Chapter Forty Six

0300 EST

1395 Kalmia Dr. (Harm’s House)

King George, VA

Harm had heard Mackenzie coughing in her nursery.  His brother was right, it was definitely not a normal sounding cough, and that caused Harm to worry.  Mackenzie wasn’t getting much sleep due to her discomfort so Harm picked his guitar up and started playing to her.  She fell asleep on his chest, with a cough escaping at regular intervals.

Ham retrieved the snuggly from the top of the closet when the manila envelope that had come with Mackenzie tumbled down.  It was amazing that it had only been a few months since his beautiful little girl had entered his life.  She let out another cough.  Harm let out a sigh.  He had to get some sleep too, unfortunately the last crash and the circumstances surrounding it was accounting for many sleepless nights.

He walked into his room with Mackenzie still secure against her father’s chest.  Harm heard Mac tossing and turning in their bedroom.  She had went home to her apartment, but ended up coming right back to his place.  She smiled sheepishly and gave an excuse on how it would be easier to go together to the Bethesda then it would be for her to drive there.  He knew secretly it was because she wanted to be close to the baby and she wanted him to hold her.

Mac yet again was in the throes of a nightmare.  She had endured so much in the past couple of months, Harm honestly didn’t know how she found the strength and courage to get up in the mornings.  His eyes fell over Mac’s body, the stitches from the shrapnel of the explosion clearly visible through the thin straps of her night gown.

Her nightmare was vivid again.

The Nightmare

“Please don’t hurt Harm!” she screamed.  There was nothing she could do though.  She fought with all her might against the men that were holding her captive.

Lieutenant Aslambad held the knife to Harm’s neck, grinning evilly.  Then it was no longer Aslambad, it was Jeffers.  Whispering for her to say goodbye to him.

End Nightmare

“NO!” she screamed.  Her screamed jolted Harm and Mackenzie out of the sleep they were enjoying on their balcony.  Mackenzie started crying, and it jolted Mac out of her nightmare.  She wondered out the open balcony doors and found Harm trying to calm the baby down.

“Harm, I’m sorry.  I have to handle these nightmares.”

“It’s okay Mac.”

“Let me take her,” she said.  “You look exhausted.”

He agreed and Mac started downstairs with Mackenzie while Harm caught a couple of hours of shut eye.

1000 EST
Pediatric Clinic, Bethesda Naval Hospital

Bethesda, MD

“Commander Rabb, Colonel Mackenzie, we are ready to see your daughter now.”   Sergei had come with to help out.  They were going to take him to look at colleges in the area after the appointment. 

The doctor entered the small examination room where Mackenzie was clinging desperately to her father.  “Hi.  I am Dr. Anton Polinsky.  What seems to be the problem with Mackenzie?”

“She has had a cough for several weeks now.  Sergei has been watching her while her father and I were overseas.  He may be able to tell you more than us.  We were told it was allergies.”  Mac spoke up.

Harm spoke up, “This may sound funny, but her color is wrong.”

“Commander, as her primary caregiver, anything you say is important.”

Sergei started speaking with his thick Russian accent, to be stopped by the doctor who spoke to him in Russian.  /This may be easier to help figure out what is going on./

/I agree, Russian is easier in this case.  I heard this type of cough before.  We heard it during training for the Army, I was trained many months ago for emergency medicine.  It almost sounds like whooping cough.  But it may be my overactive imagination./

Mac gasped when he heard Sergei, and Harm gave her a stare.  “What Mac?”

“Colonel, let’s not be too hasty.”  The doctor put his stethoscope up to Mackenzie chest and got alarmed.  He took her pulse/ox and found that her oxygen levels were low.  Then the coughing spasm came.  The doctor reached over and put on a mask and gave one to everyone in the room.

“Commander, I need your consent to draw blood.  I believe your daughter may have whooping cough.  I also need to draw blood from everyone who has been in contact with her over the past couple of weeks.  Is she in daycare?”

“Yes, but she hasn’t been in over two weeks.”

He looked at the nurse, “Go to the daycare, and ask about any other sick children.”

“Sergei, good call,” the doctor said.  “I want to get her started on oxygen, and it sounds like she may have pneumonia.  I want her admitted now.”

The tears started flowing down Mac’s face, and she feel into Harm’s arms.  “Harm, oh my God.”

“Stay with her, she will be scared if she does not see her parents.  I will call Jen, she wants to know what is going on, and I will be back soon,” Sergei said.  He had to remain calm for his niece’s sake. 

“Thanks Sergei.”

Harm held Mac close.  The doctor came in to give them some facts.  “Colonel, Commander, the lab has confirmed the diagnosis of bordatella pertussis.  It is highly contagious.  Do you have anymore young children.”

“I have a fifteen year old.  But she hasn’t been sick.”

“Okay.  When she gets here I have to draw blood.  I heard she is the youngest one at the daycare, that is probably why she has gotten it.”

“Isn’t there vaccines?”  Mac asked.

“Yes, and Mackenzie was scheduled to come in a month for that shot.  This is why she contracted it, young children are very prone to picking up illnesses.  Also, she has pneumonia, and we are going to put her in on oxygen so she can continue moving oxygen around her system.  We are blasting her with antibiotics.  Your brother has a very keen ear.  I would have called it allergies too and treated her with antihistamines and kept her overnight for the pneumonia.”

The doctor left the room leaving Harm and Mac to collect their thoughts.  Sergei walked through the door.  “Brother, if I knew, then I would have brought her in so much earlier.  When Jennifer had problems with her allergies, I thought it was the same.  I’m sorry.  Harm, you need to call Trish and Frank.  They have been calling every night since you left.”

