Dislcaimers in part 1. Thank you for your comments. Also belated, (by one day) birthday to David James Elliott.

Epilogue

Mac left the Kaneohe Marine Base intent on making it to the bakery before they closed, Alec's fifth birthday was coming up and it had become a family tradition to get their birthday cakes at the bakery located close to the Roberts home. Their previous home, she reminded herself, as they had recently moved to Naples Florida after her father's death so that Bud could take the reins of the company Roland Sims had inherited from his father.

When Mac had returned from maternity leave she'd spent the first week with COMSUBPAC until she received new orders, she was transferred to the Kaneohe Marine Base, where she worked as the legal advisor to the base commander. It was different than working with JAG, but she found that she loved the challenges that came with the job. And it was nice being among Marines full time, instead being one of a few Marines stationed in with Naval personnel. She occasionally reminded Harm of the fact, to his annoyance.

Alec was enjoying kindergarten, and Valerie was enjoying second grade. Lily, Thomas' daughter had moved back to the island after graduation, and was also staying at the estate, she'd become a teacher and worked at the kids' school as a sixth grade teacher, so they had no problems with transportation to school.

It was apparent that both Rabb children had inherited the height gene, as they were both the tallest in their class, something that Valerie was not too sure she cared for. Thankfully, Mac had gone through some of the same issues so she was able to guide her daughter through that emotional minefield. (A.N. My problem was the opposite, almost always the smallest in the class.)

Pulling into the parking lot of the bakery, Mac parked the car, and walked into the bakery. She saw a familiar face. "TC, I didn't expect to see you here, I thought you were still in LA visiting that new grandbaby of yours."

"Just got in an hour ago, we knew we'd be gone for a few weeks, so the cupboard is a little bare, I got bakery duty." TC Calvin said as the clerk said his order was ready. "We're still planning on making it to the party tomorrow. I'm still on vacation, until Monday."

"I'll tell Tom, you're back, and plan to see you then." Mac said as she waited her turn. Within minutes, she had the cake in the trunk of the car and was headed to the store for the last of the errands that related to the birthday party.

Matt O'Hara had found an apartment on the island of Kauai and was expected be at the party the next day, Trish and Frank would wait for his plane to arrive before driving out to the estate.

After the children were in bed, Harm and Mac took a walk along the beach, something that they tried to do several times a week. "I talked with Tom about us coming back here, if we do get transferred again, before we retire."

"What did he say?" Mac asked, though she was pretty sure of the answer.

"He practically insisted we stay here. Other than my Mom and Lily, he doesn't have any family left."

"I love it here; I always hate it when we have to leave for TAD assignments." Mac admitted.

"Me too, and I've looked into what I want to do once I get my thirty years in. Maybe I'll get certified in helicopters and join TC. Who knows? But I have five years to decide, plenty of time."

"I still plan to put my thirty in, as well. I've told you before, but I don't miss the day to day machinations that I dealt with at JAG, and dealing with clients or some of the other attorneys we had to deal with on a daily basis."

"Instead you get to deal with Rabb and MacKenzie the next generation." Harm said laughing. Valerie and Alec were typical siblings, but seemed to argue with each other passionately. Harm had apologized to the retired AJ, after hearing a rather lengthy and impassioned debate between the then four year old and his older sister.

Harm found that he liked the administrative aspects of the job, for the most part, but missed the give and take of trying a case. One of the things of his agenda of things he might do after his retirement was going into private practice.

Mattie would have loved to be at the birthday party, but there was no way since she was stationed on the Stennis currently in the middle of the Pacific. She'd given her little brother his birthday present early, just before the ship left Honolulu three weeks previous. Harm had a long talk with Mattie before she left on the cruise, she had a steady boyfriend, who was not in the military, but supported her choice of career. Josh Pendry had acquiesced to his mother's issues that he not go to the Academy, but he'd intentionally made sure that upon his graduation from the University of Maryland, that he get a job with a defense contractor. Annie had not been pleased according to Josh, but as he put it to his mother. "I'm grown up now, Mom, there is not one thing you can do about it." Harm was glad to here they were taking it slow, and were not even considering marriage until after her next tour of duty was completed.

"Yep, life with them is never dull, I give you that." Mac snuggled closer to Harm as they walked back to the house.

"I had to talk with Creswell, and he told me, and I can tell you. He's planning to retire in June. I think he was putting feelers out to see if I was at all interested in the job."

"Well are you?" Mac stopped, when she heard that.

"No, much as I complain about the paperwork I have to deal with at Pearl, it is a drop in the bucket compared to what I'd deal with being the big cheese. I'll stay a little cheese thank you very much." Harm said giving his wife a kiss as they entered the main house. A few minutes later they sat out on the lanai enjoying the sunset, something they would never take for granted.

Both Harm and Mac were glad they were traveling the road of life together, even if they had taken separate routes for far too long. Now they would grow old together, gracefully.

PAU ----THE END ------FINIS