Disclaimer: the usual legalese. Playing nice.
This story is in response to Theresa’s 4 word challenge (anniversary, date, sheepish, unconventional) on FicRecon 21 August 2007
A/N 1. Mackenzie O’Hara Rabb (“Mahara” or “Mara”) was born in May 2006 in London. Harm and Mac returned to the United States in November 2006 –Mac to be CO of JLSO SW and Harm at NCIS, charged with training and mentoring junior agents and judge advocates. Mattie, still recovering from her accident, and Chloe were living with Trish and Frank in La Jolla, as described in Second Wind, by McRose, the writing team of highplainswoman and janlaw. The family made further appearances in Blue is the Color ….by Janlaw (set in 2007) and Doppelganger, by McRose (set in 2006-2007 and 2009). The stories are archived at www.jagnavy-marineadvocate.com and all except the last part of Second Wind, are also at www.fanfiction.net.
A/N 2. A note briefly explaining the lives and times of the dynamic duo, their family, and their ‘family of the heart’ from late 2006 –2015 will be included at the end of the story. Most of the details are mentioned or alluded to in the story, but if anyone wants it laid out chronologically, there it’ll be!
Many thanks to annamae for the brainstorming assist and jeanaz8 for sharing her research results.
In the friendly skies
Enroute from San Diego to Dulles
Monday, 21 April 2014 (Easter Monday)
Staring morosely out the window as the Pacific Ocean and San Diego disappeared into the distance, Harm’s voice was flat. “This just isn’t right.”
Holding his hand tightly and leaning her head against his shoulder, Mac was almost 100% sure she knew what he was talking about. She already missed them too. It had been so great, all of them together the whole week before Easter and through the weekend. A family. Her family. “What’s not right, Harm?”
“We’re probably going to miss our daughter’s 8th birthday next month. We’re definitely going to miss celebrating our anniversary with our family and friends.”
Mac sighed. “I don’t like it either. We knew it was going to happen – that we’d miss some of the important occasions.” Her voice trailed off. “In a way it’s harder to miss the everyday times …I know we made the right decision when we agreed that Mahara would stay with Trish and Frank, and Mattie and Chloe, so that she could continue at La Jolla Country Day School, continue skating pairs with AJ…we go back and forth for the weekend at least twice a month but sometimes I feel like Trish and Frank and Mattie and Chloe are almost more her parents than we are!”
“Not to mention Bud and Harriet.” Harm turned back from the window, kissing Mac’s cheek as they snuggled together in the last row of the First Class cabin. “I know they all love her – they vie with each other to take care of her – but we’re her parents. We should be the ones there taking care of her.”
“I Just. Don’t. Like. It. In fact, I hate it.” Fifty years old or not, Harm’s voice was that of a petulant child.
In spite of herself, Mac couldn’t help giggling. “Don’t let your mother see that face, Harmon,” she teased. “You know what you look like, don’t you?”
Harm’s not-quite-all-there grin was more than slightly sheepish. “I know, but it makes me feel better. Hey, don’t deprive me of my pout!”
Staring out the window, Mac’s mouth opened without any conscious effort on her part. “If we’re not happy, it’s within our power to change things.”
The two turned to stare at each other, dark brown eyes unblinking. Wide open, they met green-blue, stormy-almost-to-gray now.
Mac spoke first, making sure her voice was light and teasing, making very sure Harm knew she was joking. “Wanna flip for it?”
“Hell NO!” Harm did know she was just teasing, but even so …he shuddered at the memory of an ill-fated flip of a certain JAG coin. “Seriously, Mac, are you thinking what I’m thinking.”
“Wellll…” Mac’s voice turned contemplative. “When Keeter said he was retiring last year, I asked him if he was “sure.” He said that when it’s time, you just ‘know’ it’s time to go.”
Lifting his chin from her shoulder, Harm’s lips caressed Mac’s silky hair, longer again since she’d left I MEF, long enough for her to wear it up in a simple but elegant twist when in uniform. “Is it our time Mac?” He spoke quietly but his voice shook with suppressed excitement. In the instant, images of his life in the Navy – more than half his life now -- flooded his mind’s eye, blurring together. His Academy years with Keeter, Diane and Sturgis. Pensacola. Luke marrying Annie. The early years, flying with his squadron. His ramp strike. Law school. JAG. Mac. The trips. The missions. The cases. Harriet and Bud and their children – his family of the heart. Mattie. Mac. Mahara. The 18 months in London – the “bad time” as he privately thought of it, except of course, for their darling daughter. The years in San Diego. The best years of his life. Mac. Chloe. Mattie. Mahara. The two stars on his right collar device. The wide bands of gold braid signifying ‘admiral’ on his shoulder boards and on the sleeves of his Service Dress Blue blouse.
