Title: Legacy of Love Author: wizkid (mrschris@prodigy.net) Rating: PG Disclaimer: Most of the characters don’t belong to me ( I will claim Tres, Stephanie, Matt, Morgan, and Beth, though) they belong to DPB and Paramount. If they did belong to me, their relationship would be more like this. The epitaph doesn’t belong to me either, its from one of the last episodes of Beauty and the Beast (another favorite) ( from a poem called And Death Shall have no Dominion by Dylan Thomas)but I thought it fit, please don’t sue me, I own nothing! Classification: Drippy romance (Harm/Mac, Other/Other) Archive: BTL (if you really want it) anyone else, please ask first Author’s note: This is the first ff that I’ve managed to get the guts to post. I hope you like it. Feedback is enjoyed, but please be gentle! If all goes well with this one, I may try to post more. Don’t stop reading just because H/M aren’t there at first, I promise they’re there and it’ll be worth it (I hope). Anyway, here goes: Spoiler: Maybe Adrift I and II? At least the events of Adrift have happened. AN: Harm and Mac are not in this first post, but please keep reading, they will come into play in the next post. I hope you enjoy. Feed back is appreciated. Legacy of Love Hawaii 2048 He sat there, silently, watching her. She was so beautiful, her thin sundress showing off her figure. The large tropical flower tucked behind her ear combined with the flickering of the fire on the beach and the beautiful Hawaiian sunset combined into a vision that took his breath away. He knew he was falling for her, but somehow it just wasn’t that simple, she was his RIO, a romantic relationship would just complicate things. She was his best friend, his confidante; he was so comfortable with her- more than he was with anyone. "Tres? What are you in such deep thought about?" she asked him softly. "Sorry, Steph, I was just looking at the beautiful sunset," he responded. It was a half-truth, but he couldn’t tell her what was really on his mind. "Yes it is. Nothing like a Hawaiian sunset." They were on leave for the weekend and would be back on the carrier tomorrow. "Romantic, don’t you think?" she asked looking deeply into his eyes, her mouth slowly moving towards his. He halted her just inches away. He could feel her breath on his face, but he was frozen. "Stephanie, this really can’t happen," he whispered, hating himself for it. She backed away from him, dejected, and looked back toward the ocean. "I’m sorry, Steph. I just can’t right now. I don’t want to complicate things." He reached for her, but when he contacted her shoulder, she pulled away. The flickering firelight reflected off the tear that ran down her cheek. The next weeks passed uncomfortably between them. He tried to act like nothing had changed, but she only spoke to him regarding flights, missions, or the plane. She was nice to him, her usual kindness coming through, but there was no more friendly conversation that had come so easily to them before. After a few more weeks of this, Tres decided it was time to talk to her. Stephanie walked around the fighter, her mind recapping hundreds of events of the past four years. Most were exciting, but all were special because Tres was there. She climbed the side of the aircraft and ran her fingers over the name painted on the side of the fighter: "Hammer." ‘Harmon Rabb III, how do I tell you I’m leaving? I love you so much, but I know you don’t feel the same. I just can’t do this anymore.’ She touched her fingertips to her lips and pressed the kiss to the name. Tres was looking for her all over the carrier. Finally, he opened the hatch leading to the fantail of the carrier. He saw her immediately. "Hey," he whispered. "Hammer," she responded evenly, not bothering to look his way. Tres took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and let out a sigh. This was going to be harder than he thought. He walked over and leaned on the rail beside her. "Stephanie, we need to talk," he began. "What’s there to talk about? You’ve made it apparent how you feel. I care for you, Tres- more than just friendship, but I know that’s not reciprocated. I understand that. I want us to remain friends, but right now, I have to work out those feelings." It hurt him immensely to see the pain in her eyes as she spoke. "Steph, I do care about you, more than you know, but right now, there are complications. I don’t want to hurt you." He knew he already had, but he wanted her to understand. "Well, you won’t have me around to complicate things anymore." He turned to look at her, his heart stopped beating. She met his gaze with a steeled determination. "I haven’t decided if I’m going to sign for another tour, but even if I do, I’m requesting a change in designator so I can stay state-side." His brain had ceased its ability to function; he could see his world shattering around him. He had to find a way to figure this out. They would be in port in two days and he knew immediately what he would do. He had to think. "When?" he whispered. It was the only cognizant thing he could come up with at the time. "Two months. I’m sorry, Tres. I wanted to tell you earlier, but I just couldn’t. I’m sorry." She kissed him on the cheek and quickly retreated inside. He stood for a moment, frozen. The next two days passed with no conversation other than that which pertained to the mission at hand. He pulled up to the huge white farmhouse and smiled. This is where he wanted, needed, to be. He smiled as he made his way up the stairs and to the door. Going in, he called, "Pappy? Gram" You guys here?" Harm held his bride in his arms and kissed her. Passion wasn’t the same 40 some odd years after the wedding, but he never tired of demonstrating his love to her. Her hair had turned gray and her skin a little wrinkled, as had his, but those chocolate eyes still held the light he’d always seen. The sound of the door and Tres’ voice brought him out of his reverie and he broke the kiss with his wife. "Darn, that kid has good timing," Harm said sarcastically. She smiled at him, "Are you ever going to grow up?’ He feigned innocence and responded, "If it means getting too old to love on my wife…then No, Ma’am!" She smiled as they made their way down the stairs. A moment later, his grandparents came down the steps to greet him. "Hammer!" Pappy called, shaking his hand and pulling him into a hug. "Tres," his grandmother called as she kissed his cheek and hugged him. After breakfast the next day, Tres decided to take a walk. Just like his father and grandfather, this farm was a place of refuge; a place to think and get your life straightened out. When 3:00 approached and Tres had not returned, Harm decided to go looking for him. As he opened the barn door, he saw the figure of his beloved grandson sitting alone in the silence. "I thought I’d find you here," Harm spoke as he sat down beside him. His grandson reminded him so much of himself. Too much, to be exact. "Hey, Pappy," Tres started, looking around the old barn, unable to meet his grandfather’s gaze. "I’ve just been thinking." "Girl problems, huh?" "How’d you know?" "Because almost 50 years ago, I was sitting out here trying to figure out how to fix what I screwed up." "With a woman?" "Yes, Hammer, with a woman," Harm responded with a smile. "Pappy! You mean the great Harmon Rabb, Jr. had girl problems?" "Oh, you just don’t know! But we’re talking about you, not me. So, what’s going on?" Harmon Rabb III, "Tres" to most, proceeded to explain to his grandfather, his mentor, his namesake, Harmon Rabb, Jr. how he loved Stephanie, about the night in Hawaii where he’d managed to mess things up, and about his anxiety about how to make it right. "On top of everything," he sighed, "she’s leaving, Pappy. She just told me a couple of days ago that she’s not coming back- she’ll either resign her commission, or change her designator and stay stateside. I’ve only got two more months at best." "Do you love her?" "Yeah. I do love her," he said solemnly. "I’ll tell you this, Hammer. If you love her, don’t let her leave without her knowing. I lost mine one night in Australia." "What happened?" Harm shrugged a little. "I was scared." Tres laughed, "Ace fighter pilot, JAG lawyer extraordinare, scared by a woman!" "Hey, she was a kick-ass Marine! And it wasn’t her that scared me. We worked together. She knew me inside and out. I was scared that if I gave in, I’d mess things up and I’d lose everything. I thought I was doing the right thing. I’d still be close to her, I’d have to love her from afar, but at least I’d have her. Or so I thought…" Harm looked sullen. "So how’d you lose her?" "I didn’t realize she was giving me one last chance, so to speak. She was ready to risk everything, I wasn’t," He stopped, you’d think that nearly 50 years would ease the pain, but his heart hurt fresh. "I never thought she’d accept another man’s ring the next day. She wanted a family, wanted it with me, but I was too involved with my job to accept the one thing I wanted. Her." Tres looked away, the realization that this could be his story was overwhelming. 50 years from now, he could be telling his grandchild about his lost love. It could be his face bearing the pained expression. "So she married him?" "No. I took a dip in the drink the night before the wedding. Her fiancee realized that she was worried more about me, but she refused to even talk to him. She went to the others at JAG, not leaning on him for support. He saw there was no future for them if she couldn’t lean on him at a time like that." "So you got her after that, right, Pappy?" "Ha! I wish! I think it went from bad to worse. After her fiancee left, I begged her to come to my apartment. She did, and found my girlfriend there. Her father had just died. I told her we’d talk when I got back from the funeral. The look on her face killed me. I knew I’d lost her again." Again, Harm looked off, saddened. "We never had that talk. Then I just kept screwing things up. Whenever she was around, cool, suave, Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. turned into a bumbling idiot." A smile crossed his face at the memories. "In fact, one day I was talking to a buddy of mine. He asked if we were together. I made a stupid comment about all the men in her life being dead or wishing they were. I turned around and she was standing there- the look in her eyes sent daggers into my heart. It got so bad that our CO called me into the office and asked if I knew what was wrong with her. I confessed that I had made some insensitive comments that upset her. I’ll never forget the way he just looked at me and said, ‘Commander, could you quit doing that.’" Harm and Tres shared a laugh over his situation before he continued, "Anyway, I’m rambling. It all boils down to this: Hammer, if you love her, do anything to be with her. Make sure she knows how you feel. A career isn’t worth losing the love of a lifetime over. And a friendship is the best thing in the world to build a relationship on. Wow! Look at the time! I’m surprised Gram hasn’t come looking for us yet." Harm got up, stretched, and headed toward the house. Tres called after him, "Hey, Pappy." Harm turned to look at his grandson. He noticed how much his namesake looked like him, only he had the chocolate brown eyes of his grandmother. "Thanks for listening, and sharing." They both smiled as they went into the house. "Why don’t you go on up and get ready for dinner. I’ll help Gram in the kitchen." Harm walked over and wrapped his arms around his wife. She turned around in his arms and returned his embrace. "Do you know how amazed I am that you’ve loved me all these years?" She simply smiled and Tres found them sharing a loving kiss when he entered the kitchen. They finished putting dinner on the table and sat down to eat. "Hey, Gram, did you know that some woman turned the great Harmon Rabb into jelly?" She turned and looked at Harm who was still flashing that flyboy grin after all these years. She looked amused as she turned back to Tres and responded, "Yeah, I seem to recall a certain Marine that could make him weak in the knees." Their eyes met in a loving gaze, his hand covering hers as he softly replied, "Still can, too." Tres’ mouth dropped as