5
1130hrs EDT
Wednesday June 1 2011
Captain Harmon Rabb's Office
JAG Headquarters
The Navy Yard
Washington DC
Harm tore open the envelope marked with the new WRNMMC logo on its flap and unfolded the single sheet of paper it contained. He read it through once, and grunted as if he'd received a body blow, not so much because of its contents but the short line of type below the signature of M E Vincent, Col, USAF, "Copy to VADM A S Tucker, JAG, USN"
Still the news could have been worse, he wasn't about to be fired from the Navy, but he was required to attend a thrice weekly therapy session, each Monday Wednesday and Friday for the next six weeks, starting next Monday, and after that he would be required to undergo a second evaluation.
He reached for the 'phone to tell someone the good news, but then realised that the only person he had with whom he could share news like this was Jen, and he didn't want to put her in a position where she might be conflicted. After all, it was the same old thing, 'even the appearance of impropriety…'
Dammit! Why was he so keen to stay in the Navy, when for most of his life the navy regulations had played a huge role in fucking up that same life! He slammed the 'phone down and glowered at it.
So… best not to tell Jen on the 'phone. He'd wait until this evening and speak with her face to face.
1930hrs EDT
Friday June 3 2011
Room 1132
The Willard Hotel
Washington DC
Harm sat back in the armchair, glowering once again at the telephone. Jen was late. She was supposed to have been here … he checked his watch… thirty minutes ago. At least when she'd had to cancel on Wednesday and Thursday, she'd 'phoned well ahead. She'd just gotten the draft of her dissertation back and from what she carefully hadn't said, but he heard in her crestfallen tone, it need some pretty extensive re-work, and she'd needed to get in a couple of evening burning the midnight oil. He hadn't liked it… but at the same time he admired her dedication. Jennifer Philips had come a long, long way from the petulant and insubordinate Petty Officer Third Class he'd defended on charges of UA and Evading Arrest.
His brooding was ended by a sharp double-tap on his door he looked up, a frown still creasing his brows, "Enter!"
The door opened and a slightly breathless Jen stood framed in the doorway, she grinned in a sort embarrassed fashion and said, "Oh, Harm… I'm so sorry I'm late…"
Harm stood, his frown smoothed away by a smile of pure pleasure, "It's OK, Jen, you made it… "
"Yeah, well I'm such a dumb-ass…!"
"No, no you're not," he disagreed as he took both her hands in his and drew her into the light of the room, "You are…" and he broke off, stunned for a moment by her appearance, "magnificent!" he gulped
Jen blushed and her face lit up in a pleased grin, "Gee, ya think?" she demanded
"Oh, I do, I do indeed!" Harm murmured.
"Well… it's not every night that I get invited out to dine and dance with a handsome, dashing Navy Captain!" she teased gently.
Jen was a naturally beautiful woman and that she seemed totally ignorant of that basic fact only added to a beauty that was enhanced by her sense of style. Even in baggy sweats and an over-sized t-shirt there was much about her that drew male – and some female – eyes, but tonight, her appearance was far from that dowdy image.
She wore a simple black, knee length, sheath dress with a moderately low, square neckline and spaghetti straps that left her shoulders bare except for the wrap of black silk lace, currently draped across her elbows. She wore a single strand of some red stones – Garnets, probably, Harm thought – around her neck with matching drop earrings. Her hair, which she usually wore loose when off duty, was gathered into a twist at the crown of her head with one thick tress allowed to fall to one side and gently caress her shoulder and collar bone as she moved her head.
Harm had no idea how long he had stood there gawping at her, but it seemed that Jen not only didn't mind, but welcomed his attention. She smiled up at him, "Captain, Oh my Captain?"
Harm shook his head to clear it, "Uh… yes, Jen?"
"I could stand here all night watching you watching me, but… I skipped lunch to leave room for dinner… and I was just wondering what time our reservation was for?"
Almost as if the mere mention of food had started her gastric juices working, Jen's stomach gave a gentle growl, as if to rebuke Harm for delaying dinner.