“Sergei, keep an eye on Mac will you?”

“Of course brother.”

“Sergei thank you for saving my little Mackenzie.  I owe you.” He embraced his brother and walked to a cell phone safe area.  He was going to hate this call.

“Brother, you owe me nothing, she is my niece.”

Ring . . . Ring

“Burnett residence.”

“Maria, I need to talk to my mom and Frank.”

“Hold on Harm.”  He heard Maria in the back call his parents to the phone.

“Harm what is it?”

“Mackenzie is in the hospital.  She has been diagnosed with whooping cough.”

Frank immediately got on his cell, took the rest of the week off of work and secured a flight out on the company jet.  Trish stayed on the line talking to Harm.  Frank jumped back on.

“Harm, we have a flight in an hour.  We will meet at the hospital.”

“You guys don’t have to come out.”

“No we don’t, be we are her grandparents.”

“Thanks Mom, Frank.”

Harm walked back inside to find Mackenzie finally resting peacefully.  Sergei looked up.  “I called Admiral Chegwidden, he is meeting Mattie after work to bring her here.”

“Thanks for covering that Sergei.”

The medical staff had put Mackenzie in a private room due to her being contagious and brought in rocking chairs for the tired adults to sit in.  Mac caught a quick nap as Harm reached into the crib and stroked her cheek.

“Mackenzie, Daddy loves you so much, and when you get better, we will all take a trip to your great grandmother’s.  You would love it up there.  I did.  Please baby, I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t see your sweet face.  You have to get better soon.  My sweet angel.”  He voice started cracking raw with emotion.  He didn’t know how much longer he could stay strong. 

Mac woke up and heard him pleading.  “Harm?”

The doctor came in right at that moment.  “I have the blood results back from the rest of you guys.  You are looking healthy.  However, since you were with her, you have to be put on antibiotics.”

“Thank you doctor.”

The JAG staff all came in to get tested for exposure, and though they all wanted to go in and see Mackenzie, they understood.  The doctor allowed Jen and Admiral Jonas in to see her and draw their blood.

“Commander, Colonel, unfortunately I can’t give both you guys off at once, we are too back logged.” Admiral Jonas said explaining the situation at work.

“But sir,” Mac started.

“But, here is a compromise, half days of family leave, one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and administrative cases that can be worked on from here.  However, if something big lands, I will need you guys back, understood?”

“Aye sir.”

An hour later Mattie came in with AJ, and they too were also subjected to getting their blood drawn.  Right after they came in Frank and Trish came and knocked on the window.  Harm went out to greet them.

“Mom, Frank, I have to get out of here.  Mac and Mattie need to eat, AJ and Admiral Jonas will stay with Mackenzie.”

“Okay Harm, I understand.” Frank motioned to Mac to come out, Trish escorted her son downstairs to his car.

“Harm,” Trish started addressing her son, “Tell your father I said hello, and I miss him terribly.  Hopefully he will tell you this is not you fault, and there are just some demons you can’t fight.”

“Mom,” he started.

His mother held up and hand and interrupted him.   “When you were a baby, your father got this horrible feeling.  He walked into your room, and saw that you were turning blue.   You were choking on a piece of cracker, and you dad saved your life.  The point behind this is that your father was looking out for you when you were a baby, and he will be looking after his granddaughter.”

“Thanks Mom.  I know you want to go in and see Mackenzie, but she could get you sick.  If the doctor allows it, make sure you are masked up, I don’t want you to get infected.”  He hugged her and jumped in his Lexus.  He drove the familiar route to the Wall.  He killed the engine, and turned around in the back seat and saw his little girl’s stuffed F-14 and he buried his head in his hands and sobbed quietly to himself. 

He walked among the ranks of the men who had given up their lives for their country and he touched his dad’s name. “Dad, my baby, she’s sick.  I don’t know what to do.  I feel so powerless.  If I could give up my life for her I would.  Dad, don’t admit this to anyone, but I love waking up in the middle of the night and rocking her back to sleep, I love smelling like Desitin, and love kissing her chubby little cheeks.”  He sank to the floor.  “Dad protect her.” He sent his prayer to the heavens.  From somewhere deep inside, Harm gathered all his strength and picked himself back up and drove back to the hospital.

Chapter Forty Seven

0800 EST

Bethesda, MD

Harm and Mac had told everyone to go home the night before, and they stayed with their little girl overnight.  During the night, Mackenzie started another coughing fit, causing the monitors to go crazy and her pulse ox dropped dangerously low, and her heart rate to go erratic. 

Mac and Harm could do nothing but sit there and watch the coughing fit take over her little body.  Harm threw the one crutch he was using across the room and sank to the ground.  Mac put her arms around him, “Damn it.  Do this to me, not to her, she is just an innocent baby.”  He pleaded with God.  Mac put her arms around him.  “I would change places with her in a heart beat.”  Mac looked in his hands and saw the little stuffed F-14 that they had won at the carnival.

“Listen to me Flyboy.  She is our daughter, and that makes her part Rabb, which means she is stubborn, and she is part marine, so that makes her incredibly stubborn.  She is going to get better.  Now, I am going to go to the house, pick up our uniforms that way we won’t get charged with UA.  Also, don’t forget to take the  antibiotics that Dr. Polinsky gave you, we don’t need someone else down from work.”

“I love you Mac.”

“I love you too Harm.  Take care of her okay, and I will be back as soon as Admiral Jonas allows me to leave.”

