TITLE:  "Fatherhood IV-Unto You a Child"
        AUTHORS:  Anne R. and Pat Steiner
        SUMMARY/SPOILERS:   From an old liaison comes a new love.  An Annie Pendry story.  
[If you were an Annie fan likely you will not like the way we have interpreted her character] .  
Any JAG episode may or may not be referred to in this work.  Neither Sergei nor Afghanistan 
plays a role here.   This is the concluding chapter.
       CLASSIFCATION/RATING:  J/S/R/A       PG for mild violence and language
        DISCLAIMER:  JAG belongs to CBS, Paramount et al.  No copyright infringement is 
intended with this work of fiction.
      FEEDBACK:  Never expected let alone demanded.  Always appreciated.  We simply ask 
that the work and the effort be respected.  Feedback addy is SSbpMN@aol.com.
           NOTE:  All parts of this story and previous chapters, as well as much of our other 
works, are available at 
         
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Please ignore any notice of adult content you may see-there is no R nor NC17 content there.
         
         Other archives containing our stories:
         
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                       or the Harm-Mac shipper archive at    http://hmarchive.topcities.com/index2.html  
[sadly, not always up and running]
         
                   or BTL-
                   http://www.wtv-zone.com/trgarchive/btl/
                   http://destined.to/btlarchive - {BTL H/M Fanfiction archive.}

Previously in Fatherhood:  He had promised her a wedding, and a wedding she was given.  On 
the sand at Virginia Beach.  He had made her his own, and now he would give her his child.  
But first they would deal with the return of another mother.
 
**********************
"Fatherhood IV-Unto You a Child"
 
  The weeks of summer quickly passed by and it was a little more than a month 
  after the wedding that Mac woke one morning and found herself racing to the 
  bathroom.
  
  "Mac" Harm murmured as he stumbled his way to their bathroom. "Honey you 
  okay?"
  
  There was no reply, just the sound of her being sick and at once he was 
  fully awake.
  
  "Mac what's wrong?" he asked as he opened the door. At the sight of her on 
  the floor next to the toilet, he let out a long sigh. "Don't tell me it's 
  that stomach flu again. I don't think I can survive that."
  
  "Not quite Flyboy" she sighed as she leaned back against the wall.
  
  "What is it then?" he asked
  
  "Does our honeymoon night ring a bell" she said with a small smile. "I'm not 
  positive but I was going to get a test from the drugstore today. I think I'm 
  pregnant."
  
  "Pregnant" he gasped. "Like you're going to have our baby?"
  
  "I'm not sure who else's I would be having" she laughed despite her misery. 
  "But yeah I think so."
 
 "What's all the noise?  What's going on?  Why am I up this early?"  Josh stumbled from his 
room, seeing Mac about to be lifted into the air by her surprised but excited husband. 
 
 "We're having kind of a mini celebration," Harm smiled.  "Mac here may be. . ."  He stopped, 
unsure whether to continue.
 
 "Pregnant?" Josh supplied.  "Good grief you haven't take that test yet?"
 
 "Wait whoa no--how did you know about such things?" she demanded.
 
 "Hey OK I was just a little kid back then but I remember Mom.  And Mac I've heard you be sick 
in the past two weeks more than once."
 
 "OK now wait a damn minute," Harm yelped.  "You knew she had been sick?  Mac you were 
sick and didn't tell me?  Josh you didn't tell me?"
 
 "Hey I was minding my own business and besides no one died of morning sickness before," 
Josh laughed.  "And I hope you are---pregnant I mean.  I'd love a baby brother."
 
 "Yeah well don't start putting in your order mister," she groaned.  "I'll have to be pregnant first, 
not just sick, and secondly I'll have to survive this."
 
 "Let's get you back into bed," Harm urged.
 
 "Much as I'd love that, it's not going to happen.  The Admiral has been so good about us.  I'm 
not going to press it now.  I will however allow you to take me to lunch and to make that little 
purchase with me.  I will be fine.  This is totally manageable, though it's the first time I've woke 
up like this.  Usually it waits until I've eaten something and then lets me know it's upset with 
me."
 
 "All right but if you really are pregnant, you know I'm going to be in hover mode," Harm 
growled.
 
 "And this would be different how?" Mac demanded, pushing him ahead of her toward the 
shower.
 ==============
 JAG HQ
 
 The morning passed quickly as both immediately were immersed in business as soon as they 
arrived.  Lunch finally came, but there was time only for a quick sandwich and the drug store 
errand.  
 
 "OK you'll let me know as soon as you. . ." Harm got out as they stepped off the elevator only 
to be met by Bud.  
 
 "Sir, good thing you're back.  The Admiral is on the warpath over the Lindstrom case. He's 
gunning for you."
 
 "The shit hits the fan," Harm groaned and gave Mac a pleading look.  "I'll go talk to him.  You 
let me know.  Please."
 
 "Commander relax.  It's under control," she assured him, giving his hand a quick squeeze and 
mouthing 'I love you'.
 
 It was not under control however.  During the time Harm was in with AJ, Mac was called to 
meet with a new detainee and by the time she was finished there Harm was back in court.  
She did however manage to take the test, and the result was safely stored in her pocket until. . 
.
 
 In the late afternoon Tiner's voice came across her intercom, "Ma'am the Admiral would like to 
see you and the Commander.  He's just come in back from court and the Admiral requests you 
bring the information on the USS Bataan."
 
 "Thanks Tiner."  She located the files they would need for their meeting and walked into the 
office, finding Harm already there.  His eyes looked at pleadingly and she simply smiled and 
sat down.
 
 "Colonel?" AJ raised an eyebrow.
 
 "Sir?"
 
 "Uh nothing.  You just look like you had something on your mind."
 
 "Yes sir, but it can keep.  I have the information.  But the Commander hasn't seen it.  
Permission to share?"
 
 "By all means."
 
 Mac smiled and handed a file folder to Harm who opened it has he had done a thousand 
times in the past.  This time though sitting on top of the papers already inside, was evidence of 
another kind.  Evidence of. . .he held up the plastic stick, his hand shaking slightly as he 
studied it.
 
 "Sarah?"
 
  "Yes Harm" she smiled.
  
  "Does this mean?" he stammered.
  
  "Looks like you're going to be a father again Rabb" AJ laughed. 
  "Congratulations Colonel."
  
  "Thank you sir" Mac beamed.
  
  "You're really going to have my baby?" Harm whispered.
  
  She nodded and moment later she was in his arms, much to AJ's amusement.
  
  "I can see we're not going to get anything done" he smiled. "Why don't we 
  try this again in the morning."
  
  "Sorry sir" Harm said sheepishly as he finally let go of Mac. "We can 
  continue now."
  
  "It's nothing that can't wait until morning. And from the looks of it you 
  two would like to have some time alone. So go on and get out of here before 
  you have to pick up the kids from the sitter."
  
  "Thank you sir" Mac smiled. "We appreciate this. And we'll be here first 
  thing in the morning."
  
  "Yes you will" AJ nodded.
  
  *********
  "Harm we need to go get Josh and Mikayla" Mac sighed as she lay in his arms. 
  "If it were Marianne's day and she were here she wouldn't care but you know 
  how Mrs. Warden is if we're late picking them up."
  
  "Why don't you stay and rest" he smiled. "I'll go get them."
  
  "I have a better idea. Why don't we both go get them and go out and 
  celebrate our news."
  
  "You just don't want to cook" Harm laughed. "But you're right. This calls 
  for a celebration dinner."
  
  The phone rang as they were getting dressed and Mac hurried to grab it, 
  afraid it might be Mrs. Warden wondering where they were.
  
  "Hello"
  
  "Mrs. Harmon Rabb?"
  
  "Yes this is Mrs. Rabb. Who is this?"
  
  The line clicked off and Mac stared at the phone for several seconds before 
  hanging it up.
  
  "Who was it?" Harm asked.
  
  "I don't know. They asked if I was Mrs. Rabb and I said yes and they hung 
  up. Strange. I only grabbed it cause I thought it might be Mrs. Warden."
  
  "Speaking of which we'd better get moving" Harm smiled.
  
  "Okay what's going on?" Josh asked as soon as Harm and Mac had picked them 
  up and they were in the car. "You two are way too happy."
  
  "Yes we are. And that's because we've got news for you" Harm smiled.
  
  "Mac's having a baby" Josh squealed.
  
  "Yes I am. And your request for a little brother has been noted and in nine 
  months you'll find out if it was granted."
  
  "You're not going to find out ahead of time what it is?" he asked.
  
  "Nope. We want to be surprised" Mac smiled.
  
  "We do?" Harm frowned. "We don't want to know what color clothes we should 
  buy?"
  
  "We'll buy neutral colors. You know yellows and light greens."
  
  "My son is not going to wear yellow anything. That is not a neutral color."
  
  "Rabb get a grip" Mac laughed. "If we have a son, he won't care what color 
  he's wearing. And who says we're having a boy anyway? It might be a girl."
  
  "No I'll be out numbered" Josh moaned.
  
  "Baby?" Mikayla smiled from her car seat.
  
  "Yes honey we're going to have another baby" Mac smiled as she turned and 
  looked at Mikayla.
  
  "I'm the baby" Mikayla pouted. "Don't want any more babies."
  
  "Mikayla you're not a baby anymore" Josh said to his sister. "Mac's going to 
  have another baby. And you'll be his big sister."
  
  "Big sister" she smiled.
  
  "Just like I'm your big brother" Josh explained. "You're going to be his big 
  sister."
  
  She seemed to like that idea and Mac let out a small sigh of relief.
  
  "She'll be okay with it" Harm said as he looked over at her. "She's just 
  going to have to get used to sharing you."
  
 "Both of them have already gone through so many changes," Mac said softly.
 
 "And we're dealing just fine," Josh piped up.  "Honestly guys.  You didn't know Mikayla before.  
She's so different now.  She doesn't have tantrums, she goes to bed and sleeps at night for 
more than a couple hours, and she plays and she's so happy.  I hope Mom doesn't ever. . 
.sorry no that was mean.  I just don't want us to have to go back to her. And I know that was 
mean too, but it's the truth."
 
 "It's all right son," Harm assured him quickly.  "If I have to appeal to the Supreme Court, no 
judge is taking you out of our home."
 
 "Thanks," he smiled and relaxed.  "OK celebration dinner.  Olive Garden.  On me."
 
 "You have money?" Harm questioned at once.
 
 "No but I always wanted to say that," Josh grinned.
 ================
 Full of Alfredo and spaghetti, with Mikayla wearing a good bit of the sauce, they returned to 
their place.  Harm had Mikayla in the tub and Josh was settled in front of his Nintendo when 
the phone rang again.
 
 Mac stared at the number on the caller ID, not recognizing it, and decided to let the machine 
pick up.  As soon as Harm's voice came on the recording, the caller clicked off.  "Wrong 
number again," she muttered, her finger poised over the clear button, but something made her 
get the notebook she kept in her purse and write it down first.
 
 "Mac did I hear the phone?" Harm yelled over the sound of Mikayla's normal bath squeals.
 
 "Wrong number," she yelled back.
 ================
 FOLLOWING DAY
 JAG HQ
 
 Mac's email was yielding the usual business matters until she was nearly at the bottom of the 
incoming listing.   With her home email she would not have thought anything about it.  AOL 
was notorious for letting through all kinds of junk, but normally the server the military used 
screened out almost everything untoward.
 
 "Mrs. Rabb."  Right away Mac knew it was not a business matter.  No one at JAG nor any of 
her military contacts called her anything but Colonel Mackenzie.  "Mrs. Rabb, this is not going 
to make it.  What you're doing is going to get you in trouble.  Unhappiness only can follow.  
Give it up."  
 
 "What the hell is this shit," she muttered and hit the print key before deleting.  Trying to 
convince herself it was probably nothing, nevertheless added to the strange phone calls, tiny 
stings of alarm were prickling at her spine.  She printed out one complete copy, the other she 
highlighted the header and source info only, and when she had that she casually walked over 
to Bud's desk.
 
 "Lieutenant you think you can tell me where this came from, who might have sent it?  Can you 
find out maybe?"
 
 Bud studied the paper for a second and nodded.  "Yes ma'am.  Priority?  I'm pretty swamped 
here."
 
 "No, tomorrow's good.  Just uh. . .keep it to yourself Bud please."
 
 "Yes ma'am."
   ********************
  Another email was there the next morning and with a sigh Mac printed it off 
  and headed to Bud's office.
  
  "Bud did you find anything on that email I gave you yesterday?" Mac asked.
  
  "It was sent from the library in Georgetown" Bud replied as he pulled out 
  the paper. "I was able to get the information on the account from Yahoo. But 
  I think it's all fake." He handed her the paper and with a long sigh she 
  looked at the user information.
  
  "Sarah Rabb. Vienna, VA" Mac sighed. "Cute."
  
  "I contacted the library but they'd don't keep lists of who uses the 
  computers. So there's really no way to tell for sure who sent it."
  
  "Thanks Bud" she sighed. "I appreciate your help. And thanks for keeping 
  this quiet."
  
  "Thanks for keeping what quiet?" Harm asked as he walked into Bud's office.
  
  "I think I hear Harriet calling me" Bud stammered before hurrying out of his 
  office.
  
  "Mac what's going on?" Harm asked.
  
  "It's nothing. Honest. Just some silly email I got that's all."
  
  "On top of the crank calls we've been getting?" he frowned. "Let me see this 
  silly email."
  
  "Harm it's nothing. It's just a joke."
  
