handshake and then they too left walking hand in hand to the car.
"I'd better be off too sir, early morning and all." Mac joked.
"See you in a couple of days Colonel." A.J replied.
"Yes sir." she answered with a small smile.
A few minutes later the guests had all departed.
"You think she'll ever realise what she's got in Harm." Sydney asked the Admiral.
"I know it's against regs but I hope so. If those two, who by the way are as blind as bats, finally realise what everybody else here realised tonight I think I'd do anything I could to make sure they could be happy." he finished leading Sydney inside.
2100 ZULU
SARAH MACKENZIES APARTMENT.
Sarah Mackenzie walked tiredly to the door of her apartment, getting the key out of her handbag. She stopped briefly, the key suspended in her hand ready to open the door, and prayed that Mic wasn't in there. She knew she shouldn't feel this way about her future husband, she knew that it was wrong to even consider what she was. She wanted to go and see Harm, spend the night at his even if she was sleeping on the sofa, anything but spend the night here if he was and for this she felt incredibly guilty. It was the truth however, she was scared and she knew deep down that if you're in love with a person this isn't the way you should be feeling.
Gradually she got up the courage to enter her apartment, she saw a figure approaching and let out a small scream only to find it was Jingo who immediately began to lick his owners face.
"Hey boy, lets get you some water." she said turning the lights on and entering the kitchen, sighing when she realised that she had gotten so worked up for nothing. When she had
done this she walked over to her sofa and sat down, the phone began to ring. She picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Hey luv it's Mic, have a nice evening?"
"Yeah it was fun, you should have come along. A.J was so cute, up to his usual mischeif and the kids...they're such a sweet couple." she finished beginning to settle down.
"So you wanna do anything tommorow?" he aked apparently not having listened to a word she had said.
"Did you hear anything I said at all?" she replied.
"Course I did luv. So you wanna do anything or not?"
"I can't."
"What do you mean you can't? I know you're working but surely we can have lunch or something."
"Actually I uh got the day off. The Admiral's asked Harm and I to check out venues for Courteney and Jacks wedding."
"Let me get this straight. You're taking a day off to help organise the wedding of two kids you barely know when you won't even consider doing the same for our own wedding,?and then you're going to spend it with him!" he said beginning to shout.
"Mic honey..." she said trying to calm him down.
"Don't honey me Sarah. Bloody hell it's bad enough that you're helping out with this wedding when our own is practically non existent, but spending the day with him! I swear you care more about that up himself Pilot turned lawyer than you do your own fiance. You just don't give a damn about anyones feelings but his or your own."
"That is crap Mic and you know it." she shouted immediately regretting it. "And he has a name you know. Is this what all this has been about? All of what you've been doing lately? Is it because you want me to lose my best friend because you feel competition from him? Do you want to punish me because of my friendship with Harm?"
"Shut up will you." he snapped "Of course not, and what exactly have I been doing lately..."
"Nothing. Forget it."
"I will not forget it Sarah, why do you insist on talking back to me?"
"Look I have to go okay? Goodnight Mic." she answered slamming down the phone.
She walked over to her bed, pulled down the covers and got in, tears welling up behind her eyes that she knew would be impossible to stop falling. She grabbed a pillow and held it tightly to her, she couldn't even bring herself to turn out the light for fear of what would come in the darkness so she just lay there and cried, all the time wishing for the morning and for the one man who she wanted to protect her, who she wanted to hold her and comfort her, while her dog jumped up onto the bed and nuzzled his head against hers, the only source of comfort that night.
(END OF PART TWO)
1755 ZULU
ADMIRAL CHEGWIDDENS RESIDENCE.
A.J Chegwidden stood in his kitchen preparing dinner for the eight people coming round tonight to help with wedding plans for Courteney. He had been pleasantly surprised when all of those he had called into his office when Courteney had visited the JAG headquarters had agreed to lend a hand, even more so when his very own partner Sydney Walden had decided to pitch in also. If he was honest he was worried about Courteney's decision to marry so young, but she was strong minded and he wanted her to be happy. If his blessing was what that took he would give it, and if he could help in any way with this wedding to make sure she had the best that she could imagine he would make sure of that too.
