Listen, before you guys start throwing tomatoes, allow me to explain myself. I could not get this idea out of my head, and I figured that there was no better way to mark the halfway point in this story than to make fun of everyone's least favorite JAG character. If there is anything I've learned in life, it's that delusional and egotistical men, fictional or not, always deserve to be mocked. I couldn't just let Mic Brumby leave JAG and carry on with his life and never be heard from again, my muse wouldn't allow it.

Also, don't worry. There's another chapter that's going to be posted with this one, so you guys will have something non-Mic related to read. I'm not that cruel.

-Harper

Chapter Thirty-Eight
Mic Brumby's Taste of Karma

NOVEMBER 10TH, 2001

1145 LOCAL
KINGSFORD SMITH AIRPORT
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

If there was one that needed to be known about Michael Edward Brumby, it was that he didn't think things through. He was also not someone who was often conflicted about things. He was a man who did the things he did and made the decisions that he did without much regret, and he based all of those decisions off of what would benefit him the most, so there was rarely anything to regret.

But on the very long flight from DC to Sydney, Mic felt conflicted, and was therefore forced to think deeply about some of his past decisions. He was not really a believer in karma, or at the very least not a believer that he was a person who deserved bad karma, but he thought back to his engagement ending and the paternity fiasco that had ensued because of it and had no choice but to wonder, What did I do to deserve this? Where is the silver lining for me in this?

Mic considered himself to be a fairly upstanding guy, so he didn't understand why the past six months had been so terrible for him. But he had to remind himself that bad things happened to good people all the time, and this was one of those times.

Then, about halfway through the flight, Mic discovered the reason behind all of his trials and tribulations. He wasn't meant to be with Sarah Mackenzie. The engagement gone wrong and marriage that never was all happened to show him the one woman he was meant to be with.

She was the one woman who had put up with him more than any other woman had, the one woman that Mic's attraction to extended beyond sexual desire, the one woman - the only woman - that Mic had ever felt heartbreak over - the only woman that Mic ever found himself listening to, really.

Since he first saw her, Gillian Arthur had rarely left Mic's mind. In college she'd been sitting across from him in a lecture hall and he couldn't keep his eyes off of her and had enjoyed looking at her ever since. She was also wicked smart, which Mic hadn't found attractive in a woman until he'd met Gillian Arthur.

He'd taken her to the beach for their first date, a few weeks after he'd first noticed her in the lecture hall. Mic had actually been scared - no, 'scared' wasn't the right word, Mc didn't get scared - nervous to approach her, another first for him when it came to relationships. The only reason he had finally gotten up the courage to ask her out was because he noticed another guy talking to her, and Mic's nerves were finally overridden by another emotion he felt often - jealousy.

Their date was at night; Mic took her stargazing because girls liked that kind of thing. Another thing to know about Mic Brumby was that he took the cake for one of the most impatient people on the planet, so he didn't hesitate to tell Gillian how much he liked her, even though that date was the first one-on-one conversation they'd had besides the act of him asking her out.

He told her she was beautiful, smart, sexy, confident, pretty, tenacious, stunning - and he told her he thought she was gorgeous, too, just in case he hadn't made his point clear before.

"So," he turned onto his side to look down at Gillian, who had spent Mic's entire speech staring blankly up at the sky, "What are some of things you see in me?"

Mic was never one to do a good deed without expecting something in return, and he would never pass up the opportunity to be complimented.

She'd finally looked at him then. "Ummm….I'm not really sure," she told him. "But I think I could possibly figure it out?"

The rest had been history. The first time they had dated, out of the five times they had dated, the relationship had lasted a grand total of three weeks. They had broken up because Mic had refused to run to the drugstore and buy Gillian a box of tampons. Looking back, he would admit that maybe he had been in the wrong in that situation but, at the time, Mic swore up and down that he had his reasons. Then Gillian had called him a misogynist, something that Mic found incredibly uncalled for and quite frankly untrue - he loved women.

A few months later, Mic had apologized for one of the first times in his life and had also begged for one of the first times in his life, too - he needed Gillian to take him back, give him a second chance. They had dated for the summer, until Mic got the notion that Gillian was just using him for a good time and, since he was not that kind of guy, they broke up again. Gillian had tried to throw it back in his face, saying that he was the one who would call her in the middle of night, asking if she wanted to come over for a little late night rendezvous, but Mic had stuck to his guns. He knew when he was being used; he might've been delusional, but he wasn't stupid.

