North of Union Station

She started screaming. 

“HARM!”

“MAC!  Where are you?  I’m coming.”  He screamed back.  He was running as fast as he could to get to where he last heard her.  Harm cocked back his gun and blew away the doorknob.   He started to free her when he heard something ring.  A ring?

Ring . . .  Ring . . . Ring

Groaning, Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. USN, reached over to turn off the alarm clock, when he realized it was his phone. 

“Mac, what is it?  Everything alright?”  He said during in his half conscious state.

“Commander Rabb?”

“Speaking.”

“This isn’t Mac . . . This is concerning a Commander Parker.”

“I am sure whatever Commander Parker has done this time can wait until morning, I can be reached at the JAG offices.”  With that he hung up.  He was not sleeping well.  His partner Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie was on an overseas assignment for a joint operation between the military and the CIA. 

Ever since Paraguay, the idea of her working for those people made his head spin, nightmares came, and many sleepless nights.  This night would be no different.  He turned over in his bed and picked up a book off his night stand and tried to bore himself into sleep.

0800 EST

Falls Church, VA

Everyone seemed amazed when Commander Rabb was seen in his office on time.  Ever since Mac left, he was in every morning checking his email.  He knew that she has assured him that the mission that she was going on was safe, but he still had a feeling that something huge was going to happen.

‘Snap out of it Rabb,’ He thought, ‘Pretty soon you’re gonna be thinking you’re psychic.’ 

He picked up the phone.

“Hello,” the voice on the other side said.

“Hi angel.  It must be nice to sleep in huh.”

“Come on Dad, let me sleep in.”  Mathilda Grace answered him.  She started calling him dad a couple months before when her father decided to terminate his parental rights.  She loved them both, but it just felt right for her to call him dad.  All she wanted for him to do now was to find himself a suitable other half.

“Sorry sweetie, I needed to hear your voice.”

“Dad, did you get any sleep last night?”

“Well Mattie, I did get a call last night at 0400.”

“Yeah, well I am real sure that is what is keeping you up.  So what are you doing today?”

“I have a staff meeting like now, and then I thinking on taking a long lunch and meeting you and Tom.  It just depends on what cases get handed out today.  But honey I have to go to the meeting now, you know, make a fashionable late entrance.”

“Dad I love you, hope to see you for lunch.”

“Love you too kiddo.”

Placing the phone back on the receiver he smiled, there were some perks to being a parent.  He crossed the bullpen and met up with Lieutenant Commander Bud Roberts. 

“Commander, I hope you realize how lucky you were when you got to see your children be born, and to raise them from the beginning.”

“Only every day sir.”  He said with a smile.

They walked into the staff meeting and took their usual spots.  With the new admiral, came adjustments.  He reminded the crew of Admiral Chegwidden, but the whole crew was somewhat reluctant to warm up to their new CO.  Admiral Chegwidden was big shoes to fill. 

After normal talk about ongoing investigations and cases, the meeting was adjourned.  The JAG crew was in the coffee mess area talking about the breaking news on ZNN about break-ins at fertility clinics, another hostage crisis overseas in the Philippines involving an American, and more stuff about North Korea.

“Commander, there is an elderly man here to see you.  He is sitting in your office.”

“Thank you Coates.”

Harm put his GO NAVY mug in the sink, and muttered something about missing Mac’s sludge.  He sighed and realized that this was going to be one long day. 

“Commander,”  the man said as he approached him.  “We spoke last night.  I have some papers I need you to sign regarding the last wishes of a Commander Jordan Parker.”

“Has something happened to the Commander?”

“She has passed away in an automobile accident two days ago overseas in Germany.  I am the executor of her estate.”

“I’m so sorry to hear this.  Jordan and I ended our relationship years ago.   I can’t imagine her putting me in her will.”

“Commander, perhaps we should stand out here in the open.  I just need to get your signatures saying I delivered the parcels.  I left them on your desk.  I am in a hurry and must go.”  The man started acting very agitated all of the sudden.  Harm couldn’t quite figure him out, but he figured he didn’t want to deal with it today.  He signed the papers after glancing at it.  Just a note saying that Jordan’s lawyer delivered said packages to him.  The lawyers took the papers and walked out the doors.

