"You a sailor?" A drunken blonde slurred as she draped herself over Harm,
who was sat in his summer whites nursing a coke after not being able to
bring himself to buy an alcoholic drink.
"I'm a lawyer." He said in response.
"But you're a sailor too. You even have wings." She said as finger his gold wings.
"I'm a Naval Lawyer."
"Like Tom Cruise in that film and a pilot like in that other film. But you're better looking than Tom Cruise." She slurred as she ran her hand down the back of Harm's neck.
"Thank you Miss." He tried to think of a way to get out of there. "But I'm married." He said saying the first thing that came into his head.
"You don't look married." She picked up his hand and looked at and then held it in front of his face. "See no wedding band only a class ring."
"I don't wear it to work." He covered looking around for someone he knew to get him out of there. He smiled when he saw Mac come in dressed in civilian clothes. She'd spent the day at Norfolk on a case and had probably gone home to change. "Look there's my wife. Nice meeting you." He slid off the stool and quickly walked over to Mac.
"There you are. I was looking for you, Bud said you were headed here." Mac said with a smile.
"Come and dance me quickly." He said taking her hand.
"Harm, I didn't come here to dance. I came to see if you had the Markson file I couldn't find it anywhere."
"Mac, please just dance." He said pulling her into his arms.
"Harm what's going on? Are you feeling okay?" She asked concerned about him and his sudden urge to dance. Over her shoulder he saw the blonde making her way closer to him.
"Mac kiss me." He urged.
"Harm are you sure you're okay? Did something happen while I was out today?"
"Mac kiss me please."
"Harm.." She couldn't continue as he crushed his lips to hers and pulled her closer. Mac impulsively placed her hands on his chest as she fought to control of her brain, which was slowly turning to mush. "Harm, why did.." She asked as he broke the kiss. "Oh god." She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest for half a second. "I have to go." She pulled out of his arms. "Sir." She said as she walked past AJ.
"Colonel." AJ said as he crossed his arms over his chest, his cover still in his hand.
"Sir." Harm turned to face him. "That wasn't what it looked like."
"Really? Because the bartender just finished telling me how happy that you'd got your head out of your six and married the pretty marine. Was there something you and the Colonel forgot to tell me Commander?"
"Admiral, it really wasn't what it looked like. There was this drunken blonde woman making a pass at me. I wanted her to back off so I told her I was married. But she didn't believe me because I didn't have a ring. So when Mac came in I told her I was married to Mac."
"I see and that kiss I just witnessed." AJ pushed for an answer.
"I don't think the blonde believe me. So I kissed Mac to make her back off completely."
"I see and how did Mac feel about being used to rebuff a woman's advances on you?" AJ asked.
"I may not have mention that to her." Harm admitted.
"I see. Harm you're a smart guy and a good lawyer, I wouldn't have you still working at JAG if you weren't but when it comes to Mac you're an idiot."
"Thank you sir." Harm replied not knowing what else to say.
"Harm, go and find her and talk to her, I mean really talk. If she doesn't kick your six to kingdom come I'll work something out for both of you at JAG."
"Yes sir." Harm said realising what the Admiral was saying.
"Good. Oh and Harm, about the getting married wait month or two so I can get some decent money out of the pool."
"Yes sir."
~ ~ ~
When Mac left the bar she had know idea where to go, except she didn't want to go back to her apartment. She spent an hour driving around before she found herself sat on the bench by the Vietnam War Memorial. She lent back for a minute and closed her eyes trying to collect herself. She let out a long slow breath before standing and moving to the wall. She looked up at the names carved into it, stopping when she reach Lt. Harmon Rabb.
"Hey Mr Rabb. I'm Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie I'm a friend of your son's. I honestly don't know what I'm doing here. Talking to a wall seems a bit nuts but I guess if it works for Harm I can give it a try." She took a deep breath. "I guess I'm here because of Harm. I don't know what it is about him but just when I get my feelings settled so I can live with them he throws me a curve ball and I'm lost again. I mean I just got settled with my admission to Sturgis and now I'm more confused than ever. I mean some days he infuriates the hell out of me and I get so mad at him then he smiles at me and my heart melts. I mean the other day..." Mac proceeded to give him an example.
~ ~
"Mac." Harm said as he banged on her apartment door. "Mac, we need to talk. If you're in there just open the door."
