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Date Posted: 17:16:53 01/16/13 Wed
Author: Cammy
Subject: The Consequences of Suppositions, Chapter 15 (Part III)

The Consequences of Suppositions, Chapter 15 (Part III)
By: Cammy
Disclaimer: Not mine
Rated: R (for language and sexual situations)

(Continued from Part II)

Earlier in the evening, Sturgis had offered her a ride to the chapel. He was planning to arrive before the rest of the group to help his father prepare for the service.

Harriet walked her out to the driveway, near where Sturgis was pulling the car up from his earlier parking place down the street. Mac turned and gave the younger woman a warm hug. “Thank you again, Harriet. I’m sorry for dropping in unannounced. Dinner was lovely, and it was so good to see everyone.”

As the two women pulled away from one another, Harriet grasped Mac’s hands in her own. “Are you really okay?”

Mac wondered what about her behavior was making her friends so cautious. “Of course. I’m fine. Really. Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

“It just seems like…”

Mac’s eyes narrowed. “Seems like what? What’s going on, Harriet?”

The blonde cringed a little. “Is it really true about you and Mr. Webb?”

Out of the corner of her eye, Mac saw Sturgis pull up, waiting for her at the edge of the Roberts’ driveway. She sighed. “No. It’s not true. Where did everyone hear that?”

Harriet looked uncomfortable. “Well, Mr. Webb said something to Harm…”

“Ah. Well, that explains it,” Mac said derisively. “Look, we spent some time together out in Naples. He was interested in more, but I wasn’t. Period.” She sighed. “I can’t believe…Wait, Clayton told Harm what?”

Harriet shrugged. “I’m not sure exactly. I just heard you two were involved. Have you talked to Harm?”

Mac shook her head again, “No.”

“You need to.” Harriet hesitated. “There’s something you should know, Mac.”

Mac suddenly realized that Harriet must know about Harm’s testimony and was trying to tell her about it. It was so messed up that so many people had known about it before she did. It made her sad, embarrassed and a little mad.

Mac cut her friend off from saying more. “Harriet, I’m coming back to JAG for good in a couple weeks. I’ll see him soon enough.” She glanced over at the waiting car. “I should go. I don’t want to keep Sturgis waiting.”

She hugged Harriet again and hurried off to the waiting car. Harriet waved from the driveway as the two senior officers departed her house.

A few minutes into the drive, Mac broke the companionable silence. “Is your father ready for tonight’s service?”

Sturgis glanced at his watch. “I’m sure he is. He’s honored they still ask him to preside over the Christmas Eve service.”

“Well, we’re all very lucky he’s still willing to share some of his wisdom and stories.”

Sturgis smiled proudly before changing the subject. “What are you doing back in Washington, Mac? Last time we talked, I was sure you were staying in Naples for the holidays.”

Mac glanced over at him and studied his profile. Whenever she talked to Sturgis it was hard to forget he knew the one thing she’d never admitted to anyone else but herself. “I reconsidered my plans. Since I had the leave, I figured it would be nice to be home for Christmas.”

Sturgis raised an eyebrow, but kept his focus on the road ahead. “That’s a pretty big hassle for a last minute change in plans. You want to talk about anything?”

Honesty was the best policy. Besides, how could she embarrass herself in front of this man anymore than she already had?

She sighed. “I came across a transcript of Harm’s Article 32 hearing a couple days ago. I read his testimony.”

“Mac…” His voice was low and cautious. She’d caught the always-prepared preacher’s son off guard for once.

“Webb sent it to me. After I read it, I booked a ticket back to the states. I didn’t know Harm was running CAP right now. To be honest, I was heading to San Diego last night, but was bumped from a flight. From what you told me, I thought he was in La Holla,” Mac continued boldly on, with no more secrets to keep.

She had a million questions, but wasn’t sure she was ready for answers to any of them.

When Sturgis didn’t respond immediately, Mac shook her head, “You don’t have to say anything. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“Is his testimony the reason everyone was walking on eggshells around me tonight?”

Sturgis nodded.

Maybe it was best to just let the topic go for now. After all, she didn’t want answers from Sturgis. She wanted them from Harm.

The driver of the car finally spoke. “I was the one who changed the security specs. I got the appeal documents reclassified. I know you requested the Article 32 files. I’m sorry.”

“I asked for them because not one of you was being straight with me. Not you, not Bud.”

He looked over at her, taking his eyes briefly away from the streets that were growing icy. “You’re not mad at me or Bud.”

“I know,” she said softly, and then chanced one more question. “Harm asked you to reclassify the case, didn’t he?”

Sturgis didn’t respond, giving Mac her answer. Her pride kept her from asking if the reason was Catherine Gale.

