Part 3/5

Disclaimers in Part 1

The next day

AJ woke up the next morning and looked over at the chair that Mac had occupied yesterday.  It was empty.  He couldn't help but be somewhat disappointed by her absence.  He thought about all that she said last night, did she really care for him?  He had thought that she had moved on with her life when she had said yes to Brumby.  He knew that he would always have a tender spot in his heart for her.  He had been able to hide it well in the past years, except for that one time he slipped and almost kissed her.  Well, that time and the time he practically admitted his feelings for her that Christmas.  AJ knew that it had to have been a dream last night, either that or the drugs he was on.  He was lost in thought when he looked up and saw Webb walk into his room. 

“What happened to you?” asked AJ when he noticed Webb's taped nose.

“I met with an immovable object.  You know your people are as loyal to you as you are to them.”

AJ smiled.  “Never expected any less.  You better start explaining, Webb.”

“Rabb was being threatened.  He only brought it to my attention because I happened to hear his answering machine message.  I was trying to get his help with something and it turned out that both things were connected.  We just thought it was going to be Brumby and one other.  We didn't know there was going to be so many others there too.  That's when we called you as backup.  Rabb insisted on not calling Mac.  He didn’t want her to have anything to do with it.  We didn’t expect you to bring her.”

“You think I’m going to help you without someone I trust to watch my back?”

“We really didn’t expect this to happen,” he said again in apology.

AJ looked to the door as Mac and Harm walked in.  He noticed Webb stepped away from them and said with amusement, “The immovable object?”  Webb nodded and tried to leave. 

The look Mac directed to Webb made him think that it wasn’t a dream that she had punched out Webb.  That meant that maybe the things she said wasn’t a dream either.  AJ called Harm and Mac over and Webb slunk out the door behind them.  Mac almost followed but she was stopped when the Admiral asked her, “Mac, has anyone called Francesca?”

“Yes, sir.  She should be here shortly.  Bud is waiting for her at the airport.”

“Good,” he said relieved.  

They all talked for a while until AJ started to yawn.  Harm suggested that they all leave and go get some lunch.  On their way out, AJ called out, “Colonel?”

“You go ahead.  I’ll catch up with you later, Harm."  She turned back towards the Admiral, "Yes, sir.”

“I just wanted to thank you for sticking around last night.”  She looked away guilty.  “The doctor told me you slept out in the waiting room.  Thank you.  It means a lot to me.  Now go catch up with Rabb and enjoy your lunch.”

“Yes, sir.  Can we bring you anything back?” 

“As long as you don’t let Rabb pick it out.”

“Deal.”  She smiled at him and left.  The doctor saw her walk out and straight to Harm.  The doctor walked into the Admiral’s room shaking his head.

“What’s up, doc?”

“Who was that that just left with you wife?” asked the doctor curiously.

“The man with her is her partner and best friend, CMDR Harmon Rabb.  Why do you ask?”

“I was curious, because if that was my wife, I wouldn’t want her hanging around with the likes of him,” he said honestly. 

AJ smiled and said, “To tell you the truth, she’s not my wife.  She is Lt. Colonel Sarah MacKenzie, one of my JAG lawyers.  I guess they wouldn’t let her in otherwise.”

“She never said anything.  I just assumed.  Sorry if I was out of line,” he apologized.

“Not a problem.  Now when can I get out of here?”

“Well, I was warned you would be stubborn.  Give it a couple of days then we’ll see.  Do you have anyone who can help you out at home?”

“My team will help out if I need any,” AJ stated confidently.

“You will.  You’ll be sore for a while, but you’ll be fine in the long run.  I think you have another visitor.”

“Papa!”

Two days later, on Monday, Francesca drove AJ home with Mac and Harm following in his car.  After AJ got settled, Mac and Harm left him in the care of his daughter.  Harm drove Mac back to her place and surprised her by parking the car and getting out himself. 

"Mac, I want to talk to you.  I'll even buy dinner."  Mac looked at him and knew that she couldn't get out of this, even if she wanted to.  She led the way to her apartment and within an hour they had finished their pizza and Mac knew it was time to talk. 

"Webb told me that it was all a plot to get me.  Brumby set up everything so he could kill you and probably Webb.  He figured that if you were dead I would run back to him for comfort.  He obviously didn't plan on the Admiral."

"Mac," Harm said soothingly.

"I thought I loved him, Harm.  I trusted him and he betrayed that trust."

"Mac, it wasn't your fault.  Brumby was sick.  It seems that you broke it off with him the same night I broke it off with Renee.  Somehow he found out so he put two and two together and got five."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked not knowing that he split up with Renee.

He shrugged and said, "There just really wasn't any time.  The next day we heard about his mother's accident and then I started getting the phone calls."

"What phone calls?"