Harm watched her get up to leave, and the doctors came out to tell him that Mackenzie had a bad coughing fit, but it was unlikely that any damage occurred during the brief period she as having problems breathing.

He put his mask back on, hobbled back into the room and sat back down on the rocking chair asking God and his dad to help Mackenzie through her battle.  Mackenzie woke up several hours later and reached for her daddy.

“You are just like your mommy, you need Daddy to hold you in the mornings.”  He picked her up from out of the crib.  He started singing to her softly and opened up the blinds so she could see out there.  “Mackenzie, you see out there, it is a huge world that you need to see.  When you get better, I am going to take you around the big bad world.”

Frank and Admiral Chegwidden had slipped inside.  “Harm, that sounds wonderful, but I doubt she will remember.  Your mom is waiting for you in the hallway with food.  When was the last time you ate?” AJ said to him.

“Breakfast yesterday.” He replied with his head hanging down.

“Harm, please eat.”

“Yes brother, eat.  You cannot take care of Mackenzie if you can’t take care of yourself.”  Sergei said to him as he entered the room with the doctor.

“Yes Commander, so far, your brother has never missed a diagnosis.  I have come to draw more blood and to take her to x-ray to take pictures of her chest, I want to check on the pneumonia.”

“I am going to stay with my niece while you go to take care of yourself.”

“Okay.”  He squeezed his brother’s shoulder, conveying the message of take care of her.  AJ nodded and said he was going to stay with Mackenzie too.

Harm and Frank took off their masks and they went to go meet Trish.  “Harm what was the doctor and Sergei talking about back there?”

“Sergei didn’t tell you?  He came with us to the hospital yesterday and was telling the doctor he suspicions.  The doctor didn’t seem to think it was whooping cough, and thought it was pneumonia and allergies, but he ran the tests anyway.  Sergei got it right.”

“So Sergei saved Mackenzie’s life.”

“Seems that way,” he said biting into his omelet.  “I feel bad we were supposed to take him out to look at colleges.  But with everything with Mackenzie, I don’t think we will find on in time to get him started for the next term.”

“Harm, we’ll take him out.”

“Thanks Mom, Frank.  I will tell him about it.”

Sergei came and found them after the test were ran on Mackenzie.  “Harm, Trish, and Frank, the doctor would like to speak to you.”

They all went into the family waiting room.  “Commander, we have some good news.  Mackenzie’s pneumonia is responding to the treatment and the bacteria is beginning to recede.  Mackenzie should be strong enough to be released in about a couple weeks if nothing goes wrong.  Mackenzie could end up having seizures, breathing problems, or have brain damage.  We are going to keep her in an isolated room, and you are going to have to continue with the precautions, but I am remaining cautiously optimistic.”

Harm took a little bit to digest the information, and called Mac, who then informed the admiral and Jen.  They all came during lunch and they sat in the room watching Mackenzie through the glass.  For a man who barely had any family at all, he now didn’t know what to do without them.

He changed into his uniform and went into the Mackenzie’s room.  She seemed to recognize him better with the uniform on and he held her.  “Okay listen to daddy Mackenzie.  He said shifting to his other shoulder.  “Daddy has to go to work or else I won’t be able to buy you your heart’s content.  Don’t scare Mommy.  I know Mommy is a Marine, but she is your mommy first, and she is scared for you.  No more coughing fits, okay.  Be that little marine, and kick this disease butt?  Daddy loves you so much.”  He put her in the crib and watched her until she fell asleep.

“Commander, I need to see you in my office as soon as you get back to Falls Church.  There is a small case.” Admiral Jonas told Harm after filling his prescription.

“Yes sir.”

“Commander, do you need a ride back to JAG?” Jen asked.

“Jen, I can take myself.”

“Well, I was going to come back to the hospital and meet Sergei for dinner after work and after he gets back from college hunting.”

“You and my brother huh?”

“We will see sir.  I don’t want to jinx it.  But yeah, I like him.”

“That’s nice Jennifer, and yes, I would like that ride to JAG.”  They rode to JAG making idle chit-chat. 

Harm was able to clear the case that the admiral gave him within a couple of hours and was able to have the petty officer plea bargain in the drunk and disorderly case to forfeiture of one day pay.

Harm was getting ready to leave his office when he heard the telephone ring.

“Rabb speaking.”

“Harm, it’s Jordan.”

Harm hid his surprise, in the back of her mind, he had believed she was dead.  “Hello Jordan.  I thought you were dying.”

“I am Harm, I only have a couple of months left.  I was trying to not call, but after a Ms. Gale called and asked me to call, I wanted to know how the baby is doing.”

“Mackenzie is doing fine.  That is what I named her.”

“That’s a good name, named after Colonel Mackenzie?”

“No, named after her mother.”

“Mac is her mother?”

“Yes.  Why, didn’t bother looking at whose eggs you stole Jordan?”

“Harm, I didn’t know, I swear.  I just wanted to have a child.”

“I have to thank you though Jordan.  That little girl has brought me so much joy and happiness.”

“Harm, I want to see her.”

“No Jordan.  Out of the question.”

“I am her mother!”

“I am her father, her custodial and biological parent.  Mac is her mother, who has been there for her the past two months.  I love that little girl more than my own life and I refuse to let Mackenzie be subjected to any more of this.  I don’t think it would be wise to travel with her right now.”

“Why?”

“She has whooping cough and is hospitalized.”

“Harm, she is not fine!”

“Where you vaccinated?  Did you breast feed her?”