Jen blushed and then chuckled, as Harm's grin grew even broader. Letting go of her hands, he slipped into his suit jacket, and offered Jen his arm. "Shall we?" he asked.
"We most certainly, shall!" Jen replied placing her arm through his and smiling up at him with twinkling eyes.
0030hrs EDT
Saturday June 4 2011
L'Ortolan Restaurant
Washington DC
Dinner had been superb… five courses, all cooked to perfection and exquisitely presented. The staff had been attentive, but not overly so and they hadn't had to wait too long between courses. The end result was that Harm had been able to lead Jen onto the dance floor by twenty two thirty hours where they had remained, in a loose embrace dancing to the strains of Harm's favourite soft jazz. The embrace had imperceptibly become closer as the danced, and now Jen had her head tucked under Harm's chin and her hands placed on his shoulders, while his own hands held her lightly at her waist the lower edges of his palms resting on just the very top of the swell of her hips as they moved together to the slow rhythm of the music.
Neither of them spoke much, Jen quite content to feel the soft thump-thump of Harm's heart, while Harm lost himself in the fresh, light perfume of Jen's hair. An "Are you OK, Jen" nearly an hour ago had been answered by a murmured "M'mm" and since then there had been silence.
Now the band leader's voice announcing the last number broke the spell, and Jen sighed lifting her head to gaze up into Harm's face.
"Ready to go home?" he asked softly.
Jen nodded and then closed her eyes, letting her head sink back onto Harm's chest, provoking a deep-chested chuckle from him and raising her face to his again Jen asked, with a puzzled frown, "Did I just say something dumb?"
"Yeah… you did… a little bit," Harm smiled.
"Like what?" Jen asked.
"Oh… well I asked if you were ready to go home, you sort of said yes, and then went back to whatever dream you were having!"
"Oh… you do not want to know about my dreams!" Jen chuckled.
"I might, you know," Harm said.
"No… I don't think so… oh…" Jen finished her sentence in a gasp of disappointment as the music faded away into silence. Regretfully she stepped free of Harm's grasp and smiled, "It's been a fantastic evening… but I guess we should go now?"
Harm nodded in agreement, and slipping his arm around her waist he guided her to the cloakroom where she retrieved her purse and wrap. After tipping the cloakroom attendant, he rummaged in his pocket and found the parking counterfoil, and passed it, together with another tip to the waiting parking valet.
1215hrs EDT
Sunday June 5 2011
Room 1132
The Willard Hotel
Washington DC
Harm was ready and waiting for the knock on the door, and opened it with a grin, "Hi Jen!"
Jen grinned back and stepped into the room to be taken by surprise as Harm wrapped his arms around her, and gave her a squeeze.
"Wow!" she puffed as she lay back against the circle of his arms. "What was that for!"
"That's for not seeing you since yesterday!" He chided her, "and for barely being able to exchange more than a 'hello' on the 'phone earlier!"
"Oh, Harm! I am so sorry… but when my dissertation got back to me! There was just so much work I needed to do, I'm going to have to re-write the whole abstract and the rationale! I can't believe I screwed those up so badly! And," she continued as Harm regretfully let his hands slip down to her waist, "unlike civilian post-grads, we work to a deadline and there are no extensions! Besides, I really want to get this put away this year and get my diploma to hang on my office wall!"
Harm nodded as he turned to pick up his lightweight jacket, "You'll do it, Jen, it'll be Doctor Philips before you know it!"
"Oh I hope so!" Jen declared, and continued silently in her head, 'but I just wish it could be Doctor Rabb, instead!'
"Right then," Harm asked as he turned, the jacket thrown over his shoulder and held in place by a carelessly crooked finger in its collar, "Are we ready?"
"Ready, aye, ready!" Jen grinned in reply.
