A/N1: A follow-up to The Stuff Guys’ [Aviators’] Dreams Are Made Of because you requested it.

A/N2: This one was so long, that I broke it into a three-parter.

A/N3: As always, constructive criticism is appreciated.

A/N4: Nothing ever happens in a vacuum, and with the twists of the current season, let’s just say this occurs in an alternate season 9. In my world, they are back to being friends and the dancing has begun anew. Only this time, the dance has a few new steps in it.

A/N5: Thanks to Elfinkid and JoshuaTree for beta reading my work and finding all the little things that would cause problems. What can I say guys? Thanks for believing. And to some very special friends who told me not to give up after I stumbled – Lisa, Catherine, Beth, Nancy, Karen, Aimee and Lea – thanks guys, I’m truly fortunate to have such good friends. On with the story….

1320 Local/1920 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

Harriet was sitting at her desk working on a memorandum to Lieutenant Colonel Richards. It was from Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie requesting his permission to review the motor pool videotapes from Camp Liberty in Tajikistan. She didn’t have to make this kind of request; she could have just ordered them seized as evidence. But that was not her style. She wanted Richards as an ally, so better to ask nicely. Force could be used later, if necessary.

Harriet smiled. The Colonel could be very persuasive when she needed to be. Her skills in this area were near legendary among those in the JAG Corps. She had even gotten the Admiral to reconsider his resignation after Commander Lindsey’s scathing but grossly inaccurate report. But, her smile faded and she heaved a labored sigh, there was one person that with whom she faltered with no matter how hard she tried. Namely one Naval aviator/lawyer, Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr.

Oooohhh! It just made her blood boil sometimes the way the Commander blithely ignored the Colonel’s signals. And she had given plenty. Was he too dense to see them? But, she reasoned, he wasn’t always to blame. Mac had done her fair share of ignoring and running away too. Everyone knew when she went to the Guadalcanal why she was doing it. At least that’s why Harriet thought that Gunny had gone with her.

As she heaved a labored sigh, her newest little one, unnamed child number four, decided now was the perfect time for a boxing lesson. “Hey there, kiddo,” she grunted, “Not so hard.” Like her unborn child, the Colonel and Commander had a lousy sense of timing--only their timing problems were related to matters of the heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“If only--” the Colonel’s door opened. Colonel MacKenzie stepped out into the bullpen and walked over to the Lieutenant’s desk.

“Lieutenant….” Harriet looked up. She could see the excitement in the Colonel’s brown eyes.

“Yes Ma’am?” She asked quietly. She was curious to know what was going on, but she wouldn’t make a scene. Not here in the bullpen.

“Lieutenant, would you come into my office please?” She could see that Mac was about to burst. At least, that’s what Harriet thought. “I need to go over my travel itinerary for next week….”

Harriet quickly got up from her desk, carrying her pen and notepad. “Yes Ma’am….”

She went past Mac into the office. Mac closed the door behind her and closed the blinds. She stood facing the door for a moment, her back to Harriet.

“Ma’am?” Harriet tried to keep the frustration from her voice.

Mac turned around. She was smiling. Not just a little smile, this was an ear to ear grin. It was the kind Mac flashed at the Commander from time to time.

“What is it Ma’am?” Now Harriet was dying to know what was going on. Mac motioned for her to come closer. She put her pad and pen on the desk and moved over to the Colonel.

“Harriet, I just had to tell someone before I bust….” She could tell that Mac was positively giddy with excitement. Now Harriet was getting excited too. Mac held out her hand.

Harriet could not believe what she saw. It was a diamond engagement ring inlaid with blue-green opals.

“Oh my God Ma’am!!” She squealed then immediately clamped her hand over her mouth as Mac momentarily glowered and shushed her.

“I’m sorry Ma’am,” Harriet said momentarily chastened, then she brightened again, “But I’m just so happy for you!”

“Thank you Harriet,” Mac was positively glowing. “He finally did it—and I owe it all to you, Lieutenant.” Harriet blushed at her compliment…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Lieutenant?”

Harriet had a dreamy look on her face.

“Lieutenant!”

Harriet snapped out of her reverie. Gunny was staring at her as if she had lost her mind. “Ma’am, are you okay?”

A flush began to creep into her face. “I’m fine Gunnery Sergeant,” she said hastily as she absently began shuffling papers on her desk. “What can I do for you?”

“I need a signature on this motor pool requisition form. It’s for the Colonel’s trip next Monday.”

Harriet looked at the form and hurriedly signed it at the bottom. “There you go, now would you please excuse me? I need to get this memo completed and signed by the Colonel.”

“Yes Ma’am,” replied Victor Galindez. He wasn’t sure, but he thought he might have startled her out of a particularly nice daydream. He began to feel self conscious about this and made his way back to his desk.

That does it! Harriet thought to herself, She didn’t care if they sent her to Keflevik, she was going to do her level best to get the Commander and Colonel together….

2027 Zulu
JAG Headquarters

Harm was stuck. He was trying to put the finishing touches on his closing arguments for the Lowery case, but writer’s block had hobbled him. And you will note…you will note…he looked at the clock. Damn! It was almost 14:30.

How about 14:30? I want to go over Captain Freeman’s deposition one more time. I think I may have spotted where he’s perjured himself.

Harm clicked on the ‘print’ command. This would have to do. He could fill in the rest later.

His personal computer clicked and whirred, clicked and whirred.

“Come on,” he muttered, watching the clock’s minute hand creep closer and closer to the six, “Come on!” The printer began spitting out the document. One page, two pages, three pages. Almost done…

Click, whirr, click, click. He could see the seconds ticking off. A few more ticks of the clock and it would be 14:30. Come on you stupid computer…. Finally the last page was printed. Harm didn’t bother locking his workstation. He grabbed the loose sheets as he got up from his desk and opening the door, tried not to walk too hurriedly to Mac’s office.

Coates and Tiner watched as Harm walked briskly over to Mac’s door. Reaching it, he knocked three times on the doorframe.

“Enter,” came the voice from within. Harm opened the door and without looking around went in and closed it behind him.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Jennifer Coates looked over at Harriet, who merely shrugged and went back to typing.

She got up and walked over to Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Tiner’s station. She casually leaned over to Jason who had started working again on the Admiral’s itinerary for tomorrow.

“What do you think that was about?” she whispered.

“I don’t know,” muttered Jason, “But if you don’t get back to your desk--”

The Admiral’s door opened. AJ Chegwidden stepped out and saw Jason and Jennifer--together.

“Sir!” Jason took one look at the Admiral and shot out of his chair sending it skittering into the nearby wall. He gulped visibly and stood at attention.

Jennifer looked mortified. She also snapped to attention.

The Admiral looked curiously at the two Petty Officers, now what had they been up to? He stood in front of Jen with his arms folded across his chest.

“Petty Officer Coates would you care to explain to me what’s going on here?”

“Uh Sir, Admiral….” Jason began tentatively, “I can explain--”

“I didn’t ask you Tiner!” growled the Admiral, cutting him off.

“Aye Sir!” Jason stood looking straight ahead.

He turned his full attention back to her. “Well Petty Officer? I’m waiting.”

“I was—Admiral—I was, that is, Jason, I mean Petty Officer Tiner, was showing me how to create your itinerary and where the file was stored Sir!”

AJ was amused, but did not let it show. The slip of using Tiner’s first name--he would let that slide. But he was impressed with her ability to think on her feet and produce such a convincing lie. A lie nonetheless.

He looked thoughtfully at both of them. “I think it would be better for you and Petty Officer Tiner to schedule a meeting so that he could show you these duties all at one time, rather than showing them to you piecemeal, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Oh yes Sir, absolutely Sir,” babbled Jen.

He smiled at Jason. It was not a friendly one. “Tiner, please schedule a meeting for yourself and Petty Officer Coates at 1100 hours tomorrow morning at your desk. When you start your classes, I want her to be up to speed to take over your duties.”

“Aye Sir! Right away Admiral!”

He looked back at Jen. He smiled. “That will be all Petty Officer.”

“Aye Sir!” She did an about face and walked back over to her desk. The Admiral’s smile evaporated. “Tiner!”

“Yes Sir!” He was still standing at attention.

“Do you have my itinerary ready?!”

“Right here Admiral!” He picked up the piece of paper and handed it to him. AJ snatched the paper out of his hand and rapidly scanned it.

“Not bad Tiner….”

“Thank you Sir!” AJ thought he saw the man’s chest swell. Well, he could fix that.

“Not bad for you, that is.” Jason deflated a little at that. That’s better. “And try to keep your meetings with Petty Officer Coates to a minimum please.”

“Aye Sir.”

“That will be all. I have a meeting with Colonel Brinkman at 15:00. Make sure that no one else tries to schedule anything with me at that time.”

“Aye Sir.”

AJ turned around and headed back into his office. Closing the door, he sighed and shook his head. Maybe retirement wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

2040 Zulu

“Way to go Tiner!” snorted Gunny walking over to Jason’s desk. “You handled that real smoothly, man.”

“Gunny I’m not in the mood for this right now--”

“Aww, come on Jason, I was just kidding,” said Victor as he put his hand on the Petty Officer’s shoulder. “Now tell me, what have you and Coates been up to?”

Jason cut his eyes toward the Admiral’s door. “Not here….” he hissed, hoping his voice wouldn’t carry.

Victor leaned over and whispered conspiratorially, “Where?”

Jason shot him an annoyed look. “1530; the coffee room.”

“Okay,” Gunny chuckled as he walked back to his desk. Jason sighed and wondered if he could transfer to another part of JAG.

2100 Zulu

Sturgis was reading an executive summary of the Henson court martial case when he heard a knock. He looked up and saw Bud standing uncertainly in his doorway.

Bud’s face betrayed embarrassment mixed with regret. “Sir, do you have a moment?”

Sturgis, puzzled by his uncertainty, motioned for him to come in. “Sure, come on in Lieutenant.”

Bud walked in. He stood for a moment, then turned and closed Sturgis’s door. Moving away from it, he carefully sat down in the chair at the front of his desk.

Sturgis was intrigued. “May I ask why you shut the door?”

“It’s personal Sir--that is, what I have to discuss with you, is” replied Bud somewhat evasively.

“Okay Bud, tell me what you have on your mind.”

“Well Sir, it’s about what you saw at lunch today.”

“Oh? What about lunch today?” This could get very interesting. Both Bud and Tiner had been engaged in picking up each other’s trash when Sturgis happened upon them. Both began apologizing, as did Jennifer Coates and Harriet. He never got a satisfactory answer out of them and ended up leaving more confused than when he first interrupted this little incident. Now maybe he would get to the bottom of it.

“Well Sir, we were discussing personal relations.”

“Yours and the Petty Officer’s?” he asked amusedly

“Oh no Sir,” replied Bud somewhat too defensively. He then stopped and looked at the Commander as if searching for someone to confide in. “…Actually Sir, can I ask you something?”

“Certainly Bud, I’ll try to help if I can.”

“Sir, you were at the Academy with Commander Rabb, correct?” Now where was this line of questioning going? Sturgis thought.

“Yes Bud, I was.” He stopped for a beat. “Is this about Commander Rabb?”

“Yes Sir.” Bud replied somewhat relieved.

“I see.” He paused trying to put together what Bud was not telling him. Then it hit him. A conversation with a certain Colonel came to mind…

There seems to be a certain tension with you two.

Some.

A lot.

~

Then why don’t you just get over it and move on?

It wouldn’t work.

Why?

Because I’m in love with him.

Sturgis stared at Bud. “Are you trying to tell me that you and Tiner were talking about the Colonel and the Commander?”

“Well Yes Sir, but not together Sir. That is, we weren’t talking together--” Sturgis held up his hand. “I get your point Lieutenant, so who was doing the talking?”

He waited for him to explain. “You see Sir, it’s Harriet, and she’s convinced that Mac, the Colonel, loves the Commander.”

This was more dangerous than he thought. If Mac finds out, she’ll think I told them-- “And what about Petty Officers Tiner and Coates?”

“It seems they were discussing the same idea Sir.” Damn! Sturgis mentally admonished himself for the curse as he shifted in his seat.

He tried to deflect attention away from himself. “What do you think about this Bud?”

Bud looked at him perplexed. “That’s just it, Sir. I told her it was none of our business, but if anything, the Commander and Colonel would probably just remain friends.”

That would kill Mac, on the other hand, their forcing of Harm to act in her interest would almost be just as bad… Sturgis shifted again in his seat. This is definitely a Rabb inspired problem. Harm, what‘s the matter with you?

“Uh Sir, are you all right?” Bud this time had noticed Sturgis’ restlessness.

“I’m fine Lieutenant,” he replied evenly, forcing himself to settle down, “Getting back to the situation at hand, Coates and Tiner, what do they think?”

“Well Sir--” he stopped, looking earnestly at Sturgis. “--Sir, nothing that I say will leave this room, will it?”

“No Bud, you have my word….”

This seemed to satisfy the Lieutenant. He visibly relaxed. “Coates thinks the Colonel and Commander should be together. She doesn’t understand why they aren’t already.”

“And what about Tiner?” Turner began fidgeting again

“Oh he’s like me Sir. He’s fairly sure that the Colonel and Commander--uh Commander?”

