Author: Nancy
Disclaimer: Don't own JAG or characters. This is for entertainment
only. Quotes are from "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee.
Classification: Drama Harm but other characters are present
Rating: PG
Summary: Harm finds himself the target of an old enemy. Once again
Harm is the pawn and placed in an uncontrollable situation. I hope
you will find compassion in the characters I use later on. This
occurs during season 6. Mic is still around.
A special thanks to Barb and Carolyn for beta reading!
PART 6
JAG Headquarters
"I wonder when Commander Rabb will be back." Gunny commented to Tiner, who had just placed a file on the Gunnery Sergeant's desk.
"I don't know. I heard the fire was pretty bad. The Admiral hasn't said much about it, or the Commander." Tiner replied as Lt. Singer approached, overhearing the discussion.
"I heard he tried to kill himself and is at a funny farm somewhere." She was excited that she was the first to start the scuttlebutt.
Gunny and Tiner exchanged a look that suggested they thought she should be in a funny farm. "Really, I have a friend who works at the hospital and swears she read it off his chart." She persisted.
"Lt. Singer, in my office NOW!" Colonel MacKenzie's tone made even Tiner and Gunny come to attention.
Singer just shrugged her shoulders at the two men and followed the Marine into her office as if they were going to discuss a case.
"Lt. Singer if I ever hear you spreading gossip about the Commander or any other officer in this office I will personally put you up on charges of insubordination. Have I made myself clear?" Mac resisted the urge to strangle the insolent lieutenant.
"Yes ma'am, crystal." Lt. Singer gave a fake little smile.
"Dismissed." Mac barked.
Gunny and Tiner approached the door, after seeing Singer leave the Colonel's office wearing a devious little smile, "Ma'am?"
"Enter." Mac was hand tearing old files to be discarded rather than using the office shredder, in an attempt to defuse the anger she still felt towards the little blonde witch.
"Ma'am, we weren't trying to start any scuttlebutt about the Commander." Gunny explained. "Everyone in the office has been concerned since the fire."
Mac dropped what she was doing and smiled at the two men, "I know, and I'm sure the Commander would appreciate everyone's concern. It may take awhile for him to get everything back to normal...from the fire. He lost almost everything. His parents have been helping." Mac didn't want to reveal anything that would cause Harm any embarrassment later.
"Yes, ma'am. Is there anything we can do to help? Tiner and I could help go through his apartment and see if anything could be salvaged." Gunny offered.
"We could help him move into a new place." Tiner added.
"Thanks guys, I'll pass that along when I see the Commander. I think he has plenty of help right now." Mac smiled.
The two seemed to be satisfied and left her office. Mac shut her door and closed the blinds to her office. "The Colonel is sure worried about something." Gunny said to Tiner as they returned to their desks.
"The Admiral is too." Tiner said, "He was in the middle of chewing my six out for misplacing the budget for the next quarter, and all of a sudden he stopped and in a calm voice told me to let him know when I found it. Then he patted me on the shoulder. It was scary."
*************
"Clay, this is Mac. I need you to do me a favor. Will you meet me for lunch?"
"What time and where?" Clayton Webb was surprised Mac had called him. Now if Harm had called, that would have been a different story. Curiosity got the best of him, and he could hardly wait to see what Sarah Mackenzie was up to. Clay thoughtfully considered all the reasons she would want his help and decided the only reason would be Rabb.
He picked up the phone and punched in a number; "I need the latest on a Commander Harmon Rabb Jr."
At least this way he would be prepared when he met with Mac, he reasoned.
*************
Clay spotted Mac in a booth near the back of the cafe. "Why didn't someone call me!" He said with exasperation.
Mac pretended to not know what he was talking about, "About what?"
"Mac, cut the crap. You know what I'm talking about." Clay's anger touched Mac. She knew that Clay and Harm shared an unusual friendship, but he was sincerely worried.
"Clay, what was the Admiral, Bud or I to do? Call you up and say, 'Harm's apartment caught fire, and everyone believes it was a result of him overdosing on barbiturates? And by the way he's at the VA Psychiatric Facility?" Mac's anger came out of nowhere.
Clay looked down and responded softly, "I'm sorry Mac. I guess I just can't believe this. How is he?"
"I don't know. I've called Trish, but right now all she's getting from the doctor is that he is still being evaluated."
"Oh God, his mother knows." Clay sighed.
"The Admiral called her. She handling it pretty well, considering."
"Who else knows."
"The Admiral, Bud, Harriet, his parents." Mac said softly.
"This will end his career in the Navy." Clay looked directly into Mac's eyes.
"I know." Her eyes became shiny.
"What can I do?"
