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, tomcat-all, lori4, carol, eliv.thade, alicia5, fragmentpieces, kesh and claysmvl 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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THE BRIDGE
USS SEA HAWK
SOMEWHERE IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
"JAG on deck!" called out Ensign Walters, and Mattie stood to attention also as Mac, Harm and Sturgis appeared, with Lieutenant Commander Glennan behind them.
Captain Johnson looked across from his position by the map desk, and noted that all three senior officers were presenting themselves in a manner to which he had become accustomed to seeing them. All except for one tiny detail.
"Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie, I believe you are missing a tie?"
Mac's hand went immediately to her neck, and just as fast she remembered exactly where the tie was. Her dilemma now was how she was going to retrieve the offending article of clothing from Harm's unifom pants pocket?
Harm slid a glance at Mac as Johnson turned his head to listen to one of his bridge officers. By the time he turned back to face the four officers, the tie was back in place. Mattie had watched with amusement as Harm had slipped the tie from his pocket, and while Mac held the front of the tie under the tips of her collar, Sturgis had helped clip the ends before ensuring the tie was straight and covered by the collar. Behind them, Glennan was generally unaware of the sleight of hand between the three officers stood in front of him, and he too was surprised to see the tie back in place when Johnson told them to stand at ease and to move over to the map table with him.
"Captain Rabb, we have a minor problem looming. I have been advised that ZNN are sending a reporter out to join us tomorrow. I have no problem with Miss Grace being on board the Sea Hawk during this unplanned visit, however I would suggest that if approached, the standard answer to any question should be 'no comment'." At this, Johnson turned to look at Mattie, and she nodded her head in understanding.
"Sir, given this unplanned visit, what about the run in the Tomcat? In case someone talks?"
"Well, under other circumstances I would have to agree with you. However, as 'Ensign' Grace is a member of this crew at this moment," Captain Johnson paused, and looked across at Harm. "It wouldn't be out of order for said Ensign to be seen taking the place of, say, Lieutenant Jorgensen, in order for you to do a test run?"
"No problem, sir. Thank you."
"Don't thank me, Captain. It's your aircraft that requires the test run. I had nothing to do with it. Did I?"
Harm dipped his head in acknowledgement, and the famed flyboy smile was on his lips when he answered politely, "No, sir." Beside him, Mattie was almost buzzing with excitement.
As Johnson dismissed Mac, Mattie and Glennan to eat, sleep and be ready for what the next hours would bring, Harm and Sturgis glanced at each other, wondering why they were being held back. Their answer came as Johnson made sure the hatch on the bridge was closed before speaking.
"We have received news that attacks are planned in all the capitals of the Gulf countries. We don't have anything more as yet as to how these attacks will manifest. I want to be ready to double the flights again at a moment's notice. This shouldn't affect Mattie's flight, Captain, but I may have to cancel the shore leave for the time being. I'll see what I can arrange. Commander Turner, you are due to return stateside on Saturday. Perhaps you can escort Mattie back to DC, and the Colonel can stay on board for a little longer?"
"That was the intended plan, sir." Harm spoke up, sure that Captain Johnson had been aware of this arrangement to begin with.
"Very well, we continue with that. Okay, take the shore leave, go to Bahrain, but I want you on standby Captain."
"That would mean taking a jet into Bahrain, sir. I couldn't guarantee getting the COD flight on standby."
Johnson sighed audibly. "What is it with you and jets, Rabb? Very well, you can fly into Bahrain with Jorgensen, and she can return on the COD. You can bring Colonel Mackenzie back with you on Saturday morning, or at any time before that, if needed."
"I don't think the Colonel would be too happy with that, sir..." Harm suddenly realized that with Mac's pregnancy it would not be suitable travelling in a Tomcat. Regular commercial flights were risky, and the COD had some negative force when landing, but different again to flying in combat jets.
Captain Johnson lifted his head at the speed with which Harm negated Mac's flight. "And what would her objection be, Captain?"
"The Colonel doesn't travel very well at the best of times, sir. It would be a shame to put her through the aggravation of flying in a Tomcat."
"Would that be traveling in general, Captain, or just with you?" Johnson asked, while still looking down at the map table.
"Usually with me, sir," Harm admitted sheepishly.
"Very well, I'll send an escort jet out to meet you. At least your six will be covered for the return journey."
"Aye, sir."
"Dismissed, gentlemen. I'll call if there are any updates. Captain Rabb, Mattie and the Colonel are bunked together. They appear to get on very well, I didn't see it as a problem."
"They do get on, sir. I'm sure they'll be fine."
Harm and Sturgis left the bridge together and made their way to the decks below. As they walked along to the cabin they shared, Sturgis spoke up, noting the expression on Harm's face.
"So, buddy, what's got you worried?"
"Worried? About what? Other than the threat the captain spoke about?"
"About Mac, that's what. There was a time you'd quite happily get her in an aircraft, just to see what she'd do."
"I don't mess with her any more, Sturg, that's all."
Sturgis stopped walking, and Harm had gone a few paces alone before he realized and turned around.