“Yes?” Sturgis stopped and looked at Bud.

“You’re doing it again.”

“Doing what again?”

“Fidgeting Sir.”

Sturgis realized he had been caught. “My uniform has a little too much starch in it today.” he lied

“Oh, sorry to hear that Sir….” Good he bought it. I can’t let him know this information is upsetting me as well, or they might figure out what Mac has told me.

“Anyway as I was saying, both Tiner and I agree that the Colonel and the Commander just want to remain friends. I mean, after all, wouldn’t they have done something about it before now?”

Sturgis realized that was his cue. “Uh yes, absolutely.” He realized he had to get Bud away from this subject. “But what about your wife and Coates?”

“That’s the problem Sir. I’m afraid if they keep pushing this, they’ll get into big trouble. Can you help Sir?”

“I’ll give it my best shot Bud.” he replied dryly. Now all I have to do is figure out a way to talk to them without raising their suspicions….

“Thank you Sir,” replied a relieved Bud getting up from his chair. “This has been a big weight lifted off my shoulders.” He got up and opened the door and headed out.

And dropped into my lap, Sturgis thought disgustedly as Bud headed down the hall. Harm ol’ buddy, you and I are going to have to have a long talk….

2127 Zulu

Harm was sitting in Mac’s office trying to act nonchalant. Mac for her part had out a red pencil and was furiously scribbling away on Harm’s notes

“There are two ‘p’s in supposed…” she muttered not looking up from the paper.

Harm sighed and rolled his eyes, “Look, teacher, I’m going to be reading this, not submitting it to the school newspaper.”

Mac looked up from the page somewhat annoyed. “Harm, if I have take over for you during this hearing, I want to be able read what you have…typos distract me.”

“--And your looks distract me.” He froze, as did Mac. Oh my God! I just said that out loud!? What am I going to do now? Think Hammer!!

Mac colored a little. Coughing, she got up from her chair. “I could use some coffee, how about you?”

“Uh coffee, yeah…um, that would be great.” What do I do now?

“I’ll get it,” she said hastily, “I’ll be right back.” She bolted past him and out the door.

2132 Zulu

Harriet looked up to see a beet red Colonel making a beeline for the Coffee room. Just a moment or two earlier, Tiner and Gunny had walked in there.

Mac stopped short when she saw Jason and Victor standing there, looking like a pair of deer caught in headlights.

“Ma’am!”

“Colonel!”

“Gunny, Tiner.” She acknowledged them as nonchalantly as she could. She silently prayed the flush on her face was going away. It was not.

“I just came to get some coffee for Harm and myself.”

Jason and Victor looked at each other then back at Mac.

“So did we.” They both replied, then looked again at each other, confused. Silence reigned.

Mac tried her annoyed Marine look to help her bluff her way through this. “I need to get the coffee now, do you mind?”

“Oh no Ma’am.” Gunny backed away from the coffee machine.

“Go right ahead Colonel.” Jason did likewise.

Relieved that it worked, Mac quickly filled the two coffee cups and headed back to her office.

Both men blew out sighs of relief after she left.

“Damn that was too close--” breathed Victor

“--You said it,” Jason leaned heavily on the counter. He looked over at Victor. “Did you see her face?”

“Yeah, beet red. She wasn’t expecting us to be here.”

“I saw her before she saw us, her face was already red.”

Victor looked over at the Colonel’s closed door. “What do you think that was about?”

“Well, Jen thinks that the Commander and the Colonel might be trying to date.”

Gunny’s mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding me.”

“Hey, you’re the one who said ‘Five bucks says they’re married in less than two years.’”

“Well yeah,” he acknowledged somewhat awkwardly. “But they shouldn’t be doing anything in the office. The Admiral will--”

“--I know,” sighed Jason. “We gotta run interference for them. The question is how?”

“Leave that to me, Squid. Marines take care of their own. Talk to Jen and Harriet maybe they can keep the Admiral off the Commander’s six….” Gunny turned and headed back to his desk.

Jason looked out at the bullpen. Mac’s door was still closed. But thank God, so was the Admiral’s. It sure did seem like a long time until close of business….

2136 Zulu

Inside Mac’s office she handed Harm his cup

“Here you go….” Mac replied casually, as she walked away from him. Harm noticed the gentle sway of her hips as she walked over to her chair. Watching her walk was one of those guilty pleasures he would never admit to anyone else. He had to be careful though, because if Mac ever caught him doing it, he’d be viewing her through two swollen black eyes. She turned gracefully to sit down. He quickly looked down at his coffee cup.

“Harm?” What is he doing now?

He looked up. “Yeah?” “Harm, did you look at Captain Freeman’s deposition while I was gone? I really think he perjured himself. We can use this….”

But really Harm wasn’t listening. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead. What could he say? No Mac, I was trying to figure out how to surgically remove that foot I just shoved in my mouth a few moments ago…

He looked at her for the longest moment. Mac sat back in her chair, trying to figure out what was buzzing through Stickboy’s brain. He looked like he was about to throw up.

“Uh, Mac?” Not a good start, Hammer….

Okay, so he’s a little nervous after that latest remark about me being distracting, thought Mac, studying the Commander. Smile at him, make him feel at ease. It was just a mental slip, a nice one though, it’ll come in handy for future reference. Okay, back to the matter at hand MacKenzie, whatever he’s got to say about the case can’t be that bad.

She smiled. “What is it Harm?”

“Um, how would you like to…to ah… get together tonight?” There he said it.

Not was she was expecting, given his hesitancy, but okay they could talk about the case later. She was surprised that his comment had embarrassed him so. She decided to take it easy on him and go along with his idea. “Sure Harm, we can go over the case then. Do you want Chinese or maybe Pizza?”

Oh no, that didn’t come out right. “Uh, no Mac--”

Her face fell. No, he doesn’t want to go over the case? Damn, I was really looking forward to this…

“I want to…I want to take you out…on a date.”

Mac was shocked. Did her Flyboy just ask her out? “Harm,” she said slowly, trying to keep her trip hammering heart from drowning out her words, “Did you just ask me out on a date?”

Uh oh. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. But he realized he had gone this far. Gotta go through with it now…

“Yes Mac, that is, if you want too.” He started to bolt, “If you’re busy tonight--”

“No!” Harm flinched at her excited bark. She toned herself down. “Uh, no Harm, I’m not busy, not busy at all.” Nice MacKenzie, that makes you sound really pathetic…

Hey, maybe this was going to work after all. “Really? Will 1930 be okay?”

She felt herself coloring again. On the outside she fought to keep calm and cool, her voice normal. On the inside she was sweaty, nervous and lightheaded. It was good that Gunny, or anyone else for that matter, couldn’t see this. She swore that Harm would hear the thundering of heart if she wasn’t careful.

Oh God, Flyboy, your timing is something else. “Sure Harm, 1930 will be fine, I uh, mean, great, great.” Smooth MacKenzie, real smooth.

“Great.” He said getting out of the chair. “See you then.” Yahoo! She said yes, she said yes!!

“Uh, Harm?” He looked back at her.

“Um, shouldn’t we finish going over the Lowery hearing? It starts Monday, you know.”

“Monday?” Big deal, they could work on it over the weekend. Unless Mac decides we should get together on Saturday and Sunday too! He couldn’t think straight. She said yes, boy oh boy, she said yes!

Come on MacKenzie, keep it together. Just because Flyboy here just knocked your socks off doesn’t mean you should fly to pieces. She honestly felt the way she had when the captain of the high school football team had asked her out. She wanted to give Harm a big sloppy kiss, grab Harriet, and run to bathroom and discuss all the intimate details. However, her rational side was the one who answered him “Yes, Monday at 0900. Maybe we should just sit for moment and then we can finish up….”

Harm walked back over to the chair and plopped down. “Sure Mac, whatever you say….”

2210 Zulu

Sturgis saw his chance when Mac’s door opened. Harm walked out and headed toward his office. He followed.

Harm sat down at his open terminal and began making the corrections that Mac had suggested. Oh man! It’s Friday night, where am I going to take her? He stopped typing and reached for a phone book.

Sturgis rapped on his open door. “Harm, have you got a moment?”

Irritation showed on his face. Harm put his hand over the receiver. “Look Sturgis, I’m kind of busy….”

“This won’t take long.” The bubblehead settled into the chair in front of Harm’s desk and didn’t budge.

Harm sighed and put the phone back on the receiver. “Okay make it quick. I’ve got a lot of work to do here--”

“Harm,” Sturgis looked directly at his friend, “How do you feel about Mac?”

"When Friends Help Friends Pursue Their Dreams" 2/3

A/N 1: Detailed author notes are in chapter one – a wrap-up of the Dreams series….

A/N 2: Both Mac's story and Harm's story are archivedon this Voy website. The archive is listed at the top of the page. If you have trouble getting to it, send an email to the address listed above and I'll send you a copy. :) Now, when we last left our intrepid duo....

**************************************************

2210 Zulu
JAG Headquarters

“What?!” Harm managed to sputter, incredulous. “Look Sturgis, I don’t have time for games--”

Sturgis calmly observed his friend’s violent reaction. Bingo, I must’ve caught him off guard today…. He fixed his friend with a pointed stare that he usually reserved for guilty defendants. “This is not a game Harm, how do you feel about her?”

Despite the momentary lapse, Harm’s defenses snapped into place. “Well you know, she’s a good friend”--

Okay buddy, I hate to do this but you asked for it by giving me an evasive answer. Forgive me Dad. “ Harm, will you cut the ‘she’s a good friend bullshit’ and answer the question?” He snapped with deliberate anger.

It worked. Harm was shocked into silence. He stared blankly for a few moments at his friend. Did he just say ‘bullshit’? It was very rare for Sturgis to say any colorful words. He must be really irritated. But why is he taking it so personally? Why all of a sudden was he so concerned with Mac’s welfare? Sure he was her friend, but he never done anything like this. Maybe it was a cover for something else.

“Okay Sturg,” He decided to call his friend’s bluff, “What’s going on?”

“Just answer the question.” he replied heatedly. He knew if he kept pushing in the right way Harm would give him the answer he wanted.

Harm again looked at his friend for a long moment. His answer came out slowly. “I like her Sturgis, she means a lot to me.

Now we’re getting somewhere. “You like her a lot?”

Harm snorted grinning, “Yeah, I was thinking of asking her to go with me to the Senior Prom. Do you think she will?”

Sturgis shook his head. “Harm this is serious.” He was determined not to let him squirm away from this one.

Harm was getting irritated with this probing. “Okay Sturgis, enough is enough.”

He’s trying one last time to get me to back off.

“Tell me what’s got you so riled up.”

You asked for it, Harm. “You yanking Mac around like a rag doll, that’s what.”

Harm’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?” Uh oh, I may have pushed too hard.

“Buddy, do you have any idea how she feels about you?”

Harm sighs and crosses his arms. “Yeah I do.”

“You do?” He does? “So? Tell me….”

“We’re the best of friends--” Oh for the love of--

“Arrrgh!! Harm! She doesn’t just like you as a friend, man, she loves you! Don’t you get it?!” Uh oh, Mac’s going to kill me! Nuts, why did I have to say that?

Harm sat silent for a moment. Then a smile came to his face. “She does? Really?”

Finally, he understands. “Yes, she does, really. A fat lot of good it does her, though….”

“You’re wrong Sturgis. I love her too.”

You do?!? “Well when were you going to tell her, Harm, when she retires?”

“Sturgis that’s uncalled for. This hasn’t been easy--”

“--For either of you, yes I know. It took you two long enough to admit it. So how are you going to show her?”

“I’ve asked her out on a date,” said Harm matter-of-factly.

“You what?” Sturgis Turner couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Harm felt as if he was talking to a slow child. “I’ve asked her out on a date.”

“So where are you taking her?”

“Well I was trying to make those plans when you came charging in here.” Harm let his irritation show through so Sturgis would let him finish his phone calls. It was getting late and it would be exponentially more difficult to find a place that still had open dinner reservations for tonight.

“Oh, well, I’d guess I’d better let you get back to making those plans….” He stood uncertain what to do next. Harm was asking her out. He was finally going to admit to her how he really felt -- what more could he do?

“Yeah, thanks a lot there, old buddy” The sarcasm in Harm’s voice left Sturgis wondering if he’s done permanent damage to their longstanding friendship. Well, if it gets them together, he rationalized, then it was worth it.

Harm looked at his friend mischievously. “By the way buddy, I’m gonna remember that comment you made to me earlier. I bet your Dad would get a kick out of hearing about that.”

Sturgis looked stunned “Harm, you son of a--” fortunately, he stopped himself. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Payback is hell Sturgis. Trying to go for two?” The former submarine officer started to open his mouth, then thought better of it. He got up and left, closing the door behind him.

2216 Zulu

As Sturgis headed back down toward his office, he ran headlong into Harriet and Jennifer headed the opposite direction.

“May I ask where you two are headed?”

Jen and Harriet look at each other, then back at the Commander. “Permission to speak freely, Sir?” said Harriet.

“Permission granted,” Sturgis answered, although he wasn’t entirely sure this was a good idea.

“To talk some sense into that pig headed Commander!” Harriet blurted out. Sturgis’ eyebrows raised at the venom in her voice.

