Chapter Twenty

0900 EST
1395 Kalmia Drive

King George, VA

It was finally moving day. It's not like Mattie could have let Harm forget about it. She had woken him up at 0600 asking when it would be time to go. They had moved everything into the U-Haul the night before that they wouldn't need in the morning so Jen could get started moving her stuff into the "bachalorette pad" as she like to call it. Jen would miss having Mattie as a roommate, but they knew there would be plenty of sleepovers, especially with a baby in the big house.

Harm had only asked Sturgis and Bud over to help with the move, but much to his surprise, AJ Chegwidden was there, along with Admiral Jonas, Mikey Roberts, Clayton Webb, and a few others from Jag.

Harm walked up to them and greeted each of them.

"Sirs, you didn't have to come." He said addressing both retired Admiral Chegwidden and Admiral Jonas.

"Of course I had to come Harm," AJ said, "I needed to see the young woman who has finally gotten you to settle down. Besides, Mac called, and as her surrogate father, I wanted to make sure that no-one would be over working her."

"Well, Mac should be coming anytime now with Mackenzie and Mattie. Her and my parents decided to bring everyone breakfast. I hope they had the right count."

Admiral Jonas looked up, "Well I decided to come Rabb, because between you and me, I wanted to make sure that you got everything right. Besides, AJ and I wanted to swap stories of you." AJ started to chuckle.

"So Harm, Jonas has told me that you were going to prosecute the people who held Mac captive."

"Yes sir."

"Drop the sir. I am no longer your CO, its just AJ."

"Okay, si-AJ."

Admiral Jonas stood there listening to the conversation, "Does Jonas know about the old demons that may come out Rabb?"

"What old demons?" Harm and Jonas said together.

"Rabb! You haven't told him."

"Sir, I can remain completely objective, and my past will only lead to better prosecution of these people."

"Spill it Rabb."

"Yes, sir Admiral Jonas." He stood there ramrod straight. "Most of it is still classified, which is why it isn't in my service record, but 9 years ago, the Chinese held me captive, for a couple of days, and tortured me to find out what our policies were on Hong Kong."

"Harm, you can't divulge anymore information and you know that." Clayton Webb said has he walked up with a box in his hands.

"I know Clay. Trust me, I know, after working for the CIA, I know."

"Rabb, you should have told me earlier. I would have reassigned you, you are already to close to this case with you and Mackenzie being close friends already."

"Sir, I have told you, I can remain completely objective about this case, and my first hand knowledge on this will prove to be useful." Harm took the box from Clay and took it upstairs to Mattie's room. He looked around his older daughter's room and sunk to his knees. There were some demons he wanted to keep buried. It wasn't like he wanted to relieve all those haunting memories.

The three men stood there for a little looking at each other realizing the amount of things that Harm had to endure to get to where he was today. His life was finally coming to a comfortable place and was trying desperately to hold on to.

Harm got up and looked out the window and saw Mac pull up in his Lexus with his children. He bounded down the stairs to go meet them, right behind Mac his parents pulled up.

"Harm, are you already yelling at people, I pulled up and it seemed like you killed their dog."

"No Mac," he started.

"Sorry about the scowls Colonel, we were talking about some unpleasantries." AJ told them.

"Don't worry yourself AJ. Thank you for coming. Before Harm forgets his manners, this is Mackenzie Nicole Rabb. I think she finally calmed the beast in him." She handed Mackenzie over to her former C.O. He seemed so comfortable with a baby in his arms.

"Did you know AJ, the other day in my office, Harm wished that his children were ugly and stupid, that way no guys would hit on them. Unfortunately, Rabb has his work cut out for him."

"Hello there little miss. Well Rabb you are going to have your work cut out for you. Mattie here is blossoming into a fine young lady and Mackenzie will follow suit. You are going to be one those dads with a shut gun on the front porch when they go out on dates."

"Uncle AJ! Don't give him any ideas." Mattie started to whine.

"Don't worry Mattie, I don't plan on getting a shot gun," Harm smiled. He added a little wink, "I have my service weapon I plan on cleaning in front of your dates."

"Dad!" Mattie started.

"Mathilda Grace, whining is so unbecoming, besides, I'm sure he is only teasing sweetie. Now go up stairs and straighten out your room." Trish said putting on a smile.

"Yes Gram."

"Mr. and Mrs. Burnett how nice it is to finally meet you." AJ said greeting them.

"Admiral Chegwidden, it is a pleasure to finally meet the man that Harm has talked about over the years."

"Mrs. Burnett, Mr. Burnett, its AJ."

"Call us Frank and Trish," Frank said while handing him a croissant.

Mackenzie just then let out a wail, reaching for her father. Harm reached for her. "What's going on baby? Just need your daddy huh? Okay little sailor, lets go get you settled for a little bit." She immediately snuggled up and put her head down on his shoulder. He brushed the dark curls that were forming in her hair. "Daddy is going to put you in the pack-n-play in the living room with your cousin Jimmy. AJ is in there watching cartoons," he told her. Mac was standing there and handed him a freshly made croissant.