Mic and Gillian tried to avoid each other, but they were both law students going to the same school, so they kept turning up in each other's lectures and such, so avoiding each other soon became near impossible. As fate would have it, Mic's older sister was getting married and he needed (wanted) a date for the affair. Gillian seemed like a perfect choice, and there was nothing quite as romantic as going to a wedding together to ask Gillian if she was willing to give him a third chance.

Ironically, that period of 'togetherness' (let's be honest, half of the times that Gillian and Mic were together, Mic was the only person desperate enough to classify it as a relationship) ended up being their shortest. They didn't even last long enough to make it back from the weekend of the wedding as an intact couple.

Gillian had caught the bouquet at the wedding, and Mic was not a superstitious person, but that had made him a little paranoid. After the ceremony, as they were walking back to his car, Mic had turned to Gillian and asked, "You don't expect us to get married, do you?"

That had resulted in an argument, with Gillian demanding to know why, if Mic wanted her to give him a third chance, that he would imply that he didn't want a serious relationship with her.

"It's not that I don't want a relationship with you," he'd insisted, "I just don't want to be trapped in a marriage."

In hindsight, Mic realized that he probably could have worded that better. But his sister had gotten divorced five years later, proving his point. It wasn't that Mic saw a relationship with Gillian as being pointless, he just saw a marriage with her as being pointless.

The fourth and fifth times Mic and Gillian get together, the encounters were more akin to weekend or week-long love affairs. As much as Mic didn't like submitting to anyone, let alone a woman, there was very little in the world he wouldn't do for Gillian Arthur, and the sex between them had always been great, or at least Mic liked to think so. At the very least, he got what he wanted out of it.

The fourth time they'd gotten together had been right before Mic had left Australia to join JAG, and the fifth time had been right before Mic had found out Mac was pregnant. Since both of those times had been painfully short, Mic made the decision as he departed the plane in Sydney that he would give him and Gillian's sixth try all of his effort. If Gillian would have him, of course. If she didn't…well, Mic would just have to spend the rest of his life living in regret, something that he didn't think he deserved in the slightest.

He had faith that he would be able to win Gillian over, though. Mic did like to consider himself rather charming.

"G'day, gorgeous."

Mic went in for a kiss, but his lips met nothing but thin air. Gillian pulled her sunglasses off and looked him up and down. "Hi Mic," she said coolly, and Mic remembered that he should probably apologize before trying to win Gillian back over.

As luck would have it though, Gillian was the one Mic had asked to drive him home from the airport, so he had the entire drive back to his bungalow to win her back over for the sixth, and hopefully final, time in his life.

"Sorry for having to leave, love. I hope you didn't miss me too much."

Mic grinned at Gillian, but she didn't smile back. "I survived," she told him. "I hope you got everything…sorted out."

"I did," Mic nodded. He didn't know if everything was truly sorted out, but Gilian didn't need to know that. Things were all sorted out on Mic's end, and that was all that mattered. "Now I'm all yours."

He went in for another kiss that Gillian also dodged. Mic frowned - this was going to be harder than he thought.

"I hope you don't mind, but we have to make a pit stop before I drop you off at your place," Gillian said as she leaned against her car, watching as Mic loaded his luggage into the trunk.

"That's fine, love," Mic told her, shutting the truck. "I'll go wherever you want me to."

Gillian arched an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Of course," Mic said as they both climbed into Gillian's car. He looked over at her as she put her sunglasses back on. "You know I've always loved your hair pulled back like that."

"I have it pulled back like this because it's hot out, not because you like it."

Gillian's aloofness didn't deter Mic at all; in fact he concluded that she was just playing hard to get.

"You know," Mic said as they drove, "I did some thinking, and think you and I should try again. You know, make the sixth time the charm."

Mic thought he was coming off earnestly, but Gillian laughed. "Oh yeah?" she asked.

Mic nodded. "I've never felt about another woman the way I've felt about you, Gillian."

"Why thank you," Gillian looked up into the rearview mirror to avoid looking at Mic. "I hope you never told Sarah Mackenzie that."

"And I know I've made some mistakes-"

"Don't I know it."

"But the thing is, no one's perfect-"

"Really Mic? I thought you were God's gift to the southern hemisphere. My mistake, love."

"And if you just give me one more chance I promise I'll do whatever you ask of me. I'll follow you to the ends of the earth, worship the ground you walk on, go down on you whenever you ask - I'll do anything."

