Chapter 8B

Wednesday, 6 August 03
1330 EDT
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, VA

"Admiral. You're 1330 is here, Sir." Harriet's voice came over the intercom.

AJ stood and opened the door to his office. "Lieutenant? Where's Tiner?"

Harriet stood and said, "Tiner just got away for lunch. I offered to wait for your appointment." She indicated the three star Admiral waiting to speak to her CO.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. Please, Admiral, won't you come in." AJ offered.

Harriet spoke once again, "Is there anything I can get for you Sirs?"

At the Admiral's declination, AJ said, "Nothing for us, Harriet. Would you hold my calls please? Just take messages and give them to Tiner when he gets back, he's holding my faxes for me."

"Yes, Sir." Harriet agreed quickly. She watched the two flag officers enter the Admiral's office and then sat back at Tiner's desk to continue her work.

She'd only been sitting a few minutes when the phone rang. "JAG Ops, Lieutenant Simms."

"Harriet?" Jules asked, confused. "I thought this was Tiner's line?"

"It is, Ma'am. He just stepped out for lunch." She hurried to explain. "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but the Admiral just stepped into a meeting with another Admiral. He's asked me to hold his calls."

"That's ok, Harriet. I was just going to tell AJ my flight information. He said he'd pick me up." Jules hoped he could still do that for her, otherwise she'd have to have Hauer to take her home.

"You can tell me, Ma'am." Harriet grabbed a pencil and pulled over the message pad.

"Actually, Harriet, just tell him that I'll land at Andrews and then he can pick me up at the Pentagon at 1800. I should be done by then." Jules told her.

Harriet scribbled furiously and then asked, "Will he know where to meet you, Ma'am?"

Jules really didn't want to give Harriet details, so she simply said, "In my CO's office."

"I'll tell him." They spoke for a few more minutes until Jules had to go.

Harriet picked up the phone again and dialed Mac's extension. "Ma'am, I have an idea."

"I'll be right there." Mac hung up and then walked out of her office to where Harriet was sitting at Tiner's desk.

"What is it Harriet?" Mac sat on the bench closest to Harriet as she began to whisper.

"The Admiral is going to be picking up the Colonel at the Pentagon tonight at 1800. Do you think we could get everyone together for the surprise tonight at the Admiral's house?"

"I think we could, yeah. But what about the food?" Mac asked. Typical Marine, always thinking with her stomach.

"I don't think the caterer could really do anything on such a short notice. Maybe we could call for take out. Callisto's if they can put something together." Harriet worried.

"If they can't do something nice like a large lasagna platter for all of us, they can always do the gourmet pizza. It's not fancy, but it will do." Mac tried to cheer Harriet.

Harriet agreed to take care of the food and with Harm's help to transport all the gifts while Mac passed on the word about the change in plans and agreed to decorate the house before the Admiral returned home with his fiancée.

"I'll call Francesca and let her know what's going on." Harriet offered as Mac took off for the bullpen to spread the word.

Wednesday, 6 August 03
1815 EDT
The Pentagon
Washington, D.C.

AJ had arrived fifteen minutes ago and taken a seat in the General's outer office. His yeoman, Corporal Hauer, had informed him that the debriefing was running a little late and the Colonel would be up shortly. AJ took the time to sit and relax after a hectic day.

"Admiral, Colonel Merriweather is on her way up, Sir." Hauer informed him.

AJ nodded and went out into the corridor to meet Jules. He only waited a few minutes before he heard the door to the stairwell open at the end of the hall. Turning, he spotted Jules. She was carrying her duffel and rifle sock and she looked exhausted. He rushed forward down the hall and took her in his arms.

Jules felt the impact of AJ's body straight to her soul. "God, I missed you Sailor." She sighed deeply and snuggled into his arms.

"Not as much as I missed you, Darlin'." AJ whispered into her ear. He squeezed her tightly just before releasing her and taking the duffel from her. "Ready to go home?"

"Oh yeah." Jules agreed. She was able to sleep a bit on the transport back to the states, but she found out something. "I don't know about you, AJ, but I can't sleep well without you anymore. In the field it's not really sleeping, but at HQ in Baghdad before going out into the field and then on the transport back here I just couldn't sleep." Jules confessed as they exited the elevator on the parking level.

AJ handed her into the Escalade and stowed her gear in the back before getting behind the wheel and saying, "I know what you mean, Darlin'. It's hard to sleep without you." AJ confessed, "I ended up switching my pillow for yours. It wasn't the same but it helped a little."

"I'll have to try something like that the next time I have to go out into the field. Maybe I can take a t-shirt of yours or something." Jules sat back and closed her eyes as AJ cleared the parking garage.

"Why don't you take a nap on the way home, Darlin'? It's rush hour, it should take us at least forty-five minutes to get home." AJ grinned when he realized she was already asleep with her hand on his thigh.

