Original subtitles

[bells ringing]

Merry Christmas. Thank you, sir.

Help save the children.

Thank you, ma'am. Thank you.

Merry Christmas.

Change a 20, Santa?

[Santa] Merry Christmas.

-Halt! -In there.

[shoppers groan]

There.

-What happened? -You all right?

There.

Hey! Hey!

Hey, hey, hey! My shift is over, soldier boy.

Sorry, Santa.

Hey.

[indistinct announcement over PA.]

[knock on door]

Anyone there?

-[woman] What is it? -Please open this door.

Hi. Can I help you?

Petty Officer Jennifer Coates, you're under arrest.

[theme music playing]

[Sims] The Eagle has landed, sir.

You're sure that's what he said?

Those are Commander Turner's exact words, sir: "The Eagle has landed."

-Then there is a Santa Claus. -Sir?

That means that Sturgis found a starter motor

manufactured between January and March 1968.

That's great, sir.

You always want original parts, Lieutenant.

-Of course, sir. -It's a guy thing, Lieutenant.

Men are always very fond of their original parts.

[chuckles] Plans for the holidays, Loren?

A romantic Christmas and that's all I'm saying.

[Chegwidden] Enter.

Have a seat. Sorry to do this two days before Christmas.

Petty Officer Third Class Jennifer Coates

is an electronic technician aboard the U.S.S. Gainesville.

She has high proficiency marks for her skills

but has a record of insubordination and unauthorized absence.

Earlier this week, she resisted apprehension and was caught

impersonating Santa Claus and pocketing the cash.

How much did she get, sir?

Uh, $48.18.

That's barely a misdemeanor.

[Singer] She took money intended for a charity, sir.

What could be more heinous?

Save it for closing arguments, Lieutenant.

You'll be prosecuting. Commander, you will defend.

Let's wrap this one up quickly. Tiner?

Sorry to interrupt, sir.

This just came in.

Rudolph, Dasher, Dancer, et al. v. The United States Navy...

Tiner, is this a joke?

From a base in Keflavik, Iceland, sir.

Reindeer broke through a runway fence.

Base security corralled the reindeer

in order to safeguard them. Some kids in New York

saw it on ZNN and got scared

Santa wouldn't be bringing any Christmas presents.

One of their fathers is a lawyer, sir.

"Federal class action...

Emergency Motion to Release Impounded Reindeer"?

I can see the headlines now, Admiral:

"Navy Grounds Santa Claus."

That will be all, Commander.

Each year, 170 enlisted personnel are given SECNAV nominations

for admission to the U.S. Naval Academy.

You're a very lucky man, Petty Officer.

You have friends in high places.

As a special assistant, SECNAV has asked me

to look into your application.

Your evals are outstanding

and your application essay heartfelt.

-Thank you, sir. -However, there are several questions

regarding your record.

When serving on the Wake Island,

you fired a CIWS into a "no engage" sector?

-Yes, sir. -But that wasn't Mikey's...

Petty Officer Roberts' fault, Commander Lindsey.

Another sailor came forward and admitted to tampering

with the Petty Officer's fire control system.

And the incident in Mazatlan?

That was a scam

to shake down the Navy, sir.

It says here that your father

helped you out of that jam, Petty Officer?

He'd seen many foreign ports, sir,

and had a feel for what happened

and how to do deal with the situation.

Retired Master Chief Storekeeper Roberts.

Prosecuted for wrongful disposition

of military property and larceny.

He was acquitted, sir.

You have an interesting family, Petty Officer.

But Naval Academy midshipmen

must be of sterling character,

must demonstrate a clear potential for leadership.

Commander, I think I'm up for the challenge.

The Navy's my life.

Serving my country, fighting for my country,

especially now, that's all I want.

And if you give me this chance, I'll be a damned...

darned good officer.

You make a good case for yourself, Petty Officer.

We'll be in touch.

[Rabb] Okay, drop the resisting.

She pleads to U.A. 30 days confinement.

