Part 4 of 4

Disclaimers in part 1

The following morning

Harm rolled out of bed early that morning. He wanted to talk to Mac privately about his engagement. He suspected that she felt betrayed by him not telling her how serious he was about Francesca. He also wondered about her reaction to the Admiral’s retirement. He walked in the living room but she wasn’t on the couch. He went into the kitchen but he still couldn’t find her. Finally he went back to his room and woke Francesca, "Honey, I can’t find Mac."

"Go ask Papa," she mumbled as she pulled the blankets over her head.

He walked to AJ’s door and quietly opened it. The admiral had the blankets pulled over his head. He whispered "Sir." No answer so he spoke louder "Sir."

He heard a groaned "What?" so he continued.

"Sir. I can’t find Mac."

The blankets flipped back revealing a half-asleep Mac. "Go away." She then curled back up to AJ and pulled the blankets back over her head.

"Mac?" asked a stunned Harm. ‘Why was she in the Admiral’s bed? She is practically engaged to Bugme,’ Harm thought to himself.

Realizing that Harm was still there Mac flipped back the covers and threw her pillow at him. "Go away, Flyboy," she said firmly, but with a smile on her face.

AJ leaned down and kissed her temple and said, "Shut the door on the way out Rabb." Not sure exactly what he should do, he did as ordered.

He went back to bed and pulled Francesca to him. "Did you find Mac?"

"Yeah. In your father’s bed." She smiled at the shock on his face.

"Good. I was hoping that would happen."

"What?" He looked even more surprised now.

"I suspected there was something between them."

"How long did you suspect?"

"Since I met her."

"What about Brumby?"

"She told him no."

"When? She didn’t say anything about it."

"The other night. Now go back to sleep. Unless you have something else on your mind," she said as her hands slid beneath the covers. His shocked looked was quickly replaced by a look of desire.

AJ’s Room

"Well Sarah, I think we shocked him."

"Good. You know it’s kind of fun seeing him speechless," she smiled up at him.

"Too bad it doesn’t happen too often."

Later that Day

AJ’s Room

"AJ, the lights are back on."

"Let me check the roads then do you want me to run you home?"

"Not really."

"How about I drive you home, you get some more clothes and you come back here?"

"Sounds good. I guess you’ll have to go in tomorrow and break the news to everyone."

"No I’m calling in sick."

"Wonder if they will get suspicious when I call in sick too." He kissed her and smiled.

"I’ll drive you in on Tuesday and we can let them know then. The SECNAV promised that I could break the news to everyone. Wonder if I can keep Rabb quiet about it?"

"I have a feeling he’ll be calling in sick tomorrow too."

"Won’t the rumor mill just love that?"

"I think we need to tell Bud and Harriet privately though."

"Good idea, Sarah."

Tuesday morning Mac and AJ showed up to work at the same time a few minutes late. They found most of the people in the bullpen speculating what had happened over the weekend to cause the Admiral and his two top lawyers to call in sick. Tiner suggested, "I bet Mr. Webb is involved somehow." Everyone nodded then Tiner looked up and saw the Admiral walk into the bullpen. "Attention on deck!" Everyone jumped to attention, embarrassed to be caught gossiping.

"At ease." No one even noticed that the Admiral was in civilian attire before he gave his next order. "Lt. Roberts, Simms. My office now. Tiner find Rabb and send him in."

Everyone jumped to do his bidding. AJ and Mac walked into the office as AJ slammed the door. "You know I think I might miss terrifying everyone." Just then Bud and Harriet walked in. "Especially him," he chuckled.

Mac smiled. AJ offered the couple the chairs close to the desk. "Go ahead, Mac."

"Well I have some news. I’m not going to marry Mic." She laughed at the confused look on Bud’s face and the happy look on Harriet’s. "I told him on Friday. You two certainly missed a lot by missing the party."

"What else did we miss?" asked Bud.

AJ spoke no reason to put off telling them. "There is some more news that I thought I would let you in on before everyone else." At their questioning look he continued, "I am retiring. Actually, I already did retire. Effective on Saturday."

"But why, sir?" asked Harriet as Harm walked into the office.

"Tell them, Rabb."

"I’m getting married," he said with his flyboy smile. Harriet looked up at Mac who was smiling at the Admiral.