  "Mac let me see this. If you had Bud check on it it obviously bothered you. 
  Now let me see it."
  
  Reluctantly she handed him the two emails and his frown deepened as he read 
  them.
  
  "Are these the only one's you've gotten?" he asked.
  
  "Yesterday and today" she nodded. "Bud was able to find out that it was sent 
  from one of the computers at the library in Georgetown. But the yahoo 
  account it was sent from is registered to Sarah Rabb of Vienna, Virginia."
  
  "Mac I don't like this. Not with the phone calls we've been getting. What if 
  someone is stalking you?"
  
  "Harm why would someone be stalking me?"
  
  "Whoever it is seems rather fascinated with the fact that you're Mrs. Rabb" 
  he sighed.
  
  "Old girlfriend of yours?" Mac sighed. "Someone who wanted to Mrs. Rabb?"
  
  "Renee is happily Mrs. Cyrus Kemper. Jordan is dead. Annie is god only knows 
  where."
  
  "Harm you don't think Annie would do this do you?" Mac said slowly.
  
  "I don't even think Annie is alive" Harm sighed. "And why would she do 
  something like this if she was?"
  
  "I don't know. Did you ever understand anything she did?"
  
  "No" he admitted. "And I hope it's not her. The kids don't need her back in 
  their lives now. They're getting ready for school and they need some 
  normalcy to their lives."
  
  "Well maybe it's just a prank and we're getting upset for nothing" Mac 
  sighed.
  
  "It might be. But in the meantime, I want you to tell me if you get any more 
  of these. And anymore calls."
  
  "I will" she nodded. "Promise."
  
  "Good" he sighed as he pulled her into his arms. "I don't want anything to 
  happen to you. I love you very much."
  
  The rest of the day passed without event and it wasn't until dinner that the 
  uneasiness returned.
  
  "Josh you're pretty quiet tonight" Harm commented. "Everything okay?"
  
  "You're going to think I'm crazy," he said quietly. "But when Doug and I 
  were out playing today this car kept driving around the neighborhood. I 
  swear it was watching me and Doug."
  
  "What kind of car?" Harm asked.
  
  "Gray Ford Taurus" Josh replied. "Had Virginia plates on it."
  
  "Did you see the driver?"
  
  "No. The windows were those tinted ones so I couldn't really see inside. I 
  was going to tell Marianne about it but then I figured she'd just think I 
  was over reacting."
  
  "If you see that car again, I want you to tell Marianne" Harm said 
  seriously. "And then go inside the house."
  
  "Yes sir" Josh nodded.
  
  "Harm I'm worried" Mac said softly as they looked in on the kids a few hours 
  later. "The phone calls, the emails and now this car following Josh."
  
  "I know so am I" Harm sighed. "We'll talk to Marianne in the morning and 
  just tell her to make sure she keeps her eye on them more."
  
"Harm I'm worried," she repeated, giving him a little nudge.  He understood at once and lifted 
his arm over her shoulder, giving her a warm hug as they stood in the hallway between the 
kids' rooms.
 	
 "I don't want you getting yourself upset now," he told her seriously.  "There's a baby inside you 
that needs your calmness."
 
 "Right now its mother needs your arms around her," she sighed.  "Sometimes you know 
Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie just wants to be Sarah Rabb, and be taken care of."
 
 "Anytime she wants," Harm assured her, taking her into their bedroom. 
 
 "We did lock up didn't we?"
 
 "And double checked, and you know in about five seconds I can be over to that closet and 
have that weapon out and loaded.  Plus the alarm is set.  No one is getting in here.  Now come 
sleep little mother."
 
 That did bring a small smile to her face and she snuggled in with him, allowing herself to feel 
safe and protected.
 ==========
 48 HOURS LATER
 
 "Dammit," Harm cursed and banged down the phone at quitting time.
 
 "I'm glad to see you too Flyboy," Mac smiled from the door.  
 
 "No it's not you.  I have to run down to Quantico.  Lt. Galloway picks now to decide he has the 
information I'm looking for.  You'll be OK to drive home?  I hate to do that to you, but the man 
is leaving in the morning on a TAD and I don't want the Magruder case open for a month."
 
 She nodded and came into the office, closing the door behind her.  "It's not a problem.  I'll get 
the kids and grab a pizza, and then you can pick up something for you and me on your way 
home. OK?"
 
 "Yeah and thanks," he sighed.  "See you soon.  Promise me you'll be real safe driving."
 
 "Honey I'm just going a few exits there.  You're the one driving to Quantico.  You promise me 
you'll be safe."
 
 "Always.  I have a lot to come home to."  He dropped her hand to her belly and gave her a 
long kiss.  "Later.
 ============
 
"Where's Harm?" Josh asked.

"He had to go to Quantico. Hopefully he won't be too late."

"So who's cooking?" Josh teased.

"We're getting pizza," Mac said as she gave him a playful swat.

"Chuck E Cheese" Mikayla smiled. "Chuck E Cheese."

"No honey, no Chuck E Cheese tonight. We're just going to get a pizza 
somewhere. We'll go to Chuck E Cheese another time."

She was just about out the door when the phone rang and she ran to grab it 
in case it was Harm.

"Hello"

There was nothing, just breathing on the other end and she finally hung up.

"Was that Harm?" Josh asked as she climbed into the car.

"No wrong number."

A half-hour later they were happily munching pizza at the nearby pizza shop.

"How was your day?" Mac asked. "You and Doug stay out of trouble?"

"Yeah. But I saw that car again."

"Did you tell Marianne?" Mac asked calmly.

"Yeah but by the time I did it was gone. So I told her not to call the 
police."

"Josh next time you see this car, tell Marianne to call the police" Mac said 
seriously. "I mean it. This could be some kind of child snatcher or molester 
or something worse."

"Yes ma'am" Josh nodded.

"In the meantime, I want you and Doug to stay closer to home during the day. 
Until we find out who this is."

The rest of dinner passed quietly and a short time later they were on their 
way home.

"Mac there it is" Josh pointed as they pulled onto their street. "That's the 
car."

Coming towards them was the gray Taurus he'd described a few days earlier 
and as the car passed Mac strained to see inside the car. It was a woman, 
that much she could tell. And in her mind, she knew exactly who it had to 
be.

"Mac that looked like Mom didn't it?" Josh said quietly.

"Yes it did," she said softly. All the fears she had about Annie coming back 
were surfacing. And right now she wished Harm were with her. As if on cue 
her cell phone rang and she took a deep breath before answering.

"Hello."

"Hi honey. Everything okay?"

"Yeah it's fine. Where are you?"

"Still here. This is going to take longer than I thought. Did you guys get 
pizza?"

"Yeah and I ate so don't worry about getting me anything. How much longer do 
you think you'll be?"

"About another hour" he sighed. "So I should see you in about two hours as 
long as there's no problems on the highway."

"All right" she sighed. "I wish it was sooner."

"Is something wrong? Mac?"

"I'll tell you when you get home," she said softly. "I don’t want you 
freaking on the drive home."

"Honey you've got me in freak mode already. What's wrong?"

"The car that's been following Josh was on our street. I'm pretty sure it's 
Annie."

"Mac where are you? Are you at home?"

"Just pulled into the garage" she sighed. "And I'm okay. Honest. We're all 
fine."

"Just promise me if you see the car again you'll call the police" he 
whispered. "I'm serious Mac. You don't know what kind of frame of mind she's 
in."

"I will. And now promise me you won't drive like a maniac to get home to 
us."

"I won't. But I'm going to keep calling to make sure everything is okay."

================
"Yes Harm we're still fine," she told him on his fourth call.  "Where are
you?"

"Just getting to 66," he sighed.  "If you're sure you're OK I'm going to 
stop at the deli.  What can I get you that won't make me barf while I'm enjoying
my Greek Salad?"

"Corn beef, extra kraut," she told him at once.  "And Harm I'm going to now
do Mikayla's story and get her tucked in before she has a meltdown so hold
the calls OK."

A long forty-five minutes later silence reigned in the house.  Mikayla 
Lasted only as long as the first two pages, falling asleep in Mac's lap with her
blankie and bunny.  Josh had gone to bed to read and Mac had just fallen
backwards onto their bed to await Harm and food when there was an ear
splitting noise.  The house security alarm in all its shrieking glory.  In
one fluid motion Mac rolled from the bed and came up with the gun from the
nightstand.  Josh burst from his room while Mikayla screamed as if she was
being tortured.

"Josh go to your sister," Mac ordered as she started for the steps.

"Mac no.  I should. . ."

"You should do as you're ordered mister," she snapped and the boy turned 
and ran.

Carefully with the noise still wailing in her ears, Mac began to creep down
the steps, keeping close to the wall.  Prepared to defend the children
upstairs with her life, she held the weapon at the ready.

The downstairs was as she had left it, the kitchen light on low for Harm's
entry and as she peered around the corner, there was a long shadow being
cast.  She raised her weapon and prepared to challenge the intruder, 
walking down the short hallway.

"Freeze where you stand," she ordered.  "I'm armed and I'll use it."

"Mac it's me," Harm screeched over the noise of the alarm, followed quickly
by the sound of his cursing as he attempted to squelch the noise, 
frantically pushing buttons on the key pad.  "What the hell is the kill code to this
thing.  Goddammit all to hell anyway," he shouted, frustrated by his long 
day and his worry over his family.

"Harm," she gasped, and as the adrenaline rush left her body she leaned
weakly against the wall for  a second before striding past him to silence 
the alarm.

"Hi," he screamed before he realized the deafening noise had stopped.

"Hi yourself Flyboy," she smiled.  "You do like to make an entrance.  How
does a man who can fly a forty-million dollar plane manage to not handle an
alarm code?"

"I'm sorry," he sighed, totally red-faced with embarrassment.  "I was so
anxious to make sure you guys were OK I just buffaloed my way in and then I
could not remember the code to turn it off, so obviously I couldn't 
remember the kill code either."

"You should have asked Mikayla," she smiled.  "Josh was showing her 
earlier."

"Oh that does make me feel better," he groaned, holding his arms open for
her.

"Mac?  Mac is it OK?" Josh shouted urgently.

"Yeah Josh.  Just my husband.  I'll be up in a second to calm Mikayla."

"She's OK, I'm rubbing her back," he shouted back.

"He's a good boy," Harm sighed, folding Mac into his embrace.  "Now what
about the car you saw?  Annie really?"

  "I couldn't swear under oath it was her" Mac sighed. "But I'm pretty sure it 
  was. It was definitely a woman."
  
  "I don't like this" he whispered. "We have no idea if she's gone off the 
  deep end or what. She's been following Josh around and likely she's the one 
  who's been calling and emailing you."
  
  "You don't think she'd hurt them do you?" Mac whispered as she looked at 
  him.
  
  "I'm not certain she wouldn't hurt them or you" he sighed. "We're really 
  going to have to keep our eyes open until we find out for sure if its her or 
  not."
  
  She nodded and allowed her self another long hug before give him a weak 
  smile. "I'd better go check on Josh and Mikayla."
  
  "I'll go with you. Dinner can wait."
  
  Together they made their way to the kid's rooms and were glad to see Mikayla 
  had calmed and was nearly asleep thanks to Josh's gentle hand.
  
  "Thanks big guy" Harm smiled.
  
  "Everything okay?" Josh asked. "I guess Mac told you we thought we saw Mom 
  tonight."
  
  "Yeah she did. And until we find out what's going on, I want you to hang 
  close to the house during the day."
  
  "You think Mom went off the deep end don't you?" he said quietly.
  
  "I don't know Josh. I hope not. And if she did, I want to help her get the 
  help she needs. But I'm not willing to risk anything happening to you or 
  Mikayla or Mac."
  
  Josh's eyes widened at Harm's words and he looked anxiously at Mac and then 
  at Harm.
  
  "Hey it's going to be okay," Mac said gently as she sensed his alarm.
  
  "I don't want to lose you" Josh whispered as he wrapped his arms around Mac.
  
  "Nothing is going to happen to anyone," Harm said softly as he wrapped his 
  arms around both of them. "Everything is going to be okay."
  
  *****************
  1 Week Later
  JAG HQ's
  
  "Harm I'll see you later" Mac said as she walked into his office.
  
  "Where are you going?" he asked as he looked up.
  
  "Doctor's appointment? Did you forget? And of course you forgot, that's why 
  you're sitting there with a blank look on your face."
  
  "Are you coming back?" he frowned as he looked at his watch.
  
  "Yes. I'm going to my appointment, then I'm picking up Josh and Mikayla and 
  then we're coming to pick you up and then we're going out to dinner. I know 
  I went over this with you last night."
  
  "While I was awake or asleep?" he smiled.
  
  "Never mind. We'll be back to pick you up."
  
  "Hey wait" he said as he stood up. "Do you want me to come with you? I'm 
  sure the Admiral wouldn't mind if I took a half a day with you."
  
  "Harm I'm fine."
  
  "Mac she could still be out there" he said quietly. "I know we haven't heard 
  from her but that doesn't mean she's not still around here."
  
  "And I love that you're worried but you can't be with me twenty-four seven" 
  she said softly. "We both know that isn't possible."
 
  "I'm just worried about you" he sighed as he pulled her into his arms. "I 
  love you and I don't want anything to happen to you or the kids."
  
  "We'll all be fine. Now try not to stress while I'm gone."
  
  "Keep in touch will you please" he begged as he let her go. "Just for my 
  peace of mind."
 
