Propositions & Night-time Miracles

Author's Note: This story is the fourth and final in the series that began with 'Brownies & Surprises, and continued with 'Spinach & the Third Mission Mom' and then 'Introductions & Early Morning Runs'. (Thank you so much for reading and reviewing so far!) In this story, which has three short chapters, Mattie is back at college, Mac is 9 months pregnant, and Harm has coffee with an old colleague.

Disclaimer: The usual – the characters and the show are not mine, but all the factual errors and inaccuracies are (especially with the pregnancy and baby stuff – I did a little research but there's so much that I don't know, so please forgive any glaring blunders).

Harm's POV:

She's the CNO's Chief of Staff. She cuts an imposing, formidable figure, but an attractive one too - just as attractive as when I first met her all those years ago. I don't see her very often – only at the occasional meeting, like the one we're both attending today, and of course at the banquets and balls we're sometimes both invited to. At parties, she's as witty and compelling as ever. In meetings, she's as sharp and incisive as ever...

She may not have achieved her ambition of becoming the first female Judge Advocate General of the Navy, but Alison Krennick has certainly done well for herself.

Today's meeting with barely ends before Admiral Krennick corners me. Not again.

'How about a quick cup of coffee, Harm, to catch up on old times?'

'Thanks Alison, but I'm swamped right now. Another time...'

'You're avoiding me,' she says. She's smiling, but I recognize the steely glint in her eye.

The truth is, I really am avoiding her. I have so little free time these days, and while I have a great deal of respect for Alison, I don't have the inclination to spend more time with her than is absolutely necessary in the course of duty. I don't trust her, and sometimes I'm not sure if I even like her.

But because this isn't the first, second or even third time I've tried to blow off an offer of coffee or lunch from Admiral Krennick, I decide to have a change of heart.

'I'm not avoiding you, Alison,' I say, smiling, 'and to prove it, let's go grab that coffee, even if it means I'll have to put in an extra half-hour at work today.'

'Oh please,' she retorts sarcastically, rolling her eyes, 'like men are usually rushing home after work.'

'This man is.'

When we're seated at a nearby coffee shop, we start with the usual shop talk… work pressures, bureaucratic red tape, and the difficult decisions and projects that, when they work out, make it all worthwhile. Then she asks about Mac and the kids, and I proudly inform her that we'll have a new addition to the family in a matter of weeks. She smiles and congratulates me. Then I ask after her husband, whom I've had the pleasure of meeting at a couple of events.

'Oh, Robert's fine. He's off fly-fishing this week - it's one of his passions, and now that he's retired, he has plenty of time to indulge.'

'Lucky him.'

'Please,' she says, rolling her eyes. 'Don't pretend that the thought appeals to you. You crave the thrill of success, that feeling of conquest you get when things go according to plan. For a man like you, retirement will be a fate worse than death.'

'On the contrary,' I say, 'I love my work, but I've done this for a long time, Alison. Whether I like it or not, the time will come when I won't have a lot left to contribute. There are younger officers who will need me to step aside so that they can make their own mark. When the time is right - which between you and me, will be in just a few more years - I'm very much looking forward to retiring... I'll have more time for my family, time to fly, and time to pass -'

'That's right,' she cuts in, 'your kids are young. I can't say I envy you that. I've never really liked little children.' She laughs. 'And another on the way... wow. I have to say – I can't quite picture you changing smelly diapers... I remember your bachelor pad near Union Station. It was a little ratty, sure, but now that was a cool place – no kids running around, messing up the vibe. I work like a dog, I'm constantly on the go… so when I get home, all I want is a glass of wine and some good conversation… the last thing I have time for is snotty noses and scraped knees. One of Rob's main attractions for me was the fact that his kids were already grown up by the time we got together.'

'Do you get along with them?'

She laughs. 'Tremendously. I'm like their cool, fun-loving big sister – I invite them over for dinner and drinks every now and then – no kids allowed, and we have a great time.'

'That must be nice.'

'It is. But sometimes I feel like I'm missing something, it's not as… thrilling as it used to be anymore. It all just gets a little old.'

'What does?'

