"I have one more order of business." "With the CNO and commandant's blessing," "SECNAV is standing up a prototype Joint Legal Service Center:" "Navy and Marine lawyers in the field under one command." "Colonel MacKenzie, you've been selected for command of that unit." "Your orders." "Sir, I-I don't know what to say." "It's Joint Legal Services Center, Southwest." "You'll be stationed in San Diego." "Well, that's only a five-hour flight." "I wouldn't make my vacation plans just yet, Commander." "I hope you like Yorkshire pudding." "Force Judge Advocate, Naval Forces Europe?" "You'll be stationed in London." "You have two days' travel, four days' proceed." "By the way, it's a..." "it's a captain's billet." "The 0-6 board just reported out." "Frocking's been approved." "Congratulations, Captain Rabb." "That'll be all." "You are going to be the Navy's senior lawyer in Europe, Commander..." "Captain." "That is the steppingstone for the Judge Advocate General." "Um, I have no intention of resigning quite yet," "Commander Roberts." "Oh, yes, sir, uh, of course." "No, not-not for a long time." "Maybe never." "You're authorized to, uh, choose your staff." "No one is off limits." "The same for you, Colonel." "Just don't duke it out in public." "This'll take some getting used to." "Old habits die hard." "What just happened?" "Well, your world got turned upside down." "And yours didn't, Captain?" "Captain." "I like the sound of that." "Don't worry." "Your turn's coming." "Don't be condescending." "I was trying to be supportive." "We both knew that this day might happen." "Your elevation to greatness?" "Our separation." "San Diego's what, about 6,000 miles from London?" "5,489." "That's ten and a half hours' flying time." "A lot of decisions need to be made." "And I'm not talking about staffing decisions." "We have three days, Captain." "What does the general want, Coates?" "No clue, sir." "Which one do you want?" "Do you want to go with the colonel or the commander?" "Oh, I find the colonel a little easier to work with." "You probably wouldn't be alone in that sentiment." "How 'bout you?" "I guess I'll stay here." "It's what I know how to do, you know?" "What are you so afraid of?" "Why don't you take a chance, try something new?" "I'll let the general know you're here, Lieutenant." "Lieutenant Vukovic is here, sir." "Send him in, Petty Officer." "You wanted to see me, sir?" "I did." "Have a seat." "I just got a call from the commanding general of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island." "Uh, seems he has a problem with Recruit Walter Evans." "The recruit went UA twice." "Both times, PMO picked him up in the middle of the night outside the barracks area covered with mud from the swamp." "When asked where he'd been, he replied, "Out killing the enemy. "" "Is he a nutcase, sir?" "Unknown." "Uh, after the first UA incident, he received non-judicial punishment and incentive training." "Does he have what it takes to make a good Marine?" "He was the guide in his platoon." "I bet he isn't anymore." "Not after two UAs." "That's correct, Lieutenant." "He's in the brig." "Now, I need you to go to Parris Island, help sort this thing out." "What is there to sort out, sir?" "It sounds like a boilerplate administrative discharge to me." "Let the paperwork be handled by the base administration." "I've had a request from Recruit Evans' series commander, endorsed by the CG, that I send a lawyer from this office." "I'm honoring that request." "I expect you to report to Parris Island TAD as instructed, investigate the matter and ensure the best outcome." "Understood, Lieutenant?" "Yes, sir." "Hey, Commander." "Hey, Bud." "How's the family?" "Oh, they're fine, sir." "How's your leg?" "Oh, nothing I can't handle." "Say, uh, you ever been to London?" "No, sir" " I hear it is pretty expensive." "Well, not if the Navy's paying." "From what I understand, they ship your household goods, your car." "They arrange for quarters until you find something you like better..." "You know, you're going to be missed, sir." "JAG just won't be the same without you." "How'd you like to go to London, Bud?" "I need an assistant Force Judge Advocate." "And there's no one else I'd rather have for the position than you." "Well, I-I'd-I'd have to..." "think about it, sir." "Okay, I've thought about it." "Yes!" "I would love to, Commander!" "You'd better talk to Harriet first." "Oh, well, she's always wanted to go to London, and it'd be a great