Title: "Tested Hearts"
Author: Chicmns
Date: 3/4/04
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None
Category: Drama, angst
Keywords: Drama, angst
Summary: Mattie comes down with a serious case of the flu. Mucho angst
(mostly from Harm) ensues.
Disclaimer: JAG and all of its' characters belong to Belisarius and
CBS. This story is for pure entertainment, and not for any profit to
me.
Dedication: To all the characters and fans of a great show, the folks
who take the time to read fan fiction, and to those who spend even more
time reviewing and responding. Thanks!
Author Notes: Takes place during the time period of season 9 of JAG.
Feedback: I'm not one of those authors who don't like it - positive,
negative, or indifferent. Everyone has different reactions, and those
reactions all have value in the end. If so inclined, feel free:
[email protected].
"Tested Hearts"
The F-22 Raptor plane felt like an extension of Harm's body as he
executed an inverted roll maneuver to get on the six of the Chinese Su-
19 pursuing him and his wingman over the Sea of Japan. Suddenly, the
entire cockpit shook as he came out of the turn, and it felt like a
giant hand landed on his shoulder, jostling him repeatedly. He was about
to ask his RIO for a status of the plane's systems when the shaking on
his shoulder returned, more insistent than before. The fingers of the
hand tightened on him, and he heard his name called out in a whisper.
"Commander?"
Funny .... his RIO, named "Skates" by the squadron, usually called him
either 'Sir' or 'Harm' while in the air ..... 'Commander' was just too
long a name to use during the mostly quick, instinctive movements needed
during supersonic flight.
"Harm?"
Now, that was better. Everything couldn't be in bad shape if Skates was
whispering to him in her soft contralto .... which was sounding more and
more like the voice of Petty Officer Coates, his daughter's roommate,
the Admiral's yeoman, and his friend/surrogate second daughter. The
shaking came back again, even more insistent this time. It was at this
moment that Commander Harmon Rabb began to realize that he might be
having a dream about flying, since he's never taken Coates up with him -
so how can she be in the RIO's seat?
So, if this was a dream, that insistent shaking and the warm fingers on
his shoulder meant that Coates wanted him to wake up for some reason.
Must be important .. like needing his credit card to take Mattie
shopping, or the two girls coming by his place to raid his fridge - as
the 'wolves', the nickname he'd given them when they were hungry and
looking for food - often did. Guess the only way to find out for sure
was to wake up enough to hear her out; before having her keelhauled for
interrupting a nice dream ...
"Jennifer .... if you guys are looking for food, leave me the mustard
for sandwiches later, OK? Going back to sleep now ..." Harm mumbled
into his pillow as he burrowed deeper beneath the warm comforter of his
bed.
"Harm ... wake up, please. There's something wrong ...."
Harm's eyes flashed open as he finally heard the panic in Coates' voice.
He also heard concern and ... fear? What was happening? He sleepily
looked around the darkened bedroom and rubbed his face, finally glancing
up to see Jen leaning over him, clad in her pajamas, with a look in her
large, dark eyes he'd never seen before.
"Jen ... what's wrong? What time is ..."
"It's about 0500, sir. Sorry to wake you like this, but I think
Mattie's very sick. Please get up!"
Mattie? Harm came awake immediately, and nearly knocked Jen over as he
leaped to his feet and reached for his robe. "What's wrong with her?"
They started moving towards Harm's open front door, left that way by Jen
when she came in to get him. Harm didn't even stop for slippers as he
strode barefoot down the hallway towards the apartment where Mattie and
Jen lived. She had to move quickly to keep up, her shaky voice echoing
in the quiet hallway. "I don't know, sir. She started coughing a
little right before bed, and I heard her coughing more through the
night. Then, a few minutes ago, I woke up when I heard a loud thump,
and went to check the apt. When I got to her door, I quietly went in to
check on her, and she was lying on the floor, shivering and sweating.
She fell out of bed, sir – that's what I heard! I tried to get her back
into bed, Harm, but ... she's shivering so much, and can't seem to catch
her breath. I think she has a fever, too, but I came to get you before
using the thermometer in the first aid kit you and the Colonel gave us
..."
