Chapter 2 - Family Secrets


2000 Zulu
Trish Burnett's Home
San Diego, California


Harm and Mac sat outside of Harm's mother's home in their rental car. Harm had said he wasn't ready to go in just yet. Mac wasn't sure if it was the fact that he seemed nervous about confronting his mother about a sister that was HER daughter and HIS father's or that there were cars in front of the house which could mean that company was over. "Harm," Mac said quietly. "Ready?"

"I…I guess…" Harm said staring at the house.

"Are you going to be okay doing this?"

Harm looked over at her, "you're coming with me right?"

Mac smiled, "if you want me to."

Harm nodded, he needed the support. It had been hard enough to tell her about Sergei let alone question her about a sister that she was the mother to! A sister that had seemed to be kept from him for years! He got out of the car and tucked his cover under his arm. He walked around the car to Mac. They walked to the front door together and Harm knocked twice and then waited.

Trish Burnett opened the door and smiled immediately at her guests. "Harm! Sarah! Come in!" she said ushering them in before they could change their minds.

Harm stopped when he recognized three people in the front room, "ummm…"

Lt Madison Rabb plus two men who were older than her sat on the couch, all in civilian attire. Madison's dark brown curly locks framed her face, and her deep blue eyes stood out. She was dressed in jeans, a blouse, and a jacket. Madison rolled her eyes, and she knew Harm saw but didn't care. The two men with her didn't seem too awfully happy about Harm and Mac being there either. The older of the two men had copper colored short hair and green eyes while the other had light brown hair and brown eyes both dressed in jeans, shirts, and jackets.

Trish on the other hand was thrilled; she led Harm and Mac into the front room with the other three and made them sit down. "It's SO wonderful to have you all here."

One of the men that had come with Madison smiled, "come on, we come in as often as we get the chance."

"I love having all three of you here," Trish said looking at the three young naval officers and then looked over at Harm and Mac. "And you two are a surprise, since you don't visit enough."

"Mom…is…she…Madison…really MY sister?" Harm asked trying to make sense and keep his senses together and motioning to Madison.

Madison rolled her eyes.

"Haven't you seen her fly?" Trish asked.

Madison instantly glowed, "I'm better!"

The two men smiled as well. "Just as dangerous," the copper haired man added.

"Reckless," the other man said smiling at Madison.

"I like to think of it as creative and extremely excellent aviation skills," Madison told them.

"More like trying to get yourself killed," the copper haired one said.

"She's not the only one, John," the younger man stated.

"HEY!" John and Madison chimed in together.

"I DO NOT try getting myself killed, it would be much cooler…you guys are just WAY TOO cautious…with a large cautiousness."

The two men just looked at her trying to take in what she had just said.

"Large cautiousness?" the younger one asked smiling.

"Yeah, remember Matt? That class we took?" John said prompting by elbowing his friend.

All three laughed.

Harm, Mac, and Trish just had been sitting there watching the whole scene. Harm was still in shock that Madison was apparently his sister, and could fly better than he could? Obviously THAT couldn't be true! He was Harmon Rabb, Jr! "Wait a minute…you're REALLY my sister?"

The three looked at him and laughed, "he catches on fast!" Matt commented.

"Poor Harm," Madison said, "too much to take in? Don't worry, I am the favorite."

"Maddi, come now," Trish said, "I love both of my kids the same."

"But you love us more right?" John asked.

Trish smiled at them, "John, Matt, would you mind going to raid the fridge while Harm, Sarah, Madison, and I talk?"

John and Matt didn't need to be asked twice. They were growing young men and could always use food. They both left Madison's side on the couch and headed for the kitchen.

"Is this going to be like a 'family meeting' or something?" Maddi asked making sure to quote family meeting with her fingers in the air.

"If you want to call it that," Trish said smiling, she was just glad to have everyone there.

"Then why is Colonel MacKenzie here?" Madison asked referencing Mac's rank on her uniform and her name bar on her uniform.

"She's pretty close to family, dear."

"But she's not."

"I…can…leave…" Mac said suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

"NO!" Harm practically yelled. He needed Mac there! He semi-glared at his little sister, "Mac isn't going anywhere."

Madison's eyebrows lifted at Harm's outburst, "are you two married?"

"Nnno!" Harm and Mac said in unison. Of course they both were wishing it in their heads.

Madison looked over at her mother, "I'm the sane one, aren't I?"

Trish smiled, "be nice."

"So…ummm Maddi…you fly?" Harm asked.

"Mad-ISON," she corrected. "And yes, much better than you ever did or do. You just CRASH million dollar aircrafts."

Harm frowned, "but mom just called you…Maddi…"

Mac smiled at the crashing comment.

"She's allowed," Madison stated.

Harm sighed, "you REALLY are my sister?" It was A LOT to take in. His mother and his father's daughter…how could he have missed her all of these years? Had she been invisible or something?

"Yes, I'm REALLY your sister," Madison told him rolling her eyes. "But believe me it wasn't by choice."

"Maddi, I said be nice to your brother," Trish said.

"It's not like It's MY fault you've kept the family apart for all of these years. You knew you'd have to tell him sometime. I'm just acting sisterly."

Trish sighed; she knew Maddi was telling the truth, she just didn't like it.

"Can I PLEASE go find Matt and John? I didn't come here to see Harm."

Trish nodded, 'it might be easier without her there', she thought.

Madison left and headed for the kitchen.

"Is she always so…" Harm started.

"Sarcastic?" Mac tried to finish.

"And Mean…"

"She's just…she's not used to having to share the spotlight while she's here. She's been like an only child for all of these years too," Trish tried to explain.

