Part 26: A Journey of Separate Hearts – Back to Reality
AN to Part 23: Yes, 23, not 26 ;) Well, some of you asked where to find part 23 "Fulfilling Dreams". They will be on several archives, but the easiest way would be to just mail me. But I asked you to send me an age statement, so that I can be sure that you are really over 18 to read part 23 – others won't get a copy. Sorry, but the rules of age are for a good reason and I'll follow them.
So, if you're still interested in reading this part, go ahead and mail me.
February 15th 2003, Saturday
2105 Zulu (22:05 hrs West EDT)
Onboard the Boeing 747
Runway 8
Charles de Gaulle Airport
Paris, France
'We should be waiting now for this plane to take us to our next destination, but instead we're sitting here in this damned plane ready to take off to Washington, D.C. This should have been another flight to an exciting city and country! Who knows what we would have done there? Maybe we would have visited Berlin or another city in Germany? What about Italy or Spain…?'
"Damn, it's not fair!" said Mac angrily out loud with gritted teeth.
Harm glanced at his partner who was staring out of the plane window. It was dark and cold outside and Mac's face was mirrored in the window glass.
She looked disappointed and an angry wrinkle had formed on her forehead. She was definitely not happy with the situation. Harm understood her and felt the same disappointment as she did.
'On days like this I really hate my job!' he admitted to himself.
But both knew there was nothing they could do to change the situation they were in. Both of them loved their job, loved to serve their country, loved to be lawyers and loved the fact that their work sometimes changed the world for the better.
But sometimes it really sucked. It was frustrating not to have the freedom to decide whether to follow an order or not.
Nevertheless, it was their duty – it was their way of life. Harm and Mac had chosen to be officers in the US Navy and US Marine Corps long ago, and both knew they wouldn't change that for anything in the world. That was who they were and what they believed in.
"Hey, Mac, I know it's not the way we thought our vacation would end, but the time we had, the time we spent together in Europe was wonderful, exciting and the best I've ever had. These six days can't be taken away from us and I'm glad we had at least six days."
Harm smiled softly and kissed her gently on her right temple. Mac turned her face to look at him with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes and that couldn't hide her sadness in them.
"I know," she sighed, "but it's just not fair. We would have been looking forward to another week full of new cities and new sights if he hadn't called this morning…"
"I know, honey, I know…" Harm pulled her into his arms and tried to soothe the frustration away.
Mac welcomed his embrace and leaned closer into his chest.
Her thoughts drifted back to the moment that had changed their plans for the upcoming week completely…
February 15th 2003, Saturday
0935 Zulu (10:35 hrs West EDT)
11 ½ hours earlier
Hilton Paris HotelHarm's room, Number 306
Paris, France
'He looks so peaceful and cute when he's sleeping!' Mac thought joyfully.
Harm lay on his stomach, his head was half-covered with a pillow and his right arm was placed protectively around Mac's waist.
Mac had to smile when he pulled her body closer and a soft smile appeared on his face. But he didn't wake up. It seemed that he was dreaming about something good, obviously about something wonderful that included her.
"God, I could watch him like this all day long." she whispered, sighing.
It was past 10:30 and definitely time to get out of bed and enjoy their last day in Paris, but Mac didn't have the heart to wake Harm. Instead she enjoyed drawing lines on his naked back with her fingertips. She took in every curve of his well-formed body. His skin glistened softly because of the warm, strong February sun shining through the window.
But the peacefulness was disturbed by the annoying, overbearing sound of a ringing telephone.
"Umm, Mac switch off the alarm – we don't need to get up this early. We're on vacation…" a sleepy voice told her.
"Silly you, it's not the alarm, it's the phone that's ringing. I'd better get that…"
With this, Mac leaned over his body and grabbed the phone.
"Hello?"
"Colonel MacKenzie? Umm, I thought this was Commander Rabb's number?"
Within milliseconds Mac was fully awake, her eyes widened in shock, and she was desperately looking for an appropriate answer.
"Well, …umm, Admiral, that is the right number…umm, the Commander's right beside me…I mean, he's sitting next to me…I mean…" Mac stammered, helplessly trying to hide her surprise and embarrassment.
"All right, Colonel, understood. Can I speak to him?" Admiral Chegwidden asked.
"Yes, of course, Sir. One moment, please."
Mac covered the receiver with one hand while she tried to wake up Harm.
"Harm, c'mon open your eyes. It's the Admiral, he wants to speak to you."
But Harm didn't make a move to wake up. He simply went on sleeping. So, Mac shook Harm's shoulder, but still no reaction.
After what seemed to her an endless number of attempts to wake Harm gently, Mac lost her patience and simply screamed into his ear, "Commander Rabb, attention, please!!!"
Abruptly Harm was awake, sitting straight up in his bed.
