33

Having carefully knotted his necktie Harm took a step back from the mirror and nodded with satisfaction, all he needed now was to put on his jacket and he was ready, but that he would leave until after breakfast. Making his way downstairs to the first floor he stopped at the foot of the stairs, carefully draped his jacket over the newel post and tapped gently on the door to Mattie's room, "Man on deck!" he said, just loud enough to be heard the other side of the door.

The door opened to reveal a T-shirt and jeans clad Harriet, who offered him a smile and a cheerful, "Good morning, Si... uh... Harm."

"'Morning, Harriet," he replied with a grin, adding just the slightest emphasis to her name.

Harriet's cheeks pinkened, "Oh, I am trying, Harm…" she claimed.

"I know, and you are getting better at it. Shall we just say that was just an early-morning slip of the tongue?" he grinned.

"It's not that early for some of us," she said innocently, but with a sidelong glance under her lashes.

"Okay, I'll be good," Harm smiled, "But what have you been doing to be up so early, it only just about seven o'clock now?"

Harriet stood back to allow Harm to enter the room, "I've just been giving Mattie a hand to get ready…"

"Good morning, Squirt," he smiled again as his eye fell on the teenager, "Oh, wow! Mattie, you look fantastic!"

Mattie was already in her chair, having showered and dressed, but not in her usual summer attire of jeans and a T-shirt. She wore a forest green formal pants suit, over an open-necked white dress shirt, which revealed a slim gold chain around her neck on which hung a small gold locket.

Her slightly reddened eyes bore witness to the struggle that she and Harriet had had in taming her wild mane of hair, which had been beaten into submission and confined in a thick, braided rope that hung down to between her shoulder blades, and was shown to its best advantage by the green of the suit jacket. The only incongruous note was her bare feet, which rested on the chair's foot support.

Mattie blushed, still young enough to be slightly unsettled by comments on her appearance. "You don't look too shabby your own self; I guess we both clean up pretty well, huh?"

"I guess so," Harm replied, "but what are you wearing on your feet? Not your old slippers, I hope?"

Mattie gave him a look of exasperation and impatience, a look that only a teenage girl could own, "Of course not! I'm wearing those…" using her chin to indicate a pair of low-heeled and well-polished black pumps that stood on the rug next to the bed.

Harm turned to look at Harriet only to find that the blonde had silently slipped out of the room, leaving Harm and Mattie alone. Harm nodded, "Are you ready to put them on?"

Mattie looked up at him, suddenly shy, "Would you mind helping me? I can't quite manage to get those on without a little help…"

"Of course," Harm replied, bending to pick up the shoes and then before he dropped to one knee in front of Mattie's chair he looked at it and said approvingly, "Nicely spit-shone... Bud or Harriet's doing?"

"He... uh heck no!" Mattie denied furiously, "Bud showed me how it was done, but that's all my own work!"

"And good work it is too!" Harm grinned and took her slim ankle in one hand, and shoe in the other gently slipped it on to her foot, looking up, he grinned again, "Cinderella, you shall go to the ball."

Mattie looked down at him and frowned, but she couldn't disguise the humour in her eyes, "If you're supposed to be Prince Charming, then that's not your line, and you're a good twelve hours too late!"

Harm slipped the remaining shoe onto Mattie's other foot, "Not only will you go to the ball, but you'll need to save at least one dance for me!"

The humour vanished from Mattie's eyes, which filled with tears, "Damn straight! And it will be more than just one dance!"

Harm stood, "No need for more than the one dance, Squirt, just so long as it's the dad and daughter dance!"

Mattie managed a watery smile, "Hell that one was a given! But if you think that I'm going to give any other newly commissioned Ensign the chance to dance with the handsomest Captain in the Navy, then you've got another think coming – and that's a promise!"

Harm's heart nearly broke at the implications in Mattie's brave promise, as he swiftly stepped around behind the chair so she wouldn't see the tears that had sprung to his own eyes. Harm made a major effort and swallowed silently to clear his throat which had suddenly become clogged, "Don't make promises that you don't intend to keep, Kiddo," he cautioned her.

"I don't," Mattie said determinedly, "that's something I learned from you!"

Unseen, Harm nodded his approval, but merely said, "Okay, now that we've got that settled, are you ready for breakfast? And remember, it's likely to be a long day ahead of us!"

