Past and Present
Title: Past and Present
Author" TC Amlin
Classification: PG
Disclaimers: JAG is owned by CBS and DB, I am using them for fun and I am just borrowing then
Spoilers: After Retreat Hell. Renee runs into some old friends of Harm's
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Renee stopped suddenly when she heard her name and turned to find Bobbie Latham and several other women sitting in the booth she just passed. Coming back since she decided not to be rude to the congresswoman, she came to stand in front of the table, "Mrs. Latham, how are you ma'am?"
Bobbie, who on her own part stopped Renee out of curiosity, "Just fine and when out like this just call me Bobbie." Would you like to join us for a moment?" Bobbie asked as she scooted closer to a Navy Commander Renee had never met. "We were discussing the women serving in submarines problem I've been handed and another view would be greatly appreciated. "
Why not popped into her mind as Renee replied, "Sure but my only Navy experience is the sailor I date."
"Well we all wont hold that against you." Bobbie laughed, "Let me introduce you to my new personal secretary Anne Pendry, Navy psychologist Commander Jordan Parker and JAG lawyer Commander Kate Pike." Gesturing to Renee this time, "This is Renee Peterson, she helped make the navy recruiting video with Harm in it."
"We've met Bobbie. When I was doing a brief stint back at JAG HQ. How is Harm Renee?"
"He's fine. Off on some investigation in some sea, nice to meet you again Commander Pike, and nice to meet you too Mrs. Pendry and Commander Parker."
"Just call me Jordan."
"And me Anne, we're out for lunch. You know Harm then?" Anne asked not knowing what Bobbie and Kate did.
"Yes, he and I have been dating for a while."
Jordan half snickered, "Another one on the Harmon Rabb roller coaster ride while he waits for Mac."
"Haven't you heard Jordan, Mac is engaged to an Australian." Bobbie said.
"It has to be because she and Harm haven't faced each other. Or that she finally did and Harm didn't say the right thing. Mac has it bad for Harm and you know it Bobbie. We both dated him and how many times did they leave us on the sidelines for each other?"
"Don't remind me. It was duty that finally separated us. I also know that Harm liked her when we dated. I never understood why he didn't try to get closer to her."
"But Mac looks so much like Diane that is uncanny." Anne added, " I can kind of understand."
"Who is Diane?" Jordan asked as Renee was speechless about meeting several ex's of Harm's.
"Diane was his academy sweetheart. Luke, my late husband and friend of Harm's, used to tell me how smitten Harm was with her and that if it hadn't been for Harm's ramp strike that they would have gotten married after the Gulf War. I think that I remember that Harm was going to ask her their next leave together and then he ended up with months of rehab." The others were silent as they waited for Anne to come out of memories, "I remember how torn up Harm was after that and that Diane was a rock for him during that time but he alienated everyone but his grandmother while he was healing and going through law school. He didn't want anyone's help or pity."
"He was going to ask her the weekend that she was killed. He was finally settled enough in his new career," Kate said, "A friend of mine was with Harm when they investigated Diane's murder. Harm was nearly destroyed over it. It's a small wonder that Harm didn't self-destruct after that. And then after I met Mac, she could be Diane's twin you know," Kate added shaking her head, "I then understood who and how he kept going."
Renee was reeling with this new news about Harm's private life.
"I thought the same thing when I met her for the first time. Harm was very protective of her then but I was too caught up in my own fears at the time to really pay attention till the Tiger cruise that Harm snuck my son on. It was then I saw how much she cares for Harm."
"So why did you break up with him?" Renee finally asked Anne.
"I needed someone stable, I didn't want my son growing up with a father in the navy again. I wanted someone who worked 8 to 5 and came home."
"That's what broke us up too." Jordan said and then went on as she looked at the glances around the table, "He just had to go back to flying. Didn't even tell me until I found his change of designator. I don't think that Mac liked it any better because he kept his getting his eyes fixed a secret from us."
"Harm returned to flight status? I didn't think that he would be allowed too?" Anne asked in surprise.
Bobbie answered that one, "Yes, he found out that his eye problem was fixable and did it. He is just lucky it didn't damage his career too much. He just lost six months and got his promotion later than he should have. He was up for it when he left but they held it back." Bobbie stopped there realizing she had said more than she should have.
"So Harm should be over Mac then?" Renee asked since she now understood the rank system.
"Yes, he was when he left JAG the first time. He is a pilot by heart and married to the navy." Bobbie let her know. "He s also lucky that he has friends on the hill and in the Navy that understood why he went back to his first love."
Renee took in what Bobbie said and then asked Jordan, "So you left him because of flying? I would figure that you as part of the navy would just accept him being gone part of the time. I mean he is gone a lot on investigations."
"I guess I can relate to Anne here now, I wanted a man whose job didn't involve being gone 6 to 8 months a year and that I had fallen in love with lawyer, someone who came home most nights."
"I guess I lucked out then being partnered with him for that brief time and getting to travel around with him. But I knew that his heart belonged to another and then when I heard about Diane, I knew that he wouldn't be ready for anything for awhile and I had my own problems." Kate shrugged as she added her two cents in.
