"Nine gold rings" Ch08 – "The Rabb-Hawkes pregnancy"
A little "what if", inspired by Season One, this AU story explores some plausible (if not-publicly-canon) moves on the "pairings" front in mid-season, beginning in the spring of 1996 then moving forward. No links to my other stories as at August 2021.
A/N: "they aren't mine, I'm just playing with them - apart from any character created by myself". See Ch01 for all the disclaimers.
Summary: this is a fictional story, in a fictional (slightly) Alternative Universe, about fictional characters who entertained us in a fictional TV series between 1995 and 2005. Comments and PMs and suggestions are most welcome. All mistakes are mine. Mike
Canon: Canon episodes: "Adrift part 2" (S07Ep01): first broadcast 27SEP2001: "Dog Robber: Part 1" (S07Ep09): first broadcast 20NOV2001; "Dog Robber: Part 2" (S07Ep10): first broadcast 27NOV2001.
A/N: 19-APR-2022. With grateful acknowledgement (see body of text) to Beachbum912 for the "Skates' surprise" unfinished storyline.
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A/N 19/04/2022: Note: Harmon Rabb jr and Elizabeth "Skates" Hawkes get their heads around their pregnancy. Harm's god-father supports them and the Rabb family ring is put to good use.
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Wednesday 14th November 2001, 07:01hrs EDT
JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA, USA
Harm quickly telephoned Skates as soon as he reached his office after receiving Chegwidden's blessing. Now, he needed to get Skates lined up for a weekend away in Bealesville. He was suffering mild trepidation as he dialled the number for Grams, seeking to enlist her in his plan for the perfect weekend.
He need not have worried. His Grandmother had, of course, risen at dawn to feed the chickens and let them out of the henhouses to roam. She immediately endorsed his plan and announced that there would be a warm and filling meal awaiting him and his pregnant lady when they arrived on Friday night. She also reminded him to speak to his mother – because the Rabb family ring would need to be Overnighted to the farm ready for his "big moment" with Skates.
Grams didn't even bother to enquire about Mac. She merely assumed that, after more than five years of working together and following Harm's last mention during the summer that Mac would be marrying the slimy Australian, Mac was off the table.
In truth, she had never taken to the Marine the same way that she had been impressed by Diane Schonke, all those years before. She was secretly very pleased that her grandson would be marrying another member of the US Navy aviation community. Their forthcoming offspring would be a potential fourth-generation naval aviator, assuming that he or she followed the "proud Rabb family tradition".
Harm's next call was to his apartment, where Skates was gently starting her day: she answered the phone call on the first ring. It had made sense for her to move out of the BOQ at Anacostia and settle into the apartment ahead of Harm's planned house-hunting activities after Christmas. With her agreement, Harm would be helping to relocate the last of her meagre belongings to his apartment that evening.
Barely six weeks on from their "swim" and the night which followed, Skates had not yet started replacing some of the kit which had gone down in the Atlantic. Harm had offered to help her empty her storage unit and bring everything to his apartment to sort through. That, however, would be a task for a future weekend: her storage unit was paid for into 2002 in line with the planned original duration of the eventful cruise. Following Skates' grounding, the contents of her onboard rack were being parcelled up for shipment back to the mainland when space on the COD or replenishment freighter permitted. It was just another consequence of that eventful night on the high seas, where two lives had become inexorably inter-twined.
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The swift response to his phone call resulted from the fact that Skates had been sitting by the phone when his call came through. Morning sickness had struck: it was as though her body had been waiting for the medics to reveal their surprise, after which her digestive system seemed to have instantly decided to rebel.
After Skates had answered his call on the first ring, she was able to re-assure him that she was feeling just-about OK. Within a further week, she would have successfully modified her meal-times to minimise the disruption. By the time of the Christmas gathering at the "JAG" Church, her rebellious body would have quietened down and she would be beginning to "bloom". She was worried that her shorter stature might be challenged by the likely length of a Rabb child, but realised that she could do nothing about it – she was at the mercy of a combined set of DNA. Her path to motherhood had been set that cold Friday night in late September and her body now had to obey Mother Nature's laws.
Harm couldn't wait to get home to his pregnant girlfriend. Of all the crazy outcomes from that night spent treading water in the north Atlantic, parenthood and marriage were not even on the reserve list of likely outcomes for his life in 2001. But now, suddenly, he was going to become a father and he was about to propose to the mother of his child.
He chuckled. This was truly going to be a wonderful way to remember September of 2001!
