Author: Nancy
Disclaimer: JAG and characters don't belong to me.
Classification: PG-13 violence
Category: Drama/Romance
Summary: Harm walked into the gray concrete cell to find his client
resting his head on his arms. The Marine guard stood motionless at
attention as Harm approached the disinterested man. "Petty Officer
Maskew? I'm Commander Rabb and I've come to take your statement. Come
on, I don't have much time," Harm sighed in frustration as the man
failed to look up.
Harm turned and looked again to the guard who continued to stare
emotionlessly at the opposite wall. "Maskew?"
Harm walked closer and tentatively shook the sleeping inmate. The
movement caused the man to begin to slide sideways revealing a large
bloody gaping wound to his neck. Harm turned just in time to see the
Marine guard thrust a sharp blade at him.
Harm's steps echoed down the hall of gray concrete blocks until he stopped at the interview room. The keys jingled noisily as the Marine that escorted him unlocked the door and then locked the door behind him after he handed off the JAG officer to the guard inside the room. His retreating steps could be heard echoing down the hall as Harm stepped further into the room and removed his notepad and pen from the inside of his flight jacket. His client was resting his head flat on folded arms across the interview table. The Marine guard stood motionless at attention as Harm approached the disinterested man.
"Petty Officer Maskew? I'm Commander Rabb, and I've come to take your statement." Pause. "Come on, I don't have much time," Harm sighed in frustration as the man failed to look up. Harm turned and looked again to the guard who continued to stare emotionlessly at the opposite wall. "Maskew?" Harm walked closer and tentatively shook the lethargic inmate. The movement caused the man to begin to slide sideways exposing a large bloody gaping wound to his neck. Blood was everywhere! Harm turned just in time to see the Marine guard thrust a sharp blade at him.
A squealing sound followed by a beep, beep, beep made Harm jump up with his heart pounding in his chest to the rhythm of that sound! His tee-shirt stuck to him with a wet stickiness and with a trembling hand he pulled at it believing that he was covered with warm liquid of his own blood. The moment of disorientation slowly faded as he looked around and recognized his own bedroom. His breathing slowed as he discovered that his alarm clock was persistently nagging him to rise and shine. "Damn, what a nightmare!" he laughed nervously wiping away the sweat and pushing away the damp bed linen so he could get ready for the busy day ahead.
Needing to put away the residual uneasy feelings from his nightmare as he entered JAG headquarters, he darted towards the elevators and buried himself in reading the brief he was working on for that morning. A cup of coffee in one hand and the brief in another with his briefcase under his arm he focused on the issues of the day. In fact, he was so distracted he didn't notice when Mac just barely made it into the elevator before the doors shut.
"Busy day?" she observed her preoccupied friend as he sipped his coffee and read seemingly ignoring her. Receiving no reply, she smiled and shook her head.
Beep, beep, beep...the elevator started to move between floors. Harm realized he could smell the light fragrance she always wore to work, and he looked up, "Mac, too busy to speak?" he teased with mock sarcasm.
"I did, and I believe you're the one who's too busy to speak," she retorted with an easy smile and gave him the once over, "Trying to get out of here early I assume?"
Harm was wearing his flight jacket over his tan long sleeved uniform, "Six month carrier quals. I'm supposed to catch the cod for the Sea Hawk out of Andrews at 1500 this afternoon."
"I would have thought after your little CIA landing a few months back that they would have let that count," Mac grinned.
"Didn't catch any of the wires on that one, and besides everyone's denying it happened," Harm chuckled as his cell phone rang. He juggled his coffee and briefcase until Mac felt sorry for him and took both.
"Mattie!" Harm smiled as he answered, "I told you I was going to stop by on my way to Andrews."
"Harm, it's just a school art show. You really don't have to come," Mattie replied.
"Hey, you've only been there...what a couple of weeks and already you've placed in the school art show. I really want to see it. Besides it will give me an opportunity to meet this Mrs. Sherlock you talk about so much."
"It's Mrs. Sherwin. Okay, just don't embarrass me."
"Me? Embarrass you? I'll be cool. See you later," Harm hung up muttering, "Embarrass you?"
"Welcome to parenthood," Mac giggled as she handed back his coffee and briefcase as the two stepped out of the elevator and walked into the bullpen.
"Commander Rabb in my office!" the Admiral's voice interrupted the two as he passed the two without stopping and entered his office shutting the door behind himself.
"What did you do now?" Mac whispered.
