"Tested Hearts"
Author: Chicmns
Date: 3/7/04
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None
Category: Drama
Keywords: Drama, angst
Summary: Mattie comes down with a serious case of the flu. Mucho fluff
and angst (mostly from Harm) ensues.
Disclaimer: JAG and all of its' characters belong to Belisarius and
CBS. This story is for pure entertainment, and not for any profit.
Dedication: To all the wonderful characters, actors, and fans of a
great show, the folks who take the time to read fan fic, and to those
who spend even more time reviewing and responding. Thanks!
Author Notes: Takes place during the time period of season 9 of JAG.
Feedback: I'm not one of those authors who don't like it - positive,
negative, or indifferent. Everyone has different reactions, and they
all have value. If so inclined, feel free: mnschicago@yahoo.com.
"Tested Hearts" Chapter 2
Jen Coates' hands shivered despite the heat coming from the dashboard of
her old, beat-up car as she followed the ambulance carrying her roommate
and "adopted" sister, Mattie Grace, to the hospital on this cold
morning. She'd never felt such self-loathing as she did right now.
This was all her fault.
Harm trusted her to watch over Mattie, like he himself watched over the
two of them. She teased the Commander about it sometimes, but he'd very
quickly filled the role of father and guardian for her, almost as much
as he had for Mattie. After all, that's how she'd met the Commander in
the first place. After she'd gotten herself into yet another scrape,
Commander Harmon Rabb had come into her life, and done something no one
else had at that point: see possibilities and potential in her no one
else saw – including herself. He'd made it possible for her to have a
second chance, and given her faith and strength to change her life ... and
she'd sworn to be worthy of his faith in her, and make it up to him
someday.
Coming to live with his adopted daughter Mattie was part of that deal
she'd made with herself.
Yeah, it could have just been another responsibility, another "duty"
like the ones she carried out every day at JAG; but after meeting
Mattie, the same thing had happened to Jen that had happened to everyone
else who'd come into contact with the incredible teenager – you just
fell in love with her. It couldn't be helped. Everyone, Jen supposed,
saw something of himself or herself in Mattie, including her. Mattie
was the kid Jen wished she'd had a chance to be growing up. But it went
beyond that. She was a special child, a special person ... and everyone
wanted to be a part of that, to help guide this girl who was a true gift
to them, in any way they could. It wasn't surprising that everyone at
JAG considered her part of the "family". Even the Admiral was impressed
by her, and enjoyed Mattie's unique sense of humor more than almost
anyone else, with the exception of her foster father, Harmon Rabb.
And now Jen had failed to protect her trust, and Mattie was suffering as
a result.
Why hadn't she paid more attention to Mattie at dinner last night? She
was coughing, and looked flushed ever since she'd dragged herself home
from school – and all Jen could come up with in response was that she
"may be coming down with something." She should have been a better
sister, a better protector – heck, a better PERSON, by showing more
concern, and paying more attention to the obviously ill teenager.
Mattie had waved off Jen's half-hearted concerns, saying between coughs
that she "just felt kinda tired – must be from all the stress of dealing
with Harm!" That was typical Mattie – joking and teasing her guardian,
someone she so obviously loved with everything in her being – while
feeling sick.
And now, Mattie'd had to basically fall out of her bed, fainting in her
father's arms, because Jen hadn't paid enough attention to her.
"Idiot," Jen muttered to herself as they raced to the hospital. She
hoped and prayed that her mistake wouldn't cost Mattie, and she didn't
look forward to having to explain all this to the Admiral, who
considered Mattie a granddaughter of a sort – how she'd let things get
this bad. "Oh, God – the Admiral! I need to call him", she suddenly
thought, "let him know what's going on". She reached in her coat pocket
for the cell phone she'd placed there after retrieving Harm's from his
apartment, and dialed #2 on her speed dial – Harm was #1, since she
always needed to be able to reach him if she needed to for Mattie.
"He's gonna love me for waking him this early," she thought as the
series of dial beeps ended, and the phone on the other end rang.
She heard the phone pick up, a rough grunt as the Admiral cleared his
sleep-filled voice, then ...
"Chegwidden."
"Um ... sir, it's Coates."
"Coates? Why are you calling at ... 0520?" Great ... everyone knew the
Admiral, like she and Mattie, wasn't a morning person.
"Coates?" She hesitated a moment longer, then plunged in.
