AN: Both the Chrisler Hotel and the town of Callahan are works on my imagination. Callahan is based on an actually town but most things associated with it are fictional. I just want to point that out mainly for the benefit for any fellow Aussies out there.
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"…. We're here and now, but will we even be again?
'Cause I have found,
All that shimmers in this world is sure to fade…
Away – again." – Shimmer, Fuel.
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CHAPTER 5: WELCOME TO AUSTRALIA II
TUESDAY 2230 HRS
UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT UA9681 - WASHINGTON TO SYDNEY (CONNECTING VIA TOKYO)
TOKYO NARITA AIRPORT
Mac surveyed the occupied flight lounge around her. Around the area, passengers were propped up against chairs reading magazines, books and newspapers while others, were stretched across two or three chairs, sleeping soundly. Other passengers had stumbled away towards the gift shops wanting something more to do that wait for the next leg of their journey. From where she sat, Mac could see Harm gathering 2 bottles of water from the food stand 100 metres away. Mic was stretched out across the row in front of her, head resting on his jacket and eyes closed firmly shut. He had been snoring loudly for 10 agonising minutes.
"Here you go." Harm said, handing her a bottle of water, a chocolate bar and a packet of chips upon his return. "Thought you might be hungry."
Mac smiled and took his gifts willingly.
"Yum, junk food – my favourite." She joked, placing them in her lap and removing the deserted folder from the chair directly beside her so that Harm could sit down.
"Thought that would raise your spirits." He said dropping into the seat, and pulling Mac into his chest.
Mac snuggled in against Harm and rested her head underneath his chin. She had to admit; it felt good to be back in his arms. She sighed contently and ripped the wrapper off the chocolate.
"Nice to see that Brumby's sharing his sleep with us." Harm said lazily, nodding towards Brumby. "Let's hope the walls of the hotel room are thick."
Mac smiled, nibbling at her chocolate.
"I can tell you, it gets worse." Mac leered. "Poor Jennifer." She added unsympathetically.
Harm smiled absentmindedly and rested his head against the top of Mac's. He closed his eyes briefly; warn out from the first flight and hoping to catch a bit of sleep before the second.
"What exactly is you're problem with Jennifer?" he asked softly, after a few moments had passed.
Mac shrugged, not knowing how to reply. She didn't even know the woman but she was sure that she didn't like her. She remembered the bitter comment she had made to Mic earlier that day and a twinge of guilt struck her in the stomach. She wasn't jealous – she knew she could stay far away from that explanation – but Mac had an idea that it had something to do with Jennifer Gallagher's supposed alibi. It struck her as unusual to think that she wouldn't have noticed Brumby return. She knew from experience that he was a clumsy as anything when trying to act quiet, so she surely would have heard something. Letting her mind continue to reel from a combination of jet lag, chocolate and overall excitement, Mac settled into Harm's embrace more comfortably, and allowed a simple reply.
"Frankly, I don't trust her." She replied flatly.
**
WEDNESDAY – TIME UNKNOWN
SYDNEY KINGSFORD SMITH AIRPORT
Mic hauled his luggage from the luggage carousel and placed it gingerly on the trolley next to Harm and Mac's already collected luggage. He forced a smile and dug into his jacket pocket.
"Do you mind if I make a quick phone call? I'll just check if we've got the reservations at the hotel for tonight." he asked gesturing to the cell phone he had dug from the confines of his clothing.
Mac shrugged.
"Not at all. We'll just wait outside."
Mic nodded a reply and hit the speed dial while Harm took hold of the trolley and followed Mac towards the exit. The pair stepped out into to rain of Sydney and quickly took cover in a small under covered area outside the wall of electric doors.
"What I wouldn't give for a shower and a sleep right now." Mac breathed smiling at Harm. "What do you think?"
Harm leered.
"I think I need to change out of my drool covered clothes." He said, smoothing his uniform. "And what do you need sleep for? That's the reason I got the drool in the first place."
Mac smiled thoughtfully and crossed her arms across her chest.
"I don't drool." She replied bluntly, a smile still creeping onto her lips.
Harm shook his head incredulously. After a few moments he too was smiling.
