Chapter Nine
Disclaimers – Most characters don't belong to me, they belong to the production people in Hollywood, – but writing definitely doesn't pay the bills or my tuition bill – All of the sudden the NAVY recruiters are beginning to make sense in my head.
Harm spun around and saw his Mac. Her face was a little swollen and she had bandages over her wrists, but there was a twinkle in his eye that made him believe that his Mac was still in her. She had never looked more beautiful to him.
"Oh my God, Mac, I missed you so much. Thank God you are alive. What are you doing down here? When did you get back? So much has changed in the past couple of weeks, there is so much I have to tell you."
"Slow down Flyboy. I just came in, and got sent straight down here for lab work to be checked for poison and other things. Then I get debriefed. Will I see you tonight?"
"Webb will be there for you," Harm said suddenly remembering the cold reality, she wasn't his to be there for. She was with another man.
"Harm, Webb and I were never going to work out. We are no longer together. Who's baby is this?" She said addressing little Mackenzie who was still recovering from her ordeal.
Before Harm had a chance to answer, the lab tech came out. "Colonel Mackenzie we are ready for you. Commander we will be calling you."
Big bad Colonel Mackenzie started panicking. "Harm, I know I don't have the right to ask you this, we haven't exactly been getting along in the past year, but don't go." She addressed the tech "I would like the Commander to escort me in."
"He can't. CIA hasn't debriefed you yet, and will not until tonight." Webb said coming from out of nowhere.
"Mac, I want to be there for you always, but both me and you know the rules. Normally wild horses wouldn't drag me away," Harm said. Just then Mackenzie who was just resting on his shoulder looked up and started whimpering. "Mac, before you go in there, we believe this darling baby may be my daughter. It's a long story." He shifted the baby around so Mac could see her.
"Harm, How? Who? When?" Mac started.
"I know there is a twist in the story, but Rabb we have to get her tested and settled in, and that will be after the mid-day visiting hours." Webb pointed out.
"Mac, I will come by tomorrow, I promise all your questions will be answered."
The tech took Mac by the wheelchair and took her in the room to start running tests.
Harm cornered Webb. "Not now Rabb."
"Now Webb. I swear, you keep getting Mac into trouble, only this time she got hurt, a concussion, slashes in her wrists, and probably some broken ribs."
"Harm I know, and trust me there is nothing to can say. We were arguing about you when we got captured, and we were distracted, and the prisoners we were interrogating started uprising. Next thing we knew we were getting tied up. Everything happened so fast. I swear I tried to keep a hold of her, and the prisoners ripped her out of my hold. Even though we are no longer together, I still didn't want anything to happen to her. We had broken up when she was given this assignment almost a month ago. She didn't want anything to do with the CIA, said nobody who worked for the company had a soul, but I wanted her for this assignment."
"If I didn't have to get back to JAG, or didn't have children to feed, I would be right here waiting for her, fighting you. But right now, you take care of her, and I will take your place as soon as the Admiral will let me." Mac had just been released and caught the tail end of the conversation.
"I know you will be flyboy. Go tell Mattie I will see her soon," Mac said as they were letting her out of the sterile lab room. "Harm, catch me up on everything tomorrow."
"Mac, if you need me, call me tonight, I'll keep my phone on vibrate."
"Harm, I will be fine now I am stateside." She yawned, and Mackenzie yawned. "My pain killers are getting ready to kick in and your little one just yawned." Harm was situating Mackenzie in her carrier.
"Yeah, I have to get back to JAG now. I will see you tomorrow. Get some sleep, you are gonna need it."
He walked Mac back up to the ER lobby, and once he saw she was safe, he felt he would be able to leave her. He looked at the little baby. "Well, you are down for the count." He looked at her sleeping form, and brushed the dark brown strands from her eyes. "My little angel." For the first time, he felt like he might be able to handle everything.
1400 EST
JAG
Headquarters
Falls Church, VA
They got back to JAG in one piece and met up with the crowd on the second floor. They were all painting the color blocks on the wall. "Seems like a slow week."
"Thankfully so sir. We heard from the Admiral that you saw Colonel Mackenzie. How is she?"
"Bruised, but it is our Mac."
"Where did you leave little Mackenzie?"
"Actually the Admiral wanted to keep her."
"Well, your little girls have everyone wrapped around their fingers. Commander, I just thank myself that you have two girls, and I will have four boys."
"Yeah, well I thank you for pointing this out." He grabbed a paintbrush and began to paint in the USS Seahawk. Around 1700 they finished working on the daycare center. Looking around they decided that a nice toy chest could be used. Bud called Harriet to see what she could find on the internet.
