A/N: Alright, here's the deal; Wolfman had a week of vacation and none of us could get into his room, get on his computer and post the next chapter for this or Three Wise Men; so, now that he's back, you're getting both today.

In the life of Harmon Rabb Junior, a lot had happened since last Christmas. Well, there were big things, like getting engaged and finding out the truth about his father's last years. Those two things easily topped the list. There were a lot of other things that made this year memorable too. His girlfriend had a stalker, he got to return to flying for a few weeks, he got to combat international terrorists in Syria, one of his best friends got married, that same friend and his wife were now expecting a baby, another friend of his was an expectant father and to top it all off, a few weeks ago, he and his fiancée almost got blown up in a foreign country. Yeah, it was an exciting year.

So, he decided that he should have a good Christmas this year. He had arranged it so that everyone was coming up to Bealsville. It was going to be one crowded house for Christmas up at Grams, but he figured that they could probably do it. Besides, with Sturgis and Keeter up there, he wouldn't be the only one that his grandmother put to work. Normally Harm would have added Jim to that list, but he was in the middle of PT with a very demanding Harold O'Grady who just wasn't letting up.

Even with the Colonel back on limited duty, Mr. O'Grady was in everyday at 1230, ready to try and get his grandson to do more walking around the JAG courtyard, his bellowing could be heard from Falls Church all the way out to McLean, Harm was sure of that. It was humorous to say the least. Jim was the ranking officer at JAG after the Admiral and a Marine but even he was afraid to deal with, what Harm was sure, was the most spry ninety-one year-old that God had ever put on the planet.

But now, it was December 24th and everyone was packing up to head on up to Bealsville for their Christmas leave. Keeter was meeting them up there. Harm couldn't help but laugh at the thought of his grandmother meeting Harold O'Grady. That was going to be one for the books indeed.

"We're following you up to Bealsville, right?" Harm and Jim were outside the apartment building loading up the jeep.

"Yeah, Bud and Sturgis will be here any minute. I still can't believe that Bud managed to escape the evil looming spectre of Mrs. Sims this Christmas. I don't think we'll ever get that smile off his face." Harm joked as he slammed the back hatch of the jeep.

"Thanks for taking Mac's and my stuff up with you, God knows it doesn't fit in the corvette." Harm stated.

"Not a problem. I just realized something." Jim looked terrified.

"What's that?" Harm questioned.

"My grandfather has to drive. Angie's pregnant and with my broken leg, he's the only one of us who can drive." Jim covered his face in his hands.

"What is he like slower then molasses or something?" Harm joked.

"Just the opposite, the man thinks that speed limits are suggestions." Jim deadpanned. "Aren't you glad that we put all-season tires on that car before we gave it to Bud?" Jim pointed to where Bud pulled the old T-Bird into the alley near Harm's apartment.

"Nice too see you, sir. This Christmas idea was a stroke of genius." Bud was ecstatic as he climbed out of the car.

"Yes, sir, it was awful nice of your grandmother to invite all of us up to her farm. It's only a pity that the Admiral couldn't come." Harriet added as she sort of waddled over to the congregation of people.

"Yeah, well the Admiral likes to spend the holidays with Francesca. Can't say that I blame him; I know that when I have kids, I'll want to spend as much time with them as possible." Harm remarked thoughtfully.

"Don't you mean, when we have kids, flyboy?" Mac came up behind arm and worked her way into the crook under his arm.

"Yes, dear." Harm stated submissively.

"When are Sturgis and Chaplain Turner going to be here?" Mac questioned.

"Should be any minute." At that moment a car pulled into the alley. "Speak of the devil."

"You know, Mac, I think you're making Harm sentimental. Back at the Academy you couldn't make this guy smile at Christmas and now he's planning big holidays." Sturgis joked as he walked over to the gathering group near the jeep. "Colonel, you do realize that Grandpa O'Grady is going to find an ally in Mrs. Rabb with regard to helping to get that leg back in working order."

