A/N: The crew and I were watching "Grey's Anatomy" and we decided to insert Patrick Dempsey into a JAG story. He's who we would have play Commander Ethan "Bax" Baxter
"Hey Sturgis, I was just talking to Harm to see if he wanted to get together this weekend to go over the Muller court-martial and he said he had other plans, what gives?" Mac asked as she hung to the doorframe of Sturgis Turner's office.
"All our old Academy crew is back in town this weekend. Well, not everyone……I mean well…" Sturgis wasn't sure how to breach this topic.
"You mean not Diane? It's okay Sturgis, I know. So, you're all going to go out and behave like adolescents, is that it?" Mac joked slightly.
"I'll have you know, Colonel, that we can be very mature most of the time." Sturgis countered. "They'll be here at 1710 and Harm's putting them up for the weekend. I'm sure you'll love the guys, I mean you've already met Keeter, right?"
"Tell me they're not all like Keeter." Mac stated in a whiny tone.
"No, they're not all like Keeter. Bax is, actually Bax and Keeter are two cards from the same deck. This is the first time that Bax and Keeter have been able to get leave at the same time in years though." Sturgis almost seemed reflective and sentimental.
"Mothers lock up your daughters!" Someone shouted in the bullpen.
"Oh, they're early." Sturgis stated with a laugh as he got out from behind his desk. Sturgis moved out into the bullpen to greet the tall, dark-haired Navy Commander who had made his presence known. "Bax! Keeter! You guys weren't supposed to come by here yet!" Sturgis got pulled into a bear hug.
"Yeah, but I got a few days of leave and decided no to waste the early hours." Bax stated as he pulled out of the hug.
"Besides, it's going to take a whole weekend to de-program you and Harm and we figured that we should get an early start." Keeter added as he and Sturgis shook hands.
"Bax! You're early!" Harm smiled widely as he walked out of his office.
"What? Is everyone surprised or something?" Bax replied with a sarcastic smile of his own. "How the hell are you, Harm? It's been too damn long."
"I'm doing great!" Harm was enthusiastic as hell. He looked over and saw Mac standing off to the side. Keeter and Sturgis had been with good about not bringing up Mac's resemblance to Diane or if they did so, they didn't make anything big out of it but with Bax's over the top nature, he'd make a show of it.
From where Mac stood, she was convinced that these four must have been real trouble in there Academy days. Two aviators, a bubblehead and now a SEAL added to the mix. Harm's roommates, here they all were and God help the women of DC, they were all single and gorgeous. That, would be the moment that her eyes caught those of Harm's friend.
"Holy shit!" Bax stated slightly taken aback. "I've got to be seeing things." Harm winced slightly and went into damage control. He motioned for Mac to come over so he could make the introductions.
"Commander Ethan Baxter this is Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie; Mac, this is Bax." Harm made the introductions and watched as Bax gave his head a shake.
"Nice to meet you, Colonel, I'm sorry for my reaction it's just that you look remarkably like someone I knew." Bax stated calmly.
"Diane? I know, Harm's told me." Mac reassured him with a warm smile.
"Oh well, you're much more attractive I assure you." Bax smiled and winked Mac playfully.
"Bax –" Harm stated in a warning tone.
"Hammer, I'm not dead. I get to make these observations." Bax replied with pat to the shoulder. "You should try it yourself sometime."
"Who's disrupting my bullpen?" Admiral Chegwidden came walking out into the bullpen.
"That would be me, sir, my most sincere apologies. I just haven't had this much leave in a while and I figured that I should come by and visit with two of my old Academy roommates." Bax reached out and shook the Admiral's hand. "Commander Ethan Baxter, sir.
The Admiral looked the younger man over sternly before fixing his eyes on the trident that was pinned to his coat. "You're a SEAL, son. What team?" The Admiral's expression seemed to lose some of its gravity.
"SEAL Team Two, sir." Bax replied enthusiastically.
"No kidding, tell you what, Rabb and Turner have to finish up for the day, why don't you and I go trade stories in my office, one SEAL to another." The Admiral suggested.
"I say, you're on, sir." Bax walked off with the Admiral toward his office.
"Twenty years and he can still do that." Sturgis remarked jokingly.
"Yeah, well, some of us just got it." Keeter added.
"What would you know?" Harm turned toward Keeter.
"Can the three of you save the testosterone fest for later?" Mac's eyes searched the three men in front of her. "Men." She remarked simply before turning toward her office.
"What did we do?" Keeter inquired to no one in particular. Harm followed Mac back to her office where he took a seat opposite her.
"Your friend seems to get along well with people." Mac commented quickly.
"Yeah, well Bax is a diplomat." Harm smiled as he propped his head up with his hand.
"That's an interesting way of saying con artist. That snow job he worked on the Admiral was pretty impressive." She laughed as she opened a file on her desk.
"Hey, Bax is a good guy. A little over enthusiastic, granted, but he and Keeter managed to keep Sturgis and me on our toes at the Yard." Harm joked and Mac watched as his little smile developed into a full fledged flyboy grin.