She returns the Santa suit.

-Sixty days plus reduction in rate to E-Four. -[Coates] In the brig?

That's kind of steep, Loren, for a first infraction.

First charge.

Petty Officer Coates was previously

officially reprimanded at Captain's Mast

for gambling aboard the U.S.S. Gainesville.

Like I was the first sailor to ever play poker, ma'am.

That'll be enough, Petty Officer.

She also bet on the anchor pool.

I've done that, Lieutenant.

But you never yelled, "Man overboard"

to delay the anchor drop to win a bet.

-You rigged the anchor pool? -None of this would have happened, sir,

if I'd have done a lousy six months in Frederick County Jail.

Jail?

A couple bounced checks.

What else?

A little shoplifting

here and there.

The judge over in Hagerstown had it in for me.

He gave me a choice: serve my time or serve my country.

Do you have a great desire to remain in the Navy, Petty Officer?

Yes, sir. That's why I was standing on a street corner

impersonating Santa Claus.

How'd you like to be home for Christmas?

Petty Officer Third Class Jennifer Coates.

Unauthorized absence, resisting apprehension.

Are we going to dispose of this?

Your Honor, this court has no personal jurisdiction

over Petty Officer Coates and these charges should be dismissed.

Do tell, Commander.

Ma'am, her enlistment was not voluntary.

It's therefore defective.

Under The United States v. Catlow,ma'am...

I'm familiar with the case.

I thought Congress took care of that

and civilian judges stopped sending us their mistakes.

Lieutenant Singer,

what's the Government's position on this motion?

We will argue there was a constructive enlistment

and demand an evidentiary hearing, ma'am.

Lieutenant, there is no way to get

the state court transcripts here before the holiday.

[Judge] Then we'll take this up after the holidays.

The Bailiff will transport

the defendant to... Oh...

Actually, I allowed the Bailiff to go do his Christmas shopping.

Defense Counsel will transport the defendant

to restricted barracks at Anacostia.

Merry Christmas, Commander.

[reporter] Children around the world

have taken up the cause of the reindeer

imprisoned by the U.S. Navy

at Keflavik Naval Air Station, Iceland.

Will they be freed in time to lead Santa's sleigh

or will they remain incarcerated on a lonely Naval base

in the frozen North?

-[knock on door] -Enter.

Excuse me, Admiral. More letters, sir.

Hand them to me.

[thump]

-Thank you, Tiner. -Aye, sir.

We've closed up for the holidays, Commander.

Everyone's either deployed or out on good behavior.

Can I help you, sir?

I have a pretrial detainee.

I could call the brig and let them know you're on your way.

Lock me up for the holidays?

Well, if you're in the Commander's custody, Petty Officer, it's his call.

Either he can take you to the brig, or...

Or...

Or I can return you to your unit.

They're aboard the U.S.S. Gainesville,sir,

deployed on exercises off the coast of Panama.

Or I can place you with a second party whom I trust

who will guarantee you'll not go U.A. again.

That sounds a lot better than ten days behind bars, sir.

-Thank you, Lieutenant. Merry Christmas. -Same to you.

Good luck, sir.

You could leave me with my brother Hal, sir. He's very responsible.

-What does Hal do? -He's a CPA, sir.

Family man. Straight arrow.

His wife Helen's an excellent cook.

Roast goose is her specialty.

Next Friday, he could take me to court himself.

[upbeat music playing on radio]

Not so fast, Petty Officer.

-Jen, that you? -[Coates] Hey, Tiny.

Where's Hal?

Oh, he went for more beer.

My brother's shopping, sir.

I'll just... I'll wait here for him.

You got a brother?

Nice try.

Who the hell's your brother?

Where are we going now, sir?

Well, Petty Officer, unless you have another relative...

Father, sir. He's a minister.

He is.

[Mikey] What's wrong with going to the Naval Academy?

What's wrong with being an enlisted man?

Nothing. I just thought you would be pleased.

