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, starryeyes10, kirsten, soonerfan, another tracy and tomcat-all 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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JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH – VIRGINIA
1300 HOURS LOCAL – TUESDAY
"You'd better be ringing to tell me you're going to be on that flight tonight, Rabb, or you are dead meat." Sturgis Turner spoke into his cell phone, having seen Harm's name on the display.
Harm laughed in his ear. "I'll be there, Sturg. I just need a favor."
"Go on," Sturgis spoke, listening as Harm gave him some instructions.
"Are you kidding me? Mac's TAD, already?"
"What can I say. The Admiral rang her yesterday, to let her know. Listen, just grab the files, and bring them with you. I can work on them while we're travelling, and then courier them back to Harriet before we reach the carrier."
"Leave it with me, and I'll do what I can."
"Thanks, pal. See you at the airport, okay?"
"2000 hours, on the dot, Harm. If you miss the flight, you'll have more than the Admiral on your tail. You'll have me."
"I'll be there," Harm repeated, and rang off. Sturgis replaced his cell phone in his pocket and walked towards Harm's office. Harriet was just coming out of Mac's office with a stack of files in her arms and as she spotted Sturgis she smiled.
"Lieutenant, where is the Colonel?"
"Oh, sir, I have no idea. The Admiral had me post her TAD this morning. It's a shame; she won't get to see Commander Rabb before he leaves. Maybe it's better this way."
"What's better?" Against his better judgement, Sturgis had to ask.
"Then she won't be so upset in the office. At least on neutral territory she can concentrate on her work."
"Maybe so …" Sturgis nodded in agreement, continuing towards Harm's office to collect the files requested.
BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
BALTIMORE - MARYLAND
2010 HOURS LOCAL – SAME DAY
Sturgis was stood at the ticket counter for American Airlines, checking his watch for the fifth time and beginning to feel a little like Mac, knowing it was exactly two minutes since he last looked. Speaking of Mac … Sturgis glanced off towards the main doors. A woman with short dark hair was toting a carry-all over her shoulder, and she looked an awful lot like …
"Hey, Sturg! You made it!" Walking up behind Sturgis, Harm put his hand out and grabbed his friend's shoulder, squeezing in greeting. Sturgis turned to face Harm, shaking his head.
"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Nah, I just thought I'd seen Mac, but she's TAD, so it couldn't have been her." Sturgis returned Harm's greeting with a hand to his friend's shoulder. As he did this, he sniffed the air. "You changed your cologne lately, bro'?"
"Not a chance; stick with what I know, you know me. Why?" Harm spoke casually, and instantly Sturgis was on alert.
"C'mon, Rabb. Spill. I 'made' it here over a half hour ago. You suddenly appear, ten minutes late, and smelling of roses. While I can deal with you 'coming up roses' in a figurative sense, I can't deal with it literally. 'Fess up."
"Okay, you got me. I went to buy some perfume for Mac. I might miss her birthday while we're on this assignment, and so I thought I could courier the perfume back to Harriet and ask her to wrap it and keep it handy for me. While I was looking, some old dear sprayed rose water all over herself, and half the shop, including me."
"That's a sweet gesture, Harm, but you usually buy Mac's perfume at Christmas. It's almost a tradition!"
Harm groaned. "Not you too. I get enough smart talk from Mattie."
Sturgis grinned. "Okay, enough said. You're here, that's all the excitement I need for one day. Let's get on board then we can kick back and talk sport for a while."
"I'm following you." Harm returned the grin with one of his own, and the ground crew attendant felt herself flush a little at the sight of the two men coming towards her. While the first man to reach her had a warm friendly manner, and a smile that reached his eyes, the second man won hands down. That height, that uniform and those come-to-bed eyes … but the bubble burst when Harm turned to look at the main doors. When he returned his gaze to the walkway and moved to follow Sturgis, Harm's face wore a distinctly satisfied smile, as if he was inordinately pleased with himself about something.
HARM'S APARTMENT
NORTH OF UNION STATION
2200 HOURS LOCAL – SAME DAY
Mattie walked along the corridor from her apartment, with Jennifer standing in the doorway, whispering loudly.