Harm walked into his office only to be floored by what was waiting for him.   On his desk there was a baby sleeping in a carrier.  Just as he turned around to catch the lawyer, Admiral Jonas was standing in the doorway. 

Chapter Two

Harm snapped to attention, “Sorry sir, I did not realize you were standing there.”

“At ease Rabb.  Let me ask you a question, is there a baby on your desk?”

“Sir, yes, sir.  A lawyer was just here to see me, and told me to sign some papers for a package that a late ex-girlfriend left for me.  Apparently sir, the package was a baby.”

“Rabb, when your old CO told me that nothing around here would be boring with you and Mackenzie around, he definitely wasn’t joking.  What is that baby’s name?”

“I don’t know sir.  I just discovered it, about the same time you did.”

“Well, check the diaper bag, maybe your ex left you a note in there.  Come, pick up the carrier, and lets go to my office.”

Harm didn’t know what his CO had in store for him, but he was glad that he was beginning to show some type of personality.  With Chegwidden’s shoes to fill, it could not be an easier task.  They received some stares as they walked across the bullpen, but hey – the bullpen was nothing but gossip anyway.

When they reached the Admiral’s office, PO Coates stopped them.  “Commander, it’s Mattie’s volleyball coach on line two.”

He picked it up.  “Hi Ms. Vargus . . . no its alright . . . yeah, I’m sure Mattie will love to meet all the girls . . . no problem . . . 8:00 tonight . . . okay.  Thanks.”

“Problems at home Commander?”

“No PO.  Mattie will be meeting the girls from the volleyball team tonight for dinner at 1700.  Ms. Vargus is going to pick them all up.  This way Mattie can spend time with Tom for lunch, and still meet the team for dinner.”

The Admiral smiled.  He couldn’t believe that Rabb had taken on a teenage ward just to do it, and had done it with such ease.  He remembered when his daughter was a teenager and he just sighed.  The sound of a loud wail was enough to bring Admiral Jonas out of his reverie.

Harm looked down at the baby. 

“Well, Commander, are you going to stare at the kid, or pick it up?”  Harm stared at his CO, and snapped back into reality. 

“Sorry sir.”

“Don’t apologize Rabb.  I remember what it was like when Raquel wailed all night.  I came in looking half dead, and I am pretty sure you will too,” the Admiral paused, “that is if you are planning on keeping your child.  Take the rest of the day off.  Go home, figure everything out.  I will expect you here tomorrow, if you haven’t arranged childcare, I am sure we can figure something out.”

Harm stood at attention as much as he could with his “package” from the lawyer.  “Dismissed.” the admiral said.

Harm turned on his heels and headed home.  He strapped the baby as well as he could in the car seat.  “I can pass aerodynamics, and get a degree in both aeronautical engineering and law, but I can’t figure out how to install a car seat?”  he thought to himself.  Satisfied that a nothing could move the child he drove home.

Chapter Three

North of Union Station

1100 EST

Harm juggled the baby up the steps with the diaper bag and his briefcase.  He sighed relief as soon as he got in the door and set the baby down.  He picked up the diaper bag and dumped out the contents:  clothes, four diapers, 2 bottles, formula, a manila envelope, and a video tape. 

He picked up the tape and put the tape in the TV/VCR combo that Webb left at his apartment years before.  He picked up the baby and started the video.  Jordan’s face immediately popped up on the screen.

“Harm, if you are seeing this tape, I have decided to go through with a plan I cooked up in my head years ago.”  There was silence from her.  “I have instructed my lawyer to send some things to you.   This video, a manila envelope that contains several documents, and, this is harder than I thought, a little girl.  The child you are holding on your lap right now, that is probably trying to stuff her whole hand in her mouth, is your child.”

Harm gasped.  He looked down at the precious life that he held in his lap.  She was indeed sticking her entire hand in her mouth.  He just smiled.  His mom said he used to do that.

