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: Another special thank you to Winjan, my nephew is home and both he and mum are fine. I have to say I'm enjoying season eight of JAG (Which is what we have here in Australia) and I'm looking forward to season nine, though I must admit, I can't really imagine Harm leaving the Navy.

Winjan: I have to admit it seemed right having the Admiral look after Corey. Thanks for your review and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Jazzla: I'm happy to know you like to read and I hope you continue to do so with this story and since you like it, check out my other story 'Flashbacks', it's also about Sera and Harm.

Starryeyes10: Thanks for reviewing.

Gold Wings and Dress Whites

Chapter Eighteen: The Mystery unfolds.

USS Liberty Bell

Persian Gulf.

Admiral Chegwidden walked onto the bridge of the aircraft carrier with the armed Gunnery Sergeant at his side.

"Admiral on deck!" was called and all snapped too.

"At ease," the Admiral insisted and went over to the Skipper. "Captain Mitchell."

"Admiral," Pete Mitchell saluted, than shook his hand. "Welcome aboard sir."

"Thank you Captain," he glanced around, the bridge showed limited signs of what had occurred a month ago. His gaze returned to the Captain. "So where are they?"

"If you're referring to the Cag and Angel sir, they're on patrol."

"Together?"

The Captain smiled slightly and gestured them over to the computerized radar that was tracking his pilots. "The Cag and his wing are here," he pointed them out. "And Angel and her wing are here," he informed. "You have nothing to worry about Admiral when it comes to my officers."

AJ bristled a little at the use of the term 'my officers', especially since he was referring to Harmon Rabb as well. "Tell my why I have nothing to worry about, Captain?"

"Admiral I've seen the Cag and Angel butt heads throughout their time together on this tour, in a friendly way and I've seen him dress her down for taking unnecessary risks. They're Naval officers to the core, they have a job to do and they do it."

"No slip ups?"

Pete knew there was more to this. "Occasionally they're a little more affectionate towards each other then they need to be, but momentary slips are quickly recovered from," he answered, then asked. "Admiral are you investigating my Cag and the squadron's XO?"

"Your Cag?" AJ snorted. "Last I looked Captain, he was my JAG lawyer?"

"With all due respect sir, Commander Rabb is on temporary assignment to the Liberty Bell, which makes him my officer and my Cag."

Silently AJ praised the Captain for that remarked, but kept his poker face on. For this to work he had to be firm. But before he could protest the bridge went dark, then emergency lighting came on. "What the hell?"

The Skipper turned. "XO?"

"On it Skipper."

AJ looked out over the darken deck. "When are your birds due back?"

"Soon," was the entire answer to his question, but not the Captain's? "Now Admiral what is this all about?"

"Probably the same thing or someone who is coursing your problems, Captain," he remarked. "And he's determined to make an angel out of Angel."

That was enough. "XO?"

"It's a power fault sir, they're working on it." Janus reported.

"Tell them to work faster."

"Aye sir."

The Skipper then got on the horn to his pilots. "Rogue Leader, this is Home One."

"Rodger Home One."

"Cag, we have a problem here, the deck is dark. We're working on it but it's taking time."

There was a pause, than. "We'll check the surroundings, Skipper."

"Acknowledged Rogue Leader. Home One out," he hung up, turning to the Admiral. "I don't like this. Hammer and Angel can handle this, but Rattles and Ice," he sighed before shaking his head. "Angel isn't my youngest pilot but she's has more experience then most of them. Rattles and Ice included."

Suddenly the lights came on, including those on the flight deck.

"Get those pilots on the deck!" the Skipper ordered forcefully.

"Aye, aye sir." Janus called out and gave the order.

They watched as two Tomcats landed before the lights went out again.

"Who did we get?" the Captain asked, even though he had a feeling he already knew.

"Ice and Rattles, sir." Janus informed.

"Damn!" he swore. "What's their fuel status?"

Janus contacted the two remaining pilots. "Rogue Leader, Rogue two, what's your fuel like?"

"Nearly bingo, Home One," Harm reported.

"The same Home One," Sera announced.

Janus turned, the phone still in his hand. "Skipper?"'

"Do you have chooses?" the Admiral asked.

"Not many," Pete answered.