"I breathed," Harm smiled as he handed back his briefcase and coffee cup for Mac to dump in his office as he headed towards the Admiral's office. "Thanks," he turned and smiled before knocking on the hatch.
"Enter."
Before Harm could speak, the Admiral began to address him from behind his desk, "Commander, Commander Turner has been delayed in Norfolk. He was supposed to interview a Petty Officer held at the brig at Pax River today for charges of disobeying direct orders. I need you to cover for him," the Admiral handed Harm a file folder.
"Sir, remember I'm supposed to leave early out of Andrews to go to the Sea Hawk for my carrier quals," Harm replied uncomfortably.
The Admiral took off his reading glasses looking at Harm with raised eyebrows. "You should have time to do this before you head out to Andrews," the Admiral sighed and looked back down at his desk.
"Sir, I have the Simmons case to finish and two pre trial motions due before noon to Admiral Morris," Harm persisted.
The Admiral slapped down the file he was holding, "Commander, everyone is busy around here if you haven't noticed."
"Sir, with all due respect. Does this client need to be interviewed today?"
"The question Commander is...do you need to maintain carrier qualifications to work at JAG?" the Admiral stood up with crossed arms and a gaze that was piecing.
Harm stiffened to attention and stared at the wall behind the Admiral, "No sir, I thought maintaining my qualifications helped maintain communication and respect with flight officers on the line. I also believed my expertise in the area helped with investigations." Harm swallowed deeply before continuing, "Sir, Mattie, the girl that I'm serving as her temporary guardian…well she has this thing at her school that I told her that I would try to attend before I left for Andrews."
The Admiral grunted and looked up grinding his teeth, "Mr. Rabb, the client needs to be interviewed today. You work it out! Dismissed!"
Harm turned sharply and walked swiftly towards the door. "Everyone here has family obligations and manages to balance work with their personal affairs. For years everyone has helped you out when you needed to fly off in the wild blue yonder. You need to make some choices," the Admiral added evenly. He might as well have bellowed out his speech about teamwork again as Harm headed towards his office.
Beep, beep, beep…the copier sang out as Harm stormed by towards his office slamming the door behind himself.
Harm looked at his watch as he gave his two pretrial motions over to the courier to take to Admiral Morris office...it was 1125. He still had the Simmons case to wrap up and that would take at least an hour. If he typed furiously, he could have it finished in forty-five minutes.
There was no way he could run by Mattie's school, head out to Pax and make it to Andrews by 1500. He looked at his Rolodex and found the number he needed.
Mac walked past his office and stuck her head in, "Can I do any thing to help?"
He hung up the phone and looked at her contemplating his decision.
~*~
Harriet Sims stepped up to his office door and smiled, "Ma'am telephone."
Mac headed towards her office, and Harm picked up his cell phone and punched in a number, "Sturgis?"
"Hey Buddy, what's up?"
"Where are you?"
"I'm just finishing up here and will be driving back to DC in the next hour or so why?"
"You still up to interviewing that client at Pax?"
"I'll be a little late, but sure. I'll give them a call and tell them when to expect me. No problem."
"Great, the Admiral asked me to cover, but I'm running a little behind here and I promised to go by the school to check on Mattie before I head out to Andrews," Harm explained feeling a little guilty.
"I've got it covered. See you next week."
Harm finally settled back into seat of the cod as it flew towards the Sea Hawk after his hectic day, he soon dozed off into a fitful sleep...
Sturgis arrived at the brig and was escorted down the long gray concrete hallway to the interview room. The Marine guard unlocked the door jingling the keys as he opened the door for the JAG officer. Sturgis entered the room, and the door was locked behind him. He nodded at the other Marine guard who stood staring emotionlessly at the wall behind him. Sturgis looked at his client whose head rested on folded arms on the interview table, "Petty Officer Maskew, I'm Commander Turner. I've been assigned to represent you."
Receiving no response, Sturgis turned to the Marine guard who continued to stand motionless at attention.
"Maskew? Are you ill?" Sturgis stepped closer, reached out, and gently shook the man.
The prisoner's head fell back revealing a deep bloody gash at his throat. Sturgis turned in time to see the Marine guard approach him with a raised blade. The blade sliced through the air repeatedly striking the surprised officer in the chest and arm. Blood was everywhere.
Harm received the call on the carrier that evening. The Marine guard was actually the prisoner who had overtaken the guard moments before Sturgis had arrived. He had fashioned a blade out of discarded hard plastic spoon. Knowing he was to be interviewed, he killed the guard and waited for the JAG officer so he could then leave.
