Giving it a Try Chapter 9, a jag fanfic

A little before A J Chegwidden had made his first appearance in the JAG HQ bull-pen that morning, Harmon Rabb parked his Lexus alongside Grace Aviation's still-closed-for-the-night-Hangar and waited for his boss to come and open up for the day, or more accurately wait for his boss' father. Part of him was as keen as Catherine to get to the bottom of the mystery, and if Mattie did need help, then it would take more than a team of wild horses to stop him from offering that help, but another, unworthy, part of him wished that Catherine hadn't been quite so keen. That way he could at least have had another hour in a warm bed, instead of shivering in the car until the engine had warmed up enough to blow heated air into the cab!

It seemed an age, although it couldn't have been much more than half-an-hour before the slim figure of Mattie, well wrapped up against the morning chill, jumped out of her battered pick-up truck and unlocked the side door to the hangar. Rabb nodded to himself and waited.

Over the next ten to fifteen minutes he watched as the other two Ag-Cat pilots and the three mechanics arrived in ones and twos. He continued watching as the hangar main doors rolled open and the three Ag-cats were wheeled out onto the apron and Frank, well he thought it was Frank, disappeared to return shortly with a bowser and each Ag-Cat had its spray reservoir filled.

Mattie emerged from the hangar and appeared to be giving instruction to the other two pilots and as each of them climbed into their planes, she turned back towards the hangar and then stopped as she caught sight of the Lexus, obviously only belatedly recognising it as the vehicle Harm had used yesterday.

Seeing that he'd been spotted, Harm climbed out of the vehicle and stuck his thumbs in his jeans pockets as he sauntered towards the hangar.

Mattie squinted at him, shading her eyes with a hand, "You're pretty early," she observed.

Harm grinned a greeting, "Yeah, well, I thought I'd get a jump on the traffic," he replied as he followed her through the hangar into her office.

"I wasn't sure you'd be coming back. I figured you'd gone back to the navy, gone back to work for that mean old man."

"That's not going to happen Mattie, I told you that yesterday. That mean old man and I had a huge fight, and I told him I couldn't work with him anymore."

"Uh-huh. But that's what you really want, isn't it? To go back to the navy?"

"Well, yeah, sure. I've been navy since I was just a little older than you are now. But I've had to make up my mind, that's just not going to happen." Caught out by the sudden bitterness in his voice, Mattie turned away from the paperwork she had been using as an excuse for not looking him in the eye. With a flash of perception she saw the reality behind his façade, the smiles he used to hide his pain at losing a career he loved.

There was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments as Harm fought down his anger and bitterness while Mattie felt somehow embarrassed at uncovering such strong emotions in someone she was coming to like and respect, and yes… even trust.

Harm coughed and deliberately changed the subject as he sought confirmation of what he had come to suspect as he'd watched the other employees of Grace Aviation arrive to start work for the day, "Mattie, how come I've never met your dad?"

Mattie was silent for a long moment, and then turning her back on him again she said in a low voice, "He was driving the car when it got into the accident that killed my mom." Mattie took a breath and turned a devastated face to Harm. "He was drunk, and after the accident he just kept right on drinking." She shrugged and made a loose, dismissive gesture with one hand.

Harm perched on the edge of the table under the office window and asked, "Where is he?"

"Don't know, don't care!" Mattie replied defiantly as she turned from the desk to the filing cabinet, "I don't even use his name. Grace was my mother's maiden name."

Harm frowned, "Well, where do you live?"

"In my mother's old house."

Harm stood, his face now a mask of concern, as he fiddled with his aviators' sunglasses, "Well, what about relatives? There must be someone you can go to?"

"Only his family, just like dad, passed out drunk on a couch."

"What are you doing for money?"

Mattie bit her lip before answering, this was one question where she'd have to shade the truth, "I've got Grace Aviation… It pays the bills."

Harm cast a quick glance over the desk top, even from where he was standing he could see the envelopes marked 'Past Due', but for the moment he decided he'd let Mattie slide on that.

"Well, what happens when your dad comes back?"

"He's not coming back," Mattie sneered, "Not after what he did. Besides, I don't let him in the house." Mattie threw back over her shoulder as she stalked out of the office into the hangar.

"It's his house," Harm protested as he followed.

"It's mine!" Mattie climbed into one of the airplanes in the hangar and stuck her head into the cockpit, emerging with an air of satisfaction with a set of headphones, "My mom left me the house and the airplanes in her will."

Harm paced slowly across the hangar towards her, "What happens when they find out, Mattie? I mean Child Protective Services, the FAA. Because they will."

"Are you going to tell?"

"No, I'm not going to tell," Harm denied, no longer able to keep the concern from his voice. "What I, what we, Catherine and I, will do, is try and help you. Mattie, you're in a hole, your desk is covered with bills marked 'Past Due', there is no way that you are certified with the FAA to run an aviation business. And, you should be at school!"