Immediately, Harriet looked at Sturgis’ shoulder boards and blanched, “No disrespect meant toward you Sir.”

“Just toward Commander Rabb.” he replied amused

Jen was the next to step out of bounds. “The Commander has played games too long with the Colonel’s feelings--”

“Petty Officer, how do you know about Colonel MacKenzie’s feelings and that the Commander has been playing games with her emotions?”

Jen was a little intimidated, but not enough. “A woman knows, Sir.”

Harriet nodded her agreement.

“You want to show him the error of his ways.”

“Exactly Sir.” Harriet was sure that Sturgis was their ally in this.

“Lieutenant, I don’t want to rain on your parade, but I think you’re a little late--”

“Oh no!” groaned Jen, “She didn’t give up on him did she?” Harriet looked apprehensively at Sturgis until he smiled.

“You didn’t let me finish.” They both looked at him. “The Commander has asked the Colonel out.”

“Really?” Harriet’s eyes got as big as saucers. Jen broke into an ear-to-ear grin. “Oh, that’s wonderful news Sir!”

“I thought you both would see it that way,” he replied “Now can you both let them handle this?”

“Oh Yes Sir!”

“Absolutely Commander!”

“Then let’s get back to work before the rest of the day gets away from us….” As both Harriet and Jen affirmed their willingness to do this, Sturgis silently prayed that other members of the staff would not repeat their meddling. But he knew they would. Hopefully the two JAG lawyers would understand their friends’ intentions.

2230

Admiral Chegwidden sighed as he walked back into the bullpen. While his meeting with Colonel Brinkman was successful, the one with SECNAV Sheffield did not go well at all. With Singer gone and Manetti transferred, he was short two attorneys again. He told the man that unless they got replacements, the backlog of cases would continue to increase. Sheffield had been in a foul mood and wanted to hear none of it. He told AJ about yet another fraternization case that could blow up in the Navy’s face and he wanted Commander Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie to handle it as soon as possible.

Tiner pulled Harm’s door shut as the Admiral walked by. Inside, Harm looked up momentarily from his conversation on the phone, trying to figure out what was going on.

AJ looked at Tiner and then Rabb’s door which he had just closed. He looked to the Petty Officer for an explanation. “The Commander asked that I shut his door Sir, privacy needed.”

“Oh I see, well tell the Commander that he can have privacy for twenty more seconds then I want to see him and Colonel MacKenzie in my office.”

Tiner stalled for time. “About what Sir?”

AJ whirled around, he could not believe what just came from Tiner’s mouth. Harriet stopped her typing and looked up. Jen, who had been on her phone, absently laid the receiver in its cradle, keeping her eyes on Jason.

“I don’t believe that is any of your business, Petty Officer.” He growled, “Just get Rabb and MacKenzie in my office ASAP.”

“Admiral, both Commander Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie are working on the Masters court martial – you told them you didn’t want anybody disturbing them unless absolutely necessary, not even you Admiral.” The last part of Tiner’s answer came out sounding somewhat smug.

AJ considered what the Petty Officer just told him and the fact that Lieutenant Masters’ court martial took place last week. Tiner was going to pay for that remark. “Well Tiner, I’m glad you reminded me of that.” He said quietly with a fatherly smile on his face.

Jason smiled, pleased that he had kept Commander Rabb out of trouble. “You’re welcome Sir.” He didn’t notice Harriet ducking behind her terminal. For some reason, Jen seemed to be cringing.

“It’s especially interesting that you should mention the Masters court martial since it concluded last week.” The fatherly smile evaporated.

Jason Tiner’s eyes almost bugged out when he heard the last part. Last week?! Oh sh**!

“Now get me Rabb and MacKenzie in the next five minutes numb nuts or I’ll bust you down to Seaman and throw your six down the stairwell!”

“Aye, aye Sir!!” barked the Petty Officer in reply. His fear was palpable. He knew that the Admiral would do it if pressed far enough.

Harm chose this moment to open his door and stick his head out. “You needed to see me Sir?”

AJ turned still burning from his encounter with that idiot Tiner. “My office Rabb! Now!!” he bellowed.

“Aye Sir!” Harm bolted out into the bullpen. As the Admiral went into his office, the Commander looked over at a visibly shaken Tiner.

“What did you just do Tiner?” hissed Harm.

“You have no idea Sir.” said Jason weakly as he quickly went toward Colonel MacKenzie’s closed door.

2235 Zulu

Jason was about to knock on her door when Gunny intervened. “My turn Squid. You deserve a silver star for that maneuver.” He looked back at Chegwidden’s office “That was a brave move Petty Officer.”

“I hope it was worth it.” grumbled Tiner as he headed back to his desk.

Mac heard the commotion out in the bullpen, but was busy trying to get the auto-correct feature on her word processor turned off. It kept capitalizing the first word in each line and replacing the name ‘Chalmer’ with ‘Charmer’ and she was sure that Captain Chalmer would not be pleased with that change. She finally found the right drop down box and turned off the annoying program when she heard a knock at her door.

“Enter.” she called out as she began to save her file.

Gunny stuck his head in the door. “Ma’am?”

“What is it Gunny?” she said without looking at him. She had just noticed another paragraph where the Captain’s name had been changed.

He seemed almost apologetic. “Ma’am, the Admiral needs you in his office ASAP.”

This time she looked up at him. It was his tone that had caused her to look up. “Any idea what this is about?” She saw that his face was filled with…regret?

“Well Ma’am,” he started slowly, “It might have to do with the status of your relationship with Commander Rabb.”

Mac looked stunned. “My relationship--” she breathed. She felt the floor drop away from her.

“--With Commander Rabb,” he finished gently for her, looking at the Colonel apologetically, “I’m real sorry Ma’am.”

Mac took a moment and calmed herself. She and Harm knew this would happen someday, but she didn’t expect it to happen this quickly. Suck it up MacKenzie. She looked back at Gunny with a reassuring smile. “Thanks Gunny, I’m on my way.” Truthfully, she didn’t feel like smiling.

“Yes Ma’am.” he responded, proud of the way she was going to tackle this debacle head on. Now that’s intestinal fortitude.

2238 Zulu

AJ and Harm heard the knock on the office door. “Enter.” called out the Admiral.

Mac briskly walked in, shut the door and came to attention. “Reporting as ordered Sir!”

AJ looked at her, wondering why she was being so formal. “At ease Colonel, take a seat.”

“I’d rather remain standing Sir.” she responded in her most professional tone.

AJ looked at Harm who merely shrugged. Now what’s this all about? he thought, Oh well, a little bark ought to take the starch out of her. “Take a seat Colonel,” he snapped, “That’s an order.”

Reluctantly, she sat down in the chair next to Harm. AJ turned his back to them and walked toward his window. Mac took the opportunity to glance briefly at Harm and smile. Uncharacteristically, she took hold of his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before releasing it. She then turned her attention to the Admiral.

The Commander, who had been puzzled by Mac’s performance up to now, was horrified. At the same time, strangely, he pleased by the contact.

“The SECNAV has a fraternization case he wants handled as soon as possible. He wants it done quietly and without undue media attention--” began AJ

“Sir?”

What’s up with Mac? She usually doesn’t do this kind of thing. “Colonel, I wasn’t finished with my briefing--”

She interrupted him again. “I know Sir, but there is something that you need to know.” She seemed determined.

Whatever it is, it must be important for Mac to risk a dressing down for rudeness. “All right Colonel, He replied in a fatherly tone, “What is it that you need to tell me?”

Instantly Harm realized what Mac was about to say. He had to stop her before she spoke.

“Th-“

“Admiral, what the Colonel is about to say is that this case between Seaman Broward and Petty Officer Mamura should be handled aboard the Tarawa rather than here at JAG Headquarters. It will keep the chance of media exposure to a minimum and allow the ship to get underway on time.”

Mac was at first annoyed by Harm’s interruption, but quickly realized that Gunny had been dangerously mistaken. This was not about her relationship with Harm, this meeting was about two other people which they would trying. She would take care of Gunny later.

AJ Chegwidden looked thoughtfully at Harm, as if he was accepting the man’s cockamamie explanation. “That’s amazing Commander, I had no idea you had been brushing up on your ESP skills.” Looking sheepish, Harm fell silent.

He shifted his focus to the Colonel, his eyes boring into hers. “Colonel, do you really feel this is the best way to handle this case?”

“Absolutely Admiral,” she responded quickly, thankful that Harm had butted in. “The Commander, um, took the words right out of my head.”

“Well I’ll be damned.” AJ clearly had not been expecting her to say this. He had expected a stiffened spine followed by a weak apology. Off balance, he walked over to his desk, picked up his pen and signed off on the document on his desk and handed it to her. “You’ll both leave on next Sunday at 0530 by helo for the Tarawa. Dismissed.”

“Aye Sir.” They brought themselves to attention then did an about face and exited the room.

AJ stood looking at the closed door. They have been working together way too long….

2328 Zulu/1728 Local
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

Mac tidied up her desk and placed several files into her briefcase. Not that she would even touch them tonight. In all likelihood, she would not look at them again until tomorrow morning. That thought made her smile. That and a certain phrase spoken by her Flyboy, one Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr.

I want to…I want to take you out…on a date.

Okay, so it wasn’t the stuff of romance novels, she thought, it still came from Harm. That made up for the awkwardness. Besides, she hadn’t been a sultry seductress herself.

Mac did an internal time check. 1730. Damn! By the time she could get to her place, she’d only have one hour and twenty two minutes to get ready. She had to get her six moving. She grabbed her purse and cover, snapped off the lights and closed her door. She made it to the elevators just before the doors closed.

*~*

Harm looked at his wall clock. 1742. He had to get moving if he was going to pick Mac up at 1930. Luckily the dinner reservations were made, all he had to do now was make it home, shower, shave, dress and be at her place before 1925.

The Commander busied himself putting notes in a couple of files and shutting down his computer. He casually looked over at the clock again. 1747?! Harm grabbed his files, shoved them into his briefcase, hit the lights and grabbed his cover as he headed out the door. The elevator had already closed, so he decided to take the stairs. Everything had to be perfect tonight.

1855 Hours local
Apt. 201
2812 The Washington
Washington, DC

Mac finished toweling off her hair as she stepped back into her bedroom. The hot water had run out much too quickly, but she didn’t have time to worry about that, right now she had find the right dress for her date.

Her date…Mac could not believe this was finally going to happen. She was finally going on a real dress-to-the-nines, fancy place to eat dinner, date. And best of all, it was with the one person she had begun to think was unreachable. Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. Everything had to be perfect for tonight.

She opened her closet and found a racy red number staring back at her. Too forward, she pushed it aside. How about this blue velvet one? Zipper broken, revealing more of her backside than she wanted to show on her first date with Commander Harmone. How about this shimmering emerald number? Too flashy, if they were going to a disco or a holiday dance, maybe. She quickly dismissed several others. Nope, too formal. Unt uh, too casual. Nah, too glitzy. Yuck, definitely not, too puritan-how did that get in her wardrobe….Dammit! She had almost exhausted the entire rack when she saw the plum blouse wrap – she could put it together with a tight looking black spandex skirt that stopped just below the knees and… that just might work. Now all she had to do was find her matching eye shadow and lipstick.

18:57 Hours local
1205 8th Street
North of Union Station
Washington, D.C.

Nuts! Harm watched as another bloody trail stained the shaving cream on his cheek. That made four different nicks that now adorned the Commander’s face. He took another piece of toilet paper and stuck it on the bleeding place. He looked in the mirror. He hadn’t seen a face covered with this many nicks since he was in high school. His styptic pencil would have to run out tonight…

*~*

She had spent five minutes and thirty one seconds looking for the proper color eyeliner pencil and eye shadow, but when she finally found them and applied them to her eyes, the effect was perfect. Looking in the mirror she saw that her eyes had that smoky come hither look. The dark plum lipstick shined invitingly just like she hoped it would. Now to finish getting dressed…

*~*

He tossed the light blue shirt in the hamper. How did he miss that stain? He could have sworn it was clean when he hung it back in the closet a few days ago. This was his last blue shirt. He pulled it on and looked at it. Great! It looked fine – no stains. Now all he had to do was hope his tan and black tweed sports jacket didn’t have anything wrong with it….

Mac had just finished putting on her right earring. Harm would be knocking on the door any moment. Just in time.

Harm looked out his window again… Mac would be here any moment.

1940. Where was he? He was ten minutes and thirty-two seconds late. He should have been here by now. She picked up her cell phone and hit button #2.

Harm stood on front step of his apartment building. Mac usually came from that direction. He hoped she got here soon. If she didn’t, they’d have to forfeit the dinner reservations. In the background, the tinny sound of a cell phone chirping could be heard.

No answer. She closed the phone. He was probably on his way here. She would just sit down on the sofa and wait. But before she did, Mac couldn’t resist peeking out through the blinds at her parking lot. No Lexus SUV, or Red Corvette. She sighed and sat back down. Where was he?

Harm started to pick up the cell phone when he realized it had been malfunctioning earlier today. Maybe she misunderstood about their date. Maybe she thought he was supposed to pick her up. Grabbing his keys off the coffee table, he headed out the door and down to his Lexus.