"Home One, Rogue two. Skipper it's a clear moon light night, we could try and land," Sera suggested.

Pete took over from his XO. "It's too risky Angel."

"Sir, it's either that or ditch and you know Zapper isn't a strong swimmer."

He chuckled to himself; amazed she could still make jokes. "You'll be ditching anyway if you miscalculate the landing."

"It's a risk, Skipper. One I'm willing to take." Harm defended.

"All right. We'll give the LSO a flashlight, try not to hit him when you land."

"Aye, aye sir," both acknowledged.

"Is this going to work?" AJ asked.

Pete Mitchell sighed again. "I don't know Admiral. Pray it does."

From her Tomcat, Sera glanced over to her husbands. "Are you sure about this, Cag?"

"As you are Angel."

"Lets do it, than Hammer," she agreed.

"Ladies first," he told her.

She broke away from him and lined up, lowering her landing gear and tail hook.

"Are you sure you can do this, Angel?" David asked her.

"Yeah Zapper," she said trying to sound as confident as she felt.

"Angel this is Paddles."

"Rodger Paddles," she saw the light from the flashlight. "I'm ready."

"Call the ball, Angel."

"Angel has the ball," she announced and started her decent.

"You're a little high Angel," she was informed and corrected. "That's it."

David sat back and prayed, prepared to eject them if necessary. He didn't need to though; Sera landed them with a light thumb as the tail hook caught.

"Breath Zapper," she advised.

He grinned. "Nice work Angel."

She smiled and taxied the Tomcat out of the way to a halt. Opening the canopy they climbed down, watching as Harm made his approach.

David gripped her shoulder. "He'll do it, Angel."

She put her hand over his. "If I did, he will," she said but held her breath anyway, watching as the Tomcat wavered a little, then straightened out, landing without a problem. "Yes!" she hugged her RIO, who hugged her back. The two of them grinning silly as they rang over to the Tomcat, which had taxied to a halt, Harm and Beth climbed down and the four of them hugged each other, laughing.

The ground crew congratulated them, as did the LSO, before they headed off the deck.

The Skipper, the Admiral and the Gunny were in the ready room waiting when they walked in, helmets in hands. They snapped to attention.

"At ease," the Captain ordered. "Cag, Angel, my office."

"Aye sir," both responded.

He nodded and left with AJ and the Gunny.

David looked to his driver. "What did you do?"

"As far as I know, nothing," she answered and saw the look on Harm's face, this had to do with Palmer.

Getting out of their safety gear, they put it away with their helmets, then left David and Beth to tell the rest of the squadron about their landing.

On the way to the Captain's office, Sera felt the hair prickle on the back of her neck. "We're being followed," she whispered.

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure," she answered as they kept walking as if nothing was wrong, continuing to where they were suppose to be. Knocking they went in on the acknowledgement.

"Close it," the Captain ordered.

Harm did so, and than stood at attention beside his wife. "Reporting as ordered sir."

"At ease," the Admiral commanded and than continued when both did. "Commander how would you rate your performance while on the Liberty Bell?"

Confused as he was, Harm answered. "Excellent sir."

The Gunny came over to them; he stood before sera and put a finger to his lips, telling her to remain silent.

"What's this all about sir?" Harm asked, his attention half on the Gunny, half on the Admiral

"Your actions around your wife, Commander."

"Sir?"

Sera had been told to strip the top half of her flight suite off without words, which she doing.

"Do you consider while you've been on board you've kept to regulations concerning conduct around your wife?" AJ pressed the Commander.

"Yes sir."
Captain Mitchell handed the Gunny a bulletproof vest and he helped Sera put it on. Leaving her to pull her flight suite back into place as he moved onto the Commander.

"Lieutenant commander," the Admiral began as the process was repeated. "Do you consider your actions towards your husband while he had been on board to regulations?"

"Yes sir,"

AJ crossed his arms against his chest, nodding to the Captain, who silently crossed to his desk and set a tap recording going. The Admiral's voice now filled the room, lecturing on what he expected the conduct of two officers should be.

 In fact AJ had uncrossed his arms and was standing before the two in concern, keeping his voice low. "Samuel Johns escaped Leavenworth with Palmer," he explained. "He's on board and ready to finish the job."