'Everything... it's all just old... the good ol' Navy, good ol' Washington, good ol' dinner and drinks, going to bed with my good ol' husb –'

'Alison,' I say, with a note of warning.

'What? Look, he knows as well as I do that we don't have some grand love affair... he married me to get into military and diplomatic circles for the sake of his business, and I married him because, sadly enough in this day and age, it gave me a little added respectability among my peers.'

I'm a little shocked. 'It can't have been that cynical. I mean, I know you're ultra-ambitious, Alison, but I would have thought you'd rather be single than get married for such mercenary reasons.'

She shook her head. 'No, Harm, it wasn't quite that cynical. We did like each other very much, and we still do; we've always enjoyed each other's company. We make each other laugh. And we were both lonely. He was widowed, and I was tired of the dating scene. We both wanted to settle down... for the most part we each like to do our own thing, but whenever we feel the need for a little... companionship, we're good friends.'

It sounds a little... empty to me. 'But what about love?'

'I'm not a romantic, Harm. It's not about hearts and roses for me; it's about practicality and ensuring that we're both fulfilled in our separate lives.'

I shake my head. 'Well, if it works for you – '

'Exactly,' she interrupts, 'it works perfectly... except for one thing... something I need, something he can't give me.' Her eyes flash and a certain look comes into them... it's a look I've seen before, and I know exactly what it means.

'Don't go there, Alison,' I warn.

'Why not?' she asks, lips parted in a sultry smile. 'Because you're tempted? Don't think I haven't figured out why you keep turning me down when I offer you nothing more than a harmless cup of coffee between old colleagues. We've always been attracted to each other, Harm, and now there's nothing standing in our way. We can finally be together.'

I laugh disbelievingly, scornfully. 'Nothing standing in our way? Alison, listen to yourself. You're a married woman. I'm a married man.'

'Get off your high horse, Harm,' she says, a hard look coming into her eyes, 'you've already won the battle, remember? There's nothing to fight about - you've got the JAG position -'

'The last time I checked, I was Deputy JAG.'

She curls her lip, 'We both know where you're headed next – it's all lined up for you as soon as Trenton leaves. Look, you beat me to it, but there are no hard feelings. As long as I can still get something else I've always wanted.'

'Forget it, Alison. I'm not going to cheat on my wife.'

Alison leans back in her chair, assessing me with a look that can only be described as predatory. When she starts to speak, the words that pour out of her are laced with bitterness, like they've been festering inside her for a while. 'Well, she's very pretty, I'll give her that. I hear she's a brilliant lawyer as well. A bit strait-laced though; she can't be that much fun….'

'Alison,' I warn, and I can literally feel my hackles rising, but she plows ahead, not even missing a beat….

'I won't say anything about how much she looks like that other woman you were involved with... the one that was murdered? Diane something? I wonder what a shrink would make of that. And you just said she's pregnant, with two little kids running around –,' she grimaces, 'I know how... unappealing that must be for a red-blooded male….'

'Alison,' I warn again, and this time I'm incredibly angry. 'Don't talk about –'

'Alright, alright,' she says, and clearly she's angry too, 'I won't talk about your cozy little family... I have nothing against your wife, but this has nothing to do with her, and nothing to do with my husband either. You don't have to worry about anyone finding out... we'll be discreet, we'll be careful. I have a place –'

'That's enough, Admiral Krennick, more than enough,' I say, rising to her feet.

She rises as well, chest heaving, eyes spitting fire. 'You can't seriously be rejecting me again.'

'I am seriously rejecting you again,' I reply, quietly, 'and quite frankly, with more decorum than you deserve. Even if I wasn't married to a woman I love to distraction, I would never in a million years have anything to do with you. I always thought you had more ambition than principles, but it turns out you have no principles at all. Stay away from me from now on… I mean it.'

With that, I turn around and walk out of the coffee shop. I'm still seething with anger as I drive back to the office... I'm angry with Krennick for thinking I would ever stoop to that level, angry with myself for going out to coffee with her... and I'm wondering if I'll tell Mac.

A/N: What do you think – will he? And perhaps just as important, should he? There might be a small clue in the opening paragraph of the previous story (Introductions & Early Morning Runs).