Disclaimer: Don't own JAG—just "playing" with the characters.
A/N: Sorry about that! I'm still very confused about the process of uploading and editing/adding chapters. Bear with me--and if someone can explain, in really clear, concise, and precise language, just how to do it without getting all frustrated, it would be much appreciated.
A/N: For my Reviewers: It's very gratifying to get positive reviews and especially those with additional comments. To "TalonKarrde847: You had a very good observation: see below—and that's what I get posting each chapter before the story's complete! LOL!
A/N: One thing bothers me a little about a lot of the fan fiction I've been reading here—there's more than just a little "hero worship" involved. I wanted to avoid that as much as possible—but fell "victim" to that tendency anyway. There was a mistake in Chapter Three that I've gone back and corrected. Again, my thanks go to TalonKarrde847 for pointing out the mistake. And this chapter has proven to be the hardest one to write, so far. Bear with me, people!
A/N: Lest anybody complain about the colonel's lack of use of "Rabb" as a last name, keep in mind, the colonel has been a professional woman for years—has fought very hard to achieve a certain degree of success, and would be very reluctant to abandon a very important element of self-definition like a name with success attached to it. In her social/private life, that's a whole different "kettle of fish".
Chapter 4: "They're Ba-a-a-a-c-k!"
1400 (Military Time) (2:00 p.m. Civilian Time) (Local Time)
HQ JAG
Falls Church, VA
Three weeks after the transfer orders came down
At 1355, Greg made sure he was near the entrance to the JAG bullpen. He truly did have a notation for one of the petty officers in the bullpen to look up—but he timed it so he would ask him/her (he didn't care who looked up the notation) around 1400. Sure enough, at 1400, he looked at the door, and there they were—Captain Rabb was holding the door open for the Colonel. Greg squinted, but at this distance, he couldn't tell if they were wearing wedding rings or not. What he did notice was the colonel was out of uniform, dressed in a tailored cream colored suit that showed off her figure in as much detail as her green marine uniform ever did. There was something about her, a glamour shining through that was never apparent when she was in uniform
"Attention on Deck!" One of the Marine guards now posted at the door as a result of the attacks on 9/11, yelled out and the entire bullpen came to attention and now knew of their arrival. Greg wondered about that—he suspected not every captain in the fleet received that kind of "welcome"—but then he remembered Captain Rabb's new position: one step removed from the JAG himself. Military protocol at work, he thought.
They came through the door and Captain Rabb brought them all back to ease. "As you were." There was an easy confidence and authority that hadn't been there before—not that the arrogance/self confidence had ever been lacking. But the captain seemed much more "settled" than he had been in the last couple of years at headquarters. Greg wondered about that—and then he glanced at their hands. Sure enough: Captain Rabb was sporting a gleaming gold wedding band on his left hand and the colonel had a wedding set on hers. Inwardly, Greg smirked to himself. "Well, the captain had managed to bed the colonel and that had to be confidence booster . . . "—a dream he himself had had on more than one occasion. He had conveniently stationed himself where they couldn't help but see him on their way to the General's office. The colonel, as she came closer, nodded coolly to him.
"Lieutenant," was her only comment. He noticed Captain Rabb had a tiny smile gracing his face. He himself was friendlier, actually coming over to shake his hand.
"Well, Lieutenant, how's it going?" Greg extended his hand in greeting, surprised at the effusive greeting. He saw the amused glance the colonel tossed their way and the answering, amused—and almost challenging glance--the Captain tossed her way. The tiny smile broadened into a grin.
"Fine, sir. How is London? —and congratulations," he paused to include the colonel, "to both of you on your marriage." He could imagine the women in the bullpen were just dying to know the details—and he himself was mildly wondering when and where.
"Thank you." Captain Rabb's face winced a fraction. He paused, and then added, "London is foggy, cold, and damp." The colonel just laughed at his response.
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, Greg saw the two newcomers, Captain Krennick and Commander Austin, come shooting out of their respective offices. This should be interesting, thought Greg, as he remembered what he had heard at lunch those three weeks ago.
He saw the Captain pause, survey Captain Rabb, and he could picture the mental wheels in her head spinning considering what approach to take. There was no such hesitation on Commander Austin's part. She hurried up to Captain Rabb, stood at attention, and greeted him. "Sir! It's good to see you again. And congratulations on both your promotion and your marriage."
Captain Rabb's wide grin (did Greg hear the colonel mutter under her breath, "Flyboy grin armed and launched!) appeared on his face. He said, "At ease, Commander. It's good to see you again!" A pause, a glance at the colonel, then, "How the hell are you, Meg?" Without waiting for her answer, he extended his arm to the colonel. The Commander shifted into the "at ease" position and then grinned back at the captain. "May I introduce you to my wife? Meg, meet Mac." Turning back to the colonel, he touched the Commander's elbow and pulled her forward for the introduction. "Mac, meet Meg Austin, my first partner."
Greg heard the colonel's soft voice took on an intimate intonation he was sure was for Captain Rabb's ears only, "Sailor, I'm glad you remembered I was here!" The colonel stepped forward extending her hand. Commander Austin extended her hand to meet it. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard a lot about you, all good, I assure you."
Commander Austin's grin had a wholesome-down-to-earth element to it as she responded to the colonel's friendly tone of voice. "Yes, ma'am." There was the slightest pause, and then, "I couldn't wait to meet the woman who tamed the 'untamable' Rabb!" This time, the colonel's laughter was loud enough to echo through the entire bullpen.