1254hrs EDT
Sunday June 5 2011
The Roberts' Residence
South Columbus Street
Alexandria, VA
The sounds of country music and laughter drifting from the back-yard told Harm and Jen they weren't the first guests to arrive as they unloaded their contribution from the trunk of the Impreza, Harm grabbed the case of beer and then braced himself while Jen added the case of sodas to his burden and locked the car.
"All ready, Sherpa Rabb?" she grinned.
"Yes, memsahib!" he replied obediently as he followed her up the path to the porch, taking advantage of the moment as he did so to admire the swell and moment of her jeans encased six. Shaking his head again he castigated himself silently, 'For God's sake Rabb! Grow up! You are forty-eight years old. You are not supposed to be leering at the butt of every pretty girl you pass in the street! And it's hardly decent! Mac is barely cold in her grave and here you are acting like a hormonally charged teenager!'
The little voice in his head carefully refrained from mentioning that Jen was not 'every girl', that she was not even, strictly speaking, 'a girl' but a mature, attractive, beautiful and desirable woman, and that it was nearly eighteen months since he had lost Mac.
Getting no answer at the door, Jen turned with an apologetic smile and led Harm around the side of the house to the back yard. Although not crowded, there were certainly enough people there to allow Harm to shrink back into a corner and not be detected if that was what he wanted to do, and for a moment that was exactly how he felt, until Harriett spying the newcomers, hastily wiped her hands on her apron and cam to greet them.. She first took Jen into a quick hug and kissed her on the cheek, whispering "Well done… I was half afraid he'd chicken out!" before turning to Harm.
She eyed him with exasperation, "How am I supposed to give you hug when I can't get near you for beer!" she complained, she shook her head and laughed, "There's only one thing I can do! Lower altitude, sailor!"
Harm smiled although Harriet's use of a phrase Mattie had almost made her own brought a constricted feeling to his throat, and immediately bent his head forward enough so that Harriet could reach up and give him his welcoming kiss on the cheek.
Smiling at him as he straightened up Harriet indicated the barbecue with a jerk of her thumb, "Bud's already got the burgers on – veggie ones are for you! In the meantime…" she looked around, "A J Roberts!"
"Yes ma'am?" an eleven year old round faced miniature Bud Roberts turned at her shout, "A J, take these drinks from the Captain and stow them away in the ice box!"
"Aye, aye, ma'am!"
"Still got the habit of command there, Harriet!" Harm laughed as A J commandeered the services of Jimmy Roberts and each laden with a case of drinks disappeared into the house.
Harriet sighed happily, "Believe me sir… uh… Harm… with five kids in the house, it's the only way!"
"Five!" Harm shared a shocked look with Jen, "Is there something you've been keeping secret, Lieutenant?"
"Oh, Lord! Nobody's called me that for years!" Harriet chuckled, "No… no secret babies anywhere, there's A J, Jimmy, Nikki, Matthew and Bud!" she finished triumphantly, counting the names off on her fingers.
Jen and Harm burst out laughing as they looked across the yard at Bud, who hearing the laughter, looked up from his task saw them looking at him and responded with a grin and a wave of his spatula.
"You are going to be in so much trouble if he hears you say that!" Jen grinned.
"Oh, I can usually persuade him otherwise!" Harriet responded with a saucy wink , "Now if you'll excuse me…" she grinned again and then turned and walked across the yard, deliberately exaggerating the sway of her hips from side to side and looking back over her shoulder to make sure that they got the message.
Harm grinned, "And I always thought Harriet was so sweet and innocent!" he mock-complained.
Jen lifted an eyebrow at him, "Not her! She always was the earthy one! The stories I could tell you… Oops! Mustn't give away the secrets of the sisterhood, and anyway, even if she had been sweet and innocent at one time, after four kids…" Jen grinned up at the look of shock on Harms face and let her sentence fade away in a throaty chuckle.
Before he could think of a suitable reply he found a cold bottle of beer being thrust into his hand and a familiar face grinning at him, "Hello sir! It's good, really good to see you again!" and then with a quick hug and a kiss on her cheek, "Jen, how are you?"
