Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. JAG belongs to CBS and DPB and Paramount too.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed and one special thanks to my beta – reader Nix707 thank you. And sorry for the delay :o)
When the marines came to the place Greg was, they couldn´t help but start laughing.
„Hey! Stop it would you? it´s not much of a pleasant feeling you know". Greg leaned against a rock, a terrified expression on his face. A few inched away from his face ramped a dog, something like german shepherd. The dog´s paws propped up against Greg´s chest and he was barking and growling.
„Could you please just take it off of me?"
„You don´t like dogs, Greg?"
„Dog? It´s a dog? What is some dog doing on a afghani desert?"
„Maybe he is Usama bin Laden´s beloved pet!" said Ray.
„Oh I don´t think so," replied Mac.
„What are we gonna do with him?"
„Well, first of we should restrain him from Greg or he will go crazy," said Mac.
„Good idea."
„I can shoot him."
„NO, you can´t. No shooting, understood?"
„Fine, anyone have some meat?"
„That´s not funny, Ray. Does it hurt, Greg?" asked Mac.
„No it´s okay, really, I can take it".
„See, no worries."
„Okay, I have an idea. I attract his attention so Greg can run away," said Sean.
„And then what? We would have the same situation like before."
„It´s just a dog for godsake," said Mac, her patience flying out of the window. She kneeled down, took a chocolate bar from her bag and extended her hand in the direction of the dog.
„Come on boy, come here." The dog glanced at her, then at Greg, then back at Mac.
„Come to me." The dog got down from Greg and slowly came to Mac, cautiously taking the bar from her. Mac sat down next to him and started stroking him.
„You didn´t tell me you have chocolate," pouted Greg.
„Just shut up, you idiot. How did you do it, Mac?" Mac just looked at the marines with their mouths still gaping and said.
„Well, I got a lot of experience in this area, you know I have to put up with you guys".
The Roberts house, ROSSLIN VA
Harriet Roberts was about to start making dinner when someone knocked at the front door. When she opened the door she saw Commander Rabb.
„Hello, Commander! I didn´t know you were coming." She hugged him and ushered him inside.
„Hi Harriet, I´m sorry to bother you, but I need to talk to you."
„Oh, okay. Something about work? Because I didn´t…"
„No, no…It´s…it´s about Mac."
„About Mac? What about her, did you met her recently?"
„No, but I wanted to so…"
„you want me to give you her adress? She moved to another apartment."
„That would be great Harriet, thank you."
„Fine, I give you her adress, but she is currently out of town."
„Ah, and you know when she will be back?"
„I´m not sure, but I can tell you when she returns."
„Thank you Harriet, that would be great. I better go."
„You don´t want to stay for dinner?"
„No, but thanks anyway, bye."
MARINE COMMAND BUNKER DESERT NEAR KABUL
Sarah Mackenzie returned with her team back to the marine command bunker just a few minutes ago, eight people and one dog. A marine came to her.
„Welcome back ma´am, should I remind you that you have to bring your report to the general?"
„That´s not necessary, I´m on my way there, but thank you anyway." Mac dismissed him and began going to the General´s office, when someone stopped her.
„Welcome back girl, that´s all you got out there?" It was Murray – a pain in the six. For Mac it was hate on the first sight in both ways. He was pointing at the dog.
„None of your bussines, Murray". She wanted to pass him and go on, but he blocked her way.
„Anything else or you just take pleasure in bugging me?" she smiled sweetly.
„No, all I want from you is to pack your bags and leave, dear, or you might get hurt."
„And all I want right now is to hurt you, dear." Murray stepped closer to her and took her arm and the very quiet dog which didn´t pay any attention till now suddenly made a dash for Murray, barking at him.
„Hey! Take your friend away from me or I shoot him! I will talk about this with the General, you can´t just do what you want!" He was very angry, but thanfully for him Mac had the dog on a rope so he didn´t hurt him.
„If you don´t want to get hurt then don´t touch me again, understood?". The just glared at her and left. She had won the battle this time.
As she neared the tent with sign which meant the General´s office and hers as well she heard yelling. Once it died away from the tent emerged very frustrated Murray. He quickly glanced at her and then left. She couldn´t hep but smile. She was part of the Units under the command of General Blake for quite some time now so she knew what she can expect from him and she liked General Blake very much. He was a good man. He reminded her of Harm in a way. Ugh thinking about him again. She shook the thoughts off and went in.
„Hi Henry, how was your day?" he glanced at her and smiled.
„Ohh it was eventful, mainly after I found out you were back. Welcome." He hugged her tightly and then looked down at the dog. He barked quietly and wiggled his tail.
„He sure knows how to make people fall for him, but we both know he can´t stay."
„But why not?"
„Where would he stay? Who would feed him and with what? How do you stop him from hurting someone? Mac, you have to understand that he can´t stay."
„He can stay with me and I can feed him."
„Oh really, how would you do it with your appetite?" Mac smiled but quickly answered.
„The boys told me they will take turns with the food and I swear if he hurts someone then he will go."
„You have answer to everything do you?" Mac nodded.
„I don´t like lawyers, you know, but you are an exception".
„I don´t think so. You like me because I know the president".
