TITLE: "One Harmon Rabb in My Life" AUTHORS: Anne R. and Pat Steiner SUMMARY: Missing Moments #2-from the episode Imposter. The second in a summer long series of 'in lieu of a new JAG' stories wherein older episodes will be revisited and we'll explore what happened that we did not get to see. DISCLAIMER: JAG of course belongs to Paramount and DB productions et al. No copyright infringement is intended. FEEDBACK: If you would like, but never expected or demanded. Feedback addy is ssbpmn@aol.com ************************** "One Harmon Rabb in My Life" "What's that for?" Harm asked as Mac pinched his cheek. "I wanted to make sure it was you. One Harmon Rabb in my life is enough" she smiled. "More than enough" AJ added. "Well thank you Admiral" Harm laughed. Minutes later the emergency personnel arrived to tend to Colonel Vickers and Harm and Mac quickly moved out of the way. "So what happened?" Mac asked as they walked through the bullpen. "Besides Palmer trying to be you." "Long story" Harm sighed. "But if it wasn't for Bud I wouldn't be here. I'd be in tiny pieces in the bottom of a rubble that was my apartment." "Oh my god" she gasped, her eyes widening in alarm at his words. "You're joking right?" "No ma'am he's not" Bud spoke up. "Palmer wired a bomb in his apartment. To the chair he was tied to. After he drugged him and knocked him out." Mac gasped again and Harm gave Bud a warning look. "Bud don't you have something you need to do. Like go talk to Harriet or something." "Uh yes sir" Bud stammered before hurrying off. "Okay Flyboy I want to hear all of this" she said seriously. "And not the sugar coated version either." "Mac" he sighed. "Harm I'm serious. I want to know everything." "Can we do this over coffee or something. It's been a long morning" he sighed. "You should probably be checked to make sure you're okay" she fretted as she reached for her raincoat. As she did she let out a small cry of pain and at once Harm was at her side. "Mac what's wrong?" he demanded. "Your double elbowed me in the ribs" she groaned as she rubbed the area under her ribcage. "Palmer hurt you?" "Yeah I was trying to stop him from getting away and he managed to get in a lucky elbow" she sighed. "But I'm okay." "You sure?" he asked gently. "As long as I don't move too much" she said with a small grimace. "I'll be fine. And I want to hear what happened with you and Palmer." "Okay but if that's still hurting you, I want to know about it" he said as he helped her into her coat. "I'll live I'm sure," she replied dryly, "but you on the other hand, how do you know whatever he injected you with isn't going to have some lasting effect. I can't believe you didn't get looked at. Are you insane or do you just enjoy playing Russian Roulette?" "It was a standard sedative like they'd give in the hospital," he assured her. "I slept it off and now I'm hungover from it and I'd love some strong coffee and maybe some Advil. Can we manage that?" "Of course we can," she replied, her tone slightly clipped in response to his. "I'm sorry," he gasped, picking up on that at once and knowing what caused it. "I'm sorry and I'm upset. Upset that you were hurt from something I was the cause of." "Hey stuff happens," she smiled. "Not like that," he returned, putting his hand to her back to lead her to the parking lot. "This was something you should never have had to deal with." "It's over now, and the Marine in me can handle a sore rib," she smiled, though her grimace as she got into his car belied her words. "Don't even. I'm fine," she smiled. A scowl was his only response and he slammed the car door with a particular firmness, taking out his worry and frustration on it. They drove to the local Starbucks after a drug store stop and settled in the back with the steaming mugs and a dose each of Advil. They sat in silence for a few minutes, simply enjoying the warmth and quiet until Mac said softly. "OK Sailor, honesty time now. Were you scared?" He opened his mouth in instinctive denial and instead nodded. "Yeah I was. In the cockpit, a pilot faces the fact that he could die and doesn't think about it. If he does, he doesn't belong there because his hesitancy could get someone killed, including himself. But this was all so pointless. So yeah, I was scared. But I was also scared about what was going on at JAG, and with good reason. Now I'm just grateful it wasn't any worse." He paused a moment and when he spoke again, his voice was low and quiet. "I swear if he had really hurt you I would have. . ." Her half smile stopped him and he coughed self consciously. "OK never mind." "No please do finish" she smiled. "What would you have done?" "I would have killed that lousy son of a bitch with my bare hands" he said before