Ch05 of: "Conversion: re-building - the Aftermath."
Ch05 - Summer 2005 - July to September 2005
A/N: AU. This is a fictional story, in a fictional Alternative Universe, about fictional characters who entertained us in a fictional TV series between 1995 and 2005. Mike. Characters borrowed with love and appreciation for the great team who brought us "JAG"; may your following careers blossom.
A/N: AU: "they aren't mine: I'm just playing with them - apart from any fictional character created by myself". Feel free to PM me if you spot any typos - my goal is 100% error-free. Feedback and comments are also welcome. Your opinions, critiques (and requests as PMs) are always helpful - and welcomed.
A/N: Building upon the excellent 2023 story-line "Conversion" by "jpstar57" (with whom I was honoured to collaborate in the creation of that story). This sequel will span (and overlap with) the "Conversion" story timeline from 2004 through to 2019 - when "Loren Diane O'Hara" (Sadik's brainwashed and subjugated puppet, formerly known as Sarah Mackenzie) was executed. John ("jpstar57") and I agreed the parameters of our two story-lines - so I commend you to read the whole of "Conversion" before you begin to read this story. If you don't like the story-line of "Conversion", this story is more positive - but please don't complain!
A/N: Publication date: 29-JUN-2023: Chapter 05 - Alison Krennick's widower meets a new USN officer - and there is a spark. Bud and Eileen become engaged, then they marry on Labour Day in September 2005. Faith McBurney-Coleman gives birth to her first set of twins. Disney warning: "mild peril".
A/N – link to Canon Episodes: given that the main driver for my story is the "JAG family" healing after the events of "Conversion", I shall not be listing any quoted episodes. I merely state my appreciation that the Bellisario creation has inspired nearly 30 years of fanfiction since that pilot episode back in 1995.
Characters from FFNET – Many and varied. Harmon Rabb jr, Carolyn Imes-Rabb, Faith McBurney-Coleman, Bud Roberts jr to name but a few.
A/N 29-06-2023: This completes the stockpile of chapters created during my recent vacation in California and Nevada. I shall be taking a break from this storyline in July, to concentrate on my other, earlier stories which are in need of an update. Thanks, Mike
Ch05 - Summer 2005 - July to September 2005
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Midsummer Day: Friday 24th June 2005, 09:53hrs BST
UK Royal Navy fleet ops HQ; Northwood, Middlesex, UK
Several months had passed since he had had returned to the UK and taken up a posting back at UK Fleet headquarters in Northwood (in the leafy suburbs to the northwest of central London).
Captain Lester Evans headed down to the Conference centre in "the Hole". This is an affectionate name for the deep-excavated bunker beneath the main complex which controls all of the UK's maritime assets, including the UK's CASD (Continuous At-Sea Deterrent) which sees at least one of the four Vanguard class SSBNs on patrol in the oceans, as the UK's Trident-based nuclear "Weapon of last resort".
Preceding him along the corridor, with a USN officer's cover under her left arm and with a document wallet tucked in her right hand, he admired the well-filled uniform trousers of a female American officer; for a moment, he was reminded of his first-ever introduction to his late wife Alison Krennick when she had first crossed his path.
*Flashback - 1997*
"I'm so sorry, here let me help with the door."
"Thank you commander - you British are so polite."
"Well, we feel it incumbent upon us to help the Colonies to behave well in the big wide world."
There was an instant smile, a husky throaty chuckle and the blonde USN Captain looked him in the eyes.
At that moment, he fell in love...
"Well, if we effect an introduction whilst we settle in the room: I'm Lester Evans; delighted to make your acquaintance."
"Hello Lester: Alison Krennick; likewise and I believe that the feeling is mutual; although I haven't seen you around here in Napoli before, I guess the question is "do you come here often?".
They chuckled again and shook hands
*End Flashback #1*
The lady was tall (perhaps an inch or two taller even than his Alison) - and she was walking confidently in her low-heeled pumps.
She preceded him into the Conference room, placed her papers and cover on the conference table and then, with a whispered cry of "oh yeah, coffee!" she headed for the coffee tray in the far corner.
Sensing that she hadn't yet detected his presence - and keen to avoid surprising her when she had a pot of hot coffee in her grasp - Lester knocked on the door alongside him and politely piped up: "I don't suppose the Mess ratings have brewed any tea, by any chance Commander?"
She pivoted on one heel to look at him, then her lips curled and she gave him the most wonderful, dazzling smile as she took in his rank insignia.
