TITLE: Pall
DEFINITION: PALL
Pronunciation: 'pol
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, short for appallen, to become pale
1 to lose strength or effectiveness
2 to lose in interest or attraction his humor began to pall on us>
3 to become tired of something
4 to cause to become insipid
5 to deprive of pleasure in something by satiating
(Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)
RATING: PG-13 or R. R to be safe. Mostly for language to begin with, maybe for... other things... later on.
SUMMERY: After an attack on a graduation ceremony at Annapolis the JAG office is thrown into a state of flux.
SPOILERS/TIMELINE/ALTERATIONS I'VE MADE:
-A little AU. Please see previous chapters for more details.
DEDICATION: To Tracey, for bringing the character of Meg Austin to life, and to all the Harm/Meg shippers out there.
HARM'S APARTMENT
0558 (EST)
NORTH OF UNION STATION
THURSDAY, JULY 20
Meg was just waking up when Harm returned from his morning run. "Morning, sleepyhead," he teased as he headed to the kitchen for a bottle of water.
"Stop that, you know I hate you after you've gone running," Meg scowled, pushing the blanket off her body and standing up to stretch. He never would have suspected it from her usually sunny disposition, but he'd learned early on in their partnership that Meg was not a morning person.
That had obviously not changed.
"Coffee?" Harm offered, knowing that the only way to soothe the savage beast that was early-morning-Meg was through a caffeine IV.
"It'd better be strong," Meg said as she took the proffered mug.
"Strong enough for the Marines," Harm said. He couldn't remember when he'd started making his coffee to Mac's usual strength, but over time he'd gotten addicted to her super-leaded coffee in the office, and at home. Meg took a slow sip and moaned in pleasure as the dark liquid went down her throat and started hitting her system. "You enjoy that coffee in all yourorgasmic pleasure, I'm gonna take a shower," Harm said with a wry smile before heading toward the bathroom.
Meg had just finished her second cup when the shower shut off. To lower the temptation to take advantage of the lack of actual walls in the loft, Meg buried her head in the fridge until Harm was finished dressing. "Shower's free," Harm said as he came down the steps dressed in a fresh set of summer whites.
"Thanks," Meg replied, grabbing an apple to use as an excuse for being in the fridge. "You leave me any hot water?" she asked as she cleaned off the red fruit.
"Enough," Harm said as he headed for the fridge himself. "Want a big breakfast or are you good with the apple?"
Meg considered the apple for a second before throwing it back to Harm. "Big breakfast, please," Meg said, grabbing her bag that contained her extra uniform before heading to the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day.
Harm smiled and started getting out the ingredients for his whole wheat pancakes. As he was mixing everything together the phone rang. "Rabb," he said, positioning the phone between his shoulder and his ear as he started pouring the batter onto the hot skillet.
"Hey, flyboy," Mac said.
"What's wrong?" he asked. Mac very rarely called him so early in the morning, and when she did it was rarely with good news.
"Nothing, I promise," Mac assured him. "I just wanted to know how Bud was last night. I feel really guilty for not going to the hospital… I shouldn't have gone out last night," she said softly.
Harm breathed a sigh of relief. He had been afraid that Mac was calling with bad news about Bud, but she was just calling to get bad news about Bud. "He's the same as before. They're moving him to a private room today, which means that we'll be able to visit for longer periods since he won't be in the ICU anymore," Harm said.
"How's Harriet?" Mac asked.
"She's holding together pretty well," Harm said honestly. "Mikey Roberts is back in town and he's gonna be helping out with little AJ so that Harriet doesn't have to worry about him as much. He's also going to make sure that Harriet gets some sleep and at least two good meals a day."
"Why only two?" Mac asked.
"She never was a big breakfast person, you know that," Harm said.
"Right," Mac said. Harm could see her dragging her fingers through her hair in frustration in his mind's eye.
"God, Harm, what kind of a person am I?" Mac asked. He was pretty sure he could hear tears in her voice. "My best friends needed me and I went on a date… I feel like a horrible person."
Harm turned down the burner and then said, "Mac, Harriet was overwhelmed with people last night. Jen and Tiner and Mikey and little AJ and Meg and Brumby and me… I think that if there had been anyone else there she would have gone insane trying to act like she thinks everything will be okay. All of us going to visit was a good idea in theory, but I don't know if it was such a good plan in reality."
"I still should have been there," Mac said softly.
"Maybe," Harm said. "But it's not like Harriet was alone or that she felt abandoned."
