Title: Ready or not
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. JAG belongs to CBS and DPB and Paramount too.
Rating: T just to be safe.
A/N: Everything happened till „Goodbyes", but in my universe Harm never went back to JAG and now 2 years later he returns. Look at what happens. Please read and review, tell me what you think.
A/N2: someone wants to beta this poor thing?
A/N3: this has nothing to do with that episode, I just liked it so I wrote it as a title.
23:58 SOMEWHERE NEAR KANDAHAR
It was pretty cold at midnight in here even for six people in black gear with weapons set out in various places and perfectly hidden near the sand covered so called road. Two of them were talking over the radio.
„We keep watching the desert road for I don´t know how long, there is nothing".
„I know"
„When did your contact tell you they will be here?"
„About a hour ago".
„Where are they then?"
„I don´t know for godsake! Stop asking me those stupid questions! And after all it was your contact who called".
„Mine? And why did he called you and not me?"
„Hmm, don´t know, maybe he likes me better than you".
They were out in the desert tonight to capture Madir Khalen, the head member of terroristic organization which was selling weapons and missiles to Al Qaeda. Suddenly a black SUV and old truck came into view, moving quietly in the desert leaving plumes of dust in the night sky. The leader of the team spotted them first and called over the radio:
„Get on your positions and get ready in five" everyone done exactly that and waited.
When the vehicles reached the right place the men spread into action, soon the cars vere secured and the prisoners were captured.
„How many?"
„four terrorists total". They all gathered around them. The leader of the team recognised Madir Khalen.
„We have got him". Said the team leader to the radio and then took down mask from the face. It was Mac.
„One terrorist down, hundreds of them to go" she said.
08:44 JAG HEADQUARTERS, VA
„Good morning sir" said one of the marine guards at the gate into the building.
„Good moring" replied Commander Harmon Rabb jr.
It was his first day at JAG. Okay not first, he spend five years in there, but these last two years he was on board air-craft carrier USS Seahawk. For the first year as a pilot and then as a CAG. He thought that he handed over everything he knew and that it was time for him to go. Thank god that the Admiral took him back. As he rode in the elevator he was preparing himself for whatever happens in the bullpen. The people who knew him would be sure happy that he is back. Bud and Harriet, Mattoni, the Admiral, Tiner…and Mac. He was excited and scared at once. He didn´t kept in contact with anyone except Bud. He e-mailed him from time to time, teling him what´s new. So he stepped in to the bullpen in anticipation.
First one who spotted him was Harriet.
„Welcome back commander! How was on the Seahawk?" she was bubbly as he remembered her.
„Thank you Harriet, I had great time there". He replied. Soon everyone was around him welcoming him, everyone except Mac.
„Aah the commander is already here, I didn´t expect you in another half hour" said the Admiral.
„I can come back later if you want, sir". He grinned.
„Hmm, keep your humour, commander, you get your share of case files soon. Come in to my office".
Harm´s POV
When I walked out of admiral´s office, everything was back in place. Mac´s old office door was open so I got in. But when I wanted to say something I got a big surprise. There was not Mac, but someone else.
„Hi, you´re the new guy are you? I´m Lt.Cdr. Pamela Watson". Nice person, in her mid-thirties, about 5´1 height, blonde.
„Ugh, hello. I´m Lt.Cdr. Harmon Rabb. Can you tell me where is Major Mackenzie?"
„Who?" this answer got me little worried. I excused myself with some lame excuse and went to Bud´s office. I attacked him out of the blue.
„Where is she?"
„Who?". Then he got the idea. „You mean the Colonel?" This time it was me who was dumb.
„No, I want to know where Mac is!".
„Aah sorry, you couldn´t know she was promoted. She is now. She got the promotion before you did so she would outrank you if…"
„Bud!"
„Sorry sir. She is not working here anymore". With his words my life shattered around me. I hoped, no I believed we could start again, be friends or even more. I went back here partly because of her and now…
„Where is she?" I asked again.
„She works for the White House now".
THE WHITE HOUSE, Washington DC
Mac´s POV
My head hurts, my legs hurts, all my body hurts. I hate those military flights if you can call them flights. The boss wanted me back in DC so I had to take a ride in F-18. What a nice trip. It reminded me of Harm, the flights we shared in tomcats, migs, in Sarah… It was almost as bad as if he was with me, but thank god I didn´t throw up this time. As I walk through the lobby to my office someone stops me and immediately starts talking.
„Hi, you´re back already? How is in Afghanistan these days"? Oh what a lucky day. Special agent Grady is the most annoying thing in this building, he is worse than Brumby. He is trying to charm me for about a year, well it would be from the first time I actually stepped into Langley and he saw me. What a shame I ever met him.
„Hello Allan, how are you"? He was smilling from ear to ear, it was disgusting, trust me.
„I´m great, now that you´re back. Do you want to grab something to eat or anything?"
„No, thank you, I´ve eaten already". Oh, he is disappointed now, what a pity.
