Chapter 5.
1000 ZULU
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER RABBS OFFICE.
16TH JULY
It was ten o'clock and still Mac hadn't turned up for work. Everytime the elevator chimed Harm looked out of his office door to see if it was her but it never was and he was beginning to worry. He couldn't help feeling that yesterday had been the last straw for the extremely possesive Mic Brumby and that Harms spending the day with Mac had caused him to go over the edge, it was a feeling that just wouldn't go away and it scared him.
Lieutenant Harriet Sims appared at his door with a file for him.
"I have the file you wanted Sir." she told him, entering as he motioned for her to bring it over.
"Thank you Lieutenant. Would you like to sit down for a moment." he asked noticing her absently rubbing her back.
"Thank you sir. Pregnancy certainly tires you out quickly, gives you a hell of a back ache too." she replied taking a seat.
"Harriet can I ask you something, not as a commanding officer but a friend."
"Of course sir." the pretty Lieutenant replied.
"Has Colonel Mackenzie said anything to you about Brumby treating her badly? given you any indiacaton that he might be?"
"No sir why? Is he hurting her?"
Harm sighed "I don't know what to say Lieutenant. She says he loves her but..."
"Have you spoken to the Admiral about this?" Harriet asked always the voice of reason.
"What can I say Harriet? Hi sir, by the way I think the fiance of one of your officers, one who used to work here is beating her?"
"She hasn't seemed herself lately sir." Harriet added now concerned. "She's seemed more withdrawn now you mention it. What happened yesterday...if you don't mind me asking sir?"
"We found the venue for Courteney and Jacks wedding near enough first thing and apent the rest of the day at a fair we passed on the way. It was really great Harriet I mean it made me realise so much...Look I don't want to break Mac's confidence but lets just say Mic wasn't too happy to learn we'd been out together for the day. It's tough Harriet"
"It's tough all right." she agreed. "Listen sir, I can tell you care about the Colonel...more than you should and regarding your realising it...I take it that's what you meant earlier when you said yesterday made you realise so much...I'm happy for you. Sir she thinks the world of you, don't lose her to a man who she doesn't love." she told him easing herself out of the chair.
"And sir if I was Colonel Mackenzie, I'd want to know people were worried and trying to make it better...I'd want the Admiral to know no matter how bad it'd make me feel to know I hadn't gone to him myself." she finished. "Is that all Sir?"
"Yes thank you Lieutenant."
Harriet left, then Bud Roberts, her husband passed the door.
"You have one hell of a wife there Bud." he shouted.
"I know." Bud replied beaming. "Is everything okay sir?"
"Just fine Bud. Do you know is the Admiral in a meeting or anything?"
"Nope, I've just been speaking to him about a case."
"Thanks Bud." Harm told the confused officer, getting out of his chair.
1015 ZULU
ADMIRAL CHEGWIDDENS OFFICE.
"Tiner is the Admiral free to talk to me?" Harm asked the young officer who was sitting at his desk outside the Admirals office.
Tiner used the intercom to ask the Admiral. "Yes Commander go on in." Tiner told him picking up some papers.
"Commander Rabb what can I do for you." the Admiral saked as Harm entered his office.
"Sir I have reason to believe that Colonel Mackenzie is being abused by Mr Brumby."
"On what eveidence do you base this assumption?" the Admiral asked getting off his chair, starting to pace around his office.
"Sir she hasn't been herself lately, she has bruises on her arms which she admittted he gave her when he got angry and where is she today?"
"Mr Brumby called earlier saying the Colonel was sick."
"Sir he wasn't happy that Mac and I spent the day together yesterday. He rang last night when I dropped her off home, where she was too scared to go by the way, and had a go at me
for being there. He was convinced that something was going on between us and got angry."
"Son half of this office are convinced that there is something going on between you and Colonel Mackenzie." the Admiral answered.
"Yeah but they're not involved with Mac like Brumby is and aren't likely to hit her through jealousy."
"Look son I understand your concern, I'm concerned too to tell you the truth. Of course I will investigate I may even get Sydney to go and talk to her at her apartment, she should be able to seee the extent of Mics hurting her if indeed he is. All I can tell you is keep an eye out, this won't be taken lightly son and I promise you if he is hurting her something will be done about it." the Admiral promised.