Gillian clicked her tongue. By this point, they were stuck in traffic, giving Mic all the time in the world to plead his case. "Wow Michael, you drive a hard bargain," she said dryly, looking over at him from over her sunglasses. "You'd really do anything for me?"

Mic nodded. "I don't care, I just want to be with you, Gillian."

"Really?"

"I swear."

Gillian narrowed her eyes. She reached over and gave the cross necklace that Mic always wore a tug. "You're a good Catholic boy still, aren't you Michael?"

"I try my best to be."

Letting go of the necklace, Gillian turned her attention back to driving. "Then swear on the saint you were confirmed with."

Mic stared at her for a few moments. He didn't necessarily feel right about doing it, but he figured that, since he really did want to spend the rest of his life with Gillian, that it really wouldn't matter. "Fine," he said, a tad bit begrudgingly. "I swear on St. Sebastian."

"Good," Gillian was silent for a few moments, "For a little added insurance though, swear on your mother."

"Oh Gillian I can't do that-"

"You always told me that she would like me, Michael," Gillian, turning to give him a sharp glare, "Don't you think she would want you to be with me? Don't you think -"

"Fine, I swear on my mother," Mic said hastily. He loved Gillian, but if there was a way to be with her without truly committing to her, he would've taken that option in a heartbeat.

For probably the first time in his life though, Mic Brumby felt like a woman had the upper hand over him, and he didn't like it.

"So, what exactly do you want to do now that you're oh-so-committed to me?" Gillian asked, drumming her manicured nails on her steering wheel.

"I don't know," Mic answered with a shrug. "I figured we could shack up together somewhere, travel, maybe get a dog-"

"So no children?" Gillian asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Umm…well…"

Mic had never really been keen on the idea of being a father, but he figured he would come around to the idea if the opportunity ever presented itself to him. However, when he found out Mac was pregnant and that there was a possibility the baby might be his, the only thing Mic felt was a crushing dread. Another conclusion Mic had drawn on the plane ride was that he really didn't picture himself being a father.

"I thought you didn't want children," Mic said.

"Well, I never really pictured myself being a mother, but I never completely wrote off having kids."

"Oh," Mic paused. "Well we can have kids if you want-"

"No, you don't have to worry about it now, love."

Worry about now? Mic wondered, What did she mean by that? Worrying about it now?

"Where are we going, anyway?" he asked. They weren't going the route to Gillian's condo, a route which he'd become pretty familiar with over the years.

"To my house. I have a surprise for you."

She has a house now? "Oh…what's the surprise?"

Gillian laughed. "You'll see."

Mic's brow furrowed. Something about that laugh made him feel uneasy. "Is it a good surprise?" he asked, hoping for the best.

"I might be biased, but I think it's a pretty damn good one," Gillian said. "I think you'll love it. It also might…be a good learning experience, if that makes sense."

It didn't make sense, and Mic was more confused than ever by the time Gillian pulled up to her home. It was a nice house that made Mic realize her law career had flourished a lot more than his had.

"Nice place," Mic commented as Gillian got out to open the garage.

"Thank you," she beamed at him, and once again Mic felt uneasy. "My mum's here visiting, just to let you know."

"Oh!" Mic had to bite his tongue to keep from adding a "fuck" to the end of his statement.

"I hope that's not a problem."

Mic quickly shook his head. Maybe that's why he was feeling uneasy. He didn't have the best track record with getting along with Gillian's mother, Jacqueline Arthur. She hated Mic - always had, and probably always would. For the life of him he couldn't understand why, though.

"What are you talking about?" Mic asked, laughing lightly. "Me and Jackie are best friends. We go way back."

Mic was not someone who got scared, but Jackie Arthur scared the absolute shit out of him.

"I'm home!" Gillian announced as she and Mic entered the house. Jackie was at the counter in the kitch, chopping vegetables. Her and Mic made immediate eye contact and Mic tried his best to smile.

"Hi darling," Jackie gave Gillian a quick, one-armed hug. She turned to look at Mic, loosely pointing the knife in Mic's direction. "You didn't tell me we'd be having visitors."

Please don't use that knife on me, Mic thought desperately.

Gillian smiled again. Why she kept smiling was a mystery Mic would like to puzzle out. "Oh well I just thought it was time that Mic meant someone he should've met a long time ago," Gillian said, giving her mother a very knowing look.

