Title: Harm and Mac Songbook: Blue Christmas

Author: Rising Sun

Rated: PG-13

Classification: Story

Spoilers: FF: Second Chances, JAG: JAGGLE Bells, JAG: Ghosts of Christmas Past

Summary: Harm gets visits from three specters that never claimed to be the Spirits of Christmas.

Disclaimer: JAG characters portrayed belong to JAG, CBS and Paramount Television. No copyright infringement intended. All other characters depicted are purely fictional and any similarities to actual people are purely coincidental.

Performing in this saga:

"Blue Christmas" is sung by ... who has not sung it?

Feedback: Would be nice.

Author's Note: The HMS series is written in a manner that allows for each story to be read as a self-contained story or as part of an arc. The choice is yours.

Story Written - 2001

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DECEMBER 21, 2009

2009 LOCAL

MC MURPHY'S TAVERN

Keeter was in town and so there they were the three stooges: Keeter, Turner and Rabb. God's gift to womankind at least in their world.

"SO! Rabb how is Mac!" Keeter asked and slapped Harm on his shoulder.

"Yeah Harm how is Mac." Turner echoed.

Keeter focused a bleary eye on Turner "What do you mean how is Mac. You work with the work of art you should know."

"Tell him Rabb." Turner instructed.

"Tell me what." Keeter was getting sober fast.

"What do you know about it?" Harm growled.

"Didn't you hear the man? I work with her."

"We are separated."

"What!" The two men chorused. Some heads turned. Turner knew all was not right but this?

"Harm" Keeter growled.

"I don't want to know." Turner informed Harm. "I don't need to know."

"Harm not another woman. Not to Mac." Keeter didn't want to know but had to ask.

When Harm didn't answer Turner launched into his schoolmate. "How many times. How many times have I told you all that if you are going to cheat on your woman use cologne that masks all foreign scents and DON’T GET CAUGHT!" he looked at both men. "Have I not said that hmmm? Yes? No? Rabb you're a damn fool. First for cheating, second for getting caught and third for cheating on Mac." He stood up. "Barman another round!"

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Eventually Mc Murphy called three cabs. One for each.

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0100 LOCAL

BOQ

HARM"S ROOM

Harm felt a poke in his ribs.

"Sir?" He looked at his former CO.

"Rabb! Turner was right you are a damn fool." AJ said with no preamble. "Question is what are you going to do about it!"

"Sir?" Harm sounded like a stuck record. His head hurt and the Admiral looked funny. "Sir?" he repeated.

AJ sighed. "Listen up Navy. We are going to show your life. As the Chinese say if you continue on this road you will get where you are going. If after we show you the present destination should you decide to keep to that course then so be it."

"We? " Though his hangover he was beginning to focus "I only see you sir."

"You'll see the rest soon enough. Need you sober though." Harm suddenly felt clear as a bell.

"Sir" He said.

"OH Do not start that again! And that is an order Captain!"

Harm was beginning to suspect what was happening to him but reused to accept the theory that a spirit was visiting him. Be that as it may he was hard pressed to explain the next series of events.

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DECEMBER 24, 1998

1900 LOCAL

JAG HQ - BULL PEN

"Rabb you have done some things in your time. I should know I used to be your CO but Christmas of '98 was a doozy. Watch..." AJ instructed.

Harm watched as Chloe arrived and Mac took control of the child, as was Mac's usual MO.

Harm watched, as Bud and Harriet became the Cringles.

He watched as he teased them "You know the Cringles." He told Commander Parker.

He watched as the Admiral [THE ADMIRAL?] he looked at one and then the other. At that point he accepted that he was probably in a version of hell.

The elevator doors closed then opened. Bud stepped out. "Sir I got you a flight to Italy!"

"Did you know that Bud got me a flight on a military aircraft! But I didn't care ... that was the best Christmas I had spent in a long time. And you know why?" AJ glared at Harm.

"No sir."

"Pity." AJ sighed. "It's because I spend it with my daughter. I spend Christmas with family."

Harm looked at him.

"Bud was with Harriett, Mac had Chloe and I was with my family. And you Harm? How did you spend it?" AJ held up his hand. "Don't answer that let me show you.

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DECEMBER 24, 1999

1850 LOCAL

VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL

"Now son don't misunderstand me what you do here every Christmas Eve is a good thing. You honor your father. But son you die every Christmas. Christmas is a season love..." AJ stopped as Jenny Lake approached Harm.

She began to talk with Harm as Harm watched.

"See even your father knew that people need people. You need to find a way to honor father without killing yourself."

"If I am to understand the point of all this effort is that I must interact more?" Harm was groping.

AJ exhaled noisily. "Boy!! I am telling you that man was not meant to be alone and that there is someone out there for you and if you continue on the path I have shown you, you will surely die alone!"

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I'll have a Blue Christmas without you

I'll be so blue thinking about you

Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree

Won't be the same dear, if you're not here with me

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0200 LOCAL

BOQ

HARM"S ROOM

"When I called you Harmful Rabb all those years ago I had no idea that it would be in reference to harming yourself."

