Author: Nancy
Disclaimer: JAG and characters do not belong to me. No money made
here.
Classification: Drama with all characters.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Harm faces consequences for some of his "loose cannon"
behaviors.
PART 3
Harm took a slow long sip from his beer and tried to rethink his actions on the day he talked with Jacobs. Jacob's distraught face floated into his consciousness. "I'll beat this, I'll be free." Jacobs' words burned painfully in Harm's thoughts as remorse and self- doubt ebbed their way to the surface. Maybe he had pushed too hard and now a young man was dead. He was no psychologist. He was a lawyer, and he should have kept it at that instead of trying to get the young man to face his demons. A knock on the door broke his depressed ruminations.
"Sturgis?" He answered the door somewhat surprised by his visitor.
"Harm, can I come in?"
"Sure. Can I get you a cold one?" Harm held up his beer.
"No thanks."
"I take it this isn't a social visit."
Sturgis sat down and paused to gather his thoughts. "Harm, I know Reynolds presented you with a deal today."
"Yes, but as I'm sure you also heard we're going to trial."
"You won't be going to trial, I told Bud earlier that Mac is planning on taking responsibility for this whole fiasco."
"WHAT!" Harm sat the bottle down so hard that is shattered on the coffee table. "Dammit!" He jumped up and grabbed a dishtowel to stop the bleeding from a small cut on his thumb. "Why in the hell would she do that?"
Sturgis looked away.
"Let me guess, Reynolds made her a deal to testify against me and her record is kept clean."
"I can't discuss that with you."
"I'll take that as a yes." Harm sat back wearily into the chair.
"I just thought you ought to know before in the morning." Sturgis got up and walked to the door-leaving Harm were he sat.
"Before 0900," Harm muttered to himself.
*****
Sturgis and Mac exited Mac's office to go to court but were stopped by Lt. Singer who was now back from her TAD assignment and very obviously pregnant. "Sir, Ma'am if you're going to court there is no reason now," she spoke sprightly.
Mac could have slapped the grin off of the other woman's face. Sturgis however, intervened, "I'm afraid we are scheduled and will be tardy if you continue to waste our time Lieutenant."
"But there isn't going to be a trial. Commander Rabb struck a deal with the prosecution early this morning. "Looks like JAG's golden boy is going to be spending some time with some of his former clients. I think it's just despicable that he would compromise his legal ethics like that. The real tragedy is that his actions led to his client's suicide. How sad!" She ran on excitedly.
Mac looked to Sturgis who didn't seem nearly as surprised as she, but before she could address either officer, Admiral Chegwidden called them into his office.
"I guess you've heard the news." Admiral Chegwidden said with disdain as he looked towards the retreating blonde officer as he ushered the two into his office.
"Sir, I don't understand," Mac struggled to keep her emotions intact.
"Lieutenant Roberts and Commander Rabb met with the prosecution early this morning. Commander Rabb signed a statement taking full responsibility for the breech in confidentiality. And Colonel I asked him directly if he was responsible and he said yes and was willing to accept the consequences." The Admiral sighed heavily.
"Sir, I believe the Commander agreed to the deal to protect me. I assure you he never gave me any information." Mac's eyes were glassy with frustration.
"So he lied. Hell Colonel what is the truth!"
"I told you sir. I found the information about Jeffers and Jacobs on my own investigation. I called the school and talked with a counselor who remembered them. She also told me about Jeffers overdose and his friendship with Jacobs. She told me she suspected Jacobs had problems also but could not testify that he did in fact use drugs. I used this information in court to throw Jacobs off balance. I don't know how the note got in my files, maybe someone picked it out of Harm's trash and put it there so it would make all of this happen." Her speech was pressured with emotion.
"Who and why would someone do that Mac?" The Admiral retorted.
"I don't know sir, but if we keep looking we will find the truth instead of believing a lie!" Mac's voice tone was accusatory.
"Commander Turner would you step out of my office for a moment." The Admiral's tone was icy.
