Title: The First Step Towards the Rest of Your Life
Author: red rooster dawn
Pairing: Harm and Mac
Disclaimers: The characters of JAG are the property of Donald Bellisario and Bellisarius Production, Inc. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended. May be reproduce if unchanged, author given full credit, and no financial transaction is involved.
Summary: It has been a long time since they have been together so Harm and Mac get together in a big way.
Feedback is welcome
part two
Wednesday
7 February
Patrick Henry
Harm was in the officer's lounge enjoying a cup of coffee. He was thinking about the two weeks of leave that he had coming. He had forgone taking leave during the holidays so that the other pilots with families could be home to spend time with them.
It had him thinking about his own future. He was starting to get older. The thought of having a wife and a few kids was on his mind more often these days. Especially when the thoughts included being with one Sarah MacKenzie.
He didn't know why he hadn't done more with her when he was back in Washington. She was the perfect woman for him if you didn't think about some of the issues she brought with her from her childhood.
They weren't that important to him, but he had worked with her so that she could over come them and be happier with her life. That's not to say that she hadn't help him. He had many of his own issues that she had helped him with.
One in particular was finding out what happened to his father. It took someone really special to be willing to do that. And what had he done in return? He had treated her miserably over the last year they worked together.
He distanced himself from her after he found out that she had been married as a teenager. He should have talked to her about that with her.
She deserved better from him after she had gone with him to Russia to find his father.
He should have talked to her more about what he wanted. He finally figured out what she wanted just before he left. She wanted a family with him. It was why she was upset about him leaving JAG and Chloe leaving to live with her grandparents in Vermont.
Why should he have been surprised that someone so beautiful and wonderful as Mac wouldn't have been loved by anyone else? That someone could love her enough to want to marry her and spend the rest of their life with her.
He did say in the end that he wanted to have a baby with her in five years if neither of them were married. But why did he want to wait five years? Because he feared what happened to his mother and him so many years ago?
His father fought in a war. There were many sorties and many pilots were killed. They didn't fight wars anymore. Even when they flew combat sorties the chances of being shot down was very low.
Why was he so afraid to commit to a life with the most wonderful woman he had ever known. Someone he had loved since the first day he met her. Who continued to amazed him everyday he knew her.
He was going to have to start changing the next time he saw her, which he hoped, would be soon. He was taking two weeks of leave to return to Washington to her to tell her that he loved her and wanted to have a future with her that is if it wasn't too late.
He knew Bugme had been sniffing around her like a hound dog on the scent. He was one of those guys who thought more of himself than what he was really worth. He was looking for a trophy wife, a woman he could take back to Oz with him.
He hadn't heard too much about his conquests. Bud, who was his source for what was happening back at Jag, wasn't too hip on what was going on between people. Harriet would have been a good source, but she had been out of the loop since she had baby AJ.
When was the last time he saw his marine. He thought for awhile. It was last fall in Naples. She was over there instructing the Jags about the changes in the rules of engagement. They happened to run into each other and spent a couple night of fine dining and dancing.
It made him realize that it was time for him to return home to Washington to Jag, and to her. He had put in his paperwork not too long afterwards. The Admiral had given him a hard time about it, but in the end he welcomed him back.
He was afterall a SEAL. He knew what it was like to serve in the real Navy aboard a ship in a combat zone. He couldn't fault anyone who wanted to serve their country in that capacity.
Harm also began to wonder why flying had been more important to him than being with Mac. She had been right when she told him that he had nothing left to prove. The Captain and the CAG had told him the same thing not long after he arrived. Flying was a young man's game.
But none of that matter anymore. It was time to be with her. It was time to start thinking about spending the rest of his life with her doing everything he could to make her happy.
Victoria spent the next month making the arrangements. The first thing she did was meet with the producers of the Dating Game and make her pitch. She told them of her plans to raise money for the servicemen serving oversea in Afghanistan and their families.