"Ready for breakfast? Ready for one of Harriet's breakfasts? Do you really think I'd miss one of Harriet's breakfasts if I can help it?" Mattie twisted in her chair and grinned up over her shoulder at Harm.

The teenager had intuitively recognised Harm's reason for stepping behind her chair, and while one half of her heart softened and sorrowed that she had, however inadvertently, caused him pain, the other half was filled with loving exasperation that he was still ducking and hiding from his emotions.

Harriet had indeed pulled all the stops out this morning. Dishes of scrambled eggs, link sausage, Canadian bacon, cottage fries, mushrooms and two large plates of toast together with a jug of orange juice were assembled in the centre of the kitchen table, surrounded by the place settings.

With a smile on her face, the result of Harm's dumbfounded expression, she said, "Sit down, the pair of you, don't be backward in coming forward and help yourselves."

Harm looked at the other place settings, "Where's Bud? Didn't he get back last night" He asked. Bud hadn't made it back from Norfolk by the time the rest of the household had retired to bed, and Harriet, despite that young lady's protests, had been obliged to order a cab to take Marcy home after dinner.

Harriet looked upwards, "He got back late, after you've gone to bed, but he's dealing with the twins right now, and then he'll be supervising A J and Jimmy before he comes down. He's taken a personal day today, and as long as he e-mails his report to the General by twelve hundred hours he's free for the rest of the day. I think he had some idea of driving the pair of you down to Charlottesville, but with the Admiral volunteering to take you it's kinda made his idea redundant…"

A sharp triple knock at the front door interrupted Harriet's remarks and with a shake of her head and a wry grin she changed tack, "And speaking of the devil…" She turned on her heel, but paused before she left the kitchen, "So just get on with your breakfast you two!"

Harm grinned and sat down, looking across at Mattie, "What do you want, Squirt?" Already knowing the answer. The combination of Mattie's appetite and her slender figure was a constant source of amazement to him.

Mattie gave him a blank look in reply, "Everything," she said simply, but then relented to add an explanation, "Hungry, growing teenager here, remember?"

Harm grinned back, remembering the days when he, Mattie and Jen shed the two loft apartments North of Union Station. "You mean do I remember you making a clean sweep of the breakfast table each morning – except the mornings you were running late when you just grabbed a power bar and ran?"

Mattie blushed but was saved from having to answer by the return of Harriet to the kitchen, accompanied not only by retired Admiral A J Chegwidden, but also by Doctor Sydney Walden. Years of training, as well as good manners, brought Harm to his feet. "Good morning, Adm... uh... A J, Doctor Walden, good morning."

A J grinned, while Harriet from behind him shot an accusing glance at Harm, who felt the tips of his ears burn as he committed the same mistake for which he had recently scolded Harriet. And as if that wasn't enough, Sydney Walden smiled, and said, "I thought we'd agreed on first names, Harm?"

By now Harm felt his cheeks grow warm, "Uh... Yeah, we did, but it's taking me a little time to get used to the idea…"

"You're forgiven, Harm, but only because we haven't spoken since the fourth!" Sydney turned her face to Mattie, "How are you doing, Mattie?"

Mattie hastily swallowed a mouthful of breakfast and reluctantly put her fork down, she didn't see any point in wasting time talking while good food was going cold, "Okay, I guess, PT is still a bear sometimes, but Linda, my therapist seems to think I'm making progress, even if I don't!"

Sydney sat at the table and with a nod gratefully accepted the mug of coffee that Harriet offered her. "I know you've heard all this at least a hundred times before, Mattie, but an injury like the one you sustained does take time to recover from. If you remember, when you first woke up you were barely able to move your head, and you couldn't move your arms and hands at all. It's just taking a little longer for your brain to remember how to communicate with your legs and feet."

Mattie nodded grudgingly, "Yeah, I know all that Doctor Walden, but it's pis... uh... It's really ticking me off how long it's taking my nerves to carry those little messages!"

