Title: Happily Ever JAG

Author: Kimberly Knipp

Email: MCK8686@aol.com

Rating: G

Spoilers: None

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What was she doing walking in a forest in an evening gown and high heels? And speaking of forests, where the heck was she? There was no discernable path for her to follow but she kept going anyway, carefully picking her way through the trees and heavy undergrowth. After awhile, she came to a clearing and there sat a charming little gingerbread style house.

Cautiously, she turned the doorknob and went in. It was still and quiet inside. And a terrible mess! The place looked like a tornado had ripped through it. She walked into the large one room house and looked around. Dishes were piled high in the sink and overflowing onto the counters. The wooden table that was long and narrow was low to the ground and there were seven little chairs. It was also covered with dirty dishes.

{Goodness, Mac thought. It looks like children live here. Or midgets, she thought wryly.}

There was a brush against her skirt and she looked down to the see the rabbits that had come through the forest with her. On her other side, a pretty little doe stood, looking up at Mac with liquid brown eyes.

"Yes, I know. It’s very messy in here, isn’t it?" she murmured to them. "What do you say we get this place whipped into shape?" she smiled, rubbing her hands together.

In short order, she was wearing a towel wrapped around her waist with her hands into a sink full of soapy water up to her elbows. Glancing over her shoulder, she watched the tiny animals from the forest working on sweeping the floors and gathering up the dirty clothes that hung from every available spot.

"A dream is a wish your heart makes," she started to sing. Then she stopped and shook her head, laughing at herself. "Oops, wrong fairy tale."

The little bluebird sitting on the water faucet chirped in agreement. She laughed again and nodded. "Let’s try again, shall we? I don’t know if this is the right place in the story but I think this is the right song.

Some day my prince will come…

She broke off and straightened up, her face pensive. The bluebird looked at her, waiting to join in on the harmony. Mac lifted her hands out of the water and planted them on her hips. Frustrated, she blew a strand of hair out of her face.

"I don’t know the words to that song!" she stated in consternation.

She stood there for a moment longer and then shrugged and stuck her hands back in the water. "Okay, you were in the other story, right? So you know how this song goes. We’ll just improvise and do this my way."

A dream is a wish your heart makes,

When you’re fast asleep,

In dreams you will lose your heartaches,

Whatever you wish for you keep….

Have faith in your dreams and someday,

Your rainbow will come shining through,

No matter how your heart is grieving,

If you keep on believing,

The dream that you wish will come true.

La da da da dah, da dum dum,

La da da da dee…

Hmmm, hmmm, mmmm

Hmmmm, mmmmm mmm-mmmmm…

She spun away from the sink and started drying the small dishes, swaying to the music as the birds chirped along with her humming.

No matter how your heart is grieving,

If you keep on believing,

The dream that you wish….

Will come true….

Finished with the lower level, Mac made her way up the stairs to the bedroom. There were seven little beds all lined up in a row. Mac walked over and ran her fingers over one of the little patchwork quilts. She was so tired all of a sudden. Gingerly, she lay down across the beds. She would just rest for a few minutes. Before whoever lived in the house came…. She was asleep before the thought was finished.

"All right, folks. Let’s pack it up for the day."

The oldest and wisest of the dwarfs, Gruff but Really Caring, clapped his hands to get the attention of his family and coworkers.

"Thank God," Bumbling and Awkward muttered.

"Shh... no complaining," Gentle and Sweet scolded, her eyes kind.

"Let’s just get home, mates. I’m hungry and tired," Ego is Me stated heartily, gathering his things up.

They fell into a line and started up the trail through the forest from the diamond mine to the cottage.

"Heigh Ho!" Gruff but Really Caring called.

"Heigh Ho!" The others answered in synch.

Heigh Ho, heigh ho, it’s off to home we go…

When the tired dwarfs reached their little cottage in the woods, they were stunned into a stop when they saw the inside.

"Someone has been here!" Meddlesome Spook exclaimed.

"I wonder if they’re still here?" Young and Cute piped up, looking fearfully between the older dwarfs.

"Sir, do you think we should spread out and search?" Assistant to the Staff asked.

Gruff but Really Caring shook his balding head. "No, we’ll stay together. Let’s go upstairs."

