Title: Friends Forever
Author: Jessica Schipper
E-mail: lcdrmccaye@yahoo.com
Category: Harm/Mac (like I write them with anyone else)
Rating:
Spoilers: Through Season 5
Summary: That would spoil it. (This is not the sequel to Playing)
Disclaimer: YADDA YADDA YADDA... they don’t belong to me, I am just borrowing them for entertainment value. I will return them when I am finished with them, although I don’t know when that will be. Please don’t sue me because all I have are bills and loans so you wont get much out of me.
This story was thought up while reading Jen Turner’s story ‘True Lies’ and by a song playing on the radio (‘Friends’ by Michael W. Smith) at the same time and I attribute some of the responsibility for this on my sister. She said something and then the idea solidified in my brain… this one has been a long time in the works, but now it has been written.
Thanks to Jackie who Beta read for me.
Arlington National Cemetery
1402 EST
Sarah found it hard to believe she was sitting here. Her best friend had died. Life was going to be so strange without the smiling face of here partner to brighten up her day. She glanced down at the white headstone.
VADM Harmon David Rabb, Jr.
Born October 25, 1963
Died June 15, 2053
His Country will miss him!
‘Semper Fi, Sailor’ Love your Marine
She suddenly felt tears prick her eyes again. <Suck it up Marine.> And that just made it worse. She could hear his voice, ~Don’t let anyone see you cry, it’ll give the Corps a bad name,~ always with a smile. Man, how she loved his smile. Her watery smile got a little brighter, before fading. Her son, a Rear Admiral himself, came up to her then and put his arm around her shoulder and lent her support. He was so much like his father it hurt sometimes. She could just close her eyes and remember it all like yesterday…
~~~"Harm, what are you doing? I can’t see a thing."
"That’s the point, it’s a surprise."
"Come on, Harm, you know I don’t like surprises."
"You’ll like this one, Trust me."
"Where have I heard that before?" she said under her breath.
He continued to drive, making turns all over the place so even if she knew where he was going it would begin to be in doubt. Mac having been blindfolded earlier was completely clueless as to their destination.
"Ok here we are," he said. She reached up to remove the blindfold. "No, leave that on" he ordered.
"Harm," she said exasperatingly.
"Sarah," he said with a slight warning in his voice, only half joking.
He was guiding her along a path, leading her by the arm to one of his favorite lookout points.
"Flyboy, what are you doing?" she questioned as he sat her down on a rock.
"Just a second…" he moved to stand behind her and reached up to remove her blindfold. "…There now you can look."
When she opened her eyes there was the beginnings of what would turn out to be a beautiful sunset. "Harm, this is beautiful."
"Yeah, I think so," not looking at the sky at all. He sat next to her.
She noticed something in his voice. She turned to look him in the eye. The electricity that shot through her when her brown eyes connected with his blue ones was amazing.
"Sarah Catherine MacKenzie…"
"Your using my full name something must be up," she said smiling.
"Let me finish."
"Ok."
"Sarah Catherine MacKenzie, I love you with my whole heart and I could not imagine a day going by without seeing your smile. I want to wake up to that smile, and go to sleep with that smile, and all the minutes in between seeing that smile. Will you make me the luckiest man alive and do me the honor becoming my wife?"
Tears running down her face, "Yes," almost inaudibly. But he heard her.
He bent down and kissed her square on the lips before he pulled away, "I almost forgot," he said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a velvet box. "This was my grandmother's ring you know," he said as he slipped it on her finger. "She said that the next Sarah Rabb should wear it."
"Harm, it is absolutely gorgeous." She said looking down at the simple solitaire diamond set in a gold filigree band. "It will have to be sized down though," she said with a laugh as the ring slipped slightly down her finger, before she closed her hand into a fist.
"I thought it was a bit big, but I wanted to give it to you right away."
"Yeah, but now I am loathe to give it away, even if it is only for a few days."
He bent down and kissed her again.~~~
"Mom?" David Rabb quietly asked his mother to bring her back to the present. He knew she was remembering. "Mom, we need to get going. Everyone will be at the house soon and we should be there."
"I know, David, I just need some time alone."
"Alright I will be over there by the car. But, Mom, don’t take too long."
"I won’t."
David walked over to the car and put his arm around his wife.
"Is she going to be alright?" she asked.
"I hope so." He leaned down and kissed her on her cheek. She, at 5 foot 2 inches was so much shorter then him who was tall like his father. He brushed her blond hair behind her ear, "I love you, Carrie."
"I love you, too, David," she leaned on his arm, and turned to watch his mother.
"Harm, you left me. Not that you wanted to, I know that. But it hurts just the same. This time I think it hurts worse then when you left JAG. I mean I know now that I will never see you again. What I will miss most is your smile. That cocky grin of yours that always melted my knees. Your family. Our family will never be the same without you there to intimidate those little ones. And our newest little one. He will never know what a wonderful man you were. But we will tell him. Tell him every time he does something stupid just like you. You were always doing something crazy, and things like that were one of the things I loved about you. I love you Harm." She softly began to hum the song from earlier… then she brought her voice into the memories…
Packing up the dreams God planted
In the fertile soil of you
Can’t believe the hopes He’s granted
Means a chapter in your life is through
But we’ll keep you close as always
It won’t even seem you’ve gone
‘Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong
And friends are friends forever…
"Sorry Mom, but we need to go now," Sarah looked up with tears in her eyes and smiled.
"I know, David. Let's go."
And she walked off on the arm of her son, who was so much like her husband.
Rabb Residence
1523 EST
Walking through the large house, she felt so alone. There were people everywhere, but none of them where the one that she wanted to see the most, Harm. She wondered from room to room feeling more alone than she had in years. Memories were popping up everywhere she turned. "Harm, why now?" she whispered as tears fell from her eyes anew…
~~~She was nervous. She had never felt this way before. Today was the day! Her dreams were coming true, she was marrying her flyboy. Harriet walked up to her then.
"Ma’am… I mean Mac, you look beautiful!"
"Thanks, Harriet. I am shaking all over." Just then there was a knock at the door.
"Sweetheart, they are just about ready for you"
"Thanks, Uncle Matt. I’m almost ready."
"Harriet, have you seen my flowers? Oh my, where are they?" she dropped down into a chair. "Look at me I am a wreck."
"Hey, but you are a beautiful wreck," her uncle said.