"I don't need school!" Mattie asserted as she jumped down from the plane and stalked out on to the apron, "I know everything I need to know!"

"Oh, I doubt that," Harm grinned at her as he followed her out into the daylight, "For a start, you don't know how to fly a plane!"

Mattie looked up at him, her heart suddenly in her eyes, as she sought to interpret his meaning "You mean… you mean… you'd teach me!"

"Damn, straight!" he grinned back at her, "and hey, there's no time like the present!"

Mattie's grin threatened to split her face in half, then her smile vanished as her face clouded, "Yeah, but you got sixty acres to spray this morning!"

"Hey, I knew there was a reason I got here early today! I get this show on the road, and while I'm doing that, have one of your guys juice up Sarah for me, and then I'll take you up after lunch!"

x-x-x-x-x

Mac gawped at the Admiral, "Me?" she just about managed to squeak out, and then went crimson as she realised how badly her voice had betrayed her. She swallowed twice and then cautiously tried her voice again, "You've appointed me Acting JAG, sir?"

A J sat back in the big chair and looked across the desk, "Well, strictly speaking," he told her as he rested his hands on the arms of the chair, "it was the SecNav who appointed you, but yes, it was on my recommendation."

It was only then that the import of the first part of his announcement crashed into her awareness, "And you've resigned? Sir."

"Yes, Colonel, as you, Mr Rabb, Gunny Galindez and two dozen of the enlisted personnel of this section have been at pains to point out, I am no longer trusted or respected. Mac, would you, could stay under those circumstances?"

Mac thought for a few moments, but realistically and on an instinctive level she knew the Admiral was right, "No," she sighed, "Without the confidence of those under you command, you can't continue to lead. I couldn't either. But, sir, believe me, although I'm mad at you, I am sorry to see you go under these circumstances."

Chegwidden leaned forward, his elbows on the desk and his hands clasped in front of him. "Mac, I really screwed the pooch this past nine months. I dropped the ball on so many occasions. There was Lindsey's hatchet job, the Singer mess, the whole Webb-you-Rabb screw-up, and now the Imes debacle… Mac, I've lost my grip… it's time for me to go."

"What will you do, Admiral?"

"H'mph… I haven't really made up my mind yet. This is all very sudden, you'll understand," his face split in a brief rueful grin. "Maybe I'll head out to Italy, spend some time with Francesca… Might even try and make contact with Marcella… I honestly don't know yet." He gave himself a mental shake.

"Back to business, Colonel. We can't let there be any further uncertainty, morale around here is bad enough as it is. Let's have all hands from Ops in the Conference room at twelve thirty hours, I'll brief everyone then as to what's happening. In the meantime, I'm afraid you are going to be one busy marine, until we get some new blood on board. The SecNav assures me that will happen, and I'll make a signal to all JAG designator marine monitors and navy detailers asking for a trawl for suitably qualified - and senior - attorneys. But until then, you'll still have your own case-load, plus the Imes reviews and having to read yourself into this job. Frankly Colonel, I don't envy you the next couple of months."

Mac regarded him silently, 'Actually' she thought, 'it might not be so bad to be kept busy, it might stop me brooding too much…'

Her thoughts were interrupted, "Colonel?"

Belatedly she realised that the Admiral must have been speaking to her, "I'm sorry sir, I was just trying to figure out how to fit twenty-six hours into every twenty-four!"

x-x-x-x-x

Tracy Manetti sighed in exasperation. That was the fourth time this morning that she'd tried Rabb's home 'phone number, and each time all she'd got was the damned answering machine. She'd even been on the point of calling his last known cell 'phone number, but then realised that the 'phone had to have been issued to him by the 'Other Government Agency' for whom he'd been working.

She thought for a few minutes as she tried to recall who at Falls Church had been on good terms with him. The obvious answer of course was Colonel MacKenzie, but Tracy had read the de-brief reports from that last unbelievably screwed up mission in Paraguay and she'd got the feeling, from reading between the lines that enquiries as to Rabb's whereabouts addressed to that particular source would be very unproductive. But… when they were working together, hadn't he mentioned that he was the Godfather to another officer's son… yes! Bud Roberts!

Picking up her 'phone again she called the JAG switchboard and when answered asked to be connected to Lieutenant Roberts' extension. The 'phone on the other end rang, and rang again, and again. After listening to eight ring tones, Tracy sighed and replaced her own 'phone's handset back its cradle. Not being able to reach an officer to whom she wanted to speak was an unusual experience for Tracy Manetti her caller ID was programmed to show that her calls came from the SecNav's office, and any naval officer who wanted to continue his career was extremely unlikely to ignore calls, let alone repeated calls emanating from that office. Of course, she mused, Rabb wasn't any officer any more, was he? Or, given the SecNav's interest, was he?