“Harm, pay attention,”  Jordan’s voice filled the room.  “I know you are wondering how this happened since we haven’t been together for a long time, and you are probably going straight to Bethesda tomorrow morning to get a DNA test.  I know I would.  All of your questions will be answered.  Go warm up a bottle for the baby.  She doesn’t have a name.  I knew I was dying, so I never gave her a name.  Normally I called her angel, sweetie, or babe.  Nothing appropriate for a baby.  I know my lawyer also said I died in a car wreck, that isn’t true.  I sent my car over a cliff, and am dying peacefully with dignity under an assumed name in a country estate.  By the time you track me down, I will be dead anyway.  Let it go.” 

Beep, beep.  Harm’s microwave went off.  He pulled out the bottle and tested it on his arm, way to hot he thought.  He turned off the tape and called the only person he could think of that could help him.

Ring, ring, ring

“Hello?”

“Harriet, and I disturbing you?”

“Sir, no.”

“Harriet, call me Harm.  I am calling you for advice.”

“Did you finally get your head out of your six, and decide to do something about Colonel Mackenzie?”  Harriet squealed with excitement, then as she suddenly remembered who she was talking to, she snapped back, “Sorry sir, I was out of line.”

“Harriet, don’t worry about it.  I do need your help.  See, I warmed up a bottle for 15 minutes in the microwave.  Now it is too hot. How long do I warm it up for?”

“The milk should be slightly warm, about 45 seconds on medium-high heat should work” She paused, “Harm, why do you have to warm up a bottle?”

“Harriet, I need your help,” He started to tell her but stopped,”  As soon as I finish the tape and feed the baby, I will be over.”

“Okay sir.”  He hung up the phone and tried again.

He pushed play on the tape.  Jordan’s voice began to fill the room again.  “Harm, be angry with me.  I was really angry with you.  You took away everything I had ever hoped for, a good man, a family, a house in the suburbs, a dog, and a SUV.  You shattered my dreams to chase yours.

“About two years ago I discovered that even though I thought I could have children, that my ovaries were producing unviable eggs.  About 18 months ago, I was stateside.  A friend of mine was working in a fertility clinic right outside DC.  She told me that a lot of military men and women store their sperm and eggs there.  When they left me alone after some more tests, I slipped out of the room to their storage facility.  I stole some viable eggs, and sperm.  But more specifically, your sperm.  Imagine my surprise when I saw your name on a file.  The great Harmon Rabb Jr. storing sperm.  I kept the eggs and sperm safe until I got back to Germany, where I convinced my friends to help me artificially inseminate myself.  So, 12 months ago, I found myself pregnant with your child.”  Jordan started laughing.  Harm started feeling sick to his stomach.  He started burping his little girl.

“I took away the one thing you wanted most, a child.  But the ironic thing is, I was never meant to keep her.  I was diagnosed with cancer, and given the opportunity to abort the baby, or die.  I chose the later.  After I gave birth I was told only had a couple of months left, and that the cancer had spread to my brain.  Harm, be angry with me, but never take your anger out on your child.  I now realize that I was only a vessel to carry this baby.  You and another are meant to raise this baby.  Try to find her real mother.  Pick out a good strong name for her.  I was crazy to try to do this to you.  I will always love you Harm.”

The baby started crying.  Harm picked her up and started looking around his apartment.  “Well kiddo, I have a ton of things I have to do now.  We have to find a nice big place your me, you, and Mattie.  I have to call your grandmother,”  Harm wrinkled his nose, “and I have to change your diaper.”

Harm changed her diaper, picked up the diaper bag and left for Harriet’s.

Chapter Four

Bud and Harriet’s House

Rossyln, VA

1300 EST

He rang the doorbell to be greeted by a pounding of little feet racing down the stairs.

“AJ look out the window first to make sure it is your Uncle Harm.”  Harriet yelled.

“Unca Harm!”  Little AJ cried as he flung himself into Harms arms.  Luckily Harm had put down the carrier.  He shifted AJ to one arm and picked up the carrier with his free hand.

“Hey buddy, you want to meet someone?”

