Title: "From Here..."
Rating: PG-13 at the most
Disclaimer: We all know they don't belong to me.
Notes: Special thanks to Lisa for the beta read, Cathleen for the wonderful graphics, Bree for hosting the Virtual
Season web site (http://www.wtv-zone.com/trgarchive/vs/season5/season5beta.html), and Jen for coming up with the VS so many
years ago. It's been a pleasure working with you guys again, as well as all of the other talented writers who have come
together to create the 2004 Virtual Season.
Spoilers: This story picks up at the end of "Hail & Farewell" but anything is game.
0100 EST
Early Saturday
Mac's Apartment
"You didn't have to walk me to the door," Mac said as they reached the hallway outside of her apartment.
"Of course I did," Harm protested. "It's my duty as an officer and a gentleman to make sure that you made it home safely."
"Which you ensured by driving me," Mac replied as she unlocked the door.
"Are you going to be okay tonight?" Harm asked as she pushed the door open, all trace of humor gone from his voice.
"I'll be fine, Harm."
"If you need...anything..."
"I know," she replied as she turned to face him.
"I wish there were something I could do."
"You could give an old friend a hug," she suggested.
Without hesitation, he opened his arms and pulled her into his embrace. His hands stroked her back as he rested his cheek on her head. "You're going to be fine, Mac."
She took a deep breath before pulling back to look up at him. "Thank you, Harm. For everything."
"You're welcome, Mac."
Dropping her arms from around his waist, she smiled at him. "Now go on and get out of here. I promise I'll call you if I need anything."
"Okay," he conceded. "Good night."
"Good night, Harm."
He waited until he heard the door lock behind her before he turned and made his way quietly down to his car. As soon as he was settled behind the wheel, he dropped his head back and sent up a silent prayer that they would both find the strength to make it through this latest trial.
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0910 EST
Saturday
Harm's Apartment
Harm was startled awake by a loud noise and it took a moment for him to realize someone was knocking on his door. He stumbled out of the bed and rubbed a hand across his face to help wake himself up as he made his way to the door.
"Did you misplace your key again, Mattie?" he asked as he opened the door. His surprise was evident when instead of his teenage ward, he came face to face with Mac. "You're not Mattie."
"No, I'm not," she agreed as her eyes traveled from his mussed hair down his bare chest to his boxers and back up. With a raised eyebrow, she added, "Wasn't it not too long ago that you were lecturing Mattie about answering the door in her underwear?"
Glancing down at his state of undress, Harm merely shrugged. "I don't hear you complaining. Besides, I wasn't expecting company so early."
"Early? Harm, it's after 0900."
"You're kidding?"
"No, I'm not. Now, are you going to let me in or do I have to stand in the hall all day?" She held up a small white sack and added, "I brought breakfast."
"I'm sorry," he said as he stepped back to let her in. "Come on in." After he closed the door behind her, he motioned to his bedroom. "I'm going to grab a quick shower. Make yourself at home."
Unable to help herself, Mac snuck a peak at his retreating form. Even at forty years old, the man had the nicest six in the U.S. Navy.
Hearing the shower turn on, Mac made her way to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee before pulling out two plates and setting them at the table. As she picked up a stack of papers to move them out of the way, something on the page caught her attention and she found herself unable to look away.
Fifteen Minutes Later
Freshly showered, shaved and dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and t-shirt, Harm made his way out of his bedroom with a smile on his face. "So to what do I owe the pleasure of this early morning visit?"
Mac sat at the table, the stack of papers clutched tightly in her hands. When she looked up at him, Harm saw the tears making their way down her cheeks, and he gave himself a mental kick when he realized exactly what she was holding.
"I'm sorry, Mac. I should have put those away."
"You were busy last night," she said as she dropped the papers back on the table. "No wonder you were still asleep when I got here."
"I needed to know what we're up against," Harm explained as he moved to sit down next to her.
"Did you get your answers?" she asked.
"Most of them," he replied.
"You could have just asked me."
"I know," he replied as he took her hands in his and turned her so they were facing each other. "And I would have eventually. I just didn't want to inflict any more pain than necessary last night. I figured I'd done a good enough job of that when I brought up our baby deal."
"You realize now that it might never happen, don't you?" she asked.
"I understand that it's a possibility," he replied. "But I also understand that being diagnosed with endometriosis is not an automatic stamp of infertility."
"Dr. Klein said that if the medications don't work, I'll have to have another laparoscopy. "
"And if that happens, I'll be there with you," Harm assured her.
"But Harm, it's possible that I'll never be able to have children."
"Stop borrowing trouble, Mac. We'll cross that bridge if we come to it. For now though, we focus on the positives."
"What positives can you possibly see in this situation?" she asked as tears once again filled her eyes.
"It isn't life threatening, Mac. Worst case scenario here doesn't mean I lose my best friend. And if it doesn't kills us, it can only make us stronger, right?"