"Pretty good, Jason, pretty good, thank you." Jen cocked an eye at Harm to see if he remembered the younger man, she need not have worried.
"Jason Tiner! Good to see you again after so long!" Harm responded offering his hand, which was taken in firm grip.
"Oh, I'm not the only survivor from Falls Church, sir!" Jason declared, you've just missed Gunny – I mean Lieutenant Galindez, he got a call-out and had to run!"
Gunny got a commission? Harm asked.
"Oh… no… My bad!" Jason Tiner stuttered, "He got out of working the CIA, and then he got married. His wife didn't like the idea of him being deployed again so when his hitch ran out, he joined the Fairfax PD, said he felt safer back in uniform."
"Gunny got married?" Harm said disbelievingly.
"He sure did!" Come on I'll introduce you to his wife, she's talking to Annette over there."
"Oh, is Annette here?" Jen asked with a smile, "Come on Harm, she's wonderful!"
Harm let himself be dragged to a bench seat occupied by two women, one a heavily pregnant Latina, whom Jason introduced as Elena Galindez and a petite auburn-haired and green-eyed young woman, whom Jason introduced proudly as, "…and this is my wife, Lieutenant Annette Walker, JAG Corps!"
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Captain," Annette said in soft but pronounced Texas drawl as she stood.
"Please, sit down… we're not on duty… so no ceremony. Just call me Harm, if I may call you Annette?"
"Certainly, suh… uh Harm," Annette said and went faintly pink at her slight faux-pas.
"Oh no!" Harm groaned theatrically, "Not another one!"
Annette looked puzzled, as did Jason while Jen burst out into a laugh. "Oh, I'm sorry, Annette, I don't mean to be rude… but it's taken Harm about ten years to get Harriet to call him by his name, and she reserved her commission about six months before the twins were born!"
"Talking of the twins, Jen, where are they?" Harm asked looking about.
Annette, happy and relieved that she was no longer the immediate focus of attention indicated with a jerk of her head, "There they are, in the sandbox, playing with Chuck!"
Harm followed the direction she'd indicated to see three children of about five or six years old engaged in trying to build a giant economy sized sandcastle. He had no need to ask which ones were the twins, their two fair heads were in contrast with the dark air of the smallest of the three.
"How old is he now?" Jen asked Annette.
"Just coming up to six years old," Annette said with a smile.
"I didn't hear of you being married before I left for the UK, Jason?" Harm asked.
"Uh… no… we… uh've… been married just under the six years," Jason replied with a smile at Annette who blushed.
"I understand, her Uncle Chuck, who gave her away had a white shotgun in his jeep!" Jen whispered into Harm's ear.
Jason and Annette both winced at the obviously old joke while Jen grinned impishly.
Harm, to his regret, didn't have much time to spend with the Tiners, before his attention was claimed by Alan Mattoni. "Harm, I've a special someone I'd liked you to meet!"
Harm turned at his voice to be confronted not only by Alan and Jacqui Mattoni but also by a slender African-American girl who said shyly, "Hello, Mister Harm…"
It took Harm a second to identify the young woman standing in front of him and then his face split in a huge smile, "Dar-Lin!" he exclaimed.
"Yes, it's me, Mister Harm." she paused and then in a barely audible voice she asked, "Permission to hug the Captain?"
"You don't need permission, Dar Lin, not ever!" Harm said emphatically as he held his arms open to her, she stepped into his embrace returning it with a fervent hug of her own.
Harm released her and quickly looked away lest she see the moisture in his eyes, "How are you doing these days, Dar-Lin?" he said gruffly.
The teenager hooked her arm through his, and gently led him away from the crowd, tactfully allowing him to regain his control, "I'm doing just fine, Mister Harm. I start college in the fall."
"I see, where are you going?"
"Duke," she replied and sensing a hesitation on his part, she added, "It's Daddy's old school, he did his pre-law and law there!"
"Are you going to be an attorney, then?"
"No… I want to be a forensic scientist, like Miss Terri…so I can try and find the answers and speak for the ones who can't speak for themselves any more."