“Sure.”

“This is my daughter,” Harm said.

“Daughter?” AJ and Harriet said at the same time.  “Unca Harm, what’s her name?”

“Well buddy, I was thinking Nicole, since she was born near Christmas.”

“Huh?”  Harriet smiled at AJ. 

“Sir, I will explain.  You see AJ your Uncle Harm, Aunt Mac, daddy, me, and you all believe in saints and miracles.  Well, your Uncle Harm is going to name his daughter after Santa Clause, who is also called St. Nicholas.”

“Oh, okay.  I don’t like Nicole for her first name though.  Maybe her middle name.    But the baby is pretty like Aunt Mac.  That’s what you should call her.  Aunt Mac!”

Harriet looked a little sad, she was thinking about her baby she named after Sarah Mackenzie.  “AJ go upstairs and play with Jimmy.”

“Think about it Unca Harm, Aunt Mac Nicole.  It sounds pretty.”  Harm smiled.

“Squirt go upstairs, and I will play with you later.”  AJ ran upstairs.  Harriet looked at Harm. 

“It is a beautiful name, Mackenzie Nicole Rabb.  It’s a mouthful, but lovely.”

“Harriet, I love the name, but if it will bring you sadness, then we will think of something else.”

“Oh, no, I love the name too.  So there we go.  Sir, how come this baby didn’t already have a name?”

“Jordan wanted me to pick out a strong name.”

“Jordan, as in Commander Parker?”

“Yeah the same one.  Harriet, you should sit down.  After twenty minute of telling the story, Harriet sat in shock.  “So now, I have little Mackenzie, two diapers, two bottles, no toys, no crib, no room in my apartment, no baby food, and a teenager at home.”

“Well Harm, nothing in life is ever boring with you.  I’ll ring the neighbor to come over and watch Jimmy and AJ.  We will go to Babies Galore and get some basic things.”  Harriet arranged for a sitter and loaded up with Harm.

“Harriet, thank you.”

“Sir, everything is going to be different with a baby, what is she almost five months?  I can watch her for you while you are at work.”

“Harriet, you are supermom.  As much as I love the offer, and can’t thank you enough, I will have to say, with twins on the way, Jimmy just learning to walk, and AJ going to school, you are going to have enough on your plate.  Maybe when she is older, and won’t depend as much on you.  Right now, you are the closest thing she has to a female role model.  I should really find her biological mom.”

“Sir, isn’t Jordan her biological mom.”

“No, I must of left that part out.”  Harm kept his eyes on the road.  “She stole some eggs out of the Bethesda fertility clinic.  Mackenzie is not biologically hers.  She is not listed as the birth mom on the birth certificate.”  Harm showed her the piece of paper, the birth certificate only had him listed as the birth father.  He pulled up into the parking lot.  Harriet smiled as Harm struggled with the car seat and managed to break the locking mechanism.

“Well, Harm, it looks like you will have to buy a new car seat.  But those aren’t that much.”

Harriet loaded Harm up with clothes, toys, a pack-n-play, portable changing table, and books.  They got to the diaper aisle, and Harriet smiled.  “Lets see, Dad, what do you know?”

“Well,”  He picked up Mackenzie, “She feels as if she is around 30 lbs.”  He walked over to the package and picked some up with a triumphant flourish.  “See, it wasn’t that hard.”

A couple of women watched Harriet and smiled.  “That’s good sir, however you picked up the most expensive brand, and she is probably more in the 15 lbs to 22 lbs category.”

“What’s wrong with the expensive brand.  And so what if the diaper is huge?”

“Pampers and Huggies are the best brands.  Never buy store brand or the expensive type, they will turn your summer whites yellow.  Also, if you buy the diaper and it’s too big, it will fall off of her.  We won’t get a crib until you have a bigger place, assuming you want one.”

Harriet picked up four packages.  “This should get you started.”

“See Harriet, this is why I have you with me today.  What else do I need?” 

“Nothing.  Why don’t you leave the woman up front your card, and go get the Lexus, so we can load it up.”  Harm smiled, and did just that. 