"I don't know how much more I can take, though," she admitted as she finally gave in to the tears.
At that, Harm pulled her into his arms and held her until her sobs turned to soft hiccups.
"I feel like an idiot," she mumbled into his shirt.
"Don't," he replied. Pushing her back slightly, he wiped the remaining tears from her face before he spoke again. "Sarah MacKenzie, you are the strongest, bravest woman I have ever known. You will get through this."
Taking a deep breath, she covered his hands and said, "No, Harm, *we'll* get through this...together."
He smiled softly then nodded toward the sack still sitting on the counter. "Did you say something about breakfast?"
"Fresh croissants," she replied. "Or at least they were."
Standing up, Harm took her hands and pulled her to her feet. "Why don't you go wash your face while I re-heat these and pour the coffee?"
"Okay," she agreed. When she reached the top of the steps, she paused and looked back to him. "Thanks, Harm."
"Anytime, Mac," he replied with a bright smile before moving into the kitchen.
1700 EST
Saturday
Catherine Gayle's Apartment
Harm smiled as the apartment door opened and he held out the large teddy bear he'd brought with him. "Hello, wife."
Catherine smiled as she took the teddy bear and stepped back to allow him to enter. "I was wondering how long it would take before you were pounding on my door looking for information."
"You wound me," he replied as he closed the door behind him and followed her to the living room. "I actually just stopped by to see how you and little Christine were doing."
"And to see what you could get out of me on what Webb was involved in," Catherine added as she placed the teddy bear in the bassinet and picked her daughter up.
Harm took a step closer and held out his arms. "May I?"
"She's a little fussy today," Catherine warned him.
"I've been dealing with a moody teenager for the last week, I think I can handle a three month old for a few minutes," Harm replied.
"How is that going?" Catherine asked as she transferred the squirming baby to Harm's arms.
"It's been more of a challenge than I thought it would be," he admitted as he shifted the baby to his shoulder. "But I wouldn't trade my time with Mattie for anything."
Catherine watched in amazement as her daughter immediately settled down as Harm gently patted her back. "It would appear as if there's no age limit on your charm," she teased him.
Harm merely shrugged and moved to sit on the couch. "So how have you been, Cath?"
"I've had more good days than bad," she replied as she sat down across from him. "But I know you didn't come here to talk about me."
Harm looked away for a minute before he met her gaze again. "You're right, I actually did come here today to ask about Webb."
"How's Mac?"
"I think she's had more bad days than good the last couple of weeks," Harm replied.
"And you?" Catherine probed.
"I'm doing my best to be a friend."
Catherine studied him closely for a long minute before she spoke again. "You've changed since the last time we talked."
"It hasn't been that long, Cath."
"No, there's definitely something different about you," she continued. "To look at you there, holding Christine, I'd say you're a man who has finally decided what he wants out of life."
Harm gave her a small smile. "Knowing what I want and being able to get my hands on it are definitely two different things though."
"Like information on Webb?" she asked.
"Exactly," Harm agreed. "To be honest, I'm not sure I want to know what he was involved in, but Mac needs closure on this."
"Is that the only reason you're investigating?"
"That and because my gut is telling me that if Webb was willing to lie to Mac about where he was going in order to protect her, that she might still be in danger."
"Does she know you're looking into it?"
"Not yet," Harm admitted. "But I did tell her that I was coming by to see you and Christine. She said to give you her best."
"Now that sounds like a woman who is very secure in her relationship with you."
"She should be," Harm replied. "We've been friends for a long time."
"That's not what I mean and you know it," Catherine replied. "But I won't push on that one right now. I really don't know what Webb was involved with. I do know it's classified and you're going to have a very hard time getting any information out of people at the Agency."
"What kind of rumors have you heard?" Harm asked as he shifted Christine from his shoulder to snuggle against his chest.
"You know how much I hate the rumor mill," Catherine replied.
"I know," he agreed. "So what are they saying?"
"The rumor mill is saying that Webb's worst nightmare finally got the best of him."
"Paraguay?" Harm asked.
"I don't know," Catherine replied.
"Can you give me a name?" Harm asked. "Someone who might be willing to play ball with me?"
Catherine looked away for a minute and took a deep breath. "If you weren't such a good friend, I would have already kicked you out of here."
"I know," Harm replied.
She met his gaze again. "Andrew Stygall. He takes an early morning jog at Rock Creek Park every morning. But you didn't hear that from me."
"Thanks, Cath."
Catherine shook her head and looked at her now sleeping daughter in Harm's arms. "Don't be surprised if you get a phone call at two in the morning when I can't get her back to sleep."
"This angel?" Harm asked as he stood up and carried the baby to the bassinet.
After he laid Christine down, he turned to Catherine and pulled her into a hug. "I really do appreciate this."