Mac got in her Corvette and started it. She backed out of her parking place and pulled out of the parking lot and into traffic.

Harm pulled up just as Mac slipped into traffic. He drove into the parking lot, parked and searched for Mac’s Corvette. Not here. Now he was getting worried….

Mac reached Harm’s loft and knocked on the door. “Harm?” No answer. She pulled out her key to his place and unlocked the door.

Harm stepped inside Sarah MacKenzie’s darkened apartment. “Mac?” No notes near the door. Maybe she had just been delayed. No, she would have called. If she could. Now he was really starting to be concerned. Just in case he had missed her, he decided to call his place. It was screwy, but something told him he should try this before sending out search parties. ’ve been hanging around her too long, he said chuckling to himself as he dialed his loft phone number.

Mac wistfully looked at the Commander’s darkened apartment. How could she have misunderstood? She was about to leave his apartment when the desk telephone began ringing. Mac hesitated. On the fourth ring, the answering machine picked up. “Hi, this is Harm, leave me a message after the beep.” Then a voice identical to the machine’s came through its speaker. “Hey Mac, it’s Harm, if you’re there—"

She rushed over and picked up the phone. “Harm! Harm, I’m here. Where are you?”

His voice immediately became softer. “I was going to ask you the same thing, Mac.”

“I’m at your place.” She looked around the empty room as if to verify to herself that’s where she was.

“Mac, what are you doing there?”

She rolled her eyes at Stick boy’s goofy comment. “Looking for you. You were supposed to pick me up at 1930.”

“Wrong Marine, you were supposed to meet me at 1930.”

“I don’t remember anything being said about me driving over to your place, Flyboy.”

“I said I’ll see you at 1930.”

“That doesn’t tell me I’m supposed to meet you at your place, Harm.”

“Well I didn’t say anything about picking you up, Mac.”

Oh--kay, this was getting them nowhere. Mac decided to bring order out of chaos. “Look Harm, just stay there all right? I’ll be back over in a few minutes.” With that, she cut the connection.

“Mac, Mac wait--” her voice was replaced by the drone of the dial tone. He stared at his cell phone. Great, what a way to start off a romantic evening.

Harm watched as Mac pulled in her space and turned off her lights. Getting out of the car she saw Harmon Rabb standing against the railing of her steps. He had on brown dress pants with an open collar dark blue shirt framed by a tweed sports coat.

Wow Squid! Easy Marine. She admonished herself, unconsciously licking her lips. First business, and then pleasure….

She crossed her arms and stood beside her car, looking sternly at the Commander.

Harm looked at her. Even when she’s mad, she’s drop dead gorgeous. Easy Hammer, let’s not forget that you’re dealing with one very pissed off and hungry Marine….

“Are we going to stand here all night staring at each other?”

He looked at his watch. So much for their reservations at the Bordeaux Dinner Theatre…well, what can they do now?

“No,” he said slowly getting off the stairwell and walking over to her car. “Come on….”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

2007 Local
Beltway Burgers
Washington, D.C.

“…That’s three super-deluxes with extra cheese and bacon, three bags of super crispy fries, two monster size drinks, one small drink and one lean and mean veggie burger with our special fat free dressing,” The young female drive-through clerk had heard these kind of orders before.The girls get something like this, a salad or maybe a kid’s meal, while the guys gorged themselves. Yuck. This guy sounded like a candidate for blobville. Oh well, it takes all kinds. “Will that be all?”

“Uhm, yeah.”

“$27.60, pay at the first window.” Celia started her next order. “Hi, welcome to Beltway Burgers, Home of the Super Deluxe, may I-- She stopped in mid sentence as she saw the fire engine red Corvette pull up to the delivery pickup window. Wow! What a cool set of wheels!

“Here’s the lady’s burger and drink--” said Ricky, the freckled faced kid at the window. He handed Harm the small bag.

“The veggie burger’s for me.” Harm said quietly. Celia leaned over from her chair to get a better look into the car.

“Can you put extra ketchup into one of the bags?” Mac leaned over Harm towards the window and smiled sweetly at Ricky. Boy, he wasn’t a blob, thought Celia looking down from her perch at the guy. Huh. It figures he’s got a sweetheart. Well, if she keeps eating like that, he’ll need a bigger car….

“Uh yeah,” Ricky replied “um, how many?”

“A dozen will be good.” Not saying anything, he dropped about dozen packets of ketchup in the first bag and handed it to Harm who handed it to Mac.

“Hey lady! Are you going to take my order or not?!” Celia flinched at the angry voice coming from the speaker. It was the next customer in line. “Sorry, can I take your order?” Man, some girls get all the breaks and I get stuck doing this….

Ricky finished passing all the bags to Harm. He passed them to Mac who hungrily opened the first bag, unwrapped one of the greasy concoctions and began to savagely devour it.

“Uh,” he looked blankly at Mac inhaling the first sandwich. “Thanks, um…come again?”

“You bet,” said Harm smiling his killer smile as he pulled away from the window, leaving Celia and Ricky staring dumbly at the retreating sports car.

“Okay Squid,” she said between bites, “This puts you closer to being back on my good side--What else have you got up your sleeve?”

“Well, you finish up your dinner and then we’ll pull over, switch places, I’ll eat and give you directions to our evening’s entertainment….”

2030 Local
Herman’s Golf World

Miniature Golf?! She rolled her eyes as they pulled up to the curb. “I’m not dressed for this Harm.”

“What’s the matter Mac,” He said egging her on, “Afraid that I’ll beat you?”

“Ooh that did it, Squid,” She smirked at him “Prepare to be humiliated.” They got out of the car and headed over to the attendant’s booth.

*~*

Several families on the course watched as two combatants stepped up to the first tee.

Harm fished a coin out of his pocket. He flipped it into the air. “Call it.”

“Heads.”

Harm caught it and looked at the coin. Then he looked at Mac with a crooked smile on his face. “Tails”

She stood back as he addressed the ball with his putter and expertly tapped it. The ball slalomed between the ridges on the felt green and plunked into the cup.

“Beginners luck,” grumbled Mac.

Harm broke into his thousand watt smile. “We’ll see.”

The next three holes were all hole in ones for Harm. For her part, Mac had made one hole in one, one hole in three and a hole in five.

“Looks like I’m gonna win this one, Jarhead.”

Mac watched as he moved to the next tee. As he started to address the ball, a wicked smile crossed her lips.

As Harm got ready to hit the ball, she walked over toward the cup, slowly and deliberately.

Harm could not help but notice her firm, skirt covered six as she walked in front of him.

“Do you mind Mac?” he said a little unevenly his voice cracking, “I’m trying to tee off here.”

“Oh sorry….” she said softly, turning her head back towards him but keeping her six aimed in his direction.

Harm tried to shake the image from his mind and prepared to swing. He was rewarded with a hole in four.

“Ohhh. Ummmm.”

On hole #6, Harm looked up to see Mac stretching, her taut straight body posture, accentuating her perky breasts covered by the plum blouse.

She smiled dreamily at him. “That felt good.” She purred.

Harm hit the ball little too hard, causing it to fly off the green and into a water trap on hole number #8

She snickered as he went to retrieve his ball floating in the water. “Mac that’s not fair.”

“What?” She said innocently, her big brown doe-like eyes focused on him. Her stare was almost indecent. Okay, he thought, Two can play this game.

For the next five holes the Lieutenant Colonel and the Commander played a sexually charged game of one-up-man-ship. As soon as he retrieved his ball, Harm took off his sports coat and put it back in the car. Mac had a hard time concentrating, her mind wandering to thoughts about the firm chest beneath that shirt. She got a hole in two.

On hole number #7 Mac had gotten down on her hands and knees as she judged the lie of her ball. For his part Harm did his best to ignore her and her positioning. On hole #8 Harm leaned close to her as she attempted to hit the ball. The puffs of warm breath tickled her ear breaking her concentration as she hit the ball. Unfortunately for him, her aim was true and she got a hole in one. Harm’s score, hole in three, hole in five, hole in seven.

Now they both stood looking at hole #9.

“Okay Mac,” he breathed a little unsteadily, trying hard not to look at her. “Truce.”

Sarah MacKenzie was also flustered. Having him so teasingly near had definitely shattered her normal cool demeanor. She cast a sideways glance at him and sighed. “Okay, truce.”

He walked up to the tee, addressed the ball and knocked it expertly through the curled chute into the cup.

“Nice going.” Mac smiled at him and then walked up to the tee. She started to address the ball, when Harm came up behind her. She tensed momentarily as he put her arms around her.

“Easy Marine,” He said softly as he guided her arms, “I’m just trying to help your aim.”

Having him this close, being able to smell the scent of his shaving cream, his chest against her back, it was almost more than she could stand. “I don’t need any help with my aim--”

“Just relax, Mac and go with it.” She closed her eyes, reveling in this closeness. Oh Harm, if you only knew--

What you were doing to me--Harm swallowed, trying to fight the rising desire as he felt her six against his lower body. Her perfume, the smell of her hair, and the softness of her skin—it was maddening.

Thwack!

The ball caromed through the chute and shot into the cup. Kathunk! A hole in one.

She looked at him, desire burning fiercely in her eyes. She bit her lower lip. “Um, thanks.”

He was equally consumed. All he could see was her. “Yeah, you want to….”

She looked into his blue eyes and smiled. “Yeah.”

They walked hand in hand to the attendant to turn in their putters.

An older couple watched as the two made their way to the attendant’s booth.

“Beatrice, have you ever seen such a display?”

“Oh Claude, give it a rest, they’re just young and in love.”

“They’re not that young.”

“I seem to remember a certain Romeo that taught me that way.”

“I wasn’t that obvious, was I?”

“You were and it was the best time I ever had playing golf.”

The two watched as the man walked the woman over to the car, his hand gently touching her lower back. He opened the door for her and she smiled a dazzling smile at him, as she slid in. He returned the smile and closed the door then walked around to the driver’s side and got in. In a moment, they were backing out of the parking space, headlights flipping on as they pulled out into the traffic.

“When Friends Help Friends Pursue Their Dreams” 3a/3

A/N1: Okay, first of all, tried an experiment last night and it blew up in my face – never was very good at experiments. So with the indulgence of the writers, I’m going to use *these* for emphasis.

A/N2: All of you who have had writers block – it never hurts to have someone else look at your work and offer suggestions. A big thank you to Lisa, who gave me a great idea that helped complete this chapter. Lisa, if you see this, thank you.

A/N3: Warning! Things get a little messy. Sorry, but just like real life, things don’t always go as planned. Trust me, I’ll fix it in the next chapter.

***************************************************

2130 Hours local
Mac’s apartment

“Would you like come in?” The female’s muffled voice could be heard through the closed door.

“Sure if you don’t mind,” replied the shy sounding male voice.

She opened the door, stepped in and snapped on the lights. “Harm, I’m inviting you in, of course I don’t mind, now come on in.” She smiled sweetly at his coyness, there was something endearing about him acting that way. It struck a chord in her.

Harm smiled back at her and came in the apartment. Mac dropped her purse and keys on the table by her sofa and started walking toward the kitchen. She turned back to the Commander. “Um, would you like some coffee, or coca or something?”

The ‘or something’ sounds pretty good. Easy Hammer, remember she’s a lady and you’re going to treat her like one…plus she can nail your six to the wall if you do something stupid. He realized Mac was waiting for an answer. Her soft look was replaced by a puzzled expression. “Harm, did you hear me?”

Okay, he’s zoning out on me again. What now? Harm quickly looked at her and smiled again “Sorry Mac, just thinking, coffee will be fine. Can I help?”

“No, I can manage. You just sit and relax for a moment.” Mac walked into the kitchen and turned on the lights. It would be easy enough to do this and it would give her the chance to work up her nerve for her next move.

She pulled the coffee can out of the refrigerator, opened it and began scooping grounds into the percolator basket. The aroma of the grounds relaxed her a bit. This “Quiet Evening Blend” she found at the coffee shop in Pentagon City was a nice way to end an evening date…or move it to the next level. Okay MacKenzie, you’ve got your fantasy man here, now let’s see if this was worth it. Mac grimaced at the negative thought that immediately popped into her head. What if it doesn’t work--what if we’re just better off being friends? Oh, suck it up, you’ve gotten this far and he seems interested--full speed ahead, you can do this!

“Mac?” Harm’s voice floated into the kitchen, making her start. “Is everything all right? Do you need any help?”

Flustered, Mac quickly snapped the lid on the can and picked up the carafe to fill it with the proper amount of water. “Sorry Harm, she began “I just--” she turned the facet, but only a drip of water emerged. What the—

“Mac? Is everything okay?” Oh no! Not tonight, please not tonight!

Harm looked up at the sound of the Colonel’s swift moving feet to see her quickly moving out of the kitchen, headed toward her bedroom.

“Mac?” She ignored him, intent on her heading. Harm quickly followed on her heels.

“Oh that’s just great!” muttered the now pissed off Marine. As Harm got closer, he could hear the trickle of water coming from her bathroom.

Harm walked in to find Mac, arms akimbo, looking disgustedly at the stream of water trailing down from the weakened fixtures into the tub basin.

“Damn!” she swore looking at the growing mess. She looked sideways to see Harm. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting this.”