he could stop himself. "And I would have done the same thing if he'd hurt you" she whispered, her hand gently reaching across the table to his. "And I'm sure I came much closer to that happening than I care to think about." "Probably" he admitted and her hands tightened around his. "Tell me what happened" she said quietly. "Everything." "Mac it's over" he sighed. "There's no sense in you worrying about what might have happened." "You're right. I'll just have to keep thanking Bud for saving your six. I've gotten pretty used to you sailor." "Yeah well I feel the same way about you Marine" he said with a small smile. "And I was pretty worried about what he was going to do when he got to JAG. Especially to you." "Colonel Vickers was his target. Not me. And the whole thing was so bizarre. I really thought it was you at first." "When did you figure it wasn't me?" "When he called me Sarah" she said softly. "You've only called me that one other time." "The day you left JAG" Harm murmured as he remembered that day not so many months ago when she'd chosen a suave lawyer in a Porsche over JAG. "Yeah" she nodded. "I knew then something wasn't right. Course until you showed up I wasn't sure what was going on." "I'm just glad he didn't hurt you any worse than he did" Harm sighed. "He could have killed everyone in that court room if he'd wanted to." He barely managed to contain a shudder at that thought and she squeezed his hand again. "But he didn't thanks to you. And you look like hell sailor and I'm taking you home." "Make that a hotel. My place is probably still being debugged by the bomb squad." "Make that my place then" she said as she stood up. "You can stay with me tonight." "Mac I can't do that" he sighed as he stood up as well. He swayed slightly, the effects of the sedative still lingering and she quickly reached an arm out to support him. "No choice Flyboy. You're still woozy and I'm not leaving you alone." "I'll be fine once I sleep this off some more. Which I can do easily at hotel and not bother you." "You are not bothering me. And after today, I'm more than happy to have you around." "Thanks" he said with a wan smile. "Lead the way Marine." He stumbled slightly and she quickly reached for his arm, urging him back down. "You were better earlier. I think we'll detour by the ER." "No please. Please don't. The last thing I can stand right now is a three hour wait in a hospital for them to tell me to go home and rest. We can cut out the middle man and you can just take me home to bed." She smiled and raised her eyebrow, saying nothing while what he had just said registered with him. "OK I must be under the influence here. I walked right into that one." "Yes you did, and if that day ever comes it will be with us both awake and sober." "I may be half out of it but I heard that," he screeched. "You've had those thoughts haven't you?" She tossed her head and looked away only to have him cup her cheek with his palm and turn her back to face him. "You have had those thoughts about us," he accused. "Hey I am not the subject of your cross here," she tried. "It's a simple question. Deserves a simple answer." "Taking the fifth thank you," she retorted, taking a long drink of her now cooling coffee. He did the same and for a minute there was silence between them. "I have." Those two simple words hit her hard between the eyes and she choked on her latest swallow. "You have what Flyboy?" she got out. "Please tell me you didn't just admit that I'm the object of some wack-off fantasy of yours?" "Hey no that came out wrong," he yelped. "Honest it did. I just meant that I can see us--you and me--maybe. . ." His jaws clamped shut and he looked at her helplessly. "Look, sorry. I'm not good with this sort of thing. I mean I've talked women into my bed before, but if it really meant something, then. . . Can we forget it OK? I'm not sure what I'm saying since there's that little guy pounding the gavel behind my eyes." "I'm just jerking your chain anyway," she smiled, feeling relief wash over her. They had walked into quicksand and she was happy to have found the way out. "Right now you're not in shape to swear to your name. Let's get out of here." Once again they both rose from their seats and this time she kept her arm on his as she lead him out to the car. "Would you mind running me by my place so I can pick up some stuff" he sighed. "I don't think you'll have anything in my size." "Not likely" she smiled. "Everything of Dalton's I gave away. And I don't think you'll fit in my fuzzy robe." "Now there's a sight I'd like to see" he murmured. "You in my fuzzy robe or me in my fuzzy robe?" she teased and he gave her a long look. "Sorry. I shouldn't be teasing you like this when you're not