education for the kids." "Be a good career move." "Thank you, sir." "You earned it, Bud." "Colonel, may I?" "San Diego." "What about it?" "I like it out there." "No." "Ma'am, I-I-I don't understand..." "You heard what I said." "I do not want you in my command." "That's a little cold, ma'am." "Well, that's the way it has to be." "You're not the kind of lawyer that I want on my staff, period." "I win my cases, Colonel." "Yeah, it's how you win your cases that bothers me, Lieutenant." "You-you have a gift for finding overlooked evidence or missing witnesses, not always in the most ethical manner." "So I'm being penalized for going the extra mile?" "There's nothing wrong with going the extra mile." "It just depends on the road you're taking." "Well, is there anything I can do to change your mind, ma'am?" "No." "I'm going to Parris Island for a few days." "I'd like to discuss this when I get back." "Do you ever take no for an answer?" "Well, if I did that, think of all the fun I would've missed." "I'd rather not." "Good-bye, Lieutenant." "Are you going to miss Captain Rabb, ma'am?" "It's just I-I heard the two of you were close." "Shut the door on your way out, Lieutenant." "I didn't ask how close, I..." "Good!" "Because it's none of your business." "Still, eight, nine years, I mean..." "This is not a conversation" "I intend to have with you, Lieutenant." "My apologies, Colonel." "It's... just that I assumed after your experiences in Okinawa..." "Do you want to face a charge of disrespect to a senior officer?" "No, ma'am." "I don't." "What happened in Okinawa was a mistake." "A youthful indiscretion?" "Exactly." "Because Colonel Farrow was in the same command as you were, and yet you've built a stellar career for yourself, proof that youthful indiscretion isn't always fatal." "Which is the very reason why I hope you'll reconsider my request to accompany you to San Diego." "Ma'am." "Do you have a moment, sir?" "I do." "Have a seat." "Sir, I want you to know how much I've enjoyed working with you." "Then why do you want to request orders to San Diego, Petty Officer?" "You've had something on your mind all day." "I'm not even sure if the colonel would want me, sir." "She'd be a fool not to." "That's kind of you to say." "Nothing kind about it." "It's the truth." "Being here at JAG was a fresh start for me, and I just..." "I think I'm ready for the next step... with your blessing, of course." "Well, go speak to Colonel MacKenzie." "I'm sure she'll let me know the outcome." "Let's just leave our hats at the door here for a moment." "I want to ask you a question." "Yes, sir?" "Do you think Colonel MacKenzie sees this opportunity as the next step, as a chance to start over?" "Are you referring to the fact that you just put 6,000 miles between the colonel and Commander Rabb, sir?" "I am." "Well, let's just when their offices were 20 feet apart, they couldn't communicate." "Now there are eight time zones between them." "I think a fresh start is their only chance at happiness, sir." "Hmm." "Harm." "Never got a chance to congratulate you." "That sounded sincere, Sturgis." "Why wouldn't it be?" "Well, you were qualified for the position." "Not according to the promotion board." "Your shot'll come." "I'll see to it." "Maybe I'll be JAG after you." "Well, you're now the next senior man to the general." "Along with Bud." "Thank you." "I'll see you, Captain." "Good luck." "Bud." "Hey, you got a minute?" "Oh, uh, Harriet's waiting for me downstairs." "My car's in the shop." "Oh." "Can you hold the...?" "Hey, I-I'll walk you out." "Um, Bud, I'd like you to consider coming with me to San Diego." "I'm going to need a blue suit XO." "That is really flattering, ma'am." "But...?" "The commander got to you first, didn't he?" "He did." "And you said yes?" "Uh, pending a conversation with Harriet, but I can't imagine she'd say no." "No!" "I'm sorry." "That-that came out wrong." "Did you tell the commander you'd go?" "Well, I didn't tell him that I wouldn't go." "I thought you always wanted to see London." "That was four babies ago." "And I'm just surprised that Colonel MacKenzie didn't ask you." "Well, she just did." "And you turned her down?" "Well, I-I told her I'd been offered another billet." "Well, it is your decision." "You know, when the commander offered me the job," "I was just so flattered..." "Who wouldn't be?" "And I'm just glad he recognizes how valuable you are." "I just got so excited," "I didn't put enough thought