Broken Things

Author: skbryne30

Email: skbryne30@yahoo.com

Rating: PG

Summary: Guardian/JAG Crossover

Author's Note:  Ok This is the first part of a who knows how many
series. It's a Guardian/JAG crossover thing. If you don't watch JAG I
think I may have written it so you don't have to.

Enough of that here's the story
~Sharon

--+--

            Lieutenant Colonel Sarah “Mac” Mackenzie parked her red
corvette outside the small brick building that belonged to the nearby
Presbyterian Church. She was still wearing her dress blues, a dead
giveaway that she was military. Usually she would have cared about that,
but not tonight. All she knew was she had to get inside quick.

            Mac slowly pushed open the heavy wooden door and looked at
the people assembled inside. Everyone was seated with his or her backs
to the door. Most of the people were front and center, except for one man.

            He was very well dressed, or at least he appeared to be,
from the back. When Mac got closer, she saw she was right. The man was
wearing a dark black, expensive suit, a crisp white shirt, and a blood
red tie. All in all, the ensemble complemented his good looks, blonde
hair and incredible blue eyes. He also looked as nervous as she felt,
Mac never liked going to these meetings outside of DC, but tonight she
needed it.

            Nick Fallin was slightly annoyed when the military woman sat
next to him. He even went as far as mumbling something about empty seats
other places in the room. At that remark she shot him an annoyed look
and strengthened her resolve to sit right where she was.

            Nick had to admit she was pretty, and there were definitely
people that would be much worse to have sit this close to you. She had
an olive complexion and auburn almost red hair. She was tall, he noticed
that before she sat down, and an officer in the Marine Corps. He wasn’t
sure what rank she was; he never paid attention when his dad told him
those things.

            Just then Phil, the man who ran the group, got up and stood
in front of everyone.

 

“Hi everybody, its nice to see a few new faces among us. Hope you’d like
to stay around for a while.” Nick swore he saw Marine Lady blush a
little. Phil continued, “OK well I guess we should introduce ourselves
first. I’ll go first. My name is Phil and I’m and alcoholic, I’ve been
sober for 12 years and I started this group to help any one who is
dependant on any substance.”

            Bit by bit the other fifteen or twenty people in the room
introduced themselves, most of the people were alcoholics, some were
there for nicotine addictions, pills, seemed like you could become
addicted to anything. Mac stood up and introduced herself to the group,
“Hi, my name is Sarah and I’m an alcoholic. I’ve been sober for about 14
years. I’m here because, I was really in the mood to break that record.”
Much to her surprise the man next to her didn’t stand up, he was
completely silent and just looked at her. No one else in the group
thought the man’s non-participation was odd so she just passed it off as
being nervous.

            Mac didn’t speak through much of the rest of the meeting;
she just sat back and listened. Every so often she’d glance over at the
well-dressed man. Most of the time he had his head down. His shoes
must’ve been very interesting. About halfway through, Phil gave everyone
a break, that’s when Mac heard the man speak clearly for the first time
since she arrived.

“Would umm…you like a cup of coffee?” he asked stammering a little.

“Sure, thanks Mr.?”

“Oh, Fallin, my name’s Nick Fallin.” After he heard himself speak his
full name, he’d realized what he’d done. “Well there goes the anonymity
rule.”

Mac smiled, “It’s ok, make you a deal, bring me that coffee, black, and
I’ll tell you my last name.”

Nick nodded and headed toward the coffee pot. He was happy she wasn’t as
annoyed at him as the look she gave him earlier made her seem to be. He
poured two cups of coffee. On his way back to his seat next to Sarah, he
noticed all of the other group members watching him. Sure they tried to
hide it, but they were amazed that the cold and distant Nick was
actually communicating with someone.

 

“Thanks” Mac said as she took the paper cup from Nick.

“You’re welcome. Now I believe we had a deal?” he smiled at her.

“Yes, we did. Mackenzie”

            Just as Nick was about to say something more, Phil got up
and continued on with the meeting. Toward the end, Nick heard the door
close but thought nothing of it. Sarah was still sitting next to him. He
felt increasingly comfortable around her, even though they only spoke
briefly. The meeting adjourned and Nick was just about to ask Sarah
something when he heard the voice of his Community Service supervisor
Alvin Masterson.

 

“Hey Nick everything ok?”

“Yeah fine. Alvin, Look I. —“ Nick saw Mac walk out the door.

“You’re sure.”

“Yes. Look I need to go. I’m meeting a friend after this.”

“Ok Nick see you at the office.”

“Night Alvin.”

 

            Nick quickly picked up his briefcase and headed out the
door. He hoped he would catch the pretty Sarah Mackenzie; also known to
Alvin as “the friend he’s meeting”. He practically ran out the door of
the building looking for her. He found her too, standing outside of a
red corvette on a cell phone. He heard the tale end of her conversation
as he approached her car. He wasn’t exactly sure why he was walking
toward her, just felt right.

 

“No Harm, it’s ok. — No I’m not really in a position to make a big deal
out of it. —Yes I’m fine with it. — Look Harm hang up the phone. It’s
over ok. Just let it be, Night Harm.”

Nick heard a small crying sound when she flipped the cell phone closed.
He was amazed at how quickly her mood had changed. Just a few minutes
ago she was happy, now she wasn’t. Whoever that was that was on the
other end of the phone, meant something to her and whatever was just
said wasn’t good.

