Chapter 6
Mission: Give a Gift
As he watches the helicopter carrying an unconscious Harm and a bleeding Frank toward a trauma center, Bud Roberts looks down at his cell phone, dreading the call he must make. Suddenly the cell phone chirps at him, he presses a button and says, "Roberts."
Admiral: Bud, we need to contact Col. MacKenzie.
Bud: I was just ready to do that, sir.
Admiral: This is a horrible thing to do to her two days before her wedding. Do you know where they are?
Bud: All the ladies went to La Poshe Spa today, sir. They should be just about finished now.
Admiral: Do you think you could call Harriet instead of Mac? She's going to need to get Mac and Trish to the hospital. We can meet them there.
Bud: What did the paramedics say, sir?
Admiral: It doesn't look good for Frank. He's lost so much blood. Harm will probably be okay but I don't know if he'll be ready for Saturday. Even if he is, I don't know if he'll want to go Saturday if something happens to Frank.
Bud: Sir, just when we thought things were finally going their way.
Admiral: You don't have to tell me that. I'm sorry I ever thought of this dumb game. I hate the thought of facing Mac.
Bud: Admiral, sir, we had a great time last night. How could you know that Mr. Webb had ticked off some terrorist group?
Admiral: Well, hindsight is always 20/20. Listen Bud, Webb and I have to hang back here and answer the Sheriff's questions. I may even have to be charged until we can sort things out. I'm keeping Sturgis here as my lawyer. I'll send the other four back to you. You need to get to the hospital and call Harriet to get Mac and Trish to the hospital. One other thing, Bud, Meredith does not need to know at this point that I may be facing charges.
Bud: Admiral, what exactly did you do?
Admiral: I neutralized one of the hostages.
Bud: With Webb's Saturday Night Special?
Admiral: NO.
Bud: With his .9 mm? I didn't hear a shot.
Admiral: No, Bud, with a wire.
Bud: Oh, wow, Admiral. You will need to explain.
Admiral: Call your wife, Lt. She can take command.
Bud hits the off button. He punches it again and hits a speed dial number for Harriet.
Harriet: Hello?
Bud: Hi , sweetie.
Harriet: Hi, Bud. Are you finished already? It's only five-thirty. I have been pampered today. I'm so relaxed , I could even be happy to see my mother.
Bud: I'm glad you had a good day. Listen, I need you to pull things together for me and take charge of an emergency.
Harriet (using clipped words): What?
Bud: Harm and Frank have been injured. They are being medievacked into the D.C. trauma center now. You need to take Trish and Mac and get over there. I don't want you to panic, but I'm going to let you know how bad things are. Frank's been shot twice and was losing a lot of blood when they lifted him.
Harriet (choosing her words carefully): And the other one?
Bud: Head injury, we don't know how serious.
Harriet: Again?
Bud: I know. Listen, the Admiral doesn't want Meredith to know that he's got to answer some questions from the Sheriff.
Harriet: Why?
Bud: He killed one of the terrorists who was holding Harm.
Harriet: In the middle of rural Virginia? How? (realizes that she has piqued the curiosity of Mac). Okay, sweetie, you can just fill me in later. I'll do what you've asked. I love you.
Harriet clicks off her cell phone.
Mac: What's going on, Harriet?
Harriet: Okay, ladies, we've had a slight change of plans. Meredith, do you think you could take Grandma Rabb and Chloe to the Admiral's house and wait for the men? They've had a little change of plans. I need to take Mac and Trish to another place first, then we'll be over. Oh, Meredith, stop by my house and let my mother know that we'll be late. I'll tell her all about it later.
Sarah Rabb: I think I'll stay with Mac, Harriet. She may need me.
Mac: Harriet -
Harriet: Not now, Mac.
Meredith: Is AJ okay?
Harriet: He's going to call you at his house. Please, Meredith, I need to get these ladies somewhere. Please just trust me.
Meredith: C'mon Chloe. I'll order you whatever kind of pizza you want.
Chloe: Mac?
Mac: Chloe, go with Meredith. The dogs will need to be taken for a walk. You're good with them.
Chloe: Call me?
Mac: I will, sweetie. Just go.
Meredith and Chloe leave.
Harriet: Where're Bobbi and Jennifer?
Mac: Bobbi had a dinner at the State Department so she left when you were on the phone with Bud. She's dropping Jennifer off at her place. What's going on?
Harriet: Ladies, get in the car, and I'll tell you on the way.
Mac: Harm's hurt, isn't he?
Harriet doesn't answer.
2300 ZULU
Emergency Room Bethesda Naval Hospital Bethesda, Maryland
Harriet, Trish, Sarah, and Mac walk up the reception desk.
Harriet: Petty Officer, I'm Lt. Harriet Sims, attached to JAG Corps. We've had some confusion, but I understand that a helicopter brought two trauma patients in here, a Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. and his stepfather, Frank Burnett. Is that correct?
P.O. Smith: Yes Ma'am. The chopper tried to land at a D.C. trauma center but there was an accident on the Beltway and they had their hands full. Since there was a Naval Officer, they sent them here.
Harriet: This is Commander Rabb's mother , his grandmother, and his fiancee. His mother is also Mr. Burnett's wife. Can we see them?
P.O. Smith: I'll check, but I believe the civilian was taken up to surgery. He was hit with two nasty gunshot wounds, lost a significant amount of blood. The Commander has a concussion. I'm not sure he's awake yet. Let me check with a doctor and get back to you.
Lt. Commander Darryl Munsen walks out into the waiting room of the emergency room.
Munsen: Is there a Lt. Sims here?
Harriet: I am she, sir.
Munsen: I was looking for the uniform.
Harriet glances down at her maternity sweat suit.
Harriet: I took a personal leave day today, sir.
Mac: I'm Lt. Col. Sarah MacKenzie. I am Commander Rabb's fiancee. How is he?
Munsen: I hope that wedding isn't any time soon, Colonel.
Mac: It's Saturday, why?
Munsen: Oh, well, um, I mean I'm sorry. I shouldn't have.
Mac: What's wrong with the Commander?