Sera saw her husband's inquisitive look. "I prosecuted him for murdering his wife," she revealed also keeping her voice down.

"Could he have been following us?" Harm asked her.

She nodded. "He swore in a middle of the court as they dragged him away, he would see me dead."

"Wait," the Admiral interrupted. "You were followed?"

"Yes sir, from the ready room."

The Gunny was instantly at his side, pressing a nine-millimeter berretta into the Admiral's hand, having one of his own.

"So Johns is responsible for our current problems as well?" Harm inquired.

"Yes."

The door to the office was kicked open and a tall, well built man forced his way in. He didn't speak he just acted, pointing his weapon and firing two shots. Both Sera and the Admiral went down.

Gunny fired back, hitting Johns in the shoulder as the man retreated, running after him.

AJ thrust his weapon at Harm. "Get that son of a bitch!"

"Yes sir," he glanced quickly at his wife, she was in pain but alive.

"Go!" she hissed.

That was all he needed rushing out.

The Captain had turned off the recording and knelt beside the Admiral. "Sir?"

"I'm all right," he sat up and undid his uniform shirt to reveal a vest. "I was prepared, see to Angel."

He crawled over to her, she's spun round when Johns had entered and taken a direct hit in the chest, and her vest had saved her too. "Angel?"

She coughed. "If Harm doesn't kill him I will," she groaned.

He unzipped her flight suite and checked her vest. "No holds Angel, it saved you," he helped her to sit up, seeing her wince. "Apparently not from bruising."

Before any more could be said a number of armed Marines rushed in. The Captain quickly explained the situation, the Marine Sergeant ordered two of his men to remain, and the rest went with him after Johns.

The Admiral was now on his feet. "Sorry we couldn't let you in on it sooner, Angel."

"No problem sir," she insisted and removed the bulletproof vest, leaving the top half of her flight suite tied around her waist by the sleeves. She dumped the vest on the Captain's deck. "Remind me to thank Webb."

"Well he knew if anything happened to you, Harm would hunt him down and if Harm was hurt, you'd kick his six. If both of you were hurt, Corey would hunt him down and kill him," AJ announced chuckling. He had shrugged out of his shirt and removed the vest, before putting it back on. "So he decided it was easier to just keep you both safe."

"Smart man," the Captain stated.

The power returned and an update was received, all systems were operational.

"Johns put a virus in the system, once it was purged, everything went back to normal," Pete explained. He noticed Sera looking at the door when she wasn't pacing back and forth. "Angel."

She stopped. "Sir?"

He took a nine-millimeter berretta from his desk, put a clip in and made sure the safety was on before he handed it to her. "Go find them before you wear a hole in my carpet."

"Yes sir."

"Take a Marine."

"Aye sir," she agreed and rushed out the door.

The Admiral sighed. "Kids."

Next to him Pete Mitchell laughed.

Outside the Captain's office, Sera had ordered one of the Marines to follow her. He stuck to her six, letting her take the led.

Sera ran on nothing but gut instinct, it had never failed her before. They came into the hanger, the Corporal a little confused but keeping that to himself.

Sera's heart began pounding at what she saw, two men were facing each other, and a third lay sprawled on the deck. "Stay here, Corporal."

"Ma'am?"

"Stay Corporal, that's an order."

"Yes Ma'am."

She started at a slow walk but finishing running, skidding to a halt. Harm and the Gunny looked, both hadn't expected to see her. Sera throw herself into her husband's arms. "Dear god, for a moment there I thought…"

He held her. "It's okay, I'm okay," he reassured.

"Medic's are on their way sir," a deep voice announced.

Harm felt his wife jump at his voice. "Thank you Sergeant," he released Sera. "Lets go, Gunny you're with us."

"Yes sir," he acknowledged.

Sera handed him the Berretta. "It's the Captain's."

"I'll make sure he gets it back, Ma'am."

"Thank you Gunny," she said as they left.

A few minutes later they walked into the Captain's office.

"It's over sir," Harm reported. "Johns is dead.
The Gunny handed the Captain his weapon, the Skipper quickly secured it once more in the draw before addressing the Rabb's. "Cag, take Angel to sickbay and have her checked out, than get some rest."

