Title: Flying Away 6: Dry Dock
Author: Anne Taul, anne_taul@gowebway.com

Summary: A dry dock layover, finds Harm with a chance to spend a little time with Mac.

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 6: Dry Dock

Lt. Commander Harmon Rabb walked out of the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror to adjust the tie on his uniform. In the reflection, he could see the lithe form of the woman he loved, half sitting/half lying on the couch which covered the wall on the opposite side of their hotel room.

He sighed. It had seemed like a really good idea at the time, having her come here, but now, he wasn't too sure.

They hadn't seen each other for three weeks, so he was thrilled when he learned that his ship, the USS Carmudgeon would be going o its home port of Norfolk, Virginia for several days of engineering repairs and refits. Even if they were only in port for a couple of days, this was close enough to Washington that he'd at least get to see Sarah. He always just called her to let her know what was going on, so this time he tried something different. He had heard that it was a big hit, he wished he'd been there to see it.

THREE DAYS AGO
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA


Mac sat at her desk, reading through the depositions on the Williamson case - for the umpteenth time. There had to be something useful here, why couldn't she see it?

The phone rang, and she sighed as she picked it up. Brumby! Did the man never get a clue?

"No, Mic, I can't go out to dinner tonight. I'm going to be working on this case. The trial starts day after tomorrow and I'm still not sure what strategy to use."

She hung up the phone and turned her attention back to the folder in front of her.

Then, a knock on the door overrode her concentration.

It was Harriet.

Mac smiled at her.

"Ma'am," Harriet began, "a special courier just delivered these for you."

She handed Mac an overnight delivery service letter and a dozen red roses.

Mac smelled the flowers, they were beautiful. Then she laid them carefully on her desk.

"Harriet, would you please see if you can find me a vase for these?

" "Of course, Ma'am." Harriet exited, on this quest.

Mac sat back down and opened the letter.

It was from Harm. She smiled. His ship, the Carmudgeon was to come to Norfolk for maintenance. It would be there for several days - and so would he. The letter said that he would have to work aboard the ship part of the time, but if she'd get them a room in Norfolk, they could spend the rest of the time together.

Her heart skipped a beat. This was the most wonderful news she'd had in days.

The epistle also indicated that he wanted to take her to dinner - someplace really nice - tomorrow night. She should be ready about 1800, he'd pick her up.

She could hardly wait.

The next evening, Sarah MacKenzie donned a new dress that she hadn't had the chance to wear yet. It was semi-formal, black, tea length, low cut and form fitting. She hoped Harm would like it.

He picked her up right on time. When she opened the door, he looked her up and down appreciatively before stating, "Darling, you're a vision of loveliness."

She thanked him and ushered him inside, but she noticed that he didn't seem to be able to keep his eyes off her. She loved this man, and was glad that he was pleased.

The dinner was perfect at a new ultra-chic bistro in town. They dined, then danced to the melodic strains of a small chamber ensemble playing in the restaurant.

Afterward, they walked, hand in hand through a nearby park. The conversation never waned. Even though they were in close contact by mail and telephone, they had a lot of catching up to do.

It was late when they checked into a suite at a hotel in Norfolk, and proceeded to catch up on other things.

They woke up in each others arms, and barely got out of bed the whole day.

The next day, yesterday, they took long walks and just enjoyed being together.

But today, now this was a problem.

Mac had traded assignments with Bud in order to spend this time with Harm. Tomorrow she would have to be back at work. Today, however, Harm was preparing to leave her in the hotel to go to work himself.

He hated to leave her here like this, but he had no choice. After all he had warned her that he would have to be aboard the ship during part of this time.

Harm knew that she was mad, but she wouldn't say anything about it. He wished she would. If she'd just yell at him, it would all get out in the open. But no, Mac was acting like she didn't mind, like she wasn't even really aware that he was leaving her here alone.

When he had everything ready to leave, he walked over to stand in front of her. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

She looked up. "Oh, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, Honey. I'm sorry. I wish I could stay."

"Harm, it's not like you're running off with another woman, you have to go to work."

"I love you." He responded.