Her voice drifted off as they went inside the apartment, and Harm turned
to her, sensing that he needed to calm Jen enough to take care of both
of them. "It'll be OK, Jen. Come on." They went to Mattie's room, and
Harm stopped in the open doorway to see a huddled mass shivering against
the bed, soft wheezing gasps coming from the direction of the pillow
titled over the edge of the mattress. The only light in the room was
coming from the street lamp through the window, so Harm reached for the
switch on the wall. When the light came on, he crossed the short
distance to the bed, whispering, "Mattie?" He was shocked at what he
saw once he'd pulled the soaked sheets away a little: Mattie seemed to
be sweating gallons and shaking in her drenched pajamas. Her flushed and
wet face turned towards him, as her wide unfocused eyes slowly looked
over his face.
"H ... Harm?" she gasped out softly between short, wheezing breaths, and
he heard Jen's sharp intake of air from behind him as she caught sight
of Mattie's shaking form under the bright light.
"Oh, sweetie ..... what's wrong?" Harm reached for her hand as Mattie
slowly raised hers, while his other hand went to cup her face. He
kneeled by her, and began to wipe the sweat from Mattie's flushed face.
"Noooottt ... feelingggg welllll ...", she answered after what looked
like a slow, painful swallow. Harm turned to Jen, who stood over his
shoulder. "Jen, get the thermometer from the kit, and my keys, shoes and
coat from my place, OK?" in his best command voice. There was no
answer, except a swish of a flannel robe as Jen ran back down the
hallway.
"Goinggg .... to get me .... some ice creammm, huhhh?" Mattie whispered
shakily to him as he pulled her to his chest. Harm smiled, and leaned
down to kiss her forehead while he waited for Jen to return. Oh my god,
she was so hot, he thought immediately.
"Not at 0500 in the morning, even for your weird diet...", he whispered
back, looking into her teary eyes. He could see the fear in them, and
held her gaze. "Everything's going to be fine, ok? I'm here, Mattie,
and I'll take care of you ... I promise."
"know ..... *cough* .... youu .... always k-kkeep your prom..... ises
.....", she whispered, as her eyes slowly closed and her fingers
tightened in his, then slowly relaxed.
"Mattie? Mattie!! Oh, god ... she's fainted! Jen!" Harm called out as
she raced back to the room, handing Harm the thermometer. "Jen - call
911, and get her slippers on her." He placed the sensor of the
electronic thermometer, a newer model Mac had insisted they have in the
apartment, in Mattie's ear as Jen picked up the phone in the room.
"Hello! We have a medical emergency! 15 year old teenage girl with flu
symptoms, high temp, and she's lost unconsciousness! We need an
ambulance at 150 Court Street, apartment 210! My name is Jennifer
Coates! Please hurry!!"
Harm listened to Jen on the phone as he worriedly waited for the
thermometer he held in Mattie's ear to beep, signalling it was finished
getting a reading on her temperature. The beep finally sounded, and
Harm turned it over to see the readout. "Damm! 103.1!" The first
sounds of the sirens came as Jen finished putting Mattie's slippers on
her, and Harm put the thermometer down and started picking her up. "I'm
going to move her to the couch for the paramedics .." He slid his arms
around the bundle of heat in his arms and gently lifted her to cradle
against him as he gently carried her to the living room. He heard
Mattie moan softly against him, and one arm slowly came up to wrap
around his neck. "Mattie? I'm here, sweetie - hang on!" He heard an
answering moan as the paramedics came down the hallway towards the open
door of the apt. Two medics bustled in, trailing a wheeled gurney after
them, and rushed over to the semiconscious girl being placed on the
couch. "Sir, please lay her down, now!" the older of the two ordered
Harm, as a younger woman unpacked instruments and opened up a tackle box
filled with medical supplies. The man, who introduced himself as Adams,
leaned over her and reached for Mattie's face, opening her eyelids and
flashing a penlight in her eyes.