he made the connection. Mac looked at her grandson’s surprised face. "So, Flyboy, I take it you didn’t tell him the rest of the story." "Only because it wasn’t relevant to his concern at the time." Then he turned to Tres and finished. "Tres, the good Lord was good enough to give us chance after chance to figure this out. Finally the year after the failed engagement, Mac asked me to accompany her to the Marine Corps Birthday Ball. I finally got my head out of my six and made sure she knew how I felt." He got a far away look on his face as he began to reminisce about that night. ~~~ He took a deep breath as he raised his hand to knock on her door. When she opened the door a moment later, what he saw took his breath away. Mac stood there wearing a gorgeous midnight blue dress, matching high heel shoes, and a diamond solitaire necklace which hung enticingly at the center of her chest. "Don’t stand there gawking, Harm. Come on in." He followed her into the apartment. "You look incredible tonight, Mac." "You don’t look so bad yourself, flyboy." She had told him before that dress whites and gold wings were highly overrated. She lied. She knew it then and she knew it now. She was definitely not immune. He looked so handsome standing there in his dress whites, his gold wings shining. She noticed that he looked nervous, so she suggested heading on to the ball. When they reached their destination, Harm sighed audibly. "I don’t know how you talked me into this. Navy going to the Marine Corps Birthday Ball. I’ll be surprised if I’m not escorted out of there by a bunch of jarheads." "Calm down, Squid," Mac laughed, taking his offered arm, "This jarhead will protect you from those jarheads." Despite Harm’s concerns, they had a wonderful time that night, but it ended too soon. As the ball was winding down, Harm asked for a last dance. The music was slow and romantic. As they began to dance, he felt Mac relax in his arms. Before the song was half over, her head was resting against his shoulder and he held her close. Without words, they looked at each other and their lips met in a loving kiss. They stayed that way until the song ended. They moved off the dance floor before speaking. "You want to get out of here?" she suggested and in no time, they were headed back to her apartment. He followed her in and as soon as the door closed he began. "Mac, about tonight…" Before he could continue, she placed a finger over his lips. For a moment, they simply gazed into each other’s eyes, each seeing their own love reciprocated in the other. He lowered his head toward her and she responded by meeting his lips with her own. The kiss deepened as his arms went around her, pulling her close. When the kiss ended, he refused to let her go. "Sarah," he began, "there’s something you should know." She looked at him, trying to keep her anticipation at bay, but she could feel her hopes growing. This could be the answer to her prayers. "You were right when you said that I couldn’t let go, but all this awkwardness between us has made me realize that what I was holding on to wasn’t important. What it all boils down to is this…" he wrapped one arm around her waist and picked up her hand with the other. "I love you, Sarah. I’ve loved you for so long. Please forgive me for holding out so long. I would like to pursue this with you…if you’ll have me." He held his breath and waited for her response. She smiled lovingly at him, tears of happiness threatening to overrun her eyes. She cupped his face in her hands, "Of course, I’ll have you. I love you, Harm. I love you so very much." She kissed him with all the love she held. ~~~ Tres smiled at his grandparents. He had a feeling they were remembering a special time, but he was afraid to invade such a private memory. It really wasn’t important that he know the details anyway. He could see the effects of their love; he was a product of their love. Still he had to ask one question, "Pappy, how is it that we manage to screw things up, but Dad was able to get it right the first time?" Harm smiled, again looking at his wife. "Your dad took after the MacKenzie side on that. He’s more like your grandma, willing to risk everything for the chance that love might be right." "That’s not exactly true," Mac began, "we’re only willing to risk everything when we know that that love is true. I had no doubts if you remember, Mr. Rabb. And I don’t think Matt had any doubts when he met Morgan. Marrying your high school sweetheart isn’t exactly popular, but when love’s true, that love grows. I have no doubt that what they have is just as deep as ours." When dinner was cleaned up and the night had come, Harm and Mac found themselves cuddled up next to each other in their bed as they had every night for nearly 50 years. "Did you have a nice day recapping our lives?" she asked. "Sure, but those weren’t the best parts." "Oh really? So what was?" "A little more than a month after the ball." "Christmas Eve," she said with a knowing smile. "You’d better believe it." He wrapped his arms around her and fingered the diamond that she’d worn all these years- his diamond ~~~ Harm paced nervously around his apartment as he waited for Mac to arrive. He wanted tonight to be perfect. He didn’t have to wait long before there was a knock at the door. He glanced at the clock as he made his way to the door. ‘Always on time,’ he thought with a smile. When he opened the door, he was greeted to what looked like a stack of boxes with legs. He could make out her eyes smiling at him over the boxes. "Let me get some of these for you," he said as he carried a stack over to place under the tree. "What is all this?" Mac smiled at him, "When a girl’s been given the man of her dreams, she tends to go overboard." He smiled at her, took her in his arm and kissed her. The evening progressed easily. They laughed, talked, opened presents, and kissed through the next hours. Harm was touched by her gifts. There were several articles of clothing Mac had picked out thinking ‘he would look so handsome in this,’ as well as gifts with the promise of their future- his favorite was a beautiful