"What are you doing, M? It's 2200!"
"There's a light on at Harm's place."
"There's always a light, Mattie; he leaves one on timer when he's away, remember?"
"No, this is something else. The lights too bright, as though the kitchen light is on too. Now I know he doesn't have that on timer. I'm going in."
"Mattie, no! Wait for me!" Jennifer grabbed her keys from the rack by the door and followed the teenager out into the hall.
Mattie heard the click of their own door as Jennifer pulled it closed, and then she moved across to Harm's door and placed her key in the lock. The door opened with no trouble whatsoever, and Mattie stood in the doorway in shocked surprise.
"Mac!" squealed Mattie.
"Mattie!" Mac called out.
"Ma'am?" asked Jennifer.
"What are you doing here?" asked Mattie, surprised, but pleased to see Mac again. After all, it had only been that morning when she had entered the apartment, and bumped into a sleepy Mac coming into the kitchen area to find Mattie and Harm making breakfast.
"Hi, sweetie. Er … I just got back, from a TAD. I left this morning, after the Admiral rang, and I was supposed to be away for a few days. I was going to have Harriet get in touch with you later, but I figured as I was heading back, I could call you in the morning." Mac offered an explanation that she thought would appease Mattie.
"But Harm isn't here," Mattie persisted, not really understanding why Mac was there without Harm. Jennifer, being a little more aware of the working of a woman's mind when her 'man' was away, realised that Mac had come back to Harm's to be close to him, even though he wasn't there in person. With a conspiratorial nod in Mac's direction she tapped Mattie on the shoulder.
"Come on, Mattie. It's late, and Mac looks beat. This place is nearer than trying to get through to Georgetown at this time of night. Not a problem, eh?"
"No, of course not. Mac, I'm sorry, I was just surprised to see you here."
"That's okay, sweetie. Have a good night, and I'll call you tomorrow, as I planned. I will have left already before you go to school. We'll sort something out about eating together later."
"Good. I'd like that," Mattie nodded, trying to stifle a yawn. Mac gave her a hug, gave Jennifer a grateful smile, and watched as the two younger women walked back to their own apartment and locked the door.
Closing the door to Harm's apartment, Mac rested her head against the door and shut her eyes for a moment, recalling the night before when she and Harm had returned together from Mattie and Jennifer's, and what had occurred between them after that brought a blush to her cheeks. Lifting her head from the door, Mac shrugged off her jacket and shoes, and made her way to the bedroom, laying down on the bed still dressed in her jeans and t-shirt. As she closed her eyes to sleep, snuggling up to one of the pillows, Mac could smell Harm's cologne, and the scent of roses. A small, satisfied smile tilted her lips as she slept. 'Love you, flyboy …'
AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT
EN-ROUTE TO LONDON, ENGLAND
LATE NIGHT – TUESDAY
The cabin lights had been dimmed almost as soon as the attendants had passed through with refreshments, and many passengers had settled down for the flight across the Atlantic, happy to sleep the night away. One of these was Sturgis, and after a grin at Harm he had turned out his overhead light and closed his eyes. Harm, however, was reading a file held in one hand, and twisting a pen through his fingers, almost without conscious thought, with the other. He had removed his jacket and it was hung up with Sturgis' in a bulkhead locker. In his shirt sleeves, with the cuffs rolled back, the overhead llight caught the gold-colored thread in his shoulder boards, and highlighted the three stripes on either side. From the galley at the front of the Business Class section, two of the three attendants sneaked a peek through the curtain at the dark-haired officer seated next to the African-American officer who was now sound asleep. Both of them kept their thoughts of the working officer to themselves, but the looks on their faces gave them away. The third attendant, an older woman, grinned and then commented mildly to them both.
"It isn't polite to stare, ladies. Besides, they're both taken."
"How would you know that, Elspeth?" asked one, Maggie, intrigued by the older woman's apparent knowledge of such a fact without evidence of wedding rings. The other, Wendy, continued to peek, turning back into the galley with a sigh. "It's too late anyway, Wendy's a goner." All three woman laughed softly, and then Maggie turned to Elspeth again. "Go on, you didn't tell me how you know they're both taken."