“No, my mother didn’t believe in vaccinations, I was home schooled, and until I joined the Navy, I didn’t get any shots.  And no, I didn’t breast feed her.  Is Mackenzie alright?”

“No, but she will be, I have to go Jordan.  My baby needs me right now.  Thank you for doing the right thing and sending her to come live with me, but as of right now, I no longer want anymore contact with you.”

Harm disconnected the phone and met Coates by the elevators.  “Sir, are you alright.”

“I’m just fine Coates.  Let’s go do you can meet Sergei for dinner.  I will pick up dinner for Mac.”

“Sounds good Commander.”

Harm got on his cell phone and called the Chinese food place that was close to the hospital.

He walked in and Jen was carrying the packages of lo mien since he was on crutches when he caught Mac standing outside Mackenzie’s room.

“Mac did she go into another coughing fit?”

“No Harm.  I just couldn’t watch the doctors start another IV on her.  Our baby is being fed through tubes when she should be getting fed by a bottle or baby food!  Our baby is fighting a disease, and all we can do is stand here.”  Mac melted into his arms, and he was caught her.

“I was wondering when you would freak.”  Harm said holding her.  He saw the look Mac was giving him.  “It’s not what I meant.  I crashed into a carrier a week ago, you were recovering from food poisoning, you were in an incident overseas, our baby is hospitalized.  It is a lot of stress.”  The doctor overheard this and decided for their sake he was going to send over a psychologist.

She sighed, “Then, why am I the only one crying?”

Chapter Forty Eight

One week later:

Harm and Mac after yelling at each other for 30 minutes decided that seeing the psychologist would be a good thing.  There relationship was strong, but even a rock can split apart if water freezes in the tiniest of cracks.  They set an appointment to meet them after they got checked out for their injuries.  They decided to put Harm in a walking cast so he could maneuver better.

Inside the psychiatrist office:

Mac sat down in the office.  She agreed with Harm that they should probably see a psychiatrist together, at least for one session and then they would see where it went, under one condition though, it had to be Dr. McCool.

“Commander Rabb, it is a pleasure to finally meet you.  Colonel Mackenzie has told me about you.”

“I hope most of it was good.”

Mac gave him a smile and laughed at him.  “Of course it was good.”

“So what is the latest installment of your life, in other words, what brings you here today?”

“Our daughter is sick.” Mac said quietly, “And we don’t think we are handling it too well.”

“Let’s not forget her nightmares.” Harm piped up.

“My nightmares, last night you were the one having nightmares.” Mac said defensively.

She brought out the foam baseball bats.  “Time out you two.  Now use these to hit each other – lightly.”

Harm looked aghast at her.  “No.  There is no way I will ever hit Mac, or my children even with a foam bat.”  Mac smiled and hugged him.

“This is why I love you so much.” Mac whispered.  “Dr. McCool, I don’t think we will need the baseball bats.”

“Okay.  So let’s try this again.  When did you have a baby Mac?”

“It’s a long story, but she is here now, and she is mine, and she is sick.”

“And there is nothing we can do about it.  I hate that.  All the things I can do in the world, and I can be sick for her.  I can’t take away Mac’s nightmares because I couldn’t save her from it.  So help me Mac, I couldn’t save you from it.” 

“I couldn’t save you from crashing into the deck.  I wanted to put the whole night in rewind and tell you not to get on that plane!  I was scared.”

“So you both are scared.  I thought in your line of work you couldn’t be afford to be scared, so it is something that new to you.”

Harm looked down.  “When you get scared, you lose control, and you die in my line of work.  I have to be strong for my family.”

Mac held his hand.  “We can both be strong together, and be scared together.  Harm let me in.”

“I know Mac.  But you have to let me in too.”

“The nightmare I had last night, it was the same.  You were being taken from me.  The nightmares are always different, but the matter is that you are always being taken from me.”

“Baby, I will always try to be here for you, I am scared for you.  We have had a lot happen to us in the past couple of months.  We have had a child dumped on our doorsteps, we thought Clay was dead, only to come back from the dead, you were captured, I got rammed into a ship by a suicide fighter pilot, it is enough to make anyone crack.  And now, Mackenzie is sick.”

Mac looked at him.  “Why didn’t you let me know?”

“I don’t know.  I didn’t want to be weak.”

“It sounds like are prime candidates for PTSD.  I don’t think you have it severe enough for medication.  I will set aside time, but I for some reason, I think you two will be too stubborn to use it.  Call me if you need anything.  Let me know how Mackenzie is doing.”

“Thank you Dr. McCool.  I may take you up on some sessions, and Harm may come along, I will call when I have time to schedule an appointment.”

Harm looked at Mac and admired her courage.  He stood up and shook the doctor’s hand and hurried back to his baby’s room.

He found his parents and Sergei inside of the room.  “Brother, tell your parents that I do not need their money to go to college.”

“Harm, tell your brother he is more stubborn than you.”

“What are you guys arguing about?”

“Sergei went to Georgetown University and toured the campus.  He loves it there, and did the preliminary application, and the dean of the college said that it looked good.”

“Wait a minute, he filled it out today and got accepted today?”

“Yes, I just happened to know the dean fairly well, we took classes at Berkley together.” Frank filled in.  “Sergei had taken some classes in Russia, and they were able to get verbal confirmation and a faxed transcript over.  But Sergei won’t accept any tuition help.”

“What program did you want to get into?”

