I do not own them Disclaimer: all of these characters etc belong to Donald Bellasario; CBS, NBC, USA and any other network or production company involved. I do not own nor am I making any money off these characters. I am just borrowing them for a bit. Promise I will not break them.

A/N Anyway flames warm my feet; praise/compliments/constructive criticism makes me love you even more. And I'd be willing to do a story for someone if they gave me a challenge, hopefully on one or both of my new favourite pairings. Oh, and I'll add to this as soon as I can. I do not like the idea of holding a specific number of reviews over your heads, if you like it or dislike it enough, you'll review.

Oh and I am in desperate need for a beta, so if anyone is overcome by the desire to be my beta, I'd love to hear from you.

Cheers Rai.

Six months previously

18:30 (Ret) (Deceased) Admiral AJ Chegwidden's Beach House

Lieutenant Nathaniel Morgan Webb USMC, "Nate" for short and his younger sister "Kate" Katherine Porter Webb walked in silence along the deserted beach. The evening breeze had turned cold forcing the pair to lower their heads, protecting them from the wind. Nate leaned toward his sister, drawing her closer to him, enveloping her in tight hug before the two resumed walking back towards the house.

Kate paused at the doorway, after a moment she turned to look at her brother.

"Nate, I can't believe Grandpa is dead." She looked away, her bottom lip quivering. She brushed away a strand of chocolate brown hair, using it as a distraction.

Nate nodded. "I know Katie, I know." He whispered as he took his younger sisters in his arms. The human contact comforted them both. The pair stood there in silence a moment before the broke apart and chuckled simultaneously.

"He'd love that," Nate said. "Us all crying over a gruff old Navy Seal turned lawyer."

Kate nodded wryly "Yeah, can you imagine what he'd say when he saw Uncle Harm and Daddy?" Nate snorted. "Or Aunt Harriet or Uncle Bud?" They looked at each other with a small smile then nodded. They had needed this. They were ready now. With that, they entered the house.

The youngest Webb child, fourteen year-old Morgan Charlotte sat on her father's lap, her head resting gently against his chest. Morgan had been a pleasant surprise for the Webb family, a 'blessed accident' her father called her. Justifying at least in his mind, her nickname of 'Lucky.'

Upon hearing the screen door slam Morgan looked up. "Nate? Katie?" She called "That you?" She was immediately answered.

"Yeah Lucky, it's us." Morgan nodded and rested against her father's chest once more as the two entered the living room.

"Hello Daddy" Kate said giving both Clay and Morgan a quick kiss.

"Hi Baby" Clay said, smiling gently at his oldest daughter.

"Hi Dad" Nate said sitting down next to his father and Morgan on the couch. Clay extended his arm to gather Nate in a somewhat awkward, yet entirely needed hug. Nate gratefully accepted taking a moment to give Morgan a quick kiss on the cheek.

They sat in silence for quite some time, Clay gently rubbing his youngest daughter's back. Kate reading something for work and Nate idly running a coin across his knuckles, a trick, his grandfather had taught him.

"Nate" AJ had said, "I spent a lot of time doing nothing when I was younger, and for some reason. this seemed to be as good a time filler as any." So the young Nate Webb had practiced diligently, until he was as proficient as his aging grandfather. His grandfather had been right, as usual, he thought wryly, it really was as good time filler as any.

Sarah walked into the room. There really was a clear distinction between her two personas. Right now, she was Sarah Webb, mother, wife and grieving daughter. While in uniform she was General Sarah "Mac" Webb, Judge Advocate General, and grieving soldier.

She surveyed her family with a faint smile. She was so proud of them. Nate had joined the Marine Corps and was now a Lieutenant; Kate.Kate she thought with no small degree of irony had joined the State Department, and was now a Special Assistant to the Undersecretary. Knowing her daughter as she did she knew Kate would be using her current job title as a cover. She really was her father's daughter. And Morgan? Morgan was an intelligent, beautiful gentle young lady. Whose gentle exterior concealed an inner strength that was one of her finest qualities, and biggest strengths.

People underestimated this young woman. Sarah thought. They failed to see that she often used her gentle ways to get -exactly- what she wanted, while making those around her, feel as if it was she who had given. She had already confided to both her parents and AJ that she wished to follow her father's example. She had also announced that she was strongly considering changing her last name to McKenzie when the time came.she wanted to succeed on her own merits, and being the CIA Directors daughter was undoubtedly a way to attract the wrong kind of friends.

Studying the final member of the Webb family Sarah was overcome with both love and admiration for the man before her. He was without question middle aged now. Nevertheless, she thought smugly, he had aged well and those impish eyes still sparkled with mirth. Sarah loved that hair, she always had. She had thought initially it was because all the men around her had military style cuts and Clay was afforded the ability to wear his longer. She knew better now, it was just one of the things she loved about her husband.

He was the CIA Director nowadays and, perhaps surprisingly his job allowed him more time at home with his family. He had resisted the urge to take a desk job for so many years, finally conceding it was time when he needed knee reconstruction surgery to repair the damage a suspect had inflicted on his right knee with a metal bar. It was from him, that Morgan got so much of her diplomatic skills. Clay had always been suave and tactful; it had come with the job. His new position gave him a chance to hone those skills in. He became a master of diplomacy, developing into a political tool that embassies and politicians on both sides could not do without. His skill was recognised ten years ago on his promotion to Deputy Director and his career culminated six years ago when he was promoted to CIA Director. In that time, he had become a legend for his skill.

Sarah was disturbed from her thoughts when a hand was placed on her shoulder.

