Marine Woman of the Year

Rating:PG Summary:The idea for this story came from a news story about the 60th anniversary of Women in the Marine Corp. I think that the women who go into battle for our freedom deserve just as much praise as the men. They are so often forgotten and I just wanted to say "Thanks" to all the women who serve in the Military.
Pairings:Harm/Mac Romance
Disclaimers:JAG and the characters belong to DPB andCBS. No infringement intended.

JAG Headquarters
February 13, 2003

Harm walked into the bullpen at five minutes till fourin the afternoon thinking that Mac would already be gone but she was still in the same place as when he had left her three hours ago.
He strode over to her office and knocked on the doorframe. "Hey Mac. I thought you were leaving hours ago."
Startled from her concentration, Mac looked up, "Harm. You scared me."
He smiled then said, "I'm sorry. Hey what are you still doing here? It's…" He started then looked at his watch only to have his eyes drawn to her as she stood up and walked around the desk.
"Three hours fifty eight minutes and seven seconds." She told him as she walked over to stand before him.
The time she was referring to was the time of the awards ceremony in which the President was to honor the Women of the Marine Corps for sixty years of service at eight o'clock tonight at the White House.
"I was just about to say that." He grinned knowing there was no way in the world he could get the time down to the second like his Marine could.
"Do you have your Dress Blues ready?" She asked shyly.
"I do." They both smiled at his choice of words.
"How about you? Did you find all your medals?"
"Don't even ask. I'm on my way out the door now."
He grinned again. "I'll see you at seven."
"Not a minute later, Flyboy." She called out over her shoulder as she all but floated from the bullpen.
"Aye-Aye Ma'am."
AJ was watching from his outer office door and stepped back inside his office so that the Commander wouldn't see him. Sometimes he wondered about the pair.
It was but a minute later that he heard a knock on his door. "Enter," he called and turned to see Harm standing there a bit hesitant to step inside. He looked like a mouse about to grab the cheese from a trap but afraid to take that last step. "Get your six in here Commander and tell me what's on your mind."
AJ sounded gruff but was laughing inside.
"Yes sir, Aye sir." Harm stepped inside and closed the hatch before coming to rigid attention in front of AJ's desk.
"Stand at ease, Commander."
"Aye sir." Harm dropped his hands to cross behind his back and assumed a more relaxed position.
"What brings your in here? Shouldn't you be at home getting dressed for the ceremony tonight?" AJ asked somewhat amused by the man standing before him.
"Yes sir. I'm on my way home in just a few minutes. Sir…I was…uh…well I need to ask you a question…permission really?" Harm sounded pathetic to his own ears. My God, he couldn't even form a complete sentence without stuttering what would he be like in another two hours when he made it to Mac'sapartment?
"Permission for what?" AJ almost laughed out loud at the normally in-control man standing before him fidgeting.
Harm ventured a look at his commanding officer and thought of all the times he'd stood in this very spot next to the woman he was in love with. What would the Admiral say to his question?
"Well?" AJ startled him with his question.
"Sir. About tonight."
"You're not backing out of escorting the Colonel are you?" AJ asked rather harshly.
"No. No. Never Sir." Harm answered quickly. "You see sir, it's just that the Colonel and I…well…we…uh…"
"Spit it out Commander. I've got to go home and get dressed myself." AJ wanted to laugh at the display although he couldn't help but feel for the man.
"I have this." Harm removed a small black velvet box from his pocket and opened it revealing a large round diamond perched atop a simple gold band.
"You're not really my type, Harm." AJ did laugh now at his own joke.
Harm sighed and looked up at his CO, "Sir…I want to know if it's okay with you if I ask Mac to marry me?"
"You're asking me for the Colonel's hand in marriage." AJ chuckled, he'd heard it all now. These two were going to send him to the loony bin before he retired for sure. "This has to be the first time this hasever happened to me."
"Sir, I know it sounds silly but you have been more like a father to both of us than either of our own father's. It just doesn't seem right to ask herwithout your permission."
AJ had always thought that Harm was the best lawyer he'd ever witnessed when it came to passionate pleas and this plea was no less passionate than any of the opening arguments he'd ever seen him give. Now he wanted to be around for the closing of this young attorney's life.
"Yes, Commander. You have my permission. I suppose you intend to ask her in the rose garden." AJ asked with a smirking grin.
"That's the plan sir." Harm replied sheepishly. "You don't think that's to cliché?"
AJ smiled a knowing smile, "I think it would be the perfect place to ask her. How do you intend on getting her out there?"
Harm grinned, "I thought I'd get her to walk out there with me after the ceremony and ask her then."
AJ nodded his approval a fatherly pride beaming across his face.

White House Ballroom
8:45 p.m.

