moment when none of it was of any use to him. He
didn’t know what to say to these people or how to say it. He took a deep breath and sighed. “Umm.. I was
just patched through to Captain Ingles, the skipper aboard the umm... carrier Patrick Henry. Rabb and his
RIO Lt Hawks got into some trouble in a F-14 on their way back to Andrews. They are believed to have
gone down at sea.”
Mac looked over at Renee as she gasped. It was what was feeling, but could express. All she could feel was the air trapped in her lungs.
“Why... why in the hell was he flying in this weather.” she knew he was obsessed with those damn things. But why.
The Admiral knew that his next words were going to hit one with guilt and another with anger, but there
was nothing he could do but answer her. “He was trying to make it back into time for the ceremony.”
Mac closed her eyes remember the looking on his face when they had shared their last conversation.
“Aren’t you going to wish me luck?”
At that moment, when the doors had closed she had cursed at him. “Damn you Harmon Rabb Jr. I hope
you crash the damn thing.” she had really said that.
The moment the words had left her mouth she had
sighed say “No I don’t... be careful...” and with that she had pushed it out of her mind, trying not to think
about it.
But now, god now he was in danger. Real danger. Danger she wasn’t sure he could get himself out of.
Oh god and all to come back and watch her marry another man.
He had never broken a promise to her and now he could die. Would he ever know how much she loved
him?
She pushed herself from up from the table. She couldn’t be around these people.
The Admiral watch her, he saw the torment in her eyes and knew that there was nothing anyone could do
to stop it.
His heart ached for her. He took a moment and sent a silently pray up. Harm was the closed thing he had
to a son and although he knew he stepped over the line along time ago with Harm. He couldn’t help it.
He cared about Harm as a friend, and as his family. He couldn’t bare the thought of him dying and not being apart of his life.
He placed his hands on his hips and let the Navy in him kick in. He started directing and order.
~ ~ ~
When Mac finally made it out of the bathroom she found the room busy. The Admiral had set up mommunication the best he could and there were worried faces all gazing into space. Wondering, Waiting.
She knew she would sit alone and wonder. No she would get involved. Her mind began to scream his
name, wanting him to be okay, needing him to be okay.
When Skates was found her only thought was ‘Harm has to be close. He has to be.’
The Admiral was watching her, he knew what her attachment to the lost man was and he knew that she
would let it show on her face to anyone in this room.
“Okay people lets get this wrapped up and head to JAG. We can better keep in touch with skipper from there.” at least there they could monitor things better.
“Lieutenant Sims.”
“Yes Sir.” She stood in front of the Admiral.
“I would like you to take Chloe and Renee back to your place and we can call you when we hear anything.
I would also like you to contact Harm’s mother. Let them know how serious it is not here, yet try not to
worry her. I will have Tiner get you her phone number.”
Mac spoke up “Admiral I have the number ... its 909-986-4321.”
Renee’s head snapped in her direction. Why did she knew that number? Was there anything about Harm
she didn’t know or have access to?
“Lieutenant Sims did you get that?”
“Yes sir I will let her know. Is there anything else Sir?” she wanted to go back to the office but she knew
Mac needed to be there more and she had a child to get back to.
“No that will be all.”
“Ahy, Ahy sir.” with that she turned to Bud
“Please call and let me know what is going on.”
“I will honey. Give the baby a kiss for me.”
“Alright. I love you.” for some reason she needed to tell him. She always tried to be careful around
everyone from work, when they were at the office or out socializing. But tonight, in the middle of this she
wanted him to know that she loved him and there life together.
“I love you too Honey. Drive careful. I will catch a ride with someone.”
~ ~ ~
01:17 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Mac was standing in her office at the window looking out into the sky. “God Harm please okay... if you
come back okay I will do what ever it takes, I promise.” she sighed ‘please god let him be okay... please I will give everything I have, my very last breath if you just let him be okay.’
Mic pushed the door open “Mac...”
Her head jerked “Did they find him? Is he okay?”
“No .. no luck yet.”
“Oh... then what ... what did you need?”
“I was just wondering if you needed anything?”
“I need Harm...” it was only a whisper.
“Look we should decide something about the wedding.”
“I’m getting married tomorrow....”
“Its past Midnight... our wedding is today.”
“I said I’m not getting married today. I want to know if he is okay... I have to know.”
“Well when they find him this morning we can still go through with the wedding.”
She was getting angry, why wouldn’t he just leave her alone. “Damn it I’m not going to get married until
he is home and okay.” she picked up her coffee cup that was sitting on her desk from the day before and
through it at the wall. It broken into 6 or 7 pieces.
The Admiral’s head snapped towards the office of the sound and he seen Mic walk out. So he had done it,
pushed her over the edge. He had seen that coming from the moment they left his house and she had tried to talk him into go home.
“Everything okay Brumby?”
He didn’t know what to say. All these people had been apart of her life alot longer than he had “No...”
“Look Mac is handling this in her own way.”
“Yea that is the problem.”
~ ~ ~
The Admiral knocked on her door and pushed it open. “Mac there is a call for you. Line one. Its Chloe. I think she is worried about you.”
“Thank you Admiral.”
“Hey, although I will not make this an order I would like you to join the rest of us when your done. Is that understood?”
“Yes sir.” She picked up the phone “Hello.”
“Mac its Chloe. Have they had any luck?”
“No they are still looking.”
“Mac are you okay?”
“No.” she shook her head. The ache in her chest was becoming great and great as the moments past.
“Mac ... Harm is invincible he is going to be alright.”
She took a deep breath pushing the tears away “Hey are you okay. I’m sorry I’ve been ignoring you.”
“No its fine. I’m okay. I helped with the baby and Harriet said I could stay for awhile.”
Mac smiled. She didn’t really know what to say. Everyone else well being was falling second to Harm’s at the moment.
“Why don’t you help him Mac?”
“What?”
“You found me, I know you can find him. You’ve got to help him.”
~ ~ ~
“Harm has been rescued. He is in the fourth stage of hypothermia. He was in the water for at least 3
hours. Its serious.”
“Where will he be taken.”
The Admiral looks over at her “Mac he is okay... lets focus on that.”
All the respect she had for this man couldn’t keep her mouth shut “Where will the take him?” she
screamed.
The Admiral only sighed briefly. Hell itself wasn’t going to keep this women from his side. He slowly spoke the words and told her he would take her. He needed some time alone with her to figure out where her head was.
|
| | |