Munsen: He's got a concussion, ma'am. He has been awake once, talking gibberish, then he went unconscious again. We're trying to wake him up again.
Mac: What was the gibberish?
Munsen: He was calling to his stepfather, we knew the guy's name was Frank. Then he was calling for another guy, saying not to leave him. They didn't bring another guy in here. We don't know what happened to the other guy.
Mac: What was the guy's name?
Munsen: Mac.
The four women smiled.
Mac: That's my name.
Trish: Dr. Munsen, my husband, Frank Burnett, was taken to surgery. Do you know his condition?
Munsen: He's in bad shape, ma'am. He was shot in the shoulder and in the upper thigh, near his groin. The shoulder may give him problems in healing and mobility, but it's the groin wound that's life threatening. They are trying to get the artery that the bullet hit patched up. He's been given four units of blood already. Those paramedics worked hard. He coded once in the chopper, but they brought him back. The injury below his eye should be the least of our worries.
Trish: I, I didn't know that he was that bad.
Munsen: I'll call up to the OR and see what I can find out. Col. MacKenzie, we're waiting for the radiologist to read the scans of Cmdr. Rabb's head now. This was a precautionary measure since he received a nasty blow to the back of his head. Also, it was reported to us by the paramedics that while he was being held as a hostage, when he did regain consciousness, he was either unable to stand or vomiting.
Mac: Hostage? Harriet?
Harriet: I don't know much, Mac. We need to wait for the guys to get here.
Mac: How does a simple game of paintball turn into a hostage situation with Harm disoriented with a nasty bump on the head and Frank shot and bleeding?
Gunny: Col. MacKenzie, maybe I can explain.
Mac: Gunny! What's going on? How could this happen?
Gunny: Well, we were just playing the game. Bud shot Frank in the eye.
Trish: What?
Gunny: Well, not in the eye, just below it. It was technically Frank's fault because he was supposed to have been wearing his facemask. Then Harm shot Bud and Sturgis. Frank couldn't find Harm. He waited for an hour, and then went looking for him. He found Harm's hiding place with blood in it. He didn't panic, he got out his field glasses and spotted Harm being carried away by three terrorists. Then Frank signaled with a mirror and got Bud's attention. Bud was guarding the flag. When the Admiral got hurt -
Mac: The Admiral was hurt?
Gunny: No, he just got a scratch and went to clean it up. He saw the flashing mirror and went to Frank. They signaled back, but by that time, Webb and I had captured their flag. So then Webb got a phone call from his office and they told Webb that Harm was a hostage. So then we split up. Bud staged a diversion by shooting off paintballs to make it seem as if the game were still going on. Sturgis, Alex, Tiner, and I crossed the road and set an ambush. Webb and Frank were out in the open supposedly to make the hostage swap. The Admiral and Sergei started tailing the terrorists with Harm. After the Admiral killed one of the guards,
Trish: Killed?
Gunny: Yep. He came up behind him with a wire, and it was "Time to meet Allah".
Trish: Oh my!
Gunny: So, anyway, after the Admiral did that, the head terrorist guy told Frank he'd have to leave. So Frank left. We thought he went back to the camp or to help Bud or something. Then another guard came down and took Webb. They were using Harm and Webb as shields, keeping them walking ahead of them at gunpoint. We weren't sure how we were going to get them then. The Admiral had a couple of weapons and Sturgis had Webb's pistol, but there was no way to get a clean shot without them hitting Harm or Webb or both.
Suddenly, this Rambo type character wielding a pocketknife pops up from behind a boulder and charges the terrorists. They each got off one round, but by that time, the Admiral, Sergei, Sturgis, and Alex had taken out the terrorists. Then we realized that "Rambo" was Frank, and he was bleeding. Tiner and I started first aid to try to stop the bleeding, but he was bad. Harm tried to get up to come to Frank, but he passed out from the head wound.
Col, ma'am, that's basically what happened.
Sarah Rabb: So Frank is really the hero of the hour.
Gunny: We probably would have rescued the guys sooner or later, but Frank make it happen sooner. He was so brave, Mrs. Burnett. Even before we started the rescue, he was thinking clearly and told the Admiral that if we shot off the emergency flares, it might alert the terrorists that we had seen them. You should be very proud of him, ma'am. There for a minute, I thought he was a Marine.
Mac: That's high praise coming from you, Gunny.
Munsen: Col. MacKenzie, Commander Rabb is awake now. If you promise not to ask him too many questions, I'll let you see him.
Mac leaves the waiting room as Bud, Tiner, Alex, and Sergei arrive. Harriet embraces Bud.
Bud: Sorry it took us so long. We had to clean up the camp and hike back out. What's happening here?
Harriet: Frank's in surgery. Harm's awake and they're letting Mac go back to see him.
Bud: What's the prognosis?
Harriet: We're waiting to hear on Frank. The doctor laughed at Mac when she told him that the wedding is Saturday.
Bud: Is he brain damaged?
Harriet: I don't think so, at least, not more than he was before. I guess he keeps calling for Mac.
Bud: That's what we told him last night.
Harriet: What?
Bud: Every time the guy gets hit on the head, he sees Mac.
Mac walks into the trauma room. Harm is lying on his back with his head bandaged and foam pads arranged around his head to keep the pressure off the back of his head. His eyes are closed. Mac slips her hand into his and kisses him gently on the lips.
Harm: Mmmm. I don't know who you are, but you can do that all day.
Mac: Harm!
Harm: If this is the nursing care this hospital gives, I'll bet you win awards.
Mac: Harm, it's me, Mac.
Harm: It can't be. Mac doesn't smell as good as you do.
Mac: Harm, I've been at the spa all day. I've had every inch of me massaged, exfoliated, salt-scrubbed, and oiled. That's why I smell like I do.
Harm (opening one eye): Every inch?
Mac: Harm?
Harm: Do you think you could show me, Saturday, that is?
Mac: I knew you knew me!
Harm: Don't make me laugh; it hurts too much.
Mac: Where does it hurt?
Harm: My head. My arms hurt too. They were tied behind me. My face hurts too. I think I fell on it a few times.