"Well Captain, I'm still on 'NATO-standard' coffee, but I guess I really ought to try and let you Brits teach me about tea some time." She turned to lift the coffee pot.
"Well, madam, that would be my pleasure if you would allow me." He paused. "I'm also very conscious that we've not been introduced. Lester Evans, Comms Integration programme manager on the Poseidon programme".
She turned quickly to put the coffee pot down, then turned back with her right hand outstretched. After spotting a class ring, Lester scanned her left hand quickly - no rings (not that a bare ring finger meant anything these days: his Alison had kept her thin wedding band hidden under her USNA Annapolis class ring).
The American officer spoke first.
"Well then, Captain Evans of the Poseidon programme; you are just the person whom I have been looking for - which makes sense, given this meeting. I am Commander Caitlyn Pike, on detachment from the USN Poseidon counterpart programme. It is a pleasure to meet you."
They maintained eye contact over the coffee pots for some time as they chatted, until the rest of the meeting attendees walked in, a few minutes later.
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Midsummer weekend: Saturday 25th June 2005, 12:53hrs BST
Evans family home: Acacia Avenue, Pinner, Middlesex, UK
At the end of the Poseidon briefing on the Friday, Lester had taken the initiative in the conversation and invited Kate Pike to join his family midsummer garden party the next day. She had graciously accepted - it was another chance to build the working relationship with her British counterpart.
His breath caught at his first glimpse of Caitlyn Pike - in civvies - as she slid an elegant high-heeled leg out of the taxi.
The rest of her emerged in a fitted Summer dress. She turned to retrieve her packages from the rear seat of the taxi. Lester was delighted by the guilty pleasure resulting from a view of finely-sculpted calves. This woman clearly took care of her body.
Then she stepped backwards and stood up straight after closing the Taxi door. She leaned through the passenger window to pay off the driver, then turned and stood tall.
Lester greeting her as she stepped gracefully away from the departing taxi and they shook hands. She was carrying flowers for "Granny Evans" and two bottles of chilled white wine.
"Taxi - sensible; no point in risking a drink-driving charge from the Met".
"Agreed: It's been a busy week so I'm keen to have an afternoon off with new friends, then back to mommy duties tonight."
He looked at her surprised: "mommy duties - you have children?"
"Yes: My daughter Trisha: she is now eight years old - born March 8th 1997."
His jaw was still hanging slightly open, so she turned lightly on the balls of her feet, leaned in closer and, gently, closed the gap between them and carefully raised his chin with an elegant painted finger-tip beneath the jawline.
"Come on Lester, you'll catch flies! Yes- full disclosure. I am 37 years old, a graduate of Harvard Law School and Annapolis (which is our equivalent of your Britannia Naval College). And yes, I have lived! However Trisha's biological father doesn't know about her - and that suits me fine. Nothing wrong with him, but he had different life priorities when we hooked up that weekend in the motel in mid-June of 1996. Anyways, I have a good babysitter in the apartment block that I'm leasing during my detachment over here."
"Oh, heck; that makes me a poor host; I wish I had known or asked. Kate, do please bring your daughter next time and *every* time - there are children here today from the wider Evans family. My two are Lucinda aged three and Nigel aged two: we've just had their birthdays earlier in the month. So, reading between the lines, there is no 'Mister Pike' I presume?" he enquired.
"Nope. In fact, I've been largely celibate since Trisha was born - just a few unsatisfactory couplings on a one-night-stand basis." She frowned slightly and sighed: "a kid can be a turn-off to many young single men. Anyways, Trisha is good company."
His reaction was instinctive: "Oh Lord, what a waste of a good woman."
She looked at him askance, then a wonderfully warm smile spread across her face; he realised that she was blushing beneath her wide-brimmed straw hat!
"Thank you Lester - that was a nice thing to say; and, after all, we've basically only just met. I understand from The Commodore that you were recently widowed (I was curious yesterday afternoon, following your kind invitation, so I asked him about you). So is there a need for what people, I believe, politely call 'companionship' in the life of Lester Evans or it it still too soon after losing your wife?"
He took her hand, looking into her eyes: "Companionship? Hmm, not just yet. I mean, not for me just now: just for reference, almost certainly in the future. But next time, do please think about bringing your daughter. She would of course be most welcome here. As for the rest, let's invoke a rain cheque?""
He paused: "Sorry. I'm babbling and repeating myself. Look, maybe "companionship" is a bit too soon and I probably shouldn't have been so forward. A child is a wonderful gift and those men do not deserve you."