She gave him a weak smile, "Thanks."
"Here they are!" Harriet announced as she pulled the bouquet out from under a few discarded garments.
"Harriet, you are a lifesaver," Uncle Matt smiled at her as he ushered her out the door so he could talk to his niece.
"What?" Mac asked the Colonel.
"I was just thinking that if you were half as nervous as that Sailor is out there then we might have a problem"
"How so?"
"Because I know you. You have been known to run before. Not that I think that you will run. But sometimes that barrier you build tends to build itself back up without anyone noticing for a while."
"Uncle Matt, I love Harm, why would I run?"
"Because you are scared"
"I have nothing to be scared about,... You did this on purpose didn’t you?"
"What?"
"Thanks, Uncle Matt." she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Navel Academy Chapel
1400 EST
"I do," Harm looked at his bride.
"You may kiss the bride," the chaplain announced. With one of his flyboy grins Harm complied.
"Hey buddy, let her breathe man!" his best mad tapped him on the shoulder. Harm just smiled against her lips.
"Can it, Keeter," Harm replied after he did come up for air.
"I now present for the first time Commander and Mrs. Rabb!" The music began playing as they walked down the aisle, but not before some of Harm’s friends could sneak out first, including Jack. As they walked through the doors to the chapel and under the arch of swords that were drawn, Mac anticipated the smack on her ‘six’ as her pilot often called it.
Of course when it came there was a resounding "Go Navy!" and someone else said "and the Marines, too!" which made both Harm and Sarah smile as they climbed in the limousine to be carried off to the reception
Sarah was staring at their wedding picture; they were so young in the picture and so much in love. It seemed so long ago, yet just yesterday. "Not nearly enough time." she said to no one in particular. She squared her shoulders and walked into the crowd of people waiting to offer their condolences on her loss. She had not come to think of it so much as a loss, but as temporary, times that they were apart from each other. She knew they would be together again, she was just not sure how long it would be before she saw him. Secretly she hoped that it would not be too long.
"Mom, how are you holding up?" a woman with long brown hair and chocolate brown eyes asked.
"I am doing okay. Not good, not bad, but ok, Sam," Sarah said to her daughter.
Samantha Rabb-Roberts smiled knowingly at her mother. Knowing that she would always be a Marine no matter how long she had been retired, the old adage ‘Suck it up Marine’ had been heard under her mother’s breath many times throughout Sam’s life. Michael Roberts came up then and put his arm around his wife. As Harriet and Bud’s youngest son, he had been friends with the Rabb children his whole life, it was almost inevitable that he would marry their daughter. "How is she doing?" he whispered to her.
"She is hiding it well." was all she said. He understood her meaning.
As Sarah watched her children, she could not help but smile…
~~~Mac was sitting at her desk, barely. She barely fit anything these days. She was glad that Harm’s mother had arrived, she did not have to worry about David. He loved his Nanna. And she spoiled him. This was her last day of work before going on maternity leave. With this baby she gained a lot more weight then with David, sometimes it felt like she should be having twins. The ultrasound said no, but hey they have been known to be wrong before. She was just about to finish when a little sailor ran into the room.
"Mommy," he screamed at the top of his lungs.
"David! Shhhh. You don’t want uncle AJ to get mad at you do you?"
"Sorry, Mommy" he hung his head.
"It’s ok sweetie"
"Where is Daddy?"
"Well, he had to go and talk to someone who did something bad. But he will be home later."
"Sorry, Sarah, he got away from me." Trish Burnett said as she entered the office.
"That’s alright, this little monster is just like his father. Can disappear at a moments notice." Mac ruffled her son’s hair. With that he squirmed out of her grasp and ran out of the office, before the women could catch him.
Sarah rolled her eyes and got out of her chair and started to gather her things as Trish went to go catch her errant grandson. Sarah stopped her actions at the "Colonel" that the Admiral bellowed. She came out of her office to see a slightly embarrassed VADM Chegwidden. He had a squirming 3-year-old by the arm and coffee all over his uniform as well as the miniature one that David was wearing.
"Sorry, Sir. He got away from us. Where is Trish?"
"She went to the bathroom to get some paper towels to clean up the mess." She just mouthed an ‘Oh.’
"Sorry, Mommy," came a little voice.
"David, honey why don’t you go see uncle Bud and see if you can go visit AJ and Mikey tonight."
"But Mikey is a baby!"
"Well you can still play with AJ."
"Cool" and he ran off on his errand.
"How are you feeling?" the Admiral asked concerned for his people.
"Fine, Sir. Lets just say that this one can’t be born fast enough."
He smiled knowing how much she had agonized over her son’s birth.~~~
"Sarah?" Harriet asked her friend.
"Hmm… Oh Harriet, sorry I was somewhere else."
"I understand. I just wanted to say that Bud and I need to leave. We have our great-granddaughter here and she is about to fall asleep."
"How is little Molly?"
"Sometimes I think she is growing faster then mine did."
"I know how that goes." there was a bittersweet smile on her face.
Rabb Residence
1852 EST
Every one had left. She was in this big house alone. No grandchildren running around. And worse there was no one to talk to. David and Samantha both had offered to stay with her tonight. And at one time or another all of her grandchildren had made the same offer. She told them all no. She wanted to be alone with her memories. She was humming again.
Friends are friends forever
If the Lord’s the Lord of them
And a friend will not say ‘never’
Cause the welcome will not end
Thought it’s hard to let you go
In the Father’s time we know
That a lifetime’s not to long
To live as friends
~~~Sarah sat on the couch while her mother-in-law made dinner. David was at the Roberts and she was enjoying some much-needed time to relax. "What time is Harm due home?" she heard from the kitchen.
"He said late." she answered. "We have some rabbit food in the fridge for his late arrivals." she smiled.
"I will never understand where he came up with all of that about being a Vegetarian." Trish smiled as she brought a simple dinner into the living room so Mac would not have to move.
"Thanks, Mom," she smiled.
After dinner, "I think I will go to bed early tonight. I want to be overloaded on sleep so that once this little one comes it wont bother me so much to miss it." Sarah smiled.
"Alright, do you need any help getting up the stairs?"
"Nope, just getting off this couch."