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Friday 16th November 2001, 18:21hrs EDT
Rabb Family Farm, North Township Drive, Bealesville, PA
"Oh wow, Harm: this is beautiful!"
Skates' involuntary compliment to the beautiful family farm slipped out as her eyes first fell upon the rustic farmhouse at the end of the long drive up from the Township Road. Out of deference to his future wife's condition, Harm had quickly decided to bring the Lexus: joint journeys in the Corvette would have to wait for the summer of 2002 (along with the recruitment of a babysitter).
Harm's Grandmother was sitting on the porch in her rocking chair, waiting to welcome the two love-birds. She was not concerned by the sudden announcement of Harm's imminent entry into fatherhood: the entire Rabb family history was littered with unexpected surprises, while generations of the family had lived the motto of carpe diem – "seize the day".
Whatever lay ahead, Grams (along with Harm's Mom and Frank Burnett) would be there for Harm and Elizabeth (somehow "Skates" just didn't seem right for a grown woman on the cusp of motherhood, Grams believed!).
She greeted Harm's new lady warmly and offered her a seat on the swinging bench on the porch. Even with a blanket over her lap and knees, Skates was beginning to feel a slight chill within a half-hour, so everyone headed inside.
The tranquillity of the farm quickly worked its magic. A leisurely Friday evening meal enabled Skates and Harm to relax after the rigours of the journey.
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Saturday 17th November 2001, 08:54hrs EDT
Rabb Family Farm, North Township Drive, Bealesville, PA
Skates had taken advantage of the depths of the huge claw-footed bath in the main family bathroom. Some years earlier, Harm had wired in an electrical immersion heater in the massive hot-water tank, which supplemented the baseline warm water flow from the wood-burning stove and hob in the kitchen. He knew that he would likely be spending some time this weekend splitting logs in the wood-store, ahead of the coming winter. Apart from the land around the farmhouse and outbuildings, Grams had rented out most of her acreage to a neighbouring farmer who – in part-payment – delivered a truck-load of pre-cut logs at the start of every Fall and again every January.
The details of home plumbing and neighbourhood trades were lost on Skates as she luxuriated in the bath. The Navy mantra of "she who showers first showers quickest" was parked, for now. She stayed immersed long enough for her fingers to emerge wrinkled. Even staring closely at her naked form, she could not yet see where the small bundle of cells was laying. However, even though her baby might be invisible, its presence in her body and its effect on her physiology were evident.
Morning sickness was becoming a regular part of her waking routine, although Harm was already on the case. He was experimenting with crackers, milk, saltines, and many more weird and wonderful items. He was happy to try *anything* suggested by the two pregnancy magazines which he had purchased at the supermarket as soon as Skates had broken her news.
Caressing her stomach, she thought back over the events of the preceding two months and Harm's instant confession when she had unveiled her surprise. So, Harm had always fancied her? Yet he had always given off the vibes of being – in some way – close to his Marine colleague. How could he have kept his attraction so well hidden? Thinking back over several years, Skates regretted – just briefly – the missed years. Ah well, no point in worrying.
After drying off and moisturising her body, Elizabeth strolled along the landing enjoying the warmth of the fluffy bathrobe which Grams had laid out for her on the bed in their guest suite.
Absentmindedly, she wandered along the landing until she found what looked suspiciously like the kind of bedroom which a young boy – or young man – would have decked out. Naval aviation memorabilia were dotted around the room – including an old black-and-white photograph of a moustachioed Harmon Rabb, in an earlier USN uniform, leaning over a young boy in the cockpit of – what? Skates strained her aircraft recognition knowledge and decided on an F-4 Phantom. So this would be 1960s-1970s. Hmm, probably Vietnam era.
Then the penny dropped.
Oh crap! This must be Harm's missing father! She was amazed by the likeness. So the little boy must be a young version of her Harm.
Where did that come from – "her Harm"? She smiled to herself - this possessiveness must be a feature of pregnancy.
On a mantelpiece above the fireplace in the bedroom, she found a faded colour picture of a young woman, in USN Academy midshipman uniform. The face was familiar but younger than the face which she was trying to summon from her memory; and that was where Harm found her.
"Hey darling, we are working on breakfast; how was your bath…?"
His voice faded away as Skates turned the photograph frame towards him – much like Mac had done, with the smaller edition of the same photograph, some three years earlier in his apartment on that eventful, stormy night when they ended up confronting Holbarth.
"Harm, I didn't know that Mac was ever at Annapolis."
He gently took her hand and guided her towards the bed, where he sat alongside her.