"What's her name, sir, and who are you?" the woman, whose name was
Harris according to her name patch, asked...wrapping the blood pressure
pad she'd retrieved from her kit on Mattie's arm.
"Mattie .... she's my daughter, and this is her roommate, Jennifer
Coates. We woke up and found her like this, her temp's 103, and she
fainted two minutes ago before I moved her from her bedroom out here."
Adams put his stethoscope on and applied it to Mattie's chest after
taking her pulse.
"OK, sir, please back up now. She's burning up all right .... pulse
weak and thready .... pupils dilated and responsive ... Mattie, can you
hear me? My name's Adams, we're gonna help you, OK?" Mattie moaned,
slowly opened her eyes, and moved her head around, looking for Harm.
"Harmm?", she croaked out, searching for him with her watery eyes.
Harm stepped around to the back of the couch to stay out of the EMTs as
they worked on her, reaching down to take Mattie's free hand in his.
"I'm here, honey. Hang on, stay with us, all right?
Mattie struggled to keep her eyes open and trained on Harm, but they
could all tell she wasn't fully conscious. "'kayyyy ..... try .....",
she whispered back to him, and he smiled down at her.
"That's my girl. How is she?", he demanded.
Harris started talking, but after a second it was clear she was
reporting to Adams, rather than to answer Harm's question. "BP is 130
over 90 and rapid, skin is flushed, flu-like symptoms indicated." Adams
nodded, still listening to her chest as Harris pulled a hypodermic
needle and saline bag from the supplies.
"Watery sounds in her chest .... fluid looks like it's building up," he
replied. Harris nodded, and a minute later an oxygen mask was quickly
set on Mattie's face to get oxygen into her strained lungs. The EMTs
exchanged a glance before Adams looked up at Harm. "We're taking her to
the hospital right now, sir ... she's very dehydrated, so we're going to
hang a saline solution to get some fluid volume in her, and then we're
moving. She allergic to anything?"
"No .... nothing we know of."
"All right." Harris found a vein on Mattie's arm and slid the needle
in, then hung a saline bag on a hook attached to the gurney. Mattie had
apparently drifted off again, since she didn't seem to notice the needle
as it entered her arm. Harris bandaged the needle and nodded to Adams.
"Okay, sir, we're moving her onto the gurney now."
"We'll help."
"No, sir, sorry – fire department policy. We've got her." He picked
Mattie up and slid her gently onto the gurney as Harris held her legs,
then they began arranging the saline IV bag line, covering her with a
blanket, and buckling her down. Jen had slowly moved closer to Harm as
they worked on Mattie, leaning against him as the medics then raised the
gurney onto its' wheels and packed up their supplies. Harm wrapped an
arm around Jen, and whispered, "Jen ... can you follow us in the car?
I'm going with her." Jen slowly nodded, never taking her eyes from
Mattie's unconscious form.
"Jen? You ok?" Harm asked her when she didn't respond. She looked up at
him with tears rolling down her face, and she saw the tears in his.
Their hands quickly found each others', and with a squeeze, Jen nodded
up at him. "I'll...be right behind you", she whispered. Harm let her go
as she went to get into her coat. She was moving automatically, he saw,
but with awareness and determination. If she hadn't, then he wouldn't
let her drive herself to the hospital. He watched her for another
second, noticing that Adams was also carefully watching her, then
quickly shrugged into his coat, making sure his keys and cell phone were
in the pocket, then turned to follow Mattie and the medics as they
wheeled her out to the elevator.
Two minutes later, he was sitting next to Harris in the rear bay of the
ambulance with Mattie, holding her hand as they raced through the dark
streets towards the hospital...the headlights of Jen's car shining through
the rear windows of the ambulance cab as she followed them to the ER. He
watched the young girl he loved more than anything else as he listened
to the beep of the heart monitor and Harris' reporting her vitals and
other info over her headset radio to the ER staff at the hospital. He
closed his eyes for a second, and whispered a silent prayer.
"Please God, help her ...please let her be OK. I love her, and I need
her!"