"She's not home." The woman in the apartment opposite Mac's said opening the door. "She came in a couple of hours ago and changed. I was just getting back from the store, we chatted for a couple of minutes and she was moaning that her idiot partner had taken a file from her this morning and hadn't given back and that she had to go and find him to get it back because he wasn't answering any of his phones. She hasn't been back since. Since you're her idiot partner I take it she didn't find you."
"She found me, I just was an idiot and she took off. Look if she comes back before I come back can you get her to call me. I need to talk to her." Harm asked.
"Sure. Be nice to her she had a long day."
"I will thanks." Harm said trying to think where she would go. He pulled out his cell phone and dialled the Roberts house.
~ ~
".... Thanks for listening Mr Rabb. I guess I need to unload all of that. I can't believe I've been here talking to you for two hours 18 minutes and 24 seconds. It's time to go home, I'll come back and visit you if only to keep you up to date with Harm's exploits. Bye."
Mac wrapped her arms tightly around her stomach as she walked back to her car. She felt better for getting all her feelings out in the open to someone who wouldn't judge her and who would just allow her to go at her own pace. If now she could just talk to Harm about some of the feelings she'd revealed to his father she would be fine.
Mac drove home slowly only stopping to pick up some Chinese food, as she didn't feel like cooking. As she climbed the stairs to her apartment she spotted a man in sailor's whites sat outside her door.
"You could have let yourself in you know. You do have a key."
"Mac, thank god your okay." He pulled her into a hug. "I've been trying to find you everywhere no one's seen you since you left McMurphy's. I was just getting ready to call hospitals."
"I'm fine. But I'd like to get inside before my dinner gets cold." She said as she put the key in the lock. She walked in leaving the door open behind her so he could come in if he chose. She dropped her purse into a chair and headed to the kitchen to find a plate and a fork. Even thought Mac could use chopsticks she wasn't still quite steady enough to use them. "Do you want some food, I've got plenty?" She asked as she heard the door shut.
"Sure, thanks." She brought the bag and placed it on the coffee table and took out a carton and handed it to him before taking one for herself and opening it. She let herself inhale the smell.
"So where did you go?" He asked.
"I drove around for an hour before I found some I could talk to. We talked for a couple of hours, I guess I managed to get everything off my chest."
"Anyone I know?" He asked as he took a bite of the noodles she had given him.
"Yeah you know him." She said with a small smile.
"Him?"
"Yeah him. He let me say what I want, he didn't question anything I said, he didn't judge me, he let me say what I needed to say and he let me be myself. It was what I needed to do."
"Who was he because I called Sturgis, the Roberts, the Admiral, Tiner, Chaplin Turner, I even called Webb who is on assignment somewhere apparently, no one had seen you or at least they told me they hadn't." Harm asked.
"It wasn't any of them. When I was driving around for some reason I ended up at the Wall. Don't ask me how I got there because I honestly don't know."
"You talked to my Dad?" Harm questioned.
"Yeah. I felt like an idiot for the first five minutes but after that it was easier; everything that I'd been bottling up for years came out. I feel a lot calmer and more in control than I have for a while. It's a nice feeling."
"That's good. But it's cold at the Wall at this time of night."
"I know. But it was what I needed to do. Now I've explained where I was I need you to explain to me what happened at the bar?"
"This woman was hitting on me and when she wouldn't stop I sort of told her I was married to you."
"Okay, but why did you kiss me?" Mac held a breath and waited for his answer.
"To make sure she stayed away." He admitted.
"Gee Harm that's what every girl wants to here. She gets kissed just keep a blonde away."
"How did you know she was blonde?" Harm asked.
"Just a guess. Blondes tend to fall for the dress whites and gold wings. What did the Admiral say am I in trouble tomorrow?"
"No. He says I'm an idiot."
"Well I'm not going to argue with that one." Mac said with a gentle smile but her heart was slowly breaking.
"He actually wanted to know if there was something we forgot to tell him after the barman told him he was glad I'd got my head out of my six and married the 'pretty marine'. After I explained he told me I was an idiot where you were concerned and that we should talk."
"I'm not going to disagree with that either. Next time you want to pretend we're married to keep the women away, give me some advanced warning so I can get into character. Because acting like Webb and springing things on me is not a good idea."
"You could always actually be my wife." He said before putting more food in his mouth.
"Hang on, wait a second, go back there what did you just say?" Mac asked dropping her food.