„Never mind, so maybe a raincheck?"
„Sure, but I have to go now, if you´ll excuse me".
„Ok, see you later". No way in hell.
After I made it to my office without another interuption I sat down behind my desk and opened the file on it. I got a new job.
And why I ended my career with the marines, with JAG and all that? I think I just needed a change. Okay, that´s not entirely true, but I think I just didn´t enjoy it anymore, the paperwork, the cases Admiral was giving me and Brumby instantly bugging me. It was just too much and when the Admiral got me this opportunity to work for the president mostly as a diplomatic language translator and arabic language program coordinator and occasionaly I would have to help CIA doing their work (A/N: Webb has nothing to do with it) I just couldn´t resist. I don´t mind going to the field and after 11/9 I applied for more work in the warzone, after all I´m still a marine and I always will be. All I miss about my old work is the courtroom……and Harm, but Harm is on air-craft carrier saving the world from terorists and I´m doing what? Catching them one by one.
I quickly scan the pages in the file. Hmm, how nice. I just flew in F-18 from Afghanistan only to take the same flight back, the difference is that this time I´m going as a member of special forces, I will be doing some special ops. So I take my spare duffel bag and go.
JAG HEADQUARTERS, Falls Church VA
I´m in the middle of a meeting with my client and Bud, the prosecutor, but I can´t seem to get my mind under control. I can´t keep thinking about her.
White House? She works for the president. What is she doing there? I can´t believe that. How on Earth could she do that? I´m still in shock. Think she still lives in that old apartment? I should find out.
„Sir?"
„Ugh what? Sorry, you were saying?" I think I spaced out for a moment.
Later that evening I decided I really should go to Mac´s apartment. Maybe she´ll like to have dinner with me. So I drove to Goergetown and parked my car in the parking lot near her building. Once I got to the right floor I knocked on her door. Nothing. I tried again, but still nothing. Then I thought about unlocking the door with the spare key Mac gave me years ago, but some guy got out of the elevator and stopped me.
„Hey! What do you think you´re doing!" he looked mad.
„Unlocking that door, why?" he must think I´m an idiot or something.
„Where did you get the key? This is not your apartment!. The guy was angry with me.
„It´s my friend´s apartment and she gave me the key and I want to know what´s going on with her lately. She is not answering so". He cut me off.
„…so you thought you can look in! No way! Mac rented me this apartment and she didn´t say there is another key! Give me that thing! He grabbed my keys and hurriedly tried to get it from the chain.
„Mac rented it? Where does she live if not here?" I was really confused.
„Mac? I don´t think she would want you to have her adress, no I don´t think so. Who are you anyway?"
„Harmon Rabb", we shaked hands.
„Hi Rabb, I´m Nick, I don´t have her adress, but I know she lives somewhere in the city centre. She got rich or something".
„Okay, thanks for your help".
Now I was confused, shocked and amused. Well, I should have called Harriet, I´m sure she knows where exactly does Mac live. I don´t like it, the White House, president, then this.
22:16 somewhere near KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN
The marines were setting a camp in the middle of afghani desert. The sun has gone down over the horizon so the sky was pitch black and it was rapidly cooling down. They were laying on the ground in their sleeping-bags. They were engaged in a small talk.
„I´m cold" said one of them, Sean Cowley. He was lieutenant, a pyrotechnist.
„Oh shut up already!" said another one, marine captain Rey Rubbens. He was quick-tempered and pig-headed, which was geting him into trouble more than once. Mac has problems with him at the beginning, but they fighted it out.
„Drop it Ray" Mac glanced at the men and got an idea.
„So… anyone plays on anything"?
„I play on my semi-automatic here" he pointed at his scary-looking weapon laying next to him and laughed.
„I play guitar". Said Sean.
„You play guitar? I just don´t believe it." Said Mac
„Sure I play, I had a band with my friend from college, but it didn´t last long".
„I can play drums!" hollered another guy Marcus Stevens, he was a seal.
„Hey that´s great, we can set up a band! I will be the manager of course".
„You´re full of jokes today Ray" Mac smiled
„I just can´t help it Mac, you can be a dancer! Hey that would be soo much fun!"
„Are you kidding me?"
Suddenly there was a silence.
„Did you heard that? Asked Sean.
„No, what. Are you scared or something?" said Roy.
„And that? Did you heard that?"
„Okay I hear it. Who is on the watch?" asked Mac
„Greg is"
Mac took the radio and called: „Hey Greg, you there?
„Yes, why?"
„Did you heard something?"
„No…I should´ve?"
„No, no it´s okay. Look around and call me if you find something".
„Roger that, Greg out".
After a while the radio picked up again.
„Ma´am?"
„Yes?"
„ I think I found the reason for the sound. You should probably come and get a look for yourself".
„What is it Greg" Mac was annoyed and impatient, why can´t he just say it?.
„You better come here Ma´am, Greg out".
So, liked it or not? Tell me. Should I continue or not?