Title: Promises to Keep
Author: Susan <SStroud@aol.com>
Summary: Harm promised Mac that he would be back for her someday. How long until that someday arrives?
Disclaimer: They don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them for a little while.
Special Thanks to Selena for beta reading and offering lots of suggestions on this.
PROLOGUE
Harm exited the elevator and made his way slowly to Mac's office. It had been a long time since he had been back to the offices at JAG headquarters, but it felt as if nothing had changed. He noticed that the room fell silent as he reached Mac's office. He glanced back over his shoulder. They were watching him. They knew that he had promised her that he would be back. He could see it on their faces. He forced a smile. It had been a long time. The promise to return to Mac had been the only thing that had kept him alive at a time when he had wished for death.
He turned back to Mac's office door and reached up to knock. He waited for the command to enter before he opened the door and walked in. Pushing the door closed behind him, he stood motionless until she looked up at him. She was still as beautiful as he remembered. Her hair was a little longer and she looked a little thinner, but other than that, she was still his Mac.
"Harm." The word was barely audible as she stood to her feet.
"I'm home, Mac." He took a step towards her.
Her eyes filled with tears. "They told me you were dead, Harm."
"I told you that I would be back for you, Mac." He stopped just inches away from her. "Nothing could have kept me away."
He reached up to wipe the tears from her eyes but she stepped away from him. "Don't!"
He was confused. She was pulling away from him. "What is it, Mac?"
"I can't do this, Harm." She turned her back to him to hide her tears.
"Mac." He reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders.
She shrugged his hands off and turned back to him. "I can't do this, Harm. I'm sorry. I thought that you were dead. There's someone else in my life now. I've moved on."
She made her way to the door and was out of the office before he realized what had happened. He wanted to follow her, but he couldn't. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. She had moved on without him. This couldn't really be happening. He had been through so much to get back to her. He sunk back against her desk. The tears flowed down his cheeks. "Mac, no." She had promised him that she would wait for him. She knew that nothing would have stopped him from getting back to her. How could she have given up on the love between them? The sobs shook his body as he stood there and cried. He had lost everything. He had lost her.
1500 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Mac walked into her office and closed the door behind her. She desperately needed to get away from everyone for a few days. All of the sympathetic looks and 'How are you holding up?' questions were beginning to rub her nerves raw. How did they think that she was holding up? It had been six weeks! Six weeks with absolutely no contact! The longest six weeks of her life.
She sighed as she stared out the window. A plane in the distance caught her attention and she couldn't stop the image of Harm that appeared in her mind. He would think that it was a perfect day for flying. She spoke to her reflection in the window. "I can't do this. Not now."
"Then when?" She closed her eyes as the memory replayed itself in her mind. It was Harm's voice asking the question. She had turned around at the sound of his voice. "I needed to tell you something." He had made his way across her office. "I love you, Ninja Girl." He had reached up and wiped the tears from her face.
"I love you too, Harm." She had covered his hands with hers.
"I will be back. For you, Mac." His gaze had locked with hers. He could easily see her love for him shining in her eyes. There was no way that she could have hidden it from him.
"Then go now and do this. For you, Harm." In that instant, she could see into his soul and she knew that this was the right thing for him to do.
"No regrets, Mac. This is for us." His voice had been so soft. It had felt like a caress.
"For us, Harm." She had leaned in to meet his lips as he closed the distance between them.
Mac had never felt more alive than when she had heard him say that he loved her. Every moment of that day was burned into her memory. The look in his eyes when he confessed his love. The smell of his cologne as he pulled her into his embrace. The gentle brush of his hand as he wiped the tears from her eyes, and the feel of his lips on hers as he kissed her. She leaned her head against the window. It was hard to believe that it had been two years since that day. Two years of letter writing, e-mail exchanging and long distance phone calls. Two years held together by nothing more than a promise. A promise of someday.
"Colonel MacKenzie?" Tiner's voice came across the intercom pulling her from her memories.
"Yes, Tiner?"
"The Admiral would like to see you, Ma'am."
"I'm on my way, Tiner." Mac sighed as she straightened up. Would this day ever come to an end?
As Mac reached the Admiral's office, Tiner motioned for her to go in. She opened the door, walked in and came to attention.
"At ease, Colonel." Admiral Chegwidden walked over to close the door. "Have a seat."
Mac looked over to where Clayton Webb was standing. "What have you heard, Webb?"
"It's not good, Mac." Webb approached her as she sat down.
"Did they find him?"
Webb stopped beside the Admiral and leaned against the desk. "It's a little complicated."
Mac stood back up and got in Webb's face. "Screw complicated, Mr. Webb. Did you or did you not find Commander Rabb?"
Webb wisely took a step backwards. "No. We didn't."
Mac closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Start talking."
"The camp that he was being held in was cleared out by the time we got there. There was no sign of him ever having been there."
Mac sank back down in the chair. "And the complications?"
Webb looked to Admiral Chegwidden to bail him out. The Admiral shook his head at his cowardice. "Apparently, the Nigerian Freedom Force was in the area at the time."
"So they moved him to a safer location?" Mac looked up at the Admiral.
"We're not sure, Mac." Webb volunteered. "We lost contact with our man on the inside. We don't even know if Rabb is still alive."
Mac stood back up and got back in Webb's face. "Harm is very much alive, Mr. Webb. Now I suggest that you do something useful and try to find him." She turned her attention to the Admiral. "Permission to take the remainder of the week off, Sir?"
"On one condition, Colonel." Admiral Chegwidden slowly walked to the other side of his desk. "If you give me your word that you will not attempt to find Commander Rabb on your own, but you will leave it to the professionals."
Mac shot a piercing look at Webb. "Agreed, Sir."
"Dismissed, Colonel."
Mac snapped to attention before leaving the office. She gathered her things from her office and made her way down to her car. Once she was safely inside, she allowed her defenses to fall. As she leaned her head on the steering wheel, the tears made their way down her cheeks.
The memory of another conversation flooded her mind. They were standing on the steps outside of the JAG offices, not far from where she was currently parked. "Don't make a promise you can't keep." She had tried to warn him.
He had looked at her with that self-assured smug look. "I haven't yet."
"Please don't let this be the first, Harm. Hang in there for me. They're looking for you. It won't be much longer."
Unknown Time
Unknown Location
A young man walked into the room and approached the woman sitting beside the bed. "How is our American friend doing?"
She glanced up as she wiped the American's face with a cool cloth. "The fever is worse today. So are his nightmares. He keeps calling out for one named `Mac'. I cannot do any more for him, Lucas. He needs a doctor."
"It is too dangerous, Tara. It could ruin all of our plans."
"He will die, Lucas." She stood up to face him. "What help will he be in your plans then?"
"Why do you care so much whether he lives or dies?" Lucas glared at the woman in front of him. "What does this American mean to you?"
"He means nothing to me, you idiot." She turned her back to him. "But this American saved your life and that alone makes me feel indebted to him."
Lucas reached his hand out to touch her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Tara."
She shrugged his hand away. "Leave now. He needs to rest."
"Tara. Please."
"I said go." Tara sat back down beside the bed and picked the cloth back up.
Lucas watched as she dipped the cloth in the pan of water and wrung it out before gently wiping the American's face with it. He turned to leave the room but stopped when the American screamed. "MAC!! NO!!"
Tara moved closer to the American in an effort to calm him. Lucas listened as she whispered soothing words to him. The American continued to toss back and forth on the bed as tears streamed down his face. "Mac, please. Please don't go. Don't leave me like this." Lucas had heard enough. He turned and walked out of the room.
