AN's: You'll probably recognize some of this dialogue from "When the Bough
Breaks". I want to say thank you to all the reviewers. I appreciate your
input very much.
Not Alone
December 3rd 2002
"Colonel Mackenzie and Commander Rabb reporting as ordered," Harm said as they came to attention in front of the admiral.
"I just got off the phone with the Skipper on the Seahawk. He wants a second opinion on one of Lieutenant Singer's investigations and I'm sending you there to give one, Rabb" The Admiral explained the case and its difficulties. Mac wondered what she was doing there, since he hadn't said that she was going to be a part of the investigation.
"Colonel, you will be there investigating Singer herself. I trust that you can do that with the outmost discretion, which is needed in this case"
"To investigate what, sir?"
"Captain Johnson has charged her with conduct unbecoming," after finding out that the reason for the captain's accusations were that Singer was pregnant and wouldn't say who the father was, which had made the captain suspecting it to be one of the men aboard, both Harm and Mac were in despair. This was definitely not the sort of case they wanted to work on at the moment. They were just glad that they weren't actually both on the case.
The whole week since Harm had found out about the baby, they had been treating each other like they had just met and didn't want to show how much they disliked the other. It was the way they both choose to deal with the situation, even if it wasn't how they really felt. Harm was treating Sturgis in almost the same way and of course the whole office was wondering why. Sturgis himself simply tried to ignore the tension, hoping that time would eventually get them to a place where they could at least talk about it. The situation was bad and there was nothing to do that would make it better. Sturgis and Mac had each other to lean on, but they didn't feel comfortable with each other, when they knew that Harm was alone and it was their fault.
Neither one of them really wanted to talk about it, but somehow on the COD to the Seahawk they still got into a conversation about Singer's condition. Well, at least they pretended that it was about Singer, even though there were other reasons for them to be bring it up.
"I just think that an officer should be taken by her word. You have apparently been. Or can you prove that you and Sturgis didn't conceive during one of your investigations on one of the Navy's weasels."
"I've said who the father is. Singer hasn't so there is no word to take her by. She just says she didn't conceive on board."
"Well isn't that enough."
"She hasn't given her CO any evidence to prove her innocence," Mac said. This really wasn't a conversation or even an investigation that she wanted to get involved with.
"How do you prove a negative?"
"It's simple. With a name. I'm not sure I understand why you are defending her like this"
"I haven't faulted you for getting pregnant either, have I?"
Mac closed her eyes and took a deep breath and answered him; "No, I guess you haven't."
"Who knows about that anyway?"
"Just Sturgis, the admiral and you. We don't want to start telling people yet. Will you help us to keep it quite for the time being?"
"They won't hear it from me," Harm shrugged and they were told to get ready for landing on the carrier.
December 5th 2002
Mac's investigation couldn't prove any guilt on Singer's part, even if she couldn't clear her either. The conversation with Singer hadn't been very pleasant. Mac was happy that she wasn't in her position. Whatever reasons Singer had for not telling who the father were, they couldn't be very nice ones. Mac almost felt guilty about questioning her about it. What would she have done herself if Sturgis hadn't wanted to be a part of the baby's life! Maybe she hadn't wanted to tell people who it was then either, but risking court martial for it? She doubted that she would have taken it so far. She knew that Singer wouldn't have considered being gentle if the positions had been reversed and that made her feel a little bit better.
The admiral had informed her that she would be staying on the Seahawk replacing Singer until they got to Norfolk, approximately in two weeks. She'd informed Harm who had seemed surprised, but not very disappointed.
She was a bit annoyed with him keeping things away from her, especially since she had a strong feeling it was somehow involving Singer and he knew more than he had said. However she was too afraid to ask him about it, it would probably make everything much worse.
December 6th 2002
Harm had completed "Singer's" investigation and was leaving together with her on the COD. He had proven that no one could be made responsible for the accident and there would be no hearing or court martial. Mac was standing on the deck to see them off. She was just standing there watching the plane with the man she loved leave. They didn't even say goodbye.
