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, katydid13, ninjaturtle, capriceann and starryeyes10 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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SUE'S APARTMENT
WASHINGTON DC
1030 HOURS – SUNDAY MORNING
Sue and Jack sat together on the sofa, with the morning papers spread around on the coffee table, their cups of tea (for Sue) and coffee (for Jack) among the chaos. Levi lay on the floor at Sue's end of the sofa, and following his morning run he was now off in dog dreamland, every now and again huffing in his sleep, causing Jack to laugh at the golden retriever. Sue pushed against him playfully.
"Hey, I bet you make noises when you sleep too," she retorted in defence of Levi. Jack turned slightly to look at Sue, and an eyebrow rose in a mock-seductive leer.
"You want to find out?" he asked, and then realised what he'd said, given her deafness. With a grin he spoke again. "On second thoughts, look on the bright side, you'd never hear me snore!"
Sue dropped her head to hide the sudden blush that crept up her cheeks, but she was smiling too, aware of just how much she would love to find out about Jack's sleeping habits. Their 'relationship' had stepped up from the friendship stage to being a couple, but it was still new and Jack was aware of Sue's somewhat sheltered life before moving to DC. He was too much of a gentleman to 'move in' on Sue when she wasn't ready, and he was so sure they were meant to be together that he was prepared to wait for as long as it took her to be sure as well. Leaning over he tipped up her chin and grinned at her.
"You know, I love it when you blush. Makes you look all apple-cheeks and sunshine."
"Oh, and here I was thinking I looked every inch a professional career woman," said Sue, knowing full well that with her hair in a pony-tail that had been blown by her jog with Levi in the park, and wearing her Sunday 'best' of jogging pants, aerobic socks, and a t-shirt that had seen better days, she looked less like a career woman and more like a bag lady!
"You look beautiful whatever you're wearing," Jack murmured, and then decided to return to a safe topic as he was starting to feel distinctly uncomfortable in a certain area of his anatomy, and he needed a diversion. "When's Lucy back?"
Lucy Dotson, Sue's roommate, was on a cruise with her mother for two weeks. Sue glanced at Jack and surmised that he was trying to change the subject as he already knew very well when Lucy was due back; he had been the one that approved her leave request. Shrugging, Sue answered him.
"A week Saturday."
"Oh, good, so I get another Sunday morning with you before she gets back," Jack spoke, and then realised that his thoughts were still on a certain track. "And remind me, what's happening today?"
"We're meeting Mattie, Harm's ward. He and Mac are bringing her over this morning," Sue said, glancing at her watch and then jumping up with a shriek, causing Levi to jump up too, and Jack to fall back on the sofa laughing. Sue leaned forward and swatted at him, and then realised her mistake too late. The momentum of her action brought her down on Jack, and as he put his arms out to stop her hurting herself, and him, she put her own arms out either side of his head. It was as natural as breathing for him to lean forward and kiss her mouth, and they were lost.
A ringing noise sounded in the distance, and Jack was dimly aware that Levi was up on his hind legs and resting on Sue's back. Pulling her head back slightly, Sue looked down at Jack and quirked her lips, to which he grinned and murmured, "…saved by the bell."
"So it would seem," she agreed, "… but I don't remember asking to be saved."
Jack's grin faltered slightly, and then at the same time as he pushed Sue up and off him, causing Levi to back down, he also dropped a quick parting kiss on her lips. "Then we need to talk about this later," he added. Sue nodded, biting her lip slightly, before going off to answer the door.
Levi stayed in the lounge, looking with a cocked head at Jack, almost as though he knew what had gone on between his mistress and his friend. Jack looked across as he tidied up some of the paper on the table, and caught the quizzical expression. Laughing softly, he ruffled the dog's fur.
"Levi, you and I have to get together some day and talk about women…" he muttered, and Levi barked in response. In the background he could hear Sue welcoming Mac and Harm, and then Mattie.
"Come on in, all of you. Jack and Levi are through in the lounge."
Mac smiled up at Harm as they preceded Mattie and Sue into the lounge area, and Jack was standing by the sofa, waiting to greet them too. With a hug and kiss for Mac, and a handshake for Harm, Jack waited as Mattie rounded the edge of the arch into the lounge.
"Hi," he grinned, putting his hand out to Mattie also. Mattie returned the handshake, and took a seat on the sofa. Levi was sat at the side of the sofa again, his muzzle resting on the arm as he looked from Sue to Mattie, and back again. Sue grinned and spoke to Mattie.