empty photo album- just for holding memories of their life together. Harm had also chosen a couple of shirts for her as well as a beautiful necklace with matching bracelet. They cleaned up the wrapping paper and were enjoying the night together when Harm offered to get them a drink. His palms began to sweat as he got ready for the surprise. As he walked by the tree, he stooped, "Mac," he called. She was curious and walked over to him. "Look! It seems that Santa was just a little early this year," as he pointed to a brightly wrapped gift box tucked in the branches. He took it out and read the tag, "Sarah MacKenzie. Seems that Santa knew you would be here." He handed the box to her with a smile and followed her to the couch, taking a seat beside her. "Harm, what did you do?" she smiled at him while she unwrapped the gift, receiving that famous "flyboy" smile in return. When the paper was removed, she held in her hands a velvet-covered jewelry box. She hesitated a moment. "Go ahead. Open it," he pleaded softly, sliding close to her. She opened the box to reveal a beautiful ring- a large princess cut diamond set between two smaller stones. The diamonds sparkled brilliantly, reflecting the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree and the flickering of the candles. Her mouth dropped as she stared at the ring. Before she knew what was happening, Harm was on his knee in front of her, "Sarah, I would be the happiest man on Earth if you would marry me." Tears welled up in her eyes, but did not drown out the joy he saw in her eyes. She had hoped this day would come, especially since the Birthday Ball, but she did not expect it so soon. "Yes, Harm, I’d be honored to marry you. I’d love nothing more than to be your wife." He crushed her against him. "I love you so much, Sarah." "I love you too, Harm." He took the ring out of the box and placed it on her finger. They held each other for a long time. They broke apart only because Mac had to excuse herself to the restroom. Harm took that time to retrieve the promised drinks and to turn the radio on. It didn’t take long to find a station playing love songs. As fate had it, the song they’d danced to at the ball- the song that finalized his resolve to finally let go came on as Mac returned to the living room. He stood up, holding a hand out to her asked; "May I have this dance?" She readily accepted and hurried into his arms. They danced for a while just holding onto each other. They didn’t even notice when the songs changed; they were dancing to the music of their hearts. His mouth met hers in a passionate kiss. She parted her lips in invitation and the kiss immediately deepened as his hands caressed her back. For the next few moments, they were the only two people in the world. Nothing existed but the two of them and the love they shared. He felt her hands moving over his chest as she began kissing the side of his neck. His breath quickened as he realized how close she was. He’d only felt this in his dreams as his body reacted to her touch, but he wanted to be sure the time was right. He placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled away just enough to look her in the eyes. "Sarah, I love you so much, but if you plan on stopping this, now would be a good time before this gets embarrassing." "Harm, I, um, I don’t plan on stopping. That is, unless you want to. I love you so much; I’ve waited for this moment, dreamed of this moment for so long. Please, Harm, let me make love to you." Her last words nearly causing him to come unglued. No one had ever asked to make love to him, it’d always been, ‘Harm make love to me’ and it had only been about sex anyway. He knew Sarah was different. He could see the love and passion in her eyes. He smiled warmly at her, his eyes darkening with his passion for her, as he leaned in for a passionate kiss and crushing embrace. For the first time, he would be making "love." Mac awoke the next morning, immediately realizing that the strong arms around her belonged to Harm. Memories of the night flooded back to her, she turned so she could see him before snuggling against him. Her fingers were dancing softly over his strong chest when he opened his eyes. She had only been here in her dreams, she had to touch him, convincing herself this was real. "Merry Christmas, beautiful." He said softly as he pulled her against him. They lay together, enjoying each other’s company. She finally heard the music coming from the radio that had been forgotten last night as their love was fulfilled. The strains of ‘I’ll be Home for Christmas’ filled the air. Mac smiled and rested her head on his chest. "What’s that smile about?" He asked her. "Just thinking" "Would I be imposing if I asked what you were thinking about?" "Oh, just listening to the song." She propped herself up on one elbow; her fingers still nervously caressing his chest. "Harm, for the first time in my life, I really feel like I am home this Christmas. I love you." He pulled her to him and kissed her lovingly. "You made all my dreams come true that night," she smiled lovingly at him. "I love you so much, Sarah Rabb," his beautiful smile still shining at her, "but I didn’t fulfill ALL your dreams that night, it took me a few more months to put that wedding band on your finger and even longer to give you a family." "You know, some people talked because we married so soon." Harm fingered the band she’d worn for the past few decades, "Well, we’d already been through so much together. I was telling Tres today that the best thing you can do is be friends first." "I agree. You know, I’m still amazed that you managed to keep that promise you made while we were just friends." "Matthew’s birth." "Yeah, I’ll never forget the look in your eyes when the doctor announced that it was a boy. You were such a proud daddy." "I had dreamed of having a son, but having one with you was more than I dreamed possible." Harm thought back to the day that his son was born. They’d wanted to name him after people that greatly influenced their lives, and Harm had rejected a third, Matt picked it up with the birth of his