Beginning
Chapter 4
JAG Headquarters
0745 ZULU
Lieutenant Harley Steele stood in the copy room, getting things ready for what was to most likely be their last day in court before sentencing. Gunny stood next to her and they were laughing together about a joke Gunny had just told.
"Thanks for making me feel welcome, Gunny." Harley chuckled.
Gunny smiled, "I know what it's like to be the new kid at school, ma'am." He nodded to her.
Harm followed the sound of laughter to the copy room to find Gunny and Lieutenant Steele having a moment at the copier. He felt jealousy rear its ugly head as he watched Harley smile at the Gunnery Sergeant. He filled the doorframe with his form, peering into the small room and both occupants hit attention.
"Good morning, sir!" Harley murmured, eyes fixed blankly on the wall.
"Good morning," Harm answered, "At ease." He commanded and they relaxed. "You have the copies I requested?" He asked, stepping inside the small room.
"Yes, sir." Harley handed over a manilla folder containing said copies.
"Good." Harm took the folder, propped his hip on the counter and began to thumb through it.
"Good luck today," Gunny excused himself, "Sir, ma'am." He flashed the Lieutenant a brilliant grin before leaving the small room.
Harm rolled his eyes upward as the Gunny left, shaking his head a little.
"What?" Harley scoffed, turning to the opposite end of the counter to make a cup of coffee.
"Nothing," Harm shrugged and frowned goodnaturedly, eyes back on the file.
"Sure," Harley rolled her eyes. "I was born at night but it wasn't last night." She bit her lip. "You're jealous." She took a sip of coffee, leaning against the counter, mirroring his posture.
Harm looked up sharply from the file. "Of what?" He scoffed. He took a quick breath, "You and Gunny?" He squinted a little, "Nope."
Harley nearly spit out her coffee in laughter. "Mmmhmm," She smiled, topping off her cup. "I'll be in the courtroom at 0850, sir."
Harm looked up to see Lieutenant smile to herself as she carefully glided from the room, full coffee cup in hand. It was one thing for male pilots to be a little full of themselves, but it was another thing to witness the confidence that Lieutenant Steele possessed. She wasn't anymore full of herself than the next pilot, maybe even a little less, she was just the most confident woman he'd ever encountered. Well, maybe Lieutenant Singer might beat her in that category, and that wasn't a good thing for Singer. He shook his head a little to clear the jumble of thoughts before pushing off the counter and returning to his office to gather his things for court.
Things were not going to plan in the courtroom. The Commander had pressed Captain Ross a little too far and had gotten a subsequent recess of out if. At Harley's urging, he talked with Mrs. Ross during the break and had somehow convinced her to testify. Lieutenant Steele had a feeling and it turned out she'd felt right. Apparently Master Chief Sullivan was blackmailing the Captain and his wife for some indiscretion on the Captain's part many years ago.
"She's taking the stand?" Harley questioned, her brows raising. "Hmmm." She sat back. "Guess she has balls after all."
Harm just shook his head, a silly smile playing on his lips. Lieutenant Steele had a point. The woman did have balls despite her old fashioned opinions.
When Harm called Victoria Ross to the stand, Captain Ross stood up instead, insisting that Commander Rabb put him back on the stand. Harley watched in fascination as her suspicions came to light. Captain Ross set the record straight, and redeemed himself before the court and ultimately before his wife.
"That was incredibly romantic." Harley sighed, crossing her arms as Harm gathered his things. The verdict had come back guilty on all charges, just as it should.
"Romantic?" Harm scoffed. 'Cap'n Ross just admitted to cheating on his wife, Lieutenant." He pursed his lips. "That's hardly romantic."
"Oh, I disagree, Commander." She insisted, following him out of the courtroom. "Captain Ross was vulnerable only in a way you can be if you truly love someone."
"Is that so?" Harm teased, not quite believing her sentiment.
"Oh yes, sir." Harley gushed, unable to help herself. She cleared her throat, trying to contain herself. "Uh, it was Captain Ross' love and devotion to his wife and marriage that allowed him to come clean, Commander." She sighed, "My grandmother says, 'Humble pie, though bitter, can be sweet when eaten out of love.' Drives my grandfather absolutely nuts." She chuckled.
