Disclaimer: JAG belongs to DPB, Paramount, CBS et al. This is for fun, no copyright infringement is intended.
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- A payphone in an empty street
"Is it working?" Webb was somewhat surprised how hollow his own voice sounded.
"Looks like. I'm going to call..." AJ strained his tired brain to come up with a name but failed. Should he call Mac? Rabb? The SecNav? No, none of that seemed right. Would take too long too if he had to explain everything to an extent that they were able to explain it to someone else...
"Let me."
"Clay, I don't think the CIA-"
"I'm not intending to call my office. My boss can throw a fit if he wants to - I'm way too tired to start games about jurisdictions or competences... No, I know just the right man; trust me here, AJ."
Chegwidden didn't respond but didn't argue either. He dialed 0 for the operator and held the receiver to Webb's ear.
"Hello? I want a collect call, please. Yes, I'm sure Mister Atef will pay for it." AJ nearly dropped the receiver. Webb dictated some figures with closed eyes. "No, FIVE - one. Five! I've said five! Oh, yes, it may be I'm a little bit hard to understand. Whatever. Yes, I'll wait."
"Atef?" Chegwidden asked incredulously.
Webb sighed and blinked. "Achmed Atef. A great man with an extraordinary brain, one of the best agents FBI ever had, American citizen of Arabic descent and Muslim. And DON'T ask me how much harassment or accusing looks or insulting questions he's had to bear since the world has gone crazy."
AJ didn't.
"Achmed?" Webb spoke into the receiver again. "Clayton Webb. No, I don't know what time it is. Listen, I- Achmed, please, I'm standing here in the middle of nowhere, I'm cold and this is important. I was kidnapped this afternoon as I arrived at Dulles and- Could I actually finish one sentence? Thanks. The man behind it is the nephew of Sadik Fahd. Yes, said Fahd."
Chegwidden listened quietly as Webb continued to give his friend a short summary of what had happened. Minus most of their injuries. After his first interruptions Atef seemed to hear him out with amazing discipline before he started asking again.
"... no, I don't have a clue where we are," finished Webb finally. "AJ, can you read the number of this phone?"
AJ huffed. "Not without my reading glasses. And I haven't seen a street name yet..."
Atef talked rapidly and Webb listened. "What? Good, if you can do that... Yes, we'll wait here. Yes. Yes. All right. Good. Bye." He sighed. "You can hang up now, AJ."
Chegwidden placed the receiver back on its cradle. "And now?"
Webb slowly bent forward until his forehead rested against the phone and closed his eyes. "Achmed will have the call traced and send someone to pick us up. Could take a little while though."
"Fine."
They stood in silence. AJ gently rubbed his hurting ribs. A cat sauntered across the street, stared at them and disappeared into the next garden. The theme tune of an old TV show drifted through the air before it was turned down.
"I think I was able to see a faint light as the car passed us some time ago," Webb said suddenly almost dreamily.
"What?" Chegwidden shot upwards. "Clay, that's great! What exactly have you seen?"
"Just some light ... I think. Now everything is dark again."
"Well, it IS dark. But it seems to be an indication that your vision is recovering slowly. Maybe we just didn't notice until now."
"Maybe." Webb's voice trailed off and he shivered. Then he added barely audible: "I knew you're still a bit in love with her."
AJ glanced at him. "I don't know what you mean."
"Mac. You're still attracted to her."
"Nonsense." Chegwidden shifted uneasily. "Mac is - was - under my command and-"
"Come on, AJ, how many CO's sent their staff on a mission with the words 'and take good care of her' to someone else?" Webb snorted. "I always sensed there is something between the two of you and since this assassin case in Russia I was sure."
Uncomfortable silence again. Webb opened his eyes and blinked.
"Not that I mind you about that," he continued almost softly. "I mean, she sure is beautiful."
Chegwidden cleared his throat. "Clay, I don't think we-"
"I know many men prefer blond hair, fair skin and blue eyes but her darkness is ... kind of mysterious. Just think of these long, slender legs..."
Involuntarily AJ sighed.
"How the uniform is hugging any curve of her... And remember how she looked in that blue dress I bought her once?"
"Oh, yes," mumbled Chegwidden before he could stop himself.
Webb smiled faintly. "Skin like silk..."
"These sensual lips..." AJ shook his head; he hadn't said that out loud, had he?
"Brown eyes a man could drown in..."
"This graceful nose..."
"And she's smart too."
"A darn brilliant head, there's not much that escapes her notice."