"Thank you sir." Harm asked leaving.
"I will not stand for it." the Admiral stated angrily sitting down.
0900 ZULU.
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER RABBS OFFICE.
JAG HEADQUARTERS
18TH JULY
It had been two days since Harms meeting with the Admiral and Mac had still not returned to work. Everytime he had tried to call Brumby had answered or the phone had been cut off and everytime he had been round Brumby had answered the door. To tell the truth he was beginning to give up hope that Mac would see sense and get away from him.
The elevator bell rang and Mac stepped off, she strode purposely towards Harms office and shut the door behind her.
"What the hell has he done to you?" Harm shouted seeing she had the remains of a black eye and that she was having trouble walking.
"Why did you make him so mad Harm? Why the hell did you talk to him like that?" she shouted back.
"I was trying to defend you Mac, I never wanted him to do that to you." he replied stroking her her face tenderly.
She shied away "Don't touch me Harm okay please don't." she pleaded bursting into tears.
Harm walked around his desk and put out his arms.
"Come here ninja-girl." he replied soothingly.
Mac walked into his arms which he wrapped soothingly around her. "You spoke to the Admiral didn't you? Sydney came round to see me yesterday, Mic was out...I'm on anti immflamatorys and antibiotics.. I came in so mad at you for telling them Harm, so mad at you, but I can't be....I...I can't." she told him between sobs.
"Leave him Mac." Harm told her "For gods sake call the cops or something." he pleaded.
"I'm a Marine Harm I can cope with this."
"You call this coping?" he asked her stroking her hair back off her tear soaked face. "Look I'm sorry I made him mad taking you out, when I spoke to him on the phone that night or when I came to see you, but I'm not in the wrong here. I know I shouldn't interfere but I am so worried about you...I only wanted to look after you."
"I know Harm, it's okay. Just let him cool down for a while will you?"
"You can't be serious about sticking with him."
"What like you and Renee Harm? I'm so sorry." she told him wiping her face and leaving. "I am so sorry."
(END OF PART FIVE)
1000 ZULU
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER RABBS OFFICE.
16TH JULY
It was ten o'clock and still Mac hadn't turned up for work. Everytime the elevator chimed Harm looked out of his office door to see if it was her but it never was and he was beginning to worry. He couldn't help feeling that yesterday had been the last straw for the extremely possesive Mic Brumby and that Harms spending the day with Mac had caused him to go over the edge, it was a feeling that just wouldn't go away and it scared him.
Lieutenant Harriet Sims appared at his door with a file for him.
"I have the file you wanted Sir." she told him, entering as he motioned for her to bring it over.
"Thank you Lieutenant. Would you like to sit down for a moment." he asked noticing her absently rubbing her back.
"Thank you sir. Pregnancy certainly tires you out quickly, gives you a hell of a back ache too." she replied taking a seat.
"Harriet can I ask you something, not as a commanding officer but a friend."
"Of course sir." the pretty Lieutenant replied.
"Has Colonel Mackenzie said anything to you about Brumby treating her badly? given you any indiacaton that he might be?"
"No sir why? Is he hurting her?"
Harm sighed "I don't know what to say Lieutenant. She says he loves her but..."
"Have you spoken to the Admiral about this?" Harriet asked always the voice of reason.
"What can I say Harriet? Hi sir, by the way I think the fiance of one of your officers, one who used to work here is beating her?"
"She hasn't seemed herself lately sir." Harriet added now concerned. "She's seemed more withdrawn now you mention it. What happened yesterday...if you don't mind me asking sir?"
"We found the venue for Courteney and Jacks wedding near enough first thing and apent the rest of the day at a fair we passed on the way. It was really great Harriet I mean it made me realise so much...Look I don't want to break Mac's confidence but lets just say Mic wasn't too happy to learn we'd been out together for the day. It's tough Harriet"
"It's tough all right." she agreed. "Listen sir, I can tell you care about the Colonel...more than you should and regarding your realising it...I take it that's what you meant earlier when you said yesterday made you realise so much...I'm happy for you. Sir she thinks the world of you, don't lose her to a man who she doesn't love." she told him easing herself out of the chair.