Later that night
She had not gotten any sleep. She simply could not get comfortable. "Well, what do you say we go and take a bath to relax?" she asked and rubbed her belly. She carefully got out of bed and walked into the bathroom. She was just getting into the tub when she felt a rush of liquid down her legs. "So that’s it is it?" she was feeling no pain yet, but knew from experience that it would start soon. She quickly got out of the bathtub and went into the bedroom and pulled some clothes on. Then she went down the hall to wake up Trish who was sleeping in the guestroom.
"Mom," she said as she gently shook the older woman’s shoulders.
"Hmmm?"
"Wake up. This baby has decided to make an entrance."
Trish was up in a flash, and was quickly getting dressed. "Is Harm here yet?"
"Not unless he is on the couch. He does that sometimes so he won’t wake me up. Oh!" Trish looked on concerned.
"Contraction?"
"Yeah, but they aren’t bad yet. Leave a note for Harm… Oh!!!"
"Come on, let's go," Trish ushered her down the stairs and into the car without even a thought as to the note.
"Trish, something’s wrong! These are too hard too fast." she said about to cry.
"Just hang in there, Marine, we will be at the hospital in about 2 minutes."
Mac smiled at the statement that sounded so much like something Harm would say. Only he would be going out of his mind with worry, she was glad that Trish was here, she was so calm.
"See, here we are," Trish said a few minutes later. She parked the car and ran around to the passenger side to help Sarah out of the car. Just then another contraction hit.
"Breathe." Trish quietly coached her daughter-in-law.
After it passed they moved as quickly as possible into the hospital. As soon as they walked through the door Sarah doubled over in pain. The receptionist noticed and called for transport. Soon thereafter she was in a room and hooked up to the necessary monitors. The doctor came in then and looked at the readings on the screens. "Nurse, get me an OR, NOW!!!"
"What’s wrong?"
"The babies are in distress, so we are going to do a cesarean section to deliver the babies."
"Babies?"
"You are having twins. Did you not know this?" This was not her normal doctor.
"No… I had an ultrasound and they said it was only one." she said around another contraction.
"Doctor, the OR is available," the nurse said as she walked back into the room.
"Alright, lets get these babies born," she smiled at Sarah. "Don’t worry I’ve done this many times before."
"Harm? Where’s Harm?" she called to her mother-in-law who was sitting in a chair holding her hand.
"Oh no, I forgot to leave him a note! I will call his cell phone right now. He will be here before you know it." she called as they wheeled her toward the OR.
Rabb Residence
Late
Harm walked into the ominously dark and quiet house. <Funny.> he thought to himself as he went to the kitchen to find some food. "Yes, a salad. I can always count on my Marine." He said to himself.
After eating something he decided to go check on David, who had been keeping his mother up later then normal recently. He opened the door and looked in. <Funny, his bed is still made up.> Feeling that something was going on he walked down the hall toward his bedroom. He heard his cell phone ringing down stairs, just as he got to the bedroom. When he noticed that there was a towel on the floor and the light was on in the bathroom. He suddenly turned around and ran down the stairs and yanked out his briefcase to find the persistently ringing phone.
"Rabb." he said nearly out of breath.
"Harm, it is about time you answered this thing. Where are you?"
"I just got home. Where is everyone? Is David all right? Is Sarah all right?" he rushed.
"David is fine. He is at the Roberts’. It is Sarah, Harm. She went into labor and they just took her to surgery. The doctor said that the babies were in distress." There was obvious worry in her voice.
"I’ll be there in 10 minutes, Mom." He was just about to hang up the phone, "Babies? Plural?"
"Yeah the doctor says twins. I will explain when you get here. Hurry!"
Harm hung up his phone and was on the road again within seconds.
Hospital
Harm ran through the doors at full speed. When he got to the elevator and it did not seem to be running fast enough he took the stairs… to the seventh floor. When he burst through the door he nearly ran a nurse down. "Excuse me," he said as he located his mother sitting in the waiting room. "Have you heard anything?" he asked as he came up to her.
"No" she said as she reached for him and pulled him into a hug. His mother had always been a source of comfort throughout his many time of need. "I called the Roberts’ and told them what was going on. Harriet said they could keep David as long as we needed. Especially since Mikey is finally sleeping through the night." She gave him a weak smile. "I also called Gran. She said to give you this," she kissed him on the cheek, "and to tell you she loves you, and wishes she could be here. You know traveling is not something she does much of any more."
"Thanks, Mom. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if you had not been there."
Just then the doctor came out of the double doors at the end of the hall. "Are you the husband?" she asked Harm.
"Sarah Rabb? Yes." Harm said with an obvious look of worry on his face.
"She is in recovery right now. I am more worried about the girls. The first one is pretty healthy and about the normal size for a nearly full term baby. The second is small, which explains why she did not show up on the ultrasound. She is in an incubator in the NICU. We left them in the same bed. It has been shown, especially for a weak twin, that keeping them together helps them to develop. She has one thing in her favor. There are people that love her here. I won’t lie to you and say she will be fine, but I am optimistic."
"Can I see them?"
"Yes, you will just have to gown up. We try and keep the environment as sterile as possible."
Harm nodded and followed the doctor to go see his daughters.
NICU
They were there together in the plastic bed. Samantha had a pink beanie on her head and was sleeping contentedly on her side. While her sister, Shannon, the smaller one was hooked up to a few wires to monitor breathing and heart rate. Now he was glad that they had not narrowed down a female name because there were two of them now. Tears ran silently down his cheeks as he watched the little girls sleep. The picture of perfection is a child sleeping. Suddenly some alarms started going off and the staff ran over to the incubator.
"Excuse me, Sir, but you will have to leave." One of the nurses said gently to Harm. He moved away and watched as they moved Samantha to another bassinet and began doing things to the little one, Shannon. He was crying now as he watched them try and save his little one. After about 10 minutes they stopped and he saw one of them look at the clock and faintly heard them announce a time of death. He watched dumbfounded as one of the nurses walked up to him and gave him the news and the ‘We did everything we could’ speech. He was to busy looking at the little body that no longer lived. "Would you like to hold her?"
Harm just nodded. The nurse led him over to a chair and he sat and held the baby. She was still warm. Her skin still pink. His tears fell anew as he looked down on the baby who appeared to be only sleeping. "Goodbye, Shannon. Your family will always remember you." he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before giving her back to the nurse.
As he walked back into the waiting room to talk to his mother the tears ran unchecked down his face. Trish did not say anything just reached out and gathered her son in her arms and held him like she did when he was just a small child.
