Chapter 2A

Friday, 20 June 03
2100 EDT
Merriweather Residence
Indian Head, MD

JC just finished her evening swim in the river, and was dripping on the deck overlooking the Potomac. She hadn't bothered to towel off yet. She was just enjoying the feel of the warm air against her skin and the smell of the water.

She'd been stationed all over the world with the Marine Corp, she'd seen so many things but nothing could compare to the relaxation of having a house on the water.

Just as JC picked up her cell phone to check for messages, the house line rang. The number didn't look familiar, but she resolved to answer anyway. She never gave out her numbers, but her CO on occasion gave her home number when it was necessary. "Merriweather."

"Colonel, AJ Chegwidden here." AJ was sitting outside on the front porch enjoying a cold beer. He didn't often indulge himself with a beer, but there was something about relaxing on a Friday evening.

JC sat down in a nearby lounge chair. "Admiral." He called her CO? He actually asked for her home number?

"I wanted to apologize for this afternoon, Colonel. It's not often that I invite someone to lunch and then turn right around and cancel." He'd been looking forward to getting out of the office for lunch but when he'd gotten back to the bullpen, Tiner had been frantic.

Chuckling, JC responded, "That's fine, Admiral, your yeoman explained you had a bit of a situation to deal with. I understand."

Sighing in relief, AJ said, "Tiner said as much, but I wanted to call myself and apologize, Colonel."

The situation struck her as funny and she couldn't contain her mirth, it spilled out in tiny giggles she tried desperately to muffle.

"Was it something I said, Colonel?" AJ liked the sound of her laugh, it was full and throaty and very genuine.

That comment only made JC laugh outright. "I'm sorry, Admiral. It just struck me as rather funny that you called my CO for my number, called me at home at 2100 to apologize for breaking a lunch appointment and you're still calling me by my rank." JC got her giggles under control and with a genuine smile, invited, "Maybe you should call me JC."

AJ chuckled dryly before commenting, "Perhaps you're right, Colonel. JC." He wondered what her initials stood for and hoped they were better than his own. "Is it too late to have called, JC?"

"No, Admiral, this is fine." She felt awkward; it wasn't that she was unused to talking on the phone, quite the opposite really. She felt uncomfortable having a social conversation, with a superior officer. She was used to the telephone for work related conversations.

"I see what you mean, that does sound rather odd. The name is AJ." He insisted.

"Are your initials substitutes for really embarrassing names, too, AJ?" JC grabbed a towel and started drying off. As warm as the air was, the river was cool and the air against her skin was a bit nippy.

AJ sat back against the railing and laughed, "Yes, they are." AJ wondered what the sound was in the background.

"Well, they tried. Our parents couldn't have known that our names would be an embarrassment to us when we got older." JC wrung the water out of her hair and then tried to dry it as best she could while she was on the phone.

"What is that noise?" AJ asked, unable to figure it out.

"Um, which one?" JC's eyebrows knit in concentration. "There are several around here." She could hear the swishing of the waves against her dock, the far off sound of a depth buoy as someone passed it in a boat.

"It's a loud rustling, do you live around a bunch of trees?" AJ asked, eyeing his own woods.

"Ah, no. Sorry about that. I was drying off after my swim when you called. I'm trying to get as much water out of my hair as I can before I drip all over my carpet." JC chuckled; unaware that AJ was picturing her in a bathing suit.

Reining in his overactive imagination, AJ said, "Oh. Well maybe I should let you go and get dried off. I wouldn't want you to get cold."

"That's ok AJ, I don't get cold easily. I'm pretty resistant." JC collected her towel and cell phone, making her way into the house.

"Hot blooded as well as hot tempered?" AJ asked, referring to this afternoon in the bullpen. He was surprised at how comfortable he felt talking to this woman.

"Actually I was referring to my training; you learn to live with the cold." JC chuckled and then threw caution to the wind saying, "Hot tempered, yes, it goes with my hair. Hot blooded, I suppose I am passionate about important things."

Wondering what she could be passionate about, AJ asked, "And what gets your temper up?"

"Mmm, being stood up by a junior officer?" JC infused a bit of mirth in her question so AJ knew she wasn't really angry.

"But not being stood up for lunch?" AJ asked, enjoying this bantering.

"I'd normally be pretty upset, but not when my companion would have been a superior officer." JC joked as she locked up for the night, making the round of the house and setting the alarm.

AJ didn't like the idea of JC thinking of him as a superior, it bothered him somehow. "Well, perhaps AJ can ask JC if she would like to redeem that rain check sometime this weekend."