“Do we want it to be?”
“Hey! We promised ….” Opting to lighten the sudden tension, Harm deliberately ribbed her.
“My bad.” Mac too was glad of the moment’s respite, as their talking had suddenly turned serious, their most important discussion in almost two years. “I’m sorry, you’re right, we promised each other, we’d never answer a question with a question.”
“One of our many “we weren’t communicating” downfalls, for a long time ….” Harm, shook himself, well, as much as was possible even in the relatively spacious First Class seat. At least all their flying, both TAD and personal, was good for something, he thought absently. They were always able to upgrade to first class with their miles or coupons. Regulars on United’s non-stops between San Diego and Dulles, every fifth trip was “free” if they wanted to upgrade with cash. They could fly around the world several times each – and take the whole family with them – with all their frequent flyer miles accumulated over the years.
“We need to be honest with each other Harm. It has to be the right time for both of us.” Mac was firm. “You don’t want to go to at least thirty?”
Harm’s voice was low but fierce. “Mac, we don’t owe anybody anything at this point. We’ve given more than half our lives. We’ve nearly given our lives. We only owe each other and our family. It nearly kills me to get on that redeye every other Sunday night. Now I know how you felt every time you deployed with I MEF. I’ll have 29 years commissioned service in a few weeks and as far as I’m concerned I could retire tomorrow and be happy.”
“Harm, have you been wanting to retire for a long time? Why didn’t you say something?” Mac felt bad, had she once again misread her beloved husband?
“No, it wasn’t time yet. I like being an admiral, I like going to work each day, I know I’m still making a contribution ….but now I want my family more, and they’re in San Diego. I want to be carting my kid all over – school and skating and dancing and everything else. Mom’s almost 75, Frank’s 87. They won’t be around forever. Chloe and Mattie’ll be 26 this year – we barely made their graduation when they got their MBAs last year. I want to be there for them too.”
Harm knew what he wanted; the question was, did Mac want the same. “It’s time for me, if it’s time for you. You like being a general, you’re doing important work …..what do you want to do?”
“Breakfast, General, Admiral?” The flight attendant’s cheerful voice interrupted. “I have a cheese omelet with bacon and fruit, a Belgium waffle with strawberries, or a bagel, cream cheese and lox plate. Juice and coffee?” Every flight attendant on the Dulles-San Diego run knew the beautiful Marine general and the handsome Navy admiral, in or out of uniform. The male crew discretely admired Mac, the women eyed Harm wistfully.
“It’s Ms. Melton, isn’t it? Could we have one of each to share?” Harm grinned up at the young woman. If it’d been one of the men, Mac would have been smiling at him, requesting the extra meal. Whichever, it always worked. They both just had that irresistible effect on the opposite sex!
*********
Pouring more coffee from the carafe Ms. Melton had left them, Harm repeated his question. “What do you want to do Mac? Like you said, it has to be the right time for both of us.”
Mac took a deep breath. “I’ve done everything I want to do in the Corps. Everything I ever dreamed of and more. I’ve had a great career. I’ve lots of comfortable shoes in both my closets – in Virginia and in La Jolla…and…and I’ve got the good man.” Her voice was resolute. “I miss them all too - I’m ready if you’re ready.”
“Are you sure Mac? I’m not trying to talk you out of it but you took off your uniform twice already – you weren’t happy in private practice and you weren’t happy in London. I didn’t know it until later, but now I know you weren’t.”
“I’m ready.” Mac was positive and her excitement glowed in her face. “I want to work with you again – like we planned when we were in London before the general called. I can’t believe that was 7 ½ years ago -- It’s nine years since we’ve worked together as partners. I think I’ve missed that the most of all.”
Harm’s grin nearly split his face. “It’s a deal, Marine.”
As they had done almost 15 years before on JAG HQ’s doorstep, when an agreement of a different sort had been made, they solemnly shook on it, sealing the deal that would begin the next phase of their lives. But that was then and this was now. Unlike that occasion, their arms went tight around each other and their lips met in breathless anticipation and excitement.