son. They had decided on Matthew (for Mac’s uncle, Matthew O’Hara) Franklin (for Harm’s step father, maturity had made him realize how important Frank was to him and his mother.) He thought back to when he had been able to tell Frank their son’s name, he remembered the tear in Frank’s eye, the gesture meant so much. "Then there was our surprise 3 ½ years later. I never would have believed that the ace Naval aviator, Harmon Rabb Jr. would ever be wrapped around the fingers of a 7-pound baby girl. She had you the moment you laid eyes on her." Harm thought about the night that Patricia Elizabeth Rabb was born. Named after Harm’s mother and his grandmother’s middle name (Mac didn’t have any female family members that were significant in her life), she looked so much like her mother. "That’s not so hard to believe. Even though I didn’t want to admit it at first, her Mommy had me wrapped around her finger from that moment in the rose garden." They kissed again and spent the next hour remembering all the wonderful times in their lives, Matt and Beth’s graduations, from high school, college, and Annapolis. Matt had gone into the Marine Corps like his mother, but had chosen to pursue forensic pathology like his parents’s friend, Teresa Coulter. He’d always been interested in her profession. He was now working for the crime lab in DC. Beth had followed her daddy and became a Naval aviator and was still serving her country. They thought about Matt and Morgan’s wedding shortly after high school. She’d supported him throughout his career even when it meant raising Tres alone at times. They’d let Tres spend summers with them often and thus Tres had virtually become his grandfather’s shadow. Each of their grandchildren was special, but Tres was so much like his grandfather, he somewhat stood out. They’d had a wonderful life together. One source of pride was that since their wedding, divorce had never struck their family. Matt always said it was because he and Beth had watched them together throughout their lives, through the good and the bad, they’d learned how to love with all their hearts through anything. Tres left the next morning, after breakfast. As Harm was walking him out, he had to ask, "You’ve had some time to think about it, have you decided what you’re going to do?" "Yes, sir, Pappy. I’m gonna go get my love, just like you and Gram." They both hugged Tres and they watched him leave. 3 Days Later Carrier Tres had been back aboard ship for 2 days, but due to mission briefs and other requirements; he was unable to really talk to Stephanie. He went to sleep that night determined to talk to her after his first flight. He’d been flying with a new RIO, training him, in anticipation of her departure. They were flying missions in the Middle East again. Tres remembered Pappy talking about conflicts in that area when he was flying. It looked like there would never be a real peace in that area. He was flying a mission in the area this morning with two other aircraft. The mission seemed to be going good then out of nowhere antiaircraft missiles were attacking. The first was hit before he knew what was happening. The second was crippled, but was in good enough condition to get back to the ship, given they didn’t get hit again. Tres came to their rescue, drawing fire long enough to give his wingman time to head back to the ship. Just as he prepared to head back, an enemy aircraft came upon him. A dogfight insued. Both took hits, but in the end, Tres was victorious. They turned back to the carrier, his aircraft limping. Closing in, his aircraft failed, he yelled for his RIO to eject, which he did. Stephanie was on the bridge, so she’d heard the communications from Tres to the CAG. She began to panic when she heard his voice calling for his RIO to eject. Somewhere in her mind it occurred to her that she should have been the one up there with him, but she’d requested transfer. She knew the helo would be up momentarily to rescue them, but she also knew what kind of danger they were in. She looked out from the bridge as he came into sight, albeit still a dot on the horizon. She couldn’t take it anymore and ran from the bridge to the observation deck. She waited in anticipation so that she could make her way to the flight deck. If there was a miracle and he was to make it to the ship, that’s where he’d find her. If the helo had to bring him in, that’s where she’d find him. Tres fought the aircraft to turn it from the carrier, fearing that the momentum would force it too close to the ship. He couldn’t risk it. Stephanie was on that ship. Finally, he was able to set the disabled aircraft on a trajectory that would take it careening away from the ship and at the last second, he pulled the ejection control for his seat. Unfortunately, due to the damage from the fight, the ejection caused part of the aircraft to come apart. In the ejection, he was hit with a piece of debris, shattering the face shield on his helmet. Stephanie saw the tell-tell sign of a punch out, even from that distance. She prayed for his safety and watched as his chute deployed and the aircraft crashed into the ocean, sending up a cloud of water and debris. Everyone on the bridge awaited word on the pilot. His RIO had been picked up moments earlier and other than a little soreness from the punch-out, he was no worse for wear. Everyone hoped the same could be said for Hammer. No matter the outcome, Lt. Harmon Rabb III was a hero, he saved the lives of those he was flying with and possibly everyone else on that carrier. "We have him, Sir," the helo radioed. The bridge erupted in applause. Stephanie met the helo when it landed and the medics ran to him. She knew he may be pretty well beat up, but was unprepared for what she saw. His helmet lay beside him, shattered. Helo personnel had bandaged his head while incoming, but the bandages were already blood soaked. His right eye was uncovered and although she tried to speak to him, his eye remained closed and she could see no reaction. He was covered with a sheet and she could see no other injuries. She feared that he had been close enough when