 "Harm you worry too much," she smiled, taking a step back from him.  "And I want you to go to 
the doctor with me, but later.  Today he's just going to do an exam that he'd to kick you out for 
anyway, give me some vitamins and tell me to rest and eat.  No biggie.  I want you to come 
later on with me when we can hear the heartbeat and all.  Save it for then in other words."
 
 "OK but I'm pouting."
 
 "And you do it very well.  Mikayla makes that exact same face.  I'll be back with good doctor 
news and two hungry kids."
 
 "Yeah and I'll be here.  You'll know me.  I'll be the one fuming because I let that scheming 
Sandra Oliver get the best of me in court."
 
 "Well try keeping your eyes more on your notes and less on her Flyboy," she teased, giving 
his cheek a last kiss.  "I love you."
 ==============
 The doctor's office went amazingly fast.  And more good news greeted her when she went for 
the kids.  They had been at the community pool all morning and Mikayla especially would be 
more than ready to crash, and Josh would be happy with a movie or book for a few hours, 
giving her a chance to rest before it was time to get Harm.
 
 Downstairs Josh was in front of the TV, drowsy from his morning of swimming and very 
content.  His life was good, and he was mature enough to appreciate that fact.  His eyes 
closed, only to fly open when there was a knock at the door, a pause and a knock again.
 
 "Yeah OK coming," he muttered, staggering to the foyer.  "Mom?"  If Lucifer himself had been 
standing there he would not have been more surprised.  "Mom?" he repeated.  "Mom what are 
you doing here?"
 
 "I came to see my children of course," she replied.  "I'm back now, and I need to talk to you.  
To you and Harm and Mac.  We need to all work out where we're going from here."
 
 "Mom, Mac is asleep and Harm isn't here.  Mikayla's asleep too," he tried.  
 
 "In that case I'll just talk to you right now.  I really would like to have a chance to do that 
anyway.  To explain where I was and to see how you are."
 
 "Mom please.  I'm fine.  Better than I have been in a long time."
 
 "Joshua I didn't come to talk to you through this door," she whined.  "Let me in.  Please.  If for 
no other reason than I'm your mother.  I'm also sick and I need to take my medicine.  I just 
want to talk to you.  I don't think that's too much to ask."
 
 "If Harm was here and Mac was up, but Mac is pregnant and she's sleeping," he objected.  "I 
don't think I should."
 
 "Joshua I am your mother and I need to speak to you.  I won't stay long, promise.  And I'll 
come back another time to see the others.  Please Josh.  I need my medicine.  A glass of coke 
and a few minutes is not too much to ask."
 
 And it was those words that prompted Josh to let her in.
  
  "I have missed you so much," she said as he led her to the kitchen.
  
  "Why did you leave us then?" Josh asked. "You never came back."
  
  "I know honey and I'm sorry. I just had to get away for a while. It wasn't 
  because I didn't love you."
  
  "You're not going to try and take us back are you?" Josh asked.
  
  "You don't want to be with me?" Annie whispered. "Josh I'm your Mom. You 
  have to love me."
  
  "It's not that I don't love you. But I like it here with Harm and Mac. And 
  Mikayla is so happy now too. She smiles all the time and she's real happy."
  
  "Where is she?" Annie demanded. "I want to see her."
  
  "Mom you said you just wanted to get something to take your medicine with" 
  Josh said slowly.
  
  "No" she shouted. "I want my children back. I want you and Mikayla."
  
  "Mom you're scaring me. Stop it."
  
  To his horror, she pulled a gun from her purse. "Take me to your sister 
  Josh" she ordered. "Now."
  
  "Mom why are you doing this?" Josh whispered.
  
  "Because you and Mikayla belong to me" she snapped. "Not to Harm and Mac. I 
  won't let them have you."
  
  The sound of voices pulled Mac from her sleep and she forced herself from 
  the bed.
  
  "Josh" she called sleepily.
  
  She heard Josh's scream but it was too late to defend herself as Annie 
  lowered the gun to the back of her head. Mac crumpled to the ground and 
  Annie smiled as she looked at Josh.
  
  "You hurt her" Josh wailed as he dropped to the floor beside Mac.
  
  "I could have done worse" she snapped. "And I will if you don't take me to 
  Mikayla. Now where's my baby?"
  
  He led her to the room and Mikayla started to cry at once as Annie tried to 
  pick her up.
  
  "Honey it's okay, momma's here" Annie cooed.
  
  "She doesn't like you" Josh cried. "You're not her mother anymore. And your 
  not mine either. Mac is."
  
  "She is not your mother" Annie shouted. "I am. And you're going to be with 
  me where you belong."
  
  "No" Josh cried. "I'm not going anywhere with you."
  
  "You will or else" Annie threatened. "Do you want to see your sister die? Or 
  better yet, what about Mac?"
  
  "No" he whispered. "Please don't hurt them. Please. I'll go with you. Just 
  don't hurt Mac please."
  
  "Come on sweetie" Annie smiled to Mikayla. "We're going home honey. Josh 
  move it."
  
  ****************
  "Dammit Mac where are you?" Harm muttered as he slammed the phone down. 
  There was no answer at home and no answer on her cell. And his gut was 
  telling him something was very wrong.
  
  "Everything okay?" AJ asked as he looked in Harm's office.
  
  "I don't know sir" Harm sighed. "Mac was supposed to pick me up and she's 
  not here. And of course there's no answer on her cell or at home."
  
  "You want me to give you a lift home?" AJ asked. "I'd be glad to."
  
  "What if she's on her way and just got stuck in traffic or something?" Harm 
  sighed. "She'll get here and she'll be mad if I'm not here."
  
  "Try her cell again" AJ urged. "But I'd be happy to take you home."
  
  Harm nodded and reached for the phone again. He waited as it rang and was 
  just about to hang up when the line finally connected.
  
  "Mac thank god where are you?"
  
  "Harm?" It was Mac's voice but at once he knew something wasn't right.
  
  "Mac what's wrong? Where are you?"
  
  It was several moments before she answered and his panic rose even higher as 
  he waited. "Mac honey, what's wrong? Did you have an accident? Are you 
  hurt?"
  
  "Oh god" she screamed. "Harm they're gone. She took them. Annie took Josh 
  and Mikayla."
 
 "Annie. . " he gasped, all he could manage as he digested what she was saying.  "Annie was 
there?"
 
 "Oh god Harm.  She's got them.  She took them.  She was here and they're gone."  Her voice 
grew progressively more high pitched and her words ended in a loud sob.  
 
 "Did you see her take them?  Do you know that for sure?"  Harm ran this hand through his hair 
as he tried to think, praying it would be all right.  "Is it possible she just took them to the park 
maybe?" he asked hopefully.
 
 "Harm no.  She had a gun.  She hit me."
 
 Harm grasped the back of the chair to steady himself as the full impact of what she was 
saying hit him.  "OK honey, OK," he gulped.  "I'm leaving now.  You call 911.  How bad are you 
hurt?"
 
"I'm just dizzy and my head hurts, but it doesn't matter.  Harm she might hurt them.  I'm so 
scared for them."
 
 "No I don't think so," he soothed, forcing a calm.  "She just wanted them back.  As long as 
Josh does what she says, and keeps Mikayla in line they'll be OK.  Do what I said now.  Call 
911.  I love you and I'll be there soon.  The Admiral is bringing me."
 
 AJ was already reaching for his cover and car keys.
 
 "I love you Sarah," Harm said and disconnected the phone, his hand shaking badly.  "Sir I. . ."
 
 "Harm let's just get out there," AJ told him, taking his arm and ushering him out his private 
door to his car.
 
 "Sarah's hurt," Harm whispered as AJ pulled away.  "Sarah's hurt and my children are gone."
 
 "Harm she won't get far with them.  They'll be looking out for the car.  Plus Josh is a smart kid.  
He'll handle it until we can get him some help."  He reached over to give Harm's shoulder a 
reassuring pat.
 
 "Sir you don't know.   I mean we haven't told anyone.  Mac is pregnant.  What if she's. . .what 
if something happened to the baby," he gasped out.
 
 "Pregnant?  Really?" AJ smiled despite the seriousness of the situation.  "Son that's great 
news.  And even more reason for you to be calm here.  She's going to need you to help her 
stay calm, for the baby's sake as well as hers.  And the kids are going to need you too.  Let's 
have some of that ice water in his veins pilot I know so well."
 
 Harm shuddered hard but said nothing, willing the traffic to move out of their way and when it 
did not he pounded the dashboard in anger.
 
 An infinitely long fifteen minutes later they pulled onto Harm's street and he was out of the car 
before AJ had it fully stopped, taking relieved note that the police and an ambulance were 
already there in an eerie scene that harkened back to the day of Josh's accidental shooting.  
 
 Harm met one of the ambulance attendants coming down as he stormed up the stairs.  "My 
wife?  How is she?"
 
 "She's got a lump the size of a lemon but she's refusing to be transported sir," he sighed.  "We 
can't make her come, but I'd keep an eye on her.  Head injuries are not something to play with.  
Right now she looks OK, but she should let us run her in to be checked."
 
 "Yeah well don't leave.  The jury is still out on that," he growled, calling her name as he ran 
the rest of the way up.
 
 "Harm."  It was a shriek pure and simple and three seconds later she was hurtling into his 
arms.  "Harm they're gone.  I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry.  I should have protected them." 
 
 He swallowed hard and rubbed her back as one of the uniformed officers approached him.  
"Sergeant Katz sir.  And this is Detective Bellzinger.  You're Mr.--I mean Commander--Rabb 
right?"
 
 "Yes I am.  What's being done to find the lunatic woman who hurt my wife and took my 
children?"
  
  "Everything we can sir" the man replied. "Your wife gave us a description of 
  the car she said she saw her in the other day and we'll get that out to 
  everyone. She won't get far."
  
  "Harm I'm so sorry" Mac sniffled.
  
  "Shh" he soothed. "It's not your fault."
  
  "I should have been more careful" she wailed. "You tried to warn me but I 
  didn't listen."
  
  "Honey don't do this to yourself. We had no idea she was this desperate and 
  would try something like this."
  
  "Harm what if she hurts them. She had a gun."
  
  "Usually they don't hurt the kids ma'am" Sergeant Katz spoke up. "You were 
  in her way to getting them so that's why she assaulted you."
  
  "Mac I want you to let them take you to the hospital to get checked" Harm 
  said softly.
  
  "Harm we have to find Josh and Mikayla" she cried. "She has them and god 
  only knows what she's planning to do with them. They're just kids and if she 
  hurts them. . ." Her voice broke and with a sob she buried her head against 
  Harm's chest.
  
  "We will find them. But I need to know you're okay first. You won't do the 
  kids any good if you're not. Please honey."
  
  She nodded finally and he gently helped her to her feet, his arm staying 
  firmly around her waist as he guided her down to the waiting ambulance.
  
  "How is she?" AJ asked as he followed them to the ambulance.
  
  "It doesn't appear to be too bad" Harm sighed. "But they're going to run her 
  by the hospital just to make sure it's not more serious."
  
  "Is there anything I can do to help?" AJ asked.
  
  "Keep on top of them to find Josh and Mikayla" Harm said quietly. "And call 
  Bud and Harriet. I'm going to want them to stay with Mac once I know she's 
  okay so I can go find Annie."
  
  "Harm no" Mac begged. "I'm going to help you find Josh and Mikayla."
  
  "Honey you have you and our baby to think about. You need to rest and take 
  it easy."
  
  "How can I rest when I know she has them" Mac wailed. "She's going to hurt 
  them Harm. I know it."
  
  "We don't know that" he soothed. "And you need to calm down. This isn't good 
  for you or the baby. Please."
  
  "Ma'am he's right" the paramedic said gently. "Especially with that head 
  injury."
  
  She nodded as Harm helped her into the ambulance. She refused the stretcher, 
  instead staying in Harm's comforting arms during the ride to the hospital.
  
  "Okay sir you'll have to let her go" the nurse in ER said once Mac was 
  inside. "We'll take it from here."
  
  "Harm" Mac whimpered as she clung to him.
  
  "It's going to be okay" he said gently. "Let them look at you and make sure 
  you're okay."
  
  He reluctantly pulled away and she was quickly taken away. With a sigh he 
  sank into one of the waiting room chairs, not sure how things had ended up 
  like this. His wife was hurt and his children were missing because he hadn't 
  realized just how crazy Annie really was.
  
 His cell phone rang twenty minutes later and he jumped and grabbed it, issuing a quick 
entreaty heavenward for good news.  "Rabb."
 
 "I just wanted you to know the kids are OK."
 
 "Annie.  Annie please," he gasped.  "Please bring them back."  He could hear Mikayla in the 
background, screaming as she had not done routinely in a long time and Josh trying to comfort 
her.  "Annie, please don't do this.  Look you bring them back and I'll fix it so it's like it never 
happened.  It's not too late Annie.  You're not in bad trouble yet.  But if you keep going--if you 
don't stop--you're just going to bring down a lot of grief."
 
 "Harm you started that ball in motion months ago when you decided you had to be Mikayla's 
father," she retorted.  "I told you then I didn't want you in our lives.  But I couldn't get you out, 
so now I'm taking us away from you.  Don't try to find us Harm."
 
 "Annie please.  Please listen," he gasped.  "For godsake Annie listen to me.  What do you 
want me to do?  What's it going to take for me to get them back?  Money?  I don't have a lot 
but I can raise some."
 