Author: Chicmns
Date: 3/4/04
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None
Category: Drama, angst
Keywords: Drama, angst
Summary: Mattie comes down with a serious case of the flu. Mucho angst
(mostly from Harm) ensues.
Disclaimer: JAG and all of its' characters belong to Belisarius and
CBS. This story is for pure entertainment, and not for any profit to
me.
Dedication: To all the characters and fans of a great show, the folks
who take the time to read fan fiction, and to those who spend even more
time reviewing and responding. Thanks!
Author Notes: Takes place during the time period of season 9 of JAG.
Feedback: I'm not one of those authors who don't like it - positive,
negative, or indifferent. Everyone has different reactions, and those
reactions all have value in the end. If so inclined, feel free:
[email protected].
"Tested Hearts"
The F-22 Raptor plane felt like an extension of Harm's body as he
executed an inverted roll maneuver to get on the six of the Chinese Su-
19 pursuing him and his wingman over the Sea of Japan. Suddenly, the
entire cockpit shook as he came out of the turn, and it felt like a
giant hand landed on his shoulder, jostling him repeatedly. He was about
to ask his RIO for a status of the plane's systems when the shaking on
his shoulder returned, more insistent than before. The fingers of the
hand tightened on him, and he heard his name called out in a whisper.
"Commander?"
Funny .... his RIO, named "Skates" by the squadron, usually called him
either 'Sir' or 'Harm' while in the air ..... 'Commander' was just too
long a name to use during the mostly quick, instinctive movements needed
during supersonic flight.
"Harm?"
Now, that was better. Everything couldn't be in bad shape if Skates was
whispering to him in her soft contralto .... which was sounding more and
more like the voice of Petty Officer Coates, his daughter's roommate,
the Admiral's yeoman, and his friend/surrogate second daughter. The
shaking came back again, even more insistent this time. It was at this
moment that Commander Harmon Rabb began to realize that he might be
having a dream about flying, since he's never taken Coates up with him -
so how can she be in the RIO's seat?
So, if this was a dream, that insistent shaking and the warm fingers on
his shoulder meant that Coates wanted him to wake up for some reason.
Must be important .. like needing his credit card to take Mattie
shopping, or the two girls coming by his place to raid his fridge - as
the 'wolves', the nickname he'd given them when they were hungry and
looking for food - often did. Guess the only way to find out for sure
was to wake up enough to hear her out; before having her keelhauled for
interrupting a nice dream ...
"Jennifer .... if you guys are looking for food, leave me the mustard
for sandwiches later, OK? Going back to sleep now ..." Harm mumbled
into his pillow as he burrowed deeper beneath the warm comforter of his
bed.
"Harm ... wake up, please. There's something wrong ...."
Harm's eyes flashed open as he finally heard the panic in Coates' voice.
He also heard concern and ... fear? What was happening? He sleepily
looked around the darkened bedroom and rubbed his face, finally glancing
up to see Jen leaning over him, clad in her pajamas, with a look in her
large, dark eyes he'd never seen before.
"Jen ... what's wrong? What time is ..."
"It's about 0500, sir. Sorry to wake you like this, but I think
Mattie's very sick. Please get up!"
Mattie? Harm came awake immediately, and nearly knocked Jen over as he
leaped to his feet and reached for his robe. "What's wrong with her?"
They started moving towards Harm's open front door, left that way by Jen
when she came in to get him. Harm didn't even stop for slippers as he
strode barefoot down the hallway towards the apartment where Mattie and
Jen lived. She had to move quickly to keep up, her shaky voice echoing
in the quiet hallway. "I don't know, sir. She started coughing a
little right before bed, and I heard her coughing more through the
night. Then, a few minutes ago, I woke up when I heard a loud thump,
and went to check the apt. When I got to her door, I quietly went in to
check on her, and she was lying on the floor, shivering and sweating.
She fell out of bed, sir – that's what I heard! I tried to get her back
into bed, Harm, but ... she's shivering so much, and can't seem to catch
her breath. I think she has a fever, too, but I came to get you before
using the thermometer in the first aid kit you and the Colonel gave us
..."