1700 Zulu
Harm's Apartment
North of Union Station
Mac sat her suitcase down and pulled her keys out. She unlocked the door and pushed it open as she picked her suitcase back up. She was glad that Harm had given her a key to his apartment to 'keep an eye on things'. Closing the door behind her, she carried her suitcase to the bedroom. After placing the suitcase at the foot of the bed, she looked around the room. Hopefully, this would serve as a good hideout for a couple of days. Now if only she could turn off her memories for a few minutes.
Six Weeks Ago
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
"Good morning, Harriet." Mac smiled at the Lieutenant as she entered the office.
Harriet looked up from the papers she was filing. "Good morning, Ma'am. You're in a good mood this morning."
Mac nodded her head. "Actually, I am in a wonderful mood this morning."
Harriet left the filing and followed Mac into her office. "I don't suppose that your mood is in any way related to Commander Rabb's pending transfer?"
Mac walked to her desk and sat down. "Commander Rabb is transferring?"
Harriet smiled as she sat down across from Mac. "Yes, Ma'am. He is to report to JAG at 0800 tomorrow morning."
"Good for Commander Rabb." Mac shuffled a few papers around on her desk. "I'm sure that his return will be a great asset to the office."
"Not to mention your social life, Ma'am." Harriet teased.
Mac looked up at Harriet and broke into a grin. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Harriet returned the smile. It was good to see her friend so happy. "What time is he due in?"
"They're scheduled to dock at Norfolk at 1600 this afternoon."
"Excuse me, Ma'am." Bud interrupted from the open doorway.
"What is it, Bud?" Mac looked up at him.
He walked in and sat a vase of red roses on her desk. "These just came for you, Ma'am."
"Thank you, Bud." Mac stood up and pulled the card off of the flowers as Bud left.
"Commander Rabb?" Harriet questioned as Mac read the card.
Mac nodded as she put the card in her pocket. It simply said 'Soon. Love you. Harm.' She smiled as she smelled the roses before she sat back down.
"That's very romantic of him to send you roses, Ma'am." Harriet leaned forward in her chair. "How long has it been since you've seen him?"
"Five months, three weeks, four days, seventeen hours and forty-two minutes. But who's counting?" Harriet laughed as Mac continued. "He called me five days ago to let me know when he would be in port and I had an e-mail from him three days ago inviting me to dinner tonight. The Admiral has already agreed to give me the afternoon off so I can meet him when the ship docks."
"I'm so excited for you, Ma'am. You two deserve some happiness after all that you've been through."
"Thank you, Harriet." Mac smiled at her. "It's a little ironic though how the thing that separated us is what also brought us together."
"Well, Ma'am, they say that if you truly love someone you will put their happiness above your own. Your willingness to let Commander Rabb go back to flying just proved to him how much you really cared for him."
"Letting him go was probably the hardest thing that I've ever had to do, Harriet." Mac's expression turned serious. "I couldn't ask him to stay though. I love him too much. I know how important flying is to him and I couldn't ask him to give that up." Mac grinned again. "However, knowing that he will be home soon makes it all worth it."
Admiral Chegwidden's voice over the intercom interrupted their conversation. "Colonel MacKenzie?"
"Yes, Sir?"
"In my office."
"Aye, Sir." Mac stood up. "We'll talk more later, Harriet."
"Yes, Ma'am." Harriet stood and followed her out of the office.
Mac made her way to the Admiral's office and knocked on the door. "Enter."
Mac walked in and closed the door behind her. She came to attention. "You wanted to see me, Sir?"
Admiral Chegwidden continued to stare out the window. "Have a seat, Mac."
Mac moved to the chair and sat down as Admiral Chegwidden turned to face her. "Is something wrong, Sir?"
Admiral Chegwidden walked over to stand in front of her. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I just got off the phone with Captain Pike. While performing routine patrol two nights ago, Commander Rabb's plane was shot down. Commander Rabb and his RIO, Lieutenant Hawks are being listed as M.I.A."
Mac felt her stomach bottom out. This couldn't be happening. He was supposed to be on his way home ... to her. She could feel the tears threatening as she tried to reign in her fears. "What aren't you telling me, Sir?"
Admiral Chegwidden sighed as he leaned back against his desk. "They went down in hostile territory, Mac. If they survived the crash, the odds of them still being alive aren't very good."
"Have there been any attempts at a rescue, Sir?" Mac heard the words come out of her mouth, but she wasn't sure how she was managing to talk. It was a struggle to remember to breathe at the moment.
"A team has been deployed, but it's slow going. They're having to move at night to avoid detection."
Mac closed her eyes in an effort to hold back the tears. "Permission to be excused, Admiral?"
Admiral Chegwidden watched her as she struggled for control over her emotions. "Stay here, Mac. I'll give you a few minutes alone."
"Thank you, Sir."
Admiral Chegwidden placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. He gave it a quick squeeze before he headed out of his office.
Mac dropped her head down into her hands. *Suck it up, Marine!* she told herself. Refusing to allow herself to cry, she stood up and took a deep breath. He was alive. He had to be. He had promised her that he would be back. Besides that, she could still feel him. She had to be strong and keep a clear head if she was going to be able to help him. She straightened her uniform as she slowly exhaled. She could do this. For Harm.
Present Day
Harm's Apartment
Mac eased herself down on Harm's bed. Everyone had been so supportive since news of the accident had come out. However, today was not a day when Mac wanted support. Today she just wanted to be left alone. She felt like she needed to reconnect with Harm in some way. Perhaps that was what had driven her to his apartment.
Hugging one of his pillows to her chest, Mac closed her eyes. She brought up a picture of Harm in her mind. He was standing on the flight deck of the Patrick Henry smiling. His hair was messed up from his flight helmet and he still had on his flight gear. He looked incredible. That's how he had looked the last time that Mac had seen him. Mac sighed as she tried to will energy into her mental image. "Don't give up, Harm. I need you too much."
Unknown Time
Unknown Location
Lucas escorted an older man into the room as Tara stood up. "Who is this?"
"He is a doctor." Lucas took Tara's hand and led her away from the bed. "Let him do his job."
Tara turned and watched as the doctor checked the American's blood pressure and temperature. He then began removing the blood-soaked bandages that covered the American's shoulder and head.
The doctor turned to Lucas and Tara. "How long has it been?"
"Three days." Lucas answered as they approached the bed.
"An American pilot?" The doctor questioned.
"Yes." Lucas stopped at the foot of the bed. "Apparently, he escaped from the camp at Abuja. We ran across him in the woods at the same time the guards caught up with him. The bullet that he took was meant for me. They decided that I was a much bigger prize than their American prisoner. The head wound came after he got shot. I think he fell against something."
The doctor looked at Tara. "How long has he had the fever?"
"Since we got back to camp. Two full days. He was in and out of consciousness on the journey here."
The doctor began pulling items out of his bag. "I will need some water. Boil a large pan of it and bring it to me. I will also need some clean towels."
Tara left to get the requested items and Lucas looked over at the doctor. "Will he live, Doc?"
"The bullet wound is infected, Lucas. I need to clean it and dress it. Aside from the gash on his forehead, he has several other wounds that need treated as well. I will give him some medicine to help him fight off the infection, but whether or not he survives is up to him."
"I owe him my life, Doc." Lucas looked down at the American. "He has to survive."
1730 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Clayton Webb hung up the phone and stood up so Admiral Chegwidden could have his desk back. "That was Agent Smith reporting in."
"Please tell me that you have good news." Admiral Chegwidden moved around his desk and sat down.
"We've been able to reestablish contact with our man in Nigeria." Webb stood facing the Admiral across his desk. "He found Skates."
The Admiral met his gaze. "Is she alive?"
"Yes."
Admiral Chegwidden let out a sigh of relief. "Details, Mr. Webb."
"Apparently her and Commander Rabb were captured not long after the plane went down. They were being held by the Nigerian government."
