Title : Where Do We Go From Here… (at last, Part III of the Trilogy!)
Author : Jaggie 107
Disclaimer : JAG 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 : T (I think!)
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; wheels04; BlueJay; chawkchic; Manda; BrittanyLS; jaggurl; DushiNoSushi; prymtns; Mey80
froggy0319 – Thanks for your review, and your promise! I'm glad you liked the dress – I wasn't trying to downplay the pregnancy, just make Mac feel a little less like a blimp for at least one night! It worked! Hope you like this chapter!
jtbwriter – Hiya, and thanks as always for your review! A few more ups and downs for Bobby and Jen, but that's what keeps you reading my story! We've just started with a new series of ST where Sue is attacked by a guy posing as a plumber (seen that one?) so I'm not sure where we are in the series listings, but I've been told the last episode has a 'The end…for now' trailer, so they're hoping for more! In the meantime, still thinking about you and the job hunt; pinky luck's still holding out! I hope you like this chapter, and please keep reading!
jaggurl - Hello and welcome to the story! Thank you for your review, and I hope you like the new chapter. I've had problems with the new FanFic set up, and I'm not sure if I'm uploading correctly. I'm not sure if my work is only going to those who have me on their lists! Please be patient, and keep reading! I'll work it out eventually!
DushiNoSushi - Hello and welcome to the story! Thank you for your review, and your comments. I'm glad I've managed to keep up the mystery! All will be revealed – eventually! Enjoy the chapter, and please keep reading!
starryeyes10 - Thanks for your review. I hope you like this chapter, and please keep reading!
prymtns - Hello and welcome to the story! Thank you for your review, and your comments. Bobby will get his act together – eventually! Enjoy the chapter, and please keep reading! PS – Delay in chapters as I've been having trouble uploading with FF. Hopefully you will get this chapter sooner rather than later!
Mey80 - Hello and welcome to the story! Thank you for your review, and your comments. Enjoy the chapter, and please keep reading!
Harm's Apartment – Friday morning – 0530 hours local
"Tell me again why I have to get up," muttered Mac from underneath Harm's pillow. As he had got out of the bed to use the bathroom Mac had burrowed under the comforter looking for him, and settled in the warmth he had left behind. Harm grinned and kneeled down beside the bed, lifting the edge of the pillow to look into one half open brown eye.
"Because it's Friday morning, and we have to go to work."
"I've already been working out…the Team have been up early!" Mac moaned, closing her eyes and rolling over onto her back, still hidden under the pillow, which Harm moved so that he could lean over and kiss her.
"Tell me about them! I felt them kicking me too!" he murmured, cajoling as he took Mac's hands in his. "Up and at 'em, Colonel!"
"Ugh! Did I tell you yet that your children are going to be Marines when they grow up?"
Harm laughed at that, and pulled Mac up into a sitting position, and then up again into his arms for a hug.
"What gives you that idea, Mac?"
"They're doing basic training already!"
Despite her obvious tiredness, which might have had a lot to do with the fact that they had only had about three hours of sleep – due to their own nocturnal activities - as Harm took great delight in pointing out, Mac grinned up at her husband as he held her close.
"Someday I'll look back on this morning and laugh, but right now all I want to do is climb back into bed, and drag you with me…"
"I appreciate the offer, but any moment now we're going to have one very excited teenager hurtling through the door, waiting for her ride to Annapolis, followed by a more subdued Petty Officer who will want to apologise for last night's occurrence, so I think it might be a good idea if we are both upright and mobile when they appear." Harm reasoned with Mac, and she nodded, knowing he was right. Her face lifted in another smile as he leaned in briefly once more before swatting her backside as he walked to the shower.
"Don't forget, tonight is the start of the weekend, and we're alone…"
An hour later…"We're going to be late!" Mattie complained once more, and Harm made a grab for his cover as Mattie lifted his briefcase up to him.
"No, we're not…there's plenty of time, Mattie," Harm murmured, raising his eyebrows at Mac in an expression of mild frustration at their daughter's impatience. Mac grinned, took his cover out of his hand and put it at a rakish angle on his head as she lifted her mouth for a kiss, which was duly despatched, starting as a brief brush, and ending up a determined smooch.
"Guys! I don't have all day here…" Mattie tried to sound harried, but it just didn't work. She was always amused at how much affection Harm and Mac showed each other, and her, and they grinned as she broke into a wide smile. "All right, already! Can we go now?"
"Have a great time, Mattie, and I want a full report when you get back on Sunday. Especially any tales you hear about Harm, Sturgis and Keet…" Mac began, but Harm gave her another swift kiss, stopping her flow of words. Mattie nodded her head as Mac looked at her over Harm's shoulder and winked. If Harm noticed that his wife's attention wasn't fully focussed on his kiss he didn't let on.
