1505 ZULU
HARM AND MAC'S RESIDENCE
MCLEAN, VIRGINIA

Mac was sitting on the couch folding laundry when she heard the garage door open. A moment later, she heard the door leading to the house open and she called out, "Harm, I was just thinking. Do you want to tell everyone about the baby today or what until we know the gender ..." she trailed off when Harm entered the living room and she saw the look on his face. "Harm, what happened?" she asked, concerned.

Harm threw himself down on the couch next to her and leaned back, closing his eyes. "That obvious, huh?" he asked wearily.

"To me, yes," Mac replied, clasping one of his hands in hers. "Please tell me what's wrong."

"I ran into Krennick at JAG," he replied. "It wasn't pleasant, to say the least."

"Do you want to tell me about it?" she asked, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Want to? No," he said. He'd like to forget Krennick even existed. "But you should know. First, she suggested that I had been trying to avoid her by being in Texas."

"Rather arrogant of her, isn't it?" Mac commented. "The Admiral sent you to Texas before we even knew she was coming."

"I know," Harm said. "Maybe she thought I was dragging out the investigation there so that I could stay away from her as long as possible."

Mac snorted. "Yeah, you stayed away trying to avoid her, but yet you came home a day early," she said in disbelief. "So what happened next?"

"She made a point of mentioning that we are now the same rate," he told her. "I called her 'Commander' and she suggested that it was okay for me to call her 'Allison' since we now hold the same rate. Then she suggested that I might want her to stick around past her temporary assignment, that maybe there could be something between us now."

"And, of course, she didn't hear you when you said 'no'," Mac guessed.

"That was always her problem," he said. "She only heard me when it was convenient for her to do so, like when she wanted to 'disassociate' herself from me during Diane's murder investigation. Anyway, I told her that I was involved with someone."

"What did she say to that?" she asked.

"First, she said she hoped it wasn't the woman I'd been involved with when I first met her. When I told her no and that my personal life was none of her business, she pressed further, wondering what my girlfriend could give me that she couldn't."

"Oh, I don't know," Mac said sarcastically, "maybe a lifetime of love and a couple of children for a start." She looked up at Harm and caught a hint of a smile on his face. "At least I got you to smile a little," she added.

"After my conversation with her, it's hard to find something to smile about," Harm pointed out. "I answered her question by telling her we are getting married in five weeks. She said something to the effect that she'd believe that when she saw it."

"Well, don't expect me to invite her to the wedding just so she can see it for herself," Mac said.

"Maybe when hell freezes over," he said, grinning now. "I told her I didn't care what she believed and I tried to leave."

"Tried?" Mac questioned. "She stopped you."

"This is the point where the conversation got ugly," he told her.

"'Got ugly'?" she countered. "So what was it up to this point?"

Harm shrugged. "Okay, got really ugly," he amended. He was silent for a moment, pondering how to reveal what had happened.

"So what happened next?" she prodded him.

"She said that she supposed she should be glad I wasn't involved with you," he answered. "Then she threw in a comment about your resemblance to Diane. I got very angry, told her she was out of line and left."

"So she doesn't know that I'm your fiancée?"

"I was so mad at that point that I didn't feel the need to enlighten her," he replied. "I guess I figured that if I said anything more, it would get even uglier."

"In other words," she said, "you thought she might suggest that you were involved with me because of my resemblance to Diane."

"Yes," he admitted. After another moment of silence, he began, "Do you ever wonder ... No, forget what I was about to ask. I know better."

"Yes, you do," she told him, pulling away from him so that she could look him in the eye. "Harm, I know you're upset about Krennick, but don't let her get to you like that. We made our peace with Diane's ghost a long time ago. Don't let her cause you to doubt yourself or us."

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "Like I said, I do know better. And you're right in that I shouldn't let her get to me. We need to concentrate on our wedding and our babies. Nothing else should matter right now."

"Of course, that's easier said than done," Mac pointed out, "or we wouldn't even have to have this conversation. It's been bothering me too. I've almost felt this week like I know there's a bomb and I'm just waiting for it to go off. I even had a long talk with Sydney on Wednesday after my appointment. I thought it might help to have an objective listener."

