A Friendly Demonstration

Chapter 45

The following morning, Harm debussed from the car at the entrance to the JAG building and turning to Hawkes reminded her that today he would be securing at sixteen thirty hours sharp, and she needed to be bang on time, "I've got a very busy evening ahead of me, Hawkes and there won't be any slack in the schedule!"

"Aye, aye, sir!" Libby snapped out her response, but feeling slightly hurt that the Captain felt she needed a reminder to be on time. Whatever time he detailed, it was her role to be there on time and in the correct dress, ready to roll, 'After all, I'm not some Parris Island Pogue who needed her butt kicking to get her started each morning!", whatever time the Captain said, she'd be there at least five minutes beforehand.

Unconscious of Libby's injured feelings, Harm trotted up the steps to the main door, nodding an acknowledgement to the sentry's "Good morning, sir!" Regulations forbidding him from betraying by saluting civilian-clad officers, just in case there were any unfriendly eyes in the vicinity that were taking too interested a view in the comings and goings of Embassy personnel.

Ten minutes later, now correctly attired in the uniform of the day, Harm breezed through the bull-pen, waving off, as was his usual habit, the attempts of the bull-pen to spring to attention that were the results of some alert sailor's cry of "Captain on deck!"

Jen and Julia disregarded the wave off, pursuant to Harm's orders, they stood to greet him on his first appearance each day acknowledged by his smiling "Good morning ladies!"

The chorused "Good morning, sir!" was as cheerful as he could wish for and a covert glance at Martinez as he paused at the door to the inner office seemed to confirm that she was back to her normal, cheerful, sunny natured self.

"Martinez, rustle up three coffees for us and then you can both come in while we discuss what's going to happen over the next few days!"

Jen and Julia exchanged a swift, somewhat surprised glance before replying, once again in chorus, "Aye, aye, sir!"

Harm barely had time to sit down and after unlocking his drawers, organise his desk before a tap on the door frame alerted him to the presence of Jen and Julia, and perhaps at this time of the day more importantly, his first cup of office brewed coffee. Hopefully it would have been brewed by Jen, whose sojourn in the converted loft had taught her just how he liked his coffee.

His hopes were not disappointed and the first sup of the brew as he wave the two women to sit down resulted in a beaming smile and an honest "Thank you, Je… uh… Legalman One!" His near slip threatening to bring on a dual fit of the giggles which he blithely ignored as he turned his attention to the subject that had caused him to summoned them at such an early hour of the working day.

"As you both know, Mattie flies out to join me on Friday!" he paused to grin and was rewarded by a pair of matching expressions, "And yes, that makes me very happy! But, it has left me, and therefore you, with some extra work. Now, under regulations I can't order you to help me, but I am asking you, as a favour, if you will, if you are happy to help me get things ready for Mattie's arrival?"

"Yes, sir!" Julia said.

"Of course!" was Jen's reply to what she saw as an entirely superfluous question.

"So what needs to be done in view of the plans I have for her immediate future is, one: Confirm with the spinal unit at Stoke Mandeville, exactly when they are prepared to admit her for evaluation, Two: I need to hire a nurse to look after her for when she is released from hospital – no, there's nothing gone wrong, Legalman One," he interrupted himself as he saw a quick flash of alarm on Jen's face, "It's just that it didn't occur to me until I was put right yesterday evening, that Mattie is not going to appreciate my help in getting dressed and undressed, let alone in taking a shower or going to the head…"

Jen was nearly betrayed into open laughter as she envisaged the sometimes fiery teenager's reaction to the scenario her CO had just sketched, but managed to restrain herself as Harm levelled a reproving look at her.

"N… no… no, sir!" she eventually managed.

"Dammit Legalman One!" Harm growled, fighting unsuccessfully to hold back his own grin, "This isn't funny!"

"N… no, sir!" Jen disclaimed, although her dimple was making repeated efforts to appear.

