AN: I apologise for the delay in getting this posted. I'm having real problems getting anything to upload, so I'll just post the rest of this now. In future, I'll try my best to post everyday if I've begun a story, but I'd prepare yourself for delays. It don't mean to keep you all waiting, but it's something beyond my control...Enjoy the rest of the story!
OOOO
Part 7
They persisted, day after day, trying to keep her eating, for the girl was already very skinny and could not afford to lose weight. Soon afterwards, she caught a stomach bug and was plagued by stomach cramps and diarrhoea. Even the muscle dropped off her slender frame, in the space of just a week.
"Hey there," Mac greeted Mara softly, after coming in from helping with the cooking that the villagers all took turns preparing, "Are you feeling any better, sweetie?"
The child just shook her head, tiredly and snuggled further down into her blanket.
Mac sighed and sat down on the floor beside her. She wondered what she could possibly do to make the child feel a little bit better, for she had no medicines with her. She realised there was only one thing she could possibly do, so set about doing so.
Physical proximity and affection could sometimes work wonders, especially with sick children, she had learnt that much from her Godchildren. Reaching over, she lifted the little girl into her arms. At first Mara didn't seem to enjoy being moved, for she groaned with the upset that the movement caused her tummy.
"Alright, here we go...That's better, now, isn't it?" Mac asked her, once she was settled, wrapping her arms around her, while Mara snuggled in and nodded her head underneath Mac's chin. They stayed like this until Mara nodded off, Mac following her soon afterwards.
This was how Harm found them when he came home from the expedition he had left with, that morning.
"Hey," Mac greeted him when she opened her eyes, alert to the slight scraping noise his shoes made on the dirt floor, "How'd your trip go?"
"Great," he told her, "We managed to locate another store of medicines and first aid equipment. I got something for Mara's stomach."
He pulled a brown bottle out of his bag and knelt down beside Mac to rouse Mara. The little girl barely wakened enough to register anything, but swallowed the medicine uncomplainingly.
OOOO
Only a few days later, they got the shock of their life, when an unexpected old friend arrived in a small boat, with a couple of aid-workers and some RAN personnel. Even Harm admitted, AJ Chegwidden was a sight for sore eyes.
"Harm, Mac," he immediately greeted them, hugging them both warmly, "I'm glad to see you're both alright."
Harm and Mac, although at first caught off-guard, finally deduced that as their CO, he had never been able to show any affection he might have for them, but was now unrestrained in that area.
The newcomers may not have had much with them, but their help was welcome.
"We're okay, S…Uh, AJ," Harm told him, "We've just been helping out, trying to keep everyone well and clearing and rebuilding. But there's so much that needs done here and there just aren't enough hands."
"That should all change, now that people are finally here," Mac surmised, "There have been helos passing all week, but nobody has come near, until now."
"Nobody knows why it's taken anyone so long to react," AJ confided, "But it might have to do with the resources that were exhausted after that earthquake in China, a while back. But finally, people are starting to realise what has happened…"
He cut off as Mara exited the kitchen tent, saw Harm and Mac and came over. She raised her arms to Harm, who didn't hesitate to reach down and lift her into his arms.
AJ just raised an eyebrow in amusement and asked, "You have a new friend, Commander?"
"Yes, Sir," Harm smiled, but didn't say any more than that.
OOOO
After lunch that day, Mara settled again in Mac's arms, as the three adults sat under the tent.
Harm left not long after, as he was going out with a group who were helping to clear the mess the research station had been reduced to and see if there was anything more that could be salvaged from it.
AJ and Mac stayed where they were, because AJ was hoping to make a satellite phone call to JAG Headquarters, to up-date them on the situation. Mac was staying because Mara's condition had gone back downhill again and she wanted to keep the little girl closely monitored.
"The General got into touch with me as soon as reports of the storm started coming through," AJ told Mac, "It took a while to get me, because Francesca and I were travelling around. He asked me if I thought that you and Harm could possibly have survived this storm. I told him that of anyone could it was you and Harm. He told me that he had thought so himself, despite the SECNAV telling him otherwise."
AJ smiled to himself as he told Mac this.
"When I got here and saw the devastation," AJ continued, "I had some second thoughts. Before we even got here, we saw bodies in the sea. I knew that you and Harm could have survived the winds and the rain, with your basic training. But if you had had to fight the waves too, I wasn't so sure. It was the middle of the night when the storm hit. Nobody had any idea that it was coming, it changed direction so drastically."
"I was awake when the storm hit," Mac revealed, "I never thought I'd be glad for my insomnia."