"Well then his love of flying and adventure kept him from you then? Renee asked.
"That and that he is in love with a certain marine." Jordan spoke aloud louder than she meant to. "Sorry, it is just as a psychologist I can't stand the denial those two have for each other. I remember when I asked Mac one night before he got his eyes fixed when she was going to make a play for him, she acted surprised, I even told her that he was waiting for her."
"You are so wrong there. I think that she finally cornered him one day and he did his usual and closed off. And in my personal opinion she ended up why the next man along. I talked some with a person who knows both of them very well and heard that there was some heartbreak down under."
"What do you mean Kate?" Bobbie wanted to know since she hadn't heard this yet.
"It seems that after a night out with Harm that her now fiancée asked her to dinner. She then showed up at the airport with Mic's ring. From what I understand that a young lawyers jaw was broken over Mic and Harm testosterone battle along with Harm's heart."
"It figures, Harm just couldn't handle what he always wanted. He was still in lingo when I saw him right after he returned to JAG. So if he was still reeling from coming back to flying and his life was still upturned when Mac when cornered him and asked for more I bet he gave some spiel of needing more time to let go and she didn't give it to him. Way to go Mac." Jordan finished and grabbed for her wine glass.
"Well I can tell you from first hand that he and Mac had some problems when he got back. It was like she was punishing him for leaving. Only to someone who knew them before could see that Harm was out of sorts by losing the number one spot in JAG. He got it back quick into the thick of it soon enough but he was now behind Mac. I also have had some dealing with Mac and we have worked close together on congressional stuff. I would have to say that Harm hurt her."
Renee sat there stunned, it would explain why Harm called her Mac the other day and how he still kept her at arms length about his private life and his past.
Anne jumped in after the pause, "I can understand Harm's pain. It took a lot for both of us to get past Diane's and Luke's ghosts for the brief time we were together. And I am sure I didn't help in closing him down more by leaving him the way I did. He and Mac were just friends then and I know that there was nothing more at the time. At least on his end, I also know he wanted to be a father to my son Josh, make up for the way he treated his stepfather. But I just couldn't handle losing my son they way I lost Luke and it was the same with Harm."
"It is a shame that he is ruled by his past. He never told me what went on with him in Russia when he and Mac took off over there. I just remember hearing that he might have been killed in a crash, a couple of weeks later he is home like nothing happened."
"I could say the same thing Jordan. He goes over there for a conference and ends up a war zone saving his brother. With Mac saving both of them."
"Well Renee, get used to it if you and Harm end up together, Mac will always come first whether or not the flyboy admits it. All of us here have been with the man one time or another and she come first with him and she comes first him. I just feel sorry for her future husband. I wonder how he handles Harm in their life."
"Come on Jordan, I know Mic Brumby better than the rest of you, he served in JAG in an exchange program with the Australian Navy, so I am sure he understands by now how close Harm and Mac are. I just wonder if he has ever wondered like the rest of us, just how close are they or have they been."
Renee looked at Bobbie like she sprouted horns as she remembered the conversation from a few weeks ago with Mic over the same thing. Don't ask don't tell was what he had said. Did Mic know more than he let on? Or did he prefer to do as he had said to not want to know what went on between Harm and Mac before they got together. Renee tried to smile back at the others but couldn't do more than hold her head up.
"I am so sorry Renee, I know we just met and that you probably love Harm, but you better decide soon on whether you are going to wait forever for him to let go and love him till he does or are you going to cut your loses and run? It seems that Mac decided to cut and run instead of giving Harm time."
"Thanks Jordan, I guess I will have to weigh what I want with what is best." She cocked her head and then stood back up, "Thanks for the information. I need to get going."
"Nice to meet you Renee." Anne said as inside she felt sorry for her.
"You too Anne and Jordan. Have a nice day."
Bobbie watched as Renee left the restaurant. She felt bad for when ended up as a sandbagging session. It was Jordan who mouthed her thoughts.
"I feel sorry for her. I bet Harm does care for her though or she wouldn't have gotten as upset. And I think that she is on to his feelings for Mac though."
"When I served briefly back at JAG, I watched Harm and Mac. He loves her and has too much pride to tell her. The day I started was the day that Mac announced her engagement to Mic. Only someone who knows Harm could since the pain the sliced through him. He put on his best face and went on about his business. I also know that he cares for Renee but she will always be second to Mac."
"Poor Harm, he always knew he was second to Luke and was willing to live like that. As I knew I would be second to Diane but at least they were both dead." Anne paused for a second, "but fighting the feelings for someone alive and who works with them all the time. I don't know how I would have handled that. I just hope for Renee and this Mic fellows sake that they can live with that."
The rest just nodded their heads as the waiter came by with their meals.
"But he was fun wasn't he?" Jordan asked.
No one answered the but giggles and smiles came back around the table as they remember their time with Harmon Rabb. *******
On the other side of the booth a couple sat quietly, both digesting what they had over heard. She picking at her meal as he stared at the ring he had given to her.