In the meantime she needed to speak with the SecNav herself. If the offer he made to her about returning to JAG meant that she'd be going back as an attorney, then hell, yes. She was an attorney, after all, and while working at the Pentagon looked well on her résumé and had a certain cachet as well as some less obvious benefits, it wasn't what she had sweated through seven years of college and law school to do!

x-x-x-x-x

Harm finished his spraying for the day and headed back to the field and having landed taxied back to the hangar and handed the Ag-Cat over to Eddy who was Grace Aviation's nearest approximation to a crew chief. Walking into the hanger, he stuck his head into the office and seeing Mattie working at her desk, he called out, "Hey, boss-lady." And waited for her to turn her attention to him. Seeing her grin at him somehow made his whole day feel brighter.

"I'm just going to grab a sandwich, and then I gotta make a couple of quick calls, and then I'll be ready to take you up… say… half an hour?"

"Damn straight!" the happily excited teenager responded with a huge smile.

Harm could do nothing other than smile back; there was something infectious in that wide grin. "I'll be as quick as I can," he promised over his shoulder as he headed for his SUV, his lunch and his cell 'phone.

Settling himself back into his seat, he pulled out his pack of sandwiches and thermos of iced tea, and then unlocking his cell 'phone, he dialed Catherine's number.

"Hi Catherine?"

"Harm? Why are you calling, is there something wrong?"

"No, no, nothing's wrong… well, that's not quite true. No, don't panic I'm fine. It's Mattie…"

"Is she hurt, or…?" There was an edge of apprehension to her voice.

"No… nothing like that. But her situation is even worse than we thought," Harm said as placidly as he could.

Catherine drew a deep breath, and made an effort to calm herself down. "OK, now you've done scaring me, what's wrong?"

"Well, you know I told you that her mom was dead?"

"Yes…"

"And that her dad was flying for the company…"

"Yes…"

"Well, that's not quite true."

"In what way?"

"Well, her mom is dead. Her dad was driving the car when the accident happened; apparently he was drunk at the time."

"Oh God…"

"Yeah, well, he's not in the picture any more, and Mattie is living alone, and trying to run the company all by herself…"

"Harm! Are you pulling some sort of joke here? Because if you are, that's not funny!"

"I was never more serious in my life. Which brings me on to my next point. How far are you willing to get involved with this girl's life?"

"In what way?" Catherine asked cautiously.

"Catherine, when the FAA find out that Grace Aviation is being run by a fourteen year old, without any of the necessary FAA licences in her name, they are going to pull the plug on the company just as fast as they can. Then CPS will get involved and Mattie will just get swallowed up by the system. Catherine, Mattie's too bright, too lively, too energetic for that, she'll go crazy in some foster home that only takes kids in for the sake of the social security check."

Catherine half smiled and half groaned at the other end of the line, "Oh, God, it's the damn' Angelshark all over again!"

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

"You're off on another one of you damn' crusades again. Aren't you?"

"And what's wrong with that, Harm demanded, "The crusades had a worthy objective!" he finished defensively.

"Yes, they did," Catherine replied with a snap in her voice, "but lousy methodology! So, what's your idea? You want to become more involved?"

"I don't see that we have any choice here, Catherine. We can't be half in and half out. It's all or nothing in this case."

"Go on counselor, I'm listening."

"Well, look, I know it's lousy timing with Elizabeth on her way, but the thought came to me that I ought to apply for legal guardianship of Mattie."

"That's not going to happen, sailor!"

Harm was shocked into silence, he'd been expecting to meet with some resistance from Catherine, after all she was well on her way to having a baby, but he thought he knew her well enough to predict that she would have some sympathy for Mattie's plight. Even if she hadn't already confessed to being taken with the teenager, he hadn't expected a flat refusal. "Oh, well… You'd best call the FAA and CPS then, because I promised Mattie that I wouldn't," he said a mixture of disappointment and displeasure in his voice.

Catherine was taken aback by the depth of emotion in his voice, and moderated her own tone,"That's not going to happen either, Harm. We are starting a family together, right? Well, being a family means that we make decisions and do things together. So, you aren't going to file for Mattie's legal guardianship, we are."

There was a long silence on the 'phone. Catherine waited for some sort of response, and when it didn't come she asked in a concerned voice, "Harm? Are you there?"

"Thank you, Catherine," he said simply. It seemed to Catherine that Harm's voice was clogged, a suspicion that was confirmed when she heard him clear his throat.

"Listen," he continued, "I know it's a bit late in the day to start altering arrangements, but do you think you can get down here this evening. I just have this feeling that time is running out for this little girl, and it's running out fast."

Catherine smiled resignedly, "You're right, it is a bit late in the day, but yes, I'll be there." She thought for a moment, "It's about a hundred miles, isn't it? So give me say two and a half hours. I'll close up early, so I'll be with you by say… half past six? Is that OK?"