"I know," she replied as she returned his embrace. "Now go on and get out of here. The last thing I need is a pissed off marine beating down my door looking for her man."
"Because you've been such a good sport, I'm going to let that one go," Harm replied as he stepped back and smiled down at her.
"I hope you find what you're looking for."
"Me, too, Cath."
1930 EST
Harm's Apartment
"Something smells great," Mattie said as she walked into the apartment.
"I hope you're hungry," Harm replied. "I made chicken stir-fry."
"I'm starved," Mattie said as she made her way to the kitchen to get out plates and utensils. "Should I set a place for Mac?"
"No, she was feeling a little worn out tonight so she opted for a rain check."
Mattie stopped and looked up at him. "You didn't do something stupid, did you?"
"Not this time," he assured her. "She's had a rough week. She just needs a little down time is all."
"There's something else going on, isn't there?" Mattie asked as she moved to the table to set it.
"Yes," Harm replied. "But before you ask, I'm not going to tell you what it is."
"It's okay, I understand," Mattie replied.
"So how was the movie earlier?" Harm asked in an effort to move the conversation to safer ground.
"It was cute," she replied. "Definitely a chick flick, though."
"I'm sorry I missed it," he teased.
"Don't worry, it's playing again tomorrow," she shot back at him.
"Too bad that we have little A.J.'s birthday party tomorrow afternoon," Harm said with a grin as he carried the food to the table.
"Lucky for you," Mattie replied. "So what did you get him?"
"The absolute largest Power Ranger toy I could find," Harm replied.
"He'll love it," she said. "Did you get the red one?"
"Of course."
"You're a good man, Harmon Rabb."
Harm stopped and looked at her for a minute before he broke into a smile. "Thank you, Mattie."
"Don't go getting all mushy on me now, Harm," she warned. "I've still got lots of chick flicks on DVD over at my apartment."
Harm held up his hands in surrender. "Please, anything but the chick flick."
As they settled down to eat, Mattie glanced up at him again. "Is Mac riding with us tomorrow?"
"I thought I'd ask her. Is that okay with you?"
"Absolutely," she agreed. "It's nice to see you two actually getting along for a change."
"Don't go getting any ideas, Mattie."
"I'm not," she replied. "I was merely making a comment."
"I mean it."
"You have my word, Harm."
"Okay."
"For now anyway," she added softly as she loaded her plate.
"I heard that," he replied.
"Good. It'll keep you on your toes."
"You do that enough already."
Mattie merely smiled as she put a forkful of food in her mouth and Harm couldn't help but return the smile as he thought about how blessed his life had been since he'd taken over her guardianship.
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0730 EST
Sunday
Rock Creek Park
Harm jogged along the path at a leisurely pace as he scanned the area for Agent Stygall. He'd met the man a couple of times while he'd been flying for the Agency, but he'd never had the opportunity to work with him. However, that had never stopped Stygall from voicing his opinion of how another of Webb's blown missions had landed Harm at the Agency. Harm hoped the man's distaste for Webb would make him willing to talk.
Spotting Stygall on a nearby trail, Harm picked up his pace until he was running alongside him. "It's Stygall, isn't it?" Harm asked as he shortened his stride to match the agent's.
The man glanced over with a nod. "Rabb."
"I didn't realize you ran out here," Harm commented.
"I try to get in a couple of miles before work every morning and at least five on the weekends. I've never seen you out here before."
"I tend to be more of an evening jogger these days," Harm replied.
"I heard you weren't at the Agency any more. I was sorry to hear that. I was actually looking forward to working with you."
"Yeah, well I guess Webb didn't like the way my last mission turned out so he got me canned."
"Like he had any room to talk," Stygall replied. "I don't think he ever had a mission go down according to plan."
Harm chuckled at that. "I can vouch for that. I worked with him on several occasions and was surprised that I didn't end up dead on all of them." After a brief silence, Harm added, "I guess Webb's luck finally ran out though, huh?"
"Yeah," Stygall agreed. "Stupid bastard. I don't know what he was trying to prove in Indonesia."
"You know Webb," Harm continued. "Always trying to prove he was right."
"Yeah, and it got him killed this time," Stygall replied. "I knew he was obsessed, but I didn't think he'd completely lost his focus."
"Why do you suppose he let this one get to him so much?" Harm prompted.
Stygall shrugged as he began to slow his pace. "Honestly? I think he was convinced there was a connection between this new terrorist cell and the mess he was involved in down in South America last year and he was determined to prove it. The only problem was that he'd completely lost his perspective."
"So why leave him out there?" Harm asked.
"Beats me," Stygall replied. "Maybe the director thought he was on to something. Personally, I don't know why they didn't transfer him to a desk a long time ago."
"Has there been an increase in activity in the terrorist cell in the last few days?" Harm asked casually. "Anything that makes it seem Webb might have been on to something?"