JC understood perfectly what AJ was doing. "I think I'd like that AJ. What did you have in mind?"

"How about dinner tomorrow evening?" AJ asked. "We can go anywhere, but if you'd still like to try Callisto's we could certainly do that." AJ would rather do something during the day; something more relaxed, not so structured. He had an idea.

"As wonderful as Italian sounded this afternoon, AJ I was looking forward to something a little different tomorrow." Did she dare bring it up?

"Oh, I see." AJ's good mood deflated. "You already had plans."

JC assured him, "It wasn't anything set in stone. What did you have in mind, AJ?" JC thought her plans for the Seafood Cook Off just went down the drain.

"Being a Marine, you might not be interested." AJ plunged ahead, despite his nervousness. He could always go to the Regatta next year if she wasn't interested. This was one of the things he disliked so about dating, the awkward part of figuring out what to do. Usually he liked to take a lady to dinner, get to know her, what she liked to do, what her interests were. He didn't usually suggest something like this for a first date.

"Tell me, AJ. You might be surprised." JC had lots of interests, many things that most women her age just weren't interested in and things Marines would never admit to liking, like cooking and reading. She giggled silently to herself.

"Tomorrow is the first day of summer and there's a Sailing Regatta on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. It's a distance to drive, but it's worth it if you're interested." AJ waited for her to find an excuse.

"I forgot about that. One of my men grumbled about it this week, his girlfriend is dragging him to D.C. for the Capitol Barbeque Battle and he won't be attending the Regatta." JC listened to AJ's chuckles and said, "I'd love to go, AJ. I haven't been to anything like this before."

"The Regatta is in Wellington Beach, but I hear there is a Festival nearby, I think it's in Indian Head. Maybe we could go there after the Regatta if you'd like to sample some seafood." AJ thought that maybe tomorrow would come together just fine. JC didn't seem like a woman that needed fancy entertainment nor did she seem like an adrenaline junkie. AJ's time with Meredith was enough thrill seeking for the rest of his life.

JC had to laugh, "That sounds wonderful, AJ. Um, what does one wear to a Sailing Regatta?" She wasn't sure if this was a fancy sort of occasion or something she could wear jean to.

"Whatever you're comfortable in. I've seen society women dressing in Gucci and I've seen regular folks like us in cutoffs. I don't really think it matters." AJ assured her, wondering what she would wear.

"Ok. I think I can handle that. What time is the Regatta?" JC giggled.

"Perhaps you could tell me where you live so I know what time to pick you up tomorrow. The Regatta is at 1200 but there are things to do for about an hour before hand if you would like. We could have lunch there." AJ was realizing that this was a woman he could be himself with. He could forget about Admiral Chegwidden and settle in to being AJ.

"Well maybe if you tell me what these things are that you can do before the race I can tell you what time to pick me up." JC hinted as she settled herself on a towel on her couch. Her suit was still wet from her swim.

Chuckling dryly AJ commented, "Why don't we save it as a surprise?"

"Fair enough," JC teased. "Then you may pick me up at 1000."

AJ walked into his study intending to pull up directions to Wellington Beach, and said, "At 1000? Where do you live?"

JC giggled, "On the Maryland side of the Potomac."

That brought AJ up short; he thought a Marine would live inland somewhere. Mac lived in Georgetown. "Wait a minute, you live in Maryland?" AJ laughed, "Where?"

"Um, about an hour from Wellington Beach." JC giggled.

AJ roared, "So I guess it won't be such a long drive. I'll stop mid way to pick you up before continuing to the race." AJ continued to chuckle. "How far are you from the Festival in Indian Head?" When all AJ could here was muffled laughter he asked, "JC?"

"Well, actually, AJ..." JC couldn't stop giggling.

"JC!" AJ used his Admiral's voice but it only made JC laugh harder.

"Don't you Admiral me, AJ!" JC giggled. "You said that AJ was inviting me to lunch, leave the Admiral at home!"

He liked this woman, "Where do you live, JC?"

"Indian Head, Maryland." JC replied amid her giggles. She hadn't giggled like this in years. It wasn't good for her image.

AJ just sighed. He rattled off his email and asked her to send him her exact address so he could find her. "I'll be there at 1000, JC."

Smiling to herself, JC said, "I'll be waiting, AJ. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow."

"So am I, JC, so am I." AJ hung up and smiled to himself, surprised at how true that statement really was.