"I'll see you at work, Colonel. Drive carefully."
"And you too…" Mac returned softly, her voice lowering as she watched the two of them disappear down the stairs. The elevator was out – again.
JAG Headquarters – Mac's Office – 0900 hours local"Colonel Mackenzie speaking," Mac began as she answered her cell phone, smiling as she recognised the voice.
"Jack! Hi. Thanks again for last night; we had a wonderful time."
"You're welcome. So did we. Mac, I'm sorry to bother you, but I need a favor. I can't reach Harm right now, so I wondered if you'd pass on a message?"
"Sure. Tell me, and I'll do that for you."
"Sue asked me not to talk business last night, so I didn't, but I wanted to ask if Jennifer would be willing to help us out with the Torrance case. I would like her to go undercover as her own rank, but with a different name – and with a civilian fiancé."
"And you think this might work how?"
"It's different; the other deaths have been male military staff, with female civilian partners. I thought asking Jennifer to be a young Petty Officer with a male partner, going through relationship problems and getting into a little trouble, might pique the guy's interest. After last night I'd reconsider the male part, but I still think Jennifer is ideal for the sting."
"You mean because of what happened with Bobby?" Mac murmured, and pictured again the argument between the young Petty Officer and her boyfriend. "We can certainly ask Jennifer, but this would have to go past the Admiral too. It would be his call."
"Of course. When are you expecting Harm?"
"Not sure. He's got leave this morning to take Mattie to Annapolis, then he'll be right back."
"Okay. Well, I look forward to hearing from you," Jack began, and then stopped and there was a long pause.
"Jack? You okay?" Mac's question roused him from his thoughts and he apologized for zoning out on her.
"Mac, I'm sorry. I'll contact NCIS once I have the go-ahead, or not, from the Admiral."
"That sounds practical. No sense in getting Gibbs wound up until it's time," Mac murmured, and Jack laughed at the vision that created. The NCIS' finest straining at an invisible leash, trying to get at the case!
"Thanks for your help, Mac."
"Someone will be in touch, Jack; not sure if it will be me, but it will be as soon as possible."
"Later, then," said Jack, and replaced his handset as Bobby Manning walked into the office.
FBI Headquarters – same time"You look like hell," Jack said without ceremony, and Bobby gave him a red-eyed look of sheer emptiness. A look that chilled Jack a little. Moving over to stand beside Bobby's desk, he put his hand on his friend's arm. "Hey, I was joking…"
"No, you weren't, and you're right. I must look a real mess. Didn't get any sleep last night."
"None at all? Where've you been?"
"Wandering around. Thinking." Bobby dropped his head in his hands. "God, Jack, I've really screwed things up with Jen. I don't know what happened last night, but when she told me to back off about Harm and Mac, I saw red!"
"Why? You know both Harm and Mac love Jennifer like another daughter. They don't abuse her generosity. It's her choice to look out for Mattie as she does."
"I know that. But knowing and accepting are two different things, and I told her I couldn't accept how she is on call for them."
"Whoa, that is a bit steep, Bobby!"
"I know, and I knew as soon as I said it that it was wrong…I just didn't realize how much it would cost me."
"You really think you've lost Jennifer over this? Why don't you try talking to her over the weekend? Mattie's away, so she'll be alone. Better still, invite her round to your place."
"You think she'll go for that?" Bobby sounded dubious, and then noticed the look of horror on Jack's face. "What is it?" he asked, knowing Jack had something to say.
"I didn't realize how bad things were between you two. I've just asked for Jennifer to be assigned to the case as an undercover party."
"In what capacity?" Bobby asked, but with a sinking feeling in his gut that he already knew the answer.
"As a PO, with a civilian boyfriend. Oh, Bobby, I don't want this to ruin a chance at getting back with Jennifer. I can assign someone else to be with her." Bobby shook his head in denial.
"No. We can work this out, and do our jobs – that's what we do. I need to be the one to talk to her, about us working together on this."
"You might want to pay a visit to Mac then, as she was going to contact the Admiral and Jennifer for me. Take it from there and let me know."
"It's Friday. Do you mind holding off on a decision until Monday? That's going to give me enough time to talk to Jen tonight, and then if that goes up in smoke I'll let you know as soon as possible, and you can line someone else up."
"Okay. I'll call Mac…" Jack began, but Bobby shook his head.
"Let me."
"Be my guest," Jack acknowledged, moving away to his own desk, and leaving his friend to make an important call.
JAG Headquarters – Harm's OfficeMac had gone downstairs shortly after Jack's telephone call, but was sidetracked by Bud before she could get to the Admiral's office, and Jennifer's desk. While she was talking to Bud her cell phone rang again.
"Would you excuse me, Bud? I really have to take this call."
"Of course. I'll wait in my office."