"Sir doesn't the Colonel look beautiful?" Bud asked his friend and mentor, Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr., who was holding the same glass of champagne that he had gotten when he sat down an hour ago.
"What?" A distracted Harm asked then answered,
"Oh…Huh…uh Bud… Sorry, I was just…" Harm stopped before he stuttered anymore and looked back out at his beautiful Marine her long blue skirt flowing around her ankles as she swayed in the Admiral's arms. Harm particularly liked the way Mac looked in her evening dress "A" uniform with it's short Navy blue waist coat over a crisp white shirt, accentuated by the bright red Tab. He really loved it when she had the opportunity to wear the outfit with the long Navy blue skirt. To him, she was the picture perfect woman who also happened to be the picture perfect 'Woman of the Marines', an honor that she had just accepted for theyear 2002.
In short, he was about the proudest man in the world tonight but he still had one more thing to go before he would be the proudest. That would be Mac acceptinghis proposal.
Bud smiled at the faraway look in his friend's eyes, "I totally understand sir. I was just saying that the Colonel looks particularly lovely tonight."
"She does, doesn't she?" Harm looked at his friend intently. "Say Bud, do you think the Colonel may have lost her mind?"
"Huh?" Bud questioned a serious but confused look on his face.
"I mean, look at her Bud." Harm told his friend seriously, "She could have any man in the room but when the song is over she will come back here and sit with me."
"Not sure where you're going with this sir." Poor Bud was really confused now. He was under the impression that his mentors and the godparents to his son werevery much in love.
"Just what I'm saying Bud. See," Harm waved his hand toward a group of young officers watching Mac and the Admiral, " she could have any man she wants but she's with me. Did she loose her mind or did I make the powers that be very happy when I derailed that dirty nuke?"
"Neither sir, I think the both of you finally got your heads out of your sixes and saw what the rest of us have seen for years now." Bud smiled honestly.
This man was a brilliant attorney and an exceptional aviator but he really sucked at the love thing. He and the Colonel both did.

White House Ballroom
9:15 P.M.

"Sir, have you seen the Colonel and the Commander?" Harriet asked AJ as they sat side-beside watching her husband, Bud, dance with AJ's date, Meredith.
Bud was adjusting very nicely to his prosthesis and they were both proud to see him dancing after such a short period of time. Both knew just how much determination and strength Bud possessed and it was a welcome sight to see.
AJ looked down at his watch, "I believe they are probably in the rose garden, Lieutenant."
"The rose garden, sir?" Harriet questioned.
"Yes. The Commander had something to give the Colonel." He smiled at his office administrator conspiratorially.
"Is that so?" Harriet beamed. "I think I need to go to the ladies room."
AJ watched the now obviously pregnant Lieutenant stand up and then said, "Lieutenant, make sure that the ladies room is the only place you go."
"Aye Aye sir," Harriet replied a crestfallen look on her face as she wandered off.It was but a moment later that AJ strode across the dance floor and whispered to Meredith and Bud who followed him away from the dance floor and toward their destination. Meredith stopped in the ladies room to get Harriet who was just tossing the towelwhere she'd dried her hands. The four made their way to the rose garden only to be intercepted by Clayton Webb with his date, Terri Coulter, whom after hearing their tale decided to go along with them.
The six were moving rather quickly thus attracting a lot attention. By the time they reached the rose garden they had quite a few extras in to who were wondering just what the group was goingto see.
As they all came to a halt just inside the building they saw the beautiful Marine exquisite in her evening dress "A" uniform in the middle of the roses. Roses, which had been brought in for the ceremony since it was, still the middle of winter in the Capitol City.
All eyes were on the tall Naval Commander as he took the Colonel's delicate hand and knelt on his right knee.
They could see tears shimmering in her eyes to match the flecks of soft light from inside the ballroom glittering off her tiny medals.
Just as he asked his question, snow began to fall softly around them and although no one could hear what he said, everyone knew the answer as Harm stood and kissed Mac for the very first time in public.
Until now it had been a known fact at JAG Headquarters that the pair were dating but they had not let even Harriet and Bud see any kind of public display of affection.
The couple outside had no idea that their wedding proposal and acceptance had just been witnessed by almost everyone in the entire White House.
"Oh Harm. I can't believe you did this here." Mac smiled down at the ring on her hand as a chill raced across her shoulders just before Harm slipped his armaround her shoulders.
"I intended to do it tomorrow but I didn't want you to think that I'd ask on Valentine's Day just so I wouldn't forget. I wanted it to be special, Mac."
She smiled at him. With her heels she was almost eye level with her handsome prince. He was her handsome prince standing just a few feet away from where they first met.
And as a light snow fluttered around them, all their friends joined them in the rose garden to celebrate.

The End.

~E-Mail:Tammy Wilbanks~ Return to JAG FanFic