a/n: This is an AU story. I'm going to take parts of the canon to ease things up though. Enjoy!

Sarah Mackenzie took a small sip of her tepid coffee, screwing her face up when all she could taste was watered down caffeine with a large helping of milk. The absence of a ring on her finger still stung, she supposed. Mic had been a welcome distraction, if she thought about it. Harm had stood there and told her 'not yet', after she had all but declared her love for him. He had left her in Sydney, torn and confused, and when she returned, she found him attached to some blond, vapid-

Calm down Mac. You're just sick of how things are.

Mac had given up a chance to start a family, see children with her features run around a big house with open windows and a view of the sea. Mic had offered her that chance, that window of opportunity to live the life she thought she had wanted. Instead, Harmon Rabb Jr. had swooped in and in one fell blow, taken it all away from her. It was irrational to blame the fact that she was, once again, alone on Harm. But a part of her felt vindicated in feeling that way.

Not yet. And then he screws around with the first female body that throws herself at him. More like not ever.

Maybe it was time to accept the fact that her and Harm were never going to happen. There was never going to be a them, simply Mac and Harm going their separate ways. It would be nice to look at Harm and not think of everything that he stirred up inside her. And it was not like there were even remotely back to where they were. Before, Mac would have safely been able to say that they were at least friends. Now, they barely spoke to each other. And all the times Mac had managed to see him, Renee had been there. The woman despised her, Mac thought with an amused smirk. For what she failed to see. Clearly, Harm had made it abundantly clear she wasn't a threat whatsoever.

'Mac? You busy?'

Speak of the devil.

'Just considering whether to finish this coffee,' she replied, placing her mug down on the table. 'Did you need something?'

'Just wanted to go over the Grenier case with you before tomorrow,' Harm answered, stepping into her office almost hesitantly. He watched as Mac grimaced, but the expression was gone so fast he thought he had imagined it.

'Sure,' Mac told him, waving towards an empty chair. 'Let me just find-'

The shrill ring of the phone interrupted her. As Mac reached over to pick up receiver, Harm settled himself slowly into one of her leather chairs when she made no move to dismiss him.

'Colonel Mackenize,' Mac answered. Harm studied the planes of her face, seeing the sun reflect off her long hair and illuminate parts of her brown eyes. He also noted with satisfaction that the ring that Bugme had given her was gone.

Remember Renee Rabb? Blonde, nice rack? Your girlfriend?

Something inside him cringed at the thought. But Renee made him happy, didn't she? And she also hadn't run off to another continent to tie herself forever to an incompetent-

'What? When? Well of course I knew about the explosion Tony, I don't live under a rock. Did you just say…I'm not with you guys anymore,' Mac said with an air of exasperation. Harm listened with interest, his heart accelerating. Was she going on another mission?

'Was that a – Tony, where are you?' Mac demanded, twisting the chord around her fingers tightly.

'Right here,' a male voice answered. Harm watched as Mac's eyes widened in surprise, her mouth slightly open. The next thing he knew, Mac was out of her seat and had her arms around the tall, blonde man.

'Tony,' Mac exclaimed, feeling his arms come around her in a tight hug. She looked up to see his green eyes alight, his mouth stretched in a grin.

'Did I tell you that I love that uniform?'

Hearing him say that set off a peal of laughter from Mac. God, it had been too long since she had last seen him or the rest of the team. Harm clearing his throat brought Mac squarely back.

'Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, this is Commander Harmon Rabb,' Mac introduced them, restraining a smile when she saw both of them shake hands.

'Tony works with NCIS,' Mac said, seeing Harm's questioning look.

'So did Colonel Hot Stuff here,' Tony said emphatically, looping his arm around her shoulder and drawing her close to his side. Harm tamped down the urge to forcefully remove Mac from his embrace and noted that Mac still had something that could be described as true happiness etched across her features.

'I didn't know you worked with NCIS Mac,' Harm commented casually, sifting through his mind.

'It was just before I transferred to JAG,' Mac retorted simply. 'Where's Gibbs?'

The name sobered the atmosphere in the room. Harm saw Tony's eyes harden and his spine stiffen.

