Chapter Twenty-Three

The next morning, closing arguments were heard, and Harm was patiently waiting for the verdict to come through. He walked into his office and ran his hands through his hair.

"Flyboy, it is not that bad."

"I know. Mackenzie was pulling baby duty last night. I ended up letting her sleep in my bed with me. It was the only way either of us were going to get any sleep. She wasn't feeling very well last night. You know though, I can't imagine my life without her."

"Harm," Mac started, getting ready to tell him something she had known for a week and a half.

"Mac," they said at the same time. "You first Harm."

"Well, Jen is taking the girls out for the night. She is going to drop Mackenzie off at around 2100, but Mattie is going to spend the night for a girls night, so I was wondering if you wanted to come over for a dinner and a movie."

"I would like that."

Just then Coates came into his office. "Sir, the admiral wants to see me and you now."

"Ok. I'll see you tonight Mac."

He walked into the admiral's office and stood at attention. "Commander Rabb and Petty Officer Coates reporting as order sir."

"What the hell are you two doing parading around my office? I should bring you guys up on charges right now, unless you can give me a perfectly good explanation for this photo. At ease you two."

Harm looked at the photo from a tabloid paper. It showed Jen giving Mackenzie to him along with Harm passing on a huge wad of bills. The caption read 'Officer and gentlemen pays off baby's mother.'

"Sir, there is a perfectly good explanation for this."

"Good, there is a press conference in five minutes. What's the explanation?"

"PO Coates is taking Mattie shopping this weekend, and I was giving her money to for dinner and movies for her and Jen. Mattie looks to Jen like an older sister since they were roommates. With all due respect sir, I don't see why I have to explain myself."

The SecNav came in, "Since this trial has started, you have become Superman to the United States. You represent the hero in all of us Commander."

He turned on the television This is Stuart Dunston reporting from the front of JAG Headquarters were Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. He is the lead prosecutor on the case. Is the Commander a truth seeker, or a liar? Is he everything that he seems?

Harm had heard enough. "You know, I really, really hate Stuart Dunston. They are slandering me right now. I am going to straighten all this out, and then sue this paper for defamation of character."

Harm walked out into the limelights that were set up in front of the Jag offices, and the reporters immediately bombarding Harm with questions.

"Commander Rabb, can you tell use exactly how this child was conceived?"

"I was a victim of the thefts at the storage facility where many of the fighter pilots store specimen. The nature of a fighter pilot's job sometimes lower the sperm count, so we are all advised to turn in specimen every so often. I believe it was 100 men were victims to this crime."

"Commander, who is the mother of the baby?"

"Honestly, I don't know, but she knows who she is. I was informed that she would contact me."

"How did you come to find out about your daughter? How many more children do you think you have out there?"

"A lawyer of the woman who stole the sperm and eggs delivered the baby to me. As for how many children, Mackenzie and Mattie are the only children I have."

"Commander explain this photo that the whole world is looking at."

"Easy explanation. PO Coates is watching the girls tonight for me and taking them out shopping. I don't know about you, but I don't think I am too qualified to take my 15 year old out shopping for swimsuits, I would want her wearing sweats all the time, and that was just erupt WWIII in my house. I will say however that the paper who printed the lies about PO Coates and myself will be sued for liable. That is all, if you excuse me I have a job to do."

Captain Krennick stood back and watched the entire thing. 'Damn', she thought to herself, she thought for sure that Harm would be facing court charges for at least fraternization, however, he was holding a press conference to explain everything. This wasn't the Lt. Commander she knew from long ago.

Harm's beeper started going off in the middle of the press conference. He excused himself as the SecNav and Admiral took over for him. He had to be up in the courtroom.

He took his seat, and Mac sat behind the prosecution table. Captain Sebring was handed the verdict.

"The defendants will rise. This court finds you guilty on all charges. The defendants are sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole. Guards take them away."

Mac swung over to the prosecution and gave Harm a huge hug. "Thank you Harm for taking care of my nightmare." Just then, Corporal Jenkins was passing by.

"If you think your nightmare is over, its just beginning. I would have loved to get my way with you, and one day I still will."

Harm went to move Mac behind him to protect her. "Touch her again, and your life sentence will turn into a death sentence." He snarled.

"Mac, I know you could have protected yourself, but there are days you just have to rely on me to do it."

"Actually Harm, thank you." The reverie of her words was there. She just wanted her night mare to be over, and with Harm standing by her side she could face anything, but she had one thing left to face, telling Harm about her connection with Mackenzie. How was she going to tell the man she loves that she was Mackenzie's biological mother.