"Were?"
"They managed to escape four days ago."
"And Commander Rabb?" Admiral Chegwidden asked.
"Lieutenant Hawk said that they got separated when the rebels showed up. She hasn't seen Rabb since then."
Admiral Chegwidden pressed his intercom button. "Tiner, please come in here for a minute."
"Aye, Sir." A moment later Tiner entered the office.
"At ease." The Admiral stood up and walked around his desk as Tiner relaxed. "I need you to get me on the next available transport to the Gulf of Guinea, Tiner."
"Aye, Sir." Tiner nodded.
"You're not seriously considering going down there?" Webb turned to face Admiral Chegwidden.
"Dismissed, Tiner."
"Aye, Sir." Tiner snapped to attention before turning to leave the office.
Admiral Chegwidden waited until the office door was closed before turning back to Webb. "Commander Rabb is one of the finest officers that I have ever had in my command. As of four days ago, he was still alive. Now I refuse to sit here on my thumbs any longer. I am going to Nigeria and I am going to find Commander Rabb and bring him home. Is that understood?"
"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."
"You are more than welcome to join me, Mr. Webb." The Admiral walked back to his desk.
Webb shook his head. "You are absolutely nuts!"
Chegwidden started clearing off his desk. "Was that a yes?"
"Do I really have a choice?"
"Sure you do." The Admiral looked up at him. "You can either go with me and help me bring him home or you can explain to Mac how you thought that this was a foolish attempt at a rescue."
Webb sighed. "I'll go pack."
"Good choice, Mr. Webb."
Unknown Time
Unknown Location
"MAC!" Harm sat up in his bed and looked around the room. He was back in his apartment. The room was dark, but it was definitely his room. The picture of Mac that he kept beside the bed caught his attention. He reached for the picture as the memories flooded through. She had given up on him. Mac had gone on without him.
Harm laid back down on the bed. His head was pounding and his entire body hurt. He was so tired of the pain. It had been a constant struggle since the day that they had been shot down. The only thing that had kept him alive was the promise that he had made to Mac. He couldn't let her down. He had to get back to her, so he had held on.
It had worked too. Even though the details were a little fuzzy in his mind, he knew that he had managed to escape. He had made it home to Mac. The only problem was that she didn't want him anymore. He should have just given up in the prison camp. His life wasn't worth living if Mac wasn't in it.
Harm closed his eyes as he rested against the pillows. The pain in his body was getting worse. Perhaps this was his chance to escape. He was tired of fighting it. Maybe it was time to finally give in to the pain.
He heard a voice and opened his eyes. He was alone in his room, but he could still hear the voice. It was Mac. "Don't give up, Harm. I need you too much."
What did she mean she needed him? She told him earlier that she had moved on. The pain in his head was getting stronger. He had to keep fighting. He had to figure out what was going on. He heard her voice again. "Don't you dare give up on me, Sailor. You promised me forever."
"MAC!" Harm called her name as he regained consciousness. The pain in his body was overwhelming. He felt the bile rise in his throat and turned his head to the side. He was vaguely aware of a woman's voice trying to soothe him. After emptying the contents of his stomach, he fell back on the bed. A cool cloth covered his forehead and he turned to see who had placed it there. A young woman sat beside him. She had long, black hair and gray eyes that had seen too much death for one so young. She was watching him closely. "Who are you?"
Her voice was soft as she continued to wipe his brow. "My name is Tara."
Harm looked around the room slowly. "Where am I?"
"Relax. There will be plenty of time for questions later. Right now you need to rest. Your body needs time to heal."
"I have to get to Mac." He tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness swept over him. He fought to stay awake but the darkness overwhelmed him and drug him back into unconsciousness.
0424 Zulu
Harm's Apartment
North of Union Station
Mac sat up in the bed and looked around. The room was bathed in darkness. She listened carefully to determine what had jarred her from her dreamless sleep.
"Colonel?" Bud's voice was nearly drowned out by his pounding on the apartment door. "Colonel MacKenzie, are you in there?"
Mac made her way to the door, turning on several lights along the way. She opened the door to find a very worried Bud Roberts on the other side. "Thank God you're okay, Ma'am."
"I'm fine, Bud. I fell asleep." Mac stepped aside to allow him to enter.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, Ma'am. I've been trying to reach you for hours though. When you didn't return any of my pages and weren't answering either your home phone or your cell phone, I decided to look for you here."
"Did the thought ever occur to you that maybe I didn't want to be found?" Mac tried to keep the annoyance out of her voice, but she wasn't very successful.
Bud looked down to the floor. "Yes, Ma'am, it did. I really am sorry."
Mac shook her head. "It's okay, Bud. I'm sorry that I snapped at you. What did you need?"
"Harriet and I thought that you might like to know that Admiral Chegwidden and Mr. Webb left this afternoon for Nigeria."
"Did they hear something, Bud?" Mac glanced up at him.
"Better than that, Ma'am." Bud smiled at her. "They found Lieutenant Hawks. She confirmed that Commander Rabb was still alive as of four days ago when they got separated."
Mac dropped to the couch as relief flooded over her. "Do they know where he is?"
"No, Ma'am." Bud's voice was gentle. "But Admiral Chegwidden will find him."
Mac smiled up at Bud through the tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Bud."
"You're welcome, Ma'am." Bud turned to leave but stopped and turned back to face her. "They will find him, Ma'am. You have to keep believing in that."
Mac stood up and hugged him. "Thanks, Bud. I needed that."
Bud returned her embrace. "Anytime, Ma'am." He released her and walked to the door. "Good night, Ma'am."
"Good night, Bud." Mac closed the door after Bud had left and leaned her head against it. The young Lieutenant Roberts had developed into a fine lawyer in the last two years. More importantly though, he had become a good friend. If it hadn't been for the support of Bud and Harriet, Mac wasn't sure she could have survived the last six weeks.
Four Weeks Ago
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Mac stormed off of the elevator and into the bullpen. "Where is Ensign James?"
Several people turned away from her. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of Colonel MacKenzie's temper and they sure weren't going to offer up a colleague without it coming as a direct order.
"I said where is Ensign James?" Mac repeated a little louder.
Bud heard her angry voice and walked out of his office. He spotted Ensign James rounding the corner at the same time Mac had. Knowing that he was probably risking his life as well as his career, Bud stepped directly into Mac's path cutting off her access to the young Ensign.
"Excuse me, Ma'am. I need a moment of your time."
She tried to sidestep him. "Not now, Bud."
"This can't wait, Ma'am." He managed to keep himself in her path.
Mac stopped trying to step around him and stood directly in front of him. "Lieutenant Roberts, do I have to order you to move out of my way?"
"Please, Ma'am. This is very important."
Mac took a deep breath and spoke through clenched teeth. "Fine, Lieutenant. What is it?"
"Could we talk in my office, Ma'am?"
Mac glared over Bud's shoulder at the unsuspecting Ensign before turning to walk into Bud's office. Bud let out the breath that he had been holding as he turned and followed her in. He closed the door and came to attention in anticipation of her fury. "What on earth is so important, Lieutenant Roberts?"
Bud continued to stare straight ahead. "Permission to speak freely, Ma'am?"
Mac groaned in frustration. "Out with it already, Bud!"
"With all due respect, Ma'am, you need to get a grip on your emotions."
"I need to do what?" Mac walked over to stand face to face with him.
"Ma'am, I know how upset you are about Commander Rabb."
Mac cut him off. "You don't know anything about how I'm feeling concerning Commander Rabb, Lieutenant."