"Give her the facts and she'll figure out the answers in no time."
"God, yes, one of the best lawyer I've ever had."
"Witty."
"Dedicated."
"Determined."
"Tough in cross-examinations..."
Webb chuckled. "Darn it, yes, she almost tore me apart once."
"... and she knows how to handle the jury."
"She knows how to handle almost anyone. No one messes with that marine."
"No, she takes no crap from anybody. At least not for long."
"She could use a little bit more sense of humor though."
"Especially when she's at the receiving end," agreed AJ. He couldn't believe he was having this conversation with Clayton Webb but he was so tired and...
"And she can be unbelievable stubborn." Webb smiled.
"Like a mule. No, worse than a mule. But she isn't too proud to admit when she was wrong."
"Haven't seen much of that side yet but good to know there's hope."
"And she's got a mean kick. Not only for a woman."
"Boy, yes, but her right hook isn't that bad either."
"Nerves of steel if needed."
"Fighting with her head."
"Definitely an opponent to be very, very careful with."
"Definitely. Have you ever seen her shoot?"
"I've seen her scores."
"She can really take care of herself."
"She'll be fine."
They stood in silence. Seconds formed to minutes. Chegwidden moved a hand over his face. He was feeling somewhat light-headed. The borrowed energy from the rushes of adrenalin had long since faded leaving nothing but exhaustion, dragging him down like a heavy weight.
"Meredith cheated on me with another man," he said slowly. He hadn't wanted to. Especially not to Clayton Webb. Nevertheless he heard himself continue: "I should have seen it coming. I should have..." He sighed. "It was an old friend of hers."
The stillness was complete. None of them moved. Too many words - spoken or unspoken - were hanging between them.
"Sarah said she loves me," Webb whispered finally.
AJ looked back at the younger man. Webb blinked then closed his eyes, leaning heavier against the phone.
"I don't know how often I've said it to her ... three times, four...," he continued softly, "Not always the very words but she knew what I meant... She never responded ... never said anything in return... So when she finally said it I - I was so relieved I actually said THAT out loud..." Webb paused with a small laugh then started again, whispering more to himself than AJ. "How can I NOT trust her? How ... how can I not hold on to her words? Wouldn't I betray her by not having faith in her ... in us ...?"
A moment or two AJ just stared at him. And something in Webb's simple statement touched him strangely deep inside. Maybe it was really that easy. Maybe that was what it was all about. Maybe this simply WAS this crazy thing called love... To trust and hope to be trusted, to put your heart on the line without a guarantee and no matter if the other one felt the same intensity ... despite the possibility of being hurt or making a fool of yourself.
'Wouldn't I betray her by not having faith in her ... in us ...?'
No, he had done nothing wrong concerning Meredith. He had made no mistake. There had been nothing he should have seen or sensed ... there had been nothing he could have done to avoid the pain. He had been in love ... and maybe the old saying WAS true: That love was blind... Or otherwise it wouldn't be love.
Looking up at the stars AJ inhaled deeply. And he realized something else. Meredith's betrayal still hurt and wouldn't stop hurting for a long time but maybe the time before that ... the peace and love he had felt while being with her ... the embarrassments and surges of adrenalin ... the laughter and books they had shared ... had been worth it. He smiled with a shadow of the sadness he had heard in Webb's voice.
"No," he murmured, "Sometimes you can just hold on."
---
- About forty minutes later
A dark car crept through the silent street. It slowed down even more as it reached the payphone, crossed over and rolled to a gentle stop. The driver looked out of his window while the man in the passenger seat bent forward.
"Mister Webb and Admiral Chegwidden? Special Agent Atef sent us to pick you up. We're sorry for the delay but we had some trouble finding this street."
Chegwidden just glanced at them tiredly and rolled his eyes skywards. Oh, well, it probably was one of those days. He unfolded his crossed arms and tapped a finger on Webb's shoulder.
"Clayton."
The agent, who was still resting his head against the phone, stirred. "What?"
"Come on."
Dutifully Webb put his body back into an almost upright position and shifted his injured hand with a soft groan. AJ turned him around, led the way to the car and helped the younger man in. Then he followed from the other side. He noticed almost amused two pairs of eyes growing wide as the two men took in the full extent of their appearance in the fading interior light.
"You've got some water?"
"Sorry, no." The man in the passenger seat pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number. "Agent Simmons here, we've got them and are on our way. Keep a doctor ready."
The car pulled out into the empty street and rounded the next corner.