She showed them photos of the contestants that she had lined up and hoped to have on the show. They were impressed with her selection of ladies and gentlemen and agreed to have the Valentine Show consist of members of the arm services. They were happy to do their part in supporting the troops.
The next step Victoria quickly made the rounds interviewing the possible men and women for the show. She had gotten three men and three women with a backup in case one of them decided at the last moment to back out.
That left only Harmon Rabb Jr., the man she so desperately wanted for the show. He was very tall and good looking. He was also a fighter pilot, something that all young women got excited about.
She found out that Harriet was right, that Harmon Rabb was serving on an aircraft carrier in the Med. She also found out through her connections at the Pentagon that he was returning to the states early in the morning on Valentine's day.
It was perfect she thought. She could run promos featuring him, but he wouldn't know anything about it. She arranged to have a navy car to pick him up and bring him to the studios where she could talk to him about appearing on the show.
She also wanted to get Sarah MacKenzie, but was a little afraid. The Colonel had a reputation of being very tough on navy lieutenants who she thought had silly ideas. She put off seeing the Colonel until a few days before the show.
Harriet assured her that though the Colonel could be very tough on young officers, she also was very fair. If you presented her a good idea she would take the time to listen to you before she made a decision. Harriet was sure that the Colonel would in the end agree to be on the show.
Monday
12 February
Jag Headquarters
Sarah MacKenzie leaned back in her office chair. She began thinking about a certain someone that she loved. Valentine's day was coming up soon and she wished that he was there to share it with her.
It would be another year for her to be alone on a day when people who loved each other spent time together. It had been almost six months since she had last seen him. They had met up in Naples and had gone out to dine at some fine restaurants and spend the night dancing.
The magic they shared seemed to her to still be there. He had told her that it wouldn't be much longer. He had to finish the tour he was currently serving and then he would be back. How much longer would that be?
She was tired of being alone. She had waited long enough for him to get flying everyday out of his system. When was it going to end? She was surprised when the Admiral sent Bumbry back to OZ before the holidays.
There wasn't anyone coming to replace him anytime soon. Fortunately it had been quiet this year. There weren't too many mishaps or sailors getting into trouble. It had been nice to spend the holidays in Vermont with Chloe.
She had grown so much since the last time she had seen her. She was still too wise for her tender years. It got her into trouble sometimes when she would be right about something causing an older person to be embarrassed.
She wondered what she was going to do this year. She didn't feel like going out. That wasn't something one did on couple's night. If she met up with someone they surely would be a jerk and do something stupid or want more from her than she was willing to give.
What to do? Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Who could it be? She wasn't expecting anyone today. She said "Enter!" and watch the door slowly open. Good, there was someone there who feared her marine bearing.
With some trepidation Victoria made her way to Jag Headquarters a few days before the shooting of the show. She was escorted to Mac's office where she knocked on the door. She entered the office on the command "Enter!"
She was nervous. Her legs felt like jelly. She was having difficulty breathing as the thought that the Colonel would reject her offer to appear on the show before she had the chance to explain. She had to catch her breath when she saw Mac.
The Colonel was even more beautiful in person than in the photographs she had with her. She couldn't believe that Mac was a colonel in the Marine Corp. She was the perfect contestant for the show is was doing. The audience would love her.
"May I help you Lieutenant?" asked Mac upon seeing the young woman standing in front of her desk nervously.
"Yes Ma'am! My name is Lieutenant Victoria Campbell. I work in the Public Affairs Office of the USO." replied Victoria.
"Have a seat Lieutenant, how may I help you?" ordered Mac. She was dreading this conversation. Nothing good ever came with talking to Public Affairs Officers. They always wanted something stupid or silly from you.
Somehow she knew the lieutenant would ask her to do something that she wouldn't feel comfortable about. Valentine's Day was coming up in a few days. Did she want some legal advice about culpability if something went wrong?