Bud's voice was quiet but strong. "He's my friend too, Colonel. I may not be in love with him, but I love him like a brother. He believed in me at a time when I didn't believe in myself. I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for Commander Rabb. I miss him, Ma'am. I'm also scared. I get scared every time that the Admiral takes a call that it's going to be the one saying that Commander Rabb is never coming back. But it's more than that, Ma'am." Bud watched her as she turned her back to him. "It's tearing me up to watch you go through this alone, Ma'am. Commander Rabb would have my six if he knew that I let you close yourself off from your friends and try to handle this by yourself. We're a family here at JAG, Ma'am. The only way that we're all going to get through this is if we pull together and lean on each other."
Bud waited for her to say something, but she remained quiet. He watched as her shoulders began to shake. "Ma'am?" He slowly walked over until he was standing directly behind her. He reached out his hand and placed it on her shoulder. "It's okay, Colonel."
Mac turned around and buried her face in Bud's shirt as the sobs racked her body. Bud wrapped his arms around her and held her as she cried. "I can't lose him, Bud. I don't want to do this without him."
"I know, Ma'am. I know."
Present Day
Harm's Apartment
Mac carried her mug of coffee to the couch and sat down. The last six weeks had been the most trying weeks of her life, but fortunately, Mac had friends that refused to allow her to face them alone. She was glad that the Admiral and Webb were on their way to Nigeria. Since she had been ordered to stay away from there herself, it was reassuring to know that two of the best were hot on Harm's trail. Mac sighed as she stared in to her cup of coffee. She couldn't explain it, but for some reason, she suddenly felt very sure that Harm would be coming home to her soon.
0700 Zulu
Port Harcourt, Nigeria
The twelve men moved as a unit as they made their way from the shore. Completely dressed in black, the men were barely noticeable. Once they were safely under cover behind a large ridge, the men stopped. The leader, Admiral Chegwidden, turned and signaled to the group to split up. With a quick nod from the other leader, Clayton Webb, the two groups headed off into opposite directions.
1700 Zulu
Harm's Apartment
North of Union Station
Mac restlessly walked around the apartment. After talking to Bud last night, she had managed to get a few hours of sleep. However, she had been awake since before six and had been trying to burn off excess energy since then. She had started the morning with a ten mile run followed by thoroughly cleaning Harm's apartment. After getting herself cleaned up, she had gone to the grocery store for a few things. Now she was nervously pacing the floor waiting for word from the Admiral that Harm was safe.
In her mind, she knew that the Admiral and Webb hadn't been gone long enough to have found Harm yet. Her heart, on the other hand, was forcing her into action. She just couldn't seem to sit still. On more than one occasion, she had found herself planning a trip to Nigeria to help with the search herself. Somehow, she had managed to keep herself from actually following through with it. Perhaps it was the fact that Admiral Chegwidden had ordered her to leave the rescue to the professionals. More to the point, it was probably because her ears still hurt from the tongue lashing she had received the last time she had tried to go after Harm.
5 Weeks Ago
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Mac stood at attention in Admiral Chegwidden's office as he paced around the room.
"Just what exactly did you think you were doing, Colonel?"
"I was going after Commander Rabb, Sir." Mac hadn't seen the Admiral this angry in a long time.
"You were going after Commander Rabb?" The Admiral stopped pacing and stood directly in front of her. "Do you know where Commander Rabb is?"
"No, Sir."
"Let me get this straight, Colonel. You went UA. You snuck on board a Naval Transport. You concocted a phony investigation to get on board a Naval Aircraft Carrier, and you blackmailed Webb into helping you. All of this and you don't even know where Commander Rabb is?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Do you have any regard at all for your career, Colonel?" His face was mere inches from hers. "Because after this little stunt, you'll be doing good to stay out of the brig."
Mac continued to stare straight ahead. Her voice was calm as she spoke. "He would have done it for one of us, Sir."
Admiral Chegwidden stepped away from her. "Turn all of your case files over to Lieutenant Roberts. As of today, you will no longer be trying cases. You will assist with any research that needs to be done, but other than that, you are to have no involvement in any cases. Under no circumstances are you to leave this building without me knowing about it. Is that understood, Colonel?"
"Yes, Sir!"
"Furthermore, Colonel, I am assigning a guard to your apartment to ensure that you don't try to pull anything like this again. Do you have any questions?"
"No, Sir!"
"Dismissed!"
"Aye, aye, Sir." Mac turned and marched out of the office.
Admiral Chegwidden sat down at his desk. If she had slapped him across the face, it would have stung less than her words had. She had cut to the bone and she was right. Harm would have risked everything if it was one of them that was missing. Correct that, Harm had risked everything, more than once, to protect those that he loved.
Admiral Chegwidden sighed as he remembered the day that they had went after Francesca. He owed Harm a lot more than just respect and friendship. He owed him his only child's life. It was time to do something to help Harm. Keeping Mac under guard would ensure her safety, now it was time to take action. With another sigh, the Admiral picked up the phone to call Webb.
Outside the Admiral's Office
Mac made her way to her office and closed the door behind her. The Admiral's punishment surprised her. When she had seen the M.P.'s come on board the carrier, she had fully expected to be facing a court martial. Instead, she was being kept under guard and confined to paperwork.
A sigh escaped her lips as she sat down at her desk. There had to be something she could do to help find Harm. She couldn't just sit here and do nothing knowing that he was missing and possibly hurt. Another trip to Nigeria was out of the question, but that didn't mean that she couldn't still be a part of the rescue team. She just had to figure out how to do that from here.
Present Day
Harm's Apartment
Mac made her way to the kitchen. It had only taken a little over a week of being under guard and confined to paperwork to drive her over the edge. She had nearly gone crazy by not being able to do something to help Harm. Fortunately, Bud had been there for her and had helped her to come to terms with it. After confiding in Bud about her fears of losing Harm, she had given Admiral Chegwidden her word that she wouldn't go to Nigeria on her own. Fortunately, he had trusted her and removed the guard from her apartment. After serving two more weeks as research queen, he had even allowed her to take over a couple of low profile cases. It had been a rough time, but they had all managed to come out of it stronger. Now all they had left to do was to bring Harm home. Back to JAG. Back to his family. Back to her.
The doorbell interrupted Mac's thoughts as she pulled some fruit out of the refrigerator. Leaving the bowl on the counter, she walked to the door and opened it. "Lieutenant Commander Hawks?" Mac couldn't believe her eyes. Harm's R.I.O. was standing in the hallway.
"Hello, Colonel." The young lady stood at attention despite the fact that neither officer was in uniform.
"At ease." Mac opened the door wider to allow her to enter. "Come in."
"Thank you, Ma'am." Hawks walked in the door and turned to face Mac. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Ma'am, but I have a message for you from Commander Rabb."
Mac closed the door and motioned to the couch. "Please, have a seat."
Unknown Time
Unknown Location
The doctor entered the room and quietly approached the bed. "How is the patient?"
Tara looked up with a tired smile. "The fever finally broke a couple of hours ago. He has been resting peacefully since then."
"Good." The doctor carefully pulled the dressing off of Harm's shoulder.
"The wound looks much better today." He cleaned the wound and redressed it before he turned back to Tara. "You should go rest for a while."
"He shouldn't be alone, Doc." Tara looked back down to the sleeping form on the bed. "He was very disoriented the last couple of times he was awake."
The doctor nodded in understanding. "I will stay with him. Now go. Doctor's orders."
Tara stood to leave. "Thank you for saving his life."
The doctor grinned at her. "You're welcome. Now go get some rest."
Tara returned his smile before she made her way out of the room. After ensuring that no one was outside of the room, the doctor returned to sit beside the bed.
"Commander Rabb, can you hear me?" The doctor watched for any signs of recognition from the American pilot. "Commander Rabb, you need to wake up." The doctor noticed Harm's eyes twitch so he continued to say his name.