"Will you still feel that way tonight?"

"You bet I will."

"Well, Bud's having some files sent out to me, so I can work while you're gone today. Harm, he found out that you're here. He's going to be really hurt if you don't see him."

"I never meant for him to find out I was here."

"He had to know that I was in Norfolk, then he saw that your ship was in port."

"What excuse did you make about being here with me."

"I told him we had some common business interests that we needed to work on."

"He bought that?"

"Yeah."

Harm pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her waist. His mouth nuzzled her neck, then his lips kissed her jawline.

She turned her head so that their lips met in a full passionate kiss.

When he was leaving, she asked if they could meet for lunch.

"Yeah, how about noon at The Sandcrab."

It was agreed.

Mac knew that Harm still missed Commander Murray, his roommate who had been killed in the crash of an F-14 just weeks before. It was doubly hard since the investigation had shown that the accident had been due to Murray's own neglect. She knew that all the pilots in the squadron had been affected. They had been left to examine their own mortality, but none more so than Harm. He had anguished over this a lot in letters and phone conversations. After he had proven to be so upset, she hated to be away from him. He needed her now, more than ever.

NOON
THE SANDCRAB BAR
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA


Ever punctual, Mac arrived well ahead of Harm. She got a table and sat down to wait for him. Within minutes, a handsome young man took the seat across from her at the table.

She only glanced up, "Excuse me, I'm meeting someone."

He grinned. "Well, he's a fool to keep a beautiful woman like you waiting."

She sighed. She had heard this before.

The intruder continued, making references to places he could take her and things he could show her.

She just listened, careful not to encourage him.

Pretty soon, she heard a familiar voice, saying, "Mattress, get your six away from there."

Mac looked up to see Harm grab the young man by the collar and push him away from the table.

"Harm, be nice," she said, "He was only talking to me."

"Maybe, but I know what he was thinking. There's a reason why they call him Mattress."

"He falls asleep a lot?" she ventured.

"I doubt that." Harm answered. "He's the biggest Lothario in the fleet - a real ladies' man."

"So, you were jealous?"

"Of him? No, of course not."

"Well, he's kind of cute." She gushed.

Harm sat in the seat vacated by the sailor known as Mattress. "What did you do this morning?" he asked.

"Not much, really. I looked over the files Bud brought. Harm he came to our hotel room. You know, we only have one. He must've noticed that. I think he suspects something."

"Mac, we're talking Bud here. He'd probably believe anything we told him."

"Still, we better try to be more discreet."

"Whatever you say, Darling."

"Are you going to keep leaving me alone. Sailor?"

"You know I have to work, Sarah, but I'll be back tonight in time to take you to dinner."

As if on cue, Mattress appeared again, standing beside them. "Little lady, if you get tired of this old deadbeat, you just give me a call, hear?"

Harm shot him a more than menacing look. "Get lost, Lieutenant!" he ordered.

Harm reached across the table and took Mac's hand in his.

"Oh, wait a minute! Harm, is this your girlfriend? The one you talk about all the time?"

Commander Rabb smiled and nodded, but never took his eyes off Mac.

"...the one that you said...." Harm practically growled at him, cutting him off.

The lieutenant spoke to Mac, "Ma'am, you should hear what he says about you to all the guys on the ship. You wouldn't believe it! Hey, are you really a marine? I wish my girl could be the way Harm says you are."

Mac's jaw fell open. "What does the commander say about me, Lieutenant?"

The waitress intruded into this moment. "Are you folks ready to order, yet? I've got people waiting for this table."

They ordered lunch.

Mac got up and walked to where Mattress was standing. "Tell me, Lieutenant, what have you heard about me?"

Harm got up to try to coax her back to the table.

As they ate, she fumed at him, "Harm, what do you say about me to the other guys on your ship?"

"Mac, nothing. They don't get any details of anything. Honey, you talk to sailors about a girl you picked up for one night , maybe, but you'd never say anything about the woman you love."

"That's why I'm wondering what he's heard."

After lunch, they walked along the pier, holding hands.

She couldn't let it pass, "What does Mattress know about me?"

"Nothing, really, nothing."