"I know, but she's my best female friend, Harm. Honestly she's the first real female friend I've ever had. I should have been there for her," Mac said.
Harm rubbed his eyes, praying that he wouldn't regret what he was about to do, and then said, "Take the morning and go to the hospital, Mac. Harriet will probably be there already. Spend some time with her and Bud. Call me at lunch and let me know if you want the rest of the day off."
"You're sure?" Mac asked.
"Positive. We can deal without you for a while. Just promise me you'll try to get Harriet to leave the hospital for a little while. Take her out to lunch or something," Harm said.
"Deal," Mac said.
"Good," Harm said. "So, how did the date go?" he asked.
"It went well," Mac said. "We talked a lot… had an amazing steak dinner… talked some more… and the he drove me home."
"You going to see him again?" Harm asked.
"I hope so," Mac said.
"You sound happy," Harm said with a smile as he went back to tending to the breakfast before it burnt.
"I am," Mac said.
Harm grinned. "Good. I'm glad," he said honestly.
"Me too," Mac agreed.
"So," Harm said, flipping the pancakes as he heard the shower turn off, "you think you'll be able to join us all for dinner tonight?"
"What's the occasion?" Mac asked.
"None to speak of," Harm admitted. "I just… think we should all get together. I talked to Harriet about it last night and she's promised to come, which is good, and Jen and Tiner are signed up. Brumby begged out, so there's no worries about him lurking around."
"You invited Brumby?" Mac asked incredulously.
"Not willingly, but yes. The guy's an ass, but Harriet and Bud seem to think he's not completely horrible so I'm trying to make a bit of an effort, especially if he's going to be staying longer than the exchange program lasts," Harm said. "Anyway, I promise there won't be any meatless meatloaf and that there will be some kind of meat involved in the meal, though I'm not sure what quite yet. You in?"
"Definitely," Mac said.
"Good. My place, 1900, no uniforms," Harm said.
"Got it," Mac said.
Harm hesitated for a second before adding, "You're welcome to invite whatshisname, if you want." He did need to check the guy out, make sure that he was good enough for Mac, and the idea of home court advantage was more than a little appealing. Not to mention that the rest of the group would want to check out Mac's new sweetie as well.
"His name is William, and I don't think it's the right time to introduce him to the family," Mac said honestly. "We've only been on one real date and I know you are going to go into interrogation-mode. I don't want you to scare him off. I should be allowed to do that on my own."
"Alright, but I want to meet this guy soon," Harm said.
"If it becomes anything you'll be the first to know," Mac promised.
"Good," Harm said. The shower was still running, and he could hear Meg singing softly over the pounding spray, making a smile spread over his lips. He doubted Meg even knew that he could hear her.
"Um… thanks, Harm," Mac said, bringing Harm's attention back to their conversation and away from the beautiful woman who was singing in his shower.
"For what?" Harm asked.
"For not automatically assigning William a spot in front of the firing squad," Mac said.
"Would I do that?" Harm asked innocently.
"In a heartbeat," Mac said. "I should let you go… you're not in the shower now, are you?" she asked, finally hearing the running water.
"No, I'm cooking breakfast," Harm said.
"Then what's with the running water?" Mac asked.
"Meg stayed over last night. She's taking a shower," Harm said.
"Oh really?" Mac asked, her voice laden with innuendo.
Harm rolled his eyes. "It was totally innocent. Her place is empty until her stuff comes this weekend and we were both exhausted after coming back from the hospital," Harm said.
"What were the sleeping arrangements?" Mac asked as if she were interrogating someone on fraternization charges.
"She slept on the couch. I was in my bed."
"You didn't even offer to take the couch?" Mac asked. Every time she had crashed at his place he had insisted that she take the bed.
"I went to the store and by the time I got back Meg was asleep on the couch. I didn't have the heart to move her," Harm said honestly.
"Whatever you say," Mac said. "I should let you get ready for work."
They said a quick goodbye and then Harm hung up and went back to concentrating on the stove. The shower shut off and he forced himself to refrain from looking in the direction of his bedroom where he knew Meg would be getting dressed.
"Harm?" Meg asked, coming out and standing at the top of the steps wearing only a small towel around her body.
"Hmm?" Harm said before turning around and realizing that Meg wasn't wearing much of anything.
"Do you have a blow dryer?" Meg asked, amused by the look of shock that Harm was wearing.