"Nonsense and stop apologising, my wonderful Brit. Heck, everyone in the USA always thinks the Brits are restrained and emotionally withdrawn - you go for it, mate!" She smiled warmly.
"And Lester: you can cash your rain cheque whenever the mood takes you."
"Wow: thank you Caitlyn."
"Call me Kate."
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He swallowed hard, as memories of his murdered Alison surfaced again.
"Thanks Kate - that means a lot. My wife Alison was murdered last December (which is one reason why we came back home to Northwood, terminating a two-year posting to the Pentagon which I started just as Alison was slaughtered)."
He made a conscious effort to straighten his shoulders. "Look, let me tell you my sorry tale some other day - the weather is just too nice this afternoon. For now, here's a quick briefing on today, with a quick pen-portrait of my family."
He ran the family details off on his fingers.
"My mother has a 'gentleman friend', John. He and Father went through Britannia together and John was a tower of strength when Father was killed in the Falklands War in 1982. By return, we were able to help support and comfort John when Aunt Zoe passed away with breast cancer in March of 1997. A year or so later, Suzanne (my sister) and I noticed that Mother and John were escorting each other to formal events - we all (all four offspring including John's kids who are almost "family by default") think it is lovely and we endorse the arrangement for our parents".
"Very sensible - life is for the living." Kate paused. "So, I presume from the history lesson that there are siblings and cousins?"
"Yep - hence this briefing before you join the truly-friendly family social gathering, My sister is Suzanne; John's children are Dorothea (a surgeon at Bart's) and Timothy who is a banker in The City. Don't worry, he is the most un-bankerish banker you'd ever meet, but he knows his onions."
"So, a smart guy for my investments?"
"Maybe; he's doing very well with Lehman Brothers."
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She pursed her lips slightly, smiling mischievously at him: "So, mein host, what have you told the family about this token Yank that you are bringing to what is obviously a family gathering?"
"Rest assured, Kate: the families have had service officers dropping by for decades. At times we're the NATO office extension - God forbid, we've even hosted the Air Force! Strike Command is in the bunker up the road at High Wycombe, so this is a convenient place to meet, greet and build working relationships - or meet on the Q.T. Everything helps to build working relationships amongst and between the Allies."
He looked into her eyes; suddenly, she felt a long-forgotten sensation of warming as he continued speaking to her. "Which, to be obvious, is my selfish reason for inviting a statuesque, attractive and intelligent Yank to my garden, whom I look forward to working with."
She theatrically fluttered her hands in front of her face, smiling broadly: "Oh, be still, mah beating heart! Such a charming gentleman." She realised that, just in keeping with her impersonation of a "Southern Belle" from "Gone with the Wind", her heart was racing.
They both smiled, then he gestured to the corner of the house. "Please follow me, my lady."
"Sir, of course."
"Unless you need anything in the house, I'm going to guide you down the side path and around to the garden?"
"No Lester, I am fine; please lead the way."
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They strolled across the driveway towards the house. They passed the garages - where the tail of a Triumph TR7 convertible was visible.
Kate stopped, looking at the car with a knowledgeable eye. "Nice car - TR7 or TR7-V8 or full TR8?".
"You know your cars, obviously. Thanks - it's a seven; most of the production TR8s went across to America once they moved production to Solihull (the third and final place where the TR7 family was built). We tended to stick with the 2-litre powerplant here in the UK. This is quite a rare beast these days, with mechanical senility and corrosion as part of the British Leyland legacy."
Suddenly, Lester had lapsed into "car enthusiast" mode - and Kate seemed unwilling to deter him. She just nodded enthusiastically and asked: "So what age is it - I cannot work out your UK licence plates with letters and numbers."
"Hmm - a car nut eh?"
She smiled and nodded demurely, so Lester continued. "It was originally my father's; he bought in March 1981 hence the 'W-reg' at the end (denoting first registration between August of 1980 to July of 1981) - sorry, Too Much Information."
"No, that's fine: it explains a bit more about Great Britain" she replied, before she asked her next question. "So, you said it was your dad's?"
He paused: "Father was lost in the Falklands and was buried at sea in the RN tradition at that time."
He patted the chromed luggage rack, attached to the boot lid of the TR7: "I restored this in his memory in '96 (fixing many of the British Leyland original build problems) after my first posting, so I now use it as a run-about (although with two young children, that Ford Focus station wagon usually serves as Daddy's taxi.)" A 53-plate Ford Focus occupied the next space along in the garage.