They both chuckled, and Mara groaned at the slight shaking that Mac's chest made as a result.
"Is she feverish?" AJ asked.
Mac checked, putting the inside of her wrist to the little girl's head.
"No," she told AJ, "thank God."
Neither Harm, Mac nor AJ had ever thought about how precious a pack of paracetamol could ever be. Back home, if you ran out, you just went out to the drug store and bought another pack. Here, there was little to go around so many. They had three, in total to keep Mara comfortable over the next few days and they were lucky, because they had come from the emergency kit salvaged from the wreckage of Mac's room. They had a quarter of a whole packet, which was more than anybody else had. Mac was used to taking three in the space of a couple of hours. Mostly, the fever developed during the night, so Mara never had any during the day and it was only given to her half a tablet at a time. Without paracetamol to keep the temperature down, Mara could be in very real danger.
Many other children in the village were in the same state. The other villagers cared for them the best they could, but several of the orphans had little will to live, now that their parents were no longer around. There was no question of getting professional help for the children and the adults who had lost their very way of life and many friends, family and neighbours. But surprisingly, there were few volunteers for the job; the help coming to Vanuatu was a mere trickle. And who on earth could adequately understand what these rural, simple-living people had been through?
Mac stood from where she was sitting with Mara. Gently, she handed the little girl off to AJ.
"Here, sweetie, go and sit with Uncle AJ for a minute while I go and get something," she told the child.
Mara wasn't too fond of being moved and frowned and pouted, unhappily.
"Okay," AJ sighed, as he got Mara settled again, "That's it, we're going to be okay now."
He stroked the child's hair and regarded her, quietly. She was a lot like Francesca had been at the same age. AJ had rarely seen his daughter while she had been growing up, relying on photographs that Marcella had sent him, instead. Francesca had had the blond hair that had darkened as she got older. Even Mara's tanned skin reminded him of Francesca, who had inherited her mother's Italian features. Only their eyes were different, Mara's being a glazed, ill-looking green, whereas Francesca's were brown.
Mac arrived back at that minute, with handfuls of flowers that she had gathered from the nearby forest. AJ looked to her, questioningly and she told him, "she loves this."
AJ then realised that Mac was trying to distract Mara from how ill she felt.
"Mara?" she asked the little girl, "Do you feel good enough to help me with these?"
The little girl slowly raised her head off AJ's chest, gently shook it and then lay it down, again. Over the past few days, Mara had still been able to join in with Mac's games. But she had gotten worse each day. Today, it was a while before Mara eventually roused herself and slowly got to her hands and knees, crawling over the few feet to join Mac in making flower chains. But she had eventually done so, so that meant that hope was not totally lost.
OOOO
Part 8
When Harm returned that day, it was with a heavy heart.
"We didn't manage to find anything usable, today," he told AJ and Mac, who were sitting out under the tent, with Mara sleeping stretched out along the floor between them, "All the drug storages were destroyed by the water and mud. How's Mara doing?"
"She's worse," Mac told him, stroking the little girl's back, softly, "Her fever keeps spiking and we're struggling to get it back down without using the paracetamol. And there's worse…AJ made that call, today."
She looked to AJ and he began to explain.
"The General wants you both back in DC as soon as possible," AJ broke the bad news.
"How long do we have?" Harm sighed, irritably.
"Well, I didn't talk to him and AJ made no mention that he was actually with us, just that he'd encountered us when he arrived," Mac told him.
"I promised to 'pass the message along,' AJ chuckled, "So I'd say you have at least a few days."
"I'm not ready to leave, yet," Harm complained, "There's still so much that needs to be done…"
"That could all take up to a year, Harm," Mac pointed out, "We're going to have to leave at some point."
"But what about Mara?" Harm asked, "How can we leave her when she's this sick? And there's no question about taking her with us. She doesn't have a passport, she'd never get into the US, even if we do manage to get her that far."
Mac nodded in agreement.
"I say we take the next few days any way we can," AJ suggested, "We've got that long before you're charged with desertion!"
Harm and Mac just smiled, slightly at the joke and also because there was nothing else they could do other than begin to fall apart.
By the next day, when Harm returned from another salvage trip, he could see that Mac was looking as exhausted, physically and emotionally, as he himself was feeling.
"Is she okay?" he asked, indicating to the slumbering child next to her, then turned his attention to Mac, "Are you okay?"
"Mara's had another bad day," Mac told him and the exhaustion he could hear in her voice told him that hers hadn't been much better, "AJ and I have been struggling to keep her fever down, but we ran out of pills around lunch time. She's exhausted, but she only sleeps fitfully for a little while at a time."