A J took a sip from his own mug of coffee as Harm retook his place at the table, "Mattie, I have every confidence that you will get your legs working again, and you will get them working back at one hundred per cent. You know," the former JAG said with a half-grin, "half the reluctance of some old salts to accept women in the Navy was their concern over the lack of upper body strength in women. With your trapeze and your wheelchair, you will have absolutely no problem with that. And what's more, once you're living with Harm, and you've got your legs back underneath you, I'll bet he takes you running with him. So by the time you get to the Academy, you'll probably be one of the fittest plebes they've had in a long, long time!"

Mattie blushed pink with pleasure at A J's confidence in her, and to cover her confusion speared a slice of bacon on her fork and carried it to her mouth. Fortunately, from her perspective and saving her from further embarrassment Bud Roberts walked into the kitchen, a twin in each arm. A grin spread across Bud's face as he spied the visitors, "Good morning, A J, good, morning Sydney," he greeted them much to Harm's open-mouthed astonishment. He had been anticipating a replay of the mild rebuke that he had just received, and was struck speechless at Bud's easy use of the Admiral's and Doctor Walden's first names, but it was obvious that the new, more confident Bud had adapted to his former CO's change of status much more easily than Harm had, of course the former JAG's navy blue double-breasted suit hadn't helped Harm, it was so close in both cut and colour to Navy Dress Blues.

Harriet turned towards Harm and grinned triumphantly, but before she could begin to tease him, two small blonde tornadoes blew into the room with cries of "Morning Mommy, morning Daddy!" and then a split second pause before an excited squeal of "Uncle AJ!"

"Hello, sailor!" A J exclaimed at which his young namesake adopted a position that could charitably called 'attention' and managed a creditable salute, "Good morning, Uncle AJ!" he replied in a much more subdued fashion and respectful fashion.

"Unca A J!" Jimmy interrupted, tugging on A J's pants' leg, "Up!" he demanded imperiously.

Instead AJ crouched down to the youngster's height, "Not today, Jimmy, I've only come to collect your Uncle Harm and Mattie, we have to go out to a very important meeting!"

The youngsters' faces fell and in an effort to ward off what seemed to be imminent tears the gruff former Seal said, "But we'll be back later, in time for dinner, if that's alright with your Mommy..." he cocked an inquiring eye at Harriet who nodded and mouthed "Of course it's okay!"

"But right now, if your Uncle Harm and Mattie have finished breakfast, then we need to get going!" he reinforced his declaration with a confirmatory look at his watch.

"Right with you, A J!" Harm said, hastily swallowing the last of his coffee, "Squirt?"

"I've been ready these last five minutes!" Mattie replied.

Harm frowned, "You eat too fast!" he complained.

"Hey, like I said, I was hungry," Mattie defended herself as she manoeuvred her chair through the kitchen and into the hallway.

Harm shrugged helplessly and was about to follow the teenager out to the porch when he was stopped by A J's hand on his shoulder. "She'll be alright, son, she's just like Francesca was at her age... And I like to think she turned out okay..."

"That she did, AJ, that she did!" Harm confirmed and was pleased to see a fond smile appear on the former Admiral's face.

"Thank you for that, Harm!" he acknowledged.

Sydney also made her way out to the Admiral's Expedition and opened the rear passenger door in preparation for either Harm or A J to lift Mattie onto the seat. And while Harm lifted Mattie up into the vehicle, A J packed her chair into the cargo space, and Sydney made her way around to the other side of the vehicle and climbed up into the seat alongside Mattie.

"Are you coming with us, ma'... uh... Sydney?" Harm asked in some surprise.

Sydney looked at him in mild surprise, "Of course I am, Harm. What were you planning to do if Mattie needed assistance in some intimate matter? Oh, I know you'd manage at home, you'd have to; but I hardly think a public bathroom in a courthouse is the ideal place for a man to be assisting a teenage girl in such a manner!"

Harm felt remarkably foolish as Sydney highlighted an aspect of the day that he hadn't even considered. During their first court hearing Jen had accompanied him and Mattie, and given the closeness that had developed between all three at that time, he hadn't given her presence a second thought. He managed a muttered, "No, ma'am," and with a feeling of relief, he scurried around to the front passenger door and climbed aboard only to be met by A J's quizzical glance, "She got you on that one, son!" the older man observed.

Harm mustered a rueful grin in reply, "She sure did!" he agreed fervently.

"Well, don't take it too hard," A J grinned as he knocked the gear lever into drive, "She pretty well does the same to me – on a regular basis!"