"Don't drool. That's a lie." He looked over his shoulder half hoping for Mic to emerge so they could get out of the airport and to a hotel. Turning back to Mac he added, "Why don't we try and get a cab or something. Surely Brumby won't be that long."
"Sure."
Mac didn't move. Neither did Harm.
"Well are you getting a cab or what?"
Mac raised her brow.
"I'm not getting wet. You get the cab."
"I don't want to get wet either and besides I'm looking after the luggage. Don't be so difficult."
"Difficult?" Mac mused.
Harm grinned.
"That's what I said. Are you going to get the cab or stand here and fight with me about it all day?"
Mac frowned, pretending to be annoyed at Harm's antics.
"I'm going to stand here all day watching you try to boss me around. Since when did I take orders from you Commander?"
Harm rolled his eyes and moved away from the luggage trolley perched between them. He stalked towards the open pavement and into the rain to get the cab.
"Bloody Marine." He muttered as the rain started to get heavier and begin to pour.
After a couple minutes of standing in the rain, waiting for the incoming cabs to drop their passengers, collect their fares and move on to the outgoing crowd, Harm finally succeeded in drawing in the attention of a sympathetic cab driver. He turned back towards where he had left Mac only to find her and Brumby standing contently by the door smirks on their faces and clothing completely dry. Shaking his head amused, Mic moved forward, covering his civvies with his leather jacket and heading towards the front passengers door of the cab. Wet and suddenly low-spirited by the cold rain, Harm trudged back to Mac to help her with the luggage. Mac smirked at Harm as he returned.
"Guess you don't need the shower then." She said simply, looking him up and down and then moving slightly so that Harm could take control of the trolley.
Harm forced a smile.
"Just get in the cab." He replied bluntly making Mac's smile bigger.
Unamused, Harm sighed and pushed the luggage towards the cab – dodging Mac who expertly jogged towards the cab avoiding any rain drops at all. Muttering to himself Harm offered a quiet "Welcome back to Hell," to himself before diving into the warmth and dryness of the cab.
**
WEDNESDAY – 1815 HRS
CHRISLER HOTEL - NEAR SYDNEY HARBOUR
The early evening darkness crept through the windows letting the nightlife of Sydney waft through Mac's hotel room window. Lying contently curled up under the covers of her bed in fresh clothing, Mac swore she could smell the takeaway from the shop down the street. In fact she was so hungry she could almost taste the food from the takeaway shop down the street. Mustering her new energy from her afternoon sleep Mac tentatively pulled herself up from underneath the covers and traipsed towards her hotel room door. She opened it quickly and strode across the hallway to Harm's room. Considering Mic didn't know about the relationship between Harm and Mac – he did have his suspicions but didn't bother voicing them – he had checked them in and instinctively requested the three rooms one of his colleagues had booked the day before. Mac didn't have a problem having a room to herself for the afternoon – Harm after all was still pretty moody about the rain incident at the airport – but beginning to get used to the fact of sleeping only on the left hand side of the bed and sharing it with Harm was a comfort she enjoyed too much to pass up. She knocked heavily on Harm's door and folded her arms across her chest waiting for Harm's surfacing. Mac counted 2 and a half minutes before Harm answered the door – shirtless and tousled hair.
"Good afternoon." He greeted, stepping away from the doorway allowing Mac a passage to walk in.
Mac noted Harm's ruffled hair, and crumpled bedding – he too had spent the afternoon sleeping.
"Hey. Enjoy your sleep?" She asked walking straight towards Harm's mini bar and fridge and grabbing a can of lemonade.
Harm shrugged and disappeared into the adjoining bathroom.
"It was better than the nap on the aeroplane anyway. I had more room."
The sound of running water flooded the room and was quickly turned off again as Harm rinsed his face to wake himself up. He grabbed hold of a hand towel and dried his face and hands before returning to Mac's company.
"So how was your nap?" he asked pulling Mac into an affectionate embrace. "And your shower?"
"Refreshing." She bantered playfully. "I almost fell asleep in the shower I was that tired."
Harm nodded.
"Me too. Seen Brumby since we checked in?" he asked, kissing her lightly on the forehead and then pulling away to grab his shirt from the bed.
Mac shook her head and flopped down on the bed being careful not to spill her drink.
