Picking up the Pieces

Chapter Four

Meg turned the envelope in her hands over shakily. There was no return address. She opened it slowly, afraid of what it might be. A letter fell out and she grabbed it.

Meg,

I take it you will remember me. Your beauty was only surpassed by your fear and weakness…you were and still are an easy target. Last time you got away from me…this time you won't, and neither will Harm. You will be tortured in front of him, and made to die a slow death…he will watch you die then in his grief I will kill him…

Clark Palmer

Meg began shaking madly. She fell to the floor in shock as another memory hit her, causing her to fall back.

She was bound tightly in a dark warehouse…the crazed psychopath Clark Palmer had kidnapped her.

'When Harm hears of your death…of course, it will be reported as a suicide, he will kill himself.'

'Harm will work out it was you! You shouldn't have told me about your obsession with him…' Palmer hit her over the head with a brick.

'Ooops,'

Meg touched the back of her head. The scar was still there, she'd spent four weeks in ICU, half of that in a coma. She had remembered someone familiar from her past taking her to a hospital, but had been too close to death to realise who it was.

Palmer beat Meg brutally. She had woken up, much to his disgust. He had to kill her, had to break her spirit. He pinned her to the ground, and began kneeing her in the stomach…

Meg started crying, curling up in the foetal position, shivering. The memory of the rape came rushing back to her, hitting her like a tonne of bricks. She'd gotten pregnant, but the extent of her injuries, combined with the coma had caused her to miscarry. She heard someone banging at the door.

'Meg? Are you okay? Mac and I are waiting,' Harm asked, worried about her. She was late to dinner with them. Mac had cooked and banned Harm from the kitchen.

'Meg, open the door,' Harm demanded. When he got no response he ran back to his apartment to get her spare key and let himself in.

'Meg!' He fell beside her, scooping her into his arms and holding her tightly as she cried.

'Meg, what…' He saw the note.

'Palmer is in jail…last time?' He looked at Meg, who hadn't stopped crying.

'He…raped me and beat me…he was going to leave me for dead…let it taunt you…'

Harm put hist arms around her, more tightly this time.

'Oh Meg, its okay, its okay.' He said to her as Mac came in. She saw Harm holding Meg, the note on the ground. She went over to them and read the note.

'How dare he threaten her!' Mac was angry. She stalked over to Meg's phone and called AJ.

'Yes, that's what I said, Clark Palmer…yes it's a death threat. Sir, the man is in Leavenworth!' Mac stopped for a moment while AJ spoke. Harm kept his arms around Meg.

'I'm sick of people targeting you Meg,'

'How do you think I feel?' Meg replied, burying her face in him, trying to close out Mac's yelling. She slammed the phone down, and then picked it up again, slamming it down a second time for good measure.

'The Admiral is calling Leavenworth. That rat-faced psychopath is not going anywhere near my friends!' Mac was so angry that Palmer could hurt them from inside his cell.

'She's been through enough! I will not let anything else happen to her!' she spluttered, checking all the windows were locked and the door as well.

'Mac isn't that…'

'Harm, Meg's life has been threatened yet again and I will not sit around and…'

Meg stood up. 'I know, and I appreciate your concern but you two do not need to be so extreme.'

'When it comes to Clark Palmer we do,' Harm said. 'We won't do anything until he breaks out. Until then, we'll just play it safe. You have your gun, I'm right down the hall and once he breaks out there will be guards at your door twenty-four/seven'

Meg smiled through her tears. Harm wiped them away and led her into the bedroom.

'You'll be okay Meg,'

'I know,'

Harm's cell phone rang. 'Hey Sturgis, no everything is fine. Meg's fine, don't worry! Go back to your work, Mac and I are handling it,' He hung up and turned to Meg and Mac.

'The Admiral put everyone in the office on high-alert. Sturgis was calling to check up,'

'He doesn't like me though,' Meg yawned.

'No, he respects you. Don't let him intimidate you,' Mac said to her gently.

'Mac, I'm gonna stay here tonight, just to be safe…'

'Meg, do you mind if he does?' Mac asked.

'Can you both stay?' Meg asked as Harm covered her with the bed covers.

'Of course,' Mac said. 'We'll stay,'

Meg and Harm travelled to Cuba later that week to take part in negotiations to get a US Marine back into the country.

'Play nice,' Mac had joked as they left.