Harm led her back to Alan and Jacqui, but she stayed with them only a moment or two before the blonde girl who had been playing in the sand box raced over and grabbing hold of one of Dar-Lin's hands with both of hers tugged the slim teenager to come and help her build a better sandcastle than the boys.
The rest of the afternoon passed in similar manner getting re-acquainted with old friends, and meeting new people, until about four o'clock Harm and Jen, who had stayed by his side most the day slumped onto the bench previously occupied by the Tiners and Elena Galindez. Elena had been feeling the heat and out of consideration for her condition Jason and Annette had taken her home.
"Whew!" Harm said with wry grin and pretended swiping of perspiration of his brow. "I never thought that a meet and greet could be so exhausting. Today has certainly cured me of any political ambition I might have had!."
"Oh… I don't know… You looked like you kinda enjoyed it parts," Jen replied as Harm took a long swallow from a bottle of cold water. As he did so, Jen felt a strong sense of relief. Despite the availability of beer and wine, Harm had limited himself to just three bottles the whole afternoon before switching to fruit juices and then to water.
Harm smiled down at her, and draped an arm along the back of the bench, a move which Jen took as an invitation to move closer, and one which she was quick o accept. Feeling her warmth next to his Harm smiled again, "Comfortable, there, Jen?"
"Umm… but you were saying you enjoyed parts of the afternoon…?"
"Uh… no… you said I enjoyed parts of the afternoon!" he gently corrected her, "But you were right, it was good to meet Tiner, and really wonderful to meet Dar-Lin after all these years."
Jen chuckled, "I liked the way she called you 'Mister Harm', it was so cute!"
Harm smiled again. "Yeah she always called me that… dunno why, but it was the same with Terri, Commander Coulter, she was always 'Miss Terri' and Jordi – you didn't know her – she was always 'Miss Jordi'. Yeah, Dar-Lin was always polite."
Harriet lifted her head from the task of clearing away some of the wreckage from the cook-out and smiled happily as she saw across the yard the scene that Harm and Jen presented, "Bud…" she called softly to her husband, "Come, see!"
2007hrs EDT
Sunday June 5 2011
Hotel Lobby
The Willard Hotel
Washington, DC
Jen sighed and put her empty coffee cup down, and then bending as she sat, she slipped her shoes back onto her feet before she stood, "I really, really must go now, Harm. It's been a really great day!"
"I really enjoyed it too Jen, and it's me that should be thanking you for saving me from another Sunday staring at these four walls," Harm replied, as he rose to his feet and picking up Jen's jacket held it open for her.
Jen turned allowing him to ease the sleeves over her arms, lifting her hair clear of the collar before she turned back to face him, cupping his face in her hands as she rose on her toes and kissed him gently but firmly square on the lips.
As she dropped back on to her heels, Harm stared at her in something like shock, "Jen… what…?" he gasped two fingers pressed against his mouth where he could still feel the pressure of her lips on his.
Jen took his other hand in both of hers, "Harm, you said the other day that you thought of me as a sister. Well, I've never thought of you as a brother!"
"Now… I'll leave you with that thought" Jen said, "and if you want to continue this conversation, then you know where to find me." Her face and eyes and voice then softened, as she almost whispered, "Goodnight, Harm… I really did enjoy today." Then she was gone.
Harm stood still for what seemed ages after the door had closed behind her and then he seemed to shake himself awake, like a dog emerging from water, as he gazed at the door through which she had disappeared and whispered, "Jen?"
2255hrs EDT
Sunday June 5 2011
Female BOQ
WRNMMC
Bethesda, MD
Jen stood under her shower, prolonging the experience in the hope that the shower would wash away both her disappointment and her anger at herself.
'Stupid, stupid, stupid, that's what I am!' she scolded herself; 'I just threw myself at him, and told him that I didn't think of him as a brother! I might as well have just stripped off and jumped his bones on the spot! Dear God! The look on his face! Oh well, you've screwed the pooch this time Coates! It was too, too, soon. He's still mourning Mac and the baby; he'll probably never speak to you again! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!'
