A Marriage Made by Webb - Part 3
Author: Ava
E-mail: mmmThatAJ@yahoo.comRating: PG-13
Disclaimer: JAG and all its characters belong to Belisarius Productions, Paramount, CBS, Viacom, and probably endless others.
Summary: Webb needs a wife, and he chooses Mac to play the part. Sparks will fly!
Author's comments: Characters' speaking parts are in double quotes ("text"); characters' thoughts are in single quotes ('text').
Thursday, 31 January 2002
0315 EST
Sarah MacKenzie's Apartment
Georgetown, Washington, DCMac awoke to the ringing of her telephone. As she picked it up, she just knew it was Clay. "Mmm, I'm ready for you, Darling. Really ready... and horny. God, am I horny," she said seductively.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Colonel," a gruff voice said, "but I'm not Webb."
"Admiral!" Mac exclaimed, jumping up from her bed. "I am SO sorry, Sir. I thought you were..."
"It's very obvious whom you thought was calling, Mac," AJ chuckled, interrupting her. "Sorry to call you at this hour, but something's come up and I need you and Rabb on the 0600 transport to 29 Palms."
"Aye, Sir," she said, having collected herself and now projecting an all business attitude. The Admiral explained briefly their assignment and told her to be the airstrip at Andrews by 0530. "Will do, Sir."
"And Mac," he added, "It's never a good idea to answer a phone that way. I might have been Rabb," he teased before hanging up.
"Oh, God! Can you imagine if it was?" she gasped before collapsing on the bed in giggles. "Wait until I tell Clay!" She paused, wondering when she starting actually thinking of Webb as 'Clay'.
Mac carefully avoided taking the uniform with the emblem bug pinned to it. She had no idea how far these people would go to listen and watch. Would they follow her all the way to California? Just in case, she pretended to find a spot on the sleeve of the uniform, and rather than transferring her decorations, she grabbed her extra set from her dresser, hoping they hadn't bugged those, too. As she pinned them to the clean uniform, she was satisfied they were whole. 'Well, at least I can relax a little bit.'
Saturday, 2 February 2002
0315 PST
Sarah MacKenzie's BOQ
29 Palms Marine Base, CaliforniaAnd relax she did. It turned out that the trip to 29 Palms really only needed one person, and Harm insisted on being the one to take the case. They were scheduled to return to D.C. on Sunday, so rather than getting an earlier transport, Mac decided to stay in California and get some sun. The sooner she returned, the sooner she'd be watched, again. She knew the Admiral would agree to her staying until Sunday and returning as scheduled. So Mac found a quiet beach, donned her bathing suit, and began soaking in some rays.
Sunday morning dawned very early for Mac as the phone by her bed rang at 0315. She was careful this time, answering it. No telling who it might be. "Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie."
"Miss me?" Webb's sexy voice drawled.
"Oh, Clay, yes, I do." She realized just how true that was. 'When did that happen?' she wondered. "Hey! How'd you get this number?"
"I called your office today. Lieutenant Sims told me you were at 29 Palms."
"Resourceful little spy, aren't you? Are you home?" she asked.
"No. But soon. I should be back in another week or two."
"That's not soon, Clay," Mac pouted.
Clay grinned to himself, 'Damn, she's good at this. Almost makes me believe she means it.'
She heard a knock on the door to her room. "Damn. Hold on a second." She laid the phone down and crossed to the door. "Who is it?" she called without opening it.
"It's me. Harm. You okay?"
"Fine. What's the matter?"
"I heard your phone ring. Who was it?"
"Harm, it's for me. Go back to sleep."
"I wasn't asleep," he said quietly through the door. "I was thinking of you."
"Harm, go to bed. I'm talking to Clay."
"Webb!?" he bellowed.
"Yes, Harm, I'm talking to my husband!" she yelled back, knowing that Harm's voice would have carried over the phone line. "Now leave us alone, Harm. I'll see you in the morning."
"Mac..." he knocked, again. "Mac!"
"Go away, Commander!"
"Mac..."
Mac shook her head, knowing that he wasn't going to leave. She picked up the receiver and spoke, "I'm sorry, Clay. Harm is being a protective pest."
"You okay?"
"I'm fine."
"You just don't sound fine, Mac."
Mac's tears were close to the surface now. She was tired, she was lonely, and she was horny. "Please, Clay. I need you. Please... please don't hang up on me now," she begged.
"You could always let Rabb in the room. He'd be more than happy to fill in for me... in person." Webb was sure that's what she really wanted. 'She's always wanted Rabb. And he always chases the blonde bimbos. He's such a fool. Of course when they travel on assignment, who's to say they don't usually hot bunk? And I threw a monkey wrench into this trip...'