the plane went into the water for the debris to rain down on him. He was still alive, though- for now. She followed him to sick bay so the doctors could do what little they could on the ship in these cases. Transport was being arranged. The left side of his body was ravaged, evidently that was the side hit by the chunk of metal. Bones in his left arm and leg were broken and the debris had cut through muscles. There would be a lot of surgeries and rehab in the future. Unfortunately, his most devastating injury would prove to take away his ability to fly the fighters- he’d lost his left eye. Debris had shattered his shield, cutting into the eye. The damage was irreparable. She was by his side as much as the doctors would allow. Finally, she took the long walk with him to the transport. She held his hand and whispered to him that she loved him, to please hang on, and that she would see him soon. Her heart broke at the lack of response. She stepped back and stood with the rest of the crew. They all saluted as the helo was loaded and flown to Bethesda. Stephanie served the remainder of her tour aboard ship mechanically, emotionally she was numb. Her duties were performed to her normal high quality, but she felt more robotic than human. She was on autopilot since that day. She was able to keep up-to-date on him, but information was limited. At the end of her tour, she said her good-byes to her shipmates and the captain wished her luck. She’d decided to stay in the Navy and had accepted a position at Annapolis. It wasn’t exactly what she wanted, but she would be able to keep her commission and would still be able to have a life- maybe even get married. She quickly banished the thought from her mind. The only man she was interested in marrying almost died 2 months ago. JUST AFTER THE CRASH Harm and Mac were cuddled on the couch, as usual, watching the local news report when the phone rang. Harm got up to answer the phone. "Well, hey, Matt!" Mac turned quickly at her husband’s words. They didn’t hear from their son as often as they would like. Almost as fast as she’d thought how wonderful it was to hear from their first-born, her breath caught and fear gripped her heart as she saw her husband’s face change. "We’re on our way, Matt. You guys hang on. He’ll be alright- he’s a Rabb, remember?" Harm put the phone down and took his wife in his arms as a tear ran down his cheek. "Harm, what happened? Is Tres OK?" Mac begged. "Hammer was protecting his wingman from antiaircraft fire. He was hit, but thought he could make it back. The plane lost function and he had to punch out. When he did, there was a piece of debris blown off as the seat ejected. The debris hit him, shattered his helmet. Honestly, he’s not doing well. He’s at Bethesda." Immediately, Mac thought back to that night when they couldn’t find Harm after he punched out, then she remembered how she’d almost lost him that night, and how he looked when she was finally able to see him in the hospital. This was too close to home for her. She busied herself packing clothes while he made reservations. They were at Bethesda the next day. Harm and Mac walked down the long corridor arm in arm to their grandson’s room. He pulled her into his embrace at the sight of their grandson. As much for his support as hers, as they looked at the seemingly lifeless body covered in bandages, IV’s and tubes. After a few minutes, Harm found the courage to make his way to Tres’ bedside. He touched his arm, "Hey, Hammer," he began, his voice shaky, "just because I had to take a dip in the drink to come to my senses doesn’t mean you had to do the same." For the first time, Tres responded by squeezing his grandfather’s hand. Harm knew Tres would be OK, but that the most difficult thing was yet to come, when Tres would realize that he would never fly again. Harm had been lucky, a simple procedure cured his night blindness, but Tres lost an eye, going back to flying was not in his future. Harm and Mac stayed with Tres for the next few months as he healed and went through rehab. Matt and Morgan were there for their son as much as they possibly could, but their jobs required their attention as well. As they were eating supper one evening, Tres took a deep breath, "Pappy, I’ve decided what I want to do now that I can’t fly." Harm looked at him, "I’m going to go to law school and become a JAG officer. I mean, I may not be as good as you and Gram and be able to beat everyone at JAG HQ, but I think I could do it. I mean Dad’s a forensic pathologist, I can be analytical. That way, I could still serve my country." Mac marveled at the young man. He was his grandfather made over. There was an undeniable connection between these two- more than just a name. "Tres, you do what you think will make you happy. Don’t go to JAG just because I did. Do it because you love your country and you’re determined to find the truth. If this is really what you want, then we’ll support you 100%." Harm and Mac both hugged their grandson. He was going to be OK. That Rabb determination and MacKenzie stubbornness really made itself manifest in Harmon Rabb III. LATER THAT NIGHT Harm and Mac had gone home to rest- they’d been staying with Matt and Morgan in DC while Tres was hospitalized. They’d enjoyed their time with their son and on the weekends Beth and her family would come up. TRES’ ROOM AT BETHESDA Tres lay in the hospital bed watching TV. He had to admit he was getting tired of this place. He would be glad to get out of here. A soft knock at his door brought him from his thoughts. He looked toward the door and saw the most beautiful eyes peering at him. "Oh, my…" his thought was cut off as his breath caught when Stephanie walked into the room. Her eyes looked him over as she stepped to his bedside. He looked remarkably good compared to the last time she’d seen him. His eye was still covered awaiting a prosthetic. "Hey, flyboy," she said softly as he reached for her with his right hand. He smiled to himself that she called him by the same nickname that Gram had used for Pappy. "Hey, yourself." He held her hand in his for a long moment before she pulled a stuffed bear from behind her back. The bear wore the leather bomber jacked that was the pride of all Naval aviators. He let go of her hand and took the bear from her. She noticed that the use of his left arm had been significantly reduced and she could see the scars left from the surgeries and damage from the debris. Tres sat the bear on the table before patting the bed in request for her to sit down beside of him. She walked over and sat down. Tres reached his hand up and stroked her cheek gently. "Stephie," he spoke softly," you are such a sight for sore eyes. Well, eye anyway." His eyes glimmered at the last statement. