Choose Your Ending

Disclaimers in part 1

I kept my hand at the edge of her mask as her hand moved to the edge of mine. She paused to let me pull her mask off first. As soon as I did I froze in shock. Sarah MacKenzie stared back at me in utter silence looking slightly confused why I would be reacting as I am.

Several things flashed through my mind quickly. The most important of which is the fact that the woman I had been fantasizing about all night is standing in front of me. I also thought about the fact that she even though she didn’t know it was me, she finally admitted her feelings for Harm. What other co-worker could she have been talking about?

We both started when a bright flash of lightning lit the sky soon followed by a loud rumble of thunder. I took her arm and led her to the overhang in case the impending rain surprised us. I opened the balcony door and let her led the way. But once her back was turned, I slipped away. I hated hurting her, I knew that I was, but I could not let her unmask me. I also knew that no one could see the both of us unmasked, it would inevitably cause talk.

I waited in the shadows until I saw her leave after looking for me for a short time. I saw the disgusted look on her remasked face after she approached one man. I decided I was going to have a little talk with him because it was obvious that he had made some sexual comment. Once she left, I began to make my way over to the short man before I stopped suddenly as he unmasked.

Dear God. It was the SecNav. Thank God Sarah put her mask back on. I will see if I can find out what was said because I am sure that little tidbit of information may come in handy some day. I left soon after her and made sure the costume was hanging neatly so I could return it on Monday after work.

I poured myself a glass of scotch, slowly sipping it, and thought about tonight. How am I going to look her in the eye on Monday? Especially knowing for a fact how she feels about Rabb? I sat back and suddenly realized that I didn’t have to face her as soon as I thought. I was on leave all next week. At least that would give me time to think.

I knew that it would be for the best if I left. I had honestly been thinking about it for a long time. I even had mentioned it to several people and since no one seemed to think my leaving would be a bad thing. I wasn’t feeling sorry for myself, I just thought that they probably realized as much as I did, that it was time.

I also knew that even though Sarah didn’t know it was me tonight, it would be best for me to leave. Even the appearance of impropriety could be enough to damage our careers and I didn’t want that to happen to her. She never had to know it was me, in fact, I didn’t think that I would ever tell her. I am sure that it would just embarrass her.

I decided that on Monday, after I returned my costume, I would take a little trip to Annapolis. While there, I would talk with Admiral Sam Peters about that coaching job he had mentioned a few months ago. The job was still available and Sam was thrilled to have me fill that position. He was surprised though that I accepted it, but I didn’t explain about Sarah. I wasn’t going to share that reason with anyone.

After leaving the Academy, I drove to the Pentagon so that I could give my official resignation to the SecNav. He was surprised that I showed up to resign on my vacation but I wanted to get it over with. Of course, I forgot about him being at the masquerade himself so I had to smile as I left remembering that pudgy Robin Hood.

The rest of my leave passed quickly, amazing in itself since I never liked vacations. Once I got back to JAG, I announced my retirement and my intentions to take the job at the Academy. Everyone was surprised but they seemed to accept it easily. Harriet had insisted on having a get together at McMurphys that Friday night after he left JAG. I really didn’t think that I wanted to see Mac and Harm together in a social setting but I knew that I couldn’t disappoint Harriet.

I got there finally and joined the Robert’s and Mac at their table. It seems that Rabb was running late. Big surprise. I was talking to Sarah, Mac about my new job, for some reason, nervous being around her when Rabb finally walked in. But not alone. I wondered how Mac would take yet another blonde of his so I didn’t know what to say.

“Rabb’s here,” I said.

“Let me guess,” she said. “He has a blond with him.”

I looked at her in surprise, thinking that she was going to be upset. After all, it had to have been Rabb that she was talking about at the masquerade.

“Sir, I gave up on Rabb years ago. He likes his blondes and not only am I’m not a blonde, I am much more intelligent than the women he goes for.”

“That certainly is true,” I said confused now about who she had talked about.