 "Harm no it's not about money," she laughed derisively.  "It's about nothing but power.  And 
I've got it right now.  Next to Mac I've got the two things you value most in the world and I'm 
loving it.  Revenge is sweet and payback is a bitch."  With that she broke the connection and 
Harm's chin dropped to his chest.  "Please take care of them Lord," he whispered as cold fear 
washed through him once again.  Annie Pendry was deranged, and dangerous.
 
 "Harm?"  How long he had sat in that position he wasn't sure.  "Harm are you OK?"  Mac's 
voice, soft and tender, and he looked up into her brown eyes.  She knelt in front of him, holding 
his face between gentle palms and placing a soft kiss on his lips. "Hi."
 
 "Hi yourself," he replied, forcing a half-smile.  "Are you OK?  You and the baby?"
 
 "No permanent damage," she said softly.  "Just a headache that I haven't experienced since 
hangover days but I'll live.  Please lets get back to the house.  Maybe they've heard 
something."
 
 He nodded, remembering to give thanks Above for that much.  His wife and baby were OK.  
Now he could deal with the rest.  His arm went around her firmly and they helped each other 
up.  A call to AJ and their way home was secured.  Harm knew there was no news or AJ would 
have called him right away, thus he did not bother to ask, just requested the Admiral come for 
them.
 
 When he pulled up, Harm climbed into the backseat, holding his arms open for her, and the 
ride back to Vienna was silent until AJ cleared his throat and spoke.  "Harm you should know 
that the Detective has released the information to the media so that the car can be watched 
for.  I gave permission.  I hope that's OK."
 
 "Of course it is," Harm nodded, holding on to Mac even more tightly.  "I should tell him about 
Annie calling me also."
 
 "Oh Harm she didn't," Mac gasped.  "For what?  What did she say?  Are the kids OK?  What 
does she want?  Why didn't you say something"
 
 "Ssshhhh OK," he soothed.  "She wanted to tell me they're OK, which I hope I can believe, 
and then to gloat.  Talked a bit about revenge and payback.  No surprise there.  The anger she 
bears for me taking them.  Even before that, the anger she has for me attempting to intercede 
in Mikayla's life, made her do this."
 
 "Do you really think they're OK?" she asked tearfully.
 
 He drew a long breath before answering.  "Yeah I think so.  For now at least."  That satisfied 
her for the moment and he fell back against the seat, declining to share his fear with her.  Fear 
that Annie would be so intent on revenge that she would hurt them, and praying that was not 
the case.  That her love for them as their mother would will out.
  
  Once home Harm called Detective Bellzinger to tell him about the call he'd 
  received from Annie. Mac stood by listening, her face growing more somber as 
  he spoke to the Detective.
  
  "Nothing yet" Harm sighed as he hung up and turned to her, drawing her into 
  his arms.
  
  "This is an absolute nightmare" she whispered. "I can't believe she did 
  this. I can't believe she took them like that. What if she just wants to 
  hurt them Harm?"
  
  "She won't. She wants to hurt me. Not them."
  
  "But hurting them would hurt you."
  
  "I know" he sighed as he let go of her. "And I've tried not to think about 
  that. She's their mother Mac. I can't believe someone who gave birth to them 
  and loved them like she did would hurt them."
  
  "Harm it happens all the time. And we both know how unstable Annie is."
  
  "This is my fault. I had a bad feeling today. I should have gone with you."
  
  "I wouldn't let you" Mac sniffled. "If there's anyone to blame it's me. I 
  should have listened to you. We knew Annie was out there and I should have 
  done more to protect them."
  
  "No I don't want you blaming yourself for this" he sighed. "It's not your 
  fault."
  
  "Yes it is" she wailed. "I should have been paying more attention. If I 
  hadn't been sleeping I could have stopped her."
  
  "And likely gotten yourself killed" he whispered. "Mac she had a gun. Right 
  now I'm still thanking the Man upstairs that she only knocked you out. She 
  could have killed you. I could have lost all of you." He pulled her into his 
  arms again, hugging her tightly. "I love you so much and I couldn't stand 
  the thought of losing you" he whispered.
  
  "What about Josh and Mikayla?"
  
  "We're going to get them back. We just have to have faith that she won't 
  hurt them. That someone is going to see the car and report it and we'll get 
  them back."
  
  "I hope you're right" she whispered. "Cause right now I'm so scared we're 
  never going to see them again."
  
  "You need to rest" he announced a few seconds later. "Let's get you upstairs 
  and into bed."
  
  "Harm I can't sleep while they're missing."
  
  "Honey you have to try" he said gently. "It's not good for you and the baby 
  if you let yourself get run down. And the doctor did say you should rest in 
  bed. And of course there's the matter of dinner."
  
  "I'm not hungry," she said somberly.
  
  "I know and neither am I but you need to eat something. So what we're going 
  to do is I'm going to take you upstairs and you're going to rest while I 
  find something for us to eat."
  
  She finally relented and allowed him to help her to the bedroom. With a long 
  sigh she lay down on the bed, Harm sitting down on the bed beside her.
  
  "How's the headache?" he said gently.
  
  "No worse no better" she sighed. "And honestly all I'm worried about is them 
  Harm. They have to be so scared with her."
  
  "They'll be okay. You just rest and I'll be up with something in a few 
  minutes." He stood up and turned to leave when she suddenly gripped his 
  hand.
  
  "Harm what if she's already killed them?" Mac whispered. "What if she really 
  did want to hurt us by hurting them?"
  
  "She didn't. They're alive. I know it. And we're going to get them back."
  
  **************
  12 Hours Later
  
  It had been a restless night for both of them. Harm hadn't even attempted to 
  sleep; knowing there was no way he could. Instead he'd done his best to calm 
  Mac so she could rest. She'd managed a few hours of sleep with his 
  comforting arms around her and for that he was grateful.
  
  "Nothing yet?" she asked somberly when she woke.
  
  "No. I want to go down to the station and see what they're doing. See if 
  they've gotten any leads at all."
  
  "I'm coming with you," she said quietly.
  
  "Mac" he started.
  
  "Harm don't. Please. Josh and Mikayla are as much a part of me as they are a 
  part of you. I can't sit here and do nothing. I have to help find them."
  
  "Honey I'm just worried about you" he sighed as he pulled her into his arms.
  
  "I know. But I have to do this. Please. I want to find them. And I can't do 
  that sitting here."
  
  "OK but you and the baby are as much my concern as Josh and Mikayla," he reminded her. 
"Just so you know if I start getting testy about you."
 
 She snuggled more deeply into his embrace and gave a long sigh.  "Me and the baby are fine.  
Or at least as fine as we're going to be without the rest of our family.  Harm I love those kids.  
Anymore I can't remember when I wasn't Mrs. Rabb and mom to them.  Regardless of birth or 
legality."
 
 "I know honey I know," he whispered, resting his chin on the top of her head.  "Shall we get 
going.  I know they would have called if there was anything but still I'll feel better if we're there 
in person."
 
 She nodded and wrapped her arms around his firm body, not quite ready to let him go.  Noting 
the time, he reached behind her for the TV remote, wanting to see the local news.  It did not 
take long for the story he was waiting for to come up.  
 
 "Good morning Jody.  The police here in Vienna, working closely with the Fairfax County and 
Virginia State forces, are conducting intense searches this morning for two children taken at 
gunpoint by their estranged mother from their home in Vienna.  Annabelle Doris Pendry is 
wanted on a variety of charges this morning, including abduction and making terroristic threats.  
Despite intense coverage of the highways leading away from Vienna as well as the 
surrounding streets, there has been no sign of the car in which she is believed to be traveling. . 
."  Harm turned it off as the newsman described the car, and pictures of the three flashed up, 
along with descriptions.
 
 "Honey she can't stay hidden forever," Harm reminded her.   "She'll need to buy food and gas, 
and remember, Josh is our trump card here.  You know he's doing everything he can to protect 
Mikayla and to get in touch with us.  He's a smart kid."
 
 "And if they're already dead?"
 
 Harm froze for a second before lifting her slightly away from him.  "No.  I refuse to believe that.  
I refuse to believe she could outrightly kill her own flesh and blood."
 
 Mac took a deep breath and shook her head.  "Harm last year a man in Texas went to work 
and came home to find that his wife had drowned their five children."
 
 "I know, but she had obvious mental problems."
 
 "And Annie doesn't?  Not to mention you said yourself she's looking for revenge."
 
 "OK point taken," he sighed.  "But honestly I think she wanted the kids, wanted to try to get 
back what they had.  We can only hope that Mikayla's turned back into the 3 year old from hell 
and that Josh has made it clear he wants nothing to do with her.  That alone may make her 
give them up."
 
 "You don't think something like that would make her just kill them do you?" she whispered 
tearfully.
 
 "Honestly I don't know.  I couldn't figure her out in the short time we were together.  This Annie 
Pendry was not the Annie Mueller I was in love with all those years ago.  My gut though says 
that if she just wanted them dead, wanted the revenge, wanted to get back at me---well I think 
she would have murdered all three of you, and then killed herself, leaving me to find you.  And 
that thought is going to be the fodder for nightmares for a long time to come.  God we've got to 
find them.  Let's get going.  But first you need to have your tea and toast.  I don't want you 
sick."
 ================
 VIENNA POLICE STATION
 1 Hour later
 
 Blissfully there had been no reporters outside their house, but they were in force in front of the 
police station.  "Mr. Rabb, Mrs. Rabb, a statement to Mrs. Pendry maybe?"  

The clamor went up and Harm protectively held on to Mac, at first wanting to hurry her inside, 
then deciding it couldn't hurt.  He held up his hands for quiet and walked Mac to the top of the 
steps before reaching for the nearest microphone.  "Annie I hope you can hear this," he began 
softly, "because I have something to say to you.  Sarah and I want our children back.  If you 
bring them back to us, we'll help you.  We'll help you get the help you need.  You know how 
much Sarah and I love them, and how happy they are with us.  You can't care for them on the 
run like this Annie.  Bring them home.  Enough revenge. You've scared and upset both of us.  
Let it go at that.  Please."
 
 He handed the microphone back and turned to walk inside, stopping after only a step and 
taking it back.  "One more thing Annie.  If you hurt them in any way, I'll find you.  And yes that 
is a threat.  You and me and Luke played poker often enough for you to know I don't bluff.  In 
fact don't think of that as a threat, think of it as a promise.  If you hurt either one of them, I'll 
see you in hell."  
  
  They headed inside the station and finally located Detective Bellzinger.
  
  "I know you're here for information" he sighed. "But so far we haven't 
  gotten anything."
  
  "Someone has to have seen her" Harm sighed.
  
  "There's a lot of gray Ford Taurus's Mr. Rabb. It may take a while before 
  someone sees them. And of course by now she could be half way across the 
  country."
  
  "But you're tracking her credit cards right?" Harm asked.
  
  "Of course. So far nothing. So she might be in the local area. We've got 
  everyone looking."
  
  "I know" he sighed as he brought Mac closer to him. "You understand we're 
  not here to make your life hell we just want to find our children."
  
  "And if I were in your position I'd be doing the same thing" he said with a 
  small smile. "And I can assure you we're doing everything we can. Something 
  will break. It's just a matter of when."
  
  Harm nodded and he and Mac headed out of the Detective's office.
  
  "So do we hang out here?" Mac sighed. "Or go back home in case she calls 
  there?"
  
  "She has my cell phone number" Harm reminded her. "If she wants to call she 
  will. But I don't think hanging out here will do us any good. I'm just 
  racking my brain trying to figure out where she might have taken them."
  
  "Back to Baltimore maybe?" Mac suggested.
  
  "Maybe. You up to going up there and looking around? I'm sure the police 
  have been there but it wouldn't hurt to do some leg work of our own."
  
  "It's better than sitting around feeling helpless" she sighed. "Let's go."
  
  They spent the afternoon in Baltimore talking to everyone in Annie's old 
  neighborhood. No one had seen her since she'd disappeared months ago and 
  with desperation growing they headed back to DC.
  
  "You okay?" Harm asked softly.
  
  "I wanted someone to have seen them" Mac sniffled. "Harm I'm getting more 
  and more scared we're never going to see them again. That she's taken them 
  and killed them and we're never going to know what happened to them."
  
  "Don't think that. We're going to find them. I know it."
  
  "Do you really believe that or are you just saying that?"
  
  "We're going to get our kids back" he vowed. "She's not going to take them 
  away from us."
  
  They returned home, Harm finally persuading Mac to take a nap and relax for 
  a bit. He'd just gotten her settled when the phone rang and he quickly 
  grabbed it.
  
  "Mr. Rabb it's Detective Bellzinger. We've got a break."
  
  "Good or bad" Harm managed.
  
  "Good so far. She's been spotted in Harper's Ferry."
  
  "What about the kids?"
  
  "We believe they're with her. I'm still trying to get confirmation on that 
  but it's definitely her. I'm on my way as we speak."
  
  "We're right behind you" Harm replied. "Where in Harper's Ferry is she?"
  
  "The bridge over the Shenandoah River" Bellzinger replied. "That's where they 
  located her. She was just waiting there."
  
  A million images flashed through Harm's mind and he swallowed hard. There 
  was only one reason she would be waiting on a bridge.
  
  "We'll be there right away" Harm managed before hanging up.
  
  "Harm what is it?" Mac whispered.
  
  "They found her. And they think the kids are still with her. In Harper's 
  Ferry. On the bridge over the Shenandoah."
  
  "Oh god, she's going to kill them" Mac gasped.
  
  "No" Harm said vehemently. "They won't let that happen. They'll stop her 
  before she does that."
  
