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Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station, Washington, D.C.
Friday, December 20, 2002.
6:30 am.
Harmon Rabb Jr. wakes up to an almost freezing apartment. The pilot light must have gone out again on the furnace. He rolls to the side of his bed and sits up. The soles of his feet touch the floor and it is even colder than the room is.
“I just had to forget wearing socks to bed last night,” He says out loud to himself.
Harm reaches into his dresser, grabs a pair of tube socks, and slips them on. He decides his breakfast will be his coffee at work when he sees it’s snowing out. His thoughts strangely roam and wonder if Mac’s gotten him a gift for Christmas. Today is the last day they will be in the office, and next Wednesday is Christmas. If he is going to do something for her he has to do it right away.
JAG H.Q.
Falls Church, VA.
6:30 am.
Sarah MacKenzie, Colonel to the JAG office, arrived early and is sitting in her office, with the lights on and the blinds pulled, plotting what to get her friends for Christmas. She has a snap-together model of a tank for Little A.J., she thought it might be fun for them to put together. She decides to get Bud and Harriet a Sex-In-A Bucket Kit. Mac decides to give it to them privately after their Annual Christmas Party on Wednesday, the twenty-fifth. For Sturgis, a gift certificate to a big chain bookstore. She even got Singer a back massager. Mac knew Webb was a fencer through Harm, she thought he might collect swords too, so she bought him a Goddess Fantasy Sword. Mac laughed to herself. No collection would be complete without a sword with a dancing Goddess on the hilt. For Tiner, tickets to his favorite band, and for the Admiral, she thought about a ski trip for him and Meredith. On second thought, with the scowl on his face this morning, Mac decides to make them other plans at lunch. She starts to think about a gift for Harm when said man knocks at her door.
“Come in.”
“Morning Mac, something wrong?”
“No, why?”
“Well, when you are closed up in your office with the blinds pulled, it either means you’re working on a closing or something is up.”
“FYI, Flyboy, there’s nothing wrong. I just needed some time to myself before I got started on my work.”
Harm leans on a corner of her filing cabinet and tries to spy on what she is working on. Mac catches him and hides the list in her desk, mentally making a note to hide it in her briefcase after Harm leaves.
“Making a list and checking it twice, Ninja Girl?”
“What business is it of yours? As far as I know, you’ve been a naughty boy this year.”
“So, what will that get me?”
“A lump of coal in your uniform if you don’t get going. Now go, Flyboy.”
“Yes, Mrs. Claus,” Harm teases.
JAG H.Q.
Falls Church, VA.
1:00 pm.
Mac with a nice warm deli sandwich in one hand, and the telephone receiver in the other, talking to her travel agent. Her lunch had to be inside today because it was just too cold out and staying warm was key. She ran into the Admiral in the break room earlier when she went for hot coco. She did some good recon and found out the Admiral had no plans for Christmas yet. Mac was now on the phone with her travel agent.
“What about ah… Hawaii,” said the agent.
Mac doesn’t hear Harm knock and enter, overhears her answer.
“Well Hawaii for Christmas would be lovely. I think he deserves it, go ahead and book that. You have his information still?”
“Yes, Sarah. I’ll call if I need anything else.”
“Thanks Kaye, bye.”
“So who are you going to Hawaii with Mac?”
Mac jumped in her chair at least a foot.
“What do you want,” she said angrily.
“The files from the Lt. Maguire court martial, and who are you going to Hawaii with?”
“I’m not, but I may reconsider, and here you go.”
(Yeah I’d love to get you on some tropical beach, in nothing but a swimsuit.) Mac thought to herself.
JAG H.Q.
Falls Church, VA.
1:20 pm.
Harm orders in Chinese and tries to finish his lunch while working on his cases. A thought crosses his mind; here Mac was making her list… What about his list? He had a snap-together model of a Corvette, instead of another F-14 for Little A.J.; He would make sure he gets to baby sit because of he gift he is giving Little A.J.’s parents. He bought Bud and Harriet a two-night stay at a local B & B. For Sturgis, a new submarine game for his PS2. He bought Singer a pair of toe socks as a gag gift. For Tiner, tickets to his favorite sports team, and for the Admiral and Meredith, he bought box seats to Varekai by Cirque Du Soleil. He had hopes that maybe Meredith would run off to join the circus and stop wanting flight lessons. Now, what to get for Mac?
He considers not buying her anything and just telling her that he loves her. He feels that would be a gift for both of them, but he changes his mind. Then Harm’s mind begins to wander and a mental picture of Mac in a bikini like the one Halle Berry wore in Die Another Day. Then he remembers what he was going to get for Webb. The Complete James Bond set.
Mac’s Apartment
Georgetown, Washington D.C.
5:20 pm.
The Admiral had let everyone go early at 4:00 pm. Mac tosses her happy holiday good byes to everyone and immediately heads for her Corvette. While sitting in traffic, she hears an old Eartha Kitt song on the radio.