"Why did you keep her from me?" Harm asked confused.

"I couldn't handle having another child at that time, so I had her, and I made sure you never even knew I was pregnant. I sent her to live with my parents and they raised her. For the past six or so years we've been catching up on lost time. She grew up knowing all about you and her father…I suppose that was very unfair of me…but it seemed like the only way at the time."

"You sent her to live with your parents? We could have taken care of her…I could have helped!"

"After your father…I didn't want to be reminded of him anymore than I already was by you…Madison was happy and doing well where she was, there was no need to pull her out of that and into our sadness at the time."

"You should have told me! She's like 20 now!"

"She's twenty-five, Harm…well in a few days she will be. Harm, you're the reason she wanted to fly…"

"She doesn't seem to like me much."

"But Harm, this has got to be just as hard on her," Mac interrupted.

What happened to Mac being there to support him? He didn't want her there to support his supposed sister! "At least she's known! It's been twenty five years and no one ever told me! I keep finding siblings everywhere I swear!"

"Harm," Mac said calmly, "you only have two."

"THAT WE KNOW OF!"

Trish sat there trying to remain as calm as possible, "Harm, you and Madison are my only children I swear to you. You don't have to worry about finding anymore siblings that I gave birth to."

"Three Rabb children…we never grew up together…" Harm said trying to regain his composure.

"You could always make up for lost time…"

His mother was right; he could make up for lost time. Hopefully he could get leave and he could arrange for her to get leave and maybe they could go visit Sergei or Sergei could come to them. "Maybe…we'll see…"

"It's a good idea, Harm. The admiral would let you have the time…" Mac said.


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2045 Zulu
Kitchen - Trish Burnett's Home
San Diego, California


Harm, Mac, and Trish walked into the kitchen to find Madison and found Christopher eating a pint of ice cream. "Where's my sister?" Harm asked.

"With Matt," he said in between scooping ice cream into his mouth.

Mac and Harm both gave him looks. However, Trish was used to it. "Did I get the right kind this time, Chris?" she asked smiling.

He nodded filling his face with some more.

"How often do they come over for ice cream?" Harm asked sort of surprised.

"Whenever they're available," Trish answered. "I like having kids in the house again…"

"We're technically not kids," Chris interrupted.

Mac just looked at him; she wanted to know what the hell was going on. Everything seemed so weird. Though, she figured it probably felt that way to Harm too.

Trish smiled; they'd told her that before. "You guys are my kids; you'll have to deal with it. Now, where are those two?"

"Unable to give exact location, Ma'am," he said with a mock salute and then turning his attention back to his ice cream.

"Even to superior officers?" Mac asked raising an eyebrow. She could go for interrogating him. He couldn't be much more than a couple years older than Madison, and she didn't think he'd ever been interrogated let alone yelled at by a Marine yet.

Christopher frowned, yeah great…just bring up the whole superior officer-ness. He set his ice cream and spoon down on the counter, "I'm afraid I cannot give away the location of Maverick and Phoenix."

Harm sighed, why did they have to go through all of this?! They just wanted to talk to Phoenix, who he was sure was Madison and Maverick, who he was sure was Matt. "You wouldn't want to give Colonel MacKenzie here," he said gesturing to Mac, "a reason to use any Marine techniques on you as if you were a test dummy now would you?"

Chris looked at Mac, she was a Marine, he knew that. But was she really all THAT scary? She was a woman after all, but she was also a Marine… Chris looked at her and Harm and took in their faces, he had a feeling that he didn't want to keep up the act. Chris sighed, "they're outside…"

Harm pushed past Chris and walked out into the back and froze when he saw his little sister kissing Matt. "What the HELL is going on?!" Harm asked shocked.

Maddi and Matt immediately pulled away from each other and looked back at Harm. "We…were…uhhh…nothing?" Maddi tried.

Mac was standing right behind Harm, and had seen enough.

"What you're doing is called fraternization!" Harm told them.

Maddi rolled her eyes.

"Not like Maverick doesn't always break rules anyways," Christopher muttered.

"What we do is none of your business," Maddi told her older brother.

"I'm JAG, unless you've forgotten. This IS our business," Harm explained.

"Please don't report Maverick or myself…they'll pull our project," Matt said obviously upset over the whole situation.

"Whoa…back up…" Harm looked at Madison, "YOU'RE Maverick?!"

"Well…duh!" Madison said rolling her eyes. "I do fly better than you, by the way." Madison wanted to make sure that Harm remembered that. "I'm Maverick. Matt's Phoenix, he's my RIO. And Christopher is Firestarter…and if you're wondering where he got that from…you should hear how Matt got to be Phoenix…the stories are related."

Harm and Mac just sort of stood there. Mac felt bad, it was their duty to report them, but it was Harm's little sister. His little sister, who he had JUST found. She wasn't even twenty five yet. Madison was a beautiful young woman and Mac could see how a member of her squad could fall for her even IF it was against regulations. "Ummm…Harm? What are we going to do?"

Harm looked from Mac to Matt and Maddi. He needed to come up with what was going to happen, he could tell by Mac's look that the issue of them reporting what they saw was up to him.

Madison immediately started to worry when she saw Harm's face. "PLEASE don't report us! Matthew's right! It'll endanger our project! And we're SO close to completing it! It would be awful if we were pulled off now!"

"What project?" Mac asked, seeing how it seemed so important.

"It's a new plane we've been designing and working on. The actual plane is almost finished…and when it is…Matt and I get to go up in it… Please? We've been working on it for almost two years now…"


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A/N: oh btw I didn't mean for this to be cliffhanger-ish...it is TBC...