***************
“Uh uh …Thank you but no, I’m swimming in coffee.” Waving the offer of more coffee away, Mac returned from the restroom, dropping gracefully back into the aisle seat and turning to Harm, who’d been absently flipping the pages of the in-flight magazine while his mind tried to focus on the details.
Stretching her legs under the seat and leaning against Harm’s shoulder, Mac continued their discussion. “You choose the date Harm. For the change of command and retirement ceremonies, then we’ll begin terminal leave. We can put in our papers tomorrow, but the boards have to meet to choose our successors, we have to do the pre-retirement classes and our physicals, we’ll want contact turnovers with our reliefs .... much as we might want to, it can’t be immediate. We have to find a job, too.” Now that the decision was made, Mac was eager to get on with their new life, but she knew that the wheels of the Navy and Marine Corps bureaucracy generally ground exceedingly slowly when it came to routine retirements.
Harm didn’t even have to think twice. “January 3rd. The 18th anniversary of the day we met.” Not tomorrow or even “soon” but with the decision made, he could wait for the details to work out and for an orderly transition.
Mac’s smile lit her face. “You’re on. The logistics’ll be a nightmare – a Plan B’ll be necessary if it’s pouring rain or snow, but we can do it.” Gleefully, she hugged Harm to her, kissing him lingeringly.
“Careful, Marine. We don’t want to end our careers court-martialed for ‘lewd and lascivious’ in a public plane.” Even as he said it, Harm kissed Mac back. He just couldn’t help it. He was positive that when he was 100, Mac would still turn him on with just a look, let alone a kiss. “Next item. What kind of work do you think we could do?”
“Que sera sera….remember the old Doris Day song, Harm? That’s how I feel – ‘whatever will be, will be….’
Harm sang the refrain softly.
Que sera sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future’s not ours to see
Que sera sera
What will be, will be
“We can rent umbrellas on the beach…I don’t care what we do, Mac, as long as we do it together.”
“Actually,” Mac couldn’t help smirking a bit, “it may not be that hard. I got a call last week -- with everything going on with everyone back and forth between the house and the beach and the stables and Bud and Harriet’s, I never got a chance to tell you. I think we can do a bit better than the umbrella concession on the beach.”
“Hey – I got a call too! I didn’t even think much about it, but I’m gonna call back tomorrow.”
End Part I.
In the friendly skies
Enroute to San Diego
Monday, 5 January 2015/0900
For a moment, Harm wasn’t sure if it was just a bit of deja vu, or if there really was some truth to Bud’s theories about time travel and parallel universes. The same flight attendant. The same breakfast menu offered. The same row in the first class cabin.
“Harm??” Mac tried a second time, then smiled up at Ms. Melton. “He’s a little discombobulated this morning,” she confided. “Could we possibly have one of each,”
“To share.” The flight attendant smiled back at them. “Of course. Congratulations,General,” she added, “I saw part of your ceremony on ZNN Saturday evening. Are you going to settle in San Diego?”
The difference was, they were traveling from east to west this trip -- going home! The flight crew member’s comment impressed itself on Harm, and he smiled broadly as he turned on the charm. “I’m sorry, Ms. Melton, it was on one of your flights from San Diego that we made the decision to retire. Easter Monday last year. We were eating the same breakfast.”
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Several hours into the flight.
Harm stretched, waking from his light doze and shaking his arm, which was ‘half asleep’ from having been caught uncomfortably under his side. Beside him, Mac, smiled gently. “Hey,” she murmured, “did you have a nice nap?”
“Ummmm …what did you do?”
“Watched you nap,” Mac chuckled. “Naw, I dozed a bit and read the paper.”
“Mac?” Harm’s voice was pensive. “Do you miss it? The uniform and work, I mean.”
What had brought that on? Was Harm having regrets already? She hoped not. “Harm, it’s a Monday morning. Today could be a day of leave or liberty or a holiday. I know what you mean, though …I think it’ll really hit home that we’re not on active duty anymore when we start our new jobs. In civvies.” Mac paused then smiled happily. “Actually,” she confided, “it’ll be fun to wear any earrings and shoes I want. And clothes. I think I need to do a little more shopping.”
“It just doesn’t seem real yet. I mean, even after the ceremonies – I was concentrating so hard on my cues and what I needed to say and do according to the script that I barely heard anyone else.” Harm tried to articulate it. He chuckled. “I guess I’ll have to watch the tape – it’ll be a nice souvenir.”
