A 'Notorious' JAG

by mkim57

It's another AU from me. A discussion on the Recon board put this idea in my head and it wouldnt go away, so here goes.

7. Chapter 7

A Notorious JAG

Chapter 7/Epilogue

Disclaimers as previously stated

Spoilers: Any JAG episode through Season 9. This story is loosely based on the story in the Hitchcock movie 'Notorious.'

A/N: Many thanks to Karen for her beta reading and excellent input.

Rating T

1900

Wednesday

Harms hotel room

Ipanema towers

"Something is not right, Prescott. I think she is sick, really sick. We need to get her out of there." Harm had called him as soon as he returned to his hotel room.

"We can't compromise this now, Rabb, give it 24 hours. And then we'll get her out. Sadiq may be in the States. Do you know what that means? We have a well established, well funded Al Qaeda cell in the United States. We are so close to finding exactly where he is, Rabb."

Harm was quiet for a moment. He knew Prescott was right. But he couldn't shake this gnawing fear; he felt the same as he had when Mac took the mission to Paraguay.

He ended his call. Talking to Prescott did nothing to assuage his feeling that something was wrong, terribly wrong.

1920

Wednesday

Hardy's condo in Barra

Rio de Janeiro

Mac sat with Hardy and a couple of his associates having a late dinner. Alberto Domingues was a guest along with Van Duyn. Mac had eaten very little of her dinner; she continued to feel steadily worse.

Hardy gave her an indulgent look. "Finish you dinner Sarah; you're wasting away." He reached for her hand and kissed it.

Mac took another bite of her dinner, her stomach protesting all the while.

"How long have you been ill like this?" Domingues asked her.

"I don't know, since the party I think."

Domingues looked at her, his eyes filled with concern. "She should see a doctor Edward. She seems very ill."

Mac spoke up. "I don't need a doctor, I'll be fine."

Van Duyn added. "She just needs a bit of rest."

"She should come with us the next time we go to the Highlands. It is so beautiful there in the spring."

"Oh, The Brazilian Highlands? Where do you go in the Highlands?"

Hardy spoke up to keep Domingues from answering. "What she needs is a long vacation away somewhere, just the two of us, a cruise maybe."

Through the haze of headache and the terrible nausea she felt, Mac's brain began to register what was happening here. She had been sick since the party, and lately she hadn't been able to get any new information at all. The other curious thing was that Hardy had allowed her to stay without moving into his bedroom. She still occupied the guest room on the second floor. Realization dawn on her, she had been discovered. Oh God, how could she have been so stupid? Mac had been so relieved not to have to deal with Hardy in her bed that she hadn't focused on the reason he hadn't come to her. She looked at her plate, then at Hardy and across to Van Duyn, they knew, they had to know.

Mac fought to keep her composure and started to push back her chair to stand up.

"I think I need to lie down, if you'll all excuse me."

Hardy stood along with her, "Do you need my help, Sarah?" His voice dripping with fake concern.

"No, no I'm fine…I just need to…lie down." As she stood her vision grew dark around the edges, she walked into the foyer, seeing the front door and then the stairwell. She wanted to run, but her legs suddenly felt like lead. She took another step, and the room went completely black as she fell to the floor.

2030

Hardy's condo

Mac came to seeing Hardy, Van Duyn and Domingues hovering over her. They had carried her to the guest room and had helped her into bed.

"You must call a doctor Edward. Look at how ill she is." Domingues voice held an urgent tone.

"I will, Alberto. I'll call a doctor and have him come here, as soon as we get her settled." Hardy assured him. He couldn't allow Domingues to suspect anything, he might share that information with Hasni and then it would be over for them all.

Van Duyn spoke to one of Hardy's house staff who had helped them bring Mac upstairs

"Take the phone out of the room Joseph; Ms. Mackenzie must have complete quiet."

Mac felt the panic rise in her chest but she couldn't call out. Whatever she had been given had weakened her to the point of exhaustion. She struggled with Hardy who gently but firmly settled her into the bed. The last thing that ran through her mind as she began to black out again was that she wanted Harm, she needed him to come to her…please, God, let that connection still exist between them.

2120

Wednesday

Harm's hotel room

Ipanema towers

Harm slept fitfully, his mind never far from his conversation with Mac earlier that day. His need to have her near him, to know she was safe always, kept him awake lately. Now the feeling that something was wrong served to make sleep even more elusive.

Harm turned on to his stomach, pulling one of the pillows down and into his arms. He slipped further into sleep and as he dreamt, Mac was with him, holding him, making love to him. He could feel her arms around him, her voice whispering low in his ear, and her sweet strong body beneath him, urging him on. He gripped her shoulders and felt something sharp slice into the palm of his hand. He flinched and pulled back and looked at his hand. It was bleeding, he looked at Mac's shoulder and she had a long cut that ran across her shoulder that began to bleed more as he looked at it. He placed his hand over it to stop the bleeding and something sliced into his hand again. He looked at Mac's face and what he saw woke him immediately. Mac's face was ghostly white, her eyes hollow, her lips dark and cold. She spoke, "Help me…Harm, please…"

Harm woke with a start, pushing himself backward off the bed so forcefully that he came to a stop near the wall, 3 feet away. He flipped on the light switch and looked back at his bed, blinking, trying to clear his vision. He was panting as though he had been running, his body covered in sweat. The nightmare had been so real and it only confirmed what he already knew, Mac was in trouble.

