A New Life Part 25: Ch02 - Delivery

A retrospective look back at the pilot episode, from the prism of 25 years in the future. AU: what if the premise of Harmon Rabb Jr's life was completely different before he landed on the carrier with Caitlin Pike?

A/N: "they aren't mine, I'm just playing with them - apart from any character created by myself".

Summary: this is a fictional story, in a fictional (slightly) Alternative Universe, about fictional characters who entertained us in a fictional TV series between 1995 and 2005. It involves jumping off into a parallel universe before we started the pilot s01Ep01, first broadcast 25 years ago today on 23-Sep-1005.

Canon: Marking the 25th anniversary of the JAG season 01 pilot episode "A new life". Originally published as a planned one-shot to mark the quarter-centenary. Now extending following positive reader feedback and moving into an AU treatment of the "JAG" canon storyline. Once more, I have only the vaguest idea of where we shall be going on this story – but welcome along; glad to have you with me for the ride! Mike

Timing: This AU story diverged from canon at the "get-go".

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Ch02 - "Delivery"

Saturday 28th October 1995, 16:23hrs EST

Maternity Unit, Washington Memorial Hospital, Washington DC

"Diane, please: my hand won't turn that far!"

Harmon Rabb Jr's second experience of fatherhood was proving rather more painful than the first, two years previously, when he and Diane had welcomed little Sarah Rabb into the family some 30 months previously on March 19th 1993.

That time, Diane had chosen epidurals and "all the good stuff" from the anaesthetics and analgesia trolleys, with the result that Sarah had entered the word with barely a whimper from her mother. Within an hour, Diane had looked elegant and composed, when Frank and Trish took the "first grandchild" photograph for the family album back in La Jolla.

This time, Diane had been assured by one of what she referred to as her "earth-mother tree-hugging friends" (a woman with five children to her name no less!) that a woman needed to experience the "joy" of "natural" childbirth with the minimum of pharmaceutical intervention if she was to truly call herself a mother…

"Natural birth my ass!"

By this time in the delivery of "number two" it was already clear that, should Harm and Diane get it on and create "number three" (a likelihood which was suffering ever-shortening levels of likelihood by the hour), Diane would be reverting to the arrangements which had brought Sarah into the world in a pain- and trouble-free manner!

As a result, Harm's good right hand had borne the brunt. During the "blooming" phase of her pregnancy, Diane had made regular visits to the beauty parlour, with the result that her nails (correction, thought Harm – talons) were neatly-shaped, carefully-profiled and sharp to the point of stiletto pointedness.

Harm was suffering!

The labour had started routinely-enough; Diane's waters had broken in their home in Annandale just as she stepped out of the shower at 08:23hrs that morning. Harm had shaved and showered an hour earlier, so he was in the kitchen when her excited shout had grabbed his attention as he lined up the bowl of Cheerios for little Sarah Patricia Rabb. Frank and Trish were already half awake and merely floated around the new parents in order to assist as required.

By 09:00hrs, Di was in contact with her midwife and the day had progressed normally until, with increasing contractions, Harm had kissed little Sarah and left her with her grandparents whilst he and Di made it carefully out to the Lexus and thence into the city for the delivery.

At which point, in the L&D ward, Diane had grabbed his hand with the enthusiasm of a bankrupt property developer who has found a three-dollar bill and then she hung on tight!

Harm knew that his wife was doing all the "heavy lifting" on this and so he did not really begrudge the short-term pain in his hand. Nevertheless, Diane was making her presence felt and it was clear that, since graduating from USNA Annapolis, she had been spending time with the "salty dog" crews of sailors who could create rude, crude and bowdlerised versions of any song on the planet. She had cursed him, several times, using the full richness of the sailor's vocabulary.

But he still loved her! This was the woman who, unprompted, had reserve her commission to come and support her fiancé (which, technically, he had not been at that moment – she just laid on the statement when she had alerted her Skipper to the problem of Harm's ramp-strike and the need for her to travel "home" with urgency) during the excruciatingly-painful eight months which it took Harm to learn to stand up, learn to walk and (finally as his big reward from Diane for a job well done) learn once more how to make love to her and pleasure her.

The final fortnight of her shore-leave had been particularly memorable, especially the morning when, fully-uniformed and ready to deploy once more, she had kissed him passionately on the front step of Grams' house in Belleville, grabbed his hand and whispered "I do – do you?" into his ear as she sauntered off towards her car. Only as he waved her off, looking at the "Go Navy" licence tag of her car as it headed down the driveway towards her duty station, had he realised that he was holding the pair of her panties which she had slipped into his hand. Sometimes, Dress Blues hid a multitude of secrets and Harmon Rabb Jr was simply *very* pleased that Lt Diane Schonke had a great sense of humour, a great sense of loving and a great sense of commitment to her man – namely *him*. He looked forward to the days when his wife would leave him similar presents as they parted for sea-duty.

The marriage proposal was followed up with serious planning, so that the wedding had come swiftly with her next shore leave. By this time, Harm was embarked upon NJS studies on his way to his second naval career – as a USN JAG officer.