"Colonel you are just inches away from being written up for insubordination not to mention behavior unbecoming of an officer! Do you think that I find this situation pleasant? If the truth were so damn important to the two of you then why in the hell did Harm agree to that deal!" The Admiral was in her face now.
Mac stood stiffly at attention as a single tear trickled down her face. Chegwidden sighed and pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to Mac. "At ease Colonel and have a seat."
Mac wiped her eyes and nose as more tears followed. "I don't know why I decided to do a check with Jacob's high school. Harm and I were on the same wave length with our investigations. We do that. We've worked together so long, I know what and how he's thinking, and he's pretty much the same way with me."
"After the prosecution offered me that deal, I told Sturgis that I would take the responsibility before I would let Harm."
"So Harm sucker punched you?" The Admiral shook his head.
"If he beat me to the draw while I wasn't looking...I'd say yes."
"Well as it looks now, Harm will spend the next year in the brig and his attorney's license suspended. The a reduction in rank is a moot point because his career has been shot to hell."
"Sir, can't anything be done."
"He's lucky they didn't dishonorably discharge him and send him to Leavenworth for the next five years."
"But he can't be a JAG."
"No and he won't be flying if the CAG from the Seahawk has anything to do with that decision."
"Sir, I would like to request a few days of leave time."
"Permission denied I'm suddenly short handed, but you can take the rest of the day."
"Thank you sir."
"Oh and Colonel. He's been taken to the Naval Yard brig. And don't be putting a file in a cake. Although you and the Commander haven't figured it out, but there are better ways of getting out of jail than taking matters into your own hands."
"Yes sir." Mac smiled weakly.
*****
Harm endured the humiliation of the processing procedures for prisoners by reminding himself that he had been through worse situations in his life. By the time he was finally escorted in manacles to his cell, his coping skills were worn dangerously thin. A year suddenly seemed like forever as he scanned his new home. The eight-foot by six-foot concrete block cell was just big enough to hold a bunk attached to the wall, a small sink and toilet with absolutely no privacy. The depression of his surroundings deepened as he started thinking about his career. He may not have been discharged, but his career was shamefully and abruptly ended all because a piece of paper.
The voice of his conscience reminded him of loses of John Jacobs and his father. Harm couldn't escape the tormented sound of Jacobs voice or the grieving eyes of Jacobs' father. He sat his bunk for an hour feeling the pain and depression of his situation until a guard escorted him down the hall to a small interrogation room. It was the same drab starch room with a table and two chairs that Harm had met with countless clients. The guard exited when Mac entered the room. Harm smiled weakly.
Mac debated whether to ring his neck or hug it as she held his gaze. "You have done some pretty stupid things in your life, but this tops them all." She swallowed hard.
"Like my new uniform? Orange coveralls don't have quite the same appeal as dress whites and gold wings I been told." He suddenly found himself speechless as she continued to look at him with an emotion he couldn't quiet discern. The moment of silence seemed to stretch out for an eternity passed before she finally spoke.
"Why?"
He drew in a shaky breath as her eyes continued to penetrate him.
"Because?" He tried to sound funny but failed miserably.
"Dammit Harm, you've just shot your Naval career to hell." She reached across and took his hand as tears spilled from her shiny eyes.
Whether it was her tears, her touch, her voice or merely her presence it didn't really matter. All the feelings of despair he felt were replaced with warmth and confidence. "To hell with my career...I'll be alright and so will you." He said with flippant bravado and a smile.
She sucked in a watery breath realizing the depth of his sacrifice. He had indeed given it all up for her. "But I'm not sure I will ever be alright again," she said softly as their hands caressed tenderly.
"I'm sorry all of this happened." Harm's eyes looked sorrowfully at her sad brown eyes.
"I'll get to the truth," she replied with more strength than she felt.
"People will be watching. Don't mess up your career Sarah," Harm spoke with concern and squeezed her hands more firmly as the guard entered again.
Harm pulled his hands away to avoid the prying eyes of his keeper. Mac looked at the guard and then at Harm and smiled. "To hell with my career."
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