"No not really. He said that he was going for a walk to pick up some food and clear his head. He wasn't really tired – like he would be after snoring all the way from Tokyo to Sydney."
Harm snorted and pulled his grey sweater over his head.
"It stopped raining about an hour ago." He mused. "Maybe Brumby had the chance to get wet."
Mac smiled.
"Are you still on about that?" she asked suppressing a laugh. "I thought you would be."
"Well," Harm laughed. "I wasn't very amused at the time. Speaking of time – what time is it?"
"Roughly about 1820." She replied taking a sip of her lemonade. "So what's on the agenda for tonight? Meeting? Interrogation? Murder investigation?"
Harm leered.
"I was thinking more along the lines of sitting Brumby down and getting a few things cleared up about his case. I mean we are after all flying up to Callahan tomorrow to start interviewing some on O'Neil's colleagues. You know the drill."
Mac nodded.
"Sound like fun." She added cheerfully. "Where exactly is Callahan?"
Harm pulled a fact sheet from beside his bed.
"I was looking at this before. The sheet says that Callahan is a small seaside town up on the coast of central Queensland. They've had Army and Navy personal stationed there for about 6 months now. Something about training and community bonding. Basically they're trying to get the military know around the country and everything. That's what I gather anyway."
Mac nodded, taking in the information.
"So Mic was stationed up there during the time of O'Neil's death?" she asked.
Harm nodded.
"According to this." He said gathering a foreign folder from beside his bed. "Brumby gave this to me before he went food hunting this afternoon. It's got his side of the story and a few pieces of background information in it. I had a flick through it – he's gone to some work to get his side documented. I've never seen anything like it the whole time I've been working at JAG."
Mac knotted her brow staring at the folder in Harm's hand like it was a piece of trash.
"Is it legitimate?" she asked concerned, rising from the bed and taking the folder from Harm.
Harm studied her for a couple of minutes.
"From what I've read – yes. The Army doesn't know much about O'Neil's murder. She was a highly-strung Major – had some pretty big faults in her career and has been dragged over the coals a few times. Aside from that, she was well known around the base in Callahan and in the Callahan community. She spoke at career talks at the schools and all the sort of thing. The only thing I don't understand is how she knew Brumby."
Mac shrugged and looked up at Harm.
"You said she was pretty well know around Callahan and the base. Maybe they met there. You know what I mean." She said waving her hand slightly. "Maybe they met at dinner once, on a training exercise-" she raised a brow and smiled. "Career tutors maybe."
Harm let a low sigh escape his mouth and rubbed his eyes disbelieving.
"Yeah, maybe. I still think that there is something more there, though – and Mic's not exactly helping. Have you noticed that whenever you walk into the room he's itching to walk out?"
Mac nodded grimly.
"Sort off. I guess that's why he gave you this information instead of me. I mean you'd think I was here for a holiday while you do everything." She replied bitterly.
"It's not like that." Harm said. "It more of the thought that O'Neil looked so much like you."
Mac frowned.
"That's not a good enough reason. He turned up at JAG asking for my help-"
"Our help." Harm corrected.
Mac glared.
"Our help - and now's he's acting like he doesn't want me to be here." She took a look around the 4 star hotel room. "And despite the mini bar, the short break and you – I wouldn't be."
Harm smiled.
"You're not here for the mini bar, the break or even me, Mac. You're here because you're a good lawyer and you're doing your job. Show Brumby that you're past is behind you and you're here to help him as a friend and as his legal representation."
Mac lowered her ashamed eyes to the ground.
"Since when are you the one who's right?" she asked softly.
Harm chuckled.
"Since now." He squeezed her affectionately on the shoulder. "Don't make me go through anything that sappy again."
Mac laughed.
"Yeah, the 'good' lawyer remark. Is that all I am?" she joked, studying Harm.
Harm rolled his eyes.
"How about great lawyer."
"Tell it like it is flyboy."
"You're an excellent lawyer Mac and you know it." He added, a wide grin across his face.
Mac nodded.
"Damn straight flyboy and don't you forget it." She replied flashing a grin.
Harm chuckled.
"I know you won't let me anyway."