“Right now, I want to do pre-med.  I took two years of it back in Russia.  I got interested in it after being trained in the Army.  But when I was recalled last year to help out with the mission, I figured I could go back later.  I can’t get into the program without two letters of recommendation though, but I can get started with regular classes regardless.  But I do not want your parents’ money.”

“Sergei, you saved our granddaughter’s life.  It is for everything you have done.  Please.” Trish said.

Sergei looked at his adopted parents and then to his brother, “Only if I can pay you back later on.”

“Accepted.  Let me call John to let him know.”

“Sergei,” Dr. Anton Polinsky addressed him walking into the room, “I will write a letter of recommendation, and I am sure a Lt. Commander Beckit will.”

“Thank you all.”

A couple of days later:

Harm took his Tuesday and spent it at the hospital.  He found the doctor in there.  It had been two weeks since his baby was admitted into the hospital for a disease that had plagued children for the longest time.  His parents had flown back to California realizing that there was nothing that they could do, but promised to come out in a month for a week before Mattie started school again.  Mackenzie was getting better.  The doctor said the bacteria was leaving her system, and her coughing had become less frequent and not as severe.    It looked like she was going to pull out just fine.  Mac had continued having her nightmares.  It just seemed like everything was still piling up on her and Harm didn’t know what to do for her.

He cradled Mackenzie in his arms, and she giggled a little just like she used to.  He smiled down at his little girl that he loved more than his own life.  Mac had watched him cradle Mackenzie so gently.

Mac walked into the room and wrapped her arms around the both of them.  “She is not going to disappear Harm.  You know, we can’t protect her from everything.”

“Guess who I heard from the other day.” Harm said putting Mackenzie in the crib. 

“Who?” Mac said reaching her hand into the crib and rubbing Mackenzie’s back.

“Jordan.  I had Catherine Gale find her, and had Jordie call me because I wanted to know birth and other health information for the future.  Don’t be mad.  She asked to see Mackenzie.”

“What did you say?”  Mac replied calmly. 

“Absolutely not.  She wanted me to travel to where she was.”

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

“Because I didn’t know how you would react.  Jordan unfortunately is the mother listed on her birth certificate, and because of that, we can’t always rely on our health information.  I did it to protect Mackenzie.”

“I know you did, I’m not mad.  In fact I was thinking about doing the same thing.  I just can’t believe she wanted to see our baby.”

“Look, Jordan is to sick to travel, and I refuse to let her see my baby again.”

“Good, because if I ever get my hands on her, even though I love Mackenzie, but she stole the experience of us having our first child together, of you seeing me pregnant with your first baby.”

“I know Mac, but I look at our giggly, bouncy, princess, and I realize that if I didn’t have her my life would be missing something.  She helped bring us together.”

“I know.  I love Mackenzie so much, I would die for her.”

A week later, Mackenzie was discharged home, and the admiral was feeling gracious and allowed Harm and Mac to take the rest of the day after lunch off. 

They walked into the pediatric ward as they did every day for the past three weeks.  They had to go to the hospital a couple days before so Mattie could get her walking cast taken off.  She was happy to be free of the contraption. 

“Commander, Colonel.  I hear that Mackenzie is going home today.”

“Yes, that she is.” Mac said.  Harm had spent the night before washing all of Mackenzie clothing and all of her sheets, and all of the toys that he could fit in the washer.  He knew that it was unlikely for her to contract it again, and that she didn’t pick it up that way, but he figured better safe than sorry.  They found the child responsible for contracting it to Mackenzie, she was a visitor to the daycare.  All of the other children didn’t contract it because they were older and the vaccination still took affect in their bodies.

1900 EST

Rabb Residence

King George, VA

“Mackenzie, look we are home.”

She clapped her hands with delight.  The doctors were worried that Mackenzie would have to deal with the complications that were closely associated with the disease, but she seemed to be okay.  Harm hobbled up the front steps and held the door open for Mac.  The past couple of weeks they had been taking turns staying with Mattie and Mackenzie, and they were happy just to know that they would all be underneath one roof again.

They walked inside and found The Roberts, Jen, Sergei, AJ, Admiral Jonas, Sturgis and Varese in the kitchen around a cake.  “Welcome home Mackenzie!”  little AJ exclaimed.  “Uncle Harm, Aunt Mac, Mommy and Daddy said that Mackenzie was real sick.”

“Yeah buddy, she was.”

“I drew her a picture.”  Little AJ handed his Aunt Mac a picture and she looked at it.  It was a picture of the house with a rainbow over it with Mattie, Mackenzie, Harm and Mac standing out front.  “This way Mackenzie won’t want to get sick again.” AJ explained.

“Well AJ, I think your Uncle Harm and I will frame it and put it in her room. Does that sound good buddy?”

“Yes.”

Mackenzie who was still a little wiped out due to the infection let out a long yawn.  “I think I am going to put her to bed now.” Harm said to Mac.  Mac nodded and proceeded to cut the cake for the guest.  Everyone enjoyed their cake and said goodbye to Harm and Mac.  They all knew it was going to be a short get together, but they wanted to see Mackenzie well.

“Mom, there is left over fettuccini with chicken on the stove for you and Dad.  I left the chicken out of Dad’s side.  I didn’t want Uncle Sergei to cook again, so I tried.” Mattie said while helping clean up. 

“Thanks kiddo.  You have been a trooper throughout this entire ordeal.  I just want to say, you have been a great daughter Mats.”

“Well Mom, you have been a great mom. You know, I was thinking.  I am lucky.  I had a great Mom and Dad before, and circumstances beyond my control took them away, and I just want to say, that even though you are my second Mom, I don’t think of you as any less.  Do you think Tom will let Dad and you adopt me?”