"So, Harm has told me." Jim leaned heavily on his crutch. "Why do I feel like a grown up Tiny Tim?"

"Just so long as you don't quote Dickens at us, everything should be okay." Chaplain Turner added. It was that moment that Angie, David and Grandpa O'Grady all came down out of the building.

"We ready to go?" Harm inquired of Angie who was still trying to push David out the door.

"Yeah. Jim your son is actually harder to wake up in the morning then you are." Angie commented curtly.

"I'm growing. I need sleep." David replied.

"Are you sure he's not going to be a lawyer?" Mac joked.

"Alright people, we're on a tight schedule here." Harm announced.

"He's a relentless taskmaster. Sturgis quipped as everyone retreated to their cars.

1933 ZULU

SARAH RABB'S FARM

BEALSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA

The convoy of vehicles pulled down the old dirt road to the big turn of the century farmhouse. The Chrysler at the end of the log driveway told Harm that his parents were already here. The other car in the driveway, the one that he didn't recognize, meant that Keeter too, had beaten them here. So, Harm's corvette led the convoy of four vehicles up the long drive to the house. When they reached the end of the drive, all four of the vehicles were put in park. The women and children made for the house while the guys unloaded the jeep which had been packed to the brim with luggage and presents for the holidays.

Harm, Sturgis, Bud, Jim, Chaplain Turner and Grandpa O'Grady looked like loaded pack mules as they climbed up the stairs to the house. Keeter and Frank met them on the stairs. "We were banished from the house in order to help you guys unload the vehicles." Keeter stated reluctantly.

"Well, there isn't too much left." Harm managed to get out between grunts of exertion that came from being loaded down.

"Thank God for small favours." Frank jested as he and Keeter went down to retrieve the last of the gifts. Within twenty minutes, all the presents had been set up in the living room and the guys were looking around admiring their handy work.

"Alright, now you boys have to go out back and hunt for a tree. Remember the ceilings are fifteen feet, so nothing too big, boys." Sarah Rabb lectured at Keeter, Sturgis and Harm. Jim threw himself down on to the old couch in the living room. "What do you think you're doing, James?" Mrs. Rabb looked on disapprovingly.

"Recuperating." Jim smiled in his own Irish way and pointed to his cast.

"Oh, there'll be none of that hogwash. You'll go out with the boys and help them pick out a tree." Mrs. Rabb threatened to smack the cast.

"Alright, alright, I'm getting up." Jim clambered off the couch and limped over to the door. He propped himself up on one crutch.

"Now that's how you whip the boy into shape." Harold O'Grady joked as he watched his grandson follow his friends out the door.

"Of course, you think we would have put up with that kind of lollygagging in our day?" Sarah Rabb questioned with a boisterous laugh as she and Mr. O'Grady entered the kitchen.

"You decided to trust them with an axe, Grams?" Mac questioned.

"Well you know them. If I'd let them hang around here all afternoon with nothing to do, they would have been into the whiskey before long and that was something I wasn't about to let happen. Can you imagine those boys getting into the whiskey on Christmas Eve? It would be absolute madness." Sarah Rabb chortled happily as she walked over toward the over. "Trish, dear, how are the shortbreads coming?"

"Just fine, Sarah. Harriet and Mac are making the Egg Nog with the famous Rabb family recipe." Trish informed the elder woman.

"Alright, all we need to do is find something for you to do, young man." Sarah Rabb knelt down to David Grant's height.

"I could open presents?" David smiled his own little replica of his dad's stupid Irish grin.

"Oh, you're a sly one." Grams chuckled. "Why don't you go string the garland along the banister?"

"Okay." David ran off happily to complete his task.

After about an hour, the boys came walking back up to the house with one damn big Christmas tree on their shoulders, the gimping Marine bringing up the rear. After some serious feats of engineering brilliance, they had managed to manoeuvre the tree in the living room and get it upright. "Now that is one big mother tree." Keeter commented and Harm and Sturgis fixed the tree stand around the base.

