2150 ZULU
HARM AND MAC'S HOUSE
MCLEAN, VIRGINIA

"Hey, is it safe to come in?" Harm called out, smiling, as he entered the house from the garage. He was in a good mood. He had just spent the day flying and it had felt good to be up in the air again, to feel the wind in his hair. And Bud, AJ and Alan had all enjoyed themselves also. It had been a very good day.

He nearly tripped over Jingo stretched out on his side on the floor of the foyer. At the disturbance, the dog lifted his head to look at Harm with tired eyes. Satisfied that nothing was wrong and Harm belonged there, Jingo laid his head back down and closed his eyes.

Harm continued into the living room and found Mac stretched out on the couch asleep, her head resting on her outstretched arm. She looked so peaceful in sleep, he reflected, as if she didn't have a care in the world. He leaned over and brushed a stray lock of hair away from her cheek, brushing a finger across the satin smoothness of her skin. Straightening, he turned to leave, not wanting to disturb her.

"Harm?" Mac asked sleepily, propping herself up on an elbow. Harm turned back to look at her.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, it's okay," she assured him, pushing herself into a sitting position as she rubbed her eyes. "I should get up anyway. I've been asleep for two hours and fourteen minutes."

Harm sat down next to her on the couch, gently rubbing her shoulders and back. "Did you fall asleep after everyone left?" he asked.

Mac nodded. "We had fun today, just sitting around and talking about the wedding and stuff," she explained, "but it was a little tiring, too. I thought I'd lay down and rest a little bit before I cleaned up, but I guess I was more tired than I thought."

As she spoke, Harm stood and started straightening the living room, picking up the papers and notebooks scattered around. "Harm, you don't have to do that," Mac insisted. "I'll take care of it."

"It's not a problem," he said as he put all the papers in a neat stack on the coffee table. "You want to get some more sleep? You could go upstairs and lie down for a while longer."

"No, I really don't want to lie down," she said, stifling a yawn. "So how was your day? Did you and the guys have fun flying?"

"Yes," he replied with a grin. "Bud was happy to go back up again and the Admiral and Mattoni enjoyed it, also. They can't wait to go up again."

"I'm glad everyone had a good time," she said. "I know you haven't been able to go flying as much recently, and I'm ..."

"No, don't say you're sorry," he insisted, walking over to her and placing a finger over her lips. "I don't mind having other things to occupy my time. As much fun as I had flying today, it's not as much fun doing things without you. I missed having you around today."

"Tell me that after we've been married for years," she teased with a chuckle, "and you're just dying to get away from the ball and chain."

"'Ball and chain', huh?" Harm echoed. "I'll never think that."

"So you say," she shot back with a grin. "I'm glad you had a good time today. We did, too. Even Loren was on her best behavior and I think Meg and Kate were happy to be included, also."

"That's definitely a noteworthy event," he commented. "So can I ask what you ladies talked about or is it something men aren't supposed to know?"

"Well, we talked about the wedding, of course," she replied, leaning against his chest as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. "Everyone is happy with the dress designs and the colors I picked out. Rachel Carlisle, the designer your mom found, is really great and she doesn't have a problem being available at the last minute to make sure Harriet's and my dresses fit. We're going to get together next Saturday morning for the first fitting of the actual dresses."

"I'm sure Bud, Mattoni and the Admiral will be happy to go flying again," he joked.

"I'm sure they will be," she said. "We also discussed whether I'm going to change my name after we get married."

"Well, are you?" he asked. "I mean, do you want to? I've never brought it up before because I thought it should be your decision. I didn't want it to seem like I was trying to influence you one way or the other."

"Actually," she said, "it wasn't much of a decision to make. After everything that has happened in my life and between us, I really want this to be a new beginning – not just for the two of us and our family, but for me, too." She shrugged. "I don't know if this is making any sense to you, but so much has happened in my life that I'm not proud of. Now, I can make a fresh start and try to put everything bad that's ever happened behind me."

"Sarah, I know you've had a lot of bad things happen in your life," he said, kissing the top of her head, "but going through all those things – and surviving them – has made you into the person you are today. They've made you the woman I fell in love with."

"I know, but I've been carrying around so much baggage for so long," she tried to explain, "that I want to try and start my – our new life together with a clean slate."

"Changing your name or not changing your name isn't going to change who you are," he pointed out.

"I know that," she said, "and it's not just that. Maybe it sounds a little old fashioned, but I would be proud to take your name. I don't feel that I have to keep going by Sarah Mackenzie to have a separate identity. I don't know. This probably isn't making much sense."