"I bet." Harm smirked, glancing up to see the Lieutenant looking at him expectantly. What was he supposed to respond with here? They hardly knew each other, yet he felt completely at ease with her. "Listen, I'm going to head out for the afternoon, got a few errands to run."
Harley swallowed. She'd hoped that they'd hit the ground running on the next case. "Oh, okay, sir." She took a step back, "Thanks for including me on this case, I learned a lot."
"As did I, Lieutenant." Harm assured her, flashing her a bright smile. He meant it. With her around, he felt his ability to read people had skyrocketed. She had seen straight through Victoria Ross and suggested he press her. "You can head out too. We'll start fresh tomorrow morning, 0800." He picked up his packed briefcase, "You're dismissed."
"Aye, aye, sir." She came to attention. She gave him a brilliant smile before spinning on her heel and leaving his office.
"Lieutenant Steele!" Gunny called. "Admiral would like to see you before you leave today, ma'am." He smiled at her and took a quick breath. "Heard you won today."
"Yes," She smiled back. She quite liked Gunny. "Commander Rabb is a brilliant litigator, Vic." She gave him a playful wink. "Once you're free we could go for that drink." She suggested.
Gunny opened his mouth to say more, but instead straightened up a bit and nodded to the Commander who'd come up behind her. "Congrats, sir." He must've caught the tension between them because he simply said. "I'll catch you at another time, ma'am." He gave her a knowing grin.
Harm nodded to the Gunnery Sergeant. "Thanks Gunny."
Lieutenant Steele nodded and gave Gunny a tight smile and squared her shoulders before striding across the bullpen over to Tiner's desk. Commander Rabb was in tow.
Tiner picked up his phone. "Lieutenant Steele to see you, sir." He gave her a shy smile. He nodded at the Admiral's response, putting down the receiver. "You can go in, ma'am."
"Thanks Tiner." She murmured with a nervous nod. She opened the door and moved to shut it, only to be stopped by Commander Rabb.
"You mind if I sit in, sir?" Harm asked, purposefully not looking at Lieutenant Steele.
The Admiral pursed his lips, glancing between the two officers. He could see at little tension in the Lieutenant's shoulders at Rabb's sudden presence.
"I don't think that's necessary, Commander." The Admiral shook his head once. "You're dismissed."
Harm hit attention. "Aye, aye, sir." He nodded to Harley as he spun on his heel and shut the door behind him.
Lieutenant Steele tried to swallow her nervousness. She hadn't anything to be afraid of. Her and Harm had worked brilliantly together. Her insight paired with his experience had gotten to the truth in a timely fashion that helped save a young woman's naval career.
"Lieutenant Steele reporting as requested, sir!" Harley hit attention in front of the Admiral.
Admiral Chegwidden smirked. "At ease, Lieutenant." He motioned to the seats between them. "Have a seat."
"Thank you, sir." Harley smiled, sitting down in a chair. She crossed her legs and gripped the arms with her fingers, willing herself to relax.
"You can relax, Lieutenant." Admiral Chegwidden's lips twitched in amusement. "You're not on trial here, I assure you." He chuckled. He sat back in his chair and studied her for a moment. "Quite the case this week, eh?"
"Yes, sir." Harley agreed. "I have so much to learn." She gave him a small smile. "I'm looking forward to the next one, sir."
Admiral nodded. "Litigation is definitely different from flying fighter jets, or so I'm told." He chuckled. "I trust it wasn't too boring worning with Commander Rabb?"
"Never, sir." Harley smirked. "Commander Rabb has a special approach to investigation and litigation. It's not like what I've witnessed from other JAG's while afloat." She cleared her throat, "Sir." She smiled and looked at her hands in her lap, sure the Admiral could see the admiration for Harm shining in her eyes, it was embarrassing.
"Yeah, he is a rare breed, that's for sure." Admiral agreed. "He's been welcoming, hasn't shut you out?"
"Uh, well." Harley bit her lip. "He's been testing me here and there," she smirked, chin lifting a little. "Nothing I can't handle, sir."