  "We have to get to them," Mac said as she pushed herself up. "Before it's 
  too late."
  
  He nodded and moments later they were on their way northwest towards 
  Harper's Ferry. Harm pushed the speed as much as he dared with Mac in the 
  car and it was just under an hour later that they arrived at the scene.
  
  "Where are they?" Harm demanded as he and Mac reached Detective Bellzinger. 
  "Are they okay?"
  
  "I'm sorry but they're not with her" he said quietly. "One of the 
  negotiator's tried to talk to her. All she found out was that the kids 
  aren't here. And that she's waiting to talk to you."
  
  "Oh god she did kill them" Mac gasped. "And that's what she wants to tell 
  you. She wants to tell you where she left their bodies." A small sob escaped 
  as she finished and at once Harm gathered her into his arms.
  
  "Honey don't" he pleaded. "Please don't do this to yourself. We don't know 
  that's the case. Maybe she wants to tell me where they are."
  
  Her sobs continued and he held her tightly for several minutes.
  
  "You better go talk to her" she whispered finally. "And find out what she 
  did with our children."
  
  "I will" he promised.
 
 "This is a nightmare and I can't wake up," she sighed, subconsciously rubbing her belly as she 
pulled away from him.  His sharp eyes noticed at once and his hands clamped to her arms.
 
 "You're having some kind of pain aren't you?  Is it the baby?  Talk to me Sarah."
 
 "I'm sure it's just nerves.  My stomach is in knots here I'm so scared.  Once we have the kids 
home I'll be fine.  Go please.  Go talk to her.  Make her understand we want to help her but 
most of all we want our children."
  
   He stepped from the car to be greeted by a West Virginia State trooper.  "Mr. Rabb, I'm Lt. 
Boshwitz, in charge here.  Our negotiator is still trying to talk her in, but he's not having any 
luck.  Sgt. Sprouse is attempting to get her to say where the kids are as well, but no go.  She's 
either perfectly silent, almost catatonic, alternating with screaming your name.  I've also got 
people below in boats."
 
 He swallowed hard when he heard that.  "Because?"
 
 "In case the kids are in the river," he whispered, his eye on Mac.  "But also in case she jumps.  
If we get to her we might be able to save her."
 
 Harm could only shudder at his words and he leaned back in the window to Mac.  "OK honey 
you take it easy while I go find out where our children are."  He brushed the back of her cheek 
with the back of his hand and gave her what he hoped was a reassuring look.  When he 
backed out of the car he looked pleadingly at the officer.  "Sir she's pregnant and upset.  
Please could someone look after her?"
 
 "You got it.  I'll have Marilee come and take her into the shade, get her a cold drink."
 
 "Thank you," he breathed.  "OK where is this lunatic and I wish someone could please tell me 
how I thought I could have ever loved her."
 
 Boshwitz put a guiding hand to his arm and led him up the road to the highway.  "We've 
detoured all traffic in both directions of course.  In fact it's pretty silent up there unless she's 
screaming.  She told our negotiator not to speak to her again so we've stopped.  You know I'm 
no expert except for my experience, and she's pretty far gone."
 
 "I think she's had some kind of mental breakdown yes," Harm said quietly.  "Unfortunately it 
was precipitated by me."
 
 "No I've read the back story.  You were doing what you thought was right."
 
 "Well thank you for that," he sighed and then gasped, getting his first glimpse of the mother of 
the two children who meant so much to him.
  
  She finally saw him, balanced from her perch on the railing. A slow smiled 
  crossed her face and for a moment he feared the feared the worst.
  
  "Annie where are they?" he whispered as he approached her. "Where are Josh 
  and Mikayla?"
  
  "It's all your fault. If you hadn't tried to take them away none of this 
  would have happened."
  
  "Please tell me you didn't hurt them" he begged. "Annie please."
  
  "Why did you have to ruin everything?" she shouted. "They were mine. They 
  loved me. Until you had to ruin it."
  
  "I didn't make them stop loving you," he said quietly. "You were the one who 
  walked away from them."
  
  "You turned them against me. They didn't want to be with me anymore."
  
  "Annie where are Josh and Mikayla" Harm said calmly. "Tell me where they 
  are."
  
  "I used to love you" Annie continued on, ignoring his question. "But now I 
  hate you Harmon Rabb. I hate you so much for what you've done to me."
  
  "Annie I just wanted to be with my child."
  
  "You had no right," she shouted. "Those children were my world. And you took 
  that away from me."
  
  "I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Now tell me where Josh and Mikayla 
  are please."
  
  "Do you really want to know?" she smirked.
  
  "Annie please. Stop the games. Where are they?"
  
  "Where they belong," she said calmly. "Away from you. Josh is with his real 
  father now."
  
  "NO" Harm whispered. "You're lying. They're not dead."
  
  "How does it feel to lose your children Harm?" she laughed. He stood there 
  frozen, unable to believe what she was telling him.
  
  "Where are they Annie?"
  
  "They're gone Harm" she said before suddenly diving headfirst from the 
  railing towards the river below. Harm raced to the edge, arriving just in 
  time to see her hit the water, the angle such that he knew at once she 
  wouldn't have survived. The boats in the water hurried towards where she'd 
  gone under and he closed his eyes as he leaned against the railing.
  
  "Mr. Rabb"
  
  He opened his eyes to see Lt. Boshwitz and he let out a long sigh.
  
  "She said they're dead" he whispered. "She wouldn't tell me where she'd left 
  them. But she said they're dead."
  
  "I'm sorry sir," the officer said automatically. "Would you like me to tell 
  your wife?"
  
  "No. I'll tell her" Harm managed. He had no idea how he was going to do that 
  but he knew she needed to hear it from him and not from anyone else. The two 
  children they had loved more than anything else were gone.
  
  "Harm" Mac whispered as he approached her. "Oh god, what did she say?"
  
  "They're dead" he managed. That was as far as he got before the tears 
  started and he hugged her against him. They stood there sobbing in each 
  other's arms, oblivious to everything around them but each other.
  
  "Why?" Mac whimpered. "Why did she have to hurt them?"
  
  "Because she wanted to hurt me" Harm whispered. "It's my fault Mac. She 
  wanted to hurt me so she hurt them." He choked back another sob and she 
  hugged him tighter.
  
  "It's not your fault. You didn't do this. Annie did."
  
  "I want them back" he wailed. "I want our children back."
  
  She could only hold him and it wasn't until Lt. Boshwitz gently tapped on 
  his shoulder that they finally parted.
  
  "Sir we just got a call from someone who says they saw Mrs. Pendry and the 
  kids last night."
  
  "The kids-alive?" Harm whispered.
  
  "At that time, yes they were" Lt. Boshwitz nodded. "Course that was twelve 
  hours ago. She may very well have killed them and then left them somewhere 
  but we're going to get a search party out there just in case."
  
  "Where?" Harm asked.
  
  "Somewhere in the Shenandoah Mountains."
 
 Harm and Mac exchanged fleeting looks of hope.  "Is it far from here?" he asked quickly.
 
 "My Sergeant has the exact location.  The caller didn't think much about it until she saw the 
news this morning and then it clicked and she caught up on the story.  Thing is the sighting is 
twelve hours old and that's more than ample time for them to have been taken elsewhere and 
for her to get back here for the performance she gave you."
 
 "It's a place to start."
 
 Harm started to speak when another officer hurried up to them.  "Excuse me Lieutenant but 
you'd want to know.  We pulled Ms. Pendry out.  The paramedics are working on her, but looks 
like she broke her neck when she hit the water.  They're going to transport per policy."
 
 "Thanks Tim," Boshwitz nodded.  "Tim get me the exact location of where that credible 
sighting of the kids was last night but. . ."  His expression turned pained and he looked at Mac 
for a moment before he could continue.  "But make sure they don't cease the river operations 
just in case."
 
 A long shuddering sob went through her and Harm gave her a hug and a firm shake at the 
same time.  
 
 "Should we stay here in case. . .?" she whispered.
 
 "No."  He shook his head firmly.  "Remember when I mentioned Annie and Luke playing poker 
and that I didn't bluff.  Well that's all Annie ever did--try to scare me off the pot.  Lieutenant I'll 
be going with you to join the search.  Please make sure my wife is. . ."
 
 That was as far as he got before her hand clamped to his mouth.  "You better do a quick re-
think there mister.  I'm not going to some room to wait, and I can't stay here either and face 
what they may find.  I'm going with you."
 
 Another sob escaped him as he held her face between his hands.  "Sarah, you--and this baby-
-may be all I have left.  I don't want anything to happen to you."
 
 "Harm I'll go crazy if I'm not right at your side right now.  Please.  I'm fine, and I know the baby 
is fine.  Well I'm as fine as I can be considering I feel like my heart is being ripped out and 
handed to me.  Don't make me separate from you."
 
 Her tearful plea tore at his insides and he grabbed her in an almost smothering embrace.  "Sir 
we'll be going with you."
 ====================
 The noonday sun was hot, even with the shade the woods offered.  But more discomforting 
was his thirst.  His throat burned from the lack of liquid.  His stomach growled from hunger as 
well.  And the little girl he carried on his back screamed until she could scream no more.  Her 
cheeks were flushed and she was covered in dirt and sweat.  
 
 Ten hours earlier, in pitch blackness, the gray Taurus had stopped in the middle of  the narrow 
dirt road.  Annie Pendry pulled Mikayla from her seatbelt that had painfully held her in place 
and set her on the ground.  Josh scrambled out after her, hurrying to her side to pick her up 
and comfort her.  While he was doing that, his mother drove away.  For a long time the boy 
waited, holding his sister to him, hiding in the trees, fearful of her return.  
 
 When dawn broke with no sign of her, he picked up the little girl and began to walk.  There 
was not a sign of life on the old road but logic told him if his mother had turned in there it had 
to be from one of the main roads.  Cursing himself for having fallen asleep, he trudged along, 
knowing it would come out somewhere, and praying for someone to happen along if it did not.
  
  **************
  "Mac you okay?" Harm asked as he reached for her hand.
  
  "I just want to find them alive" she whispered. "I want this nightmare to be 
  over."
  
  "It will honey" he whispered as he pressed his lips to her forehead. "We're 
  going to get them back."
  
  The car pulled to a stop in an area surrounded by other cars and Harm helped 
  Mac from the car.
  
  "Anything yet?" Lt. Boshwitz asked the other men.
  
  "No sir. But this is a pretty large area to cover here. Lots of old roads 
  and paths she could have taken them down. But we've got every available man 
  looking. Some have been out since we got the call."
  
  "We want to help" Harm spoke up. "And don't even try and tell us no."
  
  "Wouldn't have even tried" the man said with a small smile. "By the way I'm 
  Ron Marks, Supervisor of the Park Rangers. My guys know this area better 
  than anyone else does and I'm sure we'll find them. I was about to head out 
  with a group and you're more than welcome to join me."
  
  "We will" Harm nodded.
  
  "Harm they have to be so scared" Mac wailed. "All alone out here like this."
  
  "Yeah but you know Josh has a good head on his shoulders" Harm said as he 
  gave her a hug. "He won't panic."
  
  "Harm he's just a little boy" she sighed.
  
  "Yeah but he's got fighter pilot blood in him so he'll stay cool" Harm said 
  softly. "Come on. Let's find our children."
  
  They'd only been out for an hour when the word they'd been waiting for came 
  across the radio from one of the other search groups.

  "We found them."
  
  "Are they okay?" Harm demanded as he hovered over Ron's shoulder. "Find out 
  if they're okay."
  
  "Miller, what's the status on the two children?" Ron radioed back.
  
  "Tired, thirsty and hungry but very much alive" Miller returned.
  
  "Thank god" Mac whispered as a fresh batch of tears slid down her face. Harm 
  hugged her tightly, the nightmare just about over.
  
  It was another half-hour before they were reunited with the children. They'd 
  made it back to the rendezvous spot and waited anxiously for the search team 
  to return with the kids. As soon as they caught sight of them, they ran to 
  meet them. They hugged them tightly as the tears ran down all their faces.
  
  "Sir" one of the medics standing by said gently as he tapped on Harm's 
  shoulder. "Can you bring them over to the ambulance so we can get them 
  checked out? Likely they're dehydrated and we'll probably transport them to 
  the nearby hospital just to make sure there's nothing serious."
  
  Harm nodded and reluctantly pulled away from his children. Mac took Mikayla 
  into her arms and carried the exhausted child while Harm put his arm around 
  Josh and helped him over to the ambulance.
  
  "I was so scared" Josh sniffled.
  
  "You did good buddy" Harm said proudly. "You took good care of your sister. 
  You held yourself together pretty well."
  
  "I wasn't sure you were going to find us," he said as the tears trickled 
  down.
  
  "We wouldn't have stopped until we had" Harm assured him as he hugged him 
  closer.
  
  ************
  Two Hours Later
  Page Memorial Hospital
  Luray, VA
  
  A sleeping Mikayla lay in Mac's arms, not willing to let go of her once Mac 
  had taken her. Now she lay sleeping, an IV in her small arm 
  while she slept. Josh lay in the other bed, cuddled up next to Harm asleep 
  as well.
  
  "I can't believe they're okay" Mac whispered as she stroked Mikayla's head. 
  "That the worst thing that happened is they're dehydrated."
  
  "We are so lucky" he sighed.
  
  "Do you think she really wanted them to die?" Mac asked softly.
  
  "I don't know. I know she wanted to hurt me and that's all that mattered to 
  her. But she didn't realize that Josh is a fighter Luke and Mikayla is all 
  Rabb."
 