"No, I think I understand," he said. "So you want to change your name to Rabb, professionally as well as personally?"

"I've already asked Gunny to get together all the paperwork I need to change my name on my military records and to apply for a new ID card," she replied. "He's also ordered a new sign for my office door. Anyway, I think 'Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Rabb' has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" She finished by flashing him a bright smile.

"No more so than 'Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie'," he pointed out with a smile, "but it's your decision. Changing your name won't change who you are."

"You know, we also talked about names for the babies," she said. "I told them about the discussion we had last night."

"And what did everyone have to say?" he asked.

"Everyone agreed that they thought we would end up going with our first choices for names," she replied, "Sarah Patricia and Harmon Matthew. There's just one thing. I mean, it's not really that big a deal; it's just interesting. Has Bud talked about his and Harriet's baby to you?"

"Well, he did make some comments this morning about not being sure how to handle a daughter," he said. "You know, about not being able to teach a daughter the same things you would teach a son, that kind of thing."

"Who says you can't do the same things with a girl that you do with a boy?" she mused. "I mean, I'm a girl and I can kickbox. I can also field strip a weapon and am an expert marksman. So what's the big deal?"

"Well, I told him that I was planning to teach both our kids to fly," Harm pointed out with a grin. "Maybe after almost a year and a half with AJ, he's just used to having a boy around."

"I guess you two could learn together," she said, laughing. "Before you know it, those girls will have their daddies wrapped around their little fingers. Anyway, Bud didn't mention anything about potential names?"

"No," Harm said. "I take it Harriet did?"

"Well," she explained, "Harriet said they thought about doing the same thing they did with AJ and naming their child after someone important to them – in this case, two someones."

"And?"

"They decided on Sarah Harmony Roberts as a name," she revealed.

"I don't know what to say," he said hesitantly. "I'm certainly honored that they would want ..." he trailed off, realizing what she was getting at. "So our daughters would have the same first name."

"Looks that way," she said. "I don't really see what the big deal would be and everyone else agreed. Sarah is a popular name – unless I can talk you out of naming our daughter Sarah." She laughed so that he would know she was teasing him. "Anyway, I didn't think it would be right to suggest that Harriet and Bud name their baby something else."

"If Bud and Harriet don't mind our babies having the same name, I don't either," he told her. "Does that mean that you've reconciled yourself to naming our daughter Sarah?"

"Well," she said, "I still think Patricia Sarah would sound just as good, but I do understand why you would want to name a daughter after your grandmother."

"I don't know what I would have done without her after my crash," he said quietly. "She really helped me pick up the pieces and move on with my life in the Navy. I can't imagine naming my little princess anything else."

"'My little princess'," Mac echoed. "Not even born and she's already Daddy's little girl."

"Actually, that would be her name," Harm explained. "Didn't you know that? Sarah means 'princess'."

"I don't know if that really applies to me," she said with a trace of sadness in her voice. "Anyway, where did you find that out?"

Harm got up from the couch and pulled a book out of the bookshelf on the other side of the room. Sitting back down, he handed the book to her.

"You've been reading a book of baby names?" she asked.

"I got this before we found out that we were going to have a boy and a girl," he explained. "In fact, I bought it before we even knew we were having two. I was having a little trouble coming up with ideas for boy's names – aside from Matthew, obviously – so I thought this would come in handy. By the way, don't sell yourself short. You're my princess."

"Flatterer," she teased, playfully swatting him with the book. She flipped through the book until she found the listing for her name. "'Sarah' comes from Hebrew and means 'a princess'. Okay, smarty, what does 'Patricia' mean?"

"As I recall," he replied, "it has something to do with nobility also. It definitely fits with 'Sarah'"

Mac found the name. "It comes from Latin and means 'of noble birth'," she read aloud. "They do fit together as names." She flipped through the book again. "Hm, 'Catherine' means 'pure'. Yeah, right. That one doesn't really apply to me."

"Sarah," he said, rubbing her back. "Don't knock yourself. That's the woman I love you're talking about."

She decided to change the subject. "So, I wonder what Harmon means?" she mused, flipping pages again.

"I wouldn't know," he said with a shrug.

"Like you didn't look it up ... here it is," she said. "From the Greek or Latin and it means 'peace'." She started laughing.

"It's not that funny," he complained.

"I wonder what the Admiral would say," she said through her laughter. "Shooting off automatic weapons in court isn't very peaceable, now is it?"

