Title : Where The Sea Meets The Sky
Author : Jaggie 107
Disclaimer : JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. 'Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye' belongs to PAX TV – and I hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you.
Rating : G to PG-13
Thanks go to cbw; jtbwriter; beegirl and katydid13 for their reviews. As before, any reviewers I miss between posts will be added to the list for the next chapter!
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REHABILITATION CENTER
WASHINGTON DC
1000 HOURS - SUNDAY MORNING
Mattie walked through the doors of the center on her own, stopping for a moment before carrying forward to the reception desk. The elderly woman on duty looked up and smiled at her.
"May I help you?"
"I'm here to see… Tom Johnson, he's my…" Mattie just could not bring herself to say 'Dad'. To her, whether the adoption went through or not, Harm had earned the title of 'Dad'. Tom Johnson was her biological father. "He's my father," Mattie finished quietly.
The woman checked a list beside her and then nodded. "Your father is in the day-room. You'll find it down the end of the hall and to your left, Miss Johnson."
"My name isn't Johnson, it's Grace. Mattie Grace. Thank you… for the directions," Mattie added and turned away to find the day-room. It took less than a minute to find the room, and Mattie stopped in the doorway. There were two other couples in the room, and her father stood up by the window, looking out over the gardens. As if he knew someone was watching him he turned, a small smile appearing on his face as he nodded at Mattie and called her over.
"It's good to see you again, Mattie. You look well."
"I am. How… how about you?" Mattie remembered Harm's advice to be civil with her father, even if she didn't feel that way. Harm knew too much had happened to Mattie for her to let go of her pain over her mother's death, but time would change how she viewed her father, that sometime in the future it would be possible for her to accept him, and it would be easier if they had at least some civility between them.
Tom saw the effort it took Mattie to ask the question, and he renewed his vow that he would turn his life around, and make his relationship with his daughter a better one eventually. Realising he hadn't answered Mattie's polite question he spoke up.
"I'm doing better. My therapist says I'm making good progress on accepting my alcoholism, and I'm attending the AA meetings here for now, and will carry on at the regular place when my time here is up."
"That's good… I guess. Er… Harm says 'hi', and Mac, too."
"Is Harm still here?" Tom knew that Harm had previously dropped Mattie off for the hour that they had together, and then would come in to collect Mattie after.
"Yes, he's waiting outside with Mac. Colonel Mackenzie."
"I remember her, Mattie. Do you see much of her?"
"Mac and Harm work together, so yeah, I see her around." Mattie was unsure where her father was going with his questions.
"They look pretty cosy together out there," Tom pointed with his thumb and Mattie's face paled as she saw Mac and Harm walking along the path outside the center. Harm had his arm draped across Mac's shoulder, and she was laughing up at him.
"They're friends, and have been for a long time. Whatever you're thinking, don't! It isn't a crime."
"It is if they're in the same chain of command."
"Good job that they're not then, isn't it?" Mattie shot a venomous look at her father, now knowing where he'd been going with his questions. It wasn't official yet that Mac was transferring to the Judiciary, but Tom Johnson didn't need to know that, or the fact that Mac would still be Chief of Staff at JAG. "You know, you're pathetic. If you think you could get me back by ruining Harm and Mac, forget it. It would only make me hate you more than I already do." Civility hadn't just gone out of the window, it had taken a flying leap!
"I am still your father, Mattie. I still haven't signed over my parental rights."
"Believe me, I know. But it doesn't matter. In three years, I'm an adult, and can do what I please. In one, I'm sixteen, and can go to the Naval Academy."
"No way!" Tom's raised voice had the other occupants of the room looking their way. He ignored them as Mattie spoke again.
"*You* can't stop me! I can have an accelerated inclusion on official referral." Mattie shouted.
"He's even got you sounding like him now!" Tom shouted back.
"He cares about me, and he loves me!" Mattie cried out, and then her voice dropped. "Harm Rabb actually believes that you deserve a second chance, and I was almost prepared to give you one. You just blew that! I think it's time I left now."
"Mattie, please, I need you to help me with this thing. I can't do it without you."
"You have to. You're not making me take responsibility for your success or failure, only you can do that. When you decide what you're doing, let Harm know and I'll come back to visit, but I'm not interested in listening to you bad-mouth Harm. He's the best thing that happened in my life since Mom died."