JAG HEADQUARTERS, FALLS CHURCH, VA
Harmon Rabb leaned back in his desk chair and propped his feet up on the corner of his desk. All that was on his mind right now was a beautiful, dark haired marine. Mac had been gone for two months, but she was still haunting his dreams every night. He was worried about her. Harriet didn´t say anything till he began to really push her buttons. Then she told him that Mac is in Afghanistan and that she will probably stay much longer than she thought at first. His brain told him to stop thinking about her and move on, but he just couldn´t help it. Then he realized he had to work with Lt.Cdr. Watson on some case which is most likely going in to court and that he was already twenty minutes late. He quickly stood up and left his office with a loud thud.
MARINE COMMAND BUNKER DESERT NEAR KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (four days later)
It was very quiet morning considering the fact that it was in the middle of war zone, but something didn´t change, everything was covered with the desert dust and sand as always. Over these four days Mac and her team relaxed and now as well rested, they will take on another mission. Mac was briefing their team, the dog accustomed to the environment already and quietly laying next to her legs, listening to every word she was saying. Mac gave most of her free time to the dog, trying to teach him some tricks. She had named him Butch and he seemed to like it. He even got his own dog tags and just after few days he made the possition of the bunker´s mascot.
„So now I think we´re ready to hit the road!" with that, Mac ended her briefing and the team prepared for the mission.
After about two hours of driving the humvees stopped and the marines were ready to spring out. They had to find out a cave, where should be hidding a few members of Al Qaeda. It was an easy assigment. Just take them out and transport them back to the main bunker for questioning and possibly taking them to prison.
„Okay, everyone to their possitions, turn the radio on the right freq and keep the line open. Go". Mac was realy having a good time in her commanding possition. She liked it a lot, the adrenaline, danger. Her heartbeat gained speed as they neared the cave. But what happened next no one expected, this shoudn´t have happened…
Out of the blue there was heavy shooting heard. Everyone took cover and tried to find the shooters. Nothing could be seen, but suddenly Sean cried out of pain and fell to the ground.
„Oh shit, Sean got hit, do you see anything? I don´t know what I´m firing at!" Ray was irritated and the sounds was beginning to sount to him like M-16 which is using just the military.
„I don´t see a damn thing, it sounds like we´re firing at each other for godsake! Stop the fire! Repeat stop it!" Mac didn´t want to think about the possibilities – that they were firing at each other and there weren´t any reports saying that there were weapons stollen. But the fire didn´t stop so they weren´t firing at each other thank god but who was on the other side then. Butch was sitting next to his master, he didn´t move a muscle, but then in a swift motion he shoot ahead between the flying bullets barking.
„Oh no, Butch! Butch get back!" But then it was clear to Mac what he was doing. He heard familiar voices. The shooting stopped and there turned up to be another team from the base camp, it was the team of Murray.
There was absolute silence, just Butch kept running around still barking. Mac crouched down to Sean and inspected his wound. She took off her jacket and pressed it to the bleeding wound.
„Anyone else is hurt?" She had one nasty looking gash on her forehead but it didn´t mattered to her at the moment.
„Umm I got it in my right shoulder, but it´s not bad" said Tim. Everyone still stood silently in shock, Butch barking and running around in circles, but then one shot could be heard and then absolute silence, again.
Mac quickly glanced up. Butch was laying on the ground rapidly bleeding. The blood was soaking the sand under him. She had tears in her eyes. She looked at Murray who had smile on his face, a smoking gun in his hand.
„You cretin! Wy did you do it?" She stood up and run to him. She repeated.
„Why the hell did you do it!"
„You want to know why, the barking just irritated me". She punched him in the face, hard. He collapsed to the ground out cold.
„Damn him! Where are your vehicles Captain?" She adressed the second in command of the other team.
„Ugh over there ma´am".
„Then don´t stay here and go GET THEM! Mike, Ray, take Sean to the car."
„Aye aye." Everyone went their way, but Mac. She kneeled to Butch, silently stroking his back.
„I´m so sorry, please forgive me……… forgive me." She was crying now and she burried her head into his neck.
„I´m so sorry." Suddenly she heard weak whine from the dog.
„Oh my god, you´re alive! Don´t worry, it will be alright, I´ll take you home." Carefully she took him in her arms, but he was very heavy, still she tried to carry him. A marine hurried to her.
„Ma´am? Can I help you? Please." It was a member of the other team. Mac just looked at him and sighed.
„Okay, take him."
TBC
MarineJAG – thank you. Having problems with the length lol? So did you like it?
Nix707 – thanks thanks and thanks. No one told me about my grammar mistakes. Sure I knew there were some but it didn´t bother me, but then one reviewer told me after I posted the last chapter and that was when I realised it lol!.
Froggy0319 - what made Mac choose her new job? It was me! I forced her into it. I plead guilty on that one lol!
Shirik – thank you, could not update sooner, my beta-reader was slow lol :o)
Kitty X – thanks. I´m trying to update fast, but I wanted these chapters to be longer than in my other story so it takes awhile.
JamieAKAaclassyone – thank you and I will lol.
Dansingwolf – thank you. So did you find out? Wonder how they meet? Well wonder away lol :o) But I think you think you know already how they meet…
dOnNa – thank you, sure I´m working on the next chapter! Liked it?
AnMaDeRoNi – I´m trying lol.
Jamie L. – thank you very much and don´t worry, you will find out soon enough how they meet.