"Very funny," he deadpanned. "I looked up 'Matthew'. It means 'gift of God'."

"Yes it does," she agreed once she found it in the book. "My uncle definitely was that for me." She turned back until she found Harm's middle name. "'David' means is Hebrew for 'beloved one'. I think that definitely fits you."

"So, does this mean you're willing to go with 'Sarah Patricia'?" he asked, rubbing her swollen tummy with his free hand.

"Are you willing to go with 'Harmon Matthew'?" she countered.

"Weren't you the one who once said that one Harmon Rabb in your life was enough?" he pointed out.

"But that was Clark Palmer pretending to be you," she reminded him. "Besides, if he's anything like his daddy, I'll have my hands full with him no matter what his name is. All he'll have to do is look at me, flash that smile and I'll melt."

"Really?" he mused, pulling her across his lap. "So I make you melt?"

"You know you do," she said softly, brushing his lips with hers.

"So does this mean we can name our daughter 'Sarah'?" he repeated hopefully.

"You don't give up, do you?" she teased, playfully swatting him. "Our daughter will be Sarah if our son is Harmon. If we want to avoid confusion, we could call them by a nickname or their middle names."

"I could see us calling our son 'Matt'," he mused. "I don't know about our daughter. I'm kind of stuck on the name 'Sarah'."

"Obviously," she laughed. "When was the last time I heard you call me 'Mac'?"

"I don't know," he shrugged, shifting her in his lap so that her back was against his chest so he could massage her belly in slow circles.

"I don't think I've heard you call me 'Mac' since we've been involved," she stated, leaning back into his embrace. "You've been calling me 'Sarah' all the time."

"Have I?" he asked idly. "I hadn't thought about it. I guess it's because I see you differently now – or I admit that I see you differently now. You're not just my best friend ... is this making any sense? Do you want me to go back to calling you 'Mac?"

"It makes some sense," she replied, "and as for what you call me, I like hearing you call me 'Sarah'. I don't know, it sounds special when you say it."

"You are special, Sarah," he said earnestly, reminded of when she had been doubting her self-worth, both in the past and a few minutes earlier. "And I don't want you to forget it."

-----

TUESDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER
1420 ZULU
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA

"Good morning, Harm," Clay said as he entered Harm's office and sat down.

"Don't you ever knock, Clay?" Harm asked, looking up from the report he was reading. "What can I do for you today?"

"'Hello, Clay. How are you doing today?'" Clay mimicked. Harm stared at him and Clay shrugged. "Actually, it's what I can do for you. Remember, I was supposed to be finding your old Academy roommate for you?"

"So, where is he?" he asked shortly.

"Geez, Rabb, what is with you today?" Clay asked, a little exasperated with his friend. Do a favor for a man ...

Harm dropped onto the desk the pen he had been fiddling with and sighed. "The attorneys are giving their opening statements in the Johns trial today," he explained.

"I'm sorry, Harm," Clay said, genuinely remorseful. "I'm surprised you're not in there."

"I can't be," he replied. "As a witness, I'm not allowed in the courtroom until they call me to the stand."

"I see," Clay said. He knew Harm was a man of action who didn't like sitting on the sidelines, waiting. He decided to change the subject back to the reason for his visit. "To answer your earlier question, Keeter is - and I don't think I have to remind you that this is classified – running air recon missions over Central America, looking for drug runners."

"Since when does Keeter do recon in drug cases?" Harm asked.

"Since we wanted someone who has worked with us before who can handle themselves if things get dicey," Clay pointed out.

"'Us' meaning the CIA," Harm said. "I don't know why Keeter keeps working for you."

The same reason you do, Harm," Clay reminded him. "He does his duty and he has a hard time staying away from the action. I haven't been in direct contact with him, but I have passed on the message that he will be pulled temporarily from his current assignment in a few weeks. We've already got someone ready to take his place while he's here."

"Thank you, Clay."

"See, that wasn't so hard, Rabb," Clay said. "I didn't tell him why he was being pulled – mission security, you know. And I thought you'd want to be the one to break the news to Keeter yourself."

"Since when is my wedding a threat to mission security?" Harm asked.

"Since no one is supposed to know Keeter is there," Clay explained patiently. "If we tell Keeter he's leaving for a wedding, the wrong people might start putting two and two together."

Harm shook his head. Sometimes, the Agency seemed a little too paranoid about security. "When is he supposed to get here?" he asked.

