Firstly, the disclaimer, I don't own JAG (I wish I did, it's goes on my list every Christmas and birthday but I just get bought the DVD's for some reason ;) lol) I hope this reads ok. Pleaseeeee review! Thanks
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
Mac had spent years with her cropped hair. She liked it that way, with it short she could keep it back whilst she was at work and style it up when she went out. She never really thought about how men perceived her short locks until she overheard a conversation between Harm and Budd.
She was on her way to the kitchen to get some more coffee and stopped dead in her tracks at the voices already coming from the room.
"I like Meg Ryans hair when she had it short and cropped" Budd was saying, "but I prefer Harriet's hair now that she's grown it"
"She does have beautiful hair Bud, you're a lucky man to have her" Harm told him.
"I know Sir, believe me I know" There was a pause and Bud starting talking again, "What about you Sir?"
There was another pause, longer this time, almost as if Harm was considering his answer. "I guess I've always dreamt of brown hair, soft long dark brown hair. I had this dream once where … well, this stays between you and me Budd, or I swear I'll make sure you're stuck with nothing but car parking tickets for a year, ok?"
"Yes Sir" Budd agreed.
"Ok, well, I had this dream that Mac and I got together and she had this hair that went just longer than her shoulders and she just looked so beautiful"
"Commander this is probably out of line but have you ever seriously considered telling the Colonel how you feel?" Budd asked.
"Thousands of times" he admitted, "But things are just so complicated and she hates me right now, I've just got back into the swing of things here, I can't change the rules on her again, besides she's got Webb" he growled out the last bit making her smile softly at his jealousness.
There was another short pause and Budd eventually stuttered out, "Only because you're not there sir," there was the sound of a cup being set down and Budd began to make his excuses to leave and Mac fled back to her office before either of them could see her there. That night, whilst she was trying to get to sleep, Harm's words haunted her "…had this dream that Mac and I got together and she had this hair that went just longer than her shoulders and she just looked so beautiful…". She knew what she had to do now. She turned over and tried to close her eyes with a new determination to win Harm back.
The next day she put her plan in action. She started to grow her hair. Before she knew it her hair was just about touching her shoulders and she knew it was time to approach Harm. She had been steadily returning to the former friendship that she and Harm had shared and knew that he would want to be there for her after a break up. She had told Webb the night before that it was over (the first opportunity she had to see him since she had decided to win Harm back) and the spy had looked relieved more than anything as he picked up his jacket and left but she didn't need Harm to know that.
She stood in his office door and leaned against the door jamb.
"Knock, knock" she smiled. Harm looked up and his face split into a huge grin.
"Mac, how are ya today?" he asked slouching back in his chair as she closed the door.
"Not too bad, say Harm are ya busy for lunch today, I could use some comfort food" she looked up at Harm and noticed he now had a concerned expression on his face.
"Sure Mac, Beltways it is, is everything ok?"
"Webb and I broke up last night" she told him as she studied his face for the slightest reaction. They were both extremely capable of hiding their true feelings for each other however Harm couldn't help the flicker of emotions that crossed his face, the annoyance that Webb's name always brought, the feeling of hope now Mac was free and the anger that Webb had been stupid enough to let her go or worse to hurt her.
"Oh" he stated in true Harm fashion.
"It was time" she admitted. She decided to leave it at that and the rest of the conversation was concerning the case they were working together. That evening she was at home watching some sappy film which she couldn't remember the title of when someone knocked at her door. She grabbed a tissue on the way to the door and opened it without looking through the spy hole. Harm took one look at her and pulled her into his embrace.
"Oh Mac, I'm so sorry, I'm gonna kick his ass, he should have known better than to hurt you whilst I was around, I swear he'll pay for this the stupid …"
"Harm! It's ok, honestly, I'm watching this movie, that's all, like I said before, it was time, I'm not upset about that" she smiled as he started to stutter his apologies and then stopped completely as she pulled out of his embrace. He stared at her for a second and said in a voice almost like a whisper.
"You've grown your hair?" he stated. Mac smiled, it was about time he noticed.
"Yeah, I'd been thinking about it for a while. Do you like it?" she asked casually. Harm nodded his head slowly before responding.
"Yeah, I guess I hadn't noticed as its just sort of reached a point where its never been that long, it looks good Mac"
"Why thank you Harm" she smiled and then frowned slightly, "Erm, not that I'm not happy to see you, but why are you here at 22:34?"
"You see ... I was ... I ..." he stuttered. "I guess I just wanted to make sure you were ok"
"I'm fine, do you want to come in?" she asked.
"What?" he asked before realising that they were still stood in her doorway, "Err, no that's ok, I just wanted to stop by. I'll see you at work tomorrow?"
"Yeah"
"Good, night Mac"
"Night Harm" He started to turn away but turned back to place a soft kiss on her cheek.
"Bye" and with that he was gone. Mac closed the door after he had disappeared and stood in shocked silence for a few seconds and then started to smile. She might not have to do as much as she had thought to get Harm back to the idea of them.
Over the next few weeks Harm and Mac grew closer and closer together, the Admiral assigned them to several cases away from DC, two in submarines. They joked and laughed like they used to and there was an air of peace around the office, allowing most to breathe a sigh of relief and other, more sceptical people to wonder how long it would be until the next bust up. Mac decided to have a girly night with Harriet and Coates because she wanted advice and she knew they could help her put her plan into action.
"Harriet, can I ask you a question?" she asked one day when they were alone in the break room.
"You just did Ma'am" she smiled, "But you can ask as many as you want"
"Are you doing anything this Friday?"
"No, well I mean other than looking after the kids"
"Do you think Budd would be able to look after them for a night, I was thinking of having you a Jen around for a sort of girly night, what do you think?"