“Mathilda Grace, I love you so much.”  Mac reached over and engulfed her in a hug.  “I couldn’t ask for any better daughter.  I don’t know if Tom will, but we will get the ball rolling on it.”

Harm stood in the hallway listening to their conversation, he didn’t mean to ease drop, he was just there.  He walked into the kitchen and found them still embracing and engulfed his two women in his life with a hug.

“Harm, dinner is on the stove.  Our daughter made us dinner!” Mac said.

“Thanks Mattie.  How about you go straighten up your room while me and Mac eat dinner, and then come down.  We will all watch a movie tonight.”

“Dad, you said that I had to start going to sleep earlier because of school starting in two weeks.”

“I know, but think of this as a reward for being such a great daughter.”  He smiled at her.  “Where is your Uncle?”

“He went out with Jen.” Mattie answered.  “You know, it only took them a month to figure out what it took you 9 years to figure out!”

“Mattie go up stairs, and clean your room!” Harm said throwing the cleaning rag at his teenager.

“Aye, aye sir.”

“Come down when the room is ready for inspection.”

“Dad?”

“Yes.”

“I need you to sign a permission slip, it’s in your office, and I need you to talk to Tom about formally adopting me.  Oh, the permission slip is for me to attend summer camp for NJROTC at school.”

“Are you sure you want to do NJROTC?  I don’t want you to do this because you think it is something that will make me happy, I want you to do it because it makes you happy, and it is something you want to do.”

“Yeah Dad.  This is what I want to do.  I thought about it all summer long.”

“I’ll sign it for you Matts.”

Mattie went upstairs and cleaned her room while Harm finished straightening up the kitchen.  He looked at the baby monitor that had the lights going whenever Mackenzie was breathing.  He stared at the monitor realizing at that moment that he could breathe easier.

Chapter Forty Nine

One month later:

Everything was finally right in the Rabb household.  Mac had decided that even though they had decided to wait to move in together, that it she needed to be there for every moment that she could be to watch the children grow.  Mac had moved in with Harm a couple weeks later.  They now had a bustling house every morning.  Sergei and Harm had decided to turn the FROG into an apartment for Sergei.  It worked out perfectly because the FROG had a separate entrance to it from the garage, but could still be accessed from inside the house.  Mattie grudgingly gave up her “cool” space but said it was well worth it to have her uncle around.   They even took the first steps to formally adopting Mackenzie.

Flashback

Harm had called Tom a week ago to address the topic of adopting Mattie for good.  They had decided to go to lunch together, the three of them.

“Tom, there is something we need to talk about.” Harm said to him over lunch at Uno, Dos, Tres.  “I would like to be able to formally adopt Mattie.”

Tom sat there and didn’t really express much of anything.  “Tom, you will always be my father, and it doesn’t mean that I want to stop seeing you every so often, it just, Harm has been so good to me, and I would like to be able to be his legal daughter.”

“Harm has done everything to help us out.  Why don’t you want me to be your dad?”

“You will always be the dad to the little girl who worshipped you before the drinking, but Harm is the dad who helped me be a little girl again when it was ripped away from me.  Harm has been able to provide me with a good home, a great school, two sisters, a huge family, and a woman who regards me as her own child too.  I want to legally be a part of this wonderful family.”

“I’ll consent, because it is the best thing for you.  I don’t know if I can stay on the wagon, and I need to just concentrate on me.”  Tom said not showing any regard for the child that was biologically his.

Harm sat there and was happy that he was going to have Mattie in his life for good, but was upset that Tom didn’t even put up a fight for her.

They ironed out some details and Harm called the lawyer to let her know that he would be officially adopting Mattie and to get the papers started.  They walked to the car and Mattie let out some tears.

“What’s wrong sweetie?”

“Why didn’t he fight for me Dad?  He just let go so easy, if he turns back to the bottle it will be my fault.”

“Honey, Tom did what he felt was right for you, and what you asked for.  That is all you can expect for a father to do.  If you wanted to go back to live with him, I would be sad, but you are a woman now, and I would have to respect your decision.  But you wouldn’t be able to get me out of your life quickly.”

“No Dad, I want to live with you.”

End Flashback

“Mom, are we going to go back to school shopping?”  Mattie yelled from the top of the stairs.

“As soon as Harriet gets here.  She is going to drop of the boys and they are going to have a boys day out, and we are going to go to the mall.”

“Sounds great.”

Sergei and Harm were sitting in the kitchen enjoying their coffee.  “Tell me brother, how did you end up with such a beautiful fiancée, two wonderful children, and a beautiful house?”

“Just lucky I guess.” Harm answered smiling at his brother.  “If someone told me a year ago my little family was going to grow, I would have laughed at them.  Life is so good right now, I am waiting for it to fall out from underneath me.”

“Oh baby, you can’t think about that kind of stuff.” Mac said walking into the room.  She had walked up behind him and looped her arm around his broad shoulder.  “What are you doing with AJ and Jimmy?”

“I think we are taking them to the national zoo.”

“Sergei, what are you planning on doing with Jennifer?”

“I am taking her out to a lunch and then we are going to go rollerblading around the park.”

“Be careful.  We finally got everyone out of casts and healthy, I don’t need another trip to the emergency room.”

“Yes older brother.”

Mackenzie could be heard crying over the baby monitor.  “Harm can you get the baby?” Mac asked from the laundry room.