Her voice drifted off as they went inside the apartment, and Harm turned
to her, sensing that he needed to calm Jen enough to take care of both
of them. "It'll be OK, Jen. Come on." They went to Mattie's room, and
Harm stopped in the open doorway to see a huddled mass shivering against
the bed, soft wheezing gasps coming from the direction of the pillow
titled over the edge of the mattress. The only light in the room was
coming from the street lamp through the window, so Harm reached for the
switch on the wall. When the light came on, he crossed the short
distance to the bed, whispering, "Mattie?" He was shocked at what he
saw once he'd pulled the soaked sheets away a little: Mattie seemed to
be sweating gallons and shaking in her drenched pajamas. Her flushed and
wet face turned towards him, as her wide unfocused eyes slowly looked
over his face.
"H ... Harm?" she gasped out softly between short, wheezing breaths, and
he heard Jen's sharp intake of air from behind him as she caught sight
of Mattie's shaking form under the bright light.
"Oh, sweetie ..... what's wrong?" Harm reached for her hand as Mattie
slowly raised hers, while his other hand went to cup her face. He
kneeled by her, and began to wipe the sweat from Mattie's flushed face.
"Noooottt ... feelingggg welllll ...", she answered after what looked
like a slow, painful swallow. Harm turned to Jen, who stood over his
shoulder. "Jen, get the thermometer from the kit, and my keys, shoes and
coat from my place, OK?" in his best command voice. There was no
answer, except a swish of a flannel robe as Jen ran back down the
hallway.
"Goinggg .... to get me .... some ice creammm, huhhh?" Mattie whispered
shakily to him as he pulled her to his chest. Harm smiled, and leaned
down to kiss her forehead while he waited for Jen to return. Oh my god,
she was so hot, he thought immediately.
"Not at 0500 in the morning, even for your weird diet...", he whispered
back, looking into her teary eyes. He could see the fear in them, and
held her gaze. "Everything's going to be fine, ok? I'm here, Mattie,
and I'll take care of you ... I promise."
"know ..... *cough* .... youu .... always k-kkeep your prom..... ises
.....", she whispered, as her eyes slowly closed and her fingers
tightened in his, then slowly relaxed.
"Mattie? Mattie!! Oh, god ... she's fainted! Jen!" Harm called out as
she raced back to the room, handing Harm the thermometer. "Jen - call
911, and get her slippers on her." He placed the sensor of the
electronic thermometer, a newer model Mac had insisted they have in the
apartment, in Mattie's ear as Jen picked up the phone in the room.
"Hello! We have a medical emergency! 15 year old teenage girl with flu
symptoms, high temp, and she's lost unconsciousness! We need an
ambulance at 150 Court Street, apartment 210! My name is Jennifer
Coates! Please hurry!!"
Harm listened to Jen on the phone as he worriedly waited for the
thermometer he held in Mattie's ear to beep, signalling it was finished
getting a reading on her temperature. The beep finally sounded, and
Harm turned it over to see the readout. "Damm! 103.1!" The first
sounds of the sirens came as Jen finished putting Mattie's slippers on
her, and Harm put the thermometer down and started picking her up. "I'm
going to move her to the couch for the paramedics .." He slid his arms
around the bundle of heat in his arms and gently lifted her to cradle
against him as he gently carried her to the living room. He heard
Mattie moan softly against him, and one arm slowly came up to wrap
around his neck. "Mattie? I'm here, sweetie - hang on!" He heard an
answering moan as the paramedics came down the hallway towards the open
door of the apt. Two medics bustled in, trailing a wheeled gurney after
them, and rushed over to the semiconscious girl being placed on the
couch. "Sir, please lay her down, now!" the older of the two ordered
Harm, as a younger woman unpacked instruments and opened up a tackle box
filled with medical supplies. The man, who introduced himself as Adams,
leaned over her and reached for Mattie's face, opening her eyelids and
flashing a penlight in her eyes.