"Too much too quickly." He mumbled. "Forget it."
"Let's not. Did you just ask me to marry you? Because it seems like a giant leap from you telling someone we were married so they don't hit on you, to me being mad at you for kissing me in front of the Admiral for no apparent reason, to me talking to your dad for over two hours to you proposing when we've never actually been on a date as apposed to anything else." Mac said with out stopping for breath.
"Like I said too much too quickly. Forget I said it."
"I think that's going to be impossible. Is this some attempt at you trying to let go or have you just lost your mind? Because if it is you might need a psych evaluation given what we do and the fact that we work together and what the Admiral would say and the fact." He cut her off with a deep heart- stopping kiss. "You're going to have to stop doing that if you want me to think coherently." He kissed her again. "Wow. What was I saying?" She mumbled as she tried to remember her name.
"Does it matter?" He asked as he brushed a loose hair out of her face. "I'm ready to let go. I love you Mac. I probably always have."
"Wow, what?" She said stunned.
"I love you Mac." He gave her a quick kiss.
"Huh?" She couldn't focus.
"I love you. Mac I need you to say something." He rubbed his thumb down her cheek while he cupped her face.
"Is this some kind of joke, because if it is it's not funny Harm?"
"I'm not joking. I love you. I want to marry you I know it's too soon to ask but I want you to know where this is heading. Anyway the Admiral wants us to wait a couple of months so he can make some money off the betting pool and he says he'll take care of everything so we can stay at JAG."
"Wow, you're Dad sure works fast."
"What's my Dad got to do with this?" Harm asked as he pulled her closer.
"I was talking to him about how frustrating it was knowing how much I love you and not know exactly how you feel, that I wished we'd have made the baby pact for less than five years, that you'd be able to finally admit something anything so I had some idea that I wasn't going to get my heart broken and have to cry on Sturgis's shoulder since he was the only one who knew for sure how I felt."
"How did Sturgis know how you felt?" Harm asked.
"There's a thing about protesting too much. It kind of slipped out. I do love you Harm. More than anything, wherever this is headed, I know we can work it out one step at a time as long as we're honest with each other." He kissed her again. "Just promise you don't do that just before we step into court otherwise I'll be losing lots of cases."
"Whatever you say." He kissed her again.
THE END
"I'm a lawyer." He said in response.
"But you're a sailor too. You even have wings." She said as finger his gold wings.
"I'm a Naval Lawyer."
"Like Tom Cruise in that film and a pilot like in that other film. But you're better looking than Tom Cruise." She slurred as she ran her hand down the back of Harm's neck.
"Thank you Miss." He tried to think of a way to get out of there. "But I'm married." He said saying the first thing that came into his head.
"You don't look married." She picked up his hand and looked at and then held it in front of his face. "See no wedding band only a class ring."
"I don't wear it to work." He covered looking around for someone he knew to get him out of there. He smiled when he saw Mac come in dressed in civilian clothes. She'd spent the day at Norfolk on a case and had probably gone home to change. "Look there's my wife. Nice meeting you." He slid off the stool and quickly walked over to Mac.
"There you are. I was looking for you, Bud said you were headed here." Mac said with a smile.
"Come and dance me quickly." He said taking her hand.
"Harm, I didn't come here to dance. I came to see if you had the Markson file I couldn't find it anywhere."
"Mac, please just dance." He said pulling her into his arms.
"Harm what's going on? Are you feeling okay?" She asked concerned about him and his sudden urge to dance. Over her shoulder he saw the blonde making her way closer to him.
"Mac kiss me." He urged.
"Harm are you sure you're okay? Did something happen while I was out today?"
"Mac kiss me please."
"Harm.." She couldn't continue as he crushed his lips to hers and pulled her closer. Mac impulsively placed her hands on his chest as she fought to control of her brain, which was slowly turning to mush. "Harm, why did.." She asked as he broke the kiss. "Oh god." She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest for half a second. "I have to go." She pulled out of his arms. "Sir." She said as she walked past AJ.
"Colonel." AJ said as he crossed his arms over his chest, his cover still in his hand.
"Sir." Harm turned to face him. "That wasn't what it looked like."
"Really? Because the bartender just finished telling me how happy that you'd got your head out of your six and married the pretty marine. Was there something you and the Colonel forgot to tell me Commander?"