"And you?" Harm persisted, "How much sleep have you managed to get today? You were up all last night with Mara."
Mac only looked at him, saying nothing.
"I'll take that to mean none, then," Harm surmised.
"When am I supposed to sleep?" Mac asked, "Mara could need m…"
"You have to take care of yourself, Mac," Harm cut her off, "Mara seems like she's resting okay just now. AJ will be back soon, so if she takes a turn for the worse, I'm sure he'll take care of her."
Harm had seen AJ when he first arrived, helping to dish out the evening meal to the group of orphaned children. He said he would return soon, as Mac had had a long and difficult day with Mara and he felt concerned that she was exhausting herself. That had been Harm's cue to persuade her to get some rest, so that she would be at least a bit more rested by the time Mara's temperature next decided to spike again.
"C'mon," Harm guided her to recline against him, wrapping his arms loosely but firmly around her. Mac was too tired to broker any sort of argument or even feel much discomfort about their close proximity before her eyes were forced closed on her.
It was barely ten minutes later when AJ returned, to find Mac sound asleep and Harm not far behind her. Harm was so close to sleep, he had to exert a special effort not to jumble his words as he spoke to his former CO.
"Mara's temperature is down," he told him, "but it probably won't stay that way for long."
AJ nodded, not even fazed by the sight of Mac in Harm's arms.
"You and the Colonel need to sleep. I'll keep my eye on the child, while you do," he ordered them.
AJ was confident enough in his abilities, because although he hadn't had much of a hand in his own daughter's life, he had ample experience in caring for members of his team, during his Seal days.
Secure in the knowledge that their charge would be well-monitored and taken care of for a while, Harm allowed himself to embrace the brief respite while it was being offered.
It was a little over an hour later that Mac awoke, still in Harm's arms. She was feeling fresher and as a result, feeling more optimistic about the challenge that they were faced with. She quickly came to the decision that no matter how hard the fight, she wouldn't stop fighting for the people of this island, until her and Harm's time there came to an end, no matter when that was.
Looking to their former CO, Mac didn't need to utter a word before Aj updated her on Mara's condition.
"She started heating up about half-an-hour ago, but it's not as bad as the fever she had this afternoon; it's not been too hard to control. Why don't you get some more rest, Colonel, she and I will be fine for the time being."
The next few hours were okay, but whether it was because Mac was better rested and therefore was thinking clearer or because Mara's condition had actually improving was uncertain. Mac hoped that it was the former.
But Mara's improvement proved short lived. She began to heat up again in the early morning hours. Then, after they had finally managed to settle her down and get back to sleep, Mara's condition once again declined sharply. The three adults were awoken soon after dawn by the cries of the ailing child.
"What is it, honey?" Mac took Mara in her arms, "Where does it hurt?"
Mara clawed at her head and pulled her legs up towards her body, so the adults surmised that she must be suffering from a headache and experiencing abdominal cramps.
"I think it's dehydration," AJ theorised, as he checked the firmness of Mara's skin. The indent that remained after he took his finger away told him that her body was low on fluids.
They quickly procured some purified drinking water and each took it in shifts to sit with the child and feed her the much needed fluids.
While Mac was caring for Mara that afternoon, Harm and AJ went to help out in the food kitchen for a couple of hours. When they returned, they brought with them a small bowl of clear broth.
"It'll help replenish the salts her body's been losing," AJ explained.
Mara was more eager drinking the soup than the water, but her stomach was not able to handle it and it came back up a short time later.
"She might keep small amounts down," Harm suggested and returned to the kitchen to get some more.
By feeding her a couple of spoonfuls at a time, they were able to keep her from vomiting again.
That night was much of the same; each hour spent painstakingly trying to spoon-feed fluids into her, but they could see that she was getting worse and worse, as she was able to keep less and less of it down. An hour before dawn, AJ noted with dismay how grave her condition was, when he saw how dry her mouth was and how she had stopped producing tears when she cried. Her body was shutting down, had grown so dehydrated that she was no longer eliminating from her bladder.
"This is definitely not good," he shook his head, worriedly, "If she isn't urinating, she isn't eliminating bodily waste products. They'll build up to toxic levels and her vital organs will go into failure."