Mac: You're alive and that's what matters to me.
Harm: Sarah?
Mac: Yes?
Harm: I think I've ruined the wedding pictures.
Mac: Why?
Harm: They shaved the back of my head to stitch it. Twenty stitches.
Mac: Maybe we'll take you to a Marine barber and he can just give you the jarhead look.
Harm: Mac?
Mac: What?
Harm: I may be hurt and my brains may be a little scrambled, but not enough to let you turn me into a Marine.
Mac: Okay, flyboy.
Harm: Where's Frank? Did somebody look at his eye?
Mac: Harm, Frank's up in surgery.
Harm: I didn't think his cheek was that bad. It hit just below his eye.
Mac: No, Harm, Frank has gunshot wounds.
Harm: How?
Mac: He was trying to rescue you and Webb.
Harm: Webb. That guy is going to get me killed some day.
Mac: I'm going to talk to him about this Iraq deal. Maybe he can give us some extra days before we have to leave. You're not in any condition to get married Saturday. We'll just have to postpone the wedding.
Harm: NO.
Mac: What do you mean? You can't even stand yet.
Harm: NO. Do not postpone the wedding. Promise me, Sarah.
Mac: If the doctor won't release you from the hospital, then-
Harm: He will or I'll escape, but I am marrying you on Saturday. I will not wait any longer.
Mac: Harm, Frank's critical. He may not make it.
Harm: Because of me?
Mac: Because he was brave. He was brave because he loves you.
Harm: If something happens to Frank, we'll cancel the ceremony, but we'll get married anyway. Chaplain Turner can just marry us without the fanfare. My mother will understand. Sarah?
Mac: What?
Harm: Don't leave me tonight. Stay here with me all night. We have a breakfast date the morning at the farm.
Mac: What are the chances that we can go there?
Harm: Let me talk to the doctor. Is Grandma here?
Mac: She insisted on coming.
Harm: I need to see her, privately.
Mac: I'll go get her.
Harm: Check on Frank's condition too, will you?
Mac: I will.
Grandma Rabb walks back to Harm's bed.
Harm: Hi Grandma.
Sarah: Harm, you look terrible.
Harm: You smell nice. How was the spa?
Sarah: Well, some of the things I could have done without, but the massages felt good on my old bones. We had a lunch of rabbit food that you would have liked. I like the other ladies that went. Now, why did you ask to see me?
Harm: Grandma, a man is delivering something to the farm tonight. Can you be there when it's delivered? Ask Bud to have someone drive you out there. It's one of Mac's wedding gifts. I want it to be there in the morning.
Sarah: What is it?
Harm: You'll see when you get there. You'll know what to do with it, though. Nobody else will. Can you do that for me?
Sarah: I can do that.
Harm: How's my mom?
Sarah: She's pretty shaky. Don't worry. I'll be there for her. She's made of tough stuff; we'll get through this.
Harm: I think Frank saved my life, Grandma.
Sarah: I think he did.
Harm: Can you believe that?
Sarah: I can. He's a good man, Harm. He's loved you for a very long time. I think you've loved him too. Now maybe you can let your defenses down and show him that you love him.
Harm: I have been a jerk, haven't I?
Sarah: Well, about a month ago, you came to your senses about being a jerk to your Sarah. Now, a month later, you're starting to realize it about Frank. If you go through one revelation a month for the next, oh, ten years, you may end up being a decent human being.
Harm: Grandma, I love you.
Sarah: Just get better fast. You ought to see the dress your mother bought me for the wedding. I'd hate for the first time I got to wear it to be for my funeral.
Harm: Grandma, don't mention funerals.
Sarah: I'm going to see if I can persuade some handsome sailor to give me a ride out to the farm. I'll see you tomorrow.
Harm: Bye Grandma. Send Mac back, please.
Mac walks back to Harm's bedside.
Harm: Hello. Have I told you today how much I love you?
Mac: Not yet.
Harm: Well, I do. I guess I'm just getting tired of you always seeing me in hospital beds.
Mac: But you're so cute in those gowns that don't cover your six.
Harm: How's Frank?
Mac: In recovery. He'll be in the ICU. Your mom is going up to be with him now. He's survived surgery, but he's not out of the woods yet. She said to give you this. (Mac leans down and kisses Harm)
Harm: Somehow it's better coming from your lips.
Mac: Where's your grandmother going?
Harm: To take care of something for me.
Mac: What could be so important that she needs to leave the hospital?
Harm: A present for you.
Mac: Harm, that's very sweet.
Harm: She'll be back tonight. She'll stay at the hotel. Can you make arrangements for her to get there?
Mac: I've put in a call to Jennifer. She'll be here to do whatever needs to be done. I'm sending Harriet and Bud home. Harriet's had a big day and needs to go home to AJ.
Harm: Speaking of AJ, where' s the Admiral? I haven't seen him since last night.
Mac: He and Webb are talking with the Loudin County sheriff's office.
Harm: Why?
Mac: The admiral killed someone.
Harm: What?
Mac: He killed one of the terrorists.
Harm: I hope it was the one who hit me on the head.
Mac: It's not funny.
Harm: So, they were carrying weapons. If the Admiral got one away from them and shot someone, that's the way it goes.
Mac: He didn't shoot anyone.
Harm: Knife?
Mac: Wire.
Harm: Wow. There's some SEAL training. Yikes!
Mac: Let's just say that I doubt that suburban Virginia sheriffs have seen many cases like this one.
Harm: Does he have a lawyer with him?
Mac: Sturgis is with him. So's Webb.
Harm: Webb. Webb needed to talk to me. I wonder what he wanted.
Mac: You're not going to worry about it. My orders. Now, is there anything I can get you to make you more comfortable?
Harm: Get that doctor in here and let me tell him that I'm going home tomorrow morning.
27 MARCH 2003
1200 ZULU Rabb Farm
Loudin County, Virginia
Mac's Corvette drives slowly into the lane. Mac gets out, walks around and helps Harm out of the car.