JC stripped down at hit the showers, thinking about her conversation with AJ. She would have to call her CO in the morning and let him know where she would be and find out what security clearance AJ had. That was part of the reason she didn't date. Military men didn't like hearing that their security clearance wasn't high enough to even know about all of her commanding officers let alone what she did for the Military.

How would AJ react if she were called out on a mission while they were together? It was one thing for her to understand; she knew exactly how much the job came first. Did he? Especially if he didn't know what she did.

And how would he react to all of her training? She had to be the single most trained officer in the entire military. How would he react to that one particular stint of training she'd had a few years ago? He was bound to find out if she didn't tell him first.

Better to see where this went before she told him.

Saturday, 21 June 03
0845 EDT
Chegwidden Residence
Falls Church, VA

AJ walked into his study to print out the directions to JC's house. According to the map, she lived right on the banks of the Potomac.

He checked the kitchen to be sure the coffee pot was off. AJ walked into the living room and grabbed his reading glasses from the end table while stuffing his wallet into his back pocket. His cell phone and extra battery would sit in the console of his truck. Before leaving AJ let the dog outside and made sure she would have enough food, water and shade while he was gone.

After setting the alarm and locking up, AJ climbed into his truck, donned his shades and was on his way to pick up JC. He knew he was leaving a little early, but he didn't want to run into traffic that might delay his arrival.

He was dressed casually in tan Dockers and a hunter green Polo. He wore comfortable tan docksiders on his feet; he'd had them for years so they were perfect for a day of walking. AJ had considered wearing jeans today, as he would have if he went to the race alone, but decided that they were a little too casual for a date.

Saturday, 21 June 03
0930 EDT
Merriweather Residence
Indian Head, MD

JC had been up early, like every other day of the week. She'd gone for a run this morning and ran an extra few miles in anticipation of all the wonderful food she planned on indulging in today.

After her morning shower, the normally decisive Marine dithered about every single piece of her morning toilet. How to wear her hair, how much make up, what to wear?

She'd finally decided on a white printed wrap dress and a pair of flesh toned Roman sandals on her feet with the laces crisscrossed and tied just a tad above her ankles. Her make up was very light, just a hint of blush and a touch of mascara and some pink flesh toned lip-gloss. The mop of wavy red hair was secured with a wooden hair pin in a French roll, a tiny crystal winked at the top of the pin, and softened with some tendrils falling at her ears; she'd fluffed her wispy bangs and left them to soften the entire effect.

She'd dithered over her jewelry just as long as her clothes. Finally, after several minutes, she'd decided to keep it simple and go without rings, a watch and a bracelet. Little round diamond studs winked in her ears. A necklace with this dress could either make or break the effect of the bodice, so JC wore a floating round diamond necklace to match her earrings.

The image in her mirror didn't resemble a Marine. Perfect!

She hadn't wanted to carry a purse, but there was nowhere on the dress to hide or carry her cell phone. JC found her favorite tiny Coach purse and had transferred her wallet, tiny little make up case, military ID and fully charged cell phone.

If she needed to fly off on an Op, the General could just wait while she stopped home for her gear bag!

She was on the phone now, speaking with General Jones.

"You're going on a date?" Jones asked, amused.

"Not that it's any of your business, Sir, but yes, I believe we are calling it a date." JC muttered under her breath about interfering men.

Jones chuckled and asked, "And tell this interfering old General whom it is that you're going on a date with?"

"Must you?" JC tried to aggravate her CO at every opportunity. She'd been in his chain of command for years, JC trusted him. She trusted him not to court martial her if she razzed him like he was one of the guys!

"Indulge me." Jones asked seriously. JC knew that whomever she dated needed to be checked out. He suspected he might already know the identity of her gentleman caller.

JC caught the inflection on his statement. This was an order. "AJ Chegwidden."

"I thought as much." Jones wanted to be a fly on the wall for this date. They were both stubborn, both wanted their own way and both spoke their minds. They should be evenly matched despite the fireworks. "I don't know what his security clearance is, off the top of my head, but AJ is the JAG. If he asks, JC, you can tell him about your panel, but until I find out for sure his clearance, don't go into details about what you do. You know what you can and can't say."

"If he asks, what about training?" JC asked.

"Just the standard. I wouldn't mention..."

"I had no intentions of mentioning anything about that training this soon." JC chuckled.

"You'll let me know, won't you, if he will need his security level raised?" Jones asked seriously.

JC thought about it, thought about how far this date could go. Would it lead to a serious relationship? "I think it's too soon to tell yet, but if it gets to that point, yes, I'll let you know."