Author's Note: Takes place after Season 7 finale, picks up right where it left off. For those of you who read "Occupational Hazards" have no fear I am going to post the last chapter soon, I just don't have it on me right this second. And who let Harm fly? I mean I swear whenever someone lets him fly he either gets Mac sick, crashes, or just causes general trouble. I don't know how the format will show up, but it's all I got right now since I'm not using my comp.
JAG
"With You Always"
Chapter 1 - Waiting in the Dark
I'm standing on a bridge I'm waiting in the dark
I thought that you'd be here by now
There's nothing but the rain
No footsteps on the ground
I'm listening but there's no sound
Mac opened her eyes; she wasn't where she thought she'd be.what was going on? She spun around only to find herself on a bridge, in her uniform, with snow falling. "What's happening?" she asked softly not really expecting anyone to hear. She closed her eyes, took a breath, opened her eyes again, but she was disappointed to find herself still standing on the bridge. Mac tried to think about where she thought she'd be, she remembered being in a plane with Harm. They were in Paraguay. Why did it look like she was in Virginia in the middle of winter? "Harm?" Mac called out. 'Maybe I just don't remember,' Mac thought. 'That's possibly.right? Okay, so highly unlikely, but still! There had to be an explanation!' All of the sudden Mac thought of something that she really didn't want to consider. "Am I dead?" she asked aloud. It certainly wasn't what she would have thought death would be like. It was cold, dark, and incredibly lonely. There were no sounds Mac realized which only made her panic, there were always sounds. No animals. No people. No vehicles of any kind. Mac looked down at the water under the bridge. It was completely frozen.
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As soon as Harm had regained consciousness after the crash he looked forward to see Mac. She wasn't moving. Not a good sign. Harm knew that he had probably come up lucky; he couldn't feel any injuries, just bruising. Harm attempted to stand, so he could check on Mac. Pain. Definitely some broken ribs, well at least one. Harm tried again and this time was able to stand. He moved forward so he was still in his spot, but could check on Mac. "Mac?" Harm said hoping for a response. Mac didn't respond or move. He touched her neck waiting for a pulse. It was there. Not much of one, but it was still there. She was alive for the moment. Harm carefully trying not to irritate his obviously broken rib got out of the plane and went to see if he could get Mac out. He moved around and when he saw her face he cringed, it almost brought tears to his eyes. Her head was just hanging there, and Harm could see a trial of dried blood running down her face. 'How long was I out?' Harm thought to himself. "Mac," Harm repeating and touched her shoulder, but again there was no response. Harm tried to lift Mac out when he realized three things, which made him immediately abandon lifting her out. First of all, it was just hurting him more. Second, he could further any injuries she might have. Third and final, she was stuck. Harm tried to get a look at what was stuck, when he realized that much of the front end of the plane was smashed. Harm began to take a survey of body parts. 'Head. Check. Upper body. Check. Left arm.' Harm leaned over and started from her shoulder and traced along her arm until he found the hand. 'Check. Five fingers.' Harm started counting her fingers to make sure they were all there. 'Check. Right arm. Check. Five fingers. Check.' This was the harder part. Harm didn't want to pull anything to make any of Mac's injuries worse. Harm lay on the side of the plane and started to reach down Mac's left leg. He figured it was the only way to check on where Mac was pinned and if she was hurt without moving her. Harm got to her knee and then he could feel it, metal against Mac's leg, blocking him from going down any further. Harm started with Mac's right left, and found the same thing. "Not good," Harm told himself. Harm began to try to wake up Mac, "Mac.come on.open eyes."
After a few minutes, Mac opened her eyes, but just barely. "Harm?" she managed to weakly get out.
"Hey.I need you to stay awake for me, okay? Can you do that?"
"You're not flying." Mac said barely and then took in a sharp breath before finishing. ".anymore."
"Okay, okay. Now, Mac.I need you to tell me if you can move your head."
"Yeah." Mac said turning it a bit turning more towards him.
"Okay, good. How about your arms?" Harm asked holding out his hand.
Mac lifted her right hand and held onto Harm's.
"What about your other arm, Mac?" Harm asked trying not to sound too worried.
"It hurts too much, Harm," Mac told him tiredly blinking her eyes a few times.
"Okay, now you gotta stay with me, kay?"
"Harm, why.ya here?" Mac asked pained.
"I'm here to get you." Harm told her. "Mac, I need you to tell me if you can feel your legs."
"I can't move them." she told him tears starting to roll down her pale face.
"Come on, Marine, that wasn't the question," Harm knew he might be sounding mean, but he needed to know. He needed to get her out of there. They were on foreign soil. And it was very possible that they were being followed. "Can you FEEL your legs?"
Mac nodded her head. She was in pain. She was starting to become more conscious of what was going on and what was hurting.
Harm tried to appear as calm and collective as possible. He knew Mac was in a lot of pain and that possibly waking her up was only making it worse. "Mac, you're pinned. I'm going to try to pull back whatever's pressing up against your legs, okay?"
Mac nodded.
"Are you going to be able to pull them out?"
"I have to, right?" Mac said.
Harm went around and finally found what he thought was pressing up against Mac's legs keeping her pinned in the plane. Harm couldn't pull it back by himself, but since they had hit trees, there was debris around. He found a good size tree limb and used it to help him move the offending metal back. "Mac? How's that?"
Mac couldn't believe that she was in more pain than when the metal was crushing her legs. Mac tried desperately to pull her legs up, but she had to use her hand to pull one up.
"Mac?!"
"They're out!" Mac yelled weakly before passing out.
Harm rushed around to see Mac all jumbled up in her seat. She was unconscious again. 'At least her legs are free,' he thought. Harm picked her up and got her out of the plane. He laid her on the ground. He at least hoped they'd be safe for a while. He looked at her left arm. He picked it up and began trying to feel for a break. He wasn't sure if he had found it, but he knew that it shouldn't be moved. He looked down at her legs and noticed that one was covered in blood.
TBC...
