A/N: Thanks to all that have reviewed. I apologize for taking three month's
to update this story. Real life got the best of me and so did my writers
block. But now that I've remembered the story, just sit back and relax and
enjoy the show, or spectacle. I also know that my continuity might suck a
whole lot, but I'm playing with them right now and I'll put them back when
I'm done. Preferably before Webb and Mac kissed. ACK!
1225 Zulu JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
"So she's coming to visit, Sir. I would have told you sooner, but I've been trying to hash out details and find out all the information I can to make sure she's legit." Mac told the man she considered her father. AJ regarded her for a moment. She looked convinced that this Elizabeth Thompson person was her sister. She had all the facts and yet, she looked scared, worried. "Is there anything else Mac?" AJ added her nickname, to let her know that he was willing to listen. Mac eyed him. There were so many worries going through her mind about her sister's impending visit. Would he understand? Was this how he felt when Francesca had come to visit? "Sir, they say that you can judge a child, for the most part, by the actions of their parent, isn't that right?" She asked warily.
AJ immediately understood. She had no idea what Elizabeth had been told about Mac. It wasn't easy to come to terms with ones life, and Mac had come to terms with her life when she visited with her father before he died. "Mac I'm sure that whatever first impressions come about, your sister is going to come to know and care for the same person that we care about." AJ told her. "Thank you sir, and while I am worried about her perception of me, I'm more worried about my perception of her. I had a rather interesting phone conversation with her mother." Mac told him, standing as she explained. "She came across as bitter and angry that she was denied so much because my father came back to us, my mother and I. She wouldn't even let me tell her what happened three short years after that. I'm just not sure if she's going to be the same way. Am I being obsessive about this sir?" She finished taking a seat. "Obsession is Commander Rabb's department Mac. I wouldn't have any idea about that. What I do know is that what you are experiencing is relatively normal. Just think of it this way.." AJ began but was interrupted by a loud racket outside his office, followed shortly by Harm's entrance. "Commander?" AJ asked, already knowing why the aviator was barging in. "It's about why Webb is here sir." was all Harm had to say.
10 Minutes Previous
Outside the Admiral's Office
Tiner could have cut the tension in the air with a knife. Harm and Webb were sitting across from each other, staring daggers. Harm, because Webb was there and whenever he was around, it was never a good thing. Webb because he was stuck out in the hall with Rabb, who was most likely going to kill him. "So, Mr. Webb what brings you here today?" Tiner asked, desperate for something to happen so he could get back to work. "I have an appointment Tiner. I'm just waiting for Colonel Mackenzie to finish her discussion with the Admiral." Webb told him, not bothering to keep the annoyance out of his voice. Harm just glared. "Mac has a lot to talk to the Admiral about Webb. So just cool your jets. What's so important that you've got your boxers in a twist?"
"That's classified Harm." Webb told him while telling himself, "Everything is classified with you. I bet your shoe size is classified Webb." Harm taunted. "Rabb give it a rest will you. You'll find out soon enough why I'm here and when you do." Webb began, but stopped himself. He was getting dangerously close to getting a broken nose. Unconsciously he rubbed his nose, the phantom pain creeping in. Harm knew then, that whatever news Webb had to give, it wasn't good. "Out with it Webb. You may be super spook, but you can't keep secrets from me." Webb snorted. "Rabb, you have no idea. Fine, you want to know so much. I'll tell you." Harm was stunned. The man was giving up to easily.
"Webb I was just kidding. We can wait for the Admiral." He began, but the cat was already out of the bag. "Palmer escaped three days ago from Leavenworth. No one knows how, and no one knows why it took three days to notify me much less you. That's what I had to tell you, so you may now punch my lights out." Webb finished. Rabb started laughing. Webb was more than livid. "That's a good one Webb. Next you'll be telling me that the boogie man is real." Harm told him, trying to control his laughter. But he noticed that Webb looked a little more than upset. "You're serious aren't you?" Harm asked, noticing that Webb was again rubbing his nose. "As serious as I can get Harm." Webb told him, dropping his hand. Harm didn't give him a second look. He barged past him into the Admiral's office. "It's about why Webb is here sir."