"Yeah… but only if you're sure you'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine, Harm. See you around six-thirty, OK?"

"Yeah… and… Thanks, Catherine."

Harm sighed and gritted his teeth. Fumbling in his shirt pocket, he found the business card which the realtor had given him. Dialling the number he waited for the phone in Arlington to be picked up.

"Graves Realtors, Stephanie speaking, how may I be of assistance?"

Good afternoon, I'd like to speak to Martin Graves, please. My name is Rabb."

"One moment please Mr Rabb…"

"Martin Graves, Mr Rabb, how may I help you?"

"Mr Graves, you showed us around some houses on Saturday, if you recall?"

"Yes, of course…?"

"Well, having discussed the various properties with my partner, we'd like to make an offer on 1127 Woodford Road, Vienna."

"I see, and how near the asking price are you offering?"

"Less fifty K"

"Very well, Mr Rabb. I'll put that to our client, and I'll get back to you by this time tomorrow."

"Great. I'll be on my cell 'phone, do you have the number?"

"One moment, Mr Rabb… Is that the 'phone you're using now?"

"Yes."

"Yes, Mr Rabb, we have a record of it. I'll speak with you again tomorrow."

"I'll be looking forward to you call, goodbye, Mr Graves."

Putting away his cell 'phone, Harm finished his lunch and locking the SUV again, he walked back to hangar, to find Mattie bundled up in about three layers of sweaters and a windproof jacket. Harm smiled and walked a small circle around her, "I presume you're ready, then Miss Grace?"

"You bet your sweet…"

"Six!" he interrupted her sternly, but trying to keep a straight face. "If you're going to fly," he told her, "you need to know pilot speak. Your butt is your six, and that young lady is the only acceptable, non-medical term. Got it?"

"Yeah… got it… but why 'six'…"

"It's an easy way to indicate direction. Twelve o'clock is dead ahead, six is dead astern, and three and nine are to the right and left respectively. You just have to imagine yourself sitting in the middle of a giant clock face. Simple."

"Uh… OK… if you say so," Mattie muttered, but to Harm's ears it didn't seem that she was that convinced.

"OK, now that's settled, let's get you settled in the cockpit…"

Ten minutes later the vintage yellow biplane climbed into the sky. Harm grinning as he heard Mattie's laugh of delight through his headphones. Harm took the Stearman through some fairly gentle, basic manoeuvres to see how Mattie responded to the sensation, and then when he was satisfied that she showed no signs of air sickness he became a little more ambitious, going through a stately barrel roll, a series of vertical banks and then a power dive, and pulling up converted speed to height as he pulled the airplane up over on to its back and completed a loop. With each manoeuvre he heard Mattie's crows of delight from the front seat, and, her laughter was so infectious that it was more than a few minutes before he realised that his own face was also split by a grin.

As he pulled out of the loop and settled the Stearman back into straight and level flight, he said into his mic, "Hey, do want to take her?"

"Really? You bet!"

Harm felt the sudden resistance on the stick as Mattie took hold of it, and released his own grip, but kept his hand hovering above the stick as he talked her through a sequence of gentle turns, banks, dives and climbs.

x-x-x-x-x

The room remained silent as Chegwidden stood and turned towards the door, amazement keeping those seated in their chairs until a crisp "Ten-hut!" from Mac jolted them to their feet in a show military courtesy. Mac kept the room at attention for a good thirty seconds after Chegwidden had left the room before she spoke again.

"In light of what we have just heard, and in my capacity as Acting JAG elect, I have decided that those of you - and you know who you are - who recently applied for re-assignment will not have their requests actioned, or the fact that they have requested re-assignment entered on the SRBs. Unless, those individuals still wish to be re-assigned, in which case they should take the opportunity to speak to me ASAP, at any rate before secure on Friday. That will be all; dismissed."

x-x-x-x-x

Mattie was out of the cockpit almost before the airscrew had stopped spinning, her eyes sparkled and her face was flushed, whether from excitement or the chill of the air blasting past her face Harm wasn't prepared to guess, and her grin was, if possible wider than the one she'd exhibited when he'd first proposed taking her up. Harm was prepared for an outburst of excited chatter, but the teenager surprised him. She looked up at him and as the grin faded from her face it was replaced by an expression of… and try as he might, Harm could only come up with one word - awe.

"That was the most brilliant thing that's ever happened to me in all my life," she stated soberly. "Thank you, Harm. Thank you."

Harm grinned, although he felt the flush of embarrassment mount in his cheeks, "Well, it was pretty good for me too, squirt. Oh, it always is when I fly… but… you made it pretty special for me today. So thank you too! And I'm glad that you're happy with me for the moment, 'cause I don't think that's going to last long."

Mattie looked up at him again. After this afternoon's experience she couldn't imagine a time when she'd be unhappy with this total stranger who had walked casually into her life just a few days ago, and yet in some mysterious manner had got so far under her skin, that she'd opened up and told him more about herself than she'd said to anyone since her mom had died.