"Mattie…" Tom Johnson watched as his daughter left the room, and as he turned back to the window he soon saw her approach her guardian and throw her arms around him, surprising both Harm and Mac, but they then put their arms around the upset teen. Tom turned away from the window and walked out of the day-room, making his way back to his own room.
Outside in the garden Mac stepped back as Harm moved Mattie a little away from him so he could see her face. It took a lot to make Mattie cry, so this had to be serious.
"Mattie, what happened in there?" Harm asked gently, looking up at Mac while he waited for Mattie's answer.
"He's pathetic!" Mattie mumbled, and then sniffed loudly. Mac stifled a grin, dropping her chin to her chest to hide her expression as Harm dropped his gaze back to Mattie, who was speaking again.
"I was being civil, really I was. We were doing okay, asking how each other was, and then he got into asking about you and Mac." Mattie looked up at Mac when she said that little bit, "… and there the two of you were, walking along the path, arms around each other. If it wasn't so corny it would be cute!" Mattie managed a wet grin, and Harm laughed. Mac dropped her hand to Mattie's shoulder and squeezed.
"So, what was it that got you so upset?" Mac asked.
"He… he was trying to imply that you two were… together, when you shouldn't be, being military."
"Fraternising," supplied Mac, and Mattie nodded.
"He all but said he would turn you two in, and then he would get me back!" Harm opened his mouth to speak but Mattie continued before he could. "I told him I was going to be joining the Academy next year, and he said I was beginning to sound like you!"
"What exactly did you say to him, Mattie?" asked Harm, trying to sound calm but at the same time feeling some animosity towards the man whom he had been trying to help, despite the fact that such help could take Mattie away from him.
"I told him 'I can have an accelerated inclusion on official referral'." Mattie repeated word for word what she had said to her father.
"Wow, that's quite a speech," Mac congratulated, and looked at Harm who was speechless, and could do nothing but hug Mattie again.
"Did it make sense? It seemed right when I said it." Mattie's voice was muffled from Harm's chest, and as he released her he grinned.
"It was near perfect, Mattie. In theory, you could get early entry, and with a referral from the likes of Mac, myself, and maybe the Admiral, you'd be home and dry."
"Great, so you'll do it for me? I mean, make arrangements so that it could happen if he tried to take me away from you somehow?"
"I guess if that's what you want, we could petition that as of your sixteenth birthday you are an emancipated minor and with your grades, previous history – the business part of it, and that 'official referral' you mentioned, it would be all right."
"I don't want to go right now… I mean, I want to wait until I'm eighteen. But it's just as a precaution. If he tries to pull some stunt while you're away any time, it would mean I don't have to go to him, or to foster care."
"That wouldn't happen anyway, Mattie. Mac has my power of attorney in my absence. We can cover for anything that he might try."
"Good. Okay, can we leave now? I've had enough of this place."
"Sure." Harm put his arm around Mattie's shoulder from her left side, and Mac put her arm in Mattie's on the right. As they neared Harm's SUV Mattie glanced up to see a puzzled expression on Harm's face.
"What is it, Harm?" she asked, and Mac watched Harm's face too.
"I don't know, exactly. I just don't understand why Tom would try something like this. I'm no threat to him, I told him that already."
"Harm, there's no telling what's going through Tom's mind while he's going through rehab."
"I only know what you went through, and that was graphic enough," Harm replied to Mac, dropping a kiss on her forehead. Gestures like that came so naturally between them now, and as he was as affectionate with Mattie, she saw nothing in his actions towards Mac. "Okay, let's just wait and see what Tom's next move is. In the meantime, I'll get the papers sorted for the emancipation request. We can file it at least, and authorise Mac in my absence."
"Okay, thanks. Both of you," Mattie grinned and hopped up into the rear seat of the SUV. As Harm and Mac both settled into their seats and fastened safety belts, Mattie was beaming at them both.
"What's going on, Mattie?" asked Mac, catching the teen's infectious smile.
"Oh, I'm looking forward to meeting Sue and Jack, and finding out why Jen's been drooling so much."
"Drooling?" Mac and Harm said together as they shared a puzzled look, and Mattie burst out laughing.
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To be continued
A/N : I realised that I'd mentioned 'Tom' in the first chapter, without a surname. Just to clear up – that was (retired Admiral) Tom Boone.