She smiled: "Now *there* is a similarity, Lester. OK, full disclosure: I have a 1980 TR8 drophead at home. At least we may be grateful that the 1980/1981 model year cars were largely built straight, although it cost me a few dollars in the refurb. Long live the Wedge!"
He looked at her open-mouthed: "Now there *is* a coincidence as you say. We need to go for a drive some time - if the idea takes you?"
She nodded "Hell yeah, driving a TR (stick-shift) on the wrong side of the road - bring it on, Mister!"
They laughed together and he continued. "But for now, do please come through to the garden. Mother is keen to meet you and welcome you. Also - even more importantly now that I know you have a daughter - I'd like you to meet my children, Lucinda and Nigel."
"Please lead on, Lester." Her heels tapped on the path of flagstones as she followed him around the side of the house into the back garden, where a large gazebo had been set up over a paved patio.
"Phew, no risk of sinking these heels into the lawn as I cross this garden" she thought to herself.
"Mother, may I introduce Commander Caitlyn Pike, USN? Caitlyn, my mother Miranda Evans."
"Welcome Caitlyn - we work on first-name terms here in the family home. It's always nice to meet Naval colleagues - as you may know, this is a Royal Navy family."
"Thank you : it's Kate to my friends - and yes Miranda, I continue to learn about your son, having only met him yesterday morning. You have a lovely home."
"Thank you; it has served us well through three generations now. Please Kate, take a seat."
She handed the chilled bag with the wine to Lester, who took the precious contents into the kitchen to load into the fridge.
Chatting with Miranda, Kate headed for the garden chair and sat down, crossing her elegant legs and adjusting the hemline of her dress, just as Lester was returning with an ice-laden jug of Pimm's in the middle of a tray with glasses.
"Kate, welcome to Pinner. Cheers."
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Midsummer Saturday: 25th June 2005, 17:33hrs BST
Evans family home: Acacia Avenue, Pinner, Middlesex, UK
As the afternoon drew on and the aftermath of lunch was cleared away, Kate found herself in a spirited discussion with Suzanne and Dorothea about car rallying (it wasn't just Lester's late father who had been a "car nut" - it seemed to be a requirement to join the extended family! Both daughters had driven and navigated on car rallies over the years). It emerged that the Triumph TR7, in British Leyland colours, had achieved some rallying success in the late 1970s with rally drivers such as Tony Pond at the wheel.
Lester's sister Suzanne guided the conversation across to the subject of families - and everyone agreed that, for the next gathering, "young Trisha Pike" had an automatic invitation to Chateau Evans.
Eventually proceedings were drawing to a pleasant close. Miranda used the local taxi firm to arrange transport for Kate back to her apartment, where she would relieve the babysitter.
As everyone gathered to wave farewell to Kate as the taxi headed away down the driveway, Lester found his mother standing alongside him.
"A lovely girl, Lester - sorry, a lovely woman definitely. Feisty, self-assured - typical Yank yet clearly experienced in the world. Plus, a beautiful temperament: I like her."
She looked at him before she continued. "Reminds me of someone else..."
"Mother, I agree; but it's probably a bit soon."
She looked at him, considering her next reply.
"Is it? Really? Well, my son, it's been over six months and remember that your children are growing fast. I believe that Lucinda at age three would benefit from maternal guidance. Plus, we do all worry about you, because grieving only gets you so far - trust your mother on this, because I know. Also - and I am strongly of the opinion from personal experience - I believe that you need to look wider."
She sighed, as she placed a motherly arm on his shoulder. "Look darling: Alison is gone. Her death was horrific and unforeseen and sudden and a tragedy, but you are human. It seems to me that Caitlyn is taller than...?"
"Taller than Alison? yes, probably two inches; difficult to judge with those spiked summer sandals that she was wearing today, but yesterday in Northwood, in uniform courts (or "pumps" as the Yanks seem to call them) I reckon she is some two inches ahead of Alison: say five feet ten against five-eight."
"So, a woman who can match you - especially in heels. Lovely temperament, too."
"Mother, she's not a horse! Now, I agree with all of that, but..."
He paused, allowing his mother to interject yet another compliment.
"Yes, good child-bearing hips too!"
"Mother!"
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A thought occurred to him, as he desperately sought to relieve the tightness in his trousers; trust Mother to verbalise what he had already been thinking! He thought through what she had said.
Mind you, Kate Pike was definitely worth a second look - and probably quite a few more! Plus, she understood the burden of motherhood, with her eight-year-old - news which had been quite a revelation. This could be interesting...