"This is Levi, my hearing dog. It's okay to stroke him, he wants to be friends." Sue linked her index fingers in the sign for 'friends', and Mattie was instantly hooked. Mac and Harm had already told her about Sue's lack of hearing, and her skills that earned her the place on the Special Surveillance Unit team at the FBI. Levi 'woofed' in response to Sue's sign, and laid his muzzle back on the arm of the sofa, so Mattie could stroke him. Glancing from Levi to Harm and back again, Harm grinned. He knew what was coming next.
"Mattie, we can't keep a dog in the apartment."
"Mac does," retorted Mattie, pleading with her expressive eyes. Her curls bounced as she bobbed her head at Mac. "Jingo's as big as Levi, and he stays in her apartment. And Levi's in an apartment too," she added with inevitable logic.
"Jingo's an old dog, Mattie. He doesn't need as much activity as Levi does, and besides, Levi is a service dog. He is out and about with Sue all day, every day. I promise, we'll get a dog when we move." Harm's response was appeasing.
"And you know Mattie, Harm always keeps his promises," Mac spoke to the teenager, aware of Harm's moving plans, as she was now included! They had spoken long into the night recently on the purchase of a property that would be theirs, both giving up their separate apartments, and with the plans now in motion for Mac to move out of Harm's chain of command their living together would not be an issue.
Mattie grinned and nodded. "Yeah, I know. Okay, I can wait." Reaching out to stroke Levi, she grinned up at the four adults. Tilting her head as she looked at Jack she nodded her head.
"Jen was right, you are like Harm."
"I am? Tell me more," offered Jack, taking a seat next to Mattie, which had her blushing as much as Sue had previously. Harm felt a sudden need to reassure Mattie, as her blushing was something he had never seen before. In his experiences with her he was aware that she had a tough exterior and a sharp business mind, but it was easy to forget sometimes that she was a young girl, almost a woman, but still learning about life.
"Jack, you're terrible! Mattie, ignore him. He's already got a big ego!" Sue was quick to diffuse Mattie's embarrassment. Jack leaned across to Mattie without actually touching her, and apologised softly.
"Didn't mean to embarrass you, Mattie. WYSIWYG," and he put out his hand to her, waiting for her response.
"Same… same here," Mattie coughed slightly and then shook Jack's hand again, and grinned shyly at him. Then she added, "Jen was right though, you remind me of Harm, too. You're both gentlemen."
"Then I'm flattered, to be in the same league as my friend here," Jack indicated Harm, and got to his feet again to stand beside Sue.
"Sue, how about you and I make some more tea and coffee, and then we can decide where we're going for lunch. My call."
"Agreed to lunch," Mac spoke up, "but you guys sit down - you too, Levi – and I will help Sue get the drinks."
"I can help too," added Mattie, getting to her feet also, and moving to Mac's side. Harm glanced across and smiled. It meant a lot to him that Mattie seemed to be able to relate to Mac so well. It would never be a mother and daughter relationship, he knew, but it was more than a simple friendship. There was a mutual respect of each other, and an understanding that both were important in Harm's life.
As Sue walked away to the kitchen with Mac and Mattie following, Jack and Harm seated themselves across from each other at the coffee table, talking sport and business.
In the kitchen, Mac touched Sue's shoulder to catch her attention, and Sue turned round.
"Where's Lucy?" asked Mac, including Mattie in the conversation by adding that Lucy and Sue shared the apartment, and worked together at the FBI.
"Lucy left yesterday on holiday. Her mother won a major bridge competition, and the prize was a cruise. Her bridge partner wasn't able to take the cruise, so Lucy took early leave, thanks to Jack, and she'll be back in two weeks."
"That sounds wonderful. Who will be doing Lucy's job while she's away?" Mac knew the team relied on Lucy to keep them running, and her absence would be missed, albeit for a short time.
"We've got a temp from the Personnel Office. She starts tomorrow." Sue crossed her fingers, and laughed. "We're hoping we don't get landed with the dragon we had the last time Lucy wasn't in the office."
"A good office manager is hard to find," agreed Mac, watching Mattie as she looked round the kitchen. "Mattie, you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm getting ideas for our place. Jen's pretty good at decorating, and we were planning a change."
"A change? You've only just decorated! Does Harm know what you're planning? Even more important, will he approve?"
Mattie grinned. "It'll be a nice surprise when he comes back from doing his quals!"