  "Yes she is" Mac said as she pressed her lips to the young girls forehead. 
  "I swear I'm not going to let them out of my sight again."
  
  "At least not for a long time" Harm added with a small smile. "And how are 
  you holding up? You want me to take her for a bit?"
  
  "No I'm fine. Besides if we move her she might wake up and right now she 
  needs to rest."
 
 "Mac I'm worried about you too," he objected.  "You've been through a lot."  
 
 "Yeah and I do reserve the right to fall apart as soon as we're alone and you can hold me," 
she sighed.  "In the meantime I just want to be with them.  Honestly Harm I couldn't love them 
any more than if I had given birth.  I've just grown so totally wrapped up in them these past 
weeks."  She stroked the little girl's hair and added, "and of course this one is yours.  Pure 
Rabb as you say and for that I love her even more.  I'm just sorry it turned out like this for 
Annie.  Harm something happened to her."
 
 "Yeah I know," he nodded and would have said more if Lt. Boshwitz had not come to the door, 
knocking softly.
 
 "Mr. and Mrs. Rabb, hello.  How are the kids?"
 
 "Fine sir, thanks," Harm nodded.  "We're taking them home tomorrow and it's all over.  What 
brings you here?"
 
 "Final case follow up.  The condition of the kids, and of Ms. Pendry."
 
 Harm's mouth dropped open.  "I. . .God forgive me. . .I had all but forgotten her in the worry 
for them and then just being here for them."
 
 "Well it's as we suspected," Boshwitz said carefully.  "DOA."
 
 "I'm sorry Harm," Mac said at once, knowing how he had cared for her at one time.
 
 "I don't know what I feel," he sighed.  "Sad of course in that these kids lost a woman who 
should have been a source of love in their lives."
 
 "Well her body is here since they had to bring her.  Would you like to. . ."
 
 Harm knew he was asking if he wanted to see her.  "No.  No thanks.  I have no need to say 
goodbye."  He drew a deep breath, thinking of his options.  "Lieutenant, I want an autopsy 
performed please.  If there was some reason for this whole thing, well at least we'd know, and I 
could explain it that way to them.  And then I want her body released to me.  I'm going to make 
funeral arrangements."
 
 "Sir are you sure?"  Boshwitz looked to Mac for confirmation.
 
 "He's sure," Mac said quietly, pride in her tone.  "My husband is a man of principle."
 
 "I'll let them know.  And you let me know if there's anything I can do." 
 
 "Lieutenant we owe you more than we can repay.  Thank you," Harm called as he slipped 
through the door.
 
 Harm studied Mac's silence for a moment, watching her continue to squiggle her fingers in 
Mikayla's soft curls.  "Thank you," he whispered finally.
 
 "For?" 
 
 "For not calling some kind of blithering fool for the funeral thing.  It's for Josh and Mikayla.   
For all her faults, Annie did love them as best she could, and they her."
 
 "I understand totally," she smiled.  "And I think you're an amazing man, you know that don't 
you.  And then there's one other little thing--that I love you more and more each day."
 
 "Thank you," he smiled and sobered quickly, gesturing to Josh.  "He doesn't know.  We have 
to tell him, and Mikayla too somehow that she won't see Annie again."
 
 "Sounds like a job for that amazing man," she told him.    
  *******************
  The body of Annie Pendry was laid to rest several days later with just a 
  handful of people to say goodbye, including the two children she'd given 
  life to.
  
  "She doesn't understand" Josh said quietly when the minister had finished 
  his words and he looked over at his little sister. "I barely understood when 
  Dad died and I was older. But I guess its better that way."
  
  "No she's too little to understand" Harm nodded. He'd tried to tell the 
  little girl that woman who'd once been Mommy wasn't going to be coming back 
  but to Mikayla, the only Mommy she knew now was Mac. She'd clung to her 
  following their return home, instinctively knowing this woman was her mother 
  now.
  
  "I still don't know why she tried to hurt us," Josh said quietly.
  
  "She didn't want to hurt you Josh" Harm explained. "She wanted to hurt me. 
  She was just using you and Mikayla to do that."
  
  "But she still left us Harm" Josh countered.
  
  "Yes she did. But your Mom was a very mixed up person. And I didn't help 
  matters much I guess."
  
  "No you did. Mikayla and I are so much better with you and Mac than we were 
  with Mom. I just wish Mom could have gotten the help she needed. But at 
  least now she's with Dad."
  
  "Yeah she is" Harm said as he gently patted the young boy's shoulder. "You 
  want to say goodbye one last time."
  
  Josh nodded and Harm led him to the casket and Josh placed the rose on top.
  
  "I know you used to love us," he said softly. "And I'll never understand why 
  you wanted to hurt us." He sniffled slightly and touched the casket one last 
  time. "Bye Mom."
  
  With that he turned to Harm and reached for his hand. "I'm ready to go home 
  now," he said softly.  
  *****************
 Seven months later
  March, 2003
  
  "Mom I'm going to Kevin's since they closed school," Josh yelled as he 
  searched his room for his clothes.
  
  "Hey wait a minute" Mac groaned as she pushed her very pregnant self from 
  the bed. "Wait one minute mister."
  
  "I can't go to Kevin's" Josh groaned. "Mom come on. It's a free day."
  
  "It's a free day because the roads are covered in ice and the sidewalks are 
  too. And in case you didn't look out the window recently it's still coming 
  down."
  
  "So I can't go" he pouted.
  
  "Not until later. Besides you promised that bedroom was going to get in 
  order."
  
  "All right" he sighed. "I'll call Kevin and tell him I'll be by later."
  
  "Good idea" she smiled before grimacing slightly as she felt a twinge of 
  pain.
  
  "You okay?" Josh asked, not missing the look on her face.
  
  "Yeah I'm fine" she started, only to gasp again and clutch her belly as 
  another pain hit her. "Okay maybe not."
  
  "Is it the baby?" Josh asked anxiously. "Is something wrong?"
  
  "Nothing except that I might be starting labor" Mac whispered.
  
  "NO" Josh exclaimed. "You can't. Dad is still at Quantico. And they said on 
  the radio the roads were still closed. How is he going to get back here if 
  you're in labor?"
  
  "You want to tell that to your little brother or sister" Mac managed as Josh 
  led her the bedroom.
  
  "Mommy" Mikayla called happily as she bounded up the stairs towards them. 
  "Time to go to school."
  
  "No Mikayla you're not going to school today" Josh informed the little girl.
  
   "Want to go to school," she shrieked.  "Want to see Miss Susan and Kimmy."
 
 "Honey there's too much snow.  Miss Susan and Kimmy are home." Mac told her.  "And that's 
where we belong.  I just wish Daddy was here."
 
 "Mac it isn't time.  I mean I heard you tell Dad yesterday morning that.  You told him there was 
a good three weeks yet, more if the baby was late like first babies are most of the time."
 
 "I wish you paid as much attention to what I'm saying when I'm talking to you," Mac sighed.  "I 
know all that.  Now hopefully this is false labor, so what I'm going to do is go lie down, put my 
feet up and try some breathing exercises to see if it won't calm down.  But I have to ask you 
not to go anywhere.  You can have Kevin here if you want but I don't want you to leave.  Just in 
case."
 
 "Maa--aaac," he whined, doing a perfect imitation of Harm.  "I don't want anything to happen 
to you.  Please."
 
 "Honey women have been giving birth for a million years now, and only recently did doctors 
come into the picture," she smiled encouragingly, putting out of her mind all stories about 
maternal and infant death, and even the image of Harriet giving birth to AJ after a very short 
duration of labor.
 
 "I should call Dad."
 
 "That's exactly what you should not do.  You know what they said about the roads.  I don't 
want him tearing up 95 to get back here, possibly for no reason.  The storm is about through 
here according to the TV, and that will bring out the plows.  And if we have to, there's always 
911.  You get your room cleaned, keep an eye on Mikayla for me OK?  I'm sure I'm fine."
 
 "I wish Dad was here."
 
 "That makes two of us.  When I talked to him at 0600 he was going to be talking to his last 
interview first thing, but of course that doesn't help the road situation."
 
 "I hate this," he muttered miserably.  "I almost wish I was in school and I knew you were OK."
 
 She smiled and grabbed the shock of hair that covered his forehead to place a small kiss 
beneath. "I'm not scared so you shouldn't be either."
 
 Having slept little the night before, between missing Harm's arms around her and the 
discomforts of late pregnancy, she managed to relax and fall into a pleasant drowsy state for 
the next couple of hours.  The pains were still there, though nothing she could not manage and 
nothing she could time for regularity.  It was near noon when her bladder refused to let her rest 
further and she rolled from the bed.  Only then was she aware of the wetness between her 
legs, and the round wet circle she had left on the maroon sheet.
 
 "OK Marine don't panic," she counseled herself at once.  "Do not panic."  A look outside told 
her the weather forecaster on the TV had been premature with his prediction of the snow 
stoppage.  
 
 With her bladder necessarily her first priority she tended to that and met Josh in the hallway 
as she came out.  
 
 "Mom you OK?  The snow is still coming down."
 
 "Yeah I knew this morning when he said 'tapering to flurries by noon' we were doomed," she 
sighed.  "Josh my water is breaking."
 
 "Is that good?"
 
 "Well it means the baby is going to be born in the next several hours," she told him as calmly 
as she could.
 
 "I should drive you to the hospital."
 
 Her mouth fell open at that.  "Sorry, I must have missed you turning sixteen and getting your 
license in all the excitement of the baby and all."
 
 "I can drive.  I'm good too.  Dad says."
 
 "Oh he does does he," she sighed, her hands going to her hips.  "And just where have you 
and Dad been driving that he knows of your prowess behind the wheel?"
 
 "Grams," Josh smiled sheepishly.  "He's taken me out in her old Chevy truck the last bunch of 
times we've been up there.  Not only can I drive, but I can drive the stick."
 
 "I'll bet.  And thanks but no thanks.  And remind me to speak to Dad about keeping things 
from me."    
   
  "He didn't want you to worry" Josh grinned.
  
  "Yeah I'm sure that's it" she sighed before gasping as a wave of pain hit 
  her.
  
  "Mom" Josh wailed. "I need to get you to the hospital."
  
  "No we need to stay calm" Mac managed between deep breaths. "Babies don't 
  come right away. Usually they don't."
  
  "I should call 911."
  
  "Josh calm" she ordered, the pain now passed. "It's too early to call 911. 
  I'm going to wait and see what happens. By then the snow will have let up 
  and the roads will be clear enough for them to get here."
  
  "And what if the baby comes sooner than that" he wailed.
  
  "It won't" Mac said determinedly. "As much as I love the idea of giving 
  birth at home, your father will freak if that happens."
  
  "Him. What about me?"
  
  "Joshua Rabb you are going to hold it together for me" Mac said sharply.
  
  "Yes ma'am" he said automatically. "I'm sorry."
  
  "Good. Now I'm going to go back and lie down. Just try and relax."
  
  "I'd relax more if Dad was here" he sighed.
  
  The phone rang as he spoke and she hurried to the bedroom to grab it.
  
  "Hello" she said breathlessly.
  
  "Honey you okay?" Harm's voice.
  
  "I'm fine. Just had to run to grab the phone. Where are you?"
  
  "Still at Quantico. I'm done but they aren't letting anyone on the roads 
  yet. As soon as they do I'll be home."
  
  "Harm please be careful" she begged. "It's still snowing here and I don't 
  want you rushing back here."
  
  "I won't rush. But I want to get home to you guys."
  
  "I know and I want you home but I want you in one piece" she whispered. 
  "Harm they're saying it's really bad out there."
  
  "I won't go anywhere until they tell me I can" he promised. "But as soon as 
  they do, I'm on my way."
  
  "Call me before you leave. So I know when to expect you."
  
  "I'll do that. You rest and take it easy. I love you and I'll see you 
  later."
  
  "Love you too" she said before hanging up.
  
  "You didn't tell him," Josh said as he stood at the doorway to the bedroom. 
  "How come you didn't tell him?"
  
  "Because right now the roads are still closed and he doesn't need to freak" 
  Mac sighed. "And I'm not having this baby yet. The contractions are still 
  far enough apart that it's not time to go to the hospital yet."
  
  "You sure?" he asked.
  
  "Positive. Now go check on your sister and make sure she hasn't gotten into 
  something she shouldn't be in."
  
  "Yes ma'am. Can I do anything else to help?"
  
  "No I'm fine. Honest Josh the first baby can take nine to twelve hours to 
  come."
  
  "Yeah but didn't Aunt Harriet have AJ at the JAG offices?" he countered.
  
  "Yes she did" Mac said slowly. "But that was a special case. This little 
  Rabb is going to have patience and take his or her time coming. So just 
  relax."
  
  Three hours later her contractions had intensified and developed into a 
  pattern of every five minutes and lasting for nearly a minute each time.
  
  "Mom I think I should call 911" Josh said worriedly as she breathed through 
  another contraction. "Unless you want me to drive you to the hospital."
  
  "You are not driving young man" she managed.
  
  "Okay then I'm calling 911. It's probably going to take them a while to get 
  here anyway."
  
  She nodded, knowing he was right. She didn't want to risk having the baby at 
  home with Josh there to deliver. He reached for the phone just as it rang 
  and he quickly picked it up.
  
  "Hello"
  
  "Hi Josh. How's the snow up there?"
  
  "Still coming down but it's starting to lighten up" he said as he looked out 
  the window. "Are you still at Quantico?"
  