There was a loud throat clearing and Harm jerked upward and looked at the culprit. "Sarah is awake if you want to go speak with her. We have not told her about the baby yet. I thought maybe that you would like to."
"Thank you." Harm followed as the doctor lead the way to his wife.
He put a smile on his face before he walked into the room, but the pain was in his eyes.
"Oh God, Harm…" she could not even get the rest of the sentence out of her mouth before she broke down and cried.
"Shh, Sarah. One of them survived. She is beautiful. I got to hold Shannon. I named them. Samantha and Shannon since we could not decide on a name and they were the two we had narrowed it to. She was so small, barely the size of my hand. She lived for a few minutes and she served her purpose on earth. For us to love her and never forget that she was here." He reached down and gathered his wife in his arms and held her like he would never let go.~~~
Tears were running down her cheeks. These were happy tears because she knew Harm was holding their little girl again. "There is no one left who saw her. You were the only one."
"Who, Sarah?" Jessica asked her cousin.
"Oh. Jessica, I thought everyone had left."
"Nope, I wanted to make sure you were alright. You are, aren’t you?"
"Yes."
"Who were you talking about?"
"Shannon." Was all she said.
JB reached over and gave a hug to her cousin. "You know I don’t think I ever thanked you for marrying that flyboy."
"Why would you thank me?"
"Because otherwise I would never have met my flyboy." She said with a smile.
"That’s true. Wonder what kind of trouble they are getting into up there?" the first genuine smile on her face in days. Jack had died a year and half ago and Jessica had gone through much of the same feelings that Sarah was now.
"Just remember that family is how you get through things like this."
"Thanks, Jess." She hugged her cousin again before Jessica left with her granddaughter who drove her around now that her reflexes were slower. Her mind was still as sharp as it had ever been as a lawyer.
"Harm, give her a hug for me." Mac said to the memory.
Rabb Residence
Sarah went into her bedroom. It was no longer ‘their’ bedroom since he no longer would sleep there. She looked at the large double bed and knew she would not be able to sleep there again. He was everywhere in the room. In the closet his cologne still lingered. Next to the bathroom sink his toothbrush still sat there waiting to be used. His razor still clogged with whiskers from his morning shaves. She started to leave when she noticed a quilt folded in the chair. The one that Gran had made them for their wedding. The same one that had kept them warm in the winter and comforted them in times of sorrow.
~~~She was lying on the bed curled in a ball. Her little one was sleeping in her bed within easy reach if she needed anything. David was next to her, sucking on his thumb. Something he rarely did anymore. His mother had begun to treat him like the baby. She would never let either of them out of her sight. She was scheduled to return to work in just over a month and was already dreading the day that she would leave her children. No matter what anyone said to her she still felt like things could always go wrong.
She never blamed Sam for Shannon’s death, she blamed herself. If only she hadn’t worked so hard. If she had taken better care of herself. Maybe she would have two little girls right now instead of just one. One thing was certain she was going to let nothing happen to her kids.
Harm walked into the room and saw his family sleeping peacefully. Mac was very overprotective of their children. He was worried about her, but had no idea what to do to help her. Right now all he could do is watch this beautiful woman, this strong Marine tare herself apart with anxiety. She loved those kids, he knew that, but there was a definite loss to her. She was worrying over the smallest things, things that she used to just shrug off. She was neglecting herself in order to be with the children every moment.
"Are you just going to stand there, Flyboy?" Sarah said sleepily.
"Just thinking about things."
"Like what?"
"Lets go into the other room, so we don’t wake them."
"But I can’t see them there."
"I know, but you can hear if something happens."
"Not too far, please, Harm."
"Come on."
In the a room across the hall
"Sarah, I am worried about you."
"Why? I am perfectly healthy."
"You, only eat small amounts of food if any at all. You barely sleep; you watch them like a hawk. Nothing good is going to come out of your wearing yourself out. Things are going to happen to them. They are kids, and kids get hurt playing almost daily. There is nothing that we can do to avoid that."
"Yes, there is, we can not let them get hurt!" she said almost angrily.
"No, we can’t. We have to let them live. They will never learn if we keep bad things from happening. Mac it was not your fault."
"Yes it was," she was crying.
"Mac, did you hear what the doctor said? I don’t just mean the words, but the meaning? Because from where I stand you did not here her. She said there was nothing you could have done differently. What happened was not uncommon. One baby pushes on the other’s umbilical cord, and one baby does not get the nutrients needed. I am not blaming this on Sam either. Just please come back to me." He was crying as well. "I miss us being able to enjoy life. Not walk around daily waiting for the next thing to go wrong."
"I can’t help it," she sobbed as she sank to the floor.
Harm bent down and pulled her into his arms and just sat there rocking her until the shaking stopped. "Harm, help me, please. I miss things being the way they were before. I know it was not my fault and that is partly why it hurts so much. Knowing that there was nothing that I could have differently to change the outcome."
"I understand, sweetheart. Lets just make things better from now on."
"I will try, Harm. I don’t think I can make any promises right now, but I can try." She gave a weak smile.
Harm bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips. "That is all I want." He left and went down stairs to make dinner.~~~
Sarah had to sit down. This day just kept getting longer and longer. Things would never be the same. Maybe she should just go to bed? She knew that it would not be in their bed so she went upstairs and into one of the extra rooms. She laid down feeling older then she had for a long time. She was almost afraid to fall asleep knowing that the memories would overwhelm her. Despite this she was asleep very quickly.
~~~Sarah stood in Bud and Harriet’s living room feeling very guilty. "Harriet, are you sure you can watch them?"
"Yes, I do have two boys you know."
"Sorry, you know how hard it has been for me." Harriet nodded as Harm and Bud came into the room.
"Harm, I don’t think that I can do this."
"It’s Ok, we have the cell phone and we will only be gone for a few hours. Bud and Harriet have watched David before and nothing happened. Don’t worry. I am sure that if they have any questions about anything they will call. Right?" he said the last looking at the couple in question.
"Yeah." "No problem," they both said at the same time.
"Alright, but I can still worry right?"
"Nope. This is our day and you are going to enjoy it!"
"What if I can’t?"
Harm just put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. He kissed her on the forehead and said, "Sure you can. You are a Marine" and he gave her that flyboy smile of his. They walked out the door hand in hand.