"Thanks. I'll be right there." Mac walked away from the bullpen and into Harm's empty office, taking the seat behind his desk. "Colonel Mackenzie."
"Mac, this is Bobby Manning. I'm sorry to trouble you, but I understand you were given a message this morning from Jack Hudson?"
"Yes, I was. Is there a problem, Mr Manning?" Mac kept her voice neutral, but Bobby could still feel the freeze in her tone.
"Only if you've already passed on the message to Jen…Petty Officer Coates."
"I haven't as yet; what is it you want?"
"A chance, Colonel," Bobby began, hitched his breath, and then continued. "I need to explain to Jen why I behaved the way I did last night."
"That sounds like a very good idea, Bobby. In fact, Mattie's away this weekend, so you'll have plenty of time to talk to each other."
"I intend to sort this out, Mac. Honestly, last night made me sit up and think about what a fool I've been."
"I understand. Harm used to get sleepless nights too…" Mac grinned to herself, remember occasions when she and Harm had argued over something trivial, more so in their early careers, but in his case Harm hadn't just sulked in a park somewhere…he had gone off to other countries in search of answers. Vietnam as a boy – Russia and Paraguay as a man. "Just let me know what the outcome is, good or bad."
"Sure will, and it will be all good. I don't intend for it to be any other way."
"That's what I like to hear," Mac applauded verbally, and then replaced her cell phone in her pocket as Bobby closed the call.
"What's what you like to hear?"
Mac looked up from Harm's desk and grinned at him. Dropping his briefcase on one nearby chair, along with his cover, Harm seated himself opposite Mac, using the other chair at the front of his desk.
"How did it go with Mattie?"
"Not a problem. I walked her into the assembly and was told firmly, but politely, that I could leave as she was going to be just fine. We have one request though…" Harm's mouth tilted as Mac's eyebrow rose in question. He just loved that look…
"We?" she echoed softly, knowing that the request probably came from Harm rather than Mattie.
"Yeah. Fancy a drive to Annapolis on Sunday, to pick her up?"
Mac got to her feet and came around the desk to face Harm, perching her rear on the edge of his desk as she looked at him.
"Sure. Why?"
"Keeter's doing a class there…"
"Don't tell me! Spook 101?" It was a known fact – at least amongst his closest and dearest friends – that Jack Keeter was more likely to be found on a CIA mission than a military one.
"…and he's invited us to eat with him after the cadets leave," Harm finished "Actually, it's a course on advanced technology in the air. Keeter's field of expertise," he added.
"And yours," Mac murmured, watching Harm's expression, which only held amusement even though he tipped his head in acknowledgement of her statement. He was still kept updated on military airpower, and held current qualifications on a number of known, and unknown, aircraft.
"So, you didn't answer my question when I came in," Harm pointed out softly, and Mac gave him a sultry smile.
"Jealous?"
"Insanely…but I doubt I have anything to worry about really."
"True…" Mac murmured, checking outside Harm's office before touching her finger to her lips and then pressing it against Harm's mouth. As no-one could see his reaction, he opened his mouth slightly and trapped the finger with his teeth before touching it with the tip of his tongue and then releasing it back to Mac's care. "It was Bobby, actually. Jack rang earlier to ask if Jen could be involved in the case on Torrance. He wants her to pose as a PO, as she is, but with another name. I told him we'd have to clear it with the Admiral, and ask Jen herself." Mac's voice was a little unsteady as she gave Harm the pertinent details of Jack's telephone call.
Harm nodded his head, thinking about what Jack was asking, and buying himself time to calm down after Mac's little torment with her finger. Focusing on the task, he knew that while Jennifer's duties mainly consisted of being the Administrative Assistant to the Admiral she had previously helped Harm with an investigation of his, posing as an INS agent, and had been ideal for the case at the time. He saw no reason why she couldn't do the same again.
"What's meant to be the cover story?"
"Jack didn't say exactly, but I think it involves Bobby, and he wants to be the one to ask Jen if she'll take part in the case. All we need to do is get the Admiral's okay, and then Bobby will work out the details with Jen."
"What about the scene last night?" Harm sounded dubious then, and Mac gave him a reassuring smile.
"Bobby's going to get in touch with Jen and sort that out."
"Okay. Let's go ask if the Admiral's free." Harm got to his feet and pulled Mac gently off his desk. As he did so he looked down at her and gave her his most knee-wobbling smile. "Tonight, Sarah…" and Mac nodded as she preceded him out of his office and across the bullpen, aware as always of his hand against the small of her back, and the sensations it invoked!
JAG Headquarters – Outside the Admiral's OfficeJennifer opened her desk drawer as she heard her cell phone vibrate against the interior divider. On the display she read the name of the sender who had despatched a text to her. Bobby. The Admiral was still taking a conference call from the SecNav, so she opened the cover and pressed the key to read the text.
To be continued