Part One
Author: AD
Rating: PG
Pairing: Webb/Mac/AJ/Meredith/Various JAG Personnel
Category: H
Spoilers: None that I know of, but fairly current.
Disclaimer: Apologies to Paramount & Belisarius Productions for borrowing some JAG characters and taking them in a different direction.
Summary: A case of mistaken identity quickly gets out of hand.
Author's Note: I don't really know what this is, but I'm having fun with it.
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NOVEMBER 4, 2003
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
Jennifer Coates looked up as the attractive man approached her desk. She'd seen quite a few people come and go out of the Admiral's office today, but this one was different. He had an air of casual confidence that was quite appealing.. After a long morning of vetting the nervous Nellies Dr. Cavanaugh had lined up for them to interview, he was a refreshing change of pace. "May I help you sir?"
The man seemed pre-occupied with other matters, but quickly smiled down at her. Wow, she could get used to that smile. "Yes, thank you. I'm here to see Admiral Chegwidden."
"Yes, I know," Jennifer sighed. Those deep hazel eyes were gorgeous---and the way his neatly clipped hair fell just a tad short of his left eye begged for a woman's touch. His amused chuckle quickly brought her back to task.
"I guess you do, Petty Officer." His eyes fairly danced as he pushed the ends of his suit jacket behind his hips and shoved both hands into his pockets. "Sorry for stating the obvious, Petty Officer---"
"Coates, sir," she quickly filled in; there, now he knew her name. The intense look he gave her was flattering until he snapped his fingers.
"Oh, that's right; you replaced Tiner." Pleased with his feat of deduction, the man leaned back on his heels and absently juggled the change in his pocket.
For some reason, that comment sounded ominous to Jennifer. Squinting up at him, she asked, "Do I know you, sir?"
"No reason you should. Like I said, I'm just here to see the Admiral." Jennifer sighed and checked the Admiral's calendar.
"Do you have an appointment, Mr.---?"
"Webb. Clayton Webb." The man smirked, as though laughing at some secret joke. "Actually, AJ asked me to stop by �"
That name rang a bell; she'd heard it before. "Oh, yes sir! He and Dr. Cavanaugh have been waiting for you! Well, he *was* waiting for you. They both were�are�uh, now it's just Dr. Cavanaugh. The Admiral was called to the SecNav's office, but he'll be back before you know it," Jennifer took in a much needed breath and added, "You're late, you know."
A bit bemused by the young Petty Officer's outburst, only one word stood out in Webb's mind. "Late?"
"I guess in your line of work that's okay, but we keep a tight ship here at JAG." Jennifer knew she sounded a bit sanctimonious, but her tongue always ran away with her when she was nervous. This man made her nervous in the oddest way.
"Tight ship, huh? And I'm late?" Still maintaining his sense of humor, Webb was trying to figure out why he suddenly felt like a guest in Alice's Wonderland.
"Terribly, sir. You were their first choice, but your secretary said your schedule was pretty full." Jennifer pressed the call button, ready to announce Webb's arrival to the Admiral's office.
"She did?" Webb knew his secretary was trying to keep his workload down, but to actually screen his contacts was�
"And then Dr. Cavanaugh called in that English butler-type guy. But you know, I think the Admiral really prefers Italian. Anyway, I really thought they were going to come to blows with that last one."
Thoroughly puzzled, Webb figured he'd just have to ride this one out. "The last one?"
"Yes, sir. Just between you and me, sir," Coates leaned forward, automatically lowering her voice, "it got pretty ugly. Monsieur Pierre was in tears by the time he ran out of the building." Coates didn't sound too sympathetic towards poor Pierre.
"Totally broke down?" Webb asked.
"Oh, that's affirmative, sir. We heard the entire thing out in the bullpen. I don't think he appreciated the Admiral's way with words, sir." Based on the fact that the Petty Officer could barely maintain her mirth, Webb figured the bullpen had gotten an earful.
"The Admiral is a bit, ah, plain-spoken." Even Webb knew that was an understatement. AJ Chegwidden did not suffer fools gladly. He unconsciously rubbed the bridge of his nose as he looked towards the closed office door.
"Oh, I see you've dealt with him before." Coates nodded approvingly. "That's great, sir! Maybe you won't wimp out on us, then. Begging your pardon, sir."
Webb waved off her apology. "That's okay, Petty Officer." He ran a hand through his hair and pierced Coates with another of his intense stares. "Let's see now, from what I'm understanding here�"
Before he could figure out the brewing situation, the Admiral's door opened. "Jennifer, dear! Has he arrived yet? Maybe if I can get to him before AJ returns we can---oh, hello." A striking woman---Webb would place her at about forty-five---emerged from the Admiral's office. She was eyeing him predatorily; even for a seasoned field agent, it made him a bit uneasy.
"Dr. Cavanaugh?" he greeted her, "You're AJ's fianc�e?"
"Yes, yes I am. It's so good to meet you, Caleb." Meredith grabbed his elbow, guiding him into the office. "I've heard great things about you. Evidently, you run the best operation in the area. It's a lucky thing you could come by on such short notice."
Webb had freed both hands from his pockets, slightly resisting the guidance of the good doctor. "Evidently, but�"
"Now, Caleb, if you'll just follow me, we'll---," There was a determined look on Dr. Cavanaugh's face Webb found hard to resist. Luckily, they were interrupted by the Petty Officer.
"Ma'am? Dr. Cavanaugh?" Meredith released her hold on Webb and returned to Coates' desk.
At the embarrassed look on the younger woman's face, Meredith leaned over closer and whispered, "Yes, Jennifer?"