Mac grinned and looked towards Harm's unmade bed. She dropped the file on the floor and placed the can of drink down beside it.
"Is your bed as comfy as mine?" She asked sitting down and bouncing up and down slightly.
Harm shrugged and folded his arms across his chest.
"Don't really know – and I don't want to even think about what you're thinking. Brumby will be back any minute and frankly, I'd prefer not to be caught by him in that situation."
Mac's grin softened into a smile.
"Do you think he knows?" she asked.
Harm frowned and shook his head.
"Do you think he cares?"
"That's a better point." She replied deflated.
Harm moved towards Mac.
"These walls are pretty thin you know."
Mac laughed.
"I thought you said that you weren't thinking about it."
Harm chuckled.
"I'm not." Mac arched a brow at him. "Ok, so I am – but I'm not acting on it."
Mac rose from her spot and walking slowly towards Harm.
"That's a shame." She said softly, kissing his gently. "Actions speak louder than words."
Harm nodded and pulled Mac closer.
"Mmmmhhh." He mumbled against her lips as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I bet."
Harm kissed her slowly along her jaw line, making his way towards her neck. Mac grinned as he reached the spot beneath her ear.
"Any minute," she gulped. "We should have started earlier-"
As if on cue, a knock sounded on the door. Harm grinned and planted a final kiss on Mac's lips.
"I hate when I'm right," he groaned moving towards the door.
Regaining composure Mac picked up the new file from the ground and moved towards the small arm chair placed to the side of the room. Harm opened the door and Brumby stalked in carrying a plastic takeaway bag. He surveyed the room – as if summing up the differences between his and Harm's room. Unsatisfied with his observation, Brumby snorted.
"I swear my room is smaller." He said obviously a little put out.
Mac rolled her eyes, which went unnoticed by Mic.
"And those are things that count." She muttered, opening the file.
Mic nodded.
"You'd be surprised." He added, shutting the door behind him.
Harm nodded and trudged towards the mini bar.
"Drink?" he asked looking around at Mac and Mic.
Mic and Mac both shook their heads.
"I'm fine - mines on the floor beside the bed."
Brumby did a double take, noted the ruffled bed and shook his head. If he felt guilty for interrupting something, he didn't show it and instead he too planted himself down in one of the small armchairs in Harm's room. Mac sniffed the takeaway bag as it drew nearer. Hotdog. She looked towards Harm who was already grimacing at the smell.
"So what's on the cards for tonight? The first and last night in Sydney for now. How about a ferry ride? Or a walk along the harbour? It's quite nice out now – a few people around but it's something not to be missed. I wouldn't want to have you guys bailed up in here for my sake when we can get some work done tomorrow."
Mac looked up from the file in her lap.
"We have work to do." She replied bleakly. "We've side stepped this for a few days now. When exactly is you're hearing?"
Mic grimaced.
"3 weeks from tomorrow."
"Right," Harm began moving into the conversation. "3 weeks to prove you're innocence, piece of cake."
Brumby glared.
"You believe I'm innocent don't you?" he asked loudly switching his gaze between them.
Harm nodded.
"We do and we think that there is a lot behind the Major's murder. The thing we want to know the most is how did you know her? Were you friends? Colleagues? What? How do you come to be the supposed last person to see her alive."
Mic bowed his head slightly and dropped his bag of takeaway beside his chair. He let a low sigh escape and knitted his fingers together into a steeple and drummed them against his lips. After a couple of seconds of clear thinking he looked up to meet Harm and Mac's eye.
"How long do you have exactly? I guess I'd better start at square one."
Mac wriggled deeper into her seat, and pulled her legs up underneath her. Harm settled for grabbing a chair from the small 4-seater table to the front of the room and sitting down.
"We have all night." Mac replied quietly. "And we want to know everything you can give us. The more we know the better the chance we have at proving your innocence. "
"Or lack there of." Harm muttered to himself – as comment that went unnoticed by Mac and Mic and one that spiked a wave of guilt on his behalf.
**
AN: Well that's all for this chapter. Stay tuned for Chapter 6: WISHFUL THINKING, which will be up when I get around to it. It's really late as I post this so please forgive me for any errors. I edited like hell but some still slip past my error nets. See ya.