Title : Where Do We Go From Here… (at last, Part III of the Trilogy!)
Author : Jaggie 107
Disclaimer : JAG and NCIS characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. 'Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye' belongs to PAX TV – and I hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you.
Rating : G to PG-13 (Just in case!)
Thanks for the reviews to : jtbwriter; Radiorox; DD2; Nikki; froggy0319; anna7; Jbird7986; beegirl; JAGFANWI; Abigaile; Judy; roxy; KJFlygirl87; mayaresi; alicia; starryeyes10; skyefire; jnp; JAGJenni; laura carr; AnniGH4ever; Arian04; aserene; rosan; achaon; martini1988; Brittany, Sarah
froggy0319 – It's been a long wait, so I hope it's been worth it! I've got chapters under control again, so will be posting (much!) more frequently! Thanks for your reviews, and your patience!
jtbwriter – Hiya! Thanks for your reviews as always. It's been a while for an update on this story, but here it is at last! I may have mislead you on the NCIS involvement – the person killed has nothing to do with NCIS, and by the end of this chapter, you'll see who it actually was. Jen's problem will become clear as well, and you're in the ballpark on Mac! More to come! Quick update on STFBE, have you heard that the 3rd series has been cancelled? I've only seen snippets on a forum site, and don't know anything more.
starryeyes10 – Thanks for your reviews and your patience! I hope you like this chapter, and please keep reading!
Brittany4445 – Thanks for your reviews and your patience! I know about real life, hence the author's note below. I'm glad you've enjoyed reading the trilogy to date, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please keep reading!
A/N – Writer's block, real life…yada, yada, yada! Chapter Nine is here, and I hope it's been worth the wait – I actually lost some of my notes (meltdown) and I've been trying to work the story to fill in the missing stuff – I hope it makes sense, and I hope you enjoy!
JAG Headquarters – Harm's Office – Wednesday Morning
"Jack? Hi. I've had an update on the case. We need to include Gibbs ASAP. It would appear he was called in last night when the body of the husband of the last victim was found."
"I'm not sure whether DeAndres will want him along at the meeting."
"Not a problem. We can meet with DeAndres, and then tell Gibbs what we know."
"Works for me," Jack acknowledged. "Okay, how about we meet in town, at the park. Say in a couple of hours?"
"I can be there."
"See you then, Harm."
"On my way." Harm replaced the telephone handset on his desk and glanced across at Mac in Bud's office. Bud was talking to her, as she sat opposite him, and Sturgis was standing off to one side, head tilted, listening to the conversation. Getting up from his desk, Harm lifted his cover and tucked it under his arm as he left his office and walked toward Mac. Raising his hand to knock on the door, Bud waved him in. Both Sturgis and Mac turned to look at him.
"You're leaving?" Mac raised an eyebrow in question, and Harm nodded in response.
"I'm meeting Jack in DC. You okay?"
"As well as…the Team are doing the full Olympic gymnastics routine in here today, but I'll get my own back. I'm in court later; that usually shuts them up!" Bud and Sturgis grinned at Mac's description, along with Harm who nodded at the pair of them.
"I'll be back after lunch I guess. See you all then."
"Better do that, Flyboy. Don't forget I need a ride home." Mac grinned at her husband as Bud and Sturgis smiled at each other. Harm nodded, pulled the door closed behind him, and walked through the double glass doors to the elevators. As he entered the elevator car he grinned to himself, thinking back to that morning as he and Mac had driven to work together, using Harm's SUV. Mac had intended to drive herself in, as usual, but a little problem had arisen, and he recalled her disappointment at not being able to fit behind the wheel of her Corvette.
Flashback
"I'm fat, Harm! I don't fit in my car anymore!"
"Oh, sweetheart," Harm had walked across to the Corvettes parked side by side and hunkered down as Mac sat sideways in the bucket seat of her car. Suddenly Mac burst out laughing, and Harm tipped his head sideways, unsure of the change in her temperament.
"What is it?"
"You're going to have to pull me out of here, Harm. I think I'm stuck!"
End Flashback
Memorial Park – Washington DC – Wednesday Lunchtime
"That's the guy?" DeAndres asked Jack as they walked through the park toward the seat where Harm waited. Jack nodded, raising his hand to acknowledge Harm as they came nearer. Harm nodded in response and got to his feet.
"Captain Rabb, I'd like you to meet Joseph DeAndres. His wife was the first to be found."
