Chapter 8

0953 Romeo

Sunday May 23

Restfield Cemetery

Washington DC

The next day Harm, Mac, Mattie and Jen went to Clayton Webb's funeral. To a common observer they looked like a family come to mourn a friend. As the four of them, Harm, Mac and Jen in their class A uniforms and Mattie in another one of those 'ridiculous outfits', they noticed they were not the only ones in uniform. Standing back a ways from the grave, behind Mrs. Webb, was the familiar figure of Admiral AJ Chegwidden.

"Sir," Harm greeted, "I thought you were touring the country with Francesca?"

"She doesn't arrive until next week," AJ said, "I have to be present for the change of command ceremony. And I couldn't miss little AJ's birthday party. I'd never hear the end of it."

"Yes sir," Harm smiled.

"How are you holding up, Mac?" the admiral asked.

"Better than expected sir," Mac replied. "I've had Harm to lean on."

"I trust you're taking good care you her commander?" AJ said. It was more of a statement then a question but Harm answered anyways.

"Yes sir," Harm said, casting a glance and a small smile toward Mac.

AJ caught the look that passed between his two senior attorneys.

'Something's changed,' AJ thought to himself, 'the tension between those two is gone. Is it possible?' His line of thought was stopped when he spotted a familiar figure in marine dress blues approaching the gravesite.

"Gunny," AJ said, "it's good to see you again."

"You too sir," the Gunny responded, shaking his former CO's hand. He turned to Harm, "Good to see you back in uniform sir. How are you Ma'am?"

"I'm holding up," Mac replied with a wan smile, "you weren't on the last mission with Webb?"

"No Ma'am," the Gunny replied, "he took a team of specialists in."

"I'm glad you weren't hurt Victor," Harm said, shaking the younger man's hand, "it would have been a shame to lose two friends in that accident."

"Thank you sir," Gunny said, "I'm glad I could make it to the funeral. Mr. Webb has been good to me. Despite nearly getting me killed a few times."

"Don't worry Gunny," AJ said, "he seems to do that to most JAG employees."

"I guess he finally ran out of almosts," Harm said somberly.

"I guess so sir," Gunny said equally as somber.

The mood was getting too depressing for her so Mac decided to change the subject. Turning to AJ she asked,

"Sir do you know who the new JAG will be?"

"I do," AJ replied, "but I'm afraid I can't divulge that information."

"Sir at least tell me it's not Captain Krennick," Harm said.

"It's not Harm," AJ assured him, "I doubt she would want to leave her position at the White House. Even if it did mean she'd get to harass you every day."

"Sir don't even joke about that," Harm said with a joking grimace.

"Did I miss something sir?" Gunny asked confused.

"Then commander Allison Krennick was my aide just after I became JAG," AJ explained, "she tried her best to seduce one Lt. Commander Harmon Rabb but he wanted nothing to do with her. That made her try even harder."

"I see sir," Gunny replied.

"I would have paid good money to see that," Mac said.

"And it would have been worth every penny," the admiral told her.

"The service is about to start," Harm tilted his head in the direction of the grave.

The group walked over and took their seats behind Mrs. Webb, except Mac who went up and sat beside the elderly woman. Harm placed a comforting hand on Mac's shoulder, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by the admiral.

The service was simple. At the end there was no sign that he had served his country so well. No folded flag for Mrs. Webb, no 21-gun salute, no lone trumpet playing taps. Even still the small group of military personnel stood at attention and saluted Clayton Webb for the last time as his body was lowered into the ground. When it all was over Porter Webb turned and thanked them all for coming. Mac had appeared strong through out the service but as they walked away from the gravesite she broke down. Harm put his arm around her and led her back to the car. When they were safely inside he turned to face her,

"Are you sure you're up to going to the reception?" Harm asked her.

"Yeah," Mac replied, "just give me a few minutes to pull myself together."

"Take all the time you need ma'am," Jen said from the back seat.

After they arrived at Mrs. Webb's house where the reception was being held Mac sat in the car for another 10 minutes before going inside.

After that the afternoon passed by slowly. A few people stopped to talk to her but over all Mac was glad when it was over and she got to go home. Actually she went back to Harm's place. Mac realized she had already started thinking of it as home, no, the apartment wasn't home, Harm was. Where ever Harm was that was her home.

TBC

Next part to be posted Sunday Aug 29th