The Admiral returned her smile. "Good, good." He leaned forward. "Listen, I know Rabb can be a bit of a wild card sometimes, but he's got really good instincts." He pursed his lips. "I'm told you're like him in that way, Lieutenant." He sighed.
"May I ask who told you that, sir?" Harley asked, hoping he'd be truthful with her.
"Well, Lieutenant Roberts, Colonel Mackenzie, and even Rabb himself agreed that you have great investigative instincts. They said having you aboard the Seahawk was a great addition."
"Wow." Harley breathed before she could catch herself. "I mean, that's great, sir."
The Admiral nodded. "I agree, Lieutenant." He pursed his lips,"I just hope your similarities can coexist for the duration of your assignment."
Harley's eyes widened. She could never imagine being at odds with Commander Rabb. She admired him too much for that. Plus, she saw straight through his bravado and was currently working on shutting it down. "No worries there, sir." She shook her head. "If I find Commander Rabb too difficult to work with, you'll be the first to know."
"Good." The Admiral nodded. "Well, I guess if you're all set with Commander Rabb, you can head on out." He smirked. "You're dismissed."
"Aye, aye, sir." Harley stood up from the chair and hit attention. She returned the Admiral's smile before sidestepping the chair and leaving his office.
Harm leaned against his car and checked his watch for the upteenth time.
"I thought you had errands to run, sir?" Harley quipped, coming up beside him on the sidewalk.
"What did the Admiral want to talk to you about?" Harm questioned back, hands resting on his hips.
Harley bit back a smart ass reply. Better to be straight with him for the time being. Harm valued straightforwardness, especially when it came to his career. "How the case went, how I'm fitting in, you-"
"Me?" Harm scoffed. "Why would you be talking about me?" He crossed his arms.
"You, Commander Rabb can be rather difficult to work with," Harley explained, "Apparently you have a track record of pissing people off, especially women, so much so that they transfer out at the first opportunity," He opened his mouth to speak, but Harley kept talking. "I told him not to worry, that we make a great team." She smiled at him and gave him a playful wink.
Harm closed his mouth and heaved a quick sigh, palming his jaw.
"Sir." She clicked her heels together out of respect, then spun on her heel to head towards her car.
"Lieutenant, wait." Harm called to her. She turned around and took the few paces back to stand in front of him again. "Is that all you talked about?"
Harley's eyes searched his for a moment, trying to figure out why he looked so panicked. "I'm sorry," She scoffed. "Did you want me to mention how you and I raced each other on the running trail, then wound up kissing while you pressed me up against your apartment door?" She murmured, giving him a pretty pout.
Harm's mouth gaped open a little. He hadn't expected her to be so forward. "N-no." He stammered. He sighed, eyes closing for a moment. "Thank you for not, uh." He snorted softly, locking eyes with her briefly before glancing away. "getting too personal."
"What are you worried about, sir?" Harley asked, "Technically, on paper, my CO is Admiral Chedwiggen, not you, sir."
"That's correct." Harm answered, hands on his hips again.
"Then, there's no rule against us having some fun, is there?" She asked, crossing her arms.
Harm blinked. "I guess not." He squinted a little, trying to figure out what she was getting at. Is that what they were doing together, having fun? Did Harmon Rabb actually do fun when it came to women? His various past lovers would probably think not.
"So let me be clear, sir." She stepped forward into his space a little, keeping her voice low. "I'm not the habit of letting men, no matter who they are, fuck around with me unless I want to play too, Commander." She murmured, then took a step back. "If you'll excuse me, sir." She clicked her heels again.
This time the Commander let her go.
Harley sat in her car for a moment before turning the key. Is that what she wanted? To have fun with Rabb? If she was really honest, she was looking for more, but she'd settle for a little fun until their relationship deepend. If it didn't, she was returning to carrier duty soon anyway, so none of it really mattered. Frustrated that he'd gotten her to bring up their kiss, she turned the key in the ignition and ignored the Commander's gaze as she backed out and sped off towards their apartment building.