"They are both Naval Commanders. They both have fruit salad on their jackets to rival some of the best of the Admirals in the US Navy, and while the African-American is a retired submariner, now a JAG lawyer, the other is still an active pilot as well as being a lawyer also. You don't keep your wings if you withdraw your flight status."
"And you know all this because …?" prompted Wendy.
"My ex-husband is military. I was first an air force brat, then I married and became a navy wife. That's all I'm saying on that topic right now, but with regards to our two boys in blue out there, you don't get to that level without some female involvement, and even if they aren't married, they're both quite happy to settle down to sleep or work, without hassling the attendants. Be honest, apart from asking for a blanket, and an extra dose of coffee, neither of them have hit on you two, have they?"
Both Wendy and Maggie shook their heads. Elspeth sighed and carried on with her duties in the galley, but not before the two young women caught her sneaking a peek of her own. "Elspeth, you fraud!"
"Hey, I said they were taken; I didn't say I couldn't look, did I?" the older woman grinned at the pair of them. As they all went about their business Wendy spoke up one more time.
"Elspeth, I didn't find any fruit salad on either jacket when I put them in the locker."
Elspeth smiled knowingly. "Not real fruit salad, Wendy. It's the nickname for all the ribbons on their jackets, their medals and commendations. Our pilot out there is one highly-decorated officer who has put his life on the line for his country not once, but twice, while in the air."
"I'd love to know what kind of woman has him," muttered Maggie, glancing one more time at Harm's bent head. At that moment he looked up, and she pulled the curtain quickly. But Harm wasn't aware of having been the topic of any conversation. He had the sensation of someone being with him, in spirit, and as he relaxed again and smiled to himself, he whispered a soft 'Love you, ninja-girl.'
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To be continued
A/N :
1. I know British Airways flies with American Airlines as partners, but I was unable to find a relevant flight number for the sector BWI/LHR as I have limited Internet use at present.
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, starryeyes10, kirsten, soonerfan, another tracy and tomcat-all for their reviews. As before, any reviewers I miss between posts will be added to the list for the next chapter!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH – VIRGINIA
1300 HOURS LOCAL – TUESDAY
"You'd better be ringing to tell me you're going to be on that flight tonight, Rabb, or you are dead meat." Sturgis Turner spoke into his cell phone, having seen Harm's name on the display.
Harm laughed in his ear. "I'll be there, Sturg. I just need a favor."
"Go on," Sturgis spoke, listening as Harm gave him some instructions.
"Are you kidding me? Mac's TAD, already?"
"What can I say. The Admiral rang her yesterday, to let her know. Listen, just grab the files, and bring them with you. I can work on them while we're travelling, and then courier them back to Harriet before we reach the carrier."
"Leave it with me, and I'll do what I can."
"Thanks, pal. See you at the airport, okay?"
"2000 hours, on the dot, Harm. If you miss the flight, you'll have more than the Admiral on your tail. You'll have me."
"I'll be there," Harm repeated, and rang off. Sturgis replaced his cell phone in his pocket and walked towards Harm's office. Harriet was just coming out of Mac's office with a stack of files in her arms and as she spotted Sturgis she smiled.
"Lieutenant, where is the Colonel?"
"Oh, sir, I have no idea. The Admiral had me post her TAD this morning. It's a shame; she won't get to see Commander Rabb before he leaves. Maybe it's better this way."
"What's better?" Against his better judgement, Sturgis had to ask.
"Then she won't be so upset in the office. At least on neutral territory she can concentrate on her work."
"Maybe so …" Sturgis nodded in agreement, continuing towards Harm's office to collect the files requested.
BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
BALTIMORE - MARYLAND
2010 HOURS LOCAL – SAME DAY
Sturgis was stood at the ticket counter for American Airlines, checking his watch for the fifth time and beginning to feel a little like Mac, knowing it was exactly two minutes since he last looked. Speaking of Mac … Sturgis glanced off towards the main doors. A woman with short dark hair was toting a carry-all over her shoulder, and she looked an awful lot like …
"Hey, Sturg! You made it!" Walking up behind Sturgis, Harm put his hand out and grabbed his friend's shoulder, squeezing in greeting. Sturgis turned to face Harm, shaking his head.
