Chapter 3
"MAC! MAC! Wake up! They've found him!!!!" Chloe was near screaming in my ear.
I was immediately wide awake. "Where is he? How is he?" Silence. "CHLOE!!!!!!"
"Alright. He's on the Patrick Henry, but he's got severe hypothermia, and he's really chewed up. Last I knew, unconscious too."
"I need to get out there.." I murmured already making my way to the Admiral.
"Uh. Mac, about Brumby, what, uh..happened?" asked the ever inquisitive Chloe.
"I broke up with him, and he was ranting at me." I stated matter-of-factly.
"Oh."
I found the Admiral in the break room getting some coffee. "Sir, I was hoping you would allow me to ship out to the Patrick Henry, to see Harm Sir." I asked.
"Mac, I'm well aware that you feel it necessary to be there. We can't get you out there that easily though. There's not another helo scheduled until at least tomorrow-"
"Respectfully, Admiral, I HAVE to be there. If I'd been the one hurt, he'd have been there for me. Sir, there is no one else-"
"Point taken. If you'd been the one in trouble Rabb would be there, hell or high water.even if he had to resign."
"If that is necessary, Sir, I'll resign. With all due respect, I must to be there, Sir, and you can't stop me."
"Alright. You may go. I can't afford to lose both my senior attorneys in 24 hrs. Be back here by 1100 hrs. Maybe I'll have gotten a helo by then."
"Thank you Admiral."
"Just get both of you two back in one piece, that'll be thanks enough. Dismissed."
"Aye, Aye Sir." It felt kinda weird to salute when I wasn't in uniform, but uniform or none, I was still a Marine.
As I exited the break room Harriet started walking in my direction. She looked exhausted, but then so did everyone. Especially me. "Ma'am, I was wondering if there was anything Bud or I could do for you and the Commander."
"Two things, Lieutenant Sims. Wait here a moment." I tracked Chloe down, and brought her over. "Harriet, could you please watch over Chloe until I return from the Patrick Henry. Second, Lieutenant, I am giving you and your husband direct orders to go home and sleep for a few hours."
"Yes Ma'am. Tell the Commander I hope he gets better soon. Bud, little AJ and I really miss him."
"I will." If he ever wakes up. "Thank you Harriet." Harriet walked off. "Chloe, I hope you understand I'm not dumping you on the Roberts. I just need to be there for Harm. I promise we'll have lots of fun when I get back, Okay?"
"It's alright, I understand Mac. Especially if you're going to marry him now." I laughed nervously. I sure do hope so!!!! "That's up to Harm, Chloe, not me."
"I know, but he loves you, I KNOW he does."
"You run along before you cause more mischief!"
She giggled. "Should I hide on top of the elevator again?" Then she ran off before I could answer.
I hurried on to my office, packing up things, and realizing, surprised, that Harm's journal was still in my coat pocket. I sure do hope he doesn't kill me for reading it. Harm's never been very open with his emotions. HAH! Like I didn't know that best of anyone.. Bud knocked on the door. "Enter." I said distractedly.
"Ma'am, I really wish I could go with you to help Commander Rabb. Is there anything else we can do?"
"No Bud, except get some rest."
"With all do respect Ma'am you could use some yourself."
"Bud, look." I stopped shuffling things around to give him my full attention. "I appreciate your concern. Harm will probably tell me the same thing." If he wakes up.. "The difference is, he can't order me around, if you came he'd probably order you back home. It's not that he doesn't care, he does. Harm always thinks of others before himself though, and right now, he would say your duty is to comfort your family. He'll probably try to send me back too, if that's any comfort."
"Yes Ma'am, send him my best wishes. Please try to get some rest yourself Colonel." "I'll try Bud. Thank you." He walked out, but I knew if I hadn't ordered him not to, he'd be doing everything to come with me..
A/N: Well, I know this chapter stinks, but I'm sorry! It's my sister's b- day weekend, and I've got gobs of homework. I think Mac might be slightly out of character in asking Harriet to take Chloe. Tell me what you guys think! Review reactions:
Ladyhound: Thank you for the encouragement, I really appreciate it!
Sancti: You're awesome!!!!! (I love your new chapter!)
SarahRabb705: Again, thanks for reviewing & the encouragement!!
e-dog: Thank you tons!!!!!!!!!!!!
Miran Anders: Well, that's the way FFN is. I can't make "~~" give a name. Thanks for the encouragement!!
~~: Well, I respect your opinion. I hope you can learn to respect mine, but since you seem to have no intention of listening to me, I will not waste my time trying to explain my story to you. I'm sorry if I've offended you or anyone else, but I have a very short temper..
