Tangled Up In You
Chapter Three
By LizD
Written Summer 2003
Spoilers – Through the End of Season 8
Tangled Up In You – Part 3
0856 EST
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Commander Harmon Rabb stepped off the elevator Monday morning ready to be back at work. He had been gone for nearly sixty days and it was time to get to back to his life. He greeted everyone and accepted and returned the well wishes that he was back. Bud of course was non-stopping talking and trying to catch Harm up on all the office goings on including how Colonel MacKenzie completely blew Commander Turner out of the water last week.
"She was very impressive, sir." Harm just nodded looking serious. He glanced toward her office. It was still dark.
He went to his own office to get settled back in. He did not bring all his stuff back, mainly because it was still in boxes in his garage and he didn't feel like digging it out. The only thing he did bring was the model of SARAH. Which took a prominent place on the credenza. There were some case files on his desk that were left for his review and he got to work on them right away.
There was a quick knock on the doorframe and Sturgis stepped into the room.
"Harm?"
"Sturgis. Come in. Sit down." He said matter-of-factly.
"Welcome back."
Harm nodded. "Thank you, good to be back."
"I'll bet. You missed the Muenster family reunion this weekend."
"I know. Not really in the mood."
"So, how did it go the other night?"
"The other night?"
"With Mac? I haven't seen or heard from you since you were determined to push another confrontation."
"Yeah, well. Not much to say." A darkness washed over his face.
"So? What happened?"
"What are you: an old mother hen or just a busy body? You were right, I was wrong. Enough said."
"What exactly was I right about?"
"Look, it doesn't matter." He went back to the files. "Mac and I have come to . . . an understanding . . . we agree. And let's just leave it at that."
"And you will be able to work together?"
"Yeah." He looked out toward the bullpen. Mac had just arrived. "We'll be fine . . . as good as can be expected under the circumstances."
"You're not telling me something."
"I am not going to give you a blow by blow."
"So there were blows?"
"Get out of my office, would you?"
"For what it is worth, I'm sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry about. What is meant to be will be and what isn't isn't."
"Hallmark philosophy coming from you? Now you are scaring me."
"How about a little basketball at lunch?"
"Sure, but don't think I am going to go easy on you."
"Easy on me? It is me that should go easy on you."
Sturgis was just about to walk out, when Mac appeared in the doorway.
"Good morning, commander." To Sturgis.
"Colonel."
"Commander," to Ham. "Welcome back." Her expression and tone of voice betrayed nothing.
"Thank you." His didn't either.
"The admiral would like to see all of us in his office, immediately."
Admiral's Office
Commander Rabb, Commander Tuner, Colonel MacKenzie and Lieutenant Roberts all entered his office.
"Reporting as ordered, sir." Commander Rabb taking the lead. Back less than an hour an already in charge.
"At ease." The admiral looked up over his glasses. "Commander Rabb, nice of you to join us."
"Thank you sir."
"Do you think you still remember how to be a lawyer?"
"Like riding a bicycle, sir."
"We'll see about that." He picked up a file on his desk. "Saturday night Petty Officer Markus Valentino disappeared during the third watch aboard the Evergreen."
"The Evergreen is a destroyer, isn't it sir?" asked the lieutenant.
"Yes it is, lieutenant."
"And I believe it is in the process of being decommissioned."
"Right again, would you like to try for Final Jeopardy?"
"Well, sir. They say the boat is haunted."
"Very good, lieutenant."
"Haunted, sir?" Harm asked.
"Yes, sir." The lieutenant continued. "There have been a number of unexplained accidents and more sailors have gone UA from that ship than any other ship in the fleet."
"What does that have to do with being haunted?" Harm asked.
"Well sir, when the sailors were found; they had no memory of leaving the ship or getting to where it was they were found."
"Sounds more like alien abduction." Mac offered from the back of the room.
"You won't find any ghosts, commander. Or little green men, colonel." Said the admiral. "Lieutenant since you apparently already know the back ground, you take lead on this investigation with Commander Rabb watching that you are not beamed up." He handed the commander the file.
"Yes, sir." Said the lieutenant nervously. "Sir, I am getting ready for the Lucsonne murder trial. Opening arguments are Thursday."
"Right. Ok well then, Colonel, your plate is clean after your resounding victory on Friday. You and Rabb, do a little ghost busting."
The room stilled as if all the air were sucked out a once. People tried not to look at either of them, but could not help themselves.
"Is there a problem?" The admiral said rhetorically.
"No sir." Said Mac.
"None, sir." Agreed Rabb.
"Good. Turner I have a little something for you too. It seems that there was a different kind of haunting on the Carver."