into it." "I mean, it is a big move, and we love our house, and our kids go to school here, and..." "I think we should stay put." "Do you agree?" "If that's what you want." "I'll talk to the commander." "You have an uncanny knack for always making the right decision." "Afternoon, Admiral." "Afternoon." "Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb..." "Major Sarah MacKenzie." "Mac." "Harm." "You're going to be okay, Mac." "I'm going to get you through this." "I promise." "You're being driven by emotions, and those emotions are going to get us killed." "You can quit." "I can't." "My father is out there somewhere, and I'm going to find him." "Or die trying." "Or die trying." "But you shouldn't." "You've come with me farther than anyone I know." "I'll never forget that, Mac." "I have so much I want to say to you, but I can't..." "I can't find the words." "I know." "Damn you." "Why am I the only one crying?" "Gregory Vukovic, JAG Corps, reporting as ordered, sir." "Take a seat, Lieutenant." "What do you know about the case?" "That twice Recruit Evans went out into the swamp, and twice he was brought back the next morning, covered in mud, saying he'd been out" ""killing the enemy. "" "That's about it." "Except that we determined he did not, in fact, kill anyone." "What can you tell me about Recruit Evans personally, sir?" "He arrived on the bus from Charleston with the other recruits." "Stood on the yellow footprints, got his head shaved and was issued all his gear." "In other words, not much." "Since then has he been training well, sir?" "His mysterious behavior aside, the kid could be a good Marine." "But there's clearly a problem here." "Find out what it is." "Report back to me." "Understood, Lieutenant?" "Aye, sir." "Oh." "My apologies, General." "Carry on." "Yes, sir." "Uh, Midshipman Roberts." "Sir?" "I understand you had a little set-to with my daughter." "Well, we-we worked it out, General." "Mm." "Exactly what did you work out?" "An interpretation of the rules of paintball, sir." "Were you in the right?" "Yes, I was, General, but Cammie, your daughter," "Midshipman Cresswell, made a very good case." "She has everything it takes to be an awesome lawyer, sir." "Hmm." "Why do you think that?" "She has a way of interpreting the rules to her advantage, General." "Kind of bending the facts." "I see." "When it comes to my daughter, I have my own set of rules." "Rules of engagement." "Do you get my meaning, Midshipman?" "Yes, sir!" "Carry on." "What were you talking to the general about?" "Uh, Cammie." "His daughter." "Are you crazy?" "The General is my CO, and you're messing around with his daughter?" "Bud..." "I'm not messing around with the midshipman, okay?" "I just happen to be in love with her." "No, you're not." "Yes, I am." "Well, fall out of love." "Cammie and I have been spending a lot of time together." "Okay, I'm as serious as I can be under the circumstances." "Okay, I-I-I..." "I" " I don't want to know about this." "I can't know about this." "Please..." "leave." "Thank you so much for having lunch with me." "I know how busy you must be." "Oh, come on." "You and Bud are among my oldest friends." "It's going to be hard not seeing you." "Well, you're going to enjoy London." "Oh, no." "London's out of the question." "You said no?" "Well, Bud made the decision." "But you helped?" "Well, like most men, sooner or later, he came to his senses." "Not all of them do." "Did, uh... did Bud tell you that I..." "I asked him to go to San Diego?" "Mm-hmm." "And?" "Well, better than London, but again, I... we can't." "I'm sorry, no." "You have a life here." "Well, it's more than that." "Tell me." "Well, it's something I can't discuss with Bud, so it's just between you and me?" "Of course." "Bud still needs monitoring, and Bethesda's one of the best hospitals in the world." "Yeah, Balboa has a state-of-the-art facility." "I know." "But they know him here." "And his therapists, doctors- I just trust them all." "Mm, I understand." "Sometimes I forget about Bud's leg." "So does he." "And then he pushes too hard, takes on more than he should." "Well, I've never heard him complain." "Oh, and you never will." "So I have to be his conscience." "Sometimes I think, you know, he feels good knowing that I'm there for him, you know?" "I think he's lucky to have you." "Any man's lucky to have any woman." "Amen to that." "So you looking forward to San Diego?" "Mm." "You know, I can't wait." "Here you are." "I wish I