“No problem Marine,” he started looking around the room. “Where’s the cutoff valve?”

She shot him a sarcastic look. “How do you know so much about plumbing?”

“Mac…I did refurbish my loft, remember?” his tone indicated his annoyance at her doubting his skills. “Now where’s the valve?”

She still didn’t fully believe him. “In the hallway, Commander Plumber.”

He shot her a dirty look as he left the room. He was really too easy to tease. She smiled at his macho take charge attitude – typical. I’d better go get the bucket and mop.

2203 Hours

Harm had actually been able to turn off the water, which impressed Mac almost as much as his ability to find the location of the burst pipe within the wall. For her part, she had drained the tub and mopped up the dirt, bits of crumbled grout, and other debris that had settled in the tub. She also rolled up the hallway carpet and set up one of her electric fans on the floor aimed at the soaked carpet.

It took five rings, but the superintendent finally answered and was in the Colonel’s apartment in twenty minutes and nineteen seconds. All three of them conferred about the damage. The hallway wall and the bathroom wall would have to be replaced. The tub might be salvaged, but the fixtures were shot. And no water for at least four days. The roar of the industrial drying fan filled the apartment making only yelled conversation possible. They had earlier squeezed as much water as they could out of the carpet and pad with Mac’s wet/dry vacuum cleaner.

“Tuesday?! Are you sure?!!”

“Sorry Colonel MacKenzie!” barked the Super, “It’s the best I can do!!”

Harm held one hand over his right ear as he leaned in to talk to Mac. “Come on Mac, you’ve done all you can do here! You can stay at my place tonight!!”

Mac looked around. She hated to admit it, but he was right. There would be no sleeping here tonight. “I’ll get my seabag out of my car! I can pick up a few more things in the morning!!”

She looked at the Super with genuine appreciation “Thanks for coming so quickly Mike!”

“Glad you caught me and my better half at home Ma’am, and you’re welcome! I’ll give you a status report in the morning!!”

Harm stuck out his hand. “Thanks Mike! We’ll see you in the morning!!”

Mike gave it a hearty shake. “Sure thing, Commander, Colonel! ‘Night!!”

“Night Mike!” The two military lawyers turned and headed down the hallway to the elevator.

2334 Hours

The elevator grumbled to a halt. The primer gray metal door slid open to reveal two rain-soaked people. A late evening thunderstorm, which had just started, caught them as they arrived downstairs. Before they could get inside, both were soaked to the skin. A dripping Harm reached over and pulled the ornate steel cage door open. A disheveled Mac, carrying her seabag, walked over to his apartment door and patiently stood in front of it. Harm, getting out, pulled the gate closed as the elevator door slid shut with a thump.

“Here I’ll get it,” said Harm crossing the hallway over to her.

Mac produced her key and unlocked the door. “It’s okay, I’ve got it.” She walked into the darkened loft and dropped her seabag on the floor. A flash of lightning temporarily lit the room.

“Hey.”

She turned around to see him framed in the doorframe by the hallway light. “Are you going to be okay?” A peal of thunder sounded in the distance as they stood looking at each other.

“Sure.” The wistfulness in her voice made him wince. What a night, a mix-up as to who was supposed to pick up whom, missed dinner and dancing reservations, a leak in her apartment and now this. The only bright spots in this night had been dinner at Beltway and miniature golf, not exactly how he had planned to romance her.

“Mac,” she turned as he walked up to her. “We’ll get your apartment fixed. It’s really not that bad, I had a leak worse than that when I moved in here.”

Mac’s eyes were bright with tears, but her voice was dull and flat. “Harm, if it’s all right with you, I’d just like to call it a night and get some sleep.” He can’t possibly understand, once again the curse of MacKenzie and Rabb has struck. And on top of it all, there’s a thunderstorm raging outside. Maybe someone is trying to tell us something.

He looked into her watery eyes. He sighed. “Sure Mac. Take my room, I’ll stay down here.”

Mac picked up her seabag and slowly made her way up the stairs into his bedroom. The storm outside seemed to be building in intensity as the windows rattled from the thunder.

Harm sat down on the couch and rubbed his hand over his stubble-covered face. For the first time in a long while, he felt adrift. He sat alone on the couch feeling the thunder shake the loft and the rain smack against the windows. It reminded him of another time when he was isolated and wandering, the sea taking him where it would.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harm could see his mother crying over her father’s grave. He stood, only being able to watch and not interact, as wracking sobs convulsed her body. For some reason unknown to him, he could not interfere. Then he saw why. He saw the six-year-old boy trying vainly to comfort his mother. It only seemed to increase her hysterics. Harm couldn’t stand to see her cry, but when he turned away, he could still hear her sobbing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mac had left Harm downstairs because she just couldn’t face him anymore tonight. The mix-up about who was supposed to pick up who could have been seen as quite funny by someone else, but for Mac it was an omen. She tried to shake the feeling, even getting into the fun of the moment at Beltway and Herman’s. Herman’s. Wow, Flyboy plays a damn good game of one-upmanship. But then, like always, it soured. She could almost taste his kisses – if only those damned pipes hadn’t burst, Harm and I would probably right now be getting to know each other, in the biblical sense. He tried to help, Boy Scout that he is, but the night and mood had been ruined. Chalk it up to yet another missed opportunity. She felt the tears come in earnest, like the rain outside. She was beginning to wonder if they would ever get together. After Cuidad del Este and Harm’s time in the CIA air corps, it had taken them a long time to get back to just friendship.

The lightning flashed and thunder rolled through the room, making her clutch the blankets closer. She angrily wiped the tears away. Maybe if she thought about happier times, she could just forget about tonight. After all, this was just a setback, they still had their friendship. Or did they? Her tears returned anew because she realized they had crossed a line tonight. It was line they were both very familiar with and she knew, deep down, once they had crossed that line, then one or the other would want to know if there was more. They were like moths attracted by light. It was inevitable. They had been moving toward this since they became friends again.

The caseload in the office however, had been overwhelming in the last few months, leaving little time to explore moving their friendship to the next level. So they had to settle, as they always had, for lunch and dinner discussing cases or celebrating wins. Losses were soothed by movie nights, cards, and other mind-distracting endeavors. Jogging and gym sessions became more commonplace and the playful banter returned. Sure, they had their dustups, but that was normal, after all, they were two headstrong people – it was to be expected, wasn’t it?

And just when it seemed like they would always be no more than just good friends, like a bolt out of the blue, it happened. Harm bought her a gift for sharing a long weekend preparing for an impossible case: namely the Court martial of one Sergeant Francis Pulver. The man was an insufferable idiot and Mac was glad to be prosecuting him. At least Harm wouldn’t be defending this moron. The Admiral decided Sturgis should handle the idiot’s defense. Preparing for the case though, was a nightmare. The mountain of evidence in the case continued to grow at an alarming rate. What had seemed like a slam-dunk case at first, was rapidly turning into one of the toughest challenges of her career. At first Harm had stayed out of her way, letting her handle this one by herself, and she couldn’t believe it. He actually respected her space. While on the surface she told everyone that she appreciated the Commander not interfering for once, deep down, she missed his interruptions and suggestions. She missed him coming up with a wacky, way-out there idea that would turn the case on its head and make the Admiral grab for his antacid tablets. She missed him.

So, she began dropping hints. Subtle ones at first, but with Harmon Rabb you can’t be too subtle. She should have remembered that from times past. Every time she tried to get his attention and missed, it made her feel like that awkward preteen she once was, trying to get that cute boy in the front row of class to notice her. She knew she couldn’t keep this up forever, people will start to notice! her common sense had screamed. That’s what led her one late evening to storm into his office on the pretext of accusing him of meddling. Of course he vigorously denied it. The sarcastic remarks mixed with banter made her feel alive. She just had to see him this weekend. Somehow, being the Cracker Jack lawyer that she was, she finagled him into agreeing to help review her entire packet on this case.

They worked through the whole weekend and she had loved every minute of it. Just being with him, made it all worthwhile. When they came to work last Monday, she was the happiest she had felt in years and the daydreams, she had put on the back burner, started again. Apparently, Harm had felt the same way about their weekend, because he broke down and got her a real gift and took her to lunch – his treat, no going Dutch this time.

Another flash of lightning illuminated the room. Then he asked her out. Of all the ways to tempt the fates, he had go and do this. She should have seen it coming. It was damned from the start. They were like some mythical couple doomed to fail, their love for each other always unrequited, for any time they tried to express it, something would interrupt or delay it, or if the infraction was bad enough, put an end to the relationship altogether. That made her cry even harder.

*~*

Harm opened one eye and looked around. He was…on the couch? Then he remembered the leak in Mac’s apartment. She was upstairs. The thought pleased him at first and then he grew grim as he remembered how their night had ended. A brilliant flash of lightning mirrored his frustration with the whole situation. Rain continued to beat angrily against the windows.

Despite the noise made by the rain, soft sobbing drifted down from his bedroom. Harm recognized it as his mother’s sobbing from his dream. However, he was awake now, was Mac crying? Why? He lifted himself off the couch and crept up the stairwell.

When he reached his room his heart ached when he saw his Marine curled into a fetal position on his bed, crying quietly into her pillow. Despite muffling most of the sobs, a few escaped becoming the soft crying he had heard downstairs. Thunder rolled through the apartment.

“Mac?”

She bolted upright in bed, gathering her covers around her. “Harm?” Her voice was thick from crying.

He cautiously approached the bed and sat down on the edge closest to her. “Hey Jarhead,” He looked into her tear stained face. “You want to talk about it?”

Lightning flashed outside. How can I tell him?

“Just hold me Harm, please?” Harm was shaken to the core. This was not the feisty Marine that matched wits with him in and out of the courtroom. Who watched his six and could take care of herself. This was a side of Colonel Sarah MacKenzie that Harm had never seen before. It scared him. He hesitated, unable to speak. He merely looked at her. Another crack of thunder sounded, causing Mac to visibly flinch.

“Harm?” Her voice trembled, full of sorrow …and fear? thought Harm. Something was definitely wrong.

Silently he moved over to her as she grabbed hold, burying her face in his chest. Harm absently stroked her hair as her tears began again, soaking his t-shirt.

The next morning, the rain continued. Mac didn’t mention the tears or being held all night by Harm. She just reveled in the fact that he was her friend. She took her shower while Harm started working on breakfast. They ate in silence with each of them stealing cautious glances of each other. These furtive looks were rewarded with small smiles. Nothing more was said about Friday night. It was as if it had never happened.

They spent the rest of that stormy weekend doing laundry, working on cleaning up her apartment, and getting ready for the Lowery hearing. By Sunday, she almost felt like she was back on an even keel. He, concerned about her behavior Friday night, tried his best all weekend to make her feel better and it seemed to be working. The only thing they hadn’t discussed was the Pulver court martial. The trial started Wednesday, and she needed to be ready. For some reason, though, Mac refused to discuss it with him. Why, she wouldn’t say. She needed to be ready and he knew she could use his help. Harm examined various plans to tackle this problem and discarded all of them as unworkable – except one. Maybe a little role-play would help. They could go over the Pulver court martial and he’d pretend to be Sturgis. He knew she wouldn’t like it, but he had to try. He didn’t want to see her lose this case.

He presented the idea to her as they finished lunch desserts. “What’dya think Mac?”

She rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe you’re suggesting this.” She snorted. “It’s a dumb idea Harm.” She hoped that would end this discussion. She got up from the table and walked over to the windows. Though it was mid-afternoon, the sky was darkening again. More rain on the way.

He looked at her, perplexed. “Why? You haven’t thought any of my other ideas this weekend were dumb….”

“Look Harm,” she looked at him earnestly, “Just drop it. You know my feelings on this case and I can handle it just fine without your help.” Flyboy please, let’s not ruin what we’ve had this weekend….

He initially looked confused and hurt by her refusal. But that didn’t last long. He just couldn’t understand her refusal to let him help, “C’mon Mac…” You know you can benefit from my wisdom….

She tried another tactic. She just wanted him to get away from talking about that trial. Anything divisive, she wanted to avoid. “Let’s just watch a movie, okay?” Her voice turned playfully sexy. “I’ll bet you haven’t even used that combined TV/VCR I got you, have you?”

That brought a blush to his face. “Well, uh, no….”

She smiled broadly, Good. He’s off balance. “Okay, it’s settled then.” She walked over to his TV and picked up a channel schedule and began thumbing through it. “ There’s probably a good movie on tonight. We’ll kick back, eat some popcorn--”

But she should have known nothing is ever that easy with Harmon Rabb. “No Mac.” She stopped and looked back at him. Harm was in his defensive posture. Arms crossed. Stern stare. “Don’t run away from this.”

She was caught off guard. “Run away?”

“Yes.” Now he had her. “The trial starts Wednesday and you have to be prepared. Let me help, okay?”

Exasperated, she looked heavenward as if asking for Divine help, then dropped her head shaking it slowly. “You are without a doubt, the most stubborn man I know.”

“But you know I’m right.” He flashed that ear-splitting grin at her.

She smirked. “I’m not so sure about that.” Her resolve was weakening.

He bargained with her. “Just a few minutes of role play, you know you want to be prepared.”

She looked doubtfully at him.

“I’ll make popcorn and when we’re finished, if there’s time, a movie.”