"Alright, go get your work done so that you and your fellow Water Buffalos can go out and have a nice machismo driven evening." Mac smiled as Harm feigned hurt before getting up and heading back to his office. Harm and Sturgis worked furiously to get there paperwork clear for the day so that they could go out and enjoy their weekend. Keeter made rounds in the bullpen, talking to Bud, Harriet, Gunny and practically anyone who would listen.
AT 1710, the Admiral and Bax came walking out into the bullpen. "Alright, everyone, you all have permission to secure for the day." The Admiral announced and the bullpen broke into a frenzy to get out of work that day. Mac watched as the four old Academy roomies stood in the bullpen with the Admiral, Gunny, Bud and Harriet. Seeing an opportunity to get a little socializing in, she decided to join them.
"Alright, guys so what's on tap for tonight?" Sturgis clapped his hands together as he joined his friends.
"It's Friday night, we've gotta hit a club, a little women and dancing to kick off the weekend, eh." Bax elbowed Harm in the ribs. "We're used to hanging around with more people though, no Luke, no Di, no Carmichael. We need more people."
"What do you say, Bud? You up for a night on the town?" Harm turned toward the young Lieutenant who seemed slightly hesitant about the whole thing.
"Well, sir, it sounds like a lot of fun but Harriet's parents are in town to see AJ this weekend and I really should stay at home." Bud sounded incredibly defeated at that admission.
"Alright, how about you Gunny? You think you can keep up with us?" Harm challenged the Marine.
"You're on, sir. Just tell me where and when." Gunny replied with a smile.
"Since when do we include Marines?" Keeter asked caustically.
"Since Bax became a SEAL." Sturgis commented with a small laugh.
"What was that Commander?" The Admiral stepped to defend the honour of the SEALs.
"Nothing, sir." Sturgis replied, realizing he'd put his foot in his mouth.
"Hey Admiral, we could always use another SEAL and a two-star might actually succeed in keeping us out of trouble." Keeter suggested with a coaxing look.
"You boys don't want to spend a Friday night with an old man." The Admiral joked in a wise tone.
"Nonsense, sir, we could use some more Navy men around now that Gunny's going with us." Harm added.
"Unless you don't think you can keep up with us, sir." Bax was goading the Admiral.
"Is that a challenge, Commander?" The Admiral replied with an inquisitive tone.
"One SEAL to another, sir." Bax replied, stepping up to the plate.
"Alright, challenge accepted." The Admiral replied with a chuckle.
"Good, now we're only short a female presence and every thing will be status quo." Sturgis stated pensively and then he watched as Harm, Keeter and Bax's eyes all lit up.
"Mac!" They all replied simultaneously.
"No, I'm not getting involved in your little Water Buffalo meeting tonight." Mac answered with a surprised tone.
"Did she just call us Water Buffalos?" Keeter looked from Harm to Bax.
"You remember what we did to the last woman who called us that?" Bax added.
"On three." Harm stated as he and his two friends fanned out and surrounded Mac. "One, two, three." They all pounced at once. They grabbed her and hoisted her onto their shoulders.
"You Neanderthals, put me down!" Mac demanded.
"Only if you agree to go to the club with us tonight, think you can do that, Marine?" Harm questioned, being as he was the one who was supporting Mac's shoulders.
"Fine, I'll go but don't think that this gets you off the hook Flyboy." Mac lectured as they lowered her to the ground.
"Aw, Mac has a pet name for you, that's so cute, Hammer." Bax teased.
"Shut up, Bax." Harm turned to give his friend a stern look.
"Where are we all going to meet?" Gunny asked enthused about having something fun to do tonight.
"2150, The Eclectic, it's the new club downtown. Place is supposed to be pretty hot." Keeter suggested.
"Sounds good." Harm affirmed. "Hey Mac, me and the boys will pick you up before heading down there. Just to make sure that you don't welch out on us."
0227 ZULU
MAC'S APARTMENT
GEORGETOWN
Mac put on a knee-length skirt and one of her nicer blouses. Tonight, she was heading out to the hottest club in DC with six men whose company would make her the envy of every woman in the place. Sure enough, they came knocking at her door just in time to be able to pick her up and race across the DC to the club.
Mac went to the door to find Harm, Keeter and Bax standing there all looking like their own respective versions of sexy. Harm was classy, in his black button up shirt and blue jeans. Keeter was comical in his Hawaiian shirt and khakis and Bax was rough in a grey USNA t-shirt, black leather jacket and blue jeans. They looked liked they were back at the Academy, in their own comfort element. When she opened the door, they all showed their appreciation for how she looked in their own way. Harm extended a compliment, Keeter let out an appreciative 'wow' and Bax whistled.
"You ready, Mac?" Harm asked.
"As I'll ever be." Mac stepped out of the apartment and turned to lock the door. They all piled into Harm's Lexus and Harm turned up the radio for them to entertain themselves on the drive. Mac took the shotgun seat next to Harm with Keeter and Bax taking up the backseat.
"Alright, this one goes out from one of our listeners to the USNA class of '85." The DJ said and when Harm heard the intro he turned toward the backseat.
"You didn't." Harm smiled as he inquired with his buddy.
