Title: Coming Together III: Relationships Built, Part 2
Author: DayDreamer
E-mail: elizden@knology.net
Rating: PG
Classification: Story, Angst, Romance [Harm/Mac, Clay/Other, AJ/Meredith]
Category: Romance
Spoilers: Lifeline, Adrift I and II, Jag-A-Thon
Added: 9-15-02
Summary: (Part 1) Three months have passed since 'Introductions' and the JAG crew has learned just what kind of lawyer Elizabeth is. Clay gets the flu and Mac takes care of him. (Part 2) Clay invites the JAG crew to a party. Mac and Harm argue, but it becomes the catalyst for a much needed talk between them. AJ learns something new about Meredith.
1130 hours, Saturday
JAG Headquarters
Main conference room
Adm. Chegwidden and his senior officers, including Elizabeth, were working on a Saturday to get caught up on paperwork and to work on a task that the Admiral had assigned to them all. None had gotten much work done earlier in the week because they had been busy with cases. Most of the office had been out two or more days with the flu. Mac had not returned until Thursday since she had been taking care of Clay while he was ill, so she had to catch up on her work with the others.
Harm had not had a chance to speak with Mac and he wondered who the sick friend had been. She hadn't volunteered the information, but she hadn't been secretive either. They just hadn't had time to talk.
"Admiral, I hope this flu has run its course. I think just about everyone in the office has been sick but the four of us," Sturgis said.
"We can only hope, Commander. Sorry you all had to come in today, but we need to get this office back on track. The cases haven't stop coming because most of my staff has been ill."
"Not a problem, Admiral. I've worked less weekends at JAG than anywhere else that I've served," Sturgis assured him.
Mac and Harm were expressing similar thoughts when a delivery man from The Basket Gourmet walked in with a huge gift basket full of treats. He had to turn sideways to get through the conference room door.
Sitting the basket on the table, the delivery man said, "I have a delivery for Col. Sarah Mackenzie. I was told that she would be here."
They gave Mac questioning looks and crowded around her, peering into the basket. Mac shook her head in wonderment and signed for the gift. There was a card attached which Harm pulled, sniffed, and handed over to Mac. Opening the card, Mac silently read the note, and then smiled.
The note simply said, "Thanks for taking care of me."
"Who's it from?" asked Harm as he tried to grab the card. But Mac dodged his hand and turned away from him smiling.
Sturgis, quick on the uptake, grabbed the note and quickly shuffled it to Elizabeth, who passed it out of Mac's reach to the Admiral.
AJ grabbed the card and keeping his back to Mac, said "The Colonel is entitled to her privacy, people," while quickly perusing the note. Mac gave him a roll of the eyes and the Admiral laughed, handing the card back to her.
"Who is it from, Admiral?" asked Sturgis.
"It was unsigned."
"Ah, a mystery man, Mac?" from Harm.
"You assume a lot, Harm. It could be from a woman," Mac answered.
"Yea, right. Then why don't you let us read the card?" countered Harm. Then he smiled as Mac handed the card over to him and began pulling out the contents of the basked. It contained exotic fruits and grapes, cheeses, miniature sandwiches, soup, salad, and chocolates. It was a feast.
Harm passed the card around and then everyone understood that the basket was from the friend with the flu that Mac had stayed out of work to care for. At that moment Clayton Webb arrived.
Mac turned to Clay and smiled, "Thanks, Clay."
"You're welcome," Clay replied with a smile.
"Clay, you're the sick friend?" asked Elizabeth, concern in her voice.
"Yes, though I'm much better, thanks to Mac. I'm not one hundred percent yet, but I feel a lot better than I did last weekend. Today is my first day out."
Elizabeth noted that he was a little pale and he looked like he had lost a few pounds. His face was thinner. She felt a pang of jealousy toward Mac for a moment. She hadn't known that he was ill. She would have been there for him if she had, would have liked to have been the one taking care of him. She also realized that this was the first time she had seen him without a suit. He was dressed in a lightweight sweater and overcoat, with casual pants. She liked the casual look.
"The flu hit you pretty hard, didn't it. You're still a little pale," said AJ.
"Yes, much worse than I thought," Clay replied, taking a drink of the bottled water he carried.
"How did Mac know you were sick," asked Harm.
Clay and Mac looked at each other and laughed. Then together they related the events of last Saturday and the subsequent days. Elizabeth, after hearing what had happened, was thankful that Mac had been there. She knew how bad the flu could be, and this year was one of the worst. Many people had been hospitalized because the flu had been particularly devastating for them.
"It's a good thing Mac was there for you. I think this year has seen some of the worse flu cases in history," Elizabeth told Clay, looking him in the eyes.
"You're right, it was a good thing," Clay replied. He loved her for not being jealous or upset that he hadn't told her. Then he smiled to himself, thinking it didn't feel strange at all that they were both thinking in terms of her right to know that he was ill.
"I learned from the Admiral's Yeoman that you were all working today. But Mac, Robert assured me that he could have done the same thing for free," Clay said, pointing to the basket. Both laughed at that. Mac began digging into the basket again, as if she were looking for something.
"Looking for something, Mac?" asked AJ.
"Oh, no, no. Just making sure every…." Mac began, but Clay took a small tin out of his pocket and passed it to her. Mac looked at the tin, and smiled broadly.
Harm, looking over her shoulder, said "Caviar?!"
"Caviar?" asked the others in unison, turning to look at Clay.
"What? No one really likes the stuff…well, except Mac." Clay said in his defense. He laughed at Mac and told her that it was from Robert.
Elizabeth wanted to ask about Robert when Sturgis said, "There's enough food here to feed a small dinner party, Webb."
"Not quite, but speaking of dinner parties, you're all invited to one next Friday. A birthday party actually."
"Whose birthday?" asked the Admiral.
"Mine. Mother insists on throwing a party."
Elizabeth couldn't resist teasing him, so she said in her most sincere voice, "Ooh, your Mommy's throwing you a birthday party. That is so sweet!"
