Chapter Fifty Seven
0730 EST
JAG Headquarters
One week later
The week flew with Mac trying to get the kids into a new schedule. Harm's parents had stayed with them until the night before and Sergei was a godsend. His classes started a little bit after Mattie had to be at school, so Mattie was able to hitch a ride with him. Mac headed into JAG with Mackenzie, thank goodness for the nursery there. She was getting Mackenzie settled into the daycare when she saw Nikki come up out of the corner of her eye. Nikki had taken off the past couple of weeks to go to the mountains with her husband.
"Is it true about the Commander?"
"I'm afraid so Nikki. Because her dad is overseas right now, I am adding a couple of people to Mackenzie's pick up list."
"Okay Colonel."
"I just want to add his parents whenever they come into town and his brother Sergei Zhukov."
"As you wish Colonel. I hope he makes it home safely, and before Christmas so he can see Mackenzie's first Christmas."
"I hope so too Nikki. If she begins to be any trouble, call me or Commander Roberts, lately she has been taking a liking to him."
"Or you can call me Nikki," Admiral Jonas said coming in from behind.
"Sir, didn't hear you come in."
"It's alright Colonel. Was the Commander able to talk to you yesterday?"
"Yes sir. He couldn't talk long though yesterday, something was happening with the Tomcats, the onboard navigational systems were malfunctioning."
"If you need any help with things that go wrong around the house, or just need a friendly ear, don't hesitate to call."
"Thank you sir."
"I need to see you in my office as soon as you get finished with Mackenzie so we can decide who gets what cases, and I have a case I need you on."
"Aye aye sir."
The admiral left his granddaughter down in the daycare and Mac finished up saying goodbye to Mackenzie.
"Can you say 'Bye bye Momma?'"
"Da!" Mackenzie squealed.
"I miss your dad too." She kissed her baby on the forehead and pushed back her strands of dark baby hair. "I'll see you for lunch kiddo."
She picked up her briefcase and handed Nikki the baby bag. She trudged up the stairs and stopped to look at Harm's empty office. She went into his office and could feel him all around her. 'Stop Mac, this is ridiculous, he is still alive and will be home in a couple of months.' She thought to herself. Mac observed that there were several pictures missing. Mac looked up on the bookshelf and found one of Mackenzie, she must have just been three months old. She picked up the picture to take into her office when she saw someone standing in the doorway.
"Excuse me, what are you doing in my office?" A tall naval Lieutenant Commander said effectively blocking her path.
"Your office? This is my partner's office. Who are you?"
"Lieutenant Commander Derek Smalls, the new kid in town."
"Well, I am the Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie, and if you don't mind, I would like to get to my office now." He stepped out of her path. "By the way, don't touch any of the Commander's things. He will be back in a couple of months, and it would be a shame for you to get settled in only for you to have to move again."
She sidestepped him and moved out of the office holding a picture of Mackenzie. Mac came to Jen's desk. "Jen will you put these things in my office for me?"
"Yes ma'am. Oh look, it is a picture of Mackenzie on the day the Commander found her at JAG."
"How do you know that Jen?"
"Well, she is wearing that cute jumper, and Commander Rabb didn't have any other clothes for her at the time. The Admiral is expecting you ma'am."
"Thank you Jen."
She knocked and waited for him to say enter. She entered and waited at attention for him to get off the phone.
"Take a seat Colonel. I heard you meet Commander Smalls today."
"Sorry about that sir. I didn't realize I had caused a ruckus."
"No need Colonel. I'm sorry to inform you that he is your new partner, at least until Commander Rabb gets back. I need you and him on a case, you may like this one, or you may not. After we assign cases, I want to see you and him in this office so we can discuss this case."
"Aye aye sir."
"Get ready for staff call Colonel."
She snapped to attention when he dismissed her and she made her way through the bullpen. She had plenty of time before the staff call, so she reached into her briefcase and pulled out a white flag with a red border and a blue star and hung it on her door. The deployed serviceman flag, she found one the other day and Mattie wanted her to buy it. She pulled a suction cup out and hung it on the glass door.