"What's her name, sir, and who are you?" the woman, whose name was
Harris according to her name patch, asked...wrapping the blood pressure
pad she'd retrieved from her kit on Mattie's arm.
"Mattie .... she's my daughter, and this is her roommate, Jennifer
Coates. We woke up and found her like this, her temp's 103, and she
fainted two minutes ago before I moved her from her bedroom out here."
Adams put his stethoscope on and applied it to Mattie's chest after
taking her pulse.
"OK, sir, please back up now. She's burning up all right .... pulse
weak and thready .... pupils dilated and responsive ... Mattie, can you
hear me? My name's Adams, we're gonna help you, OK?" Mattie moaned,
slowly opened her eyes, and moved her head around, looking for Harm.
"Harmm?", she croaked out, searching for him with her watery eyes.
Harm stepped around to the back of the couch to stay out of the EMTs as
they worked on her, reaching down to take Mattie's free hand in his.
"I'm here, honey. Hang on, stay with us, all right?
Mattie struggled to keep her eyes open and trained on Harm, but they
could all tell she wasn't fully conscious. "'kayyyy ..... try .....",
she whispered back to him, and he smiled down at her.
"That's my girl. How is she?", he demanded.
Harris started talking, but after a second it was clear she was
reporting to Adams, rather than to answer Harm's question. "BP is 130
over 90 and rapid, skin is flushed, flu-like symptoms indicated." Adams
nodded, still listening to her chest as Harris pulled a hypodermic
needle and saline bag from the supplies.
"Watery sounds in her chest .... fluid looks like it's building up," he
replied. Harris nodded, and a minute later an oxygen mask was quickly
set on Mattie's face to get oxygen into her strained lungs. The EMTs
exchanged a glance before Adams looked up at Harm. "We're taking her to
the hospital right now, sir ... she's very dehydrated, so we're going to
hang a saline solution to get some fluid volume in her, and then we're
moving. She allergic to anything?"
"No .... nothing we know of."
"All right." Harris found a vein on Mattie's arm and slid the needle
in, then hung a saline bag on a hook attached to the gurney. Mattie had
apparently drifted off again, since she didn't seem to notice the needle
as it entered her arm. Harris bandaged the needle and nodded to Adams.
"Okay, sir, we're moving her onto the gurney now."
"We'll help."
"No, sir, sorry – fire department policy. We've got her." He picked
Mattie up and slid her gently onto the gurney as Harris held her legs,
then they began arranging the saline IV bag line, covering her with a
blanket, and buckling her down. Jen had slowly moved closer to Harm as
they worked on Mattie, leaning against him as the medics then raised the
gurney onto its' wheels and packed up their supplies. Harm wrapped an
arm around Jen, and whispered, "Jen ... can you follow us in the car?
I'm going with her." Jen slowly nodded, never taking her eyes from
Mattie's unconscious form.
"Jen? You ok?" Harm asked her when she didn't respond. She looked up at
him with tears rolling down her face, and she saw the tears in his.
Their hands quickly found each others', and with a squeeze, Jen nodded
up at him. "I'll...be right behind you", she whispered. Harm let her go
as she went to get into her coat. She was moving automatically, he saw,
but with awareness and determination. If she hadn't, then he wouldn't
let her drive herself to the hospital. He watched her for another
second, noticing that Adams was also carefully watching her, then
quickly shrugged into his coat, making sure his keys and cell phone were
in the pocket, then turned to follow Mattie and the medics as they
wheeled her out to the elevator.
Two minutes later, he was sitting next to Harris in the rear bay of the
ambulance with Mattie, holding her hand as they raced through the dark
streets towards the hospital...the headlights of Jen's car shining through
the rear windows of the ambulance cab as she followed them to the ER. He
watched the young girl he loved more than anything else as he listened
to the beep of the heart monitor and Harris' reporting her vitals and
other info over her headset radio to the ER staff at the hospital. He
closed his eyes for a second, and whispered a silent prayer.
"Please God, help her ...please let her be OK. I love her, and I need
her!"