"You all right my Love?" He murmured softly. AJ had been the father she had always needed but had never gotten. Clay himself had come to admire and love the man during the years of their marriage. Sarah had begun to call him Daddy in private when she found out she was pregnant with Nate. Then openly when he was promoted to SecNav. Clay had been needlessly terrified of AJ's reaction about the pregnancy. Over many beers one night, where wisdom had been shared as freely as the alcohol AJ had confided in Clay that the news of Sarah's pregnancy and his new title had made him happier than he could ever express.

His relationship with his daughter Francesca was often strained and he knew that Sarah really was the closest thing he had ever had to a daughter. This, he had announced smugly, made him Clay's Father-in-Law, entitling him to all the benefits associated with said job. Clay had been careful not to anger AJ for months.

"Beware the wrath of a Father." Harm told him years ago. "Especially when that Father was also a Navy Seal and Admiral. But the wrath of a Father" Harm had said. "Is always more scary than any of those other things. " Clay understood now.

"No." Sarah said gently leaning into her husband. "He's gone Clay. He's really gone. I know death comes to us all and Daddy was more than old but." She shrugged.

"You miss him, and don't want him to be gone?" Clay prompted. She nodded.

"I miss him too." He said gently, tears welling in his eyes.

"He" Clay faltered. "His love was so strong Sarah. We had to earn it, but once we did."

Sarah nodded, silent tears gently falling down her face.

"He couldn't have loved anyone on earth as much as he loved all the kids. Ours, Harm and Annie's, Bud and Harriet's, Sturgis and Bobbi's Victor and Beth's, Tiner and Jen's."

Clay paused "I miss him Sarah" he said, emotion choking him. "I miss him so much.and I long to be able to go to him and ask him 'How do I do this?' How do I get through the next few day? How do I go on without his advice? I need his advice so much right now Sarah. AJ was - Dad. He did not give birth to either of us Sarah Love, but he was, he -is- your Dad, and the best father figure I could have ever wanted. I know what Dad would say.

Sarah smiled faintly, sniffing softly. Tears still in her eyes, her cheeks wet.

" What the hell do you think you're doing Webb?" He growled through the tears in his best AJ impression "Letting my Daughter cry like that. Why the Hell is she crying anyway? It's just me. Make her stop or I'll break more than your damned nose."

Clay enveloped his wife in a tight hug as she turned to burry her head against his chest. Sarah laughed through her rapidly falling tears. "You never let him forget that did you Clay? All those years, and you never let him forget it. You know how sorry he was? He told me all the time."

"Sorry?" Clay interrupted indignantly, he himself crying now. "He threatened me at least once a year that if I ever hurt you, he'd break more than my nose."

Sarah blinked repeated, a faint smirk on her lips. "Get the feeling now he was just torturing you Clay?" She said.

"Yeah" he muttered, a smile entering his voice, "getting that feeling now. Guess that's what Father-in-laws are for."

Sarah's quick reply was interrupted by the sounds of tyres on the driveway.

The rest of their eclectic family was here now

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Admiral Harmon "Harm" Rabb exited from the car quickly, moving to open his wife's' door for her.

Annie Pendry-Rabb smiled faintly at him. He nodded and gently took her hand. In silence the two walked up the stairs and entered AJ's beach house.

Nate rose from his place on the sofa overlooking the ocean to greet the pair. "Aunt Annie, Uncle Harm, hi, trip ok?"

Harm nodded ever so slightly. "Yeah Nate, just fine, how're you?" When no reply was forthcoming Annie moved to hug Nate.

"Oh my boy," She chuckled humourlessly. "My dear little Nate, I'm so so sorry." Nate nodded against her neck, he himself bending to be engulfed in his loving aunt's arms; he was as tall as his uncle Harm now. Aunt and nephew stood oblivious to all around them, alone together in their grief not noticing Clay enter the room.

"Annie, Harm" Clay said softly.

"Clay" Harm smiled faintly, "How are you holding up?"

"We're...we're ok I guess, Sarah, "Clay silenced himself, Harm nodded, he understood, not in front of Nate.

"Nate" Annie said, "Can you give me a hand getting everything from the car?" She said, releasing him from the hug regretfully.

"Yes Ma'am" He replied leaving his father and uncle alone.

"When are Josh and Megan getting in Harm?" Clay asked. Megan was Harm and Annie's daughter; they were both flying home on emergency family leave. Both Harm and Annie would gain a great deal of comfort having their children close to them.

"Bout an hour I guess."

Clay nodded. "Yeah, never can tell with these Navy transports..." Despite the situation Clay couldn't resist the friendly jab.

Harm smiled, "I wouldn't know, they're flying themselves" A last minute suggestion saw that their planes were to be used in AJ's flyby. Harm had thought the symbolism would not have gone unappreciated by AJ. His grandchildren's planes being used while they stood nearby. They would have flown themselves if they could, but they could never have missed the funeral.

Clay nodded, he would never have admitted to already knowing.

"That's a really good idea Harm, AJ would have liked that."

Harm smiled wistfully. "Yeah, I think he would have...secretly of course, not out in the open..." The two men smiled sadly.

Mac, Morgan and Kate entered the room carrying trays of finger food. With so many people arriving and many not having eaten since morning, Mac knew she would have many mouths to feed.

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The eclectic Chegwidden, Rabb, Webb, Tinner, Roberts, Turner and Gonzalez family had decided that they would spend the night here at AJ's beach house before returning to Arlington for AJ's funeral.

For it was here at AJ's beach house that the family bonds had been cemented. With the birth of children and the years that passed, these people, already close became an integral and essential part of each others lives.

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