Carefully, the seven of them mounted the stone staircase. Holding his candle high, Gruff but Really Caring peeked over the edge of the second floor. He couldn’t see anything but their beds. They moved up into the room, huddled together.

"Quiet in the ranks!" Gruff but Really Caring hissed. "Who’s making that rattling sound?"

"It’s my knees, sir," Bumbling and Awkward whispered.

"Well, be quiet!" The leader ordered.

"Yes, sir," the young dwarf answered, reaching down to hang onto his quaking knees.

Suddenly, they heard a noise. There! Coming from the bed was a sighing sound. They looked over – all of their knees shaking now. A figure in white arose from the bed, sighing and shifting, it’s great white arms rising over its head.

"Hide!" Meddlesome Spook yelled, running behind the dresser.

The others scatter just as quickly. Some behind chairs, others behind the curtains, a couple behind the headboards of the beds.

"It’s a ghost!" Young and Sweet claimed. "It’s all white and moaning!"

"Oh, no, it’s gonna gets us all, mates," Ego is Me moaned.

"Shut up!" Gruff but Really Caring snapped.

The shape on the bed was moving now, swaying form side to side, waving its arms around. Slowly, it rose from the bed. And then… they all gasped as the white fell away.

"It’s a girl!" Meddlesome Spook cried, standing up quickly. "Ouch," he cried, rubbing his head where he bumped it on an open drawer.

"Oh!" Mac exclaimed. "Why, where did all of you come from?" she asked, peering at each of them.

Several pairs of eyes sneaked looks at her from their hiding places.

"Come out, please. I won’t hurt you," she smiled warmly.

Slowly, seven little people came and gathered before her in a half circle.

"This is getting weirder by the minute," she sighed. "I already know all of you," she stated.

"You do?" Gentle and Sweet asked.

"At least I’m sure I do," Mac frowned. "You look just like Harriet only about half as tall. " She looked around at each of them. "And you, she pointed to Gruff but Really Caring. "You look just like the Admiral."

Gruff but Really Caring shifted and puffed out his chest. "Who’s the Admiral? I’m Gruff and Caring and this is my family. Over there’s Gentle and Sweet, beside her is Bumbling and Awkward, this is Young and Cute, that’s

Assistant to the Staff and Meddlesome Spook," he introduced, twisting his hat in his hands.

"Hey, what about me?" Ego is Me demanded.

"Yeah, there’s him, too," Gruff but Really Caring rolled his eyes.

"Where am I?" Mac asked. "And who are all of you? Do you live here?"

"This is our home. We work in the diamond mines all day. We’re the

seven dwarfs," Meddlesome Spook told her, moving closer to her skirt.

"I can’t believe this," Mac moaned, rubbing her forward. "I must be in the Twilight Zone!"

"What’s the Twilight Zone?" Young and Cute demanded. "Is that where you were going?

Mac just looked at the little girl. They all really did look like people she knew. The balding one with the gruff attitude, another that was apparently inept but kindhearted and the pretty one who clung to him that was gentle blonde. The other young, handsome one that appeared indifferent and the dark-haired one that demanded to be at the front of the attention. And the little girl who was adorable.

"You may stay with us," Gruff but Really Caring told her.

"Can you cook?" Ego is Me questioned, pushing his way closer to her.

"Some but I won’t live in the mess I found this place in. There’s gonna be some changes around here," she answered, folding her arms across her chest. "Starting with dinner. You seven go wash up while I fix something," she ordered.

"Wash up?" Bumbling and Awkward asked, confused.

"Yes. Out there in the water trough. Make sure you clean behind your ears and necks," Mac replied. "Now go!" she pointed toward the stairs.

Grudgingly, they did as she said, filing downstairs in a line.

A little while later, Mac had dinner on the table. They ate mostly in silence and she made them all help with the clean up. When they were all done, she turned to look at them.

"Now what do we do?" she asked.

Assistant to the Staff went over and sat down at the piano. He played a happy little tune. Soon, Bumbling and Awkward joined in on an accordion.

"May I have this dance?" Meddlesome Spook asked.

Mac laughed and took his hand. "Of course."

He swung her around the room, kicking his feet from side to side and turning her in circles. Young and Cute joined in, bouncing around excitedly and singing off key to the music. Soon they were all dancing and singing. Mac couldn’t remember when she’d had more fun.