Everyone laughed and Clay smiled and gave Elizabeth a you're-going-to-pay-for-that look. "It's her birthday as well," he told them.
"And you share a birthday!" Elizabeth continued. Everyone laughed all over again. They knew Clay and his mother were close and were enjoying his embarrassment over Elizabeth's teasing.
When they finally settled down, Clay told them that the dinner begins at 7:00pm, with cocktails at 6:30. He pulled invitations out of his breast pocket and passed them out. He also told them that they could bring a guest, just to indicate so when they RSVP. Looking over at Elizabeth, Clay asked "Will you attend?"
"Of course, wouldn't miss it."
"Ok, I'll see you all then if you can make it," Clay said turning to go.
AJ gave Clay a speculative look, but didn't comment. He noticed that Clay had specifically asked Elizabeth to attend.
Mac and Elizabeth looked at each other, then called out to Clay, "What should we wear?"
Clay paused a moment, then said "Formal wear." Turning, he walked out.
Elizabeth looked at Mac in surprise and asked, "Formal? At their home?"
Mac replied, "I have two words for you… Blue blood."
"Oh," was all Elizabeth could say, totally surprised by that news. The others were looking at her and smiling.
"He doesn't look the part, does he?" Harm smiled.
"No, I guess he doesn't," Elizabeth said but thinking 'Oh my gosh, I'm going to meet Clay's mother.'
1230 hours, Thursday
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
"You know, you can't win them all," teased Harm after they left the courtroom. He had won a pretty tough case and he hadn't been sure the members would decide in his client's favor. They had found the Lt. Commander not liable for the damages to Navy property and the injuries several of his men sustained while on a training exercise in North Carolina. Elizabeth had fought hard for the conviction and had done her homework, as usual.
"I still believe your client was negligent, Harm. The only thing that saved him was his good service record. But the Members dropped the ball on this one. The Commander may have a good record on paper, but from what I learned of him, he's in the habit of having his subordinates cover his six. He's kept his record clean that way, but he shouldn't be in command of anyone."
"You're not a sore loser are you, Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth gave him a serious look and then gave him the names of several sailors that had served with the commander on other assignments. Elizabeth hadn't been able to call them to testify. Their testimonies were more a matter of opinion without enough to substantiate a pattern on the commander's part. Elizabeth didn't want to risk their careers if it wasn't going to guarantee a win. Payback in the military happened all too often.
"If you thought what these sailors had to say was significant, why didn't you call them to testify?" asked Harm, surprised by her actions. She was always thorough and well prepared.
"It wasn't enough. Why get them into trouble later on in their careers if the Commander walked? But, Harm, I'm not letting him off the hook. I have a meeting with him and his CO in two hours. It's not going to be easy for him to use his subordinates to cover up his actions in the future. I plan to tell his CO everything that I couldn't introduce in court, except I won't give the Commander names. I will give them to his CO, however, and let him look into things himself. He may believe that harboring a grudge against the commander; but, then again, he may not."
Harm remembered a similar case that he'd defended several years ago. Elizabeth could have been describing his client then. He also didn't think she was a sore loser and decided to call the sailors himself. After talking with them, he accompanied her to speak with his former client and the CO.
1730 hours
Later the same day.
"Hey, Mac, wait up," Harm called to her as they were leaving the building for the evening. She had been treating him a little cool lately and he wanted to get to the bottom of that.
"What are you doing tonight, Mac?"
"Nothing special, why?" asked Mac, walking toward her car.
"You want to get a bite to eat, my treat," Harm said with a quick smile.
"No thanks, I think I'll just catch up on a few things around my apartment tonight."
"Oh, okay." Harm was sure she had said that just to avoid having dinner with him. "Mac, what's going on?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that you've been avoiding me lately. And whenever we do talk, you find a reason to cut the conversation short. What's going on?"
"Harm, nothing is going on. Forgive me if I can't do what you want, when you want me to all of the time. I'm sure you can find someone else to have dinner with you," Mac stated with a bite in her voice.
Elizabeth walked out of the building into the parking lot then. Harm raised his hand to tell her goodnight and then turned back to Mac. Mac had started walking away. "Hey, wait a minute, Mac." Harm said, catching her arm.
"Harm, I'm going home. Why don't you ask Elizabeth to go out with you?"
"Is that what this is about? Elizabeth?"
"There is no 'this', Harm. I'm going home, okay?"
Harm stopped Mac again with a hand on her arm. He didn't care if anyone watched, he needed to clear things up with Mac, and do it now.
"Mac, I'm not sure what you're implying, but you can stop."
"I'm not implying anything."
"Yes, you are. Elizabeth and I are just friends…"
"It's none of my business what your relationship is, Harm."
"No, it isn't, but I'm telling you anyway," Harm said, abruptly. "Elizabeth and I are friends, just as you and I are friends."
Mac looked shocked that he had spoken to her so harshly. "Well, thank you for clearing that up, Harm. We became good friends over years. I guess it's just me that you take a while to warm up to," Mac replied, pulling away from his hand on her arm.
"What do you want, Mac? For me to choose between you and Elizabeth?"
"No, I don't. I never…"
"Good," interrupted Harm, "because that's not going to happen."
Harm looked away for a moment, then turned back to Mac's hurt look. "Mac, you and I need to talk. I've been trying to talk to you for weeks but you've kept this distance between us. It isn't about Elizabeth, it's about you and me. When you're ready to hear me out, let me know, okay?" He turned and walked to his car while Mac got into her car and drove home.
1800 hours
Elizabeth's apartment
Elizabeth arrived home, lay back on her bed of mattresses and kicked off her shoes, letting her legs dangle over the side. She had witnessed the exchange between Harm and Mac though she had not heard what they were saying. She and Mac were still not friends though Mac was always civil. She suspected that Mac thought something was going on between her and Harm. The woman must be blind, thought Elizabeth. Harm was obviously in love with Mac and she with him. Elizabeth hadn't talked to Harm about it, though, knowing the obstacles that were standing in their way since they were in the same chain of command. She did, however, make it a point not to spend too much time alone with Harm. Even though Mac had nothing to worry about, Elizabeth didn't like playing with others' feelings. She thought that the two of them would eventually work things out, given time, but until then, she was mindful of how Mac may perceive her and Harm's friendship.