It was maddening how Mara's body was crying out for fluids, yet her stomach was too dehydrated to handle anything less than meagre amounts, amounts too small to make any real difference. What she really needed was intravenous fluids, but they didn't have the equipment they needed to administer such medical treatment. The girl's pained cries were just as painful to them, as was the silence when Mara passed into the next stage of her decline. Eventually, Harm and Mac cuddled Mara between them, because she had no ability to control her body temperature and her wasted, exhausted muscles didn't even have the strength to shiver to generate some extra heat.
Despite their efforts the next day was even worse. Mara was no longer able to keep any fluids down. All of her strength was sapped after a few more hours of feverish delirium and by lunchtime, she could not even keep her head up. They all had to support the back of her head when lifting her and when she was held, the exhausted child just let it slump forwards or backwards, barely aware of anyone else's presence anymore. Her eyes were open lazily, but her eyes would wander uncontrolled and listless.
"She's slipping away, Harm!" Mac exclaimed, quietly as she and Harm watched AJ caring for Mara, a short distance away. He was trying to lift her from her place on a blanket on the floor and into his arms, so that he could try to get some fluids into her again. Her limbs and head flailed and flopped, like those of a rag-doll. She didn't even have the strength to cry out anymore.
"We're going to lose her if we don't do something!" Mac continued.
"What!" Harm demanded, "What can we do, Mac? I'd cross the entire ocean if it meant getting some hold of medicines for her. But we have no way off this island. All of the boats have been destroyed or swept away and we've had no more visitors from other islands in the area. I'm sure that they've been just as badly affected as Vanuatu."
"I can't watch it, Harm," Mac was now close to tears, "I can't watch that child die…"
"If it comes to that, you won't have to," Harm promised, "AJ and I will take care of her, if that time comes."
OOOO
Thankfully, it did not come to that, because a day later they were surprised by a squadron of helos passing over the island.
Mac had valiantly tried to get some fluids into Mara all through the night before, but the stricken child had vomited it straight back up again. She was not even keeping it down for a matter of minutes anymore.
Mac gently dropped her head to rest forehead to forehead with Mara and started to cry, softly.
Harm and AJ were just exiting the abandoned school building, having been to look through the bric-a-brac that had been collected, to see if there was anything that could be used to set up a makeshift IV line. They were discussing travelling to get hold of some saline liquid, when they caught sight of Mac holding the limp child to her. Both of their hearts jumped into their throats, fearing the worst, until Mara mustered the energy to give a weak bleat and they realized to their relief that she was still alive. They quickly started making their way towards the critically ill child and the exhausted, despairing woman, when they were surprised by the unmistakable sounds of helo blades.
They halted half way towards the tent and looked up into the sky. The helos came into sight and as they passed overhead, bundles of packages were thrown out. Small parachutes opened and the packages slowly floated to the ground. Harm followed and caught some, before they landed. He felt like singing aloud when he discovered what they contained. Hurrying towards Mac, AJ and Mara he fixed together a syringe and pierced a vial of antibiotic with the needle.
"Harm?" Mac asked, when he came back to them.
"Medicines!" Harm grinned, "They've sent us medicines!"
Mac and AJ broke out into delirious laughter too, once Harm's words sank in. Mac quickly extracted Mara's arm from under the blanket, but AJ halted her.
"She's so dehydrated that her veins have collapsed. It will act quicker if it's straight into the muscle…it doesn't look like there's much on her arms, anymore. How about her thighs or stomach?"
They had a look and decided that the wasted muscle in her thighs were their best bet. Mara barely registered the prick of the needle. Harm produced a bag of saline and set about administering it, as he knew Mara was unlikely to keep much water down anymore. He got the IV inserted as best he could into a collapsed vein, so that this way the fluid was bypassing her bad stomach and going straight into her bloodstream.
After that, Harm and AJ quickly split some supplies up and went to tend to the other sick people of the village. Mac just continued to hold Mara in her arms, praying that this would have some effect.
OOOO
The change in Mara was miraculous, to say the least. At first it was just simple things like the ability to track objects around her once more with her eyes and to keep down food or water. But after that night, Mara went from strength to strength.
One day later, Harm and Mac knew that they could not put it off at any longer. They contacted the general, who ordered them to be on the next available plane from the nearest airport. They explained that it might take another day to procure a boat ride to the capital. He told them to do what was necessary, as quickly as possible. He didn't want to hear any notion of them staying on in Vanuatu to assist with aid relief.
So that was that; there was nothing else to do but obey their CO's command. But they were about to get hit with yet another surprise.
OOOO
On the day they were finally able to procure a boat ride to the nearest island with an airstrip, they were discussing their plans with AJ. They had always assumed that he would be coming with them.
"The boat is coming for us at 1100," Harm told his former CO.