Trying to pretend that her stinging eyes were the result of soap and water, Jen wrapped a towel around herself and drying off, she climbed into her PJ's and then into bed, where she laid her head on her pillow and miserably tried to get to sleep.
0142hrs EDT
Monday June 6 2011
Room 1132
The Willard Hotel
Washington DC
His jacket discarded Harm sat in the armchair, while he remembered and considered Jen's outburst. He idly regarded the nearly full glass of bourbon in his hand and then looked at his watch, nearly two hours ago since he'd poured the drink, now the ice was melted and the spirit was warming up to room temperature, and all in all he'd barely touched it. With a grimace of distaste he put the drink down on the coffee table and thought about how he was going to… what he was going to do… what was happening with Jen.
'Sure, Mac told me… years ago that she thought Jen had a crush on me. But like I said at the time, that was just gratitude because I was the first person in a long time that had shown that I cared about her, without wanting anything in return. Hell, Mac knew that, otherwise she'd have played hell with having Jen almost living in the same apartment. And yeah, I'm not blind, she is beautiful… she always was… but… the regs… and the fact that I'm almost old enough to be her father. Oh. My. God. Was that what she was hinting at the other day when she told me she liked older men! Oh, crap! That smile when she said it! How come I missed that! Harmon Rabb you got one hell of a problem just dumped in your lap!'
1350hrs EDT
Monday June 6 2011
Psychological Department
WRNMMC
Bethesda, MD
Jen almost jumped as the cell 'phone clipped to her belt started buzzing, despite the fact she had deliberately set the timer to alert her just at this time. It was coming on for fourteen hundred hours, time for Harm's appointment, and she wanted to be off the floor before he arrived.
He hadn't called since she'd practically fled the hotel on Sunday evening, 'Honestly, I was such a fool!' was the ultimate outcome of her reflections, 'What did I expect him to do? Rip my panties off and throw me on the bed?' but even as she castigated herself, the mental image her thoughts evoked caused her nipples to harden and a feeling of warmth invade her lower abdomen.
And if just thinking of him made her feel like that, then how could she ever look him in the eyes again after ambushing him the way she had. He hadn't reacted at all to her kiss, his lips had been gentle, and he'd not tried to push her away… but he hadn't reacted either..
Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself before saying lightly to Andy Kerr, who shared the office with her, "Andy, I think there was too much salt in the meat loaf in the commissary at lunch time; I'm going to get a soda, should I bring you one back?"
"Huh? Oh, no… no thanks, Jen, I'm good," Andy smiled vaguely at her and then returned to his text book and the notes he was making.
Andy Kerr wasn't left in peace for very many minutes, a knock on the door disturbed him soon after Jen had left, and with a frown he had called "Enter", only to spring to his feet as a Navy Captain in Summer Whites walked through the door and into the cramped office.
Andy braced to attention, "Sir!" he acknowledged the senior officer's presence, "At ease, Captain," Harm said, noting the other officer's Air Force uniform and Captain's bars. "I'm looking for Lieutenant Philips, Navy. This is her office, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir," Andy answered warily, unsure of how forthcoming he should be. Jen, any of them, were at perfect liberty to come and go within the bounds of the hospital at any time, but this guy wasn't medical and might not appreciate the degree of freedom that was allowed. He gulped, "She's stepped out of the office for a few minutes, sir. Would you care to wait?"
Harm shook his head and grimaced, "No… I have another appointment. I'll try to catch her later. Thank you, Captain."
It was about ten minutes later that Jen returned to the office to be greeted by a grin and a "Pretty long time to get a soda, Jen!"
"Yeah, well. What can I say?" Jen shrugged, "I just felt like drinking it downstairs instead of bringing it back up here!"
"Oh, OK. Oh… and by the way, Jen, you had a visitor while you were out, a Navy Captain."
"Oh?" Jen feigned disinterest, "Did he say what he wanted, or leave his name?"