"I bet we could exchange stories, then."
If possible, the Commander's grin got wider and friendlier. "Yes, ma'am." Greg saw her give the Captain a mischievous look and then give the colonel a slight bow of the head. "I think I would like that."
At that, the Captain leaned back and groaned. "Oh, man! Mac, maybe this wasn't such a good idea?" Greg saw the Captain give both women a look of innocence. "You wouldn't gang up on one 'helpless' male, would you?" At this, both women just grinned and glanced at each other. Greg saw the colonel nudge in the Captain's ribs.
"Flyboy, you're far from helpless!" The grins on the surrounding faces got wider and bigger, if that was possible. Greg found himself grinning.
At that moment, Captain Krennick stepped forward. "Captain, it's good to see you." Greg winced at the frosty tone to the voice and saw a guarded look come on both Captain Rabb's and the colonel's faces. What was more interesting to Greg was the colonel's instant reaction to the new voice in the mix—she stepped up to and just in front of Captain Rabb. In turn, the Captain put his left hand on the small of her back. Inwardly, Greg grinned—he recognized that signal: she's marking her territory! Oh, he was so glad he had stationed himself at this point. He wouldn't miss this for the world. If he "read" Captain Krennick correctly—and that was no guarantee, since Captain Krennick had only been in the office for three weeks--, a battle royal over Captain Rabb was about to commence. This was going to be entertaining for more than one reason: it's not every man who gets to see two women fighting over him, and Captain Rabb seemed to be extremely uncomfortable with the situation. Greg tried to shrink even smaller into the background to observe what would happen next. He wondered briefly what that would feel like, never having experienced that for himself.
""Captain." It was a polite nod.
Captain Krennick came up to stand next to Captain Rabb, just a shade on this side of inappropriate. Greg saw the look of annoyance flash across the colonel's face and then it was buried beneath a face displaying nothing more than polite interest. "It's been a few years."
"Yes, it has." Captain Rabb was clearly on the defensive.
"Who is this?" Captain Krennick's voice took on the voice of command and demand, a decidedly unpleasant combination few people could resist while cringing inwardly. Certainly Greg felt a couple of inches shorter than he already was.
"Captain, meet Sarah MacKenzie, my wife." There was a proprietary and protective tone to Captain Rabb's voice.
Before Captain Krennick could respond, the general arrived. Again, the bullpen came to attention as the Marine guard announced, "Attention on Deck." He waved an arm in the general direction of the bullpen. "As you were," and turned to face the group congregated by the door. "Ah, I see you made it! I'm sorry I was detained." He shook hands with both Captain Rabb and the colonel. "How long are you in town?" He invited them to move towards his office with an arm extended in front of him. Captain Rabb leaned down to pick up his briefcase, still keeping his other hand on the colonel's back.
It was the colonel who answered him. "Four days. We've lot a number of 'loose ends' to tie up." He heard the General laugh.
"That's the way moving always is. Always details." Greg thought he saw a significant glance tossed Captain Rabb's way. "Come on in my office. I believe you have some information for me. . ."
Captain Rabb made ready to follow the general. He said, "Before we go into your office, one detail to be handled is 'the wetting down'. There just wasn't enough time to plan that." He shook his head, looked at the general and the general nodded. "We just reserved a private room at McMurphys for anyone who wants to show up tonight—2000 hrs." The general nodded to Jen, who had lingered behind Greg somewhere.
"Take care of it, Coates." Jen nodded and added, before she walked back to her own desk.
"It was good to see both of you, sir."
"Same here. We'll see you tonight?"
"Yes, sir, ma'am. Wouldn't miss it for the world."
The Captain nodded to the two newcomers, and bent over to kiss his wife. "Sarah, I'll call you when I'm through."
Greg thought he heard the faintest of chuckles. "That was the plan. Take care of yourself, Sailor." He thought he saw her coldly survey Captain Krennick. "Don't let the—"and Greg swore she was searching for the appropriate phrase/word without offensive to others who might possibly be offended if she used the "b" word, "bloodsuckers get to you." She turned to the General. "Before you go, do you know where Commanders Roberts and Turner are?"
They were making their way to the general's office as they spoke. The general nodded. "They're in court." Greg thought he saw a sigh of disappointment come out of the colonel.
"I had thought to talk to either one and/or both of them before I left." She shook herself and gave the General a brilliant smile. "That's okay. I'll catch them later—or, better still, I'll call Harriet. I was going to do that, anyway."
"They'll be sorry they missed you." Greg thought he detected a note of regret in the general's voice. The general gestured to Captain Rabb. "After you." The captain and the general went into his office and closed the door. Greg regretted, not for the first time, not being a fly on the wall. He turned his attention to the colonel and the two new comers who were left standing just outside the General's door. There was enough tension in the air—Greg decided the most comparable analogy he could come up with at the moment was "cold air, generated by dry ice."
"Ladies," the colonel nodded, getting ready to leave. There was a noticeable thawing out when she spoke to Commander Austin. "I'll see you tonight?"
Commander Austin's response was enthusiastic. "You bet! I wouldn't miss it." Commander Krennick, who hadn't said a word, just nodded. Greg thought he saw more than just a degree of frustration on her face. Inwardly, he grinned. Round one to the colonel. This was going to be v-e-r-y interesting, the change in venue to a less structured scene. He found himself looking forward to the "wetting down". He turned and went back to his office, grabbing the notation research the petty officer in the bullpen had managed to look up while all of this was going on. In the meantime, he had a case to work on.
TO BE CONTINUED. . .