Chapter 10

"The allegations have been reported by an anonymous source, stating that they witnessed him harassing you."

"Bud, that's ludicrous!" Mac protested.

"The file says that he threatened your career if you reported it, so that's why someone filed the charges on your behalf."

"Bud, are you hearing yourself?! You're talking about the Admiral, the most honorable man we both know! How can you sit there and tell me that you honestly believe he did this horrible thing?"

"Ma'am, whether I believe it or not, I was ordered to take the case, so I need to investigate the charges. That's why I came to you first, before going to see Admiral Chegwidden."

"My god is that why the SECNAV was here this morning? And AJ left? Has he been relieved of duty?"

"Ma'am, since I'm prosecuting the case, you might not want to be that familiar about the Admiral in my presence."

"Bud you know what you're alleging didn't happen."

Standing Bud said, "I know you feel that you have to deny the charges because he threatened your career. But if the allegations prove to be true, it will be his career on the line, not yours. Now I have to go see Admiral Chegwidden about the charges," he turned to leave her office.

AJ noticed that his hands on the wheel were shaking; he simply couldn't believe what the SECNAV had said to him that morning. Sexual harassment charges?! Against him?! Sarah?! Then shaking his head, he thought, 'If Colonel Mackenzie is involved in the case…involved? So does that mean she is a witness or the one that filed the charges? If she's a witness, then who in the hell could have filed the charges? If she filed, what is she basing the charge on?

Then, as if a flashback played in his mind, the 'almost' kiss in his bedroom nearly eight years ago replayed in his mind. Could she really consider that sexual harassment, when I stopped? If that's what she is basing it on then why wait all these years? Then another scene flashed through his mind…Sarah…Mac…Colonel Mackenzie, kissing him after they rescued Josh Pendry. So if she was basing the case on him almost kissing her, how could she justify the kiss she gave him? He just couldn't understand what all this could mean. He wondered how long it would take to clear up this matter; he figured he'd better call Bud when he got home. He knew that Bud would defend him with all his heart.

Mac sat in her office and calculated how long it would take the Admiral to get home after leaving JAG Headquarters, she knew it would take about forty five minutes, so she sat there drumming her fingers on her desk for the next seventeen minutes before picking up the phone and dialing his number.

The phone started ringing the moment AJ opened the front door, thinking that he'd have to put his call to Bud off, he hoped it wasn't a telemarketer, he was NOT in the mood! Picking up the phone, he growled, "Chegwidden," into the receiver.

"Sir, its Mac."

"What the hell are you doing calling me?"

"Sir I just wanted you to know that I had nothing to do with the charges and I will continue to deny them as I did with Bud this morning!"

"First off, what are the charges that you're denying?" AJ demanded.

"Oh Sir, I would have thought that the SECNAV would have at least told you what the charges were!" Mac exclaimed in amazement.

"Well, he didn't, he said he would allow the prosecuting attorney to do that. And suggested that I call mine! I was about to call Bud when I got in and the phone was ringing."

"Sir, Bud is already on his way to see you…"

He interrupted her to say, "Since when did he develop ESP and know that I would need him…"

This time it was her interrupting him, "No Sir, that's not why he's coming to see you…"

"Bud? He's prosecuting the case?" he asked incredulously.

To Be Continued….