Harm watched the Lieutenant sit in her car for a moment. He almost went over to see if she was alright but she turned the key and backed out before he could move. He was frustrated at himself for bringing up their kiss. He was also a little miffed that she'd discussed him with the Admiral. He knew that they'd talk about the case, but discussing her relationship with him seemed a little out of bounds. Instead of going in and confronting the Admiral about it, he decided just to head home himself.
Lieutenant Steele settled on her couch with a glass of Chardonnay and a romance novel after changing out of her uniform. She changed into a pair of black leggings, a black camisole and a soft blue, open front sweater that she wrapped herself in. Her hair had also come down from its uniform bun, the curls tumbling past her shoulders and settling just above her bra line. She'd put on her favorite record, an italian Opera, The Marriage of Figaro. The music carried away her cares for the moment and she opened her book and got lost in the story of two star crossed lovers who were putting their careers before their significant other.
A half an hour later, Harley got up to refill her wine glass when a soft knock sounded on her door. She set her glass down on the counter and went over to the door, her sweater falling off her shoulder a little as she peered into the peephole. Commander Rabb stood at her door, shopping bags in hand. He, too, had changed out of his uniform. He wore jeans and a soft, black sweater that hugged his chest nicely.
Harley opened the door and stood in the doorway, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Hey." She crossed her arms, hugging her sweater around her.
"Hey." Harm flashed her a toothy grin, taking in her relaxed form. "I bought stuff to make pasta." He offered, showing her the shopping bags in his hands.
"How did you know the magic word?" Harley teased, taking the shopping bags, and stepping aside so he could enter her apartment. She shut the door and brought the bags over to the kitchen.
"The magic word?" Harm smirked, hands on his hips.
"Pasta!" Harley exclaimed in her best italian accent. "It's perfect, Harm." She gave him a soft smile before rummaging around in her cabinets.
"Good." Harm murmured, watching her get out the necessary pans to boil water and saute some veggies.
"What did you have in mind?" Harley asked, turning to her cupboards. She secretly loved to cook and would take a shift in mess every now and then when deployment got long and tiresome.
"Ah," Harm came around the bar and stood behind her, peering into her cabinets. She had a bottle of olive oil and a container of red chili flakes clutched between her fingers. She turned and he had to take a step back because they were too close. "Sorry." He murmured, ducking his head.
"I'm not," Harley smirked, making a point of touching his chest as she scooted by to place her finds on the counter with the ingredients he bought. Harm had bought anchovies, capers, olives, a can of crushed tomatoes and a box of linguine. It was perfect for making Puttanesca. "How about Linguine Puttanesca?" She busied herself with setting the pot to fill with water then gathering some garlic and fresh basil from the fridge.
"Sounds great." Harm agreed, taking the ingredients out of the shopping bags. He watched in fascination as she moved about the kitchen in a sort of dance, gathering everything she needed to create the meal. He suddenly realized there was music playing. "Are you listening to Opera?" He asked, trying to decipher what language it was in.
"Si," Harley confirmed. "Le nozze di Figaro." She pronounced, sounding very italian and very sexy.
"The Marriage of Figaro?" Harm guessed, not knowing much italian but enough to guess.
"Very good, sir." Harley praised, setting the pot on the stove to boil. She began chopping garlic and got that sauteing the shallow pan with a flourish and a sizzle.
"You enjoy this." Harm observed, taking the glass of wine she offered him. The Lieutenant was practically glowing as she worked and hummed along to the music.
"You caught me." She smiled, "Can you get the linguine in the water, please?" She asked, moving towards the bedroom for a moment. "I'll be right back."
Harm nodded and made quick work of getting the pasta into the rolling water. He put the lid in the sink and stirred the pasta to keep it from sticking to the pan and itself. He moved to the pan where Harley was putting the sauce together and gave it a stir.
Harley returned a moment later with a different sweater, one better for cooking in, that didn't have loose ends that could fall into the sauce. "You enjoy this, too, eh?" She observed back, with a warm smile.
Harm looked up from the sauce. "Ah," He smiled, "Yeah, I guess I do." He set down the spoon and stepped back, motioning for her to jump back in.