Meanwhile… Back at the castle of the Queen.

"Finally! I’ve gotten rid of that troublesome girl. Now we’ll see who has the greatest beauty in all of my kingdom!"

The tall blonde pushed her long curly hair back out of her face and walked to the mirror hanging on the wall. Smiling at her reflection, she adjusted the neck of the flowing black gown she wore.

"Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?"

Fog swirled inside the mirror and then the face of her trusted advisor appeared. "Mac White, my Queen. Mac White is the fairest of them all."

"What?" Queen Twit screeched! "I sent the Woodsman to take care of her! I ordered him to!"

"The Woodsman was too swayed by her beauty and kindness. He could not cut out her heart. ‘Twas the heart of a pig he brought you, my Queen."

"Auuugghhh!" she screamed. "I will take care of Mac White myself! She will never be the fairest of them all!" The Queen ranted, tugging at handfuls of her hair.

Turning, she ran down the many halls and chambers of the castle. Down the stone steps to the very bottom, into her private chambers of magic and mystery. Grabbing a book from the shelf, she flipped it open and searched the list of spells. "Ahh…" she smiled evilly. "Just perfect. This potion promises eternal sleep. I shall take care of her once and for all!"

She walked over to her cauldron and began preparing the ingredients. "But how to get her to take the poison?" she wondered aloud. "A disguise is what I need. A disguise to prey upon her innocence and kindness."

Minutes later, she was chanting a spell into the stillness of the room. Thunder cracked overhead and the room began to swirl with fog, mists rising to encircle her.

"On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and…" The Queen stopped and looked back at the page in the book. "Oh, shoot, that’s the wrong story. Let’s see. Oh, yes, here’s the one I want. "

She went back to chanting and waving her arms around. "A shiny red apple she will see and with no thought to resist temptation, she will take a bite and fall to the floor in eternal sleep!"

Thunder boomed and a change began to take place. The long, black gown changed into an ugly, patched robe with a hood. The long, flowing locks of blonde became gray and snarled. The young, youthful beauty of the Queen slowly disappeared and in its place was the twisted, wrinkled face of an old crone. She laughed and her musical voice was now a hideous cackle. And in her hands was one, perfect, shiny red apple. The apple that would be the downfall of Mac White.

The next morning, Mac stood in the doorway of the cottage and waved as they dwarfs disappeared down the forest path. Sighing, she went back inside. They had some mending she had offered to take care of. At least it would fill up her time until she decided what to do with herself.

Sometime later, she heard the sounds of someone coming. There was a knock on the door and she went to answer it. There before her stood the ugliest old woman she’d ever seen.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"My child, there is a storm brewing. I wondered if I might seek shelter for these tired old bones until it passes," The hag greeted, her voice scraping over Mac’s nerves.

"I don’t see why not," Mac returned. "Please, come in." She could sense no harm in the old woman. She looked frail and tired.

The old woman shuffled past her. Overhead thunder rolled, as if to back up her words and a flash of lightning lit up the cottage. From outside the window, the forest animals that had been keeping Mac company gathered to see what was happening inside. They sensed something evil about this old woman. Something was wrong. Several of the tiny birds flew inside and swarmed around Mac’s head.

"Shoo! Go on with you now! Back outside. I have a visitor now," she waved them back outside and closed the window.

"I’m sorry," she smiled apologetically. "I don’t know what got into them."

"Thank you for allowing me to come in, my child." The old woman reached a gnarled hand out toward Mac’s face. "Such beauty. I must repay your kindness. I do not have much but please, you will take this shiny red apple of mine?"

From the window the animals were stirring up quite a ruckus. Talking between themselves, the little bluebirds that had sang with Mac ordered the deer to run very fast to the mines. They had to warn the dwarfs. Mac White was in danger! The deer were off in a flash, bounding through the trees. The birds turned back to the window. Mac was reaching for the apple the old woman held out to her.

"You don’t have to repay me," she was saying.

"Please, my dear. Humor an old woman who has little and no one to talk to. Your kindness has eased my way. Take this apple. It is fresh and young, like you, its insides sweet and crunchy. Take a bite. I can see that you were working. You must be hungry. Take a bite," she urged, almost reverently.