It was a good offer, but she still wanted another concession. She didn’t want this afternoon’s entertainment degenerating into another infamous Harm and Mac verbal battle. “How about we just start by reviewing the case notes?”

“Okay Mac.” he conceded. They sat down on the couch together. Mac reached for her notes and Harm pulled his legal pad off the coffee table and flipped to a page of notes he had ready.

She playfully hit him on the shoulder. “You were ready for this weren’t you?”

He grinned at her playfulness. That’s good Mac, we’ll be through this before you know it and you’ll be so glad we did this… “I always try to be ready, Counselor.”

She gave him a wry smile as she flipped through her notes, looking for the appropriate place to begin. “Okay, let’s get started….”

It was like strapping yourself into hang glider and stepping out onto a steep cliff. The view was breathtaking, but the fall could most likely kill. Still, Mac willingly followed Harm out onto that thin ledge. They started out with the notes. Harm pointed out what he thought were weaknesses in her prosecution. At first, they were only minor sticking points, so Mac was only mildly annoyed. Harm tried to soften the blows by tossing in a joke or smile where he thought appropriate.

The afternoon had dissolved into early evening, when they decided to explore their stances on Sergeant Pulver’s case. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Harm/Sturgis was sticking with his client. Mac got up from the sofa they had been sharing and started pacing around Harm’s apartment as her anger with him built.

“’Sturgis’, you can’t be serious.” Irritated with his stance on this case, she turned to face him. “The man is guilty and I will destroy your witnesses in court. Let’s talk a deal.”

Harm/Sturgis got up, shook his head and faced her, folding his arms across his chest. “No deal Mac, the man’s not guilty. He’s willing to take it to court and so am I. And we’ll win too.” He had thrown in that last part as payback for her snide assessment of ‘his’ witnesses.

Her eyes narrowed at the challenge. It was just like Harm to be this way. “You’ll lose Flyboy, you haven’t got a prayer.” Flyboy? The rational part of her mind challenged, Where did that come from?

Harm noticed her slip but remained unmoved. He was getting wrapped up in this too. “We’ll let the judge decide that.”

She started pacing again, “You are the most *pig headed*--”

“And you Mac, you’re a *conceited* Jarhead.” He shot back, the anger rising in his voice. He unfolded his arms and pointed at her to emphasize his point. Something was happening here that he hadn’t counted on…

“Conceited? I’m conceited!?” Her voice rose an octave. “Oooh, I can’t believe you telling me I’m conceited! You *arrogant*, glory hogging--”

“Glory hogging, oh now come on Mac, that’s low, even for you.”

She planted her hands on her hips. “If the shoe fits, Sturgis. Or should I say, Rabb? Who left to fly F-14s? Who’s the one who almost tossed his career aside and flew down to Paraguay? Who’s the one who flew for the CIA air corps, rescuing damsels in distress and saving the day – at least according to his own damn press releases!?”

Harm sat down. His heart crushed by her scathing words. “You really believe that’s about me Mac? Do you really think that?” It wasn’t role-play anymore. She had drawn blood.

But Mac was beyond caring. All the pent up fury and fear was boiling up out of her, and she aimed it right at her chief tormentor and the one she loved the most.

“That and to rescue poor pitiful me – the lovely heroine that stupidly keeps getting herself tangled in situations she can’t possibly get out of. So her dashing hero has to come and rescue her because she’s too damned dumb to get herself out of danger!!”

His voice dropped dangerously low as he glinted at her through a flinty stare. “Maybe I’m not the one that got a concussion down there MacKenzie. As I recall, you were strapped down, about to be jump-started by one of Sadik’s goons, and unless you had laser vision or superhuman strength, you weren’t coming out there alive.”

“You don’t know that!” She snapped back exasperated with his hero complex. “How do you know I wasn’t getting ready to take that goon out--”

His tight voice cut her off. “When I saw you, Mac, you were strapped down pretty tight. You weren’t going anywhere except maybe for an unmarked grave or a public display in an Al-Qaeda show and tell.”

The truth of those words left her airless. Her mouth worked silently for a few moments as his words hit her like fists. “You’re impossible.” She choked out before stomping away from him.

“Friday night you thought I was pretty special.” She stopped and stiffened at that remark.

She whirled back on him, her eyes blazing. “Oh yeah, Friday night, how could I forget? And what a night it was! I mean who would have ever thought fast food and miniature golf could sweep a girl off her feet?!”

His voice was quiet and very even. “You didn’t leave me with too many options after you didn’t show up on time--”

“That’s because fool that I am, I thought you were picking me up!!” She roared.

They stared at each other breathing hard. They were beyond annoyed, they were beyond ticked off, they were fire spitting furious with each other. It was Cuidad del Este all over again.

“I’m going for a walk.” He turned and strode over to the door.

“Fine, I’m outta here.” She said as she started toward the stairs. “I’m checking into a hotel.”

“Leave your key on the table by the sofa before you leave.” Was all he said as he opened the door and disappeared into the hall.

She stood for a moment watching him leave. A million conflicting thoughts bombarded her at once. When the door closed, she unsnapped his key from her key ring and hurled it across the room. It clattered on the wood floor and skittered under a bureau. Hot angry tears streamed from her eyes as she stomped up the stairs into Harm’s room and began throwing clothes into her seabag.

1207 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Fall Church, VA

Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie was barely awake. The bed at the hotel where she was staying was worn out, and sagged on end. All night she had kept her hands gripped on the opposite side of the bed, hoping she wouldn’t let go and roll out onto the floor.

Twice she had to go upstairs and remind her ‘neighbors’ that loud television at 0300 was not conducive to a good nights’ sleep. The first time she was polite. The second time, the partying couple decided it might be better to move their party to another venue.

It had been the only hotel that had a vacancy. All others were full, some damn convention of some sort or another was what she was told. Now she understood why the place had a vacancy. Coffee would help her feel better, but it probably would not get rid of the crick in her neck.

She sighed and unlocked the door to her office. Then it hit her. Oh my God the Lowery hearing! That was this morning at ten. Well suck it up Marine, life is tough all over. At least she wouldn’t be facing off against Harm. However, it would make prosecuting this one a pain in the six.

Harm. My God, how did they manage to do this again? Simple, it was kismet, karma, or a new Murphy’s Law. Yep, the Rabb and MacKenzie Love Corollary. She thought disgustedly to herself.

“Good morning Ma’am!”

Mac started, causing the crick in her neck to twinge violently. Harriet saw the look of pain and annoyance cross her face. Then she noticed Mac’s disheveled look.

“Oh, I’m terribly sorry Ma’am. You didn’t sleep well?”

“Just slept wrong last night, Harriet,” Mac was able to push out as she willed the spasming muscle to relax. It wasn’t working. “Look, I need some aspirin or Tylenol or something for this crick--”

“Oh don’t worry Ma’am, I have something for that right here.” Harriet opened her handbag and handed Mac two pain pills.

Mac looked wryly at her as she fingered the two pain pills. “You opening a portable drug store, Lieutenant?”

“No Ma’am, but with everything that’s been going on around our house, I found carrying a portable supply of a little bit of everything might not be a bad idea.” She looked hard at Mac’s hair.

“Lieutenant, you’re staring.” Harriet averted her eyes from her hair, and looked down at the tile floor of the bullpen. “Oh sorry Ma’am it’s just, well, did you do your hair this morning? I mean, it does look--”

“Like I stuck my head in a blender?” Harriet looked up, horrified at her comment.

“It’s okay Harriet,” chuckled Mac ruefully, “My crick combined with my temporary living quarters doesn’t do wonders for early morning hair styling.”

“Temporary living quarters Ma’am?” She repeated afraid to say anything else.

“I had a leak in my apartment Friday night. I had to find somewhere else to stay in the meantime.”

“Friday night? But you and the Commander, were, I mean, supposed to, well,”

“Go out on a date Harriet?” Mac smiled at the memory of Harm asking her out. “Well for your information, we did.”

“You did?!” she almost squealed, earning a cutting glance from the sore Marine. She immediately lowered her voice, “That’s wonderful Ma’am!”

“It was a disaster Harriet,” Mac said sadly, “A complete disaster.” She noted the shocked look on Harriet’s face. “I’ve got to get ready for the Lowery hearing, thanks for the pain pills, please excuse me….”

Harriet started to say something, but Mac had already opened her door, walked in and closed it, pulling down her blinds. Harriet stood looking dumbly at the shuttered door.

*~*

Commander Harmon Rabb slowly, stiffly made his way out of the elevator. A concerned Marine Lance Corporal moved over to him.

“Sir? Do you need a hand?” She moved closer, as Harm limped toward the clear double glass doors of the JAG bullpen.

“Thank you Corporal, but I--”

“No problem Sir,” She took his arm and helped him toward the doors. “You’re headed into the bullpen Sir?”

“Yes Corporal….” Harm seemed to be looking for her name badge.

“Givens, Sir, Marla Givens.” She blushed slightly.

“Well thank you Lance Corporal Givens,” he flashed her a grateful smile. The smile and his deep blue eyes made her almost forget she was in uniform.

“Commander! What happened?!” Jennifer Coates had opened one of the bullpen doors, was suspiciously eyeing the Lance Corporal.

“Had a fight with a sofa, Coates.” quipped Harm, but his joke fell on deaf ears. He decided the current situation needed a little explaining. “Corporal Givens was just helping me to the bullpen.”

Jen moved protectively toward the Commander. “Thank you for your help Lance Corporal,” she said brushing the Marine off, “You’re dismissed.”

Givens looked suspiciously for a moment at Coates, until she saw something hard that was slipping to the surface of the young Petty Officer’s face. It was territorial. Harm also saw it and didn’t know whether to be flattered or concerned.

“Yes Petty Officer.” The Lance Corporal snapped to attention. “Will you need anything else Commander?” She ignored Coates.

Harm decided it was best not to get between these two. “No Corporal, thank you for your help.”

“Aye Sir.” she pivoted on her heel and headed down the hall.

When she was gone, Coates gently took his arm. “Come on Sir, let’s get you inside.”

*~*

Mac had taken the pain pills, but it would take some time before they started to kick in. She reached into her briefcase that she had laid by her chair and slowly, carefully, reached in. As she started to pull out her notes on the Lowery hearing, a knock interrupted her actions.

She sighed and winced again as she started to pull her hand back out of her case. She heard her door opening. In breezed Harriet with two steaming cups of coffee.

“I thought you would appreciate a good cup of Marine grade coffee.”

“Marine grade?” Mac carefully sat back in her chair.

“I left the filter out and set the coffeemaker on its strongest setting.”

Mac chuckled. That made Harriet smile as well. “I thought I’d also help you review your notes for the hearing.”

Mac smiled with genuine affection and warmth at her ‘little sister’ “Thanks Harriet.”

Harriet beamed. “You’re welcome Ma’am.”

*~*

Harm started to settle into his chair with Jennifer’s help. Suddenly his weight shifted and both of them fell into the chair, Jen in the Commander’s lap. Jason Tiner, on his way to his desk stopped in mid stride, his eyes bulging out.

“Jen?!”

Her head snapped around and saw Jason standing there, watching what looked like an intimate scene between her and the Commander. “This isn’t what it looks like--”

“Tiner, Coates was just helping me sit down, I broke some toes last night and I lost my balance--”

“Sorry Sir, Petty Officer.” He looked away from them pointing his eyes at a point in front of Harm’s desk. “I have a cane in my car, Sir. I’ll be right back.” And with that, he disappeared back down the hall.

Jennifer looked perplexed at the Commander, and then back at the now empty doorway. She got off his lap, straightened her uniform and smoothed her hair.

“Don’t worry Coates, I think he understands.”

“I hope so Sir.” She looked worriedly at the Commander and then back at the empty doorway.

“When Friends Help Friends Pursue Their Dreams” 3b/3

A/N1: Okay, so the last chapter was a little tough, I promise to fix it with this chapter. I am a shipper, after all. :)

A/N2: Will there intimate contact? That depends on your definition. I'm not great at those kind of scenes. I'd rather leave them to the experts. :)

A/N3: Finally, thanks to all who gave feedback and encouragement - it is greatly appreciated. Wow, Elfinkid and JoshuaTree can you believe we started this one back in May? Thanks for betaing - this is for all those who are patient and believe like I do - things will work out in the end.

**************************************

Jason was headed towards his car.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, where’s the fire, Tiner?”

Gunnery Sergeant Victor Galindez was getting out of his Mazda, when he saw Jason storming over to his Subaru.

“The Commander needs a cane,” Jason Tiner bit out. He dug in his pockets for his keys, fishing them out and jamming the proper one into the trunk lock.

The Gunny walked over, not sure what he was stepping into the middle of. “Hey Jason,” That made the Petty Officer look up. It was rare when Gunny used his first name. “What’s going on here?”

“Jen was ‘helping’ the Commander into his chair. He claimed his toes were broken. She was sitting in his lap. He claimed he lost his balance.” He slammed the trunk closed to emphasize his anger and frustration.

Gunny put his hand on Jason’s shoulder. “Hey now, hold it right there, mister law school student. Think about this. The Commander is in love with the Colonel, don’t forget that. Second, the Commander is well aware of the rules for fraternization with junior enlisted personnel and even he wouldn’t be that dumb. And I know Coates has a thing for you.”