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, his hand caressing her cheek softly, her fingers entwining themselves in the fingers of his left hand. She looked nervous as she spoke, "I was so scared I was never going to see you again. I’m so sorry for the way I acted. I should never have acted that way just because…" Tres wiped a tear from her cheek before pulling her to him and placing a gentle kiss to her lips. When they parted, he looked her in the eyes and said the words she’d longed to hear and that he’d been too scared to say, "I love you. I loved you that night in Hawaii; I was just too scared to say anything. When I came back from leave, I was going to set things straight with you, but like a true Rabb, I had to take a swim in the ocean. I’m sorry it took me so long, Steph. I’ve thought about you every minute and how I was going to find you so I could tell you, hoping that the Lord would just let me get to you before you met someone else." His voice trailed off. She took his head in her hands and kissed him. "I love you, too, Tres. We’ll work through this together." Matt and Morgan walked in to see an unfamiliar woman sitting on their son’s bed. Both were lost in the other at the moment. Matt knocked softly, not wanting to intrude on such a private moment. Tres looked at his parents and smiled. Stephanie nervously stood up and tried to pull away from Tres, but he caught her arm and motioned for her to sit back down, by him. "Hey, Mom, Dad. You’ll never guess who stopped by." He flashed that ‘flyboy’ grin, reminiscent of his grandfather’s at her again, and she melted just a little. "Let me guess," Morgan began, "you wouldn’t be Stephanie now would you?" Stephanie blushed as Morgan extended a hand to her. "My son’s been asking about you since he’s been here. I’m glad you found him." The four enjoyed easy conversation for the next hour when Matt suggested he and Morgan make their exit, they had work in the morning. Stephanie stayed until the nurse told her visiting hours were over. She left reluctantly, lingering a little at his good-bye kiss, and promised she’d be back. Tres progressed rapidly for the next two months. Harm and Mac had returned home 6 weeks earlier, once Tres began walking alone, although with a slight limp. He was released and stayed with Matt and Morgan for the next while. He saw Stephanie every chance he got and ran the phone bill up more than he wanted to admit. Too soon for Matt and Morgan, their son packed up again to move closer to school so he could get his law degree. Being closer to school also meant being closer to Stephanie. Their relationship flourished. A year after the crash, Tres was staying at Stephanie’s apartment more than his own. He just couldn’t get enough of this woman. He often thought back to the stories Pappy had told him about his and Gram’s relationship. He knew he was feeling the same thing for Stephanie that Harm had felt for Mac all those years ago, that even remains today. Stephanie was putting the finishing touches on dinner when she heard a knock at the door. When she opened it, a huge bouquet of roses greeted her. She took them to reveal Tres’ smile behind the flowers. She sat the flowers on the coffee table and was immediately pulled into his embrace. After they ate, Tres turned on some music and asked her to dance with him and she readily accepted. After dancing for a while, they sat down and just enjoyed being together. He offered to get them a drink. He finally returned carrying 2 long stem glasses and the remaining bottle of wine. He handed her a glass and offered a toast. As Stephanie began to take a drink, she noticed a ribbon bow tied on the stem. She sat the glass down and looked at it. "Tres?" She began as she looked up into his smiling face. Her attention turned again to the glass when she noticed the ring tied to the bow. She untied the bow from the glass and pulled the ring off. It was a simple yet beautiful diamond solitaire. "Oh, Tres," she whispered, her heart fluttering inside her as he took her hand. "Marry me, Stephanie?" His words weren’t eloquent, but the didn’t need to be, she could see all the love shining brightly in his eyes. "Yes," she whispered as he placed the ring on her finger and took her in his arms. Harm answered the phone the following day, "Hey, Hammer! How’s it going? Really? Well, Congratulations! I’m very happy for you. OK. Keep us informed. I love you too, Tres. Grandma sends her love." As he hung up the phone, he turned to his wife and said, "Tres asked Stephanie to marry him. She said ‘Yes.’" They smiled at each other. "I know they’ll be as happy as we’ve been." Mac told him, finding herself in his arms. The next day was spent as many others had been, wrapped in each other’s arms- a love that had refused to even quiet down after 40-some years of marriage. They decided to go out to dinner that night. They enjoyed a wonderful meal together and even did a little dancing. They were wrapped in each other as they walked back to the car. Little did they know how life would change in the next few moments. As they were walking, talking, and loving, a man stepped out from behind one of the cars. They were suddenly face to face with a gun. The man demanded money. Harm tried to reason with him to no avail. Navy and Marine Corps training doesn’t do much good if the body is too old to cooperate, so they both gave him what he requested, thinking he’d just go away. He took Harm’s wallet, removed the