"Nothing unusual," Stygall replied. "Of course, since the diamonds weren't recovered, there's no way to be sure who has them. It could be the Iranian or it could be any number of other cells."
"The Iranian?" Harm questioned.
"Yeah," Stygall said as he slowed his pace even more. "This is the end of the trail for me. It was good seeing you again, Rabb."
"You, too, Stygall. Take care of yourself."
Harm picked his pace up to a brisk jog until he rounded a corner in the trail then he slowed back down to an easy jog. What Stygall had said about the Iranian terrorist cell had set off alarms in Harm's brain, but he wasn't sure why. However, if Webb had really thought there was a connection to Paraguay, it would at least explain why he'd lied to Mac about where he was going.
1745 EST
Sunday
Bud and Harriet's House
Mac stepped out onto the back deck and watched little A.J. as he chased Harm around the yard. She wasn't sure what game they were playing, but knowing Harm and A.J., it would eventually end with A.J. being hoisted in the air to "fly." With a smile on her face, Mac crossed the deck to where Mattie was watching the scene from the safety of the swing.
"May I join you?" Mac asked.
"Sure," Mattie replied as she straightened up to make sure there was plenty of room for Mac to sit next to her.
They sat in silence for several moments, each one enjoying the squeals of laughter from little A.J. as Bud joined in the chase to help him catch Harm. When Harm enlisted Jen's help as a decoy, Mac turned her attention to Mattie. "Harm told me that you had been spending some time with your father."
Mattie turned to face her and nodded. "We've talked some and we both think it would be a good idea to get to know each other again."
"That sounds reasonable," Mac agreed.
"I'm worried about Harm, though," Mattie confessed.
"Why's that?" Mac asked, her gaze automatically finding Harm even though he was currently running circles around Harriet with A.J. hot on his heels.
"I don't want to hurt him," Mattie said.
Mac turned her attention back to Mattie and waited until the young girl met her gaze before she spoke. "Harm wants what's best for you. You know that."
"Even if it turns out not to be him?" Mattie asked softly.
"Even then," Mac assured her. "Sometimes the hardest part about loving someone is being willing to let them go."
Mattie was quite for several seconds as she gathered her thoughts, then she turned to look Mac in the eye again. "So you're saying that even with as hard as he fought to get me, if somewhere down the road my dad and I decide to try become a family again, Harm would just let me go?"
"If it's what you want," Mac replied. "Harm isn't a man who would put his own wants above those of someone he loves."
When Mattie grew silent again, Mac let her gaze drift back to where Harm was now walking around the yard with A.J. held high above his head laughing as Harm made the standard airplane noises. As she watched the scene, she couldn't help but think of her words to Mattie just now and wonder how their lives might have been different if she had realized the truth in her statement about Harm before two nights ago. Before she could get very far down that road, Mattie's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Mac, may I ask you a personal question?"
Mac smiled softly at the young girl and replied, "Sure."
"Is everything okay?" Mattie asked.
"What do you mean?" Mac replied, automatically on guard.
Mattie shrugged as she looked out to the yard again. "I don't know," she said. "Harm has just seemed a little distracted the last couple of days, and he seems to be worried about you. I know he would never tell me what's going on, so I thought I'd ask you. It's okay if you don't want to tell me, I know it's none of my business anyway."
Mac sighed as she quickly pondered her choices. Other than Harm, she hadn't told anyone about the doctor's diagnosis and she really hadn't planned on confiding in anyone else. However, Mattie was a very important part of Harm's life, and it really wasn't fair to ask him to keep her completely in the dark about something that had the potential to be an enormous emotional strain on him.
Making her decision, Mac reached a hand out and placed it on Mattie's arm, effectively gaining her attention. "You're right about there being something going on. And you're right in that Harm wouldn't tell you about it. However, it's not because he's trying to keep it from you, it's because it's not really his story to tell."
"I'm sorry," Mattie said immediately. "I didn't mean to pry."
"It's okay," Mac assured her. "But before I tell you what's going on, I need your word that you won't repeat this."
"I won't tell anyone," Mattie stated.
Mac took a quick look around to make sure they weren't within earshot of anyone before she once again met Mattie's gaze. "I've been having some lower back pain for a few weeks now and Harm finally insisted that I go see a doctor about it. In fact, he went so far as to call and make the appointment for me. Well, the doctor determined that the pain wasn't coming from my back, so she performed a laparoscopy on me."
"What's that?" Mattie interrupted.
"It's a surgical procedure," Mac explained. "They cut a small incision in the abdominal wall and then they insert a small lighted tube through the incision to take a look at your insides."
"So what did they find?" Mattie asked.
"I have endometriosis," Mac answered as straightforward as she could. "It's a disease where cells that line the uterus get outside of the uterus and attach to other organs. The place where the cells attach are called lesions or implants and can be very painful as well as occasionally swelling and bleeding. When that happens, the body automatically creates scar tissue over the area that can eventually develop into what are called adhesions. Depending on where the adhesions are, they could interfere with how the body functions."