"No Skates, that isn't Mac; it is a woman who looked very similar and who had a powerful impact on me, both at Annapolis and here on the farm when I was healing from my ramp strike back in '91."
"Oh, please tell me more. First off, who is she?"
Sadness briefly flickered across his face, before he smiled at the arrival of happy memories.
"Well, her name was Diane Schonke and we were classmates at Annapolis. We were part of a group of four middies who supported each other through the four year ordeal through to graduation. Then she went to Crypto, I went to Flight School with Keeter and Sturgis went silent and deep in the Submarine service."
Skates looked at the photograph once more. "She has a twinkle in those eyes - wow, Harm: this is beautiful!" Then she picked up on what he had said: "Hang on, you said that she *was*…? Did she get married?"
He shook his head and stood up, stepping across to look out of the window over the farmland. Of course, he should have known that coming here would have stirred memories and yet – by the same token – it was the perfect place to explain to his future wife about the events which had made him the man that he was.
"Skates, let me back the truck up a bit. Diane and I came through the Academy and then, over the next few years, we kept in touch informally – a kind of "friends with benefits but no formal commitment". When she heard about my ramp strike, she simply reserved her commission and arrived here – where I was beginning to regain my strength after three months in traction, four operations and a very painful period of learning to walk again. She arrived with a suitcase in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other. That summer, she would not take no for an answer: she absolutely refused to believe that I wasn't going to get back in the air."
His head fell briefly, then he looked up again. "I also saw the impact and dedication of the JAG officer who was assigned to my case, which guided my career change and a posting to the Naval Justice School. The court-martial into Mace's death triggered an intense investigation and…"
Skates interrupted: "Sorry, who was Mace?"
"He was my RIO on the night of the ramp strike. God, Skates, it was pitch black, the deck was pitching and – as per SOP – I handed off ejection control to him on the approach. The LSO was screaming "POWER" and I couldn't see clearly. Next thing I know, I'm up in the fresh air in my ejection seat and looking down at a 40 million-dollar bonfire on the deck. Unfortunately, a freak downdraft sucked Mace's 'chute straight back into the flames. I'm just glad that I had my helmet on and the wind was blowing the roar of the fire away from me. Some of the deck crew were not so lucky - they heard him die."
Skates took his hand and kissed his cheek gently. "But eventually you got back in the air – I remember getting you the manuals and delivering them to JAG HQ when you were returning to the Fleet. You know that you were popular – several of us RIOs competed to fly with you as your back-seater."
"Yeah, that was down to a combination of events. As I said, the JAG officer who investigated the crash was absolutely focussed and dedicated in my defence. Eventually it emerged that my eyesight problem was likely due to an infection that I had picked up on shore leave a couple of weeks earlier. Also it was quite clear from the video log that Mace had jumped the gun by banging us out as I had the plane back under control. So I went from being responsible for causing Mace's death to being a victim of circumstance. No Board of Inquiry will ever blame dead flight-crew unless there is absolutely no alternative narrative. Even so, the decision didn't sit well with Mace's brother and I met him again in 1995 during the Angela Arutti investigation. Eventually, even he and I made up – he presented me with my wings as Kate and I were heading for the COD; I hadn't worn them since the ramp strike."
Skates shivered, then leaned in to hug him. "Proud of you, Harm; and proud of this Diane lady. She obviously knew you very well and was instrumental in helping you to regain your life a decade back. So what happened to her?"
He sighed. "She was murdered, back in '96. I opened the body bag on the dockside at Norfolk just as the NCIS agent announced her name. Worst day of my life. Half a year later I met Mac." He shuddered, taking Diane's photograph from Skates' hand.
"So meeting your Colonel Mackenzie a few months later must have been a surprise? I mean, heck they could be twins."
"Yep, but Mac and I could never find the link; the family timelines and geographical separations don't match up. Michael and Ellen Schonke were certain that they only had the one daughter that year and - as Ellen said – "one Diane Schonke in my life was enough" (she did mean it as a compliment!) given Diane's boundless energy."
He sighed. "No, it was just a freak of Mother Nature – but Mac DID help me in 1998 when we finally tracked down Diane's killer."
Skates rested her head on his shoulder. "OK Harm, thanks for sharing. Now, my stomach is telling me that it would welcome breakfast, so if you could give me about ten minutes I shall get dressed and then I shall join you downstairs. Given that lovely fresh air, now that my stomach has settled for the morning, let's get out and explore this piece of Pennsylvania heaven."
"You got it, Skates."