Mara was seated on Harm's knee even though he was trying to eat his breakfast.
"I'm not coming with you, son," AJ surprise him and Mac.
Their eyes widened and they both uttered, "Huh?"
"I'm staying here," he expanded, "You may have work to return to, but I don't. That's one of the joys of being retired."
Harm and Mac were surprised, but did not have much time to dwell on it. They were leaving soon, so invested all of their time in Mara.
OOOO
"Don't you worry about a thing," AJ shouted as he and Mara later waved Mac and Harm off at the remains of the village dock, "I'll take good care of this little one and will keep in touch with you."
They waved until the boat was out of sight then went back to the camp to help with the chores of preparing lunch.
OOOO
Part 9
Seven months later…
0900 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia.
"Ma'am, you haven't heard from the Admiral, lately, have you?" Harriet cornered Mac while she was in the break room.
Mac just smiled at Harriet, who still called her former CO 'the Admiral', even though he was now retired.
"Not in the past couple of weeks," Mac told her.
In truth, it had been just over two weeks before when AJ had last contacted them from Malekula. He had exciting news that the rest of the JAG staff would find out by the end of today, but Mac was not about to let the cat out of the bag just yet.
"He was still on the island, helping to get everything set up. Last month, they had just got the research station back up and ready to run and were about to let the new staff into the finished building. Most of the remains recovered after the storm have been identified through DNA testing, but there are still a few orphans who have not been claimed by relatives. The internet has helped spread photos of most of the children, so if they have blood relatives out in the world, somewhere, they'll eventually find a home. Those who don't will be raised by the islanders."
"That's wonderful," Harriet nodded, "And the Admiral's daughter, Francesca? She wasn't too bothered about their tour of the States being cancelled, was she?"
"No," Mac shook her head, "AJ told her it was only postponed for a while. They'll resume it when she can arrange the time away from work again. She spent some time in Vanuatu last month and saw just what beneficial work AJ was doing there, so she understands completely."
They were interrupted by Harm, who had come to get his morning coffee fix.
He stuck around for the idle chitchat for a while and then wandered back to his office.
"Has he heard any word from Mattie, lately?" Harriet asked, worried.
"Not very much," Mac disclosed, "Mattie was supposed to come and spend some time with him over the holidays, but something came up with her Dad, so she's had to cancel."
"That's such a shame," Harriet lamented, "He loved that girl like his own, but now he's losing her, despite his best efforts. It's like the situation with his brother all over again."
"And his Father," Mac added, nodding sympathetically.
But Mac knew that the events of that evening would more than cheer up his woeful countenance.
OOOO
That night, Harriet had arranged a little get-together at McMurphy's, to celebrate Harm and Mac's homecoming. It was just under six months after the fact, but things had been extremely busy since they had gotten home from Vanuatu and Harriet was determined to show Harm and Mac just how worried the staff had all been about them and how glad they had been when they had gotten the good news that they were both alive and unharmed.
1845 Zulu
McMurphy's bar
"Do you need some help with those, Ma'am?" PO Jen Coates asked Harriet, as she saw the woman struggling from her car and towards the bar, with a stack of presents and a cake.
Harriet thanked her as Jen took a few of the presents.
"These are from the boys, Bud and I," Harriet explained, "We decided to really go to town with it all, because of everything that has been going on over the past six months. They've been very hard for Harm and Mac."
Jen nodded in agreement, adding, "Then to just launch back into the normal routine back here, after all of that. I don't know how they managed, especially when Harm was still missing Mattie so much…And Mac, too; this has been such a horrible year for the both of them."
OOOO
Little did they know that Harm and Mac's year had not been quite so terrible, at least not since they had gotten back from Vanuatu. A couple of weeks after arriving on US soil, Mac had finally quit trying to dodge Harm's attempts to discuss the events of their time in Vanuatu…
Knock, knock
Harm's expression portrayed his shock as he opened the door, only to find Mac on the other side of it. With all that had been going on during the last two weeks since their return, they had hardly seen each other outside the office. Each time they had, Mac had begged off having any sort of conversation about the events that had occurred between them when they were on the island. She asked that Harm give her some time to herself and Harm had been respectful about doing that, but had been close to deciding that Mac never intended to get back to him.
"Hey," he greeted her softly, 'Come on in…"
At first things were a little uncomfortable as they sat on Harm's couch together, trying to figure out how to begin. But Harm had decided that thinking too hard about what he wanted to say had got him into trouble in the past, so decided to speak his mind, without giving it too much thought.
