Chapter 3

A/N: I updated the previous chapter to correct a mistake on my part. I had said that Skates's fiancé was a public relations officer when in fact he was public affairs. Thanks for sticking with me, I'm enjoying writing this one.

JAG Headquarters, Parking Lot, December 10, 1999, 15:30 EST

"Are you ready?" Harm asked Skates, not sure how else to word the question. Of course she wasn't ready to be transported to restrictive barracks. Harm could see the hopelessness in her eyes as she nodded her head in agreement. Harm opened the door for her and she sat down in his vehicle.

The car ride to Anacostia took longer than expected due to the start of afternoon rush hour traffic. Harm always wondered why it was called rush hour when it certainly lasted much longer than an hour in this part of the country. Regardless, during the car ride, he and Skates made small talk, trying to avoid the elephants in the room - Skates's sentence and her fiancé. Harm didn't want to bring it up unless Skates brought it up first, and Skates was in no mood to open that can of worms again.

When they arrived, Harm drove up to the gate and rolled down his window to speak to the gate attendant. The man asked him for identification for both he and Skates as well as their purpose for coming. Harm supplied him with both sets of identification and informed him of his intentions. The man handed Harm back the IDs and pushed the button for the gate to open. Harm drove through the gate and followed the signs leading to restrictive barracks. When they were there, Harm put the car in park and looked over at the woman sitting beside him.

"This is it, isn't it?" Skates asked softly.

"I'm afraid so," Harm replied. "Until I can get you out," he added. Skates tried to smile but was unsuccessful.

"Harm," Skates began, "I know I've said it a few times already, but I really do appreciate all you've done."

"Skates, my only regret is failing to prove your innocence," Harm told her.

"Don't let it consume you, sir. I know how you can get," Skates said to Harm. Harm managed to get a chuckle out of that comment. She was right, he was one to become fixated on a particular thing until he could solve it. He felt that way with his father, Clark Palmer, and Darlin.

"Skates, it's time," Harm said, not wanting to end their conversation but knowing it had to be done. The two opened their car doors and stood up. Harm stretched out his arms and legs, which was much needed after the lengthy drive.

"Harm," Skates said, her voice changing, "Promise you'll write to me?" She asked.

"I promise," Harm told her. "Promise me you'll try to call me once in a while? If you tell them you need to check with your lawyer on your appeal, it shouldn't even come out of your personal time."

"Okay, I will," she told him. He walked over to where he was standing and gave him one last hug. She wished the moment would never end - not necessarily because of the hug, but because she wanted to delay the inevitable. At that moment, an officer exited the restrictive barracks building and came over to them in the parking lot.

"Lieutenant Hawkes?" He asked sternly.

"Yes, sir," she replied.

"Stand at attention!" He barked. Skates stood taller and stiffer, though she thought she had already been standing at attention. Harm wondered why he was being so strict but didn't dare say anything. "You've had enough time to say your goodbyes. You'll join the rest of the screw ups for evening chow, if I think you deserve it. Now march inside!"

Skates didn't dare look back at Harm. She didn't want to do anything that would come off as her not marching directly inside to restrictive barracks. Harm knew that criminals in the military were treated poorly, but it had been a while since he had experienced it first-hand. It also didn't help that he knew Skates didn't deserve to be here. When he visited Leavenworth, he knew most of the people there truly were guilty and deserved to be treated as such. This was a different situation entirely.

Restrictive Barracks, Anacostia, December 10, 1999, 18:00 EST

"Stand at attention!" Lieutenant McGill shouted. The offenders at Anacostia stood up and snapped to attention. Though Skates was new, she knew that if she didn't do exactly as she was told, she would not be allowed to eat that night.

"Get in a line!" He shouted at them. They quickly and quietly shuffled into a line. "Forward march!" Again, the criminals listened and marched forward to the mess hall.

Once in the mess hall, it was time to go through the line. Skates was closer to the front of the line so she did not have the advantage of watching others to figure out exactly how she was supposed to do things. She grabbed a tray and stepped to the right to move through the food line. The food line had three metal bars at waist-level that most schools used for students pushing their trays along. Skates set her tray on the bars and began to slide it along the bars.

"What is wrong with you?!" Skates heard shouted into her ear. "Are you too lazy to carry your own tray? Perhaps you're too lazy to feed yourself! That wouldn't surprise me looking at you! You have no meat on your bones and no muscle! Your weak ass won't last a day here! Dismissed!" Skates blew it. She lost her food privileges for the day. She was frustrated but did her best not to show it.

"Sir, where should I put my tray, sir?" Skates asked, not wanting to screw up any further.

"Wash it!" Lieutenant McGill fired back at her.