"Mac?" Harm slowly opened his eyes and glanced around the room before settling on the doctor.
The doctor grinned. "Colonel MacKenzie is not here, Commander Rabb. Do you remember what happened to you?"
"You know Mac?" Harm struggled to sit up.
The doctor leaned over and helped Harm maneuver to a sitting position. "No, I have never met the Colonel, but from what I hear, she is an amazing woman." The doctor sat back down in the chair. "My name is Josiah Belling. I am a doctor and also a good friend of Clayton Webb."
Harm smirked. "I didn't think Webb had any friends."
Dr. Belling grinned. "Spoken like a true friend, Commander. Webb speaks highly of you."
Harm raised his eyebrows. "Why do I get the feeling that I should be scared by that statement?"
Dr. Belling's grin turned to a full fledged smile. "Perhaps because you have a long history of working with Webb?"
Harm nodded his agreement as he took another look around the room. "Where are we?"
"We're a few miles north of Sapele. Tell me what you remember."
Harm focused on the man seated beside him. "Skates and I had escaped. We were heading south when we found ourselves surrounded. We decided that our best option would be to split up. We figured if one of us got away, we could get help and get the other one out. I worked on distracting the guards while Skates made a run for it. The next thing I knew, the guards were aiming at this young man who was just passing by at the wrong time. I tried to push the man out of the way and I remember feeling the impact of the bullet." Harm paused to look down at his left shoulder. "Everything after that is pretty fuzzy." Harm looked over at Dr. Belling. "Did Skates make it out? Is that why you're here?"
Dr. Belling nodded. "Yes, Skates made it out. That's not why I'm here though."
Harm let out a sigh of relief. "So, why are you here? And how did I get here?"
"The man that you saved is Lucas Mandow. He is the leader of the Nigerian Freedom Fighters. Apparently, they brought you back to camp with them."
"Nothing like having an American hostage to negotiate with in exchange for arms?" Harm leaned his head back against the headboard. "Where does the girl fit in?"
"The girl is Lucas's girlfriend. Her name is Tara Sypresian. She is the reason that I am here. When your fever continued to rise out of control, she insisted that Lucas find you a doctor."
Harm looked down at the various cuts covering his bare chest and arms. There was a large bruise just below his ribcage on the left side. "How bad am I, Doc?"
Dr. Belling grinned at him. "You'll live, Commander. The bullet did a lot of damage in your shoulder, but it is mostly soft tissue damage. You will be pretty sore for a while and we might have to do surgery once we get you home to repair the muscle damage, but for now, your shoulder is the least of our worries."
Harm closed his eyes. "Why do I have such a horrible headache?"
"From the gash on your forehead, I would say that you hit your head after you got shot. You have a pretty serious concussion."
Harm opened one eye to look at the doctor. "What are my chances of surviving an escape attempt?"
Dr. Belling leaned forward in his chair. "With the condition you're in now, I would say that your odds are slim to none. You are still dehydrated and weak from the fever. Your shoulder is still infected, although the antibiotics are working to fight it off. You have multiple cuts and bruises all over your body and you have a fairly serious concussion. The dizziness and disorientation from the concussion would slow you down enough to make a clean escape impossible. Add all of the rest of your injuries to the list and I would say that it would be a miracle if you could stand up on your own right now. Much less survive an attempt at an escape."
Harm sighed in frustration. "What are your suggestions then?"
"I suggest that you sit tight for now, Commander. Get some rest and build your strength back up. Your body needs time to heal."
Harm sat up straight and looked directly at Dr. Belling. "What my body needs is to get back home to Mac, Dr. Belling. Not to sit here in some god-forsaken rebel camp hoping to get better."
Dr. Belling noticed the grimace on Harm's face as he uttered the last few words. He reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of pills. After shaking a couple into his hand, he handed them to Harm along with a glass of water. "Here, take these. They will help ease the pain and help you to sleep." Harm took the offered pills and swallowed them. "Get some rest, Commander, and don't worry about getting home. You will be there before you know it. And if I can believe half of what Webb has told me of your Mac, she will be there waiting for you."
Harm slowly eased himself back down to the bed. "Could you get a message to her, Doc?"
"It would be very risky, Commander."
"Please, Doc."
Dr. Belling could easily read the fear in Harm's eyes. Webb had given him enough information about the young Commander for him to realize that this was very important to him. He nodded his agreement. "No promises, Commander, but I'll try. What do you want me to tell her."
Harm leaned his head back on the pillow. "Tell her that I'm alive, Doc, and that I'll be home soon."
"I'll see what I can do, Commander." Dr. Belling stood up. "Get some rest."
"Thanks, Doc." Harm closed his eyes. He had to get back home. He had promises to keep. Promises of a future. Their future. Together.
1800 Zulu
Harm's Apartment
North of Union Station
Mac sat down on the couch across from Elizabeth "Skates" Hawks. "You have a message for me from Harm?"
"Yes, Ma'am." Skates pulled an envelope from her purse and handed it to Mac. "Harm asked me to give this to you if I made it back before he did."
Mac's hand shook as she reached for the envelope. "Tell me what happened, Skates. Please."
"Harm and I were doing a final check of the area over Owo, Nigeria when we suddenly found ourselves under attack, Ma'am." Skates closed her eyes as she played the memory in her head. "I'm still not sure where the missile came from, but it took out our left wing. We were forced to eject. As soon as we landed, we were surrounded by Nigerian forces. They tied us together and loaded us into the back of a transport truck. We were on the road for a couple of hours before we came to a stop at a P.O.W. camp. We found at later that we were being held in Abuja. Once we reached the camp, they separated us. It was several days before I saw Commander Rabb again."
Mac looked up at the young woman sitting across from her. "Please keep going. I need to know."
Skates glanced down to where Mac held tightly to the letter she had delivered. "He had been beaten, Ma'am. His left eye was swollen shut, he had a large gash on his lower lip and he looked like he hadn't slept in the entire time we had been held." Skates watched as the tears began to stream down Mac's face. "I don't know why they decided to put us back together. Commander Rabb's theory was that they thought that seeing him like that would make me offer to give them the information they wanted."
Mac watched as Skates hung her head. "I understand, Commander. It must have been hard on you to have to watch him go through that."
Skates looked up at Mac through her own tears. "Commander Rabb is like a brother to me, Ma'am. It tore me up watching what they did to him, but he wouldn't let me give up. He told me that if I did, he would cease to be of value to them. He told me that I couldn't let that happen. I had to hold on until he figured out how to get us out of there."
Mac stared down at the envelope in her hand. "What happened?"
"Every night when they returned him to the cell block, he would tell me stories about you, Ma'am."
Mac looked back up. "About me?"
"Yes, Ma'am." Skates nodded her head. "He told me that you were the best thing to ever happen to him and that he had to make it home to you. Occasionally, he would tell me about investigations that you two had been on together. He told me about the first time he beat you in court. He even told me about the day he took you flying and you got shot. Mostly though, he just talked about how much you meant to him." Skates took a deep breath. "He loves you very much, Ma'am."
"I know that. I love him too." Mac reached up to wipe the tears from her eyes. "It's been so hard these last six weeks."
"It's been hard on him too, Ma'am. He told me the night before we escaped that he was afraid that when we finally got home that you would have given up on him and moved on without him."
Mac was shocked. "I could never give up on him. Living without him would be like trying to live without breathing."
"That's what I tried to tell him, Ma'am." Skates stood up to pace around the room. "I think that the sleep deprivation was starting to get to him, though. At times I wasn't sure if he even knew what was real and what wasn't." Skates stopped at the window and stared out at the afternoon sunshine. "Then suddenly, we were free. We were heading south to get back to the beach and we were actually making progress when we noticed the guards. They seemed to be everywhere." Skates closed her eyes against the memory. "Commander Rabb told me to keep going and he would create a diversion. I tried to talk him out of it, but he said that I had to go so I could bring help back. I turned and started running. I heard several gunshots ring out as I ran, but I never looked back, Ma'am. I knew that I had to get to safety."