"That thing's got to be at least twelve feet." Jim commented gazing up at the top of the tree.

"Alright, ladies it's set up!" Harm called and the girls, along with David and Mr. O'Grady came stampeding in from the kitchen.

"Well, Harmon, that has to be the best tree we've ever had in this old house." Sarah Rabb commented.

"Sarah, do you think that you have the decorations to cover it?" Frank questioned.

"No, we'll have to spread the decorations out but it will still be perfect." Grams smiled fondly.

"How exactly do you intend to get the star on the top, Harmon? Grams' biggest ladder is only eight feet." Trish questioned.

"Well, my additional height should make up for the rest of the distance." Harm pondered for a moment.

"Alright, well, we've got Egg Nog and shortbreads now, let's get on into the kitchen and eat something before we even think about decorating this tree." Grams ordered and everyone retreated from the room toward the kitchen.

The rest of that night was spent decorating the Christmas tree, divulging their sweet teeth with Christmas treats and watching old Christmas movies on the television. It had actually been quite a struggle of wills at one point. David was arguing that he wanted to watch the Disney version of 'A Christmas Carol' and his great-grandfather was arguing rather vehemently that the group should watch It's a Wonderful Life.

"What is it that old Christmas song says about kids from one to ninety-two?" Mac whispered to Harm as they watched the scene.

"James, get your son under control." Mr. O'Grady protested.

"Are you kidding Grandpa? That kid gets an idea in his head and you can't shake it from him." Jim retorted.

"He's like his father that way." Angie added.

"Alright, David buddy, you have to go to bed now, otherwise Santa Claus won't come." Jim warned. David gave everybody a hug before running up the stairs to the bedroom that Grams had assigned to him.

"We had all better hit the rack right after the movie. Because that kid is going to be up before the crack of dawn tomorrow." Jim commented drowsily. The adults sat around watching the movie and then once it was finished, they all separated off to their respective sleeping quarters.

Sure enough, at 0513 that morning or so Angie told Jim, David came running into their room. "Dad! Dad! Wake up! Santa came!" David proclaimed as he shook his father's shoulders.

"Son, you remember what I told you about waking sleeping Marines?" Jim questioned drowsily, his question was half muffled by his pillow.

"Not healthy." David nodded.

"That's right." Jim thought for a minute and then came up with an idea. "Son, your Colonel is about to give you a very dangerous Recon mission. Do you accept?"

"Sure thing, Dad." David replied happily.

"Okay, buddy, go in and wake up your uncle Harm and aunt Mac okay? But you gotta jump on their bed." Jim was explaining to his son who was nodding his head and wide-eyed in anticipation. On the other side of the bed, Angie was straining to hold in her giggles at her boyfriend's conniving plan. After a few seconds, David went bounding out of the room and Angie rolled over.

"Harm and Mac aren't going to like that." She stated plainly.

"I know, but I'll get my laughs and so will everyone else when they hear about it, so I figure why not?" Jim replied as he and Angie got ready to head downstairs to unwrap presents.

David burst through the door of Harm and Mac's room and leapt on to the bed. The force of the enthusiastic eight year-old landing on the bedspread forced the sheet down and revealed a topless Mac to the eight year-old. "BAZOOMS!" David shouted happily and he bounced on the bed.

Harm's eyes flew open in fresh terror as he looked over to find Mac scrambling to cover herself with the bed-sheet. "Alright, David, buddy, we're up." Harm stated as he swung himself out of the bed. Harm was dressed in a pair of pyjama bottoms, so he was covered up enough to deal with the situation. Harm grabbed the runt around the waist and threw him over his shoulder. He then proceeded to walk down the hall to Jim's room just as Jim and Angie were coming out dressed in their pyjamas, bathrobes and slippers. "I believe I have something that belongs to you two." Harm lowered David to the ground.