"So what did she have to say?" he asked.

"Just that I should talk to you about what I was feeling and to trust in our love," she told him. "Nothing I didn't already know, but I think it helped a little to have someone else say it."

"True, but I don't know that will be enough against Krennick," he said. "Not that I think she can drive a wedge between us, but she can create a lot of stress that we don't need right now."

"What do we do?" Mac mused. "We ignore her and it's like giving her license to continue pursuing you and causing problems. We back her into a corner by going to the Admiral and we risk her lashing out."

"You know, we're unfortunately not going to solve the problem right here, right now," Harm said. "Why don't we make a deal to forget about it for the rest of the weekend and if anything happens Monday at work, we deal with it then."

Sounds like a plan," Mac agreed. "On another topic, we both need some cheering up and I've got just the perfect thing. Hold on a minute." She got up and left the living room, returning a moment later with an envelope which she handed to Harm.

"I know it's not quite as big as telling you that we're going to have at least one daughter," she said as he opened the envelope and pulled out the invitation that was inside. The invitation was ivory in color with a rose design embossed in pearl at the upper left and lower right corners on the front. Inside on the left side were the words to the song "The Rose" which they had danced to at the Surface Warfare Ball. On the right –

Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Catherine Mackenzie
United States Marine Corps
and
Commander Harmon David Rabb, Jr.
United States Navy
request the honor of your presence
at their wedding
Saturday, the thirtieth of September
at ten o'clock in the morning
Cathedral of the Navy
United States Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland
Full dress uniform invited

"These turned out very nice," he said, pulling her into his arms. "I didn't think they'd be done this soon."

"Well, I'm sure that you remember how Sydney, your mom and I had picked out the design and decided on the wording the day after we first called Annapolis," she said. "Once we went there and confirmed 30 September as the date and set the time, your mom called the printer and offered them a bonus if they had the invitations ready in a week. I picked them up Thursday when I got off work. I had dinner with Sydney and the Admiral that night and we worked on addressing them. With the exception of those that we planned to hand deliver to our friends in the DC area, the invitations were all mailed out yesterday. I figured that we could hand out the invitations to the people at JAG together at the game this afternoon."

"That will work," he said. "So what else happened on the wedding front while I was gone?"

"We're going to discuss it with everyone at the picnic after the game," she told him, "but the run down is that the designer your mom found FedEx'd some sketches for the dresses for the bridal party and Chloe. I'm pretty sure which ones I want, but I was going to show the sketches to Sydney, Harriet, Jackie and Carolyn to get their input. I've already shown Chloe the sketch of her dress and she loved it. Gunny has a line on the roses and Singer contacted the caterer. That reminds me, I've got some suggested menus from the caterer. We need to decide on the menu for the reception within the next few days. Let me see, what else? The organist from the chapel faxed over suggestions for music during the ceremony itself. Tiner has arranged for all the non-flower decorations for the reception, Carolyn found a baker and got a price list and design suggestions for the cake, and Alan found a DJ for the reception. The DJ would like us to provide a list of the songs we definitely want played at the reception – the first dance, dances with the family, as soon as possible. He said he'd provide a list of other songs to play so we could make suggestions or veto a selection. I think that's it so far."

"Sounds like everything is coming together rather well," he commented.

"Let's see if you still think that in a few weeks when we're all running around going crazy, convinced that nothing is going to come together in time," she teased.

"Oh, ye of little faith," he teased in return. "With so many people helping out, how can it not come together?"

-----

1650 ZULU
JAG vs. MILITARY POLICE SOFTBALL GAME
WASHINGTON, DC

Harriet shifted her son into a more comfortable position on her hip as she walked towards the bleachers while Bud unloaded his equipment and their cooler from the minivan. She caught sight of Meg, Kate and Jon Williams and waved in greeting. "Nice to see you could make the game," she said. "I'm sure you could use the break from the Johns and Hodge cases. Did Commander Krennick come with you?"

