****
From Adrift 1
Written by Dana Coen
"Mac, if you need me there to make it work for you, maybe you should reconsider who you’re marrying."
**
"Not exactly the kind of behavior you’d expect from your best friend."
"I thought I was your best friend."
**
"You know Harm, flying comes before everything."
**
"But, sir, with those conditions they could be anywhere."
**
"They found Skates, they’ll find Harm, too."
**
And now, Adrift part 2
Mic stood with his hand on Mac’s shoulder. "It’s going to be all right. Come on out."
"Mic, I really just want to be alone right now."
Mic looked at her once more before turning to walk away. Mac turned back to the window, watching the rain. Wondering how Harm was out there lost.
**
Scene of Harm splashing around in the water.
**
Harriet stood with her hand on Renee’s shoulder. "He’s been in worse situations than this before."
"Do you know what the water temperature is?"
Harriet looked at her, startled, that was something she hadn’t heard Admiral Chegwidden and Gunny discussing.
"I don’t know. Pretty cold."
"Do flight suits have much insulation?"
"Renee, he’ll be fine." Harriet tried to reassure her.
"I’m glad you’re so confident. You know, he opened up to me, it was only a crack, but he still shared more with me than he has in the past."
"Lieutenant," Chegwidden called, walking across the room. "We’re going to go back to JAG, we can monitor things better from there."
"I need to go home, I told the sitter I’d be home by eleven. Renee, why don’t you come with me. There isn’t anything we can do there besides worry."
"We can do that just as easily anywhere else. We should probably bring Chloe, also."
**
Another scene of Harm splashing around in the water. Shot of the rescue helicopter circling over head again.
**
JAG Headquarters
Mac, Bud and Admiral Chegwidden sat in the conference room, listening to the rescue on speakerphone. Mac lowered her head only raising it when she heard the crackling over the radio.
"We’ve got him."
**
Scene of Harm being rescued from the ocean.
**
She smiled for the first time in several hours. Mic walked in the room then, with a fresh pot of coffee. He looked at Mac and knew that Harm was safe, finally.
"We’re taking him directly to Bethesda." They heard again over the radio.
**
Bad Pearl Harbor references, edited in over the summer.
**
Mac’s Apartment
Mic stood in the living room, waiting for Mac to finish changing. She came out of the bedroom dressed in a pull over and a pair of jeans, much more comfortable than her suit for the rehearsal dinner. Mic held her coat out to her and started toward the door.
"Mic, I think you should stay here."
"But, Sarah..."
"You and Harm aren’t exactly best friends, it will be better."
"But I want to be there for you."
"I’ll have Bud and the Admiral. I’ll be fine."
"Sarah, don’t shut me out." He reached out to touch her face with his hand. She flinched, remembering earlier times when Harm did the same.
"Mic, please."
"Fine. I’ll be at my place when you get home."
"I’m not leaving until I know Harm is going to be okay. I guess we are going to have to postpone the wedding."
"Postpone or cancel?" Mic asked, trying, but failing to hide the hurt in his voice.
Mac looked at him. Mic looked at the floor. "This isn’t going to work, Sarah."
"What?" she questioned, puzzled.
"You and I."
"You’re just now coming to this conclusion?" She didn’t mean to sound sarcastic and bitter.
"I’m just now accepting what I’ve always known, yet didn’t want to admit. You and Rabb have more between you than either of you will ever recognize. I won’t compete with that anymore."
He kissed her on the cheek and walked out the door.
**
Naval Hospital
Bethesda, MD
Chegwidden and Bud watched as the wheeled Harm in on a gurney. He looked alive to them, not like they were trained in that department though.
Tiner and Gunny entered from the other side of the waiting room. "I couldn’t get a hold of his mother, sir," Tiner said.
"It’s probably better that way." The other three men looked at Bud in confusion.
"He doesn’t like to worry her. He would probably be mad if she found out before we knew how bad it was."
Mac walked in then, followed by Renee and Harriet.
"I left Chloe with AJ."
"That might not have been the smartest move. " Bud tried to laugh.
"I was baby sitting by myself when I was twelve, before the advent of cell phones and pagers. She’s much more adult than we give her credit for."
Renee looked at Bud, almost perturbed. "Is there any word?"
"They are with him now."
**
It was several hours later before the doctor came out.
"Admiral," he said, looking at Chegwidden. "I have good news and bad news."
Renee gasped and Mac grabbed her hand. Harriet held on to the other one.
"He has two broken ribs and a concussion."
"Is that the good news or bad news?" Bud asked.
"That’s the good news. The bad news is his temperature was down for longer than we like. He’s unconscious."
"A coma?" Mac queried.
"I don’t want to call it that yet."
"When will you call it that?" Renee asked.
"In about twenty four hours. Right now his body needs to recuperate. We are moving him to a private room and in about an hour you can see him. Who is the closest family?"
"His mother lives in California, and we haven’t been able to get in touch with her."
"I would keep trying." The doctor turned and walked away.
**
An hour later
Chegwidden turned to Gunny and Tiner, "I need one of you to go to Dulles to pick up Harm’s mom in about two hours."
Gunny and Tiner looked at one another. "Sir," Tiner started, "I don’t know the commander’s mother."
"I’ll go," Renee offered.
"No, you should be here," Mac said.
