A/N: I am speculating on how old Meg and her brother are and I assume he was older than her the way she compared him to Harm in one Episode. I am using her father's death in this fic. And I am calling her brother Ben because we don't know what his real name is.

Part Three

A few days later Meg was going through her dad's service record again, reading it carefully. She didn't notice when two envelopes fell to the floor, as she was so engrossed in the file. Meg heard a knock at the door. Scrambling to get it, she saw the envelopes and grabbed them without looking at them.

'Meg, are you in?' Harm said from the other side. Meg practically ran at the door to unlock and open it.

'Yes,' she said to him. Harm grinned. He was holding some chicken soup.

'Can I come in?'

'Of course,' Meg replied, coughing. Harm led her to the table in her kitchen.

'Still have that cold?' Harm asked her. Meg nodded.

'Yep, you'd think three days would be enough for it to go away.'

Harm poured the soup into a bowl and gave it to her. The two envelopes she had grabbed dropped onto the table, and only then did Meg see who they were addressed to.

'Harm, my dad wrote letters to mom and Ben…' Meg said slowly, looking at him, confused.

'Of course he did Meg; they were his family too,'

'I know but how do I tell them? I mean what do I do…they accepted his death long ago, and they said that they didn't want to dwell on his death. Basically they accepted he was gone and this would…they don't want anymore to do with what happened to him. It's history, past…he died twenty-three years ago, and it took me that long to accept his death!' Meg said to him, almost in tears. Harm held her arms lightly.

'Hey, calm down, you can do this Meg,'

'I know I can, but it's how I'm going to do it Harm. I don't know if I should go there and give the letters to them, call, have them come up here…' Meg was silenced by Harm shoving a spoonful of soup in her mouth. She grinned at him.

'You let it get cold Meg, I'll heat it up again for you,' Harm took the bowl and zapped it in the microwave while his partner muttered to herself.

'Hey just concentrate on getting better Meg,'

'I am…I only just found the letters…'

Harm sat beside her and put his arm around her. 'Well when you are better you can think about what to do with them some more,' He got up when the microwave beeped and got the soup out and gave it back to her.

'Now eat it before it goes cold Lieutenant,'

'Yes sir,' Meg replied, and ate her soup quietly while Harm went over the service record thoroughly.

'Your dad seemed like a great guy Meg,'

'He was…Harm I can't do this, I mean giving them the letters…its twenty-three years too late,'

'Hey you can do it and its not your fault, if anyone is to blame, it is the navy,' Harm said firmly.

'Meg, I gotta go…look I hope you're feeling better and if you need me, call.'

Meg hugged him. 'Thank you Harm,'

Meg stood outside the door of her old home, the letters in her hands. She went to knock when the door flew open and her mother lifted her up.

'Oh my darling girl! You're so beautiful! How's life in the navy?'

'It's good…can I come in mom?'

Mrs Austin led her daughter in, taking the bag she had brought.

'I don't want to stay long. I…went to the Naval Archives about a week ago and they gave me dad's old service record and the stuff they recovered from his platoon leader. I don't know if you want to see any of it…'

'Meg Austin! How dare you…' Mrs Austin was angry at her daughter. Meg stood her ground.

'I had to know how he died. I know you didn't want to, or maybe you knew and you never told me, but there was a letter for each of us. These are yours and Ben's. I have read mine, and I intend to keep what I received from the archives because I want a piece of who my dad was so I can at least tell my children about him,'

'You're twenty-seven years old! Why are you thinking about kids?'

Ben came down at this moment to hear his mother yelling at his sister.

'What did she do? Hey Meg,' Ben hugged his younger sister tightly.

'Your sister had the nerve to go and get your father's old service record and whatever his platoon leader sent. I told them I didn't want it. Now she says there were letters for us,'

Ben looked at Meg and she handed him the envelope. 'If you want to…I think he wrote them in case he died…he must have known, the way mine was worded.' Meg's voice was gentle again.

'Mom, she has…' Ben started to say. 'I want to know what dad's final words to me were,'

Mrs Austin rolled her eyes and took the envelope from Meg. She opened it grudgingly and began to read.

To my darling wife,

If you are holding this letter, I have not survived Vietnam. I can only hope you keep my memory alive through Benjamin and Meg, our beautiful children. Meg will need you. You have to take special care of my baby girl, because I can't.