had your confident approach to life." "Well, sometimes I wish I had your life." "Oh, wow." "I guess it has its charms." "I mean, I can say this for motherhood." "I know what I'm going to be doing for the next 20 years." "Mm." "Carpools, band practice, soccer games." "Whee..." "I don't know what I'm going to be doing 20 minutes from now." "Now doesn't that bother you?" "Sometimes." "Mostly, I find it exhilarating." "Mm, I'm looking forward to whatever life throws at me." "You're amazing." "Thanks for taking the time to meet with me, Lieutenant." "No problem." "General Rossing filled me in on the facts." "I'm fairly certain there's one he left out." "Recruit Evans' mother arrived half an hour ago." "It turns out she reported him missing six weeks ago." "An Amber Alert was issued." "Amber Alert?" "I thought they were for missing children." "They are." "Evans is 16." "You're kidding." "Did you request a birth certificate?" "His mother had it with her." "How did he enlist?" "You ever sign your parent's name on your report card, Lieutenant?" "So Junior forged his mom's signature?" "And presented the recruiter with an altered birth certificate and high school diploma." "Well, the kid's enterprising." "I'll give him that." "Mrs. Evans would like to meet with the both of us, sir." "The sooner the better." "Commander Rabb." "Hey, Midshipman Roberts." "May I join you, sir?" "Unless you're waiting for someone." "No, I'm on my own." "Have a seat." "Thank you, sir." "Busy, huh?" "Not too busy." "I'm just dividing up some case files." "What's on your mind?" "Have you ever been in love?" "If you're looking for relationship advice, Mikey, you should talk to your brother." "Yeah." "Well, I tried that, sir, but Bud doesn't want to talk to me about it." "Why not?" "Uh, it-it concerns General Cresswell's daughter." "Have you lost your mind?" "Pretty much, sir." "Does she know how you feel about her?" "I haven't talked to her about it." "Well, I understand that helps, Mike." "Does she, uh, feel the same way about you?" "I think Cammie likes me at least a little." "Well, here's my advice to you, Mike." "Talk to her." "Open up." "Let her know how you feel." "Thank you for the advice, sir." "Good luck, Captain." "You, too." "I knew I should have gotten my own room." "What?" "I'd forgotten how beautiful you are." "You resign your commission, and you travel 5,000 miles to find me and damn near get killed." "Well, riddle me this, fly boy." "Why?" "I think you know why." "Five years from this moment if neither of us is in a relationship, we'll go have us a kid." "You and me?" "Have a baby together?" "Yeah." "Your looks and my brains, he'll be... perfect." "Don't make a promise you can't keep." "Mac, you have someone who will always love you." "And you have somebody that loves you." "My husband was killed January 4, 2002 during an ambush in Khost, Afghanistan." "We're sorry for your loss, ma'am." "Not nearly so sorry as I am." "Walter was 13 at the time." "It's an impressionable age." "He took it hard." "His grades started to slip and he stopped seeing his friends and people he'd been close to his whole life." "Spent a lot of time reading in his room." "Marine Corps manuals, history of the Corps..." "All he talked about was becoming a Marine." "That's not something I imagine you would want to encourage." "Hardly." "I had already lost his father." "I couldn't bear the thought of losing my son." "As I said, a change came over him, and then..." "one night he was gone." "Did he leave a note?" "No." "Nothing." "I thought something terrible had happened to him." "Is that when you issued the Amber Alert?" "Yes." "It never occurred to me that he could talk his way past a recruiter." "He's a pretty smart kid." "Yes, he is." "Lieutenant Boyette and I have talked, ma'am." "We've agreed to chalk this up to youthful indiscretion." "Your son's free to go." "He told me that he's not coming home with me." "That he's staying here." "That's not possible." "Well, you don't know my son." "He's like his father." "Once he gets something in his head..." "I need your help." "Please." "Otherwise, I'm going to lose him." "Well, we'll do what we can, ma'am." "Thank you." "Oh, Commander." "I've given some serious thought to our discussion yesterday." "Oh, you spoke to Harriet." "Excellent." "Well, mainly, she listened while I talked myself out of it, sir." "Well, I'm sorry to hear that, Bud." "So was I, sir, when I heard the words coming out of my mouth." "I" " I-I'm