A/N: This was my first fanfic EVER. I've recently written 3 stories for CSI on this site, but this JAG story was originally posted at Friends of Jag on the ezboard forum (November, 2005). My pen name there was "Corporal Lisa Antoon". I thought I'd repost the story here under my name "Andsowego".

Summary: I really loved parts of the series finale, but I thought it was missing some key elements. Not that I'm complaining, because I think that DB did a fair job of trying to satisfy all the viewers' needs. Hm. Anyway, I think I just would have tweaked things a little bit more for my liking.

Disclaimer: I don't own JAG, but if I did, I would have hired myself to script this version of the final scene in the series finale. Happy reading!

Fair Winds and Following Fate

Chapter I (of X)

McMurphy's Tavern
("The" night)

Harm sat at the bar, anxiously waiting for Fate to reveal itself to him. Could things really be this easy? Mac had shown up at his apartment. He had basically told her that he'd never love anyone more. He proposed... or did she? Not that it mattered, but it was all so easy. They'd never been good at 'easy'. If he'd known that it would all be this 'easy', he never would have waited nine years to tell her that he loved her.

The bar. What was he thinking when he suggested this place? Dalton had died here. Mac got drunk here. God! Maybe this wasn't as easy as he originally thought. He checked his watch. Harm didn't need Mac's sense of time to know that she was late. She was never late. The hostess brought him a refill on his draught. How had he managed to finish a whole one already? Mac was late. That's how he'd managed.

Harm's fingers followed the edge of the counter. It was rough. Little imperfections in the soft wood glared and taunted him with their presence. His watch ticked. Someone laughed. A glass fell. Was there music playing? His mind wandered...

Her lips. Soft. Pleading. Unashamed. Giving.

The hostess was looking at him strangely. How long had he been staring at the bar? His silent smile and flushed cheeks hadn't gone unnoticed, but in a brief thought, Harm prayed that Joanna wouldn't be in the mood for an embarrassing explanation.

"What put that smile on your face?" she asked.

"Well, I just got engaged... at least I think I did." Harm was relieved to know that his brain had caught up with his worry, if only temporarily.

"Don't you think you ought to figure that out?" she queried.

"That's part of why I'm here now." Or maybe he'd end up here, all night on his own, wondering what 'might've been' had he not foolishly handed the reigns over to Fate once again.

He knew she'd arrived a split second before he saw her. Well, if the red dress wasn't a big enough clue as to her lateness, he didn't know what was. The lateness was well-earned and completely forgotten. Harm raised himself from the barstool as Mac approached. He wasn't breathing, he was sure of it.

"Hi" was all they'd managed before kissing. 'Easy' had returned with the smallest of touches.

She sat next to him at the bar and ordered. As Mac spoke quietly with Joanna, Harm never heard a single word. He was lost. Or was it found? Either way, he was sure that the night was turning around. Where had he been the last hour as he waited? Fate was lurking in the corner and all the brooding over chances lost was standing in the way. With a new-found confidence, he knew what he had to do. The answer was so clear it actually startled him.

He vaguely heard some question from the hostess about a ring, and was pretty sure that he'd chuckled as Mac used the word 'negotiating' in her answer. He'd never understood before what was with women and their rings. Brumby had given her a ring. Look what it got him. He wasn't Brumby. Of that he was sure.

It didn't matter now anyway. Not now that he'd made up his mind about Fate. Fate had nothing on him, and he was gonna make sure he saw to that.

Friends arrived, and congratulations were exchanged. Bud and Harriet looked as though they'd fallen in love all over again when Mac and Harm announced they were getting married. Even the General had joked and smiled at the thought of his two senior officers tying the knot, before making a hasty exit, leaving the friends to celebrate the news. Harm didn't remember reaching for Mac, but somehow she was at his side, holding on as they accepted the well-wishes.

The moment had arrived. He knew what he had to do, and what he needed to say.

"Mac and I asked you all here this evening so that we could share our news with our closest friends, but we actually have something else to share."