Harm gave up and shook his head, contenting himself with a last admonitory glance at his subordinates. "Very well," he continued, "Item three: I also need to confirm with BUPERS that Mattie is now on my SRB as my officially adopted daughter – God knows, they've had copies of the court papers long enough, but we all know how slowly the mills of BUPERS grind. So… Yeoman Two, if you could look after that for me, it would save me a great deal of time, although I'm afraid it might take up a great deal of your time instead!"

"Not a problem, sir! I'm glad to be able to help!"

"Thank you. Now, Legalman One, could you please when you have a slack moment or two, get on the horn to Stoke Mandeville and get the admission arrangements put in train?"

"Yes, sir, of course," Jen agreed, while thinking 'Stoke Mandeville… Stoke Mandeville… now where have I seen that name before?"

Harm nodded, grateful that the two young women were so willing to help him on a personal matter, never thinking for a moment that his own leadership style had much to do with the willingness they showed. "Thank you both, thank you very much…" he glanced at his watch, "Now, as far as you know, either of you, are there likely to be any surprise bombshells lying in wait for me at Staff Call? No? Good, let's go get 'em!"

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Harm returned from Staff Call, well satisfied with his attorney's caseload and their handling of it. He had handed out two new cases, the first to Theresa Sullivan was now faced off against Lieutenant George Sykes defending a simple enough case of unauthorised absence and missing movement, while Brian Tierney was preparing a tort case against the Air Force hospital at Mildenhall on the behalf of a Lieutenant Commander whose wife had died on the operating table during what should have been a simple appendectomy. The tort might get messy, but none of the other cases in the pipeline should pose any problem to the newest qualified Jag, let alone the crew he had on board. And if the case against the hospital did get messy, Harm was ready to step in and offer advice to Tierney. In the meantime another glance at his watch told him he had about twenty minutes before Martinez brought in the first sight file. Time enough, he reckoned to sign off one, or maybe even two of the completed case files awaiting his attention, and threatening to slide off of the top of the pile in his In-Tray and he had absolutely no wish to be found on his hands and knees picking sheets of paper up from the carpet!

His estimation was accurate to the second. He had literally just closed the second case file he had read through, his pen still in his hand when the expected tap came at the door. "Enter!" he called out,

Julia opened the door, the first sight folder tucked beneath her left arm, "The morning's mail, sir!" she announced, just as she did every day of the working week, but today there was something slightly off in her tone,

"Is there a problem, Yeoman Two?" he asked in slight surprise.

"No, sir… not a problem, not exactly, I think… But there's a letter from Falls Church you need to see. I've left it on top of the pile… sir…"

Harm gave Julia a more intense look, "Bad news?" he asked tersely but then added, "Oh, never mind. It'll be quicker to read the damn thing, won't it? Okay, Yeoman Two, thank you." He nodded his dismissal.

"Aye, aye, sir!" Julia managed with an attempt at a grin and turning smartly on her heel left Harm to gaze thoughtfully at the file she had left on his desk. With an impatient shake of his head, he flipped open the folder and looked at the first piece of paper. It was a routine letter with the JAG HQ letterhead and a quick glance at the signature block showed him that it was from G Cresswell, USN JAG, Maj Gen, USMC. And the subject heading read "Alleged Abuse of SOFA by US Forces in Europe".

Harm read the letter, letting out a grunt as he noted the provisions and instructions at each paragraph. When he'd finished the letter he laid it on the desk and sat back steepling his fingers as he considered what his future course of action should be. There was no way he was about to comply with instructions contained in the letter; he was in two minds as to their constituting lawful commands, and he shook his head that Cresswell could have been so careless or so arrogant as to commit those instructions to paper and to think that he, Harm, would blindly follow them.

With a sigh, Harm got to his feet and walked across to the painting of Frank Jack Fletcher and swung it to one side. Punching in the combination to the concealed safe he opened it and took out the bulky envelope that contained the results of Jen's SOFA investigation. Closing the safe he took the envelope back to his desk and sitting, punched the intercom call button, "Yeoman?"

"Yes, sir?"