TBC
Not Alone
December 3rd 2002
"Colonel Mackenzie and Commander Rabb reporting as ordered," Harm said as they came to attention in front of the admiral.
"I just got off the phone with the Skipper on the Seahawk. He wants a second opinion on one of Lieutenant Singer's investigations and I'm sending you there to give one, Rabb" The Admiral explained the case and its difficulties. Mac wondered what she was doing there, since he hadn't said that she was going to be a part of the investigation.
"Colonel, you will be there investigating Singer herself. I trust that you can do that with the outmost discretion, which is needed in this case"
"To investigate what, sir?"
"Captain Johnson has charged her with conduct unbecoming," after finding out that the reason for the captain's accusations were that Singer was pregnant and wouldn't say who the father was, which had made the captain suspecting it to be one of the men aboard, both Harm and Mac were in despair. This was definitely not the sort of case they wanted to work on at the moment. They were just glad that they weren't actually both on the case.
The whole week since Harm had found out about the baby, they had been treating each other like they had just met and didn't want to show how much they disliked the other. It was the way they both choose to deal with the situation, even if it wasn't how they really felt. Harm was treating Sturgis in almost the same way and of course the whole office was wondering why. Sturgis himself simply tried to ignore the tension, hoping that time would eventually get them to a place where they could at least talk about it. The situation was bad and there was nothing to do that would make it better. Sturgis and Mac had each other to lean on, but they didn't feel comfortable with each other, when they knew that Harm was alone and it was their fault.
Neither one of them really wanted to talk about it, but somehow on the COD to the Seahawk they still got into a conversation about Singer's condition. Well, at least they pretended that it was about Singer, even though there were other reasons for them to be bring it up.
"I just think that an officer should be taken by her word. You have apparently been. Or can you prove that you and Sturgis didn't conceive during one of your investigations on one of the Navy's weasels."
"I've said who the father is. Singer hasn't so there is no word to take her by. She just says she didn't conceive on board."
"Well isn't that enough."
"She hasn't given her CO any evidence to prove her innocence," Mac said. This really wasn't a conversation or even an investigation that she wanted to get involved with.
"How do you prove a negative?"
"It's simple. With a name. I'm not sure I understand why you are defending her like this"
"I haven't faulted you for getting pregnant either, have I?"
Mac closed her eyes and took a deep breath and answered him; "No, I guess you haven't."
"Who knows about that anyway?"
"Just Sturgis, the admiral and you. We don't want to start telling people yet. Will you help us to keep it quite for the time being?"
"They won't hear it from me," Harm shrugged and they were told to get ready for landing on the carrier.
December 5th 2002
Mac's investigation couldn't prove any guilt on Singer's part, even if she couldn't clear her either. The conversation with Singer hadn't been very pleasant. Mac was happy that she wasn't in her position. Whatever reasons Singer had for not telling who the father were, they couldn't be very nice ones. Mac almost felt guilty about questioning her about it. What would she have done herself if Sturgis hadn't wanted to be a part of the baby's life! Maybe she hadn't wanted to tell people who it was then either, but risking court martial for it? She doubted that she would have taken it so far. She knew that Singer wouldn't have considered being gentle if the positions had been reversed and that made her feel a little bit better.
The admiral had informed her that she would be staying on the Seahawk replacing Singer until they got to Norfolk, approximately in two weeks. She'd informed Harm who had seemed surprised, but not very disappointed.
She was a bit annoyed with him keeping things away from her, especially since she had a strong feeling it was somehow involving Singer and he knew more than he had said. However she was too afraid to ask him about it, it would probably make everything much worse.
December 6th 2002
Harm had completed "Singer's" investigation and was leaving together with her on the COD. He had proven that no one could be made responsible for the accident and there would be no hearing or court martial. Mac was standing on the deck to see them off. She was just standing there watching the plane with the man she loved leave. They didn't even say goodbye.
TBC