I guess it's all right if you want to be

a ringknocker like Harmon Rabb Jr.

Dad, what I want is to get a great education

and be a Naval Officer.

How in the hell are you going

to pass electrical engineering?

I was at the top of my class in "C" School. Topof my class.

Son, they can train a monkey to be a fire controlman.

Dad, Mikey is motivated. He has a goal.

Hey, I'm trying to spare him the heartache.

What heartache?

Not everybody gets what they want in life.

It's time Mikey learned that.

[Rabb] Reverend Coates?

What'd Jennifer do now?

Merry Christmas to you, too, Daddy.

I'm Commander Rabb, sir. I'm with the JAG Corps.

You want to leave her here?

Yes, sir. Just until next Friday.

What's the matter, are all the jails full?

Closed, actually, like your mind.

[Rabb] Reverend, I'm going to need you to take

responsibility for the Petty Officer

just until her court date, sir.

I rented out your room. You can sleep on the sofa.

Not in the manger?

That's about the gutter level I expect from you.

Come in if you're coming.

Want to stick around for plum pudding, Commander?

Let's go.

Sorry to put you through that.

Don't pity me, sir.

Don't you dare.

[Chegwidden] Tiner, do you know what reindeer eat?

[Tiner] Not offhand, sir.

[Chegwidden] Apparently, neither do the mess cooks in Keflavik.

Been feeding them leftovers.

All nine reindeer are indisposed.

Now all the children of the world think

we're poisoning Santa's sleigh team.

Admiral, the reporter

from the Times called again, sir.

He wants your comment on several rumors

that have been circulating on the Internet.

Christmas dinner at Keflavik, sir?

The Timeswants to know...

is it really going to be venison?

I hope you'll join us for eggnog tomorrow night before we go to church.

-At your home? -It is Christmas, Loren.

Since we're all headed to hear Commander Turner's father preach

I thought, you know, maybe...

Okay. I have got nothing better to do.

Sorry.

Kevin was supposed to come from Boston.

A suite at the Willard, romantic dinner...

-Who's Kevin? -Commodities trader.

-Aggressively sweet. -What happened?

His family insisted he join them at Hyannis.

Somehow they forgot to invite me.

But he sent his regrets.

Are those real?

They'd better be.

[Chloe] And then this one's from Bahrain.

Dad said that I'd be really good at riding a camel

but that the jumps might be tricky.

I'm sorry you can't be with your dad for Christmas.

[Chloe] This was going to be our first Christmas together

but then he got deployed when the world got all freaky.

There's just so much I want to tell him that I can't say to Grandma.

Why, you can tell anything, Chloe.

Okay.

There's this boy...

And...

Can a best friend become your boyfriend?

[softly] Sometimes... if you're lucky.

[knock on door]

[Rabb] Mac, it's me.

Merry Christmas.

Thank you.

Perfume, right?

I hope so.

Um, your present's under the tree.

Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie,

Chloe Madison,

this is Petty Officer Coates.

She's...

His-- his prisoner.

-Cool. -Uh, come in.

You'll do anything not to spend Christmas alone, won't you?

[Rabb] That's what I want to talk to you about.

I want to know if you wouldn't mind

looking after the Petty Officer just at night.

She really isyour prisoner?

It's a long story.

I have Chloe.

I think it would be cool, Mac.

I'm going back to Vermont tomorrow, where it really snows.

Um...

Okay, just one night.

You don't mind sleeping on the couch?

I've slept in stranger places.

[Mikey] Oh, maybe Dad is right.

The whole thing is crazy. Midshipman Roberts?

[Roberts] You can do it, Mikey.

You've got your foot in the door.

The back door. Come on, Bud.

Those academy guys are all brainiacs.

Hey, don't let Dad get to you.

How'd you do it?

Do what?

Become an officer?

Go to law school?

Have a life?

Oh, I had... a couple of

people who believed in me...

loved me.

Hey, buddy. Getting ready for bed?