The doorbell rang.
"It's okay A.J I'll get it." came a shout from his living room. Sydney Walden opened the door.
"You must be Courteney, and you Jackson." she said smiling at the young couple, so obviously in love.
"It's uh Jack ma'am and yeah that's us." he said grinning at his fiancee.
"I'm Sydney. Come on in you don't have to stand out there all night." she told them.
"It's great to meet you Sydney. You're making A.J a very happy man." Courteney told the woman leading her fiance inside and giving her a hug, A.J grinning in the kitchen.
"She most certainly is." he agreed coming into the hallway to join them, putting an arm around Sydney's waist..
"A.J this is Jack." Courteney said intorducing the pair. "Jack, my sort of adoptive dad AJ."
A.J eyed the boy carefully. "So you want to marry Courteney huh."
"Yes sir." the young man said a little uncomfortably knowing the rank of the man standing in front of him.
"It's A.J here son and know this, if you ever hurt her I can set a group of very angry lawers on you." he finished patting the young man on the back before smiling.
"I don't intend on doing that si...A.J" he finished, being interuppted by the doorbell yet again.
"So Sydney I hear you're a doctor?" Courteney asked as A.J went to open the front door.
"Really? I'm training to be one." Jack told the woman. "I've got some questions if you wouldn't mind."
"Of course not." she said leading the young man into the living room so they could chat.
A.J opened the door to see Bud, Harriet, baby A.J and Harm carrying a high chair, a collapsable play pen and a bag full of A.J's things in his arms, the youngster reaching out for his uncle in Harriets arms next to him.
"Hello people, welcome." A.J said showing them in. "You all know Courteney."
The young woman smiled at them "Thanks for this guys." she told them.
"No problem." Harriet said grinning. "I've brought some bridal magazines." she said motioning at the magazines Bud was carrying "I hope that's okay."
"That's great." the young woman said smiling. "So this must be A.J" she said going over to Harriet.
"Yes it is." Bud cooed.
"He's adorable." she told the proud couple. "Can I take him?"
"Sure" Bud said smiling as Harriet put the little boy into Courteney's arms.
"Hello baby." the youngster said looking totally at home.
Jack came out of the living room and saw Courteney with the baby.
"Son I'd watch out if I were you, this one's getting broody." A.J whispered in his ear making the young man laugh.
"Can I put these down somewhere sir?" Harm asked, his strong arms buckling under the strain of the weight of what he was carrying.
"Sure you can set the play pen up in the living room and the high chair up in the dining room." the Admiral told him.
"You want a hand?" Jack asked the officer.
"Sure." he answered as the young man came over to relieve him of some of the things he was carrying, then walking into the living room.
Ten minutes later everyone had broken up into groups, Harriet, Sydney and Courteney were looking at gowns and discussing with A.J who was working around them preparing the dinner, as they were sitting in the dining room, venues for the wedding, preferably outside. Bud too was joining in with the females discussion offering his own opinions, sitting next to Harriet and playing with A.J, one hand rubbing his wifes swollen belly as they talked. Harm meanwhile was standing by the window in the living room, Jack talking to him. Mac hadn't arrived yet and it wasn't like her to be late.
"So you enjoyed flying?" Jack asked Harm.
"Yeah I did." Harm said turning around.
"Then why'd you go back to JAG?"
"My flying career wouldn't have lasted." he told the young man "I loved flying, but I love law too."
"Yeah but surely it can't be as exciting as flying was."
Harm smiled at the young man, he liked him, he reminded him of himself when he was younger, full of passion for the things he loved.
"I guess not, but sometimes being a lawyer does allow you to be part of pretty important stuff. So..." he said sitting down next to the young man "You seem young to be getting married."