"Wow, that sounds serious. Do we need to talk? Do I need to fire you?"

"Well, yes to the first, and I hope not to the second. I still need the job," he grinned, "But why don't we find somewhere where we can sit and talk - the office maybe?"

Mattie sent him a suspicious glare but allowed Harm to place his hand on the small of her back and guide her back to her own office. Slumping into her chair, she laced her fingers across her stomach, swiveled around to face him and said, "OK, then, give."

Harm pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, as he pondered the best way of proceeding. He leaned back so that he was perched on the edge of the table, just as he had been earlier, and resting his hands on the surface he started, "Uh… yesterday, Catherine - who's a pretty smart cookie - picked up a vibe that there was something a little… hinky… about your set-up here. And on the way home she pretty much gave me the third degree, about you, and what I knew about you." Harm shrugged and tried to keep his expression as neutral as he could, well aware that he was threading a path through a minefield.

"Well, when we got home, she did some research on the internet. She looked up Grace Aviation and Crop Dusting, and what she found and explained to me didn't make us, either of us, very happy."

Mattie crimsoned, and crossed her arms in front of her chest, "So, you went spying on me!" she accused him.

"No, Mattie, not spying, all Catherine did was a basic search, but she came up with quite a bit of stuff. We know for example that both the power company and the county are filing claims against you for unpaid bills and taxes."

"Yeah," the teenager muttered, "but that's just a temporary thing, when the folk that owe me money pay up, we'll be fine again."

"And if they don't pay up, Mattie?"

"They got to pay up. They owe me!" she insisted.

"Uh-huh, so do they say why they haven't paid you yet?"

"Yeah, they want to talk to my dad first!"

"But if they're not paying you Mattie, then what you told me this morning isn't really the truth, is it?"

"Why isn't it?" she demanded defensively.

"You told me this morning, when I asked what you were doing for money, that Grace Aviation was earning enough to pay the bills." He looked at her gravely, concern written plainly in his face, "It's not is it Mattie?"

"Well, I'm doing what I can to save on bills, and that's helping too…"

Harm squatted down in front of the fretful teenager and despite her initial resistance, he took both her hands in his, "Mattie, you can't go on like this, you shouldn't be working and worrying about paying bills. You should be at school, making friends, thinking about going to college. And it's going to get worse, your mom's house is listed as being a company asset, so if you lose Grace Aviation, you'll lose your home too."

Mattie went white, "I… I can't lose my home… that's mom's house, this is mom's business… that's why it's Grace Aviation and not under his name! Harm… this is all I've got left of her…" her eyes brimmed with tears and one solitary teardrop ran down her face. Harm reached up and cupped her face in his hand, using his thumb to brush the tear away.

For a second, Mattie leaned into the hand, but then scooted her chair backwards until it rammed the desk and then she leapt to her feet and turned her back on Harm, muttering an angry "Dammit!" and rummaged in her jeans pocket, finally produced a very much crumpled and ragged ball of Kleenex with which she wiped her eyes and blew her nose before discarding it into the trash.

Harm waited a few seconds to give the teenager a chance to compose herself and then placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"What?" she demanded aggressively.

"Catherine and I don't want to see you lose your company or your house. We'd like to help you keep them. Will you let us? Let us help you?"

"Why?" Mattie sounded slightly less aggressive, "why would you want to help me?"

"Well… first off, like I said, you shouldn't have to be trying to do this just yet, not all on your own. Secondly because I kinda like working here. I like my boss, and I need the job. If there's no Grace Aviation, then I don't have a job, and there's not too many opening around here for a washed up navy flier. Besides, where would I keep Sarah? Thirdly, and maybe most importantly, you've got something here, and it's worth keeping it going…" Harm paused and then played what he hoped was his trump card, "for your mom's sake, if nothing else."

Mattie stiffened as Harm mentioned her mother, he could feel the tension under his hand, and then after a further deep breath, she shrugged off his hand and turned to face him. "If I say OK, and let you help me. How would you do it?"

Harm relaxed as he sensed that Mattie had decided, warily maybe, but decided all the same to see what sort of offer was on the table. He stepped back and resumed his perch on the window table and hooking his thumbs into his jeans pockets he nodded at the office chair and waited until Mattie had sat down again.

"The thing is, that Catherine and I are both adults, so people who make the mistake of thinking you're just an ordinary kid, will be more inclined to listen to us. Secondly, we are both lawyers - yeah I know, the kid's doomed," he quoted her own words back at her in the hope that some of the tension and worry evident in her face would dissipate. He was rewarded by a grin, a shadow of the ones she had worn earlier, but still it was an improvement.