Harm went upstairs and to grab Mackenzie. The sight he saw was something he would never forget. The Admiral had the baby and was playing war with her. They had little boats inside a tub of water, and the admiral was trying to explain strategic battle plans to her.
"And then the USS Mackenzie would move into this position," the Admiral was trying to explain.
"Admiral, I hope she wasn't too much of a hassle for you."
"Well Rabb, I was certainly having fun with the princess here. And since I needed you to paint, it seemed like a great idea. She had about an hour long nap, and has been fed and burped. Don't look so bewildered. I have children. In fact, my 19 year old had too much fun in college her first year, so me and my wife have an 18 month old at home right now. Keep a close eye on that teenager of yours. Those daughters of yours are heart breakers. I would love it if you would consider me an extra uncle for the little tyke."
"Sir I would consider it an honor, and if I haven't told you, it has been an honor thus far serving under you. You know, I think I would have liked it better if they were both drab looking and not to bright, but as fate would have it, they both are gorgeous and bright. Ugh."
The Admiral started laughing. "Go home to your other daughter Rabb. Take tomorrow off since your parents are coming in, Colonel Mackenzie is being discharged, and we are slow. If anything comes up, I'll call you."
"Thank you sir."
"Dismissed."
Harm walked into his office and picked up his cell phone.
Ring . . . Ring . . . Ring . . .
"Rabb residence, this is Mathilda speaking, how may I direct your call?"
"Hey kiddo, order a pizza. I'm on my way home. You know how I like it."
"Gottcha Dad. See ya soon."
"Love you."
Harm strapped the baby in the back seat and drove home. He couldn't believe that Mac was finally back, at least within arms' reach, and she took some news about Mackenzie so well. Harm touched the bruise that was forming on his arm from the needle stick, reminding himself to be mindful of Mackenzie's when putting her into her pajamas. On the way home, he stopped by the store to pick up some diet soda and formula. He made Mackenzie her bottle and poured Mattie some orange soda after he got settled in. He watched his kids playing on the ground. Harm picked up the camera and started taking some pictures.
"Dad?"
"Yeah kiddo."
"What are you going to be doing with Mackenzie during the day when you are at work now that I am working?"
"Well, the Admiral has started a JAG daycare. Bud, Jen, me, and a couple of the other people in the building have painted it, and the staff is due to start next week. It will be great. At least when I am in town, she has a place to go. I am thinking about having Harriet watch you and her when I have to go out for long periods of time. Either Harriet or Mac."
The doorbell rang and the phone rang at the same time. Mattie ran for the phone, and Harm answered the door to pay the pizza man.
"Dad, Mac is on the phone for you."
"Thanks hun. Go get Jen. We will all sit down for pizza." He told Mattie as he picked up the phone. "Hey Mac."
"Harm did I catch you at a bad time?"
"I told you to call me whenever, what do you need?"
"I woke up, and for the first time in a month, I felt safe and warm. The doctors say they are sending me home tomorrow around 0900. Will you be able to come pick me up?"
"Anything for you Marine. The Admiral gave me off tomorrow. How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine. You know me, I'm tough. I can handle everything."
"Marine, you sound exhausted, you need to get some sleep."
"Harm," Mac started, but she didn't want to explain the real reason why she called was because she keep on having nightmares about the prison uprisings. Something was wrong with the way that prison was ran she knew it. Those prisoners were being mistreated, and she didn't know how she would tell the Admiral.
"Mac get some sleep. I will be there in the morning, me and little Mac in your chariot, ready to take you home."
"Thanks, Flyboy. Good luck with getting the kids to sleep tonight."
"Thanks Mac. Sleep tight."
Mattie walked back in the door with Jen. "Hello Sir."
"Jen, how many times do I have to tell you it's Harm when we are in the apartment?"
"Only once more sir."
"Do you guys feel like making some cash?"
"Where are you going to go sir?"
"Colonel Mackenzie just sounded like she was going through a rough period. I was just going to run to Bethesda for a couple of hours to keep her company."
"Sir, I will keep an eye on the girls. No charge."
"Diapers are kept underneath my bed, extra baby clothes are in the baby store bags in the corner, bibs are hung on the key rack, and burping rags are on top of the towels in the linen closet."
"Dad, I have it covered."
He picked up the keys. Mackenzie was expecting him to pick her up too and take her along. When he ran out the door, Harm heard the high pitch wail, and almost went back for her. This little girl was really pulling at his heart strings. He was standing by the door when he heard Mattie and Jen singing to her, and decided it would be best if she learned to be comforted by other people.