Airstrip
"You go ahead and get in the plane. I am just going to go file this," he said holding up some paper (the flight plan).
Within a few minutes Harm was climbing into the pilot seat and checking the machine out. Just as quickly he was on the ground completing his pre-flight. With a crank to the propeller and another quick ascent into the cockpit and they were off down the runway. Within seconds they were soaring in the air. "You alright, Ninja Girl?"
"Fine, Harm. We are not in a tomcat, just a Stearman." She said with a hint of a smile in her voice.
Harm just laughed out loud. They raced off into the sun.
Later (in the air)
The wind was whipping through their hair and they were both having fun, although Sarah was beginning to feel guilty for having fun. Suddenly Harm picked up his hands and put them over his head.
"HARM!!!"
"What?"
"Fly!"
"No."
"WHAT?"
"Just grab the control stick in front of you and pull back gently." He calmly instructed.
"Harm, have you gone out of your mind?"
"Sarah, if you don’t do it we are going to crash." He said patiently.
"Fine," she said as she placed her hands on the controls in front of her. "Pull back gently, he says. This thing is heavy! How do you pull back gently if you can’t even get it to move?"
"Haha, just keep pulling." The small yellow plane began to level out once again.
"Harm! I’m flying."
"Yes, Marine. You are." He smiled his flyboy grin, even though she could not see it.
Later (airfield)
"Harm, that was great! Thank you."
"For what?"
"For helping me to relax."
"Oh that. Well what are men for if not relaxing?"
"How about this?" She slyly suggested as she put her arms behind his neck.
"Maybe?"
"Or this?" she asked just before she pulled his head down to receive a passionate kiss. After they came up for are, "It has been to long, flyboy."
"Yes it has," he said as he bent down to kiss her again.~~~
The sun hitting her in the face awakened her. Her pillow was wet from tears that she had shed in her sleep. "Get a grip, Marine." She said quietly to herself. She suddenly laughed out loud remembering the dream and the day that had brought it up. That was one of the happiest days of her life. The day she had started living again. Harm had given her that. Who was going to help her to live again now? She quietly got up and walked across the hall and got dressed. Knowing that her family would not leave her alone for too much longer.
Rabb Residence
Lunch was always a busy time at the Rabb household. Today especially so, there were grandchildren and one great-grandson sleeping upstairs in what had been his father's bed when he was visiting, and his father before him when he lived there. Sarah loved it when her family was all around her, having grown up deprived in the family realm she appreciated it so much more. She remembered clearly the day that Harm had bought her this house. It was shortly after David was born. She thought it was too big, now it was almost too small for all of the people that were always there. Even after they had retired there was always things going on. Grandchildren visiting friends coming by just to gossip. They were never completely retired. They were advisors and tutors to their family and their friends. Volunteering was something they always did. Sarah was always with some group of less fortunate children. She felt that she should give back to them the things that she had learned. Harm worked with the children also just in a different capacity. He often worked with them and loved teaching them how to fly in ‘Sarah’ although he used much more conventional ways then he did when teaching his Sarah.
Yesterday at the funeral, there were plenty of their ‘other children’ present. Sure he was just a man, but to many he was a great man, and the loss of a great man is often more tragic. To those who never knew him, his name meant nothing, or simply was recalled from some history lesson as being the youngest JAG in Naval history. To those now gathered in the house he was much more. Husband, friend, father, grandfather. He was always there presiding over the gatherings of the clan. Now there was a void. David did his best sitting in his father's chair, but those were big shoes to fill.
Sarah was roaming the halls looking at the pictures that were displayed so proudly. Chloe’s wedding. She had asked Mac to sit in the honored spot for the Mother of the Bride, she had her grandparents but she felt that Sarah had deserved that honor. The next picture was of Sam’s graduation from high school.
~~~Sarah sat with one hand firmly encased in her husband's and her other on her youngest daughter. "Stop squirming."
"Mom, I’m bored!" 13-year-old Emily Rabb whined. [AN: My roommate came up with the name for me]
"Em, this is your sister's graduation! Behave."
She made no response. Instead she leaned over to her brother. "David, your bored, aren’t you?"
"No, Emybear, I am not. You were excited at my graduation."
"Because that was you! Sam is mean."
David just smiled and turned again to watch as Samantha Rabb continued to give her salutatorian speech. Emily slouched down in her chair. The four Rabbs were easy to pick out with 3 out of four of them in uniform. Harm a RADL (lower half) and the current JAG, Sarah a Brigadier General, and David just about to start his fourth year at the Academy. Sitting not too far away were the Roberts: a Captain in the Navy and his wife, who was no longer on active duty, and AJ sat proudly with his new gold wings pinned to his chest. AJ had barely gotten the leave to come and watch his brother graduate. Mikey was not on the stage, but he was still one of the highest students in his class. Mikey was already accepted into the Academy and was fully intending to follow in the footsteps of his older brother and his father’s best friend. All in all both families were proud of the life choices of their children.
Later (after the ceremony)
"Mom!" Mikey called as he led Sam over to the families that were gathered in celebration. "Sam and I just got invited to a last fling tonight. Don’t worry it starts after the dinner thing you guys have planned." Mikey and Sam had been exclusive during their senior year in high school, their parents could not have been happier. AJ and David could often be found giving friendly rubs about the relationship.
Rabb Residence
Sarah was walking out of the kitchen carrying food to the dining room.
"…just tell her, Sam!" she heard Mikey exclaim to her daughter.
"What? Tell me what?"
"Mom!" Sam was surprised her mother was there. "Nothing, nothing at all." And she grabbed Michael’s arm and dragged him off into the backyard.
Sarah stood in the kitchen and stared out the window and watched them talking to each other. Sam was gesturing wildly, she was mad about something. Mikey was just standing there taking it, the look on his face said he knew he had done something wrong although he was not quite sure what it was. He reached for her and she just turned around and stormed off. Mikey came into the kitchen and when he saw Mac standing there, "Sorry, Aunt Sarah, but I am going home now." And he walked out of the room, before too much longer she heard the front door close. She opened the back door and walked over toward the swing set where her daughter was sitting swinging gently. As she approached she heard the crying and quickly bent to wrap her arms around her daughter.
"Shhhhhh."
"Mom, he broke up with me. He said I had to grow up before he would see me again. Mom, all because I wanted to please you."