Mac rubbed her thumb over the skin of the apple. It was one of the most beautiful apples she’d ever seen.

At the diamond mines, the dwarfs were working hard. The deer and some of the birds barreled into the clearing. Two of the young bucks went into the mine and grabbed the suspenders on Gruff but Really Caring. He swatted angrily at them.

"Go away! Can’t you see we’re working? Go on with you now before I make you dinner!"

Persistently, they kept tugging at him, pulling him toward the door. Overhead, the birds chirped all at once, making gestures. They tugged the dwarfs in the direction of the cottage.

"Something must be wrong!" Meddlesome Spook yelled.

"Hurry! Back to the cottage! Mac White must be in trouble!" Gruff but Really Caring ordered.

They dropped their tools and took off running through the trees. They just had to get there in time. They just had to.

"Thank you for the apple. You know, I am a little hungry. This would tide me over until dinner," Mac told the old woman.

"Yes, dear," The old woman had a feral look in her eyes.

at the old woman as she swallowed and realized in that instant something was wrong. Then she collapsed on the floor.
"I’ve done it! I’ve done it!" The Queen shrieked.

She raced outside and ran into a flock of angry birds. Around her feet rabbits and squirrels milled around, nearly tripping her. As she was trying to shoo them away, she heard the voices of the dwarfs and they burst into the clearing. They got their first look of the old hag.

"There she is! Get her!" Meddlesome Spook cried.

The seven of them came at her. She turned and fled the clearing, racing through the trees as fast her brittle old bones would allow. The dwarfs were hot on her heels. Up through the forest they went, higher and higher, climbing into the hills. Thunder and lightning crashed all around them, the rain coming down in sheets. The old woman ran and ran and found herself on a cliff. There was no where left for her to go. The dwarfs came charging up behind her. The old woman backed up. Out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning struck the ledge she was standing on. The ground crumbled and gave away and the old woman was plunged over the cliff. Her cries mixed with the thunder until they were no more.

Back at the cottage, the dwarfs raced inside to find Mac sprawled on the floor in the Queen’s eternal sleep. Brokenhearted, they straightened her out and covered her with a blanket. As soon as the rain stopped, they built a beautiful box for her. It gleamed gold in the sunlight and the top was glass so that they may always look upon her.

Many days and nights passed them by. The dwarfs could only remain at her side, too disheartened to do anything but mourn for their beloved Mac White. Summer came and went and winter, with all its glorious white snow and then spring with all the new flowers and green grass and the newborn forest animals. And through it all they waited and hoped that someday they might find the way to awaken her.

The young man on the horse was thoroughly bored. Prince Harm couldn’t find anything that interested him lately. The King was after him to get married. None of the girls in the kingdom could spark his attention. There had been only one, but that had been a long time ago and far away. But she had been so lovely. With dark hair and warm, bottomless brown eyes. Her voice had been magical. He’d gone back to that castle to look for her for several days after that but he never saw her again. And it saddened him. For he’d fallen instantly in love with the beautiful young woman.

Somewhere up ahead, he heard the sound of low singing and crying. Frowning, he spurred his horse forward. There in the clearing was a gold coffin and surrounding it were seven little dwarfs who cried with shattered hearts. They watched him but didn’t say a word as he slid from his horse. He cut a very commanding presence in his dress uniform. He walked to the box and gazed inside. His gasp was loud in the stillness of the forest. It was her! His girl from that castle so many days ago. She was every bit as lovely as he remembered. She looked so peaceful there.

"What happened to her?" he asked the dwarfs.

"The evil Queen tricked her, my Lord. She rests in eternal sleep. We built this resting place for her so that we may stay with her always," Gruff but Really Caring explained, his voice heavy with sadness.

Prince Harm stepped up to the side of the coffin and lifted the glass. Leaning over, his touched his fingertips to Mac’s face, feeling the smoothness of her skin. His heart was heavy with sorrow for he would never know the love of the fair maiden. Closing the last of the distance, he pressed his lips to hers. No sooner did he start to pull back when her eyes blinked open and met his. Stunned, all he could was stare for a moment. She smiled and he blinked, sure he was imagining things.