-Give me a kiss. I'll be in in a minute. -[Sims] Okay.

Kiss good-night. Night-night, Uncle Mikey.

-[A.J.] Night-night. -Night.

-Get out of the way. -All right.

Now I see what you mean, only I don't have good friends

like Commander Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie

or a woman like Harriet.

Mikey, I never thought it would happen for me either

and then one day... it did.

You've just got to stick it out and hang in there.

Have faith.

Yeah.

[MacKenzie] So, any news about your brother?

Oh, the Red Cross say he's doing fine,

considering he's a prisoner.

Winter in Chechnya, though.

Are you okay?

Um, I got a postcard from Mic.

He's spending his Christmas at sea.

I got a postcard from Renee's mother.

Renee and the mortician are honeymooning in Maui.

So, that's what you get after two years of loving someone:

a postcard.

I'll bet you know a lot about guys.

Way too much.

There's this boy in my class, Rick.

You want him to like you?

Yeah.

Steal his watch.

What?

Then "find" it. He'll owe you.

[Rabb] Listen, Mac, thanks for taking care

of the Petty Officer.

[MacKenzie] Where are you headed?

Um... I've got to meet

Sturgis.

All right.

Petty Officer, I'll see you tomorrow.

Not if I see you first.

It's a joke, sir.

Make sure that it is.

0900. See you, Chloe.

Bye.

[door closes]

[Rabb] Sturgis, did you ever get in trouble as a kid?

The only son of Chaplain Turner. What do you think?

-Come on. Never? -When I was 12, I borrowed

a bicycle without asking.

To my father, wrongful appropriation was the same as stealing.

Why'd you do it?

Show my independence...

you know, get out from Dad's shadow...

some stupid kid reason.

What did he do to you?

Or should I ask him tomorrow night?

No, no. He forgave me.

He forgave me.

'Course that was after I scrubbed the chapel floors with a toothbrush, but, uh...

Yeah.

[engine starting]

[chuckling]

You did it.

Wedid it.

I could have done this without you.

What do you say we take her for a little spin?

Without a top? What if it snows?

Since when are you afraid of a little snow?

Since I sunk my entire bank account into this baby.

I don't know if you noticed, but it's winter outside.

[MacKenzie] You're pretty handy in the kitchen.

I ran away from home,

I got a job as a short-order cook when I was 14.

-Is that legal? -I told the manager I was an orphan.

-You lied? -More like wishful thinking.

I used to make things up.

Mm. Chloe used to tell people that I was her mother.

Then I realized you can't have everything you want.

So, I settled for a big sister.

I stopped acting out when Mac found my father.

Yeah, maybe she could help me lose mine.

[MacKenzie] That's a terrible thing to say.

I doubt you'd understand any better than Commander Rabb.

Try me.

The two of you are so perfect.

A couple of recruiting posters.

I could just picture your childhoods.

[phone rings]

You don't know anything.

Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie.

Mac's father was an alcoholic, her mother ran off

and Harm's father was shot down

-in Vietnam, Christmas, 1969. -Everything's fine.

I never even knew my father till I was 11.

Harm has a brother in a Chechen prison.

You're not the only one with problems.

She's right here.

Chloe, it's for you.

Hello.

Daddy!

[sighs]

Colonel, I'm-- I'm sorry for what I said.

That's all right, but if you want to talk...

Talk about what?

I don't know-- your future.

You're an electronics technician, right?

-How'd you know that, ma'am? -Commander Rabb told me.

And you're good at it. All fours and fives on your evals

except for conduct.

Why did he even bother to look?

[sighs] Because he cares.

He cares so much, he spent the day trying to get rid of me.

My guess is that you can be pretty annoying,

Petty Officer Coates, and the Commander doesn't like

to be a junior in that department.

[laughs]

What are your goals, anyway?

Stay out of jail.

Mm, lofty ambition.

I don't know.

I... I want a job that I like...

the right guy, a couple kids.

Two out of three would be all right.

You know what that makes you?

