Never Say Never

by jpstar57

From when they met in the White House Rose Garden, Mac and Harm were more than colleagues as they understood their attraction to each other. As a result, certain events didn't happen. Mac did not say "Never" in Paraguay. She said something else. AJ is not happy with their choices. They pretty much defy his order of, "Don't get comfortable." Co-Authored with csijagfan & dnieder.

8. Chapter 8

Never Say Never

Chapter 8

AN: I corrected a timing error of when Loren attended the Naval Academy to reconcile why she is still a lieutenant.

Friday, December 22, 2000

1930 Local Time

Rabb Farm

Belleville, PA

After coming in from DC, getting their bags in from the car, and properly greeting Gram and the Burnetts, Mac & Harm and Loren & Sergei settled down in the living room. They were going to enjoy the long holiday weekend at the farm with Gram & their parents with Loren's sister Meghan and her fiancé, David Medwick.

David was a friend of Harm's from his flying off the Patrick Henry. His call sign was Tuna. Tuna was the pilot whose damaged Tomcat, Harm pushed to a safe ejection point; for which Harm earned his second Distinguished Flying Cross. Harm had introduced Meghan and Tuna at the 199 JAG July 4th picnic when Meghan was there as Loren's guest.

"When are Meghan and David coming in?" Gram asked.

Loren answered, "Tomorrow. Meghan is working on the Protection Detail transition from President Clinton to President-Elect Bartlett. She has off for the holiday week. Then she and David want to travel to see his folks in Mahopac in Upstate New York. They want to settle down and make wedding plans."

"That's nice to hear. So, you children relax for the night. Tomorrow, we're going to go shopping for our Christmas feast, last-minute gifts, and Sarah's baby furniture."

"Sounds good to me Gram," Mac said with a yawn.

"That's it! Harm, take your wife to bed," Trish ordered.

Harm smirked as he said, "Hmm, I've never heard a mother order her son to do that before."

Everyone, including Trish, instantly realizing what she said, started laughing.

"Just go upstairs with the mother of my grandchild, smart ass," Trish retorted.

Harm stood, took hold of Mac's hands, and pulled her up from the couch. He took their bags and walked upstairs behind her.

The next morning

1100 Hours Local Time

Belleville Village, PA

After a hearty country breakfast, the family made their plans. While Loren and Sergei waited with Frank at the farm for Meghan & David, Mac, Gram, Harm, and Trish were going into town. While the ladies went to the local store called 'Belleville Baby', to pick out baby furniture, Harm was going through the other shops looking for his last-minute Christmas gifts. He was buying some nice silk and wool scarves for the ladies in his life, a wallet for Sergei, and "Happiness is being a Grandmother / Grandfather" coffee mugs for Trish & Frank.

After he left the checkout counter with his purchases, his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it thinking it may have been Mac letting him know where he was going to meet her, and the ladies for lunch. He cursed when he recognized the JAG Headquarters' general number on the caller-ID screen.

He flipped it open and tersely answered, "Rabb?"

Harm recognized Tiner's voice saying, "Commander Rabb, hold for Admiral Chegwidden please."

Harm pulled the phone from his face and muttered "Shit, piss and corruption." He heard Chegwidden ask, "Mr. Rabb are you there?"

"Right here sir."

"Good, I need you to come to headquarters forthwith. We have a major case that you need to handle."

"On Christmas sir?"

"They don't celebrate the holidays in China."

"China, sir?"

"One of our EP3 Orion Recon planes doing surveillance over the Sea of Taiwan identified a Chinese cruiser carrying nuclear material. While they were flying over the cruiser, they were harassed and then contacted by a Chinese MIG. The MIG was severely damaged and crashed. It is presumed that the MIG pilot Lt. Kwan Li was killed. The Orion Recon was forced to seek a humanitarian landing at Fuzhou Airbase in China. The Chinese confiscated the plane and they sequestered the crew. You and Admiral Boone are going to China to negotiate our crew and the plane's release. You're both on the same flight, which leaves from Andrews tomorrow at 0900. I will expect you shortly to receive the rest of your briefing. That is all."

Harm quickly said, "Sir I am up in Pennsylvania at my grandmother's home. It will take me a couple of hours to get home."

"Then I suggest you get moving then commander.

"Aye, aye sir."

At that, Chegwidden ended the call.

Harm sighed as he flipped his phone closed. He went looking for Mac and his family to give them the bad news.

Friday, January 12, 2001

2030 Local Time

Arrivals Terminal

Andrews Air Base, MD

When President Clinton received word that Harm and Tom Boone had successfully negotiated the Orion Crew's release, he called Mac to invite her to travel with him and Hilary to greet them at Andrews.

Now Mac and Loren stood with President & Mrs. Clinton waiting for Harm to disembark from the State Department 707. He saw Tom Boone come out the plane door with Harm right behind him. They walked down the steps and into the terminal building.

They stopped in front of the president and saluted.

"Welcome back Admiral, Commander. Congratulations on a job well done. You got our crew back. Now we have to deal with the pilot who blew up the Orion on Chinese soil."

"Yes, Mr. President and the less said about that the better," Tom Boone cautioned.