"No one is allowed to see him. I figured you could use your connections to get in and check on him. I guess I still don't believe any of this."
"Mac...I'll see what I can do." Clay reached over and patted her hand.
"Thanks Clay."
"Mac, I thought you would be on your honeymoon this week?" Clay looked down and saw the engagement ring but no wedding band.
"I postponed the wedding."
"I bet Brumby was thrilled." Clay added slightly amused.
"He understands." Mac avoided Clay's gaze.
Clay's eyebrows rose in doubt, but he decided to keep any sarcastic remarks to himself. At least if he got in to see Rabb, he would have something good to tell him.
**************
Harm had tossed and turned, trying to figure out why all of this had happened. He finally willed himself to relax and sleep.
The sound of someone screaming obscenities woke Harm. He eased out of his bed and opened the door to his room to see Jerrod, the Pacer, holding a chair and screaming at the two night attendants. "I know you slept with her you MF...You've been sending her messages, telling her about me. I know all about you!!"
"Jerrod, put the chair down. The nurse is getting you some medication to help you calm down," one of the attendants spoke calmly. Two more male attendants appeared with the night nurse, who held a syringe.
"Jerrod, put the chair down." The four attendants stood together in a strong show of force.
Jerrod put the chair down but continued to yell obscenities. The attendants took him by the arms and pushed him over the desk, while the nurse injected his hip. "This will help you control yourself." The nurse explained, as Jerrod continued to rant.
"Put him in seclusion. I'll notify Dr. Deglin." The nurse directed. Jerrod was practically dragged to one of the seclusion rooms, and the door was quickly locked as the man screamed and beat on the door.
The nurse spotted Harm watching from his doorway, "Go back to sleep. Everything is under control."
***********
The next morning, Harm saw an attendant open the seclusion room door and guide Jerrod towards the shower room. Harm couldn't believe he was the same man from the night before. Jerrod shuffled slowly towards the showers with the attendant holding his arm to guide him. The vacant tired expression and lack of communication added to his drugged appearance.
"It's called the Haldol shuffle." Nate explained. "After a dose of that stuff, he won't be pacing the halls for days."
Harm suddenly felt sorry for the man who seemed so violent one minute and so helpless the next.
"Your turn is coming." Harm looked around to see Anthony grinning at him.
"The psychiatrist wants to see you." Anthony pointed towards the locked entrance. Harm walked with him, ignoring the whispered taunts that Anthony directed at him, as they walked to the elevator and down another hall of offices.
Harm sat in a chair across from Captain Delgin; "You have a visitor. Normally you would not be allowed visitors just yet, but I received a call from my superior instructing me to let this man see you. I informed him that the visit must be short."
Harm looked surprised as Anthony led him to another room containing a table and four chairs. Clayton Webb stood up as Harm entered the room. "I need to speak with Mr. Rabb in private." He said coolly to Anthony, who seemed displeased at being ordered out of the room. "What the hell is going on Harm?" Clayton dropped the air of superiority.
"That's what I would like you to find out!" Harm had never been so relieved in his life to see Clay. "How did you find out I was here?"
"Mac came by to see me. She's worried about you, which isn't anything new." Clay added somewhat sarcastically. "What's this about you taking pills and trying to kill yourself. Mac said the doctor thought you have some sort of depression because of your obsessive compulsive tendencies, and the fact that you lost your dad when you were young."
Harm crossed his arms in front of himself and looked at Clay, who had already adjusted his tie and smoothed his hair for the third time since Harm had entered the room. "I'm not the only one in this room who has obsessive compulsive tendencies and lost his father." Harm replied sarcastically. "Do you really believe I would take pills to try to kill myself?"
Clay looked long and hard before replying, "Actually I figured you'd fly that plane of yours into a mountain or something." A slow smile began to form on Clay's face that was matched by Harm's.
"Palmer has got to be behind all of this. He doesn't want to kill me, but he would really get a kick out of ruining my career, hurting my family and controlling me. Think about it." Harm reasoned.
"I already checked. Palmer has not left Leavenworth." Clay replied.
"Somehow he's managed to set me up. I just know it's him." Harm persisted.
"Okay, okay I'll keep checking. In the meantime you just sit tight."
"Hell, I can't even leave the building." Harm said in exasperation.
"You're still on Level One?" Clay looked amused.
"How do you know about the 'levels'? Harm looked a little shocked.
"I'm a spy remember." Clay responded with a small smile. Anthony knocked on the door, cutting the visit short.
"Time's up." Anthony looked at Harm and Clay, wishing he knew what had transpired.
"Take care Harm, and by the way...Mac postponed her wedding." Clay added with a gleam in his eyes.
Harm's mouth dropped open as Clay turned and left.
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