Title: Flying Away 11: Son of a Sailor
Author: Anne Taul, anne_taul@gowebway.com

Summary: A surprise visit home gives Harm a glimpse of family life.

Disclaimer: JAG, its characters, premise, etc, are the sole and exclusive property of CBS, Paramount and Bellasarius productions. No profit is being made or sought from this purely recreational endeavor. No infringement of copyright is intended.

 

Flying Away 11: Son of a Sailor

Mac just knew that the Gilbert case was going to drive her insane. It was an important case, with potentially far-reaching influence in the legal system, so she should have been happy to have been assigned to it. However right now, she really wished it would just go away.

Lieutenant Daniel Gilbert's problems had started when his newly wedded wife, living on the US Naval base in Okinawa, filed for her dependent benefits. The office in Washington processing the claim had found that the same GI number had benefits pending to the wife and child in Philadelphia and to the wife and children in San Diego. There had been seemingly legitimate marriage licenses filed with each of the claims. The Navy had always demanded that its sailors conform to the laws of the United States, as well as its individual commonwealths and territories; consequently, Lieutenant Daniel Gilbert had been arrested for bigamy. The military takes care of its own problems, so Lieutenant Bud Roberts and Lt. Commander Mic Brumby would prosecute Gilbert. Major Sarah MacKenzie would defend.

Mac would provide him with the best possible defense, but she always hated these cases where everybody ended up hurt and nobody really won.

In her estimation, marriage was an important and sacred commitment between two people. How, then do you defend someone who appears to have total disregard for the institution?

These were the thoughts running through Major Sarah MacKenzie's mind when she looked up from her work and saw it.

It was an incredible sight. The tall, handsome figure of Lt. Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. came off the elevator into JAG headquarters. He headed straight toward her.

Mac literally had to catch her breath. He looked good. It had been almost two months since she'd seen him. They had talked on the phone as recently as night before last, but he hadn't told her that he was coming to town. She wondered why.

Harm knocked, then entered Mac's office without really waiting for a reply. He carefully shut the door behind him.

"Harm?" she was surprised. "What are you doing in town? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"It was a last minute thing. It's your birthday next week, and I hate that I won't be able to be with you. I got one of the other pilots to trade flight assignments with me, so that I could at least see you the weekend before. But...If you're not glad to see me, I could go back." He opened the door again, as if to leave.

"No, Harm. I am glad to see you." She walked around her desk with open arms, intending to hug him.

He stopped her and held her back.

She looked at him quizzically.

"We're in your office. Everybody can see what's going on and probably hear everything we say."

She reluctantly stopped her advance.

"So, Major, can I, at least take you to dinner tonight."

"Yeah, of course. I'll see you tonight."

At about that time Lt. Harriet Sims showed up in the doorway. "Tonight?" she said softly.

"Hi, Harriet, how are you?" Harm addressed the second woman.

"Hello, Commander, it's good to see you." She responded.

Then Harriet looked at Mac and asked, "You're going out with Commander Rabb, tonight?"

"Yeah," Harm supplied, "We've got some business dealings to discuss." Remembering the story Mac had told to Bud months ago.

"Don't worry, Harriet." Mac assured the younger woman, "I said I'd be at your place at 7:30, and I'll be there."

Harm eyed both with confusion.

"What about Commander Rabb?" Harriet asked.

"I'll just bring Commander Rabb with me." Mac concluded.

"Wwha." Harm tried to begin, but Mac ignored it.

Harriet broke out in a big, radiant smile. "Thank you so much, Ma'am. You have no idea how much Bud and I appreciate this."

"It's my, or rather our, pleasure."

Harriet exited and continued down the hallway.

"Wait a minute, Sarah. What have you just gotten me into?"

"I didn't know you were coming, Harm. I promised Harriet that I would babysit tonight. She and Bud have to go out to some social thing her parents set up. You can just come with me. You need to spend time with your godson. Besides, he'll go to sleep, then we'll be alone together. It has been a long time."

"Well, when you put it that way, it sounds pretty good. Will we have time for an early dinner before hand?"

"No. I've got a lot left to do here before I can leave for the weekend. I'm going to be late getting away. We'll probably just have to pick up take out to eat there."

"Okay, so what'll it be, pizza?"

"That's fine, or Chinese, whatever you want."

"I'll pick it up and meet you there."

"Where are you going?"

"You know, I still have the lease on my apartment, but when I'm here, we always stay at your place. I haven't been there in almost a year...how long have I been gone? ...10 months? .. Thank you. Anyway, I think I should go by over there and check on things."

"Harm, I meant to talk to you about that. You never use the place; it just seems like a waste. Maybe we don't need to keep two places."

"Oh my, Major MacKenzie, are you asking me to move in with you?"