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To be continued
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, katydid13, ninjaturtle, capriceann and starryeyes10 for their reviews. As before, any reviewers I miss between posts will be added to the list for the next chapter!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUE'S APARTMENT
WASHINGTON DC
1030 HOURS – SUNDAY MORNING
Sue and Jack sat together on the sofa, with the morning papers spread around on the coffee table, their cups of tea (for Sue) and coffee (for Jack) among the chaos. Levi lay on the floor at Sue's end of the sofa, and following his morning run he was now off in dog dreamland, every now and again huffing in his sleep, causing Jack to laugh at the golden retriever. Sue pushed against him playfully.
"Hey, I bet you make noises when you sleep too," she retorted in defence of Levi. Jack turned slightly to look at Sue, and an eyebrow rose in a mock-seductive leer.
"You want to find out?" he asked, and then realised what he'd said, given her deafness. With a grin he spoke again. "On second thoughts, look on the bright side, you'd never hear me snore!"
Sue dropped her head to hide the sudden blush that crept up her cheeks, but she was smiling too, aware of just how much she would love to find out about Jack's sleeping habits. Their 'relationship' had stepped up from the friendship stage to being a couple, but it was still new and Jack was aware of Sue's somewhat sheltered life before moving to DC. He was too much of a gentleman to 'move in' on Sue when she wasn't ready, and he was so sure they were meant to be together that he was prepared to wait for as long as it took her to be sure as well. Leaning over he tipped up her chin and grinned at her.
"You know, I love it when you blush. Makes you look all apple-cheeks and sunshine."
"Oh, and here I was thinking I looked every inch a professional career woman," said Sue, knowing full well that with her hair in a pony-tail that had been blown by her jog with Levi in the park, and wearing her Sunday 'best' of jogging pants, aerobic socks, and a t-shirt that had seen better days, she looked less like a career woman and more like a bag lady!
"You look beautiful whatever you're wearing," Jack murmured, and then decided to return to a safe topic as he was starting to feel distinctly uncomfortable in a certain area of his anatomy, and he needed a diversion. "When's Lucy back?"
Lucy Dotson, Sue's roommate, was on a cruise with her mother for two weeks. Sue glanced at Jack and surmised that he was trying to change the subject as he already knew very well when Lucy was due back; he had been the one that approved her leave request. Shrugging, Sue answered him.
"A week Saturday."
"Oh, good, so I get another Sunday morning with you before she gets back," Jack spoke, and then realised that his thoughts were still on a certain track. "And remind me, what's happening today?"
"We're meeting Mattie, Harm's ward. He and Mac are bringing her over this morning," Sue said, glancing at her watch and then jumping up with a shriek, causing Levi to jump up too, and Jack to fall back on the sofa laughing. Sue leaned forward and swatted at him, and then realised her mistake too late. The momentum of her action brought her down on Jack, and as he put his arms out to stop her hurting herself, and him, she put her own arms out either side of his head. It was as natural as breathing for him to lean forward and kiss her mouth, and they were lost.
A ringing noise sounded in the distance, and Jack was dimly aware that Levi was up on his hind legs and resting on Sue's back. Pulling her head back slightly, Sue looked down at Jack and quirked her lips, to which he grinned and murmured, "…saved by the bell."
"So it would seem," she agreed, "… but I don't remember asking to be saved."
Jack's grin faltered slightly, and then at the same time as he pushed Sue up and off him, causing Levi to back down, he also dropped a quick parting kiss on her lips. "Then we need to talk about this later," he added. Sue nodded, biting her lip slightly, before going off to answer the door.
Levi stayed in the lounge, looking with a cocked head at Jack, almost as though he knew what had gone on between his mistress and his friend. Jack looked across as he tidied up some of the paper on the table, and caught the quizzical expression. Laughing softly, he ruffled the dog's fur.
"Levi, you and I have to get together some day and talk about women…" he muttered, and Levi barked in response. In the background he could hear Sue welcoming Mac and Harm, and then Mattie.
"Come on in, all of you. Jack and Levi are through in the lounge."
Mac smiled up at Harm as they preceded Mattie and Sue into the lounge area, and Jack was standing by the sofa, waiting to greet them too. With a hug and kiss for Mac, and a handshake for Harm, Jack waited as Mattie rounded the edge of the arch into the lounge.
"Hi," he grinned, putting his hand out to Mattie also. Mattie returned the handshake, and took a seat on the sofa. Levi was sat at the side of the sofa again, his muzzle resting on the arm as he looked from Sue to Mattie, and back again. Sue grinned and spoke to Mattie.
