Disclaimer: I don't own anything assocated with JAG.
A/N: My Xmas 2024 challenge entry. It always bothered me how the line was the EMT went into her palm pilot to get Harm's contact. So now ya'll get a bit more angst. All mistakes are mine.
Part 1
Jennifer Coates missed the days when the JAG family was a family. In the two years, since Commander Rabb had been accused of Singer's demise, it just hasn't been the same. It was not the same family she intruded on Christmas three years ago.
The Roberts were hosting a small dinner for those who didn't have family, to join theirs, but Jennifer didn't know if she'd end up going. The commander had invited her to see Mattie who was going to be in town to celebrate Christmas, and Mattie was the closest thing to a family to her.
Basically she needed to get out more and get a life. But at least volunteering to sit duty during the holidays meant that someone who did have a family didn't have to.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the phone. The number she didn't immediately recognize.
"JAG HQ, PO Coates speaking."
"Hi Coates, it's Jones from Motorpool," a deep voice from the other end spoke. She knew motorpool for a coupe of times a week.
"Merry Christmas, can I help you with anything?" she asked, racking her brain for if the general had checked out a car this week and she had forgotten.
He hadn't.
"DCPD called. A car checked out to your unit got in a major accident tonight."
"Oh no, do you know who it was checked out to?"
"Yeah says here it's Lt Col S. Mackenzie."
Shit.
Jennifer glanced up to the door. Commander Rabb was the Senior Duty Officer tonight, so she would have to tell him. Shit.
"Uhm, do you know if she's okay?"
"They didn't say. Just that the car is totaled, hit a tree."
Shit shit shit shit shit.
"Do you have the contact info for the PD? Maybe they'll know?"
"Yeah gimme a sec," Jones paused. She heard papers russeling from the other end, and then Jones rattled off the information.
"Thanks Jones."
"Yeah, hope your Colonel's okay."
"Me too, thanks for calling. We'll handle the paperwork for the crash after…"
"Sounds good," he said. "No rush on that one, gonna be a nightmare."
"Yeah," Coates said with a sigh. "Merry Christmas."
She hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment. She thought about calling the PD and getting the information for Commander Rabb, but knew the commander would call them as well. He would want to hear from the source. She'd save them a call.
She walked over to where the commander was still in office hunched over some files, and tapped at the door lightly.
He looked up at her with the welcoming small smile. Nothing compared to the smile he sported when she first met him. This smile was tired and reserved. Another reminder of how life has changed the last three years.
"Coates."
She sighed. Just gotta be direct, there was no way to beat around this one.
"Sir, motorpool just called."
He looked at her to continue.
"There's been an accident, uhm... it's Colonel Mackenzie."
His eyes widened as he shot up from his chair.
"Is she alright?"
"I have the DCPD contact. I figured you'd want to talk to them yourself," she said walking to his desk and placing the sticky note with the information on top of the files. "They only told me that she was ambulanced. They didn't know where to."
Harm was already dialing the phone as she spoke.
"Yeah, this is Commander Rabb. I was told you found one of ours at a crash scene. Do you know where they took her?"
A pause. Jennifer stood awkwardly in his office as he dawned on his business first persona.
"I'm the Senior Duty Officer, so yes I would like to — okay where did it happen? Can you give me a location?"
He scribbled on the same sticky note.
"Yes. Sure, we'll be in contact."
Harm hung up the phone.
"Thanks Jen. I'm… I have to go."
He was already gathering his belongings.
"Sir?"
"They're taking her to GWU. I'll keep you appraised."
"Yes sir."
"You need to pull her personnel file and…"
He paused. She couldn't read the look on his face.
"Sir?"
"Emergency Contact. Uh," he paused again. As if having an internal debate. "Call her emergency contact."
With that he was out the door.
His long legs couldn't get him out there fast enough. He strapped into his corvette wishing like hell he could speed through to her.
Jaws of life.
Unconscious.
The cops words echoed in his thoughts as he white knuckled the steering wheel for some control. It was taking all of him to keep calm. She'd been through so much the last year, and damn if he would lose her too.
On Christmas fucking Eve.
This was the same day over thirty years ago that the most important person in his life, his hero, was taken away from him. Damn it all if the love of his life, his best friend, despite the last two years, would be taken on the same day.
He tightened his already tight grip on the steering will glad that at least the DC traffic wasn't bad.
He needed to get to her. He need to make sure she was okay.
…
Sarah Mackenzie woke up in a blurry haze. She remembered opening her eyes as an.. oxygen mask? She questioned, was placed on her. But now she has none of that.
Now she was… at Red Rock Mesa.
She looked around. A dream, this had to be a dream.
"Hello my dearest," a familiar voice she has not heard from decades called out from behind her.
She whipped around to see her grandmother. All four feet ten inches of her, standing there with a smile on her face.
"Mama?"
"Oh my Sarah," she said her arms stretching out wide for a hug that Mac immediately went to. She felt herself as the woman who had missed this person, this guiding light, and as a child who loved and worshiped her grandmother. The first person she felt safe with.
…
"She's fading!" the doctor declared. "Pulse is slowing. Come on Colonel, hang in there."
Dr. Brantley whispered the last part. She wanted all her patients to live, but damn. It was Christmas Eve.
The staff in the room waited with a bated breath as they heard the machine's rhythm steady with her pulse. Consistent. Steady.
The room went back to their duties to reset the broken bones of this woman, and hoped she'd make it through the night.
…
Harm arrived at the ER, jaw clenched tightly. He waited in line where folks were being taken in or given a number to wait depending on the severity of their situation.
"May I help you?" The nurse asked him.
"I'm — one of my officers was brought here. Sarah Mackenzie."
"And… you are?"
A loaded question.
"I'm" he paused. The last two years have been so rocky he didn't know. "I'm the Senior Duty Officer. I have to brief our commander on her status."
The nurse nodded and typed away.
"She's currently in surgery. If you'd like to wait over there, we'll call you when she gets out. Or you can leave your number and we'll give you a call."
He didn't trust the latter.
"I'll wait here, thank you ma'am."
She nodded her head as he stepped aside.
He walked to the furthest chair in the room. His legs carrying him because his mind and body were screaming. Surgery. Major accident.
He tried to block out his thoughts, but they all kept coming back to the day.
Harm really fucking hated Christmas Eve.
Hope you enjoyed!