"No. Yes. Well, it might not be such a bad idea."

"We'll talk about it. I'll see you at Bud and Harriet's at 7:30. I can't wait to be alone with you."

She smiled.

As he let himself out the office door, he turned and whispered, "I love you."

7:30P.M.
ROBERTS RESIDENCE
McLEAN, VIRGINIA


When Harm arrived, Mac was already receiving last minute instructions from Harriet.

He set the pizza down on the table. Bud looked longingly at it, and asked, "Sir, would you mind if I had a small slice? I'm starving."

"Go ahead, Bud." He consented.

Bud reached for the box, and Harriet turned toward him, annoyed, "Don't you dare eat that, Bud Roberts You know very well that they're going to be serving us dinner."

"But Harriet ..."

He was cut off as Harriet turned to speak to her small son, in her arms, "You be a good boy, AJ. Honey, you do what Uncle Harm and Aunt Sarah tell you. Mommy and Daddy will be home soon."

Then to Mac, "We won't be late."

Mac reached to take the baby. "Harriet, we'll be fine."

"Oh, I know." She said. "I just miss this little guy." She leaned down to kiss the top of AJ's head.

Once the Roberts' were out the door, Harm suggested, "Let's eat!"

They sat down together on the couch. Harm looked at the ease with which Mac held the small boy on her lap. "Can I hold him?"

She placed the child in her lover's arms, then positioned his hands so that he was holding him in the best way. "How do you know how to do that?" he inquired.

"I started babysitting for friends of my parents when I was about 12 or 13. I've been around babies."

"Impressive." He complimented, kissing her cheek.

She moved her lips toward his mouth and began initiating a more meaningful kiss. Then, a piercing cry emanated from his lap. The sobs were demanding, high pitched and urgent.

The crying threw Harm for a loop, and he quickly handed the squalling infant back to Mac.

She cradled him against her chest and spoke in low, soothing tones, "There, there, are you hungry? I bet that's it. You're ready for your dinner now, aren't you?"

She went into the kitchen, and reemerged with a bottle in one hand, the baby in the other.

Mac sat back down, and AJ began to eat.

Harm watched with wonder, then said, "Let me feed him."

Once again, the baby was positioned in his arms, and he fed his godson.

Mac smiled at the delighted sounds Harm made at the miracle of caring for the boy.

After a while, AJ finished suckling with earnest and was just playing with his bottle. Harm asked, "What do I do now?"

"Now he's got to burp."

"Shouldn't we be teaching him not to do that in front of people?"

"No, Silly." She chided gently.

Soon the baby was on her shoulder, and she demonstrated to Harm how this was to be accomplished.

Harm tried it himself, and counted it a personal victory when he heard the sound coming from the little person on his shoulder.

They both took little AJ in to lay him in his crib. Then they retreated slowly, as Mac warned Harm about the need to be quiet.

Harm was curious though, about why there was a regular bed in the baby's room.

"They probably have to lie down with him sometimes to get him to sleep." She ventured a guess.

Back on the couch, he soon had her folded into his arms, and pulled against his chest. When their lips met, the kiss was deep and passionate.

It had been nearly two months since they had been together, and then only briefly in an airport, so they became lost in each other.

They were aware of nothing else, until a scream interrupted them.

"I thought he was asleep!" Harm complained.

"Guess not." She answered.

They went quickly to check on their charge. Nothing appeared to be wrong, but he was wide awake.

Mac picked him up and held him close to comfort him.

Harm watched in amazement. She looked so natural with the baby.

AJ quieted down, so Mac lay him back in the bed. She and Harm took their leave.

"You do that so well." He complimented.

"Well, he's sweet." She rationalized.

Seated back on the couch, she reclined against him, with his arms wrapped around her. They talked about everything, then he asked her, "What kind of cases are you working on now?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I just wondered if you might have the Gilbert bigamy case? It's a really hot issue right now. On the ship, it seems that's all people are talking about."

"So, who's working on that? You? Imes? Mattoni?"

"Stop it, Harm, You know I can't discuss what's going on at JAG with you."

"I just figured something that big, you might need another perspective on, that is if you're handling it."

"You're not a lawyer anymore. The people talking abut it aboard ship, what are they saying?"

"The ones that aren't married say it's another good reason not to get married. The married ones are appalled by this guy's lack of regard for the sanctity of marriage."

"And you?"

"I'm a man who thinks a whole lot about marrying the woman I love, you know that." He reached to touch her cheek. "I don't understand how the guy could hurt someone he says he loves - three someones."

She turned in his arms to wrap her arms around his shoulders.

Just as she moved to kiss him, they heard the shrill cry of a 10 month old infant again.

This time Harm went in alone.