"Is it bad?" Mattie asked.
"It can be," Mac admitted. "But my doctor says I have a mild case of it."
"What does that mean?" Mattie asked.
"It means we're keeping an eye on it and she's given me medication to help with the pain."
Mattie looked at her for a long minute before she spoke again. "Are you scared?"
"A little," Mac admitted. "Not as much as I was before I confided in Harm, but yeah, I'm still scared that it will cause problems down the road."
"Like with having a baby?" Mattie asked as she followed Mac's gaze to where Harm was holding A.J. against his chest and tickling him mercilessly.
"Exactly," Mac replied.
"I'm very sorry that you have to go through this," Mattie said, placing her hand on Mac's arm.
Mac covered her hand and gave it a squeeze as she offered her a small smile. "Thank you, Mattie. But I'm not going through it alone and that, by itself, makes it easier."
"Thank you for telling me," Mattie said.
"I thought it was important you know," Mac replied.
"So how are you feeling now?"
"I'm still a little tired from the anesthesia, but the doctor said I should expect that for a couple of days."
"And then?"
"And then we deal with whatever happens, one day at a time," Mac replied.
"That sounds like a good plan," Mattie agreed.
"Do you think we should go rescue them?" Mac asked as she nodded to where A.J. now had Harm on the ground sitting on his chest.
"Probably," Mattie replied. "Otherwise, we'll never hear the end of how we sat by and did nothing while Harm was being taken advantage of."
"Good point," Mac replied as she got to her feet. "Let's go rescue the big, bad commander from the five-year-old."
Their laughter blended in with the other partygoers as they made their way down to what was quickly becoming a large pile up in the backyard.
2030 EST
Harm's SUV
En Route to Mac's Apartment
"Sorry that Mattie bolted on us," Harm said as he glanced over at Mac. "I guess Jen offered to take her to another movie and she thought that would be more fun than hanging out with us."
Mac smiled as she looked over at him. "I would actually wager that she thought we could use some time alone. She's a little concerned about you, you know."
"Yeah, well, I'm a little concerned about her, too," Harm admitted. "I'm afraid she thinks I'm trying to get rid of her by my insistence that she should talk to her father."
"I think you're pretty safe there," Mac replied. "She's a smart girl, Harm. She knows you're only looking out for her best interests."
"Then why do you think she's concerned about me?"
"We had a nice talk this afternoon," Mac said as she turned in her seat to be able to see him better. "She asked me if there was something going on."
Harm shook his head with a sigh. "I'm sorry, Mac. I'll talk to her."
"It's okay," Mac assured him. "I don't mind that she asked."
"You don't?"
"No," she replied. "I did my best to explain to her what I'm going through, and I think she understands now why you've been a little distracted this weekend."
"You didn't have to do that," Harm commented.
"I know," Mac replied. "But she's pretty intuitive when it comes to you and she could tell there was something bothering you. I figured she should know why you're so concerned about me instead of letting her imagine that you're keeping things from her because she's reconciling with her dad."
"I would never do that."
"I know that," Mac stated as she reached over and gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "But you've never been a fifteen-year old girl."
"You've got me there," he replied. After a brief pause, he added, "So how are you feeling today?"
"Physically, I'm feeling pretty decent today. Still a little sluggish, but I think that's just my body adjusting to the medication."
"And emotionally?" Harm prompted.
Mac dropped her gaze down to her hands for a moment before she looked back up at him. "I got a call from Porter Webb this morning."
"Clay's mother?" Harm asked.
"The one and only," Mac replied. "She's having a wake for him tomorrow at her house and invited me to be there."
"Are you going?"
"I think I should," Mac replied.
"Would you like me to go with you?" Harm asked.
"I couldn't ask you to do that," Mac replied.
"You didn't," he pointed out. "I just volunteered. Besides, as weird as things have been the last year, Clay was my friend, too."
"I guess I haven't done a very good job of remembering that lately," Mac said as she turned to look out the passenger window.
Reaching across the seat, Harm took her hand in his and laced their fingers together. "Hey."
Mac forced her gaze back over to his and he offered her a small smile. "What time should I meet you?"
"It starts at 10:30," she replied.
"Do you want me to pick you up or meet you there?" he asked.
"Let's just meet there."
"You'll get through this," he assured her as he gave her hand a squeeze.
"Thank you," she replied as he pulled up in front of her apartment.
"Come on, I'll walk you up," he said as he put the car in park and turned off the ignition.
"You don't have to walk me up," she said.
"I know," he replied.
"Really, it's okay," she said as she opened her door. "I'll see you in the morning."
Knowing by her tone that she really just wanted some space, Harm decided not to push the issue. Instead, he turned the ignition back on with a simple, "Good night, Mac."
"Good night, Harm," she replied before closing the door and making her way to the apartment building.