Jackie's eyes widened. "Oh I see," she said.

"Where is she?" Gillian asked, cupping one hand against the side of her mouth. "Ellie, I'm home!'

Mic looked between Gillian and Jackie with wide eyes. "Who's Ellie?" he asked, though neither of them answered him.

He soon got his answer though. A little girl appeared in the kitchen entryway, her big brown eyes lighting up as soon as she saw Gillian. "Mummy!" she squealed, rushing over to Gillian.

"Hi, baby. I missed you," Gillian crouched down and scooped her up into her arms, placing a big kiss on her cheek.

If Mic was confused before, now he was downright bewildered. He stared at Gillian and the toddler she was holding. "You had a kid?" he asked, as if it wasn't obvious.

"Uh-huh," Gillian nodded. She straightened up, Ellie perched on her hip. "I was a busy woman those two years you were in the states."

"Right…" Mic said. Jackie had abandoned chopping vegetables and was now leaning against the counter, watching the interaction before her with the smuggest expression in the world. "Look, Gillian, I didn't know you wanted me to be a stepfather…"

Gillian laughed. "Mic, I'm not asking you to be her stepfather, don't be silly."

Mic relaxed. "Oh, okay."

"Ellie, can you tell me who that is?" Gillian asked, catching her attention and pointing to Mic.

"Is she supposed to know who I am?" Mic asked.

Gillian nodded. "Ellie, who is that-"

"Daddy!"

"Good job!" Gillian praised, giving Mc a look. "That's Daddy."

Mic looked at her with wide eyes, feeling the pit of his stomach drop out. "You're joking," he blurted out before he could stop himself.

"Now Michael, you wouldn't accuse your daughter of being a liar, would you?" Gillian raised an eyebrow at him.

"She's mine?" he asked. "You're positive-"

"Michael, I don't sleep around - that's something you do."

As it would turn out, the last thing Mic Brumby did in Australia before leaving to take his position as an exchange officer at JAG was get Gillian Arthur pregnant.

"I don't understand," Mic said. They had moved out to sit on the back porch, Mic requesting a recess to speak with Gillian in private. "Why didn't you tell me when you were pregnant?"

"I tried to," Gillian responded with a shrug. "I gave you a call as soon as I found out, but all you wanted to talk to me about was how you'd met this Major Mackenize and that you'd fallen head over heels with her-"

Mic winced. He remembered that conversation. Gillian had hung up on him five minutes in and, at the time, he'd had no idea why she'd done that.

"And so I decided that if you were going to be happy without me, that I would be happy without you," Gillian explained. "But now, since I found you were willing to travel across the world for a child that - let's face it - probably isn't even yours, I figured it was time that you got introduced to the child that is most definitely yours."

"But-"

Gillian reached out and squeezed his hand, putting it into a death grip. "And anyway, since you said you wanted to try and have a serious relationship with me and said you would do anything for me - wouldn't you be a dear and help me raise our beautiful daughter together?"

Mic sighed. He couldn't really say no; he wasn't completely heartless. Plus he'd sworn on St. Sebastian and, more importantly than that, he'd sworn on his mother.

Mum did always want grandkids, Mic thought ruefully. This was true, and Mic's older sister had gotten divorced before she could have any kids, so that really only left one option; him.

He thought it over while Gillian watched him expectantly. "She's what, two?" he asked, and Gillian nodded. "Kids are usually pretty self sufficient by that age, right?"

Maybe I won't have to do all that much-

Gillian laughed, placing a kiss on Mic's cheek. She then sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. "You really don't know anything about being a parent, do you love?"

"I didn't know I was one until today."

"Well, you did miss out on some of the major milestones, but not all of them."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," Gillian reached up to ruffle Mic's hair. "We just started potty training, and I could really use an extra pair of hands to help out with that, love."

Mic said nothing, he placed his hands on his hips and looked around at the ground, then up at the sky.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for my mind - I think I've lost it."

Gillian laughed. "It's not going to be that bad Mic, I promise," she told him, "Ellie's beautiful - like me, and smart - like me-"

Mic turned to look at Gillian. "Does she get any good qualities from me?" he asked.

Gillian's smile dimmed. "Umm…I'm not sure. I'll have to think about that - I'll get back to you.

It was in that moment that it finally occurred to Mic that maybe this was karma for something bad he'd done in the past; he just couldn't put his finger on what that bad thing might've been.