Mac's fingers were tracing a pattern on his back. Small, intricate circles, just enough to make their presence known. He was right. This was going to be the easiest thing he'd ever have to do.

"We were going to let Fate decide our future tonight... where we'd get married...where we'd live...whose career would be cut short... Bud was going to flip a coin... but I'd like to change that plan."

Mac's fingers stopped. He could feel her holding her breath as he paused to look at her.

"Mac, I don't want Fate to decide for us any longer. I know that we thought this would work, but it just can't be this way."

She pulled back from him slightly, and he saw the moment of worry in her eyes.

"I want to marry you. I want to be a family with you. I want all the things that we've spent the last nine years denying ourselves, and I want you to know how easy this is for me."

She understood. The moment had passed. She exhaled and waited.

"You once asked me what I'd give up to be with you, and I never had the courage to answer that question. Until now."

Harm lifted his hand to her face, and gently coaxed her eyes shut. The room was gone. Their friends were gone. The music had stopped, and time was no longer ticking by. Slowly reaching down, Harm took her left hand in his own and placed a ring on her finger. The corners of her mouth turned up in surprise, and he leaned in and kissed her gently as her eyes fluttered open.

Pulling back, he waited for the situation to unfold. Mac raised her left hand in wonder.

His Navy ring was on her finger.

Her eyes were wide as she whispered his name. "Harm?"

Gasps from their friends brought them both back to reality.

"Are you sure about this?" She hesitated.

"Yes."

"I... I'm..."

"Say you'll take me to San Diego with you."

His face was different somehow. She hadn't seen this before. It was relaxed... light...younger. A moment passed. 7 seconds to be exact. Just long enough for Mac to study his eyes and take in a breath.

"Yes."

Before she knew it, she was engulfed in his arms, kissing his lips, sharing his breath as their friends looked on and the cheering began to erupt across the room.

"Ah-hem."

Admiral Chegwidden stepped forward from the group.

"I'm sorry to break you two up for a moment, but I may have information that will be of great interest to you both."

Shocked to realize that their former C.O. had been there to witness their exchange, Harm and Mac attempted to come to attention, only to be greeted with a laugh from AJ.

"Commander Roberts called me a little while ago and filled me in on your 'situation'. I thought that it was the least I could do to come down here and try and make things right for two of my dearest friends."

"As you well know, military history has not permitted two officers who are married to serve in the same direct chain of command. Captain, I understand your need to be with the Colonel, but the Sec-Nav isn't about to let you leave the Navy so easily. I made him privy to my phone conversation with Commander Roberts earlier this evening. There are other options for you to consider, and I'm sure General Cresswell would have informed you of these options had he known of them."

"Sir?" Harm and Mac asked in unison.

"Harm, should you choose to turn down your promotion to Captain, a Commander's billet is available in the Faculty at Annapolis. And Mac, should you choose to turn down your new command in San Diego, you could remain here at JAG in your current position. Of course, you both should know that after turning down such promotions, neither one of your names would fair well in front of the promotion board a second time."

The group was silent. Harm and Mac stared at the Admiral, waiting for him to continue.

"That's all people!" AJ chuckled. He'd rarely seen these two with their tongues tied. Too bad it took nine years of office feuding and gray hair to get them to this point.

Easy. Harm knew this would be easy. Fate had decided in their favour after all, and all it wanted in return was a little promotion or two. Harm reached for Mac's hands as their gaze met. One look in Mac's eyes told him that they were doing the right thing.

"You're going to need this," she said as she held his hand in her own and placed his Navy ring back on his finger where it belonged.

He smiled as she leaned close and whispered in his ear, "We're going to drive each other crazy you know."

Harm's eyes twinkled as he answered, "I'm counting on it."

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Well, that's all folks... I hope you enjoyed the glimpse into my train of thought after seeing the series finale. Feedback is much appreciated. Chapter 2 coming soon! Andsowego