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; Sarah; wheels04; BlueJay; chawkchic; Manda; BrittanyLS; jaggurl; DushiNoSushi; prymtns; Mey80; kchs123; Sariana of Wind
Hello to you all… I'm back! Real life and apologies! I've missed all your wonderful comments, and (fingers crossed) I'll get further with the story – may be even to the end!
jtbwriter - Hiya, and welcome as always! Thanks for your review, and your comments. It's been a while, so please bear with me while I catch up! (I'm away for a few weeks hols so I have time to do just that.) I'm glad you caught the 'nocturnal' line, thought it would make you smile – and make your co-workers wonder what you were up to:o) Speaking of which, hope all is well on the work front. Back to the story, Jen and Bobby aren't quite on an even field yet, but they will be. Sue and Jack will be in the story more in a couple of chapters, but in the meantime, I miss the series on TV. I was lucky to catch the 'final' episode before I left for my hols! Hope you enjoy this chapter, and as always, please keep reading!
prymtns - Thanks for your review and comments. Jen can be very forgiving, but not just yet! As for Mattie, and stories about Harm… stay tuned!
Abigaile – Thanks for your review. I was going to put the actual 'text' in, but I hope you'll get the idea from the writing anyway. Whatever happens between now and the end of the story, remember that I'm a born romantic, it's my story, and nothing bad will happen! I hope you like this chapter, and please keep reading!
jaggurl – Thanks for your review. I hope you like this chapter, and please keep reading!
froggy0319 – Thanks for your review, and I miss the show too – although it's great in reruns… I'm overseas again for a few weeks and as well as being (belatedly) able to catch up on my stories, I'm also able to watch JAG on 3 different satellite channels! Whooee! I hope you like this chapter, and I won't say it – I know you're always there!
BrittanyLS – Hello again, and thanks for your review. I wasn't sure how to put Mac's dress over in print, but I'm glad you got the image I was trying for! I hope you like this chapter, and please keep reading!
starryeyes10 - Thanks for your review. I hope you like this chapter, and please keep reading!
kchs123 - Hello and welcome to the story! Thank you for your review, and your comments. Enjoy the chapter, and please keep reading!
Sariana of Wind - Hello and welcome to the story! Thank you for your review, and your comments. Enjoy the chapter, and please keep reading!
Mey80 - Thanks for your review. I'm working on Jen and Bobby, but as I'm a born romantic, all will be well. I hope you like this chapter, and please keep reading!
JAG Headquarters – Outside the Admiral's Office
Jennifer bit her lip as she read the message once more. Bobby was asking her to have lunch outside at JAG. Torn between accepting immediately, and letting Bobby stew, she had to laugh at his comment of having his foot in his mouth.
"Something funny, Petty Officer?" Mac asked, coming to sit in the chair outside the Admiral's office as Harm leaned up against the doorpost.
"Nothing, ma'am…just a message. Can I help you? I don't have you down to see the Admiral…" Jennifer glanced at the appointments list on her computer screen.
"We don't have an appointment, Jen. We were wondering if the Admiral was free for a few moments; it's concerning the FBI investigation."
"He's in a call with the SecNav right now, but I can ask him as soon as he's…"
"As soon as he's what, Petty Officer?" Chegwidden stood at his open door, and glanced between Harm and Mac before settling his enquiring gaze on Jennifer.
"Sir…Captain Rabb was asking if you were free to have a meeting with himself and the Colonel?"
"Concerning?"
"The FBI case, sir," Harm interrupted, giving Jennifer a nod of thanks. Jennifer remained standing, until the Admiral glanced from his senior officer to his assistant.
"At ease, Petty Officer. I do have time, as a matter of fact; just let me know when the SecNav calls back."
"Yes, sir." Mac got to her feet with Harm's help, and preceded him into the office, following Chegwidden to his desk. As previously ordered, she took a seat immediately. Certain that she was all right, Harm came to attention in front of his commanding officer.
"At ease, Captain," Chegwidden murmured as he sat down behind his desk, and Harm took the chair beside Mac when the Admiral waved him down. "Now, what can I do for the pair of you?" Mac glanced at Harm and then back at Chegwidden as she spoke.
"Sir, we've had a request from the FBI, from Jack Hudson specifically, to allow Petty Officer Coates to work on the Torrance case with us. As a military officer, it's felt that she could force the General's hand."
"You want to use my Yeoman as bait for this killer?" As usual the Admiral got straight to the point, and Mac nodded. "What do you think about this, Rabb? Is Jennifer up to an assignment like this?"
