Sycamore Street – Falls Church, Virginia
1628 Eastern
Harm had decided to secure early, knowing that Beth would be at the house waiting for him. He also knew that they would have a lot to discuss, so he wanted as much time together as he could reasonably arrange. To that end, he'd called for pizzas before leaving and stopped to pick them up on his way home.
Opening the front door, he could hear two voices from somewhere in the house. So, as he carried his load of food and work into the kitchen, he called out.
"Mattie, Beth, I'm home. And I've got dinner."
Harm realized instantly that he'd said the magic word when Mattie came into the kitchen at an almost run and made straight for the food. Beth followed behind at a slower pace, a smile on her face as she saw Harm. Going up to him, she pulled him in for a gentle hug and kiss.
"I've missed you so much," she breathed as they separated.
"I've missed you too, darling," Harm replied before kissing her.
"Hey, you guys. Get a room, I'm trying to eat," came Mattie's indignant cry as she looked up from her plate of pizza.
Harm and Beth had a good laugh at the teenager, as they went to the table and sat next to each other. By unspoken agreement, the conversation at the table steered clear of Harm's call to Beth. Although, Beth had told Mattie before Harm arrived that there would be some kind of discussion that evening, the topic of which was unknown. So, they talked about how Mattie was adapting to the new school and the prospect of an early winter.
It was only after dinner was done and the trio had moved into the family room that the conversation turned serious. Harm had brought his briefcase with him and after settling down on the sofa with Beth, he opened it and removed the folder. Beth saw this and knew something big was happening, while Mattie just sat in her chair and watched.
"So, Harm," Beth began, "is this the damned good story I demanded earlier?"
"Yes, it is," Harm replied, looking at both her and Mattie. "Some major events took place today, which potentially have an impact on all of us. My guardianship of Mattie and my relationship with you, Beth. And for us to have a future together means we act together, decide things together. That's partly the reason I needed you here tonight, Beth."
"And what's the other part, Harm?"
"The other part is also tied to that future. See, now that I have you in my life, I never want to let you go. Elizabeth Hawkes, you've been my friend, my shipmate. Now, I'd like to ask you to be my life mate. Will you marry me?"
Beth was stunned silent. She'd long known her feeling for Harm, but never in her wildest dreams had she hoped for this. Not so soon after they'd finally admitted their feelings to each other. She'd expected a long period of dating before they got to here, not a single mere handful of dates over less than a month.
"Beth?" Harm called, growing concerned that he'd rushed things, especially as tears began to form in her eyes. "Beth?"
Beth still couldn't make herself form the words, though her brain was screaming them in her head. So, she decided to pursue an alternate form of communication. Wrapping her arms around Harm's neck, she pulled him in for a passionate, possessive kiss. It was only when they'd broken apart that she was finally able to verbalize her feelings.
"Oh, God, yes. Yes, yes, yes!"
Seeing Mattie almost beside herself with joy, the newly engaged couple opened their arms for the teen. Both Harm and Beth reflected on how right this felt, how much like family. Still, Beth knew that there was much more to discuss.
"Well, that was certainly wonderful, but I think we got a little off track," she said with a grin, teasing Harm.
"Yes, I guess we did. Some beautiful lady distracted me."
"If you're no longer distracted, maybe you can get on with the story?"
Harm could sense that he'd be pushing things if he didn't get back to the topic. So, he proceeded to explain everything that had happened that morning and afternoon. He concluded with the folder that was currently sitting in his lap, still waiting to be opened.
"Well, no wonder you wanted to tell me in person," Beth said, still wrapping her head around all the details. "It's definitely a lot to think about. Question number one, I guess, is whether you even want to stay in the Navy now that Admiral Chegwidden is gone."
"A lot would depend on the contents of this folder, Beth," Harm replied. "Because anything that takes me away from you and Mattie would be unacceptable."
"Then I would think the time has come to open that folder and see what your options are."
Harm took a deep breath, then with one hand holding on to Beth's, he opened the folder and found a single sheet of paper. Reading once through quickly, he went back to the top and reread the list slowly while his mind absorbed the details.
"For Commander Harmon Rabb Junior. Option A, assume the post of FJA for United States Naval Forces, Europe. Duty station is London, England. Promotion to Captain. Option B, assume the post of SJA for Naval Air Systems Command. Duty station is Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Maryland. Option C, assume the post of Assistant SJA to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Duty station, Washington, D.C."
Looking up, he saw Beth had finished reading as well and had been waiting on him. So, he closed the folder and set it aside.
"It's funny, really," Beth said with a smile that promised a joke was to come. "The absolute best offer happens to also be the absolute worst offer."
Harm simply couldn't stop himself, he just had to laugh because his thoughts had been very similar. The posting to London was a wonderful opportunity, in and of itself. Add in the promotion to Captain and it was an offer impossible to refuse, except that it was almost 3700 miles and 5 time zones removed from Mattie and Beth. And that made it an offer impossible to accept.
"What about the assignment at Pax River?" Harm asked.