"Yeah" he smiled "That's what everyone says, but I believe that if you meet the right person you should go for it. When I met Courteney it was like I knew she was the one with the whole of my heart and the whole of my soul. It hurt to be away from her, and it was like when I was with her she was my whole world. If you meet someone who does that to you you should go with it, take that risk no matter how old you are or what's at stake. I guess that sounds pretty stupid coming from a guy huh?" he asked Harm
Harm thought about what the guy said, and thought about how true it was. He may be with Renee but there was never a woman he'd love more truly than he loved Sarah Mackenzie, he knew that. She was his soul, the one who filled his heart with love, the angel who was his whole world and he'd pushed her into the arms of another man because he was too stupid when they were on that ferry to admit that this was true.
"It's not stupid no. I envy you for being able to say that." Harm said quietly
"So what's her name?" Jack asked sensing Harms thoughts.
Harm smiled. "To tell you the truth it's all a bit confusing." he admitted.
"What that the woman you love is marrying someone else?" Jack told him and then seeing te puzzlement on his face adding "Courteney told me about that guy who...well you know, and that he was going to marry another officer she had met today, Sarah Mackenzie. She sensed you had feelings for her and vise versa and said that she thought was going to marry you."
"Hey there's nothing going on there. I have a girlfriend Renee and..."
"And you're happy with her? Sir no offence but if she was the one you cared about you wouldn't be sitting here worrying your ass off about the lady who's late." he finished "And your eyes wouldn't have lit up when I told you that Courteney thought you and Miss Mackenzie were getting married. You say you envy me for saying what I did about Courteney, but you obvously feel the same way about this lady. Why don't you say it to her if it's what you feel." he finished going into the kitchen to see which way the discussion was headed.
Harm sat there for a moment contemplating what his new friend had just said when Bud came in with baby A.J.
"Any sign of her sir?" he asked sitting down next to the worried man.
"Not yet Bud. How are things going in there?" he asked taking A.J into his arms and playing with him.
"They're discussing dresses and lingerie sir, I don't think the Admiral knows what to do with himself."
Harm smiled at this comment.
"I'm sure she's okay sir." Bud told his friend and superior officer knowing that deep down even though relations had been tense between the pair Harm really did care as much about her as he had before he left to fly, maybe even more so.
"I hope so Bud, I really do." he said pulling faces at the giggling child in his arms.
"If it makes you feel any better I'd be worried about Harriet too." he finished leaving Harm with his godson while he went back into the dining room to join his wife.
A few minutes later the doorbell rang.
"It's okay I'll get it." Harm shouted to the others in the kitchen. He opened the door to see Mac there. She looked beautiful but when she stepped into the light he could see she had been crying.
"Hey Marine you okay?" he asked as the others came into the hall to greet her. Seeing she was upset they promptly made their way back to the dining room where they carried on discussing what they had before though this time with an air of sadness about them, Harm still holding A.J who was reaching out for Mac.
"You want me to take him?" Harriet shouted from the dining room.
"It's fine Harriet." Harm told her, leading Mac into the livng room, his free hand on the small of her back. "So what's up? Are you ready to talk now?" he asked gently.
Mac looked up at him, her brown eyes full of unshed tears, she saw the concern in his eyes and knew right then that she needed him. "Things are getting bad Harm." she told him "I can't really say any more than that, just that I don't know what to do anymore." she finished.
"Why did you ask him to leave your apartment?" Harm asked her, handing over A.J who was trying to wriggle free to get to his adored aunt.
"He was just getting too possesive. He didn't want me to see my friends or to spend any time alone and he keeps..."
"Eyeing up young women?" Harm offered.
Mac gave a small smile, then started to pull faces at A.J who was trying to grab her nose. "We had an argument before I came, that's why I was late, I did invite him when he kept going on about it but he was being stubborn and refused. He wants to arrange our own wedding and I understand that, it's just...he doesn't understand I have close ties to my friends Harm, to one in particular..." she added under her breath "and when I told him I was going to be helping with this he got angry..."
"And gave you that?" he answered pointing to a bruise on Mac's arm.
"Of course not, Harm he'd never..."