She and Harm had become fast friends ever since that day in the conference room. They had connected. Now, he was like a brother; no, better than a brother. They understood each other and had a lot to talk about. They always seemed to be involved in a conversation, talking about their cases or their understanding of some legal issue. He was sharp and they gave each other something to think about. Mac and Sturgis were also good attorneys, even though she had beaten them in several cases. Elizabeth spent quality time preparing for cases, calling on years of past research. When she lived in Jordan, she would spend weeks familiarizing herself with different aspects of the law, researching case history after case history. She hadn't been joking when she had told Lt. Roberts that she had 10 years to prepare for her day in court.
Soon, Elizabeth's thoughts turned to the subject that had occupied her mind non-stop all week long. Clayton Webb. Two more weeks and she would know if he felt the same way that he had on their trip home. She wanted to believe that he did, but still she was anxious. It almost seemed like the trip from Jordan had been a dream. She kept thinking about that kiss. They had been traveling for seven days when they boarded a train bound for England. Elizabeth had followed Clay's cue and stayed alert to anything out of the ordinary, anyone paying undue attention to them. They had fallen into a routine of sleeping only an hour at a time, alternating who slept. Clay hadn't asked her to do so, but after the first two days traveling, Elizabeth had noticed that he wasn't getting much sleep so she began to sleep only an hour at a time. She finally talked him into sleeping for an hour, promising that she would wake him. He hadn't wanted to agree, fearing that she would let him continue to sleep past an hour. But she had assured him, saying "Mr. Webb, I know why you're with me. I promise to wake you in an hour or before then if anything looks suspicious. Will you trust me?" Clay had trusted her. After that, they had fallen into a pattern of sleeping an hour at a time whenever they could, not just at night. Elizabeth made him understand that she knew to stay alert, not just sit quietly.
The seventh day, onboard the train to England, they had shared a cabin at night. They always shared sleeping quarters so that Clay could keep an eye on her. But these quarters were cramped and they had had to sleep in the same bunk bed. They hadn't slept close like that before, but when they laid down, both immediately fell asleep. Later, Elizabeth couldn't remember who was supposed to stay awake, and neither could Clay. She had been so warm and comfortable that she was lulled to sleep right away. They woke after an hour and realized that they had both been asleep. They lay there in each other's arms, staring into the other's eyes. Then Clay had kissed her. They had kissed deeply, not holding back. Elizabeth ended the kiss, knowing that it could get out of hand if they let it. He had held her, both of them shaken by what had just passed between them. She had known then and there that she was in love with him. She couldn't explain it, but she knew that it was true. She had fallen in love with him on sight. Clay had pulled her close and told her to go back to sleep. She fell asleep knowing that Clay was just as shaken as she. She woke an hour later so that he could sleep.
Elizabeth pulled herself up and undressed. She had a shower and grabbed an apple from the fridge, returning to her bedroom. She usually worked out most evenings at a dojo nearby but tonight she decided to stay in and pick out a gown to wear to Clay's birthday dinner. She had many to choose from since attending formal dinners had been a routine affair when she lived at the King's palace. Two hours later, she decided to wear a pale pink evening gown that she had bought for Prince Raje's birthday celebration. She wouldn't get to wear it to the celebration now, so she would wear it for the first time to Clay's birthday dinner. She was suddenly excited about the dinner and equally nervous. She would meet Clay's mother tomorrow. She didn't even know if he had told Mrs. Webb about her. Elizabeth decided to turn in early since she intended to go in to work early.
1800 hours
North of Union Station
Harm's apartment
Harm sat on the sofa, bouncing a ball off the wall. He was berating himself for the way he had spoken to Mac. He wanted to talk to her, but he knew that he had to back off and let Mac come to him. He wouldn't choose between her and Elizabeth because there was no choice to be made. Elizabeth was a friend. And Mac… Mac was the woman he was in love with. He had finally admitted it to himself. He wanted to tell her, to see how she felt, but he had shied away from doing so. He knew that Mac needed time on her own since her breakup with Mic Brumby and he had made up his mind to give her space. After his crash last year, he knew that he was in love with Mac. He had even gone to the USS Guadalcanal to see her, but that had been a mistake. She wasn't ready and he had promised himself that he would wait, wait as long as it took. He thought back over the last two years and wished that he had done something about their relationship before she had accepted Mic's proposal. But he hadn't been ready then; he hadn't wanted things to change between them and had told himself that he wasn't sure about his feelings. Now, all he wanted to do was tell her how he felt.
Harm checked his watch and went to get his coat. He had to apologize to Mac, and make her listen to him. He opened the door and stopped. Mac was there, just getting ready to knock.
"Mac," Harm said with surprise. "Come in."
"You were going out?"
"To see you. Let me get your coat."
They stood awkwardly, neither knowing what to say. Finally, Harm said "Have a seat Mac, I want to talk to you about something."
"Harm, I came to talk to you; let me go first."
"Alright," Harm said as they sat down on the sofa.
Mac turned to face Harm but looked down at her hands instead of at him. Finally she looked up and said, "Harm, about what happened earlier. I want to apologize for being rude to you and to clear the air. I behaved badly and I'm sorry."
"I know you didn't mean it, Mac, but thanks."
"I shouldn't have said what I did. I don't think there's anything going on between you and Elizabeth. Well, if there is, I don't know about it."
"There isn't."
"I didn't think so. I'm sorry I implied that there was." Mac looked away, hesitant to go on, but she did anyway. "You and she have become close, fast. I guess I've been feeling a little left out, like she's taking my place. You're my best friend…but, I don't think that I'm yours."
