Disclaimer: I don't own JAG. If I did, we would have taken our cue from Buffy and the season nine premiere would have been JAG: The Musical.

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Bethesda Naval Hospital

Harm

            I hit the doors to the Bethesda ER at full speed, terror fueling my steps. The phone call from the hospital came as I was walking out the door of JAG Ops, but Harriet left hours before that, so I'm not sure if she'll be here yet or not. After a moment of frantic searching I spot her sitting in the waiting room, holding little AJ and wiping at eyes that  look painfully red from crying.

            "Harriet!" I call across the room, and she jumps out of her seat.

            "Oh, sir!" She meets me halfway and practically falls into my arms, weeping, and that sets little AJ off. I push her back gently and kiss AJ's forehead.

            "Harriet, where are they? What's going on?"

            She presses a hand to her mouth. "I don't know. No one will tell me anything. They just called and said there was an accident…I don't know what to do…"

            I press my cell phone into her hand. "Call the admiral right now and check on his ETA. I'll get some answers."

            She nods resolutely, flipping the phone open as I head for the information desk.

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Admiral Chegwidden's home

Chegwidden

            I've just finished reviewing my report for my meeting with the SecNav tomorrow, which I'm not looking forward to in the least. Having to make nice with that officious jerk ruins my whole week. Stacking the report on top of a pile of case files, I'm seated in my armchair for less than three seconds when my phone rings. I indulge myself with a put-upon sigh before getting back up and grabbing the portable phone from the counter.

            "Chegwidden."

            "Admiral?" The teary voice on the other end of the line makes me forget about the quiet night I had planned for myself.

            "Harriet, is that you? What's wrong?"

            "It – sir, Bud and Colonel Mackenzie were in an accident –"

            Her voice breaks again and I try to be patient with my distraught officer, although I'm gripping the portable so hard I'm afraid it might snap in two.

            "Are they all right, Lieutenant?"

            As I hoped, the reminder of her rank seems to help her pull it together. "I don't know, sir. Commander Rabb and I are at Bethesda now, but no one will tell me anything."

            I'm already snatching my cover and trenchcoat, keys in hand. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Try and keep Rabb from killing any of the medical personnel."

            She manages a shaky laugh. "I'll do my best, sir."

            We hang up and I'm out the door, intent on setting a new speed record for the drive from here to Bethesda.

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Bethesda Naval Hospital

Harm

            The receptionist's nametag says Sunny, but she doesn't look like she lives up to it. Right now I don't really care. If Sunny wants to go head to head with me, she'll lose. I rap my knuckles on the desk and she looks up, obviously bored.

            "Can I help you?"

            "My partner and my friend were just brought in. They were in a car accident. I need to know their condition and I need whatever paperwork needs to be filled out, and I need to speak to their doctors ASAP."

            She heaves a gusty sigh. "What were the names?"

            "Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie and Lieutenant Bud Roberts."

            She taps something into the computer and then looks up at me. "Are you Harmon Rabb, Jr.?"

            I hand her my military ID and she hands me a stack of forms. "This is Colonel Mackenzie's paperwork. I'll need Harriet Sims-Roberts to fill out Lieutenant Roberts' forms. I can't give you any information on their conditions, but I'll send a doctor out to speak to you as soon as I can."

            "That's not good enough," I inform her, and she gives me a stony look.

            "It's all you're going to get."

            We stare each other down for a moment, and then I whirl around and head back to where Harriet's waiting for me. I'm resourceful; I can come up with another way to find out what the hell's going on.

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            I set the forms down on the table next to Harriet's things and she looks over at me with a hopeful expression.

            "The admiral's on his way. Did they tell you anything?"

            I square my jaw. "No, but they're going to. Go up to the information desk and get Bud's forms from the receptionist. I'm going back to the exam rooms."

            She gives me a wary look. "Commander, you're not allowed back there."

            I shake my head. "Harriet, I don't really care."

            Harriet nods, looking determined. "I'll distract the receptionist."

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            I duck through the doors to the treatment rooms, avoiding detection by either the receptionist or the MPs in the waiting room thanks to the performance Harriet's putting on at the desk. I'm glad she's giving Sunny a hard time; I'd be doing the same if I weren't so worried about Mac.

            I look around for a minute, hoping to spot a white coat, but all I see in nurses in colorful scrubs and patients. Then I spot something promising; the treatment board. I scan it for a moment before I find 'Roberts' – he's listed as being in Exam Room 3. I can't find 'Mackenzie' on the first board, but I spot it on the second one. My heart sinks when I realize where she's listed: ICU, Bed 14. The ICU is never a good sign.

            Turning on one heel, I start looking for Exam Room 3. I know I can't sneak up to the ICU, but maybe Bud can tell me what's going on.

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            "-and you'll have to keep it dry for six weeks."

            "Yes, sir." The mumbled reply is Bud's voice, and I don't think twice about throwing the curtain back.

            "Commander Rabb!" he exclaims, looking relieved and guilty at the same time.

            "Excuse me, sir, you can't be here," the doctor begins, but he's made the unfortunate mistake of wearing his uniform.

            "Stand down, Lieutenant," I order him, glancing at his bars and realizing I outrank him. "Bud, what the hell happened? Where's Mac?"

            He hangs his head. "I don't know, sir. We were hit by a truck – I swear, I never saw it coming, sir."

            I wave a hand impatiently. "Bud, what happened to Mac?"

            "Colonel Mackenzie?" the doctor asks, and I turn to him.

            "Yes. I'm her partner. Do you know what's going on?"

            "She's in intensive care," he explains. "Her injuries were mostly superficial, with the exception of a broken wrist, but she's got a severe concussion. She hasn't woken up yet, so we moved her to the ICU as a precaution."

            "Get me up there."

            Apparently my tone brooks no argument, because the doctor leans in quickly to put the finishing touches on the cast on Bud's ankle before standing back up.

            "I'll take you to her. Lieutenant, I'll have them send your wife back when she gets here."

            "She's already here," I tell him absently, occupied with getting upstairs to see Mac. "She's in the waiting room."

            The doctor turns on his heel and finally utters the words I've been waiting to hear.

            "If you'll come with me, Commander, I'll take you to Colonel Mackenzie."