really very honored that you asked me and I would love to work with you, Commander." "And the idea of going to London, that wasn't half bad either." "But... right now, our life is here, sir." "I understand, Bud." "Some other time." "I didn't do anything wrong, sir." "You went UA, recruit." "Twice." "What were you trying to accomplish?" "Extra training." "Night work in the swamp." "Who exactly were you killing?" "One of our Dls said that our enemies are all around us, sir." "But you didn't actually kill anyone." "No, sir." "Did you discharge your weapon?" "No, sir." "At times like that, our training says you go to the knife." "I did what I was being trained to do, sir:" "hunt the enemy." "I want to be the best Marine I can be, sir." "And you may be that one day, Evans." "Just not today and not tomorrow." "The good news is you won't have to face court-martial." "Why not, sir?" "Because you're not old enough to be a Marine, therefore you're not subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice." "Sir, look at my uniform." "I am a Marine." "You didn't graduate from boot camp." "Now, your personal effects are going to be returned to you and you're going to be authorized to return home to Ohio with your mother." "Sir, the Marine Corps's my home." "My fellow Marines, they're my family now." "I've spoken to your mother." "Tell her I'm sorry, Lieutenant." "I've tried that." "She doesn't understand why you don't want to go home." "'Cause everyone will laugh at me, sir." "Why would they do that?" "They'll think I washed out of boot camp, sir." "And Mommy had to come get me." "No one's going to see it that way, Walt." "I think most people would be impressed." "Look what you did." "You lied your way into the Marine Corps." "You worked the system." "You convinced a Marine general that you had the right stuff." "Marines are taught to think on their feet, improvise and adapt, and you did just that." "My father didn't raise me to "work the system," sir." "Or to lie to recruiters." "No, of course he didn't." "And it was wrong." "Brilliant, but wrong." "I thought you'd be mad at me, sir." "Why?" "They made you come all the way down here from DC." "Well, that's how much the general thinks of you." "Look at it this way." "In two years you're going to be 18." "You're free to enlist then." "They'll never take me, sir" " I have a record." "Of wanting to be a Marine more than anything else." "I don't think they're going to hold that against you." "Just let me handle it, okay?" "And my mother?" "She just wants you to come home." "You sure you can fix this, sir?" "Absolutely." "I need some advice." "Good, 'cause, uh, I need yours." "What are you doing about the lease on your apartment?" "That's what you wanted to talk to me about?" "Real estate?" "Yeah." "I'm subletting." "You remember Varese?" "Yeah, that was the woman Turner was dating." "Well, still is." "Who knew?" "Anyway, she's coming to DC for a few months, see how things go with Sturgis." "Oh, what about her career?" "She's booked six nights a week at the One Step Down." "She's kind of like the house chanteuse." "So what about your apartment?" "Well, I offered it to Coates, but she's not interested in staying in the building." "Yeah, the neighborhood never seems the same once your roommate tries to kill you." "Have you, uh, you talked to Mattie?" "Yeah, that was the first call I made." "She told you to go?" "Yes." "What'd you say?" "I told her I wasn't going anywhere without her." "We're still waiting for the juvenile court to rule on it." "However, her father is not contesting it, so..." "You're a good dad." "What about your cases?" "Who's getting them?" "Well, I'm giving Bud his choice." "He, uh, finally told you he's not going?" "Well, you know, once Harriet makes his mind up, that's pretty much it." "I'll probably stick Turner with the dogs." "Mm, you're all heart." "Ooh, Lieutenant Wilson, Petty Officer Lyons..." "Ensign..." "Do you mind?" "Funny, I didn't see Vukovic's name there." "Nah, I don't want him." "You could take him to London." "Not my type." "Nor mine." "You know, I wouldn't dismiss him out of hand, Mac- he did a fair job on that case we worked on together." "Might come in handy." "That's odd, coming from you." "You afraid of him?" "I could bend him like a pretzel." "Oh, yeah?" "He might like that." "So, uh..." "were you ready for all this?" "Were you?" "Well, I've been dreading it for a while, but now that it's here, it doesn't seem so