Harm went into the bathroom, splashed water on his face and looked at his reflection in the mirror. That was it, he didn't give a damn what the Company wanted, he was getting Mac out of there. He didn't care if they fired him, he'd find something to do for a living. He didn't care if he had to take a job crop-dusting.

2210

Hardy's condo in Barra

Harm approached the condo, his mind working overtime to find a way in. He could probably pull the jilted, but persistent lover, but that probably would have gotten him thrown out of there immediately.

Prescott had put the word out that he was freelancing; maybe he could get in and ask Hardy for a job. It was pretty thin, but he didn't care, he had to get in. He knocked on the door and Joseph opened it.

"Is Mr. Hardy home? I'm sorry to call so late."

"I'm sorry sir; he is in a meeting with some of his associates."

"May I speak with Ms Mackenzie?"

'I'm sorry sir, she's very ill and confined to her bed, we are all very concerned."

"Then I'll wait for Mr. Hardy"

"As you wish sir, I'll tell him you are here."

Harm sat down on a small bench in the foyer. He looked around the room and up the stair case. Mac had to be in one of the rooms up there, the man had just said 'confined to HER bed'. He stood, and in an almost involuntary move he walked toward the staircase. He had to find her; he couldn't wait anymore. It was as though he could feel her slipping away from him. Taking the steps two at a time, he reached the top of the staircase quickly. He turned to his right and saw a closed door, closest to the stairs... that was the one, it had to be. She was there, he could feel it. He walked toward it.

Mac had been slipping in and out of consciousness for the last couple of hours. Her mind and emotions running the gamut of all her feelings about her life, about Harm, and about how badly she wanted a chance to finish out her life with him. She had to see his face once more time. Looking toward the door, she thought she heard it open. Her mind drifting back to Harm she thought she could see him walking toward her. She would know him anywhere; his stature was unmistakable with his broad shoulders and tall frame. Was she dreaming, conjuring up an image of him because she needed him so badly?

Harm walked toward her, a knot forming in the pit of his stomach, she was sick, he had known it. He leaned down, nearly placing his head on the pillow beside hers

"Mac" He whispered urgently.

Mac widened her eyes slightly and then realized that he was real. She attempted to reach up and touch his cheek with the tips of her fingers, but she was too weak.

"You came to me." She said drowsily. He had, as if he had been summoned. That alone was enough; she loved the very sight of him.

"I had to; I couldn't take it anymore, waiting and worrying about you. What's wrong, Mac, what have they done to you?" His eyes took in her features, trying to assess for himself what had happened to her.

"I think they've poisoned me."

"How long?" Harm pulled back from her slightly in shock. Now he knew why he had the nightmare, something inside her, in her blood was killing her.

"Since the party."

Harm slipped his arms around her and pulled her up into a sitting position on the side of bed. Her body felt boneless and she could barely hold herself up, still nodding in and out of consciousness.

"You came back for me, you didn't leave." Mac's head felt heavy as she tried to remain upright. Harm pulled her into his arms for a moment, and she leaned into him.

"I had to come back and tell you that I was getting out because I love you, I couldn't stand seeing you with him. I couldn't see straight or think straight, I was afraid I'd blow the whole mission."

Mac had only heard him say he loved her. "Oh, you love me, you love me." Her words were still slightly slurred, as she leaned further into his arms and tucked her head under his chin.

"Long ago, all the time since the beginning, I couldn't stand it anymore, not having you." Harm confessed.

Mac smiled serenely, burrowed herself further into his arms, and started to drift back into sleep. He pulled her back from him, and wrapped her robe around her. "Come on Mac, we've got to get you out of here."

"Harm… I don't know if I can stand, they injected me with something. I'm so sleepy and I feel so weak."

"Then talk to me, Mac." He shook her gently. "Stay with me, they're all downstairs in some kind of meeting, we've got to get you out. Do the others know?"

"No, they'd kill him if they knew. I heard them talking, Hardy and Van Duyn, they are going to try and leave the country."

"Good, Mac, keep talking."

"Prescott wanted me to find out if Sadiq was in the States…"

She was silent as she watched him walk to the door and look out.

"Mac?"

"I think he's there Harm, maybe even in Georgetown. Van Duyn and Hardy knew they'd end up in federal prison for life for their role in his ability to enter the States, undetected. I'm not absolutely sure they said Georgetown, they were talking above me when they injected…I'm so weak Harm, what if I can't walk down the stairs?" Her speech was still slurred, her tongue thick from the drug.