Wednesday, 6 August 03
1850 EDT
Chegwidden Residence
McLean, VA

The house was decorated, the food was warmed and ready on the dining room table. Harriet had piled the gifts on the coffee table in the living room and Francesca was letting in the last of the guests. Everything was ready. They were just waiting on the guests of honor.

"Do you think we should have gotten a cake?" Mac wondered out loud when Harriet walked into the kitchen.

"I suppose we should have, but we really didn't have much time with this. Maybe we can do something special for the wedding shower. You know, when they set a date." Harriet resolved to plan a wonderful shower for the two officers.

"Harm, where have you been?" Mac asked when she saw the pilot walk into the kitchen carrying a pink box. "Put your gift on the dining room table."

"It's not a gift, Mac." Harm put the box on the counter and asked, "What do you think, Harriet?"

Harriet walked over and lifted the lid from the box. When she saw what was inside she gasped in delight. "It's perfect!"

Mac looked over Harriet's shoulder and said, "You done good, Flyboy!" Inside the pink box was beautifully decorated baker's cake. The icing was decorated with the Navy and Marine Corps emblems as well as a Trident. The inscription on the cake read, "Congratulations!" Encased in a heart read, "AJ & JC, Semper Fi."

"Is it chocolate?" Mac wanted to know.

Harm was saved from the hungry Marine by the sound of the garage door opening and the Escalade pulling in. The three officers ran into the living room and Harriet instructed, "They're here! Everyone get ready."

Everyone parked their cars around the corner and down the street so the unsuspecting couple wasn't prepared for the "Surprise!" that was hollered at them when they entered the living room through the kitchen.

AJ was surprised and Jules was shocked. "What's all this?" She asked.

"It's an engagement party!" Harriet replied, handing them both a glass of chilled sparkling apple cider.

"An engagement party?" AJ repeated, awestruck at the work that had gone in to what had to be a spur of the moment gathering.

Owen Sebring walked up to AJ and slapped him on the back, saying, "Enjoy it, it's a party!"

Jules whispered, so only AJ could hear her, "I'm glad I slept on the way home."

AJ chuckled and apologized, "Darlin', if I'd known about this..."

"Don't worry, AJ. I'm flattered. No, really, I'm happy that everyone's accepted me so easily into their little family. That's not easy for most groups to do." Jules kissed him on the cheek and said, "I'm just going to go get out of this uniform."

AJ looked her up and down. She was wearing her field fatigues and combat boots with her hair up. "I think I'll change too." Everyone was wearing civvies.

"You go first, AJ. We both shouldn't disappear at the same time. I'll mingle while you change." Jules took off to find Francesca, Mac and Harriet to thank them for what, she was sure, was their idea.

AJ walked into the bedroom and changed into a pair of black jeans, a short sleeve green shirt and a pair of deck shoes on his feet. Then he laid out a pair of what he knew to be skin tight blue jeans for Jules and a rust colored v neck t-shirt. He hoped he could convince her to leave her hair down. He wanted to be able to touch it while they mingled.

Jules had cornered Mac and Harriet in the kitchen. "Was this your idea?" She asked with a huge grin.

"We wanted to make it a cook out at my house," Harriet confessed.

"But when you called Harriet today we couldn't resist re-planning it for tonight. You don't mind, do you?" Mac worried.

"I think it's great!' Jules assured her as Francesca walked into the kitchen.

Without any preamble, she asked, "Did you get it?"

Jules grinned at her excitement. "Yes." She said patiently, "I got it."

Harriet and Mac both at the same time asked, "What?"

Jules grinned and said, "AJ's ring." She explained, "While I was on a layover I went shopping for AJ's wedding band. I found a simple band that would fit him. It's in my duffel."

Francesca instructed, "Go get your duffel. If Papa comes back we'll just tell him you didn't want to leave it in the car."

"I'll be right back." Jules left the kitchen quickly and returned with the duffle in one hand and a blue velvet ring box in the other. She opened the lid on the box and showed it first to Francesca, asking, "Do you think he'll like it?"

"I think Papa will love it! It is simple, the gold is not shiny, it looks... Burnished. It is a simple ring, something Papa would love to wear." Francesca assured her before passing it to Harriet.

"Oh, Ma'am!" Harriet thought it was a beautiful ring.

Mac saw the ring and stated, "It's perfect for a SeAL. Simple and understated. It's not going to attract attention."

Jules nodded and said, "AJ does that enough by just being AJ."

They all chuckled but silently agreed with Jules.

"Are you going to have it engraved, Ma'am?" Harriet asked.

"Stop calling me that, and yes I am." Jules grinned.

"Sorry. Jules! What are you going to engrave inside?" Harriet asked with a grin.

"I'm still thinking of that. I have an idea but I'm not sure yet." Jules heard AJ's light tread on the carpet just outside the door to the kitchen. She quickly took the ring box from Mac and stowed it in her duffel before Mac could even protest.

"There you are." AJ kissed Jules temple and said, "Want me to take that into the bedroom?"

Jules hefted the duffel onto her shoulder and said, "Thanks. I've got it though." She kissed him on the corner of the mouth and said, "If you'll excuse me, I'll just go change and be right back."

