Title: Hammer and Hoots
Author: Anaika Skywalker
Rating: PG -13
Disclaimer: I don't own JAG; I just like to spread my wings occasionally.
Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed, DD2, Winjan, SiberianRavyn and starryeyes10. Also thank you to everyone who followed along, this story started out as just an idea and went from there. But I feel I can't continue and do it justice, so I've decided to finish it. I though about it long and hard and after much deliberation and plenty of false starts I came up with this ending. So I hope you enjoy it. I'm going to take a break from writing JAG fan fiction for a while. I want to concentrate on my Stargate/JAG story and my family has to take president as school is starting up soon here in Australia and they must come first. So thank you to everyone who has supported my stories and I hope those of you who are following 'Affairs of the Heart' continue to enough it.
Hammer and Hoots
Chapter Nine: Conclusions
July 20th 2002: Virginia Beach.
It wasn't usual on a summer's morning to find Naval Officers in Dress Whites or Marines in Dress Uniform on the beach; with pants legs rolled up and bare foot. Nor was it normal to find guests in suites and dresses either, all bare foot, those in long pants having them rolled up. But then again for those present this was an escape from the normal daily grind of their lives.
The bride arrived on the arm of her former commanding officer, Admiral Jack McKinley, she didn't have a brides maid, who she had was her best friend and RIO Lt. Commander Jodi Harrison. He stood waiting with the chaplain, on the man's right. The groom, whose best man was actually a woman, Colonel Sarah Mackenzie, stood to his left. The groom's daughter, in a pretty pale pink dress, stood beside Jodi holding a white pillow the rings were tired onto.
Their families and friends, were those present, they smiled as the bride and Admiral walked towards the waiting party. The bride wore a simple white ankle length dress with spaghetti straps that crisscrossed down her back; the dress cut low, a split up the back to make walking easy. Her hair was pulled up in a French roll; small white flowers were in the circular headdress. She was also barefoot, a gold anklet around one ankle, which a small charm hung, it was a tiny pair of gold wings.
Reaching the wedding party, the Admiral kissed the brides cheek and put her hand into the grooms, moving back to stand with his pregnant wife.
Chaplain James Mitchell smiled warmly and began the ceremony. "We gather here this morning to bring together Harm and Andrea in marriage. I am happy to say I have known these two since they joined the Predators, firstly Andrea and then Harm. I have seen them form a friendship and become a family. I've had each of them come to me for advice, whether it was on base or over the phone while they were deployed. And I have seen their feelings grow from friendship to love," he paused. "Now both stand before me of their own free will, to become man and wife," he paused again as they faced each other. "Harm, before the presence of God, family and friends, do you take Andrea to be your wife. To love and cherish for the rest of your life, through good and bad, in sickness and in health?"
Harm smiled, his gaze never leaving Andrea's. "I do."
"Andrea, before the presence of God, family and friends, do you take Harm to be your husband. To love and cherish for the rest of your life, through good and bad, in sickness and in health?"
"I do," she answered without hesitation.
The Chaplain gestured Carly forward, she hurried to stand beside him. "Young lady, do you have a ring for your dad to give to Andrea?"
"Yes sir and she's my mommy," she clarified coursing everyone to laugh. She carefully held out the pillow to her father, who removed the smaller of the two rings.
"Thank you darlin." Harm slipped the ring onto the ring finger of Andrea's left hand. "I give this ring as a symbol of my love, I give all that I am and all that I have to you."
Chaplain Mitchell smiled, remembering the correction. "Carly, do you have a ring for your mom to give your dad?"
"Yes sir." She held up the pillow to Andrea.
Andrea smiled. "Thank you sweetheart," she took the last ring and slipped it on the ring finger of Harm's left hand. "I give this ring as a symbol of my love, I give all that I am and all that I have to you."
"With the saying of vows and the giving of rings. I now pronounce Harm and Andrea, man and wife," the Chaplain pronounced. "Harm, you may kiss your wife."
"Aye, aye sir," Harm said with a grin and did just that, taking Andrea into his arms he kissed her passionately.
Sarah Mackenzie-Sanderson smiled and when they parted she announced, loudly. "Presenting for the first time, Captain and Mrs. Harmon Rabb."
Their family and friends cheered and clapped; then moved forward to congratulate the happy couple.