  "Yeah unfortunately" Harm sighed. "The roads are still closed. They keep 
  saying in another hour they'll have everything open."
  
  "Good so you'll be home soon" Josh replied.
  
  "I hope so. Can I talk to Mom?"
  
  "Uh sure" Josh said as he handed the phone to Mac.
  
  "Hi honey" she said cheerfully, praying she could get off the phone before 
  the next contraction hit. "You're still there?"
  
  "Yeah they haven't opened the roads yet. You okay?"
  
  "Yeah I'm fine" she lied. She was about to say more when another contraction 
  hit. She handed the phone back to Josh, her gasp of pain not going unnoticed 
  on the other end of the phone.
  
  "Mac" Harm yelled. "Mac what's wrong?"
    
 "She's going to kill me for this but Dad she's in labor."  Josh's words tumbled out as fast as he 
could say them.  "It's the real thing Dad--water gone and everything.  And I don't know what to 
do and I'm scared."
 
 Mac shot a long glare at him, unable to do much more as she breathed through the pain.
 
 "Dad are you there?"  There had been only silence after Harm's shocked gasp and for a 
second Josh thought they had been disconnected.
 
 "Josh I want you to call 911, now," Harm ordered.  "And I'm on my way there.  I'm not sure 
how I'll get there but if I have to hijack a chopper I'm on my way."
 
 "I'm glad Dad, just be careful, and don't worry OK.  It's going to be OK."
 
 "I'm trusting you son," Harm said quietly and hung up.
 
 "Mom lets get you lying back down," Josh told her.
 
 "What did Harm say?"
 
 "To call 911," he replied, carefully leaving out that Harm was threatening to commit a crime to 
get to them.
 
 "OK yeah, just in case," she agreed.  With his help she got back into the big bed she shared 
with Harm, finding Mikayla and her stuffed Pooh-bear already ensconced.  
 
 "For you Mommy.  Her smile was a perfect imitation of Harm's and she pushed an old raggedy 
rabbit at her. 
 
 "Thanks baby," she whispered, feeling tears come to her eyes for the first time.  She had 
dreamed about somehow giving birth at home, and now that it looked like it may well happen, 
she was frightened.
 
 "Mom they're coming."  Josh kept his voice as calm and quiet as possible.
 
 "Good.  My bag is packed in the downstairs hall," she told him.
 
 "Yeah well that was the good news," he sighed.  "The bad news is they're not promising they'll 
beat the baby here."
 
 "I am so not surprised," she muttered.  "Only a Rabb would do this you know.  And only the 
father of a Rabb would manage to be not here when it does."
 
 "Oh he may be here sooner than you think."  Josh had been unable to shake the image of 
Harm arriving in a misappropriated chopper, setting it down in the snow on the golf course that 
bordered their back yard.
    
  "Not soon enough" Mac gasped as another contraction started. She cried out 
  in pain and Josh reached for her hand, wanting desperately to do something 
  to help. He held it tightly until the contraction finished and she gave him 
  a weak smile.
  
  "Thank you" she managed. "I'm sorry."
  
  "Mommy" Mikayla wailed.
  
  "It's okay honey," Mac said softly. "Mommy's in labor. You're little brother 
  or sister is about to come."
  
  "Baby sister" Mikayla smiled as her small hand reached to touch Mac's belly. 
  "She's coming."
  
  "Yes she is" Mac sighed. "And of course your Daddy isn't here. Josh you know 
  you may have to deliver this baby if it decides its coming before the 
  paramedics."
  
  "Yes ma'am" Josh gulped. "I hope that doesn't happen."
  
  "I wouldn't count on that being the case" Mac grimaced.
  
  **************
  Quantico, VA
  Same Time
  
  "My wife is in labor. You have to get me there" Harm begged.
  
  "Commander I understand your concern" Colonel Matt Laferty said 
  sympathetically. "But where would we land if I got you this ride?"
  
  "There's a golf course behind my house" Harm informed him. "There'd be 
  plenty of space to put down there."
  
  "Let me see what I can do" the Colonel sighed. "Give me a few minutes."
  
  "Thank you" Harm breathed. "Please I wouldn't ask but it's my wife's first 
  and she's at home with our other two children and with the roads the way 
  they are who knows when the ambulance will get there."
  
  "If it's her first it might be a while yet" Matt smiled. "The first one is 
  never in a hurry."
  
  "Yeah well this one seems to be."
  
  "Okay I'll see what I can do. Hang tight Commander. She's going to be fine. 
  Likely I'll get you there and she'll either be still in labor or she'll be 
  at the hospital giving birth."
  
  "I can hope" Harm sighed. "Please hurry."
  
  *******************
  "Do I need to boil water?" Josh asked as he held Mac's hand through another 
  contraction.
  
  "What?" Mac gasped.
  
  "Boil water. That's what they always did in the old movies."
  
  "I don't think so" Mac managed. "But you may need to look and see if you see 
  anything yet. I swear Josh this baby is not waiting much longer."
  
  "You want me to look?" he grimaced. "Down there?"
  
  "Josh now is not the time to wimp out on me" Mac ordered. "I need you. This 
  baby is coming now and there's no way I can keep it inside if it's ready to 
  come."
  
  "Okay just tell me what to look for?" Josh said as he gently lifted the 
  blanket.
  
  "The baby's head."
  
  "I see it" he gasped. "Oh my god, it is coming right now."
  
  "That's what I've been trying to tell you" Mac managed before letting out 
  another cry.
  
  "Mac I can't deliver the baby" Josh wailed. "I don't know anything about 
  it."
  
  "Call 911" Mac panted. "Ask them what to do."
  
  He nodded and reached for the phone, his eyes never leaving Mac as he 
  dialed.
  
  "Hello this is Josh Rabb. I called for an ambulance for my Mom earlier but 
  they're still not here and the baby isn't going to wait."
  
  "Okay Josh sounds like you're going to have to deliver this baby" the 911 
  operator replied. "Can you do that?"
  
  "Yes ma'am" Josh nodded.
  
  "Okay I'm Julie and I'm going to talk you through this" she replied. "Are 
  you alone there with your Mom?"
  
  "My little sister is here too."
  
  "No other adults right?"
  
  "No ma'am. My Dad is at Quantico. It's just me and my sister."
  
  "Okay then you're going to have to deliver this baby Josh" Julie replied.
  
  "No ma'am no way," he gasped, his earlier confidence vanishing in a sudden rush of self-
doubt and fear.  "I can't.  I'm not a doctor."
 
 "Well you're the closest thing she's got right now," Julie told him firmly.  "Now stay real calm 
son.  We're going to get through this just fine.  I promise you help is on the way too.  Now first 
thing is to put a pot of water on to boil."
 
 "You're kidding," he chortled, suddenly feeling some of the tension leave his body.  "Mom just 
told me I didn't need to.  What's it for?"
 
 "You need to boil two lengths of string or twine, for the cord and then something sharp to cut 
it.  Like kitchen shears."
 
 "OK we've got that," he nodded.  "Now what's a cord?"
 
 "You'll see soon enough.  Tell me when you're back at your mom's side."
 
 He did as he was told and a few minutes later picked up the phone again, just as Mac let out a 
long wail.
 
 "Josh tell me what's happening."
 
 "She screams and pushes and the baby's head comes out but then it goes back in." 
 
 "Face up?"
 
 "No ma'am.  Too much hair for a face."
 
 Julie giggled at that.  "OK Josh.  You're going to have to pay real close attention now to the 
baby because when the head comes out, the rest will follow and we don't want Mom shooting it 
across the room."
 
 Josh laughed as well.  "No ma'am."
 
 "Get towels and blankets Josh and a plastic bag OK?"
 
 "What's the bag for?"
 
 "Something that's going to gross you out but you'll have to do it.  You're not going to wimp out 
on me now are you?"
 
 He took a deep breath and the images of his dad from the picture on his bureau, and of AJ, 
and finally of Harm, drifted in front of his eyes.  "Make me proud son," AJ would be saying.
 
 "No ma'am.  In for the duration."
 
 "Good man."
 
 Mac gave another scream, muffled by the stuffed Rabbit she had sunk her face into.  Two 
more and has Julie had said, the head was free.
 
 "It's out," Josh yelped.
 
 "Baby or head?"
 
 "No just the head.  Now what?"
 
 "OK Josh listen now, take a good look and make sure the cord is not wrapped around the 
neck OK."
 
 "No.  I don't see anything."
 
 "Good, you ready to catch?  You're doing just fine."
 
 Josh looked up at Mac, her eyes glazed with pain and sweat pouring from her.  "Mom you 
OK?"
 
 "As long as the baby is," she gasped.  "Oh God here it is again."
 
 Mingled with her scream was the sound of chopper blades over head and Josh froze.  "Please 
don't let him have done that."
 
 "Let who done what?" Mac managed as the pain slackened and she lie back on the bed in 
near exhaustion.
 
 "Never mind," he told her, "you've got enough to worry about with what you're doing."
 
 "Josh you there?"  Julie's anxious voice.
 
 "Yes ma'am," he said at once.  "And she's about to blow again."
 
 "OK ready to catch."
 
 Sure enough with this pain and a mighty push the shoulders came and then a moment later 
Josh was cradling a squalling wet squirmy infant on a towel in his lap.  For a long minute he 
could stare only in amazement.  Mac had collapsed back onto her pillows, weeping softly with 
pain and exhaustion and Mikayla simply stared wide eyed and silent.
 
 It was that moment that Harm barreled through the door, getting but one step in side before he 
stopped to stare, too awestruck to move or speak.
 
  "Nice of you to join us sailor" Mac managed as she looked up at her husband.
  
  "Josh you still there?" Julie's voice called over the phone.
  
  "I'm here" Josh said as he held the baby. "I've got the baby. But it's still 
  attached."
  
  "That's the umbilical cord" Julie laughed. "You'll need to tie it off first 
  and then cut it. You have the sterilized scissors and twine right?"
  
  "Yes ma'am. Where do I tie it?"
  
  "A couple inches from the baby and then another couple inches from there. 
  You'll cut in between. And then get the baby wrapped in the blanket to keep 
  it warm."
  
  "What about all the other stuff?" Josh asked.
  
  "In the bag" Julie replied.
  
  Harm stood in awestruck as he watched his son follow the 911 operator's 
  instructions, too stunned to even move. It wasn't until Josh handed him the 
  baby that he finally moved.
  
  "Congratulations Dad" Josh smiled.
  
  "You delivered the baby?" Harm managed finally. He still couldn't believe he 
  was holding the baby his son had delivered.
  
  "Yes sir" Josh said proudly.
  
  "Honey your son looks perfect" Harm whispered as he carried the baby over to 
  the bed, gently handing the wailing baby to her.
  
  "Our son" Mac sniffled as she used the blanket to clean up the baby.  "It's 
  a boy?"
  
  "I would say so" Harm smiled.
  
  "Josh is everything okay?" Julie asked.
  
  "I think so ma'am" he replied. "And I hear sirens so I think the ambulance 
  is here."
  
  "Nice job Josh" Julie smiled. "You did it young man."
  
  *****************
  Fairfax Hospital
  Two Hours Later
  
  "Harm are you sure he's okay?" Mac asked again.
  
  "Honey he's fine" Harm assured her. "They're just checking him over and 
  keeping him under observation to make sure there's no problems. But they 
  said everything looks fine."
  
  "You're sure?"
  
  "I'm sure" he said gently. "And leave it to you to be the overachiever and 
  go into labor early."
  
  "On the day we get a snowstorm and you're out of town" she sighed. "God Harm 
  I was so scared."
  
  "Well your other son came through" Harm smiled.
  
  "Yes he did" Mac nodded.  "And it's a good thing he did."
  
  "I was on my way."
  
  "You would have been just a few minutes late" Mac smiled. "But I'm glad you 
  got there when you did."
  
  "When Josh said you were in labor, I knew I had to get to you" Harm said 
  softly. "No matter what it took. I was prepared to steal that chopper if I 
  had to."
  
  "Oh that would have been good" Mac groaned. "You'd be in prison at 
  Leavenworth while I'm raising our three children."
  
  "Okay so maybe that wouldn't have been such a good idea" he smiled. "But it 
  all worked out."
  
  "Harm you know we need to come up with a name for him."
  
  "Did you have any thoughts?" he asked.
  
  "Not really. I was expecting a girl" she laughed.
  
  "Well then we probably don't want to use any names you have in mind" he 
  laughed as well.
 
 "Next time we do the ultrasound," she giggled, snuggling more deeply into his arms as he sat 
on the edge of the bed, holding her as best he could.
 
 "Next time we do the labor in the hospital where it belongs," he declared.  "But how about that 
son of ours.  He really came through didn't he."
 
 "Yes he did," she said firmly.  "He's quite the man.  First he takes care of Mikayla when Annie 
takes them and now this."
 
 "He's Luke's boy all right," Harm sighed.  "His father would be awfully proud of him.  In fact 
he's proud of him from where he is surely."
 
 She nodded silently, resting her head on his shoulder.  "So what good first name could we 
use?"
 
 "Huh?"
 
 "What goes good with Joshua for a middle?" she smiled.
 
 "You want to do that?"
 
 "Yeah.  Yeah I do," she said adamantly.  "So come on Sailor, you must have had some 
fantasy about having a baby boy.  You want to call him Harmon Joshua?"
 
 "Good grief no I don't want any son of mine stuck with being Harm all through school," he 
laughed.  "Not as a first name anyway, and yeah I did kind of imagine a boy, but I really did 
think we were going to have a girl.  OK, try this one on.  Jared Joshua Rabb."
 