"Mission complete, Colonel!" David replied with a smile.

"Busted." Angie taunted.

"Care to explain, Jim?" Harm questioned.

"He came in and woke us up a few minutes ago and I gave him the mission of going in to your room and waking up you two." Jim explained.

"I saw bazooms!" David was wide-eyed and smiling from ear to ear.

"Care to explain that one, Harm?" Jim asked.

"He kind of saw Mac's…" Harm tripped over the final word.

"Well, he got his Christmas present early then." Angie joked which caused Jim to break down into hysterics.

"You're lucky it's Christmas and your leg is already broken. Otherwise I think you would have Hurricane MacKenzie on your hands." Harm joked.

"Come on, Harm, this was damn funny." Jim recovered enough from his laughing fit to form a sentence.

"Maybe, guess we might as well wake everyone else up. That is, if the Junior Marine here didn't already do it with that shout of his." Harm mussed David's hair before walking back to his room.

"I think we should put David in for a bronze star." Angie commented as they climbed down the stairs.

"Why's that, honey?" Jim inquired.

"How many Marines you know could wake a topless Mac at 0530 in the morning and live to tell about it?" Angie played as they all made their way toward the living room. A few minutes later they were joined by the rest of the household, including Mrs. Rabb and Mr. O'Grady who had been up since 0430 making pancakes, sausage, bacon and just about anything else that was in the fridge.

By 0612, everyone was sitting in the living room, rubbing sleep out of their eyes. Keeter was by far the least enthusiastic about by roused out of a peaceful slumber at this hour of the morning.

"Alright, before we open the presents, I just realized that we forgot to put the star on the tree last night." Frank stated. "So, I went out and got Grams' ladder from the shed and brought it in." Frank set up the ladder next to the tree.

"I think I'm going to need some help with this." Harm commented and he lifted David Grant on to his shoulders.

"Make sure you hold on tight David, that's a long fall, honey." Angie warned, her maternal instincts running on overdrive. Harm climbed the ladder and when he got to the top, he handed David the star to place on top.

Mac stood there looking on. She was so happy to see Harm's fatherly side. She always had the feeling that he'd be a great father to whatever children that they had together, but seeing him with David always managed to reinforce that proud maternalism. She didn't think she could wait six more months to the wedding. She was sure that it was going to kill her.

Once, the star had been placed on top of the tree, Harm and David climbed down and the time for opening presents was at hand. Sturgis, Harm and Keeter had continued a tradition that they had long since perfected in their Academy days of giving gag gifts at Christmas. This year, Keeter got an inflatable girlfriend, Sturgis got a remote controlled fart machine and Harm was given edible underwear in honour of his engagement.

Harm gave Mac a gorgeous charm bracelet that sported a rose, the Marine Corps Eagle, Globe and Anchor; as well as the Navy Anchor. Mac presented Harm with a scrap book, inside were the pictures of all the important places that they'd been together. If they weren't pictures that she herself had taken, they were pictures from the internet of places like the Miami marina where they first kissed as boyfriend and girlfriend or of the TR where they had that little encounter in their stateroom.

Trish and Frank had exchanged similar gifts of affection as had other family members. The person who seemed to end up with the most presents was David who seemed to have gotten a gift. He actually got his own Air Wing of toy F-14s from Harm and Jack. Bud and Harriet had gotten him a few used Playstation games and he got a boatload of gifts from his father.

The last gift pulled off the floor was from Jim to Angie and it was a huge box. The biggest one under the tree. Jim picked it up and handed it to her. It was light, incredibly light for something that size. She slowly tore off the wrapping paper to reveal a TV box for a twenty-inch TV. She recognized it as the TV that they had in their bedroom back in Washington. She tossed him a curious look then she continued to tear off the masking tape on the box. She opened the flaps of the box to find a lot of ruffled up newspaper inside. "You know it's a health risk to tease a pregnant woman, right?" She asked.