"Okay." Harm answered seeing he had upset her. "Just know that I'm here okay, we have a lot to arrange for the couple in there." he said pointing to the dining room "They're so sweet."
"So's this one." Mac said blowing kisses onto A.Js tummy.
"So are you." he finished pulling her off the chair and into the kitchen to meet the groom.
Just an hour later dinner was finished. Baby A.J had been the source of much laughter at the table, throwing his food at Harm who he was seated next to in his high chair and then turning to Mac and giggling as if sensing in his little mind the strain that the pair had been under lately. Everyone had decided what roles they were going to play to get this wedding orgainised, A.J was paying for a lot of it with the help of Jacks father as Courteney didn't have anyone else to help her pay. Mac and Harm were going to check out venues together and get the music organised, Sydney and Harriet were going to help Courteney with the colour schemes wedding gowns and music, Sydney also with the caterers, and Bud and the Admiral were all going to help with the grooms suit and the best mans and arrange someone to perform the ceremony which was to be held outside in the grounds of a hotel of which Harm and Mac were going to check out the day after on which they had been given leave, Harm having defended the owners brother during a trial which he had won and the owner now owing him a a favour.
As they were finishing Bud and Harriet announced they were giong to have to leave. "Sorry, it's been a lovely evening but we really have to go and get this one to bed." Bud said pointing at a tired A.J who was asleep with his head on Harms shoulder, a scene which Mac couldn't help but find adorable.
"Thanks guys." Courteney told them. "Look I know I don't really know you or anything but Harriet can I ask you something...and you Mac and Syd. I don't really have anyone else and you guys have been so great helping us out here, Harriet would you be my maid of honour and Mac and Syd would you be bridemaids...you can say no if you want but..."
"I'd be honoured." Harriet told her excitedly.
"So would I." Sydney told the her having taken quite a liking to the young woman A.J considered to be a daughter.
"Me too." Mac said sincerely putting a hand on top of Courteney's.
"I'd also like to ask you something Harm if you don't mind." Jack said to the half asleep Commander.
"Harm?" Mac said quietly squeezing his hand and waking him up a bit. "Jack's got a question for you."
The young man cleared his throat as someone does when they are about to say something that they find uncomfortable "Would you be best man? I have friends where I'm stationed, don't get me wrong, but I'd be honoured to have Harmon Rabb as my best man...if that's alright with you?" he asked.
"I'd be honoured." Harm said truly flattered throwing a smile at Bud and Harriet when he noticed A.J had fallen asleep in his arms.
"Well then, we have our missions people, I expect to hear from you two tommorow about the venue, Harriet and Bud call when you're free and we'll get the rest sorted out. It's gonna take a while but we're gonna have a wedding. Oh Comander Rabb and Colonel Mackenzie, I expect you to be in at JAG on Saturday to catch p with any missed work" A.J told them,
proud of officers from under his command who were willing to help in this way.
"Yes sir." they chorused.
Harriet and Bud got up and took A.J from Harm who then went to grab the items he had carried into the house earlier, ten minutes later they were packed and ready to head home.
"See you guys soon." Courteney told them gving them a hug, Jack shaking Buds hand and giving Harriet a kiss.
"Bye." Harriet shouted out of the car window as they were just about to set off, Mac having strapped the sleeping baby into his car seat. "Have a great time tommorow." she told Mac jealous that they'd been given a days leave to look at the hotel they were thinking of holding the wedding at.
"See you guys." Mac answered as they left though not before hearing Bud say to his wife that she'd make a beautiful maid of honour which prompted a kiss off Harriet and a grin off Harm and Mac.
Harm was about to set off when his cell phone rang, he picked it up to hear an irate Renee on the other end "Renee I'm at the Admiral's house....I told you that I was going to be here...why? because I'm helping out some friends Renee...they're important to me...yeah she's here..."
Harm turned away from Mac. She immediately knew that Renee was angry because he'd been spending time with her.