The workers loaded up the Lexus and smiled.  They made a killing in commission that day.  Harm dropped Harriet off home and drove home to his place.

1700 EST

North of Union Station

He got finished unloading the Lexus, and had little Mackenzie down for a nap, and about dropped down dead when he realized that Mattie was getting ready to leave with her volleyball team.  He then saw a little package that Harriet had picked up for him.  There was a little note.

-Harm-

For all those little moments that you never

want to forget.  A little token from me, the

boys and Bud.

Love

The Roberts

Harriet had really out done herself.  She snuck a digital camera in and said that it would be real easy to send pictures to his mother.

He heard the knock on the door.

“Dad, it looks like you bought out the store.  Where were you today?”

“Well Mattie, while you were out with Tom, I learned that I had a little daughter.  I named her Mackenzie.  Don’t freak out.”  He said when he saw her expression, “It just means we will have to get a bigger place.”

“Dad, do you want me to go back to Tom?”

“Mattie never.  I love you as much as I love Mackenzie.  You are my little girl, and always will be.  Don’t doubt that kiddo.  Before you leave with your friends, I am going to take a picture with the new digital camera that Harriet got us.”

“Dad, I love you.”  Mattie hung to his shirt.

“I love you too.”  He saw the van down below.  He picked up the baby monitor, and the digital camera.  Harm headed outside and greeted Ms. Vargus.

“If she gets in any trouble let me know.”

“Mattie is always the poster child Commander.”

“Dad is going trigger happy with his new camera, so can we get a shot?”

“Sure.”

The group lined up, and Harm took some pictures, some tame ones, some crazy ones.  The team all piled into two vans and left.  Just then the baby monitor started to let out some soft cries.

Harm went back upstairs with a run.  He got inside to smell that Mackenzie needed another change.  He changed her, bathed her, and noticed his machine beeping.   He hit the button and listened to the message.

“Harm, its Mac.  Just want to call, talk to my best friend.  I am breaking about a thousand rules right now to use this phone, but oh well.  I will see you in a couple days Flyboy.”

Harm smiled at the term of endearment used between them, but he couldn’t help but hear the strain in her voice.  This mission must be rough on her, he knew it was on him.  Maybe tonight he would get some sleep.

Harm took some pictures of the baby, figured out how to download them, and called his mother.

Ring . . . ring. . . ring. . .

“Hello?”

“Hi Frank, it’s Harm.”

“Trish, its Harm, pick up the extension,” he heard his stepfather say,

“Harm, is everything okay out there?”

“Is Mattie doing okay?”

“Yeah, Mom, Mattie is fine.  I have some news though, and you may want to sit down.”

“Harm, I don’t think you could shock your mother and me any worse than you running away to Laos.”

“Can you check your email?”  Harm asked.

“Sure, give me a minute.”   Trish walked over to the desk where her husband was sitting.  They pulled up their email and saw the pictures he took of Mackenzie in her bath, and in her robe chewing a rubber duckie.  “Harm these are cute.  Who are they of?”

“Mom, Frank, Jordan stole some sperm from a fertility bank.”

“The story that broke on ZNN?”  Frank asked.

“Harm why are you donating sperm?”  Trish asked her son.

“One question at a time.  Yeah Frank, that’s the story that broke.  I didn’t even think of that.  Mom, whenever I go do my quals, I normally go and store sperm.  While back in flight school, we learned that the high altitudes could hinder the possibility of pilots having children, so I decided that if it was the case, at least me and my imaginary wife would have some options.”  Harm paused, “But back to the original question, Jordan stole my sperm and some woman’s eggs from the bank.  More importantly, she has terminal cancer, and sent me my daughter.”  He then proceeded to tell them the story.

“Well Harm, it sounds like you are handling it the best way you can.”

“Tomorrow during lunch, I am taking Mackenzie for a paternity test just to be on the safe side.”

“Harm, there’s no need for that.  She looks just like you when you were a baby.  Except the mouth and nose.”  Trish commented.

“Well, Trish it is better safe than sorry.”

