Title: Gold Wings and Dress Whites
Author: Anaika Skywalker
Author's Email: lindsay30@austarnet.com.au
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own JAG; I just like to spread my wings occasionally.
Author's note: In the last chapter I made a comment about the phasing out of Tomcats. I found this out on the USS Navy web sight; the last squadrons will be gone by 2007 according to the sight, these being replaced by the new Super Hornet squadrons.
Winjan: What am I up to now? Well that's a question that'll be answered in this chapter; I hope it's what you expected. Let me know, I'm always interested in what everyone thinks.
Gold Wings and Dress WhitesChapter Ten: Revelations Two
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Washington DC
4 days before the Wedding
Sera looked around the office that for three months had been hers, gone were any sign it had been. Her brother had moved in and made it his, including a Marine poster on the wall. Harm had taken the box with her possessions to his SUV.
She didn't flinch when her brother came up behind her. "All settled in I see," she remarked dryly.
"Well you did move out," he said lightly.
She smiled. In more than one way, she thought. The JAG mill-rind was once more replaced with a Line Officers Star. She was an Aviator once more. Turning she patted his shoulder, and then left the office, playing with her cover.
Admiral Chegwidden came over to her. "All set Commander?"
"Yes sir and thank you for the going away party, it wasn't necessary," she answered.
He scoffed at that remark. "Commander you deserved it, in the past three months you've brought some excitement into our lives and Commander Rabb's,"
She smiled. "Thank you sir,"
"Don't thank me yet Commander, you haven't left yet and I haven't had to put up with your soon to be husband brooding around the office."
"Yes sir," she laughed.
He handed her the envelope he'd been carrying. "This came for you this morning, I was going to give it to Harm to give to you,"
"Thank you sir,"
He nodded and walked back to his office.
Sera strolled into her fiancé's office and put her cover on his desk, perching on it she opened the envelope, it was an orange A4 size one, its return address was that of the law firm Grandma Riggs had used. She removed the contents, a number of offical documents.
Harm came in as she was looking at them, seeing the look on her face. "What's wrong?"
She looked up. "When you were at the Naval Academy, you knew Chris and his first wife Carrie McGregor, didn't you?"
He crossed his arms against his chest. "Chris, Carrie and I use to go out together, along with Keeter, Sturgis and Luke. What's this all about, Sera?"
"This arrived this morning, it's from the law firm that handled Grams' will," she held up a birth certificate. "Harm this says you're Corey's father,"
"What?" he took a look, browsing the document. "There has to be some mistake, Chris and Carrie were in love, I was there when he married her. He's Corey's father."
"According to this Chris thought he was too, but Grams knew different," she handed him the typed and signed statement. "It's all in here,"
Harm read it over. Carrie McGregor Riggs had confessed to Grams before she'd passed away from Cancer. As he examined the statement, Harm moved to sit beside Sera, reading how Carrie had admitted going out with him and Chris regularly, that they had been friends, but in the end she'd fallen for Chris. Unfortunately one night, the three of them had too much to drink and she'd woken up with the wrong man. That being Harm, she'd slipped away and gone to Chris. Finding out later Harm had no memory of that night, she'd kept quiet about what had happened, even after finding out she was pregnant. Chris had been the gentleman, thinking the baby was his and married her. "My God Sera, I didn't know, I swear,"
She nodded. "I know, and neither did Chris, she played him for a fool and he fell for it."
He took all the documents and put them back into the envelope before drawing her into his arms. "I remember Carrie being very much in love with Chris, and he loved her. She made a mistake, one she decided to keep to herself and one I don't remember, not even to this day."
She knew that. "And one Grams kept all these years to protect us all," she divulged. "Then decided eventually the truth had to be told. Now it all makes sense,"
"Does it?" he asked, wondering how she could take this so calmly.
"Harm he looks like you," she resolved. "Even your mum has pointed it out, now we know why,"
"And now? How does this affect us?"
Sera ran her fingers over his lips, and than smiled understandingly. "We all have a past Harm, I expect you never anticipated meeting up with Chris years later or finding out he'd married again, nor do I believe you ever thought you'd fall in love with me,"
He cupped her face in his hands. "I fell in love with you the moment I saw you Sera, and it broke my heart knowing you were already married," he whispered, and then kissed her. "I will love you forever,"
"I know you will," she confessed and kissed him. "And I'll love you forever, I promise,"
"So what do we do now?"