"I don't regret anything, Mac," he spoke up, determinedly.
Now it was Mac's turn to be surprised.
"You don't?" she blinked.
"Not at all," Harm shook his head, "I wanted that for a long time…Maybe we did have a few things we should have talked about first, but I know that we would have sorted them out and got back to the subject of us."
"Us," Mac nodded her head, as she remembered the subject that she had pretty much cut him off at the knees in Paraguay, before Harm could even elaborate on his own thoughts.
"Us," Harm repeated, adding, "You said there never could be an 'us'…"
"Yes," Mac felt thoroughly ashamed now, "but I really didn't mean it. I just wanted you to act, to say something, to fight back and finally tell me what it was that you wanted. I was trying to force your hand and for that, I apologise."
"I didn't know what to say when you said that," Harm told her, truthfully, "It felt like somebody had stomped on my chest and all of the air was gone from my lungs. But I knew what my mind wanted to say; 'that there could be an us; that you were the only person I wanted and that I didn't care whether you were on top or I was, I'd take you any way I could get you.' I still think that, Mac. I can't move past this thing between us and I don't want to. This is what is meant to be. I believe that with all my heart and I'll fight for it as long as I draw breath…"
"Shh!" Mac put a finger to his lips, the tears now coursing down her face, "You don't need to keep fighting…I'm right there with you. I'm going to fight for this with you. We'll find a way, a way to be together. Despite all that has happened to us, between us. Despite the regs. I don't care what the General says, we're going to fight for this and we will both come out on top."
As Harm brought his forehead to rest gently against hers, their eyes drifted shut and Harm commented, "On top, huh? That sounds good, both of us being on top…But I meant what I said; I don't mind being underneath, as long as you're the one on top…"
They both broke out into chuckles, thinking about funny that sounded, in light of their night together.
Mac could see that Harm definitely didn't have any qualms about letting her be on top!
They took their time sorting through all of their feelings, the past words they had uttered to each other, words that had hurt, words that had misled.
Despite the bruised and fragile egos that had returned from Vanuatu, they did manage to clearly communicate what it was that each of them wanted; a serious relationship and not just a simple fling, which was what each of them had been fearing the other thought. They had identified a direction in which to work on constructing a relationship. Things were good between them, though they tried not to focus on how serious it was getting, at least not just yet.
Keeping in touch with AJ and finding out how the islanders were all getting back onto their feet, after they had been through so much, helped them in doing so, because it showed them just how petty their problems were in comparison.
OOOO
Harm showed up for the party at a little after seven and quickly joined in with a game of pool between Jen and some of the civilians and junior officers in the office. He was starting to wonder what could be possibly be keeping Mac, when she appeared through the front doors.
OOOO
Part 10
She wore a pair of casual, form-fitting jeans, along with a pretty, dark maroon, v-neck blouse. To say that she looked fantastic was an understatement! Everyone began to welcome her and several people, including Harriet, handed over presents that they had bought for her. Harm had a pile of his own sitting on the table beside his bottle of beer.
But then Mac called for silence to reveal a little surprise of her own. She stood by the bar and got everybody's attention;
"I know you're all keen to just kick back and enjoy yourselves," she started, "but if I could have your attention for just a minute, I'm sure you'll like this just as much as I do. As many of you know, before we came home Harm and I were joined on Malekula island by our old friend and former CO, AJ Chegwidden. AJ went on to stay on Malekula after Harm and I left. I've been keeping in good contact with him since then and I'd like to just update you on his status. He's keeping well and has been doing a lot of good work, helping to rebuild the villages on the island and also to help trace family members of the children and who survived the tropical storm. He asked me to just let all of you know that he's very thankful for all of your good-wishes and also your generous contributions towards and fund-raising events to benefit the disaster relief fund…"
"I think I can express my own gratitude, Colonel…"
AJ Chegwidden suddenly appeared through a side-door, which had been left open in planning for the big surprise.
Everyone gasped and smiled in shock and surprise, whipping around to face their former CO. He was thinner, more muscled, decidedly more tanned, and he was not on his own. Perched in his arms was a tanned little girl in a light-green dress, with long, dark-blond hair and piercing green eyes.
Mac was breathless and felt the tears begin to sting as she marvelled at the change in the little girl since she and Harm had seen her last. This vibrant little creature bore little resemblance to the weak little skeleton into whom they had struggled to introduce sustenance, just months before. You would not be able to believe that she had literally been at death's door, only 28 or so weeks ago.
"Sir!" Bud grinned, moved to shake hands with the AJ.