"The submarine, sir?"
"It seems the weapons officer, a Lonnie Anderson, brought a cat on board before they deployed."
"A cat sir?"
"Not just a cat, a pregnant cat. They were underwater for six months under war conditions. When they finally came up for air, there were nine cats running around that boat."
"Nine?"
"Conduct unbecoming, cruelty to animals, insubordination . . . the captain wants that officer's hide."
"Yes sir."
"See if you can make it go away, I don't need that ASPCA or Sailors Against Cat Fanciers on my doorstep."
"Yes sir."
"All right people, dismissed."
"Aye Aye sir."
They all turn to leave. "Commander Rabb, a moment."
Rabb remained behind.
"Yes sir."
"In order for this office to run effectively and smoothly, I need to know that I can assign my staff to any project at any time for any reason in a combination that I deem is appropriate. I need to know that everyone on my staff can put his or her personal issues on the back burner and work together in a cohesive fashion. I don't need or want any kind of disruption over something that has no business under this roof. Do I make myself understood?"
"Perfectly sir."
"Is there going to be a problem?"
He thought for a moment. He thought about playing dumb. He thought better of it. "None sir."
"See that it stays that way."
"Yes sir."
"Dismissed."
"Aye Aye sir."
Rabb left.
In the bullpen the group was laughing about the haunting of the Evergreen. Bud was not laughing. Harm approached and it got a little stiff.
"So welcome back, commander." Said Harriet.
"Thank you Harriet. You are glowing; absolutely glowing." He kissed her cheek.
"Thank you sir." She leaned into her husband a little. "Sir, will you be able to make it for dinner this Friday? Colonel, commander you both invited as well."
"Sure, I can be there." Rabb said.
"Thank you Harriet, a home cooked meal sounds wonderful." Turner offered.
"I will need to check my calendar, Harriet. Can I get back to you a little later?" Mac's voice was flat.
"Sure thing."
"Colonel?" Harm said holding up the file. "Your office or mine?"
"Yours in an hour, I have some unfinished business." She stepped away. Harm nodded and retreated to his office.
"Got some cat wrangling to do of my own." Turner left.
Harriet and Budd were looking from Mac to Harm.
"What do you think?" Harriet asked.
"Not sure. Either they are incredible actors -."
"We know that isn't true."
"Or they have come to a mutual understanding."
"In what universe?"
"Or this is the calm before the storm."
Bud stepped away. "More like Hurricane Harm-n-Mac. We better baton down the hatches."
Sixty-three Minutes Later
Rabb's Office
Mac was sitting at his desk reading through the file. Harm entered with two cups of Starbucks. Mac did not look up.
"I said an hour, commander."
"Yes ma'am. Sorry I am late ma'am." He placed the coffee down in front of her. "Caramel Cacchiato. Your favorite." She made no reply. "It has a lid on it so you won't 'accidentally' spill it."
At that she looked up. He had that damned grin on his face. Who told him that charm would get him through in life? "I thought we had an agreement, commander." She went back to reading the file.
"So I can't buy you a cup of coffee?" He looked disgusted. "Fine." He leaned down to pick up the cup. She reached it before he did and moved it out of his grasp.
"Thank you." She mumbled.
"Welcome."
"Don't let it happen again."
"No ma'am." He started to shut the door.
"Leave it open, commander."
He did and took a seat opposite. "So what do you think?"
"I think we are taking a little field trip to Norfolk."
"My thoughts exactly." He reached for the file and she sat back away from him. "But first --."
On that Petty Officer Coates came in with an armload of files. "Sir do you want these in here? The conference room is available."
"What are those?" Mac demanded.
"Files from all the other sailors who have gone UA from the Evergreen." He looked up at Jennifer and was surprised that there were that many. "The conference room would be great. Thank you."
"You are not seriously entertaining the notion that the boat is haunted or that these men were abducted by aliens?" She was appalled.
"Why not?"
"You should call Mulder and Scully to help us out on this one."
"Who?"
"Need to get yourself a TV Rabb. The X-Files? Nine seasons of will they or won't they? Did they or didn't they?"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Forget it." She stood up. "Looks like we have some reading to do." She picked up her coffee and left.
In The Conference Room
Mac and Jennifer were on one side of the table and Harm was on the other. They had spread the reports out by date. It seems that in the twenty-one year life span of this ship more than fifty men have had unauthorized absences. Of those fifty plus men, twenty-six could not be explained. All officers and all reported missing during the third watch and all were found in a town that they had never been before some sixty to a hundred miles away from the ship. None of them had memories of how they got there.
"Damned convenient of them to not remember how they got there." Harm stated.