She rested her forehead against his. "I don't know. Do we tell him or do we let him go on believing a lie,"
"I wish I had an answer for you, sweetheart but I don't,"
Straightening she picked up the envelope. "Put this in your safe, I don't want it at home."
"Okay," he took it and when she stepped back he stood and did what she suggested. Closing the safe he turned. "Corey wants to go to the Naval Academy, did he tell you?"
"Yes," she picked up her cover. "How did she enroll him into school without his birth certificate?"
"Perhaps she said she'd lost it,"
"Maybe," Sera sighed. "He'll have to know one day,"
There was a knock on the door and they looked, seeing Mac. She came in. "Am I intruding?"
"No," Sera shook her head and moved to one side.
Mac wasn't so sure. "Then why do I feel I've walked into the middle of a private conversation?"
Harm glanced at his fiancée, seeing her nod. "We've just found out Chris wasn't Corey's father,"
"He wasn't?"
"No, his mother made a mistake that resulted in Corey's conception. She never told Chris, nor Corey's real father," he explained.
"So who is Corey's real father?" Mac asked. "Or is that a question I shouldn't ask?"
Sera reached out and took Harm's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Letting him know she supported him.
"I am Mac. I knew his mother too. Chris and I attended the Academy together. We all use to go out as a group, one night we had too much to drink and she ended up with the wrong guy, I don't remember it, but she did and confessed it all to Grandma Riggs before she died,"
"Does Corey know?"
"Not as far as we know," Sera answered. "We were just debating over weather to tell him or not,"
"It'll be a shock weather you do it now or later," Mac put forth. "Maybe you should put yourself in his shoes, wouldn't you want to know?"
"I suppose I would," Sera agreed.
"As would I," Harm said unwavering. "And we've discovered Corey is a lot like me,"
"Which means he'll go after this until you tell him the truth, he'll know you're hiding something form him," Mac stated. "Tell him now before he finds out himself,"
Both Sera and Harm agreed, nodding. This wasn't going to be easy but they would do it. "Thanks Mac," she said.
"You're welcome, Sera," Mac told her, smiling. "We look after our own," she gave her a quick hug. "It'll be alright, ring me if you need anything,"
"I will,"
Nodding the Marine Colonel left the office.
Harm drew Sera back into his arms. "Everything will work out sweetheart, you'll see,"
"I hope so, I don't want to lose him."
"You won't, Corey loves you, if anything he'll probably be angry with me," Harm said uncertainly.
"You didn't know,"
"No I didn't, but too much to drink and being stupid isn't much of a case, councilor,"
"No, but I've won cases with less and so have you," she noted.
"True," releasing her, Harm removed the envelope from the safe, tucking it safely in his briefcase. "Come on sweetheart, lets go win this case. For our son."
Sera nodded, grabbing her cover she went with him.
Rabb Residence
MacLean, Virginia
Later that evening:
Trish opened the door and let Admiral Mitchell and his ex-wife in; Sera's parents had been called, as had her sister's and brother. This was news that affected the whole family.
"How's he taking it?" Ryan asked.
"They're still talking, trying to make him understand," she answered as she shut the door, and then took their coats, hanging them up. "Would you like some coffee?"
"Please," Rebecca accepted and they followed her to the kitchen.
Shawn, Samantha and Matt were already there talking with Frank, they greeted their parents.
"Where is Tiff?" Shawn inquired.
"Working," he answered. "It's her week to do nightshift at the hospital,"
"David's too," his eldest daughter supplied.
Mac came into the kitchen, she smiled warmly. "Admiral, Mrs. Ronan,"
"Mac, we've told you its Ryan and Rebecca," the Admiral insisted.
"Yes sir,"
"What did you find out?" Matt asked her.
She sat with them at the table. "The documents are real, apparently Grandma Riggs found out when Carrie was dying of Cancer," she explained. "She then took all the documents and the statement Carrie gave her and had them sealed. Making it known that in the case of her death or if Sera were to remarry or Harm to marry, the documents were to be opened and sent. I think she knew deep down they would be doing this together."
