"I'm back." Harm said as he entered Mac's apartment.
"Good hand me the chicken, put the ice-cream in the freezer and then be quiet it's getting to the good part." Mac instructed. She was curled up on the couch her feet her under with the blanket tossed over her legs. Sturgis was sat next to her his feet crossed on the coffee table.
"What did your last slave die of?" Harm asked.
"You don't want the answer to that. Now I'm hungry and you don't want a hungry Marine on your hands. Hand over the food." Harm took out the chicken and handed it to her, before going to put the ice cream in the freezer.
"What are you watching?" Harm asked as he came back.
"Crimson Tide. Be quiet Sturgis and I are trying to watch this." She handed the chicken to Sturgis who took a piece. Harm sat down and watched the film with them.
"So what would you have done?" She asked Sturgis as they movie finished.
"I don't know. Tough call, do you follow your last confirmed order and start world war three or wait for full confirmation of the next order which came incomplete. Why did you ask?"
"Well you're the only one of us who would have ever even been remotely close to commanding a sub. I mean Harm's career goals went from being CAG to being JAG to being CAG again to being JAG. He never wanted to the Captain of one of your little Navy tug boats let alone a sub, I'm a Marine so they wouldn't let me command either not that I'd want to since I'm trained to landing parties and ground fighting trained. You're the only one of us who actually worked on a sub so you know what the conditions are like, the pressure. I mean I've been on a sub for JAG investigations but I've never really lived like that." Mac explained.
"Mac, on a sub is not a good idea. She threatened to throw three petty officers out the forward escape hatch and feed them to the crabs." Harm recalled.
"They deserved it for making that thing clunk when I was trying to sleep. Besides you weren't much better, I saw you smiling." Mac tossed a cushion at him.
"It was funny. You just stood there and bellowed at them about respecting you as an officer. They were never quite sure where to look."
"That's what you get when you don't respect the Marine Corp." Mac replied. "Besides which is was very childish."
"Being on a sub sometimes you get cabin fever, it's not like you can go and take a walk on Vulture's row." Sturgis added.
"Let's can this conversation. Since Mr Rabb says I'm not allowed out and I've watched too many Navy moves for my own sanity today, let's play scrabble."
"You want to play scrabble?" Harm questioned.
"Sturgis, you said you didn't have plans for the afternoon feel up to playing scrabble otherwise my brain is going to turn to mush."
"Not enough mental stimulation in the hospital?" He asked.
"There as only so many conversations you can have that don't send your blood pressure soaring. After the first day in the ICU Harm tried to avoid inflammatory subjects. So apart from when he and Bud were working out of my hospital room there wasn't much else. By the way as soon as the court martial is over come and see me there's something I want to ask you."
"What about?" Sturgis asked he followed Mac to the table where she'd already placed the scrabble box.
"I'll ask you when Harm's not around. Here's the rules no Naval terms, which means none of your aviator slang or terminology Harm or anything from carriers or subs."
"Fine." Harm agreed. Mac drew an A so therefore went first. She looked at her tiles for a moment before laying all seven down on the board. Harm looked at her, then at Sturgis.
"What? You agreed to no Naval terms I never said anything about not using Marine terms and besides MARINES is in the dictionary."
"Did I say anything?" Harm said innocently.
"She does have a point though Harm." Sturgis said siding with Mac.
"Thank you Sturgis. You're turn."
~
"Hello." Mac said as she answered the phone. Sturgis had left an hour before and Harm was making dinner.
"Ma'am, it's Harriet."
"Hi Harriet. How are Bud and little AJ?"
"Bud's fine, but it was little AJ I was calling about. He broke out with the chicken pox two hours ago. I've spoken to the Admiral he's granted me emergency leave because I can't leave him with the day care because he's sick. I can't come and sit with you on Monday."
"I have an idea, how about I have Harm drop me off at your apartment, that way I'm not alone and he can stop worry and you'll have some to help keep an eye on little AJ."
"Ma'am, I can't ask you to do that sick children area handful and you've just got out of the hospital."
"Harriet, I'm fine apart from a little headache. I've had the chicken pox anyway and we can keep each other company, when I'm not falling asleep on your couch."
"If you're sure you're up to it that would be great. Just have Commander Rabb drop you off at anytime ma'am."
"Tell little AJ I hope he feels better soon and I'll see you on Monday."
"Have a nice weekend ma'am." Harriet hung up.
"Who was on the phone?" Harm asked as she entered the kitchen.
"Harriet, AJ's got the chicken pox."
"So she can't stay with you this week. Maybe I can call Grams she would probably like."
"Harm, Harriet and I organised it. I'm going to her apartment, I can sleep as easy on her couch as I can mine and besides which Harriet will need the company as much as I do."
"Mac you just got out of the hospital, you don't need to be around a sick kid even if it is our godson."
"Harm, it's not like I was ill. I bumped my head and knocked myself out. I've had the chicken pox, the only reason I'm having someone stay with me at all is because I don't want you to worry and destroy your case. Now I'm going to argue this with you any more."
"Fine. I just don't want you to wear yourself out because I love you."
"I love you too but it's fine. As much as you want to you can't protect me every minute of every day, it's sweet that you want to try. I'm a Marine Lt. Colonel and I can take care of myself."
"I know." He round the counter until he stood in front of her. He lent his forehead against hers. "I know."