"Hello ... Lieutenant Sims, isn't it?" Meg said. "The Commander is going over some files at JAG, but she gave the rest of us the day off. I love coming to these games. I used to play for the JAG team when I was stationed here."

"Please just call me Harriet," she replied, holding on to AJ just a little tighter as he squirmed in her arms, trying to get down. "AJ, you can get down when we get to the bleachers," she told her son.

"What a cute little boy," Kate said. "How old is he?"

"Fifteen months," Harriet replied with a smile on her face. She never passed up the opportunity to talk about her son. "His name is AJ, but you'll often hear him referred to as little AJ to distinguish him from big AJ over there." She nodded towards the Admiral, who was on the field throwing warmup pitches to Tiner. She noticed her husband walking towards them and called to him, "Bud, I want you to meet the lawyers I was telling you about."

Bud joined them and immediately recognized two of them. "Lieutenants Pike and Austin, it's good to see both of you again," he greeted them.

"Hello, Bud," Meg said. "It's good to see you again. I hear you're a lawyer now. I'm glad to hear JAG is working out for you."

"Thanks to your recommendation," Bud reminded her. "It has been great. I graduated third in my class at law school and I've been fortunate to have learned so much from Commander Rabb and Colonel Mackenzie."

"It's a pleasure, Bud," Kate said. "I'm a Lieutenant Commander now. What about you? I'm sure you've moved past Ensign."

"Full Lieutenant now," he replied. "I got promoted around the same time I graduated law school. Where are you two working these days?"

"I'm out in Hawaii at the Pearl office," Meg told him. "Kate has just left Okinawa and will be transferred to Pensacola when we wrap up these cases. By the way, Bud, this is Major Jon Williams from the San Diego office. Jon, this is Lieutenant Bud Roberts, one of the lawyers at JAG headquarters. Jon and Commander Krennick are handling the Johns case while Kate and I are prosecuting Chief Hodge."

"Commander Krennick is here, too?" Bud asked, astonished and a little worried. He was one of the few who knew of the history between Harm and Allison.

"Bud, I didn't know you knew Commander Krennick, too," Harriet said. "When did you meet her?"

"She was part of a JAG team that came to the Sea Hawk when one of our officers was murdered the night we docked in Norfolk," he told his wife. "That's where I met Meg, too. She and Commander Rabb were the other members of the investigative team. I met Commander Pike during an earlier JAG investigation aboard the Sea Hawk."

"I didn't know that or I would have mentioned to you they were here," Harriet said.

AJ began squirming in Harriet's arms again, reaching out for something behind his mother. She turned and saw Harm and Mac walking towards them.

"Unca Harm, Aun Mac," AJ squealed. Reaching the group, Mac held out her arms and Harriet handed AJ to her. After her hug, he quickly demanded Harm's attention. "Unca Harm, plane," he pleaded, holding his arms out to Harm. Harm set down the equipment and cooler he was carrying, taking AJ from Mac and lifting him above his head while the other adults watched in amusement.

"Bud, Harriet, you'd better watch those two together," Mac teased. "Harm might be a corrupting influence on AJ."

"Very funny, Marine," Harm shot back.

"Well, Colonel, it's good practice," Bud joked. "In a few months, he can provide a corrupting influence for your children." Everyone laughed at the look of mock horror that crossed Mac's face as she shook her head.

Handing AJ back to Harriet, he hugged Meg then Kate. "Meg, Kate, it's good to see both of you again," he told them. "I'd heard you two were in town."

"It's good to see you again, too, Harm," Meg said warmly. "You heard that Commander Krennick came with us?"

Harm nodded and something in his expression told Meg that Krennick was a topic that was best not pursued, so she quickly changed the subject, "How was your investigation in Texas?"

"Pretty cut and dried," he said. "There was a mechanical problem with the navigation equipment in the Tomcat which caused it to come in off course and the pilots in both planes compounded the problem by panicking. Both were relatively inexperienced."

"Sorry, Harm, I almost forgot," Meg said. "Commander Harmon Rabb, this is Major Jon Williams. He's also part of the prosecution team."

Harm held out his hand and Jon shook it. "Welcome to Washington, Jon," Harm greeted him.