Author : Jaggie 107
Disclaimer : JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. 'Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye' belongs to PAX TV – and I hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you.
Rating : G to PG-13
Thanks go to cbw; jtbwriter; beegirl and katydid13 for their reviews. As before, any reviewers I miss between posts will be added to the list for the next chapter!
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REHABILITATION CENTER
WASHINGTON DC
1000 HOURS - SUNDAY MORNING
Mattie walked through the doors of the center on her own, stopping for a moment before carrying forward to the reception desk. The elderly woman on duty looked up and smiled at her.
"May I help you?"
"I'm here to see… Tom Johnson, he's my…" Mattie just could not bring herself to say 'Dad'. To her, whether the adoption went through or not, Harm had earned the title of 'Dad'. Tom Johnson was her biological father. "He's my father," Mattie finished quietly.
The woman checked a list beside her and then nodded. "Your father is in the day-room. You'll find it down the end of the hall and to your left, Miss Johnson."
"My name isn't Johnson, it's Grace. Mattie Grace. Thank you… for the directions," Mattie added and turned away to find the day-room. It took less than a minute to find the room, and Mattie stopped in the doorway. There were two other couples in the room, and her father stood up by the window, looking out over the gardens. As if he knew someone was watching him he turned, a small smile appearing on his face as he nodded at Mattie and called her over.
"It's good to see you again, Mattie. You look well."
"I am. How… how about you?" Mattie remembered Harm's advice to be civil with her father, even if she didn't feel that way. Harm knew too much had happened to Mattie for her to let go of her pain over her mother's death, but time would change how she viewed her father, that sometime in the future it would be possible for her to accept him, and it would be easier if they had at least some civility between them.
Tom saw the effort it took Mattie to ask the question, and he renewed his vow that he would turn his life around, and make his relationship with his daughter a better one eventually. Realising he hadn't answered Mattie's polite question he spoke up.
"I'm doing better. My therapist says I'm making good progress on accepting my alcoholism, and I'm attending the AA meetings here for now, and will carry on at the regular place when my time here is up."
"That's good… I guess. Er… Harm says 'hi', and Mac, too."
"Is Harm still here?" Tom knew that Harm had previously dropped Mattie off for the hour that they had together, and then would come in to collect Mattie after.
"Yes, he's waiting outside with Mac. Colonel Mackenzie."
"I remember her, Mattie. Do you see much of her?"
"Mac and Harm work together, so yeah, I see her around." Mattie was unsure where her father was going with his questions.
"They look pretty cosy together out there," Tom pointed with his thumb and Mattie's face paled as she saw Mac and Harm walking along the path outside the center. Harm had his arm draped across Mac's shoulder, and she was laughing up at him.
"They're friends, and have been for a long time. Whatever you're thinking, don't! It isn't a crime."
"It is if they're in the same chain of command."
"Good job that they're not then, isn't it?" Mattie shot a venomous look at her father, now knowing where he'd been going with his questions. It wasn't official yet that Mac was transferring to the Judiciary, but Tom Johnson didn't need to know that, or the fact that Mac would still be Chief of Staff at JAG. "You know, you're pathetic. If you think you could get me back by ruining Harm and Mac, forget it. It would only make me hate you more than I already do." Civility hadn't just gone out of the window, it had taken a flying leap!
"I am still your father, Mattie. I still haven't signed over my parental rights."
"Believe me, I know. But it doesn't matter. In three years, I'm an adult, and can do what I please. In one, I'm sixteen, and can go to the Naval Academy."
"No way!" Tom's raised voice had the other occupants of the room looking their way. He ignored them as Mattie spoke again.
"*You* can't stop me! I can have an accelerated inclusion on official referral." Mattie shouted.
"He's even got you sounding like him now!" Tom shouted back.
"He cares about me, and he loves me!" Mattie cried out, and then her voice dropped. "Harm Rabb actually believes that you deserve a second chance, and I was almost prepared to give you one. You just blew that! I think it's time I left now."
"Mattie, please, I need you to help me with this thing. I can't do it without you."
"You have to. You're not making me take responsibility for your success or failure, only you can do that. When you decide what you're doing, let Harm know and I'll come back to visit, but I'm not interested in listening to you bad-mouth Harm. He's the best thing that happened in my life since Mom died."