Harm: Mac, I love 'Vettes, but I hurt too much to sit down so low. We need to take my truck when we leave.
Mac: Let me help you over to the porch. You can sit on the porch swing.
Harm: Hey, where'd we get that?
Mac: From our co-workers at JAG. It was from the Mac and Harm pool money. It's made of teak. I guess Tiner and Coates came out here and hung it last night.
Harm: I wonder if they tried it out.
Mac: Harm!
Harm: No, I mean if they sat on it. I don't want the porch roof trusses to be rotten and for me to sit in it only to fall. I don't need another head injury. What did you think I meant?
Mac: I think they like each other.
Harm: Good. I hope he's not stupid enough to wait seven years.
Mac: Jacob worked seven years to marry Rachel.
Harm: Who are Jacob and Rachel?
Mac: From the Bible. You remember, Jacob worked for seven years for Rachel's father. Then the father double crossed him and gave him her sister Leah instead.
Harm: For a minute, I thought it was somebody who was coming to the wedding.
Mac: Speaking of wedding guests, we received the strangest wedding gift and couldn't figure out who had sent it.
Harm: What was it?
Mac: It was a chandelier made out of elk antlers.
Harm: Really? Who sent it?
Mac: The card was signed Lynne and Dick.
Harm: Are they your relatives or mine?
Mac: Neither. While we were at the spa, we all tried to figure out who it was. Finally, at the end of the day, Chloe figured it out.
Harm: Who was it?
Mac: The Vice President and Mrs. Cheney
Harm: Who invited them?
Mac: We had to invite them. The wedding's at the Naval Observatory. That's where they live.
Harm: It's not as if we're using their living room.
Mac: No, but the funny thing is how Chloe figured it out.
Harm: How?
Mac: The note with the gift said, "We get these from Jackson. Sorry we can't be there; we'll be in U.L. for the week-end."
Harm: U.L.?
Mac: Undisclosed Location!
Harm smiles.
Harm: It's good that Frank's doing so much better, isn't it?
Mac: He's had to have had six units of blood.
Harm: If it's been military blood, he'll become smarter.
Mac: You were going to try, remember?
Harm: Mac, go into the bedroom and look in the top drawer of the nightstand. There's a square box in there with your name on it.
Mac: Really?
Harm: Go, and stop acting like a five-year old on Christmas.
Mac: I love surprises.
Mac walks out carrying a box wrapped in the same ivory paper with a gold bow that her engagement ring had been in.
Harm: Open it.
Mac: Can I guess first?
Harm: No. I bought this on my first sea duty tour when we docked in Japan. I followed all the married guys into port. They bought these for their wives, so I bought too. I told myself that someday, I 'd give them to my wife.
Mac opens the box and pulls out a strand of pearls.
Mac: Harm, they're beautiful.
Harm: You buy them unstrung, saves on duty. I had Joe the Jeweler string them for me.
Mac: I was going to borrow Harriet's.
Harm: I know.
Mac: Thank you. I will always cherish them.
Harm: I have another present.
Mac: What? I only got you one.
Harm: So you go first.
Mac: Okay.
Mac goes to her car, opens the trunk, and pulls out a cylinder about three feet long. It's wrapped with a red ribbon.
Mac: This is for you. I wasn't sure what to give you, but I wanted it to be something that would last for a long time and would give you great pleasure.
Harm: I can't imagine what it is. Did you get me a print of something?
Mac: Not exactly.
Harm begins to unwrap the gift. He pulls the lid off the cardboard cylinder and removes a set of drawings.
Harm: This is a set of architect's drawings. This is our house. Oh my goodness, this next sheet is a plan for an addition, for a KITCHEN.
Mac: I want you to be happy here.
Harm: I'll be happy anywhere that you are, but I'll be happier in a kitchen like this one! When can we afford to start?
Mac: That's part of the gift. I've hired the contractor. He starts Monday.
Harm: Mac, can we afford?
Mac: It finishes the rest of my savings, but you'll have your kitchen complete with the Viking range and the sub-zero refrigerator.
Harm: You know the way to my heart.
Mac: And you know the way to mine.
Harm: Well, I think I do. I think we'll have to go for a little walk though, to see if I know you completely.
Mac: You can't walk.
Harm: I can if you help me.
Mac: Okay, sailor, where are we going?
Harm: To the barn.
Mac: Why?
Harm: You'll see.
Mac and Harm walk slowly toward the barn. Harm steadies himself by leaning on the fence while Mac opens the barn door. As they walk in and their eyes adjust to the darkness of the barn, Mac hears a low whinny.
Mac: Harm, you didn't buy me a
Harm: Yes I did.
Mac: A horse? My very own horse! I have loved horses since I was a little girl. I thought that maybe in a few years, we could, but this is too wonderful.
Harm: She's a registered Quarter Horse, Mac.
Mac: Come here baby and let me get a look at you. Harm, she's perfect. What's her name?
Harm chuckles: That's the best part.
Mac: What?
Harm: First I have to tell you that she was already named.
Mac: What's her name and why is it so funny?
Harm: Well, first I want you to understand that she's seven years old. The same number of years that we've known each other.
Mac: Okay. What's her name?
Harm: Ninja Girl.
Mac: You did this?
Harm: No I didn't. It's her name. I have the papers to prove it. Mac, there's one more thing.
Mac: What?
Harm: She's in foal.
Mac: Is there a subliminal message in here somewhere?
Harm: We'll see.
Mac: You have given me perfect gifts, Harm.
Harm: I plan to keep doing it for the rest of my life.
End of Chapter Six
Author's Note: I haven't decided whether to finish this in one chapter or two. I try to keep it to a certain number of pages but I have two major events to cover and two minor events. My characters can never seem to stop talking, can they? I wonder if it has anything to do with the author?
Thanks for your notes. This has been my first attempt at fanfiction, and I've been encouraged to keep writing. By the way, after last night's episode of JAG, when Mac accompanies Webb to Paraguay, I just wanted to clarify that when I started writing this, I had no idea that the actual writers would hook Mac up with Webb on a dangerous mission outside the country. At least on my mission, she'll have Harm, or maybe not.