"I am going to be extremely busy for the next hour or so; make sure I am not interrupted, and hold all calls. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you, and please brief Legalman One Coates to that effect!"

"Aye, aye, sir!" Julia replied. She waited until a faint metallic click told her that Harm had released the call button and then turned a worried face to Jen, "Oh God, there was a letter from JAG HQ in the mail, about the SOFA report. He was told that the JAG had no intention of taking the report any further, and he was told to destroy all copies of any and all material pertaining to the case…"

"What?" Jen gasped her own face becoming a mask of concern, "He won't do that! In fact, opposition like that will make him…"

"Do something stupid?" Julia finished Jen's sentence.

"Well, maybe not stupid, but… reckless and… and…"

"Stupid?" Julia asked again.

Jen nodded, "Yeah, stupid," she said resignedly and joined Julia in sending a worried look at the door.

The other side of that same door Harm sat at his desk and opened the word-processing program on his desk top computer and brought a JAG NAVFOREUR letterhead template up on screen. Then, after a few moments thought he began to type.

The Secretary of the United States Navy
United States Department of Defence
Room 4212
The Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301
USA

ABUSE OF SOFA BY UNITED STATES FORCES IN THE UK

Reference:

A: My report of the Abuse of SOFA in the UK (Attached)
B: HQ JAG letter 1001 dated Oct 22 2005 (Attached)

Reference A reports on the known cases of abuse of SOFA in the UK during the past ten years by the United States armed forces stationed in that country, and which have in the eyes of the UK brought discredit upon the armed forces of the United States.

Reference A was submitted by this office to HQ JAG, Falls Church for guidance on further action on the results of the report.

Reference B is the reply to this officer's request for guidance. This officer is unable, for moral and professional reasons to comply with the instructions contained in reference B. Furthermore this officer is firmly of the opinion that to comply with the instructions at reference B would be to continue to act in a manner likely to bring discredit upon the United States Navy and her armed forces as a whole.

Harm continued typing for several more minutes, detailing his reasons for disobeying the orders communicated to him in writing by Major General Cresswell, knowing full well that once again he was placing his career on the line, and hoping that his successful defence of the SecNav at The Hague would serve to cut him some slack. Finally he finished the letter with his official signature block and then drawing a deep breath, underneath that he typed, Copy to: Maj Gen G Cresswell, JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA.

The letter completed, Harm took the two CDs that contained Jen's Report, and inserted the first into the computer's disk drive. Both disks finally copied, Harm settled down to wait until lunchtime when he could be fairly sure that the sight of the CO using the printer wouldn't raise too many astonished eyebrows; there was no way that he was going to involve either Jennifer or Julia in what at first sight was a blatant case of disobedience to an instruction or regulation.

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Harm's instinct was right. The bull pen was deserted, apart from the duty Legalman who was head down at her own computer, allowing him to send the letter and the report to the printer, and he was more than halfway through the task when she noticed what he was doing, "Oh, sir! I could have done that for you!" she protested as she rose from her seat.

"No, it's fine, thank you Legalman Two. It's almost done and you looked busy enough!"

Helen Lennard had the grace to blush. She had been busy, that was true enough, but she had been busily sending an illicit email to her boyfriend, a fellow Legalman at San Diego, who in his latest email to her had hinted at some deliciously scandalous scuttlebutt, and if he was right a shit storm of apocalyptic proportions was about to break about the heads of those at North Island.

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At that very moment, Jen and Julia, both wrapped up against a bitter North East wind that reminded them that the possibility of a cold, wet winter lay ahead, huddled on the bench in the fenced in garden in the middle of Grosvenor Square, their half-eaten sandwiches lay on the bench beside them and both young women cradled their Styrofoam cups of coffee in their hands, grateful for the warmth on their fingers.

"So…" Julia broached the conversation that had brought them out to the almost deserted park, where no unseen ears could overhear them, "What do you think he'll do?"