TBC
"Good hand me the chicken, put the ice-cream in the freezer and then be quiet it's getting to the good part." Mac instructed. She was curled up on the couch her feet her under with the blanket tossed over her legs. Sturgis was sat next to her his feet crossed on the coffee table.
"What did your last slave die of?" Harm asked.
"You don't want the answer to that. Now I'm hungry and you don't want a hungry Marine on your hands. Hand over the food." Harm took out the chicken and handed it to her, before going to put the ice cream in the freezer.
"What are you watching?" Harm asked as he came back.
"Crimson Tide. Be quiet Sturgis and I are trying to watch this." She handed the chicken to Sturgis who took a piece. Harm sat down and watched the film with them.
"So what would you have done?" She asked Sturgis as they movie finished.
"I don't know. Tough call, do you follow your last confirmed order and start world war three or wait for full confirmation of the next order which came incomplete. Why did you ask?"
"Well you're the only one of us who would have ever even been remotely close to commanding a sub. I mean Harm's career goals went from being CAG to being JAG to being CAG again to being JAG. He never wanted to the Captain of one of your little Navy tug boats let alone a sub, I'm a Marine so they wouldn't let me command either not that I'd want to since I'm trained to landing parties and ground fighting trained. You're the only one of us who actually worked on a sub so you know what the conditions are like, the pressure. I mean I've been on a sub for JAG investigations but I've never really lived like that." Mac explained.
"Mac, on a sub is not a good idea. She threatened to throw three petty officers out the forward escape hatch and feed them to the crabs." Harm recalled.
"They deserved it for making that thing clunk when I was trying to sleep. Besides you weren't much better, I saw you smiling." Mac tossed a cushion at him.
"It was funny. You just stood there and bellowed at them about respecting you as an officer. They were never quite sure where to look."
"That's what you get when you don't respect the Marine Corp." Mac replied. "Besides which is was very childish."
"Being on a sub sometimes you get cabin fever, it's not like you can go and take a walk on Vulture's row." Sturgis added.
"Let's can this conversation. Since Mr Rabb says I'm not allowed out and I've watched too many Navy moves for my own sanity today, let's play scrabble."
"You want to play scrabble?" Harm questioned.
"Sturgis, you said you didn't have plans for the afternoon feel up to playing scrabble otherwise my brain is going to turn to mush."
"Not enough mental stimulation in the hospital?" He asked.
"There as only so many conversations you can have that don't send your blood pressure soaring. After the first day in the ICU Harm tried to avoid inflammatory subjects. So apart from when he and Bud were working out of my hospital room there wasn't much else. By the way as soon as the court martial is over come and see me there's something I want to ask you."
"What about?" Sturgis asked he followed Mac to the table where she'd already placed the scrabble box.
"I'll ask you when Harm's not around. Here's the rules no Naval terms, which means none of your aviator slang or terminology Harm or anything from carriers or subs."
"Fine." Harm agreed. Mac drew an A so therefore went first. She looked at her tiles for a moment before laying all seven down on the board. Harm looked at her, then at Sturgis.
"What? You agreed to no Naval terms I never said anything about not using Marine terms and besides MARINES is in the dictionary."
"Did I say anything?" Harm said innocently.
"She does have a point though Harm." Sturgis said siding with Mac.
"Thank you Sturgis. You're turn."
~
"Hello." Mac said as she answered the phone. Sturgis had left an hour before and Harm was making dinner.
"Ma'am, it's Harriet."
"Hi Harriet. How are Bud and little AJ?"
"Bud's fine, but it was little AJ I was calling about. He broke out with the chicken pox two hours ago. I've spoken to the Admiral he's granted me emergency leave because I can't leave him with the day care because he's sick. I can't come and sit with you on Monday."
"I have an idea, how about I have Harm drop me off at your apartment, that way I'm not alone and he can stop worry and you'll have some to help keep an eye on little AJ."
"Ma'am, I can't ask you to do that sick children area handful and you've just got out of the hospital."
"Harriet, I'm fine apart from a little headache. I've had the chicken pox anyway and we can keep each other company, when I'm not falling asleep on your couch."
"If you're sure you're up to it that would be great. Just have Commander Rabb drop you off at anytime ma'am."
"Tell little AJ I hope he feels better soon and I'll see you on Monday."
"Have a nice weekend ma'am." Harriet hung up.
"Who was on the phone?" Harm asked as she entered the kitchen.
"Harriet, AJ's got the chicken pox."
"So she can't stay with you this week. Maybe I can call Grams she would probably like."
"Harm, Harriet and I organised it. I'm going to her apartment, I can sleep as easy on her couch as I can mine and besides which Harriet will need the company as much as I do."
"Mac you just got out of the hospital, you don't need to be around a sick kid even if it is our godson."
"Harm, it's not like I was ill. I bumped my head and knocked myself out. I've had the chicken pox, the only reason I'm having someone stay with me at all is because I don't want you to worry and destroy your case. Now I'm going to argue this with you any more."
"Fine. I just don't want you to wear yourself out because I love you."
"I love you too but it's fine. As much as you want to you can't protect me every minute of every day, it's sweet that you want to try. I'm a Marine Lt. Colonel and I can take care of myself."
"I know." He round the counter until he stood in front of her. He lent his forehead against hers. "I know."
TBC