Harm came back to her, "Are you in pain?"

"I don't know…the drug they injected, I can't tell."

Harm knelt in front of her and slipped her shoes on her feet. Mac reached down and lifted his face back to hers. "Say it again, it keeps me awake."

"I love you." He said it determinedly and looked at her directly in the eye. "Come on Mac, let's go home." He helped her stand.

Mac felt as though her feet were barely on the floor as she leaned against him and he guided her to the door. "Don't let me go Harm.

"Never, you'll never get rid of me." He slipped out of the door with Mac tucked securely under his arm as they approached the top of the stair case. As they began to descend, they both saw Hardy walking toward the base of the stairwell.

Harm stepped down toward him, feeling Mac tense up. "Hang on Mac, were almost there."

"What are you doing, Rabb?" Hardy's spoke in a low voice, though it had an edge.

"I'm taking her out of here, to get the poison out of her." Harm glared at him murderously.

"You aren't going anywhere." He reached for Mac, and Harm pulled her back out of his reach. "Don't try it, Hardy."

"I'm not afraid of you, Rabb." Hardy could barely conceal the sneer on his face.

"Maybe not, but you're afraid of them, aren't you?" They were at the base of the steps now.

Hardy looked over his shoulder and saw Hasni, Domingues and Van Duyn waiting at the doorway of his sitting room.

Hardy came to himself quickly, and began to step with Harm and Mac toward the door. He appeared to be helping Harm guide Mac out of the house. Van Duyn knew that he had to leave with the others or die; as he had seen others die when they compromised anyone connected with Al Qaeda. He knew they were expendable.

"What is going on, Hardy?" Hasni was asking now, staring at him intently.

"It's Sarah, her condition has become worse. Rabb must have heard her call out for help."

"Good." Domingues spoke up, "you should have taken her hours ago."

They walked toward the door and Van Duyn walked across the foyer to join them. It wouldn't take long before Hasni would figure this out.

Harm walked swiftly through the door and pulled it closed behind him. He held it and looked over his shoulder to see Prescott waiting in what looked like an SUV.

"Get in here, Rabb." He barked the command.

He let go of the door, lifted Mac into his arms, and ran with everything he had.

He heard Hardy and Van Duyn shouting on the other side of the door. "Wait…..don't shoot…I can explain." But shots did ring out… and then the door flew opened just as Mac and Harm got into the vehicle. Shots bounced off of the armor plated door as Prescott sped away.

Harm looked at him and asked. "How did you know?"

"I was reviewing your personnel file, and given your concerns about your former partner, and the fact that you were getting out, I followed up with on you at your hotel. When you weren't there, but hadn't checked out, I thought this would be the place to find you. I was right. You're notorious for being a loose cannon, especially when it comes to people you know personally."

Harm and Mac were in the back seat of the vehicle. As they sped further away from Barra, she let herself relax into his arms.

Mac smiled secretly thinking that she was so glad that he was notorious for his loyalty to his friends…it had saved her life.

FIN

Epilogue to follow.

A/N: Merriam – Webster's dictionary defines the word notorious a number of ways. The first is 'generally known or talked of' OR 'widely and unfavorably known.' The movie 'Notorious' was about 'a notorious woman…a woman of affairs,' but to my mind it became about a notorious love. (After all the movie was made in 1946 and we're still talking about it.) In my story Harm and Mac are both 'notorious' for a lot of things. It depends on whose point of view you were seeing them in; I'll let you decide what was 'generally known or talked of' and what was 'widely and unfavorably known.'(Smile)

A/N: I want to say again for those of you who have never seen the movie 'Notorious' that I cant take credit for this great story. I changed a few things and plugged in a lot of how I saw Harm and Mac in season 9. I had seen this movie long before I ever started watching JAG, but I have to say, when the Paraguay story arc started I hoped this was where they were going. The scene I dreamed of when Harm rescued Mac was the one played out by Grant and Bergman at the end of 'Notorious.' "Oh…. you love me…you love me" Sigh…

A/N: For the purists, who know the movie well; please understand that I could not make the characters exactly like the ones portrayed in the original movie. I could not allow Mac/ Alicia character to drink again or to be a 'loose' woman. To my mind that would trash her and frankly, I think that's been done enough, It was the same with having her sleep with Hardy, as far as I'm concerned, enough already. As for the Harm/Dev character, I would not allow Harm to hit Mac as Dev did Alicia. As for Harm leaving before the mission was entirely over, that was part of the story line of the original Notorious I felt I had to play out, even though many of us feel the 'real' Harm would never do that. While his character in this story was uncharacteristically harsh at times, I think that is where they both were then in early Season 9 for reasons I hope I touched on in the story.

A/N: If you want to see the original story, I am told it will be on TCM this weekend, Sunday 1 pm Central Time. (per some of my well informed readers)