Jen shook her head worriedly, "I'm not sure, but I do know that he thinks that the JAG back at Falls Church doesn't like him… and I can't say that he's too far wrong… If it was still the Admiral of course, I don't think the situation would be the same. Admiral Chegwidden could be a bear but he was always in the side of the truth, and a cover up just wouldn't sit right with him. But now…" Jen paused for thought and a sip of her coffee.

"But now?" Julia prompted impatiently.

Jen gave her an indignant look, but swallowed her coffee and said, "I've got an idea that General Cresswell is all for keeping the name of the forces bright and shining… you know how that line goes 'to keep our honour clean', and I guess that he wants it all swept under the carpet so nothing gets out to the press. You know what some of those Washington scandal sheets or stations like ZNN would make of it. Especially as they are so critical of what's going on in Afghanistan and Iraq."

Julia nodded, although she had never been within two hundred miles of DC and had, as far as she knew, never even seen a DC paper, although she was familiar with ZNN news reports and how, recently, they had become less supportive and more critical of the handling of events in the sandbox.

"So… what do we do?" she asked Jen.

"We do absolutely nothing and we keep our mouths firmly shut. We say nothing about this to anybody. I can't even tell Victor and you certainly can't tell your Johnny. If the Captain wants to tell Captain Shephard… well… that's up to him!"

"So as far as we're concerned that letter doesn't exist?"

"Exactly!" Jen said and nodded in confirmation.

Julia drained the last of her coffee and looked down on disfavour at the remains of her sandwich and with a glum shrug she re-wrapped it and with a sigh dropped it into the trash can that stood beside the bench. "Come on, let's get inside! I'm getting cold!"

"Cold?" Jen laughed as she stood up and brushed the crumbs from the front of her jacket, "Cold? You just wait until you get a posting to DC and see what winter is like there!"

"DC, cold? Bet it ain't no-where near as cold as a winter night on the high desert!" Julia scoffed.

"Yeah? And when did you ever spend the night in the desert?" Jen challenged her.

Happily squabbling and exchanging even more exaggerated stories the two young women headed down the path to the cast iron gates of the garden and across the street to the warmth and comfort of the JAG building.

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Jen and Julia were kept busy enough during the afternoon with their routine work and then whenever they had a slack moment, in getting to grips with the additional tasks Harm had asked them to undertake on his and Mattie's behalf. As a result, when the end of the afternoon eventually rolled around, both were more than ready to secure and had almost succeeded in pushing the SOFA problem onto the back burner. Jen at least put her phone down some ten minutes before secure and grinned across at Julia who, with her telephone pressed against her ear, wore a frustrated expression on her face as she listened to whomever it was on the other end of the line.

Jen crossed to the door that shut off Harm's inner office from the two women's ante-office and rapped firmly on the door frame.

"Enter!"

Jen let herself into the office and walked across the carpet towards Harm who looked up from the spreadsheet on his desk with an inquiring look.

"Sir, I've just got off the phone to Stoke Mandeville, where I spoke with a Doctor…" she paused and checked the name on her notepad, "A Doctor Ewell. He said everything is a go and that they will admit Mattie on Tuesday morning next week and run the tests on her and hopefully have her ready to go home on Friday afternoon!"

Harm' grin broadened into a happy smile, "Thank you, Jennifer! That's good news, very good news! Thank you!"

"It was an easy job, sir," Jen protested with a slight laugh, "But poor Jul… uh… Martinez isn't having as much success in battering down the BUPERS bureaucratic defences just yet!"

Harm smiled easily, "I have every faith in Martinez's ability to get through whatever defences BUPERS try to erect in her way!"

"Yes, sir. Maybe some of the British bulldog nature is rubbing off from her boyfriend!" Jen grinned.

Harm pretended to look shocked, "I hope that wasn't racial stereotyping, Legalman One!"

"Of course not, sir!" Jen denied through her full-blown dimple-revealing laugh.

Harm bit back his own grin, "G'wan, dismissed! Get!"

"Aye, aye, sir!" Jen faced about and left the office, a thoughtful smile on her face. Whatever the Captain had done, he had obviously made his decision and was either very happy with it, or maybe, just maybe, he was making a determined attempt not to worry about it until and unless the dung hit the fan and was in the meantime determined to enjoy the run up to Mattie's arrival and of course, the arrival itself.