"Please me how?" Sarah asked.
"By doing what you want me to instead of what I want."
"Well, did you ever think that he was right?"
"Mom, you are supposed to be on my side!"
"I am," she squeezed her daughter a little tighter.
"Mom, I have to tell you something."
"Alright."
"Mom, I don’t want to join the Marines. I am going to college, but I want to sing."
"Sing? Sweetie you can sing anywhere."
"I know, but not what I want to sing, Mom, I am good. I don’t want to give up before I try."
"It is alright with me, Baby, as long as *you* follow *your* dreams. It may be hard for those that are not with you at the time, but dreams are meant for us to follow them. If you don’t then you will always wonder what could have been." She had a look in her eyes when she remembered how it had felt when Harm had left all those years ago to follow his dream. "You know we will always love you no matter what you do."
"I know, Mom. I just feel like I am letting everyone down."
"Well, I may be a little disappointed that you are not joining the Marines but you most certainly are not letting me down. Do you feel like you are letting yourself down? I does not matter what others feel you should do in the end the decision ultimately belongs to you."
"I know that, but you always wanted me to."
"What have you always wanted to do?"
"Sing."
"Then sing sweetheart. Sing."~~~
Sarah went down the stairs and into the living room. She went to the stereo system that they had simply refused to update, saying if it works why replace it. And it still worked, usually. She flipped through some of her old CDs till she found the one she was looking for. Placing the silver disc into the player she stood back and listened to the clear tones of her eldest daughter come floating through the speakers.
~~~The Academy class stood proudly in their uniforms. The sun was shinning down brightly and here and there, there was the unmistakable gleam of gold on the chest of a proud sailor. Michael Roberts stood at the head of his class, in proud formation waiting for the dismissal so he could join his family. He had not heard from Sam in some time and that made him sad, but not too much so.
Finally the signal came for them to break formation and join the festivities, and they did that with relish. He walked over to his family and his brother's best friend who just happened to be in the same squadron as AJ. "Hey guys." Mikey called excitedly.
"Hey, little Bro, looks like you are all grown up now."
"Yeah," he said a little sullen thinking of what he had once said to Samantha. "David, how is Sam?"
"Fine. She gave me something for you."
"Really?"
"You will have to wait till later, out here there just isn't the right atmosphere."
"Alright lets go then!"
"Gee, aren’t we impatient? Guess there is still something there after all. He did not even say Hi to me before he started asking about my sister. Gee, what a guy will go through for his sister." David was saying sarcastically.
"Hi, David."
David just smiled at the boy. "Here. I don’t think I want to be around when he reads it." The last part said to AJ just before the two older men walked off to talk to Bud and Harriet Roberts. Michael Roberts looked down and in his hands there was a small package that looked suspiciously like a CD. He walked toward the parking lot where he would find more privacy. He ripped the paper off and stared at the cover of the CD and Sam's face was smiling back at him. A face that he had not seen in over three years but was still just as dear. He opened the cover and a small piece of paper fell out. All that was written on it was a phone number and the bottom that said 'play the last song first.' A little intrigued he headed toward his car. He sat behind the wheel and put in the CD as he did this he pulled the booklet out like he often did with a new CD. He was looking through the booklet when the CD began playing before he remembered to play the last song first and changed it to the end.
The song that came out was simple yet beautiful there was only a piano to accompany the voice. And when she sang her voice was so clear and yet spoke right to his heart.
Standing in our silence
I hear my heart beating
And if only I could choose
I'd stay here with you
But hold me till the train is leaving
He smiled as he recognized what they used to call their song. Then a male voice joined in that sounded suspiciously like her father.
Somewhere down the line
After you're gone from sight
Our love will be the same
And, whispering your name,
I'll cling to you with all my might
He looked at the booklet where the artist usually puts something like a dedication in it.
'This is dedicated to my twin. She never got to grow up and live a normal life, but I love her even though I never knew her. To my angel in heaven, Shannon.
Also, not to forget those who are still with us this is especially for all those cute Navy pilots in my life, My daddy, big brother, and last but not least MR. I grew up.'
Let me dream of you
But it's true
And wake me up when this is over
Love will be there when this is over and
Somewhere far beyond today
I will find a way to find you
And somehow thru the lonely nights
I will leave a light in the dark
Let it lead you to my heart
There's a love inside us
Deep down inside
That goes without saying
Don't say a word
But I'll tell you just the same
And that love will fan the flame
And that flame will warm the heart
that's waiting
You are mine and I'll wait for you my love
You are mine it may take some time
Even if it takes a lifetime
Tell me you'll wait
Somewhere far beyond today
I will find a way to find you
And somehow thru the lonely nights
I will leave a light in the dark
Let it lead you to my heart
And somewhere alone
I will be praying you home
I know that somehow our love
Our love will lead me to your arms
Somewhere far beyond today
I will find a way to find you
And somehow thru the lonely nights
I will leave a light in the dark
Let it lead you to my heart
Mikey did not know what to do now. He looked at his hand and the piece of paper. <Maybe I should just dial?> With that thought he turned the ignition and started the car and left his graduation to call a number on a paper.~~~
Mac stood there listening to the clear voice of her daughter and remembered the fear she felt at putting that dedication in her album. She smiled remembering the ecstatic phone call she had received from Sam just after she had hung up with Mikey. Funny how some things is life just work out.
Rabb Residence
Sarah was sitting in the living room with tears running down her face. She had not listened to this first CD in so long. Sam had made so many beautiful albums, but this one was still her favorite. There was a knock at the door.
"Just a minute." She called getting up off the couch.
"Don't worry about it, Mom." Emily Joy called from the entryway. "I just knocked so I would not scare you." She came into the living room and sat down. "You know I really hated her for putting out this album. I used to think that she was trying to show everyone she could do it without the family. Or show me up."
"I never knew that."
"It was a silent war between us."
"That I do remember." She smiled and hugged her daughter.
"Mom, do you remember when Sam finally went out to see Shannon?"
"Very much."
"I was jealous of her then. I mean she had her own personal guardian angel and I had just me."
"Oh, baby."
~~~"Mac, sorry to interrupt." A pregnant Chloe Madison-Johnson entered the room.
"Oh that is fine Chloe."
"Wow. Samantha that dress is beautiful."
"Thanks Chloe." Sam said with a huge smile on her face.
