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| Notes: This takes place before the season 8 finale, but still somewhat AU. Sorry for the mix up at the end. I didn't mean to make it sound the way it did. ******************** "Excuse me, sir, but do you have a minute?" Harm looked up from the file he was reading. "Certainly, Harriet, come in and take a seat." "Thank you," she replied. "I was wondering if you could help me plan a surprise birthday party for Bud. I'd ask the Colonel, but she's busy with the Kensington court martial." Harm smiled. "I'd be glad to help. The project the Admiral gave me is just about complete." "Wonderful! Would you like to come by my place for dinner around 1900? Since Bud left early this morning for the case he's working on, Little AJ and I will be on our own." "I'll definitely be there, Harriet." She stood up and smiled. "Thank you again, sir." **************** Singer was walking by Harm's office when something caught her ear. "Would you like to come by my place for dinner around 1900? Since Bud left early this morning for the case he's working on, Little AJ and I have to fend for ourselves." "I'll definitely be there, Harriet." *What a complete ass! I wonder if Lieutenant Roberts knows his wife and his best friend are going at it. Probably not, he's so gullible.* "Something going on that I should know about, Lieutenant?" Singer jumped and the Admiral's voice. "Uh...no, I mean, no, sir!" "Perhaps you should get back to work then," Chegwidden suggested. Singer nodded and headed back to her office. "She's up to something..." *************** Harm glanced down at his watch and saw that it was 1800. He decided to call it quits for now since Harriet was expecting him in an hour. He stopped by Mac's office. "Still here, Marine?" "Yeah, some people have more complicated things to take care of," she said, glaring up at him. "Hey don't look at me!" Harm replied. "The Admiral gave you the option, you chose the Court Martial." Mac waved her hand. "Just go away." "I can tell when I'm not wanted. Have a good night, Mac." "You too, Harm." Singer watched him from the doorway of the break room. She followed him out of the bullpen. Instead of getting onto the elevator, she quickly ran down the stairs. A plot was forming in her brain. She had an idea of how to get Harm out of the way and herself on good terms with the Admiral. Yes, it would be perfect. It just had to work! ************ "Hi, Uncle Harm!!" AJ exclaimed, rushing into his godfather's waiting arms. "See my shirt, I'm a sailor!" Harm smiled at him. He looked adorable in his US Navy t-shirt. "He insisted he wear it for you," Harriet explained. "I'm glad you did." "Dinner will be ready in ten minutes. AJ, why don't you show your Uncle Harm the carrier Daddy bought you." AJ took Harm by the hand. "Follow me, Commander!" "Aye, aye, sir!" Harm replied with a laugh. Harriet had just taken the veggie lasagna from the oven, when the doorbell rang. She was surprised to see Loren Singer standing in front of her. "May I come in, Lieutenant?" she asked, not bothering to wait for a reply. "What's going on?" Singer drew out a gun, complete with a silencer. "There are just a few things I want to take care of. First, you." Before Harriet could say another word, she felt a blinding flash of pain in her head, and then nothing. She cleared her throat in an attempt to sound like Harriet. "Harm!" she called. Harm, followed by Little AJ, entered the living room. What he saw, made his blood go cold. "Mommy?" AJ said, peering around Harm. He held him back. "Wait, buddy," he said, taking in the scene. "You're going to need a lawyer," someone rasped. "Stay where you are, Commander." Harm had attempted to reach for the phone. "She needs to get to a hospital!" He exclaimed. "She'll be fine. The bullet didn't go into her brain. Trust me, if I wanted her dead, she would be. You, however, are going have a lousy couple of weeks." The lights suddenly went out and Harm found himself in the dark with a very frightened little boy. "It's okay, AJ," Harm whispered to his godson. Now, if only he were certain it was. "See you around..." Harm gasped as the person (woman, he noticed), elbowed him in the stomach. He heard the door slam shut and AJ began to cry. ************** Mac was finally resting comfortably on her couch, getting ready to watch 'Frequency', when the phone rang. Whoever decided to disturbed her Dennis Quaid night, would have to be murdered. "Hello?" "Mac, it's Harm." "Harm, I swear, this better be important!" "Oh, it definitely is." Mac noticed the urgency in his voice. "Harm, what's wrong?" "I've been arrested." A pause. "For the attempted murder of Harriet Sims-Roberts." ************** Mac rushed to change and quickly grabbed her car keys. The phone rang again just as she was about to leave. "Harm?" "No, Colonel, it's Admiral Chegwidden." "Sir. I assume you heard the news." "I did. I want you to go to the hospital to check on Harriet. The police brought Little AJ there as well and the nurses are taking care of him," he explained. "But sir, Comman--" "I'm heading there myself. I'm hoping they'll place him into my custody while we figure this whole thing out." Mac nodded. "What about, Bud?" "He's been notified, but can't get a flight back until 2200. I'll pick him at the airport. I have to go, Colonel. Take good care of Little AJ." "Aye, sir," she replied, hanging up the phone. *God, Harm, what happened?* **************** Harm looked up when the door opened, expecting it to be Mac. He inwardly groaned when he saw Admiral Chegwidden. "I've been able to convince them to place you into my custody. Don't make me regret this, Commander." "No, sir!" Harm replied, standing. "Sir, is Harriet all right?" "Not here, Commander. Lets go. You have some explaining to do." Harm nodded and followed his CO out to the car. As soon as they were seated, AJ turned to face him. "I'm ready." Harm explained what they were meeting for and the events which led up to his arrest. "Before I knew what was happening, I got an elbow in my stomach and Little AJ was crying his head off... not that I blame him," Harm said, looking out the window. "Of course, I couldn't leave him alone and I had to call an ambulance for Harriet. I barely got two words out before the police arrested me. I wanted to shove them out of the way, to make sure Harriet was all right, to comfort my godson, but they wouldn't let me." AJ never thought he would see Harmon Rabb, Jr crying. "Don't worry about this, Harm. We'll find out who did this and we'll bring them to justice." Harm nodded. "Sir...?" "I haven't heard anything yet. Colonel Mackenzie should be at the hospital by now. She'll let us know what's going on." **************** "Where's Uncle Harm?" AJ asked, looking up at Mac. "The policeman took him away." "He's with Uncle AJ. You can see him tomorrow, okay?" AJ nodded. "What about Mommy? She had a boo boo on her head." "She did, sweetie. The doctor is taking care of her right now. Do you pray?" "Every night before I go to bed," AJ replied. "Do you think I can help Mommy if I pray now?" Mac smiled sadly. "It definitely wouldn't hurt." "Colonel Mackenzie?" She looked up to see a nurse walking over to her. "Doctor Jacob is in with Mrs. Roberts now. If you'd like to go in, I can keep an eye on AJ." Mac nodded. "Thank you..." "Donna." "Thank you, Donna. I'm going to check on your Mommy now. Donna is going stay with you until I get back, okay?" AJ looked at Donna. "Will you pray with me? Aunt Mac said that can help my Mommy get better." "I sure will, AJ," she said, taking the little boy's hand. "We'll find a quiet room. Colonel, they're in room 25, just around the corner." Mac nodded again and headed for the room. "Doctor Jacob?" "That would be me," he replied, shaking her hand. "You must be Colonel Mackenzie." Mac glanced over at Harriet. "I am. How is she?" "As good as can be expected considering. However, she slipped into a coma enroute to the hospital." Mac gasped. "Oh my God. How long before she wakes up?" "It's hard to say, Colonel. It could be a few hours, it could be a few months." Mac stared at her friend. Whoever did this was going to pay dearly! She knew Harm was innocent... and the only who could prove it was lying in a coma. |