Mission: Give a Gift
As he watches the helicopter carrying an unconscious Harm and a bleeding Frank toward a trauma center, Bud Roberts looks down at his cell phone, dreading the call he must make. Suddenly the cell phone chirps at him, he presses a button and says, "Roberts."
Admiral: Bud, we need to contact Col. MacKenzie.
Bud: I was just ready to do that, sir.
Admiral: This is a horrible thing to do to her two days before her wedding. Do you know where they are?
Bud: All the ladies went to La Poshe Spa today, sir. They should be just about finished now.
Admiral: Do you think you could call Harriet instead of Mac? She's going to need to get Mac and Trish to the hospital. We can meet them there.
Bud: What did the paramedics say, sir?
Admiral: It doesn't look good for Frank. He's lost so much blood. Harm will probably be okay but I don't know if he'll be ready for Saturday. Even if he is, I don't know if he'll want to go Saturday if something happens to Frank.
Bud: Sir, just when we thought things were finally going their way.
Admiral: You don't have to tell me that. I'm sorry I ever thought of this dumb game. I hate the thought of facing Mac.
Bud: Admiral, sir, we had a great time last night. How could you know that Mr. Webb had ticked off some terrorist group?
Admiral: Well, hindsight is always 20/20. Listen Bud, Webb and I have to hang back here and answer the Sheriff's questions. I may even have to be charged until we can sort things out. I'm keeping Sturgis here as my lawyer. I'll send the other four back to you. You need to get to the hospital and call Harriet to get Mac and Trish to the hospital. One other thing, Bud, Meredith does not need to know at this point that I may be facing charges.
Bud: Admiral, what exactly did you do?
Admiral: I neutralized one of the hostages.
Bud: With Webb's Saturday Night Special?
Admiral: NO.
Bud: With his .9 mm? I didn't hear a shot.
Admiral: No, Bud, with a wire.
Bud: Oh, wow, Admiral. You will need to explain.
Admiral: Call your wife, Lt. She can take command.
Bud hits the off button. He punches it again and hits a speed dial number for Harriet.
Harriet: Hello?
Bud: Hi , sweetie.
Harriet: Hi, Bud. Are you finished already? It's only five-thirty. I have been pampered today. I'm so relaxed , I could even be happy to see my mother.
Bud: I'm glad you had a good day. Listen, I need you to pull things together for me and take charge of an emergency.
Harriet (using clipped words): What?
Bud: Harm and Frank have been injured. They are being medievacked into the D.C. trauma center now. You need to take Trish and Mac and get over there. I don't want you to panic, but I'm going to let you know how bad things are. Frank's been shot twice and was losing a lot of blood when they lifted him.
Harriet (choosing her words carefully): And the other one?
Bud: Head injury, we don't know how serious.
Harriet: Again?
Bud: I know. Listen, the Admiral doesn't want Meredith to know that he's got to answer some questions from the Sheriff.
Harriet: Why?
Bud: He killed one of the terrorists who was holding Harm.
Harriet: In the middle of rural Virginia? How? (realizes that she has piqued the curiosity of Mac). Okay, sweetie, you can just fill me in later. I'll do what you've asked. I love you.
Harriet clicks off her cell phone.
Mac: What's going on, Harriet?
Harriet: Okay, ladies, we've had a slight change of plans. Meredith, do you think you could take Grandma Rabb and Chloe to the Admiral's house and wait for the men? They've had a little change of plans. I need to take Mac and Trish to another place first, then we'll be over. Oh, Meredith, stop by my house and let my mother know that we'll be late. I'll tell her all about it later.
Sarah Rabb: I think I'll stay with Mac, Harriet. She may need me.
Mac: Harriet -
Harriet: Not now, Mac.
Meredith: Is AJ okay?
Harriet: He's going to call you at his house. Please, Meredith, I need to get these ladies somewhere. Please just trust me.
Meredith: C'mon Chloe. I'll order you whatever kind of pizza you want.
Chloe: Mac?
Mac: Chloe, go with Meredith. The dogs will need to be taken for a walk. You're good with them.
Chloe: Call me?
Mac: I will, sweetie. Just go.
Meredith and Chloe leave.
Harriet: Where're Bobbi and Jennifer?
Mac: Bobbi had a dinner at the State Department so she left when you were on the phone with Bud. She's dropping Jennifer off at her place. What's going on?
Harriet: Ladies, get in the car, and I'll tell you on the way.
Mac: Harm's hurt, isn't he?
Harriet doesn't answer.
2300 ZULU
Emergency Room Bethesda Naval Hospital Bethesda, Maryland
Harriet, Trish, Sarah, and Mac walk up the reception desk.
Harriet: Petty Officer, I'm Lt. Harriet Sims, attached to JAG Corps. We've had some confusion, but I understand that a helicopter brought two trauma patients in here, a Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. and his stepfather, Frank Burnett. Is that correct?
P.O. Smith: Yes Ma'am. The chopper tried to land at a D.C. trauma center but there was an accident on the Beltway and they had their hands full. Since there was a Naval Officer, they sent them here.
Harriet: This is Commander Rabb's mother , his grandmother, and his fiancee. His mother is also Mr. Burnett's wife. Can we see them?
P.O. Smith: I'll check, but I believe the civilian was taken up to surgery. He was hit with two nasty gunshot wounds, lost a significant amount of blood. The Commander has a concussion. I'm not sure he's awake yet. Let me check with a doctor and get back to you.
Lt. Commander Darryl Munsen walks out into the waiting room of the emergency room.
Munsen: Is there a Lt. Sims here?
Harriet: I am she, sir.
Munsen: I was looking for the uniform.
Harriet glances down at her maternity sweat suit.
Harriet: I took a personal leave day today, sir.
Mac: I'm Lt. Col. Sarah MacKenzie. I am Commander Rabb's fiancee. How is he?
Munsen: I hope that wedding isn't any time soon, Colonel.
Mac: It's Saturday, why?
Munsen: Oh, well, um, I mean I'm sorry. I shouldn't have.
Mac: What's wrong with the Commander?