"Is that what you want?" she whispered, not believing he suggested it.
"You know it's not."
"Then why say it?"
"It's probably what you want."
"What I want? Yeah, right. That's why I married you, because I really wanted Harm," she snorted. Then it dawned her. "Oh, I think I see now. I understand only too well, Clay." Her voice caught in her throat as she continued, "There's obviously some girl over there you want. And you're telling me to go at it with Harm so you won't feel guilty when you do her! Or have you already been with her?"
"Mac, you know that's not true..."
"No, Clay! I don't know that's not true!"
"Honey..."
"Don't 'Honey', me, Clayton Webb. You only married me because I wouldn't sleep with you beforehand. Fine. So now you've had your fill of me and you're moving on to someone else. Perfect. I'll draw up the annulment papers on Monday morning. They'll be ready for you when you get back." And Mac slammed the phone down, ignoring Webb's pleas for her to listen.
As she laid back on the bed, she burst into tears. "Oh, Clay," she sobbed. The phone rang, again, a few moments later. Mac picked it up and dropped it back on the cradle. It rang, again, and she did the same thing. The third time, she disconnected the call, and then left the receiver off the hook. She cried herself back to sleep.
Monday, 4 February 2002
0845 EST
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, VirginiaPorter Webb walked into the JAG bullpen and stopped at the guard's desk. "Porter Webb to see Colonel MacKenzie," she said.
AJ happened to walk in at that moment and saw her. "Porter? What brings you here this morning?" AJ nodded to the guard and motioned for Porter to walk with him.
"Have you spoken with Sarah since she returned from California?" Porter asked.
AJ shook his head. "No. I haven't. She's been behind that door since 0700," he nodded to Mac's office. "Is there a problem?"
"She and Clayton had a... disagreement... over the weekend."
"Disagreement? As in a fight?" AJ asked.
Porter shrugged. "I don't know exactly. But it was evidently pretty bad. Sarah told Clayton she'd have annulment papers ready when he returns. And she won't speak to him. He calls and she hangs up when she hears his voice."
"Annulment!?" AJ barked. 'How the hell can they get an annulment when they aren't really married?' "What did he say to her?!" certain that it was Webb's fault.
"Now, AJ. Don't jump to the conclusion that it was my son's fault!" Porter defended him.
"I know your son, Porter. And I know Mac. It was Webb's fault, guaranteed!" he replied, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Actually, Sir, I believe it may have been partly my fault," said Harm, walking up behind Porter.
"What!?" they said in unison.
"Webb called Mac in the middle of the night on Friday... well, Saturday. Anyway, I heard the phone, and I knocked on her door to see if everything was okay. She said it was Webb and for me to leave. Well, I didn't. I stayed for another couple of minutes and I heard Mac say something about... me."
"What about you, Commander?" asked AJ with daggers in his eyes.
"Something about she married him because she wanted me. It didn't make sense, so there must have been something else that he said, too. But then... she... well, she said he was screwing around," Harm looked at Porter and blushed. "I beg your pardon, Ma'am."
Porter shook her head. "Screwing around... go on, Commander."
"...With someone else. And then I heard her say she'd have the annulment papers ready when he got back. Then she cried for at least an hour. I guess she fell asleep after that."
AJ glared at Harm. "Plane ride home?" he barked.
Harm knew what he was asking. "She cried most of the way home, Sir." Harm had been completely puzzled by that. If this was really all an act, why was she so upset on the plane?
"Damn!" swore AJ.
"I'd like to speak with her," said Porter.
"I don't think that's such a good idea right now, Porter. Let me talk to her first..."
"No, AJ. This needs to be a woman-to-woman talk. I think I know what happened. And why." AJ quirked an eyebrow in question. "Clayton has always believed that Sarah was in love with Commander Rabb. That's why he never made a move on her himself. It surprised me to no end when he told me they'd gotten married. I think Clayton's jealousy reared its ugly head to cause this rift. I know what she's feeling right now," Porter added softly. "Neville and I went through the same thing." 'Of course, ours was real; we were actually married. This is getting so out of hand... I hope Clayton knows what he's doing.'
AJ nodded. "She'll try to leave in a few minutes - staff meeting starts at 0900. I'll have Tiner move it to 1000 today, so don't let her escape. Good luck, Porter."