Andy shook his head, "No, he just asked for you and when I told him you'd left the office, he said he'd try later."
1523hrs EDT
Monday June 6 2011
Psychological Department
WRNMMC
Bethesda, MD
Harm shook his head as he closed the door behind him. That had been a tough hour! Colonel Vincent had been merciless, forcing him to confront all sorts of demons, from his ambivalent attitude towards Mac – hell he didn't even know he had been ambivalent – to why he thought himself guilty over her death.
That of course, had led into Vincent questioning him, pressuring him into recounting all the reasons why it took Harm and Mac nine years to confess that they loved each other. And then at the end of the session Vincent had calmly asked if the proposal hadn't just been a reaction to the deadline imposed by Cresswell, and that neither of them really wanted marriage, that they were happier in the see-saw relationship that they had developed over the years.
For a moment Harm stood undecided whether to try and find Jen again or just go back to the hotel and crash out for an hour or so while he recovered before tackling the 'homework' Colonel Vincent had set him – to write down every major interaction he'd had with Mac, what he had felt at that time, and what he had done to reconcile his feelings and his actions. If the feeling brought on by superficial questioning, like this afternoon, then the deep introspection for which Vincent was asking threatened to bring on a maelstrom of feelings for which Harm definitely was not prepared to face.
No… he wasn't up to continuing 'that' conversation with Jen, just yet, so maybe it was just as well that he hadn't been able to find her earlier. Once he'd gotten his breath back – metaphorically speaking – he'd be in a better position to cope with any fall out from Saturday morning.
1234hrs EDT
Thursday June 9 2011
Psychological Department
WRNMMC
Bethesda, MD
Jen sighed in relief as Andy squared away his desk and picked up his cover, "I'm going for lunch, Jen. You coming?"
"Not today, Andy, thanks… I'm still wrestling with the abstract on my dissertation, I'll be glad of an hour's peace… Just me and my dissertation… better than a lover!" she grinned, all the while hearing her thoughts, 'Liar! Liar'
As soon as Andy was out of the door, Jen fished her cell 'phone out of her purse. She'd received so many calls from either the Willard or JAG HQ that she'd switched all call to voice-mail. And now had to check her 'phone at regular intervals to make sure she hadn't missed anything important.
As she checked through the list of voice-mails waiting for her attention she became uneasily aware that her own behaviour was mirroring that of Harm, and for which she had lashed out at him so savagely only last week! She was hiding from him, cutting herself off from him in much the same way as he had cut himself from his friends, but with much less reason than he had. The trouble was, she had now made such a big deal of refusing to face up the issues which she had raised, that she, just like Harm, again, didn't know how to fix the situation.
Jen bowed her head and buried her face in her hands, fighting back tears.' Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!'
1337hrs EDT
Friday June 10 2011
Psychological Department
WRNMMC
Bethesda, MD
Once again Jen's cell 'phone alerted her to Harm's imminent arrival in the department, but this time she had a real excuse to leave the floor. She had an appointment with her Gynaecologist that she couldn't risk missing. Of course, that the time she'd gotten the appointment just happened to clash with Harm's appointment with Colonel Vincent was entirely coincidental, and couldn't be helped.
And as had happened on Monday and Wednesday, scarcely had she left the office when Harm arrived in her office doorway, and once again Andy had been obliged to cover for Jen's absence. This time the tall Navy Captain hadn't been as pleasant as he had on the two previous occasions. On Wednesday Andy had mendaciously informed the visitor that Jen was with a patient, so it was with a sense of relief that he was able to truthfully say on this occasion that Jen had a medical appointment of her own to attend.
The curt, "Thank you!" that was the reply made Andy sit back and think. There was more to this than meets the eye. Jen always seemed to disappear just before this Captain showed up, almost as if she was avoiding him. It looked like to Andy that this guy was stalking her, maybe he'd better contact the Security Detachment. His hand reached for the 'phone but hovered over the instrument as doubts assailed him. He had seen Jen lose her temper on a couple of occasions, and he didn't relish the prospect of becoming a target for her anger. Maybe it would be better to talk to her first before he took any irredeemable action!
