Spoilers: "Touchdown" Summary: Harm and Mac both reflect on his mission
that resulted in landing a disabled C-130 on the deck of an aircraft
carrier and ultimately ended his career with the CIA. Note: This comes
after "Following," "Resisting," "Treading," and "Manipulating the Shifting
Sands." I had this general idea floating around in my head all week, but
didn't really know where do go with it until I saw "Back in the Saddle."
******
JAG Headquarters Mac's POV
What was Harm doing in a C-130 transport on the Seahawk? The reporter had no answer, but everyone at JAG knew that the former Commander Rabb had to have been flying a mission for the CIA. Mac couldn't help it as a small smile crept to her lips. Some 'secret' agent man he turned out to be, getting his face plastered all over ZNN while on an 'unknown' mission. he was going to get some dressing down about that when he debriefed.
Mac listened as the reporter finished his segment and the screen went back to the news anchor. Harm had to save the day. again. She shook her head as she made her way back to his office. Harm was unchangeable, that was for sure. Take away the uniform and his courtroom eloquence, and you were still left with his innate tendency to usurp the spotlight by selflessly saving the world. If Mac didn't know better, she would swear that Superman had a twin brother.
Sitting down at her desk, her thoughts were still on what little she knew of Harm's latest escapade. Mac couldn't decide whether or not she wanted to know any more details about the mortal peril he had placed himself in this time for the sake of a few people he didn't know. But it wasn't like Harm was returning her calls anyway.
She sighed as she thought about all of the things that made Harm the person he was and that were only magnified by all that he had done to save the lives of her and countless others in all the years she'd known him.
Nothing was getting done while she pondered the dilemma that she'd found herself in concerning Harm. Resolved to get back to work, she glanced down at her calendar and saw that she was supposed to have dinner with Clay that evening. Things weren't working out, despite the fact that he absolutely adored her, and she was trying to figure out the best way to break things off without bringing Harm in to the picture. Why was it that every guy she dated couldn't get over whatever weirdness was between her and Harmon Rabb? Even now, when Harm was virtually inaccessible due to the time he spent on assignment for the CIA, she knew Webb resented the place her former partner still held in her heart.
Because as much as she might want to deny it to save herself the heartache, she was still in love with him.
USS Seahawk Harm's POV
"If only I had a camera," Beth said quietly as she pulled a chair up next to Harm. They'd been directed to the mess hall aboard ship to await alternate transportation off of the vessel. The Libyan agent's family was huddled across the room, except for the young girl that had attached herself to Harm and was asleep in his arms.
"There are plenty of news cameras out there. I'm sure you could get one of them in here to broadcast this scene to the world," Harm whispered back.
"You do realize that this is going to compromise your position as a CIA operative?"
Harm sighed as she vocalized what he had known from the moment he'd seen the ZNN news crew on the deck. "Yeah, I know."
They were silent for a minute with their own thoughts before Beth broke in, changing the subject. "She took quite a liking to you," she smiled, indicating the sleeping child.
"She did, didn't she?" Harm's smile was genuine as he looked down at the dark-haired girl. It slowly melted away, as he thought about how he'd gotten to this point in his life. His voice was full of regret as he thought aloud, "You know, Beth, this makes me wonder why I didn't get my life's priorities straight while I had a chance for a family. I want kids of my own, but I just don't think it's going to happen anymore."
"The right woman got away?" she asked with a knowing smile. Men were so transparent sometimes, and it was obvious that a woman was the source of a lot of Harm's pain. She'd seen that pain lessen with time as they worked together, but in the end, it was still there, lurking under the surface. She'd never asked much about it because she figured he'd tell her if he wanted her to know.
He looked at his co-pilot, realizing that Beth had already figured him out despite his efforts to keep Sarah MacKenzie from affecting his new life. His response, though, was only a vague, "Something like that. I suppose I'll just have to continue living vicariously though my friends' children."
"Just think of all the money you'll save doing that," Beth pointed out with a small laugh.
"Thanks, Beth." Harm smiled back at her, grateful for using humor to get his mind away from topics that were better left buried for now.
"You're welcome," she said, then hesitated before continuing. "But I actually came down here to warn you that the skipper's looking for you, and he's not too happy about the uproar you caused."
Harm's face pinched up as he thought of the verbal dressing down that was in store. "Thanks for the warning."
Both former naval officers stood, and Beth watched as Harm met the mother walking toward them and handed the girl off to her. He walked back to Beth and crossed his arms across his chest. She looked up at him. "You know, somehow I get the feeling we won't see much of each other in the imminent future," she said. He turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "I just wanted to let you know that it's been a pleasure working with you."