"I do not!" Sydney protested with a chuckle from the rear seat, "And anyway, you love it!"

That caused Harm to shoot a startled glance at A J, he couldn't quite reconcile the somewhat gruff, impatient and autocratic former JAG being put in his place by anyone, let alone 'loving it'.

A J caught Harm's astonished expression and turning slightly towards him growled, "Not a word Rabb! In fact don't even think it!"

Harm couldn't help himself, "Aye, aye, Sir!" he responded crisply.

There was a moment's stunned silence in the car until Mattie's helpless giggle broke the tension and within seconds, all four occupants were chuckling.

xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

"For God's sake Rabb, sit down, dammit!" A J rasped.

The four of them had been parked on, or in Mattie's case beside, a bench outside the courtroom for what seemed like hours until at last Harm could stand it no longer and had risen to pace restlessly up and down the hall, fourteen paces in one direction to the window, an about face and fourteen paces in the other passing in front of A J, Sydney and Mattie each time, his heels, to A J's growing irritation, clicking on the marble floor with each step until the retired Admiral could stand it no longer.

Harm turned to argue that he needed to release his inner tension but thought better of it once he caught sight of A J's scowl, it reminded him, forcibly, of unpleasant, past, interviews while the older man still occupied the JAG's chair, and told him that while A J no longer held command, DDO was still probably a bad idea and he gulped, "Aye, aye, sir!"

And for once his lapse was not corrected by anyone.

Fortunately, perhaps, for everyone's temper the courtroom doors opened to allow small crowd of people to spill out into the hallway. For a few moments they milled in confusion, shaking hands with, kissing and backslapping a couple who appeared to be in their 30s, the woman holding a toddler on her hip, with an ecstatic smile on her face until, as the confusion died down, the Bailiff's voice could be heard announcing the next case.

"Rabb versus the Commonwealth of Virginia!"

Harm, A J and Sydney were on their feet, Harm reaching for the handles of Mattie's chair, even as the bailiff began to repeat his summons.

Mattie scowled up at Harm, "It's okay, I can do this!"

Harm dropped Mattie a smile at the same instant he dropped his hands on the back of the chair, "Of course you can, Squirt! I guess I'm just a little tense!"

"Gee, ya think?" The teenager grinned back.

So, preceded by Mattie wheeling herself down the aisle, Harm and AJ made their way to the plaintiff's table while Sydney slid into a chair immediately behind them. Harm took the left-hand seat at the table, with Mattie, in her chair, on his left, while AJ took the chair to his right. Once seated, A J opened his briefcase and placed his file on the table in front of him.

Catching a flicker of movement to his left, Harm turned his head to look at a suddenly white-faced Mattie, and as he did so she reached out, taking his left hand in a fierce grip. He smiled and gently returned the squeeze, although even he wasn't quite sure whether he was giving or receiving comfort.

"All rise! The Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court of Albemarle County is in session, the Honourable Judge Madeleine Smith presiding!" The Bailiff's stentorian tones stilled any outward qualms that Mattie and Harm may have felt, although the butterflies that had suddenly developed in Harm's stomach seem to have wing spans at least equal to those of a B-52. Nevertheless, he and AJ presented expressionless faces as they rose to their feet and Mattie sat as upright as she could in her chair.

Judge Smith was an attractive brunette in her mid-to-late forties, with a no-nonsense manner about her. She stood in front of her chair taking in the scene in the court room, and, nodded in satisfaction before saying, "Be seated!" suiting her own actions to her words.

She placed her reading glasses on her nose and opened the case-file in front of her, and as she read an expression of mild displeasure spread over her face. Closing the file she looked at the plaintiff's table one eyebrow arching in query, "Captain Rabb, you are petitioning to have my previous judgement overturned, and also the adoption of the minor child Matilda Johnson. What makes you think I would be prepared to reverse my findings in this case?"

AJ rose to his feet, "AJ Chegwidden, for the plaintiff, Your Honour."

Madeleine Smith, although a county family court judge, was well aware of just who AJ Chegwidden was, and nodded her head in acknowledgement of his introduction. "You are, I take it, a member of the Virginia state bar, counsellor?"