"Sir, I'm sorry to wake you, but I need to tell you that Mattie is very
sick, and we're on the way to George Washington hospital ..." her voice
failed her at that moment, and she swallowed quickly, unable to
continue.
"What's wrong with her? What happened! Coates!!"
Jen tried to respond, hearing the panic and concern in the Admiral's
voice...which only served to frighten her even more. This man was a SEAL –
he NEVER panicked.
"Sir, I ... I'm sorry, sir."
There was a pause, silence filling the phone line, as the sirens of the
ambulance around her made its' way to the Admiral's ears.
"Coates ... it's all right, Jennifer. Take a breath, and tell me where you
are and what's happening."
The command tones in his voice snapped her spine straight against the
driver's seat of her car by reflex, and her Navy training asserted
itself through her self-loathing and fear.
"Sir, I'm in my car, following Mattie and Harm in an ambulance to the
hospital. We woke up about 45 minutes ago after I heard Mattie fall out
of her bed. I went to check on her, and she was shaking and sweating,
with a very high temperature, and she wasn't fully conscious. I ... I
went to get the Commander, sir, and we called 911. We took her temp
before the EMTs arrived, and it was 103, sir."
"My God ..." he whispered. "When did this start? Was she sick before
going to bed?" Jen could hear rustling sounds in the background, and it
sounded like the Admiral was moving around, getting ready to move out.
"Sir ... she was, but it didn't seem too serious. I'm...I'm sorry, sir."
She gulped, trying to stem the flow of tears she knew were close in
coming. She didn't want to cry over the phone to her boss.
"Jen...I'm sure it wasn't your fault. My daughter used to get sick both
at the drop of a hat, and over a span of time. I know you aren't to
blame for this. You love that girl, as much as the rest of us. We all
know that you'd do anything to keep her safe. Harm knows that, too –
otherwise, he wouldn't have placed her with you."
She closed her eyes, letting the balm of the Admiral's calming voice
flow over her, but quickly opened them again – she was at the driver's
wheel of a car, and no one wanted any more bad things to happen tonight.
She took a deep breath, and answered her superior.
"Sir.... thank you. I hope Harm will feel the same way. We're about 3
minutes away. I have to go."
"Coates – you call me again on my cell as soon as you know something,
understand? What did Colonel Mackenzie say?"
"Oh, god – we didn't call her, sir. Dammit!!" There was a pause as she
realized she'd cursed while speaking with the Admiral. "Great, just
great," she moaned quietly, as she steered the car, staying close to the
racing ambulance. She could see Harm's worried face through the windows
of the ambulance rear doors.
"Don't blame my dog, Jen ... he's got nothing to do with the Colonel," the
Admiral said in a wry, teasing voice.
Jen paused, trying to figure out what the Admiral meant as they turned
onto the street leading to the ER entrance at GW. Then, it came to her,
and she barked out a quick laugh. "Dammit" was the name the Admiral had
given his dog ... and she'd just "used" his name after she realized she
hadn't called Mac to tell her what was happening. Leave it to a SEAL to
crack jokes in the middle of a crisis, she thought, shaking her head and
grinning just a little.
"Funny, sir. You know I didn't mean it like that. Sorry for the
language, Admiral."
"Made you laugh, though, didn't it? Don't sweat it, Jennifer. I'll call
Mac right now, get her over there to you. You stay with Harm and
Mattie, and call me back as soon as you hear something new. Got it?"
"Yes, sir." He didn't like the quiet, defeated tone in his yeoman's
voice.
"And stop blaming yourself. That's a direct order. Mattie's going to be
fine. GW's a good hospital, and the chief pediatric doctor at Bethesda
is a personal friend. That will be one of my later calls. Right now,
I'm going to have Mac meet you there, and then I'm going in to open the
office. I want regular status reports, Coates."
"Aye, aye, sir. I may not be able to obey that first order, though,
sir. If I had paid more attention last ni-"
"Stop it right now, Coates!" He was really upset with her now, Jen
realized. "I need you in control, so you can help Harm and Mattie. Do
not waste energy feeling sorry for yourself over something you can't
control. Let the doctors do their job, and tell Harm Mac is on her way.
He needs you, Jen. Stay close to them. Do I make myself clear, Petty
Officer?"
"Yes, sir! I'll call you back in 20 minutes, Admiral."
"Very good. Tell Harm and Mac I'll be there as soon as I can. You're
my eyes and ears, Jennifer. Keep me updated."
"Aye, sir. Sir, we're here. I need to go."
"She'll be fine, Jen. Go."