"Hey don't you ever say that about her...Yeah I love you...Renee now is not the time okay. I care about my friends and I'm doing this whether you agree with me or not...you know what don't bother." he hung up.
"I'd um better go." he answered climbing into his car. "I'll call round and pick you up at nine in the morning okay?"
"Yeah that's fine. Goodnight Harm." Mac said waving him off.
"Well we'd better go too I think. See you tommorow A.J" Courteney told him giving him, Sydney and Mac a kiss on the cheek while her husband to be gave the women a kiss and A.J a handshake and then they too left walking hand in hand to the car.
"I'd better be off too sir, early morning and all." Mac joked.
"See you in a couple of days Colonel." A.J replied.
"Yes sir." she answered with a small smile.
A few minutes later the guests had all departed.
"You think she'll ever realise what she's got in Harm." Sydney asked the Admiral.
"I know it's against regs but I hope so. If those two, who by the way are as blind as bats, finally realise what everybody else here realised tonight I think I'd do anything I could to make sure they could be happy." he finished leading Sydney inside.
2100 ZULU
SARAH MACKENZIES APARTMENT.
Sarah Mackenzie walked tiredly to the door of her apartment, getting the key out of her handbag. She stopped briefly, the key suspended in her hand ready to open the door, and prayed that Mic wasn't in there. She knew she shouldn't feel this way about her future husband, she knew that it was wrong to even consider what she was. She wanted to go and see Harm, spend the night at his even if she was sleeping on the sofa, anything but spend the night here if he was and for this she felt incredibly guilty. It was the truth however, she was scared and she knew deep down that if you're in love with a person this isn't the way you should be feeling.
Gradually she got up the courage to enter her apartment, she saw a figure approaching and let out a small scream only to find it was Jingo who immediately began to lick his owners face.
"Hey boy, lets get you some water." she said turning the lights on and entering the kitchen, sighing when she realised that she had gotten so worked up for nothing. When she had
done this she walked over to her sofa and sat down, the phone began to ring. She picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Hey luv it's Mic, have a nice evening?"
"Yeah it was fun, you should have come along. A.J was so cute, up to his usual mischeif and the kids...they're such a sweet couple." she finished beginning to settle down.
"So you wanna do anything tommorow?" he aked apparently not having listened to a word she had said.
"Did you hear anything I said at all?" she replied.
"Course I did luv. So you wanna do anything or not?"
"I can't."
"What do you mean you can't? I know you're working but surely we can have lunch or something."
"Actually I uh got the day off. The Admiral's asked Harm and I to check out venues for Courteney and Jacks wedding."
"Let me get this straight. You're taking a day off to help organise the wedding of two kids you barely know when you won't even consider doing the same for our own wedding,?and then you're going to spend it with him!" he said beginning to shout.
"Mic honey..." she said trying to calm him down.
"Don't honey me Sarah. Bloody hell it's bad enough that you're helping out with this wedding when our own is practically non existent, but spending the day with him! I swear you care more about that up himself Pilot turned lawyer than you do your own fiance. You just don't give a damn about anyones feelings but his or your own."
"That is crap Mic and you know it." she shouted immediately regretting it. "And he has a name you know. Is this what all this has been about? All of what you've been doing lately? Is it because you want me to lose my best friend because you feel competition from him? Do you want to punish me because of my friendship with Harm?"
"Shut up will you." he snapped "Of course not, and what exactly have I been doing lately..."
"Nothing. Forget it."
"I will not forget it Sarah, why do you insist on talking back to me?"
"Look I have to go okay? Goodnight Mic." she answered slamming down the phone.
She walked over to her bed, pulled down the covers and got in, tears welling up behind her eyes that she knew would be impossible to stop falling. She grabbed a pillow and held it tightly to her, she couldn't even bring herself to turn out the light for fear of what would come in the darkness so she just lay there and cried, all the time wishing for the morning and for the one man who she wanted to protect her, who she wanted to hold her and comfort her, while her dog jumped up onto the bed and nuzzled his head against hers, the only source of comfort that night.
(END OF PART TWO)