"Mac, that's …"
"No, Harm, wait. It's okay, I'm fine with that. You see, I've always needed you a lot more than you've needed me. I can accept that, and you're still my best friend. And you know that I'm your friend." She stopped for a moment and looked at him before continuing. "I feel like I've finally gotten myself together and I haven't liked letting go of you. I once accused you of holding on to a lifeline, but I've done the same. I don't want you to think that I'm jealous or that I don't want you to be friends with Elizabeth. You haven't given me any reason to believe our relationship has changed and honestly, Elizabeth is a good person. I guess I've just been a little insecure where you're concerned. But not anymore. So, ….friends?" Mac said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Of course we're friends, Mac," said Harm, looking directly at her. "We're more than friends." Harm stood and turned away, then turned back to Mac. "Mac, I'm going to tell you something. You don't have to say anything, or do anything; just hear me out. When I crashed last year, it was scary. They say when you think you're going to die, your life suddenly passes before your eyes. Well, that didn't happen with me. There was no room. All I could think about was staying alive; staying alive because if I didn't, I wouldn't see you again.
"The night of your engagement party, you asked me how long were you suppose to wait and I said as long as it takes. I know what you're telling me now about getting things together; I understand. The last thing I want to do right now is cause any more confusion in your life, but I have to tell you this." Sitting down beside her again, Harm looked into her eyes said, "Mac, I love you. I've wanted to tell you ever since the night Mic left. But things got messed up; I'm sorry they turned out the way they did, and that I had to leave with Renee. But my feelings haven't changed."
Mac looked at Harm, stunned. She hadn't expected him to say anything like this, but expected him to be upset with her.
Taking her hand, Harm said "After I went to see you onboard the Guadalcanal, I knew that I had to give you time and room to heal, so I made up my mind to do just that. I once asked you to wait as long as it takes, now I'm telling you that I'll do the same. If you don't feel the same way I do, tell me and I won't bother you. If you want time, I'll give it to you, as much as you need; because Mac, I'm not going anywhere. I love you."
Mac looked at Harm, tears in her eyes. She brushed a tear away with her free hand and Harm reached up and brushed another away. "Say something, Mac."
"I can't."
"Okay," Harm said, wiping away another tear.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, looking up into his eyes. "I asked you on the Guadalcanal; I asked you at the Jag-A-Thon. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I tried, Mac. At your engagement party. When you were onboard the Guadalcanal, I told you that I would give up Renee for you, but when I turned around you were gone and hadn't heard me. I wanted to talk to you when you returned from that assignment, but you said that it would happen when it happened. I thought you didn't want to talk things out yet."
"When your jet went down, I thought that I had lost you. And when you were found, I didn't know what to do. Mic wanted to have the wedding right away, but I couldn't. He realized just how much you meant to me, and I hated myself for hurting him," Mac said, looking up at Harm. "I didn't want to continue with the wedding and he knew it. I had to admit to myself that I loved you, but I didn't know how to tell Mic. And the way he left, I felt so bad."
"Did you say you love me?" asked Harm, holding his breath.
Mac smiled through the tears and said "Yes, of course I love you."
"Mac…" Harm said as he leaned forward and kissed her. He pulled her into his arms and they kissed for a long time. When they pulled apart, they were both teary-eyed and smiling.
"How did we get here, Sailor?"
"A better question is what took us so long," said Harm, kissing her again.
0700 hours, Friday
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Elizabeth walked to her office just as Mac left the break room with a cup of coffee. Surprised that anyone was there so early, Elizabeth gave a start.
"Oh, Colonel, I didn't know anyone was here. Good morning."
"Good morning. I decided to get an early start."
"Me also. I'm hoping to leave early since the dinner party is tonight."
"My thought as well. Well, I'll see you later; there's fresh coffee in the breakroom."
"Okay, thanks."
They retired to their respective offices and closed the doors. Elizabeth thought that the Colonel had been nicer that usual, genuine friendliness, not just polite civility. She wondered if now was a good time to talk to her about Harm. Deciding to take a chance before anyone else arrived, she crossed the bullpen to Mac's office.
"Come in," Mac said, at the knock on her door.
"Do you have a minute?" asked Elizabeth.
"Sure, come in," said Mac, a little surprised. She was just thinking about going to Elizabeth's office to talk to her.
Elizabeth closed the door and sat down. "Colonel, I don't know the unspoken rules," began Elizabeth apologetically, "and I don't like to play games. So, I just have to say what's on my mind. I'm not absolutely sure why you and I aren't getting along better; we're polite and we're civil, but I wouldn't say that we're friends. At the risk of offending you, let me say this. Harm, he's a friend. I don't have many of those here at JAG so I'm not willing to give up friendships. If that's the source of our conflict, I don't have a solution. But you and I aren't in competition when it comes to Harm. I'm not taking your place, and I would like for us to be friends. If there's something else going on, if I've done something to offend you, please, tell me. If I'm way off base, then I apologize."
Mac didn't say anything for a moment. Then she looked at Elizabeth and said, "You weren't off base. Harm and I are good friends, and we've been through a lot together. He's my best friend. I guess I'm not used to him being close with someone else as he is with me. But that isn't a problem anymore. It's me who should apologize to you; I've already apologized to Harm."
"Thank you. I appreciate your honesty."
"And I appreciate yours."
Elizabeth looked at Mac, then gave a questioning smile. "So, just what did that apology entail? Any breaking news…"
Mac looked at Elizabeth openmouthed and said, "Have you talked to Harm?!"
"Not since work yesterday. Why, is there something he would tell me?"
"What are you getting at? What did Harm tell you?"
"Nothing, nothing at all. I haven't spoken to Harm. But you're looking pretty guilty, there. I wonder why?" Elizabeth said with a smile. "Care to share?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," said Mac innocently.
"Really? Ok," said Elizabeth, standing. "But just so you know, I think the two of you are absolutely nuts."
Mac looked down, shaking her head, but smiling. She looked up at Elizabeth and said "You have to stop this line of talk, now. We can't have this conversation."