"Hey, Sarah, his diaper is so wet that it's got the whole bed soaked. What do I do about that?"

Mac showed him, first, how to change the diaper. Then they put on a fresh crib sheet.

Harm complained that it was a lot of trouble, but he was secretly enjoying taking care of the baby.

Back in his bed, AJ continued to cry. He was all wound up now, and very irritable.

They carried him back to the living room, where they took turns pacing the floor with him.

Sarcastically, Harm said, "What happened to 'he'll go right to sleep and we'll have the whole evening to ourselves'?"

"Sometimes it works."

"Honey, you don't think there's something wrong with him, do you? Could he be sick?"

"No. I don't think so. Sometimes little ones just get upset. You have to be patient with them.'

Harm was pacing with the child held firmly against his chest. "Why does he want to keep moving like this?"

"All I can tell you is, he's the son of a sailor. It seems to be in the blood. Otherwise, the sailor I love would be with me more."

"I'm sorry." He confessed. He tried to set AJ down with the intention of embracing her, but was thwarted by AJ's objection.

When the baby had mellowed out and seemed to be almost asleep, they once again placed him in the crib.

But just as soon as Harm tried to touch the woman he had traveled halfway around the world to be with, the crying erupted again.

At the next diaper change, Harm observed that they were low on diapers.

Harriet, however, had told Mac where the extras were.

When Mac opened the closet door that Harriet had indicated, she found the store there had apparently been depleted.

"Harm, this isn't enough to make it through the night." She informed him.

"Should I go out to get some more?"

"Yeah, Sweetie, I think you better."

It as with sorrow that Harm kissed the top of AJ's head and the fullness of Mac's lips before saying goodbye to both of them, on his way to the store.

While he was gone, all he could think about was how natural and beautiful his Sarah looked holding that baby. Part of him wished that it was his baby, their baby.

Then he thought about the Lt. Gilbert case. How could a man who had so much screw up so badly?

He purchased diapers, then headed back. He hoped that he and Sarah would get a few minutes alone before Bud and Harriet returned.

THE ROBERTS RESIDENCE
MCLEAN, VIRGINIA


Harm entered the apartment only to find it quiet. Was that a good sign?

The living room was empty. He carried the newly purchased diapers into the nursery. There he found them.

Mac was lying on her back on the bed. Little AJ lay facing her, on her chest. Her arms held him tightly. They were both fast asleep.

Harm just stood in the doorway and stared. He had never seen anything so beautiful in his life. There was something in him that knew that this was his life, his future.

He couldn't bring himself to wake them.

Instead, he lay down beside Sarah, on his side, facing her. His head was very close to her shoulder and he wrapped his arm around them both.

2 HOURS LATER


Bud and Harriet entered quietly, well versed as they were in the art of avoiding waking the baby. They hoped, anyway, that he was asleep.

They kept their voices at a whisper.

Looking around the living room, Bud observed, "Well, it's still standing."

"Where are they?" Harriet wondered aloud.

When she and Bud looked into the nursery to see them all sleeping, Harriet was alarmed, "They're exhausted. My God! They even had to lie down with him. AJ must have been a monster!"

Bud countered, "Not sweet little AJ. Why would you think he would be anything but perfect?" He had a sarcastic smile across his face.

Harriet answered him, "He's your son, Sailor. Think about it."

Bud's grin went from sarcastic to goofy. "Should I wake them?"

"I guess we better. It's not fair to keep them here all night. Let me get AJ first. Maybe he won't wake up."

The feeling of having the baby moved from their arms cause Harm and Mac both to awaken, as well.

Mac, realizing the position they were in, moved cautiously away from Harm's embrace.

"I'm sorry." Harm said, yawning and stretching, "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"Oh, I'm glad you did, Sir." Harriet assured him. "This little fellow can be a handful sometimes."

They all exchanged their good nights and Mac and Harm headed off in their separate cars.

BACK AT MAC'S PLACE


"Harm, if you wanted to, we cold go spend the night at your apartment tonight."

"No. I was there this afternoon. The dust is so thick on everything that we couldn't sleep there. Maybe tomorrow, though, we'll clean it up a little, and I'll put it on the market. That is if your offer is still open."

"Sure. We'll probably have to put some of the stuff in storage, but I've got room for some things here.

When they sat down on the couch, he held her close to him. "Sarah, when I saw you with the baby tonight, it did something to me. Why aren't we living that life, you know, married? the baby? All that stuff?"

"Honey, I see you so seldom that we couldn't really have a marriage, not the kind we want. And I'm not going to raise a baby by myself. We can't be a family from 10,000 miles away. Someday, just not right now."

As they lay next to each other in the bed, he couldn't help but feeling that there should be more between them. Yet, there was something in what she said. If what they had now was all they ever had, he was completely happy.