"What?" he asked, looking back at Sturgis, the hint of a smile on his face now, and Sturgis grinned, pointing a finger at Harm.
"You know something, bro'! Come on, spill. What's going on?"
"Nothing... much," Harm hinted, not wanting to tell Sturgis how close he and Mac came to being late for the meeting on the bridge.
Somehow, Mac's innate sense of timing had gone out of the window on this occasion. Maybe with the changes in her body, her internal clock had gone out of whack. Whatever the reason, they had been laid together on the couch when Harm had caught sight of Mac's watch face.
'I hope that watch is wrong, marine, or we're going to be in trouble,' Harm had mumbled in Mac's ear, and as she had looked at her watch herself she had jumped up in shock.
'Harm! Get up! We are going to be late if we don't move now!'
'What? What happened to your sense of timing?' Mac had scrambled for her clothes, and turned to face a grinning Harm as he leaned up on one arm on the couch, watching her rush around. Mac stopped for a moment and looked at him, totally at ease on the couch watching her. The expression on his face had her groaning again, in defeat against his sensuality. Leaning down she placed a kiss on his lips and ran a hand through his tousled dark hair.
'I have no resistance to you, flyboy, but right now, we really do have to... mmn,' Mac had stopped talking, simply because Harm had possession of her lips again. When they broke apart Harm got to his feet and began dressing, giving Mac a sidelong glance, taking in her mussed hair and heavy eyelids.
'Time to hustle, Mac, or we're going to be late,' Harm had murmured, and Mac groaned again, this time at his corny line, knowing he was using her own words back at her. Scrabbling to find her shoes, Harm handed them to her and she slipped them on, as she ran quick fingers through her hair to comb out the tangles, and then stepped to the hatch to unlock and open it, exiting ahead of Harm before he had chance to hand over her tie.
"Oh man, you've got it bad, Harm." Sturgis clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder and pushed open the hatch to their quarters, leaving a bemused Harm holding his cover in one hand and running his other hand through his hair. Yes, he had it bad for his marine, and a most welcome factor had been added to the mix.
TEMPORARY VOQ CABIN
USS SEA HAWK
SOMEWHERE IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
Mac got up from her bunk and took a look at Mattie, asleep on her stomach, her head pillowed on one hand, the other resting against the edge of her bunk. Smiling at the sleeping teenager, Mac wrote her a quick note and then left the cabin. Checking her watch, knowing her own timing was not working, Mac knew where she would find Harm. Making her way to the eagle's nest she was right, and Harm was standing, arms on the railing, watching the first of the two jets take off as the sun set.
EAGLE'S NEST
"Hiya," she murmured, not making any move to touch him. Below them people were moving around on the deck, readying the aircraft for maneuvers, and they could easily be seen, should anyone choose to look up. Harm turned to look at Mac, and as their eyes met actions were unnecessary. "I thought I'd find you here."
"I'm so predictable? Must be getting old."
"Not old. And not so predictable, either. Considering what's been going on recently with Mattie, and us, they are the last things I would have predicted happening. But I'm glad they have."
"Me too, Mac."
"We have one thing we need to do before Mattie goes back with Sturgis. We have to tell her what's happening, with the baby."
"I know. I am so happy for us, for what we have together now, but Mattie is a part of that; she always will be, whether we get full custody, or whether she enforces the emancipation order. We have to make sure she understands that we still want her with us."
"You are the father she has always deserved, Harm, and however many children you and I are blessed to have, Mattie is and always will be their older sister. I just hope she sees it that way."
Harm quirked an eyebrow at Mac. "How many children were you planning on, Mac?" he asked, grinning at her.
"A few." Mac admitted to herself that finally finding herself at the place in her life she had always dreamed of, a good career, a good man, and lots of comfortable shoes, not necessarily in that order, she now had a new set of goals.
"Oh, right." Harm looked down at Mac's feet and then back up at her stomach, and then finally settled on her beautiful, if puzzled, face.
"What? I know I have my tie on, I checked." Mac looked closely at Harm, who shook his head before answering her question.
"I was just thinking, it's a shame all those comfortable shoes you have are going to be sitting in their boxes for a while."
"What do you mean by that, flyboy?"
"If we're going to have all these children you're planning, it means you're going to be barefoot and pregnant for a year or two."
Mac laughed out loud, and her husky voice carried in the wind. As she turned to face the sea, Harm pointed a finger at the horizon. Immediately Mac knew. This was what Harm had tried to describe to her when he had first come to the Sea Hawk and she had been in bed in DC.
"Where the sea meets the sky," she murmured, nodding, and then turning to smile softly at Harm.
"I love you, Sarah," Harm murmured, expressing with words and looks what he couldn't do physically at that moment. Mac nodded, putting her hand up in the sign for 'I Love You' that Sue had taught her.
"We'd better get back in. Mattie was asleep when I left, but it's going to be time soon for you both to get ready. Be safe, Harm."
"I promise."
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To be continued
A/N : 1. I'm not sure about this chapter. Hope it goes out okay. More to follow...