Now, Diane was sweating and swearing as she pushed their second child out into the world. The L&D team were all in exactly the right positions and Matthew Francis Rabb merely cried on experiencing the colder air outside his mother before being wiped, measured and wrapped in a cloth as "father" was handed the scissors in the time-honoured tradition of "cutting the cord", before Matthew was whisked away for a few tests ahead of his return to mom.

An hour later, the midwives had finished cleaning Diane up and attending to the post-birth activities and functions. She was quietly suckling Matthew as he latched greedily into a plump breast to draw nourishment. She looked at Harm as he sat mesmerised, taking in the view.

"Typical Rabb man – I reckon our son will be a breast man" she joked, as she swapped Matthew across to the other breast to continue feeding her newly-born second child.

Harm nodded mutely. After the years of searching for his father, along with a tumultuous relationship with his mom's second husband, he now truly knew how fatherhood was meant to be. His one regret was that his father was still – somewhere – out in the jungles of south-east Asia. The pain and uncertainty for the US MIA families was continuing.

"One day, I'll find you Dad" was his promise. A trip to The Wall was on the agenda for very soon in the future with his expanded 1990s family. But for now, Harm's priority was "the living" – and Mrs Diane Rabb had fulfilled her part of the bargain.

"OK Di, what can I do now?" he enquired.

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Sunday 29th October 1995, 08:14hrs EST

Home of Harmon and Diane Rabb, Annandale, VA

Frank sat quietly in the corner of the kitchen, sipping the one cup of coffee per day which Trish allowed him, out of consideration for his heart. He appreciated the attention and care which she lavished upon him – and he was grateful for the son whom she had brought into their marriage all those years ago – but sometimes she hovered over him like an American Eagle over a tasty mouse!

He was watching his granddaughter Sarah as she played with her Cabbage Patch Doll. He looked up as Harm walked through the doorway and headed for the coffee pot.

Coffee poured and cream added, Harm stretched his long legs out as he settled into a chair at the table, joining his Dad in watching the little two-year-old.

Some years back, Harm had – at Diane's prompting – grown beyond his surly teenage resentment of Frank. Even though Harm junior knew that Trish had loved his biological father, he knew in his heart-of-hearts that Frank had been very good for Trish. Indeed, on that momentous evening six months ago, when Frank and Trish had been visiting from La Jolla when Diane had announced her second pregnancy, Trish had divulged a long-guarded secret.

"Harm, I am so pleased that there will be a second Rabb child in this family. You see, when your father was lost, I was pregnant with our second child. With the stress of your father being shot down, I lost the pregnancy. I also miscarried a couple of years after Frank and I had married. So, please protect Di and this pregnancy with every fibre of your being and let's break this Rabb curse."

At that point, several things had fallen into place. From that day forward, Harm had always made a point of referring to Frank as his Dad. Not his father (although Harm would never say that to Frank's face) but definitely the father-figure who had – when Harm allowed him to, Harm admitted to himself with a rueful smile – guided and assisted and taught the younger Rabb man.

"Good morning everyone, and how did we sleep?" enquired Trish.

"Pretty well, Mom. I'll get the pans out. May I offer everyone omelettes, bacon, sausage and pancakes to finish?"

"Oh yes please; let me help pour the orange juice. What will Sarah be having?"

Fifteen minutes later, three generations of the Rabb family were seated around the table enjoying the "vegetarian and omnivore" variations on a Sunday breakfast.

"Harm, what is the plan for work tomorrow and bringing Diane home?"

"Well, I phoned the Admiral yesterday evening and he has stood me down for the coming week. I'll get hold of Diane's CO tomorrow, but she is still lined up for a cruise on the Seahawk next spring when she resumes her commission. Fortunately, crypto officers are in short supply. I'm also gonna be interested to see who is allocated to me as a partner long-term. I have a great semi-permanent partner at present – a Texan called Meg, because Kate was rapidly Shanghaied across to an investigation in Dubai and is sticking with Brovo's staff as he builds the Near East Command out there. So, I guess it will be Meg for a while."

"When will you be visiting with Di today and would you like some company?"

"Well Mom, I aim to set off around 1130 and yes, you would all be welcome."

Harm picked up his daughter, asking "and would you like to meet your little brother today, Pumpkin?"

"Oh yes please daddy" came her enthusiastic reply.

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Sunday 29th October 1995, 12:03hrs EST

Maternity Unit, Washington Memorial Hospital, Washington DC

"Morning darling; how are you and how is our little Matthew?"

"Good morning Harm; he is fine, hungry and very active. He's getting ready for his second feed since midnight." Diane looked rather tired, yet blissfully happy.

"Well, we're planning on getting you home tomorrow. What time is the doctor due?"

"I understand a coupla hours; she tends to do Sunday rounds a little later, for everyone's rest apparently."

"OK, well than let's just wait for her to arrive. Oh, Mom and Frank are outside, along with little Sarah who wants to meet her new little brother."

"Oh, bring them in, Harm. I also want a family photograph, so that I can have it with me next year on the Seahawk."

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END of "A New Life – part 25" Ch02: "Delivery".

Mike, United Kingdom, 21-11-2020