She slipped from the room and into the bedroom. The duffel was stowed in the corner to be dealt with later, but she hid the ring in the bottom drawer of her dresser. It wouldn't do for AJ to find it while doing something helpful like emptying her duffel. She didn't know if he'd do something like that, but Jules wasn't taking the chance.

Jules noticed the clothes on the bed and slipped into them quickly. She noticed her hair brush next to her jeans. Did AJ want her to take her hair down? Only one way to find out, she mused.

AJ was talking to Bud Roberts when he saw Jules emerge from the bedroom dressed in the clothes he left out for her and her hair floating around her shoulders. He smiled when he noticed she hadn't put on any make up other than what she'd already had. He didn't like all that color on her face, he liked her as natural as could be.

For the next hour everyone bid them well wishes and mingled amongst themselves enjoying the time away from the office together as friends. The food, provided by Callisto's, was perfect. It was also devoured right away.

Francesca called everyone's attention into the living room and announced it was time for her Papa and Jules to open the gifts.

AJ shooed the dog from his recliner and sat with Jules on his knee. The took turns opening the gifts. From Mac they received a silver picture frame for their wedding photo, from Harm they were gifted with a crystal SeAL Trident perfect for the mantle. Bud and Harriet bestowed them with season tickets to the local Shakespearean theater company.

Everyone had expended great thought in their gift ideas, every single present was special and meaningful and received with tremendous warmth and gratitude. Both Jules and AJ felt the love and support these people had for them.

Finally, Mac couldn't stand it any more and stated, "I'll get the cake."

Everyone started laughing at the same time until Jules said, "I'll help!" When they both took off to the kitchen everyone laughed all the harder.

"Can't keep the Marines away from food." AJ joked.

Jules was in the kitchen helping Mac get the cake ready to move to the dining room table when Francesca and Harriet walked in. "I'm glad you're all here." Jules took a deep breath. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"What's up?" Mac asked.

Jules looked at the three women before her, who in a short period of time had become her friends. "I haven't talked to AJ much yet about the wedding, but I know I want you all to be a part of it."

All three women grinned.

"Francesca, I'd like you to be my Maid of Honor and Harriet and Mac, I'd like you both to be my Bride's Maids. Would you be there for me? Share the day with AJ and I?" Jules asked with a teary smile.

The three women shared a look and at once said, "Of course we would!"

After the impromptu group hug and squeal was over, Jules pulled back to look at Francesca, "I have just one more request I'd like to ask of you."

"Ask." Francesca grinned, so happy that Jules wanted her to play such an important part of her wedding. She remembered that Meredith didn't want her in the wedding when she was engaged to Papa. Jules was so much better for her Papa.

"Would you design our dresses, Francesca? If not all of them, at least my dress? Please?" A lone happy tear traveled down Jules cheek.

"Really? You wish me to design the dresses?" Francesca was so surprised.

"Yes." Jules nodded. "You know I love your designs! Of course I want you to design my dress. And if Harriet and Mac don't have any objections, I'd like you to design their dresses, too." Jules winked and said, "I wouldn't want them to end up wearing something terrible, like other Bride's Maids."

Everyone giggled tearfully and Francesca agreed. "I will make lots of designs for you to choose from. Do you wish their dresses to be the same?"

"I wish you to design a dress that would flatter them both in a color they both could pull off." Jules requested.

"Perfect." Francesca grinned.

"There you are." AJ walked into the kitchen and wrapped an arm around Jules waist. "Darlin', Harm's getting ready to leave, he's got court in the morning."

"Well it's nearly 2130." Mac related quietly and confessed, "He's probably got some work left to do yet, too."

"Why don't we just wrap up the cake and you can take it in to JAG tomorrow, AJ. That way Harm didn't go to all the trouble for nothing." Jules suggested.

"Good idea." AJ agreed and then escorted Jules into the living room and together bid goodnight to several of their guests, letting them all know the cake would be in the break room the next day to enjoy with lunch. Owen Sebring kissed Jules on the cheek and as he was shaking hands with AJ, Jules noticed AJ took the Captain aside.

Jules continued to wish everyone goodnight with Francesca at her side while watching AJ from the corner of her eye.

"Owen. Can I talk to you for a minute?" AJ asked.

"Sure, AJ. What is it?" Owen asked once AJ had steered him to the far end of the living room.

"Jules and I haven't set a date yet, we haven't really talked about it, haven't had the chance. I do know that she's planning on having three attendants. I was wondering if you would stand up with me as a Groom's man." AJ already had a best man and another Groom's man picked out.

"I'd be honored, AJ. Just tell me when and where." Owen shook AJ's proffered hand and they slapped each other on the back in an awkward masculine hug.

Jules giggled at the sight.

Finally everyone was gone, leaving Francesca and Jules in the kitchen cleaning up the last of the food.

AJ wrapped his arms around Jules waist and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Darlin', why don't you take a shower and go to bed? Francesca and I can handle this."