Title: We didn't let him

Spoilers: season 10 up to and including a whole new ball game. AU after that

Summary: Sequel to I won't let him. It's Christmas time and Mac and Harm finally get it right (with a little help from the SECNAV)

Rating: PG to be safe

Disclaimer: not mine, don't sue

Feedback: appreciated but neither requested nor required

AN: This fic is AU after 'A whole new ballgame'. In this world Creswell's a real SOB. I actually kinda like Creswell but the real Creswell doesn't work for the purpose of this story. None of the eps after 'a whole new ballgame' happened. So Harm still has Mattie and the whole thing with Jen's old friend didn't happen.

JAG HQ

Dec 17th, 2004

1723 EST

Mac had spent the last 2 months trying to convince Creswell that she had changed since Japan. Unfortunately Harm's idea that Creswell had changed as well did not turn out to be true. The first thing he had done was remove Mac as Chief of Staff and replace her with Sturgis. Although he said he would be fair to all his personnel his bias was soon revealed.

He almost openly seemed to resent Bud because of his leg, Creswell had obviously skipped the good points in Harm career and concentrated on the bad and he would not let Mac forget what had happened in Japan. These things would be almost bearable if he wasn't doing his best to scuttle all their careers. Turner seemed to be the only one to escape his wrath. The other thing that irked Mac is that he wasn't making the best out of his resources. Efficiency of the office had gone down 23 percent since he took office. To Mac Creswell's actions made little sense. So little sense in fact that she was writing a report to SECNAV on it. She planned to send it to him on Monday after she had put some finishing touches on it and Harm had proofed it for her.

Mac had already decided that if the SECNAV did not remove Creswell from the position she was going to seek another post. She might even try for another post if Creswell was removed. Since that day in her office Harm and her had been getting closer. They always kept it out of the office but in the safety of their apartments things were changing. They had started to talk more openly about things that were going on in their lives. After a while the old familiarities came back. Light touches, shoulder massages, sitting closer together, it all gradually came to be. Just 10 days before a new line had been crossed, one that Mac had been waiting for. After one of their working dinners followed by some more talking of a personal nature Harm had kissed her goodnight.

FLASHBACK

10 days earlier

Mac's apartment

Georgetown

The case Harm and Mac had been working on really wasn't a difficult one. The case had just been an excuse for Harm to go over to Mac's place for the evening without getting the 3rd degree from Mattie and Jen.

Harm knew that Mac needed to vent/talk about Creswell and Mac knew Harm needed to talk about Mattie and his fears of losing her. That night they had gotten deeper into each other's psyches and feelings than ever before. As the conversation became more intimate so did their body language. The touches lingered longer, the gazes became more intense. By the time Mac walked Harm to the door it felt perfectly nature for him to kiss her.

"Thank for listening Harm," Mac said as she handed him his coat.

Harm took the coat, "No thank you," Harm replied, "I can't seem to talk to anyone else about this stuff."

"It's what I'm here for," Mac said looking up into his eyes, "Night Harm."

"Good night Mac," Harm replied. He then bent his head and places a gentle, loving kiss on her lips. Almost as soon as it started it had ended and Harm was back peddling like crazy.

"Oh God, I'm sorry Mac," Harm stuttered, "I mean not for the kiss itself because that was pretty good. I mean I didn't want to push, it just felt right. Now I've completely screwed everything up. Things were going so good up til now and I totally wreck it."

"Harm," Mac said, "shut up."

Harm obeyed but the look in his eyes showed the panic in his heart.

"It did feel right," Mac continued, "and I'm not sorry it happened. Things have been good between us. We both knew that eventually this line would have to be crossed. I have no problem with crossing it tonight. Just don't retreat into your shell because you think you pushed, you didn't. I want this just as much as you do."

"Really?" Harm asked almost timidly.

"Really," Mac stated. To prove her point she stood up on her tip toes and kissed his again. "Good night Harm."

"Good night Mac," Harm said before leaving the apartment with a huge grin on his face.

END FLASHBACK

The ringing of her internal alarm clock roused her out of her memory. It was time to head home to her sailor and his half meat half veggie lasagna.

TBC