"This is Levi, my hearing dog. It's okay to stroke him, he wants to be friends." Sue linked her index fingers in the sign for 'friends', and Mattie was instantly hooked. Mac and Harm had already told her about Sue's lack of hearing, and her skills that earned her the place on the Special Surveillance Unit team at the FBI. Levi 'woofed' in response to Sue's sign, and laid his muzzle back on the arm of the sofa, so Mattie could stroke him. Glancing from Levi to Harm and back again, Harm grinned. He knew what was coming next.
"Mattie, we can't keep a dog in the apartment."
"Mac does," retorted Mattie, pleading with her expressive eyes. Her curls bounced as she bobbed her head at Mac. "Jingo's as big as Levi, and he stays in her apartment. And Levi's in an apartment too," she added with inevitable logic.
"Jingo's an old dog, Mattie. He doesn't need as much activity as Levi does, and besides, Levi is a service dog. He is out and about with Sue all day, every day. I promise, we'll get a dog when we move." Harm's response was appeasing.
"And you know Mattie, Harm always keeps his promises," Mac spoke to the teenager, aware of Harm's moving plans, as she was now included! They had spoken long into the night recently on the purchase of a property that would be theirs, both giving up their separate apartments, and with the plans now in motion for Mac to move out of Harm's chain of command their living together would not be an issue.
Mattie grinned and nodded. "Yeah, I know. Okay, I can wait." Reaching out to stroke Levi, she grinned up at the four adults. Tilting her head as she looked at Jack she nodded her head.
"Jen was right, you are like Harm."
"I am? Tell me more," offered Jack, taking a seat next to Mattie, which had her blushing as much as Sue had previously. Harm felt a sudden need to reassure Mattie, as her blushing was something he had never seen before. In his experiences with her he was aware that she had a tough exterior and a sharp business mind, but it was easy to forget sometimes that she was a young girl, almost a woman, but still learning about life.
"Jack, you're terrible! Mattie, ignore him. He's already got a big ego!" Sue was quick to diffuse Mattie's embarrassment. Jack leaned across to Mattie without actually touching her, and apologised softly.
"Didn't mean to embarrass you, Mattie. WYSIWYG," and he put out his hand to her, waiting for her response.
"Same… same here," Mattie coughed slightly and then shook Jack's hand again, and grinned shyly at him. Then she added, "Jen was right though, you remind me of Harm, too. You're both gentlemen."
"Then I'm flattered, to be in the same league as my friend here," Jack indicated Harm, and got to his feet again to stand beside Sue.
"Sue, how about you and I make some more tea and coffee, and then we can decide where we're going for lunch. My call."
"Agreed to lunch," Mac spoke up, "but you guys sit down - you too, Levi – and I will help Sue get the drinks."
"I can help too," added Mattie, getting to her feet also, and moving to Mac's side. Harm glanced across and smiled. It meant a lot to him that Mattie seemed to be able to relate to Mac so well. It would never be a mother and daughter relationship, he knew, but it was more than a simple friendship. There was a mutual respect of each other, and an understanding that both were important in Harm's life.
As Sue walked away to the kitchen with Mac and Mattie following, Jack and Harm seated themselves across from each other at the coffee table, talking sport and business.
In the kitchen, Mac touched Sue's shoulder to catch her attention, and Sue turned round.
"Where's Lucy?" asked Mac, including Mattie in the conversation by adding that Lucy and Sue shared the apartment, and worked together at the FBI.
"Lucy left yesterday on holiday. Her mother won a major bridge competition, and the prize was a cruise. Her bridge partner wasn't able to take the cruise, so Lucy took early leave, thanks to Jack, and she'll be back in two weeks."
"That sounds wonderful. Who will be doing Lucy's job while she's away?" Mac knew the team relied on Lucy to keep them running, and her absence would be missed, albeit for a short time.
"We've got a temp from the Personnel Office. She starts tomorrow." Sue crossed her fingers, and laughed. "We're hoping we don't get landed with the dragon we had the last time Lucy wasn't in the office."
"A good office manager is hard to find," agreed Mac, watching Mattie as she looked round the kitchen. "Mattie, you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm getting ideas for our place. Jen's pretty good at decorating, and we were planning a change."
"A change? You've only just decorated! Does Harm know what you're planning? Even more important, will he approve?"
Mattie grinned. "It'll be a nice surprise when he comes back from doing his quals!"
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To be continued