Mac stood and walked over to stand behind her. "It's okay, Elizabeth."
Skates turned around to face her. "I just left him there, Ma'am. He could be de.."
"Don't say it." Mac interrupted. "Harm is still alive. I can feel him." Mac placed her hand over her heart. "In here. And that feeling has only gotten stronger since you started talking. He knew what he was doing when he told you to keep running. He wanted to get you out of danger. I may not know where Harm is right now, but I know that wherever he is, he's resting a little easier with the knowledge that you're not being held there with him."
Skates looked down at the floor and took a deep breath. When she looked back up, her eyes were determined. "Thank you, Ma'am." She nodded to the letter that Mac still held in her hands. "I should go now. I'm sure that you want to read that."
Mac looked down to the letter before she met Skates' gaze. "Thank you for coming here today. And thank you for being there for Harm."
Skates nodded as the tears glistened in her eyes again. "I'm not entirely sure that he wasn't the one there for me, but you're welcome nonetheless, Ma'am."
Mac followed Skates to the door where she paused and turned back around. "If you need anything, Ma'am."
"Thank you, Skates." Mac smiled at the young woman as she opened the door and walked out.
Mac closed the door and leaned her back against it as she stared at the letter in her hands. She noticed that her hands were trembling again as she carefully opened the letter. A picture dropped to the floor as she opened the letter. As she bent to pick the picture up, she noticed that it was one of her and Harm that he had stolen out of Bud and Harriet's wedding photos. She carried the picture and letter to the couch where she sat down as she began reading the letter.
Sarah,
It's amazing how strange that name looks, and yet how right it feels to write it. I don't want to even imagine the circumstances surrounding the events that must be taking place if you are actually reading this letter, but this life that I've chosen is not without risks.
I have so many things that I want to say to you. I don't even know where to begin. You are my life, Sarah MacKenzie. You are the reason that I get out of bed in the morning and the reason that I work so hard to get back safely to that bed at night. When I see your smile, my knees get weak. You make me feel things that nothing in this world can compare to. My world became a better place the day that I met you in that Rose Garden.
I want you to know how much I love you, Ninja Girl. You have no idea how hard it was for me to turn around and walk out of your office that day. I wanted nothing more than to stay there with you, forever. You were right, though. I needed to do this. I needed there to be nothing from the past standing in the way of our future.
Have I ever told you how much it means to me that you love me for me? You don't just love me as a lawyer or as a pilot, but you love all of me. There is only one other person who has ever accepted me like that. Amazingly enough, her name is also Sarah.
You are my rock, Sarah MacKenzie. I will forever be grateful for the love that you have so freely bestowed upon me. I hope that I will one day be deserving of the precious gift that you have entrusted me with. The gift of your love. It is that love that I want you to hold on to. Hold on to it for all that you're worth, Marine. Hold on to it and believe me when I say that if there is a way for me to get back to you, I will.
You hold my heart for all eternity. I love you.
Harm
The tears flowed freely down Mac's cheeks as she reread the letter several times. She curled herself on to the couch as she clutched the letter to her chest and stared at the picture. It was one of her favorites. The photographer had caught them while they weren't paying attention. Harm had snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She had looked up at him over her shoulder as he had began tugging her to the dance floor. "Please save me from my date, Mac." She had smiled at the look of panic on his face. He had grinned back at the look in her eyes. It was that moment that the photographer had captured. The innocence of their love shining in both of their eyes that was reflected in the silent laughter that they shared. Mac closed her eyes as she tried to fight back the tears. In the entire time that Harm had been missing, she hadn't missed him as much as she did right then. She longed to feel his arms wrapped around her again. She felt safe in his arms and she longed for that feeling. The feeling of belonging that she had only felt with him.
0500 Zulu
Warri, Nigeria
Admiral Chegwidden called his men to a halt. They had been heading northwest since the sun had set over four hours ago and he decided that it was time for a rest. "Lieutenant James, you have first watch. Everyone else get some water."
The men were grateful for the break, but they were also anxious to finish the mission. The thought of an American officer being held prisoner didn't sit well with any of these young men. Each one of them realized the dangers associated with the jobs that they had chosen, but the reality of the situation caused them to take stock in what was important to them. Admiral Chegwidden watched as the men pulled out their canteens and sat down. He had hand picked this group of men to come with him because he knew that they were the best.
"Admiral?" One of the young men approached him.
"Yes, Commander Smith?" The Admiral reigned his thoughts back in and focused on the map the young man had placed in front of him.
"Sir, we are about fifty miles south of Sapele." The Commander pointed to a spot on the map. "According to Mr. Webb, the rebel camp is located in this area here, Sir."
"Have we had contact from Mr. Webb since we moved out, Commander?"
"No, Sir. The path that they were taking should bring them out just a little north of Sapele and we should be able to move in from both directions."
Admiral Chegwidden shook his head. "Thank you, Commander. Let me know as soon as you hear from Mr. Webb. For now, you might want to have a seat and rest for a few minutes, we have a long hike ahead of us."
"Aye, Sir." Commander Smith folded the map back up as he walked over to join the rest of the team.
Admiral Chegwidden's thoughts turned to Mac. He was proud of the way she had been handling this whole situation, but he knew that it was starting to take its toll on her. Although he couldn't deny that he felt an attraction to the Colonel, he knew that her heart belonged with Commander Rabb. The Admiral sighed. He refused to allow himself to think of the consequences if this mission wasn't successful. They would find Harm and they would get him home safely. Failure wasn't an option.
0525 Zulu
Nigerian Rebel Camp
North of Sapele, Nigeria
Harm opened his eyes and looked around the room. Dr. Belling was no where to be seen, but Tara was once again sitting at his bedside. He smiled at her. "Hello."
She returned his smile. "Hello. How do you feel?"
"Better than the last time we spoke."
Tara nodded her head. "I'm glad to hear that. What is your name?"
"Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. United States Navy. Am I a prisoner here?"
Tara looked away from him. "You are in no condition to leave."
Harm pushed himself into a seated position. "That's not what I asked. I asked if I was a prisoner here."
A commotion at the door caused them both to look over. Lucas stood there with a frown on his face. "Tara, why didn't you send for me?"
Tara quickly stood to her feet and walked over to stand beside Lucas. "He just now woke up, Lucas. I was getting ready to send someone for you."
Lucas ignored her and approached the bed. "You are a pilot, correct?"
Harm watched as Tara stayed behind Lucas and approached the bed. "Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. United States Navy."
Lucas grinned. "What? No serial number, Commander?" Lucas picked Harm's blood stained shirt up and reached it out to him. "These wings mean that you are a pilot, correct?"
Harm nodded. "Yes, I am a pilot."
"My name is Lucas." Lucas returned the shirt to the floor. "You saved my life the other day. I am grateful."
"Then let me go, and we'll call it even." Harm grimaced in pain as he struggled to get into a more comfortable position.
Lucas sat down in the chair beside the bed. "You are in no condition to leave here, Commander. Besides that, the government guards are still searching for you. You would never make it on your own."
"Then perhaps you could send someone to ensure my safety." Harm wasn't sure whether or not he trusted Lucas. He struggled to focus on the conversation, but the pain n his head got worse every time he moved. "And what would I get in exchange for this safe passage, Commander Rabb?"
Harm leaned back against the headboard. "The gratitude of the American government, Lucas."