Julia had put the phone down on the hook but was still glaring at it when Jen came out of Harm's office. "No success?" she asked sympathetically.

Julia gave her an exasperated stare, "Honestly, if I would be in DC I'd be in my car on my way to the Pentagon and once I'd gotten there I'd strangle that bi… uh… witch at BUPERS who's been giving me the run around. I'd plead justified homicide and there isn't a jury in the free world that would convict!"

Jen's only reply was a peal of laughter that left Julia even more exasperated.

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Jen was half-way right. Harm had made and acted on his decision. What was done was done, and there was no point in worrying about it for the next few days, at least until the two envelopes he slipped into the mail bag had had time enough to reach their destinations. In the meantime, he had things to do.

The point of his securing early today had been to get home hopefully in time to call the locally based Nursing Agency he had found through an internet search. Consequently as soon as he had gotten home and hung up his blazer, he took a seat on the couch and reached for the phone, and referring to the slip of paper he had in his hand he tapped in the number. The phone, to his pleased surprise, was answered on the third ring by a cool, professional but friendly voice.

"Northwood Nursing, Melanie speaking, how may I help you?"

"Good evening, my Name is Rabb, I need to engage a nurse to assist with the care of a teenaged girl with a spinal injury…"

"One moment please, Mister Rabb, while I connect you with one of our advisors…"

A few seconds later another female voice came on the line, "Good evening, Mister Rabb, I'm Madeleine Leigh, I understand you're looking for nursing help with a spinal injury teenager?"

"Uh… yes, that's right…."

"How mobile or otherwise is the young lady?"

"She's not, well pretty much so. She's in a wheelchair and will need help in dressing, undressing, showering… all the sort of things that I can't do for her, not at the age she is now…"

"And what age would that be?"

"Sixteen," Harm replied shortly.

"I see. And forgive the question, but is there no-one living with you that could offer that sort of assistance?"

"As in wife or girlfriend?" Harm challenged, "No, I'm a single parent."

"Yes, I see your dilemma!" Madeleine replied, "Very well. Now, before we go any further, are you aware of the sort of charges we raise for nursing?"

"Yes. I found your web site and read it through pretty thoroughly. Mattie my daughter, doesn't need intensive nursing, she's not on any medication, although I'm hoping that she'll be continuing with her physical therapy in the near future. She's arriving this week from the States and will be headed straight to Stoke Mandeville for evaluation. But in any case, as I am a serving naval officer, the tab for her treatment will be picked up by the US Navy."

"I see. And for how long do you expect to need nursing help, Mister Rabb? Or should it be Admiral, Commander or…?"

"I'm a Captain, but Mister Rabb is perfectly acceptable," Harm replied.

"Well, let us observe the proprieties Captain. Now, as I was saying, for how long do you expect to need a nurse?"

"At the moment? For the foreseeable future, but I'm hoping that the hospital will be able to come up with a better prognosis than we've had so far."

"We all hope for that, Captain, and in a surprisingly high number of cases, that's what we get! Hospitals like to emphasise the down side of the future. It saves them from recriminations if parents and family aren't misled into believing a rosy future when the outcome is doubtful."

"Yes, I can see that…" Harm replied slowly.

"Good. Now, let's get some details down shall we?"

It was nearly an hour later that Harm put the phone down. It had been a long, gruelling interrogation, nearly as thorough as the ones he had gone through in survival and POW Conduct training, but the upshot was that in the course of the following two evenings he would be interviewing a total of four applicants for the position and hopefully he would be able to find one with whom he could work. Hopefully Mattie would find the same but if that wasn't the case then he, Mattie and Ms Leigh would have to think again.

Harm sat back and closed his for a moment to relax but then with a groan he opened them again as the phone rang.

"Rabb!"

"Hey sailor, how was your day?" Gill's smiling voice reached his ears and his fatigue and frustrations vanished like early morning mist when the sun heated the day.