The reception was held back at their house on base, everyone had been given a chance to return home and change out of good clothes and uniforms, making it a less formal affair and a causal gathering. The newly wed couple was in jeans and tee shirts, making their way from guest to guest.
Admiral Chegwidden came over to them, shaking Harm's hand. "Congratulations, Captain."
"Thank you sir."
AJ kissed Andrea on the cheek. "You look after him, now."
"I will sir," she said with a warm smile.
"So where are you two heading for your honeymoon?"
"We're keeping that to ourselves for now Admiral," she mussed. "It's safer."
AJ chuckled. "From what I've heard about the Predators I can well believe that."
"They're unique Admiral," Harm agreed, smiling.
"Well congratulations you two."
"Thank you sir."
He smiled and mixed once more with the other guest.
Michael and Louise Gibson, Andrea's Uncle and Aunt came over to them. He gave his niece a hug. "Your Aunt and I are happy for you honey."
"Thank you Uncle Mike."
Releasing her, he shook Harm's hand. "Look after my girl now, Harm."
"I will, Mike."
Louise had also hugged her niece, she then hugged Harm, smiling. "I always knew you two were meant for each other."
"Thanks Louise."
Jack and Beth also joined them. "We're going to head home, it's been a long morning."
Andrea hugged him. "Thank you sir."
He gave her a gentle squeeze. "You're family kiddo," he whispered. "Always remember that."
"I will."
He shook Harm's hand. "You be good to her now, Hammer."
"I will," Harm said smiling.
Beth hugged Harm, getting as close as her pregnant body would allow her. "I'm happy for you, Harm."
"Thanks Beth," he smiled warmly and patted her protruding belly gently. "You take care of my godchild now."
"Is that a polite way of saying not to go into labor until I leave your house?" She teased.
"Yes."
She playfully thumbed his arm and gave Andrea a hug. "Take care of him," she whispered to the younger woman.
"I will, Beth."
Stepping back, Beth felt her husband's arm go around her waist. "We'll see you when you get back."
"You certainly will," Harm agreed. "Now let the Admiral take you home and put your feet up."
"I think I might get him to give me a foot rub," she mussed, a sparkle in her eyes.
"Good idea," Andrea said smirking.
"All right, 'he' is taking his wife home. Congratulations you two, and by all means, do get up to exactly what I would."
They all laughed. "We'll try." Harm said.
He nodded and led his wife away, slipping quietly from the party.
Andrea slipped her arm around her husband's waist and rested her head against his shoulder. Harm knew what she was thinking without her saying it; he put his arm around her, giving her a gentle squeeze.
Her Aunt saw the expression on her nieces face, smiling. "Will you be remaining TAD to the Predators or going back to the SNAO office?"
"I'm remaining with the Predators," she revealed. "The Admiral liked what I did while they were deployed, so I'm staying."
"Well your dad would have been proud of you, Andy." Michael declared happily. He smiled mischievously at Harm. "Did you know her father didn't want her joining the Navy?"
"No," Harm acknowledged, feeling his new wife squirm. "What did he want her to do?"
"Well, he thought she'd make a good Archaeologist, she use to dig holes in the back yard."
Andrea groaned. "Uncle Mike," she pleaded embarrassed as her husband and Uncle and Aunt laughed.
"Whatever happened to that nice archaeologist you meet in your senior year?" Louise asked. "What was his name?"
"Daniel," her niece supplied. "I'm not sure, he just disappeared."
"Oh?"
Giving Harm's hand a squeeze she got only a cocky grin from him. "Will you excuse us a moment?" She asked and pulled her husband towards the stairs and up them to their room. Inside she locked it, turning she lent against it. "You enjoyed that."
"I know," he smirked and pined her against the wall. "So Mrs. Rabb, needed something?"
"Mmm," she rose up on her toes and kissed him, sucking seductively on his bottom lip. "You on the bed, naked."
"Only if you join me," he said sexily.
"Well, I think I can do that," she purred and kissed him again. A trail of clothing was left on the floor as they both fell naked on the bed, making love with a feverish passion that left them both exhausted.
In the aftermath, Harm laid with her in his arms, gently stocking her back, her head on his chest. "So tell me about Daniel?"
Andrea smiled, looking up to see his sheepish look. "I meet him on a dig in Egypt when I was in my senior year at high school. We got a long and became good friends. It also helped that I could speak a number of languages."
Her husband arched an eyebrow. "Why do I get the feeling my dear wife, the good archaeologist taught you more then just about ancient artifacts."