"Aye sir." Harm acknowledged he handed Gunny his berretta as they left.

"Sir," the Gunny spoke to the Admiral. "With your permission, I'll secure the weapons."

"Go a head Gunny."

"Aye sir," he snapped to, than left.

AJ sat down and rubbed his temples. "And here I though having Rabb away from the office for a few months would quite things down."

Pete laughed as he sat down. "Not a change. At least it's over."

"For now," he stated.

A knock on the door broke into their conversation. "Enter!"

It opened and Captain Janus came in. "Sir, we've received new orders." He handed the print out to the Skipper.

Pete read it. "We've been ordered back to Norfolk," he informed. "In two weeks you'll have your lawyer back, Admiral."

"I'll get my lawyer back Captain, the aviator I lost the moment he stepped foot in one of your F-14's, along with his heart and soul," the Admiral said standing. "That you have. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll check out my quarters."
Pete stood also. "Aye sir," after the Admiral had left, he addressed his XO. "Have Doctor Kyle report to the Admiral's quarters."

"Yes sir," Joseph Janus nodded and than left.

Sitting back down, Pete sighed. No one could say his life was boring. Not ever.

The Next Day:

Harm and Sera escorted the Admiral and the Gunny to the Cod. "We'll see you in two weeks, try and behave Commander," AJ teased bluntly.

"Yes sir," he said with a grin.

"It's been a pleasure Angel,"

"It has Admiral," she said smiling. She gave him a quick hug. "I'll look after Harm."

"I know you will," AJ said. "Corey and I will be waiting for you both when you return."

"Thank you again sir,"

"It's no problem, he's a good kid. Too much like his father at times, but he's a good kid," he informed. Than nodded to Harm. "Commander."

"Sir."

He headed inside the Cod.

Victor Galendez shook Harm's hand. "It was an honor, sir."

"That it was, Gunny. See you went we get into port."

"Yes sir."

Sera hugged him. "Bye Gunny."

"Goodbye Ma'am," he bided, then entered the Cod.

Harm and Sera moved back and watched the Cod launch off the deck. In two weeks they would be back in port and Harm would be back at JAG.

Sighing Sera followed him off the flight deck; they walked through the ship to the wardroom.

"What's up Angel?" he asked her.

"I'm just looking forward to some time alone with my husband,"

"Oh, nice guy is he?" Harm teased.

"The best," she smirked. "What about you Cag?"

"Oh I'm looking forward to spending some time with my wife," he answered and they both laughed going into the wardroom. David and Beth gestured them over and they sat with them.

"So Skates, ready to go home to the Patrick Henry?" Harm asked her.

She nodded. "As well getting into port and spending some time with my guy. I spoke to Captain Ingles this morning, he's happy to have me back."

"How are repairs going on the Henry?" Sera asked.

"So far so good. We'll be deploying a few weeks before the Bell, does."

"We'll I'm just looking forward to spending time with Meg." David stated. "She's going to met us in port."

"Especially with the baby being born soon," Sera quipped and the others laughed.

Captain Janus entered the room, and the call for attention on deck was called. "At ease everyone," he went over to Harm and Sera. "Mail arrived on the Cod this morning, I saw this and thought you might want to see it right away." He gave it to Sera.

She took the envelope and opened it carefully, removing the photo. Smiling she showed Harm. He grinned also.

"So?" David asked. "Tell?"

Sera turned it around so they could both see it, it was an ultrasound photo of their twins. "It's from Samantha."

Beth took it first. "Is this what I think it is?" she saw them nodded. "So you guys are…?"

"Wait, you mean Samantha is having your baby?" David asked and saw there was more than one baby. "I mean twins."

Both of them nodded and they were quickly congratulated. Soon all the squadron knew and was celebrating with them.

Joseph hugged Sera. "You're going to a fantastic mother, Angel."

"Thank you sir,"

He gave her a smile, then left the wardroom.

Harm came up to his wife. "He's going to be missed."

"So are you," she noted.

He smiled. "By some."

"By all," she insisted. "You're a good Cag, Harm."

"Thanks Angel."

To be continued.

Okay there we are. I just like to say; I'm going to end this soon, in the next few chapters actually. It's time. So review away and tell me what you think. A.S.