Santa Baby,
Just slip a sable under the tree
For me
Been an awful good girl
Santa Baby,
So hurry down the chimney tonight
Santa baby,
A '54 convertible too
Light blue
I'll wait up for you, dear
Santa baby,
So hurry down the chimney tonight
Mac begins to think it over. She has been a damn good girl all year, especially waiting for Harm to get his act together. She already had a Corvette so she didn’t need another car. A sable would definitely be nice, but she wasn’t into collecting furs.
Think of all the fun I've missed
Think of all the fellas that I haven't kissed
Next year I could be just as good
If you'll check off my Christmas list
Mac considers herself off the market, because she realizes that the only one she is made for is Harm. She decides to hang on to their friendship as long as it takes him to realize that she wasn’t going away. Mac realized a while back that Harm’s two issues were fear of abandonment and a fear of commitment. They both worked hand in hand. If Harm did not commit to Mac then he wouldn’t have to feel the abandonment like he felt when he found out his father wasn’t coming home. In a way, Mac felt that Harm just didn’t want them to end up like his parents. She knows Harm can’t bear losing her and vice versa.
Santa Baby,
I want a yacht and really that’s not
A lot
Been an angel all year
Santa Baby,
So hurry down the chimney tonight
Just what she needs, a Navy boyfriend with a yacht, and just her luck, his mother and Frank probably owned one. However, the thought of Harm and her going sailing didn’t sound like a bad idea. A little rest, fun, and lots of sun sounded good to Mac.
Santa honey,
One little thing I really need
The deed
To a platinum mine
Santa Baby,
So hurry down the chimney tonight
She’d settle for the deed to his heart. Mac laughs at a mental image of Harm trying to come through her chimney and getting stuck. Harm would never live it down at the office.
Santa cutie,
And fill my stocking with a duplex
And checks
Sign your 'x' on the line
Santa baby,
So hurry down the chimney tonight.
Oh that would be so nice if they were living in the same building and in different apartments in a duplex. They can carpool to work and get more hang time before and after work. It would be nice to be able to sign Mrs. Sarah Rabb on her checks if they decided to get hitched.
Come and trim my Christmas tree
With some decorations bought at Tiffany's
I really do believe in you
Lets see if you believe in me
It almost brings a tear to Mac’s eye as she thinks about how much she believes in Harm. She wonders if Harm believes in her as much as she does of him.
Santa Baby,
Forgot to mention one little thing
A ring
I don't mean on the phone
Santa Baby,
So hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry... Tonight
It would be a miracle come true if Harm asks her to marry him. It would be a dream come true if she can raise a troop of Rabb’s with Harm. By the time Mac gets through traffic and to her apartment, she has a plan in form and ready to carry out, but a change of clothing is necessary. Mac rushes into her apartment; into her room so fast she doesn’t notice that there are roses on her bed, shaped like the letter I. The next minute Mac’s out the door and off to go shopping to complete Harm’s gift. She just left Jingo at her neighbor’s. She’d pick him up later; Carol wasn’t expecting her until 8:00 anyway.
Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station, Washington, D.C.
5:40 pm.
Harm left earlier than Mac, from the office. He gets home and he too changes from his uniform into sweats and relights the pilot light on the heater. He turns up the thermostat. Satisfied, he moves to his sofa and takes a seat. Harm picks up his portable phone and dials Mac’s number. As he waits for her to pick up, he wonders if she has seen his handiwork on her bed. She doesn’t pick up and he figures she’s out last minute shopping at some mall. He hangs up and decides to try her cell. Harm dials the number and this time she picks up.
“Mac.”
“It’s Harm. Are you free for dinner?”
“No, actually. I have plans with someone,” Mac teases.
“Really? Anyone I know?”
“Yes, he’s got red hair and is always happy to see me.”
Harm didn’t buy it.
“Tell Jingo I said hi. So, what are your plans?”
“Ok you got me. Dinner, a movie, and I am wrapping presents.”
“Are you the ok type or the Martha Stewart type?”
“Oh I am a disaster. I use a lot of tape. I guess I am ok. I had the rest wrapped, all except two. I want to do those myself.”
“Hmm, sounds interesting. You want to share the dinner and a movie part?”
“Yeah, I’ll wrap the one gift and I can’t wrap the other because...”
Mac stops talking long enough to sign the slip and take the new purchases she made.
“Because what,” Harm says trying to find out what Mac had to say.
“What? I’m sorry, I was distracted.”
“You said, I’ll wrap the one gift and I can’t wrap the other because…”
“Oh, because it is yours.”
She wants to be Harm’s so bad she can taste it.
“Is it that big?”
“You could say that.”
“When can I expect you?”
“I’ll be there at eight. What are you cooking anyway?”
“Haven’t decided yet. I’ve got to run to the store in this bone-freezing cold.”
“I am not licking you if you turn into an icicle. I know how you think.”
Harm has a sudden mental picture of Mac licking certain parts of his anatomy. He coughs and thinks of something quick to say.
“Gotta go. See you at eight.”
“Bye Harm. Drive safely.”
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