Jason turned to face him. The confusion in his face was blatantly obvious. “So what was she doing practically sitting in the Commander’s lap?”

“Things are not always what they seem, Tiner. Haven’t they taught you that at law school yet?”

Jason Tiner took a deep breath and slumped against his car. “You’re right.”

Gunny smiled. “You’re damn right I’m right. Now, you’d better get your feelings under control man, or the Admiral will be hanging you upside down outside his window. He’s got enough problems with the Colonel and the Commander, without having to add you and Coates to the mix.”

“Okay.” He looked at the cane. “Come on let’s give this to Commander Rabb.”

Victor walked back with him. “You say he broke his toes?”

“That’s what the Commander said.”

“How?”

“He didn’t say.”

“Wait a minute,” Gunny stopped dead. Tiner did the same. “Weren’t he and the Colonel supposed to go on a date Friday night?”

“Yeah,” said Jason slowly realizing what that meant. They stood rooted in place on the walkway into the building. People moved past them like a swift moving stream around obstacles. “You don’t think she--”

“I wouldn’t put anything past the Colonel since Paraguay.” Gunny said grimly. “Come on, let’s go see if we can find out what happened.” Both men hurried inside.

*~*

“So are you feeling a little better now, about the hearing this morning, Ma’am?”

Mac took another deep drink from her coffee cup. She looked over at Harriet who was sitting expectantly in the chair next to Mac’s desk.

“Yes Harriet, much better, thank you--”

But Harriet Sims wasn’t going to be brushed off so easily by Colonel Avoidance. “So why don’t you tell me about what really happened Friday night?” she added quickly.

Mac opened and closed her mouth and then looked down into her coffee cup. “There’s nothing to tell,” Mac said sadly, momentarily letting down her guard. Then she looked at the Lieutenant with an annoyed glance. “Look, I’ll be fine. Thanks Lieutenant, for the coffee and the prep work, now I need--”

Harriet could feel the woman’s heartache, and she wanted to be sympathetic, but it was time for some tough love.

“Colonel, Ma’am--”

Mac looked at her face. Whenever Harriet wanted to do something, nothing and no one was going to get in her way.

“Okay Lieutenant,” she sighed heavily, ready to accept the inevitable. “What is it?”

“Ma’am, could we forget about our ranks for a moment?” The Lieutenant looked at the Colonel waiting for an answer.

Mac froze; her eyes no doubt very large, and maybe holding just a hint of concern in them. The last time Harriet said that to someone, it had been Lieutenant Singer and she ran into a door.

Mac licked her lips nervously. “You’re not going to hit me, are you Harriet?”

Harriet smiled. Now she had her attention. “Oh, I may bop you over the head a couple of times Ma’am, just to make sure I keep your attention, but I’m not going to hit you.”

Mac relaxed a bit at her assurances. But she still felt uneasy.

“But you are going to tell me everything about what happened Friday night.”

Mac had that caught in the spotlight look.

*~*

Harm grimaced as a stab of pain worked its way up his right leg. It had been so dumb. When he got back to the apartment and realized Mac had left, he did what any frustrated male did when faced with an exasperating problem. He kicked the couch. Unfortunately, his shoes were the kind that offered little if any protection to his toes. As his foot connected with the couch, he heard the snap, snap of his middle toes breaking. As white-hot pain roared from his leg to his brain, screaming at what a dumb move that was, he sat down hard on the couch, filling the air with blue words.

Now he was paying for that stupid maneuver. He carefully eased his foot to another position, hoping it would alleviate the throbbing. It didn’t.

Coates came back in the room with a cup of water and some painkillers. She handed them and the cup to him. “Here you are, Sir.”

“Thank you Coates.” As he started to swallow the pills, Jason and Victor appeared in his doorway. Jennifer made her way back out of the room, casting an embarrassed smile at Jason. The Petty Officer was momentarily dissuaded from his mission by her. But as soon as she left his vision and nudged by Victor, he brought his attention back to the Commander.

“Uh, Sir?” Jason spoke first. “Here is the cane I--”

“No need to explain, Tiner.” The Commander said good-naturedly. “I understand and just for the record, I’m sorry about what you saw. I really did lose my balance--”

“I know you did Sir,” said Jason politely cutting him off. “But thank you anyway, for that.”

The two men continued to stand in the doorway looking uncertainly at the Commander.

Harm looked curiously at them. “Is there something else?”

“Well Sir, if you don’t mind,” Gunny spoke up looking at Tiner and then back at Harm “We were kind of wondering how it went Friday night.”

“Friday night.…” Harm repeated as if not understanding the question.

“Your date with the Colonel?” added Tiner carefully.

“My date with the Colonel….” Both Jason and Victor could tell by the look on his face that this was a sensitive issue.

“Um Sir, did she…?” The Petty Officer looked down in the general direction of Harm’s feet.

Harm looked down as well and then immediately snapped his head back up, realizing what they both were thinking. “No Tiner!” He saw them both recoil at his bark. He took a deep breath and tried again. “Sorry, and no, she didn’t do this.”

“Then Sir, how…?” Gunny stopped, not sure how or if he should proceed.

Harm smiled wryly. “Come on in gentleman and close the hatch.” Both enlisted men came in. Gunny shut the door, and both he and Tiner settled into the chairs in front of Harm’s desk.

*~*

“We’ve had events separate us. Harm first had to get over that I was a ringer for his dead girlfriend, then defend me when I killed my husband in self defense, next he went to Russia - twice; first to search for his father and then to help his half brother.”

“That’s pretty fantastic for two JAG lawyers, Mac.” They had gone over in detail what went wrong Friday night. They shared a few laughs, a few sighs, and Harriet had added a sage comment where appropriate. Now she had convinced Mac to talk about why they haven’t gotten together before now, and the floodgates had opened.

“…that’s not all that’s kept us apart. Harm had his string of girlfriends, Anne Pendry, Jordan Parker, Renee Peterson, and I had mine, Colonel Farrow, Mark Sokol, Dalton Lowne, Mic Brumby. It always seemed that fate was against us getting together. And then came the Jagathon, and we made a vow to try again. You know, even with all that was going on, it seemed we were getting closer, but then Harm was accused of murder and then there was Paraguay…I guess you know Harm resigned his commission to come after me and Clayton Webb?”

“Of course, Mac. He was the only one to do anything. The rest of us just sat here on our hands afraid to do anything. He was the only one with the guts to act.”

The Colonel smiled sadly at that memory.

“Well after our fiasco down there, the Admiral blew up and tossed him out. Harm gave him the same look he gave me in Paraguay. First hurt, then stunned shock. Whether his leaving was part of any larger plan to pay back the CIA, I don't know, but he went so easily, saying it was only thing available. So while we slogged along here trying to play catch-up with the case backlog, he flew for the CIA air corps with Commander O’Neil and other pilots in the CIA air wing.”

*~*

“I kicked the couch, Tiner that’s how.” Harm shrugged not knowing what else to say. He had told them the entire story about their sorry date and the fight.

“Why did you do that Sir?” asked Tiner, obviously perplexed by this lack of cool that had lead the Commander to break two toes.

“I think I can answer that one Sir,” replied Gunny. He divided his looks between Tiner and the Commander “Because of the Colonel, right Sir?”

Harm sighed and nodded his head.

“Sir? Why?” Jason Tiner was more confused than ever.

“Why indeed Petty Officer, Harm exhaled deeply, looking intensely at a model of a Tomcat fighter sitting by his lamp on his desk as if it held all the answers. “Why indeed.”

*~*

“Beth O’Neil, the lady Harm defended against sexual harassment charges?”

“The same. She and Clayton worked hard to get the Admiral to let Harm back in. They of course had Tracy Manetti and the SECNAV on their side. So here he comes prancing back into our lives like some Teflon plated superhero--”

“You resented that didn’t you, Ma’am?”

“No, not really.” She smiled at Harriet’s wry smile. “I’m just always amazed that despite everything that happens he keeps coming up smelling like a rose. Its so, so--”

“Frustrating?” Harriet added helpfully. Mac nodded.

“But that didn’t happen this time right away did it?”

“No,” she looked down at her cup again.

Harriet waited a beat. “And that worried you.”

Mac sighed. “This situation—the whole thing, him coming down to Paraguay, his being fired from JAG and then one day ‘poof’, he’s back, its so damned frustrating because… because….” Mac stopped.

Harriet finished the thought for her. “…because you can’t help it… you’re in love with the Commander.”

Mac sat quietly for a moment. “Yes, dammit to hell.”

Harriet’s grin became wider if that was possible. It reminded Mac of that story about the Cheshire cat. Except Harriet wasn’t disappearing. She leaned forward nodding her head excitedly. “Yeah! That’s why you fight like two wet cats, that’s why you share those looks, that’s why every romance since you’ve arrived in this office, for either one of you, has collapsed!”

“Is it that obvious?” She put her head on her desk, wishing she could fall into a hole right now.

Harriet looked at her with a mixture of sympathy and annoyance. “Mac, even the security detachment knows about you and the Commander. The magnetism between you two is so strong, everybody just gets out of the way. Nobody wants to get in the middle.” She lifted her head at that.

“But you’re stepping in.” Mac got up and walked to her window. “Oh Harriet, I feel like I’m sixteen again and in love with the quarterback. Every time he says something nice to me, it’s like the tingle you get when you step into a nice hot bubble bath. I just want to melt into his arms and stay there forever.”

“And when he’s not so nice?” prodded Harriet.

“I want to drop kick his six through the goalposts,” she growled. Mac turned, noticing Harriet’s shoulders shaking and the snorting and snickering that she was vainly trying to suppress.

“What?” She was getting mildly annoyed with the Lieutenant. First smiles and stinging comments and yes, every one of Harriet’s acid assessments was justly deserved. But laughing at Mac’s expense -- that was too much.

The younger Lieutenant regained her composure. “Permission to speak freely Mac?” The Colonel was really beginning to regret starting down this road and giving Harriet this much freedom. It was much better when they respected each other’s ranks. At least for Mac anyway.

“We’re already doing a pretty good job of that Harriet,” Mac said sourly as she walked back to her desk. “What do you want to say now?”

“Ma’am when did you become such a doofus?”

*~*

“I think I know why Sir,” replied Gunny again. Harm was getting a little irked with all of Gunny’s ‘knowledge’ about love.

“And what do you think that reason is, Gunny?” replied Harm. He knew, but he wanted to hear it from someone else, even if it was Gunny.

“Because the Commander loves the Colonel, Gunny.” All three men looked up to see Lieutenant Bud Roberts standing in the doorway.

“Bud?” Harm looked genuinely confused.

Lieutenant Bud Roberts stumped his way into the room. “Oh come off it Sir, you’ve been in love with her since you and the Colonel went in to rescue the Declaration of Independence and help her uncle, Colonel O’Hara.”

Gunny and Tiner looked at Bud and then back at the Commander. Harm could not believe this. Just who didn’t know about his situation with the Colonel?

Harm tried to throw him off the scent. “Bud, you don’t know what you’re talking about-”

Bud swiftly cut him off. “I think I do Sir, I’ve been with both of you for over eight years and I think I know you two pretty well. Harriet got me thinking about this last week at lunch. It really didn’t make a lot of sense until I talked with Commander Turner.”

Harm’s eyes focused on the Lieutenant. Just what had his academy buddy done? “What did he say, Bud?”

Bud stood behind Victor and Jason “Nothing Sir, it’s what he didn’t say.”

Harm was getting tired of his co-workers and their cryptic comments. “Well , what didn’t he say?”

Bud smiled, liking this reversal of positions “He didn’t say anything about the Colonel’s odd behavior or yours, he just kept trying to throw me off the scent, like you’re doing, Sir.”

*~*

Mac sat down in her chair with a thump. “A doofus?”

Harriet rolled her eyes. “Yes Mac, a doofus, and a world class doofus at that.”

Mac looked at her for an explanation.

“You love Harm, sorry, the Commander, and it’s blatantly obvious after Paraguay that he loves you.”

“Harriet, sometimes love isn’t enough.” She pursed her lips and shook her head. “If it was that easy I would have been Mrs. Harmon Rabb a long time ago.” Mac thought this would end this painful conversation, but Harriet wasn’t finished just yet.

“Mac, have you ever thought it might be as easy as you going to him and saying ‘I love you’?”

Mac looked dejectedly at the junior officer. “I can’t Harriet. I can’t stand the thought of him rejecting me.”

“Who says he will?” Her head rose at that comment. She looked into the Lieutenant’s bright eyes. “Mac, I bet if you marched over to his office right now and told him how you felt, all this stupidity would disappear.”

“You make it sound so easy Harriet.” She stood up again, and started back toward the window.

She wasn’t going to let this go so easily. “That’s because it is. Mac, how long have you two been dating?”

Mac turned looking perplexed. “Dating? Harriet, we went on our first date last Friday night, remember?” Mac looked somewhat smugly at the Lieutenant.

“Forget that one.” The annoyed look on her normally sunny face, made Mac drop that line of thought. “Look, how long have you two been having dinner and lunches together? How long have you done chores together? Had movie nights?”