"Sarah, Samantha, I have a request before this thing gets started and I don't have time to ask."
"Shoot, what is it?"
"Well Jeremy and I got the amnio results back yesterday. Everything is fine, we were worried about nothing and we are having a girl."
"Chloe, that is wonderful."
"Well, we were wondering if we could name her Shannon?"
"Chloe, that would mean so much to me."
Chloe looked over at Sam who was just standing there, with silent tears running down her face. "Don't cry, Sweetie, you will ruin your makeup." That got a watery smile.
"Thanks, Chloe, that makes me feel like she is here with us even more." Looking up slightly, "Hear that, Sis? You are going to have a namesake."
Harm walked into the room, "Ready?… hey what is everyone crying about?"
"Oh, Harm, Chloe is going to name the baby after Shannon."
"Really?"
"Really, Harm. I feel like it is an honor to have our daughter carry that name."
"Thanks, squirt." Chloe felt she was anything but a squirt at 8 months pregnant. "Now that we have gotten all of the crying out of the way what do you say we get this show on the road?"
"We are not done with the crying, not by a long shot." Sarah smiled and then walked out and took the arm of her son to be escorted to her place at the front of the chapel.
The wedding was a small one with Emily acting as Samantha's only attendant and AJ as Michael's best man. The ceremony went off without a hitch, except the one that everyone expected (J). Sitting next to his parents David sat with his arm around Carolyn Simpson whom he was becoming quite serious about, to the delight of his parents. She was the first girl that David had brought home since high school.
Later
Hotel Ballroom
"Now?" Mikey leaned over and asked his new bride.
"Well, it has to be before too long if we are going to make both stops."
"Alright then let's get going." Mickey leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek before he stood up and made the announcement.
"Well, my bride seems to want to take a trip, so if our families would gather at the door we can be going."
With a little confusion the, ever growing, family gathered.
"Alright, if every one would get organized into vehicles and then follow Sam and I then we can get going."
"Follow you?" David asked.
"Nope, you are not getting any thing out of me." Michael said with a smile.
Very shortly the entourage was on the road headed down town. With much speculation going on in the cars following they made their way to a familiar spot.
After parking and a quick walk they reached the Vietnam Memorial Wall.
Sam walked over to the panel she had visited on many occasions. “Well, Grandpa, I got married today. To Mikey Roberts. I realize that this may seem sudden but it really has been in the works for a while. He’s a pilot just like all of the men in my life. But, hey, why fight a good thing?” She touched her fingers to her lips and then put them on the name of a man she had never met, but loved all the same. “I love you, Grandpa.”
After a short period of time she turned a watery smile toward the group. “Well, we still have one more stop to make so let's get going.” Gathering her skirt she made her way toward the cars.
Later
After what seemed like quite a drive, they entered a small cemetery outside of the city. This place held memories for all present, none more then the bride. This is where her sister rested
“Hey sis. Sorry I have not been to visit in a while. Well, more then a while, but today is important. I got married, to someone who I know you would love. Well, you probably know as much as me since you have been my angel since forever. Keep smiling down on us, and every once in a while, look in on Emily, she gets jealous.” Again she kissed her hand and pressed it to the name, and then she placed her bouquet next to the stone and left.
As she walked back to the small crowd, Mikey just raised his brows, silently asking if she was finished. She smiled back at him silently answering yes. Hand in hand they walked out of the yard and into the future.~~~
Remembering such a perfect day brought a smile to Sarah’s face. She got up and walked into the bathroom to wash her face and then maybe she would go and fix a sandwich from all those leftovers in the kitchen.
Rabb Residence
Carrie Simpson Rabb sat in a rocking chair holding her first grandbaby. Her father-in-law got to see this precious little angel only hours before he died. He had been sick for a while but being the man he was he was determined to see the next generation of Rabbs before he went home to see his parents again, his father whom died in Vietnam when he was only six. She looked over at her mother-in-law sitting on the couch with her youngest granddaughter, 16-year-old Jasmine Webb, leaning on her shoulder. Amazingly, Jasmine was the image of her grandmother, although it was widely speculated that she had much more joy in her life than Sarah did at that age.
"Remember when her parents got married?" Carrie asked innocently.
"Yes, but I remember someone else setting the example..."
~~~Harm sat up. "What now?" There was an insistent pounding on the door.
"Harm?" came a sleeping question.
"Don't worry about it I'll go see what this is all about, Ninja girl." he said as he rolled out of bed wearing only his boxers. After stumbling down the stairs he finally reached the front door. Impatiently peering through the peephole and seeing an anxious AJ, Harm yanked open the door.
"What?"
"Excuse me, Sir," AJ said a little uncomfortable at seeing a superior officer in his skivvies.
"What are you doing here, AJ?"
"Looking for David. Is he here?"
"No, why?"
"Well, Carrie's parents have been calling all night looking for their daughter and ,of course, she wasn't there so assumed she was with David. He said he was coming home for a visit on this leave."
"No, he has not been here. Did you call his cell?"
"Yes." AJ said holding up the object in question.
Just then the phone rang. Harm turned around to pick it up and saw a rumpled Mac standing in the hall in her robe. She went and picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Is Carrie there visiting with you?" asked a worried female voice.
"No I haven't seen her for a couple of weeks. Although we did talk on the phone the other night. Why is something wrong?"
"Yes, she is missing."
"Missing? O my gosh. Harm, get over here and talk to Suzanne."
"Sweetie, if you want to get technical, David is missing, too. He told AJ he was coming here on leave and of course he is not here. Oh and he left his cell behind."
"Suzanne, she is probably with David, he seems to have disappeared as well."
"Oh god, I knew something like this was up. She kept on coming home and picking up odds and ends that she never seemed to miss before. Almost like she was moving out forever. Sarah, they ran off to get married. I just know they have."
"Calm down, Suzanne. I am going to send AJ down there to pick you and Jason up." Covering up the receiver. "AJ, can you go and pick up Jason and Suzanne. Harm, for goodness sake, go put some clothes on."
Harm, just now realizing he was just in his boxers, blushed and casually walked up the stairs to get dressed. Figuring it should take AJ about and hour and half to get to Baltimore, pick up the Simpson's, and get back. So she said good-bye to the frantic women on the phone and went upstairs to take a shower.
Later
Sitting in the living room, were worried parents, AJ, and a very tired looking pregnant Samantha (Mikey was out on the 'Reagan').