"So, when we start sending out bills and reminder letters, the magic words 'Attorney at Law' can appear under our signatures, and you'd be surprised just how persuasive those three little words can be. Then again, we can go to court for you and argue against the power company and the county, and maybe get them to hold off their claims until you've got the money that's owed you and can pay the bills and the taxes. How does that sound?"

"You… you'd do all that for me?" Mattie asked in amazement.

Harm grinned, and using her own favourite term of endorsement he exclaimed, "Damn' straight!"

Mattie just stared at him, not only at a loss for words, but entirely unable to think for the moment, but Harm despite her silence could see some of the signs of strain in her face beginning to fade, and maybe just the beginning of hope to show in her eyes.

After what seemed to be a long silence, Mattie finally nodded her head, and gulped before she stammered, "O… OK…Yeah, let's… let's give it a go." and she held out her hand.

Harm took her hand in his and shook it gravely. "Yeah, we'll give it a go! Now, and don't yell at me, I called Catherine earlier, and she's swinging by after work, she'll be here at about eighteen-thirty hours, and I figure we'll need to go over the books and see exactly what we're going to have to deal with."

Mattie glared at him for an instant, "Damn' grown-ups, always thinking they know best and interfering, and not telling people what they're doing and…" she grumbled, as she ransacked filing drawers and her desk gathering together the company books and various creditors and debtors files

Harm recognised that Mattie was still a mess of sometimes conflicting emotions and was content to grin at her and let her vent. At length Mattie saw his grin and floundered to a halt, "Uh… I'm being pretty dumb, aren't I?" she asked somewhat shamefaced.

"Nah, you're just venting, and that's allowed - within limits," he told her, his grin not abating in the slightest, "besides, when you're giving me a death glare like that, you have no idea just how cute you look."

"Cute? Hell no! I don't do cute!" Mattie stood with her feet braced apart and her hands on her hips, really giving him her best, most ferocious glare.

Harm managed not to burst into laughter, but he could feel the strain as he disagreed with her, "Umm… Mattie, I hate to bust your bubble, but… uh… yeah… you do cute, you're doing it right now!"

It had been so long since Mattie had anyone around her who teased her, that she'd almost forgotten how it felt. And no matter how much outrage she pretended at being labeled 'cute' she couldn't quite ignore the little glow of warmth that seemed to growing somewhere between her stomach and her throat, no more could she ignore the smirk, no make that the sympathetic smile on the face of her newest pilot.

x-x-x-x-x

Catherine waddled into the office a little after eighteen forty hours, with a breezy, "Hey guys, sorry I'm late, but I made a stop just up the road!"

"Hell, you are so forgiven!" Mattie exclaimed as she saw the two pizza boxes that Catherine was carrying. Pizza boxes that bore the logo of her favourite local pizza parlour, which as Catherine had just said, was just up the road.

Harm smiled at Mattie's enthusiasm as the youngster cleared a space on the desk, and relieving Catherine of the boxes indicated that she should take the office chair. Catherine smile gratefully and sat down. Sending a meaningful look at Harm, "You really owe my feet for this one!" she told him.

Harm crossed the room and bent to kiss her cheek. "As Madame, wishes, but you'll have to wait until we get home," he smiled and whispered into her ear, his breath stirring her hair and causing it to tickle her. Catherine couldn't resist giving just the tiniest of squirms and neither could she prevent a hastily choked off giggle from escaping.

Mattie blanched, as far as she was concerned this was a way too affectionate display of… affection. "Uh… guys? Hungry teenager here, remember?"

Harm straightened and shot her a look of mock annoyance which she blithely ignored in favour of opening the two pizza boxes, "OK, whadda we got here? Oh… yeah! Double Pepperoni," she sighed in ecstasy, "And… what's this one Catherine?"

"Oh, that would be the roasted vegetables with double cheese." Both Catherine and Harm laughed at the horrified expression on Mattie's face. "You see, Harm doesn't eat meat." Catherine explained apologetically.

"Unreal!" Mattie answered, and then as the two adults again broke into laughter, she demanded indignantly, "What? What did I say?"

Eventually, pizzas consumed and the wreckage cleared away, the three of them got down to the serious business of going over the company books and bank statements. Catherine fired off a series of questions at Mattie and with each answer her and Harm's expressions became graver.

After about half an hour, Mattie was looking frightened and turning to Catherine, she begged, "Please, tell me, what's going on, you're beginning to scare me."

Catherine put down the pen with which she had been making notes, "Mattie, I'm afraid there is no easy way of saying this, but Grace Aviation is, at best guess, about two months away from going bankrupt. That means you'll lose the company, and you'll lose the house. The only good thing about that is you'll be able to pay off your debts at cents on the dollar, and because you're a minor, it won't be your name that gets the black mark."

