PART 12
War. There was a seemingly everlasting talk of war and the whole nation was attuned to it. The freedom that their forefathers had strived and fought for was, once again being toyed with. Many tried to ignore the crumbling
freedom. Others decided to fight for the cause as their distant relatives had done in another era. For every lost soul, there was another prepared to join in the cause, willingly placing themselves in harm's way.
"Don't go." He said to her, but it was no use. He saw the determination in her eyes and knew her mind was made up. She'd come home after her training one last time.
Sighing, she broke their embrace and stepped back a bit to look at him. "I have to. Our country needs me."
"Isn't one of us enough?" He said, watching his wife trying on a pristine white nurses uniform. She would be stationed in one of the many US Hospital ships that floated near the war ships. It seemed only right to use her new talents where they were needed the most. Just a few short years ago she'd realized her calling in life and could not wait to start medical school.
For now, that had to wait, the country needed her. "There are hundreds of others going Sarah, why do you have to go too?"
She turned around and looked directly into Harm's eyes and moved forward running her hands over his Marine uniform. "For the same reason you enlisted. . . to fight for what we believe in. . . to grant freedom for our future, for our children."
"And what if you don't come home?" He said, with a horrified look in his eyes as she slid out of his arms and to the vanity where she sat.
"You always come back home to me, don't you?" She watched him through the mirror and smiled. "We're both coming back, Harm. We have a future together." Standing up, she moved towards him and wrapped her arms tightly
around her warrior. "You come back home. . . and I'll see you once the war is over."
Harm nodded and moved down to kiss her. Once they broke off he had a certain feeling of loss. Though he hoped things would be alright, he
realized he would never see her again.
-Two Months Later-
"Pregnant?" Lt. Jennifer Roberts said, looking at the younger woman.
Sarah nodded and bit her lower lip. "I didn't know. Had I. . . I wouldn't have enlisted. . . I thought my queasy feelings were just nerves."
"I'll see what I can do about getting you home." She said with a smile. She should have been angry at the new nurses' situation, but she couldn't. In a time of war, a little piece of good news was always welcomed.
Sarah sighed and placed her hand over her abdomen. "I just wish Harm would know. . ."
Lt. Roberts smiled. "He will soon enough. War shouldn't last much longer now."
"How do you know he is even alive?" Commander Linn said, walking up behind
the two women. "It's foolish to remain hopeful under these circumstances."
Sarah stood and wrapped her arms around herself closing her eyes and letting
a small smile escape her lips. "I still feel him. . . he is alive and coming back to me and our baby."
Suddenly a Japanese plane fell into the waters near the hospital ship causing the vessel to rock. "That was close." Said Lt. Roberts.
Sarah stood there wide-eyed. During the time that they had been at sea, there had been some close calls but the ship had never rocked as much. "I-I think I am going to be sick." She said, making her way out of the wardroom
and up to the top deck. Once she was there, she took a long breath of ocean air. Looking out, she saw the devastation on the seas. An American ship was engulfed in flames. She could see tiny figures diving into the ocean.
"Get down!" Someone on the deck yelled. But it was too late, the swarm of bullets from one of the American war ships hit the hospital ship. A few of
the nurses rushed to Sarah's aid, but it was too late, she was gone.
(AN: I was watching 'Each of Us Angels' when it gave me an idea with a bit
more of a twist.)
2150 Zulu
USS Patrick Henry
300 miles off the coast of Virginia
"Commander! Commander!" Harm woke up to the sound of Skates banging on his door. Standing he made his way to the hatch and opened. "Sorry I must have
dozed off."
"We have five minutes to get the to ready room. . . last set of quals, sir.. .there is a storm brewing and the crew wants to wrap up early." She said
happily. Her expression changed as she saw Harm merely nod and look. . . unsure? "What is it, Harm?"
"Ever get the feeling something is going to go wrong?"