"MAC! MAC! Wake up! They've found him!!!!" Chloe was near screaming in my ear.
I was immediately wide awake. "Where is he? How is he?" Silence. "CHLOE!!!!!!"
"Alright. He's on the Patrick Henry, but he's got severe hypothermia, and he's really chewed up. Last I knew, unconscious too."
"I need to get out there.." I murmured already making my way to the Admiral.
"Uh. Mac, about Brumby, what, uh..happened?" asked the ever inquisitive Chloe.
"I broke up with him, and he was ranting at me." I stated matter-of-factly.
"Oh."
I found the Admiral in the break room getting some coffee. "Sir, I was hoping you would allow me to ship out to the Patrick Henry, to see Harm Sir." I asked.
"Mac, I'm well aware that you feel it necessary to be there. We can't get you out there that easily though. There's not another helo scheduled until at least tomorrow-"
"Respectfully, Admiral, I HAVE to be there. If I'd been the one hurt, he'd have been there for me. Sir, there is no one else-"
"Point taken. If you'd been the one in trouble Rabb would be there, hell or high water.even if he had to resign."
"If that is necessary, Sir, I'll resign. With all due respect, I must to be there, Sir, and you can't stop me."
"Alright. You may go. I can't afford to lose both my senior attorneys in 24 hrs. Be back here by 1100 hrs. Maybe I'll have gotten a helo by then."
"Thank you Admiral."
"Just get both of you two back in one piece, that'll be thanks enough. Dismissed."
"Aye, Aye Sir." It felt kinda weird to salute when I wasn't in uniform, but uniform or none, I was still a Marine.
As I exited the break room Harriet started walking in my direction. She looked exhausted, but then so did everyone. Especially me. "Ma'am, I was wondering if there was anything Bud or I could do for you and the Commander."
"Two things, Lieutenant Sims. Wait here a moment." I tracked Chloe down, and brought her over. "Harriet, could you please watch over Chloe until I return from the Patrick Henry. Second, Lieutenant, I am giving you and your husband direct orders to go home and sleep for a few hours."
"Yes Ma'am. Tell the Commander I hope he gets better soon. Bud, little AJ and I really miss him."
"I will." If he ever wakes up. "Thank you Harriet." Harriet walked off. "Chloe, I hope you understand I'm not dumping you on the Roberts. I just need to be there for Harm. I promise we'll have lots of fun when I get back, Okay?"
"It's alright, I understand Mac. Especially if you're going to marry him now." I laughed nervously. I sure do hope so!!!! "That's up to Harm, Chloe, not me."
"I know, but he loves you, I KNOW he does."
"You run along before you cause more mischief!"
She giggled. "Should I hide on top of the elevator again?" Then she ran off before I could answer.
I hurried on to my office, packing up things, and realizing, surprised, that Harm's journal was still in my coat pocket. I sure do hope he doesn't kill me for reading it. Harm's never been very open with his emotions. HAH! Like I didn't know that best of anyone.. Bud knocked on the door. "Enter." I said distractedly.
"Ma'am, I really wish I could go with you to help Commander Rabb. Is there anything else we can do?"
"No Bud, except get some rest."
"With all do respect Ma'am you could use some yourself."
"Bud, look." I stopped shuffling things around to give him my full attention. "I appreciate your concern. Harm will probably tell me the same thing." If he wakes up.. "The difference is, he can't order me around, if you came he'd probably order you back home. It's not that he doesn't care, he does. Harm always thinks of others before himself though, and right now, he would say your duty is to comfort your family. He'll probably try to send me back too, if that's any comfort."
"Yes Ma'am, send him my best wishes. Please try to get some rest yourself Colonel." "I'll try Bud. Thank you." He walked out, but I knew if I hadn't ordered him not to, he'd be doing everything to come with me..
A/N: Well, I know this chapter stinks, but I'm sorry! It's my sister's b- day weekend, and I've got gobs of homework. I think Mac might be slightly out of character in asking Harriet to take Chloe. Tell me what you guys think! Review reactions:
Ladyhound: Thank you for the encouragement, I really appreciate it!
Sancti: You're awesome!!!!! (I love your new chapter!)
SarahRabb705: Again, thanks for reviewing & the encouragement!!
e-dog: Thank you tons!!!!!!!!!!!!
Miran Anders: Well, that's the way FFN is. I can't make "~~" give a name. Thanks for the encouragement!!
~~: Well, I respect your opinion. I hope you can learn to respect mine, but since you seem to have no intention of listening to me, I will not waste my time trying to explain my story to you. I'm sorry if I've offended you or anyone else, but I have a very short temper..