"You sure know how to wake a girl up."

Her voice was as low and smooth as he remembered. He laughed aloud, startling the dwarfs. Grasping her hands tightly, he pulled her into a sitting position.
"Look! The Prince woke her up!"

"She’s lives!"

"Oh, he has given our Mac White back to us!"

They were all talking at once, crowding around Prince Harm to get closer to her. Mac laughed as the handsome man she’d met out in the courtyard so long ago lifted her out of the box, hugging her close to him. She moved away from him and bent to kiss each of the dwarfs. Then she turned back to Prince Harm. Smiling, he bent to kiss her again, so thrilled to have her with him.

Waving at the dwarfs, she gripped his hand tightly as he led her back to his horse. She mounted first, sitting sidesaddle because of her dress. He climbed up behind her and drew her against him. She smiled lovingly at him and then waved to the dwarfs – dear friends who had taken such good care of her. Far in the distance she knew there was a kingdom she would someday rule with the man. The Prince who had…

"Mac!" Oh my God, Mac!" Harm cried, rushing over to her prone figure.

After looking for her for hours, Bud had finally told him he remembered her saying something about going down to storage. That was early morning and now it was after lunch. Wondering what could be taking her so long, Harm finally went in search of his partner. And he found her sprawled on the floor next to an over turned stepladder.

Kneeling beside her, Harm felt for her pulse. It was steady and he didn’t see any signs of blood. Carefully, he slid his hands beneath her and lifted her up against his upraised knee.

"Commander Rabb! What happened here?"

Harm heard several pairs of footsteps and a second later, the Admiral, Bud, Harriet and (ugh) Brumpy, were surrounding him.

"I found her like this on the floor. It looks like she fell off the ladder," Harm answered. He patted her cheek lightly to bring her around. "Mac? Can you hear me? Mac?"

She groaned softly and her lashes fluttered. A moment later she was looking at him, her gaze not quite focused. "Harm?"

Harm chuckled softly in relief. She knew who he was. That was a good sign. "You gave me quite a scare when I saw you on the floor," he reprimanded softly, the slight quiver in his voice belying the words.

"I was trying to get a box," she murmured, touching her forehead. "I lost my balance, I guess." She looked around at each of them and then the room, confused. Then she looked up at Harm.

"What’s wrong?" he asked. "Are you in pain?"

She had such a strange expression on her face. "I had the weirdest…" her voice broke off and she shook her head. "Never mind, you’ll think I’m crazy for sure," she told them.

"What are you talking about, Major?" A.J. demanded calmly.

"I guess I was dreaming while I was unconscious," she muttered. "It was the strangest thing but it felt so real," she tried to explain.

"What happened?" Harriet asked.

"If I didn’t know better, I would say I was trapped in Disney’s version of Snow White," she replied, almost inaudibly. "You were all there. And so were Jordan and Webb and Chloe. I was Snow White and Harm was the Prince and all of you and Webb and Chloe were the dwarfs. Jordan was the wicked Queen…" Mac’s voice trailed off when she caught the looks on their faces, feeling her face burning with embarrassment.

"Sounds like you had quite an adventure, Major," The Admiral smiled slightly. "Commander, I want you to take Major MacKenzie home and see to it that she rests for the remainder of the day."

"Aye, aye, sir," Harm answered.

"But, Admiral," Mac started.

"That’s all, Major. All of you get back to work now. Major, Commander, I’ll see you both tomorrow."

The small group dispersed, leaving the two together. Supporting her with his arms, Harm rose to his feet, pulling her up with him. She swayed unsteadily for a moment, her hands curling into the lapels of his jacket.

"Whoa, there, Mac. Stand still for a moment," he murmured, taking advantage of the moment to hold her a little longer.

Mac looked up at him. "I’m so embarrassed. I shouldn’t have said anything," she whispered, dropping her head down against his chest to hide her red face.

Harm chuckled softly and pressed a kiss to her head. "Don’t worry about it. They’ll forget you ever said anything."

Mac looked back up at him and smiled tremulously.

Harm reached out and touched a finger to her cheek.

"The Prince, huh?" he teased.

She nodded mutely.

"That’s a dream for us I wouldn’t mind seeing a reality," he stated just before his lips met hers.

The End