"Not exactly ideal, Harm. It's an hour and a half from Washington, so you'd be spending more than three hours a day in the car. Do you really want that commute every day?"
"No. And that time is under ideal conditions, assuming no traffic jams or such. If my years around here had taught me anything, it's to expect to spend fifty percent longer driving than the trip is projected to take."
"Then, that leaves the Assistant SJA position," Beth said, her tone of voice making her opinion of that position clear.
"I doubt I'd last 6 month inside the puzzle palace, most likely stuck doing nothing but paperwork," Harm said. "I'd be bored to death."
"And I know you're not a fan of paperwork, which would probably also mean you'd be frustrated, too. A bored, frustrated Harmon Rabb is also a surly fellow and I have no intention of dealing with that in a fiancé or husband."
"So, are we agreed that none of these positions are something I should accept?" Harm asked.
"Yes," is all Beth said in reply before they both turned to the silent third party.
"Don't look at me, I don't have an opinion. Besides, I thought you were happy out of the Navy. Now, it just looks like you're trying to find an excuse to stay in," Mattie said, leaving Harm thunderstruck. Beth, on the other hand, carefully hid a silent smile.
"Mattie, in almost any other circumstance, I'd take the position in London in a heartbeat."
"Why? I mean, wouldn't it be an office job with lots of paperwork? What would make that any better than the job here?"
"The opportunity to teach, Mattie. See, that position in London would put me in charge of an office full of young officers and enlisted personnel. I'd be supervising them, yes, and there'd be a lot of paperwork. But I'd also be responsible for overseeing their professional development, making them better lawyers and officers," Harm said.
"Is that why you really didn't want to run Grace Aviation, the paperwork?" Mattie asked.
"Partly," Harm admitted. "If doing paperwork means I can get to fly or helps me in court, I'll do it. But to successfully run a business, there's a lot of paperwork. Payroll, ordering supplies, sending bills and scheduling work. It's a full time job, as you're well aware, and I'm not sure I'm the person to do it."
Beth smiled, impressed that Harm would admit something like.
Mattie was impressed too. This was part of the reason she was coming to love Harm, the fact that he never treated her like a little kid. Almost from the start, he'd treated her as an equal. Like when they'd been talking about her mom and his dad and if you ever got over the loss. He'd just told her the truth, saying he thought she could handle it. Just like now, he hadn't asked her to leave the room so he and Beth could discuss his future. He'd let her stay and listen and when she hadn't said anything while he and Beth were talking, he'd asked her for her opinion.
"Well, I've got homework to do," Mattie announced as she got up to leave the room.
"Need any help?" Harm asked.
"No, I shouldn't, but I'll ask if I do."
Harm and Beth watched the teen leave the room before turning to each other.
"So, do you want to watch some television?" Harm asked Beth.
"No."
"Did you bring some work you need to do?"
"No."
"What would you like to do?" Harm asked, seeing the smile crossing her lips.
"Well, I seem to remember someone saying they needed some TLC," Beth said before bringing her head forward to capture his mouth in a gentle kiss, followed by several more.
"When do you need to leave?" Harm asked when they finally broke apart.
"Not until morning," Beth replied, her smile matched by Harm's.
Standing from the couch, Harm extended his hand to Beth. Helping her up, they walked hand-in-hand up the stairs and on into the master bedroom. It was the sound of the closing bedroom door that drew Mattie from her room. Upon seeing the closed door, she smiled before turning back to her own room.
Roberts' Residence – Alexandria, Virginia
2047 Eastern
Bud and Harriet had enjoyed a relaxing evening at home, or as relaxing as any night with two small boys could ever be. Dinner had been meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, followed by a Disney movie before putting the boys to bed. It was only after the boys were asleep that Bud brought out the folder, electing to sit at the kitchen table while reading through its contents.
"For Lieutenant Bud J. Roberts, Jr. Option A, assignment as Judge Advocate to LSO Pacific, duty station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Option B, assignment as Judge Advocate to DSO West, Naval Station San Diego, California. Option C, assignment as instructor, Leadership, Ethics and Law Department, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. If either option A or B is selected, spousal co-location with regards to Lieutenant Harriet Sims will be as follows. For Option A, assignment to IG office, Commander, Navy Region Hawaii. For Option B, assignment as assistant PAO, United States Naval Special Warfare Command, San Diego, California. If option C is selected, Lieutenant Sims may elect to remain at JAG Headquarters or seek reassignment through BUPERS within Naval District, Washington D.C."
Bud stared at the list in stunned disbelief. Even after the morning's events, he was still unprepared for seeing it in black and white. Whatever decision he made would mark the end of an era, since there was almost no likelihood of his being stationed anywhere near either Commander Rabb or Colonel MacKenzie. Yet, maybe this was a good thing, a chance to build a career outside the shadow of those two senior attorneys.
It was only when Harriet took the folder from in front of him that Bud finally realized that she'd been calling him for almost a minute.
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry. I guess I got a little lost in thought," Bud said, looking at his wife and managing a smile.