Munsen: He's got a concussion, ma'am. He has been awake once, talking gibberish, then he went unconscious again. We're trying to wake him up again.
Mac: What was the gibberish?
Munsen: He was calling to his stepfather, we knew the guy's name was Frank. Then he was calling for another guy, saying not to leave him. They didn't bring another guy in here. We don't know what happened to the other guy.
Mac: What was the guy's name?
Munsen: Mac.
The four women smiled.
Mac: That's my name.
Trish: Dr. Munsen, my husband, Frank Burnett, was taken to surgery. Do you know his condition?
Munsen: He's in bad shape, ma'am. He was shot in the shoulder and in the upper thigh, near his groin. The shoulder may give him problems in healing and mobility, but it's the groin wound that's life threatening. They are trying to get the artery that the bullet hit patched up. He's been given four units of blood already. Those paramedics worked hard. He coded once in the chopper, but they brought him back. The injury below his eye should be the least of our worries.
Trish: I, I didn't know that he was that bad.
Munsen: I'll call up to the OR and see what I can find out. Col. MacKenzie, we're waiting for the radiologist to read the scans of Cmdr. Rabb's head now. This was a precautionary measure since he received a nasty blow to the back of his head. Also, it was reported to us by the paramedics that while he was being held as a hostage, when he did regain consciousness, he was either unable to stand or vomiting.
Mac: Hostage? Harriet?
Harriet: I don't know much, Mac. We need to wait for the guys to get here.
Mac: How does a simple game of paintball turn into a hostage situation with Harm disoriented with a nasty bump on the head and Frank shot and bleeding?
Gunny: Col. MacKenzie, maybe I can explain.
Mac: Gunny! What's going on? How could this happen?
Gunny: Well, we were just playing the game. Bud shot Frank in the eye.
Trish: What?
Gunny: Well, not in the eye, just below it. It was technically Frank's fault because he was supposed to have been wearing his facemask. Then Harm shot Bud and Sturgis. Frank couldn't find Harm. He waited for an hour, and then went looking for him. He found Harm's hiding place with blood in it. He didn't panic, he got out his field glasses and spotted Harm being carried away by three terrorists. Then Frank signaled with a mirror and got Bud's attention. Bud was guarding the flag. When the Admiral got hurt -
Mac: The Admiral was hurt?
Gunny: No, he just got a scratch and went to clean it up. He saw the flashing mirror and went to Frank. They signaled back, but by that time, Webb and I had captured their flag. So then Webb got a phone call from his office and they told Webb that Harm was a hostage. So then we split up. Bud staged a diversion by shooting off paintballs to make it seem as if the game were still going on. Sturgis, Alex, Tiner, and I crossed the road and set an ambush. Webb and Frank were out in the open supposedly to make the hostage swap. The Admiral and Sergei started tailing the terrorists with Harm. After the Admiral killed one of the guards,
Trish: Killed?
Gunny: Yep. He came up behind him with a wire, and it was "Time to meet Allah".
Trish: Oh my!
Gunny: So, anyway, after the Admiral did that, the head terrorist guy told Frank he'd have to leave. So Frank left. We thought he went back to the camp or to help Bud or something. Then another guard came down and took Webb. They were using Harm and Webb as shields, keeping them walking ahead of them at gunpoint. We weren't sure how we were going to get them then. The Admiral had a couple of weapons and Sturgis had Webb's pistol, but there was no way to get a clean shot without them hitting Harm or Webb or both.
Suddenly, this Rambo type character wielding a pocketknife pops up from behind a boulder and charges the terrorists. They each got off one round, but by that time, the Admiral, Sergei, Sturgis, and Alex had taken out the terrorists. Then we realized that "Rambo" was Frank, and he was bleeding. Tiner and I started first aid to try to stop the bleeding, but he was bad. Harm tried to get up to come to Frank, but he passed out from the head wound.
Col, ma'am, that's basically what happened.
Sarah Rabb: So Frank is really the hero of the hour.
Gunny: We probably would have rescued the guys sooner or later, but Frank make it happen sooner. He was so brave, Mrs. Burnett. Even before we started the rescue, he was thinking clearly and told the Admiral that if we shot off the emergency flares, it might alert the terrorists that we had seen them. You should be very proud of him, ma'am. There for a minute, I thought he was a Marine.
Mac: That's high praise coming from you, Gunny.
Munsen: Col. MacKenzie, Commander Rabb is awake now. If you promise not to ask him too many questions, I'll let you see him.
Mac leaves the waiting room as Bud, Tiner, Alex, and Sergei arrive. Harriet embraces Bud.
Bud: Sorry it took us so long. We had to clean up the camp and hike back out. What's happening here?
Harriet: Frank's in surgery. Harm's awake and they're letting Mac go back to see him.
Bud: What's the prognosis?
Harriet: We're waiting to hear on Frank. The doctor laughed at Mac when she told him that the wedding is Saturday.
Bud: Is he brain damaged?
Harriet: I don't think so, at least, not more than he was before. I guess he keeps calling for Mac.
Bud: That's what we told him last night.
Harriet: What?
Bud: Every time the guy gets hit on the head, he sees Mac.
Mac walks into the trauma room. Harm is lying on his back with his head bandaged and foam pads arranged around his head to keep the pressure off the back of his head. His eyes are closed. Mac slips her hand into his and kisses him gently on the lips.
Harm: Mmmm. I don't know who you are, but you can do that all day.
Mac: Harm!
Harm: If this is the nursing care this hospital gives, I'll bet you win awards.
Mac: Harm, it's me, Mac.
Harm: It can't be. Mac doesn't smell as good as you do.
Mac: Harm, I've been at the spa all day. I've had every inch of me massaged, exfoliated, salt-scrubbed, and oiled. That's why I smell like I do.
Harm (opening one eye): Every inch?
Mac: Harm?
Harm: Do you think you could show me, Saturday, that is?
Mac: I knew you knew me!
Harm: Don't make me laugh; it hurts too much.
Mac: Where does it hurt?
Harm: My head. My arms hurt too. They were tied behind me. My face hurts too. I think I fell on it a few times.