"I am, Your Honour, and I have my bona fides with me…"

Judge Smith let a half smile lift the corners of her mouth for an instant, "That won't be necessary counsellor, your name and reputation is known to the court."

Mattie wasn't too sure that was a good thing, and once more she squeezed Harm's hand. Again he returned the squeeze and glanced at her with what he hoped was a reassuring smile, and although the judge's eye appeared focused on AJ, she did not miss the little byplay.

"Very well, counsellor, on what grounds do you lodge this petition?" she asked AJ.

"Your Honour, when you made your initial decision, you did so based on my client's personal and professional circumstances at the time, and you listed those circumstances which you felt militated against his being allowed to formally adopt the minor child Matilda Johnson. Since that time my client's personal and professional circumstances have undergone considerable change."

"Go on," the judge said flatly.

AJ inclined his head and a half-nod, half-bow, "Firstly, at the time of the initial petition, my client held the rank of Commander in the United States Navy. He has since that time received promotion to the rank and dignity of Captain. That is only one step in rank, I know, but the decision to promote to Captain is not taken lightly and all aspects of my client's character, capabilities and potential were subject to intense scrutiny before the board was satisfied as to his suitability."

"Very interesting, and if I understand you, quite commendable. But that still does not address the objections I raised at the time of the original hearing."

"Indeed not, Your Honour, but if I may counter those objections in order?"

Judge Smith nodded, "I am open to counter argument," she said reasonably.

"Yes Your Honour. The first objection to my client's petition for adoption was that he spent frequent and extended periods absent from home on temporary duty, investigating crimes against articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Since my client's promotion, that is no longer the case. His appointment is now a command appointment, which keeps him tied, for the most part to his duty station, making him a much more constant figure in the life of Matilda Johnson."

"For the most part?" Judge Smith queried as she made a note in the file in front of her.

"Yes, Your Honour, as a commanding officer in his own right, a great deal of my client's duties involve delegating to junior officers the sort of investigations that he used to routinely undertake, however, there may still be the rare occasion when he will be required to send himself from his office on duty."

"And during these rare occasions, who would then be the responsible adult in charge of Miss Johnson?"

"If Your Honour would refer to the case file, you will see that during the first period of my client's legal guardianship of Miss Johnson, Petty Officer Legalman First Class Jennifer Coates was approved by the court as a suitable, responsible adult. Legalman One Coates is still serving with Captain Rabb, and I have an affidavit from Legalman One Coates to the effect that she is more than willing to care for Miss Johnson on as and when required basis."

The judge nodded, "Commander, I beg your pardon, Captain Rabb's absences were not my only concern, were they, counsellor?"

"No, Your Honour. You were also concerned, in view of Captain Rabb's past record in the air, that he was as a naval aviator involved in a profession where he was at great personal risk of death or serious injury. Your Honour, my client is a trained pilot on the F-Fourteen Tomcat. That type of airplane is no longer in service with the fleet, and although still flying from shore bases, will very shortly be totally withdrawn from service. My client is now forty-two years old, in the eyes of the Navy and in view of his limited flying hours for a pilot of his age and experience, he is now too old for operational flying, and too old for it to be economically viable to retrain him in any other type of airplane. As a result, my client's operational flying days are over, and his role is now no longer any more dangerous than that of any attorney practising anywhere in the United States."

"But he still flies his own, private, airplane?"

"That is so, Your Honour," AJ agreed, "But I have here a statistical report authored by the Federal Aviation Authority, showing that not only in numbers alone, but as a percentile, that general aviation is statistically much safer than driving a car. With the court's permission, I would wish to enter this as petitioner's exhibit A."

Judge Smith looked mildly surprised, but nodded her head, "Bailiff, if you please…"

The Bailiff took the report from AJ and passed it across to Madeleine Smith, who took a few seconds to read the conclusion, before she raised her head, and peering over the top of her spectacles asked, "Is there anything else that you wish to bring to the court's attention, counsellor?"

"Yes, Your Honour, you were reluctant at the time of my client's original petition to strip Thomas Johnson, Matilda Johnson's biological father, of his rights as a parent. As was stated at the time Thomas Johnson, a recovering alcoholic, was unable to cope with his daughter's injury, and failed to complete the twelve step program, and turned back to the bottle for comfort. Since that time he has once again been made unemployed and evicted from his apartment. His present whereabouts are unknown, although extensive enquiries have been made precisely to ascertain his location."