"But, I don't understand… when mom was alive, we were doing good…"

"Mattie, you would still be doing good, as you put it, except for two things. First you've got people who owe you money and aren't paying. I think I can fix that with a few letters saying you'll take them to municipal court to get your money back. Harm or I will represent you for that. But secondly, and perhaps more important, is this bank loan. It's huge, and the interest on it is so high that the payments are killing you! But where's the money? I can't see any evidence of it being spent anywhere. I mean it's there on the bank statement one day, and it's withdrawn over the next three months, and now there's not a penny of it left. Mattie, what was the loan for… Oh, wait a minute, you're a minor, you couldn't have gotten a loan." Catherine thought for a moment more, "Your dad, he's got power of attorney, hasn't he?"

Mattie just nodded numbly.

"He took the loan out, and used the company to secure it?"

Mattie nodded again.

"OK, who's your company attorney, Mattie, the first thing we have to do is get that power of attorney revoked. There's no point in trying to stabilize the company finances if he can just dip into the bank account at will."

"Uh… I don't have an attorney… Dad just went to a local Justice of the Peace to get the attorney power thing."

Catherine raised her eyebrows at that, but instead of saying anything more, she just made a note. Then she went on to say, "OK, now we need to schedule a full meeting with your company's CPA here in Charlottesville. We need to figure out just exactly how much the company is worth, and see if we can't get some re-financing done and reduce your monthly outgoings."

"In the meantime," Harm interrupted, "I'll take care of the power company bill for you - no, it's not charity, he said fixing Mattie with a frown as she made to protest, "You'll pay me back as soon as we get this mess untangled for you. And I'll talk to the county about getting a stay of the lien on the taxes you owe. But Mattie, that's only a temporary fix…" he looked at Catherine silently asking for her agreement, which she gave with the slightest of nods. Harm drew a breath and plunged in, "Because you're a minor, once we get your dad's power of attorney revoked - and I'll start on that in the morning, so I may be a bit late getting in boss," he told her with a smile, "you won't have anyone who is able to sign checks or go to court to demand payment of debts owed to you. So I came up with an idea, and if you're happy with it, Catherine and I are going to start things in motion to become your legal guardians. That means that we'd be a family, and that Catherine and I would be almost like your parents."

Mattie's mouth dropped open, this was the last thing she'd expected to hear, "You don't have to do that! And... And...Why… why would you want to do that…?"

"Well, because life's dealt you a pretty poor hand so far, and we'd like to try and help make that up for you. Because you've got guts and determination and because you're such a little fighter, you deserve at least one more chance, and we figure that we can get that chance for you, and…"

"And because we just plain like you," Catherine interjected.

"How can you like me?" Mattie challenged them, "you hardly even know me!"

Catherine looked across at Harm as if to say 'leave this to me' and then turned her attention back towards Mattie, "H'mm, Mattie, have you ever heard of love at first sight?"

"Yeah, of course I have. I'm young, not stupid! But what's that got to do with it?"

"Well, if there's such a thing as love at first sight, don't you think that there just might be a thing called 'instant liking'? You know, you meet someone and you just click, like you know you're going to be best friends forever?"

Mattie couldn't prevent her eyes straying in Harm's direction where they rested for a few seconds before she turned back to Catherine, "Yeah, I guess." After all, she'd found herself opening up to Harm in way she hadn't done to anybody else since her mother had died.

Catherine smiled with satisfaction, "And we feel that way about you, so that's why we want to become your guardians. To look after you, and to give you that second shot at life."

x-x-x-x-x

Tracy Manetti shivered, although she was still in uniform and had her raincoat on for extra warmth, the chill was beginning to get to her again. She turned on her car's ignition and waited for the engine to warm up again before turning the heater system back on to flood the cab with warm air. Sighing with impatience, she looked at her watch, it was almost twenty-one thirty hours, and she'd become aware that her parked car was drawing some curious glances from some of the passers-by. In fact, she was sure that two of them had actually now passed back and forth across the alley's mouth at least four times, and that thought was making her feel decidedly uneasy. She opened her purse and was reassured by the feel of her pistol as she took it in her hand. Damn Rabb for living in such a dangerous neighbourhood! If he didn't show with the next fifteen minutes, then she was going to call it a night and face Sheffield in the morning with her tale of failure, and take his sarcasm. Just as she'd made the decision a pair of headlights swept across the front of her car, momentarily dazzling her and she hoped for a second or two that finally Rabb had returned home from wherever he'd been. That hope was almost instantly dashed as a second vehicle pulled in behind the first. Tracy licked her suddenly dry lips, and pulling her Sig from her purse, she cocked the weapon and waited with her heart in her mouth. Then she felt almost dizzy as a wave of relief washed over her when she recognised the tall figure who climbed out of the first vehicle, an SUV, and then walked to the other car, where he stopped and assisted an obviously pregnant woman to her feet.

Drawing a couple of deep breaths, she re-engaged the Sig's safety and replaced in her purse before climbed out of her own car, and called out, "Mr Rabb, could you spare me a few minutes of your time, please?"

