"Mind if I join you ma'am?" Mac looked up to see Harriet's smiling face.
"Of course Harriet. How's your day going?" Mac asked before biting into her sandwich.
"JAG's been a little busy today lots of phone calls and paperwork to sort out. How is your case going?"
"You know I can't discuss an active case but I do have something I can tell you."
"What?" Harriet asked.
"Harm asked me to marry him."
"Congratulations. When?"
"About seven minutes before the trial started. The guy has screwed up timing."
"But you did say yes. I mean you did want him to ask you."
"I yelled at him about the bad timing and kicked him out my office."
"So you didn't give him an answer?" Harriet questioned trying to clarify if her friends were engaged.
"I said yes when we were having a side bar about his over protestations about my decisions. But we really haven't had chance to discuss it because I can't talk to him without Sturgis around even if it's not about the trial because of prejudice. It was one of the rules the Admiral insisted on."
"Let me get this straight ma'am. Cmdr Rabb proposed, you yelled at him and kicked him out of your office and then accepted in the middle of the court room but can't talk to him because of the trial still going on."
"Yep. Welcome to the screwed up world of Lt Colonel Sarah Mackenzie."
"I don't think you're world is screwed up ma'am. Maybe a little confused, but Cmdr Rabb definitely has some problems with appropriate timing."
"I'd better go, I've got to an check on Jenny she was a bit unhappy this morning. I think she might be getting a cold."
"I'm sorry, I hope she feels better soon and congratulations. Let me know when you sort things out enough and I'll throw you a party."
"Thanks Harriet. Have a nice afternoon."
"You too ma'am."
~ ~ ~ ~
"Cmdr Turner, do you want to call your next witness." Mac instructed as the court reconvened after the lunch break.
"The government rests Your Honour."
"Cmdr Rabb, please call your first witness."
"Yes Your Honour. The defense calls Ensign Jamie Pleat."
Two hours later
"The defence rests."
"We'll take a ten minute recess before closing statements, then I'll retire to make my decision."
"Court stands in recess." The clerk announced. "All rise."
RING RING
"Lt Sims." Harriet said as she answered the phone.
"Harriet, it's Mac I need a favour."
"I thought you'd still be in court ma'am."
"I've taken a recess. I'd like to make a decision on this case tonight, so do you think you could pick Jenny up when you go to get AJ and take her back to your house. I'll pick her up as soon as court is over."
"Of course ma'am."
"Thanks Harriet, I'll call the crèche and let them know what's happening, you're on the approved list for collecting her anyway. I'll be finished as soon as I can."
"Take you're time ma'am. Bud and I can keep her for as long as you need."
"Thanks Harriet. I'd better go recess is over in 6 minutes and 17 seconds and I have to phone the crèche."
"I'll see you later ma'am."
~ ~ ~
"Do you really think she's going to make a decision today?" Sturgis asked Harm over a cup of coffee after Mac had retired to make her decision.
"She said she would but she's the judge so it's up to her we just have to wait."
"She is you're girlfriend too and the mother of your daughter too." Sturgis pointed out.
"She might also be my fiancée too."
"Might be?" Sturgis questioned.
"I think that's what she was saying yes too in court today. Might not have been though."
"And you couldn't just ask her to confirm her decision?"
"She says she can't talk to me outside the court room without you present for the appearance of impropriety and the Admiral's rules."
"I forgot about that. So I take it you're sleeping on my couch again if she doesn't make a decision tonight."
"Looks like it."
"Of course Harriet. How's your day going?" Mac asked before biting into her sandwich.
"JAG's been a little busy today lots of phone calls and paperwork to sort out. How is your case going?"
"You know I can't discuss an active case but I do have something I can tell you."
"What?" Harriet asked.
"Harm asked me to marry him."
"Congratulations. When?"
"About seven minutes before the trial started. The guy has screwed up timing."
"But you did say yes. I mean you did want him to ask you."
"I yelled at him about the bad timing and kicked him out my office."
"So you didn't give him an answer?" Harriet questioned trying to clarify if her friends were engaged.
"I said yes when we were having a side bar about his over protestations about my decisions. But we really haven't had chance to discuss it because I can't talk to him without Sturgis around even if it's not about the trial because of prejudice. It was one of the rules the Admiral insisted on."
"Let me get this straight ma'am. Cmdr Rabb proposed, you yelled at him and kicked him out of your office and then accepted in the middle of the court room but can't talk to him because of the trial still going on."
"Yep. Welcome to the screwed up world of Lt Colonel Sarah Mackenzie."
"I don't think you're world is screwed up ma'am. Maybe a little confused, but Cmdr Rabb definitely has some problems with appropriate timing."
"I'd better go, I've got to an check on Jenny she was a bit unhappy this morning. I think she might be getting a cold."
"I'm sorry, I hope she feels better soon and congratulations. Let me know when you sort things out enough and I'll throw you a party."
"Thanks Harriet. Have a nice afternoon."
"You too ma'am."
~ ~ ~ ~
"Cmdr Turner, do you want to call your next witness." Mac instructed as the court reconvened after the lunch break.
"The government rests Your Honour."
"Cmdr Rabb, please call your first witness."
"Yes Your Honour. The defense calls Ensign Jamie Pleat."
Two hours later
"The defence rests."
"We'll take a ten minute recess before closing statements, then I'll retire to make my decision."
"Court stands in recess." The clerk announced. "All rise."
RING RING
"Lt Sims." Harriet said as she answered the phone.
"Harriet, it's Mac I need a favour."
"I thought you'd still be in court ma'am."
"I've taken a recess. I'd like to make a decision on this case tonight, so do you think you could pick Jenny up when you go to get AJ and take her back to your house. I'll pick her up as soon as court is over."
"Of course ma'am."
"Thanks Harriet, I'll call the crèche and let them know what's happening, you're on the approved list for collecting her anyway. I'll be finished as soon as I can."
"Take you're time ma'am. Bud and I can keep her for as long as you need."
"Thanks Harriet. I'd better go recess is over in 6 minutes and 17 seconds and I have to phone the crèche."
"I'll see you later ma'am."
~ ~ ~
"Do you really think she's going to make a decision today?" Sturgis asked Harm over a cup of coffee after Mac had retired to make her decision.
"She said she would but she's the judge so it's up to her we just have to wait."
"She is you're girlfriend too and the mother of your daughter too." Sturgis pointed out.
"She might also be my fiancée too."
"Might be?" Sturgis questioned.
"I think that's what she was saying yes too in court today. Might not have been though."
"And you couldn't just ask her to confirm her decision?"
"She says she can't talk to me outside the court room without you present for the appearance of impropriety and the Admiral's rules."
"I forgot about that. So I take it you're sleeping on my couch again if she doesn't make a decision tonight."
"Looks like it."