An expression of grave concern settled on Judge Smith's face, "That is not pleasant hearing. And I am now minded to strip Mister Johnson of his parental rights, but I feel until I have made a decision – either way – that such a step at this present time is a little precipitate."

AJ once again inclined his head in agreement, "If I may, Your Honour?"

"You have more, counsellor?"

"I do, Your Honour. You also in your original judgement expressed concern over the accommodation that the then Commander Rabb provide. Since his promotion to Captain and his appointment as Force Judge Advocate General for the United States Navy in Europe, he has been provided with housing suitable for a Captain. In this case it is a four-bedroom, one and a half bathroom house of a secure military installation. It has not been possible, due to the location of the house for the Commonwealth of Virginia Family Services to carry out a home visit. However, I have here a portfolio of photographs taken by my client that will hopefully, persuade the court that my client is able to provide adequate accommodation that is suitable to the needs of a temporarily wheelchair-bound teenaged girl. With the court's permission, my client wishes me to submit this portfolio as petitioner's exhibit B…"

Judge Smith sighed, "Very well… Bailiff…"

Once again the Bailiff handed AJ's files to Judge Smith and once again she spent a few moments skimming through the photographs, before looking up, "Counsellor?" she asked.

"I have presented my client's arguments against the points you made in your original ruling, Your Honour, but I have here sworn affidavits from Lieutenant Commander Roberts, and Lieutenant Sims-Roberts, both of whom unhesitatingly aver Captain Rabb's suitability as an adoptive parent for the minor child Matilda Johnson, and if it please the court to be entered in the record as petitioner's exhibits C and D..."

Judge Smith gave a resigned look at the Bailiff, "Bailiff… Please."

Once again the Bailiff took the proffered file from AJ and passed it up to the bench, where once again Madeleine Smith gave the two sheets of paper cursory glance before closing the file jacket. With a heavy sigh she once more regarded AJ over the top of her spectacles, "Anything else, counsellor?"

"Just a statement in closing, Your Honour."

"Proceed," Judge Smith said gravely.

"For nine months, the year before last and last year the then Commander Rabb was granted legal guardianship of the minor child Matilda Johnson. Despite his own deep affection, not to say love, he felt for Matilda he encouraged her to seek reconciliation with her estranged biological father. That reconciliation was achieved. Matilda, despite her father's failings, returned to live with him. Sadly, shortly thereafter Matilda was involved in an accident, with the results we see before us today. Her father was unable to cope with even the idea of Matilda's injuries and started drinking again. Since then he has dropped out of sight, but on hearing the news of Matilda's accident my client took leave of absence from his duties, and together with Legalman One Coates to whom I've previously referred, sat vigil by Matilda's bedside until she recovered from the coma into which she had fallen as a result of her injuries. My client then successfully petitioned the court for the reinstatement of the award of legal guardianship, shortly followed by his initial petition for formal adoption of Matilda. During this period, Matilda's health insurance expired and with her current physical condition it proved impossible for her to be reinsured. All the costs of her treatment since the exploration of her insurance had been met by my client. While taking financial care of Matilda does not mean that anything other than an altruistic motive can be assumed, it does, we argue, indicate the depths of his feeling, and his sense of responsibility to the minor child. Unfortunately, while Matilda is his ward, the Navy does not recognise that as a de jure relationship, with the result that all costs are being met from my client's pocket, and that Matilda is unable to travel to join him at the public expense. If the adoption is allowed, Matilda will then be covered by the Navy's dependants' medical programme and will have access to the finest medical care that can be provided. It should be noted, Your Honour, that the prognosis for Matilda is good and it is anticipated that she will, if she receives the proper care, be restored to full health. In the interim period she has been staying with family friends, Lieutenant Commander Roberts and his wife, Lieutenant Sims. Should the court see fit to reverse its earlier ruling and allow formal and legal adoption of Matilda Johnson by my client, the relationship of father and daughter would be recognised by the Navy, and Matilda would be free of all financial and legal restrictions that currently prevent her from joining my client at his duty station in England. We argue that it is in the best interests of the minor child Matilda Johnson, and indeed the Commonwealth of Virginia, that the court reverses its earlier decision and permit my client to adopt Matilda Johnson."