Harm spun around and stepped between Catherine and the source of the voice, before he realised that it was a familiar one. Racking his brains he tried to place the soft Virginia accent, "Commander Manetti?"

"It most surely is." She admitted.

Harm picked up on the note of relief in her voice, "What are you doing here, at this time of night?" he demanded, concern making his voice sound slightly more antagonistic than he had meant.

"Why, Mr Rabb, that question almost takes me back to Naples," she smiled, "I've been trying to get in touch with you all day, but the only current information I have on you is this address and your land line number. I have an invitation to deliver to you." She paused for effect, "From the Secretary of the Navy."

Harm was dumbfounded for a moment or two and then he found his voice, "Well, we can't talk about that out here. Won't you please come up?"

The three of them road the groaning elevator in silence, Catherine wincing as it jolted to a halt on the third floor. Harm guided her along the hallway with his hand at her back and opened the apartment door, stepping back to allow the two women to enter. He took Catherine's jacket from her and turned to help Tracy out her coat, overriding her protest that she wasn't staying long, by replying, "Maybe so, but if you don't take your coat off indoors, not only will you stop the warmth from getting to you, but you won't feel the benefit of it once you get outside again. Now please take a seat, while I make us all a drink. Catherine and I... oh, do you know each other, Catherine Gale, this is Commander Tracy Manetti, she works for the SecNav; Tracy, this is Catherine Gale, from the State Department.

Tracy looked Harm in the eye as she replied, "Yes, I know of Miss Gale, although we never have met," leaving both Harm and Catherine in no doubt that she knew exactly where and for whom Catherine worked. "Miss Gale, it is indeed a pleasure to meet you."

Harm cleared his throat, "As I was saying, we usually drink tea this time of evening. Is that alright with you?"

"Why, thank you, Mr Rabb. That will be just dandy."

Tracy sat in one of the armchairs and chatted with Catherine, asking when was the baby due, and did she know what sex, had she picked out names, and similar questions, until Harm joined them carrying a tray on which three mugs of raspberry and rosehip tea rested.

He forestalled all attempts at serious conversation until the drinks had been consumed, and then taking the tray to the kitchen island, he turned to Tracy and asked, "So what did bring you here at this time of night, and what was so urgent that you felt you had to wait for me? And don't do that again. Don't hang around here after dark on your own! This not the best neighbourhood in DC!"

"Yes, I sort of got that feeling myself," Tracy admitted. "I was glad I had my sidearm with me, but I was even happier when you showed up when you did. I had just about made up my mind to call it a day."

Harm was slightly mollified by Tracy's admission. It was far more than he'd ever gotten from Mac. "OK, so, as I said, what's so all-fired important?"

"Mr Secretary Sheffield is anxious to have a meeting with you at your earliest convenience."

"About what?"

"Harm, I really don't know exactly what he's got in mind. But after Admiral Chegwidden resigned today…"

"Chegwidden resigned?" Harm could not have been more surprised if Tracy had told him that the sun was to rise in the West tomorrow.

"Yes, sir. He did. After he resigned, Mr Sheffield asked me to contact you and arrange a meeting between you. Harm, I'm not certain, but I have a feeling that he is prepared to reinstate your commission."

"Uh… Tracy, I don't know… things…" he looked meaningfully at Catherine, "things in my life have changed. Right now, I don't know whether I want my commission back."

And despite his bitterness and his confession of this morning to Mattie, he had become aware that he had made commitments to Catherine and Elizabeth, and now this evening to Mattie. Yes, he wanted back in the navy, but in the face of the promises he had made, was that option still a realistic one?

Tracy nodded non-committally. She'd read through Harm's service record and that together with her personal knowledge of him found it difficult to reconcile his recent treatment by JAG with his character and with his record, and guessed he had his good reason to be reluctant to expose himself to that sort of treatment again.

"Look, Tracy, I appreciate you coming over here with the invitation, but I as I think you'll appreciate, I need to talk it over with Catherine, a decision to return to the navy now affects more than just myself. Leave me your card, and I'll call you when we've talked this over. Probably tomorrow," he turned to Catherine for corroboration, "OK?"

"Sure, that's fine, Harm. I'll expect your call. And now if you'll excuse me, it is getting kinda late, and we ladies do need our beauty sleep."

"Of course." Harm rose and helped her on with her coat. "I'll walk you down."

"Why, thank you, sir," Tracy replied in her soft drawl, "that's much appreciated."

Harm returned to the apartment a few minutes later and sitting down on the couch next to Catherine he looked at her and said, "Well."

"Well," she replied, "what are you going to do?"

"That's not the question," he told her gravely, "The question is, what are we going to do?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself Harm, it's only 'we', if he does offer to reinstate you, and you then think you need to take 'we' into consideration. It's up to you whether or not you accept his invitation to meet."

"Do you think I should?"

"Well, it couldn't hurt." She told him fondly.