Title: What If?...Family Ties

Author: LissaMarie (Malysa)

Email: MelMarie612@aol.com

Rating: PG--just because I want to be careful. It could possibly be a G.

Disclaimer: They're not mine. I remember saying that sometime before...

Category: AU (alternate universe)

Spoilers: Well, since it's set in the 1960's, 70's, and early 80's, I'd say not many. Only things having to do with Harm Sr.'s MIA status and Harm's mother, Trish's, second husband, Frank Burnett.

Archive: BTL--others just let me know.

Feedback: Has anyone ever said no to it? Well, I don't want any...Just kidding. I love it. It makes me write faster.

Summery: What if Harm hadn't been an only child? What if he had a twin sister named Liz? Would he had been different? Here's my take...

Author's Note: This fic is meant to be an introduction to a character I've had in mind for a while, Liz Rabb. She's Harm's bad-ass sister who also followed in her father's footsteps as a naval officer and aviator. She is the poster girl for tough, confident and independent women anywhere. She's the best <g>. I might use her in future fics. This fic is also part of a series of stand alone fics that ask my favorite question...What if?

Family Ties
By Malysa

October 25, 1963
1435 Local
Naval Medical Center
San Diego, California

"Darling, come meet your children," Patricia Rabb smiled at her husband, Harmon, when she noticed him standing in the doorway of her hospital room. She held in her arms two precious bundles, one pink and the other blue.

Harmon walked over slowly in awe of the calm and happy woman laying in the bed. It was only hours ago that she was screaming and cursing his very being just down the hall. He sat down in a chair set up at her bedside and looked at the faces partially covered by the bulky hospital receiving blankets.

His children. A little boy he and Trish had decided to name after him, and a little girl--his little
Elizabeth. He could just imagine them growing up. Harm Jr. attending the Academy, and Elizabeth doing whatever she set her heart on. He just knew she would be like her mother--beautiful, intelligent, strong-willed,...so many wonderful things.

He took both babies in his arms and kissed their foreheads with a strong sense of foreboding that he would never share with his wife.

He could imagine their future, but he couldn't see himself being there for it.

Christmas 1969
1945 Local
Rabb Residence
San Diego, California

Six year old Harmon Rabb Jr. watched as the man in the Navy uniform--a Lt. Commander he recalled from his father's lessons on ranks--and the other man with the book in his hand told his mother something that he knew would change his world. They used words and phrases that were to large for most 6 year old boys to understand, but Harm understood just fine.

"The United States Navy" was who his dad worked for across the ocean.

"Regrets to inform you" meant that they were sorry they had to tell his mom something.

"Your husband" was his dad.

"Shot down over Hanoi" meant that his plane had crashed in that country across the ocean, Viet Nam.

"Missing in Action" was what they called people that they couldn't find.

Everything else was just accenting on that. Harm's father, Lt. Harmon "Hammer" Rabb Sr. of the US Navy, was lost in Viet Nam, and they weren't even looking for him. They just called him MIA and told everyone that he could possibly be alive. He was--of that the little boy was certain.

"Harm?" a small voice whimpered behind him. He turned to see his twin sister, Elizabeth--or Lizzie as everyone called her, looking at him with a blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders and tear-filled eyes. She had obviously been woken from her nap on the living room sofa by their mother's loud sobbing.

"Come here, Lizzie," Harm whispered back opening his arms to embrace her. She ran to him and cried on his shoulder begging him in a breathless murmur to explain to her what was going on. "Dad's gone. His plane went down. He's MIA."

Her brother's words caused her to look up sharply. They confused her, but she understood their basic meaning. Their father had gone away to fight a war like he was suppose to, and now he wasn't coming back. Anger surged through her. She was anger at God, the Navy, the war, her father, and every other person on the planet.

Her tears dried up, and she decided that they would be the last ones she would ever cry.