Upon landing in Cuba, Harm had kept Meg safe from the seedy underbelly drug lords.

'Harm I can defend myself!'

'I know, but you…

'…can never be too careful.' Meg grinned at him. Harm rolled his eyes as they caught a cab to their hotel.

'Gee, this looks homey,' Meg said sarcastically, eying the one bed.

'Looks like we'll be sharing,'

'Not if someone takes the couch.' Meg said invitingly. Harm punched her arm lightly, affectionately. She dumped her bag on the bed and collapsed on it, exhausted and jetlagged.

'Meg, we've got an interview to go to,'

'Mmmph.' Meg curled up. Her head was banging.

'Meg, come. I'll get you some pain killers and you can rest on the way,' He said, rummaging in his bag for the tablets and got a glass of water for Meg.

'Meg, you've been worrying about Palmer's threat too much. I heard you on the plane.'

Meg cringed. Had she really been that audible?

'Oh…I know,'

'Mac can handle him, she can handle herself.'

'I know,'

'I didn't get my target, but you'll do fine,' Palmer drawled to Mac in her apartment. He'd done a brig break, and Meg and Harm were unreachable at the moment, AJ leaving a message at the hotel for them. Mac levelled her gun with Palmer's chest.

'Leave Meg out of it,'

'She's so easy to hurt.'

'Those mind games don't work on me,'

Palmer just laughed maniacally.

'Don't be so naïve Sarah.'

Mac fought her fear – she had to be strong. Meg's life depends on me,

'Trying to get at Harm through his friends is so low…' Mac said angrily.

'Yes but it's so fun, especially when the victim is so weak.'

Mac swallowed hard and used Meg's rank to try and strengthen her friend.

'Lieutenant Austin is not weak.' Mac snarled. Palmer laughed.

'She is, oh the first time I raped her it was so easy. She was weak, and…' Mac hit him. He went down hard, laughing.

'You think that will stop me? Oh no, I have a plan.' Palmer said from behind Mac, grabbing her. She fell unconscious and he dragged her away.

Harm lay down on the couch after a long day of interviewing and negotiations. Meg lay in the bed. She looks so peaceful, he thought. The he heard her crying for him.

'Hey, what's wrong?' he asked gently, coming over to the bed.

'Stay with me, I'm cold.' Meg lied. Harm got in beside her.

'That's a lie Lieutenant; I know you can't resist me!'

Meg swatted at him playfully but turned and snuggled into his arms. 'Hmm that's better. I feel safe now.'

'What, you don't like sleeping alone?'

'No, I do, I just…I'm worried about Mac…'

'She can take care of herself,' Harm said as he tightened his arms around her, and kissed her.

'Harm…' Meg said, slightly thrown.

'Meg, it's been about a year, and you know how I feel…'

'You love me don't you?'

'Guilty as charged, Lieutenant. Now,'

'You know I do Harm...I just…'

'I understand, and yes I know you love me.' Harm kissed her again. This time she didn't pull away, but fell into his kiss. Harm wrapped his arms and the blankets around her as she fell asleep in his arms.

'Night Meg,'

Harm listened to AJ carefully while Meg slept, her thing frame draped in the blankets softly.

'Palmer escaped and he has Mac?'

'Yes son, now I'm putting the case on hold, bringing you and Lieutenant Austin home. How is she anyway?'

Harm looked over to Meg.

'Sleeping sir,'

She mumbled something in her sleep and Harm sat on the bed next to her. 'She's exhausted, not to mention jetlagged.'

'I hate to cause her more jetlag and exhaustion but…'

'I know, I'll wake her soon.' Harm hung up and threw his phone on the bedside table.

'Hey, gorgeous wake up,'

Meg opened her eyes sleepily and smiled at Harm, but her face fell when she saw Harm's serious face.

'Harm…'

'Meg…the Admiral is pulling us off the case, putting the negotiations on hold for a while.' Harm said, Meg sat up, her pyjama top half falling off her shoulder as she did. Harm replaced it.

'Meg, Palmer escaped…he well he uh…he kidnapped Mac…'

Meg looked at Harm in disbelief, her blue eyes full of innocence and confusion.

'Meg, I'm telling the truth,'

Meg looked away then hit Harm in the chest in anger. 'I hate him!'

Harm grabbed her arms and held them by her sides.

'I know,' He said, holding her for a moment.

'We'd better get ready to go Meg. Plane leaves in a few hours.'