She held out her hand. Harm shook it firmly, knowing that she was right. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the skipper enter. The time had come for him to face the consequences of this operation gone south.
******
Written 1 November 2003
******
JAG Headquarters Mac's POV
What was Harm doing in a C-130 transport on the Seahawk? The reporter had no answer, but everyone at JAG knew that the former Commander Rabb had to have been flying a mission for the CIA. Mac couldn't help it as a small smile crept to her lips. Some 'secret' agent man he turned out to be, getting his face plastered all over ZNN while on an 'unknown' mission. he was going to get some dressing down about that when he debriefed.
Mac listened as the reporter finished his segment and the screen went back to the news anchor. Harm had to save the day. again. She shook her head as she made her way back to his office. Harm was unchangeable, that was for sure. Take away the uniform and his courtroom eloquence, and you were still left with his innate tendency to usurp the spotlight by selflessly saving the world. If Mac didn't know better, she would swear that Superman had a twin brother.
Sitting down at her desk, her thoughts were still on what little she knew of Harm's latest escapade. Mac couldn't decide whether or not she wanted to know any more details about the mortal peril he had placed himself in this time for the sake of a few people he didn't know. But it wasn't like Harm was returning her calls anyway.
She sighed as she thought about all of the things that made Harm the person he was and that were only magnified by all that he had done to save the lives of her and countless others in all the years she'd known him.
Nothing was getting done while she pondered the dilemma that she'd found herself in concerning Harm. Resolved to get back to work, she glanced down at her calendar and saw that she was supposed to have dinner with Clay that evening. Things weren't working out, despite the fact that he absolutely adored her, and she was trying to figure out the best way to break things off without bringing Harm in to the picture. Why was it that every guy she dated couldn't get over whatever weirdness was between her and Harmon Rabb? Even now, when Harm was virtually inaccessible due to the time he spent on assignment for the CIA, she knew Webb resented the place her former partner still held in her heart.
Because as much as she might want to deny it to save herself the heartache, she was still in love with him.
USS Seahawk Harm's POV
"If only I had a camera," Beth said quietly as she pulled a chair up next to Harm. They'd been directed to the mess hall aboard ship to await alternate transportation off of the vessel. The Libyan agent's family was huddled across the room, except for the young girl that had attached herself to Harm and was asleep in his arms.
"There are plenty of news cameras out there. I'm sure you could get one of them in here to broadcast this scene to the world," Harm whispered back.
"You do realize that this is going to compromise your position as a CIA operative?"
Harm sighed as she vocalized what he had known from the moment he'd seen the ZNN news crew on the deck. "Yeah, I know."
They were silent for a minute with their own thoughts before Beth broke in, changing the subject. "She took quite a liking to you," she smiled, indicating the sleeping child.
"She did, didn't she?" Harm's smile was genuine as he looked down at the dark-haired girl. It slowly melted away, as he thought about how he'd gotten to this point in his life. His voice was full of regret as he thought aloud, "You know, Beth, this makes me wonder why I didn't get my life's priorities straight while I had a chance for a family. I want kids of my own, but I just don't think it's going to happen anymore."
"The right woman got away?" she asked with a knowing smile. Men were so transparent sometimes, and it was obvious that a woman was the source of a lot of Harm's pain. She'd seen that pain lessen with time as they worked together, but in the end, it was still there, lurking under the surface. She'd never asked much about it because she figured he'd tell her if he wanted her to know.
He looked at his co-pilot, realizing that Beth had already figured him out despite his efforts to keep Sarah MacKenzie from affecting his new life. His response, though, was only a vague, "Something like that. I suppose I'll just have to continue living vicariously though my friends' children."
"Just think of all the money you'll save doing that," Beth pointed out with a small laugh.
"Thanks, Beth." Harm smiled back at her, grateful for using humor to get his mind away from topics that were better left buried for now.
"You're welcome," she said, then hesitated before continuing. "But I actually came down here to warn you that the skipper's looking for you, and he's not too happy about the uproar you caused."
Harm's face pinched up as he thought of the verbal dressing down that was in store. "Thanks for the warning."
Both former naval officers stood, and Beth watched as Harm met the mother walking toward them and handed the girl off to her. He walked back to Beth and crossed his arms across his chest. She looked up at him. "You know, somehow I get the feeling we won't see much of each other in the imminent future," she said. He turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "I just wanted to let you know that it's been a pleasure working with you."
She held out her hand. Harm shook it firmly, knowing that she was right. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the skipper enter. The time had come for him to face the consequences of this operation gone south.
******
Written 1 November 2003