Harley stepped between him and the cooktop, taking up the spatula. She added all of the ingredients at their appropriate time and brought together a beautiful sauce just in time to receive the pasta after Harm had drained it. They worked together, moving around each other with a practiced ease and familiarity that had Harley's heart pounding. Before dumping the pasta in, she offered for Harm to taste the sauce.
Harm leaned in, tasting the spoon she offered him. "Wow." He nodded. "That's amazing." He praised, surprised she was able to make something so flavorful with just a few ingredients. He'd had Puttanesca before, but this tasted robust and earthy, different from his mother's. He tried to downplay the warmth her satisfied smile brought him. He'd just gotten over Renee, he didn't need to fall in deep with another woman, especially someone as dangerous as Harley Steele. She was dangerous on every front, if he opened up to her, he had the sneaking suspicion she could make him really happy.
"Thank you for your help, Harm." She murmured, dumping the pasta in the sauce pan. She turned the pasta a few times to get it coated in the flavorful mixture. On a whim, she pulled out a wedge of parmesan cheese and grated that on top of each serving she plated.
"The pleasure is mine, Lee." He assured her, taking the plate she offered. "Thank you."
Harley smiled, and held up her wine glass to him. "Congratulations on a well deserved case win today, Harm."
He raised his glass and clinked it with hers. "I owe some of the credit to you, Lee." Harley motioned for him to sit with her at the small dining table she had placed over by the window behind the sofa.
"Oh stop." Harley found herself blushing a little, she set her plate down, but moved to turn down the music before sitting down at the table herself. "You saw the way Mrs Ross reacted to the Captain's testimony too. I just affirmed what you were already thinking and feeling."
"Which was what?" He asked around a bite of pasta.
"Well," Harley thought out loud, swallowing a bite. "You saw through the interaction between them when we interviewed Captain Ross before the trial, so I think you were already honed in on their relationship." She took a sip of wine. "You suspected there was something more going on than met the eye between them and your gut told you it involved the Master Chief."
Harm sat back, struck with how well she deciphered how he had reacted to interviewing Captain Ross that afternoon. Even the face of ridicule, she'd kept her head about her and was able to draw conclusions based on instinct alone. "I'm impressed."
"Well," Harley smirked. "I'm sure you'll get irritated by it eventually." She sighed. "They all do."
Harm's brows rose. "What do you mean, they all do?"
Harley's eyes slid closed. "Um, I think I'll save that for another time, sir." She'd felt a little embarrassed, like maybe she'd said too much too fast.
"Well, if you're referring to the asshats you fly with, I'm not surprised." Harm scoffed with a grin. "They're just jealous." He shrugged. "Your natural instinct is invaluable in a courtroom investigation." He assured her.
"Is that why you don't fly anymore, sir?" Harley asked quietly. "You enjoy investigating and litigation too much?"
Harm pushed his pasta around a little. "It's part of it." It seemed he was also holding back a little.
"Well, you're one hell of a litigator." Harley smirked. "I can imagine you're one hell of a pilot too, sir."
Harm snorted softly. "I'd like to think I'm pretty good." He glanced up to find her watching him. Her plate was almost empty and he only had a few bites left himself. "I have quals coming up next month." He swirled his fork full of pasta. "I'll take you with me, say its some educational bullshit."
"What ship?" Harley asked around her last bite of pasta. She set her fork down. "Oh, that was divine."
"USS Patrick Henry." Harm informed her. "I agree, the pasta was cooked perfectly."
"The Raptors?" She said brightly. "Nice going, sir." She took a quick breath. "Please tell me you've flown with Skates."
Harm chuckled with a nod. "She's the best RIO I've ever had."
"Absolutely, sir!" Harley agreed. "She trained my RIO before she took her leave after her last deployment four years ago." She sighed. "That woman is remarkable, makes me damn proud to be a woman in the Navy."
"I bet." Harm smiled, finished up his meal. "Well, I'm stuffed." He sighed. "That was wonderful, Lee."
"I told you we make a great team." Harley teased, polishing off her glass of wine. She got up from the table, collected their plates and went over to the sink.
Harm finished his glass of wine and watched as she made quick work of the dishes, getting everything rinsed and put into the dishwasher.