No, ma'am.

Just like the rest of us.

[Coates] Colonel MacKenzie told me

how much you love your old Thunderbird.

[Rabb] Corvette.

It's a 1968 Mako Shark. Fiberglass body, rally red.

That fits you, sir.

How'd you end up with the Lexus?

Guy named Gemmill stuck me with it.

Oh, no, not again.

This has happened before?

Yeah. 29 months and seven days ago.

Next time, buy a Subaru.

Sorry.

This is unbelievable. I...

[Greene] 7th Precinct, Officer Greene.

Hi. This is Navy Commander Harmon Rabb. I'm with the JAG Corps.

-I need to report a stolen car. -Sir, you know it's the day before Christmas.

Yes, I'm aware it's the day before Christmas.

-All right, hang on. -Thanks.

Sir, you'll have to come in...

to the station to make the report.

-So? -So, who would do something like this?

-Sir... -I mean, what kind of a low-life scum goes around stealing

other people's stuff?

I'm sorry. I didn't mean you.

Yeah, you did.

Look, sir, some people steal

because they want what other people have.

Some for the thrill...

some just for the attention.

Is that your story?

You want to know the truth?

[cell phone rings]

Rabb.

Happy holidays.

[explosion]

[Rabb] What the hell was that?

I gave my nephew a chemistry set for Christmas.

He opened his Christmas present early?

That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Rabb.

Well, if you're wondering what you can

get me for Christmas, you can get me a new car.

[explosions]

[glass shattering]

Where the hell are you anyway? Kabul?

Webb?

Hello?

[cell phone beeps]

Let's get out of here.

-Where are we going, sir? -I got to see the authorities.

You're taking me to the brig?

I have to go to the 7th Precinct.

They need me to report this in person.

[sighs]

They drag me out of retirement this time every year.

-Make yourself comfortable. -Sir.

-This will be Dad's 50th Christmas sermon. -That's right.

Let me have your things, Dad.

There you go.

First one was during the Korean War. Sasebo, Japan.

A company of Marines who had just returned from Heartbreak Ridge.

Headed straight for the brothels.

Well, the only way to get those Marines in the chapel

was to hire the ladies of the night to sing in the choir.

You ever hear "Silent Night" in Japanese, Admiral?

[chuckling] No.

I've heard it in Vietnamese by French nuns in Can Tho.

We climbed our way out of the Delta

made it to an old French plantation.

Services under the stars.

Most of us never thought we'd make it back home

for Christmas again

but a Navy chaplain lifted us out of the mud and despair.

"In a time of great hardship

a star appeared, brighter than the rest,

giving us hope that God is with us,

that no matter the depth of the darkness,

God's love shines in the night."

That was you.

Sir, those, uh...

words gave us great comfort.

They still do.

Thank you. That's, uh, good to hear.

[knock on door]

Excuse me, Admiral. The clerk of District Court in New York just called, sir.

There's to be a hearing by telephone

on the restraining order at 1900.

-Thank you, Tiner. -Aye, sir.

What kind of case needs to be heard on Christmas Eve, sir?

Reindeer rustling.

At Keflavik?

We saw that on TV.

Seabees are fixing perimeter fencing around the runway

but until then, the Navy is keeping the reindeer corralled.

Chaplain at Keflavik's an old friend. Maybe he can help.

I've got a federal judge breathing down my neck.

It may take more than just prayer.

-Oh, that's a beautiful bracelet. -A Christmas gift.

-One-of-a-kind. -[whistles]

What'd you have to do to earn that, Lieutenant?

I'm sure it was given with love, Master Chief.

Mm-hmm.

I thought so, too, Colonel, until I went to the jeweler

to have it appraised for the insurance.

-They're not real? -Oh, they're real.

But the jeweler called me "Patty."

Turns out Kevin sent these same one-of-a-kind bracelet to a Patty Sachs

and on cross-examination,

he admitted he sent an identical one

-to a Wendy Pearson. -A serial Santa.