"Steady, Evans!"
Suddenly he was brought back to earth by his mother's next comment.
"Lester, wherever you went just now, it was obviously a very nice place - based upon your smile?"
He glared at her, just failing to hide the smile rippling beneath his lips.
"Mother, it's probably not directly related, but what did you do for company after Dad went down in '82 if I might ask? Obviously, Suzanne, Dorothea and Tim (and I) fully endorse and support your 'arrangement' with Uncle John."
"Wow! Now I know I brought you up well; most Brit families would go around the houses for days rather than discuss their parents' sex lives."
She shrugged before replying: "Well, in the aftermath of '82 I lived like a nun (with lots of support from everyone post-Falklands) for quite a while (I had you and Suzanne to raise, of course). Then finally, when you went off to Britannia, I went back to Manchester for a weekend school reunion. Suzanne had gone away on a Girl Guides camping weekend."
"And...?"
She took Lester's arm: "Well, let's just say that your mother found a widowed former school chum who had lost his wife in '82 in a car crash. We helped each other to live again on a 'no-strings' basis - in short, we helped each other to live *well* again. That remained my 'guilty secret' until he passed away in '98. By that time we'd all helped supporting John as Zoe declined and the timing was right when John emerged from his shell; as you know we have a "friends with benefits" deal?"
He nodded, then kissed her on the cheek. "Pleased for you, Mother."
"Good; now remember, God has placed Caitlyn Pike in your orbit for a reason. We may not discern his whole plan, but that girl (sorry again, I mean that woman) could be a keeper."
"Hell yeah!"
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Late July 2005
UK Royal Navy fleet ops HQ; Northwood, Middlesex, UK
Thus it came to pass that, as well as working well as colleagues on the joint UKRN-USN Poseidon programme, Commander Caitlyn ("Kate") Pike (USN) and Captain Lester Evans (RN) grew closer together personally.
Everyone - on the social side and in their chains of command - could see the evident attraction, compatibility and appropriateness of their burgeoning relationship. They were "formally approved for dating manoeuvres!" - and lost no time in putting their new-found official endorsement to the test.
The appropriate naval authorities (Lester's Commodore of the Fleet along with Caitlyn's line Admiral) had researched, reviewed and endorsed their continued working relationship on what - perversely and demonstrating the British sense of humour - became known as the "A.L.I.S.O.N." programme - Autonomous Linked Intelligent Systems for Operational Networking".
Somehow, it seemed a fitting tribute to the woman whose sadistic murder had eventually brought Lester and Kate together. The Commodore (fully-aware of the Lester-Alison tragedy) was happy to endorse the revised naming of the programme.
Later in July of 2005, Trisha Pike would become an eight-year-old addition to the "Evans circle of siblings and cousins", helping to integrate her into British culture with an understanding of the cultural similarities and differences. She adored her family title as "our token Yank" and took the nickname (as it was intended) as a sign of affection and acceptance.
Over the following decade, Trisha Pike would carry her UK-based social knowledge into her senior school years - including learning Japanese as her chosen foreign language. Her desire to serve would lead to her taking a year out (working as a field nursing assistant for the global charity "Medecins sans Frontieres") before joining Annapolis in the summer of 2016.
In her entry interview, she would be interviewed by Admiral Harmon Rabb, before breaking silence and announcing to a stunned Harm that she was his biological daughter: she accomplished this by producing a very worn red mitten at the end of the interview!. A/N: see my story "Red Mittens and a Rose Garden".
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As August 2005 drew to a close, Lester and Kate would spend the late-August Bank Holiday by heading away on what everyone knew (and supported) as a "dirty weekend" in the Swansea Marriott. Lester's TR7 (with its boot-lid luggage rack filled with Caitlyn's suitcase) was given a run down the M4 motorway westwards from the London area.
Caitlyn acquitted herself honourably, in her first experience of driving a stick-shift car on the "wrong" side of the road (she only tried to change gear using the window-winder twice in the first journey!). She had released her hair from its customary USN restrictions and rocked a fairly-long ponytail in the slipstream as she drove along the M4 through Wiltshire towards Wales.
Her only "fail" was not positioning the slim TR7 close enough to pay the tolls at the Severn Bridge, as they crossed into Wales. Lester did a quick "run-round" to solve the problem, to the amusement of the toll-booth operative and also the driver behind - who smiled benevolently and gave a friendly "thumbs-up" sign as he waited patiently.