"Eat something before you pass out. You have been at this for hours."

"Thanks Mac. You take it easy too. You haven't been back all that long."

Mac looked at AJ and Webb. "So what is it that you guys were talking about? He was fine this morning when I picked up the Lexus. He was happy about the move, and now he seems to be withdrawing."

"As I said Mac, unpleasantries."

"Why are you being so cryptic Webb?"

"China," was all AJ Chegwidden had to say.

Mac put that in a little filing drawer she had in her brain. She would ask Harm about this in a while, when the timing was right.

1200 EST
Harm's new place

King George, VA

They had most of the bigger stuff already moved in. All they had to do was unpack all the boxes now. Harm was in the kitchen and the two admirals had decided to do Harm's office. They were getting a hoot out of each other swapping Harm stories and making sure his office was in order, that way at least his office would be in workable condition before the start of work on Monday.

Harm had gotten bored putting the stuff away in the kitchen, so he decided to let Harriet and Bud tackle that, and he moved up to his bedroom. Knowing that Mackenzie would be needing a nap soon, he went into the living room to claim her from her two older cousins. Mattie was in her room blasting the music getting everything arranged the way she wanted it.

He knocked her door that was already adorned with the "Keep Out" sign. He groaned, and Frank started laughing. "Mattie, turn it down, Mackenzie is getting ready for her nap."

"Sorry Dad," she yelled through the door.

"You did the same thing when you were her age when we got the new house in La Jolla. Remember that. You were so angry at me and your mother for moving you away from your old neighborhood."

Harm nodded with a look of pain in his eyes. "I remember thinking to myself, if we moved away, and if Dad came back, he wouldn't be able to find us."

"I kinda figured that was the deal. Anyway, your mother wanted to storm into your room and tan you behind." Frank chuckled at the thought of Trish getting violent.

"And you stopped me. Frank said if I were to storm in there and give you a piece of my mind that you would just rebel even more." Trish said finishing her husband's sentence.

"Now that Mattie has calmed down that so-called music, I am going to put Mackenzie down for a nap."

"Well, before you do anything, I want you to come and see the nursery. Mac and I have it all set up and decorated. If you don't like it, you can change it, just not until we leave." His mother said. "Close your eyes."

"Mom," he started to protest, but when he saw how important it was to her that he was surprised. He held Mackenzie in one arm, and closed held his eyes shut with his hands. Mackenzie started giggling. Trish led him into the room.

"Are you ready to see what we have done." Mac squealed. "Open your eyes sailor."

Harm opened his eyes, on the empty wall, there were three different colors of light blues, yellows, and pinks color blocks, and each had a different word in it play, inspire, laugh, grow, learn, sing, and dance. The big bay window had the colors of the color blocks incorporated in the sheer curtains, on the ledge of the window were pictures of Mackenzie, Mattie, and Harm. There was the chair that Harm had picked out where he could read to her at night. The crib was a white painted wood on top of a rug that also had the colors in it. But what Harm loved the most was the book shelf that had several different story books on it, pictures of the family, and her stuffed toys. Above the changing table, Mackenzie's name was spelled out wooden letters that were suspended by colorful ribbons.

He hugged his baby close. Her eyes danced around the room. "Well baby, it looks like Aunt Mac and Grams forgot a very important element: planes."

"No we didn't Harm. Look inside of her crib." Mac said. He went over the crib and upon closer inspection, he found a stuffed F-14 sitting in the middle of it, also there was a mobile that they hadn't put up yet that had the F-14's as the center piece. Along the foot board panel, there was also a little mural of an F-14 flying off of an aircraft carrier. "If you look a little closer at that mural that me and your mother had done, 'Hammer' is written for the pilot name. That way it is like her grandfather is watching over her, and when you can't be around, she has a reminder of what you are doing."

"I can't take credit for the mural inside the crib Harm, that was all Mac's idea. She even found the stuffed plane. I wanted to keep it all pink, but she insisted on a little military tribute in here somewhere." Trish grabbed Mackenzie from his arms. "Until the paint fumes leave though, my grandbaby will not sleep in here." She left, leaving them alone in the nursery.

"Do you like it Flyboy?" Mac asked.

"Like it? No, actually, this is exactly what I would have done. I love it. You know me so well Mac."

"Anything for Mackenzie."

He looked at Mac and started laughing. "Hey Marine, you have paint on your nose." He touched her nose ever so slightly, and both of them could feel the electric charge. They immediately broke contact. Just then Harm leaned down and kissed her.

"I know I said we were going to take it slow, and we will, I just don't want to crawl."

"Harm," Mac started, "We have already known each other for eight years, I know not to push you, I think we have already done enough crawling." She cupped his cheek, and kissed him back. "Maybe this isn't the best of ideas with a retired admiral and our current CO downstairs."

"Probably not."

They released each other reluctantly. They would have to face everything soon enough. The rest of moving went on without incident.