"The name's AJ, Bud," AJ corrected him, "I'm no longer your CO; I'm retired, now."
"It's so good to see you…" Bud could think of nothing more true to say, although it seemed so obvious, so he turned his attention to the little girl in AJ's arms, "And who's this pretty little lady you have with you?"
Everyone crowded around as AJ introduced Mara.
"This is Mara," he started, "Right now, the paperwork is still going through, but I'm hoping that sometime soon, she'll legally become my daughter. Mara, these are all our friends. Papa used to work with them. You remember Harm and Mac, don't you?"
The little girl nodded, excitedly as she looked where AJ pointed and picked out Harm and Mac's faces.
"They knew Mama," she surmised, smiling.
"That's right," AJ nodded, "Your Mama helped them with their important work at the research station, didn't she?"
The little girl just nodded again, her gaze fixed on Harm. She had always had a strange affinity to him.
"You want to go over and say hello to them?" AJ asked, looking at the expression on her face.
"Yes please, Papa," she nodded.
AJ set her down and Mara hurried towards where Harm and Mac now stood, Mac having made her way through the crowds as AJ was speaking.
"Hey!" they both greeted her, enthusiastically, as she skipped towards them.
After scooping her up, Harm and Mac took a good look at her and marvelled at the change in her. It had only been seven months, but she looked just as healthy as any other child. She had put on a good, healthy amount of weight, had gained some good muscle tone and some height, too. Even her hair seemed more vibrant than it had been. She simply oozed with life!
"It's so good to see you!" Mac hugged her, "You're looking so well!'
"Are you doing good at school?" Harm asked her, patiently waiting his turn.
She nodded, but told him, "Papa says I can start at a new school, this fall. But first, we're going to see my new big sister! We're going to take a plane all the way to Italy, where she lives!"
"Wow!" Harm and Mac both exclaimed.
"And guess what?" Mara continued, excitedly, not even waiting for Harm and Mac's reply, "I've got a new step-mommy! Her name is Marcella and she and my sister are going to teach me Italian!"
Harm and Mac both laughed, delightedly.
"What else are you and Papa going to do?" Mac asked, still laughing.
"Papa and Francesca are going to take me to see this huge fountain in Rome and we're going to throw pennies into it and make a wish. Then me and Papa are going to take the ferry and the train to Mostar!"
Harm and Mac's eyes went wide and they turned to AJ, who had made his way over to take a seat at their table.
He explained, "Janna originally came from Mostar. Mara was born there, then they moved to Vanuatu when she was two years old."
"Can we go and see the hospital where I was born, Papa?" Mara piped up.
"Yeah," AJ nodded, indulgently, "I'll find out where it is and what it's called, then we'll go and take a look around."
"Can Francesca come, too?"
"Francesca has to work, sweetie, but she's promised that she'll come another time, instead. We're going to go and visit her and her mother in Italy often, so there will be plenty more trips to Bosnia."
"Guess what, Mara?" Harm got the little girl's attention.
"What?" she grinned, instantly picking up on the pending game.
"Guess who has been to Bosnia before?" he built the tension up even more.
"Who!" Mara demanded, eagerly, her eyes twinkling.
Harm looked to Mac, who smiled and declared, "Me!"
Mara squealed with delight and clapped her hands together.
"Did you go to Mostar?" she asked, just managing to get her excitement under control.
"No, but I went to Sarajevo," Mac told her.
"Mama used to tell me about Sarajevo!" Mara exclaimed.
"What did she tell you about Sarajevo?" Mac asked, indulgently.
"She told me stories, about what it used to be like, when she was a little girl."
Mac smiled and beckoned her over, "Come and sit here with me and tell me the stories she used to tell you about Sarajevo…"
Mara happily climbed over and onto Mac's knee then started babbling away to her, telling her the things her Mother used to tell her about the capital of their home country.
Mac then told her about all of the things she had heard about Sarajevo, before the war had started and things there had become a battle-zone (Mac had only been stationed there long after everything there went to hell in a hand-basket.)
OOOO
Three hours later and they were still all there. Mara was still as lively, despite the late hour. She was now perched on Jen's hip, who had formed an instant bond with the little girl. Harm, Mac and AJ watched them as they talked over the loud music playing.
"So Mara hasn't got any surviving family?" Harm asked AJ.
AJ shook his head, "Most of Janna's family are dead. Many of them died during the war in Bosnia. She lost two brothers and a sister before she graduated from college. Her brothers were in the armed forces and her sister was killed during a military strike on a factory. Her parents died in the years immediately after the war ended, they were quite old, as she was a late child. Her maternal aunts and uncles are all elderly or have large families of their own to take care of. The name of Mara's father was not on her birth certificate, so I'm assuming that he never stuck around. Mara says that her mother never talked to her about him."