Caitlyn overheard his "teaching a Yank to drive" comment to the toll-booth operative, even over the roar of the traffic. She missed, however, the operative's quiet response - "she's obviously worth it" - as Lester headed back to the passenger seat and strapped in again. She didn't hold it against him - it was part of their developing relationship after all - as she blasted away from the toll booths in the direction of the sunset over South Wales.
They spent a lovely relaxed weekend in Swansea. They walked the length of the long, flat, curved beach for a late lunch in Mumbles before walking back to the Marriott.
She could sense that he was not yet ready - but soon! Caitlyn Pike had already decided on her future - and she knew that Lester Evans was worth waiting for. They set the ground rules for their then-platonic relationship - with certainty that more would follow when Lester was ready.
Kate had already decided that she was ready.
A week later Kate and Lester (along with Lucinda, Nigel and Trisha) all flew across from London Heathrow airport to Washington Dulles, to attend the wedding (on the Labour Day weekend) of Bud Roberts and Eileen Nestor.
Caitlyn had decided not to let Tricia know that her biological father was there, knowing that he was attending with his heavily-pregnant wife Carolyn.
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Saturday 3rd September 2005: 14:00hrs EST
"The JAG Church", Falls Church, MD, USA
Caitlyn had brought Trisha - anonymously - to Bud and Eileen's wedding in September of 2005, but Caitlyn had kept the secret of Trisha's parentage from Harm. He was evidently fully-engaged and wrapped up in his new wife Carolyn's pregnancy and he was barely concentrating upon events at the wedding.
"Dutiful husband" Kate thought as she observed him fussing over a very-pregnant Carolyn Imes-Rabb. "I knew he had it in him."
Harm's detachment at the wedding suited Caitlyn just fine. What Harm didn't know wouldn't "harm" anyone.
The wedding of Bud and Eileen was a truly joyous affair, with Erin acting as Flower Girl and Bud's sons acting as joint ring bearers. It came to pass that, as well as Chaplain Turner's address, the Church Memorial Roll of Honour was extended to include the names of those consumed in the JAG HQ attack on July 4th 2004 and the Christmas SECNAV bombing five months later:
Brian Carter
Alan Foster
Cathy Peters
Anita Raymond
Gregory Vukovic
Harriet Beaumont Sims Roberts
Alison Margaret Krennick Evans
The mood of the entire day was light and celebratory, remembering the positive and ignoring the hatred (Sadik and Sarah were still in the wind and would remain so until 2014).
Faith MacBurney-Coleman was able to join in, having given birth to her twins on August 1st 2005. She and Jack would eventually go on to have a very happy family of five as their marriage allowed them to adopt, as well as continuing their own genetic line. Behind them, a heavily-pregnant Carolyn Imes-Rabb (about six weeks away from starting her maternity leave from NCIS) was in the congregation with her husband Harm, as they awaited the arrival of their first-born Rabb child in early November.
Bud's younger brother Mikey was steadily exploring and developing his (platonic) friendship with Cammie Cresswell; by this point they were both fairly certain that, post-USNA, they would be together after leaving Annapolis. The high proportion of "Navy-met families" (couples who had met through the USN, JAG or USMC in some combination) around them gave support to the theory.
For now, both Cammie and Mikey were content to occupy their time together with what the Americans refer to as "heavy petting"!
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There was another heart-warming event at the Roberts-Nestor wedding.
Tali Mayfield had met Lt. Comdr. David "Tuna" Medwick, when Harm introduced them to each other at the July 4th 2005 JAG picnic. Tuna was there on leave from Oceana to visit Harm & Carolyn to celebrate their own upcoming baby.
At the end of the Roberts-Nestor wedding ceremony, "Tuna" went down on one knee - of course, Tali said yes! Tali and Tuna were married one year later.
The joy and positive feelings helped to further wash away the bitterness of Sadik's rampage in 2004.
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Final A/N 29-JUN-2023: Building upon the excellent 2023 storyline "Conversion" by "jpstar57" (with whom I collaborated in the creation of that story). During a number of chapters, this sequel will span the timeline of 2004 through to 2019 - when "Loren Diane O'Hara" (Sadik's brainwashed and subjugated puppet, formerly known as Sarah Mackenzie) was executed. John ("jpstar57") and I agreed the parameters of our two storylines: so I commend you to read the whole of "Conversion" before you read this story. Mike, UK – 26-06-2023
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End of Ch05 of: "Conversion: re-building - the Aftermath." Ch05- Summer 2005
Mike: UK, 29-06-2023