"I won't know for sure until I receive confirmation that he has received the message," Clay replied, standing, "but we're looking at pulling him out the weekend before. I've got a meeting at the Pentagon, so I'll see you later. Oh, and Mother said to tell you that she received the invitation and is looking forward to attending the wedding."

"We look forward to seeing both of you there," Harm said. "Thanks, Clay."

Harm watched Clay leave, a thoughtful expression on his face. He'd been turning something over in his mind for a while now, but he wasn't sure how Mac was going to feel about it. It couldn't hurt to look into it, he decided, picking up his phone.

"Gunny, can you come in here for a moment?" he asked, then hung up the phone.

A few seconds later, Gunny was standing just inside his doorway at attention. "You wanted to see me, Sir?" he asked.

"Take a seat, Gunny," he said. "I need a personal favor. I need you to get some information on this person." He wrote out some information on a piece of paper and handed it to Gunny. "And don't say anything to the Colonel. I'm not sure if I'm going to contact this person. I'd just like to know how to get in touch if I decide to."

Gunny looked down at the name on the paper and nodded. "Do you have any other information for me, Sir?" he asked. "Last known location, anything like that?"

"Not really," Harm admitted. "All I know that she was at her ex-husband's deathbed in California in the spring of 1999, which was the first time the Colonel had contact with this person since she was fifteen. I wrote down her husband's name, date and location of death. Maybe you can trace where she went from there. I'm sorry I don't have more for you, but the Colonel doesn't really know much, either."

"I'll get on this as soon as possible," Gunny said.

"Thank you, Gunny," Harm replied. "Dismissed."

After Gunny left the office, Harm turned in his chair to look out the window. He hoped he was making the right decision. He still wasn't sure that he was going to contact her, especially if it was going to upset Mac. But maybe with her talk of new beginnings, maybe Mac would be willing to see her mother again.

-----

1625 ZULU

"Hello, Colonel," Jon Williams greeted Mac as he and Allison entered the JAG kitchen after court broke for lunch.

"Commander, Major," Mac returned, stirring her tea idly. "How is the trial going so far?"

"It's going very well, Colonel," Allison replied confidently as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "As I'm sure you're aware, the defense is going for the temporary insanity angle, but given this man's history, it will be a tough sell with the jury."

"I suppose," Mac said idly, her mind not really on the conversation. She was just ready for it all to be over.

"Well, I'll see you back in court, Commander," Jon said. "Colonel, it was good to see you again." He nodded towards Mac as he left the kitchen.

"I really need to go, too," Mac said, picking up her mug of tea and turning to leave the kitchen.

"You don't like me much, do you, Colonel?" Allison suggested calmly, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Whether I like you or not is irrelevant," Mac pointed out just as calmly, determined that she wasn't going to let Allison get to her. "You're not here to be liked, you're here to prosecute Sergeant Johns."

"Touché," Allison said. "But you would rather have someone else prosecuting this case."

"That's not true," Mac said. "From what Harm tells me, you're one of the best prosecutors in the Navy and this is a high profile case. It makes sense that the Navy would assign its best to this case."

"I wonder what else Harm has told you about me," Allison mused with a smile.

"I don't really think JAG headquarters is the place for this discussion," Mac pointed out.

"No, you're right," Allison agreed. "Especially since what was between Harm and me went beyond work."

Mac was silent, realizing that Allison was trying to get to her. She knew there had never been anything more than work between Harm and Allison. "Good luck in court, Commander," Mac said as she left the kitchen.

In the hallway, Mac nearly bumped into AJ just outside he kitchen. "Sorry, Sir," she apologized. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"That alright, Colonel," AJ said. "Would you like to take a walk with me?"

Wondering if he had heard the conversation in the kitchen, Mac followed him to the elevator. Both officers were silent until they were outside the building. AJ began walking around the grounds and Mac followed.

"How is everything, Mac?" AJ asked.

"Fine, Sir," she replied carefully. She was on guard at his use of her name. It was rare for the Admiral to discuss personal business at work. "The trial started today, so I guess I am a little concerned about that, plus things are a little hectic with all the wedding preparations right now. But I'm okay."

"Mac, I'm saying this as your friend and not your commanding officer," AJ assured her. "If there was a problem, you would let me know, wouldn't you?"

"Of course, Sir," she agreed, trying to keep the reluctance out of her voice. "I would let you know if there was something to be concerned about."

"Sometimes," AJ continued, "people think that because I am in command, I don't see some of the things that are going on with the people below me. But I see more than people think I do."