As he walked down the staircase, Harm's hand went instinctively to the small ring box in his jeans pocket.
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Saturday 17th November 2001, 10:54hrs EDT
Rabb Family Farm, North Township Drive, Bealesville, PA
Over breakfast, Harm had suggested a one-hour walk across the farm and up to a summit by the family graveyard. Skates was feeling fit and had recovered from the earlier morning disruption, so she laced up her hiking boots and the two unexpected parents-to-be strolled across the farmland and up the trail to the large wooden cross on the summit, marking the family graveyard.
After they had perused the Rabb family headstones – which stretched back well over two centuries of occupation of the area – they sat together on the bench, looking down on the farmhouse.
Harm placed his arm over Skates' shoulder and she half-turned, snuggling into the crook of his arm. She sighed contentedly and murmured: "This is nice. I could stay here for a while."
He kissed the crown of her head, then asked "What, forever as in for eternity, or just for a little while?"
"Well, a little while now and yes, this would be a nice place to end my days."
"Well, darling Skates, both are possibilities for you, for us, for our children, but you will notice that all the headstones say RABB as the family name."
She waved her free hand in a dismissive gesture. "Pah, mere details, my dear Harm. But it definitely is peaceful here."
He kissed her once more, then slid out and knelt in front of her, reaching into his pocket. In her relaxed and comfortable state, Skate barely registered what he was doing.
"Skates?"
"Hmm?"
He took her hand. "Elizabeth Hawkes, there is an easy way for you to join the Rabb family and I want to invite you to join up. Elizabeth Hawkes, you have already been my RIO in flight; would you now, please, consider becoming my RIO in life? Elizabeth Paige Hawkes, will you marry me?"
Skates jolted upright and then, as her eyes filled with happy tears, she nodded and uttered the one word that Harm had hoped to hear. He slid the ring home and then they kissed tenderly.
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Saturday 17th November 2001, 13:10hrs EDT
Rabb Family Farm, North Township Drive, Bealesville, PA
Over an hour later, the two lovebirds strolled back into the farmhouse, where Grams greeted them with freshly-baked apple pie. Both Harm and Skates had a number of telephone calls to make, spreading the word of their new attachment (and news about the baby in some cases). The tranquillity of the farm had worked its magic.
They continued relaxing into the Saturday evening meal.
A Sunday lunchtime departure saw them back into Harm's apartment in good time to prepare for the coming week. By 2100hrs on Sunday night in DC, with her uniform and brain ready for her first day in the Pentagon with the newly-reactivated Admiral Boone and an introduction to the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme office.
Skates was ready for the next stage in her life and career. A twenty-year programme was in progress – more than enough time to produce several little copies of "Hammer and Skates" (or "Harmon and Elizabeth"), then get back into the air if she wanted. Tom Boone was delighted to have her skills and aviation experience available at this critical point in the programme. Although The JSF development contract had been signed way back on 16 November 1996, the next major milestone had come in 2001. The contract for System Development and Demonstration (SDD) was awarded by the Department of Defense (DoD) on 26 October 2001 to Lockheed Martin, whose X-35 beat the Boeing X-32.
Tom Boone's return to the Pentagon, working with a number of TDY and PCS experienced military personnel, gave hope that by early 2002 the programme would be running smoothly.
But the following week in complete contrast, Tom and Harm found themselves negotiating in China for the return of a damaged EP-3 Orion. This followed what would (eventually) be described by the diplomats in an agreed joint statement as "an unfortunate navigational incident".
But the next programme milestone for Tom in his role as god-father would be supporting Harm and Elizabeth through their marriage. That was pencilled in for February of 2002 – some four months before "Beth" was due to give birth to their first child.
In parallel, Alison Boone continued her climb up the career ladder in the Pentagon, with the next step to her fourth ring: a move to CNO in September of 2002 (when the damaged Pentagon was scheduled to be re-occupied after the repairs under Operation Phoenix).
Once again, the Boone household ran to the schedule of two working military parents.
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A/N: views, reviews, suggested next steps via PM please?
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A/N: my grateful thanks to Beachbum912; Mike (bb-912) has kindly allowed me to quote extensively from his unfinished (2016) story "Skates' surprise" – which offers an AU storyline for late 2001 and fitted very well into my planned storyline for this adventure. I commend you to read that story, which this 2022 storyline will now dip into as my storyline moves from 2001 into 2002.
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End of "Nine gold rings" Ch08 – "The Rabb-Hawkes pregnancy"
Mike, United Kingdom, 19-04-2022