"How will Corey handle this do you think?" Samantha inquired. "He loved his father,"
"Hopefully well enough to get through this," Trish stated reassuringly. It has been just as much a shock to her and Frank as it had been to everyone else. "Where is Chloe, Mac?"
"She and Emily are watching TV in the spare room with Rick and Marc," she answered. "The twins were asleep when I left Shawn,"
"Thank you Mac,"
In the family room, Corey was still in shock. His father wasn't his father; the man who was to marry his stepmother was really his father. His mother had made a mistake that had led to his conception. Damn why him?
"Corey," Harm went over to him. "What happened wasn't something your mother planed, we were all at fault that night."
"How do you know it's true?" He asked softly. "Maybe she was pregnant with me and didn't know,"
"We can have a DNA test done if you'd like," Sera said gently, but didn't push it.
The teenager moved closer to Harm, then hugged him. "Why now, why did it have to happen now?"
He held him, comforting his son. "Your Grams wanted you to know the truth, kiddo,"
Sera hugged them both. "We love you Corey, we'll never stop loving you," she told him. "We're family, we'll always be family,"
In the kitchen Sergei had arrived with his grandmother, Sarah Rabb. She was quickly introduced to everyone, having been told the whole story. "Where is my great grandson?"
"In the family room with Harm and Sera," Mac answered. "I'll show you,"
"Thank you my dear," she followed her out.
Mac took her through to the family room, knocking she opened the door.
"Thank you Sarah,"
Mac nodded, letting her go in alone.
Corey moved away from his parents when Grandma Sarah came in, he went over to her and she hugged him.
Mac closed the door; but not before she saw Harm mouth 'thank you', she nodded, smiling.
Sarah Rabb took a good look at her great grandson. "You my boy look a lot like my grandson, I though it was just coincidence the first time your mother brought you to meet me. Now I know different, you are a Rabb,"
"I am?"
"You are my boy, never doubt that," she said sincerely. "And soon your mum will be too,"
"I think she already is Grams, in her heart anyway," he announced.
"That's what counts, sweetheart," she said confidently. "Now is everything settled?"
Corey nodded. "It is Grams,"
"Good, now lets join the rest of the family and you can fill me in on this wedding,"
"Why don't we get everyone in here," Sera suggested, "It'll be more comfortable,"
"Good idea, sit down Grams, I'll get everyone," Harm announced, then left. He returned with the rest of the family and they all got comfortable.
"Now," Grandma Sarah began, "Harm, Sergei didn't tell me much. Who is your best man?"
"Actually Grams, I don't have a best man, I have a best person. Mac is going to stand next to me, along with Bud Roberts and his son, AJ,"
"Well you've never done anything conventional, honey," she remarked, and then glanced at Sera. "Are you having bridesmaids my dear?"
Sera nodded. "Samantha is going to be my matron of honor, Chloe is going to be a junior bridesmaid and Emily is my flower girl,"
"And when do you deploy?"
"New Years Day,"
"Not much of a honeymoon,"
"I'm sure Harm has something planed Mum," Trish declared.
Harm found them all waiting for an answer. "That's my secret," he smirked.
"Typical," Matt grumbled and Mac, which had everyone laughing, swatted him on the arm.
"So Matthew," Grandma Sarah addressed him. "When are you going to make an honest woman out of Mac?"
He and Mac hesitated, not knowing what to say.
"Well that's answered that," Frank remarked and they laughed.
When they'd quieted down, Sergei sat forward in his seat. "I have an announcement, if I may,"
"Go a head little brother," Harm urged.
He hesitated, and then plunged on. "I spoke with the Navy recruitment officer who is handling my joining the Navy, the paper work has been approved. I leave for Pensacola New Years Day for flight school,"
"Hornet's, Sergei?" Sera asked him.
"Yes, it seems another Rabb will be a Naval Aviator,"
Frank felt his wife grip his hand tighter; Sergei wasn't her son, but he was Harm's half brother and that made him family. And like Harm, Sergei was following in his father's footsteps.
To be continued.
Stay tuned the end is coming. Before that happens how about some nice reviews. Please!!!! Oh and don't flame me for any bloopers, it is just a story.