"Admiral, it really wasn't what it looked like. There was this drunken blonde woman making a pass at me. I wanted her to back off so I told her I was married. But she didn't believe me because I didn't have a ring. So when Mac came in I told her I was married to Mac."
"I see and that kiss I just witnessed." AJ pushed for an answer.
"I don't think the blonde believe me. So I kissed Mac to make her back off completely."
"I see and how did Mac feel about being used to rebuff a woman's advances on you?" AJ asked.
"I may not have mention that to her." Harm admitted.
"I see. Harm you're a smart guy and a good lawyer, I wouldn't have you still working at JAG if you weren't but when it comes to Mac you're an idiot."
"Thank you sir." Harm replied not knowing what else to say.
"Harm, go and find her and talk to her, I mean really talk. If she doesn't kick your six to kingdom come I'll work something out for both of you at JAG."
"Yes sir." Harm said realising what the Admiral was saying.
"Good. Oh and Harm, about the getting married wait month or two so I can get some decent money out of the pool."
"Yes sir."
~ ~ ~
When Mac left the bar she had know idea where to go, except she didn't want to go back to her apartment. She spent an hour driving around before she found herself sat on the bench by the Vietnam War Memorial. She lent back for a minute and closed her eyes trying to collect herself. She let out a long slow breath before standing and moving to the wall. She looked up at the names carved into it, stopping when she reach Lt. Harmon Rabb.
"Hey Mr Rabb. I'm Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie I'm a friend of your son's. I honestly don't know what I'm doing here. Talking to a wall seems a bit nuts but I guess if it works for Harm I can give it a try." She took a deep breath. "I guess I'm here because of Harm. I don't know what it is about him but just when I get my feelings settled so I can live with them he throws me a curve ball and I'm lost again. I mean I just got settled with my admission to Sturgis and now I'm more confused than ever. I mean some days he infuriates the hell out of me and I get so mad at him then he smiles at me and my heart melts. I mean the other day..." Mac proceeded to give him an example.
~ ~
"Mac." Harm said as he banged on her apartment door. "Mac, we need to talk. If you're in there just open the door."
"She's not home." The woman in the apartment opposite Mac's said opening the door. "She came in a couple of hours ago and changed. I was just getting back from the store, we chatted for a couple of minutes and she was moaning that her idiot partner had taken a file from her this morning and hadn't given back and that she had to go and find him to get it back because he wasn't answering any of his phones. She hasn't been back since. Since you're her idiot partner I take it she didn't find you."
"She found me, I just was an idiot and she took off. Look if she comes back before I come back can you get her to call me. I need to talk to her." Harm asked.
"Sure. Be nice to her she had a long day."
"I will thanks." Harm said trying to think where she would go. He pulled out his cell phone and dialled the Roberts house.
~ ~
".... Thanks for listening Mr Rabb. I guess I need to unload all of that. I can't believe I've been here talking to you for two hours 18 minutes and 24 seconds. It's time to go home, I'll come back and visit you if only to keep you up to date with Harm's exploits. Bye."
Mac wrapped her arms tightly around her stomach as she walked back to her car. She felt better for getting all her feelings out in the open to someone who wouldn't judge her and who would just allow her to go at her own pace. If now she could just talk to Harm about some of the feelings she'd revealed to his father she would be fine.
Mac drove home slowly only stopping to pick up some Chinese food, as she didn't feel like cooking. As she climbed the stairs to her apartment she spotted a man in sailor's whites sat outside her door.
"You could have let yourself in you know. You do have a key."
"Mac, thank god your okay." He pulled her into a hug. "I've been trying to find you everywhere no one's seen you since you left McMurphy's. I was just getting ready to call hospitals."
"I'm fine. But I'd like to get inside before my dinner gets cold." She said as she put the key in the lock. She walked in leaving the door open behind her so he could come in if he chose. She dropped her purse into a chair and headed to the kitchen to find a plate and a fork. Even thought Mac could use chopsticks she wasn't still quite steady enough to use them. "Do you want some food, I've got plenty?" She asked as she heard the door shut.
"Sure, thanks." She brought the bag and placed it on the coffee table and took out a carton and handed it to him before taking one for herself and opening it. She let herself inhale the smell.
"So where did you go?" He asked.
"I drove around for an hour before I found some I could talk to. We talked for a couple of hours, I guess I managed to get everything off my chest."
"Anyone I know?" He asked as he took a bite of the noodles she had given him.