"Quite right on that. Right now, we have more pressing things to do. Admiral, we'll speak tomorrow. Tonight, I have business with Commander Rabb's Family. Have a good evening."

"Aye, aye sir," Boone replied and saluted. After Clinton returned the salute, he shook Harm's hand and gave Mac a chaste kiss on her cheek before he turned to walk away.

Clinton turned to his Secret Service body man said, "Okay Bob, let's go."

Agent Robert Tasker directed the party ahead of him with, "Right Mr. President. Commander, colonel, and lieutenant. Right this way please."

The presidential party followed the retinue of Secret Service Agents out to the tarmac where the Presidential Helicopter, designated "Marine One", waited for them. The Secret Service agents carried Harm's Valpak, briefcase, and computer case and loaded them into the luggage compartment. Tasker led Loren, Mac, and Harm to the rear door of the copter for them to board while President and Mrs. Clinton boarded at the front door.

One of the crew directed Mac and Harm to a row of seats two rows behind the President and First Lady, so they could sit together. Mac let him go in first to sit by the window. After they buckled into their seats, Mac wrapped her arms around his arm and softly said, "Hey look at me."

As Harm turned toward her, Mac locked her lips to his in a long slow kiss. When they broke apart and she rested her head on his shoulder, she said, "That's for missing out on our first New Year's as a married couple."

Harm shifted for them to be more comfortable and whispered, "I intend to celebrate some more when we get home."

"Well, that won't be for quite a while. We're staying at the White House tonight to celebrate the Christmas you missed. Your folks are already there. Gram is beside herself with the awe of this whole thing."

"Whole thing? What whole thing?"

"The presidential transition, remember Jed Bartlett is being inaugurated on the 20th."

"And we're involved, how?"

"I'll let President-Elect Bartlett tell you. When we get to the White House, we're going up to the residence floor where Gram, Trish, Frank, and Sergei are waiting for you to open your Christmas presents."

Mac and Harm leaned back to enjoy the ride. When they landed, they followed the President into the mansion and up to the residence. As they entered the living room, they saw that there was still a Christmas tree with gifts underneath. Their family stood to greet them. After they got through them, President-Elect Josiah Jed Bartlett, and Dr. Abigail, Abby, Bartlett greeted them. Bartlett began with, "Commander it's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, sir."

"President Clinton tells me that we're going to celebrate Christmas some more."

"I suppose so sir," Harm replied looking toward the presents under the tree.

"Well go pick one out. After that, I have a request to ask of you."

"Yes sir."

"I'll take care of that sir," Mac said as she had Harm sit on the couch. She went to the tree and got his first present.

After he opened all his gifts it was time for some refreshments. Pres. Clinton suggested to Bartlet, "Jed why don't you take Cmdr. Rabb and Col. Rabb into the next room and lay your proposal on them. Hilary, Dr. Bartlett and I will entertain their family."

"Thank you, Mr. President. Commander, Colonel; follow me please."

The three went into another room and sat down. Bartlett got right down to it with, "Commander Rabb I have a job offer for you."

"Go ahead sir."

"I need an intelligence information coordinator in our situation room for our military and intelligence services. I heard about your two trips to Russia. First to find your father and the next when Chegwidden sent you to help "revamp" (He held up his fingers in quotes.) their Military Justice System and then dealt with the attempted coup on Putin. I need someone who can give a dispassionate plan of action if anything like say the Russian coup comes up."

Mac snorted a laugh at the dispassionate plan line. Bartlett and Harm looked over at her. While Harm raised an amused eyebrow, Bartlett asked, "Care to offer anything, colonel?"

"Sir, my apologies, it's just that dispassionate plans and Harm do not go together very often. He tends to act on emotion; one would say he is driven by emotion."

Bartlett smiled at her assessment of her husband. He said, "Well I'd say his emotions led him down the right path. After all he married you didn't, he?"

"Toche sir. That aside I think the job your offering would be right up Harm's alley."

"Sit would I still be in the Navy?"

"Yes, you would. You will have a new PCS; I think that is what it's called."

"Yes sir, PCS, or Permanent Change of Station. How would this position work sir?"

"You would be the individual coordinating information for the Joint Chiefs and the various intelligence services. You'd be the one receiving the information and setting it up in a, shall we say, 'Reader's Digest' type of report with your recommendations. You would not have to travel, except when it's with me in Air Force One."

"What about the Defense secretaries and Joint Chiefs and their staff? I'd be stepping on some big toes."

"Not necessarily, your staff would be receiving all their information for dissemination to me. You would note their contributions and recommendations; I would make the final decision."

"When would I start this job, sir?"

"Eight days from now on January 20, immediately after I am inaugurated. You'll be at the Capitol Ceremony and travel to the White House with the usual motorcade. While I deal with getting started as President, you'll be setting up your office and staff in the bullpen off the Situation Room. You keep or add whatever service officers and noncoms you think will collaborate well with you. Everyone will receive the appropriate orders and their commanding officers will be notified appropriately."

"Well sir, the only thing I can say is, I can't wait to get started."

"Good. Now let's join the rest of your family and let them in on the news."

The Rabbs spent the night in the White House while the Bartletts went across the street to their temporary residence at Blair House.

The next day, AJ received the news of Harm's new billet. He was not happy.