Harm returned to JAG to the recriminating looks of his fellow officers and staff. He was supposed to have interviewed that client for Sturgis. The Admiral wouldn't even make eye contact with him. When he arrived at the hospital he saw Sturgis's father maintaining a silent prayerful vigil at his friend's bedside as the machines monitored his life signs...beep, beep, beep...then the vital signs vacillated and stopped. His friend from his academy days was dead. The damage was too great.
Harm collapsed in one of the waiting room couches and dropped his head between his hands...beep...beep...beep.
"Harm!" Mac's voice startled him as he looked up. His computer printer was signaling its need for more paper. He couldn't believe he had drifted off. He frantically looked at his watch...1205. Another dream...thank God!...my imagination's gone wild...He still hadn't finished the Simmons case.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. The weeks of heavy caseloads, being a surrogate father, and trying to catch some airtime was beginning to take its toll he decided.
"What have you got left to do?" Mac asked sympathetically.
"I've just about finished," Harm reached over and again began to type. Mac watched him worriedly.
"How about a cup of coffee," she offered gently.
"Sounds good," he answered absently as he again focused on the task at hand, but looked up feeling a sense of loss as she walked away. He could still smell her…that fragrance.
The Admiral walked by Harm's office, peered into the smaller quarters, and frowned. When was the man going to learn, he thought as he headed to lunch to meet Meredith.
Lt. Bud Roberts strolled in and dropped off a folder onto Harm's desk, "Commander, I thought you were supposed to leave for Andrews this afternoon to fly out to the Sea Hawk."
"I am, if I can get all my homework done, " Harm replied without looking up.
"Can I do anything to help?" Bud offered.
"Beam me to Pax River and then to Mattie's school, Scottie," Harm teased referring to Bud's favorite Star Trek show.
Bud chuckled good naturedly, "Why do you have to go to Pax?"
"I have to cover a client interview for Sturgis," Harm answered without pause still typing away.
"I can do that. I've got to go that direction this afternoon anyway," Bud replied matter of factly.
"Really?" Harm stopped and looked up.
"Really, Harriet bought a new stroller for Jimmy over at a place near there called Babyland. I have to pick it up this afternoon."
"You would be a life saver. That would give me time to stop by Mattie's school before I go to Andrews. Thanks Bud!" Harm smiled in relief.
Harm's night traps on the Sea Hawk were some of the best of his career. Several crewmembers still remembered Bud from when he was stationed on board and asked about him. Harm finally called it a day and dropped into his bunk exhausted...
Bud Roberts's slightly syncopated limp echoed down the concrete gray hallway of the Pax brig. The keys jingled noisily as the Marine that escorted him unlocked the door and then locked the door behind him as he handed off the JAG officer to the guard inside the room. His retreating steps could be heard echoing down the hall as Bud stepped on into the room and removed his notepad and pen from the inside of his winter blue uniform jacket. His client was resting his head on folded arms across the interview table. The Marine guard stood motionless at attention as Bud approached the disinterested man.
"Petty Officer Maskew? I'm Lt. Roberts, and I've come to take your statement." Pause. "Petty Officer Maskew are you sleeping?" Bud sighed in frustration as the man failed to look up. Bud turned and looked again to the guard who continued to stare emotionlessly at the opposite wall. "Maskew?"
Bud walked closer and tentatively shook the sleeping inmate. The movement caused the man to begin to slide sideways revealing a large bloody gaping wound to his neck. Blood was everywhere! Bud turned just in time to see the Marine guard thrust a sharp blade at him. The sharp blade repeatedly plunged into him.
Harm couldn't believe the news when he returned. Harriet was still in shock as was everyone in the JAG family. Bud was supposed to be safe at JAG. He had survived a horrible explosion in Afghanistan. This was not supposed to happen. Bud's lifeless form in the casket was surreal. Harriet looked at Harm with accusing hurt eyes, but said nothing. Bud was not the one that should have been lying in that casket. The Admiral stood back frowning but said nothing. The funeral was a blur, and the gravesite service included a twenty one-gun salute and a folded flag. Harm felt like the blade cut deeply into his own chest when he watched little AJ stand bravely next to his mother during the service. He stayed until everyone left refusing to ride with anyone as the pain burrowed deeper as he thought of his friend and his young family without a husband and dad. Slowly he walked away towards his car as the cemetery crew came to finish preparing the site. The backhoe slowly positioned itself backing up near the newly occupied grave…beep...beep...beep.
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