1743hrs EDT
Friday June 10 2011
Parking Lot C (South)
WRNMMC
Bethesda, MD
Jen stopped, her mouth opened in a show of disbelief. Today had been bad enough; all she wanted now was to get back to the BOQ get out of her peanut butters and into a hot shower and wash away the cares of the day. She had spent the entire morning trying to re-write the problematical section of her dissertation's rationale, and then she'd actually gone and booked a Gyno exam to avoid Harm. 'That was really something,' she told herself in disgust, 'What a coward! I actually preferred the humiliation and discomfort of having my private parts invaded rather than face Harmon Rabb'. Now, slightly sore, tired, disgusted at herself and dispirited and wanting to get home, she found that she couldn't. Some asshole had parked a damned great Chrysler Sebring squarely across the back of the Impreza, there was no way she could manoeuvre her car out of its designated spot. All she could do was wait until the driver of the Sebring returned, and then, by Christ, he or she was going to feel the sharp edge of her tongue! Or… she could phone the Security Detachment and have them come and tow the Sebring. It was after all, illegally parked. The decision made, she fumbled in her regulation purse for her cell 'phone, but before she could dial the number she was stopped by a a gently amused and very familiar voice from behind.
"Having a little trouble, Lieutenant?"
Jen spun around , the blood draining from her face, "Sir?" and to her further humiliation, her voice came out as a squeak as she saw Harm leaning nonchalantly against the Sebring's wing his arms folded and a look of displeasure on his face.
"Sir…" Jen cleared her throat and tried again, "Sir… is this your car?"
"Technically, no. It's a rental. But I if you mean did I park the car where it is, then, yes, I did!" Harm replied in level voice.
"But why…?" Jen began and then bit her lip in confusion as she realised she was on the verge of asking questions that she wasn't sure she wanted an answer to.
"Because I'm tired of getting your voice mail every time I try to call you. I'm tired of you being away from your office every time I call in. You and I, Lieutenant, have a serious conversation to finish. A conversation that you initiated and invited me to continue. Well, I'm here now and I intend to finish that conversation…"
"Sir… we can't not here… it's too… too public!"
"Well, maybe we can't finish the conversation here. But first I have two things to say to you. Firstly I need to make you an apology, and the second is this!" Harm stepped forward and reached his hand, and with a long finger he tilted Jen's face up towards his, and then keeping his eyes fixed on hers, as if asking her permission, he gently pressed his lips to hers in a soft, loving kiss.
Jen returned the kiss until the sense of their whereabouts re-asserted herself and breaking free she took a step back. "Sir… we can't… not here… our ranks… public displays….!"
"Firstly Lieutenant, since we have just, as you so rightly comment, indulged in a display of public affection, don't you think that we could at least call each other by our names?"
Jen blushed pink, "I guess so…" she faltered.
"Good!" Harm enthused, "because that makes this next bit a whole lot easier, Jennifer Coates, I owe you an apology for lying to you and to myself!"
"Harm?"
"Yeah, an apology, you see, despite what I said last week, I don't think I ever really thought of you as a sister!"
Jen gasped and then threw herself onto Harm's chest, knocking both their covers flying as she wound her arms around his neck and lip locked with him in a kiss that was full of wanting, desire and love.
When lack of air forced them apart, they became aware of the grinning crowd their embrace had drawn.
Harm looked a little stunned at the fervour of Jen's reaction. But his pilot's reactions kicked in, "Let's continue this someplace else!" he grinned broadly as he bent and rescued their covers. "On my six, Lieutenant!"
"Aye, aye, sir!" Jen replied with just as broad a grin as they both dived for their cars.
Seconds later the only evidence that Harm and Jen had ever been in that parking lot was the faint smell of burning rubber and the swiftly fading sound of their engines.
The End
Is there enough demand for a sequel?