"What the…?" he started to say, but was stopped by Mac's fingers on his lips. It took a while before the look in his eyes turned from complete confusion into naughty mischief.
"What is it, Colonel?" he asked seductively and lowered his head to place soft kisses on her neck. "Can't get enough of me, huh?"
He chuckled and bit teasingly on her left ear lobe.
"Uhh, Harm…umm, this is not the right time…" she held out the phone to him but Harm didn't stop his sexual torment on her "Uhh…it's for you, Harm…"
She needed all her strength not to lose herself in Harm's pleasuring. Mac softly pushed him away, focused on him and started again, "It's the Admiral, Commander. I suggest you talk to him."
"The Admiral, what the heck does he want with me?"
Harm took the receiver from Mac and said, "Good morning, Sir. What can I do for you?"
Even though Mac had had one hand over the receiver, AJ had been able to catch most of what had happened during the last five to ten minutes.
It was clear that Harm and Mac hadn't been awake when he had called. AJ had no doubt that it was more than pure coincidence that his two senior officers happened to be in the same room – to be more exact, in the same bed – together.
AJ couldn't stop himself from grinning even though the reason for his call was anything else but funny or amusing.
"Good morning, Commander. I'm sorry to wake you especially during your vacation, but it's urgent and I need you and the Colonel back here at JAG Headquarters."
"But, Sir, it's…"
"I know it's a Saturday and I know it's your and the Colonel's vacation, but an incident has occurred which needs both of your presence back in Washington, D.C. immediately!" he stated.
Of course, it hadn't been easy for him to make this call, being aware of what Mac had gone through the last couple of days, not to mention what Harm must have had felt at the time. Especially now, that the relationship between Harm and Mac obviously had improved immensely.
AJ sighed, "Harm, I know the timing isn't the best, but we really need you two here."
Knowing that Admiral Chegwidden wouldn't have called if it weren't urgent, Harm simply shrugged his shoulders in surrender and answered, "Of course, Sir. We're on our way."
"All right, you're on flight 314 at 22:15 local – Charles de Gaulle Airport. Your tickets are reserved and will be waiting for you at the airport. When you arrive at Dulles, please drive straight to JAG Headquarters. We'll meet there."
"Understood, Sir. We'll see you then."
"See you and the Colonel tonight. Good bye, Commander."
"Good bye, Sir."
With a deep sigh, Harm placed the receiver back on its cradle and turned to Mac.
"Oh ooh, Harm. What happened?"
"I don't know, the Admiral didn't tell me. But what I know is that we'll leave Paris at 22:15 and fly back to Washington."
"What? You're kidding, right?" Mac couldn't believe it. What could be so important that the Admiral would order them back?
"No, Mac. I'm not kidding. Sorry, but that's the truth…"
"This is definitely not the vacation I'd dreamed of. First me being kidnapped and now this…!" she stated disappointed.
"I know, Sarah, I know…" Harm took her face in his hands and placed soft kisses first on her forehead, then on her nose and finally a longer one on her mouth.
When he broke their kiss, a forced smile was on Mac's face and she said sighing, "Well, at least we have a couple of hours left for us."
"Yeah, you're right. Let's make the best of it."
He leaned in to kiss her again – this time more passionately and with longing.
February 15th 2003, Saturday
2110 Zulu (22:10 hrs West EDT)
Onboard the Boeing 747
Runway 8
Charles de Gaulle Airport
Paris, France
Mac and Harm hadn't done much on their last day in Paris.
After a while of cuddling and kissing both had decided to get up. They had taken a hot shower and had dressed up.
Afterwards they had packed their clothes and gone for lunch.
Paris had been a wonderful city and they had spent their last hours together at Montmartre. They had visited the wonderful cathedral Sacre Coeur, the performers – dancing, singing or juggling with balls – had fascinated them and Mac had bought a beautiful oil painting from one of the painters sitting around Sacre Coeur. On it was an astonishing view from the cathedral over the city. You could see the love the painter felt for his hometown through the colors he had chosen, the way he had arranged his painting and the painter's love for details. It was an incredible painting and Mac would always remember the time Harm and she had spent in the French capital.
Around six o'clock in the evening they had driven back to the hotel to eat dinner. When it was nearly time to leave, they had said their good byes to Louis and thanked him for the help he had been during their turbulent stay at the Hilton Paris hotel.
And now here they were, sitting on the plane that would take them back to the US, back to Washington and back to their 'normal' life. But what they had gained from their vacation had been amazing. It was worth every single moment.
The pilot's voice sounded through the plane's speakers, telling the passengers that they would soon be ready to take off.
Mac and Harm leaned back in their seats, fastened their seat belts and while the plane slowly moved along the runway, then increased its speed and finally took off, Mac gazed out of the window with a happy and a sad expression, taking in a final look of Paris.
Realizing, it was time for both of them to come back to reality, Harm and Mac closed their eyes and drifted into a light slumber.