Harm swirled around. One second ago he was outside at the Vietnam War Memorial with AJ Chegwidden how did he suddenly get back and now was face to face with the SECNAV! "Sir?" he said.

SECNAV raided a finger at him. "No no no Rabb innocent you are not so drop the act. Follow me." And he walked through the wall. Harm hesitated. SECNAV's arm came through and hauled him in.

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DECEMBER 25, 2000

NORTH OF UNION STATION

"What always amazed me is how did you ever pick this woman over Mac?" SECNAV was watching the scene of Renee Peterson sleeping in Harm's bed, while Harm stood at the window of his kitchen and looked out.

Harm gave a weak grin. "Navy she ain't."

"That's for damn sure."

As they talked Renee had woken up. They watched she moved over to Harm and wrapped her arms round him from behind and he cringed.

"Now there ... you see? You don't what the woman to touch you yet you have her in your bed. You make love to her and you call her Mac.

What do you need a map?"

Harm licked his lips but said nothing. He was studying the scene before him.

"Which is worse son. To spend Christmas with ..." He jerked his thumb at Renee or to spend the time alone. You have done both so which is worse?" He held up his hand. "Don't answer that."

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And the when those blue snowflakes start fallin'

That's when those blue memories start callin'

You'll be doin' all right, with your Christmas of White

But I'll have a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas

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0300 LOCAL

BOQ

HARM"S ROOM

"Oh Harm you really are pathetic."

That voice Harm knew and his skin crawled. "Palmer. Do your worst."

"Tut tut tut is that anyway to treat a worthy adversary?" Palmer was quite calm. "As it is we won't be going any where. I feel that what needs to be accomplished can be done just easily here."

A large screen hung in mid air but hung off nothing. A light projected onto the screen but Harm was hard put to find the source of the light. He breathed deeply sat on his bed and watched the "movie"

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DECEMBER 21, 2016

1305 LOCAL

JAG CHRISTMAS PARTY - ROBERT'S RESIDENCE

Mac spotted Harm through the crowd it had been ages since they had seen each other. He saw her and motioned for her to follow him into Bud's study. She braced herself, the next few moments were going call on all her military training.

As soon as the door closed out the party and the rest of the world... "Mac!" Harm wailed. "Why!"

"Why?" She echoed.

"Why didn't you say something? Why didn't you tell me about the children?" My God!"

"Tell you what?"

"About them. Their existence. That I was a father." He began to count off reasons.

She glared at him. "Just what clause under the UCMJ did you qualify for that information? Besides what was there to tell? We had one night. I married Mic. Eight moths later - there they were. End of story."

Harm had problems with the edited version. "Mic, how did he take it? Did you tell them about me?" He began listing again.

"Abbastanza! Enough! I have said all that I will on the matter." She halted him. Harm took a deep breath and focused on the now and hoped to later talk about it. Way way later by the look Mac was giving him.

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0335 LOCAL

BOQ

HARM"S ROOM

"Stop! Stop! Stop it! Please stop it!" Harm was sobbing.

"Harm I'm surprised." Palmer cooed. The set disappeared. "Isn't that what you wanted? No commitment? Freedom to run amuck among womankind no matter how unintended and cause heartache?"

"NO!"

"No? Harm this is me Clarke. Even I know that you love Mac yet you jerk her round constantly." Palmer shook his finger at Harm as he would a child. "Have you never heard that action speaks louder than words? What's the poor woman to do? Wait? "

Harm's head was reeling.

"Any one home?" Clarke tapped his victim's forehead. "Have you looked at that woman recently? Sex appeal oozes out of every pore and she's not even trying!"

"All this is to get me to notice Mac?" Harm was in credulous.

"The light! I do believe we see light!" Palmer said. "Now I have done my Brownie deed for this decade. I really must go." And he did.

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DECEMBER 25, 2013

0445 LOCAL

RABB'S RESIDENCE

Harm sat up in the bed drenched in sweat. He switched on the bedside light.

"Harm Rabb Jr. it is 0445 what is the matter with you!" Mac said.

He stared at her as if seeing her for the first time. He reached over and touched her.

"What's that for?" She asked.

"Just checking. What's the date?"

She sat up and stared at him. "Date?"

"Yes! The date what is it?"

"December 25, 2013" she said slowly.

He leaped from the bed and out the door. While Mac deliberated the point of her husband's sanity with herself he returned and grabbed her left hand. He heaved a sigh. She'd had enough. "Harm explain yourself." She ordered.

"We are married!" He sounded relieved.

"Yes and have been for the last eleven years." She said.

"We have children!"

Again with patience "Yes four. Three boys and a girl. A handful on any day you care to name." Suddenly she had an idea of the problem "That was some nightmare Harm."

Oh this woman KNEW him. He nodded. "You will not believe." He reached over and hugged her. She hugged him back.

There was never a dull moment at the Rabbs.

THE END.