money and credit cards and tossed it back at him. Nervously, he ran off with Mac’s purse. Once he’d run a few paces, he surprisingly turned and fired several rounds. Mac fell into Harm’s arms. He lowered them both against the wall nearest them. He looked at her and saw her chest covered with blood. "Oh, Sarah," he cried. A gentleman came around the corner and said he’d call for an ambulance and left them to guide the paramedics to them. "I love you, Harm," she said weakly. "Shhh," he tried to calm her, "you’re going to be alright." She took his hand in hers and shook her head. "It's my time, Harm. I’m not in pain. I just want you to know how much I love you. I’m glad you shared your life with me and let me know everyday what true love is." "I love you, Sarah. Please don’t leave me. I can’t go on without you. You are my life. I love you so much." Tears began rolling down his cheek. How could such a perfect day go so horribly wrong? He held her and prayed, ‘Lord, I want her to stay with me, but if its her time to be with You, please answer this my last request, and take me too. I told her I’d be with her forever, please, Father, let me keep my promise.’ As he looked at his wife, a peace came over him. "I love you so much, Sarah." "I love you too, Harm. Always and forever." "I promise." Harm whispered as he kissed his wife for the last time on Earth. He heard her let out her last breath. A fresh tear slid down his cheek as he laid his head on hers and closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes again, he was standing bathed in brilliant light, his wife’s hand tightly holding his. He smiled into her beautiful brown eyes as he noticed the figure bathed in the same white light coming towards them. "Its time," the voice spoke and began to lead them away. Harm looked back to see the ambulance pull up. Two medics jumped out. One touched Harm’s body, checking for any sign of life as the other checked Mac. The medics looked at each other, each shaking his head. "Never look back, Commander," the voice of his CO, Admiral AJ Chegwidden from 50 years ago came to his ears. "No, sir." He replied. This time, he obeyed the order. He took his wife in his arms and kissed her. Immediately, he saw not the aged woman he’d held minutes ago, but the beautiful dark haired, dark eyed woman that he’d married. She watched as the age fell from her husband. "I promised you I’d be with you forever," he whispered. "And you always keep your promises." She kissed him again, as the admiral’s voice once again filled their ears, "Let’s go, people!" They smiled at each other before following the figure to their new home. Tres answered the phone and Stephanie watched as tears began to fall from his eyes. He replaced the phone and walked to the window, looking out sobbing. Stephanie wrapped her arms around him from behind. He turned and pulled her into his embrace. He spoke softly through his tears, "Pappy and Gram died last night." Stephanie laid her head against his chest; she knew how much his grandparents meant to him. She felt him take a deep breath before continuing, "There was a robbery, Gram was shot and died from her wounds in Pappy’s arms…." The lump in his throat grew as he though about his next words, "Pappy died of a broken heart. I always knew they’d never be able to go on alone, but I never expected this." She did all she could for him, she held him until he cried himself to sleep. 4 DAYS LATER CEMETARY The bodies had been laid to rest and the friends and family were gathered around. A gentleman dressed in his Navy best wearing the rank of an Admiral stepped up to Matt and tapped him on the shoulder. "AJ" Matt replied returning the offered hug. They spoke for a while before Matt gathered his family around. Admiral AJ Roberts began to speak. "I want you all to know how sorry we are for your loss. My godparents were really something special. I don’t have to tell you how much they loved each other, you could see that, but I want you to know that others can too. I was too little to remember them not being together, but Mom and Dad told us stories. They loved each other for so long before they worked things out. Their love and their lives affected Mom and Dad so much. Their love even impacted our lives to the point that," AJ motioned to his daughter-in-law who handed him an infant girl, "this is our Sarah MacKenzie Roberts. They were such amazing people that their names even keep coming up in our family." AJ had named his son, Michael, which was Harm’s middle name. "Aunt Mac was such a strong person, we hope our Sarah will be also." Matt asked AJ if he’d told Mac about Sarah. He said he’d spoken to them just days before their deaths. AJ turned back to the remnants of the family he adored so much. "Harm and Mac truly left a legacy of love." The families talked a little longer. Matt learned that due to Harriet’s death the year before, and Bud’s failing health, he was in a nursing home and was unable to attend the funeral of his dear friends. Stephanie pulled Tres back to her and spoke in amazement, "That’s Admiral AJ Roberts! The JAG was your grandparents’ godson?" Tres had never thought much about it. He’d known AJ all his life and their families had always been close although seeing each other was somewhat difficult due to conflicting schedules. At that point, Admiral Roberts walked over and shook Tres’ hand. "Lt. Rabb, I’ve heard some good things about you from your instructors. Why don’t you come talk to me? We may have a place for you at JAG HQ while you’re finishing up. Especially, if you take after them!" AJ clapped him on his shoulder, "Your grandfather will be proud of you." A week later, Tres and Stephanie visited the gravesite. They stood above the cement marker and read the phrase printed between their information, "Though lovers be lost, love shall not, and death shall have no dominion." "Its perfect," Stephanie whispered, "love really was their legacy." "I plan on following them every step of the way," Tres said as he gathered her in his arms and kissed her with all the love he had, knowing that Pappy and Gram wouldn’t be offended.