"It just got about a thousand per cent better!" he smiled.

"Only a thousand per cent?" Gill managed to send her teasing pout down the line

"Well, you've only said hello, so far," Harm pointed out reasonably.

"H'mm… then why don't we see if we can improve on that?" Gill suggested.

"Now, that sounds like a plan!" Harm agreed as he settled back into a more comfortable position on the couch.

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The rest of the week passed more or less uneventfully. Even the Personnelman One over at the small personnel office on the Defence Attaché's suite failed to take offence at Julia's invasion of his office and did his best to get his opposite number in the Pentagon to investigate Harm's SRB and confirm that Mattie Grace Rabb was now recognised as Captain Harmon Rabb's daughter and was entitled to all family dependants' medical privileges.

So, secure on Friday saw Harm and Jen leave the office together to be driven back to Northolt by Hawkes who did a classic double take as she saw Jen climb into the back of the car with Harm, and whose eyes grew round with astonishment when she heard Harm call her by her first name. Jen saw the expression on Libby's face in the rear view mirror and winced inwardly, she knew, she just knew that the younger woman was going to brace her with Harm's lack of protocol, and given the lecture that Jen had delivered to Libby, it was going to be difficult to explain the difference to her. But as the car approached the main gate to RAF Northolt Harm turned to face her and what he said drove all thoughts of countering Hawkes' probable reaction.

"You know, Jennifer, I've just realised, you haven't met Gill… uh… Captain Shephard yet, have you?"

"No, sir," Jen confirmed.

"Well, you will this evening… She'll be arriving for the weekend at about eighteen thirty hours."

Jen paled at the thought, 'It really was unfair of Harm to spring that on me without warning!'

But she managed a smile, "I must admit, I've been looking forward to meeting her!" she replied.

On arrival at the house in Northolt, Harm said, "I'll make us a sandwich and a coffee, or you could have a cold drink if you prefer. There's juice, mineral water, soda…"

"Mineral water, please, sir," Jen asked.

"Okay, well, while I'm getting that ready, if you want to freshen up, the bathroom's on the second floor, second door on the right at the head of the stairs. There's plenty of hot water and towels, so if you feel you need to take a shower, go right ahead!"

"Yes. I think I will, thank you!" Jen answered, already beginning to feel at home as the memories of the months she had spent living with Mattie washed over her.

So a newly fragrant Jen, her hair now loosened to fall down her back joined Harm in the kitchen for the promised sandwich. They passed the simple meal in quiet conversation, mostly revolving around Mattie's arrival, and Jen smiled to herself as Harm's enthusiasm began to bubble through to the surface. Mattie really had worked wonders. Harmon Rabb had been the most tightly buttoned, emotionless man she had ever met. How anyone could describe him as driven by his emotions was a complete mystery to her. But to see him so excited about his new daughter's arrival was a revelation to her as to just how much effort, how many wonders, Mattie Grace Rabb had worked on the previously stone-faced aviator turned attorney.

As they finished their snack Harm pushed his chair back from the table, "Do you remember the old house rule from the apartment?" he asked casually.

Jen's brown crinkled in thought for a moment. "There were lots of house rules!" she complained. "How about a hint?"

Harm let his eyes drift down to the dirty plates and glasses and Jen caught on, "Oh… those who cook don't clean up?" she guessed.

"Dead right!" Harm grinned.

"I might have known I wasn't going to get a free meal!" Jen grumbled, but with a smile.

"And it will give me a chance to grab a shower before Gill arrives!" Harm added with a significant look at the clock.

Harm was back downstairs, now dressed in a grey chinos and a mid-blue shirt before Gill arrived and he and Jen were still sitting in the kitchen when Gill used the key Harm had given her to let herself in.

"We're in the kitchen!" Harm called out and stood to greet her.