She blushed. "Because he did, but not then," she revealed. "We meet up again when I was studying for my PhD's while at OCS, he was teaching Ancient Cultures, we became closer."
"So you slept with your teacher?"
"Yes," she blushed harder.
"So how many languages do you speak, my dear wife?" He asked. He knew she had PhD's in Languages, Ancient Cultures and Psychology from her service record, but it didn't list how many languages she spoke.
"Twenty."
"Really?"
She nodded. "I don't like to brag," she said with a grin.
"So when have you had time to lean twenty different languages?" He was surprised it was that many.
She ran her finger in little circles, gently caressing his chest. "When I was in the hospital recovering from the accident that killed by parents, one of the nurses was Spanish. She used to sit with me at night, she taught me Spanish to take my mind off the nightmares. My Aunt recognized I had an ear for languages, so she encouraged me to lean more. By the time I got to high school I could speak twelve different languages, by the time I left it was eighteen. I added two different variants of Ancient Egyptian while completing my PhD. Being a linguist has helped the Predators, after all I taught you and Beth both Russian and Arabic."
"So why didn't you ever tell me you could speak twenty languages?" He asked her.
"Well," she moved, straddling his hips, leaning over her lisp grazed over his. "It's twenty-one if you include the language of love."
He drew her down to him. "I think I like that one most of all," he mused and kissed her. They made love again, this time more slowly, it's outcome was the same as before though. Which made them late getting up, taking a shower and dressing, so they could get back to the party. Which continued without them until they returned.
Later, when the party was over, the last guest had left; the cleaning up had been done. The newly weds sat out on the back deck, on the stairs. Andrea sat between Harm's thighs, his arms around her. Watching Frank play ball with Carly, smiling at the little girl's infectious laughter.
Trish came out of the house; joining them she sat on the step next to her son. "She's needs a little brother of sister."
"Is that a hint, mom?" He asked her.
"Well, I'm not getting any younger son," Trish stated bluntly.
Andrea smiled, feeling her husband's hand gentle stroking her stomach. They had been back two weeks from sea duty when they decided not to wait and just get married. Arranging the wedding to happen on Carly's birthday had been the little girl's idea. This evening they were going to have a small party for her; she'd happily opened birthday gifts earlier as her parents had opened wedding gifts. But there was still one gift they hadn't revealed yet.
Harm seemed to be thinking the same thing; he lent over and whispered in his wife's ear. "Should we tell them?"
"I think so."
He straightened. "Frank, Carly," he gestured them in.
Still full of energy, Carly ran over to them, Frank moved more slowly, sitting a step down from his wife, the little girl going into his arms. "What is it, daddy?" Carly asked.
"Well, we have something to tell you," he stated, seeing the curiosity in his daughters eyes. "It's another birthday gift."
"Can I play with it, daddy?"
Andrea smiled. "Well maybe not right away," she said. "Perhaps in another eight mouths, give or take a few weeks. You can help me with it."
Trish got it first. "You're pregnant?" She saw Andrea nod and she hugged both of them.
Frank saw the half confused; half excited look on Carly's face. "Looks like you're going to be a big sister, darlin."
"Really?" She squealed and jumped out of his arms into her mom's. "So cool."
Andrea laughed and hugged the little girl.
Frank shook his stepson's hand. "I take it no one else knows?"
"Only Jack, since he's Andy's CO, we felt he should know."
"You've only been back two and half mouths," his mother noted, working it all out. "Please tell me my grandchild wasn't a product of a hot bunking session?"
"It wasn't mom," Harm assured, grinning. "We've never hot bunked while at sea. However we did work out conception took place not long after we got home."
"What's hot bunking?" Carly asked innocently, coursing the adults to laugh.
"You said it mom, you tell her," Harm told his mother.
Trish frowned. "It's when two adults share a bunk while at sea, honey."
"Oh," she still didn't fully understand. "How would that get me my little brother or sister?"
Andrea smiled and gave her daughter a gentle squeeze. "That's something we'll discuss when you're older."
"How much older? I'm six."
"She has you their sweetheart." Harm noted.
Carly then wrinkled her nose. "This has to do with sex, doesn't it?"
"Yes," Andrea answered her. They'd talked about sex with Carly, not anything in great detail, but explained the difference between men and women. They'd also talked about it not being right for anyone to touch her sexually.