"I think we got that wrong.," she revealed. "He says his name is Webb, Clayton Webb, not Caleb."
"Caleb�Clayton Webb---he probably just slurs his pronunciations every now and then. Bad for business since word of mouth is so important for a wedding planner, but maybe we can help him with that. Now, lets see if we can nail him down on a contract before AJ scares him off." Meredith's grin was infectious as she reassuringly squeezed Jennifer's shoulder and stood up.
Jennifer winked back in response. "Yes, ma'am. I'll start the paperwork."
"You do that dear." Meredith turned back to her guest. "Mr. Webb?"
"Hmm?" A slight frown gathered between Meredith's brows as she noticed the distracted looks Caleb�no, that was Clayton Webb---was directing towards Mac's office.
Meredith gestured towards the office door. "Come this way and we'll see if you're as good as they say you are."
Some of the confusion seemed to leave his face as he entered AJ's office. "So you *do* know who I am."
"Of course I do Mr.---would you mind if I called you Clayton?" Ever the gracious hostess, Meredith offered him a chair, but he chose to stand by the window,
"Well�"
"Wonderful!" Meredith closed the door, "And you must call me Meredith. None of that `doctor' business. It's ridiculous to stand on such ceremony when we're going to be working so closely together."
Webb eyed the closed door, then watched her take the chair behind AJ's desk. "We are?"
"Of course we are! Now, AJ says he's worked with you before, so you must know his preferences by now." Meredith pulled out a legal pad and began jotting down some notes.
Well, he thought, that might explain the urgent call from the JAG about an hour ago. Maybe this woman did know AJ's purpose in sending for him. "I wouldn't exactly say that---Meredith." She smiled encouragingly at his use of her first name. "Actually we disagree on just about ev---"
Both of them looked up as a familiar voice painted the air blue. "Webb! What the hell are you doing in here with Meredith?" Webb grinned, actually relieved to see the Admiral.
Looking over at the good doctor, he confided, "Speak of the devil and he'll eventually show up, Meredith."
She grinned up at him, then assessed her fianc� still standing at the door of his office. "You're so right, Clayton. AJ, how was your meeting?"
AJ's eyes darted back and forth, trying to take in the scene before him. "My meeting can wait. What are you doing in here with Webb?"
Taking his cue, Webb tried to reassure him. After all, it was time to find out why AJ had called him in this afternoon. "Nothing nefarious, Admiral. I was just answering your summons."
Meredith gave Webb another of those considering looks and made her pronouncement: "And I think he's just perfect, AJ?"
Both men looked over at her in astonishment. "Perfect?" they echoed one another.
"Oh, absolutely. AJ, he'll make the perfect Wedding Planner. Why, already we know that he's not intimidated by you." While this observation pleased Meredith, a hint of panic entered both mens' expressions.
AJ was the first to recover, but he spoke without thinking: "Well, he'd better be, because there's no way in hell---"
"AJ," Meredith admonished, "where are your manners? I'm so sorry Clayton. We'll just add a little bonus to your fee for any feelings he might ruffle." This highly amused Webb and he smirked over at AJ.
"Oh, really? Can he afford to do that? Actually, I'm a pretty sensitive guy." Webb lowered his eyes to hide his growing amusement.
"I could sense that when we first met." Meredith seemed so sincere, that Webb hated to string her along like this. "Few people understand how deeply we creative types take the stray comment every now and then." Webb nodded in agreement.
"Now just a damn minute here---" AJ interrupted, but Meredith was focused on hiring a wedding planner.
"The key to working with him," she confided, "is just to ignore his outbursts, Clayton."
"Well, I don't know Meredith. He can say some pretty cutting things. Are you sure he won't try to break my nose or something?" Webb touched his nose again.
Meredith beamed. "I can guarantee it! Now let's discuss fees."
Webb threw her his own dimpled grin and exaggeratedly clapped his hands together,. "Oh, yes---let's!
"Webb," there was an ominous growl from the doorway, "I'm warning you---this has gone far enough! I've had it up to my eyeballs with flaky egomaniacs today! Stop fooling around!"
Webb placed his hands on his hips, shooting AJ an evil grin. "But Admiral, I'm feeling inspired---and my fee's no laughing matter."
AJ groaned, realizing the situation had already gone to hell in a handbasket; Webb was enjoying himself and Meredith was digging her heels in. "Oh, hell no! I'm not talking fees with you! And get that smirk off your face! You know good and ---stay out of it Meredith!" AJ didn't mean to yell at Meredith, but his patience was starting to wear thin. "Darlin' you have no idea who you're trying to hire here. He's no damn Wedding Planner!"
Meredith was standing tot-to-toe with him, poking him in the chest, "AJ! Are you bound and determined to have this one walk out, too? `Weddings by Caleb', I mean Webb, is one of the best-kept little secrets in Washington. I heard you say that yourself this morning."
"Well you heard wrong," he hastily corrected her. "I wasn't talking about---"
"I've been thinking AJ. I just don't think you actually want to get married," Meredith concluded. There was a wealth of sadness in her voice. "That's the real reason for all these delays and outbursts, isn't it?"
"Aw, hell!" AJ awkwardly patted her shoulder. "You know that's not true! I---"
"No, AJ," she informed him, "I sensed you were uncomfortable with your decision the moment I said yes."
"That's not true, darlin'," he pleaded. "Listen�"
While they were arguing, Webb had edged closer to the open doorway. He was just about to gain his freedom when a strong hand reached in and yanked him off-balance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TO BE CONTINUED ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~