"Just keep going, I put a lot of thought into this." Jim encouraged. Angie tossed him another curious look before pulling the newspaper out of the box and tossing it in a waiting garbage bag. She pulled out a very small box that was wrapped in the same wrapping paper that the big box had been wrapped in. By this time she was rather annoyed with her boyfriend's childish antics. She tore off the paper of the little box to find it was a red velvet jewellery box. Now her heart was in her throat. The box wasn't big enough to be for a bracelet or a necklace and if the smiles on Mac's or Harriet's faces were anything to go by, this was a very good sign.

Jim got to one knee on the floor in front of her and took the box from her hand. "As I recall, this all started with me up in arms in the Admiral's office because my two best friends had run off to Russia." Jim tossed a glance at Mac and Harm who were smiling. "Clayton Webb decided to tell me that General Wes Clark needed me for this Force Recon extraction in Kosovo. So, I got on a plane to Naples. When I got to Naples, this sexy as hell Marine Lieutenant came sauntering right out of my fantasies and on to the tarmac and even her BDUs couldn't hide just how gorgeous she really was. Well, this Marine Lieutenant and I ended up getting stranded after our Huey was overweight and they had to head back to the carrier without us. We spent almost a week running through the Kosovar and Albanian bush. In that week, I managed to fall madly in love with that Marine Lieutenant. In the months since, she's become a part of me and very soon, she'll be the mother of my child. Angie, there's no words to really or even properly describe everything I feel for you, but if you give me the chance, I'll spend the rest of my life trying to find those words. Marry Me?" Jim gulped heavily, feeling as nervous as a teenager in the backseat of his dad's car with the Prom Queen.

Angie was fighting a losing battle with tears. All talking or even moving in the room had ceased for a few seconds. "Like I don't cry enough with these damn hormones! You have to go around being all sweet. Of course I'll marry you, you crazy Jarhead!" She leapt off the couch into Jim's arms, knocking him flat on his six.

"Football!" David proclaimed, finally paying attention to the scene.

"No, buddy, no football. Hey, buddy, you know that talk you and I had a few days ago? Well Angie just said yes." Jim mussed his son's hair.

"I knew she would. Angie and Aunt Mac were sitting talking a few days ago and all they could say was how stubborn you and Uncle Harm were." David broadcast to the room.

"Busted." Chaplain Turner goaded.

"We really have to stick a bell on his neck." Mac joked.

The rest of the day was devoted to cleaning up the mess from the morning's events and watching the television. Between marathons of A Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation and Miracle on 34th Street, more than a gallon of Egg Nog had been consumed and all of Grams' shortbread cookies had been consumed. Grams, Trish, Harm and Harriet were busy working away in the kitchen to get Christmas dinner ready for that night.

By the time 1900 rolled around, everything was ready. Keeter, Sturgis and Jim had pushed a few more tables on to the end of Grams dining room table in order to find a seat for everybody. At one end of the table sat Harm and at the other end of the table sat young David Grant. Grams brought the platter out, with the Turkey on it and placed it in front of Harm. Chaplain Turner said grace and Harm started to carve the Turkey.

"Harm, you better be carving me a leg. You know I was always a leg man." Keeter goaded.

"I thought you were the breast man?" Harm joked right back over the buzzing of the electric knife

"No, Sturgis is the breast man." Jack commented and watched with amusement as Chaplain Turner turned to face his son.

"It's Keeter, dad, you know he's full of it." Sturgis protested.

"Nice cover, Sturgis." Mac added.

"Dad, I didn't get to say it." David protested loud enough for the table to hear.

"Didn't get to say what, buddy?" Jim inquired. David whispered in father's ear. "I'm sure everyone would let you say it, David."

"Sure, slugger, what's on your mind?" Harm asked down the table.

"God Bless Us, Everyone." David said with a smile which caused a few laughs but brought a general smile and feeling of contentment to everyone at the table.