"I know. I'm done." said Elizabeth. She laughed and walked back to her office. Mac put her forehead in he hand and groaned. She was going to have a serious talk with Harm. And Elizabeth.
When she got back to her office, Elizabeth thought, 'they've told each other how they feel'. She couldn't stop smiling for them. But she wouldn't reveal their secret. Fraternization was a serious charge, and she hoped that they would handle their relationship and careers correctly. She believed they would.
An hour later, most of the other office staff began to arrive. Harm stopped by Mac's door and said 'Good morning' with a secret smile, then continued on to his office. He and Mac had agreed that they wouldn't reveal their relationship to others until they worked things out with the Admiral. They were going to take it slow, especially since it meant one of them would probably not be stationed at JAG headquarters in the future. It was possible to still report to the Admiral but have a placement at the Pentagon (or have a job at the Pentagon without reporting to the Admiral). The problem was that they both wanted to stay at JAG. It was a problem that they would have to work out with AJ, but not now. Right now, Harm just wanted Mac to himself whenever he could manage it. They weren't planning to do anything that would jeopardize their careers, in case someone did suspect they had feelings for each other.
Harm went to Elizabeth's office to say good morning to her. Elizabeth smiled and told him to come in.
"You're here early," said Harm sitting down across from her desk.
"So are you. How was your evening, Harm?"
"Great! I mean, fine, just fine." Harm corrected himself.
Elizabeth smiled at him and said, "I talked to Mac earlier."
"And…" Harm asked suspiciously, noting her smile. He couldn't help smiling himself, but he wasn't going to reveal anything.
She decided to have some fun with him. "And what?"
Harm squinted at her and said, "Elizabeth, what are you up to?"
"Nothing, not a thing, Harm."
"What did you talk to Mac about, and don't tell me nothing 'cause I won't believe you."
"What would Mac and I have talked about? I mean, we aren't exactly girlfriends."
Harm sobered at that comment. He wanted Elizabeth and Mac to like each other. "Will you try to get along with her?"
"Is it that important to you, Harm, that she and I get along?"
"Yes, it's very important to me."
"Ok then. We get along," said Elizabeth matter-of-factly.
"What? Elizabeth, again, what are you up to?"
"Nothing. You want Mac and me to get along. We do. Sorry, Harm, but I need to see the Admiral," Elizabeth said while she stood to leave her office. "He's just come in. Want to have lunch today?" she called over her shoulder.
Harm stood in her office looking after her, then looked over at Mac in her office. He thought 'Those two women have been talking'. He headed for Mac's office and shut the door.
"Mac," he began with a warning look, "what did you tell Elizabeth?'
Mac leaned forward and whispered, "Not a thing! She's playing us, Harm. She made me think that you had told her something."
They looked at each other and laughed. Harm said, "You know, we've got to put a stop to whatever she's thinking. Let's have lunch today, away from the office, and talk to her. Do you want to tell her?"
"Like we can keep it from her. She's intuitive and she's not going to let this go. I don't think she'll talk to anyone else, though. She knows what's at stake."
"You're right. So, lunch then?"
"Ok, you choose the place, I'll get her there."
Meanwhile, in Admiral Chegwidden's office, Elizabeth and he were having a casual conversation when PO Tiner rang.
"Admiral, a Ms. Cavanaugh for you on line one."
AJ paused before answering, "Thanks, Tiner."
Elizabeth watched as he spoke to Meredith Cavanaugh. She knew that this was a woman he'd been seeing for many months, but she didn't see a lot of excitement in his eyes while he spoke with her. Others had implied that they were serious, but from the sound of the conversation, she guessed the Admiral saw the relationship more as a friendship.
"I'm sorry, I can't make it tonight. I have another commitment. How about lunch today and we can plan to have dinner at my home Monday when you return."
"Okay," the Admiral said, after listening to Meredith's response. "I'll meet you there at 11:45." They talked for a minute or two more, so Elizabeth discreetly left the office and spoke with Tiner until the Admiral was free. When he was done, AJ rang Tiner and asked him to let Elizabeth know he was off the phone.
They continued their conversation and then AJ asked while watching Elizabeth closely, "Are you looking forward to the dinner tonight?"
"It will be strange seeing Mr. Webb in a home environment," said Elizabeth, avoiding a direct answer. AJ, of course, recognized avoidance and that told him all he needed to know. She was nervous about the dinner.
"Are you bringing anyone to the dinner?" asked AJ, knowing the answer.
"No, sir."
"You know, there's someone I want you to meet. I think you would like him and …"
"Uh, Admiral, I don't do blind dates. Please don't play matchmaker."
"But you should date. Are you seeing anyone?"
"No, sir, I can honestly say that I'm not."
"You're a very attractive woman; you shouldn't have to attend a dinner alone."
"You're a very attractive man, Admiral, but you're going to this dinner alone, also," Elizabeth said with a knowing smile. " Wouldn't Ms. Cavanaugh like to go with you?" she innocently asked.
AJ looked at her and then smiled. "Okay, I'll stay out of your private life."
"Oh, no, Admiral," Elizabeth said laughing, not ready to let him off the hook. "What you mean is you don't want me in your private life."
AJ laughed and nodded his head. But he decided that he wasn't going to let her off the hook, now.
"It's just as well that we go alone. You and Mac will probably need help fending off Porter Webb."
Elizabeth stopped smiling then, a serious expression on her face. "Porter Webb is a difficult woman?"
"The worst. You know she doesn't think anyone is good enough for her son. And she sees every unmarried, female friend of his as a threat. That's probably why Clay never married. Mother didn't approve." AJ stated in a very believable voice.
"Oh," said Elizabeth, suddenly wishing she had not accepted the dinner invitation. "Admiral, I'd better get back to my desk," she said standing to her feet.
AJ watched her leave while trying to hide a grin. When she closed the door he laughed outright. He decided to give her about an hour before telling her he was joking about Clay's mother. But right now, he couldn't stop laughing at her expression.