"I'll run that tomorrow morning." She explained shutting it. "It's so loud, I can't hardly sleep through it." She laughed.
Harm chuckled. His own had been quite the beast until he replaced it with a newer, more efficient model. He handed her his empty glass. "I better call it a night." He sighed, glancing at the clock, it was going on 2100.
Harley tried to hide her disappointment. "Okay, sir." She murmured, moving towards the door.
"Hold on," Harm stood up from the table. "Wasn't your shower leaking?" He asked, moving towards the bathroom. "Still want me to take a look at it?"
"Sure." Harley perked up, flattered that he'd remembered.
Harm disappeared into the bathroom and she heard the shower come on. She padded over to the shower and tried not to laugh at the fact that the Commander was practically eye level with her shower head without having to stretch or stand on a stool.
"Whew." Harm whistled, shutting off the water. "I think we're going to need to replace that." He leaned closer to the head. "The seal's broken."
Harley propped her hip against the vanity top and crossed her arms. "I'll order one and have it shipped here." She made a face. "I hate shopping."
"Salons, shopping." Harm scoffed, wiping his hand on a towel. "What else do you dislike that most women love?"
"Elusive men." She smirked. Harm's eyes widened a little. She held up her hand as if to stop him from panicking. "I'm all for the dance of new relationships, but knowing where I stand with someone, friend or lover is very important to me." She shrugged. "I also fly fighter jets for a living, so I'm not really 'most women', sir." She smiled, pushing off the cabinet and exiting the tiny room.
Harm found himself speechless. Harley Steele was definitely not 'most women.' He wasn't even sure why he'd asked that question out loud. He returned to the main area of the apartment to find Harley lingering by the bookshelf, thumbing a row of records. "Let me know when you get the shower head, I'll replace it for you." He offered, coming up beside her, leaning on his hand that rested on the books above her head.
Harley turned and swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat. Harm was quite close to her, somewhat pinning her against the bookshelf. "Oh, that would be great." She nodded, "Thank you." She reached out and touched his chest, her hand simply lying over his heart.
Harm stared down at the woman he had somewhat pinned against the bookshelf. His eyes closed when she reached for him, he hadn't expected her to respond. He expected her to put some distance between them. Evidently she wasn't immune to the attraction crackling between them either. He bent his head and reached his free hand to turn her face up to his. Her eyes were closed and she seemed to be enjoying the feeling of being close to him.
"Harm." Harley whispered, eyes fluttering open. "I need to warn you, here." She snorted softly, "I'm a zero to mach 1 kinda girl." She barked a soft laugh, "I guess when you live at Angels 30 all the time, you don't have time to go slow."
Harm pulled back a little. "I get that." He was having a hard time coming up with reasons not to get closer to her. Everything was coming up aces so far. The only question mark was fraternization. The rules had relaxed significantly, but there was always the question of duty and interpretation. He may like her, but he wasn't willing to throw away his career. He had a feeling she wasn't willing to either. She'd made some good points earlier. If they kept things quiet, they could have some fun together.
"I'm not trying to scare you away, here, believe me." She snorted softly, "I just want you to understand you don't have to go easy on me, sir. I'm not some demure little Lieutenant that you have to treat with kid gloves."
Harm's smile widened. He'd never had a woman speak so directly to him before. Instead of being weird or unwelcome, he found it quite refreshing. "So you're saying, I get to set the pace, is that it, Lee?"
Harley licked her lips. "Affirmative, sir." She leaned up on her toes, hands sliding around his neck, letting her body begin to mold against his. "As Senior Officer, I figured that was your place anyway." She quipped, giving him a little squeeze.
Harm hummed, the sound reverberating in his chest, causing Harley to shiver a little. "How's this?" He asked, closing the distance between them, pressing his lips to hers, groaning at the feeling of her pressed up against him. He deepened the kiss, and she responded, fingers sliding into his hair.
Harley broke their kiss to murmur against his lips. "Perfect." Her head swam with the intoxication of his nearness. She thought to herself as Harm pressed his lips to hers again, that this was only the beginning.
Fin.
For now…
Please go check out my other works with Harm and Harley.
xoxo
Lumora The White