Harm waited until she made it inside before he put the car in gear and drove off. He hated leaving her alone when he could tell she was hurting, but he didn't want to push her and end up with her retreating inside of herself either. He would let her deal with things at her own pace, but he would be there for her every step of the way, too.
2100 EST
Harm's Apartment
RNorth of Union Station
Harm listened to his messages when he got home, and was only slightly surprised to find one from Porter Webb inviting him to the wake she was holding for Webb the following day. However, the message from Alan Blaisdell was completely unexpected, so he immediately picked up the phone and returned his call.
"Blaisdell," the man said in way of greeting.
"It's Rabb."
"Let's meet for a beer."
"Where and when?"
"Twenty minutes. The bar on the corner of Jackson and East."
"I'll be there."
Twenty minutes later, Harm walked into the smoke-filled bar and looked around for Blaisdell. It took him a minute to scan the crowd before spotting him at a booth in the back of the bar. After motioning to a waitress to bring a round back to the table, Harm made his way to where his former supervisor sat.
"Why the cloak and dagger?" Harm asked as he slid into the booth across from him.
"It's always cloak and dagger when you work for the Agency," Blaisdell replied. "You should know that."
Harm waited until the waitress sat two beers on the table and left before he spoke again. "Why did you call?"
"Because you need to leave this alone."
"Leave what alone?" Harm asked.
"Clayton Webb's death," Blaisdell stated.
Harm took a long drink of his beer before he leveled his gaze on Blaisdell. "Why?"
"His mission was classified."
"All of his missions were classified," Harm retorted. "But something went wrong on this one and it got him killed, and I want to know why."
"It's none of your business," Blaisdell hissed.
"It became my business when he got romantically involved with my best friend," Harm replied. "She deserves closure on his death and I'm going to make sure she gets it."
"All you're going to do is ruffle the wrong feathers," Blaisdell warned.
"Fine," Harm replied. "Tell me what happened and I'll walk away from it."
"You know I can't do that," Blaisdell pointed out.
"And you know I won't stop until someone does," Harm replied.
Blaisdell picked up his beer and nervously picked at the label while he thought that over. Finally coming to a decision, he met Harm's gaze again. "Will you leave it alone until after the wake tomorrow?"
"Give me a reason to," Harm replied.
"I'll talk to Kershaw," Blaisdell offered.
"Not good enough," Harm said as he made a move to get up.
"Wait," Blaisdell implored. When Harm settled back in his seat, he continued, "He's the one who told me to contact you and tell you to keep your nose out of this. Let me explain to him why you're looking into it and maybe I can convince him to tell you what Webb uncovered."
Harm gave the man an incredulous look and asked, "How do you plan on convincing him of that?"
"Colonel MacKenzie did a good job of cleaning up an agency mess a while back. I think Kershaw might be more open to negotiate if he knows of her involvement in this."
Harm chuckled lightly at that. "I think that's a load of crock," he stated simply. "But I'll give you until tomorrow afternoon. If you don't come through, I'll knock on every single agent's door if I have to, until I find someone who knew what Webb was doing in Indonesia and what, if any, the connection was to Paraguay."
With that, Harm threw a couple of bills on the table to cover his beer then got up and made his way out of the bar.
"Bob and Joe" coming this fall to CBS. Don't miss the exciting premiere where we learn how our stars went from being productive members of society to the couch potatoes they are now. You'll never have another chance like this to watch them as they watch television. Part of the new, exciting Saturday night line-up on CBS.
1100 EST
Monday
Porter Webb's House
Great Falls, Virginia
Harm watched from across the room as Mac spoke with Porter Webb. As soon as they'd arrived, the older woman had swept Mac into a hug and told her that she wanted to introduce her to some of Clay's friends. Harm had seen the initial shock on Mac's face, but other than that brief moment of uncertainty, he'd seen no other signs of distress from her, so he'd used the time to make his rounds of the room. So far, he hadn't seen Blaisdell or Kershaw, but he wasn't surprised. The CIA wasn't known for its kindness to employees and he seriously doubted if any of Clay's colleagues would be attending.
A throat being cleared behind him caught Harm's attention, but before he could turn around, he heard a whispered. "Outside on the terrace."
Nodding his acknowledgement, Harm slowly made his way across the room until he could step through the glass doors onto the terrace. A quick look around assured him he was alone, so he stepped to the edge of the balcony and leaned against the rail.
"How is life in the Navy treating you these days?" Deputy Director Kershaw asked as he joined Harm outside.
"Pretty good most of the time," Harm replied without straightening up. "At least I don't have people trying to kill me every day in the courtroom."
"You're an excellent pilot, Rabb. It's too bad that that carrier landing cut your time in the agency short."
"If you can believe it, it's not the first time I've had a career cut short by a carrier landing," Harm said dryly.