-A serial jerk. -[knock on door]

-[Sims] Commander! -Merry Christmas.

Oh, Merry Christmas. Come on in.

-Hi. -Thank you.

Lieutenant Sims, this is Petty Officer Coates.

It's Jennifer, Ma'am.

Very nice to meet you, Jennifer.

-This is for Baby A.J. -Thank you.

Welcome. Come in. Make yourself at home.

-Thanks. -Lieutenant Roberts, Petty Officer Coates.

-[Roberts] Hi. -Lieutenant.

Master Chief Roberts, retired.

-Master Chief. -Call me Big Bud, honey.

[cell phone rings]

Excuse me.

Rabb.

Rabb! Let's try this again.

[Rabb] Webb?

Where the hell are you?

That's classified. I've got news.

What? Webb?

Rabb, can you hear me?

Can you hear me?

[line goes dead]

[MacKenzie] Hey, Harm.

Hey.

-How are you? -Good. You?

I'm, uh, a little beleaguered, but I'm okay.

-Is Sturgis here? -Uh, he's with his father

getting ready for tonight's service.

[Singer] Commander,

what is your prisoner doing here?

[chuckles] Don't ask.

Just where did she spend last night?

With me.

Really?

What about tonight?

-I need a beverage. Excuse me. -[MacKenzie] Okay.

-[Roberts] Here you go, sir. -Aw, thank you.

Place looks great, Bud.

Sir, thank you so much.

A.J. loves this little car.

[chuckles] Well, I hope nobody steals yours.

-Any news on your 'Vette, sir? -Not yet.

[MacKay] Did you know that Colombian drug dealers

love to collect classic American cars?

Just like you'd special-order from a dealer,

they'll just call up a car-theft ring

and say, "Get me a '68 Corvette

with four-on-the-floor, preferably red."

Hmm.

I'll just bet your 'Vette's on board a freighter

bound for Barranquilla right now.

[laughing]

[Michael] So, you're really a prisoner?

Yes.

What do you usually do on Christmas Eve?

Well, when I was a kid, I'd sing in the choir

listen to my father preach

and commit random acts of violence.

Really?

Yeah, my old man used to get drunk and sing dirty Christmas carols.

Well, mine gave sermons that threatened damnation for jaywalking.

So, I'm guessing you and your dad didn't get along too well, huh?

No. The Right Reverend Conrad Coates

loves the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.

That doesn't leave much room for anyone else.

Yeah, my dad's a jerk.

But, you know, I love him.

How does that work?

He's the only dad I've got.

[Rabb] I'm sure you know, Master Chief

what an appointment to the Academy would mean for Mikey.

Yeah, it'd mean he can push enlisted men around for the next 30 years.

He's going to have a lot of work ahead of him. He'll need your encouragement.

And I need a drink.

Hey, Pop.

You have a great family.

Yeah. We're a regular Brady Bunch.

It's easy to forget there's such a thing as everyday happiness.

What made you suddenly remember?

I don't know.

Meeting all of you.

Humph. Hey, news flash.

Life ain't no Jimmy Stewart movie.

Ahh.

You know what gets me?

I can't help my sons.

I can only hurt them.

So it's always been that way for us.

Your sons love you.

How the hell do you know that?

One of them just told me.

Was he drinking?

Yeah, I can be there in, uh... 15 minutes.

-Thank you. -[keypad beeps]

Mac, they found it.

Look, can you look after the petty officer? I'll be back.

Uh... okay.

-Admiral. -Commander.

-Good evening, sir. Merry Christmas. -Merry Christmas.

-Tiner. Merry Christmas. -Merry Christmas, sir.

Excuse me.

[indistinct police radio chatter]

Officer. I'm Commander Rabb.

How you doing, Commander?

Sorry.

[radio chatter continues]

It's an automatic.

So?

So, I have a four-speed stick.

[chuckles] This isn't my car.

Well, some poor bastard's not having a Merry Christmas.