"Mr DeAndres." Harm put out his hand and DeAndres hesitated before taking it in his. Harm noticed the hesitation, but said nothing, and nothing showed on his face. "Mr Hudson said you know who allegedly murdered your wife, and the others."
"It isn't alleged, Captain. I know the bastard killed my wife; I just couldn't prove it!"
"And trying to nail him yourself was the way to try and prove it?" Harm cocked an eyebrow in question, and waited for the response.
"I didn't go to his office to nail him, Captain Rabb. I went to talk to him, and I did. When I left his office I was followed. I went back to Torrance's office to tell him to call off his goons, and he called them in. That's when I went for Torrance, and got the discharge. You already know that, sir. It's in my papers." Harm nodded in response.
"I've read your jacket, yes. You were a decorated officer, a Captain."
"Yes, sir." De Andres acknowledged Harm's words, and Jack watched the byplay between the two men. While DeAndres had said he had no liking for the JAG corp that had ordered his discharge, he had no personal grudge against Harm, and Jack could almost say that there was a respect for Harm from De Andres. Harm was speaking again, and Jack brought his attention back to the conversation.
"You still accept my authority as a senior officer. You've called me 'sir' twice. You didn't really want the discharge, did you?"
"I accepted it as a result of my actions, Captain Rabb. I did go after my commanding officer. That's punishable. I was lucky not to go to Leavenworth."
"If we can prove your charges against Torrance you may be able to overturn the discharge."
"On what grounds, sir?" DeAndres was still trying to equate Harm with the military justice system that had discharged him, but he was finding it difficult to hate the man in front of him; especially when the same man was offering him a chance at reclaiming his career!
"Circumstantial evidence, once we have Torrance, would prove you acted in response to the death of your wife. You have to tell me everything you know about Torrance, and the other deaths. After we clean up on Torrance, I can file your request, if you want me to?"
"You'd do that? You don't know me."
Harm grinned, and Jack hid a smile behind his hand.
"You're military, Joseph. It's who you are, and who you've always been. This being a civilian sucks, for you, and all you have right now to drive you is the desire for revenge, against Torrance, for your wife. By coming to Agent Hudson, you've made the right move toward regaining part of your life. I can't imagine the loss of your wife – that isn't something I've had to deal with - but regaining your military career has to go someway to regaining your life."
"Yes, sir, it would help…since Callie died…nothing's made sense…"
"Then we start making sense of it. I don't know if Agent Hudson has told you yet, but there was another death last night. NCIS have been involved, and I'll be liaising with them."
"Another woman? Already?" DeAndres looked from Harm to Jack, and then back to Harm who spoke then, shaking his head.
"Not a woman. Lieutenant Jakes was the husband of the last victim. He was found in his garage. NCIS have the body, but they haven't given out the autopsy results yet. That's my next step, getting in touch with Gibbs."
"Good luck," murmured Jack, and Harm gave him a wry smile before turning back to DeAndres. The look on the man's face had him voicing a question.
"You know Jakes?"
"Yeah. Torrance was his CO too…" said DeAndres, and Harm folded his arms as he looked over at Jack.
"Let's get you somewhere safe and you start giving us all the details you have." Jack spoke, and both DeAndres and Harm nodded in agreement.
"I need to get back to JAG; Jen has the list of the deceased and their relatives. Maybe we can link the others to Torrance too. I'll call you when I've spoken to Gibbs." Harm shook hands again before turning to leave, and Jack's parting comment had him laughing out loud.
"Don't forget to say 'hi' from me!"
Harm's Apartment – Wednesday Evening
"Hey, come on in!" Harm opened the door to Jennifer's knock and stood back as she walked through, carrying a bag bearing the logo from the local bakery. Mac and Mattie waved at her from the kitchen area where they were working on the dinner.
"Dessert," Jennifer murmured, offering Harm the bag, which he took. All three women smiled at him as he dipped his nose into the top of the bag.
"Banoffee pie is my all time favorite," Harm grinned as he lifted his head, and found Mac, Mattie and Jennifer looking at him. "Oh, man, talk about being outnumbered!" he muttered, and Mac patted her bulging abdomen, reminding him that there was possibly another female there too. On the plus side, there was definitely another male! Two was always better than one, and Harm grinned at Mac, knowing she'd worked out the math too. "Okay, let's eat!"
When dinner was through and Mattie had excused herself back to her apartment to do her homework, Jennifer took a seat opposite Harm and Mac on the couch.