Sturgis came up and gave her a hug. "Superman will be home soon."
"Tell that to his kids." She gave him a sad smile.
"You know, I was wondering if I could take Mattie and Mackenzie out for ice cream one night."
"That would be great Sturgis," Mac said. "Mattie will look forward to hearing some of your adventures with Harm during the plebe summer."
They walked into the conference room and everyone stopped talking. "Guys, yes, my fiancé is gone, but he will be back."
"No ma'am, it's not that, all of us chipped in and bought a big deployed serviceman's flag and we were going to put it up in the room." Bud said quickly, "Where should we put it?"
Sturgis took out a small hammer, "Great minds think alike Mac."
The admiral picked that moment to enter with Commander Smalls. "The commander's service flag should be flown on the conference room doors." The admiral proclaimed. After Sturgis hung it, he started the meeting.
"Everyone, I would like to introduce you to Commander Smalls, he is temporarily filling in for the Commander. A little bit you may want to know about the Commander, just so we can stop scuttlebutt, he has worked as an engineer in the Nuclear School, graduated from there in 1990, worked for awhile then went to University of South Carolina Law School. He will be partnered with Colonel Mackenzie. Any questions?"
"No sir." Replied the staff. He handed out cases and then requested Mac's and Commander Smalls presence.
He handed them a file folder. "Ensign Justine Kromer has been accused of downloading a virus on an F-14. The captain wants her charged with article 108, destruction of military property."
Mac raised an eyebrow. "Why do I sense there is a but in there somewhere?"
"Because there is Mac. She claims she is innocent, and there isn't any evidence, and wants an investigation."
"There's not much here in the case file. It seems to be an open and shut case. Where is she being held?"
"The Patrick Henry, naturally because of the accusations she is not allowed to perform her duties as a computer programmer out there, but Captain Ingles has her on galley duties."
"Isn't this something we would give to the shipboard JAG?" Commander Smalls brought up.
"Are you questioning my decision? Because it is wartime this could be looked at as an act of terrorism against a service member, hence I want my senior attorney and her trainee on the case."
"Damn," Mac swore softly. "How long will I be out there?"
"Don't worry Colonel, not to long. Can you set up adequate childcare?" Commander Smalls looked at her. He would have never pegged for to have been a mother.
"I believe that I am leaving my children in the best hands possible I mean between retired Admiral Chegwidden, a Petty Officer, and an ex-Russian military officer, I hope they could handle my children. I would be worried if they couldn't handle this."
Admiral Jonas gave a quick laugh. "Petty Officer Coates has your travel arrangements. You leave tomorrow."
Lunchtime was quickly approaching and Mac didn't know if she was going to be able to break away from her cases until the Admiral came to her office. "Colonel, I was downstairs and Ms. Mackenzie was getting all fussy. I suggest you take her out and spend some time with her."
"Yes sir." The admiral handed Mackenzie to her and she picked up the baby bag and took her outside for a picnic lunch. Mackenzie seemed to enjoy basking in the sunlight on that September day. Mackenzie was lying on her back reaching for her rattle when she saw a shadow standing over her.
"Da!" she squealed reaching for the man.
"Colonel, is she yours?" Commander Smalls inquired.
"Yes." She said picking Mackenzie up. "Sorry about her calling you Dad, or at least that is what we think it is. But she has been calling a lot of things Da lately." Mackenzie noticed it wasn't her dad and continued clapping her hands with Mac. Mac checked her internal clock and noted that it was time for her to go in.
"Colonel, if I may suggest something?"
"Go ahead Commander Smalls."
"Since we will be working together, you can call me Deek."
"Okay Deek. Is there something you need?"
"Nothing in particular."
"Well, if that is all for right now, then I must really get Mackenzie back upstairs for a nap before she has a meltdown." Mac picked up Mackenzie and the baby bag and headed for the building. She couldn't help but think the Deek wasn't quite what he seemed to be.
AN - I am almost finished with it - turns out to be around 79 chapters - lol - it will take a while to post them though, I have to study for my boards and I do all the proofreading. They will be posted soon, read and review.