Kershaw moved to stand next to Harm, leaning his back against the railing to keep an eye on the terrace door. "I can't tell you what you want to know."
Harm straightened up and gave a quick tug to his uniform jacket to put it back in place as he replied, "Then I will find someone who can."
"You won't," Kershaw replied. "And I know that because Webb wasn't following his mission plan."
"What do you mean?" Harm asked.
"He was supposed to be in Iran," Kershaw replied. "We'd gotten intel on a new terrorist cell looking to buy weapons and I sent Webb and two other agents in to infiltrate the cell."
"So what was he doing in the Straits of Malacca on board the U.S.S. Thomas Lyons?" Harm asked.
"You have been busy," Kershaw commented.
"You're avoiding the question," Harm pointed out.
"I don't know what he was doing there," Kershaw replied. "They had missed three check-ins before we got word from the Thomas Lyons that three of our agents' bodies had been recovered."
"And I'm just supposed to believe that you have no idea what he was doing?" Harm asked.
"The last time he checked in, he was extremely agitated. He said he wouldn't live this nightmare over again and would make sure he put an end to it before it began. When I tried to press him for information, he simply refused to talk to me. I spoke to one of the other agents who was with him and he said that Webb had met with one of the local agents earlier that day and the man had shown him surveillance pictures from the area where we believe the weapons trading was going on. Since that meeting, Webb had been extremely edgy."
"Did you see the pictures?" Harm asked.
"No," Kershaw replied. "The other agents were supposed to get copies and bring them to me when they reported back in."
"So why did you let them stay in the field?"
"I didn't," Kershaw replied. "I ordered all three of them home immediately. And that was the last contact I had with them."
"Is it possible that they were following the weapons suppliers to their home base?" Harm asked.
"It's the only logical conclusion that we've been able to come up with," Kershaw agreed. "But we haven't seen any kind of activity in the Indonesia area that would make us think this cell was operating there."
"What about Paraguay?" Harm asked.
"Things have been quiet there, too," Kershaw replied. "When Webb started talking about nightmares, it's the first thing I thought as well. You and Colonel MacKenzie almost completely wiped out all of Sadik Fahd's associates while you were in Paraguay last summer though, and with Sadik being dead as well, there's nothing to connect Paraguay to Webb's death."
"So that's it?" Harm asked.
"Yes," Kershaw replied. "His death is being listed as an accident while at sea."
"Why should I trust you?" Harm asked.
"Have I given you a reason not to?" Kershaw replied.
Harm gazed at the man for a long time before he finally nodded his head and held out his hand. "Thank you."
Kershaw shook the outstretched hand and gave a brief nod. "Please give Colonel MacKenzie my sympathies."
"I will," Harm replied before turning and making his way back inside.
As soon as he stepped into the room, Mac joined him. "Is everything okay?"
"I'll tell you about it later," Harm replied.
"Okay," Mac agreed. "Mrs. Webb is looking for you. She said she had something for you that Clay wanted you to have."
Harm's puzzlement showed on his face, but he followed Mac to Mrs. Webb's side anyway.
Excusing herself from the small group she was talking to, Mrs. Webb smiled at Harm. "Commander Rabb."
"Ma'am."
"Would you accompany me to my study for a moment?" she asked.
"Yes, Ma'am," Harm replied.
The two walked in silence until they were out of the main gathering room and then Porter Webb looked over her shoulder before she spoke again. "I received a letter from a special courier yesterday afternoon," she explained. "Inside were a sealed envelope and a handwritten letter from Clayton."
She opened the door to the study and waited until Harm had followed her in before closing and locking it. "The letter simply stated that if anything were to happen to him, Clayton wanted you to have this." With that, she made her way over to the wall safe and opened it. Pulling out a large manila envelope, she handed it to Harm. "I didn't open it."
Harm accepted the package and motioned to the desk. "May I?"
"By all means," she replied. "Would you like me to leave you alone?"
Harm shook his head as he slit the envelope open and dumped the contents on the desk. There were several pictures, a small bag, and a letter from Clay. Picking up the letter, Harm read it carefully:
"Harm,
If you're reading this, it means something has gone wrong and I'm not coming home this time. I'm not sure what I've stumbled into, but I have a bad feeling about it. These pictures were taken earlier this week in Iran. I'm not a genealogist, but even I can see a strong resemblance between this new terrorist leader and Sadik Fahd."
Harm stopped reading and picked up the stack of pictures. As he glanced through them, he had to agree that the man in the pictures looked very much like the man who had tried to kill Mac and Webb in Paraguay. Setting the pictures aside, he returned his attention to the letter.
"The pouch with the pictures contains a transponder off one of the weapons we were tracking. If the pictures aren't enough to convince Kershaw that this is serious business, the transponder will. I trust you to give this information to the right people, but I don't trust them to inform you of the danger that you and Sarah could be in--that's why I'm sending this to you. If this man is somehow connected to Sadik, I fear that he might seek revenge for Sadik's death.