"Sir, I don't know ..." Mac began.

"Let me finish, Mac," AJ interrupted. "People usually don't think that a two-star Admiral would, for instance, notice that two of his people spent four years fighting their feelings for each other. Or that the tension between two officers who used to work together has less to do with work than other things. Just because I'm an Admiral doesn't mean I don't notice things or hear the scuttlebutt."

"Of course not, Sir," she agreed, beginning to see where he was headed.

"Sometimes a commander has to walk a fine line," he explained. "For instance, an incident might appear to one person to be harassment, but the person actually involved in the situation might not see it that way, or they might think they can handle the situation on their own without getting anyone else involved."

"I suppose so, Sir," she said noncommittally.

"As a commander," he continued, "I have to decide whether this is a situation I need to get involved in or do I trust my officers to tell me they are being harassed."

"I can see how that would be a tough decision to make," she replied softly.

AJ stopped and looked her in the eye as he added, "Mac, the day the prosecutors arrived, I thought I saw something in your eyes when I suggested that Harm might appreciate a heads up on their presence. I didn't think it was my place to say more, especially since I didn't know how much you knew. The other day, when you two made your announcement about the babies, I saw that someone was less than thrilled about your news. And word at the softball game was that Harm was a little tense when a certain name was mentioned. When I thought back to some things I noticed four years ago ..."

"Sir, we are handling it," she said, deciding not to pretend that she didn't know what he was talking about. "Harm has explained everything that did – and didn't – happen four years ago. She's only going to be here for this trial then she's gone. We'll get through it."

"I'm sure you will, Mac," he agreed, "but I don't want you taking on more than you should. If something happens, I want you to know that you can come to me. Especially if you feel she is harassing you or Harm."

"Sir, I hope it will not come to that," she said.

-----

2205 ZULU
HARM AND MAC'S HOUSE
MCLEAN, VIRGINIA

"You told him about Krennick?" Harm asked, incredulous. She had filled him in on her conversation with AJ on the drive home from work.

"No, I didn't," Mac insisted as she unbuttoned her uniform blouse. "He figured it out, he said. According to him, he noticed some things both four years ago and since she has been here this time and put two and two together. Anyway, Krennick is sinking herself. She is the one who approached me at lunch today, suggesting that I didn't like her because you two once shared something that went beyond work. The Admiral overheard and that's why he approached me."

Harm shook his head as he sat down on the edge of the bed. He was silent as he began removing his own uniform blouse, carefully laying it on the bed. Mac watched him out of the corner of her eye as she picked up his blouse and carefully hung it in the closet.

"Harm, talk to me," she pleaded. "Are you mad because I had this discussion with the Admiral? He approached me. Anyway, I thought you were the one who said you were going to go to him if she didn't back off."

"I'm not mad," he insisted, with a hint of frustration in his voice. "I was just hoping that it wouldn't come to this. You don't need the added stress right now."

"I know that," she said, pulling a pair of shorts and a t-shirt out of the dresser after hanging her own uniform in the closet. "I'm the one who is pregnant. I'm the one who got shot. But you know what? This isn't just about me. You don't need the stress either. You are the one she was harassing four years ago. And Krennick doesn't strike me as the type to readily take 'no' for an answer."

"I'm fine," he said, standing to remove his uniform pants. "You're the one I'm worried about. On top of everything else, you'll be testifying in the Johns trial in a few days."

"I know," she said quietly as she sat down on the bed, watching as he changed clothes. "Major Williams said that they're planning to put me on last, for the emotional impact. Not that I can tell them much that the rest of you can't. But the pregnant victim testifying is sure to impact the jury."

"I spoke with Williams today, also," Harm told her, taking one of her hands in his as he sat back down. "I'm going on right before you. At least, since I will have already testified, I'll get to be in the courtroom when you take the stand."

"I'm glad," she said simply, looking down at their intertwined fingers. "I just wish this was all over. I wish the wedding was over and that we could settle down and get on with our lives." She paused, then added, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that the way it sounded, about the wedding being over. I just ..."

"I know what you meant," he said, looking at her with concern. "There's a lot going on right now." He had been debating whether or not to mention that he was trying to track down her mother, but decided that he should wait at least until after they testified at the trial. She didn't need even more stress. But he did have an idea or two about trying to ease some of the stress. He'd have to work on that one tomorrow.

Mac noticed his concern and the fact that he had managed to change the subject away from Krennick and her harassment. But how could they get through everything that was going on without something blowing up in their faces?

-----

To be continued…