"What are we going to do?" Suzanne asked anxiously.
"Well, there is really nothing we can do, they are both of age and unless we don't hear from either of them for 48 hours they aren't missing yet." Harm, not so helpfully, put in.
"Dad, I don't think that is what she wanted to hear," Samantha said.
"Well, he is in the military, can't they do something?"
"Only if he went AWOL, which he didn't. He's in my squadron and we all got leave," AJ replied.
"Well, my guess is we'll all be family by the next time we have any information," Mac said.
"I knew she didn't want a big wedding, never has liked being the center of attention. And it is not that we don't love David, we do, I am just not so sure that I like the way they went about doing this," Jason put in.
"I guess I should have known, he did sort of tell me that they were probably going to elope, I just didn't think he was serious." AJ half smiled. "But I guess if she wanted it David would have done anything for her."
"You know sitting here discussing motives isn't going to get us anywhere. So, why don't Jason and Suzanne take the guest room, Sam, you can have your old room, and, AJ, take David's room, you know where it's at. Let's all get sleep for what's left of the night and hope they call tomorrow." Mac stood up expecting everyone to do what she suggested; after all she had used her Marine voice.
Everyone got up except Suzanne, "My baby is missing and you want me to sleep!"
Looking straight at her, "Not missing, eloping, there is a world of difference." With that she turned around and went up the stairs, followed by everyone in the room.
Rabb Residence
1509 EST
Emily Joy walked through the door, "Mom, I'm home."
"Hi, Sweetie, how was school?"
"About the usual, David call yet?"
"Not yet," Mac replied.
Emily had woke up that morning to a house full of people that were not there when she went to bed the night before.
"Everyone still here?"
"Yeah, except AJ, he went to get a few things for me."
"Well, I'm going to go and see if I can make dent in this mountain of homework."
"OK, sweetheart." Just then the phone started ringing, "Hello?" Mac answered.
"Hey, is Sam there? I just called home and there was no answer."
"Yes, Mikey she is. Jus a sec." covering the mouthpiece, "Em, go get your sister, I think she was going to take a nap." Back to the phone, "OK, Mikey, someone went to get her."
"So, what's up? You seemed nervous when I answered the phone." Mikey asked.
"David and Carrie eloped and we haven't heard from them yet."
"Check the farmhouse, he always said that's where he would take his girl for some privacy."
"I can't believe none of us thought of that. David always loved Gran and that old house is his."
"See, you just needed someone a little further from the situation."
"Thanks, Mikey, here's Sam." She handed the phone to her daughter, and walking into the living room stated to smile. She was going to teach her wayward son a much-needed lesson in how to treat those around him.
Belleview Pennsylvania
Later that same night
David sat up from the light sleep he was getting. He thought he heard a car door shut. After a few seconds of listening he decided he was just paranoid. When he moved to lay down the sigh from the person next to him made him smile. <I can't believe this is my wife.> They had been planning this excursion for some time now, complete with license and a pastor of a small church to perform the ceremony. Somewhere in his mind he was dreading calling home and letting people know what they had done, but at the same time it was kind of nice being one of the five people (Carrie, the pastor, two witness, and himself) that knew they were married. He pulled her close and settled down to go back to sleep.
The front door slammed and there were several excited voices. "What the...?" David muttered as he crawled out of bed.
"David?"
"Go back to sleep, honey, just the wind blowing the screen door."
David carefully descended the stairs knowing what he would find and yet hoping he was wrong.
In the kitchen were his parents and his younger sisters.
"What on earth are you guys doing here?" David practically yelled.
"David!" Mac said with her hand on her chest. "Oh well we just decided to go away for the weekend, for a small get together before the baby is born. We called your place, but there was no answer so we figured you and AJ went out or something." Knowing full well that AJ was down the road in the car with the Simpson's.
With a huge yawn and wrapped in one of David's shirts, Carrie came down the stairs, looked up and came to a dead stop. Self consciously fixing her long blonde hair, she slowly advanced on what appeared to be battle lines, given the look on her husband's face.
"Carrie, nice to see you." Sam said then appearing to realize what was going on. "Mom, I think we interrupted something."
"That's ok, Sam, what we interrupted shouldn't have been going on until after they get married." Mac said accusingly.
David groaned, "You know, don't you, Mom?"
"Of course, sweetie, we know."
"Well, next time, son, if you don't want to be found don't tell people where you'll be. Mikey is very informative." Harm put in.
"And, buddy, take your phone." AJ said walking in and tossing him the phone. "Wow, you remind me a lot of your father, he greeted me just that same way last night," grinning.
"Well, when people wake you up in the middle of the night you don't give much thought to how you look."
"DAD!" Carrie squealed and went and hid behind David.
Jason just stopped at that. Being followed closely by his wife who promptly ran into his back.
"Caroline Simpson, what do you think you are doing?" Her mother scolded.
"Spending time with my husband, Mom!" Just before Suzanne fainted from the shock.
"Mom!" Carrie ran across the room. Kneeling next to her father who was cradling her mother.
Jason leaned over, "Congratulations, sweetheart," he said grinning.
"Thanks, Daddy."
"Now why don't you get dressed before she comes around and gets all upset again?"
Carrie stood up and walked over to David, grabbed his hand and pulled. Amazingly she managed to move him.
Stumbling along behind with a dumb look on his face, David didn't know what to do with himself.
Under his breath, "They did this on purpose, you know."
"Of course they did. Would you have expected anything less from your family?"
"Not really. I'm just surprised they found us so fast."
"Well what did you tell Mikey?"
"Nothing, I haven't talked to him for a few weeks. Once I did tell him this was a good place for some privacy, something about proposing to my sister."
"Isn't he out on carrier right now?"
"Yeah, he probably called Sam and the rest is history...
Sarah and Carrie were laughing over the past, when David walked in. "Yes, but please don't tell any of the younger generation about our past exploits," picking up the now alert munchkin from his wife.
"Don't worry, I'll leave detailed notes for you on how to retaliate for the crazy actions done by your children and grandchildren."
"Don't listen to her, she just doesn't know what angels Rabb men are." David said cuddling his grandson.
"Given that he is a Rabb male, it is pretty much guaranteed that he will be a handful." Mac joked and for the first time in days there was a genuine smile on her face.
End Part 7... to be continued...