Rated PG just because Itty-bitty spoilers for "Boomerang Part II," but nothing people probably haven't heard already.
Disclaimer: Doesn't Paramount ultimately own these guys too? It's just my take. [grumbles "Is it just me, or do those morons own everything?"]
This Time
by Ab'Lanna, 7-22-00
"You wanna grab some lunch?"
"Ahh, I can't. Meeting Renee," Harm said apologetically.
"Mmmm." Mac turned to leave.
"You don't like Renee, do you?"
She spun around. "Not any more than you like Mic," she spat.
"Not fair, Mac."
"I think it's enormously fair. You hate Mic, I hate Renee, it's perfect. Why don't we double sometime and all be miserable?"
"Mac! Mac, would you cut it out?" He sighed. "If it's any consolation, I don't like Renee either."
A look of blank astonishment fell over Mac's face. "You what?"
"I don't... like Renee."
"You're kidding me! You've been dating the woman for how long now and you don't *like* her?"
Harm leaned back and half laughed. "C'mon, Mac, you've talked to the woman. Does she strike you as my type? She's no Jordan, no Bobbi, no Annie, definitely no..." he trailed off.
"No who?"
He watched her for a long minute. "Nothing. Forget I said anything."
Mac sighed. "How come you keep seeing her if you don't like her?"
"I don't know. I don't know... Maybe because you hate her, I don't know."
This was more astonishing than the last. "You date Renee because I hate her?"
"You see Brumby because I hate him, don't you?"
"What?" Now Mac was officially flabbergasted. "Harm, I... I...This isn't about me!"
His look was one hundred percent serious. "It *is* about you, Mac." He glanced pointedly at her right hand. "You wear that because of what I said on the ferry, don't you."
"I... I don't know."
"You don't have any intention of marrying the guy, do you?" When she didn't respond immediately, he got worried. "Do you?"
Mac said nothing.
"You don't know, do you."
"Okay, so I don't! I mean, he's in love with me, and I'm wearing his ring, but..."
"But...?"
"I don't know."
"Is that fair?"
Mac almost laughed. "Since when do you care about what's fair to Mic Brumby?"
"I don't. I don't give a rat's--"
"Watch it, Sailor."
"A rat's *six* about Brumby," Harm finished. "But is it fair to you?"
"Do you care more than a rat's six about me?"
"You know it, Sarah."
"But you don't care that much about Renee."
"No."
"So why are you eating with her?"
Harm didn't have an answer for that one. "How about you and Brumby come along? We can double and we'll all be miserable."
"Fun."
"Do you know why I'll be miserable?"
Mac nodded. "Because you hate Mic."
"Partly."
"What else?"
He paused such a long time, just looking at her, that she thought he wasn't going to answer. Finally, he spoke. "Because I care about you, Sarah, and every time I see the two of you together, it's like tightening the rope around my neck. I know what you're thinking, 'Wow, big sailor man admits he's not invulnerable,' but that's how it feels."
"I know."
It was Harm's turn to be surprised. "You do?"
She nodded. "It's in your eyes, Harm."
There was a knock on the doorjamb. "Not now, Bud," Harm called.
Bud stuck his head inside Harm's office anyway. "Sir, you have a phone call."
"Take a message, Bud."
"But, sir--"
"Take a *message*, Bud!"
"Sir--"
"That's an order, Lieutenant!"
"Sir, it's Miss Peterson."
Harm didn't even hesitate before he said, "Fine. Tell Renee that I'm busy and won't be meeting her."
Bud tried to mask his surprise. "She's not going to be happy, sir."
"Do I look like I care, Bud?" Harm was talking to Bud, but had been looking at Mac the entire time.
"Ah, no, sir." Bud looked at the Commander and then at the Colonel, and decided he was definitely intruding. "I'll get on that, sir."
At the click of the door closing, Harm shook his head. "Saying Renee won't be happy is an understatement."
"Are you going to tell her?"
"That I don't like her?"
Mac nodded.
"Maybe I'll have Bud do that, too."
"Great. 'Hello, Renee, this is Bud. Harm doesn't like you and is in his office right now ignoring you with Mac'," she said sarcastically.
"Hey," Harm said appreciatively. "That wasn't bad. Maybe I should have Bud ask you if you'll have lunch with me."
"You wouldn't do it yourself?"
"Sure I would. But if I had Bud put it like that..."
"Oh, you mean something like, 'Colonel, the Commander wants you to have lunch with him now that he's decided he doesn't like Renee, but right now he's in his office hoping you'll say yes'?"
"Throw in there that the Commander thinks you're beautiful and you'd have it just about right."
Mac just looked at him, marveling at his admission. "So, should I tell you that I'm flattered, or should I ask Bud to tell you?" she asked seriously.
"Depends... you *could* tell me at lunch..." he paused meaningfully.
"All right." She smiled, then sighed. "Harm, why did this conversation turn out like this this time?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, before, we... well, we've had the beginning of this conversation before, but it's obviously never ended up like this."
"I don't know. I guess today, somewhere when we were talking, I decided to stop playing games with you."
Mac smiled. "Does this mean you've 'let go'?"
Harm nodded.
"And now what?"
"Lunch," replied Harm simply.
Mac laughed a little. "And *then* what?"
Harm looked at Mac's right hand again. "That depends on you."