“Lots of times Harriet, but that isn’t the same thing--”

“What makes you think it isn’t?” She challenged.

Mac sat down again.

Harriet was on a roll now. “What makes you think that you two haven’t been dating since you came back from the Guadalcanal? Maybe even before that?”

She pressed forward, seeing that she had Mac thinking. “Have you ever noticed that ‘little tingle’ you get when he proposes having lunch or dinner together? How about the looks he gives you when you tease him about his eating habits? Or the comments he makes about yours? Can you honestly tell me you don’t look forward to spending time with him, even if you two are just going over cases or doing chores?”

Mac became very quiet. She studied the doodles on her desk pad for the longest moment. Then she looked up at Harriet. “My God Harriet,” she said quietly. “We have been dating.”

She folded her arms across her chest, looking suspiciously like that lawyer/aviator she knew so well. “It’s about time you realized that Mac.”

Mac smiled wearily at her friend. “You’re right Harriet, I’ve been a doofus.”

“I’m glad you finally realize that too, Ma’am.”

*~*

“Sir begging your pardon,” Gunny looked at Harm, “But he’s right, you’re trying to throw him off the scent.”

Jason smiled. “Jen was right! She pegged it!! You do love--” Harm shot him a warning look. The young Petty Officer was immediately chastened “–her, Sir.”

Bud was now standing by the door. His arms folded. For the first time, Harm felt like he was the mentee rather than the mentor. “You’re right Bud, I do love her.”

“Then why don’t you just go into her office and tell her?”

Everyone turned toward the sound of the deep bass voice. Harm looked up to see Sturgis Turner sticking his head in the door.

“Doesn’t anyone around here ever knock anymore?” Harm said half disgustedly.

Sturgis smiled. “I would have, but you only have twenty minutes before staff call. So get your six in gear and go talk with her.”

Harm looked around the room at his co-workers.

“Go on Sir.” Gunny smiled at him. Tiner nodded.

“Commander, you've got to give it a try.” Bud offered a hand to the hobbled Commander. He gladly took it. Once he was upright, Tiner handed him the cane. Harm slowly walked toward the door, Bud shepherding him.

All the men filed out of the room, following Harm as he hobbled down to Mac’s closed door.

*~*

The revelation had left stunned silence in its wake. Mac and Harriet looked at each other.

“Well?”

“Well what?”

Harriet rolled her eyes. “Mac, its fifteen minutes until staff call.”

She looked at the door and then back at Harriet. She smiled nervously. Harriet smiled knowingly.

“Come on Marine,” Harriet said softly to the unsure woman who was looking at her. “No guts, no glory.”

Harriet opened the door and Mac walked out into the bullpen. Jen got up from her desk as Mac walked by. She looked at Harriet who gave her the thumbs up sign.

She turned one last time to her confidante. “Harriet, I’m scared.” For the first time Mac, the by the book, rough and tumble Jarhead admitted to a friend that she was human. “Look at me, I’m shaking like a leaf.”

Harm hobbled closer to Mac. Behind him in the back stood Bud, Sturgis, Tiner and Gunny.

“I think your knight is here to rescue you.” Harriet motioned for her to turn around.

Mac turned around and saw Harm. Her face instantly betrayed her concern at his limping. He smiled sheepishly. She blushed furiously.

“Hey.”

“Hey yourself.” Her heart started beating feverishly in her chest. Her breathing became deeper as she looked into the man’s blue eyes. She felt somewhat relieved and a little surprised when she noticed Harm was sweating.

“Um, Mac, I--”

She couldn’t let him do this here, no matter how much she wanted to hear those words. “I know,” she said quietly, smiling at him, “Let’s talk about this later, somewhere less public.”

Everyone in the bullpen had stopped their activity and was watching what was taking place. No one noticed Admiral Chegwidden opening his door and stepping out into the bullpen. He leaned over and whispered into a young Ensign’s ear.

“What’s going on?” he said quietly to the young Ensign who was enraptured by this scene.

“The Colonel and the Commander are making up,” the Ensign gushed in a hushed voice to this clueless person. She tried to convey the moment to him. “Isn’t it romantic?”

“Yeah.” he growled, “It sure is.”

The Ensign’s eyes went wide at the comment. Tiner barked when he heard that familiar voice. “ADMIRAL ON THE DECK!” Everyone snapped to attention.

Harm and Mac, with their respective injuries, tried to stand at attention. The Admiral walked over to them.

“My office, now.” He hissed through clenched teeth.

“Aye Sir!” they responded in unison. Then both slowly made their way toward his office.

AJ Chegwidden looked around the bullpen at everyone standing at attention. “What is this? As the Bullpen Turns?! Get back to work!!”

“AYE SIR!!” Barked the crowd in the bullpen, and then they quickly scattered. The Admiral turned on his heel and followed his two wayward children into his office.

Once the door was closed, AJ Chegwidden motioned to both of them to take a seat.

Harm slowly settled himself into the chair. Despite the crick in her neck, Mac tried to help him into the chair. The look of pain on both their faces was obvious.

AJ walked over to the front of his desk and sat on its edge. He observed their slowed movements and the pained expressions.

The man was not without sympathy. He looked at both of them. “My God, what happened to you two over the weekend?”

“It’s a long story, Sir.” replied Harm.

The Admiral looked sternly at the Commander. “Well, I’m giving you five minutes to give me the Reader’s Digest Condensed version.”

And so they explained the whole sorry mess. The mix-up, the missed reservations, the trip to Beltway and Herman’s, the leak in Mac’s apartment, and last of all the fight.

AJ blew out a stunned breath. He looked over at Harm. “So after she left, you kicked the couch in frustration.”

Harm looked sheepishly at him. “Yes Sir.”

“And you,” he turned to Mac, “Moved into a fleabag motel and ended up with the room from hell.”

“Yes Sir.” Mac was equally embarrassed.

He turned around and walked behind his desk. AJ picked up a stack of case folders and walked back to the front, settling down on edge of his desk again.

He handed them each two bulging folders. “You two have already been briefed on handling the Broward and Mamura case. Commander, you’ll be prosecuting. Colonel, you’ll defend.”

“Aye Sir.”

He looked Mac up and down. “Colonel, are you ready for the Lowery hearing this morning?”

Mac squared her shoulders. “Yes Sir.”

“And, are you ready to work with the Commander on the Pulver court martial?”

Harm did a double take, his eyes opening wide. “Work with Sir? I thought I wasn’t assigned to this case.”

AJ looked at him dourly. “You are now.” He fixed the man with a piercing look. “Do you have a problem with that Commander?”

Harm swallowed. “No Sir.”

AJ smiled. “Good.” He turned to Mac. “Colonel, you’ll work with the Commander on the Pulver prosecution. I’m assigning Lieutenant Roberts to work with Commander Turner. He needs the experience and the Commander needs a partner.” He looked blandly at Mac’s startled look. “Do you have a problem with this Colonel?”

“No Sir.” she replied curtly, re-squaring her shoulders.

AJ smiled again. “Good. Also Colonel, you are not unilaterally decided to be first chair. I want you two to decide by 17:00 who will get that honor. I trust you two can reach a compromise on this.”

Harm and Mac looked at each other. Mac looked back at the Admiral. “I think we can Sir.”

Harm nodded his agreement.

“No thinking Colonel, either you can do this or you can’t.” He looked at both of them.

“We can do this Sir!” they responded.

“Good. Glad to hear it.” He looked at Harm again.

“Commander, I’m taking you off the Richardson investigation. Effective Friday morning, you are on sick call. I want you well enough to be ready for that trip to the Tarawa. Do I make myself clear?”

“Aye Sir.” Harm couldn’t help but smile. The Admiral’s steel gaze caused the smile to evaporate. He shifted his focus to the Colonel.

“Mac, I’m giving you tomorrow morning off. The Commander can take care of any last minute items that pop up before the court martial begins. I want you to find a suitable place to stay until your apartment is ready. If you can’t find any place. Let me know, I have an extra room at my house and if that won’t work, Meredith is still trying to rent out her apartment. I don’t want your concentration in this case broken by lousy living conditions. Am I understood Colonel?”

“Aye Sir. Thank you, Sir” Mac smiled briefly at the Admiral before her expression became neutral again.

“Now, I have an abbreviated staff meeting to conduct. I want you two to stay in here and finish what you started out there. And for God’s sake make it quick. You two are due in court in less than forty-five minutes.”

“Aye Sir.” they responded in unison. Both were grinning.

AJ walked over to the door, carrying his folders. He looked back and realized they had already forgotten he was still in the room. I must be getting soft in my old age, he thought. He opened the door. “Tiner!” he bellowed.

The Petty Officer immediately appeared. He cast a quick glance in the office.

“Something in there that interests you, Petty Officer?”

Jason swiftly looked back at the Admiral. “Uh, no Sir”

“Good, take these into meeting room one. And make sure everyone else is there. I don’t want this meeting to be any later than it already is.”

“Aye Sir.” the Petty Officer hurried down the hall with his folders.

AJ looked thoughtfully at the two officers as he gently closed his door. He smiled and nodded his head, maybe they’ll get this right after all.

1647 Local
JAG Headquarters

Mac heard a knock at her door. “Enter.” she called out as finished saving her notes for the Pulver court martial.

She looked up to see Harm standing in the doorway.

She smiled. “To what do I owe this pleasure Commander?”

He returned the smile. “I just wanted you to know that you can have first chair.”

“That’s flattering Harm, but I’d already decided you should be first chair.”

They looked at each other for a moment, not believing what the other had said. They both laughed.

“So um, how are we going to resolve this?” he asked suggestively.

“I think I know.” She winked at him. She reached into her desk and pulled out a penny.

His eyes widened.

“Call it.” she said as she flipped the coin into the air.

“Tails.” Was all that he was able to get out.

The coin flipped several times before landing on the cleared space Mac had made on her desk. As it landed, it bounced twice before heading for the floor.

Both officers dived for it. Ending up face to face. Mac smiled at Harm. He smiled at her.

She looked down at the coin. “Looks like I won,” she replied huskily.

“No, I think I won this time.” He pushed his lips against hers. It was just a peck, but it was a promise of things to come. Both got up and stood looking at each other. At that moment the room could have caught fire and they scarcely would have noticed it.

Harm was the first to break the silence. “You ready--”

“Yeah,” she replied quickly. “Let’s get out of here.”

As they headed to the door, Mac stopped him. “What about the Admiral, Harm? What do we tell him?”

“You’re first chair Mac, you won it fair and square. Taking turns is the best course of action. Especially with someone you love, don’t you agree?” He looked at her for moment, trying to gauge her reaction.

Mac’s mouth popped open, but no sound came out. Regaining her composure, she closed her mouth and looked up into his deep blue eyes.

“Yes Flyboy,” she replied, her voice filled with admiration. “Especially with the one you love.”

*~*

The bullpen had emptied out early tonight, for some reason. The two lawyers made their way to the Admiral’s office and knocked on his door.

“Enter.” was the gruff reply.

Harm and Mac looked at each other and then opened the door. Hard at work at his desk, AJ Chegwidden looked up over his reading glasses at the two lawyers entering his room.

“Well, have you reached a decision?”

Harm looked at Mac, “Yes Sir, Mac is going to be first chair.”

AJ put down his pencil and smiled looking at his two best lawyers. “A wise decision Mr. Rabb.”

“Yes Sir,” he said grinning. “I think so too, Sir.”

AJ turned his attention to the Colonel. “Mac, what are you doing about sleeping quarters until your apartment is back in shape?”

“The Commander has offered his bedroom Sir.” AJ’s eyes went wide. “He’ll be sleeping on the couch.” She quickly added.

AJ looked at Harm for clarification. “It’s a big couch Sir.”

“Well just don’t get too cozy in that loft, Commander. You still have several cases pending, both of you.”

“Aye Sir, understood.” They barked.

AJ smiled. “Now get out of here. The rest of the staff is already gone. Dismissed.”

They both snapped to attention. “Aye Sir.”

As they pivoted to leave the room. AJ couldn’t help notice that Harm had his hand hovering near the small of her back as he ushered her out into the darkened bullpen. They shut the door leaving him alone with his thoughts.

The ringing phone startled him.

“Admiral Chegwidden.” His hardened face softened a bit when he heard her voice on the other end.

“Hello Meredith,”

He listened for a moment. “Yes I’ll be coming home soon.”

He listened for another few minutes. “Yes honey, I got them back on the right track.”

He smiled brightly at her next words. “I love you too, sweetheart.”

He said his goodbyes and hung up the receiver. Rear Admiral Albert Jethro Chegwidden leaned back in his overstuffed chair and sighed. Shaking his head, he turned around and looked out his window at a certain Colonel and Commander standing in the parking lot, looking deep into each other’s eyes. He knew that look. He had seen it many times in the office.

They finally got it right. Chuckling to himself, he smiled, turned back around, picked up his reading glasses and pencil and continued working on his reports.

- FINI

To get into the mood of this piece, I listened to one of my favorite songs from Gladys Knight and the Pips and here is the section I best think describes our intrepid duo: "If anyone, should ever write, my life story, for whatever reason there might be, you'd be there, between each line of pain and glory, 'cos you're the best thing that ever happened to me, Oh you're the best thing, that ever happened, to me."

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