[laughing]

[Stuart] In a startling development from the frozen North,

the reindeer incarcerated by the U.S. Navy

have been granted a work release.

They'll be permitted to spend one night

under the supervision of Santa Claus or his alter ego,

Commander Saul Ruttenberg, a navy chaplain.

Rabbi Ruttenberg, any message for the children of the world?

Ho-ho-ho! Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah!

-[all laughing] -And a Happy Hanukkah to you, too, Rabbi.

-Merry Christmas, Admiral. -[sighs] It is, now.

I think Chaplain Turner has a direct line to heaven.

Damn it! My bracelet's gone.

I took it off in the bathroom and she went in there.

I didn't steal your bracelet.

-That's what you do, isn't it? -[Chegwidden] Lieutenant.

Loren, I'm sure it's around here somewhere.

Why don't we all look for it, okay?

I'll go look in the kitchen.

[Singer] I just took it off to wash my hands.

It was by the basin. I've already looked. It's not there.

[sighs] No sign of the bracelet, sir. Any luck out here?

None.

Where's Petty Officer Coates?

I thought she was with you.

[MacKay] Admiral...

she left.

[Coates] Follow the lady wherever she goes.

She's here, she's there, she's everywhere.

Where is she now?

That one.

Sorry.

You're cheating.

You're an idiot!

Merry Christmas.

-[sighs] -[man] Thanks.

How'd you find me?

Well, I, uh... I got a call from the admiral, reading me the riot act,

so I stopped by your friend Tiny's house

and he told me you hang out here sometimes.

I didn't steal that witch's bracelet.

That's Lieutenant Witch to you.

Whatever.

Do you believe me, sir?

-Why'd you run? -Force of habit.

You know, Jen, a lot of people have turned their lives around in the military.

[scoffs] Respectfully, spare me the lecture.

I really don't belong in the navy.

I just want to get back to my life.

What? Standing on the corner

begging for small change?

Why does any of this matter to you, sir?

It's Christmastime.

Why didn't you just leave me with my father?

Is that what you wanted?

No.

[scoffs, voice shaking] I spent a lifetime trying to get away from him.

Jen, whatever you're doing, it's not working.

Look, no one wants me, Commander.

That's not true.

Look at you, sir!

Passing me from hand to hand.

You've done everything you can to get rid of me.

Well, that was wrong of me. I'm sorry.

[sighs heavily]

What will Lieutenant Singer do, sir?

Well...

when she retracts her claws from the ceiling,

she'll probably add grand theft to your list of sins.

Don't worry about it, Jen.

We'll get through this. I'll stay with you every step of the way.

[sniffles]

[Sims] You be a good boy, okay, sweetheart?

Tiner, thank you very much for babysitting.

-Glad to, ma'am. We'll be fine. -Okay.

Everybody, let's get going.

[indistinct conversations]

-[both] Oh! -[chuckling awkwardly]

[grunts]

Hey, Lieutenant, this is your lucky night.

[forced chuckle] You want to keep your pension?

[knock on door]

-Commander. -Sir.

Petty Officer.

-See you at the church. -Aye, sir.

-Commander, is everything all right? -Absolutely.

The petty officer just needed a long walk to clear her head.

Any luck with the car, sir?

[sighs] False alarm.

-Lieutenant Singer, about the bracelet-- -Sir...

Um... A.J. took it out of the bathroom.

We found it behind the dresser, sir.

I was wrong about you.

You were quick to judge, ma'am.

And you were quick to run.

Yes, ma'am. So where does that leave us?

Let's forget about the bracelet and the walk around the block.

But I'm not going to dismiss the U.A. charge or the resisting.

That would be too much to hope for, ma'am.

Okay, you guys, let's not be late.

Well, Petty Officer... [sighs]

Hey. You made it.

-Yeah. Oh, here, let me. -Oh, thanks.

Great.

There. [grunts softly]

-Thanks. -Sure.

Uh-oh.

Awkward moment number 310.