Please keep her safe, Harm. You're better at it than I am, and she trusts you more than she trusts me anyway. I'm sorry that I couldn't be honest with her about this mission, but I didn't want her to worry about me. I only hope that someday she will be able to forgive me. Take care, my friend.
Clay."
Harm re-read the letter twice before he folded it back up. "Thank you, Mrs. Webb."
"Is everything okay?" she asked as he returned the pictures and transponder to the envelope.
"Yes," Harm replied as he tucked the letter inside his jacket pocket. "Just something that Clay wanted me to take care of for him."
Mrs. Webb nodded once and hesitated before she continued, "Commander, before you leave, I wanted to say thank you for what you did for my son last summer."
"It was nothing he wouldn't have done for me, Ma'am," Harm replied softly.
"Perhaps," she agreed. "Nevertheless, I wanted you to know that I appreciate it."
"You're welcome, Ma'am," he said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to speak to Colonel MacKenzie."
"By all means," she replied as she opened the door and led him into the hallway.
They returned to the main gathering room in silence and Harm quickly made his way to Mac's side. Seeing the look on his face, she was instantly on alert. "What is it?"
"Let's walk," he suggested.
She nodded and they fell in step together, neither one speaking until they were outside and quite a distance from the house. Mac finally stopped and placed a hand on Harm's arm to force him to stop also. "Talk to me, Harm."
"Clay sent a package to his mother with my name on it," he replied softly.
"What was it?" she asked, forcing herself to remain calm.
Harm handed her the envelope. "Pictures of the terrorist he was following."
"Oh my god," Mac gasped as she saw the man's face. "Where did he get these?"
"In Iran," Harm replied.
Mac forced her eyes up to his. "What else do you know?"
"Not a whole lot," Harm admitted. "But I have been doing some digging, trying to get answers."
"Did you find anything other than the proverbial brick wall?" she asked with just a trace of sarcasm.
"Do you really want to know?" Harm asked.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before she met his gaze again. "Yes."
"Let's keep walking," he suggested as he returned the pictures to the envelope. He gave her a brief re-cap of the information he'd gleaned from Stygall and Blaisdell then ended with a simple, "I talked to Kershaw earlier and he swears that he has no idea how Clay ended up off the coast of Indonesia."
"And you believed him?" she asked.
Harm nodded. "Yes. And now that I've seen these pictures, I don't doubt for a minute that Clay was acting on his own."
"Trying to protect me?" she asked.
Harm weighed his answer carefully before he spoke. "I think that might have been part of it. But I think a bigger part of it was that he wanted to prove he was still on top of his game. He lost something in his encounter with Sadik, and I think he saw this as his opportunity to get it back."
"Do we even know who this guy is?" Mac asked as she motioned to the envelope in Harm's hands.
"Not yet," Harm replied. "But it's probably a safe bet that he's somehow related to Sadik. Maybe a brother. I don't know."
"What are you going to do with that?" Mac asked.
"I'll take it to Kershaw when I leave here," Harm replied. "SOP is to try to identify the man in the photographs and then to monitor his activities. Webb sent enough information to put this particular terrorist cell on the high priority list and I think I can convince Kershaw to let us know if we need to be on alert."
"So is this terrorist responsible for Clay's death?" Mac asked.
"We have no way of knowing that," Harm replied. "Kershaw said his death was being listed as an accident at sea, and right now, we have no evidence to the contrary."
"So where do we go from here?" she asked.
Harm stopped walking and turned to look at her. "It's your call, Mac. For all of his faults, Webb truly cared about you. And I know you cared about him, too. If you can't accept this as truth, just say the word and I'll keep digging."
She looked down at the ground for a long minute before she met his gaze. "You believe the reports?"
"I believe they're as close to the truth as we're ever going to get," he replied honestly, hating the pain he could see in her eyes.
She nodded once then and took a deep breath. "Okay then."
"Okay?"
She nodded again. "Okay." Then, meeting his eyes again, she added, "And thank you for your part in this."
Harm watched as a lone tear made its way down her cheek and he reached out to brush it away. "Come on, I'll walk you back to the house."
As they walked, Mac slid her arm into the crook of Harm's and leaned against him slightly. "It looks like it's just us again, Butch."
Harm offered her a bright smile as he replied, "You know I wouldn't have it any other way, Sundance."
"Me, either," she agreed.
The End
***** On The Next JAG *****
Cut to a wooded mountainside during a summer storm, a wisp of smoke rises in the distance.
One of JAG's own is missing…
Cut to Harm in BDU's as he climbs into a helicopter.
One of JAG's own will search…
Cut to JAG Headquarters, where a ceremony is in progress. Officers and enlisted stand at attention.
One of JAG's own will lead…
Cut to Harm opening his apartment door.
Something will end…Something will begin.
********