"And sir if I was Colonel Mackenzie, I'd want to know people were worried and trying to make it better...I'd want the Admiral to know no matter how bad it'd make me feel to know I hadn't gone to him myself." she finished. "Is that all Sir?"
"Yes thank you Lieutenant."
Harriet left, then Bud Roberts, her husband passed the door.
"You have one hell of a wife there Bud." he shouted.
"I know." Bud replied beaming. "Is everything okay sir?"
"Just fine Bud. Do you know is the Admiral in a meeting or anything?"
"Nope, I've just been speaking to him about a case."
"Thanks Bud." Harm told the confused officer, getting out of his chair.
1015 ZULU
ADMIRAL CHEGWIDDENS OFFICE.
"Tiner is the Admiral free to talk to me?" Harm asked the young officer who was sitting at his desk outside the Admirals office.
Tiner used the intercom to ask the Admiral. "Yes Commander go on in." Tiner told him picking up some papers.
"Commander Rabb what can I do for you." the Admiral saked as Harm entered his office.
"Sir I have reason to believe that Colonel Mackenzie is being abused by Mr Brumby."
"On what eveidence do you base this assumption?" the Admiral asked getting off his chair, starting to pace around his office.
"Sir she hasn't been herself lately, she has bruises on her arms which she admittted he gave her when he got angry and where is she today?"
"Mr Brumby called earlier saying the Colonel was sick."
"Sir he wasn't happy that Mac and I spent the day together yesterday. He rang last night when I dropped her off home, where she was too scared to go by the way, and had a go at me
for being there. He was convinced that something was going on between us and got angry."
"Son half of this office are convinced that there is something going on between you and Colonel Mackenzie." the Admiral answered.
"Yeah but they're not involved with Mac like Brumby is and aren't likely to hit her through jealousy."
"Look son I understand your concern, I'm concerned too to tell you the truth. Of course I will investigate I may even get Sydney to go and talk to her at her apartment, she should be able to seee the extent of Mics hurting her if indeed he is. All I can tell you is keep an eye out, this won't be taken lightly son and I promise you if he is hurting her something will be done about it." the Admiral promised.
"Thank you sir." Harm asked leaving.
"I will not stand for it." the Admiral stated angrily sitting down.
0900 ZULU.
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER RABBS OFFICE.
JAG HEADQUARTERS
18TH JULY
It had been two days since Harms meeting with the Admiral and Mac had still not returned to work. Everytime he had tried to call Brumby had answered or the phone had been cut off and everytime he had been round Brumby had answered the door. To tell the truth he was beginning to give up hope that Mac would see sense and get away from him.
The elevator bell rang and Mac stepped off, she strode purposely towards Harms office and shut the door behind her.
"What the hell has he done to you?" Harm shouted seeing she had the remains of a black eye and that she was having trouble walking.
"Why did you make him so mad Harm? Why the hell did you talk to him like that?" she shouted back.
"I was trying to defend you Mac, I never wanted him to do that to you." he replied stroking her her face tenderly.
She shied away "Don't touch me Harm okay please don't." she pleaded bursting into tears.
Harm walked around his desk and put out his arms.
"Come here ninja-girl." he replied soothingly.
Mac walked into his arms which he wrapped soothingly around her. "You spoke to the Admiral didn't you? Sydney came round to see me yesterday, Mic was out...I'm on anti immflamatorys and antibiotics.. I came in so mad at you for telling them Harm, so mad at you, but I can't be....I...I can't." she told him between sobs.
"Leave him Mac." Harm told her "For gods sake call the cops or something." he pleaded.
"I'm a Marine Harm I can cope with this."
"You call this coping?" he asked her stroking her hair back off her tear soaked face. "Look I'm sorry I made him mad taking you out, when I spoke to him on the phone that night or when I came to see you, but I'm not in the wrong here. I know I shouldn't interfere but I am so worried about you...I only wanted to look after you."
"I know Harm, it's okay. Just let him cool down for a while will you?"
"You can't be serious about sticking with him."
"What like you and Renee Harm? I'm so sorry." she told him wiping her face and leaving. "I am so sorry."
(END OF PART FIVE)