1030 hours
Elizabeth's office
It was almost 11:30 and Mac had seen Elizabeth go into her office earlier so she went to invite her to lunch with she and Harm.
Knocking on the door frame to get her attention, Mac went in. Standing beside her so that she could speak in low tones, Mac said "You're coming to lunch with Harm and me. The Pelican, 11:45."
"Oh, yea?"
"Yes."
Elizabeth laughed and said, "You know, I am pretty hungry. But I have to run an errand, so I'll meet you there."
Mac gave her a disbelieving look, so Elizabeth said, "I will." Mac gave her another look, but left and went to tell Harm lunch was a go.
11:45 hours
Pelican Restaurant
Washington, D.C.
Elizabeth walked into the restaurant, looking around for Harm and Mac. She was speaking with the maitre' d to see if they had arrived when Adm. Chegwidden and a woman walked in.
"Elizabeth, Harm told me you all were meeting for lunch. They're running late and may not make it; that case we discussed earlier has them tied up." The Admiral never spoke of cases by name in public unless he had to.
"Oh, okay. Thanks, Admiral. I can order take-out for us."
"No, stay, you can dine with us. Elizabeth, this is Meredith Cavanaugh. Meredith, Elizabeth Halliton."
Elizabeth noted that Meredith's smile slipped slightly when the Admiral had invited her to eat with them. Slipped even further when he made the introduction.
"Hello, it's nice to meet you, Ms. Cavanaugh."
"Hello, Ms. Halliton. I've heard a lot about you," Meredith Cavanaugh replied with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Please, call me Elizabeth." Turning to AJ, she said "Admiral, I think I'll just grab something to go and see if Harm and Mac can use a hand with that case."
Elizabeth didn't believe Meredith welcomed her cutting in on their lunch, but the Admiral had other ideas.
"I think the two of them can handle it. Besides, they may make it after all. You'll only pass them on the highway. Ladies…" AJ said, stepping aside as the waiter led them to their table.
They ordered and carried on a general discussion about their respective jobs. When the salad arrived, Elizabeth bowed her head and said a short, silent blessing over her meal before eating. AJ, having dined with her many times, expected that and was silent out of respect.
"Ms. Cavanaugh, Mac mentioned that you are a scholar. Have you always taught?"
"Yes, but I enjoy the summer programs most. I get to work with some pretty talented kids and helping them develop their skills, exposing them to different ways of thinking is very rewarding," Meredith replied, giving Elizabeth a direct look.
Elizabeth paused midway to taking a bite of salad, looking up at Meredith. She was certain Meredith had just taken a dig at her with that comment about teaching kids different ways of thinking. It wasn't what she said, but how she said it. Elizabeth wasn't certain where she was coming from, but she correctly surmised what had prompted the comment. The blessing of her meal. She continued eating as Meredith turned to AJ and related how one of her students had interpreted one of AJ's favorite poems.
AJ looked a little confused, sensing the tension that had just sprung up between Meredith and Elizabeth..
Meredith asked Elizabeth, "Do you find it difficult being the sole civilian attorney in a JAG office, Elizabeth?"
"No, not at all. I suppose I'm used to being 'one among many' after living in Jordan."
"Yes, an American living in an Eastern country would stand out."
"Actually, Ms. Cavanaugh, I was referring to being a Christian living in an Islamic household," Elizabeth said as she met Meredith's look, letting her know that she was not ashamed to say that she was a Christian.
"If you all believe in the same thing, a God, it shouldn't have been too difficult."
"It wasn't difficult at all, but no, we don't necessarily believe the same things," was Elizabeth's quiet response.
"You're right, of course. If that were the case, we wouldn't have so many people committing horrible acts in the name of a God," Meredith countered with a short laugh, glancing at AJ.
"True, it's enough to make a less enlightened person question why our Lord granted us free will," Elizabeth calmly replied.
"Or question why a God lets such terrible things happen at all, don't you think?"
"He doesn't mind the questions… In fact, He prefers that we seek the truth in Him."
Turning to AJ, Elizabeth said, "Sir, Mac and Harm have arrived."
AJ turned and signaled to Harm and Mac to join them. He turned back around, glad that the distraction ended Meredith and Elizabeth's conversation. He had followed their exchange, realizing that they were at odds on religious grounds. He was attempting to digest what he had just learned. He already knew that Elizabeth was a devout Christian, but what he didn't know was that Meredith was an atheist. The subject had never come up and he didn't know what to make of the news.
"Admiral; hello Ms. Cavanaugh," said Harm.
"Commander, it's nice to see you again. Please call me Meredith."
"Meredith, it's good to see you." said Mac, taking a seat between Elizabeth and Meredith.
"Sarah, it's good to see you, too. How have you been?"
"Great. And you?"
"Very well."
"Have you already ordered, Admiral?," asked Harm.
"Yes, but you still have time to join us if you skip the salad. Have a seat."
Harm took the chair between the Admiral and Elizabeth, noticing that the Admiral looked like he had something on his mind. And there was a definite tension in the air. He gave Mac a quick look, raising his eyebrows questioningly. He turned to Meredith and began talking, "Ma'am, how's the semester going, so far?"
"Fast, Commander. Between grading research papers and special literary assignments, I rarely have a free moment. I have a good bunch of students who work hard, so I try to get their work back to them as quickly as possible."
"Well, maybe tonight will…" he turned to Elizabeth who had just kicked him on the ankle. And the Admiral gave him a stony look as well.
"Pass the salt, please, Harm." said Elizabeth, with a pointed stare.
…uh, maybe tonight you'll get to relax a bit, and enjoy your weekend." finished Harm, catching on pretty quickly.
Harm passed Elizabeth the salt, but he knew that she never put salt on her food. She said that it ruined the flavor. And since heart and kidney diseases were two of the leading causes of death among African-Americans, she didn't intend to contribute to those statistics. Yet, she sprinkled a little salt on a cucumber and munched on it as if she always did.