“It was all nice, but the best was Saturday night.” Mac turned towards him, twisting to rest her head against his chest. “I am so glad you wanted us to renew our vows the anniversary of the day we met instead of waiting for our 10th wedding anniversary. It was ….so special ….it was just perfect.”
Harm wrapped his long arms around her back, pulling her tighter to him. “It was special for me too Mac. It’s not that I haven’t felt married, it’s not that the years haven’t been great …it’s that…well…I’ve always felt bad that we had to get married in the court clerk’s office in Blacksburg, so fast, before we knew what was going to happen….” Harm’s voice trailed off.
“Soooo” Mac deliberately lightened the emotion of the moment, “ now do you feel “more” married than before?”
Harm smiled, recognizing her intent. “What you said, in front of hundreds of people, meant everything to me Mac. I hope you know that.”
“I think you made it pretty clear Sailor and I feel the same.” Reaching up, Mac traced his lips with her finger as she continued “it was like …like being kissed with words. It was all just, just perfect …Chaplain Turner, the roses, the music and songs. All our family and friends.” Mac smiled dreamily, remembering the fabulous evening.
Holding out her hand, she reached for Harm’s and held it next to hers – “I love our new rings, too – rubies and sapphires – the Corps, the sea and the sky.” Admiring their new jewelry, her mind drifted back ….
Browsing through an antique shop in Leesburg on a rare weekend in October that they hadn’t gone home, they’d decided to drive out a bit to the west, stop for pumpkins and cider, see the foliage. The ring had caught her eye immediately in a tray of estate jewelry.
“Do you want it?” Harm was sure he knew which one Mac was looking at.
“No, not this one.” Mac was definite. “I want us each to have the same, well, almost the same. Do you like that one?”
Harm was cautious, not exactly sure what Mac had in mind. The ring she was looking at was definitely a woman’s ring in an antique setting. “For you, yes.”
Mac explained. “I’m thinking a ruby with a sapphire on each side for mine and the opposite for yours. For the Corps and the sea and the sky. All the stones set flat into the ring, so they won’t catch on anything or look big or heavy.”
“I was thinking about getting you a diamond.” Harm admitted. “A square cut one. You’re sure you don’t want one?”
“Uh uh – no” Mac shook her head decisively. “The earrings are beautiful,” Mac alluded to a pair Harm had given her for their fifth anniversary, “and I love wearing them, but I’d never wear a diamond ring. Never.”
“Whatever you want,” Harm assured her, kissing her cheek. Without further discussion, he knew where she was coming from in not wanting a diamond. Rubies and sapphires? Fine with him.
“Actually, I do want the ring.” Mac changed her mind. “Not for me, though – to give Mahara when she’s a little older. And for ours, just leave it to me Harm, I’ll have them made.”
Trish knew several jewelry designers and by late December, the two rings were custom made to Mac’s specifications, with Harm’s input and approval. Engraved in Harm’s was “For Eternity, M.” and in hers “For Eternity, H.” A tiny rose was also engraved on the inside of each band.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
“So,” Harm’s voice brought her back to the present. “Now that we’re married, when’s the honeymoon?”
“A honeymoon too?” Mac smirked. “I thought we want to stay home for awhile? Take our daughter to school tomorrow morning, pick her up and cart her to everywhere. Remember?”
“I do, we do.” Harm defended. “Plus we have to get ready for our jobs. But I’d like to go somewhere – maybe in a few months?” He waggled his eyebrows, eliciting a giggle.
“Okay,” Mac smiled sweetly. Mindful of the flight attendant standing in the aisle and the passengers in the row across the way, she contented herself with reaching up and patting his cheek lightly. “Maybe at spring break at Cal Western or during the summer?” she suggested.
“Spring break,” Harm decided. “The week after Easter when Mahara’s back in school. Cal Western’s closed for 2 ½ weeks so it’ll work out great. We’ll just have to take leave from the Y. Where to?”
Mac chuckled, enjoying Harm’s enjoyment. Was this what it would be like, she wondered. For the rest of their lives, this sense of oneness, of total love and contentment. Both of their jobs had been so demanding, for so many years, they’d never had time to just ….be, Mac realized. She felt certain she’d like it. Like it lots.