well." "Gee thanks for remembering that" he sighed as she helped him into the car before heading around to the drivers side. She grimaced slightly as she got into the car, a move he didn't miss despite his own pain. "Still hurting?" "Nothing a nice hot bath and a few more Advil won't cure" she managed. "Just a little sore when I move a certain way." "You sure nothing's broken?" he fretted. "Nothing is broken. Bruised but definitely not broken. And as you told me I don't need to wait three hours to be told to go home and rest." He nodded and she headed the car in the direction of his place. The Bomb Squad and police had finished their work but the broken window still needed to be replaced. "You know you really don't have to take me back to your place" he sighed. "It's just a broken window. There's no reason I can't stay here." "No reason except I'll be worrying about you all night" Mac scoffed. "No way. You're coming with me sailor. Just pack your bag and don't argue with me." He opened his mouth to protest before closing it again and with a long sigh grabbed what he needed while she stood close by. "All set" he said a few minutes later. "And thanks for doing this. You don't have to you know." "I know. But just think of it as a slumber party" she smiled. "I won't even go there," he said with a small smile. "Because I'm way too out of it to come up with the right responses." "Good. I like it that way" she teased as she reached for his arm. "Not that I like the fact you were drugged and almost blown to pieces by that psycho. Who I hope they lock up and throw away the key. The man is obviously demented." "Understatement of the year Major" he sighed. "Well talk about Palmer later. Right now we need to get you back to my place and into bed" she said gently. "You need to rest sailor." "Look are you OK to drive?" he demanded as they walked back out and she attempted to urge him into the passenger side of his SUV. "That rib is going to be painful." "I'll suck it up," she told him. "Right now I'm in much better shape than you are. You're looking more and more out of it. I'm not sure you don't. . ." "I don't need a doctor. I need a bed and to get rid of this headache," he snapped and at once was sorry. "God that was uncalled for. Please drop me off by the side of the road and leave me for dead will you." "Actually that's Plan B," she smiled and patted his shoulder. "Rest Sailor." The drive across the city did not take long, and shortly she was shaking his arm. "Hey sorry, Marine or not, I'm not carrying you upstairs." "I'm awake," he groaned. "The thought of a hot shower is motivating me. Just keep a tab of what I owe you." "You'll get an itemized bill when you check out," she told him dryly, hurrying around to the passenger side to catch him as he slid out. As soon as his feet hit the sidewalk his legs buckled. Her reaction was swift and immediate, grabbing onto him and taking his weight despite the pain that shot from her ribs. "Careful. Mac stop I'm hurting you," he gasped, trying to pull back from her. "Better than me having to scrape you off the sidewalk," she grimaced, further securing her hold of him. "Come on Flyboy work with me." After a few steps he was better able to bear his own weight and they reached her apartment. Once inside he began to sink in the first chair and she again held him firmly. "No. Bed with you. You need to sleep and you're not going to do it sitting up." "Yeah and I need that shower too," he sighed. "Exactly so keep those feet marching mister." They passed by one of her book shelves and Harm froze, stopping so suddenly that she nearly tripped over him. "Cute couple," he said softly, gesturing to the 5x7 framed photo. Mac and Dalton, his arm around her shoulders, both smiling. Obviously the picture was taken at some formal occasion, judging from the tuxedo and the low cut red evening dress. "It's the only photo I have of him," she smiled. "Taken at the Willard. Spring ball the firm had." "You look happy." "I put on a good act don't I. Actually we'd just had a big argument about why I refused a glass of champagne for the toast of the boss. I couldn't make him understand. He told me if I couldn't enjoy a glass of champagne and then stop then I had to be weak willed." "Jerk," Harm snapped and she looked at him in surprise. "Yeah sometimes," she nodded. "Other times he was warm and wonderful and fun to be around." "Did you love him?" "No" she said after a moment's pause. "But you knew that. We had our moments but I knew it was never going to be a life time thing with Dalton." "I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked that question," he said quietly. "No it's okay. I'm okay with everything now. And enough about this. You need to get into the