Disclaimers in Part 1
Sonnet 135
Monday, 16 December 2002
Legal Affairs Office
MCB Quantico
Quantico, VA
1330 ZULU
Mac was happy. Happier than she had been in a long time. She had had a great weekend caring for her godson, although she was a bit exhausted from chasing him around for two days. And the notes...she sighed. They hadn't stopped at Harriet and Bud's house. When she got back to her quarters, another bouquet of roses, pink ones this time, sat on her bureau. 'Perfect happiness,' she thought, a smile touching the corners of her lips. The accompanying note just said to expect another one today at the office. Mac waited until 0900 hours, when she had to get to her staff meeting. There, she handed out new assignments and wrapped up old ones. She was content with her new post. Even though she loved litigation, she really enjoyed her position.
Around 1100 hours, a delivery arrived. Mac could hear the buzzing of gossip from the bullpen in her office. She stepped outside. "Is something the matter?"
"No, ma'am!" Corporal Whitman replied. "You have a delivery, ma'am." He handed her the vase of flowers.
"Thank you, Corporal." She smiled and headed back to her office. Shaking her head and closing the door to the speculation she could hear, she set the vase down on the desk. 'Coral roses, AJ?' She shivered at the significance of the color. Coral roses stood for desire. She reached for the card that she knew would be included. She gasped and blushed as she read the...rather explicit...love note.
Mac collapsed into her desk chair. "Oh, god, AJ..." Heat ran through her body. 'What was he thinking, sending this to me at the office? Is he insane?' A wicked smile began to curve at her lips. 'So, he thinks I'm just going to sit back and take this?' "Oh, AJ, I'm gonna fix your little red wagon!" she said aloud to the empty office.
Tuesday, 17 December 2002
JAG Ops
Falls Church, VA
1600 ZULU
Admiral AJ Chegwidden sat at his desk, working on ever-present piles of paperwork. He heard the commotion in the bullpen, and left his office. "Is something going on that I should know about?" he asked in his commanding voice. When the officers heard him, they all came to attention. "As you were," he said. He repeated his question.
"Well, Admiral," Harriet began, "it seems you have a delivery, sir."
AJ quirked an eyebrow. "A delivery, Lieutenant?" He gestured for her to follow him.
"Yes, sir," she confirmed. Lifting the item, she carried it to his office. She set it down on the desk. Leaning in, she said in a stage whisper, "I believe it's from Colonel Mackenzie, sir."
Nodding absently, AJ dismissed Harriet. She left the office, grinning broadly. Mac had called her last night to request her help. Harriet was more than happy to oblige--providing her commanding officer wouldn't find out.
AJ looked curiously at the plant. 'A cactus?' He picked up the note. The paper was similar to that on which he had been sending his own. 'Uh-oh.'
"Whoever hath her wish, thou hast thy Will,And Will to boot, and Will in over-plus;
More than enough am I that vexed thee still,
To thy sweet will making addition thus.
Wilt thou, whose will is large and spacious,
Not once vouchsafe to hide my will in thine?
Shall will in others seem right gracious,
And in my will no fair acceptance shine?
The sea, all water, yet receives rain still,
And in abundance addeth to his store;
So thou, being rich in Will, add to thy Will
One will of mine, to make thy large will more.
Let no unkind, no fair beseechers kill;
Think all but one, and me in that one Will."
AJ reddened and reread the note incredulously. 'My god, Sarah!' He couldn't believe she would send him something like this! 'Of course she would, Chegwidden! She's a Marine, remember? She didn't just step out of a convent. You should've known she wouldn't have let that last note slide.' He grinned and pushed the intercom button. "Tiner, get Legal Affairs at Quantico on the line. Colonel Mackenzie's office."
Tuesday, 17 December 2002
Legal Affairs Office
MCB Quantico
Quantico, VA
1630 ZULU
"Colonel, Admiral Chegwidden is on line 2, ma'am."
"Thank you, Corporal. Harriet, I have to go." Mac said, excitement lacing her voice.
Harriet giggled. "Ooh, did he call?" she teased lightly.
"Goodbye, Harriet," she replied, laughing slightly. Pressing the button to switch lines, she answered briskly, "Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie."
"Sarah, are you trying to kill me?!"
Mac chuckled, and said, "I guess you got my note, sailor."
AJ groaned, "Oh, I got it all right...I have something else now, as well. Shame on you, woman! What if Tiner had gotten it first? How in the world would I have explained that?" Shouts of laughter sounded from the other end. "It isn't funny!"
"Oh, yes, it is! Payback's a bitch, AJ. You should know by now not to issue a challenge to a Marine."
"So I guess you got my note as well?" AJ asked, a bit huskily.
At the sound of AJ's voice, Mac shivered. Her voice breathy, she answered, "Yes, I got your note. AJ, what were you thinking, sending something like that to the office?"
"I guess that I wanted to bring a little excitement to your day. Did it work?"
"Yeah, it definitely worked, AJ. Listen, I have to get back to work now, but..."
"I have to get back to work now, but..." They both laughed. "Go ahead, Sarah."
"Well, I was wondering...if you would have dinner with me this weekend. Say, Friday night?"
AJ smiled. "I would love to. In fact, I believe that I owe you a dinner at Callisto's, don't I?"
"Yes, you do," she replied playfully. She sobered. "Then afterward, maybe we could talk."
AJ sighed. He knew this was coming, but he couldn't...and wouldn't...stop it. "Sure, Sarah. I guess we should talk, huh?"
"Yes, AJ, we should. So, Friday?"
"Friday," he confirmed. "I'll call you back later to let you know when our reservations are for."
"All right. Goodbye, AJ."
"Goodbye, Sarah."
They hung up, smiles of anticipation lighting both their faces.