I can't be there to help her, you must do that now. When she asks about me, tell her everything, don't leave anything out, and no matter how often she asks tell her, because that is how she will keep my memory alive. Don't spare her age. If she wants to know how I died at a young age, you must tell her and explain it gently to her. She is the most darling girl in the world, remember that.

Don't forget our love; it won't die if you keep it alive. Keep it alive in my memory, in Meg, in Ben and in your daily life. I am forever yours, and I will always be there to guide you, no matter what happens.

Forever yours,

Your loving Husband

Mrs Austin put her letter down. 'I suppose what he said is void now. You have the records. You know,'

'Yes I do…' Meg looked away ashamed. Her mother took her hands.

'Enough of that. Tell me what you're doing,'

'I'm a Computer Weapons Specialist, and a JAG lawyer. I have a wonderful partner who is also my friend. He takes care of me. I was sick with a cold and he took care of me.'

Mrs Austin smiled. 'At least you have someone to count on,'

Ben sat in his room to open his letter. It was something he wanted to do alone. In trepidation the young man opened his letter and began to read.

Benjamin,

Son, you are only nine years old and yet you are now the man of the house. Your little sister may not understand everything at first, but not only that she will need you to protect her. Benjamin, I never intended for this to happen, and you may feel angry, but please just take care of little Meg for me. Tell her stories about her dad, the hero…anything you can remember about me, tell her when she goes to bed at night.

Your mum will need you to be strong Benjamin. Son, I am so sorry about what has happened but know I will always love you. Cherish the family you have, protect your sister. She needs you now.

Love

Dad

Ben put the letter aside and went downstairs to his mother, but found Meg alone crying.

'Meg, my darling! Where's mom?' He swooped down on her, wrapping her in his arms.

'She went out to run some errands. Ben, I miss him,'

'I know baby, so do I. You did the right thing in bringing the letters, thank you. How long are you here for?'

Meg paused. 'I think I should go Ben, I have work back in Washington, Lieutenant Rabb will be worried and Commander Lindsey will have my neck if I'm not there tomorrow,' 'Meg, you are lying, now stay for a few days darling,' Ben said gently.

'I can't…'

'You can, Lieutenant Rabb knows you're here, and you wouldn't be here unless Commander Lindsey approved your leave,' Ben argued with her. Meg scowled.

'Leave it Benjamin! Clearly mom didn't want me here…she didn't want that letter, she didn't want to know anymore about dad's death!'

Ben floored his sister easily, her small body collapsing under his without too much pressure.

'Meg, listen. Mom and I accepted dad's death long ago while you were still grieving. Don't start the process again now, because of a few letters and things found and kept at the naval archives.'

'I'm not grieving Ben, dad's dead. I accept that. I just want some answers to some unanswered questions.' Meg replied, pushing him off her. She got up and brushed some hair from her eyes.

'I'm leaving; it seems I was not really wanted here right now!' Meg grabbed her bag and ran out the house, Ben chasing after her. She grabbed a cab and rode to the airport before he could stop her.

'Damn it Meg! What the hell is your problem?' Ben said to himself as she disappeared.

'Meg? What? Okay, I'm coming. I thought you were spending the week there…okay, calm down…' Harm said as she called him frantically.

'They didn't want to know Harm, I tried to tell them, and they said I was being stupid and…' Meg was cut off by Harm.

'You wanted answers. You wanted to know the truth. That's not wrong Meg. I'll be there soon Austin,' Harm hung up and drove his Corvette to the airport to pick her up.

'Thank you! I had to get home, it was unbearable. They said that it was my fault for bringing old skeletons out the closet.' Meg said as Harm grabbed her bag and took her to his car.

'Meg, its okay Anyway, Lindsey will be happy to have you back. He regretted giving you the leave,'

'Figures,' Meg replied. Harm cuffed her lightly.

'Okay Austin, I'm going to take you home so you can get into your uniform. We have a case,'

'What's the case?'

'Supposedly a UFO crashed in the Desert…so you'll be wearing your khaki's.'

Meg nodded and pulled out her own letter from her dad.

'They never let me show them mine,'

'The letter is private, Meg, keep it to yourself,' Harm squeezed her arm gently in reassurance. Meg smiled at him.

'You're right. I shouldn't have gotten so worked up,'

Harm laughed at her as they arrived at her apartment.

'Come Austin, I'll come up and wait while you get ready,'

'Thanks Harm, you're a great friend,'

A great friend. She thought of him only as a friend. Harm sighed.

'I think I'm falling in love, Meg…' he said softly to himself.