The car was quiet for several moments and Mac finally realized how cold it had gotten. The bitter chill outside had slowly permeated the warmth inside their vehicle.

She looked outside the window. Mac had thought it had been cold during her jog, but now wondered how much lower the thermostat might drop that evening. She had once read somewhere that in any given year, there was just a 13% chance Washington would see a White Christmas.

The smart money said no snow tonight, but Mac wasn’t a betting woman. She’d seen too many things in her life that had defied the odds.

Before she realized it, they had pulled into the chapel’s parking lot. Sturgis got out of the car and quickly moved around to open her door.

She gracefully exited the car and smiled slyly in way of thanks. “Your father would appreciate knowing chivalry’s not dead.”

2230 EDT (Local)
Wednesday evening
December 24, 2003
St. Paul’s Church
Washington, D.C.

“O come all ye faithful. Joyful and triumphant. O come ye, O come ye.” – Katharine McPhee, O Come All Ye Faithful

Mac let the music from the choir wash over her, familiar Christmas carols striking a chord deep within her. It was one of her favorites.

‘Sing, choirs of angels. Sing in exultation.’

When Sturgis was busy helping his father prepare for the service, Mac had snagged a seat on the aisle of one of the pews, hoping it would afford her an easy exit once the service finished.

While she had chosen to go to the Roberts’ for dinner because she missed her friends, she was still adjusting to life back in Washington – one that felt incomplete and messy since she had landed back in the States.

Mac knew many of her colleagues would try to drive her home, aware she had arrived in a cab and was without a car. She preferred to be alone though and planned to take a brief detour on her way home.

There was something she still needed to do.

As the choir finished its closing hymn, Mac slipped quietly out of the back of the Church, unnoticed by her friends. She walked out to the waiting cab, parked next to the sidewalk, just as she requested when she called earlier.

“Destination, ma’am?” the driver asked as she shut the door behind her.

“The Mall, please. The East entrance to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.”

“Interesting destination on Christmas Eve,” he replied as the cab took off from the Church.

“Just paying my respects.” Mac glanced up and out the window, the temperature was dropping outside and the clouds had continued to accumulate in the dark night.

Harm might be flying at this very moment. Just thinking about what it must have been like for Trish so many years ago when military officers knocked on her door to tell her the news about her husband scared Mac to death.

Her stomach was in knots with the same irrational fears that had threatened to overcome her last Christmas Eve when he flew with Admiral Boone – and every other time he was in the air.

Earlier in the day, something had compelled her to visit the Wall tonight. The Admiral’s revelation that Harm was flying CAP right now only sealed her decision.

Since she had come to know Harm and his family’s story, the memorial had become almost as special to her as to him. It was a sacred place of remembrance and grace. It was a place they had spent several moments together – the many times she had found him there.

Mac still remembered Renee calling her several years ago when she couldn’t find Harm. Harm was ready to resign his commission to find Sergei. Mac had known where to find him, and when she did, he was standing there, just as she predicted, in full service blues, grazing his finger over his Father’s name etched on the Wall.

Now, she wondered exactly where he was. Mac knew he was flying CAP, but had no other information than that. She’d impulsively flown to the U.S. to find him and now she would settle to just find some kind of – any – connection to him.

If she couldn’t actually be with Harm, she thought it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to go to the one place she knew he would be if he could.

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Replies:

[> I am back lurking in the shadows and enjoying the story now that Webb is gone. -- achaon, 17:41:33 01/16/13 Wed [1]


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[> More please...this is so good. -- FJN (once more out of lurkville), 18:15:09 01/16/13 Wed [1]


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[> Sooo glad you figured out to keep us from breaking our necks when we fell off the chairs from which we had been hanging for the last 24 or so hours. This story is just wonderful -- hope you don't run into anymore problems posting. Real soon....... -- carramor, 18:28:02 01/16/13 Wed [1]


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[> So glad you figured out how to get this posted, thank you! Now we're getting somewhere and hopefully she'll find what she's looking for too! Please, please, please - Can you tell we love this story? -- Ciara, 19:24:39 01/16/13 Wed [1]


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[> Not many more hurdles to cross I hope, rid of Webb, now we must deal with Gale! (neither of whom I cared for, btw) Ready for next install -- JoyZ, 19:32:50 01/16/13 Wed [1]


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[> *sigh* That was SUCH a lovely chapter. I love how vividly you described everything, it's all so *real*, and everyone is so in character... it's amazing. Thanks for persevering and finding a way to post the chapter. -- Dee, 02:16:13 01/17/13 Thu [1]


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[> so happy you got to post the stories Cammy i was getting serious withdrawals its such a riveting read -- Bev uk, 15:09:56 01/17/13 Thu [1]


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[> Getting Interesting -- mary904, 20:56:04 01/19/13 Sat [1]


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