Judge Smith regarded all three at the table with a level stare which seemed to them to last for long minutes, although was probably no more than a few seconds. Once again Mattie clutched Harm's hand and once again he shot her a quick sidelong look smiled and squeezed her hand in return. And once again this byplay caught the judge's attention. Looking straight at Mattie, she said, "We have all just heard counsel's closing argument, what I would now like to hear is Matilda Johnson's views and wishes. Matilda?"

Mattie clutched once more at Harm's hand and use the tip of her tongue to moisten her suddenly dry lips, "Your Honour, I realise its usual to stand when addressing the court, but I hope you won't hold my current inability to do that against me."

Judge Smith smiled, "No I won't do that, Matilda."

"Thank you, Your Honour." Mattie took a deep breath and tried to marshal her frantic thoughts into a coherent statement. "Your Honour, you asked me what I wished for. The only thing I wish for at the moment is to be able to call myself Captain Rabb's daughter," Mattie cracked an embarrassed grin, "except of course, that I wish I could get rid of this da… uh… darned wheelchair!"

Harm felt his heart skip a beat as Mattie spoke, and then breathed a silent sigh of relief as she corrected herself and risked a surreptitious look at the judge, whom to his surprise, seemed to be fighting back a smile.

Oblivious to the cat she had nearly set amongst the pigeons, Mattie continued, "In the nine months I spent as Captain Rabb's ward, I received from him, and from Jennifer Coates, more parenting than I had received in years from my biological father. It took a lot of work on the part of both Captain Rabb and Jennifer Coates to get me to even talk to him. It was his fault that I lost everything, my mother – he was responsible for causing the accident that killed her…" Mattie inelegantly sniffed back tears of anger as she swiped at her eyes with her knuckles… "He was also responsible for my almost losing my mother's house and her business, by taking out a personal loan with house and business as surety, and then pocketing the money and disappeared, leaving me to try and repay the loan on top of the day to day running of the business, and if it wasn't for Captain Rabb's intervention then, because I didn't know the law concerning illegal loans, I would have lost both home and business."

"I was forced to grow up too quickly, and I lost almost a year of my childhood, and six months of school. I count myself extremely fortunate Captain Rabb came into my life. He got me back into school, and with his and Jennifer Coates' help I caught up on the schoolwork I missed, they even got me to study harder than I ever have before, and my grades really improved. Your Honour, Captain Rabb and his friends and his family have been the one good influence on my life over the last two years, and without them I'm pretty sure I'd either be swallowed up by the system, or in Juvie Hall. As it is, at the time of my accident I had planned apply to the United States Navy Academy at Annapolis. And if I ever get to the stage where I regain full use of my legs, I intend to carry on with that plan, but I only see that happening if Captain Rabb continues to be part of my life. I ask, no, I beg the court to allow Captain Rabb formally adopt me as his daughter, and so in some way allow me to show him as much love as he has shown me."

"Illegal loans?" Judge Smith asked in surprise.

Mattie swallowed, "Yes, Your Honour, the business was my mother's as was our home, and she left them both to me in her will. My father had no business using them as collateral for what turned out to be a personal loan, the money of which he drank, and the bank had no business issuing a loan secured against property that wasn't his. Thanks to Commander Rabb's legal know-how the bank cancelled the loan and even paid back the loan repayments I had already made. Without Captain Rabb, I would now be flat broke and homeless."

"I understand that your business goes by the name of Grace Aviation?"

"Yes, Your Honour."

Judge Smith turned her attention to Harm, "Captain Rabb, you are a pilot, Miss Grace owns an aviation business. To someone with your experience and years in the service, the prospect of becoming a part owner of that business must be appealing?"

Harm started to rise, but A J waved him down, and got to his feet instead, "Your Honour, my client has signed a deed of covenant completely severing himself from any connection with Grace Aviation, other than that as a customer, and that only because he still keeps his own private plane hangared there. There is no way that he can legally take any part in the running of the business."

"I see, and who is running the business now?"

"Miss Grace hired a competent manager to run the business for her until she reaches the age of eighteen or completes her commitment to the Navy, whichever comes first."