By the time Mac and Porter finished their conversation, Mac was in a much happier mood. She was smiling, laughing, and the bags under her eyes didn't seem quite so pronounced. As Mac walked Porter to the exit, they stopped at the shredder, and Mac inserted the annulment papers she'd worked on for several hours. 'Now why did I actually draw those up, anyway?' she asked herself. 'Oh, yeah. For the people watching.'
Monday, 4 February 2002
1435 EST
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia"I'm sorry, too, Clay," Mac whispered into the receiver, not hearing when Harm entered her office. "But why would you say I wanted Harm? You must know that's not true."
Webb answered, "Mac, you've mooned over him for years. I guess I sort of felt like maybe you just settled for me."
"I didn't moon over him. And besides, I married you... not Harm."
"Harm never asked," Webb said softly.
"No, you're right. Harm never asked," Mac affirmed. Harm felt a tinge of regret.
"And if he had?" Webb asked, barely able to breathe. Would she answer his question? Truthfully? Did he actually stand a chance with her when he got back?
"Clay, my feelings for Harm have changed over the years. At first, I thought he was an arrogant SOB."
"He is," Webb interrupted her, laughing.
"Yes, well, I thought the same about you, Webb," Mac retorted.
Harm wasn't sure he wanted to hear any more of this conversation, but he was here now... so he stayed. And he got an ear full.
"Then my opinion of him changed. He defended Uncle Matt when he didn't have to. He did a lot of little things that endeared him to me. I really wanted a relationship with him then. You know, a personal one. But Harm was with Annie and then Jordan. The timing was all wrong."
"If you'd really wanted each other, the timing would have worked itself out, Mac."
"I know. After he left to go back to flying, I realized that I just wasn't important to him. Personally. As a professional, as a colleague, yes. But not someone he wants in his private life. It took a while, it took a lot of tears, but I finally came to grips with that... and I accepted it. By the time he came back, I had moved on with my life. I was ready for someone to love me; some to really want me. I gave Harm that chance one more time in Australia. He threw it back in my face."
"And that's where Mic came into play," Webb said.
"I'm really sorry I hurt Mic. He's a good man. He's just not the right man for me."
"Everyone thinks it was because of Harm that you broke it off with Mic."
"I know. But it wasn't. Harm's plane going down and the way Mic dealt with it made me realize that Mic wasn't the man I wanted. He still wanted to go ahead with the wedding... even if we didn't know anything about Harm. There's no way I could do that. No more so than if it had been the Admiral missing. Or Bud or Harriett. Or you, Clay."
"Mac, you didn't even invite me to the wedding."
"I didn't think you'd want to come. You never liked Mic."
"But I've always loved you," he replied softly.
Mac caught her breath. "Have you? Have you really, Clay?"
"From the day I met you and watched you hide your relationship to your uncle so you could try to protect him... Yes, Sarah. I've loved you a long time." He knew how true his words were. He wondered if she knew.
"Oh, Clay... When will you be home?" she breathed pathetically.
"Not soon enough, Honey."
"I miss you," she said.
"I miss you more."
"Not possible."
Webb laughed. "Hey, that's my line!"
"Will you call me tonight?" she asked hopefully.
"I'll try, Honey."
Mac grinned to herself as she heard the line disconnect. She laid the phone on her shoulder and put her hand flat on the window pane in front of her. "Oh, Clay... Please come back to me..."
Harm had intended on confronting Mac when she hung up the phone. But seeing her this way... hearing what she said to Webb... 'She meant every word of that,' he realized. Harm eased out of her office without making a sound.
Meanwhile, Tiner knocked on the Admiral's door. "Excuse me, Admiral. Leo Smythe is on Line 2 for you, Sir. He's the Director of..."
AJ nodded. "I know him, Tiner." He picked up the phone, wondering what Leo wanted this time. "Chegwidden."
"AJ, we don't talk in years and then twice in a week," Leo chuckled.
"What's up, Leo?"
"Heard that Webb and MacKenzie are getting an annulment. You know anything about that?"
"I don't interfere in my people's private lives, Leo. You know that."
"Yea, I know, but this is important. I need to know if she's really..."
"Webb's mother was here earlier. I think she talked Mac out of doing anything too hastily." 'Like you don't know exactly what went on. Damn, I wish I knew what was happening. Rabb and Turner haven't been able to find out a damned thing.'
"You let me know if you hear anything, will you? It's important."
"Yeah, sure, Leo." 'When hell freezes over!' AJ hung up and walked out into the bullpen. He saw Harm as he exited Mac's office. Then he noticed Mac looking out the window, her hand on the pane of glass. He knocked on her doorframe. "Mac? You okay?" he asked, concerned.
She turned around and he saw the trace of a tear on her cheek. "I'm fine, Sir, thank you."