'Mexico,' Tony said.

'I can't just up and leave Tony. I have cases pending-'

'Director Shephard already cleared it with your Admiral.'

'Jenny? Jenny is the Director?' Mac asked, astonished. 'And Gibbs isn't?'

'Ah I have much to tell you young Padawan,' Tony said, tweaking her nose. Mac batted his hand away.

Harm stood to the side, mind reeling. Mac had been with NCIS? She had never so much as mentioned anything remotely related to that at all.

'It doesn't look good Tony. For her or any of us if we get caught,' Mac cautioned.

'You know me. I'm like Keanu Reeves on that bus, with my favourite Wildcat behind the wheel.'

'Colonel! Commander!' Admiral Chegwidden's voice blasted through the office. 'My office. Now.'

'You're coming with us,' Mac said simply, grabbing a fistful of Tony's coat and pulling him along.

'So this is what you gave up the team for?' Tony observed, eyes scanning the innocuous décor. 'A life of paperwork, endless referencing and representing people who get charged for killing a goat?'

'How did you know about the goat?' Mac and Harm asked at the same time, Mac glancing away after they both stared at each other for a moment.

'Abby. Quite possibly Ziva. Maybe McGee and Ducky. There was no mention of a goat in my email Wildcat.'

'I see everything is still the same. All of you can't mind your own business,' Mac grumbled. 'And I didn't mention the goat for a good reason DiNozzo.'

'I'm shocked Sarah, really. How could you even think I would do anything like that?'

'Because I know you Tony,' Mac said, one eyebrow raised. Harm watched the easy exchange, feeling a pang somewhere when he realized this was what him and Mac used to have, back before things had gotten more…complicated. Not yet. Harm wanted to kick himself.

'He's ready to see you Sir, Ma'am,' Tiner told them, eyeing Tony with a small amount of curiosity.

'Sir,' Mac, Harm and Tony all said simultaneously.

'At ease Commander, Colonel,' AJ said before turning his attention to Tony.

'DiNozzo. Why am I not surprised that you'd be involved in this?' AJ questioned.

'Part of my charm I guess?' Tony countered, ignoring the sharp look Mac sent his way.

'Mac, Director Shepherd of NCIS has put in a request that you be put in Special Agent DiNozzo's team for an indefinite period of time until whatever the hell is going on is resolved,' AJ said evenly, eyeing Mac.

'Understood Sir,' Mac replied, holding the Admiral's gaze.

'Commander Rabb, you can either go with Mac or remain here at JAG.'

Harm reacted with shock at this, as did Mac and Tony.

'Come again Sir?' Harm asked, blinking.

'Director seems to think that having you on board would be an assest. God knows why. Probably doesn't know how stubborn you are,' AJ muttered the last part softly to himself.

'I'll…accept the Director's request Sir,' Harm found himself saying. Mac stared at him incredulously while Tony looked mildly irritated.

'So ordered then,' AJ said with an air of resignation. He recalled the brief, yet memorable, conservation he had had with the NCIS Director. Best to get this over with quickly. He had heard about what a headache NCIS could be if they set their mind to it.

'Thank you Sir,' they all replied with varying degrees of respect. Once the door had closed behind them, Mac turned to regard Harm angrily.

'What the hell do you think you're doing Harm?' Mac demanded, her voice low but angry. 'We-'

'You mean you Mac,' Harm retorted. Mac sucked in a breath, trying to calm herself.

'Tony, could we swing by my place so I can get change into some civvies?' Mac asked Tony, who was cutting his gaze back and forth between the two.

'Sure. Commander Rabb?' Tony enquired.

'It's Harm. And I'll get changed and meet you guys at NCIS,' Harm offered.

Mac nodded curtly before setting off towards her office, Harm releasing a heavy sigh. When had things between them gotten so…bad?

'Well, a pissed off Marine. Glad I'm not on her bad side. I'll see you in a few Navy,' Tony said before walking towards an impatient Mac. Harm gritted his teeth, seeing Mac loop her arm through the crook of Tony's elbow.

Fine Mac. You want to play it this way. We'll play.