"I see," Madeleine Smith said gravely. "You have all given me a lot to think about, so I am now going to retire consider the evidence that you have presented to me. This court is adjourned until three pm!" A sharp rap of the judge's gavel punctuated the decision, and the Bailiff's voice bidding all to rise as Judge Smith left the bench was hardly needed as Harm, AJ, Sydney and the three or four idle spectators surged to their feet.

Waiting until the judge had left the courtroom, Mattie turned a worried face towards Harm, "What's going to happen now?" she asked.

Harm looked at his watch, "Well, what's going to happen is we have to wait until three o'clock when we will come back in here and get the judge's decision."

"In the meantime, I suggest we get a breath of fresh air and maybe find somewhere handy for a sandwich and a coffee," Sidney Walden suggested.

"Damn good idea," AJ grunted as he repacked his briefcase.

"Of course it was dear, I thought of it," Sidney grinned, evoking an answering grin from Harm and what sounded suspiciously like a giggle from Mattie, while AJ assumed a long-suffering expression and cast his eyes up to heaven.

Later, Harm was to claim that he had never spent a more silent, more nervous lunchtime. Nobody was really in the mood to eat and although all finished their coffee, no one felt able to drink more than the one cup, and so it was with plenty of time to spare that they made their way back through the park to the municipal court building, where once again they took station on the bench outside the court room, where AJ fixed Harm with a piercing stare, "Start pacing, Rabb, and I guarantee that Mattie will not be the only one in need of a wheelchair! Capisce?"

Harm, despite the new formation of butterflies pulling off some incredibly intricate combat manoeuvres in his stomach, managed a grin, a weak grin, but a grin nevertheless, "I wouldn't dream of it, AJ!" although he had been on the very verge of doing just that.

Fortunately the door to the court room opened just short of fifteen hundred hours, and the impassive-faced Bailiff nodded to them, indicating that they could now enter the courtroom.

The four then took up their previous positions and waited, trying not to show any signs of nervousness or impatience, for Judge Smith to make her entrance. Once again they were not kept waiting long as, punctually to the second, she opened the door leading from Judge's Chambers and once again to the accompaniment of the Bailiff's, "All rise! The Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court of Albemarle County is in session, the Honourable Judge Madeleine Smith presiding!" Crossed to the bench and took her seat.

Once seated she folded her hands placidly on the case file in front of her, "Please be seated," she instructed and waited for them to do so before she replaced her spectacles on her nose and opened the file.

"Will the plaintiff please stand."

Both AJ and Harm took a deep breath before they exchanged a glance and stood, turning their full attention onto Judge Smith.

Judge appeared at them both over her spectacles, "The plaintiff has effectively rebutted all but one of my previously held objections. While I am concerned, however, as to the lack of a report on the proposed residence for Matilda Johnson, the photographic evidence which has been presented does indicate that the accommodation is suitable, therefore, taking into account the best interests of the minor child Matilda Johnson, and her expressed wishes, as well as previously filed reports from the Guardian ad litem I find in favour of the plaintiff, and accordingly decree that Harmon David Rabb, Junior is, with effect from this date, the legal parent of the minor child Matilda Alison Johnson. Congratulations Captain Rabb."

Judge Smith raised her gavel, but before she could strike Mattie held up her hand. "Your Honour?"

Madeleine Smith looked a little surprised, "Yes, Matilda?"

"Your Honour, I want to change my name, can that be done here and now?"

"Yes, of course, it can be written into the adoption papers. But what name do you wish to be known by?"

"Your Honour, my mother's maiden name was Grace; I would like to be known as Mattie Alison Grace Rabb."

"It is so ordered," Madeleine Smith replied as she made a note of the names to be used. "Captain Rabb I assume that you cannot be absent from your duties for too long a period, so if that is the case, to where do you wish the necessary documents sent?"

Harm looked helplessly for a second at AJ. "If it is convenient to the court, Your Honour, my client would be grateful if the necessary documents would be sent to my office in McLean."

Once again Madeleine Smith scribbled a note in the file, and once again raised her head, smiled and said "It is so ordered. And once again, Captain Rabb, and Miss Rabb, congratulations!"

Harm dropped to his knees next to Mattie's chair and enveloped her in an almost bone crushing hug, both of them missing the Bailiff's call to order, as well as Judge Smith's indulgent smile as she left the courtroom.