shower and then bed." Moments later she heard the shower water turn on and she stayed close to the bathroom in case he needed her. He emerged a few minutes later in a pair of sweats and a tank top T-shirt and she hurried to help him. "How you feeling?" she asked. "Like I'm ready for a bed" he sighed. "But I can't take your bed. Where are you going to sleep?" "Nothing wrong with my sofa" she countered. "No but not when you have sore ribs. I'll take the sofa." "Harm no. I'll be fine on the sofa. You take the bed." "No. I'm not letting you sleep on the sofa when you're hurting." "Then we'll share the bed" she smiled. "Since neither of us is willing to let the other sleep on the sofa." "I think this is where I should say Red Light Major" Harm sighed. "But right now the idea of being in bed with you is awfully appealing." "I'll bet," she said as she took his arm and led him to her bed. "And when you're really coherent we'll discuss this subject again." "Good idea" he murmured as he crawled under the covers. "You're joining me right? I'm not going to wake up and find you out on the sofa in pain." "After I take my turn soaking in the hot water" she assured him as she pulled up the covers around him. "You get some sleep." "Thanks Mac" Harm murmured as he his eyes drifted shut. "Glad Palmer didn't hurt you." "And I'm glad he didn't hurt you either" she whispered as she dropped a kiss on his forehead before heading to the bathroom to soak her aching body. When she returned a half-hour later he was sound asleep and she gently pushed the hair back from his forehead. "Mac" he murmured at her touch. "Yeah it's me sailor" she said softly. "How you doing?" To her surprise, he reached for her hand and gently tugged her down on the bed beside him. "I guess I'm joining you" she smiled as she slid under the covers beside him. She finally managed to find a comfortable position with her sore ribs and fell asleep a short time later. It was dark when Harm woke and for a moment he couldn't remember where he was. He felt Mac move beside him and suddenly he remembered "Hey you okay?" she murmured as she rolled over to face him. "I'm in bed with a beautiful woman" he said softly. "How could I not be okay?" "Could you hold the line and just tell me how you are please Commander?" "Actually I feel totally well. I just needed to sleep it off. But what I want to know is if you're OK. I woke up a couple times and felt you moving around. Like you couldn't get comfortable." "It hurts. Nothing I won't survive though. Promise." "You'd better promise me that," he murmured. "I'm pretty damn used to having you around, even though these past few months neither of us have. . .well we've been. . .our attention has been. . .how long are you going to let me go on with this?" "Did you love her? Annie?" The question caught him off guard and he swallowed hard. "You asked me about Dalton earlier," she said gently, "and you got an honest answer. Your turn. Take your time. I know you're not good with this feelings crappola." He did in fact take a moment to formulate his thoughts. "OK yeah I thought there was something there. But the more I saw the way she was with Josh, the more I realized it wasn't going to ever pan out. It would have been a continual source of conflict. She would have expected me to simply follow the party line with him. I wouldn't have been able to stand back and not try to influence. Recipe for disaster. So simple short answer. No." "OK, I guess we both know where we stand with regard to the recent past then," she smiled. "So the only question is how about the upcoming future?" "I guess so," she nodded, adjusting herself again as being in the same position got uncomfortable. "Why don't you go ahead Flyboy. You're pretty much on a roll." Another moment's thought and he raised his hand, resting it against the side of her head. "Sometimes talking is over-rated," he whispered, bringing his lips almost to hers. "This would be where you would say no if you don't want this." "Don't look at me to say no" she whispered before closing the gap between them. The gentle kiss deepened and moments later they finally parted. "I'm glad you didn't say no" he smiled. "Me too" she whispered. "Can we try that again?" "Be happy to" Harm whispered before his lips found hers again. "I think I like this" she sighed when they parted again. "And I think it would be very easy to fall in love with you Mr. Rabb." "Almost as easy as it would be to fall in love with you Sarah" Harm said softly as he stroked her cheek. "But when it happens I want it to be right." "Not on the rebound" she said softly. "Bingo" he smiled. "But that doesn't mean we can't explore these new feelings." "I can live with that" she smiled as well. The End.