Skates walked over to the sink and cleaned her tray. Once clean, she dried it with the towel and placed it in the pile with the other clean trays. At that point she asked to be dismissed. She was dismissed back to her rack. Skates laid down on her rack and thought about all that had happened to get her to this place. She replayed the night of the mishap over in her brain. She kept thinking about hearing those engines unwind. Did she really hear that or did she make that up? With everyone around her bringing her down, now she really was starting to think she was guilty and deserved to be here.

JAG Headquarters, December 10, 1999, 17:00 EST

Harm glanced over at the clock on his desk and realized that it was finally time for him to leave work. He had been working non-stop since he returned from taking Skates to Anacostia. Not only was he focused on her appeal, but he also had old and new cases to deal with. Each of those cases had a person whose story was important. Each of those cases deserved to have the truth come forward and justice served. The only problem was - Harm was losing faith in the system. He sighed and allowed his head to rest in his hands. When he did that, he didn't notice Mac approach him.

"Long day?" She asked, though she knew his answer. Harm only nodded. "Harm, she got what she deserved. In all honesty, it could've been worse. She could've been sentenced to three years."

"You're wrong, and I'm going to prove it," Harm told her.

"Harm, you have several other cases that need your attention. Don't get fixated on this one because you'd like to believe your friend is innocent," Mac told him.

"I never gave up on your innocence when your ex-husband was murdered," Harm fired back at her. Mac was taken back. It took her some time before she came up with a comeback.

"Don't make this about me," Mac replied.

"I can't stand when the wrong people are sentenced and the guilty walk away Scott-free."

"It happens all the time. Why are you getting all bent out of shape about it now? I didn't even think you two talked to each other after you left the carrier," Mac said to him. That comment caught Harm off guard. It was true - they hadn't spoken to each other since Harm had left. Neither bothered to write or email. It made Harm second guess the extent of their friendship - but only for a moment.

"They're treating her like crap," Harm finally admitted, showing why he was truly upset.

"How is that different from any other brig?" Mac asked.

"You don't get it," Harm said.

"I guess I don't, and I'm sorry that I don't. But Harm, you've got to snap out of it, for the sake of your career," Mac told him.

Restrictive Barracks, Anacostia, December 11, 1999, 03:00 EST

"Move it! Move it! Move it! You've got exactly five minutes to be up at attention with perfectly tidied racks!" Lt. McGill shouted at the women in the bunkhouse.

Skates had been placed in a top bunk which she despised, but didn't dare protest. Her height made it a little challenging to tidy her rack, but she was still able to get it looking better than most of the other women's. Growing up, her mother had always been very strict about the tidiness of her room, so Skates was a natural at making a bed without wrinkles and organization. When her rack was tidied to her satisfaction, she stood next to it at attention, waiting for the next instruction.

Much to her surprise, there was not another command yelled until after rack inspections took place. A few women were made to go back and fix their racks, followed by push-ups and sit-ups. When he came to Skates, he told her he was impressed. It was followed by an insult along the lines of expecting her to screw up because she couldn't get anything else in her life right. Skates ignored the comment and focused on the next task at hand - breakfast.

Once again, Skates was singled out. She was made to go through the food line first and be observed by everyone else there. Luckily, she managed to get everything correct. When she finished, she made her way over to the closest table. She stood by the table but did not set down her tray or sit down. She figured she had to wait for everyone else to be at their tables and then be told to sit. She had been correct and allowed to eat that morning.

"Twenty minutes for chow! You may whisper! If I hear your voice, you are not whispering and you will be dismissed! Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Echoed the hall.

"Don't take it personally, it happens to every newcomer," a woman sitting next to Skates told her. Skates nodded but didn't respond. She was trying to stay quiet. "Bitch, did you hear me?" She said louder right into her ear.

"Yes, ma'am," Skates responded.

"What is wrong with you? Who says ma'am in regular conversation?" The woman shook her head in disbelief. "What are you even in for anyway?"

"Dereliction of duty, culpable inefficiency," Skates answered in a timely fashion.

"Not bad, I would've expected something smaller coming from someone like you. Toughen you up a bit and you might actually fit in," she told Skates. "The name's Regina but everyone calls me Regi. I've been in this dump almost the whole week. Glad to finally move out of here."

"I'm Elizabeth but everyone just calls me Skates," she replied. "I guess I lucked out?" Skates asked.

"Definitely, McGill is a hard-ass. Not that I expect Miramar to be much better, but at least we'll have jobs and be able to walk around the common area during the day."

"That's an improvement," Skates added. "What are you in for?" Skates asked.

"Article 118," Regi responded.

"I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with all of the articles…"

"Premeditated murder."