Mac had caught on as well and changed the subject. They finally finished the meal and each left in their respective vehicles, going back to JAG. Mac and Harm had ridden together in Mac's Corvette.
"What on earth was going on at that table?" asked Harm as soon as they got in the car.
"I don't know," said Mac with equal surprise. "Something must have happened before we arrived. We can ask Elizabeth when we get back."
They cornered Elizabeth in her office after the Admiral went to a meeting at the Pentagon. He wouldn't return, but leave from there going home. Not wanting their conversation to be overheard, they closed the door of her office and began.
"Okay, what was going on at lunch today?" queried Harm. He and Mac sat in the chairs facing Elizabeth's desk.
"Nothing. Except you were about to put your foot in your mouth in a huge way," laughed Elizabeth.
"Oh, I got that the Admiral hadn't asked Meredith to attend the dinner with him. Especially since you kicked me so hard."
"Oh, you wimp! I didn't kick you hard at all."
"Hey, I have the bruise to prove it. No, what I meant was the other thing."
"What other thing."
"Come on, Elizabeth," said Mac. "There was so much tension at that table when we walked up you could have cut it with a knife."
"Oh. That," Elizabeth said, clearly not wanting to discuss it.
"Yea, that," said Harm, looking at her questioningly.
"What happened?" asked Mac.
"Nothing, really."
"How did you know that the Admiral hadn't asked her to accompany him to the dinner?" Harm wanted to know.
"I overheard a semi-private conversation between them when the Admiral made the lunch date."
"I wonder why he didn't ask her. She's been good for him." said Mac.
"Really, in what way," asked Elizabeth, keeping her tone neutral.
Mac looked at Elizabeth closely. "You don't like her, do you?"
"Mac, I don't know her. And I'm not in the habit of disliking people."
"What were you all talking about before we arrived?"
Elizabeth paused before answering, but finally said, "We were talking about 9/11, I suppose. Ms. Cavanaugh mentioned how people commit horrible acts in the name of a God. I said that it could make a person wonder why we were given free will."
"Okay, I see now. You don't like Meredith because she's an atheist."
"She is?" said Harm, looking at Mac. She shook her head, yes.
"You knew? How?" asked Elizabeth.
"She told me. Elizabeth, you can't hold it against her if she doesn't believe the same thing you do."
"I'm curious, how long have you known Ms. Cavanaugh?"
"About six months."
"Have you spent much time with her?"
"No, not really. I had lunch with her a few times when we first met. I met her when I was searching for a summer writing program for Chloe."
"You've known me four months, worked with me practically five days a week, lunching together most of those days," said Elizabeth, thoughtfully.
Continuing, she said "Some people would say that I am a devout Christian. Though, I'm not really sure what they mean when they say 'devout'. But in the truest sense of the word, I suppose I am a devout Christian. Did you know that about me?"
"No, I can't say that I did," replied Mac, not surprised by the information, though. There was something about her that was just different.
"Did you know that about me, Harm?"
"Not that you told me, but I suspected as much."
"You know, Mac, I've never tried to influence you in accepting my religious beliefs. Unlike Ms. Cavanaugh. Yet, you assume that I had an issue with her, not the other way around. Why?"
"Okay, perhaps I was wrong and made a false assumption. Are you saying she had an issue with you?"
"No, I'm not saying anything."
"And Meredith hasn't tried to influence me as an atheist," added Mac.
"I think she has," Elizabeth said. "You barely know her, yet she's expressed her religious views. Maybe she sees you as a religious or spiritual person, you have had unexplained visions."
"She doesn't know anything about that," Mac said.
"She doesn't have to know specifics; perhaps she just senses something about you. I'm guessing she's probably expressed those same views with Chloe."
"Has she, Mac?" asked Harm.
Mac said, defensively "Chloe did mention that they had talked about it in one of her classes."
"Now, why does an atheist talk about religion with someone they barely know when they don't believe in God?" asked Elizabeth.
"You know, Elizabeth, the bottom line is that the Admiral likes her. So, it wouldn't be a bad idea to avoid religious discussions with his girlfriend," said Harm.
"I agree, and it's not like we argued. It wasn't like that at all. In fact, we didn't really have a religious discussion; we just made an observation and came to different conclusions because we obviously have different beliefs. You two arrived at that very moment, and that's why you sensed the tension."
"Yes, that and the Admiral didn't look too happy," said Mac.
'I don't think the Admiral knew she's an atheist,' thought Elizabeth, though she didn't voice that assessment.
They ended the conversation and began talking about Clay's birthday dinner. Harm asked if Elizabeth wanted to ride with them, but she said no, she would drive. He just shook his head and walked away, saying something about she and Mac and their cars. Mac loved driving her Corvette and Elizabeth loved driving her Jaguar. They were worse than men about their cars.
1500 hours
Porter Webb's Estate
Great Falls, Virginia
Porter went in search of her son. He had come over to check on the preparations, though he claimed to have just decided to leave work early for a change. She had noticed a marked difference in Clay the past few months. He seemed happier and had a settled look about him. She was glad to see her son able to smile again; he had been down and pushing himself so hard since 9/11. When she first noted the change, she thought that maybe he had met someone. But he hadn't brought anyone over for her to meet. His involvement's usually didn't last very long, an unfortunate consequence of his work, so she wasn't at all upset that he hadn't introduced her to them.
Porter had wondered about his relationship with Sarah Mackenzie and had asked him about her when he was recovering from the flu. He said that he and Mac weren't involved. She told him perhaps they should be, she obviously cared about him. He had told her Mac cared as a friend, and had indicated that the colonel had feelings for someone else. She then said 'Okay, but that's not saying you don't have feelings for the colonel.' Clay assured his mother that nothing could be further from the truth. But thinking about him even now, Porter was convinced Clay was in love. Hence, the party tonight. Clay would wait until he was absolutely sure of the woman before he would introduce her to his mother, but Porter decided to take a chance and see if Clay would invite the woman to a birthday dinner. Since he agreed to the dinner she felt confident that he would. He usually ran the other way each year she suggested a birthday dinner-party.