[both laugh softly]

[choir singing distantly]

♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪

♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪

When God revealed himself to us,

he did so through a family.

Which is why I speak to you tonight of Joseph,

the forgotten man of the Christmas story.

We know much about Mary

and, of course, the Christ child,

but the Bible makes few references into the life of Joseph.

Therefore, he remains somewhat of a mystery,

much as many of our own fathers do.

But we do know that Joseph was a gentle father and a courageous man.

He saved his family from Herod

by taking them on the dangerous journey to Egypt,

taught his son his own trade,

as fathers do even today.

Joseph died before Jesus grew up to become a man

and begin his ministry.

Yet Joseph still believed.

"Blessed are those who believe that He will bind up the brokenhearted

and free the captives."

At his best, a father is the solid foundation of a house,

his support taken for granted.

At other times,

he may need shoring up himself.

He may be tired,

he may be impatient,

he may be mired in his own problems.

But always, the father looks beyond the here and now.

He keeps one eye trained on the next generation.

So, as a necessity,

he is a man filled with hope...

hope that a knowing God watches over the universe,

hope that justice will prevail,

hope that we will be reunited with our loved ones.

As Saint Paul said,

"Abide by these three...

faith, hope, and love.

The greatest of these is love."

So when we give thanks to the Father for our blessings,

let us not forget Joseph,

or our own fathers,

that they not be forgotten this Christmas.

May God bless you... and Merry Christmas.

[choir] ♪ Joy to the world The Lord is come ♪

♪ Let earth receive her king... ♪

-Chaplain, you did it again. -Thank you, Admiral.

-Merry Christmas. -Merry Christmas to you, sir.

Uh, excuse me.

You will be getting formal notice next week, Petty Officer,

but, uh, I think I can say it now.

Merry Christmas, Midshipman Roberts.

Thank you, sir!

And, uh, Happy New Year.

Happy New Year. And good luck.

-[all laughing] -Congratulations.

-Hey, congratulations, Mikey! -Thanks, Bud.

[laughter subsides]

You'll make a fine officer, Mikey.

How can you say that, Pop?

I've spent a lifetime around officers.

-And you hated them all. -Yeah, well...

Maybe I didn't know them as good as I know you.

-Merry Christmas. -Merry Christmas, Pop.

Commander Lindsey, I'm Loren Singer.

Oh, very nice to meet you.

It must be fascinating working for the SECNAV.

-[vehicle approaching] -Harm, you might want to see this.

Excuse me, sir.

You found my car?

[Turner] Found it? No.

You stole it?

What are you talking about? Took it for a little spin.

To get the new top.

-Sturgis... -What?

-You are all right. -[laughs]

-Merry Christmas, buddy. -Merry Christmas to you.

[continues laughing]

Harm, I don't think we'll all fit.

[laughs] Well, I'll come by tomorrow and take everyone for a ride.

-You all right? -Yeah, I'll be fine.

Colonel MacKenzie's offered to let me stay with her.

-I know. We'll discuss your case tomorrow. -On Christmas Day?

Well, I have to come by and give everybody a ride, right?

And I still have a present under your tree.

About your argument, sir, Defective enlistment, is true,

the judge made me enlist, but...

I can stay in if I want, right?

What made you change your mind?

You.

Can they throw me in the brig for that?

Yes.

It was worth it.

It's that time.

Tell him Merry Christmas for me.

[engine starts]

[clicks tongue]

[sighs]

"To Harmon Rabb Sr.

The father I never knew."

Now we're all here.

Sergei?

Hello, my brother.

How did you get here?

Well, I have a friend in Argun who has a friend in Grozny.

Webb.

You traded favors.

That's what I was trying to call you about.

I traded two boxcars of wheat for Sergeant Zhukov.

We've been on the road for 18 hours.

Merry Christmas, Harm.

Merry Christmas, Clay.

Good night.

Uh, Mr. Webb...

You're welcome.

[both laugh]

My brother.

[closing theme music playing]