Skates shook her head. "Yea, every time I think of us ejecting over the Atlantic, but I shake it off. . .This is what I was meant to do. . . even my
fiancé knows that."
Harm nodded. "You're right." Shaking it off, he trailed after Skates as they made it to the ready room.
-Two Hours Later-
After the quals were done, Harm and Skates stood on the weather deck, watching the rest of their squadron members coming in. "Commander, Lieutenant." Captain Ingles said, joining the two.
"Skipper." Harm said nodding at the captain.
Captain Ingles watched as one of the in-coming F-14s landed on the carrier. "Never get tired of watching that."
"Me neither, sir." Skates said smiling.
Turning to face the pilot and RIO Ingles brought his arms across his chest. "I have a proposition for the two of you."
"I'm all ears, captain." Harm said.
Ingles nodded. "I need you to fly an F-14 to Andrews."
"Us, sir?" Harm said unsurely, remembering their last adventure off the Henry. "I thought there was a storm?"
The skipper nodded. "The cell is dispersing, so you'll have free skies. You two were supposed to be headed out tonight anyway. I figure, this way we can save the COD a trip." Ingles smacked Harm on the shoulder and the stopped. "Don't drop this one into the drink, am I clear?"
Both snapped to attention. "Aye, sir."
"Good. . . You have an hour." Ingles headed inside while Skates and Harm exchanged amused looks.
0145 Zulu
Mac's Apartment
Georgetown
The crash from the thunderstorm had Mac awake in an instant. She hated bad
weather and was happy to be home when it got this way. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and checked her internal clock. Harm would return sometime tomorrow and hopefully, they would completely miss each other by the time
she headed out to the Guadalcanal. She hated doing this but there was no other way. She was determined to get over him one way or another.
This way was drastic but it made sense, she was away from him. She didn't have to hear about him from anyone. If they were meant to be apart, she'd rather be without him than have to see him everyday and die just a little more inside.
It was selfish, but maybe she was in the right place for being so.
A man who does nothing but push away can't be interested in her. 'If only we hadn't made love.' She thought as her mind trailed back to that night and how wonderful it had felt to be intimate with Harm. It felt so safe and so right to be in his arms, to kiss him, to let him touch her in ways others hadn't. No one would have guessed that a night so perfect was the end of it all. Life wasn't fair for them and never would be. It was reasonable to just give up.
The sudden annoying ring of her cell phone broke her thoughts. She glared
at the thing for a moment before deciding to answer it. "MacKenzie."
"Hello there." A male voice said on the other line, pausing for a moment.
Mac moved the phone over to her other ear. "Who is this?"
"You know me, Major. . . Oh, I am sorry. . . Colonel." She couldn't quite place it, but she knew that person from somewhere.
"I am going to ask again. . . who the hell is this?" She said, her voice becoming stronger and self-assured, Marine mode fully in place.
The person on the other line just laughed. "I have a riddle for you: I lived
in a Fort and once I left there. Only to be taken back and live in despair. I am now in Washington and by the sea, the prettiest place to be on the 933. And oh, gosh, golly, gee, I have Commander Rabb with me." Then line went dead.
"The Commander? Hello? Hello!?" She said before slamming the phone down
into its charger. Shaking her head, she quickly took a pen and paper and wrote down what she remembered 'Commander, Sea, Fort, Washington, Sea, 933'
She sat for a moment and blankly contemplated what she wrote. Something
kept telling her to search the computer. Going over to the machine, she turned it on and went online. Going to one of the search engines she punched in 'Washington sea 933'
Immediately #1 in the search was the Washington Naval Yard and a
decommissioned destroyer USS Barry. "Harm is on the Henry." She shook her head. How many times had Harm caught a different flight out of the ships and headed home sometime earlier.
She imagined him walking into his
apartment and someone laying in wait for him. Standing up, she loaded her service weapon and grabbed a jacket. After putting the safety on, she slid the pistol into her pocket and picked up a small flashlight just in case, as she headed to the shipyards.