Lucas stood to his feet. "Forget your American government. If they were that concerned for your well-being, don't you think that they would have been in here to rescue you already?" Lucas made his way to the door. "Come now, Tara. I don't want you in here listening to this crazy American propaganda."
Tara obediently turned and followed Lucas out of the room leaving Harm alone with his thoughts.
Harm closed his eyes against the wave of dizziness that washed over him. He had to get better quick. He had to get out of here before Lucas decided that saving his life was a mistake. His thoughts turned to Mac as he lowered himself back down to the bed. He felt a familiar stab of pain as he thought back over the past few weeks. The nightmare that he had been living was nothing compared to nightmare that had haunted him in his dreams. In his dreams, Mac had forgotten about him. She had gone on with her life. The nightmare had gotten worse since he and Skates had been separated. At least when Skates was there, he could talk about Mac and their life together. Skates had reassured him that Mac loved him and wouldn't just give up on their love. Now he was alone and the nightmare continued to grow in intensity. He had to get out of here. Mac was waiting for him.
1900 Zulu
Nigerian Rebel Camp
North of Sapele, Nigeria
Dr. Belling walked into Harm's room carrying a tray of food. "Good afternoon, Commander."
Harm looked over at the doctor from his chair beside the table. "Hi, Doc."
Dr. Belling sat the tray down on the table in front of Harm. "I thought that you could use some food. How are you feeling?"
Harm looked down at the food. "My shoulder hurts. My head hurts. I get dizzy every time I try to move and this food you brought it looks like pig slop. Other than that, I feel great."
Dr Belling smiled as Harm picked up his fork and took a bite. "I see that you found the clean shirt I brought in earlier."
Harm looked down at the shirt he had managed to get draped across his shoulders. "I had a little trouble actually getting it on, but I appreciate it."
Dr. Belling sat down in the chair across the table. "After you eat, I'll take another look at your shoulder and then I'll help you get your shirt on. I hear that you met Lucas last night. How did that go?"
Harm swallowed another bite of food as he looked up. "Pleasant man. I tried to convince him to get me safely out of the country. He didn't like that idea very much."
"Lucas is a good leader, Commander. He is willing to die for what he believes is best for his country, but he is not a monster. I wouldn't be surprised if you were on your way home by this time tomorrow."
Harm dropped his fork and stared at Dr. Belling. "What aren't you telling me, Doc?"
Dr. Belling stood up and walked around the table. He knelt beside Harm and checked his bandages. "I'm not saying anything, Commander. You should get back to bed. You're going to need your strength."
A thousand questions were running through Harm's mind, but he didn't voice them. He suddenly had the feeling that they were being observed. He allowed Dr. Belling to help him get the shirt on and to help him back to the bed. He had to close his eyes against the dizziness from moving so much, but he felt Dr. Belling press something into his hand with a whispered. "You will need these."
When Harm opened his eyes again, he was alone in the room. He pulled his hand up to see what Dr. Belling had left and was surprised to find a pair of sunglasses in his hand. He tucked them into the pocket on his pants as he wondered why Dr. Belling thought that he would need sunglasses. There was hardly any light in the room that he was in and there were no windows to the outside. He hadn't been able to stand on his own long enough to make it to the door, but he knew that there was a guard posted outside. What on earth was he going to do with sunglasses?
0900 Zulu
Nigerian Rebel Camp
North of Sapele, Nigeria
Admiral Chegwidden nodded to Commander Smith to move into position. Commander Smith snuck up behind the lone guard and knocked him unconscious. Lieutenant James helped him drag the man into the room that he had been guarding and Admiral Chegwidden followed close behind them. Harm sat up as the men entered the room. "Admiral?"
"Good to see you, Commander. Can you walk on your own?" The Admiral moved to the bed to assist Harm to his feet. He wrapped his arm around Harm's waist as he stumbled.
"I'm afraid not, Sir. I'm still pretty dizzy from a concussion." Harm struggled to stay upright on his feet.
Admiral Chegwidden looked over to Lieutenant James. "Lieutenant, get on the other side of the Commander. We'll have to help him out of here."
The young Lieutenant quickly moved to Harm's left side and helped support his weight. "Watch the shoulder, Lieutenant." Harm cautioned.
"Sorry, Sir." Lieutenant James adjusted his hold to prevent jarring Harm's shoulder.
"How are we doing, Commander Smith?" Admiral Chegwidden moved the group towards the door.
"The coast is clear, Sir." Commander Smith opened the door and stepped out into the hall.
The men moved quickly down the hall and back out into the night air. Harm groaned at the pace they were keeping, but he did his best to keep moving. He felt a wave of nausea sweep over him as the dizziness increased. "Admiral, I think I'm going to be sick."
"Not until we reach the woods you're not, Commander. And that is an order."
"Aye, Sir." Harm swallowed hard and fought to keep from passing out. He could see the tree line in front of him even though his focus was quiet blurry.
He felt himself being lowered to the ground and heard the Admiral's voice. "You can be sick now if you need to, Commander."
"Aye, Sir." Harm leaned back against the tree he was near. Surprisingly, he no longer felt like throwing up, but his head was pounding. The light from the moon made his eyes hurt so he closed them. He remembered the sunglasses in his pocket and pulled them out. Admiral Chegwidden walked over to him as he slid them on his face.
"How are you, Commander?"
Harm looked up at the Admiral. "Much better now, Sir. Thank you."
"Can you go on or do we need to stay put for a few minutes?" The Admiral checked to see how badly he was injured as they spoke.
Harm looked him straight in the eye. "Let's move out, Sir. I've got promises to keep."
Admiral Chegwidden smiled as he helped Harm back to his feet. Lieutenant James started to take his position on the other side when Clayton Webb stepped in front of him. "I'll take it from here, Lieutenant."
"Webb!" Harm nodded over at him. "Nice of you to join the party."
"Anytime, Commander. Next time though, how about if we party on American soil?"
"Sounds like a good plan, Webb." Harm leaned his weight on his two friends as they began their journey home.
Same Time
Inside Dr. Belling's Room
Lucas paced the floor. "Are you sure about this, Doc?"
"Trust me on this one, Lucas. Let them go. It will be better for you in the long run." Dr. Belling stood up from the table and looked out the window.
Lucas stopped pacing and joined him at the window. "I hope that you are right, Doc. I hope that you are right."
1000 Zulu
Sapele, Nigeria
Admiral Chegwidden and Clayton Webb loaded Harm into the back of a transport truck. Commander Smith climbed into the driver's seat as the rest of the men loaded into the back. The Admiral looked over at Webb. "Do I want to know how you arranged to have a vehicle waiting for us?"
"Probably not." Webb watched as the Admiral checked Harm's shoulder wound. "How is he doing?"
"I'm fine, Webb." Harm groaned as he pushed himself to a seated position. "Stop talking about me like I'm not here."
Harm winced in pain as the truck lurched into motion. Webb reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle of pills. "Dr. Belling gave these to me. He said that you might need them."
"No thanks, Webb. I said that I'm fine." Harm adjusted his position to try to keep from jarring his shoulder every time they hit a bump.
Admiral Chegwidden took the pills from Webb and shook two of them into his hand. He handed them to Harm. "Take these, Commander. That's an order."
Harm looked up and saw the concern in his C.O.'s eyes. Harm put the pills in his mouth and swallowed them before meeting the Admiral's eyes again. "How is Mac, Sir?"
Admiral Chegwidden situated himself against Harm's right side to help hold him upright. "She's hanging in there, Commander."
"More like she's trying to hang anyone who isn't devoting their life to trying to find you, Rabb." Webb added.
Harm grinned at that. "Should I ask, Webb?"
Webb shook his head. "Let's just say that after this, I think that we're even. And I never want to be on Colonel MacKenzie's bad side again."