"What?" Harm asked, shaking away the thoughts that had strayed toward the carnal and focusing on what Meg was asking him.
"Blow dryer," Meg said slowly. "Do you have one?"
Harm thought for a second then cringed slightly and said, "Sorry."
"This place is really not suitable for female inhabitants," Meg said as she headed back into the bedroom to see what she could do with her hair without a blow dryer and her usual line up of styling products.
JAG HEADQUARTERS
0845 (EST)
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
THURSDAY, JULY 20
After the handing out of assignments and getting updates in the morning meeting, Meg watched Harm retreat into his office with Coates hot on his heels with a stack of messages that needed to be taken care of ASAP. Harm had reluctantly assigned her an investigation, seeing as the FBI was taking care of the Annapolis shooting and they couldn't risk interfering with their work. It wasn't like Harm to give up, especially when people he loved were involved, so Meg was trying to figure out what had happened to make Harm back down on the investigation that the Admiral had wanted her to deal with.
"Commander Austin?" Mic said, waving his hand in front of Meg's face when he couldn't get her attention.
"What?" Meg frowned. "Sorry," she blushed, realizing she had been caught staring off into space. Or, more accurately, into the bit of space that she had last seen Harm in before his office door closed. "What's up?" she asked as she habitually straightened the stack of files that was sitting in front of her.
"The investigation. Are you ready to leave for Norfolk or do you need more time before we head out?" Mic asked.
Meg mentally ran through the list she had made earlier and checked everything off. "I'm ready to go. Just let me grab my coat," she said, rising and heading to the coat rack. It felt strange being in Harm's office. It wasn't the same one she had once shared with him, yet it felt almost exactly the same. Harm's presence made the cool Plexiglas walls and drab white paint warm and welcoming.
Files in hand, Meg followed Mic out of the office and down to the fleet sedan they had requisitioned for the day.
"You know the route?" Mic asked as the approached the car.
"Been down it more than once," Meg nodded. She didn't see any reason to add that she had never driven it herself because Harm would never let anyone else drive his precious 'Vette and there was no way he was going to drive a fleet car more than he had to.
"Good. You drive," Mic said, tossing Meg the keys. Meg caught them instinctively and moved around to the driver's side door. "Nice catch," Mic commented as they got into the sedan.
"What, for a girl?" Meg asked pointedly.
"Oh, this is gonna be fun," Mic muttered as he took the stack of files Meg was holding out for him.
JAG HEADQUARTERS
0850 (EST)
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
THURSDAY, JULY 20
Harm was just draining his third cup of coffee when Coates finished going through the stack of messages waiting for the acting JAG. "Can I get you anything, Commander?" Coates asked.
After rubbing his eyes Harm motioned for Jennifer to sit down. "Tell me the truth, Jen. Is it always this insane or does the Admiral wait for just the right moment before he leaves me in charge?"
"Permission to speak freely, sir?" Jennifer asked.
"I wasn't asking as the acting JAG, Jen," Harm said with a hint of a smile breaking through the stress of the job that had already weighed him down like cement shoes.
"It's not usually this bad, but I highly doubt the Admiral is conspiring against you, sir," Coates smiled. "This retreat has been planned for months and as far as I know the Admiral had always planned on putting you in charge in his stead, sir. He wants you to become the JAG when he retires which, if I'm reading him right, might happen anytime in the next few years."
Though Harm was touched that his mentor thought so highly of him, the thought of being JAG and dealing with what he was just getting a taste of day in and day out was more than a little terrifying.
"Anyway, you have a lot of issues to deal with," Jennifer said, pushing the stack of pink papers closer to Harm, "and I should get back to my desk, so if there isn't anything else…"
"Yeah, just one more thing," Harm said. "What did the Admiral want from you and Tiner last night? You both left without saying anything."
Jennifer bit her lip. She wasn't sure how much she should divulge. "I'm afraid I can't tell you, sir," she said reluctantly. "At least, not right now. The Admiral was pretty insistent about keeping this a secret for the time being."
Not feeling any better about the mysterious mission that Chegwidden had put Coates and Tiner on without his knowledge, Harm dismissed Jennifer and reluctantly started working his way through the messages he needed to return.
That's all for now. Let me know what you think.
Oh, and I won't actually be able to watch the finale tomorrow 'cause I got tickets to see U2 and, well, I couldn't pass the chance up to see Bono live, so please don't spoil any of it for me in yourreviews. I plan on watching the tape of theJAG finale onSaturday.
M