Gill cast a quick glance at the stranger in the kitchen and then devoted her attention to Harm in the form a lingering kiss. A kiss that was observed by an amused Jen as she automatically recognised that Gill was marking her territory. 'A couple of years ago,' Jen reflected, 'I would have been really jealous, as jealous as I was at first of Mac. But now, now I've got Victor!' and she hugged that thought to herself, coming to her feet as Harm and Gill released each other and turned towards her.

"Gill, I'd like you to meet my Legalman, Jennifer Coates, who is not only my subordinate, but also my very good friend. Jen, this is Gill Shephard, Captain in the British Army."

"Pleased to meet you, ma'am," Jen offered as she covertly examined the other women, well aware the she too was being thoroughly scrutinised.

Gill's overpowering emotion at meeting Jen was that of relief. Harm had reassured her in the past that Jennifer Coates was nothing more than a friend, or maybe even an adopted sister, but she couldn't help but feel just a little insecure, but now seeing the other woman and the flash of humour in her brown eyes as she looked quizzically at Harm for an instant, Gill knew that the Petty Officer, despite her shared history with Harm, posed absolutely no threat to her and Harm's relationship.

Jen's curiosity was also satisfied, as were her worries. She had been concerned that Harm might have fallen for a Mac look alike, and was fearful that if he had, he might end up being hurt again. But now as she saw Gill had a more slender figure than Sarah MacKenzie, her skin was fairer and her hair lighter, and her eyes instead of being the dark, at times, almost unreadable brown of Mac's eyes, were lighter, a hazel colour and alive with laughter, good humour, and as she turned her head to look up at Harm, were also filled with love. An emotion she reminded herself that she had never seen in Mac' eyes when she looked at Harm.

"Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you too… Jennifer?" Gill ventured.

"Yes, that's my name, ma'am," Jen smiled.

"I know," Gill smiled as she eased into a chair at the table, while Harm plugged in the electric kettle, "Harm has told me so much about you!"

"Oh… well… I don't really care what sort of lies he's told about me, but if he's told just one word of the truth, well…"

"He's a dead man walking?" Harm interrupted.

"I didn't say that, sir! You did!" Jen objected.

The three sat back on their chairs and chuckled and any residual awkwardness faded away.

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Harm and Jen fidgeted impatiently in the arrivals hall at RAF Lakenheath. The journey from Northholt had taken just over the hour and a half, most of it on motorways, the M40, the M25 and only the last leg, the A11 wasn't motorway, although even that stretch of the road was dual carriageway and although only two lanes wide in each direction was just as fast and smooth as any of the roads they'd used earlier on the journey.

But now the PA system had announced that the flight for which they had been waiting had landed and both Harm and Jen were hard put not to betray their impatience and even their excitement at the thought of being reunited with Mattie, their much-loved, fiery teenager.

At last Harm's height allowed him to spot Mattie, an unmistakable copper-haired and wheelchair-bound figure being pushed through the throng by a young man in the uniform of a Senior Airman. Harm's height made him easily spotted by Mattie and an enormous grin spread across her face as she turned and looked upward at her helper and directed him towards the spot where Harm and Jen stood waiting.

"Hey, Squirt!" Harm exclaimed as Mattie's chair came to a stop just in about four feet in front of him.

"Hey Harm… Dad…" Mattie smiled and then bracing her hands on the chair's arm-rests she surged upright and took two, frail, uncertain tottering steps before falling forward and landing on Harm's chest as her arms wrapped around as much of him as she could reach, while his arms automatically closed around her, supporting, protecting and welcoming her at the same time.

Jen and Harm exchanged wondering looks over the top of Mattie's head, and their eyes flooded. Harm buried his face in Mattie's hair and choked back a sob.

"Crying, dad?" she teased as she leaned back and looked up at him. "And here I was thinking that you'd be glad to see me!"

"Heck, Squirt, haven't you figured out yet the difference between sad tears and happy tears!" Harm smiled.

"And those are happy tears?" Mattie sniffled as her own emotions shifted into zone five.

"Damn straight!" Harm affirmed, while Jen produced a pocket-sized pack of Kleenex and wiped her eyes as Harm gently lowered Mattie back into her chair.