Mac: You're alive and that's what matters to me.
Harm: Sarah?
Mac: Yes?
Harm: I think I've ruined the wedding pictures.
Mac: Why?
Harm: They shaved the back of my head to stitch it. Twenty stitches.
Mac: Maybe we'll take you to a Marine barber and he can just give you the jarhead look.
Harm: Mac?
Mac: What?
Harm: I may be hurt and my brains may be a little scrambled, but not enough to let you turn me into a Marine.
Mac: Okay, flyboy.
Harm: Where's Frank? Did somebody look at his eye?
Mac: Harm, Frank's up in surgery.
Harm: I didn't think his cheek was that bad. It hit just below his eye.
Mac: No, Harm, Frank has gunshot wounds.
Harm: How?
Mac: He was trying to rescue you and Webb.
Harm: Webb. That guy is going to get me killed some day.
Mac: I'm going to talk to him about this Iraq deal. Maybe he can give us some extra days before we have to leave. You're not in any condition to get married Saturday. We'll just have to postpone the wedding.
Harm: NO.
Mac: What do you mean? You can't even stand yet.
Harm: NO. Do not postpone the wedding. Promise me, Sarah.
Mac: If the doctor won't release you from the hospital, then-
Harm: He will or I'll escape, but I am marrying you on Saturday. I will not wait any longer.
Mac: Harm, Frank's critical. He may not make it.
Harm: Because of me?
Mac: Because he was brave. He was brave because he loves you.
Harm: If something happens to Frank, we'll cancel the ceremony, but we'll get married anyway. Chaplain Turner can just marry us without the fanfare. My mother will understand. Sarah?
Mac: What?
Harm: Don't leave me tonight. Stay here with me all night. We have a breakfast date the morning at the farm.
Mac: What are the chances that we can go there?
Harm: Let me talk to the doctor. Is Grandma here?
Mac: She insisted on coming.
Harm: I need to see her, privately.
Mac: I'll go get her.
Harm: Check on Frank's condition too, will you?
Mac: I will.
Grandma Rabb walks back to Harm's bed.
Harm: Hi Grandma.
Sarah: Harm, you look terrible.
Harm: You smell nice. How was the spa?
Sarah: Well, some of the things I could have done without, but the massages felt good on my old bones. We had a lunch of rabbit food that you would have liked. I like the other ladies that went. Now, why did you ask to see me?
Harm: Grandma, a man is delivering something to the farm tonight. Can you be there when it's delivered? Ask Bud to have someone drive you out there. It's one of Mac's wedding gifts. I want it to be there in the morning.
Sarah: What is it?
Harm: You'll see when you get there. You'll know what to do with it, though. Nobody else will. Can you do that for me?
Sarah: I can do that.
Harm: How's my mom?
Sarah: She's pretty shaky. Don't worry. I'll be there for her. She's made of tough stuff; we'll get through this.
Harm: I think Frank saved my life, Grandma.
Sarah: I think he did.
Harm: Can you believe that?
Sarah: I can. He's a good man, Harm. He's loved you for a very long time. I think you've loved him too. Now maybe you can let your defenses down and show him that you love him.
Harm: I have been a jerk, haven't I?
Sarah: Well, about a month ago, you came to your senses about being a jerk to your Sarah. Now, a month later, you're starting to realize it about Frank. If you go through one revelation a month for the next, oh, ten years, you may end up being a decent human being.
Harm: Grandma, I love you.
Sarah: Just get better fast. You ought to see the dress your mother bought me for the wedding. I'd hate for the first time I got to wear it to be for my funeral.
Harm: Grandma, don't mention funerals.
Sarah: I'm going to see if I can persuade some handsome sailor to give me a ride out to the farm. I'll see you tomorrow.
Harm: Bye Grandma. Send Mac back, please.
Mac walks back to Harm's bedside.
Harm: Hello. Have I told you today how much I love you?
Mac: Not yet.
Harm: Well, I do. I guess I'm just getting tired of you always seeing me in hospital beds.
Mac: But you're so cute in those gowns that don't cover your six.
Harm: How's Frank?
Mac: In recovery. He'll be in the ICU. Your mom is going up to be with him now. He's survived surgery, but he's not out of the woods yet. She said to give you this. (Mac leans down and kisses Harm)
Harm: Somehow it's better coming from your lips.
Mac: Where's your grandmother going?
Harm: To take care of something for me.
Mac: What could be so important that she needs to leave the hospital?
Harm: A present for you.
Mac: Harm, that's very sweet.
Harm: She'll be back tonight. She'll stay at the hotel. Can you make arrangements for her to get there?
Mac: I've put in a call to Jennifer. She'll be here to do whatever needs to be done. I'm sending Harriet and Bud home. Harriet's had a big day and needs to go home to AJ.
Harm: Speaking of AJ, where' s the Admiral? I haven't seen him since last night.
Mac: He and Webb are talking with the Loudin County sheriff's office.
Harm: Why?
Mac: The admiral killed someone.
Harm: What?
Mac: He killed one of the terrorists.
Harm: I hope it was the one who hit me on the head.
Mac: It's not funny.
Harm: So, they were carrying weapons. If the Admiral got one away from them and shot someone, that's the way it goes.
Mac: He didn't shoot anyone.
Harm: Knife?
Mac: Wire.
Harm: Wow. There's some SEAL training. Yikes!
Mac: Let's just say that I doubt that suburban Virginia sheriffs have seen many cases like this one.
Harm: Does he have a lawyer with him?
Mac: Sturgis is with him. So's Webb.
Harm: Webb. Webb needed to talk to me. I wonder what he wanted.
Mac: You're not going to worry about it. My orders. Now, is there anything I can get you to make you more comfortable?
Harm: Get that doctor in here and let me tell him that I'm going home tomorrow morning.
27 MARCH 2003
1200 ZULU Rabb Farm
Loudin County, Virginia
Mac's Corvette drives slowly into the lane. Mac gets out, walks around and helps Harm out of the car.
Harm: Mac, I love 'Vettes, but I hurt too much to sit down so low. We need to take my truck when we leave.