"Men often conveniently forget what they don't choose to remember." Mac countered.
Coates felt the tension and tried to ignore it. No good.
"So what do you think, Petty Officer?" Harm dragged her in.
"Sir?"
"Do you think these men – all these men – are liars?"
"That seems pretty hard to believe, sir."
"Not for me." Mac said under her breath.
It was noted by the other two but not responded to. "So how did this ship get the reputation of being haunted?" She asked.
"It seems," Harm started. "That on the maiden cruise there was an accident. The boat did not get five miles off shore before there was an explosion in the engine room. Eight men lost their lives."
"So now these eight men haunt the ship?" Mac was amused.
Coates tried to help. "There are numerous reports that gauges were changed, large objects were moved, doors that were secured opened on their own and voices were heard in empty compartments."
"Things that go bump in the night." He nodded to Coates who was really trying to stay out of this.
"Are you suggesting that we entertain the possibility that the ship is haunted?" Mac continued.
"All possibilities should be entertained." He said.
"Right."
"How would a haunted ship or a ghost get a sailor to go UA?" Jennifer was trying to be serious, but this is so ridiculous even in her ears.
"Please, Petty officer, speak freely." Harm encouraged.
"Well, sir. The ghost could inhabit the man's body and . . . you know . . . compel him to leave the ship."
"Now we have ghosts taking human form?" Mac shook her head. "I can't go to the admiral with that."
"We are at the beginning of the investigation, Colonel." He scolded. "Please try to keep an open mind."
"That is pretty funny coming for you?" She jabbed and he glared. "Can we try to stay in the real world and entertain notions of what might really have happened?"
"All options should be considered." He said. "You certainly aren't dismissing out of hand the possibility that ghosts or other unexplainable events exist, not with the visions you have had."
"All I am saying is that usually the obvious answer is the one that is correct."
"Obvious to whom?" She glared at him. "Thank you Petty Officer." Jennifer just nodded. She felt like she was at the dinner table and Mom and Dad were just about to break into a huge fight. Good thing Harm and Mac were nothing like her real parents, she knew that there would be no throwing of food or sharp objects. She wasn't as sure about the death threats.
"What else can we get from these reports, Petty Officer?" Harm asked.
"Well," Jennifer started tentatively again. "This ship had the poorest fit rep in the Navy."
"Why is that?"
"Can't say sir, but nearly everything on the ship has been replaced two or three times. It has had more captains, officers and crew than any other. It was basically the ship that they send screw ups to. If you'll excuse me."
"Oh, kind of like Australia?" Harm jibbed.
"I think it is what is known as a lemon." Coates continued trying to cover for his remark.
"They kept it in service for twenty one years for some reason." Mac said not looking up.
"But if you notice, it has never seen one day of battle."
"A destroyer that never got a chance to destroy." He looked over at Mac. "I know how it feels."
"A destroyer that never had a chance of destroying was kept from killing everyone one aboard. Seems like good tactics."
"The ship should have been scrapped the day after its maiden voyage. It could have saved a lot of time and money and needless energy."
"If they had scrapped it they never would have known -."
"Know what? That is should have been used as a target?"
Jennifer stood up. "Ma'am, Sir. I need to check in with Lieutenant Roberts."
"Thank you Petty Officer, you may go."
"Thank you ma'am." She left and none too soon.
As soon as the door was closed, Harm looked back at Mac. She had her face in the files. He smiled. She was less than amused.
On the Basket Ball Court
Harm and Sturgis were getting near the end of their game. Both were covered in sweat and clearly enjoying the rivalry. Harm stole the ball, broke hard right and charged up the side, laid it up for a perfect dunk.
"That is game, buddy boy."
Sturgis leaned over and put his hand on his knees. He was breathing pretty hard. "You got it going on today, brother."
"Being back to work, got to love that 9 to 5."
"You just like how you look in uniform."
"Makes heads turn." Uh oh. Now he has done it. Opened the door for Sturgis to ask again about Mac.
"So, Harm, you seem to be dealing with this whole thing pretty well."
"Whole thing?" He tried to play dumb. "Oh you mean with Mac. Look it is no big thing. We talked it through. We were never really right for each other. God knows we fight about everything. It was all that built up anticipation. People thought we should be together and I guess we started believing our own press. But now we are fine."
"She doesn't seem fine."
"It will take her a little time to understand where the line is drawn in the sand and how close she can get to it."
"You don't have that problem?"
"Look, I lean over the line; I lean over it a lot, but I don't cross it. That is the fundamental difference between me and Mac."
"So you are telling me I should drop it?"
"Yes I am."
He threw the ball at Harm's chest. "Consider it dropped."