"Do they anticipate how long it will be until the adoption is finalised?" Mac asked him.
"At least another month," AJ replied, "But they're certain that there will not be any other problems, now. We had to deal with finding a lot of documentation and paperwork, but it's all taken care of, now."
"Congratulations!" Harm and Mac bid him.
"Thank you," he thanked them, then exclaimed, "But damn, I never imagined eight months ago that I'd ever contemplate becoming a father again, not at my age! That kid has me feeling younger than I have in years! I'm so busy providing for her that I barely even think about it, nowadays."
"You're only as old as you feel," Harm agreed, "What did Francesca say when you told her what you planned?"
AJ chuckled.
"At first, she thought I was crazy!" he admitted, "It was Marcella who actually took to the idea better! But as soon as I sent some photos of Mara, Francesca began to change her mind about the whole idea. And when she met Mara for the first time! They became so close. At that point, it wasn't certain that the adoption would be possible, so I hadn't actually told Mara about my idea. But once the adoption was deemed possible, she was ecstatic about it…and the thought about getting a big sister and a stepmother. She was more excited than me about it all!"
"Has Marcella met her?" Harm asked.
"Not yet, but she's seen photos of Mara. She told me that she fell in love with her, instantly. She says that Mara's the second child that we never got to have," AJ chuckled.
Harm and Mac were so glad to see him this happy. And of course, there was also that happy little girl who had been given another chance at being part of a happy family.
In the end, AJ knew he should prepare to make an exit with his soon-to-be daughter, so started to make the rounds of all of his former staff, bidding them farewell and good-luck. He had pulled a disappearing act during his dining-out when he retired from the Navy, but tonight he felt even closer to all of them, if it were possible. By the time he got around to his former Chief-of-staff and her Navy partner, his head was spinning.
But his world turned right-way-up again when he saw whose arms Mara had chosen to fall asleep in. AJ was still standing, stock-still, just observing Mac with the little girl when Harm joined him on his way back from the men's room.
"She's a natural, isn't she?" AJ found his tongue again, once he noticed that Harm seemed just as short of words as he was.
Harm just regarded his partner, silently and nodded.
"I can only hope that Mara develops as good a rapport with Marcella," AJ commented then turned to Harm, to ask, "Is it just me or do I detect a change of status between yourself and our fair Colonel?"
Harm couldn't hold back the grin on his face and this was all that was all the answer that AJ needed.
"You're a lucky man," AJ told him, "She's going to make a fine mother someday. And I can only ever see her as being the one to make a family man out of the great Harmon Rabb Jr!"
Harm laughed, adding, "Yes, Sir. Myself included."
"Then make sure you get that ring on her finger, when the time is right," AJ instructed, "I'll expect to find a wedding invitation in my mail-box, one of these days, Commander."
Despite the serious hinting behind the joke, AJ was a little shocked when Harm slipped his hand into his jacket pocket and came out with a small, square jeweller's box.
"You won't be waiting too long, I assure you, Sir," he informed him, "I'm waiting for the perfect opportunity."
"Good man!" AJ could hardly contain his glee. Harm and Mac had both been like children to him since they had been transferred into his command. However, for the sake of surprise, he could not show his delight any more than he just had.
"I'll expect to hear from the two of you soon about the wedding date, then," AJ surmised, as he shook Harm's hand and set off towards where Mac was standing with Mara still asleep in her arms, now talking to Jennifer Coates.
Harm watched as AJ bid them both goodbye after taking his child back. As Mac gave him a goodbye hug, her eyes met up with Harm's and reciprocated the genuine smile she saw on his face. This was a happy occasion; there were smiles all around and Harm couldn't help but grin inwardly as he noted that Mac had no idea just what the night would bring…
FIN
As I've already mentioned, I began this story in December 2004. Little did I know about the events that would happen in the early morning of Boxing Day, or during the full year of 2005. But despite all of the tragedy, the tremendous loss of life, the number injured and left homeless, there has been one shining beacon of light and hope present throughout; the tremendous support, which we have seldom seen on such a scale. Natural disasters have the capacity to cause utter devastation, but they also bring out the humanity in people from all over the world together, no matter their socio-economic status, wealth, religion, colour, creed…As long as there are those who need assistance in the world, it is important that we all sit up, pay attention to what is going on and do our uttermost to help.