“What’s true, sir?” asked Rabb.

“That even though I am retiring, I will not be sitting around doing nothing.”

“I never thought you would, sir. Everyone, this is Missy. Missy this is the Admiral, Mac, Bud and Harriet.”

“Hi everybody. I hope you all don’t mind that I came. Harm has already stood me up several times and I was beginning to wonder if he really wanted to go out with me,” she said with a smile.

Everyone welcomed her, including Mac. Maybe she really was over Rabb but then whom could she have been talking about. I guess that it was possible that she was over him but part of her still thought about what it might have been like. I certainly knew how that was possible. I had done the same thing, I knew that there was no chance for the two of us to be together but I still though of her that night. It was the perfect fantasy, and if she really didn’t have feelings for Rabb then maybe, just maybe, it could be real.

The party wrapped up soon and we all went our separate ways. The next few weeks were bit hectic. I had a lot of things to get taken care of in taking over the team during the middle of the season. I didn’t have too much time to spend with any of the JAG staff even though I spoke to Harriet once a week. I casually asked about everyone in the office each time I spoke to her and never once did I get the impression that Mac was longing for Harm.

Soon, our last game was just around the corner and I decided to invite the JAG team. Everyone arrived at the game and I managed to meet them all for a few moments before I had to get back to the team. I had to wonder what they all thought about my new uniform and I really began to wonder as I left. I saw Mac and Harriet’s reflections as they looked at each other and smiled.

The game was going very well for us, it was the end of the 7^th inning and we were ahead by 6 runs and our pitcher was going for a 1 hitter so far. I had thought about something for the entire game and I decided to go for it. I picked up the phone and spoke to Doug in charge of the scoreboard. He thought I was crazy but what harm could it do. If she didn’t respond, she wouldn’t know it was me.

I wish that I could have seen her face when the first of two messages appeared on the scoreboard at the end of the eighth inning. It simply read, “Cinderella. It’s time to take off the masks. Prince Charming.” The second one was just after the game was over because I knew that they would all still be there. “Cinderella, meet me. One hour. Burke Hall, room 217. No masks. Prince Charming.”

I quickly finished up the things that I needed to do. Somehow I managed to keep my mind on it even when I was thinking about Sarah and if she would show up. I got to the given room with about five minutes to spare. I wasn’t sure if she knew my office number or not so I sent her to an unused office close to mine. That is if she is even going to come here in the first place. I had almost convinced myself that she wouldn’t show up when I heard a knock on the door.

“Enter,” I called out by habit.

“Admiral,” she said as she opened the door. She looked a little confused. “I thought I saw your office down the hall.”

“You did. I thought that I would ask you to meet me here instead, Sarah.”

“You asked me here, Admiral?”

“Please call me AJ, Sarah. Do you mind if I call you Sarah?” I asked.

“That’s fine,” she said, still a bit confused.

“Or should I call you Cinderella?” I asked taking several steps to her.

“Cinderella? I didn’t tell anyone about the Masque. You were there,” she suddenly realized. “You’re Prince Charming.”

I just nodded, not sure what to say. She didn’t respond either so I tried to explain.

“You don’t know how amazed I was when I realized that it was actually you. I thought I was imagining things at first. There I was thinking about you all night and suddenly you were there.”

“You were thinking about me? I was the one you talked about?” she asked as I nodded. “But that’s not possible.”

“Yes, it is Sarah. I’ve had feelings for you-“

“No, that’s not what I meant. How was it possible for the both of us to be with the one we longed for and not know it?”

“The both of us?” I had to have heard her wrong.

“Who do you think I was thinking about? And it wasn’t Harm.”

Once again, I didn’t know what to say, so I did what I had yearned to do for a long time. I took her into my arms and kissed her. To my delight, she returned the kiss pulling away only to catch her breath. We looked at each other and I could tell she was thinking the same thing that I was. That one kiss we shared while masked was wonderful but actually knowing whom we were kissing made it so much better.

The end