"Thank you, Commander," Jon replied. "I've heard a lot about you and I am glad to finally meet you. Commander Krennick has spoken about you a lot."

Harriet noted to pained expression that briefly flashed in Mac's eyes at the second mention of Krennick's name and decided to see if her friend needed someone to talk to. Obviously, there was some kind of problem there.

Harm ignored the mention of Krennick and suggested with a glance at Mac and Harriet, "Why don't we go sit down? I'm sure Harriet and Sarah both need to get off their feet."

"Amen to that," Mac said to Harriet. "I'm beginning to move into the stage where my feet hurt all the time and my ankles are swollen."

"I wish I could tell you that would pass," Harriet replied, "but you can look forward to more of the same for the rest of the pregnancy."

"Wonderful," Mac muttered. "Also I discovered today the joy of trying to tie ones shoes while pregnant."

Harriet laughed, "I know what you mean, but that's what we have the guys for."

Mac laughed in return. "I discovered that one today, too," she said. "What would we do without them?"

"Well, we wouldn't be in the position we are now without them," Harriet joked.

"This is true," Mac replied while everyone laughed.

"Sounds like my wife when she's pregnant," Jon commented.

"How many children do you have, Major Williams?" Harriet asked.

"Please, call me Jon when I'm out of uniform and we have three," he replied. "Our youngest is just four months old."

"It must be hard being away with such a young baby at home," Harriet commented.

"Yes, but you can't exactly tell the brass to stuff it if they want you to go somewhere," Jon said. "I bought a digital camera recently and I insisted that my wife e-mail me pictures of the baby everyday while I'm gone so at least I will recognize him when I go home."

"That's a great idea," Harriet enthused. "I wish we'd thought of it when AJ was born. Bud went out on a lot of investigations the summer after AJ was born."

"Poor Bud, missed so much because we were short handed at JAG," Mac teased, earning her a stern look from Harm. "You know, Harriet, a digital camera might have come in handy when we were scanning those pictures to e-mail to the Patrick Henry. Then again, if AJ's godfather had stayed ..."

Harm interrupted, "Ha, ha, very funny, Marine."

"I thought so," she shot back, smiling.

"Hey, are you people going to stand there and talk all day," AJ called out, "or are some of you planning to play ball? Talk about the wedding after the game."

"Were we talking about the wedding?" Mac asked. "I don't think I've even heard the word since we got here." Harm, Bud and Harriet all shook their heads while Meg, Kate and Jon looked slightly puzzled.

"Regardless, Rabb, Roberts, get out here," AJ said.

Harm and Bud set everything except their bats and gloves on the bleachers, then headed towards the field at a trot while everyone else joined Sydney and Jackie on the bleachers.

"So, who's getting married?" Jon asked.

"I am," Mac replied, careful not to say more. After what had happened with Krennick, she was a little unsure how Meg and Kate would react to the news that it was Harm she was marrying. "Five weeks from today. Since I was in the hospital, everyone has been chipping in on the planning."

"If you don't mind my asking," Meg said, "how is the chain of command thing being handled? I assume one of you is going to have to transfer out of JAG." At Mac's puzzled look, she continued, "Dr. Walden mentioned it when we interviewed her for the Hodge case. She was concerned about how quickly the case was going to be wrapped up, said you didn't need the stress with the wedding coming up and everything."

Mac looked at Sydney. "You worry too much," she said. "I'm handling everything just fine."

"You can understand my concern," Sydney replied, "especially after our talk on Wednesday."

"That situation is different," Mac said. "And anyway, I did take your advice and talk to him about it. We're taking a wait and see approach. Maybe we'll be lucky and nothing will happen."

Mac looked back at Meg and replied to her earlier question, "I don't mind your asking. It's not like it's a secret or anything. Actually, Harm is taking a job as a military liaison on the Hill. He'll be kind of 'on loan' to JAG when he's not busy there."

"Sounds like a good arrangement," Kate commented. "Congratulations on the wedding and on the babies. Someone mentioned that you're having twins."