"Mattie…" Tom Johnson watched as his daughter left the room, and as he turned back to the window he soon saw her approach her guardian and throw her arms around him, surprising both Harm and Mac, but they then put their arms around the upset teen. Tom turned away from the window and walked out of the day-room, making his way back to his own room.
Outside in the garden Mac stepped back as Harm moved Mattie a little away from him so he could see her face. It took a lot to make Mattie cry, so this had to be serious.
"Mattie, what happened in there?" Harm asked gently, looking up at Mac while he waited for Mattie's answer.
"He's pathetic!" Mattie mumbled, and then sniffed loudly. Mac stifled a grin, dropping her chin to her chest to hide her expression as Harm dropped his gaze back to Mattie, who was speaking again.
"I was being civil, really I was. We were doing okay, asking how each other was, and then he got into asking about you and Mac." Mattie looked up at Mac when she said that little bit, "… and there the two of you were, walking along the path, arms around each other. If it wasn't so corny it would be cute!" Mattie managed a wet grin, and Harm laughed. Mac dropped her hand to Mattie's shoulder and squeezed.
"So, what was it that got you so upset?" Mac asked.
"He… he was trying to imply that you two were… together, when you shouldn't be, being military."
"Fraternising," supplied Mac, and Mattie nodded.
"He all but said he would turn you two in, and then he would get me back!" Harm opened his mouth to speak but Mattie continued before he could. "I told him I was going to be joining the Academy next year, and he said I was beginning to sound like you!"
"What exactly did you say to him, Mattie?" asked Harm, trying to sound calm but at the same time feeling some animosity towards the man whom he had been trying to help, despite the fact that such help could take Mattie away from him.
"I told him 'I can have an accelerated inclusion on official referral'." Mattie repeated word for word what she had said to her father.
"Wow, that's quite a speech," Mac congratulated, and looked at Harm who was speechless, and could do nothing but hug Mattie again.
"Did it make sense? It seemed right when I said it." Mattie's voice was muffled from Harm's chest, and as he released her he grinned.
"It was near perfect, Mattie. In theory, you could get early entry, and with a referral from the likes of Mac, myself, and maybe the Admiral, you'd be home and dry."
"Great, so you'll do it for me? I mean, make arrangements so that it could happen if he tried to take me away from you somehow?"
"I guess if that's what you want, we could petition that as of your sixteenth birthday you are an emancipated minor and with your grades, previous history – the business part of it, and that 'official referral' you mentioned, it would be all right."
"I don't want to go right now… I mean, I want to wait until I'm eighteen. But it's just as a precaution. If he tries to pull some stunt while you're away any time, it would mean I don't have to go to him, or to foster care."
"That wouldn't happen anyway, Mattie. Mac has my power of attorney in my absence. We can cover for anything that he might try."
"Good. Okay, can we leave now? I've had enough of this place."
"Sure." Harm put his arm around Mattie's shoulder from her left side, and Mac put her arm in Mattie's on the right. As they neared Harm's SUV Mattie glanced up to see a puzzled expression on Harm's face.
"What is it, Harm?" she asked, and Mac watched Harm's face too.
"I don't know, exactly. I just don't understand why Tom would try something like this. I'm no threat to him, I told him that already."
"Harm, there's no telling what's going through Tom's mind while he's going through rehab."
"I only know what you went through, and that was graphic enough," Harm replied to Mac, dropping a kiss on her forehead. Gestures like that came so naturally between them now, and as he was as affectionate with Mattie, she saw nothing in his actions towards Mac. "Okay, let's just wait and see what Tom's next move is. In the meantime, I'll get the papers sorted for the emancipation request. We can file it at least, and authorise Mac in my absence."
"Okay, thanks. Both of you," Mattie grinned and hopped up into the rear seat of the SUV. As Harm and Mac both settled into their seats and fastened safety belts, Mattie was beaming at them both.
"What's going on, Mattie?" asked Mac, catching the teen's infectious smile.
"Oh, I'm looking forward to meeting Sue and Jack, and finding out why Jen's been drooling so much."
"Drooling?" Mac and Harm said together as they shared a puzzled look, and Mattie burst out laughing.
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To be continued
A/N : I realised that I'd mentioned 'Tom' in the first chapter, without a surname. Just to clear up – that was (retired Admiral) Tom Boone.