"OUCH! Or How Not To Piss Off A Bee"

Author: Haruo Chikamori

E-mail: hhchikamori

Rating: M

Classification: K

Spoilers: N/A

Summary: Yes…this is an absolutely nauseatingly sweet Harm/Mac story.

DISCLAIMER: The characters Harm Rabb, Jr., Sarah "Mac" Mackenzie, Meg Austin, AJ Chegwidden, et al. belong (in concept if not name) to CBS/Bellisarius. No profit is being made from this story, nor is any infringement intended. Animal is the property of Heather and Hugo Chikamori.

The Rose Garden

White House

The sun was shining up in the heavens, the birds were singing and everything seemed to be absolutely wonderful for the simple fact that Harm and Mac were back in the very place where their journey together began; there was a enthralling aroma in the air – the roses with their aromatic scent, the upturned dirt that the gardeners had tilled and Harm sniffed the air then winced. "Manure…" he said to himself. Yep, the gardeners had applied manure on the roses to help them grow better.

Harm sat cross-legged on a bench with a beatific expression on his face watching Mac looking at the different roses in the garden. "Such a beautiful morning." He thought to himself as he let his thoughts wander. 8 years ago he had seen her for the first time in this very same Rose Garden. And since she had given Clayton Webb the million dollar kiss-off, she was unencumbered by romantic interests for the first time in ages.

"Haaarm." A slightly raised voice emerged from the roses. "Haaarm?"

"Yes, Maaac." Harm replied in a sing-song as he pulled first one leg and then the other rather painfully out of his cross-legged position and then proceeded to stand up. "What can I do for you!"

His Marine poked her head out from the roses that she smelt and said invitingly with a hint of promise "Come smell the roses."

Harm smiled a bright smile and as soon as he had finished cracking the joints in his knees where he had gotten stiff from sitting and meditating, he walked carefully over to where Mac was standing.

"Isn't this wonderful?" Mac asked. "The roses are soooo beautiful, Harm." Harm smiled seeing the softness in his legal partner's face. She wasn't a tough Marine when she was beside some flowers.

"OK…" Harm said and leaned his nose down to take a good whiff of the scent that the rose she was indicating. He inhaled…then saw stars. Oh, the pain! "OWWWWW!" He yelled leaping up from the rose, his nose throbbing like someone had injected lava onto the tip of his proboscis.

Three hours later

The George Washington University Hospital

"I'm sooo sorry, Harm" Mac winced, a small tear dribbling down her face. "I should never…have let you sniff that rose."

Harm gave her a look that forgave her and didn't bear her any reproach. "You never stuck the bee in the flower so why do you need to apologize?"

"Because everything seems to be my fault lately. I've been taking out so much of my frustrations on you lately and this is the first time we've ever been able to do anything together. I hope that this doesn't put a crimp in our friendship." Harm looked horrified at the thought and Mac sighed. "Forgive me for being such a bitch?"

"Of course, you know I care so much about you." Harm said pleasantly as he wrapped his arm around his long-time friend. "Well…all's well that ends well." And let out a big grin as he headed out. His friends were there as well as Mac had panicked and called everyone she knew in the office when Harm had gotten stung. "Well…things are OK…" he announced to everyone in the waiting room. "Doc gave me a couple of antihistamines that should help the swelling. But the one thing that strikes me as odd is how a bee got into the Rose Garden. The White House gardeners always keep combing the place and try to keep the bees out. It's just surprising. It almost seemed like the bee was planted there." He looked around at the rather shocked JAG officers.

As they dispersed, Meg Austin turned to Loren Singer and Caitlin Pike. "Hmmm, it seemed like it was planted there…I wonder who could have done it."

Loren and Cait looked at each other. "Damn…" the three of them shook their heads. "What sadistic person could have done that. I guess it would remain a mystery.

In the distance a grey-wigged gentleman snickered to himself. "Rats. Rabb. Too bad you weren't allergic to bees." He lifted up a cell phone. "Palmer here. Forget the bees. Rabb's immune."

The End.