“Harm, we will be out there on Thursday.  I will get the company jet so we can help you with everything.  Besides, we haven’t been able to see much of the lovely Mathilda Grace.”

“You don’t have to drop everything.”

“Harm, we are your parents.  We are going to come out there.”

“Thanks Mom, I love you.  Can I talk to Frank privately?”

“Sure baby.”  Trish hung up her extension.

“Yeah Harm what did you need?”

“Frank, lately Mattie has been calling me dad, and I realized I never gave you that chance.  However, I am asking your permission so my children can call you granddad.  You are the only one they will ever know.”

“Harm, you are the closest thing I have ever had to a son, I would be honored.”

“Thanks Frank.   I know I haven’t said it, but I love you too.”

“You are welcome son.  I love you.”  They hung up the phone and realized the power that these women were having in their life.

Mattie came home around 2010, and charged up the stairs to meet her new little sister.  “Hey Dad, guess what!”

“What kiddo?”

“I am starting next fall on the team!”

“High five.”  Harm held his hand high, and made Mattie jump for it.  Instead he grabbed her in a hug.  “I am proud of you, are you ready to meet little Mackenzie?”

“Sure.”

Mackenzie was sitting in her pack-n-play looking drowsy, but trying her hardest to fight sleep. 

“She’s beautiful.”

“She’s getting sleepy.”

Harm started singing to the baby.

Daddy's little girl paints the world with her magic wand
Daddy's little child breathes new life to the morning time for me
Though we're apart, her thoughts follow me
When I come home, Mackenzie smiles with the dawn
Mackenzie smiles, and she radiates the glow around her halo
When she plays, Mackenzie smiles
On a summer day, Mackenzie smiles
A new day, Mackenzie smiles

Daddy's little girl ties a ribbon around my heart
Daddy's little child waves goodbye to the ocean tide that sweeps me
Though we're apart, she's a part of me

Mackenzie smiles with the dawn
Mackenzie smiles and she radiates the glow around her halo
When she plays, Mackenzie smiles
On a summer day, Mackenzie smiles
A new day, Mackenzie smiles

When I come home, Mackenzie smiles with the dawn
Mackenzie smiles and she radiates the glow around her halo
When she plays, Mackenzie smiles
On a summer day, Mackenzie smiles
A new day, Mackenzie smiles

When the days have gone grey,
Nothing's wrong when Mackenzie smiles

“Dad, that was a great, if I was your daughter, would you have sang to me?”

“I will sing to you now, and you are my daughter.  Mattie, never think otherwise.”

Daddy's little girl paints the world with her magic wand
Daddy's little child breathes new life to the morning time for me
Though we're apart, her thoughts follow me
When I come home, Mattie smiles with the dawn
Mattie smiles, and she radiates the glow around her halo
When she plays, Mattie smiles
On a summer day, Mattie smiles
A new day, Mattie smiles

“Dad you are such a dork but I love you.  I love Mackenzie too.”

Together Mattie and Harm put Mackenzie down to meet the sandman. 

Harm and Mattie sat down for a cup of tea.  If Mattie didn’t have dinner with Harm, they normally sat down and had a cup of tea together.

“Mattie, how are you handling this?”

“Good, I really am.”

“Well, your grandparents are flying in to help with finding a house.  Since your school is a private school, I don’t have to worry about zoning laws.  So you can still start on the volleyball team.  In fact, we might be able to move closer to your school.”

“I’m thinking, we should buy a five bedroom house, in-ground pool, a fixer upper.  An older place we can transform into ours.  What do you think?”

“I think five bedrooms would be too large.”

“Dad, there would be one bedroom for me, one bedroom for you, one bedroom for Mackenzie, and two bedrooms for guests.  It would be perfect.”

“We will see what we can find.”

“When is Mac coming home?”

“This is out of the blue, two days why?”

“Well there are going to be a lot of changes, and I think she will want to know about them.”

“Don’t worry about it, I will let Mac know.”

AN-Song doesn’t belong to me, it’s Molly Smiles from the Uptown Girls Soundtrack