"Mac, do you need some time off?"
She shook her head. "No, Sir. I'm fine. Really."
"Okay." He decided to ask her about Webb's boss. "Mac, have you ever met Leo Smythe?"
"Director Smythe? Clay's boss?" she asked for clarification. AJ nodded. "I've never actually met him, Sir; no. I spoke with him on the phone once or twice... years ago. He probably doesn't even remember."
"Mac, do you have any idea what Webb is working on right now?"
Mac was surprised at the question. The Admiral knew she didn't know anything. He must suspect something himself. She shook her head. "No, Admiral, I'm afraid I don't."
"Have a seat, Mac," AJ motioned to the chair behind her desk as he sat in the one in front of it. "Mac, I've had two calls from Leo in the last week. Both of them asking about you and your marriage to Webb. Could he be in some kind of trouble?"
Mac turned surprised eyes to the Admiral. "Admiral, I honestly don't know. But I am awfully worried. He just isn't acting like himself lately. I mean, take the fight we had this weekend. That's the first time Clay has ever accused me of wanting another man. And he knows better."
"Maybe he was just jealous of your being out there with Rabb," AJ suggested.
"That could be it, but we've been on assignments together before, and he's never acted that way."
"You and Webb weren't married then, Mac. He didn't have a right to be jealous."
"Maybe not."
"Next time he calls you, tell him I said to 'keep his nose clean'. If he's involved in something that's going to hurt you, I'll have his hide. Make sure he knows that."
Mac smiled. "I'll tell him, Admiral. He's going to call me tonight," she said, a slight blush rising in her cheeks.
"Tonight?" he queried. Mac nodded. "You're blushing, again, Colonel."
"I'll be blushing even more tomorrow, Sir," Mac grinned.
AJ chuckled and rose from his seat. "Just be sure Rabb isn't listening this time. And be sure it's Webb on the phone before you announce how..." AJ cleared his throat, "ready... you are," he finished.
Tuesday, 5 February 2002
0415 EST
Sarah MacKenzie's Apartment
Georgetown, Washington, DCMac laid in her bed, scratching Jingo behind the ears. She was so sure that Clay was going to call her. And he hadn't. Something must have happened. Surely he would have called if he could. He said he would. She'd gone through various stages during the night. First she was excited, waiting for the call. Then she began to be anxious as to why he hadn't called. Then she was hurt that he didn't want to call. Next came anger; how dare he not call when he said he would!
And now she was resigned that this was really just an act for him. All of it. Even the tanning booth. 'Damn!' And he obviously was not currently being watched, so he didn't feel the need to follow through on the phone call.
Jingo jumped down from the bed and walked out of the bedroom. When he barked as he got to the kitchen, Mac followed him to see what was wrong. "Oh, Jingo. You drink more water..." Mac bent down and picked up his empty water dish. She filled it from the tap and set it back down. Jingo immediately drank his fill and walked back into the living room. Mac followed him, and when he jumped up on the sofa, she sat next to him.
"Ouch! What is that?" she exclaimed, reaching underneath her. "Oh my God!!" She held the telephone receiver in her hand. The only one in her apartment that was corded, and it was buried in the sofa cushions, making her phone line ring busy all night.
"Jingo! I never hung up the phone after I got the cordless earlier! Damn! No wonder he hasn't called. He probably has, and it hasn't gone through. Oh God..." In her exhausted state, Mac's eyes filled with tears and they spilled down her cheeks as she placed the receiver on its cradle.
She went back to her bedroom and crawled in bed. "Damn! Damn! Damn!" she swore at herself. "I'm getting rid of that phone. I don't care if it is an antique. It's gotta go!"
And then the phone rang. Mac gasped in surprise. "Do you think...?" She reached over and grabbed the cordless. "Hello?" she answered breathlessly.
"Good God, Mac! Who've you been talking to for so long?"
"Clay!! Oh, I'm so glad it's you. No one. The phone was off the hook in the living room. I just found it not two minutes ago. I'm so sorry. How long have you been trying to call?"
"Three hours. Three very long hours."
"I'm sorry, Clay," she whispered. "I was so hoping you'd call, and then... It was completely my fault. I'm so sorry..."
"Honey, it's over and done with. And you found it, and we're talking now. That's all that's important. Now. With you. I'm all yours."
"Are you, Clay? Are you mine?" she breathed.
"You know it."
"Really, Clay? Forever mine?" she asked for real now. Did he know it?
"If you want me forever, Sarah. I'm yours forever," he replied earnestly. 'Does she know I mean that? Really mean it?'
