The next partner LT Rabb got was a young LTJG. Her name was Meg Austin.

What a breath of fresh air.

Extremely intelligent, both a computer/weapons expert and a rising star as a lawyer.

She was also one of the most stunningly beautiful women I have ever seen, then and now. Very tall, almost 6 feet, slim, just the right muscle tone, long toned legs, flat belly, slim waist, just the right size of her bust, not too big and not too small - yeah, I checked her out, so what you gonna do about it? -, blonde hair, wide, innocent, blue eyes and pouty, full lips, made for impish smiles. As stunning she was on the outside, it was nothing compared to how beautiful she was on the inside. She was one of the few rare women I know of that, not only are they not aware of their physical beauty, but they never take advantage of it. She was a warm person, friendly, funny, caring, fair and polite.

They say it's the personality that makes a person beautiful and they're right. Even if she were average looking, with her personality she would still be the most beautiful woman in the world. She made the whole office fall in love with her instantly. And we fell for her hard.

She was also a Texas gal, who woulda thunk it?

Sir, can I get a transfer to Texas next time?

Sorry, got off-track there.

She also had the whole innocent, country girl thing down pat. The thing is, she didn't fake it, she was that way. Makes me suspect she was also a virgin.

The interesting thing is, the two partners clicked instantly.

I have never seen two people become such close friends that fast. They were sometimes even obviously reading each other's minds. I have overheard once Austin tell Rabb that he had guessed correctly, that she did wear a red dress. Further listening-in revealed that Rabb and Austin were talking on a phone 2 weeks after her transfer in and Rabb had correctly guessed what kind of a dress and what color she was putting on... That only 2 weeks after they were partnered together!

Can anyone say 'soulmates' and 'spiritual connection'?

It was obvious from their interactions at work that they cared for each other deeply.

It was also obvious that they weren't having an affair.

The air around them kept charging with UST, that wouldn't have been there had they had sex at least once.

The most extraordinary thing happened then.

The shy, naive, innocent young LTJG tamed the wild LT Rabb.

Well, 'tamed' is exaggerating.

She grounded him in some ways, in the ways that he needed grounding, yet in others she let him be the way he was.

Just like a very smart wife would.

Not changing her man to suit her purposes and her vision of how he should be, but just making him more grounded.

There was also a new kind of light in the LT's eyes at work. He was happy. Happy with his life. It was also obvious in his swagger, the new bounce it had adopted.

It was also then that the staff had really started loving the male LT.

He had always been polite and respectful to us, but it was only then that he became friendly and genuinely helpful.

We didn't know whether it was LTJG Austin herself or his friendship with her that had prompted this, but we still liked it.

It also speaks of the force of her personality and of her influence over him.

She had him wrapped around her little finger, he was totally whipped and she didn't even take advantage of it.

Hell, she did most of their paperwork. Okay, true, as the junior officer it was her job, but still..

One day when they came out of the Admiral's office Austin was still blushing dark crimson while Rabb had a very smug, goofy grin stretching his face. Wait a minute, what was that? It was traces of lipstick on his cheek! A quick look at his rank insignia had told me that he had just been promoted and had received his congratulatory kiss from the LTJG. Which was the reason for their reactions.

He went off the deep end one day when she was shot in their office. I know he had never forgiven himself, not even after 4 years, I can see it in his eyes, the guilt lurking deep inside, for going to that lunch and leaving her alone in their office. He didn't sleep nor eat nor rest until he'd found the guy who'd shot her.

Suffice to say, there wasn't much left of that bastard that could've been used to identify him by the time Rabb was done with him. The BMW 7 series that the man had stolen had it's driver's cockpit full of blood and brain matter. Rabb had sent nearly his whole clip through the back window and through the headrest. I saw a picture of the headrest (once it was cleaned off), it was completely shredded apart by bullets. The car was apparently moving uphill, out of an underground garage, when Rabb shot at it.

It was obvious that the man was a superb shot, the reason why he wasn't offered a chance to become a sharpshooter is unknown to me. He had emptied nearly the entire clip at Hemlock, that was the bastard's name, and most of shots were placed close together. From a Beretta FS92 (not the best weapon out there), at a rapidly moving target, a person in a moving car in fact, he was actually aiming at the head of a person who was driving a car at a fast pace uphill and hit his mark spot-on; the car going uphill at great speed; shooting from a standing position, after having ran a near marathon, after a busy and exhausting day...

And the man had placed shots that would make an olympic shooter proud...

Can anyone explain to me in simple terms why he wasn't offered a spot in the sniper training school yet?

Austin came out of her coma apparently the second Rabb had entered her floor in the hospital as if she sensed him.

She had awaken also almost as if she had sensed that the guy was killed and that Rabb had done what he had to do and was coming to her to spend his vigil at her bedside. Everybody at the office knew he would be spending every single second at her bedside as soon as he caught the attacker and until she was okay to go home. We were right.

Everything was going great for the two of them, everybody was making bets about when they would finally see the light and do something to be together. There were even bets as to when they would get married and as to what the genders of their first and second baby would be...

Then it happened.

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