"I'd love to Ma'am but I'll have to check with Budd first"
"Of course just let me know" she then went and found Jen and asked her the same thing before returning to her office where before she had written more than 10 words, Harriet was knocking at her doors to tell her she would be able to come to her girly night. Harriet had barely left the room when Harm was knocking on her door asking if she wanted to grab some lunch.
When Friday rolled round, Mac was nervous. She didn't really know how to broach the subject with the two best women friends that she had and she decided that the direct route was probably the best, however it took until Jen finally said "So why the girly night Ma'am, not that we mind" to get her to ask them.
"First of all Jen, we're in my home on a Friday night wearing PJ's, I think you can call me Mac and secondly, I'm glad you asked. I've been doing a lot of thinking recently and reassesing my priorities, I think ... no I know that I need to tell Harm ..." Mac didn't get to finish before Harriet yelped and started talking really fast.
"OH MY GOD! You're finally gonna tell him you love him aren't you? See Jen I just knew it was only a matter of time" Harriet gushed excitedly, causing the two other women to smile indulgently at her schoolgirl reaction.
"Yes Harriet, I am going to tell him but I have no idea where to start" she admitted.
"Wait, is this why you've started to grow your hair?" Harriet asked.
"Yes mostly" she replied.
"I don't get it, how will growing your hair help?" Jen asked.
"Well I overheard a conversation between Budd and Harm a few weeks ago, it just got me thinking" she shrugged, but Harriet wasn't going to let her off that easy.
"Is this the conversation about how the Commander had a certain dream?" she winked conspiratorially. Mac had to admit, she was impressed.
"Yes how did you know?" Mac asked, already knowing the answer.
"Budd tells me everything about what you two say about each other, he knows I want to try to get you together and as he told you in Australia, well in not so many words, the Commander loves you!"
"How long has this been going on?" Mac asked, amused.
"Since the Holtz murder case"
"That's 8 years Harriet!" she exclaimed, "why didn't you give up?"
"Because M ... Mac, besides how dumb you two can be towards each other you are meant to be together" Harriet said and then quickly backtracked with, "I mean Ma'am". Jen and Mac both laughed at the shocked look on Harriet's face at how she had spoken to Mac.
"It's ok Harriet, it's refreshing to have this level of honesty about the relationship between Harm and me. So do either of you have any advice?"
"Honestly Mac, the only advice that I think we could give you is to tell him how you feel. He's obviously head over heels" Jen told her.
"I agree Mac, we can still have some fun though" she giggled furiously causing the two other women to raise their eyebrows, intrigued at what she had to say. The rest of the night was spent planning ways to torment the commander on Monday before Mac would finally go and tell him how she felt on Monday evening. She wasn't being cruel by waiting that long. Harm was on a case in Norfolk for the weekend but would be back for duty first thing Monday morning.
Harm was really happy. He whistled as he waited for the elevator, mentally running over how quickly he had resolved the case at Norfolk. He had even managed to get home for a decent hour last night and had a good nights sleep too!
"Good morning Sailor! I take it the case went well" Mac smiled as she walked up to wait for the elevator with him. His smile grew even wider as he looked at her.
"Yup that's right! How about you? Did you have a good weekend?" he asked, enjoying these extra few minutes with just her before work.
"Yeah, I had a interesting evening on Friday with Harriet and Jen and pampered myself all this weekend" she smiled bringing phase one into the plan: innocent double meaning phrases. "I had a nice hot bath and used that new vibrating massager Harriet got me for my birthday, it was heaven" she sighed and managed to keep the smile from her face as the doors opened and she stepped in. She turned and looked back at Harm, who had his mouth hanging slightly open, no doubt as thoughts he felt he shouldn't be having, were whirling around his head, she had to fight to keep her face neutral as she held open the doors. "You coming, Sailor?" she asked innocently. Harm shook himself from his stupor.
"Yeah sorry ... thanks" he stepped in next to her. After a few seconds she turned to him again and moved to phase two: bringing attention to the neck.
"Hey Harm, is my insignia straight?" she asked knowing it wasn't.
"Erm no Mac, the right side is wonky" he rushed.
"Can you straighten it for me please?"
"Um Yeah ok" he stepped towards her and started to straighten the insignia whilst Mac gently rested her hand on his wrist bringing them slightly closer together than was strictly necessary hitting phase 3: physical contact. After a few seconds the doors opened indicating they had reached their floor. She stepped back and almost smiled at the look on his face and the fact he was still staring at her neck.
"All straight now?" she asked.
"Ye ..." he cleared his throat, "Yeah"
"Thanks Harm, I'll see you for lunch" and with that she walked into the bullpen and saw Harriet waiting for her, "Lieutenant Sims, my office please"
"Yes Ma'am" she smiled as she looked passed Mac to see Harm walking in with a slightly dazed expression on his face. She quickly followed Mac before she burst out laughing and closed the door to her office.
"How'd it go Ma'am?" she smirked.
"Phase 3" Mac smiled back.
"Wow, so soon?" Harriet smiled.
"Yeah, it was fun" Mac told her, "but I just want to tell him now"
"You will tonight Ma'am" Harriet consoled her.
"Do you think it would raise too much attention to just walk into the staff call and kiss him right there" she asked.
"Erm I think Admiral Chegwidden might have something to say about that Ma'am"
"You're right, ok I've got to go get some coffee, thanks Harriet"
"You're welcome Ma'am" and they both left the office with their game faces back on.
End of part one.
A/N. Ok so I originally intended this to be a short piece but I figured it would read better in two parts, maybe three and I have written way more than I intended. I hope you guys like it. Let me know what you think. Thanks guys, luv Nicki xoxo.