 A slow smile came over her face, made broader by the appearance of said baby in the 
doorway, pushed in his bassinet by a young nurse.  "Mr. and Mrs. Rabb, your son could use a 
feeding if you're up to it.  Mrs. Rabb it says you're planning on nursing.  You feel like having 
me help you get started?"
 
 "Oh yeah I do, yeah I do very much," Mac smiled.  "He's OK then?"
 
 "The doctor was happy with him, but he can't stay after he eats.  He's still under observation."
 
 Mac nodded and Harm helped her to sit up.  Her arms eagerly reached for her newborn son.  
A short time later both mother and son figured it out and Jared Rabb took his first nourishment.
 
 "That's the most awesome thing I've ever seen," Harm gasped, watching his hours old son 
latch on and suck down the watery milky liquid.  He wrapped his arms around both of them, 
putting a supporting hand under the baby as he fed.  "I love you so much Sarah, and for the 
gift of this baby, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
 
 "Stop that," she scolded, feeling tears well up.  "You're going to make me drip on him."  
 
 The nurse returned a short while later.  "I need to take him back, but there's someone. . .well 
two someone's here to see him first."  She stepped aside and Josh, carrying Mikayla, took a 
step inside.  
 
 "Mom--Dad, is it OK?  When I called the Admiral to tell him, he drove over to make sure we 
were OK and then he brought me here.  I guess I owe him and I probably shouldn't have asked 
him but I had to know you guys were OK."
 
 "Thanks to you," Harm nodded.  "Come in and I'd introduce you to your brother, but you guys 
have already met."
 
 "I'll be able to embarrass him forever with the story," Josh grinned, walking over to the bed.  
"Mom you're OK too?"
 
 "Thanks to you," she whispered, feeling tears again.  "You saved his life Josh.  If I'd been 
alone he might have died."
 
 "Don't get over dramatic Mom," he laughed in embarrassment, leaning down to kiss her 
cheek, not bothered by the sight of her nursing.
 
 "Well anyway, you did.  Jared Joshua Rabb, meet your big brother."
   
  "Hey buddy" Josh smiled as he looked down at his little brother.
  
  "I wanna see" Mikayla whined and Harm carefully lifted her onto the edge of 
  the bed so she could see as well.
  
  "This is Jared" Mac said to Mikayla. "Your little brother."
  
  "I'm a big sister now" she smiled happily.
  
  "Yes you are" Mac smiled as well. "You'll have to set a good example for 
  your little brother."
  
  "I will," she said seriously. "I'm going to be the best big sister ever."
  
  "I'm sure you will be" Mac laughed.
  
  *************************
  1 Year Later
  Jared Rabb's 1st Birthday
  
  "Jared I don't believe this" Mac groaned as she lifted her son into her arms 
  and looked out the window. "Only on your birthday would we have another snow 
  storm just like last year."
  
  "And of course Dad isn't here" Josh laughed as he came up beside her.
  
  "And he better not be trying to get back from Pax in this mess" Mac sighed.
  
  "You know he is. He isn't going to miss Jared's birthday. Especially 
  since he thinks there's going to be a party."
  
  "Well thanks to this storm there is no party. And I hope he isn't crazy 
  enough to try and make it back just for that."
  
  "Mommy when are we going to have cake?" Mikayla asked as she tugged on Mac's 
  shirt.
  
  "Not until we have dinner honey" Mac smiled as she set a squirming Jared 
  down on the ground. "Which won't be until Daddy comes home."
  
  "When is that?" Mikayla asked.
  
  "When the storm lets up" Mac explained. "Are you hungry?"
  
  "For cake" she smiled.
  
  "No cake until after dinner sweetie. Which will hopefully be before midnight 
  tonight."
  
  As she spoke the phone rang and she hurried to grab it in case it was Harm.
  
  "Hello"
  
  "Hi honey."
  
  "Harm thank god. Please tell me you're still at Pax and not on the road 
  somewhere in this mess."
  
  "I'd be lying. I'm on my way home."
  
  "I was hoping you wouldn't say that" she said anxiously. "Harm I'm watching 
  the news here and they're saying it's a mess out there."
  
  "Well they're not lying" Harm laughed. "Did you cancel the party?"
  
  "Of course. I didn't want anyone coming out in this. And I figured you'd be 
  smart enough to stay at Pax."
  
  "And miss my son's first birthday, no way."
  
  "I should have known better" she sighed. "How much longer before you get 
  home?"
  
  "A while. Don't hold dinner on my account. I'll eat later. But don't do the 
  cake until I get there. I want to videotape it."
  
  "All right. Please be careful out there."
  
  "Always. I'll keep you posted on where I am. I love you honey."
  
  "Love you too" she said softly. "Be careful."
  She hung up and sniffled loudly as she felt a sudden bout of tearfulness.
  
  "Mom you okay?" Josh asked.
  
  "Yeah I'm fine," she said with a forced smiled. "We're going to go ahead and 
  eat since it's going to be a while before you Dad gets home."
  
  "He's okay isn't he?" Josh asked.
  
  "Yeah I'm just being overemotional" she sighed.
  
  "Because you're pregnant again?"
  
  "How did you know?" Mac gasped.
  
  "I heard you the other morning throwing up" he smiled. "Does Dad know?"
  
  "No I was planning on telling him tonight. It was going to be his surprise. 
  Course now I'm just worried about him getting home safely."
  
  "Mom he'll be fine," Josh said softly. "Stop worrying."
 
 "I've worried about him in some form or other for so long that's not possible," she smiled, 
resting her hand on the boy's shaggy hair, then caught his eye.  "How do you feel about 
another baby in the family?  Your sister and brother make you crazy enough or is there room 
for one more?"
 
 He flushed uncomfortably and shook his head.  "Mom it's not my decision.  Obviously you 
didn't ask me anyway.  Thing is, I'm not much longer around."
 
 "Huh?  Where exactly do you plan on being?"
 
 "Mom you know I'm getting through high school and going to the Academy.  I'm not letting that 
dream get away.  And even if I shouldn't get an appointment, I'm going to VPI on Naval ROTC 
and still come out an Ensign and then flight school after that."
 
 "You Rabb men always have a plan don't you."
 
 "Yes ma'am, and the one you're married to is on his way home to his family."
 
 "Please God," she breathed.
 
 It was a long hour later with dinner a quiet affair before God would grant that plea and a tired 
but happy Harmon Rabb came through the door.  Mikayla was the first there as usual, 
grabbing his legs in her request to be swung into his arms, with Jared following on unsteady 
legs, giggling at full steam.  Josh, ever one not to be over emotional, simply looked up from his 
book.  "Glad you could make it Dad.  Mom's upstairs and I'm starving for cake, but she wants 
to talk to you first."
 
 "Oh yeah?  Would this have anything to do with a call from your school?"
 
 "Dad it wasn't my idea to put the cherry bomb in the commode," he yelped, and for a full 
second Harm stared until he realized his son had gotten him. 
 
 "You're dead meat, but in the meantime I'll talk to your mother," he sighed, putting Mikayla 
down and giving Jared a quick hug first.
 
 He bounded up the steps despite his exhaustion from fighting the snow and traffic and found 
her at the window seat in their bedroom breathing easier now that she had seen his car pull in.  
He closed the door carefully and came up behind her, pressing his hands to her shoulders.  
"You weren't worried were you?"
 
 "Terrified," she admitted, tilting her head back against his belly as she looked up at him.  
"Harm I've got something to tell you."
 
 "So I hear.  Fire ahead."
 
 "Remember that discussion we had a couple months ago about should we or shouldn't we."
 
 He looked blank.  "Should we or shouldn't we. . .hmmm, give me a hint."
 
 "Have another baby."
 
 "Yeah OK you want to talk more about that?  Can we do it later after the cake?"
 
 "No point.  It's a done deal." Her eyes sparkled with love as she spoke and she covered his 
hands with hers.
 
 "You're. . ."
 
 "Pregnant yes.  I'm going to have your baby again."
  

THE END
 
 *********************
 June, 2027
 Virginia Beach, VA
 
 "You sure Mom and Dad don't suspect anything?" Mikayla asked her younger 
 sister Hannah Rabb as Hannah helped her into her wedding dress.
 
 "They think they're here for your wedding on the beach" Hannah smiled. "They 
 have no clue that the party afterwards is for them."
 
 The five siblings had spent months trying to figure out a way to plan a 
 party for their parents twenty-fifth anniversary, a task complicated by the 
 fact that several of them were in various areas of the world serving their 
 country.  But Mikayla's and her fiancé's desire to marry before they were 
 suddenly transferred to the JAG office in Naples had given them the perfect 
 opportunity.
 
 "Cool" Mikayla grinned. "And everyone is going to be here right?"
 
 "Relax big sister" Hannah smiled. "It's under control. I made Luke call 
 everyone to make sure they were coming." Lucas Rabb, the youngest Rabb, was 
 finishing up his final year at the Academy, his plan to follow his father 
 and older brother Josh as a Naval Aviator. Hannah Rabb, the second youngest 
 had stuck with the Navy as well, becoming a nurse. Only Mikayla and Jared 
 had followed their mother and joined the Marine Corps, Mikayla working for 
 JAG following law school while Jared worked in Special Ops.
 
 "You were supposed to do that. How did you end up coercing Luke to do that?"
 
 "He didn't want Dad to find out about that he got in trouble at the Academy 
 again. So to keep me quiet, he had to take care of it."
 
 "Hannah" Mikayla groaned.
 
 "Hey he's the one who got in trouble. But there's nothing to worry about. 
 Everything is under control. All you have to worry about is getting 
 married."
 
 "I just hope it works out like Mom and Dad's did" Mikayla smiled. "Can you 
 believe how they are after twenty five years."
 
 "It's embarrassing" Hannah laughed. "I swear they're like school kids 
 sometimes."
 
 "Well I think it's great that they're still like that after all these years. 
 I hope that Chad and I are this happy in twenty five years." Much like her 
 parents, Mikayla had met the handsome sailor while working at JAG, following 
 in love almost immediately.
 
 "You will be" Hannah smiled. "Course you know Mom and Dad are going to go 
 crazy with you being in Naples for the next two years. They got used to you 
 being away for six months at a time but not for this long."
 
 "They should be used to it by now" Mikayla sighed. "It's not like we've seen 
 Josh much the last few years."
 
 "Yeah but they still miss him too. You know how they are. And they're going 
 to miss you too."
 
 As she spoke there was a knock at the door and Hannah smiled as she let Mac 
 into the room.
 
 "So is the bride ready?" Mac asked.
 
 "All set Mom" Mikayla smiled happily as she turned so they could see her. 
 "How do I look?"
 
 "Beautiful" Mac sniffled as she hugged her daughter.
 
 "Mom you said you wouldn't make me cry" Mikayla sniffled as well.
 
 "Sorry" Mac said as she let go. "But you look so beautiful. I can't believe 
 you're getting married today."
 
 "Just like you and Dad did twenty five years ago" she smiled. "Is everything 
 all set?"
 
 "Your Dad's checking on the guys but at last count your brothers had all 
 managed to get here. And of course your groom is anxiously waiting."
 
 "Then I guess we're ready" Hannah smiled. "I'll head down." She turned and 
 gave her sister a final hug before heading out, Harm coming in as she went 
 out.
 
 "Hey is the bride ready?" he smiled. Retired Admiral Harmon Rabb was as 
 handsome as he'd been that day twenty-five years ago and Mikayla couldn't 
 help but smile as she watched her parents together. The love had only grown 
 between them over the years and she hoped she'd be this happy in twenty-five 
 years.
 
 "Ready" Mikayla smiled as well. "I guess this is it."
 
 "I still can't believe my little girl is getting married" Harm said softly.
 
 "Dad" Mikayla sniffled. "First Mom and now you."
 
 "Sorry" he smiled. "I guess we should get going before your groom thinks 
 you've changed your mind."
 
  "Not likely. I've got him brainwashed," Mikayla declared.  "I'm only sorry that Grams and 
Uncle AJ and Grandma and Frank aren't here to see all this."

"You know they're watching from where they are," he chided her.  "All around a big table like 
the Sunday dinners we had, Grams holding court, and even Frank saying Ma'am to her."

"Thanks dad," she sniffled again.  "I love you and Mom so much.  Mom especially.  I mean she 
never once treated me or even remembered that I wasn't hers."

"No.  You were as if you were born to her," he nodded.  "Now let's move out smartly shall we."

Thus the first Rabb to be married took her vows, her handsome Navy Lieutenant Commander 
on her arm.  

At the reception afterward, Harm gave Mac a sharp nudge.  "Looks like our youngest is a little 
what the old folks would have called smitten."

"Rabb I know you're old but I didn't know you were half blind," she laughed.  "He is much more 
than smitten thank you.  And most likely we'll be one of those sets of parents at the Academy 
Chapel on graduation weekend in the spring."

"You really think so?  He's so young."

"Well of course to you, given that you were nearly forty," she laughed again, slipping under his 
arm to rest against him.  "But you know we already love her to death.  And you and her dad get 
along good."

"Well yeah, now," he agreed with a hearty laugh.  The man to whom they were referring had 
fallen in love a couple of years after Harm and Mac had married, only to lose his wife in a 
tragic accident a year later, leaving him with a daughter to raise.  

Now on the dance floor, Lucas Michael Rabb held his arms out for the woman he loved, and 
into his embrace walked Amanda Katherine Webb.

THE END