Outside the Bullpen
Harriet Sims-Roberts was confused. She knew in her head that Mac didn't have a sister. But then again, Commander Rabb didn't have a brother until a couple years ago. Shaking her head she responded to the woman on the other end. "I'm sorry Ma'am. You were looking for Col. Mackenzie?" Elizabeth sighed on the other side. "Yes Ma'am. Is she there?" "She's in a meeting. She never mentioned you before, but is it an emergency? I can interrupt her if it is." Harriet asked. "No! I mean, it's not terribly important. I'm just on my way to see her. I'm assuming my mother sent her a letter telling her I was coming, I just wanted to make sure it was ok." Liz babbled on. She was beginning to lose her nerve. Maybe calling wasn't such a good idea after all. Harriet was about to tell her it was all right when she heard Commander Rabb barge into the Admiral's office. "Just one moment Ms. Thompson. I just saw my window of opportunity. Hold on." "Wait I don't want to."Liz began but she'd been put on hold. Sighing, she continued pacing. She never noticed that the bus had taken off without them.
Admiral's Office
"Well out with it Rabb." The Admiral told the attorney. "Palmer apparently escaped three days ago. Webb just found out and strangely enough, I believe him." Harm told the assembled. Mac about died. "Are you kidding me? What happened?" She asked as they all took a seat. Webb was going to explain when Tiner buzzed the intercom. "Not now Tiner." "I'm sorry sir. But Lt. Sims is here. She says that Col. Mackenzie has a phone call." Tiner explained through the speakerphone. "Tiner is it important? I can call them back." Mac answered. "I'm sorry Ma'am. But I don't think it can. Your sister is on the phone." All heads turned towards Mac. She swallowed hard and looked to Harm for some sort of help. "Go ahead Col. Webb's news account can wait a few minutes." Nodding, Mac stood to switch places with the Admiral.
"Put her through Harriet." "Aye, Aye Ma'am. Good luck." Harriet signed off and Mac spoke reluctantly into the phone, more nervous than she could remember, even with Chloe. "Hello?" "Hello? Lt. Sims? If she's busy it's ok. I can just call back or just forget about this whole stupid thing. Maybe I'm still on hold and I've finally lost my mind." The voice on the other side of the line lamented. This brought a smirk to everyone's mouths. "Unfortunately you're not on hold anymore. And I'm afraid I'm not Lt. Sims. Am I to assume that you're Elizabeth?" Mac asked, trying to keep the humor in her voice. She didn't want to frighten or embarrass the poor girl anymore than she was.
Liz stopped in her tracks. Dear God! She's on the phone now. "Um.yeah. This is uh I mean I'm uh Hi. I'm Elizabeth. My friends call me Liz. Uh.HI." She stammered, unable to find the words that she's practiced so many times on the bus trip over. "Hi Elizabeth. My name is Sarah. But everyone calls me Mac. So where are you?" Mac realized that while she wanted to talk all day with her sister, she was still in the Admiral's office and while the boys were off in the corner talking about Palmer, they still had to deal with that. "I'm outside of Shreveport Louisiana. The bus I was on had engine trouble and we had to wait for a tow and a new bus. In fact.oh no! David! The bus is gone! We missed the freaking bus!" Liz yelled into the phone.
Mac sat there as she listened to Liz freak out for a split second until she wondered who David was. A huge red flag started to go off in the back of her mind. But then again, David could be a friend from home who decided to go along with her. "Mac? Are you still there? I just remembered I was on the phone with you. I'm so sorry!" Liz told her. "I'm fine Liz. Listen I have to get back to work. Call a cab company or something and call me when you catch up with the bus ok?" Mac asked. Liz nodded on the other side of the phone. "Ok. Hey wait. Don't' hang up yet. My friend David wants to talk to you. It seems he's on his way to see his mentor who works with you. Do you know Harmon Rabb?" Liz asked as she handed the phone to David.
At the mention of Harm's name, the red flag in the back of Mac's mind went off at Def-Con five. Harm has also heard his name and walked towards the desk. "Yeah I know him Liz. Liz? Are you still there?" Mac asked, trying hard to keep the worry from her voice. "She's standing right here Col. It's nice to hear your voice again. Tell me, is Commander Rabb there with you by any chance?" Mac froze. She knew that voice, as well as everyone else in the room did. "Awww Colonel I'm hurt at your speechlessness. Don't you have any wonderful words of wisdom for your old pal Clark?" Palmer asked.
