Rating: T for occasional language

Summary: Set in early season 5 when Harm was out flying. This story gives Harm a different (better!) reason for changing his designator than the show provided. And may just open the way for him to find his happily ever after – with a little trouble along the way, of course.

Disclaimer: JAG was created by Donald P. Bellisario and is owned in whole or in part by Belisarius Productions and Paramount Network Television (CBS Studios). This is a work of fiction playing with the characters that I have loved for more than twenty years – I make no money from this and no copyright infringement or disrespect is intended.

Letters Home: Doin' It Their Way

By: visions2share (a.k.a. Vi)

0224 zulu Sunday, June 13, 1999

U.S.S. Patrick Henry

Mediterranean Sea

"Rabb."

"Harm, it's Mac – did I wake you?"

"No, we were up. We report to the ready room in ten-minutes. Never heard this phone ring before though. Caught us both off guard."

"Sorry. I'm calling to warn you Bud and I are heading your way."

"Really? When?"

"We leave for Andrews as soon as our ride gets here."

"That's great Mac! I'll get to see you soon!"

"I wanted to warn you we're traveling with the commander of sixth fleet's replacement. Apparently, Admiral Chegwidden and Admiral Baldwin decided adult supervision is necessary."

"Oh. Wow. Okay. Do you know who it is?"

"No. I wasn't told. All I know is they pulled him off his vacation to come with us. Bud and I are to handle the JAG lieutenant and he's going to quote, 'handle' unquote the pilots."

"That sounds ominous."

"It does. Also…"

"What?"

"Chegwidden gave me a sealed manilla envelope for you and orders to see it delivered personally into your hands unopened – and without too many witnesses."

"Uh-oh."

"Yeah."

"Any ideas?"

"He gave me no hints."

"Okay. It's about a fifteen-hour flight."

"Yeah – we're sleeping enroute – due on board at eighteen hundred zulu."

"Something for me to look forward to."

"Me too, Sailor! My rides here. Got to go."

"Be safe, Mac," but he wasn't sure she'd heard him as all he heard was a dial tone.

"What was that about, Pappy?" Lt. 'Tuna' Medwick, Harms roommate, had avidly watched his side of the conversation and was understandably curious.

"Call from a friend at my last posting," Harm thought he'd do better to reveal as little as possible about his part in the upcoming upheaval.

"And he just called shore to ship for no reason?" Medwick pressed.

Harm chose not to correct the assumption about Mac's gender. Anxious to hasten the leaving of their billet to head for the ready room and to terminate the conversation said only, "Ah – Marines – who knows why they do anything."

The briefing was as bad as Harm feared it would be. Lt. Fogarty still had his back up and was consequently even more condescending than usual. Which made the overgrown children masquerading as pilots up their normal antics – making the whole briefing something of a shit show. The only orderly moment came with the handing out of assignments.

"…And finally, quadrant four goes to Pappy and Tuna with D-man and Beaker as backup. Fly safe boys and girls."

Harm didn't know whether to be pissed or relieved that he'd been assigned the squadron's loosest cannon and biggest mouth and his cohort for backup. He didn't want to have to deal with them but on the other hand they drastically needed supervision and he was the only tomcat pilot in the squadron that had a rank higher than lieutenant. At least if they were with him, they wouldn't be off starting trouble. Or World War Three.

With that semi-comforting thought Harm concentrated on meeting with his plane captain and getting ready to fly.

Author's Note: And now the story is in a more traditional format – but for those of you who really liked the e-mails – don't worry, they will return. I stole the idea for the format change from a story my grandfather used to tell about seeing the first 'talkie' movie. It started silent but by the end they were talking and he didn't know when it had happened. He paid to sit through the movie again to figure it out. It started with the ringing of a phone – it was such a normal thing to hear a phone ring and answer that the audience didn't notice when the old silent film became a new 'talkie'. Thanks for reading! ~Vi