"To who, sir?" said Bud at the same time Harriet asked,

"What does this have to do with the Admiral retiring?"

"Because it’s Francesca."

"Oh sir congratulations!" cried Harriet as she gave him a hug. Bud shook his hand.

"That’s very sweet of you, sir, to retire for your daughter," said Harriet.

"I have other reasons too. Some of the benefits of civilian life are great." He smiled and glanced at Mac.

"Like what sir?"

"Dating anyone I want to," he said as he reached his hand out to Mac. She took it with a smile and walked to his side.

Harm smiled warmly at them as Bud and Harriet tried to find their voices.

"Anything else we missed, ma’am?" asked a smiling Harriet. Mac just raised one eyebrow and smiled.

Harriet’s eyes jumped to Mac’s left hand and saw a ring. It wasn’t Mic’s. "Ma’am?"

Knowing what Harriet had just seen, AJ stood up and said, "You all should get back to work. Harriet stay here."

He followed Bud and Harm out of the office as Mac asked Harriet a question. "So do you think you can be my matron of honor?"

"Of course." She gave her a big hug.

Just outside the admiral’s office. No one noticed Clayton Webb walk in.

"Think you can get along ok with your new father-in-law, sir," asked Bud jokingly.

"Yeah, I think that will be okay." He smiled his Flyboy smile.

"How about your new mother-in-law?" asked AJ.

"Marcella?" Harm asked a bit confused.

"No." He just looked at Harm waiting for him to figure it out.

Harm looked confused, as did Bud, AJ just smiled. Finally Harm seemed to figure it out.

"MAC!" Harm bellowed, catching everyone’s attention.

Mac and Harriet came rushing out of AJ’s office, "What?" She saw the look on Harm’s face, and she looked at AJ. "You told him?" AJ nodded. She looked back at a speechless Harm.

"Mac?" he asked quietly.

She nodded and said quietly, "I love him." She gasped as he pulled her to him in a bear hug and spun her around. The entire office was watching and totally confused.

"May I ask what is going on? And why aren’t you in uniform, AJ?" They all noticed Webb for the first time.

"I retired, Webb."

"And you don’t mind that they are celebrating this fact?" he asked with great sarcasm.

"They have their own reasons to be celebrating. Tell them," AJ said to Mac and Harm, both of whom caught the look in the Admiral’s eyes.

At the same time, Harm and Mac said, "I’m getting married."

"What? To each other?" he asked incredulously.

"No. I wouldn’t want to marry Harm."

"Yeah, that would be like marrying my sister."

They smiled at the total confusion in the office. Mac stepped out of Harm’s embrace and stood next to AJ.

"I’m marrying Francesca." Harm paused to let that sink in.

"You’re going to marry Bugme?" asked a startled Webb.

"Why does everyone always have to call him ‘Bugme?’ He’s not that bad," Mac almost laughed as Clay’s jaw dropped. "No Clay, I’m not," Mac said indulgently. Webb was now even more confused.

"Will someone tell me who the Hell she’s marrying?!" Webb’s voice fell to a deadly calm.

AJ smiled, "Me," he said simply as stepped up close behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. He missed Webb’s stunned look as he looked down at Mac still surprised that she told him yes.

Webb stopped, momentarily stunned, then said, "Congratulations, Mac." He reached out and shook AJ’s hand then bravely kissed Mac on the cheek. AJ glared at him but knew that Mac would hurt him worse if she wanted to.

Epilogue

Several months after the weddings, both of them, Francesca gave her father a surprise party to celebrate his new law office he had just opened. He opened the gifts that his friends had brought before he opened the gift Francesca gave him. It is a photo album titled Grandpa’s Brag Book. AJ was stunned he’s going to be a grandfather. "When?"

"In about six months, Papa. We thought we would wait till today to surprise you." AJ was thrilled, Mac started to laugh. Everyone was wondering why Mac thought it was so funny.

"Here open my gift next, AJ." He was confused by her laughter until he opened her gift. It was also a photo album but this one said, ‘Daddy’s Brag Book.’

He looked at her and asked, "Sarah?" She nodded as she stood up. He also stood up and reached out to pull her into a giant hug. Harm, confused, looked down to see the gift, which he showed to his wife. They both smiled then gently kissed.

The End

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