She knew the colonel would be at the dinner tonight; she didn't want to see her son get hurt, and she knew he could take care of himself. Still, she worried about him. Arriving at his room she watched as he tried to decide which suit to wear. She smiled, remembering back to his first solo date when he was in high school. "I think the midnight gray looks great," she said, advancing into the room.
"I'm partial to that one, too," Clay said, smiling as he turned to his mother.
"Thanks, Son, for indulging me this year."
"I have to confess, Mother, I have an ulterior motive for agreeing."
"And what is that?" Porter asked.
"There's someone I want you to meet," Clay said, taking her hand and walking with her into his dayroom.
"I've been wondering when you would introduce us," smiled Porter as she and Clay sat on the sofa.
"How did you know?" asked Clay, grinning at his mother.
"You've changed. You're happier and when we talk, there's this excitement in your voice. So, who is she?" asked Porter, curiously.
"Do you remember my trip to Jordan?"
"Yes, you went to retrieve the American lawyer that resided at the King's palace, Elizabeth Halliton."
"You still pay attention to everything I tell you, don't you?" Clay smiled. His mother was a remarkable woman.
"Of course."
"Well, I want you to meet Elizabeth. She's coming tonight with the others from JAG."
"I look forward to meeting her. Have you been seeing her all this time?"
"Not exactly. We've never gone out."
"You haven't? Why not?"
"Well, it's a long story. You have time?"
"Son, I've been waiting to have this conversation with you for almost 15 years. Of course I have time."
Clay laughed and then began telling his mother about his first meeting with Elizabeth, their trip home, and their parting at JAG. Porter watched her son and smiled to herself. He was definitely in love with this woman. She hoped that Elizabeth Halliton was in love with him, but she would refrain from making that judgement until she actually met her. Not to mention that even if she were in love with him, it didn't mean that it was a good match. Clay needed someone who understood his commitment to his work and wouldn't feel threatened or abandoned because of his job.
After Clay and she had finished talking, Porter went to check on the preparations, knowing that everything was proceeding as planned. She always hired the best caterers and Robert was a whiz at handling even the most difficult of situations. He was a good friend and only took on the butler role whenever anyone other than she and Clay were home. He had been a young protegee of her husband's and after Clay's father had died, he had remained employed by Porter. They say that there's no such thing as ex-CIA, but Robert was, and at a young age. That's not to say that he didn't have a wealth of knowledge and maintained contacts around the world. He had taught Clay a lot and still handled certain tasks for him.
Now she retired to her room to get ready for her guests. Her thoughts turned to Elizabeth Halliton. Clay had told her a great deal about Elizabeth. She was obviously very intelligent and well on her way to building a reputation as an accomplished attorney. She and Clay had not dated but he kept an eye on her. He even knew that she hadn't dated anyone else since coming back to the States. The threat to her in Jordan had not been neutralized though the responsible parties were identified. The King and his men were waiting for the right time to make their move and Clay was working with them. Elizabeth had round-the-clock protection, though she was unaware of this. He and King Hussain had agreed not to tell her until they could carry out their plan to apprehend those responsible. Clay had seen to her protection when she had traveled to Saudi Arabia last month, even going there himself.
The threat to Elizabeth had a political backing. Clay told her that two people in the King's household were suspected of working with an Iranian political faction who had a grudge against the King of Jordan because he refused to back terrorist activities against the United States. The threat remained even though Elizabeth was no longer in Jordan because they hoped that by killing Elizabeth, the United States would turn against Jordan and see them as an enemy just like Iran. This would force the King to see the faction's point of view in a different light and support them. Many in the King's cabinet knew that he, the prince and the Secretary of State listened to the counsel of the American attorney, and some resented not being able to sway the King in legal issues involving the United States. King Hussain ran his government well and was not easily swayed by men who only had their political ambitions at heart. But these men, two had been identified, had joined forces with the Iranian faction when they were unsuccessful in turning the rest of the government against the King. They had secretly implied that King Hussain received undue American influence, meaning Elizabeth. The rest of the body of government, however, agreed with the King's policies toward the United States and noted that the relationship between the two governments had been a successful one for a long time.
King Hussain, his son and friend & Secretary of State, Ramir, told Clay that it helped that Elizabeth always kept a low profile. The King did not expose her to government proceedings, but treated her more as a guest in his home. Although his cabinet knew he consulted with her on American legal issues, they didn't know how often or to what extent since she never portrayed herself as member of the King's immediate counsel. They had no idea how close the four of them were. Elizabeth was never seen in a political arena, only at dinners at the palace and around the city and country when she traveled. The King insisted that she travel with an escort from the palace, but fairly early, she had convinced him to let the escort wear casual attire so as not to draw attention to them. It had worked and she was able to move about freely for the most part as an ordinary visitor.
Porter recalled that Clay had mentioned Elizabeth was African-American. That came as a surprise. But Porter was no snob, and she only hoped that this woman loved her son as much as he obviously loved her. Clay believed that she did, but Porter had a woman's instinct. She would know the truth once she met Elizabeth. Clay had fallen in love with her on sight, and that didn't surprise Porter. She knew that Clay was a very sensitive man, but that didn't mean he wore his heart on his sleeve. She always knew that when he fell in love again, he would fall hard, in spite of the last time. She didn't want to see him get hurt again like 10 years ago, though. It had taken him so long to get over Rica. Clay had never introduced his mother to Rica, and he had been with her for over two years. Porter had done her homework afterwards, calling on connections that she still had in the business. After checking Rica out, she knew that Clay could have introduced them, but the fact that he hadn't made Porter believe that perhaps he hadn't been sure of Rica.
At any rate, Porter was determined to meet Elizabeth with an open mind. She went downstairs when the first of her guests began to arrive. Clay was there also.
The End – Part IV