"What's bothering you, Jen? You've been quiet all day." Mac's observation wasn't harsh, and Jennifer grinned at her as Harm watched the pair of them, keeping his silence for the time being.
"You don't miss much, Mac. I guess Harm told you I wanted to speak to you both?"
"Actually, no. I haven't seen much of Harm today. He was out in DC this morning, and then I was in court this afternoon," Mac responded quietly, giving Harm a quick glance and a smile before returning her attention to Jennifer.
"Oh!" Jennifer murmured in surprise, and then nodded her head. "I should know by now that you two have a language all your own…anyway, the reason I wanted to talk to you…both…"
Harm and Mac waited for Jennifer to gather her thoughts and try to find the words she wanted to say. Just as Harm was about to say something Jennifer spoke.
"You know I've been seeing quite a lot of Bobby Manning, Jack's friend at the FBI?"
Both Harm and Mac nodded, saying nothing.
"He…I…that is, we seem to be heading toward something serious, and while I'm pleased…" Jennifer stopped, a blush rising in her cheeks, and Mac gave her a reassuring smile. "It's been a while…since I was so involved…with someone. Bobby is a really good guy, I know that, but he's…he's making me feel awkward…about being so close to you guys…and Mattie…"
Harm raised an eyebrow at that revelation. The little he did know of Bobby Manning gave him an impression of a straight-up guy, honest and trustworthy. However, if Jennifer felt different, Harm was quite happy to go with her feelings…
"What makes you think that, Jen?" Mac's soft voice was reasonable, and Jennifer gave her a grateful look.
"He thinks…that I shouldn't be…oh, I can't do this!" Jennifer stood up, ran her hand across her forehead and sat down again. When she looked at Harm and Mac her expression was so serious that both of them thought something terrible was about to happen. "You three are the best of my life right now, along with the rest of the JAG crew, and the Navy itself. I know I've done a lot for myself over the past few years, but you've all been there for me. I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful…but he, Bobby…thinks you take me for granted, and I can't see why I have to explain myself to him."
"Explain what?" Harm's question was innocent enough, and Jennifer grinned at him.
"I accepted taking on the apartment when I did, to help you and to help myself. I needed a place; you needed somewhere for Mattie. It was an arrangement that worked then, and it works now. I know at some point you guys are going to buy a house, and move out, and that's when I can make more plans myself, but right now what we have works, and I don't know why he can't accept that!"
"He thinks we take advantage of you, huh?" Mac asked, and Jennifer nodded, looking at both Mac and Harm with a woeful expression.
"I don't want you thinking I'm ungrateful…I'm not! I chose to take on Mattie, just as you did, and I've never regretted a moment of being her friend, and her roommate. I like Bobby, a lot, but I haven't known him as long as I've known you guys, and I'm not going to be made to choose between you!"
"Have you told Bobby all this?" Harm asked, wondering if he could mention something of the conversation to Jack and Sue, ask their advice. Jennifer's next words had him putting the thought on hold.
"Not yet, but I will. I'm going as his date tomorrow night, but I've also arranged to go see him at the weekend, after Mattie leaves for Annapolis, so I'll talk to him about it then."
"That's a good idea," Mac murmured, nodding her head. "Jen, we're really happy for you, if you're happy, but don't let your relationship with us spoil your time with Bobby."
"Thanks. If it's meant to be, it'll work out."
"Yeah, I guess it will. Take care, okay?"
"Thanks, guys. I'll see you tomorrow." Jennifer got up once more and leaned over to hug Harm and Mac before leaving the apartment. Once she had gone, Harm sat on the couch, holding Mac, but saying nothing.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" asked Mac, moments later, looking up at Harm's face. He looked at her and grinned.
"Depends if you're thinking that we've suddenly become much older! I'm beginning to feel like we're old sages, dispensing advice to the young!"
"I was about to say the same!" Mac admitted, and laughed. Leaning her head on Harm's chest for a moment, as his laughter rumbled beneath her ear, Mac then ran a finger gently into the 'v' of his open shirt and touched the skin she found there. Harm's laughter died away and his breathing hitched beneath her ear. Mac smiled as she raised her head once more to look up into Harm's eyes.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Harm murmured, winding a strand of Mac's hair around his finger as he borrowed her words from moments before.
Mac's soft laughter reached his ears at the same time as she whispered to him, running the tip of her tongue around the shell of his ear. Harm dipped his head, nodding as he murmured into her mouth just before he kissed her.
"I like the way you think, Mac…"
to be continued