Harm closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the side of the truck. He was exhausted, but for the first time in over six weeks, he felt great. He was on his way home.
2000 Zulu
USS Patrick Henry
Atlantic Ocean
A crowd had gathered to watch the helicopter as it landed The mission had been successful. The men began piling out of the helicopter to the cheers of their friends. Admiral Chegwidden stepped down to the deck and reached up to help Harm out of the helicopter. Clayton Webb joined them and the three men began to move away from the helicopter.
The tears streamed down her face as she watched him slowly approach. His left arm was in a sling and there was a bandage above his left eye which was barely noticeable over the sunglasses that he wore. His face was unshaven and his hair was matted to his head. His clothes were dirty and his pants were stained with blood. He struggled to keep his balance as the Admiral and Webb continued walking. She had never seen a more beautiful sight. The phone call from Dr. Belling had come early this morning. He told her that Harm was on his way home. She had had Tiner get her on the next transport to the USS Patrick Henry. Captain Pike had been understanding when she had arrived. Apparently, Harm spoke of her more than she realized. Harm stopped walking. "Don't give out on me now, Commander." Admiral Chegwidden looked over at Harm's face. "We're almost there." Admiral Chegwidden saw the tears running down Harm's cheeks and turned to see what he was looking at.
Mac walked towards them with tears streaming down her own face. Harm removed his arm from around the Admiral's shoulders and reached out for her. She wasted no time getting to his side. Harm wrapped his arm around Mac and hugged her tight. Her arms went around his waist and she buried her face in his chest.
Admiral Chegwidden and Webb both took a step back, but they stayed close enough to steady Harm if he should need it.
Harm kissed the top of her head. "Mac."
Mac looked up at him and smiled. "Harm." She pushed his glasses up so she could see his eyes.
They were both too choked up to speak so they let their eyes communicate. Harm could read how scared she had been that he wasn't going to make it back. He saw the fear and the anger, but mostly he saw her love. Mac could see the fear slowly recede from Harm's eyes. He had been afraid that she would have moved on without him, but those fears had been laid to rest when he saw her standing on the deck of the ship.
"I love you, Sarah MacKenzie."
"I love you too, Harmon Rabb, Jr."
Harm leaned down and covered her lips with his. The kiss was a gentle reminder of their love and of many more promises to keep.
EPILOGUE
6 Months Later
1400 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Harm hid the roses behind his back as he exited the elevator. He couldn't seem to stop the grin that had taken up residence on his face. Harm caught Harriet's eye as he entered the bullpen. She winked at him and nodded to Mac's office. Harm gave her a smile of appreciation. This had all started in Mac's office two-and-a-half years ago and he had decided that her office would be the perfect setting for this.
Harm stopped outside of the office door and took a deep breath. He was suddenly very nervous. What if she wasn't ready for this? What if he was rushing her? The last thing that he wanted to do was to scare her off, but he wanted her to know how much he loved her. He wanted her to know that she was everything to him.
The last six months had tried their relationship, but they had managed to come through it. Mac had stood by him as he had dealt with the horrors of being held prisoner and he had helped her to deal with the feelings of abandonment that she had tried to deny. Their working relationship had finally settled back to the comfortable rapport that they had known before he had left JAG, and they were once again a very formidable team in the courtroom. Heck, even Lucas and the Nigerian Freedom Fighters had gotten a platform on which to state their grievances against the government. All that was left now was for him and Mac to get their personal relationship back on the right track.
Harm thought back to the previous night. It had started out as an innocent good night kiss, but had quickly turned in to something more. He had hated himself even as he had pulled away from her.
"Stay with me, Harm." She had her arms wrapped around his neck and her body pressed up against his.
He had sighed as he hugged her. "No, Mac. I've told you before that I don't want to take that step until you're sure that you're ready. I don't want there to be any doubts on your part. I want you to know that it's forever this time."
She had buried her face against his chest and held him for a long time before she spoke. "Have I told you how much I love you?"
"Yes, but I never get tired of hearing it." He had tilted her head back so he could look into her eyes.
"I love you, Harm." She had smiled at him and he had felt his resolve head for the door.
"I love you too, Mac." He had brushed her hair off of her face and tucked it behind her ear before leaning down to softly kiss her. After giving him a final hug, she had let him go. "Good night, Sailor."
"Good night, Ninja Girl." He had opened the door and stepped out into the hallway with a frustrated sigh. The elevator ride down to the lobby had been spent arguing with himself over why he was leaving her alone. In the end, it always came down to the same reason. She had been hurt too many times in the past by the people that she loved leaving her. He wanted her to know that he was going to stay forever before they took that final step into intimacy. He needed her to be as sure of him as he was of her.
Harriet's voice brought Harm back to the present. "Sir, you do realize that you have to go in to her office for this to work the way that you've planned it, don't you?"
Harm grinned. "Thanks, Harriet. I guess I'm just a little nervous."
"You have nothing to be nervous about, Commander. Colonel MacKenzie loves you very much." Harriet reached up and knocked on the door for him.
"Enter." Mac's voice sounded from inside the office.
"Go get her, Sir." Harriet turned and left him standing outside the door.
He reached out a shaking hand and opened the door. "Do you have a minute, Mac?"
"Hey there, Sailor. I've always got a minute for you." Mac smiled as he walked into the office and closed the door behind him. "What's on your mind?"
"Just you." His mouth went dry as he pulled the roses from behind his back and held them out to her.
"Harm, they're beautiful." She stood up and walked around the desk to take the flowers. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." He watched her as she pulled an empty vase off of a shelf and placed the roses in it. The nervousness suddenly disappeared and he realized that she was looking at him expectantly. "I wanted to ask you something, Mac."
She smiled at him and he felt his heart skip a beat. "Ask away."
He closed the distance between them and took her hands in his. "I love you, Sarah MacKenzie. I love you more than anything in this world. I love the way you smile at me. I love the way you make me laugh. I love the way that you challenge me in a courtroom. I love the way that you keep me on my toes, but most importantly, I love the way that you love me. You love me unconditionally and you have proven that time and again. You love all of the things about me that make me who I am, even the part of me that loves flying and almost took me away from you. I have never met anyone like you before and if I live to be a thousand years old, I know that I'll never find anyone else who measures up to you." He saw the sparkle in her eyes as he dropped to one knee. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
The tears shone in her eyes as she pulled him back to his feet. "Yes. Yes. Yes."
Harm smiled as he leaned down to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss passionately.
They were both breathless when they broke off the kiss. "I love you, Harm."
"I love you too, Mac." Harm stepped out of her embrace and reached into his pocket to pull out a small velvet box. He handed it to her and watched her eyes light up as she opened the lid.
"It's gorgeous."
He took the ring out of the box and slid it on her finger. "On you, it's gorgeous. In the box, it's just another shiny rock."
"You are the most amazing man that I have ever met, Harmon Rabb."
He answered her with a smile before his lips claimed hers again.
Outside the Colonel's Office
Admiral Chegwidden stopped on his way to his office to see what had captured the attention of his entire staff. He saw Commander Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie locked in an embrace in the Colonel's office. The diamond ring glistened on her finger where it rested on Commander Rabb's shoulder. The Admiral turned to Harriet. "I take it that she said yes?"
"Yes, Sir." Harriet nodded.
The Admiral couldn't fight off the grin that spread across his face. "Good." His voice rose in volume as he addressed the rest of his staff. "Let's get back to work, people. This isn't dinner theater." As the group dispersed, Admiral Chegwidden nodded in the direction of Mac's office. "When they come up for air, let them know that I would like to see them in my office."
"Aye, Sir." Harriet smiled at the Admiral. She could tell that he was as happy as the rest of them even if he was trying to hide it. All was finally right again.
The End