"Oh yeah, I so did." Bax replied.
I had a friend was a big baseball player
Back in high school
He could throw that speed ball by you
Make you look like a fool, boy
Saw him the other night at this roadside bar
He was walking in, I was walking out
We went back inside, sat down, had a few drinks
But it all he kept talking about was
Glory Days, well they will pass you by
Glory Days, in the wink of a young girl's eye
Glory Days, Glory Days
The song had the three former roomies cruising down memory lane, each of them rolling around endless films of memories from their days at Annapolis. All three of them were singing proudly and even laughing while they did it. Mac's voice joined in as Harm drove them to the club.
Well there's a girl that lives up the block
Back in school she could turn all the boy's heads
Sometimes on a Friday I'll stop by and have a few drinks
After she put her kids to bed
Her and her husband Bobby, well they split up
I guess it's two years gone by now
We just sit around talking about the old times
She says when she feels like crying
She starts laughing, thinking about
The song broke into another chorus and Mac marvelled at how completely Harm seemed for the first time since she'd known him. Harm was smiling, laughing and singing his heart out, even if it was slightly off-key and it was all because his old Academy buddies were here in town.
Now I think I'm going down to the well tonight
And I'm going to drink till I get my fill
And I hope when I get older I don't sit around thinking about it
But I probably will
Yeah, just sitting back, trying to recapture
A little of the glory of, well time slips away
And leaves you with nothing, Mister
But boring stories of, Glory Days
The song died away on the radio and Mac's voice was the last one heard singing which caused all the guys to laugh a little. "Hey Hammer, this is one cool chick." Bax sounded almost surprised.
"I spent a few days with her in the Iranian desert and I knew she was a cool chick even then." Keeter added with his own sarcastic smile.
"Not everyday a chick like her comes along, Hammer." Bax commented, pushing his luck slightly.
"Bax, you hint like my mother, stop." Harm found it difficult to be stern tonight.
"See, now I was always under the impression that Trish had a pretty good sense for this kind of thing." Keeter was taking his chance now.
"Et tu Keeter?" Harm eyed his friend in the rear-view mirror.
"Hey, they were just paying me a compliment; lighten up, stick-boy." Mac commented in a pouting voice.
"Stick-boy? And the pet-names just keep on coming." Keeter joked which caused him, Mac and Bax to laugh.
"You know, the three of you are supposed to be my friends. I'm putting the two of you up at my apartment this week and all you can do is make fun of me?" Harm joshed.
"Well, what we had originally intended to do, was pick on your choice of women but Keeter thought that would be gauche." Bax jostled right back.
"Bax, neither you or Keeter exactly has the track record to be criticizing me." Harm reminded his two friends. "Bax how many girlfriends have you had since the Academy?"
"At one time or all tolled?" Bax replied.
"My point exactly. Keeter, same question." Harm responded.
"Same answer." Keeter replied with a self-satisfied smile. "But at least the girls that Bax and I pick are harmless. If you'll pardon the pun."
"Now just what is that supposed to mean?" Harm's curiosity was bristled. Mac watched the interplay with great interest. She knew that Bax and Keeter were likely going to be able to get criticisms that she would get sniped at for making.
"Well, let's take the Queen of the Cutting Room Floor, that last girlfriend of yours, the video director. Harm, when I met her I was worried that if she slipped and hit her head on something sharp, it would deflate." Bax's remark got laughs from Keeter and Mac and ever a quick chuckle out of Harm himself.
"She wasn't that dumb." Harm protested weakly.
"Harm, when you and I tried to have a discussion about the election, all she could talk about is whether Bush should have worn Ralph Lauren or Calvin Klein." Bax retorted.
"So she wasn't versed in certain matters." Harm tried to explain.
"Buddy, the word is 'ditz'." Keeter clarified.
"Alright, so that's Renee, what can you two say about Jordan. I thought she was alright." Harm was now inviting abuse.
"I'll take this one since Bax handled the last one. Harm, the woman was controlling, obsessive and dominating, all three are things that aren't exactly compatible with any fighter pilot mentality." Keeter explained.
"You know, you two are in the wrong fields, you two should be relationship counsellors." Harm joked. "You know, I could pick apart your relationships."
"Hey, go ahead; I'm well aware of the fact that I'm a romantic screw-up." Bax raised his hands into the surrender position.
"See, there's no winning an argument with you. You don't get passionate enough about anything to argue about it." Harm criticized.
"Yeah, with that kind of attitude, they'll make you an Admiral, Bax." Keeter added.
"Okay, we're here." Harm pulled the Lexus into the parking lot and everyone got out. When they got to the front door of the club, they saw Sturgis and Gunny there waiting for them.
"Please don't tell me that the Admiral picked up a cocktail waitress and went home already." Keeter joked as they walked up to the door.
"No, he got called away to some high-level, big brass briefing at the Pentagon. He cursed a lot under his breath before he left too. I think he was looking forward to having some fun tonight." Sturgis informed his friends as they walked into the club.
"So, what do you guys have in mind for tonight?" Mac asked innocently as the door to the club closed behind them.