"Yeah you know him." She said with a small smile.
"Him?"
"Yeah him. He let me say what I want, he didn't question anything I said, he didn't judge me, he let me say what I needed to say and he let me be myself. It was what I needed to do."
"Who was he because I called Sturgis, the Roberts, the Admiral, Tiner, Chaplin Turner, I even called Webb who is on assignment somewhere apparently, no one had seen you or at least they told me they hadn't." Harm asked.
"It wasn't any of them. When I was driving around for some reason I ended up at the Wall. Don't ask me how I got there because I honestly don't know."
"You talked to my Dad?" Harm questioned.
"Yeah. I felt like an idiot for the first five minutes but after that it was easier; everything that I'd been bottling up for years came out. I feel a lot calmer and more in control than I have for a while. It's a nice feeling."
"That's good. But it's cold at the Wall at this time of night."
"I know. But it was what I needed to do. Now I've explained where I was I need you to explain to me what happened at the bar?"
"This woman was hitting on me and when she wouldn't stop I sort of told her I was married to you."
"Okay, but why did you kiss me?" Mac held a breath and waited for his answer.
"To make sure she stayed away." He admitted.
"Gee Harm that's what every girl wants to here. She gets kissed just keep a blonde away."
"How did you know she was blonde?" Harm asked.
"Just a guess. Blondes tend to fall for the dress whites and gold wings. What did the Admiral say am I in trouble tomorrow?"
"No. He says I'm an idiot."
"Well I'm not going to argue with that one." Mac said with a gentle smile but her heart was slowly breaking.
"He actually wanted to know if there was something we forgot to tell him after the barman told him he was glad I'd got my head out of my six and married the 'pretty marine'. After I explained he told me I was an idiot where you were concerned and that we should talk."
"I'm not going to disagree with that either. Next time you want to pretend we're married to keep the women away, give me some advanced warning so I can get into character. Because acting like Webb and springing things on me is not a good idea."
"You could always actually be my wife." He said before putting more food in his mouth.
"Hang on, wait a second, go back there what did you just say?" Mac asked dropping her food.
"Too much too quickly." He mumbled. "Forget it."
"Let's not. Did you just ask me to marry you? Because it seems like a giant leap from you telling someone we were married so they don't hit on you, to me being mad at you for kissing me in front of the Admiral for no apparent reason, to me talking to your dad for over two hours to you proposing when we've never actually been on a date as apposed to anything else." Mac said with out stopping for breath.
"Like I said too much too quickly. Forget I said it."
"I think that's going to be impossible. Is this some attempt at you trying to let go or have you just lost your mind? Because if it is you might need a psych evaluation given what we do and the fact that we work together and what the Admiral would say and the fact." He cut her off with a deep heart- stopping kiss. "You're going to have to stop doing that if you want me to think coherently." He kissed her again. "Wow. What was I saying?" She mumbled as she tried to remember her name.
"Does it matter?" He asked as he brushed a loose hair out of her face. "I'm ready to let go. I love you Mac. I probably always have."
"Wow, what?" She said stunned.
"I love you Mac." He gave her a quick kiss.
"Huh?" She couldn't focus.
"I love you. Mac I need you to say something." He rubbed his thumb down her cheek while he cupped her face.
"Is this some kind of joke, because if it is it's not funny Harm?"
"I'm not joking. I love you. I want to marry you I know it's too soon to ask but I want you to know where this is heading. Anyway the Admiral wants us to wait a couple of months so he can make some money off the betting pool and he says he'll take care of everything so we can stay at JAG."
"Wow, you're Dad sure works fast."
"What's my Dad got to do with this?" Harm asked as he pulled her closer.
"I was talking to him about how frustrating it was knowing how much I love you and not know exactly how you feel, that I wished we'd have made the baby pact for less than five years, that you'd be able to finally admit something anything so I had some idea that I wasn't going to get my heart broken and have to cry on Sturgis's shoulder since he was the only one who knew for sure how I felt."
"How did Sturgis know how you felt?" Harm asked.
"There's a thing about protesting too much. It kind of slipped out. I do love you Harm. More than anything, wherever this is headed, I know we can work it out one step at a time as long as we're honest with each other." He kissed her again. "Just promise you don't do that just before we step into court otherwise I'll be losing lots of cases."
"Whatever you say." He kissed her again.
THE END