“Maybe Paris? Or a cruise – maybe the Greek islands? We can get some brochures from a travel agent in La Jolla or go on the internet and decide.”
Continuing to admire the rings on their joined hands, she had an idea. “Let’s have two more rings made, Harm. Not like ours – like the one we got for Mahara. We can give one to each of the girls on our 10th anniversary.”
“Sure, if you want … they’ll like that.” The view out the window, in the sunlight, caught Harm’s eye. The Rockies below the plane, the clouds and the sky, and pictured in his mind, the Pacific Ocean still hours away. He motioned, “that’s how it’s going to be for us Mac, everything in front of us, a whole life left to live.”
“Que sera sera, whatever will be, will be,” Mac sang the refrain softly. Slipping her arm around Harm as he leaned forward, Mac turned her head to see what he was looking at out the window. In the aisle, the flight attendants smiled at the joy sparkling on the two faces in profile, turned to the warmth of the sun.
The end.
Author’s Note: As promised, a more chronological updating of who’s been doing what 2006-2015 for anyone interested in my vision of the JAGverse:
1. Harm. Nov 2006-May 2010: At NCIS’ Regional HQ in San Diego. Training and mentoring junior NCIS agents and judge advocates. Prosecuted occasionally in Federal District Court as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney or at court martial. May 2010: transferred to the SW Judicial Circuit as Chief Judge. He was offered several 0-6 billets in San Diego but wanted another chance to be a military judge – to do it better than he’d done when TAD to the bench briefly in S. 8. Selected for Flag Spring 2011, promoted to Rear Admiral (lower half) spring 2012, transferred to the Navy Marine Corps Trial Judiciary, Washington DC as Chief Judge. Received his second star 2013. Retired 1 April 2015, with almost 30 years commissioned service.
2. Mac. CO JLSO SW Nov 2006 –March 2010. Transferred to I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) (Camp Pendleton) as Chief of Staff. Selected for Brigadier General Spring 2011, promoted late summer 2012. Selected as Deputy JAG June 2012. Selected as JAG and got her second star when the JAG who’d relieved Gen Cresswell died March 2013. Retired 1 April 2015, after completing 26 ½ years active duty.
3. Mattie and Chloe. Graduated from La Jolla Country Day School June 2007, from UCSD May 2011, and got their MBAs in May 2013. Mattie made a fairly good recovery after additional surgery in 2007. They are partners in a lucrative pet and child photography business in La Jolla and with Frank as a partner, also own and run a Horse Ranch/Stables/Riding Academy in Oceanside, specializing in therapeutic riding for children and adults with disabilities. Partner with several “America Supports You” organizations to provide lessons and riding to disabled veterans. About 26 years old in 2015.
4. Mahara (Mara). 8 ¾ in January 2015, Mac and Harm’s brilliant, precocious daughter is taking a combination of 8th/9th and 10th grade classes in the IB program at La Jolla Country Day School. Her teachers have told Harm and Mac that they need to be prepared for her to graduate from HS at about age 12. Still skating pairs with AJ, but planning to stop skating competitively when he graduates from HS in 2017. Involved in many activities – the joy of her parents, sisters and grandparents lives.
5. Bud. Deep selected for CDR and CAPT (2012). Completed his XO tour at JLSO SW and relieved Harm at NCIS in 2010. Has been SJA at SPECWARCOM (San Diego) since 2013. He tentatively plans to retire in 2016 with about 23 years service, but is open to “one more tour” for the right billet if the detailer will leave him in San Diego.
6. Harriet Graduated from Cal Western Law School May 2010. Practicing med mal law; on track to make junior partner in one of San Diego’s major firms. Of the children, Jimmy is most likely to go into the military, the twins – “horse crazy” - are 10 years old and in 6th grade. AJ isn’t sure what he wants to do, but remains “connected at the hip” to Mahara.
7. Trish and Frank. Trish at about 75 still runs her Gallery; Frank at 87 is “retired” but running the horse ranch/stables/riding academy with Mattie and Chloe.
Final Note: Information about the song “Que Sera Sera was provided by Jeanaz8, and various websites were consulted for the history of Admiral Leutze Park at the Washington Navy Yard. Many details were of necessity omitted from a traditional retirement ceremony, which would have been combined with the change of command ceremony in “real life.” I’ve also used the customs and traditions of a Navy ceremony – a Marine Corps ceremony would be similar.