Mac: Let me help you over to the porch. You can sit on the porch swing.
Harm: Hey, where'd we get that?
Mac: From our co-workers at JAG. It was from the Mac and Harm pool money. It's made of teak. I guess Tiner and Coates came out here and hung it last night.
Harm: I wonder if they tried it out.
Mac: Harm!
Harm: No, I mean if they sat on it. I don't want the porch roof trusses to be rotten and for me to sit in it only to fall. I don't need another head injury. What did you think I meant?
Mac: I think they like each other.
Harm: Good. I hope he's not stupid enough to wait seven years.
Mac: Jacob worked seven years to marry Rachel.
Harm: Who are Jacob and Rachel?
Mac: From the Bible. You remember, Jacob worked for seven years for Rachel's father. Then the father double crossed him and gave him her sister Leah instead.
Harm: For a minute, I thought it was somebody who was coming to the wedding.
Mac: Speaking of wedding guests, we received the strangest wedding gift and couldn't figure out who had sent it.
Harm: What was it?
Mac: It was a chandelier made out of elk antlers.
Harm: Really? Who sent it?
Mac: The card was signed Lynne and Dick.
Harm: Are they your relatives or mine?
Mac: Neither. While we were at the spa, we all tried to figure out who it was. Finally, at the end of the day, Chloe figured it out.
Harm: Who was it?
Mac: The Vice President and Mrs. Cheney
Harm: Who invited them?
Mac: We had to invite them. The wedding's at the Naval Observatory. That's where they live.
Harm: It's not as if we're using their living room.
Mac: No, but the funny thing is how Chloe figured it out.
Harm: How?
Mac: The note with the gift said, "We get these from Jackson. Sorry we can't be there; we'll be in U.L. for the week-end."
Harm: U.L.?
Mac: Undisclosed Location!
Harm smiles.
Harm: It's good that Frank's doing so much better, isn't it?
Mac: He's had to have had six units of blood.
Harm: If it's been military blood, he'll become smarter.
Mac: You were going to try, remember?
Harm: Mac, go into the bedroom and look in the top drawer of the nightstand. There's a square box in there with your name on it.
Mac: Really?
Harm: Go, and stop acting like a five-year old on Christmas.
Mac: I love surprises.
Mac walks out carrying a box wrapped in the same ivory paper with a gold bow that her engagement ring had been in.
Harm: Open it.
Mac: Can I guess first?
Harm: No. I bought this on my first sea duty tour when we docked in Japan. I followed all the married guys into port. They bought these for their wives, so I bought too. I told myself that someday, I 'd give them to my wife.
Mac opens the box and pulls out a strand of pearls.
Mac: Harm, they're beautiful.
Harm: You buy them unstrung, saves on duty. I had Joe the Jeweler string them for me.
Mac: I was going to borrow Harriet's.
Harm: I know.
Mac: Thank you. I will always cherish them.
Harm: I have another present.
Mac: What? I only got you one.
Harm: So you go first.
Mac: Okay.
Mac goes to her car, opens the trunk, and pulls out a cylinder about three feet long. It's wrapped with a red ribbon.
Mac: This is for you. I wasn't sure what to give you, but I wanted it to be something that would last for a long time and would give you great pleasure.
Harm: I can't imagine what it is. Did you get me a print of something?
Mac: Not exactly.
Harm begins to unwrap the gift. He pulls the lid off the cardboard cylinder and removes a set of drawings.
Harm: This is a set of architect's drawings. This is our house. Oh my goodness, this next sheet is a plan for an addition, for a KITCHEN.
Mac: I want you to be happy here.
Harm: I'll be happy anywhere that you are, but I'll be happier in a kitchen like this one! When can we afford to start?
Mac: That's part of the gift. I've hired the contractor. He starts Monday.
Harm: Mac, can we afford?
Mac: It finishes the rest of my savings, but you'll have your kitchen complete with the Viking range and the sub-zero refrigerator.
Harm: You know the way to my heart.
Mac: And you know the way to mine.
Harm: Well, I think I do. I think we'll have to go for a little walk though, to see if I know you completely.
Mac: You can't walk.
Harm: I can if you help me.
Mac: Okay, sailor, where are we going?
Harm: To the barn.
Mac: Why?
Harm: You'll see.
Mac and Harm walk slowly toward the barn. Harm steadies himself by leaning on the fence while Mac opens the barn door. As they walk in and their eyes adjust to the darkness of the barn, Mac hears a low whinny.
Mac: Harm, you didn't buy me a
Harm: Yes I did.
Mac: A horse? My very own horse! I have loved horses since I was a little girl. I thought that maybe in a few years, we could, but this is too wonderful.
Harm: She's a registered Quarter Horse, Mac.
Mac: Come here baby and let me get a look at you. Harm, she's perfect. What's her name?
Harm chuckles: That's the best part.
Mac: What?
Harm: First I have to tell you that she was already named.
Mac: What's her name and why is it so funny?
Harm: Well, first I want you to understand that she's seven years old. The same number of years that we've known each other.
Mac: Okay. What's her name?
Harm: Ninja Girl.
Mac: You did this?
Harm: No I didn't. It's her name. I have the papers to prove it. Mac, there's one more thing.
Mac: What?
Harm: She's in foal.
Mac: Is there a subliminal message in here somewhere?
Harm: We'll see.
Mac: You have given me perfect gifts, Harm.
Harm: I plan to keep doing it for the rest of my life.
End of Chapter Six
Author's Note: I haven't decided whether to finish this in one chapter or two. I try to keep it to a certain number of pages but I have two major events to cover and two minor events. My characters can never seem to stop talking, can they? I wonder if it has anything to do with the author?
Thanks for your notes. This has been my first attempt at fanfiction, and I've been encouraged to keep writing. By the way, after last night's episode of JAG, when Mac accompanies Webb to Paraguay, I just wanted to clarify that when I started writing this, I had no idea that the actual writers would hook Mac up with Webb on a dangerous mission outside the country. At least on my mission, she'll have Harm, or maybe not.