“Sure honey.”  Harm bounded up the stairs to the nursery and found Mackenzie in her play area with her lips pouting.  “Hey Mackenzie.  Daddy’s here.  Did you get tired of playing with all your toys.”  He picked her up and looked her over and found a small bruise forming on her arm.  “Where did you get this from?”  He set her down and watched her play, and then saw her get her arm caught in the locking mechanism.  He scooped her up and walked into Mattie’s room. “Matts, I need you to watch Mackenzie for a couple of minutes.”

“Sure Dad.  Let me grab some clothes for her, and I will change her.”

“Thanks Kiddo.  You are a good older sister.”

Mattie held Mackenzie and walked into the nursery and watched her dad tear down Mackenzie’s play area.  “Dad, what are you doing?”

“Mackenzie just got bruised when she was playing in here.  I won’t have anything that can harm you kids in the house.”

“Dad, you worry too much.”

“Da!”

“Well Matts, that is what a dad does.  Thank you for dressing your sister.”

“No problem dad.  Have fun with the boys today.”

“Don’t run up the credit card too much.”

Mattie and Mackenzie were two steps in front of Harm as he hauled the play fence out of the house.  “Harm what are you doing with her play fence?”

“It was bruising her.  That is what caused the screaming this morning.”

“Good investigating Harm.  So that is where she was getting those small bruises from.  I noticed one the other day during bath time.”

“I’m glad we figured that out.   I guess I will just have to find a different play area for her.  Which reminds me, don’t let Mattie walk all over you today.  Her grandmother just bought her a new computer, but that doesn’t mean new computer games.  Also, she can get three pairs of jeans to start, sweaters, and a nice coat.”

“Harm, I think I can handle shopping with Mattie.”

“You haven’t been shopping with Mattie yet, not on a shopping spree day.  Trust me on this.” He was telling her as he walked the discarded play fence to the curb.  They saw Harriet and Bud pull up.

“Ma’am, sir.” Harriet addressed as she got out of the car.

“No ranks today.” Mac said first.  “I thought it would be easier if we took Harm’s Lexus, and then Harm and Bud could take the minivan, that way we don’t have to switch car seats and all.”

“Good plan Mac.” Harriet answered.  “If you are ready to go, we can get to it.”

“Okay.” Mac said.  “Mattie, can you bring Mackenzie out?” Mac shouted to the house.

“Yeah Mom.”  Mattie appeared a couple of moments later with Mackenzie in hand with the diaper bag and Mac’s purse.  Mackenzie squealed out when she saw her dad again.

“Da,da,da,da!” 

“Come here Wiggle Worm.” Harm swung her high in the air and caught her.

“She won’t still try mom?” Harriet asked.

“She has on a couple of occasions, but she only babbles dadada, when Harm is around.  I think she knows that makes him happy.  We figure we wouldn’t rush it.” Mac said watching Harm do his “pre-ride” check with Mackenzie as he put her in the car seat.  Mac walked up behind him.  “You do that so well, maybe one day we will have to let Mackenzie be an older sibling.”

“Mom, Dad, yuck!  There are other people around.” Mattie said.

“Okay Mattie we’ll can it.  Just remember what I said about not going overboard with this whole shopping thing.”

“Yes sir.”

Harm leaned down and kissed Mackenzie on the cheek and then kissed Mattie on the forehead.  “You two be good for Mom and Aunt Harriet. I will see you at home for dinner.”

Mac leaned up and kissed him.  “I love you flyboy.”

“I love you too Mac.”  In that instant they both knew that this was their paradise.

Chapter Fifty

0800 EST

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, VA

Harm and Mac pulled up to the office after their perfect weekend with the kids.  They had gotten Mattie all squared away for school which would soon be starting.  Mac had an early morning meeting with a client so Harm unstrapped Mackenzie from her car seat.  “Say bye bye to Mommy”

“Ma,” Mackenzie echoed back.  Mac heard as she was going to the building.  She ran back and gave Mackenzie a huge kiss. 

“Mommy loves you baby.  Be good for Daddy and Nikki.”

Mac ran upstairs and Harm dropped the baby off at the nursery.  He dropped his briefcase and cover in his office and made his way to the break room to grab a cup of coffee.  “Commander, the Admiral would like to see you in his office ASAP.”

“Thanks Coates.”  Harm dumped his coffee in the sink.  It tasted like sludge, the new guys must have made the coffee.  Harm approached the Admiral’s office and walked in.  “Commander Rabb reporting as ordered sir.”

“Have a seat Commander.”

Harm sat down.  “Commander, I have been fighting with the SecNav for weeks on this but unfortunately there was nothing I could do to change this.”

“Change what sir?” Harm asked getting a nauseous feeling.

“You have been temporarily assigned to the USS Patrick Henry, to the air wing.  It seems that with fighting is going to continue.  The Navy is falling a couple of pilots short, so you are it.”

“Damn.” Harm muttered.  “I need to tell Mac.”

“I will have Coates send her in.”

A few moments later, Mac came walking in through the doors.  She greeted the admiral and was old to take a seat. 

“Colonel, I was just telling Commander Rabb that he is TAD to the Patrick Henry.  He will be in their air wing.”

“How long sir and starting when?”

“He is to go out in two weeks, for a period of no less than three months but no more than one year.”

Mac stood up abruptly.  “Permission to be dismissed sir.”

“Dismissed.”

Mac quickly exited and Harm looked at his CO.  “Rabb, I am giving you two weeks to put your affairs in order.  Update your will, do whatever you deem necessary.  I am reassigning all of Mac’s and your cases.  As of 1700 today you and her are placed on leave.  You have two weeks.  This week the colonel will be on administrative cases this week that can be worked on from your home office.  Next week I will put her on family leave.”