March 15, 1976
1655 Local
Rabb Residence
San Diego, California

"We have to get rid of him," 12 year old Harm whispered to his sister. His eyes narrowed on the man--Frank, an annoying part of his mind reminded him--that was talking with his mother in the kitchen.

"Well, he looks pretty into mom, so we'll probably have to kill him," Liz, as she preferred to be called, said with a monotonous voice.

"I'm serious, Liz," Harm snapped keeping his voice low but harsh.

"So am I," Liz threw back without a hint of humor in her voice.

"Harmon, Elizabeth, come in here for dinner!" Trish called from the kitchen.

Both sighed and stood up. As loyal as they were to their father's memory, they would never disappoint their mother. They went into the small dining area of the kitchen hoping that they would be able to keep down the lasagna Trish had spend the previous evening preparing.

November 12, 1979
0730 Local
Burnett Residence
La Jolla, California

A 16 year old Liz tried her best to hurry out to her boyfriend's car before her mother saw her. She was already running late for school, and she in no way wanted to face her mother this particular morning.

"Liz, where is your brother?" Trish asked. Her red rimmed eyes and disheveled appearance were evidence of the turmoil she was feeling.

"I don't know, mother. It wasn't my turn to watch him. Maybe if you were paying him--or me--half the attention you show Frank-"

"Don't you dare say that to me! If you know where Harmon is you had better tell me!" Trish yelled upset at her daughter's accusations and frustrated by her son's disappearance.

"Viet Nam," Liz informed her mother with a dead calm in her voice. She noted the surprise and horror on her mother's face. "That's right, mom. While you were planning daddy's replacement, Harm was planning on bringing him back home." She stomped out of the house barely remembering to grab her bag that was placed next to the front door. Her boyfriend, R.J., looked at her in concern for a second until she gave him a dirty look. He opened her door for her, and she got in and slammed the door shut. They rode to the school in silence.

Patricia Rabb-Burnett fell to the floor and sobbed.

June 11, 1982
1345 Local
La Jolla High School
La Jolla, California

"Elizabeth Arabella Rabb," the school principal, Mr. Snyder, called from the podium. He held in his hands her future--her high school diploma. She had already made her valedictorian speech and was more than ready for the actual graduation part of graduation. Once she got on the stage, she grabbed the rolled up paper from the man who had encouraged her to go for her goals since the day she had entered the halls of La Jolla High School. Mr. Snyder gave her a proud smile in response.

"Harmon David Rabb Jr.," Mr. Snyder called next. Harm walked up to the stage in different spirits than his sister. He had a class rank of second because of his sister, and that meant that there was absolutely nothing good about this day. It was just another major event his father had missed. He took his diploma and walked back off the stage. He didn't even bother going back to the group of seniors who were obviously anxious to throw their covers in the air. He had never understood that tradition.

"Have you thought about the fact that in about a month, we'll be attending the United States Naval Academy?" Liz asked looking up at the sky from underneath the cover of a tree. She had already removed her navy blue gown and cap, and they sat on the ground next to her.

"Seems unreal, doesn't it? I still can't believe you decided to join the Navy. You HATE the Navy," Harm said sitting down next to her. He pulled off his graduation clothing and threw it with his twin's.

"I want to fly. I NEED to fly. Just like you," Liz explained. She put her head down on her brother's shoulder. Everyone always thought it was strange how close they were, but to them, it would be strange not to be. "Besides, I don't HATE the Navy. I hate the world. I hate the war. There's a difference."

"I had a weird dream last night," Harm told her. His face scrunched up as if he were deep in thought. "It was WAY out there. We were lawyers."

Liz couldn't stop herself, and she burst out in laughter. "Lawyers? My, God, what did you have to drink before you feel asleep?"

"That wasn't the strangest part. The weirdest part was that we actually seemed happy with it. We both chose it over flying."

"That's it. No more alcoholic beverages for you, big brother," Liz laughed.

Harm joined her because just the thought of him ever choosing a court room over a plane was ridiculous.

~The End~