He walked her back to the room, and lest her with a passionate kiss.

LATER


When he returned at dinnertime, he stripped off his uniform and pulled on jeans and a T-shirt.

She watched, appreciatively.

They went out to a nightclub, crowded with off-duty sailors. They had a quick bite to eat, then danced.

After several songs, a hand tapped Harm's shoulder. "Can I cut in?" the voice of Mattress asked.

"Get lost!" Harm replied.

The other man pushed Harm. Harm responded with a flying punch. It hit Mattress directly in the jaw. He flew backward hitting a table, and then the floor.

Harm started after him, as he moved to get up.

Mac grabbed his arm to stop him. "Harm, don't!" she yelled.

"Get back, Sarah. Stay out of this!" he shouted back.

That exchange gave Mattress just enough time to get to his feet and land a punch in Harm's stomach.

Harm collapsed to the floor at Mac's feet.

Mattress raised his foot, intending to kick Harm while he was down.

Mac gave a slight leap and landed a kick in the lieutenant's chest, sending him sailing through the air.

Then she turned to help Harm to his feet.

When they got back to the hotel, she laid him out on the bed. He tried to argue with her, but he had no energy.

Mac stretched out on the bed beside him. But when she made a slight movement that caused him pain, she got up.

She went to spend the night on the couch.

The next morning, she was in the shower when a knock at the door got Harm out of bed.

He opened the door to look directly at Bud Roberts.

"Commander Rabb, Sir, it's good to see you."

"You too, Bud. I was going to call you while I was here."

"That's okay, Sir."

"No, really I was. How are Harriet and the baby?"

"They're great! I'll tell Harriet you asked."

"What can I do for you, Lieutenant?"

"I dropped off some files here for Major MacKenzie yesterday. She said she'd be back again today, so I brought this. "

"What is it?"

Bud handed over a file folder. "it's another batch of forms for the case she's working on. I found it in my car last night. I guess I must have dropped it."

"I'll give it to her, when she gets here, later."

"Sir, is there water running in your bathroom?"

"Yeah, I was just ready to step into the shower when you knocked."

"Oh. I'm sorry, sir." Bud excused himself and left.

Harm laid the file down and headed into the bathroom.

He entered at about the same time that Mac was stepping out of the shower.

He stepped back to watch her.

She swatted him with a towel. Then she noticed the bruises on his chest and abdomen.

"Harm!" she exclaimed. "Come in here and lie back down. That looks awful."

"Only if you'll lie down with me."

She consented, and they were back in bed.

He insisted on holding her closely, despite the discomfort it caused him.

Mac had spent a whole night missing this, so she just snuggled in.

"You have to go back to JAG tomorrow, don't you?" he lamented.

"I do, but we've got today and how ever many more nights you're in port."

"I got word yesterday, the work is done, we're leaving tomorrow. That's why I have a whole day of shore leave today."

"We've got this whole day and a whole night?"

"So it would appear, My Darling."

For the whole day, Harm seemed to want to talk about serious things, like the future. Mac, however, was cognizant of how short this visit had become, so she redirected him to fun things.

When they returned to the room for the night, there was a knocking at the door.

Harm opened the door to admit Lt. Mattress.

Mattress looked at him and said, "Sir, I'm really sorry about last night. I was drunk and out of line. Please don't hold it against me."

Harm extended his hand and shook the other man's.

When Mac appeared beside Harm, Mattress apologized to her as well.

"Then, I'm sorry I kicked your ass." She quipped.

"You really are a marine, though. That proved it."

"Mattress," she started when he turned to leave, "Does Commander Rabb really talk about me on ship?"

"Oh, yes, Ma'am, all the time."

Harm looked at the other man and said, "Tell her what I say."

"Yes," Mac agreed, tell me what he says."

"Well," Mattress began, leading her to sit in a chair. "He says that you are the smartest, most beautiful woman in the world. And he says that you are sweet and sensitive and perfect in every way."

"Really?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes, Ma'am. Why else do you think I was so jealous that I wanted to get to know you myself?"

Mac looked at Harm, only to see him grinning at her.