author's notes: There is no money being made off of this. No infringement is intended. I only wanted to play in the playground that was created for us all by Bellisario and Company. All recognizable characters belong to them anyway. I got the spelling for Sergei's Mother from a JAG guest stars web site, I can't remember the one so if the spelling is wrong, I am sorry. I also used a bit of a song at the end. It is Imagine by John Lennon, but the version I was listening to was by Scott Bakula off of the Quantum Leap soundtrack. Also owned by Bellisario and Company.
Thanks to everyone for the reviews, they really make this all worth while. I appreciate them whether they are good or bad, but the flames really hurt. Luckily since I started writing JAG fics there haven't been any flames. I guess that means JAG fans tend to be a nicer bunch of people. Review Responses will not be listed until I get a few more reviews.
As always, please enjoy this as much as I have, and don't forget to read and review.
Always,
CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur
one week later
2130 Zulu (4:30 pm local)
December 31, 2003
Harm's apartment, just north of Union Station
Georgetown
"Dad are you and Pitchta ready to go to the reception at the White House?" I asked.
"Pitchta is I guess. Sarah has been helping her so I don't really know. I just need to put on my jacket." Dad continued, "it has been way too long since I wore my or any uniform for that matter. Do you think this one looks okay?"
I walked into the room and saw my Dad in his uniform for the first time since I was very young. "Dad, you look great. The uniform fits. Are you ever going to tell me what was discussed when Webb took you to see the President yesterday?"
"No." My Dad dead panned. Then he went on, "I will tell you part of it though. I will be officially retiring tonight with full benefits. I may be staying on as a consultant in some form. But that hasn't been decided as of yet."
"Sounds great Dad." Just then the ladies walked in. I was floored by how Sarah looked. I couldn't help myself and I muttered "wow!"
"Wow yourself sailor. You know how I feel about your dress whites and gold wings." She smirked at me. That all knowing smile that she knows drives me absolutely wild. "Are we all ready to go Harm? Your Mom and Frank said they would meet us there, right?"
"Yes they did . They are also going to be picking up Grandma Sarah as well as Sergei." I looked at my watch to see what time it was. "We had better get going. We are supposed to be there by 5:30." I answered.
We all picked up our coats, and put them on as we walked out the door. When we got outside and to my SUV we all climbed in. We then made our way toward 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
2225 Zulu (5:25 pm local)
December 31, 2003
White House Press Room
As we were seated near the podium, I looked at my Dad. "I can't believe that this is really going to happen." I couldn't believe that the President was actually going to admit that there had been American POWs left in Russia. When all along they had been denying this. My father just smiled at me.
It was about this time when the Press Secretary came in. He started talking about how this little press conference would be ran. The President would speak, but wouldn't answer any questions. The military representative would answer any questions that there were. When this was said, I caught my dad's eyes, and gave him my best supporting smile I could muster. He smiled back at me.
Sarah must have saw him smile because she leaned over to me and whispered, "so that's where you get that famous flyboy smile of yours."
I just smiled at her and said, "yes ma'am, it is." I then leaned over and kissed her.
By this time the President had entered the room and was starting to speak. "Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I am going to try and make this short, as it is New Year's Eve. I have plans here with family and friends, and I am sure that most of you have plans as well. It has come to my attention that a grievous error was committed almost 25 years ago on American soil." The President paused for a moment. He looked over at the two Rabb men dressed almost identically in Navy dress whites. "In late 1980 the CIA learned of an American POW that had been taken to Russia after being shot down in Viet-Nam. It took them almost a year to track him down. He had been shot almost fatally when they found him. They stabilized him as they were flying him back to the US. He thought that he was going to be coming home to his family, but it didn't happen. For reasons known only to the CIA, they decided to keep him in hiding."
I heard a few gasps around the room, and then I heard my mom start crying. I looked over to her, and was pleased to see Frank comforting her. I realized that my dad was also comforting Pitchta as well. I had to smile though when I looked at Sergei and Grandma Sarah, and they were smiling while Sergei was holding her hand.
The President continued speaking. "His son never gave up hope that he would one day come home. Even when he was faced with undeniable evidence to his death, he still held out hope. He even trekked his way through Russia to find him, but it wasn't meant to be at that time. Now it is meant to be. After this story had been brought to my attention, I realized that something had to be done. I have a trusted operative investigating why this happened. When this POW was shot down he was a Lieutenant in the Navy. This man has gone through more than just about anyone can imagine. He has gone above and beyond the call of duty. He was already awarded the Purple Heart." He paused a second to smile. "But since it was awarded when we thought it to be posthumously, I will award it to him today. And since he was not given the opportunity to continue his naval duties, he was not able to advance his rank. It has been determined that, had he been given that chance, he would have, at least, reached the rank of Captain. He was already promoted to this rank when I met with him the other day, but he was not given the medals that go along with it. He let me know the other day that he would officially retire as of tonight. But before you all get too restless, I will introduce him to you. Captain Rabb, will you please come here?"
I never thought that I would hear those words being said about my father, Captain Rabb. I couldn't stop smiling. I leaned towards my father and whispered, "Go get 'em Hammer." He looked at me and mouthed thank you.
Dad stepped up to the podium with the President. While shaking hands with my Dad, the President greeted him. "Captain Rabb, to commemorate your retirement I would like for your eldest son to step up here as well. Captain Rabb, if you will please step up here as well."
A little startled by the request, I stood up with a quiet, "Yes sir!" I walked up to where they were standing. The President handed me some medals before he started talking. Looking at them, I realized what I held. I looked to the President, and he just smiled at me.
He turned to my father, and he again started speaking. "On the occasion of your return to and retirement from the Navy, you are presented with this Purple Heart." As the President stopped speaking I pinned the medal on my father's uniform. "I also would like to award you with the rank of Admiral. You will be awarded back pay and retirement benefits the correspond to this rank." When the President stopped speaking again I finished pinning the medals on him. "I will conclude this press conference by allowing two questions, and two questions only to be asked of and answered by our military guests. Captain Rabb Jr, I will give the floor to you. You can answer any two questions you want." He turned and left the room leaving my father and me standing there. I surveyed the crowd of reporters straining to get my attention so I would pick them. I finally pointed to someone I vaguely recognized.
"Carla Weasley, FoxNews. My question is how did you first find out that your father was alive and in the US near where you were?"
"I had just come back from being on active duty in the Gulf. My fiancé and I decided to visit the Wall the day after Christmas, since I had missed my yearly Christmas Eve visit. Sarah was the first to notice his name was no longer on the wall. We left there in a hurry because we had a meeting with our commanding officer that morning. When we got there, a friend of ours from the CIA told us." I then looked around finally seeing a face I definitely recognized. "Any more questions?" I choose the face I recognized.
"Chuck DePalma, ZNN. I don't have a question so much as an apology. I just wanted to apologize for never believing you Harm. I should have realized when I saw you in Russia that you would not have gone to such great lengths to find your father if you had not had a reason. I'm sorry."
I smiled at Chuck, and said, "We'll talk more later. Thank you all for coming tonight. We have a party to get to." With that, I lead my family outside and to our cars. We all climbed in and made our way towards the Roberts' for the party.
Sarah leaned toward me and asked finally. "Why did you tell DePalma that you would talk to him later?"
"I figured that someone needed to tell our story. I believe that that someone should be at least familiar with the subjects. And DePalma is nothing if not familiar with my part of the story." I leaned over to her and kissed her softly, effectively shutting her up. I then turned on the radio to fill the silence. I found one of my favorite songs almost at the end of it.
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one