"I've worked with the Petty Officer before, sir, on the INS case, and she did very well undercover," Harm answered, looking directly at Chegwidden, and the older man nodded his head after a few seconds.
"What's the proposed plan?"
"Sir, we'd like to put Petty Officer Coates in Torrance's reach as having problems with a civilian boyfriend. Hopefully that will pique his curiosity and he'll take the…bait…as intended." Mac's explanation was concise, and Chegwidden nodded in her direction.
"Do you want me to ask Coates if she's up to this?"
"If you have no objections, sir, we'd like someone from the FBI to ask her. It is, after all, their operation."
"Very well, you have my authorization, on the condition that Jennifer agrees to this. If she says no, the FBI have to look elsewhere."
Mac nodded, and glanced at Harm for his reaction. His face gave nothing away, but Mac could see in his eyes that he was concerned about the assignment. Once they were dismissed she would ask him what exactly he was concerned about.
"Keep me informed, both of you. If Coates does take this assignment, I want your word you'll keep her safe."
"Aye, sir, of course. You have my promise," Harm responded, and then helped Mac to her feet as they were dismissed by Chegwidden. As they left his office, he glanced over the top of his glasses at the picture they presented; both dedicated military officers, it was still apparent that Harm was a caring and attentive husband and father-to-be, and Mac wasn't in the least upset at his constant attention; something that made Chegwidden smile. Pregnancy suited her, he decided, and then continued with his work, waiting for the return call from the SecNav's office.
JAG Headquarters – Harm's Office
"So, what're you concerned about, Harm? I saw the look in your eyes." Mac asked Harm as soon as they returned to his office. Harm gave her a small smile and pointed a finger.
"You, Mrs Rabb, are altogether too intuitive when it comes to reading me…" Harm began, and his smile widened at the blush that rose in Mac's cheeks as she answered him.
"Hormones…" she began, and then grinned, knowing as well as Harm did that it was more to do with the tone of his voice, and less to do with her excess hormones. Mac shrugged and continued. "You're not sure about something. What is it?"
"We have to get this guy, Mac, and sooner rather than later. I have no qualms about Jen doing her job, but I don't want her relationship with Bobby Manning undermining the case."
"That's viable, but they're both professional people, Harm. I'm sure they'll keep their personal life out of the assignment." Mac watched as Harm's eyebrow rose in a familiar gesture, part question, part cynicism. However, his words belied his feelings.
"So what happens now?" he asked, watching closely as Mac rubbed at her back with her hand as she answered him.
"I'll call Bobby. I'm guessing from Jen's reaction in her office that she's already had a call from him, so we can give him the all clear to…ow!" Mac paused, bending over slightly and Harm was at her side in an instant.
"Sweetheart?"
"Oooh, that was mean!" Mac breathed deeply and tried to relax. Harm put his arm around her and moved toward his own chair, but Mac shook her head, and looked up at him. "I'm fine, but one of your children has taken up kick-boxing," she told him, giving him a mock-glare.
"Ha! Kick-boxing's your forte, Mac. It's gotta be your daughter…"
"Oh, yeah?" Mac had straightened up again, and her eyes met Harm's with a glint in them. "Well, when 'she' makes an appearance, 'she' can show Daddy just how well she does kick!"
"Oh, yeah?" Harm echoed, but his smile belied his short answer, and Mac gave a sigh. "What's that for?" he asked, his voice softer.
"I could do with a belly rub right about now, but I'm not sure how the Admiral would take to finding me out of uniform on your office floor."
"Mac…" Harm's voice was strained, her words projecting an image in his mind that was far removed from his office, and JAG Headquarters itself. Managing to bring his body back under command he gave Mac a rueful grin. "I'll give you your rub, later, at home," he murmured, and Mac blew him a kiss of thanks. With Harm's body blocking anyone seeing Mac, no-one had seen her gesture. With a nod, and a finger poking in his chest, Mac made to leave his office.
"I'll hold you to that, sailor…"
'And a whole lot more,' she thought to herself, a smile on her face as she walked past Harm and closed his door behind her.
Making her way to the elevators, Mac pushed the number for her floor with one hand while she pulled her cellphone from her pocket with the other.
"Bobby, it's Mac. You have the ball. Don't drop it."
To be continued
A/N : I had an email from a reader recently, concerning the first in this series – Hear No Evil – but she wrote anonymously, so I have no other means to reply, other than this. If you do (eventually) read this chapter/story - ? - I would just like to let you know that Sue uses a modified telephone/computer at work/home and carries a Blackberry for mobile communications. Hope that answers your query.