However, Harriet didn't respond as she was now the one stunned. Bud had told her about the meeting with SECNAV, but there hadn't been time until now for either of them to read the folder's contents. Given their reactions, that was probably a good thing considering that there had still been work to do. Now, while at home and off duty, was the time that they could just sit and allow their minds to race with the possibilities.
"Could you be happy teaching, Bud?" Harriet asked, quietly giving voice to her choice of his options. Annapolis might be an hour from home, but it would allow them to stay where they were. Also, it would keep the kids rooted and if Bud didn't get promoted soon, he'd be confronted with up or out. If he was forced to leave the Navy, being in Washington would be better than San Diego or Hawaii.
"Yes, I definitely think I would like that," Bud told her.
"Then, if that's decided, then why don't you close that folder and we'll see if we can't find something else you might like," Harriet said, a sexy smile crossing her face as she got up from the table and left the kitchen. Bud hurriedly closed the folder and stopping only the make sure the doors were locked, followed.
Sarah MacKenzie's Apartment – Georgetown
2216 Eastern
Mac sat in her living room, her folder and telephone resting on the coffee table in front of her couch. The anger she was feeling was split between the two objects, as she reflected on where her life was currently. She hadn't spoken to Webb in over a week now and with each passing day, she'd become more worried and angry. Yet, the connection that had enabled her to find Harm the night he'd gone down was failing her in regards to Clay. This only increased her level of worry and anger.
She had tried calling his cellphone but it only went to voice mail. She'd called his office and tried getting information out of his assistant, who had hidden behind a wall of 'need to know'. Well, damn it, she did need to know. As a last resort, she'd called Clay's mother, which had been a disaster and had left her even angrier, not just with Clay but also his mother. That condescending attitude and tone of Mrs. Webb's, treating her like a child or an idiot. As if Sarah didn't know that Clay had a dangerous job. She'd known that even before Paraguay, before he'd been tortured while protecting her.
Now, added to everything else she was dealing with, there was that folder and its list of options. She'd quickly glanced at it while still in the office, but had just as quickly closed it once she'd finished. No, that had definitely not been the time or place to really consider this. Instead, she'd worked through to her normal leaving time, before stopping at Beltway Burgers for her dinner.
It was only after eating and then taking a long, hot bath that she had returned to the living room, now dressed in pajamas and robe, and settled in on the couch. Finally realizing she couldn't keep putting it off, she picked up the folder and opened it again.
"For Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie. Option A, assume the post of Deputy SJA, United States Marine Corps Forces Pacific, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. Option B, assume the post of SJA, United States Marine Corps Forces Central Command (Forward), Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Bahrain. Option C, assume command of 4th Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina."
Mac closed the folder once again, before leaning back on the couch and closing her eyes. Any of the three would be wonderful assignments and a successful tour in any of them would go a long way to getting her promoted. But any of those assignments would also likely end her relationship with Clay and that was the hell of it. It was also another reason why she desperately needed to talk with him.
She could, she well knew, make this choice on her own. Simply pick an option, submit her request and be done with it. A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Pulling her robe tighter around her, Mac got up from the couch and walked over to the door. A look through the peep hole led to an instant opening of the door, revealing both Director Kershaw and Clay's mother.
"Colonel MacKenzie, may we come in?" Director Kershaw asked.
"Of course," Mac said as she stepped aside to admit the pair, along with a security officer. Only when the door was closed did anyone speak.
"I'm afraid we have some bad news," Kershaw began, catching the look on Mac's face. "Two weeks ago, we managed to make a connection to Sadik Fahd. Special Agent Webb and a team from our SOG unit went operational to capture him. We're still not sure what exactly happened, but it was a disaster. Four men were killed, including Agent Webb, and the rest were wounded. An Army Special Forces detachment was sent in to rescue them and complete the mission. When they arrived on site, they recovered our team and also found Fahd, who'd been killed in the firefight."
Mac was standing on willpower alone by this point. She'd suspected what this visit was about the instant she'd opened the door, yet the feelings inside her were more than she'd expected. She wanted to cry, to scream, to laugh and just to curl up in a ball. For a moment, she wondered if this was another faked death, like when Palmer was after him. She looked over at Mrs. Webb and knew that the look in the older woman's eyes couldn't be faked. Mrs. Webb was hiding it well, behind that upper-class mask and stiff upper lip, but the pain was still visible. So Mac walked over to her and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"I'm so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Webb," Mac said, knowing how meaningless the words sounded, yet how true they were. She was sorry for the older woman, who was now all alone.
"Thank you, Sarah. I know what a loss this is for you as well," Mrs. Webb replied.
The two women stood like that for a brief few moments before stepping apart.
"When his body is due to be returned, I'll call and let you know. I'm certain you'll want to be there when that happens," Mrs. Webb said. "And of course the funeral."
"Thank you, Mrs. Webb. And thank you both for coming to tell me," Mac said as she opened the door for them and watched them leave. Only then did she drop to her knees and begin to cry.