bad." "I'm just taking it one day at a time." "I still don't understand why you can't just send him home to Ohio." "He refuses to go, sir." "What do you mean he refuses?" "It's a clear case of fraudulent enlistment." "Spank him, then put him on the bus." "Sir, he believes that he is truly a Marine." "He will not go home with his mother." "I, um..." "I need your advice, General." "His father died in combat." "That's a heavy burden for a young man." "Probably sees this as a way to honor the memory of his father." "That's very insightful, sir." "Keep in mind the Marines aren't like the other services." "That's becoming more apparent to me each day, sir." "Any suggestions, General?" "I don't want to embarrass Recruit Evans, or his mother, or the Marine Corps." "Think outside the box, Lieutenant." "That is your specialty, isn't it?" "But..." "Easy for you to say." "Well..." "You're going to love London, Dad." "You know, they wrote "eternity"" "on this bridge in lights on New Year's Eve." "Is that how long we're going to wait?" "Mac..." "We're not in Washington." "We're not even on the same continent." "I know." "But you still can't let go." "Not yet." "You're just this way with me, aren't you?" "Yeah." "Only with you." "I want you to know that, uh... if you want to have a baby, in the future, the offer still holds." "I mean, we could do it together, like we planned." "I also know that I have given a lot of thought to the kind of man that I would want to be the father of my children if I ever..." "Commander Rabb is that kind of man, Your Honor." "I don't have a clue what I want." "I just know what I don't want." "I'm tired of dissecting relationships." "The minute you start dissecting something, the damn thing is dead." "So don't talk to Clay." "Talk to me." "I appreciate the offer." "But?" "There's so much more to talk about than just Webb." "Well, Mac... when you're ready, let me know, huh?" "We are gathered here to honor" "Recruit Walter Evans." "He's only been with the Marine Corps a few short weeks." "But in that time, he has distinguished himself in the same way that his father," "Sergeant Major Silers Evans, distinguished himself." "I had the privilege of knowing both father and son." "Your father was a fine man, and an outstanding Marine." "His death was a loss for us all, but most of all, for you and your mother." "In your time here, Recruit Evans," "I've seen in you the same qualities that I saw in your father:" "same dedication, same hard work." "But I messed up, sir." "We all do, son, sometime." "Captain?" "Aye, aye, sir." "Recruit Evans, front and center." "Attention to Orders." "Recruit Evans, for your loyalty and esprit de corps, for the period 15 March to 26 April 2005, on behalf of the Commandant of the Marine Corps," "I present you with this certificate that proclaims you to be an honorary Marine." "You are therefore officially discharged from service and ordered to return without delay to your home of record." "And we want you to know that when the time is right, you will be welcomed back, provided you return home with your mother tomorrow." "And I am sure that, with hard work and good behavior, you will be able to persuade her to give her blessing on a career in the United States Marine Corps." "This is an order, Recruit." "Aye, aye, sir." "Thank you, sir." "Semper fi." "You have no idea how much this means to both of us." "I think maybe we do, ma'am." "Walt, we have some paperwork to do." "Thank you for everything, sir." "Ma'am, would it be out of place for me to make a suggestion?" "After everything you've done?" "There's a VA psychiatric hospital less than 50 miles away from you." "The VA has established a counseling program for families of service personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan." "I think that Walt didn't get the help he needed after his father died." "Ma'am, my father passed away when I was 15- pretty much the same age Walt was when your husband died." "I didn't know which way to turn." "So, how did you get past it?" "I tried church... street gangs, booze, girls." "But nothing worked to take the pain away." "I was too much for my mom, so she sent me to live with an uncle." "He talked to me about my dad- told me things I didn't know." "See, my mother didn't want to talk about him after he died." "So, eventually, after hearing all about my dad..." "I got better." "All Walt needs is someone he can talk to." "Thank you, Lieutenant." "Looks like that closes the