Chapter 6 (30 April 2005)

SEE PROLOGUE FOR DISCLAIMERS, ETC.

Sam had no clue what to make of the bald man across the table from him. He would have loved to have gotten more information from Mac or even Al about him before breakfast, but Mac had refused to let Al watch as Sam showered this morning and Al had pulled the plug on Mac's microphone in retaliation. So other than the bits and pieces Mac had imparted last night, AJ Chegwidden was a blank slate.

"You look happy, Mac." Chegwidden sipped at his coffee.

"I am, sir. Very."

"I hear a 'but' coming, Mac."

Sam sighed. "It's just . . . if life were more fair, both of us could keep our careers."

Chegwidden sat back in his chair and nestled his chin in the palm of his hand. "Whose idea was it for one of you to leave the service?"

That was actually a very good question. Guessing from the conversation last night, Sam inhaled and said, "Harm's."

"I figured. For a man who doesn't understand what a box is, he tends to think inside one unless he can win a dogfight or a trial."

Sam chuckled at that observation. It fit with what Mac had told him and what little he had observed. "I couldn't come up with a logical alternative, sir."

"AJ, Mac, AJ. And I'm sure you would have had you had more time. Harm's already on his second career in the Navy, but you've got a lot of options to pursue if you're willing to take some risks."

Sam's ears perked up. This could be the start of the road to London and the end of the leap. "How so, si- AJ?"

Harm reappeared from his restroom run just then, shutting down the conversation. "That will teach me to have coffee before I leave the house."

"You never had coffee before you left the house?" AJ's voice rose an octave in apparent surprise.

Harm laughed. "That would have made me even later."

Sam guessed at something, hoping it wouldn't be too out of place. "Woe betide the man or woman who stands between Harm and the office coffee maker in the mornings."

"Yes. I believe Tiner mentioned getting run over a few times."

Their server came to take orders just then. Sam somehow wasn't surprised that Harm passed on the first go around. He was surprised at the looks his order of the fruit and cottage cheese plate received from the two men.

"You really aren't feeling good, are you? I've never seen you order a healthy breakfast, honey. Or lunch or dinner, for that matter."

"I heard you poured half a bottle of syrup on your French toast when you had breakfast with Gordon."

Sam felt his face flush. "It was only a third of a bottle, there were four pieces of Texas toast, and it was in the cafeteria." He had no idea how he knew that, but he did. Just another oddity of leaping.

AJ smirked and waved at the server. "My point exactly. Care to change your order, Colonel?"

"Belgian Deluxe, eggs over easy. Bacon and sausage." He saw the server's deathly glare but chose to ignore it. Mac must have the metabolism of a hummingbird, given the approving grins he saw on his companions' faces.

The rest of breakfast felt like a history class as he listened to Harm and Chegwidden reminisce about their years at JAG together. A very funny history class, to be sure, and thankfully neither of them seemed worried that he – Mac – wasn't contributing much to the conversation except laughter.

Then it was time to say goodbye to a man who had obviously been a father figure to both Mac and Harm. Sam imagined that Chegwidden's retirement party had been less emotional only because it had apparently been a very formal military function.

Chegwidden extended his hand to Harm. "Harm, so help me, if you do anything to hurt her, I'll be first in line to hurt you."

"I don't doubt it, sir." Harm reciprocated.

To Sam, it seemed like a pissing contest for a moment as to which man could squeeze harder.

"We'll see you at the wedding?" Harm asked, finally letting go.

Chegwidden snorted. "Like I'd miss the social event of the century." He turned toward Sam and looked at the woman he thought was Mac expectantly.

What had Mac said about the wedding that wasn't and what she wanted to do this time the same and differently? Sam cleared his throat to buy some time as he searched his Gruyére memory. "Sir, um, AJ?"

"Mac."

"Would you give me away? For real this time?"

The smile that overtook Mac's former commanding officer's face told Sam that his question was the right one. "It's about damned time, Mac."

"I know, sir." Sam smiled and stepped into his waiting arms.

"Call me from San Diego. About the other." Chegwidden didn't quite whisper in Sam's left ear, away from Harm's hearing.

"I will." That was one promise Sam knew he would keep, and one he was making for himself as much as for Mac.

Harm was quiet as he drove them to Bethesda to meet Mattie.

"Penny for your thoughts, Harm."

"It's a dime now, Mac. Inflation."

"I'll give you two nickels."

He glanced at Sam with a small grin. "Done. I'm still processing everything. It's still overwhelming."

Sam grinned back. "Yet another reason not to have mind-blowing sex last night. You have to be functional at 0300 East Coast time on Monday morning."

Harm laid his hand on Sam's leg. "I'm just glad you're feeling better today. Talk to my mom when you get to San Diego. She's bound to have a good massage therapist."

"Absolutely, since mine's going to be 5,489 miles away." Sam gave Harm a lot of credit. The backrub last night had been the best Sam could remember in anyone's life. And just how had he known how far away San Diego is from London? He was fairly certain that had never mattered in any previous leap.

"Even this," he waved at the space between their seats, "is too much right now. I love you."

"I love you. We'll be fine, Harm. Everything will work out for the best, you'll see." Especially if Sam could stop the attacks on the UN.

"I know. It would be bad enough leaving either you or Mattie behind, but both of you . . ."

Sam captured Harm's hand on his leg and let the silence be supportive for the rest of the drive.