“Thank you sir.  May I be excused.”

“Dismissed.”

Harm left the office to find Bud standing by the bathroom door.  “Sir, Colonel Mackenzie is in there.” 

Harm went into the bathroom to find Mac hunched over the toilet throwing up her breakfast.  He wet his handkerchief and pressed it to her forehead.  He sat on the floor and held her tight.  “Mac, honey, I am so sorry.”

She clung to him.  “The call of duty right.”

“My duty to my family means so much more.”

“But you can’t deny your duty to the country right?”

“I do have a duty to my country, but I love you and my girls.  I’ll resign my commission if you want me to.”

“I don’t want you to.  Promise me you will fly smart.”

“Always.”

He knew he was breaking protocol but he tilted her chin and kissed her.  “I love you.”

“I love you too.  Now lets get you off this cold bathroom floor and dry your eyes.  In one hour we get to pick out our 6 month old to finish up her infant vaccinations, and I know that you are going to cry when Mackenzie starts crying.”

“It’s not like you good job keeping the tears at bay.” She countered back at him.

“Yeah I know, but this is for her own good.  Did you know the first time I took her to get her blood drawn, there were tears in my eyes when I heard her cry?”

“Mackenzie has always had you wrapped around her little fingers.”

“Don’t tell her that though, she could really take me for a spin.”

“Kinda like our teenager.”

“Kinda like that.  Oh, you get to explain to Mackenzie how this was for her own good, because whenever I do, she gets all teary eyed on me, and I brake down and buy her a new toy.”

“Well, I’ll take this time since she is only six months old.  But you get to do it when she is older and we ground her for her own good.  You walked into that one.”

“Yea I did.”

“Harm, I need to go ask the Admiral for time off.”

“Already done, one week administrative cases that can be down from the comfort of our home, and then next week you are on leave.  I was thinking about taking the kids up to Gram’s farm.”

“Splendid idea Harm.  Now let’s get out of the bathroom and face what is to come.” Mac suggested.

“Okay.”  Harm led Mac out of the bathroom and gave her a reassuring smile.  He looked around his office and pulled out the picture of Mattie, Mackenzie and Mac.  He placed that picture in his briefcase.  That would be one picture that would be taken with him to the Henry.  He then requested a moment of the admiral’s time.

“Sir, I need someone to verify the changes in my will.”

“Very well.”

“Nothing major really.   I’m in the process of adopting Mattie officially.  She will be a Rabb hopefully by the time I return.  Mac had guardianship of the two girls and that will remain.  Mattie and Mackenzie will split the liquid assets I have in the bank, which will remain in trust for them until they decide where they want to go to school, even though I am sure Frank already has that taken care of.  I think that is it.”  The admiral signed off in Harm’s will.  “I will have my office cleaned out by the end of the day.”

“Why?  I’m not going to replace you.  The temp is only going to work here for a couple of months, and you will be back,” Admiral Jonas said.

“Thank you sir.”

“Rabb, fly safe out there and come home to your beautiful girls.”

“Thank you sir.”  Harm said standing to leave.  He stopped at Jennifer Coates’ desk.  “Jen, I need you to come to the house tonight.  There is a family announcement I have to make over dinner.  That is if you don’t have plans.”

“No problem at all sir.  Is there anything you want me to pick up for dinner on the way there?”

He took out his wallet and handed her forty dollars.  “I think this should be enough.  I need you to pick up dessert.”

“Okay sir.”

1500 EST

Somehow  Mac managed to make it through her rough day of work and picked up the administrative cases from the admiral.  He gave her a sympathetic smile.  “Mac, have faith in Rabb.”

“I have complete faith in Harm sir.  It just the people that are over there shooting at him I don’t have faith in.”  She said with a sigh as she stood at attention and walked out the door.

“Colonel, collect your fiancé, your daughter, and go get her vaccinated.  Don’t let the angel cry too much will you, and keep Rabb from breaking down.  Last time he got her blood drawn, he bought out half of Toys R Us to make it up to her.”

Mac laughed, “Somehow I can tell I am going to be the bad guy with her.”

Mac walked into Harm’s office and saw him staring at a picture that was taken at the carnival.  The looked so happy together.  “Mac, sorry, I didn’t see you standing there.”

“Lost in thought of better days?”

“You could say that.”

“Hey flyboy, the admiral told me to collect you and Mackenzie and to head home, so grab what you want to take with you, and we will be our way.  I’ll grab Mackenzie and meet you by the car.  Then we will take her for the rest of her vaccinations.”

“Okay Mac.”

Harm walked around his office doing a once over, knowing that he would be back, but still feeling uneasy about this assignment.  He walked out into the bullpen and found Jen standing outside his office, Sturgis, Bud, the support staff, and even Harriet were gathered.  Mac had entered carrying Mackenzie.

The admiral walked out to the bullpen with AJ Chegwidden following, he had come to take Admiral Jonas to the driving range.  Harm was wondering what was going on. 

“Commander, I just gave the news to the staff, they wanted to say farewell and good luck.”

Harm smiled at everyone, “I will be back again.  Don’t worry.”  He saw Mac and Mackenzie standing by the exit.  He started to leave and his colleagues fired off a salute out of curtsey and respect for the man who was going to the trenches so to speak.  Harm turned around and the admiral gave him a slight nod off.  AJ raised his eyes to the heavens.  He got on the elevator, and the bullpen quietly got back to work.