"Thank you," Mac said, relieved that Kate and Meg both seemed to be taking the news well. Now she only had Krennick to worry about. "And yes, we're having twins in February. Anyway, I didn't know you two were going to be at the game today or I would have brought your invitations to the wedding with me. Harm figured that he'd talk to you both on Monday about coming."

"Watch Harm get married? I wouldn't miss it," Meg said enthusiastically. "You said the wedding's five weeks from today, right? Where is it going to be?"

"That's right," Mac confirmed, "and it's going to be at the chapel at Annapolis."

"We'll probably still be around then," Kate said, smiling. "Meg's right, we wouldn't miss seeing Harm get married for the world."

"Speaking of the wedding," Harriet asked, "did you bring the sketches?"

"Yes, I did," Mac replied, pulling the FedEx envelope out of her bag. She handed it to Harriet, who pulled out the sketches while Sydney and Jackie looked over her shoulder.

"I love this one for the wedding dress," Sydney said, indicating the top sketch. "I don't know if I'd go with white, though. With your coloring, I think you'd look better in ivory."

"I agree," Jackie concurred, glancing at the other sketches. "I like this wedding dress best."

"Glad to hear that," Mac said, "since that's the one I like best, too. And I was planning to stay away from white and go with ivory anyway since this is my second marriage."

"I don't think anyone pays attention anymore to the idea that only a first time bride can wear white," Harried pointed out. "But I do agree with Sydney; I think ivory would look better with your coloring. What about for the bridesmaids?"

Mac pulled a sketch out of the stack and place it on top. "I like this one best," she said. "It's simple and can easily be adjusted for Harriet."

She pulled out another sketch. "The flower girl's dress is a smaller version of the bridesmaids' dress, but I was planning to go with ivory for that, same as my dress," she said. She pulled a smaller envelope out of her bag and pulled out two fabric samples. "I was thinking of these colors for the bridesmaids, the darker one for Harriet and the lighter one for everyone else," she continued. "I didn't want to go too light on the bridesmaids dresses since it will technically be a fall wedding."

"I think these are perfect," Jackie said. "I think this color will look good on all of us. When's the first fitting?"

"If everyone's available, then we can all meet at my house next Saturday morning," Mac said. All three women quickly assured Mac that they were available. "Now I just need to see if Carolyn is available," she added, "and get Harm out of the house that morning."

"I could bring AJ with me and you could suggest that Harm take Bud flying," Harriet suggested. "They haven't gone in a while and Bud really misses it."

"There's an idea," Mac said thoughtfully. "That's probably one of the few guaranteed ways to get Harm out of the house. Tell him to go flying. He hasn't been since we found out I'm pregnant, so he'll probably jump at the chance."

"Does he still have that yellow Stearman that he restored?" Kate asked.

"Of course," Mac replied.

"A Stearman is an old World War I-era biplane, isn't it?" Jon asked.

"Yes," Mac answered. "His grandfather earned his Navy wings in a similar plane. Harm's dad bought the plane and they were going to restore it together. After his dad went MIA, the plane sat on his grandmother's farm until Harm started restoring it after his crash."

"I remember the first time I went up in that plane," Meg said. "He was doing all these rolls and loops and I kept checking to make sure I was securely strapped into my seat."

"First time I went up," Mac related, "he gave me the controls and had me do a roll. Then I did a loop and had trouble pulling out of it. I'm terrified that I'm going to crash this plane into the ground and Harm is sitting in the rear cockpit laughing."

"From what I heard from Bud," Harriet interjected, "nearly crashing that plane into the ground was the least of your worries on that trip."

"Please, don't remind me," Mac joked. "After everything that happened on that trip, it took him six months to convince me to go back up with him and that was only after he promised to bring weapons in case we had to make another emergency landing."

"This is another story I don't think I've heard," Sydney commented as Mac groaned.

"Please, don't tell Sydney this story," she urged Harriet and Jackie. "She doesn't need to hear any more stories that she can use against me at my engagement party." While Harriet and Jackie both nodded, Harriet looked at Sydney and mouthed 'Later'.

-----

To be continued…