"I’m going to go in and see him in a few minutes and then I really need to get out of here for a while. I’m not any good with any of this fretting and worrying stuff."
"I don’t think any of us are. Why don’t you let me drive you at least." Harriet offered.
"Harriet, you’ve been my chauffer all night, I’ll be okay."
"It’s okay, it gives me something to do."
The nurse walked out just then. "If you’re here for Commander Rabb, one of you can go in now."
Harriet and Mac motioned for Renee to go in.
Renee opened the door and walked into the sterile room. She flinched when she saw him, hooked up to various machines.
Sitting down in the chair beside his bed, she took his hand and just held it for a while. After a bit, tears started to trickle down her face.
"I love you. You know that, right?" she asked through the tears. "I’ll be here when you wake up, if you want me, that is. Listen to me, I’m getting mushy. Mac’s here, I think she’s coming in next. Harriet and I are going to go get your mom. I’m not the one who called her, so if you want to get mad at someone get mad at your commanding officer."
She smiled then, her first real one in hours.
"When you get out of here, I think we need to have a serious talk."
She sat there for a few more minutes. Then she rose, kissed him gently on the forehead and walked out the door.
**
A few hours later, Harriet and Renee walked back into the waiting room, Trish several steps in front of them. Harriet introduced her to everyone, including the just arrived Mic.
"Funny, you don’t look like a kangaroo on heroin."
"Well, I’m not going to ask where you got that impression." Mic laughed.
"Where’s Mac?" Renee asked.
Mic looked at her as if to say, "where do you think she is?" Instead of speaking he cocked his head, motioning toward Harm’s room.
Trish walked past the group and into her son’s room. She was only semi startled by the sight of Mac grasping his hand between hers with her head on his chest.
"Has there been any change?"
"No," she said, hiding her sobs.
"He’s strong, he’ll make it."
"What if he thinks he doesn’t have anything to come back for?"
"Well, if he does, then he’s a fool. He has friends that care, you, Renee."
"It’s my fault he’s here. I threw a fit when he told me his quals were today. I wanted him at the wedding."
"He wanted to be there. Besides, did you tamper with his plane?"
Mac shook her head no.
"Did you conjure up some spell to create the storm?"
Mac shook her head no again, this time laughing.
"Then it’s not your fault. Harm is a big boy, quite capable of making his own idiotic decisions. So unless you held a gun to his head and forced him to be here, then it’s his own fault."
They turned at the same time to see Skates standing in the door.
"How is he?" She asked.
"Same as before. Lt. Hawkes, you know Harm’s mom?"
"Only from Harm. So no, I probably don’t." Mac started to say something, only to be stopped by the gentle but firm squeeze on her hand.
"Harm!" She turned around, and they saw his eyes try to flutter open.
"I’ll go get the doctor." Skates rushed out of the room.
**
The next morning, Harm was on the road to recovery. Mac and Mic were having breakfast on what was to be their wedding day.
"Sarah, I’m going back to Australia. I want you to come with me."
"Mic..."
"I know, you can’t. You have a job here and all that. If you want us to work, you’ll come with me."
"Mic, that isn’t fair."
"No, I guess it isn’t. But life isn’t all roses and sunshine. I’ve learned that. Because you don’t want us to work. As long as everything was on your terms, it was okay."
Mac opened her mouth to protest, but Mic stopped her.
"Sarah, I’m not saying this to be rude or hurtful. It’s true. It may not have been a conscious decision on your part, but I was always second choice to Harm."
"So, is this where we say good bye?"
"I think so, before anyone gets hurt any more."
"Mic, I’ll always care about you."
"And I’ll always love you."
**
Meanwhile, in Harm’s hospital room, he was apologizing to Skates and her fiancee.
"Harm, shut up. I told you it was okay. I don’t hate you. Mac might hate you for messing with her wedding plans."
Harm looked at her, not answering her.
Renee knocked on the door then, carrying a bag.
"I brought you some stuff from home. You’re mom said she’d be by in about an hour."
"I think that’s our cue to leave, Peter. Harm, I’m serious, I don’t blame you."
"I just hope the Navy doesn’t blame me for losing another forty million dollar airplane."
"We’ll cross that road if and when we get there." Skates saluted him, and turned to leave the room.
"So, what did you bring me?" Harm grinned at her.
"Just some stuff to make this a little more like home."
"Are you all right?" He asked.
"I’m fine. Just a little less deluded than what I was."
"Renee..."
"Harm, don’t, just let me get through this with some dignity."
"I told you, I want you in my life."
"Your life, yes, but what about your heart?"
"Isn’t it the same thing?"
"No. You and Mac have something between you that no one else is ever going to break. I just hope Mic has realized the same thing, for his own sake."
"Can we still be friends?"
"Not now, it still hurts too much. Maybe things will be different in a few months, then maybe we can."
She kissed him gently on the lips, then turned and walked out of the room.
**
Later that afternoon, Harm and Trish sat talking about the night’s events. He apologized for worrying her and tearing her away from a party.
Mac walked in, a bag from the bookstore in hand.
"Thought you might be bored after we’re all gone."
"So, Mac, have you rescheduled the wedding?" Trish asked. Harm focused his eyes on her now barren left hand. He then turned his gaze, locking with hers while she spoke the next sentence.
"No, Mic’s gone back to Australia. Alone."
**
THE END