case, Lieutenant." "Yes, sir." "I wasn't aware that you knew the boy's father, sir." "I did not want that fact generally known, which is why I requested a lawyer from JAG headquarters." "Looks like I made the right decision." "Hey." "Hey, yourself." "There's something so final about a packed suitcase." "Yeah." "Not to mention an entirely packed apartment." "Oh." "How about you?" "You packed?" "Mmm, not completely." "Let's talk about, uh, you and me." "Neither one of us..." "... wants to be the first to say good-bye- yeah, I know the song." "We've been singing it for years." "Mac, I don't think that I will ever... feel about anyone else the way that I feel about you." "Uh, that's very flattering." "One piece of advice." "Don't share that with your wife, whoever she might be." "She might not understand." "Do you understand?" "Why we can't make it work?" "Why we've let fate decide our futures?" "No, I don't." "Let me ask you a personal question." "Of all the men in your life, what was it about them that attracted you?" "Well, they wanted me, and they let me know it." "I wanted you." "You knew that." "Harm, no woman wants to be a mind-reader." "And with you, there was always complications:" "another woman, work, searching for your father." "That's all past." "Is it?" "Mac, we have 12 hours." "We've had nine years." "I guess maybe I just needed a deadline." "Well, you got one, sailor." "What are you proposing?" "And that's not a Freudian slip." "I'm proposing." "Let's get married." "In London?" "Yeah, London works for me." "San Diego works for me." "This has always been the 500-pound gorilla in the room." "If we get married, one of us has to give up their Navy careers." "Well, we could wait until I retire." "Yeah." "What's another decade or so, huh?" "I love you, Mac." "But I don't want to give up my Navy career and you don't want to give up the Marine Corps." "So, we're right back where we started." "Do you believe in fate?" "Well, it put us together... sort of." "Fate could keep us together forever." "What can I do for you?" "Uh, I'll have a draft beer." "What put that smile on your face?" "Well, I just got engaged." "I mean, at least I think I did." "Don't you think you ought to find out?" "That's kind of why I'm here now." "Hi." "What can I do for you?" "Uh, soda with a twist, please." "Figures a guy like him would be with a girl like you." "Well, we're still working on that." "Oh, so, that makes you the almost-fiancee." "That's the part we're working on." "I don't see a ring." "We're negotiating that." "Lucky you." "Yeah." "Lucky me." "Captain!" "Colonel!" "Oh, my gosh!" "Hey, congratulations." "It's turning into quite a special night." "Thanks for coming on such short notice." "Are you kidding?" "We wouldn't have missed it for the world." "Oh, my gosh." "Give me a hug." "Congratulations." "Thank you." "Drinks?" "Yes." "Please." "So, you gonna help me pick out a dress?" "They said it's a surprise." "Hey, the gang's all here." "Hi, you guys." "Hi, there." "Hey, guys, what are you drinking?" "It's on me." "Bloody Mary, please." "A martini." "Joanna, can I have a Bloody Mary and a martini, please?" "You got it." "I got your message." "I thought you said you had a flat tire and no spare." "Uh, Captain Rabb ordered me to get you here, sir, any way I could." "So, uh, I lied." "I knew you wouldn't come otherwise, and this might be a surprise to you, but it wouldn't be the same without you here, sir." "What are you drinking, General?" "Martini, dry, thanks." "Colonel, I understand you're taking my Petty Officer to San Diego." "Uh, I haven't found the right moment to ask the colonel, sir." "I would love to take her, sir, with your blessing." "Well, that's if the colonel is actually going to San Diego." "You're not thinking of turning down the assignment?" "Um..." "Mac and I have an announcement to make." "We're getting married." "Congratulations!" "Outstanding." "I knew you'd finally come around to the Marines." "In either London or San Diego." "And for this marriage to be successful, one of us has to resign our commission." "And it's no surprise that we couldn't decide which one." "So, we're going to let fate decide." "Bud." "When Admiral Chegwidden retired, he gave me his JAG coin, and I thought that this would be the perfect moment to use it." "Here is the side with heads." "And this is the side with tails." "The bride-to-be will call it." "Tails." "I always wanted to do this at the Super Bowl." "Here goes."