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Princess’ Privilege
Everybody in the circle was so busy looking up at the JAG coin that they all jumped out of their skins when another hand reached up & grabbed it from mid-air. Cries of protest & surprise where stifled however by Harriet’s call of: “Attention on deck!”
The people in the circle snapped to instantly & automatically stood to attention, years of orders & training kicking in & over-riding anger & curiosity.
“Mrs Roberts, sit down this second!” Said the female voice with a chuckle. “Stand easy!”
Everyone did so & Bud was handed back his coin. She spoke again: “Colonel Mackenzie, Captain Rabb front & centre!” Both did as they were ordered with smiles in their eyes. “I am VERY insulted that you have both forgotten your duel Romanian nationality. The answer to your problem was in front of your noses all along!”
“Your Highness?” Mac questioned Princess Alexandra with confusion written all over her face.
“Whom, Colonel? Do you see a tiara?” Alexandra asked.
“No Mam.” Mac replied.
“Then you know better Mac.” The young woman giggled
Taking that as permission to stand easy Mac grinned: “Sorry Lexie. But how...?”
“Yet again Mrs Roberts organised us all. WHEN will you ALL realise what a diamond Harriet is?”
“Lexie, I don’t understand.” Harm was puzzled
“Simple, you called Harriet, Harriet realised you had forgotten & called me. General, nice to meet you, which 1 can I ‘lend’ back to you, if they say yes?”
“I’ll leave that to them Mam.” The General nodded.
“Yes to WHAT Lexie?!” Harm sighed frustrated.
“Ah, there’s the catch, this ONLY works if you choose London. Mac, I’m going to Oxford to study politics & law. I’ll be going anyway but my father will be MUCH happier if I happen to have Romanian ‘national’, not to mention a female trained Marine & trusted friend as my Chief Bodyguard. It would be some travelling, but you’d TECHNICALLY be in DIFFERENT command structures, but it’s not NEARLY as far as San Diego. What do you think?”
“Wow! I mean, thanks! This is Huge!” Mac grinned.
“Oh of course, you need to think. We’ll let you talk. Bud, I hear your dancing has actually IMPROVED, care to show me?!” Lexie offered Bud her hand. Bud chuckled; asked Harriet with his eyes who nodded with a grin & Bud led the Princess out to dance.
Harm & Mac moved to a booth & meanwhile Jen picked her jaw up off the floor: “What in THE WORLD just happened?! The young PO exclaimed to the group in general.
“Long story, short version Jen, they saved both the King & the Princess’ lives once, details some other time, suffice to say, she’s just TRULY paid them back by handing them the moon. This way IF they say yes, they stay in uniform BUT they also stay together.” Sturgis Turner smiled.
“Holy Moly Sir! Remind me to save a Prince someday!” Jen Coates looked stunned
The General chuckled in a decidedly ‘off duty’ manner & addressed his next remark to Harriet: “Well the Admiral warned me those 2 were charismatic but this beats all!”
“Yes Sir!” Harriet grinned. “Never seen anything like them & doubt I ever will again!”
Meanwhile in the booth Mac & Harm were TRYING to take the offer in: “Well Mac, feel like learning Romanian?” Harm chuckled taking Mac’s hand.
“Hey it can’t be harder than Farsi, I can’t believe this!”
Harm was alarmed to see tears well up in his fiancée’s eyes: “Mac?! What’s wrong?! Did you want to take San Diego? If you want to you can, we can MAKE the long distance thing work!”
Mac shook her head & blinked hard: “No, I couldn’t give a DAMN about California as long as I can stay in & you heard Lexie she’d TAD me back to the Marines; she KNOWS what she’s doing Harm, EXACTLY what she’s doing! She’s handing us the dream! If only…”
“If only what Mac?”
Harm held his breath. Was Mac changing her mind, breaking it off?! He didn’t think he could live if she did! He WOULD carry on for Mattie, but he knew he wouldn’t LIVE, he’d exist.
“If only this had happened sooner, then maybe we’d be parents now.”
A tear fell. Harm pulled her into his arms: “Hey, that will happen somehow. It will. We NEED to believe that! And meanwhile you’ll be foster-mom to 3 teenage girls.”
“3?” Mac was puzzled.
“Yeah 3, Mattie, Chloe & Lexie; welcome to the world of herding cats!” he chuckled & flashed her his best flyboy grin.
She sniffled & smiled: “Thanks, I think! So, are we saying yes?”
“I am.” Harm nodded “On the condition that Mattie can join us if she wants to when she can travel. You?”
“I am.” Mac nodded “On the conditions that we marry here with our friends around us & the Admiral gives me away. Deal?”
“Deal! Now kiss me & then we can go tell everyone what’s happening!”
They did just that.
Their news & conditions were readily agreed to & caused great excitement & if the General was put out at being bossed about by a European Princess into having to rearrange Mac’s posting he was gracious enough not to show it (at least not just then anyway). By the time they left McMurphy’s the King had approved the idea, Harm’s move had been suspended for 2 months, the Admiral, Mattie Chloe, Harm’s Mom & Sergi (who was to joint best man with Bud) had all been told, & various travel plans were underway. On top of all that, Francesca had INSISTED on dressing the bridal party as her gift, Sturgis had booked both his father & the Chapel of the Seas for the wedding & Clarisse had been booked to sing at the reception.
“Wow! Did any of today just ACTUALLY happen?!” Mac sighed in amazement as she snuggled close to Harm on the back seat of the cab on the way back to her place.
“I THINK so, I’ll tell you if we still remember it tomorrow.” Harm shivered, “I tell you Mac, when the General gave us those order papers…”
“Oh don’t! Harm I don’t EVER want to feel despair like that again! You know Jen told me earlier that she was ready to spring up & catch me if I fainted?! I told her ‘Marines don’t faint’ & do you know what she said?”
Harm shook his head: “No”
“She said ‘Yes they do Mam, & quite frankly I was worried about when you didn’t.’ I guess she thought I was in shock or something.”
“You were Mac, WE were; but that’s over now, thanks to Harriet. Lexie was right, Harriet’s a genius; you know we can NEVER repay this, right?”
“Oh I know, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try for the rest of my life.” Mac promised.
“Me to.”