"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Nah, I just thought I'd seen Mac, but she's TAD, so it couldn't have been her." Sturgis returned Harm's greeting with a hand to his friend's shoulder. As he did this, he sniffed the air. "You changed your cologne lately, bro'?"
"Not a chance; stick with what I know, you know me. Why?" Harm spoke casually, and instantly Sturgis was on alert.
"C'mon, Rabb. Spill. I 'made' it here over a half hour ago. You suddenly appear, ten minutes late, and smelling of roses. While I can deal with you 'coming up roses' in a figurative sense, I can't deal with it literally. 'Fess up."
"Okay, you got me. I went to buy some perfume for Mac. I might miss her birthday while we're on this assignment, and so I thought I could courier the perfume back to Harriet and ask her to wrap it and keep it handy for me. While I was looking, some old dear sprayed rose water all over herself, and half the shop, including me."
"That's a sweet gesture, Harm, but you usually buy Mac's perfume at Christmas. It's almost a tradition!"
Harm groaned. "Not you too. I get enough smart talk from Mattie."
Sturgis grinned. "Okay, enough said. You're here, that's all the excitement I need for one day. Let's get on board then we can kick back and talk sport for a while."
"I'm following you." Harm returned the grin with one of his own, and the ground crew attendant felt herself flush a little at the sight of the two men coming towards her. While the first man to reach her had a warm friendly manner, and a smile that reached his eyes, the second man won hands down. That height, that uniform and those come-to-bed eyes … but the bubble burst when Harm turned to look at the main doors. When he returned his gaze to the walkway and moved to follow Sturgis, Harm's face wore a distinctly satisfied smile, as if he was inordinately pleased with himself about something.
HARM'S APARTMENT
NORTH OF UNION STATION
2200 HOURS LOCAL – SAME DAY
Mattie walked along the corridor from her apartment, with Jennifer standing in the doorway, whispering loudly.
"What are you doing, M? It's 2200!"
"There's a light on at Harm's place."
"There's always a light, Mattie; he leaves one on timer when he's away, remember?"
"No, this is something else. The lights too bright, as though the kitchen light is on too. Now I know he doesn't have that on timer. I'm going in."
"Mattie, no! Wait for me!" Jennifer grabbed her keys from the rack by the door and followed the teenager out into the hall.
Mattie heard the click of their own door as Jennifer pulled it closed, and then she moved across to Harm's door and placed her key in the lock. The door opened with no trouble whatsoever, and Mattie stood in the doorway in shocked surprise.
"Mac!" squealed Mattie.
"Mattie!" Mac called out.
"Ma'am?" asked Jennifer.
"What are you doing here?" asked Mattie, surprised, but pleased to see Mac again. After all, it had only been that morning when she had entered the apartment, and bumped into a sleepy Mac coming into the kitchen area to find Mattie and Harm making breakfast.
"Hi, sweetie. Er … I just got back, from a TAD. I left this morning, after the Admiral rang, and I was supposed to be away for a few days. I was going to have Harriet get in touch with you later, but I figured as I was heading back, I could call you in the morning." Mac offered an explanation that she thought would appease Mattie.
"But Harm isn't here," Mattie persisted, not really understanding why Mac was there without Harm. Jennifer, being a little more aware of the working of a woman's mind when her 'man' was away, realised that Mac had come back to Harm's to be close to him, even though he wasn't there in person. With a conspiratorial nod in Mac's direction she tapped Mattie on the shoulder.
"Come on, Mattie. It's late, and Mac looks beat. This place is nearer than trying to get through to Georgetown at this time of night. Not a problem, eh?"
"No, of course not. Mac, I'm sorry, I was just surprised to see you here."
"That's okay, sweetie. Have a good night, and I'll call you tomorrow, as I planned. I will have left already before you go to school. We'll sort something out about eating together later."