1225 Zulu JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
"So she's coming to visit, Sir. I would have told you sooner, but I've been trying to hash out details and find out all the information I can to make sure she's legit." Mac told the man she considered her father. AJ regarded her for a moment. She looked convinced that this Elizabeth Thompson person was her sister. She had all the facts and yet, she looked scared, worried. "Is there anything else Mac?" AJ added her nickname, to let her know that he was willing to listen. Mac eyed him. There were so many worries going through her mind about her sister's impending visit. Would he understand? Was this how he felt when Francesca had come to visit? "Sir, they say that you can judge a child, for the most part, by the actions of their parent, isn't that right?" She asked warily.
AJ immediately understood. She had no idea what Elizabeth had been told about Mac. It wasn't easy to come to terms with ones life, and Mac had come to terms with her life when she visited with her father before he died. "Mac I'm sure that whatever first impressions come about, your sister is going to come to know and care for the same person that we care about." AJ told her. "Thank you sir, and while I am worried about her perception of me, I'm more worried about my perception of her. I had a rather interesting phone conversation with her mother." Mac told him, standing as she explained. "She came across as bitter and angry that she was denied so much because my father came back to us, my mother and I. She wouldn't even let me tell her what happened three short years after that. I'm just not sure if she's going to be the same way. Am I being obsessive about this sir?" She finished taking a seat. "Obsession is Commander Rabb's department Mac. I wouldn't have any idea about that. What I do know is that what you are experiencing is relatively normal. Just think of it this way.." AJ began but was interrupted by a loud racket outside his office, followed shortly by Harm's entrance. "Commander?" AJ asked, already knowing why the aviator was barging in. "It's about why Webb is here sir." was all Harm had to say.
10 Minutes Previous
Outside the Admiral's Office
Tiner could have cut the tension in the air with a knife. Harm and Webb were sitting across from each other, staring daggers. Harm, because Webb was there and whenever he was around, it was never a good thing. Webb because he was stuck out in the hall with Rabb, who was most likely going to kill him. "So, Mr. Webb what brings you here today?" Tiner asked, desperate for something to happen so he could get back to work. "I have an appointment Tiner. I'm just waiting for Colonel Mackenzie to finish her discussion with the Admiral." Webb told him, not bothering to keep the annoyance out of his voice. Harm just glared. "Mac has a lot to talk to the Admiral about Webb. So just cool your jets. What's so important that you've got your boxers in a twist?"
"That's classified Harm." Webb told him while telling himself, "Everything is classified with you. I bet your shoe size is classified Webb." Harm taunted. "Rabb give it a rest will you. You'll find out soon enough why I'm here and when you do." Webb began, but stopped himself. He was getting dangerously close to getting a broken nose. Unconsciously he rubbed his nose, the phantom pain creeping in. Harm knew then, that whatever news Webb had to give, it wasn't good. "Out with it Webb. You may be super spook, but you can't keep secrets from me." Webb snorted. "Rabb, you have no idea. Fine, you want to know so much. I'll tell you." Harm was stunned. The man was giving up to easily.
"Webb I was just kidding. We can wait for the Admiral." He began, but the cat was already out of the bag. "Palmer escaped three days ago from Leavenworth. No one knows how, and no one knows why it took three days to notify me much less you. That's what I had to tell you, so you may now punch my lights out." Webb finished. Rabb started laughing. Webb was more than livid. "That's a good one Webb. Next you'll be telling me that the boogie man is real." Harm told him, trying to control his laughter. But he noticed that Webb looked a little more than upset. "You're serious aren't you?" Harm asked, noticing that Webb was again rubbing his nose. "As serious as I can get Harm." Webb told him, dropping his hand. Harm didn't give him a second look. He barged past him into the Admiral's office. "It's about why Webb is here sir."
