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Date Posted: 21:27:55 01/01/17 Sun
Author: TwilightPony21
Subject: Late for dinner (AU prompt)

Happy New Year, everyone! One of my writing goals this year is to try some AU prompts with Harm and Mac, and the idea below popped into my head the other day. I haven't continued it further but have been thinking about writing more if the muse strikes. I hope you like it - thanks for reading!

********************************

“Bud, when Mrs. Murphy arrives this afternoon, make sure we go over her complete testimony from beginning to end. If we’re going to have any chance of swaying the members, there has to be no doubt in her mind when she takes the stand tomorrow.”

“Umm…about that, sir…”

Lieutenant Bud Roberts nearly had to march in double time to keep up with his friend and senior officer, Commander Harmon Rabb. It wasn’t bad enough that the long legs on Harm’s six-foot-four frame made it almost impossible to match his stride, but the commander seemed to be walking faster than usual today.

“Sir,” Bud tried again, “about the Murphy court martial…”

Harm stopped abruptly and turned to face his friend, crossing his arms over his chest. Bud grimaced, as the look on his face clearly read ‘this better be good, Lieutenant.’

Quickly, Bud shuffled through his papers and handed Harm a bright red folder. “It’s from Admiral Chegwidden, sir. He’s requested that Commander Turner take over the Murphy court martial…”

Bud trailed off uncertainly as he watched the color suddenly drain from the commander’s face.

“Sir?”

Harm quickly turned away and hid his face behind the folder. “I’m not here,” he hissed under his breath.

Bud blinked in surprise. “Uh…sir?”

“Not. Here. Bud.” Harm repeated firmly, emphasizing each word and quickly slinking away into his office and closing the door behind him.

“Bud!”

Bud jumped as a shrill, feminine voice called his name from across the office.

“Uh, hello, Miss Peterson,” he acknowledged politely.

Renee Peterson strode briskly into the JAG office, a sight to behold in a gaudy outfit somewhere on the cutting edge of fashion, a stylish hairdo that pulled her blond locks neatly off to the side of her face, and a pair of pointy high heels that clicked sharply on the floor. “Is Harm here?” she demanded.

Bud shifted nervously. “Ummm…no, he isn’t, ma’am.”

Renee didn’t seem to notice the lieutenant’s clumsy lie. She turned to Bud, waving her hand authoritatively. “Well, when he gets back, tell him that dinner tonight is at seven o'clock sharp.” She narrowed her eyes. “And he better not be late.”

Bud quickly scribbled a note on his pad. “Dinner at seven,” he murmured. “Don’t be late.”

“We're meeting my parents at La Lueur de Chandelles,” Renee explained with a dreamy look in her eyes. “The beautiful new French place downtown. I hear it’s excellent, not to mention romantic.” Renee suddenly snapped her fingers in front of Bud’s face. “So make sure Harm is on time.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Bud said quickly.

Renee’s lip suddenly curled in disgust. “And make sure he changes out of that uniform before he gets there, okay?” She rolled her eyes. “Honestly, the man doesn’t own a single article of clothing that isn’t issued by the United States Navy. And you can also tell him that we’re going to have a serious chat about wearing Navy dress whites to our wedding…”

Bud nodded, taking down Renee’s instructions on his pad. “Change into dress whites before you get there…”

“Change out of uniform,” Renee snapped. “You know, into something…civilian.” A suggestive smirk crossed her face. “It won’t be until much later tonight that I’ll get him completely out of uniform…if you know what I mean?”

Bud raised his eyebrows and gave a nervous laugh.

“Well, my work here is done,” Renee announced breezily. "Now, Lieutenant, you’ll make sure Harm gets that whole message, won't you?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Bud gulped.

Satisfied with his answer, Renee left the JAG office almost as quickly as she had come, her high heels rapping sharply on the floor all the way.

When Bud was certain that the elevator doors had closed behind her, he took a deep breath and tentatively knocked on the commander’s door.

“Enter.”

Harm was sitting at his desk, studying the file that Bud had handed him a few minutes ago. “Is she gone?” he asked without taking his eyes off the paperwork.

“Yes, sir,” Bud replied. “But she says to tell you that dinner tonight is at seven o’clock sharp. Don’t be late, and don’t come in uniform.”

Bud swore he saw Harm’s face fall in disappointment. “Are you okay, sir?”

“Fine, Bud,” came the curt reply.

“Well, sir, you and Renee are getting married in six weeks, and this is the first time you’ll be meeting her parents. It’s natural that you would feel a little nervous—”

“Bud!”

“Sir?”

“The file.”

“Oh, right. Sorry, sir.” Bud fumbled for his notes. “As I was saying, Admiral Chegwidden just requested to pull you off the Murphy court martial.”

“Why?”

Bud shrugged. “He wants to assign you to another case.”

“This case,” Harm said, placing the red file folder on his desk. “What’s it about?”

“He didn’t say, sir,” Bud replied.

“It's classified,” Harm informed him. “The file only lists one name…MacKenzie. You recognize it?”

Bud shook his head.

“Neither do I.” Harm sighed and rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. “Looks like I’ll be late for dinner tonight.”

Bud’s eyes widened. “Sir, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. Miss Peterson insisted that you arrive on time—”

“Thank you, Lieutenant. Dismissed.”

“Yes, sir.”

His senior officer’s sharp command silenced him immediately, and as Bud hurried to leave the office, the door swinging closed behind him, he nearly ran over a pretty brunette with deep chocolate colored eyes.

“Hi,” she said softly. “Is this Commander Rabb’s office?”

She wore business casual attire, black slacks with a soft red sweater, and there was a quiet manner about her – a far cry from the previous woman Bud had run into that day.

“I’m sorry, ma’am,” he apologized. “Commander Rabb has been reassigned from the Murphy case, but Commander Turner would be happy to meet with you. If you’d like, I can show you to his office.”

“I’m not here for the Murphy case.”

Bud looked at the woman with a puzzled expression. “You’re not?”

“No,” she replied. “I’m looking for Commander Rabb. You see…I’m Sarah MacKenzie.”

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[> Interesting beginning...more perhaps? -- FJN, 21:15:02 01/02/17 Mon [1]

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