Palmer tied Mac up tightly. She was conscious now.

'You hurt her and I'll…'

'You'll what? Insult me to death?'

Mac kicked at him, getting him in the shin hard. Palmer fell and growled. Damn the Marine training!

'I'll get you for that,' Palmer said, and disappeared.

Mac started crying.

'Damn it, you're a goddamn Marine!' She said to herself. She knew Harm, Meg and AJ wouldn't let her go this easily, and she knew Meg would overcome her fear of Palmer to save her – even though Harm would try and talk her out of it, Meg would not let him boss her around. She had become more like herself, according to Harm in the past few months. She knew that they'd save her.

Harm and Meg silently slipped into Palmer's hideout. Harm had grudgingly brought Meg alone.

'This is my fight too you know,' She'd said to him angrily.

'Fine, just remember I'll have your six,'

'I know,'

That conversation had led them here, twelve hours after their return. AJ had, instead of them concluding the investigation later, sent two other officers to Cuba. Meg was still badly jetlagged – two flights in less than 72 hours had drained her physically, but she wouldn't let herself be deterred by it. They saw Mac, tied up and Meg breathed in sharply. That could be me! I hope she isn't hurt! Meg thought. Harm saw the look in her eyes, the same one she had when he was missing in Hong Kong.

'It's okay Meg,' He whispered.

'No its not,' Palmer appeared out of nowhere, making Meg scream.

'You raped me!'

'Yes I did, now tell me, do I have a son?'

'No, I miscarried, thank god. I would have had an abortion if I hadn't been in a coma.' Meg said, reeling in anger.

'Come now Meg, you enjoyed it.'

'No I didn't! Not for one moment did I enjoy what you did to me! You're a monster, a psychopath!'

Palmer grabbed her upper arm. 'Now that's not how to greet someone is it?'

Meg used her free arm and punched him. He released her, and Harm pulled her to Mac while Palmer was disoriented.

'You found me! And Meg, I've never seen you do that before!' Mac had seen everything and was surprised by Meg's strength, despite her weak appearance.

'He had it coming,' Meg untied Mac's bonds while Harm stood watch. 'He hurt me and my friends,'

As the three moved to leave, Palmer came up behind them and cut Harm and Mac off from Meg. She pulled her gun out shakily. Palmer laughed at her.

'You can't shoot me…you'll pay for the black eye before you get to pull that trigger.'

'No, you'll rot in hell.' Meg said her voice strong. Harm and Mac slipped into the shadows to place a call to Leavenworth and AJ, but not too far away in case Meg needed them. Harm grew concerned when Palmer began touching Meg inappropriately but Mac had full confidence in her.

'You know Meg; I've waited for this moment for three years.'

'Yeah? Well so have I.' Meg said, firing her gun. It hit Palmer in the stomach and Meg fell backwards with the shock of it. Harm raced over to her.

'Harm…I shot him…'

'He tried to attack you…' Harm saw a blood-stain on her summer whites and ripped his jacket off, mopping it up.

'Self defence Meg, and the Leavenworth guards just arrived – there'll be no murder charges.' Harm helped her up, and took her gun, wiping it down. She stumbled out towards Mac and they rushed her to the emergency room where she was stitched up and kept overnight.

Two days later

'Palmer is in maximum security, he won't bother any of you again,' AJ said to them in his office. 'Now, explain to me, Lieutenant, why, when the three of us gave you clear orders not to come in for at least four days, you came in today?' AJ asked lightly. Meg blushed – AJ was right.

'I was bored and I felt fine. Harm had no objections,'

'I'm the one who…'

AJ and Mac looked from Meg to Harm expectantly. They smiled at each other and blushed.

'Is there something you two aren't telling us?'

'No sir,' Meg said, elbowing Harm before he could answer.

'Dismissed,' AJ said. After they left Mac pulled them both into her office.

'You two slept together didn't you, in Cuba?'

'Maybe,' Harm said, embarrassing Meg. She elbowed him again and he grabbed her affectionately.

'So what if we did Mac?'

'Well it's against regulations for one thing! On the other hand…' Mac smiled. 'I like to see Meg happy, she needs some love,'

Harm kissed Meg on the cheek then and she pushed him off. 'Not here!'

They came back out and saw Bud, coming back into the office for the first time since the explosion, on his prosthesis leg. He hugged Meg.

'Glad to see you're okay,'

'You too Sir,'