In the Conference Room
Mac was sitting at the table reading through the files. She had at least six she was comparing. She had stayed through lunch to get some work done and was grateful when Harm announced he had an engagement for lunch. Jennifer came back after checking in with Bud and continued to help them the rest of the morning. But when Harm left and Mac told Jennifer to go to lunch too. It was very nice to be alone.
Harriet poked her head in. "Do you have a moment, ma'am?" So much for that.
"Of course, Harriet." She motioned for Harriet to come in. "What can I do for you?"
Harriet entered and sat down caddy corner from her. "Nothing for me, ma'am. I was thinking about you."
"Me?"
"Yes, ma'am. I know how difficult it must be for you."
"Difficult?" She was either playing dumb or she was really confused by Harriet's demeanor.
"Yes, ma'am. Now that commander Rabb is back and things are not . . . well not as they used to be."
Mac leaned back in her chair and thought for a moment. "Harriet if we are going to have this conversation you should call me Mac."
"Yes, ma'am." She smiled.
"There is no situation with the commander. We are professionals. Our professional relationship is all that either one of us are concerned with maintaining."
"Really?"
"Yes, Harriet."
"I thought that – well I was under the impression that --."
"No. It turned out for the best. Really. Believe me."
"Really? You can just do that? Just be over it." She shook her head. "Are you going to be able to work together?"
"I don't see why not. We have worked together for seven years, there is no one I respect more in the court room."
"What about the rest of it? Socializing. Will you be able to be at my table for dinner without it being . . . sticky?"
"Harriet, we are both adults. I think we can break bread with each other – on a limited basis. And we are AJ's god parents, neither one of us will let what is going on with us affect that responsibility."
Harriet rose to leave; she paused and looked back. "For what it is worth, I am sorry it turned out this way."
"Thank you Harriet."
She left and Mac took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This was going to be much more difficult than she thought. If anyone had asked her a week ago if her life would take this turn she would never have bet money on it. Harm walked in looking vital and vigorous after his game with Sturgis. He had a bag from Beltway Burgers and one from the Noodle House.
"Did you eat?" He said as he dropped the burger bag down next to her.
"Had a salad."
"That'll get you through the next fifteen minutes."
"You can't keep doing this, Harm."
"Doing what?"
"Being nice to me like this."
"Why not? Just two people working together being civil."
She shook her head disapprovingly.
"You have to give me points for even ordering that slop. I can hear your arteries slamming shut right now."
She glared at him. "So now you are trying to kill me."
"Fine. I'll give it to Bud." He started to take the bag away. "Are you sure?" She took the bag back and rolled her eyes. "So what have you found?" He leaned over her shoulder to see what she was working on.
"Well all the reports seem to read exactly the same."
"Meaning."
"All the men were on third watch and were discovered no less than three days later about 60 miles from the ship."
"Good thing none of these happened at sea."
"Hmm. That is interesting."
"What?"
"The UAs only happened when the boat was docked in its home port."
"What do you make of that?"
"Not sure."
Harm had gotten pretty close to her. Too close.
"Commander, please step back."
He turned his face toward hers. They were inches apart. "Where is Coates?"
"She is working with Bud this afternoon." She was not looking at him.
"Just you and me?"
"Looks that way." She looked very uncomfortable. "Commander, step back."
"That's not what you said last night." He whispered in her ear.
She turned to look at him with a shocked expression on her face. Before she had a chance to say anything, he kissed her. She pulled herself away, pushed back from the table, and walked toward the door.
"We had an agreement, Commander." She scolded.
"I am aware of that." He was following her slowly toward the door.
"This is totally inappropriate and NOT what we talked about." She reached the door and put her hand on the knob.
"I guess I misunderstood our agreement." A few more steps and he would be on top of her.
"Willful disregard of a fellow officer, conduct unbecoming, noncompliance, unlawful detention – I can have you court martialed for this." He took that last two-steps.
"I guess I'll need a good lawyer."
"Good thing I am a good lawyer."
She flipped the lock on the door, grabbed him by the lapels, pushed his back against the wall and kissed him. He of course responded. This was still a couple steps down from a next-stop-wild-monkey-sex (NSWMS) kiss, but closer. A lot closer. They looked like they were pretty good at it too. Very good at it. It couldn't have been their first time. No issue with nose placement or where the hands – WHOA! Colonel! Um. We'll have to edit that in post. Still, it seemed very out of place in that room, in those uniforms and . . . wait . . . what? They are kissing? But I thought . . . Huh? What just happened here? What actually did happen the other night? What is this agreement that they had? Am I missing pages? Where is the script girl?
Please stand by … … … … … … … … … … … …
