Disclaimer: JAG belongs to DPB, Paramount, CBS et al. This is for fun, no copyright infringement is intended.
- Bethesda Naval Hospital, near midnight
Admiral AJ Chegwidden stepped out of the elevator as soon as the doors opened. He looked around and walked over to the waiting area where Colonel Mackenzie was sitting on a chair, hands tightly clasped together. Commander Turner stood near by, watching her. He was unaware of the third figure standing in the corridor.
Harm turned and watched his CO approaching the little group. He was still feeling numb, floored by the chain of events over the last few hours.
After they had discovered his body, everything had happened in a head spinning rush. The medics had worked with serious faces. Webb had arranged a helo-transport to Bethesda. Mac had fiercely insisted on being on the ride and nobody had been brave enough to tell her no. As soon as they'd arrived at the hospital a lot of doctors and nurses had taken possession of his body and wheeled him away, leaving Mac and the rest of himself behind.
And now they were here. Waiting. Hoping.
"Colonel? How is he?" Chegwidden addressed the sitting woman in a low voice. Her ashen face startled him.
"Admiral." Mac rose to her feet and cleared her throat in an attempt to make her own voice steady. She fought tears back. "He's still in surgery. They refuse to tell us anything. But he was stabbed in the chest and maybe got some trauma - the fall into the pit must have been heavy. He was obviously lying there for several hours until we found him."
Seeing her lips trembling slightly, Chegwidden turned to face Commander Turner.
"Where's Webb? What did happen?" His low growl promised nothing good for the absent spy.
Turner sighed. He knew the admiral wouldn't appreciate the story. Hell, he certainly didn't. He'd had to start shouting before the spy had told him anything - and after a few sentences he'd understood why. He had turned it over and over in his head as he had driven the car to Bethesda but its screwed irony was still bothering him.
"He had to stay there. It's really a pretty mess. But he gave me 'the short version' as he called it."
"Well?" Chegwidden crossed his arms. Mac tried to concentrate because she hadn't heard the story too and even Harm moved closer.
Turner sighed again. "Well, the short version is this: The CIA learnt that a terrorist with certain connections was planning to sneak into the country for a meeting with some of his fellows. They wanted to take out the whole group so they worked with the FBI and set a trap. They observed their meeting point: The 'Two For One'."
"A bar full of military? Were they crazy?" asked Chegwidden shaking his head.
"Webb called it brilliant because -"
"- No one would expect a terrorist group in a bar like that," Mac ended the sentence her mind was still working excellent. Harm just nodded to himself. "But we do now."
"Exactly. Well, all went fine but then Callahan started his little crusade against the Navy or better Petty Officer Carmichael - as we reported to you, Sir, before we left him and met Webb - and in the end Commander Rabb showed up at the bar. And - uhm - you know his style of questioning."
"Oh yes!" Two heads nodded up and down in unison.
"Hey! What does that mean?" Harm asked indignantly, finally waking up. Of course nobody paid attention.
"The FBI had somebody working undercover in the bar. Things were running out of control and they wanted him out - well, it seems Harm got a glass of cranberry juice over his uniform."
Harm groaned.
"After he left the agent called his superior, his superior called his boss and his boss recognized the name and called Mister Webb. Then Webb called Commander Rabb at home and tried to hold him back. But they were interrupted and when Webb tried to call again he wasn't able to reach him because he went to see Callahan again. He found out about Callahan's friend, went to see him and ... unfortunately the terrorists had rooms in that area too."
Mac looked away understanding dawning. "Webb's reaction when we told him ..."
"... A few blocks south of the 'Two For One', yes. Mister Webb thinks the terrorists felt threatened as they saw Harm for the second time this day - and attacked him."
A few seconds was silence. Then Mac shook her head.
"That would explain how he ended up in that garage - but not how this building went up in flames."
"That is really kind of a bad joke." Turner shook his head in wonder. "Apparently a couple was arguing pretty loud and some neighbors felt annoyed. They called the police."
"Oh God ... with some very nervous terrorists in the neighborhood."
"Yeah. The FBI team wasn't able to get in before they shot one of the police officers but the other managed to run out and request backup. It ended in a bloody gun-fight and finally a part of the building blew up."
"Explosives?"
"No. It seems somebody hit a gas pipe. It's a miracle but while the whole thing caused several injured there are only three people dead and two of them have been terrorists. The fallout is going to be heavy nonetheless."
"What a mess," said Harm slowly and rubbed a hand over his face.
"What a mess," Mac's voice came as an echo. "I can't believe it but it happened all by chance! If Harm dies it will be - coincidence!"
The men could see how she was fighting for control. Chegwidden rested a hand upon her shoulder.
"He's not dead now and you know as good as I do - it's nearly impossible to get rid of Commander Harmon Rabb junior."
Mac smiled through her tears. "Like chewing gum at the sole of your shoe, Admiral?"
He smiled back. "Just like that."
"Thank you very much. I think I've heard that before," muttered Harm to himself.
They settled down and started waiting again. Time seemed to creep instead of running with its normal speed.
Harm paced slowly back and forth. He couldn't help but fearing the end of this. He had been injured before but this time ... this time it was different. Darker. He glanced over to his partner sitting awfully still and staring a hole in the ground. He had always known she was caring a lot for him. He just never realized completely how much. Despite Russia - twice actually - and her canceled wedding with Brumby. He never wanted to. What a coward he had been. What a fool. And now it was too late. Too late to tell her how he was feeling. Why he had denied those feelings to everyone including himself.
Harm stared down the corridor. Somewhere there was his body and the hospital staff was fighting to rescue him. To keep him alive. And he got the frightening impression they were losing the fight. He suddenly felt light headed and a kind of nausea. Turning he looked again at the women who was his partner over the last years and made a decision. Taking a deep breath he straightened his shoulders and walked up to her. Kneeling in front of her he considered his next words and decided just to go for it.
"Mac -" he had to clear his throat, "Sarah - I know I should have ... should have said this long ago and ... and now it's too late and I ... But I just have to say that aloud ... just once."
He paused and looked deep into her incredible brown eyes, the eyes he had adored since the first time he saw them. First because they were so much like Diane's but then - because they were Mac's.
Her lips moved a little and slowly she lifted her gaze and seemed to look directly into his eyes, seemed to look straight into his very heart. She was drawing him like a magnet.
"Sarah," he whispered their lips just inches away. "I never said this. Never admitted it to myself but ... I do. Now and forever whatever that means now: I do love you."
"Harm ..." A tear was forming in Mac's eye. She opened her clenched hands reaching out for him -
"Coffee, Mac?"
Harm sat down hard and Mac nearly fell off the chair in surprise. She had a startled look at the plastic cup with coffee held under her nose and then up to Turner's concerned face.
"I - uh - yes, thank you, Sturgis."
Harm slowly came onto his feet silently cursing his old friend for his bad timing. Had she really seen him in this short moment? Had she really heard him?
"Colonel? You're all right?" Chegwidden joined them. Mac forced a smile.
"Yes, Sir. As much as possible -" she stopped mid-sentence. The men followed the direction of her horrified look and saw a doctor approach them.
Harm stepped back. He suddenly felt dizzy. A white cloud blurred his sight for a moment and he wasn't able to hear the first exchange of words because of the rushing sound in his ears.
"... is he?" Mac's voice. The sound rose and fell making it impossible to hear more than fragments.
"... very serious ... lost a lot of blood ..."
"Mac!" He stretched out a hand like a drowning man but was unable to move his feet. He seemed to drift away from them. He couldn't see anymore.
"... but the luckiest man I've ever seen. It will take its time but ..."
"Sarah!" The white blur swept him away.