 

“Sarah, is everything ok?” he asked in his most concerned tone.

“Nick!” she exclaimed wondering how much of her little display he’d just
seen. “Yeah” she swallowed, “everything’s fine, just, fine.”  

Nick could tell that she didn’t want to talk about it anymore, so he
decided to change the topic of conversation. “This may seem totally out
of line since we just met, but I haven’t eaten yet. Would you like to
join me?”

            Mac thought about his offer for a second. At least spending
time with Nick would get her mind off her partner and friend Harmon Rabb
Jr., and the events of the night that led her to this point. “Sure.”

“Ok follow me. I’m the sliver BMW over there.”

“Alright.”

 

            In her car on her way to God knows where, Mac thought about
what she was doing. She was following a man she met at of all places, a
substance abuse support group, to somewhere, to have something to eat.
The activities seemed harmless enough but who knows what was going to
happen. Oh well, she thought, I’m a Marine. If he tries anything he’ll
just wind up with my heel in his throat. 

            After about five minutes of driving, Nick’s silver BMW
pulled into a parking lot of a place called “The Incline”. Mac parked
right next to him and met him at his door.

 

“Well this is it. Sorry it’s a bar, one of the few places that’s open.”

“It’s ok. I’ve survived many meals at bars during the past fourteen years.”

 

            Nick led the way to a small table in a dark, rear, corner of
the bar. It was out of the way, best part; no one else could really hear
what you were saying. They made small talk before the waitress came to
take drink and food orders. Right before the waitress came with the
food, Mac saw Nick’s gaze focus on a couple that just entered the bar a
petite brunette and a taller blonde man.

 

“You like her.”

“What?!” he was genuinely surprised.

“You heard me.”

“How the hell could you’ve known that?”

“Remember the phone call? I get that same look. But there’s really
nothing we can do about it is there? Especially after he asks her to
marry him.”

“Or is married to him.”

 

The waitress put two plates of food in front of them. After the first
few bites, Nick asked the next question.

 

“So now that we’ve managed to reveal that intimate detail of or lives,
what do you do? I mean specifically, not just ‘I’m a Marine’”

“I’m a lawyer, Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps.”

“JAG right? Wasn’t there some television coverage on a case about a year
ago? It was a big deal even in the civilian law area.”

“You saw that?”

“Bits and pieces. I wasn’t personally interested. Murder isn’t my
specialty.”

“So I guess you’re a lawyer too?”

“Yeah, corporate law. I used to work in New York, now here in
Pittsburgh, for my father’s firm, Fallin and Associates.”

“I’ve heard of that firm. I did a brief stint in civilian law. Scared
the shit out of the man I was working for, that he would have to go up
against Burton Fallin in court. Civilian law wasn’t for me though, I
need to be in a courtroom, not writing endless briefs.”

“Yeah the courtroom does add an edge to it.”

            They exchanged some more talk about their careers when they
were interrupted by the petite brunette that walked into the bar with
her husband some forty minutes earlier.

 

“Hi Nick.”

“Hi Lulu. Sarah, this is Lulu Archer, she works with me at Children’s
Legal Services.”

Mac shot him a questioning look. Then shook hands with Lulu. “Anyway,
Brian and I were just heading home and I figured I’d come over and say
hello. See you tomorrow at work Nick.”

“Night Lulu.”

Mac smiled. Then waited until Lulu and her husband were out of earshot.
“I thought you worked corporate law.”

“I do.” Then he figured he’d have to tell her sometime. “The reason I
work for CLS and that I go to that meeting, it’s a drug conviction. I
was busted for cocaine possession. A $10,000 fine and 1,500 hours of
community service is my sentence.” Nick suddenly became very self
conscious and nervous, more like he was at the meeting, less like he was
ten minutes ago. “I umm…almost lost everything I’ve worked my whole life
for. I don’t—I don’t really like to talk about it.”

“No one does. I mean I almost lost it cause he asked someone to marry
him. We all have moments where we break down. Not everyone is as strong
as we make ourselves appear to be. It could be broken hearts, broken
dreams, broken families, anything. For me it’s 2 out of 3.” Mac thought
to herself, What am I doing? I don’t know this man and I’m telling him
everything about me.

“Me too.”

 

            Just then Mac caught the look that she saw when he saw Lulu,
but this time directed at her. The scary thing was she knew she was
giving him the same look. She couldn’t do this right now, and decided
the best thing to do was to go back to the hotel and cool off.

 

“Nick, I better go, it’s almost midnight, and I have a long drive back
to DC tomorrow.”

“Yeah, umm let me walk you out.”

 

            Nick got up and pulled out her chair, helping her up. They
walked out of the bar together. Nick stopped in back of their cars, took
out a business card, scrawled something on the back and handed it to her.

 

“If you’re ever back in Pittsburgh, give me a call.”

“Same goes for you, if you’re ever in Washington.” Mac handed him her card.

 

As they were getting into their cars, Mac heard the end of a song coming
from the bar:

 

See how easy - things can break?
If it’s crooked,
Make it straight
Do you love me?
I can’t tell
Pick up pieces
& make me well

In this house of broken things
Everyone could use some help
Will you help me fix myself?

 

I am fixing broken things
Everybody celebrate
Now I got my business straight

 

She owned the CD that was from, and she’d never really understood what
the singer was singing about.  Now perhaps she’d found someone to
finally make everything ok.

 

THE END