"He was threatening me, so I would leave you alone."

"Oh, Harm.  I honestly don't know what I would do if I lost you."  She looked up at him and he pulled her into his arms and held her.  "You're the best friend I've ever had."

"I know, Mac.  You too."  She heard the sadness in his voice but didn't quite understand it.  He squeezed her tight before pulling away and said, "Well, I had better take off.  We'll have a busy day at the office tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Harm," she said as he walked to the door.

"Good night, Ninja Girl."

For the next few days, Mac tried to keep JAG headquarters in line as Francesca hovered over her father constantly.  AJ tolerated it for a while but soon tired of being fussed over.  He tried to talk to her and convince her that he would survive for a while without her there.  She finally agreed to go run some errands but promised that she wouldn't be long but before she left about an hour later after she made a few phone calls. 

"Papa.  I'm leaving now.  If you need anything call me."

He smiled down at his daughter and said indulgently, "Yes, dear."  

"I'm sorry, Papa.  I lost you when I was a little girl and I don't want to lose you again."

"You won't Francesca."  She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then turned to leave.

AJ went into his room and took of his shirt that had been irritating his wound.  He was thinking about what Francesca and Mac had both said about losing him.  He walked back out into the living room planning on watching a movie when he looked up and saw a stunned Mac standing there. 

Mac gasped as she saw his new scar and the remaining bruise covering much of his chest.  She knew that the bruise had to have been a lot worse a few days ago. Mac averted her eyes as he turned and went to get a shirt. 

“I’m sorry, sir.  Francesca asked me to stop over,” she said as he walked back into the room.

“That’s okay, Mac.  She’s being a bit over protective.”

“I don’t blame her.  She almost lost her father.”

“I know.  That’s why I’m humoring her,” he said as he sat down in his chair.

Mac smiled at him but her smile faded as she saw him struggle to get comfortable.  “Can I get you anything, sir?”

“You aren’t going to try to baby me too, are you?” he grumbled.

“No, sir.  I was just thinking that since I am still standing.”

He looked at her for a moment before he spoke again, “Actually, I meant to get my medicine but it’s in the kitchen.  Do you mind?”

“Not at all, sir.”  Mac turned to the kitchen and soon returned with two glasses of water and a bottle of pills.  She set one glass and the pills on the end table next to him and her glass on the coffee table.  While he was taking his pills she asked, "Where are you glasses, sir?"

"My glasses?"  She nodded.  "On my nightstand."  She slipped out of the room and soon returned with them.  She handed them to him and before he could ask she also handed him some of the files that she pulled out of her briefcase.

“What do you have there?” he asked trying not to be hopeful.

“Some things I wanted to go over with you.  I’m trying to keep everything going until you come back but I did have some questions.”

He knew why she had brought the work.  He knew that she could handle anything on his desk and be able to do it well.  She simply brought him something to do.  He was touched.  He didn't say anything as they got to work.

She noticed him scratching his chest a lot and she finally broke the silence to ask him if he was okay.  When he realized that he was scratching yet again, he got a bit embarrassed but he didn't tell her right away.   When she decided that he wasn't going to answer her he finally said, “They shaved my chest.  It’s itching like mad.”  Mac looked at him in surprise.  “Go ahead and laugh.  I know you want to, Mac.”

“No, sir.  I actually thought it was the incision that was bothering you.  I know my arm has been itching.”  She tried to say that with a straight face but he still managed to see the smile hiding there.

“Sure,” he said wryly. 

“I’m serious.”  He just raised one eyebrow.  She couldn’t resist the small laugh that escaped.  He had to laugh along with her but it hurt to laugh.  After their laughter died down and they got back to work, Mac said, “It could be worse, sir.”

“How?”

“I had a college friend who got married and she told me later that the groomsmen held down the groom and shaved out a heart from his chest hair.”  He looked at her in disbelief.  “I’m serious.  The guy said he even had to finish it himself because he was afraid he was going to loose a nipple.”  Once she realized what she had said she dropped her eyes from his.  AJ just sat there for a moment smiling at her discomfort.  He shook his head in amusement then got back to work, not realizing that he was still itching.

They worked for a few more hours in silence before Mac gathered up the papers and put them back into her briefcase.  AJ looked at her in confusion, “Francesca said she would be back by 2100 hours, sir.” 

AJ looked at his watch and saw that it was 2055.  It still amazed him that she could tell time without a clock.  Mac got up and refilled his water and no more than two minutes later Francesca pulled into the driveway. 

“So are you going to bring me more work tomorrow?” AJ asked just before Francesca walked into the door. 

The two women talked for a few moments before Mac said that she had to get home. 

On her way out the door Mac stopped and said, “See you tomorrow, Admiral.”  He just nodded and knew that he wouldn’t be wasting any more of his time. 

To Part 4

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