Outside the Bullpen
Harriet Sims-Roberts was confused. She knew in her head that Mac didn't have a sister. But then again, Commander Rabb didn't have a brother until a couple years ago. Shaking her head she responded to the woman on the other end. "I'm sorry Ma'am. You were looking for Col. Mackenzie?" Elizabeth sighed on the other side. "Yes Ma'am. Is she there?" "She's in a meeting. She never mentioned you before, but is it an emergency? I can interrupt her if it is." Harriet asked. "No! I mean, it's not terribly important. I'm just on my way to see her. I'm assuming my mother sent her a letter telling her I was coming, I just wanted to make sure it was ok." Liz babbled on. She was beginning to lose her nerve. Maybe calling wasn't such a good idea after all. Harriet was about to tell her it was all right when she heard Commander Rabb barge into the Admiral's office. "Just one moment Ms. Thompson. I just saw my window of opportunity. Hold on." "Wait I don't want to."Liz began but she'd been put on hold. Sighing, she continued pacing. She never noticed that the bus had taken off without them.
Admiral's Office
"Well out with it Rabb." The Admiral told the attorney. "Palmer apparently escaped three days ago. Webb just found out and strangely enough, I believe him." Harm told the assembled. Mac about died. "Are you kidding me? What happened?" She asked as they all took a seat. Webb was going to explain when Tiner buzzed the intercom. "Not now Tiner." "I'm sorry sir. But Lt. Sims is here. She says that Col. Mackenzie has a phone call." Tiner explained through the speakerphone. "Tiner is it important? I can call them back." Mac answered. "I'm sorry Ma'am. But I don't think it can. Your sister is on the phone." All heads turned towards Mac. She swallowed hard and looked to Harm for some sort of help. "Go ahead Col. Webb's news account can wait a few minutes." Nodding, Mac stood to switch places with the Admiral.
"Put her through Harriet." "Aye, Aye Ma'am. Good luck." Harriet signed off and Mac spoke reluctantly into the phone, more nervous than she could remember, even with Chloe. "Hello?" "Hello? Lt. Sims? If she's busy it's ok. I can just call back or just forget about this whole stupid thing. Maybe I'm still on hold and I've finally lost my mind." The voice on the other side of the line lamented. This brought a smirk to everyone's mouths. "Unfortunately you're not on hold anymore. And I'm afraid I'm not Lt. Sims. Am I to assume that you're Elizabeth?" Mac asked, trying to keep the humor in her voice. She didn't want to frighten or embarrass the poor girl anymore than she was.
Liz stopped in her tracks. Dear God! She's on the phone now. "Um.yeah. This is uh I mean I'm uh Hi. I'm Elizabeth. My friends call me Liz. Uh.HI." She stammered, unable to find the words that she's practiced so many times on the bus trip over. "Hi Elizabeth. My name is Sarah. But everyone calls me Mac. So where are you?" Mac realized that while she wanted to talk all day with her sister, she was still in the Admiral's office and while the boys were off in the corner talking about Palmer, they still had to deal with that. "I'm outside of Shreveport Louisiana. The bus I was on had engine trouble and we had to wait for a tow and a new bus. In fact.oh no! David! The bus is gone! We missed the freaking bus!" Liz yelled into the phone.
Mac sat there as she listened to Liz freak out for a split second until she wondered who David was. A huge red flag started to go off in the back of her mind. But then again, David could be a friend from home who decided to go along with her. "Mac? Are you still there? I just remembered I was on the phone with you. I'm so sorry!" Liz told her. "I'm fine Liz. Listen I have to get back to work. Call a cab company or something and call me when you catch up with the bus ok?" Mac asked. Liz nodded on the other side of the phone. "Ok. Hey wait. Don't' hang up yet. My friend David wants to talk to you. It seems he's on his way to see his mentor who works with you. Do you know Harmon Rabb?" Liz asked as she handed the phone to David.
At the mention of Harm's name, the red flag in the back of Mac's mind went off at Def-Con five. Harm has also heard his name and walked towards the desk. "Yeah I know him Liz. Liz? Are you still there?" Mac asked, trying hard to keep the worry from her voice. "She's standing right here Col. It's nice to hear your voice again. Tell me, is Commander Rabb there with you by any chance?" Mac froze. She knew that voice, as well as everyone else in the room did. "Awww Colonel I'm hurt at your speechlessness. Don't you have any wonderful words of wisdom for your old pal Clark?" Palmer asked.