"Good. I'd like that," Mattie nodded, trying to stifle a yawn. Mac gave her a hug, gave Jennifer a grateful smile, and watched as the two younger women walked back to their own apartment and locked the door.
Closing the door to Harm's apartment, Mac rested her head against the door and shut her eyes for a moment, recalling the night before when she and Harm had returned together from Mattie and Jennifer's, and what had occurred between them after that brought a blush to her cheeks. Lifting her head from the door, Mac shrugged off her jacket and shoes, and made her way to the bedroom, laying down on the bed still dressed in her jeans and t-shirt. As she closed her eyes to sleep, snuggling up to one of the pillows, Mac could smell Harm's cologne, and the scent of roses. A small, satisfied smile tilted her lips as she slept. 'Love you, flyboy …'
AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT
EN-ROUTE TO LONDON, ENGLAND
LATE NIGHT – TUESDAY
The cabin lights had been dimmed almost as soon as the attendants had passed through with refreshments, and many passengers had settled down for the flight across the Atlantic, happy to sleep the night away. One of these was Sturgis, and after a grin at Harm he had turned out his overhead light and closed his eyes. Harm, however, was reading a file held in one hand, and twisting a pen through his fingers, almost without conscious thought, with the other. He had removed his jacket and it was hung up with Sturgis' in a bulkhead locker. In his shirt sleeves, with the cuffs rolled back, the overhead llight caught the gold-colored thread in his shoulder boards, and highlighted the three stripes on either side. From the galley at the front of the Business Class section, two of the three attendants sneaked a peek through the curtain at the dark-haired officer seated next to the African-American officer who was now sound asleep. Both of them kept their thoughts of the working officer to themselves, but the looks on their faces gave them away. The third attendant, an older woman, grinned and then commented mildly to them both.
"It isn't polite to stare, ladies. Besides, they're both taken."
"How would you know that, Elspeth?" asked one, Maggie, intrigued by the older woman's apparent knowledge of such a fact without evidence of wedding rings. The other, Wendy, continued to peek, turning back into the galley with a sigh. "It's too late anyway, Wendy's a goner." All three woman laughed softly, and then Maggie turned to Elspeth again. "Go on, you didn't tell me how you know they're both taken."
"They are both Naval Commanders. They both have fruit salad on their jackets to rival some of the best of the Admirals in the US Navy, and while the African-American is a retired submariner, now a JAG lawyer, the other is still an active pilot as well as being a lawyer also. You don't keep your wings if you withdraw your flight status."
"And you know all this because …?" prompted Wendy.
"My ex-husband is military. I was first an air force brat, then I married and became a navy wife. That's all I'm saying on that topic right now, but with regards to our two boys in blue out there, you don't get to that level without some female involvement, and even if they aren't married, they're both quite happy to settle down to sleep or work, without hassling the attendants. Be honest, apart from asking for a blanket, and an extra dose of coffee, neither of them have hit on you two, have they?"
Both Wendy and Maggie shook their heads. Elspeth sighed and carried on with her duties in the galley, but not before the two young women caught her sneaking a peek of her own. "Elspeth, you fraud!"
"Hey, I said they were taken; I didn't say I couldn't look, did I?" the older woman grinned at the pair of them. As they all went about their business Wendy spoke up one more time.
"Elspeth, I didn't find any fruit salad on either jacket when I put them in the locker."
Elspeth smiled knowingly. "Not real fruit salad, Wendy. It's the nickname for all the ribbons on their jackets, their medals and commendations. Our pilot out there is one highly-decorated officer who has put his life on the line for his country not once, but twice, while in the air."
"I'd love to know what kind of woman has him," muttered Maggie, glancing one more time at Harm's bent head. At that moment he looked up, and she pulled the curtain quickly. But Harm wasn't aware of having been the topic of any conversation. He had the sensation of someone being with him, in spirit, and as he relaxed again and smiled to himself, he whispered a soft 'Love you, ninja-girl.'
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be continued
A/N :
1. I know British Airways flies with American Airlines as partners, but I was unable to find a relevant flight number for the sector BWI/LHR as I have limited Internet use at present.