"So my brother or sister is in here," Carly put her little hand on her mom's still flat stomach.
"Yes."
"Like Aunt Beth's baby is in her tummy?"
"That's right."
"Wow," she exclaimed. "So cool."
Her parents and grandparents laughed quietly.
"Happy birthday, honey," Andrea said warmly.
"Thank you mommy," the little girl said and hugged her.
Harm hugged them both, smiling happy.
February 2003: Bethesda Naval Hospital
The waiting room in the maternity ward was starting to fill up, officers off all ranks waited, some not so patiently, from Ensigns to Admiral's. A few civilians were there too, all waiting for news.
Two women sat with babies in their arms, one only five months, the other approaching twelve. Another woman was four months away from giving birth herself. A little girl of six lay curled up on the uncomfortable chairs beside her grandparents, the day having started out very early for her.
They all looked up as the tired, but happy father came into the room, with a nurse, a small wrapped bundle in his arms. He was grinning from ear to ear.
Trish gave Carly a gentle shake. "Wake up sweetheart."
The little girl did, seeing her father. "Daddy," she hopped up and ran over to him, he knelt down on one knee so she could get a better look. "Do I have a little brother or sister, daddy?"
"You have a little brother, Andrew Harmon Rabb," Harm told her.
"And a little sister," her mother's voice said, a little weary.
Everyone looked surprised as Andrea Gibson-Rabb was pushed into the waiting room in a wheel chair, a small wrapped bundle in her arms. This was very unusual, but with so many people waiting the doctor had made an exception.
Carly squealed softly and rushed over to her mother as her father stood, looking at the little baby in her mother's arms. "She's wrinkly mommy."
"She won't always be sweetie," she assured and ran a finger gently over her infant daughters cheek. "Danielle, this is your big sister, Carly."
"Danielle?" Carly grinned. "I picked Danielle."
Their friends and family gathered around for a look at the tiny babies, only one had known there were going to be two.
Sarah Mackenzie smiled and gave her best friend a hug, now his son was in his grandmother's arm. "Congratulations Harm."
"Thanks Sarah."
Then she playfully thumped his arm. "That's for not telling me you and Andrea were having twins."
"We wanted to surprise everyone," he mused.
"He told me," AJ Chegwidden stated and they all looked at the Admiral. "Well someone had to arrange for a second cot and double of everything." He remarked and they all laughed softly.
"Thank you, Admiral." Harm bided.
"My pleasure my boy."
Jodi was knelt beside Andrea's wheelchair, admiring the infant. "She's beautiful, Andy," he said tenderly.
"Thanks Jod," she said. "So would you like to hold your goddaughter?"
"Yeah I would," he said grinning.
She gently placed the infant in his arms and he stood. His wife came over to him, slipping her arm around his waist.
Harm managed to get to his wife, hankering down next to her. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, a little tired."
He kissed her forehead. "We did good, Hoots."
"Yeah, we did, Hammer," she agreed. She was glad their family and friends were there with them, smiling as Trish put baby Andrew in his Uncle's arms. Sergei seemed awkward at first, and then with Jen providing support, became more comfortable. Her Uncle Mike and Aunt Louise were talking happily to Trish and Frank. Sarah and Beth were swooping baby stories, their children in their arms. There husbands near by grinning like chestier cats. The Predators and their wives, husbands or partners were all there; happily gushing over the new arrivals, as were some of the JAG crew.
Carly gave her mom a hug. "Thank you mommy," she said, then hugged her dad. "I love them."
Harm held his daughter close. "We love you too, sweetheart."
"I know daddy," she smiled, pulling back a little. "We're family."
"Yes we are darlin," he agreed.
The doctor intervened and ordered the tired mother to bed, the twins to the nursery, the new father home and everyone else out of the hospital to get some sleep too. They all took it goodheartedly, agreeing.
Trish and Frank took Carly home, Harm said goodbye to everyone and went with his wife to her room, the twins being on their way to the nursery. When she was settled, he sat with her on the bed, she snuggled close, feeling warm and safe in his arms.
A half an hour later, the nurse found them there together, asleep. She smiled and tiptoed out of the room, leaving them too sleep, knowing pretty soon there would be two hungry infants that wanted to be feed.
Unbeknown to anyone, three ghostly figures stood watching the new parents; smiling proudly. Their children had made them proud and they knew their grandchildren would too.
The end….