Author: Chicmns
Date: 3/7/04
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None
Category: Drama
Keywords: Drama, angst
Summary: Mattie comes down with a serious case of the flu. Mucho fluff
and angst (mostly from Harm) ensues.
Disclaimer: JAG and all of its' characters belong to Belisarius and
CBS. This story is for pure entertainment, and not for any profit.
Dedication: To all the wonderful characters, actors, and fans of a
great show, the folks who take the time to read fan fic, and to those
who spend even more time reviewing and responding. Thanks!
Author Notes: Takes place during the time period of season 9 of JAG.
Feedback: I'm not one of those authors who don't like it - positive,
negative, or indifferent. Everyone has different reactions, and they
all have value. If so inclined, feel free: mnschicago@yahoo.com.
"Tested Hearts" Chapter 2
Jen Coates' hands shivered despite the heat coming from the dashboard of
her old, beat-up car as she followed the ambulance carrying her roommate
and "adopted" sister, Mattie Grace, to the hospital on this cold
morning. She'd never felt such self-loathing as she did right now.
This was all her fault.
Harm trusted her to watch over Mattie, like he himself watched over the
two of them. She teased the Commander about it sometimes, but he'd very
quickly filled the role of father and guardian for her, almost as much
as he had for Mattie. After all, that's how she'd met the Commander in
the first place. After she'd gotten herself into yet another scrape,
Commander Harmon Rabb had come into her life, and done something no one
else had at that point: see possibilities and potential in her no one
else saw – including herself. He'd made it possible for her to have a
second chance, and given her faith and strength to change her life ... and
she'd sworn to be worthy of his faith in her, and make it up to him
someday.
Coming to live with his adopted daughter Mattie was part of that deal
she'd made with herself.
Yeah, it could have just been another responsibility, another "duty"
like the ones she carried out every day at JAG; but after meeting
Mattie, the same thing had happened to Jen that had happened to everyone
else who'd come into contact with the incredible teenager – you just
fell in love with her. It couldn't be helped. Everyone, Jen supposed,
saw something of himself or herself in Mattie, including her. Mattie
was the kid Jen wished she'd had a chance to be growing up. But it went
beyond that. She was a special child, a special person ... and everyone
wanted to be a part of that, to help guide this girl who was a true gift
to them, in any way they could. It wasn't surprising that everyone at
JAG considered her part of the "family". Even the Admiral was impressed
by her, and enjoyed Mattie's unique sense of humor more than almost
anyone else, with the exception of her foster father, Harmon Rabb.
And now Jen had failed to protect her trust, and Mattie was suffering as
a result.
Why hadn't she paid more attention to Mattie at dinner last night? She
was coughing, and looked flushed ever since she'd dragged herself home
from school – and all Jen could come up with in response was that she
"may be coming down with something." She should have been a better
sister, a better protector – heck, a better PERSON, by showing more
concern, and paying more attention to the obviously ill teenager.
Mattie had waved off Jen's half-hearted concerns, saying between coughs
that she "just felt kinda tired – must be from all the stress of dealing
with Harm!" That was typical Mattie – joking and teasing her guardian,
someone she so obviously loved with everything in her being – while
feeling sick.
And now, Mattie'd had to basically fall out of her bed, fainting in her
father's arms, because Jen hadn't paid enough attention to her.
"Idiot," Jen muttered to herself as they raced to the hospital. She
hoped and prayed that her mistake wouldn't cost Mattie, and she didn't
look forward to having to explain all this to the Admiral, who
considered Mattie a granddaughter of a sort – how she'd let things get
this bad. "Oh, God – the Admiral! I need to call him", she suddenly
thought, "let him know what's going on". She reached in her coat pocket
for the cell phone she'd placed there after retrieving Harm's from his
apartment, and dialed #2 on her speed dial – Harm was #1, since she
always needed to be able to reach him if she needed to for Mattie.
"He's gonna love me for waking him this early," she thought as the
series of dial beeps ended, and the phone on the other end rang.
She heard the phone pick up, a rough grunt as the Admiral cleared his
sleep-filled voice, then ...
"Chegwidden."
"Um ... sir, it's Coates."
"Coates? Why are you calling at ... 0520?" Great ... everyone knew the
Admiral, like she and Mattie, wasn't a morning person.
"Coates?" She hesitated a moment longer, then plunged in.
"Sir, I'm sorry to wake you, but I need to tell you that Mattie is very
sick, and we're on the way to George Washington hospital ..." her voice
failed her at that moment, and she swallowed quickly, unable to
continue.
"What's wrong with her? What happened! Coates!!"
Jen tried to respond, hearing the panic and concern in the Admiral's
voice...which only served to frighten her even more. This man was a SEAL –
he NEVER panicked.
"Sir, I ... I'm sorry, sir."
There was a pause, silence filling the phone line, as the sirens of the
ambulance around her made its' way to the Admiral's ears.
"Coates ... it's all right, Jennifer. Take a breath, and tell me where you
are and what's happening."
The command tones in his voice snapped her spine straight against the
driver's seat of her car by reflex, and her Navy training asserted
itself through her self-loathing and fear.
"Sir, I'm in my car, following Mattie and Harm in an ambulance to the
hospital. We woke up about 45 minutes ago after I heard Mattie fall out
of her bed. I went to check on her, and she was shaking and sweating,
with a very high temperature, and she wasn't fully conscious. I ... I
went to get the Commander, sir, and we called 911. We took her temp
before the EMTs arrived, and it was 103, sir."
"My God ..." he whispered. "When did this start? Was she sick before
going to bed?" Jen could hear rustling sounds in the background, and it
sounded like the Admiral was moving around, getting ready to move out.
"Sir ... she was, but it didn't seem too serious. I'm...I'm sorry, sir."
She gulped, trying to stem the flow of tears she knew were close in
coming. She didn't want to cry over the phone to her boss.
"Jen...I'm sure it wasn't your fault. My daughter used to get sick both
at the drop of a hat, and over a span of time. I know you aren't to
blame for this. You love that girl, as much as the rest of us. We all
know that you'd do anything to keep her safe. Harm knows that, too –
otherwise, he wouldn't have placed her with you."
She closed her eyes, letting the balm of the Admiral's calming voice
flow over her, but quickly opened them again – she was at the driver's
wheel of a car, and no one wanted any more bad things to happen tonight.
She took a deep breath, and answered her superior.
"Sir.... thank you. I hope Harm will feel the same way. We're about 3
minutes away. I have to go."
"Coates – you call me again on my cell as soon as you know something,
understand? What did Colonel Mackenzie say?"
"Oh, god – we didn't call her, sir. Dammit!!" There was a pause as she
realized she'd cursed while speaking with the Admiral. "Great, just
great," she moaned quietly, as she steered the car, staying close to the
racing ambulance. She could see Harm's worried face through the windows
of the ambulance rear doors.
"Don't blame my dog, Jen ... he's got nothing to do with the Colonel," the
Admiral said in a wry, teasing voice.
Jen paused, trying to figure out what the Admiral meant as they turned
onto the street leading to the ER entrance at GW. Then, it came to her,
and she barked out a quick laugh. "Dammit" was the name the Admiral had
given his dog ... and she'd just "used" his name after she realized she
hadn't called Mac to tell her what was happening. Leave it to a SEAL to
crack jokes in the middle of a crisis, she thought, shaking her head and
grinning just a little.
"Funny, sir. You know I didn't mean it like that. Sorry for the
language, Admiral."
"Made you laugh, though, didn't it? Don't sweat it, Jennifer. I'll call
Mac right now, get her over there to you. You stay with Harm and
Mattie, and call me back as soon as you hear something new. Got it?"
"Yes, sir." He didn't like the quiet, defeated tone in his yeoman's
voice.
"And stop blaming yourself. That's a direct order. Mattie's going to be
fine. GW's a good hospital, and the chief pediatric doctor at Bethesda
is a personal friend. That will be one of my later calls. Right now,
I'm going to have Mac meet you there, and then I'm going in to open the
office. I want regular status reports, Coates."
"Aye, aye, sir. I may not be able to obey that first order, though,
sir. If I had paid more attention last ni-"
"Stop it right now, Coates!" He was really upset with her now, Jen
realized. "I need you in control, so you can help Harm and Mattie. Do
not waste energy feeling sorry for yourself over something you can't
control. Let the doctors do their job, and tell Harm Mac is on her way.
He needs you, Jen. Stay close to them. Do I make myself clear, Petty
Officer?"
"Yes, sir! I'll call you back in 20 minutes, Admiral